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LiveJournal for Squeezable carbon-based lifeform.
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| Sunday, May 27th, 2012 |
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I awakened this morning with a craving for muffins. I'd been reading muffin recipes last night at Elena's Pantry and the idea of trying a few of her recipes was firmly planted in my head before sleep. I took a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up some coconut flour, and then came home to bake. I tried her Zucchini Muffins first. I made a few mistakes on that one. I didn't squeeze enough water out of the zucchini before adding it to the batter, making the batter wet. I could have added a touch more flour but didn't. Her recipe called for 24 mini-muffins but I used a full-size tin, thus doubling the size of the muffins. It didn't occur to me that the cooking time should probably increase by about half. When I took the muffins out they seemed done. However, muffins are supposed to firm and spongey when you take them out of the tin, not crumbly and damp. During the transfer to the cooling surface, one of the muffins fell on the floor. The sound it made was between a splash and a squish. Not usual. The muffins, when completely cooked, are about 2/3 cooked. Their taste is excellent, with good spicing, so I will probably put them in the fridge and then cook them in the toaster a few at a time when I want to eat them. The other recipe was a success. I made a single batch of Lemon Poppy-Seed Muffins. They were always one of my coffee-shop favorites when I still ate wheat. The tang of the lemon contrasts with the sweet crumb, and the poppy seeds give it a fun crunch. Dry Ingredients: ¼ cup coconut flour ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon poppy seeds Wet Ingredients: 3 eggs ¼ cup agave nectar ¼ cup melted butter 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest Directions: Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter a muffin tin and lightly flour with coconut flour. Mix the coconut flour, salt, and baking soda in one bowl. In the other bowl, whisk the eggs, agave, butter, and lemon zest together. Then whisk the dry ingredients in to the wet mixture. When it is evenly mixed, fold in the poppy seeds. Spoon about a tablespoon of batter into each cup. It will just fill the bottom of the cup. Make sure there is approximately the same amount of batter in each cup. Bake at 350˚F for about 8 to 12 minutes, depending how done you like your muffins. They will be a golden brown on top if you let them go longer. When done, cool for five minutes in the tin and then turn out onto a cooling rack. Elena's original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of lemon zest. I like my muffins less sweet and more tangy, so I used 1 1/2 tablespoons of zest. It would be good with 2 tablespoons too; even zippier! These are not large, full-size muffins. GF muffins just don't bake up like that at home, and these used a small amount of batter. If you wanted larger, coffee-house size muffins, you could make a double recipe and put twice as much batter in each cup. Don't forget to bake longer (15-25 minutes instead of 8-12) if you go that route! 
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| Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 |
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Tasty, appealing and healthy food has been coming out of my kitchen with regularity! I've had some pleasing successes recently and I will post one of them here! Turkey Chili (modified from an internet recipe on foodnetwork.com) Ingredients: big glug extra-virgin olive oil 2 medium yellow onions, chopped small but not diced 6 cloves garlic, chopped finely 1 tablespoon kosher salt 3ish teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cayenne powder 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (must be unsweetened!) 2 tablespoons tomato paste (or a little more) 2 pounds ground turkey (dark meat only) 12 oz chicken stock (homemade with high gelatin content is best) 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice (I used San Marazano brand - it's the best) 1 regular can pinto beans, rinsed and drained 1 regular can black beans, rinsed and drained Directions: Chop the onion and the garlic and add to a large pan on medium heat in which you've been warming the olive oil. Sauté for about three minutes, then add in the chili powder, cayenne, and oregano. Sauté it all together for another five minutes (or more) until the onions are soft but not floppy and the mix is nicely aromatic. Then, add in the tomato paste and stir together for a minute or two. Shove the mixture to the edges of the pan and then add the ground turkey. It is easier to see if the turkey is done if you cook it in a separate pan but then there are three dirty pots instead of two. :) Cook the turkey in the pan, breaking it up as it cooks, and when it's looking cooked (will turn a whitish color instead of dark pink) mix in the tomato glop from the sides of the pan. Stir together and let cook a few minutes. Then add in the chicken broth. It will be a bit on the wet side now. Stir well and then let simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. While that is simmering, get a stockpot or other large pot. In the pot put the two cans of beans and the can of tomatoes. Add in the cocoa powder, the salt, and a good shake of black pepper. Bring it up to a simmer. When the meat mix is done, pour it into the stockpot where the beans are. Stir very well, cover loosely, and let simmer. At this point everything is warm and cooked and it's just a matter of bringing the flavors together. The longer it simmers the better it will be. I simmered from this point about an hour and a half. If it's too watery for your taste then simmer with the lid half-cracked and it will reduce faster. The entire recipe as I made it took about three hours start to finish, but the last hour and a half was just simmering time. About 40 minutes before serving I put the oven rice in. I used a deep casserole dish in a 350˚F oven. 2 cups of long-grain brown rice, rinsed. Add in 4 cups of boiling water, cover tightly (I used foil) and bake 40 minutes. No stirring needed, and it didn't burn. Awesome! I topped the chili with grated sharp cheddar, chopped scallions, chopped cilantro, and a side of chopped avocado. It was a HUGE hit, and made enough to feed nine hungry ladies with enough for two days of leftovers for both me and Garrett. Mmmmmmmm. 
