for all of my friends and followers at this blog, i have not been posting here of late...but you would already know that, given that this is only my second post this year...yikes, egad, my oh my...
that all said...
i have not abandoned posts and blogs and reaching out to my followers, etc...
i have over 250 posts at my daily blog...
something less formal and in lower case (as you can see)...
yet embracing all of those tenets and attitudes that i have always shared and loved here...
Another year is about to bite the dust. How does that make
you feel? For me, I like to take this time of year and look back at those
three hundred plus days just passed, and see if I accomplished as much of what
I set out to do. So, I guess, it makes me feel…
1)Nostalgic
2)Wistful
3)Yearning
4)Reflective
5)Sentimental
6)All of the above
So, Mike, how was 2012?
Like all years, it seems this one that is about to end has
had its share of ups and downs. While I attained many successful goals that I
set for myself, both personal and with my work, there were other areas of my
life, and my family and friend’s, which was nothing to write home about.
Health scares
Financial challenges
Issues with the day job
And the everyday battle
for consistent balance
The good news is that for most of the above I have been able
to work on and correct—which, again, is what all years, and life, is
about. Good year or bad, good life or bad, one will have challenges,
adversity, heartbreak, and loss. The key, as with all of life (and, remember,
years are the chapters [and days the pages] of the novel called “your
life.”) is the ability to cope and deal, learn from and not repeat
mistakes and missteps…and try to make the best of all situations.
So, again (ahem), Mike, how was your year?
Glad you asked.
My brand, livelife365, had its best year ever. I had more
visits and video views than any other time since its creation—almost 2 million!! That only encourages me
to keep doing what I’ve been doing, but even more so. It also indicates
to me that people dig my message and want to change their lives for the better.
I was able to finish and publish another book, song, and
music video—a project that I am very proud of.
My websites and videos generated more income this year than
all of the previous years combined—a good thing! Why? Because I am now
able to expand my reach and tackle even more projects.
I enjoyed a successful book signing for this book:
And produced and uploaded more videos than ever! With two
going semi-viral:
I survived another decent year with my day job, keeping my
streak of being gainfully employed well into my fourth decade. This is nothing
to take for granted in these challenging financial times and I am thankful.
On a personal note, I enjoyed my 19th year of the
best relationship in my life with my lovely wife—thanks for putting up
with me, baby!
I traveled, spent important and fun time with family and
friends, continued collecting and reading modern first editions, played my
guitar, collected (and consumed) more excellent wine from around the world,
exercised just about everyday, and lost a dozen pounds (few more to go).
Leaving me to look ahead to 2013.
Goals are always important to me and this coming year will be
no exception. Here are a few:
My most ambitious project ever is an undertaking that has
been years in the making. It started as an idea, like many of mine, it seems,
that came to me while basking in the Maui sun. A few months before my Hawaiian
trip, a catchy tune found its way inside my head…this was followed by
some lyrics that seemed to fit just right. That sequence of events was the
early genesis of this song.
Back to Maui…
I thought the song was good, but the lyrics were
better—they meant something more than just what a song has to offer.
While on that tropical paradise, I put pen to paper and scratched out the basis
for the book that was inspired by the song:
In the book (and song and video), I discuss how the ability
to change as a person can effect change on a larger scale—like maybe even
changing the world for the better. That’s a major and ambitious task,
for sure, but one, if approached at a grassroots, singular perspective, could
have global impact.
Being a videographer, a songwriter, and enjoying sharing
both endeavors with as many people as possible through my myriad websites, I
wanted to create the most effective way to share this concept. A music video
was my natural choice. On all of my songs and music videos, I have
collaborated with my pal Dale Price, from Electric Canyon Studios. He is a master at making
my voice sound better than it is and turning my acoustic guitar into a rocking
band. He was also instrumental in taking hundreds of hours of video footage
and turning it into the amazing result below. Thanks, Dale!
It's cherry season, and that means that i can indulge in one of my fav fruits, and also one of the healthiest...
Cherries!
Why do i love these sweet/tart babies?
Because they are loaded with antioxidants and are considered a super food...
And they taste awesome, without giving you that filled up feeling, like
some foods (like the Mexican i ate Saturday...put me in a bad place for
hours, man...)
Here is my latest video about cherries...
