Let Love Be My Aim

Happy Valentine’s Day!  I have noticed that when it comes to this holiday, there are usually two groups of people. One group consists of people who can’t wait for this day to come as it promises to fulfill all their hopes of a perfect, romantic day with their significant other. The second group contains the people who view this day as “Singles Awareness Day,” the majority of whom are sitting on the couch in pajamas eating candy all day. Okay, so I exaggerate considerably, however, there seems to be an element of truth within these two situations. 

  

I have always loved Valentine’s Day! I deck out in pink and red, make some sugar-free raspberry Jello, and design cards covered with heart-shaped stickers. I look forward to this holiday because it is a day devoted to stepping back from our busy lives and appreciating those around us whom we love. I see this day as an opportunity to spend time with family and friends, intending to communicate feelings of thankfulness for one another.

Most importantly, Valentine’s Day can draw us in to focus on and marvel at the incredible love of God. In all situations, He remains faithful in love and devotion to His children. What an astounding example we have for the way in which to love others! The Apostle Paul gives us a list of the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 which depict the unreserved selflessness of this love God shows to us. In His grace and patience may we have the ability to express such love to those around us. 

"Love makes burdens lighter, because you divide them.

It makes joys more intense, because you share them.

It makes you stronger so that  you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone.

Lord...give me the gift of faith to be renewed and shared with others each day.

Teach me to live this moment only, looking neither to the past with regret, nor the future with apprehension. 

Let love be my aim and my life a prayer."

~ Roseann Alexander-Isham

Filled with Excitement

Well, here I am! I have successfully completed my first week of college classes! ...all three days. My summer was filled with the excitement and anticipation of college life. I knew that entering into this life filled with the education that would assist me in reaching my future goals would be a transition. I would be surrounded by new faces, met with educational challenges, and left to make my own decisions about the kind of person that I wanted to become. It is definite that all of these components were proven true over the course of this last week. However, there are some things that I had not intended...


Before I arrived at this university, I thought about how my faith life would grow and mature over the course of the next four years. But as I look back, I am realizing that I placed God in the position that I had anticipated Him to be in. I had already thought about what role God was going to play in my life. Do you know the amazing thing about our Lord and Savior? He is not about to let us decide where and how He will work in us. His entire Being is filled with the excitement and anticipation for each and every one of us because He knows the plans for our lives - He writes them!


"However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.' " ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9

"Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will." ~ Romans 12:2


He has a "perfect will" for every single being that He has created. What an extraordinary thought! Already in my first week, I can see that God is planning to work in unpredictable and exciting ways. At first, this realization of unpredictability gave me some timidity and fear. But as I look to Him at all times, I can see that I wouldn't want it any other way. God isn't someone who follows a pattern or acts in the ways we might think. For me, this year is a time for me to step out of the "planning position" and let God take the reins. My role is to work hard, filled with determination, and give all the honor and glory to the One who made it all possible by His exciting, unpredictable plans!

Rhubarb Scones

This is a fantastic summer breakfast idea. Up here in the Midwest, rhubarb is growing rapidly and (at least in my house) sometimes there aren't enough recipes to use it up. I really enjoy cooking with rhubarb because it has almost no carbohydrates and it's so easy to grab out of the garden. These light scones are simply to make and delicious to eat! So without further adieu: 

Rhubarb Scones:

Scone Ingredients:

- 2 large stalks rhubarb, thinly sliced crosswise
- 7 tbsp Splenda (divided)

- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup golden flax seed meal
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans (optional)

Topping Ingredients:
- 1 tsp Splenda
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together sliced rhubarb with 3 tablespoons of the Splenda. Let sit.

Step 2

3. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, flax seed meal, remaining Splenda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in eggs and melted butter until dough just comes together.
4. Stir in rhubarb mixture and chopped pecans until well distributed.
5. Turn dough out onto prepared baking sheet and form into a rectangle about 1 inch thick (should be about 6 by 8 inches). With a sharp knife, cut into 6 even squares. Then cut each square diagonally into two triangles.
6. Gently lift scones and spread around baking sheet so they have room to rise. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown and just firm to the touch.

