Food on Friday: Dinner on Average

Dinner on a week night is usually planned ahead of time. I know roughly what I'm going to make in a given week, and buy my ingredients accordingly, but it often changes and I give myself the liberty to modify on a whim. Recently, Chance and I have been eating beef tacos (YUM!) once a week, but after both of us had some inconvenient symptoms we both decided that we needed to lay off the red meat for a while and eat more vegetarian dinners. I get a lot of recipe ideas from The Gluten-Free Goddess and other foodie blogs. Now when I propose to my husband the idea of making a new meal, he usually responds with a mixture of open-mindedness and reluctancy. Such was last night.

Mine wasn't this pretty, but still tasty!

I had been talking about making this quinoa recipe for dinner and when I mentioned it again to Chance he was a little less than enthusiastic. But nonetheless he was willing to try it, so after I got home from work I threw some quinoa in the rice cooker (best investment ever!) sliced some peppers and onions and put those on a baking sheet. While the peppers were roasting/grilling in the oven, I chopped up some scallions and parsley to throw in the quinoa. When the quinoa was cooked, I mixed in my add-ins along with a lemon's worth of lemon juice and some salt. Voila! Our meal was almost ready to be consumed. [While I was cooking, Chance was reading.. not sure what was going through his mind at this point, probably just hunger]. I dished up the quinoa onto two plates, along with the roasted peppers and onions, then put hummus and pesto on the table to be added if one so desired.

I put Chance's plate out first and as he took his first bite, his reaction was well... not that impressed. He made some funny facial expressions and said, "How much lemon did you put in this?" and I responded with a surprised, "Not that much!" After two or three more bites he calmed down and began to actually enjoy the dinner. I sat down and we both dove in. Hummus on roasted or grilled veggies is a-mazing, just so you know. I asked Chance what he thought of the meal (by the way, I had told him before we ate that if he didn't like dinner I wouldn't make it again). His response was that it was good. Then a few bites later the meal was "really good." Then a whole two helpings later, "That was an excellent meal Kathryn!" I love when he loves my cooking, it brings me such joy. So I would say that dinner on average, especially when I am making new recipes, always goes a little something like that.

Last night I also whipped up a soup for us to have for lunch today. Black bean soup to be exact. I have never made black bean soup using the food processor before, but now that I  have I am totally in love with the concept. I used two recipes (here and here too) as my inspiration and then kind of just did my own thing. This was my recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup chicken broth or water
2 cans of black beans, drained
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
2 tsp. cumin (more or less to taste)
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
Some onion powder
(if I had had some cilantro, I'd have added about 1/4 cup chopped, but it was good without it too)

Directions:
-Combine all of the above ingredients in the food processor until blended thoroughly.

-In a medium pot on the stove, cook 6 slices of bacon (hardwood smoked was great!) that has been chopped into small pieces. Cook through. Add your soup mixture from the food processor to the pot and heat on medium-low until it begins to bubble.

Mmmm enjoy! This was so easy.. I am going to start making all kinds of bean soups in the food processor! I hope you enjoy your Friday :)

Food on Friday: FONDUE

This is where I want to go on Chance and I's postponed anniversary date (see picture below). We went there for a surprise 6 -month (of dating) anniversary, and loved it! Fondue is such a unique experience and to me it always seems more romantic than your run of the mill dinner date. So if you're looking for date ideas try The Melting Pot! You will surely not be disappointed. Or even better - try and do your own!

They even gave us an anniversary card :)

YUMMY!

So glad that now we're MARRIED!

Dark chocolate + white chocolate

See how much fun this looks.. that's because it was :)

Self-Image: What Men Need to Know

In previous posts, I have spoken extensively about every women's battle with their own self-image. Whether it relates to weight, food issues, one's view of their beauty, I am convinced that every woman has internal struggles about her image. All of us have different degrees to which we wrestle with our own [false] ideas about ourselves and each individual's battle will look different. Admittedly, it takes time and energy to understand our own hearts, and the thoughts that too often plague us, but this is a crucial step in diagnosing the root of our problem and seeking grace from the only One who can truly heal us.

