Cooking Shirataki Noodles

I finally had the opportunity to cook Shirataki Noodles, an alternative to regular pasta.  My local Harris Teeter store only  carries this small 8 oz bags.  I have seen the white and the green noodles.  A co-worker had shared with me she liked the green ones better because the noodles did not smell as strong.  I just kept wondering what sort of smell she was talking about.  Then I found out. These noodles are packed in liquid and the best way I can describe the smell is -- FISHY.  So make sure you rinse real well by placing them on a colander.

Bring water to a boil, then add the noodles and cook according to the package directions.  I think they just have to boil for about 2 minutes.  The noodles are somewhat chewy.

I had on hand Sun Dried tomatoes in oil which are good in anything you cook.  Chop at least 1 cup of the tomatoes and add some of the oil.  Take two cloves of garlic and mince or chop finely.  That is all you need.  I guarantee you will not smell the original fishy smell.

Cook the sun dried tomatoes and the garlic together for a few seconds.  Add the drained Shirataki noodles and combine well.

Season with salt, pepper and add Parmesan Cheese.

Shirataki noodles are an alternative to cooking regular spaghetti noodles.  They claim  to be guilt free so really just good if you are trying to eat less carbohydrates that cause weight gain.  Next time I will try the green Shirataki noodles.  I bet they would be delicious with some fresh spinach and garlic.

This small bag will yield two small servings.

Fetching Fingerless Gloves

Fetching Fingerless Gloves
Originally uploaded by DulceKnits

These fingerless gloves are just too much fun to knit. This pair was made using Cascade 220 wool. When I saw this color I fell in love with it. The yarn itself does not feel too soft but it's ok for these gloves.

I did change the pattern since my hands are small and my wrist is very thin. My husband is always talking about my huesos ( bones)....lol....

The pattern for Fetchings is here:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fetching

Bird on the Branch

Bird on the Branch
Originally uploaded by DulceKnits

I was really surprised to see this bird perch itself immediately above where I was standing.

The first thought that came to mind was: "Please don't poop on my head." They do that a lot, you know.

I selected this picture for Project 365 (One Picture a Day).

I'm finding out you can never go wrong taking pictures of trees.

Unfelted Hearts

Unfelted Hearts
Originally uploaded by DulceKnits

I present to you my 2011 Knitted hearts. I really enjoyed knitting these two heart Milagros and hope I will be able to make some more. I always seem to run out of time to give them away on Valentine's Day. The pattern is the book Gifted Lovely Little Things to Knit + Crochet by Mags Kandis.

The pattern is super easy and the heart is knitted flat (using two needles) size U.S. 6 (4mm)

This will be my first time doing the felting process on something that has been stuffed with polyester fiberfill. I will probably used the washing machine to do the shrinking (felting) process since it is less time consuming.

The neat cool picture effect was created using Picnik.

Interesting Walk in the Woods

Everyone knows that walking is good for you so yesterday after lunch I used the last 25 minutes of my lunch hour and walked through the woods near the University City Library.

Cute Critter....A little unusual to encounter one in plain day light. I was  told by a co-worker that he could have been rabid.  He did not make any attempt to attack.  He was soaked and wet from all the rain.  I was delighted to have met him.

Reporting from the UNCC woods this has been:

Heart Healthy Granola

A co-worker from University City Regional Library shared with me a Granola recipe that does not contain oil. It turned out very good. I did make a few changes to her original recipe. Instead of using brown sugar, I used only 1/4 cup of Agave Natural sweetener and Maple syrup. If you decide to use brown sugar in this recipe you will need to add 3/4 cup.   I have even been able to get Flavored Agave Syrup at Marshalls.  For this recipe I used Blueberry Flavor Agave Syrup but the plain Agave Syrup Sweetener would work just fine.


If you are watching the amount of sugar you consume, Agave Nectar is better for you since it scores lower on the Glycemic Index (17Gl) so it will help by not raising your blood sugar.  As with anything especially a sweetener use Agave in moderation and just enough to sweeten your coffee for example. This sweetener is super sweet.   Read more about Agave Nectar sweetener here.

You can download a copy of my recipe from this site

On My Birth Day

 

Enjoyed a wonderful and very special birthday in the company of my sweet husband Cliff who decided to take the day off.  We enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Hibachi Grill in Matthews.  Tried something new some kind of  stuffed  seafood shell.  Not really sure what I was eating but it was good.

 The weather was perfect for a walk.  I don't mind taking walks as long as the temperature is the the 50's...very appropriate since today I turned 55...lol..  I knew I'd be having cake...later on in the afternoon.  So I walked briskly.

Cliff got me the cutest wee little cake -- and we both enjoyed it!

I brought the mail in after my walk and  to my surprise a birthday card signed my UC Library co workers had arrived.  It was really  nice to enjoy my cake while I read all the sweet birthday wishes.  The picture below is the one I submitted for my Flickr Project 365.  It is a little bit of a challenge to take a picture a day but so far I'm still doing it.  I have also met some very nice people that participate on the Project 365.

Thanks everyone for making my birthday so special.

Snow Day Crafting

A coworker shared with me a neat way to recycle Christmas cards.  You can also use pretty scrap book card stock.  This craft works better with cards that are not too thick.  This makes the folding easier. The snow scene book mark was made using a Christmas card.  The other two were made with scrap book paper.

It's all about being green and frugal.




Surprise a friend who likes to read by giving them one of these.

Thank You Marilyn!



The instructions on how to make these is here.

When It's Cold Outside I make Soup

Today was the perfect day to make soup! I absolutely loved staying home today thanks to the snow and had a productive day.

