Chana Masala and my new hobby

The past week or so I have been down to business on my job applications. I took a trip up to Boston to apply to a bunch of places in person, and also spent some time with my boyfriend. It was so much fun, the weather was beautiful, and it was very difficult to leave. I struggled to get some decent coffee (for some strange reason they seemed to run out of things). I was extremely productive though, and after going I have been extremely motivated to apply to more places. I really like the thought of living in Boston. So much to do and so many places to see.

I have also started a new project which you can see here. I have become ever more interested in nutrition and decided to go raw and see what happens. In the meantime, since I still cook for my family, I will still have recipes to post here, such as the chana masala I’ll explain in a second.

I must admit, that with all the bustle to try and find a job and just trying to figure out my life, I have been neglecting this blog terribly. So, for the meantime my posts will be sparing although I will try to update about all of the important stuff. In the meantime you can keep up with my raw food efforts though, which will be far more consistently updated on tumblr.

Thank you everyone for following thus far. You’re support has been tremendous and I would not be able to start a second blog without you.

On a happier note, I made chana masala today for my famliy. I don’t think they’ve ever really had any indian food. or chickpeas. My mom had told me earlier that she likes beans and peas and because I have always liked to avoid meat at all costs, I was excited to make a dish for her.

Mid-cooking, I had a crisis though. The canned tomatoes that I had bought that I thought were actually crushed tomatoes and not whole at all. Essentially, it was a puree. Also, I realized that I had just poured double the amount of tomatoes into the pot than the recipe called for. So, I doubled the spices despite not doubling the chickpeas. So, I will not lie, I suggest following the recipe directly from here (which is the one I used.) It was delicious and I topped it off with a little bit of non-fat greek yogurt to mellow the spices. My only regret is that I should have added some dill and herbs as a garnish. Enjoy!

streakers, soccer, and success

I had the privilege of seeing the US play the Czech Republic (in which they lost 4-2). It was fun though and I never would have anticipated such tailgating at a soccer game!  There may or may not have been a line to get into the parking lot four hours before the game started… we’ll pretend you didn’t find out from me. Even though they lost, my dad caught photos of the streaker during the game.

And the resolution:

I feel bad for him. I hope it was worth it though. I know he’s not naked but he did run the field while the game was happening. I’m going to consider him a streaker for lack of a better word.

As for success–which didn’t happen during the game– my healthy cooking is working! My sister lost more than five pounds this week, which is a little too much too fast. But, I’m still going to consider it a success and make sure I don’t starve her. On the other hand, I am having a hard time getting a running program started because I still like my cardio and am having a hard time running in place of it. I also have a slight fear of passing out on the treadmill. I think I’ll try to give it up in increments.

Anyways, soccer is fun! If you’re looking for an awesome summer activity, I suggest it. Bring some friends, start up a grill, and have fun!

Surviving senior week = more challenging than surviving college

With senior week, graduation and moving back home, I have been all over the place and I definitely should have warned you guys!

However, I have big plans in store which will inevitably mean more updates about my cooking endeavors and will be even more healthy than usual because I have my sister on my side! She’s taken on the challenge of eating like me which means super healthy and borderline crazy.

So I have to say… I SURVIVED SENIOR WEEK! I never thought I would have to say that. I mean, it sounded like so much fun who would think you would need to survive it? So much alcohol in one week! I have never been so sick of alcohol, ever. However, it was entirely worth it and now i’m back to my usual living-at-home life with minimal alcohol and am recovering happily (and with no desire to do that again). I may or may not have ran back to the car from bellevue when my rooommate realized the house keys were locked in the car after senior cocktail night. I may or may not have walked back to my apartment barefoot  down the sidewalks of newport (or done so twice). I also may or may not have bought a slice of cheese pizza from Via Via (yeah I know, for someone who measures their food I was a rebel). The food (throughout the week) was also very unhealthy and I ate way too much of it so the first thing I bought with my graduation money was a gym membership… which I love! I went to Cardio Express all last summer and so I renewed my membership and couldn’t be happier.

Which also brings me to my next goal. I’m thinking I might start training for a 5k. I know its silly. What do you guys think? The only problem is, I hate running on the street but love running on the treadmill. Has anyone else felt that way? Anyone have any tips or ideas?

