Veggie Tacos

I have been experimenting with some new recipes and also just putting a new twist on some of my favorites that I have always made. So, I was trying some fajitas...minus the chicken/or beef.

I just wanted to load these little babies with veggies.

In them I put:

Black Beans

Avocado

Tomato

Cilantro

Lime

and Cheese

I topped them with Garlic Cilantro Salsa from Trader Joes yum!!

I also had blue corn tortilla chips which are also healthier it seems for you as a side

Mmm

I had 2 of these I think...

If it is healthy that means I can double the portions right? Hah.

Love you all.

Greek Salad Pita Pockets!

I had been craving Greek salads for a bit when I FINALLY decided to look up a recipe and see if I could just whip one up! I had NO idea how easy it was! I took a look at the recipe and decided it would be perfect to even make for lunches. The veggies would keep well, and it would definitely keep me full until dinner time!

I stumbled upon this recipe..

Greek Salad Pita Sandwiches

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups chopped seeded plum or cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup diced seeded peeled cucumber
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped radishes
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 1/2 ounces)

• 4 8-inch-diameter whole wheat pita breads, halved

Preparation

Whisk olive oil and red wine vinegar in large bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Mix tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, radishes, and parsley into dressing. Stir in feta cheese. DO AHEAD: Salad can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Using slotted spoon, transfer salad mixture to pita bread halves. Serve sandwiches immediately

 

Yum! I didn't have any radishes, so didn't include those...but used everything else almost exactly. Oh my gosh...seriously so good! I also made a Mediterranean Rice Pilaf in addition to the Pitas

that was also pretty good.

Here is the picture that they show with the recipe...I ate mine too fast unfortunately to snap any pics, so you get the stock photo....sorry pigeons

It is much better than the photo.

My recent adventures with food

So as of late, I have been looking very heavily into the vegetarian lifestyle. I don't usually eat much meat anyway, unless of course, it is Red Robin. I can't seem to shake that ol dirty bird.

I don't think I would really even want to title it vegetarian because I feel like if I want to eat some fish, or even a burger, I feel as though people would be like,
"OH, but I thought you were a Vegetarian"?
"Oh well I thought you should mind your own Bizz Nass"

So I really dont' want to classify it as something, but this is generally what I am leaning towards. Like I mentioned in recent posts, I have been captivated by the movie "Food, Inc" and just disgusted by the food industry. If you don't want the crap you are eating to be ruined...then I suggest don't watch that film. It will....or should, change your perspective. I have made the switch to cage free eggs, vegetarian fed, the whole works.

Also, if I do eat beef, it is grain fed, not corn fed.

I am definitely not perfect, and am far from knowing all there is to know. I just do my best to try and eat right, hope to lose some pounds along the way, and feel better about my health in general.

This has given me a whole new perspective and whole large list of things to try recipe wise. I generally DO NOT like veggies, so this has been an adjustment. I would rather eat carbs and fruits..nom nom. Probably not the healthiest diet.

I have also been shopping at the farmers markets, trying to find the best and freshest produce and such.

Now on to a few of my creations as of late:

I bought some salmon from the farmers market, caught that morning. I had NEVER cooked salmon on my own before, so was excited to try.

I greased a piece of foil, laid down some onions and lemon slices, then placed the salmon on top.

I then placed some of the onions and lemon slices on top of the salmon as well. Rubbed some garlic on the salmon, and then sprinkled with some Rosemary and Dill.

I BBQed the salmon in the foil for about 15 minutes until it flaked. I had some long grain rice that I also sprinkled with some dill.

I also baked some red potatoes, by coating them in Olive oil and salt. Baking at 400 degrees, for 45 minutes. **Make sure to poke holes in the potatoes with a fork so they dont explode in the oven**

When the potatoes were done, I had some green onion from the farmers market, cut up, and tossed that with the potato as well. Yum!!

Here is a picture of the delish din din.



Pretty filling, and the salmon had really great flavor. Not bad for my first try!

Easter Weekend

So Easter weekend I decided to go up to Washington to visit family and friends and have Easter din din with my mum. I first started out my adventure, packed up the Yari Yari and drove into Portland to pick up some Voodoo Donut!

