It was a game! A silly little showdown to stop the endless smack talk between my son and his friend, over who was in the better football league. This game would decide it - bragging rights to the winner!
However, this game became so much more! It had more spiritual mojo than any Billy Graham convention. It had greater depth than the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, and was presented to me in such a tender way, by such a merciful God, with the most perfect timing, that it opened my eyes to see the lie I had been drowning in! Yes - I know! A tackle football game of neighborhood boys with a macho-mini-man point to prove!
While both boys gathered their brothers and friends to form their teams, my son took it a bit further. He wrote up plays, practiced the plays with his team. He came up with new plays and they practiced those too. They talked strategy daily for two weeks and the excitement at our house was overflowing!
Finally it was time for The Sunday Showdown. I understood how important this was to my boys. They had something to fight for - something they felt they needed to defend! They were on a mission. So, I insisted that my husband be the referee in order to keep things fair and to keep tempers from boiling over.
Myself, along with another mom, didn't want to miss out on this big event so we found ourselves a spot on the top of the drainage ditch to cheer on all 14 boys that came to play.
And play they did....
My boys immediately gave up a touch down. Then when they got the ball, they fumbled it a couple times before they turned it over. Things weren't looking too good, but regardless of all they pressure they surely felt, they continued to encourage each other and not place blame! When it was their turn again with the ball, they got their first 7. But soon after, they gave up a touchdown and then quickly answered in kind. After that it was off to the races for my boys.
Eventually, though the other team would try so hard, they came up short and my boys' team would win. They would be good sports about it. Shaking hands, complementing the other team on a great run or pass - which is not above and beyond, but expected. So what is it that spoke to me? I didn't figure it out fully til the next day, but that Sunday, this is what I saw...
I witnessed my boys play with more heart than ever before! I didn't know they could run as fast as they did! I didn't know they could cut and spin and put their moves on like I saw that day! They played with true, full-throttle, all-out abandon and grateful, excited, passionate joy! They had nothing to lose and everything to gain! There was no fear of upsetting a coach or letting down a parent. There was no thought that they might upset a teammate. There was no selfish ambition among them. Each kid got equal playing time including the tough-as-nails, tiny first grader who mixed it up with the rest of them!! Each kid got to carry the ball and play in important downs. Each kid got to play different positions in order to put the team at it's best advantage while allowing each kid a shot for glory! They encouraged each other - brother to brother and friend to friend! They played their hearts out!! Fully exhausted, yet fully alive!!
My friend and I, lounging on the sidelines, laughed til we almost cried and praised the boys for their gallant efforts and amazing plays! We couldn't get over the way our kids were playing!!! It was beautiful!!! We truly sat there flabbergasted with our eyes wide open in delighted surprise that our boys could do things we had NO IDEA they could do!!!
Let me clarify something here...our boys play organized tackle football! (Thus the reason for this game) They do a great job! They are players you can depend on. They make some great plays and they make some mistakes - big and small - but they don't play all out. They play cautious! To me, it seems they play with a bit of fear that they might do the wrong thing or they might get hurt or they might upset the coach or embarrass themselves or disappoint their parents.
Ugh! Doesn't THAT sound like life?! Hold back just a little, play it safe, bc if you screw up or make a mistake then you know it was because you weren't totally trying. But if you give everything and go at it with total abandon and then upset someone or make a mistake then you are vulnerable bc there is no excuse for you. You gave everything you had and still "failed" to impress or succeed. That's much harder to accept!
Another reason we don't play all out is bc our hearts aren't in it. It's too much work to defend what needs defending. The priority isn't urgent enough. Our mission is too vague....
But not on this day for these boys! Our boys played with ownership! Our boys played the game their way, as they were meant to play! They were on a definite mission and they gave it everything they had until they accomplished it!!! What a beautiful thing!!!
While these amazing positive things are happening on my boys' team, the opposite is happening on the other team. Please do not get me wrong - I know the boys on the other team and I think they are great kids! They are not the devil incarnate nor are they bad kids, but they responded to the pressure quite differently!
While there was much encouragement and equal playing time on my boys' team, there was dissension in the ranks on the other team....one boy took over and started telling everybody where they needed to be and what they needed to do. He started calling his brother names who, in turn, wasn't gonna take it and returned the favor. There was much blaming and shaming when a good play was made by my boys' team. There was little regard for people's feelings or playing time, so a few boys ended up sitting out a lot. At one point, my refereeing husband said to me, "I didn't come here to babysit.", as he was having to remind the team that they had some players who had been sitting out a long time and that name calling wasn't allowed.
Why do I go to such great lengths to tell you all this.... to glorify my children?! No! To try and entertain you with a story that makes my kids look like angels so you think I'm a good mom? No, no!! Because I have nothing better to write about? Hardly, I finally feel inspired! This was a life changer for me! This was a glimpse into my life that I didn't recognize until I flushed it out with a good friend of mine the next day!
I live my life like the other team played football - a prison of my own making - that does NOT lead to success but rather to exhaustion, frustration and failure.
I am always...
Needing to be the one in control - Just like the boy on the other team that started telling others what to do, I have the best idea how this should go and it will all work out if you do this and you do that. Stressful!
Judging others - Just like the boy on the other team, I make judgement calls on who is good enough to play and who isn't. Who is allowed in my circle and who isn't. The worth and value of another based on what I see and what opinion I form of them with or without knowing them! Ugh!!
Striving to be the best yet not measuring up - These boys tried so hard but still came up short. Sometimes just in the trying I end up working against the goal and those on my "team" only to find myself sprinting alone on the Giant Gerbil Wheel of Futility. Exhausting!
Stirring up competition within the team - or family in my case - Brother was knocking down brother by calling names and not encouraging the other. Sadly, there is competition in my family. It's very subtle, and other times not so subtle, but it's there and it breaks my heart that I have been a big part of the problem! It breaks me down and the relationship. Destructive!!
