The Ramblings of an Independent Voter: I Don't Get This Trump Thing

I’m struggling. I really am, and I’m not trying to be an instigator. I’m trying to understand. When I ask why someone wants to vote for him, I’ve heard several things. I’ve heard that he “tells it like it is”, and he’s a good businessman who knows how to get our economy moving and will deal with immigration, and he can win because he’s more personable than Cruz.  I’ve heard that he’s an outsider who will fight for the rights of Americans. I get that Americans are looking for that, but what I don’t follow is how anyone thinks that Trump fits that description. Let me hit the reasons why I’m concerned, and I’m open to listening to anyone who wants to explain without being ugly.

He tells it like it is and is a good businessman: To me, that implies that he tells the truth no matter what. To date, these are a few of the lies I know (because I investigated several sources myself rather than just believed pundits, Trump, other candidates, etc.):

• He said he never settles lawsuits. False. Baja condo resort-settled. Trump Soho-settled. GM building-settled. Trump Tower-settled. Central Park South, etc.
• Trump said he met Putin, who loved him, when they were both interviewed by 60 Minutes. False. They were interviewed in entirely different locations. One in NY and the other in Russia.
•  He said his businesses didn’t really go under and displayed the products at a press conference after one of the primaries. The problem -it wasn’t his products. Relabeling something doesn’t make them Trump products. A new label doesn’t make something my product. Trump’s justification is that he sells them in his restaurants on his resorts. Sorry, but that’s not the same thing. He had a magazine called Trump, but the one he showed was a different one that’s more like a brochure on his resorts. The water is only sold in his resorts…and relabeled. His steaks, well he didn’t even bother to take them out of the original packaging. He bought them at a place in West Palm. Don’t believe me? Check out the photo. Blow it up if you need to do so.

• ·         He said that Michelle Fields wasn’t really manhandled by his manager, but evidence has surfaced that she was. Rather than apologize for the occurrence, Trump said it was a lie and brought Corey on stage beside him and congratulated him.
• ·         This is especially telling since he’s taken to calling Cruz a liar and cheat, yet he’s lied about that. He tells the American people that Cruz was for amnesty, but he was not. The situation he uses to “prove” that is when Cruz put for a poison pill amendment to Rubio’s Gang of Eight bill and stopped it. It’s the opposite of being for it. When a Cruz person re-tweeted something that was reported by a news organization, Trump called for him to fire that person and said he was a liar/cheat. Yet Trump himself said that when he retweets lies, they’re “just retweets” and make for interesting dialogue.
• ·         He said the Chicago PD advised him to cancel the rally there, but they have said that wasn’t true.
• ·         He cusses like a sailor, totally unbecoming of President. Then, he says of others that the cussing is inappropriate, implying that he doesn’t do it.

I could keep going, but I won’t.

Trump will get our economy going:

• ·         He says companies should make their products here, yet he has his products made in China, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Lesotho. When asked about it, he says they’re priced better because they devalue their dollar. So? You said they should be made here no matter what, but then again…we’ve established the lying.
• ·         He said Mexico will pay for the wall. Mexico says they will not. Trump said he will put a 45% tariff on goods. He said if China doesn’t give a more fair trade deal, he’ll put tariffs on them too. Experts have faced off on this and found that this will likely cause trade wars. Why is this a problem? It will pass the cost to us as consumers. If other countries pay 45% more in tariffs, the prices will increase for us by the same amount. Then American companies will raise their costs to just below those.
• ·         He says he’ll make companies pay more, yet economists say over and over that this will drive more away. The best way to do it is to “lure” companies back by cutting corporate tax rates like the countries where the corporations are moving. It’s a flat tax…like Cruz (and other candidates/former candidates-remember “9-9-9”?) have suggested.

Trump will handle immigration because he’s been so strong on it.

