Open Letter from an Autoimmune Patient to Those Concerned About Her Vegan Diet.

July 18, 2025July 18, 2025That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

Dear all who are concerned:

I have Sjögren’s Syndrome, a systemic autoimmune disease, and it’s with gratitude that I hear your doubts and qualms about the food that I eat. You’re worried about me. You’re worried that I’m possibly making myself sick, keeping myself sick, or making myself worse with my plant-based manner of fueling my body. I’m writing this letter in the hopes that it will ease your minds.

Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with me, focus on what’s right with me.

First, though, to review:

Between Sjögren’s Syndrome, itself, and the complications I’ve developed, I’m uncomfortable and in pain all of the time. I have a lung that’s structurally damaged and getting worse, and a stomach that’s 60% paralyzed. Sjögren’s arthritis and tendonitis leave my fingers, hands, and wrists painful and stiff; I currently can’t drive, hold a pen to write, or use my hands to push open a door.

First thing in the morning, because of my severe dry eye, I squint through one eye at a time as I feel around for the eye drops. Getting the drops into my eyes is difficult because it’s uncomfortable to keep my eyes open long enough to deposit the drops. (I often miss, re-squeeze the bottle, and end up with drops running down my face.) At the same time, my mouth, throat, and tongue are so dry, it’s an ordeal to swallow and to speak coherently. My finger joints are the worst when I wake up. I can’t close my hands into fists.

I push myself through my morning chore routine and declare victory when I can get the bed made before noon. Morning going-out plans require a self psych-out and a ride on a choppy wave of adrenaline. It helps if I’m excited about where I’m going. When I arrive, no one can tell that I battled to get there, and I relax onto the warm sands of another win.

A lot goes into the execution of an average day as I listen to my body and respect her limits. I know I’m going to be working out, and that I’ll need to show up for myself.

All of this said, I can’t feel too badly about my everyday trials and tribulations when I think of some of the things that I’m able to do, despite my chronic illness.

Examples:

–I can pull myself up in bed and swing my legs around using just my abdominal muscles. With my core strength, I can easily get up from a seated or lying down position without using my hands or other assistance. (Important because I can’t use my hands; they don’t flex backward, my wrists are weak, and the pain is a problem.)

–I can hold a 4+ minute plank on my knuckles. (Important for the same reason as parenthesized above.)

–I can walk five miles, up and down inclines at varying speeds, wearing a 12-lb weighted vest.

–I can work out nonstop for an hour doing LM Body Combat and Body Step classes, which incorporate HIIT cardio.

–I can run up and down stairs.

–I can lift weights. Using modifications where necessary to accommodate the disability in my wrists, I strength-train with weights at home, or on machines at Planet Fitness.

Amazing, isn’t it? Why focus on what’s wrong with me when I can yet do all of these things? Clearly, I’m doing something right.

I work out through the pain, and I get it done. These days, I work out six days a week. Regular exercise is highly encouraged by my doctors; it’s practically prescribed.

Imagine! I’m chronically ill with pain, discomfort, and a slew of medical challenges, yet I feel good in my body, and I’m fitter than many women my age (56) who aren’t sick. How can this be?

Food is medicine, and food is fuel. The food that I eat energizes my body even when I’m sleepy and tired. The energy in my body permits me to exercise consistently. What is this miracle food that allows me to maintain my fitness and a healthy weight in the face of my autoimmune encumbrances as a middle-aged woman in menopause with hypothyroidism and osteoporosis, to boot?

Plants.

I get my macronutrients (carbs, fats, and proteins, nutrients that we need in large quantities to ensure that our bodies function properly) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, trace minerals) from plants and plant-based foods. I’ve never been anemic or deficient in any vitamin or mineral.

Autoimmune disease is an inflammatory disease, and an anti-inflammatory diet is largely whole food, plant-based.

Rather than making me sick, plant-based eating makes it possible for me to enjoy a solid level of fitness despite my chronic illness, because I wouldn’t be able to do it if I didn’t feel this vitality in my veins. Rest assured that I am not making myself worse with my plant-based diet.

I’ve taken brief steps away from veganism over the years, for various reasons, so I know how much worse I feel when I do eat mammals, birds, fish, and dairy. It never went well. I experienced level 11 pain when Sjögren’s arthritis attacked both of my ankles in a bad flare. I couldn’t walk for two weeks. I was 25 years old.

Arthritis, rashes, bodily fatigue, and gastroparesis flares were just some of the additional issues I experienced. Every time, I returned to my plant-based diet, and I felt better. Even with my current problems, I feel better now than when I wasn’t vegan, because I have this awesome energy in my body. I always felt sluggish when I ate meat and animal products. For me, personally, there is no comparison.

It’s important to note that one autoimmune disease can lead to other AI diseases, and complications are always a lurking threat. Experts don’t know what causes autoimmunity in the first place; theories include genetics and environmental factors, but at this point, no one knows for sure.

What is known is that there are triggers that can interfere with the management of autoimmune conditions. For instance, stress can trigger flares, so minimizing stress as much as possible is always a goal. Foods that promote inflammation in the body should be avoided, while anti-inflammatory foods should be favored. Anti-inflammatory foods are plant foods such as fruit; veggies; whole grains; nuts; seeds; legumes (i.e. beans, lentils, and peanuts); and healthy fats found in certain plants and fish (i.e. olive and avocado oils, along with the omega-3 fatty acids found in flax seeds and fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines).

For research-based findings and information regarding the correlation between autoimmune diseases and whole food, plant-based diets (WFPB), I’m asking you to take the time to read this article published by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine: The Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Treatment and Prevention of Autoimmune Disease. I’m providing the link here. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine is “A society of medical professionals united to reverse chronic disease,” and they provide a wellspring of information with research- and evidence-based educational pieces on this and various, related topics.

The Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Treatment and Prevention of Autoimmune Disease

Though I do take pharmaceutical treatments for my disease, I consider my whole food, plant-based diet to be just as essential. I’m blessed to have the health that I have, but I also take some credit for my wellness. I’ll hang onto my vegan lifestyle, but thank you for your concern. I know that it comes from love.

I love you, too.

Several average days in the life of a jobless GenX-er. (FOOD and FITNESS-centric!! Lots of pics!)

July 5, 2024That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

Hello. I’m a fitness junkie, a combat veteran, and a jobless GenX-er with PTSD, autoimmunity, and a partially collapsed lung, and this post is for anyone who’s curious about what I may get up to in an average week. Let’s jump in!

Every morning, first thing: I put in lubricating eye drops so I can fully open my eyes, and I drink water so I can swallow. (Sjögren’s syndrome.) Also, take I take my thyroid medication. (Autoimmune thyroiditis/Hashimoto’s.)

The necessary lubricating eye drops and a thyroid pill first thing in the morning.

Then I make the bed. We’re looking at my side of it, with my plush octopus (that I call “Levi”).

Making the bed, not crawling back into it. (Alas.)

On this morning, I was able to bond with my desert tortoise, because he was out. It was Monday. We had our first monsoon rain of 2024 that day, and Geronimo spent more time in the yard than in his burrow! I went out to enjoy time with him in the morning, afternoon, and evening. By the end of the day, my heart was full with Geronimo love. It is so special. HE is so special. He is my heart; I love him so much. I can’t even explain it.

Lots of time with my precious little boy on this day.

Then I came in and prepared our coffee, as usual. I love this little ritual, love looking forward to coffee. My fav is black with a powdered blend of eight mushrooms, and also powdered monk fruit extract. Kyle likes his coffee the same way, but he takes plant milk in his.

Black coffee with mushrooms and monk fruit.

I prefer to finish my coffee before eating breakfast. Breakfast is usually some kind of cereal with frozen blueberries. I mix up a half-serving of vanilla plant protein shake to use instead of milk. It is delicious! If I don’t have cereal, I’ll have a piece of Ezekiel toast with Earth Balance and a full-serving chocolate plant protein shake.

(Mon-Sat, that is. I make chocolate-chip protein pancakes every Sunday morning.)

Cereal with frozen blueberries and a vanilla protein shake for the milk.

I almost always watch a video or two while I eat. I’m subscribed to quite a few YouTube channels, a handful of which are just regular people whose shenanigans I follow in their vlogs. The video I watched on this day was one of those.

Next, I pop the rest of my morning meds and do my Wixela inhaler.

Meds. Inhaler. Horror-themed water bottle. Check, check, & check.

Then I head into the bathroom to press a warm/hot compress onto my eyes, which is both a Sjögren’s management thing and the first step in my morning skincare routine. My Sjögren’s mainly attacks my eyes and mouth. Mostly my eyes.

The morning compress on my eyes feels incredible and makes a huge difference.

After that, I get ready for the day – brush my teeth, do my skin and hair, and put on something comfy.

For my first task of the morning on this day, I continued with my office closet re-org project. This is where I keep the clothes I don’t wear on a daily basis.

Moving things from one closet to another always generates a re-org project.

I gathered things for the Goodwill, did some laundry, and also spent some time searching for remote jobs.

Tuesday! On this day, I headed out to the dentist’s for a cleaning.

Going in to get my teeth cleaned is about a Tuesday thing to do as any other thing.

From there, I went to do some grocery shopping.

Also went to grab a few things from Target. Now, I’m not an impulse shopper, and I don’t enjoy shopping for clothes, but I walked past this dress on the clearance rack, and I had to try it on. Then, of course, I had to buy it. It was only $9.61!

It’s hard to understand what’s going on just by looking at pics. The inside layer is a short strappy bodycon slip dress, and the outer layer is a long floaty lace shift. The back is open. This dress is beautiful, and I can’t believe that I got it for less than ten bucks. Believe it or not, I didn’t own a single long solid black dress. Now I do. I have an occasion in mind for it, too.

On my way home, I stopped in at a friend’s house to water their plants while they’re out of town. Later in the afternoon, I grabbed my usual protein bar for a pre-workout snack. I eat one of these bars six days a week, before every workout, and I never get tired of it. It’s basically a Thin Mint in bar form.

So, yeah, I work out six days a week. This day was Tuesday, so it was strength-training with dumbbells, aka Body Pump on Les Mills On Demand. This was release #99, in case anyone’s interested in knowing that!

I grabbed these screenshots from the video clip I recorded during the back track. Apologies for the horrible lighting, friends. Yikes. It’s bad.

Body Pump’s approach is an hour of light weights, high reps, and very little rest. These dumbbells are adjustable, and here I have them set at 15 lbs. It’s a good weight for the millions of reps that we do during the fast-paced 5-7 minute back workout.

The next day was Wednesday, and I spent a little time in the kitchen.

Fresh pico for days! I make it extra green (hot)

Then I made a high-protein “longevity” salad:

High-protein longevity salad with tahini-lemon dressing. I had half of a red cabbage, some green onions, and a couple of lemons to use up, so this salad was the perfect thing to make.

Wednesday is a Combat day. I have atelectasis (collapsed lung – mine is partial, as it’s only my lower right lung lobe); I have to do this Albuterol inhaler before I can start a Combat workout. Combat is basically 60 minutes of H.I.I.T., and I find it hard to catch a deep breath toward the end of the highly intense workout.

This is LMoD Combat #77, by the way. It’s one of my favorite Combat releases!

More apologies for the dark and grainy screenshots. The lighting was dim and totally unsuitable for filming. But you get the idea.

Later that night, I caught a mirror selfie almost by accident when I was talking to Kyle. I was standing at my little dresser getting ready to remove my make-up, and I had my phone in my hands. Glanced in the mirror while we were talking, and lo, I saw an opportunity. I will never understand how mirror selfies work, so when I saw this, I had to snap it.

The next morning was Thursday. Today. I had an onion and a scant cup of green lentils that I wanted to use up, so I made lentil soup for lunch.

