November 25, 2024

Quinoa-Beef Stuffed Portabellos

2014-06-10 19.36.12

Remember that delicious and so-good-for-you red quinoa recipe from last week? Well, I was looking around for a use for the rest of it and so…these were going to be stuffed sweet peppers but the portobello caps were SUCH a good price!  (Well, y’know I could not resist!)  I par-cooked the mushroom caps on a grill pan but they would be great done on your outdoor grill too!

We enjoyed these as an entree with steamed broccoli–they were VERY filling!  I figure two caps per person unless you choose to serve these as a side dish.  This recipe fit nicely into our ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy’ point of view!  Enjoy!

Quino-Beef Stuffed Portabellos

ingredients:
4 medium-sized portabello mushroom caps plus 1 extra for chopping
1/2 # ground beef (or turkey, chicken, or lamb)
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup kale (or spinach), stems removed and chopped
1-2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (I used havarti)
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 moons
2 heaping tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
olive oil

directions:

  • preheat oven to 375 (heat grill pan, also, if using)
  • in a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat; add sliced onions and cook for 4-5 minutes
  • using a spoon, scoop out the dark gills of each mushroom cap. (if they have stems, add these along with the 1 extra cap for chopping.)  brush the caps with olive oil & place rounded side down on the heated grill pan (or onto a foil-lined baking sheet)
  • bake for 6-7 minutes; remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly
  • chop up the set-aside mushroom cap (and stems, if any) and add to onions in saute pan; cook over medium heat until mushrooms get brown & fragrant (caramelize them), perhaps another 6-7 minutes
  • once onions and mushrooms are done, pour into a large mixing bowl along with the cooked quinoa
  • (using the same skillet), add ground meat. cook over medium high heat ‘til browned.  lower heat just a bit (don’t want to burn the garlic!) and add chopped garlic and saute for another minute or two stirring constantly
  • stir in red wine and chopped kale (or spinach) and cover pan; simmer ‘til liquid is evaporated
  • add meat and kale to the veggie/quinoa mixture in the large bowl
  • stir in the balsamic and mix the ingredients all together in the bowl. season well w/ salt and pepper
  • place scoops of mixture into mushroom caps (I find my hands worked well!) dividing the stuffing mixture equally amongst the caps. top each mushroom with a few crumbles of cheese
  • bake for about 12-15 minutes, ‘til mushroom caps are tender & filling is slightly browned.

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!    (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Held In Your Hands

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Look up, another day before me
Look back, another day is gone
Should my heart begin to worry
Lift my eyes to find again the promise of Your love
Lift my eyes to find again that You will be enough

All our yesterdays and all of our tomorrows
Held in Your hands, held in Your hands
All we know to pray and all we’ve yet to face
Is held in Your hands, is held in Your hands

I know, Jesus, I can trust You
I know in all things You are good
I’m casting every care upon You
You knew my name, my every pain, before this breath was mine
You made a way, You overcame with love that outlives time

All our yesterdays and all of our tomorrows
Held in Your hands, held in Your hands
All we know to pray and all we’ve yet to face
Is held in Your hands, is held in Your hands

These hands that carried the Cross
Carry us now every moment, every hour
These hands that carried the Cross
Carry us now never failing, only good
Never failing, only good

All our yesterdays and all of our tomorrows
Held in Your hands, held in Your hands
All we know to pray and all we’ve yet to face
Is held in Your hands, is held in Your hands

Is held in Your hands, is held in Your hands

Singers/Songwriters: Kevin Huguley, Wesley Willis, Jason Ingram — Rush of Fools

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Take a moment, would you, to listen to this song again. And, while doing so, think of Jesus’ hands…. Think of how they look to you…maybe you picture them in just one way—bleeding and oh-so-very painful as He carried the Cross. Or perhaps you picture a whole vignette of scenes featuring Jesus’ hands ministering over and over and over…. Here are a few instances that I recalled from the Scriptures:

