By Kieya Hudson  One of my favorite foods that I love to add to my meals is a few slices of avocado. I experiment with all types of meals to incorporate this amazing veggie. I also find that when I use it as a moisturizer, it softens and clears my skin. Of course anytime I begin to add something new in my life, I always do my research! I found that avocado has so many essential benefits—not only for your skin, but for your hair and overall health as well. Avocados are packed with Vitamin E and Omega 3 oils, benefiting you in so many ways. Weight loss is also an avocado benefit. Since avocado is filled with good fat, it stops you from gaining bad fat. Try to incorporate avocado into your everyday life and you will definitely see the benefits! Easy ways to incorporate avocado: If you have dry skin, try an all-natural avocado facial mask. Simply cut open an avocado and mash up the yellow pulp. Then apply it to your skin allowing it to moisturize for at least 20-30 minutes. The antioxidant properties found in the avocado hydrates the skin natural moisture, while also softening it. Sometimes I add three or four slices of avocado to my favorite salad or rice with my meals. A quick and easy snack is guacamole. Enjoy the guacamole with your favorite tortilla chips. I love organic, no salt added, blue corn tortilla chips with mine. I experimented one day and came up with this delicious low-calorie breakfast sandwich. (10 minutes) DIY: Hearty Avocado Sandwich 1 Cinnamon raisin or whole wheat English muffin Egg Whites from 2 Large Eggs ½ Slice of your choice of cheese ½ Avocado 1 Tablespoon of Canola Oil A pinch of pepper/salt (Optional)
- Cut English muffin in half (like a sandwich). Mash up the avocado and spread it on the inside of the muffin slices (like you would spread butter on toast).
- Place the egg whites in a bowl/container and mix well (add pepper/salt). The seasoning is optional.
- Cook egg whites in medium heat skillet with canola oil. Do not break the egg whites up while they’re cooking. You want them the cook together, almost like an omelet.
- Remove egg from skillet.
- Place egg on the muffin slices with avocado.
- Add your choice of cheese.
- Place back in skillet, occasionally flipping the sandwich until cheese is melted. Turn heat down to low on this step.
- Remove from skillet and enjoy.
By Chelsie Johnson | This is my favorite dessert to make anytime we gather for holidays or birthdays. It is always a hit and I usually get a request to make it for someone just so they can have it at home!
3 squares of Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate, melted
Andes mint pieces (I don’t measure, the more the merrier!)
¼ cup of canned sweetened condensed milk
1 Oreo pie crust
2 cups of milk
2 packages of Jell-O chocolate instant pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) of Cool Whip, thawed
Mix: chocolate and condensed milk; pour onto crust
*the mixture gets thick fast, so mix and pour as soon as you can, might have to spread with fingers on the crust
Put desired amount of Andes pieces on top of chocolate later
Beat: milk and pudding mixes for whisk for 2 min.; spoon 1 ½ cups over Andes pieces; stir half the cool whip into pudding-spread over the pie; top with remaining Cool Whip
Add Andes pieces to top
Refrigerate: 3 hours (the longer the better!)
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By Carmen Beckett | Quick recipes are the key to a busy woman’s sanity! There’s nothing better than unwinding at a table full of loved ones who are utterly amazed at how delicious the meal you just served tastes. In their minds, they wonder how you’re able to do it all. You work hard, you love hard, and you cook hard. Or so they think!
I can’t tell you how much of a lifesaver easy recipes have been for me! This is why I shouted for sheer joy when I found this amazing chicken quesadillas recipe that even has a video to go along with it as a step-by-step guide. Since trying it, this meal has been a complete staple in my household. I don’t know if it’s the tender, cheesy texture or the amazing, zesty flavors that always have my family BEGGING for more! Enjoy.
| | Ingredients - 1 lb chicken thighs
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cilantro
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ t. black pepper
- Pinch of cumin (optional)
- 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
- 8-10 (8 inch) flour tortillas
- Mexican cheese blend
- Smoked Cheddar, finely shredded
- Smoked Gouda, finely shredded
- Guacamole, salsa, sour cream (optional)
Instructions - Mix the seasonings together.
- Season chicken thighs generously with the seasoning (you may not need all of it)
- Heat a buttered skillet over medium heat.
- Cook thighs about 6-8 minutes per side or until juices run clear.
- Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and let cool.
- Cut or shred the chicken into small pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Toss in the diced tomatoes.
