Outstanding October
October was a busy month! It was full of lots of learning and some new experiences and ideas. It was also a month of some relief after we received Raúl's visa appointment, a culmination of a more than year-long process. We're nervous and excited and finishing up paperwork preparations, so prayers are appreciated! October was also a month of collaboration as we hosted our first-ever fundraiser event in Honduras. It was a soccer tournament and a good time of community within our neighborhood, and I enjoyed seeing how much the people from our small group contributed with their own unique talents. October was a month of family celebration as Raúl's family hosted a large birthday party to mark his grandmother's 90th birthday. Raúl's Abuela Faustina is a sweetheart who has always accepted me in their family, and she's a strong matriarch that forms the center of the family. October was also a month of setting aside a time of pointed rest and reconnecting with God through personal retreat. I don't know that I received any huge revelations or directions, but I did renew my sense of God's ongoing presence with me. And, I received a greater sense of God's love and approval even in the midst of the ordinary routines of life. And, in the midst of all of that, there was ample reading, cooking, and watching! So, I'll share the highlights...
What I Read:
Thumbnail from amazon.com
1) Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World by Emily P. Freeman. This is only the second book I have read from Emily P. Freeman, but I also enjoy her podcasts, blogs, and e-mail lists. It was one of those reads that was perfect for the season I was in. My journal is full of excerpts from this book. The premise of Simply Tuesday is that we often drive ourselves to seek out what is bigger and better when life is really made up of smaller, daily moments, so this book is geared toward fully embracing the life full of those small moments that give over-arching purpose. In general, Emily P. Freeman's message through all mediums is taking care of your soul and making more margin in life in order to really live. The book is made up of five parts that are then divided into chapters. Those parts are about things like finding a sense of home within the ordinary, embracing what our personal life work is even if it's something small and quiet, developing vulnerable community connections, working through soul struggles, and developing a life vision based in love. I wrote previously about some of the insights from this book in relation to John the Baptist, but some other excerpts I took note of are:
"Home often comes when we're waiting for the next big thing and finding home is often different from what we think it will be."
"It's good to consider that home is a Person we bring with us rather than a destination we're trying to find."
"If the soul senses judgment, criticism, or rejection, she won't feel safe. The problem is that one of her harshest critics is me. As I enter into this thoughtful place, my soul is already too intimidated by expectations to come out. I catch myself trying to figure out the right way to breathe, to pray, to listen. I don't want to mess this up. . . . I need a place free of expectation, yet here I am putting all these expectations on myself."
"Don't try to fix your loneliness. Bring your loneliness into the presence of Christ. . . . Don't try to change your attitude. Bring your attitude into the presence of Christ. . . . There is still responsibility and action from me. But my action is not to make right, to make whole, or to make better. My action is to usher my abilities, inabilities, failures, and successes all into the presence of Christ."
"In my own life I'm discovering most of my plan-making can be categorized in one of two ways: either I plan as I'm pushed by fear or as I'm led by love."
"I want to have a vision of the future that is shaped by love, not driven by fear."
2) This Is My Story: Celebrating 100 Years of Missions compiled by Kathy Bousquet for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. This was one of those fluke books that we ended up with because another missionary moved and got rid of their books. Even though I don't have a denominational affiliation, I picked up this book because I enjoy stories of other missionaries and because their is encouraging power in testimony. This book is geared toward people who support missionaries, complete with prayer suggestions and other resources for knowing how to support missionaries well. It's an interesting resource, and it does have some great stories that span decades. I don't know that this book is available anywhere since it is very denomination-specific, but it was a good read that also included some relevant quotations like these:
"God is pleased to unite His people with Himself in whatever He is about to do. He first of all leads them to pray, and then does what He intends in answer to their prayers." -- Russell Elliott
"Most often missions is simply this--you being you somewhere else."
Thumbnail from amazon.com
3) Destined to Win: How to Embrace your God-Given Identity and Realize Your Kingdom Purpose by Kris Vallotton. Kris Vallotton is a writer from Bethel Church, and I've read several of his books. I don't know that I was incredibly interested in this one initially, but I picked it up on sale at Ollie's. It turned out to be a very good, timely read. And it's another book that has filled pages in my journal. In general, Kris Vallotton's writing style mixes personal stories, Scripture, and revelation. I think one of the best revelations I received from this book is that a lot of our purposes as humans revolve around finding our people--those with whom we can dream and carry out those dreams. The people who fight for us and stick with us no matter what. This book was also really helpful in changing my attitude toward hope in the midst of a series of circumstances where it felt like everything was constantly going wrong. This book also talks about receiving wise counsel, overcoming pain, and placing healthy boundaries. Some of the excerpts I noted in my journal are:
"It seems as if most of us are asking what we are called to do when we should first be asking who we are supposed to be with. It's only when we find our people that we can fulfill our purposes. The truth is, our purposes lie in our people!"
