People craft– getting along with relatives

Granted, in-law jokes are usually aimed at mother-in-laws, often sources of friction and difficulty.  But,  let me tell you about my sister Bethany’s daughter-in-law.  Here’s her situation:  Bethany lives in the next state east with her husband, Joey, who has a son, Joey Junior, age 29.  Presently, he and his wife Penny, live with them.  Joey Senior and Bethany (officially a step mother-in-law, sounds toxic, huh!) invited Joey Junior and Penny to live with them when they became homeless.  That was nine months ago.  When they do find a steady income, they will move out.  However, in the meantime, snippy daughter-in-law Penny finds all kinds of ways to bait Bethany and make her look bad.  Bethany does all the right things—leaves the room or even apologizes in an effort to cool things off.  To warm the hearts of put upon mother-in-laws, today is daughter-in-law from hell day. Do you have any jokes to share?  I will start us off below!

Eat– for Good Health

If you need to bring something healthy and low calorie to a Super Bowl party, consider making Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers with chili sauce.  You might even add some steamed broccoli!  The entire one-serving plate below is 200 calories.  This complete farmer’s market meal costs under $8 with all the ingredients.  Chicken sells for $1.78 at Sprouts.   Compared to a typical fast food place, serving food of lesser nutritional value and damaging to our health and planet due to transportation, pesticides and hormones, a farmers’ market menu costs less (than four meals at Burger King for instance, even when two come off the kiddie menu.)  Eating local, sustainably raised and nutrient dense food isn’t just for wealthy gourmets.  We are self reliant women who only need simple skills to make delicious food.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 pound chicken tenders

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
2. Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the almonds are finely chopped and the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute. With the motor running, drizzle in oil; process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.
3. Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken tenders and turn to coat. Transfer each tender to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. (Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture.) Place the tenders on the prepared rack and coat with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side.
4. Bake the chicken fingers until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

Places– of charm

So-Cal-Cool home architecture leans toward Asian or craftsman minimalist but without carefully raked pebble driveways and lack of landscaping.  Take this compound for example, belonging to cinematographer Christopher Dudley and sit-com actress Joely Fisher (daughter of Connie Sevens and Eddie Fisher).  Although it sold for $2.4 million and was purchased for $3.35 million in 2005, they need a larger place for their growing family.  Isn’t it interesting that this is 4 bedroom 7 bath home although living space is 4,500 square feet!

Places– of charm

Among other pieces of art filling with the theme, MAN AND NATURE’S PLACE, The Christopher Grimes Gallery, 916 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica is showing a six-minute video from Richard T. Walker.  L.A. Times writer Leah Ollman reports on this-poignant video, putting it this way:  the artist is a secular searcher perched on a hilltop, facing a valley below, literally addressing the chasm.

He shouts to the vista’s farthest reaches.  He chooses his words haltingly, unsure of where he stands, and talks as if he’s talking with a loved one who is now just bones. Walker’s work and others in the showing are poignant and memorable.   L.A. Times writer Leah Ollman describes Walker’s six-minute video with the boom box on a tree stump (which plays mellow music) while the artist (Walker) wonders aloud why mother nature is not showing him affection.

People appreciation

Lately, studying global warming just for my own benefit as a citizen, I’m looking at research from many institutions. Here is one of interest. For two years, more than 200 people worked on ten concurrent research project on the sustainability of Walker Lake in Northern Nevada.  Scientists from the University of Nevada Reno and the DRI culminated findings after exploring the link between closed-basin lakes and climate change.  Making up fifty percent of lakes on Earth, terminus or closed-basin lakes (such as Walker) are ones where water flows into but have no outlets for flowing out.   Wallace Broecker, geochemist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, explained results at a symposium in 2009.  Because water needs to be available worldwide, lakes are critical to research on global change.  (There is a very small population around Walker Lake.)  Now in peril, the lakes are becoming shallow and could either dry up completely or become saline water bodies.  Geochemist Berry Lyons from the Byrd Polar Research says his worldwide research is similar. The aerial photo reveals the underpopulation.  Few are using water.

Winter scene of Walker Lake below, courtesy of Bonnie Rannald:

Eat– for Good Health

Oprah enjoys Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apples and Chive Oil, invented by chef Tal Ronnen who prepared it for a show.   Unveiled below, this soup tastes really creamy but is 330 calories.  Dots of chive oil give it a dramatic appearance around a dollop of sour cream and diced apple.  Pretty, isn’t it!  Celery root is available in most produce departments.  To make Tal’s cashew cream and Chive Oil, I’ve tucked his recipes under the soup recipe below.

Photo is courtesy of Linda Long.

Ingredients for Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apples makes 6 servings:

• Sea salt
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium celery roots , peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 stalks celery , chopped
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 2 quarts vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup thick Cashew Cream
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 unpeeled Granny Smith apple , very finely diced
• Chive Oil

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will create a nonstick effect.

