UGGS: I love them and hate them... maybe even creeped out by them

It's that time of year again when I whip out my Uggs. I don't particularly find the boots' aesthetics pleasing but they are very warm and very very comfortable. I have a weird love and hate relationship with Uggs. I hate them because a majority of the people who wear them are like this:

This is a photo of Tara Reid at Coachella. I was at Coachella and every inch of my body sweated, profusely. Her body may be cooling off in front of those fans, but I can guarantee you that from the calves down, she is burning up.

So you can see why I would be torn. I love wearing my Uggs because I feel like I am wearing house slippers. They're easy to put on and you can wear them without socks. 

Today, I wore them early this morning to go to the drive thru at McDonald's wearing my pink flannel PJs. 

I guess pink flannels and Uggs are just as ridiculous looking as Tara Reid in Uggs at Coachella.

These shoes are crazy. The more you stare at it the more gross looking the become, almost like it takes a life of its own. Creepy.

safety/security tips from my dad (if you are borderline irrationally paranoid)

My dad likes to say he is a careful person and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem is is that he can sometimes seem too careful to the point that will drive you crazy. Don't get me wrong, my dad does not lock himself up in his home with cameras surrounding his house. Please, he wouldn't pay for that. Although, he has put up one of those security stickers on the front window trying to trick potential intruders into thinking that you paid for a fancy alarm system when you haven't.

My dad is the type of person who will never leave a window open downstairs if you are upstairs sleeping. He is really big on closing all the windows and locking them up (including the metal bar you shoved at the bottom for extra security) before going to bed. One time when I was in high school, my brother was the last person downstairs and forgot to close the kitchen window. The next morning, I found a note on the window that said, "Who left this open?" My brother replied on the note, "I did," put the note back and left the window open. My dad did not think it was funny when he saw it.

1.) Don't leave your keys by the door (as in on a hook by the door or on a table)
To a normal person this would be a reasonable place to keep your keys because you can grab them on your way out. But to my dad, leaving the keys near the door is too close to the outside because someone can easily grab it. For some reason it doesn't occur to my dad that if an intruder is already inside the house, that intruder doesn't need the keys to the house.

2.) Don't leave anything including a pile of clothes in the passenger seat of your car
Once I drove my dad to the store and I had a pile of old clothes (with my high school prom dress on top of the pile) in the backseat of my car. My dad asked if I had wanted to put them in the trunk as a safety precaution while we went shopping because someone might want to break into my car and steal the clothes. For some reason, it doesn't occur to my dad that no one in this world wants to steal my gold lamé trimmed prom gown I got from an outlet store. No. One.

3.) Always be cautious of the people installing or fixing your cable or internet... because they might be tapping your lines.
This is beyond being careful about who you let into your home. I understand there is reason to always be alert when you're a woman home alone and the cable guy is in your house fixing your cable or internet. My dad likes to take it a step further and warn me to be careful because they could've tapped my internet somehow and steal my information, like Watergate.

'shroom noodle soup

This recipe I got from a friend who once told me doesn't like to spend more than 30 minutes cooking. 

This soup recipe takes about less than 30 minutes (depending how much you make) and delicious. 

What you need: 

Shitake Mushrooms (I like to use the dried mushrooms plus it's cheaper)

White Button Mushrooms (optional)

Vegetable Broth

Dried Onions (do not use onion powder or onion salt. There is something about the flavor of the dried onions that adds a good flavor to the soup)

S&P

Red Pepper flakes

Liquid Amminos (like soy sauce but a natural alternative, contains ammino acids and has a slightly different flavor from soy sauce. I would describe it as less salty but more flavor. This can be found next to the soy sauce)

Water chestnuts

Spinach

Buckwheat Soba Noodles

What to do:

If you are using dried mushrooms, steep them in hot water to rehydrate.

1.) Heat vegetable broth and considerable amount of liquid amminos and dried onions on medium-high heat. 

2.) Add fresh mushrooms and noodles. 

