Thyme Lentil Cakes…Mmmmm

OK! I recently took an at home blood test and found out that I have an A+ blood type. (I recommend finding out, it’s pretty nifty) I looked into changing some of my eating habits, so that they are more conducive to the blood of the A’s, and, If I’m being honest, I regret that decision a little.

I’m supposed to be mostly vegetarian…Sure, they let you have SOME types of fish… but, they want me to cut out all red meats, all pork products, a large quantity of seafood (including Halibut, Shrimp, and scallops) and all dairy…

What does that leave you?! (you may be asking yourself with dread… as I was, the moment I found out…)

Vegetables (not all of them… they cut some of those out too) and Legumes. (I’m being slightly over dramatic… I can also eat sardines and salmon… and a few other obscure fish that I’ve only heard about in text books..)

But… I digress!

This post is me attempting to find something tasty to eat, that will follow *mostly* along the lines of an A+ blood type. I’m not disciplined enough to cut out all of the things it recommends (silly sensitive digestive tract) but, It’s nice to know so that I can make an informed decision about the things I eat.

This morning I made up some Thyme Lentil Cakes, I hope you enjoy them! BTW… I totally made this up, so feel free to wing it as you see fit!

Thyme Lentil Cakes

1 Pkg Lentils ( I think they are roughly 2.5 cups? But, don’t quote me on that…)

1 C Onion, Diced small

3 Celery stalks (on the smaller side)

1 T Garlic, Minced

1 Egg

1 (Generous) cup of Goats Cheese (I know.. Your thinking…But, I thought she couldn’t have dairy… You’re right, I’m cheating!!)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Enough to coat the bottom of a pan

TT-Salt, Pepper, Thyme (TT=To Taste)

Water or Chicken Stock

1. First, take the lentils and rinse them well. I’ve read somewhere that you should soak them for 24 hours before cooking because they contain some sort of chemical which prevents sprouting…I didn’t, but if you want to, knock yourself out!

2. Then place them in a pot and bring them to a boil in the water or chicken stock, whichever you have on hand or choose to use. I used stock because I’m a rebel and I wanted a chicken like flavor:P Boil for around 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft, but not mushy. If you soaked your lentils, this will take less than 30 minutes.

3. Strain the lentils and pat yourself on the back… you’re practically done! You know, besides the rest and more difficult part of the recipe. I cooked my Lentils yesterday and refrigerated them over night, but I don’t know that this is necessary. You might want to put them in the fridge for a little bit, so that they cool down and can be made into the cakes without second degree burns. Totally up to you.

4. While the lentils cool, dice your onions and celery. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet and saute the veggies until softened. At the last minute, throw in your garlic and continue to saute until the garlicky goodness makes you hungry. I’m pretty sure this is actually a tried and true cooking technique.. I could be wrong.

5. Put half of your Lentils into a food processer and pulse until made into a paste, or whatever. Give it a hefty processing, and call it good.

6. Mix the lentils (in both mashed and whole form) with the sauteed veggies, and goats cheese. Add your seasoning. This is all to taste, so feel free to grab a spoon and make it taste the way you want it to.

7. After you get it the way you want it, throw in the egg, and mix well.

8. Form into patties with your awesomely dexterous hands, and then place on sheet pans with parchment and freeze. Don’t know if this step is needed, but it made for an easier searing later. If you’re hungry, form and plop them in pan.

That’s pretty much it! I seared mine in clarified butter (that’s butter that has the milk solids removed) and then stacked them as such:

Steamed spinach

Tomato

Pesto

Lentil Cake

…Repeat once more.

Super Tasty!! Hope you guys enjoy, and if you make them, please feel free to let me know how they turn out!

Another Day at Work

Sorry I’ve been away as of late…Super busy at work! I’m going to hopefully nab time to write a more extensive post tomorrow, but for today…I share a photo of said all consuming day job!

Enjoy! 

Valdez, Alaska @ it’s finest!

7 Ways to Show Your Writing a Mother’s Love

A mother’s love is a funny thing. It seems to me an unending, ever fruitful, and often times colossal, force to be reckoned with. Take for instance my mother:

• Hard working owner of a B&B
• Devoted Peony farmer
• Grandmother/fill in mother of two full-time Grand-babies
• Volunteer for multiple organizations
• Doting wife
• Loving Daughter

And that’s in a nut shell. The list of my mom’s to-dos goes on and on and on…and on. Yet, she still manages to come to my blog, and read every single one of my posts. If you go back right now and check in the comments section, she is often the first person (ok…Sometimes the only) to comment.