- Add butter to a grill pan over medium heat and place a tortilla in the center.
- On one side of the tortilla, add an even layer of Mexican cheese blend, followed by a layer of chicken mixture and then a layer of smoked cheddar and smoked gouda.
- Fold the other half of the tortilla over to cover the cheese and chicken. Press down on the quesadilla with a spatula.
- Let it cook until the cheese has melted. Reduce heat if needed.
- Serve hot with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.
For more information on this DivasCanCook Recipe, visit http://divascancook.com/2012/05/smoked-chicken-cheese-quesadila-recipe-easy.htmlFeel free to share your favorite easy recipes here!
By Kristin Bush | I received the Unglued Devotional by Lysa TerKeurst in the mail and was completely blown away after doing my daily readings.
Now I’ll be honest, this book is aimed to help all women; however, as a mom of two, aged 5 and 19 months, it appears this book was written JUST FOR ME. I don’t know of one mom who can honestly say she’s never come unglued. That she hasn’t had the one heart wrenching meltdown. That she hasn’t had that bathroom cry because you’re tired and overwhelmed and in need of some serious “grownup time.” I would be lying if I said this has never happened to me. Honestly, this has happens to me probably once a week.
| | I may have a meltdown and yell because I’m irritated. Or I may have to put the kids down for a nap early because I feel overwhelmed and I feel the frustration rising.
So who am I? I am a wife, who has NOT had a date night with her husband since Oct of 2011. I am a mom who rarely ever gets to venture anywhere without her kids. I am a daughter who tends to miss her mommy (yes I still call my mother, mommy). We live over 1100 miles or roughly 17 hours away from each other (this does not include stops for gas or sleep). I am a friend, who only has one friend within a 30-minute drive.
Do I come unglued? You bet. I love this unglued devotional. And I encourage all of you, regardless of whether you’re a mom, to stand up and say “I may come unglued but my God is bigger than that. I have a God that will help me have more patience to not come unglued. I have a God who gives me grace to get through each day and loves me beyond my unglued-ness.”
For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13)
Here are some resources for you: http://www.ungluedbook.com/freebies/ The above website is connected to the Unglued book and the Unglued Devotional by Lysa TerKeurst. She offers her readers and potential readers a TON of freebies! You can even read two sample chapters (the first two chapters) of the Unglued book as well as 12 days’ worth of devotionals. Disclaimer: I received this book, Unglued Devotional, for FREE from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST review. All of the words above are my own opinion.
By Ashley Flores "If you don't believe that you are 'good enough', you most likely won't believe that God can really use you. You'll get stuck in this circle of inferiority for the rest of your life and remain insecure."
The rookie publication of Christian pastor Heather Lindsey has answered the call of the thousands of women who follow her ministry through Pinky Promise. In an attempt to help women begin 2013 renewed, refreshed and committed to living a life for Christ, Lindsey released Pink Lips & Empty Hearts: Completely Dressed Up & Broken Inside on New Year's Eve 2012 and the response was overwhelming to say the least. Electronic versions of the book were being purchased and downloaded within minutes of the announcement and hundreds of orders for the physical copy came pouring in. | | Eager to see what revelations waited on the crisp pages birthed from her personal victories and failures, I quickly grabbed my own copy.
If you are a frequent of Lindsey's blog, then it pleases me to say Pink Lips lives up to her raw and unedited way of communicating the amount of desire and dedication required to truly be a woman after God's own heart. Lindsey gives her readers an intimate look into her personal journey from a half-hearted Christian, to a "complete wreck" (as she would say), to a woman who is determined to walk in God's purpose for her life. This isn't a book about relationships with men, but something much more important; it's about establishing a true relationship with God. She does a wonderful job of discussing personal and relationship issues that are common amongst both single and married women. Chapters such as "The Joys of Marriage" serve as encouragement to single women who are hoping to be married one day, engaged women who might be nervous about what to expect as they enter this next chapter of their lives, and married woman who sometimes find the demands of marriage a bit overwhelming or are somewhat confused as what the role of a wife truly is.
The book also takes some blatant stabs at some of our culture's most popular music artists, genres and television shows as she explores how even self-proclaimed Christians often turn a blind-eye to the undeniable influence these media outlets have on our lives. In that same manner, Lindsey also addresses the importance of surrounding oneself with other like-minded believers to assist we come to understand the beautiful creations we are in Christ.
| Lindsey writes:
"If you don't believe that you are 'good enough', you most likely won't believe that God can really use you. You'll get stuck in this circle of inferiority for the rest of your life and remain insecure."
