Category Archives: This -n- That

Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, This -n- That, Titles Worth Reading

Follow-Up to Caregiver Conference – Free Gifts!

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Summary of Online Events of November 16, 2021

ALEXANDRA ALLRED

Website: https://www.alexandraallred.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.allred.3​

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-allred-56985937/​

Twitter: @Alexandraallred

As Alex is fond of saying, it doesn’t matter how big or small you are, you have a voice! As she fights for her parents against Alzheimer’s and dementia, Alex’s “Operation Caregivers,” is yet another battle to restore dignity for those who suffer from the disease and empowerment for their https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.allred.3-569859

FREEBIE1: Here is a link for the book, “Alzheimer’s and Dementia 101,” and I will be giving away 10 copies of this book: https://www.amazon.com/Alzheimers-Dementia-101-Pro…​

FREEBIE2: For those looking for some serious Girl Power, I will also be giving away 5 free copies of “Awareness is Armor”:https://www.amazon.com/Awareness-ArmorOnline/dp/17…

 Email Alex at: redburn4@gmail.com. (Reference that you saw her on The Complete Caregiver Guide event) and request a copy of either “Alzheimer’s and Dementia 101” OR “Awareness is Armor.”

First come, first serve!

DEIDRE EDWARDS

If you are one of the millions of people who has become a caregiver to a loved one, Deidre’s Toolkit for Caregivers will guide you through that maze of caregiving concerns that threaten to overwhelm and consume you.

Website: https://www.deidreedwards.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deidre.edwards.96

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidre-edwards-078825a…

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoodTalk4You

FREEBIE: We are giving three lucky people our most popular publication, Toolkit for Caregivers. Toolkit for Caregivers blends the demands associated with caring for another with a calmer atmosphere and self-assured peacefulness – creating a remedy for a more purposeful, soothing atmosphere, beneficial to both you and your patient. Please take the time to sign up for our drawing. We would love for the winner to be you!

Click here to enter: https://toolkits-for-health.ck.page/dc4f3ce72d

I would also like to share the link to my free online course,

​Family Caregiver Emotions | Toolkits for Health (teachable.com)

LORI LA BEY

Lori is a passionate advocate who searches for ways to shift our dementia care culture from crisis to comfort. She was recognized as the #1 Influencer Online for Alzheimer’s. As a professional speaker and daughter of a mother with dementia for over 30 years, Lori gets it! Change is needed on multiple levels.

Website: https://www.alzheimersspeaks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlzheimersSpeaks/

Instagram: @AlzheimersSpeaks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alzheimer-s-speak…

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alzspks      @AlzSpks

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/AlzheimersSpeaks

Alzheimer’s Speaks Radio: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/alzheimersspeaks

Alzheimer’s Speaks Blog: https://alzheimersspeaks.wordpress.com/

Dementia Map Global Resource Directory: https://www.dementiamap.com/

FREEBIE: A downloadable brochure giving tips to communicate

https://www.alzheimersspeaks.com/images/Home_Page/…

LUCIA MCBEE

Lucia has worked for over 25 years with elders, high-risk population and persons with chronic conditions, as well as their caregivers, in a wide range of community, research, and institutional settings. She developed a pioneering practice using mindfulness to improve the quality of life in community, hospital, clinic and nursing home settings.

Website: http://luciamcbee.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucia-mcbee-27988717/

FREEBIE: A 3-minute audio file, “Breathing Space”:

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21ALOZFO0DMzee…

​KATE MCKAY

Kate is a speaker, coach, media expert, fitness and wellness buff, and mom. Kate is committed to inspiring others to live a breakthrough life.

Website: https://www.kate-mckay.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBreakthroughCatalyst/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katemckaycoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katemckaybreakthroughc…

FREEBIE: Download “Learn How to Handle Tolerations” worksheet: bit.ly/KMFreeWorksheet

DIVYA PAREKH

Divya’s strategies motivate leaders, cross-functional groups, and teams to cultivate independent leadership, the interdependence between themselves and their internal and external customers to achieve a combined mastery of connectivity and alignment. Her experience allows her to guide leaders, teams, and professionals through complicated business and personal challenges.

