Substance of Living

Do you remember the first time you actually heard about flax seed and the fact that you can eat it? Flax has been around for thousands of years .   How is it that ancient cultures knew of this tiny seed and all its health benefits? According to Wikipedia , "Flax is grown both for its seeds and for its fiber. Various parts of the plant have been used to make fabric, dye, paper, medicines, fishing nets, hair gels, and soap."  You may also recognize flax, or otherwise known as linseed, as an oil in paints and varnishes.  Flax seed has also been used for cattle feed, most recently as an extra omega-3 boost for chickens (e.g., Omega-3 enriched eggs) and the plant itself is used as fiber (linen) - much as cotton is used. In Elaine Magee's, MPH, RD article The Benefits of Flaxseed , she wrote that today, many consider flax seed as one of  "the most powerful plant foods on the planet." Flax seed contains plant Omega-3, Fiber (soluble and insoluble), and Li...

The FOURTH step is to have a plan that will help you attain your goals. Find a program that works for you.  There are so many forms on the internet, books written containing forms, computer programs, and Apps that you will need to know yourself and what will work best. Gather as much information as possible this first month. Paychecks Bank Statement Credit Care Statements Car Loan Other Loans Child Care Insurance Statements (Mortgage/Rent, Life, Health, Car) Cable Bill Phone Bill Membership Dues (Fitness Club, Golf Club, Movie) Subscriptions to Newspapers and Magazines Guesstimate how much you spend on groceries, eating out, entertainment, doctor appointments, shopping, hair, nails, massage, gas, etc. Add more information next month with actual receipts.  (Try the June 2012 Money Management Challenge ) Groceries Meals out Entertainment Shopping Hair, Nails, Massage Gas Now you can really sit down and figure how much money you have...

1 Tube Polenta Sweet Peppers 1 Bag or Bunch Fresh Spinach 1/2 C Tahini Gravy 2 t Olive Oil From pulling the items out of the refrigerator to sitting down to eat should take less than 15 minutes.   This is a great week-night dinner and yet colorful enough for special occasions or pare the portion down and serve for a luncheon. Preheat a lightly greased grill pan.  Cut Polenta into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Place Polenta slices and Sweet Peppers on the grill.  It will take about five minutes on each side to grill and heat thoroughly.  I like to place a lid over everything to help the peppers soften a little.  In a separate pan, heat Olive Oil.  Add Tahini Gravy and Spinach.  Cover and allow Spinach to slightly wilt over low to medium heat.  Stir occasionally to make sure the Gravy nicely covers all the Spinach. Plate, serve, and enjoy! P.S., I'm linking with The Winthrop Chronicles , Mandy's Recipe Box

There seems to be an App for just about everything.  We have them on our phone, tablets and laptops.  It seems with all this technology that we can find ourselves in overload or not knowing where to begin. If you're looking for ways to get organized, shop smarter or stay in touch, here are our Top 10 FREE choices to get you started: SKYPE - Free "Make free voice and video calls to anyone else on Skype, whether they're on an Android, iPhone, Mac or PC, as well as IMs to your friends and family." BARCODE SCANNER - Free "Scan barcodes on products then look up prices and reviews.  You can also scan Data Matrix and QR Codes containing URLs, contact info, etc." GARAGE SALE ROVER - Free "Locate local garage sales on a map.  Get the largest source of garage sales, yard sales, tag sales and estate sales anywhere!" GEOQPONS - Free "GeoQpons delivers thousands of mobile coupons, offers & deals every day from top name brand retailers, resta...

July 29, 2012 - August 4, 2012 Day Menu Item Shopping Sunday Cecily's French Lentil Casserole White Wine Thyme Bay Leaves Herbs de Provence Red, Green or French Lentils Swiss Chard (Spinach or other Greens) Carrots Leek Walnuts 3 cloves Garlic Monday Mexican Casserole Vegan   Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)* 1 can Chopped Tomatoes with Green Chiles 1 can Black Beans 1 Red Pepper 1 Orange Pepper 1 Onion Cumin Vegan Shredded Cheddar Cheese 1 Small Jar Salsa Tuesday Potato Spinach Casserole Vegan Lemon Juice 1 15-ounce can coconut milk 1 lb Frozen Potatoes (your choice of style) 1 8-ounce Frozen Spinach Wednesday Polenta Casserole Vegan 2-3 Bell Peppers Zucchini Onion Soy Sauce** Kale (Spinach or Other Greens) Pasta Sauce Cornmeal Nutritional Yeast Thursday Mushroom Pasta Casserole Vegan 1 Medium Yellow Onion Celery 10 oz White Button Mushrooms Soy Sauce** Vegetable Broth Lemon Juice 1 can Chickpeas Potato Chips or B...

