Rapadura Sugar

I wanted to share some information about the type of sugar you will see included in many of my recipes.  It is called Rapadura Sugar and it is much better for you than traditionally bleached and refined table sugar.  Here is a description of it straight out of Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats:

"Rapadura is the commercial name for dehydrated cane sugar juice, which the people of India have used for thousands of years.  It is rich in minerals, particularly silica.  Rapadura has a wonderful flavor and closely mimics sugar in chemical properties.  It gives the best results for cookies and cakes but be careful not to overdo - in large amounts Rapadura can upset the body chemistry just as much as sugar."

You can purchase a sugar which contains the entirety of this cane sugar juice, including beneficial vitamins and minerals which are not found in bleached, refined table sugar.  This Rapadura Organic Whole Sugar is available at Amazon.com through this link. I have looked for it at local health food stores, but was not able to find it at any near us. Here's a picture of the nutrition facts from the back of a bag:

As you can see, a teaspoon of this sugar contains 11% of your daily value of iron and 2% of your daily value of vitamin c.  I love that!  This still needs to be used in moderation of course, but it is wonderful that you get some valuable nutrition from it!

Want to see what it looks like?  Here's my storage container I use to hold Rapadura Sugar in my own kitchen:

This sugar can be used in equal amounts to replace any table sugar or brown sugar called for in a recipe.  It imparts a flavor rather like molasses, but it fits very well with many recipes, especially oatmeal raisin cookies!  I personally order mine on the subscribe-and-save option at Amazon as that gives you a better deal per bag.  We don't use a lot of sugar, so I can space my orders out quite a bit.  Try it out and see what you think!

"Food Fridays" and a Peach Pecan Oven Pancake

Ready to eat!

We are currently trying to move our family diet to more whole foods and fewer processed items.  I have done well with this for quite some time for our lunch and dinner meals, but cereal was a regular in our house.  We had it for breakfast almost every morning except Saturdays.  I am glad to say though that I have now made it just over a week without serving cereal for breakfast.

Why are we doing this?  Well, I realize that all boxed cereals are not created equal (some have much less sugar than others for instance), but by using whole ingredients and preparing the foods myself instead of using store-bought mixes and other packaged items, I am avoiding preservatives and adding other nutrients that are not found in processed foods in general.  This is especially the case with the type of sugar we use in our household, although I still try to use it sparingly. Click here to learn more about Rapadura sugar.

In light of our quest to have a home-cooked breakfast each morning, I would like to announce "Food Fridays" on my blog.  I will post recipes here for different breakfast options that we have enjoyed at our house and occasionally throw in a different sort of recipe.  I'm trying to have a good variety in our home-cooked breakfasts, so I'll be trying out different recipes in addition to our oatmeal or sausage and eggs that we'll be eating several times a week.  To kick-off "Food Fridays," I'd like to share the recipe for the item you see above:

Peach Pecan Oven Pancake

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar or rapadura sugar

1 tablespoons maple syrup (pure)

1 lb frozen peach slices, thawed, or fresh slices which are drained

2 to 3 tablespoons pecan pieces

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon rapadura sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

Makes 6 servings

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place the 2 tablespoons of butter into a 9-inch pie pan and put this in the oven to melt as the oven heats.  
2. While butter is melting, mix together the flour, salt, 1 tablespoon of rapadura sugar and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.  
3. When butter is melted, remove pan from oven and swirl the butter around the edges and sides of the pan so it is all coated.  (This will keep your oven pancake from sticking while baking.)  Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or rapadura sugar (this is what we use) over the butter and pour on the tablespoon of maple syrup.  Put a single layer of peach slices on top of this mixture in a decorative circle.  Sprinkle these with the pecan pieces.
4. Whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and stir till just combined.  Pour the batter over the peaches.  Bake this for 18-25 minutes till lightly browned and firm to the touch. (Bake-time will mostly depend on the state of your peaches prior to cooking.  I used frozen peaches and had to cook mine for about 25 minutes due to the extra moisture on the bottom.)
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 minute.  Run a knife around the outer edge and invert the pancake onto a serving plate.  Serve immediately with additional maple syrup, if desired.

 Additional notes: 

I found that after about 18 minutes, my pancake was already adequately browned on top as in the picture below, so I covered it with foil to prevent over-browning while it continued to cook.  The inside was not yet done at this point due to the moisture from the frozen peaches.

