Baked Potato Wedges with Sweet Potato Option

Preheat oven to 400°F




The really good thing about this recipe is the easy clean up.  However, I need to keep the instructions close at hand so here we are again at the catch all blog I use for this stuff.

Use Yukon Gold Potatoes, these are a good waxy potato, and will hold together for the process. Russets are good also, but are more likely to fall apart.  Cut them into wedges of like sizes but not more than 1/2 bases.

Place in a plastic bag and put one (1) tablespoon of oil in bag, I just eyeball it.  Squish the oil over the potatoes to coat.

Add salt or your favorite seasoning, I've tried Mrs. Dash, as salt is not my friend and Forward from Penzy's.  Both of these were really good for that.  Yummmmy

Place in a  400°F for 20 minute turn on the broiler, and cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Change ups:

-Try Italian seasoning
-Try Sweet Potatoes back at 425°F for 30 minutes, then broil as above.

Savory Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients:

3/4 pound Beef Tenderloin

2 tsp. chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dry marjoram leaves

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp coarsely ground pepper

1 Tbsp margarine

1 small onion, thinly sliced

3/4 cup beef broth

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Procedure:

Trim fat from beef. Cut beef into four 3/4 inch slices. Mix marjoram, sugar, pepper, and rub on both sides of beef slices.

Melt margarine in 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Cook beef in margarine 4-5 minutes on each side, turning once, until brown and done to your preference (my case medium). Remove beef to platter :keep warm. I throw mine in a microwave, in which I have warmed some water for tea; it's nice and warm.

Cook onions in drippings in 10 inch skillet over medium heat about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions is crisp-tender. Mix broth, wine: pour into skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour over beef.

Salt is not needed as the broth has plenty, and the sugar and herbs give it a marvelous flavor.

Tips:

·         Fresh marjoram is the best.

·         Cast iron skillet is the bomb

·         I've heard some friends say they used nonalcoholic wine, but I just can't bring myself to do that.

·         This is such a great taste, that I don't miss the grill for the winter

·         I buy a whole tenderloin and dress it out myself.  I get lots of stew meat, but it is so much nicer.

Nutritional Information: 4 Servings

·         180 calories, of which 80 calories is fat

·         9g fat

·         3g saturated

·         50 mg Cholesterol

·         200mg Sodium

·         7g carbs

·         1g fiber

·         20g Protein

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I needed a storage place for this vital information on nutrient deficiency symptoms in my garden. It has been extremely helpful to me, and I thought it would be helpful to others.

Nutrient	Function	Deficiency symptoms	Sources
Nitrogen (N)	Required for all phases of growth and development	Lower leaves light green or yellowish; stalk short & slender, plant is stunted.	Blood meal, composted poultry manure, feather meal, worm castings.
Phosphorus (P)	Strengthens stems, helps in resistance to pests and diseases, fruiting and flowering	Lower leaves and stem are reddish; upper leaves are dull, pale or dar green, plants stunted; failure to flower or produce fruit, premature dropping of fruit.	Bone meal & rock phosphate (slow release), colloidal (soft) rock phosphate, fish meal, fish hydrolysate - Other sources
Potassium (K)	Required for formation of all sugars, starches and proteins; contributes to cold-hardiness; root development.	Lower leaves spotted with dead tissue (usually at tips and between veins), mottled or curled; underdeveloped roots, stem tissue may appear weak	Composted manure, wood chips, greensand, seaweed (kelp), wood ashes (use with caution). Beware of excess K
Calcium (Ca)	Required for cell growth and division, helps plants use nitrogen	Tip burn on lettuce, blossom-end rot in pepper and tomatoes, development of thick woody stems. Young leaves of terminal bud hooded. Die back at tips and margins of leaf	Bone meal, gypsum, lime, ground oyster shells. Soluble Ca may be helpful during growth. More
Sulfur (S)	Constituent of protein and certain vitamin complexes.	New leaves are yellowish. Veins and tissue between veins are light green.	Composted manure, gypsum, Sul-Po-Mag.
Magnesium (Mg)	Constituent of chlorophyll; required for enzyme action.	Whitish patches appear first on older leaves, between leaf veins due to insufficient chlorophyll (chlorosis). Leaf tips & margins turned or cupped upward	Dolomitic limestone, Sul-Po-Mag, Epsom salts
Boron		Young leave of terminal bud are light green at the base, the bud eventually dies. Hollow stems	Boric acid
Iron (Fe)	Often caused by alkaline soil	Leaf veins green, rest of leave yellow (chlorotic), stalks short & slender, yellow leaves on upper parts of plants, poor growth of new shoots	Acidify soil if too alkaline, Greensand, manure
Copper (Cu)		Slow growth, died-back of shoot tips, spotty or marked chlorosis	Grass clippings, sawdust, wood shavings
Manganese (Mg)		Slow growth, sporodic maturing of plants, yellowing of areas between leaf veins, spots of dead tissue scattered over leaf	Add organic matter to correct pH
Selenium (Se)		deficiency rare	Manure
Zinc (Zn)		Leaves abnormally long and narrow, turning yellow or spotting; thick leaves; stalks with shortened internodes	Manure, rock phosphate

