Some Things I’ve Learned

I’ve learned a few things over the years, and some over the last few days. I thought I would share…

In the kitchen:

• Cooking is an important life skill – everyone needs to be able to cook a healthy meal. The pandemic was proof of that.
• Ovens turn off and on while heating up. If you hear it click off, it doesn’t mean it’s ready. An oven thermometer will always confirm when it’s ready.
• All lettuce needs to be washed, even the ones that say they’re washed. Even if it looks clean, wash your lettuce and watch what comes out in the water.
• The harder the cheese, the better it is for you.
• Frozen vegetables are often healthier than fresh.
• Extra virgin olive oil retains more health benefits if it’s not refrigerated. The containers are always dark because oils should not be exposed to light. I remember my Greek stepmother always kept a tin of olive oil under the sink. I guess she knew…
• I’m 80 but I just learned that dates do not spike your blood sugar. My doctor told me that they are a low glycemic food. I love dates but always avoided them. They’re dessert now! 😋
• I avoided a lot of fruit because of the sugar but it turns out berries, peaches, plums, apples, even oranges are not high glycemic. Guess what’s the highest glycemic index fruit? – Watermelon. Dang! I was hoping! But it’s basically just red, pretty, and delicious sugar water!
• Whatever you cook or bake does not have to be perfect. As long as it’s healthy and homemade (and didn’t blow up in the oven 🚒) you will benefit by eating it. “Not perfect” is a regular occurence in my kitchen.

In life:

• One size does not fit all.
• The older we get, the more we have to lose by eating unhealthy food.
• If the answer is difficult, the answer should be no.
• I have never regretted telling the truth. “Jenny, do I look fat in this?” “Yes… yes, you do.” It’s that easy.
• When trying to make an important life decision, I always draw a vertical line down a blank page, with the left column for “Upside” and the right for “Downside.” When I start listing, it’s amazing how one side is substantially longer than the other.
• We were all stupid as teenagers. When I was 14, I lectured my parents on all the things they were doing wrong. They took away my hula hoop.
• There are two sides to every story. It doesn’t matter if it’s your best friend or your mother – there is always another, different side to the story.
• Growing up with immigrant parents and their friends, I was surprised to learn that they always appreciate being made aware if they are mispronouncing a word or using incorrect grammar. You can’t do this with strangers, but friends and family have always said they appreciate it. Once, I remember my Polish dad asking me to explain a word that someone called another man. He said this guy was a “crip, prip, something like that. Oops. Okay, this time I lied and said I didn’t know. Thinking back, I should have said that word but I didn’t want to swear in front of my dad.
• They say you should not hold grudges but I still do. I still have one from 1967.

Feel free to add what you have learned in the kitchen or in life. Just leave my grudges to me. It’s not the holding of grudges… it’s the waiting for karma that keeps me going. There’s still time! ⏰