Our new friends…

We had a crazy weekend…running here and there!  The funny thing is, half the time we were “running” it was actually without the princesses! 
The princesses went camping with Grammy (my mom) on Friday night, so I took advantage of the time by getting together with a sweet friend (love you Stephanie!) for dinner at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza.  I indulged on their Greek Salad from the gluten free menu, but did so much gabbing that I ended up taking half of it home!  It was such a great time of refreshment and reminded me how important it is for me to not only take time out for myself, but to spend time with other Godly women.  Dinner was early and the hubs was still at work, so we met up and decided to finish out the evening on an IKEA date!  I’ve had the itch to clean and organize the pantry for some time now, so I finally made up my mind to just get it done. 
A look at the before (kind of embarrassing now that I look at it!):

 I purged two trash bags full of stuff and it felt so good!!

And the after IKEA/Walmart makeover:

Gone are the days of storing nuts, seeds, pasta and oats in plastic baggies!  I love these new little jars and the fact that I can actually see exactly what’s in them!

I took the hubs on a nice power hike Saturday morning, then he was off to a meeting for the rest of the day.

 
I spent my day running errands, picking up a few finds at the farmers market, and working on lesson plans.  Later that evening we met up with the princesses at the campground for dinner and to hear all about their fishing adventures! 
After a wonderful Sunday morning at church, the princesses and I headed home to rest before my nephew’s 2nd birthday party. 

 Happy Birthday Little Man!!  My sister did an awesome job on his “Construction Zone” themed party…even had some “dirt and rocks” on the cupcakes!

 I, of course, forgot the camera and missed all the “Jumpy Jump” fun, pinata hitting, and cupcake eating!  And if that wasn’t enough excitement for the day, the princesses were whisked off for one more night of camping fun.  I spent the evening doing more lesson planning because I’m crazy like that!
Monday came and went, but not before I picked up two dirty little princesses and stopped by the pet store to pick up our three new friends.  We’re hoping they will stay with us for at least the week!

 This is “Tim” and he is our science experiment friend.  Princess Makenna is completing her unit on “Fish” this week and will be doing an experiment on water temperatures.  It was suggested that goldfish are the best to withstand temperature changes…we’ll see and pray that he lives through the experiment!

 This is “Haley” and she is currently hanging out in Princess Makenna’s room.

 And this is “Dave”.  He is currently having a party in Princess Cailyn’s room and is named after her daddy!

It’s hard to believe it’s already Tuesday and we have more on our calendar than I would care to think about!  So, for now, I won’t!  I think our little friends need a snack and so do I!

I think this may give me the energy I need to make it through the rest of the day!

Blessings,

J’lene

dinner with mom…

I’ve been on another kale and quinoa kick.  I think quinoa has made an appearance on my salads each night this week and I’m also lovin’ it as a simple side mixed with some black beans and avocado…easy peasy and ups the nutritional value of my meal! 

Kale is another one of those versatile veggies that has been popping up in a lot of our meals lately!  I’ve been mixing it up in our smoothies, switching out my regular mixed greens in salads for kale, and kale chips of course!!!

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In the mix: filtered water, vanilla protein powder, chia seeds, spinach, kale, kiwi, strawberries, peaches, mangoes and pineapple.

While I’m good with eating the same thing morning, noon and night, the rest of the fam appreciates when I change things up every now and then!  So, last night I decided to try something new using the two things that I’ve been so familiar with lately….kale and quinoa!  And to top things off, I invited Grammy (my mom)to join us for dinner.  She’s a great guest to have when your trying out new dishes, especially when she’s home alone because Papa (my dad) is out of town for work!  She gladly accepted my offer and gave rave revues for the evening meal…thanks Mom!

I married some kale and colored quinoa together in, what I believe, to be one of the most divine side dishes to accompany a meal!!  There was definitely a “happy dance” goin’ on in my mouth!

