Happy Halloween!
Welcome to my Meatless Monday #6 blog post.
Today is not just the day my little candy hunters will head out in search of loot, but also my first day doing another 21 day meditation challenge with Dr. Deepak Chopra and Oprah. This one is called, "Creating Peace from the Inside Out~ the Power of Connection."
Have you had a chance to do one of their meditation challenges yet?
Do you want to join me?
There is still time.
Click on the hyper-link above. It's easy to register and it's FREE! It's also something we can do together and is just one more thing we can do to create a better world.
What I love about the idea of meditating on mass, creating peace from the inside out, is there was never a better time. With everything going on with the U.S. election, and the war on terrorism, nuclear testing in North Korea, etc, we need to tune inward to find peace, to shut out fear, which inevitably will touch each and everyone of us in the world as we make connections with each other.
I need it right now too as in my particular part of the world, with a house brimming with 7 children with all sorts of ages and personalities, if we can live in peace, then I know there is hope for the world. It's a constant conscious choice and believe me a daily challenge for me as the mom of my group.
My greatest wish is that there be peace in my home.
That there be peace in the world.
For me to do this however, it takes inner reserves and abundant energy. I also need to shut out what society tells me daily with all sorts of messages that plunder my being. I need to shut out the fear that I'm not good enough, I'm not rich enough, I'm not brilliant enough.
I need to remember that just BEING....is enough.
Also,
At no other time in the world can fear spread as fast, and at no other time in the world, can light shine out from all of our souls. It's our choice to choose love over power, courage over fear. Knowing we are enough just as we are. We are more than enough, we are perfect as we are...and so is everyone else.
What kind of world do you want to create?
Are you with me on a daily meditation for the next 21 days?
I'm so sorry I missed my last week's meatless Monday. Oh, we enjoyed another great vegetarian meal. It was amazing and I wanted you all at my table. I made a middle Eastern dish; Falafel wraps with a Moroccan Chick pea salad and sweet potato fries.
You can bet I'm going to write a blog post about it but it will have to be for next week. Stay tuned. I have to tell you why I missed writing last week......I was having a love affair. Ha! Well, it was more like a love/hate 1 week relationship.
With my sewing machine!
As I worked my way through the Pokemon Pikachu costume pattern I kept thinking how I was making memories for my little boy William. Last year he was a slurpee cup, which was a no sew costume so this year I felt like I owed him a REALLY great costume. How many more years will he be 7 and want to be a dressed up in a bright yellow costume?
Each night, once the kids were tucked away, lunches were made, school clothes were ironed, and yes, I still iron clothes. Probably because I leave them in the dryer too long and they are beyond wrinkled when retrieved. My sister B, knows all about my laundry woes...waving to you B...and thanks for all your help folding clothes over the years! Anyway....sorry I got sidetracked, after everything was ready for another busy day, I would bring out my sewing machine and with the T.V. on in the background, work my way through deciphering the pattern instructions. By the way....it was an EASY pattern, but for me it took ALL week.
Hence missing last week's meatless Monday blog post. But hey...here is the completed costume.
At last!
 | ||
| And here it is on Will....at the Halloween party he attended on Saturday afternoon. He loved being Pikachu and if you don't know about Pokemon, Pikachu is like a fluffy, Thor-like character...sending lightening and thunder to bad guys. |
So it's Halloween tonight and if you know me at all, I really love the whole dressing up part of the occasion. The idea of being something or someone you admire, or desire to become, appeals to my creative soul. Often little ones can feel small and insignificant in our world, (big ones too) so this gives them one day of the year, they can be something that makes them feel brilliant and brave. We all need that experience in life.
It's a time when they head out after dark, dressed in their finery, daring to be the person they most desire in the world. Plus the beauty gifts and prizes of treats doesn't hurt either!
The part I don't like about Halloween, and I think I blogged about it last year, especially since I'm a mom, is the sugar part. I spoke with several moms at our daughter's kindergarten Halloween party this morning and they were all bemoaning the sugar aspect of the day. I was sharing a few tips I have learned over the years to minimize the negative experience. Personally, I think kids should experience the hunt....and maybe also what it feels like to have a sugar high...'cause it's often a sugar low.
I mean really, it's their one and only day of the year to head out and fill a bag full of treats they often are not allowed to eat (in most households now we know the downside of sugar) We have chosen to embrace the evening and use it as another teaching moment.
Of course in the days leading up to Halloween we do talk about the tradition and also about the treat aspect of the occasion. How we are not thrilled with how sugar negatively affects our health and well being. Also, it gives children the opportunity to make healthy decisions and choices.
But in the end, we parents do have the control.
Cool hey?
