Roasted Vegetable Quinoa

Before we started work, I used to cook :-)  Hopefully I can transition into cooking again sometime soon.  In the meantime, I want to share with you this recipe that I MADE UP!  99% of what I make is straight from someone else, so I'm proud of this one.  It all began when I had 2 different families over for dinner in 2 weeks, and both times someone couldn't have gluten.  So naturally, I took one of my favorite pasta recipes (Pasta Primavera by Giada) and took the pasta out :-)  So, maybe this isn't a Jeanette original... oh well!

Anyway, this Roasted Vegetable Quinoa is out of this world good!  I had never cooked with quinoa before.  In fact, I needed help finding it at Whole Foods (I know, showing my ignorance to the "pure food lovers", I hope they enjoyed got a good laugh on me).  If you were like me and have never cooked with quinoa before, I challenge you to try this recipe.  It is delicious, healthy, easy, and beautiful!

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa

- vegetables cut julienne: orange bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, carrots, zucchini, squash, and onion (enough quantity of veggies to fill a large cookie sheet)
- EVOO
- S&P
- Italian seasoning
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1 cup of vegetable broth
- diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
- sliced fresh basil (~6 leaves)

1. Cut vegetables julienne style; toss all vegetables except tomatoes with EVOO, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Roast at 425 for 25 min (or until carrots are soft to a fork).  Halfway through, give the veggies a good "stir".
2. While vegetables are in the oven, bring vegetable broth to a boil, add quinoa and reduce to simmer.  Cook until liquid is absorbed (about 20 min), stirring occasionally.
3. Combine roasted vegetables, quinoa, diced tomato, parmesan, and basil.  Toss, and season with additional salt to taste.

**serves ~8.  Use whatever veggies you like best.  The roasted carrots are my favorite!  For this dish, I used approximately 2 bell peppers (1 of each color), 2-3 zucchini, 1 squash, 4-5 carrots, and 1 large onion

Rainbow Promise

I'm back blogging a bit.  On our first day of work, now over one month ago, we saw this beautiful sight in the sky that evening.

What didn't show up terrifically in that picture, is that this was a double rainbow!  I had never seen one before.  This is the best picture I could get of the double, you can barely see it to the left of the main rainbow.

I'm usually not one for extreme cheesy-ness.  But for whatever reason, this double rainbow, which was so maginficant streatching all the the way across the sky, was a huge comfort to me of how the Lord keeps is promises to us.

This is the beginning of the next stage of life for us, in many ways it is a stage that will continue for (hopefully) 40 years.  As with most new beginnings, there is much apprehension of the unknown ahead. As we seek to balance work and the rest of life, and take on so many new roles - doctor, clinician, business owner, manager of people, motivator, educator - I frequently feel overwhelmed and afraid.  There is still much to learn about dentistry, and what we do know is constantly changing with innovations in materials and methods, and there is also so much we are clueless about on the business aspect.  And then every so often I remember the mountain of student debt we have accrued to get to this place... (breathe!). What a comfort to know that God, who is our loving heavenly Father, has promised to take care of us, and He will be with us and guide us every step of the way.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.  As it is written,

"He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever"

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:8-11

And on a funny note, this rainbow reminded me of one of my favorite Youtube songify videos.  All during 2nd year of dental school, Bryan and I would watch these videos instead of while studying.

Work... and confessions from a recovering perfectionist

Work.... that sums it up!  That's what we've been up to - welcome to the real world Wingates!  With this new life, has come a business neither Bryan nor I have yet to experience.

I haven't posted in for-e-ver, which naturally means I've been avoiding all blogs in general and feeling guilty :-)  This is what I do in so many areas - I am a perfectionistic, slightly OCD, type, and when I get behind in anything (keeping up with the budget, writing thank you notes, journaling, quiet time, and now I can add blogging to that long list), I start to stress out about it.  So naturally, the best thing to do is fall off of my routine completely.

This habit is not desirable, but not harmful in the world of blogging.  However, when it comes to spending time with the Lord each day, I cannot allow this to be tolerated in my life.  It's amazing how quickly I can see change in my attitude, relationships, and demeanor in general when I am not spending time each day with the Lover and Savior of my soul.  Satan loves to plant thoughts in my head about my unworthiness because I've gone 3 days without spending time with Jesus, so naturally on the fourth day I shouldn't spent time with Him at all because I am unworthy.  Shame creeps in, and a downward spiral ensues until I am such a jerk to others and I hate the monster I've become that I finally run back to the cross.

Why do I fall for these lies so frequently? Why do I still struggle with the basic concept that I know in my head but don't apply in my heart - that salvation and the Christian life in general is by grace alone from the first to the last?  Praise be to the Lord, who does not require any goodness on my part for me to come into his presence!

Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?  Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.

Isaiah 55:1-2

"Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal... I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."

John 6:27, 35