Add the celery root, celery, and onion and sauté for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not brown. Add the stock and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the Cashew Cream and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, cover the lid with a towel (the hot liquid tends to erupt), and blend on high. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls. Place a spoonful of the diced apple in the center of each serving, drizzle the Chive Oil around the apple, and serve.

Recipe for Cashew Cream:

• 2 cups whole raw cashews (not pieces, which are often dry), rinsed very well under cold water

Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. (If you’re not using a professional high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, which creates an ultra-smooth cream, strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve.)

To make thick cashew cream, which some of the recipes in this book call for, simply reduce the amount of water in the blender, so that the water just covers the cashews.

Now for the Chive Oil:

• 1 small bunch chives
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• Pinch sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Blanch the chives for 30 seconds in boiling water, then drain and chill in an ice bath. Drain, wrap the chives in a towel, and squeeze the moisture out. Place in a blender with the remaining ingredients and blend for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Put the chive oil in a plastic squeeze bottle with a small opening or use a spoon for drizzling it on the soup.

Exercise– for Body and Spirit

Between a crazy schedule and everyday worries, it’s no wonder many of us feel frazzled.  To the rescue is a yoga move that incorporates deep breathing to calm your body and mind.  Best of all, this easy exercise, the calming crescent pose (also known as Anjaneyasana) can be done anywhere.  Here’s how:  stand with your feet hip-width apart.  Bend forward and reach for your toes.  Place your palms flat on the floor.  Take a big step back with your left foot.  Extend the back leg straight, but if you are a beginner, you can deep the left knee on the floor.  Bend your right knee so that it is directly over your ankle.  On an inhale, reach your arms to the sky.  Hold the pose for three long breaths.  Switch sides and repeat as many times as comfortable.  The photo below is courtesy of Maui yoga instructor, Tara Angioletti, who explains that this low lunge awakens the quadriceps.   A surfer herself, many surfing enthusiasts enjoy her class. This exercise helps maintain a strong core by snuggling the sacrum slightly inward.  “As the moon affects the tides, allow this crescent moon pose to affect the fluid nature of your yoga and surfing practices.”

Eat– for Good Health

Longevity studies prove that an eating plan of calorie restriction with optimum nutrition increases the life span of mammals.   Eating the right amounts of nutrients on a regular schedule enables our bodies to achieve its best performance  and the longest possible lifetime in good health.  For us (human mammals) thwart cancer with a colorful menu.  Sure, we know fruits and veggies are good for us.  Now scientists have found that enjoying a wide variety of them provides the most health benefits rather than sticking to just a few kinds.  In fact, a Colorado State University study found that women who ate an assortment of fruits and veggies had healthier cells throughout their bodies than those who ate more servings but with less variety.  This is why it works– antioxidants in each type of produce zap cancer-causing free radicals a little differently.  Eating a range is like attacking the danger from all sides, says Cornell University researcher Rui Hai Liu, PhD.

Isn’t the old lab rat above cute?  Calorie restriction combined with optimum nutrition extended this creature’s lifespan!

Wordsmith– I also write books

Friends, in case you did not get around to entering January’s GOLD STANDARD OF THIN purse key-finder contest, I am having another one.  My husband will again draw names out of his NYU ballcap, the next time on February 28th.  Because of time differences, I will draw names at 9 am Pacific time.  To enter, email the answer to rowland.kathleen.p@gmail.com– on the subject line, write ladybug, and in the body of the email, answer this question:  How many secrets are in the little gold suitcase?  To get the correct number, google the book GOLD STANDARD OF THIN on amazon.com and look at the back of the book cover using their search-inside-the-book feature.  Or, go to my publisher’s website, Sugar and Spice Press, and read about it under the inspirational genre.  Don’t be shy!  I just ordered three of these darling ladybug key finders, and one could be yours. 

Sugar and Spice Press has the large variety of eBook formats while Amazon.com sells the paperback.  You don’t have to buy a book to enter (unless you’d like to lose weight with our program).

Exercise– for Body and Spirit

Good posture is a confidence booster and takes one second.  Throw your shoulders back and stand tall.  You will look slimmer and breathe easier according to researchers at Ohio State University.  Their study found that people who slouched felt less qualified to handle a task and were perceived that way.  As you tackle a work project of approach someone you’d like to impress, make sure your back is straight.  Exercise ideas below will ensure you have good posture without total concentration on it:

• Exercise your core — the core being your lower back and abdominal muscles. Simple exercises such as abdominal floor crunches, hyperextensions.  Many Pilates and yoga postures strengthen the core.
• Avoid wearing high heels as much as possible. Although they look great and give your calves a sexy shape, wearing high heels too often can result in an unbalanced posture.
• Don’t slouch. When you are sitting at your desk at work or even at home, try to keep your body in alignment. Sit up straight and consciously align your ears, shoulders and the hips. Picture an imaginary vertical line running down the body to help you make the adjustment.
• Janessa Breckinridge demonstrates below.