This recipe says it serves 6, but it only served 4 in our family (Mom, Dad and 2 littles - the baby didn't eat any).  This was all we ate for breakfast, so if you were serving it in combination with other items it would serve more people.  Enjoy!  

In the World, But Not of It...Social Media - Part Two

The main thing to remember in regard to our activities on Facebook or any other social media outlet is that we are the aroma of Christ to the world.  Let's live out II Corinthians 2:14-15:

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;"

We want to put forth a "sweet aroma" to God as we behave in a manner pleasing to him.  In Part One, I covered our connections to others on Facebook and what reflection that might have on our Lord's reputation in the world.  Now I would like to discuss some ways we should guard our individual behavior.  What ways should we specifically guard our behavior here?  I think there are several areas we should look at: harnessing the tongue, guarding your heart and redeeming the time.

Harnessing the Tongue

We are told in James 3:8-12:

"But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.  Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs?  Nor can salt water produce fresh." (NASB)

The key to remember here is that we are told that "no one" can tame the tongue, but as Christians, we have supernatural power to tame the tongue through the Holy Spirit Who now lives in us as baptized believers.  We cannot do this on our own, but God can work through us to do this by His Spirit.

The internet is a dangerous place for words.  It seems so much easier to type certain things on a computer screen than to say them in person and this outlet can perhaps contribute to lack of discretion on our part.  Here are some further verses to consider in regard to our speech, be it virtual or real.

"But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices."  Colossians 3:8-9 (emphasis mine)

"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person."                                                                                Colossians 4:6 (emphasis mine)

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."                                                                                                                         Ephesians 4:29 (emphasis mine) 

"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."                                                                                                                    Matthew 12:36-37

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh word stirs up anger."                                Proverbs 15:1   

Before you type anything on the internet, be it a message, post or comment, consider it by these guidelines:

1. Is it something you would say in person?
2. If it is about someone else, would you say it to that person?
3. Is it true?
4. Is it edifying?  This is for the purpose of building someone up.  Note here that a loving rebuke is also for the purpose of building someone up in Christ.
5. Is it kind?
6. How will it come across?  Sometimes, people read more into things than is there when they read something on a screen based on their perception of you and the relationship.  Would it be better to say this in person to make sure it is clearly understood?

I think if you consider your words before they are "sent" or "posted" online, it will help make sure that your behavior is reflecting Christ to the world!

Guarding Your Heart

In Proverbs 4, during the father's instruction to his sons, he points out the importance of this practice.  Consider Proverbs 4:23:

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (NIV)

"For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.  For each tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.  The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."                                                       Luke 6:43-45 (NASB)

With what are you filling your heart?  Are the things you are consuming on Facebook and the internet in general filling your heart with "good treasure?"  Are the images you are seeing and the words you are reading bringing you closer to God or drawing you further away? We should also consider I Corinthians 15:33 in regards to whom we keep as close friends, be it on Facebook or in real life:

"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good morals.' "

The things with which you fill your heart will directly influence your behavior and the words that come out of your mouth.  Take care that these are things which are pleasing to God.  If something arises that is not pleasing to God, turn away and do not dwell on it.  Don't store it up in your heart!

Something that my husband and I made a decision to do to guard our hearts in our relationship with each other is that we do not carry on text conversations with or "friend" members of the opposite sex, outside of close family members, on social media outlets.  This is just a precaution we take to protect our relationship with each other as husband and wife.  I'm definitely not saying that everyone has to do this, but I'm just throwing it out there as something that we do.  As I was saying in the section above regarding harnessing the tongue, it is easy to feel more at ease with saying things, etc. while on the internet in the virtual realm and this tendency could easily lead into inappropriate relationships or temptations in regard to members of the opposite sex.  Additionally, I do not want to give my husband any reason to have concern about my faithfulness to him.  

Redeeming the Time

Paul talks in Ephesians 5:15-16 about the necessity of using your time wisely:

"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil."  

 Each individual person has to consider this in relation to their own life.  Think about what God-given responsibilities you have, such as your job, your family, your home, etc.  Is the time you spend on Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, etc. keeping you from doing these jobs well or taking away from time you should be spending with your family?  Something else to consider is whether or not this time is benefiting you spiritually.  Sometimes it is not merely a question of whether or not something we are doing is good, but whether or not there is something better to be done instead.

