A List of Things I Have Done in the Past Two Weeks

Called my dad at 2 in the morning and sobbed as if someone had died

Took Nyquil and slept for 12 hours

Hardly ate for several days then ate a weird amount of Indian food and got violently ill

Verbally apologized to my liver

Ordered a half pound bag of dried lavender from Amazon Prime Now 1 hour delivery as if I was having some sort of Relaxation Emergency

Received a call from the Amazon Prime Now delivery driver that had just left my house asking me if I was ok.

Looked at strangers in the grocery store and thought "Did you do this? You fucking did this didn't you?"

Flipped all of the People magazines in the checkout line so that I didn't have to look at Trump's smug face

Responded to a hateful, sexist insult from a former close, long-time friend with the emotional equivalent of an eyeroll. (You're going to have to try harder these days, dude)

Had the disturbing revelation that someone I've invited into my home is an avid supporter of the "Alt-Right" and posts on the internet about how the decline in the white birth rate is "so sad".

Seriously considered the possibility that I'm in a coma and this is all a solipsistic nightmare of my own creation

Had a panic attack

Learned that my response to a panic attack these days is to immediately do 50 bodyweight squats

Looked backed on November 8th me, excited and cocky in my blazer and thought "Oooh you sweet summer child"

Unsuccessfully tried to comfort my dear friends in the minority and LGBTQ communities

Had a civil online conversation with a Trump voter in an attempt to break out of my echo chamber

Did tequila shots and had a 2 person Beyonce dance party in my living room with Brandi. (I'm still me.)

Vacillated between thinking, as a woman and feminist, my grief and anger is completely justified and feeling guilty, as a white middle class person for taking this shit so hard.

Had a serious gut check about my relative privilege and vowed to be a more vocal ally

Got on the phone and called my representatives

Held my girlfriends closer than ever

Set up monthly donations to the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center and increased my monthly donation to Planned Parenthood.

Vowed to never, fucking NEVER, stop fighting.

It's all good in the hood

I took advantage of the reasonable temps and went on a 3 mile stroll today. I love my neighborhood. I've lived in the Heights on and off since I was I was 17. I always seem to find myself back within the same few square miles; in fact two of my former residences are a mere 3 blocks from where I am now, though one has been torn down and replaced. As I walked today, I found myself nostalgic for late night tipsy tire swing rides in Milroy Park, and even for crappy bus stops where I've spent hours of my life, waiting for the metro and listening to music. As someone who moved a lot as a kid, this neighborhood is as familiar as it gets for me, despite its changes. It occurred to me that in a few years I'll be nostalgic for these current days, just as I'm nostalgic now for the teen and mid 20s years I've spent here. That thought brings me a real sense of contentment. It's a privilege to recognize the good old days when you're in them.

Because no one wants rickets...

Poor little lonely blog, so neglected. Between being on the computer for work and wasting time on social media I don't often feel like writing here. I knew my posts would be sporadic but I'll try (and likely fail) to be more consistent. It was a cold winter here in Houston (well, cold for us) so I was mostly a homebody but I did squeeze in some good times, good travels, good food and good beer. Since we last spoke, I turned 30 (which feels exactly like 29) and, earlier this month, went to San Francisco with one of my favorite ladies. I could go on and on but just look at pics here - they pretty much tell the story for me! Not pictured is the fantastic Peking duck I had at R&G Lounge which is haunting my dreams and tastebuds but in a good way.

But speaking of cold, horrible, awful, godforsaken winter: even though it was longer and icier than normal it wasn't the miserable experience it usually is for me. The reason for this post is to share some info as to why I think that is. In researching why I normally feel blah from about December to April, I learned that the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is really low in the US as compared to other countries, and that people who work indoors and wear lots of sunscreen are frequently deficient, often severely so. In addition to feeling down, I had random aches and pains and a few other symptoms that may be attributable to D deficiency.

After consulting with my primary care physician, Dr. Google, I decided to up my intake to 2,000iu per day, which is a safe level and closer to what they recommend in other countries. The difference has been remarkable for me. My energy levels are better, I'm less achy and shitty feeling and I dodged the winter blues for the first time in my adult life. This is huge for me. I kept waiting for the blah feeling...and it never came. Of course, exercise, diet and booze moderation are important factors too, but D supplementation is the only new factor I introduced this year, plus to be honest I slacked in those other areas a bit.

Now, I'm not a doc (your best course of action is to see one and get your blood levels checked) and I'm not saying vitamin D is a cure for SAD, which it's important to note I've never been diagnosed with, but I highly recommend evaluating your D intake. This is probably a good idea regardless of whether you have symptoms or not, reason being that the RDA for the US is way low and it's hard to get a sufficient amount from diet alone. I'm considering upping my dose even more as the Vitamin D Council recommends 5000iu a day. Vitamin D is fat soluble and thus can be overdone, but it's unlikely any of us are close to the upper limit. As a matter of fact some people need a crazy high dose (under a doctor's guidance!) to get back on track. I still plan to get my levels checked at some point in case I'm one of those people. 

I am almost certain that additional studies will result in a substantial jump in the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D in the US in the coming years. I still feel most likely myself in late spring, summer and fall, but a winter without mild depression is a very welcome thing.

January conclusions

Well my No Booze January experiment has concluded and, while it was educational and a good "reset", I did let things taper off toward the end there. Really there isn't much to say that I didn't already cover in last week's blog post. Essentially, I found it overly restrictive and I'm more of a sustainable goal type than an all-or-nothing type. It definitely helped me gain some perspective, but part of that perspective is "Dang, a glass of wine with dinner sure is nice!" Seriously, last week's post makes for a better summary, so you can go read that instead, but as for how I did on the goals I outlined at the start of the month:

-To lose aforementioned holiday muffin top.
Nailed it! I amped up my workouts too so I'm back in preholiday shape. 

