Some food tips, Grilled Chicken, 2 kinds of Potatoes and a Puppy Video

First, as promised, a puppy video.

Ok, now I have a bunch of food stuff to share.

1. Mom's suggestion: do you ever have a hankering for deviled eggs but no time or motivation to make them? Try smearing dijon mustard on a hard boiled egg. It satisfies the tanginess craving but takes minimal effort. Great quick protein if you make a bunch of hard boiled eggs ahead of time. Not as good as a real deviled egg, but not bad either.



2. Thai Cucumber Salad
This is a good cold side dish for summer, but you have to love onions. It keeps for days in the fridge. From the Kidney Health Gourmet Cookbook.
In a large bowl combine 1/3 c. minced shallot, 1/3 c. sliced green onion, 4 sliced cucumbers, and 2-4 thinly sliced red chiles (seeded).
In a small bowl, combine 1/2 c. rice vinegar, 2 T sugar, 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro. Pour dressing over salad and chill for at least one hour.
** Note: instead of the chiles, I use a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. I am a spice pansy, so I don't like much heat. But I do like the kick.

3. Sweet Mashed Potatoes
Pick the reddest ones you can buy when these are in season. (Which is not usually right now.) The pale orange ones taste like crap. Sweet potatoes are high in potassium, so for me they are a "sometimes food" but this is an easy and awesomely healthy side dish for most people. They are also full of good stuff like vitamins (A, B6 and C), fiber and manganese. They have a MUCH lower glycemic index than white potatoes and are said to have anti-inflammatory powers.  OooOOOoooh.
Anyway, I boil mine in lightly salted water for about 15 minutes or until mushy and then run an immersion blender through them.  While I'm blending, I throw in a generous chunk of unsalted butter (probably one to two tablespoons per potato) to make them creamier.  Don't use fake butter; that way lies madness. If you wanna get really fancy, throw in some brown sugar, pecans, and bourbon, but that's another post altogether. ("Not Safe For Work" Sweet Potato Casserole) I love sweet potatoes as a side dish because they're like dessert and they are pretty quick. They reheat well to take for lunch the next day, if any leftovers survive.

4. Father's Day Dinner
My parents came in for Father's Day on the way to my cousin's wedding in NC. (They're driving 1200 miles, so what's another few hours to Waco?) We had a great time sightseeing around Cameron Park and we saw the Dr. Pepper Museum, which celebrates the history of the beverage in its location of discovery. I left there really needing a Dr. Pepper.
Anyway, when we came home, Mom and I whipped up a pretty easy dinner (and Sexy Lawyer Man did the grilling for us) while Dad took a well-deserved nap then joined us for cocktails on the porch.

We made Dilled Potatoes, Grilled Chicken, corn on the cob and a mixed greens salad. So, recipes:
Dilled Potatoes:
Mince an onion and cube a few potatoes. The more onion the better, IMHO. Toss generously with seasoned salt and dried dill, and enough olive oil to make everything shiny. Bake, covered, at 375 about 45 minutes, stopping once to stir. The smaller the potatoes are chopped, the quicker they will cook. These are Mom's recipe which was shared in our church cookbook, so you know it's good. I made this for a bunch of law students a while back and it was quite a hit. Also a good make-ahead, as you can mix it up and refrigerate for several hours. Reheats beautifully the next day. Probably after that, too, but usually gets finished off pretty quickly.
Grilled Chicken: Take some chicken breast halves (I used 5), cut fat off, and pound them flat, about 3/4 inch. Marinate in a mixture of lime juice (2 limes' worth), a pinch of kosher salt, a pinch of pepper, about one T minced garlic, and some canola oil. (Do you know what CANOLA stands for? I do.) Doesn't have to sit long. Just about 20 minutes will do.  Grill to doneness.
Other Sides: probably don't need a separate section. I boiled the corn in water. I prefer it plain but others used butter and salt and pepper and stuff on it. The salad was pretty basic. I tossed together some olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper for dressing.

Puppy Cookies and Gratuitous Cuteness

Ok, so I might be that parent. Plenty of parents I know, whether they have human children or puppy children, flood the internet with cute pictures. And dull pictures. And pictures that look exactly like previous pictures. And I used to think "wow, I won't do that." But I take it back. It must be expressed to the internet how cute my puppy is. So here, world: a video I took of Berwyn waking up. And yes, I woke him up for this purpose simply because he was so cute while he was sleeping. The cuteness, it's rotting my brain.
Now, I promised a recipe. This is a recipe I like to make for Christmas to give away to all the puppies in my family. (Shout out to Esme, Charlie, Abby, Maddie, Sophie and Angel!) There are cats in the family, too, but I really don't have a recipe that's guaranteed to please cats. This is probably because most cats are not pleased by anything except our quiet and distant worship of them. Silly biscuits are for mouth-breathers, they say. Anyway, every dog I ever give these to is very, very excited about them. And I have checked out the recipe for dog safety. So here goes.

