The Vibrant Life

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Thankfulness and Hummus

Published by Laurie

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” -Mother Teresa

The sun has finally come out in Colorado and graced us with a summer day! Would you like to know the evidence I have besides the strawberry shade to my legs? Well, let me tell you… One day last week, I was peacefully doing my hair in front of the mirror. The sun was pouring through my open bedroom door, flickering slightly as the pine trees swayed in the breeze, like tall mothers rocking their newborns, breaking the light into patterns on my tile. It was a rare moment, where everything in the world seemed to pause. Suddenly, I jumped. My body jumped, my heart jumped and, even, my cells seemed to jump, as a nearby gunshot reverberated just outside my bedroom door. I gasped, not expecting such a different atmosphere within 1 second flat. What was it? Well, in walked my beloved husband, carrying a cocked shotgun, looking more like a craggy, moss covered southerner, who has been in the Tennessee hills a little too long, if you know what I mean; he looked a far cry from a proper Englishman. It’s no surprise really, Daniel breaks all the molds, like a man in a tuxedo, sipping on Perrier who elegantly walks on stage, straightens his bow tie and begins singing rap. “Could you give me some warning,” I asked, shocked and humored too. “Those darn Magpies are into our trash again,” he muttered to himself. “Daniel, please don’t become one of those weird old men from the backwoods who sit on their porch obsessively shooting pesky birds,” I scolded. He laughed, realizing all of a sudden how quirky it all was. I have to add something hilarious and unrelated here that Daniel said to me recently. I was pulling old, discolored and ugly candles out of a candelabra to throw away. He asked me, “Can’t you just melt this wax down and make new candles?” I looked at him flabbergasted, “Yes,” I replied, “ I will make sure I get that done with Ma Ingalls when she comes next week!” Seeeeee! I’m telling you, people, he’s been visiting the Great Smoky Mountains secretly in his spare time! Yes, it is bird season around here. Not duck season, not rabbit season… Magpie season. So, that, my friends, is how I know for sure that summer has come.

The strong smells of chlorine dripping through my kids’ hair, coconut sunscreen and bbq chips, the scratchy, “check check,” 70’s style loudspeaker announcement that the mother of Rex is needed at the office (probably to be told that Rex keeps peeing in the deep end), the every half hour pleas for food from my impoverished children and the 45 minutes when everyone is, miraculously, happy and swimming at the same time, allowing me to thaw out, like a lily-white cod pulled out of the deep freezer after 9 months, tell me summer is here. SUMMER! Can I get a cheer please? For all of you in other states, who romanticize the snowy, European Colorado ski villas in your mind, it IS truly an amazing place to live but that rose colored image, seen through a soft filtered lens on an expensive camera comes flying off and smashes to the ground right around the beginning of May when we still often get snow!

Going to the pool with all my kids takes such effort and, actually, money for me that I tend to turn it into an all-day event. Thank goodness, for the sake of my teenage children, I was preoccupied with my own thoughts yesterday, because when “Another One Bites the Dust” thumped out over the pool speaker, it took measured control not to strut, teeth over my bottom lip and sunglasses in place, across the pool deck, like a greased up volleyball player might from the movie Top Gun.

As I listened to those classic “pooly” noises that are, oddly, the same all over the world, I was pulled back in time to my childhood when I literally spent all summer at the Air Force base pool in Turkey to get out of the heat and occupy myself in an, otherwise, sleepy U.S. military village. The picture above on the right is my sisters and I after a swim team practice in Ankara, Turkey. The picture on the left is from Norway when we were much younger. Oh, how I love my sisters. The second time I lived in Turkey was during the first Gulf War. There is a simplicity to third world countries that we often consider backwards but, actually, it forces them to work through things in relationships and retain strong family ties to survive in a way that can surpass us. I will never forget, the fresh yoghurt deliveries to our door in a tin pail, the unmatched Ekmek (bread) pulled out of the woodfire oven the moment before we ate it, the miniature gold coins tinkling along the edges of scarves for sale in the market, the coal in the air that would blacken my nose (which was how they stayed warm) and the hugs from Ayner when she would press us into her overweight stature, a sign of true beauty in Turkey, with an uncommon love not usually found between housekeepers and Americans. My sisters and I share so much history. We share difficult memories too… Memories of a friend of my parents who was blown up in his car a block from our apartment, checking under our vehicle each morning for wires and the fear and uncertainty I felt about the man who protected our apartment building downstairs with a machine gun. Those things reminded me that we were foreigners in a far away land that, for all its true kindness and charm, had unusual undercurrents at play that we couldn’t grasp.

Those memories, good and hard, have been on my mind a lot lately. Earlier this year, God highlighted some qualities to me. One of them was he simply whispered to me, “Thank people.” As I ponder this, I think true gratitude grounds me. I want thankfulness to be a natural part of the fabric of my everyday life. So, this week, I say thank you to the direct, passionate and big hearted Ayner and to my lovely sisters who have taught me so much about communication, love and fortitude. Thank you to my parents who, somehow through their fearless and joyful attitudes, gave us an idyllic and normal childhood. And, certainly not last, I want to thank God for protecting us during that dark wartime in Turkey and for watching over me my whole life. What are you most thankful for?

Holly’s Healthy Hummus

My sister Holly is a chocolate colored beauty, with deep brown, deer eyes. She takes after my Dad who has jet black hair and tan skin that makes him look like he’s from another country (something you would NEVER guess from my blonde pictures). 🙂 We grew up all over the world and my sisters became my best friends. We argued, played barbies for hours, screamed together with joy as Luke and Laura finally got together on General Hospital, all had a crush at the same time on one of our uncles (who shall remain unnamed- Lol), we could fight like bitter enemies at breakfast but be bosom friends again by dinner, we sang 4 part harmony on road trips to the rousing, camp tune, “The Littlest Worm,” fought about whose elbow was in whose personal space, we built matchbox houses for our tangerines (babies) as little girls and, also, lined up in front of the mirror, seeing who could gain the most height on our 80’s Texas, rodeo girl bangs in high school. Oh, so many life lessons came through all of that stuff, even the ridiculous parts. We learned how to love together and work through hardship. I hope you enjoy my sister’s health snack!

Blend together, refrigerate for 2-3 hours and serve with strips of veggies:

3 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (The very best kind is the no salt added, no preservative variety)
2 lemons, juiced
3 Tablespoons of fat free plain yoghurt
1 teaspoon of garlic (I use powdered because I have a family member who is allergic to fresh garlic. You could certainly blend in real garlic, starting with one clove and working up to 2, based on taste)
salt & pepper to taste (Vibrant Life followers, no salt is best, but, if you must, a tiny bit of salt can be added to yours)

You could play with this recipe and add a tiny bit of fresh Jalapeños and red bell pepper or Jalapeños and avocado. I haven’t done this yet but it sounds amazing! 🙂

Marvelous Marriage & Mango Smoothy

Published by Laurie

“…the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you.”

