Works for Me Wednesday: Smoothie Cubes

A couple of months ago, I attended a wellness seminar. I have always considered myself someone who really cares about eating properly, but this seminar was an excellent reminder of the importance of raw fruits and vegetables in our diet. I determined to find ways to integrate those phytonutrient-rich foods into my diet. One of my favorite ways is the smoothie. No matter how you make it, they almost always turn out yummy! (except for the time I decided to throw in some bell pepper that I had lying around. That smoothie went down the drain! Yuck! What was I thinking.)

Smoothies are better than juicing because juicing does not include the fiber from the fruit or vegetable. Therefore, you are missing out on the fiber and having a higher concentration of sugar.

Typically, I just put in the blender whatever fruit I have around at the time. Basically, anything goes. Sometimes, I put in some vegetables, like carrots. (but beware the bell pepper!) Usually I can't taste the vegetables at all. I put the fruit, some milk (soy milk would be great too) sometimes some juice, sometimes some honey if I have put in cranberries or lemon, and sometimes some cinnamon or something like that. Mmm!

However, keeping a ton of fresh fruit around is not always very convenient. So, what works for me is to make Smoothie Cubes. When I have a really good smoothie being made with a lot of different ingredients, I make it as highly-concentrated as possible (just enough liquid to make the blender work) and pour it into the ice cube trays. When it is frozen, I put the new smoothie cubes into a Ziploc bag. Then, when I want a smoothie but do not have a large variety of fruit in the fruit basket, I pop as many of these into the smoothie instead.

When I want to make more smoothie cubes, I put some of the previously-made cubes into the mix again. That way, when I have a smoothie, I am getting a large variety of stuff in there.

There are many other possible uses for these cubes, too. Just now, I had a bowl of yogurt with some thawed smoothie cubes mixed in. I also love putting them in when I am making hot oatmeal. It makes the oatmeal a pretty color and gives it a delicious richness of flavor, not to mention added nutrition and sweetness without sugar. It works for me!

For more Works for Me Wednesday, click here.

I'll be gone for a while - See you in August!

Tomorrow morning, I will be flying out with a group of people to go on a missions trip. We will be gone a little over a month. I would really appreciate your prayers while we are there. Here are some things you could pray for:

1. Safety flying and while over there
2. Flexibility (without going into detail, this is a major request.)
3. Opportunities for ministry and witnessing. We are going there to do a specific job, but of course we are praying that the Holy Spirit brings us opportunities to really share His Word.
4. That we would do a good job with the task we are there to do
5. Health. We will be eating very different foods and will be exposed to very different health risks than we are in the US. (there were many vaccines to get!)
6. Encouragement. It is always hard to be away from home for so long, especially in a place that is nothing at all like where we live.
7. Unity as a group
8. Discernment

For different reasons, I think it would not be best to go into a lot of detail describing our trip on this blog, but I am both nervous and very excited! Even though I am very excited, I am feeling sad to leave home. I have enjoyed spending my days in the house. When we get back, it will almost be time to go to work again. Oh, well. Such is life. At least I am blessed with a wonderful job!

We might have web access where we are, but I probably will not be posting here until I get back. Please come and visit here again in the beginning of August!

Farewell until August, my blog friends!

Love,
LeanNot

Have a beautiful weekend!

A couple of weeks ago, Mom and I went on a short 2-hour cruise for her birthday. It was so much fun, and the views were lovely.

Isn't the area where I live beautiful? This is only about 20 minutes away from my house.

Enjoy the pictures!

My trip

Just to let you know that early next week I will be leaving the country to go on a month-long missions trip. I don't think that I will be able to post while I am there. Please be in prayer for me! Thank you.

I will put up a reminder post right before I leave.

Wordless Wednesday: From the garden

I picked this squash and zucchini from a friend's garden. I have never seen such a large piece of food! It is like a baseball bat! And the zucchini is enormous. I put the banana in the picture for size reference.

For more Wordless Wednesday, click here.

Wonderful Blueberries

Recently, we went blueberry picking at a farm nearby. We like to do this at least once every summer. I think that this was the best crop we have seen yet! The blueberries were just enormous, about the size of grapes, and they are absolutely delicious. In just a little over an hour, Mom and I picked over 12 pounds! The neat part is that the people who own the farm only charge fifty cents per pound, and they don't mind if you eat as you pick. (which I do, of course. Who could resist?)

We would have picked more, but it was pouring rain for most of the time we were there. Considering how hot it is outside right now, this is hard to believe, but we were freezing! Finally I found a plastic bag in the trunk to use as an interesting-looking poncho, :) but by that time I was just soaked. But it was worth it!

