Most of you, I assume, know what this date is all about—lots of delicious Mexican food, right?!Actually, Cinco de Mayo, besides literally meaning May 5th, represents Mexico’s army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, not to be confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16th.
But for many of us, Cinco de Mayo is all about celebrating the amazing culinary wonder of Mexican cuisine.Hey, I’m all for cheering about who won what battle for whatever, but, more importantly it's really about how to make excellent salsa, right?Check this out…
Actually, salsa is only one of the many reasons why I indulge in and love Mexican food.Guacamole is another…
Okay, seriously, why else should you embrace this cool day?How about healthy, tasty, easy to make enchiladas?
I never heard of Cinco de Mayo until I migrated from New England out to Southern California in the eighties, but now this tasty holiday appears to be growing in popularity.Whatever the reason, take today off and dive into some Mexican history, with some guac and salsa on the side.Oh, and don’t forget the jalapenos…
Why is it, whenever I ask someone at work how they’re doing, invariably their response is one of misery, fatigue, angst, depression, all delivered with equal parts whine and woe-is-me? Okay, not everyone, perhaps, but way too many. Are that many people that unhappy with their jobs?
The answers may surprise you, even during these economically challenging times. If you asked many of the above folks if they didn’t have to work would they be toiling away at their jobs, what do you think their response would be?
Silly question, huh? Anyone of us who does not HAVE to work wouldn’t, right? Certainly not at a job that made you miserable. But even if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would still wake each day with a choice: do nothing, or do “something.”
That “something” is what makes us who and what we are. We all need to have that “something” that motivates and keeps us going. The real lucky ones are those who love what they do—their “something” is SOMETHING they would literally do for nothing.
And that’s the key—finding that “something” that you really would do for nothing…only make it something that can pay the bills, at least a few of them.
Here’s a newsflash—life can be a grind, when you think about it. Why would anyone think that their day-to-day jobs wouldn’t have some grind in them too? Even movie stars and million-dollar athletes, at times, feel the grind of their chosen professions.
I suggest doing all you can do to eliminate the grind in your daily grind. How?
·choose to be positive
·smile, laugh, spread the job
·look for the good in all your tasks
·look for the good in all your coworkers
·take care of yourself by keeping your triad of balance fit
·work hard, focusing on living in the moment
·take pride in your job
·help others
·lower expectations when necessary
·raise the bar when needed
·leave your work at the job
·then go home and forget about it
Most importantly, try to find a career, vocation, job, or profession that puts you in touch with your creativity, your bliss, what makes you happy, and what draws from you the wealth of desire and knowledge that drives you. If your current job offers none of this, make it your quest to find one that does.
Even in these challenging economic times. Why wait—life’s too short.
If someone were to ask me a few years ago what one of my favorite snacks was, I would have probably said: potato chips, or some other salty treat. Hummus would have been far down the list; in fact, it would not have even made the list. Back then, I didn’t even know what hummus was. Do you?
Well, today, most of us have at least heard of hummus. But how many of you have actually eaten it? Interested in learning more about this intriguing food? Read on.
Hummus is a dip, spread, or paste made from cooked and mashed chickpeas. It is then blended with tahini (crushed and soaked sesame seeds), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. The best way for me to describe how this delicious spread is made is by letting watch this video:
Hummus is Middle Eastern in origin, and has been around forever. Chickpeas have been a food item for over 10,000 years. Wow, that’s a lot of hummus over the years, huh? Most people eat hummus with pita bread—tearing off pieces to use as a scoop. You can also use your favorite dipping chip or cracker. I like to eat it with soy chips. My favorites can be found at Glenny’s; and they are loaded with vegetable protein. A snack of soy chips and hummus, which I consume two or three times a week, gives me around 10.0 grams of healthy protein and 7.0 grams of fiber. And they taste amazing!
Besides being a wonderful source of vegetable protein and fiber, hummus is also high in vitamin C, calcium, and iron--and is a good source for antioxidants.
As for different types of hummus—shop around, there are dozens of flavors and styles and brands out there. And, as always, read the nutritional information—some are high in fat and calories (read the ingredients, see what you’re eating!). These days you can find hummus in most grocery stores. I love the eggplant hummus at Trader Joe’s. And this site has some excellent organic hummus and other products you may enjoy.
For all you lovers of hummus (like me!) out there, keep enjoying this flavorful food’s myriad tastes and healthy benefits. And for those of you who have yet to try hummus? Give it a shot; you may end up loving it and making it one of your favorite snacks.
