While the temps may be soaring in the Northern Hemisphere, many of us are ready to take a deep dive into a cool pool. Being nestled on a floaty while sipping on a cool exotic beverage sounds about right these days.
“Bring me the sunflower crazed with the love of light.” William Cullen Bryant
There are some living things of beauty that are thriving right now – yes, the glorious sunflowers found at Raising Grayce Farm, at 3075 Stanley Road in Greenville, NC, are thriving in the heat and sunshine.
“Light-enchanted sunflower, thou Who gazest ever true and tender On the sun’s revolving splendour.” Pedro Calderon de la Barca
A couple photographer friends of mine recently stopped by this farm to capture some of that beauty found there.
“True friends are like bright sunflowers that never fade away, even over distance and time.” Marie Williams Johnstone
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.” Helen Keller
Sue is also sharing a couple of bird pictures. The little wren is all spread out on the deck sunning itself!
“Bring me the sunflower crazed with the love of light.” Eugenio Montale
Just sit back and take in the view of the sunflower farm and elsewhere while staying cool! Happy summer!
“Whenever I see a sunflower, inevitably, I come to think. Of him whose gifted hands lovingly rendered vivid tongues of flaming yellow; Whose eyes have long gazed on beauty’s light, until the world grew pale and faded. Whose soul perceived yet another realm. Full of shimmering forms and hues. And so sought release beyond the frame.” Kevin C. Kato
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In health – Deidre
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Cute little chalky white milk mustaches as simple reminders to get another glass of milk?
The recent reminders given to me about certain minerals/electrolytes weren’t so cute.
Nope.
Imagine an early morning leg and foot stretch that instantaneously morphs into a full blown muscle spasm sending toes in unnatural directions and creating balls of muscle knots in the calf – relieved only by getting out of bed to stand and tenderly walk around in the dark pre-dawn house.
Upon returning to bed my foot had sinister ideas about doing it again. Sigh. And again. Grrr.
I was taking an excellent magnesium supplement, Garden of Life, that was doing wonders for calming before bed – what was out of balance?
I’ve touched on this topic before, but my application of knowledge was clearly faulty, or I hadn’t learned enough.
Back to the drawing board.
Muscle cramps are related to deficiencies in the following minerals/electrolytes:
Potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium + water
Most of us know about athletes eating bananas before a big workout or prior to the BIG GAME. But there’s more to the picture than just bananas.
Wouldn’t you know, the next night my evening snack was half of an avocado and there were no cramps in the wee hours.
Since then, I’ve been more diligent in adequate hydration augmented with electrolytes and in having two or three of these items from this list every day.
We are designed for health. If there’s a problem, I’m always on the lookout for what I am doing wrong.
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In health with no more cramps-
Deidre
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Little Orphan Annie had it right, “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.”
Not to be disingenuous in valuing and recognizing human emotions, I often taught my high school Health Science students that they may need to use fake smiles and happiness upon entering their on-site training locations.
Yes, they may be in the pits of relationship angst, bad news, tragedy, or physical discomfort, but they needed to leave all that negativity at the door when they entered the building. Their smile might have the makings for an Oscar nomination, but they were to display a smiling, optimistic attitude.
Sure enough, in their clinical post conferences they reported that, because of a forced smile, they were soon feeling a smile that reached their eyes – their whole outlook had lifted – and that new feeling lasted for the rest of their day.
So, do you start smiling when, say, there’s a knock at your door?
Do you wait until you open the door, see who’s there, and wait for something smile worthy – if seeing their face is not enough?
Or have you picked up the habit of smiling before you open the door?
That’s me.
I’ve even learned to smile before answering the phone! While that sounds a bit hardcore, a smile can be heard. If you let that smile reach your eyes, especially, there’s a naturally sunny brightness in the voice that sets a positive tone.
We can thank a French neurologist, Guillaume Duchenne, for noting that there are two types of smiles. Those that rest solely on the lips, and those that spread up to the eyes.
