Hearth and Soul Hop - Volume 34

You can read all about my weekend activities with the 20" of snow that we got here in Oklahoma in my latest installment of Down Memory Lane so get busy!

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The Hearth and Soul Hop is born as a continuation and expansion of the Two for Tuesday Recipe Blog Hop and we hope you will join with us in sharing our beliefs that food not only nourishes our bodies, but our souls! To really get clear on what we are talking about, please check out our nifty new mission statement!

Hearth and Soul Mission:

Food from your hearth, to feed your soul. Food that follows your intuition. Preparing food from scratch to nourish your family…body, mind AND soul! Food made with your own hands…infused with energy and passion and intent. Real food made by real people to feed real families (big and small, in blood or spirit). Ingredients from scratch, be it something grown in your garden or raised on your land…food foraged in the field or woods…food from local farms, farmers, or farmers markets…or even ingredients chosen by you from your local market that will be turned into something that feeds your soul. Tapping the food memory that each of us has stored inside; letting it guide and influence our own time in the kitchen.

We hope to embrace not only the “expected” areas of real food, but also those who want to incorporate healthier choices without sacrificing their love of food…how it tastes, the memories it conjures up, the comfort it brings. Yes, we’re trying to steer clear of packaged, processed, and boxed foods in favor of real foods….without absolutely excluding the sometimes frowned upon white sugar or flour (because the body craves what it craves…and sometimes things just don’t taste the same when you replace these). Making conscious choices and being present in the now with what your body needs…and taking steps towards exploring and enjoying healthier choices. If you take the time to listen, your body will tell you what it needs.

The warm comfort of the home hearth…stories, anecdotes, lessons, adventures, journeys, recipes, meals, beverages…we want to share the “why” of how food feeds more than just our bodies…how it also feeds our souls. After all, aren’t these the essential ingredients in defining real food? Please share links from your Hearth ‘n Soul with us each week.

Rules for linking:

Please use your best blog hop etiquette when linking. The rules are in place to help everyone have the best blog hop experience possible. Because of the overwhelming success of Two for Tuesday, a few changes have been made in the rules, so we kindly ask you to please review them so we can all be on the same page.

If you are new to a blog carnival, or blog hop, it is very easy to learn how to join in the fun! Simply go to the blog post for that carnival and scroll down to the bottom where you will see a small box that will say, Your Next or Your link here. When you click on that link, you will be asked to enter the URL of your recipe or article. Please link to your article only and not directly to your blog front page. The linky may ask you to upload a photograph from your computer, then you click next and leave a comment on the blog hosts post. You will also be asked to place a link back to the blog host, which means, adding in the URL of the blog hop post which you can copy from your browser address bar and insert at the bottom of your post. You could also choose to place a blog badge into your post, which was explained below. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

*A host will visit each link and read and comment on your post before the next linky period opens, because this is personal for us…we want you to know that we appreciate that you’ve taken the time to create a post, add a link back to the hop, and add your link! We’ll be sure to acknowledge this with a comment and a tweet on Twitter (using hashtag #hsoul).

-One link per week, please

-Must include a link back to one/any of the host sites (through worded link or badge) in individual post, not on sidebar…although we love having links on your page, as well (this benefits all of us). You will be sent a gentle reminder if no link is added to your post, we understand that sometimes people forget…but if it becomes a regular occurrence, (even though we don’t like to do it) your post may be removed. It’s just not fair to those who do take the time and show the grace to link back.

-Try to link a post that you think fits into the mission. You don’t have to link up every week…link up when you can. We welcome posts that are shared in other events. If you have an older, archived post that you want to add, we welcome that…as long as you go in and add a link back to Hearth ‘n Soul

-Linky will stay open from 10 pm Monday to 11:59 pm Wednesday (Eastern time).

Let the fun begin!!!

Thanks! Alex@Amoderatelife, Heather@Girlichef , Christy@frugalcrunchychristy, Butterpoweredbike@HungerandThirst, and Jason of Alternative Health and Nutrition

More Information for Those New to Blog Hopping!

...You veterans can just scroll down to the linky!