The conversational language used in Pink Lips makes Lindsey's message easy to understand, and even easier to share with other women. She allows readers to travel with her as she chronicles her struggle with self-image and self-worth; her uncertainties when choosing a career; her reoccurring habit to find comfort in unhealthy friendships and
| | intimate relationships; and her ultimate realization that her identity rested fully in the truth of Jesus Christ.
Lindsey's husband manages to sum up their desired response to her debut literary artwork in a prayer he placed in the book's introduction:
"It is my prayer that you find hope and enjoyment in what is pure, holy, purposeful, and true. It is my prayer that you identify yourself with the biblical principles written plainly in the Bible, rather than the qualities you see in the world today. I pray that you understand and begin to see yourself as precious and honorable. You are worth the wait."
Now, is the book perfect? Of course not. I've never read a book that was. But when it comes to content and purpose, I would definitely recommend this book to any woman who wants to grow closer to Christ, any woman who is tired of trying to figure out life on their own, any woman who doesn't want to give yet another part of herself to some random who simply fills lonely voids in her heart, but instead chooses to wait for the man God has chosen to be the priest of her home.
To our sister, Heather Lindsey: Congratulations and thank you for this.
Guest Post by Natalie Borton Apparently the Super Bowl is on Sunday. I admit, the only reason I know that is because Brian and I were invited to a party to watch the game. While I can't tell you who is playing without checking with Google, I can provide you with several recipes to make this weekend while watching the big game (or the commercials). Happy weekend, friends! Hope you use the game as an opportunity to connect with people in your community, and of course show people how tasty vegan food is :)
Will you watch the Super Bowl, or are you more of a commericals kind of girl like me?
 Natalie is a lover of the written word, avocados, beach picnics and champagne. She lives in San Diego with her hilarious and charming husband Brian and scruffy puppy Maggie, and is a Managing Editor for Darling Magazine. In all she does, she strives to inspire and empower women to live healthy, confident lives of true beauty. See more of her work at www.natalielynnborton.com, and find her blogging at www.thoughtsbynatalie.com.
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By Johnnesha Parker  If there’s one thing that people get emotional about, it’s their food. It comforts us, feeds our souls, and nourishes our bodies. We even have a holiday almost completely dedicated to food…Thanksgiving anyone? The Bible assures us that God created a wide variety of plants and animals for us to eat and enjoy, but there are also times when we need to NOT eat. Sometimes we need to give our bodies a break from all the indulgence and fast.
Fasting is a discipline that many often overlook, but it is an important part of a believer’s journey. There are three things required of Christ’s followers: giving, praying, and fasting.
“A three-fold cord is not quickly broken.” Eccl. 4:12
Doing all three acts gives you unparalleled strength in God. Christ himself did all three during His time on Earth, so what better example do we need? Growing up, I was always taught the importance of giving tithes and offering, so that I would not “rob God” of what was already His. “If God has blessed you to be able to give, then you should give to those that don’t have,” my dad would tell me. “Share your blessing and God will bless you with more.” My sister and I were encouraged to say our prayers in the morning, before meals, and at night before bed. I’ve seen and heard my dad on his knees in prayer more times than I can count. But in all those years growing up, I never once saw or heard of my parents fasting…or anyone that I personally knew fasting for that matter. Once I grew older and started to learn more about Christ for myself, I realized that I had been neglecting an important responsibility of every Christian: fasting.
Simply put, fasting is the act of going without food and drink for a spiritual purpose. It is a normal part of a relationship with God…completely normal. Fasting is not a diet, and it is not something that only extreme Christians do. Whether you fast from all food and drink, choose a “Daniel” fast of fruits, grains, and vegetables, fast for one day or forty days, if the sacrifice does not mean anything to you, it will not mean anything to God. There are obvious physical benefits to fasting: it gives your digestive system a break, flushes toxins from the body, allows your body time to recover and heal itself, and there is usually a fair amount of weight loss involved. Biblical fasting is so much more that just the physical benefits!
Biblical fasting involves focusing less on what your body wants and needs and focusing more on feeding your spirit! Let’s be honest, we spend a whole lot of time feeding our mouths, but the spirit can sometimes live off of a weekly meal of Sunday’s sermon, with the possibility of a light snack of Wednesday night bible study. Some of us feed our spirit a daily meal, and then let it starve for the rest of the day. During a fast, your body gets its turn at going hungry while your spirit grazes on the Word all day long.