-To see drinking as a treat, not a given. 
 Definitely. I savor every drop of booze that passes my lips!

- To force myself to think outside of the box for non-drinking activities.
I'd say met this goal as well, with the early morning waking, long walks and booze free brunches. 

-To satisfy some curiosity and exercise willpower.  
Yes on the curiosity, "sort of" on the willpower portion. So uh...B-?

Other goings on: I've substantially upped my vitamin D intake and I think it's at least partially responsible for me avoiding the winter blues this year. Overall my mood has been fantastic, which I also attribute to a good workout regimen and forcing myself to go outdoors whenever we have a warm sunny day. This is an uneventful time of year for me, but I'm finding that pleasant and not depressing like usual. Next week is my 30th birthday and spring will be here before we know it so all in all things are pretty alright :)

No Booze January - Week 3 down

I bent the rules a bit over the weekend so No-booze January become Negligible-amount-of-booze January. Greg and I took a little daytrip to the Navasota/Brenham area and were surprised to find there was actually something going on for once. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered it was a wine festival! I didn't indulge, but it got me thinking about how I was passing up a fun and novel evening for...what exactly? Ultimately I was forced to acknowledge that the only reason I was completely abstaining at that point was so that others wouldn't judge me. Since I historically don't give a shit what others think, I decided that wasn't a good enough reason. I ended up having a margarita with dinner that evening and a beer later that night for a friend's birthday. It was a nice way to cap off the day and I went to bed with no regrets.Then on Sunday I had a beer and a half while visiting a friend who is moving to Malaysia. I felt like my reasons were pretty good because I was treating myself for nice events instead of caving after a bad day or something. I know this sounds an awful lot like weak-willed justification, but I made the decision to indulge after much careful consideration, and keeping in mind that a treat of a drink or two doesn't have to turn into a lazy hangover the next day just because it's the weekend.

There is a small part of me that wishes I wouldn't have done it because at the end of the day I know I could have made it the whole month, and the drinks I had didn't really live up to the anticipation. Oddly, that makes me glad I did do it. The fact that it wasn't really worth it is a useful thing to know, in case I ever decide to do something like this again. It's all part of the experiment as far as I'm concerned.

 My sole reason for abstaining, which is to focus on trimming down and being fit is still intact; a couple of drinks won't hinder that. I've lost 2 pounds which doesn't sound like much, but I have a small frame, so 2 or 3 pounds around the waist can be a pants size for me. The key going forward will be to moderate during the holidays and cut out weekday drinking like I do the rest of the year. If I successfully do that, there's really no reason to have such a strict January. I read that most people gain a few pounds of holiday weight and never lose is, so it stacks up every year. That's a bummer, and I think it's easier to not gain it in the first place than to lose it. I'm more about sustainable goals that you incorporate into your daily life, as opposed to strict limits, so for that reason Dry January isn't a thing I see myself repeating. I'm glad for the experiment and I'll see it through (though I may allow myself a 2 drink max for a good friend's birthday this weekend) but unnecessary deprivation serves only to suck the joy out of life! I don't eat sweets, I don't smoke, I don't overdo caffeine.

I could look at my small indulgences as a failure of the experiment, or I can consider it a B instead of the A+ I had planned. I choose the latter and I'm good with it. Next time I stumble across a wine festival in a cute little town I'm getting out of the car and enjoying myself, damnit.

No Booze January - Week 2 down

I'm at the halfway point of Dry January and I'm feeling good. I read that the second week was the hardest for most, and my experience matched that. I had my first bar outing on Friday and have to admit I was a little grumpy, especially since we were at a place that served great cocktails and that I rarely go to. I also had a twinge of longing when I had some delicious tapas without wine for probably the first time in my life. I haven't thought much about booze during the week though, so I've at least "reset" my bad holiday habit of indulging on weekdays.

I had a light, booze free lunch with Jenna on Saturday, which strengthened my vow to take it easier on weekends. Look, I love getting daydrunk on mimosas then taking a glorious nap (and you can bet your ass I will continue to do so) but it was nice to feel energized and refreshed after brunch for once. It was a gorgeous day so Greg and I went to the Mercer Arboretum for a walk that afternoon, something a boozey nap would have nipped right in the bud. Our weekend walks have been really enjoyable, and they are a habit I definitely want to keep up. I can see myself curbing the weekend beers to facilitate this, and that so far is the most positive discovery I've made. It's really nice waking up at 9 instead of noon. I feel like I have a lot more weekend.

Now that I've reached the halfway point I feel like it's smooth sailing from here. I was hoping to have the added motivation of weightloss (I think I've lost a pound?) but I am carrying some extra water weight this week from...reasons so it's basically my conviction getting me through. I've already begun to form some thoughts on Dry January in general, but I'll save them for my end-of-the-month post.

Status at end of week 2:

Maybe lost a pound, but bloated so blah I can't tell. Good energy levels and mood. Sleeping well, waking up earlier and being more active on weekends. Grouchiness experienced and thankfully subsided.

No Booze January - Week 1 Down

This year I decided to join the masses of smug masochists (j/k, love yoooou!) in Dryuary, or what I've been calling No Booze January. I'm generally happy with my alcohol intake but I've been working on getting healthier for the past year and a half and figure this certainly can't hurt. This isn't a New Years resolution thing, it's just convenient timing after indulging in so much holiday gluttony and sloth. Temptation is so hard to resist when all of the good seasonal beers are out, plus salad is not appealing when my office is frigid. Anyway, I'm a week in and things are going great! Here's a run down so far.

