New Beginnings!

Since my last entry, I suffered a rather large hematoma on my right leg (soccer injury), took up running and was about to run my first 10K race when a week before I broke my left ankle (again, soccer injury).  Needless to say, these injuries impeded any further progress with my Colin Firth Diet Club, leaving me prone to idleness and weight gain!

I was just recently given the OK to start up at Curves again and I am hoping to work my way out of the slump sooner rather than later!  Last week, upon my return to Curves, I begrudgingly weighed myself and ... gulp...it read 149 lbs.  Yes, I am hanging my head in shame at this very moment, thoroughly disgusted with myself...yet determined to find my way out once again!

It only seemed right, that in the absence of entries for the better part of 2014 I resolve to get myself back on course...with many things...including my blog entries.  And what better subject to inaugurate new beginnings than "Love, Actually"?

As many of you know,  my favourite holiday event is my annual Love Actually party where I invite my lovely friends over (pj's required!) for Chinese food followed by a viewing of our all time favourite Christmas movie!!!  John serves the wine and drives people home to their comfy beds afterwards!  It never fails that we have someone new join us and someone who has not seen it before - I know, I know, I can't believe it either!  It has become my mission to oversee that women the world over succumb to the influence of this film!  This year the newbie was Melanie and she came bearing gift!

Now that's a girl that knows a direct way to my heart!!  This was like a VIP pass good for eternity!  I had a couple new additions to the festivities myself this year.  The ornament that our Elf on the Shelf is wearing which came with the 10th Anniversary DVD and I also ordered wine labels off  Etsy.com!  Next year will be even better when I display the Love Actually pillowcases that Santa brought me for Christmas!!!

My traditional banoffee pie was the best I've ever made!  And of course, it was served after pausing when Juliet (Keira Knightley) arrives at Mark's (Andrew Lincoln) door with her proffered, "Banoffee pie?"!  Carla has requested a banoffee pie for her birthday later this month instead of a cake!

Now, I must go and work on the rest of my New Year's Resolutions ...one of which is to stop cursing so much, with the exception of Love Actually quotes, because sometimes you just gotta say, "Where the fuck is my fucking coat?" (I often feel obliged to substitute car keys, cell phone etc).

Anyways, I know many of us have endured turmoil of one sort or another over the past year, but I wish you all happiness and health for 2015!

Bridget Jones Bonanza!

What better subject to subject you to on the most romantic month of the year but that of the most romantic movie scenes of all time - you guessed it - Bridget Jones!  (OK, I did start writing this entry in February, Valentine's Day to be precise!)   Particularly that scene at the end where Bridget is running in the snow searching for Mark in nary but her knickers, cardigan and runners only to find Mark exiting the store with a new diary....then envelops her in the warmth of his trench coat...and that kiss!! OH MY!

Back in October, I gathered a few friends and we had the pleasure of meeting the wonderful and ever talented Helen Fielding, author of the Bridget Jones series.  The event, An Evening With Helen Fielding was sponsored by Elle Canada, Random House, Girls Night Out Wines, Purdy's chocolate and Rimmel London to promote the release of Helen's latest book "Mad About the Boy".  The wine was flowing, the chocolates were melting (in our mouths) and the atmosphere was intoxicating!!!  The venue was a loft above a furniture store on Queen St and very posh!  It was during the interview with Helen that I was saddened to hear of Mark's passing.   (Later, on October 31st, a couple of days after my dads' quadruple bypass surgery, I read of Mark's death and texted the following to Carla: 

Just read about Mark's death.  Am in deep sorrow over the loss of such a great man!  It was a very noble death however, but I shall don black today as I grieve the loss of one of Britain's best people) 

 It was so invigorating having the chance to meet the author behind my favourite all time romantic scene!  Helen is witty, down to earth and genuine fun!  Afterwards, we had the chance to meet her and she signed our copies of the book!  By the end of the night we vowed to get together and watch the Bridget Jones movies together!

Well, eventually we were able to agree on a date that suited us all and headed off to Sara's for a Bridget marathon.  Each of us contributed towards our version of the turkey-curry buffet.  I of course took things to a whole new level and brought the blue soup!  I also tried out the orange pudding (without the sugar cages) Mark mentions as he rescues Bridget from her kitchen debacle and chaos.  Amanda being British herself, brought some chocolate and a cheese and pineapple hedgehog!

 

..and just as with Love Actually when we pause the movie as Keira Knightley enters with her proffered, "Banoffee pie?" to partake in the indulgence of my homemade banoffee pie, we paused Bridget Jones's Diary when Mark Darcy peers into the pot and remarks on Bridget's blue soup!  To add to the authenticity of the soup, I saved a portion of leek which I duly tied with ribbon - not the kind Bridget used causing the blueish hue, but regular white string.  (This scene reminds me of a family Christmas dinner when we were all asked to bring something for the meal.  My step sister Candy was asked to bring the squash - well, she did bring the squash, the whole unpeeled, uncooked squash!  In fact the sticker may have still been on it!)  The blue of my soup was attributed to mere food colouring, and although due to the lighting, the soup appears more greenish than blue in the above photo, it really was blue.

 

The dessert Bridget concocted was meant to be an orange pudding. I googled recipes for this and chose to make the one from http://pluckycravings.com/21013/11/04-orangepudding and it was rather tasty!  Time consuming but quite worth the effort in my estimation!  I halved the recipe as it normally serves 10 and there were only 5 of us (and I didn't have enough ramekins either!).

 

While still on a Bridget high, I found a Bridget Jones's Diary mug on eBay and it arrived last week!  Now I can sip my coffee every morning while starring at Colin Firth - it just doesn't get any better than that!  Well, it could if he were to perhaps join me for said coffee sometime!  All I ask is that when Mad About The Boy is made into a movie - please, please, please have Colin Firth in it, you know in flashback scenes and whatnot - the next generation needs the ideal of Mark Darcy to aspire to when searching for a mate!

