Category Archives: Blogging for good health!

Aw, Shucks!

You love them or hate them.

As a longtime resident of North Carolina, I’ve been around these mollusks a long time, but wasn’t a big fan because most of the time they were being served raw. Oh, and they were usually not chewed.

Yeach!

Fried? Occasionally, sure.

But after experiencing barbequed oysters hot-off the grill, with garlic butter bathing a tender, juicy, cooked, chewable morsel – I was hooked. Being at my daughter’s house on the lanai, gazing at the Hawaiian sunset didn’t hurt either.

A few Oysters Rockefeller in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, consumed after experiencing the Grand Illuminations sealed the deal.

If they are cooked, I’m game.

The Asian Cucumber Twists that inspired last week’s post, represented the salad/vegetable portion of our oyster feast – thanks to my sweetheart’s daughter, who is in the business of selling and delivering Gulf oysters to restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Gulf oysters she shared with us are huge! We enjoyed a couple oyster feasts during her recent visit, and we appreciated all her hard work in shucking them for us, too!

Her baked oysters were phenomenal using a small dab of butter, garlic salt, lemon juice, parmesan, and cheddar.

Oh, my!

Turns out, oysters have some excellent nutritional value – above and beyond the lore around enhancing sexual prowess.

One 3-ounce serving of oysters, approximately 6 medium, is incredibly low in calories and carbs, and is high in protein and vitamin/minerals. Check this out:

  • Calories: 69
  • Fat: 2g
  • Sodium: 90mg
  • Carbohydrates: 4.2g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 8g

But the numbers that really caught my eye were from the USDA website below.

Vitamin C5%Calcium5%
Iron33%Vitamin D0%
Vitamin B65%Cobalamin230%
Magnesium12%

Cobalamin is vitamin B12 and essential for maintaining brain and nerve health – and for making DNA and red blood cells. B12 also helps lower levels of an amino acid linked (when in high levels) to dementia, heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis.

To summarize, a 3-ounce serving of oysters has:

  • Very few carbohydrates
  • Less fat than carbohydrates
    • Is packed with protein and essential amino acids (Omega-3 fatty acids)
    • Very high in vitamins including B12
      • Very high in minerals including potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron and is low in calories

The caution about oysters is usually centered around eating them raw because they may contain a Vibrio bacterium which may cause diarrhea, vomiting, and in some cases, severe illness. Cooking them with proper techniques can kill harmful bacteria.

Also, because of advanced techniques in refrigeration and storage, the adage about not eating oysters in a month without an ‘R’ has gone by the wayside. Oysters are now safely consumed year-round.

There are six oysters left we are planning to put on the grill tonight. Hope I learned enough about how to shuck an oyster from watching others.

We’re on our own tonight!

In health –

Deidre

Cucumbers With A Twist

Are you skilled in eating with chopsticks? For some, it’s a sure-fire way to eat less – nothing stays on with our precarious hold!

But it’s amazing how a pair of chopsticks can transform the process of slicing vegetables to create shapes and textures.

Remember Hasselback potatoes? They were all over the recipe blogs a few years ago. They intrigued me, but I never took the plunge in creating them. /

After using a similar technique for cucumbers this past weekend, I’m going to do it. Who can resist having fun in the kitchen while creating something unique, tasty, and incredibly visually appealing?

Oh, and with minimal effort.

During a recent visit, my sweetheart’s daughter suggested we try creating an Asian cucumber salad. It’s another recipe concept that I have never taken up, so the opportunity to do this together was just the ticket for the kitchen adventure we wanted.

After we watched a how-to video on the slicing technique and saw how a small cucumber can be transformed into a spiral, we were sold!

There are many recipes and how-to videos out there, and the technique I used to slice is different than the recipe we followed which was loosely like this one:

Using a package of six small Persian cucumbers, I washed and trimmed the ends from each. Next comes the magic!

Align the cucumber between the chopsticks and make consistently sized slices on the diagonal. The chopsticks keep the knife from going all the way through the cucumber.

Then, turn the cucumber over to the other uncut side. Make slices going vertically.

When you lift the cucumber, there is an amazing swirling twist! So cool!

