This blog will help you towards healthier lifestyle choices!

I owned a State Approved K-6 for over 20 years and when it closed, I was devastated. However, I decided to make lemonade out of lemons and so I thought: I went to school for 40 years (one class at a time) and I have a PhD, I'll just look for a better job.



And, I did.....look that is, the "finding" part eluded me. I was 60 years old, never got sick and could outwork almost anyone half my age but, as I was looking for a job, it was NOT looking for me!



In the first two years after my school's closure, I applied for over 450 jobs (everything from Starbucks, to Admin Assistant to jewelry sales) and had no luck.



Finally a friend asked why I was counting the jobs and I realized I was focusing on what was NOT happening instead of what might happen so I quit counting, but not applying.



In order to survive, I sold my house and lived off the proceeds while I continued applying. I lived extremely frugally because I knew that the money would not last forever.



Over the years, I have continued to live frugally and apply for jobs. However, there truly is ageism in America today and I have been unsuccessful in getting a "real" job.



What I have been successful at is cobbling together a life by working at my many part time jobs! Currently, I have 2 jobs each day (subbing in the Auburn School District and tutoring at Sylvan Learning Centers). And I do other jobs occasionally such as Real Estate Broker, Author, and Editor.



Because I am a Health Coach, my passion is helping people be healthier.
Over the years, I've learned much about how to be healthy even if I wasn't wealthy so I decided to share my expertise with you! I will bring you tips, recipes, and many ideas on how to choose a healthy lifestyle, even if you are eating out of the local Food Bank and/or don't have much money to pay for gym memberships!

Friday, September 2, 2016

Vegan Spanish Rice on Steroids!

I use my rice cooker for this one. This one dish meal takes about 5 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook. 1 cup organic brown basmati rice (if using your rice cooker, use their measuring cup, not a standard measuring cup) Water according to rice cooker directions 1/2 onion, diced small (I like Walla Walla sweets best but they are only in the stores once a year) 4-5 stalks organic celery, diced small 1 cup fresh mushrooms, diced 1/3 jar Ro-Tel diced tomatoes & green chilies (I buy only in jars to avoid the BPA in cans). These are available at Grocery Outlet. 1 Tablespoon dried parsley Put all ingredients into rice cooker, stir,
and turn setting on to "Brown Rice". Stir the rice and enjoy!

Spinach Salad Plus!

I love the strange combination of ingredients in this spinach salad! I was just using up leftovers one day and this is what I came up with. I use all organic ingredients. 2 cups fresh spinach 1 apple diced small 1 cup raisins 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup celery 1/2 cup carrots Amy's Raspberry Dressing Combine all ingredients. The combo of mushrooms, apples, and raisins is a taste sensation!

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

White Bean & Sweet Potato Soup

I made up this recipe just today! It's very tasty. 1 cup small white beans 4 cups distilled water Put the beans into a large pan with the water and bring to a boil. Boil for one hour and then drain and rinse. Repeat this process 2 more times. Meanwhile, put the following ingredients into a large crockpot and turn on high: 3 sweet potatoes, diced 1 onion, diced 3 ribs celery, diced 1 Tablespoon turmeric (less if you want) 1/2 Tablespoon parsley 1/2 Tablespoon sage 1 Tablespoon rosemary 4 Tablespoons McKay's Non Chicken Broth (available from Amazon.com) 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp thyme 4 cups distilled water. After the third hour of "bean" cooking and draining and rinsing, add the beans to the crockpot. Turn down to medium and cook until all flavors are blended. I cooked for about 4 hours. Stir and taste. Add any other seasonings that you would like. I added just a smidgen of lemon juice to perk it up.If it's thicker than you like, just add a bit more water.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Vegan - Best Chocolate Pudding EVER! From Chef Del’s Better than Vegan

Best Date Syrup Ever 2 cups pitted Medjool dates ½ tsp Stevia powder 1 ½ to 2 cups distilled water Place all ingredients into Vitamix and blend until very smooth and creamy. Add water as needed. Store refrigerated up to one week. Chocolate Pudding 1 12 oz package lite silken tofu, drained ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup Best date syrup ever ½ tsp vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt Combine all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until cooled.

Monday, April 25, 2016

Vegan Veggie Pita Pockets

Kids will eat just about anything if you hide it in a pita pocket! For even more fun, let them fill the pocket after you have put the ingredients together. Here are some ideas: 1. Hummus (my recipe is on another post) with fresh bean or alfalfa sprouts. 2. Pleasing Purple Pockets: purple cabbage-shredded, grated carrots, finely chopped walnuts, raisins (drizzle a small amount of low fat poppy seed dressing on it) 3. Almond butter mixed with a small amount of honey 4. White beans cooked with grated carrots and seasoned with parsley, basil, sage. Skim off the liquid and put just the beans and carrots in.

Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup

This is vegetarian but not vegan, because the matzo balls won't hold together using an egg replacer, this recipe has eggs. Put distilled water into a pan that you would normally use for soup, or a bigger one if you are bringing to it to a Passover Seder. Bring the water to a boil. Add some parsley, enough to have it spread over the top of the water. Add some McKay's non-chicken broth powder and stir. Taste it after the broth has mixed with the parsley. Add more until it tastes like chicken soup (yes, it will taste like chicken soup even though it's only herbs!) Make matzo balls according to the recipe on the box. I used half as much oil to cut down on my oil consumption. Let the matzo sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes then form into 1" balls and drop into boiling (be sure it's boiling) non-chicken soup. Let the matzo balls cook for a while, depends on how big your pan is. Take out one and taste to see if the center is kind of rubbery and the outside is soft. When it's like that, it's done. See how much tasting you get to do?

Friday, April 1, 2016

Vegan Red Beans and Brown Rice

I had some red beans left from my chili making day, and I used them along with brown basmati to make this adaptation of red beans and rice. When I served it, I added some salsa for more zing! Adapted from Alex Caspero INGREDIENTS • 2 15 oz. cans red beans, drained and rinsed, or 2 cups rehydrated dry red beans • 1 cup finely chopped onion • 1 cup chopped green pepper • 1 cup chopped celery • 2 tsp. dried thyme • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2⅓ cups McKay’s non-chicken broth • 1 bay leaf • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1 cup cooked brown basmati rice INSTRUCTIONS 1. Place the red beans, onion, green pepper, celery, thyme, garlic, McKay’s broth, bay leaf, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours. 2. Stir in the rice, pinch of salt and pepper, and increase heat to high and cook for 1-2 hours depending on the rice you use (see notes). NOTES Depending on the type of rice you use, it should cook in 1-2 hours on high. I used a brown basmati and precooked it in my rice cooker. Brown rice should take roughly 2 hours in the slow cooker. If you decide that you don't want to add the rice into the slow cooker, reduce the liquid to 1 cup and cook rice on its own.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Vegan Pineapple Raisin Brown Rice Breakfast

1 C cooked organic brown rice 1 small can pineapple chunks 1/2 C raisins 1 heaping T cinnamon Cook rice in rice cooker or in a pan (2 cups water to 1 C rice if it's in a pan). Just before serving, add pineapple, raisins, and cinnamon. This is a nice change from oatmeal.

Vegan Chili

Today, there was lighning, thunder, rain and hail. I just HAD to cook some chili! 2 C cooked small red beans, adzuki beans or black beans (choose your favorite) 2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes 2 bell peppers, diced 1 onion, diced 3 heaping Tbs chili powder Put all ingredients into large
crock pot and turn on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Choose less chili powder or more, according to taste.

Vegan Mexi Rice

My friend, Magaly, brought a similar dish to one of our meetings and I just loved it. I made a few tweaks so that it was vegan and here it is! 2 Cups cooked rice (I like white basmati for this dish,it smells wonderful as it cooks and tastes good too) 2 T McKay's Non-Chicken broth powder (I heap the tablespoons) 1 can diced green chilies with juice 4 ribs celery 1 T jalapenos (if you want it spicy) Put all the ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low for about 3 hours. I use a rice cooker and I cook everything together as I'm cooking the rice.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Vegan Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Cranberry Nut Bread (goes great with Pumpkin Tofu Pudding)

This is just one of the many bread recipes I developed when I owned ECE Academy. We had about 80 children and served about 9 loaves of fresh ground whole wheat bread every day, made in my 3 Zojirushi bread machines. This is a 2 pound machine so be sure to adjust if you have a smaller machine. One of the reasons I loved my Zo's so much was the little pin that made the bread dough flip. I never had a mistake or bread that rose too quickly or too slowly. And, all of these recipes are kid tested. Oh, by the way, we did not serve butter with our bread, just the tasty bread! Of course, if you or your family have gluten issues you can substitute a non gluten flour. Just experiment to see what works! 2 tsp SAF yeast 3 Cups fresh ground whole wheat flour (2 cups of kernels = 3 cups flour) 1 1/2 Tbs Tofu white drink mix 3 Tbs wheat gluten 2 Tbs extra virgin Olive oil 2 Tbs honey or agave syrup 1 Cup plus 5 Tbs water 1 Cup cranberries 1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds) Place the yeast into the Zozirushi bread pan. Grind the wheat kernels into flour and put 3 Cups of it into the bread pan. Add the sea salt, Tofu White Drink Mix, and gluten. Measure oil first, then then honey or agave into the bread pan. Add 1 cup plus 5 Tbs filtered or distilled water into the break maker. Put bread maker onto the "raisin" bread cycle, add cranberries and nuts when it beeps. Watch and listen to be sure there is enough water in the bread pan. Add more as needed. Bread dough should look smooth and soft. Dough should not clunk around in the bread pan or have hard ridges on it. Note: This is one of my favorite breads during the holidays. I paired it with the Tofu Pumpkin Pudding recipe that is on this site. Yummy!

