.

California forcing fluoridation in small town.

2010-02-22T05:40:00.000-08:00

After reading this I am going to my own small town hall and asking if our public water system is fluoridated. Please remember that fluoride is simply a toxic chemical byproduct of fertilizer and other industries that aren't allowed to dispose of it in normal waste dumps. For more information on the dangers and history of Fluoride see this website: http://www.consumerhealth.org/articles/display.cfm?ID=19990817225011

State mum on plans to enforce fluoridation in Watsonville
By DONNA JONES - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Posted: 02/19/2010 07:53:11 PM PST
Updated: 02/19/2010 08:00:38 PM PST

WATSONVILLE - The state health department is keeping tabs on the city's progress toward water fluoridation, but declines to say what action it will take if Watsonville doesn't move forward with the project. The health department could impose daily fines if Watsonville fails to comply with a court order to fluoridate.

But Ken August, a spokesman for the California Department of Health Services, declined to respond to a Sentinel question about potential state actions. "The department is currently awaiting a response to our letter from the city of Watsonville," he said, adding that's all he could say.

The letter he referenced, penned by Jan Sweigert, district engineer for the state health department's Monterey Drinking Water Field Operations Branch on Feb. 9, asked for a status report by Feb. 16.

The city is in negotiations with the California Dental Association Foundation over a contract for a nearly $2 million grant to install fluoridation equipment and operate the system for two years.
Fluoride foes, including at least one city councilman, Greg Caput, say Watsonville should wait to see if health officials try to enforce a state law requiring cities to fluoridate if an outside agency is willing to cover the cost.

The City Council delayed a decision on the grant in January, and established an ad hoc committee to study contract issues and return with recommendations. City Manager Carlos Palacios replying to Sweigert in a letter dated Thursday, blamed his tardy response on budget-imposed furloughs and staff's heavy workload. He said the ad hoc committee had met twice and planned at least two additional meetings before bringing the contract back to the council in March or April.

Watsonville voters rejected fluoridation by a narrow majority in 2002, and the city fought the state order in court for several years. Contract negotiations over the grant have been ongoing since the city lost its legal battle in 2006.

Most health experts say fluoridation helps prevent tooth decay and has been used safely in water systems serving millions of people across the United States for decades.

Opponents questions the safety and effectiveness of the practice and say putting fluoride in public water supplies amounts to forced medication.

"Coca-Cola Shrinks Cans to Fight Obesity"

2009-10-20T06:02:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else find this October 20, 2009 headline laugh out loud funny? I did!

What are they trying to do? Say that they are "saving" the American Public from obesity by making the can an actual serving size instead of 2 serving sizes?

But wait! There's more!

"Drink can size hit the headlines several weeks ago when the American Heart Association (AHA) released strict added sugar guidelines that put a woman well over the daily limit for drinking just one 12-ounce can of regular soda. By offering smaller can sizes Coca-Cola can allow people to drink a fizzy drink without breaking these recommended limits."

Now we're getting somewhere; they were afraid that all the women who go on the new AHA diet would stop drinking Coke. This way all those women can pay close to the same price for 7.5 oz cans that they do for 12 oz cans, but because Coke assumes that we have no self control we'll bite.

"Coca-Cola has also joined other leading companies including PepsiCo and Kellogg’s to create an industry coalition called the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation."

What a great group of Health committed people. Soda and cold cereal want to make us healthy? The only way the current Kellogg's corporation can suggest that there are any health benefits to their cereals is by adding fiber and some artificial vitamins back into them. They've already stripped any healthy aspects out of the extremely processed flour/corn/rice/etc to such a level that they have to add it back into the products to give them any health value whatsoever. The majority of cold cereals are nothing more than flour and sugar in a box. Did you ever notice that the average cereal serving size is either 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup? We should be eating them out of a coffee cup, not a bowl. And they have the gall to crown themselves "Healthy weight Commitment Foundation"?

That's my rant for today. I'm not laughing any more.

