Healthy 'Egg Roll in a Bowl' Recipe!

DEFINITELY a family favorite all around in this house! I seriously LOVE this recipe. It is so super quick, cheap and easy--plus it's healthy and my husband and kids love it. Win Win!! This was our family meal this past Friday evening.

Here is a link to the recipe I used:

Healthy Egg Roll in a Bowl

I tweak it to make it my own--a little different every time depending on what I have on hand.

I usually shred my own organic cabbage with a knife and grate in a few organic carrots. But, in a hurry, I have used a bag of coleslaw mix as well. It's shredded really fine so it cooks quickly and makes this a super super fast recipe.

You can mix up the meat to be whatever you like. In the past, I have used the last 2 chicken thighs I had left along with some ground pork and turkey, or my last 2 pork chops diced and cooked in the pan after the ground meat.

I also LOVE to add some different veggies that cook quickly. If you don't have green onion on hand, sauce a little diced or sliced onion in the pan after the meat. Zucchini is one of my personal favorite add-ins.

If you want to serve this with a starch, some whole wheat fettuccine noodles cooked separately and tossed in right before serving taste delicious and help fill those tummies around the table with only a few added in.

Whatever you do...don't leave out the sesame oil! It makes this dish in my opinion! You will thank yourself if you go buy some and keep it in your pantry for any asian flavored dish. It pairs so well with soy sauce.

Hang some paper lanterns, sit on the floor around your coffee table, light a couple candles, play some Chinese music and have fun for Friday night family dinner! Happy cooking.

Raisin' the Roof...

Yes, that is literally the name of this bread, Raisin' the Roof!

When my oldest two are at school and my youngest is down for nap time, I usually sit down in a quiet house to do some afternoon computer work or reading. I always want a hot cup of something and a small snack to go with that quiet time. It's a mental relax thing, I guess.

I have had Dave's Killer Bread lots of times before, it's all good! Try it! But I just found this raisin kind recently. I have had the Ezekiel 4:9 raisin bread in the past. I used to always have that one. And, while the Ezekiel bread may be a touch healthier than this one, I wanted a softer, chewier raisin bread texture.

This bread is all organic and its ingredients and sweetener are less refined. Here is a link for the ingredients:
http://www.daveskillerbread.com/raisin-the-roof/
It has a load of whole grains and seeds, but has a delicious taste and texture. One slice (at 90 calories) is a satisfying snack for me.

**Toast one slice, spread with a little butter, because...butter! If it is toast without butter it does not deserve the name toast, people! And then a little all-fruit (no refined sugar) jelly of your liking. Or in the fall...no-sugar apple butter!! YUM!

Also, since I try to limit coffee intake to my cup and a half in the morning (and YES many days I have more than that), I pour my last 2-3 Tbsp of coffee from the pot into my mug, fill the rest with hot water and brew a chamomile tea bag in the liquid instead. A perfect coffee 'fake-out' for my taste buds. :)

(Maybe tomorrow I will share what I put in my coffee, since I like it a little sweet and creamy, but not too sweet.)

No one is paying me to advertise products, by the way! I just love it when others share their favorites with me, so I am sharing mine with you. Leave a comment here on my blog or on FB to share your favorites with all of us too!

Turkey Gets a Bad Wrap...

Ground Turkey gets a bad wrap! Probably because...if you cook it by itself and/or overcook it, it is a tasteless rubbery mess. Ever tried to eat it like that? I have! That's when you forget dinner and order pizza. :)

Ground Turkey is a blank slate that lends itself to any flavor, you just need to add lots of flavor! My 'go to' for ground turkey, and what I have shown in the photo above is asian flavors. **I forgot to show my fresh ginger and soy sauce in this photo at the top! Those are two of the key flavors in these burger patties.

I also put in a little bit of ground pork sausage for flavoring and juiciness (about 2 Tbsp size scoops of meat with this one pound of ground turkey breast, I guess). Fresh grated veggies in your meat also adds a moist delicious texture. Think fresh grated onion, zucchini, also...add fresh grated ginger, grated garlic, etc. etc.

