Hope you are having a wonderful day. Wish I was there to shove my face into the cake with you.
Sending you so much love across the many miles between us.
xxx
SNACK ATTACK
My favorite new mid-day snack is red bell pepper. Fresh, cold slices are so sweet and refreshing. Yum! It’s really not as good if it’s not straight out of the fridge and really cold.
Peppers have a lot of natural fiber so it’s filling too.
Give it a shot instead of reaching for an apple or banana when your tummy starts grumbling around 4pm.
DELICIOUS DISH - A LIGHT DINNER FOR TWO
I actually didn’t use a single “pot” for this, but the meal obviously involved many kitchen utensils, bowls, boards, and even a broiler pan!
Honestly though, it was super simple and tasted great. Here are the recipes:
Summer Salad (not pictured)
Halibut with Pineapple Salsa - from chef Sarah
Set the oven to broil and line a broiler pan with aluminum foil.
Marinade
Combine all ingredients and shake well. Pour marinade over fish. Let stand for at least 15 minutes, turning once.
Broil 4-5 inches from flame. Squeeze lime wedges on top when preparing to serve to activate marinade flavors.
Pineapple Salsa
Mix together in a bowl and voila.
MR note: You can make the salsa ahead of time which was helpful because I didn’t have a lot of counter space. There will be a lot of extra salsa you can eat with chips. I served it with cold sauteed green beens (from Whole Foods) for the next night’s meal.
Baby Broccoli
Obviously simple. Heat a little EVOO and garlic in a frying pan. Add washed broccoli. Season with salt and pepper.
Blueberry Corn Muffins - From Williams Sonoma Cookbook (with a few changes)
Preheat oven to 375.
Microwave half of the butter until melted and set aside. Cut slices from the rest of the butter and place one slice in each cup. Place the pan in the oven until hot and the butter is melted and sizzling. Remove the pan and turn it so each cup if coated (I used a paper towel).
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and add melted butter, buttermilk, and the egg. Stir using a wooden spoon and then add blueberries. Pour into cupcake pan
Bake until top springs back when pressed gently in the center. About 20 minutes.
Serve warm or room temp.
SOY VEY! — By Nutritionista
I’ve already addressed the soy versus dairy milk debate from a weight-loss perspective, but what about for general health? I’ve gotten some questions about it recently and I wanted to clarify my thoughts on soy here.
Recently, I’ve been transitioning to almond milk instead of soy. Why? The answer is quite simple: Most soy and soy derivatives are highly processed and already in EVERYTHING! Seriously. Check the label on any packaged food. Go ahead, pick one up. I’d be surprised if it didn’t contain one of the following:
I already avoid processed food as much as possible, but I’m sure soy is sneaking into my diet in ways I don’t even realize. To avoid gettingexcess soy in my diet, I strive to only eat soy in its LEAST PROCESSED forms. To me, that means edamame (unprocessed) and tofu (minimally processed) and avoiding everything else. That’s not to say I never drink soy milk or eat soy yogurt. Because I shoot for a relatively low-dairy diet, I’ve definitely eaten many soy products in the past, ocassionally still do, and probably will in the future. I just try to choose equally tasty alternatives when possible (that’s where the almond milk comes in).
The fact is, science is still out on soy and whether it’s beneficial or harmful. However, eating anything in excess isn’t a great idea. So whether or not you choose to eat soy, do your homework and decide what’s best for you! I wrote a somewhat objective post about the pros and cons of soy here that concludes it’s beneficial to include both soy and dairy into a healthy diet. Gena at Choosing Raw doesn’t eat soy at all and you can read her rationale here.
As you’re learning, nutrition isn’t always black and white, so the bottom line is figuring out what’s best for you, your lifestyle, and your health. I’m always here to offer my opinion, but it’s certainly not the only one out there. Carry on, soy lovers!
(Photo via)
A friend of mine made this playlist for me.
FINALLY good music to listen to while I work.
I’ve now played it 3 times in two days. Loving every song.
In other words, download this stuff asap….but then again, most of you are a little more hip than I am when it comes to music. @virtualoliver I think you would even approve of this list.
TAKE AN INTROSPECTIVE VOYAGE.
LUCID DREAMS
Susannah Conway’s photographs are like stills from lucid dreams, her camera adeptly capturing a moment and transporting you to an intimate place of stillness.
Starting July 13th, she invites us to look at our lives through this lens with her e-course, Unravelling: Ways of Seeing My Self. The 8-week workshop will take you through a series of photo assignments and writing exercises, with video guidance from Susannah, that will lead you to redefine your vision of the world you live in.
Register for the Unravelling e-course here and be sure to peruse Susannah’s glorious photographs while you’re visiting.
AdoptAPet - MTM’s “Cause We Care” for July 2009
By Alice Hunt
AdoptaPet.com has a list of 10 ways you can get involved without adopting on their website. Fostering a pet or volunteering your time will help the pet learn proper socialization skills that could allow them to be adopted into a loving home. And it’s a temporary arrangement, convenient if circumstances don’t allow you to make a lifetime commitment to adoption.
PROVIDE A TEMPORARY HOME
Back when I was a poor out of work college grad, I desperately wanted to adopt a cat. I was new to New York City and unable to feed myself let alone an animal. HYPERLINK Through AdoptaPet.com, I contacted a local cat shelter. After speaking with one of the other volunteers, I found out that they desperately needed volunteers to foster cats. When I brought Neil home, he was this slobbish sickly white cat. The shelter was so grateful for the donation of our apartment that they paid for Neil’s food and medicine during the time we cared for him.
After three months in our Brooklyn apartment, Neil was ready for a permanent home. I delivered him to his new owner, an extraordinary woman that I became friends with through our shared experiences with this wonderful cat. I still see Neil from time to time, since renamed “Yoki”. Years later, I was finally able to get my own cat, but I will never forget the time I spent with Neil, our cat visitor.
AN HOUR OF YOUR TIME
Your time can be as simple as going to the shelter and petting dog or cats for an hour. These poor pets are confined to a cage for most of their time until they are adopted. Your one hour a week commitment to walk a dog or pet a cat would make you a hero in the lives of these homeless animals.
YOU’VE GOT SKILLS
You can also donate your specialized skills such as graphic design or marketing to help spread the word about pet rescue.
Help AdoptaPet.com be part of the solution. You can find a pet in your local area here. Volunteer time. Or make a donation.
BIG SALE AT MUSE BOUTIQUE (Houston)
“It’s that time of year for the annual Back Room Sale at the Upper Kirby boutique Muse. Designer duds are up to 90% off!
Think Calypso and Nanette Lepore. Sip wine while digging through the fantastic sale racks Thursday, July 9th – Saturday, July 11th, and thank us later.”
(via My Momma!)
