our green table

Take Five!

2012-02-15T10:18:00.000-06:00

After sharing your heart yesterday, please give a huge piece of love back to yourself today (and every day for that matter!) On this Women and Wednesdays, commit with me to understanding and fighting heart disease and ask 5 friends to join in with you. Then, have them ask five and so on.

While you cannot change your genetics, you can change your lifestyle. Here on Our Green Table, we do all we can to own our health and keep one healthy step after another on Prevention Road. Please join us!

Here is a recipe from my favorite doctor, Dr. Neal Barnard. He "wrote the book" on prevention and health for life. His Monster Shake recipe (I renamed it for festive reasons!!) is a variation of a Vita-mix classic. I would also toss in a red beet...to keep it seasonal and extra heart-healthy! Drink up, Healthy Gals!

Dr. Barnard's Heart Love Shake

6 cups fresh baby spinach or kale
1 1/2 cups fresh or drained canned pineapple chunks or pears
3 cups green grapes
1 1/2 bananas
1 1/2 cups water (I love coconut water in shakes!)
1 1/2 cups ice

Blend all ingredients together. Makes enough Heart Love for 6 servings. Enough for you and your 5 friends!! Perfect!!! xoxoxoxo

P.S. Add more ice for a thicker smoothie.

All you need is

2012-02-14T09:22:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chilly!

2012-02-13T10:06:00.001-06:00

Phew...yesterday was a cold one. Winter-y blasts with gusts up to 30-35 miles an hour, making the wind chill in the teens. Today is still quite brisk but not as gusty. While I still have my eye on salads like this...

I will be getting out the soup pot to make this...

Pasta e fagioli

1 ½ cups dried chickpeas*

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Sprig of fresh rosemary

¼ teaspoon dried pepper flakes

14 ounce can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

6 cups veggie stock

2/3 cup orecchiette pasta

Sea salt and fresh black pepper

Parmesan cheese

Soak chickpeas in cold water overnight. Drain and put in a large saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered 45 minutes or until very tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, rosemary and hot pepper flakes along with a pinch of salt and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until onion has softened.

Increase heat to high. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, reduce heat to a medium simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until pasta is tender. Season with sea salt and pepper. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and drizzle with olive oil.

* Yes, I suppose you can subsitute canned chickpeas here but why? The flavor and texture of dried chickpeas is so superior. Cooking these up couldn’t be simpler. Here is the “no time, no stress” plan: soak overnight, wake up and while still in jammies, cook ‘em up. 45 minutes is all it takes and these can cook while you are brushing your teeth, eating breakfast and getting dressed. Done and done.

Opposites attract

2012-02-09T10:57:00.000-06:00

What a crazy winter this has been…beautifully sunny and mild when it should be grey and bitter cold. I must admit I am sorry to have missed a “normal” winter. Even though I am in New York, it feels like home weather-wise. I dearly love winter in all its glory and find a peaceful, unique beauty in even the bleakest, greyest, most bitter cold days. Drat. Maybe before I leave…

As if Mother Nature hasn’t bemused me enough with her summer-like behavior, I have also made some “opposite” moves myself with equally surprising results. During winter I usually eat differently…more foods warmed by spice, lots of soups, more healthy fats and dense complex carbohydrates.

This winter I have eaten more lightly…lots of fresh vegetable (not fruit) juices and salads. I seem to crave them almost. Here is a picture of last night’s dinner…one of my favorites.

Kale Salad (one of 100's), Cabbage and Beet Salad and a slice of spelt bread

I am quite surprised that I have stayed so healthy (please don’t let this be a jinx!) in spite of all the extra stress and physical activity and yes, a de-lish sweet or two that I normally don’t eat. Not usually a bread eater, I have also eaten more bread than normal. Not a lot by anyone’s “normal”, but for me, two slices a day is a record high. I am grateful, for sure, but this “opposites attracting health” really has me thinking. I know all the walking has a lot to do with it and my body has tipped into a more alkaline state from the veggies I am drinking as well as veggies I am eating.. Anyway…it’s got me thinking!

Here are some more pix...

Anyway, while I am musing this over, here is a great article to read from yesterday's New York Times...really something to chew on, great food for thought.

Couldn't stay away for long

2012-02-07T09:55:00.001-06:00

From kale that is.

I picked up this recipe in Whole Foods last year and never made it. Last night, after lots of driving, I was looking for something quick and healthy and yum, this recipe delivered. I actually served it as an omelet but the original recipe served it over polenta. So flavorful. Enjoy!!!

Sun-dried Tomato, Kale and Mushroom Saute

1 tablespoon olive oil (I used oil from sun-dried tomatoes and while not a huge fan of sun-dried maters...these were de-lish)
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms (I used a variety)
sea salt and pepper
8 olive oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (I think Swiss chard would be lovely as well)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, sea salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook about 2 more minutes. Stir in kale and 2-3 tablespoons water, cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook until kale begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Toss well and season to taste. Serve as a filling for an omelet or over sauteed polenta. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.

Choco Fix (ed)!

2012-02-03T16:06:00.000-06:00

When I am stressed, I reach for chocolate. I saw this sign in a bake shop and although a little blurry, you get the drift.

Funny how even the camera focused on the cookies on the shelf below. Shows where my mind is!

There are so many little bake shops on the walk to both my kiddoes'...like the yellow brick road only paved with cookies. There is even a chocolate factory to pass by and try to keep my mouth shut!!! Here are some more pix...

I have already done two cookie posts and while they are in keeping with our Green and Gold Rules (really good sweets), that's enough. And so, it was kind of fun when I got this recipe in my inbox this morning. It was a forward of a forward and so I sadly cannot credit the creator. Sounds so de-lish...just chock full of goodies and a perfectly yummy way to shue away some stress. Maybe even munch on during the Super Bowl. And while the long ingredient list may take some time to assemble, better to spend your time doing that than creating that picture at the bottom of this post!

Vegetarian Chocolate Chili

1¾ cups dried pinto (or Sangre de Toro or Rio Zape) beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked

2 links Field Roast chipotle vegetarian sausages, crumbled

1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or organic canola oil

1 large green bell pepper diced

1 large yellow or white onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons ancho chile powder

2 tablespoons hot or mild New Mexico chile powder

2 teaspoons chipotle powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1½ teaspoons dried Mexican oregano

3/4 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 26-oz carton Pomi chopped tomatoes or Muir Glen canned crushed tomatoes*

12-ounce bottle chocolate stout beer (wow...pretty fun ingredient!)

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

2 teaspoons molasses (or substitute brown sugar)

1½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice

Cooked brown rice (optional)

Toppings: Avocado, red onions, cilantro, yogurt or sour cream (soy or regular)

Drain the soaked beans, then place in a large saucepan and cover well with fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour, adding water as necessary. Let them sit until you’re ready to use them, then drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Heat a teaspoon of oil on medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the crumbled vegetarian sausages and cook for 3 minutes, stirring a few times (it will stick; it’s ok). Remove to a plate.

Heat the remaining oil on medium heat in the same pot. Add the onions, garlic and peppers. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate the sausage remnants that stuck to the pan. Add the tomato paste, chili powders, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the tomatoes, beer, espresso powder and brown sugar or molasses. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the reserved vegetarian sausage and beans and simmer very gently for 10 minutes. If the chili seems much too thick, add a little of the bean cooking liquid. Stir in chocolate and lime and turn off the heat.

Serve on cooked brown rice with your toppings of choice, or refrigerate and serve the next day, when it’s even better.

* I recommend Pomi tomatoes in tetra packs, or Muir Glen tomatoes, as their cans no longer contain BPA.

Have a great weekend!

Oh no...no words to describe! Well, maybe "ICK!" works.

Chipmunks among us...

2012-01-30T08:15:00.002-06:00

See these cheeks? Look exactly like my pockets...just jammed full with cards, phone numbers, flyers. Oh my…if only I could pool them all and open up a lifestyle store!!

Behind every piece of help I have stuffed in my pockets, I have gotten an equal amount just talking with the store owners and staff. So engaged and so excited about sharing what they know. Really...it has been amazing. Most of the great places I have dropped in on walks have led me to another. The concept of neighborhood is remarkable. “Oh, I don’t have that but I know someone who does…here is the phone number. Need directions?” Again…a perfect fit for my Share Our Strengths philosophy.

I am also in awe of the many, many instances where I have ended up in a store that only deals in cash and what happens next. Who knew? It happened with Sue and her dry cleaning store, with the shoe repair store, the coffee shop and again this morning. I walked to the bodega on the corner. Their debit card machine was down. The owner smiled reassuringly, packed up my goodies, handed them to me and said, “Just drop by whenever you can and pay me then.” Astounding. I had only been in that store one other time.

A couple of weeks ago, a study came out on longevity and New Yorkers are found to live on average two years longer than the rest of us. I think this somewhat surprising sense of neighborliness contributes to that statistic. Also, all the walking, of course. Rarely is there an overweight person. Even with the astoundingly de-lish bread and baked goods here. My these folks can bake.

Yesterday we had to go back to the hospital for a bit and to sweeten the trip, dropped by for a delectable cookie. Amazing what problem solvers really good cookies are! Here is a gorgeous picture and the recipe for One Girl Cookies' wonderful orange coconut drop cookies...just in case someone in your neighborhood drops on by.

Orange Butter Drops with Shredded Coconut (OGC)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Grated zest of one orange

2 ½ cups AP flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons fresh oj

1 cup 4x sugar

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Put granulated sugar and orange zest in a medium bowl. Using both hands, rub the sugar into the orange zest. Put the mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and add flour and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds.

With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the pieces of butter. When the mixture begins to look like crumbs, add the vanilla. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese. When the dough starts to clump together, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead it by hand for a few seconds until it is fully combined.

Scoop out a small round of dough, about 1 ½ tablespoons in size. Roll the scoop onto a ball. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and gently press the ball. Repeat. leaving 1 inch between cookies. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool on a rack.

Prepare the glaze: In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon cream cheese, the oj and confectioner’s sugar.. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 more minutes. Glaze should be as thick as glue!! Spread coconut on plate. Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze, dip into the shredded coconut, and let set for 20 minutes. Makes 36.

Look...there is even a "namesake" cookie!!

A Biteful of Sugar...

2012-01-23T09:38:00.003-06:00

helps.

Both new mommas had all their diagnostic tests done at Lenox Hill Hospital…the hospital that has been in the news so much. We were there for tests during the Beyonce-Jay Z-Blue Ivy craziness. However, both times they were ready to deliver, their midwife did not have any back-up available at Lenox Hill and so we all went to another hospital without the reported million dollar renovation! Ha!

For sure, I don’t want to spend another night in a hospital waiting room (luxe or worn) any time soon. Both of our babies came into the world with “difficult” deliveries and some complications that fortunately, turned out fine.

For one of my kiddoes, I was in the labor room assisting for about 8 hours and also spent more than an equal amount of time in the tiny waiting room. There was a family there coping with both a newborn delivered at 26 weeks, before the official “age of viability” (week 28) and a shocked and scared new mom struggling to regain normal blood pressure. Out of town relatives, friends filled the cramped waiting room offering support and solace. I wish I had had something comforting to offer them besides words. Of course, my first food thought was, “Where can I find them a kale salad?”

There is a bakery, One Girl Bakery, near the hospital that is known for its heartwarming cookies. Here is one of their recipes…just in case you have someone who could use a little TLC. For some reason, a biteful of sugar soothes…kale can always come later!

Old-Fashioned Graham Crackers

2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup whole wheat flour
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄4 cup turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and 1/4 cup of water. Mix for 30 seconds. Repeat this step once, then add the remaining flour mixture and mix just to combine.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 seconds. Divide the dough in half. Cover one half with plastic wrap and set it aside.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface, put the dough on the parchment, and top with a second sheet of parchment. Roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Chill the dough for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, peel off both sheets of parchment, and put the dough on a cutting board. Using a square cookie cutter, cut out the dough, rerolling the scraps twice. Put the cookies  on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of turbinado sugar.

Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, for 20 minutes, or until the cookies are a dark golden color around the edges. Let cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 24.

All good things...

2012-01-18T11:16:00.025-06:00

come to those who wait...two good things as a matter of fact. It is interesting that while waiting, I became enamoured with double doors.

Two beautiful ones just opened...

I got to New York December 1. Some of you thought I was cruising Broadway and fine restaurants…where are they again? No, I came here to be a mom, to set up “Support Central”. For most of December and early January, I ran errands…every kind you can imagine and helped out according to my children’s List of the Day! Lots of holiday prep, of course, but mainly prep for what was to come…the wonderful births of two beautiful, healthy babies.

December 30th, 2:20 a.m. the first baby arrived…a beautiful baby granddaughter

January 13th, 9:47 p.m. the second baby arrived...a beautiful baby grandson

For all of you with expectant children, I suggest you watch “The Business of Being Born” so you can also help advocate for healthiest, happiest deliveries possible. My kiddoes made sure I saw it.

While some of the documentary is beyond what they wished to do, the insight is invaluable and helped us all pilot their new arrivals into the world. Most of all, I embraced the premise of the film…birth is a healthy, natural event and that helped us all with The Three C’s: Calmness, Confidence and Coolness. It worked and we all rode out the inevitable ups and downs of delivery and afterbirth. The same midwife coached both births and from my end at least, did an absolutely amazing job. Words and emotions cannot describe the jobs my kiddoes did bringing their precious ones into the world.

And so without further ado, it is time to spill the beans and welcome Plum and Shaine into the world.

These two children are born to parents who will be loving, funny, kind, creative, adventuresome, nurturing and just perfect for these little ones. And born to a grandmother (eeek!) who will follow their lead. The fun has just begun! xoxoxox

For MLK

2012-01-16T10:28:00.000-06:00

Stepping out

2012-01-13T14:17:00.002-06:00

While waiting, I have gone on lots of walks between errand runs. A few days ago, I explored a couple of new streets in my 'hood and took some fun pictures...all this to pass the time when really, this is the thought most on my mind...

Thoughts for my wonderful daughter

Anyway, I discovered that one of the industries just down the street is a CBS sound stage where two popular TV shows are filmed. The other night, they shot a scene for The Good Wife that involved a student protest and street scramble. It was fun standing at a distance and hearing , "Cut!"

Then, further up in the heart of "town" is a Polish bakery. Actually, there are tons of bakeries...all yummy. This one I think is where the locals go. During the holidays, folks lined up all the way down the sidewalk to get a goodie. All are as delish as they look...totally yum, especially the poppyseed roll.

Yum!

9/11

2012-01-11T09:01:00.000-06:00

It is January 11 and so I thought this would be a great day to share this.

