O.K. I feel Southern now!

Why do I feel so southern all of a sudden.  Because this week our new vegetable of the week was ....OKRA!  I can't even describe the trepidation I felt trying this vegetable.  If you see one they look like amped up bean pods.  You know not string beans but a bean that has been hittin' the weight room and crossed that muscle bound bean with a jalapeno.  It has the exact same stem.  But when you slice the vegetable, cut off the ends and then slice like a banana chip you get the cutest wagon wheel slices.  To warn you though if you cut off the ends and look through the wheel shape - it almost looks like a mini corn is hiding inside the okra (I told you it is a vegetable that likes to bulk up - maybe because it does eat other veggies :)  And when I say mini corn - please picture Tom Hanks nibbling on one at the fancy dinner in the movie Big!  I say picture this scene because I did and it still makes me laugh 20+ years. 

Before trying okra I knew three things.  The South loves to fry okra.  That it has a slimy quality.  And if you want to make a good gumbo you really need this vegetable.  This is what I know.  This vegetable makes me feel Yankee (I did live in Minnesota for almost twenty years of my life!)  I worked in a grocery store for seven years and I do not recall ever once a customer buying okra, seeing okra, nor anyone mentioning if we carried okra.  And now around these parts it is a staple vegetable.  OR at least seems that way - because now I see it and even know that it exists.

We ended up with okra because I sent my fabulous hubby to the store and he brought me home okra.  That is a bit intimidating as this guy is from Louisiana and if you read the paragraph above gumbo was one of the three things I knew about okra.  I double-checked that he didn't intend for me to make gumbo - that's one of those dishes that usually comes from a secret family recipe passed down from generation to generation - no written recipe but one you learn hands - on.  You remember my family is from the Midwest/North - I did not learn how to make gumbo.  I'm not saying I won't ever attempt it but I feel that is years into the future.  So if we agreed gumbo wasn't the way to go and the whole purpose to try new veggies and fruits is an attempt to eat healthier I didn't really want to fry the okra; which between gumbo and deep frying it breaded wiped out at least eighty percent of the recipes we had to do some digging.  Tip for okra recipe research - look for southern cookbooks.  Don't look in vegetarian manuals, nor your commercial commodities - but a good ol' southern church cookbook is where we found several recipes.  We even stumbled among one not deep fried or gumbo - smothered okra (I know you hear smothered and add the Southern adjective you are probably thinking gravy - but you would be wrong.....and disappointed like me :)  Smothered in this recipe meant onions and tomatoes: which is an excellent combination.

So if two of my three bits of knowledge about okra are immediately discluded from my recipe (deep fried and gumbo)  all I am left to deal with is - the slime factor.  Who wants to eat a vegetable that is suppose to be slimy?  I see slime on any of my produce it is time for that produce and I to part ways as I throw it away.  Not okra!  When I was growing up my mom did not have many house plants but she always seemed to have an aloe plant.  You take the sticky slimy sap from the plant and place it on burns.  I used the aloe plant quite a bit - I was a clutzy kid.  And I have to tell you as my hubby and I started to slice our okra - flashbacks to the aloe plant kept popping in my head: especially, when I would have to scrape the vegetable and seeds off my knife as they would stick to the slime.  Yuck!!! 

But together my hubby and I were able to slice up our okra and ready to be smothered.  We did use a little oil to "stir-fry".  I think the heat helps to eliminate the slime factor; which is why you see okra fried or that it has time to cook down for a long time in a stew such as gumbo.  The smothered approach was great as you cook okra with these big flavors - onions, garlic, and tomatoes.  It isn't easy to describe okra.  It had a good flavor - something like asparagus (which I really enjoy - especially for a "green" vegetable).  It's not as earthy as you might imagine (especially if you compare okra to a bean or pea pod).

It was hard to get past the sliminess; but once cooked properly you completely forget that it did release quite a bit of sap. Okra is a tasty vegetable.  It is packed with fabulous fiber and with lots of other nutritional boosts. I am now a true believer with Southern pride that will once again purchase this vegetable.

May your HealthFULL Journey not only test your boundaries but help you to face your fears and in turn make you stronger every single day. 'Til we meet again . . . 

Make your dish a Superstar!

