It's so cold here in Idaho. Yesterday my husband asked me if he thought any of the snow we are currently getting will melt before spring. Since there is not a day above freezing in sight, I responded probably not.

Oh to be somewhere warm.

In honor of the cold I thought I would share a warm oatmeal bowl to enjoy on a cold morning. This oatmeal is topped with pears, dried cranberries and walnuts, which is one of my favorite food combinations. But it's the cardamom that really takes this oatmeal to the next level.

So go ahead and give it a try. I bet you won't regret it!


Pear Cardamom Oatmeal Bowl
Makes 1 Serving

1/2 Cup Oatmeal
1 Pear
1/2 t. Cardamom
Unsweetened, Dried Cranberries
Chopped Walnuts

1. Cook oatmeal according to package directions either in the microwave or on the stove. While the oatmeal is cooking peel and chop one pear into small pieces.
2. When the oatmeal is done mix in the cardamom. Top with pear, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts. Enjoy!

Are you interested in adding more WFPB meals into your rotation. Maybe you want to go 100% WFPB or maybe you already are. Check out my cookbook, Earth Fed Family, for 44 WFPBNO and Healthy Vegan recipes. It includes all of our family's favorite meals to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Thanks for your support! I wish you the best in health and happiness as you incorporate more plant foods into your diet!

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A DAY IN OUR PLANT BASED LIFE

I just finished a bible study from She Reads Truth called Psalms of Rest. It was simple and so beautiful. For Christmas I asked for a She Reads Truth bible. I have had and read from the King James Version my whole life, but the Christian Standard Bible brought a newness to my bible study that has been really enjoyable.

So I have been reading Psalms that call us to rest in the Lord. To rest in our God. It seems fitting seeing as I have been thinking so much about practicing the art of allowing more in my life. And this study brought me back to not just allowing, but allowing God to work in my life.

I especially loved this passage from Psalms 23.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He let's me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths... only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life.

This past year had been a rollercoaster of highs and lows as I have stumbled and wandered and wondered what I believe. This new year brought a sense of renewal to believe in God. To believe in a God that is so good, so powerful, so loving, so great, so personal, and within my reach. They say when the student is ready, the teacher appears. Well a few days ago I wrote in my journal, "release everything to God. Give it to Him. He want to give you all and infinitely more. He will absolutely take care of you, forever, always, and so much more perfectly than you can on your own." The next day I wrote "I choose God."

And then like magic the Psalms of Rest came into my life. Teaching me of a faithful, loving, magnificent, profound, righteous, compassionate, gracious God. As if God knew I needed to know who he was, and he wanted to show me.

Maybe it's not so magical after all. Maybe God is really there, ready and willing to answer our calls to know him.

I think I will keep seeking God. I think I will keep choosing God.

I got a little book about Yoga for Christmas. One of the very first things I read was about the word Namaste. I have heard that word many times throughout my life, but never thought too much about what it meant. I generally thought it had something to do with peace or love or gratitude. So as I read the meaning of this word, I instantly was filled with love and a desire to use it in my life in sacred ways.

Namaste is colloquially described as "the light within me honors and loves the light within you."

As I read this I had to take a moment to pause and allow that meaning in. I felt a deep sense of gratitude for all the people around me - my husband and children at the time. We each have light within us, and when we are living in that light we can love others for the light they have. And it is pure and beautiful and unifies us.

And this light is within everyone. What if we walked around seeking to find that light in others. Allowing their light to be what we see instead of judging their external differences. What if we simply honored and loved the light within those around us. It would be such a different world. It would be such a beautiful world.

The best part is we don't have to wait until the whole world gets on board to experience this beauty in our own lives. If we seek the light in others and honor and love others for the light they bring to this world, our experience will most certainly change. We will be able to live in that world we so desire to create.

Today seems like a great day to take the word Namaste into my world, and see others for the light they have within them, and to practice honoring and loving them for it.