 

 

 



 



In"eddoe"ble and "Freekeh"'n Gross (D,E,F,)

Well, 'tis a new year full of promising new beginnings!  Our family, along with the Milners started the New Year off with a bang at Disneyworld followed with a Caribbean cruise!  It was nice to get away after a hectic Christmas.  And though, sadly, Colin Firth didn't happen to cross our path -  our male flight attendant bore a striking resemblance to him.  OK, so not really - it was the hair - he had Colin Firth hair!  Even my 14 year old son noticed and commented on it as we debarked the plane! 

The day after we got home I came down with a terrible cold, as did the whole surrounding area.  The weather here has been unbearabye cold this month - I can't remember a winter in all my 40 years that was ever this cold for so longggggggggggggg.  Needless to say, it was hard getting back into the groove.  I didn't get to Curves the first week back at all and it showed when I resumed last week.  My energy level had bottomed out, but I'm on my way to recovery now!  Curves started a new Jillian Michael's workout this month which they run 3 times a day.  This is what I happened to walk into my first day back.  Let me tell you, it's tough!  Basically it is a more intense exercise during the recovery stations and can include planks, squats, jumping jacks etc.  I was sore and achy for the next 2 days.  Yesterday I tried it again and I really do like it!  I think it's just what I need to push my metabolism to the next level as I'm struggling to lose the extra weight.  Silly me, I thought I'd lose weight on this cruise like I did on the Mediterranean one in May - but no - in fact, I passed the 140 lb mark.  Yikes!!  Cruising on the back end of Christmas - not recommended, unless you want to have "thighs the size of tree trunks"!  But we did have great times, great food, and memories to last a lifetime - and it just means I need to work extra hard to get back to where I was.  I mean, I swam with a dolphin in Cozumel!  I tried new foods- oyster, squid, turtle and escargot even!  The important lesson here is not to feel defeated and depressed because the scale decided to visit it's past life, because that's all it was - a visit, but to savour those morsels and memories and resolve to fight harder.  So scale, it's time to come back home and move forward (or downward depending on how
you look at it!).

And speaking of new foods, I'd like to get back to my alphabetical culinary challenge and cover D, E and F.   Some letters are have more abundant selections than others.  For "D" week, we have daikon, dandelion, dragon fruit, fresh dates, dill, Dijon mustard and demerera sugar.

The daikon is the elongated white vegetable and tastes like radish.  I had never had this before and it was rather tasty.  I washed and peeled it and then grated it  and served it to everyone just like that - so very simple!  Daikon is excellent for aiding digestion and is low calorie, rich in fibre, vitamin C, and potassium. 

Dandelion greens - blech!!!  I wish I could love them as there are so many health benefits associated with them, but they taste terrible!  Perhaps I should try a different method before I give up on them entirely.  They are helpful in purifying your blood and lowering blood sugars.  Dandelion is also high in fibre and potassium.  I just remembered that I tried dandelion ice cream a couple of years ago at an environmental fair in Toronto - and I actually liked it!  So maybe that's the way to go!  Hmmm...I think it was a pale yellow colour though so maybe it was the flower and not the leaf.

Dragon fruit is just plain fun - the name is fun, it has a pretty colour and surprises you on the inside. When you open it up you will find a white pulp mixed with little black seeds.  The fruit is low in cholesterol, high in fibre and vitamin C and therefore a good antioxidant!

I'm sure you have all tried date squares before, and that's likely how you consume your dates.  I found fresh dates at the grocery store.  They were yellow and attached to a woody vine.  Dates are one of the sweetest fruits of all and the high sugar content can lead to tooth decay and weight gain.  The benefits however are the high mineral content and antioxidant vitamins that help reduce cancer risk, bone loss, heart disease and anemia.

One of the new recipes I tried was a Mushroom Dill Pasta that I found on Pinterest.  The link to the recipe is http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/food/mushroom-dill-pasta.   If you like mushrooms and dill or just want to try something new, it's quite tasty!  Dill is high in calcium and fibre and protects against free radicals and carcinogens.

I added the demerera sugar as a healthier alternative to regular refined sugar.  Demerera is only partially refined and maintains a natural colour.  It differs from brown sugar which attains it's colour from molasses added to white sugar.

Dijon mustard is high in selenium and magnesium which may help prevent cancer and high blood pressure.

Next, we have "E" as in eddoes, eggplant, endives, edamame, eggs. empire apples and escarole.  The most unusual item here is the eddoe  resembling a potatoe in size and colour but has a rough exterior like the cassava  and reminds me of elephant skin with the bristly hairs.  Eddoes are to the Caribbean what potatoes are to the Irish.  It is a main staple.  When googling what to do with them I read that some people may get itchy when peeling them so it was recommended that you put some vegetable oil on your hands first as protection.  I peeled them as you would a potatoe and cut them and boiled them for about 20 minutes.  The texture of a boiled eddoe is very much like that of the potatoe but as Jacob announced after swallowing a bite - "These are in"Eddoe"ble!".   I had to admit that his wit was both clever and amusing to all - although I wouldn't necessarily agree that they were inedible!

Eggplants, otherwise known as aubergines, as my British friend Amanda calls them, are high in fibre and antioxidant nutrients and good for overall heart health.  This time I sliced the eggplant into disks and coated them with some panko and make eggplant fries.  Alas, my family still has not acquired a taste for them. 

Endives have an unusual taste that can take some getting used to.  They are high in vitamins and minerals and beneficial to overall heart health.  The vitamin E may be beneficial for stalling the onset of Alzheimer's.  As my grandmother suffered with Alzheimer's I think I'll be adding more endives in our diet!

I could only find a bag of frozen edamame so I prepared them the same way I would frozen peas.  Edamame is rich in antioxidants, protein and fibre.