Some recipes recommend cutting the cucumber in two bite-sized pieces, but we didn’t do that because we wanted to show off the beauty of the twist in the serving bowl.

Cucumbers contain a lot of water – which is why they are so refreshing, but when put into a dressing, the results get watered down. Therefore, the next step is to draw the excess water out of the cucumber before adding the dressing.

To “sweat” the cucumbers, we sprinkled two teaspoons of Kosher salt over them, mixing and massaging the salt into flesh. This recipe suggested leaving the salt on for five minutes – no more than 10 minutes – lest they lose their crispness. Other recipes contradict that method and want a longer sweating time. We were happy using less than ten minutes.

While the cucumber twists are sweating, it was a snap to mix up the dressing in a small bowl using ingredients we had on hand:

See the full downloadable recipe below.

By the time the dressing is mixed, it’s about time to rinse the salted cucumbers. Under running water, rinse the salt off very carefully, repeating several times. Place rinsed cucumber twists onto a towel to drain. Pat dry.

Place cucumber twists into a bowl and pour the dressing over, gently tossing to evenly distribute. That’s it. Time to serve. If there are leftovers, these can be refrigerated for a few days.

Asian Cucumber Twists are so easy to create and provide such a crowd-pleasing presentation and taste experience.

I can see using this recipe again and again.

Thanks for reading. I hope you like it!

Want to share this post? Use the options under the MORE button below.

In health –

Deidre

Which Way To The Gym, You Ask?

“Well, I didn’t make it to the gym today like I’d hoped.”

Ever said that?

“In fact, today is a bust, as well.”

Welcome to my world.

So, that means what? I keep plugging away, sitting at my computer, suffering from the effects of limited movement?

I could have taken that path, but several workouts today have left me feeling invigorated, stretched out, and standing much taller – and it took almost no time at all.

Cumulatively, I’ve logged a whopping ten minutes of stretching exercises taken in three small intervals while I was waiting.

Waiting for the coffee to brew.

Waiting for breakfast to cook in the pan.

Waiting for the water to boil and the tea to brew.

Sure, there will be sustained effort in the gym this week, but when I do these few movements, I am a new person right now, at home.

After a recent workout that focused on upper body, my shoulder girdle was still feeling tight, so I returned to this favorite twist on arm circles:

Arm Circle Variation:

Standing with feet a shoulder width apart, stretch out arms to the side, horizontally to the floor.

Turn palms UP facing the ceiling. This is the trick.

Stretch your arms out as far as you can comfortably, as if trying to touch the walls. Do not drop your arms between any of the repetitions.

Make 8 small arm circles going forward, followed by 8 going backward.

Make 8 medium circles going forward, followed by 8 going backward.

Make 8 large circles going forward, followed by 8 going backward.

Now you may lower your arms.

This sounds so simple, but by turning the palms to face the ceiling, the dynamics are totally changed! You will find a surprising challenge and a great movement to open up your body just by doing this variation.

Okay, that should take a minute and a half – plus or minus. Make sure to keep reaching for the walls as you do the arm circles, and make sure to create the large one as big as you can comfortably do.

Next, I do a series of head/neck and torso movements that instantly loosen up and increase range of motion for my upper body, releasing tension:

Head turns to the right and left

Head nods up and down

Torso twists to the right and left

All movements are done slowly with a pause at the neutral center position.

Each repetition is done very gently, stopping at the slightest resistance, and seems to yield a bit more range of motion each time until I feel limber. Usually, five reps will yield the desired results.

The final minutes to my morning warm up come during brewing our pour-over coffee. Lifting the full glass hot water kettle to slowly pour the steaming water over the grounds offers yet another opportunity for weightlifting – especially using my nondominant hand.

During the pouring pauses, raising the kettle up/out/or across is easy using my right arm, but harder to do with my left.

I hope you enjoy these easy, subtle opportunities to squeeze in a stretch outside of the gym. We have the time – right where we are.

If you like these ideas, please share using the options under the MORE button below.

In health –

Deidre

What’s An Acronym and Why Is It Important?

We’re here to talk about the important ones!

Everything has initials. Back in the day, it was people’s names and organizations being shortened for the headlines: JFK, LBJ, GOP, Dems, ABC, NBC, and the like. Today, not only names but locations, words, whole phrases, diseases, and everything else are being reduced to a chain of letters.

