Substance of Living

Why is it that when I think my skin is finally thick, or that I'm too old and "sophisticated" to get my feelings hurt - WHAM!  Sometimes I think I'm too sensitive.  Is it because I'm a woman?  Am I being hormonal? There probably is something to the fact that women tend to be more sensitive than men.  Little girls are taught in many cultures to be mindful of others and to put others before themselves.  There is probably some hereditary trait that is passed on from one generation, regardless of gender, to the next.  Being sensitive, however, is not a weakness.  In fact, it's usually the more sensitive ones who are the successful negotiators and they are certainly the ones we run to with a problem. " You're so sensitive! "  Even that statement, albeit true, can be hurtful.  There are times that a flip comment would roll off our backs and yet that same statement given other circumstances can bring us to our knees. If we are going to take me...

Day Menu Item Shopping Sunday Grilled Stone Fruit Peaches Plums Nectarines You might also like to try Yogurt, Granola Monday Grilled Cheddar-Jalapeno Eggs in Peppers 2 large red bell peppers 6 large eggs 1/4 cup whole milk or cream 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers Tuesday Orange Cupcakes Unsalted Butter Vanilla Sugar Baking Powder Vanilla Bean Paste You might also like to try Using a Cake Mix Wednesday Brunch Bake Turkish Bread (Focaccia Bread) Chipolata Sausages (Short Breakfast Sausage) 2 Red Capsicums (Bell Peppers) 4 Tomatoes Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley Leaves Thursday Bloody Mary Tomato Juice Celery Salt Worcestershire Sauce Fresh Lime Juice   Vodka You might also like to try Horseradish Sauce Friday Breakfast Burrito 1 Russet Potato Cherry Tomatoes 1 Fresh Ear of Corn 6 Green Onions 1 Jalapeno Pepper Fresh...

Websites I've learned about this month: Last month we high-lighted 5 gluten-free websites and had a lot of fun.  This month, @Johnnyskitchenb lead with the most recommendations. Please join me in learning about these culinary websites. Johnny's Kitchen Johnny is "an Englishman living in the Mediterranean for many years".  He recently created Johnny's Kitchen and one that is surely to be around for some time. "There is little in life to bring more pleasure than to sit around the dining table together laughing chatting, reminiscing and wining and dining on good honest home made food, made with fresh ingredients, care and love." I truly hope you enjoy this gentleman as much as I do and have. Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen Bobbi has an amazing and uplifting story to share. She openly states that she did not come from a "foodie" family which is incredible because you would not know it by her recipes.  Bobbi says she is ...

Mother Earth News Did you know that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has been around and added to our food for over 40 years? Is it that we are now becoming cautious of what goes into our bodies that we are reading labels and asking questions?  One of the first items, from a long list, omitted from many diets was Mono-Sodium Glutamate (MSG), and now we are battling bisphenol A ( BPA ) and high fructose corn syrup in what seems like everything packaged. Sweet Surprise says "... many health professionals agree that whether it’s sugar from corn or sugar from cane, your body can’t tell the difference—your body metabolizes both the same way."  This may be a true statement if we were to eat an ear of corn or take sugar from the cane.  However, Sara Novak from TLC tells us, "First of all, there's nothing natural about high fructose corn syrup and it most certainly does not exist in nature. The process starts off with corn kernels, yes, but then that corn is...

Substance of Living readers are the BEST ! Here is a wonderful brain teaser sent in by a reader. I hope you like it as much as I did. Short  Neurological Test 1- Find the C below.. Please do not use any cursor  help. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ​ O 2- If you already found the C, now find the 6  below. 999999999999999999999999999999 ​   99999999999999999 999999999999999999999999999999 ​   99999999999999999 999999999999999999999999999999 ​   99999999999999999 699999999999999999999999999999 ​   99999999999999999 999999999999999999999999999999 ​   99999999999999999 999999999999999999999999999999 ​...

