sparkling strawberry limeade

just couldn't help but continue my obsession with strawberries and all things spring... I decided to make this "mocktail" for us last night just to have something fun on a random Wednesday evening. :)

This sparkling limeade is perfect to serve to kiddos, at baby showers, to bring on picnics, etc. :) 

sparkling strawberry limeade

serves 2-4, depending on glass size/how much you're willing to share ;)

Juice two large limes. (If your limes look super-small, you might want to do 3). :)

Add the juice from the limes to your mixing pitcher/cocktail shaker/etc.

To the lime juice, add 2 to 4 sliced strawberries (depending on the size of your berry and how much berryness you want) :)

Depending on how sweet you like your drinks, add granulated white sugar to the juice following this chart:

like it sour = add 1/4 cup

like it sweet/sour = add 1/3 cup

like it sweet = add 1/2 cup

Obviously you can do more/less to taste. :)

Mix/muddle/shake the lime solution very well at this point--- because you won't want to mix it harshly after adding the sparkling water and ruin all those magical bubbles! ;)

Once you feel the sugar is dissolved, add one, 1-Liter bottle of San Pellegrino Sparkling Water to the lime juice mixture.

Carefully pour into glasses and enjoy. (*note: If you want to garnish with sliced limes, you'll need to buy one extra at the store.)

<3

Mixed Greens Salad with Strawberry-Balsamic Dressing

How pumped am I when it's that wonderful time of year when the Organic Strawberries are cheaper than they've been all winter!?!....... :)  YES.  Spring is here, at last! :)

 

 

Tonight I made this super-simple, super-delicious salad in all of 5 minutes.

 

Mixed Greens Salad with Strawberry-Balsamic Dressing

 Makes enough salad for 2-3 people for dinner-sized portions; obviously you can stretch it to more people if you make the portions smaller.

 

For the salad, layer:

Mixed greens and/or Baby Spinach (I used a whole 5 oz. carton of organic greens from Kroger) :)

Chicken, made the day before, from this recipe

Fat-free Feta (I bought the smallest container of crumbled feta available; we used probably half-ish to 2/3rds of it)

Sliced Strawberries (between the dressing and the salads you could go through a quart if you like it extra-berryish) :)

Pecans, candied or regular-- whatever blows wind into your sails :) (I used just a few store-bought candied ones, but you can learn to make your own sugared pecans here if you're feelin frisky) :)

 

For the dressing, combine (I did mine in my food processor):

5-6 strawberries, cut up a little before adding to the FP bowl

probably 2 Tbsp. sugar

3-4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, or to taste

A few leaves of fresh, flat-leaf parsley

Salt & pepper

*2-3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

 

*Process dressing ingredients until all are emulsified; remember to add oil last.

 

enjoy <3 :)

 



Caprese Pasta

Spring is FINALLY here! YAY!!!!!  To celebrate, I'm making Caprese Pasta! :)

Many of y'all out there have had a Caprese (cuh-pray-say) Salad before (you know, the fresh tomato with the fresh mozzarella and basil leaves--- sprinkled with salt and olive oil and maybe even a teensy bit of Balsamic?)

Well-- when you have a beautiful bounty of tomatoes and basil, you should definitely grab a ball of fresh mozzarella and either (1) eat that amazing salad OR (2) throw the ingredients together to make a really delicious pasta dish. :)

Caprese Pasta
--serves as many as you want; I usually proportion 1 pint tomatoes per 2 people and 8 oz. mozzarella can go for 3-4 people; one, 1-lb. box of pasta is good for 4 people.

STEP 1: Gather Ingredients.

• In *my* very tiny opinion, you need 1 Pint of tomatoes PER 2 people. Cause they're full of lycopene and Vitamins A, C, and E --AND other good-for-you-stuff.  :)  My preference for this dish are *cherry* tomatoes but by all means you can use grape-sized-- OR frankly, whatever size you want.  I think the larger tomatoes really change the dynamic of this dish so I never use them.  But, as the Italians would say= fai come ti pare. ("Do what you want"). :)
• If I'm feeling piggish, I can split one 8-ounce ball of Mozzarella per 2 people, but sometimes I feel like it's a little much.  One, 8-oz. ball of mozzarella can easily stretch for 3-4 people.  If you wanna spend a little extra cash, purchase the Ciliegine-sized mozzarella balls (Ciliegine = relates to the Italian word for "cherry"); their small size cuts out a step of chopping up your mozzarella ball.
• You need olive oil, a few cloves of garlic, salt, and pepper.
• Choose your favorite 1 lb. box of pasta. (Shown in the pictures was penne rigate).
• You will also need a small stem of fresh basil leaves.