Step 5

Step 6

7. In a small bowl, combine Splenda and cinnamon. Lightly sprinkle over hot scones and let sit 15 minutes.

Nutrition Information:Serving Size: 1
Serves: 12
Carbohydrates: 7.6 grams
Fiber: 4.3 grams

I found this recipe from my new favorite blog entitled: All Day I Dream About Food. The writer's recipes are low in carbohydrates and gluten free. I encourage you to check it out! :)

The Imprint of God

In the last month or two, I have been spending quite a bit of time thinking about the people that God places in our lives. The coworkers, fellow students, family members, or perhaps simply acquaintances. I have noticed how God has interwoven many different people to make life interesting. In examining those people whom I have become close too in my life, I feel truly blessed by God for his gift of friendship.

"Every single act of love bears the Imprint of God." 

Without friendships in our lives, there wouldn't be the support system that many of us have grown accustomed to and taken for granted. Whether it be a lifelong best friend that always gives you a hug when it's most needed or a parent taking a moment to listen, these relationships help to make us who we are as people.

"Some blessings - like rainbows after rain or a friend's listening year - are extraordinary gifts waiting to be discovered in an ordinary day." 

Two weeks ago, I returned home from a three-week choir tour around Minnesota with thirty other
individuals. Despite the fact that we are only together for twenty days, this unique choir has the amazing ability to build friendships that are stronger than any others I have ever known. We support each other not only vocally and spiritually as we come together to sing praises to God, but also in every other aspect. There is always someone there to listen, to speak, to laugh, to cry. This was my third year participating in the choir and it was by far the best. Now, all of the singers have parted ways, gone back to their families and friends, but there still remains an incredible bond of friendship and love between us. I doubt if that will change.

"God gives us friends as a sign of His hope for a common bond for all humanity." 

I graduated this past spring. Looking back upon the last four years of high school, I can definitely see the hand of God placing people in my life that have helped me in various ways. Many of these individuals taught me valuable lessons that I will take with me as I continue to journey in life. Some were there to laugh with me at my stupid diabetes jokes and to give a smile when we passed in the hallways. I believe God uses those people just as much as anyone else. Through these people, I have learned not to take friendships for granted. They are extremely precious and unique.

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another...If we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us." ~ 1 John 4:11-12

First Diaversary!

Today marks my 1^st Diaversary! One year ago today, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.  And what a year it has been. There have been ups and downs, highs and lows … literally … but it has been an amazing year.

I would like to say thank you to my friends. When I was diagnosed with diabetes, immediately I had friends encouraging me and supporting me. There were calls, notes, and visits to let me know that they were thinking of me. But this support wasn’t only at the beginning. It has only grown over the course of this year. On one occasion, I was with some friends late at night and I was acting pretty crazy. This is not unusual for me at all, but this time, it was due to my blood sugar being in the 20’s. I didn’t think I was low, but my friends forced me to check my blood sugar and eat some food. If they weren’t there, I’m not sure what would have happened. They sometimes know me better than I know myself. They are always there to laugh at my diabetes jokes with me and make up some of their own. I feel truly blessed to have such supportive and loving friends as I do. Thanks, guys!

Also, I pass the biggest thank you onto my family. I would not be where I am today without your constant support. From counting carbs in the meals that are cooked to sitting with me in the middle of the night when my blood sugar is low, my family is always there. I really do not know what I would do if I was not surrounded by so much love. Sometimes my family laughs with me when I’m crazy and low and sometimes they cry with me when I’m getting sick of the rollercoaster. But through everything, they are there and always will be. I love you and thank you!   

I have learned to let God have complete control over my life. As much as a might try, there are simply some aspects of diabetes that I am unable to control. But I am able to live peacefully, knowing that God holds me and cares about me. There have been countless times when I have been in a dangerous situation (diabetically) and God has provided His protection. God has taught me so much through having diabetes! I look back upon this last year, only to see diabetes as a blessing in my life. 

He is Risen!

Happy Easter! This is one of my, if not my favorite days of the entire year. I think it's so incredibly special that we have a day to devote to remembering Jesus Christ's sacrifice for each and every one of us and give Him glory. It's also a day to be refreshed by this reminder - refreshed and renewed to glorify Jesus in everything we do.


I love this quote by Max Lucado that I read in my devotions yesterday:
"Take a stroll ... out to the cross where, with the blood, the hand that placed you on the planet wrote the promise, 'God would give up His only Son before He'd give up on you.'"

Just think about this. Every morning when you wake up, God has another day prepared. He knows what  adventures will take place, what struggles you will face, and how you feel through the midst of them. And at the end of the day, no matter how many mistakes you make, He is waiting to remind you that He gave everything for you.