The reason why starting out with even a forced smile will eventually make us happier is because both kinds of smiling cause the release of the mood stabilizing neurotransmitter serotonin in our brains. As a natural stress reducer, serotonin can eventually help turn that forced smile into something very real and reaching to our eyes – just like my students reported.
And – smiling is contagious.
Who knows the needs of those we meet? They may long for the lift you are giving yourself, as well. Two people can ride on our one smile. Heck, maybe a whole roomful of people can be boosted with our less-than-hearty smile.
Pretty soon everyone will have a more positive outlook.
Sounds like the makings of a ground swell of positivity.
In honor of National Smile Day – yes, I revisited nationaltoday.com – start with a smile!
Smiling:
Takes fewer muscles than frowning
Increases productivity and creativity
Lowers blood pressure, heart rate, pain
Increases strength and endurance
Boosts immunity
Helps our brains become more receptive to positive neurotransmitters
Helps our brains become more receptive to positive neurotransmitters
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Deidre
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It’s always national something month or national something day. Going to nationaltoday.com can be such a hoot and might give us an excuse for an indulgence.
For instance, with next Tuesday’s posting deadline looming, and editor, Sheree, is starting to panic because this is Thursday, I have discovered that today is National May Ray Day. Who knew we would recognize the rays of sunshine lighting our lives with hopes of spring and an eye toward the summer?
Ahhh.
Or, that it’s the National Devil’s Food Cake Day as well? Many of us could really get behind that one.
Tomorrow is something I may have to honor: National Quiche Lorraine Day. Yes!
Today is also National Barber Mental Health Awareness Day – which is also recognizing that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.
Talk about a hot topic in today’s world.
Clearly better mental health is something we should all be striving for in our lives. Any reminders and skills we can get to boost our personal approach to balancing, centering, or being grounded should be appreciated.
Case in point. Last night, I went to a presentation titled, Mental Health and Well Being, led by Sarah A. Patterson, D.Min., LCSW, from WakeMed. She pointed out that life changes – births, deaths, marriage, divorce, new job, moving, etc. – create emotional responses that are colored by our respective past experiences.
The research into resilience building I am doing for my next book in the Toolkit for Caregivers series, has taught me that emotions are just thoughts, and that we can learn to guide/direct/control our thoughts. If our emotional responses in the past have only created more anxiety for us, then it is possible to retrain ourselves to achieve better outcomes.
One difficulty we often face is our inability to calm down in stressful situations that are eliciting all kinds of anxiety. At foodtalk4you, we have explored techniques in box breathing, gratitude and blessings jars, forest bathing, naming our emotions, exercise, and journaling to help de-stress.
That tried-and-true method of slowly breathing and counting to ten may help somewhat if we are short on time, but I learned from Sarah last night that researchers have found it takes a full two minutes – or more – to really calm down and regulate our responses.
What to do in those magic 2 minutes?
Sarah showed us two new things I want to pass on to you: Guided Grounding and The Pretzel Move.
Guided Grounding is as easy as a 5-4-3-2-1 in focusing on each of our senses:
Find a quiet spot to leisurely survey what you are sensing as follows:
5 things you are seeing right now – colors, objects, textures, smiles, sunshine
4 things you are physically feeling/sensing – feet feeling the ground, pressure of chair on your back, the warmth or coolness of the environment, hair falling on your face
3 things you are hearing – voices, birds chirping, your breathing
2 things you are smelling – coffee brewing, fresh air
1 thing you are tasting – the lingering taste of your toothpaste
This survey of your senses helps to focus thinking and concentration on something other than the object of your anxiety triggers.
Find a quiet spot to do the following – otherwise, you’ll have to explain why you look so funny
Sit with your ankles crossed
Hold your arms out straight in front of you, palms facing together
Turn your palms with thumbs down
Cross your dominant hand/arm over your nondominant hand/arm
Join your palms and lace your fingers
Bring your joined palms down and in toward your chest and up toward your chin
Hold for two minutes while you box breathe (count of 4 in, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, repeat)
If you are unable to bring your crossed arms/palms into your chest and up, just keep your crossed arms extended in front of you.
