Cooking Class at the Senior Housing in Otwell

Today was the first in a series of cooking classes at the Senior Housing at Otwell. The focus on these classes is using small appliances while still making some very tasty meals. 

Many times when one lives alone (no matter what age we are) there is frustration that comes with cooking a small amount to food. Many times it just doesn't feel worth the effort to dirty up pots and pans along with the stove in order to have a small meal. It also gets old eating the same meal repeatedly once a regular recipe has been cooked. 

So, we downsize not only the recipe, but the implement making that recipe. 

We had a great turn-out; thanks to Nancy Pride for making all the necessary arrangements.

We'll be meeting again on April 24 from 2-3 p.m. in the community room. 

If you have a senior citizens group that would be interested in a cooking session, feel free to contact me at eatwelllivewellpikecounty@gmail.com.

Calling All Wheat Bellies...And Grain Brains

Two books that I have reading of late (along with a bunch of other people in the area) are Wheat Belly  by William Davis, MD and Grain Brain by David Perlmutter, MD. These two gentlemen are a cardiologist and neurosurgeon, respectfully, so I figure their information and advice is not going to be fly by night silliness.

To say that my eyes were opened by these books is an understatement. I've read all of Grain Brain and I'm knee-deep into Wheat Belly. Nonetheless, I am already convinced that I don't need the current product called wheat in my diet. So, I'm cruising along these days living the GF (gluten free) life to the best of my ability. 

It's interesting to explore just how "front and center" gluten is in our lives. Take any kind of bread, for instance. With few exceptions--especially here in Southern Indiana--gluten-y bread is everywhere. Add to this pastries, pastas, cookies, cakes, pies...well, you get the picture. Getting away from this can be tricky.

I'm trying currently to find something GF that will work for sandwiches. I know there are GF breads out there, but paying $7.00+ for a loaf of bread just doesn't really appeal to me. So...to the lab aka the kitchen I go.

Dr. Davis has a recipe for tortillas made of flax seed meal in the Wheat Belly book. I'm currently trying them out to see how they best work for us. For the recipe, see the Recipes page on this website.

Give these books a read--very interesting how wheat can play havoc in our lives from our brains to our muscles and everything in between.

Making the Decision to Eat Healthier...Are We There Yet?

Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?

Anyone out there have a little brother or sister that used that mantra on every car trip, whether it was across town or across the country?

Make that mantra work for you...when it come to making that decision to eat healthier. 

According to the deluge of articles from the Sunday Indianapolis Star, you'll also be in style with the latest craze...healthy eating.

Really. Being healthy has now become a craze. Wow.

Nevertheless...whatever it takes. It's incredibly important that we all start paying much closer attention to what goes into our mouths. The growing majority of us are overweight (or obese), pre-diabetic (or full-blown diabetic), pre-hypertensive (or hypertensive). And all this can be turned around.

One plate at a time.

So...are we there yet?

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Be sure to check the Recipes  page for a cauliflower falafel. Pretty tasty!

Spring Break in Pike County

I see that it is officially Spring Break for the Pike County Schools. How about starting off the week with some healthy activities? The weather isn't going to exactly cooperate with highs only in the 40s, but there are several things that encourage health that can be done.

1. Take a walk--bundle up and enjoy the sunshine.

2. Re-evaluate your gym equipment--you might be amazed to find that you have your own gym...a little equipment collected here and there over the years results in some good stuff for improved health!

3. Make some changes for healthier eating during the week...come up with some healthy things to take for your lunches after returning to school. Be sure to include plenty of healthy fats, some good protein, and go easy on the carbohydrates.

4. Make a pact with yourself to lose the muffin top if you have one. According to Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD, fat located in this area of the body is not conducive to good health, and it's important to lose those unwanted inches in that area.

5. Get caught up on sleep...but do it during the correct hours of the night. Sometimes it's tempting to sleep in and then stay up extra late. Don't forget that we're all on cyclical cycles of circadian sleep (say that fast three times). When the cycle is out of sync, the adrenals start taking a beating. After so long, the adrenals more or less surrender and the balance in the body is overtaken by foggy brain, confusion, and inability to concentrate...not fun.

Happy Spring Break and here's to returning to school in the best shape you can be!

We Made It!! WELCOME SPRING

I know that there are snow showers in the forecast, but today is the first day of SPRING...and that's a relief. I know I'm in the majority out there that welcomes the season and gladly bids winter a fond farewell.

It also gives me the itch to start seeing some green from homegrown plantings. 

If you feel the same way, it's pretty easy to grow your own spring greens for some great salads. Here's what you'll need:

A plant starter box (usually a light-weight rectangular box with a clear plastic lid and some peat pot-type plant medium and seed holders)

A potting medium (light-weight is good for seedlings)

Seeds (local garden stores now have seeds in stock)

A grow-light in order to give seedlings enough steady light

It's a lot of fun for all ages to start a garden like this on a small scale. Once the seeds are planted, watered (it's best to water from the bottom and keep it moist), and the lid is secured, condensation will start to appear. This is exactly the growing environment you want for your plants to thrive. Adjust the grow light so it's just a very few inches above the planter. If you have a nice, pleasant day (around 70 degrees and sunny), be sure to take the planter outside for a boost of the sun.

