Lightened Seven-Layer Taco Dip: A Super Bowl OF FLAVOR

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This was originally published in January, 2008.
As a nutritionally minded blogger, I normally advocate fresh, whole, prepared-from-scratch meals in modest proportions.

But, dude. The Super Bowl’s coming.

With the possible exception of Thanksgiving, no other event requires Americans to consume their body weight in onion dip. Nor can I think of another quasi-holiday where quesadillas are designated as health food. Sure, your party of choice might have a token crudite platter buried behind the wings, but essentially, Super Bowl Sunday is to diets what Lawrence Taylor was to Joe Theismann’s leg. (Caution: this video might kill you.)

Yet, us weight-conscious folks need options come February 3rd. And that’s where Lightened Seven-Layer Taco Dip comes in. I got the original dish straight off AllRecipes last year, but subbed in reduced-fat and fat-free ingredients, which saved 30 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving. Fortunately, there were so many loud, proudly competing flavors nobody could tell the difference. I’m making it again this year. And while the initial expenditure might look daunting (see Calculations below), just know three things:

1) With 56 servings, this is a hulking behemoth of food. It is the Mount Kilimanjaro of taco dips. If it was people, it’d be William “The Refrigerator” Perry bear-hugging John Goodman. Last year, my friends N and I barely put a dent in it, and they once downed a Ben & Jerry’s Vermonster by themselves.

2) There are ways (WAYS!) to save a little extra dough. This year, I’m going to buy ingredients on sale, make my own taco seasoning (total cost: about a quarter) and shred a block of Kraft Cheddar with my grater. Depending on how much I buy the block for, it will probably run $0.50 to $1.00 less than a bag. Good times.

3) I live in Brooklyn. Even when bargain priced, everything is more expensive here. Except maybe Chinese food.

If you’re interested in keeping it extra-healthy, the dip can be paired with self-baked tortilla chips or possibly celery. (Which, eat quickly, because people will inevitably bogart the veggies for their hot wings.)

On a final note, the rest of this week is being dedicated to Sunday’s game. Tune in tomorrow for some pigskin-appropriate links, and then again on Wednesday for a monster list of cheap, healthy Super Bowl fare. After that, it’s Thursday’s Football Favorites of the Week. Friday is anyone’s guess, but there are seven lonely leftover jalapenos sitting in my fridge. Suggestions are most definitely welcome.

Lightened Seven Layer Taco Dip
56 servings (seriously)
Adapted from All Recipes.

1-oz. package taco seasoning mix (or make your own )
16-oz. can fat-free refried beans
8-oz. package fat-free cream cheese, softened
16-oz. container fat-free sour cream
16-oz. jar salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
6-oz. can sliced black olives, drained
2 cups reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese (or shred your own 8-oz bar)

1) In a medium bowl, mix taco seasoning thoroughly with refried beans. Transfer it to a large platter or bowl, spreading it out on the bottom

2) In a separate medium bowl, mix sour cream and cream cheese. Pour it over refried beans and spread.

3) Pour salsa over sour cream/cream cheese mixture. Spread out. Then, layer with: tomato, bell pepper, onions and lettuce. Finish with cheese and sprinkle olives over everything.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
36 calories, 1 g fat, $0.25

Calculations
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix: 45 calories, 0 g fat, $0.25
1 (16 ounce) can fat-free refried beans: 385 calories, 0 g fat, $0.89
1 (8 ounce) package fat-free cream cheese, softened: 218 calories, 3.1 g fat, $2.69
1 (16 ounce) container fat-free sour cream: 336 calories, 0 g fat, $1.20
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa: 123 calories, 0.7 g fat, $1.50
1 large tomato: 22 calories, 0.2 g fat, $1.00
1 green bell pepper: 24 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.50
1 bunch chopped green onions: 32 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.79
1 small head iceberg lettuce: 45 calories, 0.5 g fat, $0.99
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives: 80 calories, 6 g fat, $1.49
2 cups reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese: 720 calories, 48 g fat, $2.50
TOTAL: 2030 calories, 58.8 g fat, $13.80
PER SERVING (TOTAL/56): 36 calories, 1 g fat, $0.25

50+ Cheap, Healthy Super Bowl Recipes

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This post first appeared in 2009
Two years ago, we posted a piece called Cheap, Healthy Party Food, filled to the brim with inexpensive, Super Bowl-appropriate recipes. Most of them came from thoroughly vetted outside sources like All Recipes and Cooking Light. All appeared delicious.

Since then, between CHG and my weekly Healthy & Delicious column at Serious Eats, we’ve compiled hundreds of our own recipes, many of which are floofin’ perfect for the upcoming game. We made and ate every single one of these, and can recommend them without reservation. Even to your Dad (whom I’m sure totes loves healthy food, especially on Super Bowl Sunday).

If you have suggestions or excellent, apropos recipes from your own blog, leave ‘em in the comment section! Together, we can make this the most delicious Super Bowl since the last time Tom Brady was in it.

(Special note: frugal shoppers! Even if you hate football with the white-hot intensity of a thousand angry suns, this is a great week to stock up. Look for sales on cheese, sour cream, beans, frozen foods, crackers, dip, and more at your supermarket.)

DIPS, SALSAS, and GUACAMOLE
Avocado Corn Salsa
Baba Ghanouj
Fresh Salsa
Guacamole-Bean Dip Mashup
Lemony Hummus
Mango Salsa
Roasted Eggplant Spread
Seven-Layer Taco Dip
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip
Tomatillo Guacamole
Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce)

CHILI
Cactus Chili
Camp Stove Veggie Chili
Chili Corn Pone Pie
Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Turkey Chili
Turkey Chili with Beans
White Chicken Chili
Winter Vegetable Chili

SALADS and SIDES
Avocado Chicken Salad
Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa
Chickpea Salad
Chili-Spiced Potatoes
Ellie Krieger’s Refried Beans
Gazpacho Pasta Salad
Golden Delight Egg Salad
Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
Potato Salad for Rainy Day People
Semi-Southern-Style Cornbread
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

MAINS
Baked Ziti
Black Bean Burrito Bake
Chicken Fried Rice
Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Chipotle Pork Tenders
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Relish
Homemade Pizza
Macaroni and Cheese
Pork Tacos
Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches
Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Spiced Chicken Skewers
Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans and Corn
Vegetable Lo Mein

