No spinach,no lettuce,what next!!!

[Buttons2]

Well, I'm getting paranoid about eating greens from the grocery store-

wish I had a greenhouse & could just create my own salad fixins'

And now I'm wondering about just how safe anything is, just read yesterday that our brilliant politicians are considering YET ANOTHER agency to oversee our food supply.....I don't trust the government to protect us,everything is about big business & making $$$$$

I've also felt for many years that we have so many diseases these days because of our food chain.

Does anyone recall how GOOD fruit & veggies used to taste? Maybe it's just me cause I'm certainly overweight-maybe I eat more trying in vain to find some actual flavor?:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

And while I'm complaining-why on earth do the test strips cost so much?? What a racket!How do they expect poor people to "control their diabetes?" No wonder it's such a huge health concern,the less money you have for food,the less likely you will eat organic,fresh produce! Potatoes are cheap,in fact all the stuff we shouldn't eat just happens to be cheaper,easier to prepare,and more yummy! Meat,cheese,nuts (protein),is expensive. It's a no-brainer.....

Let's start a recipe thread....you guys go first! I'm out of ideas when the greens aren't safe to even eat! I'm getting tired of brocolli & hope this year's brussel sprout crop around here will be decent! I live in farm country,the green beans this year had NO flavor! Planted some of my own also. What is it,the seeds themselves? I know they do all kinds of genetic stuff with our food & in OTHER countries it's NOT allowed!

My rant for the day:eek:

Buttons

[JanM]

My bedtime snack is celery with peanut butter.....Good fiber and protein to hold me up at night.

Sign posted at the grocery store CAUTION - EATING MAY BE HAZARDIOUS TO YOUR HEALTH :D

[Fayelle]

Yeah no kidding...Vege's don't taste as good in some cases for sure....It's all of the high production and shipping....Then refridgeration etc etc etc....

Thats why I love a good homegrown tomato....

There is a recipe from Africa that is actually really good....It does have peanut butter in it but with the other ingredients it is yummy....No one else in my family likes it....But I do....

Spinach Stew (Central African Republic)
Serves 6.

2 small onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp oil
2 tomatoes, peeled, and sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 lbs. fresh spinach, chopped, or 2 small packages frozen spinach
1 tsp. salt
2 chili peppers, or = tsp. cayenne pepper
4 Tbsp peanut butter

In a heavy skillet or stew pot, saute onions in moderately hot oil
until golden. Stir in tomatoes and green pepper. After a minute or
so, add spinach, salt and hot pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer
for 5 minutes. Thin peanut butter with several tablespoons of warm
water to make a smooth paste. Add to the pot. Continue cooking for
another 10 - 15 minutes, stirring frequently, and keeping a close
watch to prevent burning. Add small amounts of water as necessary
so that the stew doesn't stick to the pot bottom. Serve with rice
or a stiff porridge.


I would think that cooking it well like we did would kill any bacteria.....

Plus you still get your spinach because you cooked it :) .....I can relate though I love raw spinach and was sad to see the big hooplah.....

However being in the south east I didn't worry too much about it....

On the recipe though, the curry sets off the peanut butter and the peanut butter the curry....It is a unique dish to say the least....

Fay

[empathy]

They're bad for your health, if they're putting you off healthy veggies.

For 'hard' veggies like potatoes & carrots, scrub under running water, cut off any nasty bits, and cook until just tender (sigh, though some people will cook them until they're 'mush'). Not much you can do about scrubbing broccoli, but most people cook the heck out of it anyway, so it's unlikely bacteria would ever survive, even with a gourmet treatment of barely steaming it to 'el dente' chewability.

Now, for lettuces and spinach like veggies: you can't scrub them. You could cook them, but they're healthier uncooked.

What I do (after suffering two or three times a year from 'stomach flu' when I started eating a large daily salad), is give them a 'pre-soak' in very mild bleach solution after initial prepartion / separation of the leaves (roughly, one tablespoon per gallon).

Drain, spin dry in a salad spinner, then soak in cold water, drain and spin dry. Now, they're about as safe as can be, and ready for final preparations (I just dip clusters of the leaves in salad dressing, Kraft's reduced fat versions).

empathy

[Coral Keeper]

I guess it's a good thing I didn't care for spinach. I do love my lettuce for salads though..

