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!

Oh, Cabbage!

The Healthiest Slaw You'll Ever Eat*
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. cider vinegar
4-5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1/2 cup seedless red grape halves
1/2 cup chopped dates
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup toasted walnut halves

Blend the yogurt, mayonnaise, and vinegar in a large bowl. All all the remaining ingredients except the walnuts and toss to coat well with the dressing. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Before serving, taste for salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the walnuts.

*This looks really involved but totally delicious! I can't wait to make it!

Cabbage Facts

• Cabbage is packed with immunity-boosting phytochemicals that are not damaged by cooking. Eat it raw in salads, stir-fried, in soups, or on pizza. That's right--in county Sligo, Ireland, they top pizza with cabbage, ham, cheese, and nutmeg.
• When you select cabbage at the store, look for a tight, firm head. If the leaves and bottoms stems have begun to separate, the cabbage may have a coarse texture and strong flavor.
• A favorite cabbage dish in England is called bubble and squeak. To make it, mix together equal parts mashed potatoes and chopped cooked cabbage and fry the mixture in butter or (not recommended by this blog's owner) bacon fat. Listen closely while it fries to it bubble and squeak.
• Red cabbage will hold its color during cooking if you acidify the cooking water. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice for every 2 cups water.
• I love you!

Source: Ben Franklin's Almanac, Wit, Wisdom and Practical Advice By the Editors of The Old Farmer's Almanac

Things Change

A boy came home and told his dad he was second in class. Top place was won by a girl. "Surely, Son," said the father, "you're not going to be beaten by a mere girl." Boy: "Well, you see, Dad, girls are not nearly as mere as they used to be."
Source: (Executive Speechwriter Newsletter)
as quoted in Something to Smile About by Zig Ziglar

The ABC's of aging: Accept, Bloom late, Celebrate, Dance at Weddings, Enjoy the small things, Fall in love again, Gratitude, Hold hands, Inspire, Jettison grudges, Knowledge, Laugh, Mend fences, Nurture friendships, Open your heart, Play the harmonica, Question, Resiliency, Smile, Teach someone to read, Understand, Volunteer, Wonder, Become an "X" something, Yodel, Zest.

Source: when one door closes, another opens--but it's Hell in the Hallway
written and edited by Sandi Bachom

Good Morning!

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel.

The Six Most Encouraging Phrases

I love you

Dinner is served

All is forgiven

Keep the change

You've lost weight

I believe in you

from: Encouragement Changes Everything

by John C. Maxwell

I love you! Have a great day!

Framing Your Coaching Promise

• I promise to take responsibility for discovering the solutions that are right for me and that allow me to be the best I can be in life.
• I promise to be open and honest with myself and trust that as long as I am taking positive action, I am making progress.
• I promise to commit to developing my awareness of myself so that I can replace habits and behaviors that are destructive with ones that are creative and productive.
• I promise never to accept second best for myself.
• I promise to learn from all my experiences and actions.

Taken from: Personal Development for Dummies edited by Gillian Burn

Caeser Salad with Homemade Croutons

Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

With crisp hearts of romaine, crunchy croutons, and a creamy nonfat Caeser dressing, you can re-create the flavor of the high-fat restaurant classic. This recipe yields more croutons and dressing than you need for one meal. Save the extra croutons in an airtight container and use them for soups and salad throughout the week. The leftover dressing will also keep, covered and refrigerated, for 3 or 4 days. Enjoy it as a dip with raw or blanched vegetables.

Serves four

Homemade Croutons:
1 day-old nonfat baguette, in 3/8 inch dice

Caesar Dressing:
1/2 cup nonfat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated nonfat Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 large head romaine, washed, dried, and chopped into bite-size pieces

Make the croutons: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put diced baguette on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Make Caesar dressing: Put all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk to blend.

To assemble salad, put romaine in a salad bowl. Add 1 cup croutons and half the dressing. toss well to coat leaves evenly with dressing. Serve immediately.

Serving size: 1/4 head romaine, 1/4 cup croutons, 2 tablespoons dressing
Calories: 40
Fat: 0.3 g
Choleterol: 0.9 mg
Carbohydrate: 7.0 g
Protein: 2.0 g
Sodium: 128.0 mg

Source: Everyday Cooking with Dr. Dean Ornish

I love you!

Nice-to--Meat-You-Sandwich

2 slices whole-wheat bread
2 ounces sliced roast beef
2 inner leaves romaine lettuce
1 teaspoon low-fat mayonnaise
1 ounce fat-free American cheese

1. Stack everything up into a sandwich.
Makes one serving.
Calories perserving: 380; Protein: 28 grams; Carbs: 32 grams; Fat:17 grams; Saturated fat: 6 grams; Sodium: 811 mg; Fiber: 4 grams

Source: The Abs Diet by David Zinczenko

When I prepare this sandwich, I omit the roast beef and add tomato, and use mustard instead of mayo. Yummy!

I love you!

Smoking and Eating

Tobacco smoking is one of the six major risk factors of heart disease that you can change or treat. Smoking lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

We're so used to hearing people talk about eating less food that's it's become weight loss doctrine. But as you remember from the physiology of metabolism, you have to eat more often to change you body composition. The new philosophy I want you to keep in mind is "energy balance".

OBESITY RISKS

Habit Changes your risk of obesity by:
Eating at leat one midday snack -39 percent
Eating dinner as your biggest meal of the day +6 percent
Waiting more than 3 hours after waking up
to eat breakfast +43 percent
Eating more than a third of your
meals in restaurants +69 percent
Going to bed hungry
(3 or more hours after your last meal or snack) +101 percent
Eating breakfast away from home +137 percent
Not eating breakfast +450 percent

Sample time schedule:
8 a.m. breakfast
11 a.m. snack
1 p.m. lunch
4 p.m. snack
6 p.m. dinner
9 p.m. snack

from: The Abs Diet by David Zinczenko

I love you.

Sneaky Restaurant Ways

Many chefs pour at least an ounce of butter (200 calories and 23 grams of fat) onto a steak just so the meat will look juicier. Ask in advance, and tell the cook to lay off.

Those harmless-looking shredded carrots that dress up you r beef are probably deep-fried; 1/2 cup is 137 calories (four times that of raw carrots) and 12 grams of fat. So skip 'em.

If you go to a restaurant that serves salads tossed with dressing, it's usually a much lighter coating than what most people end up dumping on themselves, even if you order it on the side.

From: The Abs Diet by David Zinczenko

Hypnotherapy?

There is nothing worse than having to force yourself to do something. If you are forcing yourself too much it becomes a drag. In the end it is much easier and enjoyable to slip back into your old ways, and any weight you may have lost slips back on. Remember that losing weight is your choice and that means you have to put in some effort to accomplish it. However, with the help of hypnotherapy, the whole process can become something you enjoy.

This is the focal point of self-hypnosis. Don't just think your goal statement--imagine hearing it, seeing it, and experiencing the change actually occurring. Use as many of your senses as possible to incorporate your goal into your trance state. If you can visualize yourself having made the changes, that's even better. The point is to ruminate over your goal and make it as vivid as possible in your imagination. Your unconscious mind will do the work you have given it, if you clear, focused, and concise on what you want.

Taken from: Personal Development All in One for Dummies
edited by: Gillian Burn

I love you.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I love you and wish you all the best!

2009!!! Wow!

I wish you every success!

Go Mom!

I love you!