Category Archives: Recipes

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

Summertime – No Excuse For Convenience Foods!

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No, I’m not throwing away all I stand for. But – convenience foods? That brings visions of little boxes of mac ‘n cheese.  

Egad – no.  

I’m talking about something we love to eat this summer; but it could also become a key convenience ingredient for winter soups.  

What is it? 

My new best friend – large bags of done-for-you kale salad!  

When combined with another favorite – homemade Quinoa Salad – well, we just can’t stop raving. 

In this hot, humid North Carolina summer weather with heat indexes over 100 degrees, we are scrambling for meals that won’t heat up the kitchen, provide leftovers, and are easy to pull together.  

Raw kale is packed full of goodness. As described on healthline.com:  

  • Kale is a nutrient-dense food, as it’s low in calories and high in many important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

  • For example, 1 cup (21 grams) of raw kale contains only 7 calories (about 1 minute of running), but is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K. It’s also a good source of manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, and several B vitamins. 
  • This vegetable is likewise packed with antioxidants. These molecules help counteract oxidative damage caused by compounds called free radicals and may reduce your risk of conditions like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and certain forms of cancer. 

The convenience of having the kale leaves washed and chopped with the tough center stem removed is a no-brainer for me. The addition of grated cabbage and carrots only makes these packaged salad greens even better. 

—————–

To see how I’ve been putting the kale salads together, check out this printable recipe HERE: 

KALE-SALADDownload

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Then there’s part two. Quinoa salad. I consider quinoa a convenience food as well. In just a few minutes, you can cook a pot of quinoa and have a versatile cooked grain that can be: 

  • Eaten as is 
  • Dressed up as a hot cereal with butter, cinnamon, and dairy options  
  • Added to cookie or muffin batter  
  • Sprinkled on salads 

What’s so special about quinoa? The folks at Harvard say it best: 

  • Though technically a seed, Quinoa is classified as a whole grain and is a good source of plant protein and fiber. One cup cooked provides about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Unlike some plant proteins, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own.

  • Quinoa is also naturally gluten-free and can be eaten safely if one has  gluten intolerance such as celiac disease.

It’s important to rinse off the quinoa grains before cooking to remove the saponins, which create a natural pesticide. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and run water over the grains – I like to use the spray setting on my kitchen faucet. Allow to drain, and then put the grains in the pot with water to cook.   

Outside of using quinoa (“Keen – wah”) at breakfast and in baking, I’ve been preparing regular batches of this powerhouse grain for Quinoa Salad. Taking a recipe for Greek Pasta Salad and swapping out the pasta for quinoa, created a wholesome meal.  

—————

Sheree has prepared this second recipe for your viewing and printing pleasure HERE:

QUINOA-SALADDownload

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While flying out to Hawaii to meet my newest grandchild recently, the airline offered little chocolate covered, puffed quinoa cookies. Delish! Having just learned that quinoa grains can be popped like popcorn, I will be doing some experimentation to try to duplicate these treats. 

Stay tuned – there will be more recipes coming up with popped quinoa! You don’t want to miss those – make sure to subscribe to foodtalk4you. Scroll to the bottom of your screen or up to the left of your computer screen to fill out the simple subscription form. 

In health –  

Deidre  

Some additional resources:

Nutritional benefits of kale – click HERE

Quinoa – A Harvard perspective – click HERE

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Recipes, This -n- That

Oh, That Soup Du Jour … 

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Ever wonder about soup and soup recipes?  

We were waxing philosophical the other night, while trying to follow a recipe for soup. There may have been wine involved. 

Anyway – there were issues with not having the exact ingredients. We were using some leftover grilled Hawaiian Kanpachi to create a fish chowder. 

What we had on hand did not totally match up with what was required.  

I mean – this was soup – how precise did we have to get?  

What was soup, anyway? Throw a bunch of veggies into a pot, add fluid, cook, stir, serve. Right? 

Chowder usually calls for corn. Check. Celery. Check. Carrots – meh – ate them last night in the salad. Onions. Check. We did have the required fresh thyme – felt really good about that. 

So, our mirepoix, (sauteed onions, carrots, and celery often used as a base for soups), lacked carrots.  

Oh, well.  