"I simply can't find my ultimate destiny without finding my God-given place in the body."
"Even if you walk with radical faith and outrageous courage, you sometimes go through seasons when the mere frequency of things going wrong in your life can be discouraging and overwhelming. One of the worst things that can happen in these seasons is that you begin to expect things to go wrong. Expectation is the fruit of faith. In other words, you believe things are going to go wrong, and therefore you empower destructive outcomes."
"Fear is actually faith in the wrong kingdom."
"Therefore, truth overrides the facts because the facts are rooted in the natural laws of creation, while truth is always rooted in the transcending power of the Spirit, which is accessed through faith."
Thumbnail from amazon.com
4) Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers. I have a stack of Francine Rivers books that I dole out every so often because, while I do get engrossed in her characters, they do tend to be kind of formulaic. With that said, this book was a breath of fresh air in terms of story line. Francine Rivers usually writes novels that include love stories. But this one is more so a story of family, and its ending also doesn't wrap up as cleanly as most of her other books usually do. Leota's Garden intertwines the stories of an elderly lady, the rocky relationships with her children, the special relationship she develops with her granddaughter, and the other people that God brings across her path. The family conflicts and the roots behind the family conflicts are realistic. And, as someone who has enjoyed my relationships with my own grandmothers, it was enjoyable to read about such a precious grandmother-granddaughter relationship from both points of view. It as a nice fiction read that made me miss my grandmothers.
5) "Get to Know Appalachian Food" by Ali Wunderman for a good online read because I love food, and I'm very proud of my state. It's rare that West Virginia is the center of a national article or report for something positive (which is ridiculous), but when it is, it's worth sharing!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/get-to-know-appalachian-food/ar-BBNTfb0?li=BBnb7Kw
Speaking of food, here are some good eats:
Picture from tasteofhome.com
1) Cheeseburger Soup. I usually make soup once a week or so because Raúl loves soup as do I, and it's a great cook once, eat multiple times option. I'm often looking for new soups to try, and this one was comfort food at its best. This is the recipe I used as inspiration:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cheeseburger-soup/
If you find that the celery you normally buy is tough and stringy, I'd recommend shaving and sweating the celery. (I typically only like celery in soup when it more or less melts in your mouth.) I don't think I've ever found Velveeta processed cheese here, not that I'd be looking because I don't really like processed cheese. So, I just made a normal cheese sauce--starting with a butter/flour roux, then adding milk and cheddar cheese. That turned out just as well.
Picture from bestrecipebox.com
2) Butter Parmesan Garlic Zoodles. Zoodles, for those who have not tried them before, are spiralized zucchini "noodles" that many diets use as a substitute for pasta. I'm not on any diet, but I was looking for some more creative ways to eat more vegetables. I had previously tried zoodles before and really wasn't impressed because they can easily get soggy which means that can't really pass as noodles. But, I learned with this recipe that the key is really not cooking them long. I also read another recipe that drains the water from the spiralized zucchini, but that is too time-consuming for me. Spiralizing zucchini may seem like too much of a hassle also, but I have a little hand-held thing you just turn, which makes spiralizing so easy even though you can't spiralize that last little ends. This is the recipe I used, and unusual for me, I followed it to a T:
https://bestrecipebox.com/zucchini-noodle-recipe/
I truly can't stress enough--don't overcook the zucchini! So this is not a multi-tasking kind of recipe, but it was good enough that I just had this for dinner a few times this month.
3) Salt Fat Acid Heat's bean and roasted veggie herb salad. As we have previously established, I enjoy shows that mix travel and cooking. Salt Fat Acid Heat is a program on Netflix (more on that later) where Samin Nosrat explores the basic elements of good cooking aptly appearing in the title. During the segment on heat, Samin makes a salad of white beans; roasted vegetables like brussels sprouts, carrots, romanesco, and cauliflower; feta cheese; and a whole bunch of herbs. The salad is simple but looks so beautiful. So I immediately made my own version after watching and various times afterward. It's a go-to dinner now. As always, I just used what I had on hand. So, that means red beans instead of white beans. The veggies differ based on what I have. I don't have za'tar to season as she did, so I just have to come up with some of my own flavors based on the seasonings I do have. And I have been known to add some quinoa to make it just a bit more filling (not that it really needs it). For herbs, I usually use at least cilantro though I'd happily add whatever else I have on hand. The key to this dish is really the acidic dressing. I never have shallots as she uses, so it's usually just olive oil and vinegar, with more vinegar than olive oil. It's also good to make sure that everything is salted well. So good.
