On My Mind Today

Winter in New England is the perfect time for comfort foods, and a nice warm bowl of chicken soup is perfect at the end of a cold day. From Megan Gilmore at https://detoxinista.com this chicken vegetable soup is not only comforting, but healthy too. The thyme gives it an extra boost of flavor that will leave you wanting more. Classic Chicken and Vegetable Soup Serves 4 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks 2 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup) 3 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 cup fresh or frozen cut green beans 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme) 2-3 teaspoons fine sea salt freshly ground black pepper 4 cups water ** I added 1 green bell pepper, chopped that gave it another boost of flavor** 1. In a large stock pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat and gently sauté the onion, garlic and chicken for about 5 minutes, until the onion is tender a...

Rush, hurry, scurry and go; seems everyone is always going somewhere or doing something. Children today have grown up constantly on the go, so they are "bored" if they have to stay home. Parents wonder why their children can be difficult when they have contributed to their inability to be still. I am not anti-social or a recluse; I enjoy gatherings with family and friends and traveling to new places is invigorating. Life would be dull and boring without these adventures. However, a constant diet of being on the go with no down time can leave us drained. Whether we are doing household chores, playing games with our children, tackling a project that has been neglected, or just being lazy and reading a book, staying home for a day can bring great joy. If we are not bombarded with constant outside stimulation, we can allow ourselves to breathe and let go of the things that deplete us. Forget what "needs" to be done and spend an afternoon going through old family p...

Poverty does not treat men and women equally, especially in old age. Per a report from the nonprofit research center The National Institute on Retirement Security, at the age of 65 and older, women are 80 percent more likely to live in poverty than men. If they are age 75 to 79 they are three times more likely to live in poverty, and will face the greatest hardship as they become older and frailer. Fifty percent of women report that Social Security is their biggest source of income at retirement vs 38 percent of men. Women are also 14 percent less likely to receive a retirement pension. Even if they have had jobs that included a 401 (k), many have had to cash them out during times of unemployment to pay daily living expenses. Many women over the age of 65 did not save for retirement; either because it didn't occur to them when they were younger, or because they worked in positions that did not pay well leaving very little left after covering expenses. This applies to  most of t...

Every choice we make puts into motion a chain of events. If choices are not carefully thought through, and all the possible consequences of these choices are not considered, the ripple effect of those reacting can be devastating. Whether it's in personal relationships, the workplace, politics or the worldwide arena, everyone needs to take a step back and thoroughly think through the ramifications of the choices they make. When we are not proactive in making decisions, then our choices are reactive. These reactive decisions will almost 100% of the time be the wrong choice and set into motion events that were never intended. We all have had times in our personal or work lives when we made a choice out of anger or frustration in haste. Given the opportunity I'm sure we would take them back if it were possible, since the resulting reaction was not what we truly wanted. Had we taken the time to think things through the outcome would have been more desirable. When we start to l...

Being creatures of habit, we all have a tendency to eat the same things for breakfast most of the time. Unfortunately this can get boring after a while and our taste buds yearn for something new and  different . From  Chocolatecoveredkatie.com , this recipe for overnight oats is refreshing, and can easily be vegan. There is the basic recipe, then several suggestions for different variations to accommodate most everyone's favorite flavors. There is even a version for chocolate overnight oats, which I'm sure will be a favorite for this chocolate lover. Overnight Oats 1/2 cup rolled oats or quick oats 1/2 cup milk of choice 1/2 cup yogurt or additional milk of choice sweetener of choice, as desired 1/8 tsp salt optional 1/2 cup fruit of choice optional 1-2 tbsp nut butter optional 1 tbsp chia seeds, or add-ins of choice *This recipe is easily vegan if you choose nondairy yogurt and milk. Options include almond, cashew, soy, rice, oat, or coconut. ...

Here we are in the dead of winter as they say; no family holidays in sight and nothing but cold and snow here in New England. This is the difficult time between Christmas and spring when we yearn for longer days and warmer weather. Even in a "mild" winter the cold seems to dig down deep into our bones. No matter how high we turn the heat up it seems to be permanently embedded. Most days we are left at the mercy of Jack Frost wondering if we will survive without our spirits being deflated like an old balloon. Although the struggle to get through the winter can be difficult, there are two things that can help us sail through to spring's arrival; sunshine and laughter. In the midst of these seemingly long months, there will be days with bright sunshine that can make us feel warm and lift our spirits, pushing the winter blues aside. Some key benefits of sunshine include: Sun shining on our skin causes our brain to produce serotonin which counteracts depression and hel...

How much is too much? When will people be satisfied with what they have, and stop going into debt to purchase more? Are all these things truly something we can’t do without? The human race has become obsessed with having every new thing that comes out. Once they have obtained it they either use it minimally, or not at all. It’s as if the goal is just to be able to say you own the latest “whatever” that has come on the market. People have amassed so much that they can’t even keep it all in their homes; they are renting storage units to put the overflow in. Over the last ten years, the number of storage facilities that have been built has grown rapidly. As of 2018 there were between 44,000 and 52,000 of these facilities in the United States; more than the number of McDonald's and Starbucks locations combined. There has to come a point where we ask ourselves, “Is renting space for things we don’t use fiscally responsible?How far in debt are we willing to go?" I have often won...

Simple recipes sometimes make the biggest impression. These peanut clusters are easy, delicious and addictive! Although it is called Christmas Crack, they're great for any special event. Just layer the ingredients in a slow cooker and in a very short time these will be ready to enjoy. Crock Pot Christmas Crack 1 - 16 ounce jar unsalted peanuts 1 - 16 ounce jar salted peanuts (I used dry roasted peanuts) 1 - 12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate chips) 1 - 12 ounce bag milk chocolate chips 2 - 10 ounce bags peanut butter chips 2 - 1 pound packages vanilla candy melts 1. Layer all ingredients in a large crock pot (starting with the peanuts). The vanilla candy melts will be the last layer. 2. Turn the pot on low, cover with the lid, and leave for 1 hour. 3. Remove lid and stir to combine the ingredients. 4. Replace the lid and leave for another 30 minutes keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn. 5. Stir again, th...

Christmas and New Year's Eve have come and gone, and once all the trees and decorations have been taken down, we will be left with empty spaces and open calendars. Although the holidays are filled with family, friends and fun, there is something to be said for the emptiness once they are over. It gives us the opportunity to reflect and recharge after all the chaos; a chance to ascertain how we see the New Year ahead. We may have already set goals for 2020, but there is no rush to set these in motion. Jumping in too early, when we are still worn down from the festivities, will most likely set us up for failure in our attempt to achieve them. Looking at the month of January as a time to rejuvenate and breathe new life into our sails will be just the thing to foster success. Use this time to relax and do activities that are low key; read a book, watch movies that you have had on your list, or meet a friend for coffee. Do things that bring you a sense of calm and relieve the stre...