Powerful quotes...

Sometimes you read a quote and wonder...

If you don't get what you want, you suffer.

If you get what you don't want, you suffer.

Even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can't hold on to it forever.

Your mind is your predicament.

It wants to be free of change.

Free of pain.

Free of the obligations of life and death.

But change is a law, and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.”

Dan Millman

Other times you read a quote and just know.

Thank you Dan

Ah yes, another month and another SHAREWI.org order!

OK if you have not tried this yet, get your butt in gear and order.  This month from http://www.sharewi.org/ I went for a few new items that they had and less of the protein.  Since I am shifting to a more vegetarian based diet, I will be ordering less meat and more veggies in the future.

Again, this month’s veggies and fruit were amazing.  Here is the order I placed this month for a whopping total dollar amount of $69.85.  Seriously, all of this in the store would easily be over one hundred dollars.  All of the fruit and veggies look great.

1lb Alaskan Sole Fish Fillets

1lb Diced Chicken Breast

12oz Jennie O turkey breakfast sausage

15oz Cans of Baked Beans (2 cans)

5lbs of Frozen fresh fruit

6 Vegan pockets (Mexican, Italian and roots)

5lbs Potatoes

4lbs Pears

3lbs Red onion

Romaine Hearts x3

6lbs Oranges

Grapefruit x3

1lb Broccoli

1 Head of lettuce

1 Bag Loose Leaf Butter Lettuce

March’s options look quite good also, here is a sneak peek!

1lb Chicken Breast Tenderloins $2.85

1lb Polish Sausage (fully cooked) $2.60

1lb Pork Egg Rolls $2.50

8oz bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese $1.75

32 cereal bars (apple cinnamon, strawberry) $7.00

2lb bag Chicken Nuggets $5.80

And the fun one!!!

EASTER DINNER PACKAGE!!!  Includes 5lb boneless honey ham, 29oz can sweet potatoes, two 15oz cans of green beans, a mini fresh produce assortment, dinner rolls and dessert.  This combo serves 6 and the price…$25.00

This is of course not all that is on the list, so check out the site and get to ordering for this month.  Pick up is on March 24^th.

Dream big everyone

Brian

Does Wasabi actually clear your sinuses?

Recently I had a cold that of course started with the wonderful inability to breathe.  My sinuses felt as if they had grown to twice the size as normal and mouth breathing had become the only option to fill my lungs with life giving air.  Normally I would have done my usual. 

• Double my usual intake of water to make sure that my sinuses stayed moist but to also make sure my body had enough hydration to fight the cold.
• Drink hot herbal teas to help add some immune boosting herbs and used the cup under my nose to steam my nasal passages
• Used the tried and true method of chicken noodle soup
• Bathed my sinuses with the use of a Neti Pot and warm saline solution
• And finally a good helping of Wasabi with some sushi!!!

Well, sadly this time around I had to do something different.  I had to cut out the enjoyment of some Wasabi and sushi while I was sick to help release my nasal passages due to a study that was done a few years ago that showed that while spicy food did clear the sinus passages, the clearing did not last for long and the rebound effect was actually worse than the original relief!  During a study done at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, California, the use of wasabi as a decongestant is actually not a good choice.  

“During the current study, Cameron and his colleagues from Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, California asked 22 people to dissolve a lentil-sized amount of wasabi on their tongues multiple times at one-minute intervals, and then report whether the spice affected their sinuses. The researchers also used a device to objectively measure participants' nasal congestion before and after tasting wasabi."

What they were able to find was that in the use of wasabi in the sinuses did clear mucus for the increase of airflow, but the swelling caused by increased blood flow after, actually decreased the nasal passageways.  With the decrease of passageway space in the sinues the normal congestion when returned would be worse than prior.

This rebound effect is something that I actually have experienced and had made me begin to wonder within just the last few years which is why when I became stuffed up this time around and thought about all the wonderful food I was going to eat I instead decided to do a little research.  Now the good news here is that I was unable to find other studies on other spicy options like the many forms of chilies or horseradish or even standard mustards, but I will continue looking and hopefully I will be able to find some better news for so many of us who prefer to use a more natural approach to illness.  Hopefully this is strictly a wasabi based issue!

Stay tuned, cause I am not done searching, I love me some spicy food when I am sick!

Brian

Wilted Spinach Salad with Asian Pears, Blue Cheese, and Pecans

Here is one heck (yes I did just say heck) of a starter salad that is simple, quick and the taste explodes in your mouth and the best part about this salad is...drum roll please....it can be made into so many different meals with the simple addition or subtraction of only two ingredients.  Yep  only two!!!  Read below to find out how to switch up this quick and simple salad.