That's Easter! That's the amazing Savior we worship! I cannot help but be overwhelmed with His grace - it surpasses my comprehension. What can I do when He has done it all? God has answered our questions of humility: Take up your cross and follow me. Is that a challenging answer? Yes. But we serve and love a Leader so kind that He has gone ahead of us with His cross and proved that there is  no battle He is unable to win. As we follow Him, He invites us to share in the victory that has already occurred.

My prayer for all of you is that as you worship Jesus Christ on this Easter Sunday, you will hear with excitement the invitation He gives. Let us now go out in the world and share the unbelievable Truth of the gospel with others!

Using Everything

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'"   ~ Erma Bombeck

Last fall, I was in the musical, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and I played the role of Snoopy. I distinctly remember the last performance we had. All those participating in this show were tired and burnt out by the time Sunday came around. Our voices were getting shot and the energy and emotions were all over the place. It was exciting because it was the last performance, but also sad in a way too. Snoopy's big musical number comes at the end of the show when he (or in my case, she) sings about Suppertime. I recall the moments leading up to this song. I had decided to give it my all. This was the last show, the last time to perform a song I had grown to love, the last time to be Snoopy. I was going to go for it and leave it all on the stage. Looking back, I can see that I did just that. I believe it was the best performance I had ever given and I felt proud of myself. Sure, my throat was a little sore after that, but it didn't matter because I gave it my best and didn't hold back.


A week ago, I attended the Suzuki Association of Minnesota Graduation in the Twin Cities. This graduation is held every year to commend violin students for their achievements during the previous year. As this was my last year a part of this association and I had reached the required levels, I was honored by being chosen  to play a solo along with five others. I was very excited and also nervous. The past weeks have been filled with tedious practice, going over difficult passages time and time again. But when it came time to perform my solo, there was no holding back. To me, this wasn't simply an honor. It was a reflection of twelve years playing my favorite instrument; twelve years with a violin teacher who has supported me, challenged me, and taught me; times of struggle and even physical pain, but, by God's grace, persevering onward. All of these things I thought about as I walked on the stage that day. And I gave it all! At my following lesson, my teacher told me that it was the best I had even played the piece.

This quote by Erma Bombeck really spoke to me. If I was so intent on giving my all for these performances, why am I not even considering the energy I give out to others in the name of Jesus Christ? God is constantly giving us gifts that we can use to bless and encourage others. Are we conserving them for ourselves? Are we holding back and letting pride get in the way of using them? Or perhaps we are simply not listening to how God wants us to use them. Whatever the reason might be, God gives us these things for a purpose. I only had one last musical performance and one chance to play that violin solo. Similarly, we only have one life to live - make the most of it! We need to take advantage of the time we have and the gifts we are given so that when we see God face to face, we can be confident in the knowledge that we didn't hold back. We left it all on the stage called life! That's what we are challenged to do, as Christians. Let's accept that challenge and use everything we have and give God all the glory!

The Big Picture

Last week, my blood sugar numbers were crazy! Most of the time, they were in the 200s and 300s and I couldn't seem to get them down. I was giving myself extra insulin, exercising more, and even eating a little less at mealtimes. But nothing seemed to be working. Fortunately, I didn't have ketone issues with all those high numbers. Even so, I was getting pretty frustrated with what my body was doing.

On top of my diabetes going out of control, I was stressed out with school, violin, and work. Semester finals were coming up and I was getting towards the end of my strength rope. This is usually the point when God does something drastic to regain my attention on what's truly important: Him. Last week was no different. Here's how it went:

Last Wednesday, my supper blood sugar was 300. My nine o' clock reading was 225. I was going to bed and I set my alarm for 3:00 am because every Wednesday I have to get up in the middle of the night to check my number. At around 1:00 am, I woke up to a horrible feeling. I was extremely hot. My body was physically going crazy! An anxious feeling swept over me. Right away, I knew that something was wrong. I checked my blood sugar and it was 43. Quickly, I ate probably about 40 carbs worth of food, trying to get my blood sugar up and calm myself down. Eventually, I fell back asleep and things started to get back to normal.

The next day I thought about the previous night. What if I hadn't woken up? I was really tired; what if I had simply slept through my feelings of low blood sugar? Obviously, if that was the case, I would never have woken up. My family would have had no reason to check on me at one in the morning. I would have died. As scary as this was for me to think about, I learned two very important lessons from this experience:

1. God is always in control. He was the reason I woke up. I can't control everything in my life...I can barely control anything in my life! He has my life and can do with it as He chooses. I know that He will always take care of me and He knows what's best for me.