Status on day 1
Feeling a little muffin-toppy in my size 6 jeans - probably closer to an 8 right now - and tired and sluggish from holiday overindulgence. To be fair, I've also been fighting off some cooties.

Goals
-To lose aforementioned holiday muffin top. Weight loss isn't necessarily a goal, but by my calculations it's possible I might lose 3 pounds or so. That's not much, but it happens to be what I've put on over November and December. If I don't, I'll be happy with de-bloating and seeing the results of my strength training pop a little more. I'm going to be fully honest here and admit that this is my main goal. I'm vain as shit and I want to look good for my 30th birthday.

-To see drinking as a treat, not a given. Prior to the holiday season (during which I had a beer or two nightly) I was limiting drinking to weekends, so the occasional weekday drink was a treat. The thing is, I was still drinking all weekend out of habit. My relationship with booze has changed since my early 20's - I'm much more into quality over quantity - but I would like to view weekend drinking the same as weekday drinking: a special indulgence.

- To force myself to think outside of the box for non-drinking activities. Is drinking keeping me in a socializing rut? What's it like to wake up truly refreshed on a weekend? Will the day's activities be different?

-To satisfy some curiosity and exercise willpower. In addition to the small, reasonable goals above I really just want to see what happens and gain a sense of satisfaction. If there are some unexpected benefits, that's additional motivation that will help me to make better choices in the future. I don't plan on giving up drinking altogether, but how I feel when abstaining is good data to have.

Week 1 Summary
The first booze-free weekend was a bit weird, trying to figure out where to go that doesn't involve drinking, but it helps that I'm ultimately fine with being a homebody because of the winter weather. The exception to my homebody lifestyle was Saturday morning, when I woke up at 9:30 and Greg and I headed off to Brazos Bend for a couple mile walk. Now, that's definitely not something I would have been motivated to do if I drank the night before. I'm pleased and a little smug that I'm making better health decisions only a few days in.

As week 1 comes to a close I can report that I'm super hydrated. I drink a ton of water normally, so this usually isn't a problem for me overall, but I still notice my skin is less dry. I'm well-rested and energetic. The decrease in carbs and calories plus resuming my strength training routine has me mega hungry though. I'm also craving sugar which I never do, but I expected that. I'm doing ok at only giving in occasionally, like when I had donuts for breakfast over the weekend (a once in 5 years occurrence that I always sort of regret. I hate that sugar rush feeling!) No weight loss, but I'm feeling more svelte and my jeans fit better already. My stomach is a little flatter though I'm not back to pre-holiday shape. I think occasionally about how a beer or cocktail would be nice, but I wouldn't classify it as a severe craving. It's akin to when I walk right past Treebeards and their delicious chicken fried chicken on my way to the salad place. I do miss margaritas with my texmex though, not gonna lie, and if I'm being completely honest I did shoot down my friend's suggestion that we go to our favorite Belgian place for dinner tonight because I simply will not have moules frites without a nice tripel.

Anyone else participating? How's it going for you?

New Years Eve Feast

Greg and I decided to stay in for New Years Eve this year, a low-key way to cap off a fairly low-key 2013. I had an idea to cook a nice meal together, and decided on some surf and turf. I was going to do filet mignon and scallops but Greg got me this amazing stainless steel Cuisinart cookware set for Christmas and I couldn't wait to use the stock pot and steamer insert. Thus: lobster tails.

I've never cooked either filet mignon or lobster tails so this was a bit ambitious of me, but I figured that as long as one of those elements turned out edible, we would be ok. I expected something to go wrong and was prepared to write it off as an expensive experiment. Well this is where I start to sound braggy, because it turns out I seriously underestimated myself. I think my success can be attributed to a combination of a lot of research, a good sous chef, and the fact that I was just in the zone that night. And perhaps most importantly: quality ingredients. We spent awhile at Central Market picking out what we wanted, which also included ingredients for a butternut squash and saffron risotto. I wanted to incorporate some wintery, seasonal elements so in addition to featuring the squash I got some leeks for roasting.

Here's a quick breakdown of how I assembled the meal. If you plan on making one or all of these dishes, I suggest reading ahead first as there are some important notes on timing.

Roasted Leeks

This is an ingredient you are going to want to read up on before using. I've never cooked with leeks and I am so glad I did my research on how to prep them. The reason is that they are dirty you guys. A simple rinse will not do. You must chop them up and soak them because there are clods of dirt in between each layer. It was truly a surprising amount and I totally would have missed it and served mud for dinner had I not been prepared. Anyway, after a thorough cleaning I drizzled one inch long pieces with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted at 400 for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. These can be roasting away while the rest of the meal is going.

Butternut Squash and Saffron Risotto

I used Ina Garten's recipe with a few small modifications, namely less salt and less saffron. Make sure to use unsalted chicken stock, use less salt than specified when roasting the squash and add only 1/2 teaspoon of salt when you add the saffron as opposed to a full teaspoon. The cheese you add at the end will have plenty of salt, trust me (speaking of cheese: you better buy a nice wedge of parmigiano reggiano to grate up - this is not optional). The other modification I made was that I only used a gram of saffron. Look, the stuff is not cheap and I thought a gram would be plenty. Turns out the recipe calls for like 4 times as much. To be honest though, I thought the saffron was almost overpowering, so consider using less or even omitting it altogether. You'll be fine.

A very important element to risotto is doing all of your prep beforehand, so factor that in. You don't want to get to a critical step and reach for a sealed bottle of wine, unmeasured rice or ungrated cheese.You can even roast the squash the night before, like I did.

