A Giant Pot of Beef Stew

Is anyone else a fan of beef stew? It's November and I can't think of a better weekend comfort food! Friends from Alabama will be here tonight for the weekend so I wanted something that would make the house smell good, helping them to feel at home and relax a bit.

Probs just being the oldest of 9 kids, I get this job.... Don't be fooled. It's work. :p



15 lbs of potatoes - a big crowd to feed!

I am so good at making a huge mess of the kitchen. :P

In addition to the regular hearty beef version of the stew, I threw together a simple vegan version. And, if you're looking for a lower glycemic option than the potatoes - parsnips or turnips make great substitutes!

While I was preparing the stew my sister was juicing. :) You go, girl! 

For the vegan pot, I used this organic vegetable broth. Can't wait to try it this evening! Speaking of which - I should probably taste it before I serve it . . . always a good idea. :) 

I can laugh at myself now, but until about an hour ago I didn't know when the guests would be arriving. Would they be here at 12 noon or 6pm (that's a big difference!).

It was almost 1pm and there was still tons to do before the thought of guests stepping foot into the house would be a welcome one. At the same time, I was trying to figure out a way to fit in a workout and finally decided to just stop and hit the treadmill for a least a short 1 mile run. I am so glad I did! Stress relief? I think so. Muscles are made to move and exercise makes me feel better as a whole. :) I missed lunch, though, and was absolutely starving by 3 o'clock! But, the house looks great now and there's just enough time to spend some time on music practice before the friends arrive!

Happy Friday, peoples - enjoy your weekend! What do you enjoy for stress relief?

Simple Healthy Salads

I've been enjoying simple healthy salads over the last few days. :) All you need are a few lettuce leaves, some chopped red onion & some classic humus to replicate this one!

I mixed up some whole wheat pumpkin bread last night. First loaf of the year! It made a nice addition to today's lunch. :)

Kale smoothie for breakfast this morning! I ran 2.4 miles as my workout before this yummy treat. :)

Lunch date yesterday. :-) We were dining at a good ole fashioned, country cookin' place so there weren't many healthy options, but that was okay :P

I eat healthy most of the time (notice I didn't say all of the time :P) so it's not something I worry about when I can't. But, it was interesting to me how some of the worst things you could possibly eat were towards the top - price wise. I think my meal of the cheapest of all and it was one of the healthiest things available :P

Bean soup and a side salad make a delicious & nutritious supper!

Using up those killer of a deal mushrooms! If you're the grocery shopper for your household you'll faint to know that these were $1 for a huge pack. Yep, that's right!!! They're normally 5 or $6. Ahhh! Love it when I can enjoy healthy food for a great bargain!

{I love living on a farm!}

The day was overcast, a little rainy and then topped off with a dynamic sunset that made you stop and say "wow". I'm always amazed at how quickly beautiful sunsets disappear. If you don't look fast - you'll miss it! To me, it's a reminder to be grateful for the blessings in my life - today. Right here, now now.

Tomorrow is not a guarantee. Several of my friends were together in a car yesterday and were almost killed as they were pulling a trailer, it starting fish-tailing, and the driver lost control. The car rolled multiple times and several of my friends were thrown from the vehicle. If you could see a picture of the accident scene you would not believe that they all made it out alive. From the looks of the car, it's a miracle that everyone is going to be okay. They have some serious healing to do but they will be fine. So, I am praising God for His mercies today! I am sobered at the thought of how brief life is, but I am also encouraged because as scary as this situation was - God used it to prove Himself great. It is evidence that there is a God in heaven that sovereignly orchestrates everything for His glory and the good of His children.

~

Today is the last day to sign-up for the So Delicious giveaway! I will announce the winners tomorrow!!! See you then. :) 

How was your day? Do you have any favorite simple healthy salads recipes? 

Starting the Week

Welcome, October! I'm so glad you're here and can't wait to fully embrace the cool, crisp evenings you will undoubtedly present us with. I'm anticipating the trees releasing their glory and the sound of fallen leaves crunching beneath cute riding boots. And, just the thought of watching majestic sunsets painted in bright shades of orange, pink and yellow disappear beyond the tree tops while sipping some hot spiced tea makes me smile. Ahh, yes - I'm glad it's October. :)

I got up early this morning - a great way to start off one of my most favorite months! I hopped on the treadmill just after 6am (after devotions and prayer) running for 30 minutes and covering 3.4 miles.



I had class this morning after a delicious strawberry/spinach smoothie for breakfast {sorry, no photo!}, and then onto the day's work. :)

I threw together some "overnight" oats on my way out the door this morning because for some reason or another (even though I was up before 5:30) I was feeling the crunch for time. :P It make a delicious lunch alongside an apple and PB. :)

To make the oats, it's just 2 parts oats to 1 part water. From there you can add whatever you want! Maple syrup for sweetener, chopped bananas and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc)



For supper, I made a simple salad. Harris Teeter has a fantastic deal on mushrooms right now. Just $1 for a huge pack!

This picture is from last Friday night's supper. Homemade granola served on the side w/ wild salmon and a green salad. I have to do a recipe post on this granola for you guys soon. Amazing!!! It's my sister's recipe - simply out of this world and I think you would really like it.

I hope your week is off to a fantastic start!!! Please comment and let me know how you spent this first day of October and what was special about it. :)