I love an easy lentil soup recipe that calls mostly for pantry staples!

Lentil soup and spinach tortilla wraps stuffed with the high-protein longevity salad and tahini-lemon dressing that I made yesterday.

We also had the sugar-free vegan black bean brownies I made last week. They sound weird, but they are actually scrumptious, deeply chocolatey and rich. No one can believe that there’s two cans of black beans in this pan of brownies. It’s just a great recipe!

Tonight: Dinner with my love while watching one of our current shows.

I brewed up our nightly hot ginger tea. We started drinking this tea to assist with after-dinner digestion, and now, we’re oddly addicted to it. We drink it because we crave it!

Our favorite nighttime beverage: hot ginger tea.

When I sat down to put this post together, I realized that I never got pics of the girls this week! I immediately set out on a kitty-hunt. Here’s what I managed to get:

And now, my friends, I’m heading to bed. Tomorrow is Friday, and I’ll be able to continue (and hopefully finish) some ongoing tasks around here.

I hope you all had a good week! Until next time!

All Right, Lunger. Let’s do it. (Lung and Fitness updates!)

May 10, 2024That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

We’re talking about my lung, so I stretched and reached for that Tombstone quote, even though my lung issues have nothing to do with tuberculosis. (Definitely a stretch, but Tombstone is my all-time favorite and most re-watched movie. Let me have it!)

Today marks a bizarre anniversary. It was one year ago today that I accidentally inhaled a large vitamin caplet. That’s right. It’s been a year. On May 10, 2023, I aspirated a vitamin. The next day, I consequently developed aspiration pneumonia.

For those of you accompanying me on my path back from this absurd and inexplicable event, I’m here to share the latest. My recent CT scan – taken a month ago – revealed that I’m continuing to make progress. Some scarring remains, and there are some ongoing shenanigans taking place down there in my lung, but I’ve improved considerably.

Impressions copied/pasted from my CT scan report:
1). A stable 6 mm solid nodule versus nodular scarring in the right lower lobe.
2). Mild bilateral lower lobe bronchiectasis and multifocal mucous plugging in the right lower lobe.
3). Stable regions of chronic linear scarring and subsegmental atelectasis in the right lower lobe.

The reason why all of this damage is in my right lower lung lobe is that that is where shit goes when you inhale it. If you didn’t know, now you know.

My doctor encouraged me to give it time, because the situation at the beginning was “very, very bad,” and the COVID I had back in November likely impacted my recovery process. I should be patient as my lung continues to heal, she advised.

I’m not worried. We compared this CT scan with the one that was done a year ago, and the whole picture’s looking MUCH better. In the initial scan last year, my right lung lobe was so riddled with opacity that it lit up like a wayward Christmas tree.

Symptoms-wise, I still wheeze somewhat, though nowhere near as dramatically as before. I still sometimes struggle to take a deep breath, especially at night when I’m lying on my back, and also toward the end of my hour-long Body Combat workouts. To help with this, my doctor increased my Wixela inhaler medication dosage and instructed me to use it twice a day, morning and night, rather than just once. She also has me doing my Albuterol inhaler right before working out, so I can breathe comfortably throughout the hour. It’s been capital! I’m breathing easier during Combat, and thanks to my nighttime Wixela dose, I’m also getting to sleep a little bit faster.

It’s been quite the road. Along the way, I couldn’t have imagined what this one-year anniversary post would contain, and now here we are: I still have symptoms. I have damage. But the symptoms and the damage aren’t keeping me from doing anything, and that, my friends, is all that matters. As far as I’m concerned, this is my new normal, and I’m okay with it. Working out religiously 6x/week, I’ve managed to re-build my muscle mass while also getting back down to my normal weight of 110 lbs. (Fortunately, I’d only gained 12-ish lbs during the seven or so months I couldn’t exercise.)

In honor of this one-year, um, vitamin anniversary, I took some pics yesterday before and during my Combat workout.

First, earlier yesterday afternoon:

Sitting around with red lights in my eyes, as one does.

Okay, I took a bunch of selfies while sitting on the couch, and they all came out with red dots of light in my eyes. You know that I’m still too lazy to figure out how to edit photos. It’s whatever. Just know that I’m not possessed.

This brings us to these slightly awkward, cheesy, potentially cringey pics! Enjoy.

Arms, post-Body Combat:

Shoulders, post-Body Combat:

Forearms:

Okay, not a great pic, but you get the idea. Haha!

And the real stars of the show: Inhalers!

Help with exercise and sleep, respectively.

I’m supposed to be taking my prescribed Mucinex, as well, but I’ve been awful at that. Meaning, I haven’t taken it at all, and I don’t know that I will. I don’t feel that I need it, but you know what? It wouldn’t hurt to try it!

Okay, I’ll take the Mucinex. See, you guys help me out just by being here, by being a part of this experience. Your reading holds me accountable, and for that, I thank you.

Until next week, then, right?

[::holds up water flask for a water toast::]

Go forth in good health, my friends.

Spring 2024 Favorites, because. (It’s about time!)

May 3, 2024That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

Hello, friends. Many of you remember when I used to regularly post Monthly Favorite (little things) lists, and several of you have expressed interest in seeing these posts again. I’ve been wanting to return to this tradition, but I’m thinking maybe a Quarterly Favorites list would make more sense than a Monthly Favorites, yes? First quarter 2024 closed at the end of March and here we are at the beginning of May, so to simplify, we’ll just say that the list below captures my favorite little things of the year thus far.

Let’s start with entertainment, shall we? Enjoy!

1). Warrior (T.V. series) (HBO Max and Netflix)

We’ve watched many a fantastic show and several movies this year, but I only wanted to recommend this one. If you know me, you know I love martial arts action movies and T.V. shows with stellar fight choreography, and this show features some of the best fight sequences I’ve ever seen. If you’re a fighting-arts fan, you may also enjoy Warrior. Set in late-1800’s San Francisco, you’ve got a clash of Chinese immigrants and Irish immigrants amidst politicians’ shameless shenanigans, warring between the tongs (mobs) in Chinatown, and complex family dynamics. Loyalty; family; rivalries and revenge; money, money, money; power. Those fight scenes, though!

