BUTTER GIRL GOES ORGANIC

           It only seems befitting that I would write this post today...today, marking the 1st year anniversary of my Mom's passing.  I cant believe it has already been a year.  My Mom, such a beautiful woman who taught my brother, sister and I so much about life and the many lessons it has to teach us.   Many would be surprised at the emphasis my mother placed on manners and etiquette. No elbows on the table at our house!  Growing up, we might not have had as much as others, but my Mother certainly taught us the beauty of sharing a good meal with others.  The love she placed on the table with her meal preparations and presentations spoke loudly of the love she had for us.   This year after sharing a delicious Thanksgiving meal at my brothers, he wrapped up the turkey carcass and tucked it in the trunk of my car and said, "There, now you can make Mom's Turkey Rice Soup".  Great.  What a responsibility to carry on my Mom's tradition of mak

      SUPPLEMENT STORE GRAND OPENING   Well here it is....finally!  I have aspired for the longest time to make an addition to my website where you can order quality supplements.  REAL supplements vs. the pretend ones you pick up and throw in your shopping carts along with your toilet paper, light bulbs and frozen green beans at Wallie World! As a Certified Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, I am super excited to be able to offer these quality products to you.    Why do I want to make Biotics products available to YOU ?  Because they are REAL my friends, and to state it simply and honestly...they will make you feel great!  These superior products are all natural, organic, plant and animal based.   If you want to run like the wind from 6 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. every day like me...I suggest you give them a try!          More nitty gritty on these fabulous products:   Biotics Research Corporation has been a leading manufacturer of specially designed nutritional p

Written for the River Current Publication My friend Jack...so proud of his chickens. I learned a new word recently and to be honest, I’m surprised I have never heard this word before.   Orthorexia.   Orthorexia describes someone who obsesses and fixates upon eating healthy, pure food.   Now this may surprise you…but I am not that person.   My goal is to be informed.   Never to be pushy or preachy or judging of others….when it comes to food anyway…lol.   I love hanging out with what I call, like-minded people.   People who think like me and respect learning about health and nutrition.   It is often when I am with these sort of folks, that on occasion I find myself feeling embarrassed as they chastise a waiter because the restaurant is not serving organic butter or because they don’t know where the foods they are serving have come from…or most importantly, if they are not organic. I was at a party once when a young (orthorexic) lady literally ran out of the room when a beau

Written for the River Current Publication     Is it just me or does it seem like summer never really fully arrived?   How can it already be time for the kids to be heading back to school?   With my normal sadness, I helped my youngest with his return to college last week.   It has been a busy summer around our house.   Why does it seem when the kids are around, everything always seems to be so hectic, hurried…and happy!        Nothing is more pleasing than to sit at the table and share a meal with my boys.   As mothers, it must be our instinctual need to provide nourishment for our children…no matter how old they are!   I always enjoy sharing with others how my youngest never, EVER purchased a school lunch.    Every day, from grade one thru twelve, there was a lunch to be packed.   This was not at my insistence, but rather was by his choice.   Do you know how challenging it was to come up with new and different things to pack for a child who was a picky eater for twelve ye

Written for the River Current Publication   I often sit quietly and listen to the gals at work chat about food and the current diet trends they are entertaining.   It is interesting to hear of their successes and struggles.   I remember a few years ago working in an office where the gals all had a neat little calorie calculator for a certain diet plan that was popular at the time.   I was intrigued and fascinated as they tediously tracked and monitored their calorie intake…listening to their strategies of manipulating the plan so they could have dessert (or a beer or two) on a Friday night.   There was great comradery in their efforts and to be honest, for some crazy reason I felt left out.   I wanted one of those damn calculators too!   (Don’t scream, but I have never been invited to participate in this Calorie Counting Club.   To give you an idea, my nickname in high school was Stick Woman...ugh.   Stick women are never invited to play in these weight watching games.)  

Well it is that time of year again.   You know, that time of year when everyone you know has an abundant crop of zucchini they are more than happy to share.   And because I enjoy zucchini, you will never hear me complaining!   I think what I enjoy most about zucchini is its versatility.   You can enjoy zucchini as an appetizer, entrée, bread or dessert.   You can eat it raw, steamed, grilled, fried, baked or sautéed; and oh my goodness, you can even enjoy zucchini ice cream!   I think you get the picture.   When life gives you an abundance of zucchini, it’s time to get yourself busy in the kitchen! On occasion, you will stumble upon those who turn their noses up to this friendly vegetable.   Perhaps these unfortunate ones had a mother who made them eat a bland version of stewed tomatoes and zucchini when they were a child?  I find it hard to understand zucchini dislike, because (to me anyway) zucchini doesn’t actually have a distinct texture, flavor or smell.   And for thos

Written for the River Current Publication  What screams summer more than a steamy, buttered ear of corn on the cob?    Sweet corn is one of summer’s simplest, purest pleasures.   A fresh-picked ear, cooked to perfection and lightly buttered, offers us an incredible sweetness, intoxicating flavor and who would have guessed…healthy, nutritional benefits too!    I know I anxiously await its arrival and then seem determined to eat it with every meal...before it becomes a distant memory until the following year.   I remember as a child pretending with my brother and sister that we were typewriters; skillfully gliding our teeth across the tiny golden rows of corn; working our way across each row before we returned back the other way…filled with delight as the butter dripped down our chins.   I asked a younger gal at work today if she would understand what I meant if I shared this typewriter analogy.   She replied, Oh yeah, of course I would know what that meant.    One of these

Written for the River Current Publication   Last fall a friend of mine asked if I would perhaps consider having dinner with a recent widower…Larry.  Larry was actually someone that I knew from my high school years…and ironically, we had even shared a date or two in college.  I had no hesitation.  If I could in some way share some hope or encouragement with him, I would be honored.  Our dinner turned into comfortable/easy conversation that lasted well over 3 hours.  Not wanting the evening to end, we decided to even share a movie together before we said our goodbyes.  We have been sharing dinners and time together ever since.    Together we have a keen understanding of each other’s loss, yet both hang on to the hope of happier days ahead.   I have tried to support and encourage Larry as he has adjusted to living alone and confronting the tasks of taking care of things at his home.  When he discussed the idea of planting a garden this spring, I was all in!  How fun it woul

Written for the River Current publication     Last night I stopped at a local produce stand to pick up fresh strawberries for our dinner.    I knew how much the strawberries would cost, (because I had purchased some of the delicious gems just the week before) so grabbed the exact change out of my wallet and hurried up to the stand.   What I didn’t know, was how easily I would be tempted by all of the other fresh produce that was waiting there for me under the tent. Before I knew it, (and with the help of two convincing salesmen) I had more than I could carry…and of course was heading back to the car for more money.   This is the season my friends when we can (and should) delight in eating fresh, local produce.     What’s the big deal in buying local, you might ask?   Well to name a few…eating local foods is better for you, boosts local economy, is better for the environment, and (most importantly) is crazy delicious! Local food is fresher and tastes so much bette