Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matt 11:29-30
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“The spirit as a force which has come from God, knows God, seeks God and in Him alone finds rest”
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saint theophan the recluse
“Love is made known through the Holy Spirit.” – Elder Sophrony
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“Our love is a series of concentric circles like those caused by a stone dropped into the center of a pond. The waves begin at the point of impact and they spread out until eventually they have covered the whole pond.
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Our love is like that.
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It begins in our own life, it spreads to our immediate circle, our family, and then includes an ever increasing number of friends and eventually all men, for our love should be a perfect imitation of God’s love which is all embracing, which excludes no one.”
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Father Vladimir Borichevsky
Fast Action : A Lenten Theme
He became man and lived in this world. He ate and drank, and this means that the world of which he partook, the very food of our world became His body, His life. But His life was totally, absolutely eucharistic—all of it was transformed into communion with God and all of it ascended into heaven. And now He shares this glorified life with us. “What I have done alone—I give it now to you: take, eat.…”
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Alexander Schmemann
If one intends to raise chickens, it’s a great thing to love eggs! This spring our family acquired eight hens and as of now, we harvest six eggs a day, on average. That’s 42 eggs a week. So we are now gladly sourcing recipes with eggs!
This potato gallette is a really easy weeknight meal. It’s savory with a hint of herbs from the garden. Our egg yolks are so absolutely vibrantly orange (like the old fashioned red orange crayola color) it’s abundantly clear they are packed with choline, folate, vitamin A, vitamin E, tons of beta-carotene and plenty of omega-3 fats from the flax we feed them and the free range forage they enjoy. If your interested in how the life and diet of a hen reflect in the nutrient content of her eggs, check out these results from Mother Earth News.
Before we begin, a note on the potatoes. If you are using fresh potatoes, that have not hint of green on them (like right under the peel) then do not peel the potatoes… lots of good nutrition there. If however, your potatoes where not stored well and they have that green you can either peel the parts with the green or peel the entire potato. My grandmother, who grew up in Germany during a time of root cellars, world wars and no refrigeration always told me that the green on the potatoes is poisonous. You can read more about it here in this short article in the New York times. Storing potatoes properly is very important. They will begin to sprout depending on light and temperature. GrowAGoodLife has a great article on potato storage.
Ingredients:
Preparation
Using a mandolin, slice potatoes about 1/8 of an inch. Place in a very large bowl, sprinkle with salt, pepper and about three tablespoons of olive oil. This coats them so they will not stick on pan.
Drizzle olive oil to cover the bottom of a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place potatoes in pan and cook them in batches. You should not hear a searing sizzle, we are just par-cooking them. They should not be turning color, and should not be soft so that they break when you remove them. After each batch place potatoes in another large bowl.
While these are cooking, you want to crack your eggs and beat them in a small bowl. Add herbs and a little more salt.
Once all potatoes are done, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Saute till softened and fragrant, but not browned. Rinse the skillet. Add egg mixture to potatoes and toss well to coat.
Coat bottom of skillet with oil again and place over medium high heat. Add in potato mixture. Do NOT stir or move the mixture.
Let it cook for about ten to fifteen minutes. The sides will start to pull away from the pan. Again we are not going for a high heat because we want them to cook evenly and thoroughly – as well as get a nice brown on the potatoes.
Okay, now for the fancy flip.
After about ten minutes you can start to tease the side of the galette away from the pan, if it is not starting to do so. At this point you will want to get a plate so you can flip the galette. The plate needs to be bigger than your pan.
Take the skillet off of the burner. Carefully, place the plate a top of the skillet. With your hand on top of the plate turn the skillet upside down so that the potato galette falls out of the skillet and onto the plate. Now you can slide the galette back into the skillet to brown on the other side.
Let this cook another five to ten minutes until browned. Remove from skillet and place on serving dish. Garnish with more fresh herbs if desired.
Serve and enjoy. This makes a great leftover meal as the flavors continue to melt together as time goes on!
Our first and most important spiritual task is to claim God’s unconditional love for ourselves. To remember who we truly are in the memory of God. Whether we feel it or not, whether we comprehend it or not, we can have spiritual knowledge in the heart— a deep assurance that passes understanding— that we are God’s beloved.
Henri Nouwen
It’s the ripe, plump tomatoes which blanket the farmer’s markets and neighbors gardens that make this simplest tomato salad so delectable. No need to fancy it up – the salt really brings out the savory sweet juicy flavors of the tomatoes. It’s a family favorite during the summer.
Ingredients
Mix all ingredients and serve. Dinner can be that simple…
Do not say “this happened by chance, while this came to be of itself.” In all that exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing, indefinite, nothing without purpose, nothing by chance…. How many hairs are on your head? God will not forget one of them. Do you see how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes the gaze of God? ~Saint Basil the Great
During the summer, we crave salads. They are a nice cool addition to any meal, or can be served as a meal on their own. You simply can not “beet” the simplicity of a garden beet salad. These particular beets are gems straight from our garden, but any from the store or farmer’s market will do. We planted these in early spring.
