Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup diced onion 1/2 cup diced celery (optional) 1/2 cup diced carrots (optional) 2 cups other veggies - diced zucchini, green beans, kale  2 cups pre-cooked pasta and beans - white or kidney beans, elbow or ditalini pasta, or all bean pasta 14oz can petite diced tomatoes 3 cups water  1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/4 tsp black pepper Directions I put everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Then I turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let sit for 20-30 minutes until it cools and everything cooks through. Depending on the size of the carrots you use, that may be the only item that needs more time to cook so either boil or microwave separately to soften or use grated carrot instead. Inspiration   https://www.loveandlemons.com/minestrone-soup/#wprm-recipe-container-61027

Notes 3/2 - daffodils and walking onions popped up 3/30 - daffodils flowered, some weeds need pulling 4/6 - mowed lawn for the first time, dandelions started growing in the rock beds Garden Plan Bed #1 - Capsicums and Cucurbits Zucchini in middle - try from both 2023 seed packet and my 2023 harvest Start inside 5/1 (or 5/15) and outside 6/1 Early jalapeno on two corners - try from 2024 seed packet and my 2024 harvest Start inside 2/15 and outside 6/1 Big Jim on one corner - from 2024 seed packet Start inside 2/15 and outside 6/1 Green pepper - from 2023 store bought organic or just buy another one Start inside 2/15 and outside 6/1 Bed #2 - Roots Swiss chard two in middle - from 2024 seed packet Plant 4/15 or as soon as I see dandelions growing Carrots two long rows on each side - from 2023 and 2025 seed packets Plant 5/1 Watermelon radish follow carrots in late summer - from 2025 seed packet Plant 8/1 Bed #3 - Fruits Gem State tomato in first half of bed - try from both 2024 seed packe...

One of the things I pay close attention to is the valuation of whatever investment I am interested in buying. I like to know how it compares to other like investments and also how it compares to itself historically. When I say valuations, I don't mean the price. I mean the price relative to some production metric. That metric could be revenue, earnings, dividends, free cash flow, etc. You can do this for individual companies, industries, sectors, or even countries.  For comparing valuations, one of my go-to resources is Meb Faber's Idea Farm website. He has a section where he posts quarterly updates on how major countries with stock markets rank in terms of key valuation metrics. He uses cyclically adjusted valuation metrics which smooths the metric over a multi-year time-period, 10 years in his case. He does this for four valuation metrics: CAPE (price-to-earnings), CAPD (dividends), CAPCF (cash flow), and CAPB (book value). My personal two favorites are CAPE and CAPCF since t...

I was watching one of my favorite cooking shows, Milk Street on PBS, one day and they made an amazing looking salad using shredded carrots with Moroccan inspired flavors. I didn't write down all the ingredients and don't subscribe to their recipes online, but it inspired me to create my own version. This salad is so easy to make. I can whip it up right before heading to work or as a quick dinner main or side dish. It's also a perfect side dish to make for a party. Everyone will love the flavors and the fact that it is made with such healthy ingredients. One tip for the carrots. I buy or grow them in bulk and then shred them using my Cuisinart. If you cut them so they fit down the shoot parallel to the cutting blades as opposed to perpendicular, you'll get longer shreds as opposed to the short ones. Ingredients 2 cups shredded carrots - 2 large or 3 medium  1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp honey (or pomegranate molasses which was used in the show) 2 tbsp olive oil 4 tbsp hummus...

This recipe comes from my aunt who snipped a version of this recipe from a magazine and made it for me one time while she was visiting. It was delicious. Turns out butternut squash compliments the flavors of tortilla soup perfectly. The original recipe called for keeping the butternut squash in cubes, but you'll see in the directions that I like to blend mine into a puree to add a thick backdrop to adding other ingredients like beans, corn, and avocado dices. Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil or canola oil 1/2 medium onion diced (about 1/2 cup) 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp diced garlic (or sub 1 tsp dried garlic) 1 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 cup water 16 oz cubed butternut squash (about 3 cups) 3 cups more water (or chicken broth) 3/4 tsp salt (skip or reduce if using chicken broth) 1 tbsp lime juice Corn tortilla chips to thicken as needed Optional add-ins after blending (up to 3 cups total ingredients): Black beans (drained) Canned, frozen, or ...

Reflecting on 2024, I had some great successes in keeping up my meal habits even when introducing a child into my life. The struggle still remains traveling but I could also improve on my home and work routines.  Just too many temptations that are usually born from not having a plan in advance which leads to giving into cravings.  Here is the new meal routine that I am planning for this coming year. It involves a rotation of two daily routines over six alternating days then one day to mix things up. Mon/Wed/Fri Breakfast - fruit and veggie shake Lunch - sandwich, wrap, or chips and dip Dinner - rice and beans dish Tue/Thu/Sat Breakfast - soaked oats Lunch - fast salad Dinner - noodle dish Sunday Breakfast - cold cereal with milk alternative Lunch - eggs with toast or tortilla Dinner - pizza or burger or eating out Any Day Drinks - teas, coffee, seltzers, water with juice flavors Afternoon Snack - nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, cut veggies, peanut butter, hummus, crackers, chi...

