love your neighbor

One of my classes this semester is Church Evangelism. Pretty straight-forward, right? Well something I realized tonight as I scrolled through my 400+ contacts in my phone is just how few non-believers I have relationship with. My first assignment for the class was to interview a lost person. This was strictly an assignment to ask questions about their belief, not to convert or debate them. But I literally racked my brain for someone to talk to and kept coming up short. That's such a bad sign, right?!

So as I contemplated going down the street to the Chevron, I realized that I have never even taken the time to meet my neighbors in the apartment complex. I don't know their names, except one girl who stands outside to smoke. But for all I know, every single neighbor could be lost and I've just been hiding in my living room, playing with my puppy, and panicking about who to talk to. So I asked for courage, and walked downstairs to introduce myself to our Tom Haverford look-alike neighbor.

Turns out his name isn't Tom, and he's actually a really nice guy... but didn't seem to know much about the Gospel. He deferred a lot of questions to his roommate, a pastor's kid, and I wondered mostly about how to engage him specifically in the questions since I was sensing that He didn't have relationship with Jesus.

Today I spent the afternoon in a missions training for an upcoming mission trip to Paris. But then I came home and racked my brain for who I could possibly share the Good News with. And there he was, just sitting a floor beneath me, as obvious as could be. Just makes me wonder who I see daily, yet keep my mouth shut about the Gospel, saving that for work... or for missions... when there are lost souls surrounding me every. single. day.

Mark 12
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

This has been such truth that I've been convicted of in my life lately. Church life has become just normal life. I work there, I go there, I feel sometimes like I live there. Then add beginning seminary, and all of a sudden just being surrounded my the Gospel seems normal. So it's becoming less of a novelty, less exciting, more just practical means to an end. And I don't want that!!! I'm sitting just kind of stagnant in an overwhelming amount of Gospel without letting its freshness and newness penetrate my heart. I'm sitting, just soaking in it, marinating in it, but never using it or gleaning from it, and that's a dangerous place to be. It makes you numb to your lost neighbor, and tired of reading, so you don't read, and then you don't seek, and then all of a sudden, I'm just here... ready to get back to needing God. I need you, O God. You alone. Help me to need you today!

copycat calendar

I have a confession. I'm obsessed with I love the blog Young House Love. To the point that I frequently talk about John, Sherry, Clara or Burger as if we are friends and without warning that I'm referring to a blog that I am in love with follow. And so this week I stumbled upon a very fortuitous provision of a calendar template.

I'd been toying with the idea of making a calendar but hadn't seen much inspiration for anything I wanted to make. John and Sherry have made their own the calendar the last few years and always make them fun and personal. They are kind enough to provide the PSD so you can edit and make your own. So naturally I did -- and it was so very easy!

In following suit from their calendar I found an Instagram that either I or Ethan had taken from each month over the past year. I resized the picture and converted to black and white (okay literally I just copied what they did because it was cute and it worked and it was super easy) then added my caption based on some reference, quote or joke that me and Ethan share from that memory. So in about an hour, I had a personalized calendar all ready to print, with very little creative effort on my part (thanks John and $herdog!)

    

    

   

What I love most is that it could be printed on any normal color printer, and the rectangles are about 5x10 - they make an excellent grid and I'm planning to frame them out so I can use a dry-erase marker to add things without ruining my pretty pages!

Pescetarian Meal Planning

After four years of ongoing battle with my stomach I decided to do something that I know makes me feel better! Eat healthy! (It's such a shocker that this actually works...)

I've recently changed my eating habits to a modified Pescetarian palette. Pescetarians are similar to vegetarians in that they don't eat meat, but they do eat seafood. Seafood is something I love, but also seems to make me feel good and still give me some good protein, so there's no point in kicking it out of the diet all together.

I realized that if I don't plan ahead on meals, I'm likely to grab whatever is easy or run through a drive-thru, etc. and then I end up with non-pescetarian friendly items and feel quite sickly thanks to my ongoing gastritis. So this week I finally caved and decided to meal plan, menu, and grocery list for the rest of the month. And you know what? My little OCD heart has never felt happier. I look at my color coded calendar, pull out my printed recipes, and just breathe easy. I don't worry about what to cook Ethan for supper because my dry-erase board tells me what we have.

I started without much knowledge of how to do this other than I knew I wanted to start with what we had, and make a budget-friendly grocery list that I wouldn't have to shop for hours to accumulate everything.

So here's my first two weeks of menus:

I made a grocery list based on what we already had and what we would need, went shopping (knocked it out in under and hour and only spent $150 for everything). I also went ahead and printed all my recipes so now when I'm ready to make something I have it right in front of me and don't have to search Pinterest/AllRecipes/Epicurious for whatever I'm trying to find.

