tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50431528967425444422024-03-13T10:03:08.807-07:00YeaaahtoastWelcome to the crumb tray.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-55977040682516147642010-08-25T19:56:00.000-07:002010-08-25T19:56:19.089-07:00Whedon: Veg head?I thought I’d combine this post with two of my favorite things: vegans and Joss Whedon.<br />
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I know, I know, how the hell am I going to connect those two things together coherently? Well, let me take a stab at it.<br />
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While noshing on some AMAZING buffalo tofu last night (sorry, no photo), Evan and I watched one of our old Whedon favs “Dollhouse”. Specifically we were watching S01E07 in which a touch-induced contagion spreads quickly through a local college campus causing people’s inhibitions to fall greatly out of whack. Funny enough, the epicenter of the outbreak happens to be in a building dedicated by Rossum.<br />
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Echo happens to see a news report about a death on the campus and feels an inexplicable need to go to the school. Later you find out that she is familiar with the location and you get some great flashbacks to Caroline. In her flashbacks, Caroline is a HUGE animal rights activist! <br />
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She discusses AR with friends over dinner, and though I can’t pinpoint what she’s eating, her remarks about animal rights caused me to stop eating, pause the show, and ask Ev “Hey! Think she’s a vegan!?” To which he replied, “Wait, what?” which led to an agreement with me that Caroline could definitely be a vegan based on her AR actions presented in this episode.<br />
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A quick Google search reveals that most people are just generally a little miffed with her silly plan to go sneak in, film the doggies and kitties in the animal experimentation lab, sneak out, and leak the info to the press… (Yeah, that’ll stop a multi-billion dollar company like Rossum… sure Caroline.)But, I didn’t really find a lot of people talking about her possible veganism. Makes me wish her food was in focus for the camera so we could see what it was, or that Joss had written in a scene of Caroline at a buffet so we could REALLY see what this girl eats. (Wouldn’t it make a great character trait, and might explain her rather… um… malnourished stature?)<br />
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Well, I’ll let you guys talk amongst yourselves on this one, I cannot make a concrete call either way on the eating habits of a completely fictional television character on a program that's already been cancelled. However, it would be cool if Joss wrote a vegan into the story, even if it’s not obvious. And even if she can’t remember it herself.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-85415694234547821132010-08-19T19:58:00.000-07:002010-08-19T19:58:22.351-07:00Shoot.Ugh, why do I do that? Why do I always do that!? Why do I somehow get involved in other people’s drama? Even with the best of intentions, and sometimes with no intentions at all, I get wrapped up in things anyway.<br />
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Now I’m rather adamant about keeping my work life separate from my blog. I may complain here and there, but in general I think it’s better not to say where I work or what I do. That is, unless I get a job at an awesome place like, I don’t know, like NuVal, Open Sky, or a publishing company where I can be more open about my day-to-day. If you must know anything at all, know that I work with kids, teens, adults, and seniors. Sound too general? Well, it is, but it’s also true!<br />
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That being said, I don’t want to restrict talking about certain things that do go on in the workplace. I’m speaking more towards co-worker relations, or even to a broader extent, the general nature with which people interact. We spend so much time together, there’s bound to be some wacky antics going on!<br />
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I (for the most part) like my job. I like my coworkers, I like my boss, I like her boss, I like the highest up boss, and mostly I like our purpose, intent, and practices. I’m lucky, I know. Many people out there aren’t so lucky, I wasn’t in the past<br />
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However, I’ve gone and done it again… got involved where I perhaps shouldn’t have. I am guilty of a large workplace faux pas: becoming personal friends with your boss. Thing is, I swear it doesn’t affect our work relationship! I am also friends with another coworker, and they don’t necessarily care for each other much. How does that happen? Well, they both fulfill different desires I want out of friends and are wonderful in their own way. Since I wouldn’t be friends with someone unkind, in that respect they are very similar.<br />
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To often though, I’m finding myself involved in a deadly game of he-said-she-said, but in this case it’s more like she-said-she-said. All I know is that hearsay doesn’t hold up well and tends to just exacerbate negative emotions.<br />
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It leaves me to wonder though, workplace frienships: fun or folly?yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-58584355942761533552010-08-11T12:29:00.000-07:002010-08-11T12:29:32.311-07:00Fear not sweet bloggers...Yes, I know, my template is horribly off!!! I'm in the process of reworking the code so it looks nice and shiny. Please bear with the mess.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-71592371663630572582010-08-02T22:57:00.000-07:002010-08-02T23:07:04.580-07:00Somebody's got a case of the Mondays...Yeah, that was totally me today. Too bad I went to sleep AN HOUR late! Grrrrrrrrr. Ah well, live and learn right? I had just enough time this morning to have a nice piece of the cake I baked last night. The consensus: meh. I told Ev to eat a piece so I can throw it away already. Since the frozen fruit I put into it was already on it's last leg, I can bear to part with the wasted flour and sugar I also put into it.<br />
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Work went by surprisingly quickly, mostly due the the very long meeting that greeted me when I first walked in. Hours later, happy hours though I might add (I love the company I work for), and ducked out to head to Chipotle for lunch. What can I say? I woke up way too late to make my lunch this morning. But fear not, it shall not happen again, my salad and leftovers are already nestled in the fridge waiting for me.<br />
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So much for the bike ride tonight though, I was just too damn tired. That, and my shoulder being wrenched from Evan's practice judo take-downs in the pool didn't help a lot. I decided to cut my losses and research a few things online: blu electronic cigarettes (non-nicotine of course, I just think they look cool), catch up on my Google Reader, check out collapsible rear baskets for my new bike, and just general dicking around on the internet. Fun stuff I know.<br />
<br><br><br />
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hpV9baEs3QSuXzhTT1poug?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFem_pcVEhI/AAAAAAAAArA/_iww3Gk-QQg/s400/Picture%20038.jpg" align="left"></a>I did make a few neighbors jealous this evening which stemmed from one of those "look in the fridge and see what you can throw together" moments. I happened upon this jar, and I knew everything was going to be Ok.<br />
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Starting with some shallots sweated in EB, I added A LOT of this curry paste (it's VEGAN!) along with some water, red lentils, and garbanzo beans. I was hoping the lentils would break apart and create a lovely gravy... which is exactly what happened!<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1QHVVI3pp5B8uOLhqfESkQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFem_RTD5kI/AAAAAAAAAqM/s5wMGwtflZc/s400/Picture%20034.jpg" /></a></center> Naturally I forgot to start my rice BEFORE my actual meal, so I threw some brown rice together with some "traditional" Indian spices.<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yr4HJcYr160Kmhn_D3vr3g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFenAOVDUJI/AAAAAAAAAqU/90K7rbawswg/s400/Picture%20040.jpg" /></a></center> Actually, I have no idea if those are traditional or not, I just did a quick google on 'indian rice' and nabbed a few ideas. I threw in some cumin and cinnamon as an afterthought. It all came together nicely right in the nick of time with just a little green veg, broccolini. <br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2xCQbVkpeuOPQy_AQG4o2g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFenARBIBNI/AAAAAAAAAqY/u4BAv2n5RfI/s400/Picture%20045.jpg" /></a></center><br />
