Queen of Hearts Shawl completed!!

Look at this!



I finally finished the Fiber Trends Queen of Hearts Shawl on Jan 15, just in time to wear it on Valentines Day.


I had to assemble a “make-do” blocking board, but the shawl was so light that it dried overnight. This is my first shawl….and you know what? I really like it! And the pattern is so simple. I admit I was slightly apprehensive when I first began the pattern, but soon realized that it was just a repeat pattern with no unexpected turns.

Thought I’d use my leftover scarlet Merino wool for a dishcloth. The design is so appropriate for today. The pattern is from a dishcloth knit-along that I recently joined. You can find it here.



Here's something for your heart!!

I've posted Ten

Heart Healthy Hints

to consider....and a delicious Heart Healthy

Recipe

for you to try. Enjoy!!


Check out these lovely gloves….

I began them on Jan 19, and completed them on Feb 8.
Okay….I admit I’m not the world’s fastest knitter.

Actually, the second glove went much faster than the first, after I got comfortable with the pattern. The pattern really is a simple one, and I think the gloves are one of the loveliest I’ve seen. I got the pattern here under "My Free Patterns".

I used four size 6 DPNs and Jaegar Merino wool. Many thanks to Kimberly for sharing this wonderful pattern and thanks also for your helpful assistance.

Heart Healthy Hints

10 Heart Healthy Hints

Reduce saturated fat intake. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature. Saturated fats contribute to the plaque build-up inside our arteries and help raise blood levels of cholesterol. Butter, lard, whole milk, cream, and animal fats are especially high in saturated fat. Saturated fats are also used in many snack products such as chips, biscuits, crackers and pastries. Read the labels for the lowest amount of saturated fat possible.

Use monounsaturated fats. Olive oil and canola oil are high in monounsaturates, which help reduce blood cholesterol and may help raise levels of HDL, the ‘good’ cholesterol.

Increase your fiber. Try to eat 25-35g fiber each day. You can find it in fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. It helps lower blood cholesterol.

Think seafood. Eating seafood (75-100g) once or twice a week increases the amount of healthy omega-3 fatty acids you eat and decreases your risk of heart disease. Choose coldwater fish for the most omega-3 fatty acids: mackerel, salmon, albacore tuna and sardines or vegans and vegetarians can use flaxseed meal and walnuts.

Eat less animal protein. Try to keep your portions of chicken, turkey, pork, beef and veal to the size of a deck of cards (about 75g). That way you eat less fat and you’ll have room for more veggies.

Eat your veggies. Choose dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and greens for high amounts of folic acid and fiber. Dark orange veggies such as carrots and winter squash contain phytochemicals that also have many health benefits.

Use low-cholesterol spreads. If you use a butter or margarine spread, try one of the newer cholesterol-lowering spreads such as Benecol or Promise.

Beware of fat-free foods. These foods are sometimes high in sugar. Always read your labels. If high triglycerides are your problem, you should avoid both fat and sugar.

Go a little nuts. That is, sprinkle a tablespoon of chopped nuts on a salad or over your morning cereal. You can even snack on nuts, but watch your portion size. All it takes is one, one-ounce serving a day or five ounces per week of a variety of nuts to reap the heart-disease fighting benefits. Remember a one-ounce serving varies depending on the nut. The fat in nuts helps lower cholesterol, and they contain fiber, but don’t go overboard.

Choose fat-free dairy products. Regular dairy products (ones not labeled reduced-fat or fat-free) contain saturated fat and should be avoided in large quantities. Choose skim milk, low-fat cheeses (no more than 20g fat per 100g), and fat-free yogurt. And don’t forget soy products such as soymilk and tofu. They are healthy alternatives and do have many health benefits. Always compare products, however, to ensure you’re getting the recommended daily allowance for vitamins and nutrients.

Recipe

Apple-Nut Muffins

¼ C whole wheat flour
¼ C flaxseed meal
¼ C oat bran
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
¼ - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 large egg
¼ C soymilk
2 T canola oil
½ C packed brown sugar or ½ tsp of Stevia clear liquid sugar substitute
½ C peeled, cored, and chopped sweet apple (golden delicious) or 1 apple
¼-½ C chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 6-cup muffin tin and set aside.

Into a large bowl, mix together the flour, flaxseed meal, oatbran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, soymilk, and canola oil. Add the Stevia or sugar and whisk to combine. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the apples and walnuts. Divide the batter among the muffin tin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake until a tester inserted into a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit in the muffin tin for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.