Cookie Dough Smoothie

Recently our kids had a "Taste of GRACE" day at school during lunch.  This is an opportunity for parents and grandparents to bring in some of their favorite recipes for kids to sample or they purchase food that might be unusual and encourage kids to give it a try!  Think sushi, alligator, seaweed, edamame, etc.  A new mom to GRACE asked if she could use my Vitamix and make smoothies.  She made a Green Smoothie as well as a Cookie Dough Smoothie!  It was a hit with the kids and I wanted to post it so I can make it soon for my kids!  Dawn volunteered too and ended up helping make smoothies AND hold Evelyn!  I only got this one picture, but it captures the day perfectly!

Cookie Dough Smoothie
1/4 cup raw pecans
1/4 cup Medjool dates, pitted (about 3-4 large fruits)
1 cup chopped very ripe pear
2 tablespoons lucuma powder
1 teaspoon maca powder
1 1/2 cups almond milk
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
2 cups coconut ice (coconut water frozen in ice cub trays)

Blend all ingredients in your Vitamix or other mixer.  Enjoy!

-leanne

A Fall Favorite - Quinoa Chili

It's been a while - so HELLO again! 

I hope this blog finds you well and enjoying FALL wherever you might be.  I think of this blog often and go to it for recipes that are tried and true.  At all times I have words in me that I'd love to share (and recipes too), but in this season my arms are literally full.  The newest Olive, Evelyn Lee, will turn a year old in 2 months.  Her favorite foods are strawberries and avocados.  She loves books, crawling up the stairs, and swinging outside!  I'm such a different mom 10 years later.  I think for the better as my perspective on these first few years of life has changed.  I know now why people say, "it goes by so fast."  And because of that I am trying to really cherish it all.

We are building a house in this season and will move in this spring/summer.  It's on land and our plan is to have honey bees, chickens, and some kittens.  I want a chicken coop like my friend Jen's.  Her chicken's have the nicest pet house I've ever seen.  Google chicken coops and you'll be amazed at what you see.  It might sound silly but I am also praying for cows.  Even as we were walking the land today I could see Bentley being more and more open to my cow idea.  I'd like belted galloways (the oreo cookie cows) but I'd really take any.  We had cows growing up and there is just something about a cow in a pasture that makes me want to slow down.  And they remind me of my grandfather Allison who I miss and think of so often.  One of our new neighbors has a pig which I am sure my girls will now add to their list.  Bentley and the girls are praying I change my mind about goats, but right now I am still not convinced.  

I've been reading a lot too.  A LOT.  I'll blog soon about some of the good ones.  This season is mostly non-fiction.  I feel sometimes like I'm back in college trying to juggle several reads at the same time.  But it makes me happy to read and it's even better when I get to sit with others and discuss.  God has so graciously allowed me to disciple some incredible young women in this season.  Discussing the Bible and good books with them keep me learning and growing too.  

Now on to the recipe (the real reason you clicked on this link).  My friend Ashley brought me a mason jar of this chili recently and it's so yummy!  She's made it before and I've made it too, but realized I didn't have it on the blog.  Make this chili this week and double the recipe so you can give some to someone who could use a home cooked meal by a friend.  Serve with some cornbread muffins and enjoy!  

xo - 
leanne


Healthy Quinoa Chili (5 stars)
*this is a tex-mex dish which can be served with avocados and stuff like that.

2 cups vegetable stock 
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 tbsp veg broth (or olive oil if you are not being hard-core)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled, diced
1 red bell pepper (capsicum), seeded, diced
2 cans (400g) diced tomatoes with juices
2 cans (420g) kidney beans, NOT drained
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup corn kernels (drained if using canned)

Bring vegetable stock to boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, stir, cover, and simmer on lowest setting until ready, about 15 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when little curls stick-out from the grains. Set aside. In a large saucepan or stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add celery and carrot, and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, tomatoes, kidney beans, chili powder, oregano and cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir-in quinoa and corn. Serve topped with diced avocado, tofu sour cream, cilantro (fresh coriander), and/or shredded cucumber, and with a side of corn chips or cornbread/corn muffins. To freeze chili, let chili cool completely and freeze in freezer-safe containers. To cook from frozen state, pop chili into an oven-safe casserole dish and COVER with a lid or aluminum foil before baking for 50 minutes at 375F/190C.

War Room

I went to see the movie "War Room" with two of my dearest friends this afternoon.  It's the kind of movie that leaves you thinking the rest of the day.

Priscilla Shirer is a gifted Bible teacher that I've learned so much from over the past several years.  She stars as one of the main characters, Elizabeth.  Her marriage is on "the rocks" when she meets her newest client Miss Clara who teaches her the power of prayer.  I want a copy of the script so I can write down many of the quotes from Miss Clara.  Oh how I want to be that kind of woman NOW - whose relationship with Jesus is evident in every area of her life.

