Variety is the Spice of Life

It is said, “variety is the spice of life.” 

 

But, is it really? 

 

There are a variety of responses to that question.  Many of you will say: “absolutely – bring it on- the more choices the better,” but more of you will likely say the opposite: – “variety?  No way – salt and pepper are the only spices for me, and adding paprika to my salt and pepper is about as much adventure in my routine as I can stand.”

 

This Entrepreneurial Consulting Job Seeking Mom Wife Ó is a “variety ” person living in the salt and pepper routine of breakfast, school drop-off, squeeze in entrepreneuring consulting job seeking, school pick-up, play dates, homework, dinner, bath, books, bed, wine, dinner with Marc, bed.   Pretty much the same thing everyday.   I love my husband. I love my kids. I have a blessed life but remember, “Variety is the spice of life.”   How do I fill my variety need in the salt and pepper family life?  Where do I find variety?  

 

Shoes! I love shoes!  And there is variety in all of my 200 + pairs (I only know the number because a reporter did a story on my shoe closet - another story). But here’s the catch- I have the taste of a lady who lunches with infinite supplies of independent wealth.  While I am a lady who likes to eat lunch, I have a finite cash flow.  Simply put – I love beautiful and expensive things but don’t have an endless supply of money.  What’s more, I don’t even really love to shop!  I prefer occasional trips with lots of bags and boxes to frequent trips to the store mall of the day. 

 

I know  - you are shocked. 

 

What I really love is a BARGAIN!!!! And the spicy variety that all of these bargains add to my life.  As a matter of fact last week was a great day of adding spicy variety.  We went to Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets and had a great day – I bought Jimmy Choo sandals for $190 – this is a great price, they are currently retailing for $595-$625 at mall stores.  Every store in the mall is having sales but not this kind of sale.  If you need or just want some spicy variety shopping I recommend hitting the Outlets (perfect for large shopping trips with lots of bags and boxes) – not only are the everyday prices a significant savings but if you plan ahead you can get additional discounts.  Go to the outlet website and sign up for VIP privilege.  With the free membership you get a coupon book that is worth hundreds of dollars in additional savings. If you wait until you get to the outlet the coupon book cost $10.

 

I like to look good because that makes me feel good and as an Entrepreneurial Consulting Job Seeking Mom Wife Ó I am always going to meetings and having first impression encounters.  How does this fit in with “variety is the spice of life” living?  Salon and Spa time - Hair color changes, short hair cuts or let it grow? Seasonal updates are a must!  I run into people who I went to high school or college with and I hear “oh my God, you look exactly like you looked at school.’  Well we know that’s impossible.  However, what I take it to mean is that I look up-to-date and current because that’s what we all were in high school and college – current, and I’m sure quite spicy.  But think about that for a minute- if you were spicy, up to date and current in 1989, and you have the same hair cut today and think that you have the same hair color, you are delusional and in need a great stylist or psychotherapist.  I’ve lived and visited many places and here are some of my favorites.  If you try any of them, please tell them I sent you and let us know how it went.

·                   Columbus, OH Hair Portfolio / A Spirit's Touch

·                   Los Angeles, CA Elgin Charles / Sofitel Spa 

·                   Blue Bell, PA Citrus Salon and Spa 

·                   Maplewood, NJ Anthony Garubo 

·                    New York, NY John Atchinson / Styles Salon 

 

I also love to cook!  Creating great dishes, interpreting recipes and finding new easy ideas for saludaspice.com is fun and relaxing and if I create something especially tasty – very rewarding because my family and friends are so very happy.  If your family dinner routine goes a little like this – Chicken nuggets and salad, Spaghetti and Ragu, Chicken nuggets and Stove Top stuffing, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Pizza, Chinese Food,  – every week I shamelessly introduce you to www.saludaspice.com.  I use the 3 spice blends on most of my dishes, especially when cooking for the family during the week.  They give great flavor to meats, rice and vegetables and take no effort and little time.   A few hints - the Baked Chicken can be served several days – hot or cold chicken sandwiches, chicken salad, chicken soup, chicken and dumplings, easy chicken parmesan.  The Barbeque Ribs recipe can also be used on steaks and chicken.  

