Not just a movie anymore

Alright people we have tried okra to claim our southern living.  But we felt there was another produce that screams southern that we hadn't quite fried and tasted for ourselves (but have seen the movie :) - Fried Green Tomatoes.  They are delicious!  But then fried anything tends to always be an enjoyable guilty pleasure. 

Freshly sliced and awaiting the battering & frying!

At least it wasn't deep fried.  We used one of trusted recipe books and the recipe was super simple with a four step batter process.  I was the dipper and my hubby was the fryer.  First select firm green tomatoes.  I assume that's why the South chooses green tomatoes because of their firmness.  And I also think that you want the heat to help release the tomato flavor. 

I believe I admitted that in the Pearly Vine blog I am not the biggest tomato fan.  I love tomato based sauces and I enjoy when a tomato is heated to release the sweetness. But rarely do I enjoy straight up tomato.  These fried slices were tasty! 

Back to the actual prepping of this yummy side. Once you have the tomatoes you want to slice them generously - between 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.  Then begin the four step battering.  We dunked the slices into milk then dredged them in flour continued the process by letting the slices slip around in some beaten eggs and finally smothered with breadcrumbs -  Ummm yeah not oh so healthy (which I did promise my doctor I was going to try harder on that front - more later about that) but delicious!  After these slices were quadruple coated we let them sizzle in some olive oil.  I believe because of the weight of the tomato you wouldn't want to deep - fry because these slices weren't going to float but drown.  So we used olive oil (not too high of heat) and let the coating sizzle for roughly four minutes a side (let the batter get golden and crispy).  The process sounds lengthy but goes quickly and clean-up was all shallow bowls so they went into the dishwasher - voila!  And a quick wipe down of the pan after using it.  The rest of our meal included a steamer bag of vegetables.  Brilliant technology.  Great vegetable flavor and you take the bag from the freezer into the microwave and done!  The entree for our southern meal was grilled thinly sliced pork chops - fantastic!  Which is why clean-up was such a breeze. 

Again I urge you non-chefs and fearful boilers of water - little steps and you too can feel like a master chef in your kitchen.  I am still no Julia Child but my hubby and I find time to giggle, bond, and are more likely to eat at home (saving money, time, and calories) if we share apron duty :) 

So about that doctor visit.  My last appointment was Wednesday and blah!  Not awesome - there certainly wasn't no hug this visit but then I have been eating like a crazy ravenous tazmanian devil.  I crossed my fingers and hoped that my A1C(blood sugar average reading for the last three months) wouldn't jump to the 8's.  I started in October at 10.2 (horrible - uncontrolled full blown diabetic level reasons to have concerns).  Then in February with medication and healthier diet and some exercise my A1C read 6.1 (reason I got a hug from my doctor :)  May's reading was 7.1.  I felt blessed.  I have gotten my movement back up but let my eating slip for lots of reasons. Also a three pound weight gain from my Feb visit which isn't horrible for three months but then I also know that I had lost five to six pounds before the gain.  Which equals an eight to nine pound gain.  And honestly I had weighed myself a couple of weeks ago and had been up another four pounds.  So really there had been a 12 - thirteen pound weight gain.  Ouch!  But I lost four of those pounds which equaled a three pound gain on my doctor's charts.  I was very honest with my doctor that it was a diet issue most likely and let's not up the medication yet. She agreed but I promised better results in August.  Which means although the Fried Green Tomatoes were tasty they will not become a staple in our household.  For some of my choices the numbers (weight, A1C, blood pressure) could have been worse but I received a slight gift and I just need to get back on track. I think one of the big differences between visits is that  in October I was terrified.  That doctor visit was a huge wake up call!  And I took the process seriously which opened the door to great results - four point drop in my A1C and a 16 pound weight loss.  The numbers weren't in my favor but then I also hadn't put forth nearly as much of the effort. 

Small steps I have taken to ensure more success.  Taking my blood sugar more regularly.  Packing healthier snacks (I have honey roasted peanuts packed in snack bags according to actual serving size and sandwich bags of popcorn). Its somewhat working to have healthier options at the fingertips as I was hungry and grabbed some edamame (soybeans) instead of chowing down chips, candy, or other treats that I tend to take by the fistful instead of by the serving.  Also there are sliced strawberries and yellow peppers to eat plain, mix with some yogurt (just the strawberries on this one), or drop in a salad.  And I am back to accepting nothing less than 7000 steps on the pedometer hoping for more but that is my bottom out number.  Which means I fell asleep on the recliner two nights ago at 6000 steps and woke up and walked my last 1000 steps before actually retiring to bed.  Its the little choices that make a big difference.  I can't do it all in a day, but I can do something right now to keep me motivated and on track.

May your HealthFULL Journey share the wake up calls when you need them, encouragement when you're struggling, and applause for a success whether it be big or small because all successful steps lead to the big prize of you living as your best and healthiest version. 'Til we meet again. . .

A Fruit and a Root

I haven't posted our new produce but we have still been sampling a nutritious variety of yummy treats.  I tried a real exotic fruit last week - an apple.  Stop the crazy train, right?  :)  Yes I have had an apple a time or two in my life but not this variety called Lady Alice apples.  It sounded intriguing - it does have a royal title which must mean its impressive, right?  I thought so.   I really like Golden Delicious apples with its bright yellow skin and not as crisp flesh and a nice mild flavor - a tad sweet, very little tart, and comforting, especially with some peanut butter.  I mentioned all this because the Lady Alice apple shares a few similarities. For instance, if you see a Lady Alice apple it looks like a Golden but with a warm pink blush.  And the size just fits the palm of my hand.  The peel feels firm but not like armor (nor a candle - but sadly I have tried an apple or two that couldn't boast the same :( .  I enjoyed this variety and kept the snack real simple.  I cut it up and ate it with almond butter.  For years I have listened to some family members and friends really talk up the Honeycrisp variety.  This is a good stand - in.  I find some Honeycrisp apples to be quite large - I want a snack not a whole pie from one fruit.  Also some of the apples are REALLY sweet and when I find something REALLY sweet - thats almost scary!  So sweet you pucker your lips kind of sweet.  I also have found near the end of their season that Honeycrisp tends to be near flavorless, almost blah.  What's great about a Lady Alice apple is they take awhile to brown - you can enjoy your whole snack and it still be the white crispy slice you cut thirty minutes prior.  Also this is the perfect season for the Lady Alice to make her royal appearance; where most apples are in season during fall Lad Alice is perfectly right and ripe for Spring.  Easy go to snack at hopefully your grocer's.  I also leaned towards almond butter as peanut butter would compete against the apple's own sweetness.  Yummy!

