Posts filed under ‘Food’
Kindness is Feeding People
Food is at the center of American activities. Food is a necessity and a luxury. It is a joy and it bonds people. Denise, a woman who oversaw the kitchen at our church felt that when food was served at an event, people felt welcomed and at ease.
There are many ways we can share food as an act of kindness. Be sure to add your ideas to this list.
- Invite someone over for dinner.
- Take an extra portion of your sack lunch contents to give to a co-worker.
- Make cookies for a neighbor or the school crossing guard.
- Make an acceptable goodie for someone who has food allergies. Getting a treat like this is rare and makes the recipient feel noticed.
- Take a meal to someone who needs help (a new mom, someone just home from the hospital, someone who is grieving). I think a just-because meal would be gratefully accepted, too.
- Buy gift cards to fast food restaurants to give to a teenager or homeless person.
- Donate food to the food pantry or to a program like Neighborhood Meals (NM).
NM is a free community meal served at my church (near Sacramento, CA) the last Friday of every month. If you are hungry, come and eat; if you’re not, come and serve. We have room for people to help in the following positions: set-up, clean-up, serve food, help our guests take food to the table, and visit with the guests while you both eat. We also take food and clothing.
“There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” ~
When someone is hungry and doesn’t have easy access to food because of homelessness, pain, depression, or recuperation, that is a vulnerable state to be in.
Kindness is noticing that food is a necessity and brings comfort and acceptance. Kindness is feeding people.
Your Turn . . . When was the last time you performed this act of kindness? . . . When was the last time someone gave you food? . . . How did either/both situations make you feel.? . . . Who can you gift food to this week?
Related Posts . . .
- Kindness is Being a Trail Angel: Giving Away Food At Trailheads
- Kindness is Organizing Meals
- Kindness is Delivering Meals
Go here for yesterday’s post . . . Kindness is Trick-or-Treating
You can practice being kind by leaving me a comment.
Please leave me an idea or two that I can add to my acts of kindness list. The idea can be intentional or random.
_____________________________________________
Want to know what other acts of Kindness are on the list? Go to my Landing Page . . . Scattering Kindness: A 31 Day Adventure of Intentional & Random Acts of Service.
This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.
Review of Two Diabetic-Friendly Recipes for the Salad Challenged
People with diabetes can benefit from eating salad when all the ingredients are blood-sugar friendly. These two salads fit the bill.
What is your relationship with salad?
Salad and I do not have a love-love relationship. Go here, and you’ll read why I think Salad is a Bother. In fact I list five reasons why.
But I know that diabetic-friendly foods help keep my blood sugar within a normal range. When my diabetes is not controlled these are a few things that are negatively impacted: energy, eyesight, feet, bladder, and thinking. So I strive to munch on greens with healthy embellishments on a daily basis.
Healthy salads include no gooey toppings, grain additions, or sugar-laden dressings. Thankfully, there are lots of recipes that do fall into the diabetic-friendly category. My daughter and I have been on a taste-testing quest. Some recipes just don’t live up to their hype or picture. But we’ve discovered two that will be on our regular menu rotation.
Citrus Crab Salad – This is a pretty salad with varied textures, colours, and tastes. It is also easy and quick to assemble.
- Of course, you can use any meat you like.
- Since we grow our own sprouts (which are super easy to cultivate), we can choose from a variety of seeds to grow.
- Another change we make is to use balsamic vinegar instead of rice vinegar. My blood sugar does better with the balsamic vinegar.
Paleo Taco Salad – I LOVE Mexican food, but many of the dishes just aren’t diabetic friendly. This one is. This salad screams “Mexican taste,” so I don’t miss the beans, rice and the corn or flour tortillas.
- The cilantro, avocado and Kalamata olives make my mouth happy.
- I don’t add the honey and it isn’t missed in my opinion.
- This is also an easy and quick, summer meal to prepare. Actually, I can eat this any time of the year.
Your Turn . . . Please share a diabetic-friendly salad that you love.
Related Posts . . .
Table Top S’mores for National Toasted Marshmallow Day
I hope you celebrate this day in as fun a fashion as we did.
Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day. Hurray! Or it would be hurray, if I could celebrate it in style. How do you celebrate in style?
You celebrate in style by making s’mores. This is an easy thing to do IF you have a BBQ. I don’t. But I do have Pinterest and it comes with lots of ideas.
And one idea was a how to on making s’mores over a clay pot BBQ. That’s the ticket! And happy for me, making s’mores is on my End-of the-Summer Bucket List!
A short shopping trip ensued to buy the BBQ supplies and to personalize our s’mores as my daughter is gluten intolerant.
