A Wee Bit of Good News

Every third month I go to a diabetes workshop run by my doctor and the medical clinic's nurse. I missed the last workshop and so it has been six months already since I was there last.

At the workshop we get a little education and each member of the group is provided with their updated cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and weight numbers. We are also given any shots we might need.

I was a bit anxious over my numbers as the last time I went my blood sugar was a little higher, again. My blood pressure was also a wee bit elevated. I had also gained weight since the last workshop I attended.

I was happy to find that my blood sugar levels have in fact improved and I am nearing normal. My weight has returned to where it was, however my blood pressure has gone up a bit more. I'm not sure if it was hidden salt in the breakfast I ate and the coffee I had within half an hour of being tested, the white coat syndrome or just rushing to get to the clinic on time.  They let me rest awhile when I told them I felt my blood pressure was high and that it didn't usually get that way. Sure enough my blood pressure was elevated. I guess this is what they call prehypertension.  My blood pressure is not yet at the level considered high but it has been elevated more than not, on my last several visits to the clinic and something I need to get a grip on.   Now.

I think if I continue with my new dietary habits, get more fibre and get a bit more exercise and practise deep breathing, my blood pressure should come down.  I guess my real challenge is that I continue to have leg and mobility issues and that affects my ability to exercise or even get around as well as I need.  But assuming I can do some light exercise and all the other "right things", my blood sugars should also continue to improve in addition to the blood pressure.

I also asked my doctor to reduce the cholesterol medication I have been on. I asked for it to be halved since I feel it is too high.  The medication is causing cramping in the legs and the problem seems to be getting worse after months of no side effects.  She agreed to reduce my dosage.  I guess we will see how this affects my cholesterol levels the next time I get a full blood work up next year.  I am really hoping by then that I can go off this medication altogether.

This bit of good news made my day.

 

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

A Delightfully Refreshing Juice

I experimented today and it led me down an interesting path.

While I was out at the supermarket buying mushrooms for my stir-fry veggies, I decided to pick up some watercress, guava and small, fuji apples

Tonight's juice consisted of all of the above, plus some spinach, parsley and two small green pepper.

Watercress and other cabbage greens are among the most highly nutritious vegetables. They provide an excellent source of vitamins B6, C, manganese, and carotenes.  Greens in the cabbage family also provide a very good source of fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. The greens are also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E. Greens like these provide almost three times as much calcium as phosphorous.  Great news because high intake of phosphorous is linked to osteoporosis. As a member of the cabbage family, watercress also has anticancer properties.  Caution.  If you have hyperthyroidism you should avoid eating watercress because of its high iodine content.

I bought the guava today because it's ripe scent was wafting under my nose as I stopped near it to pick up some bananas. Watercress has a bit of a sharp taste so I thought guava would be just the thing to tame it down. Guava is a tropical fruit that has a green rind, white or pinkish flesh and small seeds. It is preferred by many people over oranges because it has more Vitamin C. The nutritional content of guava includes calcium, potassium, iron, folic acid, nicotinic acid, Vitamin A and B, Vitamin C and fiber. All these minerals and nutrients are great for the body.

Guava can help with many health issues, including: constipation, colds and coughs, controlling high blood pressure, weight loss, improve appearance of the skin, improve poor circulation, and battle type 2 diabetes by lowering blood glucose. Not to mention, it's taste is so tantalizingly different from all other fruits I've eaten.

The result, a light green, creamy and refreshing drink.

Good Eating Continues

I made some awesome veggie soup today. I put a cup or so of pearl barley in a pot with about 8 cups of water. While I waited for this to boil I cut up one pork loin chop and fast fried the chunks. Then I cleaned, sliced and chopped the following vegetables:

- 2 small onions
- a few stalks of celery (the last of them from the middle part)
- 2 skinny carrots
- about 1/4 of a small head of cauliflower
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 medium russet potato
- a few broccoli florets
- 6 radishes cut into thick slices
- small amount of chick peas left over from my hummus 

After the water began to boil I put in the onions, celery, carrots and pork cubes and boiled them all until tender. I added some light soy sauce and Himalayan crystal salt sparingly as flavouring.  I didn't add too much because I wanted the taste to come from the vegetables.

Once this mixture boiled and the barley began to soften, I added all the other vegetables and cooked them just until they began to soften. Then the soup was done.  This is perfect soup for the cooler weather we are now experiencing. The days are either filled with wind and rain, or they are a bit mixed with sunshine and cloud and a hint of chill. We are gearing up for winter and if advance reports are to be believed, it is supposed to be a cold one!

