I’m usually a very happy guy. Don’t need drugs or alcohol. Waking up, feeling good, and a hot cup of Joe waiting for me does the trick. Drivers can pass me by, I’ll catch them at the next light. If Starbucks is out of Italian roast, not a problem, I’ll have theVerona. If I get the itch to have a pumpernickel bagel and the bagel shop is all out. Perfect, I’ll have a sesame seed bagel toasted with veggie cream cheese. I draw the line when it comes to picking out avocados at the local market. I don’t have the patience to wait for avocados that are hard as a rock to ripen. It’s even worse if they are too ripe and i give them a squeeze and feel my fingers breaking the skin. What really sets me off is when I find the perfect avocado and my mind instantly creates an image of the best guacamole a human being can make. I get home, rinse off the avocado’s skin, place it on my cutting board. I make my incision as careful as a heart surgeon. When I open it up, I don’t see any green, only gray, gray and darker gray. I count to ten. Not helping. I picture a peaceful lake, still no progress. A little angel whispers in my ear, “Chill out, Ray. Head over to the closest Mexican restaurant. They’re the pros. I’m not cooking tonight. I’ve got tacos and guac in my future.
Month: April 2025
Which Omega-3 Food is the Real MVP? (This Quiz Will Separate the Snackers from the Scholars)
No plant-based decoys here — just pure fish-on-fish nutritional warfare. Which one delivers the biggest omega-3 bang for your bite?
Today’s Quote: Here’s a Reason to Smile
“If you’re reading this… Congratulations, you’re alive. If that’s not something to smile about, then I don’t know what is.” ~ Chad Sugg
Joy ~ A Poem by Carl Sandburg
Joy
Carl Sandburg
Let a joy keep you.
Reach out your hands
And take it when it runs by,
As the Apache dancer
Clutches his woman.
I have seen them
Live long and laugh loud,
Sent on singing, singing,
Smashed to the heart
Under the ribs
With a terrible love.
Joy always,
Joy everywhere—
Let joy kill you!
Keep away from the little deaths.
Healthy Foods: The Uterus Files: 4 Foods That Nourish with Love (and Keep the Drama Down
Some organs steal the spotlight — the heart gets the romance, the brain gets the praise, and the stomach gets the snacks. But tucked quietly into the miracle of the human body is the uterus — resilient, mysterious, and deserving of nourishment. Whether you’re in your childbearing years or well past them, your uterus still plays a role in hormonal balance, energy, and whole-body well-being. Let’s show it a little gratitude — one forkful at a time.
🥦 1. Broccoli: The Little Green Bouncer
Why it helps:
Broccoli is like a personal detox assistant for your hormones. It contains indole-3-carbinol, which helps your liver process excess estrogen. Keeping those hormone levels balanced is key for avoiding issues like fibroids, mood swings, and inflammation. Plus, broccoli’s fiber gives your gut — and your spirit — a healthy boost.
🍓 2. Berries: Joy in Every Bite
Why it helps:
Berries aren’t just beautiful — they’re powerhouses of antioxidants, helping protect your uterus from cellular stress and inflammation. They’re gentle on blood sugar and bursting with life-giving nutrients. Add them to oatmeal or snack on them while watching the sunrise — your body (and soul) will feel the lift.
🌰 3. Flaxseeds: The Gentle Hormone Helpers
Why it helps:
Tiny but mighty, flaxseeds offer lignans that balance estrogen levels naturally. They support uterine health and may reduce symptoms like bloating or menstrual discomfort. Stir them into smoothies, sprinkle on your salad, or just admire how something so small can make such a big difference. Kind of like us on our best days.
🍠 4. Sweet Potatoes: Comfort Food with a Purpose
Why it helps:
Rich in beta-carotene (hello, vitamin A), sweet potatoes support healthy uterine lining and cell repair. They’re grounding, nourishing, and wonderfully comforting — much like hope itself. A baked sweet potato topped with cinnamon? That’s soul food with a mission.
Closing Reflection:
The body is a sacred space, and every part of it deserves kindness — including the uterus. Nourishing it with intentional, life-giving foods is one more way we say yes to healing, yes to balance, and yes to hope. Every small choice becomes a candle lit on the path of wellness.
Here’s to listening to your body — and feeding it love, one meal at a time.
Health Tips: 🥕 “Carrots & Avocado: A Love Story in Technicolor (Unlike Tomatoes & Cucumbers… That’s Just a Salad Gone Wrong)” 🥒
When one combo says “Let’s glow!” and the other says “Not today, vitamins.”
Some food combos are like a perfectly choreographed dance — smooth, balanced, and absolutely glowing. Others step all over each other’s toes, and your poor vitamins are the ones getting bruised. Let’s give a standing ovation to one nutrient-packed dream team… and gently usher another pairing off the stage.
✅ Power Couple: Carrots + Avocado
Carrots bring beta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A — great for your vision, skin, and immune system. But your body can’t absorb it well without a healthy fat nearby. Enter avocado: creamy, heart-healthy, and the key to unlocking those carrot superpowers.
Try it: Grate carrots over a salad with sliced avocado and a lemon-olive oil dressing. Or better yet — carrot sticks dipped in guacamole. ¡Olé!
