I forget we are at war.
“Forget” is an understatement, actually. What I experience is a non-reckoning most days weeks months.
This is sad. <— gross understatement
Lives have been lost and more will follow. I can’t even imagine the hardships of families whose loved ones are serving. Marriages and families are in jeopardy. What’s it like when your husband or father has spent 5 of the past ten years at war? What’s it like to be shot at everyday?
I wish I could say I thought of it more often. I don’t.
Case in Point:
Even today, of all days, I found myself thinking about…food (of course). I’m not alone. This I know. For many, Memorial Day is mostly just a day off work and a backyard barbeque.
“Look, hon, Saving Private Ryan is on. Oh yeah, that’s right it’s Memorial Day!”
But, you know, we’re human. It’s All Good.
I was thinking about red, white and blue and it occurs to me the only blue food I can think of (from the earth, mind you) is blueberries.
I guess there are blue potatoes….
which I have consumed only in this form by the way:
But really? What else is there? And besides–they look more purple to me.
There’s not a lot of blue in the fruit and vegetable color spectrum. Purple? Yes. But blue is very rare.
Why? Is it biologically unappealing? (I must google this sometime)
My point? I have none. Really.<—understatement.
But since I was thinking about blueberries I thought I would share a recipe.
Sugar-Free Flour Free Blueberry Loaf (Individual)
I rarely make these, but they are pretty tastey and you can make them with blueberries, too (unpictured).
- 1oz oats
- 1/4 c egg whites
- 1.5 oz mashed banana
- 2 oz yogurt
- 1.5 t baking powder
- add blueberries till your content
- 1 or two packets of sugar substitute.
Combine ingredients, pour in mini loaf pan and bake at 400 for 40 minutes. Experiment! You get the idea. Tastes like…well..it tastes like a sugar-free flour free loaf. It’s good, though, I promise.
Happy Memorial Day, try not to think morbid thoughts. Let’s just be grateful that we live in a country where it is possible to be so self-indulgent and self-centered most of the time.
I am grateful that the only explosions I hear are fireworks on the Fourth of July.
But today I remember (for a little while) that it comes at a price.
- Can you tell me about a blue fruit or vegetable I am missing out on?
- Does blue food aesthetically appeal to you? Maybe that is why it is in short supply.
- How does the war affect you on a daily basis..or does it?
Sadly, the war doesn’t affect me in a personal way everyday. It doesn’t occur to me, and then I remember, and feel like a big fartface.
Thank heavens for those brave women and men who are out there putting their lives on the line for us.
But we can be thankful for being able to be fart faces, I guess.
I love all things blue and you are right- there are not many naturally blue foods. I think blueberries mught actually be it, and I’ve always thought blueberries look more purple than blue. You get a few other other purple foods like eggplant, purple carrots and purple potatoes, but neither are very prevalent.
I once went to a blue party where all the food had been dyed blue. Think blue mashed potatoes, fairy bread made with blue sprinkles, blue M&Ms, blue vodka. It did not look like real food!
Happy memorial day. We lost 2 Australian soldiers in Afghanistan overnight and there has been lots of talk today about our involvement. It’s hard because whatever you think about the merits of the war, I’m so very thankful for those who serve our respective countries. But it’s easy to forget about them and what they are doing when we don’t hear about it on a day-to-day basis.
I suppose I would hear of it more often ….but they don’t have News on Food Network (too quote Liz Lemon from 30 rock).
Yup – purple abounds but no blue?
I have to think there is reason to this from God or nature. Purple? Yes. Blue? No.
Hmm, I can’t think of any other blue fruit/veg besides blueberries! Weird!!
The war doesn’t PERSONALLY effect me but I often think about it and get really sad when I hear about soldiers suffering from PTSD. I think about how I worry about DUMB things compared to what they must be thinking about and it gives me a whole new perspective.
Exactly. And the PSTD thing? So obsured. There is an alarmingly high incidence going on (as well as spouse abuse, too). So sad. Army wives, I suppose has touched on it.
I agree that it’s sad that most of us don’t really think about being at war or the lives we are losing daily. I live in a city with 3 army bases and the Air Force Academy, yet war rarely crosses my mind.
I actually had blue potatoes for the first time tonight (coincidence?) but it did look more purple. I love blueberries though, so I don’t know why blue wouldn’t appeal to people as a food color. Maybe it seems unnatural because so many fake foods, like blue Jello, are that color…
Dang. You’ve stumped me. I think there is a tuber that’s blue. Its called taro. Might be more purple-y though.
