Christmas 2009

It has been a WONDERFUL Christmas with all my kids here. Thank you Stephanie for being such a big help as you always are!!! I love you lots!!

I am really enjoying spending Christmas with you and Wayne and Randy and Jennifer and my husband and Susanne and Ace and Shelby and the dogs and Gracie. I love you. Looking forward to seeing you on the Blog.

I feel like I failed you. I have mentioned Macrobiotics in earlier posts but did not realize that the diet cures cancer. Had I found this information earlier, I could have saved you alot of trouble. Watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElwwF4Uz3Ak

I realize that 'special' ingredients are difficult for you to find, they are difficult for me, too. So, I'm going on the offensive. I am going to special order as much as I can from the grocery stores (Wal-mart, for example) that offer online ordering with pick-up at the stores. I think it's really unfair and very anti-humanity to not offer healthy selections at the grocery stores, especially in a community as small as yours where the choices are so limited. My intent is to cause the powers that be to make healthier foods available to everybody. Their are elitist grocery stores, but I would like to influence the lives of people who are living unhealthily because they don't realize they have an option.

I love you.

Well, here it is! A bowl of fresh Parsnip-Fennel Soup. The flavor was so delicate. It was scrumptious.

I'd like to make it for you sometime.

photo by my food stylist and favorite teenager: Susanne!

Ace and I cleaned out the refrigerator today. I should have thought to take some pictures of the little Peeshman as he struggled to lift the heavier jars and wispy fennel to the counter. He is such a good kid. Last night at the dinner table I was talking about what a good-tempered easy going child he is.
"Quite different than my previous experience with a child." I said.
Susanne smiled real big.
"Okay, Ace, let me show you what I used to do."
"No, no." I discouraged her.
I don't need that drama. I mean, really. Really.
Anyway, the refrigerator was Disgust-ing. Why do I let it get like that? What's wrong with me??
But now it's done and I'm proud of myself. I keep going to the refrigerator, opening the door and wondering at the clean brightness.
I found two vegetables that were meant to be used at Thanksgiving but ended up sitting out the holiday on the bench: two bulbs of fennel and two parsnips.
I would be guilty of a heinous crime if I allowed these novel vegetables go to waste, so I Googled them.
I am going to make this recipe this afternoon. I'll substitute my leftover No Chicken Broth for the chicken broth and soymilk (maybe mixed with a little cornstarch) for the heavy broth.
I'll let you know how it turns out!

Baking without Eggs

Taken from: The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook by Judy Krizmanic

Baking without eggs can be a little tricky because eggs do several important things. For one thing, they provide leavening, which means they make things rise. They also provide binding, which means they hold things together. They also add some liquid. so if you're leaving out the eggs, you have to find something else to do all of those things.
In baking, there's definitely a chemistry going on between the liquid ingredients, the dry ingredients, and the leavening ingredients. In place of the eggs in your favorite recipes, try the following:

Applesauce: Add about 1/4 cup in place of an egg. This holds things together and adds moisture, but it doesn't do that much in the way of helping things rise. For that, you might need to add a little extra baking powder (about 1/2 teaspoon).

Banana: Use 1/2 banana, mashed, for one egg in sweet baked goods. (This is good only in things that will work with a banana taste.) Also add about 1/2 teaspoon extra baking soda.

Tofu: Use about 1/4 cup mashed silken tofu for one egg. Also add 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon extra baking powder.

Prune puree: You can puree your own or purchase pureed prunes in the baking aisle of the supermarket. You can also use baby food prunes. Use about 1/4 cup prunes plus 1/2 teaspoon extra baking powder. (Prunes will add sweetness to a recipe.)

Baking powder: Add and extra 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and about 2 tablespoons extra liquid to replace one egg in a recipe.

Powdered egg replacer: This stuff is great. It's a powdered mix, available in natural foods stores (Whole Foods, for exampled), that you blend with water to replace an egg in recipes. It works really well. It seems pricey ($7 or $8 a box) but the box lasts a really long time, so it's worth it.

Flax seed: Flax seeds are available at natural foods stores. This flax seed mixture can be used in place of 2 eggs: Grind 3 tablespoons flax seed to a very fine powder in a blender. Add 1/2 cup water and blend until the mixture becomes thick, resembling raw egg white. Fold it into cake batter at the end of mixing for light vegan cakes, but only use in recipes that call for 2 or 3 eggs at the most. (This recipe used with permission for Good News About Good Food by Carol M. Coughlin, R.D.)

Homemade Fake Egg: Use the following recipe in place of one egg in baked goods; it works really well in cookies. It's best to whip it up right before adding it to the recipe. (Note: *this recipe is NOT meant to replace eggs in really eggy dishes, like scrambled eggs.)

Fake Eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons flour

3 Tablespoons water

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix together with a fork or wire whisk until foamy.

Eggless baking can sometimes be a daring adventure. If you end up with hockey pucks instead of cookies, don't worry. Try something different next time.

*Tomorrow I will blog about my favorite Tofu Scrambler recipe!

Ramblings

There are so many things I need to do and I can't even get off the computer. The house is a mess. I haven't taken a shower. I haven't exercised. Nix. Nada. I got nothin'. Keeping myself motivated is a daily high wire act. I have a feeling there's a big payoff up the road, like seeing my grandkids. Can you imagine, me, a grandma? I'm going to be the weirdest grandma ever. Oh, I've finally decided what I want to be when I grow up: I want to be a nutritionist! I think all this food and nutrition stuff is fascinating! I'm waiting for an informational packet about an online degree. If that doesn't work, a Master's is offered not too far from here.
Okay, I've got to get moving.