We raided a neighbor's tree after the karate potluck yesterday and nabbed a few (3) fresh figs. Hmm, guess it's not a true raid until you hit at least 5 stolen fruits though, at least... Evan caught me with a peeled and sliced fig in one hand, fixed lens Canon in the other, leaning under the hood light of the kitchen trying to push down the flash popup with my nose in order to get a picture. He immediately took over and snapped this lovely dessert shot:<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/c0VmJGq7Y8vBQ33847TmvA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFeoN00NFJI/AAAAAAAAAq4/aQqGZPWZ4Ss/s400/Picture%20063.jpg" /></a></center> Isn't it all moody and ponderous? On a side note: my nails were weak, brittle, and refused to grow when I was omnivorous. Now that I eat mostly vegan, they grow so fast and are super strong!<br />
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Figs, sigh, I really want to like you, I really do. The only thing that comes to mind are womanly nether-regions when you are near. I know, that's TOTALLY messed up, and probably the most offensive thing I could ever say to a fruit (but perhaps a BIG compliment to women everywhere!?!?!?) but it's the truth.<br />
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So instead of that taste, I'll leave you with another, perhaps even one more sweet... Evan and Digger bonding in Hawai'i:<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xzHnP876W1zqB5lnFtIsmw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFeuQEWCNOI/AAAAAAAAArI/jZkVSCkLEg0/s400/Picture%20169.jpg" align="right"/></a></center>yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-43019269253290837122010-08-02T00:23:00.000-07:002010-08-02T00:23:42.598-07:00Woo, okI think it's high time I got back to blogging!!! Makes it easier now that Evan and I are living together again so I have access to his wonderful photographer equipment!<br />
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Though I haven't been actively blogging, I am still attached at the hip to my Google Reader, so I've been caught up on what's up with everyone on my blog roll so far. But, I have so much to catch you guys up on, I'm sure I have enough blogging material for a year!<br />
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Since Evan's on summer vacation (almost makes me want to be a regular school teacher so I can have breaks too) he's been the cutest little house "husband". While we're not really at the "honey-do list" point (and I hope to never really be at that), I can totally ask him to do things for the house during the day and come home after work with a few big chores already done. <br />
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It's also made me LOVE the weekends, when I actually have time to relax and enjoy our time together as a couple. It makes it so much easier to plan romantic-y things to do in Pasadena too. I adore this city, and am glad we've moved back.<br />
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Today started out pretty awesome, mostly because while Evan showered, I had my first <a href="http://www.katheats.com/siab/">SIAB</a>!!! <br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-SEGvLfuTk4WgUXoxv8vIA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFZqMWdaNwI/AAAAAAAAApM/VIUgMdo9e68/s400/Picture%20003.jpg"/></a></center> In the mix:<br />
- chocolate almond milk<br />
- frozen strawberries<br />
- 1 large handful of organic baby spinach (you really can't taste it)<br />
- cacao nibs <- New obsession with these
I never thought I could really do smoothies, mostly due to the fact that I HATE bananas and most smoothies contain either frozen or fresh ones. BLEH! However, the frozen strawberries add a nice texture and flavor, without adding just plain ice. I approve of greatly.
The afternoon was spent at our karate family potluck pool party. Whew, say that five times fast! Since I just picked up a Marie Callendar's peach pie on our way there, there's not much to blog about. The party was awesome, it was great to reconnect with Sensei Victor since we're officially going back to karate next Saturday!
After that we popped down to the slightly sketchy side of south LA to pick me up a bike from a seller on Craigslist. I am now the proud owner of a slightly faded, but very comfortable woman's Schwinn (photos to come). And since I was more mobile now, Evan and I biked over to our local Fresh & Easy to pick up some pizza supplies (love homemade pizza). We started with this:
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PbALXwZPWi73PUN3x4Woxg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFZr1cDlUjI/AAAAAAAAAqE/tw4Fn5IwtXc/s400/Picture%20012.jpg" /></a></center>I had every intention of getting the plain whole wheat pizza dough, but since my own rosemary plant kicked the bucket during the move, I caved and got seasoned white flour focaccia dough instead. Ev picked up some local goods at the farmer's market in Montrose today, name some creamy mild goat cheese and chunky sun-dried tomato paste. I grabbed some artichoke hearts (of course) and our basil plant is overloaded so I thought we should prune it a bit and eat the cuttings! The Brita water pitcher supervised the topping procedure.<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/V7h7cgyVYQlM7yKazf0TGw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFZr2LduXoI/AAAAAAAAApY/rMrgo-fSSDc/s400/Picture%20013.jpg" /></a></center>Yes, I very clearly marked the halfway part of the dough so we knew how much space we had. We actually almost got into a fight putting on the sauce because I just cannot relinquish my power over cooking!!! I HAVE to have everything perfect! Somehow we made it work. Pre-oven (my side of basil, arty hearts, an eensy taste of the goat cheese, and lots of Daiya vs. Evan's side of goat cheese, basil, sun-dried tommytoes, and 4 cheese mexican blend):<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2D8Gy2BVDF7vyZF-SWxZNA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFZr2nMucFI/AAAAAAAAApc/pM33x0ziGow/s400/Picture%20019.jpg" /></a></center>Post-oven melty goodness:<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zmOFqKZKAVrfI_jxuNzsfA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFZt52XmC_I/AAAAAAAAAps/xIwQHfiSfmc/s400/Picture%20028.jpg" /></a></center>Yes, we ate the WHOLE thing (it was pretty small). Since the oven was still hot, I decided to make that coffee cake I had planned on making earlier in the day in order to use up old frozen fruits. About half a large bag of frozen mango and frozen peaches went into this, along with a white cake recipe from VegWeb. I loves me some vegan cakes:<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HcVaqh1gbrkRfRcGCh2VCw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFZt6eKWnfI/AAAAAAAAApw/vkWwkvkRXpM/s400/Picture%20030.jpg" /></a></center>Look at that crumb!<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lHVReVft9u3i-wRx_RUhQQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/TFZt61i2JUI/AAAAAAAAAp0/VPnVSEwPNho/s400/Picture%20032.jpg" /></a></center>Since I finished baking at 11:30pm, and have already brushed my teeth, I will save the cake for the morning with coffee. <br />
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Phew. Ok, time for sleep, tomorrow is another Monday.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-11349958458102185742010-04-09T00:15:00.000-07:002010-04-09T00:15:59.134-07:00I know, I know...Where the hell have I been right???<br />
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Well, here's what I've been working on:<br />
-New recipes<br />
-Lots of reading<br />
-Designing an entire fashion line and sewing it<br />
-Working full-time<br />
-Looking for a new apartment<br />
-Trying to save money<br />
-Getting over being sick<br />
-Fitting in time for the BF<br />
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And the big ass thing taking up my time: P90X.<br />
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Yeah, that's right P90X. It's insane. Insanely wonderful.<br />
I love having a solid and regimed fitness plan. I do really well with rules I guess, I always thought I might do well in the military for that same reason.<br />
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I've also come across some crazy diets recently that I (and my Doc) have given big honkin' thumbs down to. The largest being the <a href="http://hcgdietinfo.com/">HCG diet</a>. So glad they changed it from a daily injection to drops under the tongue, but I'll pass on the pregnancy hormones this time, thanks.<br />
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Hey, if it works for you it works for you I guess. Now, I have my own HUGE doubts about homeopathy, but many of my coworkers are on this diet and are not aware of what exactly their taking. Yeah, losing a pound a day seems great, but that doesn't sound healthy does it?<br />
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Not to mention that I don't mess with hormones. I don't eat meat or dairy, I don't eat soy very often at all, heck, I don't even take birth control pills! And because of that, and the fact it might make me MORE fertile, I'm a no-go for HCG.<br />
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I also have been looking into the <a href="http://www.dadamo.com/">Eat Right 4 Your Type Diet</a>, but got turned off by all the meat I apparently need to eat as an 0-. Combine that with no oranges or coconuts and my BS light starts blaring. Research indicates that this may be fluff as well, and I definitely never start anything without researching it thoroughly first.<br />
