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What? A sunflower? Well, maybe....
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
More High Fructose Corn Syrup? No Thanks.
In an effort to rid ourselves of products that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), I've been making things from scratch. Before I learned about HFCS, I had occasionally made some things from scratch, like salad dressings, pancake syrup, or chocolate syrup, but never on a regular basis, as I'm now endeavoring to do.
HFCS is a carb that is not found in nature, but beverage companies and food processors heavily rely on it because it is cheap to produce. Sucrose (table sugar) is made from sugarcane or sugar beets, but high fructose corn syrup comes from corn. And since corn is subsidized by the government, there is never a shortage of corn. The main problem with HFCS is that the fructose and glucose are free and unbonded to each other, whereas the fructose and glucose in sucrose are linked by a chemical bond that is broken down by an enzyme in the lining of the small intestines. Corn syrup manufacturers say the body can't tell the difference, but many nutrition researchers are not convinced.
HFCS is more stable in solution than table sugar, which means a longer shelf life. Some researchers believe that HFCS increases blood fats (triglycerides) more than the same amount of table sugar does. It is also possible that a diet high in HFCS can impair the body's ability to use minerals properly, such as the depletion of calcium and phosporus when high fructose corn syrup sweetened drinks are consumed.
HFCS shows up in mostly junk foods and junk drinks, but it also can be found in some yogurts, breads, and other surprising foods that are considered healthy. HFCS may not trigger the same feelings of fullness that regular sugar does, because it doesn't trigger the release of the hormone leptin. HFCS may also increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
So, in light of such evidence, I have been working on ways to reduce our family's consumption of high fructose corn syrup. The choices are to go without the HFCS product, or make it myself.
I actually dumped out half a bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup when I read the ingredients list (but saved the bottle to put my own homemade syrup in!) The first, and main ingredient, on the syrup's label is High Fructose Corn Syrup.
After trying a few recipes, we decided we liked this one the best for its rich chocolate flavor and its dark color which is most like the store bought variety. It isn't quite as thick as the store bought kind, but that's probably due to the fact that it is missing HFCS!
We also have stopped buying Mrs. Butterworth and Aunt Jemima and Log Cabin pancake syrups. Instead we like to use 100% maple syrup, which is a little expensive, or we can make it quickly on the stove. I start the syrup cooking before I start making pancakes or waffles to give it time to thicken.
Not only is homemade healthier, it tastes better too!
For more information on High Fructose Corn Syrup, Read this.
HFCS is a carb that is not found in nature, but beverage companies and food processors heavily rely on it because it is cheap to produce. Sucrose (table sugar) is made from sugarcane or sugar beets, but high fructose corn syrup comes from corn. And since corn is subsidized by the government, there is never a shortage of corn. The main problem with HFCS is that the fructose and glucose are free and unbonded to each other, whereas the fructose and glucose in sucrose are linked by a chemical bond that is broken down by an enzyme in the lining of the small intestines. Corn syrup manufacturers say the body can't tell the difference, but many nutrition researchers are not convinced.
HFCS is more stable in solution than table sugar, which means a longer shelf life. Some researchers believe that HFCS increases blood fats (triglycerides) more than the same amount of table sugar does. It is also possible that a diet high in HFCS can impair the body's ability to use minerals properly, such as the depletion of calcium and phosporus when high fructose corn syrup sweetened drinks are consumed.
HFCS shows up in mostly junk foods and junk drinks, but it also can be found in some yogurts, breads, and other surprising foods that are considered healthy. HFCS may not trigger the same feelings of fullness that regular sugar does, because it doesn't trigger the release of the hormone leptin. HFCS may also increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
So, in light of such evidence, I have been working on ways to reduce our family's consumption of high fructose corn syrup. The choices are to go without the HFCS product, or make it myself.
I actually dumped out half a bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup when I read the ingredients list (but saved the bottle to put my own homemade syrup in!) The first, and main ingredient, on the syrup's label is High Fructose Corn Syrup.
After trying a few recipes, we decided we liked this one the best for its rich chocolate flavor and its dark color which is most like the store bought variety. It isn't quite as thick as the store bought kind, but that's probably due to the fact that it is missing HFCS!
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
Combine cocoa, sugar and salt. Add water till smooth. Bring to boil for 5 minutes. (careful... it can easily boil over!)
Let cool. Add vanilla. Store in refrigerator. Shake before using.
We also have stopped buying Mrs. Butterworth and Aunt Jemima and Log Cabin pancake syrups. Instead we like to use 100% maple syrup, which is a little expensive, or we can make it quickly on the stove. I start the syrup cooking before I start making pancakes or waffles to give it time to thicken.