Blaming - The boys would put the blame elsewhere so that it wouldn't be their fault for not winning! I love to do this one!! Sadly, to the one person who loves me most in this world - my husband!! If only he would... then... I would be so much happier and this family would be better off if only he would.... Sick and WRONG!!
Shaming - "Why didn't you... cover the pass tighter? I told you... it was coming?" Sadly, I fill in my own blanks here for those I love and the effect is devastating!!!
And just like that boy on the other team, I have pulled my family into the same behaviors!! We all live in this same prison!! But Sunday gave me a glimpse of something else!! That a little piece of heaven can mix it up with the bitter taste of earth and come out the winner! That gracious-love will defeat performance-based-love every time! That unconditional-acceptance will out-do conditional-acceptance always! That value-just-bc-you-are-you will overcome value-if-you-can-prove-it time and time again! That playing in your God given freedom if you would just reach out and accept it, is way more fun than playing in a prison of blame and shame.
I am on my knees in gratitude and humility that my eyes were opened to these simple, undeniable and profound truths through a neighborhood football game. The stage was set. The timing was perfect. My eyes saw the game on Sunday and my life through the game on Monday. When I "saw" it, I was a sniveling mess!! I didn't want to be on the "other team" anymore!! I wanted to be on Team Freedom and live with wild joy just to be playing! I was crushed to see just how long I had been living in this prison and how I had sucked my family in with me!! But by God's grace, then and there, He said "enough!". He spoke truth to me through a friend. He sent me home and sat me down in front of his word for more truth. And I have broken out of that prison of lies and grabbed freedom! I can have this little piece of heaven right here on my little patch of earth!
This freedom!! This remarkable joy that occurred on Sunday, that brought me to my knees on Monday is mine b/c on Friday a loooong time ago, my Lord and Savior was brought to his knees with the weight of my sin and imprisonment only to declare freedom on Sunday for all who would reach out and receive it!!! I have finally received IN FULL , here, right NOW, what he has had for me all along!
I may have grabbed on to my eternal freedom a long time ago but Monday I grabbed on to the promise of freedom here on earth!! Oh yea, Satan's coming after me with his lies and I'll likely screw up and believe him for a bit, but I see him more clearly now. I know his "plays" and this time I'm prepared! I've been working out a bit of strategy with the winningest coach ever to play the game!! I'm confident, and excited!! And I'm going out to face my opponent with wild abandon and grateful joy bc I'm playing in the freedom that nothing I do will make this coach love me less or take me out of the game until it's time! So, regardless of the score, I will play this game with everything I am, bc I already know the outcome! My team wins!!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Protein Bars
I love this time of year!
My tomatoes are ready for harvest...
the peaches are begging to be picked....
the zinnia's are blooming heedlessly...
and my grapevine is.....
...dying?
Grrr.... I hate those little spider mites! If my vine makes it through this year to live another summer and those mites come back next year, they are soooo dead!!! I let them go too long not knowing it was insects that were yellowing-up my vine, but thought instead, it was the dry heat. I started my battle against them much too late! And sadly, my birds didn't come back to their nest this year. It's tucked right in the arbor! Too bad for them, they would have had feasted 24/7!!
But aside from all the yummy (and not so yummy) food stuff going on in my yard, I love this time of year because this is when my boys are rushing home from school to put on their pads, pack up their water, and lace up their cleats before they grab a snack and run out the door on their way to tackle their teammates in the high heat of the late afternoon sun.
I love going to their practices! It's my excuse to watch my boys, peruse magazines, chat with other moms, and catch the last warm rays of fall!
Two hours of sprints, tackle drills, running plays and simply paying attention after a full day of school, requires energy and brain power. So, I want to be sure my boys have a highly nutritious snack with carbs to get them going and protein to keep them going. For awhile I was buying Cliff Bars but at a dollar plus a bar and with some form of sugar as their 2nd, 3rd and 4th ingredient, I wanted to see if I could come up with something a little cheaper with less sugar but just as yummy. After searching the internet I found a recipe I liked and, of course, I had to change it to please my own sense of taste and texture.
This is what I came up with....
My tomatoes are ready for harvest...
the peaches are begging to be picked....
the zinnia's are blooming heedlessly...
and my grapevine is.....
...dying?
Grrr.... I hate those little spider mites! If my vine makes it through this year to live another summer and those mites come back next year, they are soooo dead!!! I let them go too long not knowing it was insects that were yellowing-up my vine, but thought instead, it was the dry heat. I started my battle against them much too late! And sadly, my birds didn't come back to their nest this year. It's tucked right in the arbor! Too bad for them, they would have had feasted 24/7!!
But aside from all the yummy (and not so yummy) food stuff going on in my yard, I love this time of year because this is when my boys are rushing home from school to put on their pads, pack up their water, and lace up their cleats before they grab a snack and run out the door on their way to tackle their teammates in the high heat of the late afternoon sun.
I love going to their practices! It's my excuse to watch my boys, peruse magazines, chat with other moms, and catch the last warm rays of fall!
Two hours of sprints, tackle drills, running plays and simply paying attention after a full day of school, requires energy and brain power. So, I want to be sure my boys have a highly nutritious snack with carbs to get them going and protein to keep them going. For awhile I was buying Cliff Bars but at a dollar plus a bar and with some form of sugar as their 2nd, 3rd and 4th ingredient, I wanted to see if I could come up with something a little cheaper with less sugar but just as yummy. After searching the internet I found a recipe I liked and, of course, I had to change it to please my own sense of taste and texture.
This is what I came up with....
2 1/2 cups oats - old fashioned
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup chia/flax seed
1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds)
1/2 cup dried fruit (blueberries)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup nut butter
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
Prepare a 7x11 pan by placing foil in the pan and allowing for the edges of the foil to come up the sides.
