My Glorified Rice Salad

Posted on July 4, 2024 by Jennifer Grace

Glorify the Lord with me;
Let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:3 (NIV)

Contemplating a way to celebrate the 4th of July from our pop-up camper while serving something yummy our special diets could handle, I remembered this old favorite from church potlucks. I couldn’t quite find the perfect recipe, so I made modifications and came up with My Glorified Rice Salad. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, no added sugar and seems to agree with our mold-affected tummies. I hope you will enjoy this healthier version at your next summer picnic. God bless you and God bless America and may His name be glorified in all the earth!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups uncooked organic jasmine rice
1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice, organic if you can find it, chilled
1 – 13.5 oz. can organic coconut cream, chilled
1-10 oz. bag frozen organic sweet cherries
1 cup frozen organic blueberries
1 cup organic walnuts, chopped
10 droppers liquid stevia.
2-4 bananas, sliced

Directions:

Put rice in a pot on the cook-stove with 3 cups water and a dash of salt. Cover loosely and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Remove rice pot from heat, fluff with fork, and allow to cool. Add the crushed pineapple, coconut cream, sweet cherries, blueberries, walnuts and stevia. Mix gently, cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, add the sliced bananas and stir again. Decorate with extra cherries or blueberries. You may substitute other fruits you have on hand. Happy celebrating!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He chose for His inheritance. Psalm 33:12 (NIV)

Thank you for visiting My TEA CUPP Prayers. You may also enjoy reading devotions in My TEA CUPP Prayers for Our Nation.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Posted on February 16, 2024 by Jennifer Grace

…And what is set on your table would be full of richness. Job 36:16

Here’s a special treat for your family or neighbors: Try this delicious pumpkin cake. It’s gluten-free and dairy-free and so very moist! Perhaps you will enjoy a slice while having afternoon tea with Jesus and friends.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut flour
1 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups organic pumpkin puree, well-drained
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup honey or maple syrup
5 eggs from pasture-raised happy chickens 🐓
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Lily’s Chocolate chips

Set oven to 350 degrees. Grease a Bundt cake pan with coconut oil. In a big bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: Flours, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, stir together the wet ingredients: Pumpkin, coconut oil, honey or syrup, eggs, vanilla. Form a hollow in the center of the dry ingredients bowl and pour in your wet ingredients. Stir well. Carefully fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into your prepared Bundt cake pan. Bake cake in oven for 45-55 minutes, depending on the moistness of your pumpkin.

Remove pan from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes. Using a plastic scraper, carefully loosen the cake from the inner and outer edges of the cake pan. Place a plate on top of the pan and flip it over, causing the cake to land on the plate. Lift off the Bundt cake pan and let the cake cool completely before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Notes: We use pumpkin from our garden that we have baked and pureed. It is often more moist than canned pumpkin from the store. Decrease flour by 1/4-1/2 cup for canned pumpkin. I baked this in a toaster oven in the little cabin where we are staying for the winter and it turned out perfectly! 🥰

Grain-Free Rhubarb Muffins

Posted on December 4, 2022 by Jennifer Grace

… ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ 2 Kings 4:43

Grain-Free Rhubarb Muffins, just in time for your Christmas baking blitz! Now you know why you chopped and froze all that rhubarb last August, so you could pull it out in winter and enjoy a taste of summer! These muffins are especially good if you are avoiding grains and sweets. You may substitute your favorite grain-free flours and sweetener.

Ingredients:

Topping:

1 cup almond flour
2 T. Hemp Seeds
2 T. Sunflower Seeds
2 T. Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 t. salt
1/4 cup monk fruit
2 T. cinnamon
1/3 cup melted coconut oil

Batter:

2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 cup monk fruit
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder (aluminum-free and corn-free)
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cardamon
1 cup goat’s milk (or coconut milk)
1/2 cup applesauce
2 t. vanilla
6 free-range eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups chopped rhubarb

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin pans with approximately 20 muffin cup papers. Mix topping together in a small bowl and set aside. Mix muffin batter ingredients in a large bowl in order listed. Scoop 1/2 cup batter into each muffin cup. Top each muffin with 1-2 T. of the prepared topping. Bake in preheated oven for 28 minutes. Place muffins on cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly or overnight before eating. Enjoy!