Every Thursday night, I frantically throw together an easy dinner for the kids, so Daniel and I can have some time alone. Soooooo, last week we were on our date, making “eyes” at each other over bison and salad, because, people, trust me on this, it is SO worth it to keep flirting in your marriage! I want to be hot for each other at 90, trying to kiss with our dentures popping out and saying to each other, “Is that you, Sweetheart, or the fur coat hanging by the door?” Besides, a big cut of red meat to a man is like an Italian love song playing violinist, long stem red roses and a giant, glittering rock in a box is to a woman. Nothing, I mean nothing, says romance to a man like a beer and huge cut of steak. LOL. Anyway, I finished up my dinner and ordered a desert, not realizing just how large the desert was at this particular establishment. My husband, of course, thought the whole thing was hilarious when it came out piled like a volcano of strawberries and cream erupting out of the top of Mount Pastry. So, he began gleefully snapping “busting you” shots and threatening to post it on Twitter, even though I loudly protested, “IT’S TREAT NIGHT! IT’S TREAT NIGHT!” Lol. Oh my. Isn’t he just a riot. Smirk. So, that’s what you’re seeing below. Can you guess what I am saying from my facial expression? If you surmised, “Don’t you DARE,” you would have it right. Oh how I love to laugh.

This week, my husband came to me and delightedly announced that he had a sixth ticket to the Rockies game and how lucky that I could join him and the boys. The girls were off to their aunts for the night and I had entertained a blissful dream of going to see Far From the Madding Crowd. After all, I am a serious literary nerd and that movie is based on a classic by Hardy! I know, I know, but please don’t scream the house down in the excitement of it all. Anyway, I decided to go to….. the baseball game. And, even though I had three observations about baseball games: 1. Why are there so many breaks, 2. Every play decision between the umpires is way too much like the pace of a Red Hat Club gathering over Mimosas and 3. Packing healthy snacks is a necessity! It is a little kid’s dreamland of fries, cotton candy and caramel popcorn, oh my. Even though, by the end, I felt like I could DIE from the pace, I am so glad I went. I want to engage in my husband’s world and have fun with activities he comes up with. So, even though my chick flick sounded way better to me, I dressed like an avid fan with purple and blue clothing from my closet, cheered when they scored and threw myself into it like a like an elite luger jumping on that sled, all in, and going for the gold! I was rewarded, at the end of the game, by an unexpected heartfelt moment. Put it this way, “Proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free,” was playing while the sky was was filled with a high quality, rainbow of post game fireworks (and I LOVE fireworks); that was enough to bring on the patriot tears. I cannot begin to put into words how much it means to me that sons, daughters, husbands, etc, of other people, have given their lives, so that I can live as a free woman. There is nothing like that realization. It is something of the spirit of Christ in them to give their lives for others.

Fitness Check-In

So, I just wanted to check in with you this week. We are in the 5 month post New Year’s Resolution, downward slide for many people. How are you doing with fitness? It’s not too late to start. If you can’t run, just pick something that makes you sweat and slowly build up to 35-45 minutes. The elliptical is a great, low impact, cardio tool. It doesn’t have to be running; that is just what worked for me. Write and tell me how you are doing and what your problem areas are/what makes working out hard? I’m working hard core on my eating with a calendar on my wall for a month because it helps me to do big pushes regarding fitness. Want to join me June 1st?

I had a really exceptional woman write me this week and express that even though she has a significant illness, she wants to get serious about eating well and working out in any way she can. I LOVE her commitment. I decided right then and there that I want to make a prayer wall with pictures of people to remind me to pray for them. If you have prayer requests, regarding physical or life issues, I would love you to send a picture to me with a little bit about how I can pray. Please send those to: Laurie Rolfe, Eyes Only, 7345 Adventure Way, Colorado Springs, CO 80923.

Mango Protein Smoothy

Anyone who lives in Colorado knows that we’ve been under a deluge lately, with bizarre weather, even tornados, in our city! Let me explain for you out of state/country folks – mountains and tornadoes don’t usually mix. Those two concepts are like a head to toe, fur wrapped native Alaskan sun bathing on a beach in Antigua. I don’t know about you but I have turned the heat up, slowly amassed a collection of three different coconut perfumes, bought a large Hibiscus bush, placed it by my favorite chair in the living room, and have a craving for a Pina Colada that won’t relent. I mean, the call of the Pina Colada is like an orphaned whale opining in a deep bellow through the ocean depths. Come ON, summer! To help us along until Colorado decides to join the rest of the World and have more than one season, I have included a picture of our honeymoon in Maui above and a Mango protein smoothy recipe below. Dreaming is good and, beyond giving us vision, can sometimes be like a white and red foam lifesaver to a man overboard. Aside from breathing deeply of the intoxicating and tropical smell of sunscreen, feeling the heat soak into your skin, like a spill of hot soup into a paper towel, listening to the distant noises of your kids frolicking joyfully (with the occasional mean spirited, extended dunk) in the pool, throwing dinner together in half an hour because bbqs are fast, taking in the poignant smell of sun baked- pine needles as you hike in a nearby wilderness and the lazy, slow pace of no school, what else do you dream about this summer? What are your plans? Colorado, we can at least dream of summer! 🙂

The picture above is before the spinach is added. I promise you, you won’t taste the spinach but it will change the drink to a grassy green. Try it anyway. 🙂 Think of all that blended up goodness going right to your cells. This makes 1 large glass for me and two small ones for my little kids. If it isn’t sweet enough, blend in a couple packages of Stevia. It is very creamy and I like the distinct, punchy taste of a small slice of pineapple afterwards.

1 Cup of Frozen Mangos (I use organic)
Large handful of spinach
1 Cup of Carrageenan free, unsweetened almond or coconut milk
1/4 Cup of Whey Protein (no flavoring or sugar added)
Slice of pineapple and mini umbrella to make yourself feel like you’re on vacation

Silence and Spaghetti

Published by Laurie

“Let us be silent, that we may hear the whisper of God.” – Emerson

Two weeks ago, our family piled up in our Suburban for a little pre-season camping, looking an awful lot like the Beverly Hillbillies, with blankets, tin cups, enough S’mores’ supplies for the nation of Chad and with sausages strung along the roof rack. Ok, I am teasing on the last one 🙂 If you’ve been into the mountains, isn’t the silence up there hard to describe? Even our quiet moments down here don’t compare. And, it doesn’t just silence the exterior noise but my thoughts start to slow way down, as I take in the popping of the fire, as it breaks down twigs and the white sides of aspen logs, and the evergreen needles snapping under the hooves of visiting deer. Learning to be quiet is a skill and in my 9 person family, which is as peaceful as bead craft day at a junior high girls’ summer camp, a prized commodity!

Often when the whole house sleeps, I lay there and just listen, taking in the noises from outside- an owl hooting, sounding like a hollow, October warning, the gentle push of the wind moving in a rolling wave through the dark pine tops, the pack of coyotes that run through my front yard, drawing in their prey with their wild moans and howls, and the faraway echo of neighbor dogs talking long into the night. There is something in this silence that refills our souls.

Even though our camping trips are not solitary and utterly quiet times, being in the mountains reminds us of where we came from and who we are. It calms. It resets our thinking. It rests us.

