Sentiments by Denise

In The Beginning - It's Simple!

We had been talking about remodeling/updating our kitchen for several years, but for the longest time it didn't happen for one reason or another.

You've heard me say before that we have a small home - it's 3-bedroom with one bathroom, ranch-style. But, I really like the size and especially so now that it's just Ed & I living here. Just the right amount of space. We sort of had that in mind when we bought the place, as we knew we didn't want something too big that it would be difficult to manage day to day. I'm not a big fan of house cleaning and it's everything I can do to stay ahead of the clutter that can creep in, so this house is perfect for the two of us.

 
I found this book - Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider -  not too long ago, that has really helped me see the importance of simplicity in my home - staying organized and reducing clutter. In the coming days I'll be sharing about our remodeling experience and showing some before and after photos (which many have been anxious to see!). Being intentional about keeping things simple helps so much in bringing balance and peacefulness to my life.

I still have some work to do in this area (my craft studio still needs an overhaul!), but I'm moving in the right direction and feel so much more freedom when things are organized and simple.

Can't wait to share more with you!

Refreshing Green Tea Smoothie

Green tea, next to plain water, has been my preferred drink of choice over the past several years. I drink it by the mugfuls when the weather is cold and I need something to warm me up since I'm not a coffee drinker.

In the warmer months, I prefer to drink it iced - even adding some almond milk and a couple ice cubes to make an iced green tea latte. I actually enjoy my version better than the expensive one that Starbucks sells!

Recently I ran across this great book:

 

Along with so much good nutrition information for cancer survivors (and anyone else, for that matter), it is loaded with some fabulous recipes that compliment the way I've been eating these days. There are quite a few smoothie recipes which gives me lots of new ways to incorporate fruits/vegetables into my diet.

{Side note: recently someone asked me how it was possible to get the 7-9 daily recommended vegetables and fruits into their diet - they were having a hard time with that. For me, it's all about being creative with my food selection. Since I concentrate on a plant-based diet now, I find that's what my body craves most. Making smoothies, stir-frys, colorful loaded salads, roasting a variety of vegetables (like potatoes, squashes, brussel sprouts), and fresh fruit bowls, are some great ways to get all of those wonderful, healthy foods to become a daily habit.}

I found a recipe in the above book for a Green Tea Smoothie, which sounded like something I needed to try. This morning, before church, I made it and also ate a half of a blueberry bran muffin (these are made with lots of natural and organic ingredients: whole wheat flour, fruit juice concentrate - pear/pineapple, blueberries, wheat bran, water, low-fat buttermilk, applesauce, egg whites, leavening, cinnamon, and lemon extract. I get them from Trader Joes and freeze them - great for mornings when I'm in a hurry and want a healthy start to the day), with a touch of almond butter.

Now, that doesn't look scary at all, does it? (I know many of my friends are "put off" by my consumption of the green smoothies I make with spinach). This contains: frozen strawberries (5-6 large), almond milk (3/4 cup), a frozen banana, brewed green tea, chilled (about 1/2 cup), and some POM juice (1/2 cup - cranberry juice can be substituted also).  What a refreshing drink! Next time I'll add some chia seeds (a muscle and tissue builder, which also energizes and hydrates!) just to liven things up a bit more!

If you'd like to read more about the wonderful attributes of green tea, pop over to my new friend, Liz's blog, and enjoy all the great information she gives us for reasons to add green tea into our daily lives!

Let me know if you try this smoothie recipe and what you think!

Time Flies!

I realized today that it's been a couple weeks since I posted! Wow, time flies!