What are the spiritual benefits? Fasting will keep you sensitive to the Holy Spirit and make it possible for the Lord to give you fresh purpose, revelation, and direction. Fasting prepares you for a whole new anointing from God…it’s a way of cleaning house in order for God to move in a new way in your life.
The best time to fast is:
- when you desire a closer relationship with Christ
- when you need his direction in your life
- when you want to walk in His will and not your own
- when you need to hear, feel, or see God working in your life.
“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Rom. 12:1
Fasting is how you can present your body as a living sacrifice that God will honor. He can work miracles and bring deliverance when we give God the room to operate in our lives. If you have not fasted before, you are missing out on a whole other level of relationship with Christ. Take some time to examine the stories of Moses, Joshua, Esther, Jehoshaphat, Nehemiah, or Jesus Christ and how fasting operated in their lives. Are you ready to go deeper with God? Photo Credit: A Well Traveled Woman
By Kris Bush | Grace. Five letters packed with power. ALL of us need grace. Yet the question that many of us seem to need to fathom is what does grace look like? Where does it come from? Grace is when you need to make enough money to pay your bills but God sends overflow and it culminates in you being able to satisfy a few wants! You can’t give grace until you’ve been given grace. Grace comes directly from God.
This is what Max Lucado addresses in his bestselling book ‘Grace’. It’s something we need, that we don’t deserve and no matter how much we try to imagine it, it is way more than our minds can visualize.
| "More than we deserve…Greater than we Imagine…this is Grace." -Max Lucado
| Not only does Max explain grace in terms of the bible, he relays people’s story of grace, of times when God extended not just mercy but HIS grace to them. Mercy would have forgiven the prodigal son, but grace threw him a party and decked him out in new threads.
In my life, I have seen grace so many times. Mercy kept me from dying from an accident. Grace allowed me to bear children even though I was told I would never carry full term.
Max describes grace in action. Two different ways Grace acts. Grace can be saving. There is the grace that God extends to us when we repent. Then there is sustaining grace. Sustaining grace is the grace that gets through each day. As a mom, I need sustaining grace daily, it keeps me sane and replenishes my patience each morning.
I recommend that every believer read this book. Every person who has ever doubted their salvation ever doubted the grace extended to them and has ever had a hard time extending grace to others. This book will further confirm to you the grace God has extended to you, strengthen you to extend grace and remind you why it is important.
By Fadia Patterson | Ever found yourself idolizing someone you know or a celebrity so much so that you wanted to be just like them or have their life? As a young lady pursuing the next level in her broadcast journalism career; I just wanted to take a brief moment to talk about being a fanatic and how it diminishes our faith in God. As I work in the media I see all of the celebrities that are glorified and admired. We see them on reality TV, on magazine covers, on Facebook and other social media sites. Sometimes it's difficult to avoid these "celebrities" who are virtually modern day idols.
| "No matter who we are or where we are we need to accept who we are and where we are because it has not taken God by surprise."
| Ever since I was a little girl; there were many noble women that I looked up to including Oprah, Kathleen Battle, New York News Anchors; Roz Abrams and Sue Simmons. These women have blazed amazing trails for women and minorities in Broadcasting. I was in love with the Oprah show; I wanted Kathleen Battle's voice and I wanted to anchor the nightly news like Roz and Sue!
We certainly live in a world that celebrates certain images rather than individual uniqueness. It's very simple to go off on the tangent and idea that you need to live this person's life and achieve all of the things they have to be successful or happy. And of course, this is so not true!
"Although I admire Oprah, I do not ever wish to have her's or anyone's life because we all were blessed with our own portion."
No matter who we are or where we are we need to accept who we are and where we are because it has not taken God by surprise. So many times, I hear people say that I wish I had this person's life or are wanting what they believe is making another person happy. I'm certain that there were many little girls, such as myself who wanted to be the next Oprah; the next hottest star, or the next multi-billionaire. However, have they thought twice about all the trials that came before that celebrity's or entrepreneur's success? Not everything is as easy as it appears. Surely we see the glitz and glam of their celebrity; but not the prayers, tears and low moments.
". .We see the glitz and glam of their celebrity; but not the prayers, tears and low moments."
