Terrific Two's, Fussy Pants, and Perspective

Love bears all things

believes all things

hopes all things…

With all six of her children, my mom referred to the Terrible Two’s as the Terrific Two’s. Instead of looking at us through the word terrible, she chose to think the best of us. No, she didn’t ignore our two-year-old tantrums or let our defiance go unchecked, but she didn’t label us according to our failures or challenges either.

This past week Jeremy suffered his first fever (five days’ worth) and was so miserable it broke my heart. His misery expressed itself in fussiness—a constant drone of crying and groaning, like a sad song on repeat. After referring to him as “Mr. Fussy Pants” one day, I felt a pang of conviction. My Heavenly Father never refers to me by my shortcomings, like “Colleen the Worry Wart.” Rather, He calls me saint, beloved, daughter, sister, friend—names I don’t deserve apart from Christ. He sees me through Christ’s perfection and not through my mess. He calls each stage of my life terrific, because He is at work in me—for His glory and my good.

Jeremy is most definitely strong-willed, but wouldn’t it be a shame to label him “the strong-willed child”? God has gifted him with that strong will, and while at times it can present a challenge for me as his mom (yes, already at 10 months), I want Jeremy to feel, from the very beginning of his life, that his strong will can be a great thing, a strength, a quality that God can use for His kingdom work. I’m not sure exactly how I’ll flesh that out on a daily basis in the coming years—I have so much to learn as a mom. (And from the look of things, I’ll probably fail in my parenting as often as I succeed.) But for starters, I can pray for God’s wisdom and resist labeling my little man according to what frustrates or challenges me.

I’m so thankful my Abba sees me through Jesus’ finished work on the cross and is committed to patiently making me more like Himself. How I long for my motherhood to be characterized by such resolute faith and hope: seeing Jeremy for who he can become and reveling in the beauty of who God made him to be.

Photography by Karen Race

You formed my inward parts;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are Your works;
my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14

$10 Organic Dinners

My grocery budget’s been a bit moody this year. I don’t blame it. Not only have I asked it to make room for a third family member, but I’ve also demanded that it go from “somewhat organic” to “mostly organic.” The poor budget was already suffering from soaring grocery prices, and so the friction between us has grown almost unbearable.

To make amends, I’ve commenced a Body-and-Budget Cleanse. My goal is to make dinner-for-two every night for just $10, give or take a few cents. If that seems ridiculously easy, remember that it’s organic fare (30-40% more expensive), we live in SoCal, and my husband and I are big eaters (he’s a man, and I’m a nursing mama).

I’ve found the easiest way for me to keep a recipe book is blogging. Click, click, click—and up pops one of my favorite dishes. If, in the process, I can pass along some great eats to you, then I’m doubly happy. And if you have some healthy, tasty, affordable dinner dishes of your own (or ways to cut corners in your grocery budget), I’d be so grateful if you’d pass them along! (You can email me at becomingchao@gmail.com.)

The first recipe is below. For more Body-and-Budget Cleanse recipes, click “$10 Organic Dinners” in the links to the right…

Lime-spiked Black Bean and Quinoa Kale Wraps

http://becomingchao.blogspot.com/2012/05/lime-spiked-black-bean-and-quinoa-kale.html

Cauliflower Bisque

(Serves 3-4; tastes similar to potato soup but better!)

1 large head white cauliflower (2 lbs)


4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups water


1-inch piece lemon zest (yellow part only, the white pith will turn bitter)


2 tablespoons lemon juice


1 ½ tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste


2 medium carrots


2 medium stalks celery


1 medium yellow onion


3 tablespoons olive oil


5 cloves garlic, chopped


1 teaspoon thyme


Trim the cauliflower, cut the florets in small pieces, and put them in a soup pot with the vegetable broth and the 2 cups of water.  Add the lemon juice and the strip of zest to the pot, along with a teaspoon of sea salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile trim and chop the carrots, celery, and onion. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and add the chopped vegetables, along with half a teaspoon of sea salt. Sauté the vegetables on a medium flame, stirring often, until they are soft, about 15 minutes or so.  Add the garlic and cook an additional five minutes, or until the vegetables are beginning to color. Add the thyme and keep stirring over medium heat for a few minutes longer. Add the sautéed vegetables to the cauliflower, and stir.

