Long Covid Stories: For Those Who Think Covid-19 is Just Another Flu

Amanda, a 46-year-old who was generally healthy prior to contracting Covid-19 last year, now gets lost driving to places she goes to every week.  And her lungs are so congested that she feels like she’s drowning until she coughs up handfuls of foamy liquid.  Her vision and hearing have been impaired and she has been diagnosed with post-viral POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome).  She has a masters In English and is a published writer.  But now she can no longer hold a job.

It seems that, at this point, most of us have in some way been touched by the Covid-19 virus.  And we are all familiar with the numbers - over 41 million confirmed cases and close to 700,000 deaths in the United States alone.  But hidden in those figures is another statistic - one that has baffled the medical community and has left many of us struggling to find answers.  

I’m referring, of course, to  “long-haulers” - those of us for whom the effects of Covid-19 simply will not let up. 

Most people - except perhaps those who live with us - can’t believe we’re still sick after months, a year, or even longer.  For me, it’s been 17 months.  

I can’t deny that some of us do have good days (or if we’re really lucky, a good week or two). On those days, we feel like it’s finally over.  And we start trying to live normal lives again.  But we’re inevitably knocked flat by what we call a “flare” if we catch a simple cold, are somehow physically injured (for me it can be something as innocuous as a bug bite), are exposed to stress, are out in the heat too long, or simply “overdo it”.   

What exactly, you might ask, is a “flare”?  The worst ones for me go something like this - with no warning, I get up to walk and my legs fold under me, after which the intense trembling begins - trembling so bad that I’ve broken teeth and bruised myself.  These “episodes” are always accompanied by a very rapid heartbeat and the inability to think or speak coherently.  The worst one I had lasted 35 minutes.  Then the week or so afterward is spent recovering from it, during which I feel exhausted and beat-up.

Even on good days I struggle with varying degrees of brain fog,  short-term memory loss, various aches and pains, tachycardia, and  insomnia - insomnia so bad that no sleeping aids help at all.  

It is believed that 10 to 30% of those who had even mild symptomatic Covid are now long-haulers.  With 41 million Americans having contracted the virus since its inception, there may be as many as several million of us in our country alone.  

For the record, Covid-19 is not just a flu.  It is much more insidious.  And for many of us, it does not go away. I’ve reached out to others whose lives have been upended by this virus.  And they have given me permission to share their stories.  These are people who not only want answers, but they desperately need to be heard and understood.  Most of all, they are people who want others to never have to suffer as they have. 

Tanya is a published PHD who has suffered significant cognitive, short-term memory and vocabulary loss.  She can’t organize her thoughts, remember or determine sequences, make decisions, or keep a train of thought going.  She also - like most, if not all of us, suffers from chronic fatigue.  

Both Amanda and Tanya have been offered consulting or writing work but they do not have the confidence that their brains will cooperate enough to commit to it.  I share this problem as well,  so please bear with my obvious short-comings as I attempt to tell the rest of our stories. 

Jennie is going on 10 months as a long-hauler.  She got Covid in early December at the High School school where she used to teach.  She says that she adored her job and tried to return to the classroom on three separate occasions only to literally collapse all three times.  So she was forced to resign.  She attended her son’s college graduation in a wheelchair.     “I’m just not the me I used to be”, she says, “And I want her back!”

Lauren had both the (original) Alpha strain last summer, for which she was hospitalized, and the Delta variant this summer.  She contracted the virus from an outdoor dining patio because she had limited exposure to others and always wore a mask indoors.  Like all of us, she is exhausted and yearns to live her life again.  

Brandon is 38 years old and was unable to write out his story.  Instead I had the privilege of talking to him over the phone.  Before contracting Covid in March of 2020, he was an amature boxer, an avid drag racer, and was working toward a PHD in Kinesiology and Physical Therapy.  He was a massage/physical therapist with a clientele of around 200 people.  His initial symptoms were rather mild - a cough, shortness of breath, and muscular pain.  But around day 10, his world turned upside down.  He began struggling with back and neck pain, brain fog, fatigue, tremors in his hand, and headaches so bad that he was vomiting and went to the hospital 3 times, hoping to get some relief.  He was essentially our guinea pig, undergoing just about every medical test short of a spinal tap to get to the bottom of his often debilitating symptoms which also included severe constipation and - for the first few months - tachycardia.  It was discovered that he had, among other things, a vascular injury to his brain and was diagnosed with Macrophage Activation Syndrome, which is indicative of Lymphoma.  He was also diagnosed with POTS, although I was thrilled to discover that, after a few months, those symptoms (very rapid heart rate upon standing) have stopped.  Brandon also believes many of us are suffering from Gastroparesis, which is characterized by damage to the Vagus Nerve, which helps manage the complex process in our digestive tracts.  Brandon’s “good days” last for only 2 to 3 days at a time before he is hit with a flare that escalates as the day goes by.  Asked if he felt supported by and understood by his friends and family, he responded with an emphatic, “Not at all!”, with the exception of his fiancee, whom he plans to wed next May.  Since contracting Covid, Brandon has been unable to work or to complete his PHD program.  

Judy is 9 months into her long haul.  She came down with Covid on Thanksgiving and was already wheezing with her heart racing at 135 beats a minute when she went to the hospital ER later that night.  She was put on Singulair, antibiotics, and was given an inhaler.    A week later she was in a wheelchair, unable to walk.  She was admitted to the hospital and started 5 days of Redemesvir infusions. While in the hospital, her oxygen dropped to 70%.  (Note that a person is uncomfortable and considered in distress if oxygen saturation drops below 94%,  Mine has dropped into the 80’s and, when that happens,  I feel like I’m drowning).   After a week, she was allowed to go home.  She struggles now with severe tachycardia, headaches, body and joint pain, memory loss, fatigue, stomach pain, difficulty reading,  and the inability to concentrate.  Needless to say, she also lost her job of over 30 years as an MRI and CT tech.  Before Covid, she could work 12-hour shifts and then come home to do 45 minutes to an hour of cardio.  

Christy is 39 years old and admits that her actual Covid, which she contracted in April  2020,  was not bad.  A few days of fatigue, mild fever, coughing, and chills.  But the long haul portion of her illness has been debilitating.  Her brain fog is awful - she can’t remember words she learned in elementary school.  She also suffers from bouts of fatigue, heart palpitations, depression, anxiety, and “super itchy skin”.  Just recently, she has begun to feel dizzy and queasy.   She adds that she got Covid before masks were made available to the general public.  (I think many of us can relate to that!  Many long-haulers also came down with the virus before general testing was available)

Cheryl is 66 years old and had type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma as pre-existing conditions.  When she contracted Covid, her fevers were so high that they considered putting her in an ice bath.   She was also hallucinating and was given Redemisvir.  Now, months later, she suffers from severe headaches and her breathing is so poor that she can’t say more than a few words without gasping.  She also has an unrelenting sore throat and dry cough.  And every so often, her glands swell up.  As you may guess, she is having difficulty keeping her sugar under control, as well. 

