Hello Everyone!

Melvin in action

Hello everyone!

Some of you already know, but for all of you who does not know, I would like to tell you my exciting news. I'm in the process of publishing my very first children's book. Yes, my dream of being a published children's book author is almost fulfilled. 

Unfortunately, I have been so involved in this that everything else have gotten neglected. My blogs, facebook, twitter, commenting, sharing, visiting, replying, friends, family, life, eating and everything in between. So I'm truly sorry for not being in touch as much as I should have, and some of you may have felt neglected. Please know it was never my intention. As soon as "Melvin, bad, bad kitten" will be published, I am then in desperate need of a few days of vacation, because this book publishing thing has drained all the energy out of me. However, afterwords I hope everything will settle down and you'll hear and see me around as usual.

Thank you for your understanding.

Hugs,

Sannel

How to Add Fiber and Moisture Into Your Pound Cake

One day my lovely niece invited me to her home for coffee. She had just baked a pound cake, and the wonderful smell met me as soon as I walked in through the door. Well, if the smell was wonderful, then the taste was simply heavenly. My oh my. . . So moist and delicious! I got rather surprised when she told me that this cake's main ingredient was shredded zucchini. What a pleasant surprise, knowing that by eating this pound cake, I was eating healthy too! Well, unless you eat half of the cake in one sitting, which I did, I simply could not resist.

Now I will share this recipe with the rest of you. I hope you'll enjoy this cake as much as I did.

Zucchini and Nut Cake

Recipe For Zucchini and Nut Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups of raw shredded zucchini
• 1 cup of shelled, unsalted and roasted pistachio nuts or almonds, coarsely chopped.
• Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 10-inch bundt or loaf pan. Sprinkle with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, vanilla and cinnamon in a medium bowl. 
• Melt butter in a saucepan, let cool. 
• Coarsely grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. 
• Spread the pistachios or almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Coarsely chop the nuts. 
• Using an electric mixer, beat egg and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Add the melted butter. Use a flexible spatula to fold in the zucchini and nuts. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. 
• Bake until loaf is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before unfolding onto rack to cool completely. If you like you can sift confectioners' sugar over cake before serving. 

This Pound Cake Freezes Very Well 

Zucchini Could Be Added to Any Pound Cake Recipe

By adding zucchini to your pound cake recipe, you will not only add plenty of fiber and vitamins, but also give the cake moisture. Zucchini is plain in its flavor and low in calories, and will make a great substitution in cakes. Since this vegetable is plain in flavor, it can be added to any flavored cake such as lemon, chocolate or coconut pound cake. To use zucchini in a pound cake recipe, coarsely grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and then simply add 1 cup of squeezed, shredded zucchini to the recipe.

Without Anyone Noticing, They are Eating Healthy!


Some people, especially children may not like vegetables. However, your friends and family will never guess that the delicious and mouthwatering cake you are serving them, is cramped with zucchini, a fibrous and healthy vegetable. Not only will zucchini add plenty of vitamins and fiber to the cake but it will also give the cake moisture.

When used for food or baking, zucchini are usually picked when under 20 cm (8 in.) in length, when the seeds are still soft and immature.

Did you know that in North America and Australia the plant is most commonly called zucchini which comes from the Italian word zucchina? The name courgette is French and is commonly used in South Africa, New Zealand, Great Britain and Ireland.

A slice of Healthy Cake

Enjoy!

Living with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - May 12th is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Show your support by making this invisible illness visible 

May 12th is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

The one thing that makes fibromyalgia so hard to live with is the fact that you do not look sick. Fibromyalgia is also called the invisible disease, so even the people closest to you have a hard time to understand your situation. Someone who's suffering from fibromyalgia, try their best to give an appearance that nothing is wrong with them. They take extra care to look their best and when they meet people, they sound and look very cheerful, hiding the pain and exhaustion they really feel. However, masquerading as a normal person day after day is exhausting, so we often try to avoid socializing all together. This behavior usually after some time becomes a quality of life, where you get more and more isolated from family, friends, and finally the world.

Except for the physical torment, there is also the emotional pain of misunderstanding and/or lack of knowledge from family and friends. If someone in your family, a friend, co-worker or neighbor have fibromyalgia, you'll help them tremendously by taking the time to learn about this chronic, debilitating and invisible disease. It will help them not to feel so alone.

