Favorite spiritual places

The 2nd Hour (what they call Sunday School at my church) was good today. The Earth Ministry team met and talked about what it means to us, spiritually, to take care of the earth. We read a letter from Chief Seattle to the President of the United States, back in the 1800's. His letter spoke of the Native American's love of the land, and his concern that the white man wanted to claim ownership of the land, yet was not a good guardian of it's resources and creatures. It was extremely moving (and so true still today), and afterwards we discussed what "green spirituality" means to us, and how we practice it. My favorite part of the class was when we described our favorite in-nature places, and how we felt when we were there. That got me to thinking about the places for me where I've felt most connected to God and the earth, in a very spiritual, yet physical way. Here's my list:

• At the absolute top of my list, was sailing to the beach at Ft. McRae, and camping on the sailboat. "Ft McRae" is a practically deserted, incredibly beautiful, barrier island about a 2 hour boat-ride to the mouth of Escambia Bay in the Gulf of Mexico. The beautiful white-sand dunes, and swaying sea oats--the endless sky streaked with cumulus clouds--seeing dolphins cruising in the Gulf just off the beach---Paradise! And not another human around for miles.



• My family home in Alberta, Canada...a house with a huge wrap-around porch perched on a hill that was the highest point of land for 100 miles east of the Rockies. The house faced west so we had an incredible view of the majestic Canadian Rockies, and we overlooked a valley with rolling "foothills", ponds, green pastures and miles of swaying birch, aspen, maple, and pine trees. Again it was quite solitary...our closest neighbors lived a mile away. During the summers the landscape was a deep verdant green, the mountains a majestic purple with snow-capped peaks...in the fall the trees blazed in a riot of color, with shades of gold, orange and red, and in the winter the trees, ground and mountains were all blanketed with snow, like a fairy-land. At night, in the winter, you could see sheets of phospherescent northern lights crackling and dancing across the sky. In the summer, I loved to ride my horse to an even more secluded clearing a little ways down the hill, where I would sit amongst the wild-flowers and eat a picnic lunch, drinking in my surroundings. I thought of it as my own special, secret place and I loved it.



• Highway 93, from Lake Louise to Jasper, high in the mountain passes of Banff National Park, is by far the most beautiful scenic drive I've ever been on (with a possible exception of the Road to Hana on Maui), with Payto Lake being my favorite scenic stop along that road. It's away from the hustle and bustle of Banff and Lake Louise, and the lake shines like a brilliant turquoise jewel as one looks down into the steep valley carved out by the many glaciers that feed it and produce it's brilliant color. It's beauty is awe-inspiring and almost surreal. I can't stand to think that global warming may one day melt all the glaciers, and the Payto lakes of the world will be lost.



• Anytime I'm on the salty brine of the ocean. Favorite sailing and snorkeling memories include: chartering and crewing a 38' Beneteau in the British Virgin Islands, with Len as captain, and myself as first mate. Fantastic views both above and below water, fantastic sailing weather, great food and local "color"...who could ask for anything more! Oh yeah..and as an extra bonus.. tons of sea turtles! Another favorite memory is of whale-watching off Cape Cod. We saw a pod of over 60 whales, up close, in a mind-blowing show of their power and skills, as they breached, rolled, slapped fins and tails all around us. Incredible!



• And last, but not least, my favorite place here in Georgia, my back porch, nestled high in the trees on the edge of Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield National Park.
  

As Thanksgiving approaches I am very grateful for the gifts I have received from each of these special places. These memories are wonderfully rich and satisfying...a different kind of "soul" food.