Susan is a licensed Optician who has been suffering since July of 2020.  And like so many others suffering from long Covid, she is no longer able to work.  She’s been in the ER 12 times, including an episode where she was diagnosed with a TIA, during which she could not remember words.  Her long haul symptoms started with tremors, weakness, blurred vision, rashes, bruising, and Covid toes.  She now suffers from heart irregularities, liver enzyme problems, blood pressure issues, breathing difficulties, anxiety, and insomnia.  But the worst symptoms are continuing cognitive issues.  She recalled the day she poured her dog’s food into a vase instead of his bowl.  And she once stopped at a light while driving and forgot why she was in her car.  Sadly, her list went on and on.  

I have to agree with her.  These types of symptoms are the worst.  You feel like you’re losing your mind.  More than once I have walked to our neighborhood market only to forget why I went once I got there.  A panic rises up inside you when this happens and you feel like crying as your face flushes with embarrassment.  An embarrassment that you and only you are aware of as the world, it seems, closes in around you.   I think that’s the worst part of what we call brain fog - the feeling of your mind being squashed into blackness as sounds drift away and words slip from your mind.  

 

Lisa Marie has been sick for 17 ½ months.  Yes, you find yourself counting the days.  She caught Covid as a front line RN.  Her worst symptoms now are fatigue and her “poor, struggling lungs”.  She often feels like she’s drowning, even with her nightly CPAP.  She says it’s a horrific feeling.  She’s lonely.  She misses nursing, and has no life, no adventures, no real fun.  It’s an endless horizon of sickness and sadness.  

Evan is also at about 17 ½ months.  He’s not sure where he contracted Covid but he works in healthcare and lives in New York, which was the epicenter of the pandemic at the time.  He had a mild case but did lose his sense of taste and smell.  His worst symptoms now are occasional tachycardia, pain in his abdomen, and ongoing neuropathy in his feet that vacillates between tingling, numbness, and pain.  Also, anytime he stretches his arms or legs the wrong way they feel broken for about 30 seconds.   After almost a year and a half, he notes that he has still not regained his sense of taste.  

Angela has been struggling post-Covid for 18 months.  She suffers from “horrendous” headaches accompanied by severe eye pain.  For months her headaches were accompanied by all over chills.  She also suffers intense pain in her legs, arms, and shoulder blades behind her lungs.  It has felt like fire at times.  It was hard for her to walk or to stand.  And she, like Evan, lost her sense of taste and smell for several months.  The lasting impact from Covid, she says, has damaged her, especially her nerves and her veins.  And like many of us, she wonders if this damage is permanent. 

Azra was first infected at the end of 2020.  She developed a pulmonary embolism and was on oxygen.  As weeks passed, her health deteriorated. She lost all muscle mass, experienced debilitating arm and leg pain, experienced hair loss, blurry vision, floaters, and brain fog.  She used to run but now a 500 meter walk is too much for her.  6 months after contracting Covid, she was re-infected with the Delta virus.  That time it was more of a nasal infection, but after 2 weeks, she needed sinus surgery.  She had to discontinue her blood thinners when she had the surgery and now her blood is clotting again.  9 months later, it feels like it will never end.  She says that even though she survived Covid, it has taken her life from her.    

Karla is 39 years old and is a nurse.  She tested positive on November 13, 2020.  It was rough, she said, but not terrible.  So she returned to work.  Then in April, her body suddenly felt broken.  She was short of breath, suffered headaches and experienced hard chills.  She tested positive (again) on April 6th.  After recuperating at home, she again returned to work only to begin experiencing intense pain in her leg.  She discovered she had deep vein thrombosis.  She was put on blood thinners and started seeing an internist and a hematologist.  In the middle of May, she began to experience joint pain, headaches, and chills.  She tested positive for Covid on May 22nd.  And again on July 22nd.   Since then her blood pressure has gone as high as 187/127.   Tests revealed no damage and she was sent home.  Recurring symptoms include blurred and double vision, and weakness in her extremities.  Needless to say, she has not returned to work…

Sudden attacks of high blood pressure are something I have also struggled with in the long haul, with it once reaching 198/120.  The next day it had dropped to my new “normal” of 102/62.  What we experience can sometimes feel life-threatening, yet all too often tests reveal no serious issues and, once the “episode” is over, things slowly return to a semblance of normal again.  It can be crazy-making!

Kathie contracted Covid in March of 2020.  She’s 65 and doesn’t think her lungs will ever be normal again.  She had pneumonia 3 times last year and feels “ a deep level of congestion returning.”  She says that the medical care she has received has been ineffectual at best,  but she doesn’t know where else to turn.

I think many of us feel this way.  But we really can’t blame our doctors.  They’re doing the best they can with a huge unknown.  The variety and intensity of symptoms we exhibit have stymied them.  Many of us have been diagnosed with POTS, but even that seems to miss the mark.  Yes, we all suffer from tachycardia, lightheadedness, and fatigue.  But when you throw in the other symptoms we’ve dealt with including such things as hair loss, heat rashes, Covid toes, and digestive and sleep disturbances, it isn’t so easy to fit us neatly into that or any other category. 

Becca says that she’s been telling her doctors for months that she is dying in front of them.   And no one can tell her why.  Multiple organs have been affected, including her brain and her heart.  She is glad her doctors listen to her in spite of all the frustrations of being a long hauler and hopes that she and they can apply what they’re learning together and share what they learn in the process. 

Shelley said her initial virus was very mild, so much so that she questioned her diagnosis.  Since then she has developed symptoms consistent with what the rest of us post-covid long haulers have been through and she is unable to work.  After 3 months, her Epstein Barr and Cytomegalovirus had been activated and she developed pneumonia which was what really “took her down”.   

Charlie is a 27 year-old who used to run 5 kilometers three times a week.  Now he suffers from chest pains, excruciating migraines, severe breathlessness, dizziness and exhaustion.  He says that if he had known he’d be this sick back in March when he contracted the virus, he would have taken everything a lot more seriously.  “But all you heard back then”, he said,” was that if you were young, you’d be ill for a couple of weeks and that would be it.”   

Record numbers of young people have now been stricken with Covid-19.  And a surprising number of them are long-haulers.   On one of the Facebook support sites I belong to (a site with almost 14,000 members who are all struggling with long Covid), a 15-year old is in intensive care with complications resulting from the virus. 