Filet Mignon

We splurged and got some very nice cuts of meat, a little over 2 inches thick. You're going to want to get them out of the fridge about 45 minutes to an hour before you plan to cook them so that they can come to room temp (You're busy doing your prep for the risotto anyway right?) When I do steaks, I always put them on a cutting board, brush them generously with oil then rub them with a good amount - probably more than you think you need- of sea salt and coarsley ground pepper and let them come to room temperature. When it's time to cook them  (i.e. when the risotto is on the home stretch) get a cast iron skillet very hot (drops of water should dance and evaporate quickly) and make sure your oven is preheated to 400 (If you're roasting those leeks it already should be). Now, I always anticipate smoke when I sear steaks so go ahead and pop that battery out of your smoke alarm. Just don't forget to replace it!

Sear the steaks 4 minutes each side then 30 seconds or so around the edges so that the whole thing is seared and has a nice crust. You can expect smoke, but do not move them around. You don't want to interfere with the sear (rhymes!) and really you don't have to worry about them sticking. Resist the urge to peek and just be patient. Pop them in the oven for 5 minutes, then wrap them in foil and let them rest while you finish up. I recommend reading up on how to tell doneness by touch, just don't forget to factor in the additional cooking that will happen while the meat is resting.

Steamed Lobster Tails

You can broil them or poach them in butter, but I really wanted to use my fancy new pot with steamer insert so that's what I did. I got some water boiling earlier in the game, with some white wine, lemon, peppercorns and garlic in it. There are conflicting opinions on whether adding aromatics to your steaming water will actually infuse the meat with flavor, but I figured it couldn't hurt. I prepped the lobster tails like so, omitting the garlic on top but adding a pinch of cajun seasoning and steamed the 2 4oz tails for a total of 6 minutes. Some people recommend running the lobster under cold water afterward to stop the cooking, but I just used a conservative cook time and plated immediately. This will be made substantially easier if you do the prep while the steaks are resting and the risotto's finishing up, and cook the tails last.

A quick note: When shopping for your lobster, make sure to get cold-water. I bought these Maine lobster tails at a very reasonable price, frozen, and thawed them in the fridge overnight since we did our shopping the day before.

The finished product. Excuse the poor photo - I was just so damn excited to eat!

As you can see my lobster tail was a little bit mangled and ugly but I didn't give a damn because it was absolutely delicious, better than some of the lobster I've had at restaurants. Make sure to add another little pat of butter and a squeeze of lemon. The filet was a gorgeous medium rare. I served it on top of the roasted leeks and topped it with some garlic and herb compound butter I had made the night before. I won't bother with a recipe for the butter since there are so many online, but I will tell you that I like to sautee the garlic instead of leaving it raw. I will also divulge my secret ingredient.

Are you ready? It's anchovy paste. Just trust me.

I'm not going to say this was a cheap meal, but it was cheaper than it would be at a restaurant. Plus, I got some fun time in the kitchen with Greg (he can stir risotto like no other) and the smug satisfaction of making a truly restaurant quality meal at home.

My choice of accompaniment didn't hurt either ;)

Hope you all had a fun, safe and decadent New Years Eve as well. Cheers!

Bibimbap!

I have a kimchi problem. As in, I can't stop eating it. I discovered Korean food earlier this year and it has quickly become one of my favorite types of cuisine. Greg and I love to go get Korean bbq. It's not cheap, but cooking the meat yourself elevates it from a meal to an experience. And don't get me started on banchan!

Replicating a true Korean bbq experience at home isn't very feasible, so on my first attempt to cook Korean I went with another favorite: bibimbap. Put simply, bibimbap is "mixed rice" - some rice with veggies and also some meat if you choose. If you order this in a restaurant it's typically served in a hot stone bowl with a raw egg. When you mix it together, the egg gets cooked and the rice gets over so slightly crispy on the bottom. I've had it in a regular non-heated bowl too and that's what we're going with here for simplicity and safety's sake.

I make no claim as to how authentic this recipe is (probably not very since I made it up on the fly), but here is the method I used. It's a lot of prep since everything needs to be chopped and cooked separately, but the end result is healthy, delicious and - most importantly - an excellent kimchi delivery system! You will need (or at least want) the following ingredients, though you can play fast and loose with the type of veggies you use. Some julienned zucchini would be an excellent addition, and bean sprouts are traditional as well.

Ingredients:

1 lb ribeye, chicken breast or a couple packs of tofu.

1 carrot

1 cucumber

spinach

garlic

mushrooms of your choice

green onions

kimchi

gochujang (preferably - it's delicious) or sriracha (since you already have it, don't you?)

white rice

eggs

Optional ingredients:

cooking sake

ginger
rice vinegar

sesame seeds
sesame oil

Step 1: Marinate meat

Ideally you are reading this the day before you plan to make it. That's good, because I really recommend marinating your meat overnight if at all possible. If not, give it at least a few solid hours. I used skirt steak and unfortunately it ended up chewier than I would have liked. I bought it before I really had plans for what to do with it, and I also forgot that last time I used skirt steak for something I sliced it through the cross-section (before also cutting across the grain) and beat the hell out of it with a tenderizer. Go ahead and spend a bit more to get ribeye. I've heard that a good trick is to partially freeze it to make it easier to slice. Alternatively, you can use chicken or tofu.

Put your meat strips (mmm...meat strips) or tofu in a large ziplock and add your marinade. I used brown sugar, sake, soy, sriracha, some olive oil, freshly chopped garlic and the white bulbs of some green onion. A little rice vinegar in there would be great too, but I didn't purchase any until the next day.

Step 2: Start your rice

I like to make my rice a little early so that it has time to sit. You'll want a few cups. Notice I'm not putting amounts, but let's say this feeds about 5 people, or 2 with leftovers to spare. Plan your rice amounts accordingly. I like to add fresh chopped ginger to my boiling water, but that's up to you.

