My daughter is a Doctor and she says that an apple a day won’t necessarily keep the Doctor away, but eating 5 1/2 cups of fruit and veg a day will certainly boost you on your way!
Health Eating/Active Lifestyle (HEAL)
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Corny/Not Corny!
Give Me A Break-Corny Can Be Good
I have been out of commission for a while and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your patience and your wonderful comments. Like most Bloggers, I thrive on feedback and comment. I know this sounds corny, but please do keep it up. The more the better!! Thanks again so much. I have been Skating Uphill for a bit, but as the Uphill Skater likes to say,
“Skating Uphill is really hard, but when you get to the top, the view is worth it!”
Keep that in mind. I always do.
Unexpected Tacos
Flour tortillas, corn tortillas, and yes even tortillas made from different grains are all really good for that evening meal that ain’t happening. Oh, tacos also are great for any breakfast or lunch or just whenever. Hence the name “Unexpected”!
FILLINGS
- Any meat-I am a vegetarian so I use Morning Star Farms ground beef but you may also use ground turkey, pork, or even just for something unexpected-Spam!
- Any fish or shell fish-One of my favorites from a restaurant called Taco Mundo is breaded fried shrimp with sweet Asian cole slaw. I also really like salmon with Jasmine rice.
- Just vegetables can be unexpectedly delicious. Raw or cooked grated carrots, shredded cabbage, any kind of flavored slaw, actually just any vegetable you like. PD I LOVE Avocado
- Also for a veggie taco try lettuce, tomato, rice, and black beans.
- Another fav of mine from Casa Del Sol restaurant is tuna with sweet Asian slaw. Yum!
- Finally, use your imagination for breakfast tacos or burritos. Anything you have for breakfast is great in a taco shell or tortilla.
- BE UNEXPECTED!!!
Thoughts-Random, Yet Meaningful, I Think
Perhaps “Reflections”
Vision is the gift of seeing what others do not
You will find no shortcuts to the really good places you would like to be
To look backward you must first stand still and then turn around. Don’t Do It
Sometimes leading and being an active follower are very similiar
I love words like respect, pride, honesty, and compassion
Do you have any Random thoughts? Please do share!
Ins and outs of cooking grains
The more I read about ancient grains and new “fad” grains that we eat for fiber the more I become confused. Personally, I have liked in the past the little cups of different kinds of rice that you pop in the microwave for one minute, but seemingly that does just not cut it any more. I have started to experiment around a little for two reasons-First, I like rice. I also like Quinoa but I don’t like Faro. I like warm rice with salmon or Chinese food, but I also love cold rice salad. So, here are a few tips for boiling or steaming grains.
- Quinoa is one cup of quinoa to two cups of water. You need to simmer it for sometimes over 20 minutes, but watch it toward the end because it is done when all of the water is absorbed but burnt shortly thereafter!
- Brown rice is the same-one cup rice to two cups water. simmer again until the water is absorbed.
- Couscous-This is a little easier. One cup grain to two and a half cups water but Bring to a boil then just put on a lid and remove from the heat. Let is sit for a few minutes then fluff with a fork.
- Just regular white rice is one cup rice to one and one half cups water. Simmer covered for about 15 minutes. BTW add whatever spice or flavoring you like to the rice and it will be absorbed.
Finally, you can do what I suggested at the beginning. Buy instant. Real grain lovers don’t do this very often, but it really does work, honest!
Here in the South We Say…..
Well, we say lots of things, but one of my favorites is “HAVE A BLESSED DAY” so here it is for you. Blessed days are filled with happy things, people who do and say nice things to each other, prayer, and good deeds. Grab any one or all of these things and then Have a Blessed Day-Why Not??
Basta Pasta!
Pasta is probably the most versatile and easy food in the entire universe. Also, you might be thinking, what exactly does she mean when she says “pasta?” Is it spaghetti, fusilli, Penne, lasagna. rigatoni, or what? BTW, are we talking about red sauce, with meat or without, vodka sauce, olive oil and garlic or what??? See what I mean? Anyway, here are a few quick and easy ways to have what I think of as one of the best and most yummy meals ever.
- Just plain spaghetti with a jar of red sauce-Try using whole wheat spaghetti with Newman’s Own Marinara or vodka sauce and you cant go wrong. PS be sure to add a nice loaf of French bread with an olive oil dip.
- How about a cold pasta salad? I like rotini for pasta salad and I add any fresh crunchy veg I have on hand. I add little tomatoes cut in half, fresh basil, broccoli, marinated artichoke hearts and so on. BTW if you buy a jar of artichoke hearts, be sure to save the liquid for your sauce or a dressing later. Please NEVER use mayo as your binder with a pasta salad. Salt, pepper, garlic salt and some olive oil and a dash of sweet balsamic vinegar is all you need, honest!
- Baked penne with meat or not and mushrooms or not is one of my faborites. Be sure to top this dish off with some parmesan cheese.
- The WEB is full of lasagna recipes, but I like veggie lasagna made with egg plant. You can buy egg plant rounds already breaded in the freezer at any grocery store and lasagna made with these little gems is soooo good.
- I am going to end this on a real Americana note-one of the best pastas around is good old Mac and Cheese. Yes, this has endless variatians, but they are all good.
Give PASTA a try for a quick, easy lunch or dinner and don’t forget the fresh bread. This all freezes really well too so make enough for two meals while you are at it!
Someone is trying to tell YOU something!
Lately in many magazines I have been seeing articles and statistics about plant based diets. Not vegan or even very strict vegetarian, but maybe trying a couple of days a week or say five meals per week or any goal you may chose to try. Stats about obesity, blood pressure and heart attack are astounding when your red meat and animal fat intake is reduced. Why not try it??? (Recommended-5 servings, a serving being 1/2 cup, per day of fruits and vegetables. )
Breathe…….
I have a new app on my phone for a meditation moment. I am loving it and suggesting that every time you are about to open your phone, you stop and take a big deep breathe and think of a beautiful scene first.
Old Is New Again
We had a sermon this morning on the Beatitudes. I have heard several over the years as have we all, but this one was very special. We were asked to pause sit in a quiet spot and reflect on the differences between the words of Christ, and the forbidding “Thou shall not” tone of the Ten Commandments. I actually did this and it was quite an experience. Try it. Really think about it with your heart, not your mind.
Jesus says blessed, heaven, comfort, mercy, peace, righteous, pure in heart, and on and on. What a world if we were all mindful of these thoughts.