A of All...

Ten points to the first person who can correctly identify who the title of my blog is referring to. The person to whom I am referring can't play. That wouldn't be fair.

Anyway, I've had some trouble deciding on the best way to share all that God has done. I've processed through a lot of it, but since this is the internet, I prayed about what exactly I will share and how much. After much journaling and prayer, I've decided to lead off the post-trip posts with the change that happened to me while in Leuven.

I can say with 100% certainty that I am not the same Rachel that I was four-ish weeks ago. I don't know exactly when the change occurred, or how, I just know that it happened. I feel a lightness, a joy, a childlike approach to life, and a freedom that I didn't feel prior to the trip. I feel like, for the first time, I am resting - truly resting - in the peace of God that comes when you really do trust Him.

I'll use a real-world example to show the change that has happened inside of me. The university that I work for is expanding the number of athletes from 160 to 200. Currently, I am the only certified athletic trainer for our athletic department and our training room is straining to accommodate all of our current athletes. When I left for Belgium, I was told that we would be adding some storage, rearranging the layout of the training room, have a job post up for a new assistant athletic trainer so I could start sifting through resumes while I was overseas, doing some much needed repairs to the training room, and that my pay would go up so that it would be closer to what I should be making for the job that I do. I come back to find that none of the promises have been denied (but they didn't take my assistant), and I actually lost a sizable chunk of my budget that I use to bring in extra help. Needless to say, there was some frustration and disappointment when I was told this news.

Now, old-Rachel would have freaked out. I would have been stressed; I would have gotten really, really angry; I would have panicked; I would have been bitter; I would have bottomed out. But, I'm not old-Rachel any more. I'm new-Rachel. So, while there was frustration, disappointment, and feeling a little overwhelmed, I was alright with it all. Because I know that my God is a God who is bigger than a university. My God has carried me through life up until this very moment and I know He won't drop me now. He has made it very clear that I'm supposed to stay where I am for right now, so I know that He will make sure I have all I need to do the job well. I just need to keep returning to Him, trusting in what Christ did on the cross, and not try and do it on my own strength. My strength will fail, as I have seen it do before. Sure, things may work out for a bit, but at the end of the day, I will go down in a spectacular, fiery crash. While God sometimes uses flames to refine me, they are meant for good, not evil destruction.

I would appreciate prayers, though. There has been a lot of coach turnover this past year, and I am one of the few staff members remaining this year. It's going to be a tough adjustment year for everyone, and I pray that I can shine my light and point everyone toward the Anchor that keeps me steady and grounded.

Tot Ziens!

Here it is... my least favorite part of the trip: the end. I'm not too sure how coherent my thoughts will be because I didn't go to bed last night until after two and it is currently 4:56am as I sit here and type this.

My heart breaks as our time here as a team comes to a close. This team is so much more than a team, we are a true family. I will miss each and every person with every part of my being, and it makes me sad to think that we all live so far apart (with the exception of my fellow Texan). The Lord has used every person on this team to speak into my life, be it with wisdom, encouragement, or a revelation about His character.

Not only will I miss my new-found family, but I will miss all of my new friends that I have made. I will miss the accents, the questions, the different lifestyles,  and the conversations. I will miss listening to the Dutch/Flemish language. Of course, I will miss the silly things - Speculoos, ice cream, and waffles, but they are just the added bonus of the ability to do life with some truly amazing people - both believers in Christ and non-believers.

I am truly thankful for the opportunity that God has given me to travel to Cinque Terre, Italy for the next four days. While I am a little hesitant to travel alone, I am also looking forward to having that time with no laptop, no large group, and really have some quality time with God. I worship Him through food, so the thought of having Italian food, some good wine, and the chance to sit with God, praying about all that has happened on this trip is something that I am looking forward to. When I'm honest, I really think that I need to take the next four days and be alone, because if I had the distraction of others, I wouldn't really properly work through all that has been done through me, in me, around me, and goodness knows what other prepositions could be used regarding Him.

This post is not the last post that I will put up about this trip. I have much to share, but I can't properly share it all right now because I cannot articulate what exactly God has done. Over the next few weeks, as He slowly walks with me through the mountain of experiences that have occurred, I'm sure He will reveal what He wants me to blog about. Which is where the title of the post comes from. "Tot ziens" means see you later. I know that I will see this family again. We will be able to connect in person, not just online. This isn't good-bye by any means, but merely a, "See you later!"

