Motivational Musing ~

Celery ~ Apium graveolens

Celery is a negative calorie food! In other words, the process of chewing and digesting the celery burns more calories than are actually present in the celery.  And even though it’s low in calories and mostly water, it still contains important vitamins and minerals. You can munch on it all day long!

Celery’s crunchy texture and distinctively mild flavor makes celery a popular addition to soups, salads, and stews. 

It’s the perfect dipping food and its seeds can be used as seasoning. In Louisiana Creole and Cajun cooking, celery is considered one of the three vegetables known as the holy trinity.  The other two are bell peppers and onions.

Righteous Recipe BONUS Bloody Mary Ingredients: 2 oz vodka 4 oz tomato juice juice of 1/2 lime 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 6 dashes Tabasco® sauce salt, pepper to taste 1 lime wedge

Instructions: Add vodka, juices and sauce to a shaker with ice, adding salt and pepper to taste. Shake vigorously enough to burn calories. Strain over ice cubes into a highball glass and add a lime wedge.

Celery salt (a mixture of celery seed and salt - duh!) is a popular seasoning used to enhance the flavor of cocktails. The Greeks and Romans used wild celery to cure hangovers. Do you think that's why celery stalks are a part of a good old Bloody Mary?

Celery is available year round. When choosing your celery, be sure that it looks crisp and snaps easily when pulled apart.  Its leaves should be green in color without any yellow or brown spots.  Another thing to keep an eye out for are seedstems.  These are round stems that are present instead of the small stalks that one usually finds in the middle of the celery.  Celery, with seedstems, is bitter tasting.

When storing your celery, place it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.  If you are storing already cut or peeled celery, be sure it’s dry.  Pat it with a paper towel before putting in the sealed container.  And don’t even think about freezing it, as this will make it wilt.

 

LINKS:
Celery 101 - If you put celery in a glass of food coloring the celery absorbs the food coloring and change it that color! Isn't that NEAT!!?? Conduct a fun celery scientific experiment with your kids.
Urban Legend or Not: Celery Is A Negative Calorie Food!
Marys that are Bloody Good.
Clean your teeth with celery! Whoever would have thought!!

 

 

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The Ten Commandments of Permanent Fat Removal as seen on Good Morning America! * * * Is there a KICK in the Tush Club in your area? Could be!

The Art of WEIGHT LOSS - at the 92nd Street Y Class starts Tuesday, November 8 Sign Up NOW!

 

 

 

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Righteous Recipe ~ Celery & Carrot Slaw

Celery & Carrot Salad Ingredients: 12 oz Celery 12 oz Carrots 2 oz Walnuts 1 tbsp walnut oil 1 tbsp White wine vinegar 2 tbsp Parsley, chopped Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions: Wash & coarsely grate the celery. Peel & coarsely grate the carrots. Roughly chop the nuts. Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Toss the vinaigrette with the grated vegetables. Chill & Serve.

Want to whip up another dish?
Send Our Lady your favorite recipe! Keep them easy, low-cal and FUN.

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Ingredients needed:
Apples
Tea Lights (in tin) a.k.a. tiny candles
One Pen
One Razor Blade
A spoon and knife for digging!

Instructions
Using your trusty pen, trace the tea light on the top of your apple.
Then take the razor blade and start cutting straight down into the apple.
With knife and spoon, dig out the center piece. Dig deep enough to that the tea light slips in.
Place tea light inside candle.
Make one for each table setting. Light and enjoy the festive autumn ambiance that you created!!

 

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Fruitful Contest - What was Johnny Appleseed's real name? (Oh boy, that's a tough one!)


RULES: The 16th to enlighten Our Lady wins an Our Lady of Weight Loss prize! (Sometimes people send in their answers within minutes - even seconds - of each other. Our Lady declares them all winners!)

Last week's Fruitful query: Multiple Choice: The most popular cosmetic procedure in the US is:
a) eyelid surgery - b) liposuction - c) rhinoplasty ("nose job") - d) botox injections
The answer is: b) liposuction - The winner is Susan E.

Write Our Lady.
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Chewing the Fat - How you doin'? Write Our Lady.
If you've written and your letter has not been published, it's probably coming down the pike and will be in next week's KICK or the week after! NOTE: If your letter and/or Weighty Confession and/or Righteous Recipe are published, you will receive an Our Lady of Weight Loss prize! Be sure to send your mailing address with your email.

Dear OLofWL, Regarding last week's Kick, "Forever Young," have you heard of "Realage.com"? This is a survey that computes your "real age" as opposed to your chronological age. Your "real age" can be greater or lesser than your age in years. There is also a detailed report run that gives many helpful hints to improve your "real age". I think it is a good site. ~ Kate S.

Dear Kate, ~ Yes, Realage.com is a great site. They have a tip of the day - useful information that if followed is sure to keep you lookin' and feelin' good. Thanks for sharing the info. www.realage.com ~ Kick Tush, OLofWL

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Dear OLofWL, I don't know if I've asked this already or not, but I was wondering if you are aware of any good motivational tapes/cds that work like affirmations.
I'd love to spend the time in my car listening to things that can "brainwash" me into healthier state of mind. Any ideas? ~ Sharon N.

Dear Sharon, I think Shakti Gawain is the beat-all end-all when it comes to Creative Visualization. Her book is incredible. I read it and highlighted almost every word! And she's got plenty of product, tapes, et al. on her website. Here's the link. www.shaktigawain.com ~ Kick Tush, OLofWL

SPECIAL NOTICE: Many KICK in the TUSH Club members have been directed hit by and are suffering from Hurricane Katrina's and Hurricane Rita's devastation. They desperately need water, food, medical care and shelter. Please help. If you are a KICK member and I can help in anyway, please write me: Our Lady cares At the very least, I can offer an ear and moral support.