An Arena of Adventure

I have made a grand discovery this week. For months I have been defeated in this one simple quest:  to make the perfect muffin; concocted of wholesome ingredients, artistic in design, and thoroughly enjoyable. My grand discovery this week has finally brought a sure victory in this endeavor. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. And with this discovery two new staple muffin recipes have been born into our home. Don't be intimidated by the extra steps to these recipes. Muffin making, I have found, is an art form.

Crazy Cow Muffins

 (Adapted from here)

 A few weeks back Grayson and I were at a church potluck picnic. I had brought a plate of Crazy Cow Muffins to share. Two young boys sat on the opposite side of a picnic table from me. I observed one of the boys take a cautious bite of the muffin. He stared at the now exposed inside, and leaned over close to his friend's ear and whispered, "There's green stuff in it!" The other boy peered into the muffin and replied with a resounding, "Cool!"

These Crazy Cow Muffins get there name not only from their deep brown and white contrast, but from an unexpecting array of ingredients. A key factor in our new way of eating is undoubtedly a flexibility to experiment and try new things. I am excited that our adventurous spirit in what we eat now will directly form Ezekiel's approach to food as he grows. What we see now as strange and unfamiliar, he will grow up knowing as "normal". Further, as we continue to integrate newness into our diet, I don't doubt he will acquire this proneness to wonder at new foods, and curiosity to embrace them.

In example, this week in the market I was drawn to some smoked salmon dip marked on special. I asked for a sample. Ezekiel quickly voiced his desire to try whatever I held in my hands. I dipped one of his cheddar bunny crackers in the salmon dip, and he eagerly opened his mouth to receive. An older woman standing next to us in line peered over and commented, "seafood lover, huh?" I smiled and began telling her of all the variety of foods he loves. She was impressed. I was a proud momma. Of course, introducing new foods is not fool-proof, Ezekiel refused to eat much more than salmon dip for the next two days....

Vital in muffin-making: Don't over-mix batter!

Recently I was talking with a friend about adapting a healthier way of eating in the home. Her child being a little older than mine had already adopted a "normal" for what he expected and liked on his dinner plate. She shared her frustration that all he wanted to eat was pizza and french fries. She, like many women I know, simply desires to serve her family good, healthy food. I encouraged her to start, then, with what is familiar to him. I shared with her my favorite pizza dough recipe (found here, use whole wheat flour), and encouraged her to integrate different vegetables as toppings, starting slow so he is not turned off to the idea of new pizza. I encouraged her to keep offering good veggies even if he keeps refusing. Always make them available. He will eventually cave if he sees mom and dad enjoying them. I then shared with her how to toss cut potatoes in chicken stock and seasonings, then roast them in the oven to make some delicious french fries (Grayson actually prefers these to fries made with oil).

This week I made a Scheherazade casserole for dinner one night. It intrigued me, boasting of Bulgar wheat, 2 types of beans, 3 types of onions, 2 types of peppers, garlic, basil, parsley, tomatoes and feta cheese (I altered the recipe slightly to adapt it to what we got at the farmers market). It was new to us, and so it was definitely new to Ezekiel. As delicious as the meal was, he was feeling a little less than adventurous that night. However, once wrapped in a little bit of familiarity (in the form of a flour tortilla), the child was more than willing to try it, and clean his plate!

I am thankful that we've begun this journey while Ezekiel is young so that we need not back-track and undo already learned habits of eating. Surely we will make mistakes (surely we already have) isn't this an all-around theme in parenting? Needless to say, however, a steadfast introduction of new foods to a young child (and any of us) encourages a culture of excitement for good and nutritious foods.

When I was recreating this recipe for Crazy Cow Muffins for the blog's sake (and maybe just to have some yummy muffins), I handed a piece to our brother and live-in house guest. I waited patiently as he consumed the morsel. "Good?" I awaited an assessment. "Mmmmm, berry bood" (translation: 'very good' while still chewing a muffin). And that perplexed little boy back at our church picnic? He finished his green-filled muffin.

Ok, so the Crazy Cow Muffins may not be in the realm of "healthy". But they are all whole-wheat, have little fat content, and delicious. Sometimes we can just go for some chocolate, and this is a much better choice than a bowl of ice cream or slice of cake, and just as satisfying!

