FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SALAD

I am finding it difficult to come up with names for these salads. If you come up with a catchy name for these, throw it back my way. I have resorted to numbering them in my recipe book.

This salad is a brand new one, created by a mistake. My son, Bill, spent the night with us last night. I served Salmon burgers on the Arnold thin buns along with this Broccoli Mardarin Orange Salad. I intended to use my home made Mayo, add Pineapple juice to thin it to dressing consistency and use it on the salad. Instead of getting the mayo jar, I got the blue cheese dressing I had used the night before. When I saw the blue cheese chunks falling into my salad, I was sure I had ruined it. But was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SALAD

Broccoli Stalk and Florets, chopped finely
One Slice of Sweet Onion, diced
Apple, chopped to match the Broccoli
Mandarin Oranges
Crushed Pineapple, drained well
Pecans
Cabbage, chopped finely but not shredded
Cottage Cheese (this is optional. I added it on a whim)

Add the Blue Cheese Dressing. Bill ate more than his share.
This could be layered on a single serving plate or combined in a bowl, which is how I did it last night.

If you want to avoid mayo dressings, try a Squeeze of Lemon. The Cottage Cheese and the Crushed Pineapple would be enough dressing when mixed.

A SALAD OF DARK GREENS

Here is another chop salad that provides a variety of raw vegetables that are not common in salad presentations. Remember that raw vegetables provide live enzymes and loads of vitamines and minerals in organic form. I used the term "organic" because living enzymes produce living cells in our body. A raw carrot stem will reproduce another carrot, but a cooked carrot can not sprout. Organic in this sense also indicates that the vegetable has along with it nutients in their natural combinations. This is much better than relying on supplements that have been isolated or even recombined to work better together. I am very picky about the supplements I take.

This salad features the dark green vegetables that are very nutrient dense.

Dark Greens and Cuciferous Salad

Spinach
Mustard Greens (I used the stems chopped fine, since I had cooked Mustard Greens the night before.)
Cauliflower
Broccoli Stalks
Onion slices
Cabbage
Frozen Green English Peas
Tomato
Hard Boiled Egg (optional)

I am preparing meals for two most of the time now, so I create many salads on each plate instead of a bowl full. There is less waste.

I did not chop the Spinach, but finely chopped the Mustard Greens, Cauliflower, Broccoli and Cabbage.

I used one slice of sweet onion and used a half on each salad.

Blue Cheese Dressing was my choice tonight. Yummy!

PRESENT MYSTERY: CHRIST IN ME

The last entry dealt with the mystery of the cross of Christ and the extravagant love that bring us forgiveness. But there is another mystery that follows forgiveness and removing the barriers to intimate friendship with God.

The Apostle Paul talks about this mystery in Colossians 1:27. He says, "This is the mystery, Christ in me, hope of glory." I think it could be summed up by saying, "God's wonderful plan for my life is Chirst Himself." Don't we always think in terms of God making my life fulfilled with my dreams of possessions, good relationships, good reputation, good health, etc. This is the good life we feel He owes us if we are faithful.

Suppose God granted you everything you wrote on a list that would make your life like the Garden of Eden, right now, with one condition; that He would not be there. How would you respond? Some years ago the Lord and I had a dialogue about this proposal. I didn't have to think about it. Through tears I repented of my complaining and settled it once and for all. The Garden of Eden would be hell without God's presence.

From the time God's presence left the Garden in the dawn of creation until the resurrection of Chirst, He has been moving ever closer to this present mystery of incarnational reality. Christ really dwells in you? That realtiy ought to make a difference in how I relate to others and the values that guide my life. The last stage will be to restore all things, remove all evidence of the Fall of man and all rebellion. We will see Him face to face and enjoy Him forever.

Christ in me, hope of glory. How close do you want Him to be right now?

Christ in me. . .
thinking and speaking
loving and caring
giving and forgiving
enduring and patient
bold and fearless
enthusiastic and joyful
reaching out through me to others
full of peace and releasing peace as we live life together as ONE.

