Whiteley Creek Homestead

celebrate

I have a very important reason to celebrate! I'm kicking up my heels and shouting hooray! I did it! (Drawing is from my collection of vintage cookbooks titled "The Lunch Box Cookbook" illustrated by Lou Peters and published by Culinary Arts Institute Copyright 1955.)  

It's not because I logged 79.25 miles in the month of March thus surpassing February's mileage of 64.5 miles, although it is related to that. This is my journey down the cholesterol trail over the course of the past three years. First of all, it's crucial to consider all four facets of cholesterol levels to get an accurate snapshot. Optimally, the levels should be: total cholesterol <200, triglycerides <150, HDL (good cholesterol) >60, and LDL (bad/"lousy" cholesterol) 100-129. Note re: LDL: Recommended level is <70 for people at very high risk for heart disease and <100 for people at risk of heart disease. (Risk factors include if you've had a heart attack, have diabetes, vascular disease, or two or more of the following risk factors: smoker, high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, family history of early heart disease, older than 45 if you're a man, or older than 55 if you're a woman, and elevated lipoprotein.) Info from the Mayo Clinic web site.

My cholesterol levels have always been very good until 2 years ago when I saw some things happening that I didn't like.

September 2006

Total Cholesterol 181 Good (Optimal <200)

Triglycerides 46 Good (Optimal <150)

HDL 62 Good (Optimal >60)

LDL 110 Good (Optimal 100-129)

September 2007

Total Cholesterol 206 High

Triglycerides 49 Good, but increasing.

HDL 65 Good

LDL 131 Not good.

September 2008

Total Cholesterol 228 High (Optimal: <200)

Triglycerides 58 Good but still increasing, so not good.

HDL 62 Good

LDL 154 Really really not good.

March 2009 I am back to September 2006 levels!!!

Total Cholesterol 180 Good

Triglycerides 42

HDL 62

LDL 110

How did I do it (w/o meds)? √ tomorrow's post.

 

Mar. 30, 2009 (zippo on Mar. 31)

Today's mileage: 2-mile walk

Grand Total mileage for March: 79.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes.

 

 

 

 

new-fangled measuring cup

Today, I made a pot of "stormy day bean soup". To measure the water and chicken stock, I used this handy 4-cup measuring cup that I received through a free mail-in offer several months ago. The arched feature inside the cup eliminates the need to crouch to eye level to read the markings on the side of the cup, although they are provided, as well. I avoided its use until today, strictly because I was stuck in a rut... comfortable with the old way of doing things. I'm thrilled that I dug it out of my cupboard to give it a try. What a novel idea! It's a keeper. (I poured pomegranate juice up to the 2-cup line so you can see how easy it is to read from above.)   

 

In addition to the measuring cup, this is what I received free for sending in an Arrowhead Mills and a Hain Pure Foods label.

 

The cookbook includes a good variety of recipes. I have earmarked vegetable lasagna, turkey quinoa loaf, and peppermint chocolate cake made with pureed baby food prunes. 

Mar. 29, 2009

Today's mileage: 6-mile bike ride

Total monthly mileage for March: 77.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes. 

Betty Crocker toaster oven

This morning, as I pedaled 9.5 miles, I stopped at yard sales along the route. Yes, I did... I carried this Betty Crocker toaster oven home on my bike. The minute I set my eyes on it, I was in love... the gushy kind like, "I can't believe how unbelievably adorable this is! Did people actually pass this one up?" There's a homeyness about a Betty Crocker brand of anything. Despite the iconic Betty Crocker not being a real person, "she" embodies the whole realm of homemaking.

 

Click on the photo above to enlarge it... to see why I gush.

 

Isn't the cooking guide and the dial just the cutest?!! ...and the handles are reminiscent of old pots. I don't have a clue how old this model is, so I'm going to pretend that it is from the 1950s or 60s. I don't know if toaster ovens even existed during that era, but no matter. It makes no difference if it was manufactured 5 years ago. It has a retro look that hooked me immediately and the $5.00 price tag sealed the deal.   

Mar. 28, 2009

Today's mileage: 9.5-mile bike ride

Total monthly mileage for March: 71.25 miles (Feb. 28 my total miles logged was 64.5 miles, so I have surpassed last month's total and there are 3 more days left in March! Oh, yea... This is good... very good.) 

Bible reading? Yes. 

bean and spinach soup

I knew that my day was going to be an unusually busy one, so I planned for it by having ingredients on hand to make a super easy throw-together, but very flavorful, nutritious soup. I used a combo of two recipes... a Kale and White Bean Soup from Bob Greene's The Best Life Diet and a Tuscan Style Bean Soup submitted by Robyn Webb on allrecipes.com plus I threw in a little of my own spin. My daughter, Jessica, stopped by for a wee visit and she gave it her stamp of approval. 

 

 Bean and Spinach Soup

2 tsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp dried oregano (leaves not ground)

¾ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp pepper, freshly ground

¾ tsp Johnny’s seasoning salt or your own favorite

4 cups chicken broth or stock (I used 2 cups broth/stock + 2 cups fresh carrot juice.)

