Take the Ecological Footprint Quiz

My Ecological Footprint - Quiz Results
Congratulations, you are living an ecologically conscientious lifestyle. If everyone lived like you do, we would need only: .17 earths!!!

How about that? That's only point one seven earths. How cool is that? Of course, that is because of no car, vegan diet, and needing less energy because we live in a warm climate and no, we do not use air an conditioner either.

But some of those things will change when we move back to the states. Like getting a car. And using heat in the winter! So I'll take the quiz again in a few months and give you an update then.

Until then, why don't you take the ecological quiz today and see how you fare.

Have a great day.

Haystacks with Cheese Sauce and Raw Salsa

I never had haystacks till I was grown, and boy, was I missing out! =)

This is like a taco salad, but not quite. Instead of everything being mixed together, ingredients are put out for everyone to make their own “hay” stack. There are some items that do not normally go into a taco salad that you see here…like warm cheese sauce (don’t worry, its dairy free), instead of shredded cheese.

This dish appeals to most everyone, since they can top with what they choose from all the fixings. No need for side dishes with this meal.

Haystacks
crushed tortilla chips or crackers (or both)
brown rice, cooked and still warm
seasoned cooked beans* (cold or room temperature)
cheese sauce (recipe below)

Following raw toppings:
any non-iceberg lettuce (lay leaves flat and stack, then roll and slice thinly)
tomatoes, chopped or raw salsa (guide below)
bell peppers, chopped
onions, diced

Optional:
black olives (sliced)
mushrooms (chopped)
carrots (shredded)

*Beans: add seasonings such as cumin, chili powder, basil, oregano, cilantro as desired.

Put out all items for everyone to make their own “haystacks.”
Assembly order:
chips/crackers
rice
beans
vegetable toppings
cheese sauce

Cheese Sauce (dairy free):



Blend smooth in blender:
1 c. water
½ c. cashews
½ c. sunflower seeds
¼ c. nutritional yeast flakes
¼ c. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 c. pimento or 2 Tbsp. each of tomato paste & water, optional for color
1 tsp. salt (or Liquid Aminos)
1 tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder

Heat through on very low heat til warm, stirring frequently. Do not boil. Spoon over haystacks.

Variations:
1. Substitute other nuts and seeds for the cashews and sunflower seeds.
2. Economy sauce: substitute ½ c. hot, cooked millet or rice for the cashews or sunflower seeds.
3. Nightshade free: for color, use 2/3 c. cooked carrots to substitute for the pimento or tomato paste w/ water mix.


Raw Salsa(in amounts as desired)

tomatoes, chopped
onion, diced
cilantro, fresh or dried
salt or seasoned salt
Optional for salsa:
avocado (mashed or chopped)
cucumber (chopped)
garlic (minced)
sweet corn (cut off cob)
chili peppers (minced)
dash of cayenne pepper (for hot salsa)
fresh squeezed lime juice
Mix together in bowl and serve.

Tip: For best flavor, never refrigerate whole raw tomatoes.

Brown Rice Basics

The brown rice I find here really is brown, sort of a reddish brown. The brown rice in the states is more of a creamy, brownish tinted rice. Both cook about the same.

When I consider the benefits of using brown rice versus using white rice, brown rice wins hands down every time. I always use brown rice and sometimes put in a small amount of wild rice for a "pilaf" look. In recipes on my blog, when it says rice, it means brown rice.

I thought you all might enjoy seeing the label from my most recent bag of brown rice (see above scanned photo). I love how it lists all the health aspects of using their brown rice (white rice is still more common here than brown). In fact, there are plenty of things they didn't say about it.

In case you can't read the label very well, here's the text, typos (theirs) and all:
(See basic recipes below label text.)

_____________________________________________

"Ghana Brown-Rice"

Your best Nutritional & Longevity Food for all ages:- Babies; Children; Adults.

Your best medicine food to fight and prevent: Cancer, Stroke, Diabetes; Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Heart Diseases; Diarrhoea, Malnutrition, Obesity, Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) etc.