This God living in me is a happy, singing God.

One other thought. Jesus used the ordinary, insignificant things around Him to pour His divine energy into. Ordinary stuff like a boy's lunch to feed 5,000, water jars filled with water for a marraige feast, the dirt He walked on and His own spit to open a blind man's eyes.

Lord, I am ordinary stuff. In this wilderness of futility, pour Your energy through my mind, heart, hands and feet. Keep my focus on You, present in me. Unlike food, water, and dirt, I can rebel, complain, feel offended, argue and think I am justified in moving away from You. You said I am sheep-like, so You understand me well. But I am Yours and You dignify the ordinary stuff. WOW Christ in me, hope of glory.

THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS

While God's righteousness demanded that He be just, it did not demand that He be forgiving.

Think about it. If justice is one of God's attributes, He must punish rebellion. If He is sovereign, there can only be one authority. All humanity has fallen into ourself, demanding autonomy, self-serving and self-centered. Yet, God is not willing to give us up. I find it hard to understand that kind of love.

Here is the deal:
On the Cross, God treated Jesus the Christ, His perfect Son, as if He was me,
so that He could treat me, a sinner, as if I was Jesus. II Cor.5:21

That reality reduces me to silence. The justice of God can not just look over rebellion and violence, corruption and evil. It must be punished. Jesus was God, come in flesh, to take the punishment I deserved, for the privilege of having a love relationship with me. Since my debt was paid for, He says to me, "Your sin against Me is forgiven. Now we can be together."

Oh the wondrous cross! How can an instrument of execution be so wonderful? so full of mystery? I can not put in words what my heart feels toward the Triune God whose love is so radical that He would put on flesh to join us in this broken, suffering world. The mystery of Jesus, fully God yet fully man. The mystery of mercy triumphing over judgement in His death. At the cross we see both the loving kindness and the sternness of God. A place where love and sorrow meet, where thorns compose so rich a crown, where we count our richest gains as lose to join Him.

I take, O cross, your shadow for my abiding place.
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face.
Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory, yes the cross.


The cross is at the very core of human life. When things don't make sence I look at the cross and get my balance. When questions befuddle my thinking and all seems unreasonable, I look at the cross and become confident that God is and He is in control, and He loves me. He will keep His promise to make all things new.

I will arise and go to Jesus
He will embrace me in His arms
In the arms of my dear Savior
O there are 10,000 charms.

CHOPPED SALAD

The key to this salad is chopping the vegetables you use very finely. The flavor of the ingredients blend. I like to blend vegetables and fruits. My sister Chris put this combination together.

Start by chopping Leaf Lettuce very finely. Place in a salad bowl and start layering.
Red Bell Pepper
Celery
Sweet Onion
Apple
Roma Tomatoes
Knife chopped Cabbage (Use knife not fine grated. It creates too much juice)
Top it with Frozen English Peas

Chris served her salad with Catalina Dressing or Newman's Own Balsamic Light. She also offered Blue Cheese Crumbles. They are great with either of these dressings.


I took this basic salad and added finely chopped Brocoli, Cauliflower and raisins. I mixed Catalina with my Mayo and added the Blue Cheese Crubmles.

If you are eating beef, but desire cutting back on meat in proportion to vegetables, here is a suggestion: Fill your plate with the salad, then place a well seasoned Beef Patti on top. Or crumble it up on top.

A More Healthy Version of CHOPPED SALAD

Try layering small portions of each ingredient on a salad plate, with Apple at the top. Drizzle the finely chopped apples with Lemon Juice and Berlean Flax Oil or Udo's Oil. Or use no oil at all. I add a bit of Sea Salt to the salad, but you may not need salt.
Top with Cottage Cheese (unless you do not use dairy at all) Sprinkle with Flax Meal. My son likes to drizzle honey or Agave Nectar over the top.