Final train of thought… I am graduated. I have two bachelor degrees. But, I could not be more confused about what to do with my life. So far I like to keep myself busy with cleaning and going to they gym and cooking for my sister … all of this is a procrastination from awaiting job applications. Don’t get me wrong. Not having a job stresses me out. I lose sleep. I worry. I look at my dwindling bank account, still existing bills from my Newport apartment and anticipate my federal loans. I know I make things worse but what am I to do? What kinds of jobs? I don’t quite understand what I am supposed to be doing, what jobs to apply to, how ambitious to be. So far, I have only had rejection.

This blog though…. this blog is exciting because I can do this. I have so many recipes to share. So many stories to tell. So stay posted, I’ll be updating soon!

Awesome Nachos (Roommate Cooking Series)

As college comes to a close, I am spending a ton of money on everything from commencement ball gowns and tickets to paying off my last few bills. My roommate and I thought we’d try making themed dinners so that we could have awesome meals for cheaper. Plus, we like to cook.  Trust me, I wish I could spend our last few nights dining in the fabulous restaurants of Newport but my wallet is in a depraved state.

On our agenda for this week we still are thinking about making bison. Regrettably, I don’t have pictures of our own pizza last week. But our personal favorite? Nacho night.. with some bootleg mojitos because we were too cheap to buy all the stuff. If you’ve never made your own nachos, then you need to right this second and you won’t regret it.

Awesome Nachos

• tortillas (any type, flavor, or size)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion
• 1/4 pound of ground turkey
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper
• chili powder
• curry powder
• red pepper flakes
• salt, pepper
• 2 jalepenos

Toppings:

• 1 small tomato
• salsa
• sour cream
• cheddar cheese
• shredded lettuce
• green onions
• 1/4 cup of diced red pepper

Hello everyone

I promise I haven’t been ignoring you. It is, in fact, the contrary. I have about a million things I want to  write about and have for the last week or so, had absolutely no time to write.

Please don't leave me!

Just so that you believe me, coming up soon I’ll be updating you about these awesome nachos I made, and my own pizza (roommate cooking series!), and about the beach as well as other things I have been thinking about.

So stay tuned for a post coming later  today or tomorrow.

i’m sorry i’ve neglected you!

what is happening to us?

After three consecutive hours watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution on hulu, I’ve decided everyone needs to watch it.

Since when don’t kids know their vegetables? They didn’t even know what a potato was! And when is it a good idea to own two deep fryers? These are problems. Obesity is clearly a problem in America. This show may not be accurate, who knows.

But… watch the show. You won’t believe it.

that, out there, is god

Disclosure: This post is overly pensive and in essence, pointless. It is one of those cathartic posts where its not so much about you, the reader,  but about me. I apologize. Ever have one of those days where you have to let things out? I hope that you relate and that it justifies this post and i apologize if I am preaching.

***

Finishing thesis has left me with too much time to think. Too much time to worry about my future, and leaving me with still little clue as to what life is all about. I’m not here to provide answers or even to make suggestions about what I think it means. I think what I have realized is that after these four years, somewhere in the back of my mind, I have a clearer understanding of who I am. I may not remember everything from my classes (if i even remember a quarter I’d be happy) and I apparently am not ready for grad school, nor does anyone want to hire me.

Amongst all of this disappointment, rejection, and nervousness, I’m still proud of where I’ve gotten. For the first time, I’m proud of myself not because I’ve reached the expectations others have set out for me  but because I’ve learned who I am and that I really can accomplish the goals I set for myself.

I am happy because I have accomplished more than I thought I could. I may sound like a complete fool, hell I probably do…and there is no reason why you should care that I am happy.

I’ve learned invaluable things at Salve.

I’ve learned what it means to be a friend through good and bad. I’ve learned love is nothing like the movies. I’ve learned love is about acceptance, selflessness, but also selfishness. I’ve learned that life is never what you expect it to be. I’ve learned about the impermanence of everything.

I’ve learned, you never know where you are going to end up and to a certain extent, you have little say in where that is.

I’ve learned that to be happy, you have to make the most of things, even when that is the hardest thing to do.

I’ve learned that sometimes you do come first. We need to be happy before we can be happy with others.  No one can make you happy but yourself.

