Foodie

Foodie: To Beat or Blend?

What exactly does the term foodie mean? Does it mean you savor all food and the experience it offers: the taste, the aromas, the visual presentation? Does it mean you have favorite chefs that you follow, cooking styles and methods that are written down or does it mean you like to experiment on your own? Do you eat to live or do you live 

for the sense of eating?

Now, I’m no Hunter-Forager. My idea of hunting is going to the Butcher and pointing to the cut of meat I want; or stepping into my garden and snipping an herb here and plucking a vegetable there. In our home, dinner is a chance to tickle the taste buds; a bit of a hobby. Side by side, meals are put together that are delicious, comforting, and healthy all rolled into one. We don’t mind complicated recipes and aren’t afraid to substitute one ingredient for another. We love to try different combinations from all ethnic groups and seldom eat the same thing twice in a month’s time. Gastronomes that we are, you can imagine then that dinner demands a slow, relaxing, relishing time to eat it.

We have a dinner pact: I pick the menu, make sure we have most of the ingredients and have a basic recipe in mind. Then, at dinnertime, we cook together. We mince, chop and sauté often whipping up incredible sauces as an afterthought to compliment the meal. I’m a true believer in the concept that if you can read you can cook (the fact that I didn’t even know how to boil an egg when I got married is proof of this). Anyone who says they can’t cook just isn’t being fair to themselves. Start simple. Then start simple again. Once you get comfortable, try changing just one ingredient. Then two. Before you know it your creative juices will have you simmering, julienning and flambéing with the best.

What? Did I hear you say your kitchen is too small? Too old? Unequipped? I don’t believe it. Of course, we would all love to have a dream gourmet kitchen with all the bells and whistles: marble countertops, every smart gadget known, double near-silent dishwashers, spice drawers and huge refrigerators that house every condiment needed at a moment’s notice; all complemented by an immaculate garden right outside the kitchen window. [Sigh] It all sounds so Martha Stewartian. But alas! Instead, builders grade is what most of us have to conjure up delicious dinners and store our wares. It’s Magnificence verses Functional. Perhaps the Great American kitchen is a myth. Because truthfully, who has the additional room for the latest fad gadgets? Instant Pots, Air Fryers, Standup Waffle Machines. Google “Deluxe Breakfast Machines” or “Breakfast Sandwich Makers”; I think you’ll agree.

The whole secret to creating a dinner that will get those sensory cells hungering (Sweet! Salty! Sour! Even Bitter!) is to look at and familiarize yourself with your menu ideas for the week, shop for your ingredients, decide in the morning BEFORE you go to work or play what you’ll have and Voila’, 50% of the work is done; now all you have to do is put it together with love. It’s really that simple if you get yourself into the routine of doing this. With good ingredients, a few sharp knives, a sturdy cutting board and a couple of pots and pans, most meals don’t take more than 20 minutes to prep. 

Don’t let anyone food shame you…..anyone can do it.

So, pat yourself on the back, uncork the wine, grab a linen napkin and savor your next dinner!

Carpe Diem! Or perhaps in this case, Carpe Noctem!

GARDEN MADNESS

Don’t tell anyone, but today, for a few moments, I stood in the middle of my garden in bare feet. Yes, squishing dirt and pebbles and maybe a worm or two between my toes. I know, it sounds dirty and gross; but it felt wonderful ~ a stress cure ~ like child’s play (think mud pies, blowing bubbles,splashing in puddles). Standing there, I looked again at the beauty of a garden. I really can’t even take credit for all the balance it provides. Sure, I work the dirt, spread a bit of mulch and drop in a few seeds here and a planting of varieties there, but the real sense of calm comes when you stop a moment and look at how the garden grows.

When I was younger, I thought gardens were for senior citizens and farmers who had a lot of time on their hands. I thought gardens meant nothing more than a labor-intense, continuous, tedious, endless chore of weeding and watering. I was wrong. Gardening is not for Sissies. Gardening is a Science. In fact, those “old people” and farmers who passionately garden? I wouldn’t mess with them. They know what they’re doing.

