#63. Never Have I Ever…

If you’re anything like me, this year you know that Target has become a battle zone.

The mall is practically a peep show for all the skin that’s offering itself from the manikin’s.

It’s bathing suit buying season.

Now, I do have to say “bathing suit buying” season because, currently, it’s about 42 degrees with a good chance of snow and rain tonight – not exactly good swimming weather. Resting in the “good fortune” of being land-locked, and the impossibility of swimming for at least the next two months, my bathing suit response mechanism was relegated to some small corner of my brain. Tucked deep in that box that I left most of my insecurities about arm jiggle, leg jiggle, and double chins.

That is…until Trey was coerced into filling a very last-minute spot on a trip to a conference, and asked me to come along…to…South Padre Island.

And that shit box in my brain violently, explosively, blew its lid off.

Ahh! No! Not a bathing suit! My mind was a wreck. There were insecurities of body parts scattered all across my self-confidence sector. My “ability to hold a complete conversation” line was draped in a piece of insecurity of my torso. My “writing skills” were covered by slices of arm and leg jiggle.

Never have I ever… wanted to crash diet so badly.

Fruits and veggies only!
No dairy!
Carbs are out! (which is particularly dumb, considering I don’t eat meat. See? I was a wreck.)
A week? I can lose ten pounds in a week! No problem! ONLY then will I be confident in a bathing suit on the beach! That’s my ONE shot at being happy at the beach!

Then, there was this sweet little whisper in my soul. Something about how at the beach, the most beautiful thing…is the beach. And trying to one up the place that my heart feels at peace and rest, or at least trying to muck it up with insecurities, is not how I wanted to spend this trip.

Another whisper about how balanced meals are the best and most nourishing way for your body to look like God made it to. A reminder about how I’m all about nourishment.

Also, I fought at the battle of Binge and Purge a long time ago…and I won. So I don’t have to go there again.

I re-learn every day that self-confidence is, and should never, be about what you or anyone else says about you. Words are bullshit. People will always have rude things to think and say about people, and they’ll always want to tell you good things to your face. Self-confidence isn’t co-dependent on what people say. Thank God, too. Because people say a lot of dumb stuff. And what they don’t say, it’s easy for us to fill in the blanks with what our own insecurities tell us.

Confidence is an inward realization.

Plus, irony of irony, when I decided that I’d just work out like I usually do, eat well, and stop worrying about being insecure…I got a terrible cold. Seriously, I feel like butt. So working out is out of the question.

Funny, right?

So now, all I really can do is stop worrying, eat well, and pack light…Which might not be a bad mantra.

Stop worrying, eat well, pack light.

I love you,
Jackie

PS. Maybe you’re wondering about food…considering this is a food blog. Honestly, I couldn’t decide what to include in this actual post. I’m having so much fun adventuring with non-meat stuff, that I’ve probably taken a photo at every meal since New Year’s. ..and I didn’t want it to get too long.

So, I added a couple of new favorite recipes, with commentary, under the Recipes. section.

Here they are:

Pea & Potato Curry.

Balls. Zucchini & Feta.

Check ‘em out. Use them. Add to. Explore. Share.
Love.
J

#62. This Blog is Not About Weight Loss & Oh, sh*t… I’m a Vegetarian.

Hi Sweetheart,

So, new year, huh? How’s the resolution to *eat right, **workout more, ***get fit, going?

Look, I just need you to know something–if you’re doing that and want to lose weight, then I am really, truly, happy for you. You are a rock star! You will lose a healthy amount and be really pleased with the results! I’m proud of you! Get it!

Woo!

But this…all of this…this is not about weight loss.

I fought (and still fight) long and hard against my demons of self-consciousness, self-loathing, and poor clothing choices. Everyone does.

Everyone.

From models to mechanics, everyone has to get past the adolescent need to compare themselves to everyone else. I feel like some people get over that, and others never really do. Personally, I’m over it – well, I work to be over it every day. I’ve learned that playing the comparison games just wears me out, and there is never a winner.

So, more on that later, but really – none of this is about weight loss. Here’s what this blog is: it’s about Jesus, and reminding you of how much He really loves you. It’s about writing out what I want to be reminded of when I’m feeling down. It’s about nutrition, food, and cooking for people.

And sometimes about school lunch, human trafficking, and cookies.