Family reunions and picnics seem to have been made for one another.  They both require people, food, and are most often held outdoors. Picnics and reunions are a cost effective and fun tradition.  Themes are a great way to make each year unique.  Often the location chosen will help guide the theme and types of games or activities. It's a relaxing way for everyone to come together and it's also a good excuse to see each other more than once a year! Things to Consider When Planning a Family Reunion: Choose a date that is convenient for the majority of attendees Choose three possible time frames; spring break, summer, winter break Choose a location - outside venues are typically the least expensive and will hold the largest number of people Consider overnight accommodations such as inexpensive hotels or camp grounds Select a site with plenty of shade A pool, river, ocean, nature trails, and playground facilities are great options with "built-in" activit...

This is a great spring or summer drink for gatherings.  Depending on the size of your glasses and the amount of ice you add to each drink, this recipe can easily serve eight people.  That would be about a cup per person. Try this as a nice non-alcoholic refreshing vacation in the middle of the afternoon.  Blend the juices with Lemon-Lime soda or Club Soda.  Enjoy! Ingredients 2 cups Cranberry Juice 2 cups Pink Grapefruit Juice 1 cup Vodka (Try a Cranberry or Pomegranate flavored Vodka) 1 (750ml) bottle Sparkling White Wine, chilled Garnish with pink grapefruit wheels or wedges Preparation: Combine the Cranberry Juice, Pink Grapefruit Juice along with the Vodka and shake with ice.  Pour into individual glasses and then gently add the sparkling wine. Garnish if desired. Remember that, just as in life, sometimes we have to ad-lib.  Well, you can do that here too.  How would or did you change this drink?

The kitchen is the hardest working room in the house.  On top of that, it seems to be where we spend the majority of our time. Don't you deserve to be surrounded by pretty, if not completely functional, items in the kitchen while you're working hard preparing meals for your family? Here are some fun projects (easy to intermediate) to make for your family kitchen, vacation home, or to give as a hostess gift.  The great thing about making things is that you can tailor the colors or theme to match your decor. Make and Takes This painted confetti towel looks so fun and would pair perfectly in a retro-kitchen.  Can you see this as a theme for an ice cream party? Angharad Handmade Ever wonder where you put your special cloth napkins?  Missing a napkin to a set? This is a nice two-part tutorial for making a double-sided napkin set and holder. I have to Say over at All Crafts Wouldn't you just love to receive this kitchen set as a gift? Do you kn...

It's important to know how much money is coming in, going out and where it's going.  It's also very important to have goals.  We need to ask the five W questions Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? so we can set clear goals.  Answering the questions will turn the dream or thought into an accountable and attainable goal.  The efforts to reaching a goal must be track-able. Who:   Who is responsible for each task What: What is the path, What will get paid off first Where: Where will the savings go When: When is the deadline or date Why:   Why save money How:   How is each task going to be accomplished The THIRD step is to look at your goals. Budgets that have short or long-term goals are most effective.  For example, a short-term goal might be to eat out once a month without using a credit card or taking money away from the bills.  Or, a long-term goal might be to take a vacation and pay cash. Start slowly with monthly sho...

These nachos are packed full of protein and yumminess.  There are a couple things I like about nachos; they can certainly be eaten alone but are way more fun when shared.  They are colorful, messy, and there isn't a wrong or right way to make them. We have dubbed this platter "The Nacho Platter".  Everyone knows what that means when we ask for it even though nachos aren't going to be made.  It's the perfect size.  Not too big and not too small.  It's oval in shape so four people can easily dig in at the same time. These nachos are layered with corn tortillas, dark red kidney beans (drained and rinsed), homemade olive tapenade (which isn't really peaking through in the picture above but did add some great flavor), shredded cheese, salsa, and Greek yogurt. -- If you replace the Greek yogurt with dairy-free sour cream this would be a delicious Vegan platter of nachos. I have to confess, I am not the Nacho Maker in the family.  My sweet husband m...

Have you every wondered how you are supposed to “find the right person for the job”?  With these guidelines you can quickly assess a prospective hire or at the very least know some key areas to bring up in conversation.  How to spot the right person for any job , whether you are hiring a new team member or someone to paint a room in your house: They are busy people They know how to prioritize.  They are good time managers. They are goal oriented Which means they are ambitious. They are not the “sales type” They attract not attack.  They want to build relationships not one-time acquaintances. They don’t know a lot of people If they are new to the area or just starting out, they will be much more likely to want to develop a strong reputation. They are good decision makers and not procrastinators They don’t see themselves as victims of circumstance.  Not all the li...

