The Chemical Garden

 I am ready to go home. I have two weeks till I get to drive the 8 hours back to my home state for a week of break. I wish I were going somewhere fancy with a beach and the ocean. However, that is not the case. Sometimes I'll catch myself calling my apartment "home". This always takes me by surprise and I'll correct myself in conversations. Someone asked me the other day when I was going to get new plates for my car. Neveeeeeeeeeeeeer!

 This weekend I had a friend visit from home. It has been so much fun laughing and doing lots of shopping. V. needed big girl clothes because she openly wears neon colors and old band t-shirts from highschool. Neither of which constitute a real outfit suitable for someone over the age of 12.

Hipsters Falling in love.

Welcome to Sunday. 

The New Potatoe Chip

Last week my Mom calls and raves about Kale chips. I laughed because it's KALE. As in the green, leafy vegetable nobody eats unless they've celebrated their 80th birthday. So I tried this recipe and they were aaa-mazing. Is it like eating kettle chips? Not really. It's a little more refreshing and high in many vitamins.  

Kale Chips recipe

Ingrediants:

Bunches of kale

Olive oil

cracked sea salt

 1. Kale has very thick stems that are not tasty. Cut those out. Then chop leaves into bite-sized little bits.

 2. Brush and coat with olive oil. Add your sea salt.

 3. Lay bits on cookie tray in one layer spread.

 4. Cook at 250 degrees for 20-25 minutes. When you take them out they will have darkened in color and shrunk. Leave standing for 2-3 minutes. The finished product will be crunchy, salty, and low calorie. Gorge away.

 

Diets are Bananas

I have to come to a food resolution. In our society, everyone thinks they're an expert on loosing weight. We have the All Grapefruit Diet, the Cabbage Diet, the Atkins Diet, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, The Daniel Fast, Low carb High Protein, Gluten-Free, blahblahblah. And yet, we're all still chubby. I have tried a variety of different methods to cutting the pounds, including some sketchy pills that may have been legal meth. However, I am still not waifish and fragile looking like a Victoria Secret Model in Barbados.

What's the resolution? Screw diets. Simply stated, I am going to find healthy foods I like to eat. You know what health food I don't like? Bananas. I HATE bananas. I don't like the taste or the texture, but for years I have tried to eat bananas because they're suppose to be healthy for you. Yeah, that's awesome except I find them totally disgusting. There are many healthy food items out there. I just have to find ones that are 100% for me.

 

Lazy Sunday with Ray

Exit the Crazy Train

 I do not mind being alone if the alternative is being connected to someone who is bad for me. I would like to think that no one is a regret, but that each person we are linked to presents us with experiences in which we learn something about ourselves. I think, above all else, I miss the companionship. It's a luxary to have a someone who will wrestle your couch up two flights of stairs or eat Sushi with you while watching Netflix; a person to think about when you should be thinking about work; and a partner in crime when ordering Ethnic food. However, if the dark spots outshine the light, than one of the parties must say, "Exiting now". The only mistake I believe I made was not being the one to say that and that I didn't say it sooner. Because, if two people are not meant to be, than what's the point of dragging each other through the mud for one second longer than necessary? It is better to break apart and dash away from the other as fast as your feet can carry you and to not dare look back less you become a pillar of salt.

Futhermore, my sister, who is a sage despite being barely 21 years of age, called me today. We were exchanging our woes with the opposite sex. She says, "My life is complete. I have good friends and God, everything else is a bonus." Talk about knocking me on my ass with her wisdom.    



Black Bean Soup for Morons

I am not a good cook. I am an excellent food critic and known food snob, but I can barely make noodles. Hence, when I can prepare something from scratch that I don't burn, boil, or destroy; I like to pass it along. This is a gem I got from the internet that I modified because I'm awesome.

Ingrediants

1/2 medium diced onion

1/2 c. chopped celery

1 c. chicken broth

1 tsp diced garlic

2 (15 oz.) Cans Black Beans

1/2 tsp. Cummin

1 tbs Crazy Jane's Seasoning Salt

3 tbs Olive Oil

1 c. corn

Step 1: Heat your olive oil. Throw diced onion, garlic, and celery together in pan. Saute until onions are transparent and eyes are watering.

Step 2: Combine veggies with rinsed beans, spices, and chicken broth in a soup pot. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Add cup of corn and let warm up.

Step 3: Take less than half of soup and throw into a blender. Puree until creamy.

Step 4: Throw pureed soup back into pot and heat for another 5 minutes on low. Stir occassionaly while listening to Ray Lamontagne.

Step 5: Eat up! I garnished mine with sour cream, slices of avocado, and Frito chips. Mine was less watery than some might desire. If you want a watery soup, add more chicken broth.