Throughout the past months, I’ve been reading up on healthy eating and nutrition, and have been striving to incorporate changes into my menu-planning. (Unobtrusive changes, so as not to alarm the family.) One of the things I try to do is make sure we eat broccoli a couple of times a week. Here is a tasty recipe from Ultimate Foods for Ultimate Health…and don’t forget the chocolate!

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chopped broccoli
1 can (14 oz or 385 mL) fat-free evaporated milk
1 cup shredded light aged cheddar
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
pinch cayenne

In a medium pot, add the broth, onions, garlic and broccoli, in that order. You want the onions and garlic cooking in the stock with the broccoli sitting on top. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.

Add evaporated milk, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne. Puree the soup with blender. Stir in cheddar cheese. Mix until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!

I’ve recently discovered the joys of cooking home made soup. It’s not much more difficult than opening a can, and so much tastier & healthier! Here’s a recipe for roasted tomato soup that I’ve been working on. My measurements aren’t too precise, so experiment with what works for you.

12-15 fresh tomatoes (various kinds)
1 large or two small onions
6 cloves of garlic
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
4 c chicken stock
3 tbsp butter
1/2 c cream
fresh or dried herbs

Wash, core and cut tomatoes into halves. Spread tomatoes, sliced onions & garlic cloves over a cookie sheet, and drizzle generously with olive oil (1/4 - 1/2 c). Sprinkle with salt & freshly ground black pepper. Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes (400 degrees or hotter).

Remove from oven and add to a pot with the chicken stock and butter. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Add your preferred herbs. (I use basil and sometimes oregano.) Blend the soup until smooth, using a hand blender if you have one, or transferring to a blender or food processor. Return to pot on low heat and add cream. Season to taste.

Mmmm… my new favorite healthy comfort food!

We’re very sad this week, as a beautiful active life came to an unexpected end in a car crash last weekend. Patti was a mentor for my children; my children and many other families as well. She was the vice-principal of the home learner program we are enrolled with. More than a vice-principal, she was a friend to everyone. She was always there for our ArtSmarts classes, talking with parents and children alike. She knew everyone by name and what was happening in their lives. Yesterday was our first ArtSmarts class without her, and there was a lot of shared grief and memories.

When I picture Patti, it was with a smile on her face. If there was ever a challenge or difficulty, she would somehow smooth things over, make things work. I remember Patti’s limitless enthusiasm on field trips, whether it was for the rides at Playland, or a tour of the newspaper factory. She definitely went above and beyond her job description, going out of her way to bring books for the children to our home. She loved her job and put in many hours, but she also had a life outside of it. She took care of herself, and was beautiful, inside and out. She was in many ways the heart and soul of our program. Patti inspires me to make every minute count. RIP Patti, and thank you.

Giving each child a rose and candy cane at the Christmas pageant…

Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror. But you are eternity and you are the mirror. -Kahlil Gibran

I arise this day
with love in my heart,
through the warmth of the sun,
the radiance of the moon,
freedom of the wind,
joy of rushing water,
splendor of fire,
stability of earth,
serenity of stars, and
the wisdom of silence.

I embrace this day
through the grace of the goddess to guide me
and the promise of love to inspire me.
(-Margie Lapanja-The Goddess’ Guide to Love)

“Mummy, why haven’t you been writing in your blog?” asked my beloved little girl yesterday. “Well…” I tried to explain. “Sometimes adults go through times when they’re trying to figure stuff out. Right now I feel like I’m in a period of trying to adjust, and I don’t feel like I really have any advice for anyone.”

She thought about that for a bit. Then she said “But Mummy, you don’t have to have all the answers to help people feel better.” So with that sage advice from a little girl, I’m sharing some gratitude with you today, dear readers…

I don’t watch a lot of TV, but flipping channels while packing/unpacking, I noticed that there seem to be a lot of quick-fix shows. Apparently, people are concerned about aging, and these shows set out to find people who are extremely frazzled and don’t take care of themselves, then use surgery, make up and new clothes to ‘fix them up’ and make them look younger and more appealing in a matter of days.