Shrimp Shiitake Pasta

2009-03-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

Shrimp Shiitake Pasta

3 lbs. peeled uncooked shrimp (1/2 lb per person, this feeds 6 people)
2 large onions, diced
1-2 tsp Fresh grated ginger root
1 clove fresh garlic
2 Packages (4 to 6 oz. each) of fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced.
2 tsp “better than Bullion” mushroom bouillon, in 2 cups hot tap water.
Also a little: Salt, pepper, flour, oil, and a splash of wine out of your glass.

Now get 1 pot of water to boiling for the pasta, 1 sauce pot for the mushroom sauce, and a large fry pan for the shrimp.

Mushroom sauce: Get the 2 cups of mushroom broth to a good simmer or low boil, add mushroom slices. Shake the following vigorously in a container; 2 tbsp flour in about ½ cup cold water. Add this to mushrooms slowly, while stirring continuously. This will make a THIN gravy.

In large fry pan: Sauté onions, garlic, ginger, salt & pepper, in butter and oil until no longer translucent, about 4 minutes. Add shrimp on top and cover. At this time put the pasta in the boiling water and put the timer on 4 minutes, which is how long most angel hair patas need to cook (check your package directions). Stir the shrimp once or twice. When the timer goes off, drain the pasta and the shrimp should just be done. Never cook shrimp longer than 5 minutes. Smaller shimp can take only 2 minutes, while prawn might take as much as 5 minutes. The second that they are no longer transleucent they are done. Please don't walk away from the shrimp!

Put pasta on the plate first, then shrimp/onions, then mushroom sauce on top. If your noodles get a little sticky the sauce will un-stick them.

Enjoy!

Better with age

2009-01-28T07:17:00.000-08:00

I am 43 years old. I am a woman and proud to be 43 years old. Driving in my car this morning I realized that I am more beautiful today than I was when I was half this age. I am happier than I was when I was 21 or so. I am more confident, healthier, eat better, care about myself and my family and my friends much more; love more. I am certainly smarter.

I may wear reading glasses and I may have laugh lines, but I am close to the same size that I was when I was 21. I seem to have better control over my limbs. I took Tae Kwon Do in College and was in fabulous physical shape. It gave me a control over my body that I never had before. But now it seems that I know my limbs, my hands and feet, my digits, my backside, much better than I did back then. We are comfortable working together towards the same goals. Back then I had to convince my body parts to do things, even whip them into doing one more set of sit ups. Now I have a rapport with them and they tell me when they’ve done enough. I know when I just can’t go out tonight because my body just has to sit on the couch and rest. I know when I’ve rested too much and I have to burn off some nervous energy outside.

I did not know these things when I was younger.

At 43 I have a sense of humor. As a child I had a child’s sense of humor. You know; fart jokes. In my teens and twenties I couldn’t even tell a joke right. In my thirties I worked very hard memorizing long complicated jokes and loved telling them over and over again. Now in my 40’s I have a sense of humor. I see humor in everyday occurrences. I tell others self-deprecating stories that we all find hysterical. I point out funny little tidbits to others so that we can laugh at the sublime absurdity of politics or business or other drivers.

At 43 I am more beautiful. My skin may not be as tight, but my body is healthier, my mind is sharper, and my soul is happier. Thank God!

Splenda may not be so splendid after all

2008-09-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

25-Sep-2008 -
Consumption of the sweetener Splenda at doses within the US FDA’s Acceptable Daily Intake may suppress beneficial bacteria in the gut, and cause weight gain, says a new rat study.
According to findings published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, a 12-week feeding study with the sweetener also affected the expression of certain enzymes known to interfere with the absorption of nutrients and pharmaceuticals.

The study, performed by researchers from Duke University in North Carolina and co-sponsored by the Sugar Association, raises questions about the safety profile of the sweetener, reported to be used as an ingredient in over 4,000 products worldwide.
Professor Abou-Donia and his co-workers report that, at the end of the initial 12 weeks, significant reductions in the levels of so-called beneficial bacteria were observed. Specifically, the numbers of total anaerobes was decreased by 50 per cent, relative to the control animals, while bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and Bacteroides were reduced by 37, 39, and 67.5 per cent respectively. (Good Good Ya-all! That's as bad as taking penicillin long term!)

