Happy Healthy Long Life

When the Life You Get Isn't the One You Ordered - It's Time for Kitchen-Table Friends

If you think you have it bad--take a look at what
these women have gone through.

“Kudos to the amazing strength of these women!” This book is the needed inspiration to survive the worst luck and circumstances that catch women unexpectedly. Stories of almost unimaginable pain and tragedy: the death of loved ones, being witness to mass murder, the loss of an esteemed job after years of loyalty, and the reversal of fortunes. But more importantly, these are stories of individual strength to transform shock, despair, and paralysis into sheer will and guts. It contains the innate resources we have to climb out of the abyss and into a new life with unexpected happiness.

— Amy Tan, best-selling author of The Joy Luck Club

Today I dashed into my local library to return a few books that were due--and as always--I had to check out the just-arrived book-shelf.  Did I find "This Is Not the Life I Ordered" on the new-book-shelf?  No.  But I did picked up a copy of Reading Group Choices 2008-Selections for lively book discussions (could they come up with a more boring title?)--and that's where I found a recommendation for this book.  It certainly piqued my interest.

With daily business shut-downs, job lay-offs, home foreclosures, tanking retirement funds and who-knows-what's-around-the-corner--I think this book might be just what the doctor ordered.

And as for Reading Group Choices 2008--it is definitely worth a look if you're in the market for some good reads. There's a mixture of fiction & non-fiction and all the books are recommended by librarians, book group members, booksellers, authors & publishers.  Then they're reviewed to ensure discussibility and those that make the final cut get the "Reading Group Seal of Approval" - and come with discussion questions.

 To check out the Reading Group Choices website click here. 

"We Read to Know We Are Not Alone"

-C.S. Lewis-

 Here's the Synopsis of This Is Not the Life I Ordered

This Is Not the Life I Ordered is for anyone who has ever felt overworked, overwhelmed, or just plain unlucky (and, who hasn’t?!). Through this collection of stories, wisdom, and practical advice, readers will meet four ordinary women who have faced extraordinary life challenges. Together, they have a history of six marriages, ten children, four stepchildren, six dogs, two miscarriages, two cats, a failed adoption, and foster parenthood. One of them was shot and left for dead on a tarmac in South America and two have lived through the death of their spouses.

This book started simply with four friends getting together for "kitchen table coaching sessions" to talk about their lives. Week by week and story by story, they realized their great advice to each other could help other women struggling with life's myriad issues of work, family, and love, as well as the big questions of life and death. For over a decade, the power and strength of their collective friendship enabled these women not only to survive but to thrive.

Each section of the book concludes with suggested action plans and exercises that the authors refer to as the WIT (Women in Transition) Kit. They realize women are busy, running from the moment their feet hit the bedroom floor, but what they have found is that by taking the time to follow up on the recommendations in the Wit Kit has made a world of difference in the quality of their lives, and that of their loved ones.

"If one woman sees another woman as successful, that woman will never fail, never feel alone…"
— Florence Scovel Shinn, writer (1871-1940)

Whether trying to recover from overwhelming hardship or to celebrate a triumph, readers will find four amazing women to share hope and inspiration with through the true stories in This Is Not the Life I Ordered. This is a book for women of all ages.

For more info on this book click here.  There's even a 45 page excerpt.

Happy Anniversary - Secrets of a Good Marriage - Luck, the 5-1 Ratio & Bill Murray's Groundhog Day

"Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry."  
                    
  -Tom Mullen-

"Life is a Life-changing Experience"

-Harry Shearer-

Today is our 37th wedding anniversary!  Yikes!  Where did the time go?  We were both only 20 years old when we first met.  We literally grew up together.  And now we are into the dessert course of marriage--the best part!

My husband is the funniest person I knew.  He makes me laugh everyday, really!  He's also the most trustworthy person I know.  Except when he's being the most annoying person I know.

When I asked him what superlatives he would give me, he answered instantly, "You're the nicest person I now.  And the kindest.  Except when you're being the most annoying person I know.  You're also funny, but not the funniest person I know.  Sorry."

So what's the secret to a happy marriage?  I wouldn't presume to answer that question for anyone but us, but I figure you need 3 things going for you:

• Good luck in who you choose and good luck in the curve balls life will surely throw you.
• The 5-1 ratio.  Your nice-to-nasty ratio must be 5-1!  It really works!
  

John Gottman's pioneering research on marriages suggests that there is a "magic ratio" of 5 to 1 -- in terms of our balance of positive to negative interactions. Gottman found that marriages are significantly more likely to succeed when the couple's interactions are near that 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative. When the ratio approaches 1 to 1, marriages "cascade to divorce."

• The Bill Murray Groundhog Day Principle.  If you stay married long enough, and keep repeating the same stupid mistakes over & over again, you finally get it right!  The light bulb will go on & you'll figure out what works & what doesn't.  Ditch what's not working.  

For instance: 

• I am spatially-challenged, so my husband has quit relying on me to help him move furniture through narrow doorways or going up & down stairs. 
• My husband  is directionally-challenged (as in maps) so I'm the directions person, & I make sure I know exactly where we are going.
• I love to hike, but I'll pass on backpacking--why would you want to ruin a perfectly good hike carrying 50 lbs. on your back?  So he goes with a friend. 
• He's not into going to lectures on weeknights--I go with friends. 
• He got tired of listening to me whine & he finally learned to dance--and loves it.
• He knows I hate to read technical manuals, so he'll just read them for me.
• Nagging never works!  (I'm still working on this one.)  Sounds simple enough, but like Bill Murray, it took us years to figure these little things out.

Ellen Goodman, of the Boston Globe explains it better than I can, in her Zen-like review of Groundhog Day :

Making the best of what we have....is not second best.  It is rather, a demand for active engagement in caring for what and whom we value.

That is what's touching about Groundhog Day.  Our trapped weatherman has to learn this the hard way.  His life is reduced to one inescapable day.  It's the entire deck he's been dealt, the allotment of flowers he can arrange, the cast of characters in his life.

He goes through stages of feeling trapped, depressed, and living as if there's no tomorrow.  He finally comes to the not-so-profound-but-still-pretty-rare realization that he can change his world by changing himself.

