Food Challenge Continues

It is amazing how quickly a month can come and go. Since I have been on our food challenge, not only am I more attentive to what my garden is doing, but I've also become cognizant of just how fast time goes. As I sit here recapping my meals for the past several days, weeks actually, I can't believe all that has taken place along with them. Work, camping, dance recital dress rehearsal, more work, bathroom renovation, dance recital, family visits...it's all going so quickly! That being said though, I've enjoyed most every moment of it all!

 One thing that has changed for me during this 30-day challenge is just how much more creative I've become with the ingredients I have on hand. I know I have to stick within certain parameters but I still want something different and exciting...and I think we've done a pretty good job of that so far. I will admit though, it can be awfully tempting to just go down to the store and pick something up for dinner or buy more food stuffs because they are a 'great deal!' But we are working with what we've got and so far, we've stuck to it! And its been fun!!

Here's what's been gracing my table for the last two weeks!

Day 6:

 

I had an appointment in Portland this somewhat dreary Tuesday, so I was gone the entire day, only returning home just in time for dinner. Cam took it upon himself, sticking to our rules of course, to prepare something new for dinner. He surprised me with lobster tails (which he had purchased when they went on deep discount several weeks back and diligently placed in the freezer). He grilled them and made a tomato, lemon, tarragon oil to put on top. It was quite a surprise and a delicious one too!

 

Day 7:
 

It was a long and exhausting day for the both of us so we were really unsure of what to do for dinner. We found some small mahi-mahi fillets in the freezer and decided that would be quick and easy. We made some rice, steamed some snap peas from the garden, and quickly seared the fish. As a topping, to bring it all together, we opened a small jar of tropical peach salsa we had and put it over the fish...and rice! It was simple yet oh so wonderful.

 

 

Day 8:

 

Tonight, Cam had to go out for a business dinner so I found myself presented with the task of making an enticing meal for one. This is quite often daunting for me...I am so used to making enough food for several people (sometimes literally, other times simply because Cam and I are healthy eaters) that when trying to scale down, I find it somewhat difficult. I went rummaging through the fridge and found a little bit of the Thai chicken I had made earlier in the week. I decided that that would be delicious if I made a little bit of a sauce - Asian to go along with the chicken - and put it all atop a bed of noodles. I cooked some ramen noodles (I stole them from a pack of Top Ramen, just omitted the seasoning pack) and made a quick little sauce of hoisin and rice vinegar. When the ramen was done, I combined the reheated chicken, my hoisin sauce, and noodles together. It was sweet and tangy...a perfect meal for one!

 

Day 9:

This was our first night camping! We arrived somewhat late in the evening to the lake so we quickly set up camp and then started on dinner. I was starving which meant the only thing I had on my mind was silencing my ever rumbling tummy. In my haste, I forgot to take a photo of it. We grilled delicious steaks over the campfire, threw potatoes in foil and into the coals, and had a quick little salad on the side. Not only did we get to enjoy everything in the pristine beauty of the Deschutes National Forest, but everything we had came from our garden and freezer! Simplicity never tasted so good!

 

Day 10:

 

It was a wonderfully lazy day at camp. They guys went fishing, I went for a hike, read, took a nap, took another little hike, paddle boarded and read some more. I was in heaven! So when it came to dinner, I was so thankful I had spent a little extra time prepping it Friday before we left. We made hobo stew. Basically it is a 'stew' all wrapped up in foil and cooked over the campfire.

I chopped up fresh carrots, celery, bok Choy, potatoes, onions, and pea pods, brought some ground venison, and for supper we all built our own meal. We made packets with aluminum foil and placed the raw meat on the bottom, layered the potatoes and veggies on top, added some water (or if you have it a little beer is really good as a broth), seasoned it up with anything you like, covered it with more foil and place it over the fire. In about 20 minutes our stew was done! With a few biscuits to sop up the delectable broth that was infused with all of the cooking juices from our vitals, dinner was complete! It is the perfect camping meal!

Day 11:

 

We were both extremely exhausted from camping when we returned home, so cooking was the last thing I had on my mind. But when hunger strikes, you must appease it. So we decided to go with something extremely simple. We grilled up some chicken breast with just a simple mesquite rub, baked potatoes, and a simple kale salad. It was nothing fancy but it did the job immaculately.

