Letting Go...

I recently had dinner with a friend who was celebrating her quarter century birthday (25, for those mathematically impaired). We toasted with Cucumber Margaritas to the final night of her 24th year. She shared her reflections of this past year, what it brought to her life, what changes had occurred, what sorrows she had experienced. Quite deep for a soon-to-be 25 year old, right? It's why we're friends. 

I shared in her reflection of the past year. If this past year had to be defined by a single word, it would be change. I have experienced a whole lot of change. I ended a relationship, changed jobs, and moved into a new apartment, all in three months time. I completed a yoga teacher training, gained a greater sense of spirituality, and started studying  Buddhism. I made new friends and built stronger relationship with old ones, which helped to ease that empty space in my chest left by an old love. I've starting asking myself with more frequency what is it that I really want, where do I want to be, and how do I get there.  

Many of you have made mention of the lack of posting happening in this space. While I could give you a litany of reasons for this slow-down in posting, the best reason points to this exact idea of change.

Goodbye Pancreas helped me process and start on this crazy journey of health in terms of diabetes. It was a place to write pithy posts about blood sugar control and cravings for Greek salads. I'm thankful to have had a place to go through this journey of diabetes, to explore my interest in writing, to gain supports from the others around me, and to keep in touch with those who I may not talk to regularly.

But as I evolve, so, too, must the things that I am putting my energy into.  Unfortunately, Goodbye Pancreas isn't really a reflection of that evolution for me anymore. 

All this being said, it's time to let go. I'm putting Goodbye Pancreas to rest.

Have no fear, though! I have started a new blog, which I feel is more of a reflection of me, who I am, and where I am heading. Hop over to suddenlyseekingbuddha.com to follow my antics.

Hope to see you there. 

Hankering

Occasionally, I get a hankering for a specific kind of food and that's all I want to eat. Lunch and dinner can sometimes be the same exact thing if it's what I'm truly craving. I've had this type of obsessive love over this Greek-inspired Barley and Chickpea Salad with Tzatziki Dressing I've been making myself for lunch (and dinner) for the last two weeks.

Whenever I've tried to veer from this, I find myself feeling unsatisfied. Like something was just missing from my day. Obviously, this salad recipe isn't a revelation of ingredients (chickpeas, cucumbers, olives, oh my!), but the dressing....the dressing makes it. It's super simple and delicious.

Greek-Inspired Barley and Chickpea Salad with Tzatziki Dressing

by Bonnie Graham

Keywords: salad chickpeas grain olives

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Ingredients (1 large lunchtime salad)

Tzatziki Dressing

• 3/4 c plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp lightly packed fresh parsley, torn into pieces
• 2 1/2 tbsp lightly packed fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Barley and Chickpea Salad

• 2 cups washed salad greens
• 1/4 c barley
• 1/3 c chickpeas
• 1/4 of a large cucumber, sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped kalamata olives
• 5 - 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients of the dressing to a small blender or food processor. Blend until combine (just a few seconds).

2. Toss all salad ingredients together, adding salt and pepper to taste.

3. Toss dressing with salad and enjoy!

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Farm Love: Post 3

I woke up one morning last week and had this text exchange with my sister.

And I do have a farmer fantasy going on. Just not the naughty kind. The kind where I truly believe that I must have been a farmer in a past life because my desire to be outside, on a farm, with goats and chickens and pigs and horses...it's out of control.

Since I don't have regular access to a farm (or farmers), the farmer's market is the next best thing. It's definitely my happy place. Which is probably why I spend so much money there.

Does that seem like a whole lot of produce? Because it is. 