The sign is hard to see, but I wanted to pick up a dozen for my broski and a few of my friends had special requests! I was also craving an apple fritter something fierce.

MMM! No pics of the delectable treats unfortunately.

But def picked up some bacon maple bars for the broski.

I was so surprised because the line used to wrap around the side where the anime porn theatre is...but apparently they expanded into the place next door and got a new sign and have these super cool stained glass windows with their faces on them and stuff now.

So normally when I go to Voodoo, I am usually by myself and with Sully and stuff, so I just pay to park in the lot right next to the shop, it is kind of pricey, but it is worth it to not have to drive around looking for a spot on a Friday night, and then leaving my girls and crap alone on a street. Have you seen then bums in Portland? That is another post entirely. Anyway, SO I drove into this parking lot, and the way that this lot is set up, you kind of have to double park everyone. So the parking lot attendant came up to me out of fucking nowhere...he looked like 50 cent. I am not kidding.

I asked him  how much to park and he was like umm....well how long are you going to be here? I was like well...I am just going to voodoo so like 40 mins ? And he was like oh okay ( Right about here, I am thinking he is going to give me a honey of deal) ...$8.00. $8.00!?!? Are you kidding me!? UGH. So I paid the man, and he told me I should leave my keys with him, because he might need to move my car if the person comes back that I had double parked. I was like WHAT? Like really? I have never handed my keys over. This guy could have been anyone, and here I am handing the keys over to my life. Aka. Sully, Ipod, GPS, no big deal? You want to share with your friends, sure take your pick. I don't know what I was thinking..but really wanted those gosh dang donuts apparently.

Voodoo was packed of course, and they even had this guy out front playing buckets. Someone offered to buy him a donut and he said he doesn't eat the stuff, watching his girlish figure I suppose.

Inside I got 3 apple fritters, they are GINORMOUS!

And I got a dozen of where they pick the donuts. This box was for my brother. I also made sure that they included some bacon maple bars. His most favorite. I am such a nice sister yeah?

Afterwards just packed up, and hit the road. Made it in record time, and yeah..that was basically Friday.

Saturday Timmy and I headed to Camp Charlie for a doggie Easter egg hunt. This is held by Homeward Pet adoptions, and all proceeds benefit this rescue. A fun event with our dogs that also benefits homeless pets!?!? Sign us up! Sully and I had gone to this event a few years prior and she had SUCH a good time. You think that the humans are going to be the ones hunting down these gosh darn eggs for the dogs. Um NOPE! Not my Sully, she was hunting those eggs, punching them open, and eating the treats and kibbles inside like there was no tomorrow. I wish I had video because really it is priceless. It was also perfect because we got to head to Camp Charlie, which when we lived in Washington, Sully was part of their day camp and LOVED it. Jamie, the owner, is the sweetest and so chill and laid back and you can tell he really loves the dogs and loves what he does!

So anyway, back to the egg hunt, we got there a wee bit early, but signed ourselves in, and got some baskets and immediately got to work!

Sully and Bella had such a good time, they were searching for the eggs, and eating the kibbles inside of them. I was imagining Sully was feeling like Templeton at the fair!

"This egg hunt..is a smorgasbord, smorgasbord, SMORGASBORD!!!!"

"Rotten Cotton candy"

Anyone? Anyone?

Ahh I digress...

Here are a few pictures of the event..

Me and my Bunny Newt

We be hunting for eggs

Run Boxy Lou RUN

Nom Nom

Bella and her ears

Timmy and Bella

Sully & Bella Kisses

Hahah look at newts face!!

Sorry if these pics are not the best quality..I shall look into this.

Anyway, after the hunt we headed out to my dads house to give Cammy his donuts (or Doughnuts, whichever spelling you prefer). We just talked a bit, and hunt out with his friend and him with the pups. After all this egg searching we worked up quite an appetite! So we went to the local watering hole Ixtapa. YUMM!!

I had introduced Timmy to Ixtapa another time before...WOAH. Pretty sure his mind was blown. Radballs right? Yeah I thought so too. Obvs it was the Duvall one. :) We all know how its better then the nation of carn.

BOOM.

