Migraine Attack At Work

Yesterday didn’t go well. It started off fine, and I was excited because it was my Friday, marking the beginning of a two-day break. However, things took a turn while I was at work. I suddenly started feeling very unwell—first, my blood sugars dropped unexpectedly. I took a break and had a snack, but it didn’t really help. Despite trying to soldier through, I only felt worse, experiencing dizziness, nausea, and a painful eye, which are typical signs of an impending migraine attack.

Since work was slow, I spoke to the person in charge and explained that I needed to leave due to the onset of a migraine attack. I left early around noon, took the bus to Fred Meyer near the transit center, and stopped to grab a soda for some caffeine and menstrual pain relief. I called my doctor to inform them about the severe migraine attack triggered by perfumes and colognes. They documented the incident for me. I took the second bus home, arriving at around 1 PM, and went straight to bed. I slept until my husband woke me up because he had been repeatedly calling my phone.

Migraine attacks are challenging for me. They bring dizziness, nausea, a strange flashing brightness in one eye, and temporary loss of vision in the other. My sinuses ache, and there’s a constant feeling of wanting to vomit, especially if the migraine goes untreated.

Today, I called my doctor to schedule an appointment for this issue. The soonest available slot is next week.

Harira aka Moroccan Ramadan Soup

Harira recipe

In pressure cooker add 1/3 cup of olive oil heat slowly add 1 whole diced onion
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Garbanzo beans
Can cook without salt if needed I used 1 teaspoon of salt when I made this recipe
1 pounds or so of lamb meat with bones
About 7 cups water put lid on and pressure cook for about 45 minutes

CAREFUL let the pressure aka steam out I run mine under cold water to vent faster and safer

Then remove meat set aside
Then add

Mince 1 bunch of parsley and cilantro ( I mince mine in the blender)
1 14.5 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with the juice
3 fresh tomatoes
( can use just fresh tomatoes if so about 7) or if no fresh use 2 cans of peeled tomatoes
Blend until smooth

Cook uncovered for about 30 minutes stir occasionally

Noodles very tiny vermicelli 1/2 cup

1/2 cup flour blended into 3 cups water make sure smooth
Mix into soup and stir constantly for 15 minutes to cook flour and slightly thicken soup

Serve hot with bread

Black Olive Prepared With Salt

2/27/2022
Preparing black olives with salt
Way 1 : Gather really black and super ripe olives place in a burlap bag and generously sprinkle in salt until they are covered in salt close bag and place in a big tub or bowl place weights on it and squash the olives to get all liquids out once a day open bag and shake olives sprinkling in salt and apply weight when no liquid comes out olives are done .

Once done before you eat these be sure to rinse well once rinsed place in a dish and cover with olive oil.

Second way to prepare black ripe olives
Wear gloves and squash each olive until the skin breaks then place into a jug sprinkle in salt as you go when jug is full sprinkle salt on top and close it shake jug
Drain liquid after 3 days sprinkle in more salt and shake olives are done when theres no bitterness. left rinse off the salt really well .

To store place in glass jar and cover with olive oil

Dutch Oven Stew

2/25/2022
Ingredients needed:
Beef cubes 1 lb
4 pieces garlic peeled and minced
1 onion peeled and minced
4 small carrots peeled and end removed, one-inch slices
1 lb small potatoes, red, yellow, and purple cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon each
Salt
Black pepper
Sweet paprika,
Cumin
Fresh herbs 1 sprig of rosemary, &
4 of thyme, removing leaves from stem chop up
3 tablespoons worchestire sauce
1 quart, of beef stock
16 ounces frozen peas
1/4 cup flour to 1/2 cup water mixed well no lumps

Dutch oven preparation :
Heat oil in the dutch oven add garlic, onion spices and meat saute until meat is browned then add in potatoes, carrots and beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, taste and adjust seasoning if needed put the lid on, and place in oven at 350 F for 60-90 minutes. check potatoes and carrots, when soft add in 1 16 oz. package of frozen peas and the flour. mixture. cook again for 30 minutes. then serve hot can keep warm in the oven until ready to eat.

CrockPot preparation,
Can use a crockpot just braise the meat in a cast-iron skillet and then transfer to crockpot. cook 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high then an additional 30 minutes After adding the flour mixture.

Firepit preparation :
If cooking in a fire pit make sure you have a nice bank of hot coals that are slow-burning hardwood to bury the dutch oven in, can start the night before and eat for lunch or dinner

Note : you can replace the 1/4 cup flour with 3 tablespoons of corn starch if you can’t do gluten be sure to use cold water and mix to lump free then add slowly stirring until its added .