STEP 2: Cook!

Gosh, this dish is SO EASY and SUPER-FAST to make.

1) Get a pot of water to a rolling boil; salt it till it tastes like the ocean, :), and put in your pasta.  Be sure to take out your pasta when it still has a bite/is chewy and perfectly done (aka "al dente"/to the tooth). :)

2) While your pasta is cooking--- chop all your cherry tomatoes in half.  If you have a large ball of mozzarella, you will also cut that up.

3) Still while your pasta is cooking, get a skillet; add olive oil and tomatoes.  Then add garlic, salt, and pepper.  (not too much salt though, because your pasta should be deliciously salty.) :)

*When your pasta is almost done, chop your basil with a very sharp knife.  I usually do mine in a chiffonade--- aka take your leaves; make a stack; roll them like a cigar-shape; then chop the little basil roll into little ribbons. :)

4)  Drain your pasta; add to the tomato/oil mixture.

5)  Add the mozzarella and basil and SERVE IMMEDIATELY! :)

buon appetito! :)

1 Dozen Hearty Pumpkin Muffins

When you're a small family like the doctor and myself, you definitely need muffin recipes that only make a dozen.  It's just SO NICE to a) not use up a ton of ingredients at one time, b) not eat whatever type of muffins for days and days and days and days, and c) do a one-bowl, one-pan operation that is faster to bake and faster to clean up!

I adapted this recipe from this website I just found that I will be frequenting!  Looks like the author posts a ton of great stuff! :)  

**Please note that my heart in adapting this recipe was to make them healthy-- I cut down on the sugar, I substituted coconut oil for the butter, didn't use all-purpose flour and subbed whole wheat white plus ground flax seeds (SO GOOD for your heart!).. added more spices for flavor, etc... So when you take a bite of these and they don't knock you over the moon with their sugary-sweetness, don't be disappointed!  Just pat yourself on the back that you made something GOOD for you-- and treat yourself to a second muffin, guilt-free! ;)

And yes, I know it's springtime and 60 degrees Fahrenheit outside... and I should be posting recipes like "Citrus-Marinaded Chicken" or "Asparagus and Pea Shoot Linguine" or springy-sounding things.... But this is one of many posts dedicated to *cleaning out my freezer* from last summer/fall's bountiful harvest.  Today, I wanted to use up some of the AWESOME pumpkin puree I have.... so here goes!

Hearty Pumpkin Muffins (makes 12 regular muffins)

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

*Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. (Lately I've been using fancy parchment cupcake liners and they are divine! SO worth the money!)

Ingredients:

1/4 C coconut oil

1/3 C dark brown sugar

3/4 C (heaping!) pumpkin puree

1/4 C milk (can use whatever kind you want! almond, rice, soy, etc. if you want dairy-free!)

1/4 C brewed coffee (could use water OR extra milk if you hate coffee!--- but I don't know how anyone could hate coffee.....?) :)

2 eggs

1 C White Whole Wheat Flour (I just bought some at Trader Joe's and I am IN LOVE!)

1/2 C ground flax seeds

1/2 C oat bran (NOT oatmeal!-- but oat bran!)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. (heaping!) ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

couple shakes of ground nutmeg

couple shakes of ground gloves

Mix oil and sugar.  Carefully beat in pumpkin puree, milk, coffee, and eggs.  In the same bowl, carefully scoop out all the dry ingredients, (just go down the list!), and add them right on top of the wet mixture.  Mix all the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

I used a large cookie/cupcake scoop to scoop out the batter into the 12 muffin cups... but if you don't have on in your kitchen, just use a big spoon or a clean 1/4 cup measuring cup! :)

Before I popped them in the oven, I sprinkled each scoop of batter with some Caramel-Cinnamon Sprinkles my Mom got me.  If you don't have those, you could either 1) leave them plain 2) sprinkle with cinnamon and "sugar in the raw"-type Turbinado Sugar 3) make a streusel topping with flour/butter/brown sugar/cinnamon 4) sprinkle walnuts or pecans... etc.. the possibilities are endless! :) 

Bake at 375*F for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean!

