Another recipe...yes, I see your eyes rolling in the back of your head

I took a recipe from this lady right here. Some people would let the words "fat free vegan" send them running, but don't be afraid.

The original recipe is here. I did a couple of things different.

Quinoa Vegetable "Paella"

1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon or so of garlic powder
1 1/2 cup quinoa
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
dash of cayenne pepper
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 14 oz. can Cannellini Beans
3 14 oz. cans vegetable broth
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 cup frozen cut green beans
1 can artichoke hearts, rinsed and cut into quarters
2 tablespoons of olive oil

I put the quinoa in a very fine mesh strainer and rinsed thoroughly. Set aside.

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring for another 2 minutes. Add paprika, cumin, cayenne, tomatoes, peppers, beans and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to very low, and cook covered for 15 minutes.

Place the zucchini on top of the quinoa and re-cover. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until quinoa is done. Remove the cover, stir in the green beans, and cook uncovered until green beans are warm and all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Arrange the artichoke hearts on the top and serve.

So that's my version. I loved it and the reason I made changes was because I don't like green peas and didn't have saffron. Check out the original recipe because you might like it more.

Evangelism & nurturing vs buildings & budgets

I've been reading Follow Me To Freedom - Leading and Following As An Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne and John M. Perkins. Been working on it for awhile. It's the kind of book that takes me a long time to get through because I have to put it down and think about it. Fluff books I can burn through in a day or so and I save those for the days I need to completely check out from reality and not think about anything. This isn't one of those books.

This is something I came across today in Conversation 3 - The Vision (Carrying A Cause).

The vision of the family of God relies on evangelism and nurturing. We lose that focus and vision when we fuss too much over buildings, budgets and institutions. Why are we building bigger churches when we have trouble nurturing the people already coming through the doors? Too often, our vision has turned into creating institutions rather than developing people. We have to keep our focus on the people of God-reconciling them to God and to each other. John M. Perkins

Evangelism and nurturing instead of building and budgets? Who would have thunk it?!

Giving when it hurts

I've been reading up on Ten Thousand Homes over the last couple of days and let's just say that I've been extremely impressed and extremely moved.

For a few years now I've known about Ten Thousand Homes because I know a family on the ground with them in South Africa. Their faith family in the States strongly supports the ministry with funds and volunteers.

Over the last couple of days there has been a tug in my soul to visit there, so that's when I started doing more intense research about TTH.

I came across this in their blog.

10K Tuesday: A Sacrificial Gift

Last week, a local volunteer at our Kabokweni Care Center was seen counting her money. When asked why, the volunteer replied that she had seen that one of the orphaned children needed new school clothes and she wanted to help. This volunteer is a single mother with several children of her own and she struggles everyday to put food on her table, but despite all of her own trials she gave from her heart even though it must have hurt.

Creative Action:

This is a challenge for all of us this week. Find a way to give even when it hurts. Whether that means sacrificing your money, time, or emotions, find your own way to give sacrificially, which means ESPECIALLY when it hurts.

WOW!

TTH 2 from Ten Thousand Homes on Vimeo.