Author Archives: Meagan Sean

Adventures in Food: Parmesan Cauliflower Roast

09 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Adventures in Food, Crafty Little...

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If you plan on doing a project, such as cleaning your room, having a good and healthy lunch will fuel you up with enough gas to keep you going!
This recipe I found on Pinterest somewhere. It includes:

  • 1 head of Cauliflower
  • 3 cloves of Garlic
  • 1/4 cup of Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons of Grated Parmesean

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First thing was to chop up the cauliflower into some nice medium-sized pieces. I like cauliflower, there’s something about the texture that works for me a little better than broccoli. I especially enjoy using it as a potato substitute. So once you chop it, give it a good rinse.
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Now add all the ingredients aside from the cheese and mix it all right up.
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Spread the Cauliflower on a greased pan (make sure there are some edges to it or the oil will run off into the oven).
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Put it in the preheated oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring halfway. Then, if you’re so lucky, sit down and play with some cute puppies.
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Hello Maxwell!
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About 5 minutes before they were done I put on the Parmesan cheese and mixed them again.
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And voila! A very tasty side dish, or lunch if you’re a ridiculous person like I am. I seriously wasn’t hungry for 3 or 4 hours after this, and that’s saying something because I’m always hungry.
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This Year…

03 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in Dirty's Reports, Holidays

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STITCH
A bad habit I’m going to break: How about… procrastination? That’d be a great one to break because it would get me into a pattern of actually accomplishing things, including breaking other bad habits.
A new skill I’d like to learn: This will be the year of the driver’s license, may my mother nag me until I’m dead if I don’t accomplish this goal. Also, perhaps I will be exploring the Gemology courses that she has taken. She’s a good tutor, and she already has the books.
A person I hope to be more like: I guess I don’t know, aside from certain aspects of certain people that I’d like to try to incorporate into what makes me who I am. I’d like to have some of the discipline of Tink, who would wake up way too early to read the bible and schedule in a work out every day. I’d like to have some more patience and compassion, like my wonderful BFF. And I’d like to surprise people with what I’ve done while they weren’t paying attention, much like Beyonce.
A good deed I’m going to do: I’m hoping to put away/send in a check to a favorite non-profit of mine. First I want to figure out where the money will come from… basically I want to actually plan this one out.
A place I’d like to visit: Apparently I’m going to be going to a wedding in Florida (yay Holly!), but other than that I would love to visit Boston, and perhaps Burlington, VT.
A book I’d like to read: I want to read way too many to list here.
A letter I’m going to write: I want to write a letter to my sister. She hates me. I’m more than she can handle, so maybe she can handle just a letter.
A new food I’d like to try: I think I’m going to be exploring the world of seafood, and also the use of crock-pots. Other than that I have a zillion things pinned to my food board on Pinterest so…
I’m going to do better at: Finding where my priorities lie, which is essential for scheduling my time wisely. I also hope to become better at sticking to schedules, because if I set them for myself I tend to shrug them off. I’d like to become more accustomed to the boundaries that scheduling my time will provide, because I do believe it will make me more productive. And ultimately that is what I want to be better at, being more productive.
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What’s Going On Right Now

30 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by in Dirty's Reports

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For the past month I’ve been sitting on the reality of my employment location closing down. I’m not even mad because I have been predicting it anyways, but I’ve also had to work crazy hours because, retail. Basically the reason I haven’t updated too much is that I have not had the time to write.
The good news is that now I’m free, which is a great and terrifying feeling, to write and to find where my passions lie outside of “normal” jobs. So there will be more to read soon, but I am also swelling up with ideas and need to clean my room so it might take a week to get back into the swing of things.
This year I’ve been incredibly grateful for all of the readers I’ve had and I am hoping that in this next year I’ll be able to provide more interesting, thought-provoking, and clear writing for you to read.
Remember to stay gold.
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SOAP: Believing What You’re Told

17 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by in Dirty Little..., Dirty's Reports, SOAP

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Scripture: 

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” – Luke 1:45

Observation: This verse comes from the little story in the beginning of Luke about Mary going to visit her relative Elizabeth. They were both pregnant, and Elizabeth was soon to give birth to John the Baptist. She had been barren, and the bible described her as “advanced in years”, so this was obviously a miracle pregnancy for her. It didn’t quite compare to the one that Mary had going on, what with having conceived through the Holy Spirit.
Mary was young and about to get married when she was told that she was chosen to carry the Son of the Most High. She could have responded in so many ways, from terror to anxiety to denial, but she decided to go with it. Instead of asking useless questions (aside from the obvious one) she accepted what was spoken over her life with a simple “let it be to me according to your word.”
When she went to visit Elizabeth she was welcomed with not only confirmation of the angel’s words but also someone who could relate to the experiences she was going through. Obviously Elizabeth didn’t have the exact situation going on as Mary, but she was also proof that God could create life in any of His willing servants. While Elizabeth was serving as a picture of how God can create life out of the barren and aged, Mary was a picture of how He could create life from absolutely nothing but a servant’s heart.

