Monday, November 19, 2012

Monday This and That



Take twice as long to eat half as much.

Anonymous


Well, I'd say that the above quote is definitely a lot easier said than done, especially at holiday time. Eating has become such an intricate part of day, and well it should as it is a celebration of the harvest.  So we pile our plates sky high with high calorie and thousands of milligrams of sodium. Then we wonder why we got high blood pressure. This year, though, it will be a bit easier than previous years as I have chosen to focus more on fresh veggies and fruits rather than high fat foods and cakes...and all will be prepared with no or much less sodium. There is no need to fill up on the unhealthy foods we have become accustomed to at Thanksgiving.  As far as my menu, the following is what I came up with:

Turkey (of course)
Herb Stuffing ( no sausage stuffing this year. Sausage is too high in sodium)
Mashed potatoes
Fresh brocolli with low sodium cheese sauce
Parmessan roasted cauliflour
String beans
Low sodium creamed onions
Turnips
Sweet potatoes with pineapple,cherries, and brown sugar
Cranberry sauce

For dessert we will have fresh fruit, unless one of the boys brings a cake. 



Above is a picture of my two newest angels. Notice the broken wing on the green doll. What happened to this wing is quite a mystery, though. It was on when I picked her up in the store, it was there when I paid for her at the register.  And it was there when the clerk gently placed her in the bag. But when I got her home, the wing was gone.  It wasn't even in the bag. She was a half-price sale with no-return so there is no taking her back, and I refuse to toss her away. So I've chosen instead to think of her as a reminder that none of us is perfect.

My son came to visit yesterday, and he showed me something online that I found quite upsetting. It seems that Hostess is going out of business, and people are buying up Twinkies, cupcakes, etc. and selling them for a small fortune on E Bay. A box of Susie Q's was going for $400. So many people going hungry, or losing everything they have in this recent storm, and morons would rather fork over $200 for a box of Twinkies than donate to help the poor. Do you know how many Thanksgiving dinners that money could buy? And, let's not forget all those people throughout the country who are now finding themselves out of a job just before the holidays. What happens to them? Is a box of Twinkies really worth it?


We have so much, yet many Americans feel dissatisfied. Somehow the
full table, symbol of abundance to the pilgrims, is not enough. We yearn 
for something far beyond the material satisfaction. Find your place in 
history this Thanksgiving by stretching beyond your table. Celebrate your 
survival by offering peace and sharing with your neighbors. Make the shift 
from in illogical feeling of lack to the recognition of abundance. Invite the 
Spirit to your feast, and prepare to feed the world.

Jennifer James

6 comments:

  1. Twinkies??? oh for god's sake. You would think that in this time of economic difficulty people wouldn't be focused on the vintage value of snacks. Well, it's a sign that things are going to get worse before they get better for sure. *sigh.* What next? I like your wounded angel. I believe that was not an accident! Your dinner sounds yummy! Hope you have a great holiday!

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  2. Your sweet potatoes sound yummy. Never had them that way.
    Except for their powdered donuts,I outgrew Ring Dings and Ho Ho's and the likes years ago. Too many other temptations out there for me. ;0) Carrot cake, bismarks, tirimisu, pumpkin and lemon meringue pie, ohhhh and cherry and blueberry pie too. Give me one of those fresh whipped cream and fresh strawberry cakes too. OMG...I'm having a lack of sweets fit! ;0)
    Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours m/f. (((hugs)))Pat

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  3. I agree with you that the price that people are willing to pay for insubstantiol snacks is staggering with greed and is pathetic. I'm so grateful for what I have and your menu sounds just wonderful. Wish we lived closer.

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  4. Your menu sounds yummy. Our stuffing recipe has always been just bread cubes, lots of butter, finely chopped onion,salt/pepper (or not) and sage -- lots of sage -- and cooked in the bird. My mother got the recipe from a gourmet cook when she was in her 20s, and it's the one we all love. I've also done pumpkin pies without the crust and using Splenda, or with a nut crust. Have a wonderful holiday, Mary!

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  5. Oh... Your Dear one winged Green Angel. :-) Perhaps if you place her to the left of the Brown one, they can sort of share a wing. :-)

    Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!

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  6. Hi Mary....started reading your post today....was quite pleasant with you T-Giving menu and all....then I got to the Twinkie part.....WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR SOCIETY???????? Moron is too kind a word as far as I am concerned. BTW....wanted to comment on your little girl with one wing....you know with one wing she will have to work twice as hard and fast to do all the good work she does....do you think that means she will touch twice as many people? Just me thinkin'. (O:(O:

    xo

    Jo

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