DESSERTS and SNACKS
Black Bean Brownies
Crunchy Pecan Cookies
Roasted Chickpeas

Readers? Your recipes?

~~~

If you like this article, you might also like:

• A Beginner’s Guide to Beans, Plus 42 Bean Recipes
• Cheap Healthy Beef, Part I: Recipes and Methodology
• Cheap Healthy Pork: Recipes, Methodology, and Tips

10 Ways to Eat Less Meat

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This was originally published in May 2010.
Today, we continue our May Top 10 series by addressing a popular topic in both the food and personal finance blogospheres: eating less meat.

“Why in the good name of Bea Arthur would I want to eat LESS meat?” some might ask. “I don’t get enough bacon as it is. Plus, humans were meant to be carnivores, right? Otherwise, how do I explain the dead alpaca in the fridge to my kids?”

Well, sweet reader. We come not to demonize meat, but to praise consuming it in moderation. Because when raised right and chomped sensibly, beef, chicken, pork, lamb - maybe even that alpaca - can be pretty good for you. What’s more, it’s good for your wallet, your children, the Earth, the moon, the universe, other universes, the multiverse, the Rebel Alliance, Hoth, Dagoba- … Sorry. Got carried away there.

Following that line of reasoning, here are 10-plus strategies for reducing your meat intake. Some are well known. Others, less so. But all told, it’s a pretty decent list, if I do say so myself. (Note: And I do.)

Of course, if you’d like to change anything or add your own suggestion, the comment section awaits. That’s what it’s there for, after all. (Also: quoting Glee.)

1) Have one or more meatless nights per week.
It’s hard to say whether the movement began with bloggers or Johns Hopkins’ Meatless Mondays. Either way, this 15% reduction in your weekly meat can have a massive positive impact on … well, everything we just mentioned (the environment, your heart, Tatooine, etc.). The options aren’t as limited as you think, either. Vegetarian burritos, pizza, chili, and pasta are so tasty, you won’t miss the extra eight ounces of pork.

2) Buy less meat. And when you do, only purchase pricey, delicious, humanely raised meat.
You have three grand and a choice: You can go to McDonald’s every night for a year, or Babbo every night for a month. You’d choose 30 days catered by Mario Batali over 3,000 stupid chicken nuggets, right?

Buying farmer’s market meat is kind of like that. You purchase less overall (because it’s pricey, yo), but what you do buy is so delicious, it’s worth the wait.

Not to mention … imagine a world where the chicken tastes like chicken. I’m not talking about the wan, watered-down, quasi-poultry we know and tolerate. I’m referring to genuine, robust fowl that screams, “I am bird! Hear me cluck! Or roar! Or roarcluck! Whatever.” That flavorful planet is attainable, if you’re willing to go for it.

3) Don’t eat meat before dinner.
You may have heard of Mark Bittman’s “vegan before 6” diet. Essentially, the New York Times writer doesn’t eat any animal products before dinner. (Um … that may have been somewhat self-explanatory from the name of the diet, in which case, I apologize.)

While restricting cheese and eggs might be a little too much to take, dude’s definitely on to something. How simple would it be to cut the bacon out of your morning feast? Or to swap grilled eggplant in for grilled chicken on your panini? Or to buy the deli’s awesome, overlooked Italian Bean Soup instead of their admittedly lame Chicken Noodle? Try it for a few days, and see what happens. Could be easier than you think.

4) Don’t make meat the focus of your meals.
There’s nothing like a good cheeseburger, but eating one every night takes its toll. Relegating meat to side dishes or secondary ingredients ensures you still get a decent helping of beefy goodness, without the egregious bad things. Chilis and soups are particularly wonderful for this, as is everything in Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond’s Meat Lite column on Serious Eats.

5) Go ethnic.
Mediterranean, Indian, Chinese, Thai, and even Italian and Mexican food rely much less on meat than traditional American cuisine. Throw your family a culinary curveball by having a World Kitchen Night, and preparing a few simple recipes from around the globe. Beyond the obvious benefits, you’ll also open minds and create adventurous palates. Sweet.

6) Filet or pound your cuts.
The recommended serving for meat is four ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards. If you put that in front of my brother, he’d laugh maniacally and then shove a fork into his thigh, a la Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein.

There’s a way around that, though: Take a large piece of meat – chicken breast, let’s say – and A) slice it in half through the middle, or B) pound it super-thin. This creates the illusion of a big cut, even though the piece is essentially missing its bottom half. Bonus: it’ll cook more evenly, as well.

7) Learn to make more vegetable, grain, and pasta-based meals.
Baked Ziti. Falafel. Pizza. Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili. Lasagna. Quinoa Soup with Avocado and Corn. Ratatouille. Macaroni and Cheese. Pasta Puttanesca. Black Bean Burrito Bake. Veggie Lo Mein. Stuffed Peppers. Tomato and Bread Soup. Pumpkin Orzo with Sage. Roasted Veggie Sandwich. OH MY SWEET HEAVENS, BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO. All substantial. All delicious. None will make you crave a hot dog.

8) Find substitutes you dig.
Not everybody likes tofu. I get that. Bean curd is an acquired taste. Still, have you ever tried seitan? Done correctly, it’s scrumptious. I’m not kidding. Leigh makes these barbecue seitan bites that are practically crack.

Meat substitutes scare people off sometimes, but flavor- and texture-wise, they’ve come a long way since Tofurky. If you’re open to the idea, the trick is finding one (or two or eight) that works for you. Whether that’s Portobello mushrooms or tempeh or Morningstar Farms Chix Patties (Which? Mmm.), odds are it’s a better option than many commercially available meats.

9) Make your vegetarian friend(s) cook for you.
Two of my friends have been vegetarians for nearly 20 years each. (One is aforementioned Veggie Might genius Leigh.) Both are among the best cooks I know, presumably because they’ve been forced to experiment with a wider variety of foods to compensate for the lack of meat. If you have similar pals, watch them cook. Ask how they get by. Eat with them. Vegetarians are experts at non-meat lifestyles, and you can learn a lot just by hanging out in their circles.

10) Do the math.
Save your next four grocery bills. Add up the totals. Subtract half the money you spend on meat. (That other half will be spent on more grains, vegetables, and beans, presumably.) Imagine saving that every month, for the rest of your life. Not too shabby, eh?

BONUS: Avoid the meat areas of your supermarket.
Out of sight, out of mind, right? It works for me.


REALLY GOOD IDEAS FROM OTHER PEOPLE

These four tips are pretty sweet, and I didn’t see them anywhere but the cited sources.

Forget about protein.
Mark Bittman: “Plants have protein, too; in fact, per calorie, many plants have more protein than meat. … By eating a variety, you can get all essential amino acids.”

Use it all.
Planet Green: “Try not to throw anything away, and look around for cheaper, more interesting cuts of meat at your butcher.”

Adapt old meaty recipes.
Diet Girl: “Back when I first shacked up with Dr G, I started by taking my old standard meat recipes and finding veggie substitutes. This meant lots of beans and lentils.”

Make extra helpings of your side dishes.
Owlhaven's Mary Ostyn makes only 1 to 1-1/2 small servings of meat per person, but cooks extra veggies, grains, and such. It keeps costs down, and ensures her kids don’t go overboard.

And that’s it. Sweet readers, the comment section awaits. Oh, and don’t forget: next week, our 10 Series is tackling storage and leftovers. If you have tips for maximizing either, I’d love to hear.