Speaking of food, it's time for my recipe of the week: Sicilian Chicken with Raisins and Olives. I combined 3 different recipes I've collected over the years to come up with the following:

Sicilian Chicken with Raisins and Olives

1/2 c. Marsala wine, or 1/2 c. white wine + 1 tsp sugar
3/4 c. golden raisins
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 c. pine nuts
1/4 c. green olives, preferably Sicilian, sliced
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
salt, pepper and Tony C's to taste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps julienned fresh basil
1 & 1/2--2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves and/or thigh (if using breasts, pound to 1/2 inch thickness)
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)

Soak the raisins in the wine for at least 10 minutes. Trim and pound the chicken breasts, cut into 6 oz portions. Sprinkle w/ salt, pepper and Tony C's. Saute in the olive oil over med-high heat until browned on both sides (about 2-3 min per side). Remove chicken and transfer to a plate. Add the onions to the pan and cook until soft (2-4 min). Add the garlic, pine nuts, olives, bay leaves and oregano and cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, raisins and wine, and the balsalmic vinegar and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves and add the chicken and it's juices back into the pan. Continue cooking another 8-10 minutes or until chicken is done (juices should run clear if cut into it). Add the parmesan and fresh basil and serve. Can serve over angel hair pasta or whole wheat couscous if desired.

Art Festival Weekend

11/9/08

Well, it's been 2 weeks since i blogged--there never seems to be enough time, especially when Len is out of town and I have to do all the chores (5 cats produce a lot of soiled litter!).
This has been a good week and an even better weekend. We went down to Pensacola for the huge, annual art festival held in Seville Square. As usual, it didn't disappoint, and I did my part to support local artists by buying some neat things like beautiful glass beads, and some beautiful hand-sewn garments that will make a great outfit for our cruise in December. The weather was beautiful, the crowds tolerable (I guess there's one upside to the failing economy), and I had some good crawfish etouffee and the best cinnamon roll I've ever had in my life (from a local place called Tasty Bakery).
The only downer came when i ran into my old friend, Julie, who told me her husband had died fairly suddenly last year from pancreatic cancer...that was disturbing, especially since he was actually younger than me. I felt so bad for Julie, who also lost her mom and her sister to cancer, and has survived a nasty bout of melanoma herself.
Not 5 minutes later i ran into my good friend, John, who had unfortunately lost his job the day before. I am again reminded that anything can happen to anyone at any time, and i really have to count my blessings and live in the moment. Both of these friends are very positive, upbeat people, who despite their respective tragedies, still had a great attitude. I am reminded of a saying I read recently:

"You can't control the wind, you can only adjust your sails" --anonymous

I would be remiss if i didn't make note of the historic event that happened this week. The country finally got it right (in my opinion) and voted in a very smart, thoughtful, articulate candidate for president, who just happens to be black! Needless to say, as an Obama supporter, I was ecstatic with the results. My only regret was that Len was out of town the night of the election so I didn't have anyone to celebrate with.

The only "porch event" of note was that I saw my first Pine Warbler of the season--a sure sign, along with the beautiful red and gold falling leaves, that winter is on the way.


Cuisine

As promised, here are the recipes for 2 of my favorite dishes--Tuscan Sausage, Beans and Greens soup, and Chicken with Wine and Tomatoes. I make these every few weeks because they are simple, healthy and delicious, with ingrediants I usually have on hand.

Sandra's Tuscan Sausage, Beans and Greens Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb Chicken and Apple sausage, diced or sliced in rounds (I like Applegate Farms brand)
1 large vidalia or yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large, or two medium carrots, peeled and diced (or sliced in rounds)
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
lots of fresh thyme (at least 1 tbsp + a few sprigs)
1 bayleaf
2 14-oz cans canneloni beans (or any white beans), drained and rinsed
8 c. reduced sodium chicken broth
1-2 tbsps maple syrup
1 or 2 large bunches of swiss chard, cleaned, and loosely chopped with large stems removed, or
can substitute 10oz package of fresh spinach
salt, pepper, and Tony C's to taste

In a large heavy-bottomed dutch oven or soup-pot saute the sausage in the olive oil, until lightly browned (1-2 minutes). Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, and saute onions until soft (about 3-5 minutes). Add garlic, carrots and red pepper and saute for another 2-3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add a little of the chicken broth if it starts to stick. Add the sausage, thyme, bay leaf, and beans and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, maple syrup and seasonings to taste. If using chard, add it after about 5 minutes, if using spinach, don't add it until 3-5 minutes before serving. Stir and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve with good crusty bread.
Note: This recipe makes several servings (at least 10) so I usually freeze half of it.

