When I used to do yoga in Greensboro at a fancy friendly healthy nice yoga studio (which I still miss tremendously), I would stop on the way home to buy a bag of Doritos. It's all about the balance, I would laugh guiltily. I'm doing something great for my body, so now I need to eat some Doritos or I'll be all out of whack (I actually lost weight that year and was in great shape by the end of it, incidentally).
In the spirit of balance, then, of my previous post, in a not serious but delicious way, I'd like to share the recipe of one of my favorite Spanish tapas, the Spanish Omelette (tortilla de patatas). Enjoy! And namaste!
(Also, the recipe I used before was much simpler and did not have garlic but did have black pepper. I like the black pepper. Also, I would slice the onions thinly rather than chop them, but that's just my preference.)
Ingredients
* 1/2 pint of olive oil
* 5 medium (40 oz each) baking potatoes, peeled, sliced and lightly sprinkled with salt
* 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 5 eggs
* Salt
Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet and add the potato slices carefully, because the salt will make the oil splatter. Try to keep the potato slices separated so they will not stick together. Cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain into a colander, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the skillet.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the potatoes, and stir to coat with the egg. Add the egg-coated potatoes to the very hot oil in the skillet, spreading them evenly to completely cover the base of the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, shaking the pan frequently, until mixture is half set.
Use a plate to cover the skillet and invert the omelette away from the hand holding the plate (so as not to burn your hand with any escaping oil). Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and slide the omelette back into the skillet on its uncooked side. Cook until completely set. Allow the omelette to cool, and then cut it into wedges. Season it with salt and sprinkle with lemon juice to taste (optional).
Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves four, prep time 35 minutes. (source)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
things we should be eating (NYT).
June 30, 2008, 8:50 am
The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating
by Tara Parker-Pope
New York Times/Well Section
Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.
1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.
6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.
In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds, which I often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about you? Have any of these foods found their way into your shopping cart?
--------------
I'm off to buy some frozen blueberries! After working on my dissertation for a few hours (blegh, but yay!)
Charity :)
The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating
by Tara Parker-Pope
New York Times/Well Section
Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.
1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.
6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.
In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds, which I often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about you? Have any of these foods found their way into your shopping cart?
--------------
I'm off to buy some frozen blueberries! After working on my dissertation for a few hours (blegh, but yay!)
Charity :)
Monday, July 28, 2008
i went to church this weekend.
Yep, you read right. It was pretty fun. I'll be back. The spiritual guidance, the pageantry, the pigtailed little girls and boys in argyle sweaters, the prayer, the communion. Yeah, I'll be back.
In other news: I saw the new Batman movie (did I already tell you?) and it was AWESOME but that was last week. Let's see, I also did some transcribing (but not enough--it is NEVER ENOUGH), went to the pool a few times, worked out at the gym quite a bit (Yay!) and babysat a few times.
I'm really going to miss the Elliotts. It is only when someone leaves that you realize how much you will miss them, I think. The way I'm feeling now, that means I'm in for a sad sad September. (August I will be spending several weeks in North Carolina and the other weeks preparing for my class to begin and getting caught up at work).
I guess the good news is that there's always my dissertation to keep me busy and hopefully distracted.
And now, there's also church.
charity :)
In other news: I saw the new Batman movie (did I already tell you?) and it was AWESOME but that was last week. Let's see, I also did some transcribing (but not enough--it is NEVER ENOUGH), went to the pool a few times, worked out at the gym quite a bit (Yay!) and babysat a few times.
I'm really going to miss the Elliotts. It is only when someone leaves that you realize how much you will miss them, I think. The way I'm feeling now, that means I'm in for a sad sad September. (August I will be spending several weeks in North Carolina and the other weeks preparing for my class to begin and getting caught up at work).
I guess the good news is that there's always my dissertation to keep me busy and hopefully distracted.
And now, there's also church.
charity :)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
feeling better!
That's it. I'm just feeling better. I started to read this great book: Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships by John Welwood and it has me feeling very calm. Also, my decision not to feel sad today helped, and my decision to spend all day transcribing, and my decision to go to the gym and start doing yoga every day again, and my decision to go to church next weekend. I won't tell my parents, though, because I don't think they'll approve of the denomination, but I'm pretty excited about it.
Charity :)
Charity :)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Michigan rag.
As performed by Marley Cat Manasse.
I can't remember if I posted the video above already. It was from my visit to Baltimore in like March or whenever.
I'm feeling sad now. So sad I couldn't even fill in the Myspace survey Erin posted. So I'm just going to post this and then go to bed and hope I feel better tomorrow. At least I finally finished transcribing that doctor's interview. He was from New Jersey and talked SUPER fast. Now, I just have ten more to go... Hmm, and I told my advisor I'd have them done by the time he gets back from Sweden. Um, Thursday. Yeah, I don't think that's so much going to happen...