 

When I was a Job Having Mom Wife travel was a regular part of my job, so my husband believed  (incorrectly) that I couldn’t possibly want to travel for vacation because I spent a large amount of time on airplanes and in hotels on business.  WRONG!!! I love vacations and traveling to different places, meeting different people and tasting different foods.  What more variety could there be? When I was traveling for work I saw a lot of beautiful hotel rooms, conference rooms and restaurants in very exotic places, but not the places.  Now, I plan to travel and to see the world through the eyes of my children.  I can’t wait!

 

Honestly, I had a hard time balancing and finding the energy for adult time when I was a Job Having Mom Wife.  But, surprisingly, as an Entrepreneurial Consulting Job Seeking Mom Wife Ó I have more energy and as such, interest in adult time.  This is an area where “variety is the spice of life” can have so many meanings.  I thought the following kind of interesting (source: the web).  Make the most of your food and spices.

 

·      Flaxseeds Just 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds a day helps increase testosterone — the chemical with the most direct libido-boosting effect. Besides enhancing sex drive, these nutty-flavored seeds contain essential fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6, which are the major building blocks of all sex hormones. To rev your engine, either swallow a teaspoon of flaxseed oil or sprinkle a tablespoon of flaxseeds on your cereal and salads every day. If seeds aren't your things, opt for walnuts, which contain about 90 percent of your omega RDA. 

       Cranberry Flax Muffins

 

·      Ginger The powerful root stimulates the circulatory system, increasing blood flow to the genitals. Smelling ginger has a stronger effect on penile and vaginal blood flow than actually eating it. When a food or aroma raises blood pressure, vessels in the genitals admit a rush of blood that inflates erectile tissue. The vessels then close off, preventing blood from exiting the erogenous zones, keeping sensitivity levels high. 

      Homemade Ginger Ale

·      Honey No wonder newlyweds' getaways are called honeymoons. Honey is rich in B vitamins, which are needed for testosterone production, and it contains boron, which helps the body metabolize and use estrogen—an important part of blood flow and arousal. Use a few teaspoons as a natural sweetener in tea or spread it on toast with peanut butter. 

        Honey Desserts

·      Nutmeg and Clove Researchers have found that nutmeg and clove, both from evergreen trees, bolster sexual activity. Each stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system helping you relax. The effects were greater with nutmeg. Just don't eat too much of the magical spice, as it also has hallucinogenic properties. A sprinkle on your cappuccino or hot cocoa should do the trick.   

Ho     Home mulled wine

Try to live your life with spice and variety. 

Tastefully yours,

Kimberly

Do You Smell SPICE?

Monday morning: I’ve dropped the boys off at school, gotten my venti light frapuccino with 2 shots of espresso, taken a conference call, gone to my 4 yr old’s “Spring Sing” and now I am sitting at the computer about to start my Entrepreneurial Consulting Job Seeking Mom Wife day when I smell something fragrant.  Not fragrant like my  Jo Malone Living  (home/body spray – love it!) Not fragrant like the freshly washed clothes that are in the basket at my feet waiting to be folded – fragrant like spice.  Spice that is getting stronger, as if I was cooking a chicken. Spice like garlic, mustard, sage, rosemary and thyme on chicken. Am I cooking a chicken?  Have I lost my mind and forgotten that I cleaned, seasoned and put a chicken in the oven?  NO, not possible.  The window is open; maybe one of my neighbors is cooking a chicken…outside and well seasoned? Possible, but not likely and especially not at 11:00 am.

 

Shake it off- need to write this report, the chicken must be close to done the smell is getting stronger.  I must be hungry, it smells so good – my mouth is watering.  I’ve got to find the source of this mouth-watering… wait!  It’s starting to come back to me.  Jonathan, my 7 year old, wanted chicken and rice for breakfast  (a food phase – breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast) and we had some leftovers, but why am I smelling it at my desk?  I look down and the bowl with a few grains of rice and 3 chunks of chicken are under my desk! First, I’m angry because that is trifling – carrying around the bowl and then just leaving it in the office – who does that?  But then I smile, because it smells so good and I remember that I cooked the chicken breast in Saluda Spice Co. Savory Chicken Blend.  I clean up the bowl and go back to work. 

