10 Things I Love About You! Well, actually by you I mean me

I mean, dang girl great brows!  2 thumbs up!

This is a CrossFit related post and I am planning to be brutally honest.  Ashley, a fearless, amazing CrossFit Coach suggested the gals of CF that blog complete this task of writing "10 things I love about me" I thought I don't want to sound conceited and arrogant.  That is NOT Leener.  Then I read more of her reasons as to why we should do this and it is because we all focus on the DON'T and as a firm believer in The Secret/Law of Attraction/Karma we all must focus on the positive and negate the negative.  

So here is the Top 10....

1. My dark eye brows - especially if I get them waxed properly.

2. My ability to make people laugh and I'm not talkin' bout a chuckle, I can make people laugh so hard they cry sometimes.

3. My toes, they are long and skinny and the baby one I can pop out of the joint...I love it and do it all the time while watching TV of studying.

4. My ability to find the good in every situation - may not be immediate, but EVERYTHING I can find the positive and not a BS reason either.

5. I love that I love my family and value their opinion, but still do whatever the hell I want.  I guess this can be summed up as I love that I am INDEPENDENT. (hahaha to the link)

6. My brutal honesty, it can sting sometimes and yes, I do sometimes feel bad about the snark that flies out of my mouth, but at least you know exactly what I am thinking.

7. My height, took me a while, but I love all 5'10 of me.  And now I finally feel confident enough to strap some heels on, watch out! ;)

8. I love that people are usually open with me and confide in me, I am very easy to talk to.  I think this will be an asset when I am a full time Physician Assistant.

9.  My ability to cook well (healthy stuff, too), and did not realize how great a skill this is to have until I dated a guy that could barely boil water.  Yes, it lasted all of 2 dates, but I learned patience in the kitchen with him.

10. I love that I can sound just like a monkey.

Now I just realized I did not write anything related to exercise or CrossFit.  At CrossFit, even if I don't like the strength segment or the WOD I still am enthused by it and I really do love the camaraderie and all around vibe of CrossFit Durham.  It is a wonderful gym, full of wonderful people that I am happy to call friends. 

Check out the other ladies...

Ashley aka COACH who words cannot express how much I love working out with this girl.  I can wake-up grumbling about exercising and I go to the CFD gym with Mrs Ashley and go come on this is going to be a blast and it always is!

Bea  I just checked out her photography. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

Nelly I wish I had your posture and now I see I was right when I thought you had a ballet background.

Lindsay I love your glasses and dry sense of humor, even though your birthday WOD almost killed me in the best possible way

Amy  I am so glad I met someone who can make me laugh to the point of tears and apparently dance too...we're about to have a fun dance-off. 
Last, but not least, Melinda, who I do not know too well, but have the utmost respect for in her fight against breast cancer.

And I have a feeling my dear friend Ashley H, a Dietitian in Seattle who really has a mission to empower young girls (and boys) to be who you are, love who you are, and live a healthy, happy life, would love to see more people expressing the love and voiding the hate.

Salsa and Vomit

Has anyone else noticed the similarities of the two?  I mean next time you put some good ole Green Mountain Salsa in a bowl, finish it, put in sink, run water in the bowl...really look at it.  Maybe I am all too comfortable with vomit since seeing, hearing or watching someone vomit was a large part of my old job in Stem Cell Transplant. 

MUST STUDY!  Last exam tomorrow and I am feeling very similar to Dug the Dog SQUIRREL!

peace, love, studies...leen

Dungarees

This is a random post...

