My Way, No. 23

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

With the pic links now included, these ‘My Way’ posts are becoming as long as a newsletter. I hope you can hang with me!

— I saw this on my food co-op’s social page, so I thought I would link to it: Who Is Behind Organic Brands. This came as no surprise to me, as I try to steer clear of certain products for this very reason. But, many people assume some of these brands are small (possibly family-owned, or even local) businesses, when they are really just some of the country’s largest food producers. This is also true of natural and organic hygiene/body products, etc. Some of the brands I’ve enjoyed in the past have been taken over by some of these large producers, so I then stop purchasing them. Some brands I have no issues with, though. If you’re one of those who wants to support certain businesses (and not support others), I encourage you to take a look at this list. Or, perhaps take a look for updated info, if this news is already familiar to you. I found several I didn’t know about.

— Did you enjoy the list of coping skills for anger, anxiety and depression? I think everyone can benefit from this list. I have some decent positive ones already in place, but I would like to add a few more. Setting boundaries and learning to say “no” could be improved upon, as well as enjoying more of nature. Also, keeping a positive quote with you seems easy enough. I like, “Ye shall be a blessing.” It’s one thing for others to bless you, but (IMO) empowering others to prosper provides rewards like nothing else (emotional and physical). As far as looking at the negatives went, I tried to not get too down on myself. We can’t change everything at once. I think I have improved in several areas, but still need some work in others. I have been better at not enabling others to take advantage of me. One of the things I despise most at this stage in my life is people attempting to use me for their own selfish ambition. So, I need to make sure I am not just sitting back, allowing those circumstances to occur. Several years ago, I was encouraged by a former football player who said a friend told him (something to the effect of), “Never allow people to use or exploit you for their own profit or gain.” I think as a former ball player, people just assumed they could take advantage of him for their own purposes. Anyway, I’ve carried that bit of advice in my heart since then.

— Speaking of football players, I was really touched by this article concerning Herschel Walker’s mental health advocacy: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/os-herschel-walker-mental-health-orlando-20150513-story.html. If you’ve lived in Texas for even a short period of time (as I have), you most likely know who Herschel Walker is — even if you don’t follow the NFL. A very encouraging story.

After posting the latest installment of my Mental Health Series, I found a few articles that made my heart sink. Many of the most disheartening stories come from major news outlets (not all the time, though, as you can see from a variety of pieces I’ve posted). They so often focus on the negative or sensational. Some of the most sensitive and thoughtful pieces I’ve come across are from student newspapers. I thought perhaps profit has something to do with that, or maybe it’s just that the younger generations are starting to leave behind the stigma and discrimination that has plagued our society for so long. I used to laugh at a news station in the Phoenix area that always broadcasted so much positive news. It was the oddest thing to me, haha. It was a nice change.

— Today’s Adventures in Food: Hot diggity dog ziggity, boom…I didn’t have a chance to pick up hard red winter berries yet, so I made my Memorial Day hot dog buns in the same manner as the previously posted burger buns. Really a joy! The wheat blend is such a great idea. I may try sprouting them, as well. The day old buns were great dippers for a low-cal (non-gratinee) onion soup I made. The adjustable slicing blade in our new food processor works like a dream! It easily sliced through mounds of onion. My last processor, while a decent (very old) model, sometimes had slicing issues.

Holiday chocolate chip cookies had to get packaged up and shipped off so I didn’t consume the whole lot, lol. As they keep nice and soft, I think they would be grand for ice cream sandwiches. I couldn’t wait for the Holiday to make the chickpea flour spätzele. So, I made it Sunday, then again on Monday. I subbed some quickly sautéed kale for the collards (it was less expensive at the store) and cooked it in beef broth. I really like the textures in this dish. I think I will be making it a couple more times before the week is up.

As I was already grinding chickpeas for the spätzele, I thought I would also whip up those Cashew-Mint Pakoda I posted. I left the flour with just a slight coarseness. I went for a bake-fry by Misto-ing a little oil in the pan, as well as on the dough. I flipped them over when they were browned on the bottom. They turned out so nice and crunchy! You would not have known they were baked instead of fried. I really would have liked a dipping sauce with them. Maybe a cashew crema or something? I was too busy munching to make one, though.

