DeDivahDeals

Fashion and Fun after Fifty

Posts Tagged ‘birthday celebration’

5 Lifestyle Changes To Make Before I Turn 55

Next week I will be celebrating my 55th birthday and as always around this time of the year I starting thinking of the changes that I need to make in order to live a healthier lifestyle.

Five of those lifestyle changes include:

drinking more waterNOPE;

drinking less alcoholNO WAY JOSE;

getting more sleepNEVER;

exercising moreNOT GONNA HAPPEN

and last but not least

eat more veggiesYES YES YES!  

I love my veggies especially fresh collards and kale!

eating healthy

 

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times, Kale is an awesome Superfood, one that my grandmother cooked almost every Sunday, or at least twice per month.

On the other Sundays or during the week it would be either collards or cresses, which to this day, I have never seen a “cresse” in the grocery stores.

I normally don’t use much seasoning except for maybe a smoked turkey neck or wing, onion and a little bit of sugar, which is why I decided to try this Greens & Kale Seasoning Mix by Concord Foods.  Chicken broth is also good to add to the pot of water for more flavor but it’s not necessary.

seasonings for collard and kale greens

The sodium content is extremely high at 320 mg so I didn’t use the entire pack. When cooking Kale, make sure to thoroughly wash the leaves in the sink or in a deep bowl then tear away the stems from the leaves.

wash greens in a sink or deep bowl

I love fresh sweet onions but chose to use several pearl onions as they were in refrigerator – TIP: peel onions under the stove’s exhaust fan turned on low to keep from crying.  I also forgot to add some minced garlic but a few teaspoons are great to add on top of the kale once the water starts to boil.

use fresh onions when cooking kale

In a large pot, bring 3 cups of water and smoked meat (optional) to a boil.    Add diced onions, garlic and seasoning.  Pour in a few teaspoons of sugar which is also optional and stir.

add kale to boiling water

Cover pot and simmer on low heat, turning occasionally for about 2 hours or until kale is tender, add more water or broth as needed.

add hot sauce to kale

Sprinkle Red Crushed Peppers or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce on top and enjoy.

I need a little spice added to my healthy greens, how about you!

Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger

Don’t forget to tune into Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger on Sunday at 6 – go over to the side bar for the link.  

We will be discussing Social Media Etiquette for Boomers

Be safe and I’ll see ya next week!

 


My Birthday Day in Review

Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!

Last Friday I was blessed to have celebrated my 52nd birthday.  I want to thank each and everyone of you for your birthday wishes, greetings and blog shout-outs, it touched my heart and I truly appreciated it.
It wasn’t too long ago that I would start my birthday day with a scheduled appointment for a mani/pedi, a spa treatment, out for a nice lunch then ending it with a shopping spree at the Mall. This year I started my birthday day with a scheduled doctor appointments/medical tests, a bagel and latte at a local cafe, a sidewalk sale then a meeting with my son’s case manager.  It’s amazing how my priorities changed as I got older.
Birthday 2013 045 One thing that never changes is the excitement of getting Birthday cards sent via USPS – I still love getting cards in the mail. Birthday 2013 056 I received a few from family and friends…

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…but this was my favorite one from #1 son…definitely a keeper!

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I went to Whereabouts Cafe for breakfast and ordered an Oregon Chai Latte with an Egg Bagel and a Lox Spread.
Rugged Wearhouse was having their annual Sidewalk Sale and everything on the outside tables was $1.00.  I couldn’t resist picking up a few pieces of costume jewelry, spending a whooping $7.00, how my priorities have changed!

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When son #2 arrived home from school he and I went in town to Verizon Wireless where he helped me choose a new Smartphone.  No, it wasn’t the Apple iPhone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 a b c or d, instead I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S4 which I love – older eyes need bigger phones!

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Before heading home, I stopped in at Cochran Liquors where they were hosting a taste testing for Bacardi’s new Light Strawberry Daiquiris.  With the first sip my mind was immediately transported back to an island in the Caribbean, it was a wonderful mini mental vacation.  (BTW my son was driving).  I decided to purchase a bottle of Bacardi Light Pina Colada to toast my 52nd birthday.

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Later that evening hubby came home with a beautiful white floral arrangement containing Roses, Carnations, Lilys, Daisys and Baby Breaths.  This made for a perfect ending to perfectly blessed birthday day.

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