Those comments are always filled with affection, support, joy, and genuine happiness at having read something I wrote. Why? Because she’s operating with a mother’s love. When a mom loves her child, she will go above and beyond to make sure they feel that devotion.

After reading my mom’s last loving comment, I got to thinking…Why shouldn’t our writing get a mother’s love? After all, these words are our babies, are they not? They are the infants of our mind, and deserve that same sort of diligent affection that my mother finds time to shower me with.

So… I made a list.

7 Ways to Show your Writing a Mother’s Love

1. Dedication: Let’s start here. I’m needy and forgetful. My mom knows this. If she didn’t constantly remind me that she loved and adored me…How, oh how, would I ever remember, or believe it? You’re writing is the same way. It’s needy. If you don’t dedicate yourself to writing daily, and express your devotion by getting words on the page, your skills will slowly start to rust. So, as I begin to wither without my mother’s constant reminders of devotion, our writing too will suffer without our attention. We must devote ourselves to writing, and improving our relationship with the written word.
2. Confidence: I don’t know about your mom, but mine is a permanent resident of the ‘Brittney Fan club’. It is her faith that often times drives me to bigger and better things. So I say, give this confidence to your writing. An author once told me, “We are only as good as we believe we are.” Have faith in your ability to not only write, but to write well, and let that confidence bring your words to a greater level. It won’t come easily, but knowing that you are a Writer, that this is a tangible thing you can embrace, may give you a needed push to carry on.
3. “You can do better”: When I was a child, my mother used this statement often. It’s not that what I had done was wrong, or unsatisfactory, but she knew that I was capable of so much more. Push your writing to be better. Don’t settle for mediocre or subpar verbiage. Explore, prod, and excel. Always. Give yourself goals, and push your own boundaries until your writing reaches the levels you want it to. Don’t give up on it.
4. Nourishment: Mom’s feed us, so we must feed our writing. Attend seminars, read, go to writing conferences, and never stop learning. Feed your inner writer with knowledge!
5. Freedom: My mom was rather rad, in that she let me have more freedom as a child than most parents. However, at any given age…in certain cases much later than others… we all must fly the coop.  Our moms have to let go — to give us our freedom. Give this to your writing! Allow the inner writer to just write. Don’t worry about grammar, or spelling or using the correct language… Just write. Give it creative freedom, and you may find something beautiful and outrageous. Something that would never have come to you in the confines of your own strict rules.
6. Knowing when to walk away: Not going to lie… This drove me crazy!!! When we would argue, my mom was always the first to walk away. ‘Give me space’…’I’m done talking about this right now’…We’ve heard them all before! But, what I didn’t realize until I was out and about getting into crazy shenanigans… is that these moments of our relationship, were simply another type of love. I’m stubborn… and I didn’t get it entirely from my dad. When she walked away it was because she knew neither of us were going to give. She was giving us the space needed to breath, the space needed to soak in each other’s side. Know when to walk away from your writing. It needs space, and so do you! Give yourself time to let go of your stubborn streak, and come back to the pages with a new found openness. It could be that you really don’t need that scene with the rubber duck and polka-dot umbrella. Or, maybe, that scene is the Bee’s knees, and needs velociraptors with light sabers… Only you can decide… We walk away so that we can more clearly see if we need to kill our babies. She, as of now, has let me live.
7. Love: Just pure and simple. My mother loves me. She tells me, in not only her words, but in her actions as well. I feel that love, and other people are able to see it. If you truly love your writing, and you express that love through devotion to your craft…Readers will see it and they will feel it through your words.

Give your mom a hug… She certainly deserves it!

Cheers

Growing up

As a child I often wondered — what will I be when I grow up? A question, I personally think, is pretty common. We look around us, the great wide world, as ripe as a fruit, and we dream of adventures to come. We look at our parents, our aunts, uncles, coaches, grandparents, Tv stars, anyone who’s anywhere above one inch taller than us, and we KNOW that they have it better.