 

Day 12:
 

 

After a weekend of fun, we were once again thrown into the hectic work week. But I was still longing to get back into the cooking groove; creating a simple yet somewhat fancy meal sounded so appealing! So I decided to pull a salmon filet, some of last falls cherry tomatoes, and a seedy baguette out of the freezer and make something new. I roasted the frozen tomatoes with capers, olive oil, and garlic in the oven until the tomatoes began to burst. I then added the salmon filet that I covered with a parsley pesto I made and placed it back in the oven to  bake. When the salmon was done, we plated it up making sure we each got some of the tomatoes and delicious broth that was left at the bottom. I served it with the baguette so we could make sure and enjoy every bit of this meal....and we did!



Day 13:
 

 Continuing with the inspiration to create new and exciting dishes for supper, I decided tonight I wanted to go back to the Asian theme. I had some pineapple that needed to be finished off and two small chicken breasts thawed in the fridge. I decided to make a Thai chicken with basil and pineapple. It was fabulous!!

 

I cut up the chicken into small chunks and browned them in a skillet with some olive oil. When the chicken was browned, I removed it from the pan and made my sauce. I added fish sauce, a little agave, rice vinegar, lime juice, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and scraped up all of the brown bits from the bottom. I then added the pineapple, making sure to cook it ever so slightly and then added back the chicken pieces. I added a large handful of basil, chopped, and stirred to combine. We placed it over some simply cooked whole wheat couscous and made a little salad to go along side. This meal hit the spot. I'm not sure what it is about Thai cuisine lately, but we have really been enjoying it...so it will probably be a common theme in our meals for a while :)

This only brings us to day 13 of my challenge and we are much farther along...but not wanting to bore you all in one sitting, I am breaking it up. Tomorrow, I will catch you up on just what we have found to do with all the ingredients we have.

What new and inventive, or simple and comforting meals have you come up with lately? Are you encompassing your garden produce yet? If you have decided to join us in this challenge, what are some of the things you have come up with? I'd love to hear...it inspires me as well!

Enjoy!

Back in the Groove

Wow...what a weekend, week for that matter. We made it through recital and have marked one more thing off our list for the year! With mixed emotion, I close that chapter for the summer, but anticipate next fall when school and dance lessons begin again. 

I was fortunate enough to have my parents come this past weekend and not only attend the dance recital of those amazing dancers and teachers I work with, but also to spend a little time with us over this very busy weekend! And to top it all off, my sister and brother-in-law also made it to spend some time visiting. With the hectic-ness of recital consuming the majority of the weekend, we still managed to find time to relish in the company of each other!

I must say, when my family comes to visit - or vice versa - I always seem to feel renewed. Not only do I feel physically content, but my mind is at ease, my spirit encouraged, and my soul is inspired! I feel so blessed.

We got a little hiking in and then visited a few garage sales. That was fun. But I also had a chance to talk (to my mom and sister mostly) about gardening and garden plans, and sources of inspiration and ideas. We went through my idea notebook (my simple collage book...and yes, I'm still diligently taping things in it ;-), magazines, and resource books in my humble library, to discuss things that work, things that don't; our wants, dreams, aspirations, desires for our gardens and what we ultimately want to take away from them.

While most of our ideas were similar, we always came to the same conclusion: we want our gardens to attract people to gather, relax, enjoy, and be filled with the joy God has given us to share.

This past weekend captured this for me. I was able to sit and linger with my family; we enjoyed every space that has been changed and cared for to showcase God's glorious handy work. And enjoy it we did! It has been so long since I have been able to do this and it is truly amazing to see what God has placed on my heart to do, and to bring to others. What wonderful blessings He has given us!

This weekend also brought about quite a bit of inspiration for me as well. Amidst our conversations about gardens and garden plans, my sister reignited a fire in me that has become a mere ember these last several months. For the first time in a while, I wanted to get out and create.

The temperature peaked at 106 on my thermometer today but I still managed to work in my garden, albeit in my shade garden! I had so much fun, in fact, that I completely lost track of time and before I knew it, or was prepared to stop, it was 6:30 and I hadn't even thought about supper! What enveloped me as I worked today was joy. Pure and simple.

We are told in James 1:2 to "count it all joy...", and in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 to "rejoice always..."  That is what this weekend renewed in me. No matter how busy, or hectic, or stressful things may seem, we must learn to be joyful. When we are, it is amazing how much change we can bring about, not only in ourselves, but in those around us!

Spreading joy through your garden is a very beautiful and wonderful thing...one I encourage us all to try!



Enjoy!        