Now that I’m “older”, I understand that long gloves, floppy hats and pruners are standard tools for the trade of a gardener and that cultivating can be done with relative ease in between the rest of Life’s duties. However, once one gets caught up in a garden and all its glory, you begin to wonder why anyone would want to rush through the experience. Where else can you unabashedly hum on the top of your lungs your favorite tunes and breathe in fresh air while clearing your mind? In fact, I can get lost in my garden at times; I subconsciously solve problems by letting my mind rest in a lazy, peaceful, soothing way. My little planned 10X10 plot is my little connection to nature; where plants offer condolence, joy, harmony and give back a bit of love: the colors (!) the textures (!) the smells (!) And who would dare argue that anything tastes better than what you’ve grown in a garden? Just biting into a juicy tomato, cutting cucumbers and zucchini or adding herbs to a summer meal makes one appreciate what nature can give back. 

What a delight to the senses a garden can be!

Maybe it’s the idea that plants are alive, giving you a sense you are interacting with a life source. And as a result, you, the nurturer, tending and coaxing the little sprouts into healthy maturity, reap the benefit of the vitamins and minerals we need for a healthy existence. And as an added benefit, your sweet-talking (yes! I talk to my plants!) assurances encourage them into willingly releasing their essentials oils for our well-being; free aromatherapy in the garden!

On sunny days, I love to bask in the garden with the warm rays kissing my neck. It is a welcoming place, a tech-free environment where birds sing, bees buzz and butterflies soar; the physical energy of weeding, watering, trellising and pruning gives me zip-pep-and-go while relaxing me at the same time.  What an oxymoron! This is just how a small patch of earth can inspire healthy habits.

Eventually, I had to put on my shoes and go back to the busy-ness of Life. But, oh! What wonderful madness moments are spent in the garden! And don’t worry. I rinsed my feet before getting into my nicely-made-this-morning bed.

Carpe-Diem!

Summer Serendipity

SUMMER SERENDIPITY

Writing this on a warm(ish) day, I’ve come to the conclusion that, for me, Summer and Serendipity are synonymous. Serendipity is a mysterious, charming word that means making desirable discoveries by accident; good fortune; luck. Wouldn’t you agree there’s a bit of magic that happens between the months of wintry cold temperatures and days of climbing under a blanket waiting for the apple blossoms to arrive? It’s as if suddenly, the sun shines through, hibernal malaise can flung away and warmer weather and longer days can be greeted with a hug and a smile. Throw open the windows! Let in the soft billowy breezes! There’s a certain anticipatory joy when, surprise (!), the floor is warmer under bare feet!

I could easily live in endless, sun-baked, sensational Summer somewhere, but then, without the gripping, raw freeze of winter, I may not experience this same Serendipity. After all, how does one understand happy without sad, pleasure without pain, warmth without cold? Magic. All of a sudden, after pulling a cardigan just a bit tighter layered over endless amounts of clothing for months, the mornings get lighter sooner, the birds chirp louder again, sunlight pours brightly onto the kitchen counter, radishes/snap peas/leeks can be planted (oh my!), the ground turned. And if you listen very carefully, you’ll hear the faint, singsong jingles of the overeager ice cream truck echoing down the street luring old and young 

alike to its sweet treats.

And then there’s the promise of daffodils, lilacs, hydrangeas, roses; the yearning for farm-picked strawberries, juicy Jersey tomatoes, sweet corn on the cob and mouthwatering watermelon. Or the moment the grill cover is tossed from its protective state, exposing the barbecue waiting for the perfect burger or sizzling steak. Tell me this isn’t Serendipity. There are so many moments to love in Summer; so many 

warm nights to feel alive.

One beauty of Summer is you don’t have to leave your back yard to feel its magic. You can kick off your shoes, feel the grass between your toes, sip a thirst quenching drink and bask in a sultry, lazy picnic dinner on the patio. Another is the beach: the radiant sunlight, endless and timeless crashing waves, lunch under an umbrella (be careful not to get a sandy sandwich) swimming in the salty sea. Do you like to ride a bike? Doze in a hammock? Catch lightening bugs with your grandchildren? Listen for the sound of the cicadas and singing peeper frogs? The magic of Summer: little gifts 

we receive unexpectedly.

Perhaps it’s the sunny weather that encourages a brighter, more optimistic outlook during the Summer months. Perhaps it’s because we get out more in the fresh air, spending time with nature and family. Perhaps we feel freer to travel home and abroad, discovering things outside our living spaces that allow for adventure. Yes! I’ve come to the conclusion that I love everything about the Serendipity of Summer!

Welcome back Summer! I’ve missed you!

Carpe Diem!

Bed Makers

BED MAKERS

Can making your bed every day be a Life Changer? Is it possible that there might be more to the legendary skill of pulling together the covers and sheets and repetitively going through the motions of piling on pillows every day?