• ·         He’s been in trouble quite a few times for doing the wrong thing when it comes to immigration. He hired immigrants and had them sleeping outside, paying next to nothing, when working on one of his buildings. He hired immigrants in his Florida resorts rather than citizens. He says it was busy season and that nobody wanted the jobs. It’s been proven that was, again, a lie.
• ·         He’s said that he would make the US a police state and have a force to round out people. However, this would likely turn in to a fiasco and is very inhumane…like his other comments when asked about this. He said it was like FDR’s policy-which was internment camps (a nicer word for concentration camps). In addition, he’s suggested the “good ones” can go out and come right back in. So…we will spend all of that money to send them out and turn around and let them right back in? Yeah, that makes sense.

He’s more personable than Cruz:

• ·         His unfavorable are at 69% in many polls and at the best they are at 54%. Cruz’s highest is at 50%, but for completely different reasons. Trump's are because people genuinely don't like him, and Cruz's are mostly because people aren't sure he can win. 
• ·         Trump likes to cite polls, but only two polls have ever had him as beating Hilary in the general election. It’s the exact opposite with Cruz.
• ·         Women voters typically don’t like or want Trump. Have you seen the ad of the women who speak Trump’s words? Powerful. Check it out. http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-gop-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/women-anti-trump-ad-220727

He will fight for our rights:

• ·         Freedom of speech, including that of the press, is an actual thing, yet he has banned certain reporters. Coincidentally, it has been the reporters that have said anything against him right after they did.
• ·         Trump has implied, if not outright stated, that he is for expanding surveillance that would put us all in the cross hairs. It’s an overreach, especially since they can get the same info from a warrant and do so legally.
• ·         He said that he would undo Obama’s executive orders because they’re unconstitutional, yet when asked if he would use them in the same way he said yes because they would be for good things. It’s either unconstitutional or it’s not. You can’t like them just because they work out for you this time.

There’s so much more that I could go on. It's genuinely confusing to me. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not at all suggesting that Americans should vote someone in office because they are a Christian or because they haven't messed up. Lord knows we'd never be able to vote for anyone-myself included. However, I do think we should make our decisions based on something other than anger. How many times have you made a decision out of anger and thought it went well? I do think we should vote out the establishment which is why it confuses me that Trump people like him who is a self-admitted establishment guy who supposedly changed his ways less than a year ago, Trump supporters argue that he would make the deals necessary to get things done (an establishment tactic), and Cruz wouldn't do that because nobody in the Senate likes him. That's crazy because the establishment doesn't like him since he has constantly held them accountable and fought for the Constitution his entire life. It's the pattern of the man that has never faltered. I LIKE that he isn't loved in Washington because that means he's stood his ground and IS an outsider. They also respect him, whether or not they agree with him. I think it's important for a President to be worthy of respect and have the ability to be Presidential. I think it's important for a President to think of the Constitution first before making a decision. I think it's important that a President be a man of his word.  I truly do not understand this Trump thing. Seriously. 

I'll end as I began. If you're a Trump person who can genuinely explain it to me without being ugly and without repeating the same, old rhetoric that I've already mentioned, please feel free to do so. I would love for this to make sense in my mind. 

The Ramblings of an Independent Voter: What kind of America do you want?

In my last blog post, I explained some common terms that we need to understand in order to choose effectively. I also made the disclaimer that I am no historian, nor do I believe I know it all. I’m simply a girl who started on a journey to get some answers just over a year ago. I’m sharing the info as I see it because I had some friends who asked me to share. You certainly don’t have to agree, or even read it for that matter.

For me, the question is: What kind of America do you want to see going forward? It seems oddly simple; however, a lot of people I’ve asked cannot tell me. Everyone can tell me what are who they don’t like and list a host of complaints, but very few clearly articulate the America they want. This is how I see our options and what bothers me about each (in red):

1.  Do you want to live in a socialist society? 

Living in a socialist society allows the government to control the bulk of your money to distribute it (through taxation) “for the good of all in the society”. You receive more benefits as a citizen of that country, but the tradeoff is higher taxes and less control over your family and life. For example, the government provides healthcare, education, and jobs. This sounds great and may be for some people. The other side is that you indebt yourself to that same government. Some argue that we are already there, and others argue that it’s a step toward communism that we must stop.

