Creamy Coconut Lime Chicken and Gravy (Tribe Member Recipe)
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Toothpick Meals! (A family favorite)
At our house, supper time isn’t always easy.
The kids are tired. We are tired. Homework has to be done, dishes to be washed, sometimes there are meetings or practices we still have to get to before the day is finished. Add in the sometimes-difficult task of getting your kids to enjoy a healthy meal and it sometimes can be a recipe for disaster.
Have you been there before? Maybe more often than you’d like to admit?
ME too.
There are some healthy meals that we’ve found that my kids will eat AND even enjoy (you can find most of those right HERE).
But, there are other days where I know before we even sit down at the table that my kids are going to protest about the food I’m serving. I don’t want to be a short-order cook in my own home, and I don’t want to raise kids who only eat chicken nuggets, so I prepare one meal a night. If I know the kids aren’t going to like the menu then I try to make sure I have at least one fruit or veggie that I know they’ll eat, but we insist that they have several bites of everything on their plate. We are trying to teach them to try different foods- particularly healthy foods. Some days this is easier than others.
However, one meal is their absolute favorite and is SO simple to prepare and to serve. I wanted to share it with you today in hopes that it might bring some joy and fun to your dinner table, too!
My husband first came up with this idea a couple summers back. We were on vacation and needed to use up some leftover foods that we had in the fridge. He came up with the idea of Toothpick meals.
Now before you go and click exit from this post, hear me out.
1- It can use up food you already have in your fridge.
2- Preparation AND clean up is a BREEZE.
3- It can be healthy.
4- Your kids will think it is so fun they’ll be willing to try new foods that they haven’t before.
Guaranteed.
For Valentines night, this is what I prepared and they loved it. I had a fridge full of leftovers so this time our spread included:
-Cantaloupe
-Grapes
-Strawberries
-Fresh Sourdough bread
-Garlic and Herb Goat Cheese
-Artisan cheeses (several different varieties)
-Pepperonis
-Grilled Chicken Breast
-Oven based pork tenderloin
-Leftover hotdogs cut into small sections
-Leftover slow-cooker beef
-Ham
-And not pictured, veggies like carrots, celery, and cucumbers.
It can be customized to include whatever you have on hand with the only rules being- you have to eat using only a toothpick. No forks or spoons allowed.
They loved it!
Sometimes when we do a toothpick meal night we get out our fancy china and crystal glasses. Other times we break out the plastic tablecloth and red paper plates in honor of Valentines Day.
During this meal we sometimes have our very best conversations with the kids.
I know as they grow, they won’t always think it’s super fun to sit around the table talking with their parents and using a toothpick as their eating utensil. But for now, they do, and so I’m going to SOAK IT UP.
Have some fun with your kids and try this idea out. Let them help select your menu and prepare the food.
CELEBRATE the moments you’ve got, friends. Make today count.
A fun, simple dinner idea your family will LOVE!
At our house, supper time isn’t always easy.
The kids are tired. We are tired. Homework has to be done, dishes to be washed, sometimes there are meetings or practices we still have to get to before the day is finished. Add in the sometimes-difficult task of getting your kids to enjoy a healthy meal and it sometimes can be a recipe for disaster.
Have you been there before? Maybe more often than you’d like to admit?
ME too.
There are some healthy meals that we’ve found that my kids will eat AND even enjoy (you can find most of those right HERE).
But, there are other days where I know before we even sit down at the table that my kids are going to protest about the food I’m serving. I don’t want to be a short-order cook in my own home, and I don’t want to raise kids who only eat chicken nuggets, so I prepare one meal a night. If I know the kids aren’t going to like the menu then I try to make sure I have at least one fruit or veggie that I know they’ll eat, but we insist that they have several bites of everything on their plate. We are trying to teach them to try different foods- particularly healthy foods. Some days this is easier than others.
However, one meal is their absolute favorite and is SO simple to prepare and to serve. I wanted to share it with you today in hopes that it might bring some joy and fun to your dinner table, too!
My husband first came up with this idea a couple summers back. We were on vacation and needed to use up some leftover foods that we had in the fridge. He came up with the idea of Toothpick meals.
Now before you go and click exit from this post, hear me out.
1- It can use up food you already have in your fridge.
2- Preparation AND clean up is a BREEZE.
3- It can be healthy.
4- Your kids will think it is so fun they’ll be willing to try new foods that they haven’t before.
Guaranteed.
For Valentines night, this is what I prepared and they loved it. I had a fridge full of leftovers so this time our spread included:
-Cantaloupe
-Grapes
-Strawberries
-Fresh Sourdough bread
-Garlic and Herb Goat Cheese
-Artisan cheeses (several different varieties)
-Pepperonis
-Grilled Chicken Breast
-Oven based pork tenderloin
-Leftover hotdogs cut into small sections
-Leftover slow-cooker beef
-Ham
-And not pictured, veggies like carrots, celery, and cucumbers.