...followed by an oldie but a goodie blog post....
It seems I can’t drive anywhere in town these days without passing a roadside stand selling cherries.Guess
what? That’s a good thing. Besides all of these local entrepreneurs
competing for my patronage, the grocery stores are overflowing with
these sweet (and tart), delicious fruits. Living in California, and the
fertile San Joaquin Valley, I take it for granted that most of the time
something fresh and tasty and locally grown is going to be on sale.
Right now…
IT’S CHERRIES!
My
lovely wife is a major cherry aficionado, which simply means she digs
those chewy pitted babies. We can’t drive past one of those
aforementioned stands without her begging for us to stop and grab a box.
Me? I wasn’t all that into them until I met her, but eventually her
enthusiasm, and that fresh, juicy fruit, wore me down. Oh, and another
thing:
CHERRIES ARE GOOD FOR YOU!
Actually,
the more I researched the health and nutritional benefits of cherries
the more impressed I became. In fact, cherries are now considered one
of the SUPER FOODS. This revelation excited me so much, I made this video:
Why are cherries super? *
loaded with anthocyanins, a powerful antioxidant linked to their red
color, many scientists believe a diet rich in cherries can reduce
inflammation, lower bad cholesterol, and decrease belly fat * they may help ease arthritis pain and gout *
one ounce of cherry juice contains the daily recommended amounts of
antioxidants required to help fight cancer and heart disease *
cherries contain more anthocyanins (one of the strongest of the
antioxidants, by the way) than raspberries, blackberries, strawberries,
and blueberries * one of the few food sources rich in melatonin, a natural body hormone that helps you sleep better and can reduce jet lag * they help lower your body fat, thus help you lose weight * can help control diabetes
Wow, after looking at that list only one word comes to mind: SUPER!
How
do you like your cherries? My favorite way to eat them is the same way
I enjoy almonds: by the handful. But unlike almonds, cherries are not
nearly as fattening. One serving of cherries (one cup, with pits) has
less than 100 calories (around 87), while offering up 3gs of fiber and
zero fat or sodium. They are also a very good source of vitamin C and
iron.
All this talk about super foods and health and nutritional benefits almost made me forget to mention:
CHERRIES ARE DELICIOUS!
Fresh-from-the-branch, pop-in-the-mouth delicious! Cherries can also be added to oatmeal, salads, desserts (cherry pie or cherries jubilee),
as well as complimenting savory foods like pork and chicken. Serve
them up anyway you like, but serve them up as often as possible.
Cherries
come in dozens of varieties, both sweet (Bing, Lambert, and Tartarian)
and sour (Morello, Montmorency, and Early Richmond), in various shades
of colors.
Like George Washington said, all those years
ago when he chopped down that cherry tree, “I cannot tell a lie.”
Neither can I, so I can honestly say that I didn’t realize how super
cherries were until I did the research for this post.
The next time my lovely wife and I are driving around town and we pass by a cherry stand and she yells, “Stop, cherries!”
I’m going to stop and pick up not one, but two baskets. Why? Because
super foods like these don’t grow on trees…uh, well, in this case they
do, actually. I guess, what I’m trying to say is:
EAT CHERRIES, THEY’RE GOOD FOR YOU!
Until next time…
peace,
Mike
Still hungry for information about cherries? Check out this cool site, a very helpful resource for this post.
One does not pass celery root in the produce section of the
grocery store and pause to admire its attractiveness. Quite the opposite, if
you ask me, as celery root is one of the least attractive of vegetables. It
may actually be downright ugly.
I know, I know, those are harsh words, especially for a food
that is not only tasty, but is loaded with tons of nutritional necessities.
And, for those of you, like me, who are trying to cut back on those dreaded
carbohydrates, an excellent replacement for potatoes.
Pop Quiz:
What Is Celeriac?
a)a recently discovered planet in our solar system
b)an arthritic condition found in aging rock stars
c)a word describing a hilarious haircut
d)another name for Celery Root
If you chose d, then you would be correct and win this
fabulous prize:
Celery root is low in calories and high in flavor. With
only 9 carbs per serving (less than half as much as a potato) this is a great
way to get your spuds in without the weight gain (or glucose spike).
