Texture Tuesday

More Food Discovery

I just started reading this book. Lots of cool stuff about food. More knowledge to add to my brain after the Wheat Belly read.

Lots of new recipes are being created in my kitchen these days. When I get happy with them I may start sharing them here. I've been trying really hard to consume more protein and to be eco about it.

Are you reading anything inspiring and healthy this year? What changes are you making?

February 14th

2013 Changes - Updates

Well, since my wheat free proclamation I have been feeling loads better. I've been trying veggies in different ways, have a new perspective on meat and seasonings.

I was recently faced with a weird situation at a show where I had gone through my happy healthy snack and was still hungry and unable to leave to get a meal. The group of vendors ordered pizza and I ate a little bit thinking that this was better than getting that ugly grouchy low blood sugar dip. OMG, what was I thinking? I was clearly not making good decisions!!

Since the last week of 2012, I have been wheat free. I have been feeling fab and had to idea what a SMALL wheat relapse would result in! The next morning I woke up fuzzy brained, exhausted and thirsty. My joints ached, my head ached and I felt like a total grouch!! (Quite honestly, I wondered if I had the flu.)

Well, it was the wheat flu. My body was asking in all it's aches and pains what the heck I was thinking putting wheat in my system after getting it all sparkly clean and happy. Clearly, I was NOT thinking, I was hungry.

New proclamation, don't go anywhere with out at least three snacks!! *sigh*

How are your new year eating changes going?

Hold On To Your Tastebuds!!

At a recent show, I had the pleasure of meeting Marcey of Austin Mason and sampling her delish handmade toffee. It is available with or without pecans -- both delicious! The salty and sweet bounce around your tongue and the chocolate and nuts help you get centered for the next bite.

As the party in my mouth continued, my eyes were delighted by the sweet little Valentine banners and succulent planters too! Wow, what's not to like?

As it turns out she is from Austin and I met her here in Dallas at the AIGA Creative Flea. Her yummy goodies are available on Etsy. Stop by and have a look around and send some sweets to your sweetie. 

Who wouldn't be delighted to have English toffee pop up in their mail box for Valentine's Day or any other occasion?

BE sure to check her out on Facebook too and meet her mascot! ;)

Fun Read With Good Info

A friend recommended Jane Goodall's Hope for Harvest: A Guide to Mindful Eating and I'm so happy she did. I'm suggesting it to you too as a nice read that's educational too. (Jane does have a great English sense of humor.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book -- it had a little bit on the flavor of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring only about food. It tickled my fancy that she also shared an average day of what she eats. (Not what you'd expect.)

I think the more we learn about where our food comes from and how it's cultivated to more wisely and thoughtfully we can consume. The research that she shares about how animals given the choice between GMO and Non-GMO food always choose the Non-GMO food option.

I so wish there was an app for that! Aim your phone at a food, take it's picture and see where and how it was cultivated to decide if its' consumption is a good idea for you or not. Not sure if that app will be a reality anytime soon but it sure would be helpful.

Thoughtful consumption is an idea that translates nicely into other things we consume as well. Supporting local businesses and farmer's markets has become a large deciding factor in so much of what I consume.

I absolutely love that the lady that I buy my carrots from at the farmer's market can tell me that they were grown without chemicals, picked last night and that she's been roasting them in the oven with balsamic vinegar. Fresh and healthy, lovingly hand grown veggies and recipes to boot – what more could we ask for? I can totally tell the difference between a farmer's market carrot and the dried up ones from the grocery store.

This post is linked up over on the Green Sisterhood Reading list.


Have a read, let me know what you think. Please leave and earth friendly reading suggestion in the comments as this is meant to be a conversation! :)

Quotables

“I always tell people that I became a writer not because I went to school but because my mother took me to the library. I wanted to become a writer so I could see my name in the card catalog.” -Sandra Cisneros

Adventures in Shopping: Mint

Ok, I confess, I shop in more than one place for food. I shop twice a week and go to the Farmer's Market whenever it's open.

Today I went to pick up some fresh things (they go fast) and mint was on my list. When I went to check out, the clerk who was very young. He looked at my beautiful bouquet of fresh mint, smelled it and then asked, "What's this?"

To which I replied, "It's Mint."