Minerals: Iron; Calcium, Fibre; Oil; Protein; Silicon (Silica); Sodium; Fat; Starch-Free; Cholesterol free; Carbohydrate; Chromium (GTF); Magnesium; Potassium; Selenium;

Vitamins: B1; B2; B3; B6; F; E;

Acids: Nicotinic-Acid; Amino-Acid; Linolenic-Acid (Essential Fatty-Acid) Folic-Acid.

Enjoy whole grain & Porridge

The Vegas best choice

100% Natural & Organic

Immune System Booster

Promotes & Increases Longevity

Health Advice: No sugar; No salt; No Margarine; No Alcohol; No smoking.

The World best Brown-Rice from Africa

5 Kg [corrected weight of 2 Kg (kilograms) has been written over the 5]

Best taken before year 2014

Distributed by: STAR-GATES FARMS; Abeka-Lapaz, Accra-Ghana.

COOKING-INSTRUCTIONS: Wash the rice two times with water and put into a rice-cooker or into a pot with plenty water and add few tablespoons of "Pure and Fresh Palm Oil" or "Olive Oil" or "Soya-Bean oil" or Shea-Butter' as softener and then boil for 35-40 minutes and serve with soup or stew.

You can cook this rice as "Jollof Rice". You can also cook this rice with 'Beans' or 'Nuts' or 'Wheat' or 'Sesame-seeds'

To make a porridge then grind the brown rice once and put into a pot with enough water and boil for 20 minutes and serve.

May Yeshua the Messiah bless you. Amen.

Ezek. 47:12, Prov. 30:8, 1 Cor. 6:13

______________________________________________

Here are two methods to cook brown rice that I've used for years, from the More-with-Less Cookbook, by Doris Janzen Longacre, page 125:

Basic Steamed Rice

Combine in heavy saucepan:

1 1/2 c. rice

1/2 tsp. salt

Just enough water to rise above rice level to a depth of one inch; Asians measure using index finger from tip of middle of first knuckle.

Over high heat, bring to a full rolling boil. Stir through with a fork, loosening grains at the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to simmer, cover with tight-fitting lid, and do not stir or peek for 20 minutes. (If electric burner stays too hot and causes rice to boil over, pull saucepan partially off the burner for first 5 minutes of cooking time.) After 20 minutes, turn off heat and let rice stand covered until ready to serve. Flake gently while transferring to serving dish. Yields a tender but slightly chewy dry rice with no gluey moisture at the bottom.

Options:

Measure 1 2/3 c. water to 1 c. rice. Use cooking method above, but reduce water when cooking large quantities.

Use brown rice but increase cooking time to 45 minutes.

Omit salt if serving rice with salty or spicy side dishes.

My note: I have had good consistent results, when doubling the recipe, with these amounts: 3 c. brown rice with 5 c. water. I use a 3 quart saucepan to cook this amount on the stove. With my current gas stove, I can't get a nice slow simmer, so I end up turning it off and on about 5-10 minutes at a time, until done, noting the original recipe cooking times. I rarely put in the salt called for in the recipe. Sometimes I add a teaspoon or two of oil to avoid boil overs.

____________________________________

Baked Rice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Combine in covered casserole:

2 c. hot water

1 c. rice

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. margarine (I use oil)

Cover and bake 45 minutes or longer for large quantities.

My note: I have used 3 c. water and 1 1/2 c. rice in a 2 quart covered casserole fine. This baked recipe is the only way I prepared rice for years, mostly because I was automatically prevented from opening the lid too much. I did eventually switch over to the stove top cooking method to save energy, but this recipe would be good when you have something else baking in your oven, since it uses a standard 350 F (180 C) temperature.

____________________________________

When reheating any leftover rice, add about a spoon or two of water per cup of rice and warm up in pan, stirring frequently.

Keep It Simple For Baby

Simple tip...keep it simple. This can apply to many things: hair style, clothing, gadgets, children's toys, directions, schedules, food choices, etc...

After my last post, I thought about something I am glad about...and I thought that I could give you a specific example of something I've done to make my life easier and help my daughter all at the same time.

