When any member of my family is feeling under the weather, there are a few things I turn to that help shorten that feeling. Food is one of those things. I am not a fan of feeding sick kids desserts and junk to "help them feel loved." That is the antithesis of love since it lengthens the time they do not feel well. Let's let food be our medicine, because it really is!
So when my daughter asked me to make her soup because she wasn't feeling on top of her game today, I happily obliged. Here is my "Get Better" Soup!
8 cups vegetable broth
1 large onion (chopped fine). (Find my favorite food chopper here.)
1 red pepper (chopped fine)
3 tablespoons garlic (2 full heads of garlic) (chopped very fine)
2 cups lentils (soaked for an hour)
2 cups broccoli (chopped small)
2 cups potatoes (diced small)
2 cups kale (chopped small)
3 cups tomatoes (diced)
1 cup mushrooms (chopped small)
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 bay leaves
water to cover
Directions:
Sauté onion, pepper, garlic in 2 cups vegetable broth until onions are clear.
Add 6 cups vegetable broth and soaked lentils.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, and spices with water to just cover.
Bring to boil and then turn down to simmer for 30 minutes.
Add kale and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Serve hot!
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Have you ever thought about writing a book? It may seem daunting, especially if you aren't a "writer." I have always loved writing, but not everyone has lists of books in their mind, or in secret notebooks like I do.
Enter a book collaboration. This is one book that has contributions from many different individuals. Each person writes a chapter or a portion of the book. One chapter is not so daunting! I have now participated in two book collaborations with different publishers and am working on my next one. It is a delightful experience!
Would you like an insider's view?
With some guidance from the publisher on the purpose, style, and feel of the book, we start writing our chapter. With many different authors, there are many differences in how we write. As we keep our readers in mind, we share the deep emotions of our journeys, many things that haven't been shared publicly before, and also include hope and encouragement.
Next the writers wait while the editing process takes place to help make the unique chapters a cohesive whole, bringing the style together, while also fixing grammar, punctuation, etc. Each author makes the suggested changes and the book is then compiled.
As a whole book, more editing takes place so that it flows and the purpose is easily achieved. Then it is proofread. These are different people with specific things they are looking for and it takes some time.
In the meantime, author pictures, bios, and websites are collected and the cover, author graphics, webpages, and trailer video are created and improved. There are many things in the background that are worked out for publishing.
Then the authors get to read the entire book and beta readers (volunteers) read the book and give feedback.
As it gets closer to the launch date, it is so exciting! Reality hits when the proof copy is made with your name on the cover!
Each of these book collaborations have been with a specific purpose in mind to reach out and help others; to show the world that wounds can be healed, that women are strong, and that we are not alone in our struggles. As I have read through feedback and reviews, it is wonderful to see the impact these books are having on the world!
As for me, I have forged beautiful friendships and have been blessed by the opportunity to have a positive impact on others and at the same time feeling their positive impact on me.
Find the books here!
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As I go back through the emotions of my first birth, I realize just how much fear and uncertainty I had going into it.
I was so excited to meet my baby and already loved her. I was also trusting in my doctors and nurses that they would help and support me the whole way through.
I had an extremely long labor over 3 days. I was totally exhausted once I was in the hospital.
Then I fell into the intervention snowball.
-Strapped to a monitor on a bed- no movement or food allowed.
-Exhausted, fearful, in pain, pressured to have the baby fast.
-Not really knowing the best support I needed, taking the only thing they offered- the epidural, which slowed labor down.
-More pressure to labor on someone else’s timeline.
-Pitocin was next.
-And then laboring flat on my back with my legs up in stirrups, held by my husband and mom because I couldn’t feel them.
-Someone else coaching when to push- because I couldn’t feel anything.
-Doctor giving a huge episiotomy because he didn’t have time or care to stretch or work with the perineum, and wasn’t giving counter pressure or doing anything, for that matter, to help.
- Holding baby for only a few moments before they whisked her away to the nursery for a bath and all their protocols.
-Baby coming back exhausted, too tired to try nursing, even though we tried hard.
-Nurses feeding her a bottle without permission.
-The hospital staff totally undermining every effort to breastfeed, then giving me glucose to feed her because her blood sugar was low.
-Recovery from that huge episiotomy taking a full two months while we struggled the whole first month with breastfeeding, and I worried if she was getting enough.
