More about the Neti Pot - A Gross Story – but Educational:

A Gross Story – but Educational:

  When I was about 11years old my parents were youth leader.  One Saturday they took a group of high school kids to the beach for a day of swimming and play on the Gulf Coast. 

When we were in the 12 passenger van getting ready to go back home one of they guys who had been surfing reached forward from the seat behind me to change the radio station.  When he did, to both of our surprise it was like someone poured a large warm bowl of salt water down my back and in my lap.  The surfer’s sinuses where full of ocean water from surfing all day and when he leaned forward, out it poured. The surfer was embarrassed and apologized profusely.

Looking back it was amazing how much water our sinuses can hold.  I remember my mom telling me, as well as reading, that doctors would often prescribe swimming in the ocean (salt, sun, fresh air, as well as a "de-stresser") for people with asthma, sinus problems, for the healing of skin ailments or for deep wounds, and also for burn victims.  

Now that I think about it my surfer friends they were  rarely sick or caught colds, even in the winter while surfing in near freezing temperatures.  They were always smiling with a far away look in their eyes. – But never sick.

Don’t Blow it! You will just get an Ear Infection

Ear Aches are common among little kids because of the shape of their faces.  When a child is young their eustatation tubes are fairly parallel.  When little kids are told to blow their nose – that is pretty much blowing infection into their ears. As they get older their face gets longer and the tubes angle down so they suffer with less ear aches.   Instead of blowing little noses just gently wipe.

With winter upon us and we retreat into closer quarters there is more sharing of colds and flu bugs.  One great way to alleviate sinus congestions is to use a neti Pot

When we were kids we were told to sniff warm salt water to clear a sinus infection.  Have you ever tried that?  It really stings and it feels like you are drowning too.  It was a mess, it hurt, and never did much good.  But the neti pot is different.

What is a neti pot?  A neti looks like a ceramic small tea pot with a long spout.  Yes this is gross but it works.  A solution of (1/4 tsp) pharmaceutical grade salt and pure warm water is made for the pot.  Then you bend over the sink with your forehead below your chin and pour the warm saline water through one nostril.  Wait, it takes a few seconds because your sinuses are all behind your forehead and behind your eyes but in about 8 seconds the saline water pours out your other nostril washing all the nasty and bad bugs with it.  The saline water helps fight infection, and dries out that runny nose.

My daughter’s doctor (we know doctors are usually pill perscribers) said that if folks would neti pot as soon as they were exposed to a bug then we wouldn’t catch colds or the flu.  I know it sounds weird – it did to me at first – but it really works.  

Simple Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce

My mom and I make this every Thanksgiving.  It is very simple and delicious. 

Simple Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce

1 bag Fresh Cranberries – wash and drain

1 Cup Agave

1 Cup Orange Juice

Put all ingredients into a medium size sauce pot on medium high heat.  Bring to a slow boil.   When most of the cranberries have popped push to back burner and cool to room temperature.  Pour into a glass serving bowl and chill or pour into a pretty jar for a gift.  Keep refrigerated.

Decorate with orange zest.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Cake Roll

I am not a big pumpkin pie lover even though my family loves their from scratch Thanksgiving Day pumpkin pie (personally I prefer the rich and gooey pecan pie with a caramelized crust).  But I absolutely love this cream cheese and walnut filled pumpkin cake roll.  We have been making this recipe for years.   Now we just make it healthier and it tastes every bit as good.  My dad who loves sweets but who is severely hypoglycemic – says this low glycemic - agave cake is a “winner”!

Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Cake Roll

Cake:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour – (organic)

½ tsp.  Baking Powder

½ tsp. Baking Soda

½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp. Ground Cloves

½ tsp. Salt

3 Large Eggs – room temperature

1 Cup Agave

2/3 Cup Pure Pumpkin Puree – (organic)

Filling:

1 pkg. (8 0z) Cream Cheese, softened – (organic)

2/3 Cup Agave

6 Tbsp. Butter, softened – (organic)

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 cup Chopped walnuts – or pecans

Preheat oven to 375˚ F.  Grease 15 X10 inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper.  Grease and flour paper.  Have one clean kitchen towel ready for cake.

Combine: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl and put aside.  In large bowl combine eggs and agave and beat until thick.  Beat in pumpkin.  Stir in flour mixture.  Spread evenly into pan. 

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.  Immediately loosen and turn cake onto towel.  Carefully peel off paper.  Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end.  Cool on wire rack

Beat cream cheese, agave, butter and vanilla in small mixer bowl until smooth.  Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. 

