Category Archives: Food Talk 4 You!

One of the most important elements to good health is how you fuel your body. Let’s talk about how you can make sure the fuel you are using is the best it can be!

Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

Aye, Aye, Captain!

Leave a comment

It’s a verb.

An action verb.

Not like wishing or wanting but – DOING

We may want to be healthier, move more, learn more – but without the ACTION to back it up … those wants are nothing more than hot air.

It’s not the, WHAT we want to be or do – it’s the, HOW are we going to get from point A to point B in our plans? You know, stop talking and start showing by doing.

That’s why my word of the year is “captain.”

Not the noun. Not a person with a fancy cap and epaulettes.

The verb means to lead or command a team or group … or myself.

I am reminding myself to captain my boat – actively steering it with intention.

Rather than thinking of resolutions which often turn into wish lists, I am setting my intention on owning my role as “captain of my boat.”

I steer myself into calmer waters starting first thing each morning.

The pressure of the news media blowing up every day, and the import of the headlines, is affecting my very soul. I now reject diving into my phone or my emails first thing just to get the latest.

Rather, gazing out at the backyard view while I sip my coffee, helps ground me for the day ahead.

Seeking a sunny spot from a south-facing window calms and centers me like nothing else – a far better way to ease into the day.

Reading uplifting words from a print book – followed by personal thoughts and meditation – is a cherished tool for reaffirming my values.

There are personal projects that have needed my attention. Rather than saying I should do whatever, I am approaching the need with an ownership mindset – because, well, I do own it.

Whether the project is small, like drawers and closets that need tidying, or large – like managing finances, I am finding the inevitable delays that come from working with a ‘should’ mindset to a “where are we headed today, captain?” mindset is helping me get a lot more done.I leave you with one question.

What are you doing to encourage yourself to be intentional amid unsettling and uncertain energy from any source?

In health – Deidre

A reminder to all reading today – subscribing to foodtalk4you.com is the best way not to miss any posts. Just fill out the subscription form and you will receive one email each Tuesday with the link to the new post. So, easy! There will be a few introductory emails, but that’s pretty much it. I will not inundate your inbox, and your information is never shared.

Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Holiday Celebrations, Stress Reduction

Reflection

Leave a comment

What were your final moments of 2025 like?

Before all the hoop-la … before the bubbly … before the final 10-9-8- countdown …

I hope you took a few minutes for some reflection.

I was recently reminded reflection requires stillness.

Now, stillness seems to come at a premium these days, doesn’t it?

With our instant access to the barrage of news headlines, and as we conclude a season of rushing from one thing to another in our attempts to add special sparkle to each holiday event, we would do well to pause.

Let’s own being captain of our boats and steer to calmer waters where we can drop anchor and truly be still.

Ahhh …

Maybe light that candle I spoke of before …

Pull out your gratitude journal entries from 2025, or pour out a year’s worth of blessings from your blessings jar, to thoughtfully review, savor, and underscore your gratitude for the people, events, and things that touched your soul in a meaningful way.

Pause to evaluate where life has taken you this past year, and how you responded to those new circumstances.

Sure, there have been bumps along the way – but what did you learn; where will you improve, and how will you implement those improvements?

How did you feel when you felt at your best? How can you create more of that?

Give yourself some kudos for a job well done, values you honored, and ways you shined!

Rather than that proverbial list of resolutions, consider a Word of the Year, CAPTAIN, that contains one over-arching theme to guide your actions in 2026. Apply that one theme in all you do.

My job is done here – this reflective process is yours to do now – so I will let you have the space to do just that.

In health –
Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Recipes, Stress Reduction

Welcome 2026 With Hasselback Taters!

Leave a comment

Sheree and I wish everyone a deeper sense of personal health, inner balance, and daily joy!

My Word of the Year is “Captain,” and I can hardly wait to paint my little sign to set up as a reminder. When I get that done, I’ll share with you how I will apply this one word.

Have you set your intention for 2026 yet? Let me know in the comments.

Okay!

New topic for the new year!

First, we conquered ‘spatchcocked,’ when we opened the turkey for a more even roasting process that yielded the juiciest meat ever for Thanksgiving.

