martarosa's musings.

I prefer drinking my...

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:12:31 -0400

I prefer drinking my vitamins…

http://mynewroots.org/site/2010/06/raw-chocolate-milkshake-miracle-2/

That's My King- S.M. Lockridge

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 09:53:32 -0400

That's My King- S.M. Lockridge:

Death couldn’t handle Him—-and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s MY king.

Happy Resurrection Day! Join me in celebrating the truth that He is risen today.

This beauty joined my family yesterday. Meet Vivian the Vitamix!...

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:47:02 -0400

This beauty joined my family yesterday. Meet Vivian the Vitamix! I can’t wait to share all our fun adventures with you!

Jesus, Only Jesus

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:01:52 -0400

My heart is heavy today—during a week where I should be rejoicing in the Cross, I find myself defeated by the world around me. I’m not an emotional person, but today is one of those days where I can’t seem to hold back the tears or the feelings… so today, instead of enjoying a new recipe or telling you about a new favorite beauty product, I want to fix my eyes on Jesus—and I’d like you to join me.

Jesus, let me live in such a way that You are made great, Satan is made small, sin is defeated, and the sinner is loved.

“But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.

Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” [John 8:3-11]

Snowy Day Soup

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 15:56:49 -0400

In case you don’t live in Central VA, you need to know what I’m looking at right now—its Palm Sunday, a day I traditionally equate with introducing my yearly sundress wardrobe, and it is dumping snow. This is the current view from my bedroom window.

Shockingly, I don’t hate it. Sometimes, you just need a snowy day to allow you to make tasty, vibrant comfort soup and tonight, I think I’ll make this one and curl up with a fuzzy blanket and some good friends.

Love is in the air...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:13:56 -0400

This past weekend, I helped coordinate one of the most fantastic weddings. Although it required me to run around like a crazy woman for the better part of 2 days, it was so fulfilling to be able to put the finishing touches on a dear friend’s fairytale wedding.

The ceremony was a perfect unity of worship and whimsy—beautiful music, heartfelt prayers, ivy covering the stage, and bridesmaids carrying their favorite books with a bundle of wildflowers in lieu of bouquets. The reception was picture perfect—pitchers overflowing with wildflowers, candles in mercury glass, and the sun setting over the Nansemond River while we danced the night away in a restored 1870s farmhouse. I don’t think the day could have gone much better than it did—the weather was perfect until literally the minute the couple was exiting the reception & it started pouring. They got the best of both worlds—because you know, rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck ;)

Congratulations Courtnay and Adrien! If your wedding day is any indication, you are going to write a great story with your lives together.

Winter Comfort Food

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:30:45 -0400

I have two favorite foods from this winter— butternut squash and crispy quinoa. Both have found their way into many of my dishes…as well as my heart (Dramatic much?). I found an butternut squash soup recipe made with coconut milk instead of half & half—and I couldn’t go without trying it. The tang of the fresh ginger and rosemary, mixed with the creaminess of the squash was a perfect flavor combination for a winter night. It was love at first bite. But seriously. You can get the recipe here.

Crispy quinoa, although not a meal by itself, is a fantastic crunchy salad topper. I found this recipe on The Sprouted Kitchen—one of my current favorite recipe blogs. I subbed kale for the butter lettuce & arugula, and almonds for the hazelnuts, because it’s what I had on hand. The quinoa gives the salad almost a bacon-y crunch—although my judgement may be skewed because I haven’t had bacon in a few years. The dressing on this is also amazing, and I did consider drinking it at one point. You can find that recipe here.

Although spring is close, I live in Virginia, so I know there should be at least one more chilly night that will give me an excuse to replicate this meal. I’m looking forward to it!

Glowing Green Smoothie--I can't get enough!

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:12:00 -0400

Glowing Green Smoothie--I can't get enough!:

My friend Lauren has been drinking Kimberly Snyder’s GGS(glowing green smoothie) for a little over a year now. She raves about what it’s done for her body—even down to the glow of her skin and the strength of her nails. She said she had more energy, felt better, didn’t get sick as much… all the things that we are ALL wanting in our life, right? I had been in a funk, and I decided it couldn’t hurt to try it. I started drinking them about 2 months ago, and I have to say—I’m a believer. It is by no means the most tasty smoothie I’ve ever consumed, but it has proven itself. After 2 months, my skin has a healthy glow(I don’t know what that means, but people have told me that), I have broken out less, my nails are stronger and grow faster, my hair is stronger and has more volume, I’ve lost weight, I have more energy while consuming less caffeine, and in a horrible Virginia flu season, I’ve managed to stay healthy, except for a 2-day cold. I’m the girl who never leaves the house without makeup, but because my skin has gotten so much better, I’ve gone out bare-faced a couple of times!

Say what you will about “drinking your salad”—but I am convinced that adding 3 servings of greens to my breakfast has made a huge difference! Check out the link above to see how to make the GGS—it makes about 4 servings/blender, so I keep 2 in the fridge and freeze 2 to thaw later in the week. It’s also nice to wake up and have my breakfast waiting for me, requiring no effort on my part. (PS—you do NOT need a vitamix, you just need to let it blend really well. Otherwise you’ll be chewing your smoothie, and… well, gross.)

The smoothie is just part of Kimberly Snyder’s Beauty Detox Solution—Although I have picked up some of her tips, I am not ready to commit to eating completely vegan and raw yet—but the book was an interesting read, and has definitely made me think twice about what I’m putting into my body.

Skincare Secrets

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:56:00 -0400

One of my favorite skincare products is this guy right here—Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream. BB Creams are all the rage—but this one is something special. It has drastically improved my complexion and overall skin tone. Unlike some BB creams and most foundations, this uses water fuse technology, which stays light and fresh on your face all day, and it doesn’t clog your pores. This has taken the place of foundation in my makeup regimen. I use this and set it with a translucent powder for all-day wear. Not only does it moisturize and cover, it provides sun protection—keeping my skin young and vibrant. Although dropping over $30 a bottle might seem kind of pricey, I’ve been using the same 1.7 oz bottle since October, so it’s a price I’m willing to pay. Not too shabby. You can purchase it at birchbox or at sephora. If you try it—let me know what you think!

Vegan Overnight Oats!!

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 09:07:00 -0500

Vegan Overnight Oats!!:

I made these for breakfast yesterday. Absolutely fantastic, and so little prep work.

So amazing—Beautiful skill, beautiful things made out of...

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:36:53 -0400

So amazing—Beautiful skill, beautiful things made out of us.

“When asked the famous Proust question—“What do you want...

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:06:50 -0400

“When asked the famous Proust question—“What do you want God to say to you at the Pearly Gates?”—he smiles and leans back in his chair.

“That’s easy. He’ll say ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”- Kevin Roose on Dr. Falwell

"Jesus will judge us not only for what we did, but also for what we could have done and..."

Mon, 14 May 2012 18:05:45 -0400

““Jesus will judge us not only for what we did, but also for what we could have done and didn’t.” —George Otis”

Tim Keller on the Resurrection

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 09:30:14 -0400

Tim Keller on the Resurrection:

“The resurrection was God’s way of stamping PAID IN FULL right across history so that nobody could miss it.”- Keller

"There is nothing in time or eternity more absolutely certain and irrefutable than what Jesus Christ..."

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:13:11 -0400

“There is nothing in time or eternity more absolutely certain and irrefutable than what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross— He made it possible for the entire human race to be brought back into a right-standing relationship with God.”

- Oswald Chambers