The trailer:

On to food! This list is mostly food and drink, so settle in:

2). It’s Delish Sugar-free Dark Chocolate-covered Espresso Beans.

These sugar-free vegan dark chocolate-covered espresso beans provide a delectable little zing of energy after lunch. They’re pricey, so we limit ourselves to just five per day, each, which is actually perfect.

3). Zoa energy drink.

My favorite pre-workout boost is an energy drink, which, I’ll admit, I drink on my one rest day, as well. Zoa zero-sugar energy drinks came to my attention when a search for “healthiest energy drinks” directed me to an Eat This, Not That! article: “10 Best Energy Drinks, According to a Dietician.” I’ll go ahead and quote the Zoa entry:

Perhaps the most “traditional” of these healthier energy drinks is Zoa’s line of zero-sugar energy drinks. The caffeine in Zoa is derived from natural ingredients such as green tea and green coffee beans—which are raw, unroasted coffee beans. Without any artificial flavors or colors, this is a great alternative to more mainstream brands. Additionally, this energy drink offers a plethora of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins B6, B12, and C.

We get our cases of Zoa from Costco, and my favorite flavor is Cherry Limeade, of course. Cherry-flavored anything!!!

4). Protein bars: Barebells Vegan Hazelnut & Nougat and NuGo Vegan Slim Chocolate Mint.

Barebells and NuGo plant-based protein bars.

I’m always on the lookout for zero-sugar plant-based protein bars that can pass as candy bars, and today I’m here to share with you my recent finds, my treasures, my pretties: The Barebells Hazelnut & Nougat plant-based protein bar is my current favorite meal-replacement bar (usually breakfast, sometimes lunch) on the rare occasion that a regular meal isn’t possible. The NuGo Slim Chocolate Mint bar has been my daily mid-late afternoon snack for months now, and I’m still not tired of it. If you love chocolate mint as much as I do, you’ll probably enjoy this one! Both of these bars are delicious. Highly recommend.

5). Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein powder.

Garden of Life Sport plant-based protein powder.

With 160 calories, 30 grams of protein, and BCAA’s, this plant-based protein powder has become my post-strength-training-workout staple.

6). Trader Joe’s frozen organic blueberries.

I start almost every day with a quarter cup of frozen berries on my Ezekiel cereal. Frosty, creamy, and sweet, they complement the hearty, crunchy cereal delightfully.

7). Yogi ginger tea.

Another daily staple: hot ginger tea after dinner. For years I drank apple cider vinegar in ice water every night as a post-meal tonic. Not anymore! Mom got me into hot ginger tea, and I haven’t looked back. I like it extra strong, as that’s how it’s spiciest, and I don’t add anything to it.

8). Trader Joe’s Piquant Popcorn.

Popcorn is a whole grain, and this popcorn creation of Trader Joe’s has protein along with other nutrients (from the nootch). It’s our favorite! We split a bag for lunch one day a week; it’s become a weekend tradition. Half a bag has 350 calories and 8 grams of protein. We do eat a few other things in the same sitting, but the popcorn’s the star of the spread.

9). Trader Joe’s frozen Japchae (Korean Sweet Potato Glass Noodles & Vegetable Stir-fry).

(Apologies for the blurry photo!) Trader Joe’s Japchae is our current favorite convenience food for those times it makes the most sense to throw something into the microwave and call it dinner. The delicately seasoned sweet potato glass noodles with stir-fry veggies go beautifully with tofu, Sriracha sauce, and Romaine hearts. We each get our own! You’ll find this Japchae in Trader Joe’s frozen foods section. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you… I’m sorry.

10). Sprout’s lavender-rosewood moisturizing body lotion.

Yikes!! This pic is also blurry! Please to ignore that. I’m not sure what happened.

At any rate! Towering over everything else in my skin-care box, this Sprouts brand body lotion gets nightly use, as I put it on after my shower. It’s lavender, which amounts to sleep-assisting aromatherapy. I like it a lot, though I’ve used richer body lotions in the past. While I’m enjoying this lotion, I’ll have to search for another affordable cruelty-free lotion that’s a little thicker and richer (once I’ve used up this one). My all-time favorite is an Alba Botanica body lotion; I may have to return to it. Meanwhile, I really love this sweet-smelling lotion.

The End. Go forth and try some of this stuff!

And a good-night or good-day to you all. Thank you for being here, for reading and for sticking with me. I appreciate you more than you can know.

Keeping the candles burning. (October Favorites!)

November 8, 2020That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

Saturday’s bright, sunny blue sky and blustery, cool(ish) air made it an ideal fall day here in the desert. October is over, but as far as I’m concerned, spooky season continues with our gradual dip in temperatures.

(Speaking of which, I will have a Geronimo report for you soon, probably a week from today. I haven’t forgotten!)

In keeping with the continuation of spooky season, I’m here to share my October Favorite “little things” with you, my usual smattering of entertainment, food, and products. Scroll down to see the little things that I enjoyed in October!

1). Still/Born (Shudder Original movie)

This film spooked Nenette, who then spooked me when I was myself already a little bit spooked. We basically freaked each other out in the middle of the movie, and I ended up on the phone with Caroline, my partner-in-horror with whom I was watching the movie, and I think I had to finish watching it the next day, as I was preoccupied with Nenette and with being spooked by the entire situation. There was a specific event in the movie that did it. I’ll just say that Still/Born was an effective work of horror, and I do recommend it.

2). The Mortuary Collection (Shudder Original movie)

Like Still/Born, The Mortuary Collection is a Shudder Original. It wasn’t the best movie ever, but I found it to be good fun for Halloween season! It fueled the mood, and I loved it for that.

