Heart Healthy Monday

Heart Healthy Web site - Beating Heart Disease Together

Heart Healthy Tip: Use only 5-8 teaspoons of fat a day. (that INCLUDES fat used in cooking and what is put in salads)

Artichoke-Tomato Pitas (from Healthy Heart One-Dish Meals)
(4 servings)
4 8" pita bread rounds
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
2 cups seeded and chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup fat-free ranch dressing
1 cup (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Place the pita bread on a large baking sheet.  Place one-fourth of each of the artichoke hearts, basil, tomato, and dressing down the center of each pita.  Broil 3 inches from heat for 2-3 minutes or until cheese melts.  Remove from oven and roll up.  Wrap the bottom of each pital roll in waxed paper or decorative tissue paper and serve.


Don't forget to check to check out healthymonday.org and start your own Healthy Monday blog feature!

Hidden and Imminent Dangers by D.W. Hardin

Amazon.com link for Hidden and Imminent Dangers  

Book Description: Nurse Mac MacIntosh spends his days immersed in the chaos of a Louisville, Kentucky emergency room, struggling to shout down the demons that have haunted him since his tour as a medic in war-torn Afghanistan. But when a patient with suspicious flu-like symptoms arrives from a nearby poultry farm, Mac finds himself caught up in a horrific humanitarian crisis. Infectious disease specialist Mercato Marcus is the first to suspect the outbreak of a mutant strain of avian flu, but administrative in-fighting delays the involvement of the CDC, triggering a disastrous and deadly chain of events that threatens to destroy the United States.


My Review: It is because of books like this one that I love being a book blogger. I read a lot of good books, but then sometimes I get an absolutely great book like this one. Hidden and Imminent Dangers by D.W. Hardin can hold its own against any of those “Famous” thriller authors on the market today.

Whether describing the emergency department or a compound in Afghanistan, the book’s details bring the locations to life without ever getting too technical. It is fascinating and exciting as the reader becomes an observer in the middle of the action. I especially like that the book includes the stories of not only the doctors, but also police, politicians, soldiers, and religious leaders. This is very well written and scary pandemic drama. I believe it is a very realistic account of just how prepared we would be in case of a pandemic.

There are several dramatic twists and some surprises that I did not expect. I highly recommend Hidden and Imminent Dangers, and I look forward to D.W. Hardin’s next book. This one should be a best seller.

About the Author:  D. W. Hardin is a registered nurse. He drew on his experience working in the emergency room of a class-one trauma and university teaching hospital to write Hidden and Imminent Dangers, his first novel. He is also a Lieutenant (Reserve) with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Book Website: D.W. Hardin

Wisdom for the Aging by Malcolm Boyd

To Purchase: Wisdom for the Aging

Episcopal priest and spiritual director, Malcolm Boyd is the author of more than 30 books. For ten years he was a columnist for AARP's magazine Modern Maturity answering questions sent in by readers. In Wisdom for the Aging – Practical Advice for Living the Best Years of Your Life Right Now, Pastor Boyd shares some of his answers to the most universal questions.


The questions are grouped by the topics of Relationships, Memories, Health, Changes and Wisdom. Each page contains one question or a comment followed by sage advice by the author. His advice reflects respect in the differences in others and reasons to reject the bitterness that can linger for years.

Although the questions are from the older readers of AARP magazine readers, there is nothing in the book that will not benefit a reader of any age. If you are not experiencing some of the trials now, you may have a family member that is. His responses are thoughtful, peaceful and encouraging.

At times I found his answers too brief. Some subjects just seemed to need a more in depth answer, but I suspect that was due to the space constraints of his column in the magazine. There was still enough here to give me insight to some of the questions that would relate to my own life. The book trailer below is the author talking about Wisdom for the Aging.

Heart Healthy Monday

OK, late again, but this time it isn't my fault!!!! Blogger was down all morning and I was gone all afternoon so here is Heart Healthy Monday:
Heart Healthy Website - Sister to Sister
Heart Healthy Tip - Read the nutritional labels on the foods you buy.  If you don't regularly read them you may be surprised, especially the "health" foods.  Sometimes they have enormous amounts of fat and sodium.

Heart Healthy Recipe In season now - Sugar Snap Peas - If you have never had sugar snap peas, these are not your grandma's peas!

Sugar Snap Peas
1 lb fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 tsp light tub margarine
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 tsp salt
Steam the peas for 5-6 minutes or until tender-crisp.  Transfer to a medium serving bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. 

