2012

The Spring Blessing Blowout: $360 Paypal Cash Giveaway!

April 18, 2012

Spring is such a beautiful season!

The first buds of the year are blooming, grass is getting greener by the day, and temperatures are on the rise.

To celebrate, several other bloggers and myself have teamed up to offer you this Spring Blessing Blowout Giveaway, and one reader will win a BIG prize: $360 in PayPal cash!

We pray that this Spring Blessing Blowout Giveaway is truly a blessing to one of you. We're thankful for the time you spend with us here, the thoughtful comments you share, and the encouragement you've given. You have been a blessing to us!

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and send in as many entries as you like using the Rafflecopter widget below. There are many blogs you can "like" or follow to gain entries, and you can take your time doing it. Have fun!

*Please note that comments left on this post are NOT counted as entries; you must enter through the Rafflecopter form below.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will run from today, April 18th until 12:01 a.m. on April 25th. It's open to everyone and one winner will receive $360 in PayPal cash. The winner will be displayed on this post after the giveaway ends.

Filed Under: Giveaways/Reviews 3 Comments

For the Love of Lentils +Recipes!

March 28, 2012

Written by monthly contributor, Mrs. Faye Henry

We did not grow up eating lentils nor did our friends. In fact, it has only been the last several years that they have been included on our menu. I had decided to look for a natural way to control my cholesterol, which was a bit high, and was blessed to find a wonderful Lebanese cookbook at a health food store. It set me on a new and interesting style of cooking and the appreciation of new foods which we had not tried before. The result was lovely in the fact that my health improved... and so did our eating habits.

Lentils were mentioned many times in the cookbook as they contribute in the lowering of cholesterol and are high in fiber. They contain 6 minerals and 2 B vitamins and are a protein. Lentils come in dozens of varieties but we enjoy the brown and green type best because they retain their shape.

They are quick and easy to prepare and have a nutty flavor. I love the aroma from them as they simmer away on the stove!

Another wonderful way to enjoy lentils is to sprout them. It does not require much effort and the taste and nutrition are worth the time. You can use the sprouts in salads, stir fry, pitas, and wraps.

Sprouted Lentil Salad

Mix together:

2 cups of sprouted lentils
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/4 cup of shredded carrot

In a small jar whisk together:

2 T. olive oil
1 T. white wine vinegar
1/2 clove of crushed garlic
pinch of salt and pepper

Pour this over your salad along with fresh chopped parsley.

Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour or so.

Sometimes I will also add a squeeze of lemon.

***

Here is a recipe for a main course which is delicious served with a tomato salad that has been seasoned with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil; it is a Lebanese dish called Moujadara.

Moujadara

1 cup of uncooked lentils

1 cup of uncooked long grain rice

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 large onions, julienned

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups water

Rinse the lentils in cold water, drain, and place in a cooking pot. Add 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Add the rice and salt, return to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer on low another 15 minutes, or until the rice and lentils are tender.

Saute the onions in the olive oil until golden brown. Add to the cooked rice and lentils, and gently mix. Serve right away.

I also add a squeeze of lemon and some chopped parsley.

***

If you would like a very quick and easy Lentil Soup recipe, you'll find one on my site HERE .

Perhaps you sweet ladies already enjoy the benefits of lentils? Do you have a favorite recipe?

As they say... Love your heart and eat your lentils!

Mrs. Faye Henry has been married to her sweetheart for over 41 years and together they own a lovely shop in New Brunswick, Canada. She also leads many young ladies, wives, and mothers in "Keepers of the Home" classes that she facilitates in the local community. She has a heart for mentoring younger women and fulfilling the Titus 2 mandate! Won't you pop over and visit Mrs. Henry at The Blessed Hearth? Pour yourself a nice hot cup of tea and stay for awhile. The fire is lit and burning brightly and the candles smell heavenly. Biscuits are in the oven...

Join our conversations on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Filed Under: Budgeting & Frugal Living, Eating Real Foods, Recipes 7 Comments

Random Notes on a Monday: Food, Testimonies, and Free Easter Cards

March 26, 2012

:: It's a bit overcast and chilly here today; I've been thinking about comfort food. Just an idea for tonight's supper --- how about a simple chicken piccata served over pasta?

