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where everybody knows your name

2012-02-09T23:14:00.000-08:00

When Cheers was on the air I was not old enough to set foot in a bar but more so I was not old enough to know the true meaning of being “a regular.” The idea of being a regular anywhere never appealed to me because in my mind frequenting a place seemed routine which meant boring. Now that I am regular at several places (a bar, coffee shop and dangerously close to being a regular at a boutique) I can’t imagine my life without these establishments. At my local watering hole, I have become almost friends with some bar tenders. I say almost because the time we spend together is never outside of the bartender-bartendee dynamic but we are Facebook friends. Some regular customers I have engaged in long conversations with and some I’ve never spoken a word to (like the extra I once wrote about*). I love being a regular. Walking into to a place where the staff knows you by first name and you see the usual cast of characters feels like coming home and getting centered at the end of a long workday.

*The gray haired pony tail guy I once wrote about in the post titled "extras" I did finally talk to. He approached my friend and I and asked me about my car because he saw me drive up. He then introduced himself to us and I have been trying to remember his name since. I know. I am a terrible person because it turns out he still remembers my name.

don't cry no tears

2012-02-09T21:33:00.000-08:00

A while back I purchased these onion goggles because I couldn't manage to cut an onion without crying like I had just been dumped in the worst possible way (like while in a fast food drive-thru).

I have used the onion goggles several times now and they work fabulously.

For about $20, you too can be tear free while looking stylish and working it in your kitchen.

i tumble

2012-02-02T21:32:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd let ya'll know. I guess I think it's a good idea to increase my internet presence, which is a really weird thing to say because it kinda sounds like I want to start posting sexts and sexual photos of myself. Maybe I will on tumblr.

www.sarahsbackpages.tumblr.com

spinach bean soup

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Don't be fooled by my food posts. I have been eating too much junk food and failing miserably at my one month new year's resolution.

I just made a large batch of this soup so hopefully I can get back on track. It's kind of like a white bean kale soup except I didn't have any kale and a I didn't have any white beans, so it's a spinach kidney bean soup (w/assorted veggies).

What you need:

Vegetable stock (1 box for this recipe. You can add water if you need more liquid or add more stock. I recommend stock because stock has a little more flavor than broth)
Can of beans
Mix of veggies (Confession: I keep a bag of frozen vegetables on hand because my fresh vegetables go bad too quickly)
Chopped spinach (I also used frozen)
Half and onion diced
Garlic (optional)

Whole wheat bread
Garlic Clove

What to do:

Saute veggies and onions in a pot. I added liquid amminos for extra flavor.
Pour in box of stock, drained beans and spinach. Let frozen spinach melt. Season with salt and pepper.
Let boil then reduce to medium heat and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with toasted garlic bread. My favorite way to get a hint of garlic flavor onto bread is super simple. Get toasted bread and while it's hot, cut a garlic clove in half and rub the cut half onto the bread. The garlic will melt and the bread will soak in all of the garlic flavor. The bread also has a little kick. This method is also great for making sandwich bread.

It's not the best looking soup but it was surprisingly comforting and pretty good. I know it's hard to get excited about healthy food. If I cooked like Paula Dean of course everything I make would be good because let's face it, anything with a lot of fat tastes good.

This dish is good for people who don't want to chop anything and want to make soup in 20 minutes so you can start your night watching all of your favorite t.v. shows.

dichotomies and a survey

2012-01-26T22:49:00.000-08:00

I don't like dichotomies because I don't like being forced into a category, although I admit I am guilty of doing such things to other people. Dichotomies are incredibly reductive and force us to choose sides. Society is ruled by dichotomies, from politics to entertainment to the market place. Dichotomies even permeate minute details of our every day lives like grocery shopping—paper or plastic? We are constantly being compartmentalized.

I have engaged in several conversations for some time with other people about dichotomies and since then its presence has been quite noticeable. The other day I was online shopping (which really should be my second job) and online shops like Shoemint have increased in popularity. These are online stores that cater to your specific style. Before you can shop you are presented with a series of questions: Which celebrity’s style do you identify with most? At what store would you go on a shopping spree? What shoe would you likely wear? You pick one of three choices for every question (I realize three choices do not count as a dichotomy but I think you get my point about being reduced). When you’ve finished, you are finally presented with a selection of shoes that are suppose to be to your exact liking based on the five questions they asked you. They now know who you are. I can see the appeal in this because it simplifies choices for people but my problem is that I can’t help but wonder what other style of shoe I am missing out on because I answered a certain way. Needless to say I went back and reloaded the damn website and started all over again with different answers. I know this is a lot of time I am investing in an online shoe store but you see how it has led to this important reflection on life?

My point in all of this is that I really do not like being reduced to a type or a category but I probably belong to one or maybe I have some serious identity issues.

Now, I am going to do the very thing I just ranted about and reduce you into a type. Here’s a series of dichotomies and based on your choices, you’ll be put into a category. This survey is not based on any science or scientific method. I made up the categories. It’s kind of like writing a horoscope.

Some of the questions may be gender specific but a majority of them are gender neutral.

	A	B
1	Gay	Straight
2	Wine	Beer
3	Cats	Dogs
4	Mac	PC
5	Pessimist	Optimist
6	Single	Married
7	Ranch	Blue Cheese
8	Chess	Checkers
9	Pepsi	Coke
10	Edward	Jacob
11	Fries	Onion rings
12	Chocolate	Vanilla
13	Blended	On the rocks
14	McDonalds	Burger King
15	Heels	Flats
16	Oxford dress shoes	Tennis shoes
17	Trousers	Jeans
18	Fedoras	Baseball caps
19	Elvis	Beatles
20	Tea	Coffee

If you chose mostly A:

You enjoy the finer things in life although you have a tendency to think the worst in people. Based on your love for cats and chocolate, you are probably either gay or evil. You are single because you choose to be. You think you are better than everyone. You like to pretend you care about the planet. You are probably a liberal.

If you chose mostly B:

You like doing things with your hands and you think you can kick everyone’s ass. You’re married but you likely miss being single. Based on your love for PCs and checkers you are probably afraid of change. You are most likely a conservative.

If you chose 50/50:

You probably like both men and women. You are confused. You swing both ways politically and sexually.

Side note: During G.W. Bush’s 2004 Presidential campaign, Karl Rove (a.k.a Darth Vader) employed a similar tactic in gaining votes. He used marketing data in order to determine which way people were going to vote. The kind of beer people drank, the kind of movies people watched all were a tell on a persons political leaning. Rove somehow used all of that data to his advantage. I’m not exactly sure how. I am assuming it involved some dark Jedi mind powers.

shopping guidelines and a very large sweater

2012-01-22T00:03:00.000-08:00

This is a post that boasts consumerism, materialism and narcism. That's a lot of "isms" in one post.

I may have already confessed on this blog that I have a little obsession with anything that has to do with fashion (blogs, shopping online, reality t.v. shows, etc.). I am fully aware of the fashion world's ridiculousness-- people obsessing over a pair of snakeskin skinny jeans or "dying" over an extremely impractical 6-inch sequined-studded-rhinestone encrusted stilettos but yet I can't help but be amused-- even participate in all of it. I do like the occasional designer hand bag or sunglasses but I am also a little more practical. When I shop I consider the following:

1.) Is it going to suit my body?
Will this dress/pant/shorts/top make me look like a tree stump or like woman. The most important thing is that the clothing will fit me right. I see a lot of women wear really nice clothes but their look is ruined because it's ill-fitting.

2.) Will I be able to actually wear it anywhere?
This is the reason why I do not own any cocktail dresses or ball gowns. I don't attend cocktail parties or get invited to dinner with the Obamas or The Queen (shocking, I know). I also do not often go to clubs where the dress code requires that I look like slut. I like clothes that I can wear to work and on the weekends, which is probably another reason why I do not own any suits.

3.) Is the item age appropriate?
Will people ask me how many kids I have or will I get carded at a bar. When a woman in her thirties wears clothes fit for 21 year olds they look exactly just that-- a thirty-something year old trying to pass for a twenty-one year old. Famous people are great at being "ageless" even without the botox. I'm not sure I've found the perfect balance but what I want is to have style that is appropriate for my age group.

4.) Will I be comfortable in it?
This applies more to shoes. I am a big fan of flats. I know heels make women have better posture, longer legs and I admit when I am wearing heels I feel more "womanly" but at the same time I can feel the corns and blisters growing on my toes.

5.) Can I afford it?
If I was really practical, I would also add, do I need it? I am terrible at purchasing things I only need.

Now that I've told you what goes through my head when I shop I'd like to talk about this oversized sweater I recently purchased.

The sweater is like a poncho but with arms. I purchased this sweater out of guilt but I have grown to really like it. I mistakenly walked into a local boutique where I was the only customer and talk about awkward. The owner, a very sweet petite Chinese woman, was more than happy to see me. She had me try on several items and she kept calling me "Shweery" which I realized was "Sweetie" after 15 minutes of talking to her. I decided I needed to buy something because she had put so much energy in trying to please me. This sweater had no tags (unbranded) and has no size which means this sweater was probably made with the blood, sweat and tears of 10 year old kids. I dig it. It's warm and perfectly hides my food baby.

Speaking of food...

What I ate and drank today. Don't you just love Bloody Mary's? It's like a meal in a glass that makes you feel good.

my vices: potato chips and shopping

2012-01-15T22:41:00.000-08:00

To satiate my potato chip craving without having to eat a large bag of oily chips I have finally found a way to make oil-free potato chips. I cannot express enough how excited I am for this new discovery.

I finally bought a slicer but it doesn't work very well or maybe it's operator error.

The key to getting the potatoes crispy is to soak them in cold water to get rid of the starch then dry the chips on a towel.

Lay the chips on a plate (not crowding them) and microwave for about 3 minutes but keep an eye on it before it starts to get too brown. Make sure you see a little brown it means they're crispy. Flavor the chips before you put them in the microwave.

You can use a little bit of cooking spray on the plate to make sure it doesn't stick. A paper plate will work as well.

The chips are crispy. They don't quite taste like baked potato chips but you can flavor it with garlic salt or onion salt.

That's one vice I've sort of kicked, now if only I can quit shopping.

New Year's (one month) Resolution update:

I went shopping two days in a row because once I started, I opened the flood gates. I purchased pants, two sweaters and a necklace.

As far as losing 5 or more lbs. in one month that progress is slow. I've lost 2 lbs. since the first.

"beautiful on the inside" (i'm sure that is a line in some annoying christina aguilera song)

2012-01-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

In every ugly person lies someone beautiful inside. Is that how the saying goes? Anyway, I discovered this website/blog that I feel like my blog is on the inside.

Sous Style

This website is run by Pippa Lord who is the Photo Director for Elle magazine. The website is dedicated to food, cooking and of course the photographs are gorgeous as well as the subjects of the photos.

Good looking, chic and stylish people cooking food. In my mind, this is how my blog looks.

On this website, you'll find recipes, restaurant reviews, household tips and other home-related topics.

This brown rice stuffed bell pepper I had for dinner is beautiful on the inside.

I sauteed (using no oil) chopped bell pepper (I used the caps), onions, garlic, chopped tomatoes and mushrooms seasoned with a little bit of herbs. I then added cooked brown rice and Mary's Gone crackers crumbs to soak up any of the juices. I spooned them into the hollowed out bell peppers (cut the top off, spoon out the seeds and save the caps to chop up and put in the filling). I also made a sweet tomato sauce (similar to my filipino spaghetti sauce, minus the hot dogs) to go with the bell peppers. Put the bell peppers into a casserole dish with the tomato sauce at the bottom, cover with foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Uncover for the last 10 min.

This dish is good for people who are beautiful on the inside and outside.

use whatever is in your fridge stir-fry noodles

2012-01-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

I can watch a marathon of "Chopped" for hours. There's something about watching four chefs vigorously cooking ingredients like lamb testicles in 20 minutes only to have their dishes judged by chefs who are more accomplished. I am addicted to this show. Sometimes when I cook I like to pretend I'm on Chopped. I look in my pantry and fridge and see what I can make using only what I have at home. This has helped me not waste any of the food I buy and I guess it fosters my cooking creativity. The result may not always be great but as long as it keeps me fed and saves me money, it's good enough for me.

What I had in my freezer were almost empty bags of frozen vegetables and I really wanted to get rid of them. I also had mushrooms, baby bok choy and these noodles I picked up at the Asian store last week.

The one on the left are Bean Threads made out of mung beans. The bean threads turn clear when they are cooked. They have a sort of rubbery texture and are great in soups. I grew up eating a lot of bean threads typically in a Filipino chicken soup called Chicken Tinola which is ginger and chicken stock based. The noodles on the right are dried wheat flour noodles kind of like a thin chow mein noodle. The best part about these noodles is they are filling, versatile and FAT FREE!

