Broccoli, Pumpkin & Peanut Stir-fry

During autumn, local Farmer's Markets will have pumpkins of all shapes, colors and uses. Be sure to ask him or her for the most flavorFULL for your recipes and which is best for carving the jack-o-lantern for decorating your porch!

Lenise, my friend from church, gifted me with Basmati Rice from India! I couldn't wait to stay home long enough to get creative in the kitchen using the fragrant rice. A rice cooker is my preference while cooking the veggies, because it will automatically cut-off and I don't have to babysit a pot of rice. WINNING!

For this stir-fry recipe, I diced a little more than 1 cup of the cute little Sugar Pie Pumpkin and roasted the rest to be used, later, for other recipes. Stir-fry is a quick cooking dish perfect for after work. Taking only a few minutes, the veggies cook until slightly softened. If including meat or tofu with this dish, prepare and cook before the veggies.

Broccoli and Pumpkin Stir-fry

1 Onion, diced

1 cup Pumpkin, peeled & diced

2-3 cloves Garlic, minced

1-3 large Carrots, peeled & cut

1-2 large Broccoli heads/bunches, cut into florets a.k.a. "little trees"

8 oz sliced, fresh Mushrooms

1-2 tablespoons Oil (coconut or olive)

For "heat" - Red Pepper Flakes  -OR-  Sriracha

Creamy Peanut Butter & Low Sodium Soy Sauce  -OR-  Chinese Brown Sauce (scroll toward bottom of this post)

Basmati Rice

(optional: Extra Firm Tofu drained and large diced, Chicken or other meat thinly sliced)

• Heat oil in large skillet to medium high.
• Sauté onion, pumpkin and carrots until slightly softened. Keep stirring to prevent scorching.
• Add garlic, broccoli and mushrooms. Keep stirring to prevent scorching.
• Here's when you add your choice of sauce. Turn down the heat. Pour in enough soy sauce to cover the bottom of the skillet and stir in a big glob of creamy peanut butter  --OR-- use Chinese Brown Sauce in the place of soy sauce. Because veggies are different sizes, just play around with measurements until your veggies are coated and the consistency is where you like it!
• Add heat...if you're not a wuss!
• Serve over cooked Basmati Rice and garnish with chopped peanuts.
• Enjoy!

NOTE: If using meat, cook in heated skillet, then set aside and add before serving

Chinese Brown Sauce

(Forks Over Knives... I've subbed in Molasses & Corn starch)

1/3 cup Low-sodium Soy Sauce

1/3 cup Vegetable Stock

1/4 cup Molasses

1 tablespoon Grated Ginger or Ginger Paste

2 cloves Garlic, peeled & minced

1-2 teaspoons (or more) Corn Starch, dissolved in cold orange juice (water or pineapple juice would work, too)

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened. If there are any left-overs, serve with meal or store refrigerated in airtight container.

OK! Go Play with Your Food!

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Chickpeas & Veggies

I cannot tell a lie. This is not my creation. 

Samantha, a participant in my REFIT with Sam i Am class, blessed me with a free box from HelloFRESH, a weekly home-delivery meal planning company. There are three different plans: Classic, Veggie and Family with each serving 2-4 persons. For us, I found it easier to order the Vegetarian adding meat, at home, to my hubby's portion. Each box arrives with fresh ingredients for 3 different meals and laminated recipe cards! You control the spice and seasonings. I think this would be an excellent idea for vacations where you have access to a kitchen. Simply pack or purchase the basic supplies, like olive oil, butter and your fave kitchen knife. Then, have your HelloFRESH box delivered to your vacation home for the week!