We pressed on to making the roux and added the fluid ingredients, which we adjusted to using some leftover chicken bone broth along with the thickest, yummiest heavy cream I have ever seen in my life – and eventually, we had lovely fish chowder. 

Chef Dennis’s recipe for fish chowder can be a springboard to your own version. It’s all good.  

After all – it’s soup! 

Oh, and don’t forget a spoonful of dry sherry to float on top of each steaming bowl! 

Just sayin’. 😉 

The Blue Ocean Mariculture in Kona, Hawaii is a fascinating place dedicated to eco-friendly, sustainable, deep-sea aquaculture, blazing the way to feed people in a healthy way. That’s where we bought our fish. Kanpachi is super-rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and is simply delicious! 

In health –  

Deidre  

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

Thoughts, Memories, and Eats

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What the camera never saw –

Do you take pictures of your food at restaurants?

I’ve tried to stop doing that all together, except to share pictures with family based on some special aspect significant or meaningful to us.

Sometimes, there’s such a wow factor to a meal’s presentation, a picture seems appropriate to remember that special moment.

When my arms were not full of my beautiful new grandson – okay, gorgeous – I had been helping in the kitchen whenever possible during our recent trip to Hawaii.

I try to stay camera-ready at home during food preparation – what’s that term? “Mise en place” – in anticipation of sharing recipes with you, but not so much this past month.

Great recipes.

Great meals.

New ideas.

Old favorites.

No pictures.

No worries. Sheree will scour the internet for pictures, I am sure, that will help with visualization. (Sheree: Of course! And I’m late today. Forgive me!)

Still open on my phone are several recipes we have used recently that may inspire you as well.

When we were seeking comfort food, my daughter requested the, “meatloaf of her youth.” It was not hard to Google: Ann Lander’s Meatloaf, which I have tweaked to eliminate the Accent seasoning and the bacon on top. Here’s your downloadable recipe right here:


Ann-Landers-MeatloafDownload

My sweetheart inspired a quest to buy some Tapenade while we were perusing the grocery stores, but – alas – none could be found. Not to be outdone, we acquired the necessary ingredients to make our own, which we have done twice. Once using knives and cutting boards in tandem, and once using a food processor.

Here’s how we did it:

TapenadeDownload


The Moroccan Roasted Chicken using ‘preserved lemon’ will have to wait for another post – there’s much to tell and share with you about creating a sauce out of paper thin sliced onions, a tasty marinade rub, and slow roasting magic.

Returning home will herald a new commitment to focused planning, writing, and learning as I am entering a new phase of creating a more professional polish for and launch/relaunch of my Caregiver Book Series.

New books and supplemental materials that complement current publications are on the drawing board to help serve the needs of those who purchase my books.

There will be much to share that’s applicable to all foodtalk4you readers in daily life (how to rock a 90-day plan), and for current and aspiring authors looking for direction.

Sharing this post is easy – just use the options under the MORE button below.

In health –

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Recipes, This -n- That

Putting Your Best Bite Forward – Pinwheels!

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A blast from the past 

Our new neighborhood is geared towards many social gatherings. There’s another one tomorrow night and we all bring an appetizer along with a bottle of wine. It is the monthly meeting of the Cork and Vine Wine Club after all! 

The theme is the Kentucky Derby – which brings zero visions of wine … only Mint Juleps and fascinators – oh, and a very famous horse race. 

Not only am I digging through unopened moving boxes for my fascinator, but I am digging deeper into my recipe files for an appetizer I had not recently made. I rediscovered an old friend.  

Hello pinwheels! 

Just click on the download button and this free recipe is yours!

Pinwheel-Hors-doeuvresDownload

I shared this one with you a few years ago, but felt it was worthwhile to bring it out again, this time with a downloadable version for your convenience. 

Since the advent of gluten-free, tortilla-style wraps, pinwheels are once again on my menu. Easy to make with few ingredients, pinwheels check many boxes and deliver tasty fun.  

I mean, who doesn’t love a pinwheel that harkens back to seeing children running through the yard to make their pinwheels spin!  

In fact, here are three websites you can use to craft paper pinwheels: 

FIRST PALETTE 

KITCHEN TABLE CLASSROOM 

KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG 

This would be a fun activity even for wine drinking adults!  

Enjoy the world of both edible and paper pinwheels. 

