THE Pasta Salad (And it's Secrets)

The words, "Can you make a pasta salad for ____ " are no longer spoken in my family.  Now we say, "Can you make THE pasta salad for [insert type of gathering here]."

And there is a reason, oh yes, in fact there are two.

1.  The perfect blend of ingredients/flavors

2.  The process of bringing out said flavors

Do NOT, I repeat do NOT skip the instructions in this recipe, you will miss the most important part!

Okay now I can give you the shopping list:

• 1 package Farfalle (Bowtie) Pasta
• 1 bag Spinach
• 3-4 Roma Tomatoes (you could also use Cherry)
• 2-3 large Avocados
• 1 small Red Onion
• 4 oz. Feta Cheese
• 1 bottle Girard's Romano Cheese Italian Dressing (Can be bought in California at Stater Brothers or here, or you could try to recreate it with the list of ingredients).

The night before:

(Here's the big secret.)  

Cook the pasta according to package directions, removing and draining when it is very al dente.  I typically cook it one minute under the shortest recommended time (so if it says 10-12 minutes, I cook it for 9).  It should be edible, but on the firm side.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Dump cooked pasta into a gallon size Ziploc type bag and pour into the bag the entire (yes, entire) bottle of Girard's.  Seal the bag, shake to distribute dressing, and toss into the fridge where it will finish "cooking" by soaking up the delicious dressing!

The day of:
(The nice thing about this salad is that it is highly customizable.  If there are ingredients you are more fond of than others, by all means throw in some extra!)  

Add to your marinated pasta the chopped tomatoes and onion.  I would recommend dicing the onion, and I rarely use the whole thing, more like a quarter to a half, because a little goes a long way.  If you bought feta crumbles, toss them in, but you can also get the little block and chop it up.  I typically add half a large bag of spinach (removing stems), but my Sister-in-law uses most or all of the bag, it's up to you.  If you are making this ahead, or traveling to your destination, I'd recommend waiting to put the (chopped) avocado in until you arrive.

And there you have it.  Truly, it is very simple and the flavors are out of this world.  I haven't made another pasta salad since, but if I do I think I will try marinating it just like this recipe.

Enjoy!
 

I Never Should Have Taught Him How to Wash His Face

It was one of those days where my kid would NOT EAT ANYTHING.  I tried it all.  Eventually, he decided he wanted oatmeal.  I saw that he finished the tiny amount I gave him, so I gave him a bunch more and settled down next to him to try and finish my book.  For all I knew he was happily eating lunch (yes, it was lunch).

After a few minutes, I glanced up and did a double-take.  Frozen, I wondered what to do.  At times like these, your options are limited:  Cry, or run for the camera.  (Okay, truthfully, I didn't feel like crying, I was laughing too hard)

Enjoy!!

And moments later:

Stop UTI/Bladder Infections in their Tracks...Naturally!

Ladies.  LADIES!  Forget the cranberry.  You NEED to know this!

Pregnancy and childbirth left my urinary tract...weakened somehow (Ah the blessings/cursings of motherhood).  If I choke on something (yes even water going down the wrong tube), I am in grave danger of peeing my pants.  And don't get me started on the chronic UTIs.  I have a standing prescription with my doctor.  I'd like ten refills please!

Well, about a month or so ago, my prescription having lapsed (only good for a year), I had my pharmacy request a refill authorization from my doctor, but it was a Friday and it did not come through before they closed for the weekend.  I managed through Saturday on lots of liquids and cranberry pills, but I was getting worried.  Sunday morning rolled around, so, at church, I asked my witch-doctor friend Karen for a natural remedy.  I seemed to remember her recommending something called AZO in the past.

Well, let me tell you, she got excited.  "I used to use AZO," she said, "But now I've got something better!"  She quickly pulled up product info on her phone for something called D-Mannose.  Apparently it's a tree-bark (birch, I think?) that binds itself to the bacteria in the bladder and drags it out the exit.