Wilted Spinach Salad with Asian Pears, Blue Cheese, and Pecans

Serves 8

• 11/2 Tbs. pear vinegar or unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 6 cups spinach leaves, trimmed
• 11/2 cups torn frisée, escarole, or radicchio
• 1 Asian pear, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup toasted pecan pieces
• 3 Tbs. crumbled blue cheese, divided
• 2 Tbs. olive oil

Directions

1. Bring small pot of water to a boil. Add shallot, and blanch 20 seconds. Drain, and toss with vinegar in serving bowl. Add spinach, frisée, pear, pecans, and 2 Tbs. cheese; toss to combine.

2. Heat oil in small skillet until very hot. Pour over salad, and toss with tongs to wilt greens. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbs. cheese over salad.


OK, how simple is that???

Now here are the two simple fixes that you can add to change the entire flavor profile of this dish.

Add a protein.  Whether it is roasted chicken or flash seared flank steak or how about firm tofu??

Change up the cheese variety.  This recipe calls for blue cheese, why not try flaking some Parmesan or Feta or some creamy Havarti???


Now as an example, the other night I made this salad using Goat Cheese and then purchased a rotisserie chicken from Outpost natural foods and carved up the breast meat and used these to create a completely different flavor.


What this does is allow you to have a base ingredient list always on hand, and each night you just might be able to use left overs from the night before to make a healthy tasty salad or an entire meal in only minutes! 

Have fun with these recipes everyone!  Play around and try new things.  It really is so easy to adjust many recipes to your own tastes.

Enjoy!
 

Thank you XKCD.com for reminding me how much I could be missing in the moment

Sometimes all it takes is a few stick figures standing on the side of a canyon to remind me that there is never nothing going on.  If I just take the time to look around, there is so much I am missing. 

With Valentines day being tomorrow, I wanted all of you to remember to be in the moment for whomever you are with.  There is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow.  There is only that moment you spend with that special someone in your life.  Trust me, no matter what you will be doing, your loved one will appreciate you being there with them, in that moment, more than flowers or candy will ever give to them.  Being with them in that moment is the gift of you, which is the best gift you will ever be able to give.

Remember to be in the moment!

Brian

Carrabba's Bread Dipping Spice...Juat add Olive Oil!

Ok guys, this recipe has been floating all around the web for years.  I of course happen to think that Carrabba's is a really good restaurant but I must say that my guilty pleasure when going there is the Bread and spiced dipping oil.  So when I found this recipe I was in heaven!  Ok, so we are not sure if this is EXACTLY their recipe, but it is very close and tastes great!

As always I give you a few options to think about with each recipe.  The oil and lemon in the ingredients list is a give or take.  It of course tastes good with or without the lemon but with the lemon and oil it is tough to make this exact recipe and keep for a future date.  If you plan on making a large batch and using over time leave the wet ingredients until later. 

***Now here is the bonus that I have not seen on other recipe lists.  I have the actual brand of olive oil that as of 2011 Carrabba's was using for their bread dipping oil recipe.  The brand that they are using is La Rambla Olive Oil.  So look around for it at your local super market or you can order it online.  This way you can have that as close to real Carrabba's dipping oil flavor every time!

Let me know how close you think it is!


Carrabba's Bread Dipping Spice

Ingredient List

• 1 tablespoon minced basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (Italian is best)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ½ teaspoon ground sea salt
• ½ teaspoon chopped rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon olive oil
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients, EXCEPT oil and lemon.
2. Put in a small food processor (I used my little food chopper). Chop briefly until all ingredients are about the same.
3. Stir in oil and lemon juice.
4. TO SERVE: Combine about 1 1/2 teaspoons spice blend to 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil on a small Dish.
5. Dip sliced bread in mixture.
6. French bread is good.
7. ENJOY.

What does massage actually do? LOTS!

If you ask anyone to explain why people get massage, most would answer RELAXATION.  While relaxation is a component to massage, it is only one piece of a very big pie.  Massage is preventative medicine and if you approached massage with the understanding that massage is so much more than just relaxation, you would truly give yourself the tools to a healthier life.

According to Massagetherapy.com the benefits of massage are very wide ranging, do you have any of the symptoms below?  If so, how long have you experienced these symptoms?  Perhaps it’s time to take a minute out of your day and take a look at the list below and then at your own health.  There are options available to you.