You can see that both techniques are basically ruses to get your mind to concentrate on something other than its source of anxiety – but these simple methods are effective in bringing us back to center to be “grounded.”
Sarah reported that she’s seen this Pretzel technique stop an anxiety attack quickly.
If the source of your anxiety or your response to it is too overwhelming, there is still help for you. Sarah shared with us that psychologytoday.com can be used to find resources in your own community based upon the specific needs you may have such as symptoms, diagnosis, availability of health insurance or not, transportation, and more. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us
Being healthy physically, spiritually, and mentally does not mean we accomplish it alone. On the contrary – when we break a bone, we don’t think twice about getting medical help – when our minds are challenged beyond our capabilities to treat, we should think nothing about seeking outside help.
We continue to gather tools to help ourselves as in these grounding techniques shared here but being proactive about our mental health also includes seeking help from others.
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In health-
Deidre
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No, it’s not the spelling or the pronunciation – (KEEN-wah).
It’s the texture – or that its texture is so loose and not stuck together, which makes it seem too light, fluffy, and not substantial.
Oh, they make sticky quinoa just like sticky rice; but, for me, it’s too sticky.
Now I sound like Goldilocks. Too loose. Too sticky. Searching for the middle ground.
When my sweetheart showed me his favorite quinoa at the store, we bought and prepared it for dinner that night. Just like Goldilocks, this one was just right.
What was the difference?
The Near East brand he liked was a mixture of both quinoa and brown rice and offered the perfect blend of herbs and spices.
Voila and Eureka!
But I didn’t like buying a small box of the stuff every time I wanted savory quinoa. I have giant bags of quinoa and brown rice at home; so, all I had to do was duplicate the spice blend.
After snapping a picture of their ingredients list on the box, I set out to create my own version of their recipe for yumminess and texture.
I know labels start with the largest quantities of ingredients and in descending order, continue to the least. That list gave me a hazy road map – the rest was up to me.
Clearly, some items were never going to be in my version: maltodextrin, yeast extract, dextrose, citric acid, tapioca maltodextrin, natural flavor, (highly processed) sunflower oil, and tocopherol preservatives. I also had plans to replace the sugar with a pinch of erythritol and monk fruit sugar alternative.
Did you know that according to Better Homes and Gardens magazine, “natural flavor” is a mystery ingredient defined by the FDA as:
“a substance extracted, distilled, or similarly derived from natural sources like plants, (fruits, herbs, veggies, barks, roots, etc.), or animals, (meat, dairy products, eggs, etc.), via a method of heating, with its main function in food being flavoring not nutritional.”
Why am I not leaping for joy?
As for the tomato powder, I’ve never had any. Is it a thing? But I found a tomato/basil seasoning blend recently and will be using it as I prepare for this post. We’ll see how it works out.
On to my concept recipe with no measurements for the spices:
Nearly East Quinoa and Brown Rice with Olive Oil
In a saucepan put:
2/3 cup/ 156 ml quinoa – rinsed in water and drained to reduce the anti-nutrient content
1/3 cup/ 78 ml brown rice
2 cups/ 473 ml water
Salt
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Crushed dried rosemary
Dried parsley
Optional pinch of sugar or erythritol
Additional spices/herbs that may contain:
Dried tomato flakes
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Give everything a good stir, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook until all water has been absorbed.
We have been totally satisfied with the results of combining two parts quinoa, with one part brown rice, along with this assortment of spices and olive oil.
It’s also more economical to easily duplicate this mix from what is already in your cupboard than buy it pre-done.
This quinoa/rice blend is a handy side dish and makes a nice addition sprinkled cold on a salad or added to a breakfast bowl instead of grits.
