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Last Monday, I taught a belly dance workshop at the Manchester library with the help of my dance sisters Kathleen, Emily, Callie, Trish, and Maria.

We didn’t have as many participants as we would have liked, but the ones we did had a lot of fun, and so did we.

One of our dance sisters, Jackie, had to stop dancing when her job transferred her to Manchester where she lives

She saw on Facebook that we would be at the library, and I commented that she should come, not thinking she would.

I loved dancing with Jackie. She was a student who took 6 months to find the one in a song. She was so excited when she was able to do it.

She was a very good dancer and her and I had a special bond. She was one of the first people I met when we moved to Vermont in 1989.

Jackie and I worked together in Manchester at the Polo Ralph Lauren store.

While I was teaching, I saw the front door to the library open out of my peripheral vision. It was Jackie! I screamed and ran to her.

Jackie could jump in and hadn’t lost any of her dance skills since she left before COVID.

Jackie was a fun dance sister and was like a mother hen with newer dancers. She fell right back into that role at the workshop.

For that hour, it was like she had never left. When the workshop was over, which was super fun and went well, I pulled Jackie aside and said, “Follow me.”

I threw a combo she and I used to do, ending with calibrated spins, four spins spinning in sync.

I had no doubt she could do it and she did. Here’s a short video clip of us.

I love teaching workshops and hope we will have other opportunities for more.

I have my fingers crossed we will be invited to dance somewhere as well. Performing is my favorite hobby, especially now that I can dance like I do again.

Thank you to the Manchester Library for asking us to do a workshop. We enjoyed ourselves.

Jackie proved that improv belly dancing is just like riding a bicycle. 🚲♥️

I had a food memory last week when my friend Ann was visiting from NJ.

When I was 7 or 8, I went to my Uncle Steve’s mother’s house. His mother was straight off the boat from Hungry.

I spent a lot of time with my grandmothers, but I also spent a good portion of time with my Aunt Claire and Uncle Steve. I’ve written about her several times.

Uncle Steve’s mother didn’t speak any English and she was old. Her apartment was small so while my Aunt and Uncle sat at her dining table in the kitchen, I watched what she was doing.

She put out a big spread of food, all of Uncle Steve’s favorites and ours too but the first dish she served were open-faced tomato sandwiches.

She started with toasted rye bread. She smeared a small amount bacon fat on the toast then added slices of Jersey tomatoes she grew herself.

She finished the open-faced sandwich by sprinkling red onion on top along with salt and pepper. Mmmmm!

It was so good. We talked about it all the way home Perth Amboy where she lived. I told my aunt and uncle I could make what she made.

A week or so later, they bought the ingredients for me to make those sandwiches.

Since I was so young, I needed help cutting the onions and tomatoes. I don’t recall who did that for me, but I assume it was Aunt Claire.

I used the kitchen table as a makeshift counter for me since I couldn’t reach the real one.

After I pulled the toasted rye bread slices out of the toaster, I carefully spread them all with bacon fat, going to the edges like I watched her do.

I put the tomato slices on next and sprinkled some onions on top.

Then, I used salt and pepper shakers just like I saw the old Hungarian women do.

My parents were also there, waiting to try what I was making. I put the open-face sandwiches on paper plates and served everyone in the next room.

I turned to get mine from the kitchen when everyone started making mmmmmm sounds.

Aunt Claire told me that my version was as good as whatever she called her mother-in-law, I don’t remember.

I’ve been craving that open-faced sandwich all week; I made it for lunch today.

My onions were minced small and stayed on the tomatoes better than when I made it 50 years ago. I should have added more in retro speck.

The taste was the same as I remembered. Marty said the open-faced sandwiches were delicious; this was the first time I had made them for him.

When I was making our sandwiches today, I had a nostalgic moment and prayed for all of them, especially Uncle Steve’s mother who was a very good cook.

Since we had to go gluten-free back in 2010, the only good bagel we had twice in 2022 was at a gluten-free bagel shop in the city called Modern Bread and Bagel.