People. You & me. We’re the theme. Cheers!

Cheers, also, to this timer.

Yes, sorry, I love it.

I needed it to roast my crimini mushrooms…that went into mushroom mac and cheese.

Olive oil, garlic, sliced crimini mushrooms, roast them in the oven until they’re brown and sizzling for about 20 minutes, at 425 degrees.

Add that to a roux of flour and a can of evaporated milk, and cheddar cheese…

To do that you add two handfuls of flour to a can of evaporated milk on medium, let that boil, but make sure you’re stirring it the whole time so it doesn’t scorch. Add the cheese, and  let it cook for about 8 minutes so it can expand and get all good and melty cheesy delicious.

Cook about half of a box of whole wheat shells. Drain it up.

Add a few handfuls of spinach, and mix all that goodness together.

Bake that in a two court casserole dish, uncovered in the oven at 350 degrees for again about 20 minutes, until the top is crispy and brown.
You come up with something more 3-D and in focus than this.

It’s tasty.

I made some roasted veggies to go with it (zuchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes, topped with a bit of parmeseam cheese.) and I was really satisfied.

Oh, yeah, hey, by the way…I woke up the other day…and I was considering my food choices…and oh, shit, I’m a vegetarian.

No, I went through a bit more thought than that…but it was a pretty sudden realization.

Like that moment you fall in love…or get your period for the first time.

Sorry.

Okay, so really, I got a cookbook from a dear friend, that was called “Clean Food” and I’m really fired up about it. Terry Walters is a writer, a foodie, and a nutrition savvy lady, and I’m excited to sink my teeth into her foodie wisdom.

Literally, sink my teeth in.

Her recipes are real. She’s like, “Look, I know you can’t spend a million hours in the kitchen, and I know eggplant isn’t well received in every house,  so here are some delicious, vegan, family tested recipes to try.”

Yeah, vegan.

I’m learning a lot about tofu. A lot about tempeh (which is SO GOOD, by the way).  And a lot about seaweed. Nom. Nom. Nom.

Now, let me tell you why:

I’m not interested in making a political statement – I’d actually rather not bring it up at the table at all. It’s NOT a New Year’s Resolution. It’s also not hard and fast.

Everything I’ve read is more along the lines of, “eat mostly not animal protein” and I know that I can get protein from other places (beans, quinoa, nuts) so I just want to try it. How can it change my ____? Body? Mind? Raise my energy level? I don’t know, bring it on though.

Now, I’m not saying that once or twice I won’t eat a bit of salmon, or a hunk of roast beast, because my diet is not about what worked great for someone else. My diet is about what works for me. So, I’m exploring.

I’m all about exploring…Thank God wine is vegetarian.

Here goes nothing.
Love you,
Jackie

 

*get skinny

**get skinnier

***get skinny

Tags: baked, blog, clean eating, clean food, comparison game, cookies, cremini mushrooms, food, foodie, God, homemade, human trafficking, Jesus, life, love, love yourself, lunches, mac and cheese, model skinny, mushroom mac and cheese, New Year's Resolutions, organic, school lunches, terry walters, vegan, vegetable, vegetarian, weight loss, wine

#61. Three Bags of Chocolate Chips Means It’s Going to be a Really Good Day.

It’s the last (ish) blog of the year, but I’ll save you the end-of-year, introspective read that you may be getting from other bloggers and just say this; thank God this year is over…almost.

But first, before we just surpass the best holiday ever, Christmas looked a lot like this in my life:

And this…

 And, even, this: So, quick recap here…it was pretty damn tasty.

Chocolate dipped pretzels and peanut butter crackers are super easy – especially if you have the magical contraption called a “double boiler.”

Here’s the problem that you’ll run into while trying to make chocolate dipped anything (one of them, at least) your chocolate gets either too cold, or burns to the bottom of your pan.

Burned chocolate!?! Oh, the humanity!

So, avoid the melodrama, and use a double boiler method.

Boil a bit of water in a pot…

Put your chocolate chips (Semi-sweet in this case) in a glass bowl…and put that bowl over your boiling water.

Ta-dah! Warm, not burned chocolate!