I think carefully considering these three areas, harnessing the tongue, guarding your heart and redeeming the time, will go far in making sure we are pleasing to God in our online behavior.  How do you maintain godly behavior online?  Leave me your thoughts below!  Let's all help each other show Christ to the world through our lives, online and in real life!

In the World, But Not of It...Social Media - Part One

How do we minister to others and yet keep Christ's reputation pure to them? 

How do we maintain the proper depiction of Christ to the world through our social media accounts, such as Facebook?  

These are some things I have been contemplating since recently joining Facebook.  The blog outlet doesn't worry me, but all the people one can have as "friends" on Facebook does.  I'm going to look specifically at Facebook, because this is the main social media outlet with which I have direct experience.  When people see us, what do they see?  If we are living as we should, they should see Christ.  The main struggle I am having with this is what reflection any information, ideas or images posted by people with whom I am "friends" will have on my reputation and the reputation of Christ through my claim of Him as Lord of my life.  Since I claim Christ, I should be a reflection of Him to this world.  Obviously we are responsible for the influence anything we post on Facebook will have, but here is where I think we get into some murky waters.  What level of responsibility, if any, do I have for the influence ideas and images posted on my "friends' " pages will have on others with whom I am "friends?"  Let's start by looking at what our purposes could be in interacting with others on Facebook:

1. Influencing others for Christ!
2. Keeping in touch with friends and family.
3. Networking for business purposes.

As Christians, number one up there should be the purpose we keep in mind in all of our interactions.  Now, if we are keeping that as our main goal on Facebook, how will we go about our interactions with others and making new "friends?"  First of all, I think it will be clear to others through our online behavior and posts that we are Christians.  Any post or image will represent Christ to the world, whether for good or for bad.  Ephesians 5:3-11 says: 

"But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.  For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying the learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them" (NASB - emphasis mine)

This passage speaks to guidelines for our own posts and behavior (such as avoiding filthiness and coarse jesting, demonstrating giving thanks, etc.) as well as maintaining Christ's reputation through not partaking in the sin of others.  How do we do this?  If someone looked at your profile, posts and images, would it be clear to them that you are a Christian, that you follow Christ?  Is it clear that you are not a partaker in these "deeds of darkness?"  

Jesus did eat with sinners and spend time with them to influence them in a godly way and we certainly are called to do that in order to teach the gospel and win others to Christ.  However, I think there are some limitations here and some special circumstances that come up in relation to social media interaction.  First off, take a look at I Corinthians 5:9-13:

"I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous or swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.  But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler - not even to eat with such a one.  For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Do you not judge those who are within the church?  But those who are outside, God judges.  REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES." (emphasis mine)

Here, Paul is instructing the Corinthian Christians, and us, not to associate with people who call themselves Christians and are continuing willfully in a sinful lifestyle.  I would think this might also mean not to maintain our "Facebook friendship" with someone calling themselves a "brother" or "sister" who is willfully living contrary to God's ways.  If they have been approached about this matter and continue in sin, it is dangerous for all in the church to maintain fellowship with them.  Paul says in I Corinthians 5:6b:

"Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?"  (emphasis mine)

The sinful lifestyle of that person will influence others within the church.  This action of not associating with that person may even be what is necessary to drive them to repentance.

Here is an instance in which I personally think we should guard our Facebook friendships in regard to those in the church and those without.  A major difference in your internet relationship with non-Christians, versus your real world relationship with those people is the presence of images and/or videos in that relationship.  If you are attempting to influence or study with a non-Christian person, you do not have to do so while they are immodestly dressed or engaging in immoral activity.  People can post many pictures and videos on the internet though and I do not want to be someone's link to an image or video that may cause them to stumble. In Romans 14:12-13, Paul says:

"So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.  Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this - not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way."  (emphasis mine)

We will all be responsible for our own actions to God, but we are also commanded not to do things that are a stumbling block to our brother or sister in Christ.  I know that someone checking out your "friends' " pages is not an activity that you are directly responsible for, but I personally would rather not have placed the stumbling block of immodest images or videos in front of someone through my linking to my "friends."

