Vegetarian Slow Cooking

Remember when I posted about the new cookbook my best friend bought me for Valentine's Day? Yeah, I cook from it every week now. Using the crockpot is just so easy! I can fix it and forget about it, and most recipes make a week's worth of meals. Below is a list of the recipes I have made so far:


(Check out the Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker cookbook here.)

African peanut stew

Black bean burrito bowls

Caribbean black bean soup

Cauliflower and bean stew with jerk seasoning

Chickpea and mushroom stew (with cilantro and lime rice)

Cilantro and lime rice

Indian red bean curry (with red potatoes and fresh steamed broccoli)

Madras curried lentils (with cauliflower and pumpkin biscuits)

Roasted green chile and sweet potato stew

Southern carrots, potatoes, and corn (with white beans)

Tex-Mex quinoa

Tres frijoles chili

Vegetarian tikka masala

God Speaks.

I am in a waiting period of life, waiting for God to move me in a new direction, but not seeing a clear path. Reading the Psalmist's cry in Psalm 109:1 ("My God, whom I praise, do not remain silent") reminded me that God speaks, however. He is not silent, so I must continue to seek Him and His voice. I am focusing on God's speech in my prayer time this week.


Exodus 33:11
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.


Numbers 12:6
He said, “Listen to my words: 'When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.'"


Job 33:14
For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it.


Psalm 50:1
The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.


Isaiah 45:19
I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.


Ezekiel 12:25
"But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill whatever I say," declares the Sovereign Lord.


Luke 20:21
So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.


Acts 18:9
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent."

God is Clothed with Splendor.

I am back with prayer verses. My wonderful mom provided me with her Moms in Prayer sheet last week, but this week, I collected my own set of verses. The theme is, "God is clothed with splendor." Splendor means "brilliant distinction" or "great brightness" (Dictionary.com, n. d.) God is Lord of Lords and the "Light of the World" (Deut 10:17; John 8:12), so I think this is an important attribute to study.

1 Chronicles 16:27

Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

1 Chronicles 16:29

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

1 Chronicles 29:11

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

2 Chronicles 20:21

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”

Psalm 96:9

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.

Psalm 104:1

Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

Psalm 145:5

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

Psalm 148:13

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

Isaiah 46:13

I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.

Isaiah 61:3

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.


Reference
Splendor. (n.d.). Dictionary.com, Unabridged. Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/splendor?s=t.

Citrus Basil Oatmeal

What do you do when you have leftover orange wedges? Incorporate them into oatmeal, of course! This recipe was inspired The Oatmeal Artist's basil chocolate zucchini oatmeal. It was there that I learned to chiffonade basil.

This clean tasting oatmeal was light, refreshing, and just right for the start of spring and the transition into spring. (Oranges are in season right now, after all.)

Ingredients:

½ c quick oats

1 c water
¼ c unsweetened applesauce
1 t lemon juice (I think I would use more next time to amp up the citrus flavor.
Peeled, orange segments

Chiffonaded basil

Directions:

1. Bring water and oats to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

2. When oats reach the desired consistency, stir in the lemon juice and applesauce. Simmer oatmeal on low until some of the liquid from the applesauce absorbs and the oats become thick and rich.

3. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl and top with the orange segments and chiffonaded basil

Pineapple Overnight Oatmeal

Sweet, creamy, tropical, and a breakfast I don't have to cook? Yes, please!

I've been trying to Eat the Seasons, that is, eat food that is "in season." Right now, that is pineapple I like pineapple, but the flavor is kind of strong. After a few days, the pineapple gets mushy. Enter a great new overnight oats recipe.


I thought about trying The Oatmeal Artist's pina colada oatmeal, but I didn't have coconut milk. (I don't always like coconut milk, either.) I googled other recipes, but didn't find one I liked, so I used the proportions I'd normally use for overnight oats and threw in the pineapple. Mmm! The crunch of the chia seeds really accentuates the creaminess of the yogurt and the sweetness of the pineapple. Don't leave them out!

Ingredients:

½ c quick oats
1/3 c milk
¼ c Greek yogurt
½ t vanilla
1 ½ t chia seeds
1 c pineapple, diced

Directions:

1. Use a spoon to mix together the oats, milk, yogurt, vanilla, and chia seeds in a jar.
2. Add the pineapple, screw the lid on the jar, and shake.
3. Refrigerate overnight.

Afghan # 46 (And Hanging Up My Crochet Hook)

I finished afghan number 46, this one for an elementary-, middle-, and high-school friend who just had her third child, a beautiful baby boy. For this afghan, I used a pattern from Sarah's Stitches, a book compiled for me by a dear friend and former housemate one year for Christmas. The pattern is Crochet Magazine's spiral lapghan. I used a size H crochet hook and Red Heart variegated autumn yarn. This afghan needed extensive blocking after washing due to edge curling, but it was still a fun pattern.

