Meatless Memorial Monday

I’m drinking coffee ya’ll…and liking it. This is good news. Maybe I am on my way to quitting the Go Girl habit. Baby steps, baby steps.

It’s memorial day so it’s time to get out your grills.

No not those grills.

These grills…and man I wish I had one like this. Ironically not only is it Memorial Day, but it is Meatless Monday. Today is probably the least likely day that people will want to give Meatless Monday a try. However, if you make your Memorial Day meatless then you my friend, are a rockstar.

Since I am a rockstar and everyone wants to be like me ( note my large amount of sarcasm ) then you will need some awesome meatless Memorial Day recipes.

Did you know that just plain vegetables taste amazing grilled? Take your favorite veggies a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and cook them up on the grill.

And of course if you are still itching for a burger or a hotdog, there is the soy versions you can find at the grocery store. Some brands such as Yves makes some pretty tasty veggie dogs.

You can make your Memorial Day meatless with some simple swaps. Vegetarian baked beans are awesome, I promise you won’t miss the mystery bacon bits.

Well now that you know how to make your Memorial Day Meatless…enjoy your day, don’t drink too much, and be safe.

Sunday Funday

It was great to finally have some good weather yesterday. It made the farmers market even more pleasant and made for a great temperature to eat dinner outside.  I will get the dinner blog up sometime today or tomorrow.

I am having trouble thinking of words to describe it but I am feeling a little discouraged this morning.  If that is even the right word for it. Sometimes I feel like life is passing me by…without me accomplishing much. There is a fire burning in me, I know what I want to accomplish but I just feel that it is an unattainable goal. Kind of the I feel like a failure without even trying first I suppose. You probably have no idea what I am trying to say huh? Well that makes two of us. I am 23 going on 60 and am watching Meet The Press for goodness sakes. When did I get so darn boring?  I am too boring to even have anything remotely interesting to blog about…I don’t even know why I am bothering except for the fact that I am OCD and it is now a part of my routine that I wouldn’t feel right doing away with it.

Welp, hope everyone has a good Sunday!

Cook Day

It’s Saturday again, which is complete awesomeness. I don’t really have much to say except Farmer’s Market, and cooking!

Today the Menu consists of …

Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Grilled Tofu with Apricot and Lavender Chutney

Sauteed Summer Squash with Garlic and Basil

Grilled Chinese broccoli

Olallieberry Cobbler ( If I can find olallieberry’s )

You will have to check my other blog on how it turns out though

www.amberhaas.com

Home Sweet Home

Had a great visit with my grandparents and other old friends down Southern California, but it is good to be home. I can’t wait to get back to cooking and be able to find any organic product I am looking for at the grocery store.

Today is also Friday so it’s time to party for the three day weekend…well everyday is a party for me but if you actually have a job and a life you should be expecting an awesome 3 days off. So what do you plan to do with the highly anticipated Memorial Day weekend? Grilling up anything good?

Veggies and Observations

I can't wait to get home. I have an 8 hour drive ahead of me. I can't wait to get back to cooking and blogging on an actual computer. I can't read any blogs on this thing either so I feel like I am totally out of the loop!

This trip has seemed to be full of life lessons. I have learned a lot of things just through observation.

It has also been kind of funny to see how curious people are about what it means to be a vegetarian. After It is announced that I am a vegetarian thd first question that always follows is "do you eat fish?" no my friends vegetarians do not eat fish...or chicken..or ham, or beef, or any other sort of flesh from a living being. Then of course I am completely bombarded with other questions like " well what do you eat" "do you eat fruit? Ice cream? Brownies? Bread?" yes people I eat fruit, bread, and junkfood..but only homemade junkfood, I just don't eat meat.

Anyways...hope everyone has a great Thursday!

"Just another day, the same damn thing. I go get the paper and everthing." Those are the wise words of my Grandpa. I get where he is coming from...I mean I do the same thing everyday too..but I do it by choice and I don't see it as a negative thing. I met someone yesterday that just recovered from a freak accident. She has a new lease on life and is one of the most positive persons I have ever met. I can only hope to be and stay as positive as her as I get older. I think being positive is underrated. I mean, who doesn't like to be around a positive person? ( unless they are positively annoying). Of course you still have to be realistic but there is always something positive to think about.

