Chicken Tortilla Soup.…. style soup minus the peppers, tomatoes, corn and tortillas. I could not tell the difference! 🙂

Here is what I did on my preparation day.

I washed and peeled 3 carrots and one beet. I put them in a saucepan with 1 clove of garlic and 1/2 onion 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add three cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are tender. Let them cool, then puree in a Nutribullet store in the fridge until ready to use. (This is my substitute for tomato sauce)

Soup:

2. Chicken breast cubed

1/2 onion (optional)

1 small zucchini chopped

1 yellow squash chopped

1 clove garlic minced.

1 carrot chopped

3-4 radishes sliced

1 stalk of celery chopped

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 tsp paprika (optional)

1 tsp margoram

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 box 32 oz. chicken broth plus two cups water.

2 Cups Pureed Beat/Carrot Sauce

Sauté chicken and seasoning with heated olive oil, salt and pepper. (Or use leftover rotisserie chicken) Add onions, garlic, and chopped vegetables. Add your pureed beat mixture and the broth.

Granted, at this point the pot looks like something from a horror movie. Don’t be alarmed! 🙂 The colors and flavors meld together nicely as it simmers.

Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are tender. About 30-40 min.

I wanted to add a cup of jicama to this, but there was none at the grocery store. It would be nice in this soup though.

What’s in the garden is good!

Psalm 19:9-11 New International Version (NIV)

The fear of the Lord is pure,

enduring forever.

The decrees of the Lord are firm,

and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the honeycomb.

By them your servant is warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

Yes, the word of the Lord is sweeter than honey!

Soothing a burdened spirit, His word lifts our eyes towards Him. And just as a tickling cough is coated well with a spoonful of honey, our hearts are coated daily with His truth!
Enjoy this apple honey coated Scone recipe for a lift of the taste buds and a reminder of God’s sweet truth. Because what’s in the garden is good!

Cinnamon Apple Scones

2 cups flour

3tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Add 2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

whisk together and set aside

Stir in one ounce plus 2 tsp organic olive oil. (It will look like coarse crumbles)

Finely Chop 1 small apple

1/2 cup walnuts

Add to dry ingredients.

In a cup add:

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 tbsp. honey

Add to dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Turn out onto floured surface to knead, about ten times. Shape into a log shape and cut into small triangles. Bake in 425 degree preheated oven for 10- 12 minutes. Melt 2 tbsp. butter, add 1 tbsp. honey and brush on each scone when it comes out of the oven.

“Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him.”

Psalm 147:1

A sweet testimony of true pride is the faith of the elderly.
I admire the sheer tenacity of the lady in front of me standing on trembling limbs to sing praises to our God. Witnessing an arthritic hand raised in humble adoration stirs my heart. Worship is as close to her heart as breath. Those shaky legs hold her up for every hymn. She is taking delight in the meeting place.

Joy is present, in spite of a spine unnaturally curved, due to degenerative disc disease. Pain appears to be forgotten as the glory of praise abounds in her very stance. She refuses to sit for even a moment, as the worship session extends.

I see confidence in the hope of a better place in her determination. She will not allow physical weakness to hinder her praise time. She obtains victory in receiving the grace to endure. Life hasn’t been perfect, and perhaps extremely trying. However, the hope is clear, her faith in Jesus Christ has brought her through the struggle. Paul puts it this way in Romans:

“Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has given it to us. (Holman Christian Standard Bible, Romans 5:1-5 ).

Hope emanates from the shaky voice meeting each note of praise with heartfelt joy. It is grace that enables her trembling legs to withstand the hour long praise service. Flourishing strength in the presence of affliction is a site to behold in her small stature.
She has confidence, knowing, this shadow of a body, and all it’s complications, will give way some day. Her joy among believers will join the the souls that never die as she looks forward to being welcomed into glory.
Taking pride, for eternity, in glorifying the One who saves.