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Chickpeas & Veggies


1 Zucchini
1 cup Heirloom Grape Tomatoes
Olive Oil (or your favorite oil)
Fresh Thyme
2 Green Onions (a.k.a Scallions)
2 Cloves Garlic
The juice of 1 Lemon
1 can Chickpeas (a.k.a. Garbanzo Beans)
1-2 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
2 tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 cups Israeli Couscous
1 1/2 cups Veggie Stock
Feta Cheese Crumbles
Black Pepper

• Heat oven to 425*.
• Trim zucchini and cut into 1/2" cubes. Halve tomatoes. Strip thyme leaves from steps. Discard stems. Thinly slice green onions, keeping green portion separate from white portion. Mince garlic. Halve lemon.
• Toss zucchini cubes, tomato halves and half of the thyme leaves in a drizzle of olive oil. Season with black pepper. Spread on one end of a cookie sheet lined with either parchment paper or a Silpat® (my preference). THEN...
• Rinse and drain chickpeas in a strainer under running water to remove extra salt and that weird starch-gel. Toss in olive oil and smoked paprika and black pepper. Spread chickpeas on the other end of the lined cookie sheet from the veggies.
• Roast 425* for 20 minutes, tossing or stirring everything around about halfway through. Chickpeas may pop in the oven, which is natural!
• While veggies are roasting, prepare Israeli Couscous...
• Heat butter, minced garlic and scallion whites in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes, add dry couscous and remaining thyme and black pepper. Cook, tossing or stirring until couscous is lightly toasted about 3-4 minutes. Watch the skillet. The browning butter could burn quickly. Any bits stuck to skillet will be deglazed in the next step.
• Stir 1 1/2 cups veggie stock into skillet. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer until couscous is al dente (like pasta) 10-12 minutes.
• When the veggies are roasted and the couscous is ready, stir together with the juice of 1 lemon and as much feta as you desire. 
• Serve with feta and green scallions (a.k.a the tops) sprinkled on top.
• ENJOY! 

TIPS: 

• You can easily make this dish vegan by omitting the feta cheese and substituting your fave oil or vegan butter in place of the dairy butter.
• Also, if you or your family are meat eaters, this works well as a side dish to either chicken or fish!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD... and check out HelloFRESH!

Fitness and Your Witness

(First appeared as a guest contribution post on Sanctuary Ministry Wives - August 1, 2016 blog)

I’m in the ministry. I’ve got faith. Why do I need fitness?

Simply put, to honor God and bring Him glory in all areas of our lives.

The body, mind and soul all work together. One overlaps the other. Each affects the other. It makes sense that if Christ came to give us an abundantly satisfying life in body, mind and soul, the devil has a counter mission to steal, kill and destroy that body, mind and soul (John 10:10). But, God offers His strength to empower our choices, including our fitness and nutrition journey.

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

In 2012, my husband and I had transitioned from a state leadership position held for almost twelve years in our denomination to ministry more of missions-fundraising. Travel intensified from within one state to around the USA and the globe. Days and nights sitting in a car or plane or at meetings around the dinner table of high calorie and fatty meals were grabbed with convenience in mind. In no time, an on-the-go-sedentary life and poor nutritional choices piled on the weight. Additionally, we were genetically predisposed to health issues.

That December, my husband suffered a heart attack.

I sat up all night in a dark corner of his hospital room praying and observing the attentive cardiac team and listening to my honey’s breathing and all the various beeps from equipment monitoring his life on earth…his life with me. Being a Believer in God’s power for healing, I didn’t want to hear comforting words of well-meaning friends. I just wanted to sense the nearness of my Savior, Jesus Christ. And, I did.

A couple of weeks prior, God had been dealing with me about diet and exercise. Now, there was purpose. With our motivations being defined, we drove away from the hospital making a pact to pursue good health. We moved forward and have not stopped.

Allow me to offer 8 hard-learned suggestions to help you discover a healthier YOU.

(1) KNOW YOUR WHY. Knowing why you pursue something is much like knowing your calling to ministry. For it is in those difficult times, when it would be easier to throw up your hands in defeat, instead to wrangle resolve knowing what holds you to the commitment.

For us, the motivation to be physically fit was to live without fear and to live fully for God, family, ministry and ourselves.