2. You just never know about life. What if I had died last week. Would these finals have mattered? Would stressing about getting things done have mattered? No. I'm not saying that I'm never going to study again because I might kick the bucket in the middle of the night. I'm saying that this experience taught me to have a new perspective on life. Spend time with family and friends. Enjoy their company. Appreciate every moment. Don't waste time arguing about stupid little things. When I thought about

the conversations I had on Tuesday, there were so many things I regretted. Tell others that you love them and care about them. I look at life and I realize that I'm so blessed to be living in such a beautiful world. Every day I wake up is a new day that God has plans for. It doesn't matter how many days are left, but what we do with them.

Keeping the Focus

This is a song that I have listened to almost every day since Thanksgiving. It sums up very well the theme of Thanksgiving and Christmas: Concentrate on what we have to be thankful for and look outside of our own interests. I will share the lyrics with you. They are so inspiring. :)

"Thankful" By Josh Groban

Somedays we forget to look around us.

Somedays we can't see the joy that surrounds us.

So caught up inside ourselves we take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for what we know can be.

And on this day we hope for what we still can't see.

It's up to us to be the change.

And even though we all can still do more

There's so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves there's so much sorrow.

It's way too late to say I'll cry tomorrow.

Each of us must find our truth.

It's so long overdue.

Even with our differences, there is a place we're all connected.

Each of us can find each other's light.

So for tonight we pray for what we know can be.

And on this day we hope for what we still can't see.

It's up to us to be the change.

And even though we all can still do more

There's so much to be thankful for.

A Diabetic Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a wonderful day! This was my first Thanksgiving since I've had diabetes, so obviously a few changes were made from the usual "eat-til-you-drop" attitude that I have had in the past. My family always eats the "Big Dinner" at around three in the afternoon. Fortunately for me, this meal fell over my fifteen carb three o'clock snack. WIN! So there I found my challenge: Thanksgiving dinner in 15 carbohydrates. It followed as such:

~ A huge helping of sugar-free strawberry Jello (FREE)
~ A serving of turkey (FREE)
~ A lot of green beans (FREE)
~ A small portion of mashed potatoes (8-10 carbs)
~ 1/2 piece of lefse, sweetened with Splenda instead of sugar (12-15 carbs)


So I overdid my carbs a little bit, but it was worth it! It was an amazing day to celebrate all of the things we have to be thankful for. Especially this year, I was so thankful for God's provision over my life the last six months that I have had diabetes. There have been many ups and downs,  but I am grateful that through it all, my Heavenly Father continues to show me his paths and get me through tough times.

Last summer, I started writing in a Thankful Journal at the end of every day, expressing gratitude for things in the day that I usually take so for granted. This has really opened my eyes to be aware of how many blessings God puts in our lives. This poses the perfect Thanksgiving question: How often do we take a moment in our busy days to just be still and think about all the gifts God has blessed us with? I certainly don't do it enough. But I can tell you that spending five minutes every night to write what I am thankful for in my day is sometimes the best five minutes of my whole day. When I am upset, crabby, or self-pitying myself, I usually don't want to write down what I'm thankful for. But I will sit down and do it anyway. When I do, my mood is entirely changed. How can it not be? God our Creator is so amazing that I cannot remain upset when I am focusing on His wondrous deeds in my life.

 
On this Thanksgiving weekend, I am looking at my Thankful Journal over the past six months. I will never be able to express how much I love God and am thankful for Him in my life!

International Diabetes Day

Happy International Diabetes Day! Many people wore blue today to show their support for diabetes. I was decked out in about seven different shades of the color, which, despite portraying an epic fashion faux pas, was surprisingly encouraging. In fact, this entire day seemed to brighten my spirits in regard to this disease that I live with every day. Somehow, I felt proud to be a diabetic today. This day was a reminder to me that diabetes isn't a set-back in life. It is a part of my life.

We all have struggles in life, whether it be a disease or a difficult situation that we are being faced with. But I think we could all use a day like International Diabetes Day. A day, not to celebrate the problem, but to celebrate how far we have come. We can look back and appreciate the people that have supported us in our times of hardship. We can be proud of ourselves for continuing on, despite frustrating circumstances.

Today, my family wore blue for me. My teacher wore blue for his diabetic students. My diabetic friends and I made jokes about our mutual disease. It was a day that reminded me that I am proud of my diabetes and that I am so thankful for the countless people around me who help to uphold me during the hard times.

