A Big Decision to Downsize

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Saturday morning, this verse was part of my Bible reading:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt. 6:21

This was another confirmation of a decision I made several weeks ago – one to downsize my hummus business. I always said that if business interfered with my relationship with the Lord and with my family, then I would step back.
If you are or have been a small business owner, you know that it is a 24/7 job. When you aren’t physically involved, you’re mentally involved. There is always something you can do better, something you can be doing, or someplace you can be. My business, even though it was on the smaller side, began to take over and so my household suffered. And when I say household, I mean the people in my house (ok- and my house itself!). I am the wife (a.k.a. ministry assistant) of a youth pastor (who happens to be in seminary so I am therefore editor-in-chief), a mom of 3 younger children (can you say 3 classrooms in 2 different schools?), and, since my husband is a youth pastor, we do not have the luxury of having a lawn man (I am the lawn woman), a maid (that’s me too), a chef (once again, my job), financial manager (I’m terrible with numbers, but ended up with that job as well), and – my favorite- laundry mat (the NEVER ending task!) So by the time I was finished with my hummus business, I still had all the above tasks to complete which meant that the most important roles I play – wife and mom – were left for the end of my day and the last remaining ounce of energy I had. That is not the way God intended for a wife and mom to be, so I knew I heard Him loud and clear when He spoke to me about moving on. It was at that moment that I was at total peace about downsizing. It was after speaking to my husband, my mom, and a close friend, that I felt a huge sense of relief come over me.
I have learned so much from my business start-up and growth. I have met so many wonderful people and built some incredible relationships. It has been exciting, it has been discouraging, and it has been an experience that I will never forget.
Thank you to each of you who have encouraged me, bought from me, spread the word about my hummus, and have made my first business endeavor a memorable one! I appreciate you more than you will ever know!
For those of you that are still wanting to purchase my hummus, it will only be available at the shop at 1280 Sarno Rd.(across from Harbor City Elem.)- no more retail spots or farmer’s markets.A big thank you to The Bald Strawberry and Flour & Spice Boutique for taking me under their wings and allowing me to continue to sell at their spot! If you are looking to make a purchase of multiple containers, please contact me first so I can make sure the flavors you want are there. I will be at the Indialantic Fresh Market at Nance Park Saturday, August 3rd from 8:00-1:00. This will be my final farmer’s market appearance. Come by, see me, and say “hi” and “goodbye”. I look forward to serving you personally one last time!

Not a Treat, Just Plain Trash

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Just in case you had any doubt, the above item is trash, not a treat. A quick read of the ingredients will confirm that:

Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Fruit Juice (Contains One or More of the Following: Apple, Grape or Pear Juice from Concentrate), Contains Less than 2% of the Following: Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1.

Try my watermelon popsicles instead!

Cost of Food – Unhealthy Vs Healthy Food

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There are no excuses for poor food choices, just poor planning. Eating nutrient-rich foods doesn’t have to break the bank, but you do need to have a plan in place in order to make healthy meals, prepare snacks to have on hand, and make the best choices in the grocery aisles. Take the extra time and effort to plan ahead now that you can see from the above image that the high cost of healthy foods is no longer an acceptable reason for not eating right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking with Kids – One of my Favorite Parts of Summer!

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Last week, I once again had the honor of opening up my home and kitchen to a handful of kids. We spent time around the table creating some fun meals. Below are the menus we whipped together and enjoyed together as well. Click on the menu items to take you to the recipes so you and some of your favorite little ones can also create and eat!

Mexican Feast

Italian Cafe

Brownies for the Finale

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This was another recipe I searched for online since the kids in last week’s cooking class requested brownies for our final day. I made these brownies exactly according to the recipe, and they turned out great! I will be making these again but will try replacing the butter with coconut oil or extra light olive oil. I will also decrease the sugar by 1/4 cup and add in 1/4 cup of local honey to replace it. We topped off our brownies with fresh whipped cream and strawberries!

  • 1/4 cup organic butter

  • 1/2 cup organic sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/3 cup white whole-wheat flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, applesauce, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven until brownies are just set in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Homemade Pizza

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I found this recipe online as I researched whole grain pizza crusts. This was recipe #2 that I tried, and it was the winner! Next time I will try to mix a higher protein flour (like chickpea or brown rice) with a lighter protein content flour (like a whole wheat pastry flour) just to see how it turns out.

      2 c. whole wheat flour
      1 pkg. rapid rise yeast
      3/4 tsp. salt
      1 c. warm water
      1 tbsp. olive oil
      1 tsp. honey

Pour flour into a large mixing bowl. Add yeast and salt. Mix well. Add water, oil and honey; mix well. Spray with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for 10 minutes to rise.
Punch down. Lightly cover pizza pan with cornmeal. Press dough onto pan. Spread sauce and other ingredients on pizza crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

A Bright Reminder for Kids (Young and Old!)

ikeaTonight at church, I was able to cook and create dinner with our kids for our summer Wednesday night activity. After making and thoroughly enjoying a healthful meal, I passed out these IKEA utensils to each child. These are to serve as a reminder that our plates should be colorful – full of the rich and bright spectrum of fruits and veggies that God created!

Fresh and Simple Salsa

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Here is one of the recipes we made today in my kid’s cooking class. I love the coolness of salsa on a hot summer day!

Fresh Salsa

6 Roma tomatoes

½ large green pepper

⅓ cup finely chopped sweet onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 key limes

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro or parsley

Cut tomatoes and green peppers into small pieces. Place into a medium bowl and add onion and garlic. Squeeze the key limes over the veggies. Add salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Stir and chill for at least 3 hours. 

Monday Motivation

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A little inspiration for your Monday morning!

Happy 4th of July!

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Have a blessed July 4th celebration! May we honor our country, and may we honor the One – Jesus- who gives us the ultimate freedom – eternal life!

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12