Love Oats

Guayaba and Papaya

2012-01-07T19:47:00.000-08:00

"Keep your eyes on Jesus. Focus on your Savior when life throws obstacles at you, and He will gently guide you step by step on His path for you. Make God your primary awareness, trus Him to get you through any rough patches. His presence enables you to face each day with confidence." Sarah Young, Jesus Calling

Blessed be GOD, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

We are in Mexico City, Mexico. The morning was breezy and cold, the sun hasn't stopped shining strong and warm since around 10 o' clock, and I just ate grilled cactus, while everyone else dove into chicken enchiladas.

It has only been 24 hours since we arrived here, and I am so thankful for all God has done! We were greeted by 20+ cousins, aunts and uncles, and a delicious bowl (or two) of pozole with a vibrant plate of greens, packed with slivered almonds, sprouts, all 3 colors of bell peppers, and a jamaica dressing. Bedtime was 12:00am, wake up time naturally happened at 7:30am, and we went for a run at 9:00am.

Elevation is very high here (more than 8,000 feet!) which makes running a little less than easy, even for the lovers of the sport. So, needless to say, I didn't attempt or plan on attempting to break any personal records. Nor did I decide to run a specific distance or for a certain time - I just wanted to jog 'till I couldn't jog (or breathe) no more! And that's what I, we, all did. We just moved - and it was wonderful! The heat started to make itself more apparent, and I quickly realized that catching up on the latest nutrition/running news with my brother-in-law wasn't the best idea. Breathing became less effortless around kilometer 3, so I simply snuck in a few sentences whenever I felt the desire to, then quickly shut my mouth and focused on everything but the hard-to-breathe-want-to-quit voice in my head.

10 kilometers, 6.2 miles, 59 minutes and 17 seconds. "What time do you usually do?" my bro asked me, to which I smiled at responded, "between 53 (PR) and 57 minutes". And I didn't mind a bit. I may have been record-breaking speedy 7 days ago, but today was twice as enjoyable. I mean, I'm running in MEXICO! This cannot be compared with Green Lake, although beautiful, peaceful and splendid, it truly can't. Mexico is too wonderful to have a man-made lake take its place in my heart, too dang wonderful.

Then the satisfaction of the fruit-addiction deep down inside of me was fed, fed real good. My mami's classic juice was blended for everyone to share: pineapple, apple and parsley. With that was a plate of papaya, which was only my seeeccooond time tasting the rich fruit - last time being 2 years ago in Mexico at a small restaurant and it tasted like stinky something or other which I thought was its normal taste only to be told it had gone bad after I gave it two chances to become friends with my taste buds - also a guayaba, a sweet, yellow-fleshed fruit with small crunchy seeds inside that are fully edible and only add to the guayaba experience, a handful of green grapes, aaand freshly squeezed orange juice from the juicing neighbor only two houses from us.

And then I realized, with a belly full of wonderful vitamins and minerals, that God has truly blessed me. This family is so loving, so willing to make sacrifice after sacrifice for their children, so open and welcoming to their daughter of three years, and I'm so thankful. That, and, having so many colorful fruits and vegetables in season year-round is mightly fantastic! It is as if you all time favorite Farmers Market were open all. year. round. It is a dream!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Cris, Pablo, Edu and myself right before movie night!

2011's Last 12K

2011-12-31T22:57:00.000-08:00

Today marked a sweet day.
A day of:

Beautiful morning skies
God's Word filling me more than I had imagined it would at 8:00am
Breaking my personal best by three minutes (!!!) during a 12K run with my hubby at my side
A delicious smoothie for breakfast
A green juice for lunch
Us finally purchasing our own suitcases after 3 years of marriage and 2 trips to Mexico, one to Las Vegas and a dozen to random places around the U.S. while my husband embarked on business trips and the like
The movie A Bronx Tale
My first seed-pate on toasted Nori (sushi, friends!)
A slice of almost-raw, deliciously vegan pumpkin pie - straight from the freezer.

Let's enjoy the run, shall we?


Two Saturday's ago 12K: 1:09:51 Last Saturday's 12K: 1:09:02 This morning's 12K: 1:06:50 I felt like I was flying.

my love bug. in other words: my pacer, my champion.

started with: 1 cup water, 15 almonds, 1 date, 1/4 cup oats: soaked for 15 minutes.
blended with: 2 bananas, 4 frozen strawberries, 1 handful frozen blueberries, 1 tsp vanilla
sprinkled with: puffed amaranth from Mexico!

cheezy sauce & sunflower seed pate from Gena @ Choosing Raw!

Running has never been easy for me. It has been fun, laid back, challenging, a test, unknown, slightly painful, sometimes emotional, "but-whyyyy?!?!" activity that I just can't seem to get enough of. I am, above all, so very thankful for the ability to move me' legs and share this with my hubby. I know that if God hadn't placed him in my life on May 21, 2006, I wouldn't have run my first 5K in February back in 2009, or even thought to tackle the big 13.1 twice and keep going even after having to stop my training because of two different running injuries. So, I'm just thankful for each kilometer, whether I break last week's time or not. I take each run step by step (truly) and am fully aware that anything is possible, good or bad, and I'll handle it when it gets to me. But for now? I'm going to gear up when hubby does, turn my Garmin on, and start.

2012, your in God's hands, not mine. And it's PERFECT that way!

but the Helper, the Holy Spirit,

whom the Father will send in My name,

He will teach you all things and bring

to your remembrance all that I have said

to you. Peace I leave with you;

My peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not your hearts be troubled,

neither let them be afraid.

John 14:16-17

that's Jesus' promise to us. Accept it.

When Juicers and Blenders Unite

2011-12-30T19:53:00.001-08:00

The once-a-day, every single day drink!

1 cup cold water
1 lemon, peeled and seeds removed
1 orange, peeled and ends removed
1 apple
5 kale leaves (or as many as you can fit in your blender)
1 handful fresh parsley with stems
1 tsp ginger
1 handful ice cubes
BLEND and drink as soon as humanly possible (ie: within 5 seconds)

On December 23, 2011, my hubby Eduardo and I made a very, very fascinating purchase. We had been thinking about making this buy for quite a while, especially after more than just a handful of incidents at home that told us it was very, very necessary. Yes, my friends. We bought ourselves a high-speed blender. His name is Joseph. No, it's not - we have yet to name our new friend, but it truly deserves a nice name.

This thing blends, it juices, it food-processes!

Why have 3 appliances on your kitchen counter when you can have just one?! Why sit and wait 5 minutes for your baby-powered blender to cut into four frozen strawberries when you can wait 15 seconds? Costco gave it to us for less than Amazon would have, and our wallets seemed to smirk. We are very happy to announce that today is its one week birthday, and we have already used the fella 22 times. Strangely enough, it does have a digit counter on it that tells you how many times you have used it - but that is simply Blentec's sneaky way of finding out if you hit 10,000 or so hits and thus, voiding the warranty (hooray!) but I just see it as a challenge: reach 10,000 as soon as humanly possible. How are we doing this, you ask?

I'm drinking my daily fruit and downing my daily vegetables through a straw, every single day. I found a few recipes on Natalia KW's website - a raw foodie whose recipes leave you in love, refreshing and joyous, and tweaked them based on what I had in my fridge.

I also found a kale lemonade juice that consisted of: fresh lemon, peeled and de-seeded, h2o, kale, an orange and some celery and it was the most light, powerful drink I have ever tasted!!! In short: I am hooked on whole juices (no juicer pushing the pulp aside here!) and continue with my daily fruity smoothie. "Life is fantastico!" says my taste buds.

Kale LEMONADE joy! lemon, apple, celery, kale, ginger - but mainly lemon. fresh, fresh, fresh.

Now go out and look into buying yourself one of these guys or his cousins (see: Vitamix, Waring Xtreme... look on Amazon!) and gift your body with the ease of drinking your greens.

PS: happy Friday.

& happy encouragement:

But I have trusted in Your mercy;

my heart with rejoice in Your salvation.

Psalm 13:5

Oh My Pumpkin Pie

2011-12-29T19:28:00.000-08:00

This was probably the most beautiful Christmas I have ever experienced! The conversations were fun, the photo-taking from beginning to end - which I loveee, and the food was wonderful. Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, my Savior and constant Companion, is best celebrated surrounded by family, there is no doubt it my mind! It's amazing how He was sent by the Creator of this world, God himself, to live the life of a servant and tell everyone about His Father's promise of eternal life - it's amazing!! I'm so thankful to be blessed with such a loving family, a loving God, and this lovely life.

Now, let's get into a little pumpkin pie, shall we? Yes. Yes we shall.

Almost-Rawlicious Pumpkin Pie
recipe adapted from Gena at Choosing Raw & Nathalie at The Raw Foods Witch
makes 1 delightful pie

Ingredients for the crust:

2 cup walnuts (can use almost any nut!)
1/2 cup dates *soaked for a few hours
dash of sea salt

Blend ingredients in high speed blender or food processor. Press into a pie pan (I used an aluminum one for easy removal for cutting)

Ingredients for pie gooey love:

2 cups pumpkin, canned or freshly baked, or butternut squash, sweet potato (or, in my case: 1 small golden acorn squash and 1 cup canned pumpkin) ***this is the only part of the pie that you cook. you can also peel, de-seed and dice up some pumpkin, dehydrate it and soak it for a 100% raw version of this pie!!!***
1 cup soaked dates
1/2 cup soaked & washed Irish Moss (I couldn't get a hold of any so I used a handful of soaked cashews and it tasted wonderfully!)
1/2 cup nut milk of choice for blending
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp coconut oil
1 dash of vanilla

Throw everything in a blender. Pour over pie crust and freeze until ready to be served! I also paired it with a cashew whipped cream that consisted of soaked cashews, dates and vanilla - but it tasted more like a thick cashew butter than a whipped cream - I'm going to work on tweeking the recipe until it it's more "whippy" and then I'll share its sweetness with the world! Take the pie out of the freezer about 10-15 minutes before serving, then remove mainly-frozen pie from pie pan and slice. Best served pretty much frozen! It tastes like pumpkin pie ice cream and I enjoyed it so much more than the completely defrosted version. Trust me!

My beautiful family on Christmas night!

My aunt and uncle with their DIY Christmas gifts

brother & his gf - they left before the group shot so I had to post this awesome photo of them!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow, He deserves all praise, glory and honor for all that He does, the love that He gives and the people He purposely places in our lives at just the right time. This season filled me with so much joy, thank You Lord!

And Christ died for all,

that those who live might no longer

live for themselves but for HIM,

who for their sake died and was raised.

2 Corinthians 5:15

Butternut Squash Mac

2011-12-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness gracious, I can't believe I didn't post this recipe the first second I tasted it a few months ago. I had seen dozens of Butternut Squash Mac recipes floating around the blog world over the past year, and I agreed it was a clever idea, but... to make it myself? To attempt such a thing? I couldn't imagine. It wasn't until an issue of Family Circle magazine appeared at the clinic I work at with a large photo of macaroni and cheese on the cover, a photo that makes the viewer drool almost instantly. It had bacon, it had cheese gooey and ooey-ing all over the bowl, but when you looked at the recipe, the first thing that catches your eye is the secret ingredient: butternut squash. My mom, a head-over-heels cheese & bacon fan felt quite turned off by this squashy ingredient and said something along the lines of, "why would they ruin my macaroni and cheese with that?" in a joking manner. But I took it as a challenge, a goal, I saw a glance into the future that is: Housewarming party, our home, our food, my butternut squash macaroni. I researched, found Oh She Glow's simple recipe, and went to the grocery store a little while later.

Veganlicious Butternut Squash Macaroni
adapted by Oh She Glows
serves about 4

Ingredients

1 fresh butternut squash
Olive oil
3/4 cup unsweetened nut milk
1 tbsp or cornstarch
6-8 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp Dijon mustard (I used regular mustard & a hint of chili powder)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
a pinch of salt & pepper, to taste
4 servings brown rice noodles

Directions

Preheat oven to 400*
Cut your butternut squash in half, place open side down in a glass dish and fill with 1" water, cover with foil and bake for about an hour, or until cooked through
Cook brown rice pasta according to boxes instructions (usually a good 8 minute boil, then rinse with cold water to stop cooking, set aside)
Remove butternut squash from glass dish, let cool and remove seeds with large spoon.
Bring a large pot to medium heat, drizzle with a bit of olive oil
Scoop out butternut squash flesh, discarding the skin, drop flesh into olive-oil coated pot.
Add remaining ingredients, whisk to combine and *optional* let simmer until it thickens.
Pour cooked rice pasta into cheesy goodness, stir to coat noodles.
Sprinkle with paprika and serve. Or, alternatively: bake with paprika on top for about 15 minutes at 375* for a casserole-like crunchy top. Serve family style and enjoy!

How excellent is Your loving kindness,

O God! Therefore the children of men

put their trust under the shadow of
Your wings.

Psalm 36:7

Growing Onions

2011-12-27T05:41:00.000-08:00

Can I just express how excited I am about this? Thanks to the addicting webpage that is Pinterest, I have grown something all by my wee-self. For the first time, in my entire life (that baby plant our teacher guided us to grow in elementary school just doesn't count for me) and I have to share it with the world!