Then you can add things like a bit of heavy whipping cream….

and cinnamon…

and vanilla…

Let everyone blend together until everything is smooth…Dip your chosen cracker product in it… and let them harden in the fridge overnight…and you get this:

…except yours are probably prettier than mine are. (And maybe your photos are in focus…eesh. Sorry)

You may have had these before, or something close to, they usually don’t take a full night to harden, but with the added cinnamon, vanilla and whipping cream, they’re more like a “fudge covered cracker product” than a “chocolate dipped…” so they have a bit of a softer texture, and there’s a TON of chocolate on ‘em. Which…I kind of love.

Monkey Bread, I recently learned, isn’t always called Monkey Bread. There is, in fact, a much less politically correct term…although, come to think of it, “Monkey Bread” doesn’t really sound too politically correct either…

So, as I was saying, Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread… is a well-loved tradition of Trey’s family. I don’t know if I did their recipe justice, but a whole stick of butter and a ton of sugar later..it was at least eatable. Good even!

Cut up some biscuits (I used flaky, because they’re my favorite, but any old biscuit will do)…and put them in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

There’s “Any Old Biscuit”

And there’s the bowl of cinnamon and sugar….

Now…

I use organic sugar.

Because, it’s important that my desserts for breakfast are the cleanest and most pesticide free….

Okay, I used it because it’s what I buy…and what I had. So, whatever, organic or non…I think it matters, so that’s what I use.

Toss the pieces of biscuit in the sugar/cinnamon mix…

Put them in a greased pan, cover it in the rest of your sugar and cinnamon mix and a stick of melted butter…(a la Paula Deen, ya’ll) and bake according to the package directions. I pulled my from the oven a little earlier because I thought they were a little on the done side.

You’ve already seen the finished product, there at the top. Trey took it to his work for their Christmas party thing, and he said that people liked it.

But he actually took it a day late, because he got really sick the day of the party and called in to work. This is the first time I can remember Trey calling in for anything – he’s just one of those people who doesn’t get sick, unless he does…then it’s an event.

So, two things you need when you’re sick…soup and ice cream. Duh.

This is veggie soup. I used stock that I made from a chicken carcass I froze a month or so ago, every vegetable I had on-hand, (including, potatoes, squash, broccoli, spinach, bell peppers, peas, and tomatoes) and boiled it for about 30 minutes…until the veggies were soft.

No, yes, soup is really easy.

I added Cajun seasoning, which actually gave it a nice zing, which I think you need whenever your nose is stuffy.

 (Just a moment to say thanks WordPress for sucking it up once again and not saving the photo’s edits that I took the time to make………….growl.)

Deep yoga breathing.

And the second thing you need is ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s is by far the best as far as ice cream goes. They use local dairy farmers, organic ingredients (when possible) and as few preservatives as they can. There’s a great documentary on NetFlix that the Biography channel did on these guys that will do three things; (1) make you crave Ben & Jerrys, (2) help you to appreciate the 70′s more than you already do, and (3) teach you a lot about defense spending – of all things.

Eating Ben & Jerry’s will also help to heal your every ailment including, but not limited to, cough, stuffy nose, sore throat, aches, pains, fever, and a Rubik’s Cube.

Just kidding about the stuffy nose. Everyone knows that dairy has actually been known to trigger reactionary mucus membranes… Why do you think you get so thirsty when you eat ice cream?

Hot tea. That balances it.

Okay, love. I hope you have a wonderful New Year. I’ve got big plans for this year. Clean eating, a maturation of Meatless Monday, and a lot more love.

I hope you can go to sleep on New Year’s Eve knowing that you’ll wake up the next morning on the genesis of a new year stronger than you have ever been in your life, and more full of love than you’ve ever been in your life.

It’s like you get a first day of school half-way through the school year.  I love that feeling.

Food for thought in 2012:

“Fear less, hope more;

Eat less, chew more;

Whine less, breathe more;

Talk less, say more’

Love more, and all good things will be yours.”

Someone on the internet told me that was a Swedish proverb…And I didn’t know the Swedish people had proverbs…so I may just credit it to Abraham Lincoln.

Regardless of who said it, the point of it is balance. And I like that idea.

Cheers to a much more balanced New Year.