Jesus holding out His hand to the woman caught in adultery (John 8)

This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him.
But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger.
Verse 6

Jesus holding out His hand to Peter while walking on the sea (Matthew 14)

Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him,
saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Verse 31

Jesus holding out His hand to the man healed of leprosy (Matthew 8)

Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Verse 3

Jesus holding out His hand to heal the ear of the man in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22)

But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.”
And He touched his ear and healed him.…
Verse 51

Jesus holding out His hands to Thomas (John 20)

Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands;
and put out your hand and place [it] in My side.
Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe!
Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God!
Verses 27 and 28

Think about it, my friend—Jesus is holding out His hand at this very moment to you (and me, too!)  With the very same degree of compassion and love, He is reaching to you (and me, too!) and is willing and able to support, provide for, guide and protect you (and me, too!)  In what area of your life, do you need for Jesus’ hands to carry you?

Stand In The Congregation

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Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

Let them (publicly) exalt Him also in the congregation of the people
and praise Him in the company of the elders.
Psalms 107:31-32 AMP

I will stand in the congregation
And I will exalt You
I will stand in the congregation
And I will exalt You
Let the children of Your salvation
Lift their praises too
Hallelujah

I will stand in the congregation
And I will praise Your name
I will stand in the congregation
And I will praise Your name
With Your people in every nation
I will shout this praise

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

We will join as a congregation
And we will exalt You
We will join as a congregation
And we will exalt You
We will sing as all creation
Lifts the song anew
Hallelujah

(Stand In The Congregation – Bill Batstone/Maranatha Music)

I Choose Jesus

Jesusthewaythetruththelife

I have searched to find the meaning of this life
Something that would fill my empty soul
Some believe a lie, choose darkness over light
But I will stand and let the whole world know

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me

I stand unashamed trusting in one Name
‘Cause I have seen the Cross and I believe
This choice comes at cost, all other things are lost
No other love could mean so much to me

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me
I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
For now and eternity

He chose to love me when I felt unlovable
He chose to reach me when I felt unreachable
He carried me out of my fear and doubt
How I want the world to know—I choose Jesus

Singer/Songwriter: Moriah Peters along with Tony Wood, Chuck Butler, Ed Cash

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ * 

Have you searched to find meaning and SOMEthing that would fill the emptiness of your soul?  I have….  Oh, how I yearned to KNOW I was l-o-v-e-d!  Probably for most of the first quarter century of my young life, I attempted to fill that void. But nothing…not accomplishments, not approval, not food, not inappropriate relationships…nothing was able to fill that hole in my heart.  And, assuredly, there is nothing COULD fill that hole in my heart…only Jesus.

perhaps you have heard this quote,
“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person,
and it can never be filled by any created thing.  It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.”
(Blaise Pascal)

I think that pretty much describes it well—a ‘God-shaped vacuum in the heart.’  I believe God created man (and woman) with that need.  And I know He perfectly provided for the filling of that vacuum when He made Adam and Eve and gave them the opportunity to have perfect fellowship with Him every moment of every day.  And I trust He would have always supplied their need…but they were deceived.   They chose to think that something else—being equal and alike to God Almighty—was the true answer to their needs.

But the serpent said to the woman,
You shall not surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate.
Genesis 3:4-6

And, because they chose the deception of the enemy of their souls, and disobeyed the One Who truly DID love them, they lost that fellowship and perfection connection and the fulfillment that a relationship with their God gave them.

And mankind has suffered under the sin of Adam since.  But God would not allow His plan, His desire to fail.  And He provided so that all of humanity could have that ‘God-shaped vacuum’ filled in the way He has originally planned.

By this the love of God was manifested in us,
that God has sent His only begotten Son
into the world so that we might live through Him.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10

Jesus IS the perfect and complete filling of that vacuum!  We do not need to search or attempt to fill the void inside…we need to accept God’s perfect provision making Jesus our Lord and Master and live our lives in obedience to Him.

