Website Gives Those In Need a Boost ... And Pizza

Random Acts of Pizza  is doing good ... one pizza pie at a time.

Here's the background, based on an article  from Utah-based Deseret News.

ABC News reported that Daniel Rogers, a lawyer from San Antonio, Texas, came up with the idea a year ago while unemployed. He knew he was "depressed" and feeling "disconnected from society," so he thought of what might change that.

"Connecting down-on-their-luck pizza lovers with a steaming hot pie, he figured, might make people feel a little bit better," according to the Deseret News article. "'[A pizza] says someone's got my back, someone's looking out for me,'" he said.

For more information, or to donate, go to http://www.reddit.com/r/Random_Acts_Of_Pizza/.

This is an awesome idea.
What else would work to cheer the unemployed? I'm thinking deliveries of a bag or two of Lindt chocolates ... or maybe Dove chocolates. (You could stretch those out for a week or more!)

On a more practical note, people could donate their unneeded gift cards to places like Wal-Mart or gas stations so the unemployed could get things they need.
People don't just need help at Christmas and Easter, sadly. As the Bible says, "For the poor you have always with you: and whensoever you will, you may do them good: but me you have not always." Mark 14:7, Douay-Reims version.

A Collection of Recipes to Try

I haven't been doing nearly as much cooking as I want to be and thus have been collecting an incredible number of healthy recipes that I'm holding in reserve to review (and probably change out a bit here and there).



Two such recipes are from Alyssa Yeager at Kitchen La Bohème I love reading her blog; she's a very creative person on a mission to eat healthy and primarily vegetarian and vegan. I totally respect that, but I'm not sure I could give up eating my mom's pot roast and meatloaf (or bacon with my eggs). The links to Alyssa's blog entries are below:

EASY DELICIOUS VEGAN Pumpkin Spice Loaf with Maple Glaze
VEGANIZE IT Turkey Cutlet Sandwiches with Smoked Paprika Mayo and Roasted Bell Peppers


Last night, I also saw a re-run of Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals, which featured an intriguing "pizza." Why is "pizza" in quotes? Simply because its base isn't dough, but a portobello mushroom cap. I love mushrooms on my pizza. I think I also could learn to like pizza on my mushrooms by making her Portobello Pizzas recipe. I also liked the looks of Proscuitto with Pears and Arugula, another recipe in the same episode.

If anyone makes these recipes before I do, let me know how they turned out.

By the way, it appears The Rachael Ray Show is moving to ABC as of tomorrow, which I didn't realize until I didn't see her in her usual 11 a.m. NBC slot and did some research on the Web. I don't watch TV all that much, so I guess I missed the memo.

Snacks on the run

It can be hard to come up with a healthy snack on the run, especially if you’re always on the run. So it’s a good idea to plan ahead and have snacks with you.

I often carry a granola bar (Nature Valley Original Honey and Oat Granola Bar’s the one for me, as it has no high-fructose corn syrup). Another thing I often carry with me is a measured amount of mixed fruits and nuts in a zippered sandwich bag. (These also will keep well in a desk drawer, along with other snacks, such as instant oatmeal packets. They are not just for breakfast!)

Women have a bit of an advantage in that we can carry either of these snacks in our purse. (I’m frankly of the opinion that it’s amazing how much stuff the huge “mom” bags will hold, anyway. There’s definitely room for a granola bar or the fruit/nut mix, preferably in a side zipper pocket so it’s not squished at the bottom of the purse.)

Guys: your lunch bag, briefcase or a zippered coat pocket would be a good location for the dried fruit and nuts. Even the glove box works, although the mixture gets a bit too hard when it’s below freezing. You’ll want to thaw before eating in that case.

Fruit is another good snack to keep in your desk, work frig or in your car. Don’t leave fruit in the car in the heat or in freezing weather. I can attest to the fact that hot bananas do not taste good. Also, most whole fruit — aside from berries — will not have a very desirable texture after it’s been frozen.

Other healthy snacks include:

Hummus and your choice of cut veggies (red pepper and cucumber slices are good choices, but I also like hummus on crackers)

Rolled-up lunchmeat and soy/dairy cheese slices, which will give you a protein boost.

English muffin “pizza.” This can cross the line into meal territory. I use a half-muffin for a snack or two halves for a light lunch. Toast the whole-wheat or other high-fiber English muffin half or halves first, then lightly top with tomato sauce, low-fat soy or dairy cheese, and your choice of veggies or lean meat, such as ham or Canadian bacon. (It just doesn’t work with too many toppings on it.) Put in microwave for a few seconds, until the cheese is melted. You could heat the already-topped muffin half/halves in a toaster oven (usually about 5 minutes on “toast” in mine; yours may be different). Be sure to keep an eye out for your “crust” burning.

What’s your favorite healthy snack? Let me know and include your name and city. I’ll feature any snacks I like in another blog and credit them to you!