Celeriac also offers these nutritional benefits:
·good source of fiber and protein
·high in manganese
·no cholesterol
·high in vitamin C and calcium
·low sodium
·nice source of iron
So how can you eat this root veggie?
Anyway ya want to. Use celery root to replace any of your
potato recipes, from soups to chips, casseroles to fries. Grate it raw and add
to salads; bake it or eat it mashed. As I did in this absolutely delicious
video:
Next time you’re in your local grocery store and pass
by a gnarly lump of ugliness is the produce section, stop and grab some celery
root.
Are you saying I’m a cheeseburger if I visit that greasy
fast food place and devour a Big Mac?
Yup.
That I have a bun for a head, lettuce for a face, and cheese
and ground beef as a body?
Yup.
Are you crazy?
Yup. But that’s beside the point.
Corny attempt at humor aside, you can also look at someone who
opts for a healthier diet than the one above, and consider the same logic with
what I am getting at here. If you eat a lot of veggies and fruits, cut
back on the carbs and fats, you may not look like a broccoli or apple, but you
still carry the healthy results of those food choices with you.
You are what you eat means that if you eat a lot of
carbohydrates, sugary desserts and bags of potato chips, then you are going to
gain weight.
Conversely, if you keep the carbs down and the fiber up, try
to consume 5 – 8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, add some fish or
poultry, then you may not sprout fins and feathers, but there’s a good chance
you will become more fit. And happy!
Eating the right foods and the right amounts go a long way
to leading a healthier, happier, LONGER life. But if it was
easy, we all would look like Brad and Angelina.
Recently, I wrote a very popular post about diabetes, how it
is the new silent killer. That even if you HAVE a body like
Bradgelina, you may still be a walking time bomb. That underscores the
importance of eating the RIGHT foods, as well as staying active
and counting those calories.
You may be slender, but if you eat too many carbs, even when
they are in the form of potatoes, bananas, or whole wheat bread, you could be
susceptible to diabetes.
Remember, eating well is one of the keys to living life to its
fullest. Take a gander of yourself in the mirror and if you see a pork
chop and mashed potatoes staring back at you, then change your ways.
Opt for your reflection to be a bowl of almonds, a side of
spinach, and some grilled salmon.
I have enjoyed jicama for dozens of years, way back in the day when I first traveled across country, from New England to Southern California, and discovered this crunchy, tasty, healthy root veggie. I have been a jicama fan ever since. One of my most popular blog post over the years has been the one I am reposting below. Please enjoy (again?)...
What is Jicama?
Many of you may already know what jicama is, may already know how to
correctly pronounce it, and may have actually had some contact with it.
If that’s the case, congratulations on your acquired knowledge and
worldliness--you are more than welcome to skip this next part.
For those of you still clueless, here are a few clues:
Jicama is:
a) a tropical island in the southwestern part of the Caribbean
b) a rare skin disease that turns the bottoms of your feet purple
c) a popular spicy stew prevalent in Portugal
d) an edible root, originally cultivated in South America
The correct answer (and it should be no surprise for those familiar with my plethora of posts about diet and nutrition) is “d.”
Jicama
is a tasty, crispy, root vegetable, cultivated in South America for
centuries. It is amazingly versatile, easy to prepare, and healthy for
you.
If you would like to learn how to pronounce jicama, or are just tired of reading, watch this video:
Also
known as the Mexican turnip or potato, jicama is used in many recipes
south of the border. Its unique taste (a cross between an apple, potato,
and water chestnut) and texture (crisp and smooth) make it one
versatile veggie. Enjoy jicama:
* raw, in sweet, fruit salads, or lettuce-based salads * sliced or julienned to use with a dip * plain, eaten as a snack (squeeze of lime, some hot sauce) * diced and added to savory dishes: stews, soups, stir-fry * mashed as a side dish
Once
you taste jicama, you will ask yourself why you waited so long to try
it. And more good news: it is loaded with fiber. One cup has about 6
grams of fiber, around 1 gram of protein, and contains less than 50
calories. Jicama is also an excellent source of Vitamin C and potassium.
Simple
to prepare, you peel jicama like a potato, using either a peeler or
paring knife, removing the fibrous skin. From there, depending on how
you want to eat it, it can be easily sliced, diced, Julienned, or
mashed.
