Fruit and Veggie Prints

Once upon a time, as all good stories begin, I found myself the proud owner of upholstery sample squares. They were a donation from one of the many generous and thoughtful people who come to me and ask, "Do you think you could use this?" They actually came into my life about 2 years ago and sat in a box while my mind tried to come up with an easy activity that would result in a lovely product. I guess that those are my two criteria for activities - easy and lovely.

While paging through my file of projects I came across the idea of making stamps out of potatoes. That was the starting point. To the potatoes we added apples, carrots to create circles, and celery to create a crescent shape.

We used our usual acrylic paint, figuring that the finished squares would not be laundered.

Supplies used included:

13x13 inch upholstery fabric samples
Blickrylic paint from Dick Blick
Small plates to hold the paint
Paint brushes
Potatoes, apples, carrots and celery
Bating, for the throw pillows - also donated

We cut the potatoes in half and cut ridges into the flat side so they would make interesting designs. We also cut some of the potatoes into simple square and triangular shapes. Apples, carrots and celery were simply cut to provide a flat surface to print with. We found that larger shapes, such as the apple, worked better if the surface was painted rather than dipped into the paint. Most of the cutting was done by volunteers.

After our creations were finished, one of the activity department staff took them home and sewed them into tote bags and throw pillow. The residents use the bags on their walkers and wheel chairs, proudly displaying their handy work.

The picture above shows a few of the items created by the residents. Aren't they just marvelous!

Simple Salad Dressing

Looking for tasteful ways to add more veggies to my diet I'm always toying around with new ideas for salads. Just came up with a salad dressing so simple and tasty that I now turn to it numerous times every week.

I start with a bowl of chopped veggies, such as tomato, cucumber, sweet red pepper, and maybe some leftover broccoli. I also like 5 or 6 thinly sliced olives in the mix. You could also add anything else that might catch your fancy. Perhaps serve the veggies on a bed of greens.

Dressing Recipe:

1/4 cup of olive oil
1T Bragg organic apple cider vinegar
1/2 t dry thyme

Whisk everything together and pour over the veggies.

The dressing is mild and doesn't overwhelm the fresh flavor of the veggies. It would also be tasty if you'd decide to add some beans or chicken. Try your own combination.

Enjoy!

Fried Rice

The other day I overheard some women talking about weight problems and the different ways they were trying to fix their bodies. Some of the revelations were down right scary. One young woman in the group talked about her discussion with a nutritionist. She concluded by saying, "You know, it's impossible to feed my family healthy food and stay within my budget."

Perhaps people just need a couple of quick, easy, and nutritionally sound recipes as an assist. I hope to provide some of these throughout the year. Here's one of my favorites. I especially like it because it can be tweaked to satisfy almost anyone's tastes.

Ingredients:

1 T oil
2 to 4 cups of cooked rice, depending on the size of your group, which can be cooked up the night before. The rice, not the group. Brown rice has a nice nutty flavor.
Chopped veggies - these can include onion, celery, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, yams and/or any other cooked veggie leftovers.
1 chicken breast, cooked and chopped. A leftover roast of any kind works equally as well.
1 or 2 eggs (optional)
soy sauce

In a large pot or pan heat the oil on medium heat. Add veggies and saute until the veggies are slightly tender. Make sure you're using lots of veggies to give the dish great color and flavors. Steamed broccoli is nice to toss in right before serving so it doesn't overcook.

Toss in the rice, meat, and a splash of soy sauce. Mix well, cover, and let it cook on low heat for about 5 minutes.

Mix in a lightly beaten egg or two if you wish, and continue cooking until the eggs are cooked through.

That's all there's to it. Enjoy!
Happy, healthy eating in the New Year.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS DISH

So many of the ingredients can be made up the night before so everything will be ready to go the next evening.
This is a great dish for using up leftovers.
Great meal with a salad on the side.