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So for now, with the advice of my doc, I'm going to limit my wheat consumption, nix the coffee, reduce my sugar intake and see how I feel. After a week, I gotta say that those things are definitely clogging my body up. It actually hasn't been that hard to give up my toast in the morning, and there are so many gluten-free breads now I think I'll be just fine. <br />
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And the P90X is just to kick up my workouts. I love running/yoga/hula, but it's been raining and cold, and sometimes you just want to buckle down and do 50 pushups in a row and lift some weights ya know? Am I a pro @ it? Not by any means, but with the few changes I've made in the past coupla weeks, I feel even that much better!yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-67583091831708762612010-03-01T23:51:00.000-08:002010-03-01T23:51:03.196-08:00Trying my hand at a few thingsNamely: Mahea's Gone Crackers, sprouting seeds, and chia pudding. Let's work in reverse, shall we?<br />
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So far, I'm munching on the chia pudding. In the mix:<br />
-3/4 cup almond milk<br />
-2 tbsp chia seeds<br />
-2 squirts raw agave sweetner<br />
-1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
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I fork-wisked the first three ingredients together in a cutsie clear teacup(that's quite frankly too small for tea anyway) and stuck it in the fridge to set while I took my run. The cinnamon was stirred in as an afterthought when I realized that basically cinnamon makes everything better.<br />
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And I do say that I'm "munching" on my puddang because we all know the little *bite* you get out of gelled chia seeds, though I wish I had let it set a tad longer as I like less of a bite. Still fun to get a small crunch factor though.<br />
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I definitely do see a difference when I'm chia-less in my diet. I seem to have more energy when I've snuck the little bastards in, and enjoy them sprinkled on the ever present massaged kale salad. *Note* Kale is always bought dinner BEFORE massaging, so as not to take advantage of it. <br />
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As for the sprouting seeds, I'm using the <a href="http://bigrawblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/sprout-salad.html">Big Raw Blog</a>'s jar method, and currently my lentils and sunflower seeds are soaking in my own little mason jar. Yeah, I'm one of those "mason jar people". I do believe that sweet tea and lemonade just automatically taste better coming out of a mason jar. Go ahead and blame it on my Texan daddy, I don't mind. But I digress... In a few days (if i've done it right), I should be the proud muncher of some newly sprouted numblies. <br />
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I've seen sprouted things in the market before, and while I enjoy mung bean sprouts and alfalfa sprouts almost on the daily, I've never ventured out into the world of other sprouts. After <a href="http://bigrawblog.blogspot.com/">Big Raw Vegan Blog</a> posted twice about this, I knew I had to give it a try. <a href="http://bigrawblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/towel-sprouting-or-growing-sprouts-wo.html">The towel method</a> I shall try after my jar method experiment.<br />
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And lastly for the "Mahea's Gone Crackers" or as Evan calls it "Mahea's blatant rip off of an excessively overpriced trademarked cracker" I think I've nailed down a good recipe: <br />
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1 cup brown arborio rice (not brown basmati)<br />
1/2 cup quinoa, washed<br />
3 tbsp tamari<br />
1/2 cup flax seeds<br />
1 1/2 cups broth<br />
1/4 cup sesame seeds<br />
black pepper<br />
Olive oil<br />
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*Prehead oven to 3-fiddy.*<br />
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1. Cook the rice and quinoa with 2 cups of plain water and the 3 tbsp of tamari. (I'll confess I just threw them into my rice cooker for 1 cycle and that works fien.)<br />
2. When cooked and cooled to the point of not burning yourself, transfer 3/4 of the mixture to a food processor and add the flax seeds. Slowly drizzle in the broth till mixture is sticky and looks like lumpy porridge. You may not use all the broth and that's ok.<br />
3. Transfer to a large work bowl and fold in the remaining 1/4 mixture, sesame seeds, and broth (if any left). Season with black pepper.<br />
4. Oil your 1/2 sheet pan very lightly and plop out the mass into the center. Use a rubber spatula to gently pull the goop around till you end up with the whole surface covered in a relatively uniform thickness. You will pull to hard and see the pan below, just go back the other way to patch it up.<br />
5. Bake at 3-fiddy for an hour, till edged pull away and the center feels hard and dry.<br />
6. Cool completely on pan (the carry over heat will help to finish the dehydration) and crack into pieces. Store in an airtight container and try not to sneak out of bed at midnight to devour them.<br />
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Picture soon... soon as I buy that new Canon. Which will be soon. But not yet. Patience!yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-36635795469008420992010-02-28T20:18:00.000-08:002010-02-28T20:18:32.324-08:00In the nick of time.I'll be the first person to admit that time management is not something I do well. <br />
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Ugh, as soon as I write that, I am already reaching for the 'delete' button. However, I need to leave it alone, it's the truth. Though I'm not happy about it, that truth needs to be admitted.<br />
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It's a great joke in Hawai'i, that we run on Hawai'ain time. Basically, this means we're always 20 minutes behind what the actual clock says. You might think it stops at just a joke, but it's a universally known truth that we Hawai'ians tend to be 5-20 minutes late for just about everything. Not only that, but it's perfectly acceptable as well, and usually expected.<br />
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Well, I'm not in Hawai'i anymore (as is painfully realized every day that I wake up) and I'm also older and out of the nest so I directly feel the consequences of my own tardiness.<br />
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I HATE to admit it, but I am in some way always late to work every day. *CRINGE* (Trying not to delete that either...) When invited out, I'm sad to say that Evan and I tend to be the "late couple". I hate it. I mean, I REALLY REALLY hate it.<br />
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A lot of the reason I'm late in the morning is because I haven't had enough sleep. I go to bed late, every day. Not late as in "oh it's 4 am", more like late as in "I was supposed to be in bed 45 mins ago". So what's with all the late nights? Nothing really. I'm typically just watching TV or futtzing around on the internet. <br />
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I have some strange notion that when I'm sleeping, I'm missing something in my life. Instead of recharge time, I feel like I could be doing something <i>anything</i> that would be more interesting that sleeping. Problem is, I am so tired at that point, I am just watching TV or on the internet as I already said; i.e. doing mindless worthless activities.<br />
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I know that if this continues, it could mean disaster later in life: business meetings lost, potential wedding FAIL, missed appointments, tests, birthday parties... It's not that bad now by any means, but it does make me feel unreliable. I want to be counted on, depended on, hoped for, but that's impossible when one is chronically late.<br />
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Some people can live and work by a schedule, a date book, or day-to-day plan. I've tried, and failed miserably. While I like a clean and orderly house, desk, planner, car, etc, a clean and orderly schedule I avoid like peanut butter and bananas(aka: DEATH). I'm not a "fly by the seat..." girl, I would die as a "minute-by-minute planned" person. <br />
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So that brings me to the word of the <strike>day</strike> <strike>week</strike> <strike>year</strike> <strike>millennium</strike> eh, probably the most important word of all time: BALANCE. <br />
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It always comes back to balance. Time, being the most challenging thing to balance of.. well... all time I guess! It seems hard to balance something that's constantly running away from you.<br />
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So that's a new goal of mine: Finding the balance in time management. <br />
