Health and Wellbeing

Gluten-Free Capri Salad *Great for Holiday Gatherings

November 30, 2023December 2, 2023 Looking for the Light3 Comments

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes

Fresh basil

1/2 pound Mozzarella di Bufala di Campania (soft mozzarella cheese)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Using a bread knife, slice tomatoes thickly into 1/2-inch slices. Select soft mozzarella cheese packaged in water so it remains moist and flavorful (don’t use hard-packed mozzarella for pizza topping.)

Carefully slice the mozzarella cheese 1/2 inch pieces. Place the mozzarella on top of the tomato and add a sprig of freshly washed basil.

At this point, you can drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and serve. Or if preparing ahead of time, refrigerate on individual plates and drizzle olive oil on top just before serving.

Use one generous tomato slice per serving.

Enjoy!

Melinda

Yummy Gluten- Free Banana Bread

November 29, 2023November 29, 2023 Looking for the Light5 Comments

From the book Gluten Freedom

By Shelly Gannan

We replace the flour in this recipe with Pamela’s gluten-free baking mix. Pamela’s baking mix includes xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. you have to add these ingredients if you are using plain gluten-free flour that does not already have them added.

Ingredients:

3 cups gluten-free flour*

2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups mashed bananas (3-4 very ripe bananas)

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 bag of chocolate chips

*Or use Pamela’s baking mix and eliminate the next four ingredients.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease bottoms of two 9x5x3 loaf pans. If not using a premade baking mix, combine flour, xanthan gum, cider vinegar, baking soda, and salt in mixing bowl; blend well with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat bananas separately in a large mixing bowl, then add all the ingredients except chocolate chips to the bananas and beat on low speed for 1 minute.

Fold in chocolate chips and pour mixture evenly into pans. Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans to cool completely. If you are making muffins, bake for 20 minutes, testing doneness with a toothpick.

Makes two loaves or 12 muffins.

Enjoy

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Fun · Travel

Wordless Wednesday *Playing With Water

November 29, 2023 Looking for the LightLeave a comment

I’m so glad you joined me on Wordless Wednesday. Thanks for stopping by.

Having Photo Fun While In Washington, DC

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Fun · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

8 Activities That Get You Out Of Your Head

November 28, 2023May 17, 2025 Looking for the Light2 Comments

If you’re something who suffers from overthinking, you’re not alone. Rumination is a leading cause of anxiety and depression.

Fortunately, there are numerous things you can do to get out of your head and back into the world as you used to know it. It’s just a question of practicing the right activities. Do what works for you.

Socialize

If you are someone who enjoys the company of others, invest more time in socializing. Focusing on other people and their needs can help to take your mind away from internal thoughts.

One option is to join a club of people with shared interests. Doing something with others can be an excellent way to focus on something new and get more enjoyment from life.

The other approach is to surround yourself with friends and family and do something productive together.

Explore The Wilderness

Another approach is to spend some time exploring the wilderness. Being in nature can have a profound healing effect on some people, helping them feel more grounded and connected to human origins.

You can try hiking, camping or even cycling. Experiencing nature in reality and not through a screen is a fundamentally different animal.

Go Off-Roading

You could also try something thrilling, such as off-roading. Focusing on the track ahead of you while you drive an overpowered 4×4 helps to eliminate ruminations and makes you feel alive again.

Just make sure you have the proper supplies. Driving a hard-top Roxor requires having the correct Roxor accessories. Not being prepared could increase anxiety.

Get Lost In A Good Book

Another approach is to get lost in a good book. Spend some time rifling through the pages of a famous novel you haven’t read yet and absorb yourself in another world. Don’t let the same thought patterns dominate your life.

Start Traveling

Travel can also be a fantastic healer if you have the financial ability to engage in it. Seeing new places and meeting new people gives you a fundamentally different perspective on life, letting you get more out of it.

Learn Something New

You can also try learning something new. Taking up a new hobby or skill can be a wonderful distraction from the thoughts and images swirling around in your head.

The more cognitively demanding the task, the better it tends to be at eliminating rumination. Writing is high up on the list, as is dance, learning a musical instrument, and creating artwork. Pick something that feels uncomfortably difficult so that it takes up more of your mental resources, leaving less for pondering unpleasant thoughts.

Start Journaling

You might also want to start journaling, something many therapy patients find helpful. Writing down your thoughts can be therapeutic and helps you sort out your feelings in your mind.

Puzzles And Games

Finally, you can try puzzles and games. These can force you to return to the moment and have fun, something that might be lacking in your life if you struggle with intrusive thoughts. Find games that satisfy you when you solve them.

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Men & Womens Health

Beware When Donating To Charity

November 28, 2023January 9, 2024 Looking for the Light6 Comments

This is the end of the year and many will look to make charitable donations. One important step is to look at how the charity is managed. The key step is to check out Charity Navigator. They rate the effectiveness of the management of funds by rating the charities by giving them stars. The higher the score means more of the money is going towards actual work.

Many companies send out requests for money and have great advertising and if a charity spends more than 75-80% in total expenses they are not managing their money well. You go to Charity Navigator and search for the charity you’re looking for or the type of charity you’re looking for and they will show a list. Look at the score, and all the info available on the charity. Personally, I only give money to charities with four stars.

This year I’m adding a new charity to my list, one that services homeless veterans. I’m combing through Charity Navigator to find a charity that spends its money on the ground directly helping vets. So far all I have found are advocacy groups or ones with less than four stars. I have to keep searching so we can make our donations this week.

Be sure your money is being spent on services, not a highly paid executive and team who sends out letters asking for money.

Happy New Year!