Like my late discovery of the avocado,
I did not taste my first jicama until I was well into my twenties, thus
missing out on years of epicurean enjoyment. Don't let this happen to
you.
The next time you’re cruising the produce section of your grocery store, look for jicama, and grab a couple.
The
good news: Jicama is not a rare skin disease that turns the bottom of
your feel purple, but a versatile, nutritious, and fun vegetable that
will delight you with its unique taste.
One of the few bloggers I make the time in my busy schedule
to read is Susan Blake, who is the creator of the wonderful website, Today’sPath. Suzen (as she sometimes goes by),
like myself, is all about healthy lifestyle, better nutritional choices, and
offering proactive solutions to preventing unnecessary disease and health—dare I
say LIFE—ailments.
Here are the first few paragraphs of her kind words, offered
in her downhome delivery, with emphasis of why people like Suzen and myself
invest our time and efforts in our websites:
To reach as many people
as possible, affording them the opportunity to change their lives for the
better!
…please visit Today’s Path to read the rest. Thanks again, Suzen, for all your support
over the years and for living life 365!!!
This is such a special blog for me
to write, I'm grinning ear to ear - can't ya tell? Sometimes you meet
somebody and you know they are kindred spirits. I must have a good
healthy love for mine then cuz I sure love his!
I started following a blog by Mike Foster called Live Life 365 about three
years ago. Mike does videos on his blog that are great - I learned the
easy way to cut/eat avocados, for instance. You name it, he will tell you
what it is, how to cook it and eat it - many things the average person has
never tried I'll bet ya! He is ALL about healthy foods, nutrition,
staying motivated, taking walks in nature, and making good choices. Every
once in a while he will write a song and sing it with his guitar. The
walks I've actually BEEN ON with him since he takes his camera right along with
him.
He videos from his lanai in Maui on his vaca there every year - so nice to see
it when there is winter in the air here - he videos when he is gardening and
sweating - always good to see somebody sweat, isn't it? - and of
course many videos in his kitchen. Writing songs, writing blogs,
making videos........
Visit Today’s Path to read the rest and enjoy Suzen’s site.
Q:
What is the most lethal silent killer facing the world today?
The first reply from most of us would probably be
hypertension—as it is seldom symptomatic. Or high cholesterol, for the
same reason. How about obesity or heart disease? All valid guesses, but how
can obesity be considered a silent killer?
What about diabetes?
I recently finished an excellent book called Sugar Nation,
written by Jeff O’Connell. In it, Jeff, a thin and seemingly healthy man
who is fighting diabetes, goes into lengthy and fascinating detail about how
this disease is growing at record numbers. And is not only afflicting the
obese and sugar-scrafers. It attacks the slender and fit folks, and potentially
people like me, who ingest little sugar, but have some carbohydrate food
challenges.
Jeff’s father died from diabetes; I’m sure this
motivated him to write Sugar Nation. I can relate to that, as my father died
in his mid-fifties from years of tobacco abuse, along with overindulging in
alcohol and unhealthy food choices. It was through his death that I became the health advocate
that I am today. And helped motivate me to create this blog and my website,
livelife365.com.
I was recently asked by Jeff’s marketing team to write
a review of Sugar Nation. I offer it here for you to read and learn, and strongly
urge you to buy the book. It just may save your life.
Oh, and, of course, I also produced this video about Jeff's book for your viewing pleasure:
One thought that continued to meander around my brain as I
dove into Jeff O’Connell’s must-read book, Sugar Nation, was
that I did not consider myself a sugar-eater. All my life I have been lucky to
eschew the temptations of a sweet tooth for the desire to indulge in more salty
snacks. I could literally walk past a mound of brownies and dishes filled with
chocolates without batting an eye. Yet find it quite difficult to put down a
bag of potato chips without consuming most of them. But did you know that the
carbohydrates from that bag of chips turns into as much sugar, once processed
and stored inside the body, as consuming spoonfuls of the sweet stuff?
Sugar Nation reads as much like a personal memoir as
a convincing diatribe against the medical community for seemingly turning a
blind eye toward one of the worst killers decimating the world
today—diabetes.