The body weight of the animals in all the groups increased, but significant increases were observed in animals receiving Splenda, said the researchers. Control animals experienced an increase in body weight of 93 per cent over the 12 weeks. Body weight increases in the 100, 300, 500, and 1,000 mg of Splenda per kg per day groups were 104, 101, 102, and 88.5 per cent, respectively.

“The lack of a dose-response effect of Splenda on body weight is likely due to the combined elevation of both intestinal P-gp and CYP that affected the bioavailability of Splenda,” stated the researchers. “At the higher concentrations, less Splenda was absorbed due to the increase in the expression of both P-gp and CYP proteins.”

(They talk some scientific gabbly stuff, then...)

Low beneficial bacteria levels, and elevated P-gp and CYP levels were maintained after the 12 week recovery period, said the researchers. (So they ate Splenda for 12 weeks, then didn't eat it for 12 weeks and still hadn't recoved their healthy gut bacteria. I wonder if people to use Splenda get a lot of yeast infections?)

“Evidence indicates that a 12 week administration of Splenda exerted numerous adverse effects, including a reduction in beneficial faecal microflora, an increased faecal pH, and enhanced expression levels of P-gp, CYP3A4, and CYP2D1, which are known to limit the bioavailability of orally administered drugs,” concluded the researchers.

An entire country bans junk food/drinks in schools!

2008-09-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

Riga, Nov. 1 (2007) - A comprehensive ban on the sale of junk food in Latvia's state schools went into force on Wednesday as part of the country's drive to tackle children's eating habits.

School shops and cafeterias in Latvia will no longer be able to sell soft drinks, candy bars, potato chips and chewing gum. Items containing artificial flavorings and colorings will also be banned from sale in the country's primary and secondary schools.

The government adopted the ban in August (2007) based on reports from doctors that an increasing number of Latvian children were overweight and seeking medical help due to digestive problems.

Many school kids were skipping the cafeteria and using their lunch money to buy carbonated soft drinks and potato chips.

European health experts have said Latvia is the first European Union country to introduce a sweeping ban on junk food sales in state schools. Many other E.U. member states offer a set of recommendations but have stopped short of prohibiting sales.
***
As reported from www.flexnews.com.

Fresh Hot Shortcakes in 20 minutes!

2008-09-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my mother, who I suspect just wrote it out of the Better Home and Gardens® Cookbook. I did substitute sea salt for regular salt, and the yogurt/water mixture instead of milk. Since both my husband and I are lactose intolerant we never keep milk in the house. But yogurt doesn’t bother us, and it lends a tangy flavor to any recipe when mixed about half and half with water as a substitute for milk.

Oven 450ºF
Makes about 9 biscuits

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 tablespoons "raw" sugar (plus more for fruit)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup (one stick) room temperature butter (never use margarine!)
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup plain or vanilla yogurt
¼ cup water

In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Put the butter into the dry ingredients and cut it with a spatula until crumbly. Beat the egg, yogurt, and water in a separate small bowl then add to the larger bowl. Stir until it is just moistened.

Knead on a lightly floured counter top for about 10 seconds. Adjust flour at this time if it's too wet. You can either roll it flat and use a biscuit or cookie cutter to shape the biscuits, or use your hands to form them into the shape and size of your choosing. Place on un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 13 minutes. Cut in half horizantally and fill with the fruit of your choice; eat them while they’re still hot.

Fruit: Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, pears, you get the idea. Fresh black cherries are great too, but they take a little longer because you have to take out the pits. Take any of these, put into a small mixing bowl, add a tablespoon or so of "raw" sugar and chop up or mix. The freshness of the fruit takes away any guilt braught on by the ton-o-butter in the shortcakes.

This recipe is just soooooo much better than anything you can buy in the grocery store, cheaper, takes only about 20 minutes, dirties only 2 bowls and a cookie sheet, has no preservatives, and is still good tomorrow. We decided to never buy shortcake again!