How is one quick way you can jazz up any dish with a bit of whimsy?  Starfruit!!! I love dreamlike shapes (hearts, stars, moons,smiley faces).  I have been intrigued by this fruit for years.  But kind of nervous to try.  If you pick up the fruit it has a waxy texture to the outside.  The thought of peeling this fruit is a nightmare.  But after reading a couple of facts about this beautiful fruit I learned that most recipes recommend the fruit to be eaten in its raw state without peeling the waxy layer.  Its recommended to cut the fruit into THIN vertical slices so that you can maximize the fascinating shape.  Another reason I was tempted to stay away was that I thought the fruit would be overly sweet like a pineapple.  As the starfruit (a.k.a. carambola) ripens it moves from a greenish tone to a bright yellow.  Think of the coloring of another tropical fruit like the banana.  When unripened there is a greenish hue to the fruit and as it ripens it develops an intense yellow shade of color and once you start to see brown spots the fruit is beginning to become overripe.  The texture of the waxy peel is hardly noticeable once you cut the slices thin.  Also when you think of tropical fruit ; it is easy to imagine a juicy, sweet bite.  The starfruit is quite crisp - think of the crunch when biting into an apple - there is that really bright crisp bite.  However I found the flavor to be more like a dry nectarine.  The flavor is familiar but not automatically common and the tone doesn't linger on your taste buds.  It really is a great addition to a salad.  First it adds such a dazzling display as a garnish or topping to the salad.  Plus with it not being overly flavorful it blends really well with other flavors but gives that fresh bite and sturdy texture with its crispy bite. 

Nutritionally, there is a lot of good that comes from the starfruit.  Like most tropical fruits it is a vitamin C powerhouse.  It is a lot of fruit for a little amount of calories. The average starfruit will only cost you about forty calories with a good fiber exchange.  According to this website http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Fruits/Carambola.html : a starfruit has the ability to meet fifteen percent of the recommending fiber intake.  

A starfruit is really easy way to try a new produce item that probably isn't common in your household.  It is mild flavor.  Easy preparation before eating.  Wash the fruit under water, remove the ends, and slice vertically.  There were about three seeds that were easy to spot near the center of the fruit that we just flicked out with the knife.  And voila you have a fruit ready to eat.  Plus it is star-shaped! How much fun is it to eat foods in fun shapes?  And this one is naturally made like a star. 

May your HealthFULL Journey delight you with the beauty and whimsy of nature. 'Til we meet again. . .

Bringing more Green into the World

Think Green.  We use that color to explain so many things - clean environment, safe products, money, the color, someone is looking sick, jealousy.  We like this color, we use this color, we discuss this color.  But do you eat this color?  Oh I know you just blushed.  Because we love green green but many of us as kids decided that healthy green vegetables have no place in our world or our tummies.  But as an adult we are told these foods are "good for us" because they are so "healthy".  And our reactions range usually from "Blech!"  or if I must *take a bite with eyes closed super tight and nose plugged with other hand while other hand holds the fork ready to jam the green health food into our mouths.  I should preface most adults are like this who haven't really given "greens" a chance. 

Actually, they are quite tasty.  Are you thinking I am a pod person?  No I am one of you I promise.  Green vegetables to me used to mean no flavor or rabbit food.  But as I allow myself to use them more often I am becoming more familiar with their tastes and textures and what works for a meal (at least in our household) and what most likely won't be crossing the threshold of our home.  If you haven't guessed yet we ate Turnip Greens for the veggie of the week.  Quite tasty and now having sampled a variety I can share a little bit of their differences. 

We'll call them the Big Five Greens. (If for no other reason because our household has sampled all five and they are fairly common at popular supermarkets so you can too sample all five and pick your favorite :)

If you shop at Whole Foods they label produce with ANDI scores.  According to http://www.belsandia.com/andi-score-andi-nutrition-rating-system.html ANDI stands for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index developed by Dr. Joel Fuhrman which
basically identifies the most nutritional bite you can chew meaning high nutrients for less calories - this works high in the favor of greens but works against healthy fats (nuts, olive oil).  So though I find the information interesting and worth learning it - by no means should it dictate your diet completely.  Eat with knowledge is what I advise (and I am just a person with little nutrition background - more of a recent hobby and by no means have a doctor license.)

So our big five green choices: Kale, Mustard, Turnip, Collard, and Beet greens is what I plan to compare.  First off the first four listed: Kale, Mustard, Turnip, and Collard Greens have an ANDI score of 1000.  Which is the highest score listed on the ANDI.  Beet greens come in at a much lower number.  I think in the 300s but I had trouble finding the actual number online. 