On another gorgeous day, I hopped over on the water taxi (LOVE it!) and went to visit the 9/11 Memorial. I know you have seen it on the news but maybe these shots will give you another chance to see this simply moving memorial. The many, many, many security checks are a reminder that something heinous happened here but overall, the memorial and its grounds are very peaceful and serene.

East River Ferry Dock

Freedom Tower

First Responders

Flight 175

Pentagon

Flight 77

Flight 93

World Trade Center

And then, right across the street is this vintage beauty. Beautiful, strong and witness to both great tragedy and great goodness, its endurance adds its own peace, comfort and assuredness…

Winter's Bounties

2012-01-09T10:07:00.000-06:00

This Saturday was glorious…full sun, warm wind and spring-like temperatures…in the 50’s in January! I stopped again at the farmers’ market for a quick peak and got an eyeful…lots of apples, winter greens and winter veggies like broccoli, carrots, beets and squash, all kinds of mushrooms, fabulous whole grains and breads, farm eggs, artisanal cheeses and pickles, hormone-free dairy (and even pasture-fed meats.) Quite a bounty for the dead of winter. There are several foods that taste remarkably different here…eggs, carrots and the greens…they are really amazing. Never tasted ones as delicious.

Here is another recipe from the market…adapted from Deborah Madison.

Green Chard and Slivered Carrots

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2-4 small dried red chilies, optional
1 bunch green Swiss chard, about 1 ½ pounds
3 medium carrots (try a mixture of orange, yellow and red)
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Vinegar or slices of fresh lemon

Warm olive oil with garlic and chili peppers until the garlic is just lightly browned. Remove chili peppers and set aside.

Wash chard, remove thick part of stem and cut leaves into large pieces or ribbons. Wash carrots and slice into diagonal strips. I don’t ever peel them. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and gently blanch chard and carrots, 1-3 minutes or until al dente. Drain well and toss with the garlic-chili infused olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper and serve with vinegar or lemon slices.

After the farmers' market, to help the time pass (yes…still “waiting”), I took a walk and found a street as remarkably "bountiful" as the farmers’market. A beautiful Catholic church heads up a street of wonderful brownstones and two other churches, a Lutheran and a Reform. While brownstones are still flourishing in other parts of Brooklyn, the true ones near me are rare…much less a whole street full. Most streets are full re-do’s: “brickstones” and aluminum-sided rowhouses, like the one my apartment is in.

In addition to being excited about food, I am also excited about “vintage”architecture, especially doors. Let me share some beauties. Of course, my imagination took flight...filling each door with stories, vintage furniture, clothing and even a horse drawn carriage or two!

Branching Out

2012-01-06T11:08:00.003-06:00

One of the fun things about being in a new “culture” is learning about and enjoying a new way of doing things. Branching out…trying out a new leaf so to speak.

And so, taking that thought literally...

I have always found there is something very comforting about cabbage. I love it gently stir-fried; I love it in soup. And, stuffed cabbage rolls…yum. I usually buy the green varieties of cabbage and every so often, the red or purple kind. However...I don't do much with red cabbage except eat it raw. Encouraged by my adventure here, I feel the need to branch out, try out that new leaf in a new way.

Last time at the farmers' market, I was quick to grab a recipe flyer hanging by the produce stand. Love new recipes! Enjoy this one. Warm Red Cabbage Salad is very similar to a yummy side I had along with mushroom and sauerkraut pierogies in a Polish restaurant, is chock full of nutritional gems and the vibrant color is just like the gorgeous garnet...the gemstone of January! Enjoy branching out a little this weekend, too!

Warm Red Cabbage Salad

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about ¼ head)
¾ teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 crisp, sweet apple (Gala or Braeburn)
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, caraway seeds and salt. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add apple, shallot, vinegar, mustard and pepper and stir intil combined. Serve sprinkled with toasted walnuts.

Picture from Internet...great bowl, too!

Bean Great So Far!

2012-01-03T10:44:00.001-06:00

Here is the recipe I promised...so nice on New Year's Day along with brown rice (local or from Lundberg) and lots of greens. This combo serves up all the traditional "good luck" foods as well as serves up a clean, healthy start to the year. Beans are golden...absolutely a powerfood in a class by themselves. And, I am a huge fan...Bean Queen as well as Veggie Queen. Sometimes, those grocery store bags are old and the beans are quite bland and starchy. Try to find a store that has bulk beans or better yet, heirloom ones. I used an heirloom red lima that I found in the farmers' market. Wonderful flavor...faintly like chestnuts.

Yes, for you readers who are purists, I know that it is past New Year's Day but what the heck...make today your lucky day!!

New Year's Lima Beans (recipe and pix from Food and Wine)

3 cups dried giant lima beans or gigantes, rinsed and picked over, then soaked for 4 hours and drained
Kosher salt
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
One 16-ounce can whole tomatoes—juices reserved, tomatoes coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped oregano
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese (6 1/2 ounces), for sprinkling
2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs

Pesto
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped oregano
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 small garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt

In a large saucepan, cover the lima beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the limas are just tender but still al dente, about 2 1/2 hours; add water as needed to keep the limas covered by 2 inches. Season the limas with salt and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Drain the limas, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.

In a medium saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano and the reserved bean cooking liquid and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 1 hour. Season the tomato sauce with salt.

In a mini food processor, combine the olive oil with the oregano, parsley and garlic and pulse to a coarse puree. Season the oregano pesto with salt.

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, mix the limas with the tomato sauce and sprinkle the feta on top. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 40 minutes, until the beans are bubbling and the cheese is browned. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the bread crumbs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Top the beans with the bread crumbs, dollop with the oregano pesto and serve. Each bite brings delicious luck!

Just a quick thought...

2012-01-02T10:33:00.001-06:00

New Year's morning over my mom's bay

"The amount of satisfaction you get from life depends largely on your own ingenuity,self-sufficiency, and resourcefulness.

People who wait around for life to supply their satisfaction usually find boredom instead."
William C. Menninger

A friend sent this to me this morning and as the New Year unfolds, they are lovely thoughts to add to so many others. Be ingenious! Be resourceful!

I still hold to the "it takes a village" philosophy and so I might amend Be self-suffient to also include: Share your strengths!

Speaking of sharing, I made a "clean and green" bean dish yesterday that was del-ish and will post soon. Have to recharge my computer! See you a little later! Have a joyous day.

By the way...what are your thoughts for the New Year? Would love to hear them! xoxo

Bridging the Wait

2011-12-30T09:23:00.005-06:00

I wonder, in this season of wonder, how many zillion emotions and feelings play out waiting. Waiting. Waiting for the Times Square ball to drop, waiting for the New Year to ring in, waiting for new life to arrive?

I am experiencing more than several of those zillion...patience, hope, excitement, and most of all, an interesting calmness.

There was an absolutely gorgeous crescent moon hanging over the Williamsburg Bridge the other night...such a luminous sliver in a crisp, clear, cold winter's night sky. Just a beautiful little start of a moon...hanging around, calm and cool as could be, right in the middle of one of the busiest bridges in one of the busiest cities ever and in a sky that was just packed with stars and planets.

That beautiful little moon gave me this thought for the New Year...be resolute, be bold, be ready to grow wherever you are, no matter what, even if it is in the middle of what seems to be chaos. Calmly let your light shine. Put it out there. Shine it on bridges, on connections, and light up the way to new ones. Be luminous. You are have a special place in the universe, a bright place and are in the right place, at the right time.

And while waiting and waiting, a little munching is in order, wouldn't you agree?

Crescent Moon Bridge Mix (adapted from Mark Bittman)

butter or neutral oil (like grapeseed)
2 cups sugar
2 cups toasted or roasted nuts
pinch sea salt
White chocolate

Grease large baking pan with butter. Put sugar and 1/3 cup sugar in a small deep pan over low heat. Cook, without stirring, until sugar dissolves and starts to color. Keep cooking until the sugar turns caramel colored...golden but not dark brown. This will take between 5 and 10 minutes. Put nuts in a big heatproof bowl.

Drizzle the hot sugar syrup (BE CARFEUL!) over the nuts, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Work quickly because it will harden quickly! While warm, spread and let cool. Once cool, drizzle melted chocolate (white would be nice and moon-like, especially if you are using cashews.) Break into pieces to eat!

You may also want to google See's candy..they are supposed to have de-lish Bridge Mix, www.sees.com

Wash down with a glass of bubbly!

And, no need to wait any longer for this wish...

Faith that Knitting One, Pearls Forever

2011-12-23T08:34:00.001-06:00

Last week, I learned that McDonald's serves 50 million “meals” or transactions a day. That is one transaction for every 5-6 of us! Daily! Next, I overheard a young gal say she spent over $1000 a month on restaurant meals…breakfast, lunch and dinner…and doesn’t go to the grocery store more than twice a year. Yes, year. Yes, twice. Then, I read in the paper that “bake sales” now-a-days are “bake resales”…people reselling purchased goodies as their own.

And so, all that “industrial” news leads me to this thought for this holiday weekend. Give something personal, something hand-made. Best yet…made by your hands or Mother Nature’s.

I am really excited about the gifts I am giving this year…almost all are hand-made, many locally or through fair-trade, are vintage, repurposed, living or gifts of time.

Gifts can be as simple as a small gesture and have a grand effect. Here is what I “got” yesterday. Ranks up there with one of the best gifts ever.

I went to pick up my knit sweaters from Sue (see last week) and had only a debit card, not cash. Sue doesn’t take cards. Here is what happened…

“Mommy (she calls me this), you no have cash? No problem. Here are your sweaters. We will see each other again. I know that. You pay me then, OK, Mommy? Happy Christmas!”

Now remember, I hardly know Sue. I am a stranger here. And yet, along with my knitted sweaters, she gave me a pearl...the gift of Faith. Faith in the connection of people. Faith in the goodness of people. Faith in the future.

Wherever you are this Holiday Season and whatever you are celebrating, I wish for you “Sue”…someone who sees such hope, such trust, such peace in the world that she passes her faith on to you. Don’t hold back. Take it gratefully and share.

Peace, love and faith to you all! xoxoxo

Table Toast

2011-12-20T09:09:00.000-06:00

I remember a novelty from a long time ago…recipe cards!!! Do you?? Here at the little café where I use the internet, it is a marriage of memories…recipe cards and decoupage...right there on table tops!! Sweet! How retro!!! How “in the day”.

I remember these cards as being Campbell’s Soup promos…tons of variations on “add 1 can of xxx Campbell’s Soup”, and then, of course, a good shake of MSG-rich Accent to boot. And maybe top off with shredded American cheese or a dollop of Velveeta. Pop the Pyrex casserole it in the oven and presto! Dinner. One thing for sure, I would love some of that “vintage” Pyrex now!

Here is one of those recipes, beaming up from the tabletop, that could be great for this holiday week. It sure reminds me of Christmas Eve at Poppa and Gonnie's and her gorgeous cranberry glass punch bowl...

Picture and recipe from Betty Crocker...to keep the retro theme going, of course! I do love the little lemon and lime stars in the ice cubes.

Tangy Cranberry Punch

2 cans pineapple juice (12 ounces each)
3 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar (hmm...I would omit this! Maybe add a splash of vanilla?)
3 cups ginger ale (might be fun to try ginger beer here...yummy or a naturally ginger-infused beverage?)
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1/2 orange, thinly sliced

Stir together fruit juices, water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Just before serving, pour over ice in punch bowl. Add ginger ale and garnish with fruit slices. Serves 10 people and reindeer.
Cheers! Happy Hanukkah. Happy Winter (almost!)!

Peace by Peace

2011-12-16T08:56:00.002-06:00

Wednesday was an affirming day…that peaceful, lovely people do come with the territory. Everywhere I go, I seem to meet lovely people. A young gal, Jaysa, that I met on the street with her dog, Oscar Wilde, I saw later just by window gazing into a shop. Unbeknownst to me…the shop was hers! Then, there was the gal on the subway who said, “Sweetie, this is where you get off. Turn right at the top of the stairs and walk six blocks.” Next, the young man in a coffee shop, who I had seen earlier in the vet’s, helped me with some pet questions. He was quickly followed up by Leticia, who comes from Puebla, Mexico, and got so excited when I told her Mole Poblano is one of the most delicious creations ever. She promises to bring me some…”lo mas fresco y hecho a mano”.

I would also love the pot, spoon and hearth!!!

And, then, there is Sue. Sue owns a dry cleaners where I dropped off a rug. I went back yesterday to drop off some sweaters. She looked at me and said, “Momma, you look very tired. (Swell…that’s the comment I needed! Oh well.) You no getting any sleep, Momma?” Then, a few hours later, she calls me on the phone! “Momma, I take good care of your sweaters. You get rest, OK, Momma?" Lovely. Sue’s got my back and the clothes off it!

In Wednesday’s New York Times, in the "Dining" section, I saw a familiar face, Caterina Schenardi, who makes her pasta at her son’s restaurant, Gradisca. I ate there a couple of years ago when she was there and watched her make her famous “Venus’ Navel” tortellini. Really amazing story and really amazing pasta. Check it out here.

This is the last weekend before Christmas and Hanukkah. Many wish for peace on earth. I believe you create it, one person, one gesture at a time. To all those who have given me the peace of welcome, big hugs.

Here is a recipe I would fix if you could all come to dinner…warm and peaceful, comforting and welcoming! Happy Weekend!

Mushroom Risotto (adapted from Eat, Drink, Live)

4 cups veggie broth
2 ounces dried mushrooms (chanterelle, morel, shiitake or porcini*)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, mashed and minced
1 onion, minced
1 ½ cups risotto rice
1/3 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 3 ounces extra, shaved or grated
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put stock and dried mushrooms in a saucepan and let soak 10 minutes. Heat stock to simmer. Strain the mushrooms and return stock to saucepan to keep hot.

Melt the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic and onion and cook over medium heat until softened but not browned. Add rice and stir until grains are coated with butter and oil.

Add a ladle of hot stock to the rice and mix well. When rice has absorbed the liquid, add another ladle of stock and stir well. Repeat with the remaining stock, cooking the risotto for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Meanwhile, chop mushrooms into smaller pieces.

Add the soaked mushrooms, white wine or vermouth, the remaining butter and the grated Parmesan to the risotto. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh pepper and gently reheat for 2 minutes. Serve with extra shaved Parmesan over top. Serves 4 peacefully.

Back atcha!

2011-12-14T16:01:00.001-06:00

Here is a pix of my new home away from home… a “brickstone” rowhouse that will soon be known as “Support Central”.

