Wise Counsel

Spinach and Lentil Salad With Toasted Walnuts

1 cup water
1/2 cup brown or french lentils, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
6 cups torn spinach or mixed salad greens
1/4 cup sweet and sour dressing (see previous blog for recipe)

In a small saucepan combine the water and lentils.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, drain the lentils, and place in a bowl.  Stir in the bell pepper, green onions, parsley, celery and walnuts.   Divide the spinach among the serving plates.  Top with the lentil mixture and drizzle with dressing.


When you are down who do you consult?  If you need help and encouragement are there a group of strong, affirming friends and family that give you wise counsel?  This is very important to establish, remembering that the people that surround you will most likely determine the path in your life.  If you have these people in your life, great!  If you don't,  develop some of these relationships now. This past week, our pastor referred to these encouraging people as being fellow "dolphins".  When a dolphin is injured, other dolphins will swim up to the injured dolphin and lift it up with a flipper.  Allow others to lift you up if you are in need of strength.  If you have the opportunity to be the encourager, try to be the one that lifts up your fellow man (or woman).    Thank you to all who have been my dolphins!

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  
Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, 
but rather healed. 
                                                Hebrews 12:12-13
Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
                                                Proverbs 4:26

Try Half...

Jarlsberg, Apple, and Mushroom Salad

1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 medium Golden delicious apple, cored and cut in thin slices
3 TBSP lemon juice, used to sprinkle on the above items

Dressing:
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 TBSP Meaux mustard (chunky brown)
8 TBSP walnut oil
2 TBSP freshly chopped parsley
Pinch of curry

4 oz Jarlsberg Cheese (or any soft, sweet, nutty cheese such as swiss), cut into strips 1 inch long and 1/8 inch thick
1 large head of lettuce
Add the mushroom and apple mixture to the dressing.  Toss gently with the lettuce and serve!


L'art de vivre - the art of living, to the French,  is pacing yourself in the long run.
In reading about the French way of eating, it seems that French women love to eat delicious, fatty, delectable foods.  BUT, they eat small portions. I would make the suggestion that the next time you eat out, try splitting a dinner.  If eating in, try either taking only half of what you normally would, or eating only half of what is on your plate.   Eat slowly, enjoy every bite, then eat half of the half that is left.  

Earth's Crammed with Heaven

Wheat Berry and Lentil Salad
3 cups water
1/2 cup wheat berries, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup brown or French lentils, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 TBSP finely chopped shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 TBSP torn fresh basil leaves or 2 tsp dried basil, crushed

1.  In a medium saucepan combine the water and wheat berries.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat, cover and simmer one hour.  Stir in the lentils and continue cooking for 30 minutes mores.  Drain, discarding liquid.  Cool to room temperature.
2.   For the dressing, in a medium bowl combing lemon juice, shallots, and garlic.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Whisk in mustard.  Add oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly until combined.  Stir in crushed red pepper.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
3.  In a large bowl combine the cooked wheat berries and lentils, garbanzo beans, tomato, parsley, green onions, and basil.  Add the dressing; toss to coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I took this to work for a tasting and all who tasted enjoyed it.    Each bite is filled with flavor and it seems that even a small serving will satisfy a hungry appetite.

Have you noticed the amazing summer creation all around you?  The bursting forth of grass, flowers, and leaves?  I recently took a canoe trip down the river in town and I was amazed at the natural beauty that abounded along the banks.  As we heaved the canoe in and out of the water, my shoes were off and my toes squished in the cool sand.  Matted down grass, dandelions, and tree branches cushioned my steps.  I was incredibly thankful to be there, at that time, able to appreciate the beauty around me.  I was also thankful for the teamwork that my husband and I were able to pull off on our first canoe ride of the season.

      
             Earth's crammed with heaven,
   And every common bush afire with God,
     But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
   The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.
              -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Summer Solstice

Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese
1 head of cauliflower
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 TBSP freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 lemon wedges

This is a perfect opening dish for the summer!  We ate cauliflower tonight with a fresh tabbouleh salad and cantaloupe.  The kids ate most of it, but Ethan recommends broccoli in place of the cauliflower.

Cut the cauliflower into florets (about 5 cups) and saute in the oil for 5-8 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Add the crushed red pepper and black pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, then the Parmesan cheese.  Serve with lemon wedges and sea salt.

