How to Toast Quinoa
Quinoa is a magical little grain that's high in protein & gluten-free. In fact, it's actually a seed. I want to show you a wonderful way to give it some natural flavor. That said, you definitely don't toast quinoa in the toaster! Hehehe. Keep reading to learn how to toast quinoa.
1. Locate your quinoa. Found it? Got it? Good. Moving on.
2. Preheat your pan. No need for oil.
3. Gently rinse your quinoa. There's often dirt & other bits o' nature in there.
4. Add your desired amount of quinoa to the pan.
5. Stir lightly until toasty.
Ok, so yes those are the basics.
You really need to keep your eye on the pan, constantly moving the quinoa around. If you don't it'll burn. You'll know your quinoa is just about ready when you start to hear some slight crackling. This means they're getting nice & toasty. You'll see the edges start to brown. You'll smell a lovely waft of aromatic flavor -- kind of nutty.
Slight crackling. Brown edges. Fragrant smell. These are signs you know it's cooking & that it's just about ready. You may toast the quinoa for however long you prefer. Simply monitor the brownness. Let that be your guide because you don't want it to be over toasted or burned.
After your quinoa is toasted, cook as directed. This usually means boiling it for about 20 minutes. Add water to your pan & just let it simmer over low heat until ready. The usual ratio is 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water. Substitute couscous with quinoa in this cumin chickpea dish. Do you have much cooking with quinoa experience? Was learning how to toast quinoa useful? Have you ever tried toasting your quinoa prior to eating it? :]
1. Locate your quinoa. Found it? Got it? Good. Moving on.
2. Preheat your pan. No need for oil.
3. Gently rinse your quinoa. There's often dirt & other bits o' nature in there.
4. Add your desired amount of quinoa to the pan.
5. Stir lightly until toasty.
Ok, so yes those are the basics.
You really need to keep your eye on the pan, constantly moving the quinoa around. If you don't it'll burn. You'll know your quinoa is just about ready when you start to hear some slight crackling. This means they're getting nice & toasty. You'll see the edges start to brown. You'll smell a lovely waft of aromatic flavor -- kind of nutty.
 |
| before, nice & white |
 |
| before, nice & white |
Slight crackling. Brown edges. Fragrant smell. These are signs you know it's cooking & that it's just about ready. You may toast the quinoa for however long you prefer. Simply monitor the brownness. Let that be your guide because you don't want it to be over toasted or burned.
 |
| after, so toasty. |
 |
| after. mmm. |
After your quinoa is toasted, cook as directed. This usually means boiling it for about 20 minutes. Add water to your pan & just let it simmer over low heat until ready. The usual ratio is 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water. Substitute couscous with quinoa in this cumin chickpea dish. Do you have much cooking with quinoa experience? Was learning how to toast quinoa useful? Have you ever tried toasting your quinoa prior to eating it? :]
50 Things to be Thankful for
I'm here to give thanks. I want to take a moment to just be thankful. Be joyous for everything I have. I want to inspire you as well. We need it. The world needs it. Hopefully, there are some things on this list that you are thankful for too.
1. Being alive
2. Oxygen for making all life possible
3. Blossoming flowers in spring
4. Puppies, kitties, baby animals of any kind
5. Food when you're hungry
6. Music
7. Shoes on your feet & clothes in the closet
8. Good health
9. TV, literature, & film
10. Opportunity to get an education
11. Comfort when you're feeling down
12. Seeing friends & family you haven't seen in ages
13. Cold water on a hot summer's day
14. Sleeping in
15. Fresh cut flowers
16. Cell phones for being able to reach people with ease
17. The ability to read
18. Sun, moon, stars, & everything beyond
19. Taking off your shoes after a long day
20. Receiving a handwritten letter in the mail
21. Dark chocolate
22. Access to the internet & technology
23. Knowing true love
24. Gravity & breathing, that which we have no control over
25. Caller ID
26. Wisdom that comes with age
27. Pizza
28. Freedom to vote
29. Enough money to pay rent
30. Kindness of strangers
31. Sense of smell to smell mum's cooking or fresh bread
32. Sense of sight to see the sunset or your baby's first steps
33. Sense of touch to hug others with love or feel the rain on your cheeks
34. Sense of hearing to listen to thunder or your favorite song
35. Sense of taste to enjoy a warm meal or cold ice cream
36. Holding hands
37. The love & support of friends & family
38. A long night of sleep
39. Sales
40. Cozying up on winter's night
41. Sound of a baby's laughter
42. The last piece of anything (pie, pizza, candy, etc.)
43. How the leaves change color & fall in autumn
44. Travel
45. Sunshine to brighten the day
46. Advancement of technology & medicine
47. That first cup of tea or coffee in the morning
48. Pool & beach days in summer
49. Clean drinking water
50. Holiday traditions
Let's spread thankfulness, gratitude, appreciation, & kindness. Don't spread racism, hate, lies, or bad thoughts on others. We don't need any more fighting or death or darkness. Take the time to be thankful, genuinely. Don't do it to do it. Go out of your way to be grateful or do something kind. Lord knows the world needs more love.