3). Evil (Netflix)

Evil is an excellent slow burn of a paranormal investigative series that’s available to stream on Netflix. It’s one of those that gradually tucks itself under your skin, almost while you aren’t aware of it, and leaves you with an eerie feeling at the end. That was my experience, anyway. I’m looking forward to Season 2.

4). The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix Original Miniseries)

What I can say about the excellent Netflix miniseries The Haunting of Bly Manor is that it’s a gorgeous, gothic work of horror, skillfully wrought and, in my opinion, deserving of awards nominations. Really beautiful work!

5). To the Lake (Netflix Original series)

In this Russian series (it’s unclear whether it’s a series or a miniseries), we have a virus in a pandemic scenario from which the characters frantically try to escape. It’s not our virus, mind you. It’s a bit on the zombie-ish side. It has a vibe that’s more post-apocalyptic/dystopian, which I adore… and I love that the lead character is played by Kirill Käro, a Russian actor whose work I’d admired in Sniffer and Better Than Us.

6). Roasted, salted pumpkin seeds.

Roasted, salted pumpkin seeds

I snacked on roasted, salted pumpkin seeds throughout the month. I’m more of a salt person than a sweets person, so roasted, salted pumpkin seeds taste more like October to me than pumpkin spice anything.

7). Food Should Taste Good Blue Corn Tortilla Chips.

Food Should Taste Good Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Ingredients: Organic blue corn, high oleic sunflower oil and/or safflower oil and/or canola oil, brown rice flour, flax seed, sesame seed, sunflower seeds, sea salt, quinoa

I found my new favorite brand of blue corn tortilla chip in October. These chips from the brand Food Should Taste Good are thick and crunchy and delicious with sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and quinoa. They’re fabulous for nachos! They’re sturdy enough to hold a whole lot in the way of toppings, and they’re perfectly salted for my tastes.

8). Siete Cashew Queso (Mild Nacho).

Siete Cashew Queso – mild nacho

Ingredients: Water, Cashews, Tomatoes, Carrots, Green Bell Peppers, Nutritional Yeast, Sea Salt, Distilled White Vinegar, Flax Seed, Fermented Extract (Oregano, Flax Seed, and Plum), Coconut Milk Powder, Lactic Acid, Onion Powder, Tomato Powder, Garlic Powder

The texture of this cashew queso may not be quite what you’re used to in a dairy queso, but its flavor is outstanding. This queso with the blue corn tortilla chips above make a wonderful plate of movie theater/convenience store/sports arena-style nachos, even more so when I pile them up with jalapeño peppers, as I always do.

9). Sweet Earth Spicy Kung Pao Plant-Based Jerky.

Sweet Earth Spicy Kung Pau Jerky

Ingredients: VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, WATER, SOY SAUCE (WATER, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, SALT, ALCOHOL), SESAME OIL, GARLIC, GINGER PUREE (GINGER, WATER, CITRIC ACID), SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVORS, 2% OR LESS OF TOASTED SESAME SEEDS, VINEGAR, SZECHUAN PEPPERCORNS, YEAST EXTRACT, SPICES, SALT, CALCIUM LACTATE, LACTIC ACID, SUCCINIC ACID

(All in caps because I copied/pasted the text from the company’s website.)

This is an amazing vegan jerky! I swear to you that if you were to eat this jerky blind, you wouldn’t even suspect that it’s not animal meat. It’s faintly spicy, with the subtle heat developing in the aftertaste.

10). Pacifica Natural Origins High Vibration and Cosmosis Perfumes. (Vegan and cruelty-free)

Pacifica Natural Origins High Vibration and Cosmosis Perfumes

I mentioned these fragrances earlier in October, and I’ve been enjoying them ever since… the sandalwood (High Vibrations) and vanilla (Cosmosis) ones, that is. A co-worker’s assessment is that I now smell like sugary cinnamon, as I’m still using the vanilla-scented hairspray that everyone says makes me smell like sugar cookies. It’s the sandalwood scent that they’re catching on top of the vanilla. I love it, too.

11). JASON Softening Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion.

JASON Softening Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion

I had a Shea Moisture body lotion on a “favorites” list not long ago, and it turned out to be one of those favorite little things that ultimately didn’t work out. It was wonderful at first! It was fabulous until the lotion became separated and required shaking to reintegrate… and after that, it was so thick that it wasn’t coming out of the bottle. At the same time, its scent turned bad. It was weird how it became unusable all of a sudden.

All of this to say that I had to go looking for a replacement, and I’m super digging this JASON product that I picked up from the beauty aisle at the grocery store. I love its scent as much as I did the Shea Moisture one’s before it went bad, and I prefer its consistency over the Shea Moisture’s.

This brings us to the end, my friends. I’m sitting here in the wee hours of Sunday morning, falling asleep. I have a feeling that I’ll be offline most of the day when I wake up, because I’ve got the new Jack Reacher novel sitting here on my desk. Priorities!

Last “little things” loves of 2019! (December Favorites!)

January 7, 2020January 8, 2020That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

Here we are at my final “favorite little things” post of 2019! Somehow, I found a lot to include on December’s list. Let’s jump right into the goods, eh?

1). Knives Out

I love going to the movies on my birthday. This year, I chose Knives Out, and it was a fabulous good time. A classic “whodunit” murder mystery, this film exemplifies outstanding film-making on every level. Daniel Craig with a Southern gentleman accent was a bit disconcerting at first, but it was a part of the fun! Daniel Craig, right? I hadn’t been aware of his gift for comedic timing, either. The entire cast was excellent, but I was particularly impressed with Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas. Highly recommend this one.

2). Reprisal (Hulu Original Series)

Hulu’s Reprisal left us immediately counting the days until S2 drops next year. This was one of those series that started with a slow burn, then fully spread and intensified until we were thoroughly captivated by the end. Reprisal is easily one of my favorite series of 2019.