Step 1. Take the sticky label off the bottom of your clay pot & saucer.
Cookie Ingredients
- Marshmallows – You can find dairy-free ones (we don’t have to anymore!)
- Lindt Excellence Chocolate, A Touch of Sea Salt Dark Chocolate bar
I bought all these items at WalMart.
If you have your own BBQ, stop reading! Get to making your s’mores. However, if you need some way to make your s’mores, read on for the supply list and picture tutorial.
Step 2. Foil line the pot. Poke a hole in the bottom so there is air flow.
BBQ Supplies
- One 4″ clay pot and saucer per person – The pot was $0.77 and the saucer was $0.73.
- Briquettes – Some brands have gluten, so check your bag if this is a concern.
- Tinfoil
- Firelighter
- Bricks to put on TV tray
My daughter cooked her marshmallows with her clay pot BBQ on the ground (in our patio). I wanted more comfort so I cooked my marshmallows on a brick-lined TV tray.
PICTURE TUTORIAL — STEPS 1-2 ARE ABOVE. — STEPS 3-7 ARE BELOW.
Step 3. Fill the pot with briquettes. After I took this photo, I took out some of the briquettes. I put this many in to be dramatic.
Step 4. Light it up! Our BBQ’s had plenty of good flames for roasting right away. After about 5 minutes all the coals were nice and toasty.
Step 5. Assemble all the supplies. NOTE: We used a wooden skewer. Obviously this can be a fire hazard, so copy this idea at your own risk.
Step 6. Here I am roasting TWO marshmallows even though only one will fit on the cracker sandwich. The 2nd one is for eating right off the skewer!
Step 6b. Yes, they are alight! I like my marshmallows charred. How about you?
Step 7. Assemble your s’more. Isn’t this a thing of beauty?!
Another photo of a marshmallow on fire! One s’more and a couple of charred marshmallows made for a perfect dessert.
Your Turn . . . Did you know that today (August 3oth) is National Toasted Marshmallow Day? How will you celebrate it? … Will you make your own tabletop s’mores? Let me know, if you have some suggestions. … Toast your own marshmallows and post on social media at #NationalToastedMarshmallowDay.
Related Posts . . .
How to Make Chocolate EXTRACT in Your Kitchen
Mix together 1/2 cup crushed raw cacao nibs and 1 cup of vodka … Store this embryonic extract in a dark cabinet. Be sure to shake every once in a while.
I am “brewing” chocolate extract. Oh, yes, I am. At the end of September 2017, this extract will be 3 months old and ready for tasting. Some sources say, the extract might need to sit (Soak? Marinate? Steep? What is the correct word?) for 6-12 months in total.
Here is the link to the recipe I used.
Your Turn . . . Have you ever made any extracts? How did they compare to the ones from the grocery store? . . . If you’ve had chocolate extract before, how did you use it. This will be my first time tasting/using chocolate extract.
How will I use my chocolate extract?
- For every day recipes like smoothies and Chocolate Orange Chia Pudding (quite delish as a breakfast)
- For special occasion recipes like UPSIDE DOWN German Chocolate Cake. If you haven’t tried this recipe yet, you have NOT been good to yourself.
- And I want to change-up this recipe, Strawberry Chia Seed Jam – No Cook!, by using raspberries for the fruit and adding chocolate extract along with some bittersweet chocolate. I don’t know if using this no cook method will turn the ingredients into jam, but I am willing to risk it.
This is what the extract looks like after 1 month. On September 27th, I will compare/taste all three batches.
I put a note on my calendar to shake this concoction at 1 month and 2 months. At three months I will taste and see if it is “done.” One blogger said it could take up to a year to age just right.
In June I met someone who made extracts as part of her job. She said they ground up the cacao beans. Then they let the beans and alcohol “soak” for a week or two. I will make a batch on September 10th and 17th. Then I will compare all three batches on this day, September 24, 2017.
I will let you know what I learn. And if you make some, tell me what you learn.
NOTE: The crushed cacao bean extract tasted just as nice as the ones that sat longer.
How Ice Cream is Like Church
#NationalIceCreamDay – Ice cream and church do go together. … In full disclosure, ice cream was eaten in the making of this advertisement.
“Ice cream brings people together.” ~ Doug Ducey
“Summer would not be summer without Ice-cream. Ice-cream is the favorite currency of love.” ~ Puck
“Ice cream is the perfect buffer, because you can do things in a somewhat lighthearted way. Plus, people have an emotional response to ice cream; it’s more than just food. So I think when you combine caring, and eating wonderful food, it’s a very powerful combination.” ~ Jerry Greenfield
We had all kinds of ice cream: Fudgsicles, Firecrackers, Magnums, ice cream sandwiches, It’s It, cups of vanilla and swirl, and Outshine fruit bars to name a few.