We eat green onions on a pretty-close-to daily basis here in the Carrillo household. Diced up, it adds a delicious flavor to Mexican chili, quinoa stir fries, tacos, casseroles, tabbouleh's, pinto burgers and even a fine lentil loaf. And for a gal who went and married a man that doesn't fancy ye ol' onion flavor, these guys are perfectly subtle burst o' love to our meals.

the steps.

buy green onion
use green onion
leave about 2 inches of the whites, with a little knob of green
place roots in water (only a couple inches is fine)
watch them grow!
snip tops as needed
enjoy fresh green onions.

___________________________

Apart from my world in the kitchen, I have been really enjoying scripture and God's promises lately. Sometimes I hear the same bible verses again and again and it's as if they stop registering inside of me. I forget about their meaning, all I see are words and nothing more. But recently? I have been left in awe. All I can do is read, re-read, thank Christ for all that He is, and sit in wonder. John 15:5 put me in that place this morning before work. How is it possible that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to live as a servant for us? And upon confessing that Christ Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells IN us? This is amazing to me! He, the Creator of the universe lives in me and guides me, and loves me dearly, more than I could ever imagine. I'm completely fulfilled and satisfied in His presence. Oh God, I am in truly in awe.

"I am the Vine, you are the branches: he that stays in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Hope you can experience Jesus' peace, comfort, and real, live presence today. Give everything to Him, depend on Him fully, and He will never leave your side.

Quiet Time

2011-12-26T12:28:00.000-08:00

I mentioned once before how "Jesus Calling" made its way into my life. I pull verses from it that inspire, motivate, comfort and guide, hoping to help someone get through at least one more day in this crazy world, believers of Christ and non-believers alike. I love setting aside a moment to be 100% focused on my Savior, meditating on His Word and journaling my prayers.

I've come to find how much I truly rely on my quiet time with Jesus to get me through the day. If I skip out and dive into other activities, ignoring God, depending on myself and looking to this world for joy and happiness, I end up completely broken. I turn into a sensitive, angry, quiet, out-of-control human being with a very temporary smile, and no real sense of security or peace.

from our bedroom window. I can't get enough of these early morning sights!

But Christ is always present, He sees me go through these rough patches and waits for me to re-focus on Him, pushing a pause on life for a minute, remembering what truly matters in this life: our personal relationships with our Him, Creator. I seriously feel like He's speaking to me in a still, quiet voice when I open up the devotional to today's date and finding bible verses like Jude 20-25. An open, honest, loving, personal relationship:

Build yourselves up in the most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by flesh. Now to Christ who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ out Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Love, love, love.

Merry day-after-Christmas!

Oh Happy Day!

2011-12-25T09:31:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

I'll be back to love oats soon.
I can't stop thinking about this blog, I must say.
So I'll return shortly!

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Rainbow Pizza

2011-12-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

I truly cannot get enough of this devotional. Dive in, my friends.

"Walk peacefully with Jesus Christ through this day. We wonder how we will cope with all that is expected of us. We must take today one step at a time. Instead of mentally rehearing how we will do this or that, keep your mind on Christ's presence and on taking the next step. God designed us for deep dependence on our King, challenging times wake us up and amplify our awareness of needing His help. Trust that God knows exactly what He's doing, be ready to follow His lead. He will strengthen us and give us complete peace."

Jesus Calling, November 4th.

I love you, Fall skies at 7:30am, you take my breath away.

Here in the Carrillo home, we tend to really enjoy our pizza. Each weekend, every weekend, I mix, dice, slice, fry, chop and knead the ingredients for a half vegan/half cheesy turkey pizza pie, and we indulge in the little fella while watching a movie. We feel strange when we go a weekend without this delightful routine, so we do everything we can to make pizza Saturday and/or Sunday (okay, we've only done 2 pizzas in 1 weekend twice!) a priority. For example, I started making 2 batches of dough every other weekend, splitting the big ball right down the middle and letting each one rise before I toss one in the freezer for the following weekend. I also have, at times, put the entire pie together and thrown it in the fridge, simply so we can come home after a long day of "to-do's" and all I need to do is preheat the oven and pop dinner in the oven. Pizza weekend in very important. Don't mess with us and our pizza, or we might get indigestion.

The usual suspects:

Muir Glen organic pasta sauce
1 entire fresh pineapple (we usually snack on whatever can't fit on the pizza!)
3/4 of one bell pepper
3 Serrano chili peppers
1 small summer squash or zucchini
1 tomato, a bunch of cabbage
fresh mozzarella
turkey breast with italian seasoning sprinkled right on top.

Dough recipe here and how we cut our pineapple (but no, that is not us cutting into our pineapple) can be seen on this video. Ah, I'm telling you, this is what keeps a family sane. Pizza does have the power to make the world of my taste buds go round and round, and when you pair a few (3) vegetable loaded slices with a side of more vegetables *with kelp granules sprinkled on top!* and or beans you are set for a wonderful meal. Edu and I are also huge fanatics of kale, so we gobble down a nice-sized salad right before I put in the pizza (which takes 30 minutes to cook @ 400* F) in order to hold our tummies over and leave plenty of room for this creation. Oh, and red pepper flakes are a must, even with the 3 chili peppers. You're not really enjoying a pizza if your eyes aren't watering and your nose isn't running from how spicy it is!

and... back to Jesus:

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing to His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen!

Hebrews 13:20-21

The Lord will give strength to His people.
The Lord will bless His people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

Happy Thursday, Happy December.

Sprouted Bean Trio

2011-11-25T16:29:00.000-08:00

Since we got ourselves a nice casa, we have had the great pleasure of sharing it with friends and family. This means we had not only one, but THREE house-warming parties (work friends, family time, friends from all over) and that translates to: sharing food, receiving food as a gift, and eating incredible food together. It has been so much fun, and I have been stepping out of my comfort zone in throwing together brand new recipes for the masses.

Costco and my uncle. are amazing.

One of the gifts received, was a bag o' beans. But not just any type of bean's-in-a-bag, a very special bag. Costco has been turning into quite the Whole Foods wannabe with their selection - and making it a zillion times for affordable (and tempting!). So the temptation monster seemed to have grabbed the wrist of my uncle when he was strolling through the huge warehouse the other day, when he found himself buying a bag (or two?) or these:

Incredible, really. I mean, do you read that? SPROUTED BEANS! Many, many different beans (okay, three) and they cook in... drum roll... like two seconds! Correction: bring water to boil (x minutes long) then throw in your beans (boil for 5 minutes) then remove from heat and let them sit (15 mins) then EAT! Where else are you going to find such a treasure? Don't get canned beans, my friends, find yourself a bag o' the sprouts and dive into a bowl of proteins. To make things even more incredible: these babies were not only sprouted, but the makers then decided to dehydrate the sweet powerhouses, holding all of those delicious nutrients inside each bite! Gah, I just about lost it when I found these (in my hands). Sweet cheeks. on to the recipe!


1 cup sprouted bean trio

plus 3 cups h2o

plus a boiling water business, and a cooking, and a "let it sit for 15"

drain the water (nutrients?)

copy recipe from the back of the bag

Sprouted Bean Trio Salad

adapted from truRoots

serves 4 as a side

1 cup sprouted bean trio business
3 cups water
2/3 cup freshly chopped parsley*
1/2 cup diced cucumber, cut into mini-cubes
2 green onions, chopped into bits
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon (or lime) juice
1 pinch of cumin or chili powder

Cook then beans (bowl them with h2o for 5 minutes on high heat, uncovered. Remove from heat and let them sit for 15 minutes.)
Drain and cool to room temperature
Combine the beans with the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat
Sprinkle with a hint of salt n' pepper
Eat that delicious bowl cold, with a piece of toast and a huge massaged kale salad.


CONSUME AT RAPID SPEEDS!

Oh delights. All bean-talk aside, here's what's been truly satisfying me recently:

Put more energy into trusting Jesus and enjoying His presence. Connect your joy to His precious promises:

"I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

Behold, I am with you and will keep your wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.
Genesis 28:15

And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19"

Running Through Leaves

2011-11-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

Oh my leaves. It doesn't get a whole lot better than a run like this one. Happy cold, windy, gray-skied, sometimes blue-skied, rainy, sometimes sunny, orange, red, yellow, green November! God makes seasons pretty special.

run. enjoy leaves. gift yourself with a smoothie.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.
Psalm 34:8

Cocoa Coconut Chili

2011-11-11T18:28:00.003-08:00

yes. that means there is chocolate involved.

It wouldn't stop raining today. The first drop hit the windshield of my mom's truck at 7:50am, it was subtle and quiet, followed by a few dozen of its friends. They got louder and louder once lunchtime arrived. It was really dark outside, the roads' color seems to change from a foggy gray to a shiny, blacker than black, reflecting the trees, tires and buildings. The sound it makes as it hits the roof makes me sleepy, reminding me of a late night in bed wrapped up in a warm comforter. Oh, sleep.

Oh black clouds, how you attack the land at times...

When I walked outside after a day of work, the rain had gotten a lot worse. It froze into little balls of "I'm 'bout to maybe kill you I'm so dangerous!"and forced my mom to grab the steering wheel with all of her might while driving home (white knuckled, why yes). Terror? Something close. They were louder they had been all day, the roads were paved in these funny-looking ice pellets, drivers' brains switched from happy-to-be-driving-home to oh-snaaap, and what really lasted about 60 seconds felt like a 15 hour commute home.

Thankfully, the black cloud didn't cover the entire sky, and we eventually found ourselves on a dry patch of land. Praise God!

When it's chilly and dark outside, I can't think of a better meal than a hot bowl of soup. And by soup, of course I really mean CHILI! And by chili, I mean a great big pot of pinto beans, black beans, cocoa powder and coconut. It's one of those super dreamy, slightly strange mix of vegetables and spices that one would not think to throw into bowl and call it dinner. But this girl thought of it, typed it into recipe book, sold it in stores, sold it on Amazon, and shared it with the world!

Give thanks.

Cocoa Coconut Chili

makes about 3 servings

adapted from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan

2 green onions, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cups cooked black beans/pinto beans
3 celery spears, diced
5 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tsp garlic (dried)
2 tbsp unsweetened extra dark cocoa powder
11 oz coconut water
8 oz water (as needed, to find the right consistency)
1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp avocado oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

Bring a pot to medium heat
Drizzle with avocado oil, throw in your green onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, cinnamon, cocoa powder, salt and pepper. Let them cook around a bit until onion is soft, but not brown
Add the cooked beans (mine had a little broth leftover, if using canned I vote you rinse them off a bit), tomatoes, coconut, coconut water and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, cover and let simmer. Add as much water as you need to reach "bowl of good-for-ya chili" consistency. I overdid it with the water this time, so my measurements are off a bit!
Once chili looks divine, sprinkle with more shredded coconut and serve with sweet potato muffins. You won't regret it for a second.

Goodnight dark, drenched, cloudy world!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God .

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Feel Better

2011-11-08T18:37:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's really easy for me to think that I have built some sort of super human immune system over the past few years, simply from eating a cleaner, more nutrient rich diet. I see others go through the motions of your typical cold and I think, shoot, why don't they just eat an extra handful of carrots a day? Yet, a few weeks ago, I was slapped in the face by a little dude named Reality, and I found myself with a nasty, upper-respiratory virus.

So what did I do about it? I had a few good fruit-binges, stopped exercising at 5:00am, slept for 10 hours every night until my sickly symptoms left me alone, and had vegetables for dinner. It was delicious, and I was definitely humbled by it all. I am not a super-human, I am not immune to the common cold, or any other illness, and that is okay with me.

Here's to catching a cold in the middle of Fall, and feeding it raw veggie soup and a kale salad on the side. And I apologize in advance for the fact that I cannot, for the life of me, find the recipe that inspired the soup. So I relied on my memory alone on exactly what I threw into this dish. In other words, have fun! Hope it tastes good!

Common Cold Green Soup
serves 1 hungry person
raw, vegan, incredible

1 green bell pepper
1/3 white onion
1/4 cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours
1 handful fresh cilantro
1 lime's juice
2 tomatoes
1 tsp garlic
1/2 cup water
1 tsp chili powder
salt n' pepper, to taste
a drizzle of olive oil

Throw it all in the blender, add more water if necessary
Give it a taste, mess with the seasonings if needed
Chill in the fridge for a bit.
Serve with an incredible salad.

Massaged Kale with Apple
serves 2-3

1 head kale, washed and stems discarded
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 apple, cut into bits
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup sunflower seeds

Drizzle olive oil and red wine vinegar over raisins in a small bowl, set aside
Cut kale into bit-sized ribbons, sprinkle with salt and massage with hands until wilted and vibrant in green color (about 2 minutes)
Add your raisins and the dressing, mix to coat
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds, toss to combine
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Red Cabbage and Quinoa

2011-11-05T22:11:00.000-07:00

I honestly cannot get enough of this season. The leaves leave me speechless every morning I glance their way. We don't deserve to see such beauty on a daily basis, but I am so glad God allows us to take it all in! Praise be to Him for all of His creation and the ability to enjoy every bit of it! If only we could wrap a scarf around our necks, put on a thick coat, soft gloves, a pair of snug boots, and go for a day-long walk in Christ's presence, pushing pause for a moment during this crazy busy life. But alas, work calls our name. Responsibility lives on, and we all rely on a paycheck. My hope? Heaven including more pink, red, orange, yellow and green trees than I can fathom! Oh, Fall.