Tortellini Soup

2008-09-07T05:19:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I came home and started to cook my mother’s recipe for Tortellini Soup. It takes almost two hours and has lots of ingredients in it that most people would never think to put together, but if you have the courage to put it all in the pot you are rewarded with a fabulous and hearty soup. Because of the fresh zucchini it is great in the summer time, but I prefer to make it in the fall and winter when the oven can be on for a couple of hours and the sausage and pasta can stick to our ribs with pleasure. That day my dear husband walked into the house a half hour before it was finished and declared after a long inhale “Oooohhh! Tortellini soup!” I said that I didn’t remember telling him that I was going to make it, to which he replied “No you didn’t, but I know that wonderful smell instantly.”

Mother Molly’s Tortellini Soup

2 lbs Italian sausage links, sliced
1 cup chopped onion
Minced fresh garlic
Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups beef broth
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasonings (oregano, basil, parsley, etc.)
1 ½ cups carrots, thinly sliced
1 can whole tomatoes, peeled
15 oz can kidney beans, drained
6 oz. ripe (black) olives
1 cup fresh green zucchini, sliced
1 cup fresh yellow Summer Squash, sliced
16 oz cheese filled tortellini

Oven 400˚: Roast onion, garlic, sausage, and olive oil for 30 minutes in a very large heavy pot.
Turn Oven down to 325˚: add broth, 2 cups water, seasonings and carrots for 30 minutes.
(then) add tomatoes, beans, olives, and zucchini for 20 minutes.
(then) add tortellini for 5 minutes longer than package suggestion until cooked.
Makes enough to feed a small village, and is one of those recipes that just gets better over the next couple of days.

Enjoy!

Be Decadant

2008-07-19T05:01:00.000-07:00

Little things we can do to lower our calorie intake: Coffee, for instance. Most of us drink coffee. Most of us drink the crappy coffee that is given to us at work, and we also have the same crappy coffee at home that our parents drank. Of course we put sugar and cream in it; it’s lousy coffee.

That being said, what do you think about drinking coffee without sugar or cream in it? Nasty, right? But wouldn’t that be a great way to reduce the calories we consume? I mean, how many calories a day do we drink? The answer is: drink good coffee and you don’t need to add anything to it to make it taste good.

This accomplishes two things at once: you consume fewer calories and at the same time you feel like you are pampering yourself with a truly exceptional cup of java.

See how simple that is? Good whole-bean coffee isn’t THAT much more expensive than crappy coffee. I buy an organic French Vanilla flavored whole bean coffee and grind some (in a $10.00 coffee grinder that I got at Target) right before I start the pot of coffee every morning. The whole house smells like vanilla, and it seams decadent to drink it. Put the rest of the pot in a Thermos and go!

Dutch Potatoes

2008-03-04T14:52:00.000-08:00

This is what my Grandma Hazel used to make instead of boring old mashed potatoes. I remembered it about a year ago and experimented by just putting it together, and I got it right on the very first try! Woo hoo! Now I also remember that she had a name for this dish and I don't recall what it was. If any of you know, or even have a guess, please put in it the Comments so that I can sleep better at night. No. Really.

3 or 4 potatoes, pealed and quartered (or smaller)
1 large sweet onion, pealed and cubed.
1 large carrot, pealed and cut up.
Cut up all of the veggies into similarly sized pieces so that they all get done at the same time. Cover with water, add a little sea salt, and boil for about 20 minutes or until they are all tender when speared by a fork.

Drain the pot of water, add 2 tablespoons of butter, a big dollop of vanilla or plain yogurt (grandma used sour cream, which you can substitute) and a bit more sea salt. Then mash it all together as you would potatoes.

Now this should feed 4 to 6 people, assuming you're not like me and can easily eat half of it while my "fat jeans" get tighter. But seriously, this is better than just plain white potatoes; carrots have more vitamins and bulk forming fiber, while onions are an excellent source of sulphur and other nutrients that we all need.

Enjoy!

OMG Good Goulash

2008-01-29T03:32:00.000-08:00

OMG Good Goulash

It is January in Michigan and we all need some warming hearty food to keep us through the midst of winter. This is just what the snowmen ordered!

