Hello my friends,
It's been a while since my last post, but after receiving many calls and requests for catering for this Thanks Giving, I decided to post this recipe instead. Unfortunately I do not have the energy to cook for other families this year, in fact my daughters are cooking this year for our family. One of the most called for meals has been my shrimp with pink sauce and my "crack tamales". I will give you my recipe for the pasta, not the tamales. My daughters would kill me if I shared the tamale recipe with any one. I have simplified the Shrimp With Pink Sauce recipe for you.
Ingredients:
2 pounds medium size peeled and de veined shrimp
2 table spoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 stems fresh thyme
2 table spoons fresh basil chopped
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Contadina crushed Italian tomato with basil.
pasta water
Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
For sauce:
Take shrimp and coat with seasoning salt, pepper and cracked pepper flakes. On a large skillet melt the butter and add the thyme, onions and chopped garlic. Saute shrimp a few at a time in the butter and remove cooked shrimp to a plate. Do this until all the shrimp are cooked. Once all the shrimp are cooked, use the same pan to add the heavy whipping cream, chicken stock and add the crushed tomato. Allow this to cook down till thick and if needed add some of the pasta water. This will allow the sauce to thicken a bit more. Once the sauce is a bit thick add your shrimp and your pasta and saute for a couple of minutes. Finish your dish with the chopped basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy.
For pasta
1 package angel hair pasta
2 Chicken bullion cube- use instead of salt
Bring large pot of water to boil, add the chicken base cubes and pasta once the water is at a rolling boil. Do not add oil but stir past once or twice to keep it from sticking. Strain pasta and add directly to the sauce.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE SAD
Hello my friends,
It has been a few weeks since my last blog. Nothing too interesting has happened since my last blog, but I have continued to recover well. I am still trying to cook tasty meals for my family. Today is a special day, my daughter Liliana is turning 22 years old. I can't believe how fast time passes by. Last night we were talking about how things will happen in the order in which God wants them to occur and how they will not happen before or after. If I did not have my children when I did, because of my autoimmune disease, I probably would not have had any children. An even though I lost my kidneys and have had many health problems, God has blessed our family with love, unity and had given us a comfortable life. Had it not been for my kidney disease I would not have become a realtor and would probably still be working for some one else an d living in the valley. So rather than sitting here feeling sorry for my self, I choose to sit here and thank God for all his blessings and invite all of you who may bee feeling down or stressed to do the same. Life is too short to be sad. God bless all of you on this most joyful day.
So since today is going to be a long day and Brenda my youngest does not get home till after 7pm, we decided to celebrate a pre-birthday yesterday. I cooked for Liliana her favorite meal, Pozole.
Here is the recipe.
1 large can of Hominy (Make sure you strain out water from can and rinse off your hominy before adding to soup pot)
7 pounds of pork (neck bones and pork stew meat combo).
1 large white onion
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons Knorr chicken base (crumbled)
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. menudo mix
1 tsp. ground clove
1 fresh bay leaf
1 small can Las Palmas mild enchilada sauce
Place all the above in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling lower heat and cook for approximately 3-4 hours until meat and hominy are soft and tender. Serve warn with some Pozole toppings.
Toppings for Pozole:
Shredded cabbage
chopped onion
lemon
thin slices of radish
It has been a few weeks since my last blog. Nothing too interesting has happened since my last blog, but I have continued to recover well. I am still trying to cook tasty meals for my family. Today is a special day, my daughter Liliana is turning 22 years old. I can't believe how fast time passes by. Last night we were talking about how things will happen in the order in which God wants them to occur and how they will not happen before or after. If I did not have my children when I did, because of my autoimmune disease, I probably would not have had any children. An even though I lost my kidneys and have had many health problems, God has blessed our family with love, unity and had given us a comfortable life. Had it not been for my kidney disease I would not have become a realtor and would probably still be working for some one else an d living in the valley. So rather than sitting here feeling sorry for my self, I choose to sit here and thank God for all his blessings and invite all of you who may bee feeling down or stressed to do the same. Life is too short to be sad. God bless all of you on this most joyful day.