And, apparently, even for things people drink – like SSB.

Do you drink SSB?

Do you have CVD?

Well, if you exercise thinking you can mitigate the physical effects of SSB in hopes of not having another MI – you may be sadly mistaken.

Okay – back to complete words.

A newsletter I received from Chris Kresser, which contained a link to a study that looked at the idea of using exercise to offset risk of coronary vascular disease (CVD) brought on by drinking sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs).

In other words, couldn’t the cardioprotective effects of exercise undo the harm of drinking SSBs?

Wouldn’t it be cool to throw back the SSB of your choice – sweet tea/coffee, soft drink, or any drink using sugar or high fructose corn syrup – and then head for the gym to “work it off?”

Longtime foodtalk4you readers probably can guess the answer: no.

To quote the study:

“The underlying biological mechanism by which SSB intake is associated with an increased risk of CVD includes not only their capacity to induce weight gain but also the high amounts of quickly absorbable carbohydrates (i.e., sugar or high-fructose corn syrup), contributing to an increase in blood glucose and insulin levels and thereby glycemic load [13]. This process exacerbates inflammatory biomarkers and overall inflammation, which are linked to atherosclerosis, ultimately leading to risk of CVD.”

When we talk about an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, that includes:

  • choosing food/drinks that nourish our whole bodies without causing stress and strain.
  • choosing to exercise regularly in ways that promote growth, healing, and circulation.
  • choosing to use coping strategies that promote mental balance.
  • choosing a personal community that promotes joy, respect, and common values.

Sugar is not our friend. It promotes inflammation on every level.

Yes, we all had our sugar hit over Valentine’s Day, but let sugar be the treat, not the main course or continual source of dietary pleasure.

So, sorry to burst the bubble of those thinking that exercise could rewrite the script of what we put into our bodies on a regular basis. Exercise can do a lot, but we still need to put quality fuel into our engines.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going for a walk.

Remember to subscribe to our pop-up and ad-free corner of the world.

In health –

Deidre

Umami and What Else?

Adding dehydrated mushrooms to all my soups, stews, and chilis has added a new dimension to our warmth-giving winter dishes.

Not only do I find the toothy chew of these dried mushrooms delightful, but there is that undeniable “something” they impart with their flavor factor, aka umami. It is like the fifth flavor after: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty – followed by that savory, yet unidentifiable umami wonderfulness.

ADAPTOGENS:

For several years there’s been a whole thing about mushroom coffee: brews enhanced with adaptogens from certain mushrooms.

Adaptogens are herbs, roots, and other plant substances such as mushrooms that help our bodies manage stress and restore balance. Learn more here.

Some of us think we need that caffeine boost in the morning to sharpen focus and to be our most alert selves, but often find a feeling of being “wired” plaguing us. Yet, there we are, reaching for another cup.

Mushroom coffee mixes are a combination of ground coffee beans and ground mushrooms that are reputed to help us with their adaptogenic effects, including these mushrooms:

Lion’s mane

Chaga

Reishi

Cordyceps

Turkey tail

Therefore, by definition, there is less coffee and caffeine per cup – but always read the labels for the caffeine content.

Turkey Tail Mushroom

Each different kind of adaptogenic/medicinal/functional mushroom boasts qualities that help various health concerns HERE. But in general, these ancient Chinese sources of healing are anti-inflammatory, decrease our stress response, and are beneficial to healing, natural immunity, and proper functioning of every body system.

Users report less of a desire to have a second cup of their reduced caffeine brew because they are totally satisfied with how they are feeling – there’s no need for more and there are no nervous jitters – only mental clarity and a certain calm. HERE.

We are reminded by experts to always check with health professionals for recommendations on ingesting any kind of supplement. Medicinal mushroom powders are considered to be supplements and their content is not strictly controlled by the FDA.

If kidney stones or digestive troubles are possible for you, UCLAhealth.org advises:

“In addition, certain types of mushrooms often used in mushroom coffee (notably, the chaga variety) contain high levels of compounds called oxalates. A diet that contains too many oxalates puts you at risk for developing kidney stones.”