Jeff O’Connell, a diabetic battling the same disease
that killed his father, knows of what he speaks. A former executive writer at Men’s
Health and editor at Muscle & Fitness, Jeff decided to take
matters into his own hands in his fight against this growing disease. Through
a tireless energy and investigative zeal (challenging, given his constant
battle with low blood sugar, spiking insulin, crashing insulin, and the
countless maladies that accompany diabetes), Jeff shatters conventional (and at
times very incorrect) wisdom, deciding to battle his illness with diet and
exercise, rather than the all-too-often remedy: prescription drugs.
I am familiar with this type of attitude when it comes to
not accepting the first (or second or third) opinion of someone in the medical
profession. A few years ago I was overweight, had high blood pressure and
unhealthy cholesterol and glucose levels. The immediate reaction from my
doctors was to reach for a prescription pad. My immediate reaction
was—do I want to spend the rest of my life gobbling pills? Or could I do
something myself to change those life-threatening results?
Like Jeff, I combated my nemesis through diet, exercise, and
supplements. The results were so amazing (I dropped forty pounds in six months
and lowered my blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol down to healthy levels)
that I created my self-help video website, livelife365.com. I wanted to
reach as many people as possible so I could share my successes. Just like what
Jeff is doing with Sugar Nation.
While I consider myself a guy who knows what to eat, and
what not to, I learned a lot from Jeff about healthy diet—especially when
it comes to carbs. I lost most of my weight through a high-fiber, low-fat
diet. But that diet may not work best for diabetics. More animal proteins and
only carbs high in fiber are the keys to not only healthy weight loss, but
assisting in the fight against diabetes. I learned that some carbs I have been
consuming daily for years (potatoes and bananas) may not be as good for me as I
thought.
Sugar Nation is a wakeup call. Not just for the billions of
overweight and obese people out there who are walking time bombs for stroke,
heart disease, and diabetes. But to all those seemingly fit folks (like Jeff,
a tall and thin man often misdiagnosed because of how he looked) who need to
change the way they live. It is also a very well written critique of our
healthcare system, the medical profession, and the powerful pharmacological
lobby that seems to affect how the former go about their business.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
Who knows, reading it may just save your life…or a
loved ones.
Last week I wrote a post about looking back at 2011, reviewing many wonderful accomplishments, as well as taking
a moment to do some self-back-slapping. For me, it was a memorable year
that had many achievements. But not all of 2011 was stellar—I start this
year with plenty of opportunities for improvement.
My 2012 to-do list shares many of
the same daily expectations I hold myself accountable to while ensuring I maintain
my triad of balance—the interconnected coexistence between the MIND,
BODY,
and SPIRT.
Let’s start with the MIND:
Read more, if possible (especially
more diverse, undiscovered areas that I normally do not venture into).
Finish writing two books and self-publish
them (both are almost done, just need some tweaking, polish, and editing. “God’s
Will,” and “We Can Change the World…If We Wanted To.”).
Continue to create and produce more entertaining
and relevant videos, start another website, with a goal of doubling my current
success I have had with livelife365.
Continue to grow in my “day job,”
strive to reach more people in whatever endeavor suits me best (in other words:
keep plugging away, be thankful to be employed with a job that challenges my
creative side while affording me the ability to earn a decent wage…).
Learn to organize better—I have lots
of strengths as a human being, but being organized is not one of them. I vow to continue to work on being better
with all of the above.
Produce two more music videos and another
original song (both already in the works, with the hope of publication by
mid-year).
Be a better social networker—while I
am not as fond of this practice as one would think, given the success and necessity
of my websites and this genre, if you will, I need to be better to ensure said
success. And to grow even more! I am working on it daily.
Get back to doing daily crosswords (my
new desk calendar, by the way, is a daily ten-minute crossword puzzle…that
should help).
Write more…again, if possible, given
all of the above. But one of my passions
in life has always been writing. And while
I do write daily and have produced a plethora of wide-ranging results of that
practice, I would still love to write even more. It can be done, I just need to find the time
and balance (see SPIRIT goals).
Next, the BODY:
Drop these excess travel
pounds! This is a major bone of
contention for me, as I have always been in great shape and advocate the need
for limited dietary intake. I also know
that a dozen (or more!) excess pounds can lead to so many detrimental physical ailments:
heart disease; diabetes; cancer; gastrointestinal problems; and bone and muscle
issues.