My favorite green is the Turnip Green which we just tasted last night.  We cooked it typical southern fashion where you boil it down with spices and some tasty fat.  Not the healthiest preparation but I think is a great way to introduce yourself to the vegetable.  They have a bit firmer texture than collards but definitely not as strong as kale.  So the turnip greens hold up really well for a soup or the boil down method.  And then you can use the stock to create flavorful rice or soup.  The turnip greens have a great spiciness to the ending of their bite that allows it to incorporate with a smoky, salty, or sweet flavor.  We ate the greens with some cod and a little bit of rice and a cool cucumber salad.  Odd mixture but we were trying to finish up some odds and ends.  The greens mixed well with the whole meal. 

Second up for my favorite are beet greens.  They have such a delicateness to their leaves and sweetness as they carry some of the beet flavor into their red veins.  We wilt these down in a saute pan with a small amount of liquid (a flavored vinegar usually and some water just to wet the pan and allow the green's water to do the rest of the wilting) with a bit of salt and pinch of sugar (to really highlight the greens' natural sweetness) a bit of pepper or other "spice" and you have a delicious, nutritious, and super easy side.  I think this green is a great way to incorporate greens into a kid's diet (or the apprehensive adult).  The liquid clinging to the greens is usually tinged red which adds some color, beauty, and for the crowd who appreciates it a bright purply tinged blood :)

Third I will go for the much talked about superfood - Kale.  Kale is a strong leaf both texture wise and flavor.  Its dark color is from all the nutrients that call this vegetable home.  Kale is strong enough to handle some baking and many people I know brag about Kale chips.  I have it down as a recipe to definitely try ( I do warn you the smell in the oven is a bit strong - think burning leaves - but the taste is fantastic :)  We have had kale several ways.  Raw in some salads - such as a quinoa salad with some fruit to sweeten the salad.  We have also half wilted, half sauteed the leaves.  I prefer cooked kale vs. raw kale.  I feel it holds a bitter taste which I am not a huge superfan.  But have learned it can work when balanced against other flavor profiles. 

Collard greens are a staple around these parts of the country ( I am based in South Carolina).  I can honestly say I do not recall ever seeing Collard Greens let alone ringing them up (I worked in a grocery store for 7+ years in northern Minnesota) until we moved here.  And my husband remembers eating them for most New Years' Days.  For the last couple of years we have tried to uphold the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas and our collard greens to bring us both luck and prosperity into our upcoming year.  I find the collards a bit more fragile than the hearty greens and a bit more mild. Kale has bitterness, turnips have spiciness, and beets have sweetness and collards just are collards in my opinion.  We have only had collard greens in the boil 'em down fashion.  Maybe worth trying a new method for these.

And my least favorite green are the Mustard Greens.  I truly believe this has to do with our preparing them like collard greens and drowning what I imagine to be a sour spicy flavor.  I enjoy true mustard taste as was quite disappointed that I didn't love these greens thinking these would be my most favorite.  Maybe I went into the tasting with too much expectation.  They also are pretty hardy for leaf strength - not quite like weight lifter kale but runner - up definitely.  I haven't given up on these leaves yet.  They deserve a second chance but with a recipe more their style.

Hope this gave you a new understanding and appreciation for the world of greens.  Don't be afraid of them (you are even stronger than kale.  Imagine how strong you would be if you ate kale  :)

May your HealthFULL Journey be filled with culinary adventures, active happiness, and inspiring motivation. 'Til we meet again. . .    

Stupid Pothole!