4) Yerba mate. As a wanna-be foodie, I'm always on the look-out for new ingredients or things to try (as long as they don't break the bank). The other day I stumbled upon the Argentinean loose leaf tea, yerba mate. I had never tried yerba mate, and it wasn't too expensive, so I bought it. When I was in college, I had a couple of classmates who had spent some time in South America, and religiously brought their yerba mate in the traditional gourd to class. I don't have the traditional gourd, so I just made mine in the coffee maker. And, I like it. It has a more earthy flavor than your average teas. Yerba mate has more caffeine than a cup of black tea but doesn't have the bitterness of coffee. Yerba mate fans also say that it has a lot of health benefits. Overall, a good impulse purchase as I'm sipping some now.
5) Hamburgers from The Market. This sadly, will only apply to those of you who are in Tegucigalpa at some point in time. As I've mentioned, Raúl and I every so often like to try different restaurants because we live in a city that has a lot of options to offer. I overheard a missionary friend of mine telling another friend that The Market, a restaurant in the Hotel Real Intercontinental, has the best hamburgers in the city. As my friend has lived here for much longer than I have, and Raúl loves hamburgers, I figured we should give her tip a try. And she was right! Raúl and I got different kinds of hamburgers, but we both agreed that they were amazing. They're also huge! I could only eat half in a sitting. Raúl said it was the best hamburger he's ever had. So, if you're ever in Tegus and have a hankering for an awesome hamburger, now you know where to go.
What I Watched:
1) Lost. I know, I know. I'm way behind on this one, but to be fair, the show Lost is one that is actually much better suited for binge watching than it was for network television, at least in my opinion. If I would have had to wait a week to know what happened next, I don't know that I would've gotten sufficiently invested in the characters and crazy story lines. For those of you who don't remember, Lost is a show about a plane that crashes on a deserted island. It has so many plot twists and crazy story lines that if you weren't so invested in the characters and the mysteries, it'd probably be too far-fetched to appreciate. But Lost does such a great job about developing its characters and being character-driven. It also had one of the most controversial endings for a beloved, popular show. I, personally, liked the ending. As I read in one review, Lost is really a story about love and about how this group of characters develop an enduring love for one another that keeps them fighting to survive and to protect one another. It's now one of my all-time favorite shows. I love anything that emphasizes connection and purpose, the way things happen for a reason. And, I love anything that keeps me guessing, that I can't quite figure out. Lost does both. It also has some admitted plot holes, but they're not so big that I can't live with them.
2) Salt Fat Acid Heat. This recently came out on Netflix. As previously mentioned, this show follows Samin Nosrat as she explores the premise of her book in a filmed fashion. It is delightful. Samin is such a bubbly person who is so passionate about good flavors, good community, and good technique. This series is so beautiful. She explores how aged Parmesan cheese is made in Italy. She learns how soy sauce was traditionally made in Japan. She visits a family of honey harvesters in Mexico. And opens her own family culture by making crispy rice with her mother. She makes homemade sofrito with a mentor. She samples dashi. She makes pavo en escabeche in a Mexican kitchen with the guidance of a lovely local lady, making softball sized meatballs for the dish. And finally, she makes a charred buttermilk chicken and beautiful white bean and roasted veggie salad. It combines all things I love--delicious-looking food, travel to beautiful places, and friendly community. Here is the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oKbs4jAf7M
3) Crazy Rich Asians. This was quite the month for movies. It seems to never fail that months can go by with nothing being on the big screen that I deem worthy of watching (even though movie theater outings are so so much cheaper here than in the States). Then, all of the sudden, all of the movies I've had my eye on via trailers all come out at the same time, leading to a whirlwind of movie outings. Thankfully, we're also in the season of 2 for 1 coupons and movie deals. This movie was one that Raúl and I saw kind of on a whim because it happened to be in the most available time slot. I had kind of been interested in it but not in a "I have to see it" kind of way. I have found that Raúl and I, while hard-pressed to find interests in common in terms of entertainment, can both enjoy movies and shows that explore other cultures or involve travel. And, we both enjoyed this one. I won't say that this is the best movie ever, but I will say that it was really cool to see a film with an all-Asian cast sharing layers of cultural information that I had to look up later. I know that there will always be controversy about how an entire culture is depicted on film, but as a person who has limited experience with Asian cultures, it sparked an interest to better understand and learn more (without taking the movie at face value as a representation for a set of differing cultures). That, I think, is valuable. Overall, the film follows a couple who travels to meet the man's family. Unbeknownst to her, his family is very wealthy, and she has lots of traditional expectations to reckon with. The story line itself isn't that original, but point of view makes is more unique. The scenes are both over-the-top and colorful in a pleasing way. The sense of humor isn't for everyone, and I'd say it was more Raúl's sense of humor than mine. But, it was a nice way to spend an evening, and I hope to see more of Asian cultures depicted in films that go beyond the usual stereotypes.
