Huge Cantaloupes

The cantaloupe melons seem to be running large this season.

The market has a fresh batch from Central America, and they are on sale this week.

I couldn't believe the size of the melon that I was getting for only $1.50.

I weighted it when I got home - 5 pounds on the button.

Now, that is going to be a heavy melon on our innards, or it is going to have us running to the bathroom from all it's water content.

It is a very tasty one - sweet and just the right ripeness.

Due to their textured skins, I always make sure I scrub them with a brush under running water to remove the potential harmful bacteria that settles into the nooks and crannies in the rind.

Cubed and served, they sure are a healthy, delicious snack!

A Good Tea

I love tea.

Green tea is my most favorite and this time of the year there is a special treat at the market.

It is by the Celestial Seasons brand and it is a green tea with all natural peppermint added to it.

It is called Candy Cane Lane.

Last year was the first time I tried it, and I was hooked.

I bought a couple of boxes this year, and it is a good thing I did.

When I was last at the market, I noticed they were all gone already.

The mint in this blend gives a cool, fresh feeling to the mouth.

It is a great blend, and if you can find a box, give it a try - it is delicious, and the green tea is filled with healthy antioxidants which are an added benefit!

Starting Anew

I have been very lax in recording my food intake and exercises in my daily journal.

I have been using the My Fitness Pal app on my iPhone and tablet to record all of that info for the past eight months.

But during the last couple of months I ran into a few health problems that have thrown me off track plus a death in the family didn't help with the emotional side.

Starting today I have been recording my food and exercise, and I hope to keep it up as I did in the past.

I am not happy with myself for letting it lapse, but sometimes things happen that one has no control over.

I am also trying something different in my diet to see if I can help the body feel better.

I have been more fortunate than most with my lupus, but sometimes it does get to me.

Will post more about my experiment as time goes on - fingers are crossed that it works!

A Meal of Tilapia

The supermarket has been having tilapia fish at the counter for the past few months.

Having not tried it, I was curious to see what it was like.

But paying $6.99 a pound to try it was risky just in case it wasn't something we liked.

When we found it on sale for $1.99 a pound, we were pleased and anxious to have a meal of it.

We had read it was quickly becoming a favorite through out the US for it's very mild flavor that didn't have a fishy taste.

We cooked it on the grill, as we usually cook our fish to avoid the smell indoors.

The fillets were thin and it didn't take very long.

The cooked texture reminded me of salmon, not the like the other white fish of cod or haddock.

The taste was extremely mild - not much flavor at all.

But the thing that got me was the texture in my mouth.

It was mushy.

Salmon is not mushy.

Mush and me do not get along.

So glad we got the tilapia at such a deal - we will not be buying it again.

I can say the cat sure appreciated it though!

Raw Honey

We have always enjoyed honey - especially in our tea.

It gives it a smooth flavor with just the right amount of sweetness.

I never really paid too much attention to the different kinds of honey though.

As long as it looked clear with a golden color, I figured that was how it was supposed to be.

And when it begins to crystallize and look cloudy, as it tends to do over time, that is something that is easily remedied.

By setting the jar in a warm pan of water it will go back to it's clear, smooth condition.

But my daughter told me about the raw honey that she has been using these last few weeks.

I checked it out, and there is a difference between it and the one I usually buy.

The raw honey is completely unprocessed.

No pasteurizing or heating it to destroy the natural yeast cells in the liquid.

It's not filtered to remove the pollen grains or small particles from the comb.

Nor has it been strained either.

It contains all the minerals, enzymes, and propolis which all work together as an antiseptic with antibiotic properties.

An all natural product that tastes good too.

It must be used in moderation though as the unprocessed variety may contain toxins from certain flowers that the bees gather the pollen from.

There is no way of controlling the way the bees work.

But when used in small amounts, the health benefits of the raw honey far outweigh the risks.