Puppy Cookies
Mix together the following: 1 1/2 c. four, 3/4 c. oatmeal, 1/4 c. wheat germ, 1/3 c. peanut butter, 1/4 c. vegetable oil, 2 T. honey, 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/2 c. water.
Roll dough about 1/2 inch think. Cut into desired shapes.
Mix together one large egg and 2 T. milk. Brush on top of cookies.
Bake at 275 for 30 minutes. Rotate pan and bake another 30 minutes until golden brown and firm.
Notes: For Christmas I cut them into festive shapes like stars and trees but this time I had a great idea. Since I needed a bunch of them in small bites, I just cut the dough into strips and perforated them with a knife. When they cooled, I broke them into little bite-sized squares. Now I can easily give them out to reinforce good behavior. Berwyn loves them. But he loves everything.

Now some more cute pictures of my puppy child.

Introducing Berwyn

Five years ago I married the love of my life. He was my high school sweetheart and remains the most stable and wonderful thing in my life. And five years ago we planned to have children "in five years." Well, as you know, we are not going to have children any time soon. There are bigger things in the way, like kidney transplants, that have to happen first. (I'll give an update on that soon, just not today.) So we decided to do the next best thing: to become parents to an adorable puppy!
This is Berwyn. (The name is Welsh for "light brown" but more importantly, sounds like BEAR.) He is a purebred Welsh Corgi (Pembroke) and he's about 2 years old. Now, Wait!, you might say. Didn't you just have that other dog that you decided not to keep? Well... yes. But this is different. The other dog was, first and foremost, too big for our lease restrictions. She was still a puppy and already over 35 pounds. Also, she was a pain in the butt. She dug up my yard and ate my okras. But she was really sweet. And she did give us the opportunity to think seriously about adopting a dog. But no.

Then, two weeks later, I get an email. It's on my work email, in the folder that is for general newsy type announcements for the whole district. A guy had a picture of a Corgi and said it was free to a good home.
I immediately started texting Sexy Lawyer Man, hoping he'd talk me into it, which he did. I emailed back a response to the owner. Nothing. Then I Google-stalked him for a while, found out we had a Facebook friend in common, and asked her to message him. Nothing. So I called his school and asked that they call him at home with my information. Then sent another email. I started to wonder why I was freaking out about this particular dog. Of course, I love corgis. I have ever since my awesome and morbidly obese Rugby (1991-2003). And why was I suddenly ok with getting a pet? A kitten came along and it wasn't the right time, too much money. And Calamity Jane, the big yellow dog. Not the right time. But within a few moments of seeing the opportunity for this dog, my entire outlook changed. I decided that for once I'll take my husband's approach and just trust that things will work out alright. And I say Sure! Let's do it! I'm not sure why, but this little guy just grabbed my heart.

And then I wait for four days. Finally, yesterday, the phone call came. Long story short, we came home with a dog last night! But here's the cool part: I paid our pet deposit, which came to $550 for the year. Two hours later, Sexy Lawyer Man came in with the mail, which included a refund check from some old medical expenses in the amount of $556! What great luck! So I suppose that just trusting that things will work out may be the way I should approach more things in life.

Bittersweet

So this week has been strange. 

It's the last week of school, so I have had to take down all the decorations in my classroom and say goodbye to my kids and my coworkers. Only not really goodbye, because I'm teaching summer school, so I'll see a lot of my coworkers for another month (and two of my kids.) Also only sorta goodbye because I don't have a job yet for next year. I was the only probational teacher at my school who was cut due to budget issues, but one of 181 district wide. They have now hired back 87 of us, according to the TV, but no word yet on me. So as I stood up in front of my peers at out luncheon, I wasn't ready to say goodbye because I really firmly believe I'm coming back. But I don't know for sure. Regardless, I have cleaned out my desk in the meantime. 

