Guest Post from Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat, MD author of Voodoo in my Blood

Celebrating the Good Life

Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat, MD

When I celebrated my 62nd birthday, someone asked me how I felt about getting old. I was surprised by this question since I don’t think of myself as old. Later that night, I took a good look in the mirror while undressing. I realized that, yes indeed, I was growing old. Reflected back to me was the image of someone who looked much different than in years past. I now have grey hair, my belly is no longer flat, and I’ve gained a few pounds. I remembered the days when I was so skinny that my little brother, Lesly, would call me a broom stick! And there have been many times since, when I wished I was as skinny as I was back then.

I was born and raised in Haiti from a family with shamanic roots – including a maternal grandfather a Voodoo priest, well-known indigenous healer and shaman. He cured me when I became gravely ill at age of 9 when Western medicine could not save me. On his death bed he made me promised to never forget my roots. But I had to keep it a secret otherwise I would be an outcast because of the “Bad Voodoo blood running in my veins.”

But even though my childhood was not what I might have chosen, I was blessed to have caregivers who taught me so many precious things about life and love.

Circumstances and many life challenges have given me the opportunity to go far beyond what was expected of me. I was encouraged to dare to dream big and blessed to be able to envision for myself things I had never even seen. I was gifted with an optimistic outlook. I have been able to formulate goals, seize the opportunities that came to me, and watch my goals manifest by taking life head on and overcoming the obstacles on my path because I saw them as opportunities.

I’ve had the pleasure of living in many countries, speaking many languages and having dear friends from all walks of life. I was able to get an excellent education from top-notch institutions around the world that others only dream of. I've had the blessing of becoming a doctor, a surgeon, and in 1982 started a private practice in San Diego as the first black woman OB-GYN in Southern California.  

As my grandfather, I could intuitively see the root cause of a patient’s illness, knowing in my bones whether she needed surgery or not. Soon, it became impossible for me to thrive in Western medicine. Eventually, I had to quit delivering babies in 1992, then surgery in 1999 since I could no longer afford malpractice insurance and could heal my patients without using the knife. 

To whom much is given, much is expected. I also never forgot where I came from. I now use my rare combination of skills in community clinics in San Diego and in my beloved Haiti. How can I describe the feeling of satisfaction when, because of these special abilities, I am able to improve someone’s life?

My life purpose to empower and help women – and a few good men – to follow a healthier path is being accomplished by spending one-on-one time with a select few. I also use the power of communication presently available, such as the Internet, books, articles, speaking engagements, teleconferences, audio, and videos, to convey my messages to more people than I could ever have imagined.

I am blessed to live in a beautiful place – the Retreat Center that I now share with others. I am thankful that I was able to transform my yard into a beautiful botanical garden of my own design, where mischievous birds live and play. I took time to learn about and carefully select my fruit trees, and a myriad of succulents, cacti, and flowers – which came from seedlings, nurseries, or friends’ gardens. It has been a miracle to watch them grow! And when I pick a mouth-watering fruit or freshly cut flower, it is just like when I would take care of a pregnant woman from conception to the moment I held her squirming, beautiful baby in the delivery room. When I wake up in the mornings, many times just the thought of all my treasures brings tears to my eyes in a powerful experience of gratitude.

I enjoy excellent emotional, spiritual, and physical health because I’ve learned to listen to my intuition and body signals. In this way, I treat my being as the sacred temple that it truly is. I am able to accomplish this effortlessly, knowing that there is no bad or good food, eating and drinking what I enjoy at any time but in moderation, and knowing when to rest my body and replenish my soul.

I am glad that I have so many people who love me and who I love. I am able to surrender, knowing that my search is over – that all that is to be given me will come exactly when I need it. I realize now that I have finally become my own best friend. I am ready to love myself and my body “as is!” I am no longer afraid that I will change even more as time goes by. I now have grey hair, the extra pounds are here to stay, and I welcome whatever challenges life will bring. I consider the process of growing old to be a blessing and opportunity that not everyone gets: an opportunity to grow even more deeply into who I am – to live well, love well, and help others along the way.

To find out more about Dr. Carolle and her work, please visit: http://www.drcarolle.com

Guest Post from L. Blankenship author of Disciple Part 1

Where do you get your ideas?

The dreaded question… I sat down and tried to make a list, once. Then I switched it around and tried to make a list of places I didn't get ideas, since that seemed a lot quicker.

 

I wrote down "Dentist's office" first, and then I wrote down "Church"… but had to cross it out, because actually I did get an important idea for Disciple while I was at church. (Yes, only one.)

All of the Bible readings that day had to do with the Good Shepherd and the sermon focused on that, too. The Good Shepherd does this, the Good Shepherd does that. Naturally, the snarky part of my mind said: "You know, the Good Shepherd leads his sheep out behind the shed with a butcher knife, too."

