Tasty Tuesdays
This is a wonderful side dish for chicken, fish, or any other lean protein. Although I’m not a huge fan of tomatoes, I am a huge fan of garlic. Looks like a win-win to me. This recipe was adapted from Steven Raichlen, the BBQ king.
Garlic Grilled Tomatoes
Directions
1. Cut your tomatoes in half crosswise, season with salt and pepper.
2. In a small frying pan add crushed garlic, olive oil and fresh thyme, cook til golden.
3. Take off the heat and add in grated parmesan cheese.
4. Place your tomato halves cut side down on and oiled grill until you get grill marks, then turn them over with tongs.
5. Spoon the garlic cheese mixture on top and continue cooking.
Self-Reflection Sundays
With a new year comes new challenges, new struggles, and new hardships. I’ve been feeling more stressed than usual lately, which isn’t how I wanted to start off 2013. I have a lot headed my way corporate-wise, and even more headed my way once I start graduate school this Fall. I began writing down my feelings, thoughts, and emotions in my personal journal and realized something new for me. I’m doubting myself.
I’m not one to doubt myself… ever. Even in the hardest of times, I’ve had faith in myself and my ability to overcome just about anything. I’ve faced many different challenges before when it comes to school and work… but I’ve never had to face them at the same time. I think the realization that I’ll be stepping into the unknown is really starting to hit me. How will I be able to work 40+ hours a week and complete my master’s degree (in an engineering school, mind you) while maintaining my sanity? All I hear in my head is you can’t, you can’t, you can’t.
But I can. Previous years have been all about keeping a positive mindset, and I need to ensure that this year is about that too. I know the challenges ahead of me are going to be extremely tough. There will be many days where I’ll be low on steam, clinging to every moment where my brain is energized enough to engage in thought-provoking conversation. I know I’m going to be exhausted, emotional, and drained. But I know in my heart that I’ll figure it out and I’ll learn how to manage my time.
It’s faith in myself and faith in my ability that will keep me going. I need to dig deep, find it, and hold on tight. I’ve always pushed myself to the limit and this will prove to be no different.
Nobody said that it’d be easy. They just promised it’d be worth it.
Savvy Saturdays
I’m very particular about what I put on my back, but I’ll admit from time to time I’m even more interested in what’s underneath my clothes. And I’m not just talking skin. I’m talking about the pretty little things we all oooh and ahhh over. Yes, I’m talking lingerie.
I’m really not a huge fan of the word. Lingerie. It sounds somewhat inappropriate and seems to be cast in a negative, melodramatic light. So let’s just call it like it is. Bras & undies. There, I said it.
I’ve ventured into Victoria’s Secret twice in just the past week and both times I’ve walked out completely satisfied. It’s not everyday you can get 3 bras for the price of 1 (or in my case, 6 for the price of 2!). Sadly, the Victoria’s Secret Semi-Annual Sale ends tomorrow. I highly recommend scurrying in and snatching up some bras for $15.99 and panties for $2.99. Or you can do it online. Such a steal.
Fitness Fridays
Short on time, but want to get a quick leg workout in? This is one of my favorite lower body workouts, and it only takes 8 minutes! Perfection.
Travel Thursdays
Travel plans are calling for more belt-tightening than usual these days, making budget vacations extremely desirable. But such trips aren’t possible if you pay too much for airfare and unless you know where to look, finding affordable flights can be a huge hassle. Below are eight insider secrets to stretch your travel budget and book cheap airfare:
Book six weeks in advance. Passengers pay the lowest price, nearly 6 percent below the average fare, if they buy six weeks before their flight, according to a study by the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). After compiling data from every U.S. travel agency over the last four years, it determined that most people booked the cheapest airline tickets 42 days in advance. But the six-week rule isn’t necessarily a surefire strategy for snagging the cheapest fare. “This is just a trend,” explains Chuck Thackston, ARC’s managing director of data and analytics. “Airlines will make valuable deals available all the time. But, on average, we see this 42-day approach works.”
Scan for morning deals. Airlines only post a limited number of seats at a reduced fare at night, so Thackston advises snagging seats early. “Those tickets may sell out later in the day,” he says. The early morning is the time you’ll see most of these deals available, although a few airlines release discounted tickets throughout the day.
Best time to buy: Tuesdays at 3 p.m. Eastern. If you don’t find the discounts you’re looking for in the early morning, a study by Farecompare.com says the best time to buy airline tickets and shop for travel (domestically) is on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern. However, George Hobia, founder of AirfareWatchdog.com, argues that the best deals vary frequently, so there’s not one specific day or time of the week to buy.
Cheapest day to fly: Wednesday. According to a recent Farecompare.com study, the cheapest day to fly is Wednesday for domestic travel. “The day with the most seats is likely to have better supply, and thus … more empty seats that require discounting to fill the plane—meaning they have to release more seats at their cheapest price point,” according to the website. Other low-cost days to fly are Tuesday and Saturday, says Farecompare (Friday and Sunday are the most expensive days to travel).
Fly out early. The cheapest flight is typically the first flight of the morning. “Yes, that means you have to get up at 4 a.m.,” says Rick Seaney, chief executive of Farecompare.com. The next-cheapest flight times are during or after lunch or at the dinner hour. “Of course, the absolute cheapest time to fly is on those limited routes with red-eyes,” he says.
