Marvelous

 Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Lord have mercy.

Here I am again.  Tired.  But I write to you with a grateful heart.

Kael is sleeplittle again.  Not sleepless, the boy is sleeping, but he is waking up consistently earlier then this little momma appreciates.  I don’t think he has slept past 5am in…well, a really long time.  This morning it was 3 am.  The last two nights in an effort to curb the waking trend we have kept him up past 9pm in the hope that we could adjust his schedule, but it so far has proven to be unsuccessful.  Pray for us.

I finally succumb to his persistent pawing this morning (an hour worth of persistent pawing to be exact) and crawled out of bed and followed him downstairs.  I sat at our table, wearily drinking my coffee thinking about our new house.  Many of you know that we are buying a house and the closing date, as of right now, is undetermined.  We were ready to close last week but when I called to schedule our closing appointment I learned that the title company was working to clear some issues on title.  This was news to me.  Apparently when the home was foreclosed upon the bank who owned the note failed to settle on a lien.  So until all that gets sorted out house is on hold.

 Adorable new house

I thought about this as I drank my “go-juice”.  Let me just pause and say, coffee is a gift from God.  I was thinking about how God knows why this is taking so long and how one day when I stand before him I will see how his hand was in it and how he protected us and I will be amazed at how he worked without me knowing he was at work.  Then I began to think…why don’t I just praise him now for how clever he is?  I already know that one day I will marvel at his mercy and grace, why don’t I marvel now?  So that is what I am going to start doing.  In everything I am going to marvel at God and the work he is doing.

You might be thinking right now, ‘duh’, and to you I would say, sorry, but sometimes I am a little slow.

I am marveling at God right now that Kael who gets so little sleep is a cheerful happy little guy who is growing and learning, and talking more and more each day.  I marvel at how far God has brought him this past year, and that by God’s mercy we have a little boy who loves and recognizes us and who since my Birthday has been calling me Mommy.  You don’t know how marvelous this truly is.  It is not easy to have a 3 ½ year old that can’t say Mommy.  But, now he can, and he does.  It makes my heart happy every time I hear him say “it’s a Mommy!”

This has been a busy month.  I turned 30, I had my one year anniversary at Liberty Bank, I went on a road trip to Chicago, I read through Paul’s letters to the various churches, and up through Revelation, and I have made several new friends.  God has been giving me a tenacious appetite for his word.  I crave his word.  I noticed that these past few weeks as I have been working longer hours at work that I have had less time to spend in his word.  And I missed it.  A lot!

I have a new Bible, fresh with no highlights.  I am excited to mark it all up.

So what does a tired lady who wants to stay fit without the fuss eat?  I know that was a terrible transition, but my exhaustion is seeping into my writing and my coffee is wearing off.  This is something that you will really enjoy if you like Chicken or Tuna Salad.

Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

1 can chicken meat drained

2 tablespoons of fat free or light mayo

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tomato sliced

4 leaves romaine or iceberg lettuce.

Mix chicken, mayo, salt and pepper together.  Line a lettuce leaf with tomato slices and top with a few tablespoons of your chicken mixture.  Fix shut with a clothes pin.  I served it with some whole grain Scoop’s.  YUM!

I have missed writing to you and sharing the happening’s of the Hickey Household and my sweet little life here in Missouri.  If Kael keeps this up I may be back for good!

Sending my love and prayers to my church family in Washington who is celebrating the blessed departure of Ray Gephart who went home to be with the Lord last week.

xoxo,

Ronda



Glowing for God and Glow-bug Juice

I made a new friend today!  Her name is Dawn and she came by the bank for what she thought was going to be a loan application, but she walked out of my office with a dinner date! :-) It's how I roll.

Tomorrow night Dawn and her husband Tim are going to come out to dinner with Sam and I.  I am very excited.  You know how some people you meet and you instantly love them.  I instantly loved Dawn.  She radiated with a light that can only come from the joy and peace of having a living active relationship with the ultimate light generator, Jesus. Whew, that was a sentence full!  I was so blessed this morning; when you meet someone who has Christ at the center of their life you know...because they glow.

