Sunday?

I seemed to have lost nearly a week...but never fear....I uploaded photos and now I REMEMBER what we have been up to. ::snort:: 

Sunday Michael continued a preaching sermon on I Peter. He began before....emergency surgery, emergency leave.... you know the story. 

Michael and I were up to the challenge to eat vegan out at the club...but it wasn't what I'd call "good eating." I suspect we'll do better off at home. LOL 

I wanted to see if I could find a way to get to my "new beach" without parking and walking....and we discovered my walk is nearly 3 miles. I'd forgotten to get ON the beach we'd have to climb a ladder over a wall and then down a wall....but there were ropes to help....

We left the beach with JUST enough time to make it to the base to see BRAVE. Mixed reviews in our home about it.

We brought Michael home and I took the kids back to base for a bowling party with their friends.

Satisfying day!

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Hyakka Ryousai (Foot Onsen Produce Market)

One of our favorite ways to spend an afternoon is to visit Hyakka Ryousai, less than a kilometer from our home. Americans often call this the "foot onsen produce market".  They are ALWAYS building and currently you cannot reach the foot onsen....but you CAN see animals, greenhouses, eat at an organic buffet (or so I'm told), and visit a bakery, ice cream shop and snack shop.  You can see lots of photos and more info here. 

Directions: 
Take POL from base and continue until you come to an intersection with Circle K on the Right....

Turn left here....and the "Log Cabin Pachinko" will be on your right. Continue 2.9 K to restaurant

You'll pass Kihi Shrine, a neighborhood convenience store, a produce market, Parsley Na

You'll start to see these signs.....take the 4th to the parking lot closest to the restaurant right at 2.9 

Back of restaurant on left....walk under the awning

Open Weekdays 11:00-15:00 Weekends 11:1600

Adults  - I'm not sure - from what I can tell between Y1080 and 1380

If you come in an earlier lot you'll see greenhouses....

Produce market

To the right of the produce shop is this bldg....walk through the breezeway to the buffet

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Lunch Time Conversation

Stacia - Zander,  you prayed last night you didn't want to be fighting. 

Zander - STACIA! That was for last night - it was only permanent. 

Stacia - Do you know what permanent means? 

Zander - Yes. Do you?

Stacia - It means to keep it going. 

Zander - WHAT? 

Stacia - I have lucky guesses sometimes.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Friday and Saturday

Cooler Weather!!!! The temps dropped about 17* and it has been raining!!!! Which means things are humid - but it's not blistering hot and humid. LOL

I've spent quite a bit of time the past two days getting back to PWOC "stuff". I also have had 3 PWOC Skype meetings and one in person meeting in the last two days.  I still have some paperwork to do. I totally FORGOT I had taken a trip to Korea and needed to ask for some money back. LOL  Unfortunately, it's been 7 weeks and I'm not sure I can locate the boarding pass - so who knows? I'll look.

I've spent more time looking through websites and cookbooks for vegan meals.

I've cleaned some house.

I've tried to rethink school as the post office sent our books back. I want to find a SPINE book that will tell the history of Japan....but that is not easy to find and I don't know enough to piece it together.

I've watched kids play outside and I've played with them too.

Enjoying living a normal life.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Roasted Asparagus the Roman Way (Vegan)

This was good - though again I didn't have all the ingredients. I'll have to take a photo next time I make it. 

1 lb asparagus spears, washed and trimmed
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 C chopped kalamata olives (didn't have)

Herb and Garlic Marinade
1/3 C water
1/2 C vinegar (I used balsamic)
1/3 C olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed 
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 425*. Whisk together marinade ingredients.  Put asparagus in a large dish, drizzle some of the marinade over the spears until they are well coated. Save the rest for other recipes or for salad dressing.

Roast asparagus (I used a cast iron skillet) for 5 minutes.

Scatter tomatoes and olives over the asparagus and bake for 5-10 min more or until the spears are the at the tenderness you desire.

Makes 4 servings.

Note if you aren't doing vegan Feta cheese would be a great addition to this and you could mix it all up as a salad.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Black Bean, Corn and Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers (Vegan)

I tried this. Mixed reviews. Michael really thinks sauce should go over stuffed peppers....I really liked the pepper not being soggy....but then I decided I like the filling more than the pepper. I discovered this as I had way more filling than I needed so I filled a bowl with spinach, put in 1/4 C of filling, sprinkled with nuts, squeezed a lime over it and YUMMO....and tonight I put some sweet potatoes and this in a tortilla....so I went ahead and made up 5 more "burritos" with it and put them in the freezer for "quick meals" ....and figure I like it well enough to save the recipe - even if I only make it to throw on salads and tortillas. LOL  Yep - still learning this new lifestyle. ::snort:: 

3 Cups of black beans (2 15 oz cans)
1 Cup of cooked brown rice
2 scallions, sliced (I had onions?)
1/4 C chopped cilantro (couldn't find in the commissary???)
2 T oil
2 T fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic (I used more)
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 large bell peppers (evidently the large you can get here is smaller than elsewhere?)
2 C tomato juice (I didn't have and subbed tomato sauce - next time homemade spaghetti sauce for Michael's)

Preheat 350*

Combine beans, rice, corn, scallions, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I cut the peppers in half lengthwise...seared them on both sides, drained them and then placed them in a large glass baking dish and stuffed.

Supposed to carefully spoon juice over each stuffed pepper and pour the remainder into the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 min - 60 min.

Recipe suggests putting rice on a plate, topped by pepper and some of the juice from plate.

Makes 4 servings. (plus)

Do you usually put some sort of sauce over the top? It doesn't get too soggy? I think adding an avocado to the filling for the tortillas and salad would be good. LOL 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

THURSDAY

Another amazing beach prayer walk with Yuuki.

I put in a few hours catching up on Regional business today.

I helped kids with summer school.

I spent 3 hours on dinner..... For Michael and I...need to go buy MORE produce that salad is sad, sad, sad....and a variety of fruit.

The kids had spaghetti meatballs and the same veggie and fruit options.  Michael ATE a pepper....after several recipes mentioning "soggy" stuffed peppers.....didn't use much sauce...turns out my man likes sauce....so not a total hit - but he ATE one.....better than the last beans and rice...which brings me to my next point...I must find some vegan main dish options, we both like, besides a zillion varieties of beans and rice...and this isn't soup weather either. LOL

I liked the stuffing - though it would SING with a bit of cheese, don't you think? As it is - I'll put a bit in salads....in a tortilla....I'll figure it out. The marinade for the asparagus was good.

Look at this - a cool breather!!!!!!

Via Barbara H Facebook status

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...