:: Heather at Raising Mighty Arrows is sharing a post that you might enjoy; have you seen "cardboard testimonies" done in your church? She puts a virtual spin on this great idea and shares testimonies from some dear blogging friends, here.

:: Finally, The Card Store has a fun deal going on right now --- today and tomorrow only you can design your own Easter card and order it for FREE! These are limited to 50,000 per day. Click the image below and use the code CCE2326:

Hope you all have a happy and blessed Monday, ladies!

Join our conversations on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Filed Under: Deal Alerts, Links Leave a Comment

This Too Shall Pass

March 21, 2012

Written by monthly contributor, Mrs. Wanda Fielder

Crazily spinning round and round and tilting sideways on the Tilt a Whirl at a theme park after eating a filling dinner, my stomach began to churn. Desperately trying to compensate for the ill feeling by taking my mind elsewhere just wasn't working.

Hoping the ride would soon come to a halt before I lost my dinner, it did and I did! The embarrassment of losing my dinner was intensified by having my friends standing by observing this humiliating situation. To make matters even worse, I was on my first date with my future husband! I vowed to never ride the Tilt a Whirl again. I haven’t!

Instead, I find myself frequently on the Tilt a Whirl of life spinning forever in circles of frustration, ever toiling, never resolving. Tilting this way and that, wishing for the ride to just slow down a bit or come to a stop so that I can get off; knowing for a fact that it always comes to an end. It is easy to become bogged down with time-consuming daily routines. As a mother, I have worn the numerous hats of nurse, taxi driver, mediator, chef, housekeeper, and the list is endless.

Have you heard the saying, ‘this too shall pass’? Just when you think your life is spinning out of control and that you cannot possibly endure another moment of the ride, it comes to a screeching halt. Whoa! Take a deep breath and compose yourself because the ride will soon commence again. Ahhhh ........... I feel better now. Ready to go once more!

Mrs. Wanda Fielder has over thirty years of experience as a pastor's wife, published author, and conference speaker. Over the years she has led many ladies ministries, events, and conferences. She is an excellent Titus 2 mentor and she shares inspirational articles, recipes, ministry ideas and more at her site, Tea-Lightful Inspirations.

image credit

Join our conversations on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Filed Under: Nurturing Family, Practicing Faith Leave a Comment

Meaningful Easter Traditions: 8 Ideas For Your Family

March 19, 2012

We've been thinking about what a meaningful Easter looks like for our family, and last year we came up with this plan for being intentional about creating meaningful Easter memories with our children. Below is the post that I shared last year; I hope that it blesses you and that you are able to integrate some of these ideas in your home! He is Risen... Hallelujah!

*****

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and we intend to make this Easter week more meaningful than ever for our family.

Here's what we're planning to do each of the eight days leading to Easter:

1) Palm Sunday- We'll be out of town on Palm Sunday, but will still re-enact some semblance of Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem as a family. I love the idea of purchasing a few silk palm branches to wave in praises to Jesus! There's a fantastic creative tutorial for decorative palm branches on the Mustard Seeds blog, here. We'll also read Mark 11:1-11 and Luke 18:29-28.

2) Monday - Read Mark 11:15-18, and discuss what happened in the temple that day. Why was Jesus so upset? What can we do to keep the church a meaningful, worshipful place?

3) Tuesday - Talk about Judas making plans to betray Jesus.

4) Wednesday - Watch a children's video relaying the meaning of Easter, such as The Greatest Adventure Stories From the Bible: The Easter Story.

5) Thursday - We'll have a time for foot washing, just as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples on this day, and talk about the importance of serving others. What can we do to encourage serving others in our daily life? We'd also like to recount the passover evening. While I'm not planning a formal Seder meal, we'll have lamb, bitter herbs, unleavened bread, egg, salt water, and grape juice, explaining the meaning of each. In leiu of spreading blood on the door (!) we'll hang red fabric on the door and discuss what it means. What was is like for the Israelites on that night?

6) Friday- Talk about the crucifixion day, and recount the passover and last supper.

7) Saturday - Meditate on Jesus being in the tomb. Our oldest son may enjoy being wrapped up as a mummy (in toilet paper) and we'll talk about burial customs. Also, how did Mary and the disciples feel on this day?