And guess what?  She likes tea parties too!!!  I love tea parties with the cute little tea sandwiches, scones, lemon curd, devonshire cream, tartlets... mmmm, tartlets are delicious.  I will have to make you some tartlets and blog about them.  They are one of my favorite things to make.

So a week ago I mentioned that Sam was having only juice for an entire week.  I took some pictures of what I juiced for him.   We watched a documentary on Netflix that was awesome and it really encouraged Sam to do a juice fast for 7 days.  He only cheated a few times, overall he did really good.  We highly recommend this documentary: Fat, sick, and nearly dead.

As a society our lives are a little out of balance with our diet/ activity level.  Sam and I for the last year have been working hard to strike a balance and really be diligent about making good wholesome food for our little growing family.  Sam regularly falls off the wagon and binges on Taco Bell and Mountain Dew, his old standby.  Someday he'll learn!

Sam's Aunt Kim loaned us an extra juicer they had about a year ago...yes we have borrowed it for a very long time.  We use it all the time though.  I make fresh juice for Sam and for the little boys.  The little boys love carrot, kale, spinach, and apple juice.  And as a mom, I feel pretty darn good when I make this for them.

First I wash my ingredients and for this juice, which we shall call "Glow-bug Juice" I combined:

Apple

Pineapple

Peach

Carrots

Lemon

Then you cut the fruit so that it will fit in the juicer.

Doesn't that look delicious!  Mmmmm, I could eat all that right now.

Put it into your juicer.

And, Wah-la!  Juice!  Delicious juice that you made!

This is the pulp that gets left over.  I hear that you can use it to make carrot bread or carrot cake with.  Interesting concept; I have never tried it.  I do know that a good juicer will leave you with a dry pulp.  A bad juicer will not extract all the deliciousness...so if you are thinking about getting a juicer, get a good one.  And look at all the pineapple I had left!  You can make a lot of juice with one pineapple.

Pineapple is very affordable right now.  You can get a whole pineapple for around $2.50.  Sa-weet deal!  Peaches are in the markets right now too.  I am really digging peaches and Greek yogurt with a few blueberries {heavenly}.

If you read this could you say a little prayer for me?  I have a big file that I have to work on in the morning.  Please pray that God will allow me to see everything I need to see, and fix everything I need to fix.  That every person involved will be ready and willing to help and that the loan will get closed, everything in order, and right on time.  Thank you!

I am going to need it!

Here is a picture of Carl at Youth group glowing to the music with light sticks...go Carl!

Have a wonderful Friday friends.  Go glow for God!

xoxo

Ronda

Skinny Mini Greek Garden Soft Taco's

I saved a little old lady today.  Well I didn’t save her, but I ran to her rescue.  Delores, 90 years old, fell down outside the bank and broke her hip.  I prayed with her while fellow co-workers called for an ambulance.  Luckily the Ambulance was two blocks away and actually on their way to the bank to see me.  The responding EMT is my customer and he needed to come sign some papers.  She was in a lot of pain and I was very grateful that God prepared quick help for her.

I hope that Delores is OK.  I thought it was nice that my EMT customer and his co-workers all called her “Sweetie,” or “Darling.”  Like, “Does this hurt Sweetie?”  Or, “Darling, on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst pain you have ever experienced, how would you rate your pain?”  Through her moans she got out a number…9.  Ouch!

She kept apologizing that we had to help her.  One of the EMT’s joked with her once they got her situated on the backboard that if she hadn’t of been so clumsy they would be at lunch already, she was able to laugh a little at this.