Colored Quinoa and Kale Salad with Roasted Veggies

(inspired by Two Peas and Their Pod)

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

3 cups kale, washed and leaves removed from the stem

4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided

1 cup colored quinoa, cooked according to package directions

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Parmesan cheese (optional to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place sweet potatoes and sweet onion slices in a medium bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat and then put them on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking oil.  Bake for 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender (stir  a couple of times while baking).

Drizzle the kale with 2 Tbsp of the balsamic vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet when the potatoes and onions have been in the oven for about 15 minutes.  Bake for the remaining 15 minutes, until the kale is wilted and starting to get crispy.  Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!

While the vegetables are roasting, make the quinoa following the package directions.  After quinoa is cooked, allow it to cool to room temperature.

When the vegetables are done roasting, let them cool to room temperature.  Chop up the onion slices and potatoes into bite size pieces.  In a large bowl, combine the onions, potatoes, kale and quinoa.  Drizzle with the remaining 2 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar and add in the dried cranberries.  Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper if desired.  Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and serve!

  I might even have to say it’s even better the next day!  Had some for lunch and sprinkled a few sliced almonds on top for some extra crunch (the roasted kale lost a bit of it’s crunchiness).  Oh-So-Good!

Happy Thursday!  Looking forward to leftovers tonight…it’s fun to have a “leftover buffet” at least one night a week.  It gives me a little break from cooking and the princesses have fun picking and choosing what ends up on their plate!  We just have one rule…at least one veggie must make an appearance as part of their meal.

This was my “leftover buffet” meal from last week: Mixed greens salad with cucumbers, carrots, green onion, red peppers, broccoli and sunflower seeds.  I topped that off with a homemade black bean burger, fire-roasted corn, homemade salsa and guacamole.  The end result sort of reminded me of a Chipotle Bowl!!  Yummy goodness!

Do you have a fun weekly family dinner tradition?

Blessings,

J’lene

We’re Back!

It’s good to be back home! 

Unfortunately the hubs wasn’t feeling so hot, so it wasn’t exactly the trip we were hoping it was going to be.  We made it to Arizona and back all in one piece, but everything in between is kind of hazy! 

The church planting conference was held at Cornerstone Christian Church in Chandler, AZ. and it was amazing to say the least!

 Cornerstone’s Worship Center…complete with a coffee shop/cafe and bookstore!

Cornerstone’s Kid’s Center….looked like you were walking into a movie set! 

 The stage in the Worship Center…the center screen was floor to ceiling!

A fabulous worship team!While the hubs agreed that last years’ conference was a bit better, we both walked away from our time here with a sense of excitement as to where God will lead us, our family and Ignite Church next!

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I put my trust.” Psalm 130:5

The hubs was a trooper and took me to try a couple of the restaurants that I had picked out ahead of time. 

24 Carrots

So many choices!  For the hubs… A Pina Colada smoothie (fresh coconut, pineapple, probiotic yogurt and some mint leaves).  And for me…A Peachy Kean smoothie made green! (peaches, mangoes, apples and kale).  The server said it was the first “green smoothie” on the menu and it tasted so refreshing.  Adding the kale was a perfect match with the peaches and mangoes…definitely need to recreate this one at home!

 Oooo!La!La!  Such a lovely shade of green!

Jason’s Deli

 A little somethin’, somethin’ for everyone!

 For me…a “build your own” veggie sandwich on gluten free bread!  I loaded the sandwich with cucumbers, avocado, lettuce, carrots, red onion and topped it with a drizzle of their house-made italian dressing.

 I opted for the “half sandwich” option so I could try a cup of their organic vegetable soup.  I’m so glad I did because it was SO YUMMY!

 The hubs tried a half roast beef sandwich with a fresh fruit cup. 

Run time!!

So, a not so “happenin’” trip to talk about, but we did our best to make the most of it!

We made good time on the way home and managed to pick up the princesses a bit early!  It was good to see their smiling faces and hear about their adventures…the first thing out of their mouth was, “we ate good for you mom!”  Love it!