So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Matthew 14:20 (NKJV)

Many thanks to our Free Range Chickens for the eggs!

Many thanks to our homeschool friends for the rhubarb!

Many thanks to Honeybunch Hunts for her original recipe which I modified!

Many thanks to Jesus for all His blessings!

Celebration Cake

Posted on June 12, 2022 by Jennifer Grace

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Psalm 32:11

It’s time for a celebration… whether you are celebrating Pentecost and God’s outpouring of Holy Spirit, the birthday of a loved one, or victory over cancer, there is always a reason to celebrate and praise Jesus! Today, I share with you a melts-in-your-mouth, healthy, chocolate zucchini cake (gluten-free, dairy-free, low sweetener). …let us eat and be merry. Luke 15:23

Ingredients

1- 16 oz. jar organic almond butter

2/3 cup organic honey or maple syrup

1 cup organic cocoa powder

1 teaspoon pink salt

2 teaspoons baking powder (see recipe below)

2 large organic, free-range eggs

4 cups grated organic zucchini (from 4 small zucchini, or 2 large)

1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (omit if avoiding sugar)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use organic coconut oil to grease a bundt pan or 9×13 glass baking dish. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl in the order listed. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 60 to 75 minutes, until the inside seems done. Cool on cooling rack before removing from pan. Enjoy, it disappears quickly!

Many thanks to www.today.com/recipes for the original recipe!

Safe Baking Powder: 1/3 cup arrowroot powder, 1/3 cup cream of tarter, 1-1/2 Tablespoons baking soda. Mix well and store in a glass jar.

Perfect Cauliflower Pizza

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Jennifer Grace

He has filled the hungry with good things... Luke 1:53 (NKJV)

This week, we take a break from devotionals for cooking. Instead of feeding the soul, we’re feeding your tummy. It’s been a long time since I shared a recipe with you. Going through various health crises has caused me to overhaul all my eating, menus, and recipes. Eventually, I hope to tweak all my recipes on this site to include what I can actually eat now.

Today I’m following a predominantly grain-free Candida Diet to reduce small intestinal fungal overgrowth, as well as to encourage a healthy balance of yeast in the gut. I’m also eating carefully to heal a fatty liver (caused either by gallbladder removal or too many painkillers for my back). Eating lots of cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage, are just the thing to heal the liver.

This Perfect Cauliflower Pizza is so healthy and yummy, I just have to share it today. It is grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and Candida-friendly. When I was being treated for SIBO and ate a low fodmap diet, I substituted broccoli for the cauliflower, and rice flour for the almond flour, and it worked just as well. The trick is to get people to eat their veggies, hidden in the pizza, on movie night :-). And what are we watching for movies? Our family has been watching reruns of The Chosen while eagerly awaiting season 3. We also enjoy many of the programs on Minnokids, especially the Torch Lighters about famous missionaries. And now, for the recipe…

Perfect Cauliflower Pizza

Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower, cut in half (or 3 cups riced cauliflower)
4 eggs (organic, free-range)
1-1/4 cups almond flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon dry parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or Italian seasoning (optional)
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Wash and cut cauliflower head into two halves. Core one half of the cauliflower, leaving short stems. Place cauliflower florets in a food processor. Grind until rice-like. This should be about 3 cups.
Put riced cauliflower in a microwave safe casserole dish and cover. Microwave on high 4 minutes. Lay out a smooth dish cloth on the counter. Carefully transfer the cooked cauliflower to the towel to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the 4 eggs. Add the almond flour, salt and seasonings. Mix well.
When the cauliflower is cool. Fold up the edges of the towel and squeeze out the extra moisture over the sink. Transfer the cauliflower to the mixing bowl and mix well.
Add 1 T. olive oil to the cauliflower mixture and give it one more stir.
Line a pizza pan with parchment paper. Carefully spread the cauliflower mixture onto the parchment paper, shaping into a pizza crust.
Bake the crust for 25 minutes and remove from oven. Edges will be golden brown.
Top your pizza crust with your favorite toppings. Mine include homemade pesto, organic green olives, organic red peppers, and organic spinach.
Use a pizza peel to place the pizza directly on the oven rack. Bake another 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with any extras, like hemp seed or sprouts for added protein.
Enjoy! Repeat with the other half head of cauliflower. Or, turn the other half into riced cauliflower and freeze for next week!