You may have noticed that quite a bit of time has passed since I last posted an afghan. This is because of slow progress on the afghan you now see. I have been having some extensive hand usage issues in my right hand which make it hard to crochet, type, or generally use my wrist and hand. Doctors ruled out carpal tunnel syndrome and so far chiropractic help is not making much of a difference. Therefore, to give my hand/wrist a break, I am going to hang up my crochet hook and call this my last afghan for awhile. Please pray that my wrist will heal so that I can return to crocheting. I really do enjoy it.

Thanksgiving for God's Acts of Wonder

It IS time for thanksgiving prayer again. My theme this week is thanksgiving for God's acts of wonder.

1 Chronicles 16:9

Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

Psalm 9:1

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.


Psalm 40:5
Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 75:1

We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 78:4

We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Psalm 107:8

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Porridge

Warm peanut butter cookies alongside a glass of cold milk are a childhood favorite, right? So why not reinvent the combination into a healthy oatmeal breakfast?

This recipe came to me last fall during pumpkin season (hence the pumpkin pie spice), but I think it is good year-round.

Ingredients:

1 c water (or milk for a true reinvention of cookies and milk)

½ c quick oats
½ c unsweetened applesauce
¼ t cinnamon
¼ t pumpkin pie spice (or more cinnamon)
1 t vanilla extract
2 T natural peanut butter
Honey for drizzling
1-2 T old-fashioned oats (or peanut butter granola) for topping

Directions:

1. Bring water and oats to a boil and reduce heat to medium.
2. When oats reach the desired consistency, stir in the applesauce, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Simmer oatmeal on low until some of the liquid from the applesauce absorbs and the oats reach the desired consistency.
3. Stir the peanut butter into the oats until it all melts and melds with the oatmeal

4. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl and drizzle with honey.

5. Top with the old-fashioned oats or granola and enjoy.

Update on THE LIST

In case you wanted to know how THE LIST is going...


1) GO! on a cruise.It's booked! I feel both fearful and excited: fearful that I might get seasick, or sick, or hate the small cabin; but excited to soak up sunshine, spend time with a dear friend, and see new places.


2) Stop checking e-mail on my phone while at work.I continued to have problems with this, so I took it off my phone. Speaking of which, I turned on e-mail for a trip this weekend, but need to turn it off again.


3) Use more glass storage containers and less plastic.What happens when I run out of glass? Maybe I need to obtain more glass. Or maybe, if I had less access to plastic, I would use more glass?


4) Find my rambunctious side again.I  made a funny comment on a work e-mail. That counts for something, right?


5) Memorize some new scripture, or at least review the old. (Ps 119:105).I'm working on Philippians. It's hard!


6) Clean out the pantry (fridge, freezer, et. al) and go on a grocery spend fast until it is done.
I'm stocking up again, but it is good to keep an eye on what I have and try to keep using it up.


7) Purge excess. Soak up blessing.I took a few things back out of the garage sale box. I am trying to find balance in this area.


8) Run a 5K.Done! My housemates and I ran the Fight Back 5K for the American Cancer Society. I did not beat my first, and best 5K time, but I ran faster than I usually do. Yeah!


9) Embrace the quiet.I didn't listen to music the whole time on my road trip....


10) Pursue counseling licensure.I should receive notice in two weeks if the state board approves my classes. Please pray for favor!


11) Rest (Ps 46:10; Matt 11:28-29).Still struggling here....


12) Trim down the processed. Bulk up the produce. (In my diet)This lovely cookbook from a friend is helping immensely: Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook: 125 Fix-and-Forget Vegetarian Recipes. (But be forewarned: Every recipe says it serves six, but most often serves 8-10).


13) Bullet journal plan—streamline my to-do list.I've had paper lists out tonight, but I'm working on it.


14) Finish the books I have and read more.
I finished Every Thought Captive ly Jerusha Clark last night and highly recommend it. I also read Where the Wind Leads by Dr. Vinh Chung and Tales of a Church Mouse by John Edgell. Not a lot, but something


15) Spend time with and love the people around me.  I got to see an aunt, uncle, and cousins last weekend. I just returned from a less than 24 hour trip for a family funeral. Family is not perfect, but it is worth sacrificing for. "God sets the lonely in families" (Ps 68:6, New International Version).


16) Blog. Instagram. Something. (Experiment.) 
I am not writing on here as much as I would like. I want to "develop" some more oatmeal recipes, but have not. I don't know how long this blog thing will last. If you read this blog and want to see more of a particular type of post, please comment. Thanks

God is Incomparable

"Beyond comparison; matchless or unequaled" (Dictionary.com, n. d.)

Psalm 40:5
Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 86:8
Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.

Psalm 89:6
For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?

Isaiah 40:18
With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?

Isaiah 40:25
“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

Romans 5:16
Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

2 Corinthians 3:10
For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.

Reference:
Incomparable. (n.d.). Dictionary.com, Unabridged. Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/incomparable.