This...

is a large piece of tie dyed Ghanaian fabric about 51" wide by 68" long (about 130 cm x 174 cm). Its green, yellow, brown, and purple colors just look fun together. See the photo below for the pattern.

It is my "cover." So called because it is my cover for nursing (in public). But it is so much more than that. Actually I should call it my baby sling...or stroller... or blanket...or sun shade...or backpack...or baby swing...or baby nose wiper...or...
Most of the time, it is in use as a baby carrier/sling. Babies everywhere in Ghana (and I suppose in other African countries as well), are seen on their mama's backs sleeping or watching the world go by. Babies are content there too. It's funny, besides being in mama's arms (probably getting nursed), I think this is a baby's next favorite place to be.
It's actually very easy to do. Baby goes on back, piggyback style. Then the fabric is put centered over baby, with the top edge underneath their armpits. In the front, the top edge gets rolled out and tucked (much like a towel wrapped around you, except the roll is outward, not in). Then you put the extra fabric tucked under the baby's "bum" (as we say at our house), like putting them in a "seat." Then the bottom extra fabric is brought to the front and the two corners are gathered separately and twisted together then tucked under. So...wrap, roll, tuck, gather, twist and one more tuck and you are ready to go! =)
I use it everywhere and because we walk a lot (no car)...well, it has really been useful and I love it. You would think that it would not be comfortable, but the first time I put in on I knew I was going to love it.
At the beach...



...at the Bible school's banquet (here with students)...


..at the main mission house (not ours)...

Here is the earliest photo I have of me when I first put my daughter on my back without my friend helping (Ghanaian friend who showed me how to do this)...

I even took a photo of myself one day, when my daughter requested that I put her on my back. She needed to sleep, I guess...

She does look comfy there, doesn't she?

(Sweet dreams, little Missy. I love you.)

Ghana Style Rice and Beans - Wa Kyi

I thought since many of us are doing the "rice and beans" method of getting out of debt, it would be appropriate to show you a dish very common here in Ghana. There's a sauce and toppings, so it seems pretty "dressed up" and not so plain. It's actually a great dish and is served when there are guests from the states. You can pick which toppings to add. We like it with everything!

Recipe for Wa Kyi (pronounced wah-chi, or wa-chee)
This dish would be like the West African version of the haystack. Very yummy!

1 c. dried small red beans
Sliced onions and chopped garlic (optional, but adds nice flavor to the beans)
Water to cover
2 c. rice
About 4 c. more water

Sort & rinse the beans. Then soak the beans in water for 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse the beans. Adding the onions and garlic if desired, cook in a dutch oven (or other large enough pot for adding the rice and additional water later) in water to cover until soft. Then add the rice and the additional water. Cook until done adding water if needed and stirring as needed. Taste to make sure all is cooked through.

Red Sauce:

Sauté in a 3 quart saucepan or larger:
1/4 - ½ c. palm oil (not red palm oil, any mild flavored oil will work)
1 large sliced red onion

Mix together:
1 ½ c. tomato paste
4 c. water
1 t. red pepper (for medium spicy…if you want mild, use half this amount…not black pepper)
3 bouillon cubes (or about 2 tsp. seasoned salt)
1 t. curry powder
1 t. dried ginger powder
salt (optional)

Add to the oil and onions. Cook until oil rises to the top. Serve warm.

Other toppings for Wa Kyi:
Cabbage, finely shredded
Tomatoes, chopped
Onion, finely diced
Green pepper, chopped (my addition)
Carrots, shredded (my addition)
Cooked angel hair/spaghetti - can use wheat free pasta (optional)
Gari (a cassava product that looks like parmesan cheese… it mostly soaks up the sauce – you might get the same idea using finely ground tapioca, which is also made from the cassava root vegetable. Other options for this might be bread crumbs or crushed crackers.)

To serve: set out the rice and bean mix, the red sauce, and all the toppings. Let everyone serve themselves haystack style, adding what they like. Enjoy!

My Boy

Today is my son's birthday and he is now in the double digits. He turns 10 years old. Sutherland has grown so much even since we've lived in Africa. Why do they insist on getter older, taller, bigger, tell me? I know you parents out there know what I mean.