1 cup water

1 can stewed or diced tomatoes (I prefer the Italian herb variety.)

large handful spinach, chopped or kale sliced into thin ribbons (If using kale, remove the leaves from the stems and discard center ribs.)

2 cans cannellini, pinto, or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein) Bob’s Red Mill is one brand and it can be found at a food co-op or in your grocery’s health food section. TVP wasn't in either recipe, but it adds a nice texture like ground beef and it provides a burst of protein.

freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Heat olive oil in a heavy stockpot and sauté the onion until it turns somewhat translucent but not mushy. Add garlic, seasonings, broth (or stock), water, and tomatoes. (Also add in the kale at this time, if using.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add spinach, beans, and TVP the final 5 minutes of cooking time. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

 

Mar. 27, 2009

Today's mileage: 2-mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 61.75 miles

Bible reading? Yes. 

 

bran pear prune muffins

I made these high fiber muffins this morning using a recipe from Bob Greene's The Best Life Diet copyright 2006 that I snagged at a yard sale for a song. You may recall that he has been Oprah Winfrey's personal fitness trainer and nutrition counselor for quite a number of years. He is the author of several books. This particular one is filled with nutritious recipes and loads of information on "claiming the life you deserve... a three-phase plan for losing weight and keeping it off". Maple syrup... the real deal... sweetens the muffins with a little help from grated pears and prunes. They are very moist with just the right amount of natural sweetness in each bite.

 

Bran Pear Prune Muffins

Makes 12 reg-size muffins or 6 jumbo. (I like to make jumbo-size then cut each into quarters.)

1 ¼ cups nonfat milk

1/3 cup maple syrup

¼ cup canola oil (expeller pressed… preferably organic)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups All-Bran Cereal (I used Nature’s Path Organic Smart Bran with psyllium & oatbran.)

¾ cup whole wheat flour + ½ cup all-purpose flour (I used 1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour instead.)

1 tbsp baking powder

¾ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp salt

1 large unpeeled pear, shredded (about 1 cup)

½ cup chopped prunes with orange essence (I used Newman’s Own Organic Prunes which doesn’t offer an “orange essence” variety.)

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat muffin pans with oil. In a medium bowl, mix the milk, maple syrup, oil, and egg. Stir in the All-Bran and let stand 5 minutes. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the bran mixture. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Don’t overmix. Fold in the pear and prunes. Divide the batter equally among the muffin pans. (They will be very full but rising is minimal so they won’t overflow when baking, or you can extend the batter to make 14 reg-size or 7 jumbo.) Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. Serve warm or cool. Per serving: Calories: 184, Protein: 5 g, Carbs: 32g, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Total Fat: 6g, Saturated fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 18 mg, Calcium: 155 mg, Sodium: 211mg.

 

Mar. 26, 2009

Today's mileage: 2-mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 59.75 miles

Bible reading? Yes. 

recipe card holder and granola pie crust

When you are cooking/baking, do you ever wonder where to set your recipe and then can't remember where you set it? Well, here's a simple solution that I ran across in a magazine... maybe Real Simple or Body + Soul, using a clip you've probably already got sitting around. Position a clip on your counter like the yellow one in my photo. Simply slip in a recipe as shown with the orange clip. (As an example of how to use it, I chose my 92 year-old mother's rhubarb pie recipe that she made several times each spring when I was growing up with stalks from our garden. It's written in her own handwriting... priceless.)  

My mother made her oh-so-flaky crusts the old-fashioned way with lard. Today, I spied a Heartland brand ready-made granola crust in the health food section of my local grocery store that appeared worthy of trying. Click on the label's photo so you can read the ingredients. I'll update you on how I end up using it.

  

Mar. 25, 2009

Today's mileage: 4-mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 57.75 miles

Bible reading? Yes. 

and the winner is....

This morning, Dick blindly selected Kim from Wabasha, Minnesota as the winning entry in my free giveaway drawing. Congrats, Kim! I will mail the plantable calendar off to you in tomorrow's mail. The calendar pages are printed with such adorable artwork and the anticipatory fun waiting to see what flower varieties will sprout forth from the seeds embedded in each month's page... well, that is just priceless. Thank you to all who participated in the giveaway. Stay tuned... there are sure to be future giveaways.

Mar. 24, 2009

Today's mileage: 0

Total monthly mileage for March: 53.75 miles (Same as yesterday.)  

Bible reading? Yes. 

plantable calendar giveaway ends tonight

The opportunity to enter my free giveaway drawing for a plantable calendar ends tonight at 8 p.m. Central Time. Tomorrow morning, Dick will anonymously select a name from those who submitted a comment on the post.  Good luck to all participants! You will love the calendar!

    

These are 2 1/2 week-old wildflower seedlings that I planted on March 5, 2009 by laying my January and February calendar pages imbedded with seeds into potting soil then watered to keep the soil consistently moist. It's fun anticipating what the mature plants' blossoms will look like. 

Mar. 23, 2009

Today's mileage: 2-mile walk 

Total monthly mileage for March: 53.75 miles  

Bible reading? Yes. 