Messy Pierre's - AKA European Sloppy Joes

When you say "Messy Pierre's", you have to say it with a ridiculous French accent to get the full effect of the dish. Our own Paul H. gave this dish its new name. It's the recipe from last year - a European twist on an American classic. I say "European twist" in that the BBQ sauce is pretty much a mystery and the meat that I'm using is a blend of ground beef and pork. And maybe chicken? Whatever it is, it's delicious and always a crowd pleaser. This will be the last meal that I cook here in Belgium for the year. Tomorrow, one of our new Belgian pole vaulter friends (who also happens to be the reigning Belgian champ) is cooking us a traditional Belgian meal. It makes me very sad to think that our time here is coming to an end and that I will have to leave on Sunday. I will have one more full day on the 21st of July before I fly back to Texas on the 22nd, but it won't be the same being here without my crazy family. This happened last year, and to be honest, I was kind of hoping that it would be easier to leave this year. It looks like, however, that it will be just as hard, if not harder, to leave. 

Anway, back to the reason you're here - the food:

Ingredients:

• One pound of ground meat
• One red or orange bell pepper, chopped
• Two carrots, chopped
• One bottle mystery Belgian BBQ sauce
• One can crushed tomatoes
• Buns

Prep:

• Brown the ground beef. Add the sauce and tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the vegetables, stir together, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. 
• Serve on a bun, as a sandwich or open-faced (filling on top of an open bun)

Panzanella Salad

I'm heading over to Italy next Sunday, so I thought I would get in the Italian mood by serving this salad. The e.coli outbreak does not deter me from serving a dish full of tomatoes and cucumbers (the vegetables affected the most by the outbreak), mainly because Belgium has some of the strictest food standards that I have ever seen and there was not one case reported in the entire country.

This recipe is based off an Ina Garten recipe, and she is one of my favorite Food Network people. All of her recipes are easy, simple, and crowd pleasing. This dish is just day-old bread, veggies, some added chicken for good measure, and a vinaigrette dressing. How fabulous is that (Anyone?? Anyone??)?

Ingredients:

• Three Tablespoons olive oil
• One small French bread, cut into one-inch cubes (about six cups)
• One teaspoon Kosher salt
• Pepper to taste
• Two large, ripe tomatoes, cut into cubes
• One cucumber, skinned, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• One red bell pepper, cut, seeded, and sliced into one-inch cubes
• One yellow bell pepper, cut, seeded, and sliced into one-inch cubes
• 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• Three boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and cubed into one-inch cubes
• Your choice of vinaigrette dressing

Prep:

• In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the bread. Season liberally with salt and pepper, turning frequently until all of the bread is browned, about ten minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add the bread and too with the vinaigrette. Allow salad to sit for at least thirty minutes for flavors to blend. 

Turkey Black Bean Quesadillas

Before I get to the food for yesterday's dinner, I have a prayer request. One of my pole vaulter girls took a nasty spill during a gym workout yesterday and has sprained her ankle pretty badly. We ended up going to the hospital here in Leuven, just to confirm what I thought and so her insurance would cover her rehab back home. I just finished rehab with her today and she went from being unable to walk this morning to walking, though limping, unassisted down the hall. Praise God for healing! So, here is our meal from last night: turkey black bean quesadillas!

This recipe is brought to y'all by my Aunt Ryn, or Kathy Gillen, as she is knows to the rest of the world. She is passionate about helping people, especially families, learn how to eat well without breaking the bank or sacrificing good-tasteing food. Her business, Wellness Roadtrip, teaches people how to turn from over-processed and store bought food to healthy, home-cooked meals. She also knows more about supplements than anyone I know, and coming from someone immersed in the medical field, that's saying something. I think she proves that my love of cooking good food is genetic. Like me, she also just uses recipes as guidelines, not the hard-and-fast truth.

Alright, now that the updates and shameless plug are out of the way, let's get to the food!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• Half an onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Half a cup kale or spinach, chopped
• Half a red pepper, diced
• 2 Tablespoons water
• One cup canned black beans
• One teaspoon cumin
• One teaspoon chili powder
• Half a teaspoon garlic powder
• Quarter of a teaspoon salt
• 8 whole wheat tortillas 
• Toppings, such as shredded cheese, salsa, diced tomatoes, etc

Prep:

• Preheat the oven to 400*
• In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onion until it is translucent. Add the turkey and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• On a plate, roughly mash the beans (optional)
• Add the rest of the ingredients, allowing mixture to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the kale/spinach wilts. 
• While filling is cooking, lightly grease a cookie sheet and lay four tortillas on it. Spoon in filling, add toppings, and then place another tortilla on top. 
• After five minutes, flip the tortillas using a large spatula, cooking for another 5-7 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 

Why I Cook

So after an awesome Big Red Couch conversation with one of my Belgian teammates, a blog post was born. Actually, I was told that I have to blog about this topic that we discussed. So, here I am, praying the Holy Spirit will speak through me again and that the heart behind my love of everything kitchen-related will be told in a way that others can connect to.