Adapted from Organic Gardening archives at http://www.organicgardening.com/
Pictures of nutrient deficiencies
Deficiencies in tomatoes http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/Garden/02949.html
Deficiencies in tomatoes http://4e.plantphys.net/article.php?ch=3&id=289   X   Y   Z
Color pictures of mineral deficiencies in plants  http://www.hbci.com/~wenonah/min-def/list.htm
http://www.ehow.com/info_8203173_symptoms-nutrient-deficiency-bell-peppers.html
Guide to Nutrient Deficiencies in Your Vegetable Garden http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=57

Blossom end rot discussion http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pepper/msg061225038414.html 

Shenpa-Revised

Shenpa is a Tibetan word for hook. It is that rising, clenching feeling I get in my gut when something has risen to my consciousness, and my mind ruminates on that thing, until the situation jerks the hook and I'm caught. My mind rolls it over in my head, and generally my mind is screaming one of these negative phrases.  1) What the hell were/are they thinking, 2) That is just so unfair. This is a major, big hook for me. 3) There is no possible way that this could be true, yet it is.  My knee jerks up, and I'm off to the races. I generally throw a fit on Facebook, which actually gets support and further fuels my angst. HALT!!!

The only REAL thing that I can do that will improve any bad situation is to work on my own negative reactions and actions. To that end I will always deal fairly with everyone. I will recognize the moment of tightening just before the hook is set, and relax into the feeling, and watch it as it passes. 

My negative reactions do more to maintain the tension, than to ease it. My angst at these situations raises the world's negative energy level. What I can most successfully do to change this moment is to relax, let it pass naturally, and then raise my energy level to a more positive vibration. This practice will raise the energy level of the whole world.

If you think that your energy does not matter, as you are only one person, you're wrong. You may be one person, but you have a sphere of other people that you interface with who will be affected by your energy, which will also raise their vibration level. This is an exponential process. One person can do a lot; unfortunately, this goes in both directions. 

One must recognize the shenpa that threatens to dissolve your peace of mind. Relax, and steady ourselves in the moment, and raise your energy vibration when the shenpa passes.

Recognize the Illusion,

Namaste

Pictures Galore

The title says it all.

Gonna Share these with the family.

A Memorial Day Tribute to My Dad

My father served in WWII, and was in the 12th Armored Tank Division. He drove a tank until they figured out that he could cook. This brought him a lot of interesting stories and recipes that he shared with us. He was late going to war, as he was 28 years old which made him too old unless things got really bad. Needless to say they did. He was 32 when he was released from the army, which was at the end of the war.

The pictures are of my father in his uniform, which was taken at Camp Campbell in Kentucky.  My mother got this picture taken to send to him. However, she and a friend of hers would drive down to Camp Campbell to visit her husband and dad, as they were both stationed there.

Mom managed Wilson's Sandwich Shop in Findlay, Ohio so dad would have the job when he came back from overseas. This was a really difficult time for her, and many of the wives that also worked at Wilson's to make ends meet.

I will post more on this area, as I find the time to do so. I can't seem to locate all the pictures that I scanned to make an album for mom, but will find the eventually.

Thank you to all veterans, and current men in uniform.

A Course In Miracles-My Take on It--General

This is my first thoughts on the ACIM. I am still in the process of getting it straight. It is terrible rewarding, and destroys all illusion and fear. I do now know what I am, and that in itself diminishes all fear. Death was my biggest fear, but since this world is only an illusion, and that which I am can never be destroyed what is left to fear. Death is merely the shedding of a useless carcass, but what I am goes on for eternity.

