Burrito Bowl

If I am not up to cooking, I don't have a lot of choices for a quick take out.  But one of my favorites when I feel like treating myself is the Veggie Burrito Bowl from Chipotle.  I leave off the sour cream, cheese and only get a touch of the guacamole and it is a great treat.

So one night I decided, "I don't need Chipotle.  I can do this myself!"  So I created my own "Deacon Pat Burrito Bowl."

Brown rice
Corn salsa
Tomato salsa
Baby Spinach
Kale
Baby Swiss Chard
Vegan Cheese
Vegan cashew/Tofu Sour Cream
Boca Crumble
Taco Seasoning
Homemade guacamole
Topped with crumbled taco shells

I layered the bowl with these ingredients and this is what I ended up with.
It was awesome!

Total prep time - 25 minutes.

Who needs Chipotle?

Rising From the Ashes - Homily from the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lorain

Photo Credit - Melissa Steeber

I remember one time in one of my classes I was talking with the kids and we had this discussion on what our responsibilities were to help other people.  The kids were all over the place – some said we should help anyone who is down on their luck.  Others said we should help others if they deserve it.  But there was one person who said, “You know, it says right in the Bible – “I am not my brother’s keeper.”   That’s  my motto.  Every one for himself.”

I then had to explain to him that the phrase he was referring to, one that is so often misquoted out of context as an excuse to explain why someone didn’t want to get involved, was really from the story of Cain and Abel when God asked Cain where his brother Abel was.  Cain had killed his brother Abel and thought he could divert God by answering back, “I don’t know.  Am I my brother’s keeper?”  Cain’s diversionary tactic didn’t work, though, and God, who really knew what had happened all along, condemned Cain’s actions and punished him accordingly.  So I told my student that his interpretation of the phrase he thought came from the bible that gave him permission to ignore the needs of others was really an excuse that God wouldn’t accept, because in reality, we are all, through the graces bestowed on us by God, we are all our brother’s keepers.