Spicy BBQ sauce

Yields (approx.): 1/3 cup of sauce

Ingredients:

• • 2 TBSP Sriracha (or hot sauce of choice)

• •  1 TBSP tamari (or soy sauce)

• • 2 TBSP honey (I use date syrup or maple syrup instead)

• • 1 TBSP rice vinegar

• • 2 tsp minced garlic or ½ tsp garlic powder

• • Karen’s optional ingredients (to make it extra spicy): 1 tsp ground red pepper flakes and/or a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Directions: 

• • Put all of the ingredients into a sauce pan.  

• • Cook until it boils for 2-3 minutes.  

• • Drizzle it onto roasted cauliflower, baked tofu, pizza, Tex-Mex salads, etc.

Note:

• •  This is Asian-inspired, but we put it on everything!  Therefore, I quadruple the recipe when I make it.

Here’s a simple Roasted Cauliflower recipe that pairs nicely with the BBQ sauce.

Karen’s adjustments to this recipe:

• • I skip the oil and put the cauliflower on parchment paper.

• • To minimize chopping – use 1 lbs bag of frozen cauliflower instead of fresh.
    • •  If you don’t have time to thaw it ahead of time, just add some additional baking time (5-10 minutes).

• • If using fresh, I roast the stems, too (don’t throw them away!).

Adapted from: https://www.xoandso.com/2018-crispy-and-spicy-honey-garlic-tofu/

Basic Stir-Fry Sauce

Yields (approx.): 1 cup of sauce

Ingredients:

• • 2/3 cup vegetable broth

• • 1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce)

• • 1 TBSP date syrup, maple syrup, or molasse

• • 2 tsp. rice vinegar

• • 2 cloves minced garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

• • 1-2 tsp. freshly grated ginger (or ¼-1/2 tsp ginger powder)

• • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot (more for thicker sauce)

Directions (with Karen’s adjustments):

• • Add all of the sauce ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine (or add to a Mason jar, seal lid, and shake.)

• • To minimize chopping vegetables: in a large pan (or wok) sauté 8-10 cups (approximately 2 20-ounce bags) frozen vegetables (of your choice) in ¼ cup vegetable broth (or cooking wine) until the vegetables are at your desired level of softness.
    • • You don’t have to thaw the vegetables ahead of time.

• • Pour stir-fry sauce on top of your vegetable and cook until both the vegetables and sauce are warm.

Adapted from: https://www.thegardengrazer.com/vegan-stir-fry-sauce/#recipe

Tahini Dressing

Yields (approx.): 1/2 cup of sauce

Ingredients:

• • ¼ cup  tahini (stir before measuring)

• • 2 TBSP tamari or low-sodium soy sauce

• • 1 TBSP date syrup (or maple syrup)

• • 2 TBSP warm water (or more if needed)

• • ¼ tsp. garlic powder

• • Optional: 1 lime juiced (about 2-3 TBSP)  + the lime zest 

Directions:

• • Cook the soba noodles according to the package’s directions, stirring occasionally.  Once done, rinse the noodles under cold water and drain well.

• • In a bowl, whisk the ingredients together.  

• • The sauce should not be too thick or thin, it should pour out of the bowl easily and with a little assistance from a spoon or spatula.  If it’s too thick add an additional tablespoon of warm water at a time to thin it out.

• • In a bowl, toss the noodles and sauce together.

Karen’s adjustments

• • I usually skip the edamame and additional vegetables mentioned in the recipe, since I usually serve the soba noodles alongside the stir-fried vegetables mentioned in the other recipe.

Adapted from: https://www.threelittlechickpeas.com/creamy-tahini-soba-noodles/#instructions

I have always found April to be a challenging month.  During the winter months, some aspects of my life are able to hibernate (certain home, garden, and work projects), but then spring, a season literally and figuratively budding with new life and possibilities, arrives, and I am suddenly inundated by a real sense of urgency and hurry.  There is now so much to do.   I’ve now got to be more productive and stop wasting time!

As we mentioned in both our January newsletter and our introduction for this month’s newsletter, the theme we are focusing on this year in our newsletter and summer series is “Pressure Points,” reflecting on some of the stress in our daily lives (productivity, perfectionism, and popularity) and possible ways we can respond more healthfully to them.

Therefore, rather than allowing myself to get caught up in my normal April frenzy, I intentionally made myself pause and consider: what do “productivity” and “wasting time” really mean?

Turning to one of my favorite resources, the Webster’s dictionary (sadly no familial connection), “productivity” is defined as:

1. 1. Having the quality or power of producing, especially in abundance.

1. 1. Yielding results, benefits, or profits.

1. 1. Effective in bringing about.

What struck me about this is that, societally speaking, there is a lot of emphasis placed on the first two entries for the word – “producing in abundance” and “yielding results and [particularly] profits,” which in some instances are important and should be sought after.  

Yet, I believe it is the third entry for the word – “effective in bringing about” – that needs further exploration, particularly for those who are seeking to bring about God’s reign on earth (here and now).  

In other words, how effective are we being in terms of loving our neighbors?  Or cultivating relationships, especially with those who see the world differently than we do?  Or creating intentional spaces where joy can be experienced by all who have gathered?      

Regarding the definition of “wasting time,” Wikipedia Encyclopedia (which is not considered a scholarly resource, but I found it provided some helpful insight) stated that it “may refer to:

1. 1. Idleness, a lack of motion or energy.

1. 1. Goofing off, engaging in an idle pastime while neglecting obligations.

1. 1. Procrastination, avoidance of doing a task.”

Again, when I looked at these three entries, I found that all of them conformed to society’s general negative understanding of the term “wasting time.”  And therein, I believe, lies one of our challenges.  “Wasting time” can certainly become a problem when obligations and responsibilities are neglected.  However, “idleness” or “ a lack of motion” is not, and should not always be considered, a bad thing.  

In fact, many “successful” people (whether in business, music, arts, professional sports, etc.) have mentioned how “wasting time” is a vital aspect of their “productivity.”  [Click here to read about the benefits of “wasting time.”  Note: several articles about this topic that I prefer more have recently gotten moved to behind a paywall.]

Likewise, Jesus often paused in his ministry to rest and pray as he went about “productively” sharing God’s love with the world.

Therefore, this month, and hopefully  in the months to come,  I want to challenge us all to slow down and to intentionally “waste time” so that we can hear from God how to be more productive/ “effective in bringing about” the abundant life that God wants for us all.*  

Here are some reflection questions for your consideration:

• • What does “productivity” look like to you?  Thoughts?  Words?  Images?

• • Do you constantly feel like you are in a hurry or rush?  What is fueling that feeling?

• • How have deadlines, timelines, and bottom lines affected your pace of life?  What sort of power have you given to these imaginary lines?  What options do you have?**

• • How would you define “wasting time”?

• • When are “productivity” and “wasting time” compatible?  When are they not?

• • What are some of your favorite ways to productively “waste time?”  

Eastertide Blessings,

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

*To have more opportunities to reflect on this topic be sure to register for our Summer Series (registration opens Monday June 3, 2024)! ** The questions in this bullet point were taken from the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us, by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun (2015), page 80.