Combine Dry Ingredients:

•  1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
•  1/2 cup all natural cane sugar
•  1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients:

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 tbs melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup honey   
• 1 generous teaspoon vanilla extract

Make deep well in dry ingredients, pour in wet ingredients. Mix by folding with rubber spatula until a few streaks of dry ingredients remain. Do not over mix!

Fold in: 

• 1 generous cup shredded, then chopped zucchini
• 3/4 cup real white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is great)

Pour into greased or lined muffin cups (makes exactly 12 average-sized muffins). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.


If you would prefer a lighter muffin with less of a dessert flair, and more of a breakfast identity, then meet the Crazy Cow's better half:  

Lemon Poppyseed with Blueberries and Ginger

 (Adapted from here)

When I made this recipe for Blueberry Poppyseed Muffins with Ginger last week, it received little enthusiasm from Grayson. This boggled me. I thought they were worth at least some recognition. In the car that afternoon I asked him, "Are you just not a muffin person?"  My determination set in ever so greater than before to create the perfect muffin.

After a trip out to acquire some real, high-quality flour (bulk bin in a natural foods market), I set to work adjusting my previous recipe. The Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is truly what this recipe was waiting for. It adds such a decadence to the texture that you would expect to discover such a muffin as this in a quaint little bakery off in a distant little corner of the world where all is well.

This recipe in relation to the former calls for more familiar ingredients,  yet they all meld together with such eloquence to produce a perfect pairing for a good cup of joe in the morning, or an afternoon snack, or an evening snack, or a late night snack. Or all four.... When Grayson tried a bite of this new and improved recipe, he gave me a look as to say, "perfect."

Lemon and Ginger Infused Sugar

1)  Create your base of flavor. A lemon and ginger infused sugar. (also at this time melt  8tbs real butter and set aside to cool)

• 1/3 cup all natural cane sugar (I use Florida Crystals)
• zest of one lemon (how to zest)
• 1/8 inch peeled fresh ginger, grated 

Massage ingredients together with your fingers for about a minute. You will know when it is ready when an unbelievably delicious aroma abounds.


2)  Add to your infused sugar:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Thoroughly whisk ingredients to combine




3)  In another bowl, combine wet ingredients:

•  2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup all-natural plain yogurt, mixed with 1  1/2 tbs flour (perfect sour cream substitute in baking)
• 1 generous teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 
• juice from 1 lemon (the one you zested)

4)  Make deep well in dry ingredients, pour in wet ingredients. Mix by folding with rubber spatula until a few streaks of dry ingredients remain. Do not over mix!

5)  Gently fold in just until incorporated:

• 1  1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 tbs poppyseeds

6)  Pour into greased or lined muffin pans (makes exactly 12 average-sized muffins) bake at 380 degrees for about 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clear (check at about 14 minutes to be safe).

Okay, so you may be asking, 'what is with the stick of butter?' It's a muffin. We can deal. Also, paired with the perfect consistency from the pastry flour, these muffins have a magnificent buttery taste, and beg for no dollop of butter on top. It is perfectly content in the nude. Because face it, if it didn't taste buttery, we would add butter on top....

Ezekiel enjoyed waking up his Uncle Jake for some french toast and berries

The kitchen should be an arena of adventure. It should hold promise of discovery, newness, creativity, fun, and good health. Yes, it takes work, but it is a mom's ministry to keep it well stocked and ready to feed hungry mouths wholesome foods. Do we fail if at the end of the week the fridge is less than providing and we opt for a little white cardboard container of chicken low mein? No. It happens in our home on occasion. But it is essential that we create a culture in our home of excitement for well-eating and good choices surrounding what our kids eat. This will set them up for physical wellness their whole lives, better enabling them in all areas of life, mostly to honor our Creator God. An atmosphere of adventure and trying new things does nothing but encourage this. Yes sometimes it will go south. Just today Ezekiel refused that very same Scheherazade casserole he devoured a couple of nights ago, but he opted for a banana. I won't call that a failure. I'll call it a journey of good health.