What is a blog hop you ask? Well, you can find out by visiting my Hearth and Soul Blog Hop page for a complete explanation, but basically, it is a way to link together various foodie love blogs so that you can enjoy many new healthy food recipes that you might not have been exposed to before!

Right now, A Moderate Life, Girlichef, Hunger and Thirst, Frugalcrunchychristy, and Alternative Health & Nutrition are teaming up to share the Blog Hop with their audiences. If you haven't been to their blogs before, then you certainly should, as they are tremendously creative cooks who are passionate about health and food and all are taking steps to cook more wholesome and soul nourishing food. This means you get exposure to four blog audiences for the price of one link, so we should really rename this 5 for Tuesday! :)

So, please link a recipe using the linky tools below and your link will be shared over 5 different blogs and with 5 different blog audiences. Recipes should include healthy ingredients and can be old or new recipes or posts. Articles on real food, slow food, foraging, herbal remedies, local food, sustainable food, organics, gardening or any healthy eating information is also welcome. Each participant's link will be tweeted and given a high quality feedback comment to increase your exposure.

Please use your best blog carnival etiquette and use the URL to your post, and not your blog landing page. Please post a link in your article back to the blog you are using the Linky Tools with and if you want to, please share the hearth and soul hop badge listed below to promote the Blog Hop. We would ask you to subscribe to our feed and Tweet the Blog Hop as well if you would be so kind!

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1. Vegan King Ranch Casserole @ Chez Cayenne 2. Watercress in Winter! @ Hunger and Thirst 3. I killed a chicken @ chicken tender 4. Serendipity Creole Chicken, yum really! 5. Shepherd's Pie 6. Roasted Veggie Minestrone 7. Blueberry Breakfast Cookies-Gluten Free 8. Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Onion and Sausages 9. Oatmeal Brown Ale Rolls 10. Best-Ever Brownies Go Grain Free 11. Poached Chicken 12. Spaghetti Tacos 13. Schezwan Paneer Frankie 14. Grilled Eggplant Pizza 15. Beef Stock @ The Prairie Homestead 16. Butternut Chowder 17. Shrimp stuffed Ravioli with Pesto Sauce 18. Okra curry/Kadahi Bhindi 19. Cinnamon Rolls by Bibberche 20. Green Chili Beans 21. Living Smoothie: Apple, ginger, carrot and Kefir 22. Vegetarian Linguine Swirls 23. Coconut Saffron Rice Pilaf With Chicken Balls 24. Sour Cream Ranch Chicken 25. Nourishing Nut Snack for Babies and Toddlers 26. Parsi Ras Chawal (Spicy Tomato Gravy with Rice) 27. Chiken wrapped fennel cakes- Penniless Parenting 28. Down Memory Lane 29. Creamy Pasta With Mushrooms 30. Fiesta Salad 31. Red Curry and Meatballs 32. Bangers and Mash with Madeira Onion Gravy 33. Yogurt Cheese Olive Dip and Homemade Crackers 34. Squirrel Casserole 35. Shepherdess’ Pie 36. Jambalaya (City Share) 37. Honey Chipotle Chicken with Sweet Potatoes 38. Don't Be Such A Jerk! 39. Pumpkin Chili in the Slow Cooker 40. I'm No Martha Stewart Beef Stew 41. Light and Easy Chicken and Veggie Stroganoff 42. Bratwurst Stew 43. Thyme Honey Glazed Ham @ Sense of Home 44. The Ultimate Meatball Sandwich 45. 10 Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet 46. Red Bean Gumbo, Mardi Gras kick off 47. Shepherds Pie with Cauliflower Mash 48. Curried Butternut Soup w/ Green Apple and Chevre 49. Persephone Gets Her Revenge 50. Mushroom Rice Pilaf 51. Apple Pancakes 52. Mom's Pork Chili Verde 53. Finally Sourdough: and no mess! 54. Pepper Steak and My Saga 55. Shaking Beef with Watercress 56. How to make Pozole! 57. Oven Fried Potatoes 58. Perfectly Roasted Chicken Dinner 59. Snowed in Meatloaf 60. Open Sandwich with Vegetable and Cheese 61. Spinach Feta and Tomato Quiche - The Tiny Skillet 62. 3-5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake 63. Lentil fritters and roasted spiced chickpeas 64. Pinto Bean Chowder 65. Fried Asparagus 66. Oat Bannock (like a scone) 67. Apricot Bread and Baking Powder 68. Garlicky ginger shrimp 69. Valentine's Day Cookies (and a Gluten-Free recipe) 70. Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies (Andreas Kitchen) 71. Pizza or Socca or Sourdough Flatbread 72. Mary w/Mac & Cheese Carbonara 73. Bean's Vegan GF Polenta Pizza 74. French Bread / Tomato Basil Soup 75. Coconut Flour Chocolate Cake - Light and Fluffy! 76. homemade twix bars 77. spanakopita 78. Party Kielbasa 79. roasted root vegetable soup at a moderate life 80. Beef Bourguignon (French Beef Stew) Gluten Free! 81. Shepherd's Pie Chowdah 82. Mac n Cheese (with a little help!) 83. Nutty Mint Fudge~Raw! 84. Samosas - Fried & Baked 85. Rosehip pannacotta- WILD THINGS ROUNDUP POST 86. Beef Stroganoff Using Left Over Roast Beef 87. Southwest Stuffed Peppers 88. Chicken and Brown Rice Lettuce Wraps 89. Dr. Laura - Super Bowl Dip 90. A Cake for Valentine's Day 91. Crock Pot Curried Sweet Potato Soup 92. Jamaican Inspired Beans and Rice 93. Onion, Cinnamon and Dry Fruit Pilaf

