Monthly Archives: January 2015

Plated Week 1 Plate 3

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My 3rd and final plated meal from my first shipment!  Not my final ever, I have a box coming today and another one coming on the 20th.  I am going to do this every other week to start, because it’s not cheap.  But it is delicious, teaches me new recipes, saves time at the grocery store, lets me hone my chopping and cooking skills, and gets me off the couch for 30-45 minutes.

On Sunday I made Sausage with Lentils.  This recipe was 810 calories per serving and said it would take 30-40 minutes.  It took me about 45.  I’ve never made lentils before.  I had unfortunately lost the recipe card due to a cleaning binge, but luckily was able to download it to my husband’s tablet for easy viewing.

20150104_124025 20150104_124018Once again I had lots of chopping to do and chose a way too small cutting board.  I had to chop the onion, carrots, celery, and ginger.

At one point, my husband was trying to talk to me and I had to (nicely) ask him to check in with me later as I had to take the bread out of the oven, turn the sausage, and add the red wine vinegar to the lentils.

Other than that, I once again had a nutritious and delicious meal that my husband said he would eat again.  I also had lots of dirty dishes.  I forgot to take a picture of the food plated, but I think you can get the idea from this one.

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I am really excited for my next box, it includes Steak Gyros, Butternut Squash Ravioli, and Blood Orange Salmon.

If you are interested in Plated, please use my referral code so we both get free meals!! https://www.plated.com/invites/0363c7

Oldest items yet

Posted in 2015 Purge by

So this morning I went to my closet to find my 5 items to donate or toss.  I have a lot of old purses, so it’s something I can just grab and get done so I don’t have to worry about it in the evening.

Most of my purses had something in it- gum wrappers, time of the month products, etc.  But one held the oldest items I’ve found so far.

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Yep, that’s a paystub from August 2002 from my brief time at Outback Steakhouse.  I worked there the summer between high school and college.  Those coupons are for Long John’s Silver and expired October 5, 2002.  The receipt is from Meijer, 10/17/02.  I bought gum, blow pops, Twizzlers, a candy necklace, a poster, and a large hook.  I also found anti-bacterial hand gel that was completely liquified.  It expired in 2000.

I’m trying to remember myself in 2002.  I was so excited for college.  I was ready to make new friends, have new challenges, and escape the small town of Ada.  I’ve been with my husband since April 2003, so this even pre-dated him.

This purse has been with me for FIVE moves.  Unused, in a closet.  All because I was afraid I might want it again someday, even though it’s not something I would even carry now.  It’s an off-white canvas purse that’s too big for a wristlet, not big enough to even hold my phone and sunglasses.  Hopefully someone will find it at Goodwill and give it a better home.  🙂

Progress on New Years Resolution

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After multiple trips to goodwill, and multiple trips to the garbage can, I now have an office/dressing room I can use without dancing around debris on the floor.  I can actually sit on my desk and USE it.  I could lay on the floor if I wanted to!  I still have a ways to go,  my drawers aren’t all closing, my closet is a mess, and I still have clothes in storage that I should probably just donate without looking at.  But I have stuck to my resolution of finding 5 (or more) items everyday to donate or toss.  I threw out my old makeup bag that had dust in it (GROSS) and transferred only the makeup I use to a new bag and threw out the rest.  I have a designate place to put items that will end up at Goodwill, once I fill up a bag I’ll drop it off.  It is so nice to get ready in my room now, and be able to see all of my jewelry options and not have to get dressed in the hall.

20150102_115234Happy smiles on the way to Goodwill!

Plated Week 1 Plate 2

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On New Years Day I made the Long Life Noodles with Seared Tofu, Mushrooms, and Scallions.  The recipe card said that it was a traditional New Year’s meal in China, as they are “considered good luck for a long life”.  I know that Chinese New Year’s is a different date than 1/1, but figured it would bring good luck anyway.

20150101_204640I’ve never made tofu before, so that was a first for me.  The meal was 720 calories per serving and said it would take 30-40 minutes.  It took me 34.

There was a good amount of chopping- the scallions, garlic, ginger, and mushroomies.  I should have used a larger cutting board, I ended up storing some of the items temporarily in the empty tofu container.

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Yes I said mushroomies, it’s a family thing and it’s adorable.  Deal with it.  🙂

 

I had a hard time with the tofu, it was NOT in pretty 1′ squares despite my best efforts.  Also, I didn’t make sure to rinse AND separate the noodles, and they ended up sticking together too much.

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Even so, this was a delicious nutritious meal, and taught my husband and I that you don’t always need meat.

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If you are interested in Plated, here’s my referral code.  https://www.plated.com/invites/0363c7