I know that I have been done with college for a while now but with Eric still in school and with me being an intern all last year, I always still felt like a student. Well, I have officially entered the real world. I had an interview today for a job. Not a part-time, horribly paying student job. But a full-time, benefits included, real job. And that felt good.
However, I probably will end up doing the temporary, part-time job I interviewed for and was offered last week (can't quite let go of that world maybe.. :). No, this job will actually be awesome. And it requires me to be an R.D. so that's means it's kind of like a real job. It's with research though so it didn't come with the benefits and good pay. Oh well, I will have a ton of fun doing it. And, big bonus: I get a two week Christmas break and will be done right before Eric graduates. Nice. It couldn't have worked out more perfectly.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Saturday morning runs
Saturday morning: 5:00am.
I keep my long runs with the idea that I will always be ready and in shape for my next marathon (which, as much as I would love to do, is on hold since they are not cheap). But more than that, I wouldn't want to give up those two hours every Saturday.
Some pictures that I have taken on my runs (not great since they are with my phone)...
I suppose most sane people would be sleeping in, but between 5:00 and 5:30 I am usually up getting ready for my Saturday run. Saturday morning has come to equal long runs for me, and are some of the best hours in my week. There really aren't that many people up that early. The streets are quieter, emptier. I run with just my thoughts. It is extremely calming and energizing. I love it.
I keep my long runs with the idea that I will always be ready and in shape for my next marathon (which, as much as I would love to do, is on hold since they are not cheap). But more than that, I wouldn't want to give up those two hours every Saturday.
Some pictures that I have taken on my runs (not great since they are with my phone)...
Monday, October 10, 2011
Just some thoughts
Eric and I went to a viewing the other day of the movie Carbon Nation on his campus. If you haven't heard about it or seen it, it is a very good, very eye opening documentary. I consider myself to be pretty good with trying to be conscious of doing what I can for the environment, but my goodness, the movie really brought home how serious a thing climate change is. A huge focus of the movie was on the solutions that are out there. Of course, it will take governments and big businesses to make the big changes, but we can all do our part.
One of the most interesting things to me that the movie's director mentioned was how eating organic foods is more than just avoiding pesticide residue etc on the foods we eat, it is also good for the environment. Apparantly the use of pesticides also kills these bacteria in the soil that draw carbon dioxide from the air; so organic farming techniques actually increase the carbon uptake in the soil, helping to clean our air. This was something I hadn't heard before, and to me, that was the best argument I've heard for going organic. And of course, eating local decreases your carbon footprint since the food didn't have to travel as far and use as much fuel. Ah, I just wish it didn't cost so much more... I would love to go completely organic and local, but it would mean that either my fresh fruit and vegetable consumption would go way down or our food budget (which Eric and I keep very low while still eating tons of fresh produce) would skyrocket. Which on our very meager student budget we just can't do right now. I was happy to hear that as far as food goes, Eric and I are doing something right by not eating a lot of meat. This was something I had heard before- that meat raising/production/transportation, etc uses a lot more water, fuel, and energy. Our very minimal meat consumption, I have to admit, stemmed more from preference and budgetary reasons than from a desire to decrease our carbon footprint. But now I am glad that we are already doing it!
So for now I will continue to turn off those lights, unplug those appliances, walk more and drive less, recycle, eat very little meat and do everything else I can. But organic will just have to wait.
One of the most interesting things to me that the movie's director mentioned was how eating organic foods is more than just avoiding pesticide residue etc on the foods we eat, it is also good for the environment. Apparantly the use of pesticides also kills these bacteria in the soil that draw carbon dioxide from the air; so organic farming techniques actually increase the carbon uptake in the soil, helping to clean our air. This was something I hadn't heard before, and to me, that was the best argument I've heard for going organic. And of course, eating local decreases your carbon footprint since the food didn't have to travel as far and use as much fuel. Ah, I just wish it didn't cost so much more... I would love to go completely organic and local, but it would mean that either my fresh fruit and vegetable consumption would go way down or our food budget (which Eric and I keep very low while still eating tons of fresh produce) would skyrocket. Which on our very meager student budget we just can't do right now. I was happy to hear that as far as food goes, Eric and I are doing something right by not eating a lot of meat. This was something I had heard before- that meat raising/production/transportation, etc uses a lot more water, fuel, and energy. Our very minimal meat consumption, I have to admit, stemmed more from preference and budgetary reasons than from a desire to decrease our carbon footprint. But now I am glad that we are already doing it!
