I’m not sure if you are a meat lover or not. I wouldn’t consider myself a meat lover, but, I love chicken wings. And not just chicken wings. Fried chicken wings!!! It gets very tricky when it comes to buying fried chicken wings because some restaurants make them too greasy, or you end up with hardly any meat attached to the bones.
Shopify Photo
That defeats the purpose to me. Up until about 20 years ago, when I ate chicken wings, I had to have them with hot sauce. Now, I eat them with honey mustard sauce because I can no longer tolerate the hot sauce.
Shopify Photo
A couple of weeks ago, I had a taste for some chicken. This time it was for honey garlic chicken. This is a super quick recipe. It satisfied my taste for chicken, gave me a boost of protein, and I had something sweet to eat at the same time. That’s what I call a win-win situation.
Photo by Katina Horton
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
3 tablespoons of
onion and garlic powder
black pepper
3 tablespoons of honey
1/3 cup of olive oil
Directions:
Cut the two chicken breasts into chunks and season them.
Mix all of the above ingredients, except the honey, into a skillet of heated olive oil.
When the breasts are browned, add the honey, mixing it well with a wooden spoon.
Optional: Add parsley flakes to the mixture after it’s done for garnishing.
The following is a post that I wrote a year and a half ago on another website. Enjoy! God bless!
Book Adventures
I am in the process of reading a book by Peter Mayle entitled, “French Lessons”. It is one that is filled with a lot of humor, surprises, and vivid introductions to French cuisine. The one thing that made me stop and think is a scene where Peter is in a restaurant with two friends, and they are discussing how to make an omelette. The conversation intensifies because one person is insisting on saying that you can only make omelettes with a fork. Another person insists on the fact that they have been making omelettes all their life with a spatula.
This conversation ends, and then the conversation begins on what cookware should be used for the omelette. There was a toss up between cast iron and copper pots. The person with the copper pots said that everyone else was at a loss for the best omelette without using one. Peter leaves the scene feeling like he needs to get one fast.
Isn’t this how it is in life? Instead of us learning about all the different ways that we can say or do something, we have to impose our ways on everyone else, instead of celebrating the differences. This leaves the people who are different feeling as if they are missing out on something. It helps when we get into conversations like this, if we could take a moment and think about how it would make us feel if we were the “oddball out”.
On to the recipe:
Background on the Whole Wheat Pancakes
Last week, I had to wait for an hour for my daughter to pick me up. To kill time, I decided to look around in two sections of the grocery store. The first section was the magazines and books. Featured on the front of one of the magazines was a picture of blueberry whole wheat pancakes. The picture left me with a taste in my mouth that I couldn’t get rid of. I decided that since I had some pancake mix and blueberries at home, that I would go home, and have fun making them.
They turned out really good! And I praised God for that! It is just the little things in life. Instead of using an egg like the recipe calls for, I used 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal. Then, I added 1/3 cup of sunflower seeds, 3/4 cup of cashew milk, and blueberries. For the oil for the pancake mixture, I used grape seed oil. I used coconut spread to cook and top the pancakes with. Lastly, since I didn’t have syrup, I substituted with honey. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
Red Mill Organic HIgh Fiber Pancake & Waffle Whole Grain Mix
Their recipes:
Blend 1 cup mix
1 egg
1 tsp oil
3/4 cup of cold milk
Mix until blended.
Cook on preheated griddle on medium heat.
My recipe:
1 1/2 cup of mix
2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal
1 tablespoon of grape seed oil
3/4 cup of Cashewmilk
1 cup of Blueberries
1/3 cup of sunflowers
Mix until blended.
Cook on preheated griddle on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of Earth balance Coconut Spread.
Top with Earth balance Coconut Spread, blueberries, and honey.
Have you ever made simple vegan chili? I know. Simple sounds very attractive. The two words simple and chili together sounds even better. That’s why I decided to make it.
