I'm not much of a drinker. Alcohol is not something I would miss if I was told to skip it. It's not that important to me. I do enjoy a glass of wine every now and then. Mostly while having dinner at a restaurant or over a conversation with friends. I barely drink any alcohol otherwise. Or it must be that little sip of eggnog that I made. It's sitting in the fridge and it's supposed to ripen by the week. So I just have to taste a little every day. I just hope the bottle won't be empty by the time it has ripened!
If you like to have a drink and you wish to come over to our place, please let us know in advance, because there's this possibility that you'll end up drinking diet coke or diet sprite if you don't. I could make you Irish or Italian Coffee and I always have a bottle of Chardonnay in the fridge and some red wine on the side table, but that's about it. No beer, no liquor, no cocktails. But still, your visit will never be boring. We don't need the alcohol to have a good time!
You don't know me yet, maybe you do. If you don't, you will get to know me by reading this blog. If you know me, you might learn more about me, reading this blog, since I don't have the time to keep up with all of you. I'm a witty, young at heart hobby cook, always in for a good time, craving carbs but not eating many. An open book to many, spontaneous, outgoing, loving and caring personality with Type 1 diabetes.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The Perfect Party
She's growing up. Nearly 16 years old now. She asked if she could join her cousin to a school dance last night. Her cousin was born the day after her and they get along real well. He's gone out before and so has our daughter. Not every week, not even every month, but she's a sensible girl and we trust her. So yes, we are happy for her that she can go out every now and then. She's a teenager after all and going out is part of her youth. It's good for her, for she can practise in being assertive and setting boundaries. She has to learn to make decisions and being selective in the friends she hangs out with.
I drove her to her cousins house by 6 PM. They were going to meet up before the dance and have dinner together. What a great idea! The party didn't start till 9 PM and I told her I was going to pick her and a friend up at 1 AM. I'm sure she wanted to stay a little longer, but that was the deal. No alcohol was the other agreement. Going out comes with rules and our daughter knows that we are serious about the rules. It's up to her, but I know she won't break the rules. I'm pretty confident. She won't betray the trust.. and she didn't.
I drove her to her cousins house by 6 PM. They were going to meet up before the dance and have dinner together. What a great idea! The party didn't start till 9 PM and I told her I was going to pick her and a friend up at 1 AM. I'm sure she wanted to stay a little longer, but that was the deal. No alcohol was the other agreement. Going out comes with rules and our daughter knows that we are serious about the rules. It's up to her, but I know she won't break the rules. I'm pretty confident. She won't betray the trust.. and she didn't.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Agony
He had the most terrible tooth ache ever. It was just so painful, he made an appointment with the dentist right away. He could barely think of anything else, since the pain was so overwhelming. Hot packs, cold packs, nothing helped to relieve the pain.
The dentist sedated his lip first, before he stuck a needle in my friend's palate. That needle came totally unexpected and the dentist probably poked the abscess at that time. My friend yelled, jumped out of the chair, pushed away the brute and ran out of the dentist's office. He was in sheer agony and never before had he experienced so much pain. If he were a woman, he would probably have said it was worse than delivering a child.
He barely made it to his house, when the abscess cracked, releasing pus and and icky stuff. Finally, the pressure was off. It was over... I would offer him a band aid to soothe the pain, but that'll be a bit tricky I guess..
The dentist sedated his lip first, before he stuck a needle in my friend's palate. That needle came totally unexpected and the dentist probably poked the abscess at that time. My friend yelled, jumped out of the chair, pushed away the brute and ran out of the dentist's office. He was in sheer agony and never before had he experienced so much pain. If he were a woman, he would probably have said it was worse than delivering a child.
He barely made it to his house, when the abscess cracked, releasing pus and and icky stuff. Finally, the pressure was off. It was over... I would offer him a band aid to soothe the pain, but that'll be a bit tricky I guess..
Curiosity killed the cat
There is this wonderful lady in my surroundings, with great knowledge and years of experience, whom I love to talk to. She has so much wisdom and many interesting stories to tell, that I wouldn't have enough time to hear all of them. I'm so curious about her past, her life, her family. I wish she would let me write down her numerous recipes. I'm always curious about her cooking methods. She has a family of 6 sons and she has cooked so many meals in so many years, that she could write more than a dozen of family style cookbooks. I know I would buy them!
In January, we'll spend some time together. I'll bring my notebook so she can dictate her favorite recipes for me to keep and prepare. It'll never be the same, because following a recipe to the T is not something I'm used to doing, but I'll give it a try. Her recipes don't need any alterations. They are fine as they are.
