Secret Agent Woman

This month I have an awesome adventure in store. It it top secret. I can't tell you who it is with or where it is at. In addition, I cant say a word about my location or destination. I am a secret agent woman until I get back. For those of you who I have slipped and told my secret to... you better be quiet if you want to live. If I tell others I may have to kill you. I am really excited about my mission. I feel like I am off to meet the president or something. I can't wait to get back from my secret agent mission and tell everyone where I was and what I was doing.... Sometimes I love feeling like this girl above... like a super hero.

To Hip or not to Hip

My neighbor Danielle and I were hanging out this weekend and started to question people’s interpretation of the word Hippie. I told her things I associate with this word is pot growers, smokers, dreadlocks, stinky, Petrolia oil, sloppy dress, and hugging trees. I never even saw someone that met these criteria until I moved to Humboldt County three years ago. Danielle quickly advised me that is not what a true hippie is. She uses words like free spirit, peace seeking, love, chill kind of people. She has lived in Humboldt County for a long time, so I believe her interpretation is correct.  This made me ponder… do our interpretations of people change due to when we encounter them? Do we classify people by stereotypes? Obviously, my answer to the 2^nd question is yes. I called these people hippies because of what they look like. I didn’t grow up in the free love peace sign era. I am making my observations and associating that with what I think a hippie should be. I came to the conclusion that there are lots of actual hippies that grew up during that era that live here. Are the people that are my age, that I am seeing now, newage hippies?  I consider myself to possess many of the characteristics listed… not the stinky, Petrolia oil ones J But, I do believe in sustainability, organic local food, getting in touch with nature, yoga, herbal remedies. So all in all since there is not a clearly defined set of characteristics for this new age hippie. I am starting to think… maybe I’m a hippie too…. Even if its just a little.  I am not associating the word hippie with good things.

Thanks Danielle for making me look at the way I was stereotyping and think different.

3 Foods Cafe Arcata

Definitely by far the BEST food I have had in the Humboldt Area. The price is right with entrees/appetizers ranging from $3-$13. I had a lavender lemonade pictured above which was to die for. Upon entering this place I though “I’m not in Kansas anymore”. It was a chic, hip place… that I picture in a place like San Francisco. The service was great… people in California just don’t have the same hospitality as the south… but these people were excellent. The menu’s were in little picture albums and were beautiful. On top of all this they bring you goldfish at the beginning of you meal and a chocolate at the end. This café provides an all around very balanced experience. I would recommend it to anyone and imagine I will be there quite often now.

If the Krazy Coupon Lady met Skinny Bitch

As you know Skinny Bitch is one of my favorite cookbooks/books. I recently discovered another lady known as the Krazy Coupon Lady. To give you a little background Skinny Bitch is a witty novel/cookbook on how important it is to put good foods into our bodies instead of crap. It is written from a tough love prospective and uses lines like “get off your ass”. On the other hand the Krazy Coupon Lady is a fellow Coast Guard wife who used her stock from coupons to live off of for quite awhile. Her book is called “Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey”. It is also written from a similar prospective which implies that is just dumb to not use coupons. After reading both of these books it was quite easy to realize what they have in common. They both include a tough love approach to making smart decisions about your life. So… if the Krazy Coupon Lady decided to shop for vegan foods with coupons or skinny bitch decided she needed to save some money, the meeting of these 2 would be brilliant. These two should definitely meet. I would love to see a tough love approach on how to coupon and eat vegan. I am not sure if this is even a possibility because vegan coupons are few and far in between. I think if there was a book written by the two of them working together it would be a great combination. I could see it saying “Quit spending so much on shit and start saving money on healthy food”!!!!

And that's whats for dinner tonight.........

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
• 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• ½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• ½ cups White Wine
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!
Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.
Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.
Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.
With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!
Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.
Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!




Tim and I had this for dinner last night and it was amazing!!! Yum Yum!

INDIA and YOGA

A few months ago my neighbor was kind enough to give me a CD after I watched her dog for the weekend. It contained music from India. I kind of set this aside and didn’t begin to appreciate it until I began my practice of Yoga. If you think Yoga is too easy you’re wrong! If you think you need to be Buddhist to practice Yoga your wrong! I started practicing Yoga at my local Gym with friends. It is a great way to get more flexible, release stress, and learn a lot about you. My thoughts of beginning to practice Yoga were inspired by the Book/Movie Eat, Pray, Love. The main concept of this book/movie is to discover who you are and do things for yourself. Yoga for me is an appreciation of myself. It helps me to clear my head, and think about who I am as a person. I consider Yoga a method of worship, not to Buddha in this sense but to the higher power I personally believe in which is God in the Christian religion. By practicing I am not only showing appreciation for my body, but my heart and soul. In yoga you have to forget about thinking and follow your heart/spirit. I think this is the part of the stress relieving benefit. I mean how often do we not think with our brains?