(2) IT’S A LIFESTYLE. Shifting from years, even decades, with little to no thought toward the consequences of poor nutrition and no exercise has on your body, requires a complete change in mental process. You CAN do this! How bad do you want it?

I could make gravy and mac-n-cheese from scratch! I had to learn how to make low-to-no fat meals. We opted for food and beverages naturally sweetened. Discovering which fast food restaurants have something to offer was frustrating, at times. It’s not about restriction. It’s about the freedom of living and feeling better! And, when people start seeing the changes, you’ll know fitness has been your witness to draw others to Christ!

(3) FIND A FITNESS REGIME THAT MAKES YOU SMILE. The first TWO WEEKS of your new exercise regime will be the hardest. After the initial fatigue and muscle soreness, you may want to give up. Stick to it! Consistency is the key. If after a month (at least 3 times each week), you still do not like this particular brand of fitness, try something new for another month.

“If I’m moving, I’m winning!” This became and is still very much my fitness motto.

(4) FOOD PREPARATION. The two toughest challenges in a nutritional change are *not giving up and *preparing meals, especially if you have a busy lifestyle.

When I don’t prepare a menu or if I skip weekend food prep for the meals ahead, my hubby and I will end up making poor nutritional choices.

(5) HYDRATE. You simply must drink more water, especially during your fitness session. Tell-tale signs you may be dehydrated: Dry mouth and lips. Gently pinching skin beneath your bottom eyelashes, and it stays pinched. Feeling thirsty.

There are conflicting reports of just how much H2O a person should consume daily. MY TIPS: However much water you’re drinking, drink 8 ozs more. AND, let the first thing you consume in the morning and the last thing you consume each evening be a glass of water. AND, try flavoring your water with sugar-free mix-ins or fruit or essential oils.

(6) WELLNESS EXAM. If you can financially swing it -OR- if your health insurance covers a yearly exam, do it! You’ll have a good base of numbers to launch forward. Find out cholesterol, weight (ugh), blood pressure, thyroid (TSH) levels, etc, and then, you’ll know what type of nutrition to pursue. Don’t be overwhelmed if your physician suggests meds to control these areas. Typically, they opt for fitness and nutrition as their first prescription.

(7) ACCOUNTABILITY. Fitness can be fun. Fitness with friends is the best! Why? Laughter, support, and celebration! Fitness friendships spur one another on with encouragement and a healthy dose of competition… or, if you konk-out, someone is there to call 9-1-1! C’mon, I’m just kidding!

(8) CHEAT MEAL. Sure, those cravings for chips and fudge brownies will still be there, but it’s important not to destroy your hard work for a steady diet of them. Go ahead! Enjoy a cheat meal to get it out of your system! Then, get back on track. More than likely, you will notice the sluggish feeling these cheat foods induce.

I am happy to report my preacher-man is doing great! He gets me moving when I have a case of the Idontwannas! We brought down cholesterol levels significantly. Together, we run 5K and 10K races and half-marathons. Finding new places to hike while traveling for ministry is fun!

I never thought fitness would be a platform to share the Gospel, but it has become an integral part of weekly ministry for me! I became a REFIT® Revolution Instructor and absolutely love helping others to pursue a lifestyle of fitness and nutrition! FITNESS IS MY WITNESS!

It bears repeating, ministry, faith and fitness go together. YOU can do this!

Dessert Menu: (suggested books and media)

SanctuaryMinistryWives.com founded by Bridgette Tomlin

REFIT® Revolution founded by Angela Beeler

The Body Tithe Devotional written by Matthew Pryor

Tuesday Recipe: Tangerines with Lime Essence

Summer are here! Grilling and backyard parties are on! You need a quick, nutritious dessert that doesn't leave you feeling heavy. Sunday's newspaper probably has a coupon for Cuties or Halo Oranges. Or is it Tangerines? Or is it Clementines? Or is it Mandarines?