Sauté 2 small or 1 large yellow onion in canola oil over medium-low heat
Add one pound of fresh ground beef (Or moose or buffalo or turkey). Brown and drain off fat
Add one can stewed tomatoes
Add 2 tsp. “Better than Bullion” brand beef broth in 2 cups hot tap water.
Add some chopped cauliflower (I put in a whole head)
Add salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and anise seeds

Simmer for 20-30 minutes

Add whole grain macaroni or rotini pasta, which states to cook it for 10 minutes, but you should cook it for 20 minutes. Put 1 or 2 tablespoons of unbleached white flour in a small container with about a ½ cup of cold water, seal with a tight lid and shake it really good until there are no lumps. SLOWLY add this flour water a splash at a time to the goulash until it reaches the right thickness. The amount of thickness is completely up to you, as this is a very personal decision.

Enjoy!

Flu vaccines

2007-12-18T05:39:00.001-08:00

Here is a link to a website and a recent post about the dangers of the flu vaccine. As you read it please know that "M" is Merck, one of the two makers of flu vaccines sold in the USA.

http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php/?p=476

Grain of salt time: Of course we can't substantiate who wrote this, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

If you want more information I have a 3 hour long video by Sherry Tenpenny, a Doctor and expert on what the Center for Disease Control says about the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of vaccines. Here is a link to her website for more information: http://www.nmaseminars.com/index.html

I still need to learn more, but from what I know now I think if I had small children today I wouldn't allow them to have most vaccines, being safer to obstain than to give a potentially dangerous vaccine for a disease that no one dies from.

A short discussion on GMO's

2007-11-26T06:42:00.000-08:00

You may have heard about GMO's or "Genetically Modified Organisms". Please click on the below link to read a short article explaining the pro's and con's of these plants and animals that we eat.

http://www.naturalbalance.citymax.com/5216157.html

GMO corn is the reason you don't see very many Monarch butterfies any more. Monarch butterflies eat the pollen off of corn, and when GMO corn became widspread we lost about 80%-90% of our Monarch butterflies. That's just one species that was affected by one GMO crop.

Own Your Health

2007-11-25T09:16:00.000-08:00

“Own your health”. This is the new catchphrase in the natural health industry lately. What does it mean? It means you can’t get healthy until you want to get healthy.

1. Decide to make changes in your life to become healthy.
2. Learn about different ways to attain your goal(s).
3. Learn what you must do to make those changes.
4. Substitute bad habits with good habits.
5. Practice saying “No, thank you”
6. Figure out what keeps you from wanting better health.

That last one is a key point. Once you figure out why you like being less-than-optimally-healthy, it helps to prevent you from slipping into those old bad habits. Also, there are many people who like being sick. It’s true.

You can use these same points when owning any addiction. Go through the list again while thinking about not smoking, or not eating too many sweets, or not drinking too much alcohol, or exercising more, or spending more time with friends/family, or not spending too much money.

Insert anything that you want to change, figure out how to do it, and then there will be nothing that can get in your way except your own lack of self control.

* People may not like being sick, but they like the attention.
* People may not like to smoke, but they like the nicotine buzz.
* People may not like being over weight, but they like the sugar rush and, in some way, like the bad feelings they get when their blood sugar is low.
* People may not like to be in debt, but they like the power they feel when charging their 1,047th knick knack on their credit card.
* People may want to spend more time with friends/family, but it’s easier to sit at home and watch TV, or maybe their egos want their friends to come to them.
* People may not want to have a screwdriver at breakfast, but it gets them emotionally through the first few hours of work.

Trust me; I know all of these things, and most of them personally.

Sassafras tea

2007-11-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

If you have time this weekend why don't you take a walk in the woods near your house, bring along a ball of string or yarn, and tie a piece around 20 or so very little sassafras trees before they all lose their leaves. Then, over the winter, you can pull one up by the root every weekend or so, "skin" the root (I use my thumbnail) and chop it up small, and then simmer it in 2 or 3 cups of water for about 15-20 minutes.

It makes a tasty hot winter time tea, and it's known for its anti-microbial virtues. And I like the way it smells while it simmers.

* Tastes like mild root beer
* Good for the whole family
* Free!

Vacation for mental health

2007-10-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

Head on over to my “Imaginary Maggie Knits!” blog for some entertainment on my current vacation.

