Beware of sharks when you shop for Kale!

Just kidding, but come along with me to the market as I pick out something I used to be really scared of buying....kale! I even had to sing the theme song from Jaws as I threw a bunch into the cart and swam it...I mean drove it home. Kale is one of those vegetables that looks pretty and scary at the same time when you don't know what to do with it. But it's a super food! Packed with vitamins and nutrients that can't be found in that chocolate bar you have up in the cupboard or under the bed (the House Fairy visits adults too!) So together we’ll conquer the kale by making a classic Caesar salad with a twist and you won't believe how much you'll love it! Kale Caesar!

Men love hors d’oeuvres!

That’s because hors d'oeuvres send a chemical message to the male brain that tells the animal there’s food ready to eat, NOW. My husband Terry told me that when he smells the aroma of food cooking, his nose is unable to decipher when that food will be ready to eat. A plate of hors d’oeuvres, on the other hand, goes straight into the blood stream, assuring the organism that everything is going to be alright. Now you might ask, “Why do you think men like hors d’oeuvres more than women do?” Well, women like hors d’oeuvres too, but they don’t need them like men do. When I fix dinner I’m hors d’oeuvring through the entire cooking process. Many times I’ve hors d’oeuvred myself into a bloated stupor before I’ve sat down to the dinner table.

Have you noticed men are weird when they’re hungry (especially tall ones)? I learned that early in my marriage to Terry. When it was dinner time he used to always be ravenous and, quite frankly, I didn’t like him when he was that way. He was six feet, three inches of uncontrollable hunger and he’d drive me nuts!

He didn’t act mean or cranky like some men do; he just acted like he’d skipped his meds. He’d sort of be a combination of Kramer (in the sitcom Seinfeld) and Barney Fife (in The Andy Griffith Show) on speed. He’d dart around the kitchen trying to get closer to the pending meal. He’d find difficulty concentrating and our kitchen just wasn’t big enough for both of us, when he’d be famished.

A famished man definitely acts differently than a famished woman. It doesn’t surprise me at all that Swanson didn’t think to name their large portioned TV dinner, Hungry Woman Dinner, even though an average lady can put one away with no problem. No one addresses the idea of a hungry woman because, quite frankly, we never are. That’s because we snack. From the time we are youngsters; we spend more time in the kitchen and therefore have more access to food than men do. If we work outside of our homes we carry with us a snacking pattern gleaned from generations of female snackers. I would bet that more business women have snacks in their drawers at work than men do. And men don’t have purses (a natural snack sack) to tuck treats. 

Back in my SLOB days I answered "yes" to each of those questions, but I changed! In fact, I’m Flylady’s mentor and if you’ve followed her you know our connection, for she openly shares the fact that it was my sister’s and my books that changed her life. 

The zones in her flight plan were created by my sister and me and they were what ultimately gave us clarity and focus. Flylady and I have worked together and helped each other over the years with our main goal to help you get organized just enough to please you.

We’ve often talked about the primary purpose of our work, which is to help you love the miracle you are and secondarily show you the basics to be organized.

Which brings me to the question I posed in the title of my blog; would you rather be organized or be happy?

So here is my challenge. My deviled eggs against yours. Anytime. Anyplace.

You might say, "Hey, boil the eggs, moosh them up with mayo, and you're done."

Not mine. I have secret ingredients that make them the most delicious for miles around.

Whadaya say? Are you up for my challenge?

Just one condition. My husband is the judge!!!

You are alright just the way you are right now.

I am a reformed slob. I made the decision to be organized more than 40 years ago. I was 35. I learned a lot through that transformation. The most important of which was to understand that before I did anything to organize my chaotic life, I was alright just the way I was. That backed-up laundry didn’t make me a bad person. That unmade bed and a sink full of dirty dishes didn’t mean I didn’t love my family or my home. Having to re-inoculate the children because I couldn’t find their medical records when we moved to a new town didn’t mean I was a bad mother.

My reason to change my ways came from a deep desire to have more fun; to be able to play guilt-free. To feel the freedom of taking care of the routine and mundane tasks that make a household run smoothly, so my family and I could really enjoy this delicious thing called life. 

I think being organized or disorganized is ultimately a choice, but I also think we each have a natural inclination to be one or the other. My mom was born organized. My dad was the donor of my disorganized gene.

I had three children and two received my penchant for mess and one was washing the floor at 18 months old. Once I asked her if she wanted a doll house for Christmas and she replied, “Oh Mom, it would just be one more thing to keep clean.” You know where you fall on the scale of order: one is a Martha Stewart without a staff and ten is the person who can’t dust or vacuum because she doesn’t have clear surfaces.

 A little organization goes a long way.

3 Keys to Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions

Okay, it’s January 21 and I’ll bet you’ve fallen off the wagon when it comes to the New Year’s resolutions you made for 2015. Don’t feel guilty! Most of us haven’t been true to the personal vows we made as we woo hooed our way to an exciting new year.  