3). The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (S3) (Amazon Prime Original Series)

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel continues to be marvelous. I’m endlessly impressed with this entire production, and Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein are superb! Also, for me, as far as period pieces go, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel spectacularly fills the void left by Mad Men. Looking forward to S4!

4). You (S2) (Netflix Original Series)

I’m not sure where to begin with Netflix’ You, so let me just sum it up with my appreciation of how the writers took Joe’s shenanegans to another level in Season 2… and how the twist at the end is one of the most brilliant twists I’ve seen in a series. Like Reprisal, Callaghan and I were kind of “eh” at the start, but by episode 4, we were ALL IN. One aspect I particularly enjoyed this time was the added depth given to Joe’s complex psyche. Season 2 is deeper, crazier, more surprising, and just as outstanding as Season 1. You is a rare series in that I actually enjoyed its second season even more than its first.

5). Miyoko’s Un-Lox Your Dreams Vegan Cream Cheese. (Vegan and gluten-free)

Miyoko’s Un-Lox Your Dreams Vegan Cream Cheese

INGREDIENTS: Organic Cashews, Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Cream, Sea Salt, Organic Seaweed, Vegetable Juice For Color, Spices, Cultures.

December started out as I was beginning to eat solid foods again. I felt that I had a lot of catching up to do, and I definitely had several pounds to re-gain after November’s post-oral-surgery menu. This may have biased me when I went to taste Miyoko’s “Un-Lox” vegan cream cheese flavor, but I’m pretty sure that I’d like it just as much under normal circumstances. I haven’t tried a Miyoko’s product that I didn’t like, after all.

6). World Cuisine Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpeas (Sea Salt). (Vegan and gluten-free)

World Cuisine Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpeas (Sea Salt)

INGREDIENTS: Organic Chickpeas, Organic Expeller Pressed Canola and/or Organic Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Organic Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid.

I’m still not biting into anything hard with my front teeth, but I started tossing crunchy snacks into my mouth again around the third week of December. The savory such food I went for was roasted, salted chickpeas. The first few bags I devoured were these from Saffron Road, and then Callaghan went ahead and got me a huge bag of whatever the brand is they have at Costco. Salted crunchy chickpeas are all the same, and they’re all delicious! They’re crunchy, but they’re not hard, corn-nut-level crunchy. I’ve been mixing these chickpeas with raw almonds for my afternoon nosh.

7). Trader Joe’s Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce. (Vegan and gluten-free)

Trader Joe’s Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce

INGREDIENTS: Coconut milk, water, green curry paste (shallot, lemon grass, garlic, green chili, galangal, water, salt, coriander seed, Thai lime peel, ginger, turmeric, white pepper, cumin, citric acid), cane sugar, rice bran oil, modified cornstarch, basil leaf, green chili, salt.

Trader Joe’s satisfied my recent cravings for curry with its prepared green curry simmering sauce. A typical fast, processed lunch I enjoyed in December consisted of Trader Joe’s frozen rice medley (red rice, brown rice, and barley, I think) with this sauce mixed into it. It was like a quick and dirty Thai risotto. I must’ve curried myself out for the time-being, though, because I haven’t been wanting it lately! I loved it and loved it and loved it, and now I’m done. No doubt I’ll cycle back around to it at some point, though.

8). NYX Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil (True Beige Buff). (Vegan and cruelty-free)

NYX Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil

This tinted moisturizer became my new ride-or-die foundation the second I tried it from the tester at Ulta. I wear the shade True Buff Beige, and it’s a perfect match. A little goes a long way when you apply it with your fingers! I use a pea-size dab on each side of my face, and that’s it. I don’t know what else to say about it, really. It just works for my skin, and it’s lovely and it feels amazing and it’s vegan and affordable and available in every drugstore, and, well, I’m going to cry if NYX ever discontinues it. That is all.

9). The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask. (Vegan and cruelty-free)

Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask

I said that I wasn’t going to go crazy on The Body Shop’s website this past Black Friday season, and I didn’t. I only purchased a few items, and I got them at astonishing prices. It had to be one of my proudest retail moments when I ordered $41.00 worth of stuff from The Body Shop and checked out at only $11.60! I had $19.50 worth of promotions, including a $5.00 coupon found by the Honey app, and I also used my birthday month $10.00 voucher. I love that my birthday month is also Black Friday/seasonal scent month! The Body Shop’s seasonal scents are my favorites, as you’ll see in the entry below.

Oh, but first, this mask, you guys. From the first time I used The Body Shop’s Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask, I knew that it was what my skin had been needing. It’d been months since I’d done a daytime mask of any kind. I’m so glad that I tried this one. Another new favorite-favorite, for sure.

10). The Body Shop Juicy Pear seasonal scent (body butter). (Vegan and cruelty-free)

The Body Shop Juicy Pear (2019 seasonal scent) (body butter)

Juicy Pear is one of those seasonal/limited edition scents from The Body Shop that I wish would stick around, it’s so good. It doesn’t really smell like pears to me. It just smells divine. If only they’d keep it and make a spray fragrance of it….

11). Crystal Mineral Deodorant Roll-On (Vanilla Jasmine). (Vegan and cruelty-free)

Crystal Mineral Deodorant Roll-On – Vanilla Jasmine

I ran out of deodorant and decided to try this Crystal roll-on. The Schmidts deodorant worked well for me, so I was surprised that this one worked even better. In fact, it works better than most non-natural deodorants I’ve used! The scent I chose is vanilla jasmine, but it smells herbal and crisp and kind of masculine to me, which I like in a deodorant.

12). Jason Powersmile Anti-Cavity and Whitening Gel. (Vegan and cruelty-free)

JASON Powersmile®
Anti-Cavity & Whitening Gel
Powerful Peppermint

Again, necessity gave me an excuse to try something new. I’m happy with everything this toothpaste has to offer, but my favorite thing has to be its sharp peppermint flavor. My teeth and mouth feel super clean and fresh after brushing with it, and again, a little goes a long way! A small dab on the toothbrush is enough.