I love you…I could never tell you enough.
Jackie

Tags: aviod, ben & jerry's, burned chocolate, cajun seasoning, chocolate, chocolate chips, Christmas, cinnamon, cold, double boiler, end of year, flu, food for thought, foodie, heavy whipping cream, hot tea, ice cream, illness, nutrition, organic, party, peanut butter cracker dipped, pretzel, pull apart bread, recipes, season, semi-sweet, sick, sugar, swedish proverb, vanilla, veggie soup

#60. Defining Success, Sorting Beans.

So this week, a ton of students are freaking out about finals. Foregoing hygiene, proper eating habits, and social calendars, because nothing else exists this week beside studying.

Scantron or essay? Chapter 12 or cumulative? Pencil or pen? Did I remember to put socks on, today? Who cares! That was 20 more seconds that I got to cram!

So you probably don’t have time to read this. Quit wasting your precious brain space on foodie chat and get to work.

This blog will still be here after finals. Go study. Come back later, oh studious student!

Now, for the rest of us. Let’s chat about what happens after finals.

Graduation – high school or college.

Job – potentially.

Corporate takeover of your soul – most likely.

But what if you didn’t let that last step in the process happen? What if instead of just falling into line to get a job and a place in the world…you stopped for a second and re-evaluated.

It seems to me that there’s a pretty heavy emphasis on getting up the corporate ladder. Success is the goal, right? You want to be successful for yourself, for your family..and that success, too often in my opinion, is measured in dollar amounts.

But don’t worry, you’re not the only one that measures it in dolla dolla bills, ya’ll…. so does the corporation you work for. You can see how that has the potential to work out, not so favorably for you.

My dad, Jimmie, lifetime company man, climber of the corporate ladder, is a successful person. I don’t just think that because he’s my daddy, I don’t just think that because he makes X amount of money, but because he figured out what success meant to him.

And he shared with me a great piece of wisdom , I wish I could record him saying this, the inflection of his voice is flawless… if you’ve ever had a conversation with me and I’ve gotten passionate about something (which, let’s be real…has probably happened) then imagine it somewhere  along those lines of impassionment …

“At the end of the day, corporate America doesn’t give a shit about you. Or your family. Or your health. Or your comfort. Or anything. The only thing they care about is the bottom line–how much money did you make for me today?”

So, what’s a girl (or dude) to do? Redefine success.

For me, it’s something along the lines of what I did that I was proud of that day. Maybe I was kind to someone I didn’t want to be kind to. Maybe I taught someone something, or wrote a really good story.Maybe I was a better friend or wife than I was the day before. Maybe I reached whatever goal I had for myself that day–spending time in prayer, going to the gym, cooking.

I think those things make you successful. Reaching the goals that you set for yourself. When you define what success means, and don’t let some company tell you what you should aspire to, you’re actually going to achieve that success. Yay!

The company you work for will do whatever they need to make money. Sometimes that will mean you get promoted. Other times, you’ll get passed over. Either way, you have to look yourself in the mirror and be okay with being you.

And you are wonderful. Don’t forget that. Ever.

Here’s where I finally stop ranting and talk about food:

Here’s the easiest meal in the world. Ready?

Cook up some pinto beans – there’s like, three steps in this process.

Sort out the beans (sometimes there are rocks in the bag with the beans, and sometimes they’re just a little funky looking – toss those out), soak them overnight, boil them for about 5 or 6 hours (with a leftover ham bone, if you happen to have it) and eat.

Easiest meal ever.

Throw some of these in,

Jalapenos, seasoning salt, Louisiana wing sauce, and mustard…

Talk about comfort food! And it’s cheap – a bag of beans (unless you get the five-pound bag…) is only 99 cents. Which is good, especially for all you broke college students out there, who need to be spending money on celebratory drinks after finishing up this semester, or for mom’s trying to save wherever you can to make Christmas magical for your kiddos.

Serve it with Pumpkin Cornbread – just an idea!

You are a success.

I love you,
Jackie

Tags: beans, blog, bottom line, Christmas, college finals, cornbread, empowerment, finals, food, food blog, foodie, guidelines, ham bone, happiness, inspiration, pinto, pumpkin, quotes, scantron, studying, success, tips

#59. Shamelessly Contributing to the World of Food Porn

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Well, happy leftovers to you, too!

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful with lots of foodie goodness, beautiful.

