Canadian Issues

I got this in an email and decided to share it here. It is sadly true.  I like giving aid to other countries, yet so many people here at home need it too and I feel we must look after them first. Our politicians keep giving themselves raises while they close schools and hospitals, while people are hungry and homeless in our country.  Please do not take offense at any words you may think are 'bad language', and if you are from one of the countries other than Canada please do not take offense at any of this letter, it is not meant to be mean to any of you, it is just meant to share what is happening here in Canada.

Canada is such a wonderful country in so many ways.... and yet it has some major problems that must be fixed.  Our governments have and continue to create poverty here in our own country while they keep giving themselves raises and better retirement packages.  Please read this and pass it on. I'm not sure how this email can change things for the better of all in our country, yet perhaps knowledge is the beginning of a better future.

Read all the way Down!!!!!

Lets hope it creates awareness....DO YOUR PART

Things will change is when this kind of email translates into voting results at the polls -- as of NOW seniors out number ANY OTHER type of voter even by race - religion - or age --- WHEN ARE SENIORS gonna wake up and understand WE have the power to shape legislation all WE need is the will power to do so-- PLEASE SEND THIS BACK AROUND TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS -- MAYBE THEN THE "GREY REVOLUTION" will begin --- MAYBE !!

POLITICIANS PLEASE PAY ATTENTION!

FORWARDING THIS TO EVERYBODY!!!

‘Entitlement’ my ass, I paid cash for my Old Age Security and CPP!!!! Just because they borrowed the money, doesn't make my benefits some kind of charity or handout!! Gold plated MP pensions and Civil Service Government benefits, a.k.a. free healthcare, outrageous retirement packages, 67 paid holidays, 20 weeks paid  vacation, unlimited paid sick days, now that's welfare, and they have the nerve to call me a 'greedy senior' and my retirement, an ‘entitlement’ !!!!!!

What  the HELL's wrong with us???

WAKE  UP CANADA !!!!

Someone please tell  me what the HELL's wrong with all the people that run this country!!!!!!

We're "broke" & can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless etc.,?????
but spent 1.2 billions of dollars for G-20 events!
 
In the  last few months we have provided aid to Haiti, Chile, and Turkey. And now Khanistan, Pakistan ...... home of Bin Laden.  Literally, BILLIONS of our DOLLARS!!!

Our  retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of  Food to Foreign Countries!

They  call Old Age Security and Healthcare an entitlement even though most of us have been  paying for it all our working lives and now when it’s time for us to collect, the government is running out of money. Why did the government  borrow from it in the first  place?   

We have  hundreds of adoptable children who are shoved aside to make room for the adoption of foreign orphans.

CANADA:  A country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, hospitals & schools being closed, average income families who can't afford dental care, elderly going without 'needed' medications and having to travel 100's of miles for medical care with no reimbursement of cost, vehicles we can't afford gas for, lack of affordable housing, and mentally ill without treatment - etc., etc.

YET.....
They  have a 'Benefit'  for the people of Haiti, ships and planes lining up with food, water, tents, clothes, bedding, doctors, and medical  supplies.

Imagine if  the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries.

Sad isn't it?

Cranberry Apple Quinoa Casserole

Another really yummy looking recipe from Cooking Quinoa is this casserole.  This one could be another great choice to make not only for me to eat, but also to take to the Vegan Potluck I go to monthly. It looks easy enough to make, though I'm not sure how easy it will be in this small city to find non-dairy cream cheese. I've never looked for it, so it may be impossible or it may be very easy. I will have to check in Nature's Fare, or ask one of my vegan friends.

Cranberry Apple Quinoa Casserole

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup of wild rice
• 1 cup of quinoa, rinsed
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T fresh sage, chopped
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz low fat or non-dairy cream cheese
• 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 4 Red Delicious apples, chopped
• ½ cup cheddar or vegan cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place quinoa in a medium bowl and cover with water to soak while rice begins cooking. Bring broth, salt and 2 cups of water to a boil. Add wild rice and cover. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 50 minutes. After 45 minutes, place quinoa in a fine metal strainer, and rinse for five minutes. Add quinoa to rice mixture and cook for another 20 minutes or until the liquid has all absorbed. You will want to check and make sure that you do not need to add more broth.
2. Heat oil over medium heat in an oven safe saute casserole. Add onion and sage and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Add cayenne and black pepper. Stir in quinoa mixture and cook until all liquid has absorbed.
4. Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese until blended. Add in cranberries and apples. If desired, top with white or yellow cheddar cheese.
5. Bake for 35 minutes. (If preferred, you can add cheese in the last 15 minutes.)

