Whole Wheat Crepes

I am loving loving LOVING this breakfast recipe right now. It comes from Lindsay over at Passionate Homemaking. Batter in a blender? Brilliant! It uses kefir instead of buttermilk, coconut oil instead of canola oil, and I sub whole wheat flour for all-purpose. Sometimes whole wheat flour can make things taste gritty or too dense, but not in these babies. She suggests letting the half-mixed batter soak overnight, which I haven't tried yet, but fully intend to if I ever remember to think about breakfast the night before. She also suggests using a crepe pan or a non-stick pan. While those are probably the best options, I have to say I use my small stainless steel pan with no problem as long as I give it a once over with coconut oil (or other non-stick) before starting.

This is such an easy recipe! It's my new breakfast fave. We usually eat them with strawberries or maple syrup, but the possibilities are endless! Let me know how you like them if you give it a try!

Whole Wheat Blender Crepes
¾ cup kefir
2 tsp coconut oil
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp honey, only for sweet crepes
¼ tsp cinnamon, only for sweet crepes
½ cup flour or 1/3 cup whole grain (raw, uncooked) – we love it with spelt or kamut, but you can also use a combination of brown rice and millet or quinoa (make sure to rinse for a full minute before grinding) if you are gluten intolerant


Combine in a blender: kefir, oil, and whole grain and blend for 3 minutes on high, or just 30 seconds if using flour. If desired, cover blender and let batter stand overnight at room temperature to benefit from breaking down the phytates. After soaking, add egg, salt, honey & cinnamon (if desired).

Lightly spray or wipe a seasoned crepe pan or non-stick pan with oil (coconut oil is preferred). Use a napkin or wax paper to wipe out excess. Pour 3 Tablespoons batter (filling a ¼ cup measuring cup ¾ full) into your hot pan, quickly tilting pan to swirl the batter evenly to edges of pan. Keep mixing your batter as you make each new crepe. Bake until the edges are browned (about 1-2 minutes). Loosen along edges with table knife or shish kabob stick. I use a metal spatula and that works great, too. Turn over and bake on opposite side for about 30 seconds. Lightly apply further oil with napkin or wax paper between crepes, wiping out excess. These freeze very well and can be eaten hot or cold.

Check out the original recipe here, along with a great recipe for cottage cheese filling and more info on soaking. Happy breakfast adventures!

Household Cleaners

I am always in search of the next best natural ANYTHING that I can use in my home. I think living a conscious life includes being responsible for what we eat, wear (although I haven't tackled this one yet), and clean with. Usually I buy natural cleaning products at the store (Seventh Generation), but they are SO expensive! So, recently I did a little googling to find some recipes for natural household cleaners and stumbled upon this little beauty of a webpage!

Non-Toxic Home Cleaning

Bathrooms, carpets, kitchen, laundry, all-purpose and LOTS more; there is a cleaner recipe for any occasion, all using simple, CHEAP ingredients (which are all explained at the top of the page). I have only tried the All-Purpose cleaner so far. It is great for counter tops and general wipe-down jobs. Eventually I plan to try the carpet cleaner because our carpets look like they've been broken in under an elephant bath.

Give some of these a try and let me know what you think!

Zeal Without Knowledge, or, The China Shop

Sometimes I feel like a bull in a china shop, I swear. This is the second night in a row that I've jumped into a dinner that I thought would be quick and simple and instead it just turned out to be completely disastrous. Soup all over the kitchen, clumpy cheese in the ziti, and way more stress (or dishes) than I need over a "last-minute" dinner. But I jumped in without thinking it through... again.

Earlier today I was inspired to help a friend who is about to have a baby by setting up a meal sign-up calendar. I was excited to do it, so I set it up and e-mailed it out without running it by anyone (first mistake). Now it's been brought to my attention that some of the details of my set-up might be offensive to others (I won't get into why), and of course now that I've had time to think it through I see where I could have planned more thoughtfully, more holistically; seeing the whole picture in front of me instead of the one detail I wanted to focus on.

I remember one of the worst experiences I ever had at my most recent job was when I made a pretty major decision, one that affected a lot of people, without consulting any of my peer employees. The response from fellow staff members was awful, and I knew I had made a mistake, because I hadn't thought it through before acting on my excitement. In fact, that whole year at work felt like I was making one mistake after another. Like a bull in a china shop, I would excitedly run into something, shatter it all over the floor, and awkwardly back away, only to break something else.

"For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness."
Romans 10:2-3

I have always applied this verse spiritually (as it seems it was intended), but what an important lesson to let rest over all our decision making. Often I find myself jumping into a task because I'm excited or inspired or moved, only to discover failure in the end because I leaped in on emotion (ah, selfish emotion) without THINKING. Paul told the Romans that while zeal can be positive, if it isn't married to knowledge it will result in pride and stubbornness. Boy was he right! The last thing I want to do after justly failing at something I was so excited about is admit I was wrong. Pride and stubbornness. Zeal without knowledge really is like a bull in a china shop. It is clumsy, foolish, and destructive.

