My Favorite Tools for a Healthy Lifestyle

One of the benefits of living in California is the abundance of fruit trees right in my backyard. With the unusual rains this year, the lemon tree is blossoming as is the orange tree. When my mother was alive and she visited me she couldn't believe the oranges that were in my yard. She made sure to eat one every day. Sometimes I'd ship some to her since it brought her such joy.

These days I find myself thinking of the number of ways I can use my oranges. First I bought a fruit picker so I could reach the oranges that were out of my reach. Once picked, I juice the oranges and make fresh-squeezed orange juice. Fresh orange juice is refreshing, loaded with enzymes and antioxidants, vitamin C which is an anti-aging collagen booster, a good source of magnesium and other minerals, and boosts your metabolism. Fresh OJ is just good for you! This juicer from Cuisinart which I use, gets the job done easily.

Six oranges typically will yield about 8 oz or more of juice. Since nothing goes to waste I then use some of the orange juice combined with water and make my daily green juice using the NutriBullet we got one year for Christmas. A little story - my husband bought this because he heard of its benefits. But honestly, once I discovered it I've put it to great use. It is better than a blender and he's never touched it, but he does enjoy the fruits of my labor! My green juice recipe is quite simple - half a cucumber, a handful or 2 of spinach or kale, a banana, and some blueberries all combined with liquid. This is my basic recipe to which I add Spirulina, Tumeric or Flaxseed.

No one can live on juice alone, though. The  Instant Pot has changed my life. (I have become a personal evangelist for the Instant Pot and no one is paying me to do so; I just think that anyone who cooks should have one.) I got mine in November - but when I fasted in January this was the primary way we were able to eat healthily and be satisfied. The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that drastically reduces cooking times. For example, spaghetti squash takes about an hour to roast in the oven; in the Instant Pot, it takes 12 minutes. Just put the whole thing in, rest it on the trivet, put a cup of water in, cover and let it cook for 12 minutes. When done and the pressure is released, you have a perfectly done spaghetti squash. My current favorite recipes are:

Spaghetti Squash
Steel Cut Oatmeal
Lentil Soup
Carribean Rice & Beans - I don't have a link to a recipe yet. But in West Indian households, in particular, on Sundays, this is a staple for Sunday dinner. I tried this in the IP recently because my mom always cooked rice in her pressure cooker and it came out exceptionally well. My husband has fallen in love with me all over again! Recipe to come soon.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Eating healthy and taking advantage of all that nature has to offer has made a difference in the way my family and I look and feel. I encourage you to make changes that will benefit you also.

--Nylse

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Fun With Technology

With all the technological advances available today, our children have access to more information than we ever did. I don't necessarily see this as a problem since I view technology as a tool that can enhance life experiences while closely monitoring its usage. Here are some fun things I've discovered recently.

In a pinch, signatures on the iPhone can substitute for a note signed by a parent. Just text said note to your child and attach your signature. Easy peasy! Yes, I did this recently; yes it worked. No, it wasn't my idea but the Little One's.

I've had a pressure cooker since I got married 28 years ago; I believe it was a wedding gift. I've used it on and off throughout the years. I started using it recently but I wasn't happy with my outcomes. With a pressure cooker especially when making stews - you have to overseason to compensate for the water that is to be added. You also have to add the right amount of water if not everything is watery and bland. These are minor hurdles to overcome but I was out of practice. A pressure cooker is a working mom's dream - it cooks food quickly with minimal cleanup. That's when I discovered there are electrical pressure cookers on the market that are multifunctional. Well as life goes, I decided to buy an Instant Pot since someone on the internets mentioned that it was on sale. So I committed and boy am I happy! The right tools in the kitchen make preparing meals fun and right now I'm having fun and my family is not starving anymore. I've made steel cut oats, white rice, beef stew, curried chicken, turkey wings, broth which I then used to make rice, and soup. I'm still itching to do beans, quinoa, and cheesecake. Apparently, the instant pot was made for cheesecake - who knew?

I am part of a large family on all sides. So this year after our family reunion in Jamaica, a WhatsApp group was started and in this case, it has been one of the most refreshing things since we are literally spread across the globe. It's as if we never left - the conversations are rich and deep. We're a smart bunch and I'm grateful for the technology that keeps us talking ALL THE TIME.

Of course, it's hard to keep track of birthdays - so a family page was created using Shutterfly. It's the coolest thing because once members are entered, you'll always get an email telling you of an upcoming birthday or anniversary.


One last thing - Twitter is a great way to contact companies when you're dissatisfied or have a question - the response is much quicker than sending an email.

When I think of technological advances, I'm amazed by God because I'm sure none of this catches Him by surprise. After all, he made us, and knew exactly what our capabilities were. I hope you enjoy these finds as much as I did.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them. Then God blessed them...; Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! Genesis 1: 26, 27, 28, 31 [NLT]

How has technology enhanced your life?