4) Venom. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you already know that I like superhero movies based on comics. It's a long-standing tradition with my brother and my family in general to see the Marvel movies and share thoughts. This is more Sony-driven than Marvel, and it received a lot of negative reviews because hardcore Venom fans felt like it should have been more violent or R-rated to be true to the character. But, I'm really glad it wasn't as I probably wouldn't have seen it. And, I liked it. I thought Tom Hardy did an excellent job as a reporter who is overtaken by a foreign force who combats a business that exploits the needy. In the same way that Johnny Depp made Captain Jack Sparrow truly his own, Tom Hardy was so unique in his depiction that I can't imagine anyone else playing that role. And, for what it's worth, Raúl loved the motorcycle chase scene. Here is the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfChVGHZhDQ
5) A Star Is Born. This movie is receiving a lot of Oscar buzz, and it's deserving. While a lot of the rest of the world has probably seen any of the previous versions of this same story, I had not, so I went in completely blind to how things were going to play out. Bradley Cooper plays Jackson Maine, a washed up singer who meets and falls for Lady Gaga's character, Ally. Over the course of the film, Jackson opens the door for Ally's success but soon the two must juggle the shifting dynamics of their relationship as a result of Ally's explosion of popularity. The acting is superb. The writing, though of a repeated story, is personal. The music is heartfelt. It does have a lot of R-rated language, so just be aware. But, it is a piece of art and knowing how much Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga poured into their craft only makes it that much more special. I will be surprised if it doesn't receive many awards. Here is the trailer which speaks for itself well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSbzyEJ8X9E
Favorites:
1) Familia de Promesa's Soccer Tournament. I was so blessed by how much our kids contributed and how much they enjoyed playing in the tournament. Watching brought back a lot of nostalgia of my own high school soccer games playing in the pouring rain. It was a little nerve-wracking as I'm a typical North American planner, and the way things unfolded seemed very chaotic at times. But, everyone pulled through and displayed their own talents in anything from rallying players to form a new team to refereeing at the last minute, from fundraising to purchasing prizes. It was cool to watch our small group move as a unit, and I hope we can do more of that soon.
2) An adult birthday at Chuck E. Cheese. Apparently, within the Ladies' Bible Study community here, it's become a fun tradition to celebrate a middle-aged birthday with a large group of adult women at Chuck E. Cheese. Lucky for me, I got to be a part of it this year when my friend, Michelle, celebrated her birthday. It was a lot of fun, and the looks on the little kids' faces as Michelle sang with Chuck E. Cheese and a large group of women played arcade games made it all the better. Learning to play and to not take life so seriously is important, and I think God feels joy in watching us play. So, all in all, I recommend it! It was a blast.
In the midst of so much violence and loss in the US this past week and so much conflict over differing points of view on immigration both here and in the US, I don't want to pass over those elements of life that are real and bring hard emotions to walk through. I don't want to send the message that I'm ignoring any of those elements or that I live in my own bubble without a care for the world around me because I do care, and I feel the societal wounds so in need of the Healer. But, I also go back to the message of Emily P. Freeman. There is power in the smallness of an individual. It's good to look for the helpers in the midst of crisis and tragedy. But, it's also good to be a helper even within your small sphere of life. It is good to listen and learn about other cultures and points of view. It develops compassion. It's good to make some cheeseburger soup for a friend or neighbor to spark real community and encouraging conversation. It's good to go on a date to take care of your marriage (that serves as a good example for young people hungry to know what healthy family looks like). It is good to take a teenager to see a movie, so that will be an evening when he's not consuming drugs or endangering his life on the streets. It is good to have fun with other people and re-ignite some childlike play and wonder because it reminds us to put the big things we cannot hold in the hands of the One who holds it all anyway. I think we'd all love to offer the quick solution, to bring peace to the hurt, and to change the world in a massive way. Maybe in some way we will someday, but the truth is that our smallness also holds much power. When we walk into a situation or even a discussion with the true Spirit of God and act in love and extend mercy and forgiveness and a listening, understanding ear, we bring the Person of Peace into the room, into a conversation, into the life of another. And when we pray even something so simple as, "Jesus, please be there. Be there in Pittsburgh. Be there at the border. Be in Indonesia. Be in Tunisia," we offer up our smallness and invite the Person of Peace to enter places in the world where we may never even set foot.
