The Fall of Soups

This fall, Tyler and I decided we will try a new soup each week. About every other week since last fall I have made chili soup, a big time favorite of Tyler's. We are finally starting to branch out! :-) This week a friend from church recommended the soup below after I shared how much squash I have and how my husband despises it. I altered the spices and a few of the other ingredients and voila! Guess what?? Tyler took a bite and said, "Wow!" 

Butternut Squash Soup

6 Tbsp chopped onions

4 Tbsp organic butter

1 medium to large, peeled and cubed butternut squash

4 cups vegetable broth

1/4 tsp basil

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

4 to 8 oz of organic cream cheese

Saute the onion in butter until tender. Add everything but the cream cheese. Note: If you don't have all these spices make it anyways!Use more of one or try marjoram instead. When the squash is tender add everything to blender or food processor and puree until smooth with cream cheese. I left some of the smaller chunks out of the blender and mixed it with the pureed mix. We liked this consistency best. 

WHOOPIE!!!

Is anyone else as excited as I am for fall?! Here are a few of my favorite things about fall: cool weather runs, cardigans without a coat, warm cups of tea, soup, snuggles, chilly mornings, and PUMPKIN. This year I made my own pumpkin puree for the first time. We have been a part of a community garden and picked up a few pumpkins the other day. It was easier than I expected to make the puree and I got lots of other Saturday tasks done while they were baking. Tyler and I made two AMAZING pumpkin recipes this weekend. Pumpkin Chili from Elise's blog (my husband even liked this folks!) and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies....

Doesn't the picture say enough??? Yummmyyy

The best part? There were many to share. Not to mention, they have no sugar and can be a guilt free treat. Enjoy!

CinnaTwist Protein Bars

I love to have an on-the-go snack ready for those crazy days when there's no time to prepare food. I have made Loaded Chocolate Protein bars from Elise's blog MANY times as a sweet treat for breakfast, lunch, or supper. You can find that recipe here. The best part is that they have no sugar and are filled with lots of good protein and fat that keeps you full. Unlike most protein bars in the store, they have natural ingredients and no artificial sweeteners that are toxic to the body. 
The other day I decided to experiment with one of my favorite spices: CINNAMON. :-) The bars turned out better than I thought. Enjoy!

CinnaTwist Protein Bars
Makes 24 Bars

¾ cup coconut oil

2 Tbsp organic butter
1 cup raw cashew butter
2 cups raw almond flour
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup raw nuts of your choice
3 scoops vanilla protein powder (chocolate Nature Pro or Vega both taste great!)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

½ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp spoonable stevia
1/4 tsp sea salt

Melt the coconut oil, butter, and cashew butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Meanwhile, pulse all of the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Next, mix in the melted sauce. If the mixture is too runny or oily, add in more almond flour and coconut flakes until proper consistency is achieved (Taste test for sweetness required at this point, add more stevia if you like). Spread mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish lined with natural waxed paper.  Freeze for 20 minutes until set.  Remove from freezer.  Holding the ends of the bottom sheet of waxed paper, pull straight up and the bars will come out of the pan.  Cut into uniform strips or squares using a pizza cutter.  I store them in the freezer in baggies to grab on the go.

Staples of Life

Lately, taking life back to the basics has been a source of refreshment in life. Salads for supper, jeans and a t-shirt, a walk on the trail....you get the picture. God keeps reminding me of how good He made life to be. I've always been the person that wants to fix just one more thing to make the project complete or to get one more thing done in my day...But you know what? Life goes on when I don't get that one thing done or I don't have that one last ingredient to make my stir fry amazing. There's beauty in contentment. 

Striving, working, persevering, progress....these are all good things but are only glorifying to God when we don't forget to live in the moment and enjoy Him in the midst of it all. For example, a single crunchy apple is more enjoyable when each bite is savored compared to an elaborate meal gobbled down while rushing to the next thing. The conversation with the cashier is much more meaningful when you intentionally engage in conversation rather than a carelessly tossed "how are you" to your closest friend.  

On the practical side of things, I want to share some of the basic staples found in our kitchen. The picture below was a house warming gift we recently gave to a friend. Coconut oil for cooking, almond butter for apples and stir fry sauce, nuts for on the go, salt and pepper for seasoning, Vietnamese cinnamon for anything you can think of (cause its so good), Stevia for natural sweetening, and dark chocolate (cause every girl needs some chocolate) were all included in this box of fun. Add a grocery bag of veggies, some fruits, and a little chicken and you're set! It's simple to get back to the basics by choosing food that is as close to the original form God made it!

This week slow down to enjoy Jesus in the moment...Enjoy what He's teaching you right now instead of constantly looking to the next thing that you're striving for. Take time to enjoy His blessings and thank Him for it. You'll be surprised how much you get done and the joy you'll find in it. 

Saturday Morning Muffins

I love muffins. Who doesn't? And even more than muffins, I love healthy muffins. Never did I think there could be a muffin this healthy and this good. 

This muffin has no sugar folks. And plenty of protein and great fats. It's perfect for Saturday morning breakfast and a little snack on the road. 