Maintain a better routine of
exercise. By that I mean, walking EVERYDAY! And upping my thrice-weekly weight program
with more reps and pounds. Also keeping it
going on weekends—these are the times that I tend to kick back.
Cut back on the carbs and add more
protein. As a vegetarian, I tend to
consume more carbs than I’d like. While I
always strive to eat complex, high in fiber, carbs, I sometimes do not. I vow to cut back on the empty carbohydrates,
while concentrating on more complex, high fiber carbs. And will add more fish into my once only
vegetarian diet. A good thing, in the
healthy long run.
Sleep more! I used to get by on six hours of sleep a
night…not anymore. I need to kick back
in bed and close my eyes sooner rather than later. Sleep deprivation will shorten one’s life as
fast as poor diet and lack of exercise. Don’t
under estimate the necessity of adequate sleep.
I’m not going to.
Balance. I need to spend more time with my wife, family,
and friends versus staring at this computer screen. While I love the work I do, I need to also
find the balance in my days to spend less time working and more time
enjoying. I often advocate the need to
find the time and balance in one’s life to do all that you need to do to be all
that you need to be…but also you need to find the time to be just you. Think about it.
Incorporate more diverse exercise
programs, et al. into my weekly routine.
Like yoga, tai chi, and even Pilates…whatever works. As we grow older, our bodies change and what
once worked as an exercise regimen may no longer. I am cool with discovering new ways to stay
in shape. Even Wei…whatever floats your
boat and keeps that boat afloat.
Last, but not least, the SPIRIT:
Spend more time with my wife. We have already started an every quarter day
out of work to spend together. Last month
we spent a Friday away from the office, went out to breakfast, and then just
hung out. We also investigated local
volunteer opportunities that we could work on.
Volunteer more. While I pride myself in spending time helping
others, I still can do lots more. 2012 I
want to do even more than ever. My wife
and I have applied to several local charitable places that need support, like
Meals on Wheels and Hospice Care. We are
in the process of setting up a regular volunteer schedule that will assist
these places over the coming years.
Find more balance. I have mentioned this earlier in this post,
but repeat it here to underscore its importance. While I love working at my full-time job and
all of my blogs and websites, I understand the importance of balancing those
vocations with the rest of my life. Family
and friends, working around the house, relaxation, or just kicking back and
doing little other than watching some goofy television show are equally as
important as earning a living and spreading the good word of livelife365. One of my biggest opportunities of this year
is to better balance my life. All work
and no play really did make Jack a dull boy.
Stretch my mind to understand others
more. While I consider myself a
compassionate person, I sometimes overlook what motivates and makes other
people do the things they do, and in turn, be so utterly different than what I feel
they should be. My desire to help them
change, or just be better in many aspects of their lives, at times flusters
me. One of my spiritual goals this year
it to be more open minded, forgive more, and stretch my mind to openly embrace
more diverse attitudes and personas…while still vowing to share the programs
and successes of livelife365 as best I can.
Practice more random acts of
kindness. It sounds simple and very obvious,
but holding open the door for someone or reaching for an item from a tall self
for a wheelchair-bond person used be the norm, the decent thing to do. No matter how we arrived at this place in
society, I still have no problem waving someone before me into traffic or
holding the elevator door rather than frantically pressing the close
button. Kindness is a virtue, a
compassionate necessity that makes us human beings what we are.
Meditate even more. I take great spiritual joy from my daily
zazen, every morning. Yet my desire and
my ability to add more time to my sittings often conflict. This year I would love nothing more than to
double my meditation times, daily. I have
no doubt that this will lead to nothing but good things: a more relaxed,
complete, fulfilled and happy Mike Foster.
This is a pretty big list, but one that I am
thrilled to have at. What’s on your list
of things to do in 2012?
Resolutions and goals are a vital necessity for
anyone who wants to change their lives for the better. But as I always encourage, don’t only set
goals at the start of a new year. Set goals
to better yourself and your life throughout the year.
I have just
returned from a long trip across the country, which actually began with a
wonderful trek over the Pacific to Maui.
From there, after a brief stop in Northern California to repack and refamiliarize
myself with my home, I was off to New England.
I stopped in, again, very briefly, to visit my family, and then was off
to Ireland for two weeks, on business.