Ok, “Truth or Dare” confession… As a young teen, I had a MAJOR crush on Harrison Ford. His Indiana Jones films hit on everything that fires me up- adventure, history, faith, living fully, dates (seriously, they are like God’s candy), humor and an odd fascination with the nickname “Junior” (we call Juliette that- Lol). And, besides, what starry-eyed and hormone infested teen girl didn’t want to smooch him when he was covered in bruises on that boat. 🙂 I mean, he could crack a joke, calmly take out a man twice his size while hanging off of a moving truck by one hand, outrun boulders and reclaim the treasure, all in five minutes! Lol. Did you know that when you use the scientific methods employed to determine the authenticity of a manuscript (outside verification, eye witness accounts, consistency within, etc), the Bible massively outshines every other ancient document? That is intriguing to me; we have a glimpse of the past in the Bible, like an ancient scroll discovered in a long forgotten cave by our hero, Indiana.

As I pondered this week why I recalibrate when I sit in silence with less voices and movement, it occurred to me that it isn’t just because solitude is restful. Here is what I realized this week as I read Psalm 46; it starts by saying that God will be our help during life’s troubles. It goes on to describe the worst case scenario we could possibly face- “The earth gives way… the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea… the mountains tremble… the nations rage… the kingdoms totter.” But, while all that is going on, it then suddenly says something fascinating and counter-intuitive, “Be still and know that I am God.” From the placement of that crazy notion- being still when there is a massive earthquake, the country is in shambles, there is war- it seems to me that God is trying to let me in on some ancient wisdom. He knows that trouble will come to me at different times of life. He also knows that my perspective is reset when I am quiet and remember how big and capable he is, when I remember that he is God. What do you think? Tell me about your camping trips, how you rest your soul and, most importantly ;-), do you look as “backwoods” as we do, when we head into the wilderness? 🙂

Kid Friendly, Red Chili, Spaghetti Bolognese

Serves 9

On the Vibrant Life Diet, I normally eat lean white meats but, once every three weeks, I allow myself a leaner, red meat. Also, I eat it without added sodium but pull my portion out and then add salt for my family. I allow myself 1/2 cup of brown rice noodles. Serve this with salad and whole grain garlic bread for the rest of the family.

With a little planning and effort, it is possible to eat well while away. Below is an easy, gluten free and healthy spaghetti we made on our camp stove. It is very American and easy. I wanted to share this fourth companion meal, because this brand of brown rice noodles were a hit with my kids, which isn’t always true with gluten free products.

2 boxes of Jovial brand Spaghetti Noodles (King Soopers)
2 cans of tomato paste (organic is available from Costco)
3 lbs. of 93% lean ground beef
Homemade Chili Powder or Salt Free Chili Powder (Go here for a great explanation and recipe for homemade Chili Powder)
Dried basil, onion powder, No Salt Seasoning from Costco, all to taste
Salt to taste

If I was making this for my husband and I, I would petite dice red onions, basil and other fresh herbs to use in the sauce and serve it with a red wine; however, this recipe works well for those kids who are sensitive to texture and the dried herbs make this very fast and easy when in a hurry or camping.

At the same time: Begin frying the meat in a frying pan, and bringing an 8 quart pot, 2/3 full of water, to a boil.

When the water is boiling, add the noodles and follow the directions on the box (we like these noodles more on the al dente side). When the meat is cooked, add the tomato paste and enough water to loosen the paste into a runny sauce. I eyeball this and add enough so that the meat is just covered. Gently mix the water into the paste. If needed, boil the water off a little bit. Mix in the above seasonings to taste (start with a tablespoon of each, roughly). Bring the meat sauce to a slow boil. Drain noodles and serve.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. – Psalm 62:5

Making Healthy Choices and 20 Healthy Snack Ideas

Published by Laurie

Although I was a Criminology major and, long ago, managed a team who went into buildings in the middle of the night and crawled through ceilings, installing secret, pin size cameras, I don’t usually spy on people, I promise! I should confess that I am utterly techno-ignorant and had a brilliant team; I was a lot like an overzealous 15 year old whose parents give him a brand new Porsche Boxter the day after he gets his learners permit (I was a young leader with gifted help). The above pictures were taken right at the end of my time as a Detective Manager. Can you see the beautiful little girl that changed my mind about being a career woman? 🙂

Anyway, I am quite literally in a coffee shop at this moment, listening to two women beside me loudly talking about a fitness drink that will help them rebound multiple times a week from hangovers. I heard the word “isotope” and other trendy health terms thrown around, like jelly beans at Easter. This is not in a grungy part of downtown; these ladies are very well dressed, clearly successful and quite beautiful. They are talking about massively overindulging as a part of their regular, every other day rhythm and then what supplements and fitness drinks are the best for recovery and a healthy life. The extreme dichotomy is what caught my attention – the desire for both massive and consistent indulgence and health. Their conversation makes me think about my own health. My health isn’t going to happen by accident, by operating out of my default settings or by holding on to old habits and trying to be healthy around the edges. It is futile to whitewash crumbling walls. It makes me think – While I will never be perfect, I want to be honest and mindful of my pitfalls. What is one unhealthy habit in my physical life and what is one area of my heart/behavior in which I default to old fears and ways? What are yours?

There are so many things in life we have to choose, from ordering the trout and veggies, rather than the steak and melt-in-your- mouth rolls with honey cinnamon butter to tucking our kids in and kissing them when we are exhausted after a long day. Do I sound like I understand the temptation to do what feels good and easier, rather than what is best for me? You better believe I do! Those rolls with butter at Texas Roadhouse are right up there with seeing my hot husband walk out on date night in a dress shirt and jeans, looking like an Aussie rancher all decked out for the night and saying in his killer accent, “Where do you want to go to dinner?” They are paradise on a plate! They really should serve those babies with mini plastic palm trees, Elvis’ “Blue Hawaii” playing in the background and a whippy Pina Colada stuck with a rainbow umbrella.

Snacks

In regards to healthy physical choices, one of the hardest parts is the snacks. Some things I have found to be true:

1. Do NOT let yourself get too hungry or you will grab something you will regret later. Plan your snacks ahead of time.

2. Like an impoverished boy who, as a man, has made his fortune, I can still believe, in a moment of hunger, that the healthier options won’t fill me but they DO.

3. You are better having a little bit too much of the good calories than a handful of junky ones. For example, a second apple a day or a second handful of 15 almonds is better than a candy bar.

4. Especially when you first start, save your fruit for when you feel a sugar craving come on.

5. Get enough protein regularly to burn fat and keep your belly full, like a Texan department store Santa on Christmas Eve.

6. Protein smoothies are life savers, because they are fast and filling. I would recommend always having a mix on hand (really do your homework).

7. Remember, living foods and lean proteins are the best choices.

8. Watch out for hidden sugars. Many people don’t realize how many things have, at worst, high fructose corn syrup or, at best, sugar in them. Any sauces usually do, soups, yoghurts, pre-fab snack foods, salad dressings, some Vanillas, etc.

9. Watch out for hidden salts. Those are found in all the above items plus herbs and seasonings. Soups are inordinately high in salt. While a little salt isn’t as bad as sugar, you want to keep your sodium low.