I didn't want to make a soup so I made my weird version of Pancit (which is another Filipino dish, a lot like chow mein).

What I used:

- White button mushrooms

- Variety of frozen vegetables: Peas and Carrots, Broccoli and Pearl Onions

- Baby bok choy

- Bean thread noodles and dried noodles (I used 2 bundles of bean threads, one bundle of dried noodles. This makes two large-ish servings)

- Garlic chili paste (1 tsp. or more depending on how spicy you like it. You can also use just plain chili paste or chili flakes)

- Soy Sauce or Liquid Amminos, I used a little of both

- Vegetable broth for sauteeing (or you can use oil)

- A little bit of Sesame Oil (at the end. This is optional)

- *Microwaved Brussels Sprouts - This is also optional. I added this on top because I had leftovers.

What to do:

Using hot water from the faucet, in a bowl soak the noodles until they come apart and are soft. I recommend breaking up the noodles in half so you don't have really really long strands of noodles making it a little difficult to eat.

Meanwhile in a wok with some vegetable broth, cook up the frozen veggies and mushrooms. Season with soy sauce/liquid amminos, salt and pepper and chili paste. You can add a little bit of ground up ginger. Cook and taste and add seasonings as you go.

Drain the noodles then add them into the wok. Put the flame on low-medium. Toss and add more soy sauce or liquid amminos if you want. The vegetable mushroom mixture will be a little watery if you use frozen veggies but that is ok because the noodles will soak up all of that liquid making them really flavorful. If the noodles start to get dry and stick to the pan, add a little bit of water or vegetable broth.

Take off the heat and fold in the baby bok choy until it wilts.

baked onion rings and stuffed mushrooms

2012-01-03T23:18:00.000-08:00

I grocery shopped on Amazon* and I received a 6 month supply of Mary's Gone Crackers Crumbs. I've already talked about how much I love Mary's Gone Crackers and the crumbs are just ground up crackers and you can use them in place of bread crumbs.

I tried using the crumbs in two dishes.

Baked Onion Rings (oil and dairy free)

What you need:

- Vidalia onions
- 1 cup of Soy or Almond milk
- 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour (I like to use pastry flour because it is lighter than whole wheat flour. You can also use white flour)
- 2 tbs. of corn starch
- 1 tsp. of apple cider vinegar
- Mary's Gone Cracker Crumbs (or whole wheat bread crumbs. If you use Mary's gone crackers or pre-made crumbs you don't need to season)

What to do:

Set the oven to 450 degrees

Cut the onions into rings about 1/3 inch thick (I haven't received my onions goggles so I was teary eyed once again).

Combine the flour and corn starch in a bowl and whisk in the milk making sure there are no lumps.

Put crumbs in another plate and set up a dipping station.

Dip the onions in the batter, then the crumbs making sure you coat the onion ring. I recommend using a fork when taking the onion out of the crumbs to help keep the crumbs in tact on the onion.

Place on a baking sheet (make sure it is non stick if you aren't greasing the pan. I highly recommend using a Silpat or something like it. Totally worth buying one, you never have to grease a pan. Ever.).

Bake for about 8 minutes, then turn over and bake for another 6 minutes. Let sit for a minute, then enjoy.

These onion rings were super crispy, light and full of flavor. I love how they are not greasy at all and the batter isn't too heavy.

Stuffed Mushrooms (oil-free)

What you need:

- Whole white button mushrooms stems removed but save the stems!
- Onions
- Seasonings of your choosing
- Garlic minced (optional)
- Mary's Gone Cracker crumbs (or another type of bread crumb)
- Vegetable broth

What to do:

Set your oven to 350-375 degrees

Remove stems from the mushrooms, but save them. Clean the mushroom caps with a damp cloth.

Cut the bottom (the brown dirty) part of the stems, then chop into small pieces. Chop the onions to about the same size as the mushroom stems.

Saute the mushrooms and onions in a pan using vegetable broth. Make sure to season well, but if you are using pre-made crumbs you don't have to season as much. Cook until onions are translucent, then add crumbs. let crumbs soak up any liquids. Taste the filling and season as desired. You can also add a little bit of liquid amminos (which I did) for added flavor.

Bake for about 20 min or until the cap is soft and the top is browned.

The stuffed mushrooms are packed with flavor using the crumbs.

These dishes required a little more work than I like but if you have time, I highly recommend trying to make them.

*Grocery shopping on Amazon seems like something I can really get into. The only problem is everything they sell is in bulk and I don't really need 200 packets of ketchup or 1 gallon of ketchup.

the (one-month) new year's resolution

2012-01-03T00:58:00.000-08:00

1.) Not spend any money on clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. (anything that is not a necessity).

2.) Eat healthier and lose anywhere between 5-10 lbs.

3.) Finish my thesis so I can finally have a Master's degree.

4.) Be nicer to people, I guess.

These are concrete (aside from #3) goals that I have decided to set for myself for one month which seems do-able. Number 2 is part of a larger goal I have. In about 6 months (June) I turn 30 and I would like to lose 30 lbs. by then (30 before 30, catchy right?). I don't really have a strategy for this except that I am going to mainly do a plant-based oil free diet and more exercise. I've decided to eat this way because when I did a month trial in October, I actually felt really good health-wise. I never felt sluggish, I hardly had any stomach aches and I never had heartburn.

Numbers 3 and 4 are ongoing.

I find that blogging about the progress of my goals helps me keep on track even if no one ends up reading the posts.

I think the most difficult of the 4 resolutions will be 1, 3 and 4. Two days into the new year and I almost bought a pair of jeans (but I couldn't find my size) and I was mean to Asians at the Asian grocery store. They deserved it. They couldn't drive their shopping carts like they way they can't drive their cars. It's ok, I can say things like that and have it not be racist because I'm Asian.

holiday relief

2012-01-03T00:24:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. I am relieved the holidays are over--mainly Christmas and New Year's Eve. To me, there seems to be too much pressure surrounding the holidays. No one wants to be the one who gets crappy presents or be the jerk who gives no presents (or maybe people do want to be that person?). Also, no one wants to be the loser who stays home alone on New Year's Eve and falls asleep early but maybe sometimes we do and that's okay. We just don't want to have to tell people that's what we did on NYE because you get the aww-how-sad-you-have-no-friends-and-you're-single face. Anyway, I enjoyed Christmas (I received great presents and I gave presents), NYE (I didn't spend it home alone) and time off work but I am glad things are going back to my normal routine. (<--- That statement just made it official. I am old, maybe older than I should be).

Here are some snapshots from my holidays.

Lawn chairs in my living room. Classy Christmas in my household.

Do I blend in with the teens? NYE Fireworks with my nieces.

I hope you enjoyed your holidays even if you did get crappy gifts and spent NYE alone. More power to you. *raises fist and nods head once* (<-- LOL)

no fuss brown rice bean casserole

2012-01-02T21:46:00.000-08:00

This dish involves only one pot, opening packages and cans, NO slicing.

What you need

-Frozen brown rice with black beans. This one I got from Whole Foods but you can use frozen brown rice (fresh steamers) and a can of black beans (liquid drained)
-Jar of salsa (I used medium and that was not very spicy). For two packets of rice, use a large jar of salsa.
-1 can of corn or frozen corn (if using can, drain liquid)
-Corn tortilla (optional)
-grated cheddar cheese (optional). I didn't use cheese in my dish.

What to do

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour all of the ingredients except corn tortilla and cheese if you're using it in a casserole dish and mix. Crumble corn tortilla on top. (You can sprinkle the cheese on top, then add tortillas).

Bake for 30-40 min and you're done! Let sit for a few minutes to let the dish set (let the rice absorb the liquids).

You don't have to add any seasoning but you can. The corn tortillas get crunchy but a little chewy so you can add already made tortilla chips at the end. I made a plant-based oil free version of this dish and I enjoyed it very much.

liquid jet black eye liner and onions don't mix

2011-12-28T22:21:00.000-08:00

I have very sensitive eyes which is why I try to avoid the people at the make up counter from giving me a "free" makeover because my eyes start to water incessantly the minute they start putting on the eye shadow. They also always put on too much make up and I walk away looking like a Bangkok hooker and $100 charged up on my credit card on bright blue eye shadow. I am a marketer's dream.

I recently bought Benefit's Magic Ink Jet Black Liquid Liner and I can't say I love it. It turns out you have to have the hands of a surgeon to put on the liner otherwise you end up looking like you put it on in a moving car.

If you have sensitive eyes like me I don't recommend this liner especially if you are going to cut onions because it results in this...

I cry a lot every single time I have to cut an onion, which is why I've decided to buy this...

Onion goggles (in pink) which are suppose to prevent me from crying. I have a friend who bought a pair a while ago and I laughed at her but perhaps she's laughing at me now. I am desperate and willing to spend $19.99. I'll let you know if they actually work.

On the 11th and 12th Days... 12 Holiday Beers

2011-12-25T00:35:00.000-08:00

Both beers from one of my favorite local pubs, Rubicon.

This is one of their special beers called the 1850 London Porter. Perfect for a cold day.

I love this red head. Rubicon's Irish Red which is one of their seasonal beers.

I have to admit for the first time... ever... I am so relieved Christmas is just about over. I enjoy Christmas and the holidays but the holidays are also very very exhausting.

I hosted Christmas in my apartment this year and I almost had a panic attack that all 15 of us weren't going to fit but it all worked out well. I turned my desk into an appetizer table and brought in extra chairs and amazingly we all had a seat.

Merry Christmas! Enjoy this rendition of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas sung by that famous old hippy.

brown-skinned and dry-skinned

2011-12-23T01:15:00.000-08:00

I'm probably the last person to be giving any sort of skin/beauty advice considering that ever since I turned 25, my chin has become the hot bed for giant zits and they like to come out and party all at once. I also have extremely dry skin on my face especially near my hair line. Mindy Kaling (Kelly from the Office) once wrote about having dry skin and she said that brown people typically have drier skin than white people. I believe her because she's famous and she wrote it on the Internet. I'm brown and I have dry skin so I want to share this product with other dry skinned people.

CVS' Vitamin E Moisturizing Skin Cream is the only cream that has worked for me. This stuff is very thick and super dense. A little goes a long way.

I recommend using the cream at night after your daily skin regimen. You'll wake up with a moist face.. no dry skin flaking off like you've just gotten over a really bad sunburn.

On the 9th and 10th days... 12 Holiday Beers

2011-12-22T23:38:00.000-08:00

Life and Limb. So good, so strong. This beer is an east coast-west coast collaboration (kind of like a Biggie and Tupac collabo). Two of the most popular brewers in the country, Dogfish Head (from Maryland) and Sierra Nevada (from California) got together made Life and Limb. This is a good winter beer. It's dark, malty with a sweet finish.

Moylan's Hopsicle

I don't remember what this tasted like. I may have already consumed one too many at this point. This is not a seasonal beer.

It's almost Christmas time and after is when the diet begins. Cheers.

reflections: letter to my younger self

2011-12-22T22:18:00.000-08:00

You've probably heard of the book or column called Letters to My Younger Self and this is what I'd write to myself at the age of 11.

Dear Sarah,

Go easy on the ice cream and potato chips because you'll get fat and will have to count calories when you're in your late 20's and you won't be able to run a mile without feeling like you would rather slit your wrists than keep running.

Also, when you reach high school don't tell that 10th grader you have a crush on him because he didn't know you existed until you told him how you felt and he's not into you. For the rest of the year things will be very awkward between the two of you. It's better to be left wondering because then you will spend three years trying to avoid him in the hallways and even now avoiding him on Facebook.

One more thing. Make sure your first concert experience is one you can be proud of. You don't want to have to tell the story that the first concert you attended was that of the short-lived boy band called 3T that was made up of Michael Jacksons' nephews (Tito's kids).

Much love,
Sarah

I think those are the only things I would tell my younger self because I don't really like to live in regret, not even the heavy lipliner with no lipstick phase I went through in junior high.

On the 8th day... 12 Holiday Beers

2011-12-18T23:38:00.000-08:00

Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (I don't know if it is a black IPA or a porter, but it is good)
Stone Brewery

This is what I am drinking while I watch Dexter (still on season 5). I can't watch Dexter without dreaming about it. Two nights ago I had a dream that I was looking for a rapist to bring to justice and wake up with an uneasy feeling sometimes the feeling is more extreme like the feeling of impending doom.

If you ever pick up a bottle from Stone make sure to read the back of the bottle because the stories are so cleverly written.

"When you're good, you're good. And when you do something great , the least you can do is acknowledge it. Others benefit from knowing."