For an amazing Pesto: Toast 1 cup walnut pieces in a pie pan in the oven, 7-10 minutes at 375 degrees). Combine in a blender: Juice from 2 lemons, 1/2 to 1 cup olive oil (depending on how thick you want it), 2-3 cups of fresh greens (basil leaves, oregano leaves, spinach, kale, etc.), 1 cup toasted walnuts. Blend until smooth. Use to top pizza, zoodles, pastas, salads, etc.

Even Better Brownies

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Jennifer Grace

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good… Psalm 34:8 (NKJV)

Often this time of year, I like to to pause to share a yummy recipe, and this one is a winner! Adapted from my Best Brownies recipe, this one is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, corn-free, and only sweetened with honey…pretty much sin-free, unless you find yourself eating the whole pan :-).

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons flax seed, soaked in 6 Tablespoons water (or 2 pasture-raised chicken eggs)

1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon guar gum
1 teaspoon homemade baking powder*
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup cacao nibs (or Lilly’s choc. chips)

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8×8-inch baking pan. In a small bowl, mix the flax seed and water, set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, guar gum, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the flax water, coconut oil, honey and vanilla. Stir until mixed. Fold in the cacao nibs and walnuts. Using a rubber scraper, spread the brownie batter into your prepared baking pan. Bake for 33 minutes, cool, cut, and enjoy!

*Homemade baking powder from my dear friend Shannon:

1/2 cup arrowroot flour, 1/3 cup cream of tarter, 1 1/2 Tablespoons baking soda

Gingerbread Cookies and Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Posted on November 28, 2018 by Jennifer Grace

But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV)

With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas before us, it’s time to start making more goodies. Today I share two gluten-free recipes you can use to make treat plates to take to neighbors, if you can deliver the goodies before your family munches them!

The photo here includes both the gingerbread cookies I share with you today, along with the sugar cookies I made one Valentine’s day. Both are delicious and gluten-free, though I think the gingerbread variety holds together the best.

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil or goat butter
1/2 cup monk fruit or coconut sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 Tablespoon vinegar
1 beaten egg
2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca or arrowroot flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan, bring coconut oil, monk fruit, molasses, and vinegar to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat to potholder on the counter and allow to cool.

In another bowl, sift together dry ingredients: Brown rice flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

When pot is cool, stir in the beaten egg, followed by the dry ingredients. Mix well, cover, and chill for 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove gingerbread dough from fridge and let sit on counter while oven is preheating. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Use extra tapioca flour to flour a cutting board lightly. Scoop part of the dough onto your prepared cutting board. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out your favorite Christmas shapes. Use a metal pancake turner to lift the cookies from the cutting board to the parchment paper pans. When the pans are full, bake for 5-8 minutes, or until done. Cool on cooling racks. Decorate with your favorite frosting and sprinkles. (We mix 2 T. coconut oil, 2 cups powder monk fruit, a teaspoon of vanilla and enough almond/goat milk to make a fine frosting). Merry Christmas!!!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant. Genesis 18:5 (NKJV)

If you’re like us, your freezer still has zucchini from last August. We grated several zucchinis and bagged them for winter baking and cooking. Grocery stores still have zucchinis this time of year, too. This recipe was one of our favorites we made in summer. The Chocolate Zucchini Bread can be wrapped and given as a gift, or sliced and arranged on a plate with the cookies. This recipe we modified from the Gluten-Free Mama Cookbook, another great resource for gluten-free eaters.