In this beautiful song, Moriah Peters sings, “He chose to love me when I felt unlovable…He chose to reach me when I felt unreachable…He carried me out of my fear and doubt.”  No longer do I (nor you either!) have to search for something to fulfill the emptiness, the void.  We need to choose Jesus!  He has chosen me (you, too)!

Sing and praise along with me…

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me
I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
For now and eternity

Shrimp and Asparagus Saute over Red Quinoa

It is starting to be the season when simpler suppers are more agreeable, wouldn’t you say? No need to heat up the kitchen when preparing this dish. AND, this is equally good served hot from the pan, warm, or even as a cold salad!

This dish, Shrimp and Asparagus Saute over Red Quinoa, also fits into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV since it is full of fresh ingredients with less than 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the entire preparation, and a bit of shredded parmesan cheese to finish it off!  This easily serves 3 hungry adults and can be doubled with no trouble at all.

Have you and your family enjoyed quinoa <kEEn-wah> before?  Quinoa is a grain but it is the seed that we eat!  (Good news for the low-carbERs, right?)  And it is jam-packed full of protein.  Usually when I prepare a pot of quinoa, I make enough extra to use for another meal.  To find quinoa in your grocery store, check the natural food section, or perhaps where they sell different rice products.  Our favorite is ‘red’ quinoa.  Quinoa does come in three varieties (white, or ‘golden’, red, and black).  Basically they are the same with shades of differences, basically in texture.  But I have used all three totally interchangeably!  Here are some nutritional facts about quinoa.  I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!

2014-06-08 18.45.20

Shrimp and Asparagus Saute over Red Quinoa

ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup water
½ medium sweet onion, sliced into half-moons
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10-15 grape or cherry tomatoes (I used yellow), sliced in half
1 pound uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1+1/2 tablespoons freshly ground lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
shaved Parmesan cheese
lemon wedges (optional)

directions:

  • preheat oven (or toaster oven, as I did) to 400.
  • line a baking sheet pan with foil
  • in a medium saucepan, bring liquids to a boil; stir in quinoa. return to a boil, reduce heat to low; cover with lid and simmer gently ‘til liquids are absorbed (20 minutes or so)
  • in a large saute pan over medium-high flame, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add sliced onions; saute for 7-8 minutes to soften
  • while onions and quinoa are cooking, place asparagus on the lined baking pan, and season well with 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning. pour 1 teaspoon olive oil evenly over the asparagus and then roll back and forth on the baking sheet to distribute. bake for 10-12 minutes
  • (back to the saute pan!) add the halved tomatoes placing flat side down in pan; heat for 3-4 minutes.2014-06-08 18.36.49
  • stir in the shrimp, minced garlic, lemon pepper seasoning. allow to cook without stirring for 3 minutes or so, ‘til shrimp are starting to turn pink. flip shrimp over and cook for 2 more minutes. pour in the wine, give everything a good thorough stir and let simmer for just 2-3 minutes to reduce the liquids. remove from heat and check for additional seasoning
  • asparagus should be done; remove from oven
  • To plate: scoop some quinoa into an even layer on plate or shallow bowl. spoon shrimp&veggies over top. add stalks of asparagus on top and sprinkle with cheese.

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Cielo (Latin for Heaven)

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’m walking through the bright white gates
Breathing in and out Your grace
All around me melodies rise
That echo with a joy inside
So I start to sing

But I can’t sing loud enough
I can’t sing loud enough
When I’m singing for You, My God

With a thunder roll and a brilliant light
Your glory bursts and the heavens shine
Saints and angels stand in awe
Captured by the beauty of it all
So I fall to my knees

But I can’t bow low enough
I can’t bow low enough
At the vision of You, my God

I can’t hold it all inside
I’m reaching for the One
Who brought me out of death and into life

Now I can’t lift my hands high enough
Lift my hands high enough
When I’m reaching for You, my God

 

Singer/Songwriter: Phil Wickham

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

I heard this beautiful song—a psalm, really—for the very first time yesterday.  I had the joy of attending the 2014 Recital of The King’s Dancers.  And “Cielo” was the musical script for one of the ballet numbers.  I can truly say that my heart was overwhelmed by this song!