Remember to subscribe to foodtalk4you so you can get every post delivered to your inbox each Tuesday. Scroll to the bottom of your device or to the upper left of your computer screen to fill out the subscribe box.  

In health –  

Deidre 

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Recipes, This -n- That

Under the Sea – Under the Sea-ee …

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A recent trip to my old hometown and one of its beloved art stores, Carolina Creations, put me in such a nautical mood.

Suspended from the gallery’s lofty ceilings were various sizes of hand blown glass sculptures of manta rays – bringing back memories of a tour through the Atlanta Aquarium this past fall. There I was, watching these amazing creatures gliding through the water overhead as I stood below, gazing through the Plexiglas above.

While in the art gallery, I fancied making a serious investment in creating an under-the-seas theme – perhaps in the master bath – with the glass replicas of manta rays, jelly fish, and sea horses floating around the high ceilings overhead.

Ahhh.

Instead, I found a new home for an existing piece of art featuring an ocean wave, and I might put some conch shells on the ledge of the narrow shower window. The giant, graceful rays will have to be in my imagination.

Keeping in step with our seaside vibe, a recipe I use year round for gatherings is my Hot Seafood Salad. Since the main ingredient is imitation crab meat, I don’t like calling it a Hot Crab Salad, but one could.

Back when imitation crab was first introduced to the grocery stores, I did not like it – plus it contained wheat. Now, most packages of imitation crab proudly display their Gluten-Free label.

Hurray!

With just a little prep work – “mise en place” – this hot hors d’oeuvre is always a crowd pleaser, which frequently brings requests for the recipe.

The secret is in turning the solid, leg style pieces of fish into crab-like stringiness. To do that, just place the intact contents of the package onto your cutting board. Using a sturdy, wide-tined dinner fork, comb through the long pieces of fish.

This is so much fun!

Following the long grain of the meat, the tines of the fork separate the fish into delightful crab-like wonderfulness. You may need to turn the fish over to “comb” the other side.

After that, you’re ready to cook. In no time at all, the mixture will be slightly browned and ready to eat.

My spices of choice are:

Old Bay

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic

Crushed Red Pepper

The concept recipe below is easily adaptable to ingredients on hand. I usually use some colorful bell pepper – red, orange, or yellow – frozen green peas, frozen corn, and some fresh grated carrot to go along with the thinly sliced onion.

Check out the downloadable recipe here:

Hot-Seafood-Salad-by-Foodtalk4you.docxDownload

I can even see a finishing ingredient of some cream cheese to melt and “glue” this loose salad together. Appetizers are often so cheese-centric that I am happy not adding any with this recipe.

Whether you eat this Hot Seafood Salad on a cracker or simply by the forkful, you can be assured of a tasty treat that’s actually good for you – fish and veggies.

What could be better?

We proudly do not bug our subscribers with an endless chain of emails, so you can be confident in getting just a weekly link to the new post. Scroll to the bottom of your device or to the top left of the screen on your computer to find the subscription window. Thanks.

In health –

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Slaying the French Dragon – A Lesson in Souffles! 

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Pres. John F. Kennedy with
Head Chef René Verdon
May 2, 1963

Funny how things stick in our minds. A recollection from my early teen years during the President Kennedy era, was the story of how the White House chefs fretted over the timely serving of delicate souffles fresh from the oven.  

Souffles were on the menu for the President and his important world leader guest that day. The trouble was, there was uncertainty about when the President and his guest would exit their talks and arrive to the dining area for their luncheon souffles. 

Souffles need to be served at the peak of perfection and puffiness straight from the oven – lest they deflate. Oh, horrors! 

So, the story was told that the chefs created several rounds of souffles to come out of the oven every few minutes so the best-of-the-best could be served when the distinguished diners arrived.  

French Chef

This magazine article colored my thinking about souffles from then on.  

  • Precise timing.  
    • Ingredients just so.  
      • Risk of deflation.  
        • Nervous French chefs.  
          • Pressure.  
            • Egads! … Souffles! 

I may have majored in the French language, but that kind of haute cuisine and exactitude seemed out of my league. I’ll take fluffy scrambled eggs. 

Until … Panera Bread and their breakfast souffles. 