I had the most delicious lunch packed the other day, and I felt the need to share. I recently read about quinoa being a complete protein, since it is more a seed than a grain. I knew this guy was protein packed to high extremes, holding as much protein as many legumes and beans, but... it's complete? That's incredible! I have always paired it with tofu, or pinto beans, thinking I was doing my body exactly what it needs in order to supply the good stuff, and I didn't even have to! And so, I have a new discovery:

Red Cabbage Quinoa Stir Fry

with green beans and toasted nori

serves 2

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
5 red cabbage leaves, cut into strips
1 cup green beans (I used frozen)
1-2 tsp Liquid Aminos
1.5 tsp Kelp Granules (fishy smell, wonderful taste!)
1 tbsp avocado oil
2-3 sheets toasted nori paper, cut into squares
red pepper flakes, to taste
2 cups broccoli, as a side

Bring a pan to medium heat, drizzle with avocado oil
Toss in the red cabbage, move around to coat, cover and cook 'till soft (4 mins or so)
Add green beans, quinoa, liquid aminos and kelp granules, mix to coat, cover and let the flavors make some sweet lovin'
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, serve warm with roasted (or steamed) broccoli
Keep your fork in the silverware drawer, grab your toasted nori and scoop up warm quinoa into that salivating mouth of yours.

It was perfect for lunch at work, and kept me full for hours. The flavors work wonderfully with each other, and you won't have to worry for even a minute about you and your protein - you're set! Now, go enjoy more of nature, would you?

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

No Meat Athlete

2011-10-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

Title inspired by this amazing blog.

When I started this blog, I liked fruit, carrots, and spinach. I strived to eat whole grains and lean protein often (including but not limited to: eggs, turkey, chicken and fish), as well as low-fat yogurt, milk, and cheese. I even took part in Carne Asada day when my husband got a hankering for a piece o' red meat. I felt fine, I wasn't struggling with acne, low energy levels or weak performance in my exercise. But then again, I wasn't exercising to any super intense levels and I didn't long to anyhow.

my take on chili: as many grilled veggies as possible, pinto beans, chili powder, serrano chilis, tomato, corn, avocado + lime.

Slowly, but surely, I was influenced by other bloggers to up the volume of my daily vegetable and fruit intake and decrease the amount of meat (mainly red) I ate. Words like "cholesterol" and "high in fat" took over my mind, I read books, I watched YouTube videos, I ate every bit of it.

When Green Monsters came into my life, I fell in love: spinach/kale, rolled oats, rice milk/water (nowadays I just use coconut water) frozen fruit (banana, strawberries), wheat germ, ground flaxseed, etc.

When my fiber intake took a very extreme (and delicious) jump upwards, I began to experience symptoms of IBS and even Celiacs Disease. I also was slowly eating less and less chicken, pork, eggs and cheese. I still had yogurt almost daily and at least one serving of animal meat a week. My tummy was a grump from all the fruit binges (or so I was told, "too much fiber!!"), but I couldn't stop eating the rainbow every day, it was just too dang good. Once again, my running wasn't really getting any better or worse, but I did experience injuries that left me inable to run for months at a time. But that could have just been because of over-training. For my insides, I eventually made an appointment with my doctor after reading about lactose intolerance and Celiacs.

When my first "veggie juice" went poorly (that's what happens when you use a food processor instead of a juicer 'cause you don't own a juicer) I made the veggie mush into delicious pancakes. Take: beets, celery, apple, carrots, a hint of ginger and process it. Then add some oats (to thicken it up) and vanilla. It was a miracle!! Served with green goo and walnuts with raisins, and topped with mashed banana and almonds.

October 2010, I was in the middle of runner's rehab from a knee injury I had been battling since August, so as I made friends with the elliptical, I also went off dairy for a month and kept a log of my symptoms. Guess what? Zero changes. At that time I was eating zero animal products besides my once-a-week-salmon-fillet, and I was loving the idea of making the switch to a 100% Vegan diet. The strangest part of this journey of my mysterious tummy troubles was this: I went to Mexico that January and ate yogurt, milk, red meat, chicken, Mexican cheeses and a handful of fruits/veggies a day. 10 days of these foods and zero stomach issues! Well, besides over-eating one day and a lack of needing "to go" which I hadn't experienced in over a year or so. I also began jogging with my papa-in-law at 8,000 feet elevation (felt like I couldn't breathe!) And ran almost daily for the entire visit without any knee pain!

1 frozen banana and 4 frozen strawberries, rice milk and vanilla.

Apparently, taking almost 4 full months away from running and focusing on strengthening the leg muscles with cross training and weights was a sure-fire way to fix runner's knee and get back to pain-free movement. But my stomach symptoms? I was confused, I documented all of it and went to my doctor. We had the choice of spending thousands of dollars to bring the case to scientific laboratories and have them do study after study (including gluten intolerance), or, we could blame it on "too much fiber". But that didn't give me peace, I wanted all the fiber I could get, and I didn't want to eat one less piece of homemade wheat bread just for my gut's sake. So? I continued my salmon-once-a-week way of eating, left all dairy and eggs and other meat out, and kept the veggies, fruits, beans, legumes, soy and whole grains close by.

homemade Seitan in a jar :)

Strange enough, as I write this I realize that almost all of the IBS symptoms are gone. A few months ago I left salmon and have been on a full vegan, zero processed food, way of consumin' ever since. I love it like crazy, I feel amazing, and I don't crave animal products at all. I am eating even more vegetables than I was before, and giant fruit smoothies each morning. I have not left gluten, I actually add gluten to my homemade bread which I eat a few times a week. I eat oats almost daily as well, which some folks with gluten issues can't consume without feeling it later. So the past was a silly mystery to me, but I am so thankful it is over!

vegan date brownies with walnuts

And my running (after fighting another injury back in April) has been doing wonderfully! I brought the cardio training down to only three days a week (2 track runs of 5 miles each and a long run @ the lake of 6+ miles on the weekend) and on my off days I do 30-40 minute High Intensity Interval Training sessions (strength training movements, sometimes with weights, at max intensity over and over and over) as well as an hour of yoga, if I set aside a day for it. I feel stronger than I ever have, I'm off my migraine medication that I was taking for 5+ years and I just can't get enough of this life!

veggie spring rolls with homemade almond butter sweet n' sour sauce inside

Here's the thing: I stopped eating all animal products because I feel better inside when fueled by all plants. Some people say they do it to "live longer" but we are not in control of that, God knows our expiration date and it doesn't change when we swap donuts for carrots. It's about quality of life - how you feel every morning when you wake, how you sleep, how you work, how you sweat. I might live 'till my 50's, 60's, 90's, only God knows, and I'm excited about that! I just want to be running marathons in my 80's, I don't want to be sitting in a wheel chair, taking 7 pills a day so my body can continue to function. Quality, not quantity.

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln

Thank You, Jesus!!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

White Bean Hummus

2011-10-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

To great lengths we go for a simple couch. We risk it all, we trust in string, it all seems, and looks, a bit sketchy. What can we do, but give the trip home to God? Leave it in His hands, His will be done. That, and, the simple task of driving home safely with a piece of furniture atop your truck's roof that weighs over 100kg. We got this. We got this.

I made a crazy delicious bean dip the other day. As it pureed in the food processor I swear it resembled silk, the creamiest texture you could image. Fluffy like egg whites, beaten 'till they look soft enough to sleep on. It all came about because I overcooked some cannellini beans. I couldn't slurp 'em in a soup, couldn't cook 'em in a stew, so I pureed the white beans with some herbs.

Recipe 100% inspired by Dreena Burton's in Eat, Drink and Be Vegan.

White Bean Hummus

2 cups cannellini beans, cooked
1 tbsp lemon (I used lime) juice
2 tbsp tahini (omitted, no me gusta!)
1 clove garlic, sliced (I used dry)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp water, to thin out if desired
2-3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (I used dry)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (I used dry)

Throw everything into a food processor except water and herbs, puree until smooth and fluffy in appearance. Then thin out with water, if you wish (I did) and add herbs (stir to combine). By the way, she did mention not using dried herbs, but I did, and it was still wonderful. I can only imagine how marvelous the flavor would be with fresh herbs. So, listen to Dreena and invest in fresh greens!

PS: putting together a couch before showing or eating dinner (and it's now 6:00pm) is not an easy task. Eat, consider showering, and then tackle the new piece of furniture. Trust me.

Success is so dang comfortable!

Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of men! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His deeds in songs of joy!
Psalm 107:21-22

Sprouting

2011-10-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

Question of the day: If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

I've been reading a lot about raw vegan diets, fruitarians and the like. It all fascinates me, but I am truly happy with how I eat now and don't see a need to change it. Fruitarians like Michael Arnstein are definitely inspiring, though. It seems as though all I want to do is sit down to a breakfast of 5 mangos at times, but living in the North West isn't the best way to find fresh, seasonal mangos. So I'm content with my strawberry, blueberry, banana smoothies each morning.

Although, after watching a few videos of raw, vegan recipes, I did get an itch for sprouting grains and legumes the other week. I was excited about maybe finding a good way to eat amaranth, which we have had bags of for months and have yet to find any great recipes for. That protein-powerhouse grain and garbanzos were the first guys I sprouted. I followed the instructions on The Spout People website, and it worked perfectly!

Soak overnight (1 part grain/bean 3 parts water) rinse very well, drain, place in jar, cover with cheese clothe, lie jar on its side for a day, repeat the rinse/drain for a few days until little 1/4 inch tails appear!

Unfortunately, the sprouted garbanzos by themselves tasted awful, but I could imagine some seasonings could easily fix that and they'd taste amazing. However, I decided to look up some sprouted garbanzo recipes that were a little different than the basic guys. And what did I end up with? Garbanzo pancakes!

1) throw sprouted garbanzos in food processor

2) add water, oil, dash of salt

3) proceed to make thick pancakes

4) top with fruit, enjoy thoroughly.

DELISH! Really, honestly, truly delicious. The amaranth scared me, though, because I seemed to have over sprouted it and it ended up looking pretty threatening. I tossed it. I felt bad. I will try, try again like we all ought to.

In the end, I think I will give sprouting a second chance. I hope to try with pinto beans, lentils, and maybe barley! I'm excited and I love trying all these new things. Here's to a future of sprouted breads, cereals, salads, and more garbanzo pancakes. Now go sprout yo' self, it's fun and fills your heart with temporary joy. For full, satisfying joy? Look to Jesus, He's the only supply of that kind o' joy.

Happy October!

Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.

Psalm 97:11-12

Agua Fresca

2011-09-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

One of God's wonderful gifts to mankind: water. It hydrates, quenches our thirst, refreshes and restores our bodies. It's cleansing and delicious, crisp and satisfying. It was almost all I could think about after my run last Saturday. You'd think that the second day of Fall wouldn't necessarily be the warmest, the most humid or sticky. You'd also think that deciding to run your first 10K (6 miles) since last Spring, when you were training hard for a half marathon and got injured, wouldn't be such a bad idea.

And it wasn't, really. It was just a whole lot bigger of a challenge than I thought. But, oh man oh man, it was a crazy, sweaty, beautiful challenge! Running is such a blessing from God, all exercise is, actually. It feels so good to strengthen them bones, muscles, heart, feel the blood flow. I don't know how I could have ever taken it all for granted. Yet, I did, many times.

I feel so much more grounded in my faith than I have been over the years. My Savior teaches me something new every day, opens my eyes to what I've been so blind to, and guides my steps. I am so human in that I often turn my gaze away from Him, I lose sight and I try to fill my needs with worldly things (yes, even running) but I am never truly satisfied until I open up the Bible and meditate on His healing words. It feels so good, nothing compares.

Hubby finishing up his long run, looking sharp as always!

Happy Wednesday, I hope you can give it all up to Jesus today and not go crazy - even though this world tends to distract us, sending us all down the crazy path. And, again on the water: watch this video. Pray hard.

"You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness and joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:8

She Milks Almonds

2011-09-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

I once thought that making almond milk would be hard, I would be wasting almonds, it wouldn't taste very good, yet it's too expensive to buy at the store every week. So we tried soy milk, then rice milk, hemp milk, coconut milk. All were pretty pricey from the local grocery store, since we bought individual half-gallon fellas. So what did we do? We discovered Costco, Costco discovered unsweetened rice milk, we discovered this rice milk's price and we ended up drinking a whole lot of carbohydrates.