Step 3: Do your prep

This is the time consuming part. Slice, chop and julienne all of your vegetables. Peel your cucumber and slice thinly. Peel your carrot, discard the outer skin then continue to peel it into long strips. Chop your garlic and green onions. Slice your mushrooms. Toast your sesame seeds. You get my drift. Hey, speaking of mushrooms, I used these:

Aren't they adorable?!

They are called bunapis. They're similar to enokis but thicker. Full disclosure: I bought these because they are totally precious. They are very mild though, so while they are great for presentation, feel free to go with shitakes if you want a more robust mushroom flavor.

A quick tip: as I prep, I like to put each individual ingredient in a leftover takeout tupperware container. It keeps things neat and makes it easy to grab what you need. By the way, if you have rice vinegar, add a drizzle to the container with the carrots in it and let that sit for a couple of minutes.

Step 4: Cook your veggies

This is actually several steps. I used the same pan, rinsing and wiping it out when needed (for example, after the carrots so that I wouldn't turn my mushrooms orange) then returning the items to their tupperware containers as I cooked them. This makes plating easy, and the leftovers are all ready to be packed up once you're done with your meal.

-Saute your carrot strips for a few minutes, adding a pinch of salt. You want them to be crisp but not raw. They will turn brighter in color and soften just a bit.

-Saute mushrooms and garlic together in a bit of oil. If you're using bunapis or enokis be careful not to overcook them - you want them to retain their cute shape.

-Saute spinach until wilted. Drizzle with sesame oil if you have it and add a pinch of salt.

Step 5: Cook your meat

Dump it in a super hot pan along with the marinade from the bag and cook until done. If you are using beef, let it stay a bit rare. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Step 6: Fry up an overeasy egg

I used a small pan over low/medium heat, melted a pat of butter, cracked the egg then covered it with a top the last minute or so of cooking to help it along. You want to make sure not to disturb the yolk, and to leave the yolk runny as that is a key component.  You can also poach the egg if you're fancy, just make sure not to overcook it. Technically the egg is optional but not how I make it.

Step 7: Plating

One thing I enjoy about bibimbap is the gorgeous presentation, so don't skimp here. You want to plate each component seperately on top, with complimentary colors next to each other.

-Dish a half cup of rice into the bottom of a bowl, then add each component. Going around the bowl, I did: meat, cucumbers, kimchi, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, and green onion. Now, I guess the kimchi can be considered optional, but you'll notice that I did not list it as such above. It's so delicious and a key element of Korean food, so even if you are skeptical I suggest you at least try it.

-Top with your fried egg and a generous dollop of gochujang or drizzle of sriracha then take a moment to admire how pretty it is:

No seriously, look at it!

Step 8: Mix it up and enjoy!

How to eat like a grownup

You know that horrible, heartburn-y feeling that comes from eschewing an actual dinner in favor of some chips and half a bag of Lindor truffles? It's the sort of empty, unsatisfied malaise that comes from eating a bunch of calories, but nothing with actual substance. I was super bad about doing that through my teens and early 20's, but in recent years I've developed a passion for cooking. I love pouring some wine or opening a beer (the booze part is non-negotiable when I'm putting in serious kitchen time),playing some music and getting to work dicing and sautéing.

That said, I recognize that not everyone has the time or inclination to spend a lot of time hovering over a stovetop, including me about 5 days out of the week. The good news is that with a few small tweaks and the right staples in your fridge and pantry, you can start eating like a grown-ass individual with minimal effort and moderate skill.

Step 1: Stock your basics
Everyone has a different idea of what constitutes the basics but they typically include some pasta, grains and canned goods. You'll need some rice (I like to keep basmati, brown and arborio handy) and pasta of various types. I also love the shit out of some couscous and you can't go wrong with lentils. They are super healthy, cheap and filling. Canned vegetables are usually an absolute abomination (aside from corn for some mysterious reason) but feel free to legume-it-up all you please: canned chickpeas and black beans are great staples. I know it's the absolute opposite of fancy, but I adore Rotel - that's canned diced tomatoes and green chilis for the uninitiated - and I always have a few cans at my disposal. Oh , and any cook should have a couple cartons or cans of chicken broth handy, or vegetable broth for my vegetarian buddies out there.

Step 2: Invest in flavorful ingredients with a long shelf life
I'm talking jars of roasted red peppers, capers, olives and marinated artichoke hearts to toss into pasta or throw on top of some chicken breasts. A package of dried porcini mushrooms will add flavor to rice and pasta dishes and broths. A tube of anchovy paste will add a depth of flavor to almost anything (stop making that face and just try it). Various cheeses are included in this category too, for example a tub of crumbled feta and a log of goat cheese. Speaking of cheese, whatever you do, do not forget a good wedge of parmigiano reggiano. It's the single best flavor booster there is and if you use that shit in a can I will disown you. I will double-disown you if you use margarine, so get some quality unsalted butter.

Also make sure you have some sauces and condiments on hand. I like a nice aged balsamic, decent olive oil, some soy sauce and a good dijon mustard. Sriracha too of course! Oh, and if you have access to a store with a good international foods section, try to find the curry paste in the little tin cans and some coconut milk to go with it. Get real crazy with it and pick up some of my other favorites: a jar of kimchi, some Korean black bean or chili paste, cooking sake or mirin, sesame oil…the possibilities are endless in the international section. All of those things can be thrown into a stirfry or used to marinate some chicken or tofu and you'll think you're eating restaurant food. Tahini, a sesame paste used to make hummus, is always a good purchase as well. If you get good at making your own hummus, you'll never buy storebought again, and there are so many variations you can do. Obviously you need some spices too - I could write an entire post on that alone, but for now whatever favorites you have on hand will do. Do make sure to have a peppercorn and seasalt grinder though. When you are ready to invest in spices I recommend Penzey's.