Now unto the root.  Roots in the produce aisle look scary with their gnarliness and dirty exterior but when peeled and prepared they are so tender and delicious.  So this week we tackled the *pound piano* celery root!  These roots can be quite large and in charge.  But a great addition to a roast.  At least that's how we prepared it and loved it!  I am not a huge celery fan.  But its not really the flavor I mind - its the strings and texture.  Raw celery not a fan! But roasted or sauteed celery - quite enjoyable.  One string or snap and I'm done with it.   So celery root quite a nice find.  We had planned a roast for Monday in the crockpot.  Filling meal without too much hassle.  Monday around here we both had to get up early and work all day.  Who wants to mess with dishes after a long day?  So we were going to prep the veggies Sunday night and in the morning would just toss in the roast and turn the knob.  Simple, right?  Sort of.  We both hit that evening lull where you are just ready for bed.  And cutting vegetables sounded like such a chore.  But in all honesty ten minutes from gathering - rough chop and quick clean-up.  We quartered a couple of potatoes, chunked a big onion, and tackled the celery root.  It looks hard to deal with it.  But really a quick rinse and the peel is not tough at all.  Because the surface area tends to be good size you don't have to worry about nooks and crannies like a sunchoke or the tough exterior of the turban squash (I still get tense about that ordeal!!!) . Quick peel and you can immediately smell the celery aroma.  Its flesh has tinges a spring green that peek through the peel but a creamy white inside (closely resembling a potato).  I did read at www.eattheseasons.com mentioned you could eat it raw - but suggested slicing thin matchsticks and possibly blanching it quickly for a creamier texture. My hubby cut the root into cubes and we were ready for the roast.  I really liked the flavor it lended to the other vegetables and the meat.  It had such a comforting flavor - almost cinnamon like - tish sweet but more a warming spice - think warm apple cider on a chilly day.  It has been two days since we made our tasty roast but I just had yummy leftovers and the flavors only deepened.  And for any other diabetics or those seeking low carb - root vegetable but not loaded with starch (at least according to wikipedia and http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/celeriac.htm .  Great way to stretch mashed potatoes or make a creamy soup. 

Thinking spring around here but feel like I was eating autumnish :)  Its beautiful weather and we are four days away from our  Strides for Autism walk Saturday, April 14, 2012. We still would love donations to meat our $500.00 goal.  We are past the half-way point - your donation could help us meet or even surpass the goal!!! Please visit https://scautism.org/strides/team/3/ .

May your HealthFULL Journey keep you grounded to your roots but motivate you to always reach for the highest fruit :)  'Til we meet again. . .

Quitting time is 10 pm

For as long as I can remember I enjoy a tasty snack - salty or sweet, sometimes both, and usually late at night or early in the morning depending how you look at it.  A couple of posts ago I introduced you to my Slobberin' Sal the Snacker.  Well one way I am try to kick my snacking habit (or at least take more control of it)  is to not eat anything after ten p.m.  For a lot of people this is a super simple rule.  However, I am a late night owl who loves to veg in front of the tv with a bag of chips (not for quite awhile) or a big bowl of ice cream (I will plead the fifth to that last discretion :) .  But I do get the munchies horribly late at night which is not good.  A book I am reading points out how our bodies don't require the carbohydrates at night especially enough to fuel a marathon. And I do love a carb overload kind of snack late at night in front of my guilty tv pleasures (reality tv at its finest!).  Also I tend to wash these snacks down with a wonderful carbonated diet beverage that I like to call pop :)  Another guilty pleasure I am trying to curb.  We are roughly twenty fours away from the Lenten season and though my denomination does not encourage a sacrifice during this Holy Season I believe it is a practice that I like to participate.  I find it challenging, comforting, and an opportunity to show God my weakness and connect with the Trinity in asking for strength to kick out unhealthy habits and unholy rituals.  And my drinking pop has sadly had its moments of idolatry.  So it is time for me to let go of this bit of unhealthiness at least for the Lenten season (Hurry up Easter!).  I tried last year to give up my diet soda and sadly I was too weak in the eleventh hour.  I just clung to my chemical, caffeine, carbonated liquid.  I have tried to wean myself off to avoid the withdrawal headaches if at possible. 

Hopefully (hands clasped), these two small diet changes will work together to lessen my cravings and continue to up my energy (and the compliments :)  My hard work is actually being noticed in the real world and that is so affirming.  It boosts my confidence, increases my pride, and drives my determination to kick some of  this extra fat to the curb for good.  I am getting compliments on my appearance which is nice but an even better affirmation is hearing enthusiasm in my own voice.  For instance, today I received a call from a program with my insurance.  Since I have some medical conditions (diabetes, high BMI, and blood pressure issues) that place me in the high risk category for poor health I have to speak with a nurse that checks in with me that I am keeping a close monitor on these conditions (meeting my doctor , aware of my "stats/numbers/readings", continuing to improve my exercise and eating habits.  This was our initial "meeting" and I was pretty pumped to talk about my health.   It feels good to say why yes I just met with my doctor last week and these are my awesome results.  A perfectly good stranger is proud of my progress.  Usually, I take these kind of programs and nod my way out of the conversation like a bobble-head.  Yup, yes, sounds good, nope no questions, yep will work on that, *nod* smile "great idea" yep I 'll get back to you.  But today I had answers to share, a smile on my face, and had no problems sharing the truth.  I didn't feel ashamed, embarrassed, or shy.  This is a pretty big deal for me.  She asked how I would rate my health ( poor to excellent).  I hate one word answers - black and white scales.  Say one number or one word.  I live too much in flux to say yes I am at a level 4 or a level 9.  Because if I answer that it is in that one second I can answer but you want an average.  Interviewers want one concrete answer to write in their survey for "accurate" results and clean averages.  Well life is messy, especially mine so you will always get an on the border reply.  I don't like to be caged in and just to keep your numbers neat and tidy isn't a good enough reason for me to lie.  I answered I would say a "high good" or "the brink of very good".  But as a nurse she is reading my ailments and my weight.  That does not compute or sounds like I am in denial.  So I continued my answer "  I finally feel like I have control of my nutrition and exercise."  And explained some of my number results and she was pleased with my progress.  Is there room for improvement - always!  But I am a long way from the person who started this HealthFULL Journey who took two days of debate to share my weight on my facebook status and after I did immediately signed off and freaked out at home.  Not checking back for twenty-four hours.  Now I am excited to talk about some of my experiences on my HealthFULL (Fully Understanding Life by Living) Journey; what I feel has been successful and what didn't really work for me. 

So off to a little television watching with no snack (because quitting time  is 10 pm) and a nice giant cup of water.  There is one pop can chilling in my fridge for my Mardi Gras Hurrah!  And with my pedometer closing out at 10,036 I feel it is time to bid adieu.

May your HealthFULL Journey include many affirmations that remind you the extra efforts (big or small) really are helping to shape the best possible version of you. 'Til we meet again. . .