I wrote about them in this blog post when we returned home from NYC. https://julziestyle.com/page/32

We couldn’t believe how crispy and chewy they were. They were just like the bagels we grew up on in NJ.

I’ve tried making gluten-free bagels plenty of times all with similar crappy results. I gave up. Sigh.

Since we have been eating a clean diet, I’ve learned how to make amazing things I never would have found just by searching for gluten-free.

Remember those high-protein waffles I made about a month ago? I got the bagel recipe from the same site, Skinny Taste.

Cottage cheese is a big component in clean eating since it helps maintain good gut health. Plus, cottage cheese is loaded with protein.

Even if you don’t like cottage cheese, have you purchased a decent brand like Cabot where the curds are small?

Did you have it plain, that’s boring! You can add preserves, cinnamon & sugar, or savory things like za’atar spice with vegetables or chives.

If you still don’t like cottage cheese, these recipes do not taste or act like cottage cheese. Instead, they transform it into baked goodness.

The recipe for the bagels calls for flour, which can be whole wheat, regular all-purpose, or gluten-free. Yay! These bagels are not vegan.

The directions for the bagels are pretty specific, and I followed them exactly; I now know why they are there.

When we had our bagels topped with veggie cream cheese I made for breakfast, as soon as we took a bite we were like, holy shit!

The recipe is simple and straightforward. There is no rising. You just make the dough, form it into bagels, and bake. That process took me about 20 minutes.

They baked for 25 minutes, which was right on the money according to the recipe. They cooled for 15 minutes and were ready.

Here is the recipe I used this morning.

https://www.skinnytaste.com/protein-bagels/

This is a big deal for us! Huge! I am planning on using the dough to make burger buns with sesame seeds on top!

Yes, they still have carbs, but they are loaded with protein, which can hold you over better than any plain bread or bagel.

Clean eating just gets better and better! 🤩

My posts have been shorter since this is our high season, but I finally figured out after almost 3 years of blogging, I can share 1 photo with a quick description.

Duh, Julz! Every blog post doesn’t have to be a long detailed or emotional piece.

Oh, believe me, there are still plenty of those to come when we can come up for some air.

This is already turning out to longer than intended. 🤣

Behold, the photo of the sandwich above, such a simple, healthy, and delicious creation which was inspired by an Instagram image.

Toast topped with pesto, spinach, scrambled eggs, a slice of tomato, thinly sliced mozzarella cheese, freshly picked basil, kosher salt and pepper.

So stinking good! This is healthy, clean eating. Yum.

I shared with you guys the recipe for protein waffles a couple of weeks ago. I did say they were a bit more work than I expected.

This morning, I had two very ripe bananas that I wanted to use for breakfast. I searched for clean, light, and fluffy banana pancakes.

I read through a few recipes, but they all contained vanilla protein powder, which is something I didn’t want to use.

Then I found this recipe:

https://annikaeats.com/healthy-fluffy-banana-pancakes/

The best part about this recipe is that you can throw everything into a blender and be done in 5 minutes!

I cooked the pancakes outside on the flattop griddle. I had room to make them all at once and they were done in 5 minutes!

I topped mine with toasted walnuts and maple syrup, as in the title photo. They were delicious and easy.

Every bite that Marty took the sound, mmm, came out of his mouth. They were that good.

If I made some ahead and heated them up in the toaster oven, this would be great with a smear of peanut butter for a quick breakfast.

This recipe is a total home-run in flavor, texture, and ease of preparation. I would recommend this recipe 💯.

Good morning! ☀️ It’s 7:30 am on a lovely Saturday morning here in Vermont. When I was little, I loved soft-boiled eggs with toast. As an adult, I’ve been making soft-boiled eggs for decades with mixed results.

I learned how to make them using my 1950s Betty Crocker cookbook. There are a lot of variables that can over or under-cook them using the method of placing eggs in cold water and boiling for two minutes.