Any plans for today? This is my first Thanksgiving away from my family (they are visiting my sister up in Berkeley). I will be spending the day with my boyfriend's family. Should be interesting. Now time to prep this vegetarian bake! :]
What are you thankful for? Anything from this list? What are your Thanksgiving plans? Does your family have any special traditions?
That's it from me on the blog today. :]
I'll be active on social media such as:
The Plastics from Mean Girls Costume Ideas
I've watched Mean Girls about 1,001 times but never thought about dressing as one of the Plastics for Halloween....until now! Mean Girls is a cult classic. That goes without saying, even though I just said it. But how can you achieve an authentic costume? Well, I've got the basics covered for you with this fab Mean Girls & the Plastics-inspired Halloween costume idea. In case you were wondering, the Plastics are a group of popular meanies consisting of Regina, Gretchen, Karen, & Cady from the film Mean Girls.
You'll need a pink sweater or pink shirt. This cropped pink sweater or long sleeve shirt ought to do the trick. After all "we wear pink on Wednesdays," remember? Don't forget to wear pink otherwise you can't sit with us. Why not pair your pink sweater with a denim skirt? They were extremely popular in the early 2000s along with sling-back kitten heels which are worn throughout the film. Put all 3 together & you've got yourself a very 2000s look. Mean Girls came out in April 2004, so there's a lot of potential
What you'll need for this Mean Girls costume:
- A pink sweater - Find it on Amazon
- Jean skirt - Find it on Amazon
- Pink Kitten heels - Find them on Amazon
Women's Mean Girls Christmas Outfit - Buy it on Amazon.
Other Mean Girls Costume Ideas
There's the bunny costume that Regina George wears or the Jingle Bell Rock Christmas outfit. You could dress like Regina's Mom or Karen Smith. There are a lot of costume ideas! Take a look at Amazon Regina George page to check out some ways to look like Regina George. For example, you could get an alphabet letter pendant necklace with an R initial for Regina. Bring your own Burn Book and bonus points if you cut two holes in your tank top.
Mean Girls Actors
Mean Girls stars Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron, Jonathan Bennett as Aaron Samuels, Rachel McAdams as Regina George, Tina Fey as Ms. Norbury, Tim Meadows as Mr. Duvall, Amy Poehler as Mrs. George, Ana Gasteyer as Cady's Mom, Lacey Chabert as Gretchen Wieners, Lizzy Caplan as Janis Ian, Daniel Franzese as Damian, Neil Flynn as Cady's Dad, Amanda Seyfried as Karen Smith, and Rajiv Surendra as Kevin Gnapoor. There are plenty of Mean Girls Halloween costume options to go for such as the Plastics Mrs. Klaus costume for Jingle Bell Rock.
It's totally fetch to wear Mean Girls costumes at your next themed party. Halloween is inching forward. Do you have any plans yet? Hopefully these Halloween costume ideas have come in handy. :]
It's totally fetch to wear Mean Girls costumes at your next themed party. Halloween is inching forward. Do you have any plans yet? Hopefully these Halloween costume ideas have come in handy. :]
On the hunt for Halloween costume ideas?
Laney Boggs Prom Dress from She's All That - view here.
Bianca's Prom Dress from 10 Things I Hate About You - view here.
Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls - view here.
Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family - view here.
Cher's White Dress in Clueless- view here.
Halloween Costume Idea Cher Horowitz Clueless Yellow Plaid Outfit - view here.
Get the Look: Cher's Black & White Outfit from Clueless - view here.
Halloween Costume Idea: Wednesday Addams
Halloween is nearing & you're looking for some Halloween costume ideas. Duh duh duh dunnn. I'm here to help! Today I have a Wednesday Addams (from The Addams Family) inspired look for you to rock. Sport this as an everyday outfit -- if you're bold -- or try this on for size as a Halloween costume idea for women or girls.
First things first, to achieve the look you'll need to braid your hair in the classic Wednesday Addams fashion. That was easy. Now you'll need to master your wardrobe. A collared dress is the only way to go.
Related reading: 100+ Halloween Hashtags to Use on Social Media - Read it here.
Grab yourself some skeleton tights. They're so festive & definitely a conversation starter. My Halloween costume version of Wednesday Adams would wear these because she's cool, she's different, she's a little bit morbid, & doesn't mind standing out from the crowd. I would combine this look with combat boots. It's a little bit Wednesday, a little bit me. Feminine, yet spunky.
Accessorize this Addams Family Halloween costume idea with a bracelet pack. Autumn is the best time to rock dark berry lips. I love the the deep shade, the rich pigmentation as well as the immense sparkle.
Would you ever go as Wednesday Addams? Do you have any Halloween plans yet? I don't. Shhh. :]
Would you ever go as Wednesday Addams? Do you have any Halloween plans yet? I don't. Shhh. :]
Here are some other Halloween costume ideas:
She's All That Prom Dress - Laney Boggs - view here.
Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls - view here.