3.) Add dried shitakes and water chestnuts. Let all of the ingredients cook and simmer. Taste the soup and add seasoning if needed.

4.) The soup is done when the noodles are done because you don't want to overcook them. Turn off the heat, add spinach and stir. The spinach will wilt.

The combination of the liquid amminos, dried onions and shitake mushrooms give this soup so much flavor.

lessons from television

The following are some of the things that creators of t.v. shows want me to think.
They are organized by show.

Dexter
There are more serial killers, stalkers, violent creeps and rapists in Miami than any other place on the planet. Think about how many bad guys Dexter has killed.

Entourage
Any woman will drop her panties for a good looking rich actor like Vincent Chase. I mean any woman. Even the smartest, most attractive woman who once dated some important financial director will marry someone who is a super star even though he hangs out with guys named Turtle.

Sons of Anarchy
It's ok to wear leather chaps and vest past the age of 50 as long as you are in a bike gang.

Boardwalk Empire
Women want to bang Steve Buscemi

Project Runway
If you were once a beauty queen and people like you, you can win even though you don't know how to sew and so all your clothes are practically tents and sheets. Yes. I am still bitter about that.


I'll share more when I they come to mind.

bbq pita pizza

I love the BBQ chicken pizza from Round Table so, I made a sort of healthy version of BBQ pizza. This lazy BBQ pizza turned out to be delicious. I don't know if that is hunger talking and I know I say everything I've made is pretty good, but if you love BBQ sauce and easy food, this is a winner.

Instead of making whole wheat pizza dough like I did the other night, I used whole wheat pita bread. The pita bread also makes for the perfect size for a personal pizza.

What you need: 
Whole wheat pita bread (oil free if you can find one)
BBQ sauce of your choice
Onions
Mushrooms
Anaheim peppers (you can use green bell peppers, jalapenos, or any pepper you like)
Smart dogs (or real hot dogs)

What to do:
Heat your oven to 420 degrees

Slather BBQ sauce all over the pita.
Top it with all of your toppings.
Pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes (until the mushrooms are cooked)

The pita gets a good crunch on the outside with I really like. This pizza also has so much flavor from the BBQ sauce and the Smart dogs.

I am definitely going to keep using whole wheat pita as a pizza crust and I think pizzas are starting to become my favorite go to meal.

This dish is good for people who are lazy and want to feel like they are eating healthy

On the Second Day... 12 Days of Holiday Beer

This is one of my favorite beers. If I can drink this all year I would. 

Beer: Shiner Holiday Cheer

Alc. ? but it is pretty low. I am guessing between 4-5%

Brewer: Spoetzl Brewery (from Shiner, TX of course)

Description: Brewed with peaches and pecans.

I love the vintage style label.

This holiday beer can be purchased at Whole Foods or BevMo.

I also love the regular Shiner Bock. That is a good lower alcohol stand by.

12 Days of Holiday Beer

I enjoy a good "X Days of..." (e.g. 30 days of a plant-based-diet or 30 days of a photo a day). I am going to do "25 Days of Holiday Beer." I'm going to feature one holiday beer until Christmas. I figure I will give myself a head start

On the First Day...

Beer: Warm Welcome Nut Brown Ale
Brewer: Ridgeway Brewing, UK
6% Alc.

Description: This beer is malty, toasty and nutty. I would rate it a 6/10.

Since I like to judge things by their cover, I also like the fun label and the cute bottle cap.

One down, 24 to go...

Cheers!

p.s. I am calling it Holiday beer because there are also other beers that I think I want to try that are Fall/Holiday and not specifically Christmas.

I need to take some days off.

And this list is only the half of it because it doesn't include any of the shows that are currently on now that I DVR.

The one with the asterisk (Weeds, maybe even Mildred Pierce) is something I may or may not watch. I started to hate Weeds after Season 2 (maybe 3) yet I continued to watch. I can't believe this show got picked up for another season.

If you spoil any of these shows for me I. WILL. CUT. YOU.

Just for fun...

Shows I am currently watching (organized by network). These are shows I either DVR or watch online.