Chicken with Wine and Tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness
salt, pepper and Tony C's
1/3-1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
1/2 c. medium dry white wine, or vermouth, or dry sherry (or can use dry white wine + 1 tbsp honey)
1-2 tbsps sherry vinegar
1/2 c low-sodium chicken broth
2 large, or 3 medium heirloom tomatoes, diced ( 1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes can be substituted)
1 tsp dijon mustard

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over med-high heat. Cut chicken into 4-6 oz pieces, sprinkle each side with salt, pepper, and Tony C's and saute until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside. Turn heat down to just a hair above medium (on a gas stove) and saute shallots for 2-3 minutes until soft. Deglaze pan with the white wine, scraping up any brown bits and simmer until reduced by about half (3-5 minutes). Add sherry vinegar and dijon mustard and cook for another couple of minutes. Add tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat slightly, and add chicken back in. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly.
For a nice variation, I add a package of grilled artichoke hearts to the sauce just before adding the chicken.
Serves 4-6

Gratitude

[Note: I write my "blog" first in my journal and then transfer it to the computer, and this week our hard-drive on our main computer started to crash (fortunately my computer whiz husband caught it before we lost much), so it's a few days late getting posted.]

Sunday, October 19th

One of the things I love about doing this blog, is that it makes me take notice of the special moments that happen daily....those moments when I feel truly happy and at peace, moments when I am able to appreciate whatever is happening at the time. Some of this week's special moments were:

• Snuggling with the kittens on the couch, and playing fetch with Moonbeam (with his green fuzzy toy)
• Feeling "in the zone" while swimming...finding that "sweet spot" of meditation when you experience a oneness with the "interdependent web of existence"
• Enjoying the last hot days of indian summer on the deck, with the sun, the birds and the trees that are showing the first hints of autumn gold
• Actually enjoying the challenge of shopping for a new laptop for work...so much to learn, so little time...I'm finally embracing technology...maybe it will help me blog more often
• Sitting through the first truly chilly fall night on the deck, nestled in warm fleece and blankets...Tobey "making biscuits" on my blue fleecie, and the frogs making night music in the creek..."churrup, churrup, purreep, purreep"
• But best of all was getting to sleep in this morning with my hubby...snuggling warm in our comfy bed, talking, cuddling and playing with the cats, who alternate between jumping and pouncing on us, and nuzzling against Len's beard and my back. I can feel the love and contentment spreading out all around me.

Cuisine

Last week I made a nice grilled grouper with Lemon-Lime marinade (recipe to follow), the same thing I use on my "famous" grilled salmon (I say "famous" because it's probably my most requested recipe). I also made chicken with mushrooms and peppercorn sauce (a good store-bought sauce), organic Pureed Cauliflower (recipe to follow), steamed green beans, and the veggie chili I mentioned in the last entry.

Tonight I'm making Salmon with Miso-Mirin Glaze (a new recipe I'm playing with...if it works out I'll include it in a future blog); chicken with heirloom tomatoes and wine; Delicata Squash stuffed with curried cous cous, apples and raisins; and my (also famous) Tuscan Bean and Sausage Soup. I'll give out some of those recipes next time.

Sandra's Lemon-Lime Grilled Salmon

This is a very easy, tasty way to make salmon--it uses store bought marinades, which can add to the cost, but for me the savings of time and energy makes it worth it.