The roasted curried cauliflower I made for my garlic, herb, & tomato pita was the tail end of a cauliflower party. I enjoyed the Buffalo Cauliflower Bites posted here and Spiced Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous – Tabbouleh (both from the same site). I am not a huge fan of couscous, so I was excited to try a version with cauliflower. I used my homemade skim haloumi, and it was fab. Really easy & delightful. Of course, using the cauliflower slashes the calories considerably, so make sure to take a peek. When I was preparing the Buffalo Bites, I suddenly thought I could also make a few with sesame-honey sauce. So, I did half and half. Otherwise, I only altered them slightly by using whole wheat pastry flour and coating with a bit of panko. I love Buffalo sauce so much, so I put a little extra on the outside, lol.

I found another comfort food use for my pitas. Did you ever have spaghetti and meatball sandwiches when you were younger? I made spaghetti and Italian lentil meatballs (just like the ones here, but with “Italian” seasonings), and the next day had a craving for this sandwich, haha:

We used to slather butter on good Italian bread and stuff it with our leftovers. Good memories!

— How quaint is this?

White Garden Canopy | housetohome.co.uk.

Ahhh…I wish I were there right now. *Sigh*

25 DIY Headboard Ideas | Freshnist.com.

This is a cute idea. Music sheet decoupage on wood: Paper | Valerie Carr | Pinterest.

— In this AZ summer heat, I adore white clothing. Linen is especially lovely. What about your plain white tee? Check out this easy corseting technique that you could apply to a number of items: DIY Corseted White T-Shirt or What to Do with the BF’s Old T-Shirts #2 | Chic Steals.

And, you know I love RE:Fashion: 13 DIY Clothing Refashion Ideas with Picture Instructions | Clicky Pix.

— The FFFF for today (Fab French Food Finds ):

You know my affinity for all things French, so here are several selections from the same site:

Provencal Style Mussels | French Cooking for Dummies.

Beetroot and Goat Cheese Foam | French Cooking for Dummies.

Artichoke, Fig and Parmesan Salad | French Cooking for Dummies.

Strawberry and Peach Salad with Wine Syrup | French Cooking for Dummies.

Parisian Shirred Egg/ Oeuf cocotte à la parisienne | French Cooking for Dummies.

Herbed Mascarpone Stuffed Chicken | French Cooking for Dummies.

Ham and Cheese Crepe/Galete Complete | French Cooking for Dummies.

White Chocolate Molten Cake with Raspberries | French Cooking for Dummies.

‘Til next time!

My Way, No. 13

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Very interesting piece: Umami Taste Buds Are Important for Your Overall Health. It seems kelp tea helps if you have decreased umami taste sensitivity. I’ve never tried kelp tea, so maybe I’ll check it out.

— I told you that I tend to accumulate far too many kitchen gadgets, etc. So, of course I immediately thought, oooh, I need this banana guard, sandwich box with a bamboo lid/prep board, and stainless utilitarian soup canister.

— I’ve found that seemingly little things can make me feel so luxurious…a bit of rich cream added to a special dish, fresh picked flowers on the table, a candle lit bubble bath with symphony music playing in the background. This weekend, I felt a little luxury when I used my homemade coconut oil for a soothing hot oil & deep conditioning hair treatment, followed by using it as a body rub (with a little essential oil added). It’s nice when we have a bit of time to pamper ourselves. After my last coconut endeavor was so successful, I decided to purchase even more. As I said, it can be a labor of love, but it is so worth it. I had an idea that coconut milk/oil/flour/butter making would be a great “party” idea. You know, like when your so-called friends invite you to a painting or moving “party” (basically a way to get cheap labor, lol). Or, you could make it a family tradition like making pies, tamales, etc. You could end the party with pina coladas or something.