Trey busted out a little chicken spaghetti magic for the actual Night of the Turkey. We wanted to make sure we had enough foodie goodness for everyone (loaves and fishes, of course there was. And there were leftovers.) And it’s good. And quick. And you should make it sometime.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (usually about 4 is perfect)
One package of spaghetti
One half package of Velveeta, chopped (AKA fake-eta)
Small can tomato sauce
Can of Cram of Mushroom soup
(I made him put about two heads of chopped steamed broccoli in it, too. Mean, I know.)

Boil spaghetti. Broil chicken breasts (usually takes about 10 minutes.) Combine in a lightly greased pan. Top with cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven until cheese is melted (usually about 20 minutes)

That’s it. Simple. Savory. Incredible. And it feeds everyone.

Mere brought dessert (which was amazing). No-Bake Nutella cookies, and Apple Nachos–which were only slightly dangerous (one of the guys touched the boiling hot caramel, and one of the guys had a nut allergy–sucks.)

I made pesto. (I had to work, k?)

Then, it was on.

Mom was supposed to bring/make a 5 lbs. ham…instead, she brought a 22.45 lbs. ham.

I’m not kidding. That thing was junormous. And yummy. She made a pecan topping and glaze for it–awesome.

We made a turkey, too. Bourbon glazed, which wasn’t a big hit–it was really sweet, and I think that put everyone off just a little.

I made really good cranberry sauce (if I do say so, myself)… it was a Rachel Ray recipe (who I love)–

12 oz package of cranberries (washed)
1 cup of water
1/2 cup (or more) of sugar
Zest and juice of one large orange
DASH of salt

Combine your water, sugar, orange stuff, and let it boil until the sugar disappears. Throw in your cranberries and a DASH of salt. Boil until it thickens.

Easy…

Unless your salt container is open to the big spoon end. Then your dash turns into about a third of a cup…and you have to start over.

Which is exactly what I did.

Balls.

But, it still turned out pretty good.

Now, quit feeling bad about yourself and go outside and play. Go!

I love you.
Jackie

Tags: acorn squash, apple nachos, bacon, biscuits, brussels sprouts, burbon cheesecake, caramel, cheesecake, chestnuts, chicken spaghetti, Christmas, cranberry sauce, decorating, ham, leftovers, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, nut allergy, nutella, orange, pastry knife, pesto, Pie, pumpkin, rolling pin, sandwiches, stuffing, Thanksgiving, Turkey, velveeta, whole wheat, wine

#58. Calm Down, It’s ONLY Thanksgiving.

Really.

Here’s a couple of things to remember when the turkey won’t cook, the pies won’t rise, you forgot the ________, your crazy Uncle Fred isn’t drunk yet, and you’re freaking out about Thanksgiving.

Don’t.

Open a bottle of wine. Put on the Wii for the kids. And remain calm.

The fact that your turkey doesn’t live up to your Batali standards, or whatever you’ve forgotten was your favorite part — just calm down. None of the people at your house are there to judge you. Most likely, they’re on your side.

Just make sure everyone has a drink in their hand. (Convenience stores are always open on holidays–for schmucks such as you, who may or may not have forgotten the wine)

Another tip for Turkey Day– 24/7 Wal-Marts (as much as I detest Wal-Mart) are your best friend around the holidays.

They know it, too. But it’s cool. They won’t make a big deal out of it when you come crawling back to them at midnight Thanksgiving day, begging for the broth you forgot. They’ll just shrug, sell it to you and send you on your way.  They know where you two stand.

You won’t be scorned–and if you shop at that time of night, you’re probably not going to see anyone you know (or, you’ll see everyone you know–because they’re smart like you are and avoid the crowds).  

This is maybe the fullest my fridge has been since I got it. My mom and sisters are coming in for Turkey day and we’re making a couple of great big old meals.

 

I’m stoked.

So, something to remember this week while you’re eating… and giving thanks…

Stop feeling guilty.

This week, and always, eat when you’re hungry. And if you’re going to eat it, eat it, and shut up about it.

I’ll also have a lot of recipes to share with you afterward, so you may even get TWO blog posts this week. How ’bout them apples, huh?

Oh, shit. I forgot apples.

I love you.
I’m thankful for you.
Really,
Jackie

Tags: apples, gobble, i forgot, last minute, meal planning, night shopping, shopping, Thanksgiving, tips, Turkey, wal-mart, wine

#57. Shut up. Sit Down. Eat Your Pizza.