I love you!

Exercise

I love Macrobiotics for Life by Simon Brown for its simplicity:



There are many forms of exercise. Gardening, cleaning, walking, and other similar activities require movement and use up energy. These for a gentle approach to exercise that involve movement and rest. We can sustain this kid of activity for most of the day.

Aerobic exercise is when we exercise at a rate that elevates our pulse and requires faster breathing. Here our body is expending energy more rapidly, but not so quickly that we could not, for example, hold conversation with someone. This could be achieved through activities like fast walking, jogging, running, tennis, football, basketball, swimming, and volleyball.

Anaerobic exercise takes us to a point where, through intense, vigorous exercise, we create more lactic acid than we eliminate from our blood. This is generally not recommended; for most people it is not particularly healthy. Examples would be running up a mountain, running up a hill carrying a heavy wight, lifting very heavy weights quickly, or fighting.

Aerobic exercise causes our hearts to pump our blood more rapidly so that we can move energy to our muscles more quickly. this strengthens our hearts and improves our blood circulation as the blood moves freely through our arteries to our muscles. At the same time we will experience an increased rate of breathing as we need to absorb more oxygen. This enriches our blood with oxygen. In the process, we exercise our lungs and increase in the rate of biological processes that get oxygen into our blood.

Our bodies respond well to use. By using our muscles regularly, we keep them in a state of good health. Too little use and they waste away. similarly, being physically active keeps our nervous systems exercised and healthy. Research indicates that regular exercise even helps keep our bones healthy and reduces the risk of osteoporosis, a state where our bones lose mass and become brittle.

Limiting Thoughts

Macrobiotics for Life is at the top of my favorite books ever list. It contains everything. Wisdom. Recipes. Comfort. Reassurance. I highly recommend it.

Letting Go of Limiting Thoughts
It's natural to adopt thoughts that can limit our thinking as we grow up. The problem with having a fixed mind is that our options in life become reduced, and our attachment to thought can even prevent us from taking a course of action that would be healing.
Fixed thinking is often centered on thinking in terms of good and bad or right and wrong, and being judgmental. This is not the same as having our own ethics; instead, it's trying to classify things such as food, people, or lifestyles. Fixed thinking can cause us the greatest harm when we develop ideas that we want to become universal truths. Rather than thinking that eating an apple is good for me, it is when I go on to think that eating apples is good for everyone, that it is a universal truth, that I become deluded, lose my honesty, and become disconnected from reality.

Can I get an AMEN?

I love you! Take care of my children's grandmother today!

Has It Been That Long?

Was June really the last time I wrote on this blog? Wow, that's too long! Sorry! I'm reading about Macrobiotics these days and wanted to share with you some of what I'm reading:

Sugar eventually affects every organ in the body.
In digestion, it's stored as a form of glucose (called glycogen) in the liver. However, the liver only has approximately 60 to 80 grams of storage, so its capacity is limited. As a result, daily sugar consumption can make the liver expand much like a balloon.
If the liver is filled, the excess glycogen returns to the blood in the form of fatty acids. These acids are then distributed to the most inactive areas and ore fatty areas of the body, such as the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and breasts. When these areas become filled, excess then is attracted to active organs such as the heart and kidneys. eventually, this excess diminishes the organs' functioning, and their tissues degenerate and turn to fat.
Naturally, the entire body is influenced by the degeneration. As a result, blood pressure problems develop, circulation and lymph systems weaken, and immunity suffers.
From: Macrobiotics for Dummies by Verne Varona

I love you! Take care of yourself today!

did you mention eggplant and black-eyed peas???

Cajun Eggplant & Black-Eye Pea Stew
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 med eggplant-diced
2 large tomatoes-diced
1 med yellow onion-diced
1 green bell pepper-seeded&diced
2 cloves garlic-minced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 tablespoon dried oregano,
2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper,
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt 3-5 dash Tabasco
1 15 ounce can black-eye peas-drained & rinsed
brown rice
Directions: Start brown rice first, and chop veggies. Heat oil over med. heat and add eggplant, tomatoes, onion, pepper, garlic. Cook 10 minutes. Then, add can tomatoes, water, oregano, thyme, pepper, cayenne, salt, and cook for 25 mins. Then, stir in peas & tabasco, remove from heat let stand 10 minutes. Serve over brown rice.
Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 1 hr.

cut and pasted directly for VegWeb.com

Eggplant!!

Here are a couple of recipes for eggplant from my recipe keeper. They are vegan recipes--feel free to substitute where necessary.

Eggplant Pomodoro

1 eggplant (sliced into 1/2 inch rounds)
1 cup soy/vegan mayonnaise (must have fat in it)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard (any mustard will do)
1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs

Sauce:
3 tomatoes
10-15 chopped fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. extra virgin oil

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine mayonnaise and mustard in a bowl until well blended. Coat each slice of eggplant with the mayo/mustard mixture and second coat each slice with breadcrumbs. Arrange coated eggplant slices on foil covered cookie sheet and bake at 400 F for 45 minutes.

While eggplant is baking, saute diced tomatoes, garlic and basil in olive oil until well heated, and set aside.