Pancake Syrup.
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla, or maple flavoring
Bring to boil, simmer about 10 minutes. Take off heat to cool and it will thicken slightly
Salad Dressing
1/3 cup mayo
4 tsp. white vinegar
4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. celery salt
fresh ground pepper
Whisk together, let stand 10 minutes, whisk again until sugar is dissolved. We love this dressing on fresh spinach leaves and sliced red apples.
Not only is homemade healthier, it tastes better too!
For more information on High Fructose Corn Syrup, Read this.
Camping at the Coast
We returned yesterday from a camping trip to Zadar, which is on the coast of Croatia. It was a short 3 day trip for the Memorial weekend. We pitched our tent within walking distance of the beach, under a canopy of pine trees. One of my favorite things about camping, tent camping in particular, is the sound of nature as I lay inside the tent. Birds singing and the wind gently blowing are two of the most awesome sounds I have ever heard. I felt so contented and at peace as Clara and I rested on the air mattress in the afternoon, listening to the breeze as it gently ruffled our tent, and the birds calling to one another above us.
When we got home, I was extremely thankful for the "luxuries" that a house provides. A bathroom, a kitchen, a refrigerator, a soft bed, air conditioning.... We found out when we arrived at the campground that there were no picnic tables provided. We had to do our cooking over our campstove squatting on the ground above it. There were no fire pits either, so no campfire could be made.
The day that we departed, we woke at 6 am to the sounds of rain pattering on our tent roof. And it lasted until 11:00, all through our pack-up procedure. It was a miserable experience, but quite common in our camping history, as ~D~ was prone to lament and remind us.
We drove through the interesting town of Zadar, which was actually conquered by the Romans at the end of the 3rd century BC. When the Roman Empire split, Zadar became the capital of Byzantine Dalmatia and retained this status until the end of WWI.
Zadar suffered badly in the break-up of former Yugoslavia. The city was shelled by Serbian forces from 1991 to 1993, cutting the city off from both Zagreb and the surrounding region. Much was destroyed and the city's safety remained precarious until the Yugoslav war ended in 1995.
But today, it is a beautiful, peaceful town.
I think it has taken longer for me to find Croatia's beauty. We lived in Sweden for 18 months and found it breathtaking nearly every day we were there. If you find the wildness of Alaska beautiful, you understand something of the beauty of Sweden. Sweden is unpolluted, and abounds with natural lakes, pine forests, and crisp, clean Nordic air. Even in the city of Stockholm, I had the feeling that the countryside was never far away.
Croatia has been much different, and due to those differences, harder for me to truly appreciate. I love it most when we are out of the city and I can see the lay of the land, instead of the concrete buildings or the city buses or the obnoxious mopeds. Our trip to the coast was a refreshing change of atmosphere. I know people are flocking by the thousands now to see the Croatian coast... it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
It surely is a beautiful place.
When we got home, I was extremely thankful for the "luxuries" that a house provides. A bathroom, a kitchen, a refrigerator, a soft bed, air conditioning.... We found out when we arrived at the campground that there were no picnic tables provided. We had to do our cooking over our campstove squatting on the ground above it. There were no fire pits either, so no campfire could be made.
The day that we departed, we woke at 6 am to the sounds of rain pattering on our tent roof. And it lasted until 11:00, all through our pack-up procedure. It was a miserable experience, but quite common in our camping history, as ~D~ was prone to lament and remind us.
We drove through the interesting town of Zadar, which was actually conquered by the Romans at the end of the 3rd century BC. When the Roman Empire split, Zadar became the capital of Byzantine Dalmatia and retained this status until the end of WWI.
Zadar suffered badly in the break-up of former Yugoslavia. The city was shelled by Serbian forces from 1991 to 1993, cutting the city off from both Zagreb and the surrounding region. Much was destroyed and the city's safety remained precarious until the Yugoslav war ended in 1995.
But today, it is a beautiful, peaceful town.
I think it has taken longer for me to find Croatia's beauty. We lived in Sweden for 18 months and found it breathtaking nearly every day we were there. If you find the wildness of Alaska beautiful, you understand something of the beauty of Sweden. Sweden is unpolluted, and abounds with natural lakes, pine forests, and crisp, clean Nordic air. Even in the city of Stockholm, I had the feeling that the countryside was never far away.
Croatia has been much different, and due to those differences, harder for me to truly appreciate. I love it most when we are out of the city and I can see the lay of the land, instead of the concrete buildings or the city buses or the obnoxious mopeds. Our trip to the coast was a refreshing change of atmosphere. I know people are flocking by the thousands now to see the Croatian coast... it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
It surely is a beautiful place.
