Doing You WELL Wednesday (Product Review)

Hello my victorious readers! 
 
Today, I will share a review of a snack bar that I received in my July Conscious Box.  Conscious Box is a monthly subscription box ($19.95) of eco-friendly products.

This is what Conscious Box had to say about the nutrition bar:

Apples, cinnamon, organic gluten-free oats - oh my! Skout's Organic Apple and Cinnamon Trailbar is packed with health-boosting benefits alongside a deliciously natural yet oh-so-satisfying taste. Free of soy, dairy, refined sugars, and other artificial fillers, Skout makes it easy to pack healthy, fulfilling snacks, whether you're heading to the office, the gym, or the trail!

My review:

The Skout Bar is made with all organic ingredients. It is perfect as a lite meal or snack - very filling on an empty stomach. It satisfies the sweet craving. However, unlike other candy, cookies or other sugary sweets, it is sweetened with organic agave nectar and dates. And, did I mention? There are no unnatural preservatives on the ingredient list!

 

It is the perfect accompaniment for a fresh brewed cup of coffee (I enjoyed my bar for breakfast.  I ate it on a day when I had to do breakfast on the run!) 

Will I purchase this product?
If I could buy it locally, I would -depending on price. I checked with my local healthy market, and they don't carry it. I try to keep a snack bar in my bag, especially if I know that I will be away from home. It curbs the urge to impulsively buy unhealthy snacks due to hunger. My favorite bar to carry is Pure .


Have you tried the Skout Bar? If so, did you like it? What nutrition bars have you tried?

Meatless Monday #21

Vegetable Fried Rice

 

 

Prepare the rice ahead of time.  Although it is hard to tell from the picture, this is brown rice.  Freshly cooked rice tends to get too sticky.  The rice needs to be somewhat stiff when cooking fried rice.  However, if time does not permit, parboiled rice can be used instead.  Note:  Parboiled rice is more processed, and should be avoided if you are trying to eliminate or minimize processed foods.  I do keep a bag in the pantry for those times when time is a factor.

 

 

Stir fry vegetables in an oil of your choice.  I used coconut and sesame oil.  I used frozen mixed vegetables (broccoli, green and red peppers, carrots, zucchini, onions and squash).  In the past, I have used all fresh vegetables.  However, I made this meal on a day when it was time to go grocery shopping, and my vegetable tray was almost empty!  I did have just a little bit of fresh kale which I did add to the mix.  Note:When you are trying to include more plant based foods into your diet, it is very important to make every effort to eat all of the produce that you buy on a weekly basis. 

 

 

This picture shows the frozen mix with the fresh kale.  I used soy sauce (I was out of Bragg's Liquid Amino- a natural soy sauce alternative), garlic powder, a pinch of ginger and dill weed to season. 

 

 

Finally, the rice was added to the vegetables and cooked on high for about 5 minutes.

 

Bon Appétit!

Happy Sunday!

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
 

Psalm 119:105

FREEIMAGESLIVE

Linking up with Deidre and the Sunday Community, and Scripture and a Snapshot!

Doing You WELL Wednesday! (Encouragement)

REPOST (Everything Is Going To Be Alright!)

Although he (the enemy, the adversary, the devil) slay me, yet will I trust HIM (God) (
Job 13:15 KJV )

Everything is going to be alright!

Although I can not see it ,nor do I feel it; I must hold on to the belief that everything will be alright!

How do I know this?

1. The psalmist wrote in (Psalm 30:5), … weeping may endure for a night,

    but joy cometh in the morning.

2. Apostle Paul wrote,

(2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed ; we are perplexed , but not in despair ; Persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed;

(2 Corinthians 4:18)

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal .
　

　

Have confidence within your spirit man that , "Everything is going to be alright! " Despite what it looks like, what it seems like and what the evidence shows - "Everything is going to be alright! "

It does not matter what the doctor's report shows,
it does not matter what the judge has pronounced,
nor does it matter what the psychiatric evaluation states, 
"Everything is going to be alright! "

Please share this with someone who needs to be encouraged.