ENJOY!  These mighty muffins are PACKED with GREAT ingredients you can really feel good about eating!!!! :)

butternut squash soup

ok how have I not blogged since SEPTEMBER? :(

shame on me.

I'm not even gonna go there and say "For my New Year's Resolution, I'm going to blog once a week!"...... cause we all know that isn't gonna happen.  But for reals, I'm gonna get better y'all.

To kick start 2013, let me share one of the FAVES from this household: Butternut Squash Soup :)  Oh the joy of eating vegetables!  YUMMMMMMMM :)

INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil

1 little onion (or half a medium onion)

2 garlic cloves

1 medium butternut squash

2-4 red potatoes OR 1 Idaho russet (if I were y'all I wouldn't worry about peeling the potatoes if they are red BUT if you use a russet, I'd peel that bad boy)

1 pint homemade pumpkin puree OR 1 15ish ounce can pureed pumpkin (not pie filling)

good sprinkling of kosher salt & black pepper

1, 15-ounce can of chicken broth/vegetable broth/whatev. ...heck you could probs just use water if desperate :)

a teeny bit of rubbed sage (I crumbled one dry sage leaf I dried from our garden this summer. Maybe it was 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon?)

some thyme (again I used dried stuff I saved from this summer's garden- I used probably 4-5 sprigs worth; it was probably 1/2 teaspoon)

2-4 Tbsp. dark brown sugar (or light, but I like dark better)

a couple shakes of cinnamon (maybe 1/4 tsp. total?)

teeny shake of pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have this you can do a teeny bit of nutmeg, or frankly, just forget it altogether.) ;)

1 pat of unsalted butter (not margarine!...) (...less than a Tbsp) 

Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, for serving

FIRST, PREP! :)

• Peel the butternut squash.  Cut it in half; remove the seeds and all the stringy fibers (just like you do with a pumpkin when making a Jack-o-Lantern). :)
• Dice the onion; peel and mince the garlic.
• Again, if you have a Russet potato, peel it and slice; if you're using Golds or Reds just wash and slice them.

THEN, COOK!

• In your big soup pot/Dutch oven/cauldron/whatever you use :)....... saute the onion in the olive oil just for a bit till they look a little more translucent & tender. Add the garlic and stir; saute only for about a minute (garlic burns easily)!  Give all this a sprinkle of salt & pepper.
•  Add the cubed butternut squash AND the potato slices. Stir all this around so it coats nicely with the sauteed onion/garlic.
• Add the can of broth. Then, fill up your can with water and add slowly till everything is almost covered with liquid (don't drown it though. Just get it almost covered).
• Add your Thyme and Sage.  Maybe season with a little more S & P. :)
• Let all this come to a boil and then turn down your heat and simmer this till everything is tender. (maybe 10 minutes at the least, 25 mins at the most).
• When everything is tender, turn your heat off, and puree the soup with an immersion blender OR transfer everything, in batches, to a food processor or blender (NOTE: I've only ever done this with an immersion blender, so I have no idea how much of a pain the other two pieces of equipment are?.... If you have a FP I'd go for that first; use a blender at last resort).  Puree the soup until everything is "creamy" and bisque-like. :)
• Add your pumpkin puree, and stir (the soup should be blazin' hot and will heat your pumpkin puree in no time).
• Carefully add your dark brown sugar, cinnamon, (and pump. pie spice if using) to taste. START SMALL: as my Momma would say, "You can always add, but you can't take away!!!"
• Season with salt and pepper only if necessary!
• Lastly, if you're feeling naughty (which I usually am in this dimension of life), add a pat of butter to the pot. :)  Cause a pat of butter makes most things BETTER. :) But again, if you're counting cals and are trying to be good, by all means, leave the butter out. :)