My first recipe success worth sharing. Enjoy!

Makeover Muffins

Adapted from Elana's Pantry

Muffin Mixture:

1 cup blanched almond flour

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1/4 cup xylitol

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cardamon (opt.)

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

3 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Topping: 

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp grapeseed oil

Stevia to taste

Mix all the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Then, gradually add the dry to the wet ingredients. Spoon slightly less than 1/4 cup of the mixture into muffin liners and pour a little of the oil mixture on each. Bake at 350 for about 14 minutes.

PS If you're wondering about the name, check out Inspired Chiropractic, Sioux Falls! We just had over 250 people join us Thursday for an event focused on Nutrition and Exercise!

I dare you!

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day by far. For the past 3 months, I would say 75% of the time I have some sort of smoothie. I usually am a person that gets sick of one thing over and over, but never this smoothie!

Jar Wonders

Partially eaten :-)

This is a must try!! Take any glass jar and fill it part way with your favorite chili soup. Then add a cornbread mixture on top (I have to admit I used a boxed version for simplicity's sake...any good recipes out there?). Make sure to leave about an inch on the top so it doesn't overflow. Set the jars on a cookie sheet and bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Making Zucchini Pancakes...Pretend like its the Weekend now!

I have never been much of a pancake girl. Don't get me wrong, breakfast is by far the best meal of the day. But, I tend to go for a smoothie, oatmeal, peanut butter toast, or cereal. However, these pancakes are one of my top five breakfasts. They taste like home. Any recipe taken from Momma Neth's cookbook, Family Favorites, will never lead you astray. If you haven't ever experienced Robin's cooking, trust me when I say that she is a rockstar in the kitchen (and at many other things).

This past Thursday and Friday night Tyler and I had a visitor, my "little" brother Kellyn (I will always call him my little brother, even though he has definitely outgrown me). So to fit the special occasion, Saturday morning we didn't "pretend like it's the weekend" because it was the weekend! I was "making zucchini pancakes, because it is the weekend now." If you don't recognize that it's from Jack Johnson's song Banana Pancakes.

Anyways, I have never seen anyone not like these savory, delicious pancakes. I dare you to try them! :-)

Zucchini Patty's (adapted from Family Favorites)
2 eggs, beaten                             1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt                                  6 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp pepper                            2 cups shredded zucchini
1 tsp baking powder

Beat the eggs and add all of the dry ingredients (add zucchini last). Then cook just like normal pancakes on a skillet (medium high) until cooked through.  

I also took the same recipe but instead of pepper and Parmesan, I added 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and about 1/2 cup of blueberries (if you want them sweeter added about 1 tbsp of honey or sugar). 

Either way, I recommend topping with Madison's Peanut Butter Spread (http://www.espressoandcream.com/2011/08/peanut-butter-spread.html).  You could also trickle maple syrup or my brother even goes with Ketchup for the Parmesan recipe! 

Don't you all just love garden veggies? I'm always amazed at God's design in it all.

Nuts Ninja

 Today, after biking back to our apartment from my new part-time job at the neighborhood coffee shop, Oscars, I was determined to succeed at making the ultimate almond butter. You see, I am what you might call a nut butter lover. Yes, please laugh. :-D Many of my closest friends would easily be able to tell you its one of my favorite foods. So when antiquing with my new added family (Tyler, his mom, and his brother) I was far too excited when Cindy (mother-in-law) showed me a peanut butter jar from the 1930s. Cindy bought it for me as an early birthday gift and since I have been hoping to master the art of making my very own nut butters.
This is where the ninja comes in....The ninja is actually a blender/food processor that Tyler and I received as a wedding gift. I used multiple recipes from different blogs to try to create my very own nut butter. After approximately an hour, feeling sick from trying little bites here and there, and a very warm ninja, I finally gave up. My nut butter is still not creamy and delicious like I would hope. My peanut butter jar is filled with lumpy almond paste. Maybe my ratios are wrong? Maybe my ninja is not the best for nut butter creations but only for delicious breakfast smoothies, frappes, and blizzards? Maybe it was too full or not full enough??? Who knows? Any pointers out there???

Anyways, I think that this frustration is similar to parts of my life lately. I'm working at being a good wife, daughter, friend, and worker. I'm working to pursue a career and love Jesus and others wherever I'm at. I'm lumpy almond paste. I'm striving...But mostly striving to continue trusting while being obedient. You see I like control. Which is why I like trying to make things.. :-) I'm glad that even when I fail there's hope. I'm glad that God reveals my imperfections to me so I remember that I need Him and I can't do things by myself. I'm glad God blesses me through things like old peanut butter jars, sunshine filled days, and time to just sit and talk to Jesus. I praise Him for not giving me control and for showing His faithfulness in so many ways. I'm thankful for the husband He has given me (Yes, husband...weird, I know), the family He's surrounded me with, the friends He speaks to me through, and His ever present Spirit.
Maybe someday I'll be creamy almond butter perfected through God's food processor. :-) Sorry, I meant maybe someday I'll be able to make creamy almond butter.

What's in your peanut butter jar?