Website: http://divyaparekh.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beyondconfidenceforsucces…

Podcast: https://www.podcasts.com/beyond-confidence-59

Blog: https://www.divyaparekh.com/blog/

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/divyaparekh/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/divyaparekh/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coachdivya

FREEBIE: Free audio program:

https://success.divyaparekh.com/leadershipandinfluence/

DR. MARION SOMERS

During the past four decades, Dr. Marion has provided care for more than 2,000 elderly clients while she owned and operated a thriving Geriatric Care Management practice. It is now Dr. Marion’s goal to help caregivers everywhere by providing valuable insights and information.

Website: http://drmarion.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrMarionSomers/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_marionsomers/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmarionsomers/

FREEBIE: A one-page A to Z caregiving guide for the caregivers who are often overworked and underappreciated – 

http://drmarion.com/dr-marion-somers-eldercare-a-z/

CLAUDIA TABOADA

Claudia is a burnout prevention and stress resilience coach and mentor, a self-care advocate, and a motivational speaker. She is also an entrepreneur, a digital course creator and founder of the ”Unstoppable You Wellness Academy,” an online platform offering digital courses, digital products and online trainings, with the mission to empower those who are burned out.

Website: https://claudiataboada.com/

Private FB Group for moms and caregivers The Unstoppable Mom

Project: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theunstoppablemomp…

FB Business Page Claudia Taboada — The Unstoppable Mom: https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaTaboadaTheUnstoppa…

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/claudia-taboada-216a901bb

FREEBIE: The Unstoppable You Self-Care and Total Wellness Assessment. Here is the link to subscribe: https://crafty-thinker-6396.ck.page/6a55a65df1

PETRA WEGGEL

Petra is an author and entrepreneur who turned her attention to finding real-world elder care solutions after a series of unexpected events left her scrambling to help her parents manage their affairs. Her desire was to offer other adult children of seniors practical advice they could use in their own lives.

Website: https://theeldercareplaybook.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petra.weggel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petraweggel/

FREEBIE: The Elder Care Playbook: https://theeldercareplaybook.com/get-freebie/

NOTE: If you wish to save a copy of this on your computer or want to print it out, click our PRINT button below – under DESTINATION, scroll down to PDF and click SAVE.

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

The Power Of A Word

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Harnessing Power

We talk a lot about nurturing others: Encouraging our children and grandchildren saying, “You can do this,” “I believe in you,” “You have all the skills for success,” and the like.

Are we doing this for ourselves?

Or is our inner conversation more like, “Well, that was dumb,” “I knew you’d fail trying that,” or, “You’re not smart enough/thin enough/fast enough/rich enough/young enough/old enough to succeed”?

We’ve explored self-talk before on foodtalk4you, and readers continue to print out their copies of affirmations offered on our home page. Those affirmations, which have helped me in the past, are more faith-based and perhaps – more generalized.

As I study the writings of Louise Hay and Jennifer Teske, I have come to appreciate a different sort of affirmation that speaks to my inner self – the very core of my self-worth and abilities.

Letting the words of these affirmations by Hay wash over and filter through me, I am being transformed and empowered from the inside out.

I’ve come to learn, the subconscious mind accepts things at face value – much like we did when as babies and children. We accepted the things we experienced and were told were true. Those early messages of love and acceptance – or mistrust, lack of love, and self-doubt – became our view of the world and the blueprint for self-talk throughout life.

Louise Hay takes the listener through paired statements aimed at addressing the way the subconscious mind thinks. More than, “I am good enough, just as I am,” which the subconscious may reject as a false belief from early experiences. Her tandem affirmations also include, “You are good enough just as you are,” which is aimed at leaving an acceptable truth in the subconscious.

Listening to such affirmations feeds the non-judgmental and accepting subconscious mind. There are times when the inner self needs a boost of self-worth messages.

When was the last time you believed that you are worthwhile and deserved to be happy? Or that you were loveable because you exist?

Even if we have been behaving in ways that are unlovable, reminding ourselves that deep inside we are loveable, can inspire a change in attitude and action.