The Munchie Monster

Let me introduce my munchine monster - Slobberin' Sal the Snacker.  Oh boy does he have a huge appetite.  His superpowers include being able to snack on large amounts of food in one sitting and he loves to fill the belly with snacks that range from sweet to salty, from chewy to crunchy.  My munchie monster prides themself on being able to pick the perfect snack to gnaw on during the perfect show.  You want a lighthearted comedy with sarcastic asides - popcorn or a big bag of chips that you eat one by one, satisfying crunch followed by yet another satisfying crunch.  Tearjerker romance definitely a big bowl of ice cream with all the works.  Sal struck hard tonight and I have to tell you he usually is very convincing.  He whimpers and to the kitchen I run.  But tonight Sal and I tried an experiment.  He shared his request with a moan and a grumble in the tummy.  However, instead of running to the kitchen - I ran away from the kitchen up the stairs.  This confused Sal.  I had my Rocky moment with the fists in the air.  *Ha ha Sal no snacking tonight out of comfot, boredom, or whatever mood you are feeling.*  And then Sal laughed, harder.  Rarely  have I challenged my Munchie monster - we're old pals why start an argument?   He fought back with pictures of satisfying sweets, flavor memories trickling down my throat.  The munchie monster pulled at my stomach and displayed different snacks in my thoughts like a fast food commercial set on "repeat" with an endless budget.  I am trying to distract myself first with the computer and then tv.  But tv is less a distractor and more of a comrade of Sal the snacker.  They go way back.  I am trying to teach myself.  I can actually watch tv for the fun of watching tv.  It is rare for me not to have the remnants of snacking surrounding me on the couch - wrappers of tasty treats while I watch the dvr.  A couple of nights I have tried to trick slobberin' Sal the snacker with hot water and lemon.  The satisfaction of flavor while watching tv without the calories.  Sal was not fooled but also not angered.  My munchie monster feels I am ignoring him and he would be right.  Its time for me to form new habits. Which means I have to re-train my appetite.  When am I REALLY hungry?  And when am I just thinking I am hungry with the help  of my munchie monster?

Its hard.  But every minute that passes is a victory.  Because slowly Sal is losing his hold and once again I am starting to claim more of me; which means I take responsibility for my choices - to snack or not to snack is only the beginning.  Which means I have to kick my munchie monster to the curb.  He did a fine job - he scared me, he upset me, frustrated me, disappointed me, and occasionally comforted me and sadly enabled me.  He helped me rationalize, pat myself on the back, and let me lie to myself.  But no more.  Good bye munchie monster!

If you see my munchie monster - Slobbering Sal the Snacker.  Give him my regards - he was a dear friend at one time but sadly are paths are going in different directions and at this time there is no hope of meeting again.

May your healthfull journey illuminate your true friends.  May you learn who is valuable and who is best to cut ties. 'Til we meet again. . .

The Heart of the Matter

Today was a great day!  Today was a follow-up appointment with my doctor.  She entered the room with a big hug for me.  I have to tell you doctors, hospitals, and the like make me nervous as I tend to have bad experiences or what we'll call "interesting" visits.  But I do believe today was the first doctor visit my doctor entered the room with a smile that only proud parents tend to share.  My A1C Results were in....*Drumroll please*  6.1  !!!! Yay!  That is awesome compared to four months ago and my results were *gulp* 10.2.  For those who don't know the A1C test is a three month average of your glucose levels.  Healthy people typically range 4 - 6 on this test.  Pre-diabetics run about 5.7 - 6.4 ( I fell in this range this time around :)  People with diabetes usually have a result of 6.5 or over.  I believe 12 is the highest score.  But doctors tend to get nervous with anything above a 7. Some would describe this as uncontrolled diabetes and research tends to push that concern as a score above 7 on the A1C tends to be a patient with a lot of complications from diabetes.  So a score of a 10.2  is cringeworthy.  It means on average my blood sugar readings were around 246 mg/dl but now my sugar readings are closer to an average of 128 mg/dl.  That's a pretty awesome change in results and now you understand why my doctor greeted me with a hug.  I am pretty excited.  Especially, as I was hoping for a little more weight loss on the scale.  But since my first visit to the doctor on October 4, 2011; I have officially lost 15.2 lbs.  So yay (and that included the feasting holidays.  Also it was the first good blood pressure reading on the first attempt I have had in the doctor's office on the first try.  As I mentioned I get super nervous and anxious in a doctor's presence and that tends to mess up my blood pressure readings.  So overall good visit with actual tangible results showing me that the extra effort is most definitely paying off.

So to celebrate my hubby and I planned to celebrate Valentine's day a day early due to our schedules.  We had a lovely steak dinner with a heart-shaped rib-eye (my husband is a meat manager) so this held some sentimental factor.  He also surprised me with a dozen white roses which happens to be my favorite flower.  They smell divine and already are so pretty.  After our delicious steak dinner with a baked potato, green beans, and lovely salad (strawberries, avocado, mushrooms on mixed greens) we tried our first chocolate souffle.  Oh they were delicious !!!  And so much fun to create together.  When cooking together we have so much fun.  We laugh, we talk, we get frustrated, but through it all we work together as a team to create something worth remembering - a treasured memory and hopefully a scrumptious meal. 

So the heart of the matter is enjoying health.  I still have a long ways to go but it was so uplifting to hear positive feedback through the test results and affirmations from a super pleased doctor.  But what was even better was enjoying a special evening with my forever valentine: who was ecstatic about the results, happy to share time with me, and reminding me that we both still have a lot we want to accomplish - as individuals, as a couple, and as a family. And by making a lot of small choices the benefits of a healthier life are already coming back tenfold.  My heart is growing stronger and filling with a bit of extra pride.

May your HealthFULL Journey help to pump up your heart; so that is may be stronger, happier, and healthier.  'Til we meet again. . .

Are you who you think you are?

Are you who you think you are?  Cliches and general statements claim no one knows you better than you know yourself.  But that isn't true for everyone.  And sometimes I wonder if that sentiment is true for anyone.  We aren't aware of other's perceptions and rarely are we as transparent as we think.  We get in silly arguments that blow into full wage wars because we believe those closest to us should know what we meant or what we thought when really none of our actions have fully disclosed our needs or our wants.  Or worse our words and our actions told different stories. 

Do you ask for something but mean something completely different?  Perhaps you ask children to do more around the house.  They do more around the house but you are frustrated because you had specific chores in mind they didn't touch.  Maybe you ask your significant other for more loving touches but you tend to shrug off their advances.  You ask work for more responsibility - you meant promotion they give you grunt work.  We tend to ask in generalities but desire specifics.  Either we don't know what we want or we don't know how to ask for what we want.  Either way we could improve our position by knowing who we are.

We tend to not know our own strengths or weaknesses; at least all of them.  We tend to quit because we are scared of the end - we fear pain, hurt, success, failure, sometimes we just fear "the end".  So we quit, we drop out, we grasp for excuses to share and crave rationalizations that comfort us why we couldn't possibly go all the way.  Oh I could do never do a marathon.  Whew I get worn out walking in my living room.  What? I couldn't speak in front of hundreds of people - I get tongue tied in front of a small group of five people I know.  I couldn't draw to save my life.  I could never be a parent - too much responsibility.  Its fine if you choose not to do something because it is not a desire of yours.  But don't be scared to challenge the warrior, the mother, the athlete, the poet, the champion in your heart.  They are dying to strut their stuff.  Because when push comes to shove you could complete that marathon; perhaps it is in honor of a charity who is sponsoring your best friend. You could speak in front of a thousand people because you are sharing the gospel of Jesus.  Maybe you become an artist because you sketched your baby's first nap.  Its amazing what we can do because the stakes change and become personal.  Possibly we know that greatness is as close as our fingertips and that we are only a step away from knowing ourselves and that is why we tend to push people away.  Its becoming quite a habit in today's world.

