What your momma didn't tell you

I don't mean to dwell on the topic...or maybe I do. (If you know me long enough, you will find out I tend to stay on the same subject for DAYS. Just ask my husband.)
Anyway, my sister had a baby. His name is Smith.
I have come to realize that my mother's generation tend to be...how should I say this...too perfect, maybe a little closed off, a bit prude if you will. I can hear my mother talking about childbirth right now..."It is the most amazing experience of your life. It is a gift from God." I don't know, but I am pretty sure in my mother's version of giving birth, there was no blood, sweat or tears. Hair was maintained in perfect Farrah Fawcett layers and curls and fake eyelashes were intact.
However, whether it is because the newer generation is more open or less concerned about appearances, many of my "new mom" friends are telling me things aren't so peachy. Here are a couple warnings I have heard.
1. You can't laugh after a c-section.
2. All of your beautiful baby's first poops are apparently like crude oil...seeping, seeping, seeping. Per Shae "my baby produces oil."
3. Life tends to be like groundhog day...you wake up and it is the same thing over, and over, and over.

There are stories that grab you attention, and then there are stories that grab your heart. I found a story that did just that. In two sentence: When baby Moses was born, his mother died from a rare amniotic fluid aneurysm. His mother's dream was to breast feed her baby, and that is when 20 neighborhood women stepped in and breast fed Moses.
This got me thinking about the benefits of breast feeding. My Jiddi (grandfather) always attributed his strength and health to being breast fed as a baby. Whether it was that, or the strong Lebanese genes, my family has always encouraged it.
Here is what I learned:
1. It is spelled breastfeeding.
2. A study showed that it may curb heart and diabetes risk factors.
3. Per an extremely sexy doctor I know, babies who are breastfed, are less likely to develop new born health issues.
4. A woman's risk for breast and ovarian cancer is reduced.
5. As selfish as this may seem, women who breastfeed burn as many calories as running two miles!! Whaa! That is about 200-500 calories, or as I like to look at it, two scoops of ice cream.

So, it looks as though, without the massive scientific research behind it, my Jiddi knew what he was talking about!

Venison

When the seasons begin to change (and let's be honest, fall tends to come a little later for Florida), I am inspired to make dishes that reflect the weather. Some of Bo's fondest memories are going deer hunting with his mom and dad when he was a little boy. As I have mentioned in a previous post about fishing and having a garden, it is such a great feeling for me when you can eat something you have grown (or shot, or caught). Anyway...sorry PETA. Even though Bo and I have not been able to go hunting since we have been in Florida, we are fortunate enough to have family bring us fresh game. Bo's father, Marc, and uncle (Puncle) have both given us amazing venison sausage and loin. Just prior to Halloween, I tried a new recipe, and it turned out to be amazing. It is from Jamie Oliver.

10 juniper berries, crushed with the side of a knife
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
Salt and pepper
2 pounds venison loin in 1 large piece, trimmed
Olive oil
1 bulb garlic, unpeeled
Water
1 wineglass of good-quality red wine, like Pinot Noir

Combing the juniper berries and rosemary, add a pinch of salt and pepper, then sprinkle over a board. Rub the venison all over with olive oil before rolling it across the board and pressing it into the flavorings. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat and add a glug of olive oil. Sear the venison for a couple of minutes on all sides, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the smashed garlic bulb and any leftover flavorings from the chopping board. Shake everything together, pour in a splash of water to cool things down and place in the oven. Cook according to your liking - about 8 minutes will give you medium venison.

Take the venison out of the oven and let it rest on a plate, covered loosely with foil. Pour away any excess fat. Squash the garlic cloves with a fork and discard the skins. Mix the garlic with the herbs in the pan and place on the heat. Pour in the red wine, simmer until it has reduced by half and then add the butter. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the sticky, meaty goodness from the bottom. As soon as the sauce comes together, take the pan off the heat, correct the seasoning and stir in another knob of butter. Carve the venison into desired-thickness. Pour any resting juices from the plate back into the pan, then pour your gravy through a sieve over the meat.

Recip-YEE!