..it's about making the best of what you have...over and over. Making small repairs and improvements so that the commitments of midlife--the work you do and people you love--don't become a trap.  They become and remain the town in which you choose to live even when you have options.

Back in May 2008, in honor of a very special wedding in Chicago I did a little thinking about what I'd learned after almost 37 years of marriage.

• Laugh a lot, touch a lot, show affection & give each other compliments!  It's the WD-40 of marriage.
• When your spouse asks for your help or needs you to show up--Do it!
• When your spouse needs to talk--Listen.
• When it's important to speak your mind--Speak up.
• Know when it's important to keep quiet.
• Cut each other some slack.
• Learn to dance.
• Get into the habit of taking walks-it's the best time to talk.
• Make time for activities you do together.
• Make time for activities you do on your own.
• Laugh a lot.  It bears repeating.
• Cook together.
• Stay healthy for each other.
• Be wonderful to each others parents.

Favorite advice from Meg Tufano.

•  Listen to your spouse. Shut up and listen, every day, for at least a half hour a day. Ask pertinent questions. Remember the answers. Keep notes if necessary. Your children depend on your relationship with your spouse. Make sure your marital relationship is solid and your kids will be fine. (For men: if your wife is looking miserable, ask her to tell you what’s wrong and keep asking until she spills her guts. WHATEVER it was, it will no longer make her miserable because she has talked about it with you. This is the magic key to making women happy. Flowers are always nice too!.
• Rest. Sundays are good if only because other people may be doing the same thing. But any day is fine. Rest is essential to everything else you care about. Without rest, the fragility of your life will be front and center; with rest, you have a savings account of energy from which to draw to help out others. Make it religious in the sense you ALWAYS take rest at least once a week.

My Wish for Dave & Emily back in May 2008, is exactly what came true for us!

• Outrageous & memorable adventures
• Wonderful friends
• Good health
• Work that you're passionate about
• Enough of life's challenges to make you stronger, wiser, and kinder
• Kids who are above average, sleep through the night, are easy-going and lots of fun
• The gift of balancing your life, your work and your family
• Enough money to feel both secure and generous.  Not so much that you become out-of-touch & spoiled.
• The knowledge that it's your friends, family & experiences that will bring you your greatest joys.  Invest your time and money accordingly.

 
And I almost forgot, this sage advice comes from Rhett Ellis' wacky book, How I Fell in Love with a Librarian and Lived to Tell About It:

"We've all got our good and bad sides.  If you want to find love and joy in this lifetime you've got to live by mercy.  Focus on the best in people and ignore all the bad that you can ignore.  It's really that simple."

To Life, To Life, L'Chaim, Be Happy, Be Healthy, Long Life!

Two Gift Suggestions - Wrapping Up Your Company, Conversation & Comfort

 

With the gift of listening comes the gift of healing.--Catherine de Hueck Doherty

Can you think of any gift better than the gift of company, conversation or comfort?

The Gift of Company and Conversation

This was Sue Wagner's Christmas gift to her neighbor.  Straight from Regina Brett's Plain Dealer morning column - May You Find Your Christmas Moment.

"I went out and bought a box of different tea bags, wrapped them and gave them to my 90-year-old next door neighbor yesterday. I wrote a Christmas card that said, 'This tea is for you and me. Let's make some dates when I'll come over and we can have tea and get to know each other better. I really look forward to this.'

"So, I dropped it off at her front door. When I got home, there was a message on my answering machine. She said, 'This is the best gift I ever got and you don't need an invitation to come over, just come.'

"So last night at about 8, I called her and said, 'Hey, would you like to have a cup of tea and visit for a half hour or so?' She said. 'Yes, please come.' We had the nicest visit. She had my tea bags under her tree and said, 'Should we open them?' And I said, 'Absolutely, this is our box and every time I come over we will try a new flavor.'

"She said she was so happy I came. No one ever comes to visit her. She spends 99% of her time by herself. Her 86-year-old sister and best friend just passed away in November.

"It was a wonderful evening and what a blessing to me. I ended up coming home at 9:45. The time just flew. I know this is what Christmas really means!"

If tea isn't a conversation starter for the person on your gift list--how about some different coffees, some artisan beers, or a single malt scotch sampler?

The Gift of Comfort

When Liz' father passed away recently one of my co-workers suggested we put together a Comfort Basket, just for her, instead of the usual fruit and cheese basket we send.  It was the perfect gift! A special tailor-made selection of personal items that said, "We care about you & want to send you a little comfort." 

It was filled with:

• Warm cat socks  (she's a cat lover)
• A can of shaved chocolate for hot cocoa
• A cat mug
• Nuts & dried fruit mix
• Lip balm, hand creams
• Scented candles
• Bubble bath
• Real good dark chocolate
• Special scented essential oils
• A CD of music she would like
• An assortment of special teas

I copied the idea in November and sent a Comfort Bag to my Aunt in Iowa. I wasn't able to be there in person to give her a hug, cook her a meal & just sit and talk.

A basket was going to be too bulky to mail, so I bought a colorful reusable shopping bag at Trader Joe's and filled it with everything I knew she would like: real dark chocolate, cashews, El Rio Coffee candy, chocolate-coated tiny mints, lavender scented creams & body wash, orange-bergamot scented air freshener, teas for calm & relaxation, lip balm and more.  She loved everything, including the bag!

Everyone's basket or bag is going to be different--and they are much more fun to put together than ordering a fruit basket.  It could include magazines, DVDs, CDs, beef jerky, barbeque potato chips, halvah, Joyva's Chocolate-covered Jellies, chocolate-coverered raisins, Good and Plenty or Humphrey Popcorn Balls.  Just thinking about what would go into some of my family's baskets.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!

 

 

 

 

Money Well Spent: In the Pursuit of Health, Calming Quiet, Cozy Warmth & Excellent Dental Care

#6 on Gretchen Rubin's Ten Tips for Being Happier:  Buy Some Happiness

I’ve learned to look for ways to spend money to stay in closer contact with my family and friends; to promote my health; to work more efficiently; to eliminate sources of irritation and marital conflict; to support important causes; and to have enlarging experiences.