The Benefits of Massage
What exactly are the benefits of receiving massage or bodywork treatments? Useful for all of the conditions listed below and more, massage can:

• Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
• Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays.
• Ease medication dependence.
• Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense system.
• Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
• Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts.
• Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ—the skin.
• Increase joint flexibility.
• Lessen depression and anxiety.
• Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks.
• Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
• Reduce post-surgery adhesions and swelling.
• Reduce spasms and cramping.
• Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles.
• Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller.
• Relieve migraine pain.

A Powerful Ally
There’s no denying the power of bodywork. Regardless of the adjectives we assign to it (pampering, rejuvenating, therapeutic) or the reasons we seek it out (a luxurious treat, stress relief, pain management), massage therapy can be a powerful ally in your healthcare regimen.

Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. While eliminating anxiety and pressure altogether in this fast-paced world may be idealistic, massage can, without a doubt, help manage stress. This translates into:

• Decreased anxiety.
• Enhanced sleep quality.
• Greater energy.
• Improved concentration.
• Increased circulation.
• Reduced fatigue.

Furthermore, clients often report a sense of perspective and clarity after receiving a massage. The emotional balance bodywork provides can often be just as vital and valuable as the more tangible physical benefits.

Profound Effects
In response to massage, specific physiological and chemical changes cascade throughout the body, with profound effects. Research shows that with massage:

• Arthritis sufferers note fewer aches and less stiffness and pain.
• Asthmatic children show better pulmonary function and increased peak air flow.
• Burn injury patients report reduced pain, itching, and anxiety.
• High blood pressure patients demonstrate lower diastolic blood pressure, anxiety, and stress hormones.
• Premenstrual syndrome sufferers have decreased water retention and cramping.
• Preterm infants have improved weight gain.

Research continues to show the enormous benefits of touch—which range from treating chronic diseases, neurological disorders, and injuries, to alleviating the tensions of modern lifestyles. Consequently, the medical community is actively embracing bodywork, and massage is becoming an integral part of hospice care and neonatal intensive care units. Many hospitals are also incorporating on-site massage practitioners and even spas to treat post-surgery or pain patients as part of the recovery process.

Increase the Benefits with Frequent Visits
Getting a massage can do you a world of good. And getting massage frequently can do even more. This is the beauty of bodywork. Taking part in this form of regularly scheduled self-care can play a huge part in how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain with each passing year. Budgeting time and money for bodywork at consistent intervals is truly an investment in your health. And remember: just because massage feels like a pampering treat doesn’t mean it is any less therapeutic. Consider massage appointments a necessary piece of your health and wellness plan, and work with your practitioner to establish a treatment schedule that best meets your needs.

http://www.massagetherapy.com/learnmore/benefits.php

So what is stopping you from helping rid yourself of symptoms you have had for way too long?  Call for your appointment today!!

Banyan Tree Healing

414-331-1806

Mac-and-Cheese-Style Cauliflower

Now this is a very interesting recipe I found in the magazine "Vegetarian Times".  I made it a few weeks ago and everyone really liked it.  I have only two suggestions for the recipe.

1^st, make sure you do actually BROWN the tops of the cauliflower and cheese.  Browning it will add to the overall flavor. 

2^nd, this recipe calls for only one type of cheese, extra-sharp cheddar.  I prefer my cheesy bakes to have a richer fuller flavor and therefore I use a few different cheeses to create a depth of flavor one cheese cannot compete with.

As with previous recipes, this recipe calls for an ingredient that is not a standard for most kitchens, nutritional yeast.  I was able to find Nutritional Yeast in the bulk section at Outpost on state Street.  What the Nutritional yeast does is adds a nutty cheesy flavor but without all the calories.  According to Wikipedia, nutritional yeast is used by vegans and vegetarians because it is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-Complex vitamins, and it is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and sodium and is free of sugar, dairy, and gluten.

 

Mac-and-Cheese-Style Cauliflower

 Get all the creamy, cheesy goodness of mac and cheese—without the high starch content of macaroni. To make your own breadcrumbs, tear firm, fresh bread into pieces and whirl in a food processor or blender until crumbs form.

 

Serves 8

• 8 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 Tbs. butter or margarine
• 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• 2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets, and boil 5 to 7 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid, and set aside.

2. Melt butter in same pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in milk, garlic, and reserved cooking liquid, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until sauce is thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, and egg yolks until cheese is melted. Fold in cauliflower.

3. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread cauliflower mixture in baking dish, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Spray breadcrumbs with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes, or until casserole is hot and bubbly and breadcrumbs are crisp and brown.

Nutritional Information

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 273, Protein: 16g, Total fat: 16g, Saturated fat: 9g, Carbs: 18g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 314mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 6g