Protein waffle topped with a bit of peanut butter, bananas, and walnuts.
I promised to share any healthy, clean-eating recipes I came across; I tried one on Sunday morning, which was outstanding.
It was a bit more work that I wasn’t prepared to do, but now I know how to smooth things out to make the waffles easier.
I made an eating mistake on a chilly morning last week. I went back to having a carb-only breakfast and paid for it the rest of the day. Now I know why I was always tired, hungry, and grumpy mid-morning.
I made a bowl of grits with a pinch of salt and a small amount of maple syrup. It was yummy and satisfying. Not!
By mid-morning, I was starving and falling asleep. I had been hungry all day and tired. It wasn’t until we had a dinner salad that I started to wake up.
No more carb-only meals again, ever. I started looking for breakfast options that weren’t just yogurt or cottage cheese based.
Then, I found this fantastic protein waffle recipe. It’s a perfect carrier for other proteins such as peanut butter, cashew or almond butter, nuts, and fruits.
Below is the recipe I found. In the future, I will grind my GF oats ahead of time and store them in a canister, which takes another step and removes a small appliance from the mix.
“Surround yourself with strong women, women more beautiful than you, smarter than you, and don’t envy them, admire them.
Surround yourself with good women who know how to listen, who know how to care, from whom you learn to relate to the world, women who teach you their power.
Surround yourself with women to weave an invisible web, a web for other women, so you don’t let them fall, so they feel the collective hug, so they don’t feel alone or crazy.
Surround yourself with women who embrace their shadow, who don’t apologize for being light, who are aware of their beauty and that they are alive.
Surround yourself with irreverent and brave women, women fighters who open the way and tear down walls, women of reference, women who do not ask for permission, who build their homes with the same hands, with which they cradle and caress.
Surround yourself with women who help you live as you are, who give you confidence and affection, who remind you that they are all one.”
Written by Roy Galán artist unknown.
Last night, we had our annual Sisters dinner, the women performing in our troupe. They are the core of the organization.
These women have been coming to dance class virtually every Wednesday for years. They are dedicated and are the ones who keep the organization afloat.
We have been having these “Sister of the Shawl” annual dinners since the mid-2000s.
It’s a special night for me because I get the night off from teaching and get to know what’s going on in their lives, what they’ve been up to, and what they want to share.
I talk at them for two hours every Wednesday night, so it’s nice to sit back and listen for a change.
Teaching every week can be draining sometimes, so this special night with my dance sisters recharges my batteries.
One thing in our small dance sister circle is we all love cooking and eating food. We do a potluck dinner and this year I hosted it last night.
It’s a chance to wear real-life dresses, gab, and eat. We chew with our mouths full, telling each other about recipes and other food-related things.
It was a hot day so I planned to eat indoors in our dining room. I had an amuse-bouche waiting for everyone.
What is an amuse-bouche you may wonder? The direct translation is mouth amused.
“Amuse-bouche, otherwise known as amuse-gueule, is the French term for ‘mouth amuser’. They are a type of small, bite-sized hors d’oeuvre. Chefs serve amuse-bouche to diners to enjoy while waiting for their food orders to arrive. It is a way of saying ‘welcome’ to guests and pampering them with something special. At the same time, amuse-bouche whets the appetite, satisfies initial hunger, and prepares guests for the courses ahead. Amuse-bouche are different to appetisers in that they are served complimentary and chosen by chefs to demonstrate their cooking style.” Chef in.com
I have wanted to try making tomato water and serve it in a mini flight glassware set I’ve had for years.
The photos and video below show the slow process, but it is worth the wait.
I also made some cute marinated mozzarella stuffed grape tomato tulips that I saw on Instagram a few months ago. I was giddy about making and serving them.
Amuse bouche.
Kat made this incredible Middle Eastern layered salad, which was not only stunning but also different and tasty!
Trish made a unique green potato salad with cubed zucchini, pesto, chives, and a few other ingredients. Yum!