As promised, I want to post a recipe that will put to use your wonderfully homemade, loved herbs! Their yours. You have grown them. You have carefully raised them, and now you can eat them. As Poison once said, "Open up and say ahh!"
This recipe contains my FAVORITE herbs, basil, and its bestest friend, Mr. Tomato. I first fell in love with tomato basil soup from La Madeliene's in Dallas, TX, when my mother would take my sis, Shae, and I shopping for school clothes (yes, we had to drive 7 hours to get to decent clothing stores.) We would shop all day, and as soon as we started becoming short with one another and irritated, we knew it was time to eat. La Madeliene's soup was amazing. It was the perfect combination of sweet basil and tart tomatoes. However, I am pretty sure there was a fair amount of cream added to the mixture. With recipes, it is important to remember that by adjusting certain cooking techniques, you are able to leave out the high calorie ingredients but still have the mouth watering flavor. For instance, in the following recipe, instead of adding cream, you can roast the tomatoes to create fantastically, scrumptious soup.

Ingredients:
3 lbs of ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp good olive oil
1Tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in one layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Recipe from Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

The rural city life

When I was little, I dreamed big. At one point, I wanted to be a famous actress. In another preteen era, I wanted to run a charity that took people who were down and out and gave them a makeover (to this day, I truly believe that if life's hardness was stripped away, everyone is beautiful.) I am sure my mother could tell you all the other dreams I had. However, as I grew older, my dreams were becoming less and less about big cities and bright lights and more about country life. I began becoming interested in living off the land, becoming more self sufficient. In physical therapy school, while we were being lectured on the PNF and NDT, I would be writing out lists of jams and jelly (strawberry and champagne, blueberries and rosemary) I could make and sell by the roadside. I could see it in my head...The West Texas sun just beginning to set behind a beautiful cotton field, me in a dress (flowing off course), my little stand almost empty because it is the end of the day and everyone wants my product...Anyway, I am obviously not living in West Texas, being a rancher woman or selling my homemade organic goods. I am here in Gville, with a beautiful husband and two wonderful (but sometimes stinky) dogs. Life is good. I am lucky enough to have a husband who has his feet on the ground enough to keep me there, but he also tries to make my dreams a reality as much as he can. So, he has toiled outside and has built a beautiful little garden. He also was genius enough to begin a compost pile, and we just used the first of the black goodness to start our mustard green crop. I guess we are going into year three of this little adventure and save a few bumps in the road (sorry for the weeklong trip to Mexico, little plants!), we have been able to include our homegrown goods into our meals almost daily. I guess I am writing this to tell you that it is fun, creative, and self-fulfilling to eat something that your hard work and loving hands have produced. It is also great to have fresh produce at your finger tips. I believe it helps inspire healthier living. You can just top some tomatoes with basil, a splash of balsamic, and a dash of salt and pepper, and voila! you have a healthy snack. Here are a few tips to get started:
1. Start small. Herbs are the easiest thing to grow. Really. Plant them in small pots and you can bring them in over the freezing winter nights. They will grow year round if you take enought care of them. My favorites are basil, sage, rosemary and cilantro (I have to pay a little homage to yummy Mexican dishes.)
2. Go out there every day and talk to you plants. Touch them. I know it sounds cheesy, but I think a little bit of tactile stimulation really gets their juices flowing.
3. Eat them often. If you are falling behind on using your herbs, go ahead and just take a pair of scissors (I just use my finger nails) and trim them back. Herbs are like many plants. They tend to grow better and faster the more they are trimmed.

A fun healthy recipe will follow in my next post!!

Beer..."the universal language for men" and Cancer

This is totally awesomo! (and I do mean "o"). I love that someone is getting out there, getting the message heard. Everyone knows I love my docs (especially you, Lovebug), but sometimes the way they explain things can leave you just staring at the extra long nose hair coming out of their nose, and thinking "was that English or Swahili?" People need someone to talk to them in their language, and if that means over a brew or two, I think that is rad! The things is, people listen more to family and friends than they do to the "experts." So, grab a beer (or martini, if that is the way you ride) and talk about HEALTH! The point is, friends don't let friends not get their no-man's land or their boobies felt up and checked.

The no exercise exercise

Life is busy, right? Some days are busier than others, some weeks are more stressed filled, and some months are simply exhausting. While working out should be a priority, even in a busy life, sometimes there just doesn't seem to be time. Rather than throwing your hands up and letting yourself slide down the slippery slope of not working out, make the most out of everyday activities.

1. Take the stairs.
2. Park at the back of the parking lot.
3. Clean your house.
4. Walk the dogs.
5. Play music and dance during chores.
6. Stretch during watching TV.
7. Last but not least...hold in your tummy! This will build core muscles and help ward off back pain!!!

Here is a few more ideas from everydayhealth.com.