-Excerpt from the back of a Sublimely Self-Righteous bottle

what i wore, bought, ate and drank

2011-12-15T00:57:00.000-08:00

I had this brilliant ~~dumb~~ idea that I would start a new blog on tumblr. This blog would be called What I wore, bought, ate and drank. This blog would be dedicated to my favorite hobbies; clothes, shopping, food and drinking beer. The concept of the blog would be a little more focused unlike this blog where I post about food, angry rants and the occasional self-loathing rant. I managed to publish one post on tumblr which took several attempts. I tried to do another post and I have decided I cannot continue to use tumblr because my posts won't get published for some strange reason. I suspect tumblr is being overloaded by teenagers reposting videos of cats doing human things (like playing the piano or pooping in public) or guys getting hit in the groin.

Instead, I will just continue to manage one blog (which is much easier anyway) and create a new tag titled What I wore, bought, ate and drank (which I will refer to in real life as W.I.W.B.A.A.D because it is so much easier to say 7 letters out loud instead of saying one short sentence).

What I wore:

Blush Burgundy loose top, Target tanktop under the blouse, H&M pleated shorts, Zara boots.

The best part about these shorts is that they don't ride up your crotch, therefore, you avoid camel toe. I liked these shorts so much I bought three pairs and I stood in line at H&M for 45 minutes which is something I don't normally do and will never do again. Never.

What I bought:
A Honeywell space heater and a carbon monoxide detector. I have this dilemma: I turn on my heater but I don't feel like it is pumping out warm air. I haven't set the thermostat to high because I am afraid of a very expensive bill, so, I have spent the last two nights sleepless and shivering under the blanket. Also, as of today I am a little more convinced that my heater might be broken so it is just pumping out carbon monoxide slowly poisoning my brain.

What I ate:

Split Pea soup made from a bag of dry soup ingredients from Sierra Soups. It was comforting, delicious, and super healthy. I should add that not photographed is a giant bag of chips. ~~When~~ if there is a book written about me, there will be an entire chapter dedicated to my love and addiction to potato chips. Someone once told me there are worst things I could be addicted to like heroin. Chips would still kill me slowly and painfully via heart disease but heroin can kill me in an instant. So, it's a toss up.

And you already know what I drank.

On the 7th day... (I quit) 12 Holiday Beers

2011-12-14T23:59:00.000-08:00

I stopped by BevMo today only to be disappointed by their poor selection of holiday or seasonal beers. I didn't want to spend more than eight dollars a bottle so I walked away with a non-seasonal beer.
I really hate not finishing things so I'll post up to 12 beers some holiday and some not depending on the day.

New Belgium's Ranger (IPA)

I used to drink a lot of New Belgium Fat Tire and I still like that beer. A lot of people refer to New Belgium Brewery as the brewery that makes "chick beer" and perhaps it is because the founder and CEO is a woman. I personally do not like to genderize things (like calling cars "she") but this New Belgium beer's got some cajones. It's pretty hoppy.

The (Impossible) Christmas Wish List

2011-12-14T13:34:00.000-08:00

I called this wish list impossible not because I picked out items from the 2011 Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog where the items range from a $25 paper weight to a $1 million dancing fountain that can be installed in your home. Rich people are silly. This is a wish list of “things” I want that can’t actually be bought or given to you. Have you ever tried to come up with a list of jobs you wish you had that weren’t actually jobs but would be awesome if you got paid for it? This is kind of like that.

1.) Never get a traffic violation or a ticket.

2.) Have all my meals prepared for me.

3.) To never be too cold or too hot.

4.) To sleep in every morning.

5.) To be able to jog in stilettos.

6.) To eat or drink whatever I want without gaining a pound or degrading my health.

7.) To punch someone in the face (this will always be on my list of any sort).

8.) To never run out of things to watch.

9.) To never run out of things to wear.

10.) Have all of my debt erased (credit cards, car, student loans).

I guess this list isn’t impossible after all… I just need to be filthy rich or be a drag queen.

What's on your (impossible) Christmas wish list?

Photo is for added Christmas-spirit effect. They are ginger bread people I decorated as Occupy protestors.

cookies

2011-12-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

As someone recently told me, I am obsessed with taking photos. Here are some iPhone snapshots (I can see you rolling your eyes) from a Cookie Decorating Party I attended. Few people have heard of cookie decorating or cookie exchange parties. I was only introduced to this estrogen and sugar filled event two years ago.

On the sixth day... 12 Holiday Beers and Brussels Sprouts

2011-12-13T22:00:00.000-08:00

I've reduced the number to 12 because there is no way I can do 25 otherwise I will never get anything done at home because I would be drunk and asleep by 8 p.m. every night (and I already do that at least once a week).

Grizzly Brown Ale by Snowshoe Brewing Company

Not too malty, I can taste the hops. I like it.

For dinner I microwaved Brussels Sprouts. I know that sounds unappetizing but I feel like I need to make up for the way I have been eating lately (tons of pizza, bags and bags of potato chips to name a few) and for the first time in a really long time I have heartburn.

The Brussels Sprouts I cut in half, doused with Bragg's Liquid Amminos (which is like a better tasting soy sauce), Garlic Pepper Seasoning and Slat. I microwaved for about 3-5 minutes, the first 3 minutes with a wet paper towel over the sprouts. I enjoyed them, but I really like brussels sprouts. I am sure this would also be good with butter and bacon bits.

dubstep

2011-12-08T23:25:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I finally learned what Dubstep is all about. Apparently, dubstep is a whole new genre of music. The most prominent "dubstepper" (if that is what they are called) is some guy named Skrillex.

From what I gather, dubsteppers takes other people's music, remix them turn them techno/dance so it sounds like you've been listening to the same song for 5 hours when you've actually listened to 10. You could argue that dubstep is a lot like rap where artists sample songs, but in dubstep, the dubstepper does not actually sing or rap. I would compare dubstep to more like DJ-ing, but fake DJ where you use a lap top. Remember the days when DJs used to actually use vinyl and turntables? Anyway, I will let you make a decision about dubstep yourself.

Did you listen to the whole thing? Are your ears bleeding? Mine too.

Maybe I am finally getting too old but for me, music is something that invokes an emotion (one typically that makes me want to keep listening), something I can listen to while I'm driving, dancing, cleaning or just sitting in the dark. This song makes me want to hurt someone, in a bad way.

I should probably just accept dubstep because soon enough, every radio station will play Skrillex every 10 minutes. It's inevitable, like having to wear Spanx and eventually having to wear Life Alert.

On the fifth day... 12 Holiday Beers

2011-12-08T22:54:00.000-08:00

Anchor Steam Brewing's 2011 Holiday beer.
I didn't actually drink it tonight because my stomach isn't feeling too good. I just ate an entire box of Mary's Gone Crackers. I guess I don't feel as guilty about eating these crackers because they are oil free, dairy free and are made of whole grains. I know that sounds terrible and that you'd rather eat cardboard but they are tasty and very addicting.

That mulled cider scented candle smells like Christmas.

I'm only on my 5th Holiday beer and it's already Dec. 8th. Maybe on a night my stomach is feeling better I'll do 5 days worth of beers in one night.

On the Fourth Day... 12 Holiday Beers

2011-12-07T00:55:00.000-08:00

I got this beer at Cost Plus (World Market) today and I was disappointed I didn't shop as long as I did because I had to go to the bathroom (sorry guys!) so I cut my shopping time and went home. This is what I managed to grab from the beer section.

Bad Elf Winter's Ale
Ridgeway Brewing UK

I didn't realize I had already gotten a Ridgeway Brewing Christmas Beer (Warm Welcome) and I remember thinking that one was just ok and so is this.

I had kind of an annoying day and what's more annoying is not being able to take my time to shop.

Now I need to figure out how to fit 15 people into my apartment for Christmas dinner, which I am apparently hosting this year. Maybe I will make it "Japanese" theme so people sit on the ground.

Blogs are self-centered and so am I - Thanksgiving Holiday

2011-12-05T00:23:00.000-08:00

Having a blog is incredibly self-centered. We bloggers assume people care about what we are doing and our opinions. I am self-centered and what better way to showcase that self-centerdness than in gratuitous photos of myself (GPOY a.k.a Gratuitous Photos of Yourself. I learned this acronym from other self-centered bloggers). These are snapshots from the Thanksgiving holiday taken with all the fun phone photo apps.

Thanksgiving Appetite Enhancement Bike Ride

I put up my Christmas tree

I treated myself to a poor-man's home spa which consists of a cheap leave in mask for a facial and a janky manicure.

The following are images from my closet/dressing room/spare bedroom. I maintain that turning my spare bedroom into a closet was genius.

The Scarf Collection

The winter shoe collection. I am not much of a shoe person. I hate wearing stilettos or heels that are too high. I wish I liked wearing more sexy hooker shoes but I don't like my feet to hurt. Plus I can't run away from attackers or after a food truck if I am in stilettos. Message to men, women who say heels are more comfortable (and I've heard this) are totally full of sh*t.

Left to Right: Boutique 9, Zara ankle boots, Steve Madden cowboy boots, Indigo booties and Old navy wedge booties. I really want a pair of motorcycle boots.

My favorite Fall/Winter Flats

Gassing up

Siri (not to be confused with Suri, the child of Tom and Katie Cruise, although Suri might be able to do some of the things Siri can do)

2011-12-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

I recently upgraded to an iPhone 4S. Initially, I questioned my decision to get the more expensive 4S rather than the cheaper iPhone 4 because the only big difference to me was Siri, the personal assistant robot built into the 4S. I didn't think I'd ever use Siri, but I tested her* out this weekend.

Here's some of what I asked Siri.

Siri will be your designated driver...

Siri will be your Charlie Sheen and help you have a good time...

Siri will even be your accomplice...

But Siri will not be your friend. Ouch.

Siri is cold.

*I am going to refer to Siri as a she even she has told me she has no gender, although she has female voice.

On the third day... 12 Holiday Beers

2011-12-04T21:19:00.000-08:00

Port Brewing's Santa's Little Helper.
Imperial Stout
Delicious
10% alc. so this is guaranteed to give you a good time, or at least make everyone else in the room look ten times better so you shamelessly hit on every single person.

Cheers.

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

2011-11-22T22:43:00.001-08:00

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)

2011-11-21T23:51:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-20T22:50:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-18T00:43:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-17T22:33:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-17T22:19:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-16T23:26:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-11-16T01:08:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-15T22:45:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-13T20:27:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-10T21:04:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-11-10T02:42:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

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.

Filipino Spaghetti

2011-10-31T00:49:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I could tell just from the look of Spaghetti and sauce if it were made by a Filipino because it had hot dogs in it. Hot dogs in spaghetti are just as Filipino-American as serving hamburger patties with rice (instead of buns) at an outdoor cookout. I tried to make a version of that Spaghetti using Smart Dogs. Filipino Spaghetti is also sweet and a hint of sour.

My mother made this spaghetti that made her famous with all of my friends. She never used hot dogs but the taste was that distinct sweet and a hint of sour taste. Naturally, I always liked her spaghetti the best out of all of the spaghettis I had been served by aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins' cousins, etc. Whenever I recreate the sauce and the minute I taste it, I am transported right back to my childhood.

Recreating my mother's spaghetti is challenging without the use of oil or meat. Here is what I did.

Ingredients:

1 Can of Tomato Sauce (I also added 3 chopped tomatoes I skinned after boiling for some texture, and because I had tomatoes that were about to go bad)

1 Medium Onion chopped

3 Smart Dogs (sliced)

3 Cloves of Garlic

Mushrooms (to make the sauce a little more meaty)

Tomato Paste

Sugar*

Soy Sauce*

Vegetable Broth

*Soy Sauce was my mother's "Secret Ingredient." The combination of the soy sauce and sugar gives the sauce this really great flavor that's sweet and salty but does not overpower the tomato so you can tell you are still eating red tomato sauce.

What to do:

Brown chopped hot dogs in a non-stick pan (using veggie broth). Add onions, garlic and mushrooms and sautee.

Add tomato sauce, some veggie broth and tomato paste to thicken. Add tomato paste as desired to make the sauce thicker.

I don't exactly know how much soy sauce I used (maybe 2 TBS) and 2 TBS of sugar. I just tasted the sauce to my liking adding soy sauce or sugar as I needed.

Let the sauce cook on medium heat for sometime so the flavors meld. Season with a little bit of dry rub sage and S&P. Taste the sauce while cooking.

Pour over some whole wheat spaghetti and enjoy.

That stuff on top is this strange thing called Nutritional Yeast. I got some from Whole Foods and according to the trusty Internet, you can use it like you would parmesan. You can add it on popcorn or like in this case, on top of pasta sauce. I haven't made up my mind about it yet. I don't know if it made a difference.

The Smart Dogs gave the sauce a bit of a smoky flavor which I think worked well. This would be a poor man's spaghetti if it were real hot dogs. The dish was pretty good although it was not exactly like my mothers, but I am satisfied.

