SOONA'S CORNER

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome back, hope your holidays were fabulous and you received most of what you wanted as well as the bed rest you needed. It is the second full week of the New Year and already calendars are filled with meetings, projects and goals to accomplish.

The year 2009 had been a struggle for my family and me. We started the year with a loss of a beloved sister and then again in the fall suffered another unexpected loss. The end month of the year, December, seemed promising with the birth of my great nephew, but as luck may have it I ended up in the hospital with a serious case of appendicitis. There is nothing more alarming than an encounter with a near death experience to change one’s perspective on health, family and life in general.

After a week in the hospital, I was ready to go home, even if I was still in pain. “Home is where I’d rather be” as Jed Clampett sang on the Beverly Hillbillies. As I recuperated at home it gave me time to think and reevaluate my life, my habits, but most importantly my health. During my recuperation time I watched a lot of movies both free and On Demand at $4.99 a pop. One of the movies I watched was Julie and Julia. I loved the movie! I loved it so much that I am going to model my Journey to a Healthier Me after it (not the daily blogging, but the concept of being accountable to someone else other than myself).

My journey of a healthier me begins today, and you my readers will be my source of inspiration and also serve as my critics. You will be the force that propels me forward on the days when I am too weak to move, and the light at the end of my tunnel that beckons me on. So come and follow my progress.

As part of working at the White Center CDA, our organization is committed to seeing a healthier White Center community too, not just me! Here are some health facts about White Center. Did you know that White Center has higher diabetes-related mortality, adult obesity and preterm birth rates compared to King County as a whole? An equitable community is one where your health isn’t determined by where you live. True, personal care is important, but just as important is what access a neighborhood has to healthy produce, safe sidewalks, public transportation, trees, open space and healthy restaurants (and not just fast food!).

The White Center CDA is part of a King County Food and Fitness Initiative and I’ll make it a point to let you know about the great work we’re doing in this area too. For example, have you seen White Center Heights Park at the corner of 8th Avenue SW and SW 102nd? There is a great walking trail and a newly built bridge overlooking the wetlands. Our organization, along with Starbucks and others helped to design and build the park with the community in 2007. And the wetland restoration was recently completed in January of 2010. We should all take advantage of its beauty.

So with that being said, I would like to invite one and all to join me in my JOURNEY TO A HEALTHIER ME. Any advice, suggestions and healthy recipes will be greatly appreciated. If you just want to share your weekly stories of struggles, recipes that worked or just victories of battles you have overcome, hit me up, and we will be cyberspace partners on our quest of a Healthier Us.

My journey begins at 304 pounds - yes I am well rounded!!!

We were on our way home from the burial of my nephew in Nebraska when the news broke that an 8.3 earthquake hit the “Mother Land (The Islands of Samoa).” I was in disbelief. An earthquake, it can’t be, I have heard of hurricanes and tsunamis but an earthquake? It can’t be, the wheels in my mind started turning and as the info was being processed, my feeble little mind started flashing horror flicks, the islands have been submerged underwater and there are no survivors.

THANK GOD my mind was not the producer of the scenes that would follow or it would have been a more horrific aftermath. As more info was relayed over the media broadcasts, my mind rested and my heart returned to a normal beat-all is not lost, we will rebuild, we will survive for we have “MANA MAI LE ATUA,” Power from God!

Condolences and prayers for our beloved families that have lost a loved one; our thoughts and heart are with you as you walk through the “valley of death.” “Blessed are those that mourn for they shall be comforted.” Our hope and prayer is, “may God’s presence bring you peace and may His spirit comfort you through your journey.”

With the death of Michael Jackson (childhood idol of my children) our office staff reminisced about what their favorite “song” was, the “outfits” that spoke to their inner performing soul and discussed how they felt on the day of his death.

The emotions varied from disbelief, shock, anger, adoration and back to disbelief that the King of Pop is gone. In the discussion of their favorite songs, much was revealed when the choices were made. Knowing my colleagues likes and dislikes, the song choices were not surprising at all.

So what is your favorite Michael Jackson song? Hit me up and see if your song choice reveals who you are. Till we meet again, Rest in Peace Michael Jackson, you will be forever missed by your faithful fans.

Here are the White Center CDA selections:

• ABC
• I’ll Be There
• Man in the Mirror
• Sunset Driver
• Black or White / Billie Jean
• We’re Almost There
• Rock with You
• Don’t Stop Til you Get Enough
• Heal the World

A good Celtic friend commented that they have the dibs on “Corn Beef and Cabbage,” I replied, the Polynesians took the worry out of “curing” the beef, we serve it from a can – whether the can comes from New Zealand or Libby’s factory, our corn beef and cabbage tastes like no other. Test the pan and see if you are good enough to be called a “Samoan” cook, or will you be wearing the pan! Tausasami ma Fiafia (Eat and be merry)

• 1 -12 oz can of New Zealand Crown canned corn beef (other brands will work – but if you want the best-use the NZC brand)
• ¼ cup of cooking oil
• 1 whole onion sliced
• ½ head of cabbage shredded (medium size cut in half-store the other side for later use.

Prep

Open can of corn beef
Slice onions
Shred cabbage

Cooking

1. Heat pan (vision is very important – use pan that will hold all of the ingredients-keep in mind cabbage will shrink during cooking) Best to use non-stick
2. Once pan is heated, pour in oil, when oil is heated, put in onions and cook onion till brown around the edges
3. Now add in corn beef (scrape sides of can and get every piece of that corn beef)
4. Cook corn beef and onions together till corn beef is well blended with the heat (it will turn a maroon red)
5. Now fold cabbage into corn beef mixture
6. Turn heat down, cover and simmer for 5 minutes with an occasional stir)

Ingredients

Directions:

First pour in half bag of ice, then the cans of condensed milk (make sure you scrape the sides of the cans)

Next pour in 1/2 gallon of water, stir and make sure milk is mixed well, add remaining 1/2 gallon. If a thinner drink is desired, add up to one more gallon of water as desired.

Once the condensed milk is fully mixed  with water, add in your sugar a cup at a time, stir and make sure all sugar is dissoved ( you may use sugared water - make sure milk solution is not watered down)

Now add in your pineapple, stir and pour into 12 oz glasses, garnish with mint leaves or a pinapple slice.