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This will include a stricter bed time for sure, but also not planning things so close together I'm not sure if I'll be on time for the next gig. Also, a stricter wake-up time, so I have enough minutes to cook and eat breakfast, get on some makeup, flat iron. But also, I hope to see fluidity in things as well, know when I can push something back if it'll be better for me. <br />
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The idea I'm going for is that less mindless activity and more thoughtful activity will not only fill my days, but my mind as well. That way, I can go to bed (early) knowing that I had an amazing day that left nothing to want.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-39017650413205863432010-02-22T14:42:00.000-08:002010-02-22T14:43:39.937-08:00Here comes the sun...To tell you the truth, I miss blogging. I don’t have many readers, but it can be so cathartic to get all the jumble out of your head and out into the world. Even if no one else is paying attention, writing has always been a relief for me.<br />
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I can’t say that a lot has been going on in my life, but when I think about everything that's happening, it certainly is quite a chunk of action! First thing's first though: THE SUN IS SHINING!!! After the cloudy meed Los Angeles has been recently, it's so nice to see sunlight! Gotta get me some sun viatims!<br />
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Sunlight aside, I'm happy to report that I got a promotion at work. I’m in a new position, one that is challenging and comes with its own schedule change and higher pay scale (THANK GOD). A full-time schedule has allowed me to quit my second job and not have to wake up at 4:30am. That means more sleep and hopefully less stress. <br />
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I’ll still be living paycheck to paycheck for a while, but perhaps if I stick to “poverty mode” (been there for a long time), I may be able to actually afford a plane ticket home to see my family (FINALLY!). I have so many loose ends to wrap up with them, graves to visit of family who died while I was away, old high school ties to finish up, and I need to see my parents!!! There is such a void inside of me, and it grows every day I leave things in my life unfinished and every day I spend away from my real home. <br />
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Luckily, my bosses helped by being very considerate with the position and the schedule change. They worked around my hula and yoga classes so I didn’t have to give those things up. (Side note: I wasn’t willing to give them up actually, I would rather have stayed at my old lower-pay position in able to do the things that I love.) Turns out that sticking to your guns can pay off in the working world.<br />
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I also got the OK from Mr. Stiles to move back in together just in time for our 5 year anniversary. (FYI to catch you up, we used to live together but it was a <strike>disaster</strike>… well let’s just say it was not perfect at all. With no car and only a part-time job, I was more of a part-time partner too. I used Evan for everything, he was quite a crutch for me, and our relationship suffered terribly. When we moved out, I was really upset with him. We didn’t break up because neither of us wanted to, we just knew that we couldn’t live together at that time. Turns out that moving separately again was the BEST decision that was ever made in our relationship. We both got space, room to think, room to make new friends and I gained a lot of independence. I was able to meet my wonderful roommie, who has made my life so exciting and rich. And I feel more complete as a person than I have since I first started battling depression.) Now that I have a slightly higher wage, we can look for a nicer place that where we have been living, and have started having fun talking about where we want to look, what we want out of a new place, how we might decorate it, etc. It’s too much fun making plans with that man, I love him so! <br />
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On the downside, I haven’t been training as much as I should have for the triathlon that’s 1 MONTH AWAY!!! But, I do have a month, and I can hone my skills as much as I can during that time. The skies are clearing up so hopefully the rain will hold off until I can get out my running shoes and bicycle helmet. <br />
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Those huge things combined with:<br />
- trying to get to the art gallery for a show I really want to see<br />
- checking out my favorite used book stores for free crappy paperback novels<br />
- cooking simply (because I can’t really spend a lot on groceries this month)<br />
- playing with my cat and getting him the exercise he needs<br />
- grabbing a new couch in off the street from the neighbors who are moving out<br />
- spending time with my roommie<br />
- launching a new business prospect<br />
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= me having a full (and bountiful) plate.<br />
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I suppose happiness is a lot easier when you have other things to distract you from the negativities in life. It’s easy to wallow when you’re sitting still, but much harder when you’re running all over the place trying to accomplish something meaningful. <br />
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I feel like this is a ‘get stuff done’ week. I’ve already got clean laundry and a clean house thanks to this weekend. Now it’s time to start crossing off other things on my list. It’s funny that as I do it, I seem to also be crossing off the “growing up” item as well. It’s an unspoken to-do, but a very important one. After all, growing up does not mean growing old.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-14449358659451256552010-02-02T23:46:00.001-08:002010-02-02T23:46:46.651-08:00HiatusHey guys, a good friend's mom (whom I was close to) passed away so I'm taking a short hiatus. Be back soon!yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-39647287747767017632010-01-27T17:37:00.000-08:002010-01-27T17:56:58.524-08:00*muttergrumble*I've been having an irritating day. I only have a handful of readers, so hopefully this rant won't disturb a large # of people.<br />
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I went to bed on-time last night, but for some reason couldn't pull myself out of my warm covers-cave this morning. When I finally fell out of bed, I was SO TIRED and cranky.<br />
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The kitchen was a total mess when I awoke. I shirked my nightly duty of dishes and breakfast prep, so I had to rush through a dirty kitchen and sadly opened the fridge to confirm that I had no breakfast. Super angry face.<br />
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Got to work just fine, but sans make-up and flat-ironed hair, and drowned some of my sorrows in a large cup of coffee. I didn't really miss eating breakfast when I thought about how much my teeth are ACHING. Yes, I've started wearing my retainer again. A week ago I noticed one of my problem teeth shifting a bit, which of course causes all others in that row to move too. OUCHIES. Worst part is that it's right at the front of my mouth, so even when I'm not wearing my retainer I can't bite anything solid.<br />
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So with my retainer in I suffer from a lisp and aching, but my retainer out results in a hard time biting/chewing and more aching. Yay for teeth! Now that I have dental insurance, I figure it's a good thing to get my teeth all aligned so my checkup goes smoothly. (I'm only 26, but going to the dentist alone seems so ADULT to me, it's kind of fun!)<br />
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I can certainly be thankful that it happens to be a gorgeous day in Southern California. After last week's storms, we had a lone day of sun till another front rolled through. However, it's supposed to stay sunny till the weekend and right now there's a big blue sky out there with large fluffy clouds rolling in. <br />
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Though my lunch plans got messed up and I burned my mouth on pizza I shouldn't have been eating in the first place, I decided to do something good for myself. So I ditched the car @ home and rode my bike back to work. It's just a few short miles and I really should be biking to and from work every day since I live ridiculously close. Can't really argue with reserving fossil fuels, saving miles on my car, and getting in some training for the triathlon. It barely took me 20 mins, and I was able to enjoy the sunlight for a while. I look forward to a slightly harder trip home, what with the incline + fatigue, but a nice cool sunset temp to ride in.<br />
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I was also dismayed by how far behind I am on my Google Reader. I follow so many wonderful blogs, and since I tend to go unplugged on the weekends, I get rather behind come mon and tues. Looking forward to yoga tonight, but I'm hoping that I can leave all my frustration at the door when I enter or I'm in for a difficult practice.<br />