Many more thoughts will be forthcoming as I progress down this path.

Love to all, in the truest sense of the word,
Namaste

I am that I am

Mother's Day Tribute

To all the mothers out there have a Happy Mother's Day. I hope you are surrounded by a loving family that bless your life by their mere existence.  My family is a true blessing to me, and I love them all. Have a blessed day.

My mother is no long on this level of existence, but I have some really fond memories of her to share with you.

Here she is with all of her grandchildren. I remember when she decided to let the racing strip grow in here hair. It was very fashionable at the time, and it was a precursor to the beautiful white hair she would have at the end of her life. She was always a great supporting factor in my sister's and my life.  She loved those little grandchildren in a way that was manifest in different ways with each of them.

Mom always had a somewhat whacked out group of friends that were members of her card club. They met once a month at different houses, and mom got the Halloween draw that year. She is in the red skirt, and her partners in the picture are from left to right, Dottie Korb, Mom, Sandy Parkins and one of the funniest people but I forgot her name. If I remember it, I will edit this post. Sandy is a dear friend from school, and the daughter of Dottie, which explains the similar costuming. What a hoot.  However, this explains a lot about just who mom really was.

 And here we have a costume change. Mom and her sister's wanted to dress up in there brothers clothes and get a picture. Mom was a day late and a costume short for the picture, and hadn't had enough time to procure a cigar (a cloths pin) so she used her finger. However, you can see that mom was always interested in costuming, not really. This is so cute. From left to right I believe that Aunt Oral (Nique) Hartman, Mom Edith (Nique) Fenbert, family friend unnamed, and Aunt Blanch (Nique) Kownatsky.

Although there is no costuming involved here, this is the occasion of one of the funniest episodes in my mothers long life of funny episodes.  This is the occasion of her 60th birthday. Mom and I had talked about birthdays at one of the kids parties, and she mentioned that she had never had a birthday party. As soon as she left my house, I went into action. I called my sister in Texas, and explained that she was going to be 60 and that she had never had a party. We quickly realize that this must be remedied and set into action. We invited the world to the party. All the family and friends we could find.

The morning of her birthday we started a day of unexpected delights for her. My father had ran Wilson's Sandwich Shop my entire life, and they allowed local organizations to decorate the windows with water soluble paints to advertise there benefit programs. Well my sister and I decided that we needed to announce to the city this birthday, and, besides she stopped there everyday for coffee on her way to work at the jewelry store.

Next we had a corsage of mums sent to her at work with the banner Happy Birthday Mum, and later in the day we had a friend Charlie Hanline go to the store to sing happy birthday to her. She later reported that she was concerned that her boss would be upset, however, Charlie knew them and cleared it with them first. While all that was happening my sister and I decorated here car, and I give her credit, she drove it all the way down Main Street in Findlay, Ohio as that was where she lived.

My husband and I took mom out to dinner while everyone packed by house for the surprise party. Mom mentioned at dinner that she was surprised how much I had accomplished in one day, and asked if my sister Paulette was there. We had decided to surprise her at the party, so we denied that Paulette was in Findlay, now there is the set up for the funniest thing I have ever witnessed.

When we arrived at my house, no cars near the house. Mom was thinking she was going to see my kids so they could wish her a happy birthday. She walks into a completely packed house, and is completely overwhelmed by people, there is the second set up process. She is hugging, and shaking hands of lots of friends and family, and here is the fun part.

My sister steps out in front of my Aunt Hazel, and mom looks puzzled by hugs her, but it is clear that she does NOT know who that woman is, remember we told her Paulette was not here?  Paulette says, "You don't know who I am do you?" Mom gives the best punchline ever, "Honey, you face is familiar, but I just can't remember your name!" Buwahahahaha, and we all chime in, "A face only a mother could forget."  At which point mom is so shocked by what she did she just stood there like a deer caught in the headlights. Then they hugged and laughed all night about the face only a mother could forget.

Reach Out and Touch Someone

This just struck me as one of those things that you can read, and it hits like a ton of rocks. The picture that immediately jumps into my mind is the hand of kindness to a homeless person. I have come quite close to being homeless in my time, and save for the grace of God go I. My family is always there, and that is what we all miss when we are suffering from our ego driven in overdrive mind. We forget that the world is designed to support us, even without family we have a support base called human kindness.