It’s interesting to note that ‘spatchcock’ comes from 18th century Ireland and Britain. It seems it is a shortening or degradation of the phrase, “to dispatch the cock.”

Cock, meaning a rooster or young chicken.

Dispatch, meaning to prepare or cook it quickly – and, in my imagination, to grab the bird, put an end to it quickly and efficiently, and then prepare it.

Just saying.

In any case, we have DISPATCH + COCK, to become SPATCHCOCK – which perfectly describes how removing the backbone and flattening the bird will cook it faster and more evenly. Doing this was popular in the taverns of old to save time and was often done with chickens and small game birds.

Now, for today’s strange term, Hasselback baked potatoes!

No. Nobody is getting hassled.

Hasselback potatoes comes from a place name and a dish that was created there.

In the 1950s, a chef-in-training named Leif Elisson, developed this technique at the Hasselbaken Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.
Potatoes were thinly sliced – but not all the way – then baked until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

While being aware of this technique for years, I resisted doing it. I can only ask myself ‘why,’ because not only is it easy to do, but it’s a rip-roaring crowd pleaser!

Here are the steps for Hasselback Potatoes (Download Below):

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Using a cutting board, place the potato between chopsticks, which will prevent the knife from completing the cuts. Make thin cuts – about 1/8 inch thick (a little less than 1/2 cm). Be mindful that the first cut or two may go through all the way depending upon the shape of the potato, so stop cutting at the ends before hitting the chopsticks.Melt a combination of butter and Extra Virgin Olive Oil to equal 2 tablespoons for two potatoes – along with salt, pepper, and seasoning of your choice. I like to add snipped chives or a herb mixture.

Brush half the oil on top of the two potatoes.

Bake uncovered in a baking dish for 30 minutes.

HASSELBACK POTATOES!Download

That’s it! Serve and enjoy!

Visually appealing and oh, so yummy!

In health –

Deidre

We welcome our new subscribers and hope our weekly tidbits help you out – one meal, one breath, and one movement at a time!

Blogging for good health!, Holiday Celebrations

Stop and Take Comfort in the Light of the Season

Leave a comment

So, I paused while deep in the holiday cookie baking marathon to just absorb the message of the candle flame burning on my countertop.

Gazing to look at a flame dancing and glowing will melt away so much tension.

For safety reasons, all my decorative candles are battery operated, but there is always a real wax candle ready to burn and enjoy in a safe spot, so I can calm and ground myself.

Wanting to expand on this theme of a calming flame and our natural attraction to and need for light, I have unabashedly used ChatGPT to assemble a brief list of worldwide celebrations centered upon light:

🌟 Holidays & Festivals of Light (Worldwide)

Diwali (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, global Hindu communities)Festival of Lights — triumph of light over darkness.

Hanukkah (Jewish communities worldwide)Festival of Lights — miracle of the menorah.

Christmas (Worldwide)Light symbolizing hope, guidance, and renewal.

St. Lucia Day (Sweden, Scandinavia)Celebrates light during the darkest days of winter.

Loy Krathong / Yi Peng Lantern Festival (Thailand)Floating lanterns and lights honoring renewal and gratitude.

Vesak (Buddha Day) (Asia, worldwide)Temples illuminated to honor enlightenment.

Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao Jie) (China, East Asia)Lanterns mark the end of Lunar New Year celebrations.

Kwanzaa (African diaspora)The Kinara candle-lighting ceremony symbolizes principles of unity and purpose.

Fête des Lumières (France – Lyon)Citywide celebration using artistic light displays.

Inti Raymi (Peru, Andes region)Festival honoring the Sun god, celebrating solar light.

Nowruz (Iran, Central Asia, global Persian communities)Fire and light rituals symbolizing rebirth and renewal.

Obon Lantern Festivals (Japan) Lanterns guide ancestral spirits.

Mid-Autumn Festival (China, East Asia)Moonlight symbolizing unity and reflection.

More than any other time in my life, I am sensing a radical increase in darkness in the world, and the sense of being overwhelmed by it grows by the day.

For so many of us, may we first absorb the message of the single flame this holiday season:

How a single flame can brighten a dark space

How taking a few minutes of contemplative gazing at a candle’s flame can transform how we feel inside

How we can take that calm and gentleness in our hearts to be kinder to ourselves and others

How we can share that light to lift others

How other people are naturally pulled to the light with their own light

How a group of people with lights can light up the world!

So, in the fray, first keep a candle handy in a safe spot to get yourself centered and calm, and then take its message with you back into the world.

In light, peace, health, and calm –

Deidre

Thank you, dear readers, for all your feedback and praise for our posts this year! It is thrilling to hear how our messages have helped and inspired you!

Coming soon – more techniques, recipes, thoughts and movements as foodtalk4you.com heads into 2026!

Please remember to subscribe so you won’t miss out on any of our weekly posts and make a point of sharing our blog with someone this week!

GREETINGS FROM SHEREE: Merry Christmas everyone! I have so much to be thankful for this year. One of the most important things is the fact I’m still here – more than many can say. Only one reason why, Jesus!

So, this Christmas, I’d like to give thanks to Him for sparing me – and allowing me to be with my family for one more memorable Christmas Season.

Heaven’s Song

Beneath the midnight sky so still, on Bethlehem’s quiet hill

A chorus rose – so pure, so strong, the angels filled the night with song

“Glory to God,” their voices rang. As heaven’s hosts in wonder sang

The King had come the world to save, to light the darkness, free the slave

Their melody swept through the air. A holy sound beyond compare

Shepherds in awe, their hearts took flight

Led by the song, they found the light

This Christmas may that song resound, in every heart where grace is found

For heaven’s joy still sings on earth, a timeless hymn of Jesus’ birth

God bless us, everyone.

Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Holiday Celebrations, Stress Reduction

Throwing Sparkles in the Winter Snow

2 Comments

A little sparkle here on that cookie.

A little sparkle there on that tree.

Holiday bling on earlobes, around necks, and attire.

We immerse ourselves in making so much feel, and look, extra special this time of year.

Is the doing of all this sparkle taking away from sitting back and enjoying it all?

So many of us say, “This year, it’s going to be different.”

But – is it ever?

Sigh.

We had a moment the other night, though, when after leisurely experiencing the sights and sounds in a local park with a large group of dear neighbor friends, we scattered in search of dinner.

Nine of us scored a large round table at a nearby eatery; and as I looked around, I was overwhelmed with a profound sense of gratitude for all the history, love, and special connections we had shared since our moving into this brand new community four years ago.

Now – those were some moments that went beyond sparkle and morphed into a deep soul-satisfying GLOW!

So, today’s short message is to enjoy the sparkle, and go for the GLOW!

In health –
Deidre

Our subscribers can count on not being bugged with pop-ups or endless sales emails. When we send you something, it’s the link to our weekly blog – or occasionally – a thank you containing additional useful information.

Reach out to me in the comments below or email me at Deidre@deidreedwards.com – your questions and comments are always appreciated.

Don’t miss the next post! Subscribing is easy and hassle-free. Just one email every Tuesday morning with the link to the latest post. Scroll down from the top of this page on the left side of your device to fill out the subscribe form.

Thank you!

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction

Come In, Sit Down, and Let’s Have a Cuppa!

Leave a comment

My first experience with coffee happened when I was three or four years old.

Toddling around the house, I would happen upon a long forgotten cup of stone-cold coffee dregs my parents had left behind.

Just a sip or two was left.

Thinking I was doing something tantalizingly decadent, I would rescue those last sips! Tee-hee!

Eventually, I became a ‘legal’ drinker of coffee.

Fast forward to our post on 6 Sept 2022, where I shared about reading a comprehensive article concerning medicinal mushrooms – I’ve been on the lookout for ways to incorporate more varieties of cultivated mushrooms into my diet.

Wait! Weren’t we just talking about coffee?

Yes!

For years, I have been seeing all kinds of ads and articles about mushroom coffees that promises nerve calming benefits – coupled with mental clarity and no coffee jitters.

Earlier this year, I followed an article about mushroom coffee comparisons and roamed on the internet in search of the perfect purchase.

I went to the sites of several brands and was immediately turned off by “starter packages” linked to initial purchases that would automatically renew.

