Salted Caramel Muffins

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Veronica

Happy Tuesday! I’m feeling so refreshed after a relaxing three-day weekend, and I’m excited that the weather is starting to cool off and fall is nearly here. While warmer summer temperatures make me hungry for lighter fare like salads, once the days begin to get chilly my urge to bake returns. I could happily spend all of fall and winter in my kitchen, whipping up yummy treats (although I am usually discouraged from doing so, as most of my baking is NOT healthy!).
On Sunday, I really wanted to make a nice breakfast at home, but was pretty limited on ingredients. Rather than change out of my cozy pajama pants just to run to the store, I whipped up muffins using things that I already had in my kitchen. Although I wasn’t sure how my concoction was going to turn out (when Bill asked me what I was making, I replied honestly, “Probably a big mess”), I’m very pleased with the recipe and got a couple of requests to share it.
One of my favorite things about this particular recipe is that since it is so low in sugar, these muffins are relatively guilt-free while still being tasty. I couldn’t help sampling this one before I snapped a photo of it!

Salted Caramel Muffins
What You’ll Need
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup Oikos Salted Caramel Greek Yogurt
Directions

Preheat oven to 425F. Spray muffin tin with nonstick spray if not using muffin liners
In a large bowl, combine flower, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine; set aside.
In a second large bowl, combine egg, sugar, milk, canola oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring gently until smooth and combined.
Using an ice cream scoop or measuring cup, evenly distribute the batter into the cavities of the prepared muffin tin, filling each to about 3/4 full.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425F. This initial baking period with higher heat will help the muffins form their domed tops.
Lower oven temperature to 375F and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes, until tops are set and lightly golden and a toothpick insterted into the center comes out clean.

Hiking Mt. Pilchuck

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Veronica

It’s hard to believe that we’re almost halfway through August! Summer is winding down, although it’s been so warm out lately that it’s hard to believe that fall will be here soon.
Although I absolutely love the city of Seattle and all it has to offer, sometimes I crave fresh air and mountains and wilderness. Luckily for me, one of the best things about living in the Pacific Northwest is that both the city and the mountains are an easy drive from my home in Edmonds.
Last weekend, Bill and I got our mountain fix by hiking up Mt. Pilchuck. The trail up to the summit is fairly short, 2.7 miles, but it is STEEP. I admit that I found it extremely challenging, although well worth it – the views are breathtaking!
I thought that we were incredibly prepared for the hike. We brought along our day packs, filled with bottles of ice cold water and Cliff bars to snack on along the way. I remembered the sunscreen, but quickly wished I had brought bug spray – the bugs ate me alive along the way!
We had a blast and are already scouting out locations for our next hike!

Bill and I at the summit

Fire lookout at the summit

Life with My Terminally Ill Cat

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Veronica

When I was 19, I went to the local animal shelter “just to look” (any other pet owners out there know how that goes?). I played with the cats that were up for adoption. They were cute but I was able to resist. But as I was leaving, the volunteer who had showed me the cats told me that she had one more, in the back. The cat had been there too long and was scheduled for euthanasia, but was healthy. The volunteer asked if I’d like to see her, and of course I said yes. She brought out a beautiful Siamese, who proceeded to meow at me and perch on my shoulder like a parrot.
I was in love.
I adopted that Siamese that day, without hesitation, without even checking with my then-husband about whether he was agreeable to my bringing home a pet. Two days later, after she had been spayed, I brought her home. I loved her instantly. My ex named her Angel. When he and I divorced, Angel and I stuck together and she made me smile in spite of my sadness, patting my face and meowing at me if I cried, snuggling up with me at night. She was always one of the bests parts of my life. I got older, added additional cats to our little family, and moved to Washington with those cats in tow.

Angel in 2004

Three years ago, Angel in for a routine vet checkup and found that she would need to have her teeth cleaned. There is nothing abnormal about this, but because of her age (11 at the time), the vet asked if I would like to do pre-op labs just to make sure there was no reason that Angel couldn’t handle the anesthetic for her cleaning. I readily agreed, knowing myself well enough to know that if I declined the blood test and something went wrong, I’d never forgive myself.
I really thought it was just a silly precaution. I really thought I was being a paranoid cat owner and that I was wasting my sixty dollars to satisfy some kind of irrational fear. I never dreamed that the blood test would show anything wrong with my sweet girl.
But it did.
Angel’s kidney levels were elevated, and she was diagnosed as being in early stages of chronic renal failure, or kidney disease. I changed her diet, switching her to a senior diet with kidney support. I took her back monthly for blood tests to make sure she was stable. After several months of this, her kidney levels remained the same, and ultimately I decided that as long as she was doing well, we could resume normal semi-annual checkups.

