Category: Memoir

Posted on

Why more protein matters for older adults

Current recommendations for protein intake are the same for all adults, regardless of age: 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass daily (g/kg/d). But estimates suggest that up to 30-76 per cent of older adults aren’t consuming enough protein.

Because older people’s muscles can’t use dietary protein as effectively as younger people to maintain muscle, experts suggest that older adults looking to keep their muscles should consume approximately 50 per cent more protein (1.2 g/kg/d).

Nutrition and healthy aging: The role of protein quality in combating muscle loss – https://theconversation.com/nutrition-and-healthy-aging-the-role-of-protein-quality-in-combatting-muscle-loss

I’ve always felt guilty about the times I didn’t feel like cooking, went to the store to buy a frozen pizza, then proceeded to eat the entire pie. I no longer feel the guilt. I ate 48 grams of protein! I’m combating sarcopenia. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23167-sarcopenia

Posted on

Eggs Cost How Much? (Happy New Year!)

Two months ago I Just Paid $2.15 for a Dozen Eggs. Well…

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, egg prices in California jumped 70% from November to December, bringing the average cost for a dozen eggs to $8.97. https://abc30.com/post/bird-flu-impacting-californias-egg-supply/15728243/

I’m glad I don’t live in California.

Posted on

Home Alone 2024 – Weekend Update

This post is a Weekend Update to Home Alone. Worriers worry about everything. So to ease worried minds here’s what I’ve done the past several days.

  • I’ve watched two OKC Thunder games and have another game to watch tonight. Just one championship before I die would be nice.
  • I went to the grocery store. Twice. Maybe three times if I go later today. How is it possible for a grocery store to be out of (or not stock) stewed tomatoes?
  • Solitude offers time and space to think deeply about things and learn more about yourself. I’ve learned I always forget at least one item when I go grocery shopping.
  • Home alone last Holiday season I didn’t feel like cooking. This year is different. I’ve been cooking every day.
  • I found a two pound bag of pre-cooked frozen meatballs. The price per pound was less than the cost of uncooked ground beef. I bought a bag.

I decided to make meatball soup. Yes, that’s a nonstick frying pan because I wanted more pan surface to brown the meatballs and veggies.

This is what the soup looked like before I added the broth.

  • Memo to Self – next time transfer the meatballs and veggies to a soup pot then add the broth.
  • I’m surprised at the quality of the frozen meatballs. Obviously not as good as homemade, but very convenient with flavor reminiscent of the best cafeteria food you ever had.
  • I did not go to downtown OKC and hang at the Asian superstore. The strange vegetable experiment didn’t happen.
  • I listened to more Reckless Kelly.
  • I downloaded a bunch of free books to my Kindle most of which I’ll likely never read. This activity satisfies my hoarding tendencies.
  • My usual house-cleaner was out of town. I cleaned the shower and all of the toilets.
  • I almost made one side of the bed this morning before I realized it was Sunday and Sundays are bed sheet days.
  • I bought Christmas cards for next year.
  • The meatball soup was good but not good enough to post a recipe. it’s not good enough to serve for company but also not bad enough to toss out.
  • Bourbon.
  • I went to the gym after a six week hiatus. My eyeball doctor told me to cut back on the exercise so I went into slug mode. Today everything hurts. Everything.
  • I’ve gotten a lot more reading done (when not watching basketball).
  • I learned about the connection between smartphones, ultra processed foods, diminished family bonds and mental wellness. See my other blog https://lifeunderwriter.net/2024/12/29/smartphones-ultra-processed-foods-diminished-family-bonds-and-mental-wellness/
  • I posted more to my blogs.

I trust this update helps the worriers in my family to worry less. It’s back to The Day Job tomorrow so everyone knows what I’ll be doing during the daylight hours.

But before I forget…Reckless Kelly featuring Kelly Willis

Posted on

Home Alone

This year marks the third year in a row I’m home alone after Christmas (not counting, just stating facts). I know some family members worry about The Old Man Home Alone so I thought I would post my thoughts to let everyone know I’m doing OK. As an old man who could have retired years ago but didn’t my days are filled with work. Real day job work. It’s the nights alone in a quiet house that the worriers worry about. So to ease everyone’s minds here are my activities and what I do Home Alone.

  • Invited a friend out for his birthday last night. He bought. Win win.
  • Bourbon.
  • Is there an OKC Thunder game on? If yes, I’m watching the game. If no, see number 2.
  • I like to cook and try new recipes when The Boss is gone. Successes go into the rotation. Failures go into the trash.
  • When I have a recipe failure, see number 2.
  • Listen to more Reckless Kelly. (I can’t listen to music with words while working because I start singing along and I lose focus)
  • I hate to waste food so… I make stuff up.
  • 3 pounds of chicken thighs bone-in, about a dozen corn tortillas, half a can of chopped green chilies, some leftover homemade enchilada sauce in the freezer, and always plenty of cheese in the fridge.
  • I braised the thighs in white wine, garlic and onion powders ( I love powdered veggies).
  • Chicken Enchilada Casserole!

Saturday and Sunday will be challenging. I might head to downtown OKC and hang at the Asian superstore. Might even find some strange vegetables to experiment with.

Posted on

Save Me From Myself

Kids these days got it made in the shade, but they got a lot of lessons to learn
So every once in a while let ’em play with fire so they can find out how to not get burned

Willy Braun

Merry Christmas y’all to those who celebrate.

You been good?

Posted on

Health Benefits of Winter Squash

Just another Electronic Sticky Note to remind myself to eat more winter squashes besides my favorite Butternut. The Health Benefits of Winter Squash (Plus, 7 Types to Try) – https://vegnews.com/health-benefits-winter-squash-types-to-try

And as a reminder about my previous Electronic Sticky Note 42 Vegetarian Butternut Squash Recipes- Vegetarian Times to try some different preparations besides a simple roast or Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole.

Lasagne? I’ve totally forgotten about Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne.

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com

Posted on

The Best Replacements for Meat and Milk (no, it’s not plant milks, veggie burgers or tofu)

Beans and peas are the best meat and milk replacement from nutritional, health, environmental, and cost perspectives.

Our findings suggest that suitable alternatives to meat and milk exist and are available and affordable without necessarily requiring new technologies or product development. This contrasts with discussions in high-income countries on the needs to develop novel replacement foods, especially those that would completely mimic meat and dairy (18). Our nutritional, health, environmental, and cost analyses suggest that if one is prepared to consider foods for their properties instead of whether they are completely mimicking meat or dairy—and surveys suggest that consumers are (49)—then unprocessed legumes are, for the most part, superior to processed alternatives. This is also relevant for low and middle-income countries where legumes are readily available, but discussions on processed meat and milk alternatives are at an earlier stage, despite diets rapidly becoming similarly imbalanced as in high-income countries (1, 50). M. Springmann, A multicriteria analysis of meat and milk alternatives from nutritional, health, environmental, and cost perspectives, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 121 (50) e2319010121, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2319010121 (2024).

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Photo by Digital Buggu on Pexels.com

Keep it simple.

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.