Sinking Ships, Olympics, Bowling,

I didn't know a lot about it yesterday but caught the headline that a Canadian tall ship, SV Concordia, had sunk somewhere off Brazil and that everyone was OK. Today it appears that she got caught in some very rough weather and capsized. Sounds very odd to me, ships like that don't usually capsize easily, so I wonder just what happened. I am glad that everyone ended up OK though, especially as the ship was full of students. Strangely enough, I once knew a young man who died in very much the same way, although I was young myself and never really knew all the details. I know he was part of the crew on a tall ship which sank, but again, I don't know why. But when you think these ships were being sailed all over the place without sinking for many a long year, it makes one (well me anyway) question the competence of the skipper and his officers. For the most recent story go to http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/02/19/ns-brazil-ship-sinks-students.html

Canada is thrilled to have won another gold medal with Jon Montgomery winning in the men's Skeleton which I had never heard of but I understand is one of the sled races. Last night we started watching the ice dancing. It was the compulsory tango which is lovely to watch at the beginning, but after you have seen it danced 10 or 12 times it does tend to get somewhat monotonous. However Saturday should be better with the original dance. Whenever I see ice dancing I automatically think of Torvill and Dean who were so marvellous in the 1984 Olympics dancing to the Bolero. Talking of skating, we saw an interview with Evan Lysacek who won the gold for men's figure skating. Considering all the noise his competitor, Evgeny Plushenko has been making along with the Russian leader and Russians generally, I thought Evan was very gracious. The row centres on the ability to do a quad jump, well Plushenko didn't land his very well anyway.

Talking of athletic disasters *g*, I had a lousy day at bowling yesterday - no idea why, I just couldn't do anything and had trouble making 100 points let alone getting my average. I was not a happy camper. Bearing in mind that I soon have a tournament coming up (Feb 27) I am hoping I don't do as badly then.

The health pundits are always saying one should eat more beans - the Mediterranean diet is supposed to be very strong on beans and therefore very good for you - that I thought I would pass on this Eating Well recipe which I think I might well try for us although tonight I am cooking a roast of beef. I have never heard of salad beans which are apparently a mixture of different types, but if you can find them good, if not, any beans would do I am sure. One thing I have never understood in North America is serving bread with pasta, maybe it is done in Europe nowadays, but to my way of thinking you don't need both and especially not when you have beans. Now the arugula salad I approve of.

Bean Bolognese

From EatingWell: December 2006

Fiber-rich beans stand in for the beef and pork in this surprisingly rich-tasting vegetarian take on pasta Bolognese. Without the meat, the dish has only a third of the fat and 80 percent less saturated fat. To make the perfect meal, serve with a peppery arugula salad and warm, crusty Italian bread. 4 servings

Ingredients •1 14-ounce can salad beans, (see Shopping Tip) or other beans, rinsed, divided •2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil •1 small onion, chopped •1/2 cup chopped carrot •1/4 cup chopped celery •1/2 teaspoon salt •4 cloves garlic, chopped •1 bay leaf •1/2 cup white wine •1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes •1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided •8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine •1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation 1.Put a large pot of water on to boil. Mash 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl with a fork. 2.Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil until most of the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juices, 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed beans. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. 3.Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain. 4.Divide the pasta among 4 bowls. Discard the bay leaf and top the pasta with the sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining parsley.

Nutrition Per serving : 443 Calories; 11 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 9 mg Cholesterol; 67 g Carbohydrates; 19 g Protein; 14 g Fiber; 707 mg Sodium; 281 mg Potassium 3 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 3 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat Tips & Notes •Shopping tip: A can of salad beans, a mixture of chickpeas, kidney and pinto beans, adds depth and variety to this recipe. Look for it in the natural-foods section of larger supermarkets or natural-foods stores. If you can't find it, substitute a can of your favorite beans.

Have a great weekend.