Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Slaying the French Dragon – A Lesson in Souffles! 

Leave a comment
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!

2 Comments

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!

Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, Titles Worth Reading

A Little Sneak Peak …

Leave a comment

Last week, I mentioned our good news about Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions, being available for pre-order on Amazon, and it occurred to me it might be nice to share a snippet of that book with you today.  

Here is the first part of Chapter 2, where I introduce readers to the first technique we do as an exercise that: 

1) Assists people in understanding how much control they have over their emotions  

2) How to create an accepting mindset and environment for emotions, and  

3) How to, at least temporarily, let it go.  

I am also introducing caregivers to the idea that they count. Their total health is a valid focus that needs to be recognized, so they can successfully be there for their loved one/patient.  

Here is your peek inside of Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions: 

Chapter 2 

Are you drowning? 

We caregivers of loved ones often think we should just soldier on in silence. Don’t complain. Don’t reach out for help. Just do the job. Any feelings we experience about ourselves are pushed so far down they are out of sight. 

Our loved one comes first, last, and everywhere in between.  

That philosophy may work for a while … until it clearly does not. 

I can tell when it’s not working. Caregivers come to talk to me with that glazed-over, shell-shocked look, like they are drowning at sea and are going down for the third time – lacking the energy to even signal for help. 

A greater understanding of the unique caregiver emotional situation will assist you in smoother transitions through the phases of caring – and even grieving. 

I thought I had everything figured out when I started caring for my dear husband. I was a nurse who taught Certified Nursing Assistants, after all. 

Little did I know, there was still much to learn – especially about my emotional and physical needs during that blessed time of caring for him. 

You see, in a caregiving situation, there are two patients. Two patients with equally important, but very different needs. Two patients whose needs are intertwined and dependent upon each other.  

Those patients are you, the caregiver; and the loved one you are caring for. Ignore the needs and welfare of the one, and the other will not be cared for.  

I want to shine a light on the unpredictable roller coaster of often surprising and negative caregiver emotions.  

Emotions are what make us human. When we cry, we’re experiencing emotion. Whenever we are happy, sad, mad, passionate, upset – those are all emotions. 

But sometimes, negative emotions need to be reined in!  

Emotions can steal our involvement and enjoyment of the present moment. 

You see, emotions should just come and go. But sometimes, we get so uncontrollably wrapped up in our feelings, we start identifying with them.  

This is what I know – we are not our emotions; and we can – and should – control them at times. But how?  

Keep reading and follow along with the techniques I share. 

  • Copyright 2022, Deidre Edwards 

Oh, I just hope you are wanting to turn the page to read what’s next!  

And you will get to do that. My goal is to beat my deadline of August 2nd by publishing early!  

Foodtalk4you subscribers can assist us in getting this book into the hands of the over 50 million caregivers – in America alone – by joining the launch team. Very soon, we will send out information on how you can get an inside look at a book and participate in its success.  

There will be opportunities for getting FREE autographed copies for launch participants. Yay! 

UPDATE!!

Dear Readers – It’s a humble little burnt orange banner, but it means so very much:

“#1 New Release in (the category of)  Physician and Patient Caregiving”

This means YOUR pre-orders for Toolkit for Caregiver Emotions are enabling others to see this book on Amazon so much easier! In the coming weeks, I’ll be dedicating myself to publishing before my projected date of August 2nd because more and more caregivers need this message of hope, understanding, and techniques.

A change in our health status can come in the blink of an eye – not only do we need to be prepared for the physical tasks of caregiving, but we need the mental and emotional skills to stay sane, not feel alone, and to strengthen life-long resilience skills. The third title in my Caregiver Series will do that.

I just cannot say, “Thank You” enough! 

In the meantime, it’s time to get up from this desk, do a minute of planks, and go for a walk before the temperature decides to return to winter.  

Boing! That’s springtime in the Northern Hemisphere! 