So… that is IT for 2019! I hope your New Year is off to a wicked good start.

No tricks, all treats. (November Favorites!)

December 3, 2019December 4, 2019That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

In this “monthly favorites” post, I’m doing something different in including a few recipes. I figured, why not? I believe it was last month that I started posting food ingredients, so this is just an extension of that. If I discover good recipes, then I should share them with you, after all. Good recipes are definitely “little things” that qualify for the “favorites” list.

November was fairly low-key. We saw one good film that we loved, one good streaming series that we enjoyed (and that we’re still watching), one bad series that we also enjoyed, and the new Jack Reacher novel came out at the end of October (which I’m still reading, as I got a late start), and I discovered awesome foodstuffs even before I could eat “for real” again toward the end of the month.

Let’s go!

1). Ford v Ferrari

Fabulous, entertaining flick. Matt Damon and Christian Bale have great chemistry, and if I ever doubted that either of them could act, I’m not doubting it now!

2). Sneaky Pete (Amazon Prime Original Series)

After passing over this Netflix Original Series for years, we finally landed on it and decided to try it. We’re almost at the end of Season 1, and we’re into it! Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) is one of the crime thriller series’ co-creators, and he’s featured in it, as well. It’s interesting to see him in a role other than Walter White. I’m always a little thrown during his scenes. Aside: It’s funny how an actor becomes a character so thoroughly that they’re always that character, no matter how talented they are. In my mind, Jeff Bridges will always be The Dude. Bryan Cranston will always be Walter White.

Anyway, we’re enjoying Sneaky Pete. You might like it, too.

3). The Mist (Netflix)

Here’s the series that apparently everyone in the world hated except for us. I’ve read nothing even remotely positive about this badly rated series, but we really enjoyed it! Granted, I haven’t read the novel, nor have I seen the film version of the story, so I had no basis of comparison… yet there were many others new to The Mist who gave this production a thumbs-down. At any rate, we got into the story and had ourselves a good time watching the series on Netflix.

4). Blue Moon (new Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child)

“Blue Moon” by Lee Child (Jack Reacher novel, 2019)

I’ve only just started reading Lee Child’s new Jack Reacher novel, but I liked it from its opening pages. I would love to get inside Lee Child’s mind to see where/how he comes up with his plot ideas. How many different sorts of adventures can one character have? Reacher lands in the middle of some shit going down every single year. I like some of the stories more than others, but I’m always impressed. REACHER FAN FOR LIFE OVER HERE.

5). Vega Protein Nutrition Shakes. (Vegan and gluten-free)

Vega Protein Nutrition Shakes

These ready-made protein shakes saved me in the month following my surgery! I’d usually mix up my own, but drinking two of these a day, it was just easier to grab them from the fridge. I like both the chocolate and the vanilla, but the chocolate is my favorite!

Ingredients and nutrients in a nutshell and quoted directly from Vega’s site (“sic” all the way through):

20 grams protein: each bottle has 20 grams plant-based protein from a multisource blend of pea protein, hemp protein, and pumpkin seed protein
Veggies & greens: with ingredients including spinach powder, kale powder, carrot juice powder, and organic spirulina
25% DV of at least 11 vitamins and minerals
3-4 grams fiber: Vanilla flavor has 3 grams fiber, or 12% DV, while Chocolate flavor has 4 grams fiber, or 16% DV. The fiber in both flavors comes primarily from flaxseed
1 gram Omega-3 ALA: You’ll get essential fatty acids from flaxseed

6). Imagine Organic Miso Broth. (Vegan and gluten-free)

Imagine Organic Miso Broth

INGREDIENTS: Filtered Water, Organic Yellow and Red Miso Paste (Organic Whole Soybeans, Organic Rice, Sea Salt, Koji Starter [Aspergillus Oryzae]), Organic Flavors, Organic Onion Powder, Natural Flavors, Organic Evaporated Cane Syrup, Organic Potato Starch, Yeast Extract, Organic Ginger Juice, Organic Expeller Pressed Canola Oil and/or Organic Safflower Oil and/or Organic Sunflower Oil.

This miso broth was another life-saver, the warm and savory to Vega’s cold and sweet. I love adding silken tofu to this broth. Did you know that you can eat silken tofu without chewing it? Neither did I.

7). Mandarin oranges.

Mandarins

Once I could eat again, I found that mandarins are great for when you can’t bite into fruit and you want to add to your selection of bite-size options. I’ve been cutting up strawberries and tossing them into a bowl with red grapes and mandarin slices to make a little bite-size fruit bowl for dessert, and it’s wonderful!

8). One Degree Organic Foods Sprouted Oat Vanilla Chia Granola. (Vegan and gluten-free)

One Degree Organic Foods Sprouted Oat Vanilla Chia Granola

INGREDIENTS: Sprouted gluten-free organic oats, organic cane sugar, sprouted organic brown rice, organic sunﬂower oil, organic ﬂax seeds, sprouted organic sunﬂower seeds, organic chia seeds, organic vanilla, unreﬁned salt, tocopherols (Vitamin E).

This granola! Is so! Delicious! Enough said.

9). Impossible Pumpkin Pie (recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie). (Vegan)

Impossible Pumpkin Pie, aka Crustless Pumpkin Pie (recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie)

WHAT I PUT INTO THIS PIE: Pumpkin puree, plain unsweetened soy milk, flaxseed meal, agave syrup, whole wheat flour, canola oil, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, baking powder

(For the exact ingredients list, see Katie’s recipe)

The whole concept of Thanksgiving is still somewhat foreign to my French husband. He never liked pumpkin pie, and he typically dislikes pumpkin anything (pumpkin is very New World and pretty much doesn’t figure in French cuisine), but he loved this pie that I made for Thanksgiving this year! I loved it, too. I made another one this morning and took the pic you see above.