Now, I don’t normally do gluten – but while in the throes of packing and moving last year, I stopped off at the local Panera Bread and ordered one of their souffles. Total indulgence for weary nerves. 

What was this cloud of fluffy egginess surrounded by … what was that?… A delicate pastry? I’ll never forget my happiness. I almost cried. 

Occasionally – post move and with calm nerves – we will order these souffles.  

Could I create something even close? With a smaller bread factor – or Gluten-free? 

Souffles are baked without crusts at all; but with my Panera Bread experience, the ‘En Croute’ method had won me over – meaning it was encased in pastry and is pronounced [on-KROOT]. 

I’m still experimenting with techniques and combinations – and, beware – you would benefit from a sous chef to help with prep and clean up!  

Today, I created four servings of souffle – two En Croute, and two traditional – all with no fancy souffle dishes – don’t tell the Cordon Bleu! 

For the light pastry wrapping, I used two sheets of phyllo dough/wrappers, with a layer of brushed melted butter gluing them together. Phyllo sheets are available in the frozen section of most grocery stores. Gluten, yes, if you can handle it. I’m still not expert in handling phyllo sheets, and they will dry out if prepped too early.  Sous chef – please! 

I prep the phyllo on a sheet of wax or parchment paper, and then transfer the sheets to the baking dishes, where I will gently press them to the bottom and sides. This leaves the extra to fold to the top when the souffle batter is placed inside. 

Souffles come with all kinds of added ingredients. Cheeses, bacon, artichoke hearts, fresh herbs – it’s all up to the preparer. Today, I used fresh grated Parmesan, cheddar, and Swiss cheese along with some cooked asparagus, cooked bacon, and fresh thyme, because they were on hand. 

If you are preparing this by yourself, especially, make sure to lay out and prep all ingredients before cooking and mixing things. Forget preheating the oven at the beginning. I don’t take that step until things start to come together about midway in the process. 

Gathering all ingredients and doing the small, advanced prep is called: Mise en place, [mi z ahn plas] and is key to not become frazzled when cooking. Every time I jump to cooking without the advanced prep steps – grabbing things as I go – I am reminded why it’s so important.  

Mise en place, everyone! 

The baking dishes I used allow for individual servings – a la Panera Bread – and consisted of two 6” glass pie pans for the En Croute/phyllo version, and two glass food storage containers for the plain. Certainly, the straight-sided, white souffle dish is traditional. 

On to the Cheese Souffle recipe Sheree has prepared for easy downloading and printing. 

CHEESE-SOUFFLE-by-foodtalk4youDownload

I hope you will try this recipe. Let me know how it went and what special ingredients you used. As always, sharing options for this post are under the MORE button below. 

Bon Appetit!  

In health –  

Deidre  

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

Italian 101 – It’s Party Time!

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Since the ribbon-cutting ceremony we held the day I signed the papers to my new home, we have been known as The Party House!

Thirty-five or so of our neighbors joined us in celebrating this new beginning. Even though the house was bare, it was an event full of love and warm wishes.

My message is this. Don’t wait until everything is perfect and in place to gather with friends.

Some of my favorite memories of home parties through the years, happened before we even had a proper dining room table. Who cares?

What makes a good time is the participants, not the perfect décor.

In that spirit, we had two gatherings last week before our sofa was delivered – and no one missed it.

For both events, my sweetheart’s daughter introduced us to a tasty lentil, Bruschetta, and feta-cheese mixture, suitable for spreading on crackers or toasted bread – also as a handy addition to a green salad.

Apparently, this is a staple recipe from ingredients found at Trader Joe’s.

1-Minute-Lentil-Salad-_-Trader-JoesDownload

It was all new to me, and frankly – lentils?

Yes, lentils!

The Trader Joe’s version utilizes their packaged, steamed lentils along with pre-made Bruschetta, and a tub of feta crumbles.

Now, this salad – or spread – will not win any beauty contests. The use of garnish will aid in the presentation; but the taste and satisfaction will greatly counterbalance any visual shortcomings.

Eager to duplicate her concoction, I sought the ingredients at our local grocery store.

Nope.

No precooked lentils. No pre-made Bruschetta. No problem.

Cooking lentils is so easy – no pre-soaking is needed – so I knocked that off my list this morning while fixing breakfast.