#NationalIceCreamDay is on the calendar once a year. For 2017, July 16th is that day. Since that day is a Sunday, CNC celebrated National Ice Cream Day. Why?
- It brings people together.
- It is fun.
- It is cool. (Pun intended.)
- It really IS A currency of love. (I grew up in a home where food = love.)
I love that we encouraged people to bring a box of their favourite ice cream TO CHURCH. I like that we encouraged folks to take photos and post them on social media with the appropriate hash tag. And I believe that celebrating ice cream is like celebrating church.
- Church brings people together.
- Church is cool.
- People have an emotional response to church. (Love is just one response.)
- Church is more than a building or a body of people. It is a place full of God’s presence.
This daddy-daughter duo is cool as they celebrate this National Day.
Church and ice cream have other similarities. Going to church, like eating ice cream, can be a bad experience because . . .
- The people or ingredients could be rotten.
- The experience of either/both didn’t meet expectations.
- There is a bad fit.
- Someone is just not in the mood for the ice cream or church.
And to that last remark I say a resounding, “Hogwash!” I am always in the mood for ice cream (either Breyer’s Natural Vanilla Ice Cream or Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia). And I am always in the mood for church. Well to be more precise, I am always in the mood to savour God’s Presence.
When we are consistently not in the mood to go to church, let’s PRAY and talk with someone. When our church experience tastes rotten, doesn’t fit our expectations, or isn’t a good fit, let’s PRAY and talk with someone, someone wise. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Although church is filled with people who are imperfect (like me) and who do selfish things (like me), church can still be a positive, uplifting, loving time with God and the people there.
You can eat ice cream in the sanctuary, Rudat Hall, or even in the kitchen.
There are so many GREAT churches in my area. There are a lot of great churches in your area, too. Have you prayed about what to look for in a church? Read 5 Reasons I Love My Church.
And I am adding a 6th reason I love my church. We do silly, fun, connecting things like celebrating National Ice Cream Day.
Next year, come join us! Or better yet, celebrate church with us every Sunday. Join us because it is inclusive, cool, loving and a place FULL of God’s Presence.
Messy is a good look when it come to “ice cream” messy.
Your Turn . . .
- How did you celebrate National Ice Cream Day?
- What is your favourite ice cream flavour?
- In your opinion, how are ice cream and church alike?
- What are some favourite things about your church?
- And if your name is Becky, come to CNC this Sunday.
- Amanda, thanks for this “messy” photo.
Advice from Jerry Greenfield (co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc..
“You should not be replacing more than one meal a day with ice cream. We do not consider a pint or a tub of ice cream to be a single serving.”
This is advice I may or may not take.
National Ice Cream Day is July 16, 2017
Let’s celebrate this fun day together.
The 3rd Sunday in July is National Ice Cream Day. But if you miss that day, don’t worry, this whole month is National Ice Cream Month.
View this brief history of ice cream. Ice cream started as a winter, ice/syrup delight for the wealthy. It is now a worldwide, creamy treat available year round to the masses. Stats indicate that Americans prefer ice cream over other desserts. And that we eat 4-6 gallons of ice cream per year.
NINE FUN FACTS ABOUT ICE CREAM
- In the summer of 1790, President George Washington splurged and bought $200 worth of ice cream (about $3,000 today). I don’t know if he shared.
- Dolley Madison (wife of James Madison, President of the United States from 1809 to 1817) preferred oyster ice cream.
- 18th century cookbooks offered, weird to me, recipes like parmesan ice cream and asparagus ice cream.
- Grocery stores started selling ice cream in the 1930’s.
- Ice cream had become so popular with Americans during WWII that it became an American symbol. Therefore, Mussolini banned it in Italy.
- Soft serve ice cream was “developed by a team of chemists in Britain, whose membership included Margaret Thatcher. They found a way to double the amount of air per unit volume in ice cream. This, in turn, made the ice cream cheaper to make (less ingredients, more air), and made it possible to have a relatively simple machine make it to order from a spigot.” (Daven Hiskey)
- Ice cream headaches last 10-30 seconds and sometimes up to five minutes.
- Hawaiian Punch syrup was developed in 1934 and was first sold as an ice cream topping. In 1946 the company was sold. The new owners began offering it in drink form.
- The residents of Portland, Oregon eat more ice cream than residents in any other American city.
HOW TO OBSERVE
- Come to Cordova Neighborhood Church on Sunday, July 16, 2017. Share a box of your fave frozen treat. We will splurge between the services and after the 2nd service.