I went to bed at 10:15PM last night, AMAZING!  Yet, I failed to turn my alarm ON.  Long story short, I had an exam at 8:10AM.  You must sign-in to your exam by 8:30AM or else you are locked out and here is a ZERO.  I woke up at 8:20AM and thought "Nice, you woke up early this Sunday morning and can study for your tests OMG YOU HAVE AN EXAM NOW!!!!" I threw whatever clothes were on the floor next to my bed and ran out the door.  Realized as I go to the street that Janet the Jetta is parked in the lot BEHIND my apartment.  so I sprint to the back.  Disheveled and stinky I race to my seat, turn on the computer, login to the test with 1 minute to spare.  My exam opens *insert sigh of relief* and Murphy's law took over...BLACK SCREEN O DEATH!  Mr. Dell conveniently self destructs.  Donna, our tech spec chick, is amazing and I was up and running by 8:45AM.  Passed the test, all that matters.  PASS=PA. :)

A complete re-enactment of my realization I slept through my test this morning.  Please note, teeth are brushed and shower complete, although hair unkempt is normal for Leener.

Since I feel like a mess today, I find it appropriate that I post on my desire to own White Jeans.  Makes no sense to me, since anything white I put on will inevitably have 50+ stains within 5 minutes.

Love these, these, and these

Ok one more exam to cram for...PEDIATRICS II.

Chikity China the Chinese Chicken

Once again Eating Well circa 2K9 has come to the rescue.  This time with the 2 heads of green cabbage and 1 rot kohl (red cabbage in german, just sounds cooler in german) I have left from Tuesday's CSA box.   Chinese Chicken and Noodle Salad, I haven't had this in a while, hence the Barenaked Ladies "One Week,"reference.

cabbage = cruciferous veg = GAS

Per usual, this girl likes to change stuff and this time, not too much.  I like to add cilantro and red cabbage, only enough to make it purty.  Above does not have cilantro, because I was out and too lazy to go to the store. :( I <3 cilantro.

Recently, I have noticed that a kitchen scale has become an extremely useful tool.  I purchased this from Costco pre-Christmas because a recipe calls for 24 oz of sweet, delicious chocolate chips.  I buy my chips in bulk and guessing 24oz never worked well.  Now as you see below I love to measure my meat, since nothing is properly portioned anymore. I like the digital and it switches from grams to ounces.

Sorry horrible photos, the dig camera is in the shop. :(

Random Sunday Funday - 

Pandora - Check out Matt & Kim station

Electrolyte Drink Tabs - Nuun - so happy to see them in Durham

Great Documentary I think for anyone interested in what is going on with today's youth - Let's Talk About Sex kind of cool Fayetteville, NC was featured and I have 2 months of Family Medicine next January and February, I will be talkin' bout some sex with youth I bet.

From Gross to Good

Typically, I dislike Fennel and Yellow Squash.  To me Fennel tastes like this, which is the worst candy ever made in my opinion with Almond Joys/Mounds a close second.  Yellow Squash wigs me out, have you seen how large those seeds are?  ewwww talk about mouth feel...(this image popped up when I googled mouth feel - hahaha)

So the good part, I made a Roasted Fennel with Yellow Squash last night, compliments of Eating Well Magazine (I<3 those VT hippies!)  This recipe is from 2K9, but wow am I happy that I am a cooking magazine pack rat.   

Bummer of the night and I am still wondering how in the world I did this, I cut my finger on the BACK OF THE KNIFE!!!!  WHAT?  WHO DOES THAT?  Where were my Ninja skills when I needed them?

           CHANGES BY LEENER - I added way more garlic like 1/3rd cup and I used dried thyme.  No fresh in my house currently.  Typically, it is a 3:1 ratio of fresh:dried.  Example - 1 tablespoon fresh basil = 1 teaspoon of dried (1TBSP = 3 tsp)

                                  The dish - sorry my digital camera's lens is stuck and the camera is brokes currently.

Hillary and I split a CSA box and the two of us feel like we are drowning in vegetables and do not want to throw them to the worms.  So operation cook ahead is commencing.  We are going to make some Potato and Kale Soup, freeze it for winter or a heat and serve night.  Then make some pesto with this fresh, delicious smelling organic basil...oh I'm salivating.

Randoms - thinking of switching my running style, which will require either these or these or these. Decisions?  I heart Brooks...they are the "greenest running company"

What is My Problem-o?

I guess the fact that I never wrote a diary for more than  a second growing up was a foreshadowing to my inability to keep up with a blog.  I am SHOCKED that I have 7 followers and to you 7 fans, I am sorry I am awful at this.