I eat Mexican food all the time, several times a week, on a good week. I make my own guacamole, tacos, bean burritos, as well as my very own fresh salsa. I also enjoy dining out, eating at any of the dozens of wonderful local establishments that feature Mexican fare. I often judge which of these restaurants to break bread (and dip chips) at by their salsa. If their salsa isn’t fresh, tasty, and hot enough to bring tears to my eyes, then I take a pass. Why? Because, to me, salsa is king—it is loaded with flavor and heat, yes, but also high in these nutritional benefits:
·Lycopene, a cancer-preventing antioxidant found in tomatoes
·Vitamin C and Potassium, also from tomatoes
·ONIONS have been known to help fight bacteria, aid in breathing, and treating coughs and colds
·Garlic helps fight cancer, improves your iron metabolism, may aid in weight loss and assist in lowering blood pressure
·Capsaicin, the chemical that makes jalapeno peppers hot, provides relief for migraine and sinus headaches, fights infections and cancer, and makes you feel good.
·Cilantro aids in digestion and may help symptoms of arthritis
·Lime is high in vitamin C, aids in digestion, is good for your skin, assists with weight loss and constipation
The health benefits found in salsa’s ingredients are endless.
Another wonderful thing about salsa is that it is so easy to make.
Add a few cloves of garlic and a chopped onion (I use shallot) to your food processor, toss in some fresh cilantro, a couple tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste. It’s that easy!
Most folks use tortilla chips to scoop up their delicious salsa. I do too, but I also enjoy salsa on salads, with veggies, and atop my other favorite Mexican dishes.
What’s not to like, huh?
Tasty, good for you, and versatile, salsa is more than just that tomato-based sauce that arrives with the basket of chips. It is one of the healthiest foods around.
I am sick and tired of hearing about Charlie Sheen. I barely watch TV, and certainly not the gossipy shows that live off the detritus of train wrecks like Carlos Estevez (his real name, by the way)—so for me to even be writing this means that this story is everywhere. And I do not like having it invade my space!
For those of you living under rocks or on some secluded island, Charlie Sheen is a television actor on a popular situation comedy who is too screwed up to show up for work. As a health and fitness guru, not to mention a self-help and personal development guy, I do have some empathy for the messed up Charlie’s of the world—in fact, I would love to be the person who helps him and sets him on the path to enlightenment and recovery. But, alas, Charlie does not want help or feels he needs it. He is cool with who he is and how his behavior not only affects himself, but those around him. Still, I would be more than willing to work with him…if he asks.
Since I’ve not received any SOS flare from Chuck, I have instead decided to offer up a few suggestions on how CBS, the most-watched television network in these United States, should handle the sad case of Charlie Sheen.
REPLACE HIM WITH A MONKEY!!
Here are the bottom-line, no-nonsense facts: Charlie Sheen is just an actor, a very lucky actor who was able to take mediocre talent and transform it, along with an established family name, into an amazing career. He has been paid outrageous amounts of money for, basically, standing in front of a camera and reciting bad lines of dialogue that make millions laugh. Now, there’s nothing wrong with making people laugh. I think finding humor in things throughout the day is a necessity in living one’s life to its fullest, along with being one of the essences of living a healthy life.
But Sheen is just a guy who has a job that reaches millions…but IT’S JUST A JOB! AND HE’S JUST A GUY! AND HE DID NOT SHOW UP FOR WORK BECAUSE OF SELFISH REASONS AND THAT HAS AFFECTED HIS COWORKERS' LIVELIHOOD!!
The simple solution is to replace him. If I behaved like Charlie has behaved, I would, indeed, be fired, terminated, axed, canned, let go, replaced, and FIRED (again!). Why? Because you cannot get away with being bigger than the job. If you do not comply with what is asked of you by your employer, then you will not be employed. End of story.
CBS can and should fire Sheen. And replace him with…not a monkey. That was my way of getting the attention of the masses (and CBS). But replace him with any of the hundreds of talented, working actors out there looking for a break.
That’s why I suggest that CBS have a reality-themed show designed to replace Sheen. Find ten hungry, talented, funny, out-of-work actors, put them all in one apartment, and have one replace Sheen each week on “Two and a Half Men.” At the end of the ten-week talent search, and after creating a ratings powerhouse, the new “Charlie” is revealed. Everybody wins. The current cast of the show, who, because of the selfish antics of their star are not making a living, get to work and get paid. And someone new on the horizon, as good as but more than likely better than Sheen, gets his shot at stardom.
And best yet, the audience, you out there who need laughter to end your day after having to scrape and toil for your daily bread and gasoline, you, my friend, gets to chuckle during dinner, a necessary respite, delivered by a fresh face, hopefully sans chemicals and attitude, that will make you smile…and not give a moment’s thought to Carlos Estevez.