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| Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 |
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It's a hot Oakland afternoon here, all blue sky and white contrails. I have beets boiling on the stove for a cold salad later and socca batter resting on the kitchen table. I'm sitting at my desk with a glass of ice water and my to-do list. I made myself a Mary Chapin Carpenter/Trisha Yearwood Pandora station and I'm writing mother's day cards to the many deserving women in my life. This is a good moment. |
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| Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 |
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Sent to me by my sister, in this format. Two images would be better, but this is how I received them. She didn't give me the year data off the rear of the prints, so I am guessing the year based on our ages and the surroundings. Top photo is at the old Craige Street house in West Elmira. Probably winter 1984. L-R, my sister Audrey, our birthdad Chris, me. Bottom photo is at the new Fassett Road house in Elmira proper. Halloween, probably 1984. L-R, me, Audrey, our mom Leora. 
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| Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 |
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At the end of March I declared that I was setting up a Fitness Minutes goal for April. My goal was 600 fitness minutes (minutes being defined here as aerobic exercise). How did I do? *drumroll* 835 fitness minutes! The beginning of the month was a slow start, but then I really hit my stride (har har). I got into the habit of going for a walk about four times a week. As the month progressed and my stamina got better, I upped the pace of my walks. By the end of the month I'd walked a total of 47.2 miles. Not bad! In addition I went to yoga three times. I lost two pounds and my resting heart rate is back down around 64. I had a few bad days with the Lyme when I'd really overdone it Now it's May, and I'm going to set a new goal. I'm going to aim for 800 fitness minutes (since that seems doable based on last month) but I am going incorporate 100 minutes over the course of the month of hill work and stairs. My flat-ground cardio performance is satisfactory but one quick walk up the 60 steep stairs by my house and my heart's pounding and I want to choke. Looking forward to changing that. I'm also going to continue with my modified chin-up/push-up routine and keep going to yoga. Stay tuned and I'll be back with an update at the end of May! |
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The internet is so awesome sometimes. Today someone in Greg Brown's Student Pilot Pep Talk Facebook group linked to a 9GAG version of a funny one-panel airplane comic. To my pleased surprise, whoever had posted the comic on 9GAG had left the original copyright note at the bottom of the image. I went to the website indicated in the copyright note and found a webcomic called Lefthanded Toons. I poked around a bit in the archives and found the original comic. I looked for contact information for the artist and he only had a Twitter account linked from the webcomic. I found the author on twitter and sent him a tweet asking if he allowed reprints, as I wanted to use his comic in the 99s May Newsletter. About an hour later he replied back that I was welcome to use it as long as I left the original copyright marker in. I agreed and told him I'd send him a copy of the newsletter when it was done later the month. I am impressed all over again with how mellow artists and creators can be about sharing work AS LONG AS YOU ASK FIRST. I have emailed many people over the years to ask for explicit permission to use their art in livejournal or forum icons, and only once have been turned down. Here is the comic in question, draw by Justin (@ItsMeJustinBoyd) from lefthandedtoons.com. 