These are a few nuggets I want to remember:

1.   When in a relationship crisis, don't try to fix the other person.  Concentrate on my own heart before the Lord and deal with my own sin, anger, unforgiveness, and hurt.

2.  There is NO room for doubt when I pray.  James 1:8

3.  Forgiving doesn't mean you are a "push over."  It means you are taking the harder road but the only one that offers peace.

4.  Listen to my kids - really listen.  I can't get these moments back.  I want them to be in my life forever & that starts with the way I love them now.

5.  Praying out loud is POWERFUL.  I practice this in my car often when I'm alone.  I need to do it more.

6.  In one scene Priscilla (Elizabeth) receives a text from a friend that could have put her in a panic.  Instead of panicking or texting back, she prays.  She prays out loud and with boldness and conviction.  It works!

7.  Don't pass up a chance to mentor someone God puts in my life.  My past mistakes, choices, and lessons need to be put to good use for the Kingdom.

8.  Listen to those wiser and further along in their walk than me.  Don't be prideful or distracted and miss a chance to grow in Christ.

9.  Carve out time to write scripture each day.  And hand write prayers to Jesus.  The written word has power.  Create a War Room where I can meet with God.

10.  Lord, I don't want to be lukewarm.  I want to be on fire for you.  Make me a warrior for Your Kingdom.

If you see the movie, comment and let me know what you took away!

praying I am bolder for Him -
leanne

Chocolate Peanut Butter Delights

When I was younger, my friend Ashley's mom made a version of these that I loved.  She would make these cookies and spaghetti every time we came over to play.  Eating these bring back fun memories! 

Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2/3 cup natural peanut butter, optional
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine honey, peanut butter and coconut oil, stirring until everything blends together smoothly.
3. Stir in oats, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt and mix until everything is fully incorporated and coated.
4. Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to drop cookies down onto parchment-lined baking sheets, then place in freezer for at least 15 minutes to set.
5. Store in an airtight container either in the fridge or freezer (depending on how you like them) and enjoy!

On My Nightstand...

My girls took a very lukewarm bath tonight.  After investing, Bentley discovered we are out of propane gas - again.  He reminded me that at least it's warm outside this time which means our house temps won't drop.  I called to leave a message with the company who delivers our gas and they were going to send out a guy tonight.  When he called me at 9:00 p.m. to say he would drive from Durham to Apex to get the truck, I just decided a bath could wait.  He was so nice about it and honestly I was going to work out in the morning anyway :)!  

All that introduction to say, I had a few minutes to spare (since I didn't shower), so I thought I'd blog.  It's been a while.  For those of you who frequent our site for stored recipes, I hope you like the new design.  It just needed something fresh and hip.  Alas, I went to my friend Ashley - who is crazy talented and visits this blog more than I do probably - for help:).  Several clicks later and we have a fresh look that makes me happy!

I know I have a stack of recipes to share, but they are all organized in my notebook downstairs and I'm upstairs :).  I'll share recipes soon.  Summer break is a mere 7 weeks away!  I am thrilled unlike most of my friends.  We got a taste of slowing down over the past several days and it felt so good.   

So the reason I got on here was to blog about books I've read recently that I recommend.  People ask me how I find time to read.  It's so cliche but "we find time for the things we enjoy."  And mainly it's because I gave up TV.  As in, I don't follow any shows.  We don't even have cable and our antenna won't pick up local stations because we live in the woods :).  Bentley manages with re-runs of shows on Amazon Prime while he works or when he can't sleep.  He only misses it during times like tonight (National Championship Game).  But he listens to the radio which makes me kind of laugh because it's so old school and I love it.  He has a great imagination and can envision all the plays I am sure :). 

Banana Muffins

Mix together these wet ingredients:

1 cup ripe bananas (about 2 medium sized bananas)
1 egg or flax egg (2 tbs. flax meal mixed w/6 tbs. water & let stand for 5 minutes)
1/2 cup milk (almond, soy, coconut, etc.)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut oil melted

Mix together these dry ingredients:
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cup flour (whole wheat, gluten free, etc.)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

Combine wet with dry ingredients.  Poor batter into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Makes 16 muffins.

Enjoy for breakfast or as a snack!

-leanne

Mexican Quinoa

My friend Rachel made this quinoa dish for our Book Club last month.  It was a huge hit!  

We read Kelly Minter's new book, Wherever the River Runs.  I highly recommend the book - favorite I've read this year - and I've read a lot of good books!  

enjoy both-

leanne

ONE PAN MEXICAN QUINOA

Prep Time  10 minutes

Cook Time  25 minutes

Total Time  35 minutes

Yield  4 servings

INGREDIENTS

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 jalapenos, minced

·         1 cup quinoa

·         1 cup vegetable broth

·         1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

·         1 cup corn kernels

·         1 teaspoon chili powder

·         1/2 teaspoon cumin

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

·         1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

·         Juice of 1 lime

·         2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

·         Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro.

·         Serve immediately.