8 ) Easter Sunday - Celebrate that Jesus is risen and read Luke 24:1-9. For further discussion, talk about the day of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit coming in Acts 2 as part of the beauty of the resurrection. He came, died, and rose again because He loved us and wanted us to have new life in Him! I also like Courtney's idea of putting together resurrection eggs.

What will you do to make this Easter meaningful for your family?

Warmly,

post signature

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook email updates - it's free and delivers new posts about faith, homemaking, and real foods right to your inbox.

image credit

Join our conversations on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Filed Under: Homekeeping, Nurturing Family, Practicing Faith 7 Comments

Our Whole Foods, Bulk Storage Pantry

March 16, 2012

Last year, we packed up all of our belongings and moved two states over when my husband was invited to pastor a precious church body that is bursting with anointing and God-given talent. We love our new church, city, and home!

One of the plans we had for this new house was to turn a small room in the lower level into a bulk foods storage area. During the last few months we've tossed stray boxes and miscellany into this small room and then closed the door behind us, all the while dreaming of setting up sturdy shelving and beginning to really stock up our whole foods pantry.

Quick Peek Into The Upstairs Closet Pantry

We do have a closet pantry upstairs in the kitchen where I keep my "in process" grains, rices, popcorn, quinoa, beans, etc (mostly stored in OXO containers and mason jars) and a few small appliances, including my yogurt maker and food processor...

But the downstairs pantry-to-be? Well, that really needed work.

The Bulk Storage Pantry, Before

A few weeks ago, after researching different shelving options and not really feeling a peace about making a purchase, an acquaintance of ours (out of the blue!) offered us some commercial restaurant shelving he'd purchased from an auction. What a blessing! We quickly accepted his offer and went to work cleaning and assembling the units.

The Bulk Storage Pantry, After

The room is small, so the shelving fits a bit tight, but there's ample room to store our bulk purchases. We managed to fit a large upright freezer in there along with three shelving units that are 42" wide and 24" deep.

It's not beautiful, I know, but I suppose it's not intended to be. Our plan was for simple and functional bulk storage space. I think we've achieved it, along with ample space for future purchases.

Most of the items in there now were purchased from Azure Standard and Vitacost, including rolled oats, oat groats, hard red wheat, barley, dried beans, organic pasta, organic tomato sauces, and yes, even chocolate. Chocolate helps makes everything better, doesn't it? *smile*

We have a bit of bottled water for traveling and emergency purposes stored down here, as well as some personal care items. Also worth noting is that this room stays fairly cool and dark, so I'm storing my potatoes here, too.

In my upright freezer I'll store extra homemade jams, fruits, and veggies that we'll hopefully have after this season's local harvests and sales, as well as some grass-fed beef. I'm working with a local farmer right now to try and secure half of a grass fed cow. We don't eat an abundance of meat, but we do eat some meat and are hoping to stock up on the best quality for the best prices possible.

I also like to bake my whole wheat bread (using soaked ww flour) in large batches, then slice and freeze them for easy use later. That extra bread will be stored in this freezer. I grind my own grain using this beautiful, durable mill; here's why.

We eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and you'll find those stored upstairs on my kitchen counters and in my refrigerator, not in my bulk storage pantry... just in case you were wondering!

Why Stock Your Pantry?

Having ingredients on hand means you’re less likely to eat out. It's a huge help with meal planning and prepping... you always have something on hand for a quick meal!
A well-stocked pantry makes grocery shopping easier and saves your family money. Having what you need already on hand saves you money at the store because you can stock up on pantry items when they are on sale at their lowest price, and you can plan your meals around meat and produce "loss leader" sales as well. You can also order bulk foods online at a fraction of the cost and eliminate long trips to the store. Just do a quick run when you're running low on fresh produce!
It’s healthier to cook at home from scratch. Having your pantry stocked so that you’re cooking more from home and from scratch is one of the first steps to a healthier lifestyle. Prepackaged, processed food items contain lots of preservatives and additives that wreak havoc on your body. You control the amount of salt, fat, sugar, etc that goes into everything, and you control where it came from.
You're better prepared for hard times or economic difficulty. Be it something extreme (like a local, national, or global catastrophe) or something personal (like a job loss, underemployment, or illness) you will have food on hand to feed your family during lean times. It's not a matter of fear, but rather of stewardship.