10. Drink a lot of water at every meal, snack and in between. It is one of the top things you can do for your health!

List of 20 healthy snack options:

1. Almonds, Pecans or other raw nuts – 15 at a time.

2. 1 teaspoon of nut butter (without sugar) on celery or apple

3. Apple, grapes, raspberries or other fruit (watch sugar and carbs/quantity)

4. Fat free Greek yogurt w/chia and Stevia or with chia, Stevia and cut up strawberries

5. Homemade humus with celery, jicama, carrots and cucumbers cut up – recipe coming in the next two weeks!

6. Protein smoothy (I keep a pre-mixed one on hand for crazy days- do your homework on these. I usually make them myself with whey protein, almond milk, ice, fruit and stevia).

7. Protein bars – I’m searching for an awesome recipe so this is a healthier option. Will share when I find it.

8. Edamame, from the frozen section at Sams Club

9. Small amount of leftover grilled chicken thrown into a lettuce wrap with bean sprouts, diced yellow peppers and green onions

10. Popcorn in moderation – stove popped in coconut oil, no salt

11. Boiled and chilled egg whites with pepper

12. Avocado 1/2 with pepper

13. Cucumbers carved out & used like the bread in a sandwich; filled with leftover grilled thinly sliced chicken breast, yellow peppers slices, tomato cut thin and with a teaspoon of dill seasoned greek yoghurt.

14. Carrots, broccoli, cucumbers and celery dipped in lightly seasoned greek yoghurt

15. Homemade salsa on carrots, celery and cucumber

16. Applesauce, no sugar added – make yourself for healthiest option

17. Fruit – all different, cut up in segments to dip in greek yogurt (mixed with vanilla and Stevia). Watch your quantity on this.

18. 1/2- 2/3 Cup brown rice noodles (will recommend a brand we love this coming week) cooked and cooled, mixed with cubed cucumbers, celery, carrots, peppers, baby tomatoes halved. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon of melted coconut oil, a tiny splash of balsamic & pepper.

19. Thick slices of vine ripened tomatoes with 1- 2 teaspoons of fat free feta (watch the salt) & cracked pepper sprinkled on top and melted. Add petite strips of basil on top after you cook.

20. Fat free greek yoghurt seasoned with pepper, dill, garlic to taste. Cubed cucumbers with lemon squeezed on them lightly mixed in. (This is a Turkish side dish called Cacick from my childhood).

Aspens, Growth and an Intense Ab Workout!

Published by Laurie

“Whose woods these are I think I know… The only other sound’s the sweep, of easy wind…The woods are lovely, dark and deep.” – Frost

When we moved into our home 10 years ago, there was one young Aspen tree behind the kitchen window that had recently been planted by the previous owners. I loved the way the leaves flipped back and forth, like broad green coins in the wind. Every year, I eagerly look out to assess its growth. Ten years on, that tree hasn’t grown an inch. Not one single inch! And, it hasn’t sent out a single shoot. It is completely solitary and small. It has aged however. There’s something sad about a tree that ages and yet remains small. It looks worn out, just as a child hunched over unmoving on a park bench would look.

Here’s why it hasn’t grown or reproduced… Well, first of all, Aspens need full sun and this one sits shaded in a woodland of pines, like towering, overbearing giants. But, more than that, Aspens need other Aspens to grow big and beautiful, send out shoots and become groves. Gardeners Galvan and O’Meara said this about Aspens, “They want to be a grove. They can’t help themselves.” My poor tree is alone and, as a result, its growth has been stunted. It struck me as I looked out at my tree and washed the dishes, feeling the warm suds surround my hands….. Without my closest friends and family, I wouldn’t be any different.

At the end of last week, our family was like a weary team of loggers who come home from a week in the drizzling Washington woods, hands full of splinters, aching muscles, cold right through and a belly longing for hardy beef stew. You know those Friday’s? So, we planned a family bbq with lots of food, some treats, a fire pit and a movie. It was like a piece of heaven. But… it was not quiet and peaceful. It was loud, rambunctious, and chaotic at times, with Joseph whipping up his delicious specialty of Hurricane Spinach, Poppyseed and Strawberry salad (called “hurricane” because it was soaking wet and, let me tell you, that was just extra special with strawberries in it), a teenage child of mine walking and then stopping short in front of me over and over with his size 12 feet out of a middle school sense of humor, the scramble that happens as everyone vies for leftover Hershey Bars or the arguments over who is more justified in getting the most comfortable seats during the movie. The creative reasoning in how to avoid being other-ly is astounding. 🙂 I don’t know about you all but our family is always the gifts of the spirit incarnate (patience, self control, goodness). Lol! Despite all that, being around the people closest to us grows us, produces little Aspens like us and surrounds us with health, family and faith.

I heard a story this month of a woman who went to a coastal restaurant and ordered oysters. She found fifty pearls in her mouth as she ate! I’m sure she will be 95 someday, wearing a polyester jacket, touting the beauty benefits of Mrs. Stewarts Blue Rinse, showing people her lap dog named Cuddles, inviting her bridge club over for, you guessed it, club sodas and wearing a pearl necklace! As I think about that true story, I want to remember that my life isn’t just a chaotic, sloppy mess but, in the frenzy, there is something beautiful being made in each of us. I want my imperfect self to embrace the imperfect people closest to me, knowing that we are growing each other, sending out shoots and we will someday look around and see the vast, warm summer grove we are a part of. I think Frost would find that woods particularly lovely and deep. This week… I am Aspen planting!

Extreme Abs, Weeks 5 and 6. It’s about to get more intense! We are working the Rectus Abdominus and the Obliques pretty hard at this point: 1 day Rectus Abdominus, next day Obliques, day of rest and repeat. For each exercise, do 4 sets of 12-15 each and choose 2-3 of each type of the recommended exercises each day (make sure you choose one that involves a leg lift on the Rectus Abdominus day). So, on day one, choose 2-3 Rectus Abdominus exercises and on day two, choose 2-3 Oblique exercises. Push it as hard as you can!

The best way to explain the specific exercises to you is to have you watch Scott Herman’s 16.5 minutes long Youtube video on abs, Scott is an impressive athlete (he has more videos on utube) and I am taking this video of his as a challenge to TRY these for 2 months, four days a week with no or low weights to start with. I think it is best to start these after warming your body up the first month with the workouts I previously mentioned, if you haven’t done ab workouts lately. I am inordinately excited to introduce you to my very gifted son, Elias. Elias loves anything athletic, artistic or construction oriented. He has an eager, helpful and driven personality. Elias drew each of the exercises, so you can easily print this instruction sheet and take it with you to the gym, as a reminder. He wants you to know that he had to rush because I was pushing him with a deadline, so these are not completed pictures. Remember, the dinosaur can be eaten if you eat 3 bites a day! I hope you find this helpful in your quest for strong abs!

Exercise Reminders

Rectus Abdominus Exercises (choose 2-3, with one involving a leg raise):

1. Elbows to knees. Focus on contracting core. When the weights get heavier, have someone stand on your toes for stability.