She offered to let me try some, but I hemmed and hawed and said I'd let her know if I got worse.  (In truth, I wanted to go home and research it because I had just discovered I was pregnant)

I'll clue you in to what I learned later, but I decided to go for it.  Now, this natural remedy did not cure my full-blown UTI, however, it kept me symptom-free for the four days I tried it before giving up and getting my antibiotics. 

Since then, I have used it twice at the first symptom of a UTI and managed to cure it both times before it got worse!  The last time, I only took one half dose and was fine!

I'm sold.

D-Mannose:

• All-Natural:  Over-use of Antibiotics can weaken the immune system, right?  The natural version (beware the synthetic) in the proper dosage has no known serious side-effects*
• Faster:  You can take 14 pills over 7 days, or 1 pill and be DONE
• Cheaper:  D-Mannose can be expensive, especially if you don't get it online, but for around ten cents a pill, that's still cheaper than paying ten BUCKS for a generic prescription (plus your co-pay)
• Appears to be safe for Pregnancy/Nursing (IMHO):  D-Mannose is a Class B drug, so adequate studies have not been done on it's effects (cause, seriously, who's gonna say, "let me experiment on your unborn child!").  I personally felt okay with taking it once I read that it is not metabolized by the body (part of why it works cause it makes it all the way to it's destination), and also because I'm not taking it as a daily supplement, and I don't use the full dosage.  Now, DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.  If you are concerned, do your own research, and by all means talk to your healthcare provider.

That pretty much sums it up.  I am SO very happy with this supplement and recommend it any time you feel you need it (Like those days of long errand runs when you forget your water bottle!).

*Minor side-effects (that I'm aware of) could include possible difficulties for diabetics to manage their blood-sugar, and the possibility that the Mannose could potentially bind to sperm and prevent pregnancy.  As I said before, research this for yourself, and please let me know if I got anything wrong.  I am CERTAINLY no professional.

Taxes and Cafe Rio Saved my Thursday

Thursday after Chris got home, we headed out to S&F to sign our tax papers.  After taking care of business and chatting for a moment with our LOVELY Preparer/Sister, Jessie, we got back in the car for dinner and errands.  We're back on the freeway, I'm looking up Red Brick Pizza, cause I've been wanting to try their fake cheese pizza.  Unfortunately, it was in the opposite direction of home, and I realized I wasn't really in a pizza mood. 

Then it hit me.  Lakewood.  I wanted to go there, but I couldn't remember why.  Googled Whole Foods Market.  Nope, not in Lakewood.  Still, I knew there was a reason I wanted to go there.  Curses.  Still, dinner was the top priority, so I searched for food places there in the hopes that I would remember...eventually.  Reading the list aloud to Chris, we decided on Cafe Rio.  Glancing at the map, I realized there was a Michael's in the same parking lot!  That meant I could get what I needed there after we ate, and I'd only need to make one other stop.

Getting close to our destination, I was keeping a look-out when I saw it:  Cafe Rio.  Then I saw the other sign: Cost Plus World Market!  "Chris!" I practically shouted, "Cost Plus!  Cost Plus!  That's where I needed to go, but I couldn't remember and now HERE IT IS!!!"  My poor husband is like, "uh...okay," but I was totally jazzed.  I literally had a HUGE smile on my face and was so excited.

Then!  Then, as we get out of the car Chris says, "Look, it's an OfficeMax.  We can get your printing done."

At that moment I was convinced that Cafe Rio had some sort of magic pull that brought EVERY SINGLE store I needed to get to that night to the same location.

Oh yeah.

But the magic continued.

Let me tell you about Cafe Rio.  It's a little like Chipotle, famous for burritos and salads.  It just recently expanded beyond Utah where it is held in legendary status.  I ate there a few times when I was in school at BYU and, while I always enjoyed the food, I never became a fan.

http://s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/vvlUCWcnxpeN_H_sFZ0WPw/l.jpg

Since I wasn't overly attached to what I'd had there previously, I decided to experiment a little.  Black beans?  No, I'll take pintos.  Burrito?  No, gimme the salad (PORK salad).  Yes, I realize you're famous for your tomatillo ranch, but I'm lactose-intolerant now and will try your other option...what is it?  Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette?  I love vinegar, I'll get that.  Oh, you want to give my baby a free quesadilla?  Um...sure, that would be awesome.