Summer is in full swing! As you enjoy the longest day of light in the sky, remember how remarkable the seasons are and how each new season brings with it a new kind of hope and renewal.   Summer is a bursting forth of vegetation, warmth, and comfort in the outdoors.  People swim, boat, grill, and enjoy the sun at it's closest proximity to the Earth.  Go out and enjoy it!

"Intense love does not measure, it just gives."
                                    - Mother Teresa

Rainbow Rotini Salad

1 package colored rotini pasta, cooked and rinsed in cold water

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 bottle italian style dressing (homemade is preferable)
OPTIONAL:  mozzerella cheese, pepperoni, hot pepper flakes

Combine all of the above, cover and chill.  Toss before serving.  Perfect for summer cookouts when the hosts ask you to "bring a dish". 

Have you ever felt like there must be a reason WHY certain events happen in your life?  I have had several instances where I look back on an experience, wondering at the time, "Why is this happening to me?" later to find out, "Oh, now I see why!"  There is a greater power in control of the moments, the happenings, the results.  Sometimes we do not see the reasoning, and we may never see it, but occasionally we do see the connections and can be comforted by WHO is in control. 

And because I love this life
I know I shall love death as well.
The child cries out when
From the right breast the mother
Takes it away, in the very next moment
To find in the left one
Its consolation.
                                 - Rabin dranath Tagore
                                     from Gitanjali

Happy Father's Day!

Growth

Ratatouille (Mediterranean Vegetable Stew)
Add and saute for 5 minutes:
3 TBSP olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic
2 cups chopped onion
1 bay leaf
Add and stir for 15 minutes:
1 medium eggplant, cubed
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 tsp basil (dry, or 2 TBSP fresh, julienned)
1 tsp marjoram or oregano (double if fresh herbs)
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
Add, cover and stir for 10 minutes:
1 medium zucchini, cubed
2 medium bell peppers, in strips
fresh black pepper, to taste
1- 14 oz can of tomatoes
Serve topped with parsley and olives.

I loved the movie, "Ratatouille." An entire village rejoiced around hot, piping bowls of ratatouille stew.  It was referred to as the magical soup that filled a soul with hope and wonder.  Hmmm..... taste it and find out!

Growth means change and
change involves risk, stepping
from the known to the unknown.
              -Author Unknown

Get up

Wheat Berries
I buy wheat berries by the bulk at the local co-op.  If you soak a few cups of them overnight, then boil them up in the morning, they puff and become hot breakfast cereal.   Wheat berries pack a punch of fiber and whole grain goodness so try this instead of cereal in the morning.  It is great with a little brown sugar, soy milk, and fresh fruit.

Get up
The more you are up and about, the healthier you will be.   Try these tips at work or home to improve your waistline and your "good" cholesterol levels:
1. Use the bathroom farthest away from you.
2. Whenever you are on the phone, make sure you are walking.
3. Move your printer out of reach while sitting at your computer.
4. Always get up to greet people when they enter your "space";  even those pesky kids.
5. Park as far away from the door as possible.
6. Remove the batteries from your TV remotes.  (I need to work on this one)

Your purpose in life

Curried Cauliflower
2 cups thinly sliced cauliflower florets
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP peanut butter
2 tsp curry powder, or to taste
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a saute pan.  Fry up the cauliflower in the oil until it lightly browns.   Add the peanut butter and curry powder until the cauliflower is completely coated.  Salt and pepper to taste.  This is a delicious vegetable side dish!  We ate this dish tonight with salad and applesauce. The trio was perfect for a hot, spring night.


We come unbidden into this life, and if we are lucky we find a purpose beyond starvation, misery, and early death which, lest we forget, is the common lot.  
                                                                
 - Abraham Verghese, from the book Cutting for Stone


What is your purpose in life?

Enjoy good health

Portebella Carpaccio with Orange Kalamata Tapenade
Slicing mushrooms on the bias, angling the knife, rather than cutting perpendicular to the cutting board makes for broader but not thicker slices and a professional-looking presentation.

4 portebella mushrooms, stems and gills removed
2 tsp  olive oil,  plus extra
Tapenade:
2 medium oranges,  in roughly chopped sections
1/2 tsp orange  zest
1/2   cup kalamata  olives, pitted and chopped
2 tsp capers, mashed
1/2  tsp  finely chopped shallots

Brush mushroom with the olive oil, salt and pepper, then set aside.  Combine all the ingredients for the tapenade.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat the grill or saute pan on medium to high heat.  Rub the grill or pan with olive oil.  Cook the mushrooms three minutes on each side.  Cut the mushrooms as directed above and serve with the tapenade on top.  