So since today is going to be a long day and Brenda my youngest does not get home till after 7pm, we decided to celebrate a pre-birthday yesterday. I cooked for Liliana her favorite meal, Pozole.
Here is the recipe.
1 large can of Hominy (Make sure you strain out water from can and rinse off your hominy before adding to soup pot)
7 pounds of pork (neck bones and pork stew meat combo).
1 large white onion
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons Knorr chicken base (crumbled)
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. menudo mix
1 tsp. ground clove
1 fresh bay leaf
1 small can Las Palmas mild enchilada sauce
Place all the above in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling lower heat and cook for approximately 3-4 hours until meat and hominy are soft and tender. Serve warn with some Pozole toppings.
Toppings for Pozole:
Shredded cabbage
chopped onion
lemon
thin slices of radish
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Hello again;
Since my last blog, I have continued to do my daily dialysis with fairly no problems. But about a week ago, we began to notice high venous and arterial pressures when doing the treatment. What this means is that there is some sort of restriction or blockage in the fistula. This can cause blood clots or just not being able to clear out the toxins from my blood properly. We contacted Dr. Shook my nephrologist and he suggested I call the vascular specialist. I called Dr. Rafidi and he scheduled a Fistula gram.
This is a procedure that is performed under local anesthetic and twilight anesthesia. What this means is they numb the incision site and usually give you some medication to make you lightly sleepy and relaxed. They insert a needle and inject a dye that allows the surgeon to view your veins under x-ray. Once they see how the dye runs, they can view if there is any scaring, stenosi(narrowing) or blockage. They can use a balloon to clear it out. My procedure only took about 20 minutes and another 20 for recovery. I did have some bruising, and swelling, but for the most part I am recovering nicely.
I took a break from cooking until yesterday when I made my apricot rum BBQ pork ribs. My husband insisted I share the recipe with you.
BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 small can tomato sauce
2 sprigs thyme
1 tbsp dried onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1tbsp hot wing sauce
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp Montreal steak seasoning
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
Rib preparation
Marinade Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbs. Montreal steak seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dehydrated onion
2 tsp. chili powder.
1 tsp salt
juice 1 line
1 tbsp mustard.
1 rack of baby back pork ribs cut in half.
Grilling aluminum foil.
Mix all ingredients and place in a marinating bag, Add rack of ribs and marinade for at least 1 hour.
Turn your BBQ on if you have a gas grill to medium heat. Place your ribs in aluminum foil and place on your BBQ on medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes and then flip over. Cook for another 10 minutes. After about 30 minutes unwrap your ribs and check to see if they are cooked. You can tell if they are if they start pulling back away from the bone. Baste with any left over liquid in the foil and place directly on the grill to get the outside toasty. This is when you can baste your ribs with the BBQ sauce on both sides. I usually baste two or three times till the sauce looks like it is caramelizing. Remove from grill, cut and serve with your favorite BBQ sides.
Since my last blog, I have continued to do my daily dialysis with fairly no problems. But about a week ago, we began to notice high venous and arterial pressures when doing the treatment. What this means is that there is some sort of restriction or blockage in the fistula. This can cause blood clots or just not being able to clear out the toxins from my blood properly. We contacted Dr. Shook my nephrologist and he suggested I call the vascular specialist. I called Dr. Rafidi and he scheduled a Fistula gram.
This is a procedure that is performed under local anesthetic and twilight anesthesia. What this means is they numb the incision site and usually give you some medication to make you lightly sleepy and relaxed. They insert a needle and inject a dye that allows the surgeon to view your veins under x-ray. Once they see how the dye runs, they can view if there is any scaring, stenosi(narrowing) or blockage. They can use a balloon to clear it out. My procedure only took about 20 minutes and another 20 for recovery. I did have some bruising, and swelling, but for the most part I am recovering nicely.
I took a break from cooking until yesterday when I made my apricot rum BBQ pork ribs. My husband insisted I share the recipe with you.
BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 small can tomato sauce
2 sprigs thyme
1 tbsp dried onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1tbsp hot wing sauce
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp Montreal steak seasoning
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
Rib preparation
Marinade Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbs. Montreal steak seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dehydrated onion
2 tsp. chili powder.
1 tsp salt
juice 1 line
1 tbsp mustard.
1 rack of baby back pork ribs cut in half.
Grilling aluminum foil.
Mix all ingredients and place in a marinating bag, Add rack of ribs and marinade for at least 1 hour.
Turn your BBQ on if you have a gas grill to medium heat. Place your ribs in aluminum foil and place on your BBQ on medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes and then flip over. Cook for another 10 minutes. After about 30 minutes unwrap your ribs and check to see if they are cooked. You can tell if they are if they start pulling back away from the bone. Baste with any left over liquid in the foil and place directly on the grill to get the outside toasty. This is when you can baste your ribs with the BBQ sauce on both sides. I usually baste two or three times till the sauce looks like it is caramelizing. Remove from grill, cut and serve with your favorite BBQ sides.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
oo
Hey Every One,
Last week I had a couple of problems with my dialysis, one day my pressure dropped during treatment and my oxygen saturation dropped to the point my skin started to turn blue. Thankfully my daughters were there to respond immediately. They tested my vitals, turned on the oxygen machine and had me lay down with my legs up. I was able to recover and continue the treatment. I was amazed at how fast they responded and were able to perform under pressure. This got me thinking about what they go through and what the family of the ill person goes through.
We never think about the stress level which our husbands, mothers, daughters go through when we are ill. And I think that medical professionals don't take the time to address this either. I hear there might be one or two support groups out there for caner survivors and their family members. But there really should be support groups for those who are helping a family member deal with any illness.
I for sure know that dialysis and renal disease can take a tole on the person who has it, but it also takes a tole on the family. A lot of times the whole family had to make adjustments to their diet, life and even work schedules. The stress level in the home can be elevated to a point where relationships can start falling apart.
How do we deal with it, well that all depends on the person. In our family we try not to sweat the little stuff, we only sweat the big stuff. And the trick is, there is no big stuff. We deal with the situation and try to move on. We try to laugh things off and enjoy every minute with each other knowing that time is precious and tomorrow is not a guaranty for any one. And most of all, we leave it up to God knowing that it does not matter how ill you are, if it is not your time to go, its not your time to go.
So having said that, if today you run into some one who is rude to you, or just plain mean, don't get mad, don't lash back, you don't know what trials they might be going through They might not be feeling well, or one of their loved ones might be ill, or they just might be having a bad day.
So for today I wanted to share my lean chorizo recipe.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 pounds lean pork. (I had my butcher ground pork loin for me)
2 table spoons dried California chile
2 table spoons dried Chile ancho
2 tsp. garlic salt
2 garlic clove grated
2 tsp menudo mix crushed
1 tsp. cracked pepper
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
In a bowl mix all the above ingredients until well incorporated. Allow to marinade at least 1 hour. It will be better if you leave it for the next day. When you decide to cook the chorizo you may need to use a non stick pan or add a table spoon or two of oil to the pan so it can fry properly and not stick. Cook till crispy and serve.
Serving ideas: Tacos with chopped cilantro and onion. Use your favorite salsa verde and crispy potato. You can do this by cubing the potatoes, tossing with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay the potatoes on one even layer on a sheet pan and bake on 350 till golden brown.
Last week I had a couple of problems with my dialysis, one day my pressure dropped during treatment and my oxygen saturation dropped to the point my skin started to turn blue. Thankfully my daughters were there to respond immediately. They tested my vitals, turned on the oxygen machine and had me lay down with my legs up. I was able to recover and continue the treatment. I was amazed at how fast they responded and were able to perform under pressure. This got me thinking about what they go through and what the family of the ill person goes through.
We never think about the stress level which our husbands, mothers, daughters go through when we are ill. And I think that medical professionals don't take the time to address this either. I hear there might be one or two support groups out there for caner survivors and their family members. But there really should be support groups for those who are helping a family member deal with any illness.