So on that note...think positive today!

Fresh and Sleezy

It is crazy how much different the culture is around here. Especially the food culture. I was getting to comfortable up in northern CA thinking that the majority of people are aware of eating locally, organically, and nutritiously. The grocery stores really cater to the natural food foodies up north. But down here finding anything organic is like finding a needle in a hay stack. In a way it could be seen as a good thing because it let's you know that stores really do pay attention to what you purchase. So if there is ever an organic movement down here it could be pretty powerful...unfortunately the culture here is not really looking to buy organic or even hear much about it. I think this city needs the power of Jamie Oliver.

Sunday evening after arriving in pico Rivera I had to search for some frozen fruit for my morning bowl of oatmeal. ( if you know me, you know I am super anal about my breakfast. I even brought my own bowl and spoon.) not only was it hard to even find a grocery store but the place we stopped at called Fresh and Easy was a complete joke. Nothing pisses me off more than brands or stores that deceive people into thinking that they are buying something healthy. There is more packaged and highly processed foods in that store than you could possibly dream of. The sad part is that they are a hit down here and people really do believe it is fresh and...easy. Easy? Perhaps. But fresh? No way. They even Make sure to hand out brown plastic bags to give the illusion that they are more natural and eco friendly. For real ya'll there produce is the saddest looking fruit I have ever seen. I hate deceiving stores like this with such a passion that I spent an hour trying to type this with my wee thumbs on my blackberry. I feel so sad for the people here. Where you at Jamie?

Hola Pico Rivera

I am now safe and sound in southern CA. Unfortunately the grandparents don't have wifi so I am forced to blog with my thumbs on my teeny blackberry. Posts this week will be short unless I build strength in my thumbs or find a starbucks. I have a completed food blog but I can't post it!

It is crazy how different the news down here. So far there has been two shootings. One which has completely shut down the 101 freeway. Oh and Lindsey lohans possible jail time takes priority over all news. This will be an interesting week.

Headed South

Yesterday was a good day, as Saturdays usually are. I am in love with the Placer County Real Food Cookbook and fresh farmer’s market produce. There really is nothing like cooking with fresh local ingredients. I will be posting my Saturday farmers market meal on my other blog a.s.a.p. so check that soon!

On another note, now that I have enjoyed cooking and eating a fresh local dinner I am headed down to my grandparents in Southern CA where fresh to them means freshly microwaved pancakes with spam and eggs. Mmm now that is real food right there…I will definitely be hoarding whatever healthy food I can in my suitcase.

The plus side to going down to Southern CA is their nice, flat running path that smells of fresh baked Mexican bread in the morning. Which also makes me want to make an attempt at Mexican bread.

Well I am rambling now,  but the good news is that you might not have to deal with my ramblings this week because I am unsure if I will have any internet connection to post a blog. So much for blogging everyday for a year huh?

Happy Sunday everyone!

Saturday

Farmer’s market today! I am excited to cook again from the Placer County Real Food cookbook. Last Saturday was a lot of work but also a lot of fun. It’s  my friends baby shower today as well…now if only I could find something to wear.

Since today is the big cooking day I will hopefully be posting a new blog at www.amberhaas.com If all goes well of course.

 

Hope you all have a good Saturday!

Sweet Corn and Butter Are Good Friends

I have nothing better to do than to cruise cooking videos in hopes of video viewing myself into chef stardom. I posted a Julia Child video the other day and I didn’t connect the two until now but I think I found the younger, male version of her. So who is this younger Julia Child with an X and a Y chromosome? No other than my hero Jaime Oliver.

I can’t help but smile when I watch his videos…this one in particular.

 

I love the line “sweet corn and butter are good friends.”

Here is another one for ya…give ya another omelette vid :)

Who Wants an Omelette?

You don’t see many cooking shoes like Julia’s anymore. This put a smile on my face, and omelette’s are delicious, so I thought I would share.

Enjoy!

Just Another Day

Nothing exciting to report here. I was weird not going to class yesterday and I am missing it like crazy. The plus side to not having much to do is having a lot of time to cook.