This dish is good for: Broke-ass people who don't have any ground beef but only cheap hotdogs as a protein (that is if you planned on using real hot dogs).

star shaped snack

2011-10-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

This was going to be a post about how I made some amazing whole wheat vegan oil-free pizza dough but on Saturday I couldn't do anything without having to stop every 30 seconds to blow my nose or wipe my watery swollen itchy eyes. I had experienced the worst allergy attack ever. All I could do was lay on the couch and I watched an ENTIRE season of The Next Iron Chef (with commercials and then some). When you watch the Food Network and the Cooking Channel all day, you end up wanting to eat and cook. Inspired by the contestants of The Next Iron Chef, I whipped up this Iron-Chef-Worthy snack...

Just kidding. They're sprouted wheat bread I cut in a star with a Christmas cookie cutter and I spread strawberry preserves on top.

This dish is great for: Kids and creepy adults who like to eat fun-shaped foods.

I want to introduce you to Dating On Demand

2011-10-28T01:43:00.000-07:00

I complain about Comcast a lot but I have to admit I really like the On Demand feature. You can watch past t.v. shows and movies. You can even shop for cars, look at real estate and find yourself a date." That's right. Dating on Demand (it's under the local section, so they're all people from the city you live in). Every now and then I will check out the ads so I can have something to laugh at.

The ads are short (about 1-2 minutes) and the people give a quick bio about themselves (their dream girl/guy, favorite thing about themselves, craziest place they've fooled around, hobbies, etc.). The ad also lists their name, age and occupation. I noticed that under occupation, a lot of them says, student, artist or (my favorite) N/A.

My favorite of the night is Maurice.
Age: 29
Username: CowboyReece
Occupation: N/A

He ends his ad with these words:
"You should date me because I am the best man you don't know about. I could show all that and uh.. I wanna say a whole lot more but my mother is sitting right here so once again I'ma keep it PG for TV. But if this was HBO, I'd be on Cat House and ya'll know what that is."

Rant: Project Runway Winner

2011-10-28T00:46:00.000-07:00

I don't know what is worse, the judges picking Anya as the winner of Project Runway, or me getting so worked up about it that I have dedicated the rest of my night googling what the press is saying about the finale and then googling the past winners' collections to compare.

(I recognize that I am one step away from cutting out letters from a magazine to use to write a threatening note to the show's producers.)

If you don't watch PR, you can save yourself from this rant and stop reading right now.

I think the judges have lost their minds (or I think they were under a lot of pressure to pick a "fan favorite" winner so they can keep their ratings because last year they picked Gretchen who was one of the most hated contestants and people got all up in arms on Twitter about it). The winner was a beauty queen from Trinidad who learned how to sew only four months before competing on the show. Throughout the entire competition, people helped her sew more complicating garments and she took a lot of shortcuts by sewing the models into the clothes instead of actually sewing on buttons and zippers. Yes, she designed some interesting clothes throughout the season but her collection in the finale were nothing but maxi dresses with a plunging v-neck. The judges commended her on her choice of patterns and fabrics, but I don't see how fabric choice can make you a good designer. In fact, the credit should go to the people who made the fabrics and the patterns.

The other designers were more interesting and innovative. Josh designed crazy looking clothes but he used unconventional materials and made clothes that at first glance were really loud and strange but I found them interesting. Kimberly and Viktor also made really great clothes that were chic and cool and can be worn anywhere. Anya's clothes you can only wear at the beach when you're on vacation. I was shocked the judges never mentioned Uli (from season 8) because that is who she reminded me of and the judges kept calling her clothes "resort wear" (and they didn't mean that in a good way). By the way, here is Uli's collection in the finale and her clothes are so much more diverse and designed than Anya's.

Anyway, it has been a disappointing season. I think I stopped being really impressed with this show after the season Christian Siriano won. By the way, Christian Siriano's 2012 Spring collection he showed at NYFW is fantastic. I love every single piece.

I am by no means a fashion expert, just someone who likes to go shopping and has too much time on her hands. Why are we so obsessed with fashion and why do people spend so much money on clothes? It's like a drug. I recognize how stupid it is but I also just can't help myself.

Reflections on Occupy Wall Street: I don't get it

2011-10-26T00:26:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to say it. I don't understand Occupy Wall Street. I don't get the movement's goal. I get they are angry about the growing economic disparity. Who isn't besides the "1%"? I get that they are angry they can't pay for college or health care. I get that they are outraged by the corruption on Wall Street. What I do not get is what exactly do they want to happen? Is there some sort of legislation they are urging the President to sign? Do they want legislators to create policy preventing banks from raising interest rates or putting caps on fees? Do they want the government to forgive student loans? By the way, I just read today that the President is going to reveal a new student-loan plan. As history proves, public demonstrations are extremely powerful when done right. Like, when women hit the streets demanding for their right to vote, or when African Americans marched to put an end to segregation, or when farm workers walked to fight for better labor conditions and when people today protest to pull out troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. Those public demonstrations I get. Hell, I even get the Berkeley Tree Sitters who lived in the trees for an entire year to prevent the destruction of the trees to make way for an athletic center. From what I gather about Occupy Wall Street, there is no clear leader, there is not one single goal and it is just a bunch of frustrated (and rightly so) people making a bunch of noise and wanting to make themselves feel better. I have no idea what they hope to accomplish in the end, because OWS will eventually end, you know when they bring out the tanks.

Plant-based Diet: The End

2011-10-25T23:35:00.000-07:00

Today was the official last day of my plant-based diet trial and as stated in my previous post, I would like to try to keep eating this way, at least when I am at home and when I can help it. So, as a final post for the PBD, I give you... popcorn that sort of mimics this Mexican snack called Durros or Duritos. I've only seen them at flea markets and once in a great while at a Mexican grocery store. The only way I can describe them is that they are like chips (but flour), deep fried, light, airy and shaped like a wheel. You pour this spicy lime sauce into the bag and shake it up and you can't stop eating them. They are usually sold at the stands where they have all the candy that may or may not be contaminated with lead. Anyway, this is suppose to be a "healthy" version of that using popcorn.

What you need:

Air popped popcorn (naked - no butter no salt). By the way you can get air popped popcorn just with kernels and a paper lunch bag closed then put in the microwave. That's how I do it. I'm cheap.
Lime juice (doesn't have to be freshly squeezed)
Tapatio

What to do:

Stir lime juice and Tapatio in a small bowl (and you can add as much Tapatio as your tongue can handle).
Pour over the popcorn and toss. Yes some of the popcorn gets soggy so eat fast and don't pour too much. I actually do like the popcorn a little soggy.

Enjoy with a beer while watching biker dudes make some heads roll-- literally. Tonight's episode of Sons of Anarchy is brutal.

Saturday Night Arts and Crafts... One step away from Scrapbooking?

2011-10-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

I like to think I could be one of those crafty people who can DIY like a mo' fo'... but I'm not sure I can, nor do I have the patience.

Here's a really cool pumpkin decorating idea I got from The Swede Records blog and hers turned out so much better than mine, but it was fun to do. A little messy, a little dangerous-- that's how I like to spend my Saturday night.

What you need:

A pumpkin (I used a fake one from Target)
Crayons (I got a 24 crayon box for 66 cents)
A lighter (a bbq lighter works best)

What to do:

Just melt the crayon and let it drip over the pumpkin. Be careful no to splatter everywhere because melted crayon on your dining table is bad. Take it from me.

I didn't have a BBQ lighter so I had to improvise. The pocket lighter kept burning my thumb so I had to keep lighting matches. I eventually would let the paper of the crayons burn and let the crayon drip. If you choose this method, keep a bowl of water nearby because the paper can suddenly burn fast so you have to throw in the crayon into the bowl of water. Just go get yourself a BBQ lighter.

So it kind of looks like a bird crapped out a rainbow on the pumpkin... but I still think it's cool.

Plant-based Diet Days 25-27: Green Bean Casserole (Thanksgiving Sides)

2011-10-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

I only have three days left of the plant-based diet and since it's Sunday, this morning was my official weigh in, so today might as well be the last day. Today I weigh 7.3 lbs. less from when I started the PBD 30 (or 35, if you count my cheating week) days ago and I could not be more pleased with the results. I am amazed that I lost that weight without very much exercise and with all of the cheating I did! I cheated almost everyday, but significantly decreasing my intake of oil, meat and dairy still made a huge difference. So, I have decided that I am going to adopt this as a lifestyle. I will occasionally eat meat and dairy, but certainly not on a daily basis or a weekly basis. I have decided that any food I keep or cook at home will be oil-free, dairy-free and meat free (unless I have guests). I wouldn't call myself a vegetarian or a vegan, but someone who does not often eat meat, dairy, oil or processed flour.

{Sidebar rant about vegans and vegetarians: I can't stand most vegans or vegetarians because they don't eat meat for really stupid reasons like they don't want to hurt animals or some hippie dippy sh*t. I was watching Iron Chef the other night and it was a vegetarian battle. The competitor was a vegetarian chef but she used like 5 lbs. of butter and deep fried everything. Obviously, she is not vegetarian for health reasons. She might as well eat bacon because it's so much more enjoyable than broccoli drenched in butter.}

Thanksgiving is coming up and my favorite part about the Thanksgiving meal are the sides. I don't get excited about the turkey, not even the ham. The side dishes for me are the star. Over the weekend, I wanted to try to make one of my favorite sides, the green bean casserole, but oil and dairy free. I am really pleased with the result. I have been having a lot of success in the kitchen lately. Either my palette is evolving to like this type of food better, or I am just getting better at cooking.

The Healthiest and Easiest Green Bean Casserole

What you need:

(Serves about 2-4 people depending how much you eat. If you eat it as a main dish like I do, this yields 2 large servings)

1 or 1.5 14.5 oz cans of chopped green beans

A package of white mushrooms (sliced)

1/2 of an onion

3 Cloves of garlic (or 1.5 TBS of pre-minced garlic)

2 TBS of whole wheat flour (or pastry flour which would work better)

3/4 cup of soy creamer (or full-fat unsweetened soy milk)

3/4 cup (and some) of vegetable broth

1 TBS white whine (or sherry. I think red wine vinegar would also work here)

1 TBS of sage dry rub (or just dry sage, or herbs de provence)*

S&P

2 (or more depending how much you make) slices of sprouted whole wheat bread. I used the ends of old bread I had.

Onion powder or Onion salt

*You can really take liberties with how you season the green beans. You can add cayenne pepper, use some type of pre-mixed seasoning like Emeril's special seasoning. I found that the sage dry rub gave the beans a really good earthy flavor and went well with the mushrooms. Also, remember to be liberal with the seasoning because since you aren't using any fat, you really want the dish to be full of flavor from the seasoning.

What to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 415 degrees.

THE TOPPING

Tear the pieces of bread and put in food processor to make bread crumbs. Add onion powder and salt (or just onion salt). This topping will give you that breaded deep fried onion flavor without the deep fried crunchy onions.

THE GREEN BEANS AND MUSHROOMS

1.) Chop the onions and sautee/braise in a little bit of vegetable broth along with the garlic and mushrooms. S&P and cook until onions and mushrooms are cooked.

2.) In a small bowl, whisk the flour and vegetable broth so you don't get large lumps.

3.) Pour the vegetable flour mixture into the pan with onions and mushrooms along with the tablespoon of sherry. Stir. The mixture gets very thick because of the wheat flour so you will likely need to add more vegetable broth.

4.) Add green beans and soy creamer. Add sage or any other seasoning you like. Continue to stir and add more broth if the mixture gets too thick. The mixture looks a little weird and almost too thick but you will cook off the flour flavor in the oven.

5.) Pour the green bean mushroom mixture into a casserole dish and top with the bread crumbs.

6.) Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bread crumbs are browned.

The bread crumbs brown without butter or oil and still gives a little bit of a crunchy texture to contrast with the creamy green beans.

You will end up eating a lot of this dish :)

Next I want to try:

Stuffing, Whole-wheat pizza dough and cupcakes (which is going to be a huge challenge!)

New Whips

2011-10-23T02:00:00.001-07:00

I love my new car not because J.Lo did a commercial for it--that is just an unfortunate coincidence. The worst part about J.Lo doing that commercial is that people keep telling me that I have the same car as J.Lo and now when I drive I hear that stupid song in my head Jenny from the Block. I wanted this car before J.Lo's commercial. Ok. Rant over.

I love the FIAT 500 because...
It's got everything I want in a car (hatchback, affordable, doesn't sit low, has lots of cup holders.. These are my non-negotiables).

The inside looks like a MAC product, but also looks sort of vintage.