Here are some highlights of the first half of August:

• Ed & I celebrated our 29th anniversary (see last post!).
• We've been able to see some of our young friends who no longer live close by - Jonathon came home for a visit from Budapest Hungary where he & his family are missionaries. Also, we were able to spend time with Ben & Amanda who live in Nashville TN when they were home last weekend. It's always fun to catch up with those we don't see much. Social networking (Facebook) may be all the rage these days, but it certainly doesn't replace the time when we can talk face to face, laugh and catch up on each others' lives.
• We've started attending a new church over the past several weeks and are excited about the opportunities its presenting and the way the Lord is guiding us. I, personally, have been soaking up the pastor's sermon series this month on 1 Peter - good truth and life application!
• My parents came for a visit this weekend. Always dynamic and interesting! They brought a plethora of produce from their abundant garden to share with us - carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini, peppers, potatoes, raspberries. Even after sharing a lot with the kids, I have so much good fresh food to work with over the next week! Very excited about that!
• Stephen is starting his fourth year of teaching this year. The high school where he teaches has a bigger enrollment this year, so he's added an extra class, plus he's teaching a new subject this year. Lots of fun for him!
• The family that Emilee nannys for had a new baby two weeks ago, so her "job" just became more exciting! She loves watching the two little girls. Em is also working part time in missions, bringing awareness to anti-human trafficking.
• Still experimenting with whole grains that are new to me. Yesterday on my trip to Whole Foods Market, I picked up some organic Amaranth from the bulk bins. Now, I'm on a quest to find some good recipes to try with this grain. Hope to blog about this soon!
• Trying to add more walking to my exercise regimen, as I find this is the best cardio exercise for me these days. I've been ignoring my treadmill lately to take advantage of the good weather and walk outdoors in the mornings. Even then, I can work up a good sweat because of the heat we've been experiencing here these days in central Indiana.
• Ed has been working about an average of 20 hours a week lately, which is good. The Lord never fails to meet our needs, however, and  this past week He amazed us again with His provisions and gifts when we weren't expecting it! I love surprises! Thank you, Lord, for Your constant care!
• Last week I finished an amazing book by Charles Martin called Where the River Ends. What a great story - one of the best I've read in a long time. Find this book and read it...you won't be disappointed! Now, I'm on to my suspense thriller hero - Jack Reacher (Lee Child's latest). I never get tired of reading about Reacher's adventures. Also, reading a couple nutrition/health books along the way and learning so much.

Hope this gives you an idea of what I've been up to. No photos this time - sorry!

A Sweet Gerbera Daisy

Emilee gave me a pretty potted Gerbera daisy for Mother's day and I'm trying my best to nurture it and keep it alive!

 
These are a bright orange color.

 I usually do not have good luck growing plants indoors, but I'm determined not to kill this one! We'll see how it goes - I might put it out in my garden, too, as I know these attract butterflies!

I've been reading and browsing a stack of gardening books over the past few days.

 

So much good information for this novice gardener. I really like the idea of companion gardening - planting fruits/vegetables/herbs next to one another to compliment their growth and root system. (see Carrots Love Tomatoes). The book on herbs is very helpful in giving different ideas on all the uses for particular herbs. I'm already on my way to a larger herb garden this year with rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, chives, mint, basil, and lavender. (see Herb Gardening in the Midwest). Several of these books also are loaded with great recipes for using the fresh produce in daily meal planning.

I'm always looking for more good recipes that incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into my diet!

Here's another book I'm reading:

This is very personal to me, having survived cancer twice already. I want to continue to do whatever I can to keep this ugly disease from invading my body again.

Most people don't realize that lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet play an important role in preventing cancer. Thirty percent of all cancers (that's approximately one third) are caused by poor dietary habits. This book emphasizes the importance of good foods, primarily vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds in fighting the risk of cancer - mainly a plant-based diet.
A few years ago I practically turned up my nose at that idea, but the more I read, the more I understand, and the more people (loved ones, friends, and strangers) that I see developing cancer the more it just makes sense to me. I can't ignore these facts anymore and I feel empowered to keep my body as healthy as I can.