The reason behind why I cook is because it is a way that I worship God. I am able to come before Him; to experience creation in a way that is more intimate than just being outside; to have dance parties where I can let myself go, relaxing and not having the nagging thoughts about what people are thinking of me; I see the church body come together when I cook; and best of all, I see how the sanctification process in the process of preparing food.

I'll expand those last two thoughts. First, how I see the church body come together in food. Not only is food my favorite way to love people, to bring people together, I see people in the different food that I prepare. In Scripture (1 Corinthians 12: 12-31), Paul addresses the body and how it is made up of individual parts, all with individual jobs, but brought together in different ways to accomplish one mission.

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. (1 Corinthians 12:18-20 ESV)

 I see food in a similar light. God has created an entire planet full of wonderful things to eat. Some things can be enjoyed on their own, such as a crisp apple or a cool glass of milk. Other things He created can be enjoyed together, like a cheese burger, pesto, beer, or Indian food. The crazy part of this is that each one of those things is not only a little mini-family of individuals working together, but they are going to taste differently to every person. And God knows that. He has created us to have differing tastes, He knows what we like, He knows what we don't like, and He blesses us with the opportunity to enjoy his harmony of His creation. We are able to experience Him not only when the church gathers as a body, but also at an incredibly intimate level. When we eat, we all experience food in a different way. It is something that we can do in fellowship with others, but the experience going on inside of us is something that is ours. God meets us in a way that is totally unique to the individual. Not one recipe is the same.

Now, the sanctification part, or becoming more like Christ. As much as I wouldn't like it to be, I know the process will be continual until the day that I am called home. In my limited experience, I have found sanctification messy, painful, and similar to rehab exercises. But, the end result is always good. I see sanctification in cooking. Let's look at something that everyone should be relatively familiar with: cooking pasta. Once we get over the fact that the pasta section in the grocery store is one of the largest sections in the grocery store (much like the number of people groups on this earth), pasta cooking is pretty straight forward.

• Step one: Remove pasta from packaging. You can't cook pasta properly when it is surrounded by a box (or plastic wrapping). Like pasta, we can't begin our sanctification until we are taken out of our little box.
• Step two: Boil water. And not just the little bubbles, but a good, rolling boil. The job won't get done if the water isn't hot.
• Step three: Add pasta to boiling water. There's really no way around this step. Pasta must meet boiling water. We live in a culture that preaches comfort and easy living. But, as one of the principles that we are going over here said, God cares more about our condition than our comfort. 
• Step four: Cook the pasta, at a slightly reduced heat, for a period of time. Unlike blanching vegetables, this isn't instantaneous. The good news about this step is that the heat is ever so slightly reduced, and there is some relief offered in the stirring that occurs on occasion. This makes sure the pasta is cooking and isn't sticking together. If you let it just cook in heat, the end result isn't as pretty or appealing. 
• Step five: Drain the pasta. Shake it out, but don't wash it. Getting rid of the water allows for anything to be removed that shouldn't be added to the finished product, but washing it will remove too much of what makes pasta what it is. 
• Step six: Mix it together with other ingredients. This is my favorite part of the process. There are some days where I stick with familiar pasta add-ons, but there are days where I look around my kitchen and just start tossing things in a bowl. While cooked pasta would, I guess, be an okay snack or meal, it is definitely enjoyed better with other things. It wasn't meant to be alone. And we aren't meant to be alone, either. God created us for fellowship, to be a family, to walk through this life with others. 