2. Start by simply hang from bar and raise knees as high as you can. Move towards doing it like the picture above, using weights between your feet on a dip bar (knees to chest, hips stay in line with hands).

3. Pass ball between hands and feet and make sure you lift your shoulder blades off the ground.

4. Crunch and touch elbows to knees and don’t let the medicine ball touch the ground.

5. Reach up and touch the opposite hand/dumbell with opposite foot. Do sets on each side.

6. Doing crunches on exercise ball, hold plate tight to head.

Oblique Exercises (choose 2-3):

7. Use cable machine. Keep hips facing forward. 15 reps on each side per set. Down the road, can do from low or high angle to target the obliques differently.

8. Start with holding a plate and move, down the road, to dumbbells. 15 reps per side per set. Don’t let hips slide, it puts too much pressure. Keep hips as level as you can. Crunch torso.

9. Balance on glutes. Don’t touch the weight to the ground. 15 reps per side per set.

10. Hips forward. Use 5-10 pound weights. Arms straight the whole time. To get form correct, practice at home with pole on neck.

The Freedom of Being Childlike and Thai Lettuce Wraps

Published by Laurie

When my faith gets tired

You spin me round and round

And remind me of that song

The one You wrote for me

And we dance

-Bethel Music

Apparently, Zac Efron is the cutest guy around nowadays. Who knew?!? Lol. Oh, how The Tinies crack me up. Who are The Tinies, you ask? Yes, they deserve their own article, capitalization and title! They are my three little ones – Caetlin, Hannah and Joseph. People have frequently reminded me that they aren’t tiny anymore – stop that! 🙂 So, I was happily driving along this week when, out of the blue, The Tinies started in about Zac Efron. One daughter said and I quote, “Zac Efron is soooooo cute that I can’t stand it. I am jealous of the girl who was in High School Musical with him because she got to kiss him!” My face at that moment was just like that stunned, blank and open eyed emoji. I stammered, “But, you’re 9!” The prompt reply from another daughter, who is the great family informant of all details was, “Actually, she is ten this week.” They continued to coo and fuss over the beloved Zac. At that point my little boy jumped in, “You want to know who really is cute? My lady, ______, from church. She’s the cute one!” For obvious reasons, his “lady” shall remain nameless. Lol. Besides, I am his lady!

Oh. My. Goodness. The Tinies are not short on personality. Last summer, we went to a resort in Arizona for our family vacation. They were holding an Olympics. The Tinies wanted to try everything, with one of them even winning the resort wide, gold medal for Bingo! One morning, I lifted my head for a breather from cooking in the sun, like a trout in a frying pan, and saw a pool packed full of geriatrics and what appeared to be three little kids zealously doing water aerobics with an enthusiast but very slow moving instructor, who looked like an ancient crustacean who recently emerged from the depths of the sea. I rubbed my eyes and looked closer; sure enough, it was The Tinies! I haven’t laughed that hard in awhile. I love how they embrace life! Kids have a way of throwing off inhibition, expressing fears openly, seeing good in people, reading bad in people quickly, trying new things and… believing. I want to remember to be like that, as I go about my day – willing to try new things, whole hearted, fearless and willing to be vulnerable. Do you remember dancing on your Dad’s shoes? I want to live like that always.

As a kid, I grew up in all sorts of foreign countries, from Norway to Taiwan. My father was a lawyer in the Airforce. One childhood memory is of walking through the Turkish markets in the sooty, hazy, early morning air, looking at rows of burlap sacks full of vibrant spices. It was like Whole Foods on steroids; the smell was pungent and delicious and the colors were burnt sienna, brick red, mustard yellow, basil green and creamy, lemony salt crystals, not sold in the United States but a lot like the sharp, sour taste of Vitamin C. We grew up on international foods; it was like a social studies class party in my mouth many nights. I tend to just make stuff up when I cook. So, the following is a healthy Thai styled meal I cooked for my family recently that they loved. I am working on creating a homemade mint sauce that could be another dressing option for these and would be perfect for anyone with a large amount of mint in their summer garden. I will share that down the road.

Companion Meal #3

Thai Lettuce Wraps (enough for 8 people):

Three 9.7 oz. Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Sauce (My family tore through this sauce, so I would recommend having enough)
2 teaspoons + 1 teaspoon of Coconut Oil
Two 14 oz. cans of Organic Baby Corn
Two 8 oz. Annie Chun’s Maifun Brown Rice Noodles
Two 8 oz. cans Sliced Bamboo Shoots
Two 8 oz. cans sliced water chestnuts
One 16 oz. bottle Braggs Liquid Aminos (will use only some of this)
Two heads of bibb or Iceberg lettuce
One large bag of bean sprouts (My local stores were out of these the day I cooked but these really do add delicious crunch)
One celery root
One large, white turnip
Two bundles of green onions
One large bag of snap peas, Costco
One box of fresh basil (King Soopers carries this in a good sized box)
8 small/medium chicken breasts (1 for each person)
Organic No Salt Seasoning (Costco)
Red pepper flakes

1. Use one teaspoon of coconut oil and grease a glass oven dish; place chicken breasts in it and season with No Salt Seasoning and very sparingly sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Cover with tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Then, cube.

2. While chicken is cooking, petite dice green onions, julienne the basil, peel and petite dice celery root and cut the turnip into thin half moons.

3. Gently pull whole leaves of lettuce off, rinse, dry and place in a stack on a plate.

4. Put all petite diced items beautifully on a platter, adding a generous pile of bean sprouts.

5. Open all cans and drain.

6. Begin boiling a large pan full of water for the rice noodles. Once it comes to a boil, cook noodles as per box recommendation, keep warm until the rest of the meal is complete, then drain and serve.

7. When Chicken is done and cubed, place in a pan with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil, baby corn, bamboo sprouts, water chestnuts and snap peas. Cook until veggies are softened and chicken has a little brown color to it, around 10 minutes. Watch this closely because the snap peas can get soggy if cooked too long. When it is close to done, Vibrant Life Diet folks pull out your meat mixture in a separate bowl. Then, to the rest, add Braggs Liquid Aminos to taste. I believe this needs to be done at the moment by sprinkling a little bit in and tasting and then adding a little more until you reach the desired flavor. You don’t need a heavy flavor, as the Pad Thai Sauce is being used. Once you add the Braggs to the main mixture, heat it thoroughly for another minute to allow the flavor to deepen and blend with the meat.

8. Place this meal out self-serve style in this order: lettuce wrap, cooked chicken mixture, platter of diced fresh veggies, brown rice noodles and Pad Thai Sauce.

Vibrant Life followers: limit yourself to 1/2 C of noodles. Also avoid salty sauces like the Pad Thai Sauce but if you have to have some, don’t use more than 1 teaspoon.

“For you were called to freedom.” -Galatians 5

How to Eat a Whole Dinosaur and the First 3 Weeks of my 3 Month Ab Challenge

Published by Laurie

“Who will bring me to the strong city? Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly.” Psalms 60

Every week, I try to write just a little about what I’m working on heart-wise, as well as with my fitness. You see those awesome people above? They are the best thing I get to be a part of every day on this earth. This week, however, I am feeling utterly overwhelmed with the needs of each of those 7 kids and their different and unique stages of life and academics. Our schedule is about as peaceful as a snowman in July. Nod to Frozen. Give me a break, people, I rarely have time for grownup movies! Lol. A good chick flick with friends, chocolate and jammies sounds like a slice of heaven right now.