🚫 Troubled Duo: Tomatoes + Cucumbers
It looks like a classic salad combo… until you realize cucumbers contain an enzyme called ascorbic acid oxidase that destroys Vitamin C in tomatoes. Not exactly the teamwork we’re going for when trying to absorb nutrients.
The fix: Enjoy them separately or wait a bit between eating them. Or, skip the cucumber and add bell peppers instead — they increase Vitamin C absorption.
Final Thought:
Pair wisely, and your body thrives. Pair poorly, and your vitamins vanish like socks in the dryer. Choose combos that glow together — not ones that ghost your nutrition.
Tex Mex Recipe: Healthy Sober Borracho Beans (Vegan + High Protein)
Who needs beer and bacon when your beans are loaded with smoky spice, bold flavor, and enough attitude to turn heads at any table—these sober borrachos came to party, responsibly.
Servings: 6 | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr (or 20 mins in Instant Pot)
🛒 Ingredients:
- 2 cups dried pinto beans (or 3 cans, drained & rinsed)
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano (Mexican oregano if possible)
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional for smoky kick)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (replaces the tang of beer)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lime
👨🍳 Instructions:
1.
If using dried beans
:
Soak overnight or do a quick soak. Rinse and set aside.
2.
Sauté the flavor base
:
In a large pot, heat oil. Sauté onion, jalapeño, and garlic until soft (about 4 mins).
3.
Build the flavor
:
Add chopped tomato, cumin, paprika, oregano, chipotle (if using), and vinegar. Stir and let simmer 2 mins.
4.
Cook the beans
:
Add beans and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1–1.5 hours until beans are tender. (Or use an Instant Pot: cook 20 minutes on high pressure, natural release.)
5.
Finish strong
:
Stir in lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Let it rest for 10 minutes so flavors can hug each other.
💪🏼
Why It’s Good for You:
- High fiber + protein: Beans bring the plant-powered muscle
- No saturated fat: Heart loves you
- Vinegar + lime: Add brightness and gut-loving tang
- No beer, no bloat: Just bold, smoky flavor the Tex-Mex way
A Ritual to Read to Each Other ~ A Poem by William Safford
A Ritual to Read to Each Other
William Safford
If you don’t know the kind of person I am
and I don’t know the kind of person you are
a pattern that others made may prevail in the world
and following the wrong god home we may miss our star.
For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,
a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break
sending with shouts the horrible errors of childhood
storming out to play through the broken dyke.
And as elephants parade holding each elephant’s tail,
but if one wanders the circus won’t find the park,
I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty
to know what occurs but not recognize the fact.
And so I appeal to a voice, to something shadowy,
a remote important region in all who talk:
though we could fool each other, we should consider—
lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark.
For it is important that awake people be awake,
or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep;
the signals we give—yes or no, or maybe—
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.
Healthy Tex Mex Recipe: Enchiladas Verdes, Reinvented: A Healthy Tex-Mex Classic with Bold Flavor and No Regret
Who says you need heavy cheese and mystery fillings to enjoy enchiladas? This Tex-Mex favorite goes green, clean, and full of kick—so satisfying, even your abuelita would ask for seconds.
🌿
Healthy Tex-Mex Enchiladas Verdes Recipe
🍽️ Servings: 4 | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins
🛒 Ingredients:
🫑 For the Filling:
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
🌿 For the Green Sauce:
- 1 cup salsa verde (jarred or homemade)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 small avocado (optional for creaminess)
- 1 jalapeño (optional, for heat)
🌽 For Assembly:
- 8 corn tortillas (lightly warmed or steamed)
- Optional toppings: avocado slices, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, dairy-free sour cream
👨🍳 Instructions:
- Make the filling: Sauté onions in oil until soft, about 3 mins. Add garlic, zucchini, corn, and spinach. Cook until tender. Stir in black beans, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Blend the green sauce: In a blender, combine salsa verde, cilantro, lime juice, avocado (if using), and jalapeño. Blend until smooth.
- Assemble the enchiladas: Spread a thin layer of green sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Spoon the filling into each tortilla, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the dish.
- Cover and bake: Pour remaining green sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15–20 minutes.
- Serve hot: Top with fresh avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with a side of brown rice or grilled nopales if you’re feeling fancy.
💪🏼 Why It’s Good for You:
- Fiber + Plant Protein: From black beans, veggies, and corn
- Anti-Inflammatory: Cilantro, lime, and avocado pack nutrients and healthy fats
- Lighter, Brighter: No heavy cheese, but still creamy and flavorful
New Podcast: Grief, Grace, and the Greatest Adventure Ahead
In this deeply moving episode of Journey from Grief to Healing, we hear from a grieving husband who discovers that life still has a plan for him—even after unimaginable loss. With humility and grace, he shares how staying emotionally “at the cemetery” would have meant a slow fade into emptiness. But life, in its mysterious and fierce kindness, shook him awake. Anchored in poetry by Rainer Maria Rilke and Adelaide Crapsey, and inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s wisdom, he shows us that grief is not the end of the story—it’s a passage. Through raw honesty and unexpected humor, he reminds us that love doesn’t vanish; it transforms. The hurt we carry honors those we’ve lost. Our courage to keep going, to live fully, is the greatest tribute we can offer. This episode is a heartfelt call to rejoin the flow of life, to find adventure again, and to trust that joy can still unfold—one brave step at a time.
