Menu planning has its advantages

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So today I’m going to write about menu planning.

Towards the beginning of this month, I wrote about memory loss. I shared that I found the use of a calendar, a diary and my phone calendar essential.

Well, I have also found menu planning very useful. We have been a bit slack over the last month or two, so I decided to get back to it. On Saturday morning, drinking a cup of coffee, with a few of my favorite recipe books.

Menu planning, in our view, has many advantages.

Using my recipe books to choose the meals, we find we eat a wider variety of meals.

Without a menu, we found we tended to eat the same types of meals every week.

There are many books available with recipes for quick, easy, healthy meals. I find it inspiring to look through them and get ideas for an interesting dinner.

When creating the menu, I don’t choose what we eat on what day. Instead we found that creating a list of 6 different meals works best. This leaves 1 evening open for dinner out or with friends.

I bookmark the recipe books, so that either one of us can make a start on the evening meal. I’m lucky in the fact that Scott also enjoys cooking.

Planning the week’s meals means that we buy less groceries.

No more buying something that we ‘might’ use and have it sit in the pantry for weeks, or go bad in the fridge. We only buy what is required for the recipes on the list. Usually we manage to choose meals for the week that have some common ingredients.

Doing the weekly shop this way actually saves us money. As our food is always fresh and we buy very little foodstuffs in boxes.

My favourite Recipe book at the moment is a vegetarian one called ‘A Modern Way to Eat’.

So this week’s menu is full of interesting, tasty meals, mostly vegetable based.

Looking forward to some tasty dinners.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper.

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A Crunchy Brown Rice Salad recipe

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Hi. This weekend I was able to spend time with treasured friends up at beautiful Peregian Beach on the Queensland Sunshine Coast. The weather was lovely and we had a fabulous couple of days.

It was really great to spend some quality time, relaxing. Life is short and I think that it is essential to take the time to de-stress. It’s even better when you do it by spending time with people who are important to you.

With no research to share this week, I thought I would share another recipe.

I came across this Rice Salad recipe some time ago and adapted it to suit our tastes. I have made it several times for barbeques and parties and it always gets rave reviews.

It is really simple, quite tasty and nutritious.

 Crunchy Rice Salad – serves 4 to 6

3 cups cooked rice, cooled – I like to use a Mountain Blend as it has a nice tasty mix of rice

300 grams of Pumpkin or Sweet Potato (cooked and cut into small pieces)

½ cup chopped Parsley

2 green shallots finely sliced

½ cup finely sliced Snow Peas

½ cup Bean Shoots

1/3 cup toasted Pepitas/Pumpkin seeds

3 tbsp toasted Sunflower seeds

Dressing

1 clove of garlic crushed

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

Method

I like to cut my sweet potato or pumpkin into thick slices and cook them under the grill so it gets a bit of dark caramelisation for added flavour.

While the potato or pumpkin is cooking – put the rice into a large salad and mix the dressing ingredients together in a jug.

Chop the cooked slices into small cubes and put it into the bowl with the rice and other ingredients.

Combine the ingredients gently with a large spoon.

Pour the dressing over the salad and give the salad another mix to incorporate the dressing.

 

This is great as a side dish or you could even have it as a main meal.

Enjoy.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

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My Iridology Update

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Back in May, Scott wrote a post about an Iridology workshop he attended.

Finally, he has found the time to ‘read’ my eyes. So I thought I would share what his Iridology charts and reference books tell him about by eyes.

First, the structure of my Iris

Using the book ‘Iridology Basic Skills by Narelle S Duncan” to assist with the details.

It seems I have what is called a Linen Iris.

The book states that a person with a Linen Iris has the following physical characteristics;

– good general health with normal energy, strength and endurance levels.

– a medium resistance to disease, a standard pain tolerance, and average recuperative powers.

However, is susceptible to disease, particularly stress related conditions and digestive imbalances.

In regards personal characteristics, a Linen Iris indicates a broad-minded person.

Someone easy to be around and has a tendency to be a good listener.

Has strength of character with the ability to understand other people’s vulnerabilities and emotional problems.

Next are the markings in the Iris

I have a couple of marks that are identified as a Jewel and a Flower. These are associated with other personality traits.

A Jewell is associated with traits such as intellectual influence, analytical and attention to detail.

Other traits are a tendency to over think and to be goal driven.

A Flower is associated with traits such as emotional decisions and instant gratification. This mark is also associated with an attraction to colours and photography.

The presence of both types of markings in the Iris indicates a combination of both of these personality traits.

I found this information really interesting. Many of these statements are correct in describing me. Maybe not 100% of all of the points, however every day is different. Those of you who know me may have a different opinion.

There are other indications in my eyes that may be records of past illnesses and injuries. At this stage Scott does not have the skills to correctly decipher them.

I can see how this practice would enable a practitioner to have a better understanding of their patient. This then gives them the ability to tailor their approach and treatment to suit the individual.

Our eyes really can be a window into our soul.

 

On that note, till the next post,

 

Live Clean n Prosper

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