She's a loving mom and I'm very lucky to call her my friend. It's my pleasure to spend time with her and discuss whatever keeps her busy. She has welcomed me into her family and I feel blessed. Thanks for being who you are, Mrs. T!
In January, we'll spend some time together. I'll bring my notebook so she can dictate her favorite recipes for me to keep and prepare. It'll never be the same, because following a recipe to the T is not something I'm used to doing, but I'll give it a try. Her recipes don't need any alterations. They are fine as they are.
She's a loving mom and I'm very lucky to call her my friend. It's my pleasure to spend time with her and discuss whatever keeps her busy. She has welcomed me into her family and I feel blessed. Thanks for being who you are, Mrs. T!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Huggy Bear
Today is international hugging day. Flemish people are not huggers by nature. Compared to Americans, we prefer to kiss and shake hands, but more often, even the Flemish try to hug. I'm a hugger!
I really like to hug and cuddle! It's a good stress reliever.
Some friends of mine are good huggers. Their hugs are sincere and warm and very welcome. Other people hug like spiders: cold, distant and creepy. I don't know if one can learn how to hug. It has to come from within. You can express a lot in a hug. Some hugs are loving, other can be comforting and consoling.
Even our whippets like to hug. Lana hugs them all the time. She grabs their legs, puts them on her shoulders and hugs them to pieces. They like to hug too!
So: are you a hugger or not?
I really like to hug and cuddle! It's a good stress reliever.
Some friends of mine are good huggers. Their hugs are sincere and warm and very welcome. Other people hug like spiders: cold, distant and creepy. I don't know if one can learn how to hug. It has to come from within. You can express a lot in a hug. Some hugs are loving, other can be comforting and consoling.
Even our whippets like to hug. Lana hugs them all the time. She grabs their legs, puts them on her shoulders and hugs them to pieces. They like to hug too!
So: are you a hugger or not?
You totally don't have to
As soon as Hubby gets out of bed, both whippets point their ears. They just know he's about to come downstairs. They know he will take them for a walk. So they are up and ready for him to enter the living area. They stand on the couch, ready to race to the door to greet him. They are so excited to see him and lick him in the face. He has to calm them down. From the moment he has put on his clothes and shoes, they won't leave him alone. It's the signal he's ready to go! and trust me: so are they!
Both whippets have a collar with their own personalized ID-tag. It has their picture on it and on the back, their name, birth date and our address and mobile number are engraved. Just in case they get lost.. Of course they are chipped as well, but bystanders don't have a device to read their chip, do they? I hope they will never get lost. That's why we are very particular about letting them run without a leash. We try to find rather remote and special places where no cars are allowed and where they can run without being harmed.
I like the way the dogs move their heads from left to right and back, when you ask them if they are ready to go for a walk. It's hilarious.. I think it's about time now. Let's go! You totally don't have to take them, but I'm very happy you do..
Both whippets have a collar with their own personalized ID-tag. It has their picture on it and on the back, their name, birth date and our address and mobile number are engraved. Just in case they get lost.. Of course they are chipped as well, but bystanders don't have a device to read their chip, do they? I hope they will never get lost. That's why we are very particular about letting them run without a leash. We try to find rather remote and special places where no cars are allowed and where they can run without being harmed.
I like the way the dogs move their heads from left to right and back, when you ask them if they are ready to go for a walk. It's hilarious.. I think it's about time now. Let's go! You totally don't have to take them, but I'm very happy you do..
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Knuckle-popping
I love to pop my knuckles! I don't pop them to irritate people. It just gives me a good feeling. It's like something I just need to do every once in a while. Consider it a method of stretching? It's like all the joints pop in to the right spot again.
As a teenager, I took flute class in a local music school. Even back then I would pop my knuckles. My teacher hated that! He warned me not to do so. He said I would get arthritis and I would no longer be able to play the flute. My fingers are still very flexible though and I can still play the flute.
Our oldest daughter can't pop her fingers, but her toes do pop all the time. I wonder if she'll get arthritis in her toes.. she definitely won't be able to play the flute with her feet.
As a teenager, I took flute class in a local music school. Even back then I would pop my knuckles. My teacher hated that! He warned me not to do so. He said I would get arthritis and I would no longer be able to play the flute. My fingers are still very flexible though and I can still play the flute.
Our oldest daughter can't pop her fingers, but her toes do pop all the time. I wonder if she'll get arthritis in her toes.. she definitely won't be able to play the flute with her feet.
