The Mothership

  Ingredients: 1 &1/4 lbs. brussel sprouts, halved and then thinly sliced 1/2 yellow onion, diced Olive oil (or any cooking oil/fat) Salt Pepper 1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and rough chopped Seeds from 1/2 a pomegranate  1 lemon, zested and then juice squeezed Red pepper flakes Crumbled Feta *optional ingredients: dried cranberries instead of pomegranates and shaved Parmesan in addition to the feta RECIPE:  Slice the Brussel sprouts in half and then thinly slice each half. Place in a bowl.  Heat a large sauté pan on medium low heat. Add cooking oil to the pan and sauté the onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Chop the pistachios When the onions become translucent, add in the Brussel sprouts.  Sauté for just a bit, enough to be warmed. You want the Brussel sprouts to stay bright green. Stir frequently so all the leaves become warm (5 minutes tops) Add in the pistachios. Cook for 1 more minute.  Remove from heat and add in the rest of the ingredien...

”So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.“ ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬ What word has God planted in your heart that has the power to save your soul? A friend of my called me the threader. My family is interconnected through threads. What they pickup from me will determine if they are able to bend and flex or if they will be tight with tension. If my stress and angst is known, then my threads are taut and unable to be flexible. But if I am looking for the peace in all situations, my threads are able to move freely, and yet with intention. Depending on circumstances, my husband or I or even a child help keep the peace. We talk a lot about “keeping the peace” not with the intent to people please. But with the thought of how can we come to each interaction, love the person well, with a lens of boundaries that helps keep the peace in our hearts? Peace is always accessible, ...

Very tasty and makes a lot so you can freeze for later or give to others.  I usually use a 13x9 and two foil 8x8 pans for freezing when I make this and there is still filling left over which is good for putting on top of salads or giving to little ones:) You can also use a 7x11 and 3 foil containers.  When cooking the chicken, I usually cook it in a crockpot on low that morning with a little salt and a minced clove of garlic and just a little water so that it's easy to shred and prepared for when I come home to make the rest. Or you can bake the chicken at 350 for 30 minutes seasoned with garlic powder and salt. Then shred with two forks after its baked This is not super spicy but you can make it hotter if you like. Just add things like diced jalepenos or Tabasco sauce to the chicken filling.  The tortillas: I use white or yellow corn tortillas. They are smaller than the normal taco tortillas. I have tried wheat tortillas and they just don't hold up as well. They ...

This is one of those wonderful one pot easy prep meals. No chopping! I made a less lactose version because someone in our family has a sensitivity. Use full lactose items if you feel so inclined Ingredients: 2 lbs. uncooked chicken 1 - 16 oz. chicken or vegetable broth 1 - 28 oz. can green enchilada sauce  Salt & Pepper to taste 1 - 14oz. can of corn, drained 1 - 14 oz. can of white beans   2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese or white cheddar cheese 1/4 cup whole milk (or regular) 3/4 cup almond milk (Or use all whole milk) 1 cup of soy yogurt (or greek yogurt or sour cream) 2 oz. cream cheese or cream cheese alternative (cubed and softened) chopped red onion chopped cilantro  lime wedges  tortilla chips green verde salsa for topping (optional) ***You could top with chopped avocado and more cheese.  ***We have also prepared rice per package directions and poured soup over top of rice when serving.  *** adding red pepper flakes is fun - but can bri...

Sometimes there is nothing I can say or do to help you. Vastly different from the prelude of the season of parenting is where we remain now. Before you’d simply run to me with open arms when you were hurt, weren’t sure of the safety around you or uneasy of emotions that billowed inside. Now I stand here, ready to catch you as you fall, but it seems to me you feel less inclined to share. What stands in your way, baby girl? What keeps you from falling?  And then, just as the wind changes, with my arms outstretched and tired from the endurance of patience, you land ever so softly. As you get older, you have all the words, but for some reason your silence is the loudest. So for now, in this season, I will stand waiting, even annoyingly nudging you, because this is my calling. My roots are grounded deep so that I can sustain the impact. Saddened is my helping heart not be able to fix everything and make it all better, but blessed is my heart to hold the honor of being the consta...

My kids and I went apple picking with some friends and came home with soo many apples. I don't even know all the kinds because the kids were lke squirrels hopping from one row of apple trees to the next. My kids eat apples at an alarming rate so they each brought home a full 2 pound bag. I wanted to make something that the kids would enjoy and settled on this. I added protein powder to it, because, I figured if my kids are gonna eat baked goods, it might as well have an extra boost to it. When you see that you have to peel, core and chop the apples, don't be scared. Take your potato peeler and get rid of the peel. Cut around the core, and then chop the flesh. I only covered this with half walnuts because SOMEBODY doesn’t enjoy the texture. Super easy - no apple corer needed. This recipe has the fiber, the protein, and the carbs! Enjoy! Ingredients: 3 pounds of apples, peeled, cored and chopped juice from 1/2 a lemon 3 teaspoons of cinnamon 1/2 cup of granulated sugar 1 tablespo...

My sister and I used to hit up the China Buffet quite frequently as children with our grandparents on a Friday night. Now that my kids are so much older and mature (ha!) I thought maybe they would try it! This recipe makes a lot - perfect for a crowd. If you only want enough for 2 adults to have dinner and leftovers I would definitely halve this. I felt like this recipe was a little less salty and not so heavy in sauce, which I prefer. You CAN saute in broth instead of oil if you feel like you want it even healthier. Also - if you wanted to make it vegetarian, some pan seared tofu would be super tasty! ***TIP! Be sure and have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go BEFORE you begin sauteing. This food cooks quickly and can easily burn if you are trying to chop as you go. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced 2 egg white 4 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of cornstarch divided use 1  - 32oz chicken broth 3 teaspoons of sugar 2 Tablespoons of ...