We already froze the smaller and medium-sized ones, and we have been eating the rest. But we also wanted to give some of our treasure away, which means that we must go and get more! :) So we went out again a couple of days later and picked about 10 1/2 pounds.

I tried making this pie, and it turned out really well. It is a combination of two recipes. It has a really delicious nut crust (you can use a regular pre-made crust if you don't have time, but this crust is really good!), a cream cheese mixture, blueberry filling, and Cool Whip on top.

My favorite part is that there is always extra of the cream cheese mixture, and I could eat just that and be happy!

Note: Next time, I think I would like to cut back a little bit on the amount of sugar in the blueberry portion.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
½ cup nuts, chopped fine
1 cup flour
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 small carton Cool Whip (I never actually use up the whole carton.)
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
1/4 cup water


Instructions:

To make the crust, mix butter, nuts, and flour together and press into pie plate. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool. (Sometimes, I add a little sugar into the crust mixture, too.)

Blend cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and a little less than ½ carton Cool Whip. Spread on bottom of cool pie shell. (Keep in mind that you still have 2 layers to put on -- don't make this too thick, or you won't have enough room in the crust. However, it is the best part; so don't make it too thin either!) :)

Mix blueberries, 1 1/4 cups sugar, tapioca, and water in saucepan. Cook until thickened. Cool. Spread on top of the cream cheese mixture.

Spread remaining Cool Whip on top, and sprinkle with extra blueberries for garnish. Enjoy!

Here's an idea: I adapted this recipe to use the blueberries, but I usually make it with pudding instead. Instead of the blueberry layer, put a layer of any pudding you like. My favorite is butterscotch. The flavor of the butterscotch goes really well with the creaminess of the cream cheese and Cool Whip. I also like it with chocolate pudding.

This guy is incredible!

I saw Diane Sawyer talking about this on Good Morning America the other day, and I just had to find the link and share it with you.

This man, Paul Potts, is an average, quiet cell phone salesman from England who was a contestant on the British show Britain's Got Talent. He has a gift, but he is humble and lacks confidence. When he got up to sing the opera song "Nessun Dorma," it was amazing! The crowd went crazy, and the judges were shocked.

I have heard the song "Nessun Dorma" countless times by many fabulous singers. But when this man sang it, I was spellbound. He sings with such feeling and musicality: he is singing with his heart. I actually cried a little bit (which I NEVER do!) while watching it for the second time. It is so touching that he is such a normal, sweet, quiet guy who achieved such success by being vulnerable and brave and by doing what he loves. I can only imagine how much it meant to him to receive such affirmation.

Enjoy the video!

Note: I do NOT recommend clicking on the other video options that come up after this one is over. I wish that I could have found this clip somewhere other than YouTube; but if you don't click on the others, it should be fine.

Reality

How do they know about me?
I'll try to do a little better than this!

So far, I have been getting caught up in books

that were NOT on my list.

Wordless Wednesday: Tea

I cleaned out my pantry the other day, and this is a certain section of it AFTER I did some MAJOR consolidation, stuffing these boxes full! Any guess what my favorite beverage is? :)

For more Wordless Wednesday, click here.

Basil mystery solved

Thank you for your help with my basil plant. You were right: now, I can see that it obviously is a flower. As instructed, I cut it off (and cut the whole plant back while I was at it) and threw it away. Much better now! :)

Collecting Satisfactions

Emma has asked on her blog that we list people/things that bring joy and satisfaction to our lives.

1. My mom, who is such a good friend of mine and whom I look up to a great deal

2. My friends, whom the Lord has provided to me at just the right times

3. My church. I just came from the last night of our church's VBS, and as I drove home I was really rejoicing at the way our church pitches in and works together. It really is exciting to serve the Lord with these excellent people! What a joy to see God work.

4. A wonderful cup of tea! I enjoy this at least once every day. I like black tea (usually just drink plain Lipton's, but recently I have also been drinking Twinings Irish Breakfast and English breakfast) with 1 tsp. of sugar and some skim milk. Just last week, I discovered how much better my tea is with distilled water instead of tap!

5. Food. I just love food.

6. Hugging a child

7. I love where I live. There is a pond next to my house, and I could just stand next to my dining room window and watch the ducks all day! :) They are so cute.
(this is a picture of "our" ducks)

8. It is satisfying when I have thoroughly straightened my hair! :) And that straightness lasts . . . a couple of minutes, until I walk outside. :)

9. Is it necessary for me to say that I find a good book satisfying? (well, maybe satisfying isn't the right word, since it leaves me wanting more until I finish the book, and then I'm sad that it is over!)

