Seasons: Spring and 2 Recipes

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Contains 2 recipes!

Well, here we are at the end of a week and the beginning of a month.

Transitions.

Transitions seem to be everywhere and yet we haven’t completed any of them, so we are sort of stuck in the limbo of changing but not knowing how the change is going to affect us in the long run.

Times of transition are hard and call for Consistency, things we can (kind of) Control and even Being Open to a few new things. Now, I’m no kitchen queen. I “like” to cook mostly because I’m hungry and want to eat. But the perfect activity that includes consistency, control AND venturing into new territory is cooking!

We cook all the time because we eat all the time- every day, three times a day. That is being consistent. And it can be boring. Oh, but maybe you do not cook all the time. In that case, forget consistency, you might have to read a book or continue with a hobby to get your consistency. Cooking will be a new adventure for you!

We read a recipe (and follow it!) and that gives us control over the outcome. A relatively sure result.

Finally, you can create a bit of adventure by cooking something new (or cooking at all, see above)- a new main dish, side, dish, dessert or any thing in between. Even drinks (think Smoothies…) have recipes for them.

The cool thing about a recipe is you can add or subtract seasonings and ingredients and create entirely different tastes from one recipe. Once you get the hang of cooking and how ingredients interact, it’s fun to experiment. Under the umbrella of cooking is basic cooking, baking, roasting, grilling, and frying. There are all kinds of fun gadgets to use, like Instant Pot or an Air Fryer. (Confession: I’m not a gadget person, I do not have these items, although I do love my Crock Pot.)

During these crazy times, grocery gathering can be tricky. All the more reason to be flexible in working with a recipe. If you can’t get this ingredient, perhaps that one will work just as well. If you pick-up your groceries or have them delivered, you really have to plan in advance… and then pray you get what you need! I am trying to see online grocery shopping as an adventure. Another confession: I still haven’t quite attained the bliss of seeing online grocery shopping as an adventure. It’s still frustrating to me. On the other hand, I am very grateful for the opportunity! How about you? Do you use the online store services or do you shop for yourself? What’s been your experience?

OK. Enough of this chit-chat. I’m as bad as the chefs that blab for pages and pages before they finally post the actual recipe! I’m sorry! I’ll get to the recipes right now…

For being consistent, let’s make Lasagna. But, since it’s spring, instead of meat, let’s lighten up a little and use spinach. A vegetarian lasagna that’s easy and yummy…

Spinach Lasagna

1 pound riccota or small-curd cottage cheese (or a combination of the two)

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided  +(or more, see note in instructions)

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1 large egg

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained*

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 jars (~about 15 ozs. each) spaghetti sauce

1/2 package lasagna noodles (8 ozs.)

Instructions:

NO NEED TO COOK THE NOODLES!

In large bowl mix together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, spinach, salt, oregano and pepper.

In greased 13x9x2″ baking dish, layer 1/2 cup sauce, 1/3 of noodles and half the spinach-cheese mixture.  + (I like to add extra mozzarella here but it’s not accounted for in the ingredients, so add extra to your shopping list if you like your lasagna nice and extra cheesy.) Repeat. Top with remaining noodles and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Pour water around edges. Cover tightly with foil. (I like to spray cooking oil on the inside of the foil so the cheese doesn’t stick quite so much.) Bake in 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

A mixed- green salad and garlic bread complete the meal.

Serves 8.

*If you’re up for an adventure, I’m sure you can use fresh spinach, I just don’t know how the measurements work. I would, layer the fresh spinach in rather than add it to the cheese mixture. (If you try it, please, let me know how it turns out!)

I’ve had this recipe since 1976, found it in Woman’s Day magazine, and used it ever since. It consistently turns out good and I love skipping the step of wrestling with cooking those slippery noodles! Consistency.

Control… follow the steps. It works!

This recipe is comfort food, easy to deal with and you can usually eat it for 2 meals (unless you have an army living with you). So, there are bonuses here. It is also a small adventure into vegetarian cooking. So it covers all the bases!

Since we had a somewhat heavy dinner, let’s have something light, sweet and good for us for dessert.

Fruity Banana Splits

(Serves 4)

4 bananas

1-1/3 cup Crushed pineapple (fresh or canned-drained)- divided: 1/3 cup each

1- 1/3 cup Blueberries (fresh or frozen-thawed)- divided: 1/3 cup each

1-1/2 cup Strawberries (fresh of frozen-thawed, coarsely chopped)- divided: 1/2 cup each

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 Tablespoons coconut – divided: 1 Tablespoon each or to taste

4 Tablespoons pecans (coarsely chopped)- divided: 1 Tablespoon each or to taste

Instructions:

Split bananas in half lengthwise and arrange side-by-side on a plate.