Eduardo and I love our rice milk. We have been purchasing it from Costco for years now, and will never get tired of how much non-dairy milk we are getting for such a nifty price. But every once in a while, we splurge on almond milk at the grocery store. And we love every creamy sip. But after reading so many posts on homemade almond milk, I just had to try it. I couldn't watch so many YouTube videos and not join them. I had to act. I had to soak some nuts, blend them in water, and finally open up that cheese cloth I bought over a year ago (true story). It was time.

I had so much stinkin' fun with this I can hardly contain myself! I used Gena's recipe (hello, beautiful raw blog) and soaked the almonds in water for about 6 hours, mainly because I couldn't wait to make the milk and didn't feel like waiting a whole night before I got to taste this rich stuff. So here it is, lo and behold, almond milk is born. And a happy couple along with that.

Pure Almond Milk

1 cup almonds, soaked 8-12 hours (or overnight)
4 cups water
2 dates, soaked 4 hours or so
1 tsp vanilla, to taste

Blend. Strain. Enjoy.

And, with the almond pulp? I made some nutty bars (recipe? lost into the deep, dark abyss that is google search) with almond meal, cinnamon, raisins, nutmeg, applesauce, vanilla, sunflower seeds, almond butter + an oven. I am a happy camper. Now, where can I find 50 pounds of raw almonds for less than our entire month's income? To drink this stuff daily would be a delicious blessing. Maybe I should try hemp milk next time.

Dreamy Smoothies

2011-09-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." Proverbs 29:25

I love feeling secure in my Savior's presence. My life is in His hands completely, I have a constant guide and companion. This world is always trying to shake my trust in God, throwing challenges at me and distracting me from His peace. But the moment I open the bible I feel safe again, my path is made visible for me and I am no longer blind. Thank You, my Jesus! How I love Your Word on a Monday morning.

I've been on a smoothie kick for over 7 days (for breakfast! Although I dream of making them my lunch, dinner, desserts, second desserts...etc), and I simply just can't get enough. Their sweet, rich, nutrient-packed, simple to make and filling. It's a delicious way to fuel up and recover after a hard workout, and a fantastic way to start the day. Grab a straw and slurp away, friends.

1/2 cucumber
8 oz water*
2 handfuls kale
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
3 frozen strawberries
2 tbsp wheat germ
2 tbsp ground flax
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp extra dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla

*can also use coconut water (adds more potassium!), almond milk, rice milk or any liquid of choice

Step 1: Blend
Step 2: Drink

Alternatives:

frozen honeydew melon + strawberries + banana
pitted dates, carob powder, double bananas
chocolate chia pudding, half block of tofu, spinach

Toppings I choose:

unsweetened shredded coconut
grapes
sunflower seeds, almonds
chocolate chia pudding
chia seeds, raisins

oh breakfast! Would you come over more often, please?

Organics Vegetables in a Box

2011-09-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

It all started with a Groupon. No, it all started with someone telling me about how Groupon offers crazy wonderful coupons every day to dozens of things in your city. Vegetables? In a box? You just... bring them to me? and... you pick them for me? Wrap them up in an organic fashion? How much do I spend? Only $34 for $78 of seasonal vegetables and fruits? Sign me up. I did it. I was happily satisfied!

It seems too good to be true, to be honest. So, naturally, we are going to compare the price of these beautiful, seasonal, organic goods to the prices of the produce at our local grocery store. Will we save money? Even ten cents? We'll see! I'm just stoked for eating cutting a cantaloupe for the first time in about 5 years! And, well, for pluots and plums!

Waffle Sunday

2011-09-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

waffles.
As a kid they would often be found on a plate, covered with saran wrap, on the kitchen counter. They were leftovers, calling to be nibbled on at any waking hour of the day. When served fresh, I'd make sure to fill each square with a hint (or a few large hints) of butter, maple syrup (also needed to fill each and every square). The batter came from a box, the syrup was probably sweetened with corn, and the butter was endless.
waffles 2011.

Once I discovered so many delicious food blogs and their diverse ways of doing breakfast, things changed. I attempted waffles many times, but always wanted to make a change or two to the original recipe. This resulted in many waffle messes, broken bits, over-full waffle makers, and me turning to pancakes instead. The first time I made Jessica's recipe I was hooked - I followed it tablespoon to tablespoon. But I, once again, wanted to change things a bit. I tried to calculate the dry\wet ingredient ratio so I could use any flour, any seed, any non-dairy milk, which only leaded to more un-cooked waffles and more messes.
banana, unsweetened cocoa powder, h2o = syrup.

I learned my lesson. So what did I do? I didn't make waffles for over 6 months. Too hard, complicated. I wanted simplicity. It wasn't until two weekends ago that I realized something: this recipe was close to flawless. In order to end up with a plate of almost-perfect waffles, I needed to follow the recipe. So I did. And I have. And that is how Waffle Sunday came about.

Endulge. And don't change a thing:

Dry:

1/4 c. oats
1/2 c. puffed grain cereal
1 T. wheat bran
1 T. (heaping) flour
1 T. wheat germ
1 T. chia seeds
1 t. baking powder
cinnamon

Wet:

1 flax egg (1 T. milled flax + 3 T. water, stirred and let sit)
1 T. applesauce
1 1/2 T. greek yogurt (coconut yogurt!)
1/4 c. almond milk
1 t. vanilla extract

all credit goes to Jessica for her waffle recipe!!

oh, and pizza? always follows Waffle Sundays.

Falling for Salads

2011-09-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

No, not just any salad. Not iceberg and ranch with shredded carrots. I mean. Killer, we-be-so-full-of-amazing-nutrients-you-can-hardly-believe-how-delicious-we-taste salads. They're beasts. They're wonderful. I've only made two, and I am hooked.

oh greens.
I have never been a salad girl, unless you count iceberg lettuce with shredded carrot bits swimming in half a gallon of Hidden Valley ranch or covered in mayonnaise-drenched tuna, but just enough mayo tuna to hide ever bit of green. Which, in my book, does not count - not even in the slightest!

Once I started to clean up my eating habits, I ate one salad and one only: romaine or spinach, red wine vinegar, olive oil, croutons, bacon bits and Parmesan cheese. It was delicious, but I needed the cheese, bacon bits and the croutons if you wanted to see me take a bite.

But one joyous day in March 2010, I was lucky enough to quickly stumble upon Green Monster Smoothies. Spinach and frozen fruit in a blender? But why? Why, you ask? Because you get to eat your greens and ice cream at the same time! It was perfect, everything I needed. I also tried it with kale and beet greens - both successful and tasty. I was happy as a peach. And I still am to this day, just give me a blender.
But, a salad? You mean a bowl of greens with... Vegetables on them? ...Will there be ranch involved? Croutons? I need both, or so I thought. Recently my family had a get-together at my uncles house, and they were to supply the meat while everyone was invited to bring a side. I had to do something fruity and sweet, I thought, but I also want to bring some healthy greens. I Youtubed: massaged kale salad. It was all I could think of after the Woman's Cook Off our church put together last Spring. A gal had created the most vibrant massaged kale salad with mango bits and a light vinegar/oil dressing. It was set.

Only, I'm hanging out North of Seattle, Washington, wondering: where the blast am I going to find fresh, ripe, super sweet and decadent mango 'round here? Too hard. Too much time. Must change the plan. Google brought me to a couple of recipes, I printed four and messed around with the ingredients based on what I had in my kitchen. The end result? Oh goodness. Oh yes. Oh, it was a life-changer.

Massaged Kale Salad with apple bits, sunflower seeds, raisins and an apple cider vinegar dressing. Divine. Round two was only a few days later: massaged kale salad with tomato, red cabbage and a miso, sesame oil dressing. Oooh incredible!!
Anyway. In the end I have officially decided to incorporate large amounts of salads in my future. Right now, the only green I really want to have fun with is kale. It's texture is just too good to pass up, and the possibilities of dressings/toppings are endless! So, go on, don't be shy, massage yourself some kale in the PM, and smile from ear to ear.

Eat plants.
Eat these recipes (Massage Kale + Apples) (Massaged Kale + Miso Dressing).

Full of Flavor Friday

2011-09-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!! I had to make this post all about the food, I just had to. A fruit smoothie (including tofu and dinosaur kale!) with a side of steel cut oats and strawberries. Sushi made last night consisting of brown rice and all the veggies in my fridge. Fruits on the side, a perfect combo of colorful veggies with lime juice and cilantro, a side of black beans from a nearby Mexican restaurant. A sweet evening including carob powder, dates, raisins, blueberries sunflower seeds, banana pieces and a crispy apple. Oh gosh, le sigh.

take it all in. now, sleep.

Cook. Run. Repeat.

2011-09-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

God never stops working in my life, He never stops teaching me, providing rest when I am weak, strengthening my spirit on this life journey, opening my eyes to how amazing it is to be still in His presence.
Giving up all control,
depending completely on my Heavenly Father, casting away every care I have to Him, asking Him to carry my burdens when my back can no longer bear the weight. He is my guide, my source of complete peace and joy, my Friend, my comfort.

It's so great to have Jesus in my life, and my prayer is that He would give me a boldness to speak His name to every I know, so that they would come to know Him as their Savior and Redeemer, as they begin to
feel His hand working in their life,
taking away all their stress and fatigue. God is so good, He will satisfy your needs completely and hold you close when life gets rocky. Give your life to Him, ask Him to come into your heart and live in you!

Ah. The power of the bible. I get lost in just a sentence or two. Love. Love. Love.

Here's what life has been like in September for the Carrillo family of two! We run, I try a bit of High Intensity Interval Training with the help of internet videos, we eat, we read, I watch countless YouTube videos for recipe ideas, then I cook, cook, clean, rest. Repeat.

run.

stretch.

cook. a lot.

run. more.oh, let's cook.

run!

run in the dark.

it may look like the same-ol' routine for us, but it's a beautiful routine and we enjoy every minute of it (even the "I have NO idea what to cook today!!!!!!" minutes).

peace.

Mt. Rainier Adventures

2011-09-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

You are my hiding place;
You will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Psalm 32:7

I am so thankful for God's protection, the refuge I have in Him when I need to run away from the world. Whenever life is too much for us to handle, He reaches out to us and asks us to grab His hand. His love for us is powerful and deep, Jesus is always near, taking care of us, no matter how much we stray. I love always having someone to go to when I simply can't take another step. Knowing Christ as Savior and Lord is the the only way I'm able to get by in this life! Amen.

Two weekends ago, on good ol' Labor Day, we took our third trip to Mt.Rainier for a hike, photoshoot, and a great run. And by golly, it was such a blessing We ate ourselves some muesli before we left the casa, and I packed up some rad snacks to fuel us up after ye' hike in a baby-sized red cooler. Then it was a whole lotta driving and taking it incredible views!

and just a couple hours later, we gone n' found ourselves at the start of the hike. Ready to sweat? To jump over roots, rocks, to dodge families, couples, walking sticks, to snap photos, gaze a waterfalls, trip a few times, almost twist your ankle twice, eat a bug or four? Let's do this!

I tried, with all I had in me, to run the whole way. But this girl and her legs were just not made for hills, I tell you. I was only able to run up half of each upward slope before stopping to walk. My heart pounded, I was winded. It just didn't work as I had imagined. Yet, I must say, the entire walk-run-sprint-jump was an incredible one!

The heat took over not too long after we arrived, which made us even more sweat-covered and joyous. This also made me more tired, and the hubby more stoked to run intervals (yo' crazy, son!), which didn't last too long because of all the tree roots making the trail bumpy and dangerous. We planned on eating lunch at the lake, but 7 bug bites later, we decided to eat in the truck.

It was... wonderful, really, stinking, wonderful. Next year? We're going to the top of that beast. Even when it's covered in snow the first week of September! And by the top, I really just mean we'll pretend we're at the top when really we'll go just as far as we did that weekend. Yay!

uh mazing. Go to Rainier!

on FOOD

2011-09-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

September 4th came and went. I wrote. I saved. But I never published this guy. Here's to being two weeks behind, but not seeing it as behind at all, but yet... enjoying life!

oh, hello, week of food, you are so beaaauutiiiifuuuul. I forgot to snap photos of some of your friends throughout the day, but you are still so beaaauuutiiiifuuuul. I have decided to give you guys a post, all to yourself, with nothing else taking spotlight, all you, munchy delightful creations. So shine bright, lunches, dinners, breakfasts and in-betweens, because this one is for you.

1) Tempeh Tamale Pie [try me] [with this topping, only with more cornmeal!]
2) Lentil Loaf with Tomato Topping [copy this]
3) Oatmeal Blueberry Chia bowl [speaks for itself]
4) Lazy Day Beans n' Bread [um. yes.]
5) Quinoa Lentil Curry [simply wonderful, just add quinoa]
5) Liquid Oatmeal [sounds delicious?!]
6) Lentil Loaf + Broccoli Love [re: leftovers]

-----------------------------------------------------

PS! It's official. After almost three years of glorious marriage, we purchased our very first watermelon! and we sliced it! and we consumed the entire thing, but it took us about 5 days! which is probably a long time, since watermelon is so heavenly good, and should never sit in your fridge for more than 6 hours since it's so dang delicious and sweet and tempting, but we made it last. I think we deserve a gold medal.

more, please. thanks.

