Eat A Rainbow!

Genesis 9:12-13         

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

It's amazing how God uses his creations to show and teach us all kinds of things.  The rainbow represents God's promises.

Did you know you should be eating rainbows?  Fruits and vegetables come in terrific colors and flavors, but their real beauty lies in what's inside. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.

To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white onions. For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly. Eating a balanced diet and making other lifestyle changes are key to maintaining your body's good health.

I like to cut up fruit and mix it in a bowl and keep it in the fridge.  If I put it on a low shelf or out on the table for a snack, guess what??, my kid's come right in and eat it all.  It looks so pretty, they can't resist!  I try to eat a variety of colors throughout the day to make sure I am getting the proper amounts of nutrition.  The deeper the colors, the more antioxidants!

To get more fruits and veggies in per day, get inventive..make a smoothie, put them in a whole wheat bread or muffin, sneak some carrots into a delicious baked ziti recipe or something.  There are lots of good Pinterest ideas out there for sneaking some fruits and veggies in to recipes and smoothies!! ( I will post a sneaky recipe for some brownies that you will just love below)!!

I saw this little picture on a blog a few days ago and just loved it..see how AMAZING our GOD is!!

Peanut Butter Brownies (Queen B Style!)

Makes 16 brownies
1 19oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed well
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup Truvia
1/4 organic butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
2 Tbsp all natural peanut butter

Note: If you use stevia packets, you’ll want to use about 15 packets

Spray an 8×8 inch pan with cooking spray. Blend all ingredients (except  butter) in a food processor or powerful blender until very well blended. You may need to scrape the sides and blend again. When its just about finished processing, add in the melted butter. Then stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
Spread into the prepared pan. Swirl in the peanut butter into the top of the batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set around the outside and in the middle. It will just start to crack. Don’t test with a toothpick, as it won’t come out clean. You want them to be fudge-like anyway!

I tried this on my whole family and they ate them all.  They are always suspicious of me and I never tell them what's in stuff until later! 

Here is a sneaky bonus recipe for chickpeas from my friend Karen :

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter (chickpea) Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups canned* chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (165 grams) natural peanut butter**
• 1/4 cup  honey  or truvia 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn't have salt in it
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

** Don't even try with regular peanut butter! They'll come out oily. You MUST use natural peanut butter. It's best if the only ingredient in it is peanuts!!

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they're combined. Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky. With wet hands, form into 1 1/2" balls. Place onto a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don't do much rising. Bake for about 10 minutes. Yields about fourteen 1 1/2" cookie dough balls.

Brandy Kisner
Health & Wellness Coordinator 

Make Your Food Work For You...Blueberries!!

Genesis 1:11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so."

God created lots of vegetation for us to enjoy. Blueberries are a wonderful creation.  They are a Super food!!  They are delicious, low-calorie, and can be used in many different ways.

What makes them super???   They are packed with anti-oxidants, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C.
They are also low in calories with respect to the amount of nutrients.  Blueberries have the most antioxidants per serving than any other fruit.

Benefits:

Blueberries may improve memory loss. Studies have found that blueberries have an effect on your brain. Compounds in blueberries known as flavonoids may improve memory, learning, and general cognitive function, including reasoning skills, decision making, verbal comprehension and numerical ability.

Blueberries may help decrease belly fat. Studies have found that blueberries may help diminish belly fat, which is good news since having too much abdominal fat has been linked to conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

Blueberries aid in digestion. The tannins in blueberries help decrease inflammation, particularly in your digestive system, so eating blueberries may help reduce acid indigestion and relieve stomach ulcers. (Another bonus: they also promote urinary tract health.)

Blueberries are disease-fighters. Don't forget about blueberries cancer-fighting properties! The dark berry is known for having a vitamin-packed punch, and for good reason — blueberries contain high levels of phytonutrients, which act as antioxidants.

Blueberries help vision. Antioxidants are believed to help improve night vision and maintain overall eye health.

 Blueberries are an anti-aging food.  Antioxidants and in blueberries are often mentioned when discussing anti aging because they combat free radicals, renegade cells in our bodies that are said to wreak havoc on our immune systems, skin, digestive systems, and much more.

