New Beginnings
A very good year to all of you.
The Obama inauguration is a moment in history most of us thought we would never live to experience.
Our new president and his team are determined to set a new course for our country, and he has called upon us to do our part. With the downturn in the economy most of us are trimming excess spending, looking to purchase higher mileage vehicles and paying more attention to the environment. We are also trimming the fat, not just from our wallets but also from our waistlines. Healthier bodies will reduce healthcare costs and improve our quality of life.
Oprah began the year by opening up to us about her weight gain. She encouraged those of us with the same problem to join her on her quest to once again lose the excess pounds with the help of her personal trainer Bob Green. Like many of you, I have also purchased Bob Green’s new diet book to get helpful tidbits on the foods to avoid, the healthy ones to purchase and new and tasty recipes to prepare. The importance of exercise in helping our bodies burn calories and reach our weight loss goals should not be overlooked.
Despite my bad knees I am returning to my treadmill, which I use in the winter. I plan to walk 30 minutes every other day with a 3 lb weight in hand. I also have an AB Lounge chair which I will use on the days I don’t walk.
My suggestions:
- If you use a gym, attend regularly.
- Take more time in the produce section of the supermarket or fruit & vegetable store; try to discover new fruits or vegetables to incorporate in your recipes and serve more of them. Read nutrition labels on jars and cans and choose prepared foods with less sodium and fat.
- Revamp your old favorite recipes; replace harmful fats with olive oil if possible; and use more herbs and spices since they add more flavor and no calories.
- Use smoked turkey to flavor southern-style vegetable dishes. Trim the fat from meats or purchase extra lean whenever possible, and remove the skin from chicken before cooking. Prepare meats grilled, or baked, and sauté or stir fry vegetables more often. These cooking methods calls for less or no oil. Reserve calorie-laden dishes like fried chicken, macaroni and cheese or lasagna for those rare and special occasions.
- Include lots of salads with low fat dressing in your diets, and add fruits and nuts to defray monotony.
I am sharing my Cabbage soup recipe that was given to me many years ago. I have retooled it over the years, adding more vegetables, herbs and spices, because I like dishes with flavor and zest. It is thick and satisfying and you will not miss the meat. Prepare a large quantity of this soup because it reheats well; you can take it for lunch if you have access to a microwave oven at work.
I will share my progress (or lack of it with you) and would appreciate hearing how you are doing out there.
Courtney Slaten
These are some great suggestions! Anyone who reads this article will have a great start for the new year.
Anonymous
I’ve just completed the cabbage soup diet using your recipe: thank you for sharing such a hearty and tasty version of this soup! The diet worked wonders, I feel great, and the flavor of the soup made all the difference. I’m now considering adding the soup to my regular “filler” food–quick lunches and snacks.
Barbara
Sybil, I enjoyed your blog on potatoes which are indeed , next to rice is one of the most diverse food staples , having a variety of uses and as you have documented is packaged in a flavorful history to savor.. As noted, potato’s have been one of mankind’s most important food staples for the past millennium.. Iran’s minister of agriculture recently stated that “During the Persian years 1384 – 1387, there were potato exports of about 683 thousand tons …In the first 10 months of the current year (2009), 260 thousand tons of potato has been exported from the country,” he added, stating that the volume of potato in the reservoirs of the rural cooperatives’ organization is more than 200 thousand tons.
Recently I leaned of another value for the sweet potato variety, … it helps lower blood pressure! Additionally as an avid gardener sweet potatoes also provide aesthetic value through the beauty of their flowers .
My grandmother made an awesome sweet potato pie which was not only nutritionally rich while being physically restorative . …(a starch, rich in dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. )
But had the added value of filling our home with the warm soul embracing spicy fragrance as the pies baked ..adding to our already full blown appetites.
In the American Black Community the sweet potato is a favorite food offering many delicious recipes honed form our culinary skills and offers” sweet tidbits” into our rich history.
One person offering such a tidbit is Mary McCleod Bethune in 1904, the founder of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., made and sold her sweet potato pies ( now famous sweet potato pie recipe ) to raise funds to support her vision for a school for Black students.) The recipe appears in Celebrating Our Mothers’ Kitchens by the National Council of Negro Women, Inc
MARY McCLEOD’s famous Sweet Potato pie recipe
1 c. margarine or butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
9 medium sweet potatoes or yams, baked, peeled, and mashed
3 eggs, beaten
2 c. milk
1 T. vanilla
2 unbaked 9-inch pastry shells
Combine margarine, sugars, salt, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add sweet potatoes, and beat until smooth. Add eggs, beat until blended. Gradually add milk and vanilla, beating well.
Pour filling into pastry shells, dividing amount evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until set. Cool completely on wire racks.
Note: Mary McLeod Bethune made three pies with this recipe instead of two. We divided the mixture between two unbaked pastry shells for thicker pies.
Enjoy!
Anonymous
ANONYMOUS
I am happy to hear that you made the cabbage soup and enjoyed it. You also tried the diet and lost weight and felt great. Yippee!
Keep us updated on your progress.
BARBARA
Thanks for adding your information on the potato and for sharing that precious sweet potato pie recipe.
I also love gardening, and I agree the sweet potato vine is a very attractive plant.