Joy is...

2011-09-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Psalm 145. I read it the other day, as my daily devotional referenced it, and I was so glad I did. I wanted to paint a picture with it, type it all over my Facebook and share it with my husband. I wrote it down in my journal, thought about it often, smiled as I re-read it. It's so stinkin' beautiful, you bet I'm sharing it right this very moment:

"I will extol (praise) You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious spendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, and Your godly ones shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power; to make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. The Lord keeps all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever."

That chapter does such an amazing job of explaining all that is our God in Heaven - that's why I love it so much! I'm truly contemplating making a poster or something. Or sorting through all the adjectives and nouns, adding a tune, and creating a song I can sing whenever I feel like. So, so, so wonderful.

joy is... running. Pain-free running, aside my hubby, to be specific. I have started slowly, but surely, jogging my way back into running after a foot injury back in April, and things have been going pretty well! I won't lie, having to start from zero was a big test of patience. With my longest distance being 10 miles, (one time, during my half marathon training, right before I got injured after a 5 mile race) it isn't exactly easy to force yourself to take things slow and stop after your hit the 3-mile-mark. But alas, I did. Then I jumped to 3.5 miles, 4, 4.25, 4.5, for the last four months.

I run by kilometers, not miles, because my hubby is from Mexico and kilometers are what I've been taught. That, and, I love how exact they are and how nicely they work with the track (1000 meters = 1 kilometer. Each lap is 400 meters, so 2.5 laps is 1km. I've been going up by about half a kilometer (500 meters) each time I increase distance, which is easy to translate to 1 lap and 100 meters). Hubby decided to be more amazing than He already is and wake up with me at 4:30am twice a week so we can run together at the high school track. This has helped me a lot in staying injury-free (I'd say) because I'm avoiding the hard pavement and running on bouncy turf. I'm a fan! Also, increasing distance is as simple as adding a lap or two every other week, helping me to not to go too far too quickly, provoking injuries.

Saturdays are my long runs at Green Lake in Seattle. I try to keep it cool and maintain a steady, jogging pace, since I'm running for a longer period of time, but I always end up speeding things up (unintentional, I promise!) And breaking personal record times. No complaints there! There's just something about seeing other runners giving it their all, running with their kids, strollers, pets, friends, classmates, spouses... Goodness, man. I can't take how rad it is to run with so much diversity all around, and God's beautiful creation everywhere I look. Joy, I tell you. Pure, perfect joy.

joy is... free kale from work. let me rephrase that, joy is free kale, from a doctor at the pediatric clinic I work at, who has grows loads of vegetables (like everyone else in the world except for me - lame), including kale that is just as large as my face, only twice that, only long ways. oh my kale, you are so beautiful to me. Especially when I blend you up with frozen fruit, a half block of tofu, rolled oats, vanilla and coconut water. oh my bananas.

joy is... eating sushi with my parents after a very long day of running in the sun and shopping at Ikea (aka: Disneyland, just admit it). We were exhausted once we left Ikea, and apparently didn't pack enough snacks for the day. My stomach had a delightful green monster beast inside, his had an almond butter and homemade fig jam sandwich happily digesting, but oh-me oh-my, our insides screamed for more food a couple hours later. And the carrots, kiwis and orange slices didn't do the trick. So when my folks asked if we wanted to go out for sushi, it was a huge blessing. No cooking? Food the second we get back into town? I'll take it! Thanks ma, thank you pa, we are more grateful than you know!
Happy Saturday. Happy sunny day. Happy day of listening to hymns, of being with my love bug, Edu, of trusting in Jesus, of being excited for the future, of spiritual growth, of Christ living and working in my life, of rest, peace, Ikea, sushi, and thanksgiving.

Amen.

Keep Your Sanity

2011-08-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

It is very, very, easy to feel overwhelmed in the kitchen. Especially when it's a Sunday evening, there is nothing prepared for tomorrow's dinner, and all you have ready to bring to work is a bag of carrots and cucumbers. Do not panic, you will not starve and your husband will not have to eat canned tuna with a side of pinto beans, as much as he wouldn't mind it and actually loves to eat that way. You can throw together plenty of meals in the short amount of time remaining. Breathe.

I only cook twice a week. I used to cook every single night, including the weekends, and I never had a break. I was new to cooking, though, so I didn't mind. I was in love with the kitchen and all the countless recipes waiting for me to attempt in my few cookbooks. Cooking nightly was a gift, a blessing, I enjoyed it more than I could explain.

A day came, though, where I realized all I did was cook. My husband would be Skyping his parents in Mexico over the phone and I would become accustomed to hearing him say, "yeah, she's in the kitchen working like an ant." To this day, they refer to me as "la hormiguita" which is "little ant" - since all I used to do was run around in the kitchen putting together crazy (delicious) creations that no one I knew had ever heard of. The only problem was that I had ignored the fact that I used to have other hobbies, too. Like art, like reading my bible (hobby? no, necessity!), like sitting on the couch with my husband after work, etc.

So I switched things up a bit. I started to cook every other day, but that didn't work out for some reason, and I found myself cooking daily, again. And then one day... a thought came to mind. That, or, a thousand recipes came to mind on a Sunday morning and I decided I wanted to cook all of them right then and there, resulting in enough meals to feed a family of two until Thursday. It was brilliant. It was a joy. It was an epiphany. I smiled. I could very easily get used to this, I thought, I could do this once or twice a week, I pondered. I could do this. I am free.

So I did it, and have done it, for the past month or so. Sunday afternoons, I set aside 2 hours and cook. I usually spend about 20 minutes finding fun recipes, then get down into the hands-on, burners-on, oven-preheated side of it. I'm there for around 90 minutes. Then everything sits on the counter and cools off. I make two servings of each meal so that I can eat one plate for lunch Monday, then the same plate for dinner Tuesday. It's wonderful. I feel so free! And I am, too. I don't lift a finger (except to re-heat meals) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays. I repeat the cooking process on Wednesdays, but only need about an hour since I'm only cooking for two days. I don't count Saturdays, even though I always cook somethin' that day, because they're leisurely and there ain't no Tupperware involved.

Notice the bold print:
[Sunday: 90 mins
Wednesday: 60 mins
2 servings each meal]

It's a delight, give it a try. Take a day (or four) off. Rest.

He will once again fill your mouth with
laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
Job 8:21

The Dinosaur Story

2011-08-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

Dinosaurs!

One day a few weeks back, I was asked if I'd be willing to paint a dinosaur or two for a dino-themed party. I had hardly responded before my imagination began working overtime on what the dinosaurs would look like, how big they'd be, where I'd find the reference pictures and how I'd bring them to work once they were done. It was Friday.

Saturday we went to Ikea and conveniently purchased about 850 large items, leaving us with just as many cardboard boxes that I would need to paint life-size (for preschoolers) dinosaurs. It was meant to be, me and those there dinos, in the garage together night after night following scrumptious dinners, with Pandora music and a happy belly.

Sunday I did nothing dinosaur related. Monday I pondered. Tuesday I stared blankly at the walls, contemplated life a bit. And Wednesday I got to work. I had 2 nights to finish and I hadn't even found the reference pictures. Time to get down and dirty, and beat myself up a bit for waiting 'till Wednesday to start this thang.

Google, google, more google. Take picture of that dinosaur, examine the other one, wonder what their names are, stop caring so much what their names are. Grab a pencil and sketch away. I decided to paint three of them, and their size was based only on the size of the Ikea boxes. It went quickly and smoothly, with enough time to spare for a few mini sing-off competitions between myself and Pandora radio.

tyrannosaurus!
I attempted to take progress pictures, but the lighting changed about 17 times, so crooked photos is all I've got. Traveling with them was fun, they lied down very nicely in the back of my dad's truck and were very well behaved. And although I may have painted on their eyes thicker than thick, and our garage is so cold it didn't even think of drying out in time, once I handed them over to a sweet 5 year old - they was dry as can be.

Long Neck!
apatosaurus?
And shoot. The smile on that girl! Makes me want to paint everyone a bunch of large animals on cardboard boxes. Real good feelin' sacrificing a few free, lazy evenings for an art project like that one. I'd do it all again tomorrow if someone asked me to!

triceratops!
They were very, very well behaved travelers, too.

And made a mess of their painter, but I forgave them.

end.

The Sights and Sounds

2011-08-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

10:33am

Green Lake, post run.

It's days like this that make me feel truly blessed to live in the Seattle area. It's sunny, the air is a warm and the act of running is slightly harder than it normally is. Oh cold, morning runs, I never knew how much I appreciated you. I'm thankful for the sun, but also hugely thankful for the hundreds of cloudy, not-so-melt-your-face-off-hot days we're given year-round. It makes for the greatest running, I tell you!

I also can't get over how goofy nature and the creatures living in it are. Okay, I am mostly referring to the creatures. A week or two or three ago, we found ourselves at the high school track at 5:30am. The only sign of life besides us running folk were crows and cats. And a walker, who appeared some thirty minutes later.

I first witnessed, with my ears, the eery sound of two cats screaming, growling and hissing at each other. One moment they were starring one another down, motionless, and the very next lap they were gone, into the bushes, making the creepiest noises I ever did hear. You know, those same screeches you heard when you were a kid, whilst sound asleep. Creepers!

The second sight was the same week, different day. There seemed to be a very large amount of crows sharing the track with us that foggy morning, and I couldn't help but let myself get completely distracted by them. They chased each other, flew atop soccer goalies, and... Ate Cheetos. Three crows, in lane 5, consumed the remains of a high schooler's bag o' Cheetos. True story. Made me giggle.

And, today? This sunny-day in August? I will not lie, not even stretch the truth. I caught squirrels in the act. Yes, you read me right. They was doing some love making right before my very eyes! I had to laugh, it was the most random sight to see. I was slightly embarrassed, but mostly surprised. And of course all I wanted to do was find my husband and tell him what I had witnessed. You see, squirrels are one of his all-time favorite animals ever (next to raccoons) and I know he's going to bring up them squirrel-love-making story again and again. He just gets a kick out of their existence, I guess.

Anywho. Today's run was beautiful and sweaty.

Yesterday's run was cold and steady, with a crazy beautiful sunrise.

Tuesday's run included blinding fog and fast(er) times, as well as a super quick, crazy delicious lunch that went like this: throw two (homemade) frozen lentil patties in Tupperware, spoon in some cooked quinoa, grab a handful or two of frozen green beans and corn, plop a medium tomato on top, half of a red bell pepper, with a fourth of an avocado, half a lime, and some red pepper flakes. Lunch time here? Microwave that bad boy. Mix it all up, crumbling the lentil patties. Mash the avocado w/lime and eat with a smile. It was brilliantly good, and put together in less than 5 minutes. YES!

I just now ate a most incredible chocolate green monster made with beet greens post-run just now, making my tummy a very happy fella on a Saturday mornin'.

And, to top it all of, I ran into a friend at the lake today. We chatted about running and injuries, and it wasn't until after she left that I realized how my green monsters tend to fill in the sides of each individual tooth in my mouth, and that I most likely had chocolate-colored beet green bits filling my chompers, aaand that I didn't even think to clean them before I ran into anyone. Sigh. Oh, humility.

Oh, Saturday afternoon's dinner [mozzarella and turkey for him, veggies galore with a side of edamame for me].

Thank You Jesus for today's pain-free run! I give You the rest of this day to You. I love that everything is in Your hands and You are in control. Thank You, Lord!

[God's beautiful gift to us] Peace with be you! My own peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled or dismayed.
John 14:27

60 Minutes

2011-08-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

Just put aside 60 minutes, and you'll find yourself with 8 servings of food, two incredible dishes, and a happy spouse, ready to devour dinner.

Dice up as many vegetables as you can, throw them in a pot with water and your favorite herbs, don't forget the bay leaf, bring it to a boil, add a raw grain and a cooked bean, cover, simmer. Close your eyes and take in the savory aroma filling your kitchen.

Dice even more veggies. Drizzle avocado oil in a hot pan, gaze at the rainbow on your cutting board before scooping it up and placing it in the pan. Sizzle, sizzle, brown, golden. Add red, more red, four cups of it even, with citrus, sweetness and seasonings. Cover, simmer. Silky tofu, white cube of protein and calcium, to the food processor we go. Season, lime, puree, perfectly creamy herb dip or spread. Layer, layer, layer. Bake.

Taste test #1, taste test #2. Beautiful.

You tasted delicious.

Tofu Ricotta Lasagna
Serves 4 (small portions)

Veggie Tomato Sauce:

2 green onions, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium summer squash, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
4 cups diced tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste/tomato sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt, pepper, italian seasoning
garlic bits, onion powder
red pepper flakes (optional)

Tofu "Ricotta"

1 block tofu
1 tsp lime juice
1 dash garlic bits
1 dash salt
1 tsp parsley, oregano

Also...

