Author: Christina Bruni

Christina Bruni is the author of the new book Working Assets: A Career Guide for Peers. She contributed a chapter "Recovery is Within Reach" to Benessere Psicologico: Contemporary Thought on Italian American Mental Health.

Thoughts on Living a Full and Robust Life

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I have an interest in how individuals with disabilities and in fact everyone who has a challenge can create a full and robust life for ourselves.

“Full and robust” is in the eye of the person who wants to better themselves. We should not compare ourselves to other people. The grass isn’t greener over there.

We do best watering and tending to the “flowers” in our own garden. It’s likely the others fronting a green front lawn when you walk inside their house it’s a hot mess where you can’t see it.

For once in my life I could not abide reading chirpy positivity like that on the hellonutritarian website. It appeared daunting that you must follow a strict meal-prepping diet every week without fail.

My contention is that anyone can have a full and robust life of their own design. This is predicated rightly so on not comparing our worth to what other people can have and do.

There are as may possibilities for what a full and robust life can be as there are people. Living a full and robust life can be as simple as enjoying going to Starbucks for a caramel macchiato and reading a magazine while you’re there.

You don’t have to do or be or have what other people do or be or have. This is the beauty of defining a full and robust life on your own terms of what constitutes this kind of life for yourself.

You shouldn’t think that because you have limits or challenges this infers your life cannot be full and robust. It’s OK that you and I might not be world travelers jet-setting to exotic locales. It’s fine that you and I might not achieve the kind of success billionaires or others find in life.

I’m an ordinary person who has always seen possibility where others only see pain. So maybe I can give my followers joy and hope too. I believe that harboring envy of others and wallowing in self-pity is not the way to live our lives. Regret serves to keep us from having the full and robust life that IS possible if we stop dwelling on what we can’t have.

I recommend buying and reading the book Lightly by Francine Jay. In it she writes what I’ll end here with:

“The goal is not to get more done but to have less to do. Fewer distractions and more focus lead to freer, more fulfilling days.”

So in the end you could say a full and robust life is one where we have the freedom to do the things that make us happiest. Resisting falling into “grind culture” habits can free our time to do what we love. Passport and megabucks optional.

The Real Convenience Store

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I wanted to talk about workarounds that can make life easier.

In my view ordering groceries and household items online is the real convenience store.

I went in person to a supermarket to buy one item that took 5 minutes to find.

Waiting on the “Express” Lane took over 10 minutes!

Since that store delivers I will likely order the item online when it’s running low.

One other thing that’s a case study in convenience might not seem easier. I call this “just in time” shopping. To wit: walking to the local food market to buy groceries when you need them.

Like going to the deli counter to buy salmon filets and a crab cake for three nights of dinner. This is what I’ve been doing.

As I doubt spending an hour shopping in person will spark joy.

In New York City you can shop online using PeaPod (Stop-n-Shop) and Fresh Direct. Local supermarkets also often have online ordering as I’ve discovered.

At the height of COVID it was hard to order groceries online. Now that it’s easy to do this I say make reserving a weekly timeslot a habit.

Though if you’re like a person who told me he enjoys in person shopping this might rock you to wheel a cart around the aisles.

Right when I was waiting over 10 minutes on the Express Lane I remembered why I prefer shopping online : )

Christina’s Tofu Eggs

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A really long time ago I used to saute tofu cubes with broccoli in sesame oil for dinner. That was over 7 years ago.

The author of Fridge Love talked about how Joel Fuhrman, MD the Eat to Live author and creator of the nutritarian diet advises followers not to use any oils at all. Not even olive oil.

Using the recipe in Fridge Love I was able to cook the Tofu Eggs dinner as seen in the photo above. The tofu eggs taste better than the old way with sesame oil.

It’s a quick and easy 10 minute total cooking time. The extra time upfront is the 15 minutes where you press the firm tofu dry using the instructions in the Fridge Love book (listed in the blog entry where I shared this recipe).