It is on a quiet-ish street in a predominately Polish neighborhood. A couple of blocks away is a major thoroughfare with every storefront imaginable and it is fun walking there after dark. There are TONS of lights…my goodness, every holiday decoration ever made ever is displayed and the streets are swathed in lights, too. Beautiful swags going all the way across. Really reminds me of the hometown Main Street where I grew up in Ohio. Sweet. Really sweet.

I did manage to find a store with some beautiful Christmas ornaments and pottery from Poland. I love the pottery, seen at right in pix. The patterns are fun, playful and all handmade. There are scads of Polish restaurants, too and I am dying for a pierogi. Wonder which place to go to?? I will have to do a little asking around. There is so much creativity here. One restaurant makes not only all its food from scratch (totally farm to table) but also makes its own hand-thrown dishes!

Only drawback is that it is somewhat far from the two places I go every day. A little farther that I expected, hence Project Posture is an absolute must. Here is the exercise I do…and I swear, doing it and loads more water got rid of a minor backache and major headache, too. Sweet!

Back Bliss Exercise

Stand straight with hands clasped behind back and feet planted about 2 feet apart. Roll shoulders down and back, straighten neck and squeeze shoulder blades together for 2-3 minutes. Breathe slowly and at end, release shoulders. Repeat 2-3 more times or do once a hour if in a "back stressed" situation. (You can also sit in a chair and drape your arms over back of chair, clasp hands together, squeeze, etc.)

Really helped me...felt the pain melting as I squeezed! Yay! Happy Women and Wednesdays!

Energizing the Projects!

2011-12-12T12:08:00.002-06:00

Yea, that’s what I am talking about. Even the buildings are shouting a welcome!! Isn’t that great?! And, notice, too, the green light…awesome! That graffiti is a keeper.

Another keeper was this “sandwich” I had…oh my. I did not want it to end. So yummy…fresh and flavorful. And, I am not even crazy about sandwiches, but this one I am going to have to take on as a project and reconstruct.

Speaking of projects and construction, over the weekend, I assessed my “energy” and how to build it up. I am doing a LOT more walking than ever before. I mean, a LOT. And, as you sensed from Friday’s post, some of it is in the wrong direction. Surely, I have broken a weekly record in just one day!

What I have broken in is my back. It’s a little “ouchy”. I am using a backpack for the first time ever instead of a purse and it is a smidge weird feeling, a little odd. Last time I had something on my back, it was my beloved children…in their little papoose packs. That’ll date me.

And so, what has come to my attention now is my posture. Posture is huge. And, I am amazed that when I project my body, especially my shoulders and neck, in the proper position…bingo…no backache! I have to be very intentional about standing up straight and that includes holding up my head. I am a little tall for a gal and hadn’t realized how I had begun to slouch and throw my head and long neck forward. That is until Mile #12 when my back started hurting. Project Posture…added to the list! I will share an exercise I have been doing in Wednesday’s post.

‘Til then, here is an energizing little beverage that I have sipped on to start off my days. After 5 .pm., I suppose you can add a dash of “spirits”. I suspect, with or without spirits, this brew will also come in handy for the occasional “ouchy” winter throat as well.

Lemon and Ginger Morning Brew (adapted from Eat, Drink, Live)

Zest and juice of 3 lemons
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
A bunch of mint leaves (I know…weird timing on the mint, but it is so good in all kinds of beverages! Love it in my shakes.)

Put lemon zest and juice, ginger and mint in heatproof pitcher. Pour in 3 cups boiling water and let steep 6 minutes. Serve warm or iced with extra slices of lemon and ginger. Sweeten (if you must) with honey or agave nectar. Serves 2-3

'Round the corner

2011-12-09T11:16:00.001-06:00

The sun is back out after a storm that got my attention. Phew...rattled the cages for sure. I don't think I have ever been in wind like that!

I am settling in and finding "goods in the hood" so to speak. People have been so nice...helping me find my way or my way back...ha! God knows I have no sense of direction!!! For real. "Go north. Go south"...forgetaboutit. Hard for me to remember which way is right or left even! But, despite my directional challenges, I am getting better and finding some landmarks.

Getting a little lost has had its advantages. I have discovered nearby bodegas, fun little shops...a little different magic behind every door. Every corner also tells a story and last night I was on the four corners that officially started the game of baseball in 1846. http://www.hobokenbaseball.com/

I have found other delightful corners with coffee, fresh juices and the best kale salad on the planet. Several more delight my senses with fragrant greens, gorgeous "deli" flowers and smells and languages of every kind. Love it.

Also love the 4:30 veil of darkness. Settles the day down. Cocooning. Because it is getting a little nippy, I have soup on my mind and found this yummy sounding one...love that it came complete with "green" serving suggestions!!! The addition of warming spices, too, like cumin, curry and black pepper is nice. With long winter nights and major chilliness right 'round the corner, this soup makes a toasty, comforting meal. Now, I just have to remember which corner winter's coming 'round... Happy Weekend!

Curried Lentil Soup (recipe from Dr. Neal Barnard)

Serve this soup with braised collards, kale, cabbage, or a green salad and whole-grain bread or chapattis.

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
1 onion, chopped
2 organic celery stalks, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry couscous
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Combine lentils, onion, celery, garlic, cumin, and water or broth in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover loosely and cook until lentils are tender, about 50 minutes. Stir in couscous, tomatoes, curry powder, and black pepper. Continue cooking until couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serves 8.

Green and Gorgeous Gifts

2011-12-07T16:06:00.005-06:00

Over the last two years, I have discovered quite a treasure trove of beautiful, safe and healthy resources. Many others may be available to you locally, too. However, if your wishlist takes you online, join me now as it's time to turn those resources into...

Green and Gorgeous Gifts

For the Home
Give beautiful, natural candlelight like this...

and add some lovely linen dish towels, napkins and placemats, snuggly linen wraps and more by checking out this link...http://www.brookfarmgeneralstore.com/

For the Healthier Cooking
Wrap up cast iron, porcelain enamel, glass or stainless steel cookware. Check out your local hardware store!

Anyone have a fabulous cookbook on the list? Oh, I have got a whole list of favorites...just email me!

For Little Ones
While browsing at The Brook Farm General Store, look at what's in stock there for all the little ones on your list. There are all sorts of soft, organic cotton toys and for olders kiddoes, great playing cards, fun real wood pencils and other simple delights.

Pthalate-free bath buddies, painted with toxin-free paints! Sweet!

And, for safe and snuggly Winter Babies, go here organic cotton onesies

For Bathtime for any body, newborn to 100, male or female

Make it relaxing, rejuvenating and healthy, go to non-toxic bath and body delights here. The new Lemon Sugar Scrub is divine!

Still not done? Check out this link and let your gift give double the joy http://ewg.org/amazon. A portion of all purchase proceeds will go to The Environmental Working Group and help it continue its safety monitoring of the toxins in our food, water and personal care...truly green and clean!

Remember, too, that the gift of giving your time to others is priceless and lasts forever, truly green and gold. xoxoxo

For Starters...

2011-12-05T07:45:00.002-06:00

It doesn't feel quite like I would imagine jumping off a cliff does, but comes pretty close.

I am on an adventure that started with a leap of faith, Craigslist and a simple hope to rent a furnished apartment. I got two replies from the ad...one totally weird. "Yes, we have the perfect place! Wire funds here...we don't have a U.S. bank account! You will love our place!" I am sure that apartment has an ocean view, right?!

Number Two said to call her and "chat"...which I did. Bingo. Home run. I moved in three days ago and so the adventure (much more on the specifics coming soon!!!) has begun. The first night it did feel a little strange walking around, showering, sleeping in someone else's space until I saw the bookcase....nothing in it but cookbooks!!! Seriously, a goldmine.

I learned from our conversations that my "landlady" had attended a dreamy cooking school...one I would drool to go to and her apartment (at least the bookcase and gas range...phew!) reflects her love of great food and healthy cooking. I read cookbooks like novels and so this will be deliciously fun! And, with no television, if I run out, there is a library near. Card me up!

For starters, here is an adventurous snack from one cookbook I have devoured. I will be sharing lots of new recipes with you...all fun, healthy and green...just the way I like 'em!

Zucchini Cheddar Toast (adapted form Eat, Drink, Live)

2 zucchini, grated
1/1/2 cups freshly grated Cheddar (no dye!) or Monterey Jack cheese
1 shallot, finely diced
1 small egg
dash of Worcestershire sauce
4 slices whole grain bread, toasted
sea salt and fresh black pepper

Put the grated zucchini in a dry dish cloth and twist tightly, squeezing out excess liquid. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the cheese, shallot, egg, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly. Put toasted bread on a baking tray, pile on zucchini-cheese mixture and cook under preheated broiler until golden brown. Serve hot. Yummy treat for snacking.

Oh, and another special treat for today...I took a commuter ferry to "work"! Loved it...leaving in the luscious sunlight and coming home at night with all the gorgeous lights. Just maginificent.

And coming Wednesday, a "green gift" guide, just in case your Santa needs some fresh ideas .

Let's Fill Up the Universe!

2011-11-30T08:44:00.000-06:00

I had a completely different thought to share today, until I read my Facebook page. A post took my breath away.

A friend's daughter, my daughter's age, underwent breast cancer surgery yesterday. Oh my.
Oh my.

And so this Women and Wednesdays, I want to share thoughts of good health, no...GREAT health and hope they surround my friend and her daughter.

Here is what I know that is some good news. Every day we have brand new cells...a fresh start in every part of our bodies, minds and hearts. Who knows exactly how cancer starts. But we do know how we can start off our new cells. Feed these "newbies" well and focus a good chunk of your lifestyle on them.

This holiday season, if you do nothing else, take great care of yourself, your loved ones and educate yourself on how to live "free" of some of the harmful foods, harmful chemicals and harmful thoughts in your life.

I am right here learning all I can along with you and will keep adding recipes and resources. Won't you join me? Let's fill the universe with thoughts and actions for great health. xoxox

Speaking of "Taking Ten"

2011-11-28T08:37:00.003-06:00

Here is a list of the 10 most power-packed foods for winter health, just in case you have a little E.R. today. Eater's Remorse. Good news...go ahead and keep indulging. Just load up on these and hey, then you can feel free to say, "Yes, I will have seconds of that yummy sweet potato pie!"

1. Kale (Yes...call me consistent!)
2. Cucumber (extra water for healthier skin)
3. Carrots
4. Spinach
5. Avocados
6. Chia Seeds (I add them into my shake)
7. Brazil nuts
8. Beets
9. Cashews
10. Filtered Water

Some of you may want to actually detox a bit after the Opening Holiday Eating Weekend and so here is a recipe that will do the trick. And remember, all the green shakes I have posted are perfect Holiday cocktails!

Beet, Fennel and Fig Salad (adapted from Candle 79...one of my fave NY restaurants)

Cranberry-Sage Dressing

1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed if frozen
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 fresh sage leaf, chopped
1/3 c. filtered water
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until softened, about five minutes. Add cranberries and cook, stirring, until softened and begin to pop, about five minutes. Set aside to cool; transfer to a blender. Add vinegar, rosemary, sage, water, maple syrup, salt and remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil and process until smooth.

Salad

1 lb. fresh beets
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and halved
olive oil for drizzling
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. cashews (pix and original recipe use pecans)
1/2 lb. baby arugula or spinach
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced (optional)
6 fresh figs, cut into wedges (if available; if not, there are ample dried ones)

Heat oven to 350°F. Wrap beets in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Put the fennel on a separate baking sheet, cut side up, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Put the beets and fennel in the oven and roast until fork-tender, about 30 minutes for fennel, and 50 to 60 minutes for beets. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into thin slices; cut fennel into very thin slices.

Meanwhile, spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about five to eight minutes.

Place the arugula in a large bowl, add the beets, fennel, pecans and pear; gently toss. Drizzle with dressing and scatter figs over salad. Serves and detoxs 6. Yum

I am sad to leave Thanksgiving behind because among other treats, it means the Crazy Target Lady is singing her last hurrah. "There will be some serious repercussions..." is one of her most hysterical ads. Laughter is a great detoxifier, too, and goes perfectly with this joyous salad. Here she is. Enjoy!

2011-11-24T07:48:00.003-06:00

Minding the Store

2011-11-23T07:55:00.000-06:00

of my own well-being this holiday season may seem selfish but it is something I aim to do. I love giving my time to others. The hope that I have helped out in some way and the joy I get from giving feed me well, emotionally and spiritually, but can leave me feeling physically a little worn around the edges.

As a little girl, I was always intrigued by certain gifts my grandmother had in her stash labeled "To me, from me". Those boxes seemed kind of strange at the time. I never really knew what was in them, but now, I have a guess.

I saw this article online about taking time for yourself and the recipe really resonated. I am going to get some little boxes and put these weekly lessons in them. Then, as I am doing things for others, I am also going to open my own "To me, from me" gifts and take ten this holiday season. To restock my store so to speak.

And so, my Thanksgiving and Women and Wednesdays wish for all is that peace is a recipe that also intrigues you, you bring it home, make it and enjoy an abundant serving that fills your plate and feeds you well. Then, you pass peace and its recipe on to all your loved ones, your community and Mother Earth.

I love this beautiful table from Vogue 2006

and I would add The Peace Rose to it and of course, lots of these

Peace of Well-Being and Happy Thanksgiving!

For the Green Love of It, Sip and See...

2011-11-21T08:00:00.010-06:00

How healthy you will be this holiday season! Today is officially the opening day of "Crunch Time". And, although Thanksgiving and Christmas are, by choice, waaay simpler for me than Halloween, there is always lots to do and lots of people to care for...even more this year!

And so, it is really important that I stay well and have fun munching away the days but don't put on too many pounds (easy for me...lifelong battle) or climb up too many sugar highs. Delicious on the way up...so not much on the way down! (I love the actor in Target's commercials...so wired and hysterical, she looks like she is going to pop!)

This morning I turned to my blender to officially toast the holiday season with...my life-saving green shake, seasonalized with lovely green apples, mint and pomegranate juice. A shake of cinnamon, a little ginger and of course, greens. They aren't just for decorating!! Eat 'em up!

These shakes are a salad to sip on and a great way to build a body up...sip by sweet sip. They are rich in antioxidants that cool inflammation (think anti-aging!) and deliver a big alkaline boost to your body (think healing, think calming!). If you don't want to DIY this shake first time around, go to Whole Foods and ask for their "Trice". Our local Whole Foods juice bartender, Anthony, has a radar, apparently, and knows when I am in the store. He always has a freshly juiced Trice waiting for me and sometimes, even comes to find me and hand delivers it! Thanks, Anthony! Abrazos!

For the Green Love of the holidays, take a sip and get your glow on!

