Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party-Black Bean Chicken Salad

Today is Foodie Friends Friday and you know what that means?  I will be joining Walking on Sunshine for her Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party.

Thanks to everyone that checked out my recipe from last week, BBQ Pulled Chicken, it got a special shot out and that's one step closer to my goal of winning most votes and most clicks.  

This week I will be submitting my Black Bean Chicken Salad with Cilantro Pesto, so check it out and give us some Mami Thyme love! Visit the sites mentioned above and then return on Sunday to vote for your favorite.


Enjoy! Buen Provecho!

Random Thoughts-Breast Feeding

This sculpture located in Nami Island, Korea is of a smiling and happy nursing mother. This sculpture represents the full balancing act of maternity.  Shared from Mamas Lactantes (Mom's Milk) Facebook page.

Breast feeding is such a hot topic lately and has really raised some heated discussions in the media.

Everyone remembers this cover and the hoopla it caused.  The LA Times has this to say about the photo, "A Time magazine cover with L.A. mom Jamie Lynne Grumet breast-feeding her strapping, almost 4-year-old son promises to be the head-snapping checkout-stand stopper of the season, based on the fevered reaction provoked by the magazine's pre-Mother's Daylanding." The Washington Post stayed away from the controversy entirely by focusing on the art history of the shot and what makes a good cover.  While Fox News takes the more extreme view (surprised) that Grumet is a narcissist, who psychologically abuses her son and disguises ugliness as something beautiful.

Here are some photos of famous paintings of breastfeeding women that were behind the scenes at the above photo shoot.

But really, what is all the controversy about?  The fact that there is a woman nursing her 3 year old on the cover of a national magazine, that the child is 3 years old, or that she is bearing her breast?  I won't even attempt to touch on the topics of sexuality, our country's obsession with nudity or my opinion that nursing should not be considered sexual or nudity.  Breastfeeding is a very personal decision.  I for one think that it is a no brainer, I mean, have you seen the cost of a can of baby formula? No, seriously, when I heard the health benefits my babies would receive by my breastfeeding them, they far outweighed any discomfort, inconvenience, or effects on the shape of my body I have ever encountered by not using the more conventional method of feeding my infants.

Breastfeeding in public is another controversial topic.  I feel that as long as I am covered, I should have the prerogative to feed my child wherever I like and that nursing should not be viewed any differently than bottle feeding.  Would you banish a bottle feeding mother to a public restroom? 

Lastly, how long should you breast feed is also a very personal decision yet has caused many heated discussions. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child....Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother....There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychological or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer."  While The World Health Organization  recommends, "Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to six months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond."  It continues to say in it's 10 Facts on Breastfeeding that "Beyond the immediate benefits for children, breastfeeding contributes to a lifetime of good health. Adults who were breastfed as babies often have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, as well as lower rates of overweight, obesity and type-2 diabetes. There is evidence that people who were breastfed perform better in intelligence tests."  

This article by Kellymom.com, sites many studies about nutritional content of breast milk beyond 12 months.  My personal favorite is a study done by Dewey 2001, In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:

• 29% of energy requirements
• 43% of protein requirements
• 36% of calcium requirements
• 75% of vitamin A requirements
• 76% of folate requirements
• 94% of vitamin B12 requirements
• 60% of vitamin C requirements

Wow!  Again, a no brainer!  So remember, if you see a mama nursing in public, don't judge, support her personal decisions and keep walking.  She is doing the best thing for her and her baby.

Recipe Tuesday-Black Bean Chicken Salad

Even though the temperatures here on the mountain have cooled a bit, it still can be too warm in the afternoon to put the stove on, so I have found some wonderful "put together ahead of time" recipes to keep me out of the kitchen during the heat of the day.

This recipe is especially easy because I made extra chicken last night and all I really had to prepare was the dressing and the pasta.

First the dressing, combine 1 1/2 C Chopped Cilantro with, 1/2 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese, 1/3 C Pine Nuts, 1/3 C Olive or Vegetable Oil, 1/4 C Heavy Cream, 1 t Lemon Zest, 1 T Lemon Juice, 1/8 t Cayenne Pepper, and 2 Clove Garlic, Minced.

Chop or shred 1 LB. of Cooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts and set aside.

Then prepare 6 oz. pasta of your choice according to package directions, I used Mini Rotini but we also like to use Bow Tie or Orecchiette.

Then rinse 1 15 oz. can of Black Beans and set aside.

Combine Pasta, Chicken, Beans and Dressing with 1 Large Tomato (1C), 1 t Chili Powder, and 1/4 t Garlic Salt.  Toss well and refrigerate until serving.

I waited to add the tomatoes to each individual plate and them topped each plate with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese.  Absolute YUM!