I have been driven to help homeless people many times, and I give what I can at the time. My friends sometimes think I'm crazy because there is this perception that the only reason someone would be homeless is because they are lazy or addicts. One truth is there is a growing number of old people who are losing their homes because they are fired from good paying jobs, to be replace with cheaper labor. Employment for older adults is difficult, and is never going to pay what a long time employee of a company would have made. They lose everything they were hoping to have for retirement in an effort to save their home.

There is also the population of seniors, without family, for whom the welfare system has become so difficult to navigate that they can't manage to get the system to work for them. There is also the old people that just are too proud to ask for a handout; this would be my mother. Without our willingness to help, they are going to be lost in the cracks.

But, you say, what about those people who dupe us? Well there is always a possibility of being duped. You say, "See I told you." I say, "Well better to be duped by a few, than to miss helping those in real need." The real thing here is, if you decide to help NONE because you are afraid that you MIGHT get duped, you miss helping the MANY who are in real need. The truth is that the bad karma for the duping of those who genuinely are giving out of loving kindness, goes to the person doing the duping while you will garner good karma for the attitude of giving in loving kindness even if you are duped. If, though, you decide to not help any because of a few bad apples, you get no good karma, and the bad karma accumulates strictly to you. I don't know, I think I prefer to accumulate good karma, and help when I can, even if it is only the loving touch of compassion that I can afford at the time.

Namaste
I AM that I AM

Noodle Shyt a Change Up Recipe

I know the name sounds terrible, but this is a great quick and cheap recipe.  When the father of my children and I first married, we didn't have much money. We kept expenses down by eating what I now call poverty meals. They were great tasting, the kids loved them, and they didn't break the budget. I still make most of them to this day, because they are good eats.  The kids and my favorite was a ground beef and noodle delight. We could eat it every night, but I felt that variety was necessary. We did, however, eat it frequently. One night the hubby came home from work, took a sniff of the air and said, "Are we having that noodle shyt again?" The stuff became lovingly know as Noodle Shyt from then on. If the adult children find out that I am making it, they  make all kinds of excuses to stop by at dinner time.

This is a change up recipe. This picture is of the original shyt, but it is great with any type of frozen or fresh vegetable. It is especially nice with kale or spinach. If you use any other type of veggie, it needs to be cooked before going into the casserole. 

Preheat oven to 350°F

Ingredients:

1 pound of lean ground beef
1/2 pound of noodles, any variety that has some heft to it.
1 small onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granules
2 to 3 cans of Cream of Celery Soup, however any cream soup would work.

Procedure

Brown onions, garlic and beef.  Cook noodles until done. Throw all ingredients into a large casserole dish, and add soup.  Mix well and cook in oven for 30 minutes. 

Change Ups

Add drained canned Veggies of choice
Add thawed frozen Veggies of choice-microwave to heat through
Add greens of choice

Who Say Old Dogs Can't Learn New Tricks? Snickerdoodle Recipe

My daughter insulted my snickerdoodle cookie recipe the other day. She swore that a friend of hers at work made the BEST snickerdoodle cookies because she uses cream of tartar. My Doubting Thomas mind went into denial. What the heck could that possibly have to do with making a great Snickerdoodle? So the chemist in me wanted the facts and went after them. I found this lovely explanation of just what Cream of Tartar is and does here. It helped me with my previous study of how to make your own cookie recipe here.

So now I'm convinced that my daughter is on to something. So I begged the cookie recipe from her, and now for the surprise. She was right about them being a superior cookie. Who would have guessed that a spring puppy could educate the old dog?

There were several things that I learned here. 

1. The darn things don't necessarily get really browned, and if you leave them in the oven until they do, you get a brick like Snickerdoodle. 
2. When you cook them properly, you get much softer cookies.
3. My spell check doesn't like Snickerdoodle, and keeps placing red lines under it.
4. If you add two more tablespoons of flour to the recipe the cookies are softer. Go figure. Learned this from my Grandmother-in-law.
5. The large end of a melon ball maker is the perfect size to make 1 inch cookie balls.
6. Here is a good deal on Good Ceylon cinnamon and it makes all the difference in the way the cookie tastes.
7. These are very easy cookies to make.

Here they are, with a favorite tea. They are perfect with a cup of Green Tea, but coffee is also good. There is nothing that improves the taste of coffee like a good sweet food, and snickerdoodles fit that bill nicely. So no more preamble, here is the recipe.