I for sure know that dialysis and renal disease can take a tole on the person who has it, but it also takes a tole on the family. A lot of times the whole family had to make adjustments to their diet, life and even work schedules. The stress level in the home can be elevated to a point where relationships can start falling apart.
How do we deal with it, well that all depends on the person. In our family we try not to sweat the little stuff, we only sweat the big stuff. And the trick is, there is no big stuff. We deal with the situation and try to move on. We try to laugh things off and enjoy every minute with each other knowing that time is precious and tomorrow is not a guaranty for any one. And most of all, we leave it up to God knowing that it does not matter how ill you are, if it is not your time to go, its not your time to go.
So having said that, if today you run into some one who is rude to you, or just plain mean, don't get mad, don't lash back, you don't know what trials they might be going through They might not be feeling well, or one of their loved ones might be ill, or they just might be having a bad day.
So for today I wanted to share my lean chorizo recipe.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 pounds lean pork. (I had my butcher ground pork loin for me)
2 table spoons dried California chile
2 table spoons dried Chile ancho
2 tsp. garlic salt
2 garlic clove grated
2 tsp menudo mix crushed
1 tsp. cracked pepper
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
In a bowl mix all the above ingredients until well incorporated. Allow to marinade at least 1 hour. It will be better if you leave it for the next day. When you decide to cook the chorizo you may need to use a non stick pan or add a table spoon or two of oil to the pan so it can fry properly and not stick. Cook till crispy and serve.
Serving ideas: Tacos with chopped cilantro and onion. Use your favorite salsa verde and crispy potato. You can do this by cubing the potatoes, tossing with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay the potatoes on one even layer on a sheet pan and bake on 350 till golden brown.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Hi every one,
It's been a few weeks since my last blog. I have to apologize for that, but since then I had a couple of health trials. I had one more hospitalization as a result of chest pain. It turns out I was not getting enough dialysis even though I dialyse on almost a daily basis. But since I am on Prednisone and had been taking Cytoxan, this actually changed my blood chemistry and increased my weight. I had to adjust my treatment time, the speed we ran the machine and also the amount of dialysate that we use. So having said that, I think we finally have the treatment under control.
These last few weeks have been a real learning experience. I have also learned that not every one who is in health care is in it to help patients. So if you find yourself on the side of the patient and the people who are suppose to be taking care of you and looking out for your health are not. Then just speak up. As a patient you are responsible for your own health care. Your doctor, nurse or technician can only do so much. If you feel you are not getting the appropriate treatment or if you feel more can be done, then it is your responsibility to your self to go out there and get it. If you feel you are not being treated with the respect or compassion you as a patient deserve, then fire those health care professionals.
Having said that, I am currently looking to transfer home hemodialysis treatment centers. Davita Simi Valley here we come.
Recipe for today will be our Chicken Burger Patties
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
6 button mushrooms
1 small onion cut in 4 pieces
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
2 tsp. fresh thyme
2 tsp. parsley
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a food processor place the mushrooms, onion, garlic cloves, oregano, thyme, parsley and chop into small pieces. They should be small but not pure. In a bowl add your chicken, bread crumbs, egg, seasoning salt, Montreal seasoning and your mixture from the food processor. Mix together and form a small patty. You might want to grill a small bite size patty to see if seasoning is right for your taste. If seasoning is right you can start making your patties. If you like a little more seasoning adjust and re-mix.
You might want to refrigerate your chicken mixture for a few minutes to make it easier to handle. Ground chicken can get a bit sticky when you work with it. Once you can form your patties you can cook on a non stick pan. Allow your patties to properly brown on each side and be sure to cook fully since it is poultry and you do not want to eat raw chicken.
* You can serve with your favorite burger toppings and burger buns. This also goes well with pitas and your favorite Greek pita toppings. We like tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese and yogurt sauce.
