Rainbows of God’s Goodness

New drifts of snowy whipped cream in the back yard

I was hoping for more blankets of sunshine or at the very least sundogs, but we’ve had ice and thick blankets of snow instead.  As I’m writing, the wind is creating whipped cream-like drifts out of the 9+ inches of snow we received over the last few days.  A good day to think about wrapping ourselves in God’s goodness-like rainbows.  As with sunsets and rises, rainbows have always fascinated me.  Maybe it’s the vibrant colors in the sky, but rainbows also remind me God’s promises to us.  His love and peace for each one of us is unconditional, enduring and always available.

Rainbow Blanket & Suspenders

Grandma and Grandpa Grote Rainbow Blanket

This rainbow blanket, laid on the back of my Grandma & Grandpa (Jim & Mamie) Grote’s couch for as long as I can remember.  Someone has a picture of my younger brother, Jesse, about 3 years old, napping on the blanket and using Grandpa’s boot as a pillow.  If I remember right, a 13-year-old me took that photo.  We all thought it was odd, but Grandpa explained how boots made makeshift pillows in the military all the time.

Grandpa Grote rainbow suspender framing Jim and Mamie Grote farm picture taken 1982

Grandpa loved rainbows and smiley faces.  He was well known for wearing these rainbow suspenders and generating smiles and laughter wherever he went.  A big supporter of education, Grandpa encouraged us to expand our horizons.  He was an avid reader and enjoyed reading National Geographic magazines, learning about and respecting people and places all over the world.

Colorful Plate

A colorful snack reminds me to trust in the Lord

When I think of rainbows, I also think of food and the abundant supply of colorful vegetables God provides us.  Science tells us eating a rainbow of foods every day provides many vitamins and minerals essential for good health.  Most people know they should eat more vegetables, yet many are not sure where to start.  Or worse–fear they won’t like them.

There is no need to be intimidated by cooking real whole food, especially colorful vegetables.  Memories of canned spinach for school lunch come to mind as a turnoff for any spinach until I reached adulthood, discovering how to enjoy it.

Rainbow Kale ingredients

It wasn’t until our family grew and sold vegetables in 2001 that I learned to deliciously add them to my own plate.  Cooking colorful vegetables is easy, inexpensive and most of yummy!  That’s the main reason for starting this blog–to show you how!

Rainbow Kale

This recipe is another simple, inexpensive and rainbow colored dish, sure to please the eye and the palate.  So many people avoid kale, but I’ve found mixing it with onions and peppers make a savory and colorful side dish.

Cooked Rainbow Kale in stockpot

The trick is using a big enough pan/pot to let the kale cook down without overcooking it.  Don’t get me wrong, kale is forgiving on the stovetop.  Cook time doesn’t have to be exact, but I don’t like it cooked for longer than about 20 minutes (canned spinach…).  

Rainbow Kale and baked turkey leg

The result is a hearty rainbow-colored dish that only takes 20 minutes from start to finish.  Perfect for those nights you walk in the door ravenous.  It reminds me of the rainbow blanket and suspenders from my grandparents.  It also reminds me of the rainbow of ways God provides for our every need.  We only need to ask.

Enjoy!

What comes to mind when you see a rainbow?  Let me know in the comments.

Rainbow Kale Recipe

Like this post? Like it and share the posts on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Don’t miss a post!  Click the green envelope and sign up to receive new GoodFoodConnections posts in your in-box!