9 minute read
RECIPE
RAW CANNOLI BARS
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From Blissful Basil by Ashley Melillo (BenBella Books, 2016)
“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”
— The Godfather
I’ve seen The Godfather more times than I can count. Around the time, I was just starting high school, it became a New Year’s Day tradition to watch the threehour movie while consuming a comforting Italian feast with family. Although I’m not down with the violence in the film, the one thing I can agree with is the above line— taken apart from the fact that the character that made the statement had just shot someone, of course. Anger, guns, and violence? Leave it behind. Let’s eat sweet Italian dessert with a plant-passionate twist instead.
Makes 12 bars 1 hour + GF
INGREDIENTS: CANNOLI FILLING
1 1/2 cups raw cashews 2/3 cup packed and pitted Medjool dates 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons filtered water 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
PISTACHIO CRUST
1 cup raw shelled pistachios 1 cup packed and pitted Medjool dates
TOPPING
2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs 1 tablespoon crushed raw pistachios
DIRECTIONS: For the Cannoli Filling
Soak the cashews and dates in hot water for 30 minutes to soften; drain. Add the soaked cashews and dates, filtered water, lemon juice, almond extract, and cinnamon to a food processor. Process for 6–8 minutes, or until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. The texture should resemble a thick frosting.
For the Pistachio Crust
Line a 5 × 10-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Add the pistachios and dates to a food processor, pulse 10 times, and
then process until the mixture begins to clump together, adding more dates if needed. It should stick together when pressed between your fingers. Scoop the crust mixture into the lined pan and use your hands to press and compact it into an even layer.
To Assemble
Pour the filling over the crust and smooth out with a spatula.
Sprinkle with the cacao nibs and chopped pistachios. Freeze for 2 hours to set. Once set, gently lift out of the pan and slice into bars.
Store the bars in the refrigerator to maintain optimal texture.
Keepin’ It Raw? No Problem | To keep this dessert raw, swap out the almond extract for pure almond oil. No Need to Keep It Raw? | Feel free to substitute roasted, unsalted pistachios for the raw pistachios and chopped vegan dark chocolate for the raw cacao nibs.
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IT’S METTLE AND MEDALS FOR PROFESSIONAL BOWLER SHANNON O’KEEFE
By Chad Ruiz
What makes a champion? Athleticism? Intelligence? Perseverance? All of the above? Ask professional bowler Shannon O’Keefe, and she’ll tell you mental prowess played a role in her recent championship.
These girls were younger than me, and I thought ‘maybe I don’t have it anymore.’ I broke down. I felt like I was mentally broken,” the 38-year-old said of her recent Smithfield Tour Championship played in Richmond, VA. After completing a few rough matches leading up to the finals, O’Keefe began doubting her abilities and wondered if she’d ever land an elusive major bowling championship.
“I’ve been knocking on the door of winning a major for like a decade. I finished second so many times.” O’Keefe leaned on her husband for inspiration when her thoughts got the better of her. “He gave me some incredible words of advice. He told me to ‘control what you can control. Once the ball leaves your hand, there’s nothing you can do about it.’”
With her recharged mounting pressure and defeated Kulick by a 222203 margin. Of her long list of achievements, this one ranks near the top. Her accomplishments now include: six Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) titles, a PWBA regional title and a host of minor championships.
The bowling star is also a mainstay on Team USA, entering her 13th year and earning over 30 medals, 21 gold. “It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done,” O’Keefe says. The group represents the best of the best bowlers in
attitude, O’Keefe continued winning, eventually facing six-time major champion Kelly Kulick for the title. With the event streaming live on the CBS Sports Network, she knew she would need to remain mentally tough.
“The actual physical act of throwing the ball takes about three seconds. So it’s really less than a minute that you’re actually physically moving [during a game].” During the other 30 to 60 minutes, O’Keefe says, you’re in your head, worrying about the next throw or beating yourself up.
Not this time. O’Keefe corralled her negative thoughts, ignored the the nation who travel the world competing against teams in other countries. “To wear that red, white and blue and hear our national anthem in another country, is nothing short of a blessing.”