It's compact for city living. No more backing into cars when parallel parking.

and... Luigi is a FIAT 500... A character from Cars, one of my favorite movies of all time (my favorite Pixar movie). Well except he's yellow and a cabriolet.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Plant-Based Diet Day 24: Fashion trends to get excited about

2011-10-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

I had a terrible affair today and like all affairs, you go home at the end of the day trying to wash out the dirty-- in my case sweat it out on the bike.

This morning I had another record low weigh-in, but I am pretty sure it will all go up again next week... but for now here's the stats:

Weight Loss since Day 1 of PBD: 7.3 lbs.
Total weight loss since I've been tracking my weight back in March: 30 lbs.

I went down one pant-size a couple of months ago and I didn't blog about it because I had only bought one pair of jeans so I wasn't sure if I really did go down a pant-size. But, I recently went shopping for a bunch of pants and I guess I have officially gone down a pant-size.

Since we are on the subject about pants... I have noticed a couple of trends I am super pumped about. First, I should say I am OBSESSED with fashion blogs and I have no idea why. One day, I just stumbled onto some random girl's blog and she posted her daily outfits, then the next thing I'm following like 20 girls and spend most of my work day looking through their blogs. The girls are all skinny bitches with perfect skin.
Anyway, I have seen the girls on these blogs sport elastic waisted pants and skirts. If elastic waisted pants in jersey material come back, I will be in heaven. It'll be like wearing sweat pants. I'm also excited about boxy sweaters and tops and no more super-tight-the-girls-are-popping-out-and-my-back-fat-is-showing tops.

Plant-based Diet Day 23: Domestic

2011-10-19T00:59:00.000-07:00

How domestic am I that I am making and freezing my own frozen dinners to bring for lunch? Pretty damn domestic.

This generic food saver I got from Woot.com during a Woot-Off is one of my favorite purchases ever.

Things I bought that I love or regret

2011-10-19T00:50:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start posting about things I bought because really, I want you all just to validate my purchases for me. I'm posting them under the tag "Things I bought, love it or regret it?". As you can see, I have sort of remodeled my bog. I wanted to make the blog a little less random and have a more organized chaos to it, so, I have created "categories" and will tag each blog under a category from now on.

Voluspa Candles

Candles are romantic and set the mood. One of my favorite things to do when the day is over is to light up these candles, sit on the floor, blog or watch t.v. These candles keep your house smelling like you've just walked into an Anthropologie Department Store. Love.

Plant-based Diet Day 22: Eventful Night

2011-10-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

Last night I skipped dinner.
I cheated at Lunch.
I spent the entire night laying on the couch flipping channels (I know, how 90s of me).
I fell asleep on the couch.
I fell asleep watching Gillian's 30 Day Shred Workout video On Demand. I didn't fall asleep working out, I was already laying on the couch when I turned it on and said to myself, oh yeah, I could totally do what she's doing.

On the bright side, I hit another record low weigh-in.

Plant-based Diet Day 21: I had an affair

2011-10-17T00:31:00.000-07:00

Day 21 Rundown:

1.) I'm coming clean and I had an affair. At Sizzler of all places. I was at a lunch with my family for my dad's bday. I had plenty of options, but yet, I couldn't resist.

2.) I tried to exercise away the guilt of the affair.

3.) The latest episode of Boardwalk Empire has unnecessarily a lot of boobies.

4.) I started a Tumblr a few months ago and decided to tell you now. I don't know why I started one. I guess because all of the kids are doing it. I have no followers and I follow one person. You don't have to follow me. I don't care.

5.) It's going to be one of those nights I can't sleep.

6.) I spend too much time on the computer and I am going to try to quit.

7.) I made a gigantic pot of Lentil and potato soup. I didn't write down the recipe I just kept adding stuff to the soup as I cooked and tasted. It turned out pretty good, but I haven't really eaten a big bowl of it yet.

8.) I had a really good Saturday and Sunday

9.) This morning's weigh in is what I call an "official" weigh in since it's Sunday morning and I weigh 5 lbs. lighter than when I first started the PBD. I looked back on my previous weigh-ins from when I was counting calories and I lost about 5-6 lbs. a month when I counted calories and exercised everyday. I lost 5 lbs. in about 4 weeks on the PBD (without counting cals or exercising regularly). I'm counting the week I cheated.

10.) I hope you and your loved ones are well and happy. (I wrote this because I need the list to be 10, not 9 because that would be weird. Instead of writing something stupid, I decided I would write something stupid and cheesy but genuine).

Plant-Based Pancakes

2011-10-15T23:42:00.000-07:00

I have had this craving for pancakes (and I hardly ever eat pancakes). I wanted to see if I could make a pancake without using oil, butter or eggs and, shockingly, it is possible AND it's good (and super easy)!

You can make this batter the night before and have it for breakfast the next day like what I just did -- but for the purposes of this blog (and an excuse for a night snack), I assembled a stack.

What you need:

1 cup of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (pastry flour works best)
1 tbs. Sugar
2 tbs. Baking powder
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 cup soy milk
2 tbs. apple sauce (this is the substitute for oil)*
1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)

*Apple sauce can be used as an oil and butter substitute-- but only for some food. Apple sauce would not work for cookies but it can be used for brownies and I'm not sure about cake.

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients with a whisk.
Add wet ingredients and whisk until well combined (no lumps)

Heat on med-high heat a non-stick pan, then pour batter onto the hot pan and use a spatula to turn. I like to make mini pancakes so I use a small ice cream scoop. The pancake cooks fast (especially the mini-ones) so turn over the pancake after about 30 seconds.

(Three minis make about one large)

Top with 100% Maple Syrup and the fruit of your choice.

The pancakes were nice and fluffy and not dry at all, which I expected because I didn't use oil.

I highly recommend this recipe. It literally takes 15 minutes to make and minimal dishes which is a huge plus.

Plant-Based Diet Days 19-20: Tips and Sweet and Sour Chow Mein

2011-10-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

I do not remember what I ate Friday, but I think I stayed "good." I do think my cheating may be catching up with me because I am not really losing as much weight at the rate I was when I started in the first week and my weight is fluctuating too much.

What I love about a non-busy weekend is the time you can spend planning your meals and cooking.
This morning I made hash browns with "Sausage"and mushrooms. For dinner, I made Sweet and Sour Chow Mein and it is one of my more successful dishes because so far it is one of my favorites.

Before I share the recipe here are a few tips I've learned while doing the PBD.

Tip #1: Stock your pantry with plenty of vegetable stock/broth...
And always keep it where you can easily reach it while cooking. Cooking without oil has been the most challenging thing for me. I have ruined 2 non-stick pans while "sauteing" onions or just trying to cook potatoes. I use veggie stock as a base to saute or braise vegetables and because it evaporates quickly, always have it on hand and use more when things start to stick. You can also use water but the stock will give you much more flavor.

Tip #2: Seasoning
Stock your pantry with a wide variety of seasonings. Because I've been cooking without meat or any type of fat or dairy, the food can get very bland. When you cook a really good piece of steak, all you really need is salt and pepper but I can't say the same for vegetables or mushrooms. Some of my favorites are chili powder, cumin, paprika, curry powder, grill seasoning, creole seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and some dry herbs.

Tip #3: Sauces
Like seasoning, keep a pantry full of sauces (which also works for lazy cooking). The must haves are hot sauces (get a variety), soy sauce, tamari or liquid aminos (which I don't have but is highly recommended by the PBD), BBQ sauce, Sweet & Sour/Stir Fry, etc. All of these sauces are oil-free and use wheat flour.

Tip #4: Frozens
I highly recommend buying some frozen vegetables, frozen fruit and frozen brown rice. I have a hard time going through all of my fresh produce before they go bad, so for some vegetables and fruit I buy frozen. I recommend frozen green beans, zucchini, broccoli, strawberries/berries (for smoothies) and frozen brown rice you can cook in the bag using a microwave (this is incredibly convenient). Fresh vegetables, however, do taste much better than frozen.

Tip #5: Canned and pre-packaged
I'm not as concerned about being "green" as I am concerned about being inconvenienced. I like to buy canned tomatoes, canned beans and pre-packaged vegetable mixes. I know buying pre-packaged produces more pollution and I love the rain forest and all, but I like significantly reducing my cooking time better.

Sweet and Sour Chow Mein
1 very large serving or 2 servings

What you need:

- Broccoli Slaw (pre-packaged and from Super Wal-Mart. You can also cut up your own broccoli, carrots and any vegetables of your choosing. The pre-packaged saves you so much work).
- Onion (a quarter)
- Minced garlic (half a TBS.)
- Fresh pack of chow mein noodles (use the Annie Chun brand because there is no oil and it is within the PBD rules. Also, there are two packs in the bag and I only used one).
- Celery (1 Stalk)
- Sweet and Sour Sauce (a generous 4 TBS)*
- Soy Sauce (2 TBS if low sodium)
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- S&P
- Vegetable Stock (for braising)

*A little bit of the sauce goes a long way but use your own judgement on how much you use. Just make sure to use enough to coat all of the ingredients.

What to do:

Heat up a wok then reduce heat to medium and cover the bottom with vegetable stock. Throw in the chopped onions and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes to soften the onion then add celery and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add half a bag of the broccoli slaw mix along with the soy sauce. Cover the wok and cook for about 3 minutes. Season with a little S&P (not too much because you still have to put in the sauce!) The key is to not over cook the vegetables so make sure they still have some crunch. Put the vegetables aside on a plate.

Using the same wok, cover the bottom of the wok with stock and add one pack of noodles. The noodles come out in a block but just be patient it will start to separate after about 5 minutes. Watch carefully and keep adding broth if the noodles start to stick to the pan. Make sure not to add too much broth because you don't want a soup--just enough to not make the noodles stick. Cover and let cook for five minutes, but keep checking (carefully breaking up the block with a spatula because you do not want to end up chopping up the noodles into small pieces).

When the noodles have loosened up, turn the heat from medium to low (this is important because you don't want the noodles to get soggy). Add about two tablespoons of the Sweet and Sour sauce, stir and cook for 1 min. Then add the vegetables and add more Sweet and Sour Sauce along with red pepper flakes. Give it a good careful stir, take it off the heat and serve.

Obviously, you can use Stir Fry or Chow Mein sauce (though it may contain oil), but the sweet and sour gave it so much flavor. For a meat option, you can add leftover chicken (like if you buy the rotisserie from the grocery store) or stir fry some meat with the sauce. Trust me, you do not miss the meat in the vegetable version :)

Ride or Die Chicks

2011-10-14T01:20:00.000-07:00

The Ride or Die Chick is the type of woman who inspires rap songs (but then so do strippers). The type of woman who sticks with her man no matter what he is involved in. Dr. Phil had a show about Ride or Die Chicks and according to Dr. Phil, the Ride or die chick is the type of woman who will never leave her man even if he cheats and is involved in a criminal activity. Now, you may think that woman is weak, pathetic and desperately needs to be rescued--but I think that they are more than that. The way I see a ride or die chick is a woman who does whatever it takes to keep herself happy and if keeping herself happy is to keep her man happy, then that's what she'll do -- even if it takes cleaning up after him.

I write about the ride or die chick because it just occurred to me that the women in some of my favorite shows are the perfect representations of the ride or die chick (and frankly I'm getting bored blogging about my plant-based diet).

Margaret Schroeder, Boardwalk Empire

She was a battered wife and is now the woman of an important, powerful and very corrupt man. Her man now (Nucky Thompson), ordered the death of her husband and she was outraged when she found out about the order and when she found out about his other illegal activities, but she put her morals aside and eventually looked the other way. Why? Because now she lives the life of a privileged housewife. Margaret has even gone as far as destroying incriminating evidence for her man without him knowing or asking. Now, that is a big gesture of loyalty to him and to their status quo.

Skyler White, Breaking Bad

Skyler is on the cusp for me because when she found out her husband was cooking meth, she divorced his ass and wanted nothing to do with him or his money. Of course until she needed that money for something else like pay for her brother in law's physical therapy and rehab. She then helps her ex-husband (Walt) keep his meth cooking hidden and she is now fully engaged in some illegal activity.

Gemma Teller-Morrow, Sons of Anarchy

Gemma is the quintessential ride or die chick in my book. She not only does whatever it takes to keep her man and son happy but to also keep the "club" together, even if that means keeping the secret of who murdered the father of her son. She is also always packin' heat.

Here' a scene from the latest episode (with some background info):

A nasty skanky porn star is at their shop and won't leave (because she just banged one of the married dudes). Gemma (along with her soon to be daughter in law) both get their cat claws out to ward off the porn star. The porn star won't leave and her daughter in law his all up in the skank's face telling her to leave . Gemma says to the porn star (in referencing to her daughter in law), "Bitch, she will rip your little tits off." Yep. Gemma is a ride or die chick.