In 2013, after her surgery

Angel is now 14 years old. Her kidney function remained stable until her most recent blood test, which revealed that her kidney disease had worsened greatly since her last checkup the previous fall. The news was rather grim: she would need to be given IV fluids under the skin every other day (eventually, it will be every day), and be given potassium supplements twice a day.
When the vet’s office called and told me, I tried to pay close attention to what they were telling me and to stay calm and objective about the whole thing. But as soon as I hung up the phone, I started crying. Even though I had known for three years that this would eventually happen, it always seemed like something far down the road, something I didn’t need to worry about.
When we first started her treatments, Angel perked up considerably and was more like her old self again. Three months later, we are again noticing that she is having some quiet days, where she prefers to curl up in a patch of sun on the special blanket I put by the back door for her. Her next blood test is tomorrow and I honestly don’t know what to expect. On the one hand, I feel like I should stay positive, but on the other, I know that the news will not ultimately be good, and I’m trying to be realistic and prepare myself.
Over the last three months, I have learned to accept the fact that my beloved girl, the sweet kitty that came into my life when I was only 19 and has been my best little friend ever since, is not going to get better. I am focusing on giving her the happiest life possible in the last months of her life. I pay attention to her good days and her bad days, because I know I have to be careful not to let her get to a point where she is in pain and suffering.
Having a terminally ill pet in the house is an adjustment. Twice a day, I administer medication that Angel does not like, all while telling her that it will make her feel stronger. Every other night, Bill and I sit on the bathroom floor, and he holds Angel in his arms while I start her IV and give her fluids under her skin. I do my best to comfort her, and he does his best to comfort both her and me, for the few minutes it takes for her to receive the required amount. There are frequent vet visits that must be scheduled. I dread those seemingly endless minutes, the time dragging on and on, while I sit first with her in the exam room and then by myself when a vet tech takes her back to have her blood drawn. In the days after her appointments, I anxiously await the test results, both wanting the vet’s office to call right away and wanting them not to, because they call me back faster when the results are bad.
Bill and I recently took a much-needed vacation, which I was only comfortable with because my amazing friend takes care of my cats for me and was unfazed by Angel’s newfound treatment routine. She texted me and let me know when Angel was having bad days, but knows my girl well enough to be there for her and to take care of her when she’s not at her best. If I didn’t have someone who could do all of it, Angel would have had to be boarded at the vet’s office in order for me to go anywhere.
We’re doing the best we can. For now, Angel is happy and that’s all that really matters. Now more than ever, she brings a smile to my face when she shouts at Bill to let her go outside, or sits with him in his armchair and kneads his stomach with her front paws (he says she likes to squish him). I watch her as she chases bugs on our back patio, and I laugh when she sits on the back of the couch and licks at my hair the way she always did when she was younger.
There is no real timeline, the vet cannot tell us how much longer she will be with us. Every cat is different, and there’s just no way to know. And so we keep her happy, and spoil her, and if nothing else I know that her life with me is good.

Summer Blackberries

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Veronica

It is now officially summer, my very favorite season (although fall is a close second). Summers in the Northwest are SO very different from summers in the California desert that I grew up in. Whereas in sunny SoCal, the temperatures rise into the hundreds, here in Washington the climate stays mild and I feel that the state is truly at its best on warm sunny summer afternoons.
Something I was not used to at all when I moved to the Seattle area is that things grow wild and free here, delicious things you can eat, like berries. This was quite unheard of to me, that one could simply step off the road and into a blackberry bramble, and have a snack of freshly picked berries.

All along the North Creek Trail near my office, blackberries grow wild and are ready for picking unseasonably early this year. After weeks of watching them slowly ripen, I could tell that the blackberries were ready to be eaten. A few of my work buddies and I have taken great pleasure in gathering them up on our walking breaks. Today we filled two big bowls with the delicious blackberries, with plans to turn them into blackberry crisp, or slump, or jam, or all of the above.

Tomorrow’s forecast predicts rain, but Wednesday is supposed to be sunny, which means we’ll have more blackberries to pick!

