Pinterest days: Quinoa bites

Like many gals out there, I LOVE me some Pinterest..

I can easily waste hours pinning clothing I like, cute hair ideas, random prints/paintings and of course, food..

I pin food like no tomorrow.  Baking? Sure!  Preserves? Why not?!  Casseroles? Bring it on!  Random vegetarian grub? Sign me up!!

Do I ACTUALLY make this food I pin? Well.... yeah.... E for Effort?  I came to realize that I have about 80 recipes pinned and have tried 3.

Yes, 3.

SO, I took it upon myself to actually make something I found on Pinterest: 

The Pin: Quinoa Bites

Quinoa Bites - Makes approx 2 dozen

2 cups cooked quinoa
2 large eggs
3 carrots, shredded
1 1/2 cups spinach, chopped (aka ripped into small pieces)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup shredded cheese (or amount to taste)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper (I like my food with a kick - this was just MY preference to add)
2 tbsp flour

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl.

Shredded carrots (via cheese grater) and chopped spinach (via my hands)

 

Cooked quinoa

 

 Everything waiting to be mixed

 Mixed goodness

The pin I found suggested baking the bites in muffin tins - I did both that and the second half on parchment paper on a baking sheet.  The latter of the two was my preference as I found the bites stuck in the muffin tin and fell apart when removing... I may not have greased the tins enough though.

Bake at 350F for 15-20 min!

Verdict?  They are quite tasty! I could see dipping them in a sauce of some sort would be excellent..  I did a calculation on My Fitness Pal and each bite is about 50 cal.  Very light snack!

Beach waves!

Sorry the blog has been so quiet..

I've gotten used to the fact that the Ex will not be near by.. and accepted that fact as being a GOOD thing, not something that should be panic inducing.

I did return from a wonderful girls trip to Minneapolis to turn my phone off airplane mode to have a random text come in from him.  I don't understand that man, and never will!

BUT, the whole point of this text was to rave about a new product:  ((AND I will add that this review is my personal opinion only))

Marc Anthony’s ‘Dream Waves Beach Spray'

I have naturally wavy hair.  Sounds great, right?

Riiiight.

That WOULD be correct if it didn't dry with waves in certain areas, but not others... and just generally look a tad wild in the mentally unstable sort of way, not cute beach way.  Very much a mind of its own and in need of  daily styling. 

I have always wished for hair I could wash and allow to air dry without having to worry about blow drying, flat ironing, etc. 

Enter various products that promise to turn my hair into wonderful beachy waves... Also enter epic fails of products not living up to that hype in any way.  Limp.  Greasy.  Stringy. 

Welcome Marc Anthony.  AKA My new love.

The product promises to create texture, amplify waves, add body/volume and transform hair into soft, flowing, loose waves. 

I've heard that before.. BUT, I read a wonderful review from a fellow Canadian blogger and decided to give 'er a whirl.



Verdict?  Love it!  The product lived up to it's promises.  Soft waves.  Frizz controlled.  Not greasy.  Not sticky.  It also smells AMAZING. 

I received SO many compliments on my hair today and had a ton of gals asking what I used to create this look.  How can I deny those results?

Ties.

Oh God. 

My hunch was right.  The Ex is moving out.  I came home from work yesterday and saw him loading some belongings up...

Apparently I care WAY more than I thought I did as it induced a huge panic response in me.. I honestly was not expecting as violent of a reaction as it caused.  Grief stricken sobbing.  Horrid nervous energy that I didn't know what to do with.. Pure panic.

I texted a friend and my sis for some support, and was offered up this: This was the last tie I had to be severed.  Which is true - while he was here, there was always a faint possibility of the man who I thought I would marry to love me back the way I loved him.

This may sound crazy knowing the crap I have written about the crummy things he did... but my heart wasn't ready to give up on the one I loved.  This move has caused emotions to erupt that I thought were gone or deeply buried.

I read a post this morning from a blogger I follow about not being able to Accept.  It really struck a cord with me as I have been very angry with Him.  I have believed so strongly in my heart for things to be a certain way, tried to move past them and still was stuck feeling strongly.  I couldn't help buy believe I felt how I did for a reason.

I prayed on that feeling.  I actually started crying this past Sunday in church (and I haven't been attending church regularly for a while due to my feelings of anger) when the pastor spoke about praying for miracles/healing.  I thought: "I DID". 

I struggle to believe that this much pain is what His plan is for me.

I've cried my tears for 3 years.  I've put my heart and soul into something and ultimately failed.  I have not learned from it.  It has not made me stronger.

In fact, it has turned me into someone I don't want to be.

I have never been a really negative person.  I was the person patients at work enjoyed working with because I was "always smiling".  I feel some days that this experience has sucked that joy from my life.. I feel like a failure at life.. What I prayed for, what I want and where I am are no where near each other.  It hurts badly.

I try to stand strong knowing I am a good person.   I try to believe that I just need to give it time.. I try to believe He is working ... but still.. I am shaken.  I am faltering. 

I am struggling to believe.

Lip dub?

This may very well be one of the sweetest proposals I have ever seen. :-)

And yes, I did cry my eyes out starting approx. 12 seconds in.

Enjoy! ♥