Plant-based Diet 18: Veggie Sando

2011-10-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

Today I had white rice noodles in a little bit of chicken broth and that was my only cheat, and to me, that is just flirting with someone when you're married.

I went out to happy and after having almost 3 beers, I was really hungry. That means if I had drank a full 3 beers, I would've fallen asleep early but I wouldn't be able to share with you this awesome dinner I just had.

Veggie Sandwich

What you need:

Sprouted Wheat Bread (or any bread without oil. I prefer the Alvarado St. brand. In this case I used hot dog buns, but you can also use regular bread slices).

Cucumbers (a couple of slices)

Lettuce

Pickles

Pepperoccinis

Tomato

Avocado

Red onion

Mustard (I like dijon)

What to do:

First make a guacamole. This is optional but used the guacamole to spread on the bread and it was fantastic. Smash up the avocado in a small bowl with onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Taste and add seasonings as you wish. I also added a couple of splashes of Cholula hot sauce (optional)

Build the sandwich:

Spread generous amount of mustard on one side of the bun and another generous serving of the guacamole on the other.

Layer the veggies: lettuce, tomato cucumbers, pickles onions and pepporccinis.

Eat leftover guacamole with oil-free tortilla chips (which are almost impossible to find) but I found the La Reina baked chips at Whole Foods (make sure it's the unsalted kind. The salted have oil).

Weight: +1.2 lbs. from yesterday and that could be from the cheating or from eating salty foods. Anyway, my weight fluctuates throughout the day and throughout the week so I am not too worried about it.

P.S. Tonight, I am watching that show Revenge (the "g" is actually an infinity sign). This show is about a young woman getting revenge on a bunch of rich people in the Hamptons. The dudes wear double popped collars and khakis with crabs on them.

Plant-based Diet Day 17: Rules Revised

2011-10-11T23:25:00.000-07:00

Before I get to my post I would like to go on a rant (since I have no one physically around me to rant to) about how annoyed I am with my DVR. I recorded the season finale of Breaking Bad which aired Sunday. I finally got around to watching the show and I am very confused in the first couple of minutes because it seemed like the ending. I thought maybe it was a Tarantino-esque episode where things are out of order. I was wrong. It was the ending. My stupid DVR has decided to record the encore episode and since the show doesn't quite start exactly on the hour or end on the hour, it overlaps and records the end of the previous episode. Now I know how it ends before I know how it begins. Nice.

*end of rant*

I have revised my rules. Also, to make up for my cheating (in categories 3 and 4), I have to exercise a half hour extra and not break the rules the following day. Hopefully this will encourage me to not break the rules because I really hate to have to spend extra time on the exercise bike. If I don't cheat at all, I don't have to exercise. I think I can live with these rules enough to adopt this as a lifestyle.

Level 1: Checking out a hot guy or lady while married
Whole wheat bread with oil in it
Spray olive oil (as long as I only use no more than 2 sprays)

Level 2: Flirting with a hot young guy or lady while married
White Rice
Veggies that were sauteed in oil
Dressing with oil
Fish (if it is baked and not breaded) - as long as it's only once a week
One slice of cheese on a sandwich

Level 3: Engaged in some sexual act with someone else while married
Breaded fish - baked
Shrimp
EggsCheese - Lots of cheese like a mac and cheese dish or nachos
A big bag of potato chips
French Fries
Deep fried veggies (like tempura veggies)
Chocolate candy bars

Level 4: Involved in an affair and you're keeping two cell phones, one for your real life and one for your ho.
Chicken
Steaks
Hamburgers
Pork (Carnitas, pork chops, bacon, pork belly, etc.)
Any deep fried meat (that includes breaded fish)
Donuts, Cakes and anything that has heavy cream like custards.

This morning I weighed in the lowest I have ever weighed since I started tracking and I really think it's because of my beer only dinner, which means I need to rethink about stopping that. The bad thing about weighing the lowest is it makes me want to cheat and I did today. I engaged in some sexual act with someone else while married, but I did get some exercise in (not the extra time though).

This dish literally took 15 minutes -- maybe even less (3 min. prep time).

BBQ Portabella Mushrooms over Brown Rice (1-2 Servings)

Ingredients:
2 Portabella mushroom caps
Oil-free BBQ sauce (about a cup or cup and a half)
Hot sauce (optional and if you want it spicy you can use spicy bbq sauce)
Vegetable Broth (a couple of table spoons)

Sautee cut up mushroom caps in a non stick pan, pour a couple of tablespoons of broth to help the sautee. Cook for about 2 min. until the caps reduce and release some liquid. Reduce to low heat and pour BBQ sauce of choosing enough to cover all of the mushroom and add hot sauce if you want. Mix and cover and let cook until mushrooms are tender and cooked to your liking.

You can add a little salt and pepper but the BBQ sauce already has so much flavor that you don't really need it. Serve over brown rice or a bed of steamed veggies. Portabella mushrooms are very meaty so they work great as a main dish.

You can also bake the mushroom caps whole with BBQ sauce and eat it in a bun, but baking takes a lot longer.

Weight: -5.8 lbs. since day 1 of PBD

Plant-based Diet Day 16: New Rules

2011-10-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

I cheat everyday and I am starting to feel less guilty about it which is bad, but I think because in my mind there are different degrees of cheating. It's kind of like sin, you know different degrees of sin (except I don't think that's right. I think I remember learning in Sunday School that a sin is a sin).

Here's the foods in regards to how bad the "cheat" was:

Checking out a hot guy or lady while married
Whole wheat bread with oil in it
Spray olive oil (as long as I only use no more than 2 sprays)

Flirting with a hot young guy or lady while married
White Rice
Veggies that were sauteed in oil
Dressing with oil
Fish or shrimp
One slice of cheese on a sandwhich

Engaged in some sexual act with someone else while married
Fried Chicken
Cheese - Lots of cheese like a mac and cheese dish or nachos
A big bag of potato chips
French Fries
Pretty much deep fried foods

Involved in an affair and you're keeping two cell phones, one for your real life and one for your ho.
Steaks
Hamburgers
Carnitas
Bacon, or Pork Belly
Also deep fried anything

Meals for Day 16
Breakfast: Bowl of fruit
Lunch: Bowl of udon vegetable soup (I think Udon may not be allowed on this diet, but I have to double check. Also, the broth had some sesame oil in it).
Dinner: 3 beers, which again, makes me look like an alcoholerexic so I'm going to have to stop doing that. The thing about getting just the right amount of "drunk" is that you aren't hungry, you end up going to bed at 8 p.m. and wake up feeling great because you've just gotten so much sleep.

Plant-based Diet Day 15 (Again)

2011-10-09T22:21:00.000-07:00

I think Day 15 is where it all totally fell apart for me so I am going to pick up at Day 15.
I weighed in this morning and I weigh 2.7 lbs. less than when I first started, but that is not the lowest I have weighed because I did gain back about 2 lbs. from all of the cheating.

Meals

Breakfast:
Black beans over brown rice topped with fresh scallions and tons of Cholula.
Iced Coffee

Lunch:
Veggie sandwich from the Sandwich Spot (no mayo, no special sauce, no cheese). The sandwich was still delicious and completely satisfying. It is made up of lettuce, avocado, tomato, pickles, cucumbers, pepperoncinis and mustard on a whole wheat roll. The wheat roll I'm sure contains oil because it is nearly impossible to find oil-free bread but this "cheat" I am going to let slide.

Dinner:
I had fish and rice from a restaurant, so obviously that is a cheat but I was out for my dad's birthday. At least I stayed away from the bbq pulled pork ;)

Plant-based Diet Days ???

2011-10-08T23:13:00.000-07:00

I am going to erase this past week because I cheated. I cheated like the way Don Draper cheats on his wife.

I have gained back some of the weight I lost while I was on the plant-based diet. The good news is that even in the short amount of time I have adopted the plant-based diet, I feel like I have conditioned myself to stock my pantry and fridge with healthier options. When I grocery shop, I do not buy any meat, eggs or cheese. I also try to buy oil-free products. Eating plant-based only foods at home is easy. I cheat when I am out. This past week, there was catered food in my office (breakfast and lunch) everyday. When I walk into the office (hungry because I am always starving in the morning) and the first thing I smell is bacon and eggs, I just cannot resist.

Anyway, on this Saturday night, I am sitting on the floor (which I like to do), laptop in front of me, have my scented candles lit up, drinking a chocolate strawberry smoothie while watching a movie about Amanda Knox on the Lifetime Movie Network (I have a strange relationship with this channel. I hate them, they hate women, but yet, I think we need each other).

Here's a quickie smoothie I like to treat myself post-workout (except tonight I skipped the work out)

What you'll need:

A handfull of frozen strawberries, Chocolate Almond Milk and an immersion blender.

Pour in about a cup and half of the almond milk (or however much you want depending on your desired consistency. I like to start with a little bit first), then blend away.

It kind of has this purple-y color that may turn you off but it is delicious and refreshing.

Plant-based Diet Days 15-18

2011-10-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

I've been slacking with blogging, with my diet with my thesis and with life in general. I am a slacker.
I live in America. I can spend a majority of my days in front of a computer and in front of a television. Don't judge me.

Thursdays are the best nights for comedy:
Community
Parks and Rec
The Office
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
(Project Runway - which isn't a comedy but it can be)

A list of things to do at 3:00 a.m.

2011-10-04T03:26:00.000-07:00

So I woke up thinking it is about 5:30 a.m. and figure I will stay up (since I am wide awake) until I have to go to work around 8:00-8:30. It turns out it's 3:00 a.m. What does one do when wide awake at three in the morning?

Just to name a few at the top of my head:

Watch infomercials and online dating commercials
Knit a sweater
Read an inspirational book because usually when I am up this early and can't get back to bed it typically means I am in an either bad, irritated or sad mood (or ill).
Play words with friends
Rethink my life goals and plans
Work on my music/poetry/art -- you know if I were the artsy type.
Write an essay
Facebook stalk people
Online shop
Scrapbook -- if I were a suburban housewife
Drink a bottle of wine while browsing the web for photos of Tyson Beckford-- if I were an upper middle class suburban housewife.

Does anyone remember Party Line? Where you'd call (from your land line) some 800 or 900 number and group chat with random people? You'd have to come up with some sort of alias like SweetBaby or CuteChick or IAmSlutty. It's the AOL Chat Room versions for people who weren't rich enough to have the internet back in the 90s. I think I remember calling that number when I was in junior high this time of night. I am pretty sure that is when all the rapists and pedophiles called in. I can't believe I am still alive.

Plant-based Diet Days 13 & 14: The Weekend

2011-10-02T23:55:00.000-07:00

The weekend was full of cheats, but even with cheating, cutting back on just meat alone (and most oils and dairy) seems to have a really big impact on my weight loss. I am also probably getting healthier just cutting back on red meat (which I ate a lot of) and oil.

I don't know why I keep posting photos of my food because I don't even think they look all that appetizing, but here's some of what I had all weekend.

Saturday Breakfast: "Sausage" breakfast tacos
I used Gimmelean breakfast sausage that is oil-free. Cooked it up with some onions and ate it with a green chile corn tortilla, Cholula hot sauce and scallions. What this taco needed was some roasted potatoes.

The fake sausage was not as bad as I thought it would be because it still had a lot of the "sausage" flavor which I was craving, so it satisfied.

Saturday Dinner: Garlic Mashed with gravy, steamed green beans and grilled corn

I have trying to perfect gravy. This time, sauteed the onions in white wine and veggie broth, put a lot of soy sauce, only a little bit of wheat flour and a corn starch slurry (corn starch with a little bit of water) to thicken up the gravy. I let that simmer and reduce for a long time. The flavor was intense because of the soy sauce so at little goes a long way. Also, to make things easier for me, I microwaved the green beans (which were frozen) and the fresh corn. I then placed the corn on the stove to get the burned parts, which I like.

Sunday Dinner: Mushroom Cacciatore

I used a Rachel Ray recipe which I modified a little and the dish turned out fantastic. I have made enough cacciatore for a family of 10 so I guess I will have cacciatore for breakfast lunch and dinner... for an entire month.

*Modifications: Instead of using a red chile, I used red pepper flakes and I used red peppers instead of cubanelle peppers and I added about two or three tbs. of tomato paste. I also did not use any oil. The portabella mushrooms holds a lot of liquid they release when cooked down. I did not need oil to saute or brown them. Quick tip, do not salt the mushrooms until they've been browned because the salt draws out the liquid and it takes the browning process a lot longer.

Since it is Sunday, I am going to count this morning's weigh in as actual weight loss. I am down 4.7 lbs. from when I started 13 days ago.

Day 12: Name that Tune

2011-09-30T23:02:00.000-07:00

I went out to dinner with some friends. I cheated. I had cheese, I had something that was deep fried, I had eggs, I had a little bit of ice cream and I don't want to talk to about it.

