Surround Yourself With Good Food

    

                                               Mountains and Sunshine at noon today in Vermont
                                                         photo by my son, Ben Clinton

Wow - yesterday was a fantastic day of growth and clarity. I thought it would have taken me about 6 months to come to the realizations I woke up with and within 30 minutes of wakefulness, had fully formed in my mind and been "right on". 


Later in the day I had my first telecom appointment with Sylvia, my life coach and beautiful human being (if you need a referral let me know). She had read my blog from yesterday and we talked for awhile. We both knew that I don't need her services any longer. 


She helped me so much just in my initial consultation by teaching me not to think so hard. She suggested at my next meditation to simply ask, "What next?" While this answer did not come during meditation (I did not think it would), it certainly did come and quickly.


One of the things we talked about is the need in our society for an "all-inclusive" program of beauty, health, anti-aging, love for women my age (and really, at this time in our society women of any age would relate to this info). 


Some of my goals with this blog are in this area of rejuvenation. I intend to provide recipes, yoga poses, Pilates poses, strength training and aerobic training information, life blurbs, anti-aging info, beauty tips and more. I invite you to email me if there is something special you would like to address here. 


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This is a great and simple soup, full of nutrition. If you eat this soup with a whole grain or corn, it provides a complete protein (when a vegetarian like myself considers protein these combinations are important; beans +whole grain = complete protein, beans + corn = complete protein, get it?)

Why weren't red lentils named orange lentils? They are actually orange. Look how tiny they are? About as big as the warts I used to get on my fingers when I was a kid. Ha! The reason I included this picture for you is so that you can see just how small they are and so that you can see how beautiful they are. The smaller the bean/legume/pea, the shorter the cooking time. Also FYI - the longer they cook, the musher they get.


Here is some info for you about lentils - 


The plant likely originated in India and Pakistan. Archeological evidence shows they were eaten 13,000 to 9,500 years ago.


Lentil colors range from yellow to red-orange to green, brown and black. They vary in size also.


They have an earthy flavor.


All over the world, they are used to prepare an inexpensive and nutritious soup.


Dried lentils can also be sprouted by soaking in water for one day and keeping moist for several days.


They have the 3rd highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp.


They contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B1 and minerals including iron.

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH TURNIP AND PARSLEY
(serves 8, makes 10 cups)


In a pot heat 2 T olive oil and 1 Tbsp water over medium heat
Add 1 diced yellow onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, 3 diced celery stalks
Stir until tender, about 6 minutes


Increase heat to high
Add 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
Cook for 1 minute


Add 1/ 1/2 cups dried red lentils, 1 peeled and diced turnip, 6 cups water
Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until lentils tender, 20-25 minutes


Stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and 1-2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar. The vinegar give it a unique and delicious flavor


Season with pepper, salt and any other yummie favorites


                                                                   Lentil Plant

                       The info here about lentils and this photo of lentil plants came from Wikipedia 
                                   Thank you Wikipedia. I love you Wikipedia. You are "the bomb"
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 NUTRITION TID BIT THAT MY CLIENTS HAVE GOTTEN A HUGE BENEFIT FROM - 


SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD FOOD. PUT YOUR LOVELY SWEET POTATOES AND YOUR PEARS AND YOUR RED LENTILS AND GRAPEFRUIT OUT ON YOUR KITCHEN COUNTER. PUT YOUR ALMONDS IN A PRETTY JAR BY YOUR REFRIGERATOR. PUT YOUR GINGER ON YOUR WINDOWSILL AND GIVE IT A BIG OLE DEEP SNIFF EVERY NOW AND THEN (BE SURE TO CUT ONE END SO YOU GET THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE AROMA). IN THE FALL IF YOU HAVEN'T EATTEN THE PUMPKIN YOU GOT TO PUT BY YOUR FRONT DOOR, PICK IT WAY UP OVER YOUR HEAD AND SMASH IT DOWN HARD ON THE PAVEMENT WHILE YOU YELL "HAAAAAAAA" REALLY LOUD LIKE A SUMMO WRESTLER MIGHT; IT WILL CRACK OPEN AND ALL THE BEAUTIFUL SEEDS AND OVER THE NEXT WEEK THE PULP WILL BE DEVOURED BY SQUIRRELS AND CHIPMONKS AND BIRDS AND MAYBE EVEN A FEW RATS! HAHAHA! PLUS, IT FEELS SO GOOD TO SMASH SOMETHING LIKE THAT DOWN AND GIVE OUT A GOOD YELL.


ANYWAY, SURROUND YOURSELF WITH REALLY GOOD FOOD. IT WILL BECOME PART OF YOU.


SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD FOOD.


Adios Friends, 
Donna Rae