Jeanette Hada's Glyconutrients, Health, Happiness and Wellness Blog

For lunch today: Mom's Vegetarian Lasagna and White Peach Cobbler

2008-05-30T19:07:00Z

One of the biggest perks of living close to my mom is having access to her wonderful home cooking! During my first trimester, I experienced a loss in appetite and could barely eat anything that wouldn't make me nauseous. The only dishes I could truly indulge in were prepared by my mother. Garlic and onions would turn me green, which is strange since my mom used both of those ingredients to make her lasagna. My baby is probably made of 80% lasagna / 5% oatmeal cookies / 10% white peach cobbler / 5% pickles. Of course, I've made it a habit to take my vitamins, extra calcium (w/magnesium and D), folic acid, plus a consistent amount of omegas for her development. I falter a few times a week when it comes to eating low-glycemic, and really try to monitor my sugar intake. At nearly eight months, I've gained 18 pounds and will continue to watch the scale and what I eat to insure this little girl is getting proper nutrition and gaining weight in a healthy way. In other news...we finally closed escrow on our home last Friday. It was a challenging experience purchasing a bank owned fixer upper, but the lovely little gingerbread craftsman was well worth the wait and huge pile of paperwork! I've dealt with many REO (real estate owned) properties this past year and am always amazed at what they previously sold for and how much attention or lack of was spent on maintaining the home.

Autism and the Vaccine link?

2008-05-19T21:39:44Z

As a parent-to-be, I'm both concerned and torn over when and what to vaccinate. I understand that we need to protect our children from illnesses and disease, but don't feel comfortable taking everything a doctor says as truth (perhaps, it is as they know it, they've been known to be wrong before), it seems negligent to leave the safety and well-being of my baby without doing more research.

So far, since I plan to work from home and will not have our daughter in daycare, we will have her immunizations start at age 2. We'll request vaccines to be free of Thimerosal and order them ahead of time and have her shots spaced apart. This is thinking way ahead. Hopefully by the time she's due for her vaccinations, most of this mess will have been sorted through.

"If a dirty bomb exposed a large segment of US citizens simultaneously to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A, Pertussis, Tetanus, Diptheria, Haemophilous Influenza B, 3 strains of Polio viruses, 3 strains of Influenza viruses, Measles, Mumps and Rubella viruses, the Chickenpox Virus, and 7 strains of Streptococcus Bacteria, we would declare a national emergency. We would call it an " Extreme Act of BIO-TERRORISM" . The public outcry would be immense and our government would act accordingly. And yet, those are the very organisms that we inject through vaccines into our babies and our small children, with immature, undeveloped immune systems. Many are given all at the same time. But, instead of BIO-TERRORISM we call it protection. Reflect a Moment on that Irony." -Dr. Sherri Tenpenny

In recent news: Families will make case for vaccine link to autism
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080512/ap_on_re_us/autism_court_case

For breakfast: Organic white peach from Kashiwase Farms!

2008-05-09T18:58:11Z

After an excellent appointment with my midwife's assistant/doula in Menlo Park, my friend and I headed to downtown Los Altos to indulge in something light and sweet at Satura Bakery. If you've not yet been, I highly suggest taking a trip there on a Thursday afternoon. After eating one of the best choux creams in my life, we walked over to the farmers market. This is one of the rare markets that stays open later in the day. We sampled different types of flavorful cherries that were sweet and not the least bit sour, hearty Jersey Brand milk cheeses, super sweet sweet peas, and dark juicy red strawberries. I left with five small, but crisp and sweet, organic white peaches from Kashiwase Farms, organic Spring Hill Farms garlic curds (made from fresh mozzarella), and also one of their pesto jack blocks, melt-in-your-mouth roasted rosemary fingerling potatoes (we ate those there), and a small basket of unusually pointy, but remarkably sweet strawberries!! Oh, and I also purchased five of Satura's choux creams for Naoki -- three vanilla and two green tea flavored. Forgive all of these foodcentric posts. Occupying my mind most of the time is food, house hunting for friends/clients and ourselves, and this baby.