It seems really unhealthy to me. If someone is working 14 hour days while being a single mom and doesn’t take time to look after themselves, instead of putting thousands of dollars towards surgery and make up, maybe hiring someone to help her out at home for a few hours, or a personal trainer, or even a weekend a month at a spa while someone watches her children would be more helpful. I wonder what these made-over people look like a year later, if they have gone back to their unhealthy lifestyle and are still not looking after themselves.

So I picked up this book called The Yoga Face, by Annelise Hagen (Eliminate Wrinkles with the Ultimate Natural Facelift). At first I thought it would be all about facial exercises, and there is a chapter on that, but it is so much more than that. The book really takes a well rounded approach, with sections on traditional yoga poses, routines, massage, breathing, meditation and visualization, natural beauty products and diet. Then it has a chapter on sequences (putting it all together), which I think will be useful, but I actually haven’t taken the time to try it yet. (Yes, I’m still working on the house… my computer is hooked up, but my office is still in boxes…)

In regards to facial exercises, this author, along with others that I’ve read, claims that like our bodies under our chins, our facial muscles will sag and droop if we don’t exercise them. I’ve always been a bit skeptical. IMO, vigorously exercising facial muscles could possibly increase grooves and wrinkles. I like in this book the emphasis on relaxation of the muscles you are not using for the exercise.

My favorite exercise is one she calls ‘Buddha face’. This one involves just conscientiously relaxing all the muscles in your face, and is something that you can do pretty much anywhere during the day. At this point in my life, I don’t really have the time or inclination to fit in new routines, so this is something that I can incorporate and works well for me.

If you are interested in yoga and/or aging gracefully, I can definitely recommend this book to add to your collection. The chapters are short, concise, and full of intelligent information, and you can read them in whatever order you like.

It’s time for week 10 of the Simple Steps program. Each week the program introduces 4 new habits, one each for nutrition, fitness, home and self. The trick is that they accumulate, so obviously, you have to keep doing the ones from the previous weeks. This week’s habits are:

1. Plan meals ahead and set up an efficient grocery shopping system.

An efficient grocery shopping system saves us time, money, and helps us diversify our meals and eat healthier. Sit down and plan your menu before you do the weekly shopping trip. Taking a half hour to do this step can save lost of stress throughout the week. Start with a clean pantry, and do a quick check before you go to see what needs to be replaced. Keep a list of favorite recipes and weekly menus on your computer. As soon as you get home from your grocery shopping, immediately take time to clean, cut and prepare food items. Fruits and vegetables can be washed and put in see through snack containers in the fridge, ready to grab for work, school or a quick snack. Meat should have the fat cut off and be placed in freezer bags with the date on it.

2. Extend your daily walk from twenty to thirty minutes.

Now that our bodies are used to the brisk 20 minute daily walk, we can up the challenge. If time is an issue, try splitting it into two 15 minute walks. Explore new places. Go with a friend or family member and have a stimulating conversation while you are getting healthy together.

3. Create an inviting entry way to your home.

The entry of our home is a direct reflection of our entire home. An entry is a guest’s first impression, and our first impression when we come home, so it is worth the effort to make it beautiful, peaceful and inviting.

4. Create your own treasure map of life’s goals.

Start by drawing up a list of your dreams and personal goals. There is magic in writing it down! Then collect pictures and phrases that match your goals (using old magazines or any supplies you have on hand) and create a poster board treasure map. You can divide it into different areas (financial, fitness, career) or simply arrange everything around photo of yourself or something that has meaning to you. Decorate the map with motivational phrases and pretty pictures. Put your map somewhere that you can look at it every day. As you achieve your goals, and create new ones, update your map. You can even scan it into your computer and use it as a screen saver!