Hey happy…er…not Foodie Tuesday.

Sorry, all. Sometimes real work/life stuff gets in the way of this little blog. So, this is a hopefully redemptive and hopefully rare Friday post!

Yay!

This “World’s Finest Chocolate” wasn’t really. But it was for a good cause. Super cute kids were selling it for their school–and I thought I’d help them out (hard knock life–buying chocolate to help kiddos. I know)

Why not sell Clif bars? I know, too “crunchy granola” for most people.

School lunches can’t even be healthy–why, oh why, would a fund-raiser be?

Exhibit A:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/17/pizza-as-vegetable-congress-proposes-new-school-lunch-bill/

TL; DR Congress is trying to cut budget costs back by making, among other rediculous changes to school lunch, PIZZA a vegetable …. … … Because of the tomato sauce.

Wait… I thought, tomatoes were a fruit?

I tried to Wiki it, but I thought some congressional lacky had probably already changed it in there–so, let’s move to a more reliable source, shall we?

Oxford Dictionary good with everyone?

Great.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/page/tomatofruitveg

Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

The confusion about ‘fruit’ and ‘vegetable’ arises because of the differences in usage between scientists and cooks. Scientifically speaking, a tomato is definitely a fruit. True fruits are developed from the ovary in the base of the flower, and contain the seeds of the plant (thoughcultivated forms may be seedless). Blueberries, raspberries, and oranges are true fruits, and so are many kinds of nut. Some plants have a soft part which supports the seeds and is also called a ‘fruit’, though it is not developed from the ovary: the strawberry is an example.

As far as cooking is concerned, some things which are strictly fruits, such as tomatoes or bean pods, may be called ‘vegetables’ because they are used in savoury rather than sweet cooking. The term ‘vegetable’ is more generally used of other edible parts of plants, such as cabbage leaves, celery stalks, and potato tubers, which are not strictly the fruit of the plant from which they come. Occasionally the term ‘fruit’ may be used to refer to a part of a plant which is not a fruit, but which is used in sweet cooking: rhubarb, for example.

So, the answer to the question is that a tomato is technically the fruit of the tomato plant, but it’s used as a vegetable in cooking.

TL; DR, again… = Scientists say tomatoes are fruit. Chefs say  they use them most like vegetables.

GREAT. Great, great. Let’s confuse everyone a little more about the humble tomato. Let’s not just confuse EVERYONE, let’s start with kids.

UGH.

Sorry, I’ve had a lot of coffee and a productive morning…so I’m a little jacked up right now. (Also, Dunkin Donuts has their Holiday coffee out again. Get it while you can!)

Really?!?! What are our kids eating? More than HALF of the kiddos in the public school system where I live get “Free or Reduced” lunch and breakfast–so they’re eating what we give them.

And we are feeding them crap.

CRAP!

Rather than take a big stance on this infographic from Good.is and discuss the forced feeding comparisons–we’ll just say this puts a photo of an average school lunch in your mind.

Pizza. Tater Tots. Canned fruit with added sweeteners. Milk (thank goodness).

Blech.

Does anyone remember this? Being a kid? Remember being a kid? Remember how you ate?

It probably went something like this: Play until you were hungry. Look at the options you had. Eat what you want. Eat until you were full. Go back to playing.

Remember eating pizza at every meal? Me, neither.

Because, that’s not what was offered to you at every meal. You, for the most part, ate what you wanted. What sounded good. And most importantly, what your body was craving and needing.

So, why are we training our children to limit their tastes and to not listen to their bodies, and forcing them to eat food that if eaten at every meal, is really bad for you? 

C’mon, Congress. At least act like you’re not “leading” with your wallet.

Growing a culture of people who don’t listen to their own needs will, only grow a culture of people that don’t listen to anyone else’s needs, either. 

Think about that.

I really, truly, believe that what we want for ourselves, is a direct reflection of what we want for others.

In the same way that your level of respect for yourself, is the same level of respect you have for others.

I want truth.

I want health.

And I want you to be aware of the subliminal message we’re sending to the next generation.

“Sit down. Shut up. Eat your pizza.”

Think about what that could mean for health. For creativity in the world. For trust and dependency.

Ugh.

Wooo. Sorry. Told you. Too much coffee.