— My coconut milk, cream, and flakes went into several of my recent meals. I forgot to mention a quick tip in my last coconut post: I wrap the coconuts in a towel before giving them a few good whacks (to crack them open). This eliminates the sometimes flying shards from going all over your kitchen. I’m sure you can find all kinds of additional wisdom online, but my other suggestion is that you make sure you have a very sharp paring knife handy (and possibly a knife sharpener). This will make removing the brown “skin” from the meat much, much easier. A dull knife is nobody’s friend.
I started craving turkey as soon as I saw this recipe for Thai Turkey Meatballs with Lemongrass Coconut Sauce. But, I didn’t have any turkey 😦 and didn’t feel like going to get any. Then, I remembered the recipe I recently posted for Lentil “Meatballs” with Lemony Pesto. So, these recipes collided, and I was extremely pleased with the results:

I took the basic ideas for the lentil “meatballs” and gave them the flavorings from the Thai turkey dish. For the “meatballs”: lentils (1/2 whole, 1/2 mashed), egg, little olive oil, tofu (frozen, thawed, liquid squeezed out), s&p, whole wheat bread crumbs (taken from the innards of the Niçoise sandwich I made), shallots, lemongrass, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, cilantro, homemade chili-garlic paste (oven-dried chiles & garlic cloves), and finely ground walnuts. The pesto sauce called for walnuts, so I decided to use them in the actual “meatballs” instead. I popped them into the freezer for an hour or more, then browned them on the stove. After browning them on all sides, I had “meatsquares” vs. “meatballs,” haha. I reshaped them after they cooled a bit. I finished them in the oven. I made the recipe for the Lemongrass Coconut Sauce, using fresh turmeric and foregoing the star anise (as you know, anise is not a fave flavor of mine). The recipe called for full-fat coconut milk, but I used my coconut water to dilute the cream’s fat content a bit. I tried to make up for the lack of anise and coconut fat by punching up the flavor with: red pepper flakes, onion powder, a little sweetener, and a pinch or two of mustard. This flavor combo satisfied me, and the finish of cilantro and lime zest made this recipe sing. Served up with soba noodles, this meal was fab! It was made better by maple bourbon milk. I have to find ways to use my Holiday gift of bourbon, so this was my second go round (the first was the Sage-Peppercorn Old Fashioned I previously posted). I’m not a mixologist, so forgive me if the portions, ingredients, etc. are not scientifically correct. I just make what tastes good to me 🙂 3:2 fresh coconut milk to bourbon, maple syrup to taste, blended for froth, served over crushed ice, garnished with fresh grated nutmeg. I separate the coconut cream from the water so I can mix them together at my whim for different recipes. I think the cream to water ratio for this drink was 2:1.
I also made the Low-Fat Banana Pecan Cranberry Granola Bars, subbing coconut for some of the nuts. I actually used a combo of walnuts and pistachios. I had cranberries in the freezer, so I decided to dry them myself instead of purchasing them. I used a little less than was called for and added a bit of maple and wheat germ. They were just mildly sweet and do actually not call for any added sugar. The sweetness comes from the banana and applesauce (also acting as binders). After cutting them, I stuck them back in the oven for 15 min. They were soft and chewy, and I was craving a crunchier bar. It’s probably because I really enjoyed the last crunchy batch I made wherein I accidentally turned up the oven too high, haha. I used the Low Cal Almond-Raisin Granola Bar’s method of grinding part of the oats:

— Tofu 2 Ways: I had baby bok choy to use up, so that’s what attracted me to this recipe: Sesame Seed Salmon with Mirin. I didn’t have any salmon, though! So, tofu it was. I was so hungry by the time this hit the plate, so it doesn’t look as good as it could. I tried to make it appear more dignified by only putting a small portion on the plate, but I really gobbled up twice this much:

One of my new top ways to prepare tofu! So simple, yet SO good! Can’t wait to try it with salmon. After looking at the ingredients of my store-bought mirin, I thought I should start making it myself. Here’s a recipe if you dig making your own condiments, etc: Homemade Mirin. If you’re really serious about it, try brewing your own sake for the mirin: Home Brewed Sake. My second new top way to prepare tofu is as a steak alternative in this Fajita Salad with Chipotle Salad Dressing I recently posted:

I made the marinade in the morning and by dinner time, this tofu was fajita flavor-packed! I only changed the recipe by adding a little balsamic and a pinch more sweetener. The tofu I used in both of the recipes was frozen, then thawed. I really love the texture freezing gives, as I’ve said before.