• 1&1/2-2 lbs. centercut salmon, skin on (note: any other good grilling fish can be substituted, such as; grouper, cobia, amberjack, halibut, scamp, etc.), cut into 4-6 oz. fillets
• 1/2 bottle any lemon-pepper or lemon Herb marinade
• 1/2 bottle any lime-based marinade or dressing (I like Drew's Thai Sesame Lime dressing)
• 1/3 bottle Island Grove's Key Lime Honey Mustard Sauce (note: you can substitute 1/4 c. honey-dijon mustard and 2 tbsps lime juice)
• 1 heaping tbsp lemon marmalade (e.g. Robertson's Silver Shred Marmalade)
• 1 heaping tbsp lime marmalade (e.g. Rose's Lime Marmalade) Note: you can also use 2 tbsps of either one, if you can't find both, or if you can't find either, pineapple jam can be substituted
• for a variation, you can add 1/3 bottle ginger/teryaki type dressing/marinade.
• Tony Cachere's creole seasoning
• Key-Lime Pepper (can substitute any Lemon-Pepper seasoning)

Whisk together all the "wet" ingrediants in a large bowl/container. With a sharp knife cut small slits in the fillets (to let the marinade penetrate the fish) and place in the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably several hours.

Spray a large grill-pan (or outdoor grill) with olive-oil and heat on med-high heat. When the pan is hot remove the fillets from the marinade and place skin-side down on the pan/grill. Turn the heat down to the notch just above medium (on a gas stove). Sprinkle with the Tony C's and Lime-Pepper seasoning.

The secret to perfect fish is NOT OVERCOOKING it!!!! Therefore I watch the fish carefully to check for doneness, instead of going by a set amount of time. As a general rule, cook the fish about 5 minutes per 1 inch of thickness on the first side. Flip it over and cook 3-4 minutes, remove the skin, season on this side, then flip again for another minute on the first (now skinless) side. To test for doneness, the fish should flake easily, but you still want just a hint of pink in the middle of the thickest part, because the fish will continue to cook for about a minute after being removed from the heat. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. This is really good with a product called "Original Cuzzy's Key West Sauce" drizzed on top (unfortunately I've only ever found it in fish stores in Florida).

Pureed Cauliflower ("fake" mashed potatoes)

Len and I love this substitute for more fattening, high-carb mashed potatoes.

Steam one large head of organic cauliflower (broken into florets) in 1 can of chicken broth for approx. 15 minutes(I use an electric steamer and put the broth in the water reservoir). Let cool slightly, then puree in a cuisinart or good blender with:

• 2 tbsps butter, or butter substitute (I use Smart Balance Lite)
• 1-2 tbsps cream cheese pre-blended with either garlic and herbs, or chives
• 1 tbsp lite Cheese Whiz, or 2 tsps Cheese Whiz and 2 tsps Cheddar Cheese and Horseradish spread
• 1 tbsp lite sour cream, or Land-o-Lakes fat free "half and half"
• Add Tony C's, lemon-pepper and/0r fresh ground black pepper to taste

Bon Appetit

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, as many of you know. And many of you know that I lost my mother to breast cancer several years ago. To celebrate her life, I just signed up at Dr. Susan Love's "Army of Women" website (www.armyofwomen.org). Their mission is to compile a databank of over one million women for the purposes of conducting research on breast cancer. They want to have a databank that represents every kind of woman out there; every age-group, every ethnicity, whether you have a family history, or not, and even if you've already had breast cancer.
So I'm encouraging all my female friends and family to go check it out and sign up. You won't be under any obligation to be in a study, but it might be a good way to play a part in ending this horrible disease.

Many of you may have realized that my cooking is always very health-conscious, mainly for the reason of trying to stave off preventable disease. I always look for ingredients that are known to be particularly rich in the nutrients that bolster health. For example, I love using fruits and vegetables that are high in anti-oxidants, "organic" chicken that doesn't contain hormones or antibiotics (and is lower in saturated fat than red meat), fish that is high in omega 3 fatty acids, legumes, olive oil, low-fat dairy products, etc.
At the same time I believe that healthy cooking can still be delicious, and in fact that's one of my favorite things to do...find a good recipe that I can modify slightly to make the dish even more healthy and delicious.
A good example of that is my recipe for Vegetarian Chili, where I've replaced the ground beef with bulgar wheat, and it's chock full of healthy beans and vegetables. It's easy, delicious and low-fat/low calorie. Even my meat-loving brother loves it!