(You decide how much of each you like and mix it up!)
- 1 lb. Ground Turkey (I used turkey breast this time)
- 2-3 Tbsp. of Ground Pork Sausage
- Fresh grated ginger
- Fresh grated zucchini
- Fresh spinach torn or sliced in smaller pieces
- Minced garlic (I always keep the jar of minced garlic in olive oil in my fridge. SO much quicker.)
- Fresh grated Onion
    **Onion powder and garlic powder work in a pinch. They just don't add the moisture.
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil,  few small dashes (strong flavor, so add according to your taste)
- Pepper and a little salt (since you are added soy sauce)

Grab your hand grater, dump all the ingredients in a bowl with the meat, smash it all together with your hands and form small thin patties. I cook them with a little olive oil and a few drops of sesame oil in my non-stick pan. If you make them thin, they cook in literally 3-5 minutes.

Make and cook these right after you go grocery shopping, pop them in a container in the fridge and you have your lunch burger patties for the week! Just mix up your sides. I eat mine with a side of dijon mustard and a dash of ketchup to dip my bites in.

My favorites for today...

YUM!!

I know, I know, the name of these chips makes you want to laugh and walk past the bag. But...don't knock it till you try it! These 'Beanitos' black bean chips are delicious!

**TIP: When I am trying to get back on track, I usually count out how many chips I am going to have and measure out the amount of guacamole (one serving is a very filling snack). I believe resetting our portion sizes visually is a big step in the right direction. Everything around is us offered in 'Super-Sized' when it comes to food servings!

I tasted guacamole years ago and just couldn't handle the texture of the big chunks of avocado. So, I never ate any again for a really long time.

Then I tried this Sabra brand, Classic, (with no added sugars by the way) and I love the creamy texture. It has a perfect balance in taste and goes great with these chips!

Add in a grilled turkey burger patty and you have a pretty tasty lunch. (I will share that recipe tomorrow.) Don't write off ground turkey either!! It's all about what you add to it. I will share what I have found to work for our family with ground turkey tomorrow.

A Clean 'Plate'

1 Corinthians 10:31

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

Yup! It's time for a 'Clean Plate!'

Have you ever been in a season of life where you as wife, mom--or whatever relationship title you hold--have to adopt a 'survival mode?'

In July of 2015, our third child, Trent Michael James, was born. What a gift from God; we love him so much!

I noticed after he was born, however, that for increasing minutes/hours of the day and night, he would just cry. There was no way to comfort him. After several doctor visits and a few tests, our doctor (who is a practicing pedatrician for over 20 years) told us he believed this to be one of the worst cases of colic he has ever worked with. Just what an exhausted mom with 2 other kids, a husband and a job, really wanted to hear! Mainly because...there is no fix, cure or built in ending for colic. Their body just has to right itself on its own time table.

It lasted for 5 months...(tap the microphone)...MONTHS, not weeks or days. He screamed pretty much non-stop for 5 months.

I have 2 other kids, a husband and job. Life simply had to keep going. So, I adopted survival mode. Making sure my kids and husband were fed and their clothes were clean for the next day. That's it. A monumental task, I might add, with a screaming child in my arms literally all day long. (You do NOT want to know what my house looked like during those months; and I am a HUGE house perfectionist!)

I have always been very healthy minded when it comes to food, thanks to the training of my awesome mom. My meals were not 'fatty' and 'junky.' I always cooked and prepared 3 healthy meals a day.

During those months, needless to say, I got away from healthy and drifted to quick and easy--whatever that was! My kids still got fruit and veggies, just randomly. (And don't beat yourself up if that's what season you are in right now!)

Yes, I got a little stuck in a rut. Oh, I got back to cooking healthy dinners for the most part, but our snacking and 'grab and go' habits are what really affected our food routines.

So...ALL that to say this. I am starting with a clean plate! And I am going to be accountable by blogging with my food tips, recipes, favorite healthy brands and pictures.

I know how to do it, and I know what I like! I just need to get back to it.

