I Don't Know What to Say

I really don't and anyone that knows me, knows that that rarely happens. My dad's speech at our wedding began with, "We all called her Chatty Cathy!"

By this time Turkey has enraptured me. So I'll leave you with some pretty pictures (you know how I love the pretty) and a little film.

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Exotic Ahi Tuna with Mango

I love sushi. But it's pretty pricey to be going out and eating it with any frequency. So, sometimes I buy a sushi grade Ahi steak at Costco and play around with ingredients. It's cheaper than going out and it's always a charm when I get a high five from the husband for something delicious. I only wish I could think of a better name for this one!

This would be a super treat to serve at your next gathering!

Exotic Ahi Tuna with Mango

Ingredients

• 12 Oz. Ahi Tuna steak
• 1/2 ripe mango
• 3 Scallions (green onions), cut into slivers
• 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 4 Tbs sesame oil
• 4 Tbs Soy sauce
• 2 Tbs Chili sauce
• 2 Tbs roasted sesame seeds
• 1 Tbs black sesame seeds (not to be confused with Nigella seeds most often found in Moroccan cuisine)
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds or toasted mac nuts
• White pepper and Himalayan pink salt to taste
• 1 Package Wasabi Rice Crackers

Instructions

1. Chop (small) tuna, cucumber, 1/2 mango and green onions.
2. After chopping place all in a bowl and refrigerate.
3. In a food processor, combine Chili sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce and bunch cilantro.
4. Pulse until you have a sauce.
5. Remove bowl of mixed ingredients from fridge and add sauce.
6. Mix to coat.
7. Add sesame seeds, almonds (or mac nuts) and salt and pepper.
8. Plate, garnish with radish sprouts and add crackers.
9. Enjoy!

Notes

4 Servings

Nutritional content includes the crackers: Calories 434, Fat 22 g, Carbs 34 g, Protein 25 g

Nutritional content without crackers: Calories 333, Fat 20 g, Carbs 14 g, Protein 24 g 

Glass Tile Adornments

I love to go to my husbands tile showroom! I am always inspired by the stuff he has there. He and his partner do quite a bit of work in natural stone but his partner deals more frequently in pool tiles. I found some scraps last time I went and I put my crafting skills to work.

This morning I was motivated to make these little bracelets so I can give them as simple, inexpensive, chic gifts to ladies I care about.

Materials: Pinking shears, felt, glass, ceramic or shell tiles, a glue gun, some needle point thread, needle point or tapestry needles, sewing needles and thread and some hemp twine or fancy skinny ribbon and buttons.

With the pinking shears cut a straight line at the edge of a felt piece. Glue each glass tile to the felt with the glue gun. Cut off the strip of glued tiles on the other side using the pinking shears again.

Next, sew on the button. Be sure to measure your wrist. Sew the button on with a needle and thread as you would with a shirt button. Next cut a button hole on the other side. (Felt has poor integrity becasue it is not woven) You need to reinforce the button hole otherwise you'll lose the bracelet. Use the embroidery thread and blanket stitch around the small slit twice. After you tie it off glue a tiny piece of felt above and below the button hole after your reinforcement. You've just completed the bracelet and it's ready to wear. 

An alternate way to create a closure for your bracelet is by looping fancy string (as pictured) through a button with button holes big enough to accommodate the string. Then glue the string to the felt on the underside of the bracelet. Secure with a piece of felt that you glue on. On the other side of the bracelet you'll need a loop with which to fasten the bracelet to your wrist. Make a loop with the fancy string and glue it the same way you did on the button side. Again secure with glued felt. Before you do this step, measure your wrist so that you have a bracelet that fits comfortably. 

The finished product is pretty, unique and handmade.

Poppy Pods

At the bottom of Poppies and Paperbacks, there is sometimes an advertisement to buy poppy pods. In my naive curiosity, I researched why anyone would want to buy a poppy pod. They're pretty when in a vase and fresh next to blooming Icelandics...but besides prettiness, why all the fuss?

I found all kinds of things. Professed cures for cancer, bed time tea, DIY projects and crafting uses and then I came upon this...

"I woke up avalanched under a junkyard of pain, my body a trap of torn nerves and trashed organs. An oily rash of sweat had soaked through my pillow and into the mattress. I was coughing, confused and crazy with anger. A throbbing, deep-pink chemical sunburn covered my face; my bowels were spitting hot mercury. I slid out of bed and dropped to the floor, the weight of a snarling mountain gorilla bearing down on me. I saw myself in the mirror as I fell. I looked puffy."

I suggest reading the entire article because, mostly, it's written so well. But also because it's a very unusual story. Just click on any word in the above excerpt.

Source for this and the following...

Knife and Saw

I wasn't sure if I should start this post with Frabjous Find or label it under Art and Design. Well, it's both!

Knife and Saw is a design house begun by a guy named Mike Brigham. I found him while visiting Dwell recently because I was trying to get ideas for our "shop," "man cave," "basement," what have you. We are trying to shape the joint up so we can use it as a functional space instead of simply stowing camping gear.

I think most any space can have design elements included to make it uniquely yours, adding comfort and aesthetic.

Brigham hit the nail on the head or in this case hit the bike on a bookshelf!

Bring Your A Game

It's a music mix today. Enjoy! Yup...all the song titles begin with the letter A!

Bring Your A Game from poppiesandpaperbacks on 8tracks.

1. Across the Sky - Emilie Autumn
2. Any Second Now - Depeche Mode
3. Another Sky - Scenic
4. Alfie - Lily Allen
5. Animal - Miike Snow
6. Actor Out of Work - St. Vincent
7. Adult Education - Hall and Oates
8. Additcted - Amy Winehouse
9. All I Believe In - The Magic Number + Amadou & Miriam
10. Aha! - Imogen Heap
11. Australia - The Shins
12. April In Paris - Count Basie

Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bars

This recipe has been adapted from the Dashing Dish. I love to visit Katie there. She is so inspirational and when in doubt I consult her beautiful site which offers guidance from her, exercise methods and routines and health conscious recipes that include Weight Watchers points. Although I do not personally know her, she is my friend.

As most of you know, I have been weight watching since February and have been successful in losing a substantial amount of weight. The trick is keeping it off which takes fastidious constancy, commitment and consistency - the 3 C's! When I feel weak, I say a wee prayer and seek the help of this sweet girl. Sometimes I look for specifics and sometimes I just seek her good spirit.

Anyway, as I said, I've adapted her recipe, not because it wasn't perfect before, it was. It just so happens though that I wanted a bit more protein per serving than her original recipe provided. It's still her recipe, just a bit tweaked.

Katie recommends freezing these for longevity and pulling them out of the freezer whenever you need a snack on the go which is great because they are jam packed with protein. The protein will stave off your hunger until you sit down to a proper meal.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups Protein Powder (I use Bob's Red Mill Whey Protein Concentrate)
• 1/2 Cup PB2 (Peanut Flour - you can get this at most natural food stores)
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbs unsweetened apple butter (less carbs than apple sauce - weird)
• 1/2 Cup skim milk
• 3 egg whites
• 4-5 packets of artificial sweetener of your choice
• 3 Tbs strawberry jam (Katie called for no sugar added - I only had regular in the fridge)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spray 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Mix all ingredients together except strawberry jam.
4. Pour batter into pan.
5. Mix Jam with a tiny bit of water and drizzle on top of batter.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts:

9 Servings

Calories per serving 116, Fat 1.4 Grams, Carbs 12.6, Protein 15 Grams