What I Read:
Thumbnail from amazon.com
1) Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World by Emily P. Freeman. This is only the second book I have read from Emily P. Freeman, but I also enjoy her podcasts, blogs, and e-mail lists. It was one of those reads that was perfect for the season I was in. My journal is full of excerpts from this book. The premise of Simply Tuesday is that we often drive ourselves to seek out what is bigger and better when life is really made up of smaller, daily moments, so this book is geared toward fully embracing the life full of those small moments that give over-arching purpose. In general, Emily P. Freeman's message through all mediums is taking care of your soul and making more margin in life in order to really live. The book is made up of five parts that are then divided into chapters. Those parts are about things like finding a sense of home within the ordinary, embracing what our personal life work is even if it's something small and quiet, developing vulnerable community connections, working through soul struggles, and developing a life vision based in love. I wrote previously about some of the insights from this book in relation to John the Baptist, but some other excerpts I took note of are:
"Home often comes when we're waiting for the next big thing and finding home is often different from what we think it will be."
"It's good to consider that home is a Person we bring with us rather than a destination we're trying to find."
"If the soul senses judgment, criticism, or rejection, she won't feel safe. The problem is that one of her harshest critics is me. As I enter into this thoughtful place, my soul is already too intimidated by expectations to come out. I catch myself trying to figure out the right way to breathe, to pray, to listen. I don't want to mess this up. . . . I need a place free of expectation, yet here I am putting all these expectations on myself."
"Don't try to fix your loneliness. Bring your loneliness into the presence of Christ. . . . Don't try to change your attitude. Bring your attitude into the presence of Christ. . . . There is still responsibility and action from me. But my action is not to make right, to make whole, or to make better. My action is to usher my abilities, inabilities, failures, and successes all into the presence of Christ."
"In my own life I'm discovering most of my plan-making can be categorized in one of two ways: either I plan as I'm pushed by fear or as I'm led by love."
"I want to have a vision of the future that is shaped by love, not driven by fear."
2) This Is My Story: Celebrating 100 Years of Missions compiled by Kathy Bousquet for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. This was one of those fluke books that we ended up with because another missionary moved and got rid of their books. Even though I don't have a denominational affiliation, I picked up this book because I enjoy stories of other missionaries and because their is encouraging power in testimony. This book is geared toward people who support missionaries, complete with prayer suggestions and other resources for knowing how to support missionaries well. It's an interesting resource, and it does have some great stories that span decades. I don't know that this book is available anywhere since it is very denomination-specific, but it was a good read that also included some relevant quotations like these:
"God is pleased to unite His people with Himself in whatever He is about to do. He first of all leads them to pray, and then does what He intends in answer to their prayers." -- Russell Elliott
"Most often missions is simply this--you being you somewhere else."
Thumbnail from amazon.com
3) Destined to Win: How to Embrace your God-Given Identity and Realize Your Kingdom Purpose by Kris Vallotton. Kris Vallotton is a writer from Bethel Church, and I've read several of his books. I don't know that I was incredibly interested in this one initially, but I picked it up on sale at Ollie's. It turned out to be a very good, timely read. And it's another book that has filled pages in my journal. In general, Kris Vallotton's writing style mixes personal stories, Scripture, and revelation. I think one of the best revelations I received from this book is that a lot of our purposes as humans revolve around finding our people--those with whom we can dream and carry out those dreams. The people who fight for us and stick with us no matter what. This book was also really helpful in changing my attitude toward hope in the midst of a series of circumstances where it felt like everything was constantly going wrong. This book also talks about receiving wise counsel, overcoming pain, and placing healthy boundaries. Some of the excerpts I noted in my journal are:
"It seems as if most of us are asking what we are called to do when we should first be asking who we are supposed to be with. It's only when we find our people that we can fulfill our purposes. The truth is, our purposes lie in our people!"
"I simply can't find my ultimate destiny without finding my God-given place in the body."