There is considerable debate over eggs and whether or not they are good for you.  I've read that the yolk is where you find the high cholesterol, but it is also where the nutrients are.  They are a source of protein, vitamins and potassium.  My opinion is that once in awhile eggs are ok - just don't go overboard - and choose eggs that are labelled "free-range" meaning that the chickens are able to roam freely and eat what they choose the way they were meant to before agricultural giants took over and thought bigger was better and more profitable and began stuffing birds into overcrowded coops and proceeded to then stuff them with antibiotics and steroids!

Escarole lettuce shares the same benefits as other green leafy vegetables in the high fibre and nutrient content.

And lastly we have the "F" - flax seed, fennel, frisee lettuce, Fuji apples, filberts, fettuccine and my favourite - figs!!

Flax seed is good for preventing heart disease, lowering cholesterol, minimizing symptoms of menopause, reducing risk of cancer and preventing constipation.  I often just add some to applesauce or a smoothie.  In "Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal" published by Reader's Digest, a study performed at University of Toronto found that consuming 25-50 mg of flax per day helps to lower blood cholesterol significantly.  As I'm reading this again I'm reminding myself to try to have some everyday as I have another diabetic appointment in March!

I've written about fennel before and commented on it's alien-like appearance - a larger replica of another alien-like looking vegetable - kohlrabi!  Fennel is great in salads and roasted vegetables.  It is full of fibre and beneficial for maintaining blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars.  The seeds can be used in tea to alleviate bloating and flatulence.

Frisee lettuce is a good antioxidant as it is rich in vitamin C.

Filberts, also known as hazelnuts were my favourite nut when I was young.  When my parents bought bags of mixed nuts to shell over the holidays, I took all the filberts!  You know when a host/hostess puts out a bowl of mixed gumdrops and afterwards all that are left are the boring white and black ones - yup, that's how I always was with my filberts!  The black and white gumdrops were the Brazil nuts and walnuts!  Nuts provide you with protein and fibre and vitamins.  Filberts can increase your good cholesterol and lower the bad cholesterol.

I made a new recipe found on Pinterst -  Fettuccine with Bacon, Almonds and Orange which was absolutely delicious!   Here is the link http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/01/fettuccine-with-bacon-and-orange/ .  A friend emailed me a recipe for a fennel and apple salad that I paired with it.  What a delectable and enjoyable pasta dish it was!!!

This year I have been extolling my love affair, not only to Colin Firth, but to the fig!  Figs are so good for you and tasty too!  They help prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes as they are full of fibre and potassium!

...And we cannot forget fish!  Full of omega-3 and protein, it is important to include fish in your diet to help prevent heart disease, stroke, inflammation and memory loss.  We usually have fish (primarily salmon) on Wednesday nights.

"F" week happened to fall on the week of Halloween and dinner that night consisted of Freekeh and spiders!  The spiders are hot dog wieners with spaghetti noodles poked through and boiled to look like spiders (just something fun I do for the kids on Halloween) and Freekeh is a grain that looks very much like quinoa.  I made a salad with it adding cucumber, tomato, basil and lemon juice.  Of course if the kids wanted to go out trick-or-treating, they had to eat their spiders and freekeh first!  My very tactful daughter Kristen announced rather vehemently that it was 'freekeh'n' gross!!  Oh, my little drama queen!!!  Amy and James came over and they both tried it - in fact Amy ate lots of it and became my favourite Milner kid that night!
Last, but by no means, least, I've left the best for last!  Frog legs!!!

 

Oh, I had sooo much fun with this one.  I kept telling the kids we would be having frog legs for "F" week and they weren't happy about it to say the least.  Turns out I couldn't find them when I needed them anyways.  But alas, when searching for octopus for "O" week, I discovered some in the frozen fish section.  Why didn't I think of that before??  Well, it's because I've been buying fresh fish from the counter and I never go to the frozen food sections anymore.  I've had frog legs several times in the past, but it's been probably 18 years or so.  I remember the first time John and I spent a weekend in Quebec City and I ordered the frog legs!  The great thing about frog legs is they are bendy!  So of course I grossed John out by having my frog legs leap and dance across the fancy tableware!  

The squeals of disgust and adamant disdain coming from my kids relating to the their pending meal I'd worked so hard to prepare was utterly priceless!  It might seem somewhat cruel as to how much pleasure I gained from all of this!  I waited with bated breath for Matthew to take his first bite and then asked, "What's wrong Matthew - do you have a frog in your throat?".  Guess you had to be there but it turned out to be a pretty comical endeavour!  Of course, the meal would not be complete without entertainment, so I had my frog dance an little Irish jig for everyone!

Well, kids, that's payback for telling me that my meals are In"eddoe"ble and "Freekeh"'n Gross!!!

And speaking of "F".....I still need to watch my new "Fever Pitch" movie I got from Santa!




 

 

 



 



"The lobster?...In the nativity play?"

LITTLE DAISY:  we've been given our parts in the Nativity play.  And I'm the lobster.

KAREN:  The lobster?

LITTLE DAISY:  Yes

KAREN:  In the nativity play?

LITTLE DAISY:  Yes,  First Lobster.

KAREN:  There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?

LITTLE DAISY:   Durr....

  As many of you know from last year, "Love Actually" is my favourite part of Christmas!  Each December, I invite my girlfriends over for dinner and the movie.  We order Chinese food which John picks up for us, and we consume copious volumes of wine whilst listening to the "Love Actually" soundtrack to set the mood!  Last year we added another new tradition to the mix, my homemade banoffee pie, for which I pause the movie at the precise moment Keira Knightley greets "Mark" at his door with her proffered, "Banoffee pie?"