If you want the recipe for my yogurt sauce email me at alejandrvelasco@yahoo.com
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Hi every one,
Yesterday was my first day at the gym. Having all the health issues that I do, required extra planning ahead. Aside from packing my work out clothes and bathing suite for the swimming pool, I had to pack an extra bag with medical supplies. I had to pack my sugar tester, insulin pen, needles, alcohol swabs and snacks. I also took my portable oxygen tank just in case I need it. And lastly a frozen water bottle with extra juice for low blood sugars. And off we went to the gym.
I first tried the elliptical machine, that was tough. I was only able to do it for 5 minutes and then I had to stop because I felt that I was going to pass out. I took a small break and went and changed into my bathing suite. I was so tired at that point that it felt like I ran a marathon. But I pressed on. I went in the pool and was able to swim 4 laps. If you can call doggy paddling swimming. I rested and them was able to walk/swim the pool for 8 more laps. I might say this is quite impressive. If you think that just 2-1/2 weeks ago I was discharged from the hospital with oxygen for home use.
I am determined to get my lungs and heart healthy again. So I will be swimming 4 days per week. I find this is easier for my body and puts less stress on my non existing muscles. When we came home we grilled some delicious shrimp and vegetables. Great way to finish the day before my daily dialysis.
Here is the recipe for grilled shrimp.
2 pounds peeled medium size shrimp.
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil.
the leaves of 3 large sprigs of fresh thyme chipped
Mix all the above ingredients and grill until shrimp are pink and cooked.
You can also use these shrimp to make tacos. You can find the recipe for taco toppings on one of my previous blogs. Enjoy....
Yesterday was my first day at the gym. Having all the health issues that I do, required extra planning ahead. Aside from packing my work out clothes and bathing suite for the swimming pool, I had to pack an extra bag with medical supplies. I had to pack my sugar tester, insulin pen, needles, alcohol swabs and snacks. I also took my portable oxygen tank just in case I need it. And lastly a frozen water bottle with extra juice for low blood sugars. And off we went to the gym.
I first tried the elliptical machine, that was tough. I was only able to do it for 5 minutes and then I had to stop because I felt that I was going to pass out. I took a small break and went and changed into my bathing suite. I was so tired at that point that it felt like I ran a marathon. But I pressed on. I went in the pool and was able to swim 4 laps. If you can call doggy paddling swimming. I rested and them was able to walk/swim the pool for 8 more laps. I might say this is quite impressive. If you think that just 2-1/2 weeks ago I was discharged from the hospital with oxygen for home use.
I am determined to get my lungs and heart healthy again. So I will be swimming 4 days per week. I find this is easier for my body and puts less stress on my non existing muscles. When we came home we grilled some delicious shrimp and vegetables. Great way to finish the day before my daily dialysis.
Here is the recipe for grilled shrimp.
2 pounds peeled medium size shrimp.
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil.
the leaves of 3 large sprigs of fresh thyme chipped
Mix all the above ingredients and grill until shrimp are pink and cooked.
You can also use these shrimp to make tacos. You can find the recipe for taco toppings on one of my previous blogs. Enjoy....
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
I know we all have challenges that we have to overcome every day. For some people it is finding the funds to meet all their financial obligations. For others is finding the strength to get up and to to work and deal with that annoying co- worker or boss. And for other is just finding the will and desire to get up from bed. For me today it was getting up from bed without feeling like my stomach was eating it's self. But after a few minutes and giving myself a pep-talk, I was able to get up and do some chores.
After that I had to tackle the task of calling the hospital to make payment arrangements and negotiate my health care bills. When you are on dialysis and have other health issues, the bills tend to start stacking up. But you know what the funny thing is, I have double insurance. I have Health Net and Medicare but still find that I owe money at the end of the month.
I think people are having a hard time with the new Obama health care bill, but I feel that it is important for every one to have insurance. How we should go about that, well I think every one should be able to make that decision on their own. The problem is that people are either not responsible or can't afford it. Do we need medicare reform; Yes. Do we need people to start taking responsibility for their health; Yes. How do we do it, we just do. The alternative can be devastating for families.