Thankfully we finally figured it out, and were successful with breastfeeding for a whole year. Thankfully, my baby was healthy and a bright spot of joy in my life. I loved cuddling her and smelling her and taking care of her. The rewards of having a child and of breastfeeding are plentiful!
But I was left feeling unsupported, undermined, betrayed by the medical community. They did not act in my best interest. They did not act in my daughter’s best interest.
From what I’ve seen, my story is not uncommon. In fact, it is way too common and often the cascade of interventions ends in a c-section- which is major abdominal surgery that takes a long time to recover from. Doctors get paid a lot more for that, and every intervention is more money for the system.
How about we leave the money on the table and just do what is actually best for moms and babies? I’m all for that!
I wrote about this birth and my 4th birth which was a completely different and positive experience in the book Finding Strength in Unexpected Pregnancy. Read the full story here.
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Super Chilli
I love a good blog, but when it comes to recipes, I just want the recipe! So here it is!! Hope you love it as much as I do!
Sauté:
2 medium onions (chopped)
2 jalapeño peppers (chopped) (optional if you like the heat)
3 medium green peppers (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
vegetable broth
Add:
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 date
2 cans kidney beans (drain and rinse)
4 cans pinto beans (drain and rinse)
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
Add these after heat is turned off:
1 bunch cilantro (chopped)
1 bunch spinach (chopped)
2 limes (juiced) (optional if you like lime)
3 drops lime essential oil
vegetable broth
Add:
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 date
2 cans kidney beans (drain and rinse)
4 cans pinto beans (drain and rinse)
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
Add these after heat is turned off:
1 bunch cilantro (chopped)
1 bunch spinach (chopped)
2 limes (juiced) (optional if you like lime)
3 drops lime essential oil
Enjoy!
For more plant based recipes plus a community of support in healthy eating,
join our Veggie Up!! Challenge here. Look in the Guide Section.
You will find daily education and support!
You will find daily education and support!
My blogs contain some affiliate links.
Any purchase made is a blessing to my family at no extra cost to you!
Thank you for supporting us!
Life has its ups and downs. We all experience joy and sorrow, health and sickness or pain, stress and calm, confusion and focus. I have experienced all of these things at one time or another over the years and I have learned coping skills for the times when things are down.
1. Turn to God for help.
God is number one for me. I pray and ask for His guidance every day. During hard times, I truly rely on Him. I love to read His word and then journal my thoughts and feelings. Forming a habit of creating time for God each day will make it natural to turn to Him when times are hard and I know He hears and answers prayers.
2. Choose to focus on the good and be grateful.
Sometimes when we are in a really low time, it is so difficult to see anything good. We have to work consciously on finding the good, even if the things we find are small or generic. Shifting focus to gratitude raises our frequency and enables us to be lifted emotionally. An attitude of gratitude brings joy to everyone even and especially in difficult circumstances.
3. Ask for and accept help when needed.
It is ok to ask for help. It is ok to accept help. Moms, especially, are givers by nature and desire to be on the giving end of service usually. That is good, but when is it your turn? Let others help you! If they do not know your situation, reach out to ask for the help you truly need. When others offer help, let them, accept it. You will both be blessed!
4. Be willing to work through your emotions.
Moms often stuff emotions to be able to function for our kids. This coping mechanism is only good short term so we don't break down in an undesirable location or time. It is essential to take the time when you are emotionally safe to let the feelings out and to work through them. Journalling is a fantastic tool for this and I have found essential oils are extremely beneficial to help release emotions so you can let things go.
5. Know that you are the only person you can change.
When sorrows are due to other's behavior, know that you cannot change them, but you can change yourself. You can work on your attitude, your acceptance of the other person, or you can work on knowing when to remove yourself from a situation that is harmful. In many cases, when health is causing your sorrows, know that there are things you can do to improve your outcomes with natural solutions like diet, exercise, and natural remedies. Effort may be required, but isn't your health worth it?
Check out this podcast I did a few months ago on loving yourself. I talk more about how I take time with God each day.
Find prayer journals with or without Bible verses here. These can help you turn to God and focus on the good!
For inspiring stories from women who have been through difficult times and have still found joy, read The Truth About Finding Joy In the Darkness.
My blogs contain some affiliate links.
Any purchase made is a blessing to my family at no extra cost to you!
Thank you for supporting us!