Mix the first 8 ingredients (oats to salt) in large bowl until all the ingredients are well blended.
(This is how I chop my almonds)
Mix the nut butter, honey and molasses in a small bowl.
(This is how I chop my almonds)
Mix the nut butter, honey and molasses in a small bowl.
Pour the nut butter mixture over the cereal mixture. Mix until well blended and all of the cereal mixture is coated.
Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a the back of a large rubber spatula press the mixture down into pan firmly.
To remove the bars, lift the edges of the foil out of the pan. Cut into 16 bars or squares.
Wrap each bar in plastic wrap.
Store the wrapped bars in a zip-top bag or plastic container in the refrigerator.
That's it! There you have it! A cheaper - I can't honestly say (I never did the math) - great tasting snack with less sugar to provide energy for strong bodies to do some seriously hard.... play! ;0)
Wrap each bar in plastic wrap.
That's it! There you have it! A cheaper - I can't honestly say (I never did the math) - great tasting snack with less sugar to provide energy for strong bodies to do some seriously hard.... play! ;0)
Go get 'em, boys!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Beans, beans the wonderful fruit...
I LOVE chickpeas!
Mostly for their texture and flavor but also for their health benefits! Being high in fiber, they help manage blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and keep you feeling fuller, longer. They contain high amounts of folic acid to repair DNA and produce healthy red blood cells. They contain minerals such as zinc, copper, magnesium and iron which are essential to the body's functioning. And as a low-fat, high-protein powerhouse they pack a huge energy punch!
Let's get back to that flavor thing I mentioned! I love chic peas so much I will often just open a can and eat them right out of my hand. Just toss em back! Soooo yum!! Which makes it a bit of a mystery to me as to why I am posting my least favorite chic pea recipe. I have made the world's - well, MY world's - most comforting and delicious soup with a chic pea base, and the most healing, indulgent, garlicky warm bean dip using... yes, you guessed it... chic peas, but for some reason I got a wild - must have been grey - hair to make hummus and post it for you!
I do enjoy a good hummus as a great way to eat veggies and feel like I ate something a bit more substantial. However, a good hummus to me requires that the chic peas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic don't stand alone, but instead, team up with some other flavors that give the hummus a little more... drama. I need it to be a little unexpected...a little bit more creative and bold. So, here's to healthy, unexpected and somewhat dramatic eating.
Been called Drama Queen before? Well, make the title stick! Below I have given you a base for hummus with which you can create some dramatic flavor! Make a simple batch from the recipe below and then create a wild blend of flavors that you can toss in! For example, I am a huge fan of MUCH roasted (in a skillet containing a bit of olive oil - til a bit crunchy) garlic with almost equal amounts of rosemary. Another favorite is sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, basil and pine nuts. At the bottom of this blog there are many other ideas for add-ins! Find your favorites and get.... dramatic!!
Ingredients
1 can garbanzo (chickpeas), partially drained
3 TBS lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup sesame seeds (or tahini paste)
1 tsp salt
olive oil
additional add-ins
Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor.
Process until smooth and creamy...
...or creamy with texture - whichever way you prefer.
Place in a serving bowl. Take two swirls around the bowl with the olive oil - lightly.
Use veggies, pita bread or pita chips to dip.
Super easy!!! And by using organic, you can be sure you are avoiding any preservatives such as EDTA found in most canned beans!
Additional Add-Ins
Some additional flavors: chopped olives, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, basil, oregano, rosemary or thyme, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts.... the ideas are limited only by your creativity! Maybe a little goat cheese sprinkled over the top? Mmmmm... Kale chips? Pepitas, hemp hearts, or flax seed? I don't know - just throwin it out there! ;0) Let me know what you try!!
Mostly for their texture and flavor but also for their health benefits! Being high in fiber, they help manage blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and keep you feeling fuller, longer. They contain high amounts of folic acid to repair DNA and produce healthy red blood cells. They contain minerals such as zinc, copper, magnesium and iron which are essential to the body's functioning. And as a low-fat, high-protein powerhouse they pack a huge energy punch!
Let's get back to that flavor thing I mentioned! I love chic peas so much I will often just open a can and eat them right out of my hand. Just toss em back! Soooo yum!! Which makes it a bit of a mystery to me as to why I am posting my least favorite chic pea recipe. I have made the world's - well, MY world's - most comforting and delicious soup with a chic pea base, and the most healing, indulgent, garlicky warm bean dip using... yes, you guessed it... chic peas, but for some reason I got a wild - must have been grey - hair to make hummus and post it for you!
I do enjoy a good hummus as a great way to eat veggies and feel like I ate something a bit more substantial. However, a good hummus to me requires that the chic peas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic don't stand alone, but instead, team up with some other flavors that give the hummus a little more... drama. I need it to be a little unexpected...a little bit more creative and bold. So, here's to healthy, unexpected and somewhat dramatic eating.
Been called Drama Queen before? Well, make the title stick! Below I have given you a base for hummus with which you can create some dramatic flavor! Make a simple batch from the recipe below and then create a wild blend of flavors that you can toss in! For example, I am a huge fan of MUCH roasted (in a skillet containing a bit of olive oil - til a bit crunchy) garlic with almost equal amounts of rosemary. Another favorite is sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, basil and pine nuts. At the bottom of this blog there are many other ideas for add-ins! Find your favorites and get.... dramatic!!
Ingredients
1 can garbanzo (chickpeas), partially drained
3 TBS lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup sesame seeds (or tahini paste)
1 tsp salt
olive oil
additional add-ins
Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor.
Process until smooth and creamy...
...or creamy with texture - whichever way you prefer.
Place in a serving bowl. Take two swirls around the bowl with the olive oil - lightly.