Next week will be a little different though. My Mom and I are planning to go down to Southern CA for the week to visit family. I may still get bored at my grandparents house but at least it is a change of scenery. For whatever reason I also like the running path they have over there. It is a lot different than running through the fields over here where all you see is jack rabbits and hobos. I always have a heightened sense of awareness when running in little Mexico, and know that if I finish without getting mugged then it was a successful day. If I am really lucky I will see my wild parrot friends. Who knew that there would be wild parrots in LA?

I am looking forward to a little road trip. I am starting to go stir crazy. I think I need another hobby.

This Blows

Not having class so far sucks…normally I would be on my way right now, but instead I am at home not knowing what to do with myself.

So here is my question…what do you when you have too much time on your hands and no friends?

Two Years

I have been married for 2 whole years today. Time flies. It was a lot hotter on this day two years ago. Everyone remembers our wedding as the freak 110 degree day in May. I didn’t feel it much though. Maybe it is because I am always cold…or I was just happy to be getting married.

It is crazy what can happen in only two years. We have moved three times and now Eric is in the Army. I wish we could celebrate this day together, but unfortunately I won’t be seeing him until July.

I can pretend though…and if I had my wish we would be headed back to Puerto Vallarta  for another honeymoon. I think I will dream of this for the rest of the day.

Saturday Fun

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I get to talk to Eric a lot more now because he now aloud to have his phone all the time!

I also got to go to the farmer’s market with my parents, run some errands with my mom, cook a meal out of a new cookbook and then finish it off with Iron Chef. There is not much else to say. It was a good day, I am thankful for that.

This post is kind of short, but it is mainly because I spent the majority of my morning working on my other blog. If you want to see what was for dinner last night then check it out! www.amberhaas.com

It’s Over

School is officially over. It’s summer time and it's time to party! Well my idea of partying is probably a little different than most. I will skip the drinking games for now and kick off my summer with a trip to the farmer’s market. I know, I live an exciting life don’t be jealous.

Sadly, a trip to the farmer’s market really is exciting to me. I am in the mood to cook and there is no better way to kick of the summer than with some fresh local produce. My parents picked up a copy of Placer County Real Food Cookbook last week and I think I will put it to good use.

Looking back at the last few months I think I have come to realize a few things. ( Prepare to be bored…my thoughts are taking over. ) Now that this semester is over, having taken a nutrition/cooking class, a PE class, and doing some personal training, I think I have found that I enjoy the nutrition and cooking part more than the personal training. Personal training proved to be a bit overwhelming for my socially retarded ways and I have always liked being more of a behind the scenes kind of person. So perhaps cooking would better fit me.

I have beat myself up for so many years for not being the outgoing person I always thought I should be. I pushed myself harder than ever these past few months to “break out of my shell”, only to fail miserably.  At what point do I stop and realize that I am how I am for a reason and embrace it? It isn’t an easy thing to embrace, especially when being quiet is frowned upon. It is almost as if people have a prejudice against quiet people.  I am automatically judged as being stuck up, rude, or just plain weird. (well that last judgment would be right. ) So how do you embrace something that is so frowned upon in society? I don’t think I am ready to do so yet, but I am growing more and more fond of the idea. I don’t know that I am ready to accept it yet.

I think the hardest thing for me to accept is the fact that I am not really quiet around people I am close to. I have a lot to say, and am a very passionate person when it comes to some things and it stings when I can’t express that verbally around people I am not so close to. It is almost a feeling of being trapped, not being able to be who you are, or being able to be your true self, or expressing how your really feel.

So what in the world does this have to do with cooking? Well, I found out through my cooking class that I was able to be more comfortable, and more outgoing when I am cooking. Not only verbally, but I was able to speak through my food, which is where I want to speak the loudest. Nutrition is one of my biggest passions, and it is something that can be spoken very loudly through cooking. It is kind of how artists speak through their art. Well cooking is my art…and then anything else that I can’t express spills out onto this blog. I am sorry you have to read my suppressed thoughts.

Well, I better get running. Happy Saturday!