Callie was right on the money with this watermelon and feta salad, which was super refreshing on such a hot day.
Kathleen made the highly requested secret childhood cornbread that she makes every year. It’s unlike any cornbread anyone has ever tasted. It’s incredible!
Maria made a scrumptious cold cucumber soup! Let me tell you how refreshing this was on a hot day! I will be making this often as soon as I have cucumbers in my garden.
I made a couple of small platters of hand-held Caesar salads and eggplant rollatini stuffed with spinach and cheese. I was happy how it came out.
Everyone’s dishes were made with love you could taste and were all well seasoned and delicious.
After a quick tour of my garden and our production kitchen it cooled off enough to sit outside on the lower deck.
We relaxed and chatted. It was so nice. We finished off our dinner with some black raspberry ice cream that Kathleen brought for dessert.
We were missing Emily, who was unable to come, which was really too bad. We all missed her at the annual dinner.
I am so lucky to be surrounded by strong, supportive women like them.
When the passage at the beginning of the post popped up on my newsfeed this morning I knew immediately that was how I was going to begin writing about our amazing evening.
Three of us have been together for 21 years, others for more than 15 years, and the newest sisters joined our group 7 years ago. Has it been that long?
We are a unique bunch of women brought together by dance and have been through a lot together.
During good and bad times, through losses, illnesses, and plenty of successes, we have each other’s backs, lift each other up, and support the hell out of each other.
We are a rare breed and continue to blossom even in such a toxic, turbulent world that we block out every Wednesday night. 💜
It all started with a card I received from my biological mom. She is a polar opposite of my adopted mother for sure.
I purchased a frame for the card and put it on display on the shelf in my kitchen where I can see it every time I prep food.
A month ago, while I was up in Rutvegas, aka Rutland, with Marty on a delivery run, I found two tiny cactus plants for under $2.
On Monday, while shopping at the Aldi in Bennington, I was they also had the tiny cactus. I chose three.
I gave them a good watering since who knows when they were last watered and set them up on the same shelf as the framed card.
It looks so stinking cute that I can’t stand it!
In other news—well, not really news—yesterday I made a sandwich I saw on Instagram for lunch.
It was easy and pretty tasty. I made bbq tofu on a GF bun with pickled red onions, a little homemade coleslaw, and dill pickle chips.
It tasted like a bbq sandwich, and the soft texture of the tofu didn’t throw either of us off.
Next time, I’ll keep the tofu on the nonstick grill pan longer before brushing with bbq sauce.
Here’s how easy it was to make:
Drain extra firm tofu and press the moisture out. Brush with olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper.
Place carefully on the grill pan until the underside has grill marks. Flip over and do the same thing as the first side.
This is where I should have let both sides cook longer. Brush with your favorite bbq sauce-we use Sweet Baby Ray’s and flip over.
Let it cook, and then do the same with the other side. Trust me, you will know when it’s ready.
Put it on a bun or bread and top with whatever you like with bbq. That’s it.
While I am writing about food, last week I bought a bag of avocados, which stressed me out all week. Lol.
Avocados have such a small window of ripeness that you have to get it right. Luckily, this time, I did! All five were perfect when I cut into them. Whew.
This kind of shit really does make me stressed a little because I hate wasting food.
I used the last two on Sunday morning for a delicious breakfast. I made toast, spread a little veggie cream cheese on it, and topped it with mashed avocado, kosher salt and pepper, and poached eggs.
It was filling and held us over for most of the day. I couldn’t finish my second piece and Marty was too full to finish it.
I wanted to pass on some easy ideas since, as I always say, “The hardest part of cooking is figuring out what to make.”
We are starting another outdoor project, and Marty is helping me this time.
On Sunday, we picked the hottest time of day, grabbed some garden tools, and got to work.
When I wrote about the eyesore next door, I forgot about this wasted prime piece of land in a sea of gray gravel and our driveway.