Under pressure
Fifteen years ago, I got my first pressure cooker. For many years, it's been a handy kitchen appliance to me. I used it to cook red cabbage (don't you love red cabbage??!!), beef stew, chickenpot, soup,.. Unfortunately, while I was preparing beef tongue, my cooker fell apart. It couldn't be fixed, so I went to the nearest shop to get myself another one. Wow! the prices of the pressure cookers were really shocking. I had no idea what to expect! Hubby knows I use every kitchen appliance I buy, so I knew he wouldn't mind me getting another one and that's exactly how he reacted.
I was surprised by the efficiency of this new cooker by Demeyere. I got myself the 8 litre version. That beef tongue fits in much better than in the smaller pot I used to have.
It may seem funny, but I sometimes use my pressure cooker as a slow cooker. Osso bucco is the next dish I'm going to make in my pressure cooker. The other day, I saw Antonio Carluccio make his version of Osso bucco alla Milanese con Gremolata. And that's exactly what I'm going to make. Can't you smell it already? There's just one minor point: I won't eat the meat.. But the smell and the sauce full of vegetables, together with saffron risotto and gremolata, will be plenty for me. Hubby can have the meat and a huge chunk of bread to sip the sauce with..
I was surprised by the efficiency of this new cooker by Demeyere. I got myself the 8 litre version. That beef tongue fits in much better than in the smaller pot I used to have.
It may seem funny, but I sometimes use my pressure cooker as a slow cooker. Osso bucco is the next dish I'm going to make in my pressure cooker. The other day, I saw Antonio Carluccio make his version of Osso bucco alla Milanese con Gremolata. And that's exactly what I'm going to make. Can't you smell it already? There's just one minor point: I won't eat the meat.. But the smell and the sauce full of vegetables, together with saffron risotto and gremolata, will be plenty for me. Hubby can have the meat and a huge chunk of bread to sip the sauce with..
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
In memory of Eilish..
What happened with this little girl? In situations of this manner, there is often spoken of "dead in bed syndrome" since the cause of death is not known. The syndrome is responsible for about 6% of diabetes-related deaths in people under the age of 40.
"Dead in bed syndrome" is not necessarily linked to poor blood sugar control. You go to bed without an issue whatsoever and you never wake up again. It is scary and confrontational, but luckily it is also rare. Research has shown that "dead in bed syndrome" may be the result of heart arrhythmia caused by an unnoticed nighttime hypoglycaemia. Some suggest it may be the result of hypo-unawareness. That's when a person with diabetes no longer experiences the warning signs of a low blood glucose. In most cases, our liver stores an amount of 16 sugar lumps. It's an effective method for when we don't notice our hypos during the night, when the liver releases the stored sugar to help us get through the episode. Unfortunately, sometimes things go terribly wrong. That's a possible explanation of what happened with Eilish. But nobody knows for sure, since you cannot determine ones blood glucose after death..
In the first years of my diagnosis, those nighttime lows really freaked me out. At a certain time in that period, I was afraid to go to bed. I would stay up as late as possible and poke my fingers several times during the night, to make sure I was not going to get a low without noticing. I've got over that now.
The story of Eilish is absolutely devastating. Her family must be hurting so badly now. It's such a sad story. It is one of the reasons why we need more funding to find a cure for diabetes. It could happen to any of us, diabetics, and there are no precautions we can take to avoid it.
Type 1 diabetes is a serious condition. It is not some joke. It's not just a little bit of sugar. I hope you're okay now Eilish, wherever you may be now. My love goes out to your sister Ella and to your mommy and daddy, whose hearts must be shredded over your loss. You will be missed terribly. You warmed the hearts of so many people around you. Things could have been different. Things should've been different. Nobody is to blame for your death, Eilish. You did the best you could. So did your family. You were cared for and you mattered big time. You will not be forgotten.. This candle is to burn for you and all the children out there, who are suffering from this condition. I hope no family has to go through this pointless ordeal..
Flexitarians
Under no circumstances would I call myself a vegetarian. I don't eat much meat or fish - although I eat more fish than meat - but it's just that I'm not too fond of meat. I don't feel the need for meat or poultry. I do like my veggies and I would have a harder time giving up on vegetables.
Diabetics have more cardiovascular risk. Eating a lot of meat is not very healthy because of the large amount of fat in meat. But that's not the reason why I don't eat that much meat. I have never been a big meat lover. Not because I feel bad for the animals being killed for their meat. I don't think of the animal when I have a piece of meat on my plate. There are just so many other things to enjoy that I do not particularly ask for meat.