This soup was very delicious and the whole wheat fried bread was tasty too!

While the soup was cooking,  I whipped up some batter for some fried bannock bread. This was made with 2 and  half cups of whole wheat flour and about 1 and a half cups of white flour. Add a bit of salt and a few tablespoons of baking powder. After mixing these dry ingredients together add just enough water to make a soft but not sticky dough.  When the water is all mixed in you can determine whether you need more water, or more flour, to make a nice soft dough.  You will have the right consistency when the dough does not stick to your fingers or the counter top when you pull it apart.

Next, roll the dough on the countertop and cut off some pieces off to flatten. After you cut off a piece, flatten it between your hands or press it against the countertop.  Then make a few cuts through each piece so that it will cook evenly when fried.  Heat some oil in the frying pan and let it get hot, then lay a few pieces of the dough into the frying pan. When the dough begins to rise, which will only take a short while, turn it over carefully so you don't splash oil on yourself or onto the burners.  Once the dough is cooked on both sides, place each piece of cooked bread on a paper towel to blot out excess oil.

Tips:  Too much loose flour on your dough pieces will burn in your oil and begin to smell so do watch carefully.  Also, I find that the mixture with the whole wheat will burn easier than using white flour alone, so don't leave each piece to cook too long on one side. You will know when it is done by seeing the golden brown colour. In my case, you will see the dough is a little more than medium brown. It is not burned, nor does it taste burned. If you like your bread lighter, the oil must be very hot when you put the dough into it or it will take too long too cook or it will not be cooked through when you take it out. Finally, your dough will rise quite a bit due to the baking powder. If you want a bread that is less high, then be sure to roll it out or pat it out more thinly before frying. If you are diabetic like me, limit yourself to one bannock bread at your meal or as a snack.  Traditionally this bread is eaten with butter on it or jam, or sometimes both. Enjoy!

I thought I would end this post with something different. It captures in a short video why I am changing my diet and why I'm finally getting serious about finding more and more ways to reduce bad fats, increase good fats, eliminate junk and artificial sweeteners and add more good nutrition through fresh and wholesome foods.

More of Seton Lake

The other day I featured a few sky photos, taken on the drive from Vancouver to Seton Lake, near Lillooet.  I thought it would be good to post more photos of this spectacular area as my submission to this week's Scenic Sunday Meme. I do hope you enjoy them.

 

 I think these photos will give you a sense of the driving conditions and the mountainous terrain.

 
 You can see that there are some extreme switchbacks in the road.

If you look in the far distance, you can see the blue plastic shelters (around the middle of the photo). Those are Aboriginal fishermen of the St'a'imc (pronounced Statleum) First Nation, who have set up camps to do their annual food fishing for salmon.

Here is a closer view...

 

and here are the fishermen right on the water (below). It can be dangerous as the river is very powerful.

Fishing for salmon may be the most important part of the First Nation's culture in in this area.  The  people used different styles of harvesting the fish including spears, dip netting, and net fishing.  This annual fishery is called "food fishing" and is distinct from fishing as a commercial venture, and distinct also from the sport fishery.  The annual food fishery is protected by the country's law and is a much fought for right of the First Nation's people.  

Much of the salmon harvested in the summer months is preserved for the winter months.  Aboriginal people preserve the salmon through wind drying and also through smoking it. Of course, the people also have the option today of freezing it and canning it. 

Whatever way you eat it, it is delicious. Thank you for stopping by and reading my post for Scenic Sunday. I encourage you to click on the badge below and join in all the fabulous posts from around the world.

Photo credits: my brother

Macro Flowers ~ October 14, 2011

I spotted these Black Eyed Susans in a garden on my last visit to the TCM doctor for an acupuncture treatment.

I enjoyed giving this flower some special effects.

There are always beautiful flowers to be seen at two sites by clicking on the badges below.

Seton Lake Skies

Two of my family members took a drive to Seton Lake in early September.

The area is a wonderful wilderness area and an outdoor enthusiast's paradise.

The scenery was spectacular. In these photos the road seems to lead to the sky. 

Seton Lake is located where you see the red X on the map above,  near Lillooet
(indicated by the red dot).
Click here to learn more about tourism in the region.

Spinach - Celery - Apple - Baby Bok Choy

My nutrient loaded juice for the day was a mixture of spinach, celery, baby bok choy and apple.