It can be customized to include whatever you have on hand with the only rules being- you have to eat using only a toothpick. No forks or spoons allowed.
They loved it!
Sometimes when we do a toothpick meal night we get out our fancy china and crystal glasses. Other times we break out the plastic tablecloth and red paper plates in honor of Valentines Day.
During this meal we sometimes have our very best conversations with the kids.
I know as they grow, they won’t always think it’s super fun to sit around the table talking with their parents and using a toothpick as their eating utensil. But for now, they do, and so I’m going to SOAK IT UP.
Have some fun with your kids and try this idea out. Let them help select your menu and prepare the food.
CELEBRATE the moments you’ve got, friends. Make today count.
The Fitness Cliff: And Why I Need You to Not Jump
Last February, I saw an article on USA Today that said that deemed Tuesday, February 9th, as “Fitness Cliff day”.
It’s the “day of doomed resolutions” according to many gyms, fitness facilities, and wellness professionals.
It’s the day that the majority of people have thrown in the towel, said that it is simply too hard to create change, and have walked away from healthy living goals.
A little further research led me to a statistic that said that by this point in the year, 70% of you have given up on your healthy living resolutions for the year. SEVENTY PERCENT.
That means out of our Facebook followers, over 6,032 have given up. Out of the 160 At-Home TRIBE members, 161 have given up. Of our Instagram followers, 2055 have given up.
And I just can’t come to grips with that statistic.
See, I choose to believe that we walked into this journey knowing it was much more about our hearts than our bodies…more about our habits than our moment by moment happenings…more about our purpose than our pleasure.
The article said that “people become frustrated when they can’t do exactly as they set out to do on January 1st”, so they simply quit.
THEY QUIT.
Maybe you’re one of those 70%.
Maybe you started out the year with an unattainable goal of dramatic lifestyle change with huge weight loss results. Maybe you tried a new eating plan where you cut out dairy and gluten and sugar and expected miraculous change in a couple weeks. Maybe you determined you would only eat organic foods and spend an hour a day working out.
I don’t know what your specific plans were, but I do know this: LIFE HAPPENS.
Right?
In an ideal world, we could plan ahead, we could find plenty of time to exercise, have enough money to buy perfectly healthy foods all the time, we could have the hours in our day to prepare fresh, local foods, and we would all have success.
But that’s not the world that we live in.
And friends, we have a lot more at stake than worrying over our specific physiques and pant size. [ctt template=”4″ link=”heDsr” via=”no” ]WE ARE ON A MISSION and THAT should change everything.[/ctt]
See, I choose to believe that we are a people united for a greater cause than just fitting into smaller clothes or looking good in a bikini. I believe that if you’re sitting and reading this post right now, you KNOW the importance of taking good care of your body and you want to do so for one reason: HIS GLORY.
You have realized that perfection is unattainable, but you’re ready to follow Him into deeper waters and into learning how to fuel your body well both physically AND spiritually so that you can pursue the calling you’ve been given.
Here’s what I know:
I believe that it’s NEVER too late to start over and that we can get right back on track even if we threw in the towel on January 2nd.
I believe that there is freedom to be found that has absolutely NOTHING to do with a number on the scale, but in the posture of our hearts.
I believe that we can decide to press on even when it’s difficult, due to our faith in knowing that the way we steward our health matters and that we are accountable for doing so.
I believe that although there will be setbacks, that you CAN and you WILL change your life because you’re not walking through this thing alone.
I believe that you’ve come too far and know too much to turn back into being misled, persuaded, and overwhelmed by any of the fitness gimmicks out there that promise you a short term result but are often followed by long-term defeat.
[ctt template=”4″ link=”34UGc” via=”no” ]I believe that He who calls is ABLE and that if He called you to this, He will see you through it.[/ctt]
BUT- I also know that the enemy of your soul wants nothing more than to make you feel defeated.
To whisper to you that you aren’t enough and you’ll never be strong enough to beat these habits.
To convince you to buy into the lie that this same cycle of defeat is the one that you are meant to walk and that you’ll keep hustling for your worth then hiding in shame for the rest of your days.
Sometimes, we have to call him out and bring to light the lies that we have believed. And friend, if you’ve believed any lie that says something that contrasts what you KNOW the Lord has told you, then it’s time to CAST IT DOWN.
It’s time to link arms with one another and march forward.
It’s time to SET YOUR GAZE on Him and remember the call.
REMEMBER the promise.
REMEMBER WHO it is that you are seeking to please.
REMEMBER the truths that He has whispered to you on the mountain top so that you can sing them back when you’re walking through the valley.
REMEMBER TODAY who you are.
REMEMBER TODAY WHOSE YOU ARE.
AND WALK ON.
His strength. His purposes. His calling.
This may look different than you imagined. It may mean that your scale hasn’t moved one single pound and yet He is asking you to continue on. It may mean that you have to set down some of the food plans, nutrition guides, or hard-core workouts that you’ve clung to as an idol for years. It may mean that He calls you to go in a completely different direction than you ever anticipated.