Summer, please hurry...I need white peaches.

2008-05-06T01:01:20Z

White nectarines are fine too. Well, maybe they're preferable since they don't have that fuzzy skin which I could do without.

Current fruit obsession - muscat grapes (available for a limited time at Nijiya Markets, Bristol Farms, and Whole Foods), oranges from Twin Girl Farms (available at our local farmers markets), and strawberries.

I'm sorry, nothing really new to report other than my food cravings. I won't look for and include photos as that would just cause me to go out unwrap my truck, which takes 20 minutes to get the buckles, lock, and cover taken off, and drive through the Cinco de Mayo traffic on my street to battle rush hour traffic to buy fruit.

Happy Friday everyone.

2008-04-26T05:11:43Z

Nothing new or special to write, but thought I'd share a few little laughs with all of you.
Laughing Quadruplets - Funny Daddy Entertains Babies

There really are Angels out there - Helping to Feed Families

2008-04-18T00:10:56Z

I came across this wonderful organization that supplies discounted groceries to families and seniors. They do not require meeting any particular criteria; however, they are still working on nationwide deliveries. According to the organization, the food provided is of restaurant and high grade quality.

The cost of groceries has risen significantly since last year due to the economy. Below is a short news clip on how you can reduce how much you spend at the stores (though I believe most people know these tips already...).

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing grocery relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States.

Blessings by the box

Angel Food's groceries are sold in a quantity that can fit into a medium-sized box at $30 per unit. Each month's menu is different than the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $50. Comparison shopping has been done across the country in various communities using a wide range of retail grocery stores and has resulted in the same food items costing from between $42 and $78.

Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. The food is all the same high quality one would purchase at a grocery store. There are no second-hand items, no damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe. Also offered are specialty boxes such as steaks, chicken and pork. Many participants in this bonus program appreciate the expanded choices. Additionally, there is no limit to the number of units or bonus foods an individual can purchase, and there are no applications to complete or qualifications to which participants must adhere. Angel Food Ministries, like most all other retail grocery stores, also participates in the U.S. Food Stamp program, using the Off-Line Food Stamp Voucher system.

It's both a Bargain and a Blessing!

Strawberries, sour cream, and brown sugar - Who knew?!

2008-04-15T01:26:11Z

Hello and welcome to my latest obsession...fresh strawberries, dunked in lowfat sour cream, then swiped in light brown sugar!

I had a colleague share this foodie tip with me recently and internally I scoffed at it. C'mon the combination sounded to bizarre to be good; however, curiosity got the best of me after my brother said he'd tried and liked this concoction. So, yesterday after a quick stop at Whole Foods to pick up super ripe organic strawberries (good enough to eat on their own) and tub of sour cream, I ripped open that bag of light brown sugar Naoki was waiting to use for one of his breads (that's his current obsession btw). Together those three simple ingredients were absolutely delish!! I had heard that it would have a cheesecake like flavor, which I am not a fan of, but was pleasantly surprised that it was even better!

If you have a chance to try this combo, I would highly recommend it (unless you're lactose intolerant, in which case contact me for the perfect enzyme supplements).

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per strawberry: 29 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 2 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 43 mg potassium.

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Product Rave: Poopourri

2008-03-08T08:31:33Z

This isn't usually the stuff I usually write/blog about, but this tiny bottle of citrus scented magic is truly something I wish I invented! I came across this product at the hospital giftshop before my exam. At first, I thought it was a joke and funny enough to purchase as a gag gift for a friend I was planning to meet later for lunch. If it did work, I wanted to buy one for myself as well. So I bought two of the smaller bottles and spent a little over $21 for both.

I'll spare everyone on the details, but this stuff works! 3 - 5 squirts/pumps into the bowl prior to handling business and no one is the wiser. Seriously, I was really impressed and I have a pretty darn good sense of smell. Using or sharing the bathroom with your colleagues, family, and/or roommates is challenging enough. Traditional air fresheners don't always do the job and sometimes have the worst scent (don't get me started on "garden fresh" sprays), not to mention that a lot of those chemicals that we end up inhaling aren't the best for our health.