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| Monday, April 30th, 2012 |
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Today is my two-year adoptaversary! As per this post here, two years ago I underwent "adult adoption" in New York State so that my then-stepfather would be my legal father. I called Abba today to wish him well and tell him I love him, and we had a cheerful and somewhat sentimental conversation. :) My family is far away, and I often miss them terribly, but I love them dearly and love letting them know. |
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| Sunday, April 29th, 2012 |
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I was telling Garrett the other day about an television ad from a few years back where there's a guy interviewing for a position at a high-powered firm of some sort, and he repeatedly mispronounces the firm's name to hilarious effect. Garrett didn't think it could be real, but I found it on youtube! I have obscured the punchline in my description, but the ad is mostly worksafe - the language is just this side of swearing. http://youtu.be/tMe3WDmxBEI :D |
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As of yesterday, I've been on Livejournal ten years. There are few things I've pursued continuously for ten years. My participation waxes and wanes, but overall, I remain glad to be a part of this online community. Thanks for all the comments, posts, and pictures over the years. Keep 'em comin'! ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1){kind=small} tckma deserves special mention here as he is the one who initially invited me to LJ back in 2002. I had no idea what would happen next...and now here I am. <3
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| Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 |
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Is growing your hair. At least according to arib. ;) Last Spring I decided to grow my hair out. I had a big short cut in January 2011, a trim in June 2011, and a trim in December 2011. Comparison photos are behind the cut! :) I'm pretty pleased at how much progress I've made, though now that I look back at old photos, I want to cut my hair off again! We'll see if I can stand it long enough to grow it past my shoulders...which it hasn't been since the very early 2000s! ( photos this way ) |
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| Tuesday, March 27th, 2012 |
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A blogger I read sometimes (Back To Her Roots) uses the idea of fitness minutes in her exercise goal-setting. Rather than saying, "I'm going to go to the gym/run/walk/ride a bike 30 minutes a day or 4 times a week or 10 miles or whatever", she says, "I'm going to accomplish N number of fitness minutes this month". She's found it very effective for getting more exercise in and since I've been enjoying my higher level of physical activity lately, I would like to set a fitness minutes goal for April. For my own amusement, I am going to define my fitness minutes as aerobic exercise, not stretching, weightlifting, or yoga. My goal for April is 600 fitness minutes. Seems like a lot, but it's actually not. That's 30 minutes of exercise, five times a week. It's approximately what I'm doing now, and I want to keep it up! Going to make my spreadsheet now...and then go for a walk. :D I'll let you know how it goes! |
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| Sunday, March 25th, 2012 |
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I "discovered" lentils some time in 2011. Previous to that I never really liked lentils unless they were in dal and pureed such that they did not look or feel like lentils. I think my only other experiences with lentils were undercooked cold brown lentils, which have a consistency somewhat like a very small beetle. Not appealing to me. Nonetheless, in my explorations of foods that I didn't know well I bought some red (orange) lentils. I did some googling and found a few recipes for curries lentils. The first version I made was about nine months ago, and it was totally edible and even a bit tasty. Tasty enough to inspire me to further inspiration. Tonight's version is the best so far, I think. I liked it enough that I was making loud "mmm" noises as I was eating it right out of the pot. Since I feel I've perfected it for now, I shall share it! Totally Boss Curried Lentils Ingredients: 1 cup red lentils (unsoaked) 2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable broth) olive or coconut oil half a yellow onion clove garlic 1 tsp tumeric 3/4 tsp ground cumin 3/4 tsp ground coriander few big pinches coarse sea salt sprinkling (1/8 or 1/4 tsp) cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp mustard powder 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 heaping tsp tomato paste Directions: Coarsely chop the onion and the garlic Saute with a good amount of your chosen oil. Olive will have a more neutral flavor, coconut will lend a flavor that's slightly more aromatic and sweet. Add in all the dry spices and stir around with the onions and garlic. Let the spices heat up and release some of their flavors into the oil (about a minute). Then dump in the lentils and stir around. Add the two cups of broth and the tomato paste. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot - tightly if you want the lentils to get really soft in a hurry, loosely if you want things to gently steam and keep a little shape. Check frequently and stir often. The lentils will be soft and edible in about 10 minutes but I usually cook them for 20. At that point they will be very soft and can be stirred into a lovely creamy mix. This is delicious with either kale or green peas mixed in just before serving but is also excellent all on its own. It keeps very well and is good reheated. I find because of the chicken broth in it the cooked mixture keeps about 3-4 days in the fridge. It might be slightly longer with veggie broth but not much longer. Not to worry, though, it will probably all be eaten within a day. :) |