Instantly, I envisioned a sheep wailing: "The Shepherd is deaaath!" and a big piece of the religious beliefs in Disciple clicked into place, in my head. The community is thought of as a flock of sheep, because their past is rooted in sheep-herding and hunting more than farming. When they die, the Shepherd can find them worthy or unworthy. The eldest ram and ewe of the Flock (commonly called Father Duty and Mother Love) teach their lambs how to be worthy. The Father and Mother also chose the saints to lead the Flocks in person.

Or that's what children are told, in Disciple. That's the simple version of it.

So my answer is: I get ideas everywhere except the dentist's office. That's not his fault, though. 

About the author:


L. Blankenship is the alternate identity of a mild-mannered graphic designer. She started writing animal stories as a kid and it’s just gotten completely out of hand since then. Now she’s setting out to publish her gritty fantasy and hard science fiction adventures. L grew up in New Hampshire but currently lives near Washington, DC.
Visit L on the web at http://discipleofthefount.blogspot.com

About the book:

The saints favor her, else-wise a peasant girl like Kate Carpenter would never be apprenticed to the kingdom's master healer. But her patron saint also marks her ready for the duty of tending to a mission that must cross the ice-bound mountains. Their little kingdom faces invasion by a vast empire and desperately needs allies; across the snow-filled pass, through the deathly thin air, is a country that's held off the empire and may be willing to lend an army.

Kate knows about frostbite and the everyday injuries of wilderness travel. She can heal those.

She's not ready for the attentions of a ne'er-do-well knight and the kingdom's only prince, though.

And she isn't ready for the monsters that harry them night and day, picking off their archers first, wearing the party to exhaustion, pushing Kate beyond the limits her healing abilities.

She must keep them alive, or her blood will be on the snow too.

12 Days of Cookies for Daring Bakers

     Holiday season is the time for sharing and Peta of Peta Eats is sharing a dozen cookies, some classics and some of her own, from all over the world with us.  I was so excited to get this challenge because I've been ready to start my Christmas baking since October!  I quickly printed out several recipes I wanted to try and made two of them the very first weekend.  Those are the two I'm sharing with you today.  Throughout December I hope to be able to make several more of these fabulous recipes to share as well.

     The first recipe I made was the pear and ginger bites.  They called for dried pears but I had fresh pears sitting in my fruit bowl so I opted to use those instead.  These little bites were bursting with flavor.  I loved the fresh pear and crystalized ginger combination that was paired with slivered almonds and the sweetness of sugar.  The lemon icing only added to this cookie and these cookies literally taste like Christmas.

      The second recipe I made were the turtle bars.  I am not a huge fan of pecans but I do love shortbread, chocolate, and caramel.  I found the cookie part to be slightly greasy but it seemed to work with the saltiness from the nuts, the buttery caramel, and the sweetness of the chocolate.  The ladies at work raved about these little jewels.

Pear and Ginger Bites (recipe adapted from Peta of Peta Eats)

½ c. fresh pear, dinced
1 T. crystalized ginger
½ t. baking soda
1 large egg
½ c. brown sugar, packed
½ c. sugar
½ c. butter
1  t. vanilla
½ c. slivered almonds
1½ c. flour
½ t. cinnamon

½  t. ginger

¼ t. nutmeg
¼ t.  baking powder

For the Icing:
1½ c. powdered sugar
3 T.  softened butter
2 T. lemon juice

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2.  Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

3.  In a large bowl cream the butter, egg, sugar, and brown sugar.  Add in the vanilla and stir.

4.  Mix in the pear, almonds, crystallized ginger, and baking soda into the mixture and stir well.

5.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and baking powder together. 

6.  Stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture.  Mix until just combined. 

7.  Spoon the mixture into the mini muffin tins, filling ¾ of the way full.

8.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

9.  Allow to cool and then remove from the pan.

10.  Combine all the icing ingredients together in a small bowl and mix until smooth.  

11.  Drizzle over top of the pear bites and serve.

Chocolate and Caramel Turtle Bars (adapted from Peta of Peta's Eats)

2 c. flour

1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. ginger

3/4 c. melted butter

For the caramel:

3/4 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

1 c. chopped pecans

For the top layer:

1 c. chocolate chips

15 pecan halves     

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and set aside.

2.  In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.  Pour melted butter over top and mix well.

3.  Press the mixture into the bottom of the greased pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.

4.  Sprinkle the chopped pecans over top of the crust and continue baking for 5 minute.

5.  Meanwhile, melt the butter for the caramel in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add in the brown sugar and stir until smooth.

6.  Heat the sugar and butter mixture until it is bubbling, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and pour over top of the cookie crust.

7.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over top of the caramel.  Let sit for 2 minutes then spread the melted chocolate evenly over the caramel layer.