One More Day

One more day left of class, then I am home free…then what am I going to do with my time. Run and cook I suppose and then just wait around until I get to go to Virginia and visit my brother.

But as for now, I really don’t have anything to blog about except for how much I can’t wait until this class is over.

TGIF!

So Proud

Eric graduated from basic training today. I am so proud of him…and I must say he looks like a stud in his uniform.

There were times I was afraid the Army would change him into some sort of emotionless robot but judging by the tennis shoes left scattered by his bedside I am relieved to see that he is still the same old Eric.

I wish I could of been there, but unfortunately I was too busy taking a final on meat, poultry, and fish. Being as I am a vegetarian it wasn’t exactly my favorite test to study for. The good news is that those peanut butter cookies from the practical final scored us a 99%  a 100% would of been better but I will gladly accept a 99. As Chicken said “Don't ever question how great peanut butter and chocolate is.” she was sure right.

Well, tomorrow is my last day of school. Then I will officially be a community college graduate and a certified personal trainer. I just have to get through jazzercise hell first ugh.

Iron Chef

Yesterday was my practical final for my cooking/nutrition class. It is sad that was the last time we will be cooking, or learning about cooking. I am not ready for it to be over yet.

Our practical was a copy cat of the Food Networks Iron chef. Each group was given a number that went to a bag that contained an ingredient we had to use. We were allowed to use everything in the fridge, freezer, and pantry.

Our teacher had warned us for months that one of the bags would contain yeast. Of course everyone in the class was hoping they would not get the dreaded packet of yeast but I was secretly hoping our group would get it. Bread baking is one of my favorite things to do…but of course we didn’t get the yeast. Instead, we got chocolate chips. Don’t get me wrong I love baking, and chocolate…but the best thing we could come up with was peanut butter cookies. They were absolutely delicious but we definitely did not win the creativity award. Is it pathetic that I am still dwelling on the fact that we could of kicked it up a knotch by getting  a bit more creative with the cookies? Let it go Amber…let it go. But shucks, I wanted to win and it is secretly killing me inside. ( I am way to competitive ).

My heart aches for culinary school. *Sigh*

On another note, I found out that most of the people in the Army with Eric’s job get sent to Cuba. Which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. I would go to Cuba, but the problem is it is an unaccompanied tour. So I wouldn’t be able to go. So it is like he is being deployed. I really hope he doesn’t go to Cuba.

Ouch

Stabbing head pain and nausea…not exactly how I wanted to start my day. I hate these kinds of headaches. I can barely even get down a glorious can of caffeinated delight and I have a final today.

Oh Lord help me.

Since I can’t really think straight or stare into the computer light for much longer check out my new blog post on my other blog. www.amberhaas.com

Meatless Monday

It’s Meatless Monday everyone. Yep that’s right.. well I know you probably don’t care but I sure do. So here is what I am making tonight for this lovely Monday.

Asian Marinated Tofu with Soba Noodles

Sesame Marinade:

sesame oil= 3 TBS.

Soy Sauce= 1/4 cup

Balsamic or rice wine vinegar= 5 tsp.

sugar= 1 1/2 TBS

Red pepper flakes= 1/2 tsp.

scallions, chopped= 2 Tbsp.

Cilantro= 1 1/2 Tbsp.

1-2 packs of firm Tofu

For The Noodles

Soba noodles= 12 oz.

Cucumber, peeled, diced 1/4 cubes =1

Red Bell pepper, thinly sliced = 1

Green onions, thinly sliced= 1 bunch

Carrots, peeled, shredded = 3-4

sesame oil= 5 Tbsp.

Rice wine vinegar = 6 Tbsp.

Directions:

For the Marinade-

1. In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients together and stir.

Tofu:

Slice the tofu into fingers or patties.

Place the tofu gently in a gallon zip log bag.

Pour the marinade in the bag and let it sit refrigerated for up to 6-8 hours before cooking.

Cooking the Tofu:

Heat a nonstick skillet with a little canola oil on medium-high.

Place the tofu in the skillet and let it cook on both sides until golden and crisp for about 10-12 minutes.

Soba Noodles:

Cook noodles in boiling water until al dente, about 6 minutes.