So today I am giving you a refreshing salad recipe.
Grilled Chicken Salad
For marinade:
Juice of 2 lemons
1 table spoon olive oil
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. fresh oregano
2 chopped cloves garlic
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Mix all the ingredients above and pour over 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs. Marinade for about an our in the refrigerator. Grill the chicken and top your favorite salad mix. You can add extra nutrients by adding tomatoes, cucumbers or any of your favorite veggies. The best salads are made with what ever ingredients taste best to you.
Dressing:
Juice of 2 lemons
2 garlic cloves grated
2-3 table spoons olive oil
1 table spoon mayonnaise
1 table spoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and popper to taste
Mix all the ingredients in small food processor and dress your salad.
After that I had to tackle the task of calling the hospital to make payment arrangements and negotiate my health care bills. When you are on dialysis and have other health issues, the bills tend to start stacking up. But you know what the funny thing is, I have double insurance. I have Health Net and Medicare but still find that I owe money at the end of the month.
I think people are having a hard time with the new Obama health care bill, but I feel that it is important for every one to have insurance. How we should go about that, well I think every one should be able to make that decision on their own. The problem is that people are either not responsible or can't afford it. Do we need medicare reform; Yes. Do we need people to start taking responsibility for their health; Yes. How do we do it, we just do. The alternative can be devastating for families.
So today I am giving you a refreshing salad recipe.
Grilled Chicken Salad
For marinade:
Juice of 2 lemons
1 table spoon olive oil
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. fresh oregano
2 chopped cloves garlic
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Mix all the ingredients above and pour over 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs. Marinade for about an our in the refrigerator. Grill the chicken and top your favorite salad mix. You can add extra nutrients by adding tomatoes, cucumbers or any of your favorite veggies. The best salads are made with what ever ingredients taste best to you.
Dressing:
Juice of 2 lemons
2 garlic cloves grated
2-3 table spoons olive oil
1 table spoon mayonnaise
1 table spoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and popper to taste
Mix all the ingredients in small food processor and dress your salad.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Hi every one;
Today has been a good day. I was able to visit my mother for breakfast and once we came home Liliana and I did our pool therapy. The weather in Castaic has been super hot and the pool just keeps calling. Unfortunately we had to stop after 30 minutes because there is a lot to do in the house and later today I have an appointment with the pulmonologist. I hope he starts to take me off the chemo and the Prednisone. Those drugs are killing my stomach. Every night I wake up once or twice while my dinner re-visits me. Not so fun. But I guess I just have to deal with it, breathing is important and those medications are helping.
One thing the Prednisone is doing is making me very confrontational Lily and Brenda said on Saturday that I was creating conflicts where there were none. They said it was like they were sitting on the ledge and then I came and kicked them off. That they could not stay mad because they would turn around and look at me eating my pizza like little cookie monster. Except with pizza and that made them forget being mad. I have to remember to tone it down a bit. I don't want them to remember me as the mom that kicks them off the ledge and then eats her way thru pizza.
Today I decided to roast a leg of lamb. I hope it turns out good.
The recipe is as follows:
1 leg of lamb approximately 6 pounds
1/2 bunch of lemon thyme
1/2 bunch fresh oregano
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp seasoning salt
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. pepper
2 tablespoons soft unsalted butter.
Juice of 2 lemons
Blend all the above together in food processor to create a paste
Rub the lamb with the herb mixture and place in a roasting pan on a bed if vegetables. You can use what ever vegetable you enjoy. I used 24 oz of baby potatoes, baby cut carrots, 1 onion, 1 package of mushrooms and 2 celery stalks cut. Make sure you season the vegetables with a little olive oil and seasoning salt. Add 2 cups red win and roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and continue roasting for an additional hour. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes covered with aluminum. Serve with some couscous.
Today has been a good day. I was able to visit my mother for breakfast and once we came home Liliana and I did our pool therapy. The weather in Castaic has been super hot and the pool just keeps calling. Unfortunately we had to stop after 30 minutes because there is a lot to do in the house and later today I have an appointment with the pulmonologist. I hope he starts to take me off the chemo and the Prednisone. Those drugs are killing my stomach. Every night I wake up once or twice while my dinner re-visits me. Not so fun. But I guess I just have to deal with it, breathing is important and those medications are helping.