Bike Love

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Veronica

After deciding that I wanted to be healthier, I treated myself to a bike. I had been mulling over the idea of buying one for quite awhile, but I’ve never been an avid cyclist. I didn’t own my first bike until well into my childhood, because the neighborhood I grew up in was not bike-friendly. We didn’t have sidewalks and there was no good place for kids to safely ride. Even after I did get a bike, I couldn’t really venture off and have adventures riding it. After I learned to drive, that was really it for bike riding.
Here in Washington, there are a lot of different bike-friendly trails and places to ride, and I grew more intrigued. I have several friends that really enjoy a good long bike ride, and I finally couldn’t stop myself. I took the plunge and bought my very own bike. I chose a Trek 7.3 fx, and I absolutely love it.
Once I had purchased the bike, it was time to get out on a trail and ride the thing. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I had no idea how I’d feel after a ride, how far I could go, or what kind of rider I would be. Bill also bought himself a bike, so we took them out to the Burke-Gilman Trail and rode a few miles just to get comfortable and see what adjustments we needed to make. While I was reassured that I could still ride a bike, I was definitely nervous to take it out for “real” rides.
Last Saturday, we met up with friends and rode a total of 23 miles on the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River Trails. About halfway through the ride, it started raining, so we were pretty soaked by the time we got back to our car. But it was FUN!
I didn’t die.
I didn’t pass out.
I didn’t even get cranky.
And I LOVED riding my bike.

Being on a bike makes me happy. I may not be the most skilled or fastest cyclist on the planet (far from it, actually), but I felt really great by the time we finished that 23 miles. I am so proud of what we accomplished. I’m looking forward to spending my summer outside, enjoying my new bike and exploring trails.

Life's Better at the Beach

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Veronica

I haven’t had much time for writing my blog lately – I’ve been too busy traveling!
April has been a fun month for me. My fiancee spent three weeks in California for work, which definitely bummed me out, but I spent my evenings hanging out with friends and with my brother, which made me very happy. And the nice thing about Bill’s employer (my former one) is that they let him fly a visitor down to LA to see him for one of the weekends he was gone!
I admit, in the past I’ve kinda turned up my nose at the LA area. I never cared much for the city, finding it overwhelming and crowded. I got to see another side of the area when I went to visit Bill, though. He was staying in Redondo Beach, and we spent quite a bit of time by the pier in Hermosa Beach. It was a very low-key, down to earth beach town, and to me it felt quite similar to Edmonds. We really enjoyed people-watching and checking out some of the local restaurants. My parents even drove down while I was there to have lunch with us!
Bill and I like being able to get out and take a drive, and the Southern California coastline is perfect for that. We explored Palos Verdes and stumbled upon the house where Victor Strand lives in Fear the Walking Dead, and drove up the coast past Malibu and into Oxnard.

Me on the beach in Malibu

I really enjoyed my LA weekend, and flew home just in time to get ready to leave a few days later with Bill for the trip I’d planned to Maui for his birthday. It was an absolutely perfect vacation. We had a ton of adventures – we attended a luau, hiked to Nakalele Blowhole, enjoyed a couple’s massage at our hotel – and still had plenty of time for relaxing on the beach.

Enjoying a sunset walk on the beach in Maui

We returned home refreshed and ready to get back to a normal routine. Seattle was kind to us, and for our first few days back we were treated to unseasonably warm, sunny weather. Even though we’re back to rainy skies now, I’m happy that summer is just around the corner and that I’ll be able to enjoy sunshine on the beach right in my own town of Edmonds.

Mexican Couscous Salad

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Veronica

While I’ve always loved baking, I hadn’t really spent much time cooking. But in the last year, I have begun to really enjoy trying new healthy recipes, and have been happily surprised to discover that I do have a knack for cooking and that I am capable of putting together dishes that I absolutely love!
I am obsessed with this recipe for a Mexican Couscous Salad. I adapted it from a similar recipe that I found here, substituting couscous for the cauliflower and adding in chicken for some additional protein. I love this meal so much, last month I made it twice in one week!
Mexican Couscous Salad
For the salad:
1 package of Near East couscous
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn
1 cup pico de gallo
1 avocado
6 oz. finely chopped chicken breast
For the dressing:
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tbsp cumin
Preparation
1. Follow instructions on package to prepare couscous (I make mine in the microwave!)
2. In a small saucepan, heat the black beans and corn
3. Place the prepared couscous in a large mixing bowl and top with the black beans, corn, tomatoes, pico de gallo, chicken, and avocado
4. In a separate bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together the honey, olive oil, lime juice, paprika, and cumin
5. Toss the salad with the dressing and add a pinch of salt to taste
This recipe makes a rather large batch of the salad, which keeps nicely in the fridge for 2-3 days for yummy leftovers!

