No Blog

Sorry my followers of this wordpress blog, but there will be no blogs until Friday.  I had to do post-storm dry-out and cleanup. Which caused me to get behind on grading in my online class.  I will be back!

 

Nutrition Fridays

Teas

There is an art to making a tea.  The Japanese have a whole ritual.  Fortunately, we do not necessarily need to pick through various dried leaves for making tea.

What you do need is a nice porcelain tea pot, preferably large enough for everyone you plan to serve.  A six cup pot is a reasonable size.  A “cup” usually meaning about 6 ounces.  Buy or make a cover for your pot, to keep the tea warm while it steeps.

Photo by Donna Duncan

Take a medium sized sauce pan to heat up your water.  While it heats, place your tea into the pot.  Some pots have a center piece for holding the tea.  If using loose tea leaves, I use an unbleached coffee filter cut to size. When your water is hot, pour slowly into the pot, place the lid upon the pot and cover your pot.

I have several bamboo trivets that I use for hot items to rest upon. You may like one for your tea pot, while it is steeping. Steep your tea at least 5-8 minutes for social drinking.  During the time it is steeping,  is a good time to get your healthy muffins, home baked breads, or something similar.  Place honey, margarine, and the like out for your spread. Of you would need cups, and saucers if you have them.

Now you are ready for a “tea-party”! Serving tea is a wonderful way to open up conversation with any number of guests you have invited to the home. Now relax…pour your tea, and enjoy good conversation!

Alternative Healing Wednesdays

We, as a society, are stuck in a rut.  Our “rut” is thinking that healing can be quick-fixed.  What we want is instant gratification!  “Give me a pill” or “I want to feel better now” is the general attitude that I am seeing.

free stock photo

Well, it just doesn’t work that way.

If you pig-out on 16 ounce steaks constantly, eat junk food with carbonated drinks, do recreational drugs, are an A-type personality that has no idea how to de-stress, relax, or unplug…you will get sick. It’s that simple.  Sorry, no drug is available for ignoring reality.

…and I have been nice so far.

Here is the straight truth: you need to do the hard work. You need to do as said in the movie: “wax on, wax off”. Or as the book stated: “Chop the wood, carry the water”. O.k. enough with the sayings, bottom line, get off your lazy fanny and do the hard work!

No one else can get you well, or prevent illness for you!

So, now your job is to find the creative activity within the field of crafting…and learn how to do it.  Don’t approach half-way either!

For example: you want to learn to sew? You will need a sewing machine! Don’t stop there, get it out and use it! Start simple, and either buy a beginner’s book or take a short course. Creative individuality comes AFTER you learn the basics, not before…not during…AFTER.

Am I being harsh? Not really.  I am trying to get through to you.  You control your own destiny. You are the “prime mover” of your life.  You can create the change you wish to see in your life. 

If you stop medicating you begin to have clarity. Your body no longer is having to process chemicals.  I would advise here, to consult your doctor before quitting any psychotropic drugs, as you could have seizures. I am talking about the over-the-counter stuff: Your acid-reflux, head-ache, and indigestion pills.

Pick a craft to do that looks interesting to you.  Purchase what you need to do the craft (second-hand if possible, in case you find you do not like it) and start to learn how.  Craft, instead of video gaming or watching television! I would like to hear about your experiences in crafting, too.

Remember: you are the change you want to see in your life!

Herbal Mondays

Rose

Still have not begun the artwork. I have made several other things with the actual rose.  I made rosewater lemon aide, made an infusion with rose hips, created a cream and a lotion with rose petals (after making the infusion of rose petals).

This is the process. Immerse myself in the subject…and right now the subject is the rose, and it’s healing qualities.  What better way to delve deep than to eat it, slather it on the skin, infuse it…and yet, I am drawing a blank.  Zip, de nada, and nothing. C’est la vie.  It is the way of the artist…sometimes you are “in the zone” and sometimes its a big fat ZERO!

Unfortunately, I am no longer living where I can grow my own garden.  And lately, I have been feeling real disconnected from momma earth and her delightful creations! I think the next step in my process is to go the park/gardens and sit amongst the roses and sketch.  I will see what transpires…wish me luck!

Nutrition Fridays

Italian Soup

Who says, just because you are Vegan, that you cannot enjoy the recipes you like?  You can enjoy those recipes, you just need to learn how to substitute items within the recipe!

Here is a very easy one to make, and tasty too!

Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

1/3 package of “Gimme Lean” sausage

Thyme, and basil (ground spices) and you can add fresh parsley although the bowl of food In the picture does not have parsley.