There really is a difference. Basically, it comes right down to the harvest season, being seedless and easy-to-peel for young eaters. These little sweeties ward off the munchies and are a source of fiber and vitamin C.





Tangerines with Lime Essence
(adopted from eMeals)

1 Tangerine per person (peeled and sectioned)
2-3 large Limes (grate and reserve rind before juicing)

1-3 tablespoonsHoney
optional: Cilantro, coarse chopped

• Place orange sections in a serving bowl.
• Whisk together: lime juice, honey and lime rind.
• Pour lime mixture over orange sections and toss to coat.
• Taste. Adjust the lime mixture for a sweeter or more tart flavor.
• Serve cold!

#goplaywithyourfood

Tuesday Recipe: Aloo Gobi

Aloo (Potato) Gobi (Cauliflower) is an 

inexpensive "dry" curry for anyone who would like to change up their typical midweek menu! The list of ingredients may seem long, but it's just a simple teaspoon, here and there, to taste.

My husband loved how the house smelled and decided he wanted the curry over rice as opposed to quinoa, which was my choice. I happened to have Saffron Jasmine Rice! Also, after stirring the curry, he mentioned more sauce would be more to his liking. No problem! I added 1 small can of tomato paste and thinned down with vegetable broth and additional Indian spices! Mmmmm!

Aloo Gobi Curry

(adapted from Forks Over Knives, pg 179)

1 medium Yellow Onion, peeled & diced

Ginger (1 T of fresh grated or 1/2 t ground)

2 cloves Garlic, peeled & minced

Small Jalapeño, seeded & minced

Thanks to friends for the garden tomatoes!

2 medium Tomatoes, diced (I used a can of diced toms + fresh garden toms)

1 medium head Cauliflower, cut/plucked into florets

1 lb Potatoes, 1/2" dice or coarse chunks

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1 teaspoon ground Coriander

1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric (which gives the curry it's beautiful color)

1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground Cloves (Don't skip this ingredient - It's the deal maker!)

2 Bay Leaves

Salt, to taste

optional:  1 small can Tomato Paste

optional: Vegetable Broth

optional: Cilantro, coarse chopped

• Sauté onion over medium heat; 7-10 mins
• Add ginger, garlic and jalapeño; 3-5 mins
• Add tomato, cauliflower, potatoes, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, turmer, cloves and bay leaves. Cook, covered for 10 mins, until veggies are tender.
• **IF you choose a wet curry, add the tomato paste and thin with vegetable broth. Simmer for 3-5 mins.
• Remove the bay leaves. Serve over rice or fave grain.

Remember, cooking is a subjective taste with an objective of enjoying your meal. You know your taste and the preferences of your family... Go play with your food!

Tuesday Recipe: Cabbage Salsa

Whether or not "salsa" is the correct word is purely subjective. It tastes good on a tortilla, a tortilla chip and will top tonight's grilled shrimp taco. See? Salsa.

Actually, the basic recipe came from a healthy food blogger, Lindsay, over at Pinch of Yum where she created a "slaw." Of course, she realizes people like herself tend to adapt recipes to their specific taste. And, of course, I just gotta go play with my food to change it up ever so slightly.

A food processor is not required, but greatly cuts down the preppin' time and gets ya to the eatin' time! So fresh!

Cabbage Salsa

1/2 cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup Water
Lime Zest & Juice (How big are your limes?)
Green Onions
Garlic
Jalapeño (How hot do ya like it?)
Cilantro
Green Cabbage, shredded or finely sliced
Salt, to taste

• Toss all ingredients, with the exception of the cabbage, into the food processor and zip it down! I zipped the cabbage down, earlier.
• Taste. Does it need more of your fave flavor? Get it to tasting like you like it. Then...
• Pour over 2+ cups of shredded or finely sliced cabbage and toss it around to coat the cabbage.
• Um...no more steps. Go eat it and...

Play with Your Food!

Tuesday Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

Some days you just gotta have some cheesy, spicy (or not) Texican-Mexican flavor! Here's a super fast resolve to settle your inner longing for the Southwest when you are far, far away and "#7 Speedy Gonzalez" menu item will never suffice.

Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

1/2 to 1 cup  bottled Roasted Red Bell Peppers, drained & sliced
1 tablespoon Mayonnaise (or Vegannaise)
1 cup + Colby Jack/Fiesta Blend or Sharp Cheddar, shredded
Cilantro, chopped
For heat: 1 Jalapeño Pepper, seeds & membrane removed, chopped OR
For heat: splashes of Sriracha, to taste
(optional: 1-2 splashes of Mesquite Liquid Smoke)
(optional: sauté one small onion, diced)
Flour Tortillas, size and flavor depends on you
Olive Oil or spray oil

• Drain Roasted Red Bell Peppers and slice into strips.
• In medium bowl, combine mayo, cheese, cilantro and chopped jalapeño. Stir in strips of sliced Roasted Red Bell Peppers.
• Heat skillet to medium to medium-high and lightly coat with oil.
• Spoon some of the cheese mixture onto one side of each tortilla. Then, fold tortillas in half.
• Slide the stuffed & folded tortilla onto the heated and prepared skillet for 3-4 minutes each side OR until cheese is melted and tortilla is toasted.
• Remove from skillet. Cut each tortilla in half or thirds to serve!

The breakfast twist on this recipe is to scramble one egg per tortilla. Spoon the cheese mixture and the scrambled egg onto one side of each tortilla and proceed with heating. Serve with salsa and additional cilantro! :)

Go play with your food!

For the Newbie Runner: Part 6

Easing Aches, Pains & Chafing

Whether training hard or starting to pursue fitness, our muscles will ache. This is typically a good sign letting us know our body is working hard and is attempting to heal itself. While this healing is taking place, we can aid it along with some simple non-expensive (and some pricier) solutions.


Consuming protein within 30 minutes as a post-workout recovery will help muscles repair. My preference is to drink a liquid protein-rich supplement containing at least 20-30 grams of protein. Many people reach for a powdered whey protein which can be mixed with water. There are many to choose from and the taste usually falls flat. One pre-mix option which tastes pretty good is EAS AdvantEDGE line of low-carb products to either get or stay lean. The dark chocolate is fairly tasty and available at WalMart for $5/4 pack.

On my journey of vegetarian and flexitarian protein options, I really like the Vegetarian Meal Replacement Shake powered by plant-proteins and the Performance Elite products offered by Advocare. The Nighttime Recovery is some insanely great voodoo! HA! If you're interested, message me for more details.

After your workout + protein shake, spend time soaking in a hot bath to ease and prevent some muscle soreness that will find you the next morning. A 20-minute hot bath is awesome when you add 2 cups of Epsom Salt. Somehow, it seeps into your skin and works its magic! Again, WalMart carries this product for about $5. Dr. Teal's Epsom Salt Soaking Solution has really stepped up their game with a great selection of scents and convenient packaging in the bath and first aid section.

Sweat-saturated workout clothing moving across skin or skin-to-skin contact movement can cause friction in sensitive areas. Shield that area of skin with anti-chafing skin protectants which aren't greasy and stay put, such as Body Glide products available in athletic stores for around $7. 

Your skin and muscles are working hard for you! Treat 'em with care!

For more Newbie Running Tips, be sure to check out: 

"For the Newbie Runner: Part 1" 

• Shoes: All Feet are Not Created Equal
• Intervals: A Mile is a Mile
• Running Groups: Never Say Never

"For the Newbie Runner: Part 2"

• Stretching: Impatience can Cause Injury
• Cross-Training: Getting Stronger all Over

"For the Newbie Runner: Part 3"

• Run Unplugged

"For the Newbie Runner: Part 4"

• Walking: Not for the Wussy
• Apps: Help or Hindrance?