Rinse thoroughly under cold water and drain well.

In a bowl, add the noodles, cucumber, red bell pepper, green onions, carrots, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. Toss and serve.

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s day to all of you mothers, or future mothers. It’s a bummer that it is a cloudy day. It’s supposed to be sunny on Mother’s Day.

Speaking of sunny and warm weather. I am looking forward to getting back on my bike sometime soon. It is so sad looking just sitting there in the garage. It is calling to me. Running does not get my quads burning quite enough. I miss that noodle leg feeling you get after a long ride. Who knows where I will end up after July. I might not be able to ride my bike wherever we end up so I should take advantage of the opportunity to ride.

Wow I can’t think straight this morning so I think I am going to stop here.

What are your plans for Mother’s Day?

Loss of Words

I don’t really know what to blog about today. Well there is a few things but my fingers are not in the mood to type more than a paragraph. I’m little pinched for time because I have to get running and ready to go to the farmer’s market this morning. It has been awhile since I have gone and there is some good fruit coming into season! I don’t want to miss out. However I will ask.

What is your favorite fruit?

TGIF

Wow, is it really Friday? This week went by so fast. Now if only my 4 hour class will go by fast then I will be one happy camper. Only one more week of school. So crazy and bittersweet. Maybe the next school I will be graduating from will be a culinary school…hey I can dream right?

Speaking of culinary I have put my culinary skills to the test and finally got some recipes and pictures up on my food blog so check it out. www.amberhaas.com

Let me know your thoughts..or if you want me to cook anything specifically. Be honest. There is nothing better than good honest feedback.

Hope you have a good Friday!

Wow It’s Thursday Already

I made it out of the Dentist’s in one piece.. but barely. The dental hygienist dug the crap out of my gums with some sort of sonic wave torture device. The hygienist assured me that although this device made a high pitched squeal that it was not a drill….mmhmm well it felt like a freakin drill. She was pretty nice at making sure I was okay though. She even let me watch TV so that helped. After she was done she informed me “Normally for what I did to you today I have people come in twice because it is too painful, and I really have to numb up their gums, so you have a high pain tolerance.” Oh ok that explains why it felt like you were carving my teeth into some sort of ice sculpture. She gave me some advil so that I wouldn’t have sore gums later, but I felt more like I needed an orange or a cookie after losing a pint of blood.

The good news though- no cavities!

Now I just have to get through my Dr. app. and class today. It is crazy to think that a week from today will be my last class ( for my cooking class ). Next Friday is officially my last day. Eric is also graduating from basic training that day. I wish I could be there for his graduation but unless I wanted to lose a ton of points by missing a couple finals..it wasn’t possible. I feel kind of selfish for not being there. I am looking forward to being able to talk to him on the phone more when he starts AIT. Then only two more months until I get to see him and we move to who knows where! Okay..starting to stress a little..

Brushing and Flossing

I have a dentist appointment today at 12:00pm sharp. I can’t say that I am looking forward to it…I hope my 2 weeks of brushing and flossing everyday was enough to truthfully answer the question of “have you been flossing?” Yes ma’m everyday…for two weeks…

I hate that question. You can’t lie because as soon as they stick their miniature ice pick into your teeth and your gums start to bleed, you know that they have probably figured out you haven’t been flossing.

On another note, it is Cinco De Mayo! Which also happens to be my parents anniversary (Happy anniversary Mom and Dad! ) so I will probably celebrate it alone with a microwave burrito and a shot of tequila.

Man..it is Wednesday so there isn’t even anything good on TV.

What are your plans for Cinco De Mayo?

Thankful Tuesday

It’s Thankful Tuesday. I know you are thankful that I fill some of your day with my mindless blogging. But be thankful I am not hopelessly bribing you to read my blog with free giveaways. Anyways…

So what am I thankful for? I am thankful for the sun and the warmer weather! Also for my health insurance that just kicked in on Saturday. Wow score I haven’t had health insurance for 2 years. I will now take advantage. Which also means I am thankful  for online appointment scheduling because I hate making Dr. Appointments.  I hate that question of “and what is the reason for your visit?” Hmm well I was hoping to discuss a possible sex change operation…. Mmhmm like I really want to tell you lady. Do you think the receptionists secretly get a kick out of people’s reasoning for their visits? I sometimes wonder what the craziest thing they have ever had to make an appointment for.