I recommend lowering the flame a little. The recipe calls for medium heat. My stove is hotter so I lowered the flame to just below medium. I would even say to cook the last half of the time for only 5 minutes not 7. My pan got browned so I soaked it in water and dish detergent before cleaning it.

I’m glad to have found a healthful recipe that is quick and easy. You can even dice tomatoes to cook with the tofu.

Magic Chef

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The photo above is of my small Magic Chef refrigerator. This is how I reorganized the contents via the advice in Fridge Love for a freezer-top basic model.

Before the eggs were on the bottom shelf. The yogurt was on the door rack.

The skim milk I use to make hot cocoa. Author Kristen Hong is against drinking milk when you’re older as she claims doing so can age you faster.

It’s the one time I will post this kind of photo. Perhaps viewing the photo you can get an idea of how the book’s subtitle gets at what you can do: Organize Your Refrigerator for a Healthier, Happier Life.

Viewing the contents of our fridge should be a joy to behold. This is what will make it easier to cook our own dinners–and hopefully nutritious meals that nurture our bodies.

We should modify what author Kristen Hong tells readers to do to suit our needs. I created the Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe for one dinner. I’m not going to meal-prep for hours on a Sunday in advance for every dinner of the coming week.

I submit that cooking for hours on end is not in the cards for most people. In coming blog entries I’ll talk about workarounds to doing that. The goal is to Make Life Easier.

Sauteed Green Beans

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Haricots verts are thinner green beans. Urban Roots sells organic haricots verts on FreshDirect.com. I searched under haricots verts to find this food.

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1 1/2 pound haricots verts (French green beans) topped not tailed

2 to 3 tablespoons EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

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Heat oil in a large saute pan with lid. Add green beans. Stir to coat. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Taste to see if cooked through. If not saute for 3 more minutes.

Transfer to serving platter. Add black pepper. Can serve warm or at room temperature.

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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I was able to order organic Brussels Sprouts with my online groceries order. I found this recipe in a book. Yet it’s so simple I’m okay reposting it.

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1 pound small Brussels sprouts, rinsed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

A couple cracks of pepper

Shaved Parmesan (optional)

Slice a thin sliver off the stem of the Brussels sprouts. Keep as much of the base as you can to keep the leaves intact. Remove any limp exterior leaves.

Heat a large saute pan over medium. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted add the vinegar and Brussels sprouts to the pan. Saute for 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Cover and remove the pan from heat. Let the Brussels sprouts steam for 4 minutes.

Top with a sprinkle of shaved Parmesan if you’d like.

Tofu Eggs

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1 (16-ounce) block firm tofu, drained

1 tablespoon vegetable broth

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and ground black pepper

Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes. (Place paper towel on cutting board with tofu atop towel. Place towel on top of tofu. Press down with another cutting board and use a cookbook or other book to press down top board. Can use plates instead.)

In skillet heat the broth over medium heat. Crumble the pressed tofu into the pan with your hands.

Cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the tofu with your spatula to get a scrambled egg texture for 5 to 7 minutes until the moisture is gone.

Reduce the heat to low and add the nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic, powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until all moisture is absorbed. Remove from heat.

My Insight on the Nutritarian Diet

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In here I’m going to write about my take on the Fridge Love author’s stance.

The fact is it appears people who *need to* lose weight have been successful in doing this using the Nutritarian Diet. On this strict diet you limit your salt intake to 1,000 mg per day. You cut out using any oil–even don’t use olive oil.

Limiting sodium to 1,000 mg per day sounds OK. Though I take with a grain of salt the author’s advice about “meal-prepping” for hours on a Sunday everything you’re going to eat in the coming week.

Doesn’t chilling out sound better than overworking yourself over the stove in your limited free weekend time. I’d like to talk about “workarounds” for those of us with a low energy level or who are otherwise unable to make our own soup from scratch every week.

The canned soup I buy has salt and sometimes cane sugar. I use the Amy’s Organic varieties that are free of safflower or sunflower oil: split-pea, low-in-sodium lentil, tomato bisque, quinoa red lentil and kale, French country vegetable, and porcini mushroom.