I remember sitting in Home Economics class, learning to balance a checkbook, and thinking, “One day… One fantastical, explosively exciting day, I will actually need to balance a checkbook.”

That day came, and now it wont seem to leave me alone. It follows me around like the smell of newly stepped in dog feces. I’ve tried to rub off this day — to leave it on a rug, or some newly budding grass… But, alas, it holds tight.

I spent my whole childhood waiting for the day that I would “grow up”, and I now spend the days wondering when I get to be a kid again. When it’s ok to be carefree and excited about life. When deciding what I’m going to be… not what I have to be, to pay bills, but what I WANT to be… is the greatest question I need to ponder.

I’m making a decision today. I’ve decided that although I may never get to be a child again, with few cares, and little angst… I can be as excited about the little things as I once was. That I can dream, and I can look forward to becoming something better. That I should embrace one of the truest changes that has taken place.

I have the power to choose.

When we are young, life happens around us. It is this vast entity which we are unable to comprehend in entirety. Much as it is now. However, as adults, we are given so much more freedom, so many more choices.

No longer are our options: Fireman, Cop, marine biologist (I liked dolphins), or an apprentice glass blower (trip to italy)…

We can be anything we choose to be, and we are the ones who make the choices, and take the actions that will get us to these points.

So, I suppose I’m saying embrace who you are, what you’ve become, and where you want to go. Take time to marvel at life’s wonders, and let yourself be a child every once in a while. Embrace the strange that is you.

I may never take joy in balancing a checkbook again, but that doesn’t mean the wonder has to be left entirely to younger days.

-Brittney

Pinterest…That sly Mistress…Nutmeg Mask!!!

As some of you know I am a cook on a Tug boat in Valdez, Alaska. My schedule consists of working two months on, and then two months off. Sure, the time off is GREAT! But, I do tend to get burnt out and bored at work. What are some of my go to practices to prevent ripping my hair out, you ask?  I’ll tell you…

• Movies
• Reading
• Book tapes
• TV series on Hulu
• ifunny on my cell phone…Soooooo addicting
• Walking laps around the boat
• Writing
• and… Pinterest. Oh sweet Pinterest.

This post is primarily about that devishly sweet mistress, Pinterest. She draws you in, encouraging you to trying new and bizarre things. My friend is currently purchasing a photo of a deer with flowers on its antlers… Don’t ask me. Stranger things have happened.

Each night, we try to find something on Pinterest that we want to try out and give it a whirl. Yesterday was a homemade sugar scrub. Tonight was Honey, Nutmeg, Cinnamon masks…. About a week ago we tried a self-made pore strip recipe and made the mistake of putting it all over our faces… Just so you know, that recipe can also be used as a hair removal system if placed in the proper areas. My forehead was as smooth, and as hairless as a baby’s bottom. Ouch. As Jasmine says…. A major Pintrocity.

So! Without further ado….Nutmeg mask!

2 T Honey-The darker the honey, the more antioxidants

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp Cinnamon

-Mix together and spread on face; rubbing the paste into your skin will act as a gentle exfoliant. Leave on for 30 minutes and then remove with water and a gentle circular motion. This mask is supposed to be great for stressed out skin, reduce inflammation, and exfoliate all while giving you a more even skin tone, and blah blah blah. It’s Great!

Give it a try, and let me know if you dug it!

A Creature is Born

I have finally written! I feel like Dr. Frankenstein, looking down upon my sheet covered creation, it’s hand twitching with new found life… MUAHAHAH!

I wish I could tell you that the last week and a half or so of silence has been filled with bouts of unbridled creativity… But, Alas. I can do no such thing. I could go into detail about my busy schedule, exhausted mental state and various other excuses… But, the board stands as such.

Betterment and productivity: 0, Procrastination and slacker-dom: quite a bit more than 0…

I just busted out 600 words on a slightly unrelated conversation with one of my characters regarding bear attacks and mushrooms, and although I will probably never use it in the book… It felt great to get to know him a bit better, and actually write SOMETHING!

I’ve been distracted by a new show I was introduced too… The abridged version of Hellsing Unlimited. If you are offended by vulgarity and crude humor… Not the show for you. But, this show had me close to tears a few times! So hilarious! Check it out on YouTube! (Anime)

Anyway, back to work! Let’s hope this tiny coal of creativity is protected well enough to nurture and turn into a flame. If not, I better start drinking more coffee and press on regardless!