"For the Newbie Runner: Part 5"

• Finding Motivation: Local Runs/Walks

Zucchini Bisque

My neighbors and friends passed along veggies from their gardens. With a good supply of bountiful zucchinis and needing inspiration, I turned to my equally bountiful supply of cookbooks. I'm still working my way through Forks Over Knives and discovered Zucchini Bisque. I have plenty of zucs in case this doesn't go so well.

But, it did go well! I really thought the bisque was good. My hubby was not as thrilled. It's not everyday people crave the zuc as soup. I'm a little joyous about the nutmeg coming through. And, the lemon zest adds the sunshine. I froze the rest for this winter when I'm longing for the fresh taste of summer.

For this recipe you will need either an immersion blender or a regular blender to zip down the cooked veggies into a pureé. If using the countertop blender, be sure to hold the lid in place with a towel.

Zucchini Bisque
(page 89, Forks Over Knives)

1 medium Yellow Onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 medium Zucchini, finely chopped (I removed the seeds. They're no fun to eat.)
2 cups Vegetable Stock/Broth
1/2 teaspoon Thyme (I used what I had on-hand, dried.)
1/4 Nutmeg
Zest from one Lemon
1 cup Unsweetened Plain Almond Milk (Or any milk or cream.)
S&P, to taste
**optional: olive oil

• Sauté onion in a large saucepan over medium heat 7-8 minutes or until onions are tender. Use either the dry sauté method with 1-2 tablespoons of water, at a time to keep onions from sticking to the pan OR use the same amount of olive oil.
• Add zucs, veggie stock, thyme, nutmeg and lemon zest and cook until zucs are tender.
• Pureé soup using the immersion blender or in smaller batches in the countertop blender.
• Return pureé to pot, add milk and salt and pepper. 
• Cook until heated through.

Serve hot with croutons or a crusty bread!

2-on-Tuesday: Pesto Pasta with Asparagus

Let's say you have company coming OR host a girlfriend gathering OR your in-laws are in town. You want to serve something special to special people!

Below is a lovely offering posted by Chung-Ah on Pinterest ever so slightly edited to reflect my taste. She has a tasty website, too, using "simple, fresh ingredients, and transforming them into sophisticated and elegant meals for the everyday home cook."



Pesto Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Asparagus

8 ozs medium-size Shell Pasta, cooked
1 lb Asparagus, prepared for cooking (click here for a quick 32 second video)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
S&P, to taste
1/2 cup Basil Pesto (see recipe below)
1/3 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, drained & julienned
1/3 cup Mozzarella, shredded
**optional: shrimp or chicken breast

• Asparagus can be roasted on the grill --which I did-- or in the oven. Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Toss to combine. Cook 8-12 minutes. Let cool before cutting into 1" pieces.

TIP: If using the grill, simply shape heavy foil into a cookie sheet pan. Place asparagus on foil pan on the hot grill. When asparagus is tender, but not crisp and turns bright green, slide the foil "sheet pan" onto a real cookie sheet and transfer to kitchen. If using the oven, preheat to 450 degrees. Line sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Cook using the same instructions for the grilled version.

• If you want to add shrimp, drizzle with oil, salt & pepper and grill or oven-roast until pink (apprx 8-10 minutes) on a sheet pan similar to the asparagus. Be sure to remove tails before combining with pasta. If using chicken, plan to cook for 40 minutes or until inner temp registers 170 degrees on a meat thermometer. Then, dice or serve along with pasta.
• In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, cooked asparagus, pesto, sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella (and shrimp or chicken, if using).
• Serve with an Italian bread!

Basil Pesto

3/4 to 1 cup Fresh Basil Leaves

2 cloves Garlic

3 tablespoons Pine Nuts

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

S&P

1/3 cup Olive Oil

• Using a food processor, process all ingredients, at once, adding more olive oil, if needed. 

You're gonna receive rave reviews and an ovation after dinner! Smile and bow graciously! ;)