I know not everyone sees cooking the way that I do. I know that God has definitely used me as a way to reach people by having me cook good things and share them with others. I want to feed the hungry - both the physically and the spiritually hungry. The Gospel is scandalous, offensive to, and unwanted by a lot of people, and sometimes conversations can be tricky to share God's love. But, I have yet to meet a person who would refuse a good, home cooked meal at a table with others. So, for as long as the Lord allows me, I will continue to worship Him through food and inviting both believers and not-yet-believers to my table, sharing my love for them through food and praying that they are able to see some of the love that God has for all of us.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Ah...Sundays. The Sabbath. A day to rest, be with God, and enjoy Him in all of the ways that He reveals Himself to us. So, I am taking some time to catch up on my video/picture uploads, and to say hello to you fine people out there.  :)

God continues to bless us in some crazy ways here in Belgium. We have been blessed to have made some new friends who just happen to be pole vaulters, so we have been able to transport our 15-foot long poles with relative ease. We have also been adopted into a local "athletics" (track and field) club here, so we have a team to invest in and some coaches on hand to help us out. Concerning our budget, we are still in the green! Praise God for financial provisions! We also have a meeting place about 5 minutes (by bike), provided to us by ICEL Church here in Leuven. Check out their website here. We were able to attend their service today and I can say that if God should ever call me to live in Leuven, I know that I have a home church. There are people from China, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and (today) America. People of all ages, in all walks of life. The most beautiful part was when they prayed in Dutch. I didn't understand anything except for a few scattered Dutch words, but I understood the heart behind it. Just to know that people from all different languages can come together, pray with the same heart, worship with the same heart, and not need a common language other than the Holy Spirit to communicate is truly amazing.

Yesterday we had a meet in Kortrijk, about two hours from Leuven. We made a new friend, Charlie from California, and have adopted him into our dysFUNctional family, along with Alex, FloTrack intern. Alex is a believer, but we haven't had a discussion about what he himself thinks about God. But, there's no rush. I keep feeding the both of them and I am praying that God's love will be made known through food.

Tomorrow is a big day - we are taking a day-trip to Amsterdam! The Corrie ten Boom house will be closed, but we may stop by the outside just to see it, but then we will be spending the day exploring Amsterdam. I can't speak for the rest of the team, but I will be going to the Anne Frank house. And maybe taking a canal tour. Who knows!

I do have a personal prayer request to share with y'all. On the Friday that we got to Belgium, I broke out into hives. They have since gotten worse and the itching is making me pretty uncomfortable. I'm thinking it may be something in the tap water (which is an expensive allergy to have, but c'est la vie), or maybe it's something that I'm eating. All I know is that I'm popping antihistamine pills like candy and buying a lot of bottled water. They are the worst after I eat something. It's very frustrating. But, other than being super itchy, I'm doing really well and loving the trip. I'm super-pumped to share my stories with y'all!

Lemon Pepper Chicken Sandwiches

Today you get an actual recipe! And a link! I've never tried this recipe (since I haven't had meat since January), but it's from one of my favorite food blogs, and every other recipe I have tried has been fantastic. I'm not going to be following it exactly (because the amount of bacon used makes me a little queasy), but you have to live a little. So, today, there will be bacon. With a generous side salad and whatever veggies look good when I'm doing my shopping.

Presenting lemon pepper bacon sandwiches, as adopted from The Pioneer Woman!

Ingredients:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - washed and patted dry
• Lemon-pepper seasoning
• Bacon strips
• Cheddar cheese slices
• Buns

Prep:

• Place each chicken breast between two sheets of wax paper. Using the smooth side of a mallet (or rolling pin, or heavy can), flatten the chicken so it is uniform thickness.
• Cut the bacon strips in half and cook in a skillet on medium-low heat until the bacon looks chewy. Drain the grease, saving one tablespoon. Lay cooked bacon on paper towels to finish draining. 
• With the skillet still on medium-low heat, add the remaining tablespoon of grease. Sprinkle the chicken breasts GENEROUSLY with lemon pepper. Lay in pan to cook.
• Cook on one side until the edges are no longer pink (about four minutes). 
• Flip the chicken over and add the bacon to the chicken. Add the cheese slices and cover so the cheese has a chance to melt. 
• Serve on buns. Lettuce, tomatoes, whatever else would be good as well.

Chicken Pasta Salad

We actually had this dish on Wednesday night, but since I blogged about what God is doing, this one got pushed a little farther down the priority list. Also adding to the delay was the fact that we had a track meet last night. This wasn't on our original schedule of meets, but we picked it up because someone was able to take our poles to the meet, since taking them on the train is kind of out of the question.

This is one of my favorite summertime meals. It's light, cool, but filling at the same time. You can use whatever veggies you have laying around - fresh, frozen, raw, cooked, whatever.