~~~

If you enjoy this post, you might also like:

• 1 Chicken, 17 Healthy Meals, $26 Bucks, No Mayo
• 60 Cheap, Healthy Marinades
• Angus Anguish: Is Angus Beef Worth the Money?

(Photos provided by Wheatbridge [chicken], Baby-Halloween-Costume.com [cow], and BuyCostumes.com [pig])

Pasta Puttanesca: Fancy Food for Frugal Entertainers

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This post first appeared in February 2009. HOTUS and I eat it every Valentine's Day. It's dang good.
I’ve learned many things since moving out on my own (make the bed, don’t do drugs, etc.), but perhaps none have been as vital as the following excerpt from a 2003 life skills instruction manual. It was written by a wise, wonderful, unassuming literary icon (note: me) upon her brother’s college graduation, in hopes of inspiring him to put pants on:

“Learn to be at least marginally entertaining. Even if you are aggressively anti-social or covered in boils, the time will come when people want to see you. You must be prepared. Clean your place and don’t leave them to entertain themselves.”
See, with great power (adulthood) comes great responsibility (hosting friends and family). And occasionally, that means feeding people.

Which is why sometimes, in my darkest hours, when all else seems lost, I turn to Rachael Ray. I have conflicting feelings about RR, mostly because she invented “yummo,” which should be banned from all lexicons, everywhere. Still, she knows how to please a crowd. And I respect that.

I respect this Pasta Puttanesca, too. The recipe comes from an episode of 30-Minute Meals called “Quick Italian Classics,” and for the time involved, it’s outstanding. I made it for The Boyfriend on Valentine’s Day, and we almost had babies on the spot. (We didn’t though, Ma.)

Beyond the salty, briny wonder, the best thing about it is the serving size. It will feed roughly 3,000,000 people, and impress at least 2,999,990 of them. When you’re entertaining as a young’un, quality and quantity are good to have.

Should you try it on your own, know the following:

1) If you’re averse to seafood or olives, run far, far, far away. Don’t look back. Then stop and take a breath. Then start running again.

2) Just to restate: this is A LOT OF FREAKING FOOD. The Food Network site claims this will make four servings, which might be true if you live in a family of insatiable giants. In my phenomenally humble opinion, it’ll serve a minimum of six, especially if you include garlic bread or a salad or something.

(THINGS TO PONDER: Can one claim to be “phenomenally humble”? It’s essentially saying you’re the absolute best at being modest, which negates the whole thing. Discuss.)

3) For kicks, we added a drained can of quartered artichoke hearts. (The Boyfriend loves ‘em.) They’re not listed in the original recipe, and are only included as an option here, because they’re somewhat pricey (but highly suggested).

4) I used half black olives and half kalamata. BECAUSE I COULD. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

So, next time you're forced to feed a crowd, consider the Puttanesca. It could be a valuable part of your adulthood.

Pasta Puttanesca
Makes 6 servings
Adapted from Rachael Ray.


1 pound spaghetti 
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tin flat anchovy fillets, drained
1 /2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
20 oil-cured black olives, cracked away from pit and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers
1 (28 to 32-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
A few grinds black pepper
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
OPTIONAL: 1 14.5-oz can artichoke heart quarters, drained

1) Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2) In a large skillet, combine oil, garlic, anchovies, and red pepper and heat over medium heat. Cook about 3 minutes, until anchovies are completely dissolved. Add olives, capers, tomatoes, black pepper, and parsley (and artichoke hearts, if using). Once it starts to bubble, drop the heat to medium-low and cook 8 or 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add pasta to pan. Toss to coat. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
434 calories, 9.3 g fat, $1.50

Calculations
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil: 239 calories, 27 g fat, $0.23
4 to 6 cloves garlic: 22 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.20
1 tin flat anchovy fillets, drained: 119 calories, 5.5 g fat, $1.59
1 /2 teaspoon red pepper flakes: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
20 oil-cured black olives: 175 calories, 15 g fat, $1.84
3 tablespoons capers: 6 calories, 0.2 g fat, $1.64
1 (28 to 32-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes: 279 calories, 0 g fat, $0.98
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained: 82 calories, 0 g fat, $1.19
A few grinds black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped: negligible calories and fat, $0.49
1 pound spaghetti, cooked to al dente (with a bite): 1680 calories, 8 g fat, $0.80
TOTAL: 2602 calories, 55.8 g fat, $9.00
PER SERVING: 434 calories, 9.3 g fat, $1.50

A Beginner's Guide to Beans, Plus 42 Bean Recipes

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This article first appeared in October 2009.
Some will balk at their flavor and size. Many will have texture issues. And still others just won’t enjoy the farting.

But know this: there are few cheaper, healthier, and more versatile foods than the humble bean. Members of the legume family, beans can be found everywhere from gourmet restaurants to campfire cauldrons. They’ve been vital to the survival of certain populations, and instrumental to the development of particular cuisines. Also, they taste good.

Still, there are folks out there unfamiliar with chickpeas and pintos, kidney and black beans. And for them, CHG proudly presents the following: a breakdown of why beans are wonderful, plus 42 tried-and-true recipes in which to use them.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Low in fat, high in protein, and astronomically high in fiber, beans work beautifully as the main components of recipes, but also as fabulous alternatives to meat. This is for a few reasons: A) they create a complete protein when paired with nuts, seeds, or grains, B) their chemical composition makes you feel sated longer than a lot of other foods, and C) they have a bulky and substantial mouthfeel, so you never feel deprived. Studies have found them to be solid tools in weight loss and maintenance, and integral to the prevention of all kinds of diseases.

If that ain’t enough for you, this WebMD blurb is pretty convincing: “In a recent study, bean eaters weighed, on average, 7 pounds less and had slimmer waists than their bean-avoiding counterparts -- yet they consumed 199 calories more per day if they were adults and an incredible 335 calories more if they were teenagers.” Sweet.

P.S. True to the well-known rhyme, beans make you both smartier and fartier. They contain both certain vitamins that improve brain function AND undigestable sugars, which lead to exciting intestinal activity, which leads to gas. So there you go.

PRICE

Grown globally from Ethiopia to Australia, beans are some of the most plentiful - and subsequently cheapest - edibles anywhere. A pound of dried beans in Brooklyn will generally run about $1, and will produce four to six cups of food after rehydration.

Compare that to meat. In my neighborhood, a pound of chicken breast (one of the healthier animal options) runs $1.69 on sale. It shrinks slightly when cooked, ultimately producing around two cups of poultry.

Let’s do some math, then. One cup of cheap chicken is $1.69 divided by two, or $0.85. One cup of beans is $1.00 divided by five, or $0.20. Using these (incredibly) rough numbers, chicken breast is 425% the price of dried beans.

