A Beautiful Day

“This day is a beautiful room that’s never been seen before. Let me cherish the seconds, minutes, and hours I spend here.” (Anonymous)

Just love this quote I read this morning.

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Mexican Pie

I’ve been rearranging and decluttering  the kitchen. I decided to look once again at my few cook books and see if I was using them or if any needed a new home. I came across this recipe I haven’t made in a few years. It was a family favorite and  seems it still is. It’s quick and easy to prepare, tastes yummy, and forms a nice thin corn bread on top. It’s good the next day too and freezes well. Enjoy!

( I used all Gluten Free ingredients)

(From Eat Well, Live Well The Canadian Diabetic Associations Guide to Healthy Eating, 1990)

 

Mexican Pie
1 Medium Onion
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 can tomatoes (19 oz/540 ml)
1 can kidney beans (19 oz/540 ml) (I soaked and cooked the beans)
1 can corn (12 oz/341 ml) (I used frozen)
1 TBSP chili powder ( I suggest 2 TBSP or more)
¾ cup cornmeal
1 cup 2 percent milk (I used soy milk)
2 eggs
1 ½ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, or a mixture)
In a large skillet on medium high heat, cook onion in oil until transparent. Cut up tomatoes. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, corn and chili powder to skillet. Cook on low heat, uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until slightly thickened, stir occasionally. (I used a masher and mashed the mixture a little to thicken the sauce). Pour into 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle corn meal evenly over surface. In separate bowl, beat together milk and eggs. Pour evenly over corn meal. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 350 oven, 50 – 55 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.

 

 

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Christmas Parcels

I’m getting into the Christmas spirit now. I wrapped up a few gifts that will be mailed in early December. If I get a jump start on things like wrapping and card writing in November, I’ll have time for other things that bring joy during this season.

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Furry Friends Collage

I so love the furry friends that have blessed my life. Tonight I decided to frame photos of the four of them. I came across this frame and thought it would work fine. I really like the collage. It’s on my desk and when I look at it I’ll be reminded what a special gift each one has been to me .  Maybe you would like to display the photos of your special friends the same way.

 

(Clockwise top left – Beni, Mojo, Jackson, Aussie (with my mom))

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Lentil Walnut Burgers Gluten Free

 

With BBQ season here, I decided today to look for a meatless gluten free burger recipe that I could make and bring to a BBQ.  I have two BBQ’s  to attend soon so the timing is good. I really didn’t expect the recipe I selected to work the first time, as I often have challenges with gluten free recipes and meatless burgers. I found this Whole Foods recipe online and I’m pleased with the outcome. The burgers taste good and keep the round shape. I like that the burger is mainly lentils and brown rice. The walnuts are very nice too. I changed the recipe a little:  I used  dill instead of thyme, I added 1/4 cup ground flax seed, and I used a little more cayenne.  The recipe made 9 patties and I froze most of them after cooking – I gobbled one up too of course.   They’ll be good with avocado and tomato. Yum.

Whole Foods Gluten Free Walnut Lentil Burgers

Serves 6

Walnuts add a little crunch and brown rice takes the place of bread crumbs making these savory vegetarian burgers a great gluten-free meal. Serve with a green salad or cooked greens.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice, divided
• 1 1/2 cup cooked lentils, or 1 (15-ounce) can lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons high heat sunflower oil or expeller-pressed canola oil, divided

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, walnuts, parsley, thyme (or dill), salt, pepper and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to a large bowl.

In a food processor, purée 1 cup rice, lentils and egg until smooth. Transfer to bowl with vegetables, add remaining 1 cup rice and stir to combine. Form lentil mixture into 10 to 12 patties, using about 1/4 cup of the mixture to make each one.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Arrange half of the patties in skillet and cook, flipping once, until golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat process with remaining sunflower oil and patties. Serve hot.

