Unaccountable

There are days when doing homework sounds downright boring.  And when I say, "there are days," I really mean, "Most, if not all days."  So even though I did my accounting homework GRUDGINGLY, I really wanted to be playing with my puppies.

I mean, for real.  Who could deny a face like that?

Or that?  That is a cuddle-monster, if ever I've seen one.

Yes, Maple and Daisy were quite the distractions while I was wrestling with debits and credits.  And with the cold front coming in later, I'd like nothing more than to snuggle up on the couch with a nice mug of hot cocoa with those puppies.  But alas, my presence is requested at a dinner with one of Hubster's co-workers and the Hubster himself!

But I will be back.  And I will don sweatpants.  And I will have my cuddle time!

Seriously Cool.

I might be a little late on this bandwagon, but I really LOVE frozen yogurt.  Austin has recently seen quite a few serve-yourself yogurt shops crop up.  We have two near us, but the nearest to us is Tutti Frutti.  Good thing that it's tasty!

My husband and I love to try every shop's original flavor.  It's a good judge of their style.  Tutti Frutti's Original isn't too sweet nor too tart.  And we love the other berry flavors.  My favorite is raspberry.

We normally put a few berries and some sliced almonds for crunch.  And Kendall and I usually split a cup with about 3 different flavors.

Yum!

Just a Lunchbox...

As you may recall, I have been a fan of bento boxes for a while now.  When I had the time, I would try to pack our lunches bento-style in tupperware containers.  While on a short excursion this weekend, we stopped by Fit, a Japanese homegoods store in Houston.  It's modeled after the hyaku yen (one hundred yen) store, similar to a dollar store.  And there, we found very good, yet very reasonably priced bento boxes.  For Kendall, a two-tiered black box, with a snap lock and a pair of chopsticks.  For me, a smaller, cute mint green two-tiered box with a compartment for chopsticks.  I got a pair of chopsticks and a band to secure it all.

So I've been having some fun the past few mornings as I construct some bentos for Kendall to take to work.  He likes the tidiness and sleekness of the box.  Before, I was using lots of plastic baggies to pack up his sandwiches and carrots.  Now it's all in one reusable box.  And it also expands what foods he can take to work.  Cold stuff, easily, but also food to warm up.

So here is what Kendall took to work today.  In the lower tier, steamed rice and chicken teriyaki with onions.  All covered with spring onions.  In the top tier, roasted asparagus and bell peppers.  There is also apple slices.  In the folded baggy, there is furikake and some soy sauce in the little fish bottle for the rice.  You'll also notice cherry tomatoes to stabilize the food.  The bottom tier could be warmed easily and the top tier is eaten cooled.

Kendall's verdict: Loves it!  He finds it easier to eat certain things with chopsticks (no sticky fingers on the keyboard), and really enjoyed a warmed lunch.  He also likes the tidiness the box affords and the future of more variety in lunch.  It is also nice to look at something appealing, rather than a cold sandwich in a bag.

Open Sesame!

I've been on a bit of kick recently... I've been transforming our favorite restaurant meals into something better, healthier and cheaper at home.  One of our weaknesses is Chinese food.  We had take-out on our anniversary while we were sick!  I can safely say that my egg drop soup and sweet and sour chicken are better than most of what you find in restaurants or cute folded boxes!

When I ordered the sesame chicken on our anniversary, I splurged on the majorly-battered, deep-fried bits of the fattiest cuts of chicken, smothered in a dark, sweet, and salty sauce.  Yum!  

I pondered a life where I could only savor this a few times a year... and it looked bleak.  Surely, I thought, there must be a way to eat this on weeknights, not just special occasions!

So I did a little research and hit the jackpot.  First step: use lean cuts of chicken and don't batter and deep fry it!  Simply cube some (2-3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts and brown in a bit of cooking spray or oil.  Once cooked through, remove and set aside.  The sauce is what Kendall and I really love, so that's what I focused on.

Sesame Chicken Sauce

Ingredients:

1 C chicken broth

1/2 C white sugar

2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

2 Tbsp dark soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Dried red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except for pepper flakes and sesame seeds in a bowl and stir to mix well.  While it's still mixed (before the cornstarch and sugar settles and you have to stir it again!) pour it in a pot or pan and bring to boil.  Let simmer, bubble and thicken for a few minutes.  Turn down to very low heat and keep warm before adding the chicken.