Let me give you a tiny one minute example of my kids and their ages. As I picked up kids, ages 7-17, yesterday and was navigating busy roads with construction going on, my eldest son turned loud music on and was dancing in the front seat, two middle kids, aptly, in the middle row were arguing over who had more leg room and the injustices of crossing “The Personal Line,” one heaven-sent child was staring out the window doing nothing (Can I get an Amen? Lol) and, suddenly, my little boy bellowed earnestly and loudly from the back, “Mommy! Do Pandath have Whiskerth (Translation: Do Pandas Have Whiskers)?” I mean, who knows, but I certainly cannot even figure out 2+2 in that environment! It was, of course, an urgent question, because a little girl in school had criticized the panda he had painted for…. having whiskers. And, we all know what those bossy first grade girls can be like- calculating and scathing! 🙂 As I pondered and wrestled through their needs this week, like cattle through quicksand, I really believe God was encouraging me to do three things- 1. Set tiny, achievable goals and stop looking at the whole, like a wide-eyed person with a dinner setting, fork and knife in hand, being served grilled dinosaur whole. Write down the two major areas that each of my kid’s need help with, one heart related the other school related, and chomp off tiny bites 6 days a week (tiny tiny goals, like read for 10 minutes with Joseph every day), 2. Every struggle isn’t an obnoxious distraction or meaningless battle but is building them into who they are and 3. I can’t do it all. And, I have to be at peace with trusting God to fill in my gaps after I give it a whole hearted effort. Moms, we are human. Our best efforts will never be perfect enough. So, we have to let go, pray for help a lot and trust.

You know Elasti-girl from the movie The Incredibles? Yeah, that’s a super awesome quality, except when it’s…….. your abs because of 7 pregnancies! Is it sad that even though my youngest is 7, I would still describe myself as post-partum when it comes to abs? Those babies literally tore my muscles up, a lot like the ground being torn away by the giant metallic claw of the steam powered shovels when the Panama Canal was built! One of my dear friends, who is stunning and a fitness rockstar by the way, is trying to convince me that your body can never quite be the same again, no matter how much work you put into it, and it’s just a good idea to have a tummy tuck, like she did. She may be right but since it costs some major coin and surgery is always my very last option, falling right after the one that reads “Option 123: Back a 6.5 thousand pound African Elephant up and have it sit on you for five minutes to see if it will flatten your abs,” I think I will try aggressive ab workouts first. If she ends up being right, I owe her a beer! All in the name of healthy abs, of course. 🙂

My advice on most things is start small or “aim small, miss small.” Set tiny goals and slowly build. It’s truly amazing what can be achieved with this approach! Think about it, if you write one quality page a day for a year, you have a book! Or, if you add two laps every time you swim, and start at 10, you can build up to 100 in roughly 3 months (swimming 3 times a week). Not bad!

I researched and read and researched and read. It seems to me that the best way to do this is to start with 5 basic exercises that you can do at home to begin to warm up lethargic abs, increase to 7 home exercises the second and third weeks and, then, shift the ab workout intensity and do gym work for the rest of the 3 months. I will give you the first three weeks below. In a couple weeks, I will give you the more intense ab gym workout.

First 3 weeks of my three month ab challenge:
Workout abs 4 days a week, schedule it. Want to do this with me? 🙂

Week 1, warm up the abs week:

1. Bicycle Crunch- 2 sets of 20

2. Plank- hold for one minute or build up to one minute x2

3. Flutter Kicks – 2 Sets of 10 reps (count 4 of these kicks as 1)

4. Vertical Leg & Hip Raises- 2 sets of 10

5. Leg Raise- hold for one minute x2

Week 2 and 3, push the abs a little further. Start with 2 sets and work up to 3 (The last two are new exercises and amounts have changed):
1. Bicycle Crunches- 3 sets of 15 reps
2. Plank- hold 1 min X3
3. Flutter Kicks- 3 sets of 15 reps
4. Vertical Leg & Hip Raises- 3 sets of 15 reps
5. Leg raise- hold for a minute X3

6. Clothespins- 3 sets of 15 reps

7. Ab Wheel – 3 Sets of 12 Reps

Credit: Workouts above were meshed together from what I know, http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/top-5-exercises-for-killer-abs.html by Alex Stewart, Fully Raw Kristina and acquired knowledge over time from many people who know a lot about the body and have the body themselves to prove their commitment!

Easter Eggs and Dairy Air, All About Glutes

Published by Laurie

“I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground” – Hillsong

I was talking with a friend recently and we realized we both look at egg dying with all the fear and trepidation of Bambi accidentally released into the Mountain Lion cage at the zoo when funding is down. It’s one of those traditions that is just flat out a mess and, with teenage boys who make everything a joke, you can imagine what it was like in our house this year! Let’s put it this way, how many random things can you do with a boiled egg and 6 colors to make your brothers guffaw harder? Yeah, they tried them all! One of my sons has taken to saying in a goofy voice, “I am so sorry, Loretta.” Obnoxious and hilarious, both. In fact, as I type this blog post, my sons are belting out a dramatic version of the smooth as butter, “pickup” song “Take Your Time” by Sam Hunt. I’m totally fine with a boisterous dance party in my living room, as long as they get their jobs done at the same time. Lol. The girls and I are coloring eggs again “for real” Saturday. While we do all sorts of fun things, the bottom line of Easter is that God loves you and me. I think of the thousands of times that I made a real mess of things and I saw all God did with it, as I presented those self-created tornadoes to him on my knees. He has turned my dead ground into a hillside covered in stunning wildflowers. This Easter finds me with warm, crumbly, springtime peat on my knees, so grateful.

Glutes:

My boys have informed me that my glutes, as in Gluteus Maximus, derriere, tush, hiney or any other affectionate nicknames for that beloved body part, need a lot of work! While running has leaned out my body, I am definitely low on strength and shape, besides my legs, of course. They are totally right! No offense taken. I should add that they are incredibly proud of me for my hard work and very kind. But, boys in particular, I find, have a directness that is starkly truthful and, actually, as refreshing as mountain water, pure and a little shockingly cold. My main problem areas are my glutes, pecks, biceps, triceps, abs and core. Actually, that’s pretty standard with runners. So, recently, with a little bit of kicking and fussing to myself, I began strength training. It isn’t as restful as getting in the zone for 45 minutes running and I often run two miles in addition to the weights, just to feel like I’m sweating consistently. Old habits die hard.

My first day, I was boxing the air like a zealous, pro cage fighter or an aggressive mare, pawing the ground before a race. I was ready, able and about to kill those weights! It was at that point that my Junior football playing son came over to me, where I was lifting a minuscule amount on the seated calf machine, and added 150 pounds, “Mom. You’re not supposed to keep it so light that you can bounce your knees. Now, lift that!” He felt so sorry for my extreme ineptitude that he took me under his loving wing. And, later, as I grabbed for a piece of foam during squats for my neck, I did NOT whine when he told me the foam was embarrassing him. Oh no, I did not! You know what I did? I grunted in full beast mode and said, “Of course not! I was just moving that foam, so I could get to the 50 lb. weight!” Lol, oh dear. The truth is, I was terrible! I could only squat the bar! And, yes, I needed the foam as I added weight.