Nutritional Info:

Per Serving: 240 calories (100 from fat), 11g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 9g protein

Notes: I used 2 TBSP chopped fresh dill instead of Thyme

I added ¼ cup flax seed (mixed with a bit of water  for binding).

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Clumps of Dirt

Thought I’d jump right in and make a quick post.  Tonight was the first evening this season that I’ve spent in the garden.   I really enjoyed breaking up the clumps of dirt with my hands. I was amazed that this little activity could be so therapeutic. As the clumps of dirt broke down,  I sifted through the clumps in my mind that needed breaking down. After a few hours, I felt so peaceful. Gardening is wonderful  medicine for our soul. Give it a try.

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Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

 

These Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are so delicious. The pumpkin makes these soft on the inside and sooooo flavorful. I baked them at 325 convection for 10 minutes.  Find the recipe here. Give them a try.

 

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Giving and Selling Stuff 2014 #2

As you may have noticed, I like to give stuff away and keep things out of the landfill. In March, we were having our floors refinished and new wood added to the remaining part of the house. I had a fair bit of carpet that was being removed. As each room was emptied, I posted that piece of carpet on Free cycle and Kijiji. Surprisingly, all the carpet was picked up right away.  Here’s an article by ‘This Old House’  called ’10 Uses For Old Carpet‘. I just thought it was interesting.  I hope you consider giving stuff away and before sending to the landfill.

(This is a not my carpet…image from the internet)

 

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Time to visit with the Elderly

I thought I would jump right in and make a quick post, ’cause I think you will like it. Today I was walking my dog when I noticed an elderly gentleman sitting on a nearby bench. I have chatted with this man in the past. We’d mostly talked about the city, the nearby plants and his late wife – whom he missed dearly. Today, I was on a tight schedule so I waved as I walked by. Then my instinct told me to go over and visit with him – just for a minute. I did. I greeted him and said it was good to see him again after the long winter. I introduced my dog, Jackson, as I didn’t have him the last time we talked in the Fall. I asked how he was. He said ‘ well… not so good’. With tear filled eyes he told me his sister passed away and he was going to the funeral tomorrow. She was 98. He is 94. He shared about his 10 siblings, all who lived well into their 80’s and 90’s, and their growing up years. He talked about what he thought contributed to longevity in his family. Things like nutrition, being physically active, and the ability to look on the brighter side of life – that’s where I paid close attention.  I appreciated his wisdom about  learning from all people and not being judgmental. After about 15 minutes, my dog was a little restless, so we departed. I was so glad I listened to my instinct and stopped to chat with this man again. I appreciated his bits of wisdom and I think he liked a listening ear. I hope you take time for an elder – even when it doesn’t seem convenient. Give yourself, and the other, a special gift. Blessings……..

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Easter Food Bank Donation

Friends, if you are hosting an Easter dinner, would you consider asking your guests to bring along a donation for your local food bank. It’s a great way to share with those who are having food challenges at this time. My food bank does not accept perishable food, so check with yours beforehand. You’ll feel blessed when you drop it off in a day or two. Thanks, Linda

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Giving and Selling Stuff 2014

 

You know, I sure like to give away or sell the things that  I’m not using any longer.  Last week I was having work done in the house and needed to move furniture around. I looked at my sideboard and wondered if there was anything in there that  I wasn’t using any longer. I noticed a few dishes that I don’t use any more. I had picked them up here and there to accent my table, so they didn’t have too much value to me. I wondered if someone else might like to enjoy them. I took a snap shot and posted them on Kijiji.   I didn’t really want to give them away  (that’s another post about give away on Kijiji). I decided I would like 30.00 so I asked 40.00.   Within a short time I sold them. The person wanting to purchase them had her great aunts incomplete set and my few pieces would compliments hers nicely. She mentioned she was giving the collection to her daughter for her upcoming wedding. I was glad I posted these pieces- they have more meaning to the buyer than they did to me. Also, I have 40.00 that I didn’t have before. If your not using things,  why not consider giving them away or selling them. You never know who might be looking for exactly what you have.