Day Menu Item Shopping Sunday Pressure Cooker Risotto Zucchini or Butternut Squash Yellow Onion 2 Cloves Garlic Arborio Rice Dry White Wine 32 oz. Broth of your choice Parmesan Cheese Monday Roasted Baby Potatoes 1 - 2 pounds Baby or Fingerling Potatoes Rosemary Vegetable Stock 3 Cloves Garlic Tuesday Thai Coconut Chickpea Dried Chickpeas 1 can Light Coconut Milk Fresh Ginger 1 medium-large Sweet Potato 1 can Diced Tomatoes (no seasoning) Curry Powder Fresh CilantroFresh Basil Tamari, Soy Sauce** Lime Wednesday Rice White Long Grain Rice (Persian, Basmati, Jasmine, etc...) Broth - optional Thursday Eggless Chocolate Cake 1 cup All purpose Flour Unsweetened Cocoa Powder Baking Soda Baking Powder Lemon Juice Vanilla Extract Friday Seitan Wheat-Gluten Flour Barley Flour (or other whole grain flour) Nutritional Yeast Sage Thyme Shallot Liquid Smoke Toasted Sesame Oil   Worcestershire Sauce*** Vegetab...

How did you enjoy Part 1 of our Online Golf Lessons that got us started with the grip and proper swing?  Did you find the videos and explanations helpful? This lesson will introduce some new techniques and help us correct some common errors. The first topic is technically not a "golf swing".  Have you ever intentionally tried to shank a ball? Correcting the Shank Did you know that there are different types of grips for putting? Putting Grips Conan Elliott Proper (Pendulum) Putting Technique Paul McLoughlin I wish you the best of luck with this week's lesson.  Check back and let us know how these tips helped with your practice or game.   Please share me with your friends! Please forward this post to your friends or better yet share on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.  THANKS!  Your comments and help in spreading the news about this site is ALWAYS appreciated!  Be sure to sign up to receive future articles delivered dire...

Ingredients: 2 c Oats 1/4 c Flax Seed 3/4 c Seeds of your choice - Chopped 3/4 c Nuts of your choice - Chopped Toast oats, flax seed, nuts and seeds for 15 minutes at 400 degrees Farenheit 3 T Butter   1/3 c Brown Sugar 1/2 c Honey 1/2 t Salt   In a sauce pan; combine butter, brown sugar, honey, and salt- bring to a simmer Stir continuously 2 t Almond Extract 1/2 c Raisins or other dried fruit of your choice Remove sauce pan from heat; add almond extract and raisins Add toasted oat mixture to pan and lay out onto parchment or waxed paper until cooled and firm Cut into bars These will freeze well and will keep in the refrigerator for at least a few days (if they aren't eaten prior). Enjoy for a quick breakfast on the run, packed in a lunch, or anytime snack. Future ingredient options: marshmallows, chocolate chips, dried strawberries, salted nuts, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, black pepper.  What flavor combination...

Let's face it, it's tough in today's world.  More people are out of work, working two jobs, in debt or "under water" with their homes. How is the ancient art of Feng Shui going to help?  It is said that through decorating your home or office using the Feng Shui principles you will reap the benefits of: Better Health Increased Prosperity and Better Relationships By making subtle changes to your environment you can positively affect your life.  The subconscious mind understands chi (the subtle flow of energy) even though we may not. Think of a time when you walked into a store and the lights were too bright and the place felt harsh.  Or take the store that the lighting was too dim.  Did you feel clean or were you looking around wondering what was in the corners?  A room that is too bright can feel aggressive and one that is too dim can feel weak and secretive. The same theory can be used with a room that is full of stuff.  Antique shops ca...

The past few days, I've been craving chocolate.  Not any ordinary chocolate like a candy bar, ice cream, or cake but something that would melt in my mouth.  I wanted to feel like I was being pampered and getting away with something naughty.   Truffles!  That's what I wanted.  Alas, I didn't have any cream and really was being lazy about going up to the store. This is what I had on hand: 6 ounces Neufchatel Cheese Vanilla extract Confectioner's Sugar - some Bakers Chocolate Cocoa Powder Was there a way to make truffles using ingredients on hand or was I really going to have to go out?  See, I was being totally lazy. The search engines were kind to me and I "met" Meryl from MA.  Meryl is the photographer, cook, and writer at Inspired Bites .  She actually makes Cream Cheese Truffles in Two Flavors , with her main ingredients being what I have on hand. Unfortunately, well fortunately for my waist, I didn't have enough po...