Easy Tagine

In tagine pan add about 2 tablespoons olive oil warm up add 1 teaspoon turmeric, ginger and salt , and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dice one big onion and 5 pieces garlic very small 1/4 bunch each of parsley and cilantro (if you don’t have it you can skip it)
Add to oil and sauté for a few minutes then add the meat and cook for 5 minutes on low heat while you are peeling the carrots and potatoes slice and add on top of meat then add asparagus and tomatoes to top cover and cook on low heat until the vegetables are tender watch the pan to make sure it doesn’t boil over if needed prop up lid with a spoon
Can use beef , lamb, goat or chicken meat to make tagine
And whatever vegetables on hand

Lamb Stew

3 carrots peeled and sliced into small peices

3 handfuls of small finger size potatoes cut in half

1 onion fine chopped

1 bulb of garlic peeled and choppe

3 stalks of celery chopped

Leftover roasted lamb chopped

1 tablespoons olive oil in sauce pan heat add chopped vegetables and meat sauté 5 minutes then add .

Salt and pepper to taste.

1 quart of stock note* I saved the liquid from the roast and used it and added 2 cups of water

Boil until vegetables are tender

3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1 cup cold water

Add to stew and cook 5 more minutes then turn off and serve hot with bread or biscuits .

Note* you can use roasted beef in place of lamb or roasted chicken it’s a good way to use leftover roasted meat

Harsha (Moroccan Semolina Bread ) Double recipe

3 cups Semolina flour find grind (11/2 cups for single recipe)

1/2 teaspoon salt (1/4 teaspoons salt single recipe)

2 teaspoon baking powder (1 teaspoon baking powder single recipe)

Mix dry ingredients together until well blended

4 tablespoons of honey ( 2 tablespoons honey single recipe)

8 tablespoons melted butter (4 tablespoons melted butter)

Mix the butter and honey into the flour mixture until it looks like wet sand then add in the milk

1 3/4 cups milk to 2 cups depending on how the batter is ,(3/4-1 cup milk for single recipe)

Batter will be a bit wet set a timer and let sit for 5 minutes then shape into round shapes using a biscuit cutter to mold make a ball then flatten in the biscuit cutter I flatten on aluminum foil or waxed paper

Heat pan on stove to medium high then turn down to medium cook each side for five minutes

Serve hot with butter, honey, jam , cream cheese or serve savory with Moroccan olives and scrambled eggs seasoned with cumin and salt can add pepper if you want .

Can make a double batch and cool down they freeze great to freeze place on wax paper on a cookie sheet and freeze then place in a freezer bag .

To reheat use oven or microwave until hot . Goes great with Moroccan mint tea and coffee

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

12 tomatoes 5 giant ones the rest small

2 bulbs of garlic peeled and crushed up

1 white sweet onion chopped

Sweet basil 1 bunch

Oregano 1 bunch

Marjoram 1 bunch

1 cup mushrooms chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Place in saucepan and cover with water bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer until everything is mushy remove from heat add salt and pepper to taste . Remove herb stems and cool down then run through a blender and serve with pasta or can use as pizza sauce

I cooked my sauce for about two hours

Sauce before blending

Sauce after running through a blender

Easy fridge Pickles

These are spicy dills and they are not sweet. So adjust spices to your liking. We use regular cucumbers. They are great on hamburgers and sandwiches or just to eat out of the jar. Once the jar is empty, add more cucumbers to the pickle brine that way you can get a few uses out of the vinegar and spices. I made 3 quarts last weekend and we’ve already emptied one jar.

3-4 Cucumbers
4 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tbsp dill weed
2 crumbled bay leaves
2tbsp dill seed
2 Tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic per jar

Slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices or spears.

Brine: combine water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and swirl to make sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Add cucumbers to jars. Do not pack them super tight. You want room for the brine.

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add 2 tbsp to each jar. Add 1 tbsp garlic each jar. Finish by adding enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Seal with an airtight lid and store in the refrigerator for at least one week. We actually start eating them after 24 hrs. Pickles should be good for at least 6-8weeks keep refrigerated .

Can use cucumbers, tomatoes, or hot peppers .

Baked Vegetables

1 large zucchini sliced in circles

5 big sweet meat eater tomatoes sliced

2 onions slice

3 bulbs of garlic peeled then cut into half

1/2 cup olive oil place zucchini in bowl coat with oil

In baking dish I used a rectangle one oil bottom and sides with some of the olive oil

Make rows of zucchini, onion and tomatoes then take chopped garlic and sprinkle between the rows I got 3 rows then take bowl that you tossed the zucchini with oil using a rubber spatula scrape remaining oil over vegetables then salt to taste can use pepper if you want to

Bake in oven 375 for half a hour Serve hot enjoy