Top with pineapple, blueberries and strawberries in separate piles.

Beat heavy whipping cream until foamy, add honey or sugar to taste and continue to beat until cream is stiff. Pour over fruit. Top with coconut and nuts.

And there we are! A lovely spring dinner and dessert that’s yummy, comforting and good for you!

Do you have a favorite recipe? Please share!!

If you see a typo, please tell me! I’ve read and re-read the recipes many times and I am confident they are correct- however….

God bless you during this transition week!

 

 

 

Have a drink! Self-care week 3

If you want to take care of yourself, drink water!

I know. I can hear you now. “I drink plenty of coffee… or tea… or juice… or soda”. But no matter how tasty and wonderful those liquids are, they are not WATER.

Different “experts” tell us we need differing amounts of water each day, but the good ole 8-glasses-a-day is a good place to start.

I drink a glass of water with a couple of drops of lemon essential oil first thing in the morning. Water in the morning helps wake up your body, especially your digestion. I have to work to get those 8 glasses per day, but I’m trying hard! I still forget to bring water into the studio/office when I’m working but I really need to do it.

I’ve found that water, like moving around, can be an easy and small catalyst for changing my thinking or recharging my flagging energy.

When I begin to wonder if we have any cookies, or candy, or if it’s lunch time, I realize that a glass of water will get me through that energy dip. Or at least help me make lunch without snacking on everything in sight.

A drink of water can also be a good pause in a difficult situation, giving you a minute to move away, take a deep breath and come back to it refreshed.  A glass of cool water is very refreshing. And did you notice? You used all three of our self-care tools at one time! There ARE times we need more than one tool.

Need more reasons to drink water? I’m so glad you asked!

Did you know your body is about 55-60% water, depending on your age, gender and weight?

Your heart and brain are about 73% water, lungs are 83%, muscle and kidneys are 79%, skin is 64% and even your bones are around 31%!

Water is the major ingredient in cells.

Water insulates your body, helping regulate body temp. Remember, humans use perspiration and respiration to regulate our temperature. Both involve water.

It also insulates the brain, spinal cord, and organs, acting as a shock-absorber within our bodies.

We need water to metabolize proteins and carbs; it’s the primary part of saliva, which is where digestion begins.

Just a few more things about water:

It’s used to flush waste and toxins from the body; it’s a solvent, dissolving minerals, certain vitamins and other nutrients; and of course, water carries oxygen and nutrients to our cells.

BUT HERE’S THE THING, we don’t feel thirsty until we’ve lost around 2-3% of our body’s water. Doesn’t seem like a big deal. However, mental performance and physical coordination start to be impaired BEFORE we’re even thirsty, usually at around 1% dehydration. That piece information sure gets my attention! *

Lots of people say they don’t like water. I do like water, but I understand. (I’m not wild about veggies, but that’s another topic!) While plain water is really the best choice, there are alternatives. Add sliced cucumber or pear to a pitcher of water and put it in the refrigerator. You can use other fruits or veggies as well. Experiment. And remember, all taste is acquired. If you keep working at it, you can not only get used to plain water, you can actually enjoy it. One word of caution: Please stay away from the sweet- artificial or sugar- “flavorings” for water. They are really not a good choice.

Drink it plain or flavored . Either way, you will feel better and your body will thank you. It doesn’t take a long time to drink a glass of water. Just do it! Eight times.

Are you going to add WATER to your self-care tool box? I hope so. And let me know how it goes. Maybe we can encourage each other to have another drink- a drink of water.

*info based on the article, “How Much of Your Body is Water?”, by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., from http://www.thoughtco.com, September 28, 2018

 

Taking Care of Yourself- Week 2

Happy Monday and Happy 2nd Week of doing one small thing that helps you help yourself.

Although I usually really like Mondays with their new beginnings and new possibilities, today has been challenging. I’ve been spinning my wheels, wanting to do things but having a hard time focusing on just what to do and how to do it.

Take this week’s Self-Care technique, for example. I have an entire list of at least 52 little things to try, so there’s no lack of ideas. I was ready to hit this first thing this morning, publish and move on. However, it’s now nearly time to fix dinner and I’m just now figuring out which technique to focus on this week.

Last week’s deep breathing came in handy as I’ve tried to focus my efforts on this task I’ve given myself. DEEP breathe: breathe in slowly, fill your lungs, let it overflow into your belly. Hold it about 3 seconds and s.l.o.w.l.y exhale until there’s no air left in your lungs and then blow out the last little puff. It helped. It signaled my brain that everything is ok. It relaxed me and I made sure my shoulders weren’t hunched. However, it wasn’t but a few minutes before I was floundering again.

That’s the thing about techniques. They are tools. Sometimes one tool works great for the job at hand but other times that same tool doesn’t do the trick. You need something different!