What if you were to internalize the message: I experience love wherever I go/ You experience love wherever you go? Perhaps you would come to greet each day in expectancy of positive experiences and love. With such an outlook, you would find love wherever you go.

I am at peace within/ You are at peace within. Enjoy a non-puffed-up boost in self-worth and being grounded by listening to such inspired affirmations.

Leave your thoughts and comments with me by clicking on the comments link at the top. If you found this post helpful, please use the MORE button below for sharing options.

  • #RAISEcaregiving (ACL’s official tag for RAISE activities)
  • #CaregivingInCrisis (CAN’s 2020 observance)
  • #NFCMonth (Annual observance hashtag)
  • #FamilyCaregiver (A larger conversation on family caregiving) 
  • #Caregivers (Broadest conversation around caregiving)

In health-

Deidre

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

November Is National Caregivers Month!

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Honoring Caregivers … I’ve come to call it Soul Work.

Caregivers do a lot of it. The grieving do it. Those suffering from the PTSD of having been a caregiver do it.

Guess, we all do it at most any stage of living on this beautiful blue orb.

It’s the process of figuring things out, releasing past hurt and pain, to take ahold of the present moment.

We cannot grab the life we are living today if our hands are full of stuff from the past – so, yes, we all do soul work.

This month, we recognize family caregivers who are juggling a mind-numbing amount of mental, physical, and emotional issues each day.

The last two years have been a challenge – at best – for most of us, and simply brutal for caregivers of loved ones.

Caregiving is isolating enough without the added constraints of a global pandemic. To go through those years that I did previously, but in the present time? No thanks.

So, what do we do to help the caregivers in our community?

  • Send them a card every so often.
  • Call them.
  • Get vaccinated and masked so you can more safely visit them and their loved one.
  • Offer your vaccinated and masked self as a fill-in so they can step out of the house for a bit of exercise or for an errand.
  • Offer to do some chores so they do not have to.
  • Drop off a meal so they do not have to cook.
  • Help them contact their local Area Agency on Aging in the United States to make sure they have the resources they need.

This month, I have lowered the price of my book, Toolkit for Caregivers, to make it even more affordable to those who are caring for loved ones. It is a great gift to a caregiver to show them support when you can’t be there.

Please reach out to a caregiver near you to offer a lifeline. Every little act and deed go a long way to keep their heads above the raging sea that threatens to drown them.

In health-

Deidre

  • #RAISEcaregiving (ACL’s official tag for RAISE activities)
  • #CaregivingInCrisis (CAN’s 2020 observance)
  • #NFCMonth (Annual observance hashtag)
  • #FamilyCaregiver (A larger conversation on family caregiving) 
  • #Caregivers (Broadest conversation around caregiving)

The MORE button below will let you share this post with your friends. It’s also an excellent time to start gift purchases for the coming holidays. Why not go to this link HERE and get copies of my books for your friends and loved ones.

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

Zentangles

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Trick or Treat?

Welcome to the world of tangling! In this world, you will doodle your way through Cantebrands, Auras, Dexes, Dewdrops, Hollibaughs, Poufs, and my two favorites, Dingblatz and Dingsplatz creations!

Are you feeling like a wizard costume is needed? These terms I’m learning about sound like a Halloween story or something from Hogwarts.

Costumes are optional for this world of organized doodling that I recently discovered through my friend, Mary, who shared her first foray into this art form:

This method provides the soothing mental and emotional benefits obtained through creating easy artwork, by taking all those thoughts and emotions darting around our brains and replacing them with learning how to use simple steps for creating elaborate drawings.

I’ve shared my story here, and in my book, Toolkit for Caregivers, about how using adult coloring books helped ground my jumbled thoughts and emotions during the challenging years of caregiving at home.

This artform may be even easier and more portable than adult coloring because the required supplies are small and few:

Tortillons
  • Super fine-tipped pen
  • Graphite pencil
  • White graphite pencil
  • Tortillons for blending
  • Small squares/pieces of drawing paper

These supplies can be conveniently tucked into a simple zip bag and taken wherever you go – as opposed to my array of 100 colored markers and full-sized coloring books previously used.