Recently, I spoke with a friend who described an extremely disheartening conversation she had with a guy friend about his response to her openness about her self-image struggles. This guy friend expressed his feelings of insensitivity, frustration, and disinterest in helping my friend deal with these deeply personal issues. It broke my heart to hear. But I believe the reason for this man's reaction was one thing: a misunderstanding of a women's struggle with self-image. I can attest to this reasoning because, 1) I have a husband, and 2) He doesn't always understand. Most men know very little of a woman's constant struggle with her image. It is not that men don't care, but for the the most part because they haven't experienced this to a similar degree, it is hard for them to be empathetic. On Friday, Chance and I were discussing this very topic as I shared some things that I have been dealing lately, mostly due to the trials of pregnancy. From that conversation, I would like to offer some counsel to all men about how to understand a women's struggle, and how to lovingly help her.

I cannot speak for all women, on a specific level, but I can speak for myself and my husband: this has been tremendously helpful. I have realized my frustration when Chance doesn't seem concerned or careful with his words regarding the distorted view I have of myself. I have attempted to be patient with him on recent occassions, to explain a women's desire for attention and for love. Deep inside of us is the innate desire to be wanted and when we feel ugly, we are ashamed and discouragement sets in. Many women struggle with their weight, which makes them self-conscious and timid. Other women struggle with distortions to their eating, problems that can be as severe as anorexia and bulimia, or as common as condemning thoughts about eating 2 extra slices of Papa John's (sound familiar?). The desire to be loved is not wrong, but because of the fallen nature of man, that love seeks its fulfillment in 'unnatural' places: unhealthy relationships, comfort from sweets, finding one's worth in exercise and seeking the 'perfect body.' God has created all of us for the purpose of worshiping our Creator, whose image we were made in the likeness of. But sin has caused our worship to go awry, which is why I believe all women have degrees of struggle with their own self-image.

Like I said before, the reason why most men don't seem empathetic is because they just don't understand. Women, on average, are the ones who most often deal with problems relating to "body issues" or "food issues." The first thing our male counterparts can do to help us women, is to understand the language and specifics. When I say, "I feel gross today," I am probably saying, "I am not believing that I am truly beautiful...in my opinion, the way my body is making me frustrated." Women tend to express feelings of self-pity (not okay) when we are discouraged about our outer appearance. Although the Scriptures address this specifically: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she will be praised" (Prov. 31:30), it will likely not be helpful if you, husband (brother or friend) rattle off this verse and assume that this will solve the problem. Understand the language. When you pray for your wife, don't just say, "Lord, Kathryn is dealing with food." What does that mean to me? Am I having trouble shopping for it? Or am I dealing with self-condemnation in regards to my eating habits? See, the language is important.

Now women, this doesn't get you off the hook either. You need to be willing to explain to your husband (brother, friend, etc.) the specifics of your struggle. Don't just assume that he knows what you are dealing with, and don't write him off or get frustrated when he doesn't automatically 'get it.' Be patient and take the time to explain your heart - trust me, it will do you both a world of good.

Secondly, men, listen to your wife. I cannot express to you enough how much this matters to her. When a woman chooses to open up about her struggle with her self-image or a matter concerning her relationship with food, she means for you to listen to her. She needs you to. Loving her, as a sister in Christ and as Christ loved his bride, means listening patiently and actively. I know that my husband is listening well when he asks me questions to get me to explain more thoroughly, which in turn helps me to open up. I know that he cares, that he loves me, and that he genuinely desires for me to be helped through my battles. So listen up men!

Lastly, I eluded to this in the previous paragraph, ask leading questions. If I am sharing that I am discouraged about how I look today, you might want to ask your wife, "Sweety, what do you mean by that?" or "What kind of thoughts were you having?" I have often been helped when others ask me questions that cause me to think actively about something I have just said passively. I am able to go through my thought process, consider what made me think that way, and likely see what lie I am believing about myself or my situation. A husband will understand his wife better if he listens attentively and asks her questions that explain her heart to him.

In conclusion, our husbands are instruments God uses in our lives to help us see truth, and fight the lies that our hearts believe. Men, please take heed to these instructions and lovingly seek to understand, listen, and ask questions of your wife in order to empathize with her situation. You may not ever fully understand, but she will certainly appreciate your genuine effort.

"By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us." -1 John 3:19-23

[Note: I used husbands as the prime example here, but the principle is applicable to brothers, fathers, uncles, friends, boyfriends, fiances, etc.]