So for now I will continue to turn off those lights, unplug those appliances, walk more and drive less, recycle, eat very little meat and do everything else I can. But organic will just have to wait.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Its Autumn now
To kick off the beginning of Fall we got us a couple of pumpkins, a few apples, some apple juice plus all the spices and threw a party. We made apple cider and homemade donuts. We tried some new recipes this year, see here the recipe we made last year, and the year before. We made sweet potato cake donuts and regular raised donuts with a variety of glazes. We expected our friends to eat a lot more than they did, but with all of us, we hardly made a dent in the enormous amount of donuts we found ourselves with!
The next day was spent with me taking plates of donuts to neighbors and friends. There was no way I was about to let all those doughnuts sit around here.
Here are the recipes for those of you interested. Next year I think I will try baked doughnut, that is if Eric will let me forgo our one time per year of frying something...
Apple Cider
64oz apple juice, preferable not from concentrate but since its cheap, that's exactly what I used
3 cinnamon sticks
~1 Tbsp cloves
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
Put in a crockpot, on low, for four hours.
Sweet Potato Doughnuts
Food Network
Doughnuts
2-1/4 teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
2 whole large eggs, beaten
1-1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Canola oil
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| Our friend, Cori, helping us |
Here are the recipes for those of you interested. Next year I think I will try baked doughnut, that is if Eric will let me forgo our one time per year of frying something...
Apple Cider
64oz apple juice, preferable not from concentrate but since its cheap, that's exactly what I used
3 cinnamon sticks
~1 Tbsp cloves
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
Put in a crockpot, on low, for four hours.
Sweet Potato Doughnuts
Food Network
Ingredients
· Canola oil for frying
· 3 3/4 cups flour
· 1 1/4 cups sugar
· 1 tablespoon baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
· 1 egg yolk
· 1/3 cup buttermilk
· 1 cup sweet potato, mashed
· 3 tablespoons canola oil
· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
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Directions
Preheat oil in a large pot or electric frying pan to 375 degrees F.
Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Whisk eggs, yolk, buttermilk, sweet potato, oil and vanilla extract together in another large bowl until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and thoroughly mix together using a wooden spoon. The dough will be very sticky.
Dust your countertop and hands with flour. Using your hands pat out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Dip a 3-inch round cutter in flour and cut out donuts. Cut out center of donuts with 3/4-inch cutter. (or use a donut cutter) Gather scraps and re-roll. Continue cutting out donuts.
Fry donuts, in hot oil, until golden brown and crisp, approximately 1 minute per side. Drain on wire rack over sheet tray to cool.
Once cool, dust with cinnamon sugar, if desired, or dip tops of the donuts into glaze.
Raised Doughnuts
slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman
slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
Doughnuts
1-1/8 cup milk, Warm (105 degrees)
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast2 whole large eggs, beaten
1-1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Canola oil
Preparation Instructions
To Make the Dough:
1. Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot. Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.
2. Add yeast into a small bowl. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won't be overly hot.
4. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter's not too hot for the eggs.
5. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
6. With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture.
7. Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it's thoroughly combined.
8. With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.
9. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for 5-8 minutes.
10. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for couple minutes
11. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until double, 1- 1 1/2 hours
2. Add yeast into a small bowl. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won't be overly hot.
4. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter's not too hot for the eggs.
5. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
6. With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture.
7. Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it's thoroughly combined.
8. With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.
9. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for 5-8 minutes.
10. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for couple minutes
11. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until double, 1- 1 1/2 hours
To Make the Doughnuts:
1. Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.
3. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc. Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.
4. Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.
5. Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; my kitchen is very drafty, so I have to briefly warm the griddle, then turn it off and set the sheets on top to keep warm.
6. Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for 1/2 hour. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.
3. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc. Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.
4. Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.
5. Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; my kitchen is very drafty, so I have to briefly warm the griddle, then turn it off and set the sheets on top to keep warm.
6. Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for 1/2 hour. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.
To Fry the Doughnuts
1. Heat plenty of canola oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375. Fry the doughnuts in batches, allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.
2. Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon or fork, allowing all oil to drip off.
3. Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over onto a clean part of the paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over again; the purpose, obviously, is to drain as much grease as possible before it soaks into the doughnut.
4. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool. Dip into glaze
2. Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon or fork, allowing all oil to drip off.
3. Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over onto a clean part of the paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over again; the purpose, obviously, is to drain as much grease as possible before it soaks into the doughnut.
4. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool. Dip into glaze
GLAZE
3 cups Powdered Sugar
dash salt
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Cold Water Or Milk
3 cups Powdered Sugar
dash salt
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Cold Water Or Milk
To make maple glaze, substitute maple extract for the vanilla and add 1 Tbsp brown sugar.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Conference
Conference weekend just passed and what an amazing weekend it was. Eric and I, sitting together on the couch with our laptop set up in front of us, our notebooks out and our pens poised. And then all we had to do was sit there and we were so blessed to hear from our leaders and especially our prophet, President Monson. I had been thinking in the days leading up to conference about what I hoped to get out of conference for myself. The main thing for me was just to receive comfort and guidance on how to be patient as I wait for those blessings that I yearn for but don't yet have. There were so many talks given during which I felt as though my Heavenly Father was enveloping me in his arms and telling me everything will be okay.
And that is what I love about conference. We are given two whole days to be completely immersed in counsel and guidance specifically for each of us, from a Heavenly Father who loves us and knows what we need. And then we can keep reading and listening to those same messages throughout the months that follow. Something I've started to do in the last year to keep these messages a part of my life was to play them as I was home alone, cleaning or folding laundry. This worked especially well with being so busy with my internship where I felt as though I hardly had time to sit down and read something just for me. Those quiet moments at home were wonderful, something I will continue. I look forward to getting to know these new messages even better over the next six months.
And that is what I love about conference. We are given two whole days to be completely immersed in counsel and guidance specifically for each of us, from a Heavenly Father who loves us and knows what we need. And then we can keep reading and listening to those same messages throughout the months that follow. Something I've started to do in the last year to keep these messages a part of my life was to play them as I was home alone, cleaning or folding laundry. This worked especially well with being so busy with my internship where I felt as though I hardly had time to sit down and read something just for me. Those quiet moments at home were wonderful, something I will continue. I look forward to getting to know these new messages even better over the next six months.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Eric and the great pie-eating contest
Last week, Eric and I went to our ward's talent show. So much fun! Maybe one of these times Eric and I will actually do something at a talent show...maybe.
However, Eric did exhibit a talent I did not know he had. He got talked into participating in the pie eating contest which he was not very happy about. Eric isn't a huge eater and I have never seen him eat too much at one time so I didn't expect what happened next. Eric downed that pie and put the other guys to shame!
Before the contest began.
There they go!
I thought these pictures were great. The guys next to Eric started really slowing down, but Eric kept at it.
Eric didn't win, but he sure came close. I didn't know he had it in him!
However, Eric did exhibit a talent I did not know he had. He got talked into participating in the pie eating contest which he was not very happy about. Eric isn't a huge eater and I have never seen him eat too much at one time so I didn't expect what happened next. Eric downed that pie and put the other guys to shame!
Before the contest began.
There they go!
I thought these pictures were great. The guys next to Eric started really slowing down, but Eric kept at it.
Eric didn't win, but he sure came close. I didn't know he had it in him!
And what did Eric do after eating practically an entire pie? He asked where the ice cream was.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Celebrating
I have been a dietitian for a whole week now! So what have I been doing with myself? Thoroughly enjoying not studying, that's for sure!
The day after taking my exam was the first day of the national dietetic convention (FNCE). Perfect timing! And it just happened to be in San Diego this year! What better way to celebrate than to go be with thousands of other RDs. I ran into almost all of my professors from BYU and a couple of the girls I went to school with. It was awesome to be able to tell everyone I met that I just took my exam the day before. And to have them really understand what that means!
My mom came down for a couple of the days to go to the conference which was a ton of fun. Mom and daughter RD team- that's pretty cool. It completely slipped my mind to take any pictures of my mother and I which is unfortunate, but here are a few of me and my fellow RD buddies. (the other girls I interned with)
The day after taking my exam was the first day of the national dietetic convention (FNCE). Perfect timing! And it just happened to be in San Diego this year! What better way to celebrate than to go be with thousands of other RDs. I ran into almost all of my professors from BYU and a couple of the girls I went to school with. It was awesome to be able to tell everyone I met that I just took my exam the day before. And to have them really understand what that means!
My mom came down for a couple of the days to go to the conference which was a ton of fun. Mom and daughter RD team- that's pretty cool. It completely slipped my mind to take any pictures of my mother and I which is unfortunate, but here are a few of me and my fellow RD buddies. (the other girls I interned with)
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| Me, Sam, Mei, and Edna. We went to this hamburger place, don't think any of the other dietitians walking around noticed. :) And it was one amazing burger! |
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| Edna and Mei. Mei just got back from a spontaneous trip to Hawaii to marry her boyfriend of three years! |
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| With Sam and Natasha |
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| All of us right before Edna and Mei left to go back to LA where they live. Will miss them!! |
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