I'm going to jump ahead in my alphabet inspired cuisine as the week of "Love Actually" nicely coincided with "L" week!  In fact the next day I made lobster for the first time, severely annoying my kids as I kept repeating, "Lobster?  In the Nativity Play?" ad nauseum with a British accent!  I had never purchased nor cooked a lobster in my life.  In fact I can't even remember the last time I had even eaten lobster.  Perhaps it was when I was young and we went to Peggy's Cove for summer vacation, or I may have gone to a Red Lobster restaurant...anyways, I was determined to buy and cook a lobster that week!  I must admit, as I approached the seafood counter in slow motion on tip-toe, with squinted eye, it was with much hesitation and trepidation.  Would I have to buy a live lobster with his beady black eyes staring at me, begging for immunity?  Did I have it in me to buy one live and watch it's demise, all of my own doing?  Phew!  No life crustacean's swimming in defeat in the tanks!  My choices were precooked claws (which is my favourite part of a lobster) or fresh tails.  I chose the tails and it was like the alphabet cuisine gods were shining on me as lobster happened to be on sale for half price that week and as you may guess, it is not the cheapest fish to buy!  A few years ago I was at an event where I met Massimo Capra and received a personally signed copy of his cookbook, "One Pot Italian Cooking".  I figured it was high time I put this book to use and opted to try his Tagliatelle All'Aragosta - or rather, Tagliatelle with Lobster Sauce!  The perfect recipe to kill two birds with one stone, or two "L"'s with one dish!!  Along with the tagliatelle pasta, this recipe incorporates both lobster and leeks!  The kids weren't as impressed with it as I was though, and I discovered the next day that lobster doesn't taste as good as left-overs.

lobster - the Omega -3 fatty acids found in lobster are beneficial to both your heart and your brain and is also high in minerals such as selenium, phosphorous and zinc.  It is high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol

leeks - are good for preventing cancer with their high concentration of antioxidants.  They are also helpful in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure

Years ago, my friend Michelle P. emailed me her recipe for Red Lentil Soup with Lemon (a NY Times recipe) which has sat in my green file folder of accumulated recipes ever since.  Well this was my opportunity to try it out finally!  It was a nice filling low cal soup!  I didn't puree the soup as suggested in the directions as I liked the texture as it was.  This was a relatively easy recipe to make and one that I will add to my soup repertoire!

 

lentils - high in fibre, therefore good for lowering cholesterol and improving digestive health. The high fibre content will make you feel full faster and therefore can be beneficial for weight loss.

 

lemons & limes - high in vitamin C and good for lowering cholesterol, cancer risk, heart disease. 

I also tried a new recipe incorporating lemon grass!  I altered a recipe for Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, October 2007.  I omitted the curry powder and substituted one jalapeno pepper for 3 chilies.  It was delicious!  Kristen asked for more!!!

Lemongrass - helps to cleanse organs and improves circulation

When I was about three years old we moved to a new house, and I became best friends with Limoy who lived across the street.  Limoy's family is Chinese and years later they opened a Chinese restaurant in town.  It was at this restaurant where I was first introduced to the lychee!  It resembles a white grape when the reddish peel is removed.  Twenty years or so had passed since I ate my last lychee!  I could only find them in a can or a tetra-pak juice box.  Trudging through the alphabet we were now more than half way and the kids are not as willing as I'd like when it comes to trying new things, so I opted for some old school bribery techniques to coerce them into trying lychee fruit.  If they ate 3 of them they could have nachos for a snack, and if they ate 5 they could also have a bit of ice cream for dessert.  Jake is always the most difficult kid to get to eat things but my bribery technique worked and he admitted that the lychees weren't that bad!  After eating his first three, he willingly asked for the other two!

Lychee - high in antioxidants and vitamin C, they are no saturated fats or cholesterol and the high potassium content is beneficial for maintaining good blood pressure

Also in my "L" picture, was a bag of dried lima beans which I haven't used yet.  Lima beans have antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, fibre and potassium which are beneficial for blood pressure and heart health.

I weighed myself at Curves yesterday after my workout and the damage thus far during Christmas festivities has me at 138.5 lbs.  I'm counting on my on board metabolism to kick in once again as we will be going on another cruise at the beginning of the new year.  I defied the odds and actually lost weight during our Mediterranean cruise while most others gained and gained some more!  My blood pressure is pretty good so all seems to be in good form, and I think, "If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion you'll find that love actually is all around...."

Merry Firthmas to all, and to all a good night!!!

ABC....easy as 1,2,3 and Infusing The Muse!

Now that I am back on track, I'll be updating my blog entries more regularly!  I will also be making more of an effort to "infuse my muse" aka Colin Firth into my progress.  My last entry ended with me heading off to watch "When Did You Last See Your Father?" which I felt was appropriate given the events following my dad's heart attack.  In the film, Blake (Colin) returns home to help his mother and sister care for his father dying of intestinal cancer.  Blake reminisces and tries to come to terms with his relationship with his father before it's too late.  Luckily, my own father has been given a new lease on life, but I have become all too aware over the past 2 months how unpredictable and fragile life is!  All the more reason to work harder at maintaining a healthier lifestyle for myself and my family!

What I haven't been keeping you up to date on is my weekly quest to eat foods starting with a certain letter of the alphabet.  I am currently working on "J" week but I need to start at the beginning.  Some "A" foods I bought I had already mentioned to you i.e. the atemoya, apricot, almonds, acai berry juice and agave nectar.  Now, we must remember that the focus needs to be on healthy foods, although my kids keep trying to weasel the opposite as often as possible but to no avail!!!  You may notice they pulled a fast one on me and substituted a pear for my arugula for this photo!

Acai berries - these berries are very healthy.  The berries come from the acai palm tree found in Central and South America and are known for their antioxidant properties aiding in the prevention of heart disease and cancer.  I wasn't able to find actual berries, so the juice had to suffice!  It can be quite tart so I water mine down some.

Acorn squash - known as a winter squash and is very tasty!  I cut mine in half, scoop out the seeds, add a little butter and brown sugar and bake in the oven until it is nice and soft.  Squash is very high in fibre and potassium, making it a good addition to a diabetic diet.

Agave nectar - a natural 'sugar' that has a much lower glycemic index than granulated sugars and is vegan to boot!  I often use agave nectar to sweeten my coffee now instead of sugar.