FX:
Sons of Anarchy
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

HBO:
Boardwalk Empire

CBS:
The Good Wife
2 Broke Girls

ABC:
Revenge (for this season at least)

NBC:
Grimm (for this season at least)
Parks and Rec
Community
The Office

FOX:
The New Girl

Bravo:
Top Chef

Cooking Channels (ones I DVR. I watch a lot of random shows on this channel):
Extra Virgin
Simply Baking
Hook, Line and Dinner
The Next Iron Chef


So much t.v. So little time.

chili

When I first decided to get serious about losing weight I set a goal for myself that I would accomplish by the time I turn 30. I am about halfway to my goal weight and I turn 30 in about 7 months. I anticipate that I will likely not lose any weight during the November and December months so my goal is to maintain. I am determined to reach my goal. Now if I can have the same attitude about finishing my thesis and paying off my credit card debt...

Anyway, here is a chili recipe I have made variations of and I think this may be my favorite one. Chilis and stews are great to make in large batches because they're great to freeze and always taste better the day after (or more).

"MEAT" CHILI WITH BROWN RICE

I used smart ground beef (soy beef) for this recipe. I personally like the vegan sausage better and I think the chili is just fine without any type of meat substitute.

What is great about this dish is you can't really mess it up. There is no need to measure or to be exact. 

What you need:

1 Can of Black Beans 

1 Can of Kidney Beans (you can use Pinto or any other bean you like)

1 Can of Corn

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Onion

1 Jalapeno

1/2-1 Cup of Brown Rice

1-2 tbs. garlic (or 5 cloves)

1-1.5 cans of diced tomatoes

Vegetable Broth

Tobasco or your favorite hot sauce

*Ground beef substitute (optional)

Seasoning: You can cheat and use the ready made chili seasoning mix or use chili powder, powdered cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, a little bit of cinnamon.

What to do:

 

1.) With a little bit of vegetable broth in a pot, sautee the chopped onions and garlic for five minutes. 

2.) Add the chopped green bell pepper and jalapeno and saute for another five minutes.

3.) Add the rest of the ingredients.

Use enough broth to cover all of the ingredients. You can drain the beans or keep the liquid. If you keep the liquid, you do not need to use that much broth. Make sure you use enough broth because the brown rice absorbs a lot of liquid and takes a lot of time to cook.

Cook on med-low for 1 hour or whenever the brown rice is cooked. You can cook this chili in a crock pot on low.

This chili is filling and hearty. I sometimes like to eat it with some crushed up tortilla chips for an extra crunch.

This dish is great for making in big batches so you can freeze it and have dinner and lunch for lazy days.

Rustic Whole Wheat (FAT FREE) Arugula, Tomato, Mushroom Pizza

This pizza recipe is oil and dairy free. Pizza without cheese sounds totally crazy but trust me, this pizza still tastes pretty good and the best part is that it was really easy to make.

Total cook time including prep: 30-40 minutes!!


What you need:


PIZZA DOUGH
Using a food processor makes the pizza dough making process a lot easier.


2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 TBS of highly active rapid rise yeast (1 packet of Fleishmann's yeast)
1 cup of warm water
1/2 tsp of salt
1 TBS sugar
*Handful of dry rosemary - this is optional. You don't have to make the crust with herbs or you can use oregano or another dry herb of your preference.

PIZZA TOPPING
You can use whatever topping you like. For this recipe I used the following:

Baby arugula
Fresh tomato
Onions
Crimini Mushrooms
Pasta Paste

What to do:
Heat your oven to 425 degrees

PIZZA DOUGH


1.) Take a quarter of a cup of the warm water and mix it in a small bowl with the yeast and sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy.

2.) In a food processor, put the flour and salt and herb. Then add the yeast mixture. Pulse for about 10 seconds.

3.) Keep the processor going while you slowly add the rest of the water. The dough will turn into a ball. Spin the ball in the processor a couple of times.

4.) Remove the dough and slightly work the dough into a ball then put it into a bowl, cover with plastic and let the dough rise for 15 minutes.