Remember, this is not meant to be sprayed in the air. The company does make an air freshener call "Royal Flush", but I haven't tried it. They also have another bowl spray with a different scent (Mandarin, Orange, and Bergamot with hints of Peach and Berry) called "No.2...hilarious. Poo-pourri is made of a blend of essential oils and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.

I'm not affiliated with the company in any way, just a happy consumer.

Sometimes you don't get what you wish for...

2008-03-06T07:19:47Z

Sometimes you get something better...

Right now I want...

2008-02-15T10:02:09Z

to eat...

1. An egg salad sandwich on croissant with a dill pickle spear and avocado on the side
2. Tofu from the San Jose Tofu factory (delicious recipes here - http://www.theppk.com/)
3. My mother's spinach, cheese, and mushroom quiche - hot from the oven
4. Apple crisp with a blueberry crumble topping - also hot from the oven, ala mode!
5. Fruit salad made of cantelope, honeydew, watermelon, berries, and red flame grapes

Afterwards, I would like to...

1. Finish my crochet project before summertime
2. Curl up with a good book and hot chocolate (stirred with a cinnamon stick)
3. Surf the 'net for gifts for my friend's son's 100 day ceremony/celebration
4. ...darn, I really want that fruit salad...
5. Pay my bills, organize my tax receipts, and prepare items for donating

I'm either...

1. Dealing with severe insomnia or slept too much today
2. Getting old or well...getting older
3. Pregnant having horrible food cravings and have messed up my sleep schedule or ?
4. Delirious from lack of sleep or spending too much mind numbing time at the computer
5. Finding an excuse to write something on my blog or killing time.

Wouldn't it be lovely to have a 24 hour delivery service that caters to people's late night cravings? They'd have access to books, movies (though we can practically find everything online these days), healthy midnight snacks or other food items, clothing/shoes/accessories (just in case), etc.

It would cost a low monthly fee to use different levels of the service...and well, I just wish I could order an egg salad sandwich right now.

1001 Vinegar Tips

2008-01-29T05:04:00Z

One to two times a month our bathroom usually smells like pickles. Sounds gross, but it's how Naoki cleans our shower and removes the lime deposit that builds up. He soaks paper towels and lets them rest on the glass of the shower doors and fixtures. Sure it isn't as effective as most household cleansers and bleach, but it is definitely less toxic and friendlier to the environment.

I came across a pretty cool site that lists all the uses of vinegar. Never knew there were so many! Enjoy!! http://www.vinegartips.com/

A Special Time with Friends...

2008-01-26T03:25:12Z

Last week Naoki and I had one of the most delicious veggie friendly meals at a wonderful friend and her husband's home in gorgeous Palo Alto. Their cool condo had been beautifully redone with bamboo flooring and the balcony was extended into a sunroom that added square footage to their 1000 square foot property. What really brightened up the place was the sunflower yellow wall that held a morning glory painting of a well-known artist's, whose name escapes me at the moment.

For dinner we had yummy tempura zucchini with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce, and braised portabello mushrooms that were marinated to perfection. As our main course, we had tofu steaks that had pretty little heaps of mashed potato, crisp greens, and grilled sweet onions. Served on the side was a garden fresh mix of salad with juicy citrus and crisp pears. A deep purple, sticky sweet rice was also served. Everything was absolutely tasty and you could tell cooked with care.

We moved to the sitting area for a cup of light flavored chamomile tea from Korea and special treats prepared by my girlfriend. More crisp Asian pears and sweet oranges served with tiny whale toothpicks added just the right sweetness, and to make it even more perfect, she prepared a cake that wasn't too sweet and had bits of pistachios that added crunch and a complimenting flavor. See recipe below...

2 cups of sweetrice cake powder

2 cups of milk

1/2 cup of sugar

half can of red bean (azuki bean)

1 tsp Baking soda

1tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

just mix all ingredients and bake it at 350 F for 45 minutes.

----------------
I hadn't seen my friend in two years, so this get-together was a very special one. It was our first time meeting her absolutely charming, talented and interesting husband. It was a blessing to meet a couple that pair together so well. Both are musically inclined, share a passion for traveling and fine food, as well as seem to be very in love with each other (after being together for 10 years).