Use veggies, pita bread or pita chips to dip.
Super easy!!! And by using organic, you can be sure you are avoiding any preservatives such as EDTA found in most canned beans!
Additional Add-Ins
Friday, April 20, 2012
Homemade Nut and Fruit Bars
I am a nut lover, a chocolate addict and a fiend for tangy, sweet fruit. So, I put them all together in a delicious and nutritious bar. These are a go-to snack in my house! Yes, I know, I'm not the first to come up with this brilliant and healthy treat, but I believe I have found just the right combo of flavors and textures at a better price than what's available in the market, without all sorts of weird fillers, additives and preservatives. (To ensure the lack of nasty things in your bars, buy the purest form of each of these ingredients. Organic if you are able. I found out this morning what has been found on almonds and almost started crying! (more info on chemicals found on all foods here - probably more than you want to know!) Is nothing safe anymore!!?)
How much money do you suppose I'm saving? I did a quick search online and found Kind bars (which these closely resemble, as mine are not organic either) online for about $1.49 as the cheapest price out there - I'm not sure whether or not this included shipping. I usually see Kind bars in the store for $1.99. Eek!!! That's a LOT considering I can make mine for a budget-conscious $0.67!
I know!! Cheapo!! And $0.67 is the price I came up with for the second recipe below - the one with the almonds. The first recipe - with the peanuts - is very basic and would certainly be cheaper. Granted, I shop around for the best prices on the ingredients. My cost doesn't doesn't include gas, since these ingredients are picked up along with other products on my regular grocery list, and it doesn't include your choice of wrap, the cost of which would be rather miniscule - unless you're wrapping your bars in gold sheets studded with diamond bling, which I am not!
The added benefit is that these are so easy to make your kids could throw them together! You may have to do the chopping - OR just leave all the ingredients whole. No chopping necessary! I chop b/c I like a little bit of everything in each bite. Whole, uber-chopped or somewhere in between! It's your bar!! You decide! That's the beauty!!
Homemade Nut and Fruit Bars
Preheat oven to 325.
Option 1 - For those who like simple flavors - like my boys - and who don't want to be picking flax or chia seeds out of their teeth for the next 30 minutes, go with this option.
1 1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
1 cup rice
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
You can find brown rice syrup at Vitamin Cottage or another health food store, as well as online. I use rice syrup because it makes the bar crunchy instead of soft and gooey like honey would.
To measure all things syrupy...
I loooove this little contraption for syrup, honey, molasses and nut butters. Simply pull the bottom out to the measure you want, fill to the top with your ingredient and then press the bottom back in. It scrapes the sides clean and you scrape the bottom clean for no waste!
Option 2 - For those who like stronger flavors and want the added nutrition from flax and or chia seeds, both of which are high in omega-3's, try this option at $0.67 a bar, it's a bargain! (More benefits of chia seeds and flax seeds - tiny power-houses of all things good!)
1 1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
2 TBSP chia seeds or flax seed
1 cup rice
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
Chop chocolate... dried fruit... and nuts.
Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Mix until thoroughly combined.
Line 8x8 pan with foil and grease it lightly. Press nut and fruit mixture into pan with back of a scraper spatula.
Bake 18 mins and remove from oven. When able, lift the foil out of the pan and continue cooling. Wait until mostly cooled before cutting into 8 bars. Peel back foil and wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap or in snack sized ziplock baggies.
Mmmmmm.... look at all that chocolate-y, nutty, fruity goodness!!! Enjoy!!
It is possible to mix and match different nuts, fruits, chocolates and seeds. In fact, you could probably squeeze a 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pepitas in either recipe and still have enough syrup to make the ingredients all stick together. If you find that it's not moist enough, add a dash more rice syrup and you're good to go!
Let me know what fun combinations you come up with by leaving me a comment. And if you can't leave it here, leave it on my FB page!! I love to hear how you guys re-vamp a recipe!
I know!! Cheapo!! And $0.67 is the price I came up with for the second recipe below - the one with the almonds. The first recipe - with the peanuts - is very basic and would certainly be cheaper. Granted, I shop around for the best prices on the ingredients. My cost doesn't doesn't include gas, since these ingredients are picked up along with other products on my regular grocery list, and it doesn't include your choice of wrap, the cost of which would be rather miniscule - unless you're wrapping your bars in gold sheets studded with diamond bling, which I am not!
The added benefit is that these are so easy to make your kids could throw them together! You may have to do the chopping - OR just leave all the ingredients whole. No chopping necessary! I chop b/c I like a little bit of everything in each bite. Whole, uber-chopped or somewhere in between! It's your bar!! You decide! That's the beauty!!
Homemade Nut and Fruit Bars
Preheat oven to 325.
Option 1 - For those who like simple flavors - like my boys - and who don't want to be picking flax or chia seeds out of their teeth for the next 30 minutes, go with this option.
1 1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
1 cup rice
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
You can find brown rice syrup at Vitamin Cottage or another health food store, as well as online. I use rice syrup because it makes the bar crunchy instead of soft and gooey like honey would.
To measure all things syrupy...
I loooove this little contraption for syrup, honey, molasses and nut butters. Simply pull the bottom out to the measure you want, fill to the top with your ingredient and then press the bottom back in. It scrapes the sides clean and you scrape the bottom clean for no waste!
Option 2 - For those who like stronger flavors and want the added nutrition from flax and or chia seeds, both of which are high in omega-3's, try this option at $0.67 a bar, it's a bargain! (More benefits of chia seeds and flax seeds - tiny power-houses of all things good!)
1 1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
2 TBSP chia seeds or flax seed
1 cup rice
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
Chop chocolate... dried fruit... and nuts.
Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Mix until thoroughly combined.
Line 8x8 pan with foil and grease it lightly. Press nut and fruit mixture into pan with back of a scraper spatula.