Meet Me at the Barre

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Veronica

I’ve been hearing a LOT about barre classes lately. A few friends have declared their love for this workout and I’ve been seeing studios popping up everywhere. I was definitely curious to try a barre class myself, and so I was really excited when a studio called The Dailey Method opened up in Bothell, very close to my office. Even though I was a little nervous to try out a brand new workout all by myself, I figured that since the studio was new, all the students would be too, so I went for it.
So What IS Barre?
I admit, going in I really had no idea what barre was or what to expect from the class. I took a basic barre class, which incorporates a ballet barre to perform exercises with elements of yoga, ballet, and Pilates. In my class, we did some work on the barre with a resistance band, and other times we used the resistance band looped over the barre for strength training either standing or lying on the floor. The benefit to a workout like this is getting lean, sculpted muscles like dancers have.
The program I tried didn’t involve cardio like some barre classes do, so I wouldn’t say that it was really a dance class. The classes are for people of all fitness levels, so you don’t have to have any ballet or other experience to enjoy the class and get a lot out of it. I admit, I was SORE the day after my barre class!
Want more information? This article is a great way to read up on barre before you try it!
What Should I Wear?
I wore my usual workout outfit of yoga pants, a sports bra, and a racerback tank top. There are no shoes allowed in the barre studio, so students should either go barefoot or wear socks. I recommend buying grip socks so your feet don’t slip while you’re holding different poses.
How Much Does it Cost?
Costs per class will vary from studio to studio. At the Dailey Method, a single barre class is $20, or you can buy a ten-class package for $180 or a 30-class package for $480. Right now, because the location is new you can buy a package of unlimited classes for six weeks for $125 (it doesn’t say online how long this special pricing will last, so if you’re interested, grab it now!).

Feelings for 2016

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Veronica

Although it’s the second full week of the new year, I feel like last week was such a blur of getting caught up post-holiday and it went by far too quickly for me to really have the moments of quiet that I like to use for writing. This week, things feel more settled and routine, and thankfully all the New Year’s resolutions are fading from my various social media news feeds.
I used to get very excited about New Year’s resolutions, actually. I love a new beginning and all the promises of a brand new year, but I’ve come to hate the feeling that usually sets in by the middle of February when I’ve failed at all my lofty goals and admit to myself that a new year does not guarantee a new lasting mindset. Truthfully I cannot think of a single resolution that I’ve ever kept for any length of time (although I’m going to buy yet another Powerball ticket because one of these days that whole winning-the-lottery thing is going to pan out for me, I’m confident about that).

Sadly, this ticket from 2012 was not a winner. Still, I am ever-hopeful that I can achieve my goal of winning the jackpot eventually.

Even though I had, err, resolved not to make resolutions, I changed my mind slightly after reading a blog post in which the author recommended identifying how you’d like to feel in 2016, rather than setting specific goals for yourself. I love this idea. Identifying how I want to feel challenges me to do things that allow me to achieve those feelings, and unlike a goal of losing weight or saving money, it’s not something that I will have to invest months of time into before I can start reaping benefits.
I want to feel strong. When I leave Zumba with sweat pouring down my forehead and muscles that are already sore from the workout they just got, I feel like my body can do anything I want it to. There is no satisfaction quite like that earned from kicking your own butt and pushing yourself far past what you perceived to be your own limits. I work out for that satisfaction, it’s what gets me into the gym each night (yeah, by the way, my “I quit the gym” thing lasted about two and a half weeks before I reconsidered and recommitted myself to going, and so far I’ve been pretty consistent). In striving to make myself feel strong, I will have to make good choices (eating right, getting exercise) because those actions are what illicit the feeling. It’s a win all around for me!
I want to feel present. So many wonderful things happened to me in 2015. I landed an awesome job, made new friends, moved in with Bill, and got engaged. It was a dreams-come-true kind of year for me. Now, in 2016, I want to simply enjoy all of those dreams that have become reality. To me, feeling present means that I’m focusing on each moment as it comes instead of worrying about what was or what will be. There will absolutely be time for working toward the future (like planning our 2017 wedding!), but there will also be time to appreciate Bill’s welcome-home kisses, snuggly moments with my kitties, and time with friends and family.
I want to feel confident. This last one is definitely a work in progress. I have really come into my own in the last few years, and the unsure, insecure girl of my early twenties is far behind me. Most of the time, I feel pretty good about myself, but there are still days when I make mistakes and feel dumb about them, or look in the mirror and can’t really think of anything short of a bag over my head that will make me look presentable. There are times when I worry that I just don’t deserve the amazing life I have now, and require a lot of reassurance that I am doing okay. Still, I have made huge strides to maintain a positive inner monologue and will continue to practice doing so.
I look forward to checking back in with myself and seeing how I am able to make sure I’m feeling strong, present, and confident in 2016, and what adventures I have while seeking out these feelings.