I have an issue with this on a personal level for a number of reasons. First, I am a constitutionalist who believes that my rights are given to me by a Creator, not by a government. The Declaration that led to the Constitution assured that we were always represented so the majority could not control everyone. In a Republic, minorities are represented. I’m a liberty girl who enjoys the fact that if I don’t like my station in life, I have an option (or two or three) to change things. If we are tired of government involvement, why in the world would I vote to give it more?

2. Do you want to live in an authoritarian society?

Remember that authoritarianism is where order and control is valued over personal freedom, and the person in charge doesn’t have to answer to the people/constitution. The person in charge-king, or president- makes decisions without the consent of the representatives or the people at large. In other words, in this world people are often scared into submission, or the leader uses force/executive power to get way. 

We’ve spent years complaining about Obama and griping about his executive orders and love for skipping the process of changing laws. This is a step toward authoritarianism and Trump. Although Trump says he disagrees with Obama’s use of executive order, he will be glad to use them himself if necessary. When pushed further, he says that it’s okay for him to use it because he’s right. He also tries to take from people by calling on his Washington Cronies, like when he used eminent domain to take property from owners who don’t want to sell to him. He’s also said over and over that he will say whatever he needs to say in order to get into the White House. He admitted recently that he would change once he got the nomination.

That’s all scary, but even worse is the fact that he hasn’t even really been vetted because the media never goes after him like they do others. NBC recently purchased a documentary (and all the raw footage) to use if he gets the nomination. It’s ugly, including details about his failing businesses, his lying, his womanizing-including when his ex-wife accused him of rape- etc. and the Republicans will likely lose if he’s the nominee.

3. Do you want to live in the progressive state?  

A progressive government is ever-changing. It has been described by some as a necessary evil because you must change in order to keep up with the current situation. Others have described it as a slower move towards socialism, which seems to be a step towards communism. At any rate, the point of progressives is to move things around according to the current need.

This is what we have had in the White House, both Republican and Democrat, since Reagan left. We saw progressivism with the Bushes, Clinton, and certainly with Obama. To me, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact definition that makes sense because when it’s said that we need to evolve, that seems reasonable. The problem with it is that if you change every time the mood strikes you or on every whim of the collective group, you can quickly get away from principle and thus the things that made you who you were in the beginning. Just know that of the candidates running, your progressives are Clinton, Bush, Christie (who just dropped out), and Kasig. If you want things to continue as they are and slowly move on down this same path, these are your folks.

4. Do you want to live in a conservative society?

      A conservative is typically a person who typically holds a more traditional view of things, especially when it comes to abortion, marriage, and religion/values. These people are usually a little more fiscally cautious in spending, and they tend to be more outspoken about Christian values. Freedom of speech and the Right to Bear Arms are areas on which they focus. 

     Over time, many conservatives have opted to wheel and deal with their more liberal counterparts; therefore, the conservative movement has taken a lot of hits. If you want a more conservative candidate, Marco Rubio (and probably Ben Carson-although it is doubtful he’ll advance much further) is your guy. He is conservative in many ways, but his stance on immigration and the NSA (saying it’s okay for the government to spy on its citizens) have made this questionable. More and more often, conservatives are falling into this category because of the fear of ISIS.
      
      5. Do you want to live in a constitutional society?

      A constitutionalist knows it backwards and forwards, and every decision made comes from that understanding. Most constitutionalists understand the importance of the Declaration of Independence and what it says about our inalienable rights-that they come from the Creator rather than government or any other man. The Founding Fathers made clear that they were creating a government FOR the people and wanted to make clear that a government should not change on the whims of the moment. However, they also made it clear that if a government (established by We the People) oversteps its bounds and repeatedly abuses its authority, the people have the right to abolish that government and do something else that will secure the future of our children and our safety as a nation.

     That being said, a constitutionalist can be unpopular because they don’t change their minds just because it’s a “good thing” or on “their side”. They focus on reducing the size of government and getting rid of regulations on citizens and businesses. They believe the primary focus of government is to protect America and the future of our children. They believe society should, for the most part, self-regulate but agree to organize under a central government and to live by certain laws that pass only because our representatives vote on those laws. In essence, they are okay with change, as long as it adheres to the basic idea that all men are created equal and should have the same level playing field. If you like the idea of this type of government, you are looking at Ted Cruz.