You always have such deep posts and make me feel like a fartface (Stolen from above because that is a cool word). But I love you for that.
haha, fartface. I loved this. And I love your posts in general because you always manage to go to depths I’m scared to in my posts. And your brave, did I mention that? I don’t think I did. And I think (know) you’ll make it x
Mmm, that loaf looks delish!
Have to try it!
Hi Missy
I think it’s hard to remember or understand all sorts of suffering – not just war, but definitely including that.
Partly it’s how it is reported. Generally there’s more space given to Holywood fashion than casualties and as a result my brain scrambles and I lose perspective.
Maybe it’s also a defense mechanism – when I read about what’s going on and think about it I often feel depressed and overwhelmed. I want to help but don’t know how. I can’t bear to hear how much other people are hurting and be powerless to stop it.
But I think mainly it’s because I’m selfish. My world and my problems seem bigger than everyone else’s and it takes a lot to remind me that this is not the case.
On the blue foods issue, I’d never really wanted to eat blue foods until I realised you couldn’t get them. Now nothing else will do. Go figure!
BLUE POTATO?!? love! my fav blue fruit or veg are blackberries! (well they’re kinda black but wATVS!) love ur bread! ps im thinking u shud check out my post today for a good laugh
I remember one time when I was younger my friends threw a pancake party and put blue food coloring in the pancakes AND the milk. Let’s just say the food look so “interesting” I couldn’t bring myself to eat it. Although I am intrigued by the blue potatoes though
praying for you! your comment brought tears to my eyes. keep pushing girl! God has you
Yep, why is it there is little blue food? I cannot think of any either! Your loaf looks great!
I had no idea blue chips came from blue potatoes. Weird. And yeah on the forgetting to remember thing.
Bleu Cheese? Skim milk? (apparently some people say it has a blue tinge) othewise, fruits and vegeable i think only get to purple…oh, blue crab..still no produce…
I can’t say the was affects me on a daily basis, but I’ve gone to school with many people now who have been in the armed forces, and it’s kinda makes you see things differently like- wow, this person was out there in uniform, running and getting shot at etcetera, and now they’re here sitting in class or just running cross country for fun? wow.
That loaf looks so yummy. I’d love to sit around the table and chat and have some with you. Especially now that… I got a very hurtful remark yesterday through my blog and have spent the day trying to gather myself together. Cried a bit. Felt like the world was a very bad place. That I always tried to be kind to people, but that regularly someone just wanted to hurt me with very bad words. I am slowly getting back to my happy self. At times like these, I look for the comforting company of real friends. Even though I’ve never been able to meet you (yet, I’d like to say…) I consider you being one.
Sorry about the hater comment, Su!
awesome work on those lil loafies
they are so cute and look delicious!
that’s true~we ARE blessed to even have the freedom to be self-centered, as weird as it sounds! Hopefully we’ll use that energy for the good
And the weirder the color of a food is, the better!
I don’t think about the war and the soldiers nearly enough, and when I do, I often times feel guilty for all of the “wasted” attention I put on food and my body.
I think what needs to be done, for me, is to take that feeling that I get, and use it to put my disorder in perspective. The guilt is pointless, for me, but it is useful to have the perspective.
I remember as a child, I would only eat blue (uk) smarties.
That loaf looks good, I shall be whipping up one of them!
xx
Wow, thank you so much for the reminder. You gave me the goosebumps. I too forget that we are at war when there are so many men and woman fighting for us and their families suffering too. Great reminder gorgeous girl!!
That loaf looks amazing!
I am glad I was able to answer your question…thanks for asking it because it really helped me out a lot:)
do you have an email address i may use to contact you? i’d really like to email you if you don’t mind.
I’ll email you from my personal address but my blog email is on my about page. (0:
((fartface))
And love to blue foods (i never understood why they aren’t blue in the middle though? the mind boggles!) x
What about blackberries they’re really more blue than black?
The war affects me daily. My nephew (we grew up more as brother and sister) is fighting in Afghanistan – he is in the navy! And please God (seriously, God please please please) he will be home July 4th. I have stopped praying for anything else since the moment he boarded the plane (I actually have a dbb saying whenever I’m getting nervous – it’s too my mom and I have told her the rest of us will take care of ourselves/each other she was to just watch over him and it stands for don’t blink bitch – which is a total tease with her)