Monday, October 18, 2010

Helping thru What you LOVE to do

For me, that is simply, cooking. I love to cook. Do I do everyday, every night? No, but when I do, I will find a way to make whatever ingredients are around, and make a delicious and nutritious meal.

No I'm not a health nut, not a vegetarian, not a food professional or stuck on organic goodness.

What I am is a mother of 3 highly intelligent children whose educational background on food and nutrition includes 3 different semesters of Chemistry, listened to Alton Brown, since 1999 explain how certain foods react to heat and disperse its nutritional content, a self-taught cook since I was 17, a semester on Food Nutrition who wrote A papers on Pro & Cons of Organic and Current Farming, Malnutrition and its Psychological Effects, and 3 Psychology classes (Family, Educational and Sociology) and an avid researcher on the latest reports on healthy eating.

I don't stick to one study or school of thinking when it comes to food for my family. I respect one basic fact- they are different from me, therefore, their responses to food will be different from me and from each other. I don't go by recipes either, instead I take a recipe and give it my spin to cater it to how my family eats.

With basic knowledge about food nutrition and combinations, you can find countless meals that can please everyone. That is exactly what I bring to one of my friend's attention when I help her figure out how to best use what she's got in her pantry and fridge. I respect how others eat, but I also show them that if they "tweak" it a bit, like swapping sides instead of the "usual", they can double their nutrition without sacrificing taste and satisfaction. Here's how I approached my friend Heather's needs and wants when she asked for my help.

I listen to my friend first on how they normally eat. Then I suggested a different way of thinking without changing too much their lifestyles to alleviate any onset of shock. When people are shocked into changing how they eat, resistance occurs and damage always follows.

I reversed the dish title, I reversed their eating habits. Instead of Chicken with Pasta, I called what I made Pasta with Chicken. Why? I only used a handful of pulled chicken meat into the packaged pasta dish that they had for me to prepare. I added vegetables and suggested sides and drink to go with the pasta and they ended up savoring the dish and sides, and didn't look for big hunks of chicken breast.

I used what she had; nothing more, nothing less. By looking into what you can use, and use it, you truly see a pattern of how you eat, rather than just how you shop. If you don't eat what you bring home, it's a waste of money. And most likely, would not buy it again.

I made broth and sauce. Both are very good flavor base. Making a thick sauce and reduced broth intensifies flavor that you can easily "thin" out with water or extra broth to make tons of other dishes.

I showed her how to store it. By eliminating the extra air from the container, meals last longer in the freezer or fridge. Labeling for WHAT AND WHEN help to focus your menu and not tire out your palette.

We had a great "on-the-fly" menu today and we created several delicious and nutritious meals in under 6 hours.

Helping a great friend thru cooking, is like asking me to bask in the sun. It relaxes me; it helps me love that friend more. It's the best kind of service, if you ask me!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Too Many Choices


for a post topic that is!

I haven't had my rounds on my blog peeps' sites, but the ones I've visited, their topics were either profound or romantic; thought provoking or hilarious.

As for me, I've been too busy balancing updating our 20-year old house (as in up to code and making sure all switches turn something on and off), gardening, making meals for two families on most dinner nights, getting the kids ready for school, spending time with hubby. You know... the usual stuff that goes on in any household. My head is spinning trying to think of a poignant or heart-tugging topic to write about. Well, so far... NADA, ZIP, BUPKIS!

But for now, while the pain of my lost wisdom has... I mean wisdom teeth has finally subsided that I'm not a pharmacy's fave customer, I can actually think straight and sink my teeth into some great topics to write about: Missing my daughter in Hawaii, my hubby and I's first kiss, messy kitchen, perfect! Gardening bliss and many more... The blogging world is my oyster in choices right now. And I think I've gotten it straight enough to start posting away- next time I remember...

Happy October!

Friday, October 8, 2010

When You are Lacking Wisdom...

...teeth that is, you should always follow the doc's orders. But of course, even with that, complications happen. In my case, glad it's just mild, dull pain. But it's still pain.

Last Tuesday, got my last three wisdom teeth taken out and I ate soup, smoothies and everything soft for 2 whole days. I gargled, rinsed and didn't spit for a whole 24. No "chipmunk cheeks" moment, no aftereffects from the anesthesia, but day 3...

My mouth is still sore, can barely open my mouth, gums hurt at the sockets and the doc pulled on one side too much that I now have a cracked side which hurt more than the sockets, hence the "opening" dilemma. *sighing*

I don't like my house messy if I can help it, so I made sure I cleaned up, but I don't know if that made it worse or something completely different.

I know many others are hurting far worse than I am... but this is my burden right now. Hope you're having a better one.