My view on these things

               

I have semi-stated them above. My big thing is this: In America, we currently have the freedom to choose whatever we would like to have in government. You can totally disagree with me and want something different than I want. All I ask is that you educate yourselves and know what you really want and know the real candidates rather than the ones they show us on TV. Yes, it takes time, but I believe our future is worth it. We are on track to be the first generation to leave our children worse off than we had it. There’s something really wrong with that.

As I said earlier, I’m a liberty girl-a Constitutionalist. I can disagree with your morals and values but still believe that you should have the same freedom of speech that I am given. That’s part of it. The most recent, and best, example of this is Ted Cruz in Iowa. In short, Iowa receives government monies to subsidize their ethanol research. The governor of Iowa said people shouldn’t vote for Cruz because he wants to take away their money. Cruz stood before the people of Iowa and admitted that yes, he does think it best to phase this money out. He said that the government isn’t supposed to pick and choose who will survive in a free market economy, and he followed up with explaining that he wants ethanol to work but fair and square. The people of Iowa heard the truth and voted for him anyway. He didn’t pander to them, and he focused on the constitution…where everyone gets the same chance and free market is allowed to work. I believe that's how it should be.

I really struggle with the idea that so many people want to give more over to the government. We complain about government-run anything-schools, post office, etc. We see waste and fraud, and we witness LOTS of crony capitalism through closed door deals with both parties. Now, we want to vote in people who plan to give the government more? It’s just a matter of how fast they want to give it away. I’m not down with that. I’m also not okay with going against my principles to get what I want. If I do that, I’m no better than what we have now. I don’t want another political bully who doesn’t see the big picture or look to the constitution. I’ve looked at all of the candidates, their pasts, their records, and their proposals in an effort to find just one who stands for the same liberty that I crave. I believe I’ve found that candidate. 

Here are a couple of great articles that might help: 
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/26/donald-trump-policy-threaten-global-economy?CMP=share_btn_fb
http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2011/05/05/reaganomics-vs-obamanomics-facts-and-figures/#3cb994d63a1d
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Democracy_vs_Republic

The Ramblings of an Independent Voter-Understanding Our Background to Effectively Choose the Future

I try pretty hard to keep my political opinions off of FB, although I don’t mind giving it if someone wants to discuss things in a rational, adult-like manner. Moderately aware in the past, I find this election is different for me. I watched debates, listened to candidates, and gave ear to what many pundits said. After all, they were the ones with the power to dig into what was being said-right? Ugh…not true. I’ve never been a straight-party girl, and I legitimately mark each candidate for each individual office. With that in mind, I started this “political season” more focused because I believe we are at a crossroads. A wrong decision could catapult America into a situation that it might not survive. The more I listened and searched for answers, the more questions I had. In the course of my investigating, I found terms thrown around that I did not fully comprehend. I started there, and I found that most people with whom I spoke did not really understand what these things mean either.

In discussing the election, candidates, state of the union, etc., I’ve had several people ask me to share with them what I found. There is a lot of information out there, and I know that we all have busy lives. It is with that in mind that I decided to explain what I have learned. In full disclosure, I am not an expert of any sort; however, I am a person dogged by the need to find answers and get to the truth. In my effort to explain things, I may oversimplify or confuse. I’m fairly certain that I will get something wrong. This is my way to share with the peeps that asked me to explain some things.

Key Terms and Ideas in an Order that Makes Sense to Me

As I listened to a HUGE variety of people talk about this election, I got a little confused by words I’d heard my entire life. I looked at them again to wade through and put things into perspective. I plan to lead you through a few definitions as I found them and see them connected.

Our Founding Fathers came from a government that oppressed them. They were extremely smart, brave men who did not believe anybody should have to live under an authoritarian system.  Authoritarianism is a way of governing where order and control is valued over personal freedom (usually headed by a dictator), blind submission to a leader who isn’t constitutionally responsible to the people.