Meatless Monday #20

 

Kale and Purple Cabbage Salad

Purple Hull Peas, Brown rice, Cornbread

 

To prepare this salad, I marinated bite size pieces of kale in olive oil and sea salt in a covered dish for about 15 minutes.  For my dressing, I used apple cider vinegar and olive oil mixed with rosemary, and dill weed.  (I will share the recipe in an upcoming post - I'm still tweaking it!)

 

FRESH shelled Purple Hull Peas!  (YES - I shelled them!)

I cooked them in my crockpot with chopped celery and bell peppers.

Other ingredients:

garlic powder, celery salt, McCormick Mediterranean Herb Seasoning , cayenne pepper, coconut oil

 I cooked these peas for about 3 hours in a preheated crockpot.  Prior to adding my beans to the crockpot, I added the celery, bell pepper, coconut oil and water (about 4 cups) and let it cook overnight.  By the time the peas were added, the crockpot was nice and hot with seasoned water from the celery and bell peppers.

 

 

 To complete this meal, I cooked cornbread and brown rice.

If you try this, please let me know.  If you have cooked Purple Hull Peas before, leave me a comment, telling me how you cooked yours!

Someone wanted to know how did the peas taste since I added no smoked meat. When the water is already seasoned well, it tastes just as good!

Happy Sunday!

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

2 Chronicles 20:15

 

Linking up with Deidre and the Sunday Community, and Scripture and a Snapshot!

 

Doing You WELL Wednesday

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

Mark 4:35

Are you stuck in the storm (your forward progression has come to a dismal halt)?

OR,

Are you moving (albeit slowly) against every seen and unseen force in expectation of your promised arrival to the other side?
 

In this verse, Jesus gave HIS disciples a directive to their destiny.

Directive - (Let us pass...")

Destiny - (... to the other side.)

Isn't that the way HE is today?

He gives us divine directives for divine destiny? What HE does not give us is the process of transition between the divine directive and the divine destiny. It is often during the process of transition that we encounter unexpected problems that could catapult us over into our destiny or that could indefinitely delay our trip to our destination.

In this passage, our Lord and Savior was in the boat with the disciples as the boat started to sink. While the disciples were worried about their problem (the ship sinking), they temporarily refocused their attention away from the PROBLEM SOLVER. During troublesome times, we must be careful not to shift our attention from the PROBLEM SOLVER to the problem. We must keep moving -even in the storm. Psalm 23 reminds us that we, sometimes, go through the valley. Oftentimes, in life, we can't get to the mountain unless we go through the valley. Keep moving forward! As long as you keep going through it, you will not get stuck in it! And, ultimately, you WILL reach your divine destination!

 

Linking up with Michell over at Prowess and Pearls

Meatless Monday #19

Simple and Fresh
 

Bell Pepper, Cucumber, Tomato Salad (Chop vegetables, toss, and allow the salad to chill before serving.)
Boiled Corn (fresh from the Farmer's Market!)
Macaroni Salad

 

 

Happy Sunday!

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

 

Isaiah 1:19-20

Linking up with Deidre and the Sunday Community, and Scripture and a Snapshot!

 

Meatless Monday #18

The Cheesecake Factory

 

 



While vacationing in LA, I visited the Cheesecake Factory and this was my main entrée.

SkinnyLicious® Veggie Burger

 

A Delicious “Burger” Made with Brown Rice, Farro, Black Beans, Fresh Beets & Onion. Served on a Toasted Bun with Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, Pickles & Mayo. Served with a Green Salad  I had French fries!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the best veggie burger that I have eaten thus far!  Everything tasted so fresh.  I do plan to experiment and recreate my version of this burger.

 

Happy Sunday

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
 

Psalm 68:19

 

Linking up with Deidre and the Sunday Community, and Scripture and a Snapshot!

 

 

Meatless Monday #17

Collards , Tomatoes, Cornbread

 

These collards were cooked in my crockpot with chopped Bell Pepper and chopped onion along with other seasonings (garlic salt, Ms. Dash, celery salt).  They were served with sliced orange tomatoes (fresh from the farmer's market) and piping hot corn muffins!