Afterwards we headed out to a BBQ with some friends. It was super fun! Apparently, I decided that being dehydrated and drinking a bottle of wine was a GREAT idea. A bottle of Chateau St. Michelle Reisling is usually my go to, and I can down that no probs. I have never really been hung over before. Oh My gosh. I was DOWN for the count. I was partying like a rockstar, and busting out some pretty sweet dance moves. I was also wailing on the hand mic...and doing some signature moves.

And then I woke up...like this..

Yes Ladies and gentleman...that is an IV drip in my arm

Classy.

I was partied out clearly. Apparently, when I party...I go all out. I am not a HUGE partier...but when I do...I get cray.

Yeah..so long story short...I remember everything, but because I was SO deydrated, I was GONE. And I mean...could not keep water down or anything. It was bad. Luckily, I was surrounded by medics and nurses, that told me that I really should do an IV, because I needed to get fluid in my body somehow. After I sat there and sobbed for about 10 minutes, it happened, and I felt a bit better. They said that I was so dehydrated though, I did not even bleed and prob could have used about 2 more bags of fluid. Go me. So I stayed in bed...or floor most of the day...which SUCKED because it was Easter. I tried to keep a banana down..did not succeed. So this is where I spent the majority of my day. Classy.

Then, I had to suck it up and drive to mums house so I could have Easter dinner. The thought of eating anything at this point was enough to make my stomach turn, but I could not disappoint mum.

I got to mums house and she had gotten me this adorable Easter basket. Oh mum, still getting broski and I Easter baskets with easter eggs and grass. I LOVE LOVE it.

Next, we had a delectable din of Pork Roast, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, and homemade rolls. For dessert? Mums apple cake yum!!

The only picture of said event was my Chug on the Princess and the Pea bed

Adorable.

After din, I showed my mum the Boudoir photos that I had taken, (another post entirely).
And then I had to head back home to good ol Whoregon.

Ahh..my Easter was def one for the record books ladies and gents.

Be smart.. know your limits ;)

I can't even look at a bottle of that dang Reisling without wanting to vom. I was Totes Hung.

I don't recommend it. And an IV for the girl that has NEVER had one in her life, and is terrified of needles...not one of my finer moments.

Love you all times PI

My first ink?

So ladies and gentleman, this girl has decided to get a tattoo! I know right? Are you as freaked as I am!? Yeah...the girl that deathly is afraid of needles and all things pertaining to the body and medical stuffs related. I have been thinking about it for awhile and thinking where to put it and what I wanted to look at for the rest of my life. My first thing that I had thought of...was Disney. You all know my love for the mouse, and if you know me even better, you know I am a WEE bit obsessed with Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan! I had originally thought I wanted Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse ears on my wrists, very small, but just the ears....still thinking about it...maybe my 4th?

My second thought was that I need to get a second one...(yeah yeah I know, I haven't even gotten my first but bear with me) I am thinking of getting a feather somewhere. I am OBSESSED with feathers...and think it would be a good addition to my bod.

And my 3rd...yes yes I know...I am now on my way to Kat Von D status...I am thinking some type of words on each shoulder...but more on the neck meat side. Does that make sense? But yes...these are my thoughts as of late...and I found a cute ideas on none other than Pinterest of course!! doyyyy.

**Side note, do you remember when people said DOY? I am totes bringing this back**

Anywhoodle, These are a few of my ideas...let me know what you think..I am for sure getting this one!! I might alter it a bit, and maybe make it Alice in Wonderland...but LOVING the Peter Pan as well...

LOVE this!

I really love this too for my word tat!

I want it to say "Couriouser and Couriouser"
Or

"To die would be an awfully big adventure"

Or something to that effect!

And then for my feather tattoo

Just a few ideas...I am super nervous because I know the places I want to get these are going to hurt, and I have like a negative pain tolerance. But...I want to be a sex pot with my tats, so suffer  I shall.

My future at this rate.

Love you all times PI

What I have been loving... and food rant

I have felt like such a little domesticated honey bee as of late. I come home from working 8 hours and whip up a meal, usually a few courses with dessert. Who is amazing? Yeah...thats right this girl.