Of course, the numbers will vary by area, sales, and math skills, but you get the idea.

DRIED OR CANNED?

It’s a controversy as old as storage itself: dried or canned beans? On one hand, dried beans are universally cheaper, and widely considered to possess a creamier consistency and better overall flavor. On the other hand, canned beans aren’t terribly expensive themselves, and the taste difference is pretty negligible when you’re talking about everyday kitchen use.

The tiebreaker, then, is time. If you have the wherewithal, forethought, and 90 to 480 minutes to rehydrate a bag of dried chickpeas, you’ll be rewarded in kind. If you‘re throwing dinner together and an hour-long prep time is crazy talk, canned beans are the way to go.

It’s worth noting that if respected cooks aren’t using canned beans already (Giada DeLaurentiis, Sara Moulton, etc.), they’re starting to come around. Even die-hard dried fans like Mark Bittman have been giving props to metal dwellers recently. Meaning: don’t fear the Goya.

INTRODUCING … THE BEANS

If you’ve ever tried chili, hummus, minestrone, Texas caviar, Mexican food, Indian food, Italian food, or, er, refried beans, you’ve already experienced the wonder of the bean. They’re omnipresent in cuisines all over the world, and come in a range of flavors and sizes that can be adapted to thousands of dishes. Here are six of the most common found in the U.S., along with a few recipe suggestions for each.

(A quick note before we get to the beans themselves: there are a zillion types of legume, and some [like the soybean] are rocketing in popularity stateside. But to keep things manageable, we’re sticking to a few big ones.)

Black Beans
Used frequently in Latin cuisines, the black bean is a small, ebony bean with an earthy flavor. I find it pairs very well with grains, and makes for a stellar soup.
Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa
Black Bean Brownies
Black Bean Burrito Bake
Black Bean Salad with Fresh Corn
Black Bean Soup
Calabacitas Burritos
Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans and Corn

Black-Eyed Peas
A terrible band, but a wonderful food, black-eyed peas are all over Southern cuisine. Like other beans, they’re great sources of fiber, folate, and protein. Unlike other beans, you will always feel like they’re looking at you.
Black-Eyed Pea (Texas) Caviar
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas

Cannellini/White Beans
There are a ton of variations on the white bean, but I dig cannellinis in particular for their creaminess and flavor. Found in many Italian dishes, you’ll find that Microsoft Word often corrects its spelling to “cannelloni,” which is annoying.
Escarole and White Beans
Garlicky Long Beans and Beans
Grilled Zucchini with Quinoa Stuffing
Guacamole Bean Dip
Penne with Lemon, Potatoes, and Cannellini
White Bean and Tarragon Soup
White Chicken Chili
Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip

Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
Without chickpeas, there would be no hummus. And without hummus, there would be no joy. Vital to Italian, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisines (among others), the plentiful and versatile garbanzo bean can be found in virtually every form, from dip to stew to flour (though I have yet to see a chickpea smoothie). Due to its subtle flavor and increasing ubiquity in the U.S., I like to think of the chickpea as a gateway bean; if you like it, odds are other legumes will soon follow.
Beets and Greens Curry with Chickpeas
Chickpea Salad
Couscous with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, and Edamame
Curry in a Hurry
Greek-Style Chickpea Salad
Lemony Light Hummus
North African-style Chickpea Salad
Pasta e Ceci
Pasta with Zucchini and Chickpeas
Pasta with Broccoli and Chickpeas
Pindi Chana (Spicy Chickpea Curry)
Roasted Chickpeas
Shredded Zucchini and Chickpeas Over Polenta

Kidney Beans (red and pink)
Substantive and quite large in comparison to other common legumes, kidney beans go great on salads and substitute fabulously for meat in chilis and stews. And seriously, what’s a frugal kitchen without red beans and rice?
Chili Corn Pone Pie
Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Pinto Beans (Frijoles)
Wonderful on their own and even better mashed, these pink-brown legumes claim the great honor of being the only bean my mom likes. Also, I could be talking out my neck here, but I find pintos a little sweeter than black beans and chickpeas.
Refried Beans
Swiss Chard with Pinto Beans and Goat Cheese

Multiple Beans
Each of the following recipes use more than one type of bean.
Bodega Beans (any)
Camp Stove Veggie Chili (black, kidney)
Curried Chickpeas and Black Beans (chickpeas, black)
Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili (any)
Gallo Pinto (pinto, black)
Indonesian Curried Bean Stew (chickpeas, black, kidney )
Light Leftover Turkey Chili (black, kidney)
Turkey Chili with Beans (white, pink, kidney)