Pssst! You have my permission to share this post using the options under the MORE button below. 😊 

In health –  

Deidre  

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

Big Reveal And A Recipe Bonus!

Leave a comment

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

Remember you can subscribe to foodtalk4you by: 

  • Scrolling to the very end of this article, click the MORE button or – 
  • Scrolling to the top left on your computer to fill out the quick subscription box.  

We do not share your information or bug you with daily emails – just a once-a-week email with a link to the latest post.

Thanks! 

In health – 

 Deidre  

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

Famous Salad or Tik Tok Imposter?

Leave a comment

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!!

Leave a comment

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.

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

I Love You, Snukums!

Leave a comment

Few holidays garner such visceral responses.

Our early childhood saw us delighted with glue, scissors, red paper hearts, and lots of glitter.

Then we might have experienced fewer Valentines in our sacks at school than others, or maybe the ones we were given were not the prettiest of the bunch and amounted to getting the rejects.

Later, we pined for romantic Valentines complete with a hand-holding sweetheart.

No sweetheart? Well, then, we started disliking Valentine’s Day. “Happy Singles Awareness Day” became our slogan. Groan.

“I hate Valentine’s Day” can often be heard. Too bad.

I’ve had my share of being single for this festival of romantic love. It is tough. It does not feel good in the heart.

BUT – we can expand our view of this celebration by making a big deal out of ALL the forms of love we find around us. Honor family love, deep friendships, new friendships, and honor the friendless.

Today, I’m sharing two of my favorite ways of saying, “I love you!” One is a pastime that morphs with the seasons, and another is a special treat. It is my way of giving you something of myself that may brighten your day.

Cards made using Iris Paper Folding

This art form uses the layering concept of a camera’s iris and this heart card is the first one I learned. The finished card’s look is infinitely variable and requires just few supplies and a pattern:

Supplies:

IRIS PAPER FOLDING PATTERNDownload

3 sheets of printed craft paper with complementary colors/designs

1 sheet of heavier weight craft paper for the card face plate

Blank card and envelope – 5 inch x 6.5 inch/12.7 cm x 16.5 cm white, ivory, or colored

Scissors are a must and a paper cutter if you have one.

X-ACTO craft knife

Cellophane tape and double-sided tape

Small heart sticker or jewel sticker

Steps

Prepare the papers:

Cut the pink heart frame into a 6-inch x 4.5 inch or 15.24 cm x 11.43 cm rectangle.

Cut your personalized-color fold-able sheets into 3/4 in or 1.91 cm strips using cutter or scissors – you will need 2-3 strips of each color.

Print two copies of the pattern.

Using the crafter’s knife, carefully cut out the heart shape from one pink frame. *Make sure to use something to protect your table surface! I use the thick pressed cardboard found as a backing to packets of square craft paper.

Place and center the heart shape under the pink frame and trace around it’s shape with an erasable pencil.

Using the craft knife, carefully cut out the heart. *Protect your work surface! Save the heart shape for future use on a different kind of card.

Tip: Color your second pattern with highlighters to make placing your three colors/patterns easier.

Put the resulting frame, with heart shape cut out, FACE DOWN over the whole second pattern and secure with a bit of painter’s tape at two corners.

Fold the edge of each paper as shown in the following photo.

Using your first color, cut a piece of the strip a bit longer than the area needed for space #1. The folded edge will go toward the center of the heart. Secure each piece with tape at the end.

Note: I use a piece of tape that’s almost 1-inch long and tear that piece in half. Use these smaller pieces to tape the strips onto the heart’s frame back. Don’t allow any tape to be exposed to what will be the card front.

Continue taping trimmed pieces, following the flow of the pattern 1-2-3-4-5, etc.

NOTE: The point of the heart can get congested with extra paper, so trimming pieces to a point can help with that.

When all pieces have been placed, peel back the painter’s tape for the big reveal!