Blueberry Tips:

1. Buy them organic, they are on the dirty dozen list.
2. I recently learned this trick for strawberries and it turns out it works on all berries.  To increase shelf life for your berries, mix one part vinegar to ten parts water.  Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted I find you can't taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge.  The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! You have fresh berries much longer!
3. Carry them in a baggie and eat them for a snack.
4. Mix them with ice, Truvia, milk, and protein powder for a wonderful smoothie.
5. Top your steel cut oatmeal with them and some walnuts. (I eat this many times a week)

Here is a recipe I found, that has almond flour instead of wheat flour. Almond and coconut flour cause less health problems than wheat. That's just a whole other discussion for another day.
If you choose to eat wheat, you may substitute whole wheat flour at 1:1 ratio here.

 
Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups of assorted berries: strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries or a mix (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil or butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• optional: Stevia, organic honey or maple syrup to taste
• optional: organic whole cream, whipped with vanilla (for topping)

How to Make Berry Cobbler:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a 8×8 or larger baking dish with coconut oil or butter.
3. Place berries in baking dish.
4. Combine almond flour, coconut oil/butter and vanilla with your hands until it makes a crumbly topping. You may need to adjust the almond flour up or down slightly, depending on the texture of the brand you use. If using Stevia, you can add a small amount to the topping at this point. I like the Truvia brand the best.
5. Using your hands, sprinkle/crumble the topping over the berries.
6. Put dish into oven and cook for about 20 minutes (fresh fruit) to 30-40 minutes (frozen fruit).
7. When done, drizzle with organic honey or maple syrup if using (optional)
8. Top with whipped organic cream/vanilla if using.

Enjoy!

Brandy Kisner
Health & Wellness Coordinator

An Apple A Day..Make Your Food Work For You!!

Proverbs 7:2

"Keep my commands and you will live;

guard my teachings as the apple of your eye."

The Bible uses the phrase "apple of my eye" in several verses.  This phrase is referring to the pupil of the eye..the part that reflects light, the part that is precious. God uses his perfect creations as examples to us. and refers to them in  the Bible, and teaches us so many things from something so simple. Apples are a wonderful creation.  So wonderful that it is often the fruit we think of when we hear about Eve eating the "forbidden fruit' ( I guess we will just have to wait and ask her to verify that one) :D

We have all heard that  "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  I actually do eat an apple every day.  I love them! They are full of nutrition, not to mention they taste great, you can take one with you on the go, and they are great in recipes.

Apple Benefits

A medium apple counts as 1 cup of fruit, so after eating one you're well on your way to meeting your daily fruit quota.  Apples are on the dirty dozen list, so buy them organic to reduce pesticide ingestion.

A delicious and crunchy apple is one of the popular fruits that contains an impressive list of essential nutrients, which are required for normal growth and development, and overall nutritional well-being.

• Apples are low in calories. 100 g of fresh fruit slices provide only 50 calories. They contain no saturated fats or cholesterol; but are rich in dietary fiber, which helps prevent absorption of dietary LDL cholesterol in the gut. The dietary fibers also help protect the mucous membrane of the colon from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.

• Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-Cand beta-carotene.Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

• Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoidsand polyphenols.The total measured anti-oxidant strength (ORAC value) of 100 g apple fruit is 5900 TE. The important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Apples are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. These compounds help body protect from effects of free radicals.

• In addition, apple fruit is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body.

• Apple also contains small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids. It helps control heart rate and blood pressure; thus counters the bad influences of sodium.
I buy my organic apples in a bag in bulk and keep them in the fridge.  I like to cut mine up and take it in a baggie with me for the day. 
Apple Recipe Ideas:
Baked Apple:
1 medium apple
2 Tbs organic butter
sprinkle of cinnamon
1 packet of truvia
Put all ingredients in a microwave safe dish, place in microwave for 3 minutes and enjoy!


Greek Chicken Salad for One 

Eat Clean Chicken Salad for One With Greek Yogurt

1 cooked chicken breast chopped

1 organic celery stalk

10-15 red seedless organic grapes

1/2 apple chopped

1 Tbsp chopped pecans

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 tsp chia seeds

2 Tbsp Greek Yogurt

Sea salt to taste (optional)

Mix and enjoy!

