Here is another fabulous recipe from Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram: Apple pie that tastes exactly like Grandma’s sugary-toxic recipe. Hint: it tastes the same because both are made with the same amount of LOVE!
Ingredients:
Bushels of love
8-10 apples of any variety
3 pounds of pitted dates
Raw dried or fresh figs
Cinnamon and/or Nutmeg
More optional ingredients:
Dried coconut powder
Blueberries and/or raspberries
A few tablespoons of coconut oil
More love (actually this is not optional)
To make the crust, toss a pound of dates with 1/2 pound of figs in a food processor, and process until it reaches a cookie dough consistency. (Optional step: add a thin layer of dried coconut flakes to the bottom of the pie dish.) Press this date/fig crust into the bottom of your pie pan dish. (If you started with the coconut flakes, they will stick to the crust but not to the dish.) Optionally paint a thin layer of coconut oil on top of the crust… if this pie ever makes it to your fridge, the coconut oil will harden and make your crust even stronger.
To make the apple pie filling, blend 3 apples with about 3/4 lb of dates, cinnamon and nutmeg, in a high-power blender such as Vitamix or Blendtec. Thinly slice your apples with a knife or with a mandolin and alternately layer the apple slices with your pie filling. If you are making straight-up apple pie that can easily rival Grandma’s, then you are finished now.
Kristina’s recipe is so yummy that you will want to make it over and over. If you are like me, then you may want to make it a little different each time, so at this point you can add an extra layer with the fruits of your choice. Pictured below, you will see the version that I made with a top layer of blended blueberries, raspberries and dates (and of course more love), and decorated with coconut flakes and more blueberries.
Every time you blink, tears are spread across your eyes, providing lubrication and protection. Tears, which are produced by several glands in and near the eyelids, are needed for proper eyesight and for the self-cleaning functions of the eyes. A tiny muscle controls the flow of tears over the cornea… normally the flow is minimal, but when a person experiences any overwhelming emotion (such as sadness, anger, pride or joy), this tiny muscle becomes relaxed, and tear flow is increased: the phenomenon of crying!
Dry eyes, on the other hand, may be caused by one or more of the following factors:
The environment: a dry or smoky environment, wind and or air conditioning. All these can speed up the evaporation of tears.
Computer use and/or reading: these activities may result in less frequent blinking.
Use of contact lenses and/or laser refractive eye surgeries can decrease tear production.
Some medications and medical conditions can reduce tear production.
Age and gender are also considered factors, as many seniors experience dry eyes, and the hormonal changes related to pregnancy, oral contraceptives, and menopause may also contribute to the condition.
I live in a windy area, frequently read and use the computer, I’ve had laser refractive surgery, and in my teens I took a medication called Accutane that is infamous for causing dry eyes (the least of its side effects!). In other words I’ve had some personal experiences with dry eyes. Commonly proposed “solutions” include using eye drops (which often contain suspicious ingredients) and surgery that prevents the drainage of tears. But I have found a natural system that works for me quickly and efficiently. I simply watch one of the short videos, or read one of the short stories that follow. Each is an inspiring story of personal triumph. I wouldn’t recommend going through all of these moving stories at once, unless you have a box of tissues nearby, and a glass of water to re-hydrate!
Inspirational stories for moderately dry eyes (guaranteed to produce happy tears)
The story of Ezra Frech
The story of Ashly Williams
http://youtu.be/z4_vFAZgL4E
Inspirational stories for extremely dry eyes (may produce a cascade of happy tears)
These may also be useful for stage actors that need to produce realistic tears on demand.
The story of Choi Sung-Bong
More Inspirational Stories
The story of Kyle…
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books….
I thought to myself, ‘Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? ‘He must really be a nerd.’
I had quite a weekend planned (parties & a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders & went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms & tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, ‘Those guys are jerks.’ They really should get lives.
‘ He looked at me & said, ‘Hey thanks!’ There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends and I. He said yes.. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.I stopped him and said, ‘Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!’ He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation.I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great.He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, ‘Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!’ He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.’ Thanks,’ he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began…
‘Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends… I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.
‘I am going to tell you a story.’ I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told of the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
‘Thankfully, I was saved… My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable..’
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions.. With one small gesture you can change a person’s life. For better or for worse.
A parent’s letter to their child
*Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.
*Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
*Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.
*Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck
and I will buy you one if he comes by.
*Just for this afternoon, I won’t worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision
I have made where you are concerned.
*Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won’t stand over you trying to fix them.
*Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.
*Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.
*Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.
*Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.
*Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the
greatest gift ever given.
*I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are
visiting their children’s graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can’t handle it anymore.
*And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and
ask Him for nothing, except one more day.
See the breathtaking 360-degree views from Vida Lotus in Limon, Panama. The pictures are set to a musical piece called Return to Love (Retorno al Amor) composed by Lucho Gonzalez, interpreted by Michael Ducharme and recorded at Ocean Records Canada, with special thanks to Daniel Victor.
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or to stay sleeping.
Insomnia is defined as difficulty with the initiation, maintenance, duration, or quality of sleep that results in the impairment of daytime functioning, despite adequate opportunity and circumstances for sleep. (1, 2)