-Gretchen Rubin, author & blogger-

Look, I know this is not the time to advocate spending money--but then again--a lot of businesses will be helped greatly if we can loosen up our purse strings a little.

I don't spend money easily.  I don't like excess.  And I don't like to shop--except for food & books.  My parents were young adults during the Great Depression, so their lessons of thrift definitely have rubbed off on me.

But...this year I've purchased a few things that I would describe as MONEY WELL SPENT!

I use them almost everyday, & they've brought me and my husband:

• Good health with little effort
• A quiet home where it's easy to read & think
• A warm cozy bed even with our thermostat set to 58 degrees
• Excellent dental care with germ-free toothbrushes

In Pursuit of Health - The Vita-Mix 5200

• Yes, I know you are all ready to shoot me if I say one more thing about my Vita-Mix & green smoothies--but believe me, I too, was once a skeptic!  And I don't part with money easily.
• We use this blender everyday, and at a hefty $450 I figure that at $1/day for a year & 3  months it's worth it.
• There is no way is the world that I could eat 5 cups of kale, spinach, Swiss chard or spinach; an orange; a kiwi; mixed berries; 5 carrots; an apple; some pomegranate juice & 2 TBS. of ground flax seed in one day.  But I can put it all into this incredible blender, add some water or ice & VOILA--I have a delicious drinkable, portable breakfast & mid-day snack.  You cannot believe the power of this contraption.
• I use it to make salad dressings, to instantly puree vegetable soups, make my own tahini, hummous, all-fruit sorbets, and more.
• It cleans in seconds & there are no annoying parts to take apart like in a food processor.
• To read more of my annoying green smoothie discoveries, click here and here

 

In Pursuit of Quiet - The Acoustic Research 900 MHz Wireless Stereo Headphones with autotuning - Model AW772

• My husband loves his TV time--especially loud WWII videos, like The Band of Brothers--Seinfeld reruns & anything on SPIKE.  I like to sit in our cozy Library/Den with him, but honestly, the noise is so annoying!
• My sister clued me in to the idea of wireless headphones that allow one to watch TV or listen to  music--have the volume as high one likes--and not disturb anyone else.  She bought a pair of these for my brother-in-law #1 for Father's Day.  He said it was a gift for her, not for him--but Oh Well--that's my sis!
• Back in September I wrote about  My husband's promise:  He's buying wireless headphones to use when he wants to watch TV & I want to read or write. Or vice versa.  Why be mad, distracted, or have to read the same page over & over again when you can buy wireless headphones for your TV?  Viva the silence!
• He bought them--he loves them--and so do I!  I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it is to not have a loud TV in the background when I want to read, write or think.  In fact, I can cook in the kitchen while listening to the radio (NPR of course), while hubby is less than 5 feet away in our den watching Seinfeld.  It's AMAZING!
• Another plus--since they are wireless, he can walk into his office, go get a snack, wash some dishes & keep listening to whatever he wants to listen to.
• Only downside:  When he has his headphones on he can't hear me (I guess that's an upside for him) unless I get right next to him & tap him on the shoulder.
• He picked the Acoustic Research brand by going to our small town's electronics store so he could support the local economy & get some expert advice on a reliable model.  Expect to pay between $65-$120 for a good pair--I think.
• I think wireless stereo headphones would also be the perfect solution for anyone who has to share a tiny 1 bedroom or studio apartment with a roommate.

In Pursuit of Warmth - The Sunbeam Heated Mattress Pad with dual controls

• We set our thermostat to go down to 58 degrees when we go to sleep.  Natural gas prices are sky high. Even with a sheet, a quilt & a down comforter, last winter I had to resort to crawling into a down sleeping bag to get warm enough.  Needless to say, my husband wasn't too happy with this.
• This Fall, I spotted a queen-sized Sunbeam Heated Mattress Pad at Costco for about $75 & thought I'd give it a try.  After all, Costco will gladly accept returns if you are dissatisfied with a product.
• We both LOVE this mattress pad--which I know sounds slightly looney.  It's got a nifty Preheat setting that we set fifteen minutes before crawling into bed, & each of us has preset our preferred temperatures--I'm comfortable with Low, and hubby who doesn't wear PJs likes #3.
• Now we only need a light-weight quilt to stay warm through the night.  No need for the down comforter.  And the house is a cool 58 degrees.  We could probably even go lower!
• There's even an automatic shut-off that turns the pad off, should you forget, after (I think) 10 hours.  And of course it has multiple adjustable temperature settings for both sides.
• Save Energy & Save Money.  Calculating with March 2008 Energy Information Administration forecasting---if you can lower your thermostat 8 degrees, 24 hours a day, 25 weeks a year, you save up to $131 a year.  That's a pretty good dollar return for a $75 investment, not to mention a cozy warm bed!

In Pursuit of Excellent Dental Health - Phillips Sonicare Flexcare 2 Handle Toothbrush All-in-one Sanitizing Charging and Storing Unit

• Full disclosure here.  My husband is a dentist and we've used the original Sonicare model for years.
• This new Flexcare model came out about 6 months ago--and there's no comparison to the older model.
• The pluses:  There is a timed Maxcare mode that keeps that toothbrush oscillating in your mouth for a full 3 minutes.  The average person brushes for less than a minute with an old-fashioned toothbrush.  If you want a quick brush between meals--there's a 1 minute Go-Care setting.
• Ultra-violet light sanitizer is included & it kills up to 99% of E. Coli & streptococcus Mutans, not to mention assorted cold viruses.  Since we all keep our toothbrushes in the bathroom & flush the toilet with the seat up--I think you get the picture.  The sanitizer is a closed-door unit keeping your toothbrush away from any nasties.
• If you travel, the set includes a portable travel charger--a nice convenience.
• My last dental check-up was absolutely the best I have ever had.  My dentist could not believe it.  It was as pretty close to perfect as you can get.  He would not conclude that it's the Flexcare--but I've done nothing else differently.  Again Full Disclosure:  I floss my teeth daily.  I apparently hold my toothbrush at the correct angle (a must do!) & I Only Brush My Teeth Once a Day in the Morning.  I say it's the Sonicare Flexcare  that is giving me excellent dental health.
• This unit is not inexpensive.  I saw it online at Costco for $160.00.  But with new research coming out weekly about the connection between good dental health, inflammation & heart health--I think it's a small price to pay.  It's all about prevention in my book!