I can remember from my earliest youth always “making” my bed and the ritual has carried through well into this old(er) age of mine. Although I thought I instilled this habit into my own children, I must come clean and admit that (Gasp! Horrors!) when I visit their homes I see unmade beds in the middle of the day! Therefore, let me make an argument in defense of the art of assembling our beds each and every day so all will understand why I think mastery of this good habit is vital.

To begin, there is the obvious reason for completing this task. We buy lovely 600 thread sheets, beautiful coverlets and assortments of throw pillows. Doesn’t it make sense to gather them together into a clean, beautifully put-together area that affects a calm oasis away from everything else? Dishes in the sink? Toys on the floor? Paperwork piles in the office? All becomes inconsequential because no matter what happens the rest of the day, you know there is at least one tranquil place you can go to ~ a retreat of sorts ~ one you’ve created; stress reduction all around. Thus, a made bed sends the cheerful message you care about yourself and those you live with.

Think about it. You spend roughly 1/3 of your life in your bedroom. The appearance of a well-made bed encourages you to keep the rest of the room tidy, which in turn has a surprising serenity to it. Surely you understand that it’s hard to be relaxed and secure if everything around you is in disarray and rumpled; keeping it organized can have a positive effect on your mood, on your mind, on your health and happiness.

 Now don’t get me wrong, a properly made bed doesn’t have to be completed with military precision ~ “corners squared, covers tight, pillows centered under the headboard” per Admiral William McRavan  ~ in his commencement speech to the University of Texas ~ (although you have my absolute admiration if it is!) but a neat cursory covering of the bed’s undergarments will do. When I put together my bed for the day, I believe I am starting the day off with a sense of accomplishment. It may seem like a mundane chore; it may seem small; but this simple task can set the tone for the rest of the day, encouraging you to achieve other more detailed decisions. It sets in motion a sort of domino effect, a chain reaction that kick starts, bolsters and increases your productivity. Impressive results can be effectuated by simply taking a minute or two to pull up the sheets and comforter and fluff a few pillows. See how the idea that the little things in life matter?

Now I know that some of you are thinking I’m a tad bed-obsessed. Why, you ask, should I bother to take the tedious effort to dress and decorate my bed only to mess it up again at the end of the day? Fair enough. You can find the answer in the book "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. According to the author, daily bed making becomes a habit that gives you a sense of taking charge and further claims that habits cumulatively lead to "a greater sense of well-being"; which, if you were to determine to make your bed every morning, you would see how developing one good habit can often lead to others.

Now here comes the best part. There’s a simple pleasure when entering a welcoming sleep environment in pulling back the covers each night. At the end of a hectic day, there is a peaceful ahhh(!)mazing feeling that cannot be achieved if one has to first sort out the sheets and blankets and find those tossed pillows that have made it under the bed (most likely covered in dust bunnies) before getting into bed for a well-deserved rest. It only takes a few moments to create this positive state of mind. I know this may seem a bit oversimplified, but that is the point: small steps, large results. Can making the bed be a Life Changer? See for yourself and once you’ve tried it, tell me…is there anything better than that “Welcome” feeling you get crawling into a soft, clean, comforting  bed and falling into a deep restoring sleep?

Carpe Diem!

Judging Covers

JUDGING COVERS

I think we have all heard the old adage, “Don’t Judge a Book by it’s Cover”; a metaphorical phrase which means "you shouldn't prejudge the worth or value of something by its outward appearance alone." 

And, I think we’d all have to admit, we do judge the books

 in our lives by their covers.

Let’s start with the simplest example: the library. Now I know that for many, the library ~ that quiet sanctuary of reading ~ is an antiquated venue. But let’s imagine for a moment that you were to visit one. If, when you step into the aisles of reading suggestions on many various subjects and don’t know what topic or author you want to read, what do you do? Look at the printed images or phrases on the cover? Do they catch your attention? Do you associate with the visual? Is it something you want to spend a day or more reading about? Do you go based on reviews by strangers who don’t know you?

And how many of us have done so only to be surprised one way or the other? A beautiful leather cover with a snappy title can ensconce the most boring, obtrusive book. And sometimes, a plain, nondescript publication with a simple title can be most exhilarating. Marketing the exterior, not the content, is a prevailing trend. In fact, interior decorators are often known to buy expensive-covered books to create a warm atmosphere in homes; the prime importance being that they match the room’s décor. I read recently of a wealthy businessman who purchased 13,000 antique books he will never read just to create a library look in his renovated home; those books were only for show.