Jennifer had acute symptoms in  March of 2020.  She woke up with a hangover-like headache and a fever of 103 that lasted 10 days.  By May, she was experiencing constant chest pain and shortness of breath.  Tests showed that she had 90% blockage of an artery that resulted in her needing a stent and 6 new medications. Now her memory comes and goes, her vision has deteriorated and depression can be debilitating.  Once upon a time, she says, she was a writer.  

Most of us have our “once upon a time” stories.  Once upon a time some of us were teachers, some were nurses, and some were lab technicians. Some worked out every day or ran marathons.  Some of us volunteered our time helping others in our community.  Now we spend our time trying to regain a semblance of what we were before.

  

Pokemon Go - More Than Just A Game!

When my boys were little - very little, like 5 and 7 years old - everyone was collecting Pokemon Cards and playing the card game that would launch dozens of Nintendo (handheld) games and eventually give rise to what has become a virtual gaming craze - Pokemon Go.  And I am not ashamed to admit that I have been following and enjoying each and every evolution.  

When my son came to visit us in early July, he introduced me to Pokemon Go and I have to admit that, initially, it frightened me.  I didn't like the idea of a game that you played "out in the world".  It felt - well - outside of my comfort zone.  But I followed him around as he picked up poke balls, potions, and raspberries; and caught little critters like Dratini, Oddish, Psyduck, Eevee, and Magikarp and evolved them into their advanced forms - all while walking around and, even better, talking with other Pokemon Go players!  For three fun-filled days, he dazzled me with this new and exciting game.  Besides getting several kilometers of walking in each day, we chatted with other people about what level they were, and where to catch the rarest Pokemon, etc.  At least once each day, we actually sat next to other players and shared information about each other's lives.  It was great and, yes, I quickly became hooked.  

Within a week, I had loaded up a game of my own and began collecting, walking, and meeting other friendly players.  I joined Team Valor (the red team) as my son had, and eventually braved the Gyms, where one can battle other Pokemon and claim sites for their team.  Above is a picture of a Gym - just as I was capturing it.  It was the first one I got and it was very satisfying.  There were 3 Pokemon on it (Team Blue) and I beat each of them, one at a time.  It took 5 of my Pokemon to do so, but once I captured the Gym and claimed it for our team, I placed Tweedle Dum, "one" of my Gyrados on top.  (See below).  

The game is easy to play, although battles can be confusing.  I found I needed some online help before attempting one.  The big thing to keep in mind is that, once the Battle is over and you have won, you need to choose and place a Pokemon on the Gym.  The game does not automatically do that for you.  The actual battle is pretty easy - just keep repeatedly tapping the screen until someone's Pokemon faints.  As I said, it took 5 of mine to "take" the Gym I conquered, but it was worth it.

Pokemon Go is the game you see people playing on their cell phones.  They usually travel in pairs.  And when they find a Pokemon they want, you will see them stop and make a very distinctive upward motion with their index finger on the phone's "screen".  When they catch it, they move on.  If you see someone moving their finger back and forth in a sideways motion, it means they have found a Pokestop and are collecting balls and raspberries (to help them catch Pokemon) and potions and revives (to heal them after a battle).

There are two things I love about this game: 1.) it gets people out of their houses and moving!  Unlike other "video" games, this one requires the player to exercise - sometimes a lot!  And 2.) it is a social game.  As you play - especially in popular locations such as tourist sites - you will find yourself chatting with other players as you walk along catching and fighting Pokemon.  There is a spot in D.C. where there are literally hundreds of people playing every Saturday and Sunday.  It is near a memorial that has fountains, rest rooms,  and a gift shop and, best of all, is near the water.  So the "walking" you do there is both refreshing and filled with things to do and see along the way.  

Pokemon Go is more than a game - it is, like the Wii before it, a way to get exercise.  But unlike the Wii, which can only be played in one spot (usually indoors), this game gets you moving, meeting, and greeting.  Good-bye to sedentary gaming!  Hello world!  

Heimlich, anyone?

Years ago, I was able to use what I had learned in a CPR course when I performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on someone until an ambulance arrived and took him to the hospital.  I was told by the EMT's that I saved his life.  It's one of the good things I've done with my life.

Yesterday, I was enjoying a delicious meal of Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with a nice crusty bread on the side when I accidentally inhaled a piece of the bread instead of chewing it as I was supposed to.  I was doing something no one should do:  I was talking while I popped the little morsel into my mouth.  Almost instantly, I knew I was in trouble.  I tried to breathe and could not catch a breath.  My airway was completely blocked.  I tried to cough and couldn't.  All I could do was make this godawful sound while the person sitting across from me exclaimed, "You're choking?  I wish I knew the Heimlich Maneuver!".  She said I was turning a very deep shade of crimson.  The waitress came by as I continued to gasp and here's where things get fuzzy.  I felt myself getting incredibly dizzy and the next thing I knew the bread had been dislodged.  I had been trying desperately to get some tea down to move the bread and I guess it worked.  So I didn't die, although it certainly felt like I was going to be meeting my maker the way Mama Cass Elliott reportedly did.   I guess the thing that freaked me out is that I could have died!  I was choking, I was turning purple and I was dizzy.  I think the next step would have been unconsciousness.  Afterward, my throat felt raw and tender and I kept sipping tea to try to soothe it.  It honestly had been one of those experiences where I saw my life flash before my eyes.

So I have made it my goal to make sure that no one else is in the position my friend was in  - at least no one who reads this Blog, which means we gabby eaters are in big trouble!   No one should see a person choking and just sit there and exclaim that they "wish" they could help!  Not when Dr. Henry Heimlich came up with a simple technique to dislodge foreign items (such as bread crusts) from one's airway.  Described as abdominal thrusts, here's how to perform this potentially life-saving technique:

1.)  Pull the victim (of choking) to his or her feet and stand behind him/her with your feet about shoulder width apart to keep yourself steady
2.)  Reach around and circle your hands around the person's abdomen
3.)  Make a fist with your dominant hand (meaning if you are right-handed, you use your right hand) with the thumb facing toward (and into) the person's stomach
4.)  Place this "fist" above the person's belly button and under their breastbone, wrapping your other hand around the fist.
5.)  Pull inward and upward with quick thrusts, making a motion similar to the letter "J" - in, then up.  Repeat until the object is expelled.  (Note: if the person loses consciousness, stop the Maneuver and call 911).

Now, please understand.  I am not by any means being critical of my friend or of anyone who may have witnessed what was happening, hoping I would dislodge the item on my own.  If you don't know how to do the Heimlich Maneuver, you can do more harm than good to the person.  And back slapping really does nothing to move an object out of one's airway once it has found its way in there.  I would have sadly tried that and - well - prayed!  Often when an object like a crusty piece of bread is inhaled instead of swallowed, it does "work its way out" eventually, as mine apparently did.  (I am pretty sure the tea helped!).  But if we can help, by all means, we should.  You never know.  You may actually save a life.

