Very quick, simple, healthy, delicious alternative to onion rings! :)

This is literally all I did: I took a tiny onion (without even peeling it first), stuck it in the microwave for two minutes, took it out, pulled off the peel, and microwaved it for another minute. No oil, no seasoning (though feel free to experiment with different seasonings and/or oils), no nonsense. Make a bunch of these and keep them on hand for snacks as a healthy alternative to junk food. I actually had a few as part of my lunch today because I'm really trying to get in lots of veggies whenever possible.

Please be careful not to burn yourself!

Post-Party Excursion

Cross posted in The Daily Yay!

When we got home from the party, hubby decided he needed some root beer so I headed to Whole Foods to get a healthier version than diet or regular, Oogave made with agave. I bought that and also picked out a treat for myself: A Theo milk chocolate bar- organic, fair trade, and with a Jane Goodall seal. (Yes, it does have sugar but I rarely eat a treat with sugar in it!)

I headed for a bench outside the store, purchases in hand. After enjoying my chocolate bar, I finished my blog post about the night before. Then I relaxed on Facebook and listened to someone singing and playing ukelele in the background. Ukelele seems to be a popular instrument around here.

When I started to get chilly and the hour was getting late, I headed home to hang out with hubby and give him his promised root beer. :)

Gratitude to Bliss Project, Day 2

Cross posted in The Daily Yay!

I received a welcome email that requested the following:

It's important to set your intention. Please take a moment to think about and write down what you are hoping to get out of your participation in this project.

My response: I hope to gain a more positive outlook on life by emphasizing the good things in life, and a greater love for G-d for having given me this wonderful gift of life.

Now, on to today's list of five yays:

1. Another day of life. As part of daily Jewish practice, we say a prayer first thing in the morning thanking G-d for returning our soul.
2. Hubby woke up at 5-something in the morning and asked what time it was. We don't have a clock in our bedroom so I reached for my cell phone, which serves as my time piece for the night. I couldn't find it next to the bed, so I used hubby's iPhone to call it and found it in my purse in the closet by the front door of our apartment. Yes, I could have checked the time on the iPhone, but you see, my phone also serves as our morning alarm. I'm grateful that he woke up before we had to get him ready to go to work because without the alarm next to my bed we probably would have overslept. Sure, this happens occasionally, but this is a new job that he started a few weeks ago and it would have made a bad impression.
3. I had the best, healthiest breakfast ever this morning! I started by pouring some Ezekiel 4:9 Almond cereal into a bowl. This was the first time I'd tasted it; I'd found it at Whole Foods yesterday where I'd taken the opportunity to do some shopping because I'd gone to a shoe store nearby to buy hubby new sneakers. I though it tasted kind of like Grape Nuts so it needed something extra. Last night, I'd taken some medjool dates and mixed them with unsweetened cocoa into a doughy ball to make a quick dessert for hubby. (I'd made and enjoyed some for myself for lunch during the day and he said it sounded yummy.) I got the idea from a Yahoo! article I read awhile ago, believe it or not, that suggested rolling dates in cocoa. There was some left over so I broke it into small pieces and mixed it with the cereal, then I poured fat free milk over it. I savored every bite! :)
4. My parents- Even though I'm an adult living far away, they still concern themselves with me, keep me updated on their lives, and take interest in what I've been up to.
5. Lots of healthy snacks from Whole Foods, in addition to the cereal!
 -Raw Revolution Cashew and Agave Nectar (I got a box of ten bars cuz they're so good!)
 -Food Should Taste Good Jalapeno tortilla chips
 -365 Everyday Value Thick & Chunky Salsa to go with the tortilla chips
 -three healthy varieties of Snyder's of Hanover pretzels:
   -whole wheat and oat
   -8 grains and seeds
   -honey whole wheat (we haven't tried these yet but I'm grateful for the opportunity to try a new flavor!)
 -Flamous Organics Falafel Chips (I got the spicy ones this time; another new flavor opportunity!)