Snickerdoodles

Preheat oven to 400°F

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies

Place parchment on the cookie sheet, no need to put oil or grease on the sheets. It also keeps them from browning too much on bottom.

Ingredients

1 ½ Cups sugar

½ Cup margarine

½ Cup Crisco

2 eggs

2 ¾ Cups flour

2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

Procedure

Mix ½ C sugar and 2 t cinnamon in a small bowl.

I found it easier to use my stand mixer for this.  Cream sugar & shortening. Add egg and mix well.

Combine remaining dry ingredients, and mix together well.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient a little at a time.

I the large end of my melon ball maker to make 1” balls. Roll the dough in sugar and cinnamon mixture.  Place 2” apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 8 – 10 minutes. Remember to err on the side of too short a time, and these things should not get brown on the edges, for if they do, they become hard as rocks. I left mine in 8 minutes exactly after the first batch, and they were divine.

I hope you enjoy.
Namaste

Reading Crochet Patterns

This is another one of my eclectic posts.  I have a new Great Granddaughter on the way, and will be crocheting things that I am now pinning on Pinterest. This instruction list will be most helpful.  With this post, the only thing I need to get up here is the afghan stitch, and I'm all set to renew my ability. I have been slacking since the kids started school, and I went back to work. I'm cutting back on the jobs I take, so have more play time. I'm looking forward to making some things for the baby, and my own home.

I found these old stitch instructions in a stack of old books that my mother-in-law had. Her daughter went through what she wanted, and I got the rest. I have seen so many patterns on Pinterest that have the those symbols in the bottom right of the instructions, and never knew how to read them. NOW, with these instructions I can interpret the instructions. YAY!

I decided to share these on Pinterest in order to keep them safe for posterity, and to share with friends. I have crocheted for many years, but have never seen those type of instructions until I started hanging out on Pinterest. I have not been able to find these instructions on Pinterest, and thought it was about time to get some out there that I could use when I need them. I needed to place them some place for my own benefit as well.

Healthy Smoothie Change Up Recipe-Revised Edition

Revising this smoothie recipe to discuss further the cinnamon controversy.  It has been researched throughout the world, and most cinnamon is a double edged sword. On one hand the cinnamon aids with the metabolism of sugar, but it is also hard on you kidneys. However, this applies to all cinnamon, except "True" cinnamon, which is called Ceylon Cinnamon. If it does not say Ceylon Cinnamon, it is probably Cassias Cinnamon also call Chinese Cinnamon.  If you use as much cinnamon as I like to then you are better off using the Ceylon.  

I have been experimenting with super food smoothie recipes. I've tried all kinds of stuff, and keep changing it to enhance the taste and potency. I have found that my cravings leave when I'm getting good nutrition from the foods I eat. What a surprise?NOT.  Well today I think I found a great recipe. One that most people will like a lot.

Just a little history here.

I have been trying to get my husband to drink these, and he takes a taste of mine and says it has sand in it. Huh? I don't use sand, and I don't notice this, so I go on experimenting. Today he tried my new concoction, and said it was nice and smooth, Eureka!

There are a few things that I did differently today. One I used my new Nutri-bullet blender; two I blended it a lot longer; and, three I use cashews instead of almonds in the recipe. I had already noted that the bullet actually pulverized chia seeds right in the drink mix, really a surprise as the Magic Bullet did not do that. So now I have a really well blended smoothie.

The smoothie experiment started as a desire to concoct Clean Gut Smoothie recipes. I used their list of ingredients and started whirring my way to health with the Magic Bullet, and it was working its magic. I didn't mind the chunkier feeling of some or the ingredients, as it actually allowed a bit of chewing which was an added bonus for me, but the hubby didn't like that.  So when I saw a great deal on a Nutri-Bullet, I snatched it up, and am glad I did. This is still a great recipe if all you have is a Magic Bullet, but there is a lot of texture in the smoothie.