FYI, the Mama's & The Papa's "I Saw Her Again" just started playing on my Pandora station.  Coincidence?  I think not!  O.K.  So Mama Cass didn't really die by choking on a ham sandwich as rumors suggested, but it makes a good story, doesn't it?  

Be safe, eat healthy, exercise, and - please - be ready, willing and able to help someone if the situation arises where you could potentially save a life.   

Shower Yoga

SHOWER YOGA

Yup, you read that right: "Shower Yoga".  It's how I begin my days.  And it not only gets all of my stiff joints and muscles moving after a night of sleep, but it is exhilarating as well.  Here's how it goes:  First I take a nice, very warm shower and then turn the nozzle down so it no longer hits me.  I slide over to the other side of the shower and begin my stretches.  I reach my hands high over my head, interlocking them, and bend back as far as I can.  I actually bend back until I hear (and feel) my back crack.  It is a wonderful feeling - the best!  Then I put my feet about shoulder width apart and reach my hands over my head again (interlocking them) and bend from the waist - first to the right and then to the left, holding each stretch for 10 seconds  Then I reach my arms out to the sides as far as they can go and hold that pose for 10 seconds, after which I pull them into the center with my hands, forearms and elbows fused together.  I hold that for 10 seconds as well.  I then repeat the entire sequence, holding each pose for 7 seconds.  I Then reach my hands up high and bend over, touching my toes or grabbing my ankles.  I do that 4 times and hold it 5 seconds each time.  Finally, I do my "Tree".  I begin with my left leg, placing it high on my thigh as I balance on my right foot and hold it for 60 seconds.  I repeat on the left side and then I'm done!  (Note:  the shower is running the entire time, which makes the experience especially refreshing and, well, that's the exhilarating part!).  And I usually pray when I hold the Tree pose, so that part may take longer than 2 minutes).  

I encourage you to try this.  You can vary your stretches, especially if you are a Yoga aficionado.  Just make sure that you engage all of your muscles and that you DO NOT SLIP OR FALL.  It is a wonderful way to start your day.  I have to confess that I suffer from pretty bad arthritis, especially in my lower back and hips.  And since I've been doing Shower Yoga, I have experienced much relief.  I'm not saying its a cure-all, but it's worked for me!  

Empty Nest Diet, including Apricot Crepes

No, we aren't eating orchids now that both of our boys have flown the coop.  But we are traveling - a lot - which makes eating healthy challenging.  The above picture?  It's from an Orchid Show in State College, PA.  And it was incredible!  But what we ate that weekend was not so incredible.  We were with our oldest son and went to a pub and a Mexican restaurant where craft beers were the appetizers and the main courses were, well, less than healthy.  And I have to confess that, after a few months of pub and restaurant dining, I paid for it.  I developed what seemed to be acid reflux and could only sleep propped up - pretty high.  So I reexamined my diet and made some changes.

First, I am cooking more.  I mean, I really enjoy it, so why not?  I am making Indian dishes, quiches, vegetarian pastas, and other non-meat fare.  I have cut out beer and any other liquor except for an occasional glass of red wine, which I only drink with a meal.  I make my own bread now - no exceptions.  I was alarmed when a loaf of whole grain bread I bought from our local market had not spoiled at all - after almost 2 months!  That is just not normal.  And I include an occasional dessert on the menu.  My favorite right now is Apricot Crepes.  Here's the recipe:

I make a basic low-fat crepe batter in the morning (using 1 percent organic milk and lite butter instead of their full-fat counterparts) and refrigerate it until after dinner.  Then I make a sauce out of 1 T. lite butter, 1 T. flour, 1 and 1/2 T. raw sugar, the juice of a small can of apricots and stir until thickened and bubbly.  I quarter the apricots and add them to the sauce with 1/2 T. lemon juice and 2 T. chopped pecans.  I make 2 large crepes and fill them with a little more than half of the sauce, roll them up and pour the rest over them.  I sprinkle them with a little powdered sugar, add a dollop of fat free whipped cream and serve. They are heavenly!  Plus, you will find that even making half of most basic crepe recipes, you will have enough crepe batter to either make about 6 to 8 of these or to have them 3 or 4 times if your nest is empty like ours.  The batter refrigerates well for a couple of days.

When I eat out, I am once more scouring the menus for healthy choices - grilled fish instead of "fish and chips" (which I had grown to love at the pubs we frequented), pasta Primavera, veggie burgers, and blackened fish tacos.  I no longer order french fries or any other fried foods.  And guess what?  Big surprise!  I am feeling better.  No more reflux, no more sleeping sitting up.  What a difference a change in diet made.

O.K.  So the nest is empty and we travel about as much as we are home.  But that is no excuse for developing poor eating habits.  There are so many healthy choices out there:  quinoa salads, sweet potatoes, and vegetarian options?  They are on virtually every menu these days.  Yes, my husband and I still travel - a lot.  But now my challenge - something I really look forward to - is finding restaurants with healthy menu options and keeping it all delicious.  So here are some restaurants I highly recommend:
If you are in Philadelphia, Pesto Italian Restaurant; in Annapolis, Maryland, Vin 909; in San Pedro, California, Think Cafe; in La Jolla, California, anything downtown on the water.  And the best veggie burger? The Burger Joint (and they're a chain).  Most Indian restaurants have delicious vegetarian options, as do Thai and Japanese ones.  If you are a Pescatarian like me, seafood places often have delicious options with great sides.

It has been ages since I have posted here.  But now that I plan to cook more often, I will post my favorite recipes here, as well as any restaurants that really stand out.

Until next time, happy and healthy eating!

Being a Pescetarian

I am a pescetarian.  I just discovered that a few days ago.  What exactly, you may ask, does that mean? That I am an avid fan of Joe Pesci?  As a matter of fact, I am.  But pescetarianism has nothing to do with being a fan of a talented Italian actor.  It is vegetarianism with a twist.  As a vegetarian, I do not eat meat. No beef, pork, lamb, turkey, or chicken.  No exceptions.  I do eat dairy - am a cheese-aholic to tell the truth.  I also eat eggs, with my favorites being over medium with a nice whole grain toast.  But when I go out to a nice restaurant, I will, on occasion, order fish, making me what I thought was an "ovo-lacto-pesco vegetarian.  It turns out, however, that there is no such thing.  Fish is, technically, a meat.  So how do I justify eating it?