It's All About Preparation. My Smoothie, Soup, Salad, Single Dish Supper Diet

The Will to Win Means Nothing Without the Will to Prepare

-Juma Ikangaa, Tanzanian winner of the NYC Marathon in 1989 running 2:08-

The Will to Eat Healthy Means Nothing Without the Will to Prepare

-The Healthy Librarian-

On Friday mornings I take a fantastic Cycling Class with Rich.  He's maybe in his late 50's, a real athlete--he swims, runs, bikes--and he knows history, literature, sports, you-name-it.  Surely he must be a retired history professor, but he denies it.

Every class is like an adventure to a foreign land, a climb up Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary, a race across the Antarctic with Roald Amundsen, or an historic NYC Marathon.  That's how I found out about Juma Ikangaa.  His words carry weight and apply to just about everything. 

If you want to be healthy, fit, or strong, it's all about the preparation.  And when it comes to eating healthy, it's all about the preparation.  And as we all know--it takes a lot of time.

• Time to plan the week's meals
• Time to shop for fresh ingredients
• Time to cook the meals.

Finally, I think I've got a good system.  I Keep It Simple.  Here are the bare bones, but I definitely mix it up.

• Green Smoothies for breakfast--portable--can be made ahead. I add a Larabar if I'm still hungry.
• Hearty Soups like Obama's Kenyan Vegetable Peanut Soup & raw veggies or fruit for lunch.
• Big salads & one bowl suppers like Veganomicon's Quinoa Salad with Black Beans & Mango, or Rice Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Chick Peas & Feta Cheese.

I try to cook ahead on the weekends & on Wednesdays when I don't work.  A make a BIG POT OF SOUP, and a BIG ONE DISH MEAL.  My book club buddy Diane doubles & triples her soup recipes & packs them away in the freezer.  She's pretty amazing! I wish I was that organized, but I'm not.  Besides, I crave variety & like to try new recipes.

I used to be a-cereal-for-breakfast & a-sandwich-for-lunch girl.  I still do eat those sometimes--but when you look at how much more nutrition you can pack into a SMOOTHIE-SOUP-SALAD-SINGLE-BOWL-SUPPER, compared to cereal & a sandwich---well there's just no comparison.  SSSSBS takes the nutrition prize hands down.

Oh, I Almost Forgot!  Why Did I Decide to Write This Post, Anyway?

• On December 12, 2008 over at the NYT Well Blog, there was an article on the  Best Blogs for Foodies. 
  
• You should definitely check out the recommendations.  My personal favorite was for a decidedly not-so-healthy one called:  The Smitten Kitchen. The photography is mouth-watering & I hear that all the recipes are winners.
• I picked out two that looked fairly healthy with a few tweaks here & there, and since I never post a recipe without first trying them out, I just had to whip these up.  One was for Black Bean Pumpkin Soup, and the other was for Peanut Sesame Noodles.  Both fit perfectly into my Soup & Single Dish Supper menus.
• My husband, who is probably too easy to please, loved them both.  It's finally dawning on me that he keeps saying this so I'll keep on cooking.
• I took the soup to work and taste-tested it on 3 different age & ethnic groups.  Everyone gave it a big thumbs up---but the 20 year old I'm sure was just being polite.  Black Bean Pumpkin Soup isn't exactly her typical fare.
• And as for me--I liked them both a lot--and will definitely add them to the cooking rotation.

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup from Smitten Kitchen

My modifications are in red.
 

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Gourmet, November 1996

Yield: 9 cups  (8 servings of 1.125 cups)

Three 15 1/2 ounce cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup minced shallot
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter (I substituted 1/4 cup of canola oil)
4 cups beef broth (I substituted 4 cups of Imagine Organic No-Chicken Broth-vegetarian)
a 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/2 pound cooked ham, cut into 1/8-inch dice (I substituted 6 slices of browned-up Tempeh Fakin Bacon, but SoyBoy Smoked Tofu would work fine--or it would taste great without any add-ins)
3 to 4 tablespoons Sherry vinegar (I used 3 tbs)

Garnish: sour cream and coarsely chopped lightly toasted pumpkin seeds (I left out both of these)

In a food processor coarsely puree beans and tomatoes.

In a 6-quart heavy kettle cook onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in (Canola oil) butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Stir in bean puree. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Just before serving, add ham (tempeh, tofu or nothing) and vinegar and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Serve soup garnished (or not) with sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds.

 

Nutrition Facts Black Bean Pumpkin Soup 1.12cups Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 245 Total Fat 7.5g       Saturated Fat 0.9g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 466mg Carbohydrate 32.5g       Dietary Fiber 8.5g       Sugars 7.9g Protein 9.8g Vitamin A 122% Vitamin C 6% Calcium    8% Iron 13%

Peanut Sesame Noodles from Smitten Kitchen

Peanut Sesame Noodles
Adapted from Gourmet, June 2002

Servings: Makes 6 side-dish or 4 vegetarian main-course servings.  (With a salad this made 8 main-course servings)

For peanut dressing
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (all natural)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes or a splash of the hot sauce or chili paste of your choice

For noodles
3/4 lb dried soba nooodles (dried linguine fini or spaghetti will work in a pinch) (I recommend using Eden brand 100% whole Buckwheat Soba noodles--better taste & more nutritious)
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
Half a seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed (I used SoyBoy Tofu Lin--an Asian flavor)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (I didn't bother with these)

Puree dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain in a colander, then rinse well under cold water. (Soba noodles tend to clump while cooking, so be sure to separate them well while they boil)

Add pasta, scallions, bell peppers, cucumber and tofu to dressing, tossing to combine. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

I would rate this one fast, easy & delicious!

 

Nutrition Facts Smitten Kitten Peanut sesame noodles-8 servings Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 310 Total Fat 12.2g       Saturated Fat 1.7g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 574mg Carbohydrate 40.7g       Dietary Fiber 4.4g       Sugars 4.2g Protein 11.2g Vitamin A 15% Vitamin C 131% Calcium    6% Iron 11%

Smoothies-Soups-Salads-Single-Bowl-Suppers

Healthy Librarian's Brain Back-Up: Music for a Healthy Heart, Vitamin D and Body Fat, Nuts, Happiness Tips, Unhealthy Vegans and more

Once You're Through Learning, You're Through"

-John Wooden, retired UCLA basketball coach, 97 years old-

I started this blog as my own computer back-up for everything I learn about living a healthy happy long life.