When Personalities Shine Through

Today is my son's first birthday. Watching a child throughout their first year of life is likable to witnessing a high-speed car chase. Each turn is unpredictable, the destination a little unsure at times, and you pray with every second to avoid collision. And of course, at about the mid-way point, there is indeed a whole lot of chasing going on.

The progression is rapid. From a motionless newborn, hardly capable of opening their eyes for more than a few minutes, to that first real milestone of holding their head up by themselves. From there they continue on in fierce pace until they can finally grasp that rattle on their own. Next--they sit up, or possible push themselves up from their tummy onto their hands and knees. Momentum increases until they finally master the rocking motion, back and forth, on their hands and knees until finally, at last, there is mobility.

More incredible even than witnessing these physical milestones has been the observation of his developing personality, those "milestones" we must look more carefully and deeper to see. My son is sensitive. He gets it from his father, I suppose. In all seriousness, he does, for it is a sensitivity of the spirit to those around him. Grayson has a great ability to look deeper into people. Even from first meeting he can sense things, and I see this already in Ezekiel. He is ever observant. He watches people and reacts so honestly (sometimes too honestly, in his innocence) to their gestures.

A more comical personality trait we have noticed in him is his love for food, which I am rather proud of. This past Saturday while we were on our family date, I pulled a fresh piece of focaccia from my backpack for Zeke to snack on as we waited for our breakfast. As we broke pieces off and set them in front of him, he literally giggled in delight as he picked up each piece, thoroughly examined it from all angles, then placed it ever so gleefully into his mouth. This is a common occurrence at meal times.

Grayson challenged me recently to begin displaying in our meals the personality of the ingredients involved. To "showcase" just one or two ingredients in an dish.

My sister gave me these beautiful purple potatoes out of her garden. She instructed me that I could use them just like a russet--baked, roasted, mashed. I asked myself instead how I could showcase them. Their personality is bright, nutty and earthy, making them a perfect compliment for another ingredient I've fallen for this week--immature soybeans. Edamame (ed-ah-MAH-may)

But how to marry these two very bright ingredients? In a quirky, zesty, Southeast-Asian inspired potato salad, of course! The idea was inspired in part by two more ingredients I was at loss of what to do with. At the farmer's market on Saturday, Grayson insisted that I buy a basket of shallots, as I had recently told him I wanted to attempt to cook with them. We also passed by a tent with baskets of dried Thai chili peppers. In broken english, the kind Asian lady instructed us how to cook with them, and to only use one, as they hold quite a punch of heat (my translation of her instructions) As we walked away, Grayson said that she was probably assuming, by our skin color, that our level of heat tolerance may be a bit lower. He insisted that we should definitely use more than one chilli pepper when cooking with them.

Alright, so instead of the "one or two" ingredients Grayson challenged me to showcase the personalities of, I settled for four. I'm getting there.

I had never used any of these four ingredients, but I knew the shallot and chili peppers would offer their personalities as a perfect flavor base throughout the entire salad. And so I began with them. With some quick research online, I discovered that a common condiment served in Southeast Asia is "bawang goreng" or "Crispy Fried Onions", otherwise, deep fried shallots.

Shallots are classified along the same line as onions, yet are found in a clove, as garlic. Their flavor, however in my opinion, is much like a radish, and absolutely delicious; often used in gourmet cooking. In Asia they are considered a foundational spice, along with garlic.

I began with 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat (enough to sizzle, not burn). Into it I placed 2 pressed cloves of garlic, 5 finely-chopped dried Thai chili peppers, and 5 thinly-sliced (lengthwise) shallots. As the three ingredients sizzled and sauteed for about 6 minutes, two beautiful things conspired. First, the shallots developed a crispy brown fry to them. Secondly, the oil infused with the enticingly united flavors of the garlic, shallots and chilies.

After the shallots thoroughly crisped,  I removed them from the oil and set them aside. The remaining flavored-oil would serve as my flavor base to permeate the entire dish with the personalities of these first three ingredients.

I chopped 7 of my sister's beautiful medium-sized purple potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, placed them in a large bowl, and tossed them in my flavor-infused oil. They then roasted in the oven for 25 minutes (until tender), at 375 degrees.