Next, using the double sided tape, picture frame the BACK of the card you just created. The tape should be placed as near the card’s back edge as possible and go completely around the card.

Fold the blank card stock in half, and carefully center your card over the blank card, lowering to the surface and pressing down all edges.

Select your heart sticker or jewel and place in the center of the iris.

Voila!

Since there were no Christmas cards from me this year, my Valentine’s Day cards will be mailed to family and friends. It’s a gift they will treasure, and each will contain a note of appreciation and love.

SCONES-THAT-LOVE-YOU-BACKDownload

Scones that love you back – Still a favorite recipe that is also an excellent way to say, “I love you!” or, “I appreciate you!”

Just download and follow the recipe. What a perfect Valentine’s touch to breakfast on the 14th – or any day!

Who can you craft a card for? If not a romantic love, there’s someone who needs a special note of caring from you. Who will it be?

Feel free to share the love of this post by using the social medial options under the MORE button below.

In love and health – I truly appreciate each one of you!

Deidre



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

Kaizen in Action – Part 2

4 Comments

Sometimes the inspiration and application of an idea can come from a familiar message that’s been put into new words.

That old idea will grab us in a new way, when it’s presented from a different angle.

I’ve written about taking small steps for years, both here and in my books. But this book about Kaizen I referred to last week, has been just what I needed.

And look – even its size reflects its message!

As I stood in the chaos of moving boxes, not sure of which way to go because some of the options required other efforts to complete, I put Kaizen to work.

Clearly, the whole project, or even part of the project, was not going to be finished that day. What was one tiny thing within my reach that I could put away? One thing.

Easy enough. Done.

Next?

By the end of the morning, I had finished moving my things into the bathroom: Shelving assembled under the sink, objects sorted, discarded, and put away.

This job had been put off for several weeks. I had enough personal hair, make up, and tooth brushing supplies – it was not an urgent task, but to complete moving in, required me to get these things out of the ugly box in my new bedroom.

You can imagine the sense of accomplishment – albeit small – that propelled me to tackle one more object in another box. Ultimately, four or five boxes were processed that day. Wow!

Reading Maurer’s book opened my eyes to another reason why small is good.

Approaching any topic from the point of view of making the smallest changes is simply more user friendly, because we are comfortable with small steps.

When faced with change involving big ideas and big leaps, our fight-or-flight response is triggered. Our body prepares for physical action (fight or flight) and the circuits for less critical operations are shut down.

In a fight-or-flight response, we do not need to digest lunch, or think about our relations with Aunt Sarah. We need to stand and fight, or get out of Dodge as fast as possible.

The problem we face in everyday situations that bring on this response is that it also brings on some degree of fear. We fear departing from anything that takes us away from the norm – and we often end up like deer in the headlights. Stuck. Frozen.

Looking at major projects can leave us wringing our hands and walking in circles.

But, learning to take the smallest step possible keeps that fight-or-flight response asleep. We can tiptoe right around it.

I’m not opening and putting away fifty boxes today. I’m going to find a home for this bottle of Listerine.

Twice weekly, extreme gym workouts aren’t happening; but I did 5 minutes of arm exercises with 3 pound weights during the commercials last night – several times. Whenever I relocate my 5 pound weights, I’ll use them to ramp up the experience.

Little things.

How can you dissolve the potential fear of facing a large or difficult project by finding the smallest possible step to take?

What’s one thing you can do for your health today?

How can you incorporate one more glass of water into your day?

Are you looking at a mess? What is one small object you can put away?

Thank you for reading foodtalk4you. If you haven’t subscribed yet, just scroll down your screen or look to the upper left along this article to subscribe today. We won’t bug you, promise. Just one email a week to alert you to the new post.

Quietly stepping around that fight-or-flight tiger.

In health –

Deidre

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

New Year – New Word!

Leave a comment

Bet you thought I had forgotten. Life was such a whirlwind last year, I did forget – at least to write about it.

