:D

     Hello there!  Who's excited about summer?

FOOD

      I tried the baked parmesan zucchini, and it turned out pretty good.  Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the finished product, but they didn't look as pretty as last weeks picture anyway.

      Next on my cooking list is going to be Quinoa burgers! I'm excited since I don't do well with meat and these look super yummy!

Quinoa Burgers

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see note below for cooking instructions)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 green onions, including white parts
1 /2 teaspoon Splenda or sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Olive oil for frying
.
To cook quinoa for the above recipe:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat.  Add quinoa and reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.
.
In a large bowl combine the 2 rounded cups of cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.
(To help them stay in patty form and not fall apart, I cook them on med-low slowly so they have longer to set-up without burning.  Makes them easier to flip, too.)  Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat.  Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick.  Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side.   Makes approx. 10 burgers.
Per burger:  Calories 132; Protein 8 g; Fat 5 g; NET Carbs 12 g; (Fiber 2 g); Sugar 0 g; Sodium 200 mg

                       

  

FITNESS

     Exercising with a friend can be beneficial to your health, but it can also be distracting.  I don't like going to the gym alone, but I get a better work out if I do.  If I have friends with me I spend too much time talking and not paying attention to what I'm doing.

     If you have the same problem, but don't want to have to tell your friend you can't work out with them, just try explaining to them that you are very serious about your fitness when although you love the company you just can't afford to be distracted.  If your friend is a fitness buff like you are, then you shouldn't have a problem in the first place because they'll be focusing on their exercise just as much as you are.  But if they are someone who is just getting into the swing of things at the gym, you might want to go with them on your rest day.  That way, it won't really matter if you get in a good work out or not. 

     

WRIGHTING/LITRITURE

     I'm not sure if I shared this piece yet or not, but I wanted to start sharing my own work again.  So I hope you will enjoy this.

  

To thy beloved,

I have found no more.  They journey you hath begun with me must end with out me.  My love for thee was strong, but they love for myself was burned and broken.  I felt I had fallen from our Lord.  That he hath seen no more good in me.  I had gone on for months with feelings of sorrow and nothingness.  And than I dreamt that an angel of the Lord looked down upon me.  It spoke, but I understood it not.  Its heavenly glow blinded me, and my eyes could no longer see.  I thought my soul taken.  My body felt as hollow as conch shell.  I could feel the sound of the ocean traveling through me.  But then I was awoken.  I was certain I was dead.  My dream was real.  How could it have not been?  I was sure that the angel had forgotten my soul.  So I had to make sure my soul was returned to God.  So I beg of you, do not be cross with me.  It had to be done.  Do not worry my dear, one day the angel will collect your soul as well, and then we will be reunited in the kingdom of our ever so holy God.  And we shall be together for eternity.

I must go now.  Farewell my dear, I bid thee goodbye…

 

JUST A THOUGHT

     "Don't believe everything you hear!"  I can't tell you how accurate that statement is!  When you are given information, don't just give it the benefit of the doubt, do your own research.  You have the right to know the absolute truth.  Even if you're in school and your teacher tells you something, go home and look it up.  Preferably through books, not so much the internet.  Give your self the chance to learn the correct information.  Don't just take their word for it.

     

     Until next time... :-)

Other places you can find me:  
Facebook
Pinterest 
Tumblr


All photos were found through Google search.  I do not own, nor take credit for any of them. 

:-)

     Good day to you all!

FOOD

          Baked parmesan zucchini!!!  I found this recipe on Pnterest (where I find most recipes.)  I'm planning on making these for Memorial Day, hopefully they come out as yummy as they look.

Zucchini, 1 cup, sliced
Parmesan Cheese, grated, 1 tbsp
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Original Buttery Spray, 10 sprays (I'm planning on just using butter)
Non-stick cooking spray

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, then coat with some non-stick cooking spray. Place the zucchini slices out on the pan, then spritz with them with the butter spray. Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese and then pop it in the oven. Broil for a few minutes - until the cheese starts to brown. Enjoy it while it's warm!

Source: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=2718

                       

  

FITNESS

     I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I'm just going to go ahead an mention it again.

     I go to the gym 5 times a week, and if I'm lucky, 6 times.  But a lot of the time I'll only go 4 or even as little as 3 times a week.  This kills me!  I feel like a failure and like I let my self down, but then I snap my self out of it and tell my self, "It's OKAY to take a break sometimes!" 

    Remember, if you take a break through out the week from your work out, don't freak out, you're body will actually thrive if it has time to rest and heal.  Just remember these few things.  If you're going to take a few days to rest, spread them out if you can.  And never take 3 days off at a time.  If you take too much time off, you won't want to go back to your routine and it'll get harder and harder to do so. 

     

WRIGHTING/LITRITURE

     I'm still reading The Gargoyle.  Still an amazing book.  I've a few days with out reading it, so I'm only on chapter 11.  But it's getting better and better!

JUST A THOUGHT

Photo courtesy of AB Graphics  https://www.facebook.com/AB.Graphics.Aliza.Banando   

  I wanted to say congratulations to one of my bests friends, Aliza, for graduating from California State University, Northridge this past Tuesday!  I'm so happy and proud of her!!!