Do you like compliments?  You might say you do, but it seems the truer the compliment the quicker we are to deflect it.  Someone compliments you for your speech; we may reply its an important topic.  Someone compliments your cooking perhaps you share the accolades with a spouse - something along the lines of "my husband is the true chef I am just the assistant.  Someone compliments your intelligence or beauty and we pass on the praises to our sibling - oh you haven't met my brother/sister they are the smart/beautiful one.  Here our compliments to our face and we still don't accept our strengths or talents at face value.  And our weaknesses are just as hard to swallow.  Raise your hand if you have ever been completely honest at a job interview or on a dating profile.  Name your greatest weakness.  We all go for the positive spin.  Curvy women you know you mark the voluptuous curves before the bloated jellyfish box.  Or for work purposes - I tend to be obsessed with details.  Forget to mention that you run tardy by ten minutes every day or that you like to gossip with co-workers.  But then maybe you don't realize you have flaws because you didn't really know you have strengths. 

I write all this because without knowing yourself : How do you live YOUR life?  This HealthFULL Journey is really helping me to pinpoint specific wants, needs, and patterns I possess.  And with the help of my handy dandy 12 resolutions for the 12 months of 2012 I am holding a magnifying glass on all aspects of my life.  One of the most recent items that spurned this blog.  A big grocery shopping trip my husband and I recently shared.  The revelation after $450.00 worth of groceries (it was bargain shopping as everything was 50% off so we spent just over $200.00 and our pantries are filled and some of these items went in donation).  But after this huge shopping excursion we realized I shop for a non-existent member of our household.  This person obviously loves cereal, yogurt, soup, beans, pasta, spices, and nuts.  If I go shopping by myself I tend to stray from our list badly.  I will ultimately pick up these six items and I honestly can't remember ever in our marriage of us being out of these items.  I put these items in our cart as if I am on auto-pilot. 

Let's investigate the list shall we:  Cereal - I love cereal.  The sugary kind, the hot kind, the healthy adult kind.  I enjoy cereal.  Now ask me how often I eat cereal.  Hmmmm....since October I have not had a single bowl.  Yup that would be the truth.  I sometimes use it as a crunch factor in yogurt or with fruit - we are talking 2 tbsps max at a time and occasionally a 1/2 cup here or there for cooking purposes.  My husband never eats it and my son eats one specific kind.  But right now we have the total of 3 unopened containers, one opened box (our son's) and two boxes with three different kinds mixed together separately in their own bags.  So if you're counting that equals ten different cereals. 

Yogurt - oh I love yogurt.  I grew up eating yogurt.  But since the attacks have increased I have suspicions they may be linked to dairy (which literally is a nightmare for me - both an attack and the loss of dairy).  Also I tend to buy many yogurts fully knowing it has a limited life span before the expiration date and I don't try dairy after the expiration date.  One bad episode with an expired date and you get a little cautious. But I like variety so I'll pick up ten yogurts thinking I have just under a month.  I won't eat them all.  I hope I will eat a couple of them before they find their way to the trash.  When I want something sweet they usually aren't enough to satisfy the craving or they're too heavy/much sounding when I just need a bite.

Soup - I so rarely eat soup from a can.  I'll use broth for a meal every now and then.  But I like to have them on hand just in case I get in a cooking frenzy and am in need of four broths.  We tend to open a package of broth or stock and then maybe use half and once again find its way to the garbage.  We are trying to be more conscious and use items within several meals to cut down waste.  But I still way overbuy soups in anticipation to feed our family a full meal for less than $3.00.  Good dream but not really our reality all too often.

Beans in my mind equal a healthy diet plus the general public states beans are cheap to buy.  So in my cart they go to make my family healthier while maintaining a line of budget.  This however means they need to actually be utilized into our meals.  And the thought of soaking beans is exhausting.  I think like many people I get the impression I have to physically stand over the soaking beans for eight hours or delay our meal for eight hours.  But in reality we just need to throw them in a pot of water (no cooking required at this stage) when we go to sleep and throw them in the crock pot in the morning.  Or throw them in a bowl of water before we head to work.  Ready to cook as soon as we get home.  But the step of soaking them exhausts my mind and there the beautiful different color beans sit in my pantry in their lovely bags.  I also overbuy canned beans because sometimes the draining them and rinsing them exhausts my mentality as well.  Because then I'll convince myself that canned beans aren't as healthy as dried beans and if I don't have the time to soak my beans I don't deserve to sample the tasty beans.  Yes people I seriously think in these circles sometimes :)

Pasta is my cruel way of teasing myself.  It is one of my five favorite dishes of all time - between comfort, ease, variety, and flavor.  I adore pasta; the different shapes, the different grains; the satisfaction of covering the noodles with tons of different toppings.  But alas with diabetes pasta is rarely my friend and I tend to scoff at their serving size.  But yet I buy it because I always am in doubt if we have enough in our pantry when I really know I shouldn't be eating that much of it so even having one package is plenty. 

Spices - I am starting to flex my culinary skills and I don't like when my pantry is missing a recommended ingredient.  I get frustrated when I can't try out a new recipe as I am out of or never possessed a certain spice; fully believing the whole recipe hinges on that one particular spice.  And those we tend to like but rarely use I like to buy back-ups just in case we are low (as you see two tumeric, two thyme, two pepper blends, two cayennes, and three sets of food coloring).  I must fancy myself quite the chef and baker which according to my pantry I am not.

And finally the nuts.  I actually eat quite a bit of nuts.  Lower in carbs, high in fat - mostly good fate, and an excellent source of protein.  These quell my snacking tendencies and cravings.  I can purchase sweet varieties and salty and even spicy.  Therefore, I panic at the thought of running out.  So when we see them in the store the cans literally jump into my cart as I peruse the aisle - just in case.

I admit all this because I finally have my eyes open to some self-awareness.  I challenge you to take a true look in the mirror, checkbook, pantry, closet, and/or calendar.  Are you who you think you are?

"Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes', and your 'No,' 'No'; . . . " Matthew 5:37

May your HealthFULL Journey be a true reflection of the person you were, the person who you want to be, and most imporantly the person you are. 'Til we meet again. . .  

Kazoo? Kabuki? KABOCHA!

Is this post about fun words - absolutely but it is also that time of the week where my family tried our new produce for the week.  Drumroll.....Kabocha squash.  Now those who read this blog know I am a huge fan of winter squashes and love when we try a new type.  The Kabocha squash did not disappoint.  I have read in a couple of articles that winter squashes have several redeeming qualities for diabetics.  (Usually lower in calories, high in fiber, and certain compounds that help regulate blood sugar levels).  What a produce that I enjoy the taste and is good for me - YAY!  Also another quality I love about winter squash is that you can pick it up when shopping and not cook it right away.  Most varieties store really well for quite a while.  But if the product is not in the best shape to begin with you will see squishy spots and mold.  (Been there, done that!) 

So the Kabocha squash looks a lot like a butter cup squash.  Think mini green pumpkin.  Which is a common reference for the Kabocha squash is Japanese pumpkin.  When you cut into the squash which is fairly easy with a good chef's knife (but all squash is easy to cut into compared to my arch nemesis the turban squash!)  The inside was a gold/orange color - almost greasy to the touch or more appetizing description a dry wet sensation.  Like it was moist but has begun to dry. It is a sweet squash and according to several websites sweeter than butternut squash.  Which means unless you have an overt sweet tooth you will want to balance the sweetness with another taste - spicy or sour. 