In Belgium, people are used to having three items on their plates: meat, potatoes and vegetables. Making a weekly menu, people start by thinking what meat they are going to have. The choice of vegetables is the last choice and not that important to many. I start by thinking: what vegetables can we eat this week? I try to pick 2-3 vegetables per meal and then I figure out what else I'm gonna have. I like legumes like lentils, beans, chickpeas, .. and I occasionally have falafel, but I don't like veggie burgers or vegetarian sausages for that manner. I don't feel the need to replace my meat by something else. My plate is full of vegetables and some carbohydrates. Every now and then I will have a piece of meat or fish, but not necessarily. Quorn is a good alternative, but I don't eat it that often. I never have tofu or seitan or tempeh. It's just not something I long for.
I wouldn't be bad for any of us, to have a meatless day on a weekly basis. Just like we used to have fish on Friday, we could make Thursday veggie day. You could use meat alternatives if you feel the need or you could have legumes or eggs instead. If you don't mind meatless days, you could have two or three meatless meals per week.
I feel healthy and my blood results show no lack of vitamins. Since I hardly ever eat bread, there are no cold cuts to be eaten either. Meaning no extra fat in my plate. I don't mind other people eating meat and I do feed my family the traditional way. But I have noticed that neither one of my girls are big meat lovers. They prefer fish as well and they eat quorn fillets. Hubby is a meat lover, but he no longer eats as much meat as he used to when we first met. Little by little I have cut down on meat and nowadays there's hardly any pork to be prepared in this household. I buy leaner meat like veal and beef or poultry. There are no complaints about the menu, so I guess they don't mind?
Let's say I could call myself a flexitarian. I don't eat much meat or fish, but every now and then I have some. I have beef carpaccio once in a while and I often ask for fish in a restaurant, but it's not something I can't do without. I guess I don't want to be pigeon holed. I am who I am and I eat what I eat.
Diabetics have more cardiovascular risk. Eating a lot of meat is not very healthy because of the large amount of fat in meat. But that's not the reason why I don't eat that much meat. I have never been a big meat lover. Not because I feel bad for the animals being killed for their meat. I don't think of the animal when I have a piece of meat on my plate. There are just so many other things to enjoy that I do not particularly ask for meat.
In Belgium, people are used to having three items on their plates: meat, potatoes and vegetables. Making a weekly menu, people start by thinking what meat they are going to have. The choice of vegetables is the last choice and not that important to many. I start by thinking: what vegetables can we eat this week? I try to pick 2-3 vegetables per meal and then I figure out what else I'm gonna have. I like legumes like lentils, beans, chickpeas, .. and I occasionally have falafel, but I don't like veggie burgers or vegetarian sausages for that manner. I don't feel the need to replace my meat by something else. My plate is full of vegetables and some carbohydrates. Every now and then I will have a piece of meat or fish, but not necessarily. Quorn is a good alternative, but I don't eat it that often. I never have tofu or seitan or tempeh. It's just not something I long for.
I wouldn't be bad for any of us, to have a meatless day on a weekly basis. Just like we used to have fish on Friday, we could make Thursday veggie day. You could use meat alternatives if you feel the need or you could have legumes or eggs instead. If you don't mind meatless days, you could have two or three meatless meals per week.
I feel healthy and my blood results show no lack of vitamins. Since I hardly ever eat bread, there are no cold cuts to be eaten either. Meaning no extra fat in my plate. I don't mind other people eating meat and I do feed my family the traditional way. But I have noticed that neither one of my girls are big meat lovers. They prefer fish as well and they eat quorn fillets. Hubby is a meat lover, but he no longer eats as much meat as he used to when we first met. Little by little I have cut down on meat and nowadays there's hardly any pork to be prepared in this household. I buy leaner meat like veal and beef or poultry. There are no complaints about the menu, so I guess they don't mind?
Let's say I could call myself a flexitarian. I don't eat much meat or fish, but every now and then I have some. I have beef carpaccio once in a while and I often ask for fish in a restaurant, but it's not something I can't do without. I guess I don't want to be pigeon holed. I am who I am and I eat what I eat.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Smelly feet
Four legs are pointing towards the ceiling. Inthe is laying on her back on the couch, her four legs stretched out upwards. I love the smell of her whippety feet. Her feet are warm and they have this particular smell that can't be compared to anything else. Honestly, they smell sweet and earthlike. I like to sniff them and touch them. Sorry guys, but you can't know if you don't own one..
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| Photo by Lana Joos |
Choking in sand
Having high blood glucose - I'm talking > 300 mg/dl - and being extremely thirsty go together like a matching pair of socks. If you are used to having high sugars, you don't notice the effect any more, but having a normal blood glucose ending in a high number is sheer horror to me. I feel sick and awful and I have this overall feeling I'm choking in sand! My throat is so dry and it's like I've been eating ground cork. I would drink a bath tub of water. I won't eat until that horrible number has come down...