Fall for Greens Shake

1-2 large leaves of green kale (or a big handful of spinach)
quarter sized slice of fresh ginger
several leaves of mint...to taste (I like lots)
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 organic green apple
5-6 raw almonds or walnuts
good shake of cinnamon (I also add a good shake of turmeric)
3 ice cubes
pomegranate juice and filtered water or chilled green tea to total about 1/2 cup (you can add more to make it the consistency you like...slushy or juicy)

Toss all into a blender and blend away. Add more liquid to make it thinner if you like. Add protein powder (I have a great one) if you are having this as a meal. Serves 1-2.
.

We've been "Sliced"

2011-11-18T09:37:00.003-06:00

This pillow poses a very worthwhile question. One I would love to answer. Chocolate is a such a powerhouse. Strong enough to hold its own as a stand alone food group!

This pizza slice poses a question that was all over the news yesterday.

Seriously...this is being taken seriously? Pizza is a vegetable? Goodness. Leaves me almost speechless. Kind of reminds me when I worked with a family convinced mac and cheese was a veggie as well because it was listed as a "side" on restaurant menus. *Sigh*

The answer doesn't require a degree in nutrition. Apparently, just ask a lobbyist.

I just cannot believe how the bodies with the most future are the pawns in all this. Our little ones. Sickening. No wonder the stats on obesity and diabetes are so predictable. Our kids being mainlined right into chronic disease. Any chance at optimal health sliced away...for what? A subsidy??? For more on this read playing-potato-pizza-politics

Well, I am shaken up. Now, I need to call my congressman. Done. Next, I need a little TLC. Done. These cornmeal waffles sound de-lish and no...don't even go there with the "Are these a vegetable?" thing.

Not a Vegetable Cornmeal Waffles (adapted from Stuart)

1 cup unbleached flour (I mix in some whole wheat as well)
1 cup stoneground cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs (organic preferred)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (organic preferred), melted
2 cups buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix the melted butter into the eggs, and then stir into the buttermilk.

Combine wet and dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Cook according to waffle maker instructions.

Serve with a small pat of unsalted butter and real maple syrup or with a syrup made from mashed berries.

Shoppers: (Wo)man your Wallets!

2011-11-16T09:00:00.003-06:00

Yes, we women are the shoppers in most families. We buy most of the goods whether it is food, bath towels or health care. You know how I like to shop? With a real person. I do love some online sites a bunch...especially for goods that are not in my market and so I don't mean to discredit those. However, I do like to call and talk to a real person when I can.

And, I do love some big stores, especially those with a "real person" presence, too. As I said in Monday's post...I like to know who's making my coffee, my food, my pots and pans, my skincare.

It was with much applause and "WAY to GO!" that I read on article in Sunday's NYT Business Section...about a little town in New York that banned together and sold shares to create its own department store instead of "Big Boxing" it. Love that!

There's magic inside!

And so, this Women and Wednesdays post is about opening the door and feeding your community with your share of shopping dollars. Next Saturday, November 26th is Small Business Saturday. Mark your calendars! What a perfect time to buy from someone you know, from a shop down the street. Even better if they source from individual manufacturers and artists instead of Big Suppliers.

Whenever possible, I like to buy vintage or repurposed goods. I love a good story and have romantic notions about the history of what I am buying. I buy from happy people, in happy shops. Shops that treat both me and their employees well. Even better if they are working towards a more sustainable present and future.

Thanks to what I have learned from my friend Deb, who owns a fair trade store in Savannah, Georgia, Go Fish, I am working hard on asking more questions before I buy something.

Instead of just asking:
"How much is this?" and, if appropriate, "Does it come in orange?"
I always try to find out..."Who made this?" "How is it made and where?" and "What is it made of ?" (for toxicity reasons). For example, I know the made-in-the-U.S., family-created skin care I love sources from 4 women-owned companies, sources organic ingredients whenever available and uses one fair-traded ingredient. I know there are no children harmed to create these products. Those facts are as huge a "sell" for me as the wonderful results I get.

And so, woman your wallets and head out to shop like it matters this holiday season. Because it does.

Morning Joe: Choir Master

2011-11-14T10:18:00.001-06:00

Where I have the best Internet is on my sun porch and so I do most of my computer work there. Right outside one of the windows is a dogwood that is home to the sweetest sounding little wrens. Such a lovely little tune they sing. Recently, their song has been growing softer and less frequent. I think they are busy gathering up their goods for the big fly south. Time to have a cup of java in their honor.

As you know, I swear by the Environmental Working Group's research and toxin/safety evaluation of our water, food and personal care products. One change I would ask them to make, however, is to include both coffee and bananas on the "Dirty Dozen" or "Dirty 14" list. For my little birds friends as well as my human friends.

When the birds fly south, they hang out near coffee and banana plantations, many of which are pesticide and herbicide depositories. When migratory birds eat from these poisonous farms, many don't come back or if they do, their song is forever changed.

Organic coffee is still expensive (while lots of other organic choices, due to increased education and demand, have come down in price). Couple "organic" with another important element, "fair trade" and the best coffee will ring up at $12-$13 a pound or more. Well, here is a discovery for every coffee budget...Fara Coffee http://www.faracafe.com/

I bought some recently at Whole Foods (for $8.99 mind you) and loved it. So much so that I actually called the company and thanked them for what they were doing. Love that I can do that and have a human actually answer! They buy from 100 year old farms that have always done the right thing. Awesome. Their website tells the whole story.

However, I did notice an absence of "organic" certification on the bag. The person I spoke with said that, while always organic, they are in their fifth year of the seven year process to be officially certified. Love that. Think I will have another cup.

Perfect, Song-Filled Java

Start with cold, filtered water and for every 6 ounces of water, use 2 tablespoons freshly ground coffee. Brew as desired and pour into your favorite, made-from-hand mug.

Bean such a beautiful week...

2011-11-11T08:35:00.008-06:00

Just gorgeous...bright blue skies, a little cooler air (come on down, temperature!) and a moon at night that is so beautiful, so magical. I just love looking at it. Woke up in the middle of the night and just gazed at it, mentally reciting my fave moon book, "Goodnight Moon".

And, that is not a typo in the blog post title. It is to remind me not to continue gushing at the moon's loveliness and share some other lovelies with you: beans. I do love them and eat them almost every day. They are a wonderful, inexpensive protein, packed with lots of other goodies, too, like fiber and B vitamins. Very alkaline, they give the body what it needs to heal. And, there are so many beautiful varieties...

Market in Mexico brimming with beautiful beans. "Hola, Senor...Yo quiero comprar todos!!"

Many people shy away from them due to fear of "issues". Here is what I have found. If beans cause you some gastric distress, it is your body telling you you are not eating enough fiber and so instead of stopping, keep eating beans! Once you have a better fiber intake, eating beans will be uneventful. Most of the problem anyway comes from sugar-y bean recipes. Beans have a lot of stored sugar of their own and adding lots of extra sugar can be trouble!

This week, I made a bean dish that I had first with Johnnycakes and then with brown rice and also made my fave bean chili. It occurred to me that I have never shared my easy peas-y way of cooking beans. Many people also shy away from beans because they think cooking them is hard, takes too long or requires a ham hock (not!). Last night's chili, from dried beans to these beautiful bowls, was done in a little over an hour.

Here is how I did it: Bean Basics

Wash and sort beans. Place in a large Dutch oven and cover with water about 1-2 inches above the beans. Let soak. (I start mine off soaking in the morning and just let them sit 'til I am ready to cook them...from 4 hours to all day). When ready to cook, do not rinse. Use soaking water for cooking.

Saute in olive oil some onion, garlic, carrots, green pepper, celery...whatever veggies you like, until they start to soften a little. Add to beans. Bring liquid to a hard boil, boil 5 minutes and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until beans are done, from 1-3 hours depending on the bean. I usually add a couple of bay leaves to the water and often, Herbs de Provence. Make sure beans stay covered by at least 1 inch of water.

When beans are soft, add salt and season to taste. Do not salt in the beginning of the cooking process!! It will toughen the beans and you will go hungry or lose a tooth.

That's it...easy and fast as can be! Try it out this weekend and let me know how yours turned out. I go with heirloom beans when I can find them. The taste difference is amazing and they are such pretty beans. Plus... as with any heirloom, they keep the (bean) family magic alive. Happy Weekend! And a BIG "Thank YOU!" to all our veterans, today and every day.

Sun-Washed Living

2011-11-09T08:20:00.004-06:00

Last Wednesday, while still reveling in the afterglow of Halloween and Day of the Dead, it struck me that I needed to learn more about marigolds. They are the ceremonial flower of Day of the Dead and, on a recent visit to New York, I had also seen them as a garland encircling the memorial picture of Dadaji, beloved head of my Indian family.

Without even knowing their symbolism, I have a soft spot for marigolds anyway and have them growing in my garden every year. The spring I was pregnant with my daughter, I planted "Honey Bee" marigolds and sure enough, had a sweet, honey of a daughter arrive a few months later.

Marigolds symbolize the sun, the glowing origin of all life. They symbolize that we each, always and forever, will have a place in it.

Which brings me to this week's topic for Women and Wednesdays...children. So much of what I learn and share does have to do with the here and now but really, more with the hope new generations of life, our children and their children, will have healthier, happier, longer lives free from as much chemical harm as possible. And it is possible...so possible.

That is why last week, I let out a LOUD cheer that Johnson & Johnson FINALLY admitted their dirty ways. Imagine passing off the dirtiest "No More Tears" Baby Shampoo to the U.S., Canada, Australia, China and Indonesia as if we wouldn't find out and challenge them on it! Well, the challenge worked and they have agreed to reformulate.

Would I recommend their products once reformulated? No. Probably not. I can recommend products now that I know are safe and started out that way. No reformulation needed. Many remaining ingredients in the new J & J's Baby Shampoo will still not be sun-filled and life giving. They are only removing the quaternium-15 (formaldehyde) and 1,4-dioxane. Yes, scary stuff. And still a long way to go from "No More Tears" to "No More Fears".

Cultivate your marigolds and your sun-washed place in the universe. Here is the article: removing carcinogens from baby shampoo.

Making a Meal of It

2011-11-07T08:04:00.013-06:00

I went to Arkansas' first Cornbread Festival over the weekend and had a blast. It was so well done...such fun! A fabulous day, The Bernice Garden showing off its fall splendor and beautiful new roof, toe-tapping music, lots of great vendors, fun shops and yummy restaurants along South Main Street...couldn't have been better. I love that part of our town. Feels like a village, the kind of city living I adore. And, even more to love, I saw lots of my pals and neighbors there, too. Check it out here cornbread festival and don't miss it next year! Combine people and food and I am in!

Both professional and amateur chefs showed off their best and everything cornbread was ready for tasting...from Granny Penny's Cornbread (no relation!) to cornbread that was firecracker hot, ice cream sweet, cracklin' and fruited. The greens from Ashleys @The Capitol Hotel were sublime...oh my! And, so were some of the gorgeous vintage cornbread skillets and pans. Just beauties.

Not coming from a family with a cornbread tradition, here is my prior cornbread culinary experience: Thomas' Corn Toaster Cakes (yeps from the English muffin folks), cornmeal mush (you may know it in its gentrified glory as polenta. I know it as "mush": sliced, fried and covered with butter and maple syrup for breakfast), and I-could-eat-by-the-bowlsful, Indian Pudding.

In my bread making days, I also used cornmeal to dust my loaves with a little extra crunch and did actually make a de-lish corn-type bread in Mexico. Hmmm...maybe that recipe is festival worthy!

Anyway, it is safe to say that Saturday, just sampling, I ate more cornbread in one day than I have eaten in my entire life. Made a meal of it actually. Leaving, my eye caught another booth, tucked away in the garden, serving Johnnycakes. Oh...add those to my short list. I do remember having them as cornmeal pancakes. They are really yummy and can be sweet or savory. I think I will make some up tonight to go with some fabulous beans I have simmering.

Johnnycakes are a culinary legend in their own right, too, and there are separate Johnnycake festivals, just in case you are wondering! Like they say, one good thing leads to another.

Not having a family recipe, I snagged this one from the official Johnnycake site: Johnnycakes. Hope you'll flip for them and mark your calendars for next year's Arkansas Cornbread Festival! See you there!

Johnnycakes

1 cup white cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
Bacon drippings (or not...you know my choice!)

In a medium bowl, place cornmeal and salt.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring water to a rapid boil; remove from heat. With the saucepan in one hand, let the boiling water dribble onto the cornmeal while stirring constantly with the other hand. Then stir the milk into the mixture (it will be fairly thick, but not runny).

Generously grease a large, heavy frying pan (I like to use my cast-iron frying pan) with the non-bacon drippings (!) and heat. When pan is hot, drop the batter by spoonfuls. Flatten the batter with a spatula to a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch. Fry until golden brown, turn, and brown on the other side (adding more non-bacon drippings as needed).

Serve hot with butter, maple syrup, or applesauce or use to sop up "pot liquor" from beans.

Taking Comfort

2011-11-04T09:34:00.004-05:00

Good 'Til The Last Drop

I hate leaving Halloween behind. Yes, I know...only 360 days 'til it's back BUT, I do love to linger in the afterglow. Putting everything away is painful. It is nice to see that several neighbors are still in the linger mode as well. We had a fabulous time this year and a couple of new houses playfully joined in.

To me, Halloween is spirited in every sense of the word. Out of the 500 plus kiddoes we had brave our walk, I bet not more than 1-2 did not say "Thank You" or wish us "Happy Halloween!", too. Not that those salutations were solicited or expected either...all just uttered joyfully. The kids (of every age!) were amazing...so playful, so colorful, so creative, so sweet, so fun...the human spirit at some of its best. Even my daughter commented, "Are people always this polite and nice? This is impressive."

Yes...always. I believe that is our basic human spirit and what I experience every Halloween is impressive and reaffirms my faith.

Even Veggies Do It!

I was chagrined to come in and catch a news story on how parents are preventing their children from Trick or Treat-ing...saying Halloween is a fearful, scary hell-iday thay they don't want their kids to enjoy. As a matter of fact, they want their kids to be frightened of it. To me, it's the same as teaching your kids to be scared of life and the people you'll meet living it. That's just me.

Made me so sad that I needed some comfort food.

Apple Squash Gratin (picture and recipe from fellow reveler Martha Stewart)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium leeks, white part only, trimmed of roots and tough outer leaves, thinly sliced crosswise, well washed and dried
Coarse sea salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus leaves for garnish
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 pound apples, such as Gala, Cortland, Baldwin, or Macoun, peeled*, halved, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices (toss in an Arkansas Black apple for color)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 10-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add leeks and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add sherry and sage and cook until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes; set aside.