Headphones

I can not sing well, nor can I play a musical instrument... unless you include banging on a native style drum.  I sure am grateful that other people not only can sing and play instruments, but that many of them also record their music so the rest of us can enjoy listening to it at our leisure. I don't think I know anyone that doesn't enjoy listening to music. For me, because I live alone with my animals, I mostly can listen without needing to use headphones of any kind. There are times, though, when I am traveling with someone or when I have company and I want to listen to my music while they try to get some sleep, watch television, or just relax in the quiet. For this reason I decided to check out some headphones on the internet and I liked what I saw at Sennheiser studio headphones.  I wonder if these would work in my computer and I think they likely would since computers are an important part of recording things like music.  I think I will do some more research.

Flourless Chocolate Quinoa Cookies

I have found recently that bread causes my blood glucose levels to go higher than I want them to.  When you have been diagnosed as diabetic you have to be aware of these things. It is possible that I may not do well with wheat, so I am doing my best to cut bread and wheat out of my diet.  Because of this, I am very interested in flourless recipes. I also am interested in using quinoa as it is not only very healthy and high in protein, but it is also rather tasty.

Cooking Quinoa is a great site with lots of wonderful recipes that use quinoa, are healthy, and many are vegan.  Wendy even has some cook books you can buy for very reasonable prices. Inn the near future I have a vegan potluck to go to and I am thinking of  baking a batch of cookies from Wendy's site.

Wendy Polisi's Flourless Chocolate Quinoa Cookies

Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Egg Free, Processor

• 2 flax/chia eggs (1 T flax meal + 1 T chia seeds + 6 T warm water)
• 1 cup blanched almonds (see note)
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1/3 cup almond butter
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• ¼ cup apple sauce
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl combine flax meal (or ground flax seeds), chia seed and warm water.  Whisk well and set aside.
4. In the Sous Chef® food processor combine almonds and quinoa.   Process for 1 minute, or until you have a fine meal.  Add baking soda and salt and process until blended.
5. Heat a small saucepan to medium low and add almond butter and coconut oil.  Cook until coconut oil and almond butter are melted, whisking occasionally.  Add in apple sauce and maple syrup and whisk until heated through.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and flax/chia egg.
6. Add the warm almond butter mixture to your food processor and process until a dough has formed.  
7. Immediately add in the chocolate chips and process until chocolate is melted and blended, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
8. Roll the dough into small balls and flatten with your fingers.  (You could also use a fork.) 
9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Note:  To blanch whole almonds, boil water in a medium saucepan.  Add almonds and cook for one minute.  Drain and allow to cool slightly.  Peel almonds.  You may skip this step if desired.
11. Variations:
12. For double chocolate cookies, allow the batter to cool and stir in ½ cup vegan chocolate chips.
13. For Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, stir in ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts just prior to cooking.
14. For Cherry Chocolate Cookies, stir in ½ cup dried unsweetened cherries just prior to cooking.

Puzzling

I've had this cute picture in my collection for awhile.  I think I got it in an email from a friend.  I've been waiting for a time to share this either on my Facebook or on one of my blogs.

Now, this evening I'm sitting here watching TV while I blog, eat dinner, talk to a friend on the phone, etc.  I happened to go to the ravensburger puzzle web site and was looking at some of the pictures of puzzles they have there.  I haven't done a puzzle for years now, but used to love doing them and might just decide to do one this winter.  Anyway, look at this photo I found there.

It is the same picture, just without the words someone added somewhere along the line. It is a puzzle to me who had the photo first, and I think it would be interesting and peaceful, calming to put this puzzle together on a cold winters night.

 

Australian Aboriginal Proverb

Positive Thoughts