Spread cream cheese mixture over cake.  Sprinkle walnuts on top of cream cheese and re-roll cake.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

Tip for you Spaghetti Sauce

Add a Tablespoon of agave to the sauce pot to help cut the acid in the tomatoes. And don't forget to add a couple of whole bay leaves for rich Italian flavor.

Simple Homemade Pasta and Chunky Garden Tomato Sauce Its what's for lunch!

You don't need any special gadgets or pasta machines to enjoy fresh homemade pasta. A pizza wheel and a ruler will help but even that isn't necessary. Be ready for a real treat. Don't expect your fresh pasta to taste like that dried stuff you get out of a box - this is the real deal. Your pasta will be hearty and delicious. After you have mastered the basic recipe you can experiment by adding your favorite herbs or even garden fresh pesto to your dough.

Simple Homemade Pasta

(Serves Four)

3 Eggs

1-2 cups all-purpose flour (or fresh ground pastry flour)

· Crack the eggs in a

medium size bowl and beat slightly.

· Add flour to the eggs, ½ cup at a time.

· Mix until you have slightly sticky

dough.

· Knead it for a short time.

· Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in fridge 1 hour.

· Roll out on a lightly flour surface as thin as possible.

· Sprinkle flour over dough and roll in a long trouble.

· Cut tube into 1/8 to ¼ inch thick slices and unroll into a long strand of

pasta.

· Drape over a coat hanger while you are boiling a pot of water with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.

· When it comes to a full boil toss in the noodles and let them cook for only 3-5 minutes. (Less time than dried pasta).

· Drain and serve with Chunky Pasta Sauce.

Chunky Garden Pasta Sauce

(Serves Four)

8 large or 12 small fresh garden tomatoes

(canned will work if it is off-season)

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

¼ - ½ cup Minced onion

4 Garlic cloves, peeled and diced

½ Cup Fresh Mushrooms

1 small Green pepper (optional- from the garden)

¼ Cup Fresh Basil (from the herb garden)

1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1 Teaspoon Dried oregano (from the herb garden)

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning (from the herb garden)

2 Bay leaves ( used to have Bay trees in Florida)

For fresh tomatoes:

Peel Tomatoes:Boil a small pot of water. Completely cover whole fresh tomato in boiling water for 30 seconds stem side down. Scoop out tomato with slotted spoon and peel under cool running water. Cut into quarters and mash with a potato masher or in a food processor. Drain off about half the water (I save it or freeze it to use later for soups).

In large sauce pan over medium heat coat the bottom with good extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion, mushrooms, green pepper and garlic - sauté. Pour in the tomatoes, basil, bay leafs, garlic salt, oregano, and Italian seasoning. Turn it to low heat put a lid on it and simmer. Even though you can eat it after a few minutes, a slow simmer helps the flavors to blend. 45 minutes to an hour is best. If you make a large enough batch to have any left over, it will be even better the next day. Adding a little sugar (I use natural Agave) helps to balance the acid in the tomatoes.

Top with fresh grated Parmesan and serve with crusty bread and a crisp garden salad - a bottle of homemade red wine would be good too - but that is another blog...

More Old Wives Tales... Well It Can't Hurt!

Stop busting bad on those old wives! This could save your life.

I received this e-mail from a friend:

"Flu

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in AZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work.. (And no, she is not in the onion business.)

The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Make sure you throw the onion away when done – Don’t eat it! Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.

If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case..

Whatever, what have you to lose? Just a few bucks on onions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


So naturally, I called my mom (who knows almost everything) and told her about this nutty e-mail I received – what did she think? I was really interested because my daughter, who rarely gets ill, wasn’t feeling well that night and had flu like symptoms. I was further motivated because just three weeks ago one of the little 12 year old girls in our volleyball conference wasn’t feeling well after practice on Wednesday night. We were shocked and saddened to learn that she died Friday morning of the Swine Flu. My heart breaks for her mother.

Last night I put in a call to Mom and she told me, that “Miss Hannah” our 87 year old ever-smiling, chipper and healthy as a horse friend swears by this. In any conversation with Hannah if mom ever mentions that anyone is under the weather “Miss Hannah” advises that they cut an onion in half and put it in a bowl on the night stand in the “sick-room”.

Last night I took my last onion and cut it in half and put it by Regan’s bedside. This morning she woke up feeling much better. Coincidence? Maybe. But I think it is time to go to the grocery store.