Today brought me back to reality…the laundry, cleaning, grocery list, lesson plans and cooking!  Like I said, “It’s good to be back home!”  And it was good to start our day off with a little something “green!”

Zucchini-Carrot Muffins (gluten-free)

Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp xanthum gum

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1 “chia” egg (1 Tbsp chia seeds + 3 Tbsp warm water)

1/2 cup raw coconut crystals (or cane sugar)

3 Tbsp + 1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup grated carrot

pinch of sea salt

3 Tbsp flax meal

1/4 cup raw, sliced almonds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups or lightly spray with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the chia egg, sugar and oil.  Stir in the zucchini and carrots.  Stir the flour mixture into the vegetable mixture.  Fold in the flax meal and almonds.

Fill the muffin cups halfway with the batter.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Enjoy yourself something “green!”

  Just sweet enough to enjoy for breakfast or a mid-morning snack! 

Put a little dab of cream cheese frosting on top and call it “DESSERT!”

The weather is dreary today, but the grocery shopping must get done!

Blessings,

J’lene

Quinoa-Sunflower Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Love to have this hanging on the fridge as a good reminder…

Quinoa and “greens” are our “healthy” foods for today.  It is something that I always have on hand and stocked in my pantry…I love it!  The rest of the fam, on the other hand, is learning to love it!  I say “learning” because they’re finding that this little super grain will turn up in places they least expect it to be!!  Like these cookies…

Quinoa-Sunflower Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free/vegan)

Yields 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup Pamela’s Baking Mix

3/4 cup quinoa flakes

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup Earth Balance

1/2 cup Sunflower butter

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup honey (raw is best!)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, Earth Balance, sunflower butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine together the flour, quinoa flakes and sea salt.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet, beating until well blended.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.  Cool for a couple of minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.Adding Quinoa Flakes to your baking is a great way to boost up the nutrition of your favorite treat! Not a lot of ingredients, but this simple cookie packs a whole lot of flavor.

If you like a cookie that’s soft on the inside with a little crunch on the outside, then you’ll fall head-over-heals for these!

Here are some of my other favorite “quinoa” recipes…

Quinoa Breakfast Bake

Apple Cinnamon Mini Quinoa Muffin Tops

Spanish Quinoa with Black Beans and Avocado

Zucchini Quinoa Lasagna

Quinoa and Black Bean Burritos

 

We went from “super-grains” to “super-c’s” when I whipped up this Green Monster today!

In the mix: Amazing Meal (vanilla chai flavor); fresh orange juice, pineapple, mango, plain yogurt, chia seeds, and a few handfuls of spinach!

 

Amazing Meal is “Amazing!”  Adding this to my smoothies is a great way to get a little extra protein along with an added dose of fruits and veggies

Feel a little under the weather?  This smoothie is packed with lots of vitamin C and is sure to help ward off any little bug that’s come your way!

Happy healthy eating for today!!

Blessings,

J’lene

Three-Veggie Bread

I know it sounds crazy, because it is just bread, but there is something exhilarating about making a successful gluten free bread!  I’ve had my fair share of failed attempts in the kitchen (and I know there will be more!), but just not this week.  I’m absolutely loving this new Four Flour Bean Mix and had to try it out again last night.  Two of my favorite ways to use up extra veggies is to blend them up in a smoothie…

  In the mix: Amazing Grass (berry flavor); flax meal, 2 handfuls of spinach, strawberries, pineapple, mango and kefir.  So green and so very good!

or shred them up in a loaf of bread (or muffins) like this one!
 Three Veggie-Bread
Yields 1 loaf
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Four Flour Bean Mix
1 tsp xanthum gum
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp flax meal
1 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp organic brown sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 organic egg + 1 organic egg white
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded carrot (one medium carrot)
1/2 cup shredded zucchini (1/2 of a large zucchini or 1 small zucchini)
1/3 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare loaf pan by lightly coating it with cooking spray.  Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the eggs and vanilla.  Add in the carrot, zucchini, orange juice, honey, and grapeseed oil.  Stir this into the flour mixture and beat until moistened.
Spoon the dough into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the pan and cool before slicing.