The Plastics from Mean Girls - view here.
Halloween Costume Idea Cher Horowitz Clueless Yellow Plaid Outfit - view here.
Halloween Costume Idea: Cher Horowitz from Clueless
As most of you likely know Clueless is one of my all-time favorite films everrrr. That said, it would make sense to feature Clueless's main character, Cher Horowitz, as a Halloween costume idea for women. I dug through some stills from the movie & created a hybrid outfit to emulate her style.
To start off this look, you're going to layer a white sleeveless top or turtleneck & a lacy black tank. There is leeway with the white shirt -- in the film, she wears a basic white tee & in my costume, it's a sleeveless turtleneck. You can do whatever makes sense for you, it's mainly about the black and white aesthetic.
Next, we definitely want some sort of yellow plaid to mimic one of Cher's most notable looks: her black & yellow plaid ensemble. This plaid yellow skirt is a great way to keep your Halloween costume modern. We don't have to be so literal when dressing up like a character. :]
Next, we definitely want some sort of yellow plaid to mimic one of Cher's most notable looks: her black & yellow plaid ensemble. This plaid yellow skirt is a great way to keep your Halloween costume modern. We don't have to be so literal when dressing up like a character. :]
Related reading: 100+ Halloween Hashtags to Use on Instagram, TikTok, etc - Read it here.
Lastly, we want some cute silver heels paired with some knee-high or thigh high socks. Once again, there is freedom with your socks. Throughout the film, most characters wear knee socks at some time or another. The color is up to you. To accessorize the look, get a small transparent clutch to hold your necessary items like your ID, cell phone, & credit card. Now you're ready to be totally clueless.
This Halloween costume idea based on Clueless's Cher Horowitz is actually pretty simple to achieve & you'll look super awesome while wearing it. Clueless is a timeless film & Cher is the perfect person to be if you're out of Halloween costume ideas this year. As if!
Stay tuned for more Halloween costume ideas for women! Stay cool. Stay positive. Stay updated. What do you think of this costume idea? Would you ever be Cher? :]
On the hunt for Halloween costume ideas?
Laney Boggs Prom Dress from She's All That - view here.
Bianca's Prom Dress from 10 Things I Hate About You - view here.
Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls - view here.
The Plastics from Mean Girls - view here.
Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family - view here.
Cher's White Dress in Clueless- view here.
Cher's Black & White Outfit in Clueless - view here.
My Experience at Comedy Central's @midnight Taping
My boyfriend & I ventured up to Los Angeles for the taping of @midnight, an internet-themed improv comedy panel show hosted by Chris Hardwick on Comedy Central. I've never been to a television show taping, so it was an intriguing experience. We arrived to LA around 1 p.m. or so, lazily making our way from San Diego.
Tickets are free so you just print out the paper & it shows you how many guests you have. We arrived at 3 p.m. in time for the 3:15 p.m. RSVP time. We immediately showed our tickets, got searched, then sat down on some benches outside for 20 or so minutes. Then Brody Stevens -- or Steven Brody Stevens -- came out to hype us up. We were supposed to be psyched & clap & laugh loudly during all segments of the taping.
They have strict dress code. It said absolutely no t-shirts with logos, white tops, shorts or hats. It said they preferred dark, solid color clothing & that proved to be true once they moved me because my grey top seemed to get in the way of the camera. Man, I was really looking forward to my half a second of fame. I wanted to spot my head in the background of a shot. However, the way the show was filmed the only thing you ever see from the audience is the dark silhouette of the back of peoples' heads.
 |
| One of the only photos from the day. We found a cool jumping fox graffiti. I'm wearing: Tunic: Thrifted // Slip: The Closet // Necklace: my grandma's // Earrings: Claire's // Sunnies: The Way, Way Back movie premier |
I would show you a picture but cell phones were absolutely not allowed inside the recording studio. It was intriguing to attend a live taping because you realize just how scripted everything is. If Chris messed up a line they reshot it. A couple times we didn't laugh or clap loud enough, so they had to reshoot it & we had to be even more clappy & laughy about something we obviously weren't naturally so amused by. Basically the bigger the laugh & the louder the clap the better. So yes, it is somewhat forced but simultaneously it's funny seeing as it's comedy.
In between segment breaks the makeup crew would fix up the comedians' faces. You could also spot the guest comedians reviewing their cards, which I can only assume contained prewritten jokes to the answers to some of the segments. The experience was somewhat inspiring because I realized hey I could be a comedy writer maybe. I'm funny ha ha. Right? Right? Laugh with me guys. Laugh with me. By the time we were all done filming & got out it was nearly 6 p.m. Time consuming but fun.
I could get into all the segments & the comedians who were present, but I find that to be the least pertinent information from my time there. It was more about the teleprompters, the scripted funniness vs. naturally funny things that came out of their mouths, seeing how small Chris was in person, & just to do something new.
Have you ever been to a TV show taping? Which one? How was it? Let me knowwwww. :]
Have you ever been to a TV show taping? Which one? How was it? Let me knowwwww. :]
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