In cooking class, there was a type 1 who was diagnosed some 30 years ago. She was not doing well. Having lost most of her sight, she had one of her feet partially amputated. Her blood sugars have been raised for most of her diabetes career, leaving her with a HbA1c (it's supposed to be < 7% for diabetics, while non-diabetics have a HbA1c between 4 - 6%) of no less than 13%!! She called herself a brittle diabetic, meaning her diabetes was hard to regulate. For thirty years, she had been seeing the same endocrinologist. When I came home, I asked myself: would I have tried to find another specialist? Someone who was able to help me where the other doctor failed? She's not allowed to use more than 4 strips a day. Can you believe someone with poor diabetes control is prohibited from using more blood strips??? I don't get it.. I just don't. I'm so sorry for this lady. I wish it were different. She's still young and she's not facing a bright future. The damage has been done and it's irreversible.
It is so important for us diabetics, to have good control. It is so important to understand what diabetes is about. It's as important to have a good and happy life. Having terrible blood glucose is not a good life by far. The complications and their effect on your health are merciless. I'm glad I was diagnosed in 2002, not 1980. I'm glad my doctors and nurse are doing the best they can. I'm happy for my diabetic friends, who can tell me about their experiences and who teach me what there is to know. I'm so thankful for the support of our Belgian diabetesforum..
In cooking class, there was a type 1 who was diagnosed some 30 years ago. She was not doing well. Having lost most of her sight, she had one of her feet partially amputated. Her blood sugars have been raised for most of her diabetes career, leaving her with a HbA1c (it's supposed to be < 7% for diabetics, while non-diabetics have a HbA1c between 4 - 6%) of no less than 13%!! She called herself a brittle diabetic, meaning her diabetes was hard to regulate. For thirty years, she had been seeing the same endocrinologist. When I came home, I asked myself: would I have tried to find another specialist? Someone who was able to help me where the other doctor failed? She's not allowed to use more than 4 strips a day. Can you believe someone with poor diabetes control is prohibited from using more blood strips??? I don't get it.. I just don't. I'm so sorry for this lady. I wish it were different. She's still young and she's not facing a bright future. The damage has been done and it's irreversible.
It is so important for us diabetics, to have good control. It is so important to understand what diabetes is about. It's as important to have a good and happy life. Having terrible blood glucose is not a good life by far. The complications and their effect on your health are merciless. I'm glad I was diagnosed in 2002, not 1980. I'm glad my doctors and nurse are doing the best they can. I'm happy for my diabetic friends, who can tell me about their experiences and who teach me what there is to know. I'm so thankful for the support of our Belgian diabetesforum..
Monday, October 25, 2010
Red boots
Like many women, I love boots! And so do my daughters. We have plenty of boots, some high heels, other rather flat. Whatever color you pick, boots are always exciting and sexy, especially if worn under a pencil skirt. Whenever we go to a shoe store, we can't leave the store without shoes/boots. And now, with the colder season coming up, there are plenty of boots to choose from.
My youngest daughter had been asking for boots for a while. The boots she wanted were so expensive I nearly choked on the price tag. So that was a big no-no. Store after store, she nodded her head in despair. She wanted brandy colored long boots, no high heels, but not totally flat either. I know, she's picky and once she has a picture in her head, it's very hard to make it go away and have it replaced by a different model.
So yes, I was very happy when she found the boots she really wanted. Not at first, because she wasn't convinced at all. Only part of the boots had the color she had in mind. And that was the upper part. She wanted the colors the other way around: brandy color on the bottom and chestnut on top. But hey: it was either these boots or no boots. So she thought it over and balanced out the options. Chewing on the nail of her thumb, she waved a lock of hair out of her face and mumbled: I guess I like these after all... Good grief.. Finally, after zillions of visits to several shoe stores.
Please, don't remind me that the other daughter needs boots as well. And trust me: she's worse..
My youngest daughter had been asking for boots for a while. The boots she wanted were so expensive I nearly choked on the price tag. So that was a big no-no. Store after store, she nodded her head in despair. She wanted brandy colored long boots, no high heels, but not totally flat either. I know, she's picky and once she has a picture in her head, it's very hard to make it go away and have it replaced by a different model.
So yes, I was very happy when she found the boots she really wanted. Not at first, because she wasn't convinced at all. Only part of the boots had the color she had in mind. And that was the upper part. She wanted the colors the other way around: brandy color on the bottom and chestnut on top. But hey: it was either these boots or no boots. So she thought it over and balanced out the options. Chewing on the nail of her thumb, she waved a lock of hair out of her face and mumbled: I guess I like these after all... Good grief.. Finally, after zillions of visits to several shoe stores.