Things that are new...

-last days of year 1 to PA School 

-went to Las Vegas for my friend Ashley's Bachelorette Weekend

-it is hot as balls in the Dirty D

-went to a Durham Bulls game at the Original Kevin Costner field.  Pretty sure this is the film that Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins met and 23 years later heartbreak

-Janet the Jetta has restored A/C

-the week between CSA boxes keeps coming faster and faster...I think I am a vegetable now

-I missed Bonnaroo 2011.  Still sad about this.
-Beer Meet-Up with 2 classmates is going strong - I think I have 8 pint glasses now.  Pretty awesome.

Boring post - but I will have some cooking things to post soon.  I am trying a new Summer Yellow Squash Recipe tonight.

                                         Yeah, I'd hire that girl as my PA...hmmmm

Month 1 of this and I'm already awful at posting

Wow, I've been gone so long let me re-introduce myself.  I am Colleen and I am not very good at posting on this blog I created...oops-la!

Well, since I was last here, I was told I can STOP the Gluten-Free (GF).  My D.O. said let's try to get the thyroid from hypo- to eu- aka low to normal with medication and then if the acne has not cleared try the GF again.  

I immediately had a beer the moment I heard this news...so what it was 10AM on a Friday. 

I have no idea what to do with this blog now, but I will try to keep posting some shenanigans for all 6 of you wankers!

 This is my lunch, that I made about 15 min ago...little apple, walnut, raisin, sunflower seeds, plain yogurt, on a bed of spinach.  mmm and GF, just cause.  Right after I took this my fork did a somersault and got this delish salat all over my macbook pro...thanks.

This is my newest acne treatment - turmeric, milk, nettle oil - make in a paste and lather on face.  Please note that when the clumps of this indian food fall on your pristine white bath rugs no amount of Oxyclean or Clorox or Castile Soap or regular soap will remove the yellow stain.  Yes, your face is a lovely shade of yellow and you resemble this.

I forgot to tell y'all somethin'

I volunteer a couple times a month at a free health clinic in Durham.  My friend Hillary is a volunteer as well, who mentioned it to me and asked if I was interested in volunteering as a RD with them.  Apparently, patients had requested to meet with a RD...AMAZING, I KNOW!!!

I saw my first victim, I mean patient, the first week of March.  HIPAA so I will not say anything other than, like most individuals in our country, this patient needed to lose weight.  I discussed some super simple, very basic things to change and encouraged a little more movement.

We had follow-up visit last night, patient lost a good deal of weight!!!!!!!  I almost did the happy dance!!!  

In my previous RD life, as most of you know, I dealt with a lot of terminal illness and forgot how great it feels to really make a difference in someone's life without using pharmaceuticals.  WEEEEEEEE  or as my friend Jeremy says "Whoop-de-Whoop!!!"

Peace, love, nutrition. ~ Colleen

Oh Friday, you were once a restful evening

Wow, week 1 on the blog front and I have not posted in a few days.  I blame school, which is a good excuse.  We are at the end of the semester.  I am pretty sure professors sit in planning meetings and say "Oh, I have a great idea lets make EVERYTHING due the last 2 days of a semester."  Sweet, thanks guys.  PA school is already fast paced, but end of the semester is a SPRINT.  Who needs sleep?  I know I don't.

I have not cooked much this week.  I made a delicious quinoa with broccoli and pineapple dish and then chili and cornbread casserole.  Ate on the two this week and plan to do more cooking this weekend and next week on break.

Only change I made to Quinoa pineapple delicious dish was I added some red pepper flakes, roughly 1/4 to 1/2 tsp for a little kick in the mouth.

Then for the chili and cornbread recipe, I was not pleased.  I thought the chili was very bland.  I even added 2 tsp of dried basil and extra garlic, still no go.  I think it needed some tomato paste and sauce, more than the crushed maters.  I do not eat red meat too much, but chose from Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, NC a local NC farmed grass-fed ground beef of 90/10.  The cornbread I used gluten free all-purpose flour.  I found that I had to cook the casserole for an extra 10 minutes to get brown and done.  