Instead I shot a video of me playing the guitar with my ~~awesome~~ guitar skills.

Name that Tune.

Hint:
The title of the song has a food in it

I only played the first verse. My fingers hurt now.

Please don't repost this.

P.S. I was down .2 lbs this morning.

Plant-based Diet Days 10 & 11: High on a Low

2011-09-29T22:04:00.000-07:00

On Day 10, I had gained a pound and a half and the crazy thing is this morning when I weighed myself I lost 2.2 lbs. which puts me at 4.7 lbs. lighter than when I first started the PBD (Plant-based Diet). Also, this morning I had weighed in the lightest I have ever been since I started tracking my weight back in March.

A couple of things since starting the PBD:

1.) I eat less because I feel full most of the time.
2.) I no longer crave meat or cheese as much as I once did, but I do still crave a little oil and butter especially in my cooking.
3.) Eating at ton of carbs does not make you gain weight which goes against everything I had been conditioned to think. As long as you eat carbs that are whole wheat, not processed and with no oil and low in fat, you can eat as much as you want.
4.) I don't know if I feel better than I did when I ate meat, but I do know that I do not feel bad at all. Actually, today, I had eaten a stir-fry dish that was oily (and I asked for no oil!) and I felt pretty gross and sick after eating the dish.

Day 10 Meals
Breakfast:
Whole Wheat Tortilla
V8

Lunch:
P.F. Chang's Buddha's Feast (Steamed)

Dinner:
3 Beers
I realize that makes me look like an alcoholerix or just a plain alcoholic, but I am not. I promise. I just was not hungry.

Day 11 Meals
Breakfast:
Vegetable Breakfast Sandwich from Old Soul (which is a cheat because I was on a high with my low weigh in and I wanted to treat myself. The sandwich consists of sauteed veggies in balsamic vinegar, avocado spread and english muffin that I'm sure contained butter).

Lunch:
Eggplant and veggies in black bean sauce from Ma Jong's which turned out to be super greasy. I ate about half of the dish.

Dinner:
What I would call Pasta with mushroom "creamy" sauce. I tried to make a type of white wine reduction sauce with mushrooms but it is impossible without using butter or oil. What I did instead was braise onions, garlic and white button mushrooms in a little bit of veggie broth and white wine and reduced the sauce. I added a little bit of wheat flour to thicken the sauce to make it "creamy". I also rehydrated a mix of dry mushrooms (crimini, oysters and portabella) in veggie broth then added the mushrooms and veggie broth into the sauce. I then reduced the sauce some more, then added instant brown gravy I had made for added flavor.

The dish turned out pretty good. I think the mushrooms and the gravy gave the pasta a good earthy flavor. I am not sure if the instant gravy is a cheat because it contained enriched flour -- but did not contain beef or oil.

Wheat pasta is kind of an amazing food because I always feel really full after eating half of the serving I would normally eat with white pasta.

In other news about my exciting life that you all wish you had...

My phallic cactus is dead. I thought it was impossible to kill a cactus, apparently not with me.

R.I.P Cactus. You had an awesome 2 weeks of living with me.

Plant-based Diet Day 9: My legion of Twitter followers grew by one

2011-09-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 9th day of my plant based diet and I feel like all I do when I am home is cook, wash the dishes, cook, wash the dishes, watch t.v., wash dishes, check facebook and so forth.

Wearing my gear, my cooking face and weapons of choice.

Meals
Breakfast:
2 Tortilla
V8

Lunch:
P.F. Chang's Buddha's Feast (steamed) over brown rice. I put the spicy mustard and soy sauce over the veggies as a sauce which made the dish so much better than just plain old steamed veggies and rice.

Dinner:
Spanish Potatoes with Spicy Tomato Sauce (Papas Brava - a spanish tapa)

I love side dishes and with this diet I feel like all I am eating are side dishes. I used Simply Recipe's recipe for the potatoes and the tomato sauce was fantastic. I did make a few modifications since I am not using oil. Instead of sauteeing the onions in oil, I used vegetable stock and I added red pepper flakes. Also, instead of roasting the potatoes in olive oil I tossed them in soy sauce. The potatoes did not quite turn out the way I had hoped because they did not get too crispy on the outside and they took forever to cook mainly because I have a really crappy oven. However, I would recommend making the tomato sauce because it is absolutely delicious and you can toss some pasta in there or top a baked potato.

P.S.
I had some rice yogurt vanilla flavored and it was disgusting. It tasted like rotten mushed rice.

P.S.S
I feel like I keep eating the same things (tortilla, potatoes, mushrooms). That is what my pantry and fridge is currently stocked with so that now that I've cooked up all of my potatoes, I am moving on to some Lentils, beans and pasta.

Weight: -1.1 lbs. from yesterday, -4 lbs. from day 1.

AND... I gained one Twitter follower today and I'm not sure what I tweeted to get @FuckTheShit to follow me but I am flattered?

Plant-based Diet Day 8: Plateau No-More

2011-09-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

I weighed myself yesterday morning and I was .2 lbs lighter than the day before, which makes me 2.9 lbs lighter than when I first started this plant based diet 8 days ago (not counting today). That is remarkable to me because when I was counting calories and exercising every day, I never lost that much weight in that short amount of time. The most unbelievable thing about this whole thing so far has been that I do not feel hungry ever-- AND I cheat! When I am hungry, I eat and I haven't been exercising much at all.

When I started counting calories back in March, my weight loss hit a plateau. For almost two months of counting calories and exercising, I did not lose a single pound, but I also didn’t gain. I even increased the intensity of my workout. I eventually just gave up counting and exercising and still hadn’t gained any of the weight back, but now that I have cut out meat, dairy and oil (most of the time), the weight seems to be coming off again. I don’t feel like I have put that much effort into it, except that now I feel like I am cooking all the time.

Meals
Breakfast:
Roasted Potatoes (catered so this is a cheat)
Mixture of Fruits

Lunch:
Salad with vinaigrette dressing (again, another cheat)

Dinner:
3 beers
Garlic mashed potatoes and oil free vegan gravy

Weight: -.2 lbs, -2.9 lbs. since Day 1.

Plant-based Diet Day 7: Sunday is a really good night for t.v.

2011-09-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

A couple of things:

1.) I weighed in this morning and my weight went up by .7 lbs., but according to my weight log, this morning I weigh 2.7 lbs less than I did Monday, when I started this plant-based diet. I hope that continues but the body is a strange thing.

2.) I started counting calories at the end of the day to see how much I have consumed and I always think I will go over because I keep eating (snacking, eating large portions) but amazingly I am always just right or even below!

3.) I started exercising again today and my goal is to do at least 30 min. on the bike everyday.

Meals
Breakfast:
Stir-fry mushrooms and brown rice leftover from last night's dinner

Lunch:
Tortilla chips (baked and oil free which by the way are nearly impossible to find)
Brown Rice Crackers
Chili
Whole wheat pasta with pasta sauce (I made and froze a couple of days ago)

Dinner:
Garlic mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy
Sauteed green beans

I didn't think there could be a vegan oil-free gravy I could like but this one is pretty good.
The ingredients:
1 cup of white chopped mushrooms
Half of a medium onion minced
2.5 cups of vegetable broth
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/4 or less of whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour

First braise the onions and mushrooms in a little bit of broth for a couple of minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Using medium to low heat, SLOWLY whisk in the flour so you don't get lumps of flour. The sauce gets pretty thick so you may not use all of the flour. S&P to taste. It is pretty good. It doesn't taste as good as brown gravy using beef broth but I really enjoyed it.

The garlic mashed potatoes were sooo good. Just boil the garlic with the potatoes, drain and mash. Don't add butter and use soy milk. You can't even tell the difference. I promise!

Plant-based Diet Day 6: Outsider

2011-09-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

I cheated because there is no room in this world for plant-based no oil dieters. Yes, I am blaming the world for my weakness. I was working hard cleaning my old house and got really hungry and needed something quick so I went to McD's and got a fish fillet sandwich and french fries.

I had spent last night laying on my apartment floor watching the room spin, so this morning I really needed a good breakfast. I love making scrambled eggs and hash browns... since I can't really have either, I tried to mimic roasted potatoes/hash browns.

Meals

Breakfast:

Potatoes with mushrooms, onions and zucchini

Ingredients:

2 potatoes

1 medium onion

1 small zucchini (optional. You can add whatever vegetable you have on hand like bell peppers or summer squash)

Green Onions

Soy Sauce

S&P

I chopped up the potatoes into small cubes and microwaved them for 5 minutes.

I sauteed the onions on a hot skillet. Sautee-ing is really difficult without oil and I am still having a really difficult time not burning the onions and setting off of my smoke detector. I guess the key is to put the onions on a hot pan and the liquids will release, then lower the heat. I like to put a little bit of vegetable broth when it starts to get too sticky. I then added the zucchini and mushrooms and potatoes. I season it with soy sauce to brown and S&P. Let the potatoes and all the other ingredients sit for a while without stirring so you can get a little bit of a burn or crisp outside on the potatoes.

Add green onions on top when you're ready to eat and I recommend using your favorite hot sauce.

Lunch

McD's

Dinner

Sauteed mushrooms, zucchini and onions (cooked in soy sauce, vinegar and ginger which produces a really great flavor)

Brown rice

Weight: -2.9 lbs... which is crazy right?! I am skeptical about that number. Since tomorrow will be day 7, I will count that weight as my net weight loss.

Plant-based Diet-Day 5: Cheap Date

2011-09-24T04:12:00.000-07:00

I don't say this with any scientific proof but I think not eating meat, dairy or oil has significantly decreased my alcohol tolerance. I went out to happy hour with a friend and had only about two and a half beers in a span of about an hour and a half to two hours which normally that would give me a good buzz. I walked home, and once I got home, I was completely drunk as if I had spent the entire night drinking shots and not in a good way. I fell asleep on the floor, got up absolutely miserable, puked, then remained horizontal for the rest of the night. That all started at 5 p.m. Which is why I am now wide awake at 4 a.m. on a Saturday.

Meals

Breakfast:
baked potato
Nectarine

Lunch:
baked potato
Chili

Dinner:
2.5 Beers
Half a tortilla

No cheats!!!
Weight: -.5 lbs.

Plant-based Diet Day 4: Beans and Carbs

2011-09-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up not craving a ham and cheese croissant, a butter croissant or eggs and bacon and that is new for me. Also, I did not feel hungry or craved anything greasy throughout the day, I felt pretty satisfied. I think this is getting a little easier, but I am sure it will eventually get a little more difficult.

Meals

Breakfast:
3 Whole Wheat/Corn Flour Tortillas
Coffee (no cream)

Lunch
Curry Veggie Stir fry I made the other night

Dinner
Pear Cider
Smartdogs (fake hot dogs that are actually pretty good. I am not a big fan of fake meats, but this one I can live with).
Vegetarian Chilli (canned from the grocery store. It has no added oil)

I sliced and heated up the smartdogs in a frying pan then added the vegetarian chili and ate it all up with some tortillas. It was delicious and I am not just saying that because I'm not eating real chili with beef. The dish really was good and super filling and satisfying.

Cheat Confession: No cheats! (okay, I sprayed one spray of olive oil spray on the smart dogs when heating it on the pan but that doesn't count)
Weight Loss: +.5 lbs. (which I knew would happen)

Plant-based Diet Day 3: Out-hippied the Hippie

2011-09-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last night I got into a conversation with the worker at this hippie-ish coffee shop. I inquired about the salad and what dressing they had and told them I didn't want anything with dairy, meat or oil. One of the other workers overheard me and made a point to tell me he was vegan. As you probably would have guessed, he was white with dreadlocks. He told me he had been a vegetarian for 10 years then later decided to be a vegan. I told him, three days ago I was eating burgers but now I am on a plant-based diet. He went on a little longer about his "veganism" then stopped him to ask if he consumed oil and he said yes. I then looked at him and said with a slight pretentiousness in my voice, "Oh, I'm not consuming any oil or any fake processed foods like fake cheese." He had nothing left to say. I had done it. I out-hippied a hippie and I'm pretty sure hippies don't like to be outdone so that was a nice little reward for me.

A few minutes later he recommended I go to this place for the best ever vegan pizza. He clearly had forgotten what I had told him.

Meals

Breakfast:
2 Corn Tortillas with strawberry preserves

Lunch:
Pasta with tomato sauce I have been eating the last three days (thank God it's all gone now)
Peach

Dinner:
2 Beers
Baked potato with ketchup and mustard (it sounds ghetto but it is delish)
Greek salad (no dressing)
A little bit of last night's curry veggie stir fry

Food Cost: A little less than $10 for the baked potato and salad (not counting the beers).
Weight Loss: -.5 lbs (which is really nothing at this point because it will go up tomorrow)

I feel like I am eating a lot of carbs and goes against everything I had been doing when I started counting calories back in March.