Thanks for all your support!!!

 

 

2013 Writer’s Digest Conference East…Yeah, That’s Happening!

SO! I was actually going to write something entirely different, but after checking my email and making an expensive snap decision… Drum roll please…..I’m going to the 2013 Writers Digest Conference East in New York on April 5-7th!!!! Had to tell you all!! So happy and excited!

I signed up for the friday Self-publishing conference day, which I will only be able to attend half of because I also signed up for a Boot Camp with JAMES SCOTT BELL!!! 40 people maximum and I got in!!

He’s my writing writer idol! I’ve got tons of his technical writing books bent and scoured over at home! I can’t wait to meet him and glean all sorts of tricks of the trade from him! The boot camp is called, “Writing a book they can’t put down”…

If a giddy scream of delight could be conveyed through blog it might look a little something like this…

AHHHHHHHHHIIEHHHHHHH…

That’s how it looks when I read it in my head at least!

AHH! If anyone else is going and wants to meet up for lunch, or attend some of the amazing events together in New York, please, please, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment and let me know!!

I have to get off of here and go write! My book better be a lot more polished than it is now! I only have until April 5th!!

I apologize for all of the glaring structural and grammatical errors… I’m way too excited to pay attention to the basics!!!:D

Cheers!

Brittney

Row80 Check In!

OOOK, This week..

New Week’s Resolutions:

Write out my work outs daily..I rocked this goal. I’m talking CHAMP status! I wrote my workouts every day on little papers and taped them to the wall with fancy duck tape. Then I ordered a workout journal and transferred all my papers into it! … Rocked it, right?!

Creepy notes left around for others to find…  I Don’t know how creepy they were, but I wrote a couple “Kick me” signs and put them on people… and I put one in the bathroom…

Yeah, Human flesh. Gross. lol

New, New Week’s Resolutions:

Work out 5 days this week.

Wear my hair in 7 different unattractive ways. I shall post pictures…:D

 

Row80 goals

Writing 500 words- Ok.. So I didn’t do spectacularly here… I wrote 3 days of this week… Yeah, I know. But, I got three straight nights of 8 hours of sleep, turned off my phone for almost two days straight, and had a couple great conversations with the guy that I’m dating. So over all it was a productive week!

Reading- Fail.. that is all that needs to be said… lol

Editing- My editor sent me over 4 or so chapters and I got through those pretty well. I also managed to write up a blog post or two, and I’m checking in today..

Working out- I’ve walked between 40-120(one day) minutes a day, and have also been running stairs in the Engine room and lifting weights… Combine that with eating healthy and I’m down 3.3 lbs. Not bad!

Overall, a good week for me…But, I could definitely invest in my writing more!!

Cheers

Brittney

 

Inspiring Folks…Yup, That’s What I Do!

I am proud and honored to report that “A Cure for Lackluster Motivation” was recently nominated for an award!

Thank you to Trisha Dey for the nomination!

Check out her blog HERE! (and my nomination..Woot woot!)

The guidelines for this award:

1. Create a post and reveal 7 things about yourself.

2. Post the blog award on your site, indicate who nominated you.

3. Present the award to up to 15 bloggers that inspire you and include links to their blogs in your post.

~

#1. I’m a huge fan of Frank’s RedHot… If you are also a Redhot fanatic, you can attest to the fact that it pretty much tastes good on ANYTHING! If you haven’t tried Frank’s… Do so!

#2. I’m struggling to come up with anything about myself non food related. This might tell something about me.

#3. I think that bright colored clothing is awesome. Consequently, I often find myself wishing that I knew how to color coordinate so that I didn’t end up looking like a rainbow swirly pop.

#4. I get distracted by shiny objects.

#5. I sort of know how to juggle. It’s a work in progress.

#6. I have a beagle…but, other than that, my “me…me…and more me” blog post is now entirely inaccurate… I should do something about that.