In a 2-quart shallow baking dish, arrange squash in overlapping layers; season with salt and pepper. Spread leeks evenly over the squash.

Arrange apples in an overlapping layer over the leeks. Brush apples with remaining tablespoon oil. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 45 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle cheese over the top. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. The tip of a paring knife should easily pierce the gratin. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage leaves. Serves comfort to 4.

*I rarely peel anything. Too many goodies in the skins to toss in the garbage. It will make the gratin more "rustic" in appearance, too, which I like.

Franken Pumps

2011-11-02T10:26:00.001-05:00

I have a thing for pumpkins. The interesting thing about carving pumpkins a couple of days ago was the fact that each one had such a different seed quantity. Mine was almost devoid of seeds. Remarkably few. Ordinarily, I wouldn't be too aware of how many seeds, just how to get them and the slimy strings out!

But, last Sunday there was an article in the paper about Monsanto and how anxious they are to dominate the produce aisle and seed industry...way beyond the corn and soybeans they do now. Scary.

Was my pumpkin a Franken Pump? A GMO gourd? Oh...to mitigate that sorrowful thought, I ran out and bought some heirloom varieties to savor.

Ok..so what's real here? Stuart weighing in.

Also, to savor, are the seeds. They are so rich in magnesium and fabulous fats. A handful a day will help keep the disease demons away. Magnesium helps relax nerves and muscles and gives your mood, bones and circulation a boost. They are filling, too, and the good fats really help give your skin a glow. Grab a handful, eat them raw or toasted and let me know how you enjoy them! I grind them up in my morning shake, sprinkle on salads and cooked veggies or eat as is. How 'bout you?

Keep your hands off my pumps!

and so is The Day of Days!!

2011-11-01T09:37:00.000-05:00

Today is Day of the Dead...the Mexican fiesta day that got me totally hooked on Halloween and the fact that Halloween is not a one night stand! Why not celebrate all week?! Most cultures around the world have some sort of celebration today. Come on...Party on!

To do so, just gather up some marigolds, a candle or two, your favorite sugar coffins and skulls and of course, pan de los muertos, a delightful sweet and sugar-y bread complete with baked-on bones. See pictures below. Have a great (ful dead) day!

The Night of Nights is here....

2011-10-31T08:35:00.003-05:00

Let the fun begin to howl, cackle and scream! It's Halloween!

We are coming down to the barbed wire here...little Trick or Treaters (hopefully about 500 of 'em) will start their merry dance in a few hours. Still lots of finishing touches to do...

Cute pumpkins, monstrous feet

Here's a look so far...

Come on in!

Pumpkin carving...serious stuff!

Pumps...Ready to roll

By daylight, cute. By nightfall, howling!

Our cemetery still needs work. The monsters need to show up...so do the light and sound folks. While still a "work in progress", I borrowed some "tombstone moss" and bone shards for this salad. The stew (in wonderful lidded soup bowls) is a fall fave's...with dried eyeballs, of course!

Tombstone Moss and Bone Shard Salad (eerily adapted from Bon Appetit!)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch Tuscan kale, leaves stripped from stem and thinly sliced into ribbons

6 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and grated

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup almonds with skins

1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Combine lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic, sea salt and pepper in a glass jar. Shake well. Add olive oil (all but 1 tablespoon). Mix together shredded Brussels sprouts and kale.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and pan toast the almonds until browned and fragrant. Transfer nuts to a paper towel and let cool. Chop coarsely and sprinkle with a little sea salt, if desired.

Add dressing and cheese to kale/Brussels spouts mix and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve. Serves 4.

Smile..it's your Night of Nights!

Many brooms make

2011-10-28T11:13:00.001-05:00

Ghouling more fun! Last night, daughter Lissa jetted in on her broomstick from Gotham City to help with the Halloween hauntings. She will lend her artistic eye and cackle to our fun. When I was in New York last week, we talked about our family's traditional Halloween menu: Witches Brew Stew, Scaredy Cat Punch, Snow Ghost Pie and I realized, what...no munchies?

I found this recipe for Dracula's Dip from Dr. Barnard...my fave go-to, deliciously green doctor. Seems just the thing to munch on while carving up those pumps! Have a great weekend...

This delicious spread uses no added fat and the sun-dried tomatoes (dried blood!) give it a wonderful smoky flavor. Spread it on crusty bread, use it as a dip for pita chips or spread on my new fave base, a Napa cabbage leave and roll up.

6 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice and zested rind, if desired
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon each: salt and dried sage
1/2 cup vegetable broth

Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let soak until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain, thinly slice, and set aside.

Combine the beans, rosemary, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and sage in a food processor and process until smooth. If desired, add some or all of the vegetable stock for a creamier texture. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Makes about 2 cups.

I Love Halloween!!!

2011-10-26T13:59:00.003-05:00

I had so much fun drooling my way around Economy Candy!! I saw candies I hadn't seen since I was a Trick or Treater myself...ruby red wax lips, wax fangs and moustaches, those little wax bottles full of sugar-y colored liquids, Beeman and Clove gum, Mary Janes, even candy cigarettes and of course, licorice of all kinds...ropes, swirls, Scotty dogs, twist sticks, gummies and drops. It was so much fun and it got me thinking...what's in those??? Probably don't want to know.

Aside from those old-fashioned candy memories, another of my fondest memories of going out on Halloween was a stop off at my "headmaster's" house for apple cider, cinnamon doughnuts and caramel apples. While homemade goodies are impossible now as a public offering, perhaps you are having a private witch-y affair this year and want to try your hand at some old-fashioned Halloween treats?

Here is a yummy recipe for Caramel Apples. I am not quite ready to make mine yet or I would guide you through them. They really are super easy. You go ahead and get started. Click caramel apples and let me know how yours turn out!

In case you want to "green up" your Halloween trick or treats, here is a candy suggestion: Yummy Earth Lollipops with such fun names like "Wet Face Watermelon" and "Pomegranate Pucker". They are made by a great company, too, and can be found at Whole Foods.

Also, try DIY costumes or a costume swap. Those mass-marketed costume fabrics are scary. So is the made-in-China make-up. I know it is only for one night, but....remember, beets make great bloody lips and fangs, perfect oozing wounds, too. Just mix beet juice with your favorite non-toxic lip balm and apply.

Need more green make-up tips? I am repeating these Halloween Make-up suggestions from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website...I'll be mixing up a batch for my mug, too!

Choose a base of: unscented lotion OR pure cocoa butter OR safe, fluoride-free toothpaste, avoiding mint flavors.

Check your pantry for: turmeric (I have LOADS if you need some!), raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, beets, avocado, spirulina, cocoa, chocolate sauce (share!), squid ink or other colorful foods, juices, herbs and spices

Yellow: Add 1/4 tsp. and a large pinch of stale turmeric to base Add some berries or a little beet juice to make Orange).
Pink: Using a sieve, mash the juice from 3 fresh or thawed frozen raspberries, blackberries or beets directly into the base. Or, use a deeply colored berry juice or puree.
Mint green: With a fork, mash 1/4 of a small avocado until creamy. Mix this into your base. Emerald green: Add small amount spirulina or bright green chlorophyll to base.
Purple: Using a sieve, mash the juice from several fresh or frozen blueberries into the base. Or, use blueberry juice.
Brown: Add cocoa powder or chocolate sauce to base.
Black: Use a small amount of squid ink in base for true black.
White: Mix powdered sugar and water.

Happy Women and Wednesdays! Here's to making an ever ghoulish but safer and greener Halloween!

Cruising the Mother Ship

2011-10-24T08:39:00.000-05:00

Oh yeah...now we are talking and walking, I am right in front of the mother ship...

And from here, it is just a short 50-60 block stroll to Economy Candy to load up on Halloween goodies. Wonder of wonders...It's almost Halloween!

Have a Happy Monday and make it meatless. "Meatless" is definitely part of the race for life. Need a recipe? Our whole blog is full of de-lish meatless salads, entrees and tips! Go grab your black kettle and stir up something "good and green" for tonight. I will be making a simple lentil soup that cooks up in a flash.

Lightening Bolt Lentil Soup

Wash and pick through 1 pound bag of lentils. Add to a pot with 7 cups of filtered water. Toss in herbs of choice. I add bay leaves, a sprig of rosemary or heaping teaspoon of other herbs, some salt, fresh pepper and red pepper flakes for a little punch. Feel free to flavor the broth as you like it...spicy or aromatic. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and let simmer for about 45 minutes or until tender. Towards the end of cooking time, add in whatever soup veggies you like and let those cook until tender. Makes a very hearty soup, almost like a stew. You can add more water if you like a brothier soup. Here is what mine looked like and of course, not an eye of newt or bat wing in the mix...

Rosemary for Remembrance

2011-10-19T09:21:00.002-05:00

I have a lovely rosemary bush in my backyard. It is a stand out in my yard...for many reasons including the fact that I moved it a little late one year and although it was clearly upset, it made such a splendid comeback. Now it is about 4 feet in diameter and covered in new life. A stellar beauty.

This whole week I am sprinkling rosemary on everything. It is the herb of remembrance.

I am remembering many this week as it is our town's Race for the Cure and I am choosing to remember them with something green...so green, so fragrant and so hearty that it breathes new life into every dish I have prepared. It is an herb that stands out and that is how I want to remember those on my heart. As stand outs. As stellar beauties.

I am also using rosemary to remind myself that I have a choice every day about how I live. The choices I make make me and I have more power to choose than I sometimes give myself credit for or use.

For me, the only color of the race for any cure is green. A beautiful color. Worth exploring in its fullness. Worth remembering. Worth running that race every day for the new life it gives.

And, at the end of the day, a nice long soak is perfect...

Rosemary Rejuvenating Bath

Fill tub with warm, not too hot, water and several handfuls of epsom salts. Stir the water up to dissolve them.Toss in several sprigs of fresh rosemary and, if you've got it, a few splashes of rosemary essential oil. Slip quietly into the silky, fragrant water and soak away the day and get ready to welcome the next. Green...peace of health, green...peace of mind.

Happy Women and Wednesdays.

Golden moments

2011-10-17T13:52:00.002-05:00

Yep...got my box full of beautiful golden Razor apples and am making my crunchy way through them.Yum!

I also had to make my way through the 'fridge this weekend. Had a lot of "halvies"... a half-used head of cabbage leftover from soup I made earlier in the week, half a bunch of golden beets, half a cluster of sunny zephyr squash. And so, I decided to make a harvest melange of them...all lightly caramelized which is my favorite way to eat most cooked veggies. If you have some halvies of your own...go for 'em whole-heartedly!.

Golden Harvest Melange

Melt a combination of olive oil and unsalted butter (important for flavor) in a skillet. Add a minced clove of garlic, if desired, and saute lightly.

Shred cabbage coarsely, shred beets (I had golden beets), and slice squash into fingers. Sprinkle generously with Herbes de Provence and add in a little extra rosemary (I will explain that on Wednesday!) Saute all until lightly caramelized and al dente. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Lovely. And, even a bit more robust if you have some leftover brown rice on hand.

The postman always rings...

2011-10-14T13:52:00.001-05:00

Actually, for the next few days, I am not even going to wait until he comes to the door. It is Razor Russet season and my mom has mailed me a box full.

Oh boy...cannot wait! I discovered these apples last year and they are magnificent! They are from one of my fave farmstands...all dressed up for the season. Here, take a look...

Wickham's Farmstand

This stand fronts a 200-year old farm that drifts all the way down to the glistening waters of Peconic Bay. An absolutely gorgeous piece of property. I have been going there since I was a little girl. It was also my grandmother's favorite stand. What you cannot see in this picture is a table full of their should-be world famous doughnuts. Just perfect, still warm, old-fashioned cake doughnuts sprinkled in cinnamon sugar. Oh my.

And so, in honor of waiting for these fabulous Razors, I am going to bake up some others this weekend...just to whet my apple-tite! My favorite baking apple is a Red Rome. These turn out like individual crust-less apple pies.

Baked Rome Apples

Allow 1 apple per person and here is where I do go "large"...bigger is better! Core and stuff cavity with a bit of unsalted butter, brown sugar and plenty of cinnamon. Top with another bit of unsalted butter. Bake at 325 until done. Apple flesh will be soft and will have exploded the skin a little. Eat warm as is. We usually have this at breakfast but it would be a great evening dessert with a little ice cream or rum custard sauce.

Flabbergasted

2011-10-12T12:48:00.003-05:00

I love learning about skin...what it should eat, how to best take care of it, how to dress it up on occasion. Good thing. Better late than never.

I owe my skin a big apology. The adage "ignorance is bliss" is baloney or in my case, skin cancer. I have talked about this oodles before but today was my quarterly dermo check-up. In lieu of being "torched" everywhere by that painful liquid nitrogen blaster, we decided I had too much suspicious stuff to cover this time and the doctor suggested a cream. OK...sounded great to me. As per any treatment, there would be a blister-y, sore stage but then, clear skin ahoy. Why not?

Kind of excited, I went and got my RX-filled. Then, I went home and read the box. Holy Moly!!!!

Does this make sense to you???? I really, really don't know what to make of this formula. Parabens, propylene glycol, polysorbate 60 (PEG), petrolatum? Aside from being among the top twelve things not to put on your skin, why in the world are they in a formula for already compromised skin? Money matters I imagine.

Here is the dirt on what's in my prescription:

Parabens: Linked to breast cancer
o Methyl Paraben: Allergies/immunotoxicity, non-reproductive organ system toxicity, irritation (skin, eyes or lungs), biochemical or cellular level changes.

o Propyl Paraben: Developmental/reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, allergies / immunotoxicity, and non-reproductive organ system toxicity.

Petrolatum. Can cause highly allergic reactions. Contamination concerns.

Propylene Glycol. Alters skin structure for enhanced skin absorption. A skin irritant that can cause allergic reactions. Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs).

Polysorbate 60. A PEG, contamination concerns with 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogenic.

I avoid these ingredients like the plague or more appropro, like the sun, and wouldn't dream of buying products that contain them.

This Women and Wednesdays finds me flabbergasted.

A couple of new leaves

2011-10-10T08:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Columbus Day! With his end destination in mind, today's adventure into a new world of flavors is actually going to start out Asian. I have recently been on an Asian greens jag and following in Friday's footsteps, wanted to share a "fun, easy, convenient and delicious" new sandwich.

First off, I am not much of a bread eater. I bought some Napa cabbage (delicious!) and looked at that whole head of beautiful leaves and decided two would make perfect "bread" for a sandwich. First, I slathered each leaf with the spicy nut butter I made. Hummus, peanut or almond butter would be good, too. Then I put on some pea shoots (such a fresh, fun flavor they have!) and 3-4 pieces of the Partied Up Zucchini (from Friday). One I ate as an open-faced sandwich; the other rolled up. Truly delicious and amazingly filling even sans bread. Made room for a cookie a shoe-in. Here...take a peek...