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While catching up on back posts, I saw this quote from <a href="http://loveveggiesandyoga.com">Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga</a> about a wonderful yoga sesh she had recently. It was one of the messages her Dharma had during the class: <br />
<blockquote>"Find bliss and happiness from inside and within, especially when you are young, because nothing external will ever fulfill you and this only intensifies as we age."</blockquote>*sigh* That tends to put a lot of things into perspective doesn't it? Money, numblies, fluffy sheets, kitties, music... none of these things can ever make you truly whole unless you already can find and recognize happiness within yourself. It is awfully hard to keep that in mind every day isn't it? Thanks for reminding me Averie, I really needed that today.<br />
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Of course a medium iced mocha with soy doesn't hurt either. Let's hope that tomorrow is a better day!<br />
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If you want to check out Averie's post: <a href="http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/01/class-with-dharma-vegan-chocolate-chip.html">here you go</a>. Her yoga poses, recipes, and quick wit make this a great blog to follow!yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-42131245896286386182010-01-26T11:51:00.000-08:002010-01-27T11:59:38.227-08:00Calling all Los Angelenos<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/A3znKTOggFxAxpVyrWGY5Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S2CZW_bjg1I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/oWs_IcwNKy8/s800/6a00d834af8e1c69e20120a802e22f970b.jpg" /></a></center>I'll be fruit picking at CSUN for charity during that time, but you should totally check it out! It's pretty close to Los Feliz area, so east LAers can enjoy it too. Perhaps a short hike in Griffith to work off all those vegan numblies? :)yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-8146610605093285102010-01-24T17:11:00.000-08:002010-08-02T23:06:58.896-07:00Amazing weekend!I hope that you all had the lovliest of weekends! I did definitely!<br />
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/M6lKWKRViVTt45b7_MIj2A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S15HZAJbRhI/AAAAAAAAAlI/wRos8OvgkOc/s800/l.jpg" align="right"/></a><br />
Friday night started out with Indian food. Evan could not believe that me, foodie me, didn't like Indian food when I first tried it. "Meh." I said... Meh indeed! I think the reason is that I expected it to taste a certain way, and it didn't. Ah expectations, they really can mess everything up. It's like when you think you're drinking really bad coffee, only to realize that you are really drinking very good hot chocolate!<br />
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In any case, I LOVE Indian food now. LOVE IT. I have cravings for it way too often. And the people at <a href="http://www.indiasweetsandspices.net/">India Sweets & Spices</a> are so amazing to veggies of all kinds. Not only to they help you with correct pronunciation, but they patiently answer all your questions about ingredients and suggest things for you to try. <br />
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After grabbing some awesome basmati, curry, dosas, samosas, and chutney, we booked it over to the <a href="http://gallery.me.com/theredhouse">RedHouse</a> for friends and fun. <a href="http://foolishheartproductions.com/blog/">Andrew</a> was making enchiladas with fresh tomatillos... lordy, I had a bit and it was delish.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dlkZVkM3muve5r3S3k_sOQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S15HZKLZ0zI/AAAAAAAAAlE/Rl58XZYGHJM/s400/moonwalker.jpg" align="left"/></a>We rounded out the night with a little bit of nostalgia in the form of Michael Jackson "Moonwalker". Does anybody else remember this??? Duuuuuude. My brother and I used to watch this over and over and over and over. I still remember the time my mom caught me doing Michael Jackson dance moves in the shower (I was making a lot of noise and she thought I was hurt). We had several Moonwalker virgins, it was a whole HEAPING steaming ton of fun. Plus, we all sang along, makes it so much better.<br />
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Saturday started out early with hula, as it always does. After that I enjoyed some Starbucks lattes in bed with Evan, and was so happy to see that they have multi-grain bagels! YUM! <br />
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After taking care of some errands including pho and cupcakes, we popped off to his school to get some stuff ready for his class on Monday. It's so strange going into an elementary school as an adult! I love though that it's large with bright colors, and Evan decorated his room with lots of dinosaur figurines. As far as I'm concered, no other decorations are needed than those.<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JEt1N4tIE85O-5R4PgZ8lw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S15MfLyZibI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/wWs4adD1TM8/s400/3428465782_c5baa3bafb.jpg" /></a></center>Saturday evening was spent at Saladang in Pasadena to celebrate Barbara's birthday! I love this place too! Thai food is so light and fresh, and Saladang's menu is simple but their food is so artful. I shared an app because I didn't want a whole entree, and I was also a bit full from the pho we had earlier.<br />
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Both of us needed to get to the Container Store, so we went to Old Town Pasadena and rewalked the streets we so often frequented during our time in college. Ev got some great stuff, but I only found a small snack bag that is good for work, though I was originally looking for pantry expansion, shelving, and dish racks. Ah well, I guess the extra money I would have spend there will come in handy for something. <br />
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Pasadena seems to leech everything from us (especially when we lived there), and Sat was no exception. Sure enough when we got back to the car, we noticed that Ev's magnetic band-aid covering his unfortunate 3-day-old-brand-new-car-got-rear-ended dent had been STOLEN!!!! We figured it would happen one day, but considering it's been on his car since Xmas and we have only gone to Pas this 1 time, we didn't think it would be so soon. Damn you PASADENA!!!!!! *shakes fist* So far on the Pasadena Stolen List: 4 bikes, 1 car stero (ripped out of Ev's old car), 2 sawhorses, large collection of Magic: The Gathering Cards (seriously wanted to cry), and 1 Band-Aid sticker. *shakes head*<br />
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Saturday night rounded out with some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Darkness">Eternal Darkness</a>, a game that Evan and I have bonded over. I'll do a review of this game soon, but damn, it's scary, clever, and fun!<br />
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Sunday started off with a trip to the Atwater Farmer's Market where I got some great eats. The sun was shining, it was beautiful, and I was having a great morning. The roma tomatoes were so luscious, I had to eat one in the car on the way home. Then some more errands including a frustrating trip to Target. Hmm, dish rack, not found in "Kitchen". Not found in "Home Storage". Not found in "Housewares"... Where found? Oh yeah, by the friggen Tupperware in the grocery section next to the apples. YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE... Dear Target: Can I please have back the 45 minutes I spent walking around and getting bad help from TWO employees? Kthxbai<br />
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After that I decided to kill myself by joining Veeence for a bike ride. An 11.2 mile, 3 inclines, but-and-crotch-hurting, sweaty bike ride from my houe to Universal Citywalk and back. BTW Universal Citywalk is effing insane. There's way to much stimulation there, although I did consider buying a $6 giant gummybear at one point. With some Jamba in me, I did the last leg back pretty well, and learned all about pacing. <br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nj-fL3wvIaHSfpcNSbb8WQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S15a0E3wCcI/AAAAAAAAAl0/kOj0XkdmhWU/s400/p348113-Los_Angeles-Universal_CityWalk_Hollywood.jpg" /></a></center><br />
Sunday was left to more errands, grocery shopping for grains, nuts, tofu; all the things I can't get at my farmer's market and meal planning. Phew, what a weekend! I felt really great though, mentally and physically rested and pleasingly stretched. <br />
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Looking forward to Monday. Kind of. Can't great weekends just last forever? Please? :)yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-80372106611157652862010-01-23T10:09:00.000-08:002010-01-25T17:09:53.712-08:00Camera Catch UpHello my lovely chickadees! So I know you're all dying to know about my camera situation right? Yes yes, stop crying now, I'll tell you everything.<br />