Vegan Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Apricot Bread

This is just one of the many bread recipes I developed when I owned ECE Academy. We had about 80 children and served about 9 loaves of fresh ground whole wheat bread every day, made in my 3 Zojirushi bread machines. This is a 2 pound machine so be sure to adjust if you have a smaller machine. One of the reasons I loved my Zo's so much was the little pin that made the bread dough flip. I never had a mistake or bread that rose too quickly or too slowly. And, all of these recipes are kid tested. Oh, by the way, we did not serve butter with our bread, just the tasty bread! Of course, if you or your family have gluten issues you can substitute a non gluten flour. Just experiment to see what works! 2 tsp SAF yeast 2 Cups whole wheat kernels (makes approx 3 cups flour) 1 tsp sea salt 1 Tbs Tofu White Drink Mix 3 Tbs wheat gluten 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbs honey or agave 1 Tbs apricot extract 1 cup plus 5 Tbs filtered water 1 Cup dried apricots, diced very small Place yeast into the Zozirushi bread pan. Grind the wheat kernels into flour and place 3 cups of the flour into the bread pan. Add the sea salt, tofu white drink mix, and gluten. Measure oil first, then honey and apricot extract into the bread pan. Add 1 cup plus 5 Tbs filtered or distilled water and put into bread maker. Put bread maker on the "raisin" cycle and add dried apricots when it beeps. Watch and listen to be sure there is enough water in the bread pan. Add more as needed. Bread dough should look smooth and soft. Dough should not clunk around in the bread pan or have hard ridges on it. Because the apricots are dried, they will take up moisture so more water than usual may be needed. Note: in addition to being just plain good to eat, apricots provide Vitamin Ad, potassium, Iron and Beta Carotene.

Vegan Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Bread

This is just one of the many bread recipes I developed when I owned ECE Academy. We had about 80 children and served about 9 loaves of fresh ground whole wheat bread every day, made in my 3 Zojirushi bread machines. This is a 2 pound machine so be sure to adjust if you have a smaller machine. One of the reasons I loved my Zo's so much was the little pin that made the bread dough flip. I never had a mistake or bread that rose too quickly or too slowly. And, all of these recipes are kid tested. Oh, by the way, we did not serve butter with our bread, just the tasty bread! Of course, if you or your family have gluten issues, you can substitute a non gluten flour. Experiment to see what works! 2 tsp SAF yeast 2 C whole wheat kernels (makes approx 3 cups flour) 1 tsp sea salt 1 Tbs Tofu White Drink Mix 3 Tbs wheat gluten 1 heaping Tbs cinnamon 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbs honey or agave 1 cup diced apples (small dice) 1 C plue 5 Tbs filtered or distilled water Place the yeast into the Zozirushi bread pan. Grind the wheat kernels into flour an dplace 3 Cups of it into the bread pan. Add the sea salt, Tofu White Drink Mix, cinnamon and gluten. Add diced apples. Measure oil first, then honey or agave into the bread pan (this helps the honey to slide right out). Add 1 Cup plus 5 Tbs filtered or distilled water and put it into the bread maker. Put onto full cycle (on the Zo, it's the white bread cycle). Watch and listen to be sure there is enough water int he bread pan. add more, a tablespoon at a time, as needed. Note: Apples and cinnamon are an early morning smell that makes our school very special! the apples also give us good fiber and lots of vitamins and minerals.

