A simple and hearty recipe is for black-eyed peas. It is believed that eating black-eyed peas on New Years Day will bring good luck all year long.
1 (16oz) package dried black- eyed peas
4 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (1 pound) ham steak cut into 1/2 inch cubes or 1 ham hock
4 whole jalapeno peppers or 2 seeded, chopped jalapeno peppers (optional)
Bring first 6 ingredients and, if desired, jalapenos to a boil in a Dutch oven; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until the peas are tender. this can be made in your crock pot. Cook on low for 6 -8 hours or until peas are tender.
Yield: 8 servings
Friday, January 1, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Dear Just Be: How do I make a New Years resolution really work?
2010 is quickly approaching and with it a new decade, and hope breathes in all of us for the new year to be better in some way. We all have the ability to make positive changes in our lives and here are some tips to help you stick to your New Years Resolution:
1. Don't bite off more than you can realistically chew. Start with the principle that one and only one resolution at a time is required.
2. Break the change down into small manageable steps. Use a chart or other visual manifestation of the tasks you will need to accomplish to reach your goal. For instance, if you want to lose weight, break down the goals by number of hours to exercise - increasing the amount of time you exercise as more time passes. Or think of how much weight you want to lose per month or per quarter. Remember this is a New YEARS resolution - you can take all year to reach your goal.
3. Visualize the positive end result. Put pictures around your home that reflect the end goal you want to achieve. There is no big "secret" relative to the attraction theory that you can achieve what you want by focusing on it, visualizing the goal and as a result, motivating your actions to achieve it.
4. Ask others to help you achieve your goal - ask them for their support or assistance. Having a support network can be extremely helpful.
5. As you move forward and the old familiar rationalizations pop back into your head, tune them out and start telling yourself positive and motivating statements.
6. If you do slip up a bit, don't punish yourself - instead be kind to yourself (as you would a child who made a simple mistake), forgive yourself and move forward. Each day allows you start over if you allow yourself to do so.
7. Have faith in yourself. You can do anything if you set your mind on that goal. Remember, it is never to late to make changes in our lives and become the person we truly want to be.
Good luck and we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year in 2010!
1. Don't bite off more than you can realistically chew. Start with the principle that one and only one resolution at a time is required.
2. Break the change down into small manageable steps. Use a chart or other visual manifestation of the tasks you will need to accomplish to reach your goal. For instance, if you want to lose weight, break down the goals by number of hours to exercise - increasing the amount of time you exercise as more time passes. Or think of how much weight you want to lose per month or per quarter. Remember this is a New YEARS resolution - you can take all year to reach your goal.
3. Visualize the positive end result. Put pictures around your home that reflect the end goal you want to achieve. There is no big "secret" relative to the attraction theory that you can achieve what you want by focusing on it, visualizing the goal and as a result, motivating your actions to achieve it.
4. Ask others to help you achieve your goal - ask them for their support or assistance. Having a support network can be extremely helpful.
5. As you move forward and the old familiar rationalizations pop back into your head, tune them out and start telling yourself positive and motivating statements.
6. If you do slip up a bit, don't punish yourself - instead be kind to yourself (as you would a child who made a simple mistake), forgive yourself and move forward. Each day allows you start over if you allow yourself to do so.
7. Have faith in yourself. You can do anything if you set your mind on that goal. Remember, it is never to late to make changes in our lives and become the person we truly want to be.
Good luck and we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year in 2010!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Dear Just Be: I want to be more organized in 2010. Do you have any tips?
That is a great resolution, who can’t be more organized? Below are six steps in getting organized and staying organized.
1.) Acknowledge that it isn’t just fancy boxes and devices that will help you become organized and stay organized, but a change in habit. Like many things in life, you have to change your mind set. You won’t succeed if you don’t really want to change.
2.) Make a plan. Write down which area or rooms you want to tackle. In the plan decide what the purpose of that area or room is. Is it to be an office, a sitting/reading area, craft room, etc.
3.) Go into each room/area and jot down what the problem is (a pile of mail, clothes all over the floor) and why it isn’t working. Is it lack of closet space, tools, items that don’t fit the purpose of the area or room? If you are trying to create a relaxing reading room then a video game console or foosball table is not right for that space. Once you have analyzed the problem then develop solutions.
4.) Implement your plan. Don’t bite off too much; just work on a section of a room or area at a time. Trying to tackle too much at a time can be overwhelming and that will more than likely deter you from becoming organized and staying organized. De-clutter the room or space by throwing away or donating items you don’t use. Don’t purchase containers or dividers that are going to be too difficult to use.
5.) Invite people over. Inviting people over to show off your new space or the progress of the new space will motivate you to get organized. Asking a friend or family member to help with organizing a space can also get you motivated with your project. Like a work out buddy, friends and family are great motivators.
6.) Each day or at least once a week take a few minutes and straighten out areas or rooms. If you see mail or clothes piling up go through it or put things away. This may seem like it will take too much time, but it is not nearly as much time as spending half a day or a whole weekend de-cluttering and reorganizing a room or area.
Again, keep in mind that becoming and staying organized is not something that happens over night. It is a change in habit and way of thinking. If you take little steps and approach your plan with a different mind set you will succeed.