I soon found out that there is no way I can capture everything that comes my way via podcasts, NPR, books, websites, newspapers and magazines with twice a week postings.

For a change of pace I'm backing up my brain by downloading the mass of swirling (but useful) health & happiness tips that have come my way this week.  Instead of long posts, you're getting the "blog bytes".

So here goes:

• Music, like laughter benefits the heart.  According to Dr. Michael Miller of the University of Maryland, if you're listening to a song that makes you feel "joyful or euphoric", your blood vessels will dilate 26%, improving blood flow--which is an effect similar to that of exercise.  Miller says:  "The inner lining of the blood vessels--the endothelium--serves as the gatekeeper to vascular health."   Keep them dilated & keep them healthy. Just don't listen to the same songs all the time, or it won't work.  Mix up your play list--2 week intervals are best.  What's on my play list?  Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me" & Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" & about a million others. Now I'm alternating joyful music with my NPR fix.

• Low Vitamin D levels are linked to increased body fat.  Looking at young Californian women (age 16-20)--where there's plenty of sun--researchers found overweight women had a much lower level of vitamin D, as measured by the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D test (under 29 ng/mL is too low).  It's hard to tell if the excess fat is preventing the vitamin D absorption, or if the low D is somehow causing the excess fat.  With vitamin D so important to the prevention of osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression & more, everyone should ask their doctor for the inexpensive serum-hydroxyvitamin D test!

• A healthy vegan diet is all about eating whole real foods--like greens, beans, fruits, veggies, nuts & seeds.  This takes preparation & planning. Watch out if you stick to fake soy meat, fries, Fritos, & peanut butter!  Read Megan McArdle's piece about her vegan experience here. She's a blogger/writer for the Atlantic Monthly.

• Unusual Suspects. Everyday foods that will cause inflammation.  Increase your diet with foods high in Omega-6s & you increase your body's inflammation--a risk factor for heart disease, arthritis, cancer, cognitive dysfunction & more.  Just cut these out: any mayonnaise, except for a low-fat version made with canola oil; anything made with safflower, cottonseed, corn, soybean, unnamed vegetable & sunflower oils; Take Control Spread (it's supposed to benefit the heart-but it's loaded with Omega 6s--use Canola Harvest with Flax instead); Smart Balance mozzarella cheese shreds; many granola bars; McDonald's Grilled Chicken; vegetarian cheeses made with oils; soy hot dogs & burgers; salad dressings made with soybean oil.  Here's a link to a free website with data on the omega-6s in everyday foods: Click here.  Read Evelyn Tribole's The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet.

• Ten Tips for Being Happier. This comes from one of my favorite blogs Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project.  My 4 favorites: 1. Realize that anything worth doing is worth doing badly--you have to be willing to try new things & not be afraid of failing if you want to grow.  2. Buy some happiness--sometimes you need to spend some money to keep in touch with friends & relatives, to just make life easier or to eliminate sources of irritation: like plane tickets, a heated mattress pad or wireless earphones to silence the TV. 3. Don't insist on the best--don't waste time & drive yourself crazy trying to make the perfect decision. Be a satisficer not a maximizer!  4. Stop Nagging--not worth it & it only makes matters worse.
  

• An ounce or two of nuts a day is a good thing.  At 160-200 calories an ounce you have to go easy, but Spanish researchers found that adding nuts to your diet will reduce the likelihood of metabolic syndrome (belly fat, type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides, low HDLs); and Purdue researchers found that nuts keep you full, satisfied & better able to control your weight.  My link has a great recipe & specific nut by nut benefits from the Berkeley Wellness Letter.

• For maximum learning you need a good night's sleep.  Howard Nussbaum of the University of Chicago conducted a study that trained college students on video games & clearly showed how learning something new only improves after a good night's rest. Our brains consolidate the new learning during sleep & we actually practice our new skills while we dream.  But it's best to be well rested before you learn something new and then "sleep on it"!

• 38% of us use alternative or complementary therapies.  According to a recent report from the National Center for Complementary Medicine and Alternative Therapies, the top alternative therapies include the use of fish oil/omega 3/DHA, glucosamine, echinacea, flaxseed oil or pills, and ginseng.  More people are also practicing deep-breathing, meditation, yoga & following it up with a relaxing massage!
  

Alcohol Attraction. Why We Drink. Why We Might Not Want To.

Drink the first.  Sip the second slowly.  Skip the third.  ~Knute Rockne

I drink only to make my friends seem interesting.  ~Don Marquis

I'm not much of a drinker.  Occasional glass of wine--always red--with food--max of two--mostly in the company of friends & family.  Although I did enjoy a Mojito at Monday night's dinner-with-friends.

I was twelve years old when The Days of Wine & Roses came out.  It made a huge impression on me.  Drinking--drunks--alcoholism scared me silly.  My parents rarely drank--a little Mogen David wine or a little whiskey for the uncles on holidays. That was it.

It seems hard to believe in today's alcohol-entrenched culture, with binge drinking rampant in high school & college, but I never drank in high school--rarely in college.  At age 20, while visiting a college friend in New York, I decided to see what it felt like to get drunk.  We bought a bottle of something awful & cheap, like MD 20-20 or Boone's Farm, and drank.  One bottle--shared--that was it.  I felt awful the next morning--I wasn't going to do that again.  And I never did.

I don't get (as in understand) drunkenness or why anyone would want to feel hungover.
Which is why I was so interested in Jim Atkinson's recent New York Times opinion piece on the discomfort of celebrating the winter holidays if you want to stay sober, "It's the Holidays.  How About Just One?"   Apparently a lot of other people were interested as well--almost 600 people have commented on the piece & right now it's #4 on the top 20 list of most emailed articles.

Atkinson has been sober for 16 years now.  He's still not comfortable with the alcohol-laden holidays--in his opinion:

"(They) seem to have been invented for the express purpose of promoting — no, necessitating — irresponsible alcoholic consumption."