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| Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 |
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I was standing around in the kitchen this evening chatting with garote and my housemate Kyle. Kyle and Garrett were chatting food and somehow we got on the subject of muffins. I said I had everything to make muffins except almond flour and Kyle said, "Oh I have some! If you make muffins for us to eat, you can use my almond flour!" Garrett heartily agreed and next thing I knew I found myself in the middle of a muffin-making whirlwind. These muffins are a huge hit around here and every time I make them they're gone within three days. These muffins are gluten-free, corn-free, soy-free and have no refined sugar of any kind. There isn't even honey in them. They could easily be made dairy-free by greasing the pan with an alternate fat. I cannot think of a yummy way to make them vegan and I am not really interested in figuring it out. They are a modified version of the Morning Glory Muffins from Paleo Comfort Foods, and are complaint with the paleo diet. They are not particularly sweet, most of the sweetness comes from the apples and dates. They're high in fiber and have a low GI, even more so if eaten with some kind of nut butter or cheese. Immediately after finishing the muffins Garrett and Kyle descended on them, cutting them crossway and making little sandwiches where the filling was butter. :) I think that counts as a cooking success. Enjoy! Morning Glory Muffins Dry Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups almond flour (best to grind your own in a grinder or blender, but otherwise buy and keep in the fridge; nutmeals develop microscopic mold quickly) 1 tablespoon cinnamon (or a bit more to taste) 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Wet Ingredients: 2 cups carrots, grated (about six medium-sized carrots) 1 large apple, peeled, cored and grated (gala or fuji work well for this) 1 cup chopped dates 3 eggs (organic is best) 1/2 cup coconut oil (unrefined and virgin) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a standard-sized muffin pan. I grease with unsalted butter but coconut oil works just as well. Combine dry ingredients (almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt) in large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the shredded carrot and apple with the chopped dates. Pour vanilla extract over it and mix. Let sit. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and coconut oil together. This works best if the coconut oil has been softened a little bit. Heating momentarily on the stove should do it. Pour egg-oil mixture over dry ingredients and mix well, until it's a uniform thick, sticky paste. I usually use my hands for this step. Then stir in the carrot-apple-date mixture and stir everything together. It should be sticky and a bit wet, with the apple and carrot evenly distributed throughout the batter. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tins. It will fill all the tins to heaping. This is fine as the muffins will not spill over the cups. Bake for 20-40 minutes depending on your oven. Check at 20 and then every five minutes thereafter. Judge doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. When it comes out clean, the muffins are done. Let them cool 5-10 minutes in the tin and then turn out onto a plate or cooling rack. They are delicious warm with butter but also excellent cool. They age well and will be good eating for several days. Store in an airtight container but NOT in the fridge. They do freeze nicely. |
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| Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 |
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Last year I forgot to send in the money for my car registration, and then I dallied so long that I got a ticket for an expired registration, nine months after the registration was due. I had to get my car smogged and make two trips to the DMV to get it all straightened out. I had to pay my ticket in the end too, because I sent it in late. I vowed that in 2012 I would send my registration in on time. The papers arrived in the mail before Christmas, due to the DMV by February 14. Some time in mid-January I sent them in with my check. Today my sticker and registration arrived, and I am good and legal again. Easy peasy, and much cheaper than a late registration and a ticket. |
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| Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 |
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In all the stress of yesterday I neglected to note the date. Yesterday was January 30, 2012, six years to the day after I arrived in California permanently. It would not have been possible for the bluepapercup of 2006 to imagine the woman she would be in 2012. Nevertheless, I am grateful and blessed to have become her. For as long as California is the right place for me, I shall endeavor to stay here. If and when I leave, I will leave having loved it here with all my heart. Moving here is still one of, if not the best thing(s) I ever did for myself.
