As Days Go By: Starting off the New Year with a quote...

Cranberry Salad Recipe

Please Do Not be deterred by the title of this recipe as it is absolutely wonderful!! I didn't think I would like it either but it turns out I do like it - I like it a lot! So here goes:
Into a medium to large size bowl goes
1 pkg shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix (or one small head thinly chopped)
1 cup dried cranberries (I found them next to the raisins)
1/2 of a red onion chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 cup of nuts chopped (I used walnuts but pecans would be good too)

In a smaller bowl, mix together:
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar (I used splenda)
1/3 cup oil (not Olive Oil, just regular vegetable oil)
1/2 tsp celery seeds

Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and let it sit. You can eat it right away but it's better if it sits a little while. It is yummy!!!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Starting off the New Year with a quote...

"A shrewd man has to arrange his interests in order of importance and deal with them one by one; but often our greed upsets this order and makes us run after so many things at once that through over-anxiety to obtain the trivial, we miss the most important."

- François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, 1613 - 1680

I know I don't typically start out with a quote but I liked this one so while you ponder over it, I'll be pondering over the next posting. Hopefully, I'll be able to get to it today :) Enjoy!

No comments:

Histamines and Anti-histamines... for when the coughing, sneezing, itching starts.

Brought to you by Alex Sears, MD.
When your immune system thinks it’s found something that doesn’t belong, it reacts defensively. Your body starts to release chemicals, one of which is histamine. Itching, sneezing and even hives are all signs that histamines are at work.

Histamines are vital to almost all of your higher brain functions, including your sleep cycle, hunger patterns, immunity, learning and memory.

Most people are in the habit of taking over-the-counter cold and allergy medications when they start itching and sneezing. These will usually have antihistamines in them, which are supposed to stop symptoms like a runny nose. But histamines are so vital to how your body functions that you should be very careful about interrupting how they work.

So there are a couple of things you should be aware of before you run to the drug store to get an antihistamine. Antihistamines don’t work for very long, if at all. Many studies show that they don’t treat symptoms any better than a placebo. And a new study says that people who took prescription antihistamines weighed significantly more than those who didn’t.

Now, I don’t know how their antihistamine use relates to their excess weight, but it’s just one more reason to be suspicious about what these things are doing to us. Instead, visit your local natural foods store and look for several herbs that are excellent alternatives to over-the-counter medications. One is nettle. It’s one of the most often used medicinal herbs in the world. And whether you drink it as tea, or take a capsule, it’s loaded with quercetin, which prevents the release of histamines.

Here are a few more herbs that can help relieve coughing, itching, sneezing and congestion:
Marshmallow Root – Used in traditional European cough medicines, it’s known to relieve irritation of mucous membranes and helps the body expel excess mucus.
Burdock – Both the seeds and the root help soothe the mucous membranes. It’s also used to treat colds and sore throats.
Acerola Cherry – Considered a “superfruit” because there is so much vitamin C in each one (8 times more than an orange), this cherry is excellent as a natural antihistamine.
Capsicum – While also loaded with vitamin C, capsicum has lots of quercetin, as well.
White Pine – Also known simply as pine bark, this herb eases congestion and stimulates circulation. It’s also a powerful antioxidant.

Rendered Lard

Pastured lard is a remarkably good source of vitamin D and of monounsaturated fat – the same fatty acid found in olive oil and avocado that is heralded for its benefits to cardiovascular health. Odd that lard, given its fatty acid profile and vitamin content, earned such a bad rap over the last few decades. Like many wholesome, nourishing fats, lard seems to have been swept aside for a time, but it’s quickly earning a much-deserved renaissance – ensuring that taking the time to learn how to render lard is worth your effort both in terms of its redeeming nutritional value as well as in celebration of the wealth and variety of your local foodshed. Hogs, and their nutrient-dense fat, are widely available.

CLA - conjugated linoleic acid and how it benefits your health

This information was taken from The Nourished Kitchen website, compliments of Jenny. I'll add more as days go by and I have time to look them up. This is a good start though - enjoy:

1. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

Found in the meat and milk of grass-fed ruminants, like cows, Conjugated Linoleic Acid or CLA is a potent nutrient. Researchers are just beginning to understand the mechanisms behind the potent and positive health effects traditional peoples have enjoyed since the days of hunting and gathering. CLA is known as a potent antioxidant and anti-carcinogen. CLA has shown promise in the treatment of various cancers. Research conducted at the University of Alberta in Canada, Dartmouth Medical Center and elsewhere indicates that CLA shows promise in the fight against breast cancer. [1. Lipids. 2009 Mar 6.], [2. Nutr Cancer. 2009;61(1):114-22] Further, CLA even could be valuable in the treatment of brain cancer due to its ability to prevent the development of new malignant tumors as well as inhibit the growth of existing tumors. [3. Brain Res. 2008 Jun 5;1213:35-40. Epub 2008 Feb 16.]

Anti-aging foods...

Add these great anti-aging food choices to your regular diet:
Colorful berries. The antioxidant anthocyanin is what gives berries their blue, red, and purple colors. To get a healthy dose of this potent antioxidant, eat plenty of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, pomegranate, cherries, acai berries, and blood oranges, to name a few of the best choices.

Each of these foods has a variety of other powerful antioxidants that repair and protect your skin’s cells.
Broccoli and broccoli sprouts. Quercetin is another powerful antioxidant that is found in broccoli, along with other foods including cranberries, onions, and apples. It is a natural anti-inflammatory agent as well, fighting the No. 2 cause of aging. Broccoli sprouts have 30 times more isothiocyanates (yet another antioxidant) than regular broccoli.