Ingredients:
Coconut oil to oil baking pans
2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca or arrowroot flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups monk fruit or other sweetener
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 cups shredded zucchini
4 eggs
1 cup organic apple sauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 package Enjoy Life or Lily’s Chocolate Chips
2 Tablespoons monk fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans with coconut oil. Set aside.

In a large bowl sift together the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, monk fruit and cocoa. Set aside.

In a stand mixer combine the zucchini, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. Mix for one minute. Next, add the dry mixture, a little at a time, mixing just a little bit until combined. Finally, add the chocolate chips and gently mix.

Pour half the batter into each prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the tops with monk fruit. Bake for 1 hour or until done. Remove from oven to cooling racks. Cool completely before slicing. So tasty it should probably be called cake!

Arrange all the goodies on plates for your neighbors with a Christmas greeting and Bible verse. Another recipe your neighbors will love is Anna’s Peanut Butter cups!

Remember the REASON for the SEASON!

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

Party Beans, Rice Con Queso, and Sweet Potatoes

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Jennifer Grace

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. Psalm 95:2 (NKJV)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! The big day is tomorrow! I pray that God blesses you with family and friends and a feast! Here are a few more of our family’s favorite recipes for the holidays. Scroll all the way down for extra Thanksgiving links.

Party Beans

Ingredients:
(All bean cans are about 15-16 ounces)
1 can kidney beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can butter beans
1 can black beans
1 can black-eyed peas
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1- 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 bay leaves
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon pepper

This is a great crock-pot recipe. First open your five cans of beans, empty them into a colander and rinse. Pour all the beans into your crock-pot. Next, chop your onion and peppers and add them to the beans. In a glass measuring cup, combine the ketchup, water, brown sugar, bay leaves, cider vinegar, ground mustard and pepper. Pour the ketchup mixture over the beans and veggies in the crock-pot. Give it a quick stir. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-7 hours, or high heat for 3-4 hours. Remove bay leaves. Serve with cheese or chips for a great meal or side dish. Any combination of 5 cans of beans will work, whatever you have on hand. Sometimes I’ll use a can of corn. The more colors, the more festive for your holiday gathering!

Rice Con Queso

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups brown rice, cooked with 3 cups water, salt and pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red onion, chopped
1 small can green chilies, chopped
1-1/2 cups shredded Jack cheese or Daiya cheese
8 ounces Ricotta cheese or almond milk Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Daiya cheese

Put rice, water, salt and pepper in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer for 50 minutes. Or, you can cook the rice ahead in your rice cooker. Saute garlic, onions, and chilies, in a bit of olive oil. Add the sauteed veggies, along with the black beans, to the cooked rice. Lightly oil a 2 quart casserole dish with olive oil. Layer the rice mixture, Jack or Daiya cheese, and Ricotta or almond milk Ricotta in dish. Repeat layers 2 times, ending with rice mixture. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheddar or more Daiya cheese. We make one with dairy and a dairy-free rice con queso.

To make this a festive Thanksgiving dish, instead of serving in a casserole dish, serve it in a pumpkin! You will have to pre-bake the pumpkin. Here’s how: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Choose a small to medium pumpkin and wash thoroughly. Cut off the top and scoop out the insides. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and turn the pumpkin upside down onto the paper. Bake the pumpkin for at least an hour, until the inside seems tender. Don’t bake too long, or it will collapse (that’s what happened to mine this year, so I don’t have a final photo for you 😕 ). Remove from oven and place upright on a fresh lined pan or oiled casserole dish. Layer the rice con queso ingredients and bake as described above. It’s an amazing treat for Thanksgiving!

Sweet Potatoes

Here’s another crock-pot recipe. We make this Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving and let it cook all night. The house sure smells delicious when we get up on Thanksgiving morning. Then we scoop it into a casserole dish to serve later with dinner.