So that is the jist of what I am thankful for today. Oh and I am thankful the Biggest Loser is on tonight of course :)

What are you thankful for today?

Meatless Monday!

It has been a couple weeks since I have acknowledged a Meatless Monday. So it’s about time I do. It Feels like a pasta night to me. How about some roasted vegetables with baked penne pasta?

Ingredients

16 oz. penne pasta

1 Onion sliced

3 cloves of Garlic minced

1 package of mushrooms ( such as baby bellas) or portabellas cut into 1 inch pieces.

2 Medium Zucchini diced

1-2 carrots

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes

1 head of broccoli

About 1 cup of mozzarella cheese

1 TBS olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Italian Seasoning

1 Jar of pasta sauce ( or homemade pasta sauce )

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

After preparing vegetables, place them together in a large bowl. Drizzle 1 TBS of olive oil over vegetables or until all are lightly coated. Season with Salt and pepper.

Spray a large baking pan with pam or coat with olive oil. Place vegetables in pan and roast for approximately 15 minutes or until veggies are soft and tender.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package. Make sure pasta is not overcooked because it will cook more when put in the oven.

When vegetables are tender take out of oven and place aside.

Place cooked pasta in another baking dish and toss with pasta sauce. Layer vegetables on top and repeat as necessary. ( Kind of like lasagna ).

Top with cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake until cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy.

Sunday’s

It’s the start of a sunny Sunday which means the day is already off to a good start. I am also meeting up with my friend Laura. What? Amber has friends? Hmm yea okay so I have a couple. A couple that are both knocked up…but technically that would mean I have 4 friends if you count their unborn children…then again they might have already formed a dislike for me in the womb. I guess I will find out in July.

It is kind of weird having two pregnant friends. It still feels like we just graduated high school how did I get this old and accomplish this little.

Do you ever just feel unaccomplished some days? I felt a little accomplished while training people at Guiding Fitness which I no longer do. ( that is a whole other story that I will get to telling eventually ).

Maybe some of the unaccomplished feeling comes from the fact that it is May and people are graduating from college. They look so happy in their graduation gowns and such. Yea I got my AA and my personal training certificate this year but wooptie freakin do. My achievements seem to scream slacker. I guess there is always the chance to slip into the housewife/motherhood role..but for me this could quite possibly be the hardest goal of all to achieve. Have I told you about my extreme fear of being infertile? I think this fear is probably real for many women…but I almost feel as though it is completely real for me. I just have a horrible gut feeling about it. If this is the case then I will have absolutely nothing to contribute to this world. ( Then again that could be a good thing. Who needs more little caffeine addicted moochers running around? )

Out of all my slacker-ness of these years I have discovered one thing. When I continue my education, I don’t want to continue it at a 4 year college. I want to continue it at a culinary school. Culinary school is my goal. Whether or not I can actually make this happen is the question. I would need a lot of support. All I can do for now though is hope and dream. Maybe someday.

Oh Saturday

It’s Saturday which is awesome. Oh and it is sunny..and as you know I love sun. Another awesome thing is that it is May 1st. which means I only have 14 days left until I am out of school…it is bittersweet though because I love my Nutrition/cooking class and I don’t want it to end.

I will be doing a lot of traveling this summer. I will hopefully be visiting family down in L.A. after I am out of school, and then I will be off to Virginia in June and then off to Missouri in July. Did I mention I hate flying? No, not because I am afraid the plane is going to crash and burn, but planes make me feel claustrophobic and a previous bad experience that involves throwing up along with other lovely bodily functions  still haunts me. Not only does this experience still haunt me but I will be flying alone to Virginia. I will admit I am a bit nervous. I couldn’t find my way out of a paper bag. When I flew in the past I would usually just let other’s figure out what to do and where to go. The only thing I’d do on my own is take my shoes off to go through the metal detector.

Now I have to do everything myself. I don’t even know where to start. This could potentially be a bad situation….