Hearts and Soles
"When the child was a child, it didn't know it was a child,
everything was soulful, and all souls were one."
~ From Wings of Desire (1987)
The rock group Queen's classic album A Night at the Opera contains their iconic hit "Bohemian Rhapsody" but it also contains a lesser known song called, "I'm in Love with My Car," about a young man's obsession with his automobile. I always liked that song, even though I couldn't quite understand being infatuated with an inanimate object.
This week I can sincerely say that I am in love with my shoes.
I recently bought a pair of TOMS black burlap classics at Whole Foods Market. They were a little tight at first, but the sales person said that was a good thing because they would stretch and mold to my feet. Well, she was right! These TOMS are my new favorites. They are super comfortable and cool looking.
The best part is that TOMS has a shoe giving program called One for One. With every pair purchased, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. As of September 2010, TOMS had given over one million pairs of shoes to children in need around the world.
Shoes protect feet from rough paths and sharp objects. They cover tender soles in cold weather and provide a barrier between hot dirt, sand and gravel. They also help prevent infection from contaminated soil. In developing countries, many children walk for miles every day to and from school and to get clean water.
"I am called a doctor today because of the shoes my father bought, which motivated me to keep going to school and to work hard. Shoes were and are a luxury in this country."
~ Dr. Fwasa Singogo, Zambia
You can change the life of a child just by voting with your wallet. Make your next shoe purchase one that benefits your heart and your soles.
For more information on TOMS One for One program and ways you can get involved, see the link for TOMS under the Elaborations section, up and to the right.
~~~~~~~~~
Celebrate hearts all over the world by making Paella with Artichoke Hearts.
Paella with Artichoke Hearts
This vegetarian paella is delicious and easy to make as long as you use the proper rice. Authentic paella rice imported from Spain is a must! Do not use arborio rice, asian rice, long grain or basmati. The pan is also very important. If you don't have a paella pan, you can use a large frying pan or braiser, big enough to hold the ingredients.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic (do not peel)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced organic tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can artichoke hearts (plain, not the marinated kind) do not drain
1 (14.5 oz) can butter beans, drained
1 teaspoon paprika
32 oz carton of organic vegetable broth
A pinch of saffron threads (6 to 8 threads)
A pinch of crumbled, dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups of paella rice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Drain artichokes, save broth and set aside (you will use the broth later).
Lightly crush the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves with the flat part of a knife so that the peel remains intact, but the garlic inside can flavor the dish.
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic cloves. Cook, stirring, until onions are translucent (3 to 5 minutes).
Add tomatoes, reserved artichoke liquid and butter beans. Add paprika and mix well. Stir until simmering.
Add vegetable broth, saffron, thyme and rosemary. Stir and let broth heat until simmering again, then simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking. Once you like the taste of the broth, stir in the rice and bring to a boil, then stir rice once more to make sure everything is evenly distributed. After this step, do not stir again!
Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Then, decorate surface of the paella with the artichoke hearts. Reduce heat to low, cover with a tight lid or with foil and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
When paella is done, turn off heat and let paella rest, covered, for at least 5 minutes.
Serve garnished with lemon wedges.
Serves 4 to 6
everything was soulful, and all souls were one."
~ From Wings of Desire (1987)
The rock group Queen's classic album A Night at the Opera contains their iconic hit "Bohemian Rhapsody" but it also contains a lesser known song called, "I'm in Love with My Car," about a young man's obsession with his automobile. I always liked that song, even though I couldn't quite understand being infatuated with an inanimate object.
This week I can sincerely say that I am in love with my shoes.
I recently bought a pair of TOMS black burlap classics at Whole Foods Market. They were a little tight at first, but the sales person said that was a good thing because they would stretch and mold to my feet. Well, she was right! These TOMS are my new favorites. They are super comfortable and cool looking.
The best part is that TOMS has a shoe giving program called One for One. With every pair purchased, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. As of September 2010, TOMS had given over one million pairs of shoes to children in need around the world.
Shoes protect feet from rough paths and sharp objects. They cover tender soles in cold weather and provide a barrier between hot dirt, sand and gravel. They also help prevent infection from contaminated soil. In developing countries, many children walk for miles every day to and from school and to get clean water.
"I am called a doctor today because of the shoes my father bought, which motivated me to keep going to school and to work hard. Shoes were and are a luxury in this country."
~ Dr. Fwasa Singogo, Zambia
You can change the life of a child just by voting with your wallet. Make your next shoe purchase one that benefits your heart and your soles.
For more information on TOMS One for One program and ways you can get involved, see the link for TOMS under the Elaborations section, up and to the right.
~~~~~~~~~
Celebrate hearts all over the world by making Paella with Artichoke Hearts.
Paella with Artichoke Hearts
This vegetarian paella is delicious and easy to make as long as you use the proper rice. Authentic paella rice imported from Spain is a must! Do not use arborio rice, asian rice, long grain or basmati. The pan is also very important. If you don't have a paella pan, you can use a large frying pan or braiser, big enough to hold the ingredients.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic (do not peel)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced organic tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can artichoke hearts (plain, not the marinated kind) do not drain
1 (14.5 oz) can butter beans, drained
1 teaspoon paprika
32 oz carton of organic vegetable broth
A pinch of saffron threads (6 to 8 threads)
A pinch of crumbled, dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups of paella rice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Drain artichokes, save broth and set aside (you will use the broth later).
Lightly crush the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves with the flat part of a knife so that the peel remains intact, but the garlic inside can flavor the dish.
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic cloves. Cook, stirring, until onions are translucent (3 to 5 minutes).
Add tomatoes, reserved artichoke liquid and butter beans. Add paprika and mix well. Stir until simmering.
Add vegetable broth, saffron, thyme and rosemary. Stir and let broth heat until simmering again, then simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking. Once you like the taste of the broth, stir in the rice and bring to a boil, then stir rice once more to make sure everything is evenly distributed. After this step, do not stir again!
Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Then, decorate surface of the paella with the artichoke hearts. Reduce heat to low, cover with a tight lid or with foil and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
When paella is done, turn off heat and let paella rest, covered, for at least 5 minutes.
Serve garnished with lemon wedges.
Serves 4 to 6
Thank you. Went on your link to Toms and saw some super styles. Huge selection. Last weeks cupcakes were killer! Sooo so good. Thank you.
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