Days 18-21 and Recipes!!

This is a WONDERFUL bean and corn salsa courtesy of our friend Jeff Chubbs. So easy and so delicious. Everyone loved this. Here's the recipe:

1/2 red onion (chopped fine)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 can corn - drained

1 can black beans - drained and rinsed

1 can garbonzo beans - drained and rinsed

1 bunch cilantro ( we only used half , but I say the more the better!)

Fresh lime juice - 2 TBSPs

Salt and pepper to taste

garlic salt to taste

6 roma tomatoes chopped

Combine in a big bowl and stir. The longer it sits, the more the flavors come out. We served with multiseed chips that are so good. We found them at Sprouts - my new favorite place. :)

I LOVE THIS MAN!!!! After the Priesthood session of our church conference last night, Jason and I went to YC's (thanks for the reminder Val!), and loaded up on vegetables, some tofu, and wholewheat noodles. It is such a treat to go out, because I don't have to chop or cook our food! Look how cute that guy is :) He's down 10 pounds. Way to go babe! You're my favorite and I think you're amazing!

Here's a closer shot of my dinner at YC's. We sprinkled some sesame seeds and put a couple spoon fulls of peanuts on mine.

A GREAT substitute for sausage - made from soy and vegetable protein. I LOVED the flavor! Jason thought they were a bit bland, but I am not a sausage coniseur at all. He is. These went great with our Sunday conference breakfast.

Whole wheat banana pancakes, sausage patty (can I say again how yummy this was??), baked red potatoes in the oven, and some grapes. Here's the recipe for the whole wheat pancakes:

1/2 cup of whole wheat or buckwheat flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 ripe banana

2 tablespoons vinegar ( we used apple cider)

3 TBSP maple syrup

2 cups oat, almond, or nonfat soy milk

Mix flour, oats, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.

Mash the banana in another bowl, and add vinegar, maple syrup, and milk. Stir and add to dry ingredients.

Heat a nonstick pan on medium high. (We used our griddle) When water sizzles on the pan, it is ready for the pancakes. Cook until bubbles form. Flip, cook another few minutes on the other side.

Next time I will add some blueberries, and then maybe make a fruit compote to add as a topping. Today we just used maple syrup and that was excellent too! Yum!

You can't (well I can't) have pancakes without milk! But when you aren't drinking milk what do you do? This is a GREAT substitute - light Silk soymilk.

Our normal conference day would include eating treats (Karin's caramel corn which really is to die for, and you better believe I will be having that again sometime), food, more food, and more food. Today was filled with better choices, family fun, and wonderful messages from apostles and prophet of our church. We had some no fat popcorn today, leftover YC's, and a yummy soup for dinner with whole wheat bread. I can post that recipe sometime, it's good.

Here is 1 more recipe for the lentil stew we love. I though I had a picture....hhmm, anyway, thanks to Adrienne Ellsworth for this one :) This is SO easy, just throw everything in a pot. Makes a lot, so you can eat off of this all week.

Hearty Lentil Stew

2 cups lentils ( I do 1 cup red and 1 cup green)

10 cups water

1/2 cup rice ( I used brown)

2 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 carrot, chopped (I use 6 whole carrots - we LOVE them, you could even add more if you want)

1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (I used fresh - several huge handfuls)

Wash and sort lentils; drain well. In a large pot, combine lentils, water, onion, rice, salt, garlic, oregano, and parsley; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add tomatoes, carrots, and spinach. (If using fresh, don't add til the very end!) Simmer 20 more minutes or until lentils are tender. SO GOOD!!!

Well there you go. I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend. We have. Life is good. We are soooo blessed!