    

Riding the Waves of Life

When I stop for just a moment and think about all I want to do each day, I realize that my mind wants more than the 24 hours but my body is screaming for rest by dusk. I know that so many of us feel this way, especially us women.

As I've mentioned, I work at the dance studio in town and this week is our recital week! It's exciting, fun, and oh-so-rewarding, but it's also exhausting. With two other jobs riding along side (not to mention my more "domestic" job as well),  I've worn myself thin...which we all do from time-to-time. Hence the lack of posts this week. 

Our recital begins tomorrow evening and then we have a show Saturday early afternoon and one more Saturday night. Everyone has worked so hard and it's always beautiful and a lot of fun! I'm really excited for these young men and women! :-) This excitement, however, has also given way to my exhaustion and lack of time to do much in my garden. I love my job so I'm completely fulfilled... I'm just beginning to  notice signs of neglect on my garden.

Once this weekend has passed, I hope to be back to catch you up on what's been going on, what I've learned and hopefully share some new garden/food/life news!

But for now, I wish to leave you with this: go out into your garden and find a spot in which you can reflect and gaze at its beauty. Relax, enjoy it, appreciate it, and soak it all in because this moment will never be back again.

Enjoy!

A Weekend at the Lake

After a week on the go, we made a last minute call to leave our home and garden to go explore some of the beautiful attractions here in Central Oregon. This was going to be our maiden voyage out camping for the summer. But with a last minute decision to go, along came some last minute stressors. 

{this moment}

Today, I'm joining Amanda (soulemama) and Olive & Owl (a link to her site) with {this moment}.

A simple picture from the week. No words, no explanation, just a simple moment of time captured and shared.

Please feel free to share your moments as well! It's so fun to see what other beauty is captured in a weeks time!

 

Enjoy!!

 

A Garden Symphony

What a week it has been so far! Not only has it been busy, but my garden is beginning to bring on the first of its summer produce!

 

I've just picked my first handful of strawberries along with my first picking of sugar snap peas and Alaska pea pods! They are perfect; crispy, crunchy, and delectably sweet. The recent cold nights have definitely helped with their flavor.

 

But as I stood stooped in my garden bed picking my peas, and listening to the birds chatter as a storm rolled in, I was overcome with thankfulness and joy. What a blessing it is to be able to have a garden in which to grow food for my family. It's simple yet perfect and beautiful in every way.

 

Gardening centers me. It makes me aware of the world outside of myself and takes me to a peaceful place closer to Christ. I feel joyful, smiling with every moment no matter what it might be. When I finish working, my hands are stained; I have dirt under every fingernails; my skin is dry. But when I look at them, I see time spent in the presence of God.

 

This devotional is a perfect summation:

 

Prayer Song

 

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life.

~Psalm 42:8~

 

I sing to You, Lord. My joy, heartache, and thanksgiving create a symphony of emotion. In the solitude of nightfall, I cannot help but sing. I release the worries of my day to Your care. I trust You with my today and my tomorrow. My panic turns to peace as the first notes of praise drift heavenward.

 

Your concern touches me. Your voice blends with mine for a few sweet moments. You wrote this song to comfort me every night. You share it with me so I can come to You when the confines of words and dialogue stifle meaning. By day, Lord, guide me with Your love. By night, free me with Your melody. In every moment Your are the God of my life.

 

(This prayer comes from One-Minute Prayers for Women)

 

Sometimes working in the garden creates this symphony for me. It may encompass the neighbors dog, the birds, a garbage truck, the race track, an airplane, a train, the fans from the mill...but together, it is a perfect testament to all the beauty God has placed in my life. It is magnificent.

 

I pray this verse and devotional takes you to a perfect place of wonder and peace.

 

Enjoy!



30-Day Challenge...Update!

We are officially on day five of my 30-day food challenge. As a brief recap, I noticed our pantry, freezer, and garden were overflowing with bounty, yet we still had a fairly good-sized grocery bill each month. So I challenged us to go 30 days eating strictly out of our pantry and cupboard, freezer, and garden (making exceptions for things we can't produce: milk, cheese, eggs, some fresh fruits, and the occasional loaf of bread).

