Hi, ya'll! I just ground up some flaxseed for the first time and I am looking for ways to use it in cooking. I need some recipes for it other than in bread recipes. Right now, I am cutting out bread in my diet. I did put a T. in my orange juice and then I tried putting some in the homemade soup I made.

So, is that all I can do with flaxseed right now?

Also, who out there has some awesome salad and soup recipes?? I am needing some variety in my menu plan? In Paraguay, I have all kinds of fresh veggies available to me. What are YOUR FAVORITE recipes?

Ok, guys, I am ready to listen to YOU.

Your friend, Kimberly

Here in Paraguay, going to the store is no piece of cake. Last night, my husband decided he would try to make some chicken & shrimp jambalaya. I needed to run to the store to buy some shrimp, chicken breasts and Thyme that the recipe called for.

I got to the isle with the dried herbs. All of the herb names are in Spanish and I had already bought the herbs I thought I would need for cooking last week; such as ajo (garlic), hojas de laurel (bay leaves), canela (cinnamon), estragon (Tarragon), etc. I could not remember the Spanish name for Thyme. So, I had to use process of elimination. I knew I had not bought Tomillo, "maybe that's it," I thought. "It begins with a T!" I got home and looked in my Spanish/English cookbook to find that I had bought the right herb, thank God!

Going to the store is very time consuming here on the mission field. Having to translate things into English and hoping you are buying the right thing and sometimes not getting it right can be very frustrating.

By the way, my husband's jambalaya turned out delicious. If only I could get him to cook more often!! :)

For more stories about living in Paraguay and the joys (and some frustrations) of the mission field, keep reading my Blog.

  Hola! Let me introduce myself. My name is Kimberly and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of you the last few days. I just had to join this blogger group. You all are so interesting and have such good ideas, information, etc., that I just wanted to hang out with you all.

I am originally from the Houston, TX, area, but currently, my family and I are missionaries in Asuncion, Paraguay. My husband, Rick, is a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we hold evangelism crusades and services to tell people about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I have seen God perform real miracles in people's lives. We are seeing people saved, healed, changed and delivered!

We have three children, Kayla, Rachael and Josiah. They attend an American Christian school nearby. I am a full-time mother and wife, cooking from scratch at least 20 times a week. Paraguay is a meat-eating, vegetable-growing country with lots of fruits available all year long. So, we are eating healthy, losing weight and getting in shape!

It is summertime here and usually gets in the low 100s. This past weekend, it felt like autumn in Texas, gentle cool, breezes, we sat out on our back porch and played chess with the kids and ate dinner. Our two dachsunds enjoyed the company.

I love the opportunity that the Lord has given me to live in another country and experience the culture, the food, the language and have my children learn Spanish, also. Being from Texas, I know it can only help them in their future. I don't know if we will live here for long, our hearts are back home in Texas, but we just want to be in God's will for our lives. Our dream is to own some acreage in Texas and have our own home and some horses, and I want a chicken coop in the back. However, I am getting more and more ideas from you!

For all of you who use Stevia as a natural sweetner - the Stevia plant is grown here in Paraguay. I can buy a bottle of liquid Stevia for about 50 cents. I can buy a box of dried Stevia leaves for about 30 cents. A big difference in prices compared to the States!

Well, I am going to see if I can get this blog online now. I am looking forward to meeting you and reading more of your blogs. Have a great day!