Living It With Lisa

I discovered Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) this past year in my quest for finding foods that diabetics could enjoy in their diet.  More than that I wanted powerful superfoods to be part of that mix … AND that would taste good.

Quinoa is actually a seed about the same size as sesame seed.   It has a slightly nutty taste, with a chewy texture.  You can get Red Quinoa as well and it makes an awesome substitute for rice or couscous.

Unlike rice, what I found with Quinoa was that you could make a big batch, take part of it for the meal you were cooking, flavor it a myriad of ways and store the rest in the refrigerator.  To my delight, it tasted great for several days after that, flavored a different way for each meal.  Quinoa maintains its taste and consistancy.

Quinoa can be a hot cereal like oatmeal.  My fav is flavored with cinnamon.  Then add agave nectar or stevia with almond milk, sliced almonds and dried cranberries or goji berries.

Quinoa can also be added to a salad or flavored lots of ways as a side dish.  When I made the Red Snapper Baked in Salt, I added a green onion and cilantro right before I served it.  The heat (off the stove) help release those fabulous flavors to the Quinoa.  Be creative.  Use it.  Why?

The Food and Agriculture Organization has identified quinoa as the only vegetable source that is a complete protein, meaning it has all the essential amino acids necessary for human health and development.  It resembles the sort of proteins found in animal sources and has the same nutritional profile as milk.  So it is perfect for a diabetic, a vegetarian or someone with lactose or gluten intolerance.

Here is an article that will give you even more information and history on Quinoa.  Add this amazing grain to your diet today.  You will not be disappointed.

Click here: http://tinyurl.com/4mn7xbd

Leave a comment below and share how YOU have used quinoa in your meals.

circa 1940

Today my precious daddy turns 77 years young.  Yes, young!  There is something to be said for being young at heart.  You will find daddy’s picture somewhere near that definition in the dictionary.

1956 in the Army

He might say that his 4 girls keep him that way with all their remodeling projects or private cross country “daddy hauling” trucking services with just about anything we might need delivered!

1961 Daddy holding Julie with Lisa

In any case, today  a great man of God was born.  I am honored to claim him, hug him, go visit, to love him, cry on his shoulder, get the best advise ever and best of all have the blessing to call him my Daddy.

2009 Jerry and Emma Jo in his Dream Car!

Daddy, I love you more than words can express today and always.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Love, Lisa

Natalie Melea Julie Lisa

Jerry and Emma Jo

Sea Bass in Rome

Sound crazy doesn’t it?  But oh is it good.  On our first trip to Rome at our first meal in the city that night,  the manager suggested fresh fish baked in salt.  We couldn’t even imagine why it wouldn’t be very salty.  It is not!  It was so delicious and moist.  What was even more amazing before they prepared the fish they presented it to us on a platter.

Needless to say I came home and started researching recipes and have made it several times now.  The latest being when Des, Aleta, Robin and Gordon came over for dinner this week.

This time I made it with Red Snapper.  I bought two that were about 2.5 pounds each.  Had the fishmonger GGS them.  AH HA … that is what I learned when I picked them up … after I said a myriad of words obviously being a newbie to fish cleaning lingo.  That means Gut Gils Scales.  You end up with a fish that is ready to cook.  Yes, it still has the head on.  In the picture … one fish is already stuffed with fresh lemon and thyme, covered with Kosher Salt and ready to pop in the oven.

Since I was having a very simple fish I decided that my menu would reflect that.  I wanted the appetizer to be a little heavier and the salad to be unexpected and the sides to be simple yet flavorful.  It was great that  all the elements were easy and that was a good thing because we didn’t get back from taking Des and Aleta on a boat tour of Lake Santa Fe until 5:15pm and Robin and Gordon were arriving at 6pm and I hadn’t prepped anything!

Our Menu included Mussels Diablo for an appetizer (in a spicy cream sauce).  Entree’ was of course the Red Snapper baked in Salt accompanied by Zucchini with Cilantro Mint Gremolata and Red Quinoa.  The Salad Course was Shaved Fennel with Granny Smith Apples.  To complete our meal we had Affogato for dessert.

It was a wonderful meal if I say so myself.  I tried two new recipes on this menu and they were keepers.  The zucchini dish and the salad are new to my collection, were delicious and will be served again.

What was very interesting Robin and Gordon had never had mussels before and loved them.  They also had never experienced Quinoa.  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a super food and the mother of all grains.  (More about Quinoa in another post).  It is my new favorite side dish, cereal or salad!  Also, Gordon didn’t really like zucchini but LOVED it with the gremolata. See there is always a way to serve a vegetable and like it!

My ‘m.o.’ … if a guest has an allergy … pay attention.  Otherwise present a creative menu and let them discover a tasty way to enjoy what they thought was not to their liking.  Because as you know, it may only be the way it was cooked.  Many times being mushy and tasteless.  Fresh, with high flavor is an amazing way to tantalize the tastebuds.

Willing And Able

A special thank you to my helpers who gave themselves names … WILLING aka Robin and ABLE aka Aleta who set the table and kept the dishes in the dishwasher and out of sight!  FYI my new name is AND!  What fun!

Are you STILL struggling with grief?  All of us have experienced loss of a loved one or know someone who has.

What many do not know is that on Feb 16, 2009 our family lost grandson Austin Tyler Johnson age 3 months to SIDS.  A perfectly healthy baby boy died on his fathers’ 30th birthday.  A few months later I lost my dear friend Cynthia. Truly a double emotional whammy!

Since Carter was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes it is even more important that he understands portion control.  But the real truth is that we ALL should be aware of not only the food /fuel that we are putting in our bodies but the portion size.  That is just as important for the obesity epidemic in this country as well as any other food related disease.

Quality AND quantity are essential to our health.

Tweak of the Week:  Portion Distortion

As we enter the holiday season we are suseptable to getting sick.  Our immune system is lower.  One reason could be the amount of sugar we eat in all those extra carbs and calories at Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

I found this article to be simple and straight forward in helping us to understand exactly what happens in different areas of our bodies.  The article is short and to the point and EASY to implement.

Those who think they have no time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness.

EDWARD STANDLEY

Where were YOU five years ago?

Where are you NOW?

Take a minute and look back 5 years ago.

Where were you in your life?  What were your goals and dreams?

Now, take a snapshot of your life today.  Have you been able to check off some of those dreams and goals?

Are you driving that dream car, living in the dream home, taking the exotic vacations, or are you settling and barely surviving?

What are you going to DO today?

Start planting your daffodils today!

Go Green:  Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it “home”, can’t digest it, so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don’t have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!