Vegan Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Basil Onion Bread

This is just one of the many bread recipes I developed when I owned ECE Academy. We had about 80 children and served about 9 loaves of fresh ground whole wheat bread every day, made in my 3 Zojirushi bread machines. This is a 2 pound machine so be sure to adjust if you have a smaller machine. One of the reasons I loved my Zo's so much was the little pin that made the bread dough flip. I never had a mistake or bread that rose too quickly or too slowly. And, all of these recipes are kid tested. Oh, by the way, we did not serve butter with our bread, just the tasty bread! This bread recipe is the best smelling as it cooks! Every single person who came in when we were making this bread, wanted to stay until it was finished so they could have some! 2 tsp SAF yeast 2C whole wheat kernels (makes approximately 3 cups flour) 1 tsp sea salt 1 T Tofu White Drink Mix 3 T wheat gluten 1 heaping Tbs basil 1 heaping Tbs Shirley J's all purpose seasoning (onion flavor) 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbs honey or agave Place the yeast into the Zo bread pan. Grind the wheat kernels into flour and place 3 cups flour into the bread pan. Add the sea salt, Tofu White drink Mix, gluten, basil and Shirley J's. Measure oil first and then honey into the bread pan (this helps the honey to slide out easily). Add 1 cup plus 5 Tbs filtered water and put into bread maker. Put onto full cycle (on the Zo, it's the white bread cycle). Watch and listen to be sure there is enough water in the mix. The mix should look soft and not jerk around in the the bread pan.

Vegan Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Almond Poppy Seed Bread

This is just one of the many bread recipes I developed when I owned ECE Academy. We had about 80 children and served about 9 loaves of fresh ground whole wheat bread every day, made in my 3 Zojirushi bread machines. This is a 2 pound machine so be sure to adjust if you have a smaller machine. One of the reasons I loved my Zo's so much was the little pin that made the bread dough flip. I never had a mistake or bread that rose too quickly or too slowly. And, all of these recipes are kid tested. Oh, by the way, we did not serve butter with our bread, just the tasty bread! 2 tsp SAF yeast 2 Cups whole wheat kernels (makes approx 3 cups flour) 1 tsp sea salt 1 T Tofu White Drink Mix 3 T wheat gluten 1 heaping T poppy seeds 2 T extra virgin olive oil 1 T honey or agave syrup 1 T almond extract 1 c pule 5 T filtered water Place the yeast into the Zo bread pan. Grind the wheat kernels into flour and place 3 cups into the bread pan. Add the sea salt, Tofu White Drink Mix,poppy seeds and gluten. Measure oil first, then honey into the bread pan (this helps the honey to slide right out). Add the almond extract. Add 1 cup plus 5 T filtered water and put into bread maker. Put onto the full cycle (on the Zo, it's the white bread cycle). Watch and listen to be sure there is enough water in the bread pan. Add more, a tablespoon at a time, as needed. For those of us who are "almond" people, this bread tickles the senses and makes us very hungry! Note: For those who are gluten intolerant, you can use a non gluten flour. Experiment to see what works for you!

Friday, February 26, 2016

Vegan Black Bean Soup

I had a box of spicy black bean soup but wanted it to be more "full" so I added the following ingredients and it was really delicious! 1 box Pacific Spicy Black Bean Soup 2 cups black beans (I reconstitute dry beans but you can use canned beans if you like. Be sure to rinse them if you are using the canned ones). 1 package frozen corn (I use organic only so I don't have to worry about GMO's) 1 each red, yellow, orange bell peppers, diced several stalks of cilantro 1 TBS chili powder dash salt I put all of the ingredients into a crockpot on high and cooked for about 4 hours. Great soup!

Vegan Magaly's Salad

My friend, Magaly, shared this recipe with me and it is SO delicious. It's not very expensive (except for the avocados) and is a great salad or you can use it as a dip. 2 cans black beans (or 2 cups of black beans that have been reconstituted) 2 red bell peppers, diced 2 cups frozen corn 2 avocados, diced 1 large Walla Walla sweet onion (or whatever you have available) Juice from 2 limes Rinse canned black beans. Add rest of ingredients. Squeeze lime juice over the salad. If you want to use this as a dip, lime chips taste really good with it. I have also used it as a filling for a soft tortilla.

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Vegan Brain Enhancing Soup

India has one of the lowest rates of Alzheimer's and the highest rate of intake of turmeric. Any connection? Well, although it's not been scientifically tested, it seems to me that we could use a bit more turmeric in our foods! Couldn't hurt! I have adapted this recipe from Feb 2016 Guideposts because I wanted to use no oil and I"m allergic to cumin and curry. 1 TBS distilled water 2 Walla Walla sweet onions, finely diced Sea Salt 2 medium carrots, finely diced 2 celery stalks, finely diced 1 medium butternut squash (peel and dice small) 1 tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp coriander 1/4 tsp cinnamon Pinch red pepper flakes (I did 2 pinches because I like it hot!) 1 cup dried green lentils (rinse well first) 8 cups organic vegetable broth 1 cup tightly packed kale (rinse, stem, and cut into thin slices) Put all ingredients except kale into crock pot in order given. Cook until all veggies are tender. Add kale and cook until it wilts. This was a very tasty soup. I think, next time, that I will probably add: organic brown rice, quinoa, or veggie noodles.