- Create an ice cream craft. Check out my Ice Cream Pinterest board.
- Do a taste test. Find out which ice cream is the best tasting. These folks discovered the tastiest store bought vanilla.
- Listen to songs about ice cream.
- Make some ice cream. Do so with a machine or in a bag.
- Share an ice cream memory. Tell us in the comments or at your own social media space.
- Take a selfie or group shot eating ice cream. Post on social media using #NationalIceCreamDay.
Your Turn . . . What ever you do, enjoy some Ice Cream. . . . Then tell us about it.
Related Internet Posts . . .
7 Reasons to Eat Salad
Best ever taco Salad. There was delicious FLAVOUR in every bite. We didn’t miss the chips. You could eat this at every meal.
I don’t prefer salad. Left to my natural inclinations I will go for the junk food: Cheetos, ice cream and Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut Chocolate bars. Or I will go for the easy food: oatmeal, microwave popcorn, and McDonald’s burgers.
BUT I have diabetes. And if I want to keep control of this awful disease, I NEED and WANT to eat differently. Therefore, I have ventured into the salad-making and salad eating world.
I’ve thought about “why” eat salad. Thinking about this why helps me to keep on making that a key focus in my food repertoire. I know that salads are full of fiber and good nutrients. In addition to those ideas, below is my why list.
- A salad is easy to put together. Most days I don’t want to spend a lot of time preparing meals. So I really need and want easy. I usually buy the bags of precut veggies. And sometimes I buy the bags of already prepared chopped salads. Buying these types of foods takes away any reluctance or time to chop. And thus it is an EASY meal to prepare.
- A salad is a complete meal. This also adds to the easy factor. I buy already cooked protein or prep it myself and toss it into the vegetable/lettuces mix. I frequently have raw nuts and hard-boiled eggs on hand for such purposes. Sometimes I add a few beans (garbanzo
I love it when my fridge is filled with this kind of jarred goodies.
is a fave). Avocado is a must. And I love adding either strawberries or blueberries.
- You can make a week’s worth by putting them in mason jars. When I am feeling energetic or have some programs to get caught up on, I’ll buy a bunch of salad foods and pep them while watching TV or listening to a TED talk. I don’t put dressing in mine because I have a bottle at work. Having these salads prepared in advance helps me save money and helps ensure I have at least one salad a day.
- There are TONS of recipes to try. I don’t have to get bored eating them. It is easy to find salad recipes that are healthy for me and that fit into the diabetic guidelines. My daughter visited last weekend and we tested three new (to me) salads: (1) Citrus Crab Salad (2) The Breakfast Salad and a (3) Paleo Taco Salad.
- My blood sugar numbers always go down after eating one. This is a marvel to me. My body adores salad. Of course I make sure that I have healthy ingredients (no dried fruits, croutons, added sugar, etc) and that I don’t slobber the salad in dressing. The dressing is usually vinegar and oil.
- Salads are versatile. I can (and do) eat them for any meal. When I am at a restaurant for breakfast. I’ve been known to order a garden salad with two eggs “over easy” on top. I get stares. And I also get a good for me breakfast.
- Salads are crunchy. Now this may seem like a silly reason to eat salad. But to me, this is important! I can’t do many all liquid meals as I NEED to feel like I am actually chewing. And the crunchier the better. Chewing this type of food helps me feel satisfied and full for longer.
Your Turn …
- What is your “why” for eating salad?
- Do you have a fave recipe or two? If yes, share that recipe.
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7 Reasons to Drink Smoothies for Breakfast
“I love the smell of Green Smoothies in the morning. It Smells like Victory!” (Smoothie Logic)
For the past 10 months a green smoothie has been my breakfast almost every day. Although twice I did forget about them for 2 weeks or so.
But I always come back because having this drink for breakfast really does smell like victory to me. I don’t have the best diet, so starting my day with all these fruits and veggies sets me up for success.
Below are my 7 reasons I stay committed to green smoothies.
1. Inexpensive: Contrary to popular belief I am able to find the veggies, greens, fruits, and Raw Meal powder at good prices. These ingredients are a better value than fast food and packaged food options.
2. Cleans Out Fridge: All those small bits of fruits (canned, frozen, or fresh) and veggies (fresh or frozen) are great when added to the blender. A dab or two of food on its own isn’t much, but put them all in the blender together and they add a nutritional- and taste-wallop.
3. Four Items to Wash: Quick prep and clean up are a must for my morning routine. When I breakfast on a Green Smoothie, I use and clean up only four items: cutting board, knife, blender, and cup.