In attempts to lessen my dish-washing efforts later on, I went back to my bowl used for tossing the purple potatoes in oil. The delicious oil residue still remained throughout the bowl. I decided to use this to my advantage. Into the bowl I dropped 2 tablespoons of all-natural mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 5 tablespoons all-natural plain yogurt. These were thoroughly mixed with a whisk. Next went in my reserved fried shallots.  I gently folded them into the cream mixture with a rubber spatula.

Once the purple potatoes had roasted sufficiently to develop a brown skin and tender inside, I removed them from the oven and set them aside to cool.

Once cooled, I drizzled over them the cream and shallot mixture, gently folding with a rubber spatula to combine. Lastly, in went 10oz of edamame, removed from pods and sea-salted to taste, gently folding once again to combine.


 As it was the salad was delicious, but chilled and served later (or the next morning with scrambled eggs), was brilliant. Also, just for one more stride towards Asia, you may want to sprinkle some sesame seeds on top once plated.

Purple Potato and Edamame salad with Shallots and Thai Chili Peppers

My determination to successfully marry each individual flavor of the shallots, dried Thai chilli peppers, edamame and purple potatoes, while honoring and showcasing their distinct personalities paid off. The result was a bright and quirky potato salad inspired by Asian flavors and loaded with personality.

This is the personality trait, or one of them, I believe I have passed on to Ezekiel--determination. He has a strong predisposition to achieve whatever goal he sets before himself. He purposefully sets a large toy in front of him just for the challenge of climbing over it to get to the other side. And he will not cease until the challenge and height of that toy is conquered.

Grayson commented to me the other morning that this determination in our son will soon evolve into a bull-headed stubborness, and this child will surely require much discipline. I don't doubt his assumption.

Yes, my heart lept the first time I set Ezekiel down on his bottom and his little abs held him upright. The first time he rocked himself back and forth with just enough momentum to carry him forward on his knees, I swelled with pride. Forever etched in my memory will be the first time he pulled himself onto his feet, and then let go of the object holding him up to stand on his very own. However, even greater than these moments in the past year has been the great gift of watching this child's personality, character, and strengths develop into who God is creating him to be. While knitting Ezekiel together into my womb, God was fashioning a plan for his life. And for this purpose God is equipping him. I pray fervently that Ezekiel grows to pursue and know the Lord, and that God will continue to equip, strangthen, and guide this young boy into manhood; into a man after God's own heart and purposes.

"Ezekiel":  "God will strengthen"

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them."

-Psalm 139:1-16

The art of Listening

I run a restaurant. Yes, it’s a tough business. Hours are long and labor is intense, but it is indeed a labor of love, and one I’m quite passionate about. My critics are quite honest. Especially the little one. He is serious about presentation. If the color of a dish is just not right, he’s not interested. And it seems his palette changes every day. Just last week he loved mushrooms. This week they end up back on his plate, coated in saliva, traded for a cheerio. That may just be the ultimate critique. However, the job pays well. At the end of the day, whether the kitchen failed or thrived, I’m met with hugs and kisses from the critics. Now if only I could hire a dish crew…

Gray and I often daydream together about if we were to open a restaurant. Honestly, if we were not going into full-time ministry, that’s just what we would do—open a restaurant. Fresh. Local. Unique. Good. We talk about the little garden we’d have in back, supplying the fresh produce for our simple yet intriguing dishes, changing each day depending on seasons, availability, and whatever we felt like creating. We create this restaurant in our minds as we sit and enjoy meals at other restaurants. Every Saturday morning we go out to breakfast as a family, funded by my babysitting money. We almost never visit chain restaurants anymore. We have come to love the culture of food our area for Wisconsin has to offer. Ma and Pa kitchens, hippy cafes, Fair Trade goodness, local cuisine. We love the care, intention, thought, and pride placed behind the dishes.