It is difficult to know if someone has something on their page that may be a stumbling block or an ungodly influence on others.  The main thing to do is make sure that your page and your posts do not contain anything  such as this and then make judgment calls as you discover things or other situations arise in regard to the pages and activities of your "friends."  Tomorrow I will continue with the conclusion of this topic, discussing more specifically guidelines for our own godly behavior.  Be sure to check it out!  Part Two

Household Chore Charts

I think I originally read about this idea somewhere else, but it has been a wonderful help to me and is reusable which is always great!  I wanted to share with you what I personally use at home to keep up with regular household chores that need to be done.  You can easily make one of these yourself and use it to help keep your home organized and stay on top of your chores.  Here are the two charts I have:

There are several steps to take in making up lists such as these.  You may find that it works better for you to keep such a list in a household notebook, but I have mine up in the kitchen so I see it regularly.  I took my list and laminated it so that I can use a dry-erase marker on it and use the same copy over and over.

1. Make a list of every room in your house, as well as a category for "whole house" and "outside."  (As you can see from my chart, I also added a "finance" category for going over expenses and paying bills).
2. Write down cleaning and general household tasks that need to be done related to each room or area.
3. Mark beside each one how often it would ideally need to be done (daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally).  
4. Prioritize the tasks.  It would be an excellent idea to ask your husband what things on your list are most important to him in keeping up with the household.  You need to mark each task as "necessary" or "desirable."  
5. Transfer all this information to tables in MS Word document.  Use bold print to distinguish the "necessary" tasks from the "desirable" ones. 
6. Print it off, laminate it and put it up somewhere where you will regularly see it.  You could also skip the laminating and plan to print new copies as needed.

As you can see from my lists above, I added some things unique to our household, such as fish tank maintenance and chicken pen cleaning.  You can certainly customize your own list to include any tasks required regularly in your home. 

This list doesn't mean you have to take care of all of these tasks yourself.  I use this list to keep up with the tasks our family has accomplished for the week, month, etc.  My children also help out with some of these chores as they are able, but at the moment my oldest is 5, so they don't do a large amount of chores.  My daughter helped create a chore chart for herself which includes some personal care as well as some household responsibilities she helps with.  We simply make new copies of hers, as it is not laminated.  Here is her chart:

The "necessary" versus "desirable" task differentiation is really helpful, especially during certain seasons of life (such as a new baby in the house) or when you just have "one of those days."  This chart provides for some flexibility as it doesn't designate a specific day for the weekly chores or a specific time for the daily chores.  If  you require more structure, you can certainly work that in.  I personally find it helpful to allow for the flexibility as I find that some days I have more time to devote to household chores than others.

If you're having difficulty keeping up with things or are simply in need of more structure in keeping your household, I'd encourage you to try out making your own charts and see how it could work for you and your family.  Also, if you have any great ideas related to home organization and management, please share them here.  Leave me a link and/or your comment!  

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

I have read quite a bit about coconut oil recently.  This is a great choice to use in many instances in cooking and baking.  This picture shown above is a brand that is even available in Wal-mart where we live, so you don't have to go to a specialty health food store to obtain it.  I do think you'd have to go to a health food store to get the unrefined, virgin coconut oil though, as I have not seen that type available in our grocery stores here in east Tennessee.  Let me tell you about some of the benefits of coconut oil.

This type of oil is the best to use when frying or sauteeing on medium high heat as it is almost fully a saturated fat, which means it will resists chemical changes when heated to high temperatures.  This is in contrast to the polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, canola and soy, which oxidize cholesterol when heated in cooking, converting the good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.  Oxidized cholesterol in your arteries leads to a significant increase in risk for coronary artery disease.  Olive oil is a beneficial oil as well, but when heated above 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit, it also runs the risk of oxidation.

The fat in coconut oil is 50% lauric acid, which is an amazing ingredient.  This is converted by your body into monolaurin, having anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-protozoa properties.  Coconut oil contains the most lauric acid of any food choice.  What a great option for your diet that will help support your immune system, especially this time of year when people seem more prone to illness.

Coconut oil has also been touted as beneficial for diabetics, because it does not cause an insulin spike when consumed although it provides fast energy to your body through its medium-chain fatty acids.  It gives you quick energy like a simple carbohydrate would do without the drawback of an insulin spike in the bloodstream.