Almonds - while high in fats, they are actually good for your heart health as they contain magnesium and potassium.  Potassium is good for maintaining blood pressure and lack of appropriate magnesium can be linked to higher risk of heart attack.  Remember according to "Wheat Belly", you can eat as many nuts as you wish as long as they are raw!  Almonds also have antioxidant properties!!

Amaranth - having never heard of amaranth before this was a shot in the dark.  Is it a grain or a seed?  The store labelled it as a grain, but there may be some debate there.  I added mine to some yogurt and added some chopped apricot.  Afterwards I Googled some information about amaranth and discovered that I should have cooked it.  Oh well, what's done is done and I lived to tell the tale!!  Amaranth is very high in protein and fibre, therefore aiding in the prevention of heart disease and is effective in lowering cholesterol levels.  Bring it on!!!! 

Apples - you know what they say, 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away!".  Apples are good for maintaining blood pressure.  In "Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal",  I read that those who eat apples are 37% less likely to have hypertension and 28% less likely to develop Diabetes.  Apples also aid in the reduction of LDL (bad) cholesterol.  I really should start obeying those Dr.'s orders huh?

Apricots - much like apples, this fruit is also helpful for reducing high cholesterol, blood pressure, cancer risk, and can also lower LDL cholesterol.  From my high school days as an anaemic, I can tell you that dried apricots are a good source of iron too!

Artichokes - are high in antioxidants and good for reducing one's risk of breast cancer and skin cancer (hopefully my friend Melissa is reading this part!).  They are also full of fibre and can alleviate indigestion...and hangovers too apparently!

Arugula - My British friend Amanda knows this as 'rocket' and has somewhat peppery taste in comparison with other lettuces.  It is very high in fibre and antioxidants, good at lowering cholesterol levels, keeping blood sugars in balance and reducing risks of heart disease.

Asparagus - is very high in fibre, essential minerals and antioxidants.  It is also good for maintaining a healthy blood pressure as it helps to rid the body of excess salt.

Atemoya - I've already touched on this in a previous entry, but didn't realize that this fruit is a hybrid cross of sugar apple and cherimoya.  It is good for reducing high blood pressure and risk of cancer.  The seeds are toxic so be careful!

Avocado - last but not least - the avocado!  I still don't like the taste of straight avocado but I do enjoy it mixed with mango in a smoothie!  Avocados are great for reducing cholesterol, risk of heart disease and cancer.

The following week led us on the path of "B".  Just look at all that good stuff!

Bananas - great source of potassium, and good at maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels.  Also known to decrease stress, anxiety and depression! To mix things up a bit I bought red bananas which kind of scared the kids off a bit, but there really wasn't much difference in taste.  They are a little smaller so it's a great snack size!

Beans - beans are good for decreasing the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  I went out on a limb here and bought black beans for the first time.  Each time I've been in Costa Rica I purposefully avoided any rice or veggie dishes containing black beans as if they would induce symptoms of the black plague!  Fear not the black bean, I professed to myself - I will consume said beans and yet prevail!  After all, you know what they say about beans!  "Beans. beans, they're good for the heart; the more you eat the more you _ _ _ _!"

Beets - great source of essential nutrients and low in calories and contain no trans fats or saturated fats.  I think I went a good 10 years or so without eating beats, and now I've got all my kids liking beets!  However, I had never tried the leafy parts before and thought this challenge was the apt time to do so!  I steamed the leaves just like I would spinach and we ate the whole vegetable root & leaves!

(Chinese) Bitter Melon - or rather Blech Melon!!!  Part of this challenge involves trying as many new foods as possible, and unfortunately this was one of them!  Bitter is an understatement!  I sliced it like a cucumber and handed out the slices raw for each of us to taste - needless to say one was plenty!  This is the "Buckley's" of "B" produce!  It's a good source of fibre and antioxidants and has so many health benefits that I would suggest trying it as a cure all for all that ails you - if you can stomach it that is!  From what I read when Googling what it was and what to do with it, I found it seems to be especially beneficial for diabetics as it helps reduce blood sugar levels.

Blackberries - rich in antioxidants which can reduce cancer risk.  Next time you are suffering from PMS, you might find relief from a handful of these black beauties!

Blueberries - has a lower glycemic index than most fruits and may prevent hardening of the arteries!

Bok Choy - not a favourite of mine or the rest of the household, but it is low in calories and full of antioxidants.

Bran - the fibre in bran reduces blood cholesterol levels and is therefore good for reducing risk of heart attacks, Diabetes, and cancer.  I use bran in cranberry bran muffins which are delish!

Brazil nuts - these are great for a vegetarian diet because they are considered a complete protein and are high in fibre and the antioxidant selenium.  Although they contain fat, Brazil nuts are helpful in reducing cardiovascular disease and cholesterol

Broccoli - high in fibre and calcium, it can help decrease your risk of bladder, colorectal, breast and lung cancers as well as heart disease!  Try out this Broccoli Cheese & Potato Soup recipe found at http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/12/broccoli-cheese-and-potato-soup.html.  I couldn't wait to eat it and nearly forgot to take a photo - until the bowl was half empty - very tasty!

Brussels Sprouts - a relatively new staple in our house that even my kids have come to accept over the past year or so - they are great for reducing cholesterol (even more so when steamed than raw) and blood pressure levels, and risk of heart disease and cancer.  I recently found some purple ones as the store!!!!  Purple Stew anyone?

Bulgur - this is a grain that contains more fibre than oats and is great for your digestive system.  I admit that I haven't tried this food yet, the package is still in the pantry.  Perhaps I'll revisit it during a week where there is little letter availability!

Butternut Squash - low fat, high in fibre and carotenoids.  I made a butternut squash and apple soup recipe from my Canadian Living cookbook and wrote names in the bowls with yogurt!  Yummy!

