Creative Juices & Arkansas Tomatoes!

"Eat Well, Move, Be Well" has been on a hiatus - mostly due to my lack of creativity on the heels of two major life events - a house fire in August 2011 caused by lightening - which totally rocked our world, and then to top that off, a job lay off in January 2012.  Needless to say my creative juices came to a screeching halt, as they tend to do when you are in constant "survival" mode!

My dad always liked to write when he was in the middle of some crisis - he always said major life events make for a "helluva story" !  I guess he was right and he always managed to write well under pressure. Not me!

It seems that lately, I hear of more and more people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes!  Hardly a week goes by that I don't get a call or an email from someone asking if I can visit with someone dear to them who has been diagnosed.  I always hate to hear of someone being diagnosed with this dreadful disease, but I feel that if I can help anyone by lending an ear and sharing things that have worked for me, then I am happy to help.  I always try to find a positive in a negative and helping others learn to live with the big D is one way I can be positive abut my disease.  I just need to be sure everyone understands I am NOT a health professional by any stretch of the imagination, and what works for me, might not work for someone else! 

Since it is summer in Arkansas, and our tomatoes are AMAZING right now, I thought I would share a recipe that I found recently on www.foodtv.com. We shared this in our E-Newsletter at the hotel, and I think you will enjoy it! :)

My next blog will feature a guest writer who will share ideas about medications & diabetes!

Till then - Eat Well, Move, Be Well!

Caprese' Pasta Salad
1/2 pound dried whole wheat or fiber added pasta
3 medium tomatoes
1/2 pound fresh, water packed mozzarella, cubed
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic pressed
1/2 tsp olive oil based mayonnaise
1 tsp sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and chopped (I cheat sometimes and used dried)
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Cook pasta as directed. Prepare tomatoes and cheese and put them in large bowl. Whisk
together vinegar, olive oil, garlic, mayo, salt and pepper to taste. Drain pasta and shake dry (do not rinse it) and add to the tomato and cheese mixture. Stir to combine. Add half the dressing, stir, and fold in the basil and pine nuts. Stir and taste - you may need to add more salt, or more dressing! This salad is best at room temp, but it can be refrigerated!  Enjoy!