Friday, May 18, 2007
The Closed Castle
Have you ever stuffed your family in the car, along with your out-of-town guests, and traveled through hill and dale to see a castle, only to find out when you get there that there is a huge crane in the front lawn and that the castle is closed due to renovations? No?? Well, that's what we did a couple weeks ago.
It was a beautiful sunny day and we were enjoying the Croatian countryside as we trekked through little villages on our way to Veliki Tabor. Suddenly, in the distance, on a hill far away, the castle came into view.....
As we got closer, I could see the crane jutting up in the air next to the castle, and wondered to myself, "Why is there a CRANE by the castle, for goodness sake?" That "Oh, no, something is wrong" feeling began to creep into my stomach.
We wound our way up the castle hill, closer and closer, until the castle was finally directly in front of us. Another car (the ONLY other car) was parked beside the plastic orange fence, which plainly sent the message we didn't want to hear... CLOSED.
(Lesson Learned: Call Ahead and verify that the castle you want to visit is indeed OPEN, regardless of what the website says. This will save time and prevent embarrassment!)
Like all tourists who have traveled far to their destination, only to find their hopes dashed and their children disappointed, we made our way around the fence so that we could inspect the castle grounds. It was the least we could do, especially since we had brought our poor friends all that way to see the castle. After a quick walk around the castle's "back yard," we could see why it was under renovation... It seemed to be in need of a little TLC.
The panoramic view of the country surrounding the castle must have been even more stunning at the top of the castle's tower than what we were able to see from our on-the-ground vantage point. Katie and I posed for the camera while our children dashed off to inspect more of the castle grounds, no doubt hoping that the back door was somehow left open accidentally.
We tried to make up for the loss by zipping once again through the countryside in hopes of making it to the other famous castle before it closed, but as you can probably guess, we arrived about 15 minutes before closing time. The visit wasn't a total loss though, since we could tour the castle grounds and the lake. Katie and I enjoyed a cappuccino on the floating dock cafe while the kids and my husband rented a paddle boat and had a grand time paddling around the lake.
All in all, it was a great day anyway! We got to see two beautiful Croatian castles, and spend time together with friends that we haven't seen in a few years. I figure this was a day we aren't likely to forget since it didn't turn out at all as we had planned!
It was a beautiful sunny day and we were enjoying the Croatian countryside as we trekked through little villages on our way to Veliki Tabor. Suddenly, in the distance, on a hill far away, the castle came into view.....
As we got closer, I could see the crane jutting up in the air next to the castle, and wondered to myself, "Why is there a CRANE by the castle, for goodness sake?" That "Oh, no, something is wrong" feeling began to creep into my stomach.
We wound our way up the castle hill, closer and closer, until the castle was finally directly in front of us. Another car (the ONLY other car) was parked beside the plastic orange fence, which plainly sent the message we didn't want to hear... CLOSED.
(Lesson Learned: Call Ahead and verify that the castle you want to visit is indeed OPEN, regardless of what the website says. This will save time and prevent embarrassment!)
Like all tourists who have traveled far to their destination, only to find their hopes dashed and their children disappointed, we made our way around the fence so that we could inspect the castle grounds. It was the least we could do, especially since we had brought our poor friends all that way to see the castle. After a quick walk around the castle's "back yard," we could see why it was under renovation... It seemed to be in need of a little TLC.
The panoramic view of the country surrounding the castle must have been even more stunning at the top of the castle's tower than what we were able to see from our on-the-ground vantage point. Katie and I posed for the camera while our children dashed off to inspect more of the castle grounds, no doubt hoping that the back door was somehow left open accidentally.
We tried to make up for the loss by zipping once again through the countryside in hopes of making it to the other famous castle before it closed, but as you can probably guess, we arrived about 15 minutes before closing time. The visit wasn't a total loss though, since we could tour the castle grounds and the lake. Katie and I enjoyed a cappuccino on the floating dock cafe while the kids and my husband rented a paddle boat and had a grand time paddling around the lake.
All in all, it was a great day anyway! We got to see two beautiful Croatian castles, and spend time together with friends that we haven't seen in a few years. I figure this was a day we aren't likely to forget since it didn't turn out at all as we had planned!
Friday, May 11, 2007
A Croatian Poet
Keeper of the Absent
The deserted house comes alive again, it opens and gives away everything it kept in solitude. The odour of mildew, the squeaking of a dilapidated floor. The cracks are familiar with everything that got sneaked in. Only from time to time the wall interior, ever crumblier, becomes visible.
