Strawberry Smoothie

Put the following ingredients in a blender:

1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chopped strawberries
1 banana
2 pieces tofu
1 scoop Spiru-ten Protein supplement

Blend until smooth.

Fruit and Vegetable Smoothie

Put the following ingredients in the blender and blend on high until fully liquified.

1 banana
1 orange
5-6 fresh or frozen strawberries
3-4 pieces pineapple
1 carrot cut in pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh kale
1 cup orange juice

Vegan Stir Fry

Ingredients:
3/4 c. vegetable broth
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. vinegar
2 t. sugar
2 T. corn starch
1/4 c. tofu
snow peas
carrots
mushrooms
ginger
garlic

Sauce:
In a small saucepan stir 3/4 c. vegetable broth, 3 T. soy sauce, 1 T. vinegar, and 2 t. sugar. Heat to boiling and whisk in 2 T. corn starch.

Dredge tofu in cornstarch and fry in hot oil turning to brown on both sides. Add snow peas, carrots, mushroom, ginger and garlic. Drain. Add sauce.

Serve on rice.

When values go amuck!

As a young child he was quiet, not easily provoked, never took up for himself and very deep in his thought process. At 3 he could add a list of numbers in his head. By 2 nd grade he was writing books, complete with titles to chapters and illustrations. By 6th grade these stories had turned into comic books that clearly illustrated his view of the world.

When he was in 4th grade he stated that he didn't think that an animal God created should be eaten when we have other food to eat. No one had seen a child make such an ethical choice at such a young age, and stick with it as long as has he has (6 years now).

The boy now is struggling with teenage problems. He has experienced marijuana, pills, and sneaking out in the night. The boy has high ethics, respect and integrity so we ask, "What happened?" The bible says in Proverbs 22:6 that children will return to the way they were raised.

As our children get older and life moves faster, activities take over, and less time is spent in the amount of time we spend talking. This boy with both strong ethics and bad choices can be brought back to making good choices. There are many ways to teach values to teens:

-Make a list of family values.

-Write a contract of expectations.

-Require time that the family eats together.

-Have one-on-one time just to talk.

-Take an interest in your child's friends.

-Spend time together doing fun, family activities.

-Volunteer together.

We are checking in daily and praying....

Vegan Pesto Pasta

This recipe came from Leah Farmer.

Whole wheat pasta with pesto and roasted asparagus, onion, mushroom, and garlic topped with cherry tomatoes and a side of crispy garlic flat bread. Vegan delight!

Vegan Lasagna

12 oz. lasagna noodles
2 (16 oz) firm tofu
2 T. olive oil
small bunch chopped kale
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups marinara sauce
2 small sliced zucchini or squash
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place thin layer of marinara sauce on bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking dish. On top of marinara sauce place a layer of noodles. Mix tufu, oil, kale, salt, pepper. Add layer of zucchini. Top with 1/2 of tofu mixure and half of marinara sauce. Place another layer of noodles, tofu and marinara sauce. Bake for 45 minutes uncovered or until hot and bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Reflection 3/12/11

What a week! I have had a persistent stomach ache that will not stop. I go back to the GI doctor Monday but don't have hope that they have an answer. I am praying and waiting to feel better.

The week at work has been full...the first graders raised more money for cancer than any other grade at CHS. I am so proud of them. They are a caring, sharing, loving group of 6 year olds. We went to the Children's museum Thursday and their excitement about the riverwalk we walked by, the bird under the bushes, and the vents on the street blowing hot air was contagious. How fun it is to live through the eyes of the young.

On a sad note, one of my students have taken to crying at the smallest inconveniences. It is so hard to teach when a child cries and gets louder and louder. Oh, how I don't like to deal with crying. Reasoning doesn't seem to work.

My middle school students had a great week finishing the book The Witch of Blackbird Pond and having a 17th century feast on Friday. I love spending time with a group of teenagers commited to making right choices.

Now I am focused on Spring Break-getting the house and car cleaned, spending time with Dad in Temple, Mom in Georgetown, and Paul, Jacob, and Justin in Port Aransas.

Life, you will NOT get me down. You have succeeded too many times depressing my mood, but that is over and I am committed to living a life of righteousness.