Eating the way I do now carries a stigma and I often get made fun of or make others around me uncomfortable because of my choices. I really try not to push my ways onto others - everyone makes their own choices. It's hard, though, sometimes.
I certainly wished I had made much healthier choices in my diet when I was younger. Cancer doesn't happen overnight. Often a cancer cell(s) in the body can take years before it affects us negatively (attacks). There's a good possibility that the decision to eat the way I did when I was younger initiated the growth of cancer in my body over the years.

I don't want this post to be a downer...I just wanted to say that having experienced cancer firsthand, and surviving it, has given me more motivation to eat cleaner, live intentionally, pray fervently, and love passionately as I walk this earth day by day.

Just something to think about today.

Healthy Eating Sources

One of my readers commented recently and asked where I found healthy recipes and meal ideas. I have a few sources that I go to.

Books / Cookbook

I like to browse through books from the local library and if I find a book that seems invaluable to me - for meal ideas/recipes that I'll use over and over again, I will often purchase the book. Here are some books I've been reading through lately:

 

Most of these books have good healthy recipes in them and also ideas for cooking meals that will bring loads of good nutrients to the body. I just recently finished reading Steven Pratt's SuperFoods HealthStylebook and found so much useful information. He notes the benefits of eating foods in season and highlights several "superfoods" in each respective season. For example, it's Spring, and we should be eating foods like kiwi, pineapple, spinach, kale, other greens, orange bell peppers, honey, and tea. For each of these superfoods he also lists how each one benefits the body/our health, how to use it in the kitchen in everyday cooking/food prep, and how much/how often we should be eating these healthy superfoods. Sprinkled throughout the book are also sections of exercise, sleep, and other wellness strategies. I learned so much from this book and I would highly recommend it if you are seeking to improve your health in ways that go beyond just "dieting".

Magazines

 

There are also many good magazines out there with great recipes. Even if I don't follow the recipes I find verbatim, I still get some great ideas for healthy meals. I try to load as many vegetables into each meal as possible - even breakfast, if I can. It often takes some imagination and willingness to step out of the norm and try some things not usually eaten. This has been one way that I've discovered some new and interesting dishes. Shopping in the fresh produce department at my local grocery store also gives me ideas for meals. Yesterday, Emilee & I were at Whole Foods Market again and I saw the pretty bright orange organic bell peppers. I hope to make a stuffed pepper dish this week with some quinoa (a fabulously healthy whole grain that I've been experimenting with) and other veggies mixed in. I also picked up a Florida avocado, which looks (and feels) different from a regular avocado that I want to try using in a vegetarian quesadilla recipe I've been thinking about (that also include red pepper pesto).
Notice in the photo above that broccoli has been added to the pizza as a topping. Now, I wouldn't normally think of broccoli as a pizza ingredient, but this actually looks very tasty and I plan to try this recipe soon. Broccoli is a superfood and is a very nutrient-dense food - why wouldn't it be good in pizza?

 

Last week I made a vegetable marinara sauce. Normally, I just add some onions, garlic, and mushrooms to some crushed tomatoes to create a sauce with several seasonings. But this time I decided to add a few more vegetables to make it even more tasty - thinly sliced zucchini, roasted red pepper, diced tomatoes (and can you see the fennel seed, basil, and rosemary seasonings in that sauce?). 

 

Adding this marinara sauce to a cup of whole wheat rotini noodles makes a great meal, with a side salad of mixed greens, carrots, and cucumbers.

Healthy Food Blogs

I find lots of fun and healthy recipes on the internet also - just by reading health food blogs and doing searches highlighting one or two ingredients. I mentioned doing some experimenting with quinoa as another alternative to brown rice. The other night I cooked a small batch of quinoa in my rice cooker and then after steaming some vegetables (asparagus, zucchini, red pepper, onions, and carrots) I tossed a cup of the cooked quinoa and the veggies into a skillet with a dab of extra virgin olive oil and mixed it together with some awesome szechuan sauce.

 

I don't know why I don't have a photo of the finished product (I thought for sure I took one), but trust me - it was incredibly good! Healthy grain, vibrant vegetables, and a little kick - what's not to love?!