This beautiful, captivating song is written to paint the picture of being in God’s Throne Room.  Phil Wickham shares his heart about this song in the very beginning of this video clip.  Here is what he said: “The song is kind of a story about a man, kind of waking up…his first kind of entrance to the heaven and seeing God and being overwhelmed, in the light, in the love, in the mystery and beauty of the whole place, so I wrote the verses as a story and the chorus is kind of a sing-a-long response.”

And each verse DOES depict such a vivid mind-picture, don’t you think? “Thunder rolling, brilliant glory bursting, walking through bright white gates, breathing God’s grace, hearing joyous melodies rising about…” But what caught me and drew me in was the idea of it not being possible to sing loud enough…or bow low enough…or lift my hands high enough in worshipful response to the absolute Presence of my God!

It reminded me of this passage in the very beginning of the Book of Revelations:

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me.
And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;
and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man,
clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.
His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow;
and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace,
and His voice was like the sound of many waters.
In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword;
and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.
And He placed His right hand on me, saying,
“Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One;
and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore….

Revelations 1:12-18

The apostle John was given incredible and amazing and awesome and hard-to-fathom revelations. He was shown the most magnificent and truly breathtaking things in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Perhaps, do you think that, had he known this song, he might have been singing, “I can’t bow low enough, I can’t bow low enough at the vision of You, my God!”

Listening to this song, I desire to be real before my God recognizing my desperate need for Him.  I would love to plead with you, friends, to take your music-listening device and go in your ‘closet.’  Play it as loud as you are comfortable with…and worship Your God!  I pray that you won’t be able to sing loud enough or bow low enough or lift your hands high enough!   But DO sing and bow and lift your hands because God is as close as your breath…and He SO desires to receive your worship and praise!

Give Thanks To The Lord

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Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love
and His wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of His works with songs of joy.
Psalms 107:21-22 

Give thanks to the Lord (for He is good)
For He is good
Give thanks to the Lord (for He is good)
For He is good
Give thanks to the Lord (for He is good)
For He is good
His love endures forever

His love will reign forevermore
His power will reign forevermore
His grace will reign forevermore
His peace will reign forevermore
His love will reign forevermore
His power will reign forevermore
His grace will reign forevermore
His peace will reign forevermore

His love endures forever (praise the Lord)
His love endures forever (Hallelujah)
His love endures forever

Shrimp with Corn and Black Bean Salad

So, remember last week I shared my husband’s epiphany in realizing he really does like Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex, Mexican type foods?  Ok…n-o-w he is requesting it as part of our weekly menu!   The following is an easy, quick-to-make weekday supper that is healthy but oh-so-yummy!  First dish is a Black Bean and Corn Salad along with some delicious Tex-Mex influenced shrimp.  I am definitely going to keep this in the summertime meal rotation…light, refreshing, and won’t heat up the kitchen!

Black Bean and Corn Salad

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ingredients:
2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, small diced
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely diced (optional)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sweet onion, finely diced
juice of 1/2 large lime
1 teaspoon olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

salad directions:
combine all ingredients; pour into a storage bag or container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for flavors to combine.

Tex-Mex Shrimp

marinade ingredients:
juice of 1/2 large lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon honey
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
sea salt to taste (I used a lemon-pepper-salt combo)
1/2 # medium to large shrimp, tails removed

marinade directions:

  • simply whisk ingredients together in a medium-sized glass bowl
  • add in shrimp and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To finalize your dish

  • heat a saute pan over medium-high heat
  • pour shrimp and some of the marinade into the pan
  • cook for 1-2 minutes ‘til starting to turn pink
  • immediately flip over and cook other side for additional 2 minutes
  • remove from heat; do not over cook

2014-06-01 19.45.41

To serve:
I warmed up a couple of gluten free flour tortillas, and placed them (folded up) on each plate with a portion of the Black Bean and Corn Salad and some of the marinated shrimp. On the side, we also had some Spanish rice, fresh guacamole, and a dollop of sour cream.