After being here under British rule, beholden to a king (authoritarian) who overtaxed them but left them underrepresented and unable to govern themselves, they set out to change things, eventually paving the way for the greatest nation on earth. The Revolutionary War began, and then in 1776 they put forth the Declaration of Independence but weren’t under one central government yet.

I went back to the Declaration and put it into modern language line by line to understand the beliefs on which America was founded. (I have that “easy read version “saved if anyone is interested in it.)  At the core, it expresses the belief that all men are created equal and given the same inalienable rights by God and not the government.

After the last Revolutionary battle, they set up a “loose” federal government under the Articles of the Confederation but became concerned that the democracy was being used in a way that wasn’t good for the people. They decided to write the Constitution for the Republic. It is important to remember that we are a Republic rather than a democracy. Both of them are pretty much based on representation; however, in a democracy the majority always rules so the minority is never really represented. In a republic, there is a charter/constitution that protects “inalienable rights” that cannot be taken away by the majority because it isn’t really theirs to take.

Once they set up the Republic, capitalism sprung forth. In capitalism, private owners control a country’s economic and political system. It’s marked by the free market and led the way for America to flourish in a way that the world had not experienced.

A term that we have heard a lot over the last few years is progressivism. This term describes both Republicans and Democrats. It is not quite the same as a moderate, but sometimes gets tossed around the same way. The Progressive Movement seems to have begun during the really early 1900s. Historians disagree on the exact beginning, some arguing that is started with the New Deal and others saying it began before. In essence, progressivism is the idea that the government is an evolving entity and takes on the role the times requires. These people often argue that our Founding Fathers did a good job at the time and wanted a limited government because of their experience with the king. They also argue that the people of that time (the early progressives) wanted to adjust things as needed, allowing the government to play a more activist role.

Why do we need to know these, and how the heck do they affect us now?

It’s a lot. I know! I’ve been working through this for around a year. It is really, really important. Understanding from where we come sheds light on why we are here and where we need to go now.

After studying this for a while, the Progressive Movement (to me) seems to be the slow movement away from liberty. At one point in time, Americans would not have accepted many things that we now think is normal. In this, I am not referring to social issues but rather the move from believing in American exceptionalism to the idea that we must accept our station in life, whining and complaining about “fairness” rather than pulling ourselves up by our boot straps and knowing that we can do better if we work harder and smarter.

In just over a hundred years, we have landed in this place where many Americans cheer for a revolution they hope will lead to socialism without really understanding it. Socialism is a political and economic system that puts the community as a whole before the individual and does so at the hand of the government. This comes from the ideas of Karl Marx and is often said to be the transitional state between overthrowing capitalism and realizing communism, which is a system all social activity is controlled by a totalitarian and state dominated (single and self-perpetuating) government. In short, the government rules it all, and inalienable rights are non-existent. The beauty of America rests in the fact that the will of the people can prevail, and we have the freedom to express our beliefs without fear. That stops working when we stop participating and advocating for ourselves. One cannot simply listen to a candidate’s rhetoric and expect to know the truth. Their actions matter more.

Many young people hear the promise of “free” and have no clue that translates into “free right now”. It is imperative we teach them that an education given to them without earning it (whether by getting a job to pay for it or working hard in school to earn a scholarship) weakens their resolve to be a better person and puts them in debt to that same government. They will be held accountable for that cost, and likely, so will their children because of the amount of debt the ever-increasing government keeps taking in order to give them a “free and fair” life.

My research into what was and what could be (quite easily I might add) leads me to the here and now. My own personal belief? We cannot afford another progressive, on either side. While some would argue that progressive thought has a place in our current situation, I disagree. It breeds laziness and apathy. The majority of students in today’s classroom have no idea what it means to live in an American society where true freedom encourages exceptionalism. Many of them will ask me what they must do in order to do fine in class. The hardest battle I face as a teacher stems from acceptance of mediocrity. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it moves closer to the norm every day.

Americans are angry and exhausted. As a teacher, I give of myself above and beyond what is required so my students have every chance to be successful. No matter what I do, it is still up to them to take that education and put it to good use. It is the same in the current political situation. We have a duty as part of the REPUBLIC to hold up the standards of the Declaration, even more so than the Constitution. This requires us to be sure everyone has an equal shot, but it maintains that the individual must take hold of the opportunity and make something of it. Each time we give the government more power in a messed up attempt to make things fair, we only create a society where individuals lose the will to step outside of their comfort zone and take risks as Americans have always done.

