Udon-Cashew Toss

Just made this fabulous dish for lunch. Very tasty, healthy and so simple to make:

Udon-Cashew Toss


1 cup baby broccoli, chopped
1/2 chopped organic red pepper
1/2 cup frozen edamame
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced crimini mushrooms
2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tsp. sesame oil
Handful of raw cashews
1 Tsp. chili pepper flakes
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 packet of organic udon noodles


Prepare:
After all is chopped, diced and minced, throw everything except noodles, cashews and basil into a saute pan. Toss with soy and sesame oil. Prepare udon noodles while allowing mixed vegetables to saute. (about 5 minutes) Toss noodles, cashews and basil into mix. 


Time to eat. Yum!

Beijing, China was fun and exciting, maybe an eight on the awesome factor. Food was delish and probably my favorite cafe slash restaurant was "The Brown Door." The restaurant is right across the way from the Pearl Market, the "go-to" for cheap everything. It's easy to get to, due to most hotels provide a quick shuttle to the "ground zero for almost anything" mall. "The Brown Door" is usually bustling with Westerners munching on soups, noodles and stir fries. I indulged with the Broccoli (the menu said snow peas) and Cashew mix over rice (no brown rice available). My flying partner chose a spicy tofu with rice and it was a bit too spicy for my taste. The heat didn't get to me until it was half way down the throat. I gasped a few times, then it vanished. Nothing serious, but we both agreed mine was the better option. Along with our main dishes, we had a cucumber and garlic side and a fresh mango mixed green salad which we voted a 10. We had thought the cucumbers were going to be fresh, but it seemed they cooked them for a few minutes. We both enjoyed the meal and would definitely return, especially being so close to all the shopping.

Dinner at Mama's Fish House outside the small town of Paia, Maui. This is Opah, Mahi Mahi and Ahi Panang Curry.....Wild caught and the best fish dish I have ever had. Oh, and the view wasn't too shabby either!

Stretching: Who is it Good For? Absolutely Everyone

Arising out of bed every morning is challenging on cold, winter days. Stretching the body first thing can do wonders. Start by wiggling the toes, point and flex.

Then lengthen the legs and feel the muscles start to tingle. Reach arms toward the ceiling and shake the fingers. Circle a few times. Now on to the hips. Move hips side to side visualizing a clock teetering on the 3 o'clock and nine o'clock hand. Now shift

hips upward to twelve o'clock, tucking the tail bone then shift downward, placing weight

on the tailbone. Move in all directions.

Next, lying on back, raise knees to a tabletop position and bring arms out level with shoulders.

Bring knees over to right until knees hover close to ground. Turn head in the opposite position stretching the neck and finding distance between ear and shoulder. Bring knees back to center and try the other side.

Stand and reach down to the toes, keeping weight balanced on both feet. Roll back up.

Ready to start the day?

3 Tips for the Dieter

Dieting can be challenging. 3 tips to remember:

Find a diet that works for your body so you might need to experiment.

Write down everything eaten for 3 days and analyze your carbs, proteins and fats.

Be persistent. If one day goes bad, pick up up the momentum the next day but keep at it.

Be successful.

Tomatillo Halibut

I cam across the biggest tomatillos today at the market. Yep, big as my head! Well, not quite, but I knew then I had to come up with a juicy way to use them. I picked up about 7 of them, got home

and took off the outer peel. Tomatillos are always a bit sticky, so I washed them in cold

water and cut them in quarters. I added some garlic, chopped onion and a little jalapeno for a touch of spice, then a touch of agave stewing the concoction for an hour.

I marinated the halibut in some white wine for an hour with sea salt and course black pepper.

Put in in oven, covered with tomatillo sauce for about 40 minutes. All I can say is, "Delish!"

Plums, Plums and More Plums

So many plums, so little time.........my neighbor called me the other day and said she had

way too many plums on her tree, would I take a few off her hands? Or tree, I should say.

Of course I would and minutes later,I was on my way back home with huge bags of delicious mouth-watering Santa Rosa plums. But what's a girl to do with these succulent little globes?

Well, when the going gets plummy, why not try some salsa?

Plum Salsa

5 plums, pitted and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 Tbsp. agave nectar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 red onion

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in pan and cook over medium heat. Spoon over

favorite meat dish or eat by itself.