And that's our ballgame. Readers, how about you? What are your favorite bean recipes?

~~~

If you like this article, you might also dig:

• 20 Cheap, Healthy Dishes Made From 10 Pantry Staples
• How to Tell if a Recipe is Cheap and Healthy Just By Looking at it
• Spend Less, Eat Healthier: The Five Most Important Things You Can Do

You're My Pal

To contact us Click HERE
It all started with the lobster.

Last August we were in NC at the beach. We took a day trip to an aquarium and enjoyed being out of the sun, seeing something new, and being together. Things started out a little dicey, as Margaret wasn't in the best mood, but a quick talking to from Tim, and the hilarious sight of two box turtles mating turned her frown to a smile.

We approached a huge glass tank and Jack thrust out a finger, pointed to a lobster, and said in a funny voice, "You're my PAL!" We laughed, and as we passed window after window, teeming with fish and ocean creatures, we each picked a "Pal." By the end, we had a lot a pals, and we headed back to the beach house.

Less than two weeks later, with Jack gone, our minds reeled with how to cultivate his legacy, how to hang onto him in a way we weren't able to do physically since he was so cruelly swept away from us. Margaret, on her own volition, did a google search looking for organizations that either donated Legos to needy kids or helped to "save the lobsters," because legos and lobsters reminded her of her brother.

I was reminded of how our friend Glennon, on her amazing blog, called her sister her lobster. It was something about how lobsters take care of each other and all that. Sounded like Jack and Margaret to me.

So, with all this in mind, I bought Margaret a stuffed lobster from the thrift store, wrapped it up, and gave it to her "From Jack" on our first quiet Christmas morning as a family of three. She loved it, and the lobster has accompanied her as she's had to do hard things, like go to grief camp.

Last Sunday, we went to an open house in our town. This is one of my favorite activities, which is only mildly tolerated by the rest of the family. The historic house was devoid of furniture or decoration. When we got up to a tiny second floor office, we saw a huge, and I mean HUGE stuffed lobster sitting there. It was a bit dirty and had a yard sale price tag attached to its claw. We're talking so big that you could just tell whichever mom had managed to wrest it away from her kids and get it out of her house had probably felt the walls expand a little at that moment.

We laughed at the improbability of seeing the lobster there, in an otherwise empty house, and Margaret looked at me like... PLEASE?!? I didn't know if I could muster up the courage to ask the real estate agent if the lobster was for sale, or if I even wanted to. I mean, I've spent many moments in my own house bagging up annoying stuffed animals-- which have somehow managed to breed in the recesses of my kids' rooms-- and smuggling them out of the house under cover of darkness. If the lady did say yes, we'd end up with a HUGE lobster in our house.

But here's the thing. Margaret considered this lobster sighting a smile from Jack, so I wanted to do something. I tried to shove it off on Tim, but he looked at me like I had three heads. Remember how I've said no one in our relationship can speak up and return pants? Prime example.

"The worst thing that could happen is that she'll say no," Margaret said.

Okay, kid.

I went down the stairs and said, "The house is nice but what we really liked was that stuffed lobster upstairs. My daughter collects them, so if you want to get rid of that one, we'd be happy to buy it from you." She responded, warmly enough, but did not bite. "Oh, I picked that up at a yard sale to stage the house." Ummm... interesting decor choice, to say the least, but it was clear the lobster was staying.

After we left, I thought about it some more.

I thought about all the times I could have spoken up for my kids over the years, in tiny ways like this one, and big ways. Whether for Jack in preschool when his teacher, clearly irritated with him, would say in front of everyone, "He's just too smart for his own good," or even on that horrible September night when I went home to my kitchen to wait because I'd been told to. I just quietly went home. I mean what kid of mother DOES that?

I had ingrained in the kids, and in myself, "You get what you get and you don't get upset," you never ask for special favors, and you don't make a fuss about anything; but while that seemed appropriate when doling out popsicle flavors, was that the message I wanted to teach them about EVERYTHING?

What about Life? Love? Lobsters?

So I set my awkward feelings aside and found the realtor's email address. I secretly wrote her about our situation and asked if she might be willing to sell us the stuffed lobster when the vacant house sold.

It wasn't a big move, but it took me out of my comfort zone. The agent responded immediately and graciously. Because of her generosity. in a few short days an enormous yard sale stuffed lobster, hopefully not riddled with head lice, will show up on our doorstep at no charge!

I hope Margaret will look at her new pal and see it really DIDN'T hurt to ask.

Monday Musings: Changes

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Jack was one of the brightest kids I've ever met, and although I know it is not always the case, his stellar test scores and grades attested for that.

He was a whiz. He was a high achiever.

But he was also a cutup in class-- as much as you can be in the small, laced-up, private school environment he loved.

We didn't really witness this, because of his quiet side at home, but we'd hear from other families that entertaining "Jack Stories" were part of their dinnertime routines.

Last summer Jack and I talked about middle school, and he shared that he wanted to be seen as more than just a funny guy. His wit and charm had been there from birth, but some of his clowning around had started as a way for this extreme introvert to fit in or find an identity. He didn't think he needed that anymore. While at home, on the ball fields, and at scouts we saw a more serious Jack, at the school he loved he had been a foil, sometimes a follower, and often a clown.

Entering middle school, Jack was interested in letting his more thoughtful, serious side show. He and I talked about how hard it is to change your image, particularly when you are in the same old setting, and when people like who you are. I proposed switching Jack to a large public school. Jack lobbied hard to stay where he was, and knowing that even in his small school, middle school would be different enough and would present more growth opportunities for him, we agreed.

So on that fateful Thursday, the second day of school, we drove home and I heard how excited Jack was about the coming year. How great he thought his Math, Bible, and English classes would be. How he loved his classmates.

Then he started telling me about a funny skit he and his friend made up that day. In the left turn lane, waiting to pull into our neighborhood, I looked at him in the rear view mirror. My eyes narrowed and I said sharply, "Jack!" That one word contained a bit of exasperation, maybe some venom, and certainly a big dose of expectation. Oh to be firstborn and have to carry the weight of it all!

That one word said: "Jack, I thought you were going to rein it in this year! What about our talk? Will others ever have the chance to truly see the Jack WE KNOW AND LOVE?"

He responded immediately with his rapid-fire speech: "No Mom No! I know what you're thinking! It wasn't like that at all. It was free time. It was great. Seriously, this is going to be the BEST YEAR EVER!"

We pulled into the neighborhood, continued our conversation about the future, and I truly felt we had made the best decision for Jack. He felt so positive about his friends, his teachers, his identity. I knew it would be his chance to grow and lead and flourish!

Well, you know how this story ends, but it got me thinking today about expectations and changes.

It takes a brave, strong person to change, especially if others aren't ready for it or don't understand it.

I've already shared that Tim and I have had to adjust our expectations of one another since Jack's death. I've turned more inward, and my inward husband has become increasingly social and physically fit. My couch potato-ness has reach new heights (depths?) while he is running, rowing and playing team sports to keep sane. We have to accept this in each other.

Sometimes we are given a change of perspective, and that changes US. This isn't always comfortable to those around us.

A mom who decides to stop drinking might feel marginalized at neighborhood events. Adopting a healthier diet or lifestyle could come off as rigid or weird. You may have changed your family priorities in light of some new perspective gained, but it has left your social circle wondering "Why?"