Ingredients:

• One boneless, skinless chicken breast (or one can Great White Northern beans. Or both.)
• Farfalle pasta (I am used to cooking for one, so check the back of the box/bag for serving sizes)
• Tri-color cheese tortellini (This is optional, but I recommend it. Follow the packaging for serving size)
• Chopped baby carrots
• Corn
• Peas
• Cherry tomatoes
• Italian dressing 
• Parmesan cheese

Prep:

• Cook your protein - cube the raw chicken and cook in a pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper. For the beans, wash and drain them before quickly heating them through in a pan using the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside in a bowl to cool.
• Cook the desired amount of pasta following the instructions on the packaging. I usually start the farfalle pasta first, then add the tortellini since it doesn't need as much time to cook. Drain and set in a bowl to cool, adding just enough olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking together.
• I personally use mostly raw vegetables, but if you have some frozen ones, bring them to room temperature (thaw, cook, boil/drain) and put in a large bowl.
• Add your chicken/beans and pasta to the large bowl. Toss salad to mix everything together. Add the Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese now or once you have the salad in individual bowls.

Scarecrows

Alright, here it is, the first actual blog post not related to food or the team. This one is all about what God is teaching me on this adventure in Belgium. And, as always, it isn't neat or tidy.

First, a backstory: Back some months ago in Bible study, we were discussing how to fight the lies that we tend to believe. Lies such as, "I'm not good enough,"; " I have to have it all together before I go to God,"; "[Person's name] is so much better than me and I'll never be that good." There are others, but those are a little to personal for such an impersonal internet. Anyway, one of the ladies had some wise words for us that someone in her life has recently shared with her: Those thoughts [lies] are like birds. They will be fluttering around, but they can't build nests there.

That picture really stuck with me, these destructive thoughts that are trying to camp out where they are unwanted. I think the problem was (or is, when I'm honest) that I was relying too hard on my own strength to clear those birds out of my head. I don't have the time or the energy to fight these birds. There are too many of them and they always come in flocks. I would drive myself nuts if I spent my days fighting them off. But, I like to try and fight them alone. I want to pull myself up by my bootstraps. It's the American way. For whatever reason, those damaging thoughts have been appearing recently on this trip. And they have been trying their hardest to build nests.

Farmers have the same struggle against the birds that attack their crops. They don't have the time or energy to fight those birds. But, they have a tool to fight these birds - scarecrows. I started praying that God would give me a scarecrow of my own. Something to scare these lies out of my head and let the seeds that He has planted grow, safe from those pests, and able to flourish under the skilled, experienced hand of the Gardener. Something lifted up high above the garden that the birds will avoid. Once I finally stopped talking at God and gave Him the opportunity to respond, He did. Ever so gently, He reminded me that He has already given me a scarecrow, but I have been neglecting to trust that the Scarecrow will do His job.

I'll be honest, the first time I compared the picture of a scarecrow to the image of Christ on the cross, I felt a little uncomfortable. I mean, the image I have when someone says, "scarecrow" is the goofy looking guy from The Wizard of Oz. But once I stopped looking at the physical appearance of a scarecrow and started looking at what they do, I felt better. It is comforting to know (and be reminded of the fact) that I don't have to do this thing called life on my own. I am not the Gardener, I am His flower. And flowers are not made to chase birds. Flowers trust that the Gardener will give it what it needs to flourish. Flowers turn their faces toward the sun (or, Son, in my case); flowers send their roots down deep into the good soil for nourishment and to remain safely planted where they have been placed.

I pray that I remember who I am, not who I think I am. I pray that I trust Him and who He has created me to be.  I pray that I turn and look to my Scarecrow every day. I pray that I remember my Scarecrow and what He has done for me. And that I trust in Him to protect me from those pesky birds.

Stuffed Bell Peppers - Mexican Style!

I am a picky pepper eater. I only like green peppers after they have been cooked or drowned in ranch dressing. I prefer to cook with orange or yellow peppers. Red peppers are reserved for snacks - chopped up and dipped in hummus. Peppers are great for stuffing. I usually eat mine with the top cut off and the seeds removed, but for a bigger portion size, cut the pepper in half, going through the stem. This recipe should serve four people, but you can play with portion sizes.