Lasagna noodles
Avocado oil or olive oil

Preheat oven to 400*
Heat a pan, drizzle it with oil and toss in your veggies (except tomatoes + maple syrup + lime + green onion). Toss to coat, cook for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle your green onion bits atop the veggies, stir to combine.
Pour your diced tomatoes, syrup and lime atop those there vegetables and mix it all up. Cover and let it cook while you prepare your tofu "ricotta".
Grab the tofu and plop it into your food processor with the lime, garlic and seasonings. Let it twirl and whirl until a very delightfully smooth paste forms.
Coat a 9x9 inch pan with olive oil spray and layer that bad boy with vegetable tomato sauce, raw lasagna noodles and silky italian tofu. Repeat, repeat, leaving the last layer with the remaining tofu.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, covering for the last 15 if things start to burn. The lasagna is done when the lasagna noodles feel soft when pierced with a butter knife.
Delight.

Italian Vegetable Soup
serves 4

vegetable love

2 medium zucchinis, diced
4 handful frozen green beans, cut into bits
any. other. vegetable. you. own. seriously, just dice it up!
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
4 celery sticks, or more
5 tomatoes
green onions
2 cups brown rice pasta shells
2 cups cooked pinto beans
5 cups water, give or take (add more if you want more of a soup, add less if you want more of a chili)

seasonings:

4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic bits
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp rosemary, parsley, italian seasoning
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 'cause we like it spicyy!
olive oil to coat pan
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat large pot
Throw in your olive oil
Toss them vegetables
Sprinkle with them seasonings
Mix, mix, coat, coat
Rice pasta? into pot.
Beans? into pot.
Pour water on top, cover, simmer for about 35 minutes.
Consume

Told ya it was easy :)
Happy Thursday!!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Growing in Jesus

2011-08-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

"Expect to encounter adversity in your life, remembering that you live in a deeply fallen world. Stop trying to find a way that circumvents difficulties. The main problem with an easy life is that it masks your need for Jesus."

-Sarah Young, Jesus Calling daily devotional.

Deep sigh, this was such a beautiful reminder for the day. I feel like whenever something unexpected and unpleasant comes up in life, all I want to do is fix it. That, or, I immediately crawl into a deep hole that is my silence and grumpiness, and I let it scratch at me 'till I bleed. If I can't handle it, or simply do not want to try, it consumes me completely. I can't enjoy life while it ruins me, so I push myself back up and attempt to make it go away. Upon doing this, I always find myself in the same spot: incapable, feeling powerless.

I shouldn't be relying on my flawed self to save me. I need to depend completely on Jesus. Moments like this are the there for that exact reason, to be reminded of how much we need God's helping hand in everything we do. We're not superheroes, possessing supernatural powers, we're not all-knowing, we're not omnipresent. We are sheep. And He is our shepherd. Living without Him is dangerous and, well, stupid.

Honestly, how many times do I need to be told this? Do I really forget that often? I do. I always do. God's word, and His teachers' sermons, touch my heart so deep I can feel His arms around me in that very moment. I am inspired, motivated to step outside and take on the world with Jesus holding my hand. I want to shout it from the top of the medical building I work at. I long to sing praises to His Name day and night.

But an hour goes by... And I forget it all, the uplifting feeling fades.

That spiritual high seems to leave my body, the world's distractions overwhelm my every thought. Each word that exits from my mouth sounds empty and foolish. Where does the fire go? Why can't it continue to burn bright in me. Why does it have to be always.

Oh, world. I need more Jesus, and less of you.

"He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty"
Psalm 91:1 - more of that, would be more than enough.

Love what Jesus is teaching me. Growth isn't always easy, but it's worth every bump in the road it took to get me there.

Here's to Monday

2011-08-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

Feeling the existence of burning, hard-working muscles you have never felt before in your life is... bliss. Tasting the simplicity of next-day steel-cut oats, cooked in rice milk, cinnamon, water and raisins with a topping of wheat germ, almond butter, chia seeds and banana discs is... close-your-eyes-and-savor-each-bite good. Spending a moment talking to Jesus, before the busy day as a receptionist at a pediatric clinic commences and you are tempted to go completely crazy because you're not in control of everything and life isn't always fair is... oh, so, very necessary and refreshing.

Here's to you, Monday. You're in God's hands, not my own. And I love it that way.

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Isaiah 41:10

No Run Saturday

2011-08-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

It's a humbling, challenging moment when, after cautiously jogging for a few weeks in the darkness of the wee-wee-wee morning hours, trying to avoid all possible runner's-injuries, with your wonderful husband and coach at your side (or a few KM ahead of you), who basically jumps up and down with excitement every time you tell him that you have no knee, ankle, or foot pain, and you start to think that maybe, just maybe you will be able to train smoothly to your very first half marathon.....

....you wake up with a sore ankle. Not just any soreness, but a scary ache telling you to hang low from running for a day or two. Then you find yourself at your favorite running spot on a Saturday morning. The runners look beautiful, happy, or in agony, and injury-free. Every and their dogs are running without pain. And you get to embrace all that is magazine workouts and the like.

Not easy. Not fun. But take it as it comes to you, you must. So this morning I grabbed the latest Women's Health magazine, found a sunny spot by the outside of the lake, and sweat for thirty minutes straight. It was impossible to ignore the couple dozen runners who passed my way, even the walkers were capable of more leg movement than I was, but I happily exercised in my own, avoid-all-ankle-moves way.

Here's the run down, courtesy of Lara Rosenbaum and her exercise regimen in Women's Health (with a few adjustments for the ankle's sake, and the lack of dumbells):

[Three times thru, no rest]
• Body-Weight Squat (15 reps)
• Pushup (15 reps)
• Bent-Over Row with L-Raise (15 reps)
• Plank (30 seconds)
• Curtsy Lunge (15 reps)

[Three times thru, no rest]
• "Dumbbell" Squat to Overhead Press (20 reps)
• "Dumbell" Chest Press on Bench (20 reps)
• Mountain Climbers (20 reps)
• Butt-Lifts, Reverse Plank (20 reps)
• "Dumbbell" Lunge with Biceps Curl (20 reps)

[Four times thru, no rest]
• Single-Arm *water-bottle* Swing (10-15 reps each side)
• Pushup Row (10-15 reps each side)
• "Dumbbell" T-Stabilization (10-15 reps each side)

I sweat. It burned. Life is okay, without running. I have to, need to, must continue to tell myself that. It might take me months or years to believe, but there is no choice. My name is Nicole, my flat feet cause me to workout through about running 3 injuries a year, and I am an on-again, off-again runner.

Le sigh. At least I get to look forward to seeing a lovely gentlemen after each of his runs, always full of encouraging words that one day, ooooone day, God willing, I will run a full marathon. and I will kill it. It just won't be next week. :)

eat pizza and edamame. live long.

*

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1

Where in the World?

2011-08-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

...have I been? Have all of you been?

[I have]
painted dinosaurs.
painted birthday gifts.
broken a sweat.
had breakfast.
traveled with dinosaurs.
consumed rainbow pasta.
made purple kale smoothies.
packed a mini-cooler.
ran 4 miles.
ran 4.5 miles.
eaten molletes.
decorated lentil patties.
made bread dough rise.
washed dishes.
packed the fridge.
cooked for three days.
found a magic stretch for the AM.
jumped rope. non-stop.
lentil soup-ed.
run with hubby in the 5am darkness.
had seaweed with those veggies.
cooked for two days.
cursed at my jump rope.
got my hair cuts.
been served oatmeal.

and yes, I have proof.
who do you think I am?
could I really go a day
without taking a picture?
impossible.
or somewhat close.

and it has been wonderful.

God has been working a whooole lot in my life this Summer. I seriously cannot fathom all He has given me and my husband, and He does not stop doing so. Every morning I grow a little more in Him, every day I learn something new, every evening I reflect on all the challenges and the blessings God has placed in my life. I trust Him completely in everything, and only hope to bring Him honor, glory and praise with the decisions I make. There have been days where I feel like all I have done is failed Him, and days where I haven't stopped smiling for even a minute. I know His plans for our marriage and future are beautiful and that His timing is perfect. He is teaching me how to trust Him, depend completely on Him, and how important it is to read His Holy Word on a daily basis.

He never stops loving.
I am so glad He never stops.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2

Let's MOVE!

2011-08-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

I had never seen so many cardboard boxes, never hoarded each one that arrived at work, never had I longed so much for an unlimited supply of packing tape, or for less CDs, movies and books. Never had my husband and I willingly gone to the gym for over an hour, only to be greeted with a 2+ hour move, where each muscle in our body was being pushed to its limit, where sweat re-introduced itself to our backs.

And never had we seen such selflessness and unconditional love from incredible family members, ready and willing to lift each box with us, pack each toiletry and empty each room of our apartment for us. They would have woken up with us at 7am, and crawled into bed at 11:30pm, if only we had let them. My mom and dad are such a huge blessing, and this move would have been a lot more stressful and tedious if it weren't for their help. The Big Move was a big one, but a quick one, although we've been living in our home for two weeks and I feel like it's still not completely put together... but, the move, ohhh delightful move: dare I say... effortless.

IKEA makes their furniture real well, and makes it really easy for their fans to put together such furniture. But disassembling those contraptions? "Utter bliss" would not be how I'd describe that verb. Time consuming, a little test of patience, the opposite of a stroll in the park.. would be much, much more appropriate.

The up-side of seeing every book, CD, and movie you own: realizing how much of it could be given away, and doing just that. Goodbye books from college! Goodbye CDs I haven't listened to since I was a pre-teen, hello clutter-free future shelving unit.

I fancied the kitchen part of it all, only because I could finally (and maybe, just maybe for the first time ever) clean the spot under our microwave. Oh how the color of counter tops can change, oh how sweet the sight of empty cabinets, freshly wipes with Lysol's lemony goodness. Oh how strange it felt to pack bananas in a box.

happy movers and incredible helpers!

We got a U-Haul for a fancy penny (aka: cheap, hooray!) and all of our apartment's insides hardly filled half of the dang thing. It felt kind of good, knowing how little we had collected in almost 3 years of marriage. And we were reminded, by my mom and dad, how incredibly lucky we are that we are doing the big move sans little ones. I can't imagine being pregnant, with infant, toddler, preschooler, elementary child, or teen during this whole process. And to think: my parents did this with four of us! Superheros. No other way to put it, God gave them so much strength!

If you were riding a U-Haul filled with everything you own, which were completely capable of bumping or sliding with every turn, or falling to the back of the truck, or smashing into the door and costing you more money than your first month's mortgage to replace, you'd be nervously smiling, too.

A husband, a home, a ray of sunshine.
Life is sweet, and simple.

We then decided it was time to fill out tummy's with what they deserved: Mexican food. And my tummy was calling for the best creations ever given to us: beans, rice, guacamole, salsa and vegetables. It felt so wonderful to sit after hours of moving, and chat with the folks about life! I'll admit, though, it was hard to keep my mind distracted from the fact that we had an empty house waiting for us, with all of our belongings chilling in the tandem garage. OCD? Just a smidgen (or two).

Eat that ever day of my life? Happily!

And then we said our goodbyes, cleaned up the apartment (okay, okay, this all happened a week after the move, I won't lie) and handed over the keys. Bittersweet. This apartment was such an incredible first home to us, it felt like our own house where we were safe, surrounded by lovely neighbors and were under the greatest management I could have ever prayed for. We miss this apartment so much (especially the part where we can clean it top to bottom in under 40 minute) but are so thankful for what God has placed in our lives! New chapter? Okay, I'll take it.

Our apartment's view from the bedroom window + living room. It was so amazing over the years, and I'm pretty positive God gave us that last sunset as a happy goodbye. It was perfect!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17

Such a Free Sound

2011-08-01T20:06:00.000-07:00

New jump ropes.
Delicious bowls of oats.
Cute (and crazy wonderful) hubby.

why hello there, Monday 12:30pm. Today has been lovely. I say that because I got a killer workout in, it's my hubby's birthday, and I just had me a nice (beautifully) long conversation with Jesus. I say, that sure sound like the perfect recipe for an incredible day! At least for the first half.