10. It is really satisfying to see one of my students work hard and then succeed in my class. Sometimes I think I get more excited than the student does!

11. Sitting in a freshly-cleaned room

12. Seeing a child who is well behaved. Someday I hope to have the satisfaction of having one of my own!

13. Sleeping after a day of working hard

14. Having time off (albeit temporarily) to be a keeper at home

15. Learning from godly ladies who encourage me to grow in the Lord

16. It is satisfying to praise and thank the Lord for all of the joys He blesses me with!!! :-D

Does anybody know what this is?

My basil plant has recently developed this thing on the end of one of its "branches." What is it? It's hard to get a good picture of it because it is so small, but it looks like a ton of leaves scrunched together. Is it just a really strange configuration of the leaves, or is it some sort of flower? It has never done this before.

Be careful in the sun!

Even though I presently live in a part of the country where people find it very easy to get a good tan, I am very careful about avoiding sun exposure. I know that it is unusual to not want a tan, but it seems to me that it should be an obvious choice.

Does a tan look nice? Yes, it does. I do not like to look like a ghost, either. But honestly, how much better do we really look with our skin just a tad darker? We don't really look that different, anyway. A tan will not transform a homely girl into a beautiful model. But that beautiful model will not look the same with a face full of wrinkles when she is still young!

Skin cancer is certainly a big risk. However, people seem to have a hard time focusing on that. Perhaps it is because we do not see that consequence for many years. Perhaps it is because we do not see tons of people with skin cancer all of the time, and therefore we do not think that it will happen to us. But we must consider whether what we are doing right now might possibly prevent us from living a long life, putting ourselves and our families through misery that could have been easily avoided.

But wrinkles and tough, leathery skin are consequences that people all seem to really fear. Tanning is done for the sake of beauty, but that purpose is surely defeated!

This article New Wrinkle for Tanning Junkies discusses that. I found it interesting.

We really need to be careful not to become obsessed with tanning. What is better: to be a little darker right now, which only lasts for a couple of weeks, or to preserve our complexions for the rest of our lives?

Some things that we can work on:
1. Avoid spending more time in the sun than necessary when the rays are most harmful.
2. Wear good sunscreen. I would like to find a good foundation that contains sunblock, because that would ensure protection on my face every day, all year. I frequently forget or do not bother to put sunblock on my face on a daily basis, partially because I do not like the way it feels.
3. Wear clothing that protects the skin, such as a hat.
4. Remember to do the same for your children!

Someday, I want somebody to look at me and say to my grandchild, "What? She's your grandma?" ;-D

Article about singleness

Hello all,

I recently came across this article, Seven Myths Single Women Believe. As a single woman, I found it interesting. People surely do like to give us advice! Which advice are we supposed to listen to?

One interesting thing is that I have seen several articles in recent months (both by Christians and by non-Christians) which sort of blast women for not "wanting" to get married younger. These authors argue against this problem: that women are determined to climb the ladder of success, dating around until they are professionally established, having the dim notion that once they reach the top of their field, they will then decide that it is time to get married to the world's most perfect man, who has just been sitting around waiting for her, and have a family right then. OK, yes, that does sound rather silly.

But this is not the problem with me or with the girls that I know. From my point of view, the women in my social sphere would love to get married if only the right opportunity would come along.

I am genuinely curious: what do people think that single women are supposed to be doing? They are getting blamed for being single because they have jobs. Maybe they have those jobs because they are single. (?)

Does having a job prevent a woman from ever becoming a homemaker? True, there are some women who are too career-focused to shift that focus to having a family. But what can the others do to avoid appearing like that is their focus?

This article seems to come closer to being helpful than some things I have seen, but I'm not sure that it comes to any strong conclusions. Any thoughts?

Great quotations from Ronald Reagan

Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.

The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.

Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because the U.S was too strong.

I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.

I've laid down the law, though, to everyone from now on about anything that happens: no matter what time it is, wake me, even if it's in the middle of a Cabinet meeting.

Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed, there are many rewards; if you disgrace yourself, you can always write a book.

No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.

If we forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

My desk

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Young Girl Reading, 1776 by Jean-Honore Fragonard

from www.allposters.com

Fashion Meme

Here is a meme (now I know that it is pronounced so that it rhymes with dream) that I got from Emma's blog:

What accessories do you wear every day? I almost always wear a necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings. I think that my face looks odd without earrings. It does to me, anyway.

What was the last item of clothing (for yourself) that you purchased? I bought several things from Chadwick's. I was delighted to find some skirts that were 39 inches long. My favorite length! (unless I could find a 40-inch. That would be perfect!)