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Now, I'm sure you are all eagerly awaiting my lab results. Right? (Thanks, Mrs. A, for the concern.) Well, I don't have the full print out but I know two key numbers. First the good news is my bloodcount is 12, so I'm not all that anemic. Not great, but not dangerous, either. But then there's the creatinine, which was 2.44. That's up from last month. 2nd "up" number in a row, after about 6 months of consistently "down" numbers. (Cheat sheet: creatinine is a byproduct of muscle tissue breakdown, it's filtered out by kidneys, normally you have less of it in your blood, but if your filter doesn't work, you have more of it. It is a pretty standard measure of kidney function.  Healthy = under 1.2 mg/dl. )  I was at 1.8 (36%) when this all was discovered Dec of 2009, 3.5 (17%) at my worst in August 2010, and was at 2.1 (32%) two months ago. So now I'm back under 30% and I am seeing my trend of "better better better" turn around. Not that I should complain about 26% function when I have felt 17% but I am worried that this trend is going to continue and I am going to get very very sick in then next three to six months. I base this prediction on what patterns I have seen before, though, really I have no clue since we still have no idea what is going on. In the meantime, I have to get a little more strict on my diet. I'm not sure that my diet will really help anything,since an autoimmune disorder will not be slowed down by lack of sodium, but it's my way of doing penance in hopes that I will tip the scales toward "she deserves to get better." So I'm drinking a lot of water and trying not to fret when I feel strange pokey pains in my lower back. Only time will tell. If you're the praying type, I could use it. 

Onto other things. We almost got a dog this week. Or, rather, she almost got us. On Monday evening a precious yellow lab puppy (less than 6 months) showed up in our backyard.  She dug under the fence to get in. We drove around and posted signs, hoping that her family was looking for her. Nope. So, being the saps we are, we bought some food, patched the fence, and let her stay over night in the yard. By morning she was gone. Not the end of the story. She came back in the afternoon. Sexy Lawyer Man fixed the fence again and we fed her and let her stay another night. We had a long tearful (just me, really) discussion about whether or not we could really afford and care for a dog right now, and decided that this was not a good time with me being out of a job (maybe) and him still in school, and a good chance of big ugly medical bills looming. Wednesday we called all over town looking for a no-kill shelter that would take her, but no one would. Eventually he had to take her to the Waco Humane Society. They seemed confident that a cute, healthy, sweet puppy like her would be adopted really soon. I hope so. She deserves a good home. Preferably one without potted plants. I didn't really want okra after all. 

Distraction

So I have not been feeling that well lately. I have been insanely tired, and I'm starting to have an aversion to meat again (which showed up during my July 2009 flare up, and for about 3 months leading up to my August 2010 flare up. ) Some nausea and loss of appetite and lower back pain. Mild enough that it could totally be hysteria, but enough to give me some concern.

 Last labs, done about a month ago, had some iffy numbers. The important stuff was awesome. Protein leakage, blood pressure, creatinine... all down. (Good news.) But then there were some numbers that were not so good. Like how my CO2 levels are down, so I have to drink this nasty sour salty medicine every night. Now I'm not sure what CO2 level being low means exactly. My doctor explained it in a lot of terms I distinctly remember learning and forgetting in Mrs. Porter's high school biology class. But it's a side effect of low renal function. So is the anemia, which has shown up again. (Explains the tired.)

Now, I'm used to the side effects of medicines. The puffy feet, the shortness of breath, the crappy cardiovascular abilities. These are from medicines, not disease. Healthy people can have medicine side effects. (Healthy people aren't usually on the BP meds that cause these... but that's not the point.) My dismay about these particular numbers being off is that these are a direct result of renal insufficiency. These are disease side effects. I was perfectly happy going along as if nothing was really wrong with me, for the most part. I watch the diet, I take my pills (down to only 7 a day now, which seems quite light.) But I'm seeing real chemical changes in my body other than the obvious creatinine levels being elevated. My labs are starting to show more "off" parts, which mean that my sick little kidneys are in fact puttering out. 

Anyway, long story short, I had labs done yesterday morning and while the results should be back by now, my doctor's office is closed until Tuesday, in observance of Memorial Day. So I'll know them if I have anything to legitimately be alarmed about, or if I should just quit whining about my labs not looking like a healthy 27 year old because I'm not one. So in the form of distraction until Tuesday, I give you some garden pictures.

1. Look how green my grass is! (And by grass I mean stubby, sad grass that can't hold a candle to lush, Sugar Land St. Augustine... and clover.) We had some good soaking rains. Of course, we also have mosquitos now, which I don't actually remember ever seeing in Waco before now.

2. My green bell peppers are producing again. For a while I was worried that I got the only two I was going to get.

3. Okra! Did I tell you I had okra? These two were purchased for $0.50 at HEB. They seemed promising in a Charlie Brown Tree way. So I stuck them in a pot. Also note the little basil seedlings coming up. Whee!

4. WTF?

5. Also WTF? My parsley was doing great and suddenly it's all, "Meh. I don't wanna."

6. My cilantro, too. Meh. Maybe that's what started the parsley in getting all lame. I blame the 100 degree weather and my sun-baked little patio. Potato is doing well, I think.

