Tofu Tacos!

I'm really not even sure if anyone reads this blog! If nothing else, this will be a great keepsake for my family to look back on for years to come. I love writing about the things that are important to me.

One of my favorite things to do right now is cook healthy meals for my husband and I. We are trying very hard to build healthy habits while our daughter is still young so that she can follow our example. We have been eating mostly whole grains and lots of vegetarian meals. We made tofu tacos last night and they were a huge hit. I decided to post the tofu recipe because it turned out amazing!

Tofu Tacos
Approx cooking time 30 min
Yields about 4 servings (8 tacos)
Ingredients:1 package extra firm tofuapprox 1/4 C taco seasoning
1/4 C olive oil

Directions:
1. Remove tofu from package and put it between paper towels for about 15 minutes. Put a few books on top of tofu to help get water out. The tofu needs to be as firm as possible. The paper towels act as a sponge to absorb water.
2.Preheat skillet to medium heat. Add oil and let it heat up for about 10 minutes.
3. Slice the tofu in half length wise and then slice pieces paper thin. This is how I sliced mine:
4. Add tofu to skillet and sprinkle taco seasoning. Let it brown for about fifteen minutes before turning. The trick is to get it as crispy as possible. It takes about 30 minutes but the end result is worth it!


We decided to use crunchy tacos but I think soft would also work. We had a side of refried beans and guacamole which made the meal delicious. The recipe calls for a lot of oil, but you have to remember, olive oil is an excellent source of monounsaturated fats as well as the guacamole. Healthy eating does not have to always mean low fat. Eating the right kinds of fats is the most important thing. For tofu skeptics out there, give this recipe a try. You might just become a tofu fanatic like us! :)

Our Little Cupcake

I am truly amazed at how fast a year goes by. A year ago I was at work when I started feeling very hot and shaky. I was 36 weeks pregnant and convinced that I was experiencing Braxton Hicks Contractions. My husband and I went to the hospital as a precaution. Much to my surprise, I was 9 centimeters dilated and ready to have our little girl! Now here we are celebrating our little girl's first birthday. This is not only a celebration for her, it is just as much a celebration for my husband and I. I am celebrating the strength that I had on the day of her delivery. I am celebrating this precious life that I helped to create. I am celebrating the joy of motherhood. I am celebrating my gratitude to God for allowing me to be the mother of Sophia Therese. Words that are typically used to describe motherhood are: joyous, amazing, exhausting etc... but I am starting to view it as such an honor. I am honored to be the mother of such an amazing little girl.

We celebrated Sophia's first birthday this past Saturday and it was hit! We were insistent on having the party at our new home and I think it worked out very well despite our house being teeny tiny. We have a park across the street which turned out to be very convenient! We decided to grill burgers at the park and then invited everyone inside for cupcakes and presents. The theme was "Cupcake". I knew that I wanted to do something creative for her party that wasn't a popular theme and cupcake seemed very fitting. I worked very hard at making her birthday invitations and decorations. My favorite decoration was the pennant banner that I made for her. I also made a banner with pictures of her from each month so that everyone could see just how much she has grown. I made a onesie with a big 1 on it for her birthday outfit and she wore a tutu. It was adorable. Her party only lasted a few hours, but the small details are what helped to make it special.

I am a wonder I am a warrior I am a woman!

My husband James has been offered a job for the summer as a keyboard player with a band at our church. This involves him traveling all summer and leaving me to take care of the house and our [soon to be] one year old daughter. The band left last Monday for their first tour and they will arrive home on Thursday for a total of 10 days. I have found so much strength in this past week. I am amazed at how much God has taken care of me. I am so dependent on James and I was truly fearful of how I would react when he left. I hate sleeping alone and I am such a worry wart (thanks Mom! :) I thought for sure that I would be sick with worry all week when in fact it has been the opposite. I have kept myself so busy between working on projects around the house and hanging out with friends I hadn't seen since before Christmas! In this past week me and Sophia have enjoyed a great BBQ with my mom's family, had our first experience at The Little Gym, made tofu tacos with Kelly, visited with Amanda, walked the mall with our cousin, tried wearing pigtails for the first time, made the cutest birthday invitations, and almost mastered pulling up to a standing position. I definitely learned a few things about myself this week:

1. I genuinely love to cook which I proved by making myself dinner most of the time this week.
I made veggie burgers with homemade sweet potato fries, spinach ravioli, and I even grilled a single chicken breast for myself!
2. I am fully capable of making myself happy if I really put in the effort.
3. I have more friends than I realized if I just make some phone calls.
4. I depend on Sophia just as much as she depends on me.

James comes home tomorrow and I am so excited to see him, but I also know that when he leaves again, I will be okay. I found myself repeating this phrase all week. I think it was God's way of giving me strength: I am a wonder, I am a warrior, I am a woman!