Today, I did not use expensive mushroom coffee powder. Rather, I grabbed a dehydrated shiitake mushroom cap and used the microplane grater to reduce it to a powder.

Turbinado Sugar

After frothing a splash of half and half along with a few drops of vanilla, 1 teaspoon of mushroom powder, and maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of turbinado sugar, I poured my freshly brewed coffee on top and stirred.

The results were yummy. There was a just bit of mushroom powder sludge at the bottom of the cup because I had not used a food processor, but then, I only had a microplane to wash – that’s a win, any day.

We’ll see how I like doing this. I may convert to a more traditional selection of healing mushroom varieties to add to my own brew. I would love to know if you are using mushroom powders, especially in your coffee – please make sure to comment below.

The relaunch of the latest updated version of Toolkit for Caregivers is moving to the formatting and production stage, and the work that Sheree is doing on some of the supplementary materials we will be offering readers is so beautiful!

I can’t wait to show you the covers for the audio download and complementary materials that will provide caregivers with additional strategies for their own wellbeing. Soon. Very soon!

If we ever needed a boost in mental clarity and destressing, that would be now and in the coming months.

In health –

Deidre

Saying I Love You With French Apple Cake

No matter if you are gathering romantically or with friends and family, I’m going to share a lovely recipe with you just in time for Valentine’s Day next week. That gives you plenty of time to get the ingredients together.

Perhaps you could even share the creative process with your special someone. I adore cooking with family and friends – the joined efforts amplify the fun.

We are going to a French-themed dinner party tonight, so what better dessert could I bring than this?

Never heard of French Apple Cake? I hadn’t either until I came across a recipe online a couple years ago. The original recipe’s author refined many other known recipes to correct common apple cake problems: sogginess, apples sinking to the bottom, or results that are too custardy in texture.

The recipe I am sharing with you is my own version based upon ingredients at hand. I simply did not want to travel to the NC State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh to secure the specific kind of apples originally called for.

Granny Smith’s from the local grocery store would just have to do. Since these apples are literally at the bottom of the sweetness chart, I adjusted the sweetness in the ingredients with one tablespoon more sugar.

And – we were out of brandy, so I had to pivot on that as well. Most other French Apple Cakes use an addition of rum, so switching from brandy to – ta da – Amaretto, seemed totally fine. And it is!

This cake is a bit of a hybrid: part cake, tart tatin, and pie. With its higher ratio of fruit to batter, I am totally satisfied with the results, and I think you will be, too.

To begin ingredient preparations, I brought out an old friend: my old timey-looking apple peeler that cores and slices apples to perfection. Consistent one quarter inch slices every time! Practically effortless.

One key to this recipe is in the browning of the butter, which releases such a yummy, nutty aroma and flavor. I’ve been reading many recipes lately for cookies that call for this step. Have you been doing this? Worth exploring.

French Apple Cake is delicious served by itself, but tonight I’ll be using a bit of French Vanilla ice cream on top. Anything to ramp up the ‘French’ factor!

Here’s your downloadable recipe:

Love is a beautiful thing. Romantic or not, whenever we share love with others is a extraordinary time.

Thank you, dear readers for supporting foodtalk4you through your comments and by subscribing. Sheree and I love and appreciate you! And thank you for sharing this post with others by using the options under the MORE button below.

Happy Valentine’s Day in health –

Deidre

Alice Isn’t The Only One With A Magic Pill

Can you relate to these two things I am discovering about myself?

  1. It’s hard to sustain all the good things I want to do for my health all the time without reminders.
  2. While I don’t believe in a ‘magic pill’ approach to anything, there’s a part of me that wants to.

Take lunges, for instance. I’ve written about them in foodtalk4you and in my books several times. Lunges are a great movement to do to stretch those muscles that tighten up from too much sitting.

If you have a watch or device that reminds you to stand and move every hour, just take a minute to lunge.

Why did I forget that?

For now, my goal is to do lunges several times a day when I get that reminder. Lunges keep us tuned in to balance and stretching.

Out of practice? Make sure to start out easy, no big deep knee bending, but enough to get you going. Check out this link for beginner lunge techniques.

On to the “magic pill” mentality.