This area is completely wasted space after we moved our walk-in refrigerator to the end of the driveway last year during the unexpected and expensive septic project.
We figured out what that space would be like when some supplies were delivered in just a few days.
Team Irion still kick ass when it comes to getting things done.
Creating a V trench for edging in packed-down crushed bluestone was much harder work than the other edging I’ve done.
We worked as a team, dug the trench, and leveled out the area in about an hour.
It was hotter than hell and humid, I went into the pool twice again to cool off. It works like a charm. Yes, I had my clothes on again.
So, stay tuned while another project unfolds. I am excited to see our vision come to life.
I’ve been putting off weeding around our three pear trees for a month because there were more important things to do, like floating around the pool.
I have been planning on getting this done on Saturday morning. It was a perfect day for weeding; it was lightly raining.
Weeding in the rain is the best time for me. The weeds are easier to pull, there aren’t any flying bugs around to bite me, and the light rain keeps me cool.
Nelly was right by my side no matter what, even when it started raining harder.
All she wants is to be with me or Marty all the time. It’s a pleasure having my little best friend with me.
When we came back inside, we were both soaked. We always keep a fuzzy blanket on the loveseat in our back room since it’s the first place Nelly jumps up on, even when wet.
All snuggly.
Before I got out of my wet clothes, I toweled her off, used a little waterless bath spray, and combed it through her fur. There was no wet dog smell!
The weeding was done, and it was actually peaceful and zen-like weeding in the soft rain under our trees.
I didn’t mulch under the trees this year so next year that will be a priority. I also didn’t do a deep edge which needs to be done as well.
Making the most of a rainy morning was perfect. I just made a cup of tea and am puttering around the house.
Marty and I used to be depressed on the first day of summer because it meant the days were slowly headed back to shorter days.
What a bunch of negative bullshit!!!! I can’t even fathom that logic now. What a difference a year makes!
I’ve been in the pool almost every day. I have a nice tan. My veggie garden is like a jungle bursting with small tomatoes and tons of those glorious yellow flowers.
We have sugar snap peas and shelling peas on the vines, and the pepper plants all have flowers on them.
The root veggies are growing bigger above ground in the same bed as green beans.
The arugula and spinach are nearing the end of their lives but will be planted again in the early fall.
Next year, we plan to build a shallower bed dedicated to only greens so we can plant more.
The perennials out front are blooming, the flowers on the terrace with the veggies are beautiful.
Finally, the wildflowers are growing every day, and the morning glories I planted to hide all the crap next door are climbing.
I love bunnies, but not when they nibble on a few of my morning glories. To keep them away, I ordered a non-toxic spray that is safe for children, pets, and animals.
I give them whatever I cut back from the greens but the little fuckers don’t touch them.
We are getting up at 5 ish in the morning and out in the production kitchen by 6 at the latest to beat the summer heat.
Today, I am celebrating the first day of summer without a bit of negativity for the first time in my adulthood.
Since the end of April, Marty and I have been eating clean. What is eating clean, you may ask? Eating clean is following these basic principles. It’s been easy to adapt to, especially since it’s almost summer. I started feeling better immediately.
Eat breakfast every day within an hour of getting up.
Eat lean protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal.
Have two or three servings of healthy fats every day.
Get fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes from fresh fruits and vegetables.
Control your portions.
Drink 2 to 3 liters of water (about 13 8-ounce cups) daily.
The foods to avoid:
Overprocessed foods, especially white flour and sugar
Artificial sweeteners
Sugary beverages, such as soda and juice
Alcohol
Foods with chemical additives like food dyes and sodium nitrite
Foods with preservatives
Artificial foods, such as processed cheese slices
Saturated fats and trans fats
Anti-foods — foods with no nutritional value, such as Cool Whip.
Eating clean isn’t a diet; it’s a lifestyle choice. Since I stopped drinking alcohol and eating clean, I have lost 16 lbs and have no symptoms of lung disease. For me, clean eating equals feeling healthy and active without restrictions due to lung disease!