Please, don't remind me that the other daughter needs boots as well. And trust me: she's worse..
Adding some crunch
A number one breakfast for me: home made granola!
You can eat the granola pure as a snack, but it's definitely worth having it over Greek yogurt, topped with home made apple sauce!
Trust me: it's so much better than store bought cereal and it's good for you!
- 325 grams of oats
- 100 grams of slivered almonds
- 100 grams of chopped nuts (take whatever you like: hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, peanuts,../I prefer pecans in this recipe)
- 145 grams of peeled sunflowerseeds
- 80 ml of oil
- 120 ml of honey
- cinnamon to taste
- vanilla paste (or extract if you don't have the paste) to taste
- Preheat the oven to 150°C.
- Throw the oats with the almond slivers, nuts and seeds in a bowl.
- Beat the oil with the honey, cinnamon and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mingle well with a wooden spoon.
- Spread the mixture evenly on your baking tray, in one layer only.
- Bake the granola for 20 minutes. Shake the tray back and forth after 10 minutes, so all sides have the chance to get crispy.
- Let the granola cool on the tray.
- Keep the granola in an airtight container.
You can eat the granola pure as a snack, but it's definitely worth having it over Greek yogurt, topped with home made apple sauce!
Trust me: it's so much better than store bought cereal and it's good for you!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tears of a clown
I can see the grief behind the smile on your face. You cry from within, without showing the world. But I can read you and it's painful not being able to help. You keep going and you keep busy and it's good that you do. One day, it will be different for you.. Just love yourself and take good care of the people around you. Their love will help you overcome your secret tears..
Thunder and rain
Getting older and talking about the weather is something you come across day in day out. We are surrounded by elder people in our neighborhood and their favorite subject is.. exactly: the weather.. Whenever you open your front door, at least one of the neighbors is out there, sitting on the bench, nagging about the weather. Too cold, too rainy, too hot, too whatever-they-feel-like-nagging-about. And what's the point? What can one do to change the weather forecast? Absolutely nothing! So I don't get it.. Is it small talk? Do they believe it's fascinating? Or is it an opening?
There's a bench in front of the house. When it's not raining, most of the time, 3 elder men sit on that bench, to watch the time and cars go by. It's nostalgic to see them pass their day, thinking about the good old times. They wear coats and hats and there are walking canes next to the bench. Their wives are at home, across the street, doing whatever needs to be done. One is hanging up her crisp white undies. The lady next door is making fresh soup. There's celery in it, I can tell by the smell. And the heads of the 3 elder men are turning slowly, from left to right and back to left. The man on the left predicts thunder and rain. The other two nod and say it's good for the greens in their backyard. I hope the crisp underwear will be dry by the time thunder strikes and heaven opens its clouds to let the rain fall out..
There's a bench in front of the house. When it's not raining, most of the time, 3 elder men sit on that bench, to watch the time and cars go by. It's nostalgic to see them pass their day, thinking about the good old times. They wear coats and hats and there are walking canes next to the bench. Their wives are at home, across the street, doing whatever needs to be done. One is hanging up her crisp white undies. The lady next door is making fresh soup. There's celery in it, I can tell by the smell. And the heads of the 3 elder men are turning slowly, from left to right and back to left. The man on the left predicts thunder and rain. The other two nod and say it's good for the greens in their backyard. I hope the crisp underwear will be dry by the time thunder strikes and heaven opens its clouds to let the rain fall out..
Saturday, October 23, 2010
The bottom line is..
Last night, we had three good friends over for dinner. I was so sorry to see that one of them was missing.. We are used to seeing all 4 of them, but Mrs. T couldn't make it. I hope she won't miss too many other gatherings?
I told my friends I would take care of the kitchen part. The fridge was packed with food to choose from. It's like having your own supermarket in your house and to me, that's the best way to start figuring out a menu. Opening the fridge door and sitting in front of it, that's when the inspiration bubbles up. There were veal steaks, turnips, green beans, pumpkin, celery root, 3 colors of peppers, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, .. I was so excited to start cooking and that's exactly what I did.
Since two of our friends eat low-carb and I'm a carb counting diabetic, it's a joy to cook low-carb. Hubby is a true potato lover, but this time I tricked him. Making scalloped "potatoes" au gratin without the potatoes, was a great idea. My dish was packed with thinly sliced pumpkin, turnip, celery root. In between layers, there was shredded cheese and a topping of white sauce. A good deal of freshly ground nutmeg, pepper and salt was the perfect seasoning for this dish. It's absolutely delicious and heart warming and there were no left overs. That says it all, right?