 

Fast-forward to 3:30, Jonathan gets home, goes straight to the office and then asks me where his chicken is???  He was saving it and thought I wouldn’t see it there and throw it away.  “It tasted so good I wanted to make sure I had more when I got home from school.”  !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

In between the Jonathan and Carter Escapades, Entrepreneurial Consulting Job Seeking Mom Wife duties, eating, drinking wine and a little sleeping I try to find time to workout so that my body can stay as youthful as my mind J  I usually fall short of the goal (because I HATE to workout) so I also look for ways to stay the same size with the food that I eat.  Spices are very important in weight control – there are several spices that are even known to stimulate metabolism – bring on the SPICE!

 

Here is some information that I found interesting – source: www.spiceetc.com and Add Spice to Your Life, Sarah L. Francis, PhD, MHS, RD
University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension, 2007

 

Recent studies have showed that spicy foods can curb appetite and speed up metabolism and thus fat burning ability. How you might ask? Hot spices especially chilies may inhibit overeating because they contribute to satiety, the feeling of fullness after eating. Not to mention it may be more difficult to overindulge in a hot, spicy food since you may become uncomfortable before you can overeat.

In addition feeling full faster, chili powder and many other spices have a thermogenic effect.  This results in the body heating itself from within, which revs up the metabolism. The term metabolism describes the sum of all chemical processes that take place in the body. It manages the movement of nutrients in the blood after digestion, which results in growth, energy and other body functions. Certain spices cause our bodies to burn extra calories by boosting the metabolic rate and thus stimulating weight loss. Some studies have found that adding thermogenic spices at a meal can increase the number of calories burned by 25% for up to an hour after the meal. The following spices have been shown to have this effect to some degree:

Black Pepper- Raises body temperature and increase metabolism. Pepper also has been shown to aid is digestion as well as have antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

Chili Powder- Contains capsaicin, a powerful stimulant that raises the body temperature and fat burning ability by up to 25% and reduces cholesterol levels and improves circulation.

Cayenne Pepper and Tabasco Sauce - Also causes metabolic rate and fat burning ability to increase by up to 25%.

Cumin- According to a study at the University of Chicago, cumin also increases metabolism, especially when used in curry spice blends.

Mustard- In a British study, adding ordinary mustard to a meal caused the average metabolic rate of participants to increase by 25% and the effects last up to 3 hours.

Turmeric- Also boosts metabolism

Ginger- Has been shown to increase metabolic rate and inhibit nausea sometimes caused by carsickness.

Cinnamon- Researchers have found that using just ¼ to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon can increase your metabolism and improve your body’s ability to handle sugar by stimulating insulin activity.

No one can promise weight loss, but it can’t hurt to rev up your metabolism by adding some of these spices for a little extra burn effect. As always, the best way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you burn and exercise regularly, but you never have to eat bland diet food! 

 

Tastefully yours,

Kimberly

Sunday Spice Shaker

Did I say tomorrow?  Well, I meant close to tomorrow – as an Entrepreneurial Consulting Job Seeking Mom Wife, the definition of tomorrow is any day after today and before next week.  Hope you understand.

 

So, I was thinking – while we are having fun and all of that, you probably want to know how I got on this spicy journey.  How do I know about spices?  Why do I care so deeply about the flavor of food and life?  Well, here is a little glimpse (maybe there will be more as we get to know each other better).

 

I learned how to make a perfect sour cream pound cake at the same time that I learned to count.  Macaroni and cheese, sweet potato pie and banana pudding came with pre-school, ABCs and reading.  I cooked my first meal in 2^nd grade – baked chicken, macaroni and cheese and broccoli.  I tried chicken cordon bleu in 4^th grade ( Aunt Claudette still raves about it ) and I was catering parties for my parents and their friends by the 6^th grade – my 1^st entrepreneurial endeavor . 

Sunday at the Lee house was Recipe Cook-Off day.  My father and I would plan a menu, split the recipes and cook off to see who made the best interpretation.  NO DIRECT RECIPE FOLLOWING ALLOWED. 