Check low-cost airlines individually. Comparison sites like kayak.com don’t necessarily do all the work for you. Some low-cost airlines, like Southwest in the United States and Ryanair in Europe, don’t allow their tickets to be quoted on popular comparison websites, says Seaney. So be sure to check them separately. And do your homework to make sure the so-called “low cost” airline doesn’t tack on extra fees that drive up the cost, like a bloated baggage-check charge, which Seaney says is a tactic employed by some of the budget airlines.
Sign up for free alerts on AirfareWatchdog.com. Almost every major online booking site offers airfare alerts that ping you when fare prices fall. AirfareWatchdog.com stands out from the pack by using people to vet deals rather than computer systems. “We only send updates when we think we’ve found a good deal, whereas other sites might update you when a flight drops $2,” says founder George Hobia.
Build a relationship. “The question isn’t how much is it to fly from here to there, the question is, ‘Who’s asking?’” Brancatelli says. If you’re an elite member of the airline’s frequent-flyer program or if you have a credit card that’s tied to the airline, you automatically have a leg-up on other travelers. “The more the airline knows you, the more it tailors its pricing to you,” Brancatelli explains. Credit cards tied to the airlines now offer perks that were once standard, such as free checked bags, priority boarding, and seat selection, so they may be worth signing up for if you fly frequently on one airline.
[Adapted from Yahoo! Travel, U.S. News. Read the full article here. Photo via Pinterest.]
Wishful Wednesdays
While I was home for Christmas, my sister introduced me to what is now one of my favorite cosmetic/skincare brands: Soap & Glory. I had seen their products floating around Sephora before, but had never tried any out. She bought their hand cream (cleverly named Hand Food) as a stocking stuffer for yours truly. The minute I tried it, I was hooked. I usually hate having any sort of lotion or cream on my hands, but this one doesn’t feel greasy. At all. And it smells ahhh-mazing. I even tried opening a jar of pickles after using it and had no problem whatsoever. To say I’m obsessed is an understatement.
I’m hoping to try out more of their products in the near future. Here are a few that have caught my eye:
[Shop for Soap & Glory at Sephora]
Tasty Tuesdays
As promised, here’s my second vlog for the Tasty Tuesdays segment. Today we’ll be making… turkey meatballs! I wish I could sincerely apologize for my nerdiness, but I’m really not sorry about it 
Turkey Meatballs (makes 8-10)
Ingredients
1 package of ground turkey (or chicken)
Hamburger seasoning/garlic salt/garlic powder/creole seasoning
Minced garlic
Tomato Sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Supplies
Aluminum Foil
Cookie Sheet
Mixing Bowl
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Take meat out of package and place into mixing bowl.
3. Season meat with spices and minced garlic. Knead meat with hands until meat is saturated with seasoning.
4. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
5. Mold meat into palm sized balls and place alongside one another on cookie sheet.
6. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and cover meatballs with tomato sauce, sprinkle mozzarella cheese.
8. Place sheet in the oven again for 5 minutes.
9. Enjoy!
Self-Reflection Sundays
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written a Self-Reflection Sundays post. I apologize for that.
I went grocery shopping today. After being out of my apartment for two weeks, I was in dire need of fresh food. As I was walking around the grocery store, pushing my cart, shopping list in hand (yes, I’m a caveman and still write my lists on actual paper), I took a minute to look around me. Many carts strolled by me, full of food and some essentials, but mostly filled with hunks of junk that no one really needs. To top it off, most everyone was either talking on their cellphone, stopped in the aisle reading a text, or snapping a picture of a recent find likely to be posted on instagram in 3…2…1. I looked down at my archaic shopping list and thought to myself, “Stop the madness!”
We live in a world of excess. Not necessity, but excess. We waste gas driving to stores when we don’t really need to buy anything. We grab this and that off the shelves, even though we have twenty lipsticks unused and untouched sitting in a drawer at home. We pay ridiculous prices for the newest iPhone or other technological gadget, even though the one we have works perfectly fine. It’s new, so it must be better, right? Right?? This need, this burning desire, to be a consumer is eating us alive.
And once we’ve finally attained this new device, this beacon of technological-everything, it’s impossible for us to put it down. Leave your phone at home? I know you turn back around to go get it. Forget your iPod on the way to the gym? You bet you turn back around to grab that sucker. Text someone, know they received it, but don’t get a response back? I know you sit there and stare at the screen, waiting for the text message ping. If not, you check your phone every 5 minutes. Stop the madness.
What happened to sitting outside, on a patio or balcony, reading a book or listening to the sweet, serene sounds of nature? What happened to going for a bike ride or hiking along a beautiful trail? What happened to just sitting and observing real life people, watching their responses and their emotions so clearly defined on their faces? What happened to real life? Stop the madness.
We’re always waiting for the next call, tweet, text, facebook post, youtube video, instagram photo. It’s exhausting. We don’t need to know what’s going on every second of every single day… of someone else’s life. And believe it or not, no one really needs to know what’s going on every single solitary second of your life. Do you remember that post by Suzie Q two weeks ago? I didn’t think so. Social media has become such a tremendous part of our lives that we forget to live this beautiful once-in-a-lifetime life we’re so blessed to have the opportunity to live. Stop the madness.
It’s time to unplug. Time to unwind. Take a day off from social media. Go sit outside without your iPhone, iPad, iAnything. Read a book. Have a picnic in the park. Swing on a swingset, slide down the slides. Cook something. Volunteer your time. Go to church. Be around real-life people. Be on your own for awhile, I promise it’ll be okay.
At the end of the day, you’ll be happy you did… because you were able to stop your madness.
