Even before Rachael Ray....

I knew there were less than 30 minute meals. My mom, 76, has not really taken this into her daily life yet.

Long story short, my dad wants to eat at 6 PM every night, so mom feels some kind of pressure to 'get things done' right, or she doesn't feel like a good wife. And being a good wife means, you soak,you rinse, you pat, you bread, you fry, and you bake the same object along with other things that take much peeling and washing and rinsing, and you get the picture...old school cooking.

I ran down a couple of my *tried and trues* to her over phone with protein, starch and veggies, and I really think she just didn't get that cooking meals this way is quite easy now. I hope she believed me because it sure would make her life a lot easier.

And my dad changes the way he eats from time to time. First it's no bananas, then it's one everyday, and an apple every day, and also orange juice. Don't ever run out of those. Then he eats wheat bread, then he eats no bread. He reads thing.

She shops just about every day, at least 5 days a week, the manager knows her name and greets her at the door because she writes a check so often, the transaction comes up in the system and the manager has to sign off the check writer. Wild, huh? I guess a safety precaution with the store, but my mom took issue with them, and now they treat her like a celebrity She has to buy fresh. She told them that. so,I'm not sure she gets that thing about refrigerators entirely.

She was lamenting over the fact when she cooks soup, that she has to make so much, she wishes she could 'make smaller'; I told her that was easy too, but even if it was a large pot, freeze half right away, and you are good to go on another day. Her response, "really? and it will still be good?"

I'm thinking, us kids, we always thought our mother was a good cook. And now I know why! Everything was fresh! I'm not trying to break her style, but maybe just save her some steps and free up some of her time.

I also printed out some information on the Green Smoothies. Wait till my father finds out just _how good for you_ these things are!

My mother in laws cholesteral dropped from 246 to 176, and I'll bet anyone 20 to nothin', it was the introduction to the green smoothie that can take the credit. Can't wait to get mine checked again. I eat well, just splurge ever so slightly, and my was 202. So I have at least one beautiful smoothie everyday ... still like regular food, but I'm working on that...

But here's to good health and shorter time in the kitchen.

I could easily run the world from my kitchen. And from there, it might even be fun!

Tu tranquilo,