This would also be delish (and low-carb) served with lettuce leaves to spoon the shrimp and salad into and roll up. I would love to hear of some of your ideas for serving and side dishes!


♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

I Still Believe

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

scattered words and empty thoughts
seem to pour from my heart
I’ve never felt so torn before
seems I don’t know where to start
but it’s now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every fingertip, washing away my pain

I still believe in Your faithfulness
I still believe in Your truth
I still believe in Your holy word
even when I don’t see…I still believe

though the questions still fog up my mind
with promises I still seem to bear
even when answers slowly unwind
it’s my heart I see You prepare
but its now that I feel Your grace fall like rain
from every finger tip, washing away my pain

the only place I can go is into Your arms
where I throw to You my feeble prayers
in brokenness I can see that this was Your will for me
help me to know You are near

’cause I still believe….

~ Sing this song with me as part of your prayer and worship today ~

Singer / Songwriter: Jeremy Camp

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Jeremy Camp sings, “…‘cause even when I don’t see, I still believe.”  How about you?  It can be a struggle sometimes, agreed?  But our believing is not now, has never been, and not ever will be, based on what we can ‘see.’  Our believing is based on the One Whom we believe—the Great I AM—and on Him alone.

…for we walk by faith, not by sight
2 Corinthians 5:7

There is no doubt that our God wants us to believe Him with all of our heart and trust that everything He has promised will come to pass…amen?  He has given us, through His power and outlined in the Scriptures, ‘all things that pertain to life and godliness’ so that we can know Him and His promises.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:3 and 4

Our knowledge  of the Scriptures is constantly growing as we faithfully read and study them.  Based on all that we learn about our Great God, His Will, and His desires for His people, we can take a firm stand on His promises believing Him and knowing by faith that they will come to pass.

What are some of the things that we are to believe?

  • He hears our prayers
  • He heals our bodies
  • He comforts our hearts
  • He never leaves nor forsakes us
  • He watches over us
  • He guards us
  • He prepares a path for us to walk
  • He lovingly reproves and corrects us
  • And…His faithfulness, His truth, His Holy Word

I still believe in Your faithfulness

For the word of the Lord is right and true;
He is faithful in all He does.
Psalm 33:4

I still believe in Your truth

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him,
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
John 8:31-32

I still believe in Your Holy Word

My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to My sayings.
Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.
For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.
Proverbs 4:20-22

“…Even when I don’t see, I still believe!”

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

As you (and I) make this our confession, we are trusting (as did Paul, our brother) the One who is Faithful and True.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—
not because of anything we have done
but because of His own purpose and grace.
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior,
Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life
and immortality to light through the gospel.
And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
That is why I am suffering as I am.
Yet this is no cause for shame,
because I know Whom I have believed,
and am convinced that He is able to guard
what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
2 Timothy 1:9-12

Friend, make this your own confession….  May I suggest that you write it down, place it in your Bible…write it on your dresser mirror…write it on your palm…write it on your heart!    

I still believe in Your faithfulness
I still believe in Your truth
I still believe in Your Holy Word
Even when I don’t see, I still believe

Break Through The Chains

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Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

For He has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron apart.

Psalms 107:15-16

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Break through the chains in my life
Tear down the strongholds and the walls
Deliver me from all bondage and strife
That I may hear when You call and give You my all
Oh, Lord, my all I give You my all!

O Lord, my soul desire is to serve You
To honor You in everything I do
I surrender and lay down my life to You
Oh, Holy Spirit, come down and break through