"Even if you walk with radical faith and outrageous courage, you sometimes go through seasons when the mere frequency of things going wrong in your life can be discouraging and overwhelming. One of the worst things that can happen in these seasons is that you begin to expect things to go wrong. Expectation is the fruit of faith. In other words, you believe things are going to go wrong, and therefore you empower destructive outcomes."
"Fear is actually faith in the wrong kingdom."
"Therefore, truth overrides the facts because the facts are rooted in the natural laws of creation, while truth is always rooted in the transcending power of the Spirit, which is accessed through faith."
Thumbnail from amazon.com
4) Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers. I have a stack of Francine Rivers books that I dole out every so often because, while I do get engrossed in her characters, they do tend to be kind of formulaic. With that said, this book was a breath of fresh air in terms of story line. Francine Rivers usually writes novels that include love stories. But this one is more so a story of family, and its ending also doesn't wrap up as cleanly as most of her other books usually do. Leota's Garden intertwines the stories of an elderly lady, the rocky relationships with her children, the special relationship she develops with her granddaughter, and the other people that God brings across her path. The family conflicts and the roots behind the family conflicts are realistic. And, as someone who has enjoyed my relationships with my own grandmothers, it was enjoyable to read about such a precious grandmother-granddaughter relationship from both points of view. It as a nice fiction read that made me miss my grandmothers.
5) "Get to Know Appalachian Food" by Ali Wunderman for a good online read because I love food, and I'm very proud of my state. It's rare that West Virginia is the center of a national article or report for something positive (which is ridiculous), but when it is, it's worth sharing!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/get-to-know-appalachian-food/ar-BBNTfb0?li=BBnb7Kw
Speaking of food, here are some good eats:
Picture from tasteofhome.com
1) Cheeseburger Soup. I usually make soup once a week or so because Raúl loves soup as do I, and it's a great cook once, eat multiple times option. I'm often looking for new soups to try, and this one was comfort food at its best. This is the recipe I used as inspiration:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cheeseburger-soup/
If you find that the celery you normally buy is tough and stringy, I'd recommend shaving and sweating the celery. (I typically only like celery in soup when it more or less melts in your mouth.) I don't think I've ever found Velveeta processed cheese here, not that I'd be looking because I don't really like processed cheese. So, I just made a normal cheese sauce--starting with a butter/flour roux, then adding milk and cheddar cheese. That turned out just as well.
Picture from bestrecipebox.com
2) Butter Parmesan Garlic Zoodles. Zoodles, for those who have not tried them before, are spiralized zucchini "noodles" that many diets use as a substitute for pasta. I'm not on any diet, but I was looking for some more creative ways to eat more vegetables. I had previously tried zoodles before and really wasn't impressed because they can easily get soggy which means that can't really pass as noodles. But, I learned with this recipe that the key is really not cooking them long. I also read another recipe that drains the water from the spiralized zucchini, but that is too time-consuming for me. Spiralizing zucchini may seem like too much of a hassle also, but I have a little hand-held thing you just turn, which makes spiralizing so easy even though you can't spiralize that last little ends. This is the recipe I used, and unusual for me, I followed it to a T:
https://bestrecipebox.com/zucchini-noodle-recipe/
I truly can't stress enough--don't overcook the zucchini! So this is not a multi-tasking kind of recipe, but it was good enough that I just had this for dinner a few times this month.
3) Salt Fat Acid Heat's bean and roasted veggie herb salad. As we have previously established, I enjoy shows that mix travel and cooking. Salt Fat Acid Heat is a program on Netflix (more on that later) where Samin Nosrat explores the basic elements of good cooking aptly appearing in the title. During the segment on heat, Samin makes a salad of white beans; roasted vegetables like brussels sprouts, carrots, romanesco, and cauliflower; feta cheese; and a whole bunch of herbs. The salad is simple but looks so beautiful. So I immediately made my own version after watching and various times afterward. It's a go-to dinner now. As always, I just used what I had on hand. So, that means red beans instead of white beans. The veggies differ based on what I have. I don't have za'tar to season as she did, so I just have to come up with some of my own flavors based on the seasonings I do have. And I have been known to add some quinoa to make it just a bit more filling (not that it really needs it). For herbs, I usually use at least cilantro though I'd happily add whatever else I have on hand. The key to this dish is really the acidic dressing. I never have shallots as she uses, so it's usually just olive oil and vinegar, with more vinegar than olive oil. It's also good to make sure that everything is salted well. So good.