Pray for Delores and her family.  Our bank manager just went to the Hospital to visit her and Delores daughter confirmed that she broke her hip and was scheduled surgery for tomorrow morning.  So again, please pray…well, let’s pray right now:

Lord, thank you for Delores.  I pray that she has a relationship with you.  That is the most important thing I could ask for right now in this moment.  I pray that you will take her hip and mend it.  I pray that you take her pain and relieve it. I pray that you will bring comfort to her family, and wisdom to the doctors and nurses involved in her care.  I pray that they will treat her with respect and dignity.  In Jesus name, Amen.

I posted Brandon’s testimony yesterday about his trip to Africa, wasn’t that amazing?  I don’t dance very well; in fact, I am really, really bad at it.  I loved reading about how the Kenyan’s danced for the Lord.  King David danced before the Lord too.  I love it when I see my little boys dance.  They see me smile and they dance even more.  They clap their hands and shake their little booty’s.  Adorable!  Makes me wonder if God smiles at us and claps when we dance like I do for my little boys…maybe.

I’d probably make him spit out his heavenly coffee laughing at my dance moves.

I almost spit my coffee out the other day, all over my computer screen, when a friend from work sent me an email with a quote in it from My Big Fat Greek Wedding:

“Yes… Inside the lump was my twin.”

That movie is hilarious!  I am going to have to watch it again soon.  Maybe eat some Monkey Brains and watch MBFGW…any takers?

Ok, well, let me know!

Soooooo, I made another vegetarian dish.  I am telling you folks, it doesn’t have to have meat to be a meal.  I used to think this was the case.  I am now convinced otherwise.  I may never go back.  I think you will really like this too!  Especially if you are trying to eat healthy but not compromise taste.  Only problem with these are that you may be required to use some restraint.  But they are so healthy that you could eat a bunch of ‘em and you wouldn’t hurt yourself.

It was so easy, SO easy.  And it was so good, SO good!  Mmmmm, I would order this at a restaurant all day long.  But I don’t have to, because I invented it.  And because I invented it, I get to name it.  It shall be named: Skinny Mini Greek Garden Soft Taco’s

Yes, I think that should cover it.  Here is what you will need to serve 2 people….are you ready?

1. 1 zucchini chopped
2. 1 yellow squash chopped
3. 1 carrot sliced diagonally
4. 12 pickled asparagus spears (I forgot to take a picture of this, oops!)
5. ¼ cup feta (hence the Greek in the name)
6. 1/2 block firm tofu
7. 4 low carb soft taco tortilla (this is just what I used)
8. Salt to taste

Ha, and that is it!  My mouth told me I was a genius.  In the words of my father, “If I wasn’t already taken, I would marry myself!” –Ron Salleé.  He says this when he creates culinary genius; so he says this a lot! (Have you noticed how everyone is putting quotes on Facebook?)

In a skillet combined your zucchini, squash, and carrots with about ½ cup water and cook on medium heat until veggies are hot and kind of steamy.  When they are done, drain and transfer them to a bowl.  Place your tofu in the skillet and cube with the edge of your spatula and brown them with a pinch of salt.  When your cubes are browned on multiple sides place in bowl with veggies.

Take your flour tortilla and sprinkle with about ¼ of your 1/4^th cup feta and place 4 asparagus spears in the center.  Let it heat up a little bit in your skillet.

Just so the tortilla is heated through and the cheese is slightly warmed.  Should take about 2 minutes.  Top with ¼ of your veggie mixture and pinch shut with a clothes pin (adorable and very functional…I love these things).

I ate two, and they were amazing.  I even said out loud, “Seriously! These are amazing!”  I was amazed because it was so easy, and so quick, and SOOOOOOOOO good.  The saltiness of the feta and pickled asparagus balanced perfectly with the sweetness of the zucchini, squash, and carrots.  It was juicy and so flavorful.  I will make this, and eat this regularly from this day forward.  It is a new favorite.

Here is what I used:

Zucchini and Yellow Squash and Organic Carrots

Organic Extra Firm Tofu

Delicious Feta, YUM!