Step 3: Add fresh or frozen protein and veg
Certain items from the produce section, like lemons, onions and garlic have a long shelf life and should always have a home in your fridge. For your other veggies though, you can swing by the store once a week to buy fresh (I love to roast zucchini and eggplant) or keep some in your freezer for optimum laziness. I know it sounds like cheating, but frozen veggies are just as healthy as fresh (sometimes more so as they are frozen at peak freshness). The fresh or freezer option also goes for your protein. I like to keep some fish fillets, chicken breasts and Italian sausage in the freezer but you can always hit the grocery on the way home and buy what you need for that day. If you are vegan or vegetarian you're in luck because both tofu and seitan have a long shelf life. I've never cooked with seitan personally, but I love marinating and pan frying tofu.

Step: 4 Mix it together and put it in your face
Ok, I know it seems like I'm skipping a step, but I'm not. I promise! All you do is take your basic skills, such as how to boil pasta or bake chicken breasts then incorporate items from your pantry, fridge and freezer to come up with some simple, go-to meals. It takes a bit of confidence, but this kind of “recipe-less” cooking is what's going to revolutionize your whole food game. If you don't believe me, just check out some ideas I'm literally coming up with as I type, using the ingredients I've mentioned so far.

-Pasta with goat cheese, Italian sausage, grated parmesan and veggies (I like broccoli or mushrooms)
-Baked fish filets with lemon and capers
-Cous cous with roasted red peppers and feta
-Rice and lentils (add some curry powder if you have it!)
-Stir fry with tofu or chicken, veggies and whatever Asian condiments you have on hand
-Endless chicken breast possibilities including picatta, covered in goat cheese and artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers, marinated in balsamic, coated in dijon then baked, slow cooked in a crock pot with rotel to make shredded chicken tacos...you get the idea.
-Black beans and Rotel over brown rice (Add some avocado to this and it will make your LIFE)
-Hummus
-Various soups

I realize this seems like a lot to take in, and that at first glance it may seem cost prohibitive, but remember that cooking at home will save you money in the long term. It's such a relief to realize you have the ingredients to throw together something simple after a long work day. And it's also pretty handy to realize you have everything you need to whip up a risotto to impress last minute company. Not that that ever happens to me, but it could! Unexpected guests seem to show up a lot in movies and stuff so at some point I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to make an Emergency Risotto.

Here's a handy list of my favorite staples for inspiration. I have all of these things on hand basically at all times, but I'm also an overachiever.

Cheat Sheet
Rice (basmati, brown, arborio)
Pasta (orzo, whole wheat penne, rotini)
Cous cous
Lentils
Canned black beans and chickpeas
Chicken broth (cartons or cans)
Rotel
Roasted red peppers
Capers
Artichoke hearts
Kimchi
Dried porcinis
Anchovy paste
Parmigiano reggiano
Various cheeses: feta/goat
Balsamic
Olive oil
Dijon mustard
Sesame oil
Cooking sake
Mirin
Soy sauce
Sriracha
Black bean paste
Packages of tofu
For freezer: frozen veggies, chicken breasts, Italian sausage, fish fillets

You don't need to build your pantry all at once, just pick up some things you enjoy as you go. It's not about the exact ingredients. It's about grasping the concept of recipe-less cooking and having the confidence to throw stuff together and make your own creations. It's not rocket science but you'll feel like a genius.

gobsmacked

SB1 has me so seething with rage that I can hardly think straight, but I can't let this go without comment here since it is so important and so close to my heart right now. I am limited to communicating in angry snippets, lest my blood pressure go through the roof, so I will leave it to Representative Jessica Farrar and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to put eloquently what I am currently unable to.

Rep Farrar's closing comments

Open Letter to Texas Legislators from ACOG

Remember this anger when it comes time to vote. The Texas Legislature is not looking out for your best interests. In their arrogance, they are proclaiming to know more about women's healthcare than medical professionals. They are passing laws that 80% of Texans oppose. They are stubbornly refusing amendments that would reduce the already vast amount of suffering that is in store for the women and children of Texas. They are dooming women to agony and death, and babies with abnormalities to short lives filled with pain. If you identify as pro-life you should still be enraged by the lack of logic and the abuse of power. It's disgusting.

Glamping sounds like a weird sex act

Between my upcoming New Orleans trip in September (for Geri's bachelorette weekend I.E THE BEST WEEKEND OF OUR LIVES) and the unexpected extra time off I took post wisdom teeth extraction, I'm skipping an honest-to-goodness summer vacation this year. As always, I'm finding a way to supplement with mini-roadtrips and long weekends, most recently a girlie camping trip with some of my ladies. We ate like queens, ate rum soaked fruit, floated the river, got weird patchy sunburns, one of us had a series of unreasonably good hair days (glares at Liz) and SOMEONE (cough Brandi cough) showed her entire butt to everyone on the Gaudalupe. Like...for a prolonged period. All in all, it was a goddamn blast and should fulfill my summer fun needs for awhile.

Yes it WAS one hot mother out there, and yes it is hard being this fabulous (photo credit Liz Smith)
 

terrible toof times

I'm sure none of you think getting your wisdom teeth out sounds pleasant, but did you know that it's not only unpleasant but it's actually THE WORST? I had a rogue wisdom tooth on the lower left side that would partially erupt then go back in, repeating this process several times over the years, causing some irritation but nothing bad enough that I couldn't procrastinate. Then a few weeks ago it decided just to...hang out back there and chill, making my life kind of miserable. It was time to do something about it, and since the others were impacted I decided to just yank them all out and have it over with. Most of you have probably already had it done, but if you're dumb and waited until you're almost 30 like me, I have some tips for you.

