Tasty Bites: Toasted Israeli Couscous with Grilled Vegetables

By Candy, RN (Steele the Day)

Israeli couscous is a fun pasta to add variety to meals. It is also called “pearl couscous” because of its shape and size. It’s made from semolina and wheat flour and has a wonderfully nutty taste. I usually make up a little extra and use leftovers in salads, frittatas, and soups.

This recipe can use any vegetable, and you can grill or roast them in the oven. Take advantage of the seasonal favorites and consider zucchini, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and even sweet potatoes. You’ll notice I threw some baked tofu in this picture for a little extra protein. Use your imagination and lots of color to take advantage of all the wonderful phytochemicals vegetables have to offer!

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YOB: International Adventure 2010 (Part 4) Istanbul

I was so excited to get off the bus. My first footfalls in Asia were walking briskly towards the Sultan Ahmed mosque. Most Americans know this as "the blue mosque" due to the interior design that incorporates blue Iznik tiles.

The line to get into the mosque was quite long. I amused myself with some kittens playing in the courtyard. When I got to the front of the line, I was given a bag to put my shoes in and was inspected by the modesty police. They decided that I was showing an acceptable level of skin and let me pass. Several of the people on my bus were given shawls and/or wraps to cover their bare shoulders or knees. (Please keep in mind that we had been briefed about this the day before.)

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One Word At A Time: Children

By MAD21

"A child is a revelation from God.
Prophets receive visions, mystics ponder the ineffable,
great preachers deliver God's word.
The greatest revelation comes through flesh and blood.
Every child is a fresh, unheard-of image of God,
and children keep coming and coming because the world
has not yet conceived of all the fullness of God's glory."

- Mike Mason, The Mystery of Children

I was a little surprise addition to our family. An unexpected challenge to my parents who thought they were already done having children. I have 11 and 13 years between my brother and sister and I, which technically puts me in a new generation (and considered and only child in some ways). I always told people I had the best of both worlds. I had a brother and sister, but I lived alone in the house with my parents by the age of nine. However, if I had had a choice I have to say I would have preferred to have had a sibling closer to my own age. It's one of the reasons it was important to me to have more than one child. I didn't want my kids living their lives without siblings they were close to, who were closer to the same stage in life.

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Doing The Unexpected

By Pat

It's so easy to share our struggles, to tell about how we grapple with faith and the the things we question in our Christian walk. I know I certainly do my share of it! After all, we as Christians are all walking a similar path. Although the destination is the same, the route we take and the scenery along the path is usually quite different. We like to share; we need to share.

I am so thankful for the gift of friendship and the chance to give my cares and prayer requests to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and for the chance to share theirs as well. What a blessing. This past Saturday evening, God spoke to me concerning an issue I have been praying about for the past couple of months, and oddly enough, He didn't speak through one of the friends who are familiar with the issue I am wrestling with. Even though several people know the situation and have given me encouragement, and have kept it in prayer, they usually only discuss it with me when I bring it up, not spontaneously... and that's fine.

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Life Is Funny: Rewind

By MAD21

Even though the TV is not a dominate force in our household, the power of TIVO has definitely had an influence on our lives. We had evidence of this last Monday evening.

Driving along in the car on the way to soccer practice, our oldest daughter spotted horses at a farm on her side of the car. As is often the case, our youngest didn't see the horses because we had already gone by.

In her frustration to see what her sister had pointed out, she calls up to the front seat, "Daddy? Could you please hit rewind?"

If only we could...

My friend and fellow blogger Wendy at Weight..What? has a fun carnival at her blog called "Life is Funny." Every Monday we talk about something in life that we find funny. Be sure to go visit her blog to read her post along with links to other blogs who are participating.