One thing the Prednisone is doing is making me very confrontational Lily and Brenda said on Saturday that I was creating conflicts where there were none. They said it was like they were sitting on the ledge and then I came and kicked them off. That they could not stay mad because they would turn around and look at me eating my pizza like little cookie monster. Except with pizza and that made them forget being mad. I have to remember to tone it down a bit. I don't want them to remember me as the mom that kicks them off the ledge and then eats her way thru pizza.
Today I decided to roast a leg of lamb. I hope it turns out good.
The recipe is as follows:
1 leg of lamb approximately 6 pounds
1/2 bunch of lemon thyme
1/2 bunch fresh oregano
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp seasoning salt
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. pepper
2 tablespoons soft unsalted butter.
Juice of 2 lemons
Blend all the above together in food processor to create a paste
Rub the lamb with the herb mixture and place in a roasting pan on a bed if vegetables. You can use what ever vegetable you enjoy. I used 24 oz of baby potatoes, baby cut carrots, 1 onion, 1 package of mushrooms and 2 celery stalks cut. Make sure you season the vegetables with a little olive oil and seasoning salt. Add 2 cups red win and roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and continue roasting for an additional hour. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes covered with aluminum. Serve with some couscous.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Living With Dialysis
Sorry about not posting on Friday, but generally my husband is off on Fridays and I take the day off to be able to enjoy it with him. I find that every moment you spend with a loved one when on dialysis is worth millions. Yesterday I was able to accompany him on a couple of plumbing jobs. It was accutally nice. When we came home we did treatment and I was able to go to their Tahitian dance practice. It was actually really nice to be able to see all the beautifull dancers in action. It made me want to get back into shape.
Today Saturday, I got up and was able to do 30 minutes of pool therapy that my daughter Liliana helped me with. I was quite satisfied to know I was able to keep active for 30 miutes without having a loss of breath. No oxygen needed yet.
I think today I will be making grilled fish tacos with fresh salsa for my family.
Pico de Gallo Salsa
2 ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 bunch cilantro
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
salt to taste
1-2 jalapenos to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Chop all the vegetables and mix in a bowl. Add salt, garlic, and the juice of the lime. Place in the refrigerator till need to top the tacos.
Marinade for fish:
Juice of 3 limes
1-2 tsp of seasoning salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh oregano
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Mix all the ingredients and add to 2 pounds of fish. Marinade for about 20 minutes and grill.
Chipotle mayo for fish:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 table spoons chipotle adobo, use your favorite kind.
1/2 lime juice
Mix together till smooth.
You can shred some cabbage or purchase a cole slaw mix without the mayo.
Now you are ready to assemble your tacos. Warm your tortillas, add some chipotle mayo, your fish, your cole slaw and top with pico de gallo. Enjoy.
Today Saturday, I got up and was able to do 30 minutes of pool therapy that my daughter Liliana helped me with. I was quite satisfied to know I was able to keep active for 30 miutes without having a loss of breath. No oxygen needed yet.
I think today I will be making grilled fish tacos with fresh salsa for my family.
Pico de Gallo Salsa
2 ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 bunch cilantro
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
salt to taste
1-2 jalapenos to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Chop all the vegetables and mix in a bowl. Add salt, garlic, and the juice of the lime. Place in the refrigerator till need to top the tacos.
Marinade for fish:
Juice of 3 limes
1-2 tsp of seasoning salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh oregano
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Mix all the ingredients and add to 2 pounds of fish. Marinade for about 20 minutes and grill.
Chipotle mayo for fish:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 table spoons chipotle adobo, use your favorite kind.
1/2 lime juice
Mix together till smooth.
You can shred some cabbage or purchase a cole slaw mix without the mayo.