Cam has been awfully tempted to go down to the grocery store to purchase something for dinner. And to be completely honest, he's not alone. Some nights, after a long day, all you want to do is get food in your belly; no forethought, no preparation, no mess, very little clean-up. But we have stuck with it and so far, so good! Here's what we found for dinner so far:

Day 2:

 By the end of the second day, I found myself alone, once again, for supper. I wanted something quick and tasty...I was just hungry to be quite frank. I found a few shrimp in our freezer, along with a small piece of baguette, and peas. Along with my homemade rhubarb dressing, avocado, goat cheese, and fresh garden salad fixings, I created a wonderfully tasty shrimp salad. I quickly sautéed the shrimp in garlic and olive oil and placed them atop my salad. It wasn't anything fancy but it was delicious!

Day 3:

We decided to hold a spur-of-the-moment garage sale first thing this morning so we were preoccupied all day. We didn't have time to think about getting anything out for dinner, nor did we have the gumption to try our hand at something new.

So we fell back to a classic: spaghetti with homemade venison pasta sauce. We did a quick microwave thaw of a pound of ground venison. We browned half, and made the other half into burgers and placed them into the freezer for another day (I have a feeling they will appear as our evening meal in the very near future :). I had some homemade pasta sauce in the freezer, so we thawed that and added it to the browned meat. This set atop a bowl full of spaghetti, finished with parmesan and a small salad and garlic toast,..yumm! Quick comfort food, made with our fresh produce and meat! It was scrumptious!

 Day 4: Sushi night!!

 Tonight, we wanted to treat ourselves to something a bit more time consuming and fancier than what we had been doing. But, of course, it still had to stick with my challenge guidelines. We bent the rules slightly - because it sounded soooo good - by going to the deli at our local grocery store and buying 4 imitation crab legs (I know, we're cheap...sometimes, they cant even get it to register on the scale so they give it to us as a 'sample'!). Aside from that, we had everything else.

We had tried a few new ingredients in a few of the rolls. We added mango, created a spicy crab with a wasabi mayo we had on hand, avocado, and the usual veggies. They were so divine!

As a quick side note: we found that Trader Joes carries a premade seaweed salad mix. We bought one a while back and used it with this meal. While it is slightly different from the restaurant salad, it was equally delicious! It mad a decent amount; along with the sushi we made, it was plenty for two...but I could definitely have eaten more:)

 

 

 

 

Day 5:

 After work, I opened the door of the freezer hoping something would just jump out at me saying 'eat me!' That didn't happen, so I rummaged through the shelves looking for something a little different. I found a pound of ground chicken that desperately needed to be used. That was going to be dinner. Easy enough.

A while back, I made a Thai dish that was easy and really good. Something about the salty-spicy-sweetness of homemade Thai cuisine sounded really good tonight, so I went with it.

I just picked our Bok Choy (yay!!) that I grew from seed early this spring. I chopped up a small head of that and added it to the browned meat. I made a sauce of lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sugar, and toasted sesame oil, and added it to the meat and veg mix. I made some whole-wheat couscous to be the bed for this beautiful Thai stir fry. I topped it with fresh cilantro and the mango we had left-over from sushi the night before. It was perfect!

 

So far, so good! We've diligently stuck with it! It can be challenging but I have found it to be fun. It has forced us to be creative with what we have and to make the most of the beautiful produce we are so blessed to have growing out our front and back doors!

Have you joined us in this challenge? If so, what kinds of things have you come up with in these past few days? If you haven't, consider joining me! It's a fun new little journey.

Enjoy!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

Today is the day we set aside to thank and show appreciation to our fathers. For me, although I didn't get to see my dad in person, it was a day when I wanted him to know just how much I appreciate all of the love, attention, teaching, guidance, understanding, discipline, and friendship he has given to me. I have learned so much from my father; lessons that are abundant and priceless.

As much as we love and honor our fathers, I was reminded today of just how much they honor their role as father. This prayer came from our daily devotional and I found it so fitting for today!

 

Father's day, from a fathers perspective:

{this moment}

Today, I'm joining Amanda (soulemama) and Olive & Owl (a link to her site) with {this moment}.

A simple picture from the week. No words, no explanation, just a simple moment of time captured and shared.

 

Please feel free to share your moments as well! It's so fun to see what other beauty is captured in a weeks time!

 

Enjoy!!

30-Day Challenge

Homesteading is an adventure. You are constantly learning and adapting to nature, circumstances, life, abilities...the list goes on! But that's part of what makes this journey so fun and unique. With every sunrise and sunset, we are presented with new opportunities and challenges.