                                                                                                                                        

The India CD my neighbor provided is amazing. You can play it and just feel as if you are in direct connection with the higher power you believe in. It is uplifting yet relaxing. Today I left this CD on for the dogs while I journeyed to work. I hope they can get the same benefits from the music of India that I do.

                                       

Namaste

Couponing!!!

I have always had a love for couponing. It is great to walk out of the store and know you have not been ripped off. When Kmart doubles coupons I usually pick up my friend Lisa and we walk through the store looking for awesome bargains. I couponed for awhile but when I started working got out of it for a bit. I was on one of my favorite blogs when I read about the http://thekrazycouponlady.com/. I was intrigued and later found out this krazy lady actually is also a Coastie Wife and lives in the same town as me. What are the odds? I live in a small place and nobody famous is really from here. I was overly excited.... she kept coming up in conversations like at my dinner table when we had fellow Coasties over. I would somewhat call this girl my idol. She has reinspired me to coupon and I have started a binder in accordance with her guidelines. Pictures coming soon. I have her book on order and cannot wait to recieve it. I would love to contact her to host a couponing seminar for the Coastie Wives monthly ladies night out. This lady is truely inspiring, she dontates to the local food banks. Unfortunately in our community poverty is common. I really appreciate her using her mad skills to better the local area in which she lives in. All in all she seems like a great person and fellow coastie wife.

My vegetarian dog

When I cook, I tend to drop food on the floor quite often. Kona has learned this and usually lays on the floor under my feet as I attempt new recipes. She is not a picky eater by any means, she will eat ANYTHING I drop. I have never met a furry friend that actually enjoyed her vegetables. Kona will eat whole carrots, celery, lettuce... and just about any other greens you can think of. Although Kona is not completely vegetarian, by eating a wide variety of vegetables, she is reducing her cute little carbon foot print. People are always concerned about what kind of impact they are making on the world when it comes to recycling and reusing. Can we hold our dogs to the same standards? Although, I will admit I am a bit wasteful, moving to Humboldt county has made me more aware of the environment because it is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Tips to lowering your carbon footprint that are practical and I use:

1. Run all of your arrands after work, instead of making multiple trips.

2. Buy produce that is grown locally.

3. Avoid drive thru food runs, this will not only lower your carbon footprint, but can help you be a skinny bitch.

4. Recycle. I know this is debatable due to the cost, but atleast we can reuse the material again.

5. Buy a reusable water bottle and coffee mug, they are awesome!

Those are just some of the EASY things I do to make an impact in the world.

Ghandi once said "Be the change you want to see in the world"

Everyday I make small changes that impact the whole world.

After a long day, Kona fell asleep along with her vegetables :)

Feeling Great!

I am not going to lie. I am not in shape by any means, and do not consider myself a fitness guru. But, the last week and a half, I have been working my butt off. What I mean by this is the dedication I have put in to eat healthy and make time for walks or the gym. My little pups sure like this new lifestyle since they tend to get long walks on almost a daily basis around the neighborhood. In addition, they play laser pointer tag in the cul-de-sac at night when nobody is around. SHHH don’t tell the neighbors. I have incorporated many of the vegan recipes I have acquired into my daily diet. I haven’t eaten meat much at all not having DH here makes it much easier. I still feel full, satisfied and healthy, but I am reducing my carbon foot print day by day along with animal cruelty.

I have been working out… quite a bit. Yoga, Zumba, Running, Elliptical, Pushups, crunches, are some of the many activities I have been doing. I have started making exercise a habit and not a chore. When I got home from work yesterday after working out at my lunch, I felt as if I could keep dancing to Zumba all night.

So far I am fulfilling my New Year’s resolution and couldn’t be happier. If anyone in the area wants to work out let me know!!!!

Cracking the Case

Broken Makeup compacts may shatter your patience, but you can doctor the most daunting cracks witha  little James Bond move.

"Use an eyedropper, trickle enough rubbing alcholol onto the broken makeup to form a paste, then drag the back of a spoon over it to reshape. Leave it overnight- the alcohol will evaporate, returning the makeup to it's original form"

Courtesy of Rachael Ray Magazine February 2011

Being an ombudsman

Many of you have asked what I do as the Ombudsman at Group Humboldt Bay. This is a cute poem I found that gives you an idea.

 

I AM AN OMBUDSMAN

I am not a crutch, but I can support you

I am not a counselor, but I know how to reach one

I am not a taxi driver, but I can steer you in the right direction

I am not a rescuer, but I can help save lives

I am not a baby sitter, but I can refer you to a caregiver

I am not a gossiper, but I am a great listener

I an not an enabler, but I can provide tools to empower you

I am not a master of anything, but I know many experts who understand your needs

I am not a Recreation or Health Specialist, but I am concerned about

your morale, well being, and health

I am not a busybody as I’ve been called, but I am a Coast Guard Ombudsman

I am a Coast Guard Family Ombudsman

The Coast Guard Family, and I am of service to you

Since I became a member of the Coast Guard family 4 years ago, I have realized how important it is to be close to your fellow Coastie Families. It is great having a tight knit group of people to lean on.