The house, a keeper of the absent and their perpetual yearning. Although chipped at the edges, it collects the thought that has built it. The stars concur from air. Silent, they preserve its shape.
by Andriana Škunca
I like the images that come to mind as I read her poem. I can see the old house, sitting quietly and empty, with only the stars to watch over it. I wonder how the poem changed when it was translated into English?
Andriana Škunca was born in Bjelovar in 1944. When she was a child, her family moved to a small town on the island of Pag. It is this island that she has dedicated most of her poetry to. She began her career as a poet in 1969 and has received the A. B. Šimić Prize for her first collection of poetry, Do neba bijelo. Up till now she has published 20 volumes which contain poetry, essays, and monographs on the visual arts.
The deserted house comes alive again, it opens and gives away everything it kept in solitude. The odour of mildew, the squeaking of a dilapidated floor. The cracks are familiar with everything that got sneaked in. Only from time to time the wall interior, ever crumblier, becomes visible.
The house, a keeper of the absent and their perpetual yearning. Although chipped at the edges, it collects the thought that has built it. The stars concur from air. Silent, they preserve its shape.
by Andriana Škunca
I like the images that come to mind as I read her poem. I can see the old house, sitting quietly and empty, with only the stars to watch over it. I wonder how the poem changed when it was translated into English?
Andriana Škunca was born in Bjelovar in 1944. When she was a child, her family moved to a small town on the island of Pag. It is this island that she has dedicated most of her poetry to. She began her career as a poet in 1969 and has received the A. B. Šimić Prize for her first collection of poetry, Do neba bijelo. Up till now she has published 20 volumes which contain poetry, essays, and monographs on the visual arts.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Quotes for the Day
"A diploma is not an education. In fact, we are never really "educated" because we never stop learning. Everything we do teaches us something. If we considered all activities to be educational activities, what would we do differently? How can we maximize the educational value of every moment we spend with our children?"
~ seen online, A Father's Guide to Homeschooling, Homeschool Dad Magazine
"Schools should be the most joyful places in the world because, you know, learning is the greatest joy. To learn something is fantastic because every time you learn something, you become something new."
~Leo F. Buscaglia, "Living, Loving, Learning"
~ seen online, A Father's Guide to Homeschooling, Homeschool Dad Magazine
"Schools should be the most joyful places in the world because, you know, learning is the greatest joy. To learn something is fantastic because every time you learn something, you become something new."
~Leo F. Buscaglia, "Living, Loving, Learning"
Friday, May 04, 2007
Happy At Home
Lead your child out into nature. Teach him on the hilltops and in the valleys; there he will listen better. But in these hours of freedom let him be taught by nature rather than by you. Let him fully realize that he is the real teacher, and that you with your art do nothing more than to walk quietly by his side. Should a bird sing, or an insect hum on a leaf, at once stop your talk. Birds and insects are teaching him. You may be silent.
-Arnold Gesell
I believe a child needs time alone, free to be by himself, to just be himself. Clara is truly happy to be by herself playing with a rake in the sand, or a cup in the water. She tells stories to herself from the pictures in her books. She cuddles her doll and places it in the baby cradle after tenderly kissing its forehead. She'll sit alone and suck her thumb while caressing her blanket, her blue eyes thoughtful, her expression relaxed, her whole body in a state of quiet contentment.
Often I have thought how delightful it is to have her at home all day. I do not believe she would be better off at preschool, even for a few hours a week. I have heard it said that group therapy may be good for adults, but it is not usually best for little children. Learning to relate to a few people who are important to them, usually their family, is best for a child.
I am not worried about socialization. Being truly sociable is the ability to feel concern for others, to treat others as you would like to be treated, to be a real friend. Children should have opportunities to help others, to give of themselves in tangible ways. This can be done while they learn to help around the house with the smallest of chores... by sharing a favorite toy with a sibling, by helping Mama unload the spoons from the dishwasher, by picking up their toys.
Last weekend marked 2 years since my mother's passing. One thought that continually came to me was, "You will not always have your mother with you." My dad still has his mother. My husband still has his mother. Yet, I do not. God, in His wisdom and love, prepared and completed her heavenly home, and called her to it. My children are not guaranteed to always have their mother with them as they grow up, though I pray I will not be called away "early." Each day is a precious gift to love them, teach them, and train them. They grow so quickly!
I remember when Clara was a baby - it seems like only yesterday....
I'm not making any money with my job, but I know I'm making some good memories!
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