I have heard from many people who have changed as a result of Jack's accident.

They are closer to God. They are mad at God. Some have found more motiviation in their work. Some think their jobs are meaningless. They are praying more. Hugging more. Worrying less. Spending more time with their families. Ending unheathy friendships and habits. Trying to find more meaning in this life.

When you see things in a new way, turning back to the old way is an option, but it squanders whatever wisdom has been gained. And this wisdom is usually gained at a high cost.

For example, I was an ardent meeting-goer in my previous life, but at this point there is no way I'm going to get all up in arms about the minutiae of church business or youth sports, or whatever. I mean, seriously, if it's not about LOVE or LIFE or DEATH or HEAVEN, it seems like bull to me at this point. I want to keep this eternal perspective, even though I wish I'd never been given it in the first place. I don't want to squander it. Does that make sense?

Jack was ready to make some changes, but we never really got to see how that would turn out.

What about you? Do you have some changes you are pondering? I'd love to hear more.

Thank You!

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Many thanks to my beautiful, generous friend Jill Perlman, a Stella and Dot stylist, for donating her entire $1,600 in profits to Samaritan's Purse in Jack's honor. And a big thank you to all of YOU who bought and bought and bought beautiful jewelry either in person or online to make that total so whopping high! Your generosity will help provide food and water to needy people around the world. I am humbled and grateful.

LTYM Videos are Up

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The videos from the Listen to Your Mother shows back in May are now up on Youtube! It was a hard experience for me, but I'm so glad I did it. It was an honor. And now? I am LOVING going through and hearing women's stories from all over the country, and I know you will too. Oh my. They are so funny. So heartbreaking. So real.

I hesitated putting the link to mine on here. You see, when I post pictures on this blog I can mitigate (somewhat) the pointy nose thing, the jowls, the "I sucked a lemon" school marm mouth thing. But the video camera doesn't lie. And the voice. The voice you hear though the written words on this screen most likely has a different sound than the one God gave me. And that can be unsettling.

But we are friends here. And friends love each other, pointy noses and all. And friends forgive friends for complete and utter lack of eye contact because a certain friend couldn't see the audience in the darkened theater, her bangs were giving her trouble, and she apparently had no idea where the video camera was located. Ok? Whew.

Here's the link to my piece:

Why B Normal?
And here's the link to the main page where you can access all of the performances.

A Life's Design

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We did it! We made it through the first year. You were praying like crazy for us over the weekend, weren't you? We could tell. THANK YOU! Still processing the hardness and the goodness of the weekend, but I have something special to share with you today.

Here's what Tim had to say on September 8th, the one year Crap-iversary of losing our Jack:



When Jack was in first grade, his teacher asked the kids draw a picture of one of their favorite things. I did not see Jack's drawing until his sweet teacher gave it to Anna and me last year. She said that all of the drawings were what you would expect from first graders: puppies, flowers, candy. And then she showed us Jack's drawing, neatly labeled "Designs." Looking at the picture filled my heart and broke it in the same instant. That's my Jack. A six-year old who dreams of designs and is thrilled by their arrangement and patterns. That's the boy who captured my heart with a fierce love that will never die.

As I have been cherishing this memory during the past week, the idea of "designs" reminded me of the imagery of the Tapestry of Life, reproduced here from a daily devotional:

The sages teach that our world is like a tapestry. Every tapestry has two
sides; the front where everything is neat and orderly, and the backside
where threads are cut and tied. Even though both sides are made with exactly
the same threads, the pictures they produce are completely different.
On the front side, there is a beautiful design. The other side, however, is a mess.

All of history is producing one enormous and gorgeous tapestry. However, at
this time, we are only able to see the backside. Nothing makes sense, and
everything seems chaotic. The picture is ugly, and we wonder, "What in the
world is the artist thinking?"

But there is another side to the tapestry, yet to be revealed. On that side,
nothing is out of place and every thread is where it ought to be. The
picture is clear and perfect. If we were to see it, we would stand in awe at
its beauty and brilliance. We would understand the artist's intention all
along.

Jack, I don't understand why you were taken from us at such a young age, leaving a permanent, gaping hole in our lives and in the plans we had for our family. But now I wait, impatiently at times, to see the other side of the tapestry. To see God's beautiful design and your smiling face.

We love you, we miss you, and we'll never forget you.

Dad.

FUNDRAISER in Support of the 3rd Annual Children's Poetry Festival in El Salvador

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Un Solo Sol KitchenSaturday, September 29, 2012
11:00am until 2:00 pm
 1818 E. 1st St.,
 Los Angeles, CA 90033
Tel: (323) 269-8680
Menu: Traditional Salvadoran Plate [$15]
Pupusa (Revuelta or Loroco with Cheese)
Sweet White Corn Tamale
Fried Plantain

Live Children's Music with Sara Quintanar, Authors readings & Raffles

The proceeds will provide:
- 800 tote bags for all the children in attendance
- 800 books, pencils, bookmarks to include in tote bag
- 800 lunches and refreshments for the children
- Decorations for the festival: banners, balloons and mascots
- Transportation for children to and from the festival
- Airfare, hotel and meals for participating children's book authors

Raffle/ Rifa

Buy one, two or more tickets. You can get these prizes courtesy of Curacao. By participating in this raffle, you are supporting the next poetry children's festival in El Salvador. One ticket for 3 dollars or two tickets for 5 dollars. The raffle will take place on September 29 at Un Solo Sol Kitchen.

A good way to buy tickets will be to donate at http://www.active.com/donate/poetryfestival . We will put the tickets in the raffle for you.


 Auction at Piñata Art Gallery


Please join us on Friday, Oct 5th at the Piñata Art Gallery in San Francisco! Beautiful works available for auction - plus wine and ceviche reception.

Chicanonautica: A Meeting with Federico Schaffler

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by Ernest Hogan
Federico Schaffler, former president of the Asociación Mexicana de Ciencia Ficción y Fantasia (1992-1995), and  publisher/editor of Umbrales: literatura fantástica de México (1992-2000), ‘uno de los más importantes exponentes y promotores de la cienceia ficción en México’ who was, in 2011, designated Emeritus Creator of the State of Tamaulipas, Mexico due to his writing and editorial work for over 28 years, was going to be in Tempe, Arizona for an international  conference on Realizing the Economic Strength of Our 21st Century Border. He also wanted be meet me in person.
We have known each other through correspondence, since before email. He reviewed my novel High Aztech in Umbrales, and has a copy of Cortez on Jupiter that I had autographed and sent him in 1994. After we got back in touch through Facebook, I promised that I would collaborate on a story with him.
The problem was that the conference would demand most of his time, leaving a small window for us to do lunch between his plane touching down and my shift wrangling books at the library. I decided to make a full day of it and do it.
The airport was sci-fi and dystopian as usual: “THE ESCALATOR IS ENDING! PLEASE! WATCH YOUR STEP!” But I suppose it has to be.
While driving him to his hotel he told me of a cyberpunkish graffiti story that he’s working on, and we got to brainstorming about a sequel to Cortez on Jupiter. He actually gave me viable idea. People have been asking about another Pablo Cortez book for years, but I kept drawing a blank on it. Now . . . it was a possibility.
Of course, this distracted me enough to get us lost. Luckily, he had a GPS on his phone, and we found his hotel. Technology saved the day for two science fiction writers.