Food on Friday: Cravings

About a week or two after we found out that I was pregnant, I wanted to start making a list of the foods that I craved along the way, just to document. And partly because it is so funny to me. I think that this is the first time in my life where I do not have reservations about eating a lot of chocolate, cheese or dreaming of peanut butter toast for breakfast. I am going to blame it on the hormones, while also being conscious of my tendency to idolize food. I definitely don't want to use my pregnancy as an excuse to sin! Going on week 7 here was my list:

• Cheddar cheese (lactose-free!) & crackers
• Mac'n'cheese (unfortuately I'm allergic to wheat & dairy, so it might be difficult to quench this craving)
• Dark chocolate.. haven't eaten much though
• Fruit
• Anything with tomatoes >>>>>>>>>
• Peanut butter toast
• Peanut butter on rice cakes
• Peanut butter.. on ANYTHING! The salty/sweet taste is perfect for a queasy tummy
• Grilled cheese & tomato soup - oh man I want this so bad right now (written at 9:30am, Tuesday 5/15/12)
• Red pepper flakes (spicy)

Week 8:

• NO FOOD - BLEH
• I especially did not want = salads or coffee

Week 9:

• EGGS! Scrambled & sunny side-up with GF toast, in the morning. Yum.

Week 10:

• Cherry Jolly Ranchers (weird, right?)
• Frozen yogurt - well I actually crave this even when I am not pregnant.

Week 11:

• Still a lot of fruit! Berries in particular
• Still a lot of tomatoe-y foods
• Lemon anything - esp. lemon rice, lemon tea, lemon water
• Salads are back :)
• Greek salad
• Vinegar-y salad dressing ONLY
• Hummus
• I really want some pita bread.. but I can't eat it :( Dumb gluten allergy.
• Protein - I think my body is alerting me more to my need of certain nutrients
• Any raw vegetables

Weeks 12-14:

• Back to pretty much normal.. although deli meat was yummy these weeks
• Cake pops/balls - my friend made some gluten free for me and they were so good
• Coffee in the mornings again!

• Indian food

Weeks 15-16:

• Resumed normal eating habits
• I had a strange craving for DILL PICKLES, so I bought a jar and ate them all in 3 days
• Creamy peanut butter.. as always :)

To recap: weirdest craving  all sorts of tomate-based foods: soups, stews, Other than that, since I am now into the second trimester I am trying to eat healthfully while not being too hard on myself. I have been reading that the second trimester is really the most important time to be getting all of your nutrients and to stay hydrated. I usually drink about 64 to 72 ounces of water a day, so pregnancy has just given me a better excuse to drink all the water I want! I am very grateful that thus far I have felt great (second trimester) and have been gaining weight just as the doctor ordered. Four months down, five to go.. EEK!

Goat Cheese Makes Everything Better

A memorable incident that occurred during the first year of Chance and I's marriage was the infamous purchase of a log of "chèvre" (i.e. goat cheese). We had just returned from a trip to the cold, northern parts of Michigan with my parents where we had stayed in a lovely condo, enjoyed tubing and skiing for a few days, and relaxing by the warm fire. One night my mom and I ventured out to the grocery store to collect ingredients for that night's dinner: roasted asparagus, a green salad and chicken breasts: stuffed with goat cheese. After that meal I fell in love with the stuff all over again and wanted to make the same meal for Chance and I when we got back to our little Florida apartment.

A few weeks later I made a visit to Publix (although in those days we mostly shopped at Wal-Mart) and meandered over to the gourmet cheese section of the deli. There I beheld what I had been looking for: one 4 oz. log of chèvre. I snatched it up and went to check out. I ended up making the chicken for dinner and used sun-dried tomato spread in addition to the goat cheese which was quite a hit. I don't really remember how the subject came up, but Chance probably asked out of curiosity how much the goat cheese cost. I probably showed him the receipt, not thinking much of it, and he practically fell out of his chair: $5.99 (or some amount that he deemed outrageous for a log of cheese)! This began a long conversation about our grocery budget and what my views were of spending money on food (something that would be the topic of conversation for some time to come). Needless to say, we didn't quite agree with each other but were able to laugh it off later, as I 'owned up' to my oversight and apologized not telling him before I splurged on the goat cheese.