¼ chopped red onion

1 large clove of garlic, minced

1 vegan vegetable bouillion cube

2 pieces of sun-dried tomato, re-hydrated

¼ to ½ cup of thinly sliced red, green and yellow bell pepper

Approximently 1 cup of noodles (I used gluten-free)

Put about 2 tbl of oil in your pan add the sausage, using a spatula chop it up

Then sprinkle in and press into the sausage, ½ teaspoon of basil and 1 teaspoon Thyme.

Lower heat to sauté

Add chopped onion and minced garlic

Stir occasionally and watch for the garlic to turn golden

Add water (about 3-4 cups) and bullion to the pan

Add thinly sliced sundried tomatoes and the peppers ( I bought them frozen at Trader Joe’s and grabbed a handful to toss into the mix)

I forgot to get spinach for this one you see pictured, but it goes good in this soup! Add about ½ cup frozen, or a couple handfuls of fresh.

Now add your noodles (if they are not covered with water, add a little to cover them)

Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stir and test noodles.  If the noodles are not adante then cover and cook another 2 minutes, testing again.

Voila!

It takes about 30 minutes total, including prep time.

Protein: 13 grams per 8 oz. bowl

Note: Use only organic pressed oils, preferably olive oil. This soup is very filling, so no sides are necessary. If you desire add Italian bread (with no eggs or milk in the ingredients for Vegans).

~Photography by Donna Duncan,Copr. 4-2012,  all rights reserved.

Alternative Healing Wednesdays

Last week I listed the Left Brain functions, and promised you the list of Right Brain functions.  Knowing how your own brain functions is helpful!

Right Brain

-          Manifests unconscious awareness

-          Follows their “gut”

-          Deals with the whole, i.e. how the parts work together

-          Active use of fantasy and imagination

-          Internally focused

-          Uses random, circular, simultaneous thought patterns

-          Skips around / a multi-tasker

-          Keeps the “to-do” list in the mind

-          Can imagine the big picture

-          Focuses on how something is said (feelings)

-          Learns by doing or by seeing a picture

-          Makes decisions by feelings

-          Is fluid /chaotic /unstructured /timeless

-          Utilizes mind-mapping, brainstorming, etc.

-          Impatient with the “hows” and wants to know the “whys”
 

If Nothing Ever Changed, There Would Be No Butterflies No.2

The Creative Person

Many people will say “But, I am not creative”! Maybe the reason is that you follow the steps others take to make a craft item, or you follow a pattern.  So, you think you are “just doing crafting”.

The way people learn is by following the steps of another.  Or by taking pieces and putting them together (following a pattern). Let me tell you, even I will use patterns or emulating what someone else has done.

This does not mean you are not creative! It means you are learning a process of crafting or art. That process never will end as long as you are alive!

When you choose one set of colors over another, when you pick one pattern instead of choosing a different one, you are using the creative process. Every human being has potential creative abilities.  How far you go with nurturing that latent ability is up to you!

 

References:

Monson, Nancy. Craft to Heal. Hats Off Books, 2005.

Beam, Lisa Sonora.  The Creative Entrepreneur. Quarry Books, 2008

 

Nutrition Fridays

Mediterranean Food Pyramid

On my other blog, For the last couple of weeks and continuing into the next week, is a discussion about diets.  The diet I most recommend is the Mediterranean Diet.

What is uniquely characteristic about this diet, is the fact that exercise and social/community activities are included.  It is all about enjoying the art of cooking good wholesome food, and eating that food with family and friends.

With the American habit of everything at the speed of light, its time to slow-down. Stop and smell the roses, so-to-speak. Have good conversation sitting at a table over delicious foods. When was the last time you sat at the table with the whole family and had a real conversation?

We need to slow the pace down.  Enjoy what we have in front of us.  Our children already are away from us all day during the week.

Keep the topic light.  The meal-time  hour is not for critical words, arguments, disciplining for lack of school work.  That should be done some another time! Discuss the next outing with the family and get input as to what they want to do, for example.

Instead of watching the television during a meal, play soft music.  Delay television time until later.   After the meal, everyone scrapes of their plates, and stacks it for washing then do something outside (if the weather is nice) as a family, or if the weather is inclement find indoor activities to do with the family as a whole.  Such as active games. But, don’t get too conscious of time.

In the Mediterranean countries the evening is the time for community socialization.  It is when everyone goes for a walk through the village or town, and talks to their neighbors.  Maybe stop and enjoy a cup of wine with friends or family.

As a society, we have begun to close-off human contact. Facebook is the new social venue, where we are not in contact with any human.  We “tweet”, text, and do social media constantly.  Studies have shown that humans need contact and interaction to maintain health, and for longevity.

Be sure to cruise on by my “sister site” and read about the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet!