Late!

So I'm TERRIBLE.  I was supposed to post about this a week ago, but clearly I lack all ability to meet deadlines theses days.  And by all ability to meet deadlines, I really just mean posting on here.  

So I did the Foodie Penpal thing again last month, and I'm already signed up again for this month. =) 

LOVE IT.  My foodie penal this past month was Quinn, and here's what she sent me:  

Getting the box is like Christmas day!   

Dried pear, pineapple, kiwi, and mango!  

Raw California honey! 

Molé Sause!  Love love love Molé!

 Somehow I missed my individual picture   

   of the walnuts, but you can see them in the 

group shot.

                                    

  My little note from Quinn!

                    

Part of the reason I've been so bad about posting is because I had that little thing called 'graduating' to do. I can't believe for different the next few months of my life are going to be.  

Strawberry quinoa whole wheat pancakes

Here we go! Another clean breakfast recipe entry. Hehe. =)  It seems like I post more breakfast recipes than anything else.  I made strawberry quinoa the other day to have for breakfast for a few days.  Last night my friend Melissa and I had a slumber party (after going to the Bee's game) so I got inspired to try some quinoa pancakes.  I've been seeing recipes all over Pinterest for quinoa pancakes, but of course I always have to play around and come up with my own creation.  So in order to make strawberry quinoa whole wheat pancakes, you need to know how to make strawberry quinoa first! So I'm including both recipes.  Quinoa usually takes a hot minute to cook, so don't expect this to be a drive-thru quick breakfast. The reason I like putting it in my rice cooker is because I can throw everything in there and just forget about it while I shower and get ready for the day.   Enjoy!

Strawberry breakfast quinoa.

1 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed)

8 frozen strawberries (cored)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 packets of stevia 

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups water  

Makes 4 servings (1/2 cup cooked  = 1 serving) 

Put all ingredients in your rice cooker and let cook until done!  Stir so that the strawberries break apart and mix with all of the quinoa.  For this healthy breakfast top with vanilla almond or soy milk and enjoy! 

Strawberry quinoa whole wheat pancakes with strawberry chia compote.

Pancakes: 

1 cup cooked strawberry quinoa

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

¼ cup egg white

¼ cup vanilla almond milk

1 packet of stevia

2 teaspoons baking powder 

compote:

6 strawberries

½ cup water

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Makes 8 pancakes (2 pancakes = 1 serving) 

Blend cooked quinoa with all wet ingredients in blender or food processor.  Add in whole wheat flour a little at a time until batter is thick enough.   I like to use coconut oil in my pan to cook the pancakes! 

Of course you need something to top the pancakes with!  Something with more strawberry in it seemed the way to go, so I made a little compote to go with the pancakes.  While working on the pancakes put the compote ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Let simmer while you cook the pancakes, then last minute blend it all together in your blender (after washing out the pancake batter of course).   

Here we are again.

Two posts in one week. Wow, the world must be about to end.

Basically what it comes down to is I really don't want to work on my paper right now.   That's fine....

So I've been watching Friends a lot lately.  It's on Nick@Nite every evening.  So I used to complain about how much I miss seeing Happy Days, Bewitched, and I Dream of Jeannie, but I just love watching Friends.  Now that I'm actually the age of the characters on the show I can totally relate.  I even referenced one of my guy friends as being the "Joey" in our group tonight.

This whole graduating thing is, well entirely frightening.  My life is basically "on pause" for the next few months.  I have no idea what will be happening. Absolutely no idea.  I had 2 good interviews at a school out here, but hopefully there will be more interviews elsewhere.  It's funny and interesting to see the things that happen in your world when it is "on pause."

I bought a tent today!  I am so stoked.  $45 for a 4 person (which really means 3 real people haha) dome tent that is super easy to put together.  We put it together and tore it down in less than 20 minutes. I can not wait to spend the Fourth of July in Escalante again this year.  This tent is going to get some major usage this summer.

Well as random as my brain is these days, that's all for now.  I'm being absorbed into watching this week's episode of Smash.

Burn out shmurn out.

Am I done yet?

The past few days have been like a sneak peek into what it will be like to not have school for a while.  Now, that might sound lovely...and it was...but honestly it has just made my senior-itis worse! I've become that lazy unpredictable person, who can't make up her mind about anything.

2 weeks left.  Wow. How did the last 2 years go by so fast?

This semester has gone pretty well.  I felt like my recital was a success.  Finishing that has absolutely been a huge relief.  It was great to have my parents come to Salt Lake to come see me play.  Dad and Jeanne had never been here before so I took them up to Snowbird to see the resort and have Easter brunch.  They loved it.

I feel like so much has happened this month, and I can't even think of anything to put here.  My brain is really turning into mush.  Haha!

Maybe some bullet points about what has happened this month will help:

• Played an orchestra concert.
• Had the recital.
• Passed my interview with my masters committee.
• Performed Fandago with Gabe and the Symphonic Band.
• Played a wind ensemble concert.
• Played Fandago on Gabe's recital. 
• Rehearsed 5 nights with the opera orchestra. 
• Had an interview at a k-8 charter school.
• Had a second interview at the charter school. 
• Played the opera twice. 

Ok, so those are the big things that have been happening with school/my career.  Add in a lot of other rehearsal time, work hours, and really great hangs (most which happened post recital). 

Really great hangs!  

I really have some amazing people as friends out here in Salt Lake.   I have to send out a huge thanks to my friends here.  I get so much great support here, and it really means a lot.  

Well I feel like that is all for now.  

Hopefully there will be more to come soon!   

Just Breathe

My cup is full.  I've really over done it this semester, and I can see it as it happens.  Any little extra added stress just makes me overflow, and I just can't handle it.  I've been on the verge of tears almost every day over something completely stupid.

These are uncharted waters for me.  No, but really.

And I don't want to seem like some little cry baby, but this isn't easy.  I think my biggest problem these days is that I am so over worked, and I am just not the kind of person to allow myself to fail or half ass anything I do.

I put my entire being into what I do.  Into my friendships, my education, my job, etc.  When other in my life don't do the same I get offended. I just don't understand when I put so much into something and someone else can't do the same thing for me.  I don't know how to handle it.

The older I get, the better I get with handling my emotions and responses to things, but these days it is almost like I've gone back to 18 year old Lisa with the way I handle confrontation.

It's just too much.  Way too much.

Even in normal mode I am one of the most emotional people I know.  I wear my heart on my sleeve.

So I ask that you be patient with me over the next few weeks.  I'm finding my way, even though I still have no idea where I am going.

I know that everything will work out.  I know that I will be successful.  I know that there will be release.
I know all of those things.  But in the heat of the moment, knowing those things doesn't make getting through it any easier...well maybe just a little, but not a whole lot.

I'm doing this.  I'm living my life.  I just need to be reminded to breathe every now and then.  Hanging out with Sadie and Chloe are helping me remember that.

Foodie Pen Pal Part dos

So I participated in Foodie Pen Pal program again this month!It's this awesome thing where all these fold from the U.S. and Canada sign up and then are paired with someone else to be their pen pal for the month.  The premise is to share local and healthy foods with other folks in the country.  There is a $15 spending limit on the food you send, so it can't get too out of hand.  If you want to participate email theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:
-Your full name
-Your email address
-Your blog name/address
-Your twitter handle (if applicable)
-WHETHER YOU ARE A US RESIDENT OR CANADIAN RESIDENT.  

My pen-pal this month was Dara, who lives in New York!  She sent me an awesome snack box.  

Getting your foodie pen pal box in the mail is almost like Christmas!  It is SO exciting to see what goodies people come up for you!

 Look at all those wonderful goodies I got! 

Dara sent me some nori, baked apples, and veggie chips.  I love nori! I used to eat it in Japan all the time.  The Annie Chung snacks are great.  Those Bare Fruit apples were life changing. No joke. haha. So GOOD!  And all that they are made with is straight up apple.  No sugar, no added ingredients of any kind.  PERFECT for the way I eat when I'm really trying to clean it up and need some munchies.   I have since bought 1 other box of nori, and 2 bags of the Bare Fruit. The cinnamon apple ones are to die for.  

An Odwalla bar, Emerald nuts, and Extra gum.  I've never tried the Extra gum, and I loved it! It reminded me of an adult version of that huge gum we all chewed as children that came in flavors like watermelon, blue raspberry, and cotton candy (remember?).  

Hot Bread Kitchen granola, chia seeds, and homemade oat cookies.  I'm not usually a granola eater, but I think I may become one after trying that granola!  It was Hot Bread Kitchen's 'My Mom's Nutty Granola.'  Very good with some vanilla soy milk in the morning. Hot Bread Kitchen is a local bakery in New York, and I LOVE local.  If I've ever talked about groceries with you, you probably know how much I love local made products and supporting small business.  

Here's my cute note from Dara explaining my box.  She sent me the recipe for the cookies too! I'll have to keep that one in my recipe file, cause they were yummy!  

Thanks so much Dara! I really enjoyed you box and definitely have some new favorite snacks!  

Here's a little something extra for ya. =) Just another reason I love downtown Salt Lake.  Of the things you see!     

P.S. My foodie pen pal to send to was Kelly from Florida.  You can check out what I sent her HERE.   

Job Applications...Wow this is the opposite of easy.

In the past 6 months I've gone from being okay to just staying in Utah and working for a year, to I absolutely have to find a full time job for next year.  What's changed? That little birthday in August which will mark my 26th year.  What's the big deal? 26 is still young?  Not having insurance. That's the big deal. WHAT A HUGE DEAL!  When you're still 25, the thought of not having insurance seems okay, but then the closer you get to not having insurance, the scarier it gets.

So I've gone from only applying to jobs in specific places to applying for jobs basically everywhere.

I've sent in several in California, a few in Illinois, one in Michigan, a few in Utah, and so many other ones that I don't even know where else. Isn't that awful?

I would LOVE to stay in Utah.  I have friends, a church, a support group, and a wonderful lifestyle here, but if I were to get a job elsewhere, but not have one here, I would be forced to move on.

Being an adult is scary.  People keep telling me, you're young and single, you could go ANYwhere.  Does anyone realize how scary that is???


EDIT***

I barely hit publish and went to my Facebook walk where I saw my step mother had posted: God will lead you where you are supposed be, even though it might not make sense at first. You'll prosper anywhere!  

Man does she speak the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!