While the dough is rising, slice up all of the toppings you want on your pizza.

5.) Roll out the dough to your desired shape and thickness (I like mine thin). You can lightly flour the surface you are using if the dough is too sticky. I just used the Silpat (cookie sheet) and rolled the dough on top of that so you don't need to clean off the counter.

6.) Using a fork, poke holes into the dough so it doesn't rise too much in the oven.

You're done with the dough part! The rolling part only takes about 5 minutes.

ASSEMBLING THE PIZZA

Use tomato paste as the sauce and spread it all over the crust. You can make your own tomato sauce or get one that has more flavor that is in a jar or can. I just used what I had.

7.) Layer your toppings and season with S&P on top. You can also drizzle olive oil, but then that will no longer make it fat free.

*It's important to use a non stick cookie sheet or you could also use a pizza stone.

8.) Cook in the 425 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes and it's done!

I think I will make pizza more often by making dough in advance. The dough can be frozen or kept in the fridge for a few days. There are endless possibilities with this dish. Next time I will try to do a Hawaiian/Asian style pizza by using sweet chili sauce instead of tomato paste.

You could make mini pizzas using whole wheat pita bread that you can buy at the store. 

This dish is good for people who want to get creative with their toppings.

Reflections: All You Can Eat

All You Can Eat Buffet. Those words were completely foreign to me until I moved to America and visited my very first buffet in 3rd Grade. Buffets didn't exist in the Philippines. In fact, I don't think buffet restaurants exist in a lot of countries besides America, which makes sense. Wealth is often exhibited by excess and an abundant supply of resources. Once we discovered "The Buffet" my parents used to always take us to Hometown Buffet, which I hated because everyone from high school would go and I would just die if the boy I had a crush on saw me with my family. I was terrible teenager. Anyway, to me whenever I went into a buffet it was to see how much food I can stuff myself with until I felt absolutely miserable. Not to sound like a snob, but I started getting really turned off by buffets when I started to notice little kids with dirty hands (and adults) touching food and putting the food back into the large pile. My point in all this is that what is it with people's obsession with buffets? I know a lot of people who love anything that says all you can eat buffet, as if abundance of food made it taste better-- which is actually the complete opposite.

Anyway, with that said, I went to a buffet restaurant called the Golden Corral for my stepmom's birthday. This place was like the mother of all buffets. There was a bakery, a pasta station, an Asian food station, southern food station, sea food station, donut maker, chocolate fountain.. anything you can think of. My head was spinning and I had no idea what to eat. When there are too many choices that are all within access, I immediately had to dismiss my mentality of having to try every single food. I guess I was sort of successful except I couldn't stay away from the cheesy garlic biscuits. 

Last winter, probably around November through February, I am pretty sure I had gained around 5-10 lbs. just from the Holidays alone and I think that is when I weighed the most I have ever weighed. I'm going to try really hard not to gain any weight during the Holiday season. I still want to be able to enjoy all of the wonderful food but I know I have to limit myself. Ever since I started on this weight loss journey, there is this dialectic -- a constant battle going on inside my head. I love food (particularly gourmet food) but I also love clothes and fashion and I like looking better in my clothes now that I have lost weight. I also like the sense of comfort I feel that if I eat healthy, I am healthier but at the same time I think what is the point of a long healthy life if you can't enjoy the things you love the most. This is what keeps me up at night. Just kidding. Heartburn keeps me up at night.

Veggie Pot Pie

I didn't eat a lot of Chicken Pot Pies growing up, mainly because it was something that seemed very strange to me. In fact I don't even think I knew what a Chicken Pot Pie was until I was in high school when I saw it in the frozen dinner isle.

For some reason I had this hankering for something warm and comforting like a Chicken Pot Pie, but instead a Veggie Pot Pie with Whole Wheat Biscuits.

I got this recipe from some blog and I executed the dish almost exactly like the recipe.

