Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

What's cooking in your house tonight?  For us, it's Vegetarian Black Bean Chili, a family favorite!  It's a dark, rainy day here and this was the perfect thing to have simmering all afternoon.  The house smells amazing!  Here's the recipe if you want to give it a try!

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

1 yellow onion, chopped
2 sliced celery stalks
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
10 oz. mushrooms (canned are ok if no fresh available)
1 can diced tomatoes (or can use fresh tomatoes if desired)
2 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can corn, (optional)
1 small can tomato paste
3 cups water
3 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
3 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for approximately 5 hours.  If you need it faster, cook on high for 2-3 hours OR cook in a large dutch oven on the stove at lowest setting for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Enjoy!

Putting First Things First

It's been quite a summer!  I had big plans of all I wanted to accomplish during our few months off from homeschooling.  And big plans of all the fun we were going to have as a family.  What I hadn't planned on, was getting sick.  It started as just a little cough, but it just wouldn't go away.  I didn't have any other symptoms at all, just an annoying, nagging little cough, that gradually grew into an annoying, nagging bigger cough.  I ignored it as long as I could - after all, I don't "get sick"!  I've barely had more than a sniffle the past couple of years!  I finally broke down and went to the doctor but they couldn't figure out the cause.  That just started a long cycle of testing and antibiotics that didn't really do anything.  To make a long story short, it was finally determined that I had pertussis (whooping cough) and I actually ended up in the hospital for 4 days with severe upper abdominal pain, which we later found was caused from my coughing pulling one of my ribs slightly loose!  I was frustrated!  I had summer plans, I have kids and a husband who need me at home, I have work to do...but I had to take a break from pretty much everything!  But during this down time I was able to really stop and reflect on my priorities.  Over the past few months, I'd let things slip here and there and basically, my priorities were all out of whack!  I was suddenly forced to slow down and, now that I look back, it was EXACTLY what I needed.  I NEEDED to slow down and listen to God's 'still small voice'.  I NEEDED to take a good hard look at the needs of my family.  I NEEDED to re-prioritize pretty much my whole life.  This past month has been amazing as I've worked to put first things first again and focus on the important things in life.  So while I hated coughing up a lung for over a month and wasn't too crazy about staying in bed and being hospitalized, I am thankful!  Thankful for the down time to rest and recuperate; thankful for the friends and family who pitched in to help me out during a tough time; and yes, even thankful fore being forced to slow down and refocus my priorities.  God always know just what I need, when I need it.  

In Health,

Me in the hospital with my Shakeology - definitely needed to get in that nutrition then!

Gold Medal Philosophy

All eyes are on London and the 2012 Olympic Games these days!  I've been following the games closely as I've got TWO countries to keep up with, being from the USA but living in the FSM.  Something I was just thinking about this past weekend is one part of the Olympic training process that isn't nearly as much in the spot light as the athletes themselves and that's the Coaches.  The Coaches are just as dedicated to the Games, just as involved, put in just as many hours, and really, without them, the athletes wouldn't get very far.  I know most of us will never be an Olympic athlete; but that doesn't mean we should just wing it on our own through life.  Regardless of our ambitions in life, we should adopt a 'gold medal philosophy' and along with that comes having a coach who will drive us to do our best.  Do you have that person you can depend on to give you the push when you need it?  Someone who will check up on  you to see if you got in your workout today or ate the way you should?  Do you have someone you can call on anytime?  Ask anything?  Someone who's there to push you to your personal best in your own fitness and health?  I do! And I'm so thankful for my coach!  She's someone who's been there through all this before hand, done it herself, faced the ups and downs, and stuck with me no matter how many times I fall.  And she's taught me how to do the same for others!  That's why I coach!  So don't think you have to go it alone.  Don't be afraid to reach out; I'm here to push you to do your personal best!  Make the commitment to focus on your health and train like a gold medalist!

In Health,