This recipe is featured on Walking on Sunshine and Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party.

Manic Monday-Back on Track

Hello Friends!  Today was the day to get back on track.  Many of you know that I am on a decluttering journey and I am working to take my house back from the chaos of clutter.  Well, there have been many ups and downs on this road, but every accomplishment is a tiny victory. Monday's are very busy days because in addition to our regular morning routine, we have to collect every scrap of garbage and recycling and get it out to the curb before the trash men come to pick it up.  We never know when they might show up, it could be 8:30 am as easily as it could be 3:30 pm, which makes Monday mornings a furious, chaotic race against the clock.


Today was different.  I got up a bit earlier than usual and got my day off right. I have tried to this many times but it seems like every time I do, something always happens to muck up the works, the boys wake up earlier than me, someone is in the bathroom so I can't get started, I am up all night the night before...but this Monday it was like all the stars were aligned.

While the boys slept in, I prayed, read my bible, got dressed head to shoes and headed into the kitchen to clean out the fridge and start collecting the trash. It was brilliant!  It worked so well that once the boys got up, I changed diapers, did the potty run and got them breakfast complete with daily vitamins and allergy meds.  Then I got them dressed and into the family room to play, all like clockwork.  


Having a morning routine really works!  Now, here's to hoping that the rest of the week will flow as nicely!

Saturday-Family Fun Day-Fun, Free Kid Friendly Activities

Family on a budget?  Looking for fun things to do with your kids that cost little to no money?  Well, this is the post for you!  We are a family on a budget, a STRICT budget, and I am always looking for creative, inexpensive ways to keep my boys occupied and have fun doing it.

Did you know that Facebook has a page about finding free family fun time?  The page is called Make Everyday Count.  So far it has some interesting posts. I will continue to check it out.

I also found some great ideas on Familyfun.Go.com,  Crafts by Age

 and some wonderful Summertime Desserts.

 Been finding lots of great homemade craft materials too.  Like

homemade bathtub paint.  And

Homemade Edible Fingerpaint.


It is always great to visit your local library and check out your community calendar to see what great activities may be going on in your area.  Oftentimes, these community events are free.  Well, I hope this helps.  Please, leave a comment to let me know what you like to do with your children.  All input will be greatly appreciated.

Foodie Friends Friday-BBQ Pulled Chicken

It's Foodie Friends Friday again.  I am joining Lois from Walking on Sunshine again for her Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party # 4. 


This week I am entering my BBQ Pulled Chicken. Please be sure to check it out and don't forget to return on Sunday to vote.

Tech Thursday-Adding Pages To Your Blog

Well, here we are again, playing catch up.  Today's post is all about adding tabs or pages to your blog.  Pages can help a reader find posts on a particular subject.  I found some wonderful instruction on how to this from Karen on Sew Many Ways.  Love her blog, it is full of valuable information on much more than sewing. 

Although her pictures were a little different from what I am seeing, perhaps because I am using Firefox as my browser, the steps were quite easy once I got the hang of it.

My pages are currently under construction, as is this post, and I will continue to work on them in the coming days and weeks.  Let me know what you think.

Random Thoughts-Upcycling

I love this new word, Upcycling.  I think it's fantastic and I have been really inspired by seeking out images of things people have re-purposed.

Check out this vertical garden from Curious Robyn.  How many of us have had to stare at a less than perfect view in our lives?  What a great solution!

 I thought this one from Dishfunctional Designs was beautiful.  While

this one from Michelle Kaufmann.com was truly inspirational. And

this idea from The Greenbacks Gal.com is something I really would like to try.

I really love the idea of up-cycling.  It not only helps us do our part to help the environment but it also can stimulate our creative minds and help us to see things in a different way.  I bet many of us may already have the materials we need to create any one of these projects right at our fingertips without even having to get into the car.

OK readers, get out there and CREATE!  Again, I would like to thank Yahoo images for the loads of inspiration I have been getting lately.

Recipe Tuesday-BBQ Pulled Chicken

I have to say, this recipe was so easy and delicious, I will be using it with slight variations frequently.

I started with preparing the sauce.  Combine one 15 oz can of tomato sauce, one 4 oz can green chillies, 3T cider vinegar, 2T honey, 1T sweet or smoked paprika, 1T tomato paste, 1T Worcestershire sauce, 2t dry mustard (I used 2T honey mustard), 1t chili powder, and 1/2t salt in the bottom of your crock pot and stir well.

Then add 2 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs.

Then add 1 medium onion chopped and 1 clove garlic minced.

Stir well.  Cook on low until chicken can be pulled apart, in my case 3 1/2 hours.

Transfer chicken to cutting board and shred with a fork.