100% tea tree oil, or Melaleuca oil is an Australian oil that contains the potent antifungal agents terpinen 4-ol and cineole.   If you apply tea tree oil to athlete's foot or any other fungal disease for four weeks it will dramatically reduce the fungal infection or wipe it out.  Australian aborigines have used tea tree oil to heal cuts for hundreds of years.  I use tea tree oil in my family for all kinds of skin ailments and it works amazingly well.  

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
                                                                                      - III John 2

Busy?

Meadow Tea Concentrate (A family favorite all summer long!)
Bring one quart of water to a boil.  Add 3/4 cup of agave nectar, OR one cup of sugar and boil for five minutes longer.  Remove the water from the heat and add two cups of packed mint leaves plus two TBSP lemon juice.  Let stand for 4-6 hours and then strain.   Dilute the concentrate with double the water, or less if you like strong tea.   Serve cold or hot.

Variations:   During the 4-6 standing process, I sometimes add basil leaves, orange slices, lime slices, chunks of fresh ginger or mango bits.  The different flavors bring amazing scent and flavor to the tea.

BUSY???
Are you really busy like I am?  Do you accomplish plenty but appreciate little because you don't stop and take the time to admire the blessings around you?  I encourage you to take the time to focus on your own spiritual growth.  Acknowledge what is truly in your heart with the stillness of prayer and meditation.  It's alright, you can stop what you are doing and try this.

Sloth is most evidenced in busyness... in frantic running around, trying to be everything to everyone, and then having no time to listen or pray, no time to become the person who is doing these things.
                                                                              -Eugene Peterson  

Simplify

Here are a few simple tips to pack some healthiness into your dinner while "hiding" the healthiness from your kids.  We would all like the kids to embrace veggies whole-heartedly, but starting out slowly may help.

Popeye Pasta - Puree 6 cups of spinach and add to your favorite marinara sauce.  I sometimes cook dices carrots, celery, squash, peppers, onions, and kale and puree with the sauce as well!  These veggies add flavor and color to your meal.  Serve over pasta.

Creamy Almond Dip
Puree:
1/2 cup almond or cashew butter (peanut butter may be substituted)
2/3 cup vanilla soy yogurt
2-3 TBSP unsweetened applesauce
2 TBSP agave nectar
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon

This dip is delicious on bagels or toast.  We also use it as a dip with apples and other fruits.


Simplify!  Simplify!
            -Thoreau

Get outside and enjoy nature today.  A simple walk or nature hike can renew your sense of appreciation for the creation.

Beautiful YOU

Try to buy local and organic foods, purchasing items that are in season.  Buying this way ensures that you have the freshest food and the least amount of chemicals.   Supporting local farmers is a great way to support the community you live in, as well.  Here is a great homemade barbecue sauce recipe that includes onions, which I know are nearing their peak readiness in the next few weeks.   Give this a try with your favorite dish on the grill.

Barbecue Sauce (Vegan Style) 
1 large can of pineapple juice (drain a large can of diced pineapple)
5 TBSP Agave Nectar
1 TBSP red wine
3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
3 TBSP catsup
1/2 cup water
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced

Boil the pineapple juice and agave nectar.   Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the water.   To the pineapple mixture, add the vinegar, wine, pepper and onion.  Slowly simmer to a boil, then add the water and cornstarch slowly. Whisk and simmer to desired thickness.


There could never be a more beautiful you
Don't buy the lies, disguises, and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you.

                                                  -Jonny Diaz, More Beautiful You

If you want to cry, bawl

Spring Rolls
12 rice-paper wrappers
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
6 scallions, cut into matchsticks
1 cup bean sprouts
leaves from a bunch of basil
a handful of watercress
1 TBSP sesame seeds, toasted in a dry skillet (peanuts work well, too)
Ginger, to taste

Dipping sauce:
2 TBSP honey
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP teriyaki sauce
2 TBSP lime juice
1 red chile, thinly sliced

Soak the rice papers in warm water until soft, about 4 minutes.

Gather up little clusters of carrots, scallions, bean sprouts, basil, and watercress and place in the middle of a rice paper.   Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and roll up tightly to enclose the veggies.   Mix the dipping sauce together, and transfer to a small, shallow dish.   Dip the spring rolls and enjoy the blast of flavors through your mouth!


If you have a preference, 
voice it.
If you have a question,
ask it.
If you want 
to cry, bawl.
If you need
help, raise
your hand
and jump up 
and down!

-Kristin Armstrong