However, not every place we venture into gets an “A+” rating. This was the unfortunate instance of our breakfast this morning. After walking through the farmer’s market and picking out our produce for the week, we sat down at a restaurant downtown we had not yet tried. We should have been tipped off to the foreboding negative experience when our waitress took 10 minutes from the time we were seated to approach our table.  I’ll spare the detailed critique of our visit which culminated in a tip of $1.14. And believe me, we usually tip well (as most former waitresses do). However, the greatest mistake, in my opinion, that this restaurant made? They didn’t listen. They had no interest in what we thought, what we wanted, or what we needed. In fact, they never once asked how our meal was. When our waitress (finally) brought our food to our table, she said nothing. She set it down and walked away. I was baffled, so used to a courteous, “Is there anything else I can get for you?” Normally I smile back and say something to the extent of, “No, this looks great!” However, this time I was in need. Both my coffee and water were empty. She walked away. She didn’t have a chance to listen, because she never asked. Grayson ended up walking over to their coffee dispensers and pouring his caffeine-deprived wife another cup of joe.

When Ezekiel was a newborn, I quickly learned how to listen to his cues. His hunger cue, sleepy cue, wet diaper cue, bored cue, and pain cue. I found it came quite natural to decipher his communication styles as a newborn. However, his forms of communication are quickly changing. Zeke is almost a year old. Just the other day I was reading that we are now entering into a testing phase. This week, he has proven this true to me. At each turn there is a tantrum. Especially if we take something away from him, or tell him “no” and avert his little hands away from the trash can, dog kennel, or recyclables….

This must be such a frustrating stage of development for a child, to understand enough of the world to know what you want, but not have any way of communicating those desires. For now, he resorts to a screaming fit-- his frustration of not being heard.

Parenting forces us to learn a new language at each new phase. From newborn wails, piercing through our sleep at all hours of the night, to the toddler tantrums, screaming to be heard; to only be understood because they want that sippy cup oh-so-badly but have no way of telling us. And then, as they finally begin to form words, but have only limited vocabulary to describe the very thing they want. And I can only anticipate the adolescent years, with a new language comprised of grunts, groans, sighs, and silence. I suppose that when we become empty-nesters, we will, indeed, be fluent in many languages. But oh that I will always listen to my child’s heart.

I find that God is using our current stage of parental development to teach me to listen—to Him. If I cannot, by listening to Ezekiel, understand what he needs, then I must rely upon God to teach me and lead me in raising my son. Gary Thomas puts it so well in his book Sacred Parenting, “That’s why I think listening is a key component of Christian parenting and spirituality. It changes the nature of our faith, and it redirects what we do. It moves us from merely a human-centered faith of willful obedience and timeless principles, and ushers us into cooperating with God as He actively moves upon His world. It is one of the ways that we can 'seize heaven' and invite God’s presence into our lives.” And “Listening reminds me of how completely I depend on God to carry out the task of parenting. I’d be absolutely lost without His insight.”

If Grayson and I owned a restaurant, we would listen. We would listen, of course, to the comments and suggestions of our guests. We would listen by watching their responses to what they were served, and how they were served. We would listen by learning about the surrounding culture of food, and what people want. They want tasty, they want fresh, they want local (which, in essence, is tasty and fresh), they want familiar yet unique united into a delicious package.

I value Grayson’s respectful yet honest critique. I note when he makes small comments of how things are prepared, not in a bitter way, but in a way which positively affects my style of cooking. When preparing our grocery list and meal ideas for the week, I give special attention to his mentions of what might be good. Even with Ezekiel, so young and inexperienced in the area of communication, I seek to listen. I watch as he eats and discovers new tastes, that I may encourage and inspire his ever-developing palette in a diverse way.

Gary Thomas notes, “I wonder:  How would our marriages be transformed if we learned to listen to God on behalf of our spouse? How might husbands feel encouraged if wives learned from the mouth of God what kind of day their husband was having and made appropriate preparations for his return home? How might wives feel uplifted and strengthened if husbands would take time out of their day to ask, ‘Lord, what do I need to do today to better love my wife?’ How might kids find strength and warning and guidance and inspiration if their parents would glean insights from the God who created them, from the God who knows their thoughts and who hears every conversation they have with their friends?”

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" James 1:19

BBQ Chicken and Veggie Pizza with Avocado  
The first time I made this pizza, Grayson proclaimed it the best pizza he had ever eaten. 