I have been on a Strawberry kick...and I mean..eating them with everything...salads, shortcakes, by themselves, smoothies, etc..you name the concoction..I have probably eaten it in the last few months. I don't see this slowing down anytime soon, so should probably just buck up and deal with it. Mmm Strawberries! 
Here are a few of the things I have made as of late...

Fish tacos with avocado sauce

The recipe is off of Taste of Home, my mum got me their magazine subscription a few years ago, and I have fallen in LOVE! Mine were not quite as pretty as their picture...but I think I did a pretty good job.

With Multi-grain Tortillas

And homemade salsa with Jalapenos, Avocado, tomato, lime, cucumber, and cilantro. MMM

The recipe in case you care...

Directions

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the lemon juice, oil and garlic. Add the halibut; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For sauce and salsa, peel and cube avocados. In a small bowl, mash 1/4 cup avocado. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients. Place remaining avocado in a small bowl; stir in the remaining salsa ingredients. Refrigerate sauce and salsa until serving.
• Drain fish and discard marinade. Broil halibut 4-6 in. from the heat for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Place fish on the center of each tortilla. Top each with 1/4 cup cabbage, about 1 tablespoon sauce and 1/4 cup salsa. Yield: 4 servings.

Editor's Note: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.

They were delish! I just used Tilapia fillets, the breaded ones because when I sent someone to Costco, they came back with those..Ehh they will work!!

Something else I have been loving...

CAPRESE

Again...don't judge the presentation ladies and gentleman...It really is delicious!

Tomatoes, Basil, Fresh Mozzarella (let me tell you how hard this FRESH stuff is to come by in the Independence, Monmouth Area..I tell you what! Then drizzle the mozz with Olive Oil, and top with Salt and Pepas..hEre..SALT SALT SALT SALT and PePas HERE!...Anybody? No? Okay..moving on.

And last but most certainly not least

Salad!

These salads are Jam packed with organic veggies, most from the local farmers markets that I just became SO excited because they just started back up again! I have been counting down the days until we could go back to Saturday market! Mostly I put in at spinach Greens, Eggs, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Avocado, tomato, Cucumbers, and Strawberries, and sometimes black beans for protein. Mm. Talk about a delicious filling salad. I can't talk this one up enough ladies and gentleman. Oh and to top it all off, Trader Joes Balsamic Vinagrette. MMM. Slap me silly.

I also have been loving asparagus..drizzle with olive oil, top with salt and pepper and parmesan cheese, and bake in the oven at 400 for 10 minutes. YUM!

I have been on this super health food kick. I have been wanting to be a vegetarian for awhile now, and still slowly inching my way that way. It would be hard to give up Red Robin...not sure if I could do it, due to that dirty bird..but I am definitely trying and moving in that direction. I have been trying new recipes to try and see if it would really be possible, and I really think that I could do it. I made a spaghetti the other night with meatless meatballs, (for Protein), with tacos, I just load them with veggies, and of course , the same goes for salads. I just think it is a healthier lifestyle anyway, and you are more conscious about what you are putting in your body. I also watched the documentary Food, Inc, as of late, and just to see the way things and the food industry are handled is disgusting. I really don't want to be part of any of that. I would rather just be self-sustaining grow all my own veggies, or get from local organic farmers, eat cage free eggs, only grain fed beef ( If I decide not to go veggie). This seems to be the healthier option, and I don't want all of those fillers in my foods. I feel like something has to be said for the average lifespan of the American dropping...while other countries are increasing.  How can this be? Nasty ass food, that is how! How is it okay to put ammonia based fillers in meats, and eat eggs where the chickens are just caked in their own feces, and living amongst dead birds, or in dark tunnel houses, where they never see the light of day. So sad.

Well enough of my food rant...but these have been my thoughts as of late.

Do you have any favorite recipes dolls? Love you all times pi

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound halibut or tilapia fillets
• SAUCE:
• 2 medium ripe avocados, divided
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• Dash cayenne pepper
• SALSA:
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 4-1/2 teaspoons chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• TACOS:
• 8 flour tortillas (6 inches)
• 2 cups shredded cabbage

I will call him...McGalley Culkin

So for those of you that know me, I am hardly EVER sick...I have never had any surgeries, no hospital visits, no stitches, no disease or illnesses... NOTHING. Pretty much a healthy cat.