A yayful restaurant experience!

Cross posted on The Daily Yay!

My in-laws arrived today! That would be a "yay" in and of itself, but the servers at Wolf and Lamb, the kosher meat restaurant where we went out to dinner, went out of their way to accommodate our group of four adults and one baby. They really didn't have to, as the restaurant was already almost filled to the brim. They managed to squeeze in a high chair at a table that was really supposed to be for just four people. Though we'd been feeding Rena banana flavored Organic Puffs to tide her over, a server brought us a complimentary giant matzah ball for her to eat. Wow, she enjoyed this new food so much, she gave her Grammy huge smiles and clapped excitedly while she scarfed it up!

Rena and her daddy playing with her sippy cup at Wolf and Lamb

Fruit Haiku

Pretty pineapple

makes a lovely centerpiece.

I must chop you up.



White snowflake crystals

fall atop the red mountains.

Green rain drizzles down.



Buzzing blender loud

pulverizes strawberries

slowly liquefy.



Frozen raspberries

tossed into the red mixture.

Now it is redder.



Yellow cubes added.

Mutilated pineapple.

Messy fruit basket.



Liquid pours in molds,

hides in back of the freezer.

Yummy popsicles.

Just a Banana?

Today's the day: I've gotta make three sales or this job isn't worth it for me. Why bother? Because you never know what can happen if you just keep trying! I'll go check out those big apartment buildings down the street....

Figures, they don't pay their electric bills so I can't sell them Direct Energy. That bench here in the courtyard looks comfy; I think I'll take a break and figure out what to do next....

The tall, black woman jolts me out of my reverie. "Are you a Jehovah's Witness?" she asks. I guess I look like one from the way I'm dressed, all in black with a businesslike coat, skirt, and hat.
"No," I answer. "I'm Jewish."

We get into a very pleasant conversation, and I even take a look at some literature. See, I take to heart the words of Pirkei Avot (Chapters of the Fathers) that say: "Who is wise? The one who learns from every person." I obviously don't agree with their Jesus thing, but perhaps there is something I can learn from this encounter. She tells me that at Jehovah's Witnesses' conventions, everyone greets each other like they're family. She says that Jehovah's Witnesses can always count on each other when they need someone to do a kindness for them, such as a place to stay. I exclaim, "Wow, we Jews could really learn from you guys!"

Now we're sitting in the kitchen at her apartment discussing her electric bills. Turns out she has three separate accounts! Maybe I'll close three today miraculously! We have to wait for her daughter to come home, though, but in the meantime we chat some more and she offers me a banana. Just a simple banana, from a bunch sitting on the counter, but I very much appreciate it, because I of course can't eat any prepared food from her kitchen and I've been walking around all afternoon. So she practices what she preaches. Yes, it is polite to offer food to a guest, but in all my time doing residential sales, I was only offered to come in once (I didn't because I'm not really supposed to) and most of the time it was just the opposite. In other words, I'm much more likely to get the door slammed on my face, never mind a banana.

So I am wise this time and learn that there is, in fact, a group of people who are kind to each other because they believe that that is what G-d wants most of all from people. I do not get to sign up her and her daughter in the end, but I do get a banana and some good food for thought....

Over a week later, as I am making banana bread ( http://www.recipezaar.com/Best-Banana-Bread-2886 ) for Shabbat because I don't have a job to be at on Friday anymore, I smile fondly at the memory, hoping that I can learn to be a truly kind person ( http://atraditionofkindness.org/ ) and that I can really help people with my next job.

Surprise On-the-Job Lunch

I'm loving my new job! It's my second day doing door-to-door sales for Culligan drinking water systems ( http://www.culligan.com/ ) in my own territory -- I was training in other peoples' territories last week -- and while I haven't made any sales yet in Teaneck or elsewhere, I've sure learned a lot! The more "doors" (businesses such as stores, salons, or doctors' offices) I see, the more confident I become. I think I'll do just another block or two of Cedar Lane and then stop to eat my usual Luna nutrition bar ( http://www.lunabar.com/ ) and drink my Naked juice ( http://nakedjuice.com/ ) for lunch.