Serve in bowls with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.  And enjoy something that is not only GOOD FOR you---but also GOOD! :) 

p.s. while you grate some Parm on your bowl, watch this classic Italian TV commercial, advertising for Parmigiano-Reggiano. :)  Oh I LOVE Italians. and their cheese. :) <3 (p.s. thanks Beccs for introducing me to this vid) :)

dressed-up ice

my sister is so smart.

and a total joker, too. :)

she told me that sometimes, she takes lemon and freezes it in her ice to make lovely little ice cubes (that have a hint of flavor as they melt in a glass of water or sweet tea or whatever)!

i just had lemon "cubes" but Kayla's are even prettier: she thinly slices the lemon in little circles, and puts 1 circle in the bottom of a 12-cup muffin tin... puts a little water on top of each lemon disk... and BOOM: her ice is even prettier than mine!  Isn't she a genius?!???!

just thought i would share her tip with you--- it's such an easy thing to do (and cheap!!) and gives you some points in your "i'm a cool hostess" bank!  haha! :) 

happy parties! :) and enjoy the lemony goodness as a farewell nod to summer! :)  (and let's be real, lemon in your water is good 365 days a year!) ;)

the prodigal daughter returns home

today, September 8, 2012, marks a very epic day.

it all started with me choosing to go to a coffee shop for the first time in...... FOREVER.  I turned my trusty 6-year old iPod on a sweet playlist and started journaling. 

I was in my zone.  Do you have a "zone"?  Like-- the environment where you just... CLICK to do your very best work?  For me, sitting in a coffee shop with my Bible, journal, colored pens, and other various reading material is definitely a SWEET atmosphere for me to really, really, REALLY connect with the Lord.  Sure, I can connect with the Lord in a ton of other ways, too----- BUT there is just something about sitting down with a warm beverage and my journal & Bible that really opens my heart.

and to be honest............ I haven't really connected well with the Lord in weeks.

ok, Ella, be honest.......... more like...........months.  :(

and the saddest part of all:

I've sort of been................. 

choosing.......

NOT to. 

In the coffee shop, at my table, as soon as I picked up my pen to write even today's date of all things at the top of my page------ IMMEDIATELY I felt the stirrings of the Holy Spirit-- that warmth-- that inner voice-of-the-Lord which says to me, "ELLA I've missed you SO MUCH!  This is so wonderful!! I am so glad to be here with you!! I'm so excited to show you things and teach you today- this is going to be awesome! Yay!!" ........at the same time, I was tempted to buy into lies, and feel exactly what the stupid, low-life enemy wants me to feel =

• shame
• guilt
• wanting to hide
• wanting to "earn" my way back in to this inner circle of sweet fellowship

 .......basically everything that makes me feel like utter pond scum.

Know why?

Cause the enemy, unfortunately, knows how to push my buttons.  Whatever is going on with my fellowship with the Lord, the enemy always works his same, stupid crap = trying to make me want to run and hide.. trying to make me feel guilty for the time lost.  Robbing my JOY of the present moment!

I wrote in my journal: "O Lord, WHY haven't I had a morning date with You before now?  It's been SO LONG!!  I KNOW myself better than this.  I just NEED to choose to get OUT of my house and go on a sweet date with You- to have that intentional time. I know better.  It just... does something to my heart to be out with you on a date.  It draws me out.  It's how I really really MEET with You in a sweet, sweet way.  It's how I can be Mary-- sitting at your feet and saying "Rabbi, teach me!"

then, I immediately wrote:

"I'm so tempted to think, "Oh I bet the Lord is saying 'SEE I TOLD you! I've been tugging at you and WHY has it taken you this long to do something about it and actually spend time with Me? I'm so disappointed with you. You have failed, Ella!..."

Well, guess what, stupid enemy.

I'm not falling for that crap today.  The next thing I wrote in my journal was =

BUT LORD -- THAT'S NOT TRUE!  That is NOT Your voice.

:)

Immediately, the Lord drew me to Luke 15--- and I read the stories of the lost sheep... lost coin... and lost son.

