World Salt Awareness Week

By day, I'm a public health professional.  By day, I  receive a wealth of health information.  And on this day, I received an email about World Salt Awareness Week.  My first thought - now I know there is an awareness day, week or month for everything.   However, I think that this one is definitely worthy of some attention.  Here are a few things about salt that everyone should know:

• A high salt intake is a major cause of elevated blood pressure.  Elevated blood pressure is one of the causes of cardiovascular disease that leads to heart disease and strokes. 
• Worldwide, on average, people consume 10-15 grams of salt each day.  The maximum amount that we need is about 5-6 grams each day which is about a teaspoon.  Young children need even less.
• A lot of the salt we consume comes from processed foods (packaged food, canned goods, frozen entrees, deli meats, etc) as well as from restaurants.  As a result, most people are passively consuming a lot of salt without being aware of it.
• The best way to control your salt intake is to cook your own food and pay attention to food labels.
• It is estimated that 1 in 3 Americans have elevated or high blood pressure (hypertension).  Most people don't know that they have it.  Hypertension is known as the silent killer because it has no symptoms or warning signs.  It is easily treated through lifestyle changes and/or medication.

During this week-long salt awareness week, think of ways to reduce your salt intake  - even if you don't have high blood pressure.  If you would like to know more about World Salt Awareness Week, visit http://www.worldactiononsalt.com/awareness/intro.htm.  

Happy World Salt Awareness Week 2011!!! 

A B-lated St. Patty's Day....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKnqlw3AeY0&playnext=1&list=PL5B7563BA53E601B5

I had all of these fabulous ideas of what I wanted to do for St. Patrick's Day.  I wanted to cook a traditional Irish breakfast.  I wanted to try something new and I thought the research would be interesting.  That didn't happen because that requires planning and time got away from me this week.  I wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet so yesterday I stopped by the Super Walmart for a few items and then bought some corned beef hash in a can and thought I could do an interesting spin on it.  But that was last night and that still requires some creativity, time and a whole lot of other stuff.   It just wasn't happening for me and some weeks are like that and I've learned not to force things.  But now, I have an opportunity largely due to my insomnia which has been actin up this week. :)  That alone, is worthy of a blog or two.   I realized I could still post something although St. Patty's day has ended for me but not yet for everyone in the world!  I found a You Tube video of Anthony Bourdain having breakfast in Ireland.  It was a very fatty, fried and funny breakfast served with Guinness.  Only Tony...

While I gathered my thoughts for this post, I chatted on facebook with my young friend Moriah.  Friend doesn't really describe my relationship with her and her family.  I've known her and her sibblings since they were babies and now they are all in college except for the youngest who is 15.   I lived with them for about a year when I was twenty something.  I'm probably more like a relative.  During this particular IM chat she called me Momma Karen.  We chatted about a variety of things, mostly things of concern to a college freshmen.  It is wonderful to see her grow into a brilliant beautiful young woman. 

One time, when Moriah was very young, I told her to stop doing something she ought not to be doing.  She silently walked away from me, looked over her shoulder and then swung at the air and said Humph!  She reminded me of a little old lady.   All she needed was a purse in her hand to swing at somebody...me.   I just said to her in a very low tone, staring her down and shaking my head back and forth, Moriah, that's not nice... don't do that.  She leaned against the sofa (with a gangsta lean) and stared me down.  I met her gaze with the same intensity until she decided to move on to something else or just got tired of looking at me.  Did I mention that she had only been on this earth for about two years?   That just told me that she would be who she is today...intelligent, vibrant and determined. 

On Moriah's facebook page today she wrote "I wonder if black people can be Irish..lol"  There were a string of comments that followed, mostly from black people, and they were harmlessly amusing saying I'm Irish today or accusing some of being Irish because of the hue of their light brown skin and having red hair.  Of course, others proudly claimed their Irish heritage. 

So Happy B-lated St. Patrick's Day to the Irish, those who are not and the undecided. 