He really is only a size or two smaller than I am. OK, I'm only five foot tall, but still. =) His shoes are just one size smaller than mine. I think I should blame this on my wonderfully tall husband (at six ft. two in.), don't you think? LOL

Here's a photo I love of Sutherland taken in December 2007. Our family was on a retreat about 2 hours away, further west along the coast of Ghana. It remind me of his curious and inquisitive spirit. He's always ready to learn something new and find some new treasure.

Already today he showed us what he learned about a baby lizard he caught the other day and what it likes to eat. Apparently he likes to eat ants... live ones. So Sutherland is now the ant hunter for his lizard. I could use a few less ants around here...LOL.

He is my bud. We are so glad to have him after a long time of waiting on the Lord to bless us with a child. We thought he'd be our only child when we didn't conceive again for more than 7 years after he was born. God had other plans though and about 6 weeks before he turned 8 years old, we had our second child. Praise the Lord! He's a great big brother to Francesca. This next photo was taken in late 2006.

This is Sutherland today...on his 10th birthday.

May the Lord bless and keep you on your life's journey.

I love you, Sutherland.

Thanks for making me a mama!!!

Poll #2 - Results and My Comments

For the results of poll #1 and my "commentary" after the original blog entry, see this post.


Edit to post:

Results for poll #2 taken June 1 - 15th, 2008:

45 people voted

In your opinion, why do people primarily eat a vegetarian diet? (pick one answer)

love animals - 13 votes (28%)
for better health - 23 votes (51%)
less expensive
save world resources - 3 votes (6%)
lose weight - 1 vote (2%)
popular to do so - 3 votes (6%)
doctor's orders
religious reasons - 2 votes (4%)

The most chosen, "for better health," seems to be the consensus of the voters on this poll. That's good because it is true. And it's why I chose it in the first place, almost 12 years ago. While everyone is trying to get their "five a day" to eat more fruits and vegetables, healthy vegetarians should have no trouble.

"Love animals" came in second, but I think a reason why young children or youth may request to eat less/no meat. Of course, if you are an adult, like me, you may be finding out that there are many things about the meat industry that they don't want you to know about. There are some unscrupulous people in the farming/butchering/meat industry business. As a meat eater (or otherwise), you should be informed of how your food is handled before it finds its way to your plate. Just like there are some very unethical practices in food crop agriculture, there are equally some in the meat industry. Be informed.

Three votes each for "saves world resources" and "popular to do so." Eating a vegetarian diet does save world resources. Eating a vegan diet, even more so. It does take much less water and other nutrients to grow food crops than to raise meat of any type. As to the popularity of a vegetarian diet, it all depends on where you live, your age, your family, your friends, etc... It really does depend on many things. In my experience, being a vegetarian has been easier than I thought and most people think its great. But they always say something to the tune of "but I couldn't eat that way." Or "I would miss meat," etc....and to think, I use to love meat. Really.

Two votes for "religious reasons." There are some religions that prohibit meat eating. As far as I'm aware, there are none in Christian based denominations.

One vote for "lose weight." I suppose some people may eat this way to lose weight. But the reason will probably not hold very long once weight has been lost for that individual. I see it as a side benefit to a healthy diet, but not the main factor in staying vegetarian. In fact, some people may even gain weight eating vegetarian at first, especially if they are ovo-lacto vegetarians (still eat eggs and dairy). Take it from me, eating lots of cheese and eggs after going meat free will not help you. And there are still many junk food items considered vegetarian or even vegan that should not be eaten in light of genuine health gains.

All that being said, there are many good reasons to eat a vegetarian diet. And going cold "turkey" to a strict vegan diet, I will never advise. Any big changes is diet are best done in steps and with someone who's been there. My purpose on this blog is to give my friendly say about my experience and to gain insight and exchange good ideas with others...whether they are vegetarians or not.

I have never tried to convince people to become vegetarian. It would be a welcome relief if no one tried to convince me to eat meat/animal products either. I have given support to those who wanted to change their diet for the better, because I can relate to that. I have also wanted support as well. May I be able to help someone out there who desires the same.