Well we chose to roast our squash.  Which if you are looking for an easy way to add/cook more producefor your household.  Turn the oven to 400, add a couple of spices, throw produce on cookie sheet or roasting pan, and check every 10 - 20 minutes.  You will have no excuse why you are not eating a wider variety of vegetables.  (We enjoy brussel sprouts and this approach is the best way to prepare them. Cut them in half (this helps crisp the outside but an almost puree quality inside).Throw them in the oven with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.   Magnificent.  Great replacement for french fries.  So easy too!)  So back to the squash.  That's right we roasted.  And the Kabocha squash is on the smaller side usually with a thin and edible peel (when roasted).  So my hubby just cut the squash in half, removed the seeds, and then cut the squash into wedges/slices leaving the peel on.  This takes maybe five minutes.  We chose to go the spicy route and used the following recipe: http://www.justhungry.com/sweet-and-spicy-roasted-kabocha-squash .  The oil is truly a drizzle and the spice mixture we used for two small squash (so that we can have yummy leftovers) was more than plenty and you can use less than the 3 tbsps of sugar recommended.  

This recipe with the spice really brought out the sweet tones of the squash and that little bit of kick keeps the squash from being too dessert - like.  But plenty sweet to satisfy those cravings.  I enjoyed eating a couple piece like artichoke leaves where you take the slice and hold the peel while scraping the flesh with your teeth.  (My hubby cut small wedges - if you only cut the squash into six or eight pieces you probably won't want to try this technique). Also ate a slice with the peel as it is edible and packed with fiber. 

Don't be afraid to play with your food.  We all need to eat for fuel.  But it helps when the food tastes good, is fun to prepare,  and good for our bodies.  So be adventurous, learn your quirks.  Some of us have texture issues, some of us like to challenge our visual cues and eat the rainbow, some of us favor spicy foods.  Learn your wants by experimenting and testing your boundaries.

May your HealthFULL Journey be a mirror to yourself and the world about who you are and who you want to be - may they meet soon. 'Til we meet again. . .

Cool as a Cucumber

What a fun week!  I truly enjoyed my TGIF as I looked forward to a couple hours with me, myself, and I.  Heavenly as it started with a leisurely stroll through our local library.  I picked up a couple of new excercise DVDs to try - Cardio Hip Hop and some Yoga.  I may not hit every step (as my Wii Fit reminded me this morning that I seriously lack rhythm) but I will have some fun.  Speaking of my friend Wii Fit.  I counted my stamps for showing up - 15 out of the last eighteen days.  Yay me!  I "work out" at least thirty minutes to an hour on the Wii Fit.  And the three days missing stamps - I could recall walking at least thirty minutes those three days.  Reminders!  Stickers, marks, measurements, scale, lists, blood sugar readings - anything visual to remind ourselves that we are making positive changes and true healthFULL strides.  Its easy to throw in the towel when you feel the world against you - the scale numbers went up, pants feel tight, or you feel HUNGRY.  Not hungry lets grab an apple or a handful of nuts.  I'm talking HUNGRY where you will hop into the car and drive to the nearest fast food while speed dialing the pizza place for your old friends that brought happiness (brief along with shame, guilt, fat, carbs, grease - you get the point :)  Thats the exact moment you need a reminder.  These changes are making a difference.  And speaking of changes while at the library I picked up a book to offer me guidance on adjusting to the diabetes diagnosis and a cook book dedicated to those who don't want to sacrifice flavor but want to remain carb conscious.

And speaking of cooking?  I have found myself in the kitchen a lot this week.  My hubby was the main chef tonight (grilling up some cheesy Portabella mushroom burgers - where the mushroom is the patty - hold the bun for me) and I helped with the sides; yummy acorn squash and drumroll as I prepared our featured rookie produce of the week - hothouse cucumbers.  Oh I enjoy cucumbers.  Actually I have a story from when I was in Alaska.  I stayed with many wonderful people who went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and trying to prepare meals with my uncommon food restrictions.  At the time I was eighteen and I didn't eat pork, red meat, or caffeine (that's right no chocolate) for about six years.  I also missed home comforts and our kitchen staples.  When you grow up with certain pantry items you assume everyone has them all the time.  Not the case.  We were staying in a fishing cabin and as we were guests we rarely shopped for our meals.  They were provided so no room to really complain.  But that also means we had little say in our meals.  I remember the host offered cucumber slices.  I went bananas.  Something fresh and raw that I like.  It was cool and crisp and tasty.  I used to dissect my food.  I didn't like food to touch and liked flavors separate.  I ate the non favorite items first and left my favorites for the end.  Meaning sub sandwiches I would eat the lettuce and tomato first (wasn't a fan) and then the meat and then the yummy cheese and maybe some of the bread.  Or salads I would pick out the tomatoes and gulp them down, olives, and then left the one or two cucumber slices with a little ranch for near the end , right before the croutons.  And when the host offered such a simple treat it brought back that joy of a simple treat and comfort of home.  My mom makes me a special creamy cucumber salad (that to this day I am not sure if anyone else in our house liked it). 

So I tried to marinate my Hothouse cucumber today.  Something cooler to go against the warming cozy squash.  It was okay.  I enjoyed the cucumber the peel is not very thick.  And the cucumber has length (at least 16 inches).  Not too many seeds, mellow flavor.  But I didn't pick the best marinade.  A recipe suggested an onion to accompany the cucumber but we were down to our last onion in the house and who doesn't love some caramelized onions on their burger - especially if it is bunless :)  I used a white wine vinegar with some fennel seed (which gives it a licorice kick at the end), pepper, onion powder to accomodate the missing veggie (poor substitute choice as you need the bite of onion more than the flavor), a little dill (because it's a friendly well-known flavor to the cucumber) and a pinch of a sugar.  It needed to marinade a little longer with a little more sweetness.  Which possibly could have come from the onion.  Good produce, poor choices. 

It was a tasty meal and our adventures in the kitchen is bringing my hubby closer.  Not only do we share discussion of how to prepare items and a chance to rub shoulders but to build memories and traditions. Since I am a romantic at heart I love having a cheesy unified foundation to share with our son as he grows older.

May your HealthFULL Journey help you discover your simple pleasures, form heartwarming traditions, and joy. 'Til we meet again. . .

Hit that Snooze one more time

Oh you've done it.  Admit it.  You hit the snooze button.  More than once, almost every day.  Lately we don't use the alarm clock.  Oh we set it every night pretending that is the time we get to sleep.  However, our alarm is a cute 2 1/2 ft almost one year old with might fine lungs.  And he is enjoying learning how to use his "voice".  Each morning we are awakened to a "new" sound.  Sometimes giggles, cries, screams, babble, and pitches from murmuring to squealing.  But this alarm comes with no snooze.  He runs on his own energy source and only when he deems it is snooze time will the alarm be quieted.  But this morning I had to work early so I awoke to the alarm. . . at 5:30 am.  I have been faithfully working out in the morning to feel energetic and trying to lower the blood sugar ASAP.  With life these days if I leave the work out until later; later NEVER happens. 

But this morning was a SNOOzzzzze morning.  Where thirty minutes would make a world of difference.  I even argued in my head as I returned to bed across the room.  If I want work outs to be a priority then here is my chance.  To choose exercise over sleep, to choose health right now vs.  I'll get to it.  And then I crawled into my covers and nestled my pillow.  And thirty minutes later I hit the snooze one more time for a five minute refresher.  Then I forced myself out of bed scolding myself I am going to regret missing that uninterrupted time for exercise.  Finally I bartered with myself and scheduled myself to walk at least a half hour at work (even arguing with myself I couldn't help but snicker "Yeah right!")

