Iced coffee goodness!

So my latest craving involves ice, coffee, cream, and honey!  How could that be bad?

After watching The Pioneer Woman on the Food Network Channel last Saturday I decided to try her iced coffee recipe at home.  I'm sure the traditional recipe is to die for, that being said, I am not a girl who eats lots of refined sugar - especially now since I have given up all refined sugar completely to see A) if it is possible B) what my body thinks - hopefully it likes it and C) to force myself to be creative with alternative and more natural sweeteners!

This iced coffee recipe is taken directly from The Pioneer Woman blog, but improvised:

Creative Iced Coffee
Ingredients:
1/2 pound of coffee (any flavor/type you like - I sport the ground Donut Store version from Aldi's)
half/half or cream
honey
ice

Being in an apartment, I don't have the resources to make a vat of coffee, so I use nearly a 1/4 - 1/2 pound of coffee and steep with about a pitcher of water.  I place the coffee grounds in a large casserole dish and then gently poor the water into the grounds - stir until all grounds are in the water and not sitting on top.  Let steep over night or for at least 8 hours.  Poor into a large bowl with a lip (for easy pour later).  I then use a large strainer and place a napkin in it to sift out the grounds and keep the liquid.  An easier way would be to use a cheesecloth from your local store, but I seem to keep forgetting to purchase one.
Once you have strained the coffee, place in containers you can seal (I reuse old pasta sauce jars and mason jars we have around the house) and refrigerate.

Now for the creative part:  poor a couple tablespoons of honey into a small dish and then pour your cream or half/half over the honey and let sit for a few minutes - go fold laundry and come back.  Now take a fork and stir up the honey into the cream until it has dissolved completely.  Taste to make sure it is your desired sweetness - add more honey if you desire it to be sweeter.

Time to enjoy:  Grab your favorite glass, fill it full of ice cubes, pour the coffee over the ice, then add your cream/honey mixture until desired taste!  Now sip and smile!

Hope you enjoyed this no-sugar added iced coffee recipe!  Check back for more fun recipes to come!

Sometimes He makes me laugh out loud!

Some might not think of God as a humorous creature, but I know this to be false.  Why you ask......well I'll tell you:

After a few horrible nights sleep that felt much more purposeful and much less of a mistake on my end, I find myself searching before bed for answers.  I grab the book I've been reading "Having a Mary Spirit" by Joanna Weaver and think I'll dive in and get some answers.  Well, much to my surprise the answers were not found on the pages of the book, but between the pages (on my bookmark that reads "Where to look when.....").  The ending that caught my eye was "when you feel too busy" - which directly linked me to Ecclesiastes 3:1-15.

 Please look this verse up if you do not know it - it speaks that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven - much like the famous tune "Turn, Turn, Turn" by the Byrds. "To everything turn, turn, turn, there is a season turn, turn, turn, and a time to every purpose under heaven."  These lyrics were directly adapted from this verse! Beautifully written if I do say so myself.

As I began to read I literally began to chuckle out loud that a bookmark would lead me to exactly what I needed to hear and exactly what I thought God wanted me to hear.

Verse 12 and 13 state: "I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.  That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil - this is the gift of God." 

  

This struck me as so simple and yet so powerful that even with a full plate it is not what this world wants us to get done that is important, it might not even be what we do that is important, but HOW we do it that is the key to this life.  

I, of course, began to correlate these words into my current questioning of the meaning of life and came to this conclusion:  God designed me exactly the way I am and He intends me to use all of me.  I  was not designed to find a previous life to fit into like a cookie cutter, I was designed to create a new shape and to use all the characteristics and talents I've been given to do just that.  Sometimes I feel God telling me "don't you see, there isn't any perfect job, there isn't a specific place I want you to be.  I simply want you to use all that I created to do something you enjoy."  Wow....when that actually comes out on paper I understand how powerful that is.

This meansYOU too ------ this is a statement that is true for all of us.  I believe God is reminding us that we will serve the best when we are enjoying what we do.  God will spark ideas and lead when we begin to acknowledge this.

It is my hope for you today that you look at your life and enjoy what you do!
Have a happy Friday!

Go Greek in the Morning

Good Morning!

Today is my day off of work and I always like to start the day off with a great breakfast.  On my days off I like to be a bit fancy with my morning meal so today it was.........Greek Scramble!  

Greek Scramble Recipe:  1 serving

Ingredients: 

handful of chopped red onions

handful of chopped green bell peppers

handful of chopped spinach

1 small roma tomato (chopped)

olive oil

1 egg 

1 egg white

splash of milk

sprinkle of feta cheese

dash of salt

dash of pepper

dash of greek seasoning (optional)

Sauté onions with a spray of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat until softened.  In a separate bowl mix the egg and egg whites with milk and whisk together, set aside.  Add green peppers and spinach to the sauté pan and let cook until softened (about 1-2 minutes).  Add the copped tomato last and sauté for only about 30 seconds.  Add seasonings (salt, pepper, and greek seasoning) to sauté pan.  Add egg mixture to pan and let cook until golden brown or until desired doneness.  

Sprinkle a little feta cheese over the top and serve with a side of whole wheat toast and fruit (kiwi, banana, berries, grapefruit, etc.) and you have the makings of a great and healthy morning breakfast! 

ENJOY!

I'm an advocate for a VERY balanced meal in the morning (fruit, veggies, protein, carbs, and dairy).  So this recipe fits me like a glove and if you know me I am a HUGE fan of greek food so this is the perfect breakfast for me!  

Have a happy Monday!