You know those days when you really just need to vent? And you know that if you vent with a friend or family member (or on your blog) it could quite possibly turn into cold hard gossip and you'll end up sounding like a jerk who thinks they're better than the person that you're wanting/needing to vent about? No? Well, that was me today. So, so, so me. And it could have been, would have been so, so, so cold - quite the opposite of what God commands us to be, which is, "be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (Ephesians 4:2)

So I only had one escape from the flame: cast my cares to Jesus. It was utterly peaceful, therapeutic and, well, perfect. I just hope and pray that I remember to bring it all to Him the next time I feel the weight building up in my chest - it's so freeing!

~~~~

putting this house's insides together is time consuming. but, just like a newborn baby, we have to enjoy every second of it, right? here's to (hopefully) blogging on a daily (or almost daily) basis once life slows down a tad.

Oh, July.

2011-07-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

I wrote this on July 30th, with every intention to post it the very second we had internet. But, alas, 'tis life. Today is August 5th. I blame it on the boxes. Busy, busy bees... Time to play catch up!

"It's a pretty amazing morning when, for a minute, you go into a panic realizing that you no longer have access to a cardio machine, only to remember the fact that you own a jump rope, and two hands to hold the ends of it, so you will in fact never need an elliptical machine or a treadmill ever again. In your entire life.

I had the best, most challenging workout of my life in the quietness of my garage on Monday. Sweat was dripping onto the cold floor, my iPod earphones were sliding out of my inner ears, heart pumping more than it does during intervals at the track. It was pure madness, but pure bliss all at the same time. 12 reps each move, each side, with 1 minute jumping between each set. Foam roller to top it off, abs and exercise band used as a warm up. 50 minutes. Good morning, Monday.

Tuesday ye hubby and I did something for the first time ever. We woke up at the same time. We got our running gear on, including Garmin watches. We hopped into his car. We drove for a whole 6 minutes. We found ourselves at my high school. It's been 5 years since I had walked the sidewalks of that beauty, and almost an entire year since I had run on the track. We jogged together, for one lap, then he bolted. I continued to trot. 12 laps, over 3 miles, 30 minutes, 45 seconds. It's been a long, very long, while since my shoes have touched the track, and I missed it so. Nothing compares to the simplicity of it all, or the peace that a runner finds at 5:30am on the loops.

Wednesday: yoga in the living room, abs and foam roller in the bedroom. It was calm and woke me up real good, which is all I hope for in a Wednesday mini-workout.
Thursday: jump rope + weight session on the menu. What really went down? Strength training (weights) and a broken jump rope after only 2 minutes of speed jumping. I may have panicked again, standing in my garage at 5:10am with a jump rope that only had one handle attached to it. But I quickly ran upstairs to snatch a little fitness-life-saver called my notebook of magazine workouts. Cardio, cardio, that was all I needed. The winner? KICK BOXING!

I looked a bit like a dufus, since I had never done any form of martial arts before, and my form was far from perfect. I did break a good sweat, though, and I felt a little bit like a professional boxer. Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby? Yeah, that's where I'm headed. Or at least that's where I daydreamed I was headed, and I maybe sorta imagined I was in the movie, for a little motivation. It worked. I was beaming with boxing joy 40 minutes later. And I ate like a mad woman, because professional boxers need their calories. Need lots of calories. More oatmeal, more almond butter, more shredded coconut, more blueberries, one and a half bananas - you know.

Friday included a full hour of yoga, after waking up a little late and maybe feeling guilty about it (gosh - being human is hard) and btw: yoga on a mat on a hardwood floor = uncomfortable. Standing poses were lovely, but anything on my back or even sitting was painful! I need myself a sleeping bag under that there yoga mat, I s'pose.

So that was last Monday thru Friday, today is Saturday, and I (we) hope to have real internets by Tuesday. We'll see! Happy August!"

Jesus and Journals

2011-07-21T18:42:00.001-07:00

So, I've been diving into this gem pretty often, kind of daily, and I'm amazed.

"as the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?"
Psalm 42:1-2

"Those who look to Him are radiant;
their faces are never covered
with shame." Psalm 34:5

"...so that you may become blameless
and pure, children of God without
fault in a crooked and depraved
generation, in which you shine like
stars in the universe..."
Philippians 2:15

I also seem to have found a new addiction that is journaling as often as humanly possible. It's healthy, right? Of course it is. It's the best form of therapy I have ever experienced. I go days without it and I find myself suffocating and drowning all at the same time. And guess what? Writing to Jesus is overwhelmingly beautiful. Calm spirit, cheerful heart, burdens cast away to Him.

[The mini story] ...Last Christmas I found myself online looking for one of the top rated devotional books on sale. I was planning on giving one to my older brother and another to a friend at work as gifts. "Jesus Calling" grabbed my attention, not only because everyone seemed to love it, but also because of how it is written. Instead of the devotional saying, "cast your cares to Jesus, He will carry your burdens" it says, "cast your cares towards Me, I will carry your burdens." Jesus speaks to us directly, making it more intimate and personal, which I think we all need.

I ended up purchasing 3, one in Spanish for my hubby and two others. I wanted to by a fourth for myself, but I had a few months left on the devotional I was currently reading through, so I decided to wait. And let me tell you - it was so worth the wait!

I'm only a few days into "Jesus Calling" but I am loving it so much! It takes a bit of getting used to reading this type of writing, where Jesus Himself is speaking to us, yet it's so beautiful. At the end of each page are a few bible verses that are sort of foundations for the daily text, and it's lovely to pull out my bible in the morn' and dive deeper into what God has in store for the day.

Truly delightful, I recommend it to everyone! And, well, no pressure on the journaling, it just helps hit home for me. To each his own. :)

Apart from reading and writing and reading some more, we have been giving away all our hard earned cash and earning us a fancy HOME!

The apartment is filling up with even more boxes (is that even possible?!), we're holding onto our new house keys like their our own children,
And... well, I may be forgetting to snap photos of all of my meals, since I usually end up slurping them up (who chews their food anymore?) in less than 3 minutes. veggie pasta + lentil tomato sauce!

pinto beans, lime juice, chili powder, zucchini, summer squash, homemade pita bread, avocado, greens, salsa, roasted bell pepper, tomato heaven.

This weekend is going to be insane.
In a good way.

I'm (we're) so excited to start a new chapter in our life, and all the thanks goes to God who has worked out all the details. Without Him, we probably wouldn't even have met (and by probably I mean most definitely) and I'd be a pretty empty, grumpy, depressed, lost soul. True story. Jesus is so loving, I can hardly believe all the blessings He pours into my life!

Happy almost FRIDAY!!

(Wonderful) Recipe Madness

2011-07-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

This post may or may not be an excuse to empty out my photo file on my computer. May or may not... but don't you worry, you're about to dive into a what seems like endless list of delicious recipes (or mini-recipe ideas, as in: heyyy I forgot what was really in this, type of recipes). Enjoy!

chocolate puddin' without and with oats strawberry cream.

mexi + toast
a mix of tomato, spinach, edamame, bell pepper, corn, avocado, lime juice and cilantro atop homemade bread right out of the toaster, man.

lentil patties!
simply 1 cup cooked lentils, 1 cup spinach, enough oat flour to make 'em thick and not fall-aparty, curry powder, garlic, onion, salt n' pepper (process in food processor) and a frying pan with avocado oil. these were unbelievably good!

lentil sniffle soup from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan.
aww, shucks. You'll just have to buy the book for that recipe!blend those ingredients, make that dressing.
simple and tasty inside a pita with grilled veggies!

bean veggie bowl
over quinoa, or with rice waffles!
for 2 servings: 1 1/2 cups pinto beans, as many veggies as you have on hand (I used frozen green beans, broccoli, bell pepper, frozen okra and some golden cauliflower), 4 tomatoes, green onion (1 or two skinny fellas), chili powder, garlic, salt, pepper, and a splash of salsa (hubby's homemade stuff was used in mine!) and a good amount of simmering in a pot. Serve with your favorite grain. Delicious!

almond quinoa bake
in other words: best dish you will ever partake in, hands down. Maybe. Most likely. Okay, top 5. Recipe is based off of this one and mine and that one. It's so tasty! And tofu-licious, of course.

Whew, deep sigh of relief. I love emptying my computer of endless photos of food. It just feels good inside. And, well, sharing recipes feels pretty stinkin' good, too.

The LORD gives strength
to His people; the LORD
blesses His people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

True Story: Homeowners

2011-07-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

We just can't hide it anymore! And by "we" I really mean "I" because I'm pretty sure Edu would be okay with hiding it from everyone until we found ourselves 100% settled in and fully-furnished (in other words: about a year from the actual move in date!). Tomorrow we become actual homeowners (!!!) with keys, and a garage, and a doorbell - everything you could ever imagine and dream of! Say it isn't so?!

So the many hours of this:

is so going to be worth every drop of sweat, and every strained back, because of this:All the thanks goes straight to God! We never expected this all to happen so quickly. I remember the day my hubby told me it was time to start the somewhat dreaded house hunt. But I knew it would all go smoothly if we gave it to God. And honestly, it fell into place so calmly I can hardly believe it - or remember any of it. We only stepped foot in one house - no fixer-upers, no fancy 6 bedroom-ers, or cute cottages with picket fences and green pastures, none of the above. Just a model home in a new community, less than 2 miles from what we have been calling home since we got married.

Leave it all in God's hands. He knows what He is doing, He has a time for every big moment in your life, and things go so much smoother if you don't try to carry heavy loads on your own. Stress can so be avoided! Cast your cares, prayers, and petitions to Jesus Christ, you will find complete peace when you do!

Anywho. Among all the cardboard box hoarding, I have also consumed some pretty delicious bites along side my hubby. We watched (part) of the best movie I have ever heard and immediately sung along to before he said "enough 'tis enough" and I found myself in the kitchen, willing and ready to finish this goodness-awesome film tomorrow, sans spouse that for some reason can't stand movies where every other scene is full of song and dance. Go figure. Ooh and do I have the pictures to prove all that FOOD!? yes. why yes I do.

Exhibit A: breakfast [spinach, coconut water, frozen 'nanner, strawberries, blueberries, wheat germ, ground flaxseed, 1/3 block of tofu, rolled oats, chia seed raisin almond sunflower seed topping]
Exhibit B: dinnerlunch [pizza for 2: his with turkey and cheese, mine with zucchini, red cabbage, broccoli, and both with red bell pepper, serrano chili, fresh pineapple bits and more red pepper flakes than our bodies are happy to digest. sorry tummy]
Exhibit C: Filmage.
Exhibit D: tommorow lunch [filling for tofu + dumplings]
Exhibit E: tomorrow dinner [rainbow bean delight with pinto beans, tomatoes, onion, green beans, corn, summer squash bits, brown rice, serrano chili and red cabbage joy]
Exhibit F: dessert [zucchini squash loaf, almond butter drizzle, fig jam for dippage, apple banana frozen blueberry cinnamon bowl]

Today was wonderful.

So was reading at church this morn' about how pumped we should all be about working this week! And by "working" I really mean going to our 8-something to 5-something jobs and loving what we are doing and serving those in need and working our hardest 'till we are borderline exhausted and keeping in mind that we are at that specific job because God placed us there for a reason even if we have no idea what it is (even though His Word tends to make it pretty clear: give to those in need with however much you earn)! I'm pretty excited.

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Ephesians 4:28

PS: "stealing" doesn't necessarily mean taking money out of someone's wallet at work, it can also be referred to as sitting lifelessly at your desk, twiddling thy thumbs, or picking your nose while getting paid. We're all guilty, let's not hide it.

:)

You Have 180 Seconds

2011-07-16T21:19:00.001-07:00

Saturday is amazing.
So is Jesus.

Here goes a 3 minute post since all I want to do is go back into the living room and be with my man! Sorry, blog, for not dedicating my entire evening to you. There's a whole life to live out there!

I sweat:

+ intervals on elliptical for 30 mins

and hubby sweat:
breakfast t'was:
he ate eggs, I ate chocolate oats.

we made molletes:
and had more pinto beans that our bodies may have needed, but it was oh so good.
then we watched a film:and started to pack like mad folks.
and we decided to call it our second workout.
because we sweat more than we thought we were capable of.
but it was so good.
then dessert went down:frozen banana, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries
coconut water and vanillabrown rice puffs, raisins, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and coconut.

aaaand... art time!

the LORD delights in those who fear (obey) Him,
who put their hope in His unfailing love.
Psalm 147:11

Sweet and Sour Tempeh n' Sweet Potatoes

2011-07-15T20:51:00.001-07:00

Oh beautiful, humid, rainy, cloudy Friday. You were a gem. Although work put me to sleep (since when does every child from birth to 18 stop getting sick in the Summer and decide to get sick once Fall hits? I've been told it's the norm, but it still throws me off a bit), and I may or may not have eaten my entire kitchen once I arrived home at 6:30pm from grocery shopping, but it was a jolly good day. A jolly good day, indeed.

FOAM ROLLER MADNESS!
a little something I call 12 minute abs
Green monster breakfast of love
Work my tail-feather off.
Sweet and Sour Tempeh w/Sweet Potatooo
eat my arm, then eat dinner (split pea patties!).

i fit. you fit?

purple kale, spinach, frozen fruit, cocoa powder, wheat germ, vanilla, cooked steel cut oats + a food processor

Oh goodness. The recipe for Sweet and Sour Tempeh with Sweet Potatoes is 100% thanks to Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. I mean 100% - it is her incredible creation and I take ZERO CREDIT for it. Please let me make that clear. 'cause all I want to do is share it with you, but I don't want any one to think that my wee-brain thought this amazement up. All her. fo' sho. Now, let us share!

Sweet n' Sour Tempeh w. Sweet Potatoes