My family often took vacations together, and not only are vacations good for family health, they're also necessary for mental health. My father always told me the same thing he told every employee he had: Go on vacations! You have to have something to look forward to, otherwise you become encompassed by your work and your life is, well, stale, to put it nicely. It doesn’t matter if you go 2000 miles away or 20 miles away. If you can’t afford a fancy vacation then borrow a tent from your neighbor or your cousin, grab the kids, and head off to the nearest state park for the weekend. Not only will you get to know your family better, you’ll certainly meet some neat people.

That being said, head on over to http://imaginarymaggieknits.blogspot.com/ and live vicariously through me until you can get on the road yourself.

Worth the investment in time

2007-10-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

Below is a link to a very long but informational and sometimes entertaining article about the basic truths of nutrition. It really embodies everything I’ve learned about nutrition over the past 20 years and puts it in palatable form (pun intended).

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html?ei=5070&en=c68ce221c481f56b&ex=1171083600&pagewanted=all
--
I cannot disagree or argue with any single point that is made here. It is very long, and you may want to read it in sections (I did), but it brings to light so many great points that I hope you find the time to finish it.

Love to you all,

Maggie

Be Decadent

2007-10-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

Little things we can do to lower our calorie intake: Coffee, for instance.

Most of us drink coffee. Most of us drink the crappy coffee that is given to us at work, and we also have the same crappy coffee at home that our parents drank. Of course we put sugar and cream in it; it’s lousy coffee.

That being said, what do you think about drinking coffee without sugar or cream in it? Nasty, right? But wouldn’t that be a great way to reduce the calories we consume? I mean, how many calories a day do we drink? The answer is: drink good coffee and you don’t need to add anything to it to make it taste good. This accomplishes two things at once: you consume fewer calories and at the same time you feel like you are pampering yourself with an truly exceptional cup of java.

See how simple that is? Good whole-bean coffee isn’t THAT much more expensive than crappy coffee. I buy a French Vanilla flavored whole bean coffee and grind some (in a $10.00 coffee grinder that I got at Target) right before I start the pot of coffee every morning. The whole house smells like vanilla, and it seams decadent to drink it. Put the rest of the pot in a thermous and go!

Russian "Conquor the World" Soup

2007-09-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

This is the healthiest soup I have ever eaten. Every time I make it I get the overwhelming desire to conquer the world! And this is the perfect fall harvest soup to gear you up for a long winter.

Ingredients:1-1/2 cups thin sliced potatoes
1 cup thin sliced beets
4 cups stock water (water that the beets and potatoes are cooked in)
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
2 Tblsp. butter
Large Dash: caraway seeds, salt, pepper
1 can tomato puree
1 large carrot (or some mini carrots)
3 cups chopped cabbage
2 or 3 Tblsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tblsp. Honey

Cook potatoes, beats and 4 cups water in saucepan until tender, about 20 minutes. Save the water. Sauté onions in butter in a large kettle. Add spices, carrots and cabbage. Then drain the stock water from the beets and potatoes into the large kettle, and cook covered until it is all tender, about 20 minutes. Add everything together and cook another 30 minutes.

Garnish with sour cream, dill weed, and/or chopped tomatoes.

I don’t know why this is so much better when you cook it in two pots, but it is. I’ve tried it in one pot a couple of times, and it’s just not the same, probably because the onions don’t get properly sautéed. Enjoy!

Get Cooking!

2007-09-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

More and more people are asking me how they can eat better, and my stock answer is "learn how to cook!" They don't generally like that answer, or else they give me one of those "deer in the headlights" looks.

OK, then cook better. For instance, if you're having hamburgers and baked beans, sauté an entire onion in the bottom of the pot that you're going to cook the beans in, drain most of the sauce out of the can of beans, put the beans in the pot right on top of the sautéed onions, and add a few tablespoons of Molasses to that. Yummy and delicious! I make this recipe every year for my in-laws (average party is 40 people) and they always ask what my secret is. You can also add a can of black beans, or some other type of beans that you like, just to mix it up a little bit.