At this point the cauliflower should be very tender.  If it’s not, continue to simmer the soup until it is.  Once the cauliflower is cooked through, turn off the heat and let the soup cool briefly. Using a blender, puree the cauliflower mixture.  You may have to do this in batches.  Return the soup to the pot and stir.

Another option is to add 2-3 large leaves of kale (destemmed and torn into smaller pieces) and a pinch or two of cayenne to make a Cauliflower and Kale Bisque with a little zing. I tried this a few nights ago, and it was super yummy!

We also toasted up some Uid’s GF bread and dipped it in the bisque to fill us up a bit more. Including the bread, this dinner can be made with mostly organic ingredients for right around $10.

Lord, help me keep a light heart...

I squeezed in a mini-quiet-time this morning and these are my quick notes. It's been a long, intense week, so these words were a balm to my soul. Lord, teach me how to keep a light heart in the midst of intensity.

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones. Proverbs 15:30

I don’t have to wait for good news—I have the Word of God in my heart and at my fingertips. I can think on the gospel; I can think on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, worthy of praise.

Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart… Deuteronomy 28:47

Lord, I want to serve you in joy and not begrudgingly, or like a martyr, or with heaviness and griping. Give me a glad heart.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

My whole body feels better when I choose joy, but when I wallow in intensity or frustration or self-pity, I suffer even physically!

Lime-Spiked Black Bean and Quinoa Kale Wrap

New favorite recipe! Eddie wanted seconds, but there wasn't enough, so next time I'll double this. I didn't have avocados, but we didn't need them. This is healthy, tasty, and easy on the budget (just $5, and my ingredients were even organic)!


Ingredients
1/3 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup water
1/4 tsp sea salt

15 oz can black beans (1 3/4 cups cooked beans), drained and rinsed
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup grated carrots (and/or sliced cabbage)
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 1/2 avocados, peeled and chopped

4-8 large kale leaves, stem removed

Directions
1. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add quinoa. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until all of the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Keep covered for an additional 5 minutes to steam. Once done, stir in the 1/4 tsp sea salt and set aside.

2. Combine black beans, lime juice, cumin, onion powder, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend well until very smooth. Transfer to a small pan and heat over low until warm, stirring occasionally.

3. In a small bowl, toss the carrots and green onions with lime juice. Set aside.

5. To assemble the wrap, place a kale leaf on a flat surface and spread with some of the black bean mixture. Next, add quinoa and then the veggies. Garnish with avocado chunks. Roll and eat!

If you’re not going to eat everything right away, store the ingredients in separate containers.

Serves 2-4.

Original recipe: http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/lime-spiked-black-bean-and-quinoa-kale-wrap/

Fire in your bones

"I don't think that's a very good question to ask a writer, 'Why do you write?' You write because there's fire in your bones."

- Eugene Peterson

Decadent date and pecan brownies

This is a brownie recipe from heaven.

No, seriously. Nevermind the fact that it's gluten-free, processed-sugar-free, and dairy-free, you don't have to bake these, they're healthier than spinach, and they taste amazing.

Okay, there is one downside: they're a bit pricey to make. I won't be making these often, but that means they're even more of a treat.

Thank you, Kaylee of Rockton, Illinois! (Link to original recipe below.)

DECADENT DATE AND PECAN BROWNIES

Ingredients:

2 cups raw pecans

2 cups chopped and pitted Medjool dates [*Colleen's note: I don't chop my dates; I just pit them.]

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tbsp. agave nectar

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp. Earth Balance® Organic Soy Milk

1/2 cup (heaping) cocoa powder

3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted [*Colleen's note: I used olive oil and it still tasted great!]

1 pinch sea salt

1 tbsp. Earth Balance® Natural Peanut butter or Natural Almond Butter (according to preference)

Directions:  

1. Place pecans in a food processor and pulse until broken up. Then add dates and pulse about 10 times.

2. Add in cocoa powder, agave, and salt and process until crumbly and fully incorporated.

3. Press into a 9x9 inch pan firmly and place in fridge.

4. Place the maple syrup, Earth Balance® Organic Soy Milk, and cocoa powder into a blender and process until mixed. Add in the sea salt, the coconut oil, and the Earth Balance® nut butter and process again.

5. Pour the "glaze" from the blender over the brownies, smoothing with a spatula. Place in refrigerator to set.

6. Once set, cut into 9 squares. Cut each square into triangles. Serve!

http://www.madejustright.com/post/no-bake-dessert-recipe#