Actually, I am rarely embarrassed, don’t really care if I look like an ignoramus and think there are too many rules in life anyway. So, I looked my son square in the face and said, “I don’t really care if I am lifting weights that would make a 5 year old boy bust into peels of laughter; teach me what to do! Everyone starts somewhere!” Why am I telling you this? Well, first of all, because too many of us don’t do things we want to do or should do because we are worried about what other people think. And, secondly, I would like to share some glute exercises below. Glutes are one of the most powerful and, often, underused muscles in the body! It can take some work to activate them and I am, most certainly, a beginner with strength training. But, I hope you find these exercises helpful. Give me a year; I plan on being sculpted and knowledgeable.

Glute Excercises:

Three key exercises that build glutes are squats, lunges and Romanian Deadlifts; do these without weight to start with and then slowly build the weight. I will show you these exercises at the end of this post. It can be difficult to get lethargic glute muscles to start firing. To warm them up, the following regimen is helpful, directly before doing glute work. Your body has to “learn” to use the glutes.

Glute Bridge – 10x (both legs): lay on your back, knees up, push into your feet and lift your bottom off the ground as far as you can, hold briefly, repeat.

Single Leg Glute Bridge (not shown) – 10x each leg: same as above but using one leg at a time, the other leg extended out.

Quadruped bent-knee hip extension – 10x each leg: sit on hands and knees. Lift heel towards the ceiling.

Fire Hydrants – 10x each leg: kneel on your hands and knees, lift one leg to the side at a time, parallel with your body.

After the above warm up, the following can be done:

Squats: To start with, many people do not execute squats properly; they lean into their toes and forward, rather than leaning back and into their heals. This causes your body to compensate with different muscles, not firing the glutes. I would recommend practicing squats with the bar only until you get your form down. Once you’ve trained your body to lean into your heals, keep your back straight and get comfortable with that “I could fall backwards” feeling, then slowly add weight continuing that form. You can cause yourself injury if your form is incorrect or if you flex forward on your descent or ascent. Have someone check your form. Place the bar on the edge of the upper back on your traps. Feet positioned apart, a little wider than your hips, abs held in and with feet slightly turned out, so that the knees always follow the direction of the feet. Squat to parallel or just fractionally below.

Another way to do them is with a dumbbell in your hands facing forward, same position on the legs and back, Dumbbell being held by the weight end and dangling down near your waist and use the same form as above. Do 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps.

Regular Lunges: Take a big step forward. Step into your heel (not leaning on your toes). regarding your other leg, the knee should be about an inch off the ground. Step back up and repeat. Do on both sides. Add Dumbbells slowly, as you get the form down. Do 3-4 sets of 24 reps, 12 on each side.

Lateral Lunges: Step to the side deep and then push back up through the heel. Make sure you’re not leaning forward but sitting down into the lunge. Do both sides. Do 3-4 sets of 24 reps total, 12 on each side. Start with no weight to get your form right and add Dumbbells slowly.

Romanian Deadlift: With weights in hand and feet apart and parallel to your hips, slide the weights down your legs and keep your back straight. Stretch and use your glutes and ham strings. Make sure you sit back and carry the weight in your hips and heels. Again, do 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps.

The Great Gift of Life and Homemade Spelt Bread

Published by Laurie

“This is my one and only life … And it’s a great and terrible and short and endless thing.” – from the movie, P.S. I Love You

Have I ever mentioned that I have old order Mennonite in my background? I know! Shocking to believe that this modern girl, who loves a very particular, persnickety latte that takes a seasoned auctioneer to recount, central heating, cute hair and who is drawn to all things glittery, just like the intoxicating effect of Catnip on our feline friends, would ever have come from that heritage! Two years ago, at the ripe young age of 42, I had my first pedicure, first professional nails done and first Mimosa. It was a year of lessons in all things girly, I guess. Let me tell you something, this Mama of four 100% burly boys, 3 of them in their teenage years, needs to enjoy those estrogen laced activities as much I can. Today alone, by way of example, I was sent to my early grave by the boys rigging a door with poppers left over from the 4th of July, that went off like it was a D Day re-enactment and made me quickly learn the Spanish Flamenco!

My Dad was raised in a more modern Mennonite church. But, sometime, not that long ago, our family wore black, drove buggies and baked homemade shoofly pie, whatever that is! 🙂 Two things that stick out, like nails waiting to be counter sunk, are that Mennonites and Amish know how to love people and they have a view of the sovereignty of God that models and inspires trust. You know, it’s been quite a week. One friend lost her young mother to cancer. Another longtime friend has a son with seizures the experts cannot control and her husband had a heart attack. A leader in town lost his wife to cancer on Saturday, leaving him with four young kids and an empty chair at their table. And, of course, we all have grieved the insensible destruction of the Lufthansa flight in the French Alps, as well as the baby of that sweet, expectant Mom in Longmont, Colorado.

Why? I don’t have answers.

The picture above was shared at one memorial this week. That is my friend, Rachel, with her mother, holding her like she would have when she was a little girl. In the photo, she was hurting and laboring through the birth of her baby, while her mother held her to her breast and comforted her. Isn’t it poignant and stunningly beautiful? That’s the kind of person I want to be. Love doesn’t stop when kids grow up and, when it’s done right, love isn’t limited to just family but pours from who we are. There is a beauty and rawness to loving that’s just like jumping in an icy lake in winter or pricking a finger on a sharp needle while quilting. Isn’t life like that- both a great and terrible thing? I’m glad there is a good and mighty God in charge, so that my hope can be rekindled again and again.

“You… put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then… in the day when I call, This I know, that God is for me.” PS 56: 8 & 9

Homemade Spelt Bread And, life in all it’s bitter sweetness goes on and, until our last moments, is a gift. My boys begged me this week to make homemade bread. Below is a recipe made with Spelt (which is not genetically modified because it is a more ancient, less mass produced grain, so it is better for you). Remember – closer to the way God intended is best!

Christy’s Spelt & Quinoa Bread

Christy is my lovely sister who is 1.5 years younger than me. We fought and loved each other like Italians when younger and, now, treasure any time we get together. She is organized and big hearted. The one change I made was the coconut oil; you could use any oil.