This post is also a tribute to Moriah and her sibblings (David, Melanie and Joseph) because I love them and thought of them today.

Iron Chef America...My New Addiction

http://eater.com/archives/2011/03/07/emma-hearst-vs-michael-symon-iron-chef-battle-mozzarella.php

I just discovered Iron Chef America.  It has been on for at least four years.  I was aware of it but didn't feel compelled to watch.  I think the intro or previews to the show always seemed a little cheesy to me.  Then, on one fateful day, I must have left the tv on after a show I had been watching.  I had left the room and when I came back, it was in full swing.  I was immediately hooked. 

I think the first episode that I watched was about tuna.  Each chef had a huge tuna fish which required two grown men to carry over to their station.  It must have been almost as long and as heavy as either one of them.  I was fascinated watching them carve the tuna and the discussion about what can be rendered from the various parts of the fish.  And this is exactly why this show is my new addiction and why it works:

• The secret ingredient.   In the link I've attached, the secret ingredient was mozzarella and everybody probably thinks that they know a lot about mozzarella because of the cheese that is often used in pizza or lasagna.  However, it was interesting learning how the cheese was made which Chef Michael Symon demonstrated so well.  There are many uses of mozzarella and its bi-products.  The show is like taking a course in Food 101. 
• I love watching celebrity chefs sweat.  Let's face it, most of the cooking shows on tv are organized productions where the kitchens in which they work are spotless and the chefs are equally spotless.  You know that they are supported by a googob of sous chefs, make up artists, stylists and someone asking for more lighting on the eggplants because they look a little too dark.  These chefs are really sweating and I like it when they get flustered.  They really care about the food and the finished product.  In other words, passion towards anything is always compelling to watch. 
• Creativity.  It is amazing to see what the chefs come up with starting with basic ingredients.  I appreciate the process of watching each course come together.  I often wonder about the texture and aroma of each dish so I enjoy the judges and their feedback.  On one episode, Mo Rocca was one of the judges and he was funny and had his own spin on the food. 

I realize that I'm late to the party on this one since it has been on for awhile.  But if you haven't checked it out yet, you should.  And yes, I still find some parts of it cheesy.

The Single Life

From my mother's Faculty Favorites Cookbook (Magothy River Middle School, Arnold, MD).  Sprinkle a teaspoon of brown sugar on half a grapefruit.  Put a sliver of butter in the center of the grapefruit.  Microwave on high for a minute.  I really enjoyed this weird twist on grapefruit.

                      

Society has made me do this. I am forced to address something that I really had no intention of blogging about… the single life. It isn’t my goal to try to convince anyone of anything. This is my life and obviously my views. However, I would like to share them because there needs to be a broader perspective about the single life in 2011.

You would be surprised at how much my singleness comes up in conversation without me bringing it up. There is the motherly, gentle prodding that mostly comes from married girlfriends. Now Karen…tell me…how’s the dating coming along? There are people who haven’t seen me for awhile. You still single? Why you ain’t married! There are people who feel compelled to just let me know their thoughts. You know….me and Sue were just talking about you and we feel that you are perfectly deserving of a good man. Huh?

It isn’t as if I have a chronic illness which could kill me. I’m just not married.

We are socialized to believe that marriage is something that everyone should do and should want. If a person, especially a 42 year old woman that has never been married and has no children - does not actively demonstrate that she is striving toward that ideal…then there is a problem. A big problem. Minimally, she must be vocal about what is wrong with her or what is wrong with men. What if she doesn’t feel that way?  Isn't marriage, singleness and everything in between a choice?

I have learned not to talk about my dating life with the exception to the 2.5 people who really get me in this area of my life. Actually, I have learned to come up with one liners just to get people up off of me. For the last few months, when someone inquires about my singleness I just say, I’m blogging…not dating…OK? I’m surprised at how amused people are with that response.  I chuckle along with them as I’m surprised at how often I hear myself saying it. But, it works for everyone, it redirects the conversation and sometimes it’s true.