For one thing, I do not abstain from meat purely for humanitarian reasons.  I have nothing against organic meat.  I honestly believe that man is an omnivore by nature.  But the way we, as a rule, raise and slaughter our meat, is reprehensible.  It shows a lack of respect for God and His creation. Moreover, with the addition of often copious amounts of steroids and antibiotics, I don't think it is good for anyone.   This is why I should be giving up all but organic meat, at least.  But even this is not the reason why I no longer eat meat.  My honest problem with meat is kind of embarrassing.  Apparently I have the digestive system of a newborn baby.  I cannot comfortably digest meat.  I used to live with almost constant liver or stomach pain.  Since giving meat up, though, I feel so much better - plain and simple.  I added back the dairy, eggs, and fish after a brief go at being a pure vegetarian and found that they do not bother me at all.  Nor do they bother my conscience.  Fish have been caught in large nets since the beginning of time.  I stay away from farm-raised fish because (coincidentally?), farm-raised fish - particularly salmon - bothers my digestive system much like meat does.

So, since I last regularly posted, when I cook, it is vegetarian - ovo-lacto-vegetarian.  I bring no meat or fish into my house.  And I love that.  It somehow feels "clean".   I have a bevy of recipes that my husband and I enjoy and will share them with you in future posts.  I make dishes like Eggplant Parmesan, Tomato-Basil Quiche, Mushroom Crepes, and Vegetarian Curry.  I still try to cut the fat down in these rather rich meals and will share with you how I do that, as well.

When I order fish in restaurants, I usually look for a nice seared tuna or something like trout with a mango salsa.  Every once in a while, I will try a lightly breaded catfish, flounder, or cod.  And my naughty indulgence?  Calamari - prepared just about any way you can think of.

So, this is the new me - eating a diet that makes me feel - well - pretty wonderful on most days! 

O'Noir Restaurant, Montreal - Eating in the Dark

It has been so-o long since I have posted here.  There have been many changes in my life.  I don't know where to begin.  So I will break the ice with a review of an exciting and unique dining experience I had a week ago.  It was one of the highlights of a recent vacation that was filled with new adventures! 

When you enter O'Noir restaurant in Montreal, Canada,  you do not realize that you are about to embark on an exercise of trust. You are told to remove anything that lights up or glows, including watches or cell phones, and to place them in a locker. And even though you made the reservations knowing you'd be eating in the dark (thus the name of the restaurant), you don't quite understand what that means.  

You order your meal before entering the dining area, which you do "a la Bunny Hop" by holding onto the shoulders of your waiter who, God knows how, guides you to your table and helps you sit in your chair.  Your spouse is holding onto your shoulders as you amble blindly along. Once seated, you realize that never in your life has there been a room as dark as the one you are in. You can see absolutely nothing.  It is pitch black. 

As you realize your eyes will never "adjust" to the darkness, you feel a hand on your shoulder and hear the familiar voice of your waiter (in our case Samuel) telling you that he has placed your water glass on your left shoulder.  He then instructs you to grab it and feel around the table in front of you for a spot in front of your placemat where you gently place it. Then comes the stemmed wine glass full of wine.  I place mine beside my water glass and I do not let go of it. A basket of warm rolls is then held beside me and I am instructed to take one.  I bite into it and it is delicious. As is the wine. When one sense is completely gone, all others seem to be heightened. My appetizer was mercifully a pate spread on toast, so I could feel around and easily eat it with my hands. Embarrassingly, I do the same with the small salad on my plate, as I can not find my fork. By the time my main dish arrives, though, I have a fork in hand and am determined to use it. And use it, I do!  My taste buds are titillated by the flavors that fill my mouth. The haddock has a luscious salmon mouse on it and a wasabi glaze.  I do not expect to find stewed eggplant but love the taste and the texture. And the dill that somehow ends up on my mashed potatoes is delightful. I find myself scraping my plate in the darkness, not wanting to leave one morsel behind. 

My eyes never get used to the dark. I can not find one speck of light in the room. But the experience is exciting and almost, just almost, scary. I mean, what if my spouse thinks it might be funny to switch out my dinner plate for a a lettuce leaf or to put my wine glass on the other side of the table?  Worse yet, what if he decides to goose me while I am shoving a fork into my mouth or sipping my wine?  Moreover, how do I know I am really eating fish and mashed potatoes?  It could be mashed worms for all I know!  Like I said, it's all about trust. As we leave, we see a party of 17 arrive. I honestly can't imagine how that would work unless they are seated 2 by 2, or 3 by 3 at most.  And, honestly, I don't have THAT much trust - 17 is too many people to rely on.  Would I recommend this restaurant? Highly. I think it is something that must be experienced - for a couple of reasons. First, as I said, when you are completely deprived of sight, food takes on a new dimension. As do the other senses. And that element of trust that is required for an experience like this?  I found it refreshing, unifying, and quite intimate. 

Larb

Tonight I made Larb for dinner.  And it was marvelous!  Larb is a Thai dish that is often served as an appetizer.  It is a luscious blend of ground turkey, red onion, Serrano pepper and a delicious sauce - served in tender butter-lettuce cups.  A dinner serving was two cups with a side of Japanese rice made in our rice cooker - a must for any authentic Asian meal. 

I have made other Larb recipes, but none compared with this one.   My son and I both loved it.  He ate the leftovers today - cold - and said they were delicious.  The recipe was from one of my new favorite cooking magazines:  the Food Network Magazine.  I confess that I am an avid fan of the Food Network and the magazine features recipes by many of the cooks I have come to know and love, and even had an eye-opening article on how the show Chopped (my favorite TV show) is filmed.    The recipe for Turkey Larb was in the May 2013 issue and is as follows:

For the dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1-3 T. fresh lemon juice (I used 2)
2 T. fish sauce (can be found in the Asian section of your supermarket)
2 T. Honey

For the Larb:
3 T. vegetable or canola oil (I used 2 T. canola)
1/2 medium red onion, diced
3 small shallots, thinly sliced
1 4-inch piece lemongrass, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 Thai chile (such as prik kee noo) or Serrano chile, stemmed and thinly sliced (I wore gloves to stem and remove the seeds from my Serrano chile)
Kosher Salt
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (I used 1 pound ground breast meat)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Freshly ground pepper
1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated

1.  Make the dressing in a small bowl; whisk the lime juice, lemon juice, fish sauce, and honey, and set aside.
2.  Make the larb;  In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, shallots, lemongrass, and chile, and salt to taste.  Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the turkey and season with salt..  Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat and vegetables are cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Add the dressing to the pan and cook 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the mint leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.
3.  Spoon larb mixture into lettuce leaves and serve. 

I hope you will try this healthy and satisfyingly delicious meal.  Until next time, happy and healthy eating!



It's Been a Long Time!