4 C Warm Water
1 TB Dough Enhancer (from health food store)
1/2 C Coconut Oil
1 C Cooked Quinoa
1/2 C Honey
1/4 C Gluten (Walmart carries this)
3 C Whole Spelt Flour, freshly ground (You can grind flour from Spelt berries yourself, roughly 1 C of berries yields 1.5 C of flour, or buy 12 already ground from a health food store, as you will need 12 C total)
3 TB Yeast

* * * * * * * * * *

1 TB salt
4 Eggs
6-9 Additional C Spelt flour
A little Coconut Oil for greasing pans

Preheat oven to 350° F In a high power large mixer that can handle 4 loaves, with a dough hook, blend the first list of ingredients, up to the asterisks. I use a Bosch Blender. It has to be powerful enough to develop the gluten as it beats. Beat for 1 minute and 15 seconds. Let that first mixture sit for 15 minutes, until bubbly. Now, add the salt, eggs and 6 additional Cups of Spelt flour. Add the remaining flour in small doses until the bread ingredients pull completely away from the edge (should be a total of 12 Cups). Beat for 5 minutes. When done, divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Shape into rounds and put into 4 greased bread pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Bake for 30 minutes. This is a healthy bread option for your family and for Vibrant Life folks, this is a treat.

Tip: Before you make the quinoa, rinse it multiple times in water, aggressively crunching the grain in your fingers, then re-rinsing. This helps get rid of the bitterness quinoa can have.

My Health Story and Mexican Bibb Lettuce Wraps

Published by Laurie

My journey towards a healthier physical lifestyle started 9 years ago. Before that, I made reasonably healthy choices but had a very American diet. One evening, my husband, Daniel, and I were on a date, completely unaware of what the evening would hold. We drove through Starbucks and, as we pulled away, my eyes crossed and I couldn’t straighten them for half a minute. That doesn’t sound like long but, believe me, when your body won’t function right, your life seems to move in “SLOW MO,” like a bad video editing job from the 80’s classic, The Bionic Man. Daniel rushed me to the ER where they conducted a CAT scan. They had no explanation.

This continued and other symptoms ranging from the feeling I was blacking out to being so cold I couldn’t tolerate it. That season of life was about as fun as wrestling with a stingy toilet paper dispenser in a public restroom. I mean, who mounts those puppies so low you can’t pull any down and out without it breaking off at each square?!

You know, there’s a beetle that I’ve found many times in my home in Colorado that moves like it’s on another time table. I want to shout to it before I smash it, “Ruuuuun for the hills! Save yourself!” I’m convinced its only line of defense is that it makes humans feel guilty over the extreme advantage. That was me after my health scare; I changed my life-pace. I heard God whisper to me, Spend this summer sitting in the sun, reading and resting. After numerous convincing tests that this could be something horrific, like MS or Lupus, further testing revealed nothing. Finally, three things the experts could come up with were 1. I had a vitamin D deficiency from multiple pregnancies, 2. I had hypoglycemia in which I had to have regular protein and low sugar to keep my blood sugar from dropping and 3. They suspected non-headache pain ocular migraines. Isn’t it fascinating that God told me to sit in the sun before the medical professionals came to the Vitamin D deficiency conclusion?

I immediately went off a medication I was on and began to focus on a clean style of eating. I also had my Mercury dental fillings changed and began taking Vitamin D, C, Calcium, a refrigerated probiotic, etc. Slowly, my strength returned, my sleeping improved and my symptoms went away. Eating that way and watching my stress levels, I’ve had 8 healthy years now, with migraines decreasing and very rare and stabilized blood sugar. As I ponder what happened, I believe in addition to the doctors’ conclusions, I had adrenal exhaustion, high stress and a diet that needed some work.

While my health improved dramatically by using this clean style of eating, my weight only changed a little. There are SO many weight loss theories; it can be overwhelming to decipher which one to try! While I’ve given my regimen a name – The Vibrant Life Diet – it is basically just what worked for me, plain and simple. It is a combination of many fitness ideas. I believe to lose weight you do have to eat less; we’ve become accustomed to larger portions than we need. Insert the squirrel, Hammy, from Over the Hedge, “But, I LIKE da cookie!” Also, true fitness requires you to sweat. Sorry but it’s true. I know, it sounds about as fun as riding a motorcycle with a monkey on your head. But, it’s got to happen. To achieve health and weight loss, I needed to add in exercise and I had to watch the quantity of good calories, as well as the quality, and get used to a fresh food based lifestyle. I have already described this fully in other blog posts.

Some of you might ask, “If I’m overweight and happy, why does it matter?” Well, first of all, I’m thrilled you’re happy! 🙂 Being at peace and having joy are great keys to health; science proves it! However, eventually, having too much weight does take a health toll. For me, it was twofold: 1) I had a blood test done 1.5 years ago that showed my thyroid numbers had inched right to the edge of “normal” and 2) I decided I wanted to be active again and be able to fully enjoy my family, hopefully for a long time.

Health is a journey. There are so many things to learn. My perspective is begin. Just begin. In small ways each week, improve your physical health. I am always learning and not perfect at it. Sometimes finding what is truly healthy can be difficult to navigate. My overall perspective is eat as close to the way God originally intended as you can and you won’t go far wrong.

My sense of value hasn’t come from being 50 pounds lighter. And, it hasn’t come from myself – some sort of pride in my own amazing abilities. Har har. But, I will tell you what, with God’s help, setting my mind on something tough, staying disciplined to keep going when it felt impossible and, then, actually reaching my goal, has been life changing for me regarding all kinds of discipline and has opened up a new freedom in me. It has taught me that God means it when he tells us in Psalm 18:29 “With my God I can scale a wall!”

COMPANION MEAL #2

Mexican Bibb Lettuce wraps (serves 9, so most families could halve this)

Chicken Tenders (3-4 per person) Grill on lowest heat for 15 minutes (Watch them closely because they can quickly become overdone)
One large bundle of green onions, cut in tiny slices
Bibb Lettuce, 1.5 heads, carefully torn off as whole leaves, rinsed and laid whole on a platter
3 Avacados scooped in small rounds
2 15 Oz. cans of Organic Black Beans, from Costco, heated up (towards the end of the meal prep)
1.5 pounds of Cheese, grated
2 English style Cucumbers, diced
1 lb. box of Grape style Tomatoes, halved
Light Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon of Fat Free Greek Yoghurt, from Costco
1 batch of homemade salsa, (see recipe below)
1 bundle of Cilantro chopped fine

Assemble all of these items on plates for serving.

Homemade 5-minute Salsa

Blend together:

1 large onion
1 large bundle of Cilantro, tails cut off
1-2 Jalepenos, topped, leave seeds in (Start with one and add the next one by half after you taste test. Sometimes I use 1, sometimes 1.5 & occasionally 2).
1 teaspoon of dry garlic
1 28 Oz. can of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, no salt added
Salt to taste (usually close to a teaspoon)

Instruct your family to use the Bibb Lettuce leaves like a taco and use all the toppings to fill it, with Sour Cream and Salsa on top.

Vibrant Life Folks: use only 1 total Tablespoon of cheese, use Fat Free Greek Yoghurt instead of Sour Cream, use salsa and beans in a more limited way (because of the salt and the # of carbs in the beans also) and go lighter on avocados too.

Serve with watermelon on a hot day and you will be a hero. My family LOVED this meal!

5 Minute Horchata Ice-cream:

Quality Vanilla ice-cream
Cinnamon

For an easy, Mexican style dessert, reminiscent of Horchata (A vanilla cinnamon rice drink), serve your family a quality Vanilla Ice-Cream sprinkled with Cinnamon.

“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,” – 1 Timothy ESV