After a very
successful stay in Northern Ireland, I returned to New England, where I stayed
at my mom’s house. We hung out, had a
good time, but I complained about how I could not find any decent vegetarian food
while on the Emerald Island (lots of good beer and deep-fried potatoes, but a
dearth of healthy green, leafy types of foods; and very poor Italian recipes).
I informed
my dear old ma that I was dying for some pasta, made with a very healthy
tomato-based sauce. She said that she
had a bunch of jars of spaghetti sauce in her cupboard that I could drizzle
over some pasta. I asked if she felt
like making one of her famous tomato sauces.
She replied, “I have all the ingredients, but don’t have the time nor
desire to make that time-consuming sauce much anymore.”
“Hmmmm,” I replied. “How about I whip up my own marinara sauce,
one that tastes amazing and only takes a mere thirty minutes to create?”
She said, “Only
if I can hold your camera and film it.” (Totally fabricated).
I am now at work on editing an outtakes video from all the film footage I tossed out after creating this wonderful vid. My mom is not only a good sport, but an excellent cook who taught me everything I know about healthy eating and cooking. I hope that this is only the start of many more "cooking with mom" videos.
Okay, so maybe just greetings from the Emerald Island, where this post is being transmitted. Besides my lingering jetlag, my confusuion stems from my desire to be back on Maui...and the size of this amazing avocado.
I could have called this post:
THE ATTACK OF THE KILLER AVOCADO!!
And these babies were killer - killer tasting, that is. I love Maui avocados even more than the California-grown Hass variety, which before encountering the above monster, were once my favorite.
I don't think you really can see from the above pic what I am talking about. Maybe this photo will help demonstrate the size of this beast. And while size is good, the taste is even better.
Is that a Maui avocado, or are you just happy to see me?
All of these fun and delicious recollections have moved me to reprint one of my favorite posts. Please enjoy:
As much as I love eating avocados today, it's hard to imagine that I
didn't taste my first one until I was well into my twenties. I grew up
in a small town in a small New England state. Our foods of choice leaned more toward clam cakes and chowder than tacos and enchiladas. Avocado? I hadn't a clue what one was.
And don't even get me going about guacomole. Guaca...huh?
I
understand that the avocado existed when I was growing up Back East,
and they may even have been available at the local grocery store where
my mother shopped. But mom never purchased one, never brought one of
those green-skinned babies home. Believe it or not, I did not know WHATan avocadoWAS until I relocated to sunny California in the mid-80's. And even then, I wasn't sure what to do with one or how to eat it.
Today,
avocados seem more popular and prevalent in everyday cuisine. In most
restaurants you can find them chopped atop salads, sliced in between
sandwiches, and, in its most popular form, as guacamole, that amazing green nacho-chip-dipping-taste-sensation.
While your mouth is watering, consider these interesting facts about the avocado:
a member of the berry family, avocado is a fruit, not vegetable
the Aztecs named it after the word, ahuacatl, which meant "testicle," because of its shape
they have been around since 900 A.D.
they have been grown in North America since 1856
also known as the alligator pear, Jamaicans call them pears
(for more fascinating information about the avocado, visit this site)
Most
of you by now have tasted avocados, but if you still are like I was,
back in the day, you should give them a try. You don't know what you are
missing. But do you know the best way to cut one open? Here's a video
that will help:
Hey,
next time you have that chip loaded with guac, happily remind yourself
that besides enjoying a delicious snack, you are also getting:
10 grams of dietary fiber
more potassium than one banana
vitamins E and B
10 grams of the good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)
RED FLAG!
While
very healthy for you, avocados are also high in calories and fats. The
good news: these are the good fats--monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
These are heart-healthy fats and help lower LDL (bad cholesterol).
The
bad news, for those counting calories or watching their weight, is that
an average size avocado has around 300 calories--so tread carefully. I
know that I can eat one all by myself, diced, with a sprinkle of sea
salt.
Try it! In moderation.
It's
hard to imagine that I spent half my life deprived of the succulent
taste of avocado. Maybe that's why I've spent the last twenty-five years
eating more than my share, trying to make up for lost time.
You should too!
Always remember that you can watch hundreds of self-help videos about health and nutrition, and any number of other topics, at livelife365.com.
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