Yay, that business there, near Grange Road, has the word Shalom in it! I'll for sure get them to sign up, if not now then next time around. I take a closer look at the sign that says Shalom Bombay, wondering what kind of business it is.... What?! A kosher Indian restaurant?! ( http://www.shalombombay.com/ ) I debate with myself: Sarah, you just rejoined Weight Watchers ( http://www.weightwatchers.com/ ), and besides, you don't want to spend that much money for a fancy lunch. But I've never been to an Indian restaurant and I want to try it!

I step inside and am greeted by Refael at the front, who has me choose one of the four tasting menus. I select:

Non-Veg.Thali

$ 16.00

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

LAMB OR BEEF CURRY

TOFU SPINACH

YELLOW DAAL

RICE

NAAN

DESSERT

because it is the least expensive selection that includes meat.

I sit down at the nearest table and gaze around at the magenta walls, shiny cat figures, and other Indian decor. Since it is lunchtime, I have the place to myself except for a couple by the opposite wall. "Is that Indian music?" I ask Refael as I wait for the waitress to bring me something from the menu. "Yes," he says, "do you like it?" The relaxing, rhythmic music is very beautiful background music for my upcoming meal.

Kalyani the waitress (her name is the name of a rhythm and a goddess) appears bearing a basket of soft, thin naan bread and three small bowls of sauces in which to dip it. I get up to wash and return quickly to enjoy that first delicious bite of naan by itself. Then...boy, are those sauces spicy! I eat up all the naan, but just a tiny bit of each sauce is enough to provide an ample burst of flavor for all the bread in the basket!

Kalyani then brings me a single, large, round, silver tray with a mound of rice on one side and five tiny, colorful bowls curved against the opposite side, across from the rice. "This one is the dessert," she says, pointing to one bowl that looked like it should be sweet rather than spicy.

I begin with the bowl containing a few pieces of chicken and sauce, bracing myself for the burn....I have to take a few gulps of water, it's so spicy! Kalyani is concerned that I don't like it, but I assure her that I like the flavor; it's just really spicy. I put rice in it to try to take the edge off, while she disappears in the back and returns with a couple of lemon slices. "Lemon juice takes away some of the spiciness," she tells me. I try it, and sure enough, the taste is a bit milder! The flavor is still very strong, but not so spicy that it burns my mouth. Kalyani informs me that I could have asked for my food to be mild. I didn't know it would be quite so spicy, but I'm glad to experience the real thing the first time. Next time I will request a milder meal.

I continue on to the bowl with lamb and sauce. Same deal: I put rice and lemon juice inside before I continue eating. And again with the tofu and sauce. In the meantime, Kalyani has brought me a small bowl of some white stuff that she says will help with the spiciness, and indeed it does. The daal is different, though. It reminds me of a thick version of pureed soup that I'm able to eat with a fork. I eat it without rice and lemon juice, as it's not as spicy as the other three, in my opinion. The whole while, I am absolutely enjoying the incredible sensations in my mouth. Finally I get to the dessert, which appears to be some kind of rice pudding. I take the first bite, and... wow! Its sweetness is unique and perfectly complements the spiciness of the rest of the meal. This final delight is the perfect ending to a most incredible eating experience that has left both my belly and my tastebuds more satisfied than any other meal I have had in my life! Refael tells me this is the only kosher Indian meat restaurant in the USA!

As if that's not enough, Kalyani tells me to wait a moment. She gives me a container of orange candy which she says is fried and dipped in syrup. I cannot wait to eat it, but I put it in my bag for now. I know I will enjoy it more later when my stomach is not as stuffed. For now, I must again brave the cold as I continue along Cedar Lane. Maybe I'll even make my first sale, which would be the sweetest thing of all....