New Things

Great things have been going on in my garden...almost without me lately. I've been so busy and overwhelmed that I have had a hard time spending a peaceful moment here without being bombarded by the barrage of things I have to do...none of which involves my passion for gardening. It has been hard but if I can muster up enough energy, I have tired to spend a few minutes immersed within my oasis.

We have tried to expand outside of our comfort zone even more this year by trying a few more new things. I've already told you about the sunchokes we are planning to grow (our order keeps getting pushed back...so I hope we get them in time to plant this season) but there are a few more we have decided to take a stab at.

Life & Living

My life feels scattered at the moment. I have been so overwhelmed lately by the changes going on that I haven't really had a spare moment to explore my passions; the things that I find fulfilling. But that is life. And I am learning, slowly, that we must take the things God gives us and work with them. So when I read this verse tonight, I was so struck that I wanted to share it:

How to Live

 

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

 

~1 Thessalonians: 11-12~

 

God, You created life to be a process of growing and becoming. Learning how to live becomes a lifelong journey. Just when I think I have arrived at the place where You will surely have me stay, change happens and I am prodded to go further.

 

As You call me to keep moving and growing, I abide by the guidelines You offer in Your Word. I lead a quiet life focused on You. I mind my own business and strive to earn the respect of other people by working hard. And each day I renew my commitment to walk in Your will

 

(This prayer comes from the devotional book One-Minute Prayers for Men...my second favorite devotional to date!)

 

I hope this brings you hope and comfort...and a guidance on how we are to live. We must always take great comfort in the fact that, while things may be constantly changing, God's plan is always in effect.

 

What does this prayer evoke in you? I'd love to hear...we are all growing and learning together!

 

Enjoy!

{this moment}

Today, I'm joining Amanda (soulemama) and Olive & Owl (a link to her site) with {this moment}.

A simple picture from the week. No words, no explanation, just a simple moment of time captured and shared.

I would like to briefly share a bit more about my moment. This day, five years ago, Cam & I were married. He captured my heart for the first time when we met in college...and it has been his ever since! It's been a whirlwind five years, but so full of wonderful memories! I have loved every moment of it and can't wait to see what the next five bring!

This day also represents another special moment...it is the same day that some 60-years ago, my grandparents were married! These two are a great example for us, and we pray we will be blessed with as many wonderful years together as they have!

 Happy anniversary!

Please feel free to share your moments as well! It's so fun to see what other beauty is captured in a weeks time!

 

Enjoy!!

 

Woohoo!

Finally, after a long winter and a very blustery and chilly spring, summer is upon us! We've been met with beautiful weather and I feel like it's finally time to plant the rest of my garden...so that is exactly what I've done!

Needs and Contentment

Every morning, the sun rises. It floats across the sky throughout the day until it reaches its final destination to denote the close of another day. It sets, falling beyond the horizon leaving us with magnificent color and then ultimate darkness. It's constant. It's predictable. And we all-too-often take it for granted.

These last several days have been spent busying myself with things. Things I enjoy, but still things that need to be done. Instead of feeling fulfilled and grateful, I feel tired.

We all experience this at times in life, I know. Sometimes, it's a struggle to put on a smile and mask our true feelings. But lately, as I've gone about my daily tasks and obligations, I feel humbled by these feelings. Humbled because I know there is so much more to life than just our daily struggles and even moments of bliss. This prayer helps remind me of this:

With or Without

 

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything though him who gives me strength.

~Philippians 4:12-13~

 

Lord, Your hand has guided me though times of want and times of plenty, I thank You for being my Source of strength and guidance. When I hungered for more and thirsted of opportunity, I followed Your way to brighter days. You guided me though years of abundance so that I could be a devoted steward of my blessings. My status in the world's eyes might change, but my relationship with You remains the same.

 

Teach me about contentment, Lord. When I have material wealth, may I still long for spiritual direction and nourishment. As I experience difficulties, lead my thoughts and prayers to You for direction and hope. I can do all things and survive all circumstances through Your strength.

 

(The preceding excerpt was taken from One-Minute Prayers for Women...one of my favorite devotionals and sources of encouragement!)

This verse provides me with so much hope and strength. No matter what I am facing - whether it be blessings or hardships - Christ is constantly present, guiding me in the direction He has laid out for me. The same is true for us all. We must be willing to accept His guidance and follow his lead.

I'm still learning how...but I'm looking forward to what He has in store! Will you learn with me?

How does this prayer and verse impact your life? I'd love to get your insight!

Thanks and enjoy!