ENGLISH PEA CASHEW SALAD

I am into salads again. Years ago I had a group of business people in downtown Bristol who bought dinner salads from me. I prepared them fresh each morning and delivered them. This is one of their favorites. I am looking for variety since I am eating the simple salad again. This can be assembled as a single plate salad.

English Pea Cashew Salad

Torn Romaine or Leaf Lettuce
Sprinkle with Frozen English Peas (rinse them if they are icy)
Sweet Onion Slices, whole or broken
Tomato wedges or Cherry Tomatoes halved (I use Roma Tomatoes in winter)
Toasted Cashews or raw (Buy raw nuts and toast them yourself for better quality)
Hard Boiled Egg (sliced, wedged, or mashed and sprinkled over the top)
Bacon pieces (good addition if you are allowing yourself to have Bacon)

Dressing is Mayo Dill.
1 cup Mayo
1 T. Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp. Dill Weed

I use a clean Mayonaize like Veganaise or make my own (very simple)
I also salt my egg and tomato by adding Salt and Pepper fresh from the grinders over the entire salad before adding the dressing.

Note about salt: I persoanlly believe salt, in its natural state, is very health giving because of the minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc. Many are restricting salt almost entirely from their diet and what is worse, they are substituting chemical products for the real thing. Do some research on your own and then do what feels comfortable for you. If you choose to use salt, pay a little extra and buy a quality Sea Salt. Even in the healthfood stores you can buy salt that has anit-caking agents and preservatives. Look for Redmond Real Salt or Celtic Sea Salt and always check the ingredients.

Salt is alkalizing and detoxifying to your body. Buy Epsom Salt (very inexpensive) and take a soaky bath for 30 minutes. It draws out toxins and is healing to the skin.

COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the absence of self." I don't know who originated this quote, but it helps me know who to look to for the courage. Certainly not myself and I now believe it is not by eliminating the feelings of fear.


Trust in the Lord. Lean on Him.
Do not trust the Self. Do not cave in to what seems obvious.
Flesh demands comfort. I do not live after the flesh but after the Spirit.
Be strong in the Lord. Proverbs 3:5-6


Awakening to You, Lord!
I am finding in You the answer to every question, every desire, and the supply for all that pertains to life and godliness. II Peter 1:3

Awakening to You!
To the wonders of Your grace and love.
To the wonders of Your touch.
To the nearness of You and the warmth of Your embrace when I feel so alone, when things go wrong.

And the Spirit says, "There is so much more for you to awaken to in Me."


Glorious Father, grant me hearing ears and a receiving heart. Spirit of wisdom and revelation, empower me to know by demonstration experienced, this Jesus who calls me to the marraige chambers. This is where I am made one with Him and can forsake all else. It is at His banqueting table that I am nourished unto transformation. Open my eyes, and make me see from heaven's perspective what You are bringing on the earth. Exert Your powerful life in me and through me, so I will become to You, all You created me to be. Ephesians 1:17-19

CUCUMBER TOMATO SALSA

The following side dish is an excellent one for keeping your meal 80% alkalizing foods. Every ingredient is alkalizing and energizing.

1 English Cucumber
1 or 2 Roma Tomatoes
Some Green or Yellow Bell Pepper
1/2 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and minced (or use a little chopped in a jar)
Half of a small Onion, chopped
1 small Garlic Clove, or the amount you like
Half of a Lime, juiced (If no lime, use Lemon)
Hand full Fresh Parsley, chopped
Hand full Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp dried Dill Weed
Sprinkle with Sea Salt

The Jalapeno Pepper doesn't make it too hot, but gives it a kick. You can drizzle Olive Oil, Avocado Oil over it, but I think it is good without the oil. The Lime juice and the Sea Salt brings out the flavor.

This is good served with Hummus on warmed Pita Bread or Arnolds Multi-grain Mini bun halfs.

IN UNION WITH CHRIST

I have been taking notes on what it means to the followers of Christ if they really believe that He lives in union with them. The Apostle Paul used "in Him" and "in union with Him" so often in his letter to the Colossian Christians that I decided to circle each one and then write out the effects of this union with Christ. This morning, I started reading the eighth chapter of Romans and once again began to see "in union with God" . . . .The following is my journal entry for this morning.