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Well, I didn't end up buying a new one on Friday. Why's that Toast? Well, I was going to, looked around at Target and Best Buy and found one I thought was acceptable. (P.S. Can I just say how hard it is to go camera shopping with a photographer boyfriend!?!?!?) Acceptable that is, until I happened to take a look at the other side of the display, the "out of my budget at the moment" display. I fell in love with a Canon and now my life has meaning. We're going to be together some day. Evan's ok with it.<br />
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I just couldn't settle to buying some crap-doodle camera, so I've decided to save myself for the Canon. It's not an SLR but I'm very fine with that, small enough to still be a "point and shoot" style camera but super sexy enough to take amazing pictures. Besides, if I need something truly stunning, I can always borrow Evan's camera. <br />
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I didn't write down the model, partially to keep myself from snooping across the internets to find a deal on it, and partially because new models come out so often. By the time I have enough moolah for that price range, I might see something I like even better.<br />
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It was not a total bust though, Evan's parents informed me Friday night that they *think* they found the cord to their old camera (update: it was NOT the right cord, sadness ensued). That same night, Veeence lent me his Nikon that he hasn't used in forever, and he's currently digging around for that cord/card reader. So two cameras minus two cords = no bloggie pics, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. And that light of hope is only $1.95 + shipping from Amazon.<br />
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Have faith and stay tuned. My camera life may be pooped out, but the rest of my life is anything but.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-45730781625428761812010-01-19T22:34:00.000-08:002010-01-19T22:44:04.194-08:00Porridge when it's pouringI remember the tropical thunderstorms of my youth. Torrential downpours, thunder that resonated in your chest, sweeping winds and driving rain that blew in from both sides at once. Nature is quite glorious isn't it?<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dVRJP4ANfgydfFlxdEvVkA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1amE3eqCBI/AAAAAAAAAkc/CzGxdk5ySzQ/s400/clouds-los-angeles.jpg" /></a></center>If you're anywhere around California, than chances are you've gotten a few drops of rain this week. But the storms over Los Angeles are finicky, lavishing attention for only a few minutes at a time (and boy what attention!). I want some rain damn you! Oh mighty Zeus, kick some butt up there and flood my backyard! (Not really though, please don't flood me out!)<br />
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The cold and the rain mean 1 thing and 1 thing only: space heater. Wait, no! I mean: soup. Yeah, soup. So sad for me that I discovered 2 past-their-prime lemons too late for my raw kale salad last night, but good news for my eats tonight. However, thin soups are so not my style and I knew I didn't want noodles so what to do what to do...<br />
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I remember when I was young my mom would make jook for me, a thick rice porridge with shredded chicken and flavored with green onion and anise. Somehow I've outgrown the anise flavors of my youth (too much Chinese food), and I don't eat chicken anymore, but my love for thick rice porridge has never lessened. Taking into account the leftovers in my fridge, I came up with a recipe that's hearty, citrusy, warm, thick, gooey, and down home, with some added protein. You'll need a large pot and a medium skillet for this one.<br />
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<u>Lemony Porridge with Brown Butter Leeks</u><br />
1 cup rice (I used 1/2 brown 1/2 calrose white)<br />
3 cups vegetarian broth<br />
2 leeks slices to 1/4 inch rounds, white and light green parts only<br />
2 garlic cloves minced<br />
1/2 block firm silken tofu in 1/4" cubes, or crumbled<br />
Pepper (white or fresh ground black)<br />
2 tbsp Earth Balance<br />
2 lemons juiced<br />
Optional: 2 tbsp chia seeds<br />
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1. Don't wash your rice! Unless you see foreign material, keep it nice and dirrrrrty (you know that's not really dirt right?). Just dump it in the pot with the broth and cover, bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.<br />
2. Add garlic to rice pot, continue to cook, stirring occasionally to beat down the foam or unstick some bits from the bottom of the pot.<br />
3. Heat up the Earth Balance in the pan and cook till foamy, swirling it around.<br />
4. Add in the leeks and toss to coat, stirring constantly till the leeks begin to soften and take on some color.<br />
5. Uncover the rice and test for doneness, when rice is tender add the silken tofu cubes and 1/2 of the lemon juice.<br />
6. Stir rice porridge carefully, heating through the additions, and salt/pepper to taste. Also taste for lemony-ness, and add more lemon juice if you want. (I used all of it.)<br />
7. Stir in chia seeds and kill the heat on both burners while you grab some bowls.<br />
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Serve by spooning porridge into bowls and top with leeks. Makes 2 adult main dish portions or 1 dinner/1 lunch for 1 lucky person (all fingers point to me). It's supa fast, supa easy, and supa yummy, though maybe not the most haute cuisine.<br />
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Ok, now it's time for space heater! Yay! (Lordy, is it really only tues...?)yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-71609829786757914262010-01-19T11:18:00.000-08:002010-01-19T11:18:08.704-08:00PB GiveawayNo, I'm not talking about peanut butter, though it conveniently does have the same letters. I'm talking about the lovely Meredith over at <a href="http://pursuingbalance.com">Pursuing Balance</a>!<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/u9R-VYctMBD4RJxwktmkcA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1YFL6tDs2I/AAAAAAAAAkI/K5mqACiYT7E/s400/wholly-guacamole-100_0049.jpg" /></a></center>She's having a <a href="http://www.whollyguac.com">Wholly Guacamole</a> giveaway. Check out the entry <a href="http://pursuingbalance.com/2010/01/19/wholly-guacamole/">here</a> and while you're at it, peruse her amazing blog. She's such a wonderful role model!<br />
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-Photo from BlissTree.com, guac facesyeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-63111003509207069932010-01-18T23:55:00.001-08:002010-01-18T23:55:30.106-08:00UpdateAdded some new foodie bloggies to the blogroll. Scroll down and look right to check out some amazing people!yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-72622909087237774042010-01-18T23:31:00.000-08:002010-01-18T23:43:58.010-08:00Broccoli Cashew Cream AlfredoYes, no camera for now. New one on Friday, promise. In the mean time, enjoy this great picture. I'm pretty sure that bunnies make everything better (except food).<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/axzuGIDemMuL0lRG1eQklg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1VU_TI3icI/AAAAAAAAAjY/YNYKXUrEAdk/s400/bunny.jpg" /></a></center>Also in the meantime, try this cashew cream alfredo, I promise it makes good numblies. Requires some kind of grinding instrument: Magic Bullet, Vita-Mix, or food processor, or any spinny/blendy thingie you use.<br />
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<u>Broccoli Cashew Cream Alfredo</u><br />
1 cup cashews<br />
1/2 block firm silken tofu (drained)<br />
3/4 cup broth of your choice (I use vegetarian "chicken" flavor)<br />
1 box of <a href="http://www.quinoa.net/">Ancient Harvest Quinoa spaghetti</a><br />
1 broccoli crown, chopped<br />
3 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
sea salt<br />
black pepper<br />
dash of nutmeg<br />
(optional) 1/4 cup toasted almost slivers<br />
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1. Cook Quinoa pasta according to directions on box.<br />
2. While pasta is cooking, grind the cashews in a food processor (you can use soaked cashews if you want or are used to that, but I didn't). Don't grind them too much so you get cashew buttah, that's not the point here.<br />
3. When the cashews are crumbly, add the 1/2 block of firm silken tofu, and pulse to combine.<br />
4. Drizzle or pour in small quantities of the broth until the consistency is smooth. Make it a bit thinner than you want your end sauce to be, as it loses a bit more moisture when we cook it with the broccoli.<br />
5. Drain your pasta.<br />
6. In a large pan (I just use the pasta pot) saute the garlic in olive oil to get some color, then lower the heat and add the chopped broccoli and cook till just barely tender.<br />
7. Dump the cashew cream sauce all over the broccoli and stir to combine. Heat through and add salt/pepper to taste. Please don't burn your mouth.<br />
8. Toss in cooked pasta and stir to combine. Plate it up and top with toasted almond slivers and a dash of nutmeg.<br />
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Serves 2 large main course or 4 smaller portions as a side dish.<br />
