Hebrew Word of the Week

Olah: Offering of rising or ascent. An offering made by fire unto YHWH, the highest order of sacrifice. Meaning ascention. It represents complete submission to YHWH's will because the ENTIRE offering is given to YHWH. Greek translation= holocaustos (holocaust/sacrifice).

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

It's What's for Dinner; Cauliflower Tortillas (Paleo, gluten free)


Can't wait to give this a try!

I've been using a lot of Paleo recipes lately and have been trying out new things to replace some old fav's.  I love tacos and just about everything to do with tacos except the usually, unhealthy tortilla so, I thought this would be worth the try.

I found this recipe :  here

If you're unfamiliar with the process of "ricing" your cauliflower,  click on the link above, it will show you the steps in the recipe.

I'll have to get back to you on how it works out...I hope it's good!


Cauliflower Tortillas (Paleo, Grain Free, Gluten free)
4.8 from 21 reviews



Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-7
Ingredients
  • ¾ a head of cauliflower riced or 2 cups riced and packed
  • 2 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. For these I actually rice my cauliflower slightly more fine that cauliflower rice. Toss ¾ a head of cauliflower cut up and most of the stem removed and pulse until you get a texture slightly finer than rice. (Once it’s riced measure it to make sure you have 2 cups packed.)
  3. Place riced cauliflower in bowl and microwave for 2 minutes and stir, then another two minutes and stir again then place in a dish towel and squeeze excess water out as hard as you can. (You’re going to want to get out as much water as you can and be careful not to burn yourself because it’s going to be very hot.)
  4. Place drained cauliflower back in bowl and add two eggs, salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
  5. As a note it will be a little bit runny but shouldn’t be pure liquid either. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet into 6 small fairly flat circles.
  6. Place in the oven for 10 minutes then pull out of the oven and carefully peel them off the parchment and flip them and place back in the oven for 5-7 more minutes.
  7. Once they’re done place them on a wire rack to cool slightly.
  8. Heat a medium sized pan over medium heat and place the tortillas into the pan pressing down slightly and brown them to your liking. (Don’t skip this step because it gives them slightly crispy on the edges and gives them a wonderfully nutty taste)
Notes
As it turns out Empowered Sustenance did a recipe that was similar to mine and she did it before me! I suppose great minds think alike. Also if you don’t know what to serve with these my favorite things that I’ve made with them so far are my Carnitas and Huevos Rancheros.

Herbal Drawing Salve


I've made Plantain salve before but this recipe is a little different from the one I've used so I decided to save it here so I can try it.  The plantain will be shooting up in the yard soon, if not already.
This was posted on Pinterest and the web page where it can be found is: here
Herbal Drawing Salve
The medicinal use of plantain traces back to the Middle Ages. Once thought of as a cure-all herb, herbalists often include it in skin treatments for rashes, splinters and minor irritations. German salve recipes frequently include plantain.
Use care and caution when making your own salves, and consult a physician for any serious stings, bites, rashes or injuries. Always consult a qualified herbalist before dosing yourself with herbal treatments and do a small patch test to ensure you are not allergic to any ingredients.

Ingredients

  • Plantain leaves
  • Vegetable oil or olive oil
  • Beeswax
  • Lavender or other herb with sweet scent (optional, although the lavender makes a good antiseptic)
  • Glass bottle or jar
  • Container for the salve
  • Label and marker

Instructions for Making Salve

  1. Take the leaf of the plantain weed and clean it under running water.
  2. Pat dry, and place in glass bottle or jar filled with vegetable or olive oil. Use several leaves for stronger potency.
  3. Store for one month with leaves immersed in oil.
  4. Strain the mixture, discard leaves and retain the oil.
  5. Slowly and carefully heat the beeswax in a double boiler.
  6. Add as much oil as needed, then cool to room temperature.
  7. Pour or scoop salve into final container, label with remedy name and date and use quickly.

Have a blessed day!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

A Refiner's Story; A Reminder



You may have heard this story before but for me, it was worthy of hearing again.  It reminds me, in my current journey, how Abba is always at work and never out of control in any situation, in fact, He has allowed our circumstance.  But what He allows is allowed for the purpose of bringing glory to Him before His people and before the world.  So for that reason, I'm posting it here.  It reminds me what He is at work doing in the lives of those He loves...

How I found the Refiner's Story

 One day, as I was talking with Abba, the scripture from Ps 139:23-24 was open in my bible  
(Psa 139:23-24  Search me, O Ěl, and know my heartTry me, and know my thoughts
  And see if an idolatrous way is in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.)   
 and as I read it and I considered it.  I was amazed at how great Abba's mercies are toward us.  I thought about what the verse was saying...David is asking Abba to search his heart and to know his thoughts, which Abba certainly does know but we also need to know, then David asks Abba to try him.  I thought about that a bit.  If we consider ourselves to be silver or gold then we know we must be tried or refined in order that all impurities (idolatry, wickedness, anything placed above Abba's truths) are purged from us so that we are pure and come forth pure so that we too, are  found in the way of everlasting life.  

A time of trial might also be called a time of wilderness wandering because the way we are headed appears uncertain.
The sages refer to the years of the wilderness wanderings as “the iron crucible”,  A metaphor of the vessel silversmiths use to refine silver. 
   crucible defined:
Pot of clay or other refractory material, used from ancient times as a container for melting metals or other materials.

So, I became curious about the aspects of refining and went on a search and I found this story below.  It's an awesome picture of how Abba may try us at times but can never leave us during His refining process because His purpose is to purify and set us apart as a new vessel.  This is done with care and perfect timing and just the exact amount of heat and care.

THE WORK OF A REFINER; A Story
Malachi 3:3 Elohim will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver and He will purify His people. 
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this
statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and
get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch
him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her
interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire
and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to
hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as
to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she
thought again about the verse that says:
“He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in
front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the
silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was
in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it
would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How
do you know when the silver is fully refined?”

He smiled at her and answered,
“Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image in it.”

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His
eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

For our Good
When we learn of this process of refining, we can see the meaning behind the metaphor more clearly.  Abba holds His people in the hottest part of the fire in order to purify them but in the process He does not leave us or allow us to be destroyed.  He allows it for our good so that we may be drawn closer to Him and understand and trust Him in ways we have not known Him.  You're trials are always designed to draw you nearer and to test your heart to see if you will follow YHWH or no.  

I am amazed that Abba considers my path.  He knows the way that I go and He cares to hear me when I call on Him.  He brings light to my path.  
Who am I that you would consider me...I am yours.

Thank you Abba for the way you have prepared for your people, may you have mercy on us as you try our hearts, 
Amein