Desserts 4 Today by Abigail Johnson Dodge

Link to preorder Desserts 4 Today by Abigail Johnson Dodge

It’s been a long time since I have found a dessert cookbook that captured my attention as Desserts 4 Today has. What could be better than delicious recipes for desserts with only 4 ingredients! Even with 4 ingredients these are elegant and mostly made-from-scratch desserts. Just an example of the recipes are:

Walnut Rugelach
Blueberry-Yogurt Panna Cotta
Whipped Caramel Toffee Ice Box Trifle
Raspberry – Peach Sugar Puffs
Ice Cream Puffs – The picture of this one looks wonderful.
Grown – Up Chocolate Bourbon Balls

At the end of each recipe there is additional information for substitutions and optional add-ins. There is also information at the end of the book on some of the ingredients, their handling and tips for use.

I confess that one of my favorite things about the book is that there are several recipes using Nutella™ a Hazelnut cream, which is one of my favorite sweets in the whole world. I love the simple ingredient list that creates beautiful and tasty desserts.

Abby Dodge, a former pastry chef and the author of seven cookbooks, is also a contributing editor to Fine Cooking magazine. Her website is Abby Dodge.

Remember

No heart healthy Monday today. Just a post in memory of those who gave their all for our freedom. 

Big Buy Cooking by the Editors of Fine Cooking magazine

Amazon.com link for Big Buy Cooking 
This cookbook is for the cook who buys in bulk. Cases, lbs, and those big cans! Stock your pantry with the listed ingredients and then cook the recipes in the book to use them up. The recipes feature ingredients from every group, with fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy, and every recipe category. The pictures in the book are beautiful, colorful and clear.

Some of the recipes I would like to try include:
Spicy Penne Tossed with Chicken, Broccoli & Chopped Olives
Warm Maple and Cinnamon Bread Pudding
Mint & Pine Nut Pesto with Gemelli & Asparagus
This book not only gives great recipes, it also teaches the cook to use ingredients wisely without waste. That is very important to those who buy food in bulk to save money and time.

Donatella Cooks - Simple Foods Made Glamorous by Donatella Arpaia

Link to Amazon.com for Donatella Cooks 
Donatella Arpaia states: “You don’t have to be an accomplished chef to put a fantastic meal on the table.” Donatella Cooks - Simple Foods Made Glamorous contains elegant Italian recipes for family meals or entertaining. The author introduces the reader to her own kitchen and her very organized pantry.


The book contains many tips and hints with links in the “Donaltella Clicks” sections for finding the tools and ingredients she uses. I confess that many of the ingredients sent me running to Google just to find out what they are, but her recipes do not have long lists of ingredients or lengthy instructions. With the correct ingredients the dishes should be simple to prepare. She recommends amazon.com and igourmet.com for ingredients not found locally.
Although there are not pictures of every dish, there are some photos of the prepared food and several of her family. This cookbook is not your ordinary cookbook, and I look forward to trying a few of her recipes.

Breathless by Dean Koontz

Breathless by Dean Koontz is the first library book I downloaded to my e-reader. The story is what I expected from Dean Koontz’s recent writings. His recent work is not as dark as his mid-years work, but that may appeal to those who think some of his books are too disturbing. I love Dean Koontz books, and I think he can do no wrong when he puts words to paper. As in most of his books, there are multiple stories that work together, good vs. evil, a dog, great characters, and a storyline that is a little weird.

My favorite quote was about the character Grady’s dog Merlin. “The yard was Merlin’s newspaper.”

The Last Christian by David Gregory

Random House link for The Last Christian

In the future, it’s possible to live forever—but at what cost?
The year is A.D. 2088, and Christianity has died in America. The Last Christian is an interesting look at a futuristic world where Christianity has almost died out. In the jungles of Papua New Guinea, Abigail Caldwell has lost her family and her entire village from a mysterious brain disease. She receives a unexpected 16 year-old recorded message from her grandfather asking her to go to America and spread the gospel. Is Abby ready for the danger and does she really understand the gospel message she has known her whole life?

In this future time where there are self-driving cars, common virtual reality, and brain transplants, Christianity is considered hate speech. Abby has a choice to make – flee the country or face arrest. The story is rather profound when you think of the way things are already going in America, and it will make you reflect on the message. I get a little nervous when an author wants to add to the gospel message, but I think the author just wanted to convey the message of grace and not works.

The story has action, adventure and a great message. I really was not expecting the twist at the end!
 
A copy of The Last Christian was provided for review.

God's Promises for Boys by Jack Countryman and Amy Parker

Amazon.com link for God's Promises for Boys
This is a nice topical book to read to small children about God’s promises in our lives. Each double page contains a short poem, cartoon style picture, and several Bible verses. Because most small children don’t understand many of the adult words in the Bible, verses in God’s Promises for Boys are from the International Children’s Bible. The ICB is a translation for children of the whole Bible, not a paraphrase.

Whether the child is happy, angry, lonely, or afraid, there are pages with God’s promises for feelings. The book tells children who Jesus is as Savior, Lord, Friend, Hope, Example, Protector, Peace and Joy. The book also teaches telling others the good news by sharing your faith and learning more about God.