The ingredients were all purchased just yesterday at the produce store but I see that the leafy greens are nearing the end of their life span. Good thing I wanted lots of leafy greens in my healthy juice today.  I added a half apple for sweetness.

In the evening, I made a spinach soup with the balance of spinach.  I've posted before about the benefits of spinach. You can read more here.

Today's new ingredient is baby bok choy, an Asian green.

One cup of shredded raw bok choy is only about nine calories and has no saturated fats. It provides a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Bok choy also has a rich supply of Vitamin A and contains Vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate.  Minerals in a serving of bok choy include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium.  Along with dietary fiber and vitamins these compounds help to protect against breast, colon and prostate cancers and help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood.  Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Iron is required for the red blood cell formation.

Celery, is another new ingredient in my juice.  Celery leaves have a high content of vitamin A, and  the stems are an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C with rich supplies of potassium, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and lots of essential amino acids.

Nutrients in the fiber are released during juicing, aiding bowel movements. The natural organic sodium (salt) in celery is very safe for consumption and is essential for the body. Even individuals who are salt-sensitive can safely take the sodium in celery, unlike table salt (iodised sodium) which is harmful for those with high blood pressure. This is a perfect vegetable for me as salt makes me retain water. I use celery whenever I can, usually in my soups as a flavour enhancer.

After this power packed juice, I went to my pneumatic compression therapy and walked slowly home which is about 18 city blocks. To heed my TCM doctor's advice about going very slowly, I forced myself to stroll and I stopped along the way in an Asian antique store to admire an antique elm blanket chest.  I'm dreaming about having something like it as a place to store away my crafts in the living room.  

As I continued to stroll home, I stopped off at a market and bought more spinach, avocados, various types of legumes, a large bottle of hot sauce and a large bottle of Braggs Liquid Amino Acids (32 ounces for $8.99 Canadian) . I still need some red peppers so I'll have to pick those up another day.

If any of you use Braggs Liquid Amino Acids you will know that it can be expensive.  I've used this product for many years as a way to flavour foods like stir frys and soups as it helps me lower the use of salt. The price can vary considerably from store to store and the place where I usually buy it, no longer carries it.  I'm sure I've wondered before but I'm wondering again, what is the difference between Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids made with soy and water, and other soy sauce?  I read some answers here. 

I like that they do not use GMO soy beans in this product (or any of their other products). But after a bit of research, I found two soy sauces that are non GMO which I can find in my local markets if I need alternatives. One of them is Shoyu Soy Sauce and the other is Tamari Soy Sauce. Click here if you would like to see these alternatives (I don't receive any royalties or payments if you should purchase online).

In doing a small amount of research, I learned that genetically-modified soy accounts for over 90 percent of soy grown in the United States. Soy is present both in whole foods such as tofu and soybeans, in addition to soy products, which include soy sauce, tempeh, soy milk and processed meat substitutes like soy burgers and soy dogs. Packaged foods that list soy protein isolate or soy protein concentrate in their ingredients include cookies, crackers, beef products, and breads. Soy oil often appears in dressings and sauces. I don't use a lot of soy products and I don't drink soy milk or purchase too many packaged foods nowadays.  But I do like my soy sauce so GMO free is the way to go for me.

How about you? Do you make fresh juices or use a GMO free soy sauce?

Thanksgiving Dinner

 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 

Psalm 95:2-3

Main ingredients for the kale salad

Cooked quinoa

The salad is assembled with the steamed kale, the cooked quinoa, the cranberries, pumpkin seeds and dressing

Mashed cauliflower

Cauliflower with shredded cheese ready for the oven

Baked cauliflower and cheese ready to eat

Rosemary, garlic roasted chicken

Pumpkin mousse pie filling put into springform pan

After releasing the spring, it was obvious that the mousse did not set. We ate it anyway and it was good ;-)

Dinner assembled

The Thanksgiving Dinner was a success. It was the first time I've tried three of the dishes: the kale salad with quinoa and cranberries, the mashed cauliflower and cheese bake and the pumpkin pie mousse.  Everything was quite delicious and you can find all the recipes at my post here.  I could not eat the main part of my chicken so I wll save it for tomorrow's lunch. Needless to say there is a lot of mousse pie left. I would recommend making the pie when you have company because it is very, very filling.

The only problem with the dinner was when we went to eat the pumpkin mousse pie I discovered it wasn't set properly.