Before you know it you'll be seeing some salad greens, spinach, or other seasonal plants "springing" up all over! 

Farmers Market Meeting Tuesday Night...Come Join Us!

THE FIRST MEETING OF THE 2014 FARMERS MARKET WILL BE HELD TUESDAY, MARCH 18, AT 6:00 P.M. AT LOG ENDS BED AND BREAKFAST. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SELLING PRODUCE, CRAFTS, BAKED GOODS, ETC., OR JOINING IN WITH A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, PLEASE COME JOIN US FOR THIS INFORMATIONAL MEETING. THE MORE THE MERRIER! LET'S MAKE THIS THE BEST FARMERS MARKET WE CAN!

Grocery Shopping 101

Some of us actually enjoy grocery shopping...most, however, do not. I've heard many a person-female or male--lament the dreaded trip to the grocery store. 

When you're thinking about or attempting to eat healthier, there are some real short-cuts to a grocery store; it does, in fact, make the whole experience more timely.

It's not at all necessary to shop every aisle of a grocery store--most of them are useless to healthy shoppers.  

Always shop the perimeter at first. Here you will find the fresh/perishable foods, i.e. vegetables, fruits, dairy, meats.  The doughnuts are usually on the perimeter, too, but you know better...right?

You can dive into the aisles in specific areas--nuts and seeds; healthy oils; GF and/or healthy condiments; GF and/or healthy grains; dark chocolate; the freezer section to find frozen meats, fruits, and vegetables; teas and coffee. That pretty much covers the needed geographic area of the store.

The next time you're planning a visit to the grocery, try shopping the outside first; see how much you have in your cart. If, after you visit the aisles you find much more in your cart, re-examine your choices. 

Be well! 

"Spring" into a New Healthy Eating Pattern!

One week from today will be the first day of spring...we're almost there!

How about giving it the proper welcome by beginning a new healthy way of eating on the first day? Just think how incredible you'll feel by the first day of summer!

I know...who wants to give up all the good stuff? All the pre-diabetes, the full-blown type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, poor muscle tone, aching joints, etc...who on earth would want to give all that up?

YOU, I hope, if you find yourself with any of these issues.

It's truly not difficult to change the way you eat for the better. It IS, however, difficult to get your mind changed to eating better. If you find yourself in this category, there are all kinds of good folks in the county that will happily help you get started.

The main thing is to be HEALTHY. Don't take shortcuts with your health. Be sure to take careful and sensible steps. But DO give healthy living a try. 

Happy soon-to-be spring!

Warm Breakfast for Chilly Mornings--A New Comfort Food?

We're pretty much all reeling from the abrupt change in the temperature from yesterday to today. 70+ degrees, warm sunshine, blue skies=yesterday. Bone-chilling winds, cloudy skies=today. 

How about something healthy to enjoy as a "new and improved" comfort food?

Once again the wonders of quinoa take center stage.

I found this recipe on http://mindbodygreen.com. I'm planning on enjoying this tonight with our "breakfast for supper" meal. This recipe, paired with a great-tasting omelet gives you just the right amount of savory and sweet. 

See the Recipes page for Coconut-Lime Quinoa Breakfast Bowl. 

Spring is coming! Keep the faith!

Recipe Tuesday

Be sure to check out the recipes page for two new and tasty desserts-- coconut/cashew bars and a one minute mug muffin (say that fast three times and the muffin will be done!). Both of these recipes are gluten-free and the coconut/cashew bars are a great source of healthy coconut oil. Hop on over to the page and enjoy!

What a beautiful day we had today...hope everyone was able to get out for at least a few minutes to feel that warming sun. I took time to work in a sun salutation on the deck and then just meditated enjoying the sounds of the birds and frogs. What a treat we're in for with the emergence of spring.

Farmers Market is New and Improved for 2014--Come Be a Part of It!

There's good news, folks!

The Pike County Farmers Market Association is gearing up for a new year, and what a positive new year it will be!

That's two exclamation points in two statements, so that should tell you something.

As you know, we're changing our location to the Petersburg Branch of the Pike County Library. They have very generously agreed to share their space with us each Saturday morning from 9-noon. We will be much easier to find as well as being in a much more relaxed environment. 

And that's not all...

We want to create an inviting place for many to attend; in order to do that, we are planning for a great deal of participation on behalf of many of you, our county folks. There's a tremendous amount of talent throughout the county in so many areas. We ask that if you would like to sell any of the following, come and be a part of the community fun:

produce growers--veggies, fruit, herbs, flowers, plants, etc. (locally grown only--no imports)

meat and protein growers--beef, pork, eggs, chickens, etc. (ready to eat)

craftspeople--handmade crafts of all types

And musicians...what would an event be without music? We'll have a special place of honor for those who come to donate their time to share their talents. We welcome you. Let's have some great community jam sessions. What a wonderful opportunity for our young kiddos to learn from some of the masters in our county. 

We hope after reading this that you're intrigued and ready to find out more about the new and improved Pike County Farmers Market Association. Please come to our first meeting of the season. It will be

March 18 (Tuesday)

6:00 p.m.

