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    Thoughtworthy (Finished a Novel, Give Me Meal Ideas, New Episode, and MORE!)

    November 8, 2019 by Brandy Vencel

    :: 1 ::

    I finished Till We Have Faces yesterday, folks. WOW. Just wow. I saved it all these years because I wanted reading it with my oldest to be my first time through. I knew it’d be amazing because (1) retellings of the Cupid and Psyche myth have been some of my favorite fairy tales and (2) it’s C.S. Lewis. But still … it went above and beyond my expectations.

    I have a blog post brewing that’s inspired by the book, so stay tuned for next week.

    :: 2 ::

    I’m feeling sort of blah about meals lately. Again. This happens periodically. It’s the perfect time of year for eating outside here, and we’ve done a lot of that. I think that helps me overlook the fact that actually I’m bored.

    But also: I’m busy. I have more interesting food I could make, but I used to spend 2-3 hours on dinner, and now I only have about an hour.

    Want to share with me some links to your favorites? Bonus if it’s a one-pot meal, or heavy on the Instant Pot (which I love).

    :: 3 ::

    The latest from Scholé Sisters:

    It was so wonderful to chat with Ravi Jain again. I seriously think we should have him on every season. We could make him a Scholé Sister!!

    :: 4 ::

    This month in 2018:

    Good advice, of course, but also: the Mother Culture Habit Tracker for winter will be ready soon!

    :: 5 ::

    Podcast episode of the week:

    • The Literary Life Podcast: 13. “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield
      • No, I’m not reading along. I’m way behind as it is. I’ve been listening, whether I’ve read the book (or short story or whatever) or not. If I waited until I had time to read the book, I’d never get to listen because I’m pre-reading 12th grade right now, remember?
      • I figure I can just store up the insights for some future occasion when I can read the book. Until then, this story sounds fascinating.

    :: 6 ::

    This week’s links collection:

    • Columbia professor who fled communism resigns, says university is becoming communist from The College Fix
      • “The professor says that he then asked if they could choose a straight white male if the most qualified candidate happened to be so, and was promptly told that they could not. ‘I felt like I was living under communism again,’ he said.”
    • The media protected Jeffrey Epstein and crucified Brett Kavanaugh from The Washington Examiner
      • “ABC News has claimed it refused to run Robach’s reporting because it did not meet their editorial standards. Apparently, there wasn’t enough corroborating evidence, despite the fact that Robach says in the video that she had multiple witnesses who confirmed her story.”
      • Honestly, what I found very disturbing about Project Veritas’ incredible video exposing ABC News was that Amy Robach seemed very concerned that she did not get to run the story — that she did not get credit for the story, rather than concern that while ABC sat on this story, there were even more victims, that Epstein was allowed to continue trafficking in women and children and blackmailing many of our most powerful citizens.
    • Yes, Soros Is Influencing Your School Board And Local Government Elections from Conservative HQ
      • “In other words, the Soros-backed prosecutor candidates are running on platforms of not enforcing the law.”
      • “What does this mean to the local voter? It means the will of your community at the ballot box can be stymied to the point that local courts and educational boards will not reflect your vote or the character of your community but the will of social engineers like George Soros.”

    :: 7 ::

    It’s not too late to join the Scholé Sisters November Challenge!

    Just click here to sign up. Download the printable (and ignore the dates you’ve missed). Watch our video to get inspired. And then you’re set!

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    20 Comments

  • Reply Victoria Bako November 10, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    Have you read Jordan Peterson’s “12 Rules for Life” yet Brandy? I know he’s controversial, but I read it and thought it was brilliant, even if I don’t 100% agree with him all the time.

    • Reply Brandy Vencel November 11, 2019 at 11:55 am

      I haven’t! I keep meaning to, but haven’t yet bought the book. I keep hearing good things, though!

  • Reply Rebecca Beck November 9, 2019 at 8:49 pm

    My super fast super nourishing meal is 3 raw eggs, 3 cups raw milk, 1 ounce frozen liver and blend in vitamix or other high power blender. Add honey and real salt to taste! I know it’s a crazy meal but it really does an amazing job for energizing me! Also, I went carnivore which makes meals extremely easy-take meat and cook add salt?

    • Reply Brandy Vencel November 11, 2019 at 11:56 am

      WOW. I don’t know if I could digest that but it sounds super simple for sure. Are you feeding your kids this way also?

      • Reply Rebecca Beck November 16, 2019 at 12:52 pm

        We’ve been on an interesting food journey for the last ten years. After dealing with several different food allergies we did GAPS and then a deworming protocol. Since then the kids have pretty much eaten under nourishing traditions. They actually want to do carnivore but I haven’t gone there yet. All but my eldest love my ‘milk shake’. I don’t push the veggies like I used to but I do push their meat and fat. I was trying to ‘Cure Tooth Decay’ but was really struggling with night shades. My friend told me I wouldn’t crave food anymore…so I gave it a whirl and feel so much more nourished and don’t crave food! There are quite a few podcasts by Paul Salidino. A lot of body builders and extreme sport enthusiasts are into the carnivorous lifestyle (nose to tail eating). They actually attribute it going back to Weston A Price’s work. So I had a lovely pregnancy and a rather good birth for my 6th!

