I'm suffering from a pretty stiff case of ennui today : (
I seem to be having a blah day. Not blah!, just...blah. So a lot of this post will have to do with food because food always interests me. *G*
Only 3 1/2 more days of staycation left. You know it's bad when you start the countdown this far out (though truth be told I began the countdown after the first day had flowed under the bridge).
The weather isn't helping. I was lucky to have 4 days of absolutely gorgeous weather but it's supposed to be cloudy/rainy/dreary the rest of the time. Oh well, I was the one whining about the lack of spring-time weather.
I'm a little disappointed that I haven't gotten more accomplished at home, but only a little. I knew it was a distinct possibility. The biggest disappointment is that I haven't been able to talk myself into writing. My spn_cinema story sits a little over half-way done and the rough draft is due in 8 days. That's very doable, of course, if I can just get myself in gear.
Yesterday while I was out I did something I haven't done in over a year - I went to a bookstore. Bookstores used to be my default destination whenever I left the house. But since it strains my eyes too much to read fiction not on a screen where I can control the print size and I made myself quite collecting books for the most part, I've kept away. But I love perusing the bargain books! I picked up The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Living for $9.98. It weighs a fricking ton and it has information on practically everything you'd want to learn about homesteading and interesting tips on disaster preparedness. Plus I picked up Wonders of the Ancient World: Antiquity's Greatest Feats of Design and Engineering, also for $9.98, a nice little hardcover with gorgeous photography and interesting facts.
Today was payday so, of course, I spent the last hour spending money. I only have 2 regular bills besides rent so those were easily dispatched. Then I had to re-order my low carb baking mix because it's fairly indispensable now. Also, I was watching Bitchin' Kitchen last night and there was a recipe for kebabs that has my mouth watering and totally reminded me that I've been wanting to get my hands on some za'atar for quite some time. So I did a little surfing and discovered My Spice Sage. I actually have all the ingredients I need except the sumac so I was just looking for that because I'm more than capable (in fact I love) making my own spice blends. No shipping for orders over $10 and even then it's just an additional $3 charge so that's way under anywhere else I checked. So I began looking through their products knowing full well I could find enough to make up $10. Actually I bought enough $21.95 to qualify for the free 2 oz bottle of pure vanilla. Also on my shopping list: fenugreek leaves and curry leaves (both mainstays in Indian cooking that I've been wanting to try and can't find locally), chaat and chana masala (I love chaat masala for the same reason I want to try za'ater - tart and tangy flavor), Vietnamese cinnamon (5% oils instead of the usual 3% - very intense flavor) and grains of paradise (something else I've been wanting to try). Plus! with every order you get a 1 oz sample of a wide variety of spices - so za'ater! That's a lot of flavor for under $22.
I need to get my eating habits under control. My blood sugar is beginning to creep up. It's not anywhere close to being out of bounds, but it's a cumulative thing. It'll quickly start snow-balling if I can't get it under control. So, I need to concentrate more on fresh and flavorful and less on quick and carby. I want to try barley couscous. Amazon has it but you have to buy 6 boxes for $18. Barley couscous doesn't really have fewer carbs than regular wheat couscous but barley has a very low glycemic index (the carbs are absorbed by the body very slowly so your blood sugar doesn't spike). I think I'm going to try asking down at the Nature's Pantry and see if it can be special ordered.
I was talking to
spasticat the other day about non-tomato sauce pizza. I told her my favorite (when I could eat pizza out) was the spinach and mushroom pizza made by CiCi's near here. Well, last month I realized I could make quite tasty pizza dough with my carbalose (low carb) flour. So there's no reason I can't make my own! I picked up a jar of roasted garlic alfredo sauce (because I'm feeling lazy and don't want to make my own white sauce); I always have frozen spinach in the freezer and I have some left-over crimini mushrooms. Garlicky spinach-mushrooms pizza tonight!
But right now I'm going to put on the most upbeat music I have and make myself go wash dishes. Maybe that'll get my blood pumping and my hamster wheel turning.
I took balcony garden pics yesterday so I'll try and get them uploaded and posted later.
I hate being bored and thankfully it usually only lasts a few hours with me.
Only 3 1/2 more days of staycation left. You know it's bad when you start the countdown this far out (though truth be told I began the countdown after the first day had flowed under the bridge).
The weather isn't helping. I was lucky to have 4 days of absolutely gorgeous weather but it's supposed to be cloudy/rainy/dreary the rest of the time. Oh well, I was the one whining about the lack of spring-time weather.
I'm a little disappointed that I haven't gotten more accomplished at home, but only a little. I knew it was a distinct possibility. The biggest disappointment is that I haven't been able to talk myself into writing. My spn_cinema story sits a little over half-way done and the rough draft is due in 8 days. That's very doable, of course, if I can just get myself in gear.
Yesterday while I was out I did something I haven't done in over a year - I went to a bookstore. Bookstores used to be my default destination whenever I left the house. But since it strains my eyes too much to read fiction not on a screen where I can control the print size and I made myself quite collecting books for the most part, I've kept away. But I love perusing the bargain books! I picked up The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Living for $9.98. It weighs a fricking ton and it has information on practically everything you'd want to learn about homesteading and interesting tips on disaster preparedness. Plus I picked up Wonders of the Ancient World: Antiquity's Greatest Feats of Design and Engineering, also for $9.98, a nice little hardcover with gorgeous photography and interesting facts.
Today was payday so, of course, I spent the last hour spending money. I only have 2 regular bills besides rent so those were easily dispatched. Then I had to re-order my low carb baking mix because it's fairly indispensable now. Also, I was watching Bitchin' Kitchen last night and there was a recipe for kebabs that has my mouth watering and totally reminded me that I've been wanting to get my hands on some za'atar for quite some time. So I did a little surfing and discovered My Spice Sage. I actually have all the ingredients I need except the sumac so I was just looking for that because I'm more than capable (in fact I love) making my own spice blends. No shipping for orders over $10 and even then it's just an additional $3 charge so that's way under anywhere else I checked. So I began looking through their products knowing full well I could find enough to make up $10. Actually I bought enough $21.95 to qualify for the free 2 oz bottle of pure vanilla. Also on my shopping list: fenugreek leaves and curry leaves (both mainstays in Indian cooking that I've been wanting to try and can't find locally), chaat and chana masala (I love chaat masala for the same reason I want to try za'ater - tart and tangy flavor), Vietnamese cinnamon (5% oils instead of the usual 3% - very intense flavor) and grains of paradise (something else I've been wanting to try). Plus! with every order you get a 1 oz sample of a wide variety of spices - so za'ater! That's a lot of flavor for under $22.
I need to get my eating habits under control. My blood sugar is beginning to creep up. It's not anywhere close to being out of bounds, but it's a cumulative thing. It'll quickly start snow-balling if I can't get it under control. So, I need to concentrate more on fresh and flavorful and less on quick and carby. I want to try barley couscous. Amazon has it but you have to buy 6 boxes for $18. Barley couscous doesn't really have fewer carbs than regular wheat couscous but barley has a very low glycemic index (the carbs are absorbed by the body very slowly so your blood sugar doesn't spike). I think I'm going to try asking down at the Nature's Pantry and see if it can be special ordered.
I was talking to
spasticat the other day about non-tomato sauce pizza. I told her my favorite (when I could eat pizza out) was the spinach and mushroom pizza made by CiCi's near here. Well, last month I realized I could make quite tasty pizza dough with my carbalose (low carb) flour. So there's no reason I can't make my own! I picked up a jar of roasted garlic alfredo sauce (because I'm feeling lazy and don't want to make my own white sauce); I always have frozen spinach in the freezer and I have some left-over crimini mushrooms. Garlicky spinach-mushrooms pizza tonight!
But right now I'm going to put on the most upbeat music I have and make myself go wash dishes. Maybe that'll get my blood pumping and my hamster wheel turning.
I took balcony garden pics yesterday so I'll try and get them uploaded and posted later.
I hate being bored and thankfully it usually only lasts a few hours with me.