With this method, you have to babysit the water and begin timing as soon as it comes to a boil. If you miss even one minute, your eggs won’t be perfectly soft-boiled. Does it really matter? To me, it does. Yeah, I am that person.

I stumbled upon a different method last week; the eggs were perfect! Yay! There was just the right amount of runny yolks with solid whites, no white gooey stuff, and no pale yellow yolks partially cooked.

This is the method I tried:

Over medium-high heat, bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Use the number of eggs you like straight from the refrigerator. This is important. Turn the water to a gentle boil. This is also important.

Using a slotted spoon, lower the eggs into the water and set a timer for 6 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the eggs immediately. Again, this is important.

Place the eggs straight away into a bowl of cold water with ice. Chill for 2 minutes. Finally, either peel, cut in half with the shell on, spoon out of the shell, or cut just the top off and place in an egg cup. I cut mine in half and scoop out the egg halves.

The 6 minutes when the eggs cook is enough time to make toast. I wasn’t stressed if the eggs would be over or undercooked. Again, I am that person. I know most people don’t give a shit if their eggs are cooked correctly.

Even though the cooking time is 6 minutes, I’ve also made 7-minute eggs with slightly firmer yolks that can be peeled and cut in half.

Unlike softer-boiled eggs, which are eaten in a bowl or egg cup, these can be placed on a platter and eaten with your hands. They are also delicious and perfect for brunch or on the go.

If you like soft-boiled eggs, I hope I posted this method early enough so you can make some this weekend.

*** Shortly after I published this post I got a text from my friend Maria Wulf of http://fullmoonfiberart

10 minutes later she sent this photo with this text “Perfect! Yoke juicy and whites hard!”

It really does work! 🤗

I saw this on my friend’s Facebook page on Monday morning, and it’s been on my mind ever since.

I realized I needed to check my own actions before getting upset at all the hate in our country and world.

I’d be a fucking hypocrite if I felt like that, but walk around in a snit because of the situation next door.

I received a comment on my Coming Clean blog post that I am so grateful for. The reader told me she sends love and light to her neighbor who is similar to mine. Thank you C.

Of course, dumbass, I thought! How can getting angry over a situation bring any kind of good to it?

I still have a lot to learn about myself and the lessons presented to me.

I’ve been calm and at peace with almost everything except for this situation.

I immediately started sending love and light to the house and its inhabitants. Maybe they need a little love and light, I wondered.

I don’t know if the love and light will help, but at least it has softened my heart, and I am no longer mad and angry.

Its hard to go on social media right now without getting sucked into negative posts so I may be taking a break from it for a while.

I decided today there is so much hate and anger in our country on both sides that I can avoid a lot of it by not partaking in it on social media.

I’ll still share my blog posts on Facebook and check our business accounts.

My Julzie Style Instagram is filled with gardening, food and other things I love. I only follow things I adore.

This is the right decision for me right now and I’ll save my sanity and have more time doing things that bring me joy.

Peace out social media. ✌️

Last night, we grilled a lean beef cut called Tres Major. There are only two per cow.

It used to be what the butcher saved for themself, but if you’re lucky, you may find some.

Tres major steak is as lean and tender as a filet mignon but has the flavor of a ribeye. It has a nice beefy taste and cuts with a butter knife.

The only difference between this meal and last summer is that I didn’t serve a baked potato.

We had a starchy vegetable, tender local corn, and a watermelon salad with basil and feta.

Neither of us missed or wanted a baked potato. I used butter and salt on my corn, which was a must.

Marty aims to eat as much corn as possible while it’s in season. The same is true for me about watermelon and tomatoes.

Learning to eat seasonal fruits and veggies every day has been a welcome addition to our diets.

We were not eating enough servings of fruits and vegetables by a mile, but now we are.

My goal is for me to have a healthy gut, which I now realize is something I’ve never had.

The bizarre thing about having a healthy gut is I can tolerate lactose. I’ve been lactose intolerant since I was 9 or 10.