Finding a recipe for Bruschetta was easily accomplished while in the store, and ingredients were bought.

Garlic and empty basil leaves for Bruschetta recipe

There are numerous recipes for homemade Bruschetta; and I have melded a couple to land on the downloadable recipe below.

NOTE: I learned something! One of the most mispronounced culinary words in Italian is Bruschetta. I stand corrected. It’s pronounced “Bru SKET ah,” not “Bru shet ah.” Apparently, the “h” causes the “sc” to have a hard sound – like the ‘’c” in “cat.”

Click HERE to learn how to say Bruschetta by recorded pronouncement.

That’s Italian 101 for today!

Additionally, Bruschetta is a word referring to the toasted bread, not the topping. I did not eat any bread with my lentil mixture, opting, instead, to use gluten-free crackers.

Armed with cooked lentils and homemade Bruschetta, all I had to do was crumble the block of feta I had on hand. Cool thing is, once you have the separate ingredients, this spreadable dip can be made fresh at a moment’s notice and in a quantity of your liking.

So, the lentil salad dip is:

Cooked lentils

Bruschetta tomato mixture

Crumbled feta – along with salt and pepper to taste

Put in a bowl, combine, garnish. Done.

Yum!

This recipe is high in fiber and vegetable protein – and is an instant crowd pleaser.

Enjoy the following recipe for this delicious Bruschetta surprise!

BRUSCHETTA-from-Foodtalk4you.com_Download


In health –

Deidre

Bon Appétit!

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Recipes, This -n- That

Big Reveal And A Recipe Bonus!

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Before I share another crowd-pleasing recipe with you, I want to share some joyful news. 

It’s been almost a year in the making, and it is in the final incubating stage of refinement. Clearly, too long for a human baby announcement, and there’s no elephant-cam watch because they take two years gestation.  

So, what could it be? 

Just as a proud new parent, the Caregiver Series now has another member! Number three in the series is … Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions – What you’re feeling is normal – Discover your coping and resilience skills.  

Here’s the book cover that depicts how we can shelter ourselves from life’s storms to create calm and balance: 

Not only has the cover been created but … drumroll … Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions, is now ready for PREORDER on Amazon! 

As editorial reviews, final formatting, launch team creation, and marketing are completed, I have committed to a publication date of August 2nd – which hopefully, will be changed to an earlier date. 

When you preorder through Amazon eBooks, the sale is charged when the eBook is delivered. Preordering boosts sales; which, in turn, helps the Amazon algorithm make the book more visible to additional shoppers.  

So many people have been asking for this ground-breaking book for caregivers, and I am so happy to bring it to fruition. The frank conversations about emotions, along with the coping and resilience skills I share, are universally applicable – whether you are a caregiver or not. 

With the help of readers placing preorders, the visibility of Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions on Amazon should increase. 

Yes, there will be a print version as well, but preorders are only available for eBooks. 

Stay tuned for more information. 

LET’S TALK VEGGIES!! 

On to squash. Yellow squash, specifically. 

Squash elicits two responses. There’s the, “Yuck!” crowd; and there’s the, “I LOVE YELLOW SQUASH!” crowd.  

Converts to the second group happened after tasting my recipe – just saying. 

Growers of yellow squash delight in learning of any recipe that uses up their bountiful crops. Truly, most cooks already have a favorite yellow squash casserole recipe, but judging from recent comments by dinner party guests, I am sharing my gluten-free version for those who do not. 

A few tips before we get to the specifics: 

Quantities are often difficult to nail down, but this recipe makes enough for a 9” x 13” glass casserole dish. I’ve melded three recipes to get my version, and the range of the number of squashes was significant – also, the size of fresh vegetables can vary greatly. Just relax and enjoy your cooking experience – it will all work out. 

Since the goal of foodtalk4you is an anti-inflammatory cuisine and lifestyle, I have used gluten-free options whenever possible, but there is a dairy element. The French-fried onion rings by French’s, contain gluten; but there is a Kroger brand available that is gluten-free. Alternatively, gluten-free panko crumbs are an option for the topping. 

Our editor, Sheree Alderman, is making this recipe downloadable and printable below. I hope you enjoy it! 

SQUASH-CASSEROLE-by-Foodtalk4youDownload

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In health – 

 Deidre  

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

Famous Salad or Tik Tok Imposter?