My father, an accomplished lay-chef, set standards for rich  flavor and delectable taste in all of the dishes he prepared.  He taught me that food is emotional and the more passion you put into your dishes the better your guests will feel – great food is like a warm hug.  Generations of his family were widely known as cooking forces to be reckoned with who loved to share the warmth – my grandmother owned a catering company.  Their specialties were legendary  from Worth, West Virginia to Washington DCto Norristown, PA and beyond – fried chicken, (this is my oven baked version - healthier but just as delicious) eggplant parmesan, sweet potato pone, chicken and dumplings, mashed potato rolls and the list goes on…

 

My mother, a former model and style maven, set the standard for stylish, yet welcoming entertaining.  She owned a special events and wedding planning company – simple elegance was the rule.  While her mother whipped up delicious signature dishes she brought with her from Saluda, South Carolina – baked macaroni and cheese, bean pots, sweet potato pie and pound cake, her father ran the local dinner/night club.  

 

Growing up surrounded by these incredible people, I absorbed much that has enhanced my life.  As a child and young woman  I had unlimited time to try new and interesting recipes and presentations.  As an Entrepreneurial Consulting Job Seeking Mom Wife– NOT SO MUCH.

But I still love hugging my family and friends with delicious, well prepared dishes served in a warm and stylish setting.

Over the past 10 years, I have developed my family secrets into Saluda Spice Co. spice blends and meal starters so that you can taste the hug of delectable slow cooked heirloom dishes quickly and with little effort.

Today is a good day for the tangy blended taste of chipotle peppers, thyme and paprika  - barbeque ribs or chicken (just substitute ribs with chicken), and potato salad – I love this potato salad, corn on the cob and ice cream.  Drinks of your choice.  Let me know if and when you try it – how you liked.

Have some leftovers?  I love Michael Chiarello’s Coverflex silicone lids. 

 

Food over – let’s talk briefly about shopping.  I got my Nordstrom May catalog on Thursday and on page 5 was a great Summer top – feminine, but not frilly, to wear with jeans or shorts…perfect, until I saw it in real life.  The color was washed out, the embroidery smaller than the picture, and unless you had a personal stylist pinning you in it, and kept your back to the wall, there’s no way it looked remotely like the ad.  Another big point  - small and XS sizes were left on the rack because your arms need to come out of your ears to get the top on, and if that isn’t the case – which I hope it is, then you have to size up.    Oh. . . and then you still need the stylist. 

SALTY – the taste that I felt walking out of Nordstrom without my great Summer top.

 

Tastefully yours,

Kimberly

PEPPERy

So, yesterday I gave you the lesson of your life on salt.  Today, we’ll cover pepper.  But today will be different because I’m feeling different.  Pepper adds heat and tonight I’m feeling HOT – not in temperature  - in emotion.   Three months ago I was laid off from a sr. executive position in brand management in NYC – I have since become a stay at home mom/entrepreneur/consultant/job seeker…

Three months ago my neighbor Kanani and I started a gathering for neighborhood women called W.I.N.O.S – “women in need of separation.” (Actually a gathering  that I brought with me from Blue Bell, PA – which I borrowed from my friend Kathy in St. David's - who I think borrowed from her friend…)  Anyway, I digress,  an opportunity for women to get together taste great wine and release from all that they manage to balance. 

