Roasted Veggies for a Caregiver

How many times have I heard that caregivers need to take care of themselves first? Indeed we do. It's just like the flight attendants instruct us before our flight takes off: when the oxygen mask drops in front of you, put yours on first, then help others.

Same with caregivers. If you don't take care of yourself, you could wind up sick at the bad end of the scale, or in a lousy mood at the best. Neither condition allows you to take care of your care recipient well. And even worse, you could pass your germs or lousy mood onto the one you're taking care of. What a mess you'd have on your hands then! A caregiver's job has the potential to be difficult at each day's starting gate; make it as easy on yourself as possible. You are needed!

One of my favorite ways to take care of myself is to cook a special dish now and then -- something that smells good while it's cooking, something healthy and nutritious, something that is easy to make and tastes as if Emeril Lagasse himself made it -- flavors that meld and play off of each other when you take a bite.

I'm not a great chef -- not because I can't (I probably could if I only knew how!), but because I choose to spend my time in other ways (like writing this blog). But there are times when I want to simply feel like I am a maestro in the kitchen. It is a treat to eat yummy food, and perhaps just as satisfying to have made it yourself.

And it gives me a sense of pleasure to spend some cozy time in the kitchen to prepare that yummy food. This week I made Herb-Roasted Winter Veggies. I have experimented with using various types of veggies. In the dish pictured above, I used carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, onions, mushrooms, red garnet yams, and beets. It's what I happened to have in the house at the time. I've also made this recipe using only beets. Mmmmm...

So go ahead, have fun making this recipe and sharing it.

A Caregiver's Lunch

On the left, peas and mushrooms. On the right, mashed sweet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes.

Here are my vegan and gluten-free recipes. Use organic ingredients!

Peas and Mushrooms

1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegan buttery spread
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
a dash of pepper
1 10-ounce package frozen peas

Sprinkle the mushrooms with the lemon juice. Melt the vegan buttery spread and add the seasonings. Stir in the peas and mushrooms. Place in a greased glass dish and bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Mashed Yukon Gold and Sweet Potatoes

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons vegan buttery spread
3/4 cup rice milk or soy milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put them in a mixing bowl. Mix in the vegan buttery spread and salt, then add the milk and nutmeg. Mash the potatoes until they're smooth and fluffy.

Enjoy! And remember to take care of yourself first!

Here's an extra treat -- watch this video of Paul McCartney making mashed potatoes. You'll laugh out loud and you'll learn a thing or two...I certainly did.

Comfort Cooking by a Caregiver: Carrot and Tofu Saute

For the past week, I've been cooking more than usual. Maybe it's because there's a little bit of autumn in the air and it feels good to spend time in the kitchen, maybe it's because my creativity is being pulled in that direction, maybe it's because I have a bounty of organic veggies (some given to me by gardening friends, some purchased at the local farmers' market), maybe it's because it simply feels good to take care of myself by preparing healthy, nutritious food that smells soooo good as it cooks.

This week, one of the dishes I made (and am still happily munching on the leftovers) is a carrot and tofu saute. Simple to make, and scrumptillyishious. Here's my vegan, gluten-free recipe:

1 lb. extra-firm tofu, crumbled
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb. grated carrots
1/3 cup low-sodium tamari
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
(always use organic ingredients)

Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a 12" skillet.
Add carrots and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Add tofu and saute for another 4-5 minutes.
Stir in tamari and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in sesame oil.

Serve hot over quinoa or the rice of your choice.
Garnish with sliced green onions.

Enjoy! And remember that each and every one of us needs to take care of ourselves, not just us caregivers.