Add the chicken and then stir in the sesame seeds and red pepper flakes.    Serve with steamed rice and steamed broccoli (or other veggie!).  Serves 4.

The verdict?  To quote my husband, "This is better than the restaurant!"  The sauce is thick and glossy and coats EVERYTHING.  It's loaded with flavor and feels a lot more like a splurge than a health food.  Granted, the sugar content is high, but the fat content is low.  Combined with simple sides, it makes a great dinner.

I had a little rice, about 1/2 C serving of the chicken dish, and about 1.5 C of broccoli.  For dessert, we had some delicious little mandarins!  I love those things... they are like candy.   

Wine note:  I poured some red wine (Pinot Noir), but the sauce is sweet and overpowers the wine.  I took a sip and almost spit it out because all I could taste were bitter tannins and alcohol!  I set it aside and am now sipping it with a cleansed palate.  A chilled beer or dry white wine might pair better with this.

Other suggestions:  This is quick and easy and would be impressive for guests!  Start with a simple egg drop soup and finish with a fun, bright fruit salad and store-bought fortune cookies.  You can cut back on how much protein (chicken) you serve because of the egg drop soup, which will help fill your guests up.  Everyone will leave full and happy, and with some prep beforehand, it's easy to put together.  And that's a fortune that will definitely come true. 

Lentils for Lunch

With temperatures cooling off, it's a great time to start making some yummy soups.  If you are trying to cut out meat from your diet, this Curried Lentil Soup is a great way to pack in a lot of filling flavor with a lot of fat or sodium.

Ingredients:
1 C carrots, diced
1 C onion, diced
I C celery, diced
4 tsp canola oil
4 tsp curry powder
1 C dried lentils
4 C low-sodium broth of choice

Instructions:
Heat oil in a pot and saute carrots, onions and celery for a few minutes.  Add curry powder and stir.  Then stir in lentils and broth.  Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.  Makes 4 servings.

It's so simple, and so good.  The curry adds a depth and richness to the broth, which makes it hearty.  You won't miss the meat!

Sorry for the sideways photo!  But have your soup with a salad dressed in a vinaigrette and a whole-grain roll or English muffin.  It makes the perfect lunch! It leaves you full and satisfied without feeling tired and weighed down.

Drive A Lot? So do I, these days...

Since going back to school, I find myself in my car a lot.  I drive 30 minutes each way to get to campus.  That's a lot of time.  And while much of that is spent on the highway, there are some stops along the way.  So when I read this article on Self.com about some exercise you can do in the car, I was stoked.  I don't advise doing a lot of these while actively driving, but the abdominal exercise would be okay while driving.  But if you are in line for the drive-through bank, etc., these are great!  It's always fun to squeeze in a little healthy habit.

Safe travels, y'all!

Husband's Easy, Yummy Fish Quesadillas

What a great weekend!  We spent lots of time with the family eating, shopping, laughing and celebrating my nephew's birthday.  After lots of eating out, Kendall and I felt like throwing together something quick, yummy and light tonight.  Inspired by our Mexican food last night, we thought we might try our hand at some salmon enchiladas.  But time got away from us, the salmon didn't thaw quickly enough, and so Kendall took the helm at the stove.

Have I ever mentioned that my husband is a REALLY good cook when he gets behind the stove?  But a few burners in front of him, and the man's on fire.  Not literally.

After rifling through the fridge, he found some canned tuna, cheese, and lots of onions.  And lo, a delightful new dinner was born.

I know.  Tuna.  I was doubtful, but figured that it couldn't be that bad.  And I was pleasantly surprised!

I had two with a little leftover jalapeno ranch sauce on top.  But look at what was inside these things:

Tuna, lots and lots of diced onions and cheese.  Kendall used between 1/2 and 3/4 of an onion, and used a mix of red and a bit of a white onion we had left over.  He sweated them SLIGHTLY in a pat of butter, then mixed with tuna and heated through.  He also used some garlic salt to add a little flavor.  A sprinkle of cheese and layer of tuna mixture between corn tortillas.

The tuna added a nice fish flavor but what you really taste are the onions.  It's a new, fun, and easy way to get a little more fish in your diet.