Serve baked eggplant with a generous portion of tomato mixture. Enjoy!

Serves 2-4

Crunchy Eggplant with Spicy Sauce

1 large eggplant
1/2 cup soymilk
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup water
1 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP rice vinegar
3 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP mustard
1 tsp red chili pepper
cornstarch
oil for frying
salt

Cut eggplant in bite-sized pieces. Heat a deep frying-pan, cover the bottom with oil. You know what to do here--dip, dip, dip in flour and salt combo then fry until golden and crispy.

Remove eggplant to paper towel. Serve covered in sauce over rice or on its own.

Sauce:
Boil water, sugar and chili in small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Turn off heat, add soy sauce, mustard and vinegar. Combine cornstarch with water, add to pan to thicken sauce.

*****
Adapted from Vegweb.com

As I typed these up, I realized how completely amateur the authors of them were--I did a little editing as I went. A seasoned cook like yourself should have no problem filling in the blanks.

I love you!

Mighty Force

Life can be so disappointing and as each of us contemplates those things, people and situations which bring us sadness and displeasure, even pain, I think it's beneficial to apply a little context.

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
George Bernard Shaw

Remember, we are just an extra in everyone else's play.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Changing Fortunes

This is the wonderful fortune found by yours truly in a fortune cookie. I had just met Tony and was at a very precarious juncture in my life, as I'm sure you recall. (Whew, life just kind of blew up in my face there for awhile...)

Enchanted by the fortune, I tucked it into the rear view mirror of my car and kept it there until it became reality, after which I moved it to my jewelry box where I will keep it forever.

Allowing myself to dream

As I grow more confident in my abilities, I am beginning to allow myself to envision what life could be. I have seen many houses here in town that cause me to have a sharp intake of breath, but my fancy has always passed. This particular property, however, really has my juices flowing. The link provides pictures of it now, as it has been restored. If you'll scroll down, you can also see BEFORE pictures. The yard is big enough that I can envision a vegetable garden, fruit trees and, safely separated from Maddie, chickens and a coop. Maybe even a goat or two. If you'll notice, it also has a mother-in-law apartment above the 2-car detached garage. I'm also seeing a swimming pool.
Dream with me, won't you? And envision yourself sitting in the garden enjoying a cup of coffee with your daughter while your granddaughter tells grandiose stories of her daily adventures and your grandson skips from one manly task to the next.

Getting Serious

Good morning! How are you? I'll give a call soon.

The thing about vegetarian/vegan cooking is this: there are so many yummy and fattening ways to prepare food...the forum website I have been using makes absolutely no effort to list fat/calorie content. The recipes are good and animal-cruelty free, but the fat content can sometimes be high.

Here's a link to a recipe and website that provides recipe ideas that are vegan and fat-free!

Shaped by Memories

Stephanie Rodriguez of McKinney: Issues, not candidates
Look beyond labels to find the real question
10:00 AM CDT on Friday, November 2, 2007

"To see ourselves as others see us is a most salutary gift. Hardly less important is the capacity to see others as they see themselves."
­Aldous Huxley

Election day, 1976. Mom had picked me up from school, and that was significant because I usually walked. She'd been invited to a baby shower, so there I was, sitting loosely in the front seat of our tan Dodge Duster, my little sister rolling around in the back.

We were off base and headed out into the country, so there was time to talk. Not like in the city, where I was always getting shushed because someone had to concentrate on traffic.

"How was your trip?" I asked my mother.

She smiled with some confusion.

"What trip?"

"Your trip to Washington. To vote."

Mom laughed and tapped her cigarette into the ashtray.

"A person can vote anywhere, honey. You don't have to go to the capital."

Oh.

"Well, then," I continued as nonchalantly as possible. "Whom did you vote for?"

It was a loaded question. I was 6 years old. I didn't care about the election. But I was a nervous child and our household had this tenseness to it and, prone to eavesdropping as I was, I had somehow ascertained that my parents disagreed on who was the better candidate. In my young mind it was all a great mystery that could be solved with one simple question.

"Young lady," she said to me. "Who I voted for is my business and my business alone. It is my right."

And that was the end of that. I don't think it was an intentional lesson, because I know my mother and she very rarely does things intentionally, but it was nonetheless a potent one. In that moment my mother taught me to not first reach the conclusion and then work backward, but to assess the information before arriving at my own conclusions.

(It wasn't until I inadvertently outed myself on the Collin County Opinions page of The Dallas Morning News that I learned that there's a name for people like me: liberal. At least that's what my e-mails keep telling me, so it must be true.)

Kids today have it so much better. They don't have to deal with the moral ambiguity of weighing all sides. Nope. These days it's all laid out, red or blue, at a very early age with the help of children's picture books such as Why Mommy Is A Democrat and Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed!

I learned about those titles from an Aug. 25 column by Catherine Rampell that appeared on the Viewpoints page of The Dallas Morning News.

Ironically, on page 16A of that very same edition an article was run with the headline: "First Mickey, now Simba – Disneylike lion is hero in Hamas cartoon; rats represent Fatah."
The article went on to describe – well, really it doesn't matter what the article described. The important thing is that children believe whatever they are told, so when cartoon characters instruct them as to who is right, who is wrong and who should die as a result of it, well, ladies and gentlemen, that's the gospel truth and the chess board has, in effect, been set for the next generation.

It's no different for the innocent children of the Middle East than it is for some American Air Force brat trying to piece together the puzzle of her identity.