He proceeded ring up the rest of my basket and to tell me that the only way he had ever tasted mint was in gum. Oooh that made me feel sorry for his taste buds. I love to put it on my fresh fruit salad, in lemonade, in herbal tea, in desserts, in yogurt to make sauce and on Thai inspired salad rolls.

How do you use your fresh mint?

Making Changes for 2013

I started about a week before the new year by removing wheat entirely from my diet. It's only been a few weeks and I feel so much better. I thought it would be more difficult and that I could never accomplish this...I have given up bread!!!

This is a pretty big change, so you may be wondering, what brought this on? I read a book by Dr, Davis called Wheat Belly. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. It starts with a mini history lesson on what has changed with wheat since the sixties and the effects it is having on the human body. It ends up explaining about how our bodies work and why wheat may mot be the right choice for everyone.

 I have proclaimed myself wheat-free. Have you made any health proclamations for the new year?

In Honor of Patricia

 

I met Patricia at my first handmade show. She looked at my items for sale and said in her teasing Argentinian accent, "...you must have a lot of patience...".

Patricia constantly crocheted, made resin jewelry and loved telling stories about her cat, Sam. I truly got know her at a later show that we labeled a "dud". Neither of us made a single sale and I think it was because the event was not advertised well but that's a story for another time.

Patricia and I had a whole afternoon to chat. She told me about living in Argentina and how she used to have a cat that would do tricks. We compared notes about different handmade shows and had to chuckle at the fact that we had signed up for this show (that was not such a good idea). It was a peaceful chatty afternoon and we ate lunch together. If we hadn't arrived ready for a handmade show, it would have been just that — a nice lunch and afternoon chatting with a friend.

Last week, Patricia sadly lost her battle with cancer. She will be missed — her directness, her insights, her sense of humor and her chuckle. I will miss seeing her at shows and watching her crochet while she talks to people. I'll miss seeing her eyes light up while hearing about Sam's latest adventures.

In honor of Patricia, please do something kind for a stranger this week. She put me (at the time a stranger to her) at ease with her observation when I first met her and I will never forget that. (I was a nervous hand maker at my first show not having any idea what to expect.)

Quotables

“If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” -Atticus Finch

Mark Your Calendar

Stop by and check it out! 

AIGA DFW’s Second Annual Creative Flea takes place February 2, 2013 from noon – 5pm at Life in Deep Ellum. Admission is $5 in advance and $10 at the door for members and nonmembers. AIGA DFW will be donating half of the proceeds of admission to a local charity – to be nominated and voted on by YOU and all Flea attendees.

We'll also be collecting shelter and canned food donations for admission as well. 

When: February 2, 1013, 12p-5p
Where: Life in Deep Ellum
2803 Taylor St, Dallas, Texas 75226

 

Quotables

“Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.” -David Hume

Quotables

“I knew that I had come face to face with some one whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself.” -Oscar Wilde

Start 2013 Green

It's a new year with a clean slate and time to do the green thing. Here are a few thoughts to start your year off right;

Mulch Your Christmas Tree
Yes, it's still January and many of us still have our trees up. It's ok, I know a couple families who wait  until Valentine's Day to take 'em down. Whenever you take down the tree, be sure to check with your city to see where you can mulch it. Many cities then use the mulch in their parks and community areas.

Re-examine Your Eating
In the new year, we all want to try new things. Take a look at what you've been eating. Do you grow it? Is it grown locally? Although it's difficult to grow everything we may need, Farmer's Markets are a great way to fill the void. The majority of farmer's markets have a nice variety of fruits, vegetables, honey, herbs, bread and natural home goods. Find one near you with your zip code here.

Recycle Your Electronics
So many people got new electronic gadgets for the holidays. What will you do with your old gadgets? If they are in working order, passing the on to a family member or friend that would enjoy them. If they are no longer working, check with your city to see where you can dispose of the safely.

Quotables

Deeply appreciate and give thanks for everything.
        
- Mama Gena

Short Hiatus

This blog will be on short hiatus starting today through the first week of January. After that, things will start up again with regular posts and interviews with fun artists.

I hope you'r holidays are fab!

Pantone 2013 Color of the Year

Quotables

In order to take a rightful seat at the head of the banquet table of our lives, we have to accept the rightness of our feelings and desires and act on them strongly. - Mama Gena

Quotables

Each of us can add a little fun to our lives, even in small ways, and the result can be a hugely entertaining life. - Mama Gena