Coconut oil can also be used directly on the skin for a moisturizer or a massage oil without any potentially harmful ingredients!

Here are some links to more information about this healthy oil:

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2012/January/Coconut-Oil-Touted-as-Alzheimers-Remedy/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx

Try it out!  I'm sure you'll love it.  I personally use it frequently for frying.  If you're going to fry foods, this is certainly the best choice!  This oil also has a very mild taste, making it a good substitute in baking for other vegetable oils.

The Blessing of a Godly Mother

"Mother and Child" by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

What a great blessing a godly mother is to her children!  I am privileged to have such as woman as my mother and have been greatly affected by her influence in my life.  My mother planned from the start of their family to stay at home with the children.  It was difficult financially for them at first, especially while my father was in engineering school, but she felt that it was best for her to be at home raising her children.

She remained at home through all of my childhood years, my sister's, and remains at home while my brother completes high school.  She is very intelligent and could have chosen to invest part of her time and energy elsewhere, but she instead chose to put it all into our family and service to our church and community.  I would like to thank her for the time, teaching and love she gave and continues to give me and my brother and sister.  Proverbs 31:28-31 says:

'Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all."  Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.  Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.' (NKJV)

My mother blessed me with her example of how a godly mother should serve her family.  She always put us ahead of herself.  I don't remember ever worrying about what we would have to eat, as my mother always prepared something for us.  I don't remember ever worrying about what I would wear, because my mother always made sure we had adequate clothing, whether by sewing or shopping for and with us.  I don't remember ever worrying about being sick, because I knew my mother was doing all she could to care for me.  She was a daily, living example of God's love for me.

My mother showed me how to be diligent, how to serve others, how to care for a home, how to love God, how to be a good Christian wife, how to teach, how to be patient, how to care for children, and how to be a good steward.  She taught me diligence through requiring me to do various chores around the house to care for my own things and those of our family.  She taught me service to others by setting a good example of service to those in need and especially to those in our church family.  We participated as a family in service activities such as caroling to the older people in our church at Christmastime and she also involved my sister and I in activities, such as baking and delivering cookies to our neighbors around the holidays.  She also selflessly served my father and us, her children.  She made sure we had the things we needed before purchasing anything for herself.  She taught me how to care for a home through her example and through teaching me to do various tasks, such as cooking and cleaning.  She made sure our home was clean, neat, and beautiful so that it was a blessing to our whole family and any others who were there.

She taught me how to love God by setting an example of obedience to God's direction in her own life and through giving precedence to Bible study and church attendance.  She taught me how to be a Christian wife  by her service and devotion to my father.  She taught me how to teach through her role as a Sunday school teacher at our congregation and through involving me in teaching and assisting in Bible classes as I grew into a young woman.  She also taught me to read at home by home-schooling me in kindergarten before sending me to school in first grade.  

She taught me how to be patient by her example of patience with us.  I know she had a lot of patience to put up with the many faults and mistakes of me and my brother and sister.  One area she really demonstrated patience with us was with our desire for pets, which would inevitably end up being taken care of by her for the most part once they had resided at our home for a while!  She taught me how to care for children by letting me be involved in the care of my brother, who is twelve years my junior, and by encouraging me to babysit and help out in the nursery at church.  This prior experience was a great blessing to me when I had my first baby, because I did not feel quite the fish out of water that I could have been if I had lacked this experience. She taught me good stewardship by wisely allocating our resources in her areas of influence (such as groceries and clothing), thereby supporting my father in living within our means.  

I know there are many other areas in which my mother positively influenced my life, but these are the ones that stand out to me.  Now that I have a husband and three children of my own, I can understand much better how my mother sacrificed for our family and how she followed Christ's example of putting others first.  My mother embodies Philippians 2:3-4 in our family:

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."

Now, don't get me wrong.  My father is a good Christian man and has also played a great role in my life.  I greatly appreciate the blessings I have through him as well, but, as a woman who is now a wife and mother myself, I can more closely identify with my mother's influence in my life.  I praise God for the great blessing He gave me when He placed me in my mother's womb.  When I grew up, I knew that I wanted to be the same blessing to my husband and children that she was to our family.  I am privileged to have her as a mother, mentor and friend!