God, this has been a stressful weekend. I'm so glad it's Monday tomorrow. Oh wait, that means it's Monday tomorrow. And one day closer to Thursday.
Dude.
NYT story about the economy (spoiler: we're in trouble).
New York Times, July 19, 2008
Uncomfortable Answers to Questions on the Economy
By PETER S. GOODMAN
You have heard that Fannie and Freddie, their gentle names notwithstanding, may cripple the financial system without a large infusion of taxpayer money. You have gleaned that jobs are disappearing, housing prices are plummeting, and paychecks are effectively shrinking as food and energy prices soar. You have noted the disturbing talk of crisis hovering over Wall Street.
Something has clearly gone wrong with the economy. But how bad are things, really? And how bad might they get before better days return? Even to many economists who recently thought the gloom was overblown, the situation looks grim. The economy is in the midst of a very rough patch. The worst is probably still ahead.
...
Article posted here if you're interested. I'm cutting it because it's too long and I'm tired of seeing it on my blog.
Uncomfortable Answers to Questions on the Economy
By PETER S. GOODMAN
You have heard that Fannie and Freddie, their gentle names notwithstanding, may cripple the financial system without a large infusion of taxpayer money. You have gleaned that jobs are disappearing, housing prices are plummeting, and paychecks are effectively shrinking as food and energy prices soar. You have noted the disturbing talk of crisis hovering over Wall Street.
Something has clearly gone wrong with the economy. But how bad are things, really? And how bad might they get before better days return? Even to many economists who recently thought the gloom was overblown, the situation looks grim. The economy is in the midst of a very rough patch. The worst is probably still ahead.
...
Article posted here if you're interested. I'm cutting it because it's too long and I'm tired of seeing it on my blog.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
fun for the whole family!
Above: A slideshow of photos from the recent Welch Family Reunion at Natural Tunnel Park in Virginia. Enjoy!
Above: A Brief Tour of the Natural Tunnel at the Natural Tunnel State Park, Virginia.
Above: The Welch Family Singers; my camera was being weird so I only got a brief clip, but we had a lot of fun. People in the crowd were singing, kids were running in and out and everyone was just having a wonderful time. True family fun. Plus more ham that you could possibly know what to do with. If you're into that sort of thing...
Anyway, so much for my early bedtime tonight! I've been meaning to get these up for some time, though!
Charity :)
ice skating and middle school math quiz.
I went ice skating today at the Marietta Ice Center and boy was it FUN! I hope I can go again very soon. I highly recommend it. It feels kind of like walking smoothly, balanced on the dull edges of two knives, on a big ice cube. Because that's what it is, essentially. Also, when we left there were people playing hockey on the big rink and I got to watch it. How fun, and they move really fast! Maybe someday. When I get a little more comfortable moving on a big ice cube.
Well, it wasn't exactly like this, but pretty close (source).
OK, here's the quiz:
Question: How long will it take Charity to get home from ice skating given that the skating rink is approximately 20 miles away from her house if she is moving approximately 2 meters per hour due to REPAVING THAT HAS BEEN SCHEDULED ON WEEKENDS TO CLOSE 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC GOING SOUTH AT ONCE ON A FIVE LANE PORTION OF TWO MAJOR HIGHWAYS THAT IDIOTICALLY UNITE AND THEN RUN THROUGH A MAJOR CITY?
Answer: 4 hours.
My view for most of the four hours was something like this.
I had to cancel babysitting tonight, which luckily turned out to be not a problem. What a day. So now, it's Charity's favorite meal of nachos, beer, and candy, I guess. At least I've been working out lately.
I think I need to take a long scorching hot bath and then fall asleep right in front of my box fan. No one can say CHARITY doesn't know how to have a good time on a Saturday night...
charity :)
Well, it wasn't exactly like this, but pretty close (source).
OK, here's the quiz:
Question: How long will it take Charity to get home from ice skating given that the skating rink is approximately 20 miles away from her house if she is moving approximately 2 meters per hour due to REPAVING THAT HAS BEEN SCHEDULED ON WEEKENDS TO CLOSE 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC GOING SOUTH AT ONCE ON A FIVE LANE PORTION OF TWO MAJOR HIGHWAYS THAT IDIOTICALLY UNITE AND THEN RUN THROUGH A MAJOR CITY?
Answer: 4 hours.
My view for most of the four hours was something like this.
I had to cancel babysitting tonight, which luckily turned out to be not a problem. What a day. So now, it's Charity's favorite meal of nachos, beer, and candy, I guess. At least I've been working out lately.