Thankfully, the Holy Spirit kindly and gently reminds me that my agenda is not the most important thing. His is. My zeal is not what matters because it is meaningless when divorced from His love and graciousness. "...God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance." (Romans 2:4) I am so thankful I serve a kind God, who draws me back to His way of doing things like a parent patiently reminding his child of an important truth. Tonight I am reminded by the Father that faith often involves thought, and zeal must hold hands with knowledge, the two cupped together... spooning. That's right, zeal and knowledge have to spoon and walk the bull out of the china shop together. How's THAT for an over-involved metaphor!

Welcome to Life On Purpose

My story is not one of epic proportions. It is not great or triumphal or even very exciting. But it is normal. And I think that is what I have to share here. Embarking on this adventure that is motherood has not been easy, nor has it been predictable. And the more women I talk to, the more I find that all us moms are struggling with the same issues of success & defeat, community & isolation, freedom & guilt, joy & saddness. And none of us think that anyone else must feel these things. Well I'm starting to figure out... that's just ridiculous!

I have been blogging half-heartedly for several months now, knowing it's something I enjoy but not completely sure what I want to share with the blogging community. Then I stumbled upon an article by a guest-writer at one of my favorite blogs, Passionate Homemaking. The Lord struck me right in the heart as I read the very words of my life difficulties in front of me on the computer screen, written by a woman I have never met, and probably never will. She had me crying, alone, in the middle of my kitchen. I hadn't been blind-sided like that since my junior homecoming date dumped me for someone else 2 weeks before the dance! (OK, maybe that's another issue.) Please read the article now. Just go do it. No really... now.

Remember the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23? Whenever I read them I have an inner dialogue that goes something like this:
"Love, ok got it, Joy, duh life is great!, Peace, no problem, I'm a peace-maker, Patience, been married for five years, I'm a master, Kindness, hellOOO I am sooo nice, Goodness, I'm goooood on goodness, Faithfulness, still believin'!, Gentleness, gentle as the Snuggle Bear, and Self-Control, .........ah crap."

It's that darn self-control that gets me every time! For as much as I think I've mastered all the other fruits (which I really don't; there are definitely uglies that rear their heads in other areas), I KNOW that I am almost completely lacking in the area of self-discipline. And it doesn't help being married to the king of self-discipline. (I bet you didn't know there was a king of self-discipline. Well there is, and he's downstairs doing something responsible right at this moment.) But self-discipline, or self-control, is exactly what God is trying to work into my stubborn heart, because there's no way I will accomplish what He has set before me and called me to if this continues to lack in my life.

"As mothers, our daily submission to God, and our willingness to surrender to what He desires to accomplish “under the surface” directly corresponds to how (and to what extent) we will eventually fulfill God’s overall purpose for our lives."

Self-discipline is so difficult because it involves putting what I want aside, and obeying what God wants. Sometimes the two wills go hand in hand. But usually it's more like, "I want to stalk people on Facebook," and God is like, "I want you to do a load of laundry so your son has clean clothes to wear." And these things sound so small that it's easy to grow indifferent to them. But the Lord prepares us for the big thing with lots of little small things first, so that we really know what we're doing (His Will) when we get to the big thing.

That is why this fresh-and-clean blog is called "Life On Purpose." What I can share in this crazy cyber-world is some encouragement on finding passion and purpose in the day to day things in life, as I do my best to submit to my Creator and honor Him in all the small things, trusting that He is preparing me for more than just folding clothes, picking up blocks, and cooking dinner. When you feel like being a Mom has lost some purpose (as I have often felt), remember that you are sumitting to God by serving your family, and that is something He can and will use in GREAT ways! This is not a craft blog, or a sewing blog, or a cooking blog, or a Christian or ministry or Stay-At-Home-Mom Blog. It is a blog about life; a conscious life. So sometimes it will include all or none of these things. Above all, it is intended to encourage and build up. I will be honest about life and motherhood and the things I learn, and I would love for you to stay tuned in and do the same.

(If you have been following/subscribing to tasha.tulip, go ahead and switch over to Life On Purpose as I won't be posting at tasha.tulip anymore. Tasha.tulip is now the name of my business [more on that another day], and I will eventually be deleting the blog after moving over a few posts. Thanks guys!)