Ingredients:
6 medium sweet potatoes or yams (we like the orange yams best)
1-1/2 cups applesauce
2 apples, chopped
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 to 2 cups water

Place all ingredients in your crock-pot. Cover and cook on high 8 hours or overnight. Enjoy!

Need more holiday recipe ideas? Check out my complete list of holiday recipes. Or my pies and jello salads.

Need an activity for your family around the dinner table, or while waiting for dinner? Check out the Thanksgiving Chain.

Need a new grace to sing with your family? Check out these favorite camp graces.

How about some Thanksgiving Bible verses to add to place cards at your Thanksgiving table?

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours. Jesus loves you! And because of Him, we all have a reason to give thanks!

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. Hebrews 12:28 (NIV)

I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the Lord. Psalm 116:17 (NKJV)

Jello Salads and Cranberries

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Jennifer Grace

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:1 (NKJV)

It’s time to collect holiday recipes! This month I’ll be sharing some family favorites with you. Occasionally my grown children will ask for these when away from home for the holidays, so now they are right where we can find them.

Today I have two favorite Jello salad recipes. The first came from my husband’s Grandma Fern. Grandma Fern was a Christian prayer warrior who prayed and fasted every Friday. I claim God’s promises that He continues to hear Grandma Fern’s prayers for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Grandma Fern’s Holiday Jello Salad

Ingredients:
1 large box red (strawberry or cherry) Jello
1 large box green (lime for Christmas) OR orange (orange for Thanksgiving) Jello
1 small box yellow lemon Jello
3 oz. cream cheese or dairy free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayo or Veganaise
1 can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup mini-marshmallows

Give yourself a day to make this salad. You will need a 9×13 pan or container.

Heat water to a boil. Measure 1-1/2 cups boiling water into a large glass measuring cup. Stir in the red Jello until dissolved. Add another 1-1/2 cups cold water and stir again. Pour into the the 9×13 pan. Cover and put in the fridge to chill.

When the red layer is firm, boil more water. Measure 1 cup hot water into a large glass measuring cup. Add the lemon Jello and 1 cup marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows melt. Allow to cool for a bit. In another bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mayo. Add the crushed pineapple and juice. Now, carefully add the lemon jello mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Stir. Pour it all on top of the chilled red layer. Cover and chill again.

When the lemon layer is firm, heat water to a boil. Measure 1-1/2 cups boiling water into a large glass measuring cup. Stir in the green or orange jello, depending on the holiday. Add another 1-1/2 cups cold water and stir again. Pour this final layer over the lemon layer. Cover and put in the fridge to chill. Cut into squares when ready to serve. Happy celebration!

Cranberry Jello Salad

Cranberry Jello Salad is one of my favorite holiday salads, packed full of healthy ingredients like cranberries, apples, nuts and celery. So hearty and yummy!

Ingredients:
2 cups cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 large box cherry Jello
1 can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup water
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup unpeeled apples, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped

In a medium sauce pan, cook cranberries and 1 cup water until cranberries are soft (about 15 minutes). Add sugar and bring back to a boil. Remove pan from heat to a potholder on the counter. Stir in Jello. Next, add one more cup water and the can of crushed pineapple. Allow to sit on the counter to cool a bit. Stir in the celery, apples, and nuts. Pour the salad into a Jello mold, Bundt pan, or a medium glass bowl and cover. Chill in the fridge overnight. Enjoy!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Finally, the perhaps the easiest yet most appreciated holiday side dish is homemade cranberry sauce. This recipe is usually on the cranberry package. But if you can’t find it, I share it here with you…

Ingredients:
1-12 ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Rinse the cranberries in a colander and throw away any bad ones. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the cranberries and bring to a boil again. Turn down the heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour into a glass dish, cover and chill until serving time. Be blessed!

Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:25-26 (NKJV)

How Big is Your Tea Tin?

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Jennifer Grace

Rerunning this favorite article today in honor of the Tumblewood Tea ladies who are hosting a TEA this evening (scroll down for the cookies we are serving :-))…

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (NKJV)

On a sunny March morning, the wind blew me through the door of this charming tea company in Big Timber, Montana. Smiling faces and an inviting tea showroom beckoned me inside. My goal was to find the largest tea container for my upcoming article, but I was treated to even more.

