Taco (not really) Night!

I had a lot of veggies that I was afraid I wasn't going to get to before they went bad, so I decided to make boiled chicken ceviche! It was AMAZING. It was my first time boiling chicken but was super easy, quick, and did not dry out my chicken like grilling sometimes does. I'm definitely going to continue to boil chicken, especially chicken breast as I continue on my clean eating journey.

Peppers, tomatoes, and onions!

For the ceviche-style chicken, I boiled the chicken with salt water and once cooked shredded it with forks.














I then added green, yellow, and red peppers, onions, tomatoes, and all kinds of spices and seasonings (ceviche I've had often is cooked with cilantro, but I really don't like cilantro!).

 I let it all sit in lemon juice for about thirty minutes (chicken is already cooked so no need to keep it in there for a long time) and I put it over corn tortillas!

It was great, easy, and a good way for me to use up my vegetables before the new week.

On the side/for dessert I had a Pina Colada green smoothie!  The recipe is a part of the 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge! The pair made for a perfect Mexican-style dinner night!

What other recipes are out there for tasty boiled chicken?

Peace and blessings!
Jessica

Rice Cakes & Green Smoothie Challenge!

I love the fruits and vegetables that come with summer- especially strawberries! My favorite snack is rice cakes with peanut butter on them and I recently begun having strawberries on the side. One day, "babe" suggested I put the strawberries on the rice cakes... and I've been addicted ever since! It's my favorite snack and/or breakfast and I now use Jif Natural Peanut Butter to make my snack cleaner.

"Babe" and I started The 30-day Green Smoothie Challenge on July 1 and have been drinking green smoothies as snacks or meal replacements. I'm drinking the rest the Avocado Kiwi smoothie we made last night along with my rice cake. Transitioning from any fats, to good fats! 

For this and more green smoothie recipes and to join the 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge visit www.simplegreensmoothies.com!

I'm so excited for the 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge to help me kick-start my transition into clean eating. And I can't wait to experiment with recipes to make clean eating tasty, affordable, and manageable for me. 

I currently use Quaker Oats Caramel Corn Rice Cakes (not clean).

Any suggestions for clean brown rice cakes?






Peace and blessings!
Jessica

I'm with B.O.

Posted By: Ashley

In 2008, I voted for hope and change. In 2012, I vote to guard that change.

Here are a few reasons why I will cast my vote for President Barack Obama this Tuesday:

• The Affordable Care Act may be one of the most influential pieces of legislation to pass in our lifetime. In my profession, I have seen firsthand how the ACA is changing lives. There are no more lifetime limits, people won’t be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions, women have greater access to care, there is a stronger emphasis on prevention and wellness rather than sick care, children can stay on their parents insurance until the age of 26...I can go on and on. It is an extraordinary piece of legislation. Does it cost a lot of money? Sure, for now. But in the long run it will save much much more. Even more important - it will save lives.

• As an advocate for people with disabilities I have appreciated how much the Obama Administration cares. I’ve interacted with his disability advisors who work hard and take time to listen to constituent concerns. Under Obama, the United States is close to ratifying the international treaty - the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

• Obama implemented student loan reform and doubled the Pell grant. President Obama understands that college is not always accessible to students who want to further their education...but it should be. He also supports the DREAM Act.

• I’m terrified about what’s happening with the nation’s budget. We CANNOT continue to cut critical safety-net programs in an attempt to balance the budget on the backs of the low-income. We need to increase revenues. In a big way. I believe that Obama’s plan is stronger than Romney’s who intends to cut his way out of a hole....impossible.

Is Obama perfect on immigration? no. Is he perfect on every aspect of foreign policy? no. He certainly hasn’t been able to accomplish everything he set out to do in his first term. But we must remember that the United States government is designed exactly so that the President does not hold all the power...checks and balances...remember 11th grade U.S. history? It’s not meant to be an efficient and speedy process. And Obama cannot accomplish much without his partners in Congress. Yet despite the constant pushback from the House - look at all he’s done so far. Imagine what more he can do with our help.

I’ll close my political rant by emphasizing the importance of your local elections. It absolutely matters who is elected to your local school board and city council, mayor, Governor, state legislators, congressional representatives, etc.. You can’t expect Obama to come fix the potholes in your streets or clean up your schools and neighborhoods...but you SHOULD expect that from your local legislators and hold them accountable.
I cannot emphasize enough how important this election is. vote vote VOTE. Our future depends on it.

Wait, what? #TwitterStalkingProblems

Posted by: Jessica

OK, we need to talk.

I recently came across a blog that caters to an urban, adult audience, and although there was ebonics and extreme cursing I felt like this particular post was extremely well written and had sooo many awesome points. You might want to check it out before reading this post any further….

Let me tell you, that post completely validated so many new thoughts and feelings that were arising within me as I explore feminist theology during my second year of Divinity School and I want to look at those ideas from more of a Christian viewpoint. Ok, fast-forwarding to NOW: I was perusing my twitter timeline (or perhaps twitter stalking) and came across a beautiful young Christian lady who was wearing a shirt that read: “Rib in Waiting.”

WAIT. WHAT?

A few points.

1. I’m assuming that the rib she is referring to is the rib of the adam described in Genesis 2:21-22. Genesis 2 has a beautiful creation story of human kind coming into fruition, flourishing throughout the earth and being an intrinsic part of God’s creation. But, there are two creation stories in Genesis. The first is seen in Genesis 1, where “God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27 NRSV).  There is no mention of a rib in the first creation story and it seems that both male and female were created simultaneously, equally. So it seems…

2. If we were to disregard the first creation story in Genesis 1 for a moment and focus on Genesis 2, we would have to focus on the rib. For that is the turning point for the adam, for all of humanity. God physically and intimately interacts with God’s own creation and voila! A woman is formed. A being. A complete, competent, divinely fashioned whole person is created by God. She is no longer a rib, but a human being, a woman made in the image of God with a divine purpose within this world. The shirt effected me most pertaining to this point. As women, lets give ourselves complete and total credit for the whole person that God created us to be, and not limit ourselves and our bodies to one piece of another human being. We are our own selves, we are no longer just a member of another person’s whole. We too can stand independently.

3. Lastly, the “in waiting” portion of the shirt makes me nervous. I believe that this in reference to not going out and “seeking love” but to allow a man to come in and sweep you off of your feet. I was there. I had my own agenda but relationship wise I thought I would have to sit pretty with my legs crossed, hands folded, and a pretty smile on my face… waiting. Aiming at being attractive to all of the “good” guys out there. I was there. But ladies, TAKE RISKS! Do not sit and wait for a man to sweep you off your feet. In any good relationship, both partners must be fully involved, sweeping at each other (funny image). Live your life, focus on your personal ministry but don’t keep your nose up in the air. Love love! Just my opinion. I’m in a relationship with an amazing Christian man who did make all the first advances but I was not batting my eyelashes waiting for him to approach me. Pshh. Not at all actually (story for another day), and actually, I wasn’t waiting for a man either. I was living. Focusing on my ministry.

Reading the blog fired me up. Seeing that shirt fired me up. I really think that women need to recognize that we too are beautifully created in the image of God and as whole and complete human beings, independent of men.

Just my ramblings and completely my opinion. Just wanted to share. Thoughts?