Ingredients: Links are to nutritional facts for the food

Handful of baby spinach and kale*
1 inch of Ginger
1/2-3/4 cup of frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons of Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar-this really enhances the flavor, and is so good for you
1/8-1/4 cup of Raw Cashews-you can use them dry or soaked, but I used the dry ones. It's less work
Vegan Protein Powder-check canister for serving size-I decrease mine as the chia & nuts have protein also
1/2 teaspoon of Ceylon Cinnamon-do not exceed more than 1 teaspoon of cinnamon daily, see first paragraph.
1 scoop or serving of Organic Chia Seeds; check the package for serving size**
1/2 to full dropper of liquid stevia extract. I prefer the alcohol extracted as it is less bitter, not a Glycerite
Fill the bullet with half coconut water and half filtered water-watch not to over fill or it will leak

Now the secret is to whir this thing for at least a minute.  You will also find that if you let this sit for 15 minutes in the refrigerator that it will thicken due to the chia seeds. I like mine a little thick, hubby likes his more thin and sucks his down right away.

This one is a definite change up recipe, try a list of the following indigents:

Cored apple-leave the skin it is a good source of malic acid adjust berries as necessary
Cored pear-leave the skin adjust berries as necessary
Whole Grapes with seed-resveratrol in those seeds and skins adjust berries as necessary
Carrots-for beta carotene 
Organic Celery for Vitamin K, which helps coagulate blood
1/4 of a Small Red Beet-Scrubbed well if organic, peeled if commercial
1/2 to 1 whole Banana***
Try strawberries or mixed berries instead of blueberries. Beware of large raspberry seeds



Note: this is not intended as medical advice, it is just my experience.
*Cruciferous Vegetables such as kale and spinach are in the news for causing trouble for people who have thyroid problems. Do some research and decide for yourself if you want to use them. I don't have any issues, and have blood work every year because I'm OLD as dirt.
**Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, as the chia soaks up liquid like a sponge. It will build a brick in you bum if you don't get adequate liquid to transport it. Trust me, I know.
***I have mixed feelings about bananas. For those people with no problems with diabetes or Insulin Resistance this is an excellent addition to the smoothie. For those people with diabetes or Insulin Resistance, beware, they are very high in carbohydrates, and will raise you blood sugar level a lot. Green bananas have less sugar, but they also have less of the cancer fighting benefits. They add great flavor and texture to the smoothie, so you weigh the benefit. I generally use 1/2 in an evening smoothie, but be careful, as this may also increase you desire to snack as the effects of the sugar wear off, so this is a great addition if you are going to bed soon after consuming one. It might even help you sleep better if you wait until it is out of your stomach.
****See cinnamon warning, I recommend using Ceylon with caution.

Savory Green Smoothie

This smoothie was a challenge that I gave myself to get away from sweet tastes. I drink two smoothies a day, and I needed something different. I have trouble with red tomatoes, so gave yellow tomatoes a try. They are lower in acid with about the same taste. 

The recipe is easy, and you could probably make this with any types of herbs and spices that strike your fancy. Mine is a chili inspired concoction. I guess I should mention that I use organic ingredients when they are available. I was things really well also.



Ingredients

1/2 Avocado-I will probably only use 1/4 on the next smoothie, this one is very thick.
1 small to medium yellow tomato
1 stalk celery
1 handful of baby spinach
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
dash of ground red pepper to heat desired
Water to fill a 20 oz glass

Whir all this in the blender, and adjust water as necessary for the consistency you like.

This makes a good raw dinner. It meets the requirements for the clean gut die, and the plan. I actually used this as a test for the plan to see how well I tolerate yellow tomatoes.  It was a success, and I have added this to my safe food list.  I didn't do the exact calculations on the calories, but it is very low calorie.  It is satisfying, and something I will be using to break the monotony of the sweet smoothies.

I'm thinking of trying some balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, and oregano for an Italian twist on this mixture.  Will update the blog when I do that. Oh, another thought is adding lemon to the mix above. Looks like I have a great line up of things to try. May have to turn this one into a change-up recipe.

Oh a little secret. Let this set for about an hour in the fridge before drinking, this allows the herbs to release their good flavors. I learned this trick with gazpacho, and did it with this     

Homemade Almond Milk-Without Waste

Homemade Almond Milk

I wanted almond milk that didn't have additives, sugar, and other stuff that I couldn't control. Also, some of the almond milk had roasted or blanched almonds in them. I wanted them raw, and in a small town like the one I live in, you just can't buy it off the shelf.

I found that our local Meijer's store sells raw almonds at a decent price. I can make the milk, dry out the remains of the milk process, and make almond meal, that is almost as fine as regular flour, right in my food processor.  Win-Win. I don't know if you have priced almond flour, but you would probably cramp the budget some.