Hold on though - I didn't walk thirty minutes today at work I walked forty-five.  That's right I was able to squeeze in 5000 steps right around my office.  Did I want to?  Not every step of the way.  Am I glad that I did it?  Resounding yes!  Because once I left work it became a whirlwind of little events that become easy distractions.

Health has became a major priority.  No excercising isn't always my number one on the list.  But it is  high and is a must do on the list.  Not the list ; when I have time, later, soon,  whatever, who cares.  Because excercise has been on all of those lists.  Now movement hits the list with a planned agenda - when, where, and for how long.  I snuck my tennis shoes on my feet as a way of telling myself.  You're doing this and there is no excuse.  You've got your shoes, you've got the time, and you could use the boost (sunshine, fresh air, endorphin rush, you name it - I needed it :) 

I feel good.  It's amazing how accomplished I feel because I crossed an important to do off my list.  Yeah it is frustrating that it will be right back on top of the list tomorrow. But for today it was crossed off.  Just have to keep reminding myself - this is not a healthFULL race but a HealthFULL journey.

May your HealthFULL Journey find successful and satisfying ways to accomplish your priorities. 'Til we meet again. . .

To Cook or NOT to Cook

It has been a good week this week.  Even my Wii congratulated me on my healthy success.  I worked out seven days in a row and the machine admired my dedication.  I'll take the pats on the back from anywhere I can :)  Other good news is that my blood sugar continues to decline slowly and my blood tests came back from the doctor with some thumbs up.   Cholesterol is awesome (so awesome the nurse questioned if I take cholesterol medication ) Ha HA no!  But I was ready for something to come back good.  I also checked my blood pressure and that is well within a healthy range.  Its nice to get some positive feedback and see true results.  Because on those tough days it is easy to tempt ourselves and lose sight of the goal.  But when results keep appearing it strengthens your resolve and keeps temptation at bay. 

However, temptation still creeps at the edges and sneak surprises us.  I had pizza.  After three weeks of no pizza, no pasta, and a serious decline in bread consumption I gave up the fight.  We had planned squash soup for Wednesday night.  (Remember that excess turban squash?)  We had purchased a beautiful butternut squash.  Color was a beautiful tan with an almost flawless peel.  And butternut squash is by far our household favorite squash - versatile, great flavor with a hint of sweetness, and long shelf life.  Once again I was home with our little one for the day and had plans to peel and cube the newly purchased squash for soup.  The day quickly flew by and by dinner time I was drained.  I had no desire to hack through a squash after my recent bout with the turban squash.  I turned to my hubby and hinted and than downright suggested pizza for dinner.  He hesitantly agreed; excited at the prospect but wanted to be supportive of our new lifestyle.  Easily 3 weeks is the longest we have ever gone without pasta or pizza for a meal.  We switched up our regular order as two pizzas are pretty normal so that we can have at least a breakfast and lunch covered too.  Plus a side of breadsticks (I love to dip!).  But no longer are carbs our friends or at least mine.  New order some wings with one pizza with extra thin crispy crust.  I limited myself to three pieces which is not slices but smaller squares.  And my blood sugar remained right on track.  Obviously not an every night a choice but a treat that didn't bust the bank.  And out of my guilt I prepped the butternut squash that night (and some onions) so there would be NO excuse to make the soup Thursday.  I think I was scared of the squash due to the Turban incident but the butternut was so easy and quickly prepped within fifteen minutes.  We did eat a delicious soup Thursday (still have leftovers - but soup leftover is yummier than the original meal as the flavors deepen and blend). 

Speaking of prepping veggies which helps keep me on track to eating healthier.  The veggie (or I should say fruit) of the week was the graffiti eggplant.  How fun!  Eggplant is delicious produce that I enjoyed stewed, roasted, grilled, fried, and baked. The graffiti eggplant has an interesting outer layer.  The peel is either ivory with purple stripes or purple with ivory stripes.  The texture was super smooth; almost plastic - like.  Otherwise the graffiti eggplant is very similiar to the classic eggplant.  So to test out our new produce we oven roasted the eggplant with onions, mushrooms, and peppers drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  YUM!  We treated it like a salad and let it cool in the fridge as a side to our turkey meatloaf.  The roasted produce had a tangy but sweet flavor with great textures of soft and chewy (eggplant and mushrooms) with a little bite (peppers and onions). 

The moral of the story - a little prep work in the kitchen eases the cooking decision.  I know it sounds like work and it takes a little bit of effort.  But if you can spare that ten - fifteen minutes the night before after your belly is satisfied.  It will save time (why debate the choice if the food is already prepped) and you can do the fun stuff right away (stirring and mixing and cooking) and money is easier to hang unto when you aren't paying someone else to feed you.

May your HealthFULL Journey include treats, wisdom, and effort. 'Til we meet again. . .

And God Laughs. . .

You remember the last good joke you heard?  Do you notice the difference of your reaction from the first time you heard the joke from the second?  I am talking a doozy of a joke that you can't wait to repeat and even when telling it you chuckle because you know the punchline.  Well God decided to share a joke with me - we'll call it Friday the 14th :)  Oh  how God chuckled throughout the day knowing the punchline.  I however nervously tittered throughout the day with a few tears springing to my eyes as I "waited" with anticipation for the punchline.  Let's see if you appreciate the punchline. . .