After reflection I realized that my little package of gelatin had about 1 teaspoon of gelatin rather than the 2 tablespoons required.  That would explain why it wasn't set properly! Nonetheless the filling was so good. I also ended up having to make my own graham wafer pie crust as there were none today in the grocery store. It was the first time I've made it and it was relatively simple.

If you are in Canada, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you had a moment or two to reflect on those things for which you can give thanks. We are so blessed here in this country.  For my blogging friends who live elsewhere, I am thankful for you and the time you take to share with me through your writings and your comments.

Spinach - Asparagus- Fennel Juice

I haven't posted my juice recipe for a day or two but I have continued to juice my produce as a way of getting more vegetables into my diet.

Today I had a wonderful juice with spinach as the primary ingredient.

I used about 3 x the spinach pictured here (under the cucumber), left over asparagus which was starting to go soft, left over fennel, one a half tomatoes, one left over from a sandwich and a bit of English cucumber.

Spinach is very good for you which I'm sure you already know.  Spinach contains calcium, folic acid, vitamins K and A, and iron. Spinach is also rich in vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids as well as lutein and bioflavanoids. The calcium of course helps to strengthen the bones.  Vitamins A and C help to control cancer, especially colon, lung and breast cancer. Folic acid helps to lower the blood of homocysteine levels.  Homeocysteine is a protein that damages the arteries so spinach is good for your heart.  If you are older, the flavenoids will help protect against age related memory loss and the lutein will help prevent cataracts as well as age related macular degeneration which is a leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

Asparagus is packed with nutrients like folic acid, potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, thiamine and rutin, a compound that strengthens capillary walls. Asparagus has no fat, does not contain cholesterol and is low in sodium.

Tomatoes are actually a fruit and not a vegetable though I still call it a vegetable.  One of the greatest benefits of eating tomatoes is the high lycopene content.  Lycopene is a vital anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation as well as other kinds of health complications and diseases. Tomatoes are also especially good as source of Vitamins A and C.

I was able to add my left over fennel to the juice.  If you missed my information about the health benefits of fennel, please click and  read here.

This juice was delicious!

Mom's Friend, Jean

In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.

John Churton Collins

Mom has a good friend with the same given name "Jean".  They have been friends for many years now.  Jean was actually the pastor's wife at the little church where I went to Sunday School as a child. Her husband was a school bus driver who pastored the small church where I was allowed to attend on Sundays and during the week even though my family were not Christian.

I loved that church. I loved going to Sunday School and learning scripture verses. I especially enjoyed Christmas and the re-enactment of the biblical story of Jesus' birth. Jean's son would faithfully arrive at our  home several times each week to take my siblings and I to church services and functions.  Once or twice a year, my mother would attend church too and "pretend" she was a Christian. We laugh about it years later when mom realized she wasn't fooling anyone but herself.  Yet everyone was so gracious and loving toward her.

After we moved away from that small town and the "little church" as I like to call it, the pastor and his wife Jean moved to Alberta, the province next door.  A few years later he died of a heart attack.  His wife and only daughter, the youngest of the children,  have been living together ever since. I've never seen them since I was a child but my mother and Jean have kept in touch over the years, especially after mom became a Christian and a widow herself.

I wanted a pink brooch for Jean but didn't find exactly what I was looking for. This pin was the closest I could come to finding what I wanted. I think the addition of the pearls matches nicely with the winter white pashmina shawl.


Through the years the two women have remained firm friends, seeking each other out for heart to heart conversations and for prayer for family and health needs.Jean is about 10 years older than mom.   Mom's health has steadily declined in recent years and not too long ago mom asked me to help her buy something for her friend, Jean. Of course I readily agreed.

A friend loves at all times.

Proverbs 17:17

After some reflection of Jean's age and limited needs, I decided upon a nice shawl and pin which Jean could wear to church.  She could also wear the shawl around the house if she feels a child.  Since I was buying a gift for mom's friend. I also bought something similar for mom.  She can wear them when she attends church services at the residence where she now lives.

You can't really tell but the shawl does match with graduated rose and plum colours which are picked up in the crystals.

My mother and Jean enjoying a long and wonderful friendship has been a comfort to me.  Over the years they have confided in one another and prayed with one another through many health episodes and other challenges.  As Jean advances in age and increasingly gets sick herself, my thoughts turn to her and her daughter and I offer prayers for their needs too.

