Comments for suzyness.com

Comment on mason jar lids by Frizza

Frizza — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:59:42 +0000

Wow! That looks great… will be buying some place mats for my mason jars soon :)

Comment on exhausted by ingrid parmeter

ingrid parmeter — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 20:40:27 +0000

Yes, yes, yes. All these things—-figuring out the balance is tough for any family. You’ll get it.
However, about worries, my mother would say “don’t borrow trouble”. She is exactly right. If you see problems, adjust, but don’t worry about things until they present themselves.
And I just HAVE to say something about the educational setting—- there are good teachers and poor teachers, but I don’t think anyone is forced nor setting out to teach to the slowest kid in the class. I don’t think that is a fair assessment of education. Teachers have a responsibility to provide for instruction of kids who struggle, but similarly, they have that same responsibility to provide for the kids who get things quickly or easily. It is a challenge, but I feel that in my classroom experiences, I could hit both targets well. Kids naturally want to learn and a gifted child will take a subject above and beyond while lifting up the entire class by their questions and investigation.

Comment on best idea ever: shoe box clothing by Erin Pett

Erin Pett — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:24:05 +0000

I think I may try that for myself…although my clothes may not fit into a shoebox. ;)

Comment on favorite things friday: honey nuts by Elisa

Elisa — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 03:16:35 +0000

Oh my gosh, I am a slave to peanut butter, so this sounds delicious! Peanuts and honey are supposed to be good for you (in moderation of course) making this a pretty good munch! Thanks for the temptation…

Comment on butcher block counter tops – convince me, please by suzyness

suzyness — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 05:56:38 +0000

Good to know!! I had forgotten that’s his line of work. It’s great to know the right people, and having them in the family is even more convenient!

Comment on pave paradise, put up a parking lot by suzyness

suzyness — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 05:54:44 +0000

Can’t wait for you to get back here! C loves the farmer’s markets, and I’m sure B will love them, too! The farmers here love C, giving her lots of samples and praises. :) It’s attention overload for her, and she totally eats it up.

I tend to forget about fermented foods, not because I dislike them, but they just aren’t in our regular food rotation. I should try to add them more. I read a great crock pot recipe for kraut with sausages… where you just add both to the pot in the morning, put it on low, and eat when you get home from work. I <3 simple recipes.

I'll see if our library has the book you recommended… always interested in new food reads! It's all so intriguing. Ben calls it a "body hack" any time we do something different that produces interesting results. Like the juice fast, or the low carb thing… all fall under "body hack" categories. Maybe I should make that a tag on my blog… :)

Comment on cooking: delicious black beans by suzyness

suzyness — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 05:49:44 +0000

YOU.ARE.BRILLIANT.
I love, love, love the idea of presoaking and then freezing the beans!! So freakin’ smart. I have a bag of dried beans in my cabinet calling to me, but several mason jars of cooked beans already in the freezer, so I didn’t want to cook more right now. Yay!! I <3 getting new cooking tips!

I'll try the soy sauce and paprika idea. I usually add paprika when I start the boil, but throwing the spice in with the onions is a great idea too. Thanks!

Comment on butcher block counter tops – convince me, please by Ingrid

Ingrid — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:51:20 +0000

Kendall put butcher block counter top in her old house kitchen. It looks really pretty, but I guess is a pain to care for. You know, the expert in the family is Rick. Ask him any kitchen design questions—he’s super talented and knows all about the new materials and design options. When we do our kitchen, we are definitely utilizing him!

Comment on cooking: delicious black beans by Ingrid

Ingrid — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:49:41 +0000

What made beans really work for me was presoaking them (overnight), then draining the water and freezing them in plastic bags. They are, if not totally ready to go, a lot faster to cook when I want them.
The other thing that I do with ALL soups and beans is start with carmelizing onions in olive oil and soy sauce and paprika. The soy sauce is then an additional salty thing, so you don’t add as much salt. This works for risotto and pasta sauce too. Man it works for everything!
I am a fan of beans too. Your food looks awesome.

Comment on pave paradise, put up a parking lot by cynthia

cynthia — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:49:54 +0000

suzy, on the raw/cooked thing…i’ve read the contradictory information about this, too. the trick is to believe everything (haha) and don’t go to extremes. raw food contains natural enzymes that are good for you but these get destroyed when cooked, most cooked foods often have more macro nutrients available, because cooking breaks down those cell walls and makes it easier for your body to get to them. in addition, some vitamins are only fat-soluble, so you actually need to eat fat with your veggies to get the vitamins, like your salad with dressing. the dressing isn’t just for taste, the fat and vinegar (raw vinegar especially) help you to digest and get the most out of the food you eat. foods that have been naturally fermented are another source of enzymes (because they aren’t “cooked”) and nutrients, and probiotics that help you digest better. these would be pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut…

so basically, eat lots of vegetables, and try to eat a little bit of every kind, cooked, raw, fermented with every meal and you’ll get all the benefits of each type, and have make sure to have some healthy fats. BTW, do you have the Sally Fallon cookbook “Nourishing Traditions”? You should check it out. It changed the way I thought about the typical “common sense” health recommendations, and the way I approach fats, meat and starches, and although i don’t follow it 100% (who really could!?) it has so much cool information, and some really good recipes. the fermented bean dip recipe is good. can’t wait to get back there and make a standing weekly date with you to hit up the farmers market!