We started with a bowl of creamy, velvety soup, full of leeks, carrots, onion, celery and celery root. A marrow bone gave it its wonderful flavor. Some thinly sliced and toasted Turkish pide was a low-carb alternative for the usual bread roll.
Indian beans (Gujerati) are another favorite of this group, so I like to make these as a side dish: fresh green beans, mustard seeds, garlic, red pepper flakes and a good pinch of pepper.
A colorful bowl of very finely chopped vegetables (3 colors of peppers, carrots, onion, green celery, green beans, zucchini) is a favorite of mine and a thankful dish you can make ahead. There's no need to cook the veggies, since they are so finely chopped. There was a bag of fresh cranberries in the fridge as well, so some Ikea style cranberry compote was made in an instant. I'm sure the carb lovers liked that too!
For the first time, I prepared veal steaks. I got them from a Moroccan butcher and I wasn't too sure about the cooking time. Maybe I should've pounded them in between plastic wrap, to make them thinner? They weren't cooked all the way through, so some steaks went back to the grill. The juices from the meat were the perfect base for my tarragon gravy, enriched with a dash of Noilly Prat and some green peppercorns. Together with the meat, I baked some zucchini fries and quartered mushrooms.
My guests were to come over by 7 PM. Around 6 PM I still hadn't figured out what dessert I was going to serve. A low-carb dessert is hard to found and I couldn't find one that looked appealing to me. I remembered I had a bag of hand picked pitted cherries in the freezer and that's when Eva said: how about a cherry crumble? That was a great idea! I made the crumble out of almond flour, to have less carbs in it. It was bubbly and fulfulling and so bad for my blood glucose, but my correction bolus solved that problem real fast. And guess what: I should not have worried about dessert, because one of the friends brought a home made bowl of creamy tiramisu! Just the way we like it!
Nigella Lawson style, I got up in the middle of the night, to finish the last portion of cherry crumble. With one difference: I was allowed to have that crumble, because I needed to treat a nightly sugar drop..
The best conversations are the conversations we have over dinner. We had a great time and I'm so looking forward to the next gathering.
I told my friends I would take care of the kitchen part. The fridge was packed with food to choose from. It's like having your own supermarket in your house and to me, that's the best way to start figuring out a menu. Opening the fridge door and sitting in front of it, that's when the inspiration bubbles up. There were veal steaks, turnips, green beans, pumpkin, celery root, 3 colors of peppers, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, .. I was so excited to start cooking and that's exactly what I did.
Since two of our friends eat low-carb and I'm a carb counting diabetic, it's a joy to cook low-carb. Hubby is a true potato lover, but this time I tricked him. Making scalloped "potatoes" au gratin without the potatoes, was a great idea. My dish was packed with thinly sliced pumpkin, turnip, celery root. In between layers, there was shredded cheese and a topping of white sauce. A good deal of freshly ground nutmeg, pepper and salt was the perfect seasoning for this dish. It's absolutely delicious and heart warming and there were no left overs. That says it all, right?
Indian beans (Gujerati) are another favorite of this group, so I like to make these as a side dish: fresh green beans, mustard seeds, garlic, red pepper flakes and a good pinch of pepper.
A colorful bowl of very finely chopped vegetables (3 colors of peppers, carrots, onion, green celery, green beans, zucchini) is a favorite of mine and a thankful dish you can make ahead. There's no need to cook the veggies, since they are so finely chopped. There was a bag of fresh cranberries in the fridge as well, so some Ikea style cranberry compote was made in an instant. I'm sure the carb lovers liked that too!
For the first time, I prepared veal steaks. I got them from a Moroccan butcher and I wasn't too sure about the cooking time. Maybe I should've pounded them in between plastic wrap, to make them thinner? They weren't cooked all the way through, so some steaks went back to the grill. The juices from the meat were the perfect base for my tarragon gravy, enriched with a dash of Noilly Prat and some green peppercorns. Together with the meat, I baked some zucchini fries and quartered mushrooms.
My guests were to come over by 7 PM. Around 6 PM I still hadn't figured out what dessert I was going to serve. A low-carb dessert is hard to found and I couldn't find one that looked appealing to me. I remembered I had a bag of hand picked pitted cherries in the freezer and that's when Eva said: how about a cherry crumble? That was a great idea! I made the crumble out of almond flour, to have less carbs in it. It was bubbly and fulfulling and so bad for my blood glucose, but my correction bolus solved that problem real fast. And guess what: I should not have worried about dessert, because one of the friends brought a home made bowl of creamy tiramisu! Just the way we like it!