Now you are ready to assemble your tacos. Warm your tortillas, add some chipotle mayo, your fish, your cole slaw and top with pico de gallo. Enjoy.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Living with Dialysis
Good morning to all my friends. Today is the first day of my blog. You can look at my blog every morning where I will share my thoughts every day. Here you can learn what it is like to live with dialysis. For those of us who did not know what dialysis is, it is the process of removing toxins and fluid from your body with a machine. Normally your kidneys take care of these functions, but when your kidneys do not function, then you require dialysis to do this. There are several ways to do this, I use the NxStage system, where it can be done at home. This is ether done by Peter my husband or Liliana my daughter. The were both trained to do this.
Because they do my treatment at home, this gives me the liberty of not having to go into a center 3 times per week which would take an average of 5 hours of my day to accomplish this. At home I dialyse 2-3 hours but it is done at my convince at night. I am able to schedule work for my husband and have a relatively normal life. If you can call normal fitting in doctor visits, medications, and using 2 literes of oxygen when I get tired or short of breath. The breathing problems are not a result of the dialysis, but a result of vasculitis. This is an inflammation of the small blood vessels that damaged my kidneys and is now attacking my lungs. That we will save for another day.
I will also be posting some of my amazing recipes, as you know I am a great cook. Not too toot my own horn. So here we go. If my anemia was not so high I had actually had the energy to cook for my amazing family. I would be making for them today my Amazing baked potato salad with Prosciutto.
If you have kidney disease check with your dietitian to see how much of this you can eat. Potatoes are high in potassium and this is a concern if you are on dialysis. Because I do my treatment evert day and my potassium levels are within nomal limits, I am able to have a 1/2 cup serving as a treat.
The recipe as follows:
24 Oz. Baby yellow and purple potatoes cut in half.
2 Tbs. Good Olive oil
2tsp. Seasoning Salt
2 tsp. Fresh ground pepper.
2tsp. fresh thyme leaves.
Mix all the above ingredients and bake for 18-25 minutes until potato are crisp and tender.
For dressing.
1/4 lb prosciutto crisped up in the oven
1 bunch of scallions chopped
2 table spoons good mayo
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pepper
2 garlic clove grated or super fine chopped
salt to taste
Mix all the ingredients together and add to warm potatoes so they may soak the dressing. Serve chilled or room temperature. If you don't have prosciutto you can substitute a good bacon.
Because they do my treatment at home, this gives me the liberty of not having to go into a center 3 times per week which would take an average of 5 hours of my day to accomplish this. At home I dialyse 2-3 hours but it is done at my convince at night. I am able to schedule work for my husband and have a relatively normal life. If you can call normal fitting in doctor visits, medications, and using 2 literes of oxygen when I get tired or short of breath. The breathing problems are not a result of the dialysis, but a result of vasculitis. This is an inflammation of the small blood vessels that damaged my kidneys and is now attacking my lungs. That we will save for another day.
I will also be posting some of my amazing recipes, as you know I am a great cook. Not too toot my own horn. So here we go. If my anemia was not so high I had actually had the energy to cook for my amazing family. I would be making for them today my Amazing baked potato salad with Prosciutto.
If you have kidney disease check with your dietitian to see how much of this you can eat. Potatoes are high in potassium and this is a concern if you are on dialysis. Because I do my treatment evert day and my potassium levels are within nomal limits, I am able to have a 1/2 cup serving as a treat.
The recipe as follows:
24 Oz. Baby yellow and purple potatoes cut in half.
2 Tbs. Good Olive oil
2tsp. Seasoning Salt
2 tsp. Fresh ground pepper.
2tsp. fresh thyme leaves.
Mix all the above ingredients and bake for 18-25 minutes until potato are crisp and tender.
For dressing.
1/4 lb prosciutto crisped up in the oven
1 bunch of scallions chopped
2 table spoons good mayo
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pepper
2 garlic clove grated or super fine chopped
salt to taste
Mix all the ingredients together and add to warm potatoes so they may soak the dressing. Serve chilled or room temperature. If you don't have prosciutto you can substitute a good bacon.
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