It’s an ancient grain once considered to be sacred by the Incas.
Really a seed, quinoa is prepared the same way grains are. Full of protein, nutrients, and fiber quinoa is also gluten-free and contributes to an anti-inflammatory diet. Rinsing before cooking reduces the elements that prevent our absorption of key nutrients.
Note: If you have chronic kidney stones, the oxalates in quinoa could contribute to stone formation.
The fiber, protein, and a host of nutrients make quinoa a smart carbohydrate to incorporate into your diet. Adding brown rice to the mix doubles down on the high fiber and nutrients.
Both grains can contribute to balancing of blood sugar levels, weight loss, regularity, and reducing cholesterol. What’s not to like?
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In health-
Deidre
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Today, exactly 8 years ago, foodtalk4you.com was born.
We have covered quite an assortment of topics over the years – all to uplift and edify those who knew there must be a more natural way to get and stay healthy.
Research in the last 12 months has revealed new paths to self-renewal that I have shared with you. As a nod to our anniversary number, here are what I believe are our top 8 by reader popularity.
Last April, I introduced you to Breath – The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor, which sets the stage for optimal health through how we breathe. Who knew our very anatomy and physiology would be so dependent upon how we get air into our bodies? Nestor dramatically shows how he reversed his mouth breathing and a host of common health problems. All breathers should read this book.
A post in May shared how to do a Body Scan prior to, and just after, exercise. Why did this make the top 8? Because this easy 2-minute body scan is yet another way to be more mindful of our bodies. Our thoughts are so often directed away from ourselves that we seldom “check in” with how we are doing.
The Creamy (Vinaigrette) Dressing recipe shared in July is a versatile year-round favorite with easy to do homemade goodness that eliminates the chemicals found in store-bought brands.
Combining two posts featuring crockpot soups from Creamy Fascination and Game Day Crock Pot Soup , we are reminded that home cooking from scratch can involve minimal preparation and effort yet yield wholesome goodness.
With supplies as simple as a fine-tipped pen and a shading pencil, creating a relaxing artistic process with little-to-no skills was shared in October with Zentangles. How I love to grab a small piece of paper to practice organized doodling. There are Facebook groups, ZIA Tangling for beginners and Zen Tangle 101 to learn and share – including how people are managing their personal limitations by exploring this art form.
My foray into a better understanding of how to avoid human infirmities started off in 2022 when I discovered Metabolical by Robert H. Lustig, MD. Lustig is putting things together for me with more clarity than I’ve read before. If you believe we aredesigned for healthlike I do, this one is for you. It set the stage for me to read the eighth article in our list.
Whether you are a person of faith or not, the writings of John Roedel in his Hey, God, and, Remedy, books speak to the souls of anyone who has ever had self-doubt, trauma, depression, or personal angst of any sort with words of understanding and compassion. Both of his books provide me with a helping hand that comes through the page and into my own.
I saved the best for last. The one written resource that is improving my natural health is undoubtedly, Vitamin K and the Calcium Paradox. As shared in early March, I am learning about, not just one vitamin, but several. There will be more posts about this in the future, but by applying the wisdom from this one book, you could save your life.
That is our top 8. Sheree and I hope you have enjoyed FoodTalk4You so far and you have learned helpful knowledge over the years to improve your health.
You keep reading and we’ll keep sharing!!
In health-
Deidre
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Few people seem to get too excited about dental care.
If you haven’t developed the habit of regular flossing – chances are, you dig your heels in by saying, “Meh. I’ve never gotten into that so much – it’s not for me.”
BUT…
What if I were to share with you some things I am just learning about good teeth through the eons, good teeth today, the cheap way to improved teeth, and … what new research has found in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims that goes back to their mouths!
This is shocking!
Let’s start with A BOOK I’m reading by a Canadian author who reveals the results of Dr. Weston Andrew Price’s quest to answer the simple question, “Why were his patients experiencing so much dental decay?”