Low Carb (they taste really good!) Tortillas

I also used Pickled Asparagus, but I forgot to take their picture.  Sorry.  I hope you make this.  You can't let time be an excuse because it takes like 2.5 seconds.

xoxo,

Ronda

Wrap it up

I was bubbling with anticipation as I input each person’s name into a random picker for those of you who shared your favorite Peanut Butter method of indulgence.  I clicked the “get results” button; it was like Christmas!  My first Give-a-way!  And the lucky recipient is…dun dad a dun: Marie Fissouri!

Congratulations Marie!  I am very excited to send you some Naturally More Peanut Butter…because it is naturally awesome.  And so are you.

So now you can eat it by the “heaping tablespoon," your favorite way.

Today was a very busy day at work.  I didn’t seem to stop moving.  I rode my bike to work; my first time ever doing this.  And guess what?  I loved it!  I think I will do it more often.

I arrived to some very unhappy people (not awesome).  So I kindly worked to gently defuse their anger.  They were very nice people I could tell, but they were at the poor end of a sour appraisal on their home that they were selling.  This created a domino effect, and one contingent sale after another began to dissolve.

I could understand their frustration.  One thing I thought was a little strange is that they brought their Bible with them.  Maybe they thought they would read it if they had to wait.  Maybe it was something to bring them comfort.  Maybe they thought it would protect them from the ‘evil bankers’.  Or maybe they thought if all else failed they could thump me with it. I don’t know, but after I finally got them calmed down I asked if it would be ok if we said a quick prayer about it.  You could see the relief in his wife’s face when I asked this, but I could also see that he hesitated.  He wanted to stay upset.  But he said, “sure, ok."

So I said a very quick little prayer and they softened up a bit before they left my office.  I don't normally do this, but in Joplin it didn't feel that out of the ordinary.

That was the beginning half of my day.  Then it was a whirlwind of files, investors, realtors, title companies, customers, rate locks, lock expirations, disclosures, highlighting, filing, phone answering, call logging…it seemed never ending.  This day went by so fast I feel dizzy!

So yesterday I alluded to the fact that I found a healthy dinner that I could eat every day and every meal…I ate it again tonight, and I loved it all over again.  It is so quick, so easy, so delicious, and so healthy…what more could you ask for?  Oh yes, and it is cheap!  Now what more could you ask for?

You can use a flour tortilla, I made mine with Lavash Bread.  I buy this flat-bread made with flaxseed at Walmart over by the deli.  Each flat-bread wrap is only 100 calories which compared to your typical tortilla is a real bargain!  It is loaded with healthy ingredients and is perfect for cramming with delicious fillings.

I am calling this big beauty Ronda’s Veggilicious Veggie Wrap.  The recipe below is for a single serving…and it is very filling so you will only need one if cooking for just yourself.

1 ½ cups Asian stir fry

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

¼ cup water

1 Lavash flatbread or Tortilla

2 tablespoons light sour cream

Lavash Bread = good with everything.

Stir Fry, yes please!

See, I put clothes-pins on everything!

In a frying pan on medium-high heat place your frozen stir fry, taco seasoning, and water and heat until hot through.  Drain any excess water and spoon veggies onto flat bread.  Top with sour cream and roll up.  And that’s a wrap folks!  See I told you it was ridiculously easy!

Mmmm, I am going to eat that! 

I don’t think the pictures do it justice.  It was perfect…just perfect.  My taste buds are still talking about it.  They are gabby little guys.  And those are veggie chips...they should come with a warning label.  They are highly addictive.

Have a wonderful evening!  Enjoy your peanut butter Marie!!!

xoxo,

Ronda

Ruby Slippers and Rocket Bars

I cried yesterday.  It was a special occasion because I don’t cry often.  Years ago I wrote a song and the lyrics read, “I’m not the type to cry, my eyes they live life dry.  My heart may be breaking, but my eyes will tell the lie.”