Sandra's Veggie Chili

1-2 Tbsps olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 C. uncooked bulgar wheat (can find this at the health food section of your store)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tsp cumin
1/2 C. red wine
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 14 oz can kidney beans (note..you don't have to drain any of these canned products)
1 14 oz can pinto beans (or seasoned "chili" beans)
1 14 oz can black beans
1 small can niblets style corn
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Note, if you like you can use a fresh jalapeno and regular canned tomatoes instead)
1-2 Tbsps honey, or maple syrup
1 C. water

In a large pot or dutch oven saute onion in olive oil, on med-high heat until soft. Add bulgar wheat, chili powder and cumin and stir for about 1 minute to coat and lightly toast the bulgar. Add the red wine, and stir, for 1-2 minutes until simmering. Add the remaining ingrediants and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for 20 minutes or longer. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve with fresh cornbread, light sour cream and/or light cheddar cheese.

I love bird-watching because it puts me "in the moment"...I find it's a great form of meditation. I can stay in the present moment for a long time without mulling over the past, or planning for the future.

It's the beginning of fall, but we're having an "indian summer". It's beautifully warm, sunny and dry, with a light breeze. We went to the Caigle Farm Triker "thingy" yesterday, and it was a gorgeous day...blue skies with a few cotton ball clouds, and the leaves were just beginning to turn. I had a daredevil ride on a powerful Quik Trike, swooping like a rollar coaster over lakes and fields, mountains and trees, loving every breathless moment. It's easy to forget about everything bad going on in the world when you're flying high (and low) above the ground.

Today's "bird moment":
Saw a momma Downy Woodpecker, and her young offspring eating at the suet. The baby still had fuzzy pinfeathers on his crown, and a small sharp beak. I love watching the babies as they learn to fly and perch. This little guy kept awkwardly flying about and trying to land on the iron pole for the feeder. He'd grab it with his claws, then start sliding down it like a fireman on a pole, cheeping loudly the whole time. It's amazing, though, how quickly they do learn...in a day or two he'll be negotiating it like a pro.
Also watched a few cardinal babies...they are much more trusting than their elders (and very noisy).

Today I'm making Mediterranean Turkey Burgers with Heirloom Tomatoes, Shrimp in Red Curry, Morrocan Rice, Bangers and Mash ( Cabbage with Sausage), and Sugar Snap Peas with Chinese vegetables. It's good to have some less expensive "comfort foods" in these tough economic times, so I'm including the recipes for the turkey burgers and cabbage, which are easy, quick, very healthy and low-cal.

Mediterranean Turkey Burgers with Heirloom Tomatoes

Preheat a large George Forman Grill (or outside grill)

In a large bowl, mix together:

One and a half to two lbs of fresh ground turkey, or chicken
1/2 C. whole wheat bread crumbs (Panko style)
1/4 C. ketchup or 2 tbsps tomato paste
1/2 tsp worchestershire sauce
1-2 tbsps barbeque sauce
1/2 red pepper, minced
2-3 scallions or shallots, trimmed and finely sliced
1-4 oz. box reduced-fat feta cheese with sundried tomatoes and basil, crumbled
1/4 C. shredded or grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Several dashes Tony C's
salt and pepper to taste

Thoroughly blend ingredients, and separate into 4-oz. patties. Place on a pre-oiled baking sheet or parchment paper. Slice 3 fairly large heirloom tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Grill burgers for 4 minutes, then lift lid and place a tomato slice on each burger, close lid and cook for another minute. Remove from grill and serve as is, or with a bun and all the fixings.

Sandra's Bangers and Mash (Cabbage and Sausage)

This is a very quick, tasty way to prepare fresh cabbage. Len loves it!