I'm a member of Lifetime Fitness and their gyms have a cafe portion that has some really healthy and delicious offerings. This includes some prepackaged tuna and chicken salads. Their tuna salad is particularly unique because they use Asian flavors. I love it with potato chips as a type of dip or scooped on a slice of toast or a bed of lettuce or spinach. I modify mine a bit to remove the mayo and add everything bagel seasoning and water chestnuts for an extra punch of flavor and crunch.  It is simple enough to make where I can do it before work or even at work since it requires no cooking. However, since it involves tuna which can be unpleasant smelling out of the can, probably best to pre-make it at home. Ingredients 1 can tuna 1-2 tbsp oil or mayo 1/2 tsp lemon juice if using oil  1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp soy sauce or tamari 1 tsp honey 1/4 tsp chili powder 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp ground ginger  1 tbsp everything bagel seasoning (my own addition) 1/2 can water che...

Most TV mounts require that you find two studs to drill into. This direction is for that setup. The trick is how to make sure the holes you drill are perfectly level.  The first step is to find the studs. Go to an area of the wall that you know for certain will be somewhere behind your TV. It doesn't necessarily have to be where you plan the mounting bracket to go. Now grab a stud finder and use it to find the studs behind your TV. I like to triple check by drilling small pilot holes near where the stud finder says the stud should be. I space each pilot hole about 1/4 inch apart. If the drill bit goes through the drywall into empty space, then I know I'm not at a stud. I move over another 1/4 inch until the drywall hits wood and doesn't go all the way through. Then I keep moving 1/4 inch still likely continuing to hit the stud until I hit the 1 3/4 inch (7 holes) at which point I should be back to drywall. Now I know exactly where the stud is and can find the halfway point....

Neither my wife and I are fans of the green beans on Thanksgiving. The traditional green bean casserole method is too goopy and having them plain isn't all that enticing either. So we decided this year to try a combination of Brussel sprouts and butternut squash and it was such a better side dish. It complimented the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes so much better than green beans. Plus I happen to grow my own butternut squash so it is the perfect way to showcase some of my own garden bounty as part of Thanksgiving. We will definitely be making them again this way from this Thanksgiving forward. Ingredients 1lb fresh whole Brussel sprouts (ideally organic) 1.5lb whole butter squash or 1lb pre-cubed (must be fresh not frozen) 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1/8 tsp black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil Directions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash and trim the ends off the Brussel sprouts. Cut in half lengthwise. Cube the butternut squash. If starting with a whole one, the easiest way is to cut...

For this year's upcoming Thanksgiving, I decided to try preparing my own horseradish instead of buying the store bought version that is full of chemicals. Just look at the recipe label below! There are some brands with simpler, more natural ingredients, but figured I'd try a homemade version and save some money. The ingredients couldn't be simpler: Ingredients 150g horseradish root peeled (about 6oz unpeeled and about 1 cup minced) 1 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1/2 tsp kosher salt (3g) For the directions, it's really quite easy. Just follow the steps below. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to wear kitchen gloves. I was fine using my exposed hands but just made sure to wash my hands after each step before touching anything else. Directions Peel the outer brown skin off the horseradish root using a vegetable peeler.  Dice the peeled root into cubes. Add the cubes to a food processor or high powered blender. Pulse to break up the cubes then blend for 3...

Well what an election it was this past week. Now it is time to prepare for what looks to be a radical new approach to the role of government. I am a libertarian at heart so I am cautiously optimistic, however, we have a President that disguises himself as looking out for the little guy when really he is like any other wealthy elite looking out for himself and other elites. No doubt, every policy move he makes will be to somehow enrich himself and other wealthy individuals/corporations some more. He'll keep giving lip service to trickle down economics, but in reality the money never leaves the hands of the wealthy. It stays there accumulating more and more money. One thing I will be watching closely is how he seems to want to gut government bureaucracy and oversight. If he starts making massive cuts to departments like the Department of Health, Education, Defense (through stopping the wars we are fighting), the SEC, even lowering interest rates, eventually the cuts will impact the c...

I had the most productive tomato plant ever this year. One plant produced over 35 pounds of tomatoes! I had so many tomatoes that I had to figure out things to do with them. So I decided to take a crack at making my own canned (jarred) tomatoes. To make processing simpler, I came up with a method that does not involve peeling or de-seeding the tomatoes. Every part of each tomato gets used. Some might say that effects the taste and texture of the finished sauce, but to me it turns out great.  Note, I am not an expert canner and I am only learning from other blogs and videos. Do not try my techniques without doing your own research on what is safe or not for your situation. Now onto my technique. Ingredients and Tools 10-12 lbs fresh tomatoes 1/2 cup lemon juice 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp white vinegar Paper towels High powered blender 7.5 quart stock pot 15 quart stock pot Steamer rack/liner for larger stock pot Large ladle 5 pint size wide mouth jars 1 quart size wide mouth jar 6 wide...