I am also so grateful to my Heavenly Father for His grace. There are so many situations where I do not make the best choices in regard to diabetes and I prefer to put my own selfish desires over the care of my body, His temple. But He is so forgiving and is always willing to give me another chance.


For all of you who are going through a difficult time right now, I encourage you to make your own "Day." A day where you can look at the positives in life; look for the celebrations. I know that sometimes it can be hard to find, but God will always place His blessings in our lives. We might just need to take a day to look a little harder!

The First Rain of Autumn

My great aunt loved nature and she expressed her feelings through poetry. It's a cloudy, autumn day today and it reminded me of a poem that she wrote. This particular poem is very special to me because my grandma and I always used to read it together on a rainy fall day. Now, I am simply blessed with the memories that come with this poem. :)

The First Rain of Autumn

Rain clouds, come down! 

Come down and soften the hard earth of autumn;

Soften the shells of the durable seeds

That escaped the hunger of finches and quail

And have lain forgotten on hillsides since springtime.

Rain clouds, come down!

Come down and awake manzanita and toyon,

The sage, the chamise, and all chaparral,

Patiently waiting throughout the long dryness

To drink deep, then quickly grow, bloom, and ripen

In the brief time of the moisture blest season.

Rain clouds, come down!

Come down and furnish dry stream beds with water

And fill, fill at last the low lakes for our needs.

Leave pools in the rocks, too, for wild creatures' comfort,

For foxes and wild cats, road runners and jays.

Rain clouds, come down!

Come down and startle the newly grown birds, 

Clean dust from the wings that have never known rain.

Surprise the young coyote, now full-sized and rangy.

Who tests the odd wetness with inquisitive tongue,

Who shakes quite in vain his strangely damp pelt,

And in place of the dust feels mud slip through his toes.

Rain clouds, come down!

Come down and deafen the children in classrooms

To the hum of instructions and questioning words.

To eager young faces to long streaks of rain,

Scarce remembered from far away days in their childhood.

Let them walk through fresh puddles with open delight

And see a new wonder: rivers are flowing.

Rain clouds, come down!

Come down and make me rejoice in wet leaves,

The greening of ranches and roadsides and hills;

In a new spring that's coming of poppies and paintbrush,

Lupines and owls clover deep in the grass.

And then rain clouds, 

These first ones of fall, roll away! Roll away,

And let the sun shine once more on far mountains,

Arrayed in fresh colors, sharp as new printed fabric.

Another First

I'm still a pretty new diabetic, so I continue to experience "firsts" in this journey. A few days ago I was reminded of this as it was the first time that I have gotten really sick since I've had diabetes. When I first was diagnosed with diabetes, the doctors and nurses gave me information at the hospital about what to do on "sick days" and everything. But I thought at the time that feeling ill would be the same whether or not I had this disease. Like many other times in my life, I was proven wrong!

It all started because my numbers were going a little wonky. Highs and lows within hours for no explainable reason. I thought this was a little odd, but that's what life is for, right? Keep it interesting? ;) Then after a short while, I was experiencing the cold symptoms. Normal, I thought. I'm just getting the cold that's going around. And it was fairly normal for the rest of the day.

I was anticipating on getting up and ready for school the next morning as usual. But the moment I woke up, I knew that wasn't an option. So I stayed home from school for a couples days. This felt almost entirely like the yucky cold that goes around, but the difference was adding diabetes to the equation. I was surprised to discover that when I checked my numbers before meals, they were in the 200s and 300s. This is definitely unusual for me as I try very hard to control my numbers to where they should be. Even after giving myself extra insulin to correct at suppertime, I was still at 358 and nine o' clock. Not only was I disappointed that my numbers were high, I also didn't get my normal nine o' clock snack. Oh well, life goes on.

The next morning I did some serious research into being sick with diabetes. Here are a few big things I came up with. If you are a diabetic, you might want to keep these things in mind if you ever have a couple sick days.

1.) High numbers are normal. High numbers and even high to low fluctuations are normal when you are sick because your body is under stress. To deal with this stress, your body releases hormones that help it fight disease. But these hormones have side effects. They raise blood sugar levels and interfere with the blood sugar-lowering effects of insulin.

2.) Check your ketones. None of us like to do this, right? We forget, it gets busy, we just don't want to. But it really is important. Because of the higher numbers, you may find that you have ketones. Even if you aren't above the 240 point, doctors will still tell you to check your ketones every 4-6 hours when you are sick. If you have moderate to high ketones, but you don't know that or you don't treat it, it can result in a coma and even death. Okay, I know that seems very serious and it is. But it doesn't have to be something to worry about if you simply check your blood glucose and your ketones often.