I have found lots of good recipes at several of the blogs I visit on line:

101 Cookbooks

Kath Eats Real Food

Edible Perspective

Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

These are just a few that I read regularly and their blogs have given me lots of menu ideas and recipes to try.

If you're trying to eat healthier meals like adding more vegetables and whole grains, a good idea is to replace an animal protein with a vegetable protein for at least one meal a week [i.e. cannelini white beans replaces chicken or black beans replaces ground beef]. My diet for the past three months has been leaning more toward a vegetarian focus. I still eat some meat (mostly chicken or fish), but it's not the main focus of my meals. In other words, I build my meals around the vegetables/grains and not the meat. My husband still insists on meat at nearly every meal. Often I will fix the meal, adding the meat dish for him, but I will not eat it, just focusing on all the vegetable offerings. For example, last Sunday for Easter I made sure there were several other options to eat other than the ham because I knew Emilee & I would not eat it (we don't eat pork at all). The guys loved having the spiral cut ham with all the trimmings, but I also enjoyed the meal because I prepared a variety of foods that met everyone's taste buds. 

There are many sources out there to help in planning good healthy meals for you and your family. I hope I've given you some ideas to look beyond what you normally fix and try some new/different foods in your menu planning.

Please share your ideas with me also - I'm always looking for good, healthy meal ideas.

What is your favorite "healthy" meal or food to fix at home?

 

 

 

Quick Update

I've been thinking about posting, but this has been a busy week so I'm just going to bullet this entry for reading ease.

• Lenten season is here and I've been meditating on several verses of scripture in preparation. A couple in particular: Philippians 4:8 and I Corinthians 10:23-24. These verses have spoken to me directly about some things in my life - things that interrupt where my focus should be right now. I'm listening to my Savior and following His lead.
• The Wellness plan is going well, though a slight head cold this week slowed down the exercise progress. I should be back on board soon.
• Nutritional research and reading have been very helpful lately in my meal planning and eating healthy foods.Two books I found recently:

The author is Michael Pollan and I enjoy his style of writing.

Both books have definite insight on food and the "western diet" as he refers to the standard American diet (SAD).

He beckons us to reconsider our eating habits and take a close look at the food industry as a whole and scrutinize what we put into our bodies.

I have a couple more nutritional books I'm reading - I'll talk about those in another post.

• I'm still experimenting with different ways to prepare healthy meals - this morning I made an egg breakfast sandwich.

 First I sauteed some fresh bella mushrooms,a tiny bit of zucchini, and some onion in a skillet with a few drops of olive oil, seasoning with a few sprinkles of lemon pepper.

I cooked this mixture until the onions were translucent and soft.

I added about a half cup of liquid egg whites to the skillet and cooked this mixture until the egg  was slightly browned on each side, flipping once as it cooked.

While the egg mixture was cooking I prepared the rest of the sandwich:

An Arnold's Sandwich Thin - I've been wanting to try this product for awhile since I saw them on the grocery shelf and so last week I picked up a package.

I don't normally buy many bread products since I make my own at home from scratch, but these looked like a healthy product.

They remind me of pita bread in their texture and weight.

I spread a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese on each half after I toasted it.

This was a great hot breakfast - cheesy, melty, and very filling. My only complaint was that the egg filling kept sliding out of the "bun" each time I took a bite! Ha!

This sandwich plus a piece of fruit was a great start to my day.

I usually have oatmeal 3-4 times per week (either steel cut or overnight oats) and an egg dish twice a week. Green smoothies also make an appearance a couple times a week.

• Tomorrow is grocery shopping day - hopefully I'll get that done first thing in the morning so I have the rest of the day to do other things. I'd like to spend some time in my craft studio and make a few cards. Maybe a little freezer cooking, some afternoon reading with a cup of hot tea, and ironing my husband's shirts. Lots to do - even if the weather is cold and blustery outside!