These past few months have been busy!  My baby got into college.  Yes, my "baby"!  Read:  applications, essays, recommendations, deadlines, and headaches. He also got a scholarship to the college he will be attending.  Read:  another application, more essays, recommendations, deadlines, and headaches.  His prom was about a month ago - tuxedo rental, party bus (yes, you read that correctly), pictures, and more headaches.  We threw him a graduation party with his 3 best friends - lots of fun but it took us over 3 months to plan it.  My oldest son is home from college for the summer, which is nice.  But both boys will be getting their wisdom teeth out in a couple of weeks, which is not so nice.  For these and various other reasons, it has been a LONG TIME since I have posted on my Blog, something I once did daily.  Consequently, there is so much I want to share with you.  Alas, "headlines" are going to have to do.

 

I have a favorite baker who happens to be 100% vegan.  She is my go-to person for cakes and cupcakes.  She made a German chocolate cake for my husband's birthday and it was luscious.  Her "cookies and cream" and "the pretty" cupcakes were so delicious that when I recently shared them with some friends, they could not believe they were not loaded with butter and cream.  They are honestly the best cupcakes I have had   I have a Blog post about her.  She is My Vegan Baker.  Please check her site out when you get the chance.

 

Ethiopian cuisine has become one of my favorites.  I just got a cookbook by Marcus Samuelson that features African cooking and I am dying to try some of the recipes.  I found a restaurant that sells Injera down the street from where I live and took it as a sign that I am, in fact, to embrace this new cuisine.   (Note:  Injera is the spongy flat bread with which one scoops up the saucy dishes that comprise Ethiopia's incredibly complex dishes). 

 

A wonderful winery has opened just up the street from us.  It is called The Winery at Bull Run and features some of the best red wines, including one called Meritage, and probably the best red dessert wine I have had.  I buy a bottle of it almost every time I go there and, as decadent as it sounds, I often sip on it while I cook.   The picture (above) was taken when the winery first opened.  It is a view from the back patio/grass area.  Now, whenever I go there, that area is PACKED with people sitting at picnic tables, playing various games, and sipping on their favorite wines. 

 

I still try to keep fiber way up and fat way down in my diet, which has become challenging with some of my new cravings and all of the wonderful graduation parties I have been attending.  To supplement my daily walks, I plan to increase my flexibility by taking a Yoga class.  Speaking of my daily walks, just up the road from my favorite winery are some beautiful, historic hiking trails.  I try to hit one of them at least once a week to add some variety to my routine.   

 

Well, that's it for now.  I am trying to decide what direction to take with my Blog now that my "nest" will soon be empty.  I hope life has been treating you all well.   Until next time,  happy and healthy eating!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Love

Tomorrow is what we Orthodox Christians call Meatfare Sunday.  It is technically the beginning of a 56-day fast that will culminate on May 5th, when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, or Pascha.  As I prepare myself for this season of prayer and fasting, I am reminded of the reason for it.  And that reason, in a word, is love.  Love was the driving force behind Christ's sacrifice for us and it is, or should be, the driving force of our lives as well, something we get better at as we get older.  But I look around me and realize that the only thing about many of us that changes as we advance in years is that our physical bodies age.  Maturity is a vague concept that I used to think was marked primarily by experience.  I realize now that it is actually marked by how closely we come to resemble our Creator.  Let me explain. 

It is true what they say, about the Judeo-Christian God, that is.  He is epitomized by Love.  Whether you believe He is the son of God or just a great teacher, Jesus preached a philosophy of kindness that was unparalleled.  He told us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and that the ultimate expression of that love is to be willing to lay down your life for him or her.  Hand in hand with that, He also told us to judge no one.  The full impact of the first statement is often missed by those who quote it.  People do love themselves - deeply.  But without compassion, self-love manifests itself as selfishness or self-centeredness; and the fruit it bears is often rotten. 

Who has not been to at least one wedding where the following verses from scripture were read:   "Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking," etc.  Now, how many of you have heard those same verses read with the word "love" being substituted with "charity"?  It used to disturb me that the King James translation used "charity" instead of "love", and I certainly didn't want it read that way on my wedding day!  But now I get it.  The words, in practice, are interchangeable.  The kind of love we are called to - that truly benefits mankind as a whole -  is sacrificial, not self-serving or self-gratifying.

You can learn with age how to adapt to others, but without God, you can never really learn how to love or to even know what love is.   The body will age as we get older, but the soul will remain childlike or, worse yet, infantile unless we reach the point of maturity where we acknowledge that we are not alone - that we are not the be all/do all of existence.  We laugh at those who persecuted Galileo because he said the Earth was not at the center of the Universe.  Yet we fail to accept the fact that we are not the center of our existence.

I look at Jesus and see that he often hung around with people most of society looked down upon and shunned, including tax collectors, and prostitutes.  And because he showed them respect and love, their lives were changed.  The tax collectors gave back money they had "stolen" from people, and prostitutes realized they were worth much more than what a man was willing to pay for them.  Love your neighbor as yourself and you can change a person's life.  Love your neighbor as yourself and you will grow into a true son or daughter of the most high God. 



 

Craving a Really Good Salad

Fruits and vegetables.  Even with the new "food plate", our diet is to consist primarily of these foods.  During my recent visit to California, I did something I do not do too often here in Virginia - I ordered a salad.  It had crisp romaine lettuce, the sweetest yellow peppers I have ever had, delectable grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, sweet red onion, cucumbers, and edemame.  The dressing, which I used very little of, was a simple balsamic vinaigrette.  I ate every bite and felt absolutely fabulous the rest of the day.  And I realized that a great salad begins with great ingredients.  The problem is that they are hard to find here in Virginia unless they are from a CSA or a Farmer's Market, which is a problem in late fall, winter, and early spring.  Even the organic produce at high-end supermarkets leave something to be desired - specifically taste.  Non organic produce is all too often imported from places with different standards than ours in terms of pesticide and fungicide use and leave me feeling queasy.  In addition, they are picked way before their prime so that they can be "pretty" when they come state-side. In California, much of the produce is "from California" so it is picked fresh and ripe, and it tastes like it.  My question for you:  how (and where)can I get a really yummy and healthy salad outside of California now - in the heart of winter?

I hope to hear from you.  I am craving that California-style salad big-time!   I hope 2013 has been good to you so far.  Until next time, happy and healthy eating!  

Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies

Gluten-free.  The word sends shivers down my bread-loving spine.  I can not imagine being on a diet that excludes wheat products.  I can do without steak, french fries, or even ice cream.  And I have done so for going on 11 years.   But wheat?  Bread is my comfort food.  Bread, and all other wheat-based goods, such as scones, cakes, and, on occasion, brownies.   Because I have many friends who are on gluten-free diets, I have been experimenting with gluten free baked goods and found a brownie recipe that I think is surprisingly good.  Especially since the mystery ingredient that takes the place of the wheat is Black Beans; an ingredient that is at once a protein, a "good" carbohydrate, and a great source of fiber - something most of us do not get nearly enough of.  I have made them for a few of my gluten-free friends and have to admit that I like them quite a bit.  The texture is somewhere between a brownie and fudge.  I make these brownies now and then for myself just because they are a healthier choice.   I have had some requests to post the recipe, so here it is as I make it.  Hope you'll give it a try:

Black Bean Brownies

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (you can get dairy free ones if need be)
3 T. canola oil
3 eggs (or egg replacer powder, which makes them a good Lenten choice)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I use a full cup)
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking powder  
1/8 tsp. salt

Place the beans, 1/4 cup chocolate chips and oil in a food processor; cover and process until blended.  Add the eggs (or prepared egg replacer), brown sugar, cocoa, vanilla, baking powder, and salt.  Cover and process until smooth.  (Note:  If you do not have a large food processor, you can just add the processed beans and chips to the other ingredients in a bowl and beat them together.  That's what I had to do).
Transfer batter to a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into bars. 
(This is a revised version of the recipe that appeared in Healthy Cooking magazine, Dec'Jan 2013)  Note that it is also dairy-free and can be vegan if you use the egg replacer powder.

I hope 2013 has been good to you so far.  Until next time, happy and healthy eating!

Traditional Thai Curry (With Seitan)

In my old neighborhood, I had a neighbor who made delicious Thai curry and was kind enough to share her recipe with me.  It tastes exactly like the kind we order in the best Thai restaurants.  It can be made with chicken, but I am sharing a "Mock Duck" version for those of you who do not eat meat.  Mock Duck is another name for the ingredient of the week - Seitan.  If you enjoy Thai curry, you will love this recipe:

Mock Duck in Red (or Green) Curry with Bamboo Shoots

1 lb. cubed Seitan
1 T. red or green curry paste
1 can coconut milk, divided (I use Lite Coconut Milk)
1/2 cup sweet basil leaves
5 kaffir lime leaves, halved (these can be found in Oriental markets, usually in the freezer section)
1 sweet red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced zucchini or baby eggplant (I use a half cup of each)
2 T. fish sauce (found in the Oriental section of grocery stores)
1/4 t. salt
1/3 cup water or milk (I use skim or almond milk)
8-oz can bamboo shoots
1 1/2 t. sugar

In a pot, bring half the coconut milk to a slow boil, stirring constantly.  Put in red or green curry paste and seitan, stir well, and cook about 5 minutes.
Add remaining coconut milk, water (or milk), bamboo shoots, veggies, red pepper, kaffir leaves, sugar, and fish sauce and slowly bring to a boil.  Cook until vegetables are desired consistency.  Garnish with basil (I actually add some to the sauce when I add the other ingredients).
Serves 4 to 5.

If you can not find kaffir lime leaves, I have seen recipes that substitute a bit of lime juice.  I hope you enjoy this recipe.  I have been making it (with chicken, then tofu, and now Seitan) for years.

Until next time, happy and healthy eating!


 

Seitan - Nutrition Facts and Recipes

I mentioned in a previous Blog post that Seitan is my favorite non-meat source of protein.  It is a wheat protein that has only 120 calories per 1/3 cup serving and only 2 grams of fat.  This same serving also contains 21 generous grams of protein!  The brand I buy is Westsoy and it can be found in the refrigerated portion of the Organic section of your local supermarket. 

Seitan has a wonderful texture that absorbs flavors beautifully.  I am finding that I can substitute it in any recipe where meat is stewed or served in a sauce.  Examples include beef or lamb stews, Beef Stroganoff, chili, Thai or Indian curries, and even Coq au Vin or Beef Bourguignon.  It does not need to cook as long as stewing meat does.  Usually the flavors soak in perfectly in anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the recipe and the other ingredients you are adding.

A good friend sent me the following recipe for "Better-N-Beef Bourguignon":

4 - 6 Seitan medallions (I used a box and a half of the cubed Westsoy Seitan)
6 medium carrots, sliced
1 big onion, sliced
1 bottle of dry red wine (I used an inexpensive Merlot)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 garlic clove
1-2 bay leaves (I used 2)
1 T. flour or cornstarch (to thicken broth)
salt & pepper to taste
fresh parsley for garnish

Saute Seitan in a small amount of oil for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Remove from pan.  Add garlic, and saute 2 minutes.
Add wine and broth, carrots, onion, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.  Then let simmer for 30 minutes, half covered so broth and wine can evaporate a bit.
Add Seitan to vegetables and simmer with lid on for another 30 minutes.
Mix flour (or cornstarch) with 1 T. water and add to mixture, stirring well over medium heat to thicken broth.
Serve over potatoes, rice, or noodles and sprinkle with parsley.  (I serve it over potatoes mashed with fat free milk and a little Lite Butter, but egg noodles are an excellent choice too). 

This week I plan to make Beef Stroganoff for my carnivores and I will make a small separate batch for myself using Seitan instead of the beef.  Last week I made a Thai curry (using curry mix from the Asian section of the grocery store and substituting the meat it asked for with Seitan) and it was wonderful.   Just pull out your favorite stew or curry recipe and replace the meat with Seitan.  It's that easy.  I have not made a chili with it yet, but I plan to next week. 

I hope that those of you who have been curious about this tasty ingredient will try it soon, transforming an old favorite into something healthy, Vegan, Lenten, and good!

Until next time, happy and healthy eating! 

New Year's Resolutions

It takes me a few days to come up with changes I want to make in any new year.  This year, there are several, only some of them dietary.  In that area, I plan to eat less meat.  I just went to Wegmans and bought two packages of Seitan, which is delicious and can be cooked into any stew, curry, or stir-fry with ease.  My plan is to make myself Seitan versions of some of the dishes my carnivores will eat.  I wish I could say that The China Study was the catalyst for this proposed change in my diet.  But it wasn't.  It was the recent Advent fast that spanned 40 days and ended on Christmas day.  Some health issues that had disappeared for a while re-emerged as soon as I put meat back into my diet.  Any way I spin it, I can not find any other reason for the negative change in certain parts of my digestive tract.   Oh well....

Other resolutions?   To begin to piece together the fragments of the book I started last year.  And to spend more time in prolonged prayer/meditation.  The peace I felt after doing my part of the Psaltery each night during this Advent season was palpable.  Otherwise, I hope to see my baby go to the college of his dreams and my oldest son to find complete contentment with the choices I am so proud that he has made.

What about you?  What does 2013 hold in store for you?   Please share.  In the meantime, happy New Year to you all!! 

Some Thoughts on The China Study

Every 2 years I am required to do 16 hours of continuing education to keep up my accreditation as a Nutritionist.  This year I did my hours on The China Study, by Dr's. Collin and Thomas Campbell.  I read several reviews of the Study first and most of them said that it is impossible to read the Campbells' book and not radically change the way you eat.   In a nutshell, the China Study demonstrates a disturbing link between the consumption of animal products - in particular cow's milk - and diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and even multiple sclerosis.  I was impressed with the way the research was conducted and found it difficult to argue with the doctors' conclusions.  