To this day, when I ask my mother whom she voted for, she tells me of her constitutional right to not share that information.* When we talk, it is of issues and of the human condition; it is certainly not about the humans themselves. Our conversations never revolve around politics.
It is who we are and I think it is honest and admirable. Too often we define ourselves by how others define us; character, however, comes in defining ourselves and allowing others the freedom of reaching their own conclusions.

*Note: This last election changed all of that when my mother and I decided, along with an unprecedented number of Americans, to let our voices ring loud and clear. God bless America.

Stephanie Rodriguez of McKinney writes children's novels under the name S. Kimzey Daniels and is a former Voices of Collin County volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is stephrodriguez70@aol.com.

The Healthiest Diet in the World

At the library, I discovered what is probably the most perfect cookbook ever. The Healthiest Diet in the World absolutely brims with helpful information of every shape, color and texture. I want this book. I will buy this book. This book should be on my shelf.

A sample:

Carbohydrates and Appetite (p. 276-7)
We noted earlier that although other cells in he body can get the energy they need from fats and to some degree proteins, the brain and central nervous system must be fueled by carbohydrates. Our early hunter-gatherer ancestors had to rely on the most easily available source of carbohydrate, which they found in fruit. This primal diet, rich in sugars, provided a readily available energy supply that encouraged the development of a large central nervous system. The corollary to this i that as the human brain and central nervous system grew, more carbohydrate was required to nourish it. Many researchers believe that this initial dependence on sugars has genetically programmed a fundamental taste for sweets into our food preferences.

The human appetite is extremely complicated. It still isn't clear how food intake is regulated by the body--in other words, how we know when to start eating and when to stop. There are apparently one or more receptors in the brain that receive signals telling us when we are satiated and when we are hungry. Some of these receptors, along with additional receptors in the liver, respond to insulin. Experiments demonstrate that even small declines in blood sugar can prompt people to request food. It follows that if the body's glucose-insulin response is at all impaired, the ability to regulate food intake may suffer.

Research supports the notion that all carbohydrates--both sugars and starches--quickly suppress hunger and boost satiety for a given period. Under ideal conditions this is true: The body responds to matching insulin levels to the glucose that is released from carbohydrate breakdown and our appetite diminishes. But sometimes this works against us, as when rapidly absorbed carbohydrates (sugars and certain starches) cause insulin to be released very early and more sharply. Depending on how your body handles this situation, two things can occur:

1. This quick insulin reaction will cause satisfaction to be short-lived and hunger will soon return. The natural response is to eat more.
2. Repeated spurts of elevated blood sugar encourage cells to become insulin resistant, setting the stage for the body to increase and reserve its fat reserves.

Did you get all that? Lots of information in there! Good information!

Papayas!

Papaya's main claim to fame is that it is the only source of papain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins and improves digestion. The enzyme is also and effective anti-inflammatory, proven to ease stings, burns, wounds, and postoperative pain. "Papain increases the production of immune cells call cytokines to speed healing. It also slows the blood-clotting mechanism, which improves circulation and boosts the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the inflamed area," explains Eric Beaverman, MD, author of Younger (Thinner) You Diet. In fact, papain injections have been used to relieve the distress caused by slipped discs in the back.

How to Buy & Store:

• When shopping, steer clear of papayas that are bruised, shriveled or have soft spots. (What a darling little well intentioned however offensive statement!)
• Papayas are picked green and will ripen at room temperature; they're ready to eat when the skin is reddish-yellow and yields slightly to the touch (like a pear).
• Once ripe, store papayas in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to one week.

Stomach-Soothing Papaya Smoothie

Frozen strawberries help thicken this morning beverage without the addition of ice.

1 cup cubed ripe papaya

6 frozen strawberries

1/2 cup plain soymilk

1 Tbs. lime juice

1 tsp. light agave nectar or honey

1/4 tsp. fresh grated ginger

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

One serving, 166 calories, 5 g protein, 2 g total fat (<1>

Source: Vegetarian Times April 2009

People Watching

Think of female jealousy as feminine curiosity,as an impulsive desire to learn as many things as possible. Think of other women as a source of inspiration is surprisingly satisfying--and practical to boot. To draw from the communal reservoir of knowledge women share between them, all you need to do is get out of the house. Sit at a busy coffee-shop counter and order a bowl of soup, wait in line at the post office, or stroll through a playground among the moms and the nannies. There you will find them, in all their protean femininity! Each woman a paragon, each one exemplary in her own inimitable way.

People watching, a popular pastime everywhere, is more than simply entertainment. By reinforcing a sense of community, it brings out the performer in all of us. In cafes, restaurants, market places, parks, or stadiums, men and women alike exhibit their favorite personae in front of an audience of keen observers whose approval--or disapproval--we all seek.

Taken from: The Art of Being a Woman by Veranique Vienne

Jennifer 4/24/91

For my sister, flirtatious and alive

in the humor of life.

Agonized by the rules and requirements

of trivialities that are not fun.

Her laugh resounds a room

her smile the light

that draws in and makes at home

those who are not sure when the punchline has been delivered.

My sister accepts what is real,

dismissing the unnecessary.

Randy 4/24/91

To my brother

tall and quiet

armed with his silence

and willful determination

that how he believes

is how he shall live.

His surroundings shall accommodate

or remain unknown, almost dead.

His senses shall not recognize

that which displeases him.