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Are we in trouble Jackson?

I shared this story with a few girlfriends last week and one suggested I put it on my blog. Hope you enjoy it.

Oh dear…. thought my little guy and I got in a bit of trouble. It was very snowy this morning and I was walking Jackson on a path when a car pulled up nearby. The elderly driver asked loudly, “do you walk your dog everyday?”. I said that I did. He said he wanted to talk to me about my dog and said I was to come to the brown house and see him. Now I have walked dogs by this man’s house for 15 years and he hasn’t really noticed us before. I thought about this all day and wondered what this man could complain about – why else did he want to talk to me about my dog. I came up with ways I could avoid walking past his house in the future. I wondered if I missed picking up after Jackson – it’s possible as he walks off leash mostly. I told myself the guy was just an old grump. All kinds of things were going through my mind. On my way going for groceries this evening we drove past the house. I told Gerry to stop the car. He waited in the car as I nervously went to the door. The wife said her husband wasn’t very mobile and she led me to a back room where he was. She told him that the lady with the dog was here to see him. He asked me where my dog was – he wanted to see him. I said ‘oh I only have a minute, going for groceries, my husbands in the car waiting’. He told me to go get my husband. I didn’t of course – I could handle this myself. He then proceeded to tell me how much he enjoyed watching us on our walks. He thought Jackson was a wonderful dog with lots of spunk. He wanted to know about his breed as he hadn’t seen a dog like him before. He told me about a dog he once had many years ago. When I got back to the car Gerry said he thought the man really gave me trouble  – as I was gone so long. We were both happy that he just wanted to see Jackson and enjoy him. I told the man we would accept his invite and come for a visit soon. Thought you might like this story.

 

Jackson (10 years old) at the vet Feb. 14, 2014 – 10 days after we adopted him

 

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Energy Bites – No Bake

These little energy bites are so good. Make them small, freeze, and take one out when you need a little pick me up.

No Bake Energy Bars. (Use  Gluten Free ingredients)

1 cup Oats

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Peanut Butter

1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed

1/3 cup Honey

1 tsp Vanilla

Mix, roll in balls, refridgerate. ENJOY!

(optional – 2 – 3 TBSP Coconut Oil melted, 1/3 cup Coconut)

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Nutrition, Health, and Lifestyle: Issues and Insights Course

This is a great  FREE online course – starting the 20th of January 2014. I took it previously and am still benefiting from it. Thought some of you might like it.  It’s USA based, it’s very good information.

Click here for details. http://www.coursera.org/course/lifenutr

If you’re not interested in this course you might find another at www.coursera.org.

Have a wonderful week. Linda

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Merry Christmas Friends!

Merry Christmas to all my blog friends, and to all peace, joy, love and hope in 2014!

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Write That Note Today

Today I took a bit of time to write a long overdue note. I’ve been thinking of sending news to a friend for two months now. I feel so much better now that I’ve done that. I value my friends so I feel so good about sending it. If you’ve been thinking of someone, why not let them know – send a notecard or an email.  Just a few words will do.

The cards displayed here are for sale on Etsy.com. Click on the card for the link.

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Fruit and Nut Gluten Free Bread

(This is a photo of my first loaf – made a few weeks ago)

(This is photo of my second loaf – made today)

(Today I am making this recipe for a friend, so I thought I would write a post.)