When you're making tacos add a nice fresh onion, a clove of fresh garlic, black beans, salsa, diced tomatoes or avocado, and black olives. Any of these things make your tacos better for you, and when it's right in with the meat it's not as messy to eat.

Instead of store bought soup try this: Start with 2 cups of chicken broth made with "Better Than Broth" brand chicken broth. This stuff really is great, and if you compare the label with any other brand you'll be amazed! Yes, it's about twice the price, about $6 instead of about $3, as I explained to a lady in the grocery store who was wearing a $5000 wedding ring and who wouldn't spend an extra $3 on her family's health (Vary frustrating!). But it is so much better for you.

To this simmering broth add one cut up onion, two pealed and cut up potatoes, 1/3 of a small head of cabbage, cut into strips, and 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar, with sea salt to taste. Serve with fresh sourdough bread.

You don't need to be fancy. A perfectly healthy dinner is a lean steak on the grill (not charred) with steamed broccoli or asparagus. Simple! Don't get all wrapped up in the "square meal". By the end of the day you'll usually have all the right food groups covered.

Get cooking!

"The Best" One Pot Speghetti in 10 Minutes

2007-09-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

This recipe is proof that a delicious, nutritious meal does not have to take a lot of time or preparation. Even children like it, especially because you can "hide" the vegetables in the sauce.

Shopping list:
Bella Terra ™ brand organic, whole wheat, Capellini Angel Hair Pasta
Muir Glen® brand Organic pasta sauce – any flavor
Black Olives
Artichoke Hearts
Pine nuts
Optional: sautéed skinless boneless chicken breast or thigh, cooked in canola oil and tarragon in a skillet for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat.

Bring water to boil and cook pasta 4 minutes. Drain. Put pasta back into the same pot and add the rest of the ingredients. 1 jar of pasta feeds at least 4 people. Heat it all up in that one pot for easy clean-up.

If you cooked chicken, cut it into bite-sized pieces and add to the top of the pasta while you're serving it. Top it with fresh mozzarella or parmesan cheese.

Other options: these can either be boiled along with the spaghetti or sautéed in a separate pan:
Fresh asparagus
Cubed eggplant
Whole grape tomatoes

The pine nuts are full of protein, so especially make sure you use them if you don't cook the chicken.

Enjoy!

God talks to St. Francis

2007-09-04T18:52:00.000-07:00

(I didn't write this, but I couldn't resist not sharing it with you all.)

God Talks to St. Francis:
GOD: Frank , you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world isgoing on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colours by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

St. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "weeds" and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD: Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colourful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS : Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS : Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it--sometimes twice a week.

GOD: They cut it? Do they then bail it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS : Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS : No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD: Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS : Yes, Sir

GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

GOD: No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves

GOD: And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for ustonight?

ST. CATHERINE: "Dumb and Dumber", Lord. It's a story about....

GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

Water and Water

2007-09-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

Ok now. You do realize that the below article about water and beer and wine is no longer true today. But it was very true before 1950 or so. You KNOW that pure clean water is the best thing for your body.

Before that time we weren’t able to test water for E. Coli, bacteria, and even worms. Even today a hospital in Minnesota tested most of their patients for worms and found that 6% of them did have worms.

I’m not kidding about beer and wine though either: in moderation they are much better for you to drink than the chemical wasteland of soda pop. More on that later.

Think about it; we as humans have been drinking beer and wine for thousands of years. They can’t be that bad for us!

What to drink?

2007-08-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

BEER & WINE vs. WATER

As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria. (Actually I kinda doubt that Mr. Franklin knew what bacteria was 200 years ago.)

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember: Water = Poop, Wine = Health

Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of shit.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.

(Hee hee)

Bahamian Peas and Rice

2007-08-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite recipe from Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas. All of the locals use it as a staple in their daily diet. I’ve added more tomatoes, substituted sea salt for regular salt, and used brown rice instead of white rice, which gives it a nutty flavor.

*************************************

Sauté one large chopped onion.
One can stewed tomatoes, (optional with green peppers & onions in it).
Add one can rinsed black eyed peas, a.k.a pigeon peas.
Simmer for ½ hour.20-30 minutes before serving add 1 cup brown rice, time depending on the directions of the rice.
Season with Thyme, sea salt, and pepper.
Serve with chicken or fish.