**And remember...if you are a mom in a crazy season of life--totally in survival mode--we all get that. It happens sometimes. Don't beat yourself up; do what you can do for right now. Prioritize! Your house should be secondary during these seasons to the people that live in them! (And it pains this perfectionist to even say that. :) But God taught me a LOT about priorities during that season of my life!)

So...if you want to share some of my favorite healthy brands, healthy lunch and dinner tips and recipes, follow along! My posts are usually very short and to the point. I know 'mom down time' is extremely valuable. :)

I will share a separate short post later with a lunch favorite I started with today! Leave your comment along the way and share some of your favorites too!

Valuable Time...

III John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

Precious time with this little dude! Having two kids in school full-time makes me realize so much more how precious these 5 short years before kindergarten are at home with my children. I have tried my best to savor these years with each of mine, but I get a bit more sentimental with each one, I believe!

I am thrilled to be called, wife, mom and "keeper at home" (Titus 2). It is still a highly esteemed job title in God's eyes. When we as ladies today are asked our occupation, we can almost be tempted to try to embellish our 'stay-at-home mom' status. But 'stay-at-home mom' is still a great occupation and definitely a full-time job!

This morning, while building blocks, practicing obedience, colors, putting away our things and just snuggling on the couch with our youngest, I looked down at his sweet, fuzzy head and breathed a prayer of thankfulness for the great blessing and large responsibility I have been given.

- I LOVE the privilege of being the one to hear and see all of the 'firsts' in my children's lives!
- I LOVE being the one to teach each child through all those first early moments in life and having a large part in building their foundation as an individual!
- I LOVE hearing that sweet babble and noticing as words begin to form and communication begins!

I know many moms in today's world have no choice in the matter and have to go to work each day. I admire you! I think I would have cried each day that I left my babies in someone else's care. You are amazing strong women, whom I believe God will reward greatly!

If you do have the opportunity to stay home with your littles, and there is a choice, I would highly recommend that you consider it! I will never regret the opportunity of being home with my children. They are such a gift! Do I cherish every moment...No. :) Let's be real, life is messy and imperfect at it's best, with plenty of moments we wish to erase. I do LOVE the privilege of being a wife and mom at all times. Even in those moments I wish to erase, I never wish to relinquish my privileged job title...One of the highest titles, I believe...Wife and Mom!

Make Your Time With God Special!

Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
Isn't it so easy to get caught up in life's busyness and then painfully realize that we have often been too busy working 'for' God to spend time with Him?!

Whenever we enter an extremely busy season, I often find myself discouraged by my lack of  'proper prioritizing.' I read my quick Proverb for the day and tell God I will catch up with my Bible study, reading and prayer time soon. (Hey! Sometimes with little children who are sleepless wonders, fitting in a Proverb for the day is nothing short of miraculous! Am I right? I know there most be other sleep-deprived moms out there like me who have a very hard time surrendering those precious extra moments of sleep or just mental sanity in the morning or afternoon when little Johnny or Suzie Q are sleeping.) At this stage of my life, afternoon naptime for my younger two kids fits best for my alone time.

But, whatever stage of life we are in, Satan certainly loves to convince us that there are so many better and more qualified ways to spend our time rather than with our Lord, doesn't he?!

One thing I have learned over the years about myself is that I am much more prone to be regular with my special time alone with God if I create an event and environment that I look forward too! Atmosphere makes a big difference for me--candles, pretty soft music, the smell of hot coffee brewing! I also really love cute notebooks and journals.

I have found that I anticipate my Bible and prayer time more if I know I get to pull out my cute Bible and notebook, sit down in the same spot in my kitchen and look out the window at my favorite tree. This time definitely always includes my favorite steaming cup of hazelnut coffee and a healthy sweet treat to go with it!

These are one of my favorites at the moment!

So I encourage you to study yourself and find out what motivates you or even entices you to want to do something. Your favorite candle, pretty piano music, your favorite hot drink or healthy snack, a couple squares of Dove Dark Chocolate...whatever it takes! Make time with God something you anticipate!

Look past the mess to see the faces...