Get knocked out
 I did the IV sedation and couldn't be happier with my choice. The recovery is shitty enough - there's no need to be aware of them spending an hour yanking teeth out of your noggin. Trust me on this. We have the technology. Get whatever drugs they will give you. Last thing I remember is the dental assistants morphing into characters from Where the Wild Things Are. Then I woke up and we were done. Bonus: the drugs have some fun after effects. I was, to put it plainly, high as shit. I drooled a substantial amount of blood onto my dad's driveway but was too stoned to care. In addition to the aforementioned hallucinations, I was just in an altogether good mood. I felt weirdly lovey toward all of my friends who were being super nice even though I know they were thinking I was being a giant baby. A few days later I discovered a beat up toy figurine in my purse. I have no idea where it came from.

Take your drugs
I took my vicodin every 4 hours for the first few days, even setting an alarm in the middle of the night so I didn't miss a dose. This let me stay on top of the pain and I didn't have any pain at the actual extraction sites as a result. I'm now down to a pill in the evenings to deal with the horrible jaw pain I'm having from it being wrenched open for so long. Not everyone will have this problem apparently, but I have a smidgen of TMJ and I think it's made my recovery a lot tougher.


Be prepared for shitiness
This whole process sucks to an extent that I can't thoroughly explain. I have a higher pain threshold thanks to being a woman and a redhead (no really!) but even with the drugs I've had discomfort. I also have numbness in my bottom lip and half of my chin almost a week later, but that should resolve itself once the swelling goes down. The last few days have been more unpleasant in some ways than the days immediately following the surgery, even though I overall feel more like myself. Immediately following the surgery you can expect bleeding and oozing and for your mouth to taste and smell like roadkill. Add to that the constant anxiety about getting dry socket and it makes for a super fun time. I should be out of the woods as far as dry socket, but I can't stress enough to follow aftercare instructions to the letter. Reading some people's account of how it was worse than natural childbirth - well that had me in a near panic in the days leading up to and following the procedure. As a bonus, I'm no longer scared of routine dentist trips because it's all up from here!

You will be starving
I'm having a rougher time than some because I can't open my mouth, but be prepared to stick to liquids for a couple of days and soft foods after that. Since I was paranoid about dry socket I've been very conservative with my food and as a result I've lost 4 pounds. Yikes. This may be a bonus to some but I know I'm losing muscle too and generally feeling unwell so it's not exactly a cause for celebration. Buy Carnation Instant Breakfast shakes because they will save your life.


Anyway, some people bounce back fairly quickly and some have a rougher time than I have, but the bottom line is that I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Well actually...maybe I would. It doesn't last forever. Does it? Right?! *cries*

Always, Patsy Cline

As a birthday present Greg got us tickets for Always, Patsy Cline (because he's so sweet) and we finally got to go last night. It was a good show but it really underlined just how flawless and inimitable Patsy's voice was.

I was such a huge fan growing up! Fun fact: When I was 6 or 7 I used to march around my aunt's big circle driveway in Beorne listening to my Walkman. Inside there was always a Patsy Cline tape. Partially because it was the only tape I had but also because I loved it so much.

I was a shy kid but sometimes my dad could coax me to sing "Crazy" or "Walkin' After Midnight" for his friends. This went on until I recorded myself once and discovered that, though I could hit the notes and I had some nice vibrato, I sounded like well, a kid. Ha! This really pissed me off because in my head I sounded just like her.

Anyway, moral of the story is that I love her and her music brings me a lot of fond memories. She has some fun, upbeat numbers and some songs that so perfectly capture the helplessness of heartbreak, a feeling I didn't understand then but of course I do by now. I don't know who wrote all of those songs but I do know that they wouldn't have been the same without that lovely, lovely voice.

2 updates in 1 day? Damn I'm prolific.

I recently realized that this blog consists of 4 main topics: travel, cooking, exercise and feminist issues. Those are basically my main interests right now, so that seems fitting. Soooo to keep on topic, here's a pic of some Indian food I made a couple of weeks ago. It was my first time trying my hand at Indian so I was half expecting it to be a disaster, but I was happy with how things came out and I know what to tweak for next time, specifically halving the chicken breasts before cooking and actually measuring the heavy cream instead of dumping it in.

You're looking at chicken tikka masala, a last minute chana masala for a vegetarian guest, and a homemade raita that is simply greek yogurt with minced carrot, cucumber and a dash of cumin. The chicken tikka was adapted from this recipe. I had done a bit of reading that indicated garam masala should be added at the end of the process to protect the flavor and prevent bitterness, so I recommend doing that.

To make things easier on myself, I made double the sauce and divided half to use for the chana masala.  The half I used for the chicken tikka got pureed in a food processor. The recipe didn't call for that, but the restaurant versions I've had are always smooth and creamy and I wanted to replicate that. The half of the sauce reserved for the chana masala was left chunky and added to some sauteed spinach,chickpeas, garlic and ginger. In place of the traditional amchoor powder I used some lemon juice and also added a dash of yellow curry powder. Had I planned ahead I would have loved to have made saag paneer. That'll be happening soon so stay tuned. Well, assuming I live to post about it as opposed to drowning face-first in a bowl of it. What a way to go!

Can I just name this "Update"?

I'm pleased to report that I am finally, FINALLY feeling like myself again. I'm not the bummed-out mess during the winter that this blog makes me out to be, it's more of just a mild case of the blahs. I'm not down so much as restless and a little, well, blah. I expected things to "click" in March, but Timehop was quick to point out that my Facebook posts from a year ago also consisted of a lot of talk about needing a vacation, specifically a roadtrip or weekend in Vegas. I think this can be partially attributed to the fact that all of the hotels/casinos email bomb me with deals this time of year. I never really noticed it until now. I'm so easily influenced and predictable, jeez!