In a large dutch oven, cook 1 medium onion, diced, in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft.
Add 1 lb. sweet italian chicken sausage, diced or cut in rounds, and saute 1-2 minutes.
Add 1 tsp caraway seeds, stir and cook 1 minute.
Add 1 small head of cabbage, trimmed, cored and sliced, along with 1 can Progresso French Onion Soup
Add salt, black pepper and Tony C's to taste.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Serve with good hearty, whole grain bread

Glad to be home

Well "blogees", I started off fine, but it's been three weeks since i last blogged--mainly because i deployed to Baton Rouge, LA for hurricane Gustavo and was there close to 2 weeks (I am a member of the National Disaster Medical System and my team was working in a medical shelter there). This past week I've been too busy and too exhausted (we worked our butts off in 13 hour shifts for 11 straight days)to blog until today...and finally it's the weekend...hooray!

Baton Rouge was a trip, unlike our ususal DMAT adventures, this time we were really busy and really productive. In addition to providing counseling, I was a "social worker" and "gopher". The poor people in the shelter had so little that the smallest things made them happy: charging their cell phones so they could contact loved ones (or lending them a cell phone), 3 hot meals and a safe place to sleep, a cup of coffee or a bottle of water, a relatively clean bathroom, listening to their stories and going back often to check on them to let them know someone cared. We had moments of frustration--like when some of the patients took to hoarding food which caused the food to run out before a lot of the staff had a chance to eat... and moments of triumph--like finally finding and securing the wife of one elderly man after they'd gotten separated during the helicopter evacuation. He was so upset he went on a hunger strike...we found her 7 days later at a shelter in Austin, TX... and moments when we cried--like when the lady with MS was finally reunited with her three kitties who'd been taken away when she got to the shelter. The whole experience was tiring, but wonderfully rewarding.We didn't even mind sleeping on the floor in a hot, sweaty gym with 60 of our "closest friends". I want to thank the many kids from LSU, who showed up before their classes started for the semester to volunteer. Without them I don't know if we could have done it. They did everything from building special beds for the patients who would fall out of their unprotected cots, to doing the staff's laundry and buying us necessities from the outside world (we rarely even got to go outside).

At any rate, I'm back now,and finally sitting on my back porch. The weather is perfect! It's finally cooling off some at 75° and it's sunny and breezy. I just filled the birdfeeders and I'm sitting down with my "kitts" (several of whom had fairly traumatic vet visits this week) to relax. I cooked last weekend (it was so good to not eat bad food), but I didn't have time to blog, so I'll tell you about those dishes now. I made veggie spaghetti (with soy "meatballs") and La Famiglia spaghetti sauce (my favorite bottled brand), my somewhat-famous marinated salmon, a delicious recipe for sauteed chicken with pears and leeks from my recent edition of Eating Well magazine, Mu Shu veggies and an excellent summer Gazpacho. The following is my own recipe for this delicious chilled soup. I make this several times over the summer as it is light, refreshing and very healthy.

Sandra's Gazpacho

In a large blender or food processor puree the following until smooth:

• 1 slice stale, good quality, whole grain bread (I use 9 Grain bread from Whole Foods) torn into several pieces
• 3 green onions, trimmed and chopped into 1" pieces
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp good balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (or 2 tbsps balsamic)
• 2 tbsps olive oil (I use a blend of different flavored oils like roasted garlic and one with mediterranean spices)
• 1 tbsp fresh basil leaves, or 1 tsp dried or paste.
• 1/4 tsp worchestershire sauce
• several dashes of Tony Cacheres creole seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsps sugar, or 1 package of Spenda
• 1/2 c. tomato juice

Remove half of this "base" and set aside.

Seed and roughly chop into 1" pieces the following:

• 1 large cucumber, peeled (or an english cucumber)
• 1 red-pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 small jalapeno (optional)

Unless you have a giant food processor you'll probably have to make the soup in 2 batches. If so, add half of your chopped vegetables to the food processor, along with half of the following:

• 1 28-oz can tomatoes (I like organic fire-roasted, or San Mareno), undrained. Note-this is also very good made with fresh Heirloom tomatoes, if available, use 4 large or 6 medium.
• 1 12-oz can niblets-style corn, undrained
• 2 c. tomoto juice

Puree until smooth and adjust seasonings to taste. Put this batch into a large juice container or bowl.