To say the least it has been quite a transition for me.  Today is an example of how good it can get.  Every morning is a challenge to get the boys (beautiful 7 and 4 year olds) out of the door in time to get JJ to school by 8:40 and then Carter to school by 8:50 so that I can start my entrepreneurial consulting job seeking by 9:00.  By the skin of our teeth we make it.  But today was different.  Jonathan cooperated for the 1^st time in 3 months and was dressed, teeth brushed, face washed by 8:30.  Carter decided that he had to go to the bathroom at 8:30.  Marc took Jonathan to school so he wouldn’t be late and all hell broke loose.  Carter screamed and melted down until 8:58.  I screamed and melted down until 8:57.  I had an appointment for my entrepreneuring at 9:15.  Not enough time to get him out of the house to school and to the appointment – he’ll just have to come with me.  We’re there by 9:10 but he won’t get out of the car.  I do what any good entrepreneurial consulting job seeking mom would do - - I leave him in the car and have my meeting outside in the rain – this way I can keep an eye on the car.  So imagine how shocked I am when I get back to the car and he is missing.  Yes – the car seat is empty.  Did someone walk by and steal him – yes, he is that cute – and a little boy!!!! OMG – I can’t breathe!  “Carter !  Carter!”  Don’t panic– what will I tell the police?  Did he change his mind and try to find me?  “Carter!”  What the F!!!?  Wait, do I hear rustling from the trunk?  Walk around the car… open the trunk of the SUV.  “Mommy, how did you know I was in here?”  Big smile.  “You know everything.”  I know you better get your little behind back in your seat and I better take a walk around the car to get myself together because I think I want to choke you.  Drop off was accomplished and BOY was I looking forward to W.I.N.O.S!  7:00 won’t be here soon enough!

Fast-forward to 9:00 and the phone rings Marc is just leaving the office – forget about W.I.N.O.S.  Yes, I’m a big girl, I’m a powerhouse, a force, a mom, an entrepreneurial consulting job seeking wife and I am disappointed, angry and HOT!  I am PEPPERy. And can you believe we don’t have any wine in the house?!  I was going to go to the store on my way to W.I.N.O.S  and he didn’t bring any.  I am RED PEPPERy. 

Which leads me to tonight’s subject – Pepper – the perfect compliment to salt.  

Pepper is a flowering vine, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice that adds heat to meals. The fruit is known as a peppercorn when dried. Peppercorns, and the powdered pepper derived from grinding them, may be described as black pepper, white pepper, red/pink pepper, green pepper, and very often simply pepper. 

But did you know that pepper also has some very unique usages?  Didn’t think so – well here goes:

·      Stop a car radiator leak

·      Use as a decongestant

·      Keep colors bright

·      Get bugs off plants

o   2 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 2 large cloves of garlic
- 4 medium sized onions
- 4 cups water
- In a blender or food processor, blend until completely smooth. Then add about a gallon of water and you are ready to spray your plants.

·      Deter deer from your garden

·      Keep ants out of the kitchen

·      Kill an ant colony

·      For arthritis pain you can make your own homemade warming massage to sooth where it hurts.

o   Recipe: Mix together

o   1 dropper of almond oil (Always use a carrier oil such as almond, jojoba or olive oil)
2 drops of pepper
1 drop ginger
2 drops lavender

Massage on the affected area and feel the warmth working.

 

Resources:

www.rd.com/advice-and-know-how/extraordinary-uses-for-pepper/ article23981.html

www.isnare.com/?aid=165490&ca=Cooking

OK we’ve passed Spice 101 and tomorrow will move onto something spicier.  Provided the day is better than today – don’t want to get stuck at PEPPERY. 

Easy spicy recipes and fun and quick gathering ideas tomorrow.

 

Tastefully yours,

Kimberly

Don't throw salt

I’ve created this blog to get everyone to open their minds to the “spiciness” of life.  So as not to intimidate the faint of spice, we will start our journey in the most comfortable of places for spice exploration – THE KITCHEN.

In my opinion, there are must-haves for every kitchen.  Salt and Pepper.  Sounds obvious, I know, but there are oh so many kinds of salt and pepper to consider.  Today, let's talk about salt.  Get to know:

Table salt – Table salt, the one found in most salt shakers, is mined from evaporated salt deposits or salt water and has most of the minerals removed.  Most salt in the U.S. is sold with iodine, an additive nutrition additive started in the 1920s. Salt is refined from there to create varieties like:
 

                  Pickling salt, Canning salt, Coarse salt, Pretzel salt, Rock salt, Popcorn      salt,  Seasoned salt  Have I missed any?  Probably – Let me know.

             Kosher salt – Kosher salt is an additive-free coarse-grained salt. This salt was  developed for the preparation of meats in accordance with Jewish dietary laws.  The  salt itself isn’t kosher, but the name sounds good.  I find Kosher salt perfect to rim  cocktail glasses for drinks like margaritas. Since Kosher is a lighter salt, there is less  after taste to it.