This linky list is now closed.

Get your own Linky Tools here...

Down Memory Lane

Many people across the US struggled with large amounts of snow this past week....as I did with no reliable internet for 5 days.....enjoying (enduring) LOTS of bonding time with the family as they couldn't get to work, school and all of the other things that fill these days we call life.

I did have a bit of cabin fever myself with 14" of snow last Tuesday and then 6" more on Friday along with record cold temps, strong winds and generally miserable weather.  However....having a 4WD truck made all the difference and I was able to grocery shop, run errands and workout with regularity.

 By the way....what is up with all of the empty store shelves at the grocery stores before the big storm??  Do so many people buy grocerys on a daily basis and were suddenly fearful of running out of cupcakes or their favorite soda's that they felt the need to buy everything in sight?

There wasn't a gallon of milk, bottle of water, or a chicken breast in sight at stores across Oklahoma and I'm sure many of your states as well.  Perhaps I'm old fashioned in having a freezer full of food and a closet full of warm clothing....I don't know.  You would have thought those food items were box suite game-day tickets or designer shoes at 90% off......

Of course they wanted shovels to help out too....

With all of the snow we got here (20" is a HUGE deal in Oklahoma) this weather cried out for snowmen, forts, snowball fights and of course.....snow ice cream!  Along with all of the fun things to do with the cold white stuff there were also the necessary tasks like clearing the driveway, salting the sidewalks and throwing the kids in the biggest drift I could find when they launched a sneak attack of epic proportions while I was otherwise occupied.  I thought that I had stumbled onto a major league pitching practice the way those snowballs were whizzing by....:-)

Too often I have sent the kids outside to play while I was busy with work stuff, cooking, or just life in general.  We made the first snowman together over the weekend since I can't remember when. 

I'm reminded that it's not all about trying to jam-pack my day with everything possible and spending quality time with the family at night or on the weekend.  It was great to freeze my butt off and play with the kids...forgetting all of the other things that could have been done and instead do what needed to be done....work be damned. 

The ingredients were:

1 can condensed milk 14 oz.

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

1 gallon of snow

A couple splashes of milk to make it creamy

I've come through the weekend revitalized and happy with the snowfall we got...and praying we don't get the 6" - 10" they are forecasting for tomorrow and Wednesday.  The majority of Okies just can't drive on the slick stuff!!  I've also vowed to make snow ice cream the next chance I get....and to have some crushed pineapple in the house the next time I do....The vanilla was great....but would have been out of this world with a little tropical fruit on the top.