Do you use a dresser, closet, or both? I mostly use the closet, but there are some things that I put in drawers. I just recently began keeping sweaters in drawers instead of in the closet. But I am having trouble keeping them from getting wrinkled. If you have any suggestions, they would be welcome!

What type of earrings are in your ears right now? Red dangly teardrops.

What type of figure do you have? I am tall and on the thin side. I am working toward getting closer to the thin side!

Do you wear glasses? Only when my contacts are hurting me. I would much rather wear contacts.

What type of handbag do you carry? I have a little black purse, and I carry a black bag for my work supplies.

What is your ideal style? I love anything really classic. I do not follow trends, except for the fact that I try not to be actually out of style. I like things that go with many other pieces in my wardrobe. Therefore, I tend to go for solids and basic colors, and it does get a bit monotonous sometimes. Oh well. It works for me.

What jewelry are you wearing right now? The red earrings described above, a gold heart necklace with red stones, a bracelet with red stones, and a ring.

Do you wear knee-hi stockings? NEVER. I think that they are so tacky. I hate it when I can see the top of someone's knee-hi. Gross.

Do you wear makeup? If yes, what products do you use? A little. I use Clinique foundation and a variety of cheap brands for other stuff.

What outerwear do you put on when going out on a typical winters day? I usually don't need very much where I live. But I do have some light coats, and I wear gloves, a hat, and a scarf if it's really cold.

What is your favorite perfume? I still haven't committed to that one yet. I do like perfume, but I know too many people who are allergic to it -- I don't want to make them sneeze. Therefore, I haven't had much opportunity to experiment with it.

Is your motto "quality over quantity" when it comes to clothing and accessories? Definitely. I would rather have a small wardrobe of things that actually look good on me (and good together!) than a closet full of clothes I don't really like. People are going to notice what you look like today, not admire how long it's been since you've worn something.

Do you wear rain boots? No. Where I live, the rain comes too unexpectedly to plan that far ahead!

Do you wear socks or slippers when your feet get cold? Yes. :)

Do you have a set of travel luggage? Yes.

What is your daily uniform? I usually wear a suit to teach in.

If you are married, did you wear a veil with your wedding dress? Not married. But if I ever did get married (wishful thinking) I would wear a veil.

Do you wear a watch? Absolutely. In fact, I left it behind yesterday and could barely concentrate until I was wearing it again.

What item of clothing always makes you feel eXtremely beautiful? I would pay good money for an item of clothing like that! :)

Do you prefer zippers or buttons? I guess it depends on where they are.

What is your favorite type of yarn? I like thick, fuzzy yarn to knit with. However, right now I am knitting with three different pieces of thin yarn together. I like the way it's turning out.

If only life were like a computer

You know what else I would like? An Undo button for everything! Things I do, things I say an instantly regret -- wouldn't it be nice to hit ctrl-Z and undo? ;-D

No wonder

Look at the following article:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-01-american-tv_x.htm?csp=24

No wonder people from these countries despise Americans. Their only view of our day-to-day lives is what they see on these vile TV shows! I knew that they watched American TV, but I didn't realize it was such a huge industry over there. If I thought that an entire country was like the people on Desperate Housewives or Friends, I would not like that country, either!

We need to realize that their view of us is warped because of what they are basing it on.

So what can we do about it?

First of all and most importantly, we need to be praying about what is going on in the world. Surely the Lord would bless the efforts of our military more if His people were on their knees, consistently praying about it. Have we forgotten prayer in this issue? I am among solid Christians all the time, and yet I almost never hear anyone praying about our country's foreign relations. We pray for the safety of the troops, which is great, but there is more to it than just that.

Also, perhaps we can try doing something about giving them a good opinion of Americans. After all, the average American is not nearly as bad as the people on these shows. To start, we need to make sure that we are not supporting these shows ourselves! How can we stand watching something that goes so directly against the Word of God and makes a mockery of His perfect plan? If these shows were not popular right here in America, they would not have been able to achieve such popularity overseas.

We should strive to be a good example ourselves. Okay, so I'm not really sure what I can do myself to directly be a good example to the Iraqis, but they do watch our country. If they see evidence of Christians living righteously, the Lord can use that. If we are working to influence our own country for the cause of Christ, it will have an effect. Remember the principle of sowing and reaping: you do reap more than you sow. Let's sow seeds of righteous whenever we get the chance.

It grieves me to see my testimony as an American being demeaned because I am associated with these programs. These people do not need to watch examples of sin: they need the light of God's Word. It is our job to get it to them. Let's not assume that someone else will take care of it. Find a way to be a light to that area of the world, and go for it! Jesus is Victor!