Photo by Katina Horton
Ingredients
1 small bag of corn
3 cans of low-sodium black beans
3 cans of low-sodium Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 1/2 cans of Diced tomatoes with onions, celery, and green peppers
3/4 cup of quinoa
3 cups of water
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
3 tablespoons of onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, turmeric, ginger powder, curry, and cumin
5 tablespoons of chili powder
1/2 cup of avocado oil
Directions
Dump all of the above ingredients into your slow cooker and let it cook for 4 hours on high. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can put it into a big pot, and it should all be ready within 1 hour.
Enjoy!!
****** I don’t use salt, so if you taste it, and it seems like something is missing, more onion powder always does the trick.
Hope you guys are doing well on this beautiful Sunday afternoon in the Midwest. Be blessed! Here is a recipe for Chocolate Chunk Cookies:
Ingredients
2 cups of oatmeal
2 cups of almond flour
1/2 cup of chocolate chip chunks
3/4 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of coconut flakes
2 tablespoons of flax seed meal
1/3 cup of sunflower seeds
1/3 cup of sliced almonds
1/3 cup of walnuts
3/4 cup of almond milk
Directions
Grab a large bowl, mixing all of the above ingredients.
Place parchment paper onto two cookie sheets.
Scoop the mixture with a small ice-cream scooper, making sure that you press the sides of the scooper against the bowl in order to drain off excess liquid before placing the scoop on the parchment paper.
We haven’t fully digested it yet, but we love playing God. We have all shaken our fingers at someone in person, or in our heads. We have been self-nominated as “The Judge”. God Himself. When people like/dislike things differently than us, we wear the black robe and pound the gavel. “I don’t know why he/she spent $500 on wine and cheese. They could have bought their children some clothes. And by the way, did you see what their kids had on for school today?”
Danger of Passing Judgment
We judge other people whose sins are different from ours, forgetting that in God’s eyes sin is sin. We stay stuck on the obvious sins of murder, sex, and blasphemy, and we push aside our idolatry of being in debt over poor spending choices, passive parenting, emotionally angry outbursts, codependency, gossip, lying, and racism.
Unfortunately, we have gotten so good at being judge that we take notes, so that we can pour out all of our detective findings to our friends. It is because our lives are perfect. Right? Our kids are perfect. We are perfect. We have never made bad decisions that we will never regret for the rest of our lives. We have never said or thought something racist. As Christians, we are told to love God with our hearts, soul, mine, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves. Satan has blinded us into being legalistic and using two sins to distinguish us from good Christians and bad Christians. When do we hold up the mirror to ourselves, and truly ask God to reveal our broken parts in these areas.
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.- 1 Corinthians 6: 1-12
The key lies in verse 11 that helps : “And such were some of you”, and the words “but ye” are…
It shows how our eyes have been blinded to our own sins. It leads to legalism and self-righteousness.
Until we have judged someone harshly, and that measurement is given back to us.
Remember the story of David and Bathsheba? Remember what David said to Nathan in response to the Rich Man’s behavior for stealing the “ewe lamb” from the poor man. He wanted this man to pay several times over. And guess what? That is exactly what happened to David. The sad background music that played for David was, “You are that man!”
So, what is the antidote for judging?
“Humility and empathy are the antidotes to judging other people and their situations.”
Katina Horton
Let’s remember this when we are tempted to put on our black robes and wave our fingers at others. God is waving his finger at us playing the background music entitled, “YOU ARE THAT MAN!”
“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:2, NIV
Three weeks ago, I made lentil and eggplant soup. I promise you, it did not disappoint. So, if you are up for something new, why not try it out? Enjoy and have a blessed rest of your week!
Lentil, Pasta, and Eggplant Soup
Ingredients
1 box of Rotini pasta
1 lb of French lentils
1 lb of ground turkey meat
2 eggplants
1/2 jar of garlic pasta sauce
1/2 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, ginger,curry, and parsley
1/2 cup of quinoa
1 cup of avocado oil
1 cup of broth
2 bunches of asparagus
Directions
Boil the french lentils for about one hour, simultaneously, boiling the rotini and quinoa together in water and 1/2 cup of oil for about 25 minutes.
While they are boiling, brown the ground turkey meat in 1/4 cup of oil.