I just wanted to try their stuff. If I didn’t like it, I would have had to cancel a subscription. No thank you.

Finally, I found a brand that seemed to check all the boxes and wasn’t asking me to make a life commitment.

I tried it. I liked it. It was not hard to find them to reorder. Take that purveyors of subscriptions!

So, I am using Cuppa brand mushroom coffee. I am not saying this will be good for you and, I am not affiliated with Cuppa. We just use it to replace that second cup of coffee when we want more to drink.

Many people use Cuppa for all their coffee drinking.

Cuppa contains:

Coffee and Matcha for flavor, energy, and antioxidants.
Ashwagandha for anxiety and stress relief, and concentration.
Lion’s Mane for focus, mood, immune support, and brain health. Cordyceps for immune support, stamina, and anti-inflammatory support.
MCT/Fiber for energy, gut health, and to reduce jitters.
L-Theanine for stopping jitters, sleep support, and better focus.

Of late, I have needed something extra to warm me up as our temperatures drop outside, and my mug of Cuppa has filled the bill.
I can attest to no caffeine jitters.

Mental clarity and focus? Perhaps.

Improved immunity … I can’t say since I am already doing a lot of other things. Hey, I’m not sick.

There is some Arabica coffee in this mix; so for us, the flavor is not strange. It is different – but satisfying.

I have chosen to add a splash of creamer and just a pinch of Sugar in the Raw to the Cuppa powder, which I froth before adding the rest of the hot water.

Now, maybe Santa can get those Christmas cards created and mailed out soon!

In health – Deidre

Looking for that special present for a caregiver? A copy of Toolkit for Caregivers and Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions would be just the thing!

Our subscribers can count on not being bugged with pop-ups or endless sales emails. When we send you something, it’s the link to our weekly blog – or occasionally – a thank you containing additional useful information.

Reach out to me in the comments below or email me at Deidre@deidreedwards.com – your questions and comments are always appreciated!

Don’t miss the next post! Subscribing is easy and hassle-free. Just one email every Tuesday morning with the link to the latest post. Scroll down from the top of this page on the left side of your device to fill out the subscribe form.

Thank you!

Blogging for good health!, Holiday Celebrations, This -n- That

So … Did You Spatchcock Your Thanksgiving?

Leave a comment

The results are in!

What could go wrong?

We enjoyed the largest turkey I’ve ever bought.

Harboring serious doubts about having a pan and rack large enough to accommodate the bird all splayed out; but comforted by the adequate instructions I shared last week – bolstered by the insider tips my daughter gave over the phone.

After securing the great find of a Wilton Mega Baking Sheet and Cooling Grid at Walmart, I felt pretty confident going into the spatchcocking arena.

Plus, I had a partner in crime to share duties.

The day before Thanksgiving, I removed the mostly thawed bird from the fridge, freed it from the package, and placed it on the cutting boards set up on the counter. In retrospect, I should have covered the countertop with an opened up garbage bag, and used just one large cutting board on top.

Things will get juicy. Have paper towels close at hand.

After removing the apparatus, keeping the drumsticks together and setting the neck and giblets aside for gravy duty, we were ready!

The newly purchased poultry shears worked flawlessly. This process does take some strength – especially when navigating around the bird’s hip juncture. Thanks to my daughter’s tip, we manipulated the leg every which-a-way and avoided plowing through the bones themselves.

I often used a two handed grip on the shears to avoid hand strain.

My sweetheart and I took turns and we assisted each other when doing the cut around the turkey’s hip. Once the spine was removed, we repositioned the turkey with the inside surface facing the cutting board.

Some describe flattening the breast like CPR. I followed my daughter’s excellent tip of getting up on a step stool to put myself above the bird while doing ‘compressions.’

But, unlike CPR, the goal IS to hear and feel the crunch as the breast cage gives way and flattens out.

Still with me?

Somewhere in here, we were either ready to never eat turkey again or to become vegan!

But there was a high-five moment as we celebrated our accomplishments, and we were very grateful for this turkey feeding us and our friends the next night – and providing us with meat for countless meals in the future.