The most in-depth study I could find on the science of New Year’s resolutions was conducted by researchers at the University of Scranton. It showed a sharp drop off in how long New Year’s resolutions last. Seventy-seven percent of the woo hooers studied, made it through a full week, then 55 percent of those stuck with their goals for a month. Six months later, only 40 percent of those who had made a New Year's resolution were still losing weight or not smoking or being nicer to their kids. I question this research! I don’t know what percentage of those in the study were SHEs (Sidetracked Home Executives) but I’ll bet my nose and both my eyes that they were all BOPs (Born Organized People). If they’d surveyed SHEs, who are genetically disorganized, 75% would have quit in a week instead of hanging on, and by June, 99% would have bit the dust!

Think about it. A genetically disorganized person would NEVER sign up to be in a study like this in the first place. If you’re a SHE you know you love the drama of a grand vow just because it’s more exciting to think big and choose a huge make-over than to say something like, “In 2015 I’m going to keep the laundry off the couch,” or “I’m going to lose five pounds,” or “I’m not going to leave leftovers from restaurants in the car.” (I’ll tell you my resolution and why I’m still sticking to it, later on in this blog.)

So here are the 3 keys I chose that I think can help us with our desire to do better.

1. Pick just one goal. Here are some great examples to choose from.

Get more sleep

Cut out sugar

Have more fun

Eat more vegetables

Cook more at home

Let go and let God

Walk outside

We all have emotional ups and downs, especially if we have young children. This might help.

We want to get organized for several reasons. We think that if we get organized, we’ll save time, money and energy. That’s true. Disorganization causes us to spend time looking for our stuff, more money because we buy stuff we already have but can’t find and energy just being overwhelmed, discouraged, and angry with ourselves.

By establishing just a few simple habits, we can train ourselves out of many of our messes and save time, money and energy. Our brains were wired for establishing habits, and when we have a healthy brain, it takes about 21 days to establish a habit. So I think it’s logical we should take care of our brains first.

That’s why I chose these 3 important habits to establish, because they’ll lead to health and a healthy body makes for a healthy brain and a healthy brain leads to well-being.

1   Go to bed early

Do you think you’d be happier if you got more sleep? Do you think the world would be a happier place if its residents all got more sleep? Here’s an excerpt from Chapter Three of The Sidetracked Sister’s Happiness File entitled Early to Bed Early to Rise. It’s a letter from Napoleon’s teacher.

Eiffel Elementary School                                                  June 6, 1777

7312 Rue des Hors d’Oeuvres

Paris, France 10046

 Dear Mr. and Mrs. Bonaparte:

I think you are probably aware of some of the problems we are having with Napoleon at school. I believe they began early in the year when some of the other boys teased him about his size. I have spoken to the other children and their parents about the importance of being kind to those who are different. However, I don’t believe that the teasing is the main reason for your son’s troubles. I think Napoleon needs more sleep.

During class I often see his head on his desk, and although he stays on task and has no problem understanding the work, he is often listless and irritable. Perhaps you, as his parents, could see to it that your son gets to bed at a reasonable hour so that he will be able to cope better in class and on the playground.

Sincerely,

Morrie Chevalier    (Third Grade Teacher)

P.S. Napoleon is a good leader and when he gets the other boys on his side he is able to make them do whatever he wants. (Good or bad.) I truly believe that more sleep will help him to blossom into a fine citizen. Perhaps this summer you can establish a routine bedtime for him.

Think of how the course of history might have been altered if the Bonapartes had heeded Mr. Chevalier’s advice.

Are you like Napoleon and not getting enough sleep, either? I’ve found that the best way to get more rest is to have an earlier bedtime and make it a habit. You can purchase the Happiness File by clicking on Napolean.

Throw on a chef hat and get ready to go gourmet. You’ll love discovering what Italians have enjoyed for over 900 years....balsamic vinegar. Once you try my classy fresh salad dressing you won't ever want the store bought bottled stuff again. Of course, I wouldn't want you to think I come from a family of food snobs or anything—in fact in chapter eight of my book “The Joy of being Disorganized” I tell about my Aunt Tottie making orange juice and using her hand to stir it when she couldn't find a spoon. It's just that good food can be so easy to create and makes you feel so special because you know what you make at home is unprocessed and healthy for you and your family. So hurry and try this incredible recipe.....you deserve it!

One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to stay in a good mood as much as I can and what I’ve noticed is that first you’ve got to catch yourself in a bad mood and then you have to want to get out of it. I discovered, sometimes it’s just plain fun to wallow. But wallowing never helps the reason for the wallow in the first place. Sooner or later, like the line in that old song says, “Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.”

Would you agree that happy feelings run at a higher frequency than say guilty or angry feelings do? Have you ever noticed when you’re happy you’re kinder to others, more compassionate and understanding and you have way more energy?