December 2011 |
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| Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 |
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I've been putting off posting these because I was a little scared to commit to them completely and totally, but also because I wasn't sure what the exact form of the intention I wanted for my health was. Now I know. My intentions for 2012! -Defend my Master's Thesis in the Spring -Graduate from SFSU -Get a wonderful, well-paying job that fulfills me professionally -Continue to put energy and intention into my living environment -Be in a committed romantic partnership that is correct for me and is definitively leading to cohabitation and marriage -Heal the Lyme and associated diseases to the point where they do not endanger or impede my becoming pregnant and carrying a healthy child to term -Begin the path to financial abundance and paying down my debt This is a year of my eyes being on the prize, while thoroughly enjoying the now. So mote it be. |
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| Friday, January 13th, 2012 |
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Have you ever heard of this singing group, Sweet Honey in the Rock? They are astounding, astonishing, breathtaking. Sublime voice to human grace. Start here: http://youtu.be/rUnyOETz7DY And just keep listening. |
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| Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 |
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I am listening to Rush while cleaning the house. Countdown comes on the iPod and before I know it, I have a lump in my throat and tears are prickling at the corners of my eyes. Lit up with anticipation We arrive at the launching site The sky is still dark, nearing dawn On the Florida coastline For the first 29 years of my life, the space shuttle was an omnipresent symbol of manned spaceflight and the brilliance of NASA. I had always wanted to see a shuttle launch, always, since I first learned about them in my space books and the encyclopedias my parents subscribed to. Circling choppers slash the night With roving searchlight beams This magic day when super-science Mingles with the bright stuff of dreams Countdown was written by Rush after they attended the very first space shuttle launch. They were invited guests at the height of the band's popularity, and the event made a lifelong impact on all three of them. Floodlit in the hazy distance The star of this unearthly show Venting vapours, like the breath Of a sleeping white dragon I remember learning that there had been a night launch on my birthday at some point in the 80s. I stared at the photo of the launch for hours, imagining what it would be like to stand on the other side of the marshes as the birds rose, frightened and cawing into the night as the sound of the huge engines split the surface of the dank waters. Crackling speakers, voices tense Resume the final count All systems check, T minus nine As the sun and the drama start to mount This song was written before any of the shuttles had been lost, and contains pre-launch, launch, and post-launch audio from that very first flight, the maiden voyage of the space shuttle Columbia. The air is charged A humid, motionless mass The crowds and the cameras, The cars full of spectators pass Excitement so thick you could cut it with a knife Technology...high, on the leading edge of life For many years I watched launches on the regular TV, and then on NASA TV, and then eventually on the computer. I was always so proud, of my country, my fellow citizens, of the whole of humanity for reaching such a point. I was often moved to tears merely by the sight of the assembled crowd at the viewing area. The earth beneath us starts to tremble With the spreading of a low black cloud A thunderous roar shakes the air Like the whole world exploding I watched the Challenger disaster unfold in real time on the tiny color TV that we set up on the dining room window. My dad and mom came home from work to watch the launch with me. I don't remember what I felt, but I can see that lunchtime light as clear as if it were yesterday. My mom just reminded me last weekend that we had watched it together. She wanted to know if I remembered. "Yes," I said. Scorching blast of golden fire As it slowly leaves the ground Tears away with a mighty force The air is shattered by the awesome sound I remember promising myself that I would see a launch one day. In my teens life seemed infinite, the space program would go on forever, and I had all the time in the world to get myself to Florida and see a launch. Like a pillar of cloud The smoke lingers high in the air In fascination With the eyes of the world We stare... I never did get to Florida. All that time slipped away, consumed by the day to day, meaningless events attended and foolish money spent - time and resources that could have taken me to that mythical viewing area. Now the shuttle program is finished. The shuttles have been retired and the silver era is over. I missed my chance to see a launch. As the song finishes, I hear the fade out of the transmission from shuttle to ground, and my heart aches nearly more than I can bear. I sit down and hold my head in my hands, and cry. "Launch plus 240 seconds, Columbia now 39 nautical miles altitude, 42 nautical miles down range." "Columbia, you're lookin' a little hot and all your calls will be a little early." "Young and Crippen really moving out now, velocity reading of 6200 feet per second." "What a view, what a view." "Glad you're enjoying it." |
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| Tuesday, December 27th, 2011 |
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EXCITEMENT! Paul at gmap-pedometer.com needed to raise enough money to fund development of a mobile app for the site. He's a working dad and the site has been a labor of love since the beginning. Users of the site were so excited about the prospect of an app that he received double the funding he needed. He's going to begin work on the app in January and it will be released in mid-2012! So exciting! I've been using his site pretty much since it was created and will be thrilled to pay full price for his app. |
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| Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 |
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| This morning I was listening to the REM song Orange Crush on the radio as I drove to UCSC. Quite suddenly I had a feeling that the song wasn't about what I actually though it was about. I listened through to the lyrics and realized that the song is actually about the Vietnam War. I've heard this song something like twenty times over the years and never actually paid attention to the lyrics. I always just liked the main guitar riff and the see-saw nature of the vocals. I got a little creepy chill on my scalp later, thinking about how the words of the song are just ambiguous enough to call to mind the Gulf Wars and our current military excursion. | ||||
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LiveJournal for Squeezable carbon-based lifeform.
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