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Note: I'm sure you can definitely sub out broccoli for another veg of choice if cabbage flowers aren't your thing. Or you can omit it all together and serve something green on the side.<br />
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Have I mentioned before how much I love this Quinoa pasta? Actually, according to my blog archive, I haven't. Well, let me just say that I see a future for italian food in my life now. <center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/P8ybJuayyByVgYKeViZE_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1VbUQnlQbI/AAAAAAAAAjg/EgIjSfWPSUs/s800/Pasta.jpg" /></a></center>Previously, the thought of semolina... heavy, toothy, white product pasta meals made me gaggy. And then there's the whole wheat pastas, which for me are rather lacking in taste and too abundant in texture. Not only did these heavy wheat pastas raise my blood sugar through the roof, but they made me super loagy.<br />
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Since Evan's mom has Celiac's Disease, she's come up with a myriad of gluten-free products to replace those things that used to make her sick. She brought over a box of this amazing pasta one night when Evan was making dinner and I wouldn't stop raving about it. I was happy to grab a box of this @ Henry's, and definitely had alfredo on the brain. <br />
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If you can snag a box of this stuff, please do! Have a good Tuesday everyone!yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-16935801355061397372010-01-18T16:24:00.000-08:002010-01-18T16:36:19.581-08:00CCK "Vitameata Vita-Mix" GiveawayWow, what a day! Tons of rain and a great giveaway. If you don't know <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com">Chocolate Covered Katie</a>'s blog, then it's time you learned. The best time in fact, because she happens to be <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/raw-some/vita-mix-giveaway/">giving away a Vitamix blender.</a> <center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hPrlz3OZ_w7lqoNYW8ayaA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1T6173HGJI/AAAAAAAAAi4/Iu0VmYJRnZE/s800/5200_rawfoods.jpg" /></a></center>I do believe that's more than enough incentive to check out her blog.<br />
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Why are you still reading this... GO! GIT! <br />
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Oh I see, you're waiting for another link: <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/raw-some/vita-mix-giveaway/">ENTER HERE!!!</A>yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-61157846838551960542010-01-15T19:28:00.000-08:002010-01-16T19:53:54.484-08:00Stretching it just a bit<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vswSENHX88BHCWD-0RiHqg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1KEg_DmLmI/AAAAAAAAAh8/IORcsj1vPAQ/s400/machines_malice_the_rack.jpg" /></a></center>I always thought the goode 'ole medieval rack would be a great stretching tool... that is, up until the point it rips your limbs out of your sockets of course. Before that moment of horror, it probably feels really good right? Eh, maybe that's a bit too morbid for y'all, even on a Friday.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1cRz2280ZjOoM0DLvxeDqQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1KDG-ZrCFI/AAAAAAAAAhs/MtzFzEell6w/s288/uttanasana.jpg" align="right"/></a>Lately I've been thinking a lot about stretching, in all its forms. Though I've always had a love of yoga, I never sought to do it regularly (even when I was working at a studio!). Now that I'm running a lot in training for the triathlon, my body seems to crave stretching. I find myself waking up and getting into a great uttanasana first thing in the morning. I'm certainly not there yet, but I look forward to the day when I'm motivated and excited to get up earlier and squeeze in a few vinyasa before work. Will I ever be a "yogi"? Probably not. Will I get a yoga certification? Only when I decide to make it more of an important factor in my life. Not there yet, but stretching for it feels really good.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2iIuAGltIvsylsdOSkd25w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1KDYL2cqxI/AAAAAAAAAh0/qdm_SMM9G4s/s288/Picture_341.jpg" align="left"/></a>I also stretch my food choices every day as well. I eat a mostly vegan diet, which is often seen as quite a restricting. I opt for optimism and take it as stretching my food horizons, discovering new fruits, veggies, grains, legumes, and cooking methods.<br />
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A quick Google search will reveal a wealth of cultures whose eats are mainly plant based. With ease, they can be converted to vegan foods as long as your willing to fool around in the kitchen. A love of cooking and experimentation is necessary to your own culinary discovery and diversity.<br />
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Being from Hawai'i, my kitchen preferences lean towards asian flavors. Japanese cuisine is probably my unofficial forte. Being foodie minded and living in Los Angeles, which is an amazing amalgamation of cultures, has branched me out into Indian, Ethiopian, Latin, and Indonesian flavors. I may not be able to properly say all the names of the spices, and am sometimes the only non-ethnic person in a very ethnic market, but I've had more delicious food in the past 5 years than in my entire life.<br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HFojQchkYp86j105nPcHtA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1KDO-Lg14I/AAAAAAAAAhw/6f5YWwjX4JQ/s800/580579_stretched_dollar1.jpg" /></a></center>Speaking of ethnic markets, those have also helped me to stretch my dollars. With a trip back home to visit my family in the forefront of my brain, I had to cut back on everything else, including groceries. Enter in the ethnic market: where even the most exotic spices are affordable as opposed to the inflated prices for the same items at specialty/gourmet stores(Whole *cough* Foods).<br />
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In terms of groceries one also has to think of ethnics AND ethics. Waking up earlier on Sundays in order to get down to the local farmer's market may not sound like a good way to spend one's weekend, but wait... actually it does ('cept the waking up early part I guess). Not only can you check out the offical organic certificates, you can also talk to your local farmers and find out exactly where your produce is coming from. By talking with vendors, you'll be able to find out exactly how far that carrot has to travel to get to your tummy and hopefully work towards conserving fossil fuels. <br />
<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JSH5trcIAtJ4_Dw7YTgQug?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S1KH5FkVGDI/AAAAAAAAAiE/TDmSDkHgLZw/s400/gb_mexico_0319.jpg" /></a></center> I've found that many farmers and farm workers are actually the ones selling at markets too. With the large usage of immigrant agriculture workers in Los Angeles, the treatment of those humans is also important. One can't sugar-coat the fact that farmwork is innately hard, and that just because they've come to my local farmers market doesn't mean that they're treated like kings, but putting faces to names and food makes the act of purchasing items a lot more real. I love to seek out people from the smaller family-style farms in hopes of reducing the human exploitation factor.<br />
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There's more stretching to be written out, about the mind and horizons. However, I need a bit to mull those over so I'll sequester them in draft form for now.<br />
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(New camera this upcoming friday, and the search still continues to get the pics off the old memory card. I have so much to show you and 3 new recipes!!!)yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-37659084696508633492010-01-12T16:33:00.000-08:002010-01-12T16:38:31.910-08:00IGE Giveaway!Did you know that <a href="http://iowagirleats.com">Iowa Girl Eats</a> is <a href="http://iowagirleats.com/2010/01/12/amys-kitchen-giveaway/">having a giveaway</a>? Aren't you glad I'm here to tell you!?<br />
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You'll die even more when I tell you that it's regarding <a href="http://www.amys.com/">Amy's Kitchen</a>, the leader in natural frozen meals! I'm impressed by their vegan pizzas which stare me down through the Whole Foods freezer door.<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-3lELPjlTLisR3IpOAw3rA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S00T1XxuIFI/AAAAAAAAAhA/Ga3neZrWQZs/s800/00103.jpg" /></a></center>Head on over to <a href="http://iowagirleats.com">Iowa Girl Eats is</a> to find out how to enter for a chance to win some numblies and to get to know a really great girl! But hurry, it ends on thursday...yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-6412571193087683002010-01-09T09:36:00.000-08:002010-01-12T21:36:20.339-08:00Diete & Diaeta<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vNpTmlZuxFqUMuLDrRYR_A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S0y08nSTL3I/AAAAAAAAAgY/QdeWvpzlRPE/s800/cg.jpg" align="right"/></a>Frustration is.... having a memory card full of blogging pictures and not being able to find a way to get them off. However, after a whole weekend of whining to Evan about my camera and the fate of my blog, I've come to realize it's time to move on (for now).<br />