thanks to Eat, Drink and Be Vegan
my changes are in red

Serves 2

SWEET N' SOUR SAUCE:
1 tbsp cornmeal
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup (I used a handful of grape tomatoes - do it!)
1/2 cup rice vinegar (red wine vinegar)
1/4 cup maple syrup (a tablespoon was fine)
1 tbsp Liquid Aminos
1 tbsp olive oil
1 dash dried garlic granules
1 tsp hubby's homemade salsa (any hot sauce will do!)
1 dash sea salt

1 medium-sized sweet potato, peeled, cut into half discs
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch long, thin strips
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 package tempeh, cubed

Preheat oven to 425F
Throw all your sweet n' sour sauce ingredients in a food processor and whirl around (use a hand blender if you have ketchup on hand instead of tomatoes. I only needed a food processor in order to puree my tomatoes nicely).
Combine sweet potato discs, bell pepper strips, diced onion and cubed tempeh in a bowl, pour sauce on top and stir to coat completely then coat 2 individual non-stick baking dishes with non-stick spray (or, alternatively, one square baking dish).
Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, or until sweet potato is softened. Feel free to stir occasionally so all the veggies drink up that sweet and sour love.
Swoon at your meal. This is the most important step.

Man o man. I have to be honest - I never thought I would make this recipe. I must have passed it a dozen times when looking for a dinner recipe in this book, but it simply never caught my attention. Was it the fact that it called for ketchup and we don't own any? Or how the first ingredient listed is arrowroot powder? Both are very good reasons not to touch this recipe. But with a few tweaks and trade outs, this has turned into one of my favorite recipes to date. That says a lot, since I'm pretty much in love with every recipe in this book.

Gimme Chimis, Raspberry Cornmeal Pancakes, Blackened Tofu, Brown Rice and Beans Jumble Aya, Bean and Corn Tortilla Lasagna with Avocado, White Bean Rosemary Soup, Monkey Minestrone... all are incredible. Buy her book, if it's the only thing you do this weekend.

Okay, I'll stop :)

happy weekend.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about
my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Ice Cream for Breakfast

2011-07-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday, world! Today was all, all, all about trying to wake up a tad early to attempt a successful morning of yoga followed by a oh my goodness green monster that ended up brown, but just as delicious as I had imagined it. And guess what? It all went down! I am surprised at it all, to be honest.

Since yoga is pretty self-explanatory, I decided to do a step by step of ye' ol' ice cream for breakfast, man. This is a recipe that screams for modification, and just begs to be messed with. So feel free to add and/or subtract every. single. ingredient. Trust me. Just keep some basics:

frozen banana for creaminess
liquid so everything blends
your favorite leafy green
a thickening agent (I use oats!)

1 frozen banana, diced
4 frozen strawberries, cut into pieces for easy food processing.
1 handful frozen blueberries
1 handful spinach
1 handful red kale
1/2 cup coconut water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup rolled oats
1-2 tbsp wheat germ
1 tbsp chia seeds

I'll just leave it at that, 'cause my tummy is growling and I believe it's calling for an after 8:00pm apple before bedtime! And P.S. this will most likely blow your mind away. I recommend cocoa powder and or almond butter to make it a whole-lot more dessert-y and to make you feel like you're flying for eating chocolate ice cream that contains KALE! Just do it :)

chocolate version!

strawberry version without any leafy greens

extra dark chocolate one aside cooked steel cut oats!!

Deliiiicioso.

Now there's pretty much no reason anyone in your family doesn't eat leafy greens. Hide them in your ice cream and they won't even realize how healthy their insides are turning!

Snoozing Early

2011-07-11T20:17:00.000-07:00

I love my family.

I enjoy a good jog.

as well as a great sweat.
I don't mind diving into fruity oatmeal.

nor do I complain with a plate full of beans.

and tonight I may have cooked my tofu-loving face off.

but I loved every bit (and bite) of it.

Happy Monday! My husband may or may not be in a far away land, also known as Wyoming, and I may or may not be feeling a cloud of loneliness now that evening has greeted everyone in the great North West. So, naturally, I'm going to hit the snooze sack early, with pen and journal in hand, bible to my right, and the sound of our apartment complex's pond's fountain splashing me to sleep. Will do. will do.

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Psalm 100:1-3

Be Angry, Be Human

2011-07-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

God never ceases to amaze me.

Today's sermon at church this morning was more than beautiful, it hit me even closer to home, it tugged on my heart, opened my eyes, every word was exactly what at times my grumpy heart needed to hear. In a word? Perfect. God knows what He is doing, and why we have our rough days, He has a reason, and He speaks to us in the exact moment that we truly need Him to.
I'm going to *more or less* copy my notes from this mornin' to avoid repeating myself too much or messing the entire thing up, both of which I am pretty pro at.

Ephesians 4:26+27
And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”
Don’t let the sun go down while you are still
angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

It speaks for itself, but elaboration is wonderful: anger alone is not sinful, God Himself gets angry. It is what we do with the emotion of anger that can be sinful. It's okay to be angry at sinful acts, all the corruption surrounding us and burdening others. God will work His wrath. What we see, what makes us mad, should move us to confront the issues, confess our own sin. Don't allow anger to brew inside of you, it will build up deeply and create ongoing bitterness. This has been my issue. I get angry, yeah, and I try not to thrash out at people and cause scenes, but ohhh how good I am at holding it inside of me. How accustomed I have become to letting anger brew, for hours, days, weeks... months. Without fixing a thing.

To forgive is to let go!

Don't let the poisonous spirit of bitterness keep you from resting. Resolve all anger before your head hits your pillow at night. Anger only allows the devil to have an influence over our life. Which isn't a very lovely way to live, I must add, and it is inevitable if we let anger take control. We control our own emotions - so deal with your anger today.

So, what am I supposed to do with all those grumpy days, the moments where I feel like there is no where to turn, so I swallow my anger and shake off its existence as it builds itself a home inside my heart and decides to stay awhile? seek understanding.

Proverbs 14:29
"He who is slow to anger has great understanding. But he who is impulsive exalts folly."

Meditate on God's Word daily.
His Book gives us understanding.
Pray for understanding.

Psalm 119:34
"Give me understanding,
and I shall keep Your law;
indeed, I shall observe it
with my whole heart."

Walk in the Spirit. The Spirit of God within us:
helps us, guides us, teaches us, supports us, holds us, lifts us up.

Galatians 5:16 "Live by the Spirit and you will not
gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

Forgive others, Nicole. And stop going to bed so angry. I'm glad Ephesians:26+27 were on the agenda today, it was such a blessing to hear! We can be human beings and be angry, and it is not sin! It's simply what we decide to do with our anger that can either make the day wonderful, fix all the garbage, or complete destroy us and those around us. It's our choice. A blissful sigh of relief.

Let's eat:

chocolate ice cream for breakfast: kale, spinach, coconut water, frozen strawberries and banana slices, wheat germ, chia seeds, rolled oats
beet almost-rainbow salad: orange bits, peanuts, beet cubes
hubby's pizza: homemade dough, mozz, turkey w/italian seasoning, bell pepper, serrano, fresh pineapple bits
mai mexican "pizza": leftover homemade dough, leftover bean salad with added bell pepper and more serrano chili (bean salad = pinto beans, zucchini, summer squash, onion, lime juice + a fridge for a day or two or three)
dessert: banana, apple, frozen blueberries + zucchini n' squash bread that tasted close to awful so it had to be lathered in almond butter and fig jam in order to be consumed.

delicious weekend!

Birthdays and BBQs

2011-07-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday, such a sweet name.

A lovely day of running, rest, maybe trying new recipes, you know - a day to do absolutely everything your little heart desires? I'm a fan. Recently, with my "taking it easy" approach to all that is running, races, speed and distance, I have been trying to get creative with my workouts. Saturdays have a new addition to them, and I'm loving every bit of it! I usually tackle long runs on Saturday mornings, but they have turned into strength training in the living room and 3-4 mile jogs at the lake. It has truly been a blessing in disguise, 'cause even though I am in injury rehab (ankle, foot, then knee) and I wish I could go fast and far, I am able to take in all of God's beautiful creation at the lake - slow and steady. Shoot, I am smiling if I can move for 10 minutes without pain, no matter how slow I may or may not be going. Delightful!!

Truly, though, today was a wonderful day because all of the family got together to celebrate my papa's birthday. Happy birthday, dad! He is truly the biggest blessing in my life, and I know I don't deserve a papa like him. God is such a Wonder for giving me such a lovely dad who is strong in the faith and wants nothing more than to see his kids grow to know the Lord! Such an inspiration!

In honor of the birthday man, we cooked some salmon, veggie kebabs, corn on the cob on the grill, and brown rice. 'cause that's just how we do BBQ!

*ps: his birthday is actually tomorrow, so we may or may not have asked him to help us out with ye' old grill. and by may or may not have, I really mean we did - most likely. Maybe. did.

Then the brother that is my brother and I decided to get down with some pie making! Of course, you can't truly make a pie from one second to another. It is a long process, as my brother informed me, and requires hours in a freezer (dough) and more time (dough) so we went for an apple pie filling with a crumble on top. t'was divine!

oh my sweet baby cakes. I ate enough ice cream and apple crumble to feed a town of 4,000 adults - but I don't regret a second of it. So sweet, so texture-loaded, so cinnamon-filled. Now go on, find yourself some apple pie and enjoy it.

ps: ihadmorephotos
ofthewholefamily
butcouldn'tpass
themontomycomputer.
boo on technology!

~

Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD Himself,
is the Rock eternal!
Isaiah 26:4

One Complete Hour

2011-07-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

of yoga. once a week. will change your body in unfathomable ways.

a healthy, happy serving of steel cut oats with cocoa powder and rice milk, blueberries and raisins, almond butter and wheat germ, could quite possibly have those same unfathomable, magical powers as an hour of yoga does.

toast. is also a very, very good choice - go head, try to make it last for a full hour. impossible. (but eating it more than once a week is highly recommended) and I believe, when paired with more beans, veggies, avocado and lime juice, it can also change your body in mad, delicious ways.

oh, and salmon? well. it's just dang good, no real need to go into details. but that pasta sauce? shoot, son! take one tomato with a splash of water and some red pepper flakes as well as italian seasoning and maybe a dash of salt plus a microwave and you got yourself some incredibly delicious sauce in just seconds! (or a few minutes...) I was blown away. at myself?

Happy weekend, everyone! My papa's birthday celebration is this weekend and all I am thinking about is marinating my very first veggie kebabs and cooking a brown rice for more than 2 people. It's a big deal.

With a strong hand,
and with a stretched out arm:
for His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 136:12

Chocolate, Please

2011-07-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

Thursday was chocolate for breakfast.

kale, spinach, frozen banana and strawberries, vanilla, wheat germ, cooked steel cut oats, rice water, spoon. then decorate that sucker!

Chocolate for a mid-day snack. Chocolate after work during the drive home. It was perfect and delicious, as exciting as an ooey-gooey chocolate chips melting in your mouth kind of experience.

Thursday morning also included a hard-to-believe-I-survived workout in the gym (before the chocolate took place), where I promise you I felt a bit like a contestant on the Biggest Loser - pushed to the limit, giving it my all, feeling strong and good inside, sweating enough to fill a bathtub, you know.

A very lovely morning, indeed.

Can I just say that bringing a prayer list with oneself to ye ol' gym, and chatting with God while tackling a lengthy (or shorty) cardio session is a very, very ideal way to start the day? Because it so is! It actually beats singing while sweating - which is also very enjoyable - because once you hear a song 16 times and have memorized it word for word, it's easy to find yourself singing the lyrics without paying attention - even if it's a worship song and you were once singing to God Himself! In other words: you're hardly singing at all, clueless to the fact that you're mouthing the words to your once was favorite praise song of all time but thinking about your grocery list for the week.

So my vote goes for prayer in the gym. Just sayin!

PS: rainbow rice n' beans, from Angela @ Oh She Glows, incredible. Simple ingredients, bold flavors, amazing stick-to-your-ribs-leaving-you-fully-satisfied-sans-cravings-afterwards type of powers, and wonderful out of the microwave a day after it was made. What more could you ask for in a meal?

• 2 green onion, diced

• 4 tomatoes, diced
• 1.5 cups cooked beans (pinto, black, your choice)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1-2 tbsp salsa (used my hubby's homemade)
• 1/2 cup corn, frozen or fresh
• 3/4 cup peas, frozen or fresh
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced (use a whole if you have it! I only had half of one in the fridge)
• chili powder, cumin, coriander to taste
• salt n' pepper to taste

Simply heat a pan, drizzle some oil inside (I used avocado oil), add the onion n' let it become fragrant. Then toss in your frozen veggies, bell pepper, tomato, beans and seasonings. Mix it all up, cover the bad boy and watch it simmer to perfection.

Told ya it was easy :)

dinnah? oh, dinner. this is what happens when I'm in a hurry, 'cause I'm starved, but I also want something incredible, not just some almonds (which seems so much more simple some days) aaaand I just so happen to have some cooked quinoa in the fridge, waiting to be consumed:

I threw some sesame oil in a pan and cooked some broccoli and red cabbage, drizzled them with Bragg's Liquid Aminos and toasted sesame seeds, then removed the broccoli. Quinoa was tossed with the cooked cabbage, red pepper flakes were added 'cause I need me a spicy sushi roll, and bell pepper was cut into strips. A bag of frozen edamame found itself in the microwave, and I rolled some sushi. Incredible. Just add avocado and fancy chop sticks. :)

here's to a late Thursday post! g'night.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill that cannot be hidden.... In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5:14+16