Oysters are served all over the state of Florida, and plenty of restaurant patrons enjoy downing a few oysters on the half shell with a few drinks - Gulf oysters are a part of who we are in Florida! 
You may or may not have ever read the fine print about oysters that SHOULD appear on all of the menus that list oysters. Did you know that steps are being taken to ensure more people can enjoy oysters without worrying about the health concerns? Many oyster processors are now putting oysters through a freezing or pasteurization process to reduce the risk of passing on Vibrio vulnificus illness to you. This is a big change from how oysters were served without any processing, which meant more people got sick from raw oysters.
BeOysterAware.com has more information on the risks of eating raw oysters, and how to minimize those risks, as well as advancements in the processing of oysters that are making oysters safer for all of us to consume. Of course, if you meet certain criteria, you should avoid raw oysters - for example, if you’re pregnant, or if you have a condition that weakens your immune system. If you did get the Vibrio vulnificus illness, your body may not be able to fight it off, and no oyster is worth a hospital visit. If you do have a condition like this, just make sure to eat your oysters full cooked, like in a delicious soup or stew!
When I got dressed for work yesterday, I pulled out the pearl necklace and earrings Jim gave to me a few years back, and was reminded of a Ralphie May joke I had heard on Sirius the day before. In the bit, Ralphie said that he had recently returned from a U.S.O. trip to the Middle East, and had so much sand in “places” on his body, he fully expected to be able to produce a pearl someday. It cracked me up to think of Ralphie producing pearls like the ones on my necklace!
In my neck of the woods, we don’t go after Gulf oysters for pearls, we go after them for the oyster inside! Oysters are on the menu at most restaurants in my area, especially the little hole in the wall seafood joints. What if oysters could produce something other than pearls? What if we could stick pennies into an oyster…and years later, dollar bills would pop out? Or one hundred dollar bills? It sure would make fundraising for my walk a lot easier!
Until the day we can figure out how to get something other than a delicious meat and a pearl out of oysters, be sure if you’re eating them, to be safe. Raw oysters are cool, provided you DON’T have liver disease, diabetes, or a weak immune system. BeOysterAware.com has much more information on the subject, and how to safely enjoy them!
Do you eat your veggies? I’m a classic example of a parent who says “Do as I say, not as I do”, when it comes to eating vegetables. I’ll typically make one or 2 veggies with each meal, but I’m extremely picky about the veggies that cross my own lips. I like corn, I tolerate peas, I like beets (I know - go figure!), and I like broccoli and cauliflower. Hmm, I think that’s about eat. My kids LOVE spinach and lap it up but I don’t touch the stuff. I know you’re supposed to eat some green food at every meal to get your daily dietary supplement, but I’ll admit, I don’t do that most nights.
For those of you who have the love / hate relationship with veggies that I have, you can now drink your veggies! I know what you’re thinking - is that anything like V-8? Blech, no! This is a supplement you just mix with water, and drink. Easy peasy! And right now, you can try before you buy with this My Daily Veggies Free Sample.
Sounds like a great way to get your veggies in when you’re on the go. For instance, I’m on a business trip right now, and for the past two days I’ve eaten burgers and fries and plenty of other fried food. You can probably hear my arteries clogging from where you’re sitting. My Daily Veggies would give me a little edge for times like this, with their recipe of 95% dried whole vegetables and 5% dried whole vegetable extracts. Fiber, minerals, and nutrients - no added salt, sugar, or preservatives!
I’m not in training mode, but I sure did my share of carbo loading today. I ate 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch (lots of protein) and had a huge helping of dumplings with my chicken for dinner. It reminded me of eating during the 3-Day - lots of pb&j and pasta! The dinner tonight was at Cracker Barrel, and my sister and I both got the same thing, a cheesy broccoli chicken. Talk about your easy recipes! It was just a boneless chicken breast, some soup (cream of something?), with a cracker crust on the chicken, broccoli on top, and then cheese. Delish!
By the time I had the chicken, carrots, the dumplings, a biscuit, and 2 glasses of tea, I was stuffed. I really SHOULD have done some training after that, perhaps laps in the parking lot of Cracker Barrel, to work off that big dinner.
We went out for ice cream tonight after dinner, and I noticed something new and different at the ice cream shop. They offered an ice cream called “Excel” that’s high in protein and carbs, and they offered the option to make a milkshake with it, and they could add a scoop of whey protein to the shake! If you’re into body building, you’ve probably already heard of this ice cream, but I hadn’t. I’d love to buy some for my skinny son! He chose this horrible aqua blue concoction called “Captain America”. Disgusting looking.
My husband starts his day each morning with a big steaming cup of Joe. I’m not sure when he started drinking coffee, but it was long before we met, and it’s a habit for him now. As for me, I start my day with a Coca-Cola, for the same reason Jim starts his day with coffee. We both need a little caffeine jump start in the morning! All of that caffeine isn’t good for you though, and if you drink several cups of coffee during the day at work, you’re just making yourself jittery. A guy named Shane Morand (pictured here!) has been marketing the 1st healthy coffee by word of mouth, but now he’s looking for people who love coffee and want to get others hooked on the healthiest coffee around. This stuff is non-acidic, doesn’t contain any chemicals, gives you an energy boost, is affordable, has half the caffeine, and is loaded with antioxidants! And, even with all of those benefits, there’s one more important benefit - it costs less per cup than a regular cup of joe! If you’re a coffee lover, you might just be interested in making money by selling healthy coffee to your friends and family! Now, I just need to find someone who already sells it, so that I can get Jim on some!
Did you know shrimp is healthy food? They’re low in calories, low in saturated fat, and high in taste! Shrimp are also high in protein and a good source of vitamin D and vitamin B12. I have my lovely little chef, Gracie, here to tell you about her favorite shrimp recipe:
You can find more shrimp and seafood recipes online at EatShrimp.com. (I may need to go get my doggie bag from dinner last night and pick the shrimp out…yum!)
I need to show a little self control. It’s girl scout cookie time, and between my husband and I, we bought 20 boxes. That’s not the self control issue though…because the cookies DO freeze well, and we’ll be eating them for a long time. The problem is with me. I can sit down and eat a whole sleeve of thin mints in a sitting. Eek! Yes, I have a great metabolism and won’t see any weight gain from that, but the sugar alone is enough to give me pause. And it’s hard to tell me kids they can only have 3 cookies when I’m eating 5 times that many!
Did you know that chocolate is good for you? Research has shown that chocolate contains a chemical called catechins, which could prevent cancer and heart disease. Dark chocolate contains the most of the chemical. Good thing I LOVE dark chocolate - it gives me an excuse to eat more! Of course, eating chocolate loaded with sugar and oil and corn syrup will discount the benefit of the good stuff in chocolate. That’s why Crackheads Candy has developed all natural white and dark chocolate covered espresso beans, with NO hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup. They want you to be able to give yourself a treat without worrying about your diet or your sugar intake. I love the name too - I do have a dark sense of humor, to go with my love of dark chocolate! You can buy some Crackheads candy / gear here! The candy is kosher certified and one package has just 190 calories.
Tonight is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. We had a lively dinner table discussion with the kids, and they each announced what they’d be giving up for Lent. My oldest is giving up ice cream, my middle child said candy, and the boy is still deciding. My 11 year old suggested that I give up soda. Perish the thought. Without a Coke to wake up each morning, I’d need a nap by lunchtime, after swallowing a few Advil to get rid of the headache brought on by the lack of caffeine.