Skinny Slow Cooked Pernil (Puerto Rican Pork)

This is whats for dinner tonight. I know it's not following the vegan flow of my blog, but I havent had meat in a few days and needed to use this up. This is a weight watcher friendly recipe adapted from one of my favorite blogs http://www.skinnytaste.com/. I absolutely love all the recipes on this site. I will pair this with some brown rice and some veggies.

Skinny Slow Cooked Pernil (Puerto Rican Pork)Gina's Weight Watcher RecipesServings: 6 • Serving Size: 4 oz  • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 176 • Fat: 7.2 g • Protein: 24.4 g • Carb: 3.6 g • Fiber: 0.2 g
 

• 3 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed
• 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
• 3 oranges, juice of (1/2 cup)
• 2 limes, juice of

Using a sharp knife, cut slits into the pork and stuff holes with half of the crushed garlic. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over pork. Place in the ceramic part of the crock pot, cover and refrigerate, turning pork occasionally so the marinade covers all of pork.

The next day, remove the crock pot and cook on low, 8 hours.

After 8 hours, remove pork and shred using two forks. Remove liquid from crock pot and add pork back to crock. Add about 1 cup of the liquid back and adjust salt, pepper and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes

The Nutty Monkey

So last night my friend and I decided to do flow yoga instead of cross fit. I feel it was a good relaxing workout but still feel sore today.

I started my day off with another "Skinny Bitch" smoothie The Nutty Monkey. It was delicious. I drank half when I got up and half around 10am which was a good snack. I am taking a run on my lunch break today and want to feel energized.

The Nutty Monkey

(makes 2 servings)

350calories/serving

Eating half will fill you up

1 Cup Almond Milk

1 Frozen banana, cut into chunks

1/4c organic creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons whole, raw almonds

1 tsp wheat germ

2 tablespoons all natural strawberry jam

Put all ingredients in a blender and combine.

Adapted from Skinny Bitch

In addition to my better eating habits for the year I am also the Ombudsman for Coast Guard group Humboldt Bay. I am in the process of learning my role and getting the hang of things. So far this position can vary from day to day but I am loving it. As the ombudsman I am the main point of contact for the command and the families. I feel that I am fully using my communication degree that I worked hard on for 4 years. Being an effective communicator is one of the most important aspects of this position. In addition, I have recieved many compliments on my ability to speak infront of the whole station at morning muster effectively.

Skinny Bitches Wake-Up Smoothie

Unfortunately I live a half hour from my job. I usually get to work and eat two packets of oatmeal and try to snag some coffee from the trailer next door. The coffee lately is horrible!!!! My co-worker and I are always wondering what in the world they do to it because they buy good coffee... but it tastes horrible. I guess nobody in that trailer knows how to make it. So this morning I decided to try Skinny Bitches "Wake-Up Smoothie." It was delicious!!! I have now been awake for about three hours and don't feel the slightest bit of hunger through my stomach. I didn't have my usual morning coffee and yet I feel energized. Recipe to follow. In addition, I have made plans to go to cross fit for the first time after work with my good friend. I would say I am kicking butt with my New Years Resolution.

Skinny Bitches Wake-Up Smoothie

Makes 2 Servings

1 (6-ounce) container Soy yogurt

1/2 C Chilled Orange Juice

1/2C Frozen Blueberries

1 Banana, sliced

2 tbsps wheat germ

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend until combined. Serve immedietly.

So there you go. A quick and easy breakfast that will keep you full all day!

New Years Resolution

I realize that New Year’s resolutions usually get broken quite quickly or forgotten about. I plan on being accountable for mine by tracking my progress with my readers. DH and I have decided to get in shape by our family reunion in July. Neither one of us is by no means overweight, but we seek to be healthier. I started the year off right by purchasing a cookbook entitled “Skinny Bitch”. Although I have previously read the novel Skinny Bitch the cookbook is actually a spinoff. For those of you who haven’t heard of skinny bitch you can check out the website here www.skinnybitchdaily.com. It is written by a girl who majored in Holistic nutrition and realized that it was time to start putting better shit in her body to live a longer and happier life. Although it is a vegan cookbook, I have no intentions of becoming completely vegan. My goal with this cookbook is to incorporate some of these healthy recipes into my daily diet. I started the new year snowboarding, which if you have ever been you will know that afterwards every bone in your body aches and hurts. But, I already feel stronger after snowboarding. Yesterday I did my zumba ab workout, washed the cars, and walked the dogs. I do not have a planned workout for today, but am going to make an effort to do something physical. I look forward to this healthy year ahead of us!

Happy 2011!

With the New Year beginning I have decided to start a blog. My neighbor and good friend Danielle has always encouraged me to channel my inner creativity and I figure this is a good start for the year. DH and I rang in the New Year snowboarding at Mt. Ashland Oregon with a great group of friends. The area was beautiful and we had a great time. Next... on to making my new years resolution.