Positive Thought For The Week - The Truth

I had a friend who just kept texting me and he would text me what seemed like every little thing that he thought was relevant. I finally had to send him a note asking him nicely that some things are better in email and I let him know everyone doesn't have unlimited texting. It was something we ended up both laughing about but because of this circumstance it inspired me to share this with him and reminded me that there is a lesson in everything we do.

XXXX you know me I try to be honest with you and hope the truth brings us to some sort of resolution rather than avoid a person and leave you wondering what might have caused the rift. We are all shaped by our experiences. I have dated guys who were not always truthful about certain things up front and I told myself I would try my best in life not to do the same things to others. Nothing frustrates me more than when I realize I have made a decision not based on the truth. Usually the subsequent consequences of those choices leave me in a much worse place than had I known the true facts. I may not always like the truth but at least if I have it I can with the Lord's help stop compounding the mistakes. Just remember every one who makes bad choices is not always because they have no regard for the consequences, sometimes people make the choices they make based on the truth as they know it in that moment.

Jamaican Jerk Tofu

Makes 6 servings

This is the kind of miracle dish that can convert anyone to tofu. The Jamaican "jerk" seasoning is sure-to-please. It's sort of like barbeque and sort of like curry, savory and sweet at the same time. Just make sure you allow plenty of time for the pressing and marinating. The drier the tofu gets before you put it in the marinade, the better. It will soak up more flavor and be nicely chewy.

Ingredients
1 pound extra firm tofu, drained, sliced and pressed (see directions)
1/2 large sweet onion, roughly choppped
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
Juice of 2 limes
Zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (you can cut back to one or omit entirely if you like spicy)

Directions
Slice the tofu into thick slabs then lay the slices on several layers of paper towels or on a clean dish towel and place a heavy plate or skillet on top. Let it sit for an hour or two. Pressing the tofu is a way to get the extra moisture out - and the drier you can get the tofu, the more of the flavorful marinade it can absorb.

Puree all the rest of the ingredients in a blender or food processor to create the marinade. Place the tofu slices in a bowl, pour in the marinade, making sure to coat all the slices, and cover. Let it sit for an hour or two, flipping the slices about halfway through

Heat a skillet with a small amount of olive oil over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, lay the tofu slices in a single layer and saute until crispy and browned. That will take 8-10 minutes on each side.

Nutrition Information per Serving
Calories: 161; Protein: 9g; Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0g; Sodium: 543 mg; Fiber: 1g

CWUW Life Jam: Healing through Music, Art, and Friendship

Hopi Vegetable Stew

Makes 8 servings

This rich vegetable stew is extra special when made with fresh grilled corn and homemade corn stock. But if you're in a hurry, it can work equally well with a good quality vegetable stock and frozen corn kernels.

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups diced red onion (3/4-inch dice)
2 cups diced jewel yams (3/4-inch dice)
1 cup diced turnip (3/4-inch dice)
1 1/2 cup diced green pepper (3/4-inch dice)
2 cups diced sweet red bell pepper (3/4-inch dice)
1 cup diced zucchini (3/4-inch dice)
1 cup diced yellow squash (3/4-inch dice)
1-1/2 cups shitaki or oyster mushrooms (3/4-inch dice)
1-1/2 cups small button mushrooms
1-1/2 cup diced carrots (3/4-inch dice)
8 cups corn stock
2 cups fresh grilled corn kernels
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup corn starch
2 tablespoons dried sage, ground
1 tablespoon dried thyme, whole leaf

Lightly coat the corn with a non-stick cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Grill until corn begins to char slightly. Cut the kernels from the cob and reserve. Take the leftover corn cobs, cut in half and place them in a stock pot with 12 cups of water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the corn stock and reserve.

While the corn stock is cooking, dice all the vegetables. Heat a large soup or stock pot over a medium high flame adding the olive oil. Once the oil is heated add the jewel yams, turnips, carrots, red onion and minced garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add the yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, thyme, sage, ground black pepper and continue to cook for another 5 minutes stirring often. Add 7 cups of the corn stock reserving one cup. Bring the stew to a boil, while the stew is cooking mix the corn starch and last cup of corn stock together. Once the stew is boiling slowly add the corn starch mixture. Reduce heat to a low simmer add the reserved corn and cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as need with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information per Serving:
Calories 358, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 55mg, Total Carbohydrate 76g, Dietary Fiber 11g, Protein 10g

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Mushroom & Fresh Herb Salad

Makes 4 servings

Tomatoes, mushrooms and fresh herbs will make this salad a real lunchtime favorite.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound fresh white mushrooms, cleaned
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 medium tomato, diced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 pinch salt
1 pinch fresh-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley or cilantro, minced
2 cups mixed salad greens
1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced

Heat oil on low in a frying pan. Gently saute mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook. Sprinkle in garlic and basil, then toss the mixture so that mushrooms are well-coated. Add the tomato, lemon juice, water, salt, and pepper. Stir together and cook just until the tomato softens. Remove from the heat and let cool. Line your serving dish with the mixed greens, lay the bell pepper slices on the bed of greens, then top with the tomato-mushroom mixture. Garnish with the parsley or cilantro.

Nutritional Information per Serving
70 calories, 4g total fat (0g saturated fat), 0mg cholesterol, 50mg sodium, 43g total carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 3g protein

Weight Loss Competitions Produce Encouraging Results

ScienceDaily (May 1, 2009) — Statewide weight loss competitions appear to be a potentially successful weapon in the battle against obesity. These programs can produce weight loss in large numbers of people at minimal cost, according to a new study from The Miriam Hospital and Brown University.

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Rena Wing,professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the Waren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and her colleagues came to their conclusions after evaluating Shape Up Rhode Island 2007, a statewide Internet-based weight loss competition conceived by Rajiv Kumar, a study co-author and a medical student at the Alpert Medical School.

“We evaluated the results and showed that this is an effective way to reach large numbers of people,” said Wing, the study’s lead author. Wing is director of the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at the Miriam Hospital.

Shape Up Rhode Island reduced the percentage of patients in the study who were obese from 39 percent to 31 percent. Researchers found that individuals who increased their activity the most achieved the best weight losses.

The findings will be published in a print issue of Obesity set for early May. An earlier version ran online at the Obesity website Jan. 29.

Shape Up Rhode Island, a nonprofit group launched in 2005, is designed to include teams that compete for weight loss, pedometer steps and exercise minutes. Enrollment for the 2007 competition on which the Obesity study is based, began in mid-December 2006 and concluded on Jan. 28, 2007. Competitors paid $15 to register with 62 percent having the fee paid by their employer. Anyone with medical conditions that could affect their ability to participate or compete safely obtained a doctor’s note first.

The study looked at 4,717 people who participated in Shape Up Rhode Island’s 2007 effort, which Kumar designed to feature team competition in an effort to encourage more exercise and weight loss.

Of the initial participants, 3,311 people or 70.2 percent of participants completed at least 12 weeks of the study. Participants who were heavier at the start of the program lost more weight, as did those who generated greater jumps in their physical activity.

Wing and her co-authors said the study suggests team-based weight loss competition can promote modest weight loss in large numbers of people. They hop the study will promote reporting of results in other similar programs.

The authors also suggest possible improvements, such as the inclusion of diet and exercise education, teaching ways to change behavior or offering access to health coaches.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090501154135.htm

Adapted from materials provided by Brown University.