I am fearful of where we are at this moment in history. After years of hearing people complain about Obama and his tactics of using executive order and bullying to get his way rather than following the Constitution and going through the proper channels, America should be running towards constitutionalism and someone who puts the individual first while protecting the Republic. Instead, the front runner is a man who admits he will use those same tactics to get his way. He will wheel and deal and compromise, the very thing that defines the crony capitalism we claim to despise. Since he is on “their side”, they find it more acceptable. He and Obama are so much alike it screams out in the face of Americans, yet most do not see it because they are willing to compromise principles to “take back America”. News flash…a self-proclaimed kiss up who will do whatever it takes to make the deal and who changes his stance (if he even has one) on most things regularly is not the answer. Principles matter. How have the compromises worked out so far?

Are we really willing to sell out? The Republic isn’t perfect, but there isn’t anything better. It only works when we educate ourselves and vote out our representatives when they do not vote the way we want, but it requires great strength, stamina, and fortitude. Either we believe in liberty and vote on principles, or we vote in another progressive-and continue down this path of self-destruction.  It is my belief that we need to vote for a constitutionalist and give ourselves and our children a fighting chance.

Many members of the Republican Party herald Ronald Reagan as the greatest President of our generation. It is important to remember that nobody thought he could win or get anything done because they were afraid he wouldn’t be able to work with others, and he was very conservative. Turns out, the world craved a man of principle, and he accomplished more than could have been imagined. In the words of Reagan, “"I hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: as government expands, liberty contracts."

Living between an offered and answered prayer

Life is hard, every day. In the good and the bad, this rings true. 

Some days, we make delicious memories that dance into our thoughts when we least expect them and create moments of joy for years to come. I thank God for those days because they are a respite for the difficult times. Sometimes, the good (and the bad) comes for a season. Many of us have learned to prepare, and we will be like Joseph when the Lord told him to store the grain for the impending famine.  We look at the laughter of our family and soak it in so that we can play it back in our minds at a later time. We absorb the compliments we receive from others so that we can remind ourselves when we feel a little down. We invest in others, knowing there will be a time when those same people will be needed in our lives. Not everyone knows that heartache is coming so when it happens, they are ill-prepared. I believe that is where we come in. 

I find that most of the time the tragedy we fear we will face rarely comes along. More likely, your hurt will come on some idle Tuesday when you least expect it and in a way that you never dreamed. The blow will take your breath and leave you shocked, unable to move or even think straight. I believe it is in that moment that we, as Christians, should swoop in and share with you our storehouse of joy and grace because it is not ours to keep.

When friends, family, or Sunday school members ask me to pray for them or a situation to which they are connected, they can count on me to do that. Because of my own difficulties, I have learned that prayer works. It can change everything. Most of my circle of people know this so they will talk to me about what is going on in their lives. At this particular moment, it feels as if the world is spinning out of control for many people I love. The toughest part comes from the realization that life did not follow the planned path. There's the death of a dream of what you thought it would be. Death always leads to darkness, and we often feel hopeless. We shouldn't, because Jesus is always right on time to offer hope. 

Recently I heard a message by Max Lucado who spoke of the pain of Mary and Martha when Lazarus died. The death itself was tough, but the worst part was the fact that Jesus didn't show up in time-or so they thought. When He arrived Martha let him know how she felt. This was totally okay because He sees and understands our pain, but be prepared to feel silly when you see what He plans to do. If you let Him, He will totally show out. He said to Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” She decided, wisely I might add, to obey and rolled back the stone so that Jesus could call Lazarus back to life. This is what He does for us. Whether or not we want Him to, He calls to us and brings us out of the cave-fully alive and fully free. My favorite part of Lucado's message was when he asked if God answered the prayers of Mary and Martha. Truthfully, He did not. Instead, He answered a prayer so great that they hadn't even prayed it yet. He used the death of Lazarus and the pain of his friends to show God's glory. 