8.  Place the halved pecans on top of the chocolate, making sure there will be 1 pecan on each piece when it is cut.

9.  Cool completely then cut into 15 bars.  

  This post linked to:
Trick or Treat Tuesdays, Crazy Sweet Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Totally Tasty Tuesdays,

Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish & Avocado Cream

   I first started making these black bean patties in the summer.  I have off all summer so I always have more time to experiment with food and cook.  The only problem with cooking in the summer is it gets so hot in our house when I cook so I'm always trying to find dinners that don't go in the oven or have components that I can make early in the morning then serve at dinner time.

     These black bean patties are perfect.  I made the corn relish and the avocado cream first thing in the morning and put them in the refrigerator.  Then the patties were quick to make and then they get pan fried so there is no need to turn on the oven.  It's a light meal that's perfect for summer.  In addition to the amazing flavor combination, this dish is beautiful as well.  I will definitely be serving these at our next cookout.

Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish & Avocado Cream  (adapted from Elly Says Opa!)

For the patties:
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 roasted red bell peppers, divided

1 egg
1 t. oregano
1 t. cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t. red pepper
1/2 onion, finely diced
2/3 c. breadcrumbs
1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper
Olive oil

For the corn relish:
2 t. vegetable oil
2 c. roasted corn
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 T. lime juice
2 T. chopped  parsley
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1/4 t. red pepper

For the avocado cream:
1 avocado, pitted and cut into pieces
1/2 c. light sour cream
1 T. lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper

1.  Place 1 can of black beans, 1 chopped roasted red pepper, egg, oregano, cumin, garlic, and red pepper in a food processor. Pulse until almost smooth.

2.  Dice the remaining red pepper. In a bowl, lightly mash the remaining can of black beans.  Add the diced red pepper, onion, and the mixture from the food processor to the black beans. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3.  Stir in the breadcrumbs a few tablespoons at a time until the mixture becomes firm enough to roll into a ball. Place the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4.  After refrigerating, remove the black bean mixture from the refrigerator and form into patties.  Heat a large skillet with a few teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. 

5.  Add the patties in batches and cook until done, flipping halfway through (about 6-8 minutes).  Serve with the corn relish and avocado cream.

6.  To make the corn relish heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Stir in the corn and heat for 2-3 minutes before stirring. Continue to saute until lightly browned. 

7.  Stir in the garlic and jalapeno and heat for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and place the mixture in a bowl. Add in the tomato, lime juice, parsley, and salt, and peppers.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

8.  To make the avocado cream place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Place the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to use.  

9.  To plate the meal place two black bean patties on a plate.  Pile corn relish on the side.  Put the avocado cream in a zip top bag and pipe on top of the black bean patties. 

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays,  Mangia mondays, Mop It Up Monday, Melt In Your Mouth Mondays, Mealtime Monday,

Italian Wedding Soup #SundaySupper

     This #SundaySupper we're having a Helping Hands them and making Dishes for Friends in Need.  Many people have heard about the devastation Hurricane Sandy caused on the East Coast several weeks ago.

      New Jersey's First Lady Mary Pat Christie had this to say.  "Hurricane Sandy has brought unthinkable devastation to parts of our Garden State, destroying homes, businesses and some of New Jersey’s most identifiable icons. The Governor and I have organized this relief fund to aide, comfort, and rebuild New Jersey. The images and stories of the damage are heartbreaking.

      In the aftermath, I urge you to support our friends, neighbors and communities impacted by the storm. They need our help and need it quickly. Thank you for your generosity. We are strong and resilient.  We are proud New Jerseyans."

     The theme is all about cooking from our hearts and the best comfort food I could think of is soup.  Soup is warm, filling, and comforting especially on these cold fall nights.  One soup that I enjoy is Italian Wedding Soup.  I've never made it before so I figured it was time to make myself a bowl and share the comfort with those affected by the storm.

      The soup has a chicken broth base filled with spinach, meatballs, and noodles.  We paired it with a grilled cheese sandwich for a warm and hearty meal.

Italian Wedding Soup (adapted from Family Foodie)
8 c. chicken broth
1 egg
1 c. shredded, cooked chicken
24 mini meatballs (homemade or store bought)
1 (10 oz) package chopped frozen spinach
1 c. Parmesan cheese
8 oz. Orzo Pasta

1.  Pour the chicken broth into a large stock pot.  Place it over medium high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer.

2.  Squeeze the water out of the spinach and dry.  Combine the spinach, egg, and half of the Parmesan cheese in a bowl.  Mix well.

3.  Stir the spinach mixture into the chicken broth.  Add in the shredded chicken and meatballs then simmer for 30 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, cook the orzo according to the package directions.  Drain and add to the soup.  Simmer for an additional 30 minutes. 