To find meals I just did a culmination of searching... I found some recipes from Pinterest, some just by searching "Pescetarian Meal Plans", and then I just pulled and pieced together from things we love (and things Ethan will eat since he is kindly joining me for the ride!) I did throw in some chicken for him along the way so he doesn't end up hating fish and all things related.

Some of the sites I found:
Confections of a Food Bride
Kitchen Treaty
An Edible Mosaic
Tenacious Lee

And I decided to start pinning all my definite recipe plans onto my Meal Planning Pinterest board because I got sick of searching through all the millions of random recipes or pins I've pinned in my general cooking board. It's been so easy this week!

I've already modified some on the go, like this morning when I didn't feel like making a smoothie as we were running out the door, I just grabbed a granola bar and some milk for the win. I like knowing that I have everything I need, and I won't be returning to the grocery store (fingers crossed) until February!

Here's all the recipes I used for the main dishes:

SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES, PASTA

INGREDIENTS

            2 oz whole-grain angel-hair pasta (of an 8 oz. box)

            2 teaspoons extra light olive oil

            3/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled (tails intact)

            1/2 teaspoon salt

            1 tablespoon finely chopped black olives

            1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

            1 clove garlic, finely chopped

            1 cup fresh baby spinach

            4 cherry tomatoes, halved

            1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

            2 tablespoons white wine

            2 tablespoons lemon juice

                        1 tablespoon reduced-fat grated Parmesan

PREPARATION

For pasta 
Cook pasta 1 minute less than directed on package; set aside.


For shrimp 
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Cook shrimp until pink, 5 to 6 minutes; transfer to a plate.


For vegetables 
Reduce heat to medium; add olives, parsley and garlic. Cook until garlic becomes fragrant but does not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach, tomatoes, broth, wine and lemon juice. Cover and cook until tomatoes soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in half of shrimp and half of pasta; sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve. (Place remaining cooked shrimp and remaining cooked pasta in separate resealable bags and refrigerate until Monday's lunch and dinner, respectively.)


THE SKINNY

468 calories per serving, 15.8 g fat (2.9 g saturated), 35.6 g carbs, 2.6 g fiber, 42.7 g protein

BEGINNER ARTICHOKE PASTA

From Body + Soul

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper


12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti


2 tablespoons olive oil


1/2 medium onion , thinly sliced, lengthwise


2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced crosswise


1/2 cup dry white wine


1 can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and quartered lengthwise


1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise


1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes , halved lengthwise


1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more serving


1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions

                  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Return pasta to pot.

                  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, cook, stirring occasionally until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes.

                  Stir in artichokes and cook until starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add olives and half of the tomatoes; cook until tomatoes start to break down, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pasta to skillet. Stir in remaining tomatoes, oil, cheese, and basil. Thin with reserved pasta water if necessary to coat the spaghetti. Serve with additional cheese.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 498 calories, 13 g fat, 77 g carbs, 18 g protein

           

PARMESAN TILAPIA

From AllRecipes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

½ cup Parmesan cheese

¼ cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon celery salt

2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

1.     Preheat your oven’s broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.

2.     In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.

3.     Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the over and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with fork. Be careful not to overcook the fish.

Nutritional information: 224 calories per serving

EGG SALAD

Servings: 4

Ingredients

                  4 eggs

                  1/4 cup light mayo

                  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

                  1 teaspoon lemon juice

                  Salt to taste

                  Pepper to taste

                  Whole wheat bread

                  Light mayo for spreading

                  Avocado slices

                  Spinach leaves

                  Sliced carrots

                   

Directions for Egg Salad

Hard boil the eggs: Boil eggs in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and peel. Mash the eggs in a bowl with the mayo, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Directions for Sandwiches

Use whole wheat bread and toast if desired. Spread with light mayo and egg salad. Arrange the spinach leaves, sliced carrots, sliced avocado and combine the sandwich.

SALMON BISQUE

Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium-large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

2 large stalks celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup dry white wine

5 cups low-sodium fish, chicken, or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 lb wild salmon fillets, cooked and flaked (see note above for cooking information)

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (for garnish)

SALMON COOKING

lightly coat the bottom of a nonstick skillet with olive oil; heat the skillet over medium-high heat; season the salmon with salt and pepper and add the salmon when the oil ripples; cook the fish until golden on both sides, flipping once (about 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending how big your fillets are); put a lid on the skillet, turn off the heat, and leave it for 3 minutes to steam the inside of the fish.

BISQUE COOKING

Heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until starting to soften and brown in spots, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.  Turn the heat up to high, add the wine, and cook until evaporated, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer until veggies are very tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Turn off heat and cool slightly.

Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth (take out the cap in the center of the lid and place a kitchen towel over the hole so steam can escape as you puree the soup); puree the other half of the soup the same way.  Add the soup back to the saucepan along with the lemon juice and heavy cream; cook a couple minutes over low heat until warm throughout, stirring constantly (do not let it boil).

Transfer to serving bowls and top with the flaked salmon and chives.