The other Amy’s soups list safflower or sunflower oil as an ingredient. Those are unhealthy fats. Dr. Frank Lipman, MD in his book How to be Healthy advises readers to steer clear of these oils as well as to not use corn, canola oil, cottonseed, and vegetable oil too.

Sadly, the Amy’s Organic Soups used to cost $3.29. They are now $4.99 each. Still a “time savings”: when you don’t have the energy to make your own soup.

As a one-person household I spend 30 minutes each evening cooking dinner for 5 days a week. Some of us have the energy and love cooking elaborate recipes with 8 or more ingredients. I dare submit that this is not real-life for most of us.

The Fridge Love author to her credit cites mushrooms as a super food. For years now I’ve scrambled organic shitake mushrooms with organic eggs for breakfast. She is against using eggs.

Eight ounces of tofu has 18 grams of protein–more than two eggs. I’ll give you here the one Fridge Love recipe soon that I’ll be using: Tofu Eggs. It requires only three or so ingredients.

Sadly too, it’s hard to qualify for SNAP benefits or food stamps when your income is too high. I recommend using a food pantry. Even though a person might be too proud to want to do this it’s worth considering.

Lastly: I’ll end here with a sage idea: “Take what works and leave the rest” when another person–even a so-called expert–gives you advice.

I accept that I can’t adhere to the nutritarian diet. (I’m Italian–I’m going to have a pastry once or twice a month!)

What I have done is reorganize my fridge and freezer according to Kristen Hong’s guidelines as to where to store food items inside. I’m also buying the Anchor Hocking glass True Seal containers to store food in.

My New Year’s resolution is to focus on health. Coming up a few new recipes that are easy to make.

Fridge Love

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I found this book on Amazon where I search for new books. Then checked it out of the library for free. I recommend buying the book.

Qualifying “buy the book” with the caveat: The author uses only nutritarian recipes at the end. Perfect for you if you’re an all-in vegan with a strict adherence to what’s allegedly the healthiest diet.

I’ll only use a couple recipes like the “unfried” rice and tofu eggs. That’s because a significant number of the recipes require at least 8 or more ingredients. Food like coconut aminos (I have no idea why they’re healthy) and chia seeds.

The recipes turned me off because I lived in the 1970s. I can remember that then there were TV commercials advertising the Chi-Chi Chia Pet. You could buy a terracotta planter, insert chia seeds in it, and water the seeds. Presto–a head of green sprouts would bud, and you had your own “pet.”

Owing to the unfortunate association of chia seeds with the Chia Pet I won’t be eating chia seeds in my lifetime : )

Other than my not liking these recipes the front of the book has intrinsic value thus my “buy the book” stance. For one the detailed information on types of refrigerators, how and where to store food in each type, and how and when to clean inside the fridge is golden.

The other better part of the book was the alphabetical list of produce and how to wash and how and where to store these items in the fridge.

So–I’m going to buy this book as a reference guide. It’s in paperback so is cheaper.

Author Kristen Hong’s Instagram account is hellonutritarian.

2023 Early Winter Lower Body Routine

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1.Single-Arm Kettlebell Swing 10-15 pounds 3 sets x 12 times each side

2.Kettlebell Squat (stand directly over kettlebell and hold – then push up to standing – keep chest up) 20 pounds 3×12

3.Lunges with back foot on platform with only one riser on each side) put back foot up and lunge 12 times each side – hold 5 pound DB in each hand 5 pounds 3×12

4.Romanian / Hamstring Deadlift (1 DB in each hand – keep legs straight and reach forward to feel stretch) 8-10 pounds 3×12

4.Calf Raises (DB in each hand – on platform no risers) 10 pounds 3×15

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Butt Kicks (30 seconds)

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Plank on Forearms (as long as possible)

Squat Jumps 10 reps

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Crunches on Floor (only lift shoulders to squeeze stomach) 3×15