I realized we weren’t eating enough fruits and veggies because of laziness. Yup, it’s true. I would prep food for meals for hours, but I didn’t want to cut up fruit and veggies to eat uncooked. Ugh.
After speaking with my pulmonologist a month ago, I learned that to stay feeling this good, I needed to continue losing weight to fall into my BMI (Body Mass Index) range of 117 lbs—129 lbs.
Right now, I am at 130 lbs and motivated as hell. My weight before I had pneumonia was 158 lbs. No wonder why I felt like shit and didn’t feel comfortable in that body. I was miserable at that weight.
My first real love of summertime fruit has been cherries. How could I not love cherries? George Washington loved them!
“The cherry tree myth is one of the oldest and best-known legends about George Washington. In the original story, when Washington was six years old, he received a hatchet as a gift and damaged his father’s cherry tree with it. When his father discovered what George had done, he became angry. Young George bravely said, “I cannot tell a lie…I did cut it with my hatchet.” Washington’s father embraced him and declared that his son’s honesty was worth more than a thousand trees.” The Washington Library.
I love American history, especially the Revolutionary War era. Archeologists found 35 bottles of preserved cherries on Mount Vernon’s property. I guess Washington did love cherries!
I bought a small bag at Aldi for $7.99 and gulped at that price, but I bought them anyway. I washed and removed the stones as soon as I got home. I knew if I didn’t do it right away, they would sit until they rotted in the bag.
Boy, was I surprised by how easy it went and how incredibly delicious they were! I used a large round cake piping tip, a trick I was on a cooking show years ago.
I ate vanilla Greek yogurt with cherries while I was still removing the pits; sometimes, I used the same ingredients and made a parfait topped with granola.
We ate them by the handful, and I made a beautiful salad with them: fresh peaches, lettuce, arugula from my garden, burrata cheese, and a simple vinaigrette. Holy shit, was this good!
The good news after we ran out, Marty picked up a pint at the Troy Farmers Market on Saturday! Yum! I will be searching for more ideas for cherries. I can’t tell you that I am kicking myself for being such a lazy ass for so long.
My 40th high school reunion was fantastic! I had no expectations except having fun, but yesterday, after I got home from a whirlwind 25-hour trip, the experience settled in.
I suddenly got very emotional when I began telling Marty about the reunion since I hadn’t processed everything yet.
I started to cry when sharing the beautiful memories classmates had of me and what they thought of me now.
When my group of girl besties got together, it was as if no time had passed. Those true lifelong friends picked up where we left off 40 years ago.
The same thing happened when I saw my close guy friends, my friends from my grammar school at St. Cecelia’s, and the people who were in all my home rooms, which were always alphabetical.
Barry, who was the host and organizer, has the most school spirit of everyone. I was the cheerleading captain for most of my childhood and high school years, but when I walked out of those doors, I never looked back.
Our class of 1984 was very tight and still is today. When Barry surprised us with class t-shirts, we all yelled and laughed our asses off.
The memories classmates shared about me blew my mind. You never know other people’s perceptions or how you affect them.
My grammar school classmates from St. Cecelia’s School.
I didn’t remember any of those memories until they began each memory. I could not believe the stuff they remembered. This made me so incredibly happy!
I was really surprised to learn that some of them read my blog daily and told me how much they liked it. This made me very proud.
Other classmates have watched our spätzle business grow since the very beginning. Again, another proud moment.
When I was leaving, one of my buddies told me I was such an important person in our class, and he was so happy I finally came to a reunion.
My absence was felt at all the other reunions. Wow! That made me feel good, too.
I was the most talkative girl in our class, but I never felt like I was an important person in my class, pretty or popular, as few said.
I was a loudmouth, sure, but pretty? I never felt pretty. To me, my friends were the pretty ones.
Anyway, this reunion meant the world to me. I felt great, was in tip-top shape, and was “back to normal me” from ages ago.