Bake 18 mins and remove from oven. When able, lift the foil out of the pan and continue cooling. Wait until mostly cooled before cutting into 8 bars. Peel back foil and wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap or in snack sized ziplock baggies.
Mmmmmm.... look at all that chocolate-y, nutty, fruity goodness!!! Enjoy!!
It is possible to mix and match different nuts, fruits, chocolates and seeds. In fact, you could probably squeeze a 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pepitas in either recipe and still have enough syrup to make the ingredients all stick together. If you find that it's not moist enough, add a dash more rice syrup and you're good to go!
Let me know what fun combinations you come up with by leaving me a comment. And if you can't leave it here, leave it on my FB page!! I love to hear how you guys re-vamp a recipe!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
buy local
I have to admit, I am an old-fashioned girl. I love fresh-cut flowers from the garden in a simple jar or bottle. Especially daisies...
...and lilacs.
I shamelessly hang an old window in my kitchen that came from my grandpa's barn on the family's 100 year old farm.
I have more antiques from my grandparents than I can count...
Some of which I still put to good use.
No, no!! I'm not so in love with the past that I manually wash my clothes! (Although I do love the smell of clothes that have been dried in the sun!) This washer has a less noble purpose now days - it's our drink cooler for parties!
I may be a bit old-fashioned b/c I come from a long line of farmers, some of whom still farm, who have blessed me in sooo many ways. One of those ways has been to allow me to help with the canning and freezing. I'm sure to kids growing up on the farm, it's just another chore, but for me, an old-fashioned girl living in suburbia, having everyone get together to bust out some honest work, laughing and telling stories, only to end up with a delicious product is nothing short of awesome! It has developed such a love in me that now I "put up" (I love that phrase) my own jellies, salsas, and spaghetti sauces, as well as peaches, corn, tomatoes, and anything else I can get to grow in my yard. Sometimes my mom and I do it together which is always more fun! [I have 1,000's of blossoms on the peach trees mom! Better set aside some time in early Sept!! ;0)]
Canning and freezing produce makes me feel so.... I don't know....from the earth. It's the most satisfying feeling! I feel like I'm maximizing my harvest, increasing our bounty under budget and taking great care of my family and their health by giving them food that I started from seed or seedling and saw through to it's harvest and use.
You may have read my last few blogs on dyes and this whole Pink Slime nastiness that is put in our beef without our knowledge. What I haven't posted is some of the info I have found researching different preservatives, additives, pesticides and GMO's for my own curiousity. I was continually disappointed by what I found hidden in a can of beans, tucked into a box of "all natural" cereal or drenched all over my healthy veggies. Not to mention the pesticides and weed-killers engineered right into the seeds of my produce - no longer is it simply ON the plant, it's actually IN it! more info
This disappointment has motivated me to step up our already healthy eating to something that allows us to eat more food straight from it's source, that helps us avoid all those nasty hidden cancer-ambassadors, that is so fresh it's nutrients are bursting to work their magic in our bodies, and all the while, keeps me within our budget. Eek! Can it be??
Yes, meet the latest "vore" in the consumption of food - the locavore. A big word introduced in 2005 for a small concept. This is simply an eco-conscious person who eats from locally owned farms as a way to promote sustainability for the earth and health for the family - fruits and veggies, meats, eggs, dairy, etc . Granted you can't get everything from near your home - how would I get my chocolate? But as an individual, you can decide how local you are able to be.
The benefits of eating local are that you are supporting your local economy by supporting your local farmers. You minimize your carbon footprint since food won't travel very far to reach your table. You are able to get the freshest food to your table with the most nutrients. And what I love best of all, is you can actually talk with those who are growing your food or raising your beef.
Below, I have listed a few of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms that are located around Loveland and Fort Collins. If you live elsewhere in the US or want some other options, no problem, simply visit this website local harvest and type in your zip code and you will be presented with a long list of CSA farms in your area. The CSA farms on this website are required to meet certain standards in order to be listed, such as certified organic or naturally grown, biodynamic, conventional, transitional, naturally grown, etc. Here is a link for you to see those standards and their definitions.
By purchasing a membership and a "share" of the produce at a CSA farm, you benefit the farmer with cash flow, and yourself with the freshest of produce (which helps retain all the flavor and nutrients in the food) at a lower cost to you. Each week during the growing season, you will get box of whatever produce is in season. Each farm grows different veggies and has longer or shorter seasons. Choose the one that fits your family best. What a great way to introduce your family to all sorts of vegetables and grass fed beef and lamb! Some farms even have festival days where the family can come and visit the farm. Most all of them allow kids to come any time to see what's going on. Kids eat that up!! And they will likely eat up what's on their plates because it's from "their" farm!
There is a bit of risk involved.... you pay for your share before the start of the season. If the growing season is abundant, you will get lots of produce, however, if the growing season produces poor or minimal results, you will get less produce that may not be as "perfect" as what they sell in the store. Then again, what kind of manipulation is required for the store produce to look so perfect? Maybe we need to retrain our eyes and brains as to what is "better" produce.
If that feels like a really big step and you are not ready to commit, shopping at your local farmer's market will allow you to get many of the benefits without the risk though at a higher cost. Many of you know where your summer farmer's market is, but your community may also have a winter farmer's market where they sell such things as..."late-season produce, grass-fed meats, eggs, mushrooms, cheese, wine, salsas and sauces, baked goods, sweets, and locally made handcrafts," etc. (Fort Collins winter market) Just google it!
I hope this has been helpful information! I know it requires some different thinking, even for this old-fashioned, farm-hand girl from suburbia, but maybe it's time for us to start thinking outside the box and go back to practices from a time when there was less heart disease, cancer, allergies and diabetes. I wish your family great health and happy eating!