So for all of you who thinks fibro is just about pain, I just want to say, it is so much more. During the National day of Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, I hope that non-sufferers will take the opportunity to learn and understand better what it means to live with fibromyalgia, and how it affects our everyday lives. Only then you'll understand, there are painful tears behind that smile. 

Please support research to find the causes of and a cure for fibromyalgia. Show you care by wearing purple today.

Healthy and Delicious Greek Pie

Healthy Greek Pie!

In between the phyllo of this Greek spinach and cheese pie, there is a scrumptious and mouthwatering filling of spinach, feta cheese, dill, some mint and olive oil, sprinkled with a healthy blend of vitamins, flavonoids and phytonutrients.

The Greek grandmothers make this pie with homemade dough, but I find that to be too time consuming for someone like me. So I make this with ready-made phyllo dough, which makes it so much easier and quicker.


SPINACH AND CHEESE PIE- Σπανακοτυρόπιτα (Greek)

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Lightly oil a 30x40 cm. (12x15 inch) square baking pan.

Ingredients:

• One pack of very thin filo pastry 450g. (1lbs) 
• Fresh spinach 1 Kg. (2 lbs)  1 Kg. (2 lbs) frozen, thawed.
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 bunches green leeks, diced
• One bunch of fresh dill, chopped (substitute 3 tbsp. dried.)
• Fresh Mint, chopped 4 tbsp
• Feta Cheese, crumbled 250 g (½ lb)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. The feta cheese is salted, so be careful not to add too much salt.
• Olive oil 60 ml ( 1/4cup)
• Olive oil for the pastry and pan 60ml (1/4 cup)
• 2eggs, lightly beaten
• Oregano, 1 tbsp. Dried
• Sesame, 3 tbsp.

Preparation:

• Wash and simmer the fresh spinach for a few minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water very well. If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess water.
• Heat oil in a deep saute pan. Saute the onions and green onions until tender. Add the spinach, dill, mint, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the slightly beaten eggs and the crumbled feta cheese. Mix lightly.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly grease with a little olive oil the bottom and sides of the pan.
• Unwrap the Phyllo.
• Carefully remove the Phyllo roll from the plastic sleeve. Using a scissor or a sharp knife, cut the sheets in half to make two stacks of sheets. To prevent drying, cover one stacks with wax paper and a damp paper towel, while working with the other.

Prepare the pie:

•  Layer half the stack of phyllo on the bottom of the pan making sure to brush each sheet with olive oil. Add the spinach mixture in an even layer.

• Continue to cover the spinach with the other layer of the phyllo, making sure to brush each sheet with olive oil.
• Brush the top layer of phyllo with olive oil and score carefully the pie into squares. Sprinkle the sesame on top.

• Bake in a preheated 175 degrees C, 350 degrees F oven until the pie turns a deep golden brown. Approximately 35-45 minutes of cooking time.

Serve it hot or cold as an appetizer or finger food. Or serve the pie as a meal with a salad. I always keep trays of uncooked pie in the freezer as a handy and quick appetizer, or side dish for guests. It freezes very well and heats beautifully.

Enjoy!

Poetic Impressions by Jami Pereira - A Book Review

Gripping and Deeply Profound

I like this author's causal, yet profound writing style very much. It is written with a fondness for the writing life. I think that the overall message from the author is that poetry is a form of freedom where boundaries are broken, and all the restrictions are removed.

Through Ms. Jami Pereira's words, she opens up a new door to poetry. This may frustrate over-methodical readers, and may not be suited for someone whose only interest is to analyze the aesthetic correctness in the poem. However, by doing that, they will miss the unique concreteness this author has to offer.

Reading this author's poetry, you'll soon understand, this is highly personal work. Within its 216 pages you'll find thought-provoking material that can only come from experience. Her words moved me many times to tears, as I became acquainted with such things as: abuse, cruelty, suffering, pain, hardship, sickness, but above all, hope and faith.

This book has truly touched me deeply and the author's words and perspective, expressed through her written poetic works, shall always be treasured and highly inspirational to me.