For the Crust

Mix:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1tsp salt
• 1 packet (or 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

Make well, then add and mix in:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 

Knead the dough. If it is too dry, add a small amount of water, knead some more. The dough will become more moist as you knead. Dough should be elastic. Pull, stretch, and/or roll onto pizza pan. Fold edges over each other to create a handle. This crust does not need to rise! It's my favorite for taste and simplicity' sake.

For the Toppings

 Sauce:

• 50% favorite all-natural bbq sauce
• 50% favorite all-natural pizza sauce

 Veggies, Saute:

• 6oz mushrooms sliced thin
• 5 mini sweet peppers (varying in color), chopped
• 1-2 jalapeno pepper(s), chopped 
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed 

Additionally:

• Pulled chicken (I used 2 chicken thighs I slow cooked in the crock pot the day before)
• 1 avacodo, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, until crust begins to brown.

Getting at the Heart of the Matter

Getting out of the house looks differently than it used to. Yesterday we were excited to take Ezekiel to the lake for the first time. We decided that we would wait until after his morning nap, to assure he was well rested for an action-packed afternoon. After he awoke, we rushed around the house packing the lunch sack, securing the canoe onto the car, feeding Zeke lunch, and rummaging through our calamity of basement storage to find swimmer diapers. Finally, the child was ready, slathered from head to toe in sun screen, and we were off. First stop? The grocery store, for some lunch meat to go along with our bread and cheese. I insisted we go well out of our way to the store I had coupons for (saving us a total of $0.30...) Ok, now we were ready, and off we headed. We shortly realize we forgot to bring Zeke a bottle. Not a huge deal, we won't be more than a couple of hours. Oh, wait, the snorkel gear, that was forgotten as well. I guess we won't be snorkeling, maybe next time...10 minutes down the road, Grayson gives a exasperated sigh, pauses, then lements that all of the fishing gear is sitting at home. He gets a pensive look on his face as we continue to drive. Giving another sigh, he slows and turns around. With fishing gear in tow, we back out of our driveway, again, and drive in the direction of the lake. This time, we only make it five minutes before Ezekiel begins to yell, signaling to us that he has had enough, and is ready for his next nap.

In defeat, we turn around and head home to allow Zeke another few hours of sleep before we give it another go. However, once we finally arrived at the lake, to see my little boy discover such a magnificent expanse of creation, how it warmed this Momma's heart.

The heart. Our heart is the bottom line. It is the essence of who we are. The Bible calls it the "inner man" (or woman). It is where truth is taken in, and decisions are made. Our heart is the source of our behavior, and I believe that we cannot address our health until we address our hearts.

At the "heart" of our society's obsession with diets is found a masquerade of lies and empty promises beset in behavior modification. We see it pervading our culture. It is the foundation of today's secular psychology. You have a problem with lust? You have a temper? You are depressed? You eat too much. Ok, we need to set some rules, some goals to modify your behavior. The problem comes when we just don't have the will-power to keep those rules. Behavior modification, in the realm of health, meets us in our desperation offering quick-fix prescriptions. They are sought out by our lesser desires. A desire to be thin. An aversion to being judged. A covetousness of those with "quicker metabolisms".

To attain these lesser desires, we set goals. Lose X amount of pounds. Run a half-marathon (or maybe a 5K, to begin....), fit into that bikini by June. Surrounding these goals, we set up barriers of rules. Stop eating sweets. Cut out "this", or eat only "that". Stop snacking. Walk everyday. We abide by this list of do's and dont's hoping to finally, at last, succeed. But when we do not meet success, we despair. We despair in our own failings, our inability to achieve those goals. Or, sometimes even more harmful, we do succeed. And when success is attained, we become prideful. This was my case in high school as I dabbled in, or rather plunged in to anorexia (about me). With perfect self-control I denied myself meal after meal. I took great pride in every jealous glance offered by the girl at the next table, eating her burger (or even her salad...) Her "failure" was my motivation to continue.

And so, what are we left with? Despair in failure, or pride with success. This is what today's trend of chronic dieting has produced. It is no surprise that an estimated 95% of those who lose weight on a diet gain it back, a statistic which haunts those who have finally "lost the weight", threatening
to steal back every ounce of control they have mustered up to shed the excess.