Weekly round-up:
1 head of Tuscan Kale - $2
1 pint cherry tomatoes - $2
6 nectarines - $2
1 pint blueberries - $3
4 poblano peppers - $2.25
3 lemons - $1
1 bunch carrots - $1.75
1 pint Yukon Gold baby potatoes - $2.50 - my splurge for the week
3 ears of corn - $1
2 large zucchini - $2.25
Total: $19.75

Fruit of the Month Club

Have you ever seen the Everybody Loves Raymond episode where he buys his parents Fruit of the Month Club? And, in typical Marie and Frank form, they act as though he has order stinkbugs to their house on a montly basis. "It's a club??!! Oh, my god! What do I do with all this fruit?"

In seems as though, at some point every summer, people turn into Marie and Frank Romano over their zucchini. I notice the prices on the zucchini get cheaper and cheaper as the summer gets on. Except no one is buying....because zucchini has taken over their gardens or their friends' gardens or their friends' friends' gardens and people can't seem to give it away fast enough. It can become so unweilding, that may parents decided to skip the whole zucchini craze in their garden this season.

Which I am sad about. Because I happen to love zucchini!

It also so happens that the only way people ever think of using zucchini is in a baked goods. Zucchini Bread. Zucchini Muffins.  Not so good for the diabetic.

Instead of producing muffin tray after muffin tray (which you know I'm totally down with too), I've started to use shredded zucchini as the main base for many of my salads. This has become my new favorite salad, complete with Pickled Red Onions (recipe to come)!

Shredded Zucchini & Kale Salad

by Bonnie Graham

Keywords: raw salad avocado beans kale zucchini summer

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Ingredients (1 large lunchtime salad)

Shredded Zucchini and Kale Salad:

• 3/4 - 1 c shredded zucchini
• 1 cup shredded Tuscan Kale
• 2 medium-sized carrots, sliced
• 1 ear of corn, kernels removed from the cob (you can use leftovers!)
• 1/2 c garbanzo beans
• 1/4 - 1/2 cubed avocado (depending on your preferences)
• 1 - 2 spoonfuls of Pickled Red Onions (recipe to come), or raw red onions

Lemon Basil Dressing:

• 1/3 c rice wine vinegar
• 1/3 c olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• zest of half the lemon
• 1 large handful of basil
• 1 garlic clove
• water if needed for consistency

Instructions

1. Add all chopped veggies into a bowl.

2. Combine all salad dressing ingredients in a food processor or mini-blender, adding water if you prefer a thinner dressing.

3. Add dressing to salad, toss, and eat!

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Farm Love: Post 2

Jeez, has it really been two weeks?

Despite my lack of commitment to regular posting (sorry guys), my commitment to the farmer's market has remained strong. I'm even beginning to think that some of the farmers are beginning to recognize me from week-to-week. That makes my heart happy. I love being able to connect with the people who bring me my food.

I've noticed that it has also makes my pancreas happy. My blood sugar numbers are coming back in to normal range. Even though I know it is more likely that is happening because I'm more conscious of keeping my insulin cool, I'd like to think eating more fruits and veggies from the farmer's market has something to do with it. Let me live my delusion.

With it being such a beautiful day and my heart singing from the sunshine, I got a little overzealous in my purchases and went WAY over budget. You're shocked. I know.

Here's the weekly roundup!

Purchases

1 large head of kale - $2

1 bunch red onions - $2

1 pint blueberries - $2

2 ears of corn - $1

6 plums - $2.50

1 bunch of basil - $2

3 baseball sized peaches - $5 (my splurge)

3 plum tomatoes - $2.25

2 zucchini - $2.00

Total: $20.75 

The peaches were totally unnecessary, but they are literally the size of my head! They were so big and gorgegous, I couldn't resist. Plus, I like to buy for each of the farmer stands every week.

No worries, I will have an amazing recipe using much of this fresh produce coming up soon.

Trickery

I'm like one of those little kids who steals a cookie and feels so bad about it that she comes clean even though nobody would have ever notice that the cookie was gone.

I sort of tricked you guys last week. My Farm Love post didn't actually have the list of veggies I bought last week. It was a picture from the week before. Gasps! Atrocious, I know! How can I be such a liar?!