I wrote an entire blog about another technique and then decided it wasn’t what I need NOW. Like the deep breathing, it was the wrong tool for me for today.

So what did I FINALLY do?

What saved me from utter frustration today?

What is my self-care technique for this week?

MOVEMENT. Get up  and move.

Change my position…don’t let myself to get cramped up in one position. Get up! Move! March in place or better yet, take a walk. Pump my arms. Dance. Simply cross one foot over the other and turn all the way around. Did you know, crossing one side of your body over the other encourages your brain to switch sides? And that encourages clearer thinking and openness.

Change what I’m thinking! Oh! This is a hard one. I had to change my MIND! Instead of thinking, “I cannot focus”, and falling into uselessness, I had to tell myself, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and direct my thoughts back to where I was.

Changing location, from one room to another or from inside to outside (and baby, it’s cold out there!) has helped a lot. Just a slight change of scenery is stimulating. If I’ve been sitting in one place without any progress for more than 15 minutes, it’s probably time to do something different.

MOVEMENT is a good way to take care of yourself when you’re in a tough situation. Give yourself a break. Excuse yourself a moment (go to the bathroom!). Press “pause” in the conversation to give yourself time to clear your thoughts. Often, when we physically move away from a disagreement or a stuck spot in a project, it enables us to move our thinking as well. It lets us come back refreshed and better able to handle the situation.

Thanks for reading!

Now it’s your turn.

Please let me know if you tried the deep breathing last week. How did it work. Did you feel better?

How about this week’s Movement? Do you think Movement will help you? What are your expectations?

I’d love your feedback!

 

 

 

Happy 2019-Take Good Care of Yourself

Happy New Year, ya’all!

Have you set goals? Do you have a word for the year? Do you make “resolutions”? I’d truly like to hear what you do, if you’d care to share.

I’m still praying about my word for the year, but I do know that I need to focus a little more on self-care. I need to remember that I’m worth a little extra effort.

Yes, that does sound selfish. But let’s think about that for a minute.  I’m not talking about indulgence. Not talking about hour-long bubble baths, buying yourself anything that strikes your fancy. I’m not talking about saying everything that pops into your head, either. I’m talking about taking care of yourself in order to help yourself be a happier person and to help others with a full heart.

Jesus told us to love our neighbor as ourselves. If I am constantly down on myself, constantly critical of everything I do, no matter how loving and kind I might SOUND to others, there is going to be an undertone of judgement because that’s what’s going on inside me. It seems to me, somewhere in there, He is implying I need love myself, too.

When you fly, they tell you to place your own oxygen mask first and THEN help others around you. If I can’t breath, how can I help someone else?

If the glass is empty, it cannot fill other glasses. If I am depleted and drained, no matter how much I try or want to, I won’t have anything to give to others.

So very many scriptures tell us how much God loves us. The one almost everyone knows, John 3:16, says He loved the world so much that He gave His Son to be the substitute for everyone’s failures. Everyone, by the way, includes you and me. Would YOU let your child suffer and die because someone else messed up??

In other scriptures, we are told God loves us, He sings over us, He dances, He smiles because of us. He fights for us. He protects us. He heals us… YOU and ME! He created each of us and God doesn’t make junk! We are told that we are in Christ Jesus and God the Father sees you and me just like He sees Jesus- perfect, righteous, complete.

When we don’t agree with what God says about us, either He is a liar or we need to change our thinking. I need to change my thinking~

Taking care of ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually is important. We are called to serve others and that’s what we want to do. To change the world around and within me, I have serve from a full heart and soul and spirit. When we love and serve others, we too are filled up and it becomes part of our own self-care.

First take time with Father God. Then be aware of how He loves you today.

For each week of this year, I’m going to practice a different form of self-care.

This week is deep breathing.

Starting with a “deep breath” seems easy for me  (This is another form of self-care. I’m starting with something I’m already familiar with). I often do that anyway. However, there are times I realize I’m essentially holding my breath, so I want to become aware sooner.

When I’m excited, I’ll take a deep breath and focus that excitement, enjoy that excitement.

When I’m tired, I’ll take a deep breath and rest.

When I’m frustrated, angry, disappointed… I’ll take a deep breath and pause.

There is a large body of research and resource for more information regarding deep breathing. There are special techniques for different types of deep breathing. Check it out. Try different things. Whatever you do, though, do it! Even a sharp, quick deep breath is better than nothing. A deep breath can stop the locomotive of negative feelings before they get out of control.

Every change we make is made up of many small changes, small steps. It’s when the goal is “lose 50 pounds”, or “stop being impatient” that we fail. Instead of saying I’m going to “take better care of myself emotionally”, I’m going to break it down, try different ways to take better care of myself.

