I got stung by a bee and it sucks.

Sometimes I regress to acting like a four-year-old. Often when I have a cold. I'm a big baby if my nose is stuffy.

I discovered on Sunday I also regress when I get stung by an insect. I'm assuming a bee, but I don't actually know. I know that IT HURT A LOT. And that my reaction was to repeat "Ow. OW. HELP, OWWWW" while trying to explain why I was freaking out. Then I just closed my eyes, held out my clenched hand and hoped that someone knew how to handle this. (Thanks, Tim for handling that!)

*pout face*

In a month, this week will be a blur. But for now, and for most of this week, I've been wallowing in ouchies and self pity. I got stung on my thumb — right on the tendon, that little jerk — and it has been swollen, itchy and sore for four days. I went to the doctor yesterday and she just said it was normal and I'd have to wait it out. The swelling has gone down a little today, but if I forget to take the antihistamines the itching comes back.

*pout face*

And I haven't gone to crossfit because 80% of the things we do involve pushing, pulling, gripping, swinging... all things that become very difficult if you can't actually hold on to anything. Even walking has been awkward, since leaving my hand at my side made it swell worse. I've been walking with my elbow bent, hand up by my shoulder like I'm looking for the absent towel after washing my hands.

Just....

*pout face.*

Normally I try to pull myself out of these funks. Stop dwelling on what I can't change; be positive; work through it. But frankly...

This. Sucks.

Zucchini: Shred It and Forget It. (Veggies #6.9)

I've discovered something.

Zucchini doesn't have to be in chunky cubes or round slices for you to eat it!

There are two super simple ways I've been using zucchini for meals. The first is the yummiest, and least vegetable-y: zucchini pancakes! These aren't like batter pancakes, but more like the potato pancakes you might have had if you're a descendant from central/eastern Europe. I can make two of them fresh in the morning in just under 10 minutes, which is a lovely way to start my day. The recipe is from a great Paleo cookbook I'm borrowing, Practical Paleo. Super simple recipes. I've scaled this one waaaay down, as I do with most of the recipes in the book.

1/3 zucchini, shredded/julienne style (I use our cheese grater!)
1 medium egg
~1 tablespoon coconut flour
salt to taste
coconut oil or bacon grease (I figured out that if I cook 2-3 slices of bacon in the pan before the pancakes, it's just the right amount. Plus then I get to eat bacon!)

• Mix everything together. If the mixture is drippy-runny, add a little more flour. You should be able to scoop about half of it with just a fork if it's sticking together enough.
• Add oil to a pan over medium heat. Let it warm up, then drop zucchini mix by heaping spoonfuls. (Or just split the mix in half and drop that much.) Flatten in out a little so you have a flat circle. 
• Let them cook for about 5 minutes on each side. The flat sides will get nice and brown and crispy. If you like less crispy things, just don't cook them as long.

The second way to eat zucchini is even easier: as a noodle substitute. Just use a vegetable peeler (or the long, wide cheese grater option!) and shred down to the seeds. Then you can either steam them (~5mins) or throw them in the microwave with a favorite sauce (~3mins). So far I've only tried it with pesto. Yummmm.

Happy Eatings!

May 30, 2013

So, I'm actually writing this post on June 12. It's basically like time travel (hooray for technology!).

My 27th birthday was almost two weeks ago, and it came and went with very little pomp or circumstance. I've been busy with my new job and several other side projects. I kept forgetting my birthday was this week, or in a few days, or tomorrow, or today!

My new department bought cupcakes for the occasion from Baby Cakes in the River Market. So. Much. Yum. And I wore a cute new outfit, which is always a good day.

And I was also able to spontaneously meet up with friends at Manifesto for a DELICIOUS drink that was made with butternut squash. "Winter in Buenos Aires." Try it. (That's not a request.)

I still have several items to cross off my list. Not so sure I'll make it to see the Northern Lights in the next 36 months, but hopefully I'll be able to make a cake, cook a turkey, SKYDIVE, hang with my niece (and new nephew), and a few other things. I'd better get to it!

One of those moments

Just had one of those "how did I get here?" moments.

One of those moments you hear your parents or aunts and uncles say when you're a kid about how time flies. 

I'm sitting here, realizing that suddenly (seemingly) I have this awesome job and I pretty much got here myself which is something to really be proud of. 

Weird. 

When life gives you a roller coaster...

...you'd better hang on!

Life has this funny, mildly overwhelming way of sending you so many things at once that it's difficult to keep track.

Have you ever felt that way?

What am I asking, of course you have.

(Sidenote, I always tease my husband about how Reddit users will ask, "Am I the only one who... [does/makes whatever]" and the answer is always "NO." We're not alone in this big, inter-connected world. Someone is similar to you, and there are only two ways to wrap Super Nintendo control cords.)

Not the point.

The point is, life gets to you sometimes -- in good and bad ways -- and it's hard to reflect on it. Even when sad or bad things are happening, I try to step back and be grateful for the experience, for the opportunity to learn something. 

I started to cook and eat Paleo ("real," unprocessed food; no dairy, refined sugars, grains, or legumes). I did pretty well for the first week or so, but then I learned how quickly you can fall off any wagon. One little bite here or there and suddenly it's that I'm just "attempting" instead of "committing." Well, somehow I'd bet that won't yield the results I'd been dreaming of, especially considering the past weekend of entertaining guests and today's lunch with new co-workers. BUT. I have a menu and I'd like to stick to it! The food has been 80% delicious and 100% edible. So... fewer excuses to indulge and more voicing my food choices. Yeah.

Britton and I are both also in the process of starting a new job (me) or getting a new role at work (Britton) and we rarely see each other for more than a few hours at a time. We're still adjusting to being married, but we still want to come home to the other and just be together. Super wonderfulness.

Lots of other stuff is going on, too, (hence the roller coaster reference) and I'm happy to discuss if you're happy to listen.

Off to make Paleo pesto and maybe some zucchini pancakes. I like cooking.

Fun fact: "Roller coaster" in Spanish is "montaña rusa" or "Russian Mountain." What imagery!