     

     Until next time... :-)

Other places you can find me: http://pinterest.com/missspinedecay/  http://missspine.tumblr.com/ https://www.facebook.com/missspine 
http://pinterest.com/missspinedecay/boards/

Most photos were found through Google search.  I do not own, nor take credit for any of them. 

I'M ALIVE!!

    Yes, it's true!  I'm not dead!  I  know what you're all thinking, "Great, now we have to keep reading her crumby blogs!"  Yes you do!
     So, I've been a little out of it the last few weeks, as you can tell.  The first week I was busy planning a trip to Disneyland, the second week I got sick immediately after Disneyland, and this week I'm only a day late because I was out all day yesterday.  I think those are all pretty good excuses if you ask me.  ;-)
     But let me get on with it...

FOOD

     When it comes to healthy eating, I've fallen a bit short with my absence.  I have not been eating well at all.  Especially when I'm out with friends.  If you happen to have the same problem, here are a few tips.

1. Eat before you go out!  If you know you're going to be tempted with friends, do what you can to eat a filling, healthy meal before hand.  Try to make it something with a lot of protein and complex carbs so you won't crash later on.
2. Plan ahead!  If you're all planning on going out to dinner, look up the restaurants menu and see what kind of healthy choices they have available.  That way, when you get to the restaurant, you won't have to suffer looking through all the descriptions and pictures of food. 
3. Take a snack!  You should have a snack everywhere you go, actually.  You want to avoid being hungry at all if you can help it.  Pack something like mixed nuts (the roasted, unsalted kind.  No added sugars or candy.), dried fruit (also not sugar added), fruit bars (one of my favorites if called That's It, and all it's made with is fruit.  There is nothing else in it.), beef jerky (if you can find some with out too many additives in it.  And no sugar.).
4. Don't let others influence you!  When  you're out with friends, everyone wants to have a good time.  And most of the time that involves eating.  If you're like me, you'll get people doing everything they can to get you to eat poorly.  Whether it's because they want you to have a good time, or they just want to see you fail.  Either way, don't let them control you.  They might not understand, or like your diet choices, but they're what you need to stick to to keep your self on ball.  Don't let anyone sabotage your efforts, especially when you work so hard at what you do!  Stay strong, it's only food!   

         

                       

  

FITNESS

     Summer is pretty much here, and that raises a lot of risks for your body when you exercise.  Especially outdoors.  If you have a gym membership, then you don't have too much to worry about.  But don't get me wrong, you can still get over heated in an air conditioned gym.  Just make sure you drink water regularly during your work out, and take a couple more breaks then you would normally take.  Now, it you don't have a gym membership you need to be extra careful this summer, especially if it's going to be anything like last summer.  SoCal actually broke some heat records last year.  If you're going to jog in the heat, make sure you have the right equipment.  Water bottle (as big as you can comfortably carry), hat or sun visor, sunglasses, sunscreen (I personally try to stay away from sunscreen as much as possible because of the ingredients, but I did find some healthier sunscreen at whole foods that doesn't have harmful ingredients and smells amazing!  It's Alba Botanica natural Hawaiian sunscreen.  It's pretty pricey, but in my opinion it's worth it not to get all those nasty additives.) and your cell  phone.  Some might find it silly taking your cell phone jogging with you, but as a woman, I feel safer having my phone with me, and in the heath if you feel like passing out or can't go any longer, call someone to pick you up. 

  Another great, and obvious alternative is swimming.  Have you ever done laps in the pool until you're out of breath?  It's bazaar to me, but I love it!  

WRIGHTING/LITRITURE

    My friend turned me on to this great book called The Gargoyle.  I've only read the first chapter and a half, but so far, I can't stop reading! And that's saying something coming from me!  Very interesting book, check it out!  The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson.

JUST A THOUGHT

 

Belladonna Mannequin Model Head by Mo Malice

     A very good friend of mine has been trying to earn some money for school by selling things on etsy.  He's ridiculously creative, and incredible at what he does.  So, if you could do me a favor and check out his etsy and help him pay for school by buying some of his stuff, that would be great!  You won't be disappointed!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/NeverMorte?ref=pr_faveshops

Well, I thought that was a pretty good come back, don't you?  Until next time... :-)

Bat's Day!!!

     Hey everyone!  So this week is going to be brief since I've been planning a trip to Disneyland all week and haven't gotten a chance to save any ideas for today. 

      May 5th is Bat's Day!  What is Bat's Day, you ask?  Bat's Day is a day where thousands of people from the Goth community gather at Disneyland to have fun like everyone else.  It's a lot of fun, and everyone is friendly.  This is my fifth year going and hopefully the best year yet!  If you are unfamiliar with what "Goth" actually is and/or means, I will post a link below that will tell you everything you want to know.

     I apologize for yet another lame blog entry, but if you happen to be visiting Disneyland this Sunday, make sure you enjoy all the lovely people and outfits, and if you happen to run into me, don't be afraid to say hi.

     

      Until next time guys... :-)

 

NOTE:  (Please do not ridicule or feed the goths!)

About the event:

Bat's Day!!!

About the culture:

What is Goth?