I’ve learned that you can’t take advantage of anything–not the sun, nor that annoying internship you have or even your car starting in the morning. Nothing is for certain.

I also learned that you can’t be happy by just reaching one goal. One goal, my friends, is not enough. Life isn’t just about education or friendship or taking care of yourself or running marathons or eating ice cream or writing that paper. Life is all of those things and as absolutely ridiculous the idea of the American Dream can be, to a certain extent it is that ideal. We want all those things, the best body, mind, and soul.  To settle for reaching just one of those things when you can have all of them is cheating yourself.

I graduated high school thinking that one day I’d be an author. I never intended to be an english major and so far, I have nothing to show for as a writer (except maybe this blog).

I have no idea where i’m going.

anxious

Summer tastes like many things.

White wine. Italian ice. Fresh tomatoes off the vine. Barbecue chicken and pineapple kabobs ( a favorite of mine and my boyfriend’s). There’s fresh squeezed lemonade.  Smooth soft serve vanilla ice cream. Strawberry shortcake with whipped cream.  You can’t forget campfire marshmallows.

What I really love about the summer though is the seafood, especially when it comes from a beach town.

Fish and chips with a side of coleslaw–there isn’t a better meal. My family and I love to go to Lenny and Joe’s Fishtail Restaurant in Madison for fried clam strips. Their seafood (and coleslaw) are amazing.

However, fried fish and french fries with tartar sauce and mayo-heavy coleslaw are not exactly the best option for anyone patiently awaiting bathing suit season.

Luckily, I stumbled accross this mayo-free, healthy coleslaw recipe in Cooking Light, the summer edition from last year. I made a few modification. I added a tablespoon of Dijon mustard for flavor and used green onions instead of regular onions. I also used mixed bell peppers and splenda instead of sugar.

Here is to a seasonable and healthy side dish!

cutting the complaining

I have a confession to make. I complain a lot, and it is one of the things I dislike most about myself.  It is a characteristic I am not proud of and I get really disappointed in myself when I unnecessarily harp on issues I am rarely willing to change.  Ironically, I hate when other people complain, too.

Interestingly enough, there is an organization called A Complaint Free World. It was created by Reverend Will Bowen, a minister in Kansas, MO. Although I am wary of ministers and religion, I think this article and the video (which I can’t embed for some reason) is even more compelling. Journalist George Lewis of NBC took a complaint-free pact in order to mimic Bowen’s complaint free “fast.” Bowen asked his parish to wear the bracelets and to switch the bracelet to the other hand every time they complained until, one day, they stopped complaining all together.  A psychologist at the end of the segment mentioned that whether complaining is bad for people is debatable; it helps some and harms others.  I think though, it is worth trying.

So one of my constant goals, oustide of simplifying my life, is to stop complaining about others. Even though I strongly believe that people have reasons as to why they are the way they are, and reasons why they do the things they do, I still manage to get irritated every once in a while.  As this semester comes to a close, I find it even more important to be more relaxed and less irritated by trivial things. I know that even though I might be complaining now, one day I will really miss college and all the things that once annoyed me.

Starting tomorrow, I am going to try this. I will not complain for the next 21 days. I don’t have a bracelet and I don’t plan on buying one. But, I will report back on any complaining I do.

Even that internship where the staff took advantage of you and sent you on coffee runs.  That lecture you begrudgingly attended but later became useful in a paper you wrote. All these things that may have seemed like major irritations before are still so much a part of life. In my limited time before graduation, I am trying to take advantage of everything. I know, this optimism is overwhelming and borderline ridiculous, but this can be a good thing.

We’ll see how this goes! Especially considering that this is the end of the semester, my thesis presentation is this week, my thesis is due this week, and finals are in two weeks.  If i can make it through this, I can make it through anything!

i’m tired

I wish I could take a nap in the sun like Mr. Turtle. I like school. I don’t want to leave college. I think as students we are extremely spoiled.

But today, i’m exhausted. I was falling asleep during presentations. I want to nap through work. I wonder if I will make it to nine o’clock, or if I will go to sleep before my grandmother does.

Even the pretty weather isn’t keeping me up.

I could go for an iced coffee but I’d be up for hours.

Are you tired? I’m ready for the weekend. Are my fellow thesis writers as tired as I am?