The Wonders of Flaxseed

I found this brochure at the grocery store the other day espousing the wonders and benefits of the particular product Nopalina, a brand of ground flaxseed. Some highlights:

"Have you tried everything from grueling exercises to impossible-to-follow low carb and starvation diets, and NOTHING has worked?

We know you must have felt it over the years no matter what you do. Even if you do lose some weight, IT COMES RIGHT BACK.

So, how can NOPALINA help you solve this old problem? The conventional wisdom--work out, eat less--is just TOO HARD to accomplish on its own.*

Even when you do all the time-consuming and difficult workouts people suggest, you still only burn energy while you are actually doing them! The rest of the day you (sic) body engine is still idling and turning all the food you eat into fat.*

Even when you go on a starvation or low carb diet, you (sic) body screams at you for food and slows everything down so you still don't burn fat.

NOPALINA is a special combination of natural herbs to activate and accelerate your METABOLISM, kill your APPETITE, and promote rapid WEIGHT LOSS!!!

With our All-Natural Formula NOPALINA, you can:

• Lose pounds and inches like crazy.
• Quickly break down fat in your problem area.
• Jump-start your metabolism.
• Boost your energy levels.
• lose your appetite and feel satisfied.
• Eliminate cellulite and excess fat pockets
• Stimulate your body's natural fat-burning ability.

Take 1 or 2 tablespoons of NOPALINA before your meal 2 times a day. Drink 2 to 3 liters of water a day. Repeat for all the weight you want to lose."

*I don't agree with these statements, although I understand that everybody doesn't enjoy exercise in the same way I do.

What do you think, Mom? Should we go on a NOPALINA diet together?

Patterns

Back when I was doing some serious research (about instincts--in animals and humans) while trying to find the direction for my middle grade novel, I came across the quote. I believe the author's name is Laura Day. She claims to be clairvoyant. Don't know how you feel about that, but her work is interesting. She proposes keeping a journal in which you describe yourself living the life you desire. Good advice. The motivational 'guru' I've selected as my own is Dr. Wayne Dyer. Check him out, it will be worth your time.

Anyway, here's the quote from Laura Day:

We continually send out the same messages and attract the same people toward us with little variation. Like many of our abilities, these messages tend to be shaped and patterned by our early experiences. All thought, action and energy have a pattern. If we are sending out a conflicting pattern, people respond to the confusion accordingly, and events may clash with us.

Try Again

Have you ever tried to crochet?
I tried just today
But I wouldn't say:
'Grandmas get out of my way'
Because I did not do very swell
And at it I am not very well
I gave up, I just had to
Which you should never do
Because giving up
Shows you never wanted to.

Total Bore

I have always thought of a door
As a total bore.
If I was a door
It would be a horror
All I would do is open,
Shut, slam, squeak,
Groan and creak.
I would be no fun at all
Next time we'll talk
About something fun
Like a wall

Attention

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. My attention has been captured by the phenomenon that is Facebook. Jennifer and Sarah are on there. I'll have to send you an invite.

I have also found myself fascinated lately with the topics of architecture and decorating, having come across such wonderful witticisms as:

Connect activity areas with views from one place to the next, but don't make the space so undifferentiated that it all looks and feels the same.

Or:

The ancient home was bound to its natural setting; by nature it was externalized, a reflection of its surroundings. The modern was internalized, a personal sanctuary.

This distinction is not between old and new but between house and home. A house is just shelter--four walls and a roof--but home, of course, is where the heart is.

We Love You Soooo Much

Good morning, Grandma!

Is that AGE beginning to creep in around my eyes?
Cheesin' it up!

I love you!

On the schoolbus, amongst other

strange middle school creatures!

Summer

Summer

Summer's almost here

Hooray!

I'm sitting in school

Waiting for the day

Summer's here,

School's out

I get home from

school and start to shout!

Fun

Have some fun

Frolic and run

School is out

Play with your friend

Let your fun never end

School is out

Fall Work

Fall Work

When leaves fall

I hear my mother say

Oh, get the rake

For goodness sake

You're going to rake today.

I get the rake

And hope

Soon I'll get a break

Three bags are full

(This job is dull)

I don't know what happened...I guess the poem wasn't working for me. There appear to be some later additions, but they're as bad as the rest of it. Oh well, not every at bat can be a home run.

I love you

www.seemommyrun.com

Seek Out Vs. Avoid

I was just about to sit down to Blog when Maddie announced the approach of the mailman, who was kind enough to deliver the latest Vegetarian Times into my mailbox. I can't wait to look inside it. In the meantime, I will leave you with this list of dish descriptions to either seek out or avoid, as listed in Living Well, Staying Well published by The American Heart Association:

Seek out: (suggest low-fat preparation)

• steamed
• in its own juice
• garden fresh
• broiled
• baked
• roasted
• poached
• grilled

AVOID!!!! (Indicators of saturated fat)

• braised
• crispy
• in cream sauce
• hollandaise
• buttered
• in butter sauce
• FRIED!
• au gratin
• in cheese sauce
• basted
• prime
• potpie
• panroast
• creamed
• in gravy
• rich
• BUTTERY!!
• saute
• pan-fried
• escalloped
• stewed
• casserole
• hash
• with bacon or sausage

Why do it?