3.) Drink A LOT. No matter if you have diabetes or not, your body needs some extra fluids to fight against this sickness. But also, to help prevent having ketones, the more you drink, the faster your body flushes out ketones. Hot tea is perfect. There are many different flavors and there aren't any carbs.

 4.) Check your cold medicine. Make sure you read the labels of the cold medicine you are going to take. A lot of them tell you to ask your doctor before using if your have diabetes. That is very important. You don't want to make anything worse by taking something that is going to harm you more than help you. Also, there are many diabetic-friendly cold medicines that you can find at your local pharmacy. That way, you know for sure that it is safe for you.

The biggest thing about being sick with diabetes is simply to be aware of your body. I'm sure that everyone is different. These are just a few things that I learned while experiencing another first in my diabetic journey. I hope that this information can help in some way.

Turning Colors

Fall has to be one of my four favorite seasons! I love the crispness of the cool air and hearing the leaves crunch when I go for a walk. I get excited every time I look at the big tree down the street and notice that it is bright orange. I love getting out my favorite sweatshirts and wearing socks 24/7. The hot soup and tea is a special favorite that comes with this season. But, I could go on this rant forever. There just seems to be an endless list for all of the reasons that I love autumn.


In my devotions, I have been focusing on the book of Ecclesiastes. There have been many verses that have reminded me that I really need to enjoy this time of year. This is a very busy time for most people, but this book  has encouraged me to look beyond the every day "things" and appreciate the blessings. Once I start to do that, I begin to realize how abundantly caring God is for us. He simply wants us to enjoy his creation. I hope these verses will encourage you as they did me. :)



 "Everything on earth has its own time and its own season." (3:1)

"God makes everything happen at the right time." (3:11)    

"I know that the best thing we can do is to always enjoy life,  because God's gift to us is the happiness we get from our food and drink and from the work we do." (3:12-13)

"It's better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense then chasing the wind." (6:9)

"When times are good, you should be cheerful; when times are bad, think what it means. God makes them both to keep us from knowing what will happen next." (7:14)

No-Noodle Zucchini Lasagna

Okay, I feel like our first reaction to anything with zucchini is a negative one. But it can be substituted into many different recipes to make foods healthier and lower in carbohydrates. Pasta is very high in carbs, but I love to eat lasagna. My sister found this recipe and we tried it. It is actually very good. It doesn't taste identical to regular lasagna, of course, but it is a nice option for a healthier meal filled with energy-giving veggies.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time:  1 hour
Servings: 8

Ingredients:
- 2 large zucchini
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 small green pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- Hot water as needed
- 1 egg
- 1 (15 ounce) container low-fat ricotta cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a deep 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Slice zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices. Sprinkle slices lightly with salt; set aside to drain in a colander. *
3. To prepare the meat sauce, cook and stir ground beef and black pepper in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add in green pepper and onion; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, wine, basil, and oregano, adding a small amount of hot water if sauce is too thick. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer sauce for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Meanwhile, stir egg, ricotta cheese, and parsley together in a bowl until well combined.
5. To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the meat sauce into the bottom of prepared pan. Than layer 1/2 the zucchini slices, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, all of the spinach, followed by all of the mushrooms, then 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Repeat by layering the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Spread Parmesan cheese evenly over the top; cover with foil.
6. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; raise oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information: (Per Serving)
- Calories: 494
- Total Fat: 27.3g
- Cholesterol: 121mg
- Sodium: 2200mg
- Total Carbs: 23.2g
- Dietary Fiber: 5.8g
- Protein: 41.3g

* We found that it was helpful to make sure that you have enough time earlier in the day to dry the zucchini.

Silly Moments (Disney)

Let's take a moment and pause for the appreciation of Disney. I am a Disney fanatic! There's just something about curling up and watching a good ol' Disney movie when life starts to get a little stressful. So, for today, I'll share with you some fun memories of great Disney movies. Enjoy! :)

"If it's not Boroque. don't fix it!"

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest
and most beautiful of all."

"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun!"

"Think of all the joy you'll find
when you leave the world behind and bid your cares goodbye."

."Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts."

"Ladies do not start fights, but they can finish them!"

"I am on my way. I can go the distance.
I'll be there someday, if I can be strong.
I know every mile will be worth my while.
I will go most anywhere to find where I belong."