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Payday is next friday... so I'll just have to wait to get a new point and shoot camera then, and solve the case of the wrong-or-missing-cable-to-the-other-camera later.<br />
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As many of you know, or may not know, I really have one obsession in this world (other than my cat) and am happily a member of the "First Order of Brown". That is, I'm another minion of the deeply loyal and insanely informed Alton Brown empire. Basically... he is my God, and in Alton I trust.<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5zeups0PhEt1tlrMMKTuiw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S0zAxdr-CtI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ra4Edny3NOE/s800/alt.jpg" /></a></center>Now, I could write about a dozen blog entries as to why I want to move to Georgia and camp out in front of his house with a wok, a 1/2 sheet baking pan (purchased from a restaurant supply store of course!), while munching on fresh homemade biscuits as a bottle of modena vinegar dangles from the handcuff on my wrist, but this isn't on of those posts. Although, I did find out the deal sealer: he has two corgies. Good man, good man.<br />
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Nope, instead, this will be a post about a great episode of Good Eats I watched last night entitiled "Live and Let Diet". I had noticed that he was starting to get a little chubby lubby around the middle but figured "eh, he's a professional chef and he's getting older", and who am I to question the Great Leader? Well, after checking him out in his snazzy tux on Iron Chef the White House Battle, I said "Hey now, he looks damn good!". My Google searches for the eating plan he outlined in the show lead me to <a href="http://foodnetworkhumor.com/2010/01/dear-alton-brown-the-internet-is-worried-about-you/">Dear Alton Brown: The Internet Is Worried About You</a> which confirms that viewers noticed his amazing weight loss, but thought he was sick. Best part of the article:<blockquote>Bottom line: you guys can go back to googling “Giada’s Boobs” and “Bobby Flay is a Douche” again. Alton’s fine.</blockquote>Since I and Alton are big fans of lists, I love that he outlined his diet into 4 easy to read and follow lists thusly:<br />
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<u>Eat Everyday</u><br />
- Fruits, Whole Grains , Leafy Greens, Nuts, Carrots, Green Tea<br />
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<u>3 times a week</u><br />
- Oily Fish, Yogurt, Broccoli, Sweet Potato, Avocado<br />
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<u>Once a week</u><br />
- Red meat, Pasta, Dessert, Alcohol<br />
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<u>NEVER!</u><br />
- Fast Food, Soda, Processed meals/frozen dinners, Canned soup, “Diet” anything<br />
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Now this plan works for him, but not neccessarily for everyone. For me the Never list should be easy to knock out without a ton of effort. And since I don't drink or eat red meat, that's easier. The hardest part, following <u>THE GOLDEN RULE</u>: <b>Eat. Breakfast. Every. Day. No. Exceptions.</b><br />
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Now I'm sure there are things he didn't mention in the episode like exercise, vitamins, stress, and sleep which greatly affect healthy living, weight loss/gain, and nutrition. He did make a mention of quantity, noting that his amazaing almond recipe he limits to a few 1oz portions a day. <br />
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If you don't have the Food Network and are patient, you can wait for the <a href="http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/GEFP/index.htm">Good Eats Fan Page</a> to update with their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/GoodETV">YouTube clips</a> and a transcript soon. If you're not patient, there's always internet-related ways to solve that. :)yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-18341406903843705942010-01-07T15:39:00.000-08:002010-01-07T15:39:53.114-08:00Whine whine whine...This girl is under the weather. I can't quite figure it out, but I think I'm on the verge of getting sick.<br />
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I've been dealing with A LOT of stuff lately. First of which started on New Year's Eve when I pulled out my little Kodak camera to take a picture of my roomie and I, and realized the LCD was completely cracked. Luckily the hard screen wasn't cracked, just the underside where all the ooey gooey screen goodness was. Point being, I can't use it at all anymore (it was already dying so it wasn't a big surprise, but I can't exactly shell out for a new camera right now).<br />
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Moving on to crappy situaiton #2, which is titled "The Situation In Which Toast Inherited a Camera From Evan's Mom, But For Some Reason the Cord Doesn't Work With Computer Anymore". I'm sure it's user error, and I'm about 99% sure it's the right cord (I'm a nerd, I keep ALL cords), but it just wasn't working.<br />
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Aside from those two things which directly = in no bloggie pictures of numbliness, I had to deal with some drama surrounding the triathlon I'm training for. Combine that with less sleep than I'm used to, talking to bosses about money @ work, crafting, and supporting my boyfriend as much as I can with his work issues right now, rearranging my ENTIRE group of kitchen cabinets, breaking the vacuum, finishing cat sitting, running as often as I can, being uninspired with food lately, PMS, and not even having enough time to paint my toenails, I haven't had much time to rewind, unwind, relax, or do anything of the sort. *breath*<br />
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I've also been sneezing since Sunday nonstop, and seem to get a fever around 3pm every day. I'm eating quite well, but haven't been that into my food lately which is so strange! I made a nice bowl of oatmeal this morning with oats, water, soymilk, chia seeds, lots of cinnamon, slivered almonds, and agave. I ate about 1/4 of the bowl before I was just disgusted. Come 11:30 I was HUNGRY, so I took lunch early and ate a collard wrap with brown rice, black olive hummus, salsa verde, and tapatio. It tasted great at the time, but right after finishing I felt really gross. <br />
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I've since been nursing my uneasy stomach with green tea (it's amazing how comforting a mug of hot water + leaves is) and after a few burps felt a bit better. TMI??? Well, it's true. Vegans are the fartiest burpiest people I know! <br />
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I think I need sleep. I think I'm going to skip my run tonight and just try to rest. Evan's coming over to spend the night, we'll do some simple baking and of course video games as well. It's his last real night of Christmas Vacation and then he's back in the classroom helping the kiddies succeed in some book learnin'.<br />
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Pray that I can make the last 2 hours of work. I'm a bit warm and I think a headache is coming on.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-58248174012245855342010-01-04T16:54:00.000-08:002010-01-04T16:54:46.454-08:00Chicken FAIL<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yCUvZUeO9mHz0RdzAF8eDA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S0KM8QaQxVI/AAAAAAAAAfc/rHSDi6tdBa4/s800/chicken%20breast.jpg" /></a></center>Lordy, what next? Another FAIL, you betcha. Just to show I'm not biased towards chickens, (although I am because I <strike>secretly</strike> openly adore them and plan on raising some, not for eating silly), I've got a loverly article from the LA Times about those extra plumped chicky breasts you might find in your local megamart.<br />
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I'll leave you to read <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-chicken4-2010jan04,0,5476293.story?track=rss">the short but informative article</a> and deduce of it what you will. Suffice it to say that your little chicken pieces are being pumped full of salt water and preservatives and you might not even know it. Ah fine print, gotta love it.yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043152896742544442.post-72759084838253635282010-01-01T01:41:00.000-08:002010-01-03T03:59:22.143-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!<center><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9_Gy1GNmNHL_zXXtwHQ4AQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCMXc_4v1msqj7AE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5hqxHfxhD3g/S0CGRSWa-ZI/AAAAAAAAAfA/bWS6gs5ZDbk/s400/_MG_7615.JPG" /></a></center>Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe NYE. May all your numblies and sippies be delicious in 2010!!! HNY from Evan and Toast!yeaaahtoasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212568823524226904noreply@blogger.com0