The last time Jen and I were in a “Photo Booth” together was down the shore at Seaside.
I knew I was still in there, and I could feel myself becoming extremely frustrated that I had been unable to claw my way out for so many years.
I found out that some of my classmates, whom I am in contact with on Facebook, didn’t want to come to the reunion because those weren’t good years for them.
Many people held grudges or how a few cruel words they heard affected them their entire lives.
Some didn’t two shits about school or a fuck about their classmates.
This saddens me. I wish I could have gone back in time and stuck up for them or tried to smooth things out, but I never knew.
It made me and some of my classmates realize that not everyone had as great a time as we did. They had horrible times.
This and the list of our classmates who have passed away is the hardest thing to process.
I guess your school years are what you make of them. Not everyone has confidence, an outgoing personality, intelligence, athleticism, musical, or singing talent.
People had shitty home lives. No one knew I did or that I was even adopted. I hid my ulcerative colitis very well, no one except a few close friends knew how sick I was in high school.
School was my place to be “me” and forget about my troubles. I had a great time and had a lot of fun.
I wasn’t smart or dumb; I was right in the middle of our class. I tried hard at everything I did, and besides homework, which I hated, I gave it my all.
These friendships, which I made in the third grade when we moved to Iselin, have withstood the test of time, and I cherish all of them.
Everyone called me Julz, and it felt right as though my name was Julz, as I had heard them all say it all along.
I told them the truth when people asked me why I went by Julz. The response was good for you, Julz! Yay!
My friend Donna and I slugging down vodka and cranberry cocktails.
Good morning! Today I am headed down to NJ for my 40th high school reunion!
I graduated with a big class, but one of my classmates, Barry, has hosted a reunion every five years.
No other grades are lucky enough to be the class of 1984. This is my first time attending one of our reunions.
Working on Saturdays almost all of my adult life, children, schedules, and various situations have prevented me from going.
Not this one, I am going. After a horrible year of sickness, when the invite came out on FB Marty said, “ You are going!”
So, I am going! Yay!
When I initially replied yes to him, I was still in not the greatest of health but knew I needed to go.
Little did I know that major lifestyle changes such as eating a clean diet, not drinking anymore, and getting lots of activity and exercise have given me my life back!
I feel like I am in my 30s again! I am back to the size I was in my 30s. I am sleeping great.
My ulcerative colitis is in full remission and I have no symptoms of lung disease anymore. I feel amazing!
Things have changed so much in a six-week period that I feel like I am dreaming.
I am so grateful for all the blessings I have in my life, and I am married to my best friend, business partner, and biggest supporter.
Marty won’t be coming with me; I am flying solo for this trip. He is working at the Troy Farmers Market today and will be hanging out with Nelly.
So look the fuck out class of 84, I’m coming for ya! 😜
My garden dreams I imagined all winter are becoming a reality!
The garden exploded and got even bigger after last night’s much needed rain. Nothing waters gardens like Mother Nature.
The Fourth of July tomato plant already has 6 small tomatoes. It’s June 7th! Wow! The other tomato plants all have yellow flowers on them.
It’s amazing watching something that I grew from seeds turn into flowers and veggie plants. They grow every day!!!
Monster crop of greens and peas.Cucumbers.Green beans, carrots, and beets.Marigolds I started indoors in March.Zinnias I started indoors as well.
I am tickled pink every morning when I go say hello to my garden. This brings me so much joy!
We will be eating very well this summer! 😎
*** Update: I know how toxic morning glory seeds are to animals and children. After someone mentioned this to me with concern for our little Nelly, I researched how to let morning glories reseed themselves while keeping things under control.
Deadheading the flowers causes more blooms, which I planned on doing anyway. Now, I know I have to deposit the deadhead somewhere safe. I am sure some seeds will fall, especially in the fall, but rest assured, Nelly is never in that section of our yard unsupervised.
I appreciate the reader who kindly reached out to me via email. Thank you! ❤️