And if something does start to bother me, I pretty much ignore it..and it goes away on its own. (Healthy...I know). I don't usually ever go to the doctors because, number one, they are going to do a ton of tests that are not necessary, and 2.) I just don't want to deal with it...

So late November, I started having some pain in my back on my right side, that actually wrapped around my torso and to the front. If I moved certain ways, I would have shooting pain that would seriously take me down. I started having this pain shortly after I had done a hike, so I just thought  maybe my muscles were sore, and I was just hurting from that. Well...the pain kept getting worse and worse..maybe for about a week. I consulted my Timmy about it, since he was graduating from nursing school shortly, and he told me, that sounds serious, you need to get that checked out. That sounds like gall bladder.

Yeah the heck right.

Well, the next day at work I could barely move, and kept having to stop and take super short breaths. Probably not okay. I checked with my supes and they told me that I needed to go to urgent care, and they would let me leave for the day. I decided to go, thinking that they were just going to tell me that I was basically crazy for coming to the dr for muscle pain, and take some advil and chill the heck out.

Um no.

So I explained my symptoms to the nurse, and he was like..oh sounds like gall bladder. .Excuse me...but did Timmy call you up and tell you to say that?! Because...that is ridiculous, I never get sick, and galley can just stay put he is just fine.

The doctor came in, and did a few more checkings of the muscles and what not, and he told me that he thought it could potentially be super serious, and that I needed to get blood work done and an ultrasound, and if those turned out not okay, I need to consult with a surgeon.

Um Excuse me!? Ass Spincter says what!? I am pretty sure you just said surgeon. This girl does not do surgeons, or needles or anything really, I think you have the wrong room.

This was how our conversation went:

Doc: "So yeah, I think you need to get some blood work, and an ultrasound"

Me: "Umm excuse me, where do you think you are taking the blood from"

Doc: "Oh just your arm right there, **pointing to my vein**"

Me: "Um yeah, sorry, but I dont' do that"

Doc: " What do you mean you don't do that?"

Me: " I just dont. You can have an ultrasound, but I dont' give you my blood, that is how this works"

The doc was SHOCKED.. I don't think anybody has ever told him, that they just simply don't do that, and that is the end of discussion.

Hah.

I showed him.

So anyway, they told me that I needed to go down the hallway and do some ultrasounds.

Freaking scared out of my mind, I walk to the place, and I tell them my name, and the other lady at the front desk, interjects to the lady, Oh yes, her last name is Amos right? Yeah, they want her in RIGHT AWAY.

Cool, Thanks for making me feel like today is my last day on this earth.

So I am freaking out, I can't even think and all I want to do is cry, because I don't do medical things EVER. And on top of that, if I ever do a medical ANYTHING, I MUST have someone with me. I need someone to calm me and sing soft kitty and hold my hand. YOu think I am kidding. But thats the damn truth yo.

So they shuffle me into this dark room for an ultrasound. And I am nervous as shit, because he puts the jelly on my belly, and I am thinking...shit, this is it, he is going to find a baby and my life is over, this is how I am going to find it. I am done for. Haha...I must have been watching too much Teen Mom. But that was all I could think about.. Crap, and theres the heart beat.

Good News, No heart beat.

Just McGalley Culkin.

That is my Gall bladders name in case you haven't caught on. I think it is kind of clever...but yeah..he ran the ultrasound and turns out I have gall stones. Which seems weird because I am not old, and I do not eat a lot of fried or fatty foods, which is normally where they come from. The doctor sent me home with some vicodin, and told me that I needed to consult with a surgeon. I considered it, and when the surgeon called me back to schedule an appointment, I obliged.

However...I never ended up going because I could not make it work with my work schedule. The pain went away after about a week, and I have been pretty much fine ever since. I asked the doctor why it would hurt though all of a sudden, and he said the stones may just be acting up or whatevs. Hmm...cool.

So, yeah..I think I should still probably go see a surgeon just in case they do act up again, because I need to get them broken up and passed and stuff, but I don't want to have the galley surgery and stuff. That shit freaks me out, and I feel like once you have one surgery, that is it...it is downhill from there.

You can't have just one.

Well anway...that is an update on my health woes...or woe.

Love you all times pI.