I made Carrot Pumpkin Soup.

You will need Olive oil, pureed pumpkin, carrots, potatoes and celery.

I used about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to cook the chopped onions and red bell pepper.  While this is cooking season with curry powder and black pepper.
You will add some garlic at this point but be careful not to burn it.

Next add the chopped potatoes, celery and carrots.  If you have zucchini on hand you can also add some. 

I used store bought vegetable broth and there is no need to add salt because this broth already contains sodium.  This soup is very quick to make and is ready in less than 30 minutes.

Cliff likes to add some more heat using Texas Pete Hot sauce.

Click on the the following link for the complete recipe.
Carrot Pumpkin Soup




After making the soup I had 1/2 can left over of the pureed pumpkin so I made Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread.  A word of caution.  I watch how much sugar I eat so this bread may not be sweet enough for you.  Feel free to add more of the sweetener you use. The Bread turned out so pretty with the addition of pumpkin seeds and cranberries.

As I waited for the New Year....

I waited for the new year watching a few episodes of X Files (Season 7 now) and knitting. The perfect project to end the year knitting was a coffee cup sweater/cozy.






 

I knitted this cozy using No. 6 (4.25 mm) knitting needles and Worsted Weight Yarn.

 How cute is this....found some teensy weensy little buttons for eyes.  This cozy has 4 owls instead of the 5 in the original pattern.   I also decreased one row making the owl, otherwise the cozy would have been too tall for my mug.  I changed the ribbing to be knit 1, purl 1.

The cozy is joined at the bottom has a button closure.  Cozy slips on with the button closed. This pattern is available free from the Knitphomaniac in Ravelry.

 When you are done drinking your coffee or tea.....display your beautiful creation as I did.

 

At around  10 pm on New Year's Eve, I decided to join the Knitting Help Party and continued knitting the night away instead of watching the ball fall.  It was fun even if I did not win any of the prizes.  Thanks Sandy for organizing this fun knitting event. Sandy designed a Coffee Cup Sleeve to commemorate this New Year's Eve Party.  You will find the pattern on Shandeh's blog as she is known in the Knitting Help community of knitters.   To make the cozy I used Size 6 needles instead of the size 7 suggested in her pattern and it worked just right. This cozy fits a large paper cup.

Here is the completed Coffee Cup Cozy designed by Sandy.

Wish you all a Happy New Year in every way.  May your life be touched and enriched by the One who holds our life in his hands....The Lord Jesus Christ.

As

Food For Thought

The New Year 2011 begins tomorrow and it's time to make resolutions. Merriam Webster defines resolution as the process of resolving, determining. I don't have a long list of resolutions but as I turn a new leaf and the New Year begins I would like to try new foods  super foods and add them to my diet. These are some foods I intend to add to my diet in my quest of staying healthy.

I learned today that you can't get antioxidants from supplements only from the foods you eat.

1. Chia Seeds - Who would have known you can consume these.  These are the seeds used in making Chia pets.The site GET CHIA LLC even offers free shipping, just in case you can't find these locally.The site also features recipes. I have never had a Chia Pet....maybe I will now.

2. Black Rice. This rice will turn  dark purple after cooked due to the anthocyanin antioxidant content.  It also supplies minerals including iron.  Look for black rice at your local grocery store or an Oriental supermarket. 

3. Pistachios - Wow I had no idea Pistachios were so good.  They are delicious too.  Pistachios supply fiber, vegetable protein, antioxidants, carotenoids lutein zeaxnthin which fight macular degeneration that results in blindness as we age.  This power nut is easily found at your local grocery store.

4. Teff - a nutrient fiber. This is a gluten free whole grain which will add to your diet, fiber, protein, calcium and iron.  A mere 1/4 cup supplies 6 grams of fiber.  I'm thinking of adding Teff  when I bake quick breads or muffins.

5. Cherries - Love, love cherries in any form.  You can eat them year round frozen or dried. They are good for any age group but especially for women in the 50's group like me going through the dreaded menopause.  Cherries are packed with antioxidants and even contain Melatonin which will help you sleep better at night.  I'm definitely snacking on these at night.

6. Brussels Sprouts. I already eat these at least twice a month.  I really need to eat more though since they contain more vitamin C than any vegetable.  They help your body produce Collagen which in turn will help your skin look younger.  This green power food also supplies fiber and folic acid.

 Good Morning America listed these and a few other super foods that will make a difference in a woman's life.  Read the story here and take charge of your health by adding some or all of these to your diet.

So what good foods are you planning to eat during 2011?

Happy New Year to all!

City of David Card

This is a very quick to make card I made using the Stampin' Up City of David set.   I used the very inexpensive blank cards with the circle punched I purchased at AC Moore.  I think you get about 7 cards for $1.00.

I stamped the Bethlehem stamp and the sentiment on scrap book paper cut 1/4 inch shorter (length and width).

Stamp Mary and Joseph on the lower right side of the front.  Punch two holes underneath the circle opening.  I used the markers and the watercolor brush to paint the stamped image. This is a very easy  technique.  I love the softer finish of watercolors.  Simply pick up ink produced by the marker using the watercolor brush.

The Dollar tree has hemp cord.  30 yards for a $1.00.

Cut the hemp cord about 17 inches long and thread gently through the two small holes to make a bow.

 

 Knot the two tails for a finished look. Trim ends.

Have fun selecting your paper to stamp the City of David, Bethlehem. (the birth place of Jesus Christ Lord and Savior)

 Jesus is the reason to celebrate the season.  May His wonderful gift of love touch you in a special way this Christmas.  Receive the gift of Salvation this Christmas.