Fort Collins/Loveland area (these are just a few that I took note of)
Meat
Sylvandale - beef
Produce
Dottie's Garden Berthoud
http://cressetfarm.com/ northeast of Ft C
Garden sweet n ft collins
happy heart farm csa - off elizabeth in Ft C west
the food coop downtown ft c mountain ave
ole dern farm laporte but veggies AND meat!! larger share $650
...and lilacs.
I shamelessly hang an old window in my kitchen that came from my grandpa's barn on the family's 100 year old farm.
I have more antiques from my grandparents than I can count...
Some of which I still put to good use.
No, no!! I'm not so in love with the past that I manually wash my clothes! (Although I do love the smell of clothes that have been dried in the sun!) This washer has a less noble purpose now days - it's our drink cooler for parties!
I may be a bit old-fashioned b/c I come from a long line of farmers, some of whom still farm, who have blessed me in sooo many ways. One of those ways has been to allow me to help with the canning and freezing. I'm sure to kids growing up on the farm, it's just another chore, but for me, an old-fashioned girl living in suburbia, having everyone get together to bust out some honest work, laughing and telling stories, only to end up with a delicious product is nothing short of awesome! It has developed such a love in me that now I "put up" (I love that phrase) my own jellies, salsas, and spaghetti sauces, as well as peaches, corn, tomatoes, and anything else I can get to grow in my yard. Sometimes my mom and I do it together which is always more fun! [I have 1,000's of blossoms on the peach trees mom! Better set aside some time in early Sept!! ;0)]
Canning and freezing produce makes me feel so.... I don't know....from the earth. It's the most satisfying feeling! I feel like I'm maximizing my harvest, increasing our bounty under budget and taking great care of my family and their health by giving them food that I started from seed or seedling and saw through to it's harvest and use.
You may have read my last few blogs on dyes and this whole Pink Slime nastiness that is put in our beef without our knowledge. What I haven't posted is some of the info I have found researching different preservatives, additives, pesticides and GMO's for my own curiousity. I was continually disappointed by what I found hidden in a can of beans, tucked into a box of "all natural" cereal or drenched all over my healthy veggies. Not to mention the pesticides and weed-killers engineered right into the seeds of my produce - no longer is it simply ON the plant, it's actually IN it! more info
This disappointment has motivated me to step up our already healthy eating to something that allows us to eat more food straight from it's source, that helps us avoid all those nasty hidden cancer-ambassadors, that is so fresh it's nutrients are bursting to work their magic in our bodies, and all the while, keeps me within our budget. Eek! Can it be??
Yes, meet the latest "vore" in the consumption of food - the locavore. A big word introduced in 2005 for a small concept. This is simply an eco-conscious person who eats from locally owned farms as a way to promote sustainability for the earth and health for the family - fruits and veggies, meats, eggs, dairy, etc . Granted you can't get everything from near your home - how would I get my chocolate? But as an individual, you can decide how local you are able to be.
The benefits of eating local are that you are supporting your local economy by supporting your local farmers. You minimize your carbon footprint since food won't travel very far to reach your table. You are able to get the freshest food to your table with the most nutrients. And what I love best of all, is you can actually talk with those who are growing your food or raising your beef.
Below, I have listed a few of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms that are located around Loveland and Fort Collins. If you live elsewhere in the US or want some other options, no problem, simply visit this website local harvest and type in your zip code and you will be presented with a long list of CSA farms in your area. The CSA farms on this website are required to meet certain standards in order to be listed, such as certified organic or naturally grown, biodynamic, conventional, transitional, naturally grown, etc. Here is a link for you to see those standards and their definitions.
By purchasing a membership and a "share" of the produce at a CSA farm, you benefit the farmer with cash flow, and yourself with the freshest of produce (which helps retain all the flavor and nutrients in the food) at a lower cost to you. Each week during the growing season, you will get box of whatever produce is in season. Each farm grows different veggies and has longer or shorter seasons. Choose the one that fits your family best. What a great way to introduce your family to all sorts of vegetables and grass fed beef and lamb! Some farms even have festival days where the family can come and visit the farm. Most all of them allow kids to come any time to see what's going on. Kids eat that up!! And they will likely eat up what's on their plates because it's from "their" farm!
There is a bit of risk involved.... you pay for your share before the start of the season. If the growing season is abundant, you will get lots of produce, however, if the growing season produces poor or minimal results, you will get less produce that may not be as "perfect" as what they sell in the store. Then again, what kind of manipulation is required for the store produce to look so perfect? Maybe we need to retrain our eyes and brains as to what is "better" produce.
If that feels like a really big step and you are not ready to commit, shopping at your local farmer's market will allow you to get many of the benefits without the risk though at a higher cost. Many of you know where your summer farmer's market is, but your community may also have a winter farmer's market where they sell such things as..."late-season produce, grass-fed meats, eggs, mushrooms, cheese, wine, salsas and sauces, baked goods, sweets, and locally made handcrafts," etc. (Fort Collins winter market) Just google it!
I hope this has been helpful information! I know it requires some different thinking, even for this old-fashioned, farm-hand girl from suburbia, but maybe it's time for us to start thinking outside the box and go back to practices from a time when there was less heart disease, cancer, allergies and diabetes. I wish your family great health and happy eating!
Fort Collins/Loveland area (these are just a few that I took note of)
Meat
Sylvandale - beef
Produce
Dottie's Garden Berthoud
http://cressetfarm.com/ northeast of Ft C
Garden sweet n ft collins
happy heart farm csa - off elizabeth in Ft C west
the food coop downtown ft c mountain ave
ole dern farm laporte but veggies AND meat!! larger share $650
Monday, March 26, 2012
Things are warming up here in Colorado!! We are heading into BBQ season!! Nothing like a juicy burger topped with caramelized onions, a slice of crispy bacon, a dollop of guac and topped with lettuce and tomato! Yum!! I can almost taste it!