Dr. Price traveled the globe studying people who were not exposed to the influences of modern civilization. Good thing he was doing this in 1899, because the spread of modern civilization today is so complete, there are hardly any corners of the world left untouched.
The bottom line of Dr. Price’s investigations is that once introduced to a modern diet, patterns of change result, predictably, causing dental caries (cavities), gum disease, heart disease, crowded teeth, smaller jaws, infections, and more.
The patients of Dr. Price were not living on Mountain Dew and McDonalds. What was modern about the diets of North Americans in the late 1800’s? This was the time when a major shift to white flour, white sugar, white rice, vegetable fats, and the introduction of canned foods, occurred.
What was missing in the late 1800’s from previous diets were vast resources of minerals, water- soluble vitamins (B and C) and especially fat-soluble vitamins – all sacrificed in the name of longer shelf life, and in creating filling foods that easily survived unrefrigerated transportation.
While Dr. Price could not pinpoint the exact identity of his dietary activators, (later identified as Vitamins A and D), he knew that restoring certain elements to his client’s diets would transform their dental health better than merely filling and pulling teeth.
He started prescribing diets high in fish eggs, egg yolks, some organ meats, and – especially – butterfat from cows grazing on rapidly growing green grass.
Fast forward to 2007, and another element Dr. Price had called Activator X is identified as Vitamin K, which is a group of K vitamins K1-K7.
Vitamin K, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, and even chlorophyll, all does an intricate dance with each other that facilitates processes mandatory for our strong bones and teeth, healthy heart, arteries, and other things.
Turns out, Vitamin K2 is needed to put the calcium into our bones and teeth. A diet low in K2 results in the calcium getting put into the linings of our arteries – that’s called atherosclerosis. Bones without a supply of calcium equal osteoporosis.
In fact, K2 deficiencies are also associated with:
Increased risk for breast, prostate, liver cancers
Diabetes
Varicose veins
Wrinkles
Dental caries
Chron’s Disease
Bottom line? We can gulp all the calcium we want, but without proper levels of K2, that calcium will be routed away from the bones and teeth only to land in the soft tissues and linings of our arteries.
That’s the Calcium Paradox.
I had drastically cut back my calcium supplementation that was supposed to help with my bone issues because I feared clogging up my coronary arteries.
Another tidbit to consider is oral hygiene and what we are feeding our bodies to enable unusual bacterium in our mouths. It’s all being studied further after what scientists found HERE and I quote:
“Scientists have previously found that this species of bacteria, called Porphyromonas gingivalis, can move from the mouth to the brain. Once in the brain, the bacteria release enzymes called gingipains that can destroy nerve cells, which in turn can lead to memory loss and eventually Alzheimer’s.
In this study, researchers looked for evidence of this process in human brains. They examined the brains of 53 deceased people who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and found high levels of gingipain in almost all of them. They also noted that the amount of gingipain tended to rise over time, which suggests there may be a tipping point when dementia symptoms first begin.”
The take-aways from this week’s post are:
By eliminating sugar, white rice, white flours, vegetable fats, and processed foods from our diet we will not only boost oral health, but also general health.
Consider supplementing with Vit K2 by reading Rheaume-Bleue’s book to get the full scope of how seriously our modern diets are causing a host of preventable diseases and conditions.
Brush and floss those pearlies, folks.
In health and personally taking 100-200 mcg K2 every day –
Deidre
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To my European readers, Rheaume-Bleue’s book, Vitamin K and the Calcium Paradox has been translated into Italian and Polish.
I have turned into a tiny field mouse, and now, my task is to eat an elephant.
It’s something I’ve done before when I couldn’t even see how big the elephant was. It might be the size of a three-month meal.
No.
A six-month meal.
No.
Will it be a year?
We’ll see.
No.
Longer than that.
Are you being asked to eat an elephant? Do you even know how big it is? Can you see your elephant growing?
These elephants can be tricky.