Fast forward to today, almost a year and a half later, we shop at Sunflower Market (a natural grocer/farmer's market here in Dallas). While flipping through their weekly ad I spotted it: a SALE on goat cheese! $2.99 per 4 oz.! HOORAY! At my last grocery store visit, I picked some up and went home a happy lady to a happy husband. This past week I used the goat cheese on salads, in wraps, and in one recipe that is worthy of sharing. Chance had his wisdom teeth out on Monday (ouch!) and has been eating only soft foods, like yogurt and soup, so that left me to cook dinner for myself. I decided to do something easy (go figure) and roasted some vegetables, cooked some pasta, and tossed it all together -- topping it with goat cheese of course. And POOF - instant goodness.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta topped with Chèvre
Ingredients:
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
1 yellow pepper
1 red onion
1 small yellow or sweet onion
2 cups of brown rice rotini pasta (or whole grain if you're not Gluten Free)
2 thin slices or crumbles of plain goat cheese
1 tbs. olive or grapeseed oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Cut up all vegetables into 1/2 inch chunks and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Spray with either canola oil or drizzle olive oil on top of the veggies. Sprinkle with garlic powder, and any other seasoning you might care to use. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are browning and tender. At the 10 minute mark, cook your pasta according to directions on the box/bag. When the veggies are finished roasting take them out of the oven, drain your pasta, add to a bowl or plate, mix them together, then top with a generous amount of goat cheese - to your liking.

This recipe is DELISH! I had the leftovers at work the next day and it was still good. Like I said, goat cheese just makes everything better...

Additional recipe using goat cheese - 'Paris Cafe's (WPB) "Moulin Rouge" Salad
Toss together 1) organic mixed salad greens, 2) 5-7 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 3) A handful of pistachios (shelled) or unsalted pumpkin seeds, 4) Goat cheese crumbles, 5) a 1/2 to 1 whole avocado, diced 5) Some sort of balsamic dressing (I like Dijon/balsamic vinegar/evoo) -- this salad is SOOO good! The homemade version competes with Paris Cafe's but I would encourage anyone visiting West Palm Beach, FL to visit Paris Cafe on S. Olive Ave -you will not be disappointed! Enjoy :)

Obsession Confession

According to Dictionary.com, the word obsess means, "to dominate or preoccupy the thoughts, feelings, or desires of (a person); beset, trouble, or haunt persistently or abnormally." I have often heard people say, "Oh I am obsessed with dark chocolate mousse" or "I am obsessed with skinny vanilla lattes from [favorite coffee shop]", and I admit that I have let the word slip from my mouth in regards to food or drinks too. But I am asking myself (and all of you) today, is that okay? Should we really allow ourselves to become so concerned about something, so transfixed on something, that it captivates our minds and consumes our thoughts? How about when that something pertains to food?

I often think about 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, which reads:
"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything.  "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"--and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh." But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

In the context of these passage, Paul is talking about sexual immorality and how that sin is a sin against one's own body. But he uses a phrase that could have been a popular saying at the time, when he says, "Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food".. And then he makes the point that God is going to ultimately do away with both a person's current body and stomach. He mentions that he will not be enslaved by anything--including certain foods. I think about this passage in light of sins that I commit against my own body regarding food. I know that when I over-indulge in food (which is all too easy to do) that I am sinning against my own body. Paul moves on to the point later in the passage, that the reason why we should take so seriously the sins that we commit physically (in contrast to a thought we might think) is because our body is literally a temple of the Holy Spirit! Our bodies house God. The Holy Spirit lives within us, and when we sin against our body - whether through gluttonous eating, starvation, obsession over healthy eating, or (in this context) sexual immorality - we are sinning against the "temple of the Holy Spirit".

So, as I think seriously about this plain fact, that I am a temple of the Holy Spirit - the third person of the Trinity - I need to ask myself, "Am I reverencing God in the way that I care for my body?" Do I care more about the fact that God is living inside of me and therefore take excellent care of physical frame OR do I care more about what I want (i.e. an extra helping at dinner or one more handful of chips...)?