Staying in a good mood takes living in the moment and watching how you feel and being selfish about how you feel. So here are 7 ways to get out of that bad mood as soon as you find yourself in one.

1. Pick out a happy feeling and feel it

When you’re in a really bad mood, take a minute and think of a happy time. You have many to choose from, so just pick one. Once you’ve picked one, dig it up. Remember the people and the circumstance. Hear the laughter and feel the love. We SHEs have such a grand ability to pull into our mind’s eye any occasion we wish to re-experience. 

How to stop worrying and doubting.

When you doubt, you’ve stopped trusting the power that created the Universe. Such a silly thing to do when it’s put that way, don’t you think? If you plugged a lamp into the socket, and the light didn’t go on, you’d figure the bulb was burned out or you hadn’t paid the electric bill. In other words it would be something on your end that caused the light not to work. You would never doubt that the power of electricity was no long effective.

So when you doubt yourself or have doubts about some event or other person, the problem is on your end, because the power that created the Universe has your back and there is nothing to worry about. So how do you fix your end of this deal? I’ve come up with 5 ways to get rid of doubt so you can stay hooked into the joyful source of your life and see the truth that all is well.

1. Put yourself first

The most important thing to do when you feel doubt is think something that makes you feel good. Sometimes it helps to go outside to summon happy thoughts or read spiritual material that fills you with positive energy, or look through a travel magazine and focus on a dream vacation. Only you, know what will cheer you up.

Let the tips fall where they may.....

Hey, come and join me as I play in the kitchen with my new low carb friend the artichoke. Not friends with Arti yet? You will be! Did you know that artichokes have more antioxidants than any other vegetable, are high in fiber and even are good for the liver? Some people actually use artichokes for a hangover remedy but of course I hope you don't need to try that one out! The ancient Greeks and Romans even considered artichokes a delicacy and an aphrodisiac. Who are we to argue with Aristotle? We'll use a few sharp tools and cut our way around the bright green leaves snipping off the pokey ends like a pro. Watch out for flying tips, this recipe is gonna be a favorite soon!

So come on into my kitchen and watch me cook them.

I hope you read Part 1 yesterday on ways to stop being a loser. The losers I wrote about here in Part 2 take a little more thought.

I think you’ll love my recipe for homemade, low carb pizza. It starts with the most sumptuous, delicious sauce that I make from my own tomatoes-- even the crummy looking ones you thought you had to chuck! Then, of course I show you the secret way to get rid of the skins on tomatoes just like you were a master chef at the Ritz. And the crust? Wait ‘till you see how we'll make one without rolling out any dough. It's so simple and fun you'll wonder why you thought the only way to serve pizza was to take or bake something in a cardboard box. Never again! Ummmm, the smell is heavenly when it's baking and the gobs of sausage, salami and olives are too yummy for your family to resist. It's time to say "ciao" to the best ristorante in town...your kitchen!

Low Carb Pizza

Fresh Tomato Sauce

About twenty frozen tomatoes

¼ cup water

Penzey Italian spices or taco seasoning and Lawry’s Season Salt and salt and pepper if you wish

Simmer for 3-4 hours or more. Skins pull off tomatoes easily when done.

Blend sauce in a blender when it’s cooked down. You can keep tomato sauce in fridge for a couple weeks. Fry a pound of Italian sausage and drain.

 Crust

Two cups parmesan cheese

½ half cup almond flour

Mix together and fry the mixture on medium high five to six minutes on each side. Cool on a rack.

Build the Pizza

Put crust on a cookie sheet, smear sauce on crust. Put on Italian sausage and other items you choose. Salami, pepperoni, olives etc.

Top with cheese if you wish.

Bake in oven at 400 for five or six minutes.

You can also make bread sticks or croutons out of the pizza crust.

Wanna know a secret? You don't have to give up your favorite foods to go low carb! I'm an international kind of gal and I like to taste my way around the world with the best cuisine of Italy, China, Greece, and especially bright and sunny Mexico.

Of course, as you know our south of the border friends love tortillas. They're in so many delicious entrées from burritos to tacos to quesadillas, you name it. Luckily, I'm going to show you a fabulous low carb tortilla recipe that will knock your sombrero off! It's easy and fun and will really impress the food snobs you might have over for dinner. Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to put on some tunes like Bailando by Enrique Iglesias.

Recipe:

Low-carb Flour Tortillas

8 egg whites

one half cup water

one quarter tsp. baking powder

one quarter cup coconut flour

Beat egg whites until blended, but not stiff. Stir in water, baking powder and coconut flour.

Over medium heat, pour one quarter cup of batter per tortilla in a non-stick fry pan and flip when cooked on one side (about a minute). Cook the other side and cool on cooling rack. Yields about 16 tortillas.

Now watch me make them.