  
Brandy Kisner
Health & Wellness Coordinator

Small Groups Beginning in August

ISBC grown so much over the past five years. We are one church, meeting at two locations; one at the original site on Hill Rd. and the other in downtown Kingsport on E. Center St. We refer to them as the Hill Road Campus and the Glenwood Campus.

God has blessed us so much!  There are many advantages to being a big church.  We have many more resources now than we did ten years ago.  The disadvantage is that it is easy to get lost in the crowd and feel disconnected.  One of the ways we are going to begin to remedy this is by starting Small Groups, meeting in various homes, at the church, and at other venues.  

Small Groups offer the opportunity to connect with other people in a more intimate setting. Friendships are formed and you begin to feel a sense of community, connectivity, if you will. This Fall, Women's Ministry is taking a step in this direction with forming Small Groups. The following groups are starting on different dates and various days and times during the week. There's something of interest to everyone.  We may add to this list as the time draws near, but here are the group leaders who have committed at present.  All the what, where, and when answers are in the description of each Small Group.  Note that a few of them have to limit the size of the class, due to space issues.  But, don't fret if you can't get in to your 1st choice the first time.  They will be offered again in January.  Who knows?  Maybe YOU will be led to become a leader yourself.  Reserve your space in one of these Small Groups as soon as you can.  The contact information is listed in the description of the class. 

Book Study, “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp - Martha Rhoton -

Come together to enjoy delving deeper into a spiritually uplifting, comforting, soul-searching, BEST SELLER, book entitled One Thousand Gifts. It is described as "A beautifully practical guide to living a life of joy, One Thousand Gifts invites you to wake up to God's everyday blessings. As Ann Voskamp discovered, in giving thanks for the life she already had, she found the life she'd always wanted." This is "Not merely a book to read, { it} begs to be embraced as a dynamic, interactive primer inviting you to engage with truths that will serve up the depths of God's joy and transform your life forever."

We will read two chapters before we meet each week and discuss, analyze, and interact with the material and others in the group. Martha will be the facilitator and we will meet in her home at 7:30 on Tuesday evenings starting September 4th and ending October 9. Please contact Martha at rhotonm@hotmail.com by Sunday, August 26, if you can attend and for any further information. You will be responsible for obtaining your copy of the book. Plan to join us for this "dare to live fully right where you are."

“Not a Fan” - Jeni Morelock

In the gospels, Jesus never seemed too interested in fans, He was looking for followers. Completely Committed Followers! How would things change if you lived as Jesus lived, and loved the way Jesus loved? Maybe you’re ready to step across the line and say "I'm not a fan". If so, join us for this 6 week study, beginning August ^15th, Hill Rd campus, Room 215 – 6:00-7:30 pm

Be a Biblical Detective - Glenna Bartley

(Learn how to read the Word) -

An exciting method to observing, interpreting & applying God's Word in your life -
Tools will be available, such as: Bible Dictionary, Almanac, Maps, Concordance, etc -
(Bring what you have to share with others)

Tuesday mornings 9:30am

Beginning August 14th

1305 Dupont Drive

Glenna Bartley cell 423-429-5455 or glennabartley@gmail.com

“Eat Clean” -Brandy Kisner

Teaching you how to avoid processed foods and preservatives, and eat more foods the way God created them.  We will be learning how to read labels, make healthy choices, and clean up any recipe to be a healthy version.  Class will be on Thursdays at 6:30 at my home 390 Grandview Court Kingsport, beginning September 13^th, and will run for 6 weeks.  My email is kisnerct@charter.net and my cell is 782-8005 for more info.  The class size is limited to 10 women.

The Art of Hospitality - Pam Archer

The Bible says we are to be hospitable. Learn how in this 4 week course, which includes learning how to properly set a table, making creative centerpieces, arranging flowers, dining etiquette, and how to make people feel welcome in your home. This is a perfect class for moms and daughters/sons, too. Beginning on Monday, September 10^th – Oct. 1^st, at 6:30 pm, we will meet in my home, 512 Montezuma Rd., Kingsport.

Reserve your space by contacting Pam. afcpam@gmail.com or 292-9418. Limited to 10 -12 people. 