Now I have been recently diagnosed with diabetes and I am treating the diagnosis as not a horror show tragedy but a wake up call.  So like a good girl I have been to the doctor and following up as requested.  I had labs scheduled for a quick draw of blood after fasting to see where my body stands now: Cholesterol, Iron Levels, and so on.  No problem I pass the hospital on my way to work.  I'm in, I'm out, and bada bing on the way to work.  Oh but see I did not realize that I had a day of fun planned.  As part of my follow up my doctor requested that I drop off my blood sugar numbers from the previous week and half to see how I am doing.  I drop off the numbers and found out that I was early to my lab appointment as I was suppose to be there where I dropped off the numbers.  I thought I was suppose to go across the street.  Bonus for me - Today is my lucky day (God must have just roared at that thought!)  The receptionist tells me to take a seat and I will be called shortly.  Tick tock goes the clock over and over - the minutes slowly tick away.  Well here comes ten o'clock the time I am suppose to BE AT WORK.  Thirty minutes have passed and still no one has called my name.  And just as I am about to stand up to see what is going on a technician walks out and calls my name and another person's.  I think. . . It was quietly spoken, and the technician did not come into the waiting room, just the hallway and I have a semi popular last name. I go to the spot that I think I heard my name.  Nobody there and the doors have shut to the lab.  I look around questioningly - like a lost puppy and a woman who looks like she means business comes out of a different doorway looks me up and down - I must have passed the test of someone who looks like they are ready to have blood drawn - And barks out "Sullivan?"  Yes ma'am reporting for duty ma'am.  Let's do this and then an older lady catches up to us and follows us.  And then we both go into the lab room passing the lab waiting room.  I think "Oh, maybe I was supposed to wait there. Maybe that's what the receptionist meant when she said "have a seat".  She probably meant " go around these cubicles, take a right , walk down the hallway, go through the double locked doors and take a left and have a seat in the lab waiting area."  I just miss such obvious directions.  I have never had a double date when I have had blood drawn.  Not a huge fan I must say.  I am a bit nervous to have my own blood drawn (this may be because it usually takes several attempts, a couple of insults due to small, wiry, twisty veins, and a few bruises).  The other lady gets to go first so I get to be extra nervous. I'm from the North where we tend to be conservative and pride ourselves on letting everyone have their privacy unlike the tendency in the South to be open and personable, and share personal details.  I am trying to look at the floor, the ceiling, look "friendly" but not nosy.  She gets to leave quickly.  And then my turn.  But wait to keep things moving they call back another person.  No problem.  Oh but it is an elderly lady with a daughter as her escort.  A feisty daughter who starts to get into a passive agressive verbal battle with the technician.  Awesome.  Please upset the lady who is about to draw my blood.  Thank you. Wait, what is the technician grabbing.  A cup?  Oh no no no! I was not told about this part.  I am suppose to just have blood drawn.  Nope a urine sample too.  Yippee!  This Friday morning is getting better and better and I am already ten minutes late to work plus the drive. I hurry out of the clinic after my morning of fun.  Get to my truck and turn the key.  Roar of engine oh wait.  No that is the sound of nothing.  Turn the key again.  Yeah that is not the sound of a running engine.  Okay I will call hubby.  Cell phones are great.  No answer. I'll try again. Nope still no answer.  Keep it together Suzy!  Alright I will walk home as I don't live too far.  I drive by the hospital everyday and count it three blocks away.  In reality it is closer to a mile and half.  A little morning jaunt, with my purse, my lunch, my sweatshirt, and my bright blue bandage over where blood was drawn.  I was grateful to my shoe choice as they were canvas tennis shoes and not dress shoes.  Look at me still smiling.  And I even laughed with God.  How fun I am getting my work-out this morning.  Did I mention it was a fasting blood draw?  So I am starving and walking home,  I reach my hubby on the phone half way home - he is getting ready for work and it will be faster for me to walk home then him to finish getting ready and grab our son and drive to pick me up.  I agree (in a mumbly sort of way - the novelty of being assertive and seizing the opportunity is dwindling away with each passing step.).  I reach home and greet my favorite guys.  Who my son laughed in delight, my husband laughed, (God must have already shared the punchline with them) and I did that half smile/half cry.  We hop in the car and check on the truck.  My hubby is able to jump start the truck.  Yay hubby.  And we test out his handi-work.  We turn off the truck and try to restart it.  No go!  Okay we jump the truck again, victory!  But both of us work about fifteen miles away from home - interstate wise- not really safe to drive a vehichle that requires a jump start to get moving.  We get the truck home.  We then drop our son off for daycare and then drive my hubby to work and then I turn around to go to work. 

God was enjoying how he was building the punchline that he added a couple hours of extra fun.  As I was checking back in with work running close to three hours late - FANTASTIC! I find out I have three days worth of work sitting on my desk.  At this point - this simply can't be true.  I knew my boss was joking.  Except she wasn't laughing.  I got off the phone and was done.  I no longer carried the smile on my face, or the nodding of the head like good one.  No in my heart I felt like how a ticklefest goes one second to long, the teasing one time too many, or the prank that has too much clean-up.  Moments that were meant for levity that go so wrong in the blink of an eye because reality became too much.  That workload was the straw that broke the camel's back.  Because   I had been looking forward to three hours of uninterrupted time at home by myself before this day started.  Three hours of no cleaning, no listening for the baby, or helping my husband.  But just some quiet me time.  And when I heard that work announcement - poof the dream floated away. 

I arrived at work - late, knowing what awaited for me.  Yet, I was in a bit of denial.  I was hoping there had been a misunderstanding, a little stretch of the truth, or even that the work fairy had waved their magic wand.  But no, there was that much work to do (Secretly I still hoped to sneak out for a little hour or two of peace and quiet at home).  Here we go.    My office was phenomenal coming to my rescue but the hours flew by and my dreams faded away.  I worked up to the minute that I had to leave to pick up my son and then drive fifteen miles out of the way to pick up hubby.  And finally, home.  Sweet sweet home. 

What's the punchline?   Well the night before my hubby and I prayed the same prayer.  Our little one was under the weather, tugging his ears and running a fever.  We know he is teething but weren't sure if he was doing these things in response to that.  Or not feeling well.  As mommy do I keep him home and stay with him?  Or send him to his grandma's.  So the prayer we both said was "God please keep our son healthy.  And make it "PERFECTLY CLEAR" what Suzy should do with her day".  Get it?  God never gave me a moment of doubt about where I was supposed to be.  Our son slept soundly throughout the night and woke up with no fever so I didn't have to worry about if I should keep him home or not.  From the minute I woke up until the minute I got home I was on autopilot.  I had choices in my day but not really.  I could have waited at the hospital and not walked home.  But I possibly could have missed my hubby as his cell doesn't receive all calls.  We could have driven the truck but wouldn't know what would happen.  My choices left little doubt what to do and where to be.  I told you God laughed.  But then he knew the punchline.  Now I can tell the story with a smile because I too know the punchline and its a doozy.

May your HealthFULL Journey be filled with punchlines and laughter.  'Til we meet again. . .

A Little Exercise with a side of Turban Hash

            When counting my blessings I always thank God for my beautiful son and I also am grateful for those times when he naps.  This morning he woke up adorable ready for his bottle and why shouldn't he be refreshed?  As my li'l one decided at two nineteen this morning to wake up his mama after he crawled into bed at one eleven.  And then continued to stay awake for over an hour playing to his heart's content.  Needless to say after he took his bottle and began to look drowsy I was ecstatic to put him down for a morning nap.  A part of me desperately wanted to nap too.  But these days (with an infant on the move) if I hope to get anything accomplished I must utilize naptime for my priorities.  And priority number one was to get in some exercise. 

I quickly got myself ready after a five minute sit down whine to myself if I really did want to choose exercise over nap.  I did (at least after a very convincing argument from the angel on my right side - though temptation on the left side had some fine points!).  I dusted off the Wii Fit, well not dusted but did move some craft projects off the Wii Board.  My Wii shamed me into guilty feelings as it welcomed me back after 82 days.  Sorry Wii Fit, I forget that you count our days apart.  Lost a tish of a weight but was psyched about how good it felt to move.  I did some yoga where my instructor bailed.  I love you Nintendo people you make me laugh.  I use the female avatar trainer and the male trainer asked if it was okay if he subbed in. Too funny!  I moved thirty five minutes.  To end my work outs I usually use the balance games as cool downs.  There is one where you are to lean into the soccer ball while avoiding the clutter thrown (panda heads and shoes).  Do you know which position is the hardest for me to hit the soccer ball?  Standing still/straight - Have no issue with the leans to the left and to the right but if it is coming to me straight on I miss it every time.  Seems like an interesting metaphor.  I believe effort needs to be involved (sometimes too much effort) before I can acknowledge the rewards even when blessings are lining up to smack me right in the forehead. But this was this morning.