After salting both sides, and separating the skin over the breast, thighs, and any where we could reach to deposit the savory butter compound (unsalted butter, garlic, herbs combined by the food processor), it was time to let the salt do its job overnight as the uncovered turkey in its huge pan somehow found a way into our refrigerator to rest.

Whew!

The baking process was just as I shared with you last week in the link to Crispy Edges. Pull the turnkey from the fridge two hours before oven time to bring the meat closer to room temperature.

When it’s time to roast the turkey, preheat the oven to 425F. Roast the spatchcocked turkey for 45-60 minutes. When the breast hits 150-155F, pull it and let it rest for at least 30-60 minutes.

Resting results in juicy meat! I covered mine with foil to retain heat; but after resting, the turkey can return to the oven set at 400F for 10-12 minutes to bring back up to temp.

Then, be prepared for the juiciest breast meat ever as you slice it to serve.

Thank you, Mr. Turkey! We honored your life by making your meat the best we have ever eaten!

In health –
Deidre

Blogging for good health!

Spatchcock For the Holidays? Hmmmm

Leave a comment

If you have never heard of it before, ‘spatchcock’ just sounds intimidating. Is it a person, place, or thing? Some terrorizing Halloween thing?

Buahahahaha!

No. It’s just something I have never attempted to do before: splitting open poultry to lie flat for grilling or baking.

And now … I’m going to do it for the first time on this year’s Thanksgiving turkey!

Thanks to the inspiration from Chef Josh Gale and his Crispy Edges emails to me, I have been emboldened to do turkey like a pro this year!

Chef Josh convinced me that baking a whole turkey dooms the breast meat to be dried out – that by opening the bird to lie flat allows all areas to cook more evenly by being equidistant from the heat source. To top it off, spatchcocking dramatically shortens cooking time!

But could I spatchcock a turkey? After watching this video, I ordered my heavy duty kitchen shears to do the job.

It’s going to be fun following a new way of handling turkey baking this year. While I have not had horrible problems with dry breast meat using the old method, I wanted to take out the cross-your-fingers-and-hope-for the-best approach during the big reveal … I mean, you never know …

Next week, I will share the results.

In the meantime, I highly recommend a (paid) subscription to Chef Josh’s Crispy Edges. He is full of easy prep ideas and recipes that ramp down the stress factors and ramp up flavor, making for a relaxed cook and host!

Always happy to share something good!

What will you be sharing with others in this season of Thanksgiving? I especially enjoy the tradition of going around the table sharing with others what each person is thankful for.

Gratitude creates happier hearts and minds, rebalancing the hormones that circulate in our bodies.

Do you practice gratitude? Regular entries into a simple gratitude journal or slips of paper in a blessings jar can make a big difference in how we feel about and react to the circumstances of our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all – whenever you celebrate it – and please know Sheree and I are grateful for all of you!

In health –
Deidre


Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Habit Building, Stress Reduction

Humming Eases Your Vagus Nerve

Leave a comment

A couple weeks ago, we were humming for hummus, when I shared a recipe and a technique that would yield the softest, fluffiest hummus ever.

Today, we are going to hum to de-stress!

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

But first, we will return to the classroom to review a very important nerve.

Behold, cranial nerve number ten, the vagus nerve. It’s also known as the “great wandering nerve” because it leaves the cranium and connects to organs throughout the body. The vagus nerve helps regulate essential functions like heart rate, breathing, and digestion.

By controlling those processes, the vagus nerve contributes to the body’s “rest and digest” response – helping to calm the body after stress, lower heart rate, improve digestion, and keep the body in balance.

But, what’s your point about that vagus nerve, you ask? Good question!

What if you could stimulate the vagus nerve to increase its calming effects?

We know yoga and mindfulness meditation help to calm the body as does breath work such as box breathing.

Today, we are adding humming to breath work because it increases the calming, de-stressing effects on the vagus nerve.

When we breathe through our noses, we produce nitric oxide in our nasal cavities. Nitric oxide (NO) is a colorless gas that relaxes the inner muscles of the blood vessels. This relaxation causes the blood vessels to widen and increases circulation.

This humming breath work I describe causes an increase in the release of nitric oxide, which in turn, increases the calming effects it has on the total body.