Thankfully, Greg and I did get away for a daytrip to San Augustine last weekend. There are a lot of historic cemeteries there; it was hard to make a dent. Here's a photo of me looking super goth, except for my bright blue clown shoes.

It was overcast that day, but the weather has been sunny and warm for the most part so I'm back in sundresses and sandals - my favorite state. That alone helps my mood, I swear. I also have a lot of fun events coming up, including shaking my ass off with Jenna, a charity event I'm co-hosting, a friend's backyard crawfish boil wedding (is there another combination of words that could get me that excited? I think not), and a dance performance where I will get to see Travis Wall live and in person! Basically, Spring and Summer are looking fanfuckingtastic.

Give me all your free stuff

So every year Allure magazine does this big free stuff blowout in August. As many of you know, I'm a total product junkie, so I will not pass up the chance to try new products. Send something to me and I will slather myself in it without a second thought. I'm not as serious about sweepstakes as some people - there are whole forums devoted to this stuff - but I managed to get quite a few entries in this time and had my best year yet. All I really do is set Outlook reminders and enter at the top of the hour, every hour each workday. I mostly half-ass it and forget about 50% of them, so imagine my surprise when packages started showing up at my place almost daily. Time to brag, because I raked in the following:

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream - $20
Garnier Fructis sleek and shine serum spray - $6
Nivea creme - $1
Color Club nail polish in In the Limelight - $8
Cerave lotion - $12
Big Sexy Hair Weatherproof spray (travel size) - $7
Clarin Shaping Facial Lift serum - $70
Zoya polish in Bevin - $8
iS Clinical Active serum - $78
Revlon lip butter in Candy Apple - $7
Sally Hansen polish in Pumice - $8
Maybelline eyeshadow in Turquoise Glass - $4
Wet n Wild Liquid Eyeliner in Turquoise - $3
Covergirl eyeshadows in Platina and Ice Princess - $8
Essie polish in Main Squeeze - $8
Olay Regenerist Advanced Anti-Aging treatment - $22
China Glaze polish in Pink Voltage - $5

That comes to a crazy value of about $275! All for taking the time to click a few buttons. I also won a few items that I thought were from this sweepstakes, but must be from other things so I left them out. Oh and I haven't gotten that Covergirl eyeshadow yet but I plan to nag them relentlessly until I do. Most lady magazines have giveaways going on all the time on their websites so if you have a few minutes, check them out (just make sure to uncheck any boxes for trial subscriptions or newsletters or any junk like that). And if you find out who wins the big stuff like $1000 purses tell them I'm jealous. I want to eBay that shit.

Rapunzel wanna be

This is probably only interesting to like, 3 of you but remember this post from awhile back? The first pic was taken about a year ago and my hair is continuing to grow nicely. It'd be even longer if I got regular trims and didn't wait until I have to chop off half an inch each time (sorry Sean!) I still wish it was fuller and thicker but I'm beginning to accept that I'll be a fine haired lady 'til I die. The biotin is definitely speeding the growth though and I'm pretty happy with how it's looking lately. I've been using a really lightweight shampoo and conditioner to give it body (Umberto Volume) and deep conditioning with argan oil overnight.

I actually took this photo to showoff my new lipcolor (Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti) but I thought my hair looked nice and decided it'd go well with this post. I wish I was smiling, but I just don't like you. Anyway, the moral of the story is take biotin!

A Facebook Tale in Two Parts

Minutes later...

Eastern Eating Excursions

After a mindblowing bowl of bibambap at Underbelly, I found myself a bit obsessed with expanding my experience with Asian food. I knew that I loved Thai food, liked Vietnamese, and disliked most Americanized Chinese, but had I ever even had Korean food? I realized that my foodie cred was about to suffer big time if I didn't start branching out. A tip from a friend sent me to H Mart, an awesome Asian market and a wonderful place to spend an hour on a Saturday. I wandered the aisles oohing and aaahing like a spaz, apologizing to Greg for my embarrassing enthusiasm. Not only did I pick up the pantry staples I need to make my favorite teriyaki salmon, I got a few odds and ends meant to broaden my cooking horizons, including a big tub of fermented black bean paste.

After researching recipes calling for said black bean paste, I settled on this one for Ma Po Tofu since I had most of the ingredients. Searching online has made it evident that everyone has their own spin on this dish, but there are a few common elements. A key ingredient is Sichuan peppercorns - an ingredient that the recipe I linked to is lacking actually - so I swung by Penzey's, picked some up and ground them as finely as I could. With that addition and a few substitutions, I ended up with a great meal that I was extremely proud of.

This dish is pretty flexible so play around with it using what you have in your pantry. Of the options the recipe provided I used ground beef instead of pork and sake instead of chicken stock. As far as the actual subsitutions, I used fish sauce in place of oyster sauce. While I did have tienmen jang (the fermented black bean paste) I didn't have tobanjan (the spicy chili bean paste) so I just added a hefty dose of sriracha to give it the necessary kick - no need to add any additional bean paste since it was plenty salty already. I suggest mixing the sauce ingredients in a bowl and giving it a taste. There's a lot of salt and umami going on so you're going to want to make sure things are balanced. It might call for a bit more sugar or another splash of sake. I highly recommend adding some ground Sichuan peppercorns since they are a key element in traditional Ma Po tofu and there's no real way to duplicate the numbing type of spiciness that they impart.

I really look forward to playing around some more with these new ingredients, and making it a point to use some already familiar ingredients more often. Did you know that you can peel and freeze fresh ginger, grate what you need then pop it back in the freezer? Lifechanging. I will definitely be making H Mart a semi-regular stop. I'm going to make some crazy seafood you guys. Hold on to your hats.