You've seen 'em.  But have you fallen trap to the potholes in your life?  I am talking figuratively and literally here.  It has been two weeks and the real life pothole I hit still haunts me and my car.  With the holiday season I feel I am hitting a lot of potholes.  I have tried to throw on a smile, count my blessings, and hope for better.  But sometimes you need a moment to acknowledge and even yell at the pothole.  The pothole caused me stress in several ways.  I was driving to work early.  Which right there tends to not work in my favor.  We had been told to come in an hour and half late.  I figured I could at least be on time if not a tish early.  I am driving down the interstate.  Go to switch lanes as I am not a right lane driver.  And as I begin to accelerate to switch lanes, I check my blind spot only to turn in enough time to see my car is about to hit a huge pothole.  I have enough time to tense my body and see the pothole but not enough to react.  Ker-PLUNK.  Oh no.  Please Onyx the Smokemobile be okay.  Please.  PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!  Okay all tires still moving three seconds past the kerplunk.   Maybe just maybe I can breathe normally again.  Oh no here comes the exclamation point light with a loud series of beeps.  This means my car is upset with my choice and needs pronto care.  I have accepted in this world there are three topics that my brain does not compute.  I have accepted and try to avoid the topics.  You can use kindergarten language and I will not comprehend possibly my ignorance, possibly my stubbornness.  Those three topics are : Directions (I married a human compass), Computers(Ironic as I do data entry for my job), and Cars (sad because I have had lots of car problems in my lifetime).  So when my car yells at me.  I pull over on the INTERSTATE.  Because this doesn't happen on a nice quiet suburb street with speed limits of 25 mph.  But where the speed limit is 60 and you know people are passing me at 80 mph easily.  I scoot over my car seat to examine my tires.  What am I looking for?  I have no idea.  A huge gash, I touch the tires firmness, kick a few and climb back into my car to call my husband and cry.  This is how I handle car problems.  I used to call my dad but now with my mature age I call my spouse.  I am thinking of any way in the world he could handle this problem and I could be on my way to work.  In less than a year I have had to call my work and explain my abscence/tardiness on car problems at least three maybe four times.  All true.  But still how understanding can my company be?   But my hubby convinces me to put on my big girl britches and get the car to the tire place.  However with my crying and procrastinating the tire has begun to leak.  I now officially have a flat tire as I find out as I start driving on the interstate.  I beg for the car to hold on.  As I slowly descend on the front driver side.  As I wait at the stop light at the first available exit ramp where the tire place is located I feel my car slowly shift down.  Even a fellow driver lowers his window to offer his expertise that my tire is indeed flat.  I nod with my teary eyes and he thumbs ups me.  Good I am glad our exchange has warranted a thumbs up.  I felt like a hand gesture as well but as I had a death grip on the steering wheel in determined prayer and hope that the car will just last to the car place.  I reach my destination (thank you GPS for your assistance).  I grab my tire consultant.  He escorts me to my car and asks if I was using my spare but he was able to answer his own question.  Thank goodness as my eyes already moisten over with my lack of knowledge.  Did I just hurt my tire which we have a lifetime guarnantee as we have had three nails in the tire issue again in under a year (thanks neighbors for all getting your roofs redone!)  Oh no I damaged two rims pretty severely and as they can't match the rims exactly we might want to purchase four new rims.  Oh goody.  Stupid pothole!  He helps me and in ten days the tires worked well.  I was a little late for work but life went on.  But starting Thanksgiving.  We hear this rubbing, colliding, tumbling sound from the rear tire.  We take it in to the tire shop not once but twice.  The experts hear nothing.  To me and my husband it sounds like we are about to lose the wheel on left handed turns and big bumps in the road.  I could probably drive it to work but I am opting for the older truck (1995 vs 2008).  I don't think work would appreciate a fourth call pertaining to vehichle issues.  And I am not willing to risk my safety on two different interstates with the mystery sound.  Stupid pothole!    So you have hear my literal pothole issue. 

Let's discuss those figurative potholes.  Those food temptations that are too powerful to ignore.  Those emotional triggers that cause rash reactions.  Those stressful issues that overload positive actions.  Those demanding unexpected bills that require as much attention as the routine bills.  And illness that renders daily schedules and lists useless.  I have recently dealt with a cold but what was even more demanding of attention was my son's illness.  My poor li'l guy.  It's official he has dealt with his first illness and it was a doozy.  A rising temp nearing a 104 degrees F (I was terrified as I touched the back of his neck and it burnt my hand), an ear infection, bronchialitis with major congestion and trouble keeping his milk down.  Like I said poor guy.  With my cold and my pothole I was mustering through what I could.  But shut down the world when my son got sick.  He gained my whole attention and everything else faded into the background.  Another pothole. 

Things are improving and thankfully my son is rebounding well.  I have been beating myself up over the backward steps and the non movement forward on my healthfull journey.  Playing the scenarios in my head of different choices I could have made in attempt of missing the potholes.  Sure I could have missed some of them but in return I might have hit others even harder.  I have to remind myself.  The potholes happened. They can't be erased and more will appear.  I can try to swerve but sometimes they can't be avoided.  We have to deal with the repercussions and only once the mess is contained and handled can we press forward once again.  So slowly I am evaluating my position.  How many steps backward did I take?  And how quickly can I get back to the journey? 

May your healthFULL journey contain few potholes.  But when it does I pray that you will gain strength, wisdom, and that you remain as unharmed as possible.  'Til we meet again . . .