 

 

On that November day, after reading chapter 13, 'Surviving or Thriving,' in "The Magnolia Story" written by Joanna Gaines, I looked down to watch my 15 month old baby boy discovering how to put his Veggie Straws in a bowl and then take them out over and over again with that sweet little innocent baby wonder in his eyes. Then it really hit home...I don't get these days or even moments back, but I will have the rest of my life to 'perfect' my house!
 

Yes! I am a perfectionist who gets frustrated by clutter!! But, I believed I was missing out on those special moments of laughing with my kids in their mess because I was getting upset with them about their mess. 
 

There will be years to come (hard to imagine in some of my current life moments of mess!) when I will be wishing for 'little people clutter' to clean up. 
 

Why am I so worried about my house always looking completely perfect anyways? My kids certainly don't care if things are stunningly arranged at every moment of the day, and my husband is happy if our home is a happy place. The 'house stressing' is usually pertaining to how I feel that my house appears to others. That's pride on my part.
 

Sure, we have a cleaning routine, I still have to put away a few baby messes here and there, and have kids clean up a bit throughout the day. I'm not talking about living in a pig sty! Teaching the kids how to organize and put their things away and having easy storage for them plays a big role in my sanity. But, 'the plan' is definitely not always going to work; we are just going to have those 'days!' I decided Jo was right...I am not going to spend the majority of my day cleaning and picking up and nagging after my kids for perfection, even if it means staying up an extra hour at night. I want to enjoy my kids!
 

So, God reminded me today to make a different choice in my outlook. (We do have a choice, after all!) Instead of allowing myself to be frustrated and upset by 'kid mess,' I will enjoy the little person IN the mess and thank God for allowing my husband and I to have that little person in our home! I realized that my relationship with them is more important than a show-stopping house to impress others while neglecting the feelings of those who live here!
 

Thanks, God, for stepping on my toes today!

 

I LOVE Being a Mom!

III John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

I LOVE being a mom!

Do I always get it right? No...that would definitely be a 'no.' Wish I could say 'yes!'

In fact there are some days I feel like a complete failure by the end of the day. (I would imagine every mom can testify to these feelings!)

I have been really busy these past couple weeks, so today I had the privilege of snuggling with my 14 month old baby boy and watching "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," reading books on the bed to my 5 year old daughter when she came home from kindergarten and watching my favorite 9 year old buddy show off his basketball dribbling skills out in front of the house.

This was a great reminder for me that kids do not need a million 'bells and whistles' to feel loved. They just need us as moms to stop everything else for a moment of time and share in their 'happy' that day!

What is important to them? Do we stop and ask...just looking into those little eyes, putting aside all distraction for a moment of time and really listening? (and our kids know if we are really listening, don't they?!)

So...when you have days like mine, your 'To Do' list is screaming in your head and there are things all around the room trying to grab your attention; here is a thought...

The 'stuff' around us will seem so drastically important in the moment, but it will all get done somehow and life will go on. God reminded me today that the little people in my life need to know every day that I love them, need to know that what they have to say and how they feel is more important to me than my 'stuff' and need to be reminded every day that...

I LOVE being their mom!!

Thank you, God, for this reminder!

How Can I Keep from "Falling From Stedfastness" as a Christian?

II Peter 3:17-18 "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."

In this day of unlimited access to temptation, wrong and unlimited abilities to "hide" our sin, how do I as a Christians keep from "falling from my own stedfastness?" It seems God gives us a couple answers here in these 2 verses. 

     1. We must beware. The dictionary definition of Beware: to be careful: to act in a way that shows you know that there may be danger or trouble. This is SO very true! We must live our lives with a constant awareness of the power of Satan and his temptations in our life. As a young person, my youth pastor reminded us frequently that it was ok to 'run scared' of Satan. In other words, we cannot forget about his constant presence.

     2. We must grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus. We can never be satisfied with where we are spiritually. It is important to always be growing and learning more about our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. How? Through His Word! God reminds us in John 1:1 "...and the Word was God." To know the Bible is to know God!

What great lessons, God! Thank You so much for these reminders today.