Spinach. Lutein is found in spinach, kale, corn, and other vegetables. It has the ability to give additional antioxidant capacity to your skin and enhances skin hydration.

Garlic. Allium (remember the mystery plant?? lol) is an antioxidant that packs a punch. Garlic, onions, and scallions are loaded with this free-radical fighter that is good for your skin and your immune system.

Beans. “Eat your beans.” Anthocyanin is found in very high quantities in black beans and black soybeans. Soybeans are also high in isoflavones, also linked to anti-aging properties.

Tea. Catechins, found in green tea, dark chocolate (on the "good for you" list), and red wine, are another antioxidant that packs a wallop. Have four to six cups of tea a day with lemon, which enhances the antioxidants’ activity in your cells.

Wine. In addition to those catechins, resveratrol is found in red wine and has many anti-aging properties. It is another potent antioxidant.

Yellow and Orange Root Vegetables. Put plenty of beta-carotene on your plate. These super-antioxidants are good for your skin and eyes. Good choices include carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and squash.

Tomatoes. Lycopene, in red grapefruit, tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit, is a powerful weapon against free radicals. It has the ability to inhibit sun-induced aging and can neutralize free radicals. Fill your glass with tomato juice or V8 juice daily.

Nuts. Eat a handful of nuts and seeds a day. They are loaded with “good” fat that helps “plump” your skin, antioxidants and lots of minerals that are good for your skin, too.

Salmon. Eat salmon at least three times a week. It has a host of benefits for your skin, from the omega-3s to the high-quality protein. Make it a regular in your diet, and you will see plumper, more youthful skin in about six weeks.

Water. Stay hydrated: Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. (And if you are drinking decaffeinated tea, that counts.) Caffeinated beverages can dehydrate you, which can contribute to dry, sallow-looking skin.

Eat fruits and vegetables raw when possible. If you cook them, steaming is the best way to go to keep all of the anti-aging, anti-wrinkle antioxidants. At the same time, cut down on sweets.

Avoid processed, refined foods and sugars, which can increase free-radical activity.
If you choose from all these wonderful anti-aging and anti-wrinkle foods as often as possible, you will be on your way to a healthier, younger-looking you.

Squash Squares by Justin Wilson

1/4 cup olive oil, 1 cup finely chopped onion, 1 tsp minced garlic, 2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini or other summer squash, 6 medium-sized eggs, beaten, 1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs (or what I used) 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup chopped dried parsley, 2 cups grated cheese (whatever type you like) 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.

Preheat the oven to 325. In a large skillet, saute the onions in olive oil over medim heat until they are tender. Add the garlic and squash and saute another 3 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, bread crumbs, pepper, salt, parsley, grated cheese and cooked squash. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan and turn the squash mixture into in. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes. After cooling, cut into 1 inch squares. Serve warm (the best!) or cold.

Health benefits of chicken broth... an excerpt from "Broth is Beautiful" - Sally Fallon

"Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain."'

For those of use who suffer from occasional joint pain, cook up a batch of broth today and see if you don't feel much, much better by having consumed it.

It's much less expensive than those condroitin suppliments being sold these days and way tastier too!

I just happen to have a very simple recipe. Let me know if you want it and I'll email it to you today so you'll start feeling better tonight :)

Make your own ricotta cheese!

Ingredients
8 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation
Line colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth; set in sink.
Bring milk and salt to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Stir in lemon juice.
Let simmer until curds form, 1 to 2 minutes.

Using finely slotted spoon or skimmer, scoop curds from pan and transfer to cheesecloth-lined colander.
Let drain 1 minute (curds will still be a little wet).
Transfer curds to medium bowl. Cover and chill until cold, about 3 hours.

DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

As Days Go By

For Your Viewing Pleasure All Pictures Have Been Moved to the Below Flickr Page. Enjoy!

Come along with me if you will.

All Things Winter

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A Fine Quote Indeed

Winter Basket

Tractor In The Yard

PEAS!!!

Wally & the 69 Camaro

The Grounds at AT&T in Brentwood

Our Christmas

Missin Y'all

Mr. Snowy

It's Christmastime!!

Cranberry Salad Recipe

The promised link to take the skin care quiz

Another Decoration Shot

One More Decoration Shot

Fall Decorations

The Colors They Are a Changin...

Squash jars

Good For You Breakfast

Leaves Starting to Change

Cornbread & Turnip Greens

Sandwich Loaf

Pumpkin Table

Pretty Horse

Cowboy/Cowgirl UP

Rebel Ready To Go Ridin

Smokey Being A Good Horse

Quince Preserves

My First Fall Leaves

Sunday Supper

The Gang

Smith & Wesson

Labor Day Trio

Wally and Big D

The Final Product

Ham and Bacon

Salt Curing Ham & Bacon

Labor Day 2010

Chicken Soup for Lunch

Chicken Soup on the stovetop

My Mom's Mom

My Mom

The Whole Ham

The Other White Meat!

The Rinsing of The Whole Pig

The Scalding

Pig Trailer Jail

Hog Slayer

Ducks Waddling Around

Big Ol' Cast Iron Fryin up Bacon

Me Little Red Headed Nurse

Homegrown Tomatoes

Squash & Bloody Mary Mix

My kitchen table

Neccy's New Hair-do

Black Butterfly

Gold & Black Butterfly

Cottage Pie

Deer in a yard

Deer on my way to work

My brilliant daughter

Blooming Bush

Springtime Wild Flowers

CSA Basket

CSA Basket

Jimbo

Bloody Mary Mix

My first TN garden

Catydids

Misty mornin on the TN river

Visiting in Florida

First fish caught

Squash for the casserole

Dinner

So much traffic

and more of my ride