However, there is an evil lurking in your beef that you may be unaware of...Pink slime!! Have you heard of it?! Does it sound tasty?!?? Wanna eat it?
However, there is an evil lurking in your beef that you may be unaware of...Pink slime!! Have you heard of it?! Does it sound tasty?!?? Wanna eat it?
Well, you probably have been, as have your kids, especially if they eat school lunch. A year ago the USDA bought 7 million pounds of it for school lunches. (more info) Have they used it all, I wonder? Will they buy more? I hope not!
I'm sorry, maybe you don't know what Pink Slime is. Pink Slime is connective tissue and cow product - whatever that is - ground up to produce Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) or how about something a bit more descriptive... "It’s more like Jell-O than hamburger, plus it’s treated with ammonia..." (see here) due to the higher likelihood of contaminants such as E. Coli and salmonella. Hmmm... if you grew up in the 80's you might be wondering "Where's the Beef?".
And what exactly is this Ammonia Hydroxide that this contaminated, non-meat product is being treated with?
And what exactly is this Ammonia Hydroxide that this contaminated, non-meat product is being treated with?
Besides being used as a household cleaner and in fertilizers, the compound releases flammable vapors, and with the addition of certain acids, it can be turned into ammonium nitrate, a common component in homemade bombs. It's also widely used in the food industry as an anti-microbial agent in meats and as a leavener in bread and cake products. It's regulated by the U.S. Agriculture Department, which classifies it as "generally recognized as safe." msnbc.com
Hmmm... I hadn't thought of flavoring my burger with fertilizer! Or sprinkling a little window cleaner on my lettuce! And I hope the acid in my tomato doesn't have any weird side effects with the chemicals in my meat!! That would cause quite a stomach ache! Ok - I'm getting a little cheeky! Sorry! But does anyone else still wonder why cancer is so rampant in our society these days?!
Thankfully, there has been a large outcry against putting pink slime in our beef. One of the most well known warriors is Jamie Oliver who is trying to improve school lunches overall. As of next fall, schools working with the national school lunch program will be able to choose whether or not they serve pink slime to our children. (more info) You may want to speak up at your school's PTO or to a member of the school board. I'm not sure who will be making the decision but let your voice be heard if you feel strongly about it.
Thankfully, there has been a large outcry against putting pink slime in our beef. One of the most well known warriors is Jamie Oliver who is trying to improve school lunches overall. As of next fall, schools working with the national school lunch program will be able to choose whether or not they serve pink slime to our children. (more info) You may want to speak up at your school's PTO or to a member of the school board. I'm not sure who will be making the decision but let your voice be heard if you feel strongly about it.
Interestingly, with all the research I did, it appears that there are the people like Jamie and myself who are appalled we have been eating this stuff - without knowing! - and there are others who don't think it's a big deal because it is "thought" - by some - not to be harmful, or at least "generally recognized as safe" (emphasis mine), according to the USDA. msnbc.com
Here's what it comes down to.... there is a reason ingredients are to be listed on a package of food. It is so I can decide what I want to put in my body and the bodies of those I love! If there is ammonia hydroxide in my food - which is listed on the Right To Know Hazardous Substance List - then I have the Right To Know that it's in the beef I'm feeding my family!
Here's what it comes down to.... there is a reason ingredients are to be listed on a package of food. It is so I can decide what I want to put in my body and the bodies of those I love! If there is ammonia hydroxide in my food - which is listed on the Right To Know Hazardous Substance List - then I have the Right To Know that it's in the beef I'm feeding my family!
So, how do you know if this pink slime is in your beef since it's not labeled on the package? If the meat is not organic and is pre-packaged, it is likely in there! Yes, even if it says "All Natural". Don't be fooled by that label, it is not regulated! Your safest bet is to purchase organic ground beef, buy from a local rancher, or shop from one of the stores that don't tolerate pink slime. To see if your store sells meat with pink slim, click here. The other option is to shop at your store and have the butcher grind up some sirloin or chuck roast for your ground beef.
Here's the latest. if you care to look a little deeper.
I guess my biggest "beef" with this whole thing - oh that was bad - is that I am not being fully informed as to what I'm putting in my body. And if they aren't telling me about a hazardous substance that is on The Right To Know list, then what else am I ingesting that I don't have the right to know? What are they doing to my ground turkey? What other ingredients or treatments to ingredients am I ignorant of which leads me to naively ingest things that can harm me? Why bother with an ingredient list if the nasty things don't need to be mentioned?
So, while the weather warms and we fire up the grill, be aware of your options out there! By all means, grab your homemade buns and cakes and enjoy your juicy burger with all the toppings!! Just make mine organic, please!
I guess my biggest "beef" with this whole thing - oh that was bad - is that I am not being fully informed as to what I'm putting in my body. And if they aren't telling me about a hazardous substance that is on The Right To Know list, then what else am I ingesting that I don't have the right to know? What are they doing to my ground turkey? What other ingredients or treatments to ingredients am I ignorant of which leads me to naively ingest things that can harm me? Why bother with an ingredient list if the nasty things don't need to be mentioned?
So, while the weather warms and we fire up the grill, be aware of your options out there! By all means, grab your homemade buns and cakes and enjoy your juicy burger with all the toppings!! Just make mine organic, please!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Mmmmm...
.jpeg)
DREAM CAR!!!!!
Wow! What I wouldn't give....
Mmmmmm...
REAL FOOD!!!!
It's delicious!!! It's life-giving!! It never seems to last long in my house!!
What do these two things have to do with each other? Read on and find out!
If you haven't seen Lisa Leake's blog 100 Days of Real Food,check it out! I love this blog because this woman gives me back up for avoiding processed foods. She gives me the "why" behind my intuitive "that has to be bad for you". She also gives hundreds of ideas to help me swim against the tidal wave of processed foods that seem to be swamping America.