I had a salad on the side with some lovely greens from Organic Girl that I scored on sale for a dollar.  Best deal ever!

On the subject of fish, I highly recommend checking out the Seafood Watch Program.  They have a pocket guide or free iPhone app that will tell you the best and most sustainable fish to buy, order and eat.  I personally love the iPhone app because it uses the GPS function to figure out where in the nation you are and then give you recommendations based on your area.  So get yours now!

I've got a crazy week ahead, so that's all for me for now.  Good night!

Rarg! I am a terrible blogger!

Epic fail!  Things have been a bit busy with class and I just haven't gotten around to blogging.  I have been cooking and eating and I've started running again.  I think I posted previously about some of the apps I have on my iPhone to track my run distance and speed.  Still loving them!

It's apple season, and I couldn't be happier about it!  Neither could Kendall.  I think he's had 3 apples in the past 12 hours.  I've put our fall produce in a clear bowl on the buffet.  It makes for fun, colorful, seasonal decor.. that we can eat!  I don't have to worry about lugging it upstairs and boxing it up when the holiday decorations come out.  I've also put out some candles, but we haven't lit them yet.  We found that many of the scented candles are so smelly, you can pop off the lid and it scents the air around us without having to strike a match!  We found some great soy candles on clearance recently and stocked up.

The pups are doing well, and since the weather has cooled, we've all enjoyed lovely walks in the morning, afternoon, weekends, nights!  After sweltering heat this summer, the whole family finds any excuse to get outside and play.

School work has been going well, and it's hard to believe I am almost half-way through the semester.  It has flown by!  I have to remind myself of that when I have a difficult exam coming up.  It's almost time to schedule classes for next semester.  I am going to try to schedule my classes so that I have at least one day that I don't have to drive into campus.  Kendall and I have learned that I also need to make sure I can be home on Mondays and Wednesdays.  He works at home Tuesday and Friday, so the dogs are taken care of, but the other days... it's hard for him to get off work, etc.  This semester, Wednesday has posed the biggest problem, so I'll have to be mindful of that while scheduling courses for Spring.

Anyway, as always, I hope to post more often and hopefully will get some recipes up here soon!

Day 4: List 20 Favorite Things

In no particular order:

1. Kendall, my husband and best friend
2. My dogs, Maple and Daisy
3. Coffee, caf or decaf-- it's all good!
4. Sushi, especially rolls featuring spicy mayo
5. Apples in the fall ONLY, otherwise they get mealy and gross.
6. Chocolate
7. Clean sheets
8. Driving through the Hill Country on a nice day
9. Salmon
10. Herbal tea, especially chamomile
11. Red wine and dark beer
12. Country music
13. Running with my dogs
14. Yoga pants!
15. Modern design
16. Green- the color, the sustainable kind, all of it!
17. Slow Food
18. Walks around Town Lake
19. London and Brighton- we went there for our honeymoon and I totally fell in love with those cities!
20. My iPhone- sad to say it, but it's true!

Day 3: Your Favorite Quote and Why it's Your Favorite

"Ninety percent of life is just showing up." -- Woody Allen

This is my favorite quote because in my experience, it's absolutely true.  Whether it's showing up to work or class, to a birthday party or dinner party, to a game or a race or to a wedding, birth or funeral, BEING there is what matters.

Sure, there are times when it would be easier to sit on the couch in my PJs and watch "No Reservations" over and over again.  But getting up, getting out and showing up means a lot to people.  It's surprisingly simple.  But think about all the important moments in your life and think about who was there... and who wasn't.  You probably remember a lot about those people on those days, huh?

And even if you can't physically be there, you can still "show up" in other ways, whether a phone call or card in the mail.  When my Brain Sister had her first treatment, I couldn't be there, which was hard.  I wanted to sit by her and tell her stupid stories and make her laugh so much milk shot out her nose, and I wanted to walk her home and then make her a delicious homemade meal or a snack or tea or whatever she wanted.  So I sent flowers, a small token. But it felt good to "show up" in any sort of way for her.

Yep, showing up is important.

So whenever life hands me something that I'm not quite ready to deal with, or don't want to deal with, I put on my big girl panties and remind myself of this quote.