Application: For one thing there is a very clear message in this verse itself, that belief in what the Lord speaks into your life will result in being blessed. But belief is what, telling yourself over and over that what God said will come true? Reminding yourself when you don’t believe that you need to at least pretend to believe?
Don’t get me wrong, I think belief is key in our walks with Christ, mainly because without belief we will not be able to take steps forward in faith. What I struggle with when I read words like belief and faith is finding a way to take these almost abstract ideas that the bible is loaded with and turn them into something that I can apply to my daily life. Faith isn’t just belief, it’s belief in action. And belief isn’t going to get you anywhere by itself, because faith gives it maturity.
So when this verse says that Mary is blessed because she believed it is much more than simply thinking it would happen. She had to wake up every day knowing she was pregnant with the Son of God, and endure whatever ridicule and rumors spread about her. She had to do what the angel told her to do and go visit Elizabeth, which is belief in action. In order to apply this verse to my life I need to really take the time to listen to what God is saying and to believe that He will fulfill His promises, to take steps forward to where He wants me to be.

Prayer: God, this is my least favorite time of the year. Holidays are the worst. Even the one all about Christ makes me want to stay in bed until next year. I know that there is supposed to be joy in this season but I don’t want anything to do with the season at all.
But you know this. You know every part of me. My heart is not hidden from you, even when I want it to be. The fact that you don’t punish me for eternity for most of what I am is the best blessing I could ever receive. You have already spoken over my life and I do believe that you are fulfilling your promises, and I pray you’ll give me the strength to walk in faith towards the places you have prepared for me.
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Chronicles of Don’t: The Rebel Yell

10 Tuesday Dec 2013

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REBEL
The other day I was in the car listening to Billy Idol on the radio singing about the rebel yell. According to Mr. Idol it goes something like this:

“More! More! More!”

The definition of a rebel is a person who rises in opposition or armed resistance against an established government or ruler, but when it comes down to it I think that Mr. Idol has made a very strong and concise point. A rebel is not just someone who is in opposition, it’s a person who wants more than what they have been given and will buck against the structures that are in place in order to get it.
There is a reason that we relate to the characters in movies, tv shows, and books who are a part of a rebellion. There is a reason that we are rooting for the underdog who is going against the system in order to get more, be it food, freedom, money, basic human rights, love, fast food, paperclips, etc. We are on their team because we want more.
I’ve been rebellious for a long time. My heart has made its desires known to my actions, who seem more than willing to go along with it, and my brain usually stays out of it long enough for me to get myself into trouble.
It’s everywhere in me, this want for more than what I’ve been given. I want second helpings because I want more than the amount of food that was given to me. Consequently I gain weight. When I was underage I wanted to drink alcohol and made it happen. Consequently I was the most obnoxious girl at the police station the night I got arrested, partly because I didn’t take it seriously and partly because I was still buzzed. I want more sleep so I keep hitting snooze on my alarm. Consequently I don’t have enough time to get ready and am late for work.
And even deeper down I find myself rebelling. God put certain structures in place for us to keep our hearts safe and protected, to be in a place of blessing. All it takes is listening to Him and doing what He asks. Maybe it is spending time every morning reading the word, or the kind of life decision that would lead someone to become a full time missionary. It could be adhering to His law in simple ways (don’t hate, don’t kill, don’t steal). It could be convictions that the Spirit has given you particularly, a way that God wants you to approach an area of your life. He guides us in these ways and more so that we can experience the contentment of being led by Him and the blessings that He has timed perfectly.
Conceptually I love this. You would never know that in my day to day life. Instead of choosing to bow my heart down most mornings seem to start with a riotous battle cry of “MORE!” What’s worse is that I still know what is better than letting myself go into this rebellion. Do I care? Not usually.
I am included in this culture where the idea of structure is confused with oppression. Being given guidelines and rules to keep us safe is not the same as being kept from enjoying life. God is not withholding just because I don’t have what I want when I want it.
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