Saying Goodbye to 2015

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Veronica

The past year flew by so fast, I really can’t believe it’s already over and we’re about to ring in a new year. 2015 has been incredibly good to me. So many wonderful things have happened this year:
I got a new job. After nearly twelve years with the phone company, I accepted a position with the local power company. It’s turned out to be amazing, both because it’s the best job I’ve ever had, but also because I’ve gained great coworkers who have also become great friends. I love where I’m at and am so proud of how much I’ve learned and accomplished since I started my job there. I can’t wait to get even better in 2016!
Bill and I moved in together. We found a really great apartment in Edmonds, less than two miles from downtown and the waterfront. Thanks to Bill’s eye for decorating, our home is now cozy, beautiful, and inviting. I absolutely love living here, and it’s the first place that has really felt like home to me in the last couple of years. The kitties love it here too, especially when the weather is nice and they can spend their days lounging in the sun on our back patio!
I attended my second Lollapalooza in Chicago. I love everything about summers in Chicago. Bill and I ate way too much good food, saw a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, and of course enjoyed the music at Lollapalooza – including seeing Metallica, one of my all-time favorite bands.
Bill and I got engaged. On October 4th, on Ruby Beach, Bill asked me to marry him. He’s the love of my life and my best friend, and of course I said yes. When we got home, he got down on one knee and gave me a beautiful ring that he had bought for me and saved until he could find just the right moment to ask me to wear it forever. I never knew it was possible to be so in love with someone, to feel so right with another person. I cannot wait to marry him!
I got to spend the holidays with my family for the first time since moving to Washington. Normally I don’t make travel plans over the holidays, because crowds make me anxious and it’s expensive to fly during that time of year, but it was really important to me to be able to get back to California this Thanksgiving. It was great getting to have dinner with my family like old times. And while I was there, I went shopping with my mom, my sister, and a few of my closest friends, and I picked out my wedding dress! My parents are keeping it safe for me until it’s time for alterations. I went back to California a few weeks later to celebrate my mom’s birthday with her and participate in family Christmas festivities. My sister recently moved to San Diego, and my brother is planning his own move to Washington in 2016, so it was great to have everyone together under one roof before we all scatter to different places.
2015 had so many happy moments for me. It was also the year I experienced one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with, the passing of my wonderful friend Big Mike. We lost him very suddenly last May and it’s still very difficult to accept that I’ll never see his big smile, hear his loud booming laugh, or get wrapped up in one of his amazing hugs ever again. I still catch myself waiting for him to walk in the door at American Brewing, the brewery we all like to hang out at. But even though missing him makes me so incredibly sad, remembering him always brings a smile to my face. Mike was so kind, so generous and giving, and he loved people and animals and good food. He meant so much to so many people. 2016 just won’t be the same, because it won’t have Mike in it. But those of us who love him will continue to keep his memory alive, by talking about him and sharing our stories of great times with him, by grilling hot dogs at ABC to raise money for the food bank, by giving kindness and friendship to others the way that he gave it to us. I love you, Mike. You will be in my heart forever. Cheers, my wonderful friend.
And so, in just a few short hours we will close the door on 2015 and move forward with hopes that 2016 will be our best year yet. For me, it’s going to be the year I plan my wedding (tentatively taking place in March 2017, stay tuned!). It is going to be the year that I enjoy my job, my community, my family, and my friends. And, as always, it is the year that I resolve to win the lottery….it’s bound to happen eventually, right?
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope 2016 brings you health, happiness, and success. Cheers to all my family and friends!