After having gone through chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer, I asked my oncologist if there was anything I could do in terms of my diet to help prevent a recurrence and he said to avoid beef.  I haven't touched it in almost 11 years.  Along with beef, I cut down my consumption of milk fat, drinking only an occasional cup of skim milk and eating primarily low-fat or fat-free cheeses.  Because my heart was damaged by one of the chemo drugs, my cardiologist advised that I follow a low-fat diet, and I have been trying to keep my daily fat intake to around 15% of total calories consumed, an amount significantly lower than the 30% "recommended daily percentage".  I have not had a French fry or any other deep fried food in years, and have avoided all ooey-gooey desserts.  As for meat, on days that I consume it, I try to limit my intake to lean skinless poultry, and an occasional pork tenderloin.  Since I was raised on lamb, I also allow myself a lamb chop or braised lamb shank every now and then.  So...did reading The China Study result in my radically altering my diet?   Yes and no.

Following the diet recommended by The China Study means giving up all animal products - anything with egg, milk, cheese, fish, or meat.  With allergies to many nuts, and sensitivities to foods such as raw tomatoes, peppers, and salad greens that have not been washed multiple times, this would make an already difficult diet even harder to keep.  So I am starting by making small changes.  I will eat meat less often than I was (from 5 to 2 or 3 days a week) and will limit those meats to lean poultry and, very rarely, lamb.   I try to eat the recommended 35+ grams of fiber per day, and keep my grains whole.  I have also replaced skim milk with Almond Milk once again  (an exception being my "skim" chai latte from Starbucks).  Maybe after I am an empty-nester next year, I will more strictly adhere to the diet recommended in The China Study, with meat and dairy being "special treats".   But I'm still not sure. 

If you read the book, you will note that milk fat is the main culprit in inducing the above-noted diseases, and that those cultures that eat no animal products (or very few of them) tend to be healthier overall.  Dr. Campbell makes no distinction between full fat and fat-free dairy and I tend to believe that the unhealthy components of dairy are found in the milk fat.  Doctor Campbell also failed to mention that the Mediterranean diet - one rich in fish, yogurt, goat's cheese and lamb, as well as many fresh fruits and vegetables -  has also been found to be extremely healthy and linked to long life.  I think the emphasis needs to be in eliminating junk and processed foods from our diets, as well as fried foods and foods high in saturated fats.   A diet that does this and includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will be one that combines the best of both worlds.    

 






 

Avocado Ring and Apple Crunch - More Recipes from 1946

I have heard of Apple Crisps.  In fact, I have made a few in my day.  But Avocado Jello molds?   They seem to have gone the way of the dodo.  And I know why!   On the left is a photo of a slice of Avocado Ring from my 1946 cookbook.  It was the recipe that sounded the best of the no less than five Avocado Molds in the book.  I served it with pear slices (as suggested) and a slice of homemade toast.  With a bite of pear on each bite, the Avocado Ring was palatable.  Without it, it was rather flat and boring and a complete waste of 2 perfectly beautiful avocados.  The lemon jello flavor was subtle, as was the avocado.  Other ingredients included sour cream (I used low fat) and a touch of mayonnaise (also low-fat as I use in all recipes I make).  Note that there was not a single Guacamole recipe in this cookbook compiled by Southern Californian women.   It appears that, once Guacamole hit the scene, avocado jello molds bit the dust.  No surprise here...

 

The Apple Crisp (called "Apple Crunch"), which I made last night, was much better.  A quarter cup of Sherry added complexity.  And the texture was perfect - soft, juicy apples covered with a somewhat crunchy topping.  My husband added a scoop of  Butter Pecan ice cream on his, and said it was excellent.  The recipe is below:

 

I still plan to make the Tuna Casserole I told you about.  Something about chopped eggs, green stuffed olives and no cheese being the "gold standard" for that time period (and region) has completely piqued my curiosity.  After that, I only plan to make the breads, cakes, and pies.  1946 was a year of Pumpkin Chiffon Pies, Chess Pies, and a bevy of fruit-based muffins.  And, of course, I will lighten them up as I do with all full-fat recipes that cross my path.  

 

I am realizing that 1946 was indeed a pivotal year for American cooking.  But not necessarily in a positive way.  People were experiencing a sense of prosperity after years of scarcity with two unfortunate consequences.  Most of the main-dish recipes use inexpensive cuts of meat which, consequently, are often processed, high in fat, and, well, tough.  Also, too many of the recipes use canned and processed foods.  These years of plenty - beginning in the late 40's, and moving into the 50's and 60's, ushered in the Junk Food Mania that remains such a problem in our nation today.  Sigh...  My 1946 cookbook has been a very eye-opening experiment, especially in light of the reading I am currently doing on the "China Study".   More on that in another post.   Until next time, happy and healthy eating!

 

Clam and Bacon Appetizers - 1946

 Tonight I initiated my circa 1946 cookbook with, appropriately, some very easy-to-prepare appetizers.  They were so easy to make, in fact,  that my husband finished one while I worked on the other.   Above is the best - by far - of the two.  "Clam Hors D'oeuvres" is a delightful blast from the past.  I spread the mixture of drained, minced clams, an 8-oz. package of cream cheese, and 1 T. mayonnaise on slices of Melba toast and put them under the broiler for about 2 minutes (even though the recipe said to do so for just "a few seconds").   We all agreed that this would make a nice hors d'oeuvre to serve this coming Thanksgiving.  My husband wished he could taste the clams a bit more, so I may add another half can the next time I make them.  But my son and I were pleased with the warm cheesy texture and the subtlety of the clams.  See photo below for a close-up of this yummy, extremely simple-to-make appetizer:

As for the "Broiled Bacon and Olives", I made them because they reminded me of an old favorite of mine - Rumaki.  Rumaki is chicken liver and a slice of water chestnut wrapped in half a slice of bacon and broiled until done.  I don't know what made me think that stuffed green olives wrapped in bacon would taste anything like Rumaki.  We were able to finish them all, but they were SALTY, with the olive taste dominating the bacon.  Too bad.  They were so easy to make!  See photo below in case you think you may want to try them for yourself or if you suffer from a salt-deficiency:

 

 I broiled them for a total of six minutes, turning them after four.   What I really like about this cookbook is that none of the recipes call for expensive ingredients and most of them are pretty easy to make, as well.  They are truly a reflection of their time and may contain some gems - I hope - for ours.   Stay tuned for the next installment from this delightful and whimsical addition to my culinary repertoire.