~ Sannel ~

Product Details:

Title: Poetic Impressions - On your heart, mind & soul
ISBN-13: 9781468151039

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication date: 3/28/2012
Pages: 226

Language: English
Product dimensions: 5.98 (w) x 9.02 (h) x 0.48 (d)

Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces

Can be purchased at:

 Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Poetic Impressions - On your heart, mind & soul

~ Domestic Violence ~

By

Jami Lynn Pereira

Beautiful eyes of mahogany,

muscles exploding in massive harmony.

Tall and handsome he stood. You would never guessed it,

but he was no good. Though we stood in matrimony.

Little did I know, his hatred would soon grow.

I had him on a pedestal. He did "no wrong."

What a fool I was.

He sang the same, tired song.

A decade passed, I grew too weary.

Time had taken its toll. My eyes, no longer teary.

A devoted slave, I had been.

He slapped my face, pulled out my hair.

Broke my ribs, in despair.

cracked my shin, shoved a twelve-inch blade beneath my chin.

Sirens, voices, I could hear them all.

"Blood is gushing from this woman, who is there to call?" Next of kin.

fourteen counts of assault and battery.

They finally took him away.

Eight years he vested for such a sin.

Unsuccessful attempts for my death,

he took everything from me.

But . . .he would never take my breath!

© Copyright 2012 by Jami Lynn Pereira. All rights reserved

Ms. Jami Lynn Pereira has stage four Advanced Adeno Carcinoma of both lungs,
and she is now too weak and sick to continue with her writing. 

Ms. Jami Lynn Pereira's Biography ( From the author's Amazon page)

I have worked in the petrochemical industry for 25 years. I have written poetry off and on all of my life, since my teens. However, this is my first attempt at writing books and I still have a lot to learn. I have two wonderful, grown children. I live with two Yorkshire terriers and a cat. 

The thing I have noticed about most Bio's are, that they are boring. Someones professional history is boring. A lot of people don't care about someones education and how many awards they have won, unless they are writing a medical book or references. As far as my Bio, I choose to make it plain, simple and down to earth, because that is who I am. I do have a formal education, but it doesn't define who I am or what I have become nor does it define what is important to me. It doesn't define my morality, integrity, honesty, values, or my spirituality and those are the things that are important to me, and a part of whom I have become throughout my life. 

My interests: Anything outdoors, and ever so often...having the opportunity to lay on the couch and watch a movie or take a nap. I enjoy simplicity. I also love writing, and planting in my yard or vegetable and flower garden(s). About my completed projects: Poetic Impressions on your heart, mind & soul vol.1, and Poetic Impressions on your heart, mind & soul, book 2. My very first poetry books. I love them, they are my heart made of personal thoughts and reflections. I believe they are relate-able, simple, and written in plain English, so that they are easily understood. I hope that you will enjoy them. 

I am also working on a novella, that I hope will turn into a series, focusing on young adults or the adult that enjoys an adventurous and good, clean, fun read. The title of my novella is...The adventures of Karlie Mayfield. 

My accomplishments: Hmm. . . though they may be few, and none of which may be related to my career, they are a reflection of who I am and whom I have become and I think the personal accomplishments are far more important than the ones focused on how much of the "spotlight" I have absorbed. For myself, I would have to say that being one of about 1200 women in the petrochemical industry as a Nationally certified professional craftswoman is a great accomplishment, not many women could have or would have tolerated or succeeded as I have, in this profession. When I started in the mid 80's there were approximately 400 craftswomen in the United States. 

I believe those things that mean the most to you as a human being, are the accomplishments that truly define you personally. I do not believe that personal wealth or education has anything to do with that. Morality, integrity, personal growth, development, and spirituality have far more meaning to me.

~ Jami Lynn Pereira ~

Other books by Jami Lynn Pereira:

Poetic Impressions - On your heart, mind and soul (Volume 2)
The Adventures of Karlie Mayfield - In the beginning
The Adventures of Karlie Mayfield - The summer to remember
The Adventures of Karlie Mayfield  - Unforgettable Fall

Poetic Impressions - On your heart, mind & soul can be purchased at:

 Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Please keep Jami in your thoughts and prayers. She is struggling with cancer and is now very ill.
Jami, please know that I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, and I'm hoping and waiting for the day when you will start to write again.
God Bless,
Sannel