Your Spuds Have Eyes

I’ve really been dragging lately and my healthy initiative has been going in a downward spiral. It might be due to the emotions of the last couple weeks or the thoughts that have been weighing on me over the last several months. The closer I get to 30, the more I seriously reevaluate my life and the choices I am making. It’s not something that can be solved in one day or in one blog. It’s certainly on my mind tonight. 

Today I left work early for an overdue eye appointment and they dilated my eyes. I hate when they do that because it lasts for hours! I had fully intended to come home and be productive: write my blog, clean up my house, read the magazines and books that are sitting in a stack in my living room, and go to bed at a decent time.

Nala thought my eyes looked funny

By the time I crawled home from my eye appointment, I was fighting to get myself to the couch. I made myself a quick snack of flaxseed crackers and cheese then put on the Gilmore Girls dvd because I’ve seen it before. I didn’t need my vision to be perfect to see what was going on. Mid-way through my Veg session I realized Rupert was sick. I don’t know if you’re eating while reading this blog, but suffice to say the poor little guy had it coming out both ends. He’s resting comfortably now. I’m hoping he ate a dead bug or something. Or he might miss Katie more than I realized. :)

Reluctantly after cleaning up Rupert's mess (took forever because my eyes were still dilated), I started my dinner. When I was at Whole Foods I found these cute little red potatoes, similar to fingerlings. I knew I could make a quick meal with them. Today I was thinking of the kind of potato dish my brother loves, homefries! So, I tossed these little suckers in a pan of boiling water until they were soft. Then I drained it from the water and let it sit for 10 minutes. Adam (my brother) taught me that potatoes need 10 minutes to sit. During this time you shouldn’t put anything on them or rinse them in water. This allows the oxygen to come back into the potato and really improves the flavor. I heated up extra virgin olive oil in a pan and threw the potatoes in after their 10 minute Veg session. I sautéed them until they had a crispy exterior.

I added chives on top for that delicious “onion” taste.  The outcome was amazing. They pair very well together. Isn’t it odd when you sauté potatoes in a pan and they make a squeaky sound, as if the potatoes are yelling at you for making them go through all that heat and pressure? Haha!

I made a side dish of locally grown zucchini and garlic sautéed in a separate pan. I had a lot of potatoes in the other pan and I didn’t want the temperature to decrease by adding in another contender. Both vegetables are different sizes and cut with a different thickness so their cooking time is opposite. 

Payday tomorrow and I don’t mean the candy bar! This means I get to run back to Barnes and Noble and peruse some of the books I’ve been scoping out on Amazon.com. More for you tomorrow.

Yea TGIF in a few hours!

Sarah Jenkins

"These panini's are a revelation!"

Katie.....Carol Burnett -------->

Lazy Bones

We're feeling lazy tonight...long day - early wake up call in the morning.

We'll have more for you tomorrow, catchya later!

Sarah Jenkins

You too shirt....good night shirt!

Afternoon, Midnight – Lets Call the Whole Thing…Transatlantic

Ever wake up and find that nothing seems to go your way? Well that is how I spent my morning. I dropped things on the floor, spilled my coffee, got stuck behind one slow driver after another and was late for work. 

I would like to blame it on the fact that I was up late last night putting my blog to bed rather than myself, but if it was not for my procrastination, I would not have been able to talk to Katie. I was emailing her pictures from the past couple days at 12:30am my time and she was enjoying a salad with chopsticks for lunch at 12:30pm China time. It was great to hear her voice. That is one great thing we gained from technology, a telephone. Thank you Alexander Graham Bell!

My mind was falling asleep during that last paragraph, so I think this will be a quick one tonight. Plus Rupert’s meowing for affection and kneading on my blanket. 

Food Blog:

*Today’s food blog is the reason I buy multigrain or wheat bread because any other bread is addictive for me. I cannot just eat one slice of ciabatta or sourdough bread. 