When I considered it, I had never had a healthy gut before. There are many advantages that I didn’t know about.

https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-how-gut-health-affects-whole-body

My gut is still adjusting to clean eating. I am not using any supplements to improve my gut health I am relying on the right kinds of foods.

Since I started eating clean I have either a bowl of vanilla yogurt and fresh fruit or a bowl of cottage with a dab of preserves.

It turns out that cottage cheese and yogurt play a big role in gut health, and I didn’t know it!

I’ve been following my gut (yes, a pun) about clean eating and have just started researching it.

I have to admit while it’s easy to eat clean and light in the summer, I have no idea yet what I’ll make for fall and winter meals.

There is so much information out there that I have plenty of time to find recipes and do more research.

I’ll be sure to share what I find with you. I’m sure there are plenty of ways to convert my traditional comfort food fallback recipes to autumn and winter clean eating.

Have a great Wednesday!

Yesterday morning, I wrote about my gardens which I am very proud of and excited to share since this is all new to me.

I realize now that I posted too many photos that may have seemed like I wanted to show off all my hard work for an atta-boy.

That was not my intention. When I sat down last year and thought about things that would bring me joy I was in a very deep state of depression.

I never in my wildest dreams thought I would succeed at gardening or lose 34 pounds.

It’s as if I’m in a dream, feeling so happy, young, and healthy again without any symptoms of lung disease. It’s like I’m 40 again.

Like our property, I’ve been through a huge transformation both mentally and physically.

Being able to forgive my mother after a lifetime of abuse is the most freeing thing in the world!

This is where the transformation began.

Since then, I have been a happier, healthier, kinder, and more joyful person. I always have a smile on my face.

That being said, I am disappointed with myself for writing about my frustrations next door.

Everyone is different and doesn’t share the same visions, values, or virtues. This is something I have to remind myself about.

I have to dig deep and find peace regarding this situation.

This is not just about a messy yard. After eight turbulent years, it goes much deeper than that.

Anyway, I apologize for the negativity. I let it creep into my joy, showing me how easily I can slide backward into playing a victim.

I’ve thought about this since I published that blog piece and wanted to come clean about it after discussing it with a friend.

This blog means so much to me because it’s a place where I can work through things honestly and authentically.

Thank you to my dear friend for your wisdom and to all of you for sharing this journey with me and all the ups and downs of my life. 💜

Every morning, I head outside to greet each of my gardens and give them a good watering if they need it.

I start with the front porch, then make my way to the veggie garden, and lastly, the morning glories.

I am so happy with how the perennials I planted in the spring are doing. They are beautiful and are blooming.

The edging work I spent almost three days on was 100% worth the effort. Weeding is minimal, a five-minute job.

I am so proud of my veggie garden! I love how it’s like a jungle. I work in the beds every few days.

You can’t have beautiful garden beds without upkeep.

I didn’t have time for that when the kids were young, but now I do, and I enjoy keeping the beds clean.

After I water, I harvest whatever is ready. This morning, I cut green beans, beet greens, and a small amount of lettuce.

I can’t tell you how peaceful it is tending my garden. Then I water the morning glories, and I instantly feel angry, sad and deflated.

It doesn’t matter how much I tend to my flower beds; looking at the place next door makes me depressed. It’s awful.

It makes me sad that an old historic home in the village of Arlington is so neglected and uncared for.

I thought the morning glories would help, but they don’t. Watering them makes me even sadder. What a shame.

I a found windscreen privacy fencing online, but we cannot afford it at this time.

I’ll save money over the winter and hopefully be able to purchase at the end of winter.

After I finish watering the morning glories, I visit the wildflowers and look for new flowers that seem to have bloomed overnight.

This usually improves my mood, and I shake it off and move on with my day.

I enjoy gardening too much to let the negative stuff ruin my joy or rain on my parade but it does get old.

After all the hours of hard work, determination, studying, imagination, and with Marty’s help, I really have the garden of my dreams.

Even though it’s mid-July, I am already thinking about next year’s garden. ☺️