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Sigh. Remember how I mentioned that I was thinking great things? Charting new courses? Breaking new ground? I was restless. Feeling a little bored, frankly. Needed some excitement and something “just for me.”

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I’ve been gone from here for a while . . . and some of you have taken notice. “What’s up with you?” come the emails, the questions at school, the texts and phone calls.

It’s all been good, friends. There’s no crisis, no health emergency. My mammo was clear, my cholesterol rocks.

No, it’s this: I’ve been taking some time away to evaluate the blog, my involvement with the blog and what I want to do (or not do) with the blog. I’ve also been committed to my Move Into March challenge and to healthy eating, and I’ve lost the 7 lbs. I gained thanks to my arthritis and my vacation. I have been able, for the first time in 2 years, to exercise standing up. I feel great, I’m enjoying myself. I’ve been reading lots, and prepping very simple, very healthful food.

“So what about RECIPES???” “The well is dry!!!” come other emails . . . I love love love that you all depend on the recipes – that this blog serves you so well! I may try posting once a week or so – try to strike a happy medium for us all, but truthfully, I’m really quite preoccupied with thinking up ways to better integrate my passion for healthy living, my love of food and cooking and face-to-face, real-life connections with people like you.

As Tama Kieves says, “If you feel lost, you’re on your way to the miraculous.” I’ll admit it – I have no idea what’s going on yet.  But hang with me, will you? What’s yet to come might be even better than we all could have imagined!

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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I’m pasty. And grouchy. Uninspired in the kitchen and in desperate need of some sun and sand . . . so while I take a break to recalibrate and find my mojo, I thought it’d be fun to revisit some of Semi-Sweet’s top posts. Look for them starting tomorrow – I hope you get reacquainted with an old favorite or two, or perhaps find a new one . . . . Bon appétit!

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It’s the holidays, and for us, that means cookie baking, gingerbread house making, partying with friends and family, and, unfortunately, fatigue.  Despite my best intentions, I’m always “too busy” at this time of year.  I’m so looking forward to that stretch of time between Christmas and New Year’s, when our family unplugs and unwinds for the week . . . jammies ’til noon, lazy lunches of leftovers, puzzles, games, and catching up casually with friends we don’t see often enough.

So I’ve been in a cooking rut, which is why you’ve not seen much that’s inspiring here.  Lots of Crock-Pot items – and while they’re certainly convenient and can be tasty, I’ve never had a knock-your-socks-off meal from the Crock.

But last night I got crazy and tried a new recipe, and it was a winner, I tell you!   [Read more →]

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Are you a fan of Semi-Sweet on Facebook and Twitter?  If you’re not, you should be – you’ll have access to all manner of “bonus content,” including links to interesting health- and nutrition-related articles, delicious-looking recipes I find, news about goings-on around town, and many days, updates on what I’m eating (you might find something new to try!).  A couple of days ago, I posted some tips for making it through the holidays while still fitting into your skinny jeans, and also about baking cookies.  And a few people commented – surprised comments like “Hey, idiot! The two are incompatible!”

Well I argue they’re not.   [Read more →]

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Baking?  In July?  Yes, friends, it was in the low 70′s here in Boston yesterday and I had a couple lovely, fresh zucchini from my Picadilly Farms CSA share.  No one but me in this house’ll eat zucchini as a veg, so I thought I might try the sweet approach.

I used this recipe from Elise Bauer’s super site, Simply Recipes and made it in a 12-muffin muffin pan.

There was a little left over, so I buttered up 2 little ramekins and baked that off.  Before baking, I sprinkled the muffin tops with turbinado sugar, so they’ve got a sweet little crunch to ‘em.  Oh, and I added the optional cup of raisins and chopped walnuts to these puppies, too.  These are nice – moist, nice crumb, not too sweet and they require no special equipment to make (although I confess to grating the zucchini in the Cuisinart – it’s just so fast!).  These are delicious alone, or warmed with a schmear of butter, or a drizzle of honey, or a schmear of butter and and drizzle of honey . . . .

And are you like me?  With a portion control issue with baked goods?  These pups will freeze well.  I intend to put at least a 1/2 dozen into a Ziploc and stow ‘em . . . you can defrost them individually for a treat, or en masse for a get-together. 

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

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Wow, it’s been a long time since my last post – I’m still here – just immersed in another project.  Two weeks ago, D. and I up and bought ourselves a new house – 3 minutes away from this old house, but in a neighborhood we’ve always coveted and watched since we moved to town.  It was all quite unexpected, so in the last 2 weeks, not only have we purchased a new home but we’ve readied ours for market and started showing it.  Talk about whiplash.  Talk about the need for convenience food!  Especially now that we’re living in the “show home.”  The amount of counter-wiping and surface-clearing required to show your house is horrifying.  Not to mention that you become the “crumb Nazi” to your kid.  I hope L. will still speak to me when this is all over . . . she is irritated by the whole affair, and really?  Who can blame her?  A friend said she knew someone who had her kids eat in the tub when they were showing the house.  That sounds like a great idea to me right now, except we can’t all fit in the tub and L. hates to eat alone. [Read more →]

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Great article on Fooducate today about Whole Foods new nutrition rating system:

Just when we thought we had covered all the nutrition rating systems out there, here’s a new system being implemented at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide. ANDI, short for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index, is the brainchild of author, MD, and founder of Eat Right America, Dr. Joel Fuhrman.fooducate.com, Whole Foods Market Adopts “ANDI” Nutrition Rating System | Fooducate, Jan 2010

You should read the whole article!

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