Melinda

Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Yummy Gluten-Free Dessert Everyone Will Love

November 28, 2023November 27, 2023 Looking for the Light2 Comments

For your next birthday party, make a “pavlova” – a delicious meringue shell filled with whipped cream and topped with fresh fruit. With it’s sweet, fluffy interior and crunchy crust, meringue is a favorite for kids of all ages. The desert, which is claimed by both New Zealand and Australia, was created for the great imperial Russian ballerina, Anna Palova, during her tour in the 1920’s.

From Helen Allan Christchurch, New Zealand

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg whites

1 cup fine granulated sugar (castor sugar)

1 teaspoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon whipping cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar (if desired)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberries and kiwi fruit

Preheat oven 250 degrees. Beat eggs whites on high speed until they look like ribbons when dropped from the beater. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Beat meringue mixture until it forms stiffs peaks but isn’t dry.

Fold vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla into mixture. Using parchment paper on a cookie sheet, spoon the meringue mixture into a circle on the sheet about six to eight inches in diameter ( a rubber spatula really helps with this step.)

Bake 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off and open the door, leaving the meringue to cool. The meringue shell will fall as it cools but that is okay.- that’s when whipped cream is for.

When the meringue shell is cool, whip the cream in the mixing bowl until it thickens. If desired, add sugar and vanilla to the cream. Don’t overbeat the cream or it will clump. Cover meringue with whipped cream and sliced fruit. You might want to make two-this is a very popular dessert! One pavlova serves six to eight people. And just in case you’d like the kids to eat dinner before dessert, try this traditional New Zealand family dinner one weekend.

This is one of my favorite deserts and every holiday I have one or two! Enjoy.

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

What’s Your Mood Today?

November 27, 2023 Looking for the Light8 Comments

Thinking about the old days over the weekend, I know how blessed I am to have the experiences. I’ve added a few photos of a couple of adventures. It began at two years old.

Jackie & Me Hot Air Ballon ride, we shared BDay together. I’m the one with short hair.

Adventure-seeking on my second birthday, riding my first horse.

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

What Are The Signs A Friend May Be Feeling Stressed Or Anxious?

November 27, 2023November 27, 2023 Looking for the Light12 Comments

We, humans, are complicated creatures capable of expressing thousands of emotions. This site shows you that anxiety and stress are common across the natural world, and animals have many ways of showing it. Unfortunately for us, humans can also be very good at hiding those emotions, so it isn’t always possible to tell how a loved one or friend is feeling. Here are a few common signs that may suggest your friend is feeling more anxious or stressed than normal.

Irritable

If you have noticed that small things seem to be bothering your friend more than usual, this could be a symptom of stress or anxiety. The Calm Clinic suggests that irritability is a common sign of anxiety and can cause people to unexpectedly get upset or even lash out. If your friend has displayed these symptoms, do not be afraid to quietly and sympathetically tell them you have noticed a difference in their behavior and ask if there is anything you can do to help. They may not have noticed the change yet themselves, so give them time and space if they need it to think about their behavior and any reasons that might be causing them to feel more irritable.

Not Sleeping

If your colleague at work is constantly reaching for the coffee, making silly mistakes, and looking exhausted, they may not be getting enough sleep. Anxiety and stress can throw off sleep patterns very quickly. According to Medical News Today, the link between stress and sleep deprivation is very common, with only 35% of Americans getting the correct amount of sleep. A lack of sleep can cause mental health problems to worsen and deepen, so sleep deprivation must be tackled. Again, this is a case of having a quiet word and asking if there is anything that keeps them up at night. If there is a worry often sharing it confidentially can help a friend to put things into perspective. Assure your friend that any discussions can be confidential, and you would only ever break confidentiality if you were worried they may harm themselves or others.

Diet Changes

Our diet can fluctuate wildly due to stress and anxiety. Some people may overeat or reach for junk food over healthier options. Others swing the other way and may cut out food altogether. Of course, dietary changes are not always linked to mental health. Only raise the question with a friend if you feel the pattern has been sustained over a substantial period, and if you suspect stress or anxiety may be the trigger for the dietary shift. You can help someone by offering to cook meals or to share lunches with them. Even a few meals in a freezer that they can reach for when they don’t have the energy to cook can make a huge difference to someone’s overall well being.

If your friend does let you know that they are feeling more anxious or stressed than usual, then reassure your friend that there are easy steps you can both take together which will help. Look online for expert advice and positive stories from those who have been in similar situations.

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Blogger Highlight-Shedding Light On Mental Health

November 27, 2023 Looking for the LightLeave a comment

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight the blog Shedding Light On Mental Heath.

Shining a light on Mental Illness

Hi and welcome to my blog “Shedding Light on Mental Health.” My name is Amy Gamble and I am a National Award winning Mental Health Advocate focused on educating others about Mental Health related challenges.

I live with bipolar disorder and PTSD. My journey has been very long and difficult, but I was able to overcome my mental health challenges and recover.

I try to offer hope in my blogs as well as share insights.

Amy and I have followed each other for years. I’m overjoyed she has jumped over her challenges. What she didn’t say is that she is an Olympian and respected Speaker. You have to visit Amy’s blog.

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Celebrate Life · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

DIY Blueberry Sugar Scrub-WOW! What A Treat

November 26, 2023November 26, 2023 Looking for the Light2 Comments

This easy-to-make recipe is the perfect gift, one for yourself and one to give. Find a pretty mason jar to store the scrub in, write down the instructions and tie it on with string.

Willow and Sage by Stampington

You Will Need

Yields 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed, can use fresh or frozen blueberries.

Food processor/immersion blender

1 cup natural sugar

1/8 cup coconut oil, melted

Spoon

Mason Jar

To Make

Puree the blueberries in the food processor or with an immersion blender until no large chunks remain. Add natural sugar and coconut oil, and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into a mason jar. Store the scrub in the fridge, and use it within one month.

Enjoy!

Melinda