4. Superfoods: I will admit, left to my own devices I will not eat superfoods, mainly because they are not featured at the grocery stores I frequent, or aren’t even a part of my day-to-day vocabulary. But when I add a scoop of Raw Meal powder I am getting 26 superfoods!
5. Easy & Fast: My liquid base of orange juice (sometimes I use green tea) is nutritionally supercharged by the additions.
- I add one large handful of some type of green: baby kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, collards.
- Next I add a handful (sometimes more) of a vegetable: carrots, broccoli, English cucumber (causes me less burping than regular cucumber), celery, squash, tomato.
- I always add some fruits too: banana, watermelon, applesauce (because I never seem to finish the whole jar), avocado, frozen berries, pineapple, seasonal fruits.
- I always top it off with a 1/2 TBSP of coconut oil and a scoop of Raw Meal Powder.
6. Starts Day With Veggies: I like eating vegetables, but eating 5 servings a day seems like a lot since I tend to be a lazy eater. Having a Green Smoothie is the easiest way I know to ingest enough veggies on a consistent basis. I usually don’t have a problem eating 2 servings of fruit a day.
7. Tastes like Shakes: One of my favorite desserts is ice cream, especially Breyer’s Natural Vanilla Ice Cream. When I add frozen fruit and ice to the blender the mixture comes out thick like a shake. Sometimes I add unsweetened chocolate powder. When I am craving a bowl of ice cream at night, I now blend up a green smoothie. I get that mouth sensation satisfied and I am eating something healthy.
Your Turn . . . Do you drink Green Smoothies? If yes. how often? Share what makes you committed to this meal.
Related Posts
- 12 Days Dinking and It’s a Good Thing (Fruitfulwords)
- Chocolate Orange Green Smoothie
- Garden Vegetable & Pineapple Smoothie
- Green Smoothie Chart
- How to Make Your Own Smoothie Freezer Kit Creations (Written by Tammy Kresge at organizeyourselfskinny.com)
- Make a Month of Green Smoothies in an Hour (written by by
- Top 10 Health Benefits of Green Smoothies
- Why You Should Start Drinking Green Smoothies Today
7 Reasons to Eat Soup
Need a reason or two to attend a CNC women’s soup potluck on Friday, October 7th? Read on. And then call Debra to let her know you are attending.
1. Tribute. Haitians eat pumpkin soup January 1st to celebrate their Independence from France (1804). This soup is eaten early in the day “to celebrate unity and good fortune” (Missy Gauvin).
Missy relates that the French landowners had their slaves prepare pumpkin soup, but often forbade the slaves from eating it themselves. So upon the slaves successful uprising and overthrow of the French involvement in their country, the now freed slaves prepared and ate the pumpkin soup for themselves. The yearly tradition of eating of the soup continues as a tribute to the men and women who fought for and won Haitian independence.
2. Vegetables and Fruits. We’ve been told since childhood to eat our veggies and fruits because they are good for us. And they are. But sometimes it is hard to eat all that’s required for a healthy diet. Eating soup is a great way to get multiple types and 5-9 servings of vegetables and fruit into our diet. Try this quick and easy vegetable soup or Elise Gaube’s Ratatouille which is in our CNC cookbook. (You can buy a book from the church office.)
There are even great soup recipes which include fruit. There are many such recipes on the web, but here are two to get you started. Peach Buttermilk soup is great for breakfast. This Watermelon Gazpacho also has tomatoes and celery.
3. Roughage. Beans provide roughage (as do veggies and fruits). “Meeting your roughage targets promotes the health of your intestine, combats high cholesterol and can curb appetite” (Ryan Devon). You can get packets of bean soup mix from the market. And of course the Internet has many, many bean soup recipes. One of my fave recipes is Sweet Potato Lentil Stew.
4. Diet Aide. Starting a meal with a healthy soup has been shown that the “eater” then consumes up to 20% less food. Soup fills you up some and so you are not as tempted to overeat. Bonus – you get extra servings of vegetables and fruits by including soup in your meal plan.
5. Body Coolant. I’ve read that taking a warm shower on a hot day is the best way to cool down your body. I’ve also heard that consuming hot and/or spicy food does the same. Make this Korean Summer Chicken Soup to test out the theory for yourself.
6. Overall Health. Consistently consuming enough fruits and veggies will positively affect your vision, heart, and blood pressure. It can also be a deterrent to getting cancer.
7. Community. A bunch of CNC women will be gathering on Friday, October 7, 2011 for a soup potluck. Go here for details. Contact me or Debra, if you have any questions. (If you don’t RSVP, come anyway.)
Your Turn . . . What reason would you add to this list? Have a soup recipe to share?
Related Post
Fruitful Words 