Then, to make it your own on this holiday, perhaps spread on some Genoese flavors in honor of Columbus. How about a dollop of a lovely pesto or rich tapenade?

Whatever taste adventure in search of new worlds you choose to take, have a great Columbus Day!

Learning in the Fast Lane

2011-10-07T13:16:00.001-05:00

I gotta admit it. Fast food has some value. Nutritional waistland aside, fast food has made eating easy, convenient and fun. Some would even add "delicious" to the mix. Smart, smart marketing and delivery.

Here is what I aim to do...make getting healthy easy, convenient and fun, too, and certainly delicious. I have decided to set Our Green Table up for parties, more officially than before, and offer up Our Wellness Cafe. I have come up with a Five Course Wellness Menu that I think is every bit the easy, convenient, fun and delicious way I view becoming healthier should be. There will be lots of tips on inner and outer wellness...the whole package, and always a DIY recipe as well as product recommendations. The DIY recipe for October is yummy!

Maybe Our Wellness Cafe will even party some day on YouTube! Whoa...one thing at a time! Contact me to book your Wellness Cafe. Such a perfect, fun way to play it safe and clean. Think bridal and especially baby showers, too!

To celebrate, I am partying up a fall favorite: zucchini. I experimented this morning making a nut cheese and thought it would be great as a dip with raw veggies. I only had zucchini on hand which I am not crazy about raw and so I used the nut cheese in a sandwich and marinated the squash for dinner. Easy, convenient, fun and delicious!

Partied Up Zucchini

Wash zucchini and slice really thin. (I think a mandoline would be perfect for this but I don't have one!) Place slices in a non-plastic dish and lightly salt with sea salt to draw out some of the water and "raw" mouth feel. Drain after a few minutes.

Marinate for a few hours (mine is brewing away as we speak) in this luscious, fragrant marinade:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (with grated zest)
1 teaspoon or more grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon turbinado raw sugar (maybe brown would work as well)
1-2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

I am planning to serve mine over slices of last of season tomatoes and maybe serve with crackers spread with the nut cheese I made today, too. Yum...it's time to party!.

Have a happy, healthy and delicious weekend! xox

Before you drink in

2011-10-06T09:52:00.002-05:00

all that pink...here is an article that is so disturbing, I had to share today...normally a "beverage" day. It is so appropriate, given that stores, tons of products, even my hometown Steelers for heaven's sake, are drowning in a sea of pink. Please read by clicking Could-perfume-to-benefit-breast-cancer-also-cause-breast-cancer/ Our health is on the line, ladies and gentlemen.

Do not spray away your health!

Ok, now...go fix yourself a BIG glass of green tea or sip on a glass of organic red wine. Feel healthy, think healthy, love yourself and love your neighbor. This is Thirsty Thursday after all...raise your glass and join me as we thirst for knowledge and for the truth about staying beautiful, healthy and safe!

P.S. Yes, we have made some changes! More on our fun Wellness Cafe tomorrow!

Catch and Connect

2011-10-05T08:29:00.001-05:00

Driving downtown Monday, a billboard caught my eye. October 8th is Fire Safety Day in my town.

Just last week, I read an article in the paper that caught my eye. And, then another in a magazine in the doctor's office.

Connecting the three together makes a perfect topic for today's Women and Wednesdays: the fire hazards of chemically laden hair care products.

Prior to my shifting to the hair care products I use now, my hair was truly flammable...way beyond normal.

I know this for a fact.

Several years ago, I bent near a candle and in a nanosecond, the flame caught my hair, sparking and burning a small section, smelling to high heaven and scaring me into the middle of next week. Frightening experience. I can only imagine the panic Michael Jackson felt. But, I did not in any way think I had the same types of flammable products on my hair.

Who's to say how much the products I was using contributed to that scare. For sure, my dried-out, brittle, coated-in-alcohol-and-waxy petroleum hair had some innate flammability of its own, right?

This headline from the article in our paper has me thinking:"13-year-old Helena-West Helena girl who was severely burned last year when a hot straightening comb ignited an antifrizz serum on her hair was granted permission Tuesday to withdraw her federal lawsuit against L’Oreal USA Inc." Note: She asked permission to withdraw now to refile it correctly.

And so, for those of you who are dying for gorgeous hair, please don't. Stay safe and live it up.

And listen, I feel your pain. Remember, I spend a good deal of time in humidity, especially in humidity plus wind and salty air. And rain. Did I mention rain? I used to not even empty the garbage without some sort of hair fix. Curly hair is product landmine. A bottomless powder keg. Enough is never enough. But, please, set yourself free and fight fire hazards with safe, non-flammable products!

How to be truly fire resistant? Give up the gels, sprays, creams, serums, mousses that are toxic, alcohol and petroleum-based goo (that's a hint...think how dangerous paraffin/petroleum candles are!).

I did a post a while back on hair straighteners and if you are tempted...call me. I will help you embrace your inner and outer curly. Your hair and your scalp will love you for it, too. They will be breathing easy right along with your nasal passages and your lungs. (We aren't even going to get into what inhaling the toxic fumes, random sprays, etc. does...maybe we will soon!)

You would love what I use now. The Styling Creme is amazing...soft, pretty curls. Just ask me and I will help you, too...so you can be beautiful, safe and healthy in candlelight or any light for that matter. xoxo

Putting legs on legumes

2011-10-03T08:22:00.002-05:00

Continuing Friday's thought..it's Monday already!!! It was a gorgeous weekend here and a full one. Among many other things, it was also the kick-off weekend for National Vegetarian Month. Bill Clinton was in town and although I missed his appearances, I did not miss all the coverage on how trim he looks and how he has embraced a totally plant-based diet...much to his health's benefit. He eats fruits, veggies and a reported 27 varieties of legumes.

27. Yikes. That's a bunch. Seems I have some exploring to do. While I do love beans and legumes and eat quite a bit of them every day, Bill is way ahead of me on the variety trail. This past week while Christian and Reshma were here, despite many new recipes, I bet I only logged in about 5 varieties and they were the favorite suspects...French lentils, green lentils, chickpeas, black beans and pinto beans. Clearly, I need to branch out...put some legs on those legumes.

But...I think I might rest first after getting up before the crack of dawn to get to the airport by 5:30. While I do, here is a new bean enchilada I made...really quick and de-lish. The original appeared in Real Simple.

The filling chilling

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (I used San Marzanos)
1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder or more to taste
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed (I used "no salt added" by Eden Organics...BPA-free)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and coarsely grated
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1/2 pound Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
6 6-inch flour tortillas
2 scallions, thinly sliced and white and green parts separated

Heat oven to 450° F. In a blender, puree the tomatoes, chili powder, half the onion, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until smooth.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onion and half the garlic and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the black beans, sweet potato, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until the sweet potatoes are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool. Stir in 1 cup of the Cheddar. Can be made ahead to let the flavors blend.

Spread 1 cup of the tomato mixture in the bottom of an oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roll up the bean mixture in the tortillas (about ½ cup each) and place the rolls seam-side down in the dish. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and 1 cup of Cheddar. Bake on the top rack of oven until the Cheddar is brown and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 3-4.

I served this with a jicama "slaw".

Grab a plate...

Now, that's Italian!

2011-09-30T11:24:00.003-05:00

Double dose of WTHeck...it is Friday and the end of September...already. Incredible. Time really does fly. My son has been here for a few days to attend one of his best friend's wedding and so I have been cooking "by request". I asked him what recipes did he want me to cook up?

Answer: Pasta Puttanesca

Normally I would do back flips for a request but another double dose...this request was Italian (which is not my forte) and anchovy-based (out for both of us veggies). But hey...I always learn most doing totally what I don't know how to do! And so, I jumped right into this culinary adventure.

Here is the first thing I learned...Puttanesca Sauce without anchovies is considered the Neapolitan version of this classic dish and so off to Naples I went. Always did want to see that beautiful city.

And here is the second...this recipe is super easy and super delectable! We ate it up with gusto and a little Pinot Grigio...now that's Italian! Try this yourself and enjoy this wish for your weekend...'Vivi bene, ridi spesso, ama molto e mangia italiano'

From steamy start to sunny-in-Italy finish

Pasta Puttanesca (morph from Rachael Ray and Ellie Krieger recipes)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, flattened and minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
25 kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers
1 28-ounce chunky crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzanos)
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
fresh black pepper
1/2 to one pound angel hair pasta (or pasta of choice)
fresh arugula
Parmesan Reggiano

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute garlic with crushed red pepper flakes 'til garlic is soft, about 3 minutes. Add olives, capers, tomatoes, few grinds of fresh black pepper and parsley. Bring sauce to a soft boil, immediately reduce heat and let simmer about 8-10 minutes.

Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and add to sauce. Toss in handfuls of arugula and stir
until just wilted. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan Reggiano and a nice chunk of a rustic bread.

If you want to omit the arugula in the sauce, have it as a salad dressed with a simple balsamic vinaigrette. I have no clue how many this recipe is supposed to serve...truly pig-out food!

We are in the dawn of a cleaner pink...

2011-09-28T08:33:00.000-05:00

OK, so I am going to get really personal here. It is Women and Wednesdays after all! I had my mammogram plus ultrasound this week and usually it is an all morning or afternoon affair. I am in a high risk category due in great part to DES exposure and have been having those tests since I was 20. Yes, 20. Lots of other stuff in between, too.

It has been about a year and a half since I have done everything I can food-wise to "clean up", including cleaning up both the food on my fork (which I have always been careful about) and the food going in through my skin (my newer focus). I have learned a LOT and made the healthiest choices possible and have shared all I do here.

Well...here is something to think about. When I checked out, I was asked, "BTW...what are you doing differently?" I told them I had significantly reduced the harmful chemicals in my food...all food, from my shampoo to my succotash!

Fave pink shake

I believe with all my heart that I have lowered my body's burden of toxic stuff and the results are visible. My skin is noticeably different...clearer, smaller pores, softer and now, I have x-rays to prove there are changes within!

Wonderful...just plain, wonderful!

Now, all this leads up to a big favor...we are about to get deluged by a tidal wave of "pink". TONS of products with pink ribbons tied around promises to help eliminate breast cancer. Remember... companies can say just about anything on the front of a bottle, on a label or on a jar lid.

PLEASE...turn the product over to the back and read the ingredients, especially on your skincare and personal care items. Let me help you decipher the label. Is that truly a clean pink product or a dirty one...pink-washed? Pitch anything today with petroleum derivatives (mineral oil, petrolatum, etc.), "Fragrance" and PEG's/PPG's. Nanoparticles, "enhanced delivery"? Dump 'em. Dirty. Really dirty.

Please, dear friends, think before you pink and let's clean up ourselves and the whole pink color world to live safer, healthier, more beautiful lives! A clean, gorgeous new pink is dawning... xox

For clean food on the fork and clean skin food recommendations, just ask me! I have a big beautiful list! xox

Coming next Wednesday...I will share an article I read in magazine while in the doc's office and a newspaper headline! Hair-raising stuff!

While still talking addictions...

2011-09-27T09:44:00.001-05:00

I like Mark Bittman, his columns and cookbooks. While still on the topic of addictions, his article in Sunday's New York Times was fabulous. Our Red, White and Food shout-out for this week goes to Mark and that marvelous Grey Lady...

To read his latest thought-provoking article, "Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?", click here.
Thanks, Mark!

Pix from Internet

Addiction Number What?

2011-09-26T13:29:00.006-05:00

I think I have talked about several addictions here...mostly all good, but I have lost track of the number. At any rate, I have a new one on the table. Take a look...

This is probably the simplest and most de-lish salad I have had in a long while. And, it is made with a new taste adventure for me...purslane* (see below). Don't remember ever eating purslane, but oh boy, will I ever be making up for lost time. It is nutrient-dense like all greens and richer in omega-3's fatty acids than any other vegetable. Sweet!

Here is the recipe...

Terry's Super Salad (Thank you to Terry's Finer Foods in Little Rock for my impromptu salad class Saturday...they knew a possessed woman when they saw one!)

Take one bunch of purslane, 1/2 bunch of cilantro, 1 diced jalapeno, a little sea salt and pepper. Mix it all up and splash with the juice of half a large lime. Toss in grated Queso Fresco to taste and grab a fork. Fabulous!

Here is what my dinner looked like. Terry's Super Salad with some pretty darn super lentils I mixed up into a cold salad and sauteed Swiss chard and mushrooms over red rice. Last of the season corn and gotta love the huge pat of butter...did I mention addiction enough yet? Happy Monday!

* Yes, I know purslane is considered a weed, pigweed, to be exact and so to be safe, please get it from someone who is growing it for culinary use. I don't want you digging up your yard (or someone else's) and perhaps risking exposure to a bunch of yard chemicals!

Hello Gorgeous! Come Nibble and Party!

2011-09-23T11:17:00.002-05:00

Oh my...finally. Finally. Oh my...today is The Day! It's Fall, everyone!

Helloooooooooooo, Gorgeous!!

Fall from the talented eye of Darby Nowatka

Welcome to this glorious season from two of my favorite places...under a fabulous tree and walking along the fall beach...

Now, fall-o us and fall in line! Come on over to Heather's House Party for Our House Shelter!

It recently came to my friend Heather's attention that the residents of Our House Shelter are in need of some good, basic toiletries and we need your help providing them! We want to offer USA-made products, all without harmful chemicals and without gluten, too, so that we can help residents stay safe and healthy.

Here are the party details...click Heather's House Party for Our House and help us out if you can!

Need something to munch on while you are shopping? This recipe welcomes fall...

Our House Shopping Dip (like a tapenade)

1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked, drained and quartered
1/2 cup pitted olives...kalamata are yummy here
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
parsley sprigs, about 4-6

Crack out your blender or food processor and blend all ingredients until smooth. Spread on baked pita chips, fresh bread or veggies. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. A little scoop on small, boiled potatoes is sublime! Makes about 1 cup.

Have a delightful weekend! And, thank you in advance for helping Our House.

And the Lady is sipping...

2011-09-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, I usually talk about beverages. Today, I must confess, I am seriously, seriously into juices...green ones especially. I am not sure how it happened but shazam...love 'em. Sipping one as I write.

There is a favorite at Whole Foods that I am hooked on and am in the process of tweaking here at home. It is called The Trice. Now, before I go any further, for long time readers, these are not the same as my magic protein shakes that I have in the morning. These are quite simply....green juices.