I make the milk by the 1/2 gallon in my 1/2 gallon ball jars I got from Amazon by accident. I was a bit miffed at first, but just love them now.  This doesn't make lots of flour, but it is enough to bread some cod fillets, and they are yummy (all recipes below). It also has the added benefit of being gluten free. It also meets the requirements for the Clean Gut process, see video for info.

Milk Recipe

Ingredient list 1/2 Gallon:

2 C Raw Almonds (Soak overnight in filtered water in the refrigerator.)

Enough Filtered water to make 1/2 gallon after the milk is processed

1/4 teaspoon Xanthum Gum

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla (Optional)

15 drops of alcohol extracted Stevia-the powders and glycerin extracted ones stink for this. (optional)

You can use any sweetener that suits your fancy.

Rinse the soaked almond, don't worry about taking the hulls off these, it just doesn't matter.  Place them in a blender that seals, use enough filtered water to process.  Process until the almonds are ground well.  Strain the almonds from the milk at this point. Pour the milk back into the blender. Save the left over almonds.

This part must be done quickly as possible to prevent lumps. Mix the Xanthum Gum with a bit of water, and pour into the blender while it is running. If your blender doesn't have a port for that you can stop briefly, but begin processing quickly or you may end up with gum lumps.  Process for a while to mix the gum well into the milk.

Add the sweetener and vanilla, if using, and blend a bit to incorporate.

End of Milk Process

Almond Meal/Flour

This process will give you a finer consistency of flour than using almonds before the milk process.  Spread the wet almonds out on a cookie sheet, (if you have a dehydrator that also works). Place the almonds in an over set at the lowest possible setting. You really don't want to roast them, just dry them.

Depending on how much you have this takes about 1-2 hours.  Check them occasionally to judge the timing. Once they are completely dried out, process them in a food processor or blender until they are a fine powder.  Keep an eye on it; I'm told this could end up going to almond butter, but I have never had that come close to happening.

Fish Breading

This was a major surprise to me when I first made it. I don't have a picture of it right now, as I am still processing my next batch.  I will post the picture of my fish later this week, as it is on the menu.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Almond flour

1 egg

1/4 C milk

Old Bay Seafood Seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste. I don't use salt, and we don't miss it.

Enough oil to cover bottom of pan. I use grapeseed oil, and keep my pan on medium heat.

Mix the egg and milk. Dredge the fish in the wet mixture, then in the flour. Place in a hot skillet, and season with the old bay. I make sure you can see it really well, as we like this a lot.

Cook until the flesh is opaque, and flakes easily. This will depend on the type of fish.  I use cold water white fish, such as cod for this recipe, but my daughter uses almost any fish in the process.

I hope you enjoy the recipes.

Namaste

Green Diuretic Juice

Highlights in this article not by this author, but by google or other unwanted junk authors.

The weather is getting nicer, and warmer. This is good, because I am uncomfortable with cold weather. The problem with warmer weather is that I start to retain more water. I'm not sure I understand why, but I do know that it gets worse the warmer it gets.  I have decided that I need to do something about this. 

Exercises work to a point, but I also have some problems with arthritis that is exacerbated with to much repetitive movement.  So I watch my ankles, and when they get too out of hand I am using my diuretic green drink. I love how it tastes, and it is a simple whole food.  

I use all organic vegetables and fruit, because I  like to use them without peeling them.

The recipe is simple:

Makes 1 quart-has no fat and maybe 5-10 calories, and is loaded with vitamins, and antioxidants. 

Ingredients:

1 Lemon Zested and Juiced
1 inch of cucumber diced
1/2 inch of ginger-not peeled if organic
5-8 parsley leaves-no stems
10-15 drops of stevia extract-I prefer alcohol extracted.
Filtered water to fill quart jar.

Directions:

Juice the lemon, pour in jar.

Grate the ginger over the jar.  I just leave the ginger root whole, and grate off a 1/2 inch.  This way you get both chunks of ginger, and juice.

Place the cucumber and parsley in a blender with a small amount of water, and whir until the veggies are in really minuscule pieces. I use my Magic Bullet for this, and that works perfectly.

Now pour everything into the jar, and let it cool down in the refrigerator. It actually improves in taste if you leave it for the night.  I make this in the evening, and refrigerate it over night. It is a good juice with breakfast.

You should drink a jar a day when you are retaining water. This juice has so many wonderful health benefits.  Remember too much of even a good thing can be harmful.  Even this dilute, healthful concoction, in high volume, may be harmful to your teeth due to the acid effect of the lemon.  See warning in the live strong reference.