 This is a great all-purpose salt.
  I use it in all of my spice blends,  dips and recipes.

              Sea Salt – Sea Salt is just that –  salt gained from evaporating salt water collected  from an ocean or sea.    Sea salt is typically less refined than other salts. Depending    on  the seawater used, you also get a variety of minerals in the sea salt.   Due to this,  there  are numerous types of sea salts.  Here are a few: 
Black Salt - used in Indian  cooking.
 Grey salt – Slightly moist with a chunky texture, the gray or light purple  color comes from the clay in the region of France where it is harvested. A full  flavored all–around great salt. Hawaiian sea salt –  This salt is used in many  traditional Hawaiian dishes like Kahlua Pig and Hawaiian Jerky.
   (Flower of Salt,  Flor De Sal) – Skimmed from the top of salt ponds early in the  evaporation  process, is a great condiment salt, and particularly suited for grilled  meats, in salads  and on vegetables. The flavor, like wine, varies depending on where  it is harvested,  typically in France.
 French Sea Salt – A coarse salt, this is good  for salads, vegetables and grilled meats.
 
Italian Sea Salt – A delicate salt which is  good on salads and in sauces.
 Smoked Sea Salt - These are delicious in soups,  salads, pasta and also in grilling foods like salmon.
 

Too much information on salt, right?  Unless you are a trained chef, saltologist or just have a lot of time on your hands – why use up your brain space with all of this info?  Make seasoning easy and healthy – simplify  with  Saluda Spice Blends – the perfect balance of herbs, spices and kosher and sea salts. www.saludaspice.com

Pepper tomorrow.

Tastefully yours,

Kimberly

Spice is all around us

According to Wikipedia, a spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for the purpose of flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth.  

In the kitchen, we distinguish spices from herbs.  Herbs, those leafy, green plant parts used for flavoring like basil or oregano are often used fresh, and chopped into smaller pieces.  Spices, conversely, are dried and often ground or grated into a powder.  Small seeds, such as fennel and mustard seeds, are used both whole and powdered.

Kitchen herbs and spices enhance flavors and complete recipes.   But there is also a dark cabinet corner graveyard of exotic spices in those oh-so ambitious recipes- you remember that $50 per ounce we bought and haven’t used since? Do you even remember the recipes? 

But spice is also defined as “to make more interesting – as in ‘adding spice’.”  And so, spices (and herbs) in our lives, extend way beyond our kitchens. 

We use herbs in our bedrooms as potpourri to give them pleasant scents, we use herbs and oils in the bath to make our skin soft, attractive and youthful, or we use herbs and spices as aphrodisiacs and performance enhancers.  When was the last time you were “spicy”?

We ‘spice’ up our conversations – “I went to the movie and dinner on Friday, I had a good time. “ becomes “I saw this incredible movie Friday night – the action was explosive, there wasn’t a minute that I wasn’t on the edge of my seat!  And the star was hotter than roasted Bhut Jolokia Peppers!”  Wow, must be hot – what kind of pepper is that? 

We spice up our appearance.  You’re walking out the door and take that last look in the mirror before meeting your public and it’s either “smoking – chipotle hot” or “damn – need to try again.”  No matter how intelligent, funny and or successful you are  - first impressions are crucial because people judge us before they know us– and everyone wants to stand out.  So, we spice up our appearance.  No, I’m not recommending shaking salt and pepper in our hair, it means that we add that special flourish – the blue shirt that brings out the sparkle in our eyes; the gold chain that accents our collarbone; the jeans that … and don’t forget the perfect shoe - a Christian Louboutin red sole is like Tongkat Ali.  Ouch - What?!

I love spice – spice in my food, life, love and environment.  I created The Saluda Spice Co. www.saludaspice.com to offer my unique and delicious spice blends, meal starters and life embellishments to people who love the spice of life but don’t have time or the confidence to create complex recipes. The difference between tasty and delicious is in the perfect spice blend.  Check back regularly for my Spicy ride through life.  I will have menu suggestions, easy to follow recipes, entertaining ideas, shopping finds and much more that just might, Spice up your life!