Loving the Kitchen Time!

Since I graduated college I've always worked out of the home full-time, and as a result have spent less time in the kitchen. Now that I am home all the time, I'm loving the freedom it brings to plan meals, to shop for everything I need, and to be creative. 

One of the most exciting gifts Jody got me for my birthday was a KitchenAid mixer along with several attachments. Words cannot express how grateful I am for his kindness towards me in recognizing an area that I want to grow in. 

One of our first adventures with the mixer was in making homemade applesauce. After making applesauce with a friend, it was so fun to "try it out" with our new toy. Ha!

Overall, the experience was a huge success, and I'm totally never going to buy applesauce at the store again. ;) The fresh stuff is amazing!!!

Another gift Jody got for me was a Blendtec Blender. The reason for said purchase was that I'd started making smoothies in the morning, and he was so tired of our blender not working. It took me a good 10 minutes to make a smoothie, and the noise over that long a time, while I struggled to try and get the blender to blend everything up, was more than he could handle. So I think he really bought the blender for his own peace of mind. Haha!

The blender is absolutely amazing and has revolutionized our options for cooking. Not only do we make smoothies on an almost daily basis for breakfast, but the blender is incredible for pureeing soups, making marinades and dips like hummus!

Jody took this video while I was in Aiken to show me how he was getting his daily dosage of greens in my absence. :) I'm so proud!

I find that having all the tools to work with - even more than I could have imagined - and having a bit more time to dream has allowed me to truly enjoy the time I'm spending in the kitchen. I'm also finding that while I love to bake, I'm also starting to truly enjoy cooking more. Baking is my go-to past-time, but I no longer dread the "What's for dinner?" question and am starting to enjoy the process of creating food that tastes good. And Jody is such a sport! He's growing in his willingness to eat foods that *shock* contain onions in them - cooked, of course. Nonetheless, I never imagined that such a day would come (and, I always cook them waaaaay down before I add any other ingredients). But still, I count it as a huge victory and proof that if I can cook well, then even the most unappetizing foods can be delicious!

A goal

Now that Jody has finished seminary, we are loving the freedom and flexibility that one less commitment brings to our schedule. For Jo, it means that he's not always reading, writing and stressing about the next deadline. And for me, it means that Jo is mentally, emotionally and physically more available to help me. Ha! It's a beautiful thing. 

But there was a bit of a tragedy to being out of seminary, as well. We lost our discount to the gym at Arapahoe Community College just down the street from Denver Seminary. As a seminary student (and family), there is a significant discount available; without it we would not have been able to afford a gym membership really anywhere in the area. I am so thankful we had the ACC discount and I was able to stay sane - especially during the cold winter months when the sun goes behind the mountains at 4:30, as I'm driving home and have had no time to burn off some calories (and stress). 

So a few months post-seminary went by, and I decided I was going crazy without gym access. I began to hunt, and lo and behold, I found Ballys. We had actually visited it when we were originally looking for a gym, and I think it was about $30/month per person at the time. Standard pricing, perhaps, but more than we could handle on a seminary budget. Well, this go-round I found the pricing to be awesome: $17.99 for one person and $12.99 for any 'add-on'. For Jo and me it would come to $31/month. Woop! We signed up immediately. And I'm loving it. It's 5 minutes away from home; the hours are totally flexible; and there's always a machine available. 

I am so thankful. My goal is to get back in post-college shape before Sarah's wedding. That's four months. I can do it!

And as I begin this process, I am realizing how strong I must be in saying 'no' to food I truly don't need. Especially because I love food. I love buying new and fun foods. I love making food. Cooking. Baking. And I love eating. Ha! I know it's probably not the most lady-like thing to say, but it's true. Yet, I am realizing how little I really do need to function well on a daily basis. And it feels strangely good to say, "no" to myself and to food that I truly don't need and that won't help me in the long run. I am reminded once again of Paul's words in Corinthians:

But I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.   - 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NASB)

The Message says it slightly differently, but I like the wording:

I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

It reminds me that my body is subject to my spirit and not the other way around. So, here's to some self-denial, hopefully yielding the fruit of self-control in my life. 

You'll see the fruit of my endeavors come September 29th. Thanks for the motivation your wedding provides, Sarah! :)

Another connection

I happened upon another blog posting that has once again reminded me of why I made the switch to a gluten-free diet a year ago. In case I ever wonder why I did it... or if it's worth it.

"Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland. It is the most common type of hypothyroidism in the U.S. The thyroid controls metabolism, or your body’s processing pace, and affects heart rate and the speed at which you burn calories. The thyroid functions..." [to read more, click on the link below]

 Gluten Sensitivity & Hashimoto's Autoimmune Disease

1 Year of Gluten Free Eating

The last few weeks I've been marveling at how it's already been a year since I made the switch to eating the gluten-free diet. How time has flown and how much I've learned since I began to actually pay attention to the ingredients in the food I consume!

A few things about eating GF that I've noticed along the way:

• Gluten-free does not necessarily mean healthy when it comes to bakery items. Many gluten-free options try to re-create the texture that a baked item containing gluten would have, and they usually don't use healthy ingredients either. But if you're going to have a sugary baked item (regardless of its gluten content) you're probably not thinking about healthy options, anyways!
• Gluten-free food items are still expensive. While I've noticed that gluten-free foods are becoming more prevalent as more and more people are switching to a GF diet, it is still not quite mainstream. It is so helpful to know what tastes good and what doesn't! Hopefully this posting will help.
• It does get easier. When I first made the switch, the learning curve was extremely steep. Every meal was a mountain to climb. Can I eat this? Can I eat that? What is safe?! I began to see gluten monsters behind every food item. But as I continued along, it did get easier. And I console myself with the fact that I can still eat rice, corn and potatoes if I need a carb in a meal. The world is not over, after all. :)
• Going gluten-free encourages me to eat food in its most natural state - probably a step everyone should take in their diets, anyways. Fresh fruits, vegetables and meats (minus sauces and gravies) are ALL SAFE.