1.) Acknowledge that it isn’t just fancy boxes and devices that will help you become organized and stay organized, but a change in habit. Like many things in life, you have to change your mind set. You won’t succeed if you don’t really want to change.
2.) Make a plan. Write down which area or rooms you want to tackle. In the plan decide what the purpose of that area or room is. Is it to be an office, a sitting/reading area, craft room, etc.
3.) Go into each room/area and jot down what the problem is (a pile of mail, clothes all over the floor) and why it isn’t working. Is it lack of closet space, tools, items that don’t fit the purpose of the area or room? If you are trying to create a relaxing reading room then a video game console or foosball table is not right for that space. Once you have analyzed the problem then develop solutions.
4.) Implement your plan. Don’t bite off too much; just work on a section of a room or area at a time. Trying to tackle too much at a time can be overwhelming and that will more than likely deter you from becoming organized and staying organized. De-clutter the room or space by throwing away or donating items you don’t use. Don’t purchase containers or dividers that are going to be too difficult to use.
5.) Invite people over. Inviting people over to show off your new space or the progress of the new space will motivate you to get organized. Asking a friend or family member to help with organizing a space can also get you motivated with your project. Like a work out buddy, friends and family are great motivators.
6.) Each day or at least once a week take a few minutes and straighten out areas or rooms. If you see mail or clothes piling up go through it or put things away. This may seem like it will take too much time, but it is not nearly as much time as spending half a day or a whole weekend de-cluttering and reorganizing a room or area.
Again, keep in mind that becoming and staying organized is not something that happens over night. It is a change in habit and way of thinking. If you take little steps and approach your plan with a different mind set you will succeed.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Dear Just Be: How can I make this time of year less stressful?
The end of the year is upon us and many of us are getting ready for New Years Eve events, clearing out closets, drawers, etc. to begin the new year off with a clean start or tying up year-end tasks. At work, there may be end-of the-year reports you are preparing. All of this can add up to a decent amount of stress. Starting out the new year already stressed is not what any of us wants.
There are a variety of relaxation techniques you can incorporate into your life to reduce stress levels. Try out a yoga or tai chi class at your local gym, or buy a DVD to follow along in your own home. (Check out your local library, many libraries carry a wide selection of work-out videos including yoga or tai chi.)
Other techniques include meditation, visualization, deep breathing and muscle relaxation. To get the most out of these techniques, it is advised you set aside 10-30 minutes every day to practice. To make the practice really work, first schedule a set time either once or twice a day for your practice. You may find that it’s easier to stick with your practice if you do it first thing in the morning, before other tasks and responsibilities get in the way. Second, do not practice when you are sleepy. You'll get better results if you are wide awake and alert during your practice. Lastly, choose a technique that appeals to you, your lifestyle and level of fitness.
Though there are many techniques you can use, we suggest a practice of deep breathing, which is easy to learn and can be practiced almost anywhere.
The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible in your lungs. When you take deep breaths from the abdomen, rather than shallow breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The more oxygen you get, the less tense, short of breath, and anxious you feel. So the next time you feel stressed, take a minute to slow down and breathe deeply:
1. Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
2. Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.
3. Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
4. Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.
If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor. Put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.
Rest, relax and unwind so you can start off the new year stress free!
There are a variety of relaxation techniques you can incorporate into your life to reduce stress levels. Try out a yoga or tai chi class at your local gym, or buy a DVD to follow along in your own home. (Check out your local library, many libraries carry a wide selection of work-out videos including yoga or tai chi.)
Other techniques include meditation, visualization, deep breathing and muscle relaxation. To get the most out of these techniques, it is advised you set aside 10-30 minutes every day to practice. To make the practice really work, first schedule a set time either once or twice a day for your practice. You may find that it’s easier to stick with your practice if you do it first thing in the morning, before other tasks and responsibilities get in the way. Second, do not practice when you are sleepy. You'll get better results if you are wide awake and alert during your practice. Lastly, choose a technique that appeals to you, your lifestyle and level of fitness.
Though there are many techniques you can use, we suggest a practice of deep breathing, which is easy to learn and can be practiced almost anywhere.
The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible in your lungs. When you take deep breaths from the abdomen, rather than shallow breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The more oxygen you get, the less tense, short of breath, and anxious you feel. So the next time you feel stressed, take a minute to slow down and breathe deeply:
1. Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
2. Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.
3. Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
4. Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.
If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor. Put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.
Rest, relax and unwind so you can start off the new year stress free!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Dear Just Be: Do you have any New Years Eve ideas?
Like many I'm sure, thinking about New Years Eve doesn't occur until the day before or the day of. But not this year. Below are a few ideas on what to do to ring in 2010. These ideas range from fancy to casual and from LoDo to the DTC.
- Ritz Carlton – White Rose Gala 9. (Formal and Upscale)
- Tango Du Masque - Grand KC Ballroom (Formal)
- Hyatt Regency DTC - Champagne Hotel NYE 2010 (Semi-formal)
- Tryst Lounge – Tryst’s NYE Soiree (Semi-formal)
- Wynkoop Brewing Company & Impulse Theater-NYE 2010 (Casual)
- Comedy Works – Downtown with Billy D Washington or South at the Landmark with Rocky LaPorte (Casual)
- Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge - Denver Pavilions (Casual)
Thanks for the great questions. We hope to have twice as many in 2010. Happy New Year!
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