I have heard some people choose to exchange the bag of candy for a longed for toy, or to allow children to eat all they want in the first night and then the treat bag goes away. What we have done in our family over the years, is when our children come home from trick or treating, we have them spread all their loot on the floor and we inspect it first. Anything that looks suspect is thrown out. Then we encourage our children to categorize and count their treats, if they choose. Kid's naturally do this in most cases. You know, put all the chocolate bars together, bags of chips etc. This is great for using their math skills and at this point they can also negotiate with their siblings for a trade.
Then we tell them to pick about three items, which they can enjoy while watching the fireworks put on by our local firehall. The fire fighters were down at the public lake dock early this morning, setting up all the various fireworks and when 8 o'clock strikes you can hear your first boom of the evening as the light show begins in our part of the world. We are fortunate to have a wonderful view since our house is right above the lake and situated directly in front of where the fireworks explode.
The kids eat their treats and enjoy this display.
After that we put the kid's treats into the kitchen cupboard and each night after dinner, they are able to select something from their treat bag. This feels good to me since I know right after that, they will be having their evening baths and brushing their teeth. This year, we are donating some of the candy to William's cello teacher's candy jar.
Knowing they go out before Trick or Treating with a healthy dinner, makes me feel great too about the upcoming sugar dump. Tonight is no exception and it's kind of cool that it's Meatless Monday.
Tonight we are making a Vegetable Lentil Gardener Pie. It's like a Sheperd's Pie..without the meat..YUM!
I found it in a wonderful cookbook I borrowed from the library. It's called, "The Vegetarian Collection," written by Alison Kent and the Canadian Living Test Kitchen.
Love, love, LOVE, this cook book and I'm definitely going to find a copy to purchase.
I think this may be a Halloween traditional dinner since it's something I can make ahead of time and just pop in the oven late in the afternoon so we can have an early dinner and get the kids into their costumes. It gets dark really early here, like at 5:00 o'clock this time of year, so they are out in their costumes walking up steps and knocking on doors REALLY early.
Are you ready for an easy dinner that is delicious and nutritious?
Okay,
Here it is:
Vegetable Lentil Gardener's Pie
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion diced
1 carrot diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/12 cups dried lentils, rinsed and drained
1 pkg (375 g) precooked soy protein mixture (I used Yves Veggie Ground Round)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dired oregano
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1 can of crushed tomatoes (I used a bag of frozen, already seasoned tomatoes)
2/3 cup of vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine or vegetable broth
2 zucchini, diced
2 lbs of russet potatoes...about 4 large ones
2 lbs sweet potatoes...about 4
1/3 cup milk (almond, rice, or cow)
3 tbsp butter
11/2 cups of grated old cheddar cheese
2 green onions sliced thinly
Directions
In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; fry diced onion, celery, carrot and garlic until softened, 6 minutes. Stir in lentils, soy protein, cumin, oregano and half each of the salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes
Stir in tomatoes, broth and wine, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add zucchini, cook, covered and stirring often, until thickened and lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel and cut russet and sweet potatoes in 2 inch chunks. In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return to dry saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return to dry saucepan; mash together with milk, butter and remaining salt and pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese.
Scrape lentil mixture into 13x9 baking dish; spread mashed potatoes over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and green onions. Bake in 375 degree oven until bubbly, about 30 minutes
I took a really quick picture of this plate for the purpose of my blog. Frankly, I'm always so shocked that I have time to take ANY pictures because when my family knows dinner is about to be served it's chaos in my kitchen. My oldest daughter said, "mom, do we really need a napkin?....and I assured her that in blog post world, yes I needed a napkin, when in real world, our kids often use their sleeves or the cushions on my window seat. No, I'm kidding, but often we don't use a napkin as that's just more laundry. ha!
But for you, I have placed a napkin on the place mat.
Someday I will have to VLOG about a typical dinner being served at my house. "Crazy" could be one adjective or maybe more like an adverb. I'm hoping always for calm but it's often a bit chaotic as everything scrambles to dish up their dinner.
I did plate this quickly but afterwards, added a country bun to this dish, which was PERFECT and the little kids loved this addition. I think a healthy bun goes GREAT with this Gardener's Pie.
So there is another Meatless Monday meal for my repertoire and maybe one you would like to try with your family. This made a nice big meal so if you have a smaller family that I do, it's great for 2 nights and what mom doesn't love THAT! Or better yet, invite another family over and break some bread together.
So dear ones, my best wishes to you for a Happy Halloween. I hope the light of the season shines brightly, fear is shut out and love remains glowing in your home. That's really what this season is all about don't you think? That and making some fun childhood memories for our children, and making lasting memories for us too.
I hope you join me in meditating over the next 21 days. Perhaps it will help us remove the mask we wear much of the year and become more in tuned with our authentic selves.
All shall be well in our world.
Peace out!
Until we connect again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.
Blessings from Hope
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