 

...and then there were the culinary "C's"

 



Cabbage - helps prevent colon, breast and gynecologic cancers as well as diabetes

 

Cardoni - looks like thick celery, but tastes nothing like it - rather more like bitter melon - ewww!  Supposedly good for lowering cholesterol levels but unfortunately the bitterness makes it unpleasant to eat.  I just bought this last week as it wasn't available the week I was searching for "C"'s.

 

Canary Melon - has some essential nutrients but is high in sugar.

 

Cantaloupe -  Full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and linked to reduced risk of metabolic syndrome.

 

Carrots - Here's some trivia for you - did you know that carrots are native to Afghanistan?  They are really helpful in reducing cholesterol levels and risk of diabetes and cancer and also improve eyesight.  Avoid purchasing 'baby' carrots.  These aren't really baby carrots - they have been run through machines to attain a uniform shape.  Furthermore, Carla told me these 'baby' carrots are also bleached.  I was saddened to hear of this as they are convenient for packing in kids lunches.  Sorry kids but you will be taking a more natural kind of carrot sticks to school in future.  It's worth the extra effort to buy the real deal if you ask me!  "Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal" informs that carrots have an increased nutritional value when cooked as it breaks down the walls encasing the beta-carotene.

 

Cashews - good for heart health!

 

Cassava - kind of looks like a really long, waxy potato.  High in antioxidants and good at alleviating arthritis.  I made a new recipe called Cassava in Coconut (Muhogo Wa Nazi) from http://www.food.com/recipe/cassava-in-coconut-muhogo-wa-nazi and paired it with salmon and bok choy.  You may appreciate cassava more than I did if you can get past the smell of it, not that it's particularly unpleasant - just oddly different.  While I don't foresee myself purchasing another cassava from the supermarket, I was recently introduced to a cassava coconut pone (cake) at a scrapbooking retreat I attended a couple of weeks ago.   Thanks to my Short Stack Foodie buddy Jackie, I was privy to this delightful dessert which just so happens to be wheat-free!  She purchased the pone from a small restaurant called Ya-Man along with some tropical ice creams(coconut, mango and sour sop).  Sometimes things just taste better in a different package!  I plan on visiting this restaurant at some point and yes, I will be purchasing some cassava pone! 

 

Catfish - low in calories and fat and a good source of protein.  First time ever trying catfish and it was a success!  I guess I avoided it in the past because I couldn't get past the vision of eating whiskers!  It was a nice light tasting fish!  I  baked mine in the oven covered in fresh tomatoes, green pepper and basil from my garden along with some garlic!

Cauliflower - high in fibre and vitamin C, therefore good for reducing cancer risk.  In fact, a friend of mine who has had cancer was treated with vitamin C injections so this makes perfect sense!

 

Celeriac or Celery Root - an odd looking vegetable that indeed smells and tastes like celery.  Celeriac reduces risk of heart disease and is fat free!  I found a recipe on Pinterest for Celeriac Champ which I really enjoyed.  You can find the recipe at http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/333626/celeriac-champ

 

Celery - good for reducing rish of cancer and lowering blood pressure

 

Cheerios - I added this because they are made from oats which is good for hearth health

 

Cheese - I've mentioned before that cheese may be a leading contributor to my cholesterol issues due to the fat content, but it sure does taste good!  Pg. 75 of "Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal" has a warning:

"Tyramine, found in aged cheeses such as cheddar, blue cheese, and Camembert, also interacts with monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, drugs sometimes used to treat depression, and can cause a life-threatening rise in blood pressure."

Yikes!  Perhaps I should acquire a taste for non-aged cheeses - any suggestions?

Cherries - can reduce risk of cancer, lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease.  I didn't find any fresh cherries so I bought frozen cherries and covered them with dark chocolate - mmm...mmmm!

Chia Seeds - packed with antioxidants, fibre, and protein. Also good for maintaining blood sugar levels and decreasing risk of heart disease.  As with the amaranth grain, I added chia seeds to some Greek yogurt.

Chiles - reduces cancer risk.  Spicy foods can increase metabolism, therefore good for losing weight!  I used a Cubanelle Pepper that week and added it on my pizza

Chocolate - Thank heaven for chocolate!  Much to the chagrin of my kids, I purchased dark chocolate (good news is that are starting to develop a taste/tolerance for it!).  Dark chocolate is much better for you than milk chocolate, particularly if it's at least 60% cocoa.  Chocolate has many health benefits including lowering blood pressure, risk of heart disease and mood disorders.  Pg. 79 of "Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal" states:

"Chocolate can cause or exacerbate canker sores."

Unfortunately, my two youngest kids inherited troublesome canker sores from their father who also suffers from them.  Sorry kids, but you had better hand over all chocolate to me in future!

Cilantro - antioxidant, effective for toxic metal cleansing, anti-anxiety, and may improve sleep

Clementines  - high in vitamin C

Coconut - full of fibre and potassium and therefore helpful in reducing blood pressure, but it is high in cholesterol so avoid cooking with coconut oil.  I bought my first whole coconut and the kids and I punctured the bowling ball like holes in the bottom with a screwdriver to draw out the water to drink.  I then grated some fresh coconut flakes to add to some butternut squash soup.  I also made this Grilled Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut-Cilantro Rice recipe found at http://bevcooks.com/2011/07/grilled-hawaiian-chicken-with-coconut-cilantro-rice/, but next time I'll leave out the cilantro (not a fan)

Cranberries - good for preventing urinary tract infections, heart disease, cancer and blood cholesterol levels.  Juice should be 100% juice and diluted to minimize effects of high sugar content.

Cucumbers - are 95% water, therefore a good healthy food to prevent weight gain!  I found out this summer just how easy they are to grow in your very own garden!!

My friend Michelle recently shared something on Facebook that I'd like to share with you.  When you bring home your groceries, fill the kitchen sink with water and add 1 cup of vinegar, then add your fruits and veggies and let sit for 10 minutes or so.  This will clean the produce of dirt, pesticides and residue!  Aren't those little purple Brussels sprouts cute?

