Cauliflower Soup

What better time than when Cauliflower is on sale to try Cauliflower soup? I have to admit, I did not think I would like it, but it is actually very good.

Here is a recipe we use. It is largely from Betty Crocker's New Choices Cookbook with some alterations:

1 head of cauliflower (cut into relatively small pieces)
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 table spoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons Smart Beat Margarine (NO TRANS FAT!!)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup oat bran
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Pepper to taste

• Heat the broth in large pan. Mix in cauliflower, onion, and lemon. Let boil until tender (about 15 minutes)
• Once tender, pulverize in foot processor
• Melt margarine, mix in flour,oat bran, milk, and spices.
• Put pulverized cauliflower mixture and margarine and flour mixture in crock pot for about one hour on high.

Enjoy!
I like to add no-salt ketchup to it as well, but most people probably would not ;) Also I like to serve it on toast.

For other Cauliflower soup recipes try:

• Freerecipe.org
• About.com --warning there will be pop-ups!
• or from Google:

Glycemic Index in the news

Did you see the news this week? There were several reports on the Glycemic Index diet. For example, from Newsday.com: <>

“By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer

November 23, 2004, 4:00 PM EST

CHICAGO -- A diet favoring "good" over "bad" carbohydrates is better for the heart and less likely to slow down metabolism than a conventional low-fat diet, a small, preliminary study suggests.

The "glycemic index" diet recommends carbohydrates that do not cause a sharp rise in blood sugar levels after meals, such as old-fashioned oatmeal rather than highly processed sugared breakfast cereal. It is not as anti-carb as Atkins-style regimens, nor as fat-restrictive as standard low-fat diets. “

The study should be considered preliminary and even the spokesperson for the American Heart Association calls the results of the study “underwhelming.” However, merely the fact that the index is being looked at is good news in my book!

<>
I have long been a big backer of nutrition and believe that nutrition and running/fitness go hand in hand. Here is what I wrote (with only minor modifications) earlier this year on my FinanceProfessor.com fitness and nutrition page.

“So much of nutrition is common sense that you probably know what you should be doing (eat your vegetables--they are cheaper than almost all other snacks!), but sometimes reading about it helps to keep you motivated, so here goes. Some of my favorite links:

Links on the Glycemic index

• Dave Holt's advice on sports and nutrition
• The University of Sydney has a good site on the Glycemic Index including a searchable index.
• Rick Mendosa's glycemic index site has more information and is really good. If you can not tell, I am a big believer in the index.

<>While I like much of the Zone Diet, personally it is too low on carbs for me, but I do think there is some sound science behind it and I do think when combined with low glycemic fruits and vegetables, we are on to something really good--it is effectively how I try to eat.. Here are some links on it:

Pro:

• <>Dr. Sears.com Not bad for a commercial site, a good Q&A and a pretty good "news" section
• <>EnterTheZoneDiet—A newer site, but it looks good!
• <>FormulaZone-- cool site that not only examines the Zone Diet, it also has discussions on the diet, and 1000s of Zone based recipes. It is a pay site, but there is some free stuff

<>If you have not seen the work by Harvard nutrition professor Walter Willet, you owe yourself a look at his pyramid. His basic idea is that vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts are good for you and that there are good fats and bad fats. Good stuff!

Con: What's wrong with the Zone Diet

<>

What do I do?
Going back to high school I have eaten low fat diets (Eat to Win for much of the time) and flirted with vegetarianism (largely for health reasons, but also for efficiency and animal rights reasons). In recent years I have essentially become a vegetarian (I had chicken at a friend's wedding), but still do eat fish.

I typically have tofu a few times a week (with spaghetti sauce and broccoli is my favorite!) and try (not always with great success to only have carbs that are relatively nutritious. My staples are oatmeal with nuts and fruit, Orange Juice, and PB and Jelly sandwiches (Smuckers' Reduced Fat Natural PB) all of which I have virtually every day.

<>
Of course this is not a recommendation and your mileage may vary (pun intended), but I strongly urge you all to remember that diet and nutrition can and do play a major role in how we feel. Do not give in to the low nutritional foods that are so prevalent today.
<>

<>

Fast Easy Tofu recipe

I had a couple of people ask me whether I was eating turkey this Thanksgiving. (For the record I am a vegetarian--or at least almost a vegetarian--I do eat a little fish (maybe every couple of weeks), and will have gravy etc.)

The answer was of course "No." Which led to a discussion of tofu. Surprisingly many people have not tried tofu which is too bad, as it is nutritious, versatile, good for you, and relatively in expensive (cheaper than meat).