For some time, I thought about a bread machine with a Gluten Free setting. I’ve seen them online but since I consume very little bread, I didn’t really want to put out the expense.  Recently, I was at my favorite department store and I saw  a bread machine on sale – to my surprise it had a GF setting.  Well, I quickly snatched one up and spread the word to my friends. I made this recipe and when it was done, my husband and I couldn’t stop eatting it. Quite frankly this is the  best white flour GF bread I’ve consumed. Because I have never made bread (in a machine or in the oven) I wanted to be careful. All ingredients were room temperature. I also measured all the ingredients in advance and added them one by one, as listed in the recipe.  This bread freezes really well. Slice it, wrap the loaf in plastic,  wrap loaf again but in foil this time, put the wrapped loaf in a freezer bag,  pop in the freezer.  It tastes marvelous when it’s thawed – really.  My favorite time to eat this bread is at breakfast. I toast it and top with my homemade chunky applesauce. Soooooo good!

(Model B6000C)

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I’m reading a whole lot more

Since I purchased my ebook reader, I sure have been getting a lot of reading done.  I purchased a mini version so that it fits in my purse. Wherever I am now, if there is a delay, I can read without lugging a book around. I’ve been making more trips to the coffee shop ’cause I really enjoy reading there.  I’ve mostly rented novels from the library – however, the selection is limited. I’ve also purchased a few ebooks that are more reference type books related to a hobby of mine.

Frankly, I didn’t find the ebook reader that easy to use at first, and I am comfortable with computers. The instructions are very poor. I fumbled around for several hours trying to determine how to get ebooks onto the device. As it turned out, I needed to download an interface called Adobe Digital Editions onto my computer. After this was installed, I needed to sync my device. Also, I purchased a pdf version of a book and not an EPUB (that word is key when using an ebook reader- EPUB).  I find the pdf format  very cumbersome to read on an ereader. I’ll only use the EPUB format moving forward. Now, a person can download a ebook from Kindle or Kobo directly using the device and wifi, but this does not work if you are renting a ebook from the library or using a differant electronic resource provider. In this case, you must download Adobe Digital Editions onto your computer; download the ebook to Adobe Digital Editions; and then sync your device. Now that I have sorted out all the kinks, I am enjoying the ebook reader.

The pros of an ebook reader for me are: eco friendly, compact; lower price than a paper book; font is adjustable; highlighting and bookmarking feature; word search feature; can borrow from library; stores many books. For me the cons include: sharing a book is not possible; device requires recharging monthly; PDF is cumbersome; set up is not user friendly.

I would recommend an ereader to everyone, but I would suggest having a friend, who is using the device,  show you how to use it. You’ll avoid wasted time and possible frustration. I have noticed many ereaders listed on used sites for resale with comments like ‘just isn’t for me’.

( I purchased a basic mini ebook reader for 39.99, case included, at Costco. The brand is Kobo)

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Thinking About My Values

I read this book this week – Living the Quaker Way. It’s a new ebook at my local library. I dont really know much about Quakerism so I thought I would give it a go. I found the book quite thought provoking. I also found that I share the same values. It was refreshing for me to get a glimpse of how certain ideals are lived out in the world and in a faith community. The author doesn’t try to convert the reader to Quakerism. He simply encourages one to live up to certain ideals – simplicity; peace; integrity; community; and equality. Its an easy read really.  I sure recommend this book.

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Pen and Paper

” The palest ink lasts longer than the finest memory.”

Every year my husband and I take two days to do business planning and set goals. Before we set our goals we read a few of our favorite articles that we’ve saved over the years. Today, as I was reading one of the articles by Brian Tracy, I read this quote ” The palest ink lasts longer than the finest memory.”  It’s a Chinese quote.  It made me think how important it is to write things down and not rely on my memory. You know, I have note books scattered around my house & in my office. I keep one in my purse also. I like to use a notebook when I want to remember a bit of information like: a book title; an upcoming event; my family history; a blog idea; a phone call I need to make; etc. I’ve referred to my notebooks/pads over and over.  I also keep them once they are full. I’ve referred to something long afterward I’ve recorded it and the books been put on a shelf. Pen and paper can last forever.  Note taking sure helps me to recall things and stay organized, especially when life is busy and hectic. Maybe this quote will inspire you and you’ll find note taking a benefit. Have a wonderful day.

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