 

A couple of weeks ago, four friends and I attended a fashion show at the Burlington Art Centre featuring clothing from local stores.  As an added bonus, the price of the ticket included wine and food samples from local restaurants.  The proceeds from the event went to Breast Cancer Support Services which is my philanthropy of choice - so one couldn't go wrong attending this event!  I'm glad I opted not to have a meal at home beforehand because the food was AMAZING!  Our favourite morsel of the evening was the Braised Pork Belly Taco with roasted poblano & maple vinaigrette, apple & chive slaw and crispy sweet potatoes created by Adam Baxter, Head Chef of Honey West in Burlington.  Majella and I would be utterly embarrassed to recall how many times we returned for seconds, thirds....!  This photo is of the very last one - which shortly after posing for this photo, performed a most elegant happy dance in my belly as it met up with it's many friends consumed before it!  These tacos are not part of the regular menu at Honey West, but I do declare - you simply must go in and ask Adam to whip some up for you!  Just this afternoon, I called Adam asking him to recreate these for our upcoming Christmas party!!  For those of you planning to attend, I suggest you come rather early to try these before some (ah hem - Madge!) snatch them up!  The somewhat peculiar thing about these tacos is that those yellow sticks are actually sweet potato!  I do NOT like sweet potato as a rule, but Adam has opened up my culinary palate.  Granted, this is not the healthiest way to eat sweet potato as they are deep fried (definitely not conducive to heart health) but they are small and it's ok to treat yourself once in a while - everything in moderation!  I need to come clean and confess that we grabbed a handful of these sweet potatoes to much on like popcorn during the show!

 



 Last week I went to Woodstock to visit my dad only to find he wasn't doing very well.  His blood sugars were irregular and his blood pressure plummeted when standing, causing him to faint - not good!  The next day he had a follow-up appointment with his surgeon and was readmitted to hospital.  He had lost too much weight too fast and became dehydrated so he was hooked up to an IV for a couple of days.  Just when he thought he'd be going home again, ultrasounds revealed a pseudoaneurysm in his groin where the angiogram was performed.  It had tripled in size in the span of 2 days, requiring additional surgery to remove.  The procedure was successful and Dad is back home again - hopefully for good this time!!  He's also been given the OK to drive again so I'm sure he is appreciating the reward of regaining some autonomy back!

On Friday I had a follow-up appointment with my Diabetic Nurse to check my blood pressure.  I was sure to drink lots of water in the morning and I conjured happy images of paddle boarding with Rocket on the way there.  My blood pressure read 123/86!!!!!!  Best reading at the doctor's office yet!!!  Needless to say, I left feeling elated and didn't bawl my eyes out this time!  Now, she was still concerned about the diastolic but it has improved.  She was going to discuss the situation with my doctor and thought he may want to put me on a water pill - but since I haven't heard from them yet, I'm assuming I've got the all clear!!! Before I left her office, I laid my hands on her desk and very emphatically declared, "I am NOT going to get Diabetes!"

The last lines from "When Did You Last See Your Father" were very poignant and luckily things didn't reach this far with my dad - and for that I am very grateful!  I now have more time to appreciate my relationship with my dad and work together to improve our health!

"And when did you last see your father? Was it when they burned the coffin? Put the lid on? When he exhaled his last breath? When he sat up and said something? When he last recognized you? When he last smiled? When did you last see your father? The last time he was healthy, active? The last time he had an argument about something? Those weeks in which we tried to say goodbye were like a series of depletion's. Each day I thought 'he can't get less like himself than this.' Yet each day he did. So I've been trying to recall the last time I actually saw him. The last time he was unmistakeably... there. In the fullness of being, I dunno... him."

 

 

Serenity at 40

     Well, it's official.  I'm 40 now.  Turning 40 has been bittersweet.  The sweet was really sweet, and the bitter, bitter.  A month or so ago I had my follow-up appointment with the Diabetic Nurse, whom I've nicknamed "The Executioner".  While my weight and girth had decreased since my last visit, and my blood sugars were optimal, my cholesterol and blood pressure were still too high.  Six months ago I received her praise for managing to bring my cholesterol levels down from 4.55 to 3.29, but it had gone back up to 3.43.  My blood pressure that day was higher than 6 months ago.  Last time she told me that drinking more water could bring the diastolic number down which seemed to have worked, only the day of my appointment I felt somewhat dehydrated - not to mention super nervous about the results that were to be bestowed upon me.   I even backed up with photographic evidence great blood pressure readings taken at the pharmacy.  Then end result was she booked me in for a months time to reevaluate my blood pressure and if not improved she will put me on medication.  When asked about why my cholesterol spiked a bit, the only answer I could fathom was the increased consumption of cheese (with fig butter - my new fave!) poolside during the summer.  There may also have been an element of invincibility rewarding myself for having done so well bringing the numbers down initially.  So I've been given a month to improve blood pressure and another 6 months to reevaluate the cholesterol issue.  She thinks that I may have succeeded in doing all that I can to bring my numbers down and that the rest I can't do anything about - it's simply genetics - it's in my DNA.

I left the office feeling defeated, deflated and depressed.  Six months earlier I left that office in tears, but they were tears of joy and pride that I was able to make a difference and improve my situation.  That day, I once more left the office in tears, because I hadn't done enough and it looks like I will need to take medications after all.  While I sat weeping in the car, I confess that all I could think of was wanting to inhale a gooey donut or cupcake - what difference would it make now anyways, right?  I called John and he set me straight, reminding me of all the progress I've made and that I did manage to fulfill my wish set out at the beginning of this.  It was my hope that I could at least hit 40 without having to take such medications, and at that point it was only a couple of weeks away and that wish would come true.

On a positive note, I realized how lucky I am to have such wonderful friends and family who genuinely care about me.  They lifted me up when I was down.  Carla and Steve along with John, hosted a grand surprise 40th birthday party for me a couple of weeks before my birthday.  It was so much fun and they really did surprise me - which is funny, because I thought they were up to something and then they threw me off the scent the day of and still managed to surprise me!