It felt so good to cry.  I was lost in Kansas , hot, tired, frustrated, aggravated, and crunched for time, so I let go and let the tears fall.  At first it was just a few tiny tears, but the little buggers multiplied and next thing I knew I was mid way through a full blown sob.  What sweet relief!

I cried for only a few minutes.  It was exactly what I needed to shed the weight of worry, and let go of the things that I couldn’t control.  I realized that if I kept going the direction I was headed I would find myself in the middle of nowhere, without cell service most likely, crying like a baby, chanting “there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.”  Problem was I forgot my ruby slippers yesterday, so my only choice was to buck up and back track.  *Note to self: don’t go to Kansas without ruby slippers.*

Step one, recognize. Step two, improvise.  I turned around and headed back toward the familiar.  At times because of circumstances beyond our control, we can get headed in the wrong direction.  I was given bad directions; that can happen in our spiritual walk too.  If I would have checked MapQuest I would have seen that the directions I was given were wrong, and I would have saved myself a lot of time and frustration.  Spiritually speaking, study the word, then you will know that you are on the right track, and you won't get lost.

Trust in the Lord God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path (Proverbs 3: 5-6).

One more thing, it is good to cry sometimes.  I can now vouch for the therapeutic benefits and cleansing power of a good old fashion cry.

After I dried my tears and made my way back to Joplin I felt refreshed and rejuvenated.  I finished up my day at work and headed to our home on the range.  I was unsure what I was going to make and blog about so I stood staring at my cupboards for several minutes.  I knew that I wanted to make it really healthy, but irresistibly delicious.  It needed to be something even the pickiest kid would hound you for, and that could be made with ease.  Well, I think I struck gold with this one.  Pure gold!

This is a very versatile treat and can be eaten as a nutritious energy bar, or it can be the base of an amazing dessert.  This morning I chopped it into chunks and served it soaked in vanilla almond milk for Kael.  Simply put, this is purely delicious.



Ronda Honda Rocket Bars

Ingredients:

½ cup honey

½ cup agave nectar (or you could just do a cup of honey, but I did it half n half)

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup of peanut butter (I use the Naturally More peanut butter with Flaxseed sold at Walmart for $2.89, it is awesome).

1 cup well chopped mixed nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

10 cups of cereal (I used Mom’s Best Oats and Honey Blend)

I also threw in about ½ cup pumpkin flax plus granola in there because I had it, and I could.

In a medium microwave safe bowl, heat the honey, sugar and salt to a full rolling boil.  Remove and stir in vanilla extract and peanut butter, blend until smooth.  In a separate bowl blend cereal and nut mixture together.

Pour the honey sauce over the cereal until evenly coated.  Press firmly into a 9x13 baking dish and let cool.

While my RH Rocket Bars were cooling I peeled and sliced three apples.  I then made a caramel sauce and sautéed the apples in it.

I cut the bars up poured my apples and sauce over the top and served it with a scoop of ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Have you seen the movie “What about Bob?”?  In that movie there is a scene where Bob is eating dinner he ooohh’s and ahhh’s over it nonstop.  You should have heard them ooohh’ing and ahhhh’ing in my kitchen last night.  I was a proud lady!  Now it is your turn to impress your crew.  Whip up a batch of these and take the credit for making something so AUH-MA-ZING that everyone will want seconds, and thirds, but then you will have to make more.

Here is my caramel recipe:

Ingredients:

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 tablespoon of rum (optional, but I like it)

Put together ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Let simmer for 3-4 minutes.  Toss in your apples and let sit for about another 2 minutes.

I cut and wrapped my leftover bars and froze them.  Oh what a treat!  This morning I ate them right out of the icebox (I like calling it that).  I could have eaten so many, but didn’t, I used restraint.  I understand right now you cannot possibly appreciate the amount of restraint displayed and sheer willpower that was demonstrated in my kitchen this morning, but hopefully soon you will.

Xoxo

Ronda