By the time we paid, I was feeling the magic again.  I love getting free stuff.  Then I started eating my food.

OH MY.

I finally get it.  I see now why there is so much Cafe Rio love.  I totally get it.

Do you like vinegar?  If you like vinegary/tart things, skip the ranch and go for the Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette.  I've been thinking about it for days.

That stuff is INSANE.

OH MY.

Yummy.

The only weird part was how...Utah the place felt.  I guarantee half the people there were LDS.  Large group of 17 year old boys wearing white dress-shirts and basketball shorts?  Check.  Middle-aged moms gabbing like long-lost friends (cause they probably are)?  Check.  Young couple with baby that looks a little familiar?  Check (Chris realized later he'd played church-ball with the guy).  Lady talking about how much her daughter LOVES going to school at BYU?  Check.

Good to know California has enough Mormons to keep Cafe Rio in business.

So we had good food, and then headed over to CostPlus World Market.  That place is awesome and, while they no longer carry cloud-shaped marshmallows, I forgave them because they were having a sale on Hi-Chews, the best fruit-flavored candies in existence.  They are from Japan and I remember my Japanese roommate in collage getting them in packages from home and sharing them with me.  Real fruit flavor.  Chewy, but not sticky.

More magic.

As in like this:

I found what I needed at Michael's and got my color prints from OfficeMax (after they finished the Vote for Me for Prom Queen girl's stuff).

Success and efficiency.  All thanks to Jessie and Cafe Rio.

Of course, I totally spaced my choir practice, but I really needed those errands done as my doctor appointment from that morning had to be moved to the next morning (My Doc got called to make a delivery), and then after that we were going out of town.  See, I really wanted to see my OB cause I wanted him to confirm the fact that I am pregnant.

Which he did.

And that's the real magic.

Silly, Silly Girls

Most of you probably know that I sometimes get to participate in a photography club called Silly Girls United.  These awesome ladies came up with the idea and invited others, came up with themes, and hosted all our pictures.  They are semi-retired now, but another group called Be Silly is attempting to carry on the torch by suggesting some themes for this year.  For the first time since November, my group got together for a theme that I've been SO excited about.

Guess Our Theme

Wanna know why I was soooooo excited?  Cause I've been DYING for an excuse to dress Steampunk.  You don't know what Steampunk is?  SAD!

Fortunately my AWESOME silly friends were on board and I can now present our shoot:

ENJOY!

P.S.  I will try to post more about making my costume in the coming week.  For now just know that I was completely obsessed, ignored home and husband, stayed up late, couldn't sleep when I did finally try, started to hate it, and eventually was relieved it was all over (and can't wait for next time).

Thanks Pinterest!

I just read the new updates Pinterest is making starting in April and I am quite pleased.  I always knew they were nice guys!  Let's hope they stay that way.





Thank you Pinterest!!

How Dairy Allergy can Ruin your Life, or, I Miss Cheese but I can Poop and be Happy Again

     Having been diagnosed with a mild case of IBD at around 19, I always assumed my issues with dairy products (which came on gradually starting around 20 and hitting me full force at 23) were actually changing symptoms of my Colitis.  An upped dose of meds and four other prescriptions from four different doctors (Gastroenterologist, ENT, General Practitioner, and OB/GYN) later, I still had little to no relief (as well as no clue that EVERY medical problem I was experiencing was related).

Mmm...rubbery.

• My GP prescribed pain killers for my horrible menstrual cramps.  Swollen, backed-up stomach + Cramps = Ow (I found out later the meds were the generic for Aleve which I have a sensitivity to and therefore was not very effective). 
• An ENT prescribed Flonase for the post-nasal drip that was causing my chronic bronchitis.
• My OB/GYN put me on the hormone adjusting Yazmin birth control for the bouts of depression I was experiencing.
• And my GI added Reglan to my existing dose of Asacol in an effort to get things...moving (Which I recently discovered can lead to depression/anxiety).

They say the gut is a road-map to the psyche, 
and I have certainly experienced those moments of, "Do I feel depressed because my stomach hurts, or does my stomach hurt because I am depressed?" 