Nigella Lawson style, I got up in the middle of the night, to finish the last portion of cherry crumble. With one difference: I was allowed to have that crumble, because I needed to treat a nightly sugar drop..
The best conversations are the conversations we have over dinner. We had a great time and I'm so looking forward to the next gathering.
Sound asleep..
I can't remember the day our eldest daughter fell asleep on the couch in the afternoon. But she did, just the other day. We had to pick her up from school. Her tummy was really upset. In the middle of the night, it must have been around 4 AM, she woke me up, sticking a bucket of vomit under my nose. She said she was sick to her stomach, but she felt better after she had been able to throw up. She wanted to go back to bed after I gave her some meds against nausea.
She went to school anyway. By noon, the principal called. If we could pick up our daughter. She was not coping well and she looked real pale. So hubby fetched her, while I was treating a low blood glucose (that's what emotions do). For the first time in her life, I heard my daughter say: I don't want to smell any food!!! She laid down on the couch immediately and I asked her if she needed a comfortable blanket. She was not going to sleep!! Hello??? She's not a baby, okay?
It cannot have been more than 15 minutes later, when I checked on her. Two whippets by her side and covered in fleece blankets, my little girl was sound asleep, her hair all sweaty and her cheeks red. It took me back in time. It must have been 12 years ago, since she was really sick to her stomach. She was so tiny back then. Short and curly hair, dark eyes and red spots in her face from the fever she had at the time. Her little hand in mine, looking for comfort and warmth. She's still my little girl, although she will be 16 soon..
She went to school anyway. By noon, the principal called. If we could pick up our daughter. She was not coping well and she looked real pale. So hubby fetched her, while I was treating a low blood glucose (that's what emotions do). For the first time in her life, I heard my daughter say: I don't want to smell any food!!! She laid down on the couch immediately and I asked her if she needed a comfortable blanket. She was not going to sleep!! Hello??? She's not a baby, okay?
It cannot have been more than 15 minutes later, when I checked on her. Two whippets by her side and covered in fleece blankets, my little girl was sound asleep, her hair all sweaty and her cheeks red. It took me back in time. It must have been 12 years ago, since she was really sick to her stomach. She was so tiny back then. Short and curly hair, dark eyes and red spots in her face from the fever she had at the time. Her little hand in mine, looking for comfort and warmth. She's still my little girl, although she will be 16 soon..
Friday, October 22, 2010
A signature knife
It's an open secret to you all, that I love to hang out in the kitchen. Cooking and baking is such a fun pastime to me. I love kitchen appliances and gadgets and there aren't many I don't have. I'm always on the lookout for new appliances that help me create fun and good food.
Surfin' on the Net, I ran in to this website, called Knives and Tools. I had been looking for a good chef's knife for quite a while. Good knives are worth the cost and they make life in the kitchen a whole lot easier. So when I saw the great choice on that website, I decided I wanted to buy one. There's this special option on this site, where you can have your knife personalized. And that's exactly what I did.
It was not so hard to choose the knife I wanted. On several cooking programmes, I have seen this type of knife and the way the chefs use it to chop vegetables. So I ordered an 18 cm Four Star Santoku No Stain chef's knife, my name engraved in it. Looks kinda cool!
Knives and Tools ship real fast. The knife was here in a flash, well packed and protected. It was ready to be used that same day. I must say: it's sharp as.. a knife should be. And that's exactly what a knife is meant to be, so I'm thrilled and ready to cook!
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| Knives and tools |
It was not so hard to choose the knife I wanted. On several cooking programmes, I have seen this type of knife and the way the chefs use it to chop vegetables. So I ordered an 18 cm Four Star Santoku No Stain chef's knife, my name engraved in it. Looks kinda cool!
Knives and Tools ship real fast. The knife was here in a flash, well packed and protected. It was ready to be used that same day. I must say: it's sharp as.. a knife should be. And that's exactly what a knife is meant to be, so I'm thrilled and ready to cook!
Tête-à-tête
They are sound asleep on the couch. They love one another so deeply, that they would be devastated to be separated. Inthe has laid her head in Rebbas neck. It's so heart warming to see their love.. Sometimes, Inthe embraces Rebba in her sleep.. I have never seen so much love between dogs. It's like they are not whole without the other. Somehow, they prefer to lay on top of each other to fall asleep. Doesn't matter how, they want to feel each other..
At times they fight and Rebba punishes Inthe for misbehaving. But most of the time they get along real well. In fact they are best friends!
To me, they can have as many tête-à-têtes as they want. I won't disturb them. It is too cute..
At times they fight and Rebba punishes Inthe for misbehaving. But most of the time they get along real well. In fact they are best friends!
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| Photo by Lana Joos |
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