Life is too short to put up with the Charlie Sheen’s of the world. Think about it. If this guy lived next door to you or, heaven forbid, were related to you, would you allow him to continue with such bizarre, destructive, and repugnant behavior? No, you would see that he seeks help…and change the channel, in hope of discovering something to take your mind off your troubles. And have a jolly chortle or two in the meantime.
I am originally from New England, Back East, Red Sox and Yankee Country.We have harsh winters and humid summers, eat clam chowder, both white and red, and have that “Faggahettabbbouttitt!” attitude.Italian food and the best pizza around can be found there, but Mexican food?Like the guy said: Faggahettabbbouttitt!”
When I moved out to California in the eighties, I didn’t know an avocado from and apricot, and had only sampled a handful of Mexican classics, sadly mostly from a fast food chain with a bell on its façade.I never tasted guacamole until I was well into my twenties.
Today, having lived on the West Coast for over half my adult life, and for decades being a rock’s toss from our amigos to the south of the boarder, I not only am familiar with Mexican cuisine, but nosh on it as often as three times weekly.
One of my favorite dipping snacks, right there alongside spicy salsa, is guacamole.The best part about this delicious, avocado-rich dip is how simple it is to make.Watch for yourself:
Take four ripe avocados, dice them up, add half a chopped white onion, a chopped tomato, without the seeds, handful of chopped cilantro, finely diced radish, diced jalapeno, depending on how hot you like it, squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste, and you have yourself a fresh, delicious, fast snack.
I may be an east coaster at heart, but as the years go by I am more and more a west coaster who embraces the cultures and tastes of the land—like Mexican food, especially avocado-laden foods like guacamole.
Next time you’re in the produce aisle of your grocery store and see one of those rough, green, odd-looking hand grenade things, grab a few, along with onion, tomato and the rest of the gang, and make yourself some guac.
Who are these people?You know the ones, those loud-talkers that call attention to themselves in places that were once civil and respectable establishments.
Take this recent dining experience—I’m sitting with the one I love, sifting through my salad, enjoying “normal” conversation, when this sudden noise, this garish shriek of uninteresting garbage, this overloud television commercial of a human being intrudes upon my space to share their day’s events with me, instead of quietly with the person across from them.
I find myself asking an unanswerable question: “Why does this clueless fool feel the need to share their banal personal life with the rest of us?”
Sadly, I always conclude with the obvious:
“Because they appear to indeed be clueless.”
At least I hope that’s why.Because if ignorance is not the reason for being one of those loud-talking louts who interrupt (dare I say sabotage?) decent social behavior, then the only other conclusion would be selfishness, rudeness, or maybe just plain mean arrogance.
That is a rather frightening thought.
To those scary souls I say:
“MODULATE, PLEASE!”
But it’s not just in restaurants, not just clueless loud-talkers, sharing endless streams of trite drivel.How about those cell phone gum-flappers?Or those parents who publicly scream at their kids?You know the ones that must be suffering from a mild case of amnesia, thinking that they are in their living rooms as they demand that little Sally or Bobby—for the tenth time!—pick up that toy RIGHT NOW!ONE…TWO…Don’t make me count to THREE!
There is a rudeness going around these days, like a virus, only one with no hypodermic needle available as a remedy for this bizarre epidemic.I say bizarre because the solution is simple manners, common decency, and the ability to differentiate between acceptable public behavior and the unacceptable.
But that’s just it.Sadly, again, I am not sure enough people actually understand what acceptable public behavior is anymore.
“MODULATE, PLEASE!”
Blame can be doled out in several places, starting with the breakdown of family values.These things need to be taught at home, at the beginning of one’s early development, as necessary as learning to read or walk.
Technology is an easy target.After all, with electronic communication and social networking readily available at the touch of one’s fingertips, folks feel that the world is in their living rooms.But is that any excuse for selfish, rude, intrusive behavior?Sadly, again, it is not.
Frankly, I’m befuddled.Because while I embrace having the world at my doorstep and fingertips, I have never used my cell phone in an intrusive, rude, or selfish manner.Never imagined doing so.
Leading me to conclude that this problem—be it loud-talkers in public places, rude cell phone barkers, heavy bass music blarers, or oversaturated cologne and perfume spritzers—is linked to the spirit, the essence of our existence.Basic tenets of decency taught to most of us…but somehow recently forgotten.
Simple, basic—HUMAN—behavioral traits like:
·Kindness
·Unselfishness
·Being charitable
·Politeness
·Giving
·Sharing
·Considerate
·Common decency
Anyone who argues that they are all of the above yet exhibit any of the sad behavior mentioned in this post are not only fooling themselves, but polluting the world.
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