I actually hadn’t planned to harvest them, but I accidentally pulled one out while weeding… it looked so good, that we harvested the rest from that bed! Beets have a sweet earthy flavor, and are a mineral rich nutritional powerhouse. They have more iron than spinach, and are an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, and phosphorous. They’re also packed with choline, folic acid, iodine, manganese, organic sodium, potassium, fiber and carbohydrates (in the form of natural easily digestible sugars). Quite simply, they are superfood.
One great benefit of the beet is that is alkalizing to the body and that’s great news in a nation with a standard diet that is acid forming. Beets are a stimulator of liver health. They also have many cardiovascular benefits. They can be helpful in reducing cholesterol and their rich potassium content benefits blood pressure. Fermented drinks like beet kvass have been known throughout history as a blood tonic. And the list goes on. Some studies have also shown that beets are preventative for skin, lung and colon cancer, they support the structure of our capillaries, and can also aid in the slowing or prevention of macular degeneration.
Beets, they do a body good!
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 350F and place beets on a cookie sheet. Top loosely with foil and place oven for about an hour. They should be tender.
Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, using the edge of a knife or a vegetable peeler, peel of the outer skin of the beet. Your hands will get very red!
Next, cut the beets into bite sized pieces. Place all ingredients into your favorite salad bowl and toss lightly to incorporate.
Delicious!
Additional Resources
“Water falls from heaven as rain, and while it is always the same in itself, it produces many different effects, one in the palm tree, another in the vine, and so on, throughout the whole of creation. It does not descend, now as one thing, now as another, but while remaining essentially the same, it adapts to the needs of every creature that receives it. In the same way the Holy Spirit, whose nature is always the same, simple and indivisible, apportions grace to each person as He wills. Like a dry tree which puts forth shoots when watered, the soul brings forth the fruit of holiness when repentance makes it worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit never changes, the effects of His action, by the will of God and in the name of Christ, are both many and marvelous.” Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
It’s “bean” a while since writing on the blog. This past year beckoned reprioritizing – faith, family, homeschool and also really to focus on completing my Master’s Degree. No, I am not done, but almost! Yay!
We’ve also been battling Lyme disease in this home and I tell you, it is formidable – and affects everyone different! Lord have mercy. It really turned our lives upside down. However, all signs are that my loved one is almost done with treatment and that is a tremendous blessing.
In many ways, the year of Lyme Disease has been a blessing too… just in it’s very own way.
That aside, it’s also “bean” a long time since I have made a bean salad, but since the farmer’s market this week was so plentiful with green beans – I brought home a whole bunch!
This salad is a riff on that old picnic favorite the “three bean salad”. What I like so much about this is that the beans are green and crunchy, unlike the one I remember from my youth with watery faded green canned beans. You could easily make this with wax beans or a combination of string beans too.
Ingredients:
For the preparation, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the trimmed and cut green beans. You only need to cook them for 3-5 minutes or less. Test them to make sure they are still crunchy and retain that bright green color. Once done, immediately place them into a bowl of cold water. This will stop the cooking process.
Drain the beans in a collander and put them into your salad bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and toss well. Salt and pepper to taste.
You can make this the day before, the flavors just get better and better over night! Great for a picnic and for any summertime meal!
“Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, we ascend to the kingdom of heaven, and are reinstated as adopted children. Thanks to the Spirit we obtain the right to call God our Father, we become sharers in the grace of Christ, we are called children of light, and we share in everlasting glory”.
St. Basil the Great
Around this time in Virginia, apple cider turns up in all the stores and farmer’s markets. This warm apple cider is a great way to enjoy this crisp apple beverage. It is inspired from one of our favorite restaurants, Le Pain Quotidien, which also offers it at various times throughout the year.
Place all ingredients in small pot. Bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat. Let sit for ten minutes. Pour into mugs and enjoy.
Alternatively, you can double or triple the ingredients and place in a crock pot on low and drink it throughout the day.
This Massaged Kale Salad is one of my favorites, especially when there are fresh strawberries in season at the market. Fresh picked strawberries are a sweet addition to the earthy kale and the citrus dressing. Kale is a superfood that deserves room on every plate. Most recipes for massaged kale salads call for green apples or other fruit, but I think the strawberries are the best. Massaging the kale in an olive oil, lemon and salt dressing has the effect of cooking the kale. The lemon also makes the iron content in the kale far more bioavailable (that means you absorb more!).
I hope you enjoy this kale salad!
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Gather your ingredients.
Stem and chop the kale. Place in large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.