“Nehemiah”, by Kelly Mintor - Teresa Reynolds –

Beginning Wednesday, August ^15th at the Glenwood Campus. This is a DVD series. Contact Teresa for information on how to purchase the Study Guide tkreynolds1234@yahoo.com

Book Study “Authentic Relationships” - Jackie Mumpower

This book deals with how to be real in an artificial world. The class begins on Monday, September 10^th, at 6:45, at Jackie’s home.  308 Stone Ct., Kingsport.  mumpowerj@wcde.org

God Doesn't Have a Plan B - Shirley Thomas
This is a Bible Study based on II Peter.   It will meet on Thursday's at 10:00 AM, beginning September 13th. Shirley lives at 5604 Cheyenne Lane, Kingsport.  You can reach her at sgravest@embarqmail.com. 

Pam Archer

Director of Women's Ministry

Indian Springs Baptist Church (ISBC) 

The Yogurt Smackdown! Healthy Tip on Greek Yogurt....

Move over regular yogurt...going Greek is in! I just saw that TCBY is coming out with some Greek frozen yogurt in their stores. Yogurt is from milk and is just one of the healthy foods that God provides us to fuel His creation. There are many types of yogurts and the Greek kind is hitting the stores like crazy. So what's the big deal with Greek Yogurt?? I am so glad you asked! :D

What is Greek Yogurt?

True Greek yogurt is made differently than traditional yogurt. Both traditional and Greek yogurts start out the same; by fermenting milk with live bacteria cultures.

Greek yogurt is created when the yogurt is strained, so that the liquid whey is removed. When the whey is gone, the Greek yogurt takes on a thicker, cheesier texture than traditional yogurt.

For traditional yogurt, if a cup of milk is used to make the yogurt, one cup of yogurt is produced. In Greek yogurt, it takes more milk to create one cup of yogurt, sometimes up to four cups of milk. This is why true Greek yogurts can be more expensive.

Why Go Greek??

1. Greek yogurt has twice as much protein as regular yogurt.
2. Since the whey contains the lactose, when the lactose is strained, the yogurt loses some of its sugar and carbohydrates. If you are watching your carbohydrate intake, have diabetes, or have a sensitivity to carbohydrates, then Greek yogurt is your ticket. Regular yogurts have 15 to 17 grams of carbohydrates per cup, whereas Greek yogurt averages approximately 9 grams.
3. Because Greek yogurt contains less carbohydrates than regular yogurt, it has less lactose; the sugar in dairy products that can sometimes upset your stomach. This is especially helpful for people who have lactose intolerance.
4. Greek yogurt can be used for many dishes. Due to its thick texture and rich taste, many people use it as a substitute for milk, sour cream, and even use it for baking. I love to use it in baking and as a substitute for mayo in chicken salad!!

Be sure to buy the plain Greek yogurt. If you buy flavored, you will most often get added sugar and other ingredients. I like to buy plain and add my own ingredients. Check the ingredient part on the label. Sugar naturally occurs in milk, so it will have sugar in the nutritional value, but not have sugar or cane juice listed on the ingredient list.


Here are some Greek yogurt ideas:

Add fruit, stevia, and flax seed.
Mix it up in smoothies.
Use it instead of mayo in any recipe!
It makes a wonderful salad dressing and fruit dip!

The fruit dip is so easy. Mix Greek yogurt,vanilla, truvia, and cinnamon!

I am one of those people that just starts pouring and mixes to taste.I will share one of my favorite recipes from my blog. You can make your own personal chicken salad for one and eat in on whole wheat bread or just top it on some lettuce for a salad! You can whip this up and take it to work for a lunch on the go.

Eat-Clean Chicken Salad for One

Eat-Clean Chicken Salad for One With Greek Yogurt
1 cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 organic celery stalk, diced
10-15 red seedless organic grapes
1 Tbsp chopped pecans
1 tsp balsamic vinegar1 tsp honey
1 tsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp Greek Yogurt
Sea salt to taste (optional)

I like to cook my chicken by boiling it. Chop up all ingredients, put them in a bowl, stir them up, ENJOY! How easy is that!!


~ Brandy Kisner
ISBC Women's Ministry
Health & Welness Coordinator

boil chicken

all my ingredients

chop it all up and place in bowl

see chia seed post for great benefits from this little seed

Mix it all up

put it on bread or on top of romaine lettuce..YUMMY!!!