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Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Is It Green Yet? #NewBeginnings by @JacquieRogers


Is it Green Yet?
Ready for New Beginnings

I'm not a winter person.  Let's face it--skiing and sledding doesn't excite me like it did when I was younger.  Mostly, cold weather means it's going to be a pain in the patootie to get anywhere.   So most of the winter, I spend looking for signs of rebirth--the spring.  Okay, so February is a little early for that in southwest Idaho, but I try.

There's a little bit of snow left.  Snow season isn't over but still, this is encouraging.
The climbing tree in our back yard is waiting for the grandkids to keep it company.
Most of the trees are a little brown yet but the blue spruce is strutting its stuff.
If you look, you can find green here and there--signs of life happening.  Pretty soon it'll be time to prune the fruit trees and the grape vines.  We don't eat grapes but I just love those grape vines--they're so pretty and they remind me of ancient times.  I think faeries live there.

New beginnings also mean a new book.  My friend and talented author Nancy Radke talked me into participating in a multi-author series and I'm pretty excited.  I have a title: Aurora's Treasure, but I can't tell you about the series yet, only that my book, even though a different subgenre (western fantasy romance), will be tied to my Hearts of Owyhee series.

Those of you who have been waiting for my next book know that I've had quite a struggle during 2018-19 with a massive move and health issues, so 2020 is my time to shine.  We're recovered enough to be able to think about having a normal life, whatever that is, and ideas are coming to me in a big giant wad of snarls just waiting for me to get everything sorted into a somewhat logical progression of events.  Once I get this book done, I'll get right back to the fourth book in the Honey Beaulieu series.

Also, of course the new year brings a solemn oath to lose weight.  This year, I'm really gonna do it and have taken some very positive steps toward that goal.  I've lost 22 pounds so far and have a lot more to go.  In this endeavor, I'm joining the keto crowd (also because my doctor strongly recommended it.  I'm allergic to grains including rice and corn, but also my doctor wants me to avoid soy and any other GMO'd food if I can.

Recipe Alert

So here's an absolutely delicious result of not being able to eat normal foods--homemade mayonnaise made from avocado oil.  Try it--it's so easy!

Avocado Mayonnaise


1 large Egg (room temp is best)
1/2 tsp Dried mustard
2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Salt (I used Himalayan Pink)
1 cup Avocado oil (or olive oil, but we prefer avocado)

Crack the egg into the bottom of a tall, wide mouth glass jar. (I used the container that came with the immersion blender.  You can also use a tall glass, but make sure it's wide enough for an immersion blender to fit. Do not use a bowl.)  Add the mustard, vinegar, and salt on top of the egg, then gently pour the oil on top. Do not whisk or stir.

Carefully lower the immersion blender into the bottom of the jar, so that the blade is right on the egg. Blend on low power for about 20 seconds without moving the blender, until you see the lower part of the mixture has turned white. Then, slowly move the blender upward, without lifting the blender out into the air. Once the blade reaches the top of the oil, slowly move the blender back down to the bottom. Do this until mayonnaise forms--it doesn't take long.

Homemade mayo is sooo scrumptious.  I'm thinking this isn't the time to bring up portion control.

I hope you don't worry about portion control when it comes to books, though.  Caroline Clemmons has two books coming out in February so you'll want to binge on them--I'm certainly going to!

Happy Reading!


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7 comments:

  1. I'm with you, JJ...winter be gone. I go into hibernation mode from Nov to April and should use that indoor time for writing. Happy to hear you have more books in the wind. And congratulations on the weight loss. I'm on the same mission this month by excluding the white stuff. I love the pictures of your beautiful trees.

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  2. Your photos are exceptionally good. What a lovely place you have with blue sky overhead. We're trying to improve our health by losing weight, too. I hate it, but it has to be done. Until you published this recipe, I didn't realize you could buy avocado oil. You try to educate me, I know, and someday you'll be pleased. Remember, I have an Instant Pot now because of you. LOL

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  3. Great Pictures! I am not sure we even had but a day or two of winter here in Texas. Maybe tomorrow!
    Good luck on the weight loss- that is certainly a feat of willpower -
    This will be your year!

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  4. I think everyone around the country is looking forward to spring. Even in Florida, the weather during winter is often wet and rainy, and many days--without sun. I love the idea of homemade mayonnaise, but are you worried about the uncooked egg? I, too, am struggling to lose weight. Nice post. great pictures.

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  7. I'm not a winter person either, Jacquie. Thank goodness, winters in Houston area are relatively mild. The cold front that came in yesterday dropped our temperatures from high 60's to low 40's. I no longer make anything with a raw egg simply because of so many salmonella outbreaks. I wonder if a coddled egg could be used?

    ReplyDelete

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