Pat plans to expand her operations to sixty milking goats plus a few ewes, but rejects the idea of becoming a large-scale operation. She is adamant about keeping the quality of the cheese high by making it in small batches. "When it gets so large that you get into the industrial part of it, it's not personal anymore. I wouldn't be able to have the attachment with the animals, and then why do it? I love my goats--why else would I work this hard?"

Taken from: The Farm to Table Cookbook The Art of Eating Locally by Ivy Manning

Going to the Market

Source: Ani's Raw Food Kitchen by Ani Phyo

At first glance, natural foods and organics may seem more expensive than the regular grocery store or conventional produce. Keep in mind you actually get more for your money when buying organic fresh produce, because it's nutrient dense, without any fillers.

I think of it as investing in preventive care. Rather than paying on the back end for treatment of disease, illness and medical bills, I'm actively preventing future illness by being as healthy as possible from the start.

My body is my temple. My body isn't a discount body. Just because something is cheap or free doesn't mean I need to eat it, especially if I know it'll do me more harm than good.

If you're shopping at a grocery store, the rule of thumb is to stay along the outside edges, where all the fresh stuff is. The middle of a store is where products can sit on shelves for a year or more. Fresh is always better.

Age 62

In March 1942 General Douglas MacArthur abandons his command post in the Philippines, saying, "I shall return." He escapes with his wife, his son, his son's nanny, fourteen of his senior officers, and a half million dollars paid to him by Philippine president Manuel Quezon.

Source: A Book of Ages by Eric Hanson

Fourteen

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
~~Mark Twain, "Old Times on the Mississippi", Atlantic Monthly (1874)

Taken from: A Book of Ages by Eric Hanson

More Profundity

Good morning! I hope you're feeling better this morning. Jennifer, if you are reading this, good morning to you, too. And Miss Shelby, please tell your mom and grandmother to give you a kiss from your aunt.

Here's another early glimpse of my forthcoming genius ;-), circa 1978:

Winter Play

When I go out to play,
I can hear my mom say,
"You can't play, it's too cold out today."

Finally, when I make it out,
I can't help it but I shout.

I hear the wind, "Shoo,
Shoo, didn't you hear your
Mother say, "It's too cold today"?

"Aw Shucks!"
I say,
"Maybe another day."

Gnome Gnotebook

And now, for your reading pleasure, the very first poem I ever wrote as recorded in my very first poetry book. Remember the Gnome Gnotebook you gave me in the second grade?

Spring

I certainly do like Spring
Where little birds come
Out and sing
Always keeping in time
Always sounding like a chime.

When flowers start
To bloom
All the children hoping more will
Come soon.

I especially like the weather:
The clothes you put on are
Light as a feather.

Purposeful

Once creative thinkers in all fields have found a problem, they approach it with a sense of purpose. They marshal their abilities and activities towards a certain end. In order to achieve that purpose, they embark on an adventure of building new skills, experimenting, and mastering their craft. They learn how to produce and manipulate the effects they intend to create. If their purpose is unconventional, then their behavior looks a bit unconventional, too.

Same source as listed below.

It's All Coming Together

A genius is a person who, seeing farther and probing deeper than other people, has a different set of ethical valuations from theirs, and has energy enough to give effect to this extra vision and its valuations in whatever manner best suits his or her specific talents.
~George Bernard Shaw

quoted in The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People by Carol Eikenberry, Ph.D

The Family that Eats Together...

The vegan menu requires creative substitution for the egg. For example, I substitute half a banana for an egg in pancakes. This morning, however, I didn't have any bananas, so I went with the other egg substitute and that is, 2 Tbls. ground flaxseed and 6 Tbls. water. Boil the water, stir in the flaxseed, let sit. This combination mimics the consistency of eggs. The pancakes were good!

Kale! Mmmm-mm! Saute some freshly pressed garlic in olive oil, add the destemmed, still wet from being rinsed, kale. After briefly stirring, cover pan and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Then add golden raisins/dried cranberries, etc. and roasted pine nuts. Same thing. Stir briefly then cover and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add a good splash or two of balsamic vinegar, stir, cook and, voila!, the most delicious and simple vegetable dish you've ever had in your whole entire life.

If I weren't a struggling vegan, I would eat the kale dish with a nice pork chop. Last night, however, we ate it with angel hair pasta and soy sausage tossed in vegan butter, garlic powder and *gulp* parmesan. (A non-vegan indulgence.) It was a high-spirited meal, unlike my experiment the other night with a non-traditional pizza...very sad, we won't discuss it.

I love you! Have a great day!

Cardiologist's Note

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of calories n French fries actually comes from the fat, not the carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes, even though "sweeter" in taste than white or red potatoes, have approximately the same number of carbohydrates per ounce. These fries are baked, which spares you more than 50 percent of the calories found in regular deep-fried fries.

Source: Longevity Made Easy by Richard J. Flanigan, MD and Kate Flanigan Sawyer, MD, MPH (a father/daughter doctor duo)

I love you!!

Sweet Potato Fries A.K.A "Sweeties"

2 large sweet potatoes, washed and peeled
Salt to taste (optional)
Oil cooking spray
Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. cut potatoes lengthwise into finger-like pieces or use a French fry cutter. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil. Arrange potatoes in a single layer, not touching. Lightly spray the potatoes with cooking oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Turn once and adjust baking time as the potatoes brown.

