Category: Hallelujah Diet

A Summer of Diligence

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Blessings, Hallelujah Diet, Isaac Update, What's Happening

Hello.

I know it's been a while, but I'm going to just jump right in.

We are all doing well.  Isaac is growing and happy and we've had to start shaving his manly whiskers once a week now!

Doug and I are doing well too.

Last Monday marked Doug's first day of unemployment for the summer.  While he is actively seeking a job, nothing has opened up yet; and while all our bills are current, we have been unable to save toward the summer.  It is going to be a real journey of faith, and I thought perhaps you would be interested in reading about that here.

I am going to try to blog daily, and just let you know what the Lord is doing, and how He is helping us save money, make money stretch and in-a-nutshell, survive 12 weeks without income.

It is important, too, for me to let you know that Doug has been accepted into a research program for the Hallelujah Diet, and we will be eating according to that program for the next 5 months.

So, let's get started!

Week #1 –

  • We scaled back the  minutes on our cell phone plan and that will save us $20 a month.  Also, Doug switched to one of our old cell phones – a non-smart one – and that will save us $30 a month.
  • We changed our internet plan from the medium-speed to the slowest speed and that is going to save us around $17 a month
  • We found a grocery store closer to home that carries the foods that we usually have to go to Whole Foods to buy.  We saved on gas and some products were actually cheaper there.
  • I had a jewelry order come in, with the monies going directly to Paypal, and the purchaser actually paid a bit over to cover the fee amount that Paypal charges for money transfers.

We were also given some new stuffed monkeys for Isaac – which he loved!  He pulled them out of the bag and started playing with them right away! 🙂

So, week one was a rousing success.  We aren't going hungry and all the bills are currently up to date.

My theme verse for our new "diet" and for this summer is Proverbs 13:4 – "The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing:  but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

Seeking the diligent way,

Alesha

 

A Garden Photo Update

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Blessings, Florida Weather, Food and Drink, Hallelujah Diet, How Great is Our God, Obtaining Mercy Croft, What's Happening

 

I've been listening to an audio version of The Secret Garden; and every time I go outside to check on my plants, I hear the following refrain (by the mean children who teased little Mary):

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells

And marigolds all in a row"


I love the way good literature seeps into your psyche, and colors your thoughts with lovely rhymes and prose and wonderful little quotes to fit some of life's more interesting moments!

So, in case you've been wondering how my garden is growning, I thought I'd let you see!!!

We moved all the plants out of doors, and that is working really well for us.  Doug was so innovative to find another "trellis" for the cucumbers when they grew taller than the one we had provided for them.

He sunk a discarded chain link gate into the ground near the house and the cucumbers had twined around by the next morning!


It was pouring when I took this picture, so sorry for the "fuzziness".

Lattice2

 

And here's how every little thing is growing:

Tiny, tiny baby yellow heirloom tomato plant

Yellowheirloomtomato

 

So big now, and still growing…new blossoms every day, but no tomato yet.

Bigkid

 

Yellow Pear Tomato

Yellowpeartomato

 

Pretty little tomatoes, growing nicely!

Peartomatoes2

 

Pickling Cucumber

Picklingcucumber

 

This will be cucumber #3 for this plant, and it has many more growing.

Onthevine

 

Here's the first one we picked.  It was delicious!

First fruit2

 

Crazy 8 Cucumber (because the cukes are supposed to reach 8 inches long.)

Straight8cucumber

 

This guy is about 6.5 inches.  It is killing us to leave him out there!

Straight8cuke

 

As you can see, everything is growing very well; and we are so thankful for that! 

Other than our garden, we are all doing well.  Doug and Isaac have been to therapy twice in the new vehicle and we are so thankful for it.  Every time we drive it, we find something new to love! 

On Friday, I went for my first solo drive.  It was so easy, all the buttons, knobs and gizmos are in convenient places.  I usually hate to drive in the rain, but Tranny even made that a fun adventure. 🙂


Trannydrive
 

Praying you all have a blessed weekend,

HopeFULLy,

Alesha

The Best Vegetarian Chili Ever

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Food and Drink, Hallelujah Diet, Recipe

  

Chili

 

The Best Vegetarian Chili Ever

  • 1 T Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 2 bay leaves (be sure to remove these when dish is finished cooking)
  • 1 T salt
  • 2 stalks celery (chopped)
  • 2 red bell peppers (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 t cumin
  • 2 t oregano
  • 1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 T chili powder
  • 1/8 t cayene pepper
  • 3 28 oz cans tomatoes (I use whatever combination of tomatoe sauce, diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes that I have available)
  • 2 15 oz kidney beans
  • 2 15 oz black beans
  • 1 15 oz whole kernel corn

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat.  Stir in onions, bay leaves and salt.  Saute until onion is translucent.  Stir in celery, bell peppers, and garlic.  Cover, reduce to low and simmer for five (5) minutes.  Add all spices.  Add tomatoes.  Add beans.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir in corn and simmer until corn is heated through.

We serve this over jasmine rice.

(Doug made a huge pot of this over the weekend and we are still enjoying it today.  It is so full of yummy veggies and beans that I promise – you won't even miss the meat!!!)

Enjoy!

Alesha

 

 

 

Beat the Winter Blahs Salad

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Food and Drink, Hallelujah Diet

 

I easily tire of eating salad, especially in the winter.  My brain tells me that if it's *cold* outside, I should be eating something *warm*!  So I find it quite a challenge to make a salad that appeals to me.

Over the weekend, I came up with a salad that is tasty and pretty.  I thought I'd share it with you.  It's nothing fancy, but has a nice balance of flavors. 

 

Salad

 

Beat the Winter Blahs Salad

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Radishes
  • Yellow peppers
  • Dried cranberries (I used the pomegranate flavored)
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Poppy Seed salad dressing
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Salad2

Let me know if you try it.  I'd love to know what you think.

Blessings,

Alesha

The “Good for What Ails You” Smoothie

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Food and Drink, Hallelujah Diet, Recipe

 

I am feeling pretty yuck today.  I'm home alone, and nothing in the kitchen looks or smells appealing.  So when all else fails, go for fruit.

 

 

"Good for What Ails You" Smoothie

  • 1/2 honeydew melon, seeded and peeled
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 to 1 cup frozen strawberries

Place all ingredient in blender and pulse until smooth.

 

 

It's guaranteed to make you feel all better!!!

🙂

Now THIS is the way…

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Food and Drink, Hallelujah Diet, What's Happening

…all my grocery receipts should look!!!

Receipt

I spent $5.37 and saved $11.37!!!

I got 6 jars of Sandwich Stackers Pickles for $0.90 each.  The regular price is $2.79 each. 

That's a savings of 68% per jar (well, IF I did the math right – which is highly improbable, but still entirely possible!).

These pickles are my ABsolute Faves, too!!!

If you are planning a veggie sammie, it is just NOT complete without a couple of THESE stacked on top of the peppers, onions, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes!

:o)