That's good stuff...stuff I will put in the storehouse to share with my friends. When you are living somewhere between an offered prayer and an answered prayer, I can testify to the hope of Jesus. The prayer may not be answered right now. It may not even be answered how you'd like. However, it will be answered the right way if you are willing to give Him the opportunity. 

Stir fried veggies

This is something I've been doing for a long time, and everybody loves it once they try it. I can never give the recipe exactly so I'm going to get it close. It's a little more complicated than a lot I do, but it's not hard...just takes steps. What makes this a hit is the mixture...crunchy of okra, twang of green tomato, "normal" of the squash and onions. It's a great combo!

Ingredients:

• 4 small squash
• 4 to 5 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 2 small green tomatoes, quartered or smaller (preference)
• 10-11 small to medium okra, cut
• 1/4 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour (If you don't want to be healthy, you can choose white flour:)
• salt and pepper to taste
• garlic salt
• 1 to 2 Tbs lemon pepper
• 1 to 2 Tbs Tony's creole seasoning

Directions:

1. Heat oil on medium to high heat.
2. Cut up squash and onion, add to heated oil.
3. While the squash and onions are cooking, I get the okra ready.
4. I put the milk in the tray and soak the okra so it can be ready to take the breading.
5. Make the breading mixture...the flour, lemon pepper, creole seasoning, salt and pepper. (as shown on the pic). I mix it up and coat the okra.
6. By this point, the squash and onions are moving right along (my goal is to get them all to a "fried state"...with a little burn to it; however, you have to keep an eye on it so that you don't burn one part. Add the tomatoes and stir for about 2 minutes.
7. Add okra and garlic salt. To keep it all cooking correctly, I add liquid as needed. You can add water, but for more flavor, I use low sodium or veggie broth.
8. When it's all cooked correctly, I turn up the heat to do the "burn/crispy" part. I need to make a good pic of the final look, although it doesn't always look beautiful.
    

Cilantro lime shrimp

Disclaimer: I randomly threw this together. If I did it again, I would double the recipe. I think my husband could have eaten a LOT more than this made. It was enough for the three of us to eat over rice and have a good portion.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 Tbs lime juice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic (I use fresh or the kind in the jar, not dried)
• 3 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbs basil

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium heat while allowing shrimp to sit in 2 Tbs of lime and the cumin.
2. Once the oil is ready, add the shrimp, garlic, cilantro, and basil.
3. Stir fry and add the last of the lime.
4. This makes a great "sauce". It is super yummy.

I put this over brown rice because of my diet needs, but I think it would be better over noodles. I might try the brown rice noodles next time. In addition, I think I'll double the recipe and add a tiny bit of chicken broth and brown rice flour to give it a "roux" to put over the noodles. It is really a simple recipe.

 

 

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Keep in mind, I'm a "throw it together and hope it works" kind of girl. This means that sometimes I forget to measure my portions, or sometimes I may realize it needs something once I've done it. That's how this spaghetti sauce came to existence last night so all of the ingredients would be "to taste".

See below for options...

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 4 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped
• 1 can (organic) diced tomatoes, Italian style
• 3 regular cans of diced tomatoes or 1 can crushed tomatoes-all organic (My daughter likes her sauce more smooth than chunky so I throw this in the blender so that it has that texture.)
• 1 can (organic) tomato paste 
• 2 Tbs basil
• 2 Tbs oregano
• 2 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp coconut palm (if you're not going organic, you can use reg sugar, preferably brown)
• salt and pepper to taste 

Directions

1. Heat olive oil on medium heat.
2. Add onions and peppers, sauté until tender.
3. Add mushrooms and cook for another minute.
4. Add turkey and cook until browned.
5. Add remaining ingredients, and bring to bubble.
6. Immediately reduce heat and let simmer for 30 or more minutes.

*I use Quinoa noodles (wheat and gluten free option). They are honestly good.
**Sometimes I want to do something other than turkey so I do a chicken and shrimp spaghetti, and it's YUMMY. Just replace the turkey with chicken. Add the shrimp last because it won't take long for them to cook.