Breakfast	2 tbsp	peanut butter, organic
	2 pcs	multigrain toast
	1	apple, sliced
Lunch	4 pcs	rustic ciabatta, small slices
	2 c.	Salad: Romaine Lettuce, Cucumber, Celery, Carrot, Yellow Pepper
	2 tbsp	feta cheese
	1 tbsp	balsamic vinaigrette
Beverages	4 c.	Water
	2 c.	Tea
	2 c.	black coffee
	1 c.	soymilk, unsweetened
Snack	3 oz	chocolate, organic
	2 pcs	rustic ciabatta, small slices
Dinner	1 c.	Chunky Veggie soup, Amy's Organic brand
	3	grilled cheese, small slices, mozzarella

Cheers Joban…

Sarah Jenkins

A Hello in Return

I’m sorry, dear reader, for not writing yesterday. It was a hard day, a lot harder than I had anticipated. I tried to distract myself as much as possible. I followed my dad back to his condo and he filled my tires with air, while I chatted with him and my stepmum. A bit later I headed to the mall because I really needed work pants. Unfortunately it was not open for another hour, so I went around the corner to Barnes and Noble to wait it out. 

I love Barnes and Noble. It’s one store I can spend hours in and never want to leave. I found multiple books that are going on my Christmas list. Then a couple that I just could not wait to buy. One caught my eye because it had a picture of Einstein on it and is cleverly called “What Einstein Kept Under His Hat: Secrets of Science in the Kitchen.” Alton Brown wrote a recommendation for the book on the cover and it made me pick it up to read the synopsis on the back. I read the first few lines and knew immediately I wanted to read it. I love when that happens! I felt the same way about the other one I bought called, “An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace.” They both offer tips and tricks for cooking. I’m looking forward to reading them when I finish my current book. 

When I could finally pry myself from the bookstore, I headed to JC Penney for clothes. They’re always having a clearance sale so I found a bunch of shirts on sale for under $10 and one sweater for $5. You can’t beat those prices, especially since the quality of the clothing is far superior to Target or Walmart. 

When I got home the reality of my sister being gone had finally started to hit me. I’m not the only one who noticed the emptiness of the house. The cats had sad faces as well. 

 Since yesterday I’ve been trying to keep my head up and move along through my day. I didn’t realize how connected my daily life has been to my sister. It certainly is eye-opening and makes me see how hard it is to be that open and connected with another person. My mum used to say that Katie and I have twin language. We could just look at each other and laugh or know what the other one was thinking. I swear today I felt what my sister was feeling or it could have been my own exhaustion. The past week had been an emotional one. 

Luckily my mum and I had planned a little distraction we would enjoy together. She stopped over and I made us dinner and she hemmed my new work pants. It’s not easy being short yet not short enough to fit into the petite pants. I made her one of my new favorite meals, Wild Tuscan Rice with Asparagus. She loved it so much she had seconds, a reaction every chef loves to see! 

First I took out the juice and seeds of two tomatoes and added water to make up 2 cups of liquid to boil.

I measured out 1 cup of this hearty rice mix. I like buying a rice mix that has a few different kinds of rice because it mixes things up for your taste buds.

Then I cut up the rest of the tomatoes and put them off to the side.

Next I blanched some asparagus, which is basically just throwing it in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. After I dumped it in the strainer, I shocked it with cold water to retain that lovely green color.

I grabbed a sauté pan to cook up a shallot and garlic in extra virgin olive oil. I added salt, pepper, marjoram and oregano. Then I tossed in the chopped up tomato to sauté until the juice still in the tomato ran all along the pan. I added a bit more seasoning at this point.

I cut up the asparagus into little bits and added all the ingredients together with the rice. The package says it should cook for 50 minutes, but when I cook it at the simmer on my oven’s dial it only needs 30 minutes. So I prep and cook the other ingredients while the rice simmers. Everything comes together within 40 minutes, which is still an ideal time for a mid-week meal. 

I always add basil at the end for that extra Tuscan feel and shredded Parmesan cheese for a salty, cheesy bite.

I’m headed to bed now. My sleep schedule feels off. It could be that Katie is now currently living Tuesday morning and I’m still in Monday night. Or could be that Saturday night I had 2 hours sleep because Katie and I were preparing for her big trip the following day, either way I’m looking forward to putting my head on my pillow. 

Food Blog:

Breakfast	2 tbsp	cream cheese, organic
	2 pcs	multigrain toast
	1	plum pluot
Lunch	2 c.	red fingerling potatoes
	1 tbsp	vegan margarine
	1 tbsp	chives, organic chopped
Beverages	4 c.	water
	2 c.	tea
	2 c.	black coffee
	1	red wine, glass
Snack	2	Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, Kashi Brand
	3 oz	chocolate, organic
Dinner	2 c.	Wild Tuscan Rice with tomatoes and asparagas
	1/4 c.	parmesan cheese, shredded organic

**Remember Carol Burnett had a signal at the end of her show to say hello to her mother. Well this is for Katie until you return:

Sarah Jenkins