No crumbling here!  Perfect for toasting or even enjoying as sandwich bread.

I was a bit afraid that it might turn out a bit soggy because of the moisture from the veggies, but the result was a nice “spongy” texture.

I loved the slight hint of lemon from the zest and the subtle sweetness from the brown sugar.  It definitely didn’t taste like a “healthy” piece of bread!

Two days in a row with insanely good gluten free bread….too bad it seems to disappear faster than I can make it!  Guess that means I get to bake again tomorrow!  I’ve got some plans for a “Honey-Yogurt” bread churning in my mind!

Speaking of plans…here’s the plan for this week’s running schedule.  It’s hard to believe I’m already in the second to last week of training, which leaves me a bit of time to work on my “timing” before the day of the run.

Week 8
Day 1 - Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Day 2 - Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Day 3 - Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

It’s been a bit chilly for my liking in the mornings, so I’ve been blessed to be able to use my parents treadmill this week.  The first time I used it I realized just how much I enjoy running around our neighborhood…staring at a blank wall just isn’t the same!!  It will have to do for this week and prayerfully the days will warm up a little and the sun will shine again.

(source)

Blessings,

J’lene

Need Energy!

I literally feel like I stumbled my way through week 7 of training and working out….UGHHH!  It wasn’t my strongest week and I think I have my lack of sleep to blame for it.  Three days of broken sleep to take care of my sick little princess, along with the stresses that the church has brought the hubs and I lately has got me feeling extremely sluggish.   Keeping up with “simple” healthy meals and snacks has definitely helped to keep me going through the day!
Yeah for “Purple Monster” smoothies! (I’d call it a “Green Monster” smoothie, but the blueberries turned it purple!)

In the mix: Amazing Grass (pomegranate/mango infusion), flax meal, kefir, lots of spinach, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, and kiwi!  One of my favorite so far and it was so refreshing.  A perfect “pick me up” after a hard workout!

This is what my training schedule was supposed to look like this week…
Week 7:
Day 1 - Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Day 2 - Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Day 3 - Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
I can honestly say that I tried…I accomplished one good run and two mediocre runs.  I still have 2 weeks left of training and I’m feeling confident that I can accomplish my goal and achieve a sweet victory in the end!
Take one of these and call me in the morning…Crispy Protein and Energy Bars (no-bake and gluten free)
(inspired by Angela @ Oh She Glows)
Yields 12 small bars
Ingredients:
1 cup gluten free rolled oats
1 cup brown rice cereal
1/2 cup protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup unsalted almond butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
unsweetened coconut for sprinkling on top (optional)
Directions:
Prepare an 8x8 inch pan by lightly spraying with cooking spray.  Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (oats, cereal, protein powder, cinnamon and salt).
In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine the honey, maple syrup and almond butter. Heat through and mix well together.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and mix very well with a spoon (the batter will be sticky!). Press batter into prepared pan and smooth out top.
Melt chocolate and coconut oil together (either on the stove or in the microwave).  Spread a very thin layer on top of the bars.  Sprinkle with coconut if desired.
Freeze for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from freezer and cut into bars.  Individually wrap bars and store in the freezer or fridge.

  The extra dose of protein helped increase the energy factor a bit, not to mention it curbed my chocolate craving for the day! 

These little bars come together in a snap and give you the sustainable energy you need when you’re on the go! 

On the go we were today…stopping by the library to pick up books for school next week, using up gift cards from Christmas and grocery shopping of course!  Now it’s time to slow down and unwind.  I’m thinking a nice, hot cup of tea with a little T.V. sounds good right about now…night all!

Blessings,

J’lene