Log Ends Bed and Breakfast located at 2769 W. SR 56, Petersburg

Questions? Contact us at eatwelllivewellpikecounty@gmail.com

Changing Your Ways? Baby Steps!

We had a very successful inaugural healthy cooking class yesterday evening at the Petersburg Branch of the Pike County Library. Thanks to all of you who attended the class--please do come back again next month when we gather together again on April 10 from 5:30-7:00. For anyone else that would like to attend, feel free to contact me at eatwelllivewellpikecounty@gmail.com to join the group. 

A big thank you to Mrs. Vicki Edwards who had a really neat activity for the kids of those in attendance. They all had a fun evening, too.

We all agreed unanimously on two things last evening: We all need to take our food much more seriously; we need to take baby steps in order to achieve success.

For starters, giving up things with white flour is very healthy step. You'll be amazed at how many things needlessly have white flour in them. This highly over-processed wheat does our bodies no good; in fact, it causes internal inflammation which, in turn, creates a horrible environment for our organs, our brains, our blood vessels, etc.

Check ingredients on labels--better yet, buy more things that don't need labels. The less ingredients, the better! Much better to eat an apple with the ingredient list of "apple" than a processed apple food that contains a great deal of ingredients--some which can hardly be pronounced.   

So, as spring nears and we can finally get out and about, give your wonderful body a break and allow it to truly become healthy and able to enjoy the out and about times. 

The Incredible, Grindable Egg Shell

After you've eaten a healthy meal of eggs, how about letting your garden have an equally healthy meal with egg shells?

According to a really neat article in Grit Magazine,  we're just a few simple steps away from creating some really high-quality diatomaceous earth from those egg shells. To do so, just follow these instructions:

1. After emptying the contents of the shells, set them out to dry completely.

2. Using a coffee or herb grinder (you can usually find an abandoned one in second-hand shops, Goodwill, etc. for a song). Grind the egg shells into a fine powder. You can use the powder right away to sprinkle on leaves of plants that are being "bugged" by the bugs such as beetles, slugs, or snails, or put it on the ground beside the plants. The egg shells are loaded with calcium, so that's a plus for the garden. 

That's it! The ground egg shells will act as little tiny glass-like shards to poke at the bugs. They'll either a) not like it and crawl to friendlier territory; or b)fight it to the bitter end--and the egg shells will win.

So...an organic, earth-friendly way to keep pesky bugs at bay.

(Be sure to keep this away from eyes and off of your skin as much as possible...if it pokes and cuts the varmits, it will do the same to you!)

Jumpy/Restless Legs? There's Hope (Naturally)!

Anyone who has ever suffered with restless leg syndrome (RLS) can verify that it is a miserable feeling. According to Brad Chase in an article on the naturalnews.com website, there are some ways to control the situation naturally. 

First of all...the "bad guys" of inflammation rear their ugly heads once again with RLS. Avoiding sugar, processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and transfats will help the body better control inflammation that tends to run rampant throughout the body, creating havoc. 

Also, watching omega-6 intake is a good idea, according to Chase. Proponents of paleo eating site that what was once a 1:1 ingestion of omega 6s to omega 3s in our diets are now more in the vicinity of a 15 or 20:1. That causes inflammation in the body. The ubiquitous corn oil that is pretty much used in most all processed foods, has a ratio of 83:1. 

There are some great anti-inflammatory foods that can help combat RLS along with other inflammatory issues. These include cherries (not the pie kind with all the sugar goop!), peppers, walnuts, fatty fish, berries, beets, tomatoes, and leafy greens. 

There are also a great number of supplements that will help battle RLS. Be sure to get good advice from your health practitioner of choice before loading up on these. Sometimes a little goes a long way!

Food can, once again, be our best friend or our worst enemy--make it your friend.

NOW is the Time to Make Some Changes for the Better!

Okay...going out on a limb here...I'm thinking that perhaps this is the last of the snow and ice we'll be seeing for the late winter of 2014 (wishful thinking for sure!).

So, it's time to get ready for more pleasant weather. Let's check the usual list that we make when thinking of warmer days:

1. Lose some weight
2. Exercise more
3. Sleep better/more
4. Eat healthier

Guess what?

ALL of these things are easily attainable with just a few simple adjustments. To lose some weight, just call the relationship with white flour and white sugar over in your life--these are culprits behind so many health woes. To exercise more, take a walk, dance around the room to music on the radio, or learn some basic yoga stretches. Every little bit helps. To sleep better and/or more, turn off the TV a hour before you go to bed. Same goes for the computer. The backlighting on color TVs and computer screens interfere with our natural supply of melatonin. To eat healthier, ditto on the part about calling it quits with the white sugar and white flour. That's an incredible start. Then start shopping more of the perimeter of the grocery store and less of the aisles. 

Baby steps in all these areas will make you a healthier person. Once you attain better health, you'll find yourself wanting to take further steps to feel even better. You can do it!
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Remember, there is a free cooking class starting Thursday evening from 5:30-7:00 at the Petersburg Branch of the public library. Call the library to sign up.