If you would like more information on tofu, just ask! But for now, here are some tofu links:
Soyfoods.com
Tofu.com

And here is my own VERY easy recipe for a vegetable casserole made with Tofu:

1. One pound extra firm tofu cut into small cubes
2. About a half of a bag of frozen mixed vegetables
3. a few Strands of Broccoli (cut up)
4. A jar of Heinz Fat Free Chicken Gravy (Yeah I know, it has some meat, sorry)
5. Cover with stuffing
6. Cook

See, very easy!!!!

A few more signs (history of food)

A few more history signs from our Allegany store:

• Pancakes were often called "griddlecakes" in colonial times. They were quite popular and were served in many different ways. For instance, at Mount Vernon the Wahingtons had them with butter and maple syrup, and also with sugar and milk. Also sometimes they mixed chopped ham and/or cheese into batter.
  The Early American Cookbook by Dr. Kristie Lynn and Robert Pelton-p. 49

• When was the peanut butter sandwich invented? According to Yahoo, we do not know. “Bread and jelly have been around for millennia, but peanut butter wasn't invented until 1890. [It] was a hit at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis….During the 1920s and 1930s, commercial brands of peanut butter such as Peter Pan and Skippy were introduced….But there's no mention of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before the 1940s….both peanut butter and jelly were part of the U.S. military's rations during World War II. So maybe American GIs may have added jelly to the peanut butter to make it easier to eat and helped to spread the now famous sandwich. http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20020524.html

Yahoo! News - Study: Cigarettes Cost Society $40 a Pack

Yahoo! News - Study: Cigarettes Cost Society $40 a Pack

Those of you who know me, probably have heard my discussion of smoking. I truly can not understand it. People know it is bad for them, yet do it anyways. All I can figure it is just so addictive that once they start, they can not easily quit.

In my introductory Finance classes, it is common to calculate the difference in retirement savings if person A. smokes a pack a day whereas person B invests the $5.00 a day. (for the record, the difference in Future value terms can be over $1 million dollars and under differing assumptions (including Insurance rates too) the difference may be even higher of up to $2 million!

When I tell people the numbers, I am generally laughed at. Well maybe some of that lauging will stop.

We now have more evidence of these costs from a team of researchers from Duke and the University of South Florida. They find that the cost to society is $40 a PACK!!!. While the cost to the smoker is about $33 per pack! And even that large number does not include such incendentals as the increases cleaning costs.

"It will be necessary for persons aged 24 and younger to face the fact that the decision to smoke is a very costly one — one of the most costly decisions they make," the study's authors concluded"

"Despite the finding that smoking is a costly habit for individuals, society carries less of a burden than generally believed, the study's authors determined.


"The reason the number is low is that for private pensions, Social Security, and Medicare 'the biggest factors in calculating costs to society 'smoking actually saves money," Sloan said. "Smokers die at a younger age and don't draw on the funds they've paid into those systems."


So PLEASE PLEASE quit smoking!!!!!!

Yahoo! News - Study: an Apple a Day Really Does Keep Doctor Away

I guess old wives' tales might have some merit after all.

Yahoo! News - Study: an Apple a Day Really Does Keep Doctor Away: "An apple a day really does keep the doctor away, thanks to strong antioxidants that fight cell damage, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday."

The study (by Cornell researchers) found that the antioxidant Quercetin (which is found in apples) was more helpful in reducing damage than vitamin C.

"On the basis of serving size, fresh apples have some of the highest levels of quercetin when compared to other fruits and vegetables and may be among the best food choices for fighting Alzheimer's," C.Y. Lee, a professor and chairman of
the Department of Food Science & Technology at Cornell University, who led the study, said in a statement.

"People should eat more apples, especially fresh ones," he added. Lee said the skins of apples contain the highest levels of quercetin so juice is not necessarily the best source. In general, red apples tend to have more of the antioxidant than green or yellow ones, he said."

Eurekalert.orghttp://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-11/acs-ia111604.php and many other sites also report this.

More on Thanksgiving

After reading teh history of Thanksgiving, you may have wondered why Thanksgiving is now celebrated on the last Thursday in November? It is because in 1864 President Abraham Lincoln so proclaimed it:

I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.
http://www.civilwarhome.com/thanksgiving.htm

Thanksgiving Day Myths from the History Channel

So you think you know all about how the Pilgrims and Native Americans Celebrated Thanksgiving? Think again! Some of these facts may surprise you!

Myths of Thanksgiving Day from the History Channel.

For instance, Did you know?

1. Thanksgiving was a three day celebration?
2. Most likely was before November
3. The Pilgrims had planned on settling in NOVA (Northern VA), but not the NOVA we now know! Rather in what is present day NYC!!!