Tumblewood Teas founder, Riza Gilpin, graciously ushered me from one tea room to the next. Huge tea bundles from around the world were carefully organized on pallets from floor to ceiling. Separate storage rooms contained organic teas, with another room for potential allergens such as coconut and almonds. In the backroom, individual bags of the latest blend were carefully sealed and labeled. And a bucket of Montana honey was delivered to the back door.

My final stop on the impromptu tour was the showroom where all the latest tea blends can be purchased. I selected four to give as hostess gifts on an Easter trip to family: Chico Cherry, Montana Almond Joy, Petticoat Peppermint, and Custer’s Nutty Rooibos. I’m hoping my family will give me a taste, but if not, I can always stop back and see Riza and Laurie and the Tumblewood Tea gals for more.

Beside the front door as I headed out, stood a rack of tea tins from around the world. Awesome! What a beautiful collection, fitting so well with my devotion, “How big is your tea tin?” But none was as big as the bundles I witnessed in the storerooms that day.

The wind blew me back to my car. While I took a sip from my well-loved Tumblewood Teas tumbler, I pondered all I had learned on my short visit. Did you know green tea’s water should only be 175 degrees, not 212 degrees that comes out of my boiling tea kettle? If the water is too hot, the leaves wilt, giving you a bitter flavor.

Our lives can be like that, too, bitter because we fall into hot water. Sometimes it’s our own doing, and other times it comes from outside sources. Regardless of its origin, the bitterness is a result of our fallen world. Ever since Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, we’ve needed a Savior to make life sweet again.

I have Good News for you! There is a God who loves you, who created you, who knows you, who sent His only Son Jesus to die for your sins. All who believe in Him enjoy the sweet blessing of His forgiveness and comfort for life’s bitter moments. And there is no tea tin in all the world that can contain His love for you!

Today’s TEA CUPP: My friend, I invite you today to sit down with Jesus for TEA. Find a BIBLE and a quiet spot, sip your TEA and read God’s Word, savoring the sweetness. Then as you pour yourself a second cup, pour out your heart to Jesus in prayer. He will give you more than all you ask or imagine.

How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103 (NKJV)

Jennifer Grace lives in Big Timber, Montana, home to the esteemed Tumblewood Teas company. Her mission is to invite ladies to TEA with the King of kings. Jennifer Grace’s new book, My TEA CUPP Prayers, is now available in Big Timber at Tumblewood Teas, The Fort, Touch of Sunshine Flowers, and the Coffee Stop. It’s also available on Amazon.

And here are the Zucchini Cookies we are serving with our tea…

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup grated zucchini, it’s okay to leave on the skin
1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts
1 package Enjoy Life chocolate chips (dairy-free)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients together in one bowl: rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, set aside. In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Stir in the grated zucchini. Next add the dry ingredients and walnuts, mixing well. Finally, stir in the Enjoy Life chocolate chips.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a small scoop to spoon the cookie batter onto the pans, 12 to a pan. It should make four batches, or about 48 cookies. Bake each pan for 15 minutes. Let cool and enjoy. 48 cookies should last a long time, but somehow these always disappear in two days at my house! Enjoy!

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)

My TEA CUPP Prayers

Praying God's Word … Inviting Ladies to TEA with the King of kings!

Category Archives: Gluten-Free with Your TEA

My Glorified Rice Salad

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Grain-Free Rhubarb Muffins

Celebration Cake

Perfect Cauliflower Pizza

Perfect Cauliflower Pizza

Even Better Brownies

Gingerbread Cookies and Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Gingerbread Cookies

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Remember the REASON for the SEASON!

Party Beans, Rice Con Queso, and Sweet Potatoes

Party Beans

Rice Con Queso

Sweet Potatoes

Jello Salads and Cranberries

How Big is Your Tea Tin?