In that last story, a father has 2 sons.  One of them asks for his inheritance early (his father isn't dead yet!)-- and he leaves his father's house.  He squanders away all the money and is eventually living in the worst of conditions.  He decides to go home and apologize to his Dad.  Here's what I read that just melted me today (verses 20-24):

..."and he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father ran and embraced him and kissed him.  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate."

I've read that story (of the father and his sons) MANY times over my lifetime.

But for the first time..... probably ever in my life....

In this season: I really, really identify with that son that leaves.

I was the daughter of my Father (God!), who grew up, loving Him and knowing Him and trusting Him---- but somewhere over the last few months, I have had times, here and there, of squandering my own inheritance, if you will.

Just like the son in the story, over the last few months I've had times of =

• not wanting to be obedient to the Father
• not wanting to trust Who He is- Who I've always known Him to be (good, faithful, loving, etc.)
• not wanting to be faithful to the Father anymore
• wanting to run away
• wanting to be satisfied in something else other than my Father's house and provision
•  ETC!

And JUST like the son.........
I had a homecoming day.

And JUST like the father in the story.........
My Father came RUNNING for me. 
He isn't mad.
He isn't upset.
He embraces me.
Welcomes me back into His house... treating me like I never left.

You see.. I've always read that story in Luke chapter 15 assuming that the son that goes off and blows all his money was a big idiot--- and he was probably always the "black sheep" of the family.  He was always a "bad seed."  He was the sinful, bad, party animal, free-swingin' wildcat who was definitely in need of a Savior.  

In short = I assumed that son NEVER loved the Father-- He only really had his eyes opened after he came home after squandering it all away.

I never realized that maybe that the son grew up like a normal kid.
Working hard... playing hard.
Loving his Dad... trying to be obedient and faithful.
Maybe one day he just cracked.  Got tired of it all.  Bought into the lies of the enemy, whispering in his ear, "GO! Get out of here-- you know you'll have more fun and fulfillment somewhere else!"

And he did.

But when all the money was gone... and his heart was an aching, empty hole, he realized that he DID miss his dad.  That he enjoyed being at his Dad's house--- that his Dad's provision---and presence!!!---was better than anything else in the whole world.

So he went home.
AND-- amazingly---BEAUTIFULLY-- was received with open, OPEN arms.

The last few months have, unfortunately, proved me a prodigal daughter.
Out in the world, squandering away my inheritance of faith/trust in the Lord here and there.  Seeking fulfillment in very small, quiet ways in other things or other people.

But the Spirit is faithful to draw me... WOO me... back home. 

And today marks my homecoming.

I was sort of lost...... but now I'm found.  And I was met today (in that coffee shop, of all places!)... with open arms of my Father who LOVES ME.  And who has never left me.  Never stopped loving me.  Never stopped being faithful.  Never stopped pursuing me, beckoning me back home into His provision and His presence.

I pray for you this minute-- that you will take courage in my post.
That if you, too, are feeling like a rebel/runaway son or daughter... that your heart will take courage in knowing that our Dad loves us with a never-stopping, unbreakable, forever and always love that is covered in faithfulness and steady, abundant provision.  

Know He's there... even when you're trying to run.
Know He loves you... even when you aren't sure you love Him back.
Know He's providing for you... even when everything feels like it's falling apart.
Know He will never stop being faithful to you... even if you are filling your heart with things apart from Him.
Know He will never stop pursuing you... whether you run home or not.

AND know that going home is the best decision you will ever make.

a party awaits you... 
love awaits you...
full-up-to-the-brim LIFE awaits you.



p.s. if you just got done reading this, (1) Thank you so much for your time, cause this was LONG!  and (2) Can I selfishly(?) ask you to please leave some kind of comment?  Don't get me wrong: I don't blog for comments... I blog cause I like to share my life via the Internet/writing/pictures/etc.  But this post really feels like I put my blood, sweat, & tears out there a little--- I just feel weird putting my heart out there without any feedback!  I mean, if it was an in-person conversation, and someone dumps their guts out on the table.. isn't it a natural response to give a little feedback?  I think it'd be weird if it didn't happen!  So can I please ask you kindly to leave a comment?  I'd really appreciate hearing whatever you have to say.  THANKS!