4) Yerba mate. As a wanna-be foodie, I'm always on the look-out for new ingredients or things to try (as long as they don't break the bank). The other day I stumbled upon the Argentinean loose leaf tea, yerba mate. I had never tried yerba mate, and it wasn't too expensive, so I bought it. When I was in college, I had a couple of classmates who had spent some time in South America, and religiously brought their yerba mate in the traditional gourd to class. I don't have the traditional gourd, so I just made mine in the coffee maker. And, I like it. It has a more earthy flavor than your average teas. Yerba mate has more caffeine than a cup of black tea but doesn't have the bitterness of coffee. Yerba mate fans also say that it has a lot of health benefits. Overall, a good impulse purchase as I'm sipping some now.
5) Hamburgers from The Market. This sadly, will only apply to those of you who are in Tegucigalpa at some point in time. As I've mentioned, Raúl and I every so often like to try different restaurants because we live in a city that has a lot of options to offer. I overheard a missionary friend of mine telling another friend that The Market, a restaurant in the Hotel Real Intercontinental, has the best hamburgers in the city. As my friend has lived here for much longer than I have, and Raúl loves hamburgers, I figured we should give her tip a try. And she was right! Raúl and I got different kinds of hamburgers, but we both agreed that they were amazing. They're also huge! I could only eat half in a sitting. Raúl said it was the best hamburger he's ever had. So, if you're ever in Tegus and have a hankering for an awesome hamburger, now you know where to go.
What I Watched:
1) Lost. I know, I know. I'm way behind on this one, but to be fair, the show Lost is one that is actually much better suited for binge watching than it was for network television, at least in my opinion. If I would have had to wait a week to know what happened next, I don't know that I would've gotten sufficiently invested in the characters and crazy story lines. For those of you who don't remember, Lost is a show about a plane that crashes on a deserted island. It has so many plot twists and crazy story lines that if you weren't so invested in the characters and the mysteries, it'd probably be too far-fetched to appreciate. But Lost does such a great job about developing its characters and being character-driven. It also had one of the most controversial endings for a beloved, popular show. I, personally, liked the ending. As I read in one review, Lost is really a story about love and about how this group of characters develop an enduring love for one another that keeps them fighting to survive and to protect one another. It's now one of my all-time favorite shows. I love anything that emphasizes connection and purpose, the way things happen for a reason. And, I love anything that keeps me guessing, that I can't quite figure out. Lost does both. It also has some admitted plot holes, but they're not so big that I can't live with them.
2) Salt Fat Acid Heat. This recently came out on Netflix. As previously mentioned, this show follows Samin Nosrat as she explores the premise of her book in a filmed fashion. It is delightful. Samin is such a bubbly person who is so passionate about good flavors, good community, and good technique. This series is so beautiful. She explores how aged Parmesan cheese is made in Italy. She learns how soy sauce was traditionally made in Japan. She visits a family of honey harvesters in Mexico. And opens her own family culture by making crispy rice with her mother. She makes homemade sofrito with a mentor. She samples dashi. She makes pavo en escabeche in a Mexican kitchen with the guidance of a lovely local lady, making softball sized meatballs for the dish. And finally, she makes a charred buttermilk chicken and beautiful white bean and roasted veggie salad. It combines all things I love--delicious-looking food, travel to beautiful places, and friendly community. Here is the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oKbs4jAf7M
3) Crazy Rich Asians. This was quite the month for movies. It seems to never fail that months can go by with nothing being on the big screen that I deem worthy of watching (even though movie theater outings are so so much cheaper here than in the States). Then, all of the sudden, all of the movies I've had my eye on via trailers all come out at the same time, leading to a whirlwind of movie outings. Thankfully, we're also in the season of 2 for 1 coupons and movie deals. This movie was one that Raúl and I saw kind of on a whim because it happened to be in the most available time slot. I had kind of been interested in it but not in a "I have to see it" kind of way. I have found that Raúl and I, while hard-pressed to find interests in common in terms of entertainment, can both enjoy movies and shows that explore other cultures or involve travel. And, we both enjoyed this one. I won't say that this is the best movie ever, but I will say that it was really cool to see a film with an all-Asian cast sharing layers of cultural information that I had to look up later. I know that there will always be controversy about how an entire culture is depicted on film, but as a person who has limited experience with Asian cultures, it sparked an interest to better understand and learn more (without taking the movie at face value as a representation for a set of differing cultures). That, I think, is valuable. Overall, the film follows a couple who travels to meet the man's family. Unbeknownst to her, his family is very wealthy, and she has lots of traditional expectations to reckon with. The story line itself isn't that original, but point of view makes is more unique. The scenes are both over-the-top and colorful in a pleasing way. The sense of humor isn't for everyone, and I'd say it was more Raúl's sense of humor than mine. But, it was a nice way to spend an evening, and I hope to see more of Asian cultures depicted in films that go beyond the usual stereotypes.