What you need:

Biscuits:

2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour

Apple Sauce (2 packages or 1 whole red apple pureed)

2 tsp of baking powder

pinch of salt

Veggie Pot Pie:

2 1/2 cups of frozen veggies

1 Cup of Vegetable Broth

1 Cup of non-dairy milk

2 TBS of Corn Starch
2 TBS of Nutritional Yeast

Salt and Pepper

Dried Thyme (I used Herbs de Provence which I prefer)

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

What to do: 

Biscuits

Mix all dry ingredients, then slowly add the apple sauce. Work the though to a consistency you can work with, add water if necessary. The consistency should not be runny like cake batter, but also not still like pizza dough.

Arrange on a non-stick pan. I use a Silpat and I highly recommend buying one of these. They are amazing. They are a little pricey but nothing sticks to them, you never have to grease it and it is really easy to clean.

Pop the biscuits into a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

The Pot Pie:

Dissolve the cornstarch in a little bit of water or broth then add into a pot where you are heating up the 1 cup of vegetable broth. This is better than whisking in the cornstarch because you will get lumps.

Add the rest of the ingredients. The liquid will thicken to a gravy. Cook until all the veggies are warm, and sauce is as thick as you want. Taste as you cook.

To serve, place a biscuit in a bowl and spoon the pot pie filling over the biscuit.

What I liked about this dish:

The pot pie filling

Doesn't require any chopping of veggies

Cooking time is not very long

What I did not like:

The biscuits. I think it is impossible to make biscuits without using butter. The biscuits were ok with the filling.

This dish felt more like a vegetable dumpling rather than a pot pie because there is no flaky crust. I think the filling would be good with brown rice or some other toasted bread to sop up the gravy. I will make the filling again but this time I will add mushrooms, onions and more broccoli. 

To get the chicken flavor without actually using meat, you can use chicken stock or chicken bouillon. 

This dish is great for cold days and for people who don't want to feel guilty about eating a pot pie. Guilt sucks.

you know what is sad...

not being able to go back to sleep at 2 in the morning because you have heartburn so you get on the computer and blog. you know what is even more sad, having heartburn because you ate two servings of frozen pizza for dinner.

speaking of sad, when you want to give yourself a good cry, all you need to do is listen to bonnie raitt. saddest. song. ever. put on your head phones and cry.



this music video is strange. 


And for a bonus, I stumbled onto Adele's cover of this song and i love it just as much. adele's songs make me cry too.



the older you get, the more country music seems to just makes sense. i guess it's kind of like becoming more politically (at least fiscally) conservative when you finally get a real job.

journal of poems

First I'd like to say that it's obvious that the coolest people on earth are the ones who kept a journal of poems. While all the hot cheerleaders and football players were out partying and getting laid, cool kids like me were locked up in our rooms writing our feelings in journals. I recently found my poem journal, which spans about 1998-2000.

Most of the poems are about love and being sad and secrets. I completely forgot about this journal and when I look at what I wrote, I honestly can't pin it to a particular memory. I seem to talk a lot about keeping secrets and I have no idea what I am talking about. I'm either really sad about some tragic event in my life or I am just being an emotional teenager. Teens are so damn emotional. When I look at my old journals I just want to punch myself in the face.

Anyway, here is one poem I will share called "I'm Perfect Woman." I think this is one of the more happier poems and was inspired by Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal Woman."

Circa 2000

I'm a perfect woman
My misshapen body
My reputation of being a nobody
I'm a perfect woman
The sores on my skin
The fact that I am not thin
I'm the perfect woman
My disfigured face
May bad taste
I'm the perfect woman
My annoying character
The way I always falter
I'm the perfect woman
My deep dark eyes
My crooked smile
I'm a perfect woman
The odd way I walk
The funny way I talk
I'm a perfect woman
My hidden feelings
My deep dark secrets
I'm a perfect woman

I'm pretty sure I wrote this during a time when I was working on an assignment for English class and I picked Maya Angelou to profile. I remember being really inspired by Maya Angelou.


p.s. I wouldn't be surprised if I stumble upon a book of songs I wrote. I must've done one of those too at some point in my life.