If you don't have a juicer or blender and need to come and use my Vitamix...come on over! Certainly, we can make this ourselves. The Trice contains lemon juice, ginger, parsley (don't turn back now!), cucumbers, spinach, celery and carrots with a little extra water to make it juice-y. It has such a great flavor...like a veggie lemonade. Pull your blender/juicer out and give it a whirl!

Benefits I have noticed...very refreshing, filling, alkalizing and just a couple of these seemed to help me lose some of my water weight from travelling. Celery and cucumbers are both mildly diuretic.You may remember that it took me 2 days to get home recently...two days on and off airplanes which don't agree with me very much on the best of days. Mention a flight and I swell like a toad; add changes in air pressure and poof! An easy 2-3 pounds.

Anyway...try it. Let me know...do you have a favorite juice you like?

Sole Food

2011-09-21T10:02:00.001-05:00

I have written over 500 posts and so surely I have used this title before? Oh well...twice is nice!

I am thinking about my feet today...my beloved "flip flops" broke and are irreparable. I call them flips but actually they are orthopedic, flip-flop looking wonders and I bet if I walked one mile, I walked several hundred, maybe a thousand in them...all around New York, all around Mexico, all around home. I am chagrined. Airport security will miss them...lots of sky miles on those flips. Good thing it is getting a little cool and flip season is almost over.

Back-up pair with fave summer blues

And for me, pedicure season is winding down, too. I don't get a pedi very often because for one thing, I cannot stand the smell of most salons and those awful petroleum-based, greasy, chemically-colored gels, scrubs and lotions most salons use. And, that's not even hitting on the toxins! I bring my own spa products a lot of the time. When I forget (I never forget the toxin-free polish!!!), sometimes the bottoms of my feet are so greasy from what the salon uses, I can hardly walk. Kind of takes the "zen" out of the experience for me.

I saw this recipe somewhere and think I may give DIY pedi's more of a try...looks good enough even for Cleopatra. Milk is an excellent skin rejuvenator. The lactic acid helps with exfoliating and moisturizing, too.

Sole Soak

Mix equal parts warm milk and warm water. Add a few drops of olive oil and your favorite essential oil. Soak feet in warm milk bath for 5-10 minutes or until milk cools. Yummy.

Playing it Clean and Safe

2011-09-15T12:50:00.002-05:00

Many thanks to the Junior League of Little Rock for inviting me to speak tonight!!! I am so excited that they have embraced "Health and Wellness" as a focus and given me the chance to share what I know about keeping ourselves and our familes as safe, beautiful and healthy as possible!

Here is the link to the article I got yesterday that I will refer to tonight. For every woman and everyone who loves one a: must read! (Click on those two words for article!)

Then, here is what to do...let me help you "detox" your bathroom and replace your products with delicious ones that build your wellness and beauty without putting your health at risk...and, as an extra bonus, these products are all made from women manufacturers right here in the U.S.A!

To get clean and safe, go here or here: www.avaandersonnontoxic.com/pennyrudder or email me! We can always make a party of this, too, and get you some freebies. I love to party. I love to give away freebies!!! Junior Leaguers, if you wish to order, let me know and I will give you a special September treatment as a thank you!

Thanks for playing it clean and safe with me tonight, JLLR! Here's to our health for generations to come! xoxo

Get that "F" word off your chest!

2011-09-14T13:27:00.000-05:00

For some reason, I got on a Coco Chanel jag while I was in New York and read three books about her. Fascinating woman.

One of the most pertinent things to what I do and share here is the story of Chanel #5 "coming to America". It seems her business partners (this was in the 1930's) did not want to use the real essential oils from Grasse, France. Instead, to mass market it more effectively ($) in the United States, they went to a "fragrance" plant in Hoboken, New Jersey, and matched the fragrance synthetically, with chemicals they didn't think the American woman would care about having on her skin.

Coco insisted that French women wouldn't wear that industrialized stuff. Her business partners assured her we Americans would. And we did. And furthermore, Europe bans over 1300 chemical additives; the US bans just 9 and so it was truly an open opportunity for the mix masters. Unbelievable to me what we didn't know and how we were marketed to with lesser quality, synthetic vs. real goods. I have always loved Chanel fragrances. Wonder what they are real-ly like?

Moving forward...

Of course, we know now that "F" word, "fragrance" is where legally, over 600 chemicals can hide, many of them really harmful...hormone disruptors, allergens, immunosuppressors, etc. And so, here is the thought for Women and Wednesdays...get that F word off your chest, your arms, legs, face and eyes, too....and check out all your lotions and creams. Especially those that go on your children, from infants on up. Oh, and teens. Eeek. Keep them out of the mall sprays-of-perfume-in-every-store!!

Have a keen eye and check your products for the word "Fragrance". If you find it and you will on gobs of products, if I were you, I'd toss those products. I can help you replace them with yummy alternatives that are truly safe and nourishing for your skin and for your family. Just ask! To keep your eyes even sharper, I have a new Eye Cream to share with you, too, without harmful chemicals or synthetic fragrance, of course! Fragrance around the eye area is a real NO! Just email me and I will help you! oxo

More than just fire

2011-09-13T08:18:00.001-05:00

It is hard to say all I felt about 9/11 and the 10th anniversary on Sunday, especially with almost my whole family there now and the new threats that arose. But I wonder this...how can we come so close together to mourn and honor and then step away so far apart to live?

I watched a lot of the ceremonies and also a documentary on the firehouse nearest the World Trade Center. Two film makers chronicled the journey of a young man for his first summer as a firefighter, which included being a trainee on 9/11. Did any of you see it? When walking around NYC, I pass by several firehouses and am struck by how young most of the men are. Young. Very young.

In the documentary, among many other things, it also showed a lot of firemen cooking and serving up huge meals in the firehouse. As a matter of fact, before 9/11, the film makers wondered if this was going to be a more of a cooking show than a film about firefighting.

In Shelter Island, the firehouses hold a special place in my heart. As one of the commissioners, my dad was very helpful in unifying the two houses there so they could work more efficiently together. Every summer there are fundraisers, both full-blown, cooked-by-the-firemen barbecues. I got to go to one this year. As usual, the firemen at the grill and local corn were sublime. There is nothing like Long Island's corn...North Fork varieties preferred!

This Red, White and Food shout-out is to all firefighters for their bravery, dedication, service and yes, for their love of cooking.

Thank you.

Stormin' through to Fall

2011-09-12T13:37:00.003-05:00

It is kind of hard to know where to start...or rather pick up where I left off. Such a month! Like most, I have had enough of summer storms, 100 degree temps, hurricanes et al. Fall...are we there yet? Bring it on!

One of the "better" days!

While in New York which is normally such an empowering time for me, I was powerless a lot, literally, and my well-intentioned neighbors offered to share their internet but the router was in their basement. Not a great place during all the rain from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Then, we all lost power. Even the well-wired/backed-up/go-to library...which was crushing. I took a hint and took a break.

During the hurricane, I cooked a lot on a camp stove and it will be a while until I eat scrambled eggs or drink instant coffee again although it was waaay better than I remember. And those LED lights? Champs when you need them but, ouch...strong and eye-piercing. My troubles were mostly ones of inconvenience and some selfish frustration that on top of everything else I had to do during this trip, I had to "do storms" as well instead of having the time to take the rejuvenating walks and "ferreting" adventures I love.

Very minor annoyances. My heart and healing thoughts go out to all those who suffered loss.

The couple of days I was actually in NYC, it also poured. I mean poured, and so I did not get a chance to refresh myself there either at most of my usual haunts or go prowling for new ones. However, I did learn a lot...protect your health and strength! Love your neighbor. I thought today it would be appropriate to both say "Hi! Remember me? I missed you!" and to share some stress-calming foods....just in case there's another storm brewing!

First of...avoid all red meats (you knew that was a given, right?) and as much dairy and sugar as possible. Very inflammatory. Who needs more cortisol?! The sugar in dark chocolate gets a pass though...manna...and so does the ice cream that is thawing. Eat it up...two to three scoops minimum! It helps a lot to crank your freezer up to high when you know the storm will hit. I am sure I got an extra day or two of "cool-th" because of that tip. Also, wrapped Mom's freezer in a sleeping bag. We certainly weren't getting much shut eye!

Breakfast, lunch and dinner 'til it thaws!

Eat lots of veggies, especially leafy green ones, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa and beans of all kinds and berries, too. I mainlined hummus and almond butter. It all seemed to work and I was amazed at how "calm" I felt. Many of these would be a snap to throw on a charcoal grill, too, and much more flavorful than the ole camp stove...although I felt very fortunate to have it!!!

Hope you all are well! Anyone else have some thoughts?!

Nut Case

2011-08-03T08:58:00.002-05:00

Sounds like a good idea to me

It strikes me as so odd that people proactive about their health get called "Health Nuts". I get called it all the time. "Well, of course you eat that way, wash your face that way, etc. You are a health nut."

Almost as befuddling are the signs hanging over the small corner of an immense grocery store that say "Nutrition Section". So...what's in the rest of the store? Mostly chemicals I would guess. Unhealthy stuff for the non-health nuts?

Mark Bittman wrote a piece recently that was the front page of the Sunday Review section of The New York Times. Name of the article? "Bad Food. Tax It." Here are some stats from the article:

"20% increase in the price of sugar-y drinks nationally would result in 20% decrease in consumption which in the next decade could prevent about 1.5 million Americans from becoming obese and decrease cases of diabetes by 400,000, saving about $30,000,000,000."

Staggering stats. Marvelous idea The first sentence in his article reads, "What will it take to get Americans to change our eating habits?"

For starters...not calling names. Not making the pursuit of health a fringe idea, an inaccessible goal for most. I found this quote on a coffee mug yesterday...love it.

"This is your world. Shape it or someone else will." Gary Lew

This is one shape our world could do without!

Get Slushed!

2011-08-01T13:02:00.012-05:00

This week is a little topsy turvy...lots of balls in the air. Which brings me round to food thoughts about melon balls and melons in general. The baby watermelons looked so great this weekend at the Farmers' Market. And, while looking up some "green" tips for a parties, I came across this recipe from Danny Seo...The King of Green. Looks really del-ish...and also includes another weekend star: peaches. Both are very perishable and so without further fuss...

Farmers' Market Peaches

Danny's Frozen Watermelon Martinis

1 large, organic watermelon
1-2 ounces of vodka
ripe peach
sugar (optional)

Cut the watermelon in half. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, scoop out a single layer of watermelon balls. Reserve the melon rinds. Freeze the watermelon balls for several hours until completely frozen (Any you don't use for this drink, pop in another like an ice cube. Also perfect for that morning shake). Place the frozen chunks in a blender, add 1-2 ounces of vodka. Blend on highest speed until slushy. Add pieces of rip peach or sugar to sweeten if desired. Serve immediately.

To Market, To Market

2011-07-29T12:39:00.002-05:00

I love Saturday morning...it's Market Morning. Too bad I can't take a peek and show you today what will be at the farmers' market tomorrow. But, for sure, there will be some good, fresh eats available. Lovely eggs, tomatoes, cukes and plenty of squash and eggplant, and zinnias (my grandfather's favorite flower).

Just the thing to go with Market Morning? Coffee with pals and a decadent goat's milk dulce de leche-filled doughnut. Yum...I eat it like an oreo...it's all about the filling.

And so, given that a bit of a sugar and caffeine-fest await, I have this recipe ready. Actually it is one of my favorite breakfast, lunch and dinners!

Summer Breakfast Salad

1-2 farm market fresh eggs
1 tablespoon organic unsalted butter

Several handfuls of fresh mixed greens with herbs added (chives, cilantro, basil, dill)
1/4 cup of a crunch like nuts or seeds
1/3 cup or to taste raw sugar or snap peas, jicama, cukes
slices of fresh mozzarella or scoop of fresh ricotta (optional)
fresh tomatoes
few slices of avocado (optional)
sea salt and fresh black pepper
fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Toss together salad ingredients or layer onto a plate.

Melt butter in a pan. Gently fry the eggs until whites are firm, making sure the yolks remain runny.

Place warm eggs over salad greens. Sprinkle with extra seeds (I like chia seeds). Break the yolk as you gather up bites of salad. The textures and temperatures make every bite different and so I usually just enjoy the ride and don't add dressing to the salad. Go ahead and add a splash of lemon juice and olive oil or a full-blown dressing if you wish. Serves 1!

A Picture says 1000 words...

2011-07-27T13:28:00.001-05:00

This is another one of those days where I don't have to write much. This picture and article say it all. Where I can help best is to keep on sharing my non-toxic message and offering up safe solutions for you and your whole family here. This article was a shocker...many more chemicals than previous reports. We really have to get in the "know" and say "no" to all this chemical sludge before it costs us what we cherish most.

Happy Birthday!!

2011-07-26T11:23:00.004-05:00

Tonight is the night...time to celebrate the first birthday of my discovering personal care products truly without harmful chemicals! On July 26, 2010, I found this company by accident...trolling around on my computer and thank heaven I did. Such a gift to be able to "green up" as I "clean up" and to save my health and Mother Nature from harm.

This Red, White and Food Shout-out is for Ava Anderson, the young woman herself who jumped off the couch and into action when she learned about the threat to teenagers from all those chemically-rich, perfume and contaminant heavy personal care products she and her family and friends were using. She researched and researched and dug into the "dirt" of what's really in those products and who else was at risk. The list includes all ages, very man, woman and child (even those not born yet!) in the U.S.

Her curiosity spread to ask what was really in those "pure", "safe" and "natural" formulas, too. The answers she got spurred her into more action. In December 2009, Ava's research and work turned into the cutting-edge, first-in-class personal care line...truly without harmful chemicals, of course...that I use daily and rave about here on this blog.

Click here , then "News" for more news articles on Ava. Check out the awards she has won for her environmental work!

Ava embodies vitality and gumption and is a constant reminder to me, on a daily basis, that one person counts. One person can make a huge difference. And, when others join in...why the ripple effect is positively a life force. Thank you, Ava, for your vision, hard work and commitment to making the world a happier, healthier place. xoxox

Come celebrate with me...yes, there will be cake! Drop by Shoppes on Woodlawn tonight, from 5-8! Each guest will receive my S-AVA card! Party on!

Monday Blues

2011-07-25T12:27:00.002-05:00

No, I am not having them but I sure would like some!

I am having a "birthday" party of a sorts tomorrow and was looking through my recipe box for one of two favorite cakes. My gosh...it was like digging through a treasure trove. So many recipes! Weirdly enough, I couldn't find either cake recipes I was looking for but I did find this one for a chilled blueberry soup.

Would love to pop one of these in my mouth!