— Super cute and easy for any craft-skill level DIY Geometric Canvases. Also, very cool Aluminum Foil Drawings.

— DIY Black Lace Manicure & DIY Draped Skirt.

— RECIPE TIME! I made this Spinach, Lentil, and Sweet Potato Curry, and it was delish! I didn’t have the exact curry ingredients, so I had to improvise. I served it with brown rice and added a little kale. I didn’t take a pic because I started in on it as soon as it was finished. Speaking of curry…I always like to keep a ready-made spice blend in the pantry as a back up to my own blend (as with many other items like stock, condiments, and such). I quickly grabbed what I thought was a SQUEAL DEAL for curry powder and found it contained MSG 😦  . Why does curry powder need MSG??? Anyway, this recipe was fab, and I think I will be making it again this week. I have yet to try pho, but this recipe looks quite yummy: Umami Crispy Pork Pho. Months ago, I was saying to an acquaintance, “I want to try this pho I keep reading so much about.” I pronounced it ‘foe,’ and she said it’s ‘faaaah’ with your voice raising like another octave at the end of the word. Just like I said ling-er-ee when I first read lingerie, haha. Afternoon Tea delights from those in the know. Banana Split Cake, Honey Beer Bread, Jam Roly Poly with a2 Milk Custard, Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Cheese, Black Beans, and Corn with Avocado Crema, Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza.

‘Til next time!

My Way, No. 11

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Has one of your New Year’s Resolutions been to get more organized? I am going to make this ‘minimalist-chic’ entryway organizer. Crafted from a simple wood frame & bungee cords, it’s one of the easiest and most practical projects I’ve seen. As I have a few days to myself, I’m doing a lot of clearing out and re-organizing of things right now. How do you collect so much stuff? I err on the side of ‘pitch it, donate it, or give it to an unsuspecting friend or relative ;)’ if I think an item has fulfilled its purpose in my life. This comes from previously living with a roommate and relatives with “stuff” in every nook they can find — they cannot have an inch of unused space anywhere. I do have a tendency to collect way too many kitchen pieces, though…gadgets, glasses, dishes, etc. Sometimes, I have to force myself to not purchase them. And, speaking of the kitchen, take a look at this link with 50 Clever Ways to Organize Your Pots and Pans.

— The Detox Drinks have been a hit! Since the last ‘My Way‘ post, I’ve also prepared the Natural Daily Detox Remedy, Beet Juice Smoothie, Mango Ginger Lemonade, Detox Smoothie w/ Pineapple, Spinach, & Ginger, Citrus & Green Tea Smoothie (very grapefruit-y, so you’ll have to love grapefruit), Grapefruit-Cado Sunrise Smoothie, and the Detox Beet and Carrot Smoothie. I left the beets and carrots raw in the beet/carrot smoothie instead of steaming them. I added a good handful of cranberries, a 1/4 of a lime, and a tsp. of sweetener, as well. Delish! I realized the Cranberry Pomegranate Detox Juice I linked to from another site is the same as the Red and Green Festive Cocktail on my original post. So far my faves have been the pineapple-spinach-ginger (just needs a little rum — teasing 😉 ), and the Grapefruit-Cado (I added just a little extra banana).

— EATS & DRINKS: Homemade Chili-Garlic Paste, Lentil Meatballs with Lemony Pesto, Cinnamon Whole Grain Power Pancakes, Philly Cheesesteak Stew, Grilled Lobster Tails with Sriracha Butter, Cinnamon-Orange Animal Crackers, Harvest Apple Sangria with Bourbon and Thyme, Nutty Florentine Bars. Also, I want to make a batch of granola bars soon, so I found these low cal treats: Low Cal Almond-Raisin Granola Bars & Low-Fat Banana Pecan Cranberry Granola Bars. I usually do not use a recipe for granola bars, but I wanted to try to control the portions and cal count. There’s not a lot of sense in eating something supposedly healthy if it’s going to have 500 calories per serving, lol.

