For the Writers out there

There are some of you out there that are writers. Or maybe you are thinking about writing. Here is what I can say to that: go ahead and write. I write - but not nearly as much as I would like. When I don't write, I can become a bear to live with. Those close to me can attest to that. But when I do write, my perspective changes.

Sometimes the words flow, and pages mount as my excitement grows. Other days, I struggle to complete a paragraph. And still some days, I don't write at all, and merely experience life. But one thing I know is sure: writing brings me happiness.

Those of you out there who want to write, go ahead and do it. It might make you happy.

Sometimes I wonder, and think about what others have told me - telling me, you need to write this, and you need to write that, but I can only write what comes to me at that particular moment in time, and I can only write what I want to write. So, in essence, I believe that I am writing for myself. And that's when my writing is probably at its best.

It should be the same for you. Don't hesitate. Start a blog. Start a novel. Write some short stories or poetry.

Join a writers group.

And write what you want to write. Write for yourself. And maybe, one day, someone will notice. And maybe, one day, you will get that book on the shelf.

Or, in these days, that e-book that someone can put on their Kindle.

Dreams of Dogs

My childhood dog, Inky, a black Labrador mix, died at the age of 9 due to a rare blood cancer. Throughout my adulthood, I always felt guilty, feeling that I could have raised my dog better and given her a better life. And then one night, when I was at my mother's house, I had a dream.

My dog, Inky, came into my dream, bouncing around, jumping full of joy. She was the young, vibrant puppy that I had known as a child. She was no longer lethargic, she was not looking at me with the sad eyes she did as I carried all 35 lbs of her into her last vet appointment - she was well, she was energetic and she was happy.

When I told my mother about the dream later that day, we both agreed that Inky was telling me something - she was telling me that she was okay, she was having fun, and that I did do a good job raising her.

And I felt better.

And then, a few months later, Tiny happened. A bouncy, boisterous puppy - who just so happened to be a Labrador mix - jumped into my life. At first, I was a little doubtful of my ability to raise so young a puppy, but my closest friend and I have shared her, and things have gone really well. She went from a small, 10 lb little thing who was no bigger than our cats, to a big, 50 lb dog who is gentle with the cats and loves her family.

But it wasn't until recently that I started thinking about my dream again. And during a recent trip to my mother's, with new puppy in tow, I reminded my mother about the dream as we stood over Inky's grave.

And she said something astounding to me. She said that the dog in the dream may not have been Inky at all. Later that same day, she asked me who named Tiny. I said that we didn't name her, she came named.

I stopped, looked down at Tiny, and she stared back at me with the same big, brown eyes and floppy ears that Inky did, as if to say, You see? Here I am. I got called back to watch over you.

"Yeah, it definitely is interesting," I said, walking Tiny around the house. "That her name is so similar."

And then it hit me. She was the puppy in the dream. She did come, as if to say...get ready! Here I come!

And her name, Tiny, a name that was given to her and stuck, even as she approaches and passes 50 lbs, has remained, a name so similar that it confirms...Tiny was chosen for us.

How to Use an Entire Eggplant (tasty recipe below!)

Okay, here's the thing.

I like eggplant. When seasoned right, sauteed with the right spices (try olive oil and Cajun spices) it can taste pretty darn good. You know, you slice some wheels from the eggplant, leave the skin on or peel the skin off, saute it, and cover the rest with aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator to make at another time. And then what happens?

Time goes by. And the eggplant spoils. Why is that? Because they are so big!

The eggplant is a beautiful, tasty vegetable. No reason to be scared of it! If you have ever wheeled your cart right past the eggplants in the grocery store, you need not anymore...especially when they are on sale.

A little on Eggplant Nutrition


Antioxidants. It's a word that everyone is throwing around these days - and everyone wants more of 'em, whether it's in fortified Green Tea, tomatoes, blueberries, red wine...or eggplants. This majestic purple vine-growing plant has important phytonutrients, which are necessary to sustain life and the immune system. So, season it up and chow down!