(That was the original title of the song from Roger and Hammerstien's Cinderella)

     A few years later, hoping to become pregnant, I went off several of my medications, the Birth Control and pain killers, of course, and also the Flonase and Reglan as a precaution.

     Perhaps my depression was legitimate, it certainly runs in my family, but I find it telling that during the fifteen months it took to conceive my son (which included a miscarriage), I experienced a great deal of sadness, frustration, and impatience, but never the overwhelming, suffocating blackness of actual depression.  I don't think it is possible to understand the difference without experiencing it.  It had nothing to do with self-loathing (at least in my case), it was simply there.  The only things that helped were the distractions of friends and writing (that was when I started blogging).  No matter if the Reglan caused my problems or not, I am incredibly grateful that I did not have to experience depression and fertility issues at the same time.  My heart goes out to those who do.

     Anyway, I did become pregnant, and things went fairly smoothly until my third trimester, at which point the pressure on my intestines made my issues there almost unbearable.  I finally had the motivation I needed to do what I'd been suspecting I should for years.

I gave up dairy. 

Mostly.

      At first, I went cold turkey, and let me tell you, I felt better than I had in years.   Like maybe five years?  Or possibly...since I was thirteen?  See, around the time I went into remission for IBD, the dairy problems hit, so I hadn't been good in a very long time.  There I was, 6-7 months pregnant and I felt amazing.  Like I could finally breath again.  Here's the thing:

 I forgot what 'normal' felt like. 

     I used to think I was so profound when, as I kid, I came up with the saying, "Sometimes you don't know how cold you are, until you put on a sweater."  (I should Pinterestify that)  The thing is, it's true, physically, mentally, spiritually.  I had been living the icky life for so long, I forgot how good, how worth-it, it feels to be well.

     I don't like change, mostly because I don't like commitment or discipline, but I believe that if I can do this, anyone can! (By "this," I mean whatever it is that is poisoning your life)  You just need to find your motivation.  Sadly, it took worsening symptoms for me to take care of myself.

     Another thing, it's doable.  Once you begin, you start to get the hang of it, find your own way, and make the newness a part of you (now I just need to apply that to cleaning!).

Okay, enough of the pep-talk.  

     Remember the chronic bronchitis I mentioned (for which my allergies were a catalyst)?  Well, as near as I can tell, I not only have some bad lactose intolerance going on, but I also have a decent amount of dairy allergy (most likely milk protein).  This means that I get all phlegmy and gross when I eat dairy, no matter how many of those wonderful Lactase Enzyme and Acidophilus pills I take for the digesting aspect of my issues.  It also means I don't get to eat yummy almond cheese (unless I make it myself) cause it typically has milk protein in it.  Instead I have to eat this crud:

Fun Fact:  This post started as a review for Veggie Slices



     Veggie Slices are those rubbery, only melts for a moment, wannabes that you eat when you just can't bare another moment without a pizza, quesadilla, or grilled cheese sandwich.  I find that the Cheddar flavor tastes like American (with a hint of mushroom), and the American flavor is blah.  The Mozzarella isn't too bad, so that's what I typically get.  Someday I'll get some fancy Daiya cheese, but for now this is the only cheese substitute carried by my local grocery store (Stater Bro's) and I hate having to go further.

     As with any change, there are big leaps (like admitting you have a problem!) and baby-steps, forward momentum, and unexpected hang-ups.  I often walk around with minor complaints because I just can't give up certain things (especially time-savers like cake and corn-bread mixes).

     For example, since beginning this post, I read the ingredients on the back of my Veggie Slices for the first time in a long time, and GUESS WHAT?!!?  It has FREAKIN' MILK PROTEIN IN IT!  I uploaded freakin PICTURES of DISGUSTING CHEESE and I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE EATING IT.

     Yup.  This is one of those SO Awesome moments.  How do you say "FML" in Mormon-speak?

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My post just went from serious to ridiculous, so I figure I should at least try to leave you with something profound...

Let's see how far this will go on Pinterest...

There.  I fixed it.

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