Massage kale gently with your hands for five to ten minutes.
Toss with the strawberries, onion and other optional ingredients (if using).
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Enjoy!
Move over Popeye… kale is precisely what this nutritionist means when she says, “Eat your greens with reckless abandon.” It is wise to include kale as one of your crucifeorus vegetables of choice on a daily basis.
To start with, kale is a remarkable and ancient superfood, that has gotten somewhat of a trendy reputation in recent years. Maybe you have even noticed kale chips at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. A delicious snack, only made better if you venture to make your own.
What you might not know is that kale has nourished people, well, forever really. Kale is an offspring of wild cabbage. Ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have grown kale. Even ancient Egyptians recognized kale as a nutritional superfood – considering that they lined the tombs of pharaohs with elaborate gold and silver carvings of woven kale garlands.
Scientists know that kale has been under cultivation for more than 6,000 years, as there are remants of fossilized kale found in ancient containers from the Shensi Province of China dating back to 4,000 BC.
Roaming Celts evidently brought kale from Asia to Europe as long ago as 600 BC, and because of it’s easy cultivation, resilience and cold-tolerance, kale proliferated and sustained nourishment for people throughout the European continent. It’s easy germination and fast growth is one of the reasons early European settlers brought this nutrient rich leafy green with them to North America.
All of our farmer’s markets bring in an abundance of kale. If you are a gardener, then you know the simplicity of growing kale. In fact it may be one of the easiest vegetables to grow organically. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or new to the possibilities, growing your own kale is a cinch. It’s delicious straight from the garden, and grows well in warm and cold climates. In fact, a little freezing weather only tends to sweeten the kale leaves!
Check out these great resources on growing your own kale – from GentleWorld, Harvest To Table, and Mother Earth News.
Still not sure whether kale is for you? Try the young tender shoots in a salad. They are sweet, nutrient dense and delicious.
There are many varieties of kale from Lacinato, Dino Kale, Red Russian Kale, Tuscan Kale and many more.
Kale has stood the test of time, and deserves a spot on your plate and in your garden. Build a habit of eating more green vegetables, the greener the better!
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What is the best way to eat kale? Any way you like, but here is a great recipe for steamed kale…
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Separate kale leaves from stems and slice the leaves into 1 inch pieces. Don’t throw away the stems, cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Let sit for 5 minutes. According the the World’s Healthiest Foods, cutting the kale and letting it rest five minutes breaks down the cell walls and enhances the activates enzymes that slowly convert the plant enzymes to a more active form.
Add two to three inches of water to bottom of steamer. Bring to boil. Stems kale for five minutes max – to preserve phytonutrients..
Place steamed kale in bowl and add lemon, garlic and olive oil. Toss. Salt and pepper to taste.
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More Kale Recipes
Smitten Kitchen has a potato scallion and kale cake that is fantastic. Poach an egg and have it for breakfast! Kale is also versatile in many salads such as roasted cauliflower and kale salad or kale salad with avocado and almonds. Trying it in a soup is an easy way to slip any vegetable in your diet.
Truly, though, one of our favorite ways to enjoy this vegetable are homemade kale chips. My kids love it, and I think yours will too!
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1 pound fresh kale, washed and leaves removed from the stem (save the stems for smoothies) Cut or tear leaves into dorito sized pieces.
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of salt
Massage kale leaves and olive oil. Add salt and nutritional yeast. Toss again until leaves are fully coated. Place leaves in a layer on one or two cookie sheets. Place cookie sheets into a 150 degree oven. Use convection if you have it. Let bake until they are dried out.
If you have a dehydrator, you may also use that.
Enjoy!!
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The possibilities for eating kale are endless. Think your kids won’t like them? Chop small and add it to meatloaf! Throw it in a smoothie with a green apple, four ice cubes, a teaspoon of lemon juice, banana and a tablespoon of coconut oil.
But still, I have to say, the most tried, tested a true way I know to get my kids excited about veggies is for them to help plant and grow it – on a windowsill, back porch in pots or in the garden proper.
Whatever you do, make room on your plate for this awesome vegetable.
Additional Resources:
Hanna, Sharon (2012). The Book of Kale: The Easy-to-Grow Superfood, 80+ Recipes (Kindle Location 257). Harbour Publishing
Mateljan, G. (2006). In The world’s healthiest foods: Essential guide for the healthiest way of eating. Seattle, Wash.: George Mateljan Foundation.
Kornblatt, S. (2012). Eating For Brilliance. Well Being Journal, 21(2), 7-14.
I know you to be a radiant and holy temple of the Master of all, O Maiden, and a Spring whence sprang forth Christ, the Water of immortality, wherefrom we are given to drink.
Third ode of the Canon to the Mother of God
Bright Week Friday
“The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget her.”
+ Elder Thaddeus
gladsomelife.com 