What interested me most about his article was why anyone would choose to drink to excess. Once you know how awful it feels to be hung-over, headachey, nauseous, exhausted---why would you do it again?

Here's Atkinson's Theory on Over-Drinking & Alcohol Addiction:

• “You know how you feel at Christmas at the umpteenth family gathering or company cocktail party. You really need that drink, right? That’s the way I used to feel all the time.”

• "The best I can say from personal experience is that we (over-drinkers) all tend to be afflicted by a low-grade dysphoria, a sort of constant melancholy that causes feelings of unease, isolation and dissatisfaction with life — an “inexplicable ache,” I once heard it called."

• "But is this nature or nurture? I personally have come to believe in a construction proposed by Dr. Mark Willenbring, director of the division of treatment and recovery research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which says it’s both."

• Willenbring argues that the main thing that alcoholics share is a natural tolerance for alcohol, which leads them to overindulge without knowing it.

• And here's the END RESULT: Repeated overindulgence, in turn, changes their brain chemistry and literally creates the inexplicable ache by altering the activity of two systems: the brain’s “reward system,” which sends the message that drinking feels good; and the excitatory and stress response systems, which become “recruited” and, over time, produce an elevated anxiety when one is without alcohol in his system.

• If you are among the 80 percent of people who drink “normally,” think of your relationship to booze as a minor friendship that strikes up at certain times of the week, or even the year. Think of the drunk’s as a torrid, reckless and self-destructive affair.

Is It Possible to Drink in Moderation Once You've Had a Drinking Problem?

Atkinson isn't about to risk finding out.

"If I decided to take a drink at a party, I might be able to tough it out for that night, but I know that the next day, another drink would be someplace in my mind. That someplace might be a manageable place, but would it be worth the considerable hassle of having to think twice every time I took a sip?

Besides, my newly wired brain doesn’t really have the interest to try. I’ve worked too hard at this, learned too much, have too much pride in accomplishing something that a lot of folks with this problem don’t — a solid sobriety that has lasted at least as long as my addiction did — to risk a relapse."

So, now I better understand--why some people can stop at a little--and why some people can't.  Read the full article.  You'll learn a lot!

And if you're like me, and you thought red wine & good heart health went hand-in-hand, think again.

Some balloon-deflating words from Dr. Joel Fuhrman:

• "Alcohol is not actually heart-healthy; it simply has anti-clotting effects much like aspirin. Thinning the blood with alcohol is not health-enhancing unless you are eating the typical heart-attack-inducing diet."  But if you're already eating a heart-healthy diet, the extra blood thinning "only adds more risk in the form of gastrointestinal bleeding or a hemorrhgic stroke."  Note: he's talking a diet of "nutritional excellence"
• Red wine contains some beneficial compounds like flavonoids and resveratrol, a potent antioxidant found in the skin of grapes...(but so do) grapes, raisins & berries..One does not have to drink wine to gain these benefits.
• Consuming more than 1 drink a day for women, or 2 drinks a day for men is associated with fat around the waist and all the associated health problems linked to excess belly fat.
• Even moderate alcohol consumption in women is associated with increased breast cancer in susceptible women.
• More than one drink a day can create a mild withdrawal sensation the next day, which is often mistaken for hunger--which leads to overeating.  Even moderate drinking is associated with overweight.
• Recent studies have linked even moderate drinking with an increased incidence of atrial fibrillation, a condition which can lead to stroke.
• Bottom line: Don't rely on alcohol or red wine to keep you healthy. One glass of wine--or one drink isn't a major risk--but it's not a major health asset either!

Sorry, guys, I think this is more than you or I wanted to know.  I'm still sticking with my occasional glass of red wine--but always with food, family & friends.

Cheers!  Salud!  L'Chaim!

Be Happy Be Healthy Long Life

Update:  I wrote this post this morning--before listening to today's news. I just heard NPR's Talk of the Nation segment on "What It's Like to Get Laid Off".  They started it off with a list of today's job cuts, including NPR, Anheuser-Busch, Yahoo & Home Depot. Yikes!!  Job loss in a bleak economy--now that's a real temptation to drink.  Jim Atkinson would advise against it.

Reference: Fuhrman, Joel.  Eat for Health.  Book One.  Gift of Health Press, 2008.

The Secret to Happiness - It's Viral & We Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends!

Pink Sherbert Photography

"This makes me feel so much more responsible that I know that if I come home in a bad mood I'm not only affecting my wife and son but my son's best friend or my wife's mother.  When I'm heading home I now intentionally put on my favorite song!"    Remember These Words, Folks!

-James H. Fowler, UCSD professor & author of "Dynamic spread of happiness in a large-social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study"  BMJ published online 12/5/08-

With all the bad news bombarding us daily, this story felt like a big gift when it hit the news wires on Thursday.  Yes, I know you've all read this story already, but hey, I write this blog as my own "Healthy Librarian's Brain Back-Up" & if I don't capture it, I'll surely forget it. 

My friend Joyce says, "You can never have enough friends."  And she's right!

Here's the heart of the story:  Happiness is like a contagious disease.
"We all know people who are most susceptible to HIV are people who have lots of partners.  This is the same thing!"  according to Fowler.

"Individuals' happiness depends not only on how many friends they have but also on how many friends their friends have.  And the better connected their friends or the wider the social circle--the more likely they are to become happy."

How exactly does happiness spread through social circles?

"Fowler & Christakis don't know.  But here's what they suspect. One possibility is that happy people spread their good fortune directly by being generous with their time & money.  Evolution may have encouraged infectious happiness if it helped hominids and early humans enhance their social bonds so they could form successful groups."

I've read the original article, the UCSD press release, the NYT, Boston Globe, LA Times, & the Discover Magazine versions. No need to reinvent the wheel here.  All the versions added a different angle to the story (so check them out if you're interested), but the  Discover Magazine Blog cut to the chase--so here you go!