Enjoy!

Leek Potato Soup (Very French!)

2007-08-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

My husband prefers this soup hot, but it was designed to be a refreshing meal on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:1 lb Leeks – washed and sliced
½ cup diced onion (one medium sized onion)
¼ cup butter (not margarine or any fake butter!)
1 lb. potatoes, pared and cubed
Dash: Sea salt and white pepper
3 cups chicken broth (Better than Bouillon brand)

Melt butter, sauté leeks and onion for 5 minutes. Do not brown them! Add potatoes, salt, pepper, chicken broth. Simmer 20 minutes until potatoes are very soft. Remove from heat and put into blender 2 cups at a time. Blend on low until smooth. BE CAREFUL! IT’S HOT!

Refrigerate until cool (or eat it hot like my dear husband). Before serving add a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a tablespoon of half and half, and sprinkle chives onto the center of the bowl for a garnish. Make a double batch for leftovers; it will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

I also use this recipe without the cream in it for starting and ending my liquid fasts. It's also great for upset stomachs and when you're sick with something like stomach flu.

Keep this one handy, and enjoy!

Cheap, easy, and great for you Cole Slaw

2007-08-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Take a small head of green cabbage, chop as much of it as you want, remembering that this keeps in the refrigerator for quite a few days. Put in a little bit of Vandalia Onion dressing, remembering that is it MUCH easier to add a little more dressing than it is to take it out (I'm just saying). From here it’s up to you to add any number of the following:
Sesame seeds
Shredded carrots
Raisins
Any chopped nuts
Pine nuts
Chopped broccoli
Poppy seeds

I never liked the dressing that was made for cole slaw, but THIS is yummy!

What's it feel like to be a LadyHawk?

2007-08-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

We went “up north” with family and friends last month to a lodge that has a large kitchen, nine bedrooms, a dinning room, living room with lots of tables for playing cards and doing puzzles, a deck that overlooks a small river filled with brown trout, all within the middle of hundreds of acres of forest.

My granddaughter, who is 9 years old, and her cousin were running around the cabin playing tag, chasing bugs, finding mushrooms, and generally being kids in the country. Some of us “grown ups” were lounging on the deck telling funny stories from years ago and generally solving all of the problems of the world.

I noticed the two kids whispering to each other playing a little game of “you go”, “no, you go”, “no, you go”, “no, let’s draw straws”. Well my great-nephew drew the short straw, or rather piece of hay, and came trotting up to me. “Can I ask you a question?” he said to me.
“Of course you can” I replied.
“What is it like being a LadyHawk?”
*** *** ***
Well, you can imagine this took be aback for a moment. I honestly didn’t know what to say, so to stall for a minute I started by saying “Well, first of all there aren’t very many of us.” This because he called me “A LadyHawk”, like there were more than one of us. And there just might be more LadyHawks around; who knows?
I finally answered “It feels great being a LadyHawk because I make other people feel better. That’s the best part of all.”
He seemed fully satisfied with that answer and trotted back to my granddaughter to discuss it with her.

I’m still trying to figure it out.

Easy Squash Rancheros

2007-08-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

Slice or chunk any kind of soft squash, a yellow summer squash or a zucchini squash for instance, and sauté it in a frying pan in a little bit of olive oil for 3-4 minutes depending on how large the pieces are. Add salt, a little bit of pepper (I use white pepper), and dump about a half cup of salsa on top of it. Now the amount of salsa completely depends on how much squash is in the pan, but the finished dish should look like squash with a little bit of color and small chunks of vegetables. Use the salsa as a seasoning, not a sauce.Continue cooking until the pieces are no longer crisp, which might take as long at 10 minutes. I like to add cilantro and a little salt to the mixture as well. This recipe is very forgiving if you want to experiment with spices.

Enjoy!

Welcome!

2007-08-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to LadyHawk Nutrition's blog on food, health news, and recipes. We'll be posting here regularly with "pearls" of information to help you on your path to wellness.

Hang on! It looks like it's going to be a great ride!

Maggie