However, behavior modification finds its fault in its failure to address the crux of why we just can't set down that bag of oreos, or why we click "next episode" on Netflix instead of taking a walk with the family, or even where this "excess" on our midsections came from, anyways. Behavior modification looks at the problem and offers solutions. Embracing a wholesome lifestyle requires a deeper look into the conditions of our hearts. In our hearts lie our motives and desires. If these are not set securely on a knowledgeable and passionate track, we will get nowhere in getting healthy.

Grayson and I don't have rules in our "diet". I shy even from the word "diet" for its common assumption of rules and regulations. Instead, we have goals guided by deeper desires
to be healthy and well able to raise our family and serve the Lord.

In our Christian life we live in the truth of "regeneration". We have a new restored and revived heart, with new desires, prompted by God Himself! Many people do not want to follow Jesus because they think they will need to change their behavior. Yes, our behaviors will require change, but it comes naturally as we come to know Jesus, and He aligns our desires with His. I find the same in our life choices around health. We don't want to "get healthy" because it will necessitate change. Rules only make "getting healthy" all the more unattractive. But when we turn this around, and we look not at what we can't do, but at what we get to do, and what we will reap from it, "getting healthy" becomes a whole lot more attractive. Our desires change.

As I learn about Jesus, I find a natural inclination and passion to get to know Him deeper. As I learn about our health, I am excited and motivated to continue seeking knowledge. As I spend time with Jesus in His Word and prayer, I come to desire more and more of Him; to be in His presence. As I spend time cooking healthful meals, going on walks, and writing these blogs, I am prompted more and more to pursue this wholesome lifestyle.

People ask me if I cook all day. I tell them, "Some days, yes." but I say it with a smile on my face. It's not as if I'm slaving over a hot stove or breaking my back kneading dough on the counter for endless hours. Most days I don't even consider the time which goes into our food. I prepare our meal throughout the day as I have time, so as not to become overwhelmed, and I take joy in the process. After all, my desires have changed. I want to bless my family with a wholesome meal we can enjoy when once we come together again at the end of the day.

When it comes down to it, we will get no where with our health if our motive is to be thin. We'll make no progress if we don't enjoy what we are cooking, or the process of getting it to the table. We will only come out frustrated if we set up edicts, precepts and strict regimens. With legalistic rules, and laws which we cannot healthfully maintain as a lifestyle, we set ourselves up only for failure and defeat. Rather, let us embrace this only as our hearts are set on a true bettering of our health for the glory of the One who created us. May our intentions always be simply to give thanks, praise, and Honor to God for how artfully He has crafted us, and live in these bodies to our fullest potential that He has created us for. That is something I can set my heart on.

"If you love God, if you delight in God, if you are satisfied in God, enjoy God, celebrate the Person and work of Jesus Christ, then God will actually put desires in your heart, and a passion to pursue them. Then life is not about what you don't get to do, it's about what you get to do!" - Pastor Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church

A Day at the Beach with my Boys!

"Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life."

 Proverbs 4:23

And the puppy, of course!

Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Combine:

• 1 1/2 cup quick oats
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt

Combine:

• 1/3 cup organic or all-natural cane sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tbs butter
• 1/4 cup and 2 tbs plain yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/3 cup mashed banana (mash before adding)
• 2 cups organic strawberries, cut into small chunks

1. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold only to moisten, don't over mix.
2. Pour into greased or lined muffin pan, bake at 340 degrees for 22-26 minutes. Makes about 20 muffins.
3. Note: Mine come out perfectly at 22 minutes. Try not to go by the "toothpick test", because if you stab a chunk of banana, you'll get a toothpick full of ooey-gooey banana goodness. I look for firmness when I lightly press down on the muffins.

Thoughts inspired from a sermon by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church, Seattle.

Joint-Venture

During the first week of this year, Grayson and I set aside time to pray over and plan for the coming year. Looking back on some of the health goals we set, I am astonished.

1. " Veggies in 1 meal a day.
2. 1 Fruit a day." 

 

This morning, just for the fun of it, I counted on my fingers the variety of fruits and veggies incorporated into my breakfast. I had just enough fingers. 10. Five fruits (Apple, Avocado, Grape Fruit, Black berries, Banana)  and five veggies (Red bell pepper, onion, cilantro, corn, spinach). And that's not even counting the vegetable juice in my smoothie, which is comprised of 6 additional vegetable juices. And, possibly best of all, this came naturally to me. My thought process was not,

"Hmmm, I need to eat this amount of fruits", or "how can I squeeze in a serving of vegetables?"


It was,


"Hmmm, that sounds good!"

A study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that "when participants were encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables, they consumed 40 percent fewer calories (down from 2,594 to 1,596) without increased hunger" (The Flexitarian Diet, Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LDN) The key word here is "encouraged", not forced, not tricked, not deceived, not pressured--but encouraged.

God has brought us a long way. A long way since January, and a long way since I began praying over our health and nutrition desires three years ago.

A good friend recently asked me how I encouraged Grayson to eat healthy with me. My reply to her was, "Pray. Don't push, don't prod, don't nag. Just pray. It may take time, but during that time, just pray." I could even attest that Grayson has been the one to encouraged me in implementing a healthier way of eating in our home. Yes, it has been a prayer on my heart since we married almost three years ago. However-- and I am so very grateful for this-- it has very much so been a joint venture.

I am blessed--very blessed--with a husband who values my values. He is incredible. These past three months (have we really been eating this way for only three months?!) have been a great journey and transformation for the both of us. Grayson has been in stride with me every step of the way. He has not complained. He has not murmured, not even when it takes 5 more minutes before we can eat because I am taking countless photographs of our dinner from every angle, just in case it turns out tasty enough to blog about... Even my experiments in the kitchen which ended up on the "never again" list, he tried with enthusiasm and offered his constructive (and gracious) criticism.


We both agree that the primary thrust of this venture was gaining knowledge. We learned together. Together we watched documentaries and read articles. Together we began to grasp the grave danger (literally) of an unbalanced and careless diet. Together we were convicted of our responsibility to take care of the bodies God has given us for this time; to more able serve Him with them. Together we discovered the great benefits of placing thought, consideration, and intention behind what we put onto our plates. Together we began to turn what we were learning into a new lifestyle, and together we are reaping the benefits of doing so!

I'll spare you another list of the health benefits we have gleaned thus far, although they continue to increase as our waistlines and fatigue decrease! One benefit I will mention, however, has been the unity Grayson and I have shared in this adventure. I have not once felt as thought I am the nagging wife trying to shove veggies down my family's throats. He encourages me. I encourage him. We share in the experience.

Nutrition is a passion of mine, a driving interest God has placed inside of me. During the past few months, I have deeply appreciated my husband giving of his time, interest, and energy to delve into my passion with me, and see it transform our family.  Gray does not simply humor me. He is truly involved. For the most part, I am the one shopping and cooking, but he is there right beside me at the farmer's market. When I ask him giddily to watch the newest "food documentary" with me on Netflix, he gladly joins me on the couch. He listens and offers his thoughts as I read him excerpts from books and magazines. He even shares health articles with me. Our conversations around our health are not one-sided. He offers his opinions, his ideas, and what he would like to see in our grocery cart and on our plates. He proof-reads and offers helpful suggestions and ideas for my blogs. He enables me to pursue better health for all of us. He is a leader, he is a partner, he is a friend. In every aspect of our marriage. Yes--he's a keeper!

Warm Spinach, Tortellini and Sausage Salad

• 5oz fresh salad greens (We used spring mix and a Chinese bok choy mix)
• 2-3 oz fresh organic spinach
• 3oz summer sausage or dry salami
• 10oz fresh tri-color tortellini
• All-natural Italian salad dressing 

1. Wash and dry all of your salad greens and spinach (keep spinach separate)
2. Cook tortellini to al dente, according to package
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of Italian salad dressing over medium-high heat in frying pan
4. Thinly slice sausage
5. Add to frying pan cooked tortellini and sausage, saute until tortelini begins to brown, get some good color on it!
6. Add to pan spinach, saute and stir only until spinach is warm and begins to wilt. Remove right as it begins to wilt.
7. Place your fresh salad greens, along with your sauteed mixture into a large bowl. Toss with some more Italian dressing, just to coat.
8. Enjoy with fresh bread!