In the hotel’s lobby restaurant, a prominent local Latina politician was having a meeting with a group of well-dressed, Latin Amercian-looking young people as we sat down and started throwing around ideas for the story we’re going to collaborate on.
I suggested the Border as a general theme. He was interested in all these weird political things he’s heard about Arizona. I told him about the Tucson book ban, and the Librotraficantes. We speculated about cybercensorship and computer translation . . . Federico is quite a brainstormer, which is something I like in a collaborator.
Just as I finished my tortilla soup, it was time for me to rush out to the freeway. I made it to the library on time. And ideas about Arizona in the future kept percolating in my head.
I’m going to end up with way too much material than will fit in one story, but I’ve got a feeling that it’ll all come in handy in the encroaching future.
Ernest Hogan is struggling to release ebooks of  his novels Smoking Mirror Blues and High Aztech before the end of 2012. He’s also writing a science fiction bullfighting novel. And short stories keep popping up, hijacking his brain. Meanwhile, Cortez on Jupiter is available.

Librotraficante in New York Guest Post. La Bloga Represents in Brooklyn.

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Rich Villar adjust the mic for Librotraficante and banned book author, Martín Espada 

The Decisive Act:On Orwell, Arizona, and 50 For Freedomby Rich Villar, special to La Bola

They didn't show up, and I shouldn't be surprised.  A press release was generated, an emailaddress and phone number was distributed, the messages went to the rightpeople, and my phone didn't ring, and no messages hit my inbox.  None of them showed up, and I suppose Ishouldn't be surprised, because there are always more important things to bediscussed, like Mitt Romney's ignorance about the physics of airplane cabinpressure, or striking football referees, or the technical specs behind theiPhone 5.
There will be no articles written, no reporting, no witnessfrom the press (except for what we do onour own, clearly).  They've gotto report on the Presidential election, and the issues surrounding our economy,and health care, and illegal immigration. No time for a bunch of rabble rousers talking about banned books, booksyou can still buy on Amazon. Because if you can still buy things on Amazon, then all is well.
Did you know that Amazon once bannedGeorge Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm? Of all the books to ban. Supposedly it was a dispute over rights, but it led to a massiveoutcry—similar, it could be said, to the outcry over Tucson's book ban.  But it's okay, Amazon said at the time,because it offered refunds to the buyers. Point being, the technology to control what you read exists.  Point being, if Arizona had known thissooner, perhaps they wouldn't have to physically remove any books from theclassroom.
Let's be clear. The issues in Arizona are only peripherally about books.  Though it should be said, the firstthing you do—if your aim to disappear a nation—is to throw their literature inthe trash.  Burn it, ban it, boxit, just don't read it.  And sothey did just that, Arizona: they banned the books, and they boxed the books,and they made the Mexican-American Studies program in Tucson disappear, alongwith their teachers, along with any mention of it in the schools.  Ah, but they told us, they reassured us,that the books are not banned. They just can't be used to teach Mexican-Americans about beingMexican-American.  And they toldthe rest of their teachers, that any attempt to teach any of the bannedliterature, all 80 titles on the list (it should scare you, to death, thatthere's a banned books list, and that it used to be a curriculum), could resultin their termination, should any complaint about their rabble-rousing contentbe raised by a concerned parent. Or, anyone, really.
This is where the story ended, even after Tony Diaz and thegroup Librotraficante had the audacity to quote the law in public, show itsunconstitutional application toward one group of people, report to us thestudents' discontent, and organize a series of panels and lectures around theyears-long battle between Arizona and the teachers, which is still ongoing inthe courts.  They told us about theschool district suing the former teachers for damages.  They told us about the threats to otherpeople's jobs, to keep them in line, to silence them.  And they (meaning Luis Urrea) told us about the Orwellianimplications of banning books, unbanning Shakespeare, and rewriting history,and covering themselves in doublethink and Newspeak.

Aurora Anaya-Cerda, owner of La Casa Azul Bookstore welcomes the SRO crowd, along with Rich Villar

We gathered, though the press did not, last Friday at the 50For Freedom of Speech reading, because this is not simply about banningbooks.  Banned author Martín Espadaknows that; which is why, when I asked him to do the reading, he broughthimself from Amherst, Masschusetts, on his own dime, to be with us, the verynight before another reading in Boston. And banned author Luis Urrea knows that; that's why he drove straight toLa Casa Azul from the airport when Tony Diaz made the call.  (And Tony flew up from Houstonhimself.)  It's about freedom, thefundamental right to know that down is down, and up is up, and that 2 + 2 =4. 

Sergio Troncoso, Tony Díaz, Martín Espada, Melinda Palacio, Luis Alberto Urrea

What do you think it means when a government entity does notwant you to read a book called 500 Years of Chicano History?  Do you honestly believe it has anythingto do with the ideology of the authors? Has anyone in the state of Arizona actually met these authors on thebanned list?  They are notconcerned with how well the students do in school.  They've admitted that much: despite the success of theprogram in sending children to college, the program was cancelled anyway.  The state of Arizona is concerned withwhat, and how, children learn in school. But it is not the facts they're concerned about, specifically.  It's the narrative they're worriedabout.  The story.  They are concerned, as Big Brother wasconcerned, with controlling the past; as Orwell points out to us, whoevercontrols the past controls the future.
The United States has a past that it would like toforget.  The United States has, inits past, summarily executed brown people, Hispanics and Latinos from everywalk of life.  The trouble forArizona, and everywhere else, is that there are history scholars, activists,students, thinking people, some with U.S. college educations, who had theaudacity to write textbooks, and to think to themselves the following:Hispanics and Latinos did not drop from the clear blue sky, or from somemystical war-drawn border.  InArizona, we're actually learning the same story again, about whitewashedhistory, and changed facts, and misleading narrative.  We're learning about context, the same kind of context thatcreated activists like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, PedroAlbizu Campos, Lolita Lebron, and James Baldwin, who was also banned inArizona.  Today, it'sMexican-Americans.  Take you pickas to who's next.  Who's due, as itwere.  Where the fire will be nexttime.
If Chicanos have a context, and a history, before the adventof white supremacy, before the advent of European conquest or Pax Americana,there might be a reason for them to walk a little straighter, to understandtheir histories in context, to see themselves in a continuum from Aztlan, tozoot suits, to The House on Mango Street. 500 years ago, Chicanos existed. Africa existed.  Latinosexisted.  They had just differentnames.  When will we learn thesenames?
And when will the media learn to write long pieces about thesystemic dismantling of civil rights? When will they show up to poetry readings by authors on the banned list,in community spaces like La Casa Azul bookstore, in other states besidesArizona and Texas?  When will theytell you about Latinos uniting against their own genocide?  When will they tell you about thecounterspells being cast by poets and writers, the ones who still believe inlanguage, and history, and meaning, and roots?
Maybe when they find themselves being downsized, orcommanded what to say, by their bosses, by their governments, by financialconcerns.  Maybe that day isalready here.
What's left for us, poets, Latinos, is to wake up andunderstand what is happening, to understand it in the context of lightning-fastinformation being passed and passed over. We have to speak, and we have to speak often, in new ways and old ways,to keep these fights fresh.  And wemust always be ready to tell the world our history, never tiring of the truth,never weary when people tell you they don't get it.  Never scared when the media doesn't show up.