For my evening we tried our new veggie for the week.  A Turban Squash which we made into a hash.  If you ever see a Turban squash you have to stop and admire one.  They are beautiful, comical, and charming.  Their taste is good for those who like squash.  Preparing one of these is beastly which is why most people use them for decoration. When I picked it up from the grocery store they asked if it was for decoration or is it edible?  I chuckled and said "I am not sure." Which they responded with quizzical looks.  Why buy something if you don't know its use? Good question!  I admit I bought it because of its appearance and immediately upon my arrival home I looked up if it could be eaten.  Yes, recipes - excellent as it was bought to be the veggie of the week.  One great thing about winter squash is if properly stored and depending on the condition of the squash it can be kept several months.  Which is good.  Because my shopping and my cooking rarely meet as intended.  So tonight it was decided we would have squash - now to just find the right recipe.  I have read most squashes are interchangeable.  Therefore I picked out a hash recipe intended for butternut squash.  No biggie right?  Biggie!  This squash is a monster to prepare.  That beautiful crown/turban top - a beast to cut through!.  There is an obvious top and bottom to this squash and the top did not look very appealing.  So I chopped off the top and then the peel - oh my goodness at moments it felt like it was shellacked with a heavy duty plastic as the coating is quite thick for a squash.  And my poor peeler surrendered several times through the process but I muddled on.  Great we have peeled and lost the hat at this point.  What's next?  Well I was going for a hash so now we grate and grate and grate some more.  Buiding muscle, getting tired, and muttering why do I have these crazy brainstorms.  Should have just halved it and threw it in the oven to bake.  Easy - but no I wanted to attempt a hash.  Once I have enough grated I cubed the other portion.  Because that is one advantage to squash there is lots to work with usually.  Are we done?  Oh No!  Now we must remove the moisture.  Here is the second reason Turkish Turban Squash was not intended to be a hash.  They carry a lot of moisture - a lot!  Like past the point of ten paper towels soaking up its excess water.  Do you know what is the most popular recipe for Turkish Turban Squash? Soup.  You know why?  Because you don't have to peel the squash as you use it for the bowl because of its interesting exterior and that it brings a lot of richness with its moist flesh.  And its pros for soup making make turban squash are negatives for hash.  But I persist because I got this harebrained idea this would be a simple side for a simple dinner.  (Oh how I laugh at that thought now - a good hearty laugh!).  It was a tasty hash with simple ingredients after the squash prep.  The flesh was a beautiful deep yellow grated into hearty shreds, add some chopped onions with salt, pepper and both onion and garlic powder.  I think a dash of a nice potent spice would have added a tish more depth - like ginger or nutmeg.  But just a smidge - as the flavor is delicately balanced between savory and sweet.  But from I read on other blogs is that over cooking can create a bitterness but a steam or oven baked for the proper time can create a real nuttiness.  With a hash it barely got warm and was a little too wet to get that crispiness in the pan.  It was tasty, not tasty enough to outweigh the prep work.  But if you invited me over to have some turban squash I would probably go back for seconds.  I might lean towards a soup with my left over "squash cubes".  Lesson learned.  And that comes from experience.  So thumbs up on the turban squash taste - but definitely used the wrong recipe, thank goodness there can always be a next time.

May your HealthFULL Journey delight your senses and teach you through missteps and slam dunks.  'Til we meet again. . .

Ahhh the "Con" of Convenience

Well if you have read some of my other blog entries you may have read that I am recently diagnosed with diabetes.  I have ran with my denial long enough and am working at gaining control of my blood sugar and my health.  I have felt two extremes from this recent diagnosis. That debilitating illness and bitter enemy that ends sugar.  That dynamic influence aiding better efforts that encourage success. Both spell diabetes and either outlook can be a choice.  One can choose to succumb to the diagnose and can continue on their same path.  Or can take the diagnosis as a wake-up call.  Currently I feel 85% on board with the wake-up call and allow myself the occasional pity party ( I do love me a good pity party now and again :)  Don't get me wrong I miss the sweet taste and comforting starches, but what I really miss?  The convenience!  Oh when you wipe away high carb choices our pantry looks almost empty, so do restaurant choices, and 90% of a grocery store is off limits.  Good-bye pizza, pasta, rice, breads, and potatoes!  Eek!  Did you read those options?  I honestly believe in the previous six months of dinners (we'll say 180) my husband and I have included one of those ingredients/entrees for 165 of them.  If not all 180!  Why?  Because they are quick, easy to pull a meal together, and satisfying.  Can a meal get simpler than pulling a frozen pizza out of the freezer and heat up in the oven?  Not that I have found. 

This means when it comes to meal we have to pull out our thinking caps.  There can be creative ways around the carbs to pull out classic favorites.  Substitute spaghetti squash for pasta (though squash still is high in carbs it does carry the benefit of fiber).  I read a recipe where you treat flattened chicken like your pizza crust and cover it with some sauce, toppings, and cheese.  Sounds good.  But we aren't quite there yet in our meal preparation.  We are still being conned by convenience.  Rice dishes and pasta still call our names.  Pizza still beckons from the freezer section.  Even fruits get in their two cents about how they're healthy (but many exceed carb counts).  I love bananas but I am very picky about their color, size, and taste.  One banana usually exceeds snack proportions and I need something a little more filling for breakfast.  And to leave half for the next day isn't going to happen - talk about waste. Because well I still fall for their call.  And yet I can't break their peel knowing they are packed with carbs (and a million other wonderful benefits) but for right now I am focusing on my carb counts as I get my blood sugar numbers under control. 

I am a snacker and who doesn't appreciate handy snack portions - like a package of crackers, pudding cups, a snack size bag of chips, or my favorite - Little Debby?  Most of these are automatic no-nos according to my carb breakdowns for the day.  There are some "cheats"  so I can feel like "me".  But I don't want my carb counts to be slimmed down snack foods and want some of my options to count towards improving my health.  But again the "con" of convenience can knock me off the path with their snack size wrapping and luring promises of being the healthier alternative of their full-flavored carb loaded cousins.  Most of these versions remind you how much you miss the real thing and so in hindsight you either dump the healthier alternative or eat 3 trying to "con"vince yourself that it is almost as good as the real thing. 

This blog isn't about whining though.  Just a reflection that it is easy to tell oneself I miss the sweet flavor and the comfort of starch but if one gets really honest?  Doesn't the convenience factor rank just a bit higher?  The blissfullness of choosing anything one craves and that it comes in handy dandy packages or can be whipped up in a jiffy.  Oh I do miss that. But I love and appreciate more than convenience? Is that I feel I am gaining back energy that I and many sweet treats used to kid that their presence brought.  Saturday I felt like I was actually keeping up with my life and not running behind the bus.  I got major house cleaning done, ran some errands, spent quality time with  my hubby and son, and even found a little quiet time with me, myself, and I.  There is still a long road to follow on this HealthFULL Journey and I feel there will be some surprising turns, hills and dips, but I actually feel I can face it step by step now as this burden of overtiredness, excessive thirst, craving monster, distracted thoughts, slowly fades.  Good Riddance!  And convenience though I know you manipulate and tease I still do appreciate your efforts because sometimes we all need that lift and help that you do occasionally provide.

May your HealthFULL Journey echo success and be immune to the cons of convenience but still have room for those unexpected and appreciated conveniences that share their boost. 'Til we meet again. . .