I'm in LOVE with a pan...

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{sung to the tune of Trisha Yearwood's "She's In Love With The Boy"...}

I'm in LOVE with a pan
I'm in LOVE with a pan
I'm in LOVE with a pan
And even if my husband has to pay
That pan is gonna be mine someday

Yes, it's true.  I'm in love with a pan - the Aeternum ceramic non-stick, non-toxic pan from Bialetti Shop.  When it was featured in Bon Appétit magazine recently, I immediately ordered one for Steven as a birthday gift. 

Then, after using it just once to fry an egg, I promptly tried to steal it, put it under my pillow, and sleep with it at night.  And whisper sweet nothings in its ear.

This isn't just any pan.  This pan is UNBELIEVABLE.  You only need the tiniest drop of oil, if any.  That's gonna save us a lot of coconut oil.  It fries and scrambles eggs perfectly.  And most of all, I love the white ceramic cooking surface - it's just clean-looking.  By the way, it wipes clean in a snap. 

We still use our beloved cast-iron pans all the time, but for eggs, this does the trick.  And with the amount of eggs we eat around here, it's totally worth it!  You want to put a beautiful pasture-raised farm egg in a pan that will treat it gently.

I guess I should confess my love affair to my husband.  Maybe just maybe he'll buy me one of my own, and I can shift my love back to my Vitamix. She's feeling a little neglected lately. 

Inspiration today.

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I saw this on one of my favorite blogs, Walk Slowly, Live Widly, and wanted to pass it on...this is exactly where I am right now.  I'm trying to make more room in my life for these kinds of things and eliminate activities that draw my attention away from what is real and true and pure and lovely.    Not sure I'll be engaging in hooping anytime soon though - haha. 

What do you think about this list?  Does it inspire you?

The perfect green smoothie.

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DSC04791 copy.jpg

Lately, I've gotta have a green smoothie first thing in the morning.  It's so energizing!  Some people have asked for my "perfect green smoothie" recipe.  It's not a science, and it changes slightly each time depending on what I have in the 'ole fridge.  But here's what I usually do...

In a strong blender or Vitamix, add:

  • Juice of 1-2 oranges or 1 large grapefruit
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1-2 stalks celery, cut into pieces
  • Large handful of spinach leaves, romaine lettuce leaves, or any leafy green.  I prefer spinach, romaine lettuce, or chard.  Beet greens or kale are also great!
  • 4-5 ice cubes, or you could use a bit of frozen fruit such as banana.
  • 1 raw egg - don't worry, you won't taste it!  It will make the smoothie super creamy.  Do this at your own risk as some people say you should not consume raw eggs.  Personally, I don't have a problem with it as long as the eggs are from a local, pastured chicken, and you know the source.
  • Good sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 2-3 drops Vanilla Creme Stevia, or 1-2 Tbs honey
  • Small piece of peeled fresh ginger (about the size of your thumb), or sprinkle of dried ginger - gives it a little zing.

Then turn your blender on low as it starts to break everything up, then gradually move it up to high.  I like to leave it on high until it gets super frothy.  Yum.

Pour into a glass and enjoy the green goodness!

A few more tips:

  • Always add the liquid first, then the solid ingredients.  Makes it much easier to blend, especially if you don't have a Vitamix.  If you need more liquid, you can always add a little filtered water.
  • Sometimes I add bee pollen or a couple drops of Vitamin D-3 before blending.  You could also sprinkle in some probiotic or break up a Multi-Vitamin capsule and add it to your smoothie. 
  • Whenever I have fruit that's super ripe that I won't be able to eat in time, I cut it into pieces, freeze it on a cookie sheet, then transfer it to a container in the freezer to use later for smoothies. If you don't freeze the pieces individually first, they will all stick together in the container.  Not the end of the world, but I'm all about the easiest, fastest way to make a smoothie first thing in the morning!

 There you have it!  I'd love to hear YOUR green smoothie recommendations and recipes!

The art of self-care.

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hot tea on a rainy day, on a recent "me" dateThis was too good not to share...

"Sacrifice crosses a line into martyrdom when it's not balanced with self-care. Our kids don't need a martyr; they need a mother. A martyr gives up her life to the extent that she no longer exists – she loses who she is while taking care of everyone else. A mother cares for her family and cares for herself. She allows motherhood to expand her experiences and her understanding of herself. A mother models the art of self-care for her children when she pays attention to her need for rest, nutrition, and exercise. She shows them how to find a Friend who understands when she takes the time to pray and read God's Word. She strengthens their faith when they see her turn to God for answers to her own life. Following the example of Christ we can learn to sacrifice without losing ourselves along the way." ~ from Real Moms, Real Jesus by Jill Savage

Since becoming a mother, I'm constantly re-learning the art of self care and how to die to pride.  Why is it so hard for me to ask for help?  I've realized that - news flash - I cannot do it all.  Gone are the days when I managed employees, juggled 20 intricate spreadsheets at once, and did multitudes of data entry at record speed as if I had a third hand.

Nope, can't do it all anymore.  And many days, I just need help.  I just need a small break.

So, now, I take friends up on their offers to watch my daughter for the morning while I go enjoy a hot cup of tea and sit on the floor at Barnes and Noble, flipping through a book in the nature section.  Sometimes getting a few hours to myself is the best choice I can make - for myself, my husband, and my daughter.  Still, I admit it's hard for me to accept sometimes.

But I'm proud to be taking better care of myself lately.  Here are a few examples...