If you'd prefer not to navigate the world of gluten-free and experiment with every single brand to find out what is good, I've compiled a short list of a few options that I've found to be great. Several different companies produce a decent line of gluten-free options: Udi's, Canyon Bakehouse, Glutino, and  now even mainstream companies are starting to add a gluten-free line of products for those who have made the switch. Some GF products are not good. Some are okay. Some are excellent. If you are not going to go the all-natural, I'm going to make everything from scratch from here on out route, then here are a few great GF options.

5. Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crusts (2 in a pack)

If you're in a hurry, but want a decent meal, this is a great way to go. I LOVE these pizza crusts. Simply layer your sauce and cheese and dump as many healthy toppings on as you want! Keep two things in mind: 1) Check to make sure your sauce is GF... or make your own! And, 2) Buy the block cheese and shred it yourself. The pre-shredded cheese you buy in the store often use wheat flour as an anti-clumping agent.

4. Udi's Gluten Free Muffins

For breakfast, Udi's GF muffins and cinnamon rolls are great! Udi's makes lemon struessel, double chocolate, blueberry, and cinnamon rolls. The lemon is great, though can be a bit dense. The chocolate is very chocolatey (in a good way!), though also a bit dense. The blueberry has a bit of an interesting texture (lots of air pockets), and the cinnamon rolls are great. All are delicious when you heat them up in the microwave for 20-30 seconds a piece. 

3. Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Breads

When I made the switch the gluten-free, I immediately began experimenting with GF sandwich breads. I love sandwiches, and the idea that I couldn't have a sandwich anymore was more than I could bear! But thankfully (and finally!), I discovered a brand that makes excellent GF bread. Most GF bread is best toasted, but this bread does pretty well cold, too. I love it, and I'd highly recommend it to you if you are making the switch to eating gluten-free food, as well. In the picture you can see that they make a 'Mountain White', a 'San Juan 7 Grain', and a 'Cinnamon Raisin' loaf. Canyon Bakehouse also serves a great hamburger bun, if you like to have the bread along with your burger.

2. Bob's Red Mill Corn Bread Mix

Since corn bread is primarily made of - you guessed it - corn (LOL), it would seem unnecessary to buy an expensive mix when the cheaper one will do. The problem is, there is this lovely issue called cross-contamination, and it affects a lot of gluten-free grain items like corn and oat products. So, to be on the safe side, it is recommended to stick with guaranteed GF items. And besides, this mix is phenomenal. Jody loves the corn bread mix, which goes perfectly with cowboy stew or any soup dish!


1. Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Brownie Mix

I'm sorry, but Betty Crocker has figured out how to do brownies, and that includes the gluten-free version. I love. love. love these brownies. In fact, when I went home to Virginia for Christmas, I made a batch so I could have something sweet to eat over the course of the two weeks we were there. Knowing my family, I put them aside so that they wouldn't be gone in five minutes. Well, my brother and his girlfriend found my batch and ATE half of it. They confessed later, saying they were amazing! I made them go buy me another mix... LOL! So, if you need a chocolate sweet fix, these GF brownies will do the trick!

Part II coming soon....

For our heart rejoices in Him,

Because we trust in His holy name.

~ Psalm 33,21

Jody and I had a wonderful Saturday this past weekend. We celebrated 6 months of marriage with.... MEXICAN FOOD! From some friends we learned that the only On the Border restaurant in Asia is in Sinchon, about an hour and a half trek from Suji in northern Seoul. Jody felt strongly enough that the trip was necessary, and it was totally worth-it! We had a great time.

Jody and I are doing well and praising God for His goodness to us. We love being married and are beginning to see the wisdom in our choice of Korea for our first year of marriage. The life of a foreigner here is free from the many distractions of life in America. This has strengthened us, I think, and enabled us to pray about and think about what we want to do next. The brainstorming has already begun!

We love you all (family and friends)! Keep in touch, please!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving (a little late)!

I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

- Psalm 69,30

So a Belated Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, our dear friends and family! I hope this finds you well and enjoying the goodness of God. We have so much to be thankful for.

Jody and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration at our home this past Saturday. We invited friends who would be missing home and family to come and enjoy some good food with us. It was a potluck meal, so we didn't have to buy the food for everyone. In the end, about 18 people came... and there was more food than we knew what to do with. It was wonderful! We ate, played Scategories, ate, talked, and people got to meet new people. God is soo good!

stefanie, naomi, danielle, and hillary

WE HAD TURKEY!!! YAY!!! and mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, cranberry, and PUMPKIN PIE. most of which is very hard to come by here in the koreas. :) God is SOO GOOD!

christan

john

ji yun, a sweet young woman we've met through her boyfriend, jb.

dan and carrie buller, new friends at our church

then everyone decided to play a few games of scategories...

with chris and alex, whom jody used to work with at AEI. they were teachers in taiwan for a few years and are here to save money before they embark on their trip around the world.

dana and naomi, the serious team

soyon and john

christan, yorda, and jb

and that is all for the pictures from our thanksgiving dinner this year!