Each week, either Monday or Tuesday (taking care of myself by giving myself space), I’ll share one small technique to change the way I think or lessen the pressure I unnecessarily place on myself. I hope you find something helpful for yourself as I share my journey.

Will you join me?

Thank you for reading. I invite your feedback.

Please consider following me. There’s a “subscribe” button at the top of the right hand column. If it’s not there, please let me know!! Thanks!

God bless you!

Try Again

I’ve gotten brave.

I feel somehow “called” to write but get blasted by huge doubts when I go to share it. I guess that’s kind of obvious; since I haven’t published anything since August.

But too bad. I’m doin’ it anyway.

There’s a wonderful blogger I follow (all the Bloggers I follow are wonderful! … keep reading…) and when I click “like” on her blog it says, “x bloggers like this”. Why is that important? Because I’ve decided it officially makes me a blogger! It says right there on the screen- these people, who are bloggers, like this blog. I’m in that group. Therefore, I’m a blogger.

So there! Be on the lookout. I have several blogs lined up!

Happy Last Week of November, ya’all!!

 

A Little More Hope

Hello, Friends!

Here it is- the First of March!

Spring has sprung here in NC, complete with bushes and trees rushing into full bloom even with the possibility of more cold weather. I know it’s silly but this warm weather at the end of February/beginning of March is messing with me… I look outside and see springtime; the weather feels like spring and yet my calendar is telling me it’s still winter! Ugh! I think these trees have an abundance of Hope… hoping against all hope that the weather has truly changed for the warmer.

As you recall, I ended the first HOPE installment with a question to myself… “Where is all this Hope I’m writing about? Am I really the one who wrote all that stuff?” It sounds so, ya know, HOPEFUL! I didn’t realize I already knew so much about Hope. After all, the reason this year’s word is HOPE is because I have a tenuous relationship with her.

I want to become intimate with HOPE. I certainly need Hope this third month of the year because the newness of the year (or month or day, etc.) changes nothing in and of itself. I am the one who has to change my thinking and tell my heart to “take heart, be Hope-filled”. I am the only one who can drain the sludge of discouragement or fear or negativity. I must work at it. The new month is a nice demarcation but the month isn’t going to be any different unless I do something different.

Sadly, Hope doesn’t come easily or naturally for me. (Will it ever, I wonder? Will I ever be a naturally, easily Hopeful person? I suspect -with my negative tendencies- that the answer is NO.) It’s hard to have to work so hard to be Hopeful. But there’s no other choice, I guess. Not really. Hope won’t give up and go away, it’s always there, somewhere or another, hiding from my tantrums or slinking into my little toe. But she won’t quite leave entirely. Thanks be to God. Since she won’t leave, I really should become friends with her.

I keep having to set and re-set my mind and take command of my heart. Really, my heart wants to Hope. It’s my heart that wants me living in peaceful-Hope (as opposed to fight-for-it-Hope). Again, I ask: can the fight-for-it-Hope become peaceful-Hope? I sure Hope so!

Sometimes Hope is easy… you’re full of faith, things are looking good and you FEEL Hopeful, Hope-filled. Hang onto that feeling, marinade in it, savor it, experience it, notice how great if feels! Enjoy feeling that your Hope is tough-as-nails and can withstand anything that comes your way; notice having “confident expectation”.

Often, “anything” does come your way and Hope becomes harder… things are not just gloomy but seem nearly impossible. If God Himself doesn’t come help you, you’re sunk, done for, dead. You have to fight hard to remember all those quotes and scriptures about Hope. You feel like you’re carrying heavy weights. Having that easy-Hope stored up gives us something to grab hold of in tough times.

I am asking God continue to open my eyes to see His Hope. I’m trusting Him to help me be less negative and re-wire my brain for the positive. I’m hoping to engage in Hope that is the evidence of what will be but isn’t yet. I’m still Hopefully Waiting , my winter-season theme, resting in anticipation of what’s coming next.

Winter is transitioning into spring with a whip-lash of sunny and warm one day, chilly with rain the next.  And my Hopeful Waiting seems to be transitioning into something new.

My Hope is built on Jesus’s faithfulness!! What is my problem, anyway? Jesus did it all! He takes care of it all, He loves me even when I’m awful. Why would I not Hope in Him? I can truly rest in Him and all He has done for me! Even though I’m still somewhat back and forth, like the weather, my Hope is becoming stronger. We’re getting to be friends.

 

Thank you for reading this today.

I’d love for you to share what your relationship with Hope is like. Is she your best friend? Is she just an acquaintance? I Hope both you and I will get to know Hope better, and that our relationship becomes intimate. Please, leave your comments below.

And if you haven’t already subscribed, please do! There’s a button (very tiny) above the right column. Thanks so much!

God bless you as winter turns to spring and you become better acquainted with Hope!