ETCETERA: Courier travelers share Ozarks information

By JUDY KRIEGER, Courier Editor

Ed Cullinan Dr. Barry Cullinan and Marjorie Cullinan took along a Courier to hold at the entrance of the “Christ of the Ozarks” statue in Eureka Springs, Ark. The statue stands atop Magnetic Mountain, facing west, “blessing” the town of Eureka Springs below. Christ of the Ozarks is the third tallest Jesus in the world at 7 feet tall. The rumor is that the statue originally had feet, but they had to remove the feet, lowering the statue to its current height; otherwise, Jesus by law would have had a red warning beacon bolted to his head. It took more than 2 million pounds of mortar and steel to build the statue. The head alone weighs 7.5 tons.

Ed and Marjorie and their son, Barry, were visiting their daughter, Nancy Cullinan and her husband, Art Knapp, from Santa Barbara, Calif., who were traveling in the Midwest in their RV. In addition to touring in Eureka Springs, the five also included sightseeing and shows in Branson, Mo.



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The Besick siblings recently gathered in Branson, Mo., for a vacation.

Posing for a photo in front of the famous Baldknobbers Theater on the Highway 76 strip were Dennis and Linda Besick of Ottumwa, James Besick of Douds, Shirley and Leonard Besick of Douds, Bonnie Robinson and Gerald Besick.

The Besick brothers and Bonnie Robinson are the children of the late L.J. and Mildred Besick.

Leonard Besick is holding the Courier. Looks like they all were having a good time. Of course you always do if you take a Courier along, right?



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Jacob Johnson’s graduation from Basic Training in the Army National Guard was celebrated with his wife, Sara, and their children, Ava, Bailey and Finley.

The family photo — with a Courier — was taken Nov. 19 at Fort Knox, Ky.



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Ashley Claussen of Blakesburg and Chelsea Daniels of Centerville took along an Ottumwa Courier when they went to Ireland.

Both are junior students at Simpson College in Indianola and are studying abroad for the semester.

Thanks for thinking of us!



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Lee Hamre of Bloomfield recently visited Haines, Alaska, for the annual Bald Eagle Festival in November.

His sons, Shawn and Robert Hamre, took their father on this trip for his 60th birthday. They saw approximately 2,000 eagles on the Chilkat River and took over 700 pictures. The weather was in the 30s most of the time. The sky went from sunny to blizzard conditions during their stay, Lee Hamre said.



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Milly Morris-Amos will have a book signing from 2-4 p.m. Saturday at O’Hara Hardware in Ottumwa. Anyone who previously purchased one of her books — “Henry and Gladys” — may bring it in for her to sign, also. Her Gothic House magnets and bookmarkers are also for sale at O’Haras and at Southside Drug, along with the Canteen and A Day At The Fair.



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YOU CAN SAVE THIS ITEM IF NEEDED

Can a cookbook cure the blues?

A new study suggests that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of depression. You know what that diet is — olive oil, fish, fresh vegetables and fruit.

And probably whole grain.

University researchers in Spain have linked the Mediterranean diet to a decrease in the risk of depression. Patients who followed the Mediterranean diet in the study of 11,000 people were 30 percent less likely to be at risk for the disease. The exact reason for this decrease in risk is not known, but researchers have hypothesized that it could be due to the other health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, including improved blood vessel function and reduced inflammation, which can contribute to overall well-being.

Renowned chef and Certified Fitness Nutritionist, Marie-Annick Courtier provides Mediterranean dietary suggestions for a healthier lifestyle in her new book, “Cooking Well: Mediterranean Diet.”

She recommends purchasing fresh and preferably organic foods. Limiting the amount of chemicals, colorings, preservatives, and additives in your food will benefit your body and decrease your chances of developing food allergies, sensitivities, inflammation, and even diseases. If budget is an issue, remember that many farmers and growers are not able to obtain the organic label but still produce foods that are free of pesticides, chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones, and are of excellent quality. You can find these products in your local stores — read their labels carefully.

Other advice includes:

* Reduce animal proteins, particularly beef, lamb and pork while increasing plant proteins such as beans. Increase your intake of fish as a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

* Use canola oil, olive oil, and grapeseed oil (a great substitution for butter because of its buttery flavor) which are the healthiest fats for cooking. These oils — as well as flaxseed oil, fish oil, and walnut oil — should be used for salads or other cold dishes. They are still fats so use as little as possible.

* Steam or parboil vegetables briefly to preserve vitamins and minerals.

* Use low-sodium and low-fat broth/stock (preferably organic) for light sauces rather than using fats such as butter, cream or beurre manié (butter and flour combination). Thicken sauces with cornstarch/arrowroot or waxy maize (particularly for frozen dishes, as it won’t separate) instead of using flour or a flour-butter mixture.

“Cooking Well: Mediterranean Diet” has over 100 recipes. It’s available in paperback and as an ebook. The Hatherleigh Book is distributed by Random House.

Chef Marie-Annick Courtier is a native of Paris, France. She has a Culinary Arts Degree, has worked with world-renowned chefs and runs her own personal chef service. She lives in Orange County, Calif.

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Judy Krieger can be reached at (641) 683-5365 or by e-mail at — j.krieger@ottumwacourier.com

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