Salad rolls, spring rolls, summer rolls, crystal rolls. Whatever you want to call them, I call them delicious! Honestly, I don’t know if there is a “correct” English translation for the name of these colorful, crunchy concoctions. I’ve referred to them as all of the above, sometimes within the same week. For today’s post, however, […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
One of the habits I’ve developed in my self-health venturing is browsing online headlines for nutrition-related topics. As I was doing just that this morning, I couldn’t help but notice how confusing the subject of nutrition continues to be for anyone trying to figure it all out. For instance, there was a bevy of conflicting […]
I’ve always been a pie person, ever since I was a kid. In fact, when I was growing up, much of my family preferred pie over cake, and it was not uncommon to have “birthday pie” in honor of someone’s special day. I always ate mine with milk poured over it, an unusual custom I […]
It’s summer. It’s hot. And you’re sweating. At some point your inner voice may pose a very serious question: “Isn’t sweating the pits?!” You may be thinking that was rhetorical, but there actually is an answer to the question, and it’s twofold. In one sense, yes, sweating is the pits, though not nearly as “pittish” […]
Few foods are as American, or picnic worthy, as fried chicken. Yet most people never even consider making it at home. I get it. Deep-frying is daunting. It can be messy, smoky, and dangerous if not done properly. Plus picking up ready-made fried chicken at a store or restaurant is just so darn convenient. Outsourcing […]
While some people think walking is too simple and doesn’t offer the same benefits of a more challenging workout, this activity can be a real fat burner if done properly. Plus there are many ways to step up your walking game, so you can get in shape even faster. Here are just a few ideas […]
I grew up on a little island in British Columbia. Life there was, and still is, different than my life in the “real world” down here in Colorado. There they have a thing called island time, where everyone seems to just amble along without much rush. It sometimes drives my type-A personality bonkers, but nevertheless […]
Did you know surgery isn’t the only option when it comes to getting your face and neck back in shape? Heck, did you even know your face and neck could be out of shape? Getting your face back in shape is really just a reference to improving any sagging or wrinkling you’ve experienced over the […]
I have an incredibly soft spot for a perfectly sun-ripened tomato, plucked fresh from the vine or market stall during peak harvest. To me it is the epitome of summer, and I am overjoyed now that we are really getting into that time of year, with all its colorful, sweet tomato bounty. Usually I keep […]
If I had a nickel for every time a fellow female asked the question above, I’d have a whole lotta nickels. Of course, this wouldn’t make me rich or anything, but I have been meaning to start my nickel collection. ;) Enough about nickels already. When a man and a woman both commit to eating […]
How about a recipe for savory chicken and lentils in a mouthwatering wine-mushroom sauce? Did I get your attention? I’m the first to admit that a plate of lentils didn’t used to thrill me. Post-WWII, my mother made rather plain lentil soup/porridge at least once a week. Though my taste buds have since become much […]
People ask me all the time why food at restaurants tastes so much better than what they cook at home. Besides the obvious fact that professional chefs are just better at cooking than most home cooks (it is their job, after all), one of the real secrets, I can guarantee you, is butter. Lots of […]
Nearly thirteen years ago, my husband and I made a decision that seemed like the logical thing to do. Our youngest son had just been born, and we were content with the way our family looked. We decided we were done having kids. So we did what we had to to make sure our decision […]
Like many people, I feel best when I obtain the brunt of my nourishment from foods high in protein and fat, rather than from carbohydrate-rich meals or snacks. Proteins and especially fats seem to keep me going far longer and leave me feeling energized, focused, and satiated without experiencing a need to eat again for […]
I just love opening up to a random page in D.C. Jarvis’s book Folk Medicine: A New England Almanac of Natural Health Care from a Noted Vermont Country Doctor. Every time I do, I come across some fascinating piece of information that makes me think, “Really?! I had no idea. How interesting!” Then I completely […]
Nothing quite beats a chocolate cake, especially when that cake is rich, moist, and full of deep chocolate flavor. Yum. I don’t frequently eat cake, or sweets in general for that matter, so when I do indulge, I want it to be outstanding. I want it to be worth it. Unfortunately, too often I’m met […]
Once upon a time, there was a slow cooker named Patience. Patience loved her job and took great pride in providing for her family. She lived in the pantry closet and got a case of the butterflies every time one of her people reached for her handles. Whenever this happened, she knew she would be […]
Ahhh, these long summer days call for celebration! I’m a mover, and I feel inspired at this time of year, when the sun is shining and the light stays around until well after the kiddo is down for the night, to see just how much I can fit into a day. Responsibilities on the back […]
Our family’s new home has a kitchen appliance that has sparked a debate I hadn’t thought about in some time. You see, our refrigerator has a handy dandy ice-and-water dispenser right on the door, a feature we’d lived without thus far in our lives but seems to be in use more than not now that […]
Before I begin this story, I should tell you that I wrote a previous blog post about a Cuban Pork recipe that I discovered during a trip to Puerto Rico many years ago. It was February, and New York City in winter is a dreary affair. So my husband and I, being young and adventurous, […]