In other news, I made breakfast tacos! Not super low in protein, sodium, or cholesterol, but they were really good. (Actually, they were mostly made from whites, so kinda low cholesterol... until the bacon.) The secret is taking some chopped onion and bell pepper and jarred salsa and heating it in a skillet for a little bit while I cook the eggs. Nice and roasty.  Also, HEB whole wheat tortillas from the bakery are super tasty. Also featured: red bell peppers, strawberries, eggs, one crumbled piece of bacon, and colby jack cheese. And "Simply Apple" fresh apple juice.

Other, other news: Went to my husband's 10 year high school reunion. It was a lot of fun. And on the way back we stopped in College Station to meet some more friends at Blue Baker, which is a magical place. We picked up some garlic herb bread and some focaccia. Om nom nom. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go inside. I had been sitting outside in my skychair for about 2 hours, but it's quite dark now and I am afraid of the dark. 

Red Wine Tomato Pasta

I have neglected to include my favorite go-to meal. I got it from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine probably 7 years ago or so, and I make it all the time. It's made of ingredients I always have on hand, so if I decide I don't feel like thinking too hard about dinner, here it is. It happens to be one of the only things I can stomach when I am having kidney-related loss of appetite. It's also a hell of a hangover cure. Or so I hear. ;-)

Red Wine Tomato Pasta

pasta

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic (out of the jar is fine)

two cans NSA petite diced tomatoes

1/4 cup dry red wine (I use Sutter Home Merlot in the tiny bottles)

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1-2 tsp sugar

pinch black pepper

mozzarella cheese

Start a pot of water heating, then start the sauce. Saute the garlic in the oil until golden. Add everything else (except cheese and cheese, obviously). Add pasta to the water once it starts boiling. Simmer sauce until the noodles are done. Top with mozzarella cheese. If you don't have fresh mozzarella, you can use canned parmesan. Or both. Your call. 

Notes: This is high potassium, but other than that it's pretty kidney friendly. Low protein, low sodium, low cholesterol, etc.  

The measurements above are very approximate. Taste the sauce as you go and decide what it needs. Every once in a while I get a really sour batch of tomatoes, so it needs more sugar. I keep tasting spoons behind the stove for this purpose. (This is the Bussells Family Scotty Dog Spoon Holder. It's a recent tradition. My aunt, grandma, mom, and I all have one, scavenged from various antique stores. I think my great aunt. I'm the only current granddaughter, but there are fiancees and and serious girlfriends that will get included in this as is seen fit.) 

If you have children or husbands who don't eat any fruit or veggie they can identify, you can use an immersion blender to puree the sauce after cooking. 

Pansies. 

Now for dessert!

Addendum to previous post with stir-fry recipe

It has come to my attention that listing ingredients does not constitute posting a recipe. Here's the stir fry recipe mentioned on May 21:
(Technically, this was a grilled kebabs recipe, but I didn't have any lighter fluid or charcoal. So I'll include both preparation techniques.)
Originally from the June 2011 "All You" Magazine. 

Chicken Kebabs with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
1) In a bowl, whisk together 1/2 c. lemon juice, 1/2 c. canola oil, 4 tsp cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp paprika, and 4 cloves garlic. Pour half into a separate bowl. Add chicken breast to (3 lbs or less, cut into 1 inch pieces) to one bowl. Add veggies (red bell peppers, 1/2 red onion, zucchini, and squash) and toss to coat. Chill, covered for 2 hours.
*2) In a bowl, whisk 1 c. plain greek yogurt, 2 tbsp tahini, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and Chill. (I didn't make this, but I bet it's good.)*
3) GRILL: Place veggies and chicken on metal skewers. Pat dry and discard marinade. Grill over medium high heat, about 4-6 minutes per side until chicken is cooked through.  OR
STIR FRY: Umm... stir fry them. Put them over med-high heat and move them around until they are cooked.
Serve over brown rice, with sauce for dipping if you are into that.
Reserve left-overs veggies and chicken for tomorrow's salad.
(1/6 of recipe, including sauce, contains 291 cal, 14g fat, 67 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 32g pro, 10g carb, 485mg sod.)

Grilled Chicken Salad
Place 8 cups mixed greens in a shallow bowl. Arrange grilled veggies and meat on top. Add a cup of canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and feta cheese to taste (go easy on it if you are watching your salt). Mix together dressing (2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper) and toss all together. The recipe also calls for kalamata olives.
(1/6 of recipe contains: 557 cal, 44g fat, 83mg chol, 4 g fiber, 33g pro, 20 mg carb, 1,133mg sod.)
**The total sodium count for this recipe is very high, so I didn't use the olives or the full half cup of feta, or put any salt in the dressing since there is salt in the mustard already and plenty of flavor in lemon juice and vinegar. I also picked no-salt-added chickpeas. I'm sure the recipe is very tasty as written, but I really didn't miss the extra salt at all. This will also bring down the fat, cholesterol, and calorie count slightly.)