Although she’s visited a number of cities in about 15 countries and enjoyed all of them, she says Hong Kong is her favorite. “The city was incredible. The people were amazing. Plus, we won the team event at the world championship there. It was the first time in 24 or 27 years the women’s team won the world championship. It meant a ton.”
The Bowling World Championship takes place every four years and pits dozens of teams from different countries against one another. The teams comprise of only 36 men and 36 women from each nation. The 2017 World Championship took place in Las Vegas.
When she’s not winning titles on the PWBA and Team USA circuit, she’s recruiting, coaching and inspiring the women’s bowling team at McKendree University in Lebanon, IL alongside her husband who directs the men’s bowling team.
“We’ve struggled with having our own children, but God put us in a position to care for so many other children. I
social benefits.
“I met my husband because of bowling. I met my best friend on Team USA and get to travel the world with them and share memories. Bowling is unique because it’s fun and anybody can do it at any skill level and at any age,” she explains.
Additionally, bowling is a great low-impact exercise. Depending on your weight, an hour of bowling burns between 200 and 300 calories, which is more than an hour of walking. Plus, throwing a bowling ball exercises just about all muscle groups including the back, abdomen, legs and arms. To maintain her professional bowling physique, O’Keefe says she focuses a lot on cardio and endurance training.
“When we’re bowling a regular season event, we bowl 12 games per day plus all the practice sessions. So I run a lot because running is great for the core, endurance and legs.” She also works out with her team during weight-lifting drills.
But don’t let O’Keefe’s training scare you away from bowling. She advises anyone planning to bowl for fun to simply find a ball “that’s not too heavy or too light” and maintain strong body posture when lifting and throwing the ball. For those of you wanting to bowl competitively, O’Keefe says “it’s really important to find a pro shop to drill a ball specific for your hand.”
The former all-American high school softball player and current PWBA champion plans to continue reaching for the stars and inspiring young athletes near and far.
guess giving me one wasn’t the best use of my love and knowledge.” O’Keefe’s team of 28 girls inspires her every day to be the best coach, bowler and person. “It’s really important that I set a really good example for them…stay true to our integrity and who we are.”
“Teaching bowling is the easy side,” inspiring them to be great in all their endeavors is the hard part, O’Keefe says.
The United States Bowling Congress reports that over 69 million people bowl at least once each year, making it the number one participation sport in the country. O’Keefe credits bowling’s growing popularity to its physical, mental and
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Believe it or not, your trendy house plants may pose as much of a threat to your pet as chocolate, rodenticides, household products and food containing the alcohol-based sweetener, xylitol. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), plants accounted for 5.2% of the cases of ingested toxins in 2016.
Aloe Vera PETS BEWARE: 7Toxic
HOUSE PLANTS
By Liz McGehee 1. Aloe Vera. A staggering number of people have no idea that this popular household plant is toxic to both cats and dogs.
Corn Plant
Lilies
2.Corn Plant. Also known as dracaena fragrans, corn plants are gorgeous and verdant but still extremely toxic when ingested by pets.
3.Lilies. A mere two petals from this flower can cause kidney failure and subsequent death in cats. The palm lily, lily of the valley, amaryllis, peace lily and calla lily species are all toxic to dogs. Mistletoe
Dumb Cane
4.Poinsettia and Mistletoe. As festive as they are, poinsettias and mistletoe pose a serious threat to both dogs and cats. Make sure you place these out of reach.
5.Sago Palm. While the entire plant is toxic, it only takes one seed from this houseplant to trigger liver failure or death.
6.Dumb Cane. Dieffenbachia, or dumb cane, is a wellknown air purifier, and…every part of this plant is poisonous to pets.
Eucalyptus
7. Eucalyptus . The smell of this plant alone is known to provoke depression in canines. Eucalyptus oil is toxic to both cats and dogs, unfortunately. Symptoms and toxicity levels vary by plant. General warning signs your pet has ingested a toxic substance may include: • Hiding • Rapid breathing • Diarrhea • Vomiting • Depression • Weakness • Lethargy • Bloody stool • Seizures