Besides, how cool is it to use a “tortillon”?

After googling Zentangle, I landed on a one-stop-site that has enough information and how-to videos to last me a long time: HERE. Video #023 guided me along a restful journey to complete my first drawing:

I will tweak the kind of paper I use, perhaps – it’s no big deal – and I am looking for a brighter, white pencil to increase the depth of field and general sparkle.

This is a thoroughly satisfying and absorbing experience for all ages, and the therapeutic aspects of this activity did not disappoint.

Whether you desire an escape from stress, or are looking for something better than another reality show on TV, entering the world of Zentangles falls into the realm of TREAT at Halloween or anytime.

Please share your Zentangles with us through comments and share this post with your friends by using the MORE button below.

In health-

Deidre

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

Creamy Fascinations – Part 2

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Today, we move on from crema – which is the runniest of the creamy elements we discussed HERE – to crème fraiche, which fits snuggly in the middle of the consistency scale. Sour cream, you will remember, is the thickest of our trifecta.

As you might guess, from its French name, this fresh cream is specifically under European labeling regulations, requiring it be made from cream and a bacterial culture only, whereas sour cream may contain thickening agents.

Hence, if you followed the crema recipes I shared previously, usage of any ingredients other than cream and a bacterial culture, pushed that recipe into the realm of crema.

With just two ingredients, the recipe for crème fraiche would seem simple, but opinions vary as to proportions. I’m thinking the variable may be length of time available for the fermentation process.

Those using 2 Tablespoons/ 30 ml of buttermilk for each cup/ 237 ml of heavy cream may have gotten quicker results, (12 hours), than those using just 1 Tablespoon/ 15 ml, (24 hours). Some sources split the difference and used 1.5 Tablespoons/ 22.5 ml of buttermilk per cup/ 237 ml of heavy cream.

You choose how you may want to tweak this basic recipe.

Crème Fraiche

1 cup/ 237 ml heavy cream

1-2 Tablespoons/ 15-30 ml of buttermilk

Combine ingredients in a glass container. Cover either with a breathable top – such as a clean kitchen towel or a lid/plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature for 12- 24 hours. Use. Refrigerate to keep for up to a week or two.

This recipe is easily doubled. In fact, many recipes call for 2 cups/ 474 ml of heavy cream because they are using that much crème fraiche. I’m not cooking for a large family, so a smaller quantity would be enough for me.

Where to use crème fraiche?

Readers who are entering the warmer seasons of fresh fruit, may want to whip their crème fraiche with a bit of sugar to adorn a bowl of fresh fruit.

With cooler seasons upon the rest of us, I’m anticipating adding this to beef stroganoff soon. This higher fat content crème fraiche will not separate when cooked/boiled like sour cream does.

Beef Stroganoff

Speaking of beef stroganoff with crème fraiche, I want to close by sharing a link I just discovered – Beef Stroganoff with Crème fraiche – YouTube by Daddy Cooks. His engaging, laid-back style is down-to-earth and easy to follow, and will be my guide when preparing beef stroganoff next time.

Not this … *haha*

As we start preparing special meals for any holiday experience, remember to be mindful of portion control and in surrounding the meal with colorful, high fiber veggie side dishes that are not so calorie dense.

In health-

Deidre

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

Pink Cadillac – That’s Where It’s At …

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Mary Kay Ash

Have you ever had Pink Cadillac Syndrome? It’s based on the idea you never knew how many pink Cadillacs were on the road until you bought one … or earned one through your Mary Kay business.

I haven’t seen a pink Cadillac in years; but I have bought something I thought unique, only to find many other people had the same idea. Where was I? Why didn’t I see all of those before?

My recent experience involved thinly sliced apples in a green salad. Simple enough idea, but new to me. Long a proponent of blueberries or strawberries tucked into a scrumptious, green salad – possibly graced with bits of walnut, tossed with a savory, balsamic vinaigrette, and topped with feta. Wow!