Sometimes, you think you’ve taken that last bite as you pat yourself on the back for hanging in there, and then – BAM! – something else comes up.
That’s called life.
At present, I am face-to-face with an elephant named DOWNSIZING. Downsizing from living in the same house for 42 years. Downsizing to a new town – to a brand-new life – with my brand-new forever love.
To everything there is a season, and this is the season for fresh starts. After mindfully moving along from loss, grief, and exhaustion – I am ready for this new chapter of continued discovery and adventure.
Will it start after this VERY LARGE meal? No.
Life is now. In the present – and I am going to enjoy each bite of this meal because life experiences have given me the skills needed to press on.
Yes, there will be lots of learning. I’ve never sold my house before – or rented a storage unit for my dwindling stuff before – or built a new house in a subdivision before – or sold furniture online before.
But, you know, it’s all good. My friends and loved ones are offering all kinds of support and help. The right professionals are coming my way.
There was that moment of feeling mouse-sized, overwhelmed, and crushed by the enormity of the work ahead. That’s when loved ones stepped in to remind me that I needed to step back and celebrate the day’s efforts.
Downsizing does not have to wait for retirement. We can reduce our quantity of possessions at any stage of life. Travel lighter. Do we really need 10 black pullover tops? Have we opened that book on the shelf in the last 5 – 10 years?
As a follow-up to the post last week about showing some love before we go, I am working toward showing some love to those who will survive me by simplifying and organizing my possessions. It’s hard enough as a survivor to go through someone else’s stuff without also having to go through their clutter.
Yes, it’s tough letting go of stuff.
Find a good home for your extra stuff. Feel good about making a gift of something you no longer need to someone who will appreciate it.
Throw the years out-of-date food/make-up/yard care products into the garbage.
Remember … it’s only stuff.
There’s a garbage bag calling me … time to discover what has been languishing in that bottom bathroom drawer…Yikes! Stuff!
Always striving to balance mind, body, and spirit through food, exercise, and thought –
Deidre
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While Deidre is taking some personal time away this week, I thought I would throw in a post of my own. It really doesn’t have much to do with eating right, or clean, or Keto, or kale chips – I do have to tease her sometimes about all that.
I want to talk about one of my favorite subjects – the universe – and I do think about it a lot.
What has that got to do with me, you ask? Well, plenty actually.
First off, do you even realize where we are in the universe? How big, or small, we are compared to other planets? Do we always turn in the same direction? Why do we have different seasons? Are there more babies born on a full moon? (Yes, there are!)
Because of some of these things, I have often wondered:
How are flight patterns made?
How did we first figure out time zones?
Why did we make the Farmer’s Almanac?
How bad does it have to get to say, “Houston, we have a problem!”
These are just a few, there are thousands more. I’m not trying to be silly; I really do ask myself these questions.
I guess this would be a good time to admit, as long as I can remember, my childhood desire was to be a starship captain – just like Janeway – although I’m a little pudgier. You can’t imagine my disappointment the moment I found out none of it was real – no starship, no Janeway, no five-year expedition tour out in the galaxy. I was heartbroken. I even wrote about it in my children’s book, If the Stars Were Mine.
One thing I don’t question is my belief that God, or a superior being – if you will, made the universe and everything in it – including us. As differently colorful, questioning, amazing, unique, fun-loving, aggravating, and just-plain-weird we all are – I believe there is a bigger plan for everybody and the universe proves it.
To put all this information into context, several years ago, I happen to hear Louis Giglio speak on the universe and I was completely blown away. I was amazed at the information he shared. I found his YouTube video and thought I would include it here so I can share it with all of you.
The Orion Nebula – known as the stellular nursery. It’s where stars are made.
I, personally, believe we were formed and placed within a solar system that deliberately fits perfectly together. And, on top of that, a creator Who knows each of our names, as well as names every one of the stars He creates!
