day 214

Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts

This was my first recipe I made from "the kind diet" by Alicia Silverstone the book I have been reading. It was soo good I have made it a couple time now. I even gave some away so friends could try it that is how good it is.

Serves 2

1 cup Quinoa

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup of pinenuts

1 generous handful of fresh basil leaves chopped

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well. I pan-roast the rinsed quinoa until it's golden before boiling for a nuttier flavor. This is an option you don't have to do this if you don't want to. You do have to rinse them though.

Chop the basil or tear.

Combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the quinoa cooks, heat the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until the nuts are just starting to turn golden, shaking or stirring frequently to prevent burning. Transfer to a serving bowl to cool.

Add the quinoa to the serving bowl with the pine nuts and fluff with a fork. Add the olive oil and basil, stir to combine, and serve.

Yummy!

day 213

Did I go to Paris over the weekend? No not this weekend, but looks like it doesn't it. I found these in Whole Foods freezer section. I'm getting a little more comfortable in that store now. Joe would never let me look at everything they had. They are actually just as good if not better then the frozen ones I would buy in Brussels. Which is the next best thing to getting a fresh one in France or Belgium. Just don't get one in Rome but that is another story.

Here is what he box looks like if you want to try them.

You have to take them out at night and let them rise in the oven overnight, plus I put an egg wash on them too.

day 212

You can see the one in my forehead and I have 2 in each ear which you can barely see. It was taken by my doctor on my iphone that is why it isn't very clear phone's don't take good photos.

One pin in my hand-my knuckles look so much better don't you think?

Here are some photos from my acupuncture session. It really is amazing the swelling and pain went away right away. I had a little pain on Friday before my next session but nothing to what it was before. My hands look and feel normal again. Not to mention that they are not ice cold and neither are my feet anymore. They get cold but are not permanently ice cold and blue.

My Girls!

Here are the girls out in the snow. Not that you really want to see them pee but the rest is really cute. Also notice Ana's tail is now up and curled, it use to be down then straight up.

day 209

In my flirting with being a vegetarian/vegan (also no sugar) I went to the store to get some food. I actually made one of the recipes from the book the kind diet and it soo good I made it again. I need room for all this new stuff so I actually dropped off some food with my friends and some beer that was left over from the Vikings party. I have no room in my fridge or kitchen until I remodel.

I also had my first soy hot chocolate at Caribou. That wasn't bad either but then I added whipped cream and chocolate toppings which were bad I'm guessing.

Don't worry I will never be a true vegetarian/vegan because I love expensive leather shoes and lets not forget my obsession with real fur no fake fur for me.

Anytime this snow can stop...

day 208

Yesterday I also had an interview for a part time job at Louis Vuitton. They are opening a new store in the Galleria. However because how popular the store is they have a ton of applications so it was just a pre-interview to screen out some of the people before the district manager interviews people.

Not sure when I should tell her that I need some time off before the store opens for the trial...

day 207

Today I'm trying acupuncture. I will let you know how it feels to be a human pin cushion.

I'm also flirting with being a vegetarian/vegan. I will also keep you posted on this. I'm reading the book the kind diet by Alicia Silverstone so far it is pretty good she has lots of recipes that I can't wait to try in the book too.

day 206

Ana update. She is progressing slowly but she is improving. Here are some examples of her antics.

Saturday we went for a walk and she was starring at this guy running down the road with a dog. I just thought she never saw that before...while when we turned around to go back home she decided she wanted to run too. So we ran all the way home.

Last night we were watching a movie and she was laying next to me (I was on the floor she doesn't want to come up on the coach) and half way through she put her head on my leg and slept for a while.

This morning I could hear my nocturnal friend stirring around but I thought she was on the left side of the bed, but she was on the right side. Why this is strange I block the end of the bed so her and Foxy can walk all around the bed because I have my new good rug under my bed and I moved it up stairs from the dinning room cause I didn't want them peeing on it. While Ana discover during the night how to go under the bed.

Just FYI Scott, BA and Bob you might have to come and move the rug again :)

This morning she was so excited to go outside and run around but she runs a little funny her front legs go sideways or straight out from her body not in the front. Poor little girl she looks like one of the baby animals trying to walk for the first time when she runs I think she will adjust maybe when she gets use to it.

That is the Ana update for now...next adventures to come a bath and another car ride.

dr. oz

Tuesday the Dr. Oz show I attend in NYC will air. The people to the right of me are the ones that got me in as a VIP.

day 205

When I was putting this in here it did the super large text...oh that would have been funny you guys would have thought I lost my mind.

The trial is to start March 23.

SAN FERNANDO — A Canyon Country man accused of killing a bicyclist and injuring others while driving drunk and high on drugs pleaded not guilty in court Thursday.

After Marco Antonio Valencia, 21, pleaded not guilty to 13 criminal counts and several enhancements, Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen ordered him to return to court for a pretrial conference on Jan. 22.

The charges include murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident, driving with a suspended license and several DUI charges, according to court documents.

On July 11, Valencia allegedly hit a group of bicyclists on a remote, winding stretch of Bouquet Canyon Road just before speeding off.

The crash killed Joseph Novotny, who was reportedly a Santa Clarita Velo cycling club member who had recently moved from Belgium to Stevenson Ranch.

Test results show that Valencia had a blood alcohol level of .18 percent — more than double the legal limit — and was high on methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana at the time of the crash, prosecutors said during a recent preliminary hearing.

The allegations follow two DUI convictions in 2007 and 2008, according to court documents.