 

homemade seed strips/mats

Springtime brings a surge of energy and excitement to get outdoors and plant in old and new plots, begin construction projects that have been conceived over the winter months such as cold frames, arbors and trellises, and "fairy habitats", and the list goes on. Quickly, frustration sets in  when, despite longer daylight hours, there is never enough time to fit it all in. This is when my wise neighbor Danny's voice reverberates in my head reminding me to "work smarter... not harder". So I am doing just that... by making homemade "seed strips" to speed my spring planting.  

 

However, since I plant using the "Square Foot Gardening" Method, whereby I plant in 1 ft x 1 ft squares, I made seed squares rather than seed strips. This is how it works, according to two articles I discovered in the Portland Oregonian Newspaper. For seed strips, cut pages of black and white newsprint (avoid color pages) into 1-inch wide strips. Lay a strip next to a yard stick and mark off evenly spaced intervals according to the spacing recommended on the seed packet. For example, radishes are spaced 2 inches apart, beets 4 inches, etc. Mix some flour and water to make a paste the consistency of heavy white sauce. Either dab it onto your newspaper markings with a toothpick or dispense from a squeeze bottle like I chose to do. (I used an agave nectar bottle.) Place a seed on each drop of glue and allow to dry. Store strips in a bag or box where they will be in a dry and dark environment until time to plant. When the ground warms sufficiently, set seed strip in ground, cover with soil, and water. The newspaper will decompose and the seed will germinate. 

I adapted the seed strip directions by cutting 12-inch squares to use for the Square Foot Gardening Planting Method. For photo purposes, I made my markings with a permanent marker so the lines would be visible. However, I began by using a pencil to mark off my squares then quickly transitioned to folding several sheets of 12x12 newspaper simultaneously to eliminate the measuring and marking step. For example, for carrots, according to the Square Foot Gardening Method, you plant 16 seeds in one 12-inch square. (You'll have carrots 3 inches apart which is the recommended distance after thinning.) So, I folded the 12x12 square in half then half again, turned the paper 1/4 turn, then folded it in half then half again so that when I unfolded it I had 16 squares. A drop of glue in the center of each of the 16 squares with one seed plopped on top of each and it was done. So fast and so comfortable sitting at the kitchen table in an upright position rather than hunched over in the garden.

Mar. 14, 2009

Today's mileage: 4 mile bike ride

Total monthly mileage for March: 37.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes.

 

Mar. 15, 2009

Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 39.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes.

 

Mar. 16, 2009

Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 41.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes.

 

Mar. 17, 2009

Today's mileage: 0

Total monthly mileage for March: 41.25 miles (same as yesterday) 

Bible reading? No.

 

Mar. 18, 2009

Today's mileage: 0

Total monthly mileage for March: 41.25 miles (same as yesterday) 

Bible reading? No.

 

Mar. 19, 2009

Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 43.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes.

 

Mar. 20, 2009

Today's mileage: 4-mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 47.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes.

 

Mar. 21, 2009

Today's mileage: 0

Total monthly mileage for March: 47.25 miles (same as yesterday) 

Bible reading? Yes.

 

Mar. 22, 2009

Today's mileage: 4.5 mile bike ride 

Total monthly mileage for March: 51.75 miles  

Bible reading? Yes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's a Wonderful World

As I walked my two miles today tuned into a jazz radio station on my headset, I listened to a 1999 Kenny G digital duet rendition (on his album Classics in the Key of G) of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World that was first recorded in 1967 and released as a single in 1968.

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world. 

You need to but take a walk and gaze at the beauty all around to understand the emotion this song evoked as I strutted along. If the present economic "downturn", coupled with the political and social strife around the world, causes a somewhat fogged image of a "wonderful world", I suggest tuning in to the NBC Nightly News "Making a Difference" Segment with Brian Williams to be reminded of the good that has surfaced... random or regular acts of kindness... helping those who have less. For example, in Georgia a barber is offering free haircuts for those preparing to go for interviews. In Denver, a couple opened the "Same Cafe" so "all may eat". The menu has no prices. Patrons give what they can or, in lieu of payment, they do dishes, sweep the floor, etc. Those with jobs and money are coming for the made-from-scratch nutritious meals and many times pay double or triple what they would normally pay at typical restaurant. In Coon Rapids, Minnesota a woman retold her experience standing in a grocery store line as an envelope was passed from person to person. When the envelope reached her, she read the note scrawled on the outside of the envelope. "There is $50.00 in this envelope for groceries. Take it if you need it or pass it on." It passed on down the line as some even added additional money to it. A Clearwater, Florida business owner, rather than laying off workers or reducing their hours, sends them out to work at full pay in soup kitchens and homeless shelters "on his dime". In Michigan, an apartment complex owner allowed residents, who struggled to pay their rent, to pay half their monthly rent in exchange for volunteering at a nonprofit organization. The amazing stories go on and on... I guarantee that the nightly "Making a Difference" feature on the NBC Evening News will build hope and optimism and it may even spur you on to "pay it forward" in your corner of this "wonderful world" we live in.     

Mar. 13, 2009

Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 33.25 miles 

Bible reading? Yes.