Nitric oxide also helps your body keep inflammation in balance. Under normal conditions, it supports healthy circulation and can calm inflammation; but when you’re fighting an infection, your immune cells make extra nitric oxide to help kill off bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

TECHNIQUE

A simple explanation for this humming technique is found HERE and simply involves inhaling through the nose and slowly exhaling by making a humming sound with closed lips.

You will notice a mild vibration happening in the nasal cavity. Interestingly, you can modulate the pitch of your humming to move the vibration more to the nasal cavity.

That’s it. Inhale through the nose and exhale as a hum – nice and easy, using all your breath.

It’s an excellent opportunity to practice “belly breathing” by feeling your belly fill and push out as you inhale, and gradually “deflate” as you expel your breath in a hum.

Gargling warm water is another technique that can contribute to the nasal vibrations that enhance nitric oxide release.

Check it out HERE.

In the world of yoga, this technique is called Bhramari pranayama or “humming bee breath” and is beautifully demonstrated in the following video.


People have shared that regular vagus nerve stimulation through humming has been very successful in their ability to control chronic anxiety. Whatever your need, try some regular humming to get your day started off on a calmer note.

You know, there are no extra hours in the day to add a few minutes – even if it’s something good for me – but as a student of “habit stacking,” I now have a calming activity to do while I brew coffee each morning!

I have it on good authority that humming along with your toddlers as they play cars/trucks/tractors with their motor sounds going, can count for your regular daily humming sessions!

Humming along in health – Deidre


Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Recipes

Rescued by Chia Seeds

Leave a comment

Well, I didn’t intend to ignore my obligations, but that’s what I almost did.

Our trusty editor, Sheree, just sent a subtle message, “Hey … got a post for me?”

In other words, “Hey, the Tuesday post is going out, uh … tomorrow … we don’t have anything for our readers!”

Gulp!

After completing the Caregiver Summit last week I had been preparing for since early spring, we celebrated the positive reception of my message, packed our bags, and headed out the next day for a long-awaited trip to Disney World!

The cold snap that is affecting the mid-Atlantic on up north, is also affecting the southern Atlantic states. The low in Kissimmee, Florida, where we are staying is 36 F tonight – and the high tomorrow is slated to be 59 F.

We abandoned the idea of seeing the fireworks-light show-water fountain display at Epcot again tonight because we didn’t bring parkas. To top that off, Sheree is making snow men in West Virginia!

Since our accommodations have a full kitchen, I knew we would be taking many of our meals in whenever we were not at Disney World.

How do you approach vacation cooking and meal prep?

Our first stop coming into Kissimmee was to go to the grocery store.

To compliment the assorted nuts, peanut butter, crackers, chia seeds, fresh berries (blueberry, black berry, and raspberry), and apples, we picked up almond milk, two bottles of protein-boosted smoothies, coffee, gluten free cereals, eggs, Greek yogurt, gouda, sliced ham, sour dough bread, mustard, butter, hummus, and guacamole.

Travel and eating out can create havoc for the “smooth functioning of the intestines.”

To ward against getting “backed up” we regularly consume chia seed pudding. Recipes vary, but this is what I am currently doing:

Chia Seed Pudding – per individual serving

In a small bowl or a small glass (that will hold about 10 ounces) stir together:

2-3 tablespoons chia seeds

1/3 – 1/2 cup flavored smoothie (these can contain added sugar, so I don’t use a lot)

1/3 – 1/2 cup almond milk

2 – 3 Tablespoons of Greek yogurt (can be fruit flavored to blend in with the flavor of smoothie you use)

A handful of fresh fruit that compliments the other flavors.

Download your copy of Chia Seed Pudding below:


Chia Seeds Pudding RecipeDownload

Depending upon the amount of chia seeds and fluid used – and if you refrigerate this overnight – this “pudding” can thicken enough to need a spoon or can be thin enough to drink.

Along with proper daily hydration, and eating whole food with lots of fiber, chia pudding can be our best friend – especially when traveling.

In health –

Deidre and Remi

I sure hope we get to see Remi’s Ratatouille Show in Disney this week! They were having technical difficulties today.