Cheat Confession: Hungry Girl brand flat bread that had soybean oil in it.

t.v.

2011-09-20T23:55:00.000-07:00

There are too many shows to watch but now I have a DVR, to add to Hulu, Netflix and HBO OnDemand and just regular OnDemand.

From the Fall line up so far I have watched:

New Shows:
Up All Night - which I thought was pretty hilarious
The New Girl - it was ok, although I don't know if I can get that into it. I have to admit I may only watch it for Zooey Deschanel's outfits.

Shows I have been following since the beginning:
Sons of Anarchy - I don't know if I like this season that much, the "bad guys" (new cops in town) seem a little over the top and cliche.
Project Runway - Bert is the oldest most grouchy and bitchy old man it makes for great t.v.

Old shows that I started to watch and hooked on this season:
The Rachel Zoe Project - My guilty pleasure.

Season 2 of Boardwalk Empire is about to start and I cannot wait.

I'm never going to get my thesis done. NEVER.

Plant-based Diet Day 2

2011-09-20T23:45:00.000-07:00

There is something really satisfying about eating a piece of meat... especially red meat. Something about the saltiness, greasiness and juiciness that just satisfies. Yes, I am fully aware that sounds extremely dirrty (with two r's). I'm just going to come right out and say, that I cheated and ate a couple of pieces of leftover beef broccoli but I threw the rest away.

Meals

Breakfast:
Slice of whole wheat toast with strawberry preserves
wheat/flour tortilla with strawberry preserves (so much better than toast)

Lunch:
Last night's pasta dinner
Nectarine

Dinner:
A cornucopia of veggies I got from my dad that he got from some farm and some tofu. I tried to stir fry it without any oil and seasoned it with soy sauce and curry powder. I have to say it smelled better than it tasted. Maybe because I ate it with whole wheat spaghetti noodles. Next time I will try eating it with rice. I cooked the noodles in water seasoned with some soy sauce for flavor.

I even had some dessert. More tortillas with strawberry preserves and an improvised margarita (using Skinny Girl margs and sparkly lemonade. The great thing about this diet is you can drink as much as you want.

I want a giant bag of potato chips but I will resist.

p.s. Yesterday I spent about $10 on my lunch, today, I spent $0 for the entire day.

Plant-based Diet Day 1

2011-09-19T23:36:00.000-07:00

I knew it would be a challenge when I woke up wanting to eat something with cheese.

Meals

Breakfast:
2 slices of whole wheat toast (which has oil in it, but it is almost impossible to find bread without oil in it)
Strawberry preserves
V8 Juice
Iced Coffee

Lunch:
Chipotle salad with black beans, corn salsa, pico de gallo, mild salsa and fajita veggies (which is a cheat because they cook it in oil).

Dinner:
3 Beers
Spicy spaghetti I made with onions, chili peppers, Crystal hot sauce, portabella mushrooms, garlic, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.

I sauteed the ingredients in a splash of white wine and the hot sauce, then poured the canned tomatoes and sauce and let that simmer for a bit. Pour over whole wheat pasta. Simple, filling and takes 15 minutes to cook.

Cheat Confessions (yep, I totally cheated on day 1).

I had 5 pieces of plain m&ms, a bite of vegetarian lasagna and a couple of pieces of orange chicken leftovers. I had to get rid of them because I took some home from a party. I got rid of them so I won't be tempted tomorrow. Hopefully the cheating will be less frequent.

dear bacon, i'm quitting you... for about a month. love always, sarah a.

2011-09-19T00:43:00.000-07:00

For the past three months I have not counted calories and I have not exercised regularly. When I first started counting calories in March, I lost somewhere between 20-25 lbs. but I hit a plateau and I am having a really hard time getting back on the wagon.

I'm going to try something new to shake things up a bit and it may be a little more difficult to do. I am sick of counting calories and I am sick of feeling guilty about what I eat so I figure the only way I can avoid that is by only eating things that are good for me, or at least not that bad for me. I have a friend who is doing this plant based diet (no meats, no dairy, no oil) of all veggies and fruits (except for avocados) and he has lost weight in just two weeks. This diet, however, is not so much focused on losing weight but instead it is focused on promoting heart health. I recently saw this documentary called "Forks over Knives" that features the two doctors who essentially "invented" this way of eating and I have to say it is pretty compelling. I think all documentaries are propaganda, but you can't argue against the fact that people in countries where they have a plant based diet have very small amount of heart and cancer related deaths.

Anyway, before I get into too much detail that I may present inaccurately, my goal is to try this plant based diet for one month and see how I like it. I can't imagine a life without cheese or bacon because one of my favorite things about being alive is experiencing endless amounts of different types of really good food. Entire cultures are represented in a dish and I love love that I can learn more about a group of people just by eating their food. So, I don't think I can adopt this diet as a lifestyle but I definitely know that I can learn a lot and adopt a lot of really good habits by attempting this diet.

My goal for 30 Days (starting Monday, Sept. 19):

1.) Eat a plant-based diet (with none or very little oil). Here is more about the plant-based diet: Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease
2.) Make low-cost meals

I will try to journal some of what I eat and approximately how much each meal costs. I don't want to spend more than $5 (maybe $10) per day on food (not including alcohol). I will also try to journal if I lose any weight without having to count calories.

in the band

2011-09-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

I don't like living in regrets but one of the few things I can say I do regret is not being in a band. I want to be able to impress people with the "I used to be in a band" line, not "I used to be in band." See the difference? The latter is saying I used to belong in a large group of awkward, secretly sexed out geeks. That's right. We all know what you do at band camps, you band freaks.

Anyway, it's not too late for me to get this crossed off my list. Being in a band and writing a song is on that list I talked about in a previous post. The closest thing I can think of being in a band is when I played piano in church. We had a drummer, guitar players, bass player and singers. We had rehearsals and we got in disagreements, but saying "I used to be in a church band" just doesn't have that same effect now does it?

Holla if you'd like to be in my band. I hear people in bands get all the action.

living space

2011-09-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of my living room. Because my apartment is old, I tried to with a mid-century modern vibe.

This is what you see when you first enter my apartment. I don't have much of an entry way.

Sofa, Coffee tables and lamp: IKEA
Ottoman: World Market (which I got on sale and doesn't quite match my couch, oh well)
Pillows: Marshalls, Anthropologie
Shelf and Side table: IKEA. The shelf was only $20 and the side table $25.

I don't think my fireplace works.

Round mirrors and clock: Target

Frames: IKEA.

Since I can't wallpaper, I really wanted to use something that was mid-century inspired on the walls so, I framed samples of wall paper. Wall paper is expensive so I bought the standard paper size samples for a dollar a piece. A place called Bradbury & Bradbury make these awesome vintage inspired wall paper. I eventually want to buy a roll of wallpaper and put it in a large frame.

The other week I was complaining about weddings but for the first time I got a wedding favor that I liked and suited my apartment. A vinyl melted into a bowl. Don't worry, it was only a Reader's Digest record.

Off to the side of my living room is my "office."

Wall File, Table, Lamp, File cabinet: IKEA

Metal shelf to the left, Old Map of the U.S: Vintage Store

1950s desk chair: My dad

The Stairwell

I got everything from the thrift store that is on this wall. I hollowed out the frames and kept the mirror. I plan on adding more frames.

The entry way

Curtains: World Market

Coat Rack: Urban Outfitters

The framed peep hole is my homage to the t.v. show Friends.

The key rack is made from an old drawer I got from a vintage store, along with the small chalk board. I mounted the drawer and added the hooks which I got on clearance from Urban Outfitters.

Key Rack 2: Etsy (it holds things I may need for my bike on my way out)

journals

2011-08-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

What I'm doing now, blogging, is basically journaling and I have been doing that since grade school when I ordered my very first diary from scholastic books. Back then I just wrote about what I did for the day, "Today was sunny and I saw the boy I had a crush on but I think he likes Becky." My life was so full back then. When I was moving I went through some boxes I hadn't opened in years and found my journals. I've only looked through the one I had written in in college and when I read it I can't help but laugh my ass off... then feel embarrassed that I was the one who wrote that sh*t. I wrote a lot of stuff about dreams and goals, blah blah blah... stuff you write about when you're idealistic and feel like you can accomplish anything because you think the world is a fair place. I also wrote about the Iraq War number two, including magazine cut outs I pasted in the journal. I know. I am so lame. I want to puke. Sadly, that is not the worst part. I even drew stick figures of George W. Bush bombing Sadaam Hussein. Yep. I was a college student and a registered voter when I did this. I was all about politics, current events and foreign affairs in college. Although, in my defense everyone was because of 9-11. I was a total snob about it. I once did not want to date a guy because he did not know who Condoleezza Rice was. Not that I was a pro-Condi, I just couldn't believe he didn't know who the Secretary of State was at the time, and if you were someone who didn't vote, don't even bother talking to me. I know. If I could travel back in time, I would punch me in the face too.

So at the first few pages of of my journal I kept a running list of things I wanted to accomplish. Check out my last entry. That is the smartest thing I ever wrote in this journal.

Incase you can't see the photo clearly here's what it says:

20. Have my own library

21. Sky Diving (which I really don't care to do anymore)

22. Get into graduate school and score high on the GRE (I guess I can cross off get into grad school)

23. Live on my own and be completely financially independent (I guess I can cross that off too)

24. Join a protest for some cause

25. Punch someone in the face

(I'm not sure what the numbers at the end mean)

Anyway, I am not sure if journaling is such a great idea. For me, it seems like all it ever did was keep a written record of my stupidity... but then again... that is probably a good thing.

wedding why's

2011-08-28T01:20:00.000-07:00

I have attended enough weddings in the past two years that will last me a lifetime. The more I attend weddings the more I find the idea of a "wedding" silly. I'm not saying marriage is silly, I'm strictly talking about the wedding. When you've attended dozens of weddings you begin to ask WHY?

WHY do we all stand around watching the bride and groom have their first dance? That must be awkward for the bride and groom, having all eyes one them during a very intimate moment. I don't know about you, but having an audience while I dance is the last thing I want.

WHY does every married couple at the wedding insist that every single woman and man participate in the bouquet/garter toss? I have never caught the bouquet before and was always terrified of catching it. I am usually the one who stands in the back because some annoying married person dragged me out to the floor. The idea behind the bouquet toss is that whoever catches the bouquet will be the lucky one who gets married next. What if you don't want to be married next? The bouquet toss is essentially to see what desperate single girl is out there stupid enough to believe that catching the bouquet will land her a husband. I know that's harsh, but think about it. That is what the bouquet toss promotes.

Most of all, WHY do people spend tens of thousands of dollars (millions for celebs) on weddings? Not to mention the amount of time and effort put into the wedding and the politics of who should be invited and who shouldn't be. Don't get me wrong, I have attended some really fun and beautiful weddings and am grateful for being a part of such an important event, but I think I also would've had a great time at a normal backyard bbq celebrating the couple. Unfortunately, the problem with that is people look down on cheap weddings, so couples struggle to save money for a "fancy" wedding. I don't know why we snub cheaper weddings. Perhaps it's because we are saturated with stories about million dollar celebrity weddings (whose marriages by the way only lasts about two years at best). Well, whatever the reason, this is the culture we have created. This is the society we live in.

WHY isn't everyone else just as cynical as I am?

life as an 80s teen movie

2011-08-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

Am I too old to still wish that my life was like an 80s teen movie? I was just watching Sixteen Candles. The scene where Samantha walks out of the church wearing that lavender Mary Bo Beep dress, which I kind of like by the way, and sees Jake Ryan and all of his hotness waiting for her gets me EVERY. TIME.

One could argue that life is like an 80s teen movie. The protagonist struggles throughout the entire movie on his or her quest to be popular or gain the affection of someone who is out of their league while the really cool less good looking best friend gets ignored and all of the good looking jerks just sail smoothly through the entire movie. That pretty much seems like real life to me: Life is easy for the good looking and boys are stupid for pretty girls. Fortunately, father of the teen movie genre John Hughes left us a gift-- the hope for a happy ending. Samantha gets her birthday cake from Jake Ryan, Andie ends up with Blane, Ferris gets away with his day off, Saturday school teaches us a lesson on acceptance and Boof finally got the attention she deserved from Scott. Ok, I know that last one is not a Hughes movie but you get my point.

You may find it odd that I'm blogging at 2 in the morning, but about 3 hours ago I woke up from a 3 hour nap. Also, I would like to send a shout out to friends who call and check up on you (even when they're 500 miles away) to make sure you aren't laying face down in a puddle of your own puke. Now that is a homie fo' life.