Focusing on outward appearances may be a pleasing way to decorate a home, but it’s a dangerous way to live. This book cover analogy can be applied to how we interact with other people in our lives: our relatives, our neighbors, even strangers. Although I understand that first impressions can be lasting ones, in order to find the core of anyone, the preconceived notion that the “cover” people wear reflects who they really are, must be removed; outward appearances are often an overlay of what lies within. There is an old proverb that says, “Outward appearances are not a reliable indication of true character." Too often, we react to people instead of responding to them; defining them by their exterior before exploring the content.

Think of each person you interact with on a daily basis. Everyone has an unfolding story to tell if you take the time to hear them. And although the stories of our lives are variations of the many stories already told, each one is personal. Make an effort to learn about the subject at the heart of other people. What makes them tick? What interesting ideas do they have? What do they think on subjects that interest you? Go ahead. Strike up a conversation with someone that goes beneath the surface.

Carpe Diem!

Reforming Resolutions

Reforming Resolutions

Ahhhhh. The Holidays have passed. And for most, not without getting our tinsel tangled and our falala jingles jangled.  And here we are. In a New Year, with a new set of ideas for the future. As you know by now, I am not a fan of resolutions. I view them as vicious, cyclic listings of our perceived shortcomings, where, in fact, trying to improve ourselves in just a few weeks only brings us to the realization that we either a) don’t want to give up what we resolved to do or b) like feeling bad all over again this year for not trying. When resolutions even dare present themselves into my mind, I abstractly throw them to the gutter and stomp on them! Why? Because I cannot remember the last time a New Year’s resolution has really helped!

For example, we all know eating more fruits and vegetables, taking some meditative time for ourselves and staying active are good for us today, and in the long run. Yet, I cannot help thinking that instead of making proposals and propositions with ourselves, we should simply strive to be happy. No guilt. No shame. Just Happy. After all, isn’t that what we are really hoping for each other when we give a Happy New Year’s congratulation? Not a “new year new you” ambition but a Happiness wish for the future. 

In order to do this, perhaps there are a few things we need to “Get Over”:

Get over the fact that you’re not going to lose those last 10 pounds. If you’ve been trying your whole life to look like a model or gym trainer, now’s the time to look in the mirror and accept who you are. Stop choking down salmon and kale if you can’t stand the taste. Unless your health is in jeopardy, it’s time to embrace the fact that as we age, our bodies change. Buy something to wear that looks good on you ~and makes you feel good~, not something that fits the 10-less pound person 

you might never be.

Get over the fact that you’re not methodically organized. If you aren’t color-coordinating and micro-coding every item in your life with Post-it notes and Sharpie pens, you probably aren’t ready to start now. Tackling old photos you’ve tucked in a shoe box is one thing, alphabetizing the spices in your kitchen pantry and spacing hangers in your closet exactly an inch apart is not for everyone. You’ve gotten this far in life and are still surviving. Unruly piles or accruing messes get done better if done in small doses. Find your system and stick with it.

Get over the fact that you won’t ever run a marathon. Yup. 

Most of us will never feel the weight of a gold medal around our neck. If you don’t like to run, don’t. If yoga’s not your thing, don’t sweat and Ommm through it. Instead, walk, swim, golf, dance, play ping pong, shuffleboard, tennis; just do something! Stay active. It’s not only good for your body, 

but also for your mind.

Get over the fact that more is better. There comes a time in life when it’s time to put away the idea that reaching for more equals a successful, happy person. It doesn’t. It’s time to stop forcing ourselves to be something we’re not. It only makes you miserable. Go ahead, pat yourself on the back and be content with the surplus you already have.

Get over the fact that you’ll never cook like Rachael Ray. I admire anyone who is cooking their own meals, especially if they live alone, because it takes creativity. But don’t think buying all the ingredients for a meal you’ll only cook once (and possibly not like) will somehow be a game changer in your culinary world. Eat to live and enjoy it. It’s even OK to order in once in awhile.

I understand the idea of a fresh start and a new calendar, but it’s not the first day of the Year that holds the power of change. Instead, it’s about whether or not you’re excited about what each day brings. Once we accept ourselves and resolve that happiness is to be desired more than uprooting and modifying ourselves, we may just find that everything else falls into place; like a bonus. You might even be surprised to recognize that you’re quite resilient after all. 

Seize the day to be the best you. 

Happiest of New Years to a Happier You!

“The Potential for Greatness Lives within each of us”  ~ Wilma Rudolph