Happiness Spreads Like the Plague

Happiness is catching and spreads like the flu, according to a study that followed a whole community of people for 20 years. The effect of one happy person could ripple through three degrees of separation, researchers report. “It is sometimes said that you can’t be happier than your least happy child. It is truly amazing to discover that when you replace the word ‘child’ with ‘best friend’s neighbor’s uncle,’ the sentence is still true,” [Boston Globe] said psychologist Daniel Gilbert, who was not involved in the study. The researchers liken the pattern of happiness transmission to the spread of a virus: those with the most number of happy contacts are the mostly likely to catch the happy bug.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, followed more than 4,700 people living in Framingham, Massachusetts from 1983 to 2003. The participants answered periodic questionnaires about their emotional well-being and listed the names of relatives, friends, and co-workers, many of whom were also participating in the study. Researchers found that happiness wasn’t scattered evenly throughout the population but instead seemed to spread through social networks. “Happiness is like a stampede,” said [co-author] Nicholas Christakis… “Whether you’re happy depends not just on your own actions and behaviors and thoughts, but on those of people you don’t even know” [AP].

Overlaying the data over a map showed clear geographical clusters of happiness. A next-door neighbor’s joy increased one’s chance of being happy by 34 percent, but a neighbor down the block had no effect. A friend living half a mile away was good for a 42 percent bounce, but the effect was almost half that for a friend two miles away. A friend in a different community altogether can win an Oscar without making you feel better [New York Times]. Certain types of relationships were more effective at spreading happiness, the researchers found. Surprisingly, the good mood of a next-door neighbor was more contagious than that of a live-in spouse. Also, co-workers seem immune to each other’s happiness, perhaps due to an atmosphere of competition in the workplace, the researchers suggest. Friends of the same gender were the most likely source of good cheer. There was also a temporal element: the effects of a happy encounter could linger for as long as a year and then faded.

Unhappiness was also contagious, but happily, to a lesser degree. Previous work by the same research team found similar social patterns of transmission for obesity and success in quitting smoking. But since this is the first study to look at how happiness spreads through groups over an extended period of time, some are skeptical about the validity of the results. In a separate study in the same journal, other researchers noted that many non-catching conditions, like acne, headaches, and height, would appear to follow the “social contagion effect” if not all compounding factors were taken into consideration.

But to end on a positive note: Co-author James H. Fowler says the study shows that whether a friend’s friend is happy has more influence than a $5,000 raise. So at a time when we’re facing such economic difficulties, the message could be, ‘Hang in there. You still have your friends and family, and these are the people to rely on to be happy’ ” [Washington Post].

Here's the graph of Happiness & Social Circles

Fig 1 Happiness clusters in the Framingham social network. Graphs show largest component of friends, spouses, and siblings at exam 6 (centred on year 1996, showing 1181 individuals) and exam 7 (year 2000, showing 1020 individuals). Each node represents one person (circles are female, squares are male). Lines between nodes indicate relationship (black for siblings, red for friends and spouses). Node colour denotes mean happiness of ego and all directly connected (distance 1) alters, with blue shades indicating least happy and yellow shades indicating most happy (shades of green are intermediate)

Osteoporosis Prevention. A Diet High in Fruits & Vegetables & Low in Animal Protein & Grains

 

If you think calcium pills & vitamin D are all you need to protect yourself from bone loss, think again!  

"Diets high in protein (especially animal protein) and cereal grains produce an excess of acid in the body which may increase calcium excretion and weaken bones, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM)"

I Thought Protein (especially Dairy Products & Poultry/Fish/Beef) Was Necessary for Building Bone.  How Could It Cause Bone Loss?

• Dr. T. Colin Campbell explains this counter-intuitive situation best.  An animal protein diet creates an acidosis state in the body that diminishes vitamin D, which is needed to build strong bones.  In addition, when acidosis exists, the body pulls out calcium from the bones in an attempt to neutralize the acid state.
• Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, the lead author in the JCEM study, explains that when older adults eat diets high in protein & grain, acid is produced, and as we age our bodies are less able to excrete this acid.
  

"One way the body may counteract the acid from our diets is through bone resorption, a process by which bones are broken down to release minerals such as calcium, phosphates, and alkaline (basic) salts into the blood.  Unfortunately, increased bone resorption leads to declines in bone mass and increases in fracture risk."

So What Can I Do to Avoid the Calcium From Leaching Out Of My Bones?

• The Dawson-Hughes research team found that:

"When fruits and vegetables are metabolized they add bicarbonate, an alkaline compound, to the body.  Our study found that bicarbonate had a favorable effect on bone resorption and calcium excretion. This suggests that increasing the alkali content of the diet (eating lots of fruits & vegetables-less animal protein) may attenuate bone loss in healthy older adults."

• Dr. Joel Fuhrman weighed in on the study with these specific recommendations: 
  1. Limit animal protein consumption to 15 ounces per week or less  2. Keep salt consumption under 1200 mg per day  3. Eliminate caffeine, refined sweets & vitamin A supplements.
• Fuhrman wholeheartedly agrees with the Tufts researchers.  Osteoporosis is "also due to factors that accelerate the loss of calcium in the urine. Controlling the factors that work together to leach calcium from the bones and increase calcium in the urine (by reducing and eliminating them) is much more important than taking extra calcium. 
• For those of us less inclined to make the dietary changes--there is good news. The Tufts study also found that you can get your "Alkali Fix" in pill form as well:

"In this study we demonstrated that adding alkali in pill form reduced bone resorption and reduced the losses of calcium in the urine over a three month period. This intervention warrants further investigation as a safe and well tolerated supplement to reduce bone loss and fracture risk in older men and women."

How Was This Study Set Up?

• 171 men & women over the age of 50 participated in a double-blind, controlled trial. The groups received one of the following: a placebo,or 67.5 mmol/d of potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or potassium chloride for 3 months.  All the groups were given 600 mg of calcium & 525 IU of vitamin D3 daily.
• The urinary excretion of calcium was measured when they started & after 3 months.
• It turned out that the Bicarbonate (the alkali compound) was key to reducing calcium excretion.  The potassium had no effect upon the results.
• Take home message:  A diet high in fruits & vegetables would have the same calcium-sparing effect as the bicarbonate pill, with the additional benefits of vitamins, minerals & anti-oxidants. To stop bone loss, it's all about increasing the alkali content of the diet!