This year, the ripples of past words and ideas returned to me – this time through an author friend, Otakara Klettke – who posted a query to her friends about what they had chosen as their 2023 Word of the Year.

Brilliant!

I grow so much from 1) setting a mindful intention for my new year and 2) spreading out the contents of last year’s blessings jar – and doing it now, the day after epiphany (as I write this), seems appropriate.

Besides, blessings are pouring in for 2023, and I need an empty jar to hold my notes!

My unspoken word of the year for 2022 had to have been GROW. What a ride of new experiences! Looking back, I am grateful for how life unfolded: I learned new things and improved on them; how I will do some things better; and how I had such amazing support every step of the way.

With most of these life changes complete, Otakara’s query about my 2023 Word of the Year gave me pause to think. Only one word popped into my mind and spirit: LOVE.

Not that love was lacking at any time in 2022, but my soul wants to turn its striving and focus to love.

Certainly, all intentions need to start at home. I’ll be mindful how I explore and show love to myself; but I long to show love more completely to others through my presence, helpful acts, and remembrances.

So, what is your Word of the Year for 2023?

I think it’s better than a resolution – any day – because it’s an intention set deep in our hearts that colors how we think and proceed. Resolutions fade away even before January ends, but an intention can stick with us.

Write it on a sticky.

Make a pretty drawing around your word.

Paint it on a canvas.

Sharing these easy ideas. Just use the options on the MORE button below to share this post with others.

In health and love –

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Stress Reduction, Titles Worth Reading

Change is Good!!

Leave a comment

It’s not a word on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Kaizen. It comes from two Japanese words “kai,” meaning ‘change,’ and “zen,” meaning ‘good’.

Many of us bristle at the very thought of change. Status quo is the word of the day for many.

But change is as natural as the different seasons in nature – morphing almost imperceptibly into something different. In our own lives, each day is unique, and each phase of our journey is new. We’ve never been here before. Change is our normal state.

Kaizen has also come to mean the process of continuous improvement. Since the early days of Toyota, the Japanese manufacturer was one of the first organizations to embrace the idea that perfection is not a fixed destination – as life evolves – our needs, visions, and approaches change – and so must our methods and products.

Therefore, change can be good.

There’s a lesson to be learned by the way nature changes that we can take into our own efforts for self-improvement.

What is that lesson? Sustainable change – or a process of changing that can be sustainable – must happen gradually.

We don’t jump from frozen ground to full-bloom spring, do we?

Taking the smallest, measurable step each day is enough to get us there. When we show up every day to take our efforts and results just a little farther down the road, that’s exactly what we want.

Sustainability is the key.

If we make our steps giant, challenging leaps, there’s a good chance we will not return the next day. Skipping one day makes starting the next time harder, and makes creating excuses to skip again very alluring and justifiable.

In that vein, the five-minute arm workout I shared with you last week is a perfect example of sustainability. There’s not a big commitment, this routine can be done any time of day or night, and I seem to naturally improve and expand what I do with no special effort.

There’s that Kaizen Principle at work in a simple arm routine.

Yesterday, I morphed a few moves to create a half-dozen more. So fun to do, and variation keeps things fresh!

Try taking a hammer curl to a full overhead arm extension and back again. Then extend that combination to a triceps extension: three moves in one loop.

Add another triceps move by standing upright, arms at the side holding weights, then bend elbows slightly while moving arms back. Hold that position and extend arms back straight. Pause. Flex at the elbow and keep pumping back, pausing at full extension 10-15 times.

If you would like to learn more about the Kaizen principle, I’d like to recommend this book: One Small Step Can Change Your Life The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer.

I like what I read in the sample, so I have ordered a copy for myself.

My weights are moving around the house like Elf-On-The-Shelf! They are right where I can see and use them the most.

If you enjoyed this post, you can share on social media using the options in the MORE button below.

In health –

Deidre

Reclaim your health one meal at a time