Rich Villar at La Casa Azul (Luis Urrea posing for another photo in background)

And we have to remember love:  that's what was present in massive amounts last Friday atthe Casa Azul, and in many places around the country, reading banned literatureout loud, casting counterspells into the universe to reverse the trends, defyconventional wisdom, and survive the way we always have.  We have to remember love because ourchildren thrive on it, because we thrive on it, because we will not becomeautomatons unless we allow ourselves to be.  We have to remember love, because love banishesindifference, and because love will keep us rooted, our histories intact, ourpeople whole.
Remember love, now and until the day you die, by readingevery book that the state of Arizona tells you not to.  Read them, and quote from them, andsteep your children in them.  Loveevery day, and do not give in to indifference.
While you're at it, write some of these things down.
"To mark the paper was the decisive act."
–George Orwell, 1984


***
Some of Melinda's photos from last weekend's Brooklyn Book Festival

Melinda Palacio works the crowd at the Brooklyn Book Festival

Lucrecia Guerrero, Luis Alberto Urrea, Melinda Palacio, Toni Margarita Plummer, and Reyna Grande at the Brooklyn Book Festival

A trip to Brooklyn would not be complete without a walk across the  Brooklyn Bridge. 

Melinda Palacio and Reyna Grande sightsee.

Toni Margarita Plummer and Melinda Palacio

La Bloga's Melinda Palacio will make a return trip to New York for the Las Comadres y Compadres Writers Conference, Saturday, October 6 in Brooklyn, NY. Don't miss the poetry panel moderated by Rich Villar.

Bloguero Garcia en Albuquerque mañana

LaBloga-ero Rudy Ch. Garcia will do a reading & signing of his Chicano fantasy novel tomorrow Sat. Sept. 29th at 2:00pm in the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th St. SW, in Albuquerque. Please inform anyone you think might be interested. The Closet of Discarded Dreams on sale for $16. (NHCC contact Greta Pullen 505-724-4752)

Welcome to Tobacco-Free MSU!

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MSU is now tobacco-free! Starting today, August 1, tobacco products are prohibited on all university property.  Going tobacco-free is a great step towards creating a healthier environment on campus! Check out the article from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle for more info.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/education/article_191ce552-d930-11e1-a6d1-0019bb2963f4.html

Please feel free to leave any comments, questions or observations below.

Tobacco Free College Campus Initiative

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Jenny Haubenreiser, the leader of MSU's health promotion team and president of the American College Health Association, has been working with other campuses to spread the tobacco-free initiative across the country!  Check out the resources and ideas Jenny and her associates have combined to help promote health on college campuses throughout the nation.
National Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative

Pickin'

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I'll share my favorite quote that I'm always telling my kids...stop me if you've heard this one...
You can pick your friends.You can pick your nose.Just don't pick your friend's nose.(baaaahahaaa!!! hhaaa!!! gets me every time!!!)

They hate it when I tell them this. It's like every day.  Especially when a friend is over. They bury their face in their hands and wish to high heaven that I was a normal mom. 
Speaking of picking...We picked peaches.  It was hot, but delightful.  I climbed a few trees, got a few scratches, and discovered that climbing the trees was a worthless venture because the birds had pecked all of the good ones up there.
We came home with some beauties, though!!Now I need to hurry up and do something with them.  I can't wait--the possibilities are endless.  I'm pretty sure I want to make this peach jam, as well as bottle some for cobblers and such.  

And they're so pretty. My pretty little peachy babies.

 More pickin' going on...I also picked out some books to add to my shelf.  {gasp!!}I haven't added to the shelf in a while, and since I'm on a roll of doing nothing, I figure I could do nothing whilst looking at pretty things to make.  

I'm madly in love with crewel and I can't wait to look at this book and discover all of the amazing projects I'm probably not going to make!!! {exciiiiiiting!}

This one makes me giddy, too.  My baby girl LOVES playing with her cooking stuff, so I might feel a little itch to do a project from this one.  Maybe.  I'm thinking I'd like to have a bunch of adorable felt food made in time for Christmas.  And, if you know me already, I better start now.  haha.

That's all of the picking going on for now.  Thank goodness.

Feelings

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I used to say that I was as shallow as a puddle. My friends would disagree, and I knew shallow wasn't really the word I was looking for, but I meant that I just didn't seem to experience things as deeply as others did. Sure, I cried at the drop of a hat from any perceived injustice-- an over plucked eyebrow, or another Friday night home in front of Falcon Crest-- but I also felt a steady undercurrent of hope and stability running through my life.

When I observed my friends, some of their highs were so high, their lows so low. They were SO! IN! LOVE! Everything mattered. They seemed passionate about guys, God, and life in general, which made me wonder, again and again, if I was missing something.

I never craved drama or excitement; in fact I tended to run the other way. Jerry Springer was certainly not a show I could watch...far too nervous-making. I felt like I needed an Advil and a Silkwood shower after seeing that kind of raw, shouting, chair throwing emotion laid bare.

Binge drinking, college drama, or jealous girl fights? No thank you. Just take the guy-- please-- it's not worth it to me.

I think I was drawn to an equally Steady-Eddie in my husband Tim, because although I was pretty sure we'd never wear each other's blood vials around our necks a la Angelina and Billy-Bob, or engage in all-night love fests, we were also unlikely to have all-night screaming matches or engage in name calling, unless the occasional whispered "Ass" out of earshot of the kids counts.

It seems weird to me that parts of my life story are dramatic.

But even in that drama, the way I've faced things remains pretty compatible with how I've always been. So, I often wonder, am I too restrained and repressed, or is this just how God made me?

Because I don't want to try to circumnavigate the pain of life by just quietly plodding through it! When my mom dropped dead so many years ago, I bought new pens and immediately started writing thank you notes. My siblings and I did not cry or moan together. We held it so far in as if merely saying the word "Mom" would transport us to a scary place of despair from which we could never return.

And when Jack disappeared into the creek, just seconds beyond my grasp, I knew I could scream and rail, but I didn't. Not really. Because what else is there to do as you sit in your dark kitchen with your friends, knowing in your heart that your son is dead, except put out cheese and crackers for your neighbor with low blood sugar because everyone missed dinner and it's going to be one hell of a long night?

Call it shock, call it denial, call it peace. I do not know.

I guess my biggest fear as an even-keel person, is that I will somehow plod, plod, plod through life like a robot. I DO NOT want to be this way simply because it is more socially acceptable, less messy, and quieter!

I want to make sure I let myself feel, if I even know how to.

At least on some level, I'm certain I do.

I know how it felt to have Margaret's dimply, toddler arms wrapped around my neck, giving my back an extra little pat because she knew I liked it. The world felt calm and safe and delicious. I know how it felt to mother Jack-- and how my delight in his depth and character made my heart grow larger in a way I can still feel when I think about him. How after 20 years I can still conjure a rush of love when I remind myself that a man who handles raw chicken for you, puts feta on your salads when you would have just settled for lettuce, and hands you two vitamins in the morning is far sexier than someone who lives life on the edge.

And I realize that writing is one way I let myself feel.

I may be doing ordinary things on a given day-- shopping for school supplies, doing time in the hell that is Abercrombie, working, or sweeping up dog hair in the kitchen (again!)--but through pausing and writing I'm letting myself "go there" in my grief.

It may not be dramatic. But it helps me. I just know does.