Cleaning up my act

I was so excited for Friday night.  My hubby and I were going to party like we were a couple in their mid twenties basically meaning we were childless for a night as a grandma and grandpa offered their services for a night.  Yay us!  Oh so much fun was in store like - eating dinner when we wanted and no scheduling around our son's feedings and bedtime.  We could be as loud as we wanted watching tv or talking.  We could both just relax in separate rooms watch tv, listen to music, play on the computer and no one had to be on monitor duty or entertaining our lil' one.  And we could watch a movie uninterrupted, together!  Crazy times I realize.  I picked up a treat after work and was driving home with a big smile on my face.  I also had a lightbulb moment about my HealthFULL Journey to share with Corey.  I have become obsessed with this journey and myself (my actions, my emotions, my troubles,  me me me, my my my! Blech!) Focus equals great, intensity sometimes beneficial, obsession like Fatal Attraction means disaster!  So Friday I tuned out of all "me" business and started to observe my surroundings and keep things positive. I planned my Friday to be fabulous and myself to be friendly.  Oh I tried and fought my way through frustrating moments and kept my determination to turn outward, focus on my journey but stop obsessing about my bad luck.  I people-watched at the library which was fantastic.  There were some great people to observe.  I delighted in other people's quirks.  Let the Friday festivities begin as I walk into my house and before I can declare "let the good times roll".  I notice the footstool out of place.  Ummmm....Cor is everything alright?  His response "Yeah".  Mine: "Why is the footstool in the foyer?" His reply: "Oh it's really hot in here." Check thermostat - hmm yeah it's 84+ degrees in the house and the air conditioner is set on 70 that is pretty hot! So our romantic/fun night of freedom included the air conditioner man at our house at 8:30 at night, after we had 4 agencies on stand-by.  So this last week we have had the plumber out and the air conditioner people while waiting for the roofers to call back about their availability.  Awesome leaking roof, mushy carpet, and no air circulation.  Fantastic! Still smiling world - try to pi** in my cheerios but I am gonna grit my teeth and grin! We got our movie in and the house officially began to cool.  Simple fix that hubby of course suggested and I shot down instantly.  So with my pizza I ate some humble pie.  But Saturday is a new day.  I was going to exercise and eat healthier. And FOCUS not obsess!  I checked in with the grandparents and planned to work out before my son's arrival but realized how I could get some serious cleaning done with function of both arms and eyes.  So I turned the work out into cleaning.  In an hour I put away two loads of laundry, started another, swept, vacuumed, and played return - items scavenger hunt (returning items from one room to another and when entering drop off room gather items and return to their original spot. For instance 15 books had found their way into our bedroom that belonged upstairs, upstairs had loose socks, garbage, baby and dog toys, and so I returned the toys and then took big garbage outside).  It felt so good to get little things checked off the to-do list and build up a sweat. I could have done exercise by following one of my new library DVDs (which I so excited to try).  But because I was not obsessing on perfect HealthFULL Journey I could keep my focus but realize that yes I have other obligations.  If this isn't to be a diet (which it is not) but a lifestyle change (which it is) then I have to incorporate my efforts and intentions into my real life.  Yes there is time to pull out the DVD as some me time but there are other times to get creative.  Everyday is a lesson on this journey because I am Finally Understanding Life by Living and that means to me to stop being an observer in this world and being an active participant.

May your HealthFULL Journey lead you to focus on what truly is important.  May your journey help strengthen your awareness, awaken your passions, and lead you to true joy. 'Til we meet again. . .

Are you Open?

For the most part the word Open has a positive feeling. We hope stores our open. We wait impatiently for elevators and subway cars to open. In sports you tend to get the ball more when you're open. We speak highly of people who remain open-minded or that they love so openly. I think we all can appreciate openness because it means we are allowed entrance. When you open yourself up to another it allows people to share and experience new information, new memories, and most importantly new possibilities. We cannot learn when we are not open. Several years ago I started to close myself off from the world into my own little safe corner. I think one possibility could be in response to losing a lot of people in a short amount of time. It was easier to shut down than to be open about feelings of grief, hurt, pain, and such sadness. It became hard to answer a telephone because who knew what awaited on the other end. But by protecting myself from harm, I lost myself. By opening up about my feelings roughly six weeks ago on Facebook; my world has flipped upside down and all around and I am truly loving it. Things are appearing I would never have seen, had I not opened up my heart and my eyes to see the new world all around me. My fantastic hubby and I spent today being open to new experiences and window shopped and tried new shops. It is interesting to see what is available at all of our fingertips. I hope you find your opened door to a whole new world of possibilities.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find: knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives: he who seeks finds: and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

God bless you my friends on this HealthFULL Journey!