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Well, the recipe I ripped from the Internet was being passed off as, ‘How to Make Jennifer Aniston’s Friends Salad’.

Touted as the famous salad the cast ate every day for 10 years while on the set of Friends, I was intrigued. The ingredients looked good since they qualified as being on the Mediterranean Diet.

Prepping in advance for a recent birthday dinner party for my sweetheart, I easily substituted naturally gluten-free quinoa for the Bulgur wheat that the recipe used.

The full recipe is available at the end of the post for you to download and print. Since one of our guests is vegetarian, I did not use the optional turkey-bacon.

Easy to assemble, light and refreshing to eat, this is now a favorite to serve to appreciative guests.

But really, what was the history of this salad?

With just a little sleuthing, I was able to discover that the 2022 viral Tic Tok recipe was not the actual one she and the other cast members ate.

Here is her description of the modified Cobb salad they ate from the commissary:

* “It was just lettuce, iceberg, I believe, which has zero nutritional benefits, and chopped tomato, garbanzo beans – too many garbanzo beans is a little bad for your tummy – mine, personally – salami, crunchy turkey-bacon, and chicken. Oh, and Pecorino cheese – and it was topped with Italian dressing.”

Jenifer does conclude her comments by saying she would totally eat the recipe I am sharing with you – it’s just not the one they ate.

Good to know.

This is such a versatile recipe – I could see adding halved cherry tomatoes, diced chicken, or olives – and it’s perfect for making ahead and storing overnight to let the flavors meld.

Enjoy this impostor salad anytime, as a main meal or side dish.

Feel free to share this post with your real-life friends using the options under the MORE button below.

Next week, I’ll reveal the cover to my next book, Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions, which will be available for pre-orders on Amazon very soon.

In health –

Deidre

* Taken from a filmed interview of Jennifer Aniston with Allure

How-to-Make-Jennifer-Aniston-Salad-RDownload
Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Recipes, Stress Reduction

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

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Happy Valentine’ Day, sweet readers!

Did you craft a Valentine for someone from last week’s post?

If you are careful in cutting out the heart shape in the front piece, you have a handy heart to place on a rectangle of paper that can be taped onto blank card stock. Two cards for one!

Listening to a favorite meditation message from Amit Sood recently, I was reminded about how we share in spreading happiness. I call it, “making the day.”

He said, no matter our job or station in life, each of us has a job description that includes being a “Happiness Officer.”

Bottom line, it’s up to each of us to spread happiness wherever we go. Every day.

I am pleased to report that many people do this – or at least, many people join me as I endeavor to make light of potentially frustrating situations.

Today’s return of goods to a local big box hardware store seemed to drag on forever.

As one who frequently is frustrated with computer glitches, I turned a sympathetic ear to the cashier who was trying to get information from a new system. When that failed, she tried the old system. Even her boss was not getting the information needed to complete the return.

Noting a line had formed behind me, I apologized for the delay to them. The next in line said it was okay, and I commented in a lighthearted fashion something about, “you gotta love computers.”

The store’s music system was playing a lively tune which I may have bounced to. These days, especially, I want everyone around me to pick up on a body language and tone of voice from me that says I am patient and understanding. We never know who we might be influencing.

When a resolution to the situation was developed, I expressed appreciation for their diligence, creativity, and customer care.

With news about people on their last thread of sanity doing regrettable things, it seems to be more important than ever to take our job description of “Happiness Officer” to heart.

Speaking of happiness … I really like oatmeal, but …

How do you dress up a serving of leftover oatmeal?

We jokingly call my mixture of gluten-free: Oatmeal, steel cut oats, buckwheat, and ground flax seed, “gruel,” and I frequently prepare extra just to have leftovers.

I store and refrigerate the leftover hot cereal in a loaf-shaped dish so I can cut off 1/2 inch slices to brown in a pan with a dab of butter on medium heat the next day.

These browned slices can be eaten plain or dressed up with fresh or cooked fruit. Today, I cooked some Mackintosh apples until they were almost like applesauce and put a dollop on each slice. Yum.

Can you find a situation you can adorn with your brand of happiness?

May we all be Happiness Officers to everyone –

Deidre

You may share this post by using the options under the MORE button below.