— I updated my blogroll and photo gallery.

— As you know, I have a series of posts on mental health. I will try to post another installment soon, but I like to take the opportunity to share a few related articles here. I found this quite heart-breaking: http://atlantablackstar.com/2015/01/11/racial-discrimination-behind-high-suicide-rates-young-black-men-proving-dire-need-combat-stigma-depression/

— I would like to do another WhirlwinDISH post soon, too, but my meals have pretty much been the detox smoothies, salads, bagel sandwiches, and the salmon-Thai coconut soup recipe collision. I saw a recipe for a Salade Niçoise Wrap, so I started craving Niçoise. I put together a simple one with cold roasted veggies and a light vinaigrette. Besides just lettuce and tomato, Niçoise was the first type of salad I ever prepared. It is the reason for my love of cold, salty potatoes.

Pic’d: boiled eggs, roasted turnips, boiled Peruvian potatoes, roasted white asparagus, roasted red bells, roasted golden beets, radishes, roasted rutabagas, grilled marinated artichokes, tuna, toasted walnuts, capers, and black olives. I have never been able to get used to the color of purple potatoes. They came in a mixed bag, and it was the sole boiled potato in the fridge. I subbed asparagus for my normal haricots verts. I need to pick up anchovies, so I had to make-do without them. I added the walnuts because I read they are terrific in upping your serotonin levels.
After posting about How to Eat in Europe on a Budget, I saw a perfect picnic opportunity. What do you do when you have a few days to yourself? Have a “girly” day: an indoor picnic for one, pretend you are in Europe & put on your Maurice Chevalier records, soak in a bubble bath (Homemade Bubble Baths), give yourself a facial (10 Homemade Facial Scrubs), bubbling water spa pedicure, warm hand wax and manicure, deep condition your hair (Homemade Deep Conditioner and Hot Oil Treatment), don your best fluffy ‘hotel-style’ robe and slippers, and turn on your heated back and neck massagers. My picnic included a sandwich inspired by the Pan Bagnat I posted several months back. I stuffed a round mini-loaf with all the same Niçoise toppings except the turnips, rutabagas, and walnuts. I also added a little avocado and raw green bell pepper. Guess what I used for the bread? The bagel recipe, of course! I know you probably think I’m going a little too far with the reshaping the bagels, haha. That super-quick bagel recipe, though, is the next best thing for me since (well, it is sliced bread, so that analogy won’t work)…since Noosa Honey Yogurt, I guess.

And, as I am keeping it alcohol-free for a couple of weeks, I made myself a little kicked up green tea in a flask (it helps with the illusion 😉 ): Green tea, honey, ginger, lemon juice, lemon zest, & red chiles. Who needs bourbon when it’s this good? A set of 2 of these flasks in a nice leather bag came by way of a very good family friend. We lost touch with him for years, and through very miraculous and random circumstances found him again. Anyway, I have him to thank for this lovely picnic memory. I cherished a few pear slices and some sugar & spice frozen cranberries (raw sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves). After the Holidays, I always keep craving cranberry sauce, so this satisfied my need. I think I could eat a whole cup or two in one sitting, I love it so much. A lot less damage this way, with probably less than a 1/4 tsp. of sugar.

— Scroll down to see this wicked decent DIY Zipper Cuff Bracelet and also check out this DIY Gold Hinge and Chain Bracelet.

— Article: Why Are So Many Drinks Flavored with Honey? Because it’s yummy??? I received honeyed bourbon as a Holiday gift. Yums. This article also includes comparisons between honey, agave, xylitol, and stevia. What about maple? Maple bourbon is good, too. Scratch my earlier statement about the green tea…maple bourbon might be all the world ever needed.

‘Til we meet again!