Repeat the pureeing process with the remaining base, veggies and canned stuff. Blend with the first batch and store in the refrigerator. For best results, let chill for a few hours before serving. Good as is, or can serve with garnishes like whole wheat croutons, chopped sweet onion, chopped green olives, etc.

Healthy creative cooking

I get home too late to cook most nights so I cook large batches of things on the weekends and eat them throughout the week. Tonight I'm cooking Chicken with Artichokes and Olives, Shrimp Pad Thai, Tomato-Lentil Soup, and green beans. I wanted to use some of the staples I've collected in past shopping trips, such as the yummy grilled artichokes, Calamata Olives and Sun-dried Tomato pesto I got from Whole Foods. I'll use those along with some canned tomatoes, fresh basil and feta cheese to make a delicious and healthy chicken dish (see recipe below). I have some leftover frozen shrimp, and a box of Pad Thai rice noodles that I'll thow together with some julienned red peppers, carrots, snow peas, and scallions, and top with some mung beans, crushed peanuts and fresh cilantro. My "new" recipe tonight is combining two recipes I have for pureed tomato soups to create a third option. I'll take the red lentils and spices (cumin and coriander) from one, and use it in place of the potato in the other. I'm also substituting a leek for the celery the recipe calls for (only because I have a leftover leek, but no celery). Most of the time my substitutions and "creative" changes to recipes make them even better, but sometimes they don't. I guess we'll have to see in this case.

Chicken with Artichokes and Olives (my own version)

2 lbs boneless, skinless breasts, trimmed and cut into 4-oz portions
salt, pepper and Tony Chacheres creole seasoning
2 tsp olive oil
1 small vidalia onion (or large shallot)-chopped
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto, or 1/4 c. finely chopped sundried tomatoes
2 tsp balsamic or other good vinegar (eg. sherry or red-wine)
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
1 package fresh grilled artichoke hearts (or 1 can or jar of artichoke hearts). coarsely chopped
1/2 c. pitted halved calamata olives
4 oz package reduced fat feta cheese
1/4 c. fresh shaved or shredded parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and creole seasoning and place in a fairly large baking pan.
In a saucepan saute onion in olive oil until soft, add tomatoes, and sundried tomato(s) pesto and cook for 2 minutes, add vinegar and cook for another 3-4 minutes until reduced. Pour or ladle sauce over the chicken then sprinkle with the artichoke hearts, olives, and feta cheese. Top with light sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees.

My favorite things

Sitting on the porch thinking about what Len was saying...that i should write a blog about food or cooking. I don't think i want to be limited to that, though, so I've decided to write about the things i love (besides him)...cats, birdwatching, and great food...the things I'm truly grateful for in life.

My covered porch is my favorite place to be. I can listen to different birdsongs, or the wind rustling in the trees, or the rhythmic buzz of the cicadas, or the persistant bellows, squeaks and pips of frogs at night. My eyes take in the verdant green of the trees, the brilliant colors of the petunias, impatiens and lantanas in my flower pots, and the golden sheen of my cats' fur as they lay sleeping or gazing out at the birds that visit our various feeders. The birds rival any blooms for color. Cardinals, Chickadees, "Canaries" (my nickname for the Goldfinch), Ruby-throated Hummers, Bluejays, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, crimson-hued Housefinches, Brown-capped and White-breasted Nuthatches, Song Sparrows, Carolina Wrens, Mockingbirds, and Tufted Titmouses are all regular diners at the Frantz family "restaurant". All are beautiful, interesting and fun to observe. Over time i have learned to recognize different specie's voices and flight patterns, and each species has it's own unique characteristics. Sometimes i can even recognize individual birds. We are separated from the feeders by a screen (but my chair sits less than 6 feet from some of them), and our porch is 17' off the ground nestled in the trees like an open-sided tree house. The birds are very aware of our presence, but after scoping us out for awhile (and realizing the cats can't get to them) they seem relaxed and curious. I wonder if they enjoy having a meal with a strange "zoo" to watch. This "zoo" includes two pale-skinned humans and 4or 5 cats of varying sizes and shapes, all in a state of pleasant repose.