#shesharestruth Lent 2014: psalm 130

I'm following along with the ladies over at She Reads Truth for my daily Bible reading for Lent. On Fridays we will be sharing on that days reading.

Lent is a time in which I reflect on what Jesus really did for me. He suffered. Such suffering because He loves me. Me. And you. I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around it. Becoming a mom gave me a new perspective on unconditional love but my imperfections, my sinful nature still don't allow me to come close to the love Jesus has for us.

The Psalmist in Psalm 130 cries out in despair to God. I have a tendency to turn inward in my despair. To pity myself and become overwhelmed with sadness. It's in those moments that God most wants our hearts. He wants us to turn to Him when we feel hopeless and He will restore us. He forgives completely. I can tell God anything and he holds no grudge. Wow! I am so bad at mulling things over and keeping mental checklists of my anxieties to fuel more anxiety. Let it go! (Song now stuck in my head, cue Elsa) God wants me and loves me for me. He forgives ME.  I want to be more like Him.

no bake chocolate quinoa bars

Today I was in need of a chocolate-y treat. It just so happened that I had some leftover quinoa from dinner prep this afternoon so I thought I would try using it as a base for granola type bars.

My measurements are approximate just taste and adjust.

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut
Sprinkle of ground flax
Sprinkle of chia seeds
Handful of chocolate chips (as requested by the 4 year old supervisor)

Mix and press into a 9x13 foil lined pan then refrigerate until firm. These don't get as hard as an oatmeal based granola bar because the quinoa is cooked but they do firm up enough to cut into squares. You can also refrigerate the bowl for an hour then scoop out and form into bite sized balls.

My Best Slow Cooker Chili

No Beans! I know I know is it even chili? I always use beans but just decided to skip them once I had everything else chopped up in the pot. I need to document this recipe because it came from looking over Skinny Taste's recipe and making some modifications based on my fridge and my mood.

~ 1lb ground meat
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1 summer squash or zucchini shredded
~ 1 cup frozen corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 can tomato soup
sprinkle of sante fe spice
~3/4 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper

Brown and drain ground beef, dump it in the slow cooker. Cook onions and garlic for a few minutes and add to the beef. Throw in veggies, canned goods, chicken stock and spices. Cook on low for 5 hours taste and adjust seasonings. I ended up adding a little salt and a bit of brown sugar. SO delicous and full of veggies! Husband and 1 of 2 children approved.

High Five for Friday: potty training and chocolate

1. A gift from my mom, this Toy Story potty. Isabel loves 'woodybuzz' and it has helped us start potty training this week.

2. My light coloured muffin tin. Has saved me from perpetually burning the bottoms of my muffins.

3.  Reese's wonderful goodness.

4. My maternity band. For such a little thing it has provided so much support for my 37 week pregnant body. I LOVE it.

5. Spring's arrival. The sun is up when I get up, the birds chirping, tulips, irises and lilies are sprouting in the garden. Now we just wait for some warmer weather.

Top Ten Tuesday: Tips for Healthy Eating

 

 March is nutrition month and as it winds down I thought it would be a good reminder to go over some tips for helping our families eat healthier.

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1. Eat Carbs!
I know it goes against most of the diet hype out there but carbohydrates are not evil. Our bodies need them as fuel. Eat less filler carbs: white breads, white pastas, cakes, cookies etc and more whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.

2. Fat gives us energy and is important for our brains; so don't cut it out completely. Choose lower fat options and aim for 2-3 Tbsp of unsaturated fats per day.

3. Get full on fibre.
We rarely eat enough fibre. Women should aim for 25g and men 38g per day. Eat lots of fruits and veggies and read labels to know if your food is a smart fibre choice.

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4. Dairy for bones.
Milk products are key sources for calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous and magnesium. Milk is fortified with Vitamin D, it helps calcium to be absorbed. Choose low fat options but aim to consume 2-3 servings for adults and 3-4 servings for kids per day.

5. Colour your plate
Eating one dark green and one orange vegetable each day gives you a great start at rounding out your vitamins. Broccoli, spinach, yams, and carrots are great examples.

6. Drink up
Hydrate with water. Swap out juice and pop for water as much as you can. If you've increased your fibre intake it is especially important to make sure you're getting enough fluids to keep things moving :)

7. Moderation not elimination
You can still have your cakes and cookies just choose less of them on a not so often basis. A healthy diet can handle a little indulgence every once in a while especially if my your overall happiness is at risk. :)

8. Protein sources
Meat is a great source of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc. Choose leaner cuts and trim fat. Don't forget about non-meat sources like beans, tofu, eggs and lentils. They are also good sources of protein and fibre.
I like to do a vegetarian supper twice a week to help me include non-meat protein in our diet.

9. Here fishy fishy
Eat 2 servings (2.5 oz) of fish per week. I have a hard time with this but it's important for cardiac health and brain development in kids.

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10. How much?
Watch serving sizes. We tend to overestimate the amount of fruit and veggies we eat and underestimate dairy and meats. Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating gives easy to follow examples.

The great folks at Dietitians of Canada have compiled a great site chock full of nutrition tips if you're looking for more info or definitions.

For more Top Ten fun go visit Angie

Top Ten Tuesday: Baby Names

With less then 2 months to go for this pregnancy the most common question we get is have you decided on names? The answer is yes! We have a boy name complete with first and middle and a girl name with a middle that is less certain but we have ideas.

There are so many resources out there if you are looking for baby names or names for your dog or goldfish cause they gotta have names too right?

1. The Baby Name Wizard is my favourite baby name book of all time. It was given to me when I was pregnant with Isabel and it makes name searching fun. Names are organized into categories like Guys & Dolls and Why not? Sibling name suggestions are also given. Love it.

2. Baby Names World is a great site. It gives the meaning and has surveys from people with the name so you can read responses from people with first-hand experience.

3. Nymbler allows you to type in names that you like and get suggestions based on those names. I spent the better part of an evening sitting on the couch reading Nymbler's suggestions and vetoing them with my husband.

4.  Name Berry is another one of my most frequented baby names site. Shows current name searches and trending names.

5. The Bump has some great resources. I particularly like the baby names community forum board that allows you to post your own polls and have people vote.

6. The Baby Name Wizard site has name maps and popularity over time.

7. SSA name lists by year and state.

8.  Baby Names gives meanings and has trending names of the day on the front page. This is great of you are like me and want to avoid popular names.

9.  Your family tree. Middle names for me are a way to honor a family member so I have been using Geni to double check my grandmother and great grandmother's full names.

10. Behind the name gives meanings and popularity by country.

Go visit Angie for more top ten fun.

wordless wednesday: duck

Yes it's February...