4) Venom. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you already know that I like superhero movies based on comics. It's a long-standing tradition with my brother and my family in general to see the Marvel movies and share thoughts. This is more Sony-driven than Marvel, and it received a lot of negative reviews because hardcore Venom fans felt like it should have been more violent or R-rated to be true to the character. But, I'm really glad it wasn't as I probably wouldn't have seen it. And, I liked it. I thought Tom Hardy did an excellent job as a reporter who is overtaken by a foreign force who combats a business that exploits the needy. In the same way that Johnny Depp made Captain Jack Sparrow truly his own, Tom Hardy was so unique in his depiction that I can't imagine anyone else playing that role. And, for what it's worth, Raúl loved the motorcycle chase scene. Here is the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfChVGHZhDQ
5) A Star Is Born. This movie is receiving a lot of Oscar buzz, and it's deserving. While a lot of the rest of the world has probably seen any of the previous versions of this same story, I had not, so I went in completely blind to how things were going to play out. Bradley Cooper plays Jackson Maine, a washed up singer who meets and falls for Lady Gaga's character, Ally. Over the course of the film, Jackson opens the door for Ally's success but soon the two must juggle the shifting dynamics of their relationship as a result of Ally's explosion of popularity. The acting is superb. The writing, though of a repeated story, is personal. The music is heartfelt. It does have a lot of R-rated language, so just be aware. But, it is a piece of art and knowing how much Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga poured into their craft only makes it that much more special. I will be surprised if it doesn't receive many awards. Here is the trailer which speaks for itself well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSbzyEJ8X9E
Favorites:
1) Familia de Promesa's Soccer Tournament. I was so blessed by how much our kids contributed and how much they enjoyed playing in the tournament. Watching brought back a lot of nostalgia of my own high school soccer games playing in the pouring rain. It was a little nerve-wracking as I'm a typical North American planner, and the way things unfolded seemed very chaotic at times. But, everyone pulled through and displayed their own talents in anything from rallying players to form a new team to refereeing at the last minute, from fundraising to purchasing prizes. It was cool to watch our small group move as a unit, and I hope we can do more of that soon.
2) An adult birthday at Chuck E. Cheese. Apparently, within the Ladies' Bible Study community here, it's become a fun tradition to celebrate a middle-aged birthday with a large group of adult women at Chuck E. Cheese. Lucky for me, I got to be a part of it this year when my friend, Michelle, celebrated her birthday. It was a lot of fun, and the looks on the little kids' faces as Michelle sang with Chuck E. Cheese and a large group of women played arcade games made it all the better. Learning to play and to not take life so seriously is important, and I think God feels joy in watching us play. So, all in all, I recommend it! It was a blast.
In the midst of so much violence and loss in the US this past week and so much conflict over differing points of view on immigration both here and in the US, I don't want to pass over those elements of life that are real and bring hard emotions to walk through. I don't want to send the message that I'm ignoring any of those elements or that I live in my own bubble without a care for the world around me because I do care, and I feel the societal wounds so in need of the Healer. But, I also go back to the message of Emily P. Freeman. There is power in the smallness of an individual. It's good to look for the helpers in the midst of crisis and tragedy. But, it's also good to be a helper even within your small sphere of life. It is good to listen and learn about other cultures and points of view. It develops compassion. It's good to make some cheeseburger soup for a friend or neighbor to spark real community and encouraging conversation. It's good to go on a date to take care of your marriage (that serves as a good example for young people hungry to know what healthy family looks like). It is good to take a teenager to see a movie, so that will be an evening when he's not consuming drugs or endangering his life on the streets. It is good to have fun with other people and re-ignite some childlike play and wonder because it reminds us to put the big things we cannot hold in the hands of the One who holds it all anyway. I think we'd all love to offer the quick solution, to bring peace to the hurt, and to change the world in a massive way. Maybe in some way we will someday, but the truth is that our smallness also holds much power. When we walk into a situation or even a discussion with the true Spirit of God and act in love and extend mercy and forgiveness and a listening, understanding ear, we bring the Person of Peace into the room, into a conversation, into the life of another. And when we pray even something so simple as, "Jesus, please be there. Be there in Pittsburgh. Be there at the border. Be in Indonesia. Be in Tunisia," we offer up our smallness and invite the Person of Peace to enter places in the world where we may never even set foot.
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