Just so everyone knows, I'm the former member know as sue-t. Couldn't get logged on back with the old name so I picked one thats close to my heart. My saltwater reef aquarium. Hope everyone is doing good..

[Buttons2]

I don't know about anyone else but I'm having a hard time keeping track of the old versus new names,so is it alright if I just call you Sue??

Take care,Buttons

[Coral Keeper]

Hi Buttons, yes, you can call me Sue. I'd much rather go by that but this board seems to not want me to.

How ya been, otherwise??

[empathy]

I don't know about anyone else but I'm having a hard time keeping track of the old versus new names,so is it alright if I just call you Sue??

Take care,Buttons

well, we do have signatures, and could sign off on each post, with such explanations

empathy

[Buttons2]

Sue, I'm doing OK,how about you? My last blood tests were "improved",forgot to ask the doctor for a copy...

I'm getting daily walks with my "rescue dog". Still gaining weight however! Have added another 10# in this past year!

My eyesight is worse & I've just given up on doctor's. Last eye exam last month I was told everything was from aging!!:eek: I had insisted on a REAL eye doc & the one the ins. said I could go to had a yellow page ad stating 30yrs. experience.....OK, I thought I might have lucked out,not so! The guy must have been his grandson!:rolleyes: And after I got home I realized he didn't even do the "puff" test for gluacoma! Plus I was charged $40 for refraction (whatever that is),I've cancelled my worthless ins. & given up-if I go blind it's my fate I suppose. He did admit he could see the black dots....aging spots I suppose!

Take care,Buttons

[JanM]

Plus I was charged $40 for refraction (whatever that is),

Refraction is like being tested for eye glasses. I get charged just $10,or was it #15............ya, like how would you know, right? :D

[Coral Keeper]

I tried to make a sig. but it didn't come through. I was going to do just that and say who I was but it wouldn't let me do that either.

Buttons, hang in there..

How funny when Iposted this the sig worked... so never mind..

[Buttons2]

I went to this eye doc because he was the one my lousy ins. approved & the referral was OK throught my PCP. It cost me $15 co-pay,when leaving they said I owed another $40 not covered by ins. I was not a happy camper cause I had listed MANY eye issues. I don't need a new
RX since the new one didn't address the double vision! what good would it do me to spend $$$ on new glasses????:rolleyes:

It was a total waste of time & money. I'd sure like to be able to drive again & that's no feasible when I see double,see things not there,etc. Oh well, I'll just add eye docs to my growing list of medical pro's to stay away from! I seriously doubt he bothered to read my paperwork....to busy trying to impress the intern he had in the room!

Aging.....that's their excuse for everything it seems!:eek:

Thanks for the answer,Buttons

P.S. Could have just gone to Wal-Mart eh??

[Fayelle]

Sounds familiar Buttons....

Sorry to hear it though....

I paid so much to a neuro who made me feel like dirt and stupid....he then went on to tell me everything was mental illness related....Interestingly when my doc started treating my thyroid and diabetes problems the symptoms started to dissipate.....At least the new neuro I saw had the respect to tell me he didn't know.....He seems much more interested in trying to figure it out then to tell me I am nuts.....Luckily though I am feeling better with the treatment my doc has been taking care of so I have not needed the neuro.....

I can relate though.....Frustrating isn't it.....

Fay

[JanM]

Buttons2 When I get an exam the nurse will tell me about the refraction charge and tell me it's up to me if I want to be tested. About the double vision, it MAY be corrected somewhat by having prisms built into your glasses' lens. This is something you could ask about or try to research it on the internet. I have never looked for it , but you may find some info about it. I hope this helps.

[Stetson]

I've been a diabetic for 8 years just been hit with leg neuropathy been
trying to find right combination of drugs to knock the pain down so
I can live with it as the Doctor says the this never goes away.He gave
me lycria and increased my pain meds.This hurts worse than my neck!
Plus I can't get around and you don't sleep at night. Anybody else with
this problem please share what worked for you.The doctor took alot
of blood looking at b12 which I take daily,ac1 which have been good,
checking thyroid gland,checking for blood clot.I am seeing a specialist
in 3 weeks after waiting 6 months.