Ingredients:

• Four bell peppers (I like orange), washed and either cut in half or remove the stem and seeds.
• One pound lean ground beef (or one can of black beans if you're a veg-head, or one pound mystery Belgium meat)
• One jar of salsa
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese (I like Colby Jack and Cheddar)
• Corn
• Brown rice

Prep:

• Preheat the oven to 350*
• In a pan, brown the ground beef. If you are using beans, rinse and drain them, and warm them through.
• Now for the rice. You can do one of two things - prepare the rice before hand and stuff it in the pepper with all of the other ingredients OR you can serve it as a side. Your call, just make sure you follow the cooking instructions on the packaging.
• Stuff your pepper! I like to end with sour cream and cheese on top, but follow as the Spirit leads you.
• Place your peppers on a baking sheet and cook for 25-30 minutes. 

In addition to these awesome peppers, our good friend Roel made us a delicious vegetable quiche as a side dish. You wouldn't think that quiche and stuffed peppers would go well, but they did. He said that he will provide the recipe as a guest-blog post, so once I get that, I will pass it along.

Black Bean "Burgers" with Roasted Red Potato Fries

Athletes are taught from the very beginning how important their diet is. The main source of protein has always been meat, but what happens when you're a vegetarian and still an athlete? How can you still train at the level that you need to be at while properly fueling your body?

That was the dilemma that I faced when God had me give up meat/seafood/eggs (as a food, not in baking) in preparation for this trip. While I am not a Division-I athlete, I do work out pretty hard at least four days a week, in addition to the lifting, standing, and sometimes sprinting that happens at work. So, after some Googling and using Stumble Upon, I found a blog that seemed to help me solve my no meat problem.

Enter nomeatathlete.com. This guy does marathons and super-marathons, running purely on plants. I did some more research, found some more blogs, and started living life as an almost-vegan. This recipe is one of my favorites that I've come up with, and I hope you like it, too!

Ingredients:

• One can of black beans, washed and drained (Or, white beans if you are in a country that doesn't have black beans, say...Belgium for example.)
• One egg
• Italian bread crumbs (start with 1/4 cup and add more as needed)

Prep:

• In a medium bowl, mash the black beans with a fork until all beans have been broken apart
• Add one egg and bread crumbs, mixing well. Add the bread crumbs gradually. You want the mixture to be sticky but not impossible to work with.
• Divide mixture into four equal parts
• Form each section into a "patty"
• In a cast iron (or non-stick) skillet, cook patties for a couple of minutes on each side, until just slightly brown
• Move the cast iron skillet directly into a 350* oven for 20 minutes. If you used a non-stick pan, transfer patties to an oven-safe baking dish for the same amount of time.

Once the "burgers" are cooked, you have a blank canvas at your finger tips. Add cheddar cheese, ketchup, and mustard for a more traditional flavor. Or, get creative! One of my favorite ways to dress up my patty is with Indian sauces and serving it on naan in place of a bun. 

For the roasted red potato fries, wash and quarter some red potatoes. Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them out on a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes at 450*, until golden brown.

We didn't have a cast iron skillet here, so I just baked them on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes. They turned out alright, but I definitely prefer the black beans to the white beans. 

Spinach Salad

Sundays are salad nights here in Leuven. Grocery stores (along with all the other stores) shut down here on Sunday, so we stock up on Friday since we are traveling to meets on Saturday. Tonight's meal is pretty straight forward - spinach salads with whatever you want. I will list some of the things that I like, as well as some of the things we picked up here.

Ingredients:

• Loose-leaf baby spinach 
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cook in olive oil, sea salt, and pepper)
• Chic peas/Garbanzo beans
• Shredded carrots
• Tomatoes
• Mozzarella cheese
• Italian dressing
• Snap peas

Really, whatever you want. Toss it all in a bowl and enjoy!

We have been out of Leuven for the past three days, competing in a meet in Oordegem. We stayed in the dorms they have on site, and had an awesome opportunity to meet athletes from all over. We have new friends from Ireland, Nottingham (England), and Israel. The team did well, though we didn't place individually. 

Roel joined us for the meet on Saturday, bringing our poles since we couldn't bring them on the train. Then, he surprised our team with a guided tour of southern Belgium, and even a little bit of France. We got back late to the hostel around 10.30pm with dinner at 11. We haven't been in Belgium for a week and we're already turning into Europeans.

Well, I'm pretty exhausted, and I want to go to bed so I can climb tomorrow at an indoor rock gym before lunch and teamtime. Please pray for all of our new international friends, both new and old. Please pray that we can continue to build relationships and have some awesome conversations.