The Decatur Diner - Greek Omelette and Homefries

Greek omelette, homefries and wheat toast with jelly

The Decatur Diner is now closed -  It probably has been closed awhile but I just noticed it. 9/19/12 

 

The Decatur Diner opened a couple of weeks ago.  I had been observing the restaurant since this last summer and wondered why noone was ever inside which is never a good sign.  Come to find out, it had not opened yet.  Anyway, I wanted to check it out and see what they had going on up in there. It is located in the City of Decatur, AKA Downtown Decatur which is only a few minutes away from the Atlanta city limits.

I love the idea of a diner in the mix of what downtown Decatur has become. It has completely transformed itself since I first arrived in the ATL over twenty years ago. I know that someone, homegrown, of another generation is reading this who will say…Now let me tell you about downtown Decatur! I’m sure that they can tell this mid Atlantic transplant a thing or two about downtown Decatur. But anyway, for good and for bad, it seems that the city has cleansed itself from hole-in-the-wall, gritty restaurants and any appearance of the working class. I remember a diner along Ponce de Leon that a friend and I used to go to. I think the diner was called Square Table. It was a beautiful little authentic place where the owner and his wife were also beautiful, weathered-looking people who came out and talked to us about their family, their lives and just about anything. But that was back when downtown Decatur was still more of a small town with a few gas stations along the main corridor. Some of these gas stations have been cleverly reconstructed into trendy restaurants. Back then, the City of Decatur was not a destination place for those visiting the ATL from out of town. It is now after substantial planning and redevelopment. 4.4 million dollars alone was spent just to redevelop the MARTA train station located right in the middle of the town square. I completely get it and I enjoy most of what it has become. I understand that this isn’t unique to downtown Decatur and is common to many cities across the U.S. I’ve dumped a lot of my own dollars into the area as a former tax-paying resident and one that continues to support the city’s businesses and restaurants. At the same time, it seems that something was intentionally lost in translation.

The Decatur Diner kept all of this in mind. It looks rather contemporary. Two sides of the diner along Church Street and Ponce de Leon have huge windows at least 6 feet in height. The chandeliers throughout are made of wrought iron and amber glass shades. They look like they belong in one of the nearby condos and not a diner. But like I said, this is Downtown Decatur.

I enjoyed my breakfast at the Decatur Diner. I selected the greek omelette made of tomatoes, onions and feta cheese. It came with homefries and wheat toast. Grits may be substituted for the homefries. I requested that the omelette be made with egg whites which was done without an extra charge. They gained some points on that one.  I felt satisfied after my meal which is what I expected from a good, decent diner. I enjoyed sitting in my booth, with the tall windows, watching people pass by as they walked along Church Street. The music was good and I enjoyed listening to How Deep is Your Love by the Bee Gees. The staff was very friendly. I heard my waitress talking to the customer in the booth behind me about a scripture that she had read. Maybe he had a bible out or something but that isn’t unusual in the ATL. People will break out into a testimony.

With any restaurant, they have a few challenges. I could tell that they were still working out staffing kinks. There was a little too much running around and the place wasn’t even a third full. I asked my waitress, the scripture lady, about validating parking. She said they didn’t and us employees have been parking all around this city and that one place across the street is $7 dollars a day. I know, being a transplant and all, that $7 a day is a drop in the bucket to pay for parking. However, she raises a valid point. Many people who live in metro Atlanta still do not feel that they should have to pay for parking. Some of the businesses in close proximity to the Decatur Diner validate parking. Other restaurants have occupied the same space but have not remained opened. Hopefully, it isn’t due to bad location Karma. A few really good breakfast places are just down the street, and my favorite one, Pastries A Go Go has free parking. That’s just reality. Decatur Diner is decent diner food and that’s what I expected. I’ll probably be back.

