Photo by Kostiantyn Li on Unsplash
THINKING ABOUT:
A childhood read that made an enormous impact on me was Cheaper by the Dozen. It was published in 1948 and made into movies in 1950 (with Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy), 2003 (Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt), and 2022 (Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union). The latter two films have nothing to do with the original book or movie, except the family has twelve children.
The book tells the story of the real Gilbreth family growing up in 1920s Providence, Rhode Island. The dad Frank is a time-and-motion study efficiency expert. Frank studies EVERYTHING about the way they run their home, constantly seeking ways to streamline for efficiency. He films the children’s tonsillectomies, studies household chores, and builds all sorts of contraptions to test his theories. I suppose today he’d be a TikTok influencer #lifehacks. At age 10 this concept enthralled me, and instilled the lifelong habit to find better, quicker ways of doing things. I’ll share one of my kitchen hacks below.
WATCHING:
When I quickly set up my free trial of Paramount+ to give us access to the dang Super Bowl, I ended up paying for a full month. Rather than fight with them, I reduced the friction in my life and take advantage of the offerings. So Help Me Todd stars Marcia Gay Harden as a high-powered lawyer in Portland, Oregon (shot in Vancouver, BC). Her youngest son Todd is a disgraced private investigator temporarily working for her firm. The pace and patter are reminiscent of The Gilmore Girls, with lots of overlapping dialogue. Todd’s character—played by Skylar Astin—is exhausting, but the tone is light. It would be entertaining for families with older kids: a crime procedural show with very little gore and cases ranging from murder to embezzlement to conspiracy to fix a sweepstakes. If nothing else, Harden’s wardrobe is beyond fabulous, and it’s great to see a show with a 60+ woman as the star.
READING:
I just finished The Body Liberation Project: How Understanding Racism and Diet Culture Helps Cultivate Joy and Build Collective Freedom by Chrissy King. It’s a fascinating look at diet culture from a Black activist and body positivity coach. This year I’m working with a disorder eating recovery coach and reading a variety of books on the subject. I’m not quite ready for body positivity, but King introduced me to the concept of body neutrality so I’m shooting for that first.
KITCHEN HACK:
One way to reduce friction in habits is to make them as easy as possible to do. If you like having smoothies but find you never make them, I might know why. I realized it was because there are so many little ingredients, pouches, etc. to find in the fridge and pantry. The ghost of Frank Gilbreth reminded me this was a process that could benefit from streamlining.
Now I have a smoothie section on my refrigerator door with my powders and peanut butter and alt-milk all within easy reach. My smoothie section includes easy-to-open jars of psyllium husk fiber, hemp seeds (shelled, also called hemp hearts), pre-ground chia seeds, and unsalted natural peanut butter. The alt-milk is on the shelf below. I can grab the frozen fruit from the top drawer of the freezer and then hit one cabinet for the vanilla stevia and carob or cocoa powder. So much faster!
I’m sharing a popular recipe from my cookbook below, but if you want to try a protein-packed nutrient-dense smoothie that tastes like a Snickers bar, I use a cup of alt-milk (soy or nut), 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, 1/2 teaspoon ground chia seeds, 1 teaspoon psyllium husk fiber (aka plain Metamucil), a glob of unsalted natural peanut butter, about 10 chunks frozen banana, 4-5 drops vanilla stevia, and 1 tablespoon carob or cocoa powder. Blend well and enjoy! This is a favorite breakfast on hot days or when I have to run out the door for errands or appointments. Please note that I am not making any health claims about these recipes or the ingredients. I love the way they taste and how satisfying and easy they both are.
Photography by Laura Bashar of Family Spice
EATING:
Shamrock Smoothie
My readers requested a low-carb smoothie, so I tried many combinations until I found something that tasted fresh and minty while providing excellent nutrition.
¾ cup (185ml) organic whole milk, hemp milk, or unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter
Stevia = 2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon alcohol-free peppermint extract
4-5 ice cubes
2 large handfuls baby spinach
1. Add ingredients to the blender in the order listed. This will help ease the burden on your blender’s motor, keeping it happy for many years.
2. Blend until smooth and creamy. Smoothie will thicken as it sits.
Recipe from The Migraine Relief Plan Cookbook (Surrey Books, 2022)
Cook’s Note: Each brand of stevia will indicate the amount to use to equal the taste of 1 teaspoon of sugar. If you have issues with diverticulitis, pre-grind your hemp and chia seeds using a spice or coffee grinder. Adding psyllium husk powder to smoothies is a fantastic way to increase all-important fiber. Your colon will thank you.
Migraine peeps: This is for you!
Low-so peeps: And for you!
Plant-based peeps: And for you!
Chronic illness peeps: And you!
Where in your life do you feel friction? What might loosen it up?
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Yes! In real life he was set to go to Europe on a book tour and he dropped dead of a heart attack and she picked up his work and consulting business. Glad I am not the only person who remembers reading that.
I loved those Cheapter by the Dozen books (I think there was a sequel?) and if memory serves, Dad was the "expert," but wasn't it Mom who really made the whole endeavor work? (Shades of Little House on the Prairie books, where Ma just keeps everyone's shit together)