5.  Spoon into bowls and top with additional Parmesan cheese.
  

Breakfast and Brunch:

• Orange Rolls from That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!
• 12-Grain Buttermilk Pancake Mix from What Smells So Good   
• Cranberry Bread from Home Cooking Memories

Comforting Casseroles and Entrées:

• Pork Chop Casserole from In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Basic Lasagna from Fast Food 2 Fresh Food
• Italian Sausage and White Bean Bake from Girlichef
• Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes from Crispy Bits n Burnt Ends
• Turkey and Vegetable Pasta Bake from Gotta Get Baked
• Baked Salmon with Cucumber Salad from The Urban Mrs.
• Enchilada Pasta Casserole from Dinners Dishes and Desserts
• Spaghetti Pizza Bake from Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Gluten Free Spaghetti Squash with Pancetta from No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Cabbage Koftas from Soni's Food
• Bowtie Marinara with Goat Cheese from Family Foodie

Warming Soups and Sides:

• New England Clam Chowder from The Meltaways
• Italian Wedding Soup from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Soul Warming Butternut Squash Soup from Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese "Croutons" from Damn Delicious
• Corn Basil Handpies from Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Manhattan Clam Chowder from Noshing with the Nolands
• Comforting Broccoli Cheese Soup from Juanita's Cocina 
• San Antonio Chicken Tortilla Bake from The Weekend Gourmet
• Peruvian Steak and Potato Stir-fry from Hip Foodie Mom 
• Simple Southern Red Potato Salad from Mama Mommy Mom
• Homemade Chicken Soup from Daddy Knows Less
• New Orleans Red Beans and Rice for Those in Need from The Catholic Foodie
• Sweet and Sassy Pineapple Stuffing from In the Kitchen with KP

Sweet Endings:

• Pound Cake Loaf from Magnolia Days
• Fall Apple Pie from Cravings of a Lunatic
• Dairy-free Marble Cake {Marmorkuchen} from Galactopdx
• Mini Dark Chocolate Cakes with Mint Chocolate Chip Icing from The Realistic Nutritionist
• Orange Pound Cake from Basic n Delicious
• Spicy Gingerbread with a Mocha Glaze from Daily Dish Recipes

If you are interested in making a donation to help the hurricane victims, here are links to the two charitable organizations we recommend:

This post linked to:
Scrumptious Sundays, The Bulletin Board, 

Gluten Free Lemon Bars and Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays by Jeanne Sauvage

The holidays are a time to celebrate and indulge in baked goods warm from the oven. Unfortunately for the gluten-sensitive, seasonal pleasures such as sugar cookies and mincemeat tarts have been off-limits. Not anymore! Jeanne Sauvage, author of the popular blog Art of Gluten-Free Baking, has perfected 60 gluten-free recipes with all the flavors of their wheat-filled counterparts. Also included are tips on how wheat-free ingredients work and Jeanne's own gluten-free flour mix. With favorites like apple pie, plum pudding, rugelach, bûche de Noël—even a gingerbread house—everyone can pull up a chair to the holiday table with comfort and joy.  (-synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a great gluten free baking book for any occasion.  I particularly enjoyed the first chapter in this book which deals with gluten free ingredients and even gives a recipe for making your own all purpose gluten free flour.  There are gluten free baking tips, substitutions for common ingredients, and information on how to store your baked goods.  Since I do not bake strictly gluten free this section was particularly helpful to me.

The book is then broken down into five sections:  cookies, cake, pies/tarts, breads/crackers, and deep-fried treats.  Each recipe lists the serving size, the ingredients, and the directions.  Each also includes a paragraph or two about the recipe.  The photographs that go along with the recipes are beautiful as well. 

The instructions are easy to follow and the recipes I've made so far have been delicious.  I've tried the lemon bars and gingerbread cookies.  A few of the recipes I have on my "to make" list include the pumpkin pie, pound cake, stollen, and cannoli.  

This is a wonderful cookbook for anyone who loves to bake and is either gluten free themselves or is baking for someone who is gluten free.  This is the perfect time of year to purchase this book because there are many holiday recipes included.

Lemon Bars  (from Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays)
5 T. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. gluten-free all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 T. grated lemon zest
3 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. baking powder
Powdered sugar for dusting

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl beat the butter until it is light and fluffy.  Add in 1/4 cup of sugar and beat for an additional minute.

3.  Add the flour to the butter mixture and stir until combined.  The mixture will look like wet sand.

4.  Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 18 minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, add the eggs to a large mixing bowl.  Beat for several minutes or until they are fluffy.  Add the remaining sugar and mix well.  

6.  Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice.  Add the 2 tablespoons of flour and baking soda and mix until combined.

7.  Remove the pan from the oven and pour the lemon mixture over top of the hot crust.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.  

8.  Cool on a wire rack.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut into 16 squares, and store in the refrigerator.         

This post linked to:
Seasonal Inspiration, Gingerbread Sweet Saturday,  Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped Up, Recipe Box Wednesday,