40 Days-40 Lenten Recipes #15 Surprise Guest Blogger-Guatemalan Black Beans

Guatemalan Black Beans

Today we have an incredible treat for everyone out there. 

Not only is it our first guest blogger, 

but also it comes all the way from Guatemala 

and from someone so special! 

I am beyond excited, if you can't tell.

I wish to thank her for taking time to share the day with us and for all her work. 

May God continue to provide you strength!

Our next Lenten Recipe is Guatemalan Black Beans, and offered by, 

Presvytera Alexandra Chakos.

Fr. John and Presvytera Sandy have been in Guatemala since 2011, following "retirement" from  parish life, they entered their new roles as missionaries.   

Now, in Guatemala, Fr. John is helping to establish a seminary, train catechists, coordinate the arrival of mission teams, support orphans and needy children, 

and aid the clergy in ministering to the sacramental needs of the communities.

Presvytera Alexandra (a.k.a. Sandy) is teaching the sewing of priestly vestments, cassocks, robes for altar boys, and other ecclesiastical necessities." 

With this beautiful offering she is helping empower women, with new talents, skills and opportunities.

To learn more about them and their time, or if you would like to help?

Please visit Presvytera's blog: The Word from Guatemala

And now...

The photo is of Dona Simona, the cook at our boys' orphanage in Nueva Concepcion, Guatemala.
She is cooking up a big pot of black beans.

Guatemalan Black Beans

In a rhyme remembered from my childhood, beans are referred to as the "musical fruit."  

I would amend that rhyme to call beans the MAGICAL fruit.  I would even go further and call them the Legumes of Life.  Among all groups of food, no group has a more health-supportive mix of protein plus fiber than beans.  Indigenous to Central and South America, beans were introduced to Europe in the 15th century by Spanish explorers, and eventually spread to Africa and Asia.  Because they are easy to grow and can be easily stored for long periods of time, beans have sustained human life when other food sources were scarce.

Of all legumes, black beans contain the most healthy nutrients.  Their dark seed coat is an outstanding source of disease-fighting flavonoids.  Add to this, antioxidant-promoting manganese, muscle-building protein, energy-producing magnesium, thiamin, phosphorus, and iron.  With a low glycemic load, they help in blood sugar regulation.  It has been shown that a steady diet of black beans can decrease the risk of cardio-vascular disease and certain cancers, especially colon cancer.  

So, are you ready to eat some black beans?  Here's how to cook them Guatemalan style. If you live in rural Guatemala, as I do, it is important to spread the dry beans on a light-colored towel to remove stones, bugs, debris, and damaged beans.  Rinse beans thoroughly and place them in a bowl to soak, adding 2 to 3 cups of water for every cup of beans.  Soak them for 8 hours or overnight.  If you have enough kindling for your fire, you can use the quick soaking method.  Bring the beans to boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and allow to stand for two hours.  Drain the liquid and discard.  If you are worried about losing nutrients, a recent study has shown that the advantages of discarding the water outweigh the disadvantages.  It also reduces the substances that cause flatulence.  Rinse the beans and place them in a pot, adding 3 cups of fresh water per cup of beans.  Throw in a couple of bay leaves and a few cloves of sliced garlic.  Do not add salt at this time or your beans will be tough.  Simmer for 1 1/2 hour or until beans are tender.  Add salt and cumin to taste.  Serve with rice or boiled plantains.  Enjoy your black beans!  Enjoy your Magical Legumes of Life! Do you feel healthier already?

Thank you and remember to Share the Day! 
Please consider Sharing the Day over at The Word from Guatemala
and remember them all, in your prayers.
Only together there is hope.

Accepting God's Will

Today is March 25th.

Today, we celebrate our Sweet Theotokos in a special way.

Today we celebrate that she said, "YES"

‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ 

Luke 1:24-38

This takes on special emphasis, 

as it is an important example of how to live our lives.

Accept God's Will.

This month our church school has been collecting to support missions.

There are so many ways to be involved in supporting missions, whether it is becoming an Ambassador of the Faith yourself,  or supporting the works of clergy and communities which are growing.

Our children are determined on filling their boxes.

Anyone loitering at coffee hour,

Beware.

Today,

discover the

Orthodox Christian Mission Center

 'For nothing will be impossible with God.’

Luke 1:24-38 

Next week a surprise is being shared.

Check back 

and

Share the Day.

Maple Apple Crisp in a Pinch

Things have been busy, busy, busy.  

Wanted to share, that before Thanksgiving, 

we had our church kids come together to stuff special food boxes for the local pantry, 

it included everything one would need for a meal and then some. 

Encourage everyone to do this, 

food pantry needs help not just around the holidays, but people are hungry, everyday.  

Thee kids did a great job and there was so much enthusiasm! 

I was running between errands, work, etc. and was behind on making something for the shared table.  So, I whipped up some apple crisp, but realized too late, 

was out of regular oatmeal!

What to do, what to do? Just use brown sugar, flour and butter (BFB).

Could. Or...

 We did have some Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal in the cupboard.  

Hee hee hee, I used that! I mixed it with the BFB. 

Then, brought it still hot, to the church hall, and it was throughly enjoyed!  

So, whatever your plans ahead, don't be fearful to tweak something.  

You may just find a new favorite around the next box in the cupboard. 

We've had crisp for desserts and works for breakfast too!

I'm thinking I might plan it for a Boxing Day treat?

Share the Day!

About the Birds

I find my new interest with these creatures to say the least, remarkable. I have always appreciated the beauty of flight, and who hasn't dreamed of being a bird as a child.  I loved birds then, playing with all the chicks at my grandparent's home, collecting eggs, etc. I loved in particular one sweet and very large rooster, given to me as a birthday present.  A story, we'll leave this for another time.

I don't remember when my fear of birds began, perhaps that iconic Hitchcock movie. He was brilliant! It wasn't the attack scenes that were the most horrifying to me, but the waiting, the birds sitting there, staring at you...it seemed...plotting.

I have a newfound respect for the variations of color,  the chirps, sounds, songs, their beauty and of course the lack of worry.  Birds don't worry, ever thought of this?  They go through their day, seeking food, water and company.  They fly in the sky, enjoy the breezes and the sun and finding their needs met for the day, rest and find shelter.  God provides.  So if the sweetest and one of the smallest of God's creatures knows this lesson so well, why do many struggle so much. Anxiety is prevalent throughout many societies, especially in this one.  Consider...

"Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?"  Matthew 6.26-27

Worrying cannot add life, but it sure can take away. It's summertime, the time when we are supposed to be more carefree, take life slower, stop and enjoy like the birds. But it is summertime and the food pantries are all struggling, budgets and funding are cut, donations are low. The birds can find things to eat, but the people?  God provides, He provided us to take care of each other.  Consider in the midst of enjoying the beauty of summer, the beauty of the birds and the sounds, stopping off and adding to the shelves of your local food pantry.  Let's help someone else feel the freedom like a bird, and be without worry.

Click here to find a foodbank near you, and find other ways to help.

http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx