Kitchen Courage

Self . . . Help?

2010-03-17T02:43:00.004-06:00

Titles spied in the Barnes and Noble self-help section:

Happiness for Dummies
Ten Days to Self Esteem
I Can Read You Like a Book
How To Save Your Own Life
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
The Idiot's Guide to Organizing Your Life

Very helpful.

(Don't believe me? See for yourself.)

Happy [mostly wordless] Wednesday!

Links for 2010-03-16 [del.icio.us]

2010-03-17T00:00:00-07:00

The Fasting of An Eating Disordered Male | Burp and Slurp
This is a honest and moving story. Thanks for sharing, Joseph.

Miracle

2010-03-16T16:03:00.004-06:00

At the beginning of this past winter my wonderful mother-in-law bequeathed two herb plants to me. One was rosemary and the other oregano. I'm not sure why she gave them to me since I have a chronically black thumb, but give them she did. I waited for the two plants to wither and die, as is inevitable for any plant in my care that's less hardy than a cactus.

But they did not die, surprisingly. Both plants made it through the winter, and although the oregano did begin to droop significantly I was able to revive it. The rosemary and oregano plants lived happily on -- until I killed one.

When the rare Montana sun makes an appearance during the winter, I like to set my plants out on the deck to soak in the rays. That's what I did with my mother-in-law's plants, then promptly forgot about them. They stayed out overnight, and although the temperatures at the time were unseasonably warm, the oregano had turned black by the time morning came. Oops.

Now that spring has officially arrived and the weather is staying warm consistently, I decided to do some yard work today. Part of that venture included ripping up the withered skeletons of all the potted green things I've slain since last summer. The oregano was on my list of exhumations as I wanted to make its pot available for my next victim -- er, gardening attempt. But as I inspected the forlorn oregano, I glimpsed something tucked away beneath the brittle tangle of black twigs -- something green!

It was a leaf. Or really, several leaves, sprouting up in spite of all my mistreatment, in spite of the death surrounding it. Against all the odds, the oregano grew and continues to grow. I feel incredibly humbled and blessed by this tiny and yet not-so-tiny miracle.

There's some sort of God-message tucked away in all this, but I can't quite put my finger on it yet. Can you?

Links for 2010-03-15 [del.icio.us]

2010-03-16T00:00:00-07:00

Demand Media’s “Write for a Cause” Returns
For every 8 articles published through Demand Studios, 1 book will be donated to kids in book-less areas. Who's with me?
Jessica Simpson and Her BFF Ken Paves Want to Know 'The Price of Beauty' - Tonic
Jessica may be a bit ditzy at times, but her heart seems to be in the right place. I'm loving this show in theory, despite the fact that I haven't seen it yet and that the article author's grammatical errors make my skin crawl.

The Writing Life, Week Two

2010-03-15T08:49:00.008-06:00

Last week I shared with you some drastic life changes, and that now I am trying out the freelance writing life. Now we're heading into week number two of my writing venture, and I wanted to take a moment to assess how it's going.

I am enjoying finding what methods work for me and hitting my writing stride. However, there have been some challenges as well. I've submitted to query letters to magazines and am growing extremely frustrated with the process as well as the up-front sense of non-accomplishment after spending an entire morning crafting just such a letter. Equally frustrating is the fact that when I think I've hit upon a great topic to query on, a Google search reveals that articles on that exact topic have recently hit newsstands. I'm trying to look at this positively since, as my father-in-law pointed out, my ideas are apparently publishable and in demand, I'm just a little late. I can't argue with that wisdom and logic!

I'm proud of my progress. In addition to querying magazines I started submitting to various reputable content sites (since not all content sites are created equal) to practice my freelance style and technique, beef up my clips, and get exposure while making a little (stress on the "little") cash. Here are my latest and greatest articles, which I'd love your feedback on:

Get Snacky: The Importance of Snacks in Children's Diets

The Not-So-Secret Key to Weight Loss

"Surrogates" movie review

Let Them Eat Hummus: 5 Healthy Recipes

Choice Games From a Final Fantasy Fan

CLICK Espresso Protein Drink Hits [Local City]

Stretch Island Fruit Company: Two Product Reviews

I'm just getting started! I have a number of new ideas I want to write queries on, so that's my goal for today and tomorrow. Wish me luck and tastefully productive verbosity!

Before you go about achieving your own daily goals, stop by my Ask [Almost] Anything page. I just posted answers to these excellent and thought-provoking questions:

You seem recovered from ED...yet the things you eat are not too different from a dieter. Eating healthy is good...but do you think you might be overdoing it?

I like that you're so expressive about your faith, without tiptoeing around it. Do you ever feel a taboo in talking about your faith?

Happy Monday! What are your goals for the day? How do you help yourself accomplish them?

Sprung

2010-03-14T23:45:00.001-06:00

Happy spring (and, randomly, Pi Day)! We took two of the pups, Jackson (the distant black speck in the above photo) and Lio out for a hike in the glorious sunshine. It was wonderful, although having it light so late in the evening was a bit weird . . . but I'm sure we'll adjust!

What did you do?

Links for 2010-03-14 [del.icio.us]

2010-03-15T01:00:00-07:00

Books, Bacon, and a Brand New Hummus

2010-03-12T23:44:00.000-07:00

This afternoon the Best Husband Ever and I did something that we have not done in a long, long time -- we went on a reading date. Before we got married (when we were, obviously, dating) we used to do this frequently. We would head to our favorite couch-equipped bookstore, usually the local Barnes and Noble, set up shop on a pair of squashy sofa-chairs, and read. Sometimes there would be coffee involved, courtesy of the built-in Starbucks, and sometimes I would write.

That's what we did today. And it was fun! The hubby read while I worked on this article, a review of the latest and greatest from Stretch Island Fruit Company:

Stretch Island Fruit Company in [Local Stores]: Two Product Reviews

It was my first time eating fruit leathers and similar products. Since it was also the first reading date for the Best Husband Ever and I in ages, I'd say my Friday was pretty first-y, just in time for Christina's latest round of Friday Firsts.

I also had a couple of other firsts this week. In order to get more lean protein in my diet without the stomach-irritating properties of fattier red meats, I bought (and ate!) some turkey bacon. It was fairly good cooked up in a stove-top pan, but best when I added maple syrup to the bacon mid-sizzle.

Since I'm a hummus fanatic and am in the process of making peace with coconut butter, I bet you can guess what new concoction emerged from my blender this week. That's right -- coconut hummus! Or, as I dubbed it, coconummus. Genius, right? Probably not. Regardless, this spread was light and had a gentle coconut flavor to it. Next time I might add some more coconut butter or oil to increase the flavor. Try it and tell me what you think!

Coconummus

1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1 not-heaping T garlic, minced (not heaping? I know, it's another first for me!)
1/2 T coconut butter
1/2 T coconut oil
1-2 T lime juice to taste
water as needed

Add all of the ingredients to a blender/food processor and process until smooth. Play around with the lime-to-coconut-products ratio to find the taste that best suites you. Thin with water to aid in processing as needed.

I managed to not take any decent photos of my coconummus except for the above shot. For lunch I mixed the coconummus up with some Dijon and plopped it on top of some scrambled eggs with spinach and mushrooms. It tasted good, but not as good as Thursday's dinner, which was coconummus mixed into a plate of stir-fried veggies.

Changes

2010-03-11T08:58:00.003-07:00

If you're the observant type you may have noticed a curious phenomenon occurring here on the blog, and especially on my Flickr photostream. My eats have been growing more diverse, time- and/or thought-consuming, and more plentiful. Take yesterday's banana breakfast cake (above), for instance, inspired by Danielle. On an ordinary weekday I would be scrambling half-damp from the shower into an outfit, tossing a green smoothie into my belly, and rushing out the door to work. I would not have had time to experiment with this breakfast cake, topped by PB2 and chocolate Amazing Grass. This is not a normal weekday meal for me.

Except . . . now it is. I don't want to share too much for several reasons including privacy, professionalism, and my dignity. Suffice it to say that I've left my wonderful and amazing elementary school job for the remainder of the school year due to health stuff. No, it's not my eating disorder making a comeback. It's something new and not-fun, and I need some time to work on managing it before I venture back out into the professional world, much less a child-centered career. Maybe I'll feel more comfortable in the future and share further . . . but for now, that's all. I do, however, want give a shout-out to my school's principal for helping me find another option besides outright quitting. Let me tell you, I am blessed by that learning community.

But I haven't given up on life or work! While I'm in this semi-self-imposed convalescence, I'll be working on my writing. Freelance, creative, blogging -- I've got time and the interest, so I'm going for it. I've always wanted to write for a living, anyway. Now I have the chance to see what it's actually like and if I can hack it, or if I even like it.. Despite feeling bummed at leaving my education career, I will not let this opportunity pass me by.

It's been about a week since I started my professional leave. During that time in addition to being a stay-at-home dog mama, I've added a few more articles and product reviews to my Examiner page on local healthy food options:

CLICK Espresso Protein Drink review

Local Love Street Living Foods guide

Local guide to buying organic on a budget

I also started a HubPages account. I enjoy this writing community because it allows participants to freely write and submit on topics that they find most compelling. Here are my submissions so far:

Let Them Eat Hummus: 5 healthy recipes (most of these may be familiar, especially for long-time readers)

In honor of Final Fantasy XIII's release on Tuesday, I reviewed some of my own favorite computer and video games: Choice Games From a Final Fantasy Fan

In addition, I'm keeping up with my 2010 photo-a-day blog, Camera Cowgirl.

Reactions? Thoughts? Tips on freelance writing? Suggestions on topics you'd like to see me cover both here on Kitchen Courage as well as on my new writing hot spots? I welcome it all! And don't forget you can still ask anything anonymously. My new office, complete with anti-house-soiling chihuahua measures, is just a click away.

Links for 2010-03-10 [del.icio.us]

2010-03-11T00:00:00-08:00

Calypso Skirt-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes
I don't typically bookmark clothing, but I just can't get enough of this skirt. Since I have no reason (or oodles of extra moola) to by this pricey beauty, sharing it for others to drool over is the next best thing. Right?
Camlann Medieval Village
One thing I miss about the east is going to the Renaissance Faire with one of my best friends each summer. It looks like a smaller similar and [not really] close option is availabe in the west, too!

Spring Has NOT Sprung, Actually

2010-03-10T07:51:00.002-07:00

Links for 2010-03-09 [del.icio.us]

2010-03-10T00:00:00-08:00

little brooke: yes, i love autumn.
Ambitious Delicious(ness) » Blog Archive » Roasted Brussels sprouts
Day 6 + Microwave Chef « Coffee Run
Two words: banana cake.
Tropical Traditions - Recipe - Heavenly Hummus
Here's another must-make recipe -- and it's one of my favs, hummus!!

Love is Spelled T-A-H-I-N-I

2010-03-09T15:53:00.006-07:00

Look at what I woke up to this morning:

No, our back neighbor's house is not on fire. Look again:

That's right. Snow. And a lot of it, too. Heavy, wet snow that was no fun to shovel (although I got to chat with an across-the-street neighbor for the first time, so it wasn't so bad). But to have this soggy snow hit us barely two days after I wore flip flops outside for the first time in 2010 was a little disheartening.

As you might imagine, Lio didn't exactly feel thrilled upon discovering that his stomping ground was covered in white stuff again. At least he looked funny -- er, cute in the new too-large coat that I bought for a sweet fifty cents at Wal-Mart.

Still, I won't complain about the weather too much. Snow now means fewer fires this summer. Instead of an unseasonably early thaw, I'd rather have a long, luscious spring followed by a temperate summer in which the sun is not obscured by smoke. (Yes, that does happen. A few years ago, Best Fiance Ever and I were photographing our friends' outdoor wedding, and the smoke did not a picturesque landscape make. Good thing the bride and groom are already more beautiful than any view might make them!)

To brighten my spirits, I made hummus. Usually I opt out of adding tahini, but due to the generous sample love of Love Street Living Foods I've acquired some raw tahini. At first I didn't really like it any more than the tahini I bought at the store (which, I should add, I hated). But today at lunch, something changed. I began to like the raw tahini. Quite a bit, in fact.

My conversion to tahini fangirl status started slowly. I dipped a few veggies and crackers in the raw tahini, but couldn't say that the taste appealed to me. Still, I'm a stubborn food blogger, so I made a lightly sweetened, tahini-drizzled, nooch-sprinkled pizza inspired by Heather's tahini+bacon+honey quesadilla, with a cucumber and a mushroom slathered in fat free cream cheese on the side. With each bite of pizza, my taste buds danced more and more wildly. "Tahini! Tahini!" they screamed. "Where have you been all our lives?"

Well . . . maybe it didn't happen quite like that. Sentient taste buds aside, however, by the time I finished lunch this afternoon, I liked tahini. Since I was already planning to whip up some hummus today, I decided to throw some tahini into the mix.

That's when it happened. In the midst of hummus creation, tahini like blossomed into tahini love. Seriously, raw tahini -- where have you been all my life? The tahini-ed batch of hummus was more fluffy and creamy than any hummus I've ever made before. It was so amazing, in fact, that I must share with you my very unscientific hummus-making process.

Life-Changing Love Hummus

1 15 oz. can garbonzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 plop raw tahini (adjust to taste)
1 heaping spoonful garlic, minced
a few big squirts of lemon juice
2 tiny squirts of sriracha hot sauce
water as needed

Toss everything into a blender/food processer. Blend until desired consistency is reached, adding water to thin as needed. Taste. Fall in love. Remove hummus to a jar and try not to fondle it too much.

Mmm. I am so excited for dinner tonight. Can you guess what will be on my plate?

Do you like tahini? What's your favorite tahini recipe? Please share, because I want to eat more tahini!

Don't Be Shy

2010-03-08T17:24:00.007-07:00

Remember when I found treasure a couple of weeks ago? Not buried treasure or pirate coins, but coconut butter from Love Street Living Foods tucked inside my mailbox! An exciting day, to be sure. I bet you think I've gobbling down the stuff at every opportunity. And, if I weren't so silly, you'd be right.

The fact is, the fat content in coconut butter scares the small but still present eating disorder side of me. I mean, a single Tablespoon of coconut butter accounts for a whopping 41% of your daily value of saturated fat. That's a lot! At least, it is in my mind. Besides, a Tablespoon of coconut butter is next to nothing . . . right? Well, maybe not.

You see, I read the fine print -- but not all of it. Of course I noticed the fat content, but failed to measure up exactly how much coconut butter I'd have to eat in one go to get a full serving. I've been using sparing amounts on homemade bread, and it's been delicious, especially on this homemade loaf of whole wheat from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day (part of a breakfast that also included microwave-baked apples and cranberries with pumpkin and berry Amazing Grass):

But I don't have to be so shy with my servings. I realized that I would have to eat the entire jar of coconut butter to get a full Tablespoon serving. Sure, it's a miniature jar, but still -- that's a lot of coconut butter! I've used my coconut butter sample twice since Love Street sent it, and I've barely made a dent. So I need to chill out. Because even if I did down the whole jar in one sitting, that's still only a regular serving, complete with a nice dose of healthy, good-for-me (and you!) fats.

Are you like me? Do you have silly moments like this? In celebration of my "huzzah for healthy fats" moment, I added some full fat whipped cream cheese to my lunch today (on top of steamed broccoli with ponzu sauce -- yummm). What did you do to challenge yourself to be truly healthy (i.e., feeding your body with good, natural products) instead of culturally healthy (i.e., low/no fat = healthy)? Do tell!

Before I go, I just wanted to give a shout-out to my new followers and subscribers (yes, I've noticed because my blog is tiny . . . but I think I'd notice if it was hugely popular, too, because, well, I like all of you!). Welcome! I encourage you to browse through the archives, or to ask any questions you may have either on the blog or on my Ask Anything page. Even if you don't have a question it's worth checking out as I've answered the back logged questions. Can I get a "huzzah" for overcoming procrastination, too, or is it saved for healthy fats only?

Speaking of healthy fats, don't forget that Love Street Living Foods is offering a free sample and 25% off your order with the coupon code "UltraHealth." You could challenge yourself in raw coconut butter style, too! Who's with me?

At [Nooch] Peace

2010-03-06T05:08:00.004-07:00

A couple of weeks I got my first taste of nutritional yeast (otherwise known as "nooch"). As you may recall, I was less than impressed. I did not, however, give up on this protein-y, vitamin B12-alicious product. I tried nooch nachos, included some in my homemade hummus, and tried several more varieties of pizza topped with nooch-based "cheese." None of the ways I used nutritional yeast tasted bad, but they were also not exactly mind-blow.

Until this week. This week I mixed up some salsa and yogurt for a quick lunch dip, and I decided to sprinkle some nutritional yeast on top. I took my meal outside to eat in the unseasonably warm and sunny weather. As I scooped up the dip with tortilla chips, I kept thinking I smelled something really delicious being cooked in a neighboring house. When I cleared my mouth and took a few good whiffs, however, I could not detect this wonderful aroma. After a couple of rounds of this, I realized -- it was the nooch! The nooch was that delicious scent, and it made the dip taste amazing.

So what did I do? Put nutritional yeast on nearly everything I've eaten since then, of course! Check out yesterday's breakfast (scrambled egg whites+spinach+garlic topped with nutritional yeast, plus a few other goodies):

Nooch also played a part at lunchtime when I dusted the interior of my wrap with a hefty pinch of the stuff (whole wheat tortilla + apple slices + homemade spinach cream cheese hummus + fresh spinach = wrap).

I've made my peace with nutritional yeast (and waxed poetic while I was at it, apparently).

Now, to solve another ingredient conundrum. Perhaps you can help me. I have some maca powder. I've read great things about maca on the blogosphere, but I'm at a bit of a loss with how to actually include it in recipes. What's your favorite thing to make with maca?

Thanks for your Formspring questions -- keep 'em coming! Remember, you can type them right into the green dialogue box in my sidebar. I'm have a lot of fun answering your questions. The latest answered query is from Lance: "How would you equip your dream kitchen?" That certainly got me thinking . . . and drooling.

Links for 2010-03-04 [del.icio.us]

2010-03-05T00:00:00-08:00

Raw Oatgurt « Heather Eats Almond Butter

It's a Blogosphere Mind Meld!

2010-03-04T16:19:00.006-07:00

There's something weird in the blogosphere.

Let me explain. For lunch on Tuesday, I prepared some spaghetti squash using my favorite fixings (salsa and avocado -- simple but incredible!).

Upon checking my feed reader later that day, I saw that Katie had just posted about her own spaghetti squash lunch. Hmm. Interesting, but not cause for alarm . . . yet.

Yesterday was the day of salsa. Mango-peach salsa from Costco, to be exact, which also happens to be my favorite kind of salsa. For breakfast I had scrambled salsa eggs with delicious homemade whole wheat bread topped with whipped cream cheese . . .

. . . a quick one-minute prep dip of salsa, yogurt, and nutritional yeast (by the way, this was the first time that my taste buds danced in delight due to the nutritional yeast -- I've find my nooch niche!) . . . with veggies and baked blue corn tortilla chips . . .

. . . and finished up the day with a burrito laden with black beans and (you guessed it) salsa.

Guess who else had a salsa day (with, I must say, some very delicious-looking salsas)? Heather. This is starting to get a little creepy, don't you think? It's a blogosphere mind meld!

It didn't end there. Just a few minutes ago, having discovered an intriguing recipe for oat yogurt, otherwise known as fermented oats, earlier in the week, I contemplated making a batch of my own. I'm going through some pretty horrid digestive stuff, and I'm trying to get as many foods with probiotics, prebiotics, and other helpful stuff (i.e., not steroids or antibiotics, if it can be helped) into my body as possible. Oat yogurt sounded like a good thing to try, and a fun food to experiment with. Apparently, it sounded like a good Thursday dish to another blogger, too -- Heather again!

Man. Are there hidden cameras in my house? Or worse, in my nose?!? (Fun fact -- when I was a kid my parents told me that when they looked up my nose they could watch T.V. I believed them.)

The synchronicity was a little too much for this skeptic of a blogger, so today I decided there would be no sharing of foods from me. (Do you like how I broke my rule at the same time as declaring it? I've got skills.) Instead, I focused my energies into writing up an Examiner.com review of Love Street Living Foods, a gem of a organic/raw/delicious food company.

Here's another fun fact -- Love Street is offering a 25% off discount AND one free sample with every order. Just use the coupon code "UltraHealth" and indicate which free sample you'd like in the notes section of the order form. I recommend the raw Artisana coconut butter. You will not be disappointed. Or creeped out, like me.

Links for 2010-03-03 [del.icio.us]

2010-03-04T00:00:00-08:00

Black Bean Cocoa Lime Soup
I must make this, and SOON!
Drum like a Vegan: Raw Zucchini Hummus
I need to get some zucchini...

Joy

2010-03-03T01:26:00.002-07:00

Hooping it up in the sun this weekend. I thrive in sunlight. Do you?

Happy [mostly wordless] Wednesday! I'm enjoying your questions on my Formspring -- keep 'em coming, friends!

Compassionate, Conscientious Consumerism

2010-03-01T23:50:00.007-07:00

Have you seen Food, Inc.? Up until today, I had not watched the documentary in which producer-director Robert Kenner and his cohorts investigate the inner workings of the American food industry. I must admit -- I came away from my viewing feeling very shocked.

Was I shocked at the appalling images of animals living in squalor being killed in gross and inhumane manners? Yes, of course. Was I surprised at learning of how, in 2001, two year old Kevin Kowalyck ate a hamburger and died of E. coli 12 days later, and that thousands of Americans continue to die every year from preventable foodborne illnesses contracted through contaminated supermarket products? Yes, of course. Did I cringe upon learning that 70% of processed foods have some genetically modified ingredient? Yes, of course. But mostly I was shocked that I felt shocked at all.

I am not ignorant of America's slaughterhouse practices, nor of the fact that our supermarkets stock every product all the time (more or less) instead of rotating seasonally. I know that our food is produced in a way that is considered most economically efficient, and that as a result it contains chemicals, hormones, filler ingredients, and other unsavory modifications that I would rather not put into my body (at least, not without knowing about it). I see how junk foods are the cheapest products on the shelves, predisposing low-income families to obesity and diabetes. I know all these things, I am not naive about the United States food industry -- and yet Food, Inc. affected me quite a bit.

What I found most interesting is that not only is our assembly line-based food production system cruel to the animals whose meat finds its way into our grocery stores, and that the additives introduced to our foods to increase their longevity and perceived marketability unhealthful -- but also that our country's current food industry exploits people. Farmers are required by the handful of companies that dominate food production to make expensive (and often inhumane) upgrades to their facilities, but are not compensated adequately for their work-related expenses. Illegal immigration is simultaneously encouraged and abused by the large food corporations. Poor consumers are forced to choose between nutritious products and cheap products. The CDC estimates that about 5,000 Americans die each year from foodborne illness.

Nobody knows about a lot of that aspect of our food industry. I know that I sure didn't. Ethical food production isn't just about animal rights or environmental protection (which I'm all for, by the way). It's about consumers needing to inform themselves in order to protect themselves and their families, because the unsavory effects of our food industry are far closer to home than I ever realized.

So what's a consumer to do? You know, I'm really not sure. Suffice it to say that Food, Inc. has given me a great deal to think about. I highly recommend watching this film, especially if a lot of what I mentioned is completely new to you. Judging from my personal knowledge base, Food, Inc. is both accurate and eye-opening. I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, but I must admit that I'm seriously considering changing that now.

Barring becoming fruitarians (which I am not necessarily endorsing), can we change our habits and cultivate more conscientious consumerism? I think so. Some of the least daunting, home-front-based changes recommended on the Food, Inc. website are not unfamiliar to healthy food bloggers and their readers, but are worth repeating:

Eat at home/pack a lunch instead of depending on restaurants/take-out for the majority of your meals.
If you can, buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides.
Buy whatever you can from local farmer's markets.
Inform yourself about what's going into your mouth (and your family's mouths) by taking a few moments to read labels.
Try a Meatless Monday or Vegan Thursday. If those aren't enough of a challenge, you could always trying a Raw Wednesday. (Actually, I'm pretty intrigued by all the raw food tidbits I'm seeing around the blogosphere -- anyone interested in having a little raw-some fun with me?)

Those aren't too scary, right? The more adventurous can get involved in advocacy on the political level, lobbying for job protection for farmers and food processors, as well as improved measures for preventing foodborne illness outbreaks. The official Food, Inc. site has a great deal of information as well as more ideas for making changes locally and nationally.

So what are we going to do here in the Kitchen Courage household? As I already mentioned, I'm not really sure at this point. I definitely want to be a more compassionate and mindful consumer. We, the buyers, wield in what we do and do not purchase. I was encouraged to hear these words coming from Tony Airosa, Wal-Mart's chief dairy purchaser:

Actually, it’s a pretty easy decision to try to support things like organics or whatever it might be based on what the consumer wants. We see that and we react to it. If it’s clear that the customer wants it, it’s really easy to get behind it and to push forward and try to make that happen.

Cool, right? Change is possible, starting at the check-out line. And for me, change started today in my kitchen. Watching Food, Inc. left me feeling understandably icky (that's a technical term), so I decided to make some 100% whole wheat bread from my favorite cookbook, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. And when I say 100% whole wheat, that's exactly what I mean -- this beautifully crusty loaf contained only wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, yeast, a bit of salt, and water. How's that for conscientious consumerism? Conscientious consumerism smells and tastes yummy. Mmm.

Have you seen Food, Inc.? What did you think? Did it change your buying and eating habits? I am eager to hear your stories and opinions!

Speaking of stories, I am enjoying answering your questions. There have been some good ones! If you're wondering about . . . well, just about anything (within reason), I'd love to hear about it and take a stab at satisfying your curiosity. Ask me [almost] anything here.

Be Aware, and Ask

2010-02-27T06:32:00.004-07:00

Did you know that today is the end of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week? I just learned about this event yesterday, and I think it's great. As a recovering/recovered disordered eater (or non-eater, as the case may be), I really appreciate this week-long event. For me, a great deal of the damage of my eating disorder originated in the secrecy surrounding the sickness. Once I started being honest and open with trustworthy friends and family, the power of the eating disorder began to fade. I wasn't immediately cured, but "coming out" about my battle with anorexia not only gave me courage to keep fighting, but also the blessings of praying friends, added support, and loving accountability.

In the spirit of honesty, healing, and the power of information, I started up a Formspring account where you can ask me anything, anonymously. I'd love to answer your questions about my personal experiences with eating disorders (I'm not a licensed professional, just an ex-anorexic still fighting the good fight for health) as well as other random queries. I of course reserve the right to NOT answer questions that I feel are inappropriate or too invasive, or that the Best Husband Ever and I don't want to share about. I am, however, standing by to answer questions about my favorite books and films, our dogs, good (and bad!) eats, and rats (yes, rats . . . intrigued? confused? just ask!), in addition to eating disorder-related queries.

Fun, right? I think (and hope . . .) so! Ask away by visiting my new Formspring page, or check out the handy green widget on my sidebar.

While you're web surfing, be sure to check out these awesome eating disorder resource sites:

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Something Fishy
We Bite Back (this post-pro-anorexia site is of my favorites, and has a great discussion forum)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Happy Saturday!

(FYI -- in case you were wondering, I took this photo [top] on April 2, 2008. It is the result of an EKG test showing that I had an extremely low heart rate. Shortly following the test, my doctors referred me to the Best Therapist Ever, who helped save my life. I am realizing more and more how blessed I am to have had her on my side. Not every person being treated for an ED can say the same of their therapists and doctors. All that to say thank you to my amazing therapist, and to continue to proclaim that ED healing is possible. Keep fighting, my friends!)

First Friday of Friday Firsts

2010-02-26T05:26:00.007-07:00

Is that title enough of a tongue twister for you? I'm just trying to keep your mind strong and toned. Or I'm running short on catchy post monikers.

Anyway, alliterative successes aside, I am enjoying the courageous kitchen adventures that I've been having this week. In fact, I've been trying so many new recipes, in addition to revisiting old favorites, that I couldn't just pick one to highlight on my first Friday Firsts posts. Christina is hosting this fabulous weekly blogging event in which she traverses new culinary terrain and invites the rest of the food blogging community to join her. I already submitted yesterday's eggpancakes, but couldn't stop there! Check out the other cool stuff I've been putting in my mouth this past week. (Yes, that sounds sort of dirty, but still not as dirty as nooch.)

Speaking of nutritional yeast, there has been more nooch pizza. I made this one with a base sauce combo of tomato paste, pureed spinach, balsamic vinegar, garlic and spices, inspired by Angela's green goddess pizza, and toppings of cranberries, mushrooms, and bell peppers. And humnut sauce, with nooch. Obviously.

I continue to pack my Laptop Lunchbox. Can you see what's in the top right of this one? It's fresh pear with full fat whipped cream cheese. My verdict on the non-non-fat version of one of my favorite spreads? Yum.

I had my first taste of coconut butter, courtesy of Love Street's sample (pictured here for breakfast on a wheat tortilla along with defrosted tropical fruit in Greek yogurt, sprinkled with vanilla, which also hails from Love Street Living Foods). The coconut butter, as with the whipped cream cheese, was also quite delicious.

The Best Husband Ever and I tried out our first Morningstar Farms item, a Mushroom Lover's [Veggie] Burger. It was, in the hubby's words, "eatable," but nothing too special. I put plain yogurt and BBQ sauce on mine, along with some veggies.

I felt the full fat whipped cream cheese love at breakfast when it topped my bowl of Greek yogurt + chocolate Amazing Grass + defrosted strawberries.

I ate my first fruit leather for a snack. It was good. Watch for a review. (Thanks, Nicolette, for the samples!)

And don't think that I'm forgetting about dessert . . . because I'm not. Because that would be irresponsible of me, letting dessert feel all forlorn and lonely. Abandoned, even. I could never let that happen.

As you can see, it's been quite a week! Full of firsts, to say the least. How was your week? Any big weekend plans? Any fun recipes to share?

Happy Friday, blog friends! May it be fabulously first-y!

Rolling in Pancakes (Sort Of)

2010-02-25T10:23:00.014-07:00

I know I must be getting better. Balanced living is becoming a more present reality as I take step after successful, careful step to keep any disordered behavior in check. My current triumph is in taking a rest day. Every week. Even a few months ago, I would not have considered such a thing. Not so today. Today is a rest day.

I actually planned to get up and hoop this morning. After going through my AM routine (wake up around 4:30 AM, make coffee, let the dogs out, have God time while sipping coffee cup #1, refill, photoblog/check email/do computer-based errands, feed dogs -- whew!), I set up my music . . . and then just could not find it in myself to hoop. Not because I didn't want to -- I did -- but because my body was crying out for a break. I've been doing fairly intense strength workouts all week in addition to some hooping, and yesterday I sweat with Jillian Michaels for the first time in a long while. All that added up to my muscles begging for a healing day. So I'm giving it to them.

But what to do with all that extra time in the morning? I could go to work early . . . but did not feel motivated to go do unpaid desk work. How about a dog walk? Nah, I decided, not wanting to meander in the cold damp outside with rambunctious beasts.

Then I realized -- I could get rolling.

I can practically hear you thinking, dear reader, "Huh? What in the world is she going on about now?" Two words (well, three, depending on how you read the hyphen): pancake roll-ups. A certain chocolate-covered blogger has been writing about this new invention of hers, and I've been drooling -- er, following along avidly. I wanted to try the rolled up pancakes for myself, but did not have enough time in the morning and didn't much feel like them come dinner. Until today, of course. Today I rolled, pancake-style.

Well, sort of. The only "problem" with pancakes for breakfast is that they tend not to tide me over until a mid-morning snack, much less lunch. I've been eating very protein-y breakfasts of late, and those keep me full and energized nicely. So as appetizing as pancake roll-ups were, I wasn't sure how well they would sustain me.

So I made eggpancake roll-ups instead. Chocolate eggpancake roll-ups. Complete with a veggie serving. Chinese egg pancakes as well as the Italian frittata already exist in the culinary kingdom's cookbook. Now the world can add my very own chocolate eggpancake roll-ups to the same chapter.

Maybe that doesn't sound very appetizing. Maybe the photos here don't convince you. Chocolate and eggs? Plus vegetables? I agree that it does sound suspiciously like a health foodie's kitchen playtime gone horribly wrong. But it's not, really. I promise. These eggpancakes were not only tasty, but are nutritious and protein-alicious, too. Here's my not-so-secret recipe. Judge for yourself.

Chocolate Eggpancakes
For the pancake:
3/4 cup egg whites (or replacer, or two Eggland's Best eggs)
4 grams (1/2 of the little scooper) of Amazing Grass Chocolate Green SuperFood
1 T cocoa powder OR sugar free chocolate syrup
pinch of vanilla (I used Love Street's super-amazing raw vanilla powder)
raw cacao nibs to taste

For the "icing:"
1 big dollop of your favorite plain yogurt
1 T cocoa powder (I used No Pudge Fudge brownie mix because it's what I had)
4 grams (another half of the canister's scoop) of Amazing Grass Chocolate Green SuperFood

water to thin

Heat a small greased skillet over a medium high flame. While the skillet is warming, mix together all the ingredients for the eggpancakes except the cacao nibs. Pour the mixture into the heated skillet. Allow the eggpancake to set and solidify for a few minutes. While it is cooking, mix the icing ingredients together in a separate bowl, adding water to combine as needed. Set aside for later.

Gently begin to lift the pancake away from the skillet as it firms, allowing the uncooked egg mixture flow underneath. Continue doing so on all sides of the cooking eggpancake until there is no more extraneous liquid. Sprinkle the cacao nibs (or chocolate chips, it's up to you!) on top, cook for another minute, then plate the eggpancake.

"Ice" the eggpancake with the yogurt mixture. Devour, using only your fingers if possible. A drizzle of maple syrup would not be amiss, and rolling your eggpancake up is optional but good fun.

Makes one amazing eggpancake.

Treasure In a Jar

2010-02-24T06:13:00.004-07:00

Love Street Living Foods, my brand new affiliate, sent some mini jars of some of their wonderful products, including this Artisana coconut butter. I think that some of this coconut butter plus fruit/rice cake are going to equal today's afternoon snack. Yum!

~ ~ ~

Thank you all for your amazing support and kind comments on my last post. I am continuing to revel in the freedom and joy that I find in eating and living in a balanced, God-trusting manner. I don't know why He cares about crazy, slow-learning me, but I'm unspeakably glad that He does!

Eating Joy

2010-02-22T05:53:00.006-07:00

Do you read Sophia's blog, Burp and Slurp? If you have not discovered the sassy, smart, silly foodie fun that is the essence of the House of Burping and Slurping, I recommend that you check her out. She's another Jesus-loving recovering anorexic chef and food fan, and is just all-around fabulous. Miss Burp and Slurp is also very wise. Last week she shared this in a post:

During my ED days, I became a creature of habit: I had my own little daily routine, my own strict rules of things I could and could not eat. That lifestyle made me safe, and I was comfortable in predictable meals and behaviors. But it also restricted and enchained me into a life not worth living.

I can relate to that. Such habit formation was an integral part of my eating disordered lifestyle. However, the reality of this type of living (or not living) is more recently familiar. This past November and December I fell into some poor eating habits, emotional eating, and depression. I gained some weight, and I felt out of control. So I took my nibbling in hand and refocused my appetite back toward more healthful habits. I started every morning with a green smoothie, and brought a second to work for lunch. In the evening I would have a salad, some carrot fries, and an entree. Maybe some crackers, and then some homemade and/or fat-free ice cream.

I got back on track. I felt more in control. The extra weight fell off (without, I should add, me trying to lose the weight) and I returned to my recommended weight range. All was right and well again.

Except not really. I had created what at first appeared to be healthy habits, but my eating disordered brain took theses habits and turned them sour. It began to re-imprison me into the over-controlled, food-obsessed, calorie-counting nightmare that nearly killed me and nearly ruined my life and my marriage. It snuck up on me, and when I was happy and comfortable and feeling healthy, it twisted everything around. Smoothies became restricted. Dinner became a borderline binge. Every new day was a renewed battle against my body.

Sophia's words comprised one of a few wake-up calls, not least being a loving but urgent pressure from God to change something. The realization came to me a week ago in the midst of a morning hoop session. As I spun in the early dark of my living room, rocking out to some Phil Wickham, the thought came -- I can't do this anymore. I have to change or I'll die. Maybe not physically, but I knew I'd watch my life stagnate and shrivel in a way that matters more than physical death. I realized that, in trying to change my unhealthy habits, I'd created a new one and was now living for dinner.

So I set about making some changes, focusing on nourishing my body so I could enjoy life, not just my final, bordering-on-binge meal of the day. Here are some of my goals:

Spread out the food from dinner throughout the day so my body is not overwhelmed by calories, regardless of their labeled healthfulness (i.e., a binge on carrots is still a binge)
Eat a small snack when my body calls for one in mid-morning and late afternoon
Drink more water
Exercise moderately (i.e., don't start to overexercise)
Eat more fat (everything had started to go fat-free/low calorie again, which is a sign of disordered behavior making a comeback)
Eat dinner at the table with the Best Husband Ever
Don't eat the same thing for every meal, every day

Easy peasy, right? Well, maybe not at first . . . but whatever struggle is worthwhile. I don't want to waste my life, or my marriage. The Bible says this about what my life (and your life!) is worth:

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:18-19).

I don't want to dump Jesus' gift down the drain. I want to connect to God. I want to connect to other people. I want to live.

So I've been trying. Not being perfect, but just trying. And, so far, life is better. I feel more balanced, more connected to God. I enjoy the Best Husband Ever, our dogs, my job, and cooking more than I have in the past handful of months. I don't know how my weight will be affected, but frankly, I don't care. I feel at ease. I feel at peace. I feel balanced. Woo hoo! Praise God!

And while you're praising Him, check out some of my eats since starting the new joy-inducing regime:

I've had some beefed-up breakfast smoothies, with more nutrition.

I broke out my Laptop Lunchbox for workplace meals, and have been enjoying fill it up with tasty and nutritious goodies.

There have been regular small, sustaining snacks . . .

. . . and different, delicious dinners.

Not to mention continuing nooch experiments!

I feel like I've been eating joy and peace instead of food. I feel blessed. Maybe it won't always feel like this, but the knowledge that living for dinner is empty will never become false.

What about you? What do you live for? What would you like to live for?

No-Smoothie Sunday

2010-02-21T23:22:00.004-07:00

Look at what I had for breakfast today! It was a super delicious bowl consisting of 1 perfectly ripe sliced pear, a handful of defrosted cranberries, a sprinkling of Kashi Go Lean Crisp! cereal, and (drum roll, if you please) 1 single-serve container of Greek yogurt. Did you get that? Greek yogurt. Yum.

Like I said, this little breakfast bowl was hugely amazing. But the most amazing part of this meal was that it was the first non-smoothie breakfast that I've had in -- well, since I can remember. It's been that long. And when was the last time I had Greek yogurt? I can't begin to fathom. I also cannot fathom how I let my disordered thinking begin to trap me into seemingly healthy habits that spoil with overuse. I'll be writing more on that this week, but I wanted to kick off with my reunion with my once beloved breakfast bowls. I think it's about time I visited some old friends!

Bah, Humnut!

2010-02-20T21:15:00.003-07:00

I can be stubborn about some things. And I've decided not to give up on nutritional yeast and Mae's humnut sauce. Today I whipped up some more humnut cheese at lunchtime for some nooch nachos. I used a little less nutritional yeast this time, and spread it over Guiltless Gourmet chips and my favorite salsa flavor, mango peach (yum!). I have to say that this round of humnuttery pleased me more than my first attempt and ended up tasting quite good, but I can't decide if that's due to the unquenchable goodness of the salsa.

Like I already said, however, I can be stubborn. And nutritional yeast, I'm throwing down the noochy gauntlet -- you will not defeat me! I wonder if my hummus base for the sauce is adversely affecting the final flavor. I used a lot of paprika, which is not in my standard hummus recipe. Perhaps I'll try a more neutral tasting hummus for my next nooching. I will prevail!

Nooch

2010-02-19T13:52:00.013-07:00

Do you know what "nooch" is? Until a short while ago, I would have guessed that its meaning was dirty and not quite family-friendly. In reality, "nooch" is an abbreviation of "nutritional yeast," and there's nothing dirty about that.

Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast, meaning that it won't rise. (Of course this makes my rather dramatic imagination instantly fill with what horrors could might ensue upon eating active, unbaked yeast. Did yours?) This supplement is apparently the newest food blog trend, and I'm only now cluing into the party. I live in Montana, though, so it's okay -- we're always behind the times on fads.

But what's so great about nooch anyway? Why has its popularity exploded across the blogosphere? I definitely wondered, and so I went a-Googling. I discovered that nutritional nooch is apparently quite the nutritional powerhouse, especially for vegetarians. Nutritional yeast has oodles of B-complex vitamins, which are difficult to find outside of animal products and can manage both stress levels and metabolism. Nifty, eh? I thought so.

Then I discovered May's humnut cheese sauce. This innovative blogger uses nutritional yeast to create a vegetarian/vegan-friendly topping to replace cheese on her pizzas. May's cheese-less, hummus-ful nooch sauce purportedly changed HEAB's life, and food bloggers across the web are swooning over the stuff. Who am I to argue with that? I decided to get my hands on some nooch. (See how dirty that sounds?!)

Large flaked nutritional yeast in hand, I set about making a pizza topped with humnut sauce for dinner last night. The two major components of this recipe are nooch (obviously) and hummus. I was hummus-less, so first I fixed that problem. I turned this (a can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed, 1 heaping spoonful of minced garlic, 2-ish T lemon juice, a squirt of sriracha hot sauce, and a bunch of paprika):

into this:

With half of the humnut sauce's ingredient list accounted for, I began prepping my pizza. I followed May's instructions to the letter, omitting only the tahini because I just don't like it. What I did like, however, was May's method of cooking the pizza in a skillet, and then broiling it for a few minutes in the oven. I loved the texture and crispiness of the resulting pizza.

As you can see, after spreading on May's tomato paste sauce, I added some broccoli and sliced apple before topping it off with hunnut cheese. It sizzled away in a skillet over medium high heat for about five minutes, and then I set it under the broiler for no more than two minutes.

As for the effectiveness of the nooch, I'm still unsure. Was it life-changingly tasty? No, but it wasn't bad, either. I'm just not quite decided on how good it was yet. I ended up adding some barbecue sauce to this pizza at the last minute beecause I was afraid the humnut cheese would be kind of gross. It certainly was not gross, and I'm going to try it again. I'm eager to test it out with nooch nachos.

The vitman B12-seeking chef is not limited to making humnut cheese with nutritional yeast, though. There are a number of other popular uses for the supplement. The option that I found cropping up most often during my searching was to sprinkle nooch on popcorn. Vegetarian Cuisine's Suite 101 website offers a bunch of other intriguing suggestions, as well as info on nutritional yeast's benefits and how and where to buy it.

Want to try some humnut sauce? According to May, combine 2-3 Tablespoons of your favorite hummus with 2 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Add a bit of water to thin the mixture and voila! -- you've humnuttered.

So what's your take on the latest and greatest foodie fad? Do you use nutritional yeast? Does it leave you saying "bah, humnut!" or do you belong to the nooch fan club? What's your favorite way to nooch? And if that doesn't sound dirty, I don't know what does.

I Want Spring!

2010-02-17T05:43:00.002-07:00

If you'd like to see more mostly wordless photography by me, I keep a 365 photoblog called Camera Cowgirl. How's that for shameless self-promotion?

Here's some more, which is slightly less shameless due to the fact that I look rather ridiculous manhandling my poor hoops, and also because I haven't posted a hooping video in a while:

Happy hump day/Wednesday/today!

Carb Crazy: Cereal and Cracker Reviews

2010-02-16T05:49:00.007-07:00

I hit the sample jackpot. A few weeks ago, Nicolette, representative of Bear Naked and Kashi, contacted me and asked if I would like to sample some new granolas. Would I?! Yes! Mere days later I was the happy recipient of a package of crunchy goodies: two bags of Bear Naked granola and a box of Kashi's GoLean Crisp! cereal.

You may remember that I already professed a love for this new Kashi GoLean cereal. You may also be thinking that I free-loaded off poor Nicolette, stealing her cereal freebie without intending to review it. Don't give up on me yet, readers! I confessed to Nicolette that I already reviewed (and enjoyed!) the cereal, and she sent it anyway. Thank you, Nicolette!

Back to the reviews. Upon finding a package of granola sitting on my doorstep, I immediately tested out its contents. Nicolette sent me Bear Naked's two newest granola varieties, Maple Pecan and Peak Flax Oats & Honey. My first thought as I crunched into the Peak granola, complete with dried blueberries, was, "Mmm, pretty good." Then came, "Holy yummaliciousness!!!" when I tried the Maple Pecan. After that I didn't say much because I was in too much ecstasy over the maple and pecan goodness delighting my tastebuds.

Since the above review may be a little vague, I've restructured my initial reactions into coherency for your reading pleasure. I liked the Peak Flax Oats & Honey granola. Crunchy, tasty, low in the empty calories and saturated fats that seem to plague most granolas, it was good, with some decently sized grain clumps (I prefer chunky, clumpy granola). I particularly enjoyed its dried blueberries and other natural ingredients. This granola tasted good. Not amazing. Just good, plain and simple and, while not all that singular, not bad at all.

The Maple Pecan granola was a different story, as you might imagine. I admit that I already really enjoy all things maple, so I suppose that I was predisposed to liking this variety. But the Maple Pecan granola rocked my socks off. It contained pecans lightly glazed in maple syrup, and the grain clusters were perfectly crisp and clumpy, exuding wonderful maple-ness with every chomping bite I took. Plus, as with the Peak granola, the Maple Pecan was also light and natural, not oil or sugar-laden. I don't think I can rave enough about this granola. If I was in a granola-buying mood, this product could very well find itself in my shopping cart. Well done, Bear Naked, well done indeed.

When I emailed Nicolette to thank her for the granola samples, she wrote back with a question -- would I like some more samples? I think you all know how I responded. So once again a package o' goodies made its way to my front door, and I opened it with all the enthusiasm of a child opening her first gift on Christmas day. This new box's contents were almost all from the Kashi Heart to Heart line. There were two cereals (Honey Toasted Oat and Warm Cinnamon Oat), two boxes of whole grain crackers (Original and Roasted Garlic), and two Dark Mocha Almond TLC granola bars. I must admit that I felt a little disappointed with my plunder. I had already tried the two cereals and one of the cracker varieties, and I'm not all that crazy about any of them.

Take the Heart to Heart cereals, for example. While I like the Honey Toasted Oat cereal, I don't favor the Warm Cinnamon Oat. I'm not really sure what I dislike about it, other than it seems to be a step down from the original Heart to Heart cereal instead of an improvement. At least the cereal pieces are still heart-shaped, which makes me happy, but I don't buy food for its looks. In my opinion, these cereals are just not worth their hefty price tags.

As for the crackers, I still had a box of the Roasted Garlic Heart to Hearts in my cupboard that I was slowly working my way through when I received these samples. I normally go gaga for garlic. Just ask the Best Husband Ever -- I put garlic in everything I can! So I figured that the new Heart to Heart cracker variety was a sure thing and bought myself a box. Sadly, I was wrong. I just could not coerce myself to like these. Me, the garlic-lover! This is an unprecedented event. Sorry, Kashi. I wish I could say something different about this product. I really, really wanted to like these crackers -- but didn't.

However, the Original flavor of the crackers redeemed the Heart to Heart brand in my eyes. Unlike their green-tinted garlic counterpart, the Original crackers were quite tasty. I had never tried these before and felt pleasantly surprised. The texture and light saltiness of the Original crackers pleased even the Best Husband Ever. In the hubby's own words (or word, I suppose), the Original Heart to Heart crackers are "eatable." (That's a compliment.)

While the Heart to Heart cereals were just so-so, and the Roasted Garlic crackers a failure to please, the TLC granola bars were darned yummy. The newest TLC bar variety, Dark Mocha Almond, gets oodles of stars in my book. It has a great chocolate/coffee flavor, perfect chewiness, and each bar is topped with mini chocolate chips. For all that goodness, the Dark Mocha Almond snack bar clocks in at 130 calories per bar, with 0.5 grams of saturated fat and 4 grams of fiber. I just finished eating half of one for a mid-morning snack about 45 minutes ago, and it's holding me over until lunch quite deliciously.

Wow, that was a lot of reviewing, wasn't it? Just FYI -- these are my honest opinions, and I'm receiving no endorsement of any kind from Kashi or Bear Naked. In other words, I'm a free agent! And this free agent gives many a thumbs up to Bear Naked's Maple Pecan granola, two thumbs up to the TLC Dark Mocha Almond granola bar, and one thumb each for Bear Naked's Oat & Honey and for Heart to Heart's Original crackers. Thanks again, Nicolette, for the opportunity to taste and type about some of the newest carbalicious options out on the natural foods market!

V-Day

2010-02-14T03:39:00.003-07:00

Happy Valentine's, y'all.

Olympics, Shmolympics

2010-02-13T05:23:00.004-07:00

Photo from The Vancouver Traveler

Did anybody watch the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Olympics last night? We didn't. Mostly because we have not connected our television to receive any input outside of DVDs, but also because the Best Husband Ever and I don't care much.

And we forgot.

And the hubby's sick.

Plus, I agree with a lot of Carrie's reasoning behind skipping the ceremonies, as a recovered anorexic. So there are a bunch of reasons why we dissed the Olympics.

I did, however, watch this:

Ahh, zombies. Always to be counted on for a spot of fun.

Did you watch the Vancouver opening ceremonies? What did you think? Who are you rooting for?