More than anything, remember that I love you,
You deserve love,
Jackie

Tags: congress, food, foodie, fruit, health, lunch, nutrition, pizza, school lunches, self-image, tomato, vegetable

#56. The “Care For You” Cocktail.

Blarg.

I think wordpress is on it’s period.

So, I’m not very sure this is going to work.

But, here goes.

Almost as much as I love food, I love slam poetry. This poet, Anis, has got my number.

“This is for the fat girls… the benches and the people sitting upon them…”

“…with your hands outstretched before you, trembling though they may be”

Stories like those make me wonder; what is it about people that makes them empathetic.

Why do some people naturally care about people, recognize them as people, and treat them as people…and others don’t?

What would happen if people just gave a crap about each other?

Those questions, along with “What did dinosaurs skin feel like?”  will be topping my list of things to have answered when I get to heaven.

So, maybe you haven’t noticed…but it is beautiful outside.

That’s not even a stretch for you realists–it’s really beautiful out.

How can you resist but to go outside and play?

Rake leaves and jump in them.

Go for a run.

Just play–you won’t regret it, but you might if you miss out on these amazing colors and this crisp, beautiful weather. Sorry, fall is my favorite season–I could talk about how much I love breathing in the finally cold air for an entire blog.

I want you to have some of that joy, too.

For some folks, this season isn’t joyful. The holidays are upon us, and if you’re feeling strapped for cash, over-worked, over-stressed, and over-booked this time of year–go easy. I read a great blog the other day that said (in essence) imbalance in your mental state can really mess with your health this time of year. Cold and flu “season?” C’mon.

I agree.

The excess in everything around the holidays put us out of whack. Stress, food, people. It’s not like our minds, swirling around in circles with to-do list and worry and everything else, don’t “talk” to our bodies. Stress takes a toll.

So–fight back.

Eat well. Sleep well. Make a little time for you. Breathe the autumn air very deeply. And enjoy the hell out of whatever you eat and drink.

Speaking of:

You know what’s in season? Apples!

You know what’s made with apples? Cider.

Who had a great idea of what to do with cider to make it even more amazing?

Saveur. 

This is my rendition of it.  Cider, boiled down to about half of what you had.

–Wait, wait, so what does that do, you ask?

Firstly, it thickens it.

Second, it makes the flavor much, much stronger. The cider becomes sweeter–which you’ll appreciate if you’re a whiskey weenie like me.

Throw that boiled down cider (after its cooled) in with the whiskey of your choice, a little twist of lemon and put it over ice (I know, lots of prep to this one, right?)  and enjoy.

Oh, by the way…. this post is 21+ only. (Sorry, kiddos.)

I love you.

Take care of yourself for me.

Take care of other people, too, when you can.

Love,
Jackie

Tags: love, fall, leaves, apples, whiskey, savour, slam poetry, shake the dust, anis, the daily love, cold and flu season, rake leaves, cocktail

#55. Pumpkins, Cornbread, & the Weirdest Week Ever.

Talk about a strange week.

First, this happened:

Then, this happened:

And then, this–

Then, everything got a little weirder (if at all possible).

Okay, we’ll start at the beginning. It snowed last week, which was very strange considering that I live in West Texas. As you saw, it didn’t just snow a little. No, sir, there was no dusting about it.

Inches and inches of the fluffy stuff–the precursor to which, was a ton of rain.

The best thing, I think, to eat after the first snow of the season (because fall’s the season for snow ._.) is to eat cornbread and chili.

Now, if you know me, you know that every fall I become a little obsessed about pumpkins. I love the flavor.

The seeds (after they’re baked, of course).

The lattes. (Although, I was sorely disappointed in this one for being so…well, empty, straight from the barista’s hand.)

I love that I live a block from a pumpkin patch.

I love carving pumpkins for Halloween.

And I love how cheap canned pumpkin is this year and this time of year.

Organic pumpkin was more than $4 last year.

Robbery.

This year, we’re back to the $2 range.

So, what to do with all the pumpkin I keep buying?

Put it in cornbread when it snows, obviously.

Use a cup of cornmeal, a cup of flour (whole wheat, non-bleached) two eggs, a can of pumpkin, and a tablespoon of baking soda.

Bake at 325 for about 25 minutes, and you’re all set.