I'm also starting the Clean Gut Detox by Alejandro Junger, M.D., and this drink fits the bill there.  I'm trying lots of new recipes, that will be right in line with that diet, so stay tuned for more great recipes.

I hope you enjoy,
Namaste



References:
http://www.dietobio.com/aliments/en/cucumber.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/035044_parsley_antioxidants_blood.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/033562_ginger_health_remedy.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/036663_home_remedies_lemons_health.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/16266-lemon-natural-diuretic/ 

OOOOEY GOOEY Neiman Marcus Cake

This is one of my favorite desserts. It is rich, gooey and easy to make.  It looks great, but doesn't last long. It is a holiday favorite; that is, any holiday is an excuse to make it. I know there are so many take off of this cake, but I've been making this one for about 40 years and we like it the best. This is not a super healthy snack, it is an occasional celebration treat.

Ingredients:

Cake
1 box of Butter Cake Mix
1 stick of butter-melted
1 extra large egg, anything smaller makes it hard to mix this cake

Topping
1 box of Powder Sugar
1 8oz. pkg of cream cheese at room temperature/softened, or you won't be able to mix the topping
1 extra large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F-bake for 35 minute or until golden brow on top.  Rack should be in the center of oven

Cake
Mix together cake ingredients and press into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish/pan.  This is a bit of work as the batter is very stiff.  Don't try an electric hand mixer as it will burn it up, this is the voice of experience speaking.  If you can't get it mixed, you can add up to a couple of table spoons of water one at a time.

Topping
Mix all ingredients; this one is easier to mix. Pour into the pan on top of the cake and spread it evenly across the cake.  Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

My family enjoys this so much that we make it all the time, not just at holidays.  It is really rich and caramelly.  The crust is a little chewy. What's not to love.

Hope you enjoy.
Namaste 

Joyful Survival

Update 4/9/2013--OK, well Leilani's sister informed me that she is not the author of the poem, but didn't remember who wrote it. I suppose that doesn't matter so much to me, as the sentiments are very real and appropriate for the pictures she includes here. It also is valid for any who have family and friends that have passed the veil of death.~

A friend of mine passed a few years ago, and I seem to mourn her still. She was forever writing poetry of rather melancholy subject matter. Some are very cryptic and probably mean volumes to her, but are more difficult for those of us who are on the outside looking into her mind. This poem, however, is so easy to understand based on the pictures she has attached to the hand written poem. Her mother just shared some pictures, and other wonderful things from her life, and I am so glad of this particular poem penned by Leilani.

It appears that she wrote this while her dog Melisa was still alive, but getting older. The picture is of Leilani and Melisa in a very familiar pose for them.  It was Melisa's birthday, and they were celebrating it in her typical loving fashion. You can almost speculate what prompted this poem, and I find it to be comforting in so many ways.

I'm sure that she never meant this for those of us who have survived her untimely death, but it is ever so comforting just the same. The attitude of surviving after the lose of a loved one is just the way I want to carry on after those I love pass on. The message is move on. If you wish to grasp on to the lose, do it in ways that comfort others, and thus comfort yourself in the process. The phrase "Feed not you loneliness on empty days," just hits the mark when followed by "But fill each waking hour with useful ways."

This is how we survive the lose of loved ones. Let go, let them pass. A friend once told me that a Buddhist nun told her that when we desperately grasp on to the memory and agony of the passing of a loved one, and go into long and deep grieving mode we hold the spirit of the person or animal in this plane of existence. I'm not sure if I believe this, or not, but on the outside chance that this is true, I want to be able to let go.

The message here is to fill your days with useful ways; volunteer, take up a hobby, stay busy and take care of yourself. In the end you will be united again when you pass without fear, knowing your loved one is waiting to greet you.

~Namaste

I am sharing the words, as the graphic of it didn't scan well.

When I Must Leave You

When I must leave you for a little while

Do not grieve and shed wild tears,
and hug your sorrow through the years,
but start out bravely with a gallant smile,
and for my sake and in my name,
live on and do all things the same.

Feed not your loneliness in empty days,

but fill each waking hour with useful ways.

Reach out your hand in comfort and cheer,

and I in turn will comfort you and hold you near,
and never, never be afraid to die,
for I am waiting for you in the sky.

                              ~Leilani Lea Hineland