In my short time on this earth I've realized that you cannot live to be exactly like anyone other than you. You must allow yourself to be the person that Christ created you to be otherwise there is no need for your existence. Do you realize that you are the apple of God's Eye? You are the head and not the tail. You were created for God's glory and he wants you to blaze a trail in his honor. I heard a Vlogger say it best; "God does not reheat blessings to serve you; he wants to give you something unique and fresh!" His word affirms that very notion; Isaiah 43:19 says, "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." | Indeed God is and will always do a new thing when it comes to all of the blessings in your life. We all have God-given gifts; but are unaware of how to use them. God has his idea for your life, relationships and career that far exceeds anything that you could ever imagine. This includes our careers! and our dreams! No matter what field we are in God is using it as our ministry to glorify God with the talents and abilities that he has given. That means that you don't have to be the next multimedia mogul, reality TV star or pop singer! We need not strive to achieve fame for ourselves. I encourage you to think twice about who you are trying to please with such fame; God or man? God can catapult you to a status that exceeds your own expectations and it will be for his glory; not your own!
| "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" -Colossians 3:23
| It's natural to want to excel and move forward in our careers; but God will always look at your heart and motives. True promotion ultimately comes from God! Give God the chance to shape you unique career or ministry! I remember instances where I knew in my mind and heart that I was qualified for a job; but could not get a break or an opportunity to advance. But, God had the final say ultimately; he has opened many doors for my career that I could have not dreamed of. I have also reset my mind to work to bring him honor. I no longer look at the path another individual's career is going in or their successes because I'm a believer in God's greater plan for my life.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jer. 29:11 You were created by the almighty powerful God! He has a plan for your life and career. Whatever it is that you do; do it unto God and watch him promote you every step of the way. It does no good to idolize the career, money, fame etc. and idly worship the heavenly father who is worth far more than all of those worldly things. These worldly things will never bring the true eternal joy and peace that only God could give. They can all be gone in a moment! You can always position yourself to make a living to pay your life's expenses but, God has so much more in store and it is specifically for you. Use your life's work as your ministry to honor him.
Guest Series by Natalie Borton This is part of a series called Weekly Bite, featuring plant-based recipes I've cooked from around the web. Links will take you to the original recipe—all recipes without links are created by me and shared at the bottom of the post. Catch up on previous posts here.Due to a packed week and travel plans this weekend, I didn't cook nearly as much as I did last week. However, I did manage to try two new recipes, as well as several delicious dishes in San Francisco, which I'll be sharing with you today (stay tuned for the Wanderlust guide to the city—it's coming soon!) |
Meet Natalie!
| This was absolutely amazing! My friend Karen made this with corn and bell peppers added, and I think that would make this even better. I recommend topping it with Sriracha or chipotle hot sauce for an extra kick.
I forgot to add the ginger, and I didn’t have turmeric and cardamom on hand. It still came out great, but next time I’d try following the recipe exactly. I do recommend serving it in a bread bowl—it was delicious!
Made with cranberry sauce, sriracha, vegan cheese and vegan turkey, this is far from a "whole foods" meal, but tastes a lot like Thanksgiving leftovers. I loved it!
Simple and delicious, this new latte from Peet's warmed me up during the chilly San Francisco weekend. Made with just soy milk and matcha green tea powder (and sweetener, if you like), it's simple, nourishing and tasty.
Let's just say I didn't leave anything on my plate! Here's how the website describes this dish: kim chee fried Bhutanese red rice, snap peas & edamame, watercress-chrysanthemum green salad with yuzu-ginger vinaigrette, toasted peanuts, spicy pickled Thai chile & fuyu persimmon relish. Yum!
Before I was entirely vegan, Huevos Rancheros was one of my favorite breakfasts. I admit, I've missed it a little bit over the past year and a half, but this vegan version completely satisfied that craving. Once again, my plate was scraped clean by the end of the meal!
Since it looks like the Milk Free Mom website is under construction, I thought I'd share her chili recipe right here for anyone who wants to try it this week...
Vegan Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili
Makes 6 hearty bowls of chili
29 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz can tomato paste
32 oz vegetable stock
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
1 cup dry quinoa
salt and pepper to taste
avocado, cilantro for garnish (optional)
Heat the oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium low heat. Add onions, and cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beans, stock, and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the quinoa. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes – 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until quinoa and potatoes are cooked and the chili has thickened. Add a bit of water if the chili becomes too thick for your liking. Top with avocado and chopped cilantro.
What was the best thing you ate last week?
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