Bean Salad
Beans are one of the foods I try to eat every single day and to ensure I do, I often make a bean salad. Although the recipe below is my go-to favorite, I often change the types of beans or seasoning depending on what I have on hand. The one ingredient always included is a crisp apple because the sweetness and crunchy texture go so well with beans that have a soft texture and mild flavor. But, it’s the avocado and walnuts that really make this salad special. Try the recipe and then be creative and mix it up based on what you have in the refrigerator and pantry. Read more 
Pressed By KIND®
Pressed By KIND® is a new snack bar that provides a “convenient and tasty way to add fruit” to your diet. Made primarily of fruit – mangos, apples, strawberries, bananas, pineapples, and cherries, Pressed By KIND® bars are unique in their simplicity (the name of the bar includes the ingredients).
Dairy-free, gluten-free, low-sodium, and vegan, these six bars contain no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, and no added sugar (except for 1 gram in the two bars that contain dark chocolate). But, best of all, the bars are nutritious, chewy and delicious: Read more
Executive Compensation at Columbia (2017)
2017 was a great year for Columbia University (Columbia) and many of its employees. Total revenue reached $5.7 billion while expenses totaled $4.5 billion (not including depreciation) which contributed to the endowment increasing from $13.2 billion to $14.7 billion at year-end, of which only $3.4 billion is permanently restricted.
In terms of compensation, 34,811 employees were compensated $2.8 billion, which equates to an average compensation of $81,000. The 17 most highly compensated individuals (listed below) received $40 million which equates to an average compensation package of $2.4 million each: Read more
Executive Compensation at Columbia (2016)
People often joke about the low compensation in academia but many individuals working for non-profit educational institutions (i.e. colleges and universities) receive very high compensation packages. Although the most highly compensated tend to be investment managers for the endowment, presidents, provosts, department chairs, professors, and fundraisers, the overall average compensation package is often nothing to make light of.
At Columbia University (Columbia) – a private, Ivy-League educational and research university on the Upper West Side in New York City (although there are six campuses, five in New York and one in Paris), 34,437 employees were compensated $2.6 billion (or an average of $76,000 each) in the school year beginning July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2016. 4,928 individuals received more than $100,000 in total compensation. Read more
Imagine the Donald Trump Presidential Library
Presidential libraries are relatively new to the United States with the first one established in 1941 for Franklin Roosevelt when he proposed to leave his presidential papers to the public (instead of keeping them as private property).
The people of the United States generally bought into the idea that the sitting President’s documents, artifacts, and gifts of state were public property so presidential libraries have been built for every president since Herbert Hoover (his being opened in 1962 when he was 88 years old). Read more
The Quintessential Arepa
When my daughter was little, my friend from Columbia taught her a Spanish pattycake-like song which went something like this:
a-re-peat-a, ma ma ma
a-re-peat-a, pa pa pa
While they sang the song, they would pretend they were shaping cornmeal batter into an arepa – a round, thick corn cake (think of shaping play doh into a thick round disk and you get the idea) that is very popular in South America and particularly Columbia and Venezuela. Read more
Mailorder Fruit: Where to Find the Best Fruit
Grocery stores are filled with fresh fruit – peaches, plums, apples, and more – that looks great on the outside but is often mealy, flavorless, or dark on the inside (indicating the fruit was picked too early and put in cold storage).
I can’t tell you how many peaches, nectarines, and apples I’ve thrown out over the past few months. And, it’s not just from ordinary grocery stores; I’ve purchased awful peaches and nectarines from Whole Foods and Fresh Market on numerous occasions. Often times, this is because the fruit is technically out of season – grown in a faraway place, cooled, and transported – but in the summer and early fall, there is no excuse. We should be able to buy peaches, nectarines, and apples that are juicy, flavorful, and delicious during the summer and fall.
Farmers Markets are often reliable sources of high quality, locally grown fruit but if these are not an option, consider ordering fresh fruit from Frog Hollow Farms – a certified organic farm that grows peaches, nectarines, apricots, pears, pluots, cherries, avocados, and more. Read more
Executive Compensation at University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) is a private research university in Philadelphia that is also a member of the Ivy League. With more than $12 billion in the school’s endowment, Penn also includes a hospital, five outpatient facilities, an in-patient rehabilitation center, and 10 research facilities.
The IRS Form 990 (2015) covering the year beginning July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2016 reports the following key information about Penn: Read more
Crispy Black Bean Tacos
Crispy Black Bean Tacos are a refreshing take on traditional tacos. With seasoned refried black beans piled high with crispy green lettuce and an avocado mango salsa on a corn tortilla crisped on the stove, Crispy Black Bean Tacos are a quick, easy, and delicious mealtime favorite in our home.
Most of the ingredients are probably in your cabinets or pantry. If not, a trip to Trader Joe’s or your favorite local grocery store will ensure you have all the ingredients on hand when you need a meal that looks and tastes incredible but doesn’t require a lot of effort. Read more
Remembering the Children on 9-11
Today marks 17 years since 9-11 and yet the wounds continue to feel raw, especially for the people who lost family and friends that day. Nearly 3,000 people were killed that day, the majority of whom were adults but there were also eight very young children (ages 2 – 11) who perished when the planes they were on crashed. Had those children lived, they would be 19-28 years old today, in the prime of their lives.
American Airlines Flight 77 departed Washington, DC for Los Angeles but was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon. On board, were five children: Read more
Paddock Post 