In this year's Thanksgiving remembrance, 
I give thanks for my mom's enduring friendship which has not only blessed my mother,
but the entire family.

What are you most thankful for this year?

Thanksgiving Goodies

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay your vows unto the most High.

Psalm 50:14

It is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and we celebrate Thanksgiving on Monday, October 10, 2011.  I was wondering what to make that would be healthy.

Most of my lovely readers know that I've been trying to eat healthier and find different and fun recipes for using vegetables and other healthy foods. Creative and interesting ways of eating these foods means I will be more likely to eat them.

In my family we tend to eat turkey for the Thanksgiving meal. This year we will have a stuffed chicken. For dessert we will probably have pumpkin pie or maybe a pumpkin mousse pie.  For mashed potatoes I thought I would  make mashed cauliflower (mock mashed potatos) for a change and I'd like to try this new recipe for kale salad. I haven't cooked the dinner yet and probably won't until Monday so I am having to use other photos (with proper credit given). I wanted to share the recipes with you in case you want to use any of them.

The first recipe comes from nutritionist, Julie Daniluk, host of Healthy Gourmet, a reality cooking show.  The other recipes I picked up here and there.  Ms. Daniluk's  first book, Meals that Heal Inflammation is soon to be published and I understand it will advise on allergy free foods that both taste great and help the body's healing process.

THANKGIVING KALE SALAD

Photo credit: Julie Daniluk and Chatelaine magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (yields 4 cooked cups)
2 1/2 cups water, divided
8 cups kale (yields 4 steamed cups), stems removed, cut into ribbons
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries (juice-sweetened)

Dressing:
1/4 cup pumpkin seed butter (use almond butter if you can't find pumpkin)
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt (reduce if needed)

Directions:

1. Place quinoa and 1.5 cups of water into a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat for five minutes, then fluff with a fork. Let cool.

2. Place kale and 1 cup water in a large pot and steam for two minutes. Drain well.

3. Place cooked quinoa into kale pot. Add seeds and berries. Mix well to combine.

4. Mix all dressing ingredients together in a bowl and add to pot.

5. Combine well. Serve warm immediately or chill and serve.

Makes nine cups.

Modifications:  Since there will only be two of us for Thanksgiving dinner, I will quarter this recipe. I also plan to use almond butter rather than pumpkin seed butter as that is what I could find at the shop yesterday.

For my readers in Africa or for those who don't have quinoa readily available you could use cous cous, bulgar wheat, cracked wheat, or barley.  For the pumpkin seed butter you could substitute smooth peanut butter in the dressing recipe and use any kind of seeds (pumpkin, sliced almonds, peanuts, cashews, etc.) in the salad itself.

CAULIFLOWER "MASHED" POTATOES 

1 head cauliflower
1/8 skim milk
Salt & pepper
Optional seasonings: Ranch dressing, garlic, cheddar cheese, chili powder.
 
Cook cauliflower until fork tender. Place cauliflower (in pieces), skim milk, salt and pepper in blender. Whip until smooth. Pour cauliflower into small baking dish. Sprinkle with seasoning to taste. A few shakes of Ranch dressing powder,  or add garlic, salt and pepper, cheddar cheese, or a dash of chili powder. Serve hot/warm.

PUMPKIN MOUSSE PIE

1 graham wafer pie crust
2 tbsp. gelatin powder
1 cup water
1 cup whipping cream
1 can (19 oz). pumpkin pie filling
1 cup walnuts
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 nutmeg

Sprinkle gelatin in 1/2 water.  Boil remaining water, add to gelatin and stir until dissolved. In a separate bowl, whip whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin pie filling, walnuts, mascarpone, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg, stir well.   If you don't have mascarpone cheese you can use creme fraiche or cream cheese beaten with heavy whipping cream (about 3 parts cream cheese and 1 part whipping cream). Perhaps you could even use thick, plain yogurt. I think I will look use the yogurt myself.  Add gelatin. fold in whipped cream until combined and pour mousse into the ready made graham wafer pie crust. Gently shake the pie pan to release the air bubble and smooth out the surface.


 I hope  you enjoy these Thanksgiving meal recipes.
 It is a good time to reflect on all the many blessings we have at this time of year, especially the things we may take for granted.  For example, parents or loved one, a job or some means of financial support, shelter, food, the ability to walk, see, hear, etc. I am thankful for all these things and more especially since my ability to walk has been recently restricted.

Check out my post tomorrow to read one more thing for which I give thanks.