Article cited:  Lisa Ceglia, Susan S. Harris, Steven A. Abrams, Helen M. Rasmussen, Gerard E. Dallal, and Bess Dawson-Hughes.  "Potassium bicarbonate attenuates the urinary nitrogen excretion that accompanies an increase in dietary protein and may promote calcium absorption."  The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.  published online December 2, 2008.

Author affiliation:  The Jean Mayer United States Deartment of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA. 

Supported by the Agricultural Research Service, the HNRCA is the largest research institution in the world devoted to investigating the relationship between nutrition and aging.

What's a Nutritarian? How About Some Splendid Table Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash and Greens Over Bow-Tie Pasta?

A Nutritarian? Not!
Real Life Adventures-Gary Wise & Lance Aldrich

A thoughtful reader, who is a nutrition expert in his own right, suggested I check out the work of Dr. Joel Fuhrman & Dr. John McDougall.  Their "first books" have been on my shelves for years--but too long ignored.  More on them at a later date--when I have time to more fully summarize their work.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman has coined the term, Nutritarian.  Forget vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, South Beach, low-fat, low-carb, or omnivore.  Nutritarian is where it's at. Fuhrman definitely has it right!

"The quality of a diet can be judged base on three simple criteria.

1. Levels of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals) per calorie.

2. Amounts of macronutrients (fat, carbohydrate, protein) to meet individual needs, without excessive calories that may lead to weight gain or health compromise.
3. Avoidance of potentially toxic substances (such as trans fats) and limited amounts of other potentially harmful substances (such as sodium).

A person who... is called a nutritarian... understands that food has powerful disease–protecting and therapeutic effects and seeks to consume a broad array of micronutrients via their food choices. It is not sufficient to merely avoid fats. It is not sufficient for the diet to have a low glycemic index. It is not sufficient for the diet to be low in animal products. It is not sufficient for the diet to be mostly raw food. A truly healthy diet must be micronutrient rich and the micronutrient richness must be adjusted to meet individual needs. The foods with the highest micronutrient per calorie scores are green vegetables, colorful vegetables, and fresh fruits. For optimal health and to combat disease, it is necessary to consume enough of these foods."  Excerpted from DrFuhrman.com

Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash and Greens Over Bow-Tie Pasta

A couple of Sundays ago (November 23) I caught an interview with the Boston Globe food writer, T. Susan Chang, about her Top Ten Favorite Cookbooks of 2008.  NPR's Lianne Hansen asked her which one was her "Favorite Child" & Chang didn't hesitate to answer:  The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stores, and Opinions, by Lynne Rossetto Kasper & Sally Swift.  (Clarkson Potter, 2008).

The minute I got home I checked out the NPR site & found a recipe from the book that looked like a winner. I finally had a chance to try it out yesterday--and it did not disappoint.  My husband had to literally put the bowl of pasta in the fridge to stop himself from eating any more of it.  It's sweet, savory & satisfying with a spicy kick!

Is it a Nutritarian's Delight?  Absolutely not.  On the plus side it has butternut squash, greens, fresh herbs & garlic.  On the minus side it has Asiago cheese, olive oil, pasta (I couldn't find a whole grain farfelle) and half & half (I subbed with Trader Joe's soy creamer).

Serves 8  (They say 4-6.  No way.  This makes a huge amount!)
10 minutes prep time; 35 minutes oven time  (Wrong! It took me an hour plus!)

You could cook this dish ahead through Step 6 and then bake it in a shallow casserole, topping it with extra cheese in the last 5 minutes of baking.

An autumn supper in a bowl, this is a "sauce" that you roast in the oven in about 30 minutes: chunks of sweet squash, roasted herbs and greens. Add half-and-half (soy creamer), toss with hot pasta and cheese, and you have a great sell to the anti-vegetable contingent.

5 quarts salted water in a 6-quart pot

Roasted vegetables
3 to 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-sized chunks (My tip: save yourself the time & headache of peeling & cutting up squash.  Buy 2 18 oz. packages of cut-up squash from Trader Joe's.  I buy this stuff weekly!)
1 medium to large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 big handfuls escarole or curly endive that has been washed, dried and torn into small pieces, or spring mix (Next time I'm using more!  Definitely dry it thoroughly.)
1/3 tight-packed cup fresh basil leaves, torn
16 large fresh sage leaves, torn
5 large garlic cloves, coarse chopped
1/3 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tight-packed tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark)
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper

Pasta and finish
1 pound imported bow-tie pasta (Try to find a whole grain version. I couldn't)
1/2 cup half-and-half (I used Trader Joe's Soy Milk Creamer)
1 to 1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese

Slip one large or two smaller shallow sheet pans into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bring the salted water to a boil.

In a big bowl, toss together all the ingredients for the roasted vegetables. Be generous with the salt and pepper.

Pull out the oven rack holding the sheet pan. Taking care not to burn yourself, turn the squash blend onto the hot sheet pan and spread it out. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the squash is tender, turning the vegetables two or three times during roasting. (This took longer & I needed 2 large pans to hold everything. I lined them with foil for easier clean-up)

As the squash becomes tender, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook it until tender, but with some firmness to the bite. Drain in a colander.

Once the squash is tender, turn on the broiler to caramelize it. Watch the vegetables closely, turning the pieces often. Anticipate about 5 minutes under the broiler. You want crusty brown edges on the squash and wilted, almost crisp greens. (Watch that the greens don't burn before the squash & onions brown!)

Scrape everything into a serving bowl. (I needed the largest bowl I could find.) Add the half-and-half (or soy creamer), hot pasta, and 1 cup of the cheese. Toss to blend, tasting for salt and pepper. Add more cheese if desired. Serve hot.

I will definitely make this again. And it's company fare, for sure!

The nutrition facts are based upon 8 servings.  The fiber & protein will go up if you can find a whole grain farfelle (bow-tie pasta) The sodium content is without added salt!

Nutrition Facts for  Roasted Squash & Greens over Pasta Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 282 Total Fat 12.2g       Saturated Fat 2.2g Cholesterol 4mg Sodium 71mg Carbohydrate 42.7g       Dietary Fiber 2.1g       Sugars 8g Protein 6.2g Vitamin A 490% Vitamin C 59% Calcium    16% Iron 10%