When recently dining in Mason Jar Tavern in the Piedmont area of our state, I enjoyed a flank steak salad that delighted all my five senses.

Anytime a meal can be delivered in salad form, I’m all in!

What made this delicious salad unique, (or so I thought), was the addition of thinly sliced apples. The presentation alone was amazing – and the subtle flavor and crisp texture of the apple slices multiplied my gastronomic experience.

Honeycrisp Apples

Not a week later, my daughter-in-love shared Half Baked Harvest’s recipe HERE for a salad featuring thinly sliced Honeycrisp apples, along with pomegranate arils. I have it on good authority this is a delightful addition to make your meal memorable.

A few days after that, Sunday’s newspaper National Magazine insert featured thinly sliced apples in a salad. Who knew?

Where have I been? Pink Cadillac Syndrome, undoubtedly, but I’m delighted I have finally woken up to the world of sliced apples to make my salads sparkle!

So that’s this week’s tip. Use some sliced apples to give your salads a new flavor and texture profile this season.

Off to slice some apples for tonight!

In health-

Deidre

The MORE button below will let you share this post with your friends. It’s also an excellent time to start gift purchases for the coming holidays. Why not go to this link HERE and get copies of my books for your friends and loved ones.

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

Game Day Crockpot Soup

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As temps in the Northern Hemisphere are hinting at fall, our thoughts are turning to warming, savory soups. Added to that, kids are off to soccer practice, friends and families are tailgating, and many are gathering around the screen for golf or football.

Our readers down under are probably getting hints of spring with thoughts of fresh fruit and vegetables making your mouths water, but in Eastern North Carolina, my garden is down to 2-3 okra pods a day.

We’re on to soup weather! Bring on the crockpot, please.

Plus, the recipe I’m sharing today is an excellent opportunity for using the Mexican Crema recipe that was featured last week.

What’s cooking? An easy, adaptable recipe featuring canned beans, chopped tomatoes, salsa, and frozen or fresh chicken. Easy peasy.

Many thanks to my daughter-in-love for this inspiring recipe and for assisting in our photo-shoot. The delightful soup bowls are frequently filled with her and my son’s creations – chili, soup, gumbo, and more. I’m on the look out for special bowls to add that extra panache to lovely meal presentation.

But even in plain bowls, this soup is a winner.

The recipe is best shared as a simple photo of all the ingredients.

No or not enough black beans? Grab a can of garbanzo beans/chickpeas, pink beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans instead. Mix and match. No problem. I like mixing them up.

We prefer using chicken thigh meat because of its tenderness and flavor. Yes, the breast meat has less fat, you can use that as well – again, a nod to versatility.

Another nod to crockpot convenience is that frozen chicken works just fine – just keep it cooking a little longer.

Crockpot Chicken and Bean Soup

Ingredients

3 – 15.25-ounce cans (432 g) beans – black, pinto, garbanzo, cannellini, pink

1 – 16-ounce jar (453 g) salsa

2 – 10-ounce cans (283 g) Ro-Tel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

1 – 4.5-ounce can (127 g) chopped green chilies

1 – 15-ounce can (425 g) tomato sauce

8 – Ideally boneless, skinless chicken thighs – can use 4 large chicken breasts – fresh or frozen

Method

Open the jars and cans. Start filling the crockpot with something wet – tomato sauce or salsa – then add some beans with their juices, chicken, and finish with the remaining wet ingredients and beans.

That’s it. Put the crockpot lid on, plug in, set to low for 6 – 7 hours – longer if frozen meat is used.

When time is up, stir the ingredients and remove the chicken to a cooling bowl.

Using two forks, gently pull chicken apart to shred. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.

Stir all ingredients to combine and keep warm until time to serve.

Serve with chopped fresh tomatoes, avocado slices, sour cream, grated cheese, Mexican Crema, and a few tortilla chips. We were fortunate enough to score some fall-themed corn chips from Trader Joe’s.

There’s just enough heat to keep this warm and spicey; but it will not send you to the milk jug to put out a fire.

Seasons of transition – fall and spring – create such flavor and texture excitement to food. I’m waiting for my order of pumpkin spice coffee to arrive soon!

