TalulaZoeApple

Lavender Rice Pillow and A Good Night's Sleep

I have not been sleeping well lately. I will wake up in the middle of the night with a neck cramp. So I decided to make a lavender rice pillow to aid me in my quest for rest!

It is super easy. All you need is a tube sock, a bag of rice, a needle, thread and lavender oil.

You stuff the sock with rice that has been sprinkled with lavender oil. Then sew up the hole at the end of the sock.

Voila. Next stick the pillow in the microwave for about five minutes. You have a heavenly warm snuggly pillow for your neck. The aromatic lavender aroma helps calm you.

It may not be pretty but it is pretty effective! Sleep is on the way.

 

 

My Balcony Garden - Early Girl Tomatoes in Bottoms Up

I did it! I created my first project in my balcony garden. I got extra inspired by this documentary on PBS about urban food growers. Ah, PBS, you got me again.

I got this Bottoms Up tomato grower for like $2.00 so I decided to give it a try. If it fails, it is still just 2 bucks right? Follow the pictures my friends:

Continue reading. . .

 

Sugar Is As Addictive As Cocaine?

I ran across this video over at Clean Eating. It echoes a lot of what I have been reading in Eat To Live by Dr. Furhman. Sugar is as addictive as cocaine? That is what one neuroscientist claims due to the way our brains respond to it. 

 

 

Ironically, I remember having a discussion with my mom years ago. I told her that when I eat something sweet it instantly makes me feel better. As a consequence, when I am upset, eating something sweet was a knee-jerk reaction for me. Joining the gym and meditation have become other coping mechanisms for stress because, apparently, the sugar is killing us.

The Steam Room: The Tale of A Slight Germaphobe

I finally signed up for the gym. I am ready to get my workout. For weeks, I have been faithfully lifting weights at home but my neck and shoulders were REALLY sore -so sore that I could not turn my neck. So, I was really psyched to get into the sauna and relax.

Long story, less long: The sauna was OUT of ORDER! UGH! The attendant days, "The steam room is working." So I am secretly praying that no one else is in said steam room because steam rooms kind of freak me out.

I enter the steam room and immediatley my glasses steam up. I take them off stumbling blindly in the midst and I start  coughing. Out of the white blindness, I hear a voice call out, "It takes a moment to get used to breathing."

I say okay and try to be comfortable but I am feeling a bit like Myrtle Urkel trying to clean my geek chic spectacles. I sit down convincing myself that I have not just walked into a bacteria bath and I notice the man behind the voice. He is sitting in the coner on the upper bench darn near NAKED.

So I say, "Do you have to take off of your shoes?"

He starts going on and on about how he just likes to take off his shoes, and apparently clothes,  because he sweats a lot.

*Inside my head* Gag, gag, gag. Did I mention that he has this big hairy chest? During his speech he happens to mention that you should not stay in a sauna more than ten minutes.

So I ask him, "Well, how long have you been in here?" Hoping beyond hope that it is like 9.5 minutes and he is taking his naked, hairy, and extra sweaty self on somewhere.

He says, "Like 10 minutes," and he does not move!

Water is dripping from the ceiling on my hair. I am this close to freaking out and then the coup d'etat. Moisture starts to form on my lips. I hop up and say out loud, "I think I have had enough, thank you."

I come home shower, wash my hair, curl up in a fetal position on my bed and tried to forget what had just happened.

lol

What Is A Friend?

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

What is friendship to you?

I think my first friendship was created from a traumatic experience. It was my first day of kindergarten and I cried so hard that my mom let me stay in the Head Start room in which she was volunteering for that first day. The second day I pulled the same stunt and she basically threatened me with a spanking. So facing kindergarten or a sure butt whooping, I opted for the nonviolent alternative.

I walked so tentatively into that room. Face red from crying and this girl (I still remember her name) asked me if I wanted to color. We were friends all through grade school.

Now wasn't that easy?

I think I was raised to be too nice, too kind, too considerate. When I got older, I was shocked at the reality that most people are just not nice, kind or considerate. It took a long time for me to just accept people for exactly who they are and not expect some kind of miraculous personality transformation that would render them more like me. Vain much?

I moved to Dallas a few years ago, away from my family, church and friends - and basically had to start the whole friend making process all over again.

It has definitely been hit ot miss. Remember this story? Then there was the guy who pretended friendship but became an octopus when we were alone. What's an octopus you ask? A creature with too many hands. You will get it eventually.

Anyway, I have decided not to let the actions of others make me jaded to befriending new people but I must admit it is a struggle.

I try to do what the bible verse in my intro states - show myself friendly. I think that being friendly is often misread ESPECIALLY by guys. So fine tuning friendliness is becoming an art form.

What does it take to be my friend? Be an honest, kind, considerate person. That is not too much to ask? Is it?

Talulazoeapple on FaceBook

Join me on Facebook. Talulazoeapple Thanks!