My stepfather shared a wonderful recipe with me one day - and I hope he doesn't mind my posting it on here, but it is such a wonderful, tasty recipe that I really thought I must share it. It proves to be a fantastic alternative to the regular vegetarian lasagna. And what's great, is it's PKU friendly, Diabetes friendly, Hypertension friendly...let's see...what else? Let's just say it's quite good, very nutritious, and surprisingly easy to prepare!

EGGPLANT LASAGNA

I really wish I had a photo. I will have to make some more this weekend so I can put a pic up here of what it will look like in the end. Get this...no noodles! That's right, this goes great on a low-carb diet.

1 whole, large eggplant
your favorite tomato / marinara sauce
your favorite cheese
PKU friendly cheeses are available at www.cambrookefoods.com

Wash and peel the eggplant (or leave the skin on...it's very nutritious...but only when fully cooked)
Cut the eggplant lengthwise into noodle like strips
Cut the strips in half crosswise
Lay four strips flat in a large baking dish (building the first layer). Brush the strips with some melted butter or olive oil, garlic, basil, and pepper.
Add some sauce to each strip, and then some cheese.
Repeat the process until you have used the entire eggplant and you will have four small "lasagnas".
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. A great alternative is to add shredded cheese on top, bread crumbs, etc. You can place the dish in the boiler for a few minutes to brown the cheese on the top.

PKU Cheese tips: PKU cheese has difficulty melting sometimes. Best bet for that cheese is to pop it in the microwave first (on a plate) and soften it. Scrape it on the eggplant and let the oven do the rest.

Bon Appetit!

Managing Hypertension

I have looked up so many things on managing hypertension. I have looked up foods, drinks, medicines - you name it. It seems that my Blood Pressure is usually 140/90. Not the best. But not the worst, either. Over the past few months, I have been trying to analyze my behavior, and how it changes in relation to my BP spikes.

I would notice that I would get uncontrollably irritable on occasion, and it seemed to be related to spiking blood pressure. My worst BP reading was 158/110, which isn't THAT bad overall - but that's only when I looked at the overall picture. If you break down the numbers, you have your "systolic/maximum" and your "diastolic/minimum" pressure. High Blood Pressure can damage your arteries. We will touch more on nutrition that can help strengthen your capillaries and blood vessels. Managing high blood pressure is a lot more than reducing sodium. It is adapting a diet that manages your circulatory system.

Check out these links for some more information on Hypertension:

Foods to help control High Blood Pressure

http://www.healthcentral.com/high-blood-pressure/c/35150/27625/eating

Foods that strengthen Capillaries and your Circulatory system:

http://www.nativeremedies.com/ailment/strengthen-capillary-walls.html


More coming!! Stay tuned!!

Eat, Live, Write...

Eat. Live. Write.

That is what this blog is about.

Some of you may have surfed on in here looking at foods and nutrition. Others may have been to my website, www.almengel.com and read some of my writing. And still some may just like Dogs. So this blog, right now, is a little immature. It's still finding its way. So I ask you to bear with me, to come along for the ride, and to see what this blog will really be about.

There really isn't much of a focus right now, but I can tell you that it will contain useful information about diets, metabolic disorders, and eating to live, and live healthily and well.

I am an adult living with a metabolic disorder known as "PKU". The long word is Phenylketonuria, but we'll just call it PKU. I have put together this blog with the intentions of sharing my knowledge, not only of PKU, but also about eating to live.

PKU is such a restrictive diet that the afflicted cannot eat any animal products. That encompasses quite a lot of foods, and because of that, I am always aware of what I am putting into my mouth. And now, that I am no longer a young 'un, I also look at other things like CALORIES, and SATURATED FAT...and SODIUM.

Sodium is the big one, next to the animal products. I have high blood pressure. It runs in the family. So expect quite a bit on foods that will help combat that, strengthen the circulatory system, etc.

I've done the research, and I have lived my life counting and measuring. And I would be happy to share my knowledge.

Until next time!