The pictures are cute with children, dogs and activities depicting the theme for each entry. It is a small book at about 7” X 5”, just right for small hands, but has 128 pages. This is a book that will encourage children to learn to rely on God and seek to do what is right. I would recommend this book for parents, grandparents, church nurseries, or a gift for that special child.

Heart Healthy Monday

After a scary morning - I received a webpage stating my blog had been deleted - I'm back.  Here is Hearth Healthy Monday:

 Heart Healthy Web link - Teeth and Heart Disease (same subject different link)

TIP- Make the vegetables and grains the focus of your meal, and use meat as the side dish.

Heart Healthy Recipe:
Cheese Toast

8 slices turkey bacon cooked until almost done, drain, and cut in half
1 small onion chopped fine (I use dehydrated onion, rehydrated - easier and I actually like the taste of them)
3/4 C (3oz) finely shredded reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1 T prepared horseradish
1 T plain nonfat yogurt
8 slices french bread lightly toasted (3/4" thick)
2 small fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
fresh oregano (Opt)
Mix onion, cheese, horseradish, and yogurt.  Place toasted bread slices on a baking sheet; spread cheese mixture evenly and all the way to the edges of the bread.  Cut each tomato into 4 slices and place one tomato slice and two pieces of bacon on each slice of bread.  Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 2 - 2 1/2 minutes or until cheese melts and bacon is crispy. Watch carefully. Sprinkle with green onions and fresh oregano.

Live to Tell: A Detective D. D. Warren Novel by Lisa Gardner

Amazon.com link for Live to Tell   
Book Description: On a warm summer night in one of Boston’s working-class neighborhoods, an unthinkable crime has been committed: Four members of a family have been brutally murdered. The father—and possible suspect—now lies clinging to life in the ICU. Murder-suicide? Or something worse? Veteran police detective D. D. Warren is certain of only one thing: There’s more to this case than meets the eye.

Danielle Burton is a survivor, a dedicated nurse whose passion is to help children at a locked-down pediatric psych ward. But she remains haunted by a family tragedy that shattered her life nearly twenty-five years ago. The dark anniversary is approaching, and when D. D. Warren and her partner show up at the facility, Danielle immediately realizes: It has started again.

My Review: I was not familiar with Lisa Gardner’s Detective D.D. Warren books, but I enjoyed Live to Tell very much. It has an interesting and heartbreaking storyline of mentally ill children. I read in Lisa’s biography on Amazon that she is a self-described research junkie, and that level of research shows in this novel with the details involved with the psychiatric care of children.

Ms. Gardner’s characters are compelling. The story involves Victoria, the devoted and protective mother, D.D. the workaholic detective watching her live go by too quickly, and Danielle, a Psych nurse with her own horrifying past. The story has tense action and held my attention.

Back to the Homeplace by William Leverne Smith

Amazon.com link to purchase Back to the Homeplace

Book Description:  The year is 1987. The varied background and viewpoints of the adult children coming Back to the Homeplace ignite controversy and expose long kept secrets as each family member searches for his or her share of the family legacy. While the older family members stake their claims on land and fortunes, the younger ones search for love and acceptance. Subplots involve AIDS Awareness in 1987 issues and a support group for domestic violence incidents.
My Review: Back to the Homeplace is an engaging story of four families brought together because of the unusual stipulations of a will. The cover of the book is beautiful and sets the Midwestern tone.

The characters are nicely developed so that each is unique. You understand who they are and why they returned to the homestead. The families are realistic with normal family dynamics, and it is easy to care about what happens to them. The reader understands how each character’s personality – the temperamental one, the team players, the loner – influences their role on the property. Mr. Smith’s descriptions of the different areas of property are well done and it was easy to visualize the White Oak trees, trails, and buildings.

As soon as you are settled in and comfortable with the story, there are several twists. Secrets are revealed and lives are torn apart. This has quite an emotional impact on the story. I appreciated the way the Mr. Smith handled sensitive subjects tactfully.

Nature's Wrapture - Contemporary Knitted Shawls by Sheryl Thies

Amazon.com link for Nature's Wrapture

Nature’s Wrapture is the first shawl book I have seen that has patterns that are of the skill level that I need. I love the fact that there are patterns from the beginner level to intermediate so that even the most timid knitter has an opportunity to make something beautiful. The instructions for the patterns are written out so that you do not have to rely on charts.


The patterns are easy to follow. Each pattern has complete information for the skill level, finished measurements, materials, gauge, stitch patterns, general instructions and finishing.

Many of the patterns have unique styling with shaping, slits, or ties for the way they hang over the arms. These are not your grandmother’s shawls, but contemporary styled wearable wraps without being over the top. My favorites and are Sandy Beach and Fall Colors, both beginner/easy projects, and one of which will be my next OTN (on the needles).