#7. I recently was a WINNER of Nanowrimo and am currently working on editing my new book. If you have questions about National Novel Writing Month,  click this link: Nanowrimo

Ok! So, my nominations for this award are as follows:

• Things My Belly Likes  – I have been following this Blogger for as long as I’ve owned a blog, and she is constantly posting amazingly delicious, healthy recipes! She’s inspired me many times to tweak my own recipes and eat a little healthier! Thanks!!
• Jenny Hansen – Another Blogger that I’ve followed diligently… Jenny’s blog is about more! And she’s inspired me to write more, and be more focused on my goals! Thanks Jenny!
• Kaitlin And Michael Branch – These two have a very fun blog! I’ve been tracking them and their journey to publishing The Athele Series for about a year now. They have fun posts, interesting tidbit Tuesday’s in which the reader gets samples of their writing, and some informational posts about writing and such! Check it out!
• Ciucela – I have just recently started to follow this blog, but the posts are always an interesting read, and the photos are phenomenal! Check it out!
• Black Ophelia – I love her posts! Always an interesting read, lots of inspirational writer’s photos, and a passion for writing that encourages me to do the same! Thanks!
• Miss Audrey: Tomorrow – Check out her blog! Funny, inspirational and a good read!
• Fibromy-Awesome – If you check out any of these blogs, this is where it’s at! This girl is inspirational to the extreme! Struggling through day to day with an upbeat attitude and hilarious sense of humor! Thanks for making me smile, laugh and root for you! ( Seriously, this girl is awesome… If she hasn’t received this award 10 times before now, I’ll be shocked!)
• Gloria Weber – Love this blog!! Funny, inspirational and talented, she is definitely worth checking out!

Ok, I know I could nominate up to 15, but 8 is all I got for now! Thanks again to Trisha Dey!!

The Death of Introspection

In the not too distant past, I came to the self-realization, rather ironically, that I am not a very introspective person. I go about my day-to-day blissfully unaware of my own thoughts and actions. This is probably why some would consider me spontaneous, but in truth I just don’t think shit through. Why is this?

I have some theories…probably wrong.

#1. Not enough hugs as a child. (Since my mother will probably be the first person to read this, I’d like to clarify that this is a joke.)

#2. Not enough self lovin’…(Since my mother will probably be the first person to read this, I’d like to clarify that this is not a joke, and I’m sorry you had to read about it on a blog.)

#3. Not enough Sunshine and Rainbows… (Mom… Seriously? Alaska? What were you thinking?)

#4. Because it’s lame…I use introspection to fall asleep.

#5. A dependence on my cell phone and social media….( Sorry mom, I probably should answer your texts…)

All jokes aside, I am incredibly dependent on my phone and social media. The fact that you are reading this, and I am taking the time to write it on my computer, proves as such. Last night in a moment of clarity I turned off my phone and shut down my computer. In the few moments of introspection before sleep, (the 8 full hours I got…holy crap balls!!! This is actually possible?!) I realized that I haven’t been willingly away from my phone since I purchased it. And to top it all off, I haven’t been away from my phone unwillingly for more than a few days even still. Yeah, scary.

There was a period of about two days in which I went without in 2009. I call it the impossible shot of ’09. From my bed, with eyes closed I tossed my phone to the side, somehow managing to sink it into a glass of water 2 feet to the left and away from said mattress. The only sound being the solid cushioned thunk of phone against glass bottom; A shot I would be loath to make to this day given 50 phones and utter determination. Swish? The two-day grace period between the cries of horror at what I had done, my face lit only by the light reflected mockingly through a clear prison, and the purchase of a new de-vice was based solely on the time it took my pay check to clear the bank.

There were also a few three-day periods in 2010 when my boat made its way to Port Etches and we were without internet and cell service.

That’s it. I can count on one hand the number of times my phone has been away from me for more than a few hours in the past 5-8 years… This might have something to do with my crap memory, but I’m pretty sure it’s more to do with the physical withdrawals I feel at parting from my life-line.

All this phone time equates (in my mind) to one thing…why would I need to be introspective and take time to get to know myself, when I can play angry birds, text a friend (or 15, in case that one doesn’t respond within 5 minutes), or channel surf Facebook? Who is Brittney, but a quirky Facebook post or a snarky text? I turned off my phone last night, and as of yet I haven’t turned it back on. I’m hoping to give myself a few days to really think about what that means to me, and maybe even take a minute to get to the meat of this person I claim to be. I’m obviously not without media… seeing as how I’m writing this blog, and I’m sure I will get it out there by posting on Facebook… but, give me a break!! It’s been many, many years, and I’m taking baby steps here!

Cheers!

Brittney