  • Reply Melissa Watts November 8, 2019 at 5:01 pm

    Hi,
    I have been using the recipes and methods in Cook-Once-Eat-All-Week. It isn’t grain free but has 26 weeks – so pick and choose a few and you are set for quite a while. https://www.amazon.com/Cook-Once-Eat-All-Week/dp/1628603437

    • Reply Brandy Vencel November 9, 2019 at 7:08 am

      Wow! Thank you! I have never heard of this cookbook but it intrigues me. ♥

  • Reply Sara November 8, 2019 at 3:36 pm

    I’ve recently discovered two meals that feel like the price of one. You cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot (5 lbs for 35 or so mins), seasoning before if you want (I use salt, garlic powder, coriander, oregano). Roast potatoes or yams and broccoli while chicken is cooking. So easy, healthy, and good. And then you take all the meat off the carcass, throw the carcass back in the IP (leaving the juices in there), add a splash of apple cider vinegar, cover it with water, and cook on high pressure for two hours. Bone broth! The next day you heat the broth and add whatever you want to make soup. I add chopped kale, frozen chopped butternut squash, noodles, leftover chicken, and maybe riced cauliflower. All it needs is salt, and then we put hot sauce on our own servings. So easy! And great for cold months. Another easy one is diced yams and red onion wedges tossed with salt and oil, and add sausage links all on the same pan. Roast about 20-30 mins and then the last couple minutes you add dried cranberries and Parmesan cheese, roasting until the cheese melts. I make these things all the time and hope my family doesn’t get sick of them because they’re so easy and good!

    • Reply Brandy Vencel November 8, 2019 at 4:02 pm

      Ooh! Thank you for this. I think I need to get more creative like this, where the meal process is more ongoing and stretch and therefore maximized. Thank you!

    • Reply Victoria Bako November 10, 2019 at 4:47 pm

      This sounds extremely similar to the way I cook, but without the instapot. I’m a bit of a luddite an feel suspicious of anything that cooks fast.

      Also, without the cheese because of allergies.

      • Reply Brandy Vencel November 11, 2019 at 11:57 am

        Ha! I was pretty suspicious of the IP at first, so this made me laugh. I totally get it.

  • Reply Carol Hudson November 8, 2019 at 2:29 pm

    Till We Have Faces was brilliant, profound, and so readable! I read it earlier this year and was so struck by Orual’s skewed perspective and how she interpreted everything through that distorted lens.

    • Reply Brandy Vencel November 8, 2019 at 2:47 pm

      Yes! Me, too. I found the level of self-deception a little horrifying, probably because Lewis doesn’t let us see it fully until the end.

  • Reply Sharron November 8, 2019 at 10:16 am

    I’m anxious to read your linked articles here! I listen to to Angelina and Cindy too, whether I’m reading the book or not! It’s just too good not to! Could someone read the Lewis book if they are not familiar with the myth? Or is there a telling of that that should be read first?

    • Reply Brandy Vencel November 8, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      I think knowing the myth in advance is helpful, but not imperative. But it’s a quick one to read! Here is one telling: https://www.pitt.edu/~dash/cupid.html

      If you read it, you might recognize that there is a similar story in most fairy tale collections.

  • Reply Rahime November 8, 2019 at 10:12 am

    You probably know this one, but it’s my favorite easy meal. For family members who want a grain, I cook rice either in the IP before or simultaneously. But I think it’s lovely even without.

    https://nomnompaleo.com/post/111934821818/pressure-cooker-kalua-pig

    • Reply Brandy Vencel November 8, 2019 at 2:45 pm

      mmmmm thank you, Rahime!!

      • Reply Emily D November 10, 2019 at 4:59 pm

        This is a favorite in our household. It was ready when we got home from church today and my husband was thrilled to know there are enough leftovers for several meals.

  • Reply Arenda November 8, 2019 at 8:55 am

    I’ve been thinking about meals a lot, too, lately! Here are a few of my favourites lately:
    – (Bean-Free) Sweet Potato Chili (slow cooker meal)
    https://thenourishinghome.com/2015/02/bean-free-slow-cooker-sweet-potato-chili/
    – Taco Rice
    https://hiddenponies.com/2015/01/taco-rice/
    – Cheesy Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice (super easy and delicious Instant Pot meal)
    https://www.platingsandpairings.com/instant-pot-cheesy-southwestern-lentils-brown-rice/
    – Spiced Vegan Lentil Soup (simple and delicious, I just saute the veggies in the Instant Pot,
    add the rest of the ingredients and put it on the Soup function )
    http://www.cookr.com/recipes/spiced-vegan-lentil-soup
    – Instant Pot Lentil Tacos (can easily add some lean ground beef to add some more protein)
    https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/instant-pot-lentil-tacos/

    • Reply Brandy Vencel November 8, 2019 at 2:44 pm

      Thank you, Arenda! I will check these out. ♥

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