  • Getting regular alone time, however short.
  • Every morning when I wake up, I spritz some lavender oil onto a very hot washcloth and hold it over my eyes and face.  Ahhhhh.  It feels amazing, and I immediately feel awakened and a little pampered.
  • Painting my toe nails a fun color.  It makes a difference! 
  • Going to bed earlier.
  • Waking up before my child, so I can have time to read the Bible and drink tea by myself.
  • Making a green smoothie almost every day.  I feel like a million bucks after drinking it.
  • Getting out for walks at least once a day.  Essential.

How do you take care of yourself?  I'd love to know!

Time to simplify!

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When your sister-in-law texts you all the way from Iraq, you listen.  I'm so glad I took her suggestion that day to download the book Organized Simplicity when it was free on Kindle. 

The author, Tsh Oxenreider, is also known for her blog, Simple Mom.  Now before all the non-moms peace out on this blog post, please know that you don't have to be a mom to benefit from this book!  It includes tremendously useful advice on how to simplify and organize your life, no matter who you are.

One of the things I love most is her definition of simple living - "living holistically with your life's purpose."  That's it.  Simple living doesn't always mean starting a compost pile and living on solar energy and trading in your gas-guzzler for an electric car.  That might be "simple living" for some people, but it's different for everyone.  There is a do-able and realistic way for ALL of us to live more simply.  Because of that desire, I started this blog over 6 years ago.

I'm still working on totally defining our family's purpose, our mission statement - but I know it will definitely include the word "peace."  Peace in our home, peace in relationships, eliminating anything that doesn't bring peace to us and others.

Once I have our mission statement fleshed out, I fully intend to declare by creating some wood pallet art for our wall - like this or this.

Anyway, as I continue to work through this book, I'm excited to join the author and tons of other people on Project: Simplify!  For the month of March, there's a focus each week on how to simplify, organize, and declutter an area of your home. 

When I get rid of physical clutter in my home, I actually feel a lightness in my soul.  Each time I get rid of more stuff, I'm moved from a place of entitlement to a place of gratefulness.  A few months ago, our close friends who love organizing came over, and in a whirlwind few hours they helped me declutter practically every room in the house.  Ahhhhh.  The kitchen was suddenly way more functional, the closets had lots more room, and I had a huge pile of things to sell or donate.   Now, I'm ready to do it again, as there is always more to give away.

But more importantly, I'm trying to stop accumulating more unneeded stuff.   Amen?

Do you want to join the decluttering challenge?  Just click this image below for all the info.

And let's see how our lives are changed, our relationships enhanced when get rid of some STUFF!

3 simple joys.

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Here are 3 simple joys I've experienced lately...

This laugh.

Cracking Up from Team Bails on Vimeo.

I get to have this kind of joy in my life everyday! 

~ ~ ~

This smile.

When she came out of the womb, one of the first things I noticed about her was her mouth...it stretched all the way across her face in a wide, beautiful line.  I could see that smile a million times a day and then some.

~ ~ ~

Flowers, just because.

A friend and volunteer of ours at Urban Acres, Caroline, brought Steven and I this bouquet of lovely flowers last week.  With it, she included a note that said, "I want to encourage you to stand firm in the knowledge of God's great love for and devotion to you, His beloved lilies." 

How precious!  And oh how we needed that encouragement right now as we trudge through the daily challenges of owning a small business.

~ ~ ~

What are 3 simple joys you've experienced lately?  Please, do share!

Current favorites: almond flour + coconut milk ice cream

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I'm sold on almond flour.  It doesn't kill my stomach like grains tend to do, it tastes wonderful, and it's easy to cook/bake with.  Here are three great recipes I've made lately with almond flour...

Almond Meal Biscuits from Roost.  This has become a staple for us - it substitutes the need for dinner rolls or other bread with dinner, and goes great with soup.  Luci Belle thinks they're cookies and calls them, "coo-coos."  If she thinks these are cookies...GREAT!  Roost's recipe adds rosemary to the biscuits for a savory flavor, but we sometimes omit the reosemary, or add blueberries like in the photo.  When they're warm from the oven, add honey and butter = YUM.

Almond Flour Brownies from Grain-Free Foodies.  These are ridiculously good.  The first time we made them, Steven and I ate two pans of them in two nights.  GULP.  Yes, we did.  A little overboard.  They're not dense, but more light and cakey.  Love them topped with coconut milk ice cream (see recipe below).

Almond Flour Pancakes.  I used the recipe in the Paleo Recipe Book (a downloadable e-book) but I don't want to get in trouble for publishing the recipe here (I'm SUCH a rule-follower).  If you Google "Paleo Almond Flour Pancakes" there are tons of results that come up, though.

Where to buy almond flour?  You can buy it online from Honeyville (not organic) or Benefit Your Life (organic).  Almond flour means the skin has been removed ("blanched") which as I understand, makes it more easily digestible.  Or, you could simply buy raw almonds and grind them in a Vitamix or food processor until it resembles a mealy consistency.  This is almond meal.  You won't get the exact result as the blanched almond flour, but it's worked for me in a pinch.

~ ~ ~

Easy Coconut Milk Ice Cream

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk (love this brand, and they don't use BPA in their cans)
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Optional: add nuts, cacao nibs, chocolate chips, or any other mix-ins such as bananas or blueberries.  Blend in a blender or Vitamix and then process according to the instructions of your ice cream maker.  This makes a lot!  It can easily serve 4 people.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, try this Banana Coconut Ice Cream recipe that you can make in a strong blender or food processor.