Saute the eggplant, asparagus, and diced tomatoes together.
After the rotini and quinoa finishes boiling, add them, the vegetable mix, the ground turkey, and all the other ingredients into a bigger pot and boil for about 45 minutes longer.
About a year ago, I decided to come up with a quick meal based upon the few ingredients that I had at home. And guess what? It turned out pretty good. My son stated that it tasted Mediterranean, so I decided to go with that. I hope that you enjoy the rest of your Saturday.
Here is the recipe:
Mediterranean Dish
3 chicken breasts
1/2 cups of rice
1 1/2 cans of cut-leaf spinach
3 tablespoons of onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and curry
1/3 cup of oil
Cut the chicken into chunks.
Place the oil and breasts in a skillet, frying them for about 20 minutes.
While the breasts are frying, boil the rice.
Saute the cut-leaf spinach in oil.
Place all of the above ingredients into a crock pot for an hour, along with a half cup of water to give a mashed effect and enjoy!
I have been thinking about making some version of lemon cookies for a while.
Finally, I was feeling courageous, and I gave them a try. When my mom came over, I gave her a few to try. I hadn’t revealed the ingredients yet. Then, simultaneously, she asked, “Did you put lemon in these cookies?” right as I was asking, “Did you taste my secret ingredient?” They came out pretty good. Hope you enjoy! God bless!
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of oatmeal
1 1/2 cups of almond flour
1 lemon or 3/4 cup of lemon juice or lemonade
3/4 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of coconut flakes
2 tablespoons of flax seed meal
1/3 cup of sunflower seeds
1/3 cup of sliced almonds
3/4 cup of almond milk
Directions
Grab a large bowl, mixing all of the above ingredients, making sure that you cut the lemon into four wedges, squeezing all of the juice into the mixture.
Place parchment paper onto two cookie sheets.
Scoop the mixture with a small ice-cream scooper, making sure that you press the sides of the scooper against the bowl in order to drain off excess liquid before placing the scoop on the parchment paper.
The following post is one that was created a year ago on another website. It seems like it was just yesterday that I wrote it. At the same time, the realization that it was a year ago also helps me to think about the difference in what was happening then: family members were still alive, freedom to go and do things without wearing a mask, less anxiety, fear, and collective trauma, and more predictability. Even with all of this, there is one thing that has remained the same. And that one thing is a good, loving, merciful God. Sometimes it is hard to accept this fact when things are not progressing in the timeline that we’d like. And guess what? He can handle that too.
Here is the post:
Sweet Weekend
This past weekend I got a chance to do some reading, relaxing, doing home projects, watching movies, and embracing some stillness. One of the two movies that I watched was entitled, “Sweet Inspirations”. This movie can be found on Pureflix. I haven’t been asked to review this movie. I found it enjoyable, relatable, and the fact that the movie had an emphasis placed on real-life issues.
You got a chance to peek into the lives of several different movies. There were so many themes highlighted in this movie. I am going to name the ones that stood out to me: relationships, domestic abuse, marital issues, art, our passions, family time, community, and women’s health.
Dissection of Passions, Gifts, Talents
The theme that I will dissect is that of our passions/gifts/talents. When it comes to our passions/gifts/talents, it is so important that we are regularly doing activities that pull them out. If we are not creating/expressing ourselves, it can lead to feeling unfulfilled, purposeless, and depression. God created each of us with unique passions/gifts/talents. No two people have been created alike. When we are creating according to our passions/gifts/talents, we are showing contentment, gratitude, appreciation, and good stewardship over what God has given us.
One of the women in the movie realized that she stopped living and doing what she was created for and passionate about in order to please her husband and participate in his business. It is important to help others. However, we also become the best version of ourselves when we do what we were created to do first. Then, we can use this energy to help others to walk into their passions.
Food for thought:
What have you been created to be passionate about? How easy is it to walk into it? Or, is it more tempting to allow others to force you into their passions, or are we forcing ourselves into theirs?
Loading Comments...
Valley of Grace uses cookies. It is to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. OKPrivacy policy