I am shocked by the things the FDA passes off as "food".
Twinkies - really!? What is that?! And I'm saddened by the lack of education in so many Americans that leads us like sheep to the slaughter houses of cancer, obesity and diabetes because we don't consider what is in our "food". We are manipulated and deceived into thinking that "low-fat", "sugar-free", "all natural" and "contains x-number of vitamins and minerals" means it's good for us. It is time to educate ourselves! It is time to tell manufacturers and the FDA what we WILL eat. What we WILL allow in our foods! And what we WILL put in our bodies!! Manufacturers are driven by the dollar and if we stop purchasing the products they pass off as food, they will start producing food that is safe and healthy enough for us to live on.
What power do we have as parents and consumers? Our power is in how we spend our dollar! Stop purchasing these products and see how fast changes are made!
Let's go back to my dreamy Jeep....
.jpeg)
So, what do real food and my dream car have to do with each other? Well, think of your body as your dream car and food as the gasoline! Are you really going to put in a fuel that contains contaminants that clog, corrode, wear down and slowly buildup in the car's system? Then why would you put bad fuel into your body? Why would you not eat foods that make the "engine" run smoothly? You can't trade your body in for a newer model when it runs down. It's the only one you've got and it needs to last you awhile! Fueling your body with real foods will allow your body to run well, longer. And the more changes towards real food that you make the cleaner and smoother your body will run!
So, I encourage you to check out 100 Days of Real Food and start with some small changes. You may be amazed how well you and your family start to feel with a little high-powered fuel!!
DREAM CAR!!!!!
Wow! What I wouldn't give....
Mmmmmm...
REAL FOOD!!!!
It's delicious!!! It's life-giving!! It never seems to last long in my house!!
What do these two things have to do with each other? Read on and find out!
If you haven't seen Lisa Leake's blog 100 Days of Real Food,check it out! I love this blog because this woman gives me back up for avoiding processed foods. She gives me the "why" behind my intuitive "that has to be bad for you". She also gives hundreds of ideas to help me swim against the tidal wave of processed foods that seem to be swamping America.
I am shocked by the things the FDA passes off as "food".
Twinkies - really!? What is that?! And I'm saddened by the lack of education in so many Americans that leads us like sheep to the slaughter houses of cancer, obesity and diabetes because we don't consider what is in our "food". We are manipulated and deceived into thinking that "low-fat", "sugar-free", "all natural" and "contains x-number of vitamins and minerals" means it's good for us. It is time to educate ourselves! It is time to tell manufacturers and the FDA what we WILL eat. What we WILL allow in our foods! And what we WILL put in our bodies!! Manufacturers are driven by the dollar and if we stop purchasing the products they pass off as food, they will start producing food that is safe and healthy enough for us to live on.
The UK is already doing just that! Consumers have driven the government to demand that any "food" containing artificial dyes must have a warning label that reads "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." Due to this simple additional label, major companies like Kraft and Pepsi no longer use artificial dyes, instead they use natural dyes such as paprika extract and beetroot. However, in the US where no label is required, to save a few pennies on the dollar, the same Pepsi and Kraft products are sold with artificial dyes; not because American kids digest these products safely but because, as parents, we are not demanding the same quality of food for our kids!
Why the government is so slow to move on this is beyond me! Except that we keep buying these products and working ourselves into the healthcare system with diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc, that can largely be prevented with a healthy diet! We could likely solve the health care dilemma if we'd just start eating right and demand that we are provided the healthy foods to do so! But we are part of the problem and just keep the cycle going!
We must depend on ourselves to make a change and not the government or manufacturers. The government might care about our children as a whole but it doesn't care if, individually, they are hyperactive, medicated for attention deficit diseases, or if they struggle in school because they can't focus! I have no doubt that we, as parents, love our children dearly, and therefore, we must take the greatest care for what goes into those beautiful bodies because if we don't, no one else will!! Let's step up!
Lisa gives way more ammo to the argument for avoiding synthetic dyes such as this from NPR.org. "Artificial food dyes are made from petroleum and approved for use by the FDA to enhance the color of processed foods." Mmmmm...yum! Pass the red M&M's! She also discusses the link dyes have to cancer, as they contain known carcinogens, and how they encourage obesity and diabetes.
Why the government is so slow to move on this is beyond me! Except that we keep buying these products and working ourselves into the healthcare system with diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc, that can largely be prevented with a healthy diet! We could likely solve the health care dilemma if we'd just start eating right and demand that we are provided the healthy foods to do so! But we are part of the problem and just keep the cycle going!
We must depend on ourselves to make a change and not the government or manufacturers. The government might care about our children as a whole but it doesn't care if, individually, they are hyperactive, medicated for attention deficit diseases, or if they struggle in school because they can't focus! I have no doubt that we, as parents, love our children dearly, and therefore, we must take the greatest care for what goes into those beautiful bodies because if we don't, no one else will!! Let's step up!
What power do we have as parents and consumers? Our power is in how we spend our dollar! Stop purchasing these products and see how fast changes are made!
Let's go back to my dreamy Jeep....
So, what do real food and my dream car have to do with each other? Well, think of your body as your dream car and food as the gasoline! Are you really going to put in a fuel that contains contaminants that clog, corrode, wear down and slowly buildup in the car's system? Then why would you put bad fuel into your body? Why would you not eat foods that make the "engine" run smoothly? You can't trade your body in for a newer model when it runs down. It's the only one you've got and it needs to last you awhile! Fueling your body with real foods will allow your body to run well, longer. And the more changes towards real food that you make the cleaner and smoother your body will run!
So, I encourage you to check out 100 Days of Real Food and start with some small changes. You may be amazed how well you and your family start to feel with a little high-powered fuel!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