In union with Messiah Jesus, there is no longer ANY condemnation awaiting me. Ro.8:1
I am acceptable before the glorious Father because Jesus is acceptable, in me.



In union with Jesus Christ, the law by which the Spirit lives in me, produces this LIFE that sets me free from the demanding law of sin and death. Ro.8:2
I am no longer obligated to obey sin's logic or desires since Christ has joined me.


In union with Christ, the righteous laws God requires can be fulfilled in me. Ro.8:4
I am empowered to do what the Spirit of God in me wants to do. I have a choice now.


In union with christ, the Spirit, who is the presence of Jesus, draws my heart and my mind to be attracted to and desire His heart and mind. Ro.8:6
I want to know how He feels and what He thinks. Being in agreement with God is the
source of my peace and contentment. I can't afford to be in mental conflict with Him.

And check this out. This is profound truth.

"The mind controlled by the Spirit is LIFE and PEACE." Stop and think about it.


Who is in control of my thoughts? Would Jesus be talking like I am thinking? Bill Johnson says something like this, "I can't afford to have thoughts in my head that aren't in His." Thought patterns produce emotions and attitudes in agreement with or in conflict with Christ.

Think of the anxiety and fear I endure by not coming into agreement with the indwelling Lord. Living in conscious union with Christ adjusts my reality to reflect what God says in the face of what my past history and current assesment of the "facts" tell me.

Thank you Father, Christ has cancelled any condemnation I deserve. Thank you for the outrageous reality of my life in union with you.

HOMEMADE MAYONAIZE

For the two that asked me to post my Mayo recipe, here it is. I finally remembered to do it.


HOMEMADE MAYONAISE

1 WHOLE FARM FRESH EGG
1/2 TSP. SEA SALT
2 TABLESPOONS RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
1/2 TSP. DRY MUSTARD
3/4 TO 1 CUP LIGHT VEGETABLE OIL

I use my Vita Mix blender. Put all ingredients except the oil in the blender. Add enough of the oil to cover the blade. This is to avoid splatter.

Turn the blender on medium speed. Drizzle in a slow steady stream the remainder of the oil while the blender is running. It will thicken into mayo in a matter of seconds.

I have had it fail to whip into mayo, but that doesn't happen often. When it fails, pour off the oil after it separtes and make an Italian dressing. OR throw it out and try again. Never had it fail twice in a row.

CULTIVATE THE INWARD MUSIC

The following quote is from Elizabeth Elliot and I find it grounds me when I endulge my emotions that compel me to complain and be offended.

"Oh Lord, in all Your dealings with me - whether of joy or pain, of light or darkness - let me be brought to You. Let me value no treatment of Your grace simply because it makes me happy or because it makes me sad, because it gives me or denies me what I want; but may all that You send me bring me to You.

Knowing Your perfectness, I can be sure,

in ever disappointment that You are still loving me;

in every darkness You are still enlightening me;

in every enforced idleness that You are still using me;

Yes, in every death You are still giving me life, as in Christ's death, You gave life to Your son, my Savior."

Thank you Elizabeth Elliot. Your words have so often transformed my attitude.

Lord Jesus, I surrender to your sovereign authority. You reign! Be ruler over all that touches me. Reign over my little world and all I hold dear. I bow my knee to Your sovereign love. I believe You to be the King who sings over my life and who lifts Himself up to do me good all my life. I trust You to cause all things that touch me to work toward Your glory and my ultimate good. I will not be disappointed.

Brennan Manning has a way with words that speak volumes. Here is a quote that speaks to our passion to perform well in order to feel accepted, to keep it all together and running "right" in order to feel successful. See what you think.

"Our controlled frenzy creates the illusion of a well ordered existence. We move from crisis to crisis, responding to the ungent and neglecting the essential."

"The fire in the belly dies. We no longer hear the inward music."

Abba's Child