Tuesday "Try"... Transform leftovers

    Try - when you look in your refrigerator and see leftovers you don't know what to do with or nobody wants to eat again... think... "Transformation." - what can I do with them and make it new again? When I have this problem, I usually go to "Google" and see what ideas other people have with similar food.
    Last week I had leftover homemade mango chutney that I'd made to take to a friends house and there was a lot left over. So in my search ( just searched "what to do with leftover mango chutney") I found out I could make a mango chutney cheese ball. There were many other ideas as well,  but I needed something that would take more then a teaspoon or two. I'm always looking for a idea to make my son when he comes to visit, so guess what he got? Yep, a mango chutney cheese ball! Then I froze the rest to be used at a later time.
     Or how about leftover meatloaf. You could make some mac and cheese put the extra meatloaf in it and it is now Beef A-Roni. Or then there is the tomato soup that is half left, so it is now turned into chili or add it to some spaghetti sauce. Then there is always those little bit of this and little bit of that. For me that becomes my lunch ( always love when I don't have to fix something).
     Don't let the word "leftover" scare you. If what you make doesn't work, that's okay. You may even surprise yourself and come up with a great flavor combination. Or why not let your children see what they could do with the leftovers. Don't be afraid to play with your food. A lot of great foods were created from mistakes!
      Here is a site to show some yummy food creations made out of someones mistake...

http://firstwefeast.com/eat/foods-invented-mistake/s/115186/

Monday Mention... Re-visit Food Traditions

 

          A while back I wrote a post http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2013/10/food-traditions-and-their-benefits.html  about making food traditions with your family ( that could be or include your cousins, nieces, nephews, sisters, friend etc.) so I thought in this New Year I would re-visit the idea. My children are getting older and sometimes what we once did is not possible anymore so we are starting to create different ones. Like my oldest son who is now married and expecting their first child, has come up the last couple years on Christmas morning and I've made us all a big breakfast. So that is fast becoming our tradition and as my granddaughter arrives I'm sure there will be more exciting and new ones that will be handed down. I've also started years ago, since my oldest son left the nest, cooking him a meal to take home on the days when he comes to visit through out the year.
          You don't have to be a person who loves to cook or even enjoys being in the kitchen. Don't let feeling like it has to be a " Martha Stewart" kind of thing hold you back.There is always "Google and Pinerest" to help with ideas and there are awesome things at the grocery store, specially shops, or even your farmers market that would work just fine. It's never to late to start and traditions are not only for the holidays. So do what makes you happy and with love and there can be no result other then it's "a good thing."

Sunday's Nourishment...

When I add a spoon of honey to my tea, I give thanks to a dozen bees for the work of their whole lives. When my finger sweeps the final drop of sweetness from the jar, I know we've enjoyed the nectar from over a million flowers. This is what honey is: the souls of flowers, a food to please the gods. Honeyeaters know that to have a joyful heart one must live life like the bees, sipping the sweet nectar from each moment as it blooms. And Life, like the world of honey, has its enchantments and stings....   ~Ingrid Goff-Maidoff, "The Honey Sutras"

Today is Sunday... let this be a day of rest if only for the mind. Make something simple for dinner or go and have someone serve you. Whatever you do let it bring joy and be nourishing for the mind as well as the body.

Saturday Supper...

 Bourbon Chicken

 http://www.food.com/recipe/bourbon-chicken-45809

(doesn't actually use bourbon)

be sure to read the reviews and comments on recipe site for ideas

Suggestion for Sides:

~ rice / noodles

~ fresh tossed salad

~ stir fry vegetables

Friday Food Facts...Calcium

 

 Calcium

... is a mineral found in many foods. The body needs calcium to maintain strong bones and teeth. The body also needs calcium for the muscles to move and for nerves to carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body. Calcium is used to help blood vessels move blood throughout the body and to help release hormones and enzymes that affect almost every function in the human body.

I like finding ways I can get more of my vitamins and minerals from natural sources when possible. Today I wanted share some sources for Calcium.

The most common are - milk, yogurt and cheese
~But if your like me - dairy free then you need to look elsewhere...
Kale, broccoli, Chinese Cabbage, spinach, okra, collard greens, almonds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, quinoa, oats, beans, canned salmon, dried figs,

Love ourselves back to health...

        Getting ourselves to a healthier place, starts with self-love. We cannot "will" ourselves better, it is with gentle and loving kindness towards ourselves that things will begin to shift. We don't need to go looking for the new diet that claims to have all the answers, we don't need to clear out the cabinets and buy all organic and healthy foods. The change and shift will happen, one moment, one choice at a time. Each day brings with it a new beginning, and if yesterday we were not so kind to ourselves, then the awareness will help us try again. Our health is not a destination, it is a life long process of loving and learning. A chance to offer self love through the food we choose and the food we give to others.
        Here are three steps to guide you along and as always, if they don't speak to you, use what does. Self-Love comes in many forms!
 
        First Step:
~ Bring awareness to the food your eating. Not by judging if it's good or bad for you, but enjoy - the color, the taste, the smell. Be aware, as you chew, without distractions, for one meal or one snack.

        Second Step:
~ Be thankful for the abundance of choices and places you are able to purchase food.

        Third Step
~ Remember when your cooking ( no matter what it is) to cook it with a loving intention.

This is a journey of a lifetime... journey with me as we explore how we can " Love ourselves back to health"

Wednesday " Word"... Sugar

I came across this article http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/5-more-reasons-to-quit-sugar  and it brought sugar back to my attention. Talking about "Sugar" can not be mentioned enough. It is a very subtle and seductive ingredient in our food. I wrote about it earlier this year http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/02/thursday-3-tips-to-cut-down-on-sugar.html but I thought it worth mentioning again with the holidays approaching. Sugar is a hard thing to avoid and with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas coming one month after the next, the choices are difficult.

A good tip to help bring awareness to the sugar that your consuming on a regular bases, is to read the label and just notice the amount of sugar per serving. And maybe go a step further and write down on a piece of paper for one day the amount of sugar and then add it up. This is not meant for a guilt trip, only to bring awareness, because we can't begin to change what we are not aware of.

Here are a few words to look for when reading a food label - looking for sugar:

• white sugar
• brown sugar
• raw sugar
• high fructose corn syrup
• corn syrup
• corn syrup solids
• malt syrup
• maple syrup
• pancake syrup
• fructose sweetener
• liquid fructose
• honey
• molasses
• anhydrous dextrose
• crystal dextrose

~ Look for more tips and ideas in the coming months to help with your  "sugar awareness"