Preparation: Easy
Number of servings: 2

Source: Longevity Made Simple by Richard R. Flanigan, MD and Kate Flanigan Sawyer, MD, MPH (a father/daughter doctor duo)

ZINC

Zinc helps fight infection and aids the process of wound healing. Good sources include wholegrain cereals, egg yolk, dairy products and red meat.

Zinc works with vitamin C, so plan your meals to include fresh vegetables and fruits along with zinc-rich foods.

Zinc and copper work together to strengthen the immune system and slow deterioration of your skin. Life bearing foods (nuts, grains and pulses/legumes) are good sources of both mineral micronutrients.

Source:Simply Radiant: Practical techniques to turn back the years by Bharti Vyas with Jane Warren

Philosophy of a Literary Agency

Part of the success of Pippin is due to a philosophy shared by all Pippin artists and authors.
The world owes you nothing. You owe the world your best work.
Evergreens—we want to create books that will stand the test of time.
We want to work with people in all media who share our philosophy.

As listed on the official website.

On Light

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.~Edith Wharton

Winter Squash with Spicy Maple Chestnuts

2 lb. butternut squash or other winter squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 medium red onion, cut into small wedges
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
3 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
12 oz. jar peeled, cooked chestnuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1. Preheat oven to 450 degreesF. Combine Squash, onion, and 2 Tbs. olive oil in large bowl, and toss to coat. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, if desired, and scatter evenly on baking sheet. Roast vegetables 20 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times with spatula.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 Tbs. oil, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes in small bowl. Season with slat and pepper, if desired.
3. Place chestnuts in medium bowl, and add 1 Tbs. maple syrup mixture. Toss to coat.
4. Increase oven temperature to 500 degreesF. Scatter chestnuts among squash and onion wedges. Roast vegetables 10 minutes more, or until tender. Transfer vegetable-nut mixture to large serving bowl, drizzle with remaining maple syrup mixture, add chopped chives, and toss to mix.

Source: Vegetarian Times January 2009

Migrating Birds

I hope you are reading this!! As you know, the garden has become a major element in my middle-grade novel. You may also be aware of the importance of the Arctic Tern, a bird which migrates from Pole to Pole, an amazing 25,000 miles a year, therefore living in almost total daylight!!
Well, I finally connected the two. And when I plugged them in to Google, this is what I came up with.

Finding a Faith

To have a happy life, you need a sense of an underlying point to your existence and of a moral code by which to live. This does not mean you have to have a religious or spiritual faith. It means you will feel more secure in yourself if you can sense a plan or a guiding force in life, and more at with the world if you have a workable set of principles. Take a few minutes each day to think about the values you wish to guide you, and try to cultivate beliefs and experiences that reflect them.

Source: Positive Thinking by Susan Quilliam

Uncovering Meaning in Life

The stronger a person's sense of purpose and meaning in life, the happier an dmore positive they will be. So make a determined effort to find meaning in what you are doing, and cultivate beliefs and experiences that reflect that meaning.

Scoville Scale

In 1912 Wilber Scoville developed his now famous method tho chart the comparative heat of different chillis. (J. Am. Phar. Assoc. 1912; 1:453-4) The greater the number of Scoville Units, the hotter the chilli. For example:

Bell Pepper................0 Scoville Units (SU)
Peperocini, Cherry Pepper..............100-500
New Mexico, Aji Panca.................500-1,000
Ancho, Passi, Espanola...............1,000-1,500
Sandi, Rocotillo, Cascabel, Poblana..1,500-2,500
Jalapeno, Mirasol....................2,500-5,000
Chilcostle, Louisiana Hot...........5,000-10,000
de Arbol, Serrano, Japones.........10,000-30,000
Piquin, Aji, Cayenne, Tabasco......30,000-50,000
Chiltepin, Tepin...................50,000-80,000
Habanero, Scotch Bonnet...........80,000-300,000
Pure Capsaicin........................16,000,000

This can only be a rough guide, since the heat of chillis can vary from pepper to pepper.

Source: Schott's Original Miscellany by Ben Schott

A few random thoughts on Peppers

Weird Science
You may have insects to thank for the kick in your salsa or vegan nam prik, according to research in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Chilies evidently produce capsaicinoids--chemicals that give them their heat--as a defense against a fungus that invades through punctures made in the chiles' skins by hungry bugs.

Source: Vegetarian Times February 2009

Cutting out the salt

Sodium-free flavor boosters

1. Fresh herbs, Parsley, mint, chives, and cilantro "burst with fresh flavor," says Dina Aronson, MS, RD, of veganRD.com.
2. Toasted nuts or seeds reduce the need for salt, as well as boosting nutrition with minerals and essential fats.
3. Dried and fresh fruits and juices. "Lemon and lime juice are always great salt substitutes," Aronson says.
4. A splash of wine goes a long way, just keep in mind that cooking wine has a lot more sodium than table wine.
5. Garlic and dried herbs and spices--"the old standbys."
6. Vinegar adds instant punch, and it lasts forever in your pantry.

Source: Vegetarian Times, February 2009

Have a great day! I love you!!

Gotta love 'em: EMOTIONS!!!

Working with Emotions

Emotions are the first signals generated by your body and mind when there is something in your life to which you need to pay attention. Catch negative emotions quickly, at the source, and use the energy they generate to motivate you to act.

Focus point:

• Take control of emotions--you will then be able to look at the problem rationally.

From: Positive Thinking by Susan Quilliam

Happy Birthday, Brother!!!

Happy Birthday, Randy!!!!