Breakfast Tacos

One morning before work, I opened up the refrigerator in search of something quick and tasty to eat. I felt a little flustered. What to eat? I started to close the door and just go to one of the many fast food restaurants, strategically and evilly placed, along my route to work. I wouldn’t even need to get out of the car. Yet, it is never that easy. It is usually a nightmare getting into the parking lot, going through the drive thru and back onto the major thoroughfare. And when it is all over, after I’ve gobbled it down in the car or at my desk I often wonder…why did I eat that? I’m not even going to go into my concerns about the processing of fast food and food handling practices in spite of the restaurant scores.

However, if you have any abilities in the kitchen, you know that you can create something healthier and tastier than what you’ll find in any fast food restaurant. The key is to linger a little longer at the fridge, take a deep breath and allow yourself time to come up with something. Of course, it helps if you keep your pantry and refrigerator stocked with a variety of items. Of course, this means that you have to spend some time at least once a week creating a grocery list and shopping. I find grocery shopping to be cumbersome and annoying, however, it is much better to be annoyed once a week instead of repeatedly throughout the week.

On this particular day, as I lingered at the fridge, my eyes came across the smoked salmon (pastrami style). I remembered that earlier in the week I had bought a bag of spinach, corn tortillas and egg whites. Breakfast tacos! Along with a small cup of orange juice, I had come up with a cheap, tasty, filling and healthy meal. Later that morning, I enjoyed a cup of coffee at my desk and patted myself on the back.

Breakfast Tacos
2 Corn Tortillas
Smoked salmon (palm full)
Egg whites (enough to cover the pan)
Spinach (handful)
Olive oil, margarine or cooking spray

Add enough oil to lightly coat a non-stick cooking pan. Heat the pan to medium heat as you would when making an omelet. Add the spinach and salmon and stir. Once the spinach is wilted, add the egg whites. When the egg whites have firmed up, stir the ingredients in the pan until done. I usually like to warm up my tortillas by either heating them in a pan or in the microwave. Divide the mixture in half and place it in the center of your two tacos.

***Additional seasonings were not included because the pastrami style smoked salmon has enough flavoring for the entire recipe.

*** I tried this with a little salsa on top and didn’t like it. It was one too many ingredients. I had gone too far.

Betty Crocker's New Picture Cook Book

Sometime last year, my mother came for a visit and brought me her Betty Crocker New Picture Cook Book. This was the cookbook that we used growing up. We, refers to the female members of our household which was me and my mother. I don’t ever remember my father or my brothers picking up Betty Crocker. They could have cared less about that cookbook. Of course they cared greatly about the benefits of our use of it. My mother is a very good cook so it primarily functioned as a reference book in the same way a writer would use a dictionary or thesaurus. She was more than a proficient cook but from time to time had to look something up or was in search of a new recipe, especially side dishes. Karen…hand me that Betty Crocker. I used it a lot when baking cookies except for chocolate chip and oatmeal since recipes were always on the packaging.

Mom's Betty Crocker New Picture Cook Book was published in 1961. It is the third printing of the first edition. I’m not sure exactly what that means since the first Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook came out in 1950. The cook book poignantly captures a generation seemingly from a long time ago. People presented themselves more formally back then as aprons were worn in the kitchen by women in skirts and tables were set for dinner. Betty was actually a popular name.

On the first page the Betty Crocker New Picture Cook Book there is an announcement about a new kind of flour called “Instantized Flour”. It then goes on to tell how to use instantized flour and the advantages of its use. You gotta love these four advantages:
1. It pours like salt; it’s easy to measure.
2. It feels clean. It’s dust free.
3. It disperses instantly in liquids to smooth the way for lump-proof mixing.
4. It does not pack down, so measurements are always uniform
The cookbook has been held together for several years by an irregular-sized blue rubber band. When my mother brought it to me she thought I might have some ideas about putting it back together again. Maybe I could have it re bound or take each page and put it in a plastic cover and then into a notebook. I did none of those things. I have shown it to a few friends and periodically look through it. I really have no intention of disturbing it in any way or doing anything to try to preserve it. It mostly sits on the top of my counter in view. I like it there.