Next time, I will make my own chili and use the cornbread recipe.  I loved the cilantro.  Cilantro, Basil and Mint are my favorite herbs.  If cilantro didn't seed so quickly I would grow it in my window sill.

my window sill herb garden needs some help with variety

The weather is warm...I recommend these music artists.  

Numero uno 

Numero dos 

Numero tres

Tomorrow - cocktail fun while studying Geriatrics and sunbathing while studying Dermatology.  ooops-la

Pizza and Beer

Obviously, by the first post I am a HUGE, HUGE BEER FAN!  I mean I love beer.  I swoon over beer.  I crave a good beer after a long day.  And a close second is PIZZA.  My friend Ellen aka E Dub, she is a wonderful cook and dietitian extraordinaire with pediatrics.  She has a great pizza dough recipe, which I made weekly.  Friday's I instilled a pizza, beer and wii or other fun thing at my apartment with some of my "boys" in PA school.   We will have to switch it up now, which last Friday was Asian Night or Azn Nite as the email stated.

My first gluten-free grocery shopping tour involved looking for gluten free pizza dough, which I found in the freezer section.  I decided to make this on Saturday night.  Let me tell you...this dough was a BEAST to roll out, very sticky and gooey.  I used cornstarch at first to attempt to soak up some of the gooey factor then got smart (a very fleeting moment)  and rolled it out on cornmeal...ahhh much better.  I proceeded to load it up with my favorite Mediterranean theme - artichokes, sundried tomatoes, feta, red onion, spinach, broccoli, mozzarella - on a marinara sauce (homemade thanks Giada)  I had very low expectations for this pizza pie, but was pretty darn surprised, browned well, the cornmeal added a nice little bit of texture and I was satisfied.  Washed that pie down with one of these bad boyz.  Yeah, I LIKE IT LIKE THAT!

Tonight I decided against cooking, long day at DPAP and a tough first night back at Crossfit.  So I thought, cold pizza I heart you.  Ummm took a bite (please not in the picture 1) and thought this tastes very familiar...hmmm ohhhh yeah just like Elmer's Glue I used to put on my tongue as a kid and wonder "why isn't it drying?"  Because of saliva you fool!  So a little re-heat in the oven at 350 and back to satisfaction.

Now on to The Federal for a drink with a friend...

P(dot)S(dot) If you like (or love as in my case) CO2 in your H2O, and you dislike plastic bottles galore then I highly recommend this.
And this for produce.

And the Beer Days are Over

As I sit here studying for my surgery final tomorrow I hear Florence and the Machine "And the Dog Days are Over," which inspired the title - the beer days are over - much to my chagrin.  1 week ago, I decided to stop denying it and take the plunge to gluten-free.  First degree relative, autoimmune disorder, adult acne (ahh i admit) are all linked to gluten so apparently a gluten-free diet can correct the adult acne and improve autoimmune disorder.  We shall see first hand.

I kicked and screamed and swore like a sailor, I WILL NOT CHANGE MY DIET! - Says the former Dietitian who would complain - "no one listens to my suggestions, why are they asking for my opinion and help!"  In a matter of 16 hours I went through 4 of the 5 stages of change. 

I've created this blog to share recipes I have tweaked to gluten free, share some laughs, some links to my favorite things online, and whatever else I decide to share.  Expect a lot about my loveness monster aka Fiona Friday - my Bugg.

I hope yall enjoy!

Leen

First recipe I tried was Lemon Rosemary Turkey Meatballs - I love EatingWell Magazine and I prepare at least 75% of the recipes from each month.  This one I changed the flour to cornstarch since it was only for binding the balls and to thicken the sauce. For every 2tbsp of Flour = 1 Tbsp Cornstarch.  Then bought some gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.  I served with Quinoa pasta and steamed spinach with balsamic vinegar, S&P. Voila!

I'm a sucker for porcelain measuring spoons.  Like and Love!