Positive Thinking

I have come across a little gem of a book simply titled: Positive Thinking by Susan Quilliam and published by DK Publishing. I want to give her full credit for the gems of wisdom I will be copying into this blog over the next couple of weeks.

Focus Point

• Positive people achieve more, stay healthier, and have better relationships than negative thinkers.

What is positive thinking?

Positive thinking is about more than the thoughts that you have. It is an entire approach to life. It means focusing on the positives in any situation rather than the negatives. It means thinking well of yourself rather than constantly putting yourself down. It means thinking well of others, and dealing with them positively. It means expecting the best from the world and trusting it will provide.

Guard your thoughts! I love you!

What Susanne and I mean to do every year

Homemade Herbal Soap Balls

2 cups grated Ivory Soap, about 1 bar
1 tablespoon pulverized dried herbs or flowers (such as chamomile, lavender, rosemary, mint, or rosebuds, alone or in combination)
1/4 cup boiling water
5 or 6 drops of essential or or perfume to complement the herbs or flowers you chose

Place the grated soap in a heat-proof bowl. Place the dried herbs or flowers in a small pan and pour the water over them. Let steep for 15 minutes. Reheat until bubbling, then pour over the soap. Mix together with your hands and let sit for 10 minutes. Knead and divide into 6 portions. Shape each into a ball and place on waxed paper. Let dry for 3 days at room temperature before wrapping in tissue paper.
Makes 6

VARIATION: Add 1 tablespoon ground almond and or oats to make a facial scrub.

Adapted from: Wit, Wisdom, and Practical Advice By the Editors of The Old Farmer's Almanac

Have a nice, nice, nice day!

Wonderful, beautiful day

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.~Julia Child

That Gourmet Touch

• Add candles, cloth napkins, and cool jazz (not too loud, please) to make even the plainest meal special.
• Chop fresh parsley to make 1/2 cup. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and the minced zest of 1/2 lemon. Cover and store n the refrigerator. Use this mixture~known as persillade~as a flavoring or garnish for soup, meat, and seafood, adding a pinch or two at a time just before cooking is complete. It also gives salad dressings a boost.
• Cut acorn squash in half, remove the seeds, place the squash in a baking pan, and brush with melted butter and honey. Sprinkle with nutmeg and allspice, or a dash of powdered mustard, then bake at 350 degrees F until soft, about 45 minutes.

Adapted from: Wit, Wisdom, and Practical Advice By the Editors of The Old Farmer's Almanac

I love you!!

Resiliency

Once you accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something...wearing stripes with plaid is easy.~~Albert Einstein

Thought for the Day

Whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you’ll find that when you’re free . . . your true self comes out.
— Tina Turner

Can I get an Amen?!

More People Who Need You!

Good Morning, Grandma!!!

On the way to see you before Christmas, we hit a little traffic jam in Waco...

We all have our ways of coping!

More fun at the traffic jam in Waco!

A match made in heaven!

Yay! We did it! Ace and Mommy after running with the jogger for 52 minutes!!!

The scariest tree I ever saw!

Sorry that it's sideways!!

6 Heart Healthy must-haves and the Most Amazing Recipe EVER

1. Potassium Find it in: Potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, dark leafy greens*, prunes, soybeans, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, avocado, almonds.
2. Carotenoids Find it in: Watermelon, kale*, carrots, sweet potatoes, red bell peppers
3. Flavonoids Find it in: Cocoa, dark chocolate, green tea, red wine, extra virgin olive oil, pomegranates, apples
4. Soluble Fiber: Find it in: Whole grains such as oats and barley; beans; okra; Brussel sprouts
5. Omega-3 fatty acids Find it in: Flaxseed; flax oil, walnuts, soy, canola oil, small dark leafy greens such as watercress, arugula, purslane
6. B vitamins (folate, B6) Find it in: Fortified breakfast cereals, spinach broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, bananas, sunflower seeds

Source: Vegetarian Times February 2009

(I know this looks disgusting but, God as my witness, it's amazing:

*Kale Chips

1-2 bunches fresh Kale (de-stem it)

2 tablespoons apple cider

2 tablespoons canola oil

salt, favorite spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Layer kale loosely on baking sheet. Drizzle combined ingredients over kale. Pop into the oven for 10 minutes. Flip the kale and bake for 10 more minutes.

The result you're looking for is a light, crispy imitation of the potato chip. Really! Now, I have to admit, mine didn't come out exactly right the first time so, after baking, I put everything into a microwave bowl and nuked it until the kale was dry and crispy.

An amazing recipe! Really! Try it! And, as you can see from the above list, it takes care of your carotenoids and potassium!!

I love you!

Just the Facts

Glycemic Swap List

Foods with a low glycemic index are slow burners, so they'll keep you full for longer. A simple rule for slowing your body's response to food, no matter how high the glycemic index, is to add protein, fat, and/or fiber to any meal. The glycemic index numbers following the goods in this chart are based on a scale on which pur glucose has a score of 100. The higher the number, the faster the food burns.

Instead of... Try...

1. White Bread(70) Mixed-grain bread(48)
2. Corn flakes(83) Bran Cereal(58)
3. Baked potato(85) Protein-enriched spaghetti(27)
4. Watermelon(72) Pear(37)
5. Chocolate-caramel bar(64) Peanut-based candy(32)

Source:Weight free workout published by Rodale

I love you!