All of these thoughts have been spawned by the fact that I love coffee. I drink coffee every morning without fail. I have started using organic sugar in my coffee instead of my normal no-calorie sweetener (Truvia) because it tastes just oh-so-good. I think about my coffee when I am getting up and how good it's going to taste when I take those first few sips. Does this sound a bit obsessive to you? It sure does to me. I am convicted of my obsession over coffee - rather my lustful desire for it. This is why I've decided to stop drinking coffee. My "coffee fast" will start on Thursday, March 1st. Why, you might ask, are you quitting drinking coffee all together? Can't I just ween myself off of it? Sure, I probably could do that, and it would probably be easier. But for me, because this has been on my heart and mind for some days now, I think that James 4:17 applies, "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." Honestly, I am not looking forward to cutting out coffee from my routine, but in order for me to learn self-control and pray through this issue, I am going to, by God's grace, commit to doing so.

As I take on this challenge, and pray for God's help and perseverance in this, I would ask you: is there anything in your life that you think you are 'obsessed' with, that is keeping you from glorifying God with your body? If you ask God for wisdom, He will give in abundance, if only you ask in faith!

Thanks for reading :)

Food on Friday: Grocery Store Seduction

In an attempt to entice the reader I have used the above alliteration "Food on Friday" to introduce a new spin on what I think I might write about each Friday! Although the theme will be related to food, it won't always be the same type of writing. Some days I will post recipes, some days thoughts on eating habits, some days I'll write about Biblical passages pertaining to - you guessed it - food!

Today I will tackle the idea of what our culture portrays in regards to eating, but specifically how restaurants and grocery stores lure their shoppers. Every week at work, we order out from a nearby restaurant, so naturally I look at the menu before I place my order. At one restaurant in particular the heading of their menu reads as follows "How May We Tempt You?" (see above). Now this may seem harmless considering that it refers to their delectable menu offerings and is their attempt to make their customers' mouths water once they view the descriptions of each perfectly apportioned dish. However, from a Christian perspective the word "temptation" doesn't exactly stir up in our minds 'positive' thinking, now does it? No! We are to avoid temptation at all costs! What does James 1:13-15 say?

"Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

So we find here that temptation lurks in our hearts, and that when we are enticed by our temptation that our desires become sin. Let me ask a simple question: Is food a temptation? Do you desire it in a way that may cause you to sin? Let's explore that.

I love Whole Foods. Whenever you walk into a Whole Foods Market you see mountains of colorful fruits, vegetables, fresh seafood, and fine cheeses. Mostly organic and so yummy. Chance and I love the fresh salad and food bar there. But one thing I notice about myself when I walk into a Whole Foods (other than shock at the price tags) is that I am enticed by the foods there. Whether it be because they look delicious, they're made from healthy ingredients, they're fresh and juicy, or whatever - I have a hard time not spending money in a Whole Foods. Restaurants, clearly, use the same tactics. They make their menu offerings look mouth-watering, scrumptuous, flavorful, and irresistable all for the purpose of convincing you to eat them. As a business major, I realize that this is great advertising, a marketing scheme that convinces consumers to buy your product - success! But as a Christian, I also realize that my heart is deceitful above all things and is easily tempted by ads such as these.

We need to think twice before we indulge in our next Venti Caramel Frappucino to make sure that are hearts are not being enticed to sin. I do not think that enjoying a tasty meal is wrong (by no means!) nor do I think that loving anything sweet to the taste is wrong - that would be way too farfetched. What I am saying is that we often overlook our heart's desires or disregard them as 'pure' when in actuality they may not be. I know for myself that the temptation to be satisfied in the temporal pleasures of this world is all too captivating. Indeed, after reading a book on this subject, I began talking to my husband about his relationship (thought life, desires, lusts, etc.) regarding food. After a couple of weeks he began telling me that he noticed an unhealthy, unholy thought pattern in regards to his desire for coffee in the morning. I have been there and still battle with these thoughts, and it is something to take into consideration because we are commanded "you shall be holy, for I AM holy" (1 Pet. 1:16).

Are we tempted to enjoy above God the temporal satisfaction of something sweet to the taste, rather than tasting and seeing that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8)? Or can we say with the psalmist: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you" (Ps. 73:25). Join me in considering these profound truths and what our culture (and our hearts) attempt to do to steer us otherwise.

{as always-feel free to comment or write me with your thoughts: kathryn.m.sumner@gmail.com}

Gluten Free & Lactose-Free

See the Food & Eating page for a look into my world of being free.