My long-term wish is that I will be able to fly around the universe He keeps building upon. I am going to stand fast on this. Perhaps it is to make up for any disappointment about the whole starship thing. I know they meant well.
Who wants to be my wingman? (Get it?)
What do you suppose we will see when we leave this earth behind? I think the most fun is ahead of us and what we have here is nothing in comparison to what it will be.
When I lose someone I love, I always think of a poem I heard long ago. It brings me such comfort. It’s by Henry Van Dyke and to paraphrase:
Henry Van Dyke
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone.”
And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”
Our post this week is dedicated to Deidre’s lifelong friend and neighbor, Reuben Earl Hart, from New Bern, North Carolina.
Fly high, Reuben!
Sheree
A Memorial to Reuben – Unshed Tears
Tears are streaming from my eyes
unbidden
From whence are they coming?
They will not stop
My dear one departed years ago
This kind of grief is past …
Or is it?
Why is my grief so raw?
How is it the faucet won’t turn off?
It seems there are unshed tears for
grief itself
Sprung to life with the passing of
a sweet neighbor
Sprung to life with the kind of
knowing
Only ones who have walked this path
know
I know what kind of a journey
She who is left behind is
starting
Tears for her pain
Tears for the fist pounding pain of loss
Tears for her birthing process in becoming
One who has lost
Everything will be rebuilt
That which we didn’t want rebuilt
New perspectives
we did not want
No
But we are thrust forward
So, these unbidden tears are for
both of us
Tears I had saved, unknowingly
That will buoy us all up in the river
of life
We float along toward the sunny spots
That await and will bless
But
For now
Just know
These tears
Are our Baptismal waters
You are strong and you can float
And you are not alone …
Deidre Edwards for Carole Hart
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We had our first big snow of the year the other day. Yup. A whopping 3.5 inches of the white stuff in my new central North Carolina home. Back nearer the coast, my former hometown dealt with ice and a bit of snow – sorry, guys.
We are all looking for big bowls of soup or soupy stews to warm our insides here in the Northern Hemisphere. Our down-under friends can file these ideas away for comforting food in a few months.
Over these last few weeks, there have been several soups – including:
Potato Leek Soup – with chunks of leftover ham added after blending, mmm …
Clam Chowder
Spicy lasagna soup with gluten-free lasagna noodles as a substitution
Chili
Plus, a couple of stew-like chicken and vegetable concoctions served over rice using these:
Yai’s Thai brand yellow Thai coconut Curry, and
Mina brand Shakshuka Moroccan Tomato Sauce
These two jarred sauces added just enough punch in their respective stews to make our tastebuds sing. And, in keeping with eating real foods, the ingredient lists are short with only real foods listed. No chemicals or preservatives. Yay.
The chicken-based stews both featured cubes of butternut squash and potatoes. The added potassium in these two have quelled my nighttime foot cramps. Review the post about potassium HERE.
Vegetable components varied using what was on hand for the Shakshuka sauce to bags of frozen Asian stir fry veggies for the curry.
All I had to do was throw the chicken into the crockpot or into a large pan with lid – I prefer boneless and skinless thighs – with the sauce, potato and butternut squash chunks, and onion, and forget about it. When the chicken was tender, extra veggies were added to finish.
Easy-peasy.
I must give a shout-out to Half-Baked Harvest for the yummy Spicy Lasagna Soup. That one is a keeper! Tieghan Gerard has some wonderful recipes on her site. I just eschew most of the dessert and bready items – foods that cause spikes in blood sugar are truly evil – more on that as we revisit Metabolical in a coming post.
Lastly, as I was stationed in the kitchen chopping veggies for these soups and stews, I answered the call of my rumbling tummy with an old childhood favorite.
Do you remember stuffed celery? The kind with peanut butter? Maybe you called it Men in a Boat if raisins were added?
Check out my Reece’s version of Men in a Boat using mini semi-sweet chocolate chips – delish!
In health – fall, winter, spring, and summer – one decision, one bite at a time –
Deidre
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