Transfer sauce to blender or food processor and puree.

Then return shredded chicken and sauce to crock pot, stir well and heat on warm until ready to serve.

Absolutely YUMMY!

This recipe is featured on Walking on Sunshine and Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party.

Manic Monday-To Do List Part II

Happy Manic Monday folks.  Hope you had a great weekend and took some time to vote for my Foodie Friends Friday recipe.  I called this post To Do List Part II because I finally got a chance to get on my Todoist account and put together my "To Do"s for each part of my house as well as my morning and before bed  routines.  

It took some time, time I never seem to have, but now that they are done, I have a detailed list of each task needed in each room/section of my house.  My hope is that now that they are complete, I can use these lists to set up regular schedules for these tasks to be completed and delegate to the other adults  in the house where ever and whenever possible.  Sounds like a plan right?  I'll keep you posted!

 I am also currently working on my Fly Lady control journal and FACE journal (Financial Awareness Continually Empowers) and will have a post about that coming soon.

I feel good about today, off to a great start for the week.  God's grace and fingers crossed to stay on track for the week. Your prayers are always appreciated!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party-Cool Beans Salad

Today I am linking another recipe with Walking on Sunshine and Foodie Friends Friday.  My goal is to get the most clicked recipe so check it out and click on and vote for Cool Beans Salad.  Thanks for your support!

Tech Thursday-Looking for Topics

This is really funny, me, having regular posts labeled "Tech" .  I am the least tech savvy person of my generation I know!  I just figured that if I need to learn how to do these things then there must be someone else out there, right?  Could I possibly be the only one?


Since I am attempting to get my blog looking a bit better, some of my posts will be dedicated to this purpose, but if you would like to find out about something else, please post me a message and I will gladly see what I can find out about the topic of your choice.


Happy Thursday!  Make it a great day!

Random Thoughts-Inspiration

Where do you find your inspiration?  Sometimes I find mine searching through Yahoo images.  It's amazing what you can find there.  I have found project ideas, inspirational quotes that have uplifted my spirit and ideas for future blog posts.


I always get inspired when I go to church.  God's word is full of inspiration.  It inspires me to be a better mother, a better person.  It inspires me to make a better life.


I often am inspired by my children.  I can't describe the feeling of joy that I get when I look into the eyes of my boys.  I love the look they get when they have learned something new.  The spark in their eye when they are curious.  The glitter when they are laughing.  Warms the heart. 

Let me know where you find your inspiration and how you inspire.  This inquiring mind REALLY wants to know. 

Recipe Tuesday-Cool Beans Salad

With the temperatures rising, I am always looking for great easy recipes that require little to no cooking.  This recipe definitely fits the bill.

Ingredients:

Dressing:
1/2C  Olive Oil                                                        1t     Salt
1/4C  Red Wine Vinegar                                          1t     Ground Cumin
1T     Sugar                                                            1t     Chili Powder  
1       Garlic Clove, Minced                                    1/4t    Pepper

I start with the dressing first:

Combine 1/2 C Olive Oil, 1/4 C Red Wine Viengar, 1T Sugar, 1 Garlic Clove (minced), 1t Salt, 1t Ground Cumin, 1t Chili Powder and 1/4t Pepper.

 Gently whisk together.

 Then add 3 C of cooked rice.  The recipe calls for Basmati but we prefer Jasmine.

Then add 1 bag of frozen sweet corn, thawed.

Then add one can each, Black Beans and Red Beans, rinsed well and drained.

Then add 4 Green Onions, sliced thinly.

Add 1/4C minced Cilantro (optional).  Toss until well combined. Chill until serving.

This recipe is great for BBQ and Picnics.  You'll definitely be a hit!  ENJOY!

This recipe is being featured on Walking on Sunshine and Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party   

Manic Monday-Zones-Master Bedroom

Love this headboard idea, I'm on the look out for old shutters!

My bedroom is always the last room in the house to get attention and the first room that get used to hide all the clutter from the rest of the house when I have to do a QUICK clean up.  Today I had a very productive day in my room and I am feeling really good about it.

Although I woke up with a different plan entirely, one task led to another, led to another, led to another and before I knew it, I had spent two valuable hours in my room accomplishing tasks that have been on my "To Do" list for centuries.

I still have more than a few things to do in there but what I did today really made a dent.  It looks great and is an even greater motivator for tomorrow!  Wish I had money to paint.  Right now I'll have to settle for decluttering and rearranging the furniture!

How did you spend your Manic Monday?

Spirit Sunday-Hope in Jesus

Hebrews 6:13-20


13 When God made his his promise to Abraham, since there was no greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendents." 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.


16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging  as an nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.