~ pictures to follow at http://jeanette.hada.us

Lesson learned: No running in 3.5" heels

2008-01-25T02:08:57Z

I had an informal loan consultation with a lovely couple last night. Thankfully I was sitting down most of the time as hours before I had taken quite a fall and ripped a nasty hole in my pants. Lesson learned...no running across the street during the rain while holding a heavy bag of Chinese food wearing 3.5" heels. Luckily I fell on my knees instead of my stomach or face. A very nice woman and elderly man picked me up while won ton soup ran out of my bag and off my pants. The funny elderly man picked a dime up that was also soaked in soup and asked if was mine. Still in shock I took it and thanked them both. Of course, it would be my luck that I fell at a busy intersection in front of the huge window of Wells Fargo Bank which is located on the corner near my office.

This morning I woke up sore with the blanket stuck to my bloodied knee. I think I'll invest in some flat shoes and knee pads...

I will smother my boo boo with Emprizone, an aloe based gel. Thankfully it doesn't burn and seems to heal my injuries rather quickly.

Please note: It looks like I have chicken skin in the photo below, but those are badly bruised hair follicles. yes, gross, but true.

Cloned Food Labeling Act

2008-01-19T18:20:22Z

Dear Friends,

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last month that
the Agency will likely approve the sale of cloned foods this
year. FDA's action flies in the face of widespread scientific
concern about the risks of food from clones, and ignores the
animal cruelty and troubling ethical concerns that the cloning
process brings. What's worse, FDA indicates that it will not
require labeling on cloned food, so we will have no way to avoid
these experimental foods!

In response to FDA's pending approval, US Senator Barbara
Mikulski (D-MD) has introduced Senate Bill S.414, the Cloned
Food Labeling Act, and U.S. House Representative Rosa DeLauro
(D-CT) introduced an identical bill, HR 992 a few weeks later.

Tell Congress to support the Cloned Food Labeling Act! Please
take a moment today to send an email to your Senators and
Representative in support of these important bills. It only
takes a minute and you can take action now through the Center
for Food Safety at
http://ga3.org/ campaign/ Cloning_Label? rk=p7suhdK11UVcW

Happy Belated New Years Everyone!

2008-01-07T00:01:44Z

2007 was an interesting year of new and interesting experiences. There was some sadness with the end of certain projects and relationships, but also lots of happiness with the strengthening of old friendships, and the meeting and making of new friends from many places. I am thankful to have my family and friends in good health, a growing career that allows me to work independently (most of the time), and most of all a peaceful life.

I wish all of you a very healthy, happy, and prosperous 2008!

On New Year's Day we celebrated 2008 by visiting our good friend who has prepared the traditional Japanese New Years dishes for us for the past couple years. It was a little challenging as Naoki is vegetarian and I basically eat fish (ok, sometimes I'll have chicken, but it's rare these days).

She made my favorite dessert made from fresh Fuji apples and agar. It makes for a lovely, gelatin-free, refreshing jello. Everything was lovely and neatly sorted in a lacquered box. My favorite is the soup she makes flavored with kelp and filled with savory bits of dark leafy greens, daikon, and mochi (which she first toasted in the oven). The black beans that she prepared were soft and chewy in texture and slightly sweet. The chestnut/sweet potato was hearty and a beautiful golden color. Her anago rolled omelet was absolutely delicious and small rounds of seasoned taro were just a few of the items there. What a wonderful and special treat to experience every year! Pictures to follow at http://jeanette.hada.us

Ok, obviously I'm a little obsessed with food and would love to share a few of my favorite foodie sites. Some of these most people already know, but here they are just in case...

http://www.yelp.com
- This is an excellent site, where people can critique (rant or rave) about their experiences with different places they've visited.

http://www.opensourcefood.com
- By far my favorite recipe site with pictures that will have those late night hunger pangs kick in.

http://www.annamariavolpi.com/foodmovies.html
- Another food lovers list of food-related movies