Snuggling in with snuggles –

Deidre

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

Creamy Fascinations

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Just what is a crema? What, exactly, is crème fraiche? How does sour cream fit into this trifecta? Does mascarpone deserve a seat in this conversation?

My inquiring mind wanted to know …

I hear experienced chefs on the cooking channel throwing out creamy terms right and left and my knowledge base is left in the dust.

It was time to expand my repertoire beyond the familiar dollop of sour cream on top of a spicy bowl of chili. The sour cream serves to cut some of the heat found in the chili and adds visual appeal to toppings added to tacos.

What’s on board for all of these is cream plus some form of a bacteria element. Sounds simple enough, but the lines blur amongst the different forms of creamy admirability desired, but I’ll do my best to tease out the facts for you.

Welcome to Creamy Fascinations 101.

Crema Fraiche

Consistency is one variable. Of the actual creams, sour cream is the thickest, crème fraiche is in the middle – followed by Mexican crema, which is the runniest. Mascarpone more closely resembles cream cheese but has two times the fat, a softer consistency, and a slightly sweet taste.

Heat stability is another concern. Crema and crème fraiche are better options for cooking into creamy sauces. Who knew?

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Apparently, my former beef stroganoff efforts resulting in the sour cream breaking up was not due to my poor technique, but rather to using the wrong creamy ingredient. Online comments suggest using crème fraiche for stroganoff and crema for enchilada sauce.

Fat content varies and contributes to the heat stability. Sour cream at 20% at is best used as a last moment garnish to hot dishes. Crème fraiche at 30% – 45% and is an excellent thickening agent for soups and sauces (heat stability) and is also used over fruit and baked goods.  Mexican crema is in the middle with a fat content between 18 – 30%.

Tangy factors modify our selections. Sour cream pegs the tangy scale, which makes it a favorite option for anything Tex-Mex for garnish. Crème fraiche is milder and smoother – making it perfect on raw fruits, whipped with sugar and vanilla as a whipped cream variation, or can become savory when combined with herbs and citrus for meat toppings. Variations on crema can uptick the tang when adding lime.

Putting this information together is where lines blur. The ingredient list is easy but can easily cross over lines. Here are some recipes for crema.

Sour Cream

Basic Crema 1.0

1 cup/ 237 ml sour cream

1 cup/ 237 ml heavy cream

1 teaspoon/ 5 ml salt

Combine, cover, keep at room temp 3 hours. Use. Store in refrigerator.

Heavy Cream

Basic Crema 1.5

1 cup/ 237 ml heavy cream

2 Tablespoons/ 30 ml buttermilk

Combine, cover, keep at room temp 12-24 hours, then add:

1 Tablespoon/ 15 ml lime juice

Pinch of salt

Use and store in refrigerator.

Basic Crema 2.0

1 cup/ 237 ml sour cream

1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5 ml garlic powder

Juice of one lime

Combine, use, and store in refrigerator

Mexican Crema 3.0

I was recently introduced to a Mexican crema recipe that provided its own heat element through roasted poblanos and jalapenos.

4 poblano peppers

2 jalapeño peppers

3 cloves of garlic

1+ cup/ 237 ml sour cream

1 lime cut into quarters

Pinch of salt, optional

Coat peppers and cloves of garlic with olive oil, place on a rimmed cookie sheet in a preheated 450-degree oven, and roast. Avoid burning peppers and garlic by turning every 8 minutes – the goal is to blister the skin of the peppers on all sides. When sufficiently blistered in about 20 minutes, remove from oven. 

Transfer roasted peppers into a glass or metal bowl, and cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap to allow for steaming. In about 30 minutes, the outer skin may easily be peeled and pulled from the peppers. Remove stem, most of the seeds, and any interior pulpy structures.

Place peeled pepper skins, roasted garlic, 1 cup of sour cream, and juice of 1/4 of the lime into a container or bowl. Using an immersion blender, pulse to combine all ingredients until smooth.