HARLEY PASTERNAK BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

From Harley Pasternak, celebrity trainer

Ingredients

5 raw almonds

red apple


banana


3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt


1/2 cup nonfat milk


1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

                  Place all ingredients in a blender. (Depending on how powerful your blender is, you may need to chop the apple and almonds into small pieces before blending.)

                  Blend on medium-high for 30 seconds (or until desired consistency).

Makes one 16-ounce serving for a total of 382 calories.

EDAMAME CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients

                  3 slices bacon (4 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips

                  1 medium onion, chopped

            2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth                       

1 red potato (6 ounces), scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

                  1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

                  2 cups frozen shelled edamame

                  1 can (15 ounces) creamed corn

                  1/2 cup half-and-half

                  Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

                  Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth, potato, and Italian seasoning. Simmer until potato is just tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in edamame, creamed corn, and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until edamame are tender, about 8 minutes. Serve chowder sprinkled with crumbled bacon.

TWICE-BAKED POTATOES (weight watchers)

Ingredients:

3 large baking potatoes

1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided

1/3 cup thin green onion slices

1/4 cup Light Sour Cream

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pierce potatoes in several places with tip of sharp knife. Bake 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until tender. Immediately cut potatoes lengthwise in half; scoop out centers, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells.

Beat potato pulp, broth, 1/2 cup cheese, onions, sour cream and mustard with mixer until well blended. Spoon into shells; top with remaining cheese and paprika.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 6 Servings

Per Serving: 88 Calories; 1g Fat; 2.5g Protein; 17.3g Carbs; 2.3g Fiber

GARLICKY BAKED SHRIMP

Source:  Gimme Some Oven

Serves: 3

Ingredients:


1 lb. raw shrimp, deveined and peeled (I pull the tails off beforehand too)


4 cloves garlic, minced


2 Tbsp. white wine


salt and pepper


1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) melted butter


1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs


2 Tbsp. fresh Italian-leaf parsley, chopped


half of a lemon (optional)

Directions:
 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic, and white wine.  Stir to combine, then pour into a baking dish.  Spread out evenly, and then season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, use a fork to mix melted butter, Panko, and parsley until well combined.  With your fingers, sprinkle the mixture evenly in the baking dish over the shrimp.

Transfer dish to oven and bake until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 15-18 minutes.

CRISPY BAKED ZUCCHINI FRIES

A fun way to serve zucchini - as crispy zucchini fries!

Ingredients

                  1/4 cup whole wheat flour

                  2 eggs

                  2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

                  Salt

                  Pepper

                  1/2 tsp garlic powder

                  1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

                  1 lb zucchini, cut into 4-5-inch sticks

Instructions

                  Preheat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment (or whatever non-stick method you prefer).

                  Place flour in a large zipper bag.

                  Whisk eggs with 2 Tbsp water and place in a shallow dish.

                  Place Panko, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish and mix to combine.

                  Place zucchini in the bag with the flour and shake until well coated. Dip the zucchini into the egg and then into the panko, turning to coat well.

                  Place breaded zucchini on the baking sheet.

                  Bake 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.

                  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (we like ranch... and barbecue sauce).

                  They're best the first day, but to store leftovers, store in a single layer on a plate, wrapped with ziploc. Reheat at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes, until heathed through.

Notes

Yields: 6 servings (8 pieces)

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Estimated time: 30 minutes

SUSAN’S CHEESY CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients

1 box Mexican Velveeta Cheese

4 chicken breasts

1 package chicken noodle soup starter

Directions

Boil chicken breasts, dice

Mix water with soup starter according to package

Add cubed cheese and chicken to soup mix in crock pot

Cook about 5 hours on low.

ARTICHOKE PESTO PIZZA

Ingredients

½ cup pesto basil sauce

1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust

1 (6 oz.) jar artichoke hearts, drained

½ cup shredded white cheese (feta)

optional: 2 cups cooked chicken breast strips

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread pesto sauce over the pizza crust. Arrange artichoke hearts and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese melts.

HOMEMADE PIZZA CRUST

Ingredients

1 ¾-2 c. flour

¾ c. water

½ pkg. active dry yeast (1/2 tbsp.)

¼ tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions

Heat water to 115 degrees. Dissolve yeast in 1/8 cup of the warm water, set aside for 5 minutes

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, salt, olive oil and remaining water to make a soft dough. Stir in dissolved yeast plus enough remaining flour to make a semi-stiff dough.

Turn onto floured bread, knead until all remaining flour is absorbed and dough is smooth.

Place in greased bowl; turning to grease top of dough.

Let rise until doubled (about 40 minutes). When pressed with two fingers 1/4-inch deep, the impressions should remain; if they spring back, dough hasn’t risen sufficiently; let rise longer.

Punch down and form into 12 inch circle, pressing indentations into the dough with fingers.

Add toppings. Bake at 325 until bubbly