July 22, 2012 - July 28, 2012 Day Menu Item Shopping Sunday Best Ever Potato Salad Red Potatoes   Bacon (Vegan Bacon) Dijon mustard Eggs   Celery   Onion Green Bell Pepper Monday Crunchy Coleslaw Cabbage Green Bell Pepper Carrots Bermuda Onion Jicama Celery SeedDry Mustard Cilantro Fresh Parsley Cider Vinegar Tuesday Quinoa Salad with Black Beans Mango Red Bell Pepper Scallions Fresh Cilantro Red Wine Vinegar Grapeseel Oil Quinoa Black Beans A few leaves of lettuce for plating Wednesday Ambrosia 1 lb Miniature Marshmallows Pecans (optional) Maraschino Cherries 1 lb Pineapple Chunks 7 oz Coconut Flakes (optional) 1 can Mandarin Oranges 16 oz Sour Cream Nutmeg Thursday Perfect Seven Layer Salad (Vegan) Extra Firm Tofu Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning Nutritional Yeast Organic Fresh Spinach 6 – 10 stalks Green Onions 10 oz Frozen (Sweet) Peas Vegan Bacon Bits (such as Bacos) 8 oz Vegan Cheddar Cheese ...

One of my close girl-friends appears to be the most self-contained, organized, together person I know - that is outside my sweet DH.  Then again, is she really?  Last week she asked me how I always seem to keep it all together!  Go figure!  I was like, "WHAT!!!" Believe me, and DH can tell you how scattered I can be and how he wonders that things get done.  I guess we all have our own method of doing things.  I'm the queen of lists and little pieces of paper.  EVERYWHERE! I'm really good as long as I keep a running list of my 6 most important things to do each day.  As long as they get done, I'm okay with everything else. In fact, the days that I tend to stay in motion are the days that I'm super organized.  What I mean by that, is that I like to write on days that I'm feeling creative.  Days that I'm not feeling creative are spent doing research, organizing, making lists, writing emails, etc. as long as I'm moving forward. I al...

Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds.  The flavor lends itself naturally to Eastern or Oriental foods.  This gravy pairs well with Seitan or vegetables.  In fact, as this thickens, you might like it as a dip for fresh vegetables or crackers.  It's also delicious spread on bread with olive tapenade.   Ingredients: 1 C Tahini Paste 2/3 C Water 2 T Amino Acids 2 Cloves Garlic minced or crushed 3 Small Sweet Peppers Grilled 1 T Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning Combine all the ingredients into a small saucepan over low heat.  Continuously stir until thick - do not allow to boil.

Although it's the middle of July, it's never too late to start planning a patio garden or gathering landscaping ideas.  Here are some pictures that I took last week while I was out as well as some great ideas around the internet. These ideas inspire the imagination.  How about a stay-cation in the back yard?  Turn the backyard or patio into a quaint deli for the afternoon or imagine visiting a luxurious bed and breakfast.  The fantastic thing about all these ideas is that they are absolutely do-able! Isn't this a beautifully landscaped sloping back yard.  They have privacy and still have a view of the golf course. Better Homes and Gardens Even though this is actually a patio, it would make a beautiful sun room or a cozy area on a covered porch.  (Can you see the kitty?) Better Homes and Gardens Perfect.  Absolutely storybook perfect.  This is a lovely example of using the space between the house and garage or a small back yard....

Wearing a Mask Doesn't Always Protect Your Identity from Thieves   The SECOND step is to protect your identity.  Did you know that there are probably over 500,000 people, each year , that have their identities stolen? Thieves have ways of stealing your personal information: They could hack into your computer, break into your home of office, riffle through your trash, steal your mail, steal your purse or wallet, copy your credit card information.  There are probably as many ways as there are thieves. What specific items are these thieves seeking? Credit Card information Your FULL Name, Mother's Maiden Name, or any other information they may think you might use for your security codes or passwords Anything with your Social Security Number, Tax Information Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers Your Family's Names and Addresses, Email Accounts Where you went to School I'm sure there are more items.  Think about the information you might provi...

Seitan is a Vegan meat substitute.  It is one of the main ingredients in a faux turkey or mock duck.  It's delicious and can be used in many ways. The problem with prepared Seitan is that it is "What Gluten".   This is a very basic Wheat-Free / Gluten-Free recipe to get you started once again or for the first time enjoying Seitan. Ingredients: 1 C Flour Mixture ¼ C Corn Starch ¼ C Nutritional Yeast 1 t Cumin 1 t Turmeric 1 t Sage 1 t Italian Seasoning 1 t Ground Black Pepper 1/3 C Water ¼ C Ketchup 2 T Butter 2 T Amino Acids I hear ya!   It looks like there are a lot of ingredients but you can use as many or few seasonings to suit your taste. Preheat the oven to 350F. Stir all the dry ingredients and slowly add the wet ingredients.   A pastry cutter works really well here because you don’t want to over work the dough. Knead the dough shaping as desired for 2-3 minutes then rest for about 5 minutes.  ...