What did you do over the weekend with the snowfall?  Tell us in the comments.....

This post is linked to the Hearth and Soul hop.

What's In Your Diet Wednesday? - 10 Best Foods For Your Heart

We all strive to eat right, excercise and get plenty of rest.....Well at least we think about striving for those goals.  Personally I work hard on the first two items.....but never can achieve the "plenty of rest" part of the equation.

It's not that I don't desperately want more rest to go along with the excercise and good food.  I just haven't figured out how to accomplish it with work, kids and all of the other things that go along with life as I know it.

For those of you that would like some pointers for your diet....especially those who are sticking with your New Year's resolutions....(congratulations!) here are some great tips from Yahoo.....

The 10 best foods for your heart

by Health.com, on Tue Jan 18, 2011 11:09am PST

Take heart with berries, beans, and other healthy fare.

Oatmeal
Start your day with a steaming bowl of oats, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear.

Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties—which contain more fiber—and top your bowl off with a banana for another 4 grams of fiber.

Salmon
Super-rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can effectively reduce blood pressure and keep clotting at bay. Aim for two servings per week, which may reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by up to one-third.

"Salmon contains the carotenoid astaxanthin, which is a very powerful antioxidant," says cardiologist  Stephen T. Sinatra, MD, the author of Lower Your Blood Pressure In Eight Weeks. But be sure to choose wild salmon over farm-raised fish, which can be packed with insecticides, pesticides, and heavy metals.

Not a fan of salmon? Other oily fish like mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines will give your heart the same boost.

Avocado
Add a bit of avocado to a sandwich or spinach salad to up the amount of heart-healthy fats in your diet. Packed with monounsaturated fat, avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body.

"Avocados are awesome," says Dr. Sinatra. "They allow for the absorption of other carotenoids—especially beta-carotene and lycopene—which are essential for heart health.

Olive oilFull of monounsaturated fats, olive oil lowers bad LDL cholesterol and reduces your risk of developing heart disease.

Results from the Seven Countries Study, which looked at cardiovascular disease incidences across the globe, showed that while men in Crete had a predisposition for high cholesterol levels, relatively few died of heart disease because their diet focused on heart-healthy fats found in olive oil. Look for extra-virgin or virgin varieties—they're the least processed—and use them instead of butter when cooking.

NutsWalnuts are full of omega-3 fatty acids and, along with almonds and macadamia nuts, are loaded with mono- and polyunsaturated fat. Plus, nuts increase fiber in the diet, says Dr. Sinatra. "And like olive oil, they are a great source of healthy fat."

BerriesBlueberries, raspberries, strawberries—whatever berry you like best—are full of anti-inflammatories, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

"Blackberries and blueberries are especially great," says Sinatra. "But all berries are great for your vascular health."

Legumes
Fill up on fiber with lentils, chickpeas, and black and kidney beans. They're packed with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and soluble fiber.

Spinach
Spinach can help keep your ticker in top shape thanks to its stores of lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber.

But upping your servings of any veggies is sure to give your heart a boost.  The Physicians' Health Study examined more than 15,000 men without heart disease for a period of 12 years. Those who ate at least two-and-a-half servings of vegetables each day cut their risk of heart disease by about 25%, compared with those who didn't eat the veggies. Each additional serving reduced risk by another 17%.

Flaxseed Full of fiber and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, a little sprinkling of flaxseed can go a long way for your heart. Top a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal with a smidgen of ground flaxseed for the ultimate heart-healthy breakfast.

SoySoy may lower cholesterol, and since it is low in saturated fat, it's still a great source of lean protein in a heart-healthy diet.

Look for natural sources of soy, like edamame, tempeh, or organic silken tofu. And soy milk is a great addition to a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal. But watch the amount of salt in your soy: some processed varieties like soy dogs can contain added sodium, which boosts blood pressure.

What do you do to improve your heart healthy diet??  Or your diet in general...although any healthy foods in your diet are going to affect your whole body...including your heart.  Tell us in the comments....