In the October 10th post last year, I was sharing various fiber sources in foods and the benefits of stir-in fiber goodness found in seeds and products like Metamucil. As faithful readers know, fiber feeds the ‘good guy’ inhabitants of our microbiome, adds bulk to the end product of digestion, and making stool easier to pass.

Our household was consuming a lot of fiber, but the results were less than stellar in terms of time spent in the bathroom.

What we neglected was remembering that there are other ways to feed gut bacteria: ingesting live bacteria found in yogurt, unpasteurized sauerkraut, and supplementation of live probiotics in capsules.

So, when recently taking an antibiotic to put the kibosh on my 5 week URI/crud, I naturally turned to an old friend, a probiotic pill briming with live bacteria, to repopulate my gut from the effects of the antibiotic.

Not only did I get my voice and overall health back, but my digestive system was functioning like a champ. Eureka!

And no Metamucil!

One easy to take capsule every morning. I used to do that way back when.

Why did I forget?

See discovery #1 which so conveniently ties into discovery #2.

Our good health is so interrelated to everything. Yes, there’s a lot we can do on so many levels that we may feel it’s hard to work it all in most of the time.

Will my “magic pill” be the sole answer to “keep me going?”

Not without daily exercise, adequate hydration, good sources of fiber from whole food, and creating an inner balance to managing stress.

So, here’s a friendly reminder to consider adding or beefing up probiotics from various sources to your daily diet along with the many other things you are already doing. Oh, and try some lunges when your device reminds you to move.

I may secretly long for that “magic pill,” but answers come from understanding the bigger picture and applying myself every day.

In health –

Deidre

Thanks for reading. If you find this post useful, please share by using the options under the MORE button below.

Got the Latest Version?

My phone’s latest update, 17.2.1, couldn’t be installed because too much memory was being used for other things.

Sound familiar?

Diving into what was causing the overuse of memory, I was able to delete duplicated sends of videos I had forgotten about. In just a couple minutes, I was able to free up enough space for the update.

Shades of Marie Kondo. We must jettison the old before we can take on any more things – and maybe we don’t need more.

Going through my Blessings Jar’s contents from 2023, I came across a note which said what a blessing it was for me to release things I no longer used or needed, and to put what I kept in its proper place. I had used the word ‘liberating.’

Starting this new year of 2024, I turn my thinking to what this latest version of me will look like. What tweaks am I called to make on myself?

Do I need to delete things, activities, or people that occupy too much space so I can add others who would better reflect who I am?

What’s one thing I am good at that I should be doing more? What would doing more look like?

There’s a quote I read recently which has left a lasting impression on me. I wish I could remember the source, but it goes something like this:

“What is it like for others to be on the receiving end of me?”

That quote reframes other wisdom through the ages – do unto others, etc. – but its message really stuck for me, and serves as a starting point for tweaking the latest version of me.

By extension, what is it like for our own bodies/minds/spirits to be on the receiving end of us? That has been the message of foodtalk4you all along: We are what we think, eat, breathe, and do.

So, I encourage us all to take a moment to think about the latest version of ourselves.

Speaking of tweaking – I had not done much holiday baking because of other time commitments; but I did have a marvelous time recently baking five batches of cookies! It was so much fun, giving myself permission to dedicate several hours to baking.

That’s me, rebalancing.

I used the Almond Paste Macaroon recipe I shared with you in December; but I did the logical tweaking it needed to be its best self. Below, I share with you Almond Macaroons 3.0. They were a success and well-received by all.

Remember to click on the subscribe button at the bottom of the scroll on your device or to the upper left of your computer screen to make sure you get foodtalk4you each week. No ads. No pop ups. No sharing of your information.

In health –

Deidre

When You Can Be A Tree – Always Be The Tree!

I remember a grade school scientific experiment in which a young seed sprout was planted in a small pot and placed at the bottom of a box with overlapping half shelves above it. When the box was closed, the little seedling received no direct light, even though there is no lid on the box.

Yet, with watering, it grows.

Its pale stem grows around each half shelf above it until it finally wiggles around the last overhang that separates it from the direct light it needs for photosynthesis.

It’s life sustaining light is found!

One of my regular sources for uplifting thoughts is Amit Sood.