We lived in Cleveland, Ohio when the kiddos were babies. All three of us were born there actually. During the few summers we were there when they were old enough to help, we would go to a blueberry farm about an hour away and pick and eat 'til our bellies and bags were full. I had a freezer of plump berries all winter...about 30-40 pounds worth. Seemed pretty decadent in the dead of winter! Such fun! If you are in the picking mood, here is a great link with some blueberry storage tips.

While the chilled soup picture is from the Internet...I love the presentation...the recipe is from a dear friend in Cleveland.

Chilled Blueberry Soup

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1-8 ounce can pineapple in water, not drained

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

3/4 cup dairy or non-dairy yogurt

2 bananas

1 1/4 cup apple juice

Set aside 1/4 cup berries.

Combine berries, pineapple, lemon juice, pineapple juice, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1 banana and 1 cup apple juice. Chill 2 hours. Blend rest of ingredients and float on top of soup.

Removing the Moustache

2011-07-22T09:03:00.001-05:00

Have you seen those commercials for some new reality show on beards and moustaches? Very hairy guys battling it out to see who has the best? No comment on it but it did get me thinking...

When I was in the doctor's office the other day where I had the struggle to "de-smoke" my chart, I had lots of time and a smorgasbord of magazines to look through...all pretty disease specific (except for the Field and Stream) which was a little weird. However, in one issue was an article on what to eat when you don't eat dairy and gave lots of calcium-rich recipes. The dairy industry wants us to believe we get adequate calcium from dairy products, but in reality, we don't. Plants are a terrific source of calcium. Given the previous posts on eating for the environment and for staying cool, this is a great topic to end the week.

Now, despite my love of ice cream, I really don't eat dairy very often. Although yesterday, I stumbled across a recipe for a flavor from a favorite Boston ice creamery that I would delay my flight home to eat and almost posted it today! I was allergic to cow's milk as a kiddo and haven't had a glass of milk in decades. Some of the ice cream that I have as a treat is made from coconut milk...really delish. And again, it is a treat not a mainstay...

Sans meat, my kind of moustache and "smoke"

What I do eat a lot of are calcium-rich chickpeas...love hummus and have at least a dab of it every day. Here is a recipe for a lovely chickpea salad co-starring with another calcium powerhouse, spinach. The yogurt sauce is optional or just make it with non-dairy yogurt!

Chickpea and Spinach Salad (Ellie Krieger)

One 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed (Eden Organic is BPA free)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional topping
3 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt (try non-dairy ones)
1 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon honey

2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 cups lightly packed)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh mint

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, parsley, and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice and zest, cumin, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to coat evenly. In another small bowl, stir together the yogurt, orange juice and zest, and honey.

Serve the chickpeas salad over a bed of spinach leaves. Top with the "yogurt" sauce and garnish with the mint. Makes 4 servings

Watering within

2011-07-20T16:31:00.003-05:00

This weekend is going to be a scorcher...103-105 in actual temps. I am afraid to think what the heat index will be. All the more reason to eat foods that keep your skin moist from within. They will help replace some of the moisture lost due to perspiration. Also, cut down on salt and sugar and diuretic foods like meat and dairy products.

Here are my top picks for water-rich foods. As as an added benefit, most of these foods are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C which prevent cellular damage and protect skin from the inside out, too. Almost all are readily available at every farmers' market which makes me think of our local market as a neighborhood watering hole, too!

Veggies: Tomatoes, summer squashes, cucumbers (they can be slightly diuretic, though, as is asparagus), leafy greens of all kinds from arugula to watercress, peppers, eggplant, corn

Fruits: Watermelon, melons of all kinds, berries, pineapple, peaches, most fruits except dried ones

Eat lots of these raw in a beautiful fresh salad or make into broth-y soups like gazpacho. Drink tons of water and remember that iced teas and coffees are dehydrating and sadly, so are those summer-fun cocktails and glass of wine! Have an extra glass of water for each glass of these you drink. It helps rinse out impurities and you will be cool as a cucumber!

Of course, you get double the hydration (inside and out) from using the proper body and facial moisturizer. You'd be shocked at how many OTC products wick water out of your cells and dry them out. Whaaaat? So not what we need to happen! For any questions about skincare, go here (our moisturizer just happens to be on special!) and then, relax and chill out!

Tri-Fecta!

2011-07-19T11:23:00.001-05:00

I love The Environmental Working Group. I Love The New York Times. I love Mark Bittman. And so, there you go...this article here is the perfect trifecta of love and the perfect shout-out for today's Red, White and Food.

Here is a direct link to the EWG's new brochure: meat eater's guide and here is their fabulous chart. Love it! It's lentils for me for dinner. How about you?

The Spin on Salads

2011-07-18T13:47:00.000-05:00

Fortunately, I found out just in the lick...oops...nick of time. Yesterday was National Ice Cream Day. No worries if you missed it...it has to be "yesterday" somewhere, right? You might question that as a nutritionist, why am I touting ice cream? Well, here is my theory...food has gotten much too scientific, too "gram-y", too analzyed. Where is the fun? Ice cream is joyful...comes in dairy and non-dairy versions. A smile in every scoop. I am going for the grin!

Jeni's Ice Cream

Again, I hit the free class yesterday at Williams-Sonoma and met some pals there. I first started going to these classes with my mom and I admit, I am hooked. This one was on salads...starting from selecting the greens to washing and drying them to assembling and dressing them into a magnificant fresh salad. I loved the focus of this class...on the greens. It's all about the greens. Think of the dressing as the "bow" on a beautiful package. That alone moved my salad thoughts ahead light years. I have always thought most about what goes with the greens...the little accessories...the stars of the show. Or, so I thought. So yesterday. And, the dressing...put lots of thought into that as well. This class encouraged me to rethink the basics...deconstruct and start my salad and dressing thoughts again with a more "today" approach.

One of the other really fun benefits of this class was being able to taste a variety of olive oils from grassy Italian ones to buttery Spanish ones and several balsamic vinegars...the real syrup-y, beautifully aged, Modena balsamics. Oh my, ambrosia. Drank my lunch. Yum.

Here is one of the recipes...plucked right off their handout. Picture is from their website. It is a lovely salad...fresh and soooo falvorful. Almost as smile-y as that scoop of ice cream!

Green Herb Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 large head butter lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chives, cut into 2 inch lengths

In the bottom of a salad bowl, combine olive oil and shallot. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and mix well with a fork or whisk. Top with lettuce, parsley, cilantro and chives. When ready to serve, toss gently but well. Mound the salad in individual bowls or on plates. Garnish with a chive blossom, if available, and sprinkle salad with a little Maytag, Stilton or Gorgonzola cheese if you want a richer salad. This salad can stand up to 30 minutes before serving.

Icing it down

2011-07-15T13:08:00.000-05:00

My son sent me a link about "awesomeness"...thought it was right up my alley. It is. I love it and love finding it in the world.

I love stories about personal "empowerment"...how one person took her/his passion, added a lot of persistence and pluck and got the "dream" out of the clouds and into real life. That is one of the reasons I promote the personal care line I do here, aside from the fact it is luscious and without harmful chemicals, it is also the story of one young woman, one dream...awesomeness. Love it.

Now, imagine this...it is 103 in the shade and here comes a story about one woman, one dream and ice cream!!! And, this particular gal is from Ohio, too...my birthplace! Why...sheer delight! How could there be a more fitting story for this sultry Friday? While I lived in Cleveland, there was an "old-fashioned" ice cream store, The Penguin. Oh my...the flavors...simple but robust...no nonsense coffee, butter pecan, mint chocolate chip, lemon, blackberry...all custard-based and hand-cranked. Just delicious. Can still taste them.

Here is the cookbook that caught my eye and once I read the story about Jeni...I was hooked. I guess she has been on several daytime shows recently. I have only watched Rachel Ray once, when one of my son's partners was on, and so I had never heard of her. What a story!!!!!! And, as legendary as her tale is, her ice creams are legends of their own. So fun. So awesome. Icing on the cake for this Friday.

Here is a great sounding recipe...perfect for July...that mixes up watermelon and lemonade! For more on Jeni, check out her fun website ice cream and OMG...you can even order online!!!

Watermelon and Lemonade Sorbet (Jeni Britton Bauer)

1 small to medium watermelon
1/2 cup lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Prep: Cut enough watermelon flesh into 2-inch cubes to make about 4 cups. Puree melon in a food processor. Measure out 2 1/2 cups of puree and transfer to a medium bowl. Reserve the rest of the watermelon for another use (Penny's note: how about tossing in a shake or freezing into ice cubes?) Measure out the remaining ingredients. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

Cook: Combine the lemon juice, sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat.

Chill: Whisk the lemon syrup into pureed watermelon. Pour mixture into a 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.

Freeze: Pour the sorbet base into the frozen canister of an ice cream maker and spin just until it is the consistency of very softly whipped cream. Pack into a storage container, adding a few watermelon seeds if you wish. Press a sheet of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the sorbet and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze until firm in your freezer, about 4 hours. Makes 1 quart.

Where there's smoke, there's fire...

2011-07-14T08:03:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I did not have Internet for part of the day and so my Women and Wednesdays post didn't go out. It is Thursday and I am going for it...but with a different post. I will publish the foods to eat for soft, moist skin next week. Today's post is important, too.

Yesterday, I had an annual check-up. The clinic where this specialist practices is off-putting to start...kind of like walking into a medical "factory farm". Where I check in looks like an airport...doctors' names hanging on signs from the ceiling with specific booths and check-in attendants. I dutifully queue up under my doctor's name. When I get up to the counter, the clerk hands me a sheet and says, "Check your name, address and phone number, sign and date". I looked beyond my address and phone number and saw they had me listed as a "smoker". That's when the fire ignited.

Here is the conversation:

Me: "Excuse me. There is an error. I have never smoked. Is this a typo?"

Response: "Oh, that doesn't really mean you are a smoker smoker; it is our way of helping tag your chart for filing, etc."

Me: "What...with a health risk I don't have, with false information that could affect both my insurance coverage and follow-up?"

Response: "Again, it is our internal code. I doesn't really mean that you are a smoker."
NOTE: Nowhere on the form is the term "smoker" explained with their "new" meaning. It is just listed as a line item as is: Smoker Y or N!

Me: "Remove it from my chart, please."

Response: She picks up the phone, calls someone and I hear her saying "Yes, I tried to explain to her that being a smoker on her chart was a code for us...blah, blah." She hangs up phone. Silence follows while she stares at me as we wait for someone to come from the back office.

Talk to the hand and get "smoker" off my chart!

Long story short, I got it removed from my chart. Just think if that had been passed on to my insurance company, become a permanent part of my history. Very, very upsetting. I wonder how many other patients in that clinic they have labelled "smokers". What if those same patients are trying to buy new health or life insurance? How are they supposed to explain "smoker"? Very, very upsetting.

And so, this Women and Wednesdays post is a head's up for all of us to read the forms we sign. Pay attention. Be present!!! And yes, I brought the form marked "smoker" home with me. xoxox

Little lost "lamb"

2011-07-12T16:06:00.006-05:00

This Red, White and Food post is a little unusual...talking today about "food" that soothes the soul and for many of us, that food has four legs. While I would love to tell you all about the wonders of my four-legged "babies", my "grand-babies", too...and how they have brought me so much joy and comfort, there is a little lost one who needs the attention today.

On Saturday, this precious old gal was wandering along the main street where I live...not moving very fast and in this dangerous,100 degree plus heat, she looked very distressed. She has pretty good teeth still, loves cheese and not dry kibble, seems blind but is spatially aware and has a sore leg but manages to move around a bit. She is well-fed...er, plump, and has pretty toes. Our vet did not recognize her nor did the groomer nor the neighborhood dogsitter and she is not chipped. No ID in sight.

Oh, woe. Two thoughts have crossed my mind...she has wandered off for a reason, not expecting to be rescued and end up here in Dog-ville, or her caretakers haven't noticed she is missing or maybe they are hurt, have heat stroke. I am not even going to go there. Anyway, any help? Please give me a shout if you have any clues. We have already named her. Geez. xoxoxoxo

Berry Chilled

2011-07-11T10:06:00.005-05:00

A picture is worth a thousands words. Holy cow and I hear we are headed for lots more of the same hideous heat!! And so, yesterday, when my mom reminded me that Williams-Sonoma was having a free ice cream class, I hot-footed it up there to meet a pal. Such a sweet, cool, blissful hour!

I am a scratch cook and used to make ice cream from scratch as well. My, how things have changed!! I do not have a lot of sophisticated kitchen equipment, except my new turbo-charged blender. Just the basics, most of which are 40-60 plus years old, including an "old-fashioned"...geez...hand-cranked ice cream maker. You know, the ones you pack in layers of ice and salt and crank for quite awhile to get the frozen goods? One guest there said he had heard of those. I guess the proper term for them is now "vintage" or perhaps "antique". The little beauties they have to make ice cream now are amazing. Just no paddle to lick, which was half the fun.

Anyway, I wanted to share some tips. Ice pops can be made from any juice...less sugar-y, the better and layered with a combination of juices if you like. You can swirl in berries, yogurt, little bits of fresh fruit. I feel sure you could still use little paper cups for freezing instread of the molds.(See note below). Here is a simple taste treat I learned...freeze chai tea and use a cinnamon stick as the popsicle stick. Insert it when the ice-y mixture is set enough to support the stick, but not frozen solid yet. Oh yum...sounds de-lish.

Pretty fancy ice pop* (from Internet)...love the orange drip catcher!

Here is a recipe from Heidi Swanson for Berry Ice Pops. You can use any frozen berry or fruit, organic berries are a must. Do use high quality, organic, full-fat yogurt for these to have the best mouth feel, taste and health value. Siggi's from Iceland seems the perfect choice! If you are not a dairy eater, do try some of the non-dairy yogurts. If you have kiddos, these are ideal to make and keep everyone away from those overly sweet, full-of-dye, chemically-enriched, commercial pops. Feel free to add a little honey to sweeten to taste.

Berry Ice Pops

Puree 7-8 ounces frozen berries. Add one cup of yogurt and mix well. Taste. Add honey (or even real maple syrup) to taste. Use remaining 2 1/2 cups of yogurt (maybe add a dash of vanilla or honey) to fill 8 4-ounce molds* or paper cups 2/3's full. Top with berry mixture and swirl just enough to create a pretty pattern. Freeze. Makes 8 4-ounce ice pops.

*Note: with all the concern about plastics, I would be very sure that if you opt for those cute plastic ice pop molds, ask if they are BPA-free. It should be in writing on the pop's packaging, too. Otherwise, avoid them, especially if you are pregnant or giving these to little ones. "Cute" could be very costly to your health!!