In my haste to get back into posting, I used an old picture in the post rather then share what I had actually bought but had yet to photograph. The shame.

It's okay though. Because I'm bringing you a ridiculously awesome Taco Bar menu for your next shindig (that I'm hoping you're still going to invite me to despite the fact that my pants are on fire). In an attempt to save money (which it did not), I invited some of my best girlies over for dinner at my place, with a Mexican Taco Bar theme! Which was completed by a sweltering hot apartment. Authenticity is my middle name. 

Taco Bar Party

Starters & Toppings
Pico de Gallo (recipe to come)
Guacamole
Pickled Red Onions (recipe to come)
Sliced radishes and fresh cilantro
Queso Fresco

Taco Filling Options
Chile Lime Shredded Chicken
Creamy Roasted Poblano Peppers and Onions (recipe to come)

Sides
Mexican Street Corn Salad (recipe to follow)
Black Beans and Rice

Dessert was supplied by my friend, Jess, who had just returned from a trip to Israel. However, I probably would have made something along the lines of Mexican Hot Chocolate.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

by Bonnie Graham

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: salad side cilantro corn sriracha smoked paprika

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Ingredients (3 - 4)

• 3 ears of corn, kernels removed from cob
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 2-3 tablespoons mayo (optional)
• juice from 2-3 limes, plus extra for serving
• 1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco (but you also use a stronger cheese like cojita)
• a big handful of cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• salt
• sriracha for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove kernels from corn cobs by running a sharp knife down along side the cob. Add to your bowl.

2. Chop up both garlic and jalapeno finely. Careful with those jalapenos. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling. Add to bowl along with chopped scallions.

3. Mix in mayo (if using), cheese, paprika, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Toss well.

4. Add a few squirts (as desired) of sriracha to the top and serve.

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Breakfast Fiend

From reading this blog, it might seem like all I do is eat breakfast. In fact, I have to stop myself on a regular basis from posting yet another breakfast recipe.

Truth be told, breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day. Besides snacks. Because snacks are a meal in my book. But it is also one of the most challenging as far as diabetes management goes. Mostly because everything is a carb. Well, everything worth eating. Bagels, muffins, pancakes, waffles, granola, toast, french toast, crepes.....you see my point. Even eggs, which are my stand-by meal no matter what time of day, are usually best served with a side of lightly toasted, buttered bread. Am I right or am I right?

Well, this post offers no solution. In fact, it contributes to the problem.

Some of my lovely friends who know me so very well gave me the wondrous house-warming gift of a waffle maker! After my Should-Have-Been-Carrot-Cake-Waffles debacle, they made sure I never went waffleless again!

Which is awesome. Waffles everyday! Except for that whole broken pancreas, diabetes thing. Waffles every day is definitely NOT part of a low carb diet. I checked with my doctor. Just in case.

Instead of waffles every day, I've been saving them for when I've been especially good....or felt like climbing up on top of my counter to fetch waffle maker from the highest shelf I could have ever possibly put it on!

My contribution to the carby breakfast conundrum....Spicy Chai Waffles. If these are wrong, I don't want to be right!

Spicy Chai Waffles

by Bonnie Graham

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: As long as it takes your waffle maker!

Keywords: breakfast

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Ingredients (4 waffles)

• 1 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour (though any flour will work)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• sweetener of choice based on your preferences (start with 1/3 c)
• 2/3 c milk, plus 1 - 2 extra tbsp depending on consistency
• 1 tbsp oil or another splash of milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and stir well.

2. Turn on and grease your waffle maker with oil or oil spray (be sure to grease well if using the oil-free version), then let it preheat.

3. Pour wet ingredients into dry, and stir to make a batter.

4. When the iron is hot, pour quarter of the batter into the center of the iron, and close the lid. My waffle maker tells me when the waffles are done. If yours does not, then give it 2 - 3 minutes and then check on doneness.

5. When waffles are done, pile on your favorite toppings and syrup!

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