He is asking you, “Will you obey me regardless?”
“Will you trust ME with the results?”
“Will you love me enough to follow where I’m leading even if it doesn’t look like you thought it would?”
Friends, I’ve grown weary of watching so many walk away defeated. Those who base their worth and their value on a stinking number on the scale. And I’ve also grown tired of watching others swing to the complete opposite end of the spectrum who say “He loves me anyway, it doesn’t really matter if I take care of myself or not.”
See, neither of those two extremes is following where we’ve been called.
Stewardship falls right in the middle between Obsession and Neglect.
Throwing in the towel and falling off the “fitness cliff”, is not where He is calling you.
Becoming obsessed with your weight and food and counting every single pound as an indicator of worth, also not where He is calling you.
Today, be reminded.
[ctt template=”4″ link=”wNMly” via=”no” ]THERE IS FREEDOM TO BE FOUND in the journey.[/ctt]
I need you to not quit.
I need you to trust that just around the corner could be the Promised Land that He has been preparing for you. You may be just around the bend from it, and if you turn back now, you could continue wandering in the desert for years and years.
Aren’t your tired?
Aren’t you sick of the cycle: diet, quit and binge, diet, quit and binge, etc.
He is calling you to a better way- HIS way.
Let’s be those who refuse to fit into the statistics and who keep going even when we don’t want to. Let’s be those who choose to move forward into our PURPOSE instead of pursuing temporary pleasures.
If you need support, we are here to cheer you on! Be sure to follow along on the social media sites, or for those who want more daily encouragement and accountability, consider the At-Home TRIBE.
We’re ready to beat the statistics. We’re ready to walk forward as FREE WOMEN who refuse to give up and to turn back when the Lord is leading.
We are pressing on.
Will you join us?
“Our health–as a Believer in Christ–is so much more than what society says it to be. For us–it is about stewardship. It is about obedience and full submission, turning this gift of life and the tool He uses to do His work, back to Him…If it’s been a while since you’ve asked God what He may want you to do in regards to your health, then I encourage you to do that. Just like the areas of parenting, marriage, finances, schooling etc–it will look different for each of us, but it’s our duty to ask, listen, and then obey…” Quote from: ”Discipline: The Glad Surrender” by Elisabeth Elliot.
(This post first appeared on Wellness Witness on 2/11/16. This is the updated version).
Holding ONTO Love
A year and a half ago, my little boy started Kindergarten.
Just like most Mamas, I anticipated this day with great apprehension, sadness, as well as some excitement. I grieved the passing of time and how quickly this little one had grown. The phrase that you hear so often when your kids are little really DOES ring true when looking back…”The days are long but the years are short”.
I had sent his older sister off to school two years before, so I knew that it would be a good experience. I knew that he would be well taken care of, that he would be taught new concepts, that he would make new friends, and he would face grand new adventures.
But my Mama heart? SO very sad.
(If you’ve been with me for a long time, you may remember reading THIS post that I wrote for all weary Mamas sending their babies off to school.)
That day came and went and he did great.
For the most part, he loves school. He’s made some really amazing friends, has had two phenomenal teachers, and is learning way more than I could have ever anticipated.
I remember driving to the school to pick him up that first day and how excited I was to see him and to hear how his day went. When I pulled up to the car-rider line and he saw me, his eyes lit up and he used his little hand to wave me over. I could see something in his clenched fist, but wasn’t sure what it was.
When he got into the car, I greeted him with hugs and kisses and much celebration that he had finished his first day of school. Once he got seated and buckled, I asked him what he was holding in his hand.
He held it out to me, opened his fingers, and this is what I saw:
This crumpled up slip of paper may not look like much to you. This was a note that I had tucked into his lunch box that day. All I had quickly written on it that morning was “I love you”.
When I asked him what he was doing with it in his hand he said, “I found it at lunch. It says ‘I love you’. It made me feel braver so I kept it in my hand all day.”
Come. On.
Knowing he was loved made him brave enough to face the day.
And in that moment, the Lord reminded me- if we would just hold onto HIS love in that same way, we would feel braver. We would be able to step forward more free. We would be able to accept new callings and challenges. We would be able to love the difficult people around us better, and maybe even to love ourselves a little more.
If only I can remember how much I am loved then I CAN STOP STRIVING.
If only I could hold onto that Love then I could stop hustling for my worth.
If only I can learn to walk forward as a LOVED daughter then I would more easily be able to love others.
It would change everything.
Just like my 5 year old clutching a love note from his mama, I want to be a woman who has fully put on the title that the Lord has given to me: LOVED, ACCEPTED DAUGHTER.
He’s given it to you, too, friend.
You: Fully known. Fully loved. Fully accepted.
What would change today if we lived like it?
I would love to hear from you in the comments below. Let’s talk about it!
Comparison and The Black Leggings
I use this teaching example often because it’s such powerful one. If you’re tired of feeling like you’ll never be able to do what someone else is doing, or you’re frustrated by your lack of results, this one is for you!