Check for the flavor balance to suit your taste. Add salt, dollops of sour cream and/or additional lime juice as you create a flavor profile to your liking. It’s amazing, but you’ll get adept at this process and become skilled at getting the combination “just right.”  It’s ready to use and can be stored in the refrigerator.

When added to the top of an effortless crock pot recipe for frozen chicken, bean, and tomato soup, this spicy version of crema added a depth of flavor that took our meal to a new level. Recipe next week for this amazing soup.

Enchiladas w/spicy sauce/lime

In the meantime, practice your crema-making skills and variations. This is so delicious on spicy soups, chili, tacos, taco salad, and makes an egg on toast shine in the mornings.

We’ll do the crème fraiche recipes soon so there can be some beef stroganoff in our fall menus.

In creamy health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

On The Shoulders Of Giants

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Ever buy a new car? Oh my! Look at the fit and finish! That new car smell? Those pristine floor mats? The purr of the engine?

Can you imagine the pride of the last worker on that new car assembly line?

Almost like a proud parent.

But we know, the one who drove that new beauty out of the factory, was just the last one of many who put their best efforts into creating a vehicle that will, hopefully, give years and years of good service in transportation and satisfaction to its owners.

The pride I felt recently could not be measured when I thumbed through our local paper to find a half page display honoring a former student of mine as a health care employee at Viadent Medical Center.

Melissa Bradshaw, RN, was in my first Health Occupations class at West Craven High School. She was one of my early bright stars who clearly had the heart of a nurse. After high school, Melissa made a beeline to becoming an RN and immediately started working with babies.

Her experiences with newborns naturally morphed into becoming a lactation consultant, helping Moms and babies in successfully making that vital connection with ease and comfort.

Thing is, she was so kind to mention to the newspaper how I had planted the seeds of nursing in her high school experience. How humbling it is to be recognized in this way by someone who is a star in her field.

But – I stand on the shoulders of giants.

Like the last auto factory worker who understands the real credit goes to those who drew the plans, added the parts, and carefully engineered and assembled that shining vehicle, I had the privilege to put the cherry on the top of 12 years of education.

What a blessing to put all those English, science, math, and social studies classes into a career focus that inspired and gave direction to young minds.

Hats off to teachers everywhere who may mistakenly believe their efforts are anonymous or unrecognized. Each one of you is critical to forming all our futures. Those kids you teach today will be those who take care of us tomorrow. They will build our houses, design our cars, answer our medical questions, respond to our 911 calls … everything.

Being given credit for inspiring Melissa is better than a paycheck for sure; but it is ever so humbling to recognize who was holding me up so I could put the star on top!

Hug a teacher and say, “Thank you!”

Deidre

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

Synchronicity – or Lucky Star?

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Happenstance? Chance encounters? God wink? Coincidence? Or just dumb luck?

You pick.

As we slosh around on the ground in the day-to-day, our thoughts may stray to dumb luck.

It seems, though, when we take the proverbial bird’s eye view, or a higher suborbital view, we can often connect the dots of life happenings. Kind of like trying to help a 5-year-old understand that life is bigger than the little red-haired girl not wanting to sit next to them in lunch. It’s a matter of perspective.

Currently, I am surrounded by messages in books, articles, posts, texts, and conversations dealing with:

– Breaking down thought distortions

         –  Identifying limiting beliefs  

-Exploring the childhood emotional experiences that taught us limiting beliefs

       –  Embracing and then releasing those limiting beliefs

Discovering the liberation created in not requesting band aids for our broken life, but rather taking a hold of the change and growth that is happening so we can become our best selves

Writing down our desires, not as, “I want,” statements, but as, “I see a future vision of myself,” statements. “I want,” emphasizes our lack. The, “I see a future vision of myself,” is full of hope, possibilities, and an implied plan of action.

Things around me are building into something more beautiful, powerful, and meaningful with every passing day. There is evidence, for me, of a great universal synchronicity – that is working for good.

Take the high-up view of your life. Are you seeing patterns of meaningful growth? How can you embrace that for the good?

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The phone is by my side as I await to hear of the birth of another granddaughter! Now, that’s something to celebrate!

In health-

Deidre