It comes out looking kind of like this (the one on the left).

I made regular cornbread, too–use a quarter cup of oil, one egg, and three tablespoons of baking powder instead of pumpkin and baking soda.

And I have a ton of leftovers…so if you’re interested, hit me up.

One of the next weird things that happened this week–I got about two feet from a lion.

Which was awesome.

A little explanation here–I helped out at Boo at the Zoo and when it was time to feed the lions we got to get up a little closer to them. The lion wasn’t interested in the treats they put out for him…but he certainly liked to sit and stare at those of us who were over by the keepers. (Rad, right!?)

Oh, and then–Halloween night a couple of Headless Horsemen stopped by the station.

Ick.

I also saw a crazy wreck (which we didn’t report on this week, so I’m assuming everyone was okay) and met a ton of people, and found an oven that I loved, and…geez. It was a weird week.

Now it’s officially November, and almost the holidays, and I love everything about this season. I hope it’s less weird, and more joyful than last week.

Alright. You have a good week, pumpkin.

Love you,
Jackie

Tags: boo at the zoo, carving pumpkins, chili, cold, cornbread, fall, food, headless horsemen, healthy, jack o lanterns, latte, lions, nutrition, pumpkin, pumpkin patch, pumpkin spice, seeds, snow, whole wheat cornbread

#54. Pretty in Pornography Redeemed in Recycling

When high school, hormones, and angst were in season for me, I started to get really interested in what I had been “missing out” on.

That included all of those trashy magazines you see at the grocery store counter.

Celebrity. How to lose 10 pounds. Who’s dating whom. Why Brad and Angelina area so freaking perfect. How I could be perfect, as well.

Then, I realized, that most of them are on a cycle of luring you and everyone else with the same things people want, and how they can solve all your problems and give you great happiness.

Just look at those girls on the cover! They’re happy! They’re skinny! How could you not turn out the same? Buy this magazine…Follow these easy steps…and soon, you’ll be happy and desirable, too!

Score!

I need that!

Count me in!

And then, I’ll be skinny, and wanted, and needed, and confident, and happy, and excited for life, and I’ll show off my abs all the time, and…and….

Wait. What?

Why have I subscribed to this magazine, and trusted it to make me something they told me I wasn’t, FOR SO MANY YEARS?

Seriously. If this shit worked, I wouldn’t have needed five different issues talking about how to “blast belly fat!”

So, done. And done.

Recently, you’ll remember, I un-subscribed from my favorite mag, and stopped buying them altogether.

Because, one…I realized that I had accrued quite a collection of the same magazine with a different face on the covers:

And quite a collection of other magazines that promised me the same thing over, and over, and over… (they just had different print and photos)

…And, two, because they never worked to give me the confidence/desirableness/sexyness/flat abs/tight ass/whatever the hell…that I thought I wanted.

But you know what DID give me that confidence?

Hoisting those stacks and stacks and stacks of magazines into the recycle bin.

Getting a little space is a good thing. A little room to breathe. A little room to think. A little room to fill with good things instead of crap.

OMG. It’s tailgating season.

I mean–football season (rolls eyes).

Now I love my alma mater just as much as the next guy, my family likes the Cowboys, so I guess I like them, too…But what I really love is the food.

Of course.

(You’re shocked, I know.)

If you need a complete tailgating set…you can call these guys. Look closely, it’s called the iTailgate.

Clever.

Towable, stowable, game watchable, food makeable, this is a joy.

This is also a joy. It’s also a rib-eye wrap. Meat and a tortilla, baby. Simple.

I want to bathe in this queso.

Seriously. I’m glad it’s only served at WT tailgates (at the Rayburn rentals trailer, if you get the chance, hit it up) because I think I could live off of it.

Now, remember, we only get a few weeks of autumn in Texas… so get out and enjoy it.

Watch some football. Spend time with people.

Have confidence.

Watch this:

Also, and especially, this: 

And think about how you are unique. Beautiful. Wonderful. Talented. Desireable.

And not because some magazine told you that you were. But simply because you’re you.

I LOVE YOU.

I love you.

love,

Jackie

Tags: cover, desirable, happiness, happy, levi the poet, magazines, miss representation, needed, pretty in pornography, recycle, sexy, skinny, tailgate, talented, wanted, women's health, women's health magazine