His recent post was this: “Just as trees grow their branches toward the sun, spend more time with the people who are your source of light.”

We need light, too.

We love sunlight, not for photosynthesis – but for warmth, clearer vision, and for that mental/physical/spiritual uplift we get from being in the light.

People can have the same effect on us.

Some people seem to block out the light and drain our energies like those shelves in the dark box, while others literally brighten up our day like sunshine after a storm.

Amit Sood suggested that we consider what is special about the people who are our source of love and light.

Have we noticed what it is about them that, “lights up our life”?

Do others feel that way about us?

As plants and trees seek the sunlight, we too should be seeking the company of others who lift us up. It’s good for us, normal, and healthy.

And – we should be that ray of sunshine for others, as well. What are the traits that we possess that are helpful to others?

So, yes, let’s be more like a tree seeking life-giving sunshine more regularly and let’s be more like the life-giving sun to those around us.

In health –

Deidre

If you find this post helpful, you can share it with those you care about by using the options under the MORE button below.

Need A Good Chicken Noodle Soup Remedy? *Sniff* We’ve Got It!

For millennia, people have been lovingly preparing and serving hot bowls of chicken soup to those feeling ill – especially those suffering from upper respiratory infections (URIs).

Fact or fiction? Does chicken soup help the symptoms of those suffering from head colds or what I have come to call the ‘crud,’ meaning: a head cold on steroids … or, probably a sinus infection.

Who knows?

What we do know is, when suffering with a cold that impacts the upper chest to our eyeballs, we are full of stuff that needs to come out.

Chicken soup seems to help with that process. Warming up from a steamy bowl of soup helps open passageways and loosen mucus, boosts the immune system, and provides flavorful nutrition all at once.

I found a great summary of how the ingredients of chicken soup can help symptoms of an URI HERE that says:

Chicken broth – Hearty broth contains vitamins, minerals, and some fat. The steamy liquid can help to improve upper respiratory symptoms by providing hydration and stimulating nasal clearance.

Carrots, celery, onion – These vegetables contain vitamins A, C, and other antioxidants, which nutrients help build a strong immune system and fight off viruses. They may help the body recover faster from an illness.

Chicken – The star of the dish provides protein, which also supports the immune system.

Noodles – High in carbohydrates, they help you feel full and satisfied.

Herbs (optional) – Herbs like parsley, bay leaf, thyme, or dill can boost flavor and add more antioxidants to support your immune system.

Okay. You had me at chicken soup. These benefits sound great! But I kept thinking about the extra yummy lemon-rice-chicken soup we had this fall at a local restaurant. That’s what I really wanted. The lemon factor ramps up the beneficial nutrients and taste.

I was on a quest.

Google presented me with Greek lemon rice chicken soup and sent me a gem of a recipe for avgolemono soup.

Allrecipes however, was the best in helping me understand the Greek term “avgolemono,” which means “egg-lemon.”

Avgolemono is pronounced ave-go-LE-mono. Avgo is Greek for “egg” and lemoni means “lemon.” The term refers not to a kind of soup, but to a sauce! This soup’s lovely creaminess is thanks to a heavenly egg/lemon sauce.

After the prep work for the mirepoix (carrots, onion, and celery) and other miscellaneous ingredients, the cooking process is pretty basic. New to me was soaking the rice to shorten the cooking time.

As they say, the secret is in the sauce; and this sauce is a cinch. Using my new hand-held mixer with whisk attachment, it was easy to whisk the two eggs, slowly add the lemon juice, and then – a very important step – temper the sauce with two or three ladles of hot, finished soup gradually whisked into the egg-lemon mixture.

Once tempered, stir in the egg-lemon mixture into the hot soup – off heat – which will result in creamy loveliness. Un-tempered, you would have egg drop soup.

I have tweaked the original recipe by adding some lemon zest – it just seemed to need another nudge in that direction. Sheree has prepared a downloadable/printable version for you here:

Eating this soup was so therapeutic to the three of us that night because we were all recovering from varying degrees of the crud. The remaining portion was sent home with our guest for his wife, also healing from this thing that just doesn’t want to let go!

I encourage you to try this recipe and please let me know how it turns out. As always, you can share this post using the options under the MORE button below.

In health –

Deidre