I think I need to take a long scorching hot bath and then fall asleep right in front of my box fan. No one can say CHARITY doesn't know how to have a good time on a Saturday night...
charity :)
Friday, July 11, 2008
last night (Tubby del Toro).
Last night I dreamed I that Benicio del Toro came to call. He was even better looking than I remembered, and younger. He and I were talking in my parents' kitchen, and when my dad came in, the first thing he did was stick out his hand for a handshake and ask what ethnicity he was.
Benicio turned to me with a knowing smile and responded that he was Seminole, from Guadalcanal. Then he told us his real name was Yes Fire Hot. We went for a bike ride in the park, but it started snowing, so he dragged me around on the ice and we had a delightful time.
I wish the Dog Whisperer had been on last night. I might have dreamed of puppies instead.
****
I found out last night that my sweet sweet sweet cat Tubby was found dead and buried by some nice Vietnamese people who live across the street from my mom. Poor poor Tubby. Now she will fertilize some strangers' garden, but I don't mind. I miss her terribly. She was my sweet little old lady kitty, the most beautiful cat in the world. When I used to pet her head she would stare up at me with big beautiful eyes lined in black and orange and flat ears and freckles and I called her my refugee kitty, so I guess it's fitting that her final rest be in some nice immigrants' garden.
RIP Tubby, and I pray that in the great cat beyond you have all the triangle food and piano serenades your little kitty heart desires.
charity :)
Benicio turned to me with a knowing smile and responded that he was Seminole, from Guadalcanal. Then he told us his real name was Yes Fire Hot. We went for a bike ride in the park, but it started snowing, so he dragged me around on the ice and we had a delightful time.
I wish the Dog Whisperer had been on last night. I might have dreamed of puppies instead.
****
I found out last night that my sweet sweet sweet cat Tubby was found dead and buried by some nice Vietnamese people who live across the street from my mom. Poor poor Tubby. Now she will fertilize some strangers' garden, but I don't mind. I miss her terribly. She was my sweet little old lady kitty, the most beautiful cat in the world. When I used to pet her head she would stare up at me with big beautiful eyes lined in black and orange and flat ears and freckles and I called her my refugee kitty, so I guess it's fitting that her final rest be in some nice immigrants' garden.
RIP Tubby, and I pray that in the great cat beyond you have all the triangle food and piano serenades your little kitty heart desires.
charity :)
Sunday, July 06, 2008
speaking of independence... [updated]
I want to write more, but for now I'll just write this: did you know that home birth is illegal? Yes, against the law. I knew that already but it's one of those things that I thought surely this is a violation of privacy and has been reversed by now. But I looked it up, and sure enough, it still is.
Physicians were behind making it illegal. I read a very interesting book recently about birth, called, um, Birth.
Check it out.
Childbirth sounds really scary, but the thought of going to a hospital makes it much scarier for me. Why shouldn't I be able to choose home birth? I just can't understand. It's ridiculous. If you're at all interested, I highly recommend the book. It's a fascinating read, and a very quick one as well. Check out the website for Georgia group Citizens for Midwifery or their blog for more information about the midwifery situation specifically.
Sorry about the short entry but I have so much to do today!
Charity :)
Update: Thanks to the comment, a word of clarification. You are legally allowed to have your baby at home (home birth). However, it is a violation for midwives to attend the birth. Ironic, isn't it? Since the home birth laws presumably are made with the mother and baby's safety in mind.
Also, there will be a film festival in Augusta sponsored by Better Augusta Birth Experience this weekend, but unfortunately I will be out of town at a family reunion. I hear it will be coming to Atlanta in the next few months, though. I'll try to keep you posted.
Charity :)
Physicians were behind making it illegal. I read a very interesting book recently about birth, called, um, Birth.
Check it out.
Childbirth sounds really scary, but the thought of going to a hospital makes it much scarier for me. Why shouldn't I be able to choose home birth? I just can't understand. It's ridiculous. If you're at all interested, I highly recommend the book. It's a fascinating read, and a very quick one as well. Check out the website for Georgia group Citizens for Midwifery or their blog for more information about the midwifery situation specifically.
Sorry about the short entry but I have so much to do today!
Charity :)
Update: Thanks to the comment, a word of clarification. You are legally allowed to have your baby at home (home birth). However, it is a violation for midwives to attend the birth. Ironic, isn't it? Since the home birth laws presumably are made with the mother and baby's safety in mind.
Also, there will be a film festival in Augusta sponsored by Better Augusta Birth Experience this weekend, but unfortunately I will be out of town at a family reunion. I hear it will be coming to Atlanta in the next few months, though. I'll try to keep you posted.
Charity :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)