The Braxton Family Values - I May Be Losing Faith

As you know, I gave up "The Cable." The sky did not fall just my monthly expenditures.

Aren't I clever? You know the sky falling but my expenditures are . . . nevermind.

Every Friday, I would search my internet for the episodes of Braxton Family Values - the one reality show that I kept on rotation. Then I watched the reunion show hosted by Wendy Williams today.

I am am convinced that reality TV is the devil!

My favorite characters - Trina, Towanda, Traci, Tamar, Miss E and Toni B - are super funny but each chick has a quote or unintelligible word phrase that must be repeated. I get it. It is all a part of branding, but do we all have to be reduced to a, "what you talkin' bout Willis?" statement. Yes, Tamar Braxton actually uses this phrase.

Ugh, why must I be so analytical? Why can't I just enjoy mindless entertainment?

Darn it, I'm educated. I have the bill to prove it. That's why.

 

I think the Braxton sisters need an intervention - positive energy. We nerds know that without the input of energy things tend toward disorder. This show may be unraveling and I need this show. I can't go back to scripted TV. I just cannot!

How about showcasing what these women are accomplishing now that they have the spotlight? Toni Braxton is still a superstar. Tamar and Vince have a spin-off show. I have got some great ideas for the rest of the cast.

Trina can go on tour. Towanda can take an acting class. Traci can do everybody's hair.  Miss E can hand out bible verses and peppermint candy. Just kidding. Ms. E is superduper fabulous. I love her!

Now how difficult was that WeTv?

On the positive side, the girls looked fabulous and Trina's hair was EVERYTHING to me. *cue Monica singing* After all, this is why I watch. Where else can you see women of color, going to fab parties, wearing the latest fashion, spending exorbitant amounts of money on shoes with red bottoms and hobnobbing with a superstar sister?

I will allow myself to feel intellectually superior to other reality tv junkies who devour lessor quality shows like the Kardashians or Real Housewives of wherever they call women who are not married housewives as I wait patiently for next season to get my full of Braxton Family Values.

Hypocitical much? Don't judge me! lol

Tortilla Pie

Yes, I am cooking.

I took my time, tasted along the way, and voila! I think it turned out pretty good. IMHO

My recipe COMPLETELY mine!

12 small corn tortillas

1 can reduced sodium black beans

1 cup reduced fat cheese

1 cup tomato sauce

¼ large red onion

4 garlic cloves

1 cup frozen corn

1 skillet

¼ teaspoon kosher salt,

1 teaspoon cilantro (was out of fresh)

½ teaspoon cumin

1 8 inch round baking pan

Oil Spray

Chop onion and garlic. Spray skillet and sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic to skillet. Add salt to taste. Next add frozen corn to skillet. Drain beans in the can and add to skillet. Cook until thick consistency. Add tomato sauce. Cook until consistency until most of the moisture has evaporated. You want the filling to not run.

Cut tortillas in half and layer the bottom of the baking pan. Make sure to spray the pan with oil spray.

Layer tortillas, filling, and cheese. Repeat. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400° or until cheese has a golden bubbles.

Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Cut and serve.

I have even calculated the calories for you!

Serving size is ¼ of pie with 598 calories and 320 mg of sodium.

I think if I use low fat tortillas and less cheese, I could cut that number down significantly.

What I Am Reading: Eat To Live

So I bit the bullet and got rid of cable. My big flat screen monitor, yes monitor, has been relegated to finding the weakly broadcast digital signal converted by some little black box. I need said black converter box because the great deal I thought I had found on a flat screen TV was just a good price on a monitor. *insert sad face*

Due to the lack of variety in scheduled programming and aforementioned weak signals, I watch PBS a lot. Partially because the PBS station magically always transmits. BUT there really is interesting programming on PBS. Having had my IQ diminished by addictive reality TV showcased on cable, it took a force of budgetary constraints to bring me back to my first love, PBS.

Anyone remember Sesame Street?

I digress.

I am watching PBS and there is a show featuring a Dr. Joel Furhman discussing how eating less to no meat can literally reverse illness. From my frequent blog rants, you guys know about my constant bouts with acid reflux. ARGH!

I buy the book and it is truly a revelation. Dr. Furhman warns about trying the veggie/fruit diet plan that he advocates  before completing the entire book. As I am reading, I am having some serious reservations about giving up meat until I read this gem about “pink slime” going unlabeled in our meat supply:

"The trimmings are heated to soften fat and spun in a centrifuge to separate the meat, which is then pressed and added to hamburger. A puff of an ammonia and water mix is used to kill bacteria." SOURCE

Don’t you just love the use of words like “carcass” and “puff of ammonia” used to describe food you put into your precious body?

Well, I do not. So back to Eat To Live. Great info, not so great recipes. Here is where my readers come in. Do you have any good meatless recipes? Something without a ton of unique ingredient would be helpful.

I am going to attempt to concoct one of my own, enchilada pie. If it works out, I will post.

Until then.

Jada Pinkett Smith "Burn"