My birthday just seemed to get better as my daughter Kristen and I boarded a flight to Dublin, Ireland!  Dublin is my absolute favourite place to be, and where I wanted more than anything to celebrate the big 4-0 milestone!  This was Kristen's first time in Ireland and my 6th.  We had the best time!  I've been so many times and yet there is still so much I want to see that I haven't yet -and that's just in Dublin!!  Those of you who know me well know that in addition to being a Colin Firth fan, I am also a huge U2 fan!  I showed Kristen all the famous U2 landmarks - we even went to Bono's house!  We met the most extraordinary gentleman on the beach behind the house.  He was collecting what looked like seaweed from the shore.  We went over to talk to him and asked what he was gathering.  His name is John McKenna, a famous jeweller and sculptor (Frank Sinatra, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev all had pieces of his work).  He's very knowledgeable about the history of Dublin and the Vikings (we got quite the history lesson that's for sure!).  Anyways, the stuff he was gathering was called dulse.  McKenna has been ill for a couple of years and he uses the dulse to improve his health.  Dulse, it turns out is very good for you.  It's loaded with vitamins and minerals, fibre and protein.  It helps heal the digestive system and liver and cleanses the body; increases metabolism; and is high in iodine which is beneficial for the thyroid.  He helped us collect some and I brought some home with me to try out someday!  I'll let you know how it turns out!

Other highlights of the trip were meeting the cast of Mrs. Brown's Boys!!!  Totally unplanned and we definitely had the luck of the Irish behind us!!  If you haven't seen this show I highly recommend it-it'll have you stitches it's so funny!

 Lastly, my birthday gift to myself, was a photo shoot with Peter Rowen (remember the boy on the cover of U2's War album?  That's him!)  His work is superb and Kristen and I both enjoyed meeting him!

 

While we were in Ireland, I called home on the Saturday and found out that my dad had had a heart attack and was in a coma.  Kristen and I were traipsing all over Dublin making wonderful memories while my dad lay immobilized on a hospital bed.  When John and the boys picked us up at the airport we drove directly to the hospital in Woodstock.  By this time, Dad was out of the coma and awaiting more tests.  All my worries about having to take medication for blood pressure and/or cholesterol ended when I saw my dad lying there with tubes attached in various places!  A couple of weeks ago, he underwent a quadruple bypass surgery and I'm happy to report that he is now home after spending 32 days in hospital.  He was given another chance and a new lease on life and will be making some lifestyle changes so he can be with us even longer!!!  Some of us aren't that lucky!

My eating habits have been less than stellar as I tried to get down to visit my dad every other day or so (he's an hour's drive away) after work.  Everywhere you turn there is a Tim Horton's in Canada and almost every visit I would stop for a French Vanilla Cappuccino and a doughnut - not the best foods to consume on the Colin Firth Diet!!  Or any diet for that matter!  Luckily, although my weight has gone up a bit, I have not gone over the 140 lb ceiling!  I tried a couple new recipes you may want to try.  The first is Summery Quinoa Pilaf from the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook by Liz Vacciariello.  OK, so it's no longer summer, but it still felt like it when I made this dish!  It was light and refreshing!

The other recipe was Mediterranean-Style Turkey Scaloppini (omitting the olives!!) from a pamphlet I received in the mail from Ontario Turkey.  The topping was delicious and I even used the left overs to put on top of nachos for a healthy snack the next day!! 

Last week I had that one month blood pressure check-up.  I walked in telling the nurse (Executioner) that it was going to be high and told her about dad's heart attack/surgery and the other stress I was under.  Turns out it wasn't so bad!  My blood pressure was 130/88.  She's still concerned about the bottom number and I have to go back in a couple of weeks to check it again.  And now I feel like a blubbering fool, because again I started sobbing during the appointment.  She told me that my dad was going to be OK, that he would be even better now than he was before and I believe her.  I came to realize that she is not the Executioner - only I can be the Executioner of my own fate.  Rather, she is more of a Pacifier - as she listened to me cry, gave me a sincere hug and left me with a feeling of peace and hope of better things to come!

Yesterday after a long hiatus of monthly measurements at Curves (I was hoping to get my weight down lower than the last record), I realized that I needed to just bite the bullet and be honest with myself and others about what's going on.  So, the gist of it is that I am currently 138 lbs.  There I've said it.  Now this could be due to the Timmies but also due to the fact that I took on a temporary job for a month, and after much deliberation decided to take on Scrap Cancer again -so I was unable to find the time to get to Curves.  Yes, I broke the habit for the month of October after a full year of making at least 3 visits per week.  One day I dropped my keys and my Curves tag broke in half.  I think it was a sign that I had broken a healthy habit.  I taped the tag back together, and after another couple of weeks of missing the gym, I noticed the half had fallen off again.  OK, now this really was a sign!  And I verbally replied to the remains of said tag, "I know, I know, I know - I need to get back to Curves!!!  I haven't forgotten!".  Moral of the story is, I am back on track again!! 

Remember my earlier post about the serenity I felt while paddle boarding around the lake at the cottage this summer?  Well, now I can experience that more often (weather pending!) as when I came home from seeing my dad in the hospital the night we came home from Ireland, there was my very own paddle board waiting for me - a gift from all my family!

While all these events were going on I came across the Serenity Prayer in a book I was reading and it really struck home.  There are things I can change such as my weight, blood pressure (to an extent), exercise and eating habits, enjoying more Colin Firth flicks etc., etc..  But there are things I cannot change, namely genetics - my DNA, and unfortunately my genetics have me predisposed to heart disease and diabetes.  That being said, I am even more determined to fight this so my kids learn what a healthy lifestyle is and reduce their risk for heart attack and disease!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some Colin Firth to catch up on!!!  I think a little, "When Did You Last See Your Father?" is in order for this evening!