For many more go to the History Channel! (or stop down and read the signs in Allegany ;) )

More history

More history from the signs at our Allegany store:

Salt played an important role in the US Civil War. By 1863 the Union had captured or cut off the Confederate deposits around the Chesapeake and Louisiana, and destroyed salt works in Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia. For the Union, their main salt production came from Syracuse and Michigan.
The People's Chronology, James Trager, p. 494


Ironically, this summer I biked through Saltville VA as part of a 118 mile ride from Abingdon. Anyways, Saltville was a key salt producer for teh Confederacy. In fact, from the Saltvilleva.com website:

"By November of 1862, because of territorial loss and the naval blockade, the Saltville Valley was the only significant source of salt within the bounds of the Confederacy. Before the age of refrigeration, salt was one of the absolute necessities of life. Smoking and salting was the only method known to preserve meats of any kind, and thus "Saltville had a large responsibility of feeding the Gray armies in the field.""

Not surprisingly, the North made Saltville a target and the small, but important town was the site of two battles during the US Civil War. The first as in October of 1864 and was a Confederate victory. The second was a Union victory and occurred a week before Christmas in December of 1864.

An update on the Bear

The Story was on WIVB channel 4 last night. Here is a link to their coverage:
http://www.wivb.com/Global/story.asp?S=2538468&nav=0RapStm1

(Olean, NY, November 8, 2004) - - The call for a cleanup in the aisle took on a little extra urgency when a black bear ambled his way inside an Olean grocery store. News 4's Ellen Maxwell reports the beast left behind an ample reminder of his brief visit.
You might say it was "bear-ly" visible, because it happened so fast.
A surprise customer at the Park n' Shop on West State Street in Olean was caught on store surveillance tape.
As a customer goes to leave the store, a black bear runs through right in front of the ice machine.
Cashier Chris Rau said, "There was a horn beeping out in the parking lot. And we heard this big bang. We thought it was one of our regular customers hitting the building, so so we all headed up to the door to see what it was, and it was the bear barreling in one door, and it got stuck on the out door, trying to get out."
The whole scene unfolded very quickly.
The bear didn't stay for long, but it did manage to leave a memento behind.
Store Manager Dale Threadgill said, "Before he left, he decided to leave his mark; he urinated on our floor, and then he took off down [toward] 12th Street and 13th Street."
It appears someone in the parking lot tried to warn people in the store about the incoming guest by honking his or her car horn.
The bear seemed to be running away from everyone in the store.
Chris Rau said, "We think it got spooked by a car, and just headed this way, and just happened to hit the right door to come in."
A caution sign marks the spot where the bear passed through.
Rau said, "I've seen a lot of crazy things come in here, but that was probably the worst I've seen."
Once the bear left the store, it headed up the street, and climbed a tree.
After a few hours in the tree, the bear finally headed back to the woods.



and it was picked up by the AP
http://www.wstm.com/Global/story.asp?S=2534948

Store Signs: Learning and Shopping fun

If you shop in our Allegany store, you probably have grown familiar with our many small signs that give historical information about various products.

I was asked this weekend why I put them up. Well, for starters I think they are fun. And shopping should be fun. Sure they are trivial, but who cares. I love history and I am sure some (many?) of you do as well. And even if the signs just add a little bit to your shopping experience, I am happy.

But more than that, I think the signs help to build interest in history. Which may help some student, or lead someone to read more about it. And as new research shows, if you do not use your brain, you will lose some of its ability. So you can think of shopping at Park and Shop as good for your mental health :)

Ok, off my soap-box...But I will start putting some of the signs in the blog. That way if you shop at our other stores (where the managers are a bit less interested in history ;) ) you can still see what Allegany is doing!

So here you go, a few examples of signs we now have hinging in the store:

By the salt
Salt played an important role in the US Civil War. By 1863 the Union had captured or cut off the Confederate deposits around the Chesapeake and Louisiana, and destroyed salt works in Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia. For the Union, their main salt production came from Syracuse and Michigan.
The People's Chronology, James Trager, p. 494

By Pineapple:
Did you know? George Washington liked pineapple! He first had it when he took his sick brother to Barbados. It quickly become one of his favorite fruits.

more soon...

:) jimmy

The BEAR!!!

Well, honey is on sale, so maybe that is what brought him (her?) in!

From the Olean Times Herald
The'>http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13308108&BRD=386&PAG=461&dept_id=444919&rfi=6">The Times Herald, Olean, N.Y.

"OLEAN A black bear entered the Park N Shop using one of the automatic doors, urinated on the floor and left Friday at about 8:40 p.m.Police don't know which direction the bear came from, but the visit by the bear to the Park N Shop on West State Street surprised store clerks Chris Rau, Jennifer Doty and Dan Densmore."

The bear then did its business and left, police said. Police tracked the bear behind a home on the 100 block of 12th Street resting in a tree.