Meal Planning

I was meal planning pretty diligently a few months ago. Every Thursday or Friday I would clear a space on the kitchen table big enough for my calendar, computer, grocery list, and meal plan, and go to town. Googling new recipes, checking the pantry to see what needed used up, anticipating work nights with slow cooker meals... it was lovely. But then my husband had surgery and I fell off the planning wagon. I've been back to $20 grocery store runs for whatever we need whenever we need it, and grabbing whatever fixes the quickest for dinner; cereal, PB&J, eggs, instant oatmeal. Not all bad, but definitely not well-rounded nourishment.
Well, this week I am jumping back on the wagon. I finally feel like my life and home are back to a manageable state after surgery and I'm ready to work out a weekly menu once again! Here is my plan for this week's dinners:

Sunday (tonight)
Smokey Oven Chicken with Bacon Corn Couscous
Spinach Salad drizzled with Lemon Juice

Monday
Slow Cooker Chicken with Apricots and Dates
Brown Rice
Salad

Tuesday
Quinoa Soup

Wednesday
Orzo with Chicken, Garlic and Scallions

Thursday
Grilled Salmon
Fresh Dill Veggie Platter

Friday
Turkey Burgers
Oven Crinkle Fries
Salad

(and Saturday we are going out to celebrate our 5th anniversary!!)

As I was browsing through a few home-making blogs tonight, wouldn't you know I stumbled across a great article on, you guessed it, meal planning! You can check out the article here, at Keeper of the Home, a blog I've been reading more frequently. It was an encouraging read and gave me lots of tips for how to be more successful with my plan. I will be trying them all!

Tonight we cooked up that first meal on the list, but subbed chicken for the salmon because my father-in-law is in town and he loathes fish (won't even eat a tuna sandwich). I did spinach instead of watercress, and also omitted the pepper from the couscous (because I loathe peppers). The couscous was AMAZING! Look at all the gorgeous colors in the dish!

And it smelled so good cooking! I honestly love having fresh food on the table. It makes me feel as if I'm doing something good for my family, which... I am.

Handle Once

This is how I've been feeling in my kitchen lately...

...and not just in my kitchen. Imagine dishes all over the house, but it's not always dishes. Sometimes it's laundry, sewing, toys, papers, you name it. My husband doesn't believe me when I tell him it drives me crazy, because to him it's so simple. If you don't want to live in a mess, just clean up. Well for some people that just isn't realized so simply. But enough is finally enough. I can't live like this anymore! So I've instated two new rules over my life at home:

1. Every night the dishwasher gets run, every morning the dishes get put away, and all day the dishes go in the dishwasher (because it is not full of dishes!).

I know, I know, you're thinking, "It took you 5 years of marriage to figure that out??" Why yes, yes it did. I'm not so quick with the house work.

2. The "Handle Once" Rule. Now this is the big one, and certainly most challenging. I was reading an article recently on how to de-clutter your life and the writer suggested only handling a piece of paper one time. When you open it from the mailbox or bring it home from work or pick it up at the store, you either file it or trash it or manage it in whatever way is required right away. You do NOT set it aside in a pile to "get to later." Oh how guilty I am of doing this. Paper piles all over our house. So I thought to myself, this is a good rule. And if it can be applied successfully to paper, then surely it can be applied to all kinds of other things around the house! Dishes, dirty laundry, clean laundry (how many times have I handled my clean laundry before it finally, if ever, gets put away!), toys, bags, electronics. Basically, I am now trying to take care of things on the spot. This has really been applied to dishes more than anything else so far, and my kitchen has been clean for 3 days straight! It is a miraculous accomplishment. And I don't say this lightly; I have prayed on many occasions that God would help me improve around the house. So from now on I will try to handle everything only once.

While watching The Biggest Loser on Hulu tonight I realized, I may not be in a struggle to lose weight, but I have felt a sincere sense of accomplishment when glancing around my kitchen this week, knowing I am tackling the beast in my life!

A Moment of Triumph

Last night was crazy. Well, the entire last month has been crazy, actually. But last night especially, Maddox was really digging deep to find that nerve. You know, the one that makes you want to put your head in the freezer and slam the door shut. He wouldn't go down for his afternoon nap (which we might be forcing at this point, but I'm not ready to surrender yet), so by 6:30 he was slightly (ha) over the edge. Well, instead of putting my head in the freezer (I decided that wouldn't be good for anyone), I took a deep breath, collected myself, and decided to be proactive! That's right, I did not collapse on the couch in exhausted submission, as I often do. Instead, I grabbed the blocks, a box and some freezer paper, and set up camp in the middle of the living room. Now, a month ago Maddox would have dumped out the bucket of blocks and started chucking them across the room, but it seems he's gained some maturity! He sat down and actually started BUILDING! I know, I couldn't believe it either. That lasted a whole ten minutes before he chucked a block at my head and we were done with that activity. Then I took the box top and covered it in freezer paper (which is quickly becoming my new favorite thing; look for a post about it soon)and we had a coloring table! About another ten minutes of sitting still and coloring, before the crayons went in the mouth and the little artist was done. I was beside myself that somehow we had managed to have TWENTY WHOLE MINUTES of calm, quiet, wind-down time with no yelling, kicking, biting, or head-butting! I put Maddox to bed with an audible sigh of relief and overwhelming sense of accomplishment. More adventures tomorrow!