This dessert is called “Impossible” because it’s a crustless pie. The flour you mix in with the other ingredients gives it a structure while it maintains the classic pumpkin pie texture. (You can see in the pic how it kind of forms its own “crust.”) I got verification of its awesomeness when one of my exacting Thanksgiving guests – a pumpkin pie purist, mind you – remarked that “it tastes just like pumpkin pie.” I suspect that if it doesn’t taste “healthy” to him, it won’t taste “healthy” to anyone.

You can use whatever sweetener you want, and Chocolate Covered Katie gives options to make the pie gluten-free and/or fat-free, so there’s a version of this simple and easy recipe for everyone. And I do mean it’s easy: you mix everything together by hand and pour it into the pie pan without having to deal with a pastry, and it’s in the oven for less than 30 minutes. Clean-up is easy, too. You need this recipe in your life if you like pumpkin pie.

10). Single Serving Chocolate Chip Cookie Baked Oatmeal (recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie). (Vegan)

Single Serving Chocolate Chip Cookie Baked Oatmeal, aka Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal for One (recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie)

WHAT I PUT INTO THESE OATMEAL SQUARES: Rolled oats, plain unsweetened coconut milk yogurt, plain unsweetened soy milk, agave syrup, peanut butter, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, mini chocolate chips [ETA: I use Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips… they’re vegan.]

(For the exact ingredients list, see Katie’s recipe)

I wanted to eat oatmeal. I was not in the mood for oatmeal. I was tired of mushy food. I had a feeling that Chocolate Covered Katie’s The Healthy Dessert Blog would hold the answer, and it did. Put 1/2 cup of oats into a bowl, she said, and mix in these other things, and throw the whole shebang into the oven, and there you go – oatmeal that isn’t oatmeal.

Like the pie, this baked oatmeal is so simple and so good. The most difficult part is having to break it to Callaghan that the oatmeal isn’t for sharing. It’s one serving, the same serving I’d have were I to make it the traditional way. It looks like a lot because I make it in a loaf pan and cut it up into squares, but it’s really not a lot. In fact, it’s not enough.

I did tell him that I’d make him his own pan, though. No guilt!

Also, I think that Chocolate Covered Katie is my new spirit animal.

The End.

p.s. December’s already grand, because I started the month by going back to the gym!! I did my first Body Pump workout in a month yesterday.

Warm days, chilly nights, good horror. (October Favorites!)

November 5, 2019That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

October’s short horror posts left little room for daily-life or other content here, so all that kind of thing will pick up again henceforth. First, a look back at the little things I enjoyed in the tenth month of the year!

I bring to you a few films, a streaming T.V. series, some food items, skin care, and make-up. As usual, the food items are vegan (plant-based), and the skin care and cosmetic items are vegan (no animal ingredients) and cruelty-free (not tested on animals). I’ve also got a song/music video for you this time!

All of the viewables on this list are horrific in their unique and unexpected ways, might I add. Altogether, they amplified everything I love about October. It was a good “favorites” month, for sure.

Without further ado!

1). Joker

It’s always satisfying when a movie I’m anticipating exceeds my expectations. Joker accomplished this in brutally raw fashion. Joaquin Phoenix acted the hell out of this character, a comic book villain who didn’t seem like one, at all, because the film didn’t come across as a comic book film. Joker is a very real, very human story… a story about the making of a monster.

2). Parasite (Gisaengchung)

Parasite was brought to life by Bong Joon Ho, the genius behind Okja (Netflix); like Okja, Parasite is a masterpiece. It’s also scarce. If you can find this Korean film in a theater within your reach, I’d 100% approve of your decision to chase it down. Be prepared for a dramedy that gets pretty dark!

3). Suspiria (Amazon Prime Video)

Suspiria had been on my “to watch” list for months, so when it came to my attention that it was available on Amazon Prime Video, I wasted no time. Incidentally, this horror remake features Tilda Swinton, who was also in Okja, the brilliant film created by the guy who did Parasite (above). I’m convinced that Tilda Swinton’s otherworldly talent makes Suspiria creepier than it would be been without her, but the story’s creep-factor is solid.

4). Creepshow (Shudder Original Series)

I believe I’ve already raved about this Shudder Original Series somewhere in a past post. Creepshow is horror I’d characterize as good fun. Highly recommend!

5). Marilyn Manson’s cover of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” (and official video)

Thick in this current cycle of my Marilyn Manson obsession, Manson went and dropped a cover of my favorite folk song, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.” I popped the video into this post so that you may appreciate the man’s cutting and creeptastic artistic vision, as well. Manson growls out the song’s darkness in glorious Manson form – he digs his own grave and buries himself alive – though the song is plenty dark on its own. (Johnny Cash’s chilling version is still my favorite. Manson’s is a close second.)

Allow me to take this minute to whine about missing Marilyn Manson’s show when he played here on Sunday night. YES – Marilyn Manson performed at the Van Buren downtown two nights ago, and where was I? NOT THERE, that’s where. Not only that, but he performed “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” which he’d dropped in conjunction with his tour. I’m dying. Anyway.

6). Mighty Manna Bread (Carrot Raisin). (Vegan)

Mighty Manna Bread in Carrot Raisin

INGREDIENTS: Sprouted organic wheat kernels, filtered water, organic carrots, organic raisins.

(I’ve decided to start including the ingredients of my food favorites, so you can see what you’d be putting into your body were you to eat these things.)

I’ve tried several varieties of Mighty Manna’s delicious, dense, sticky-sweet breads, but this carrot raisin one is my favorite so far. I love it for breakfast! I cut the bread into thick slabs and bake a couple of them in the toaster oven until the outside edges are slightly crisp, and then I slather them with organic almond butter.

I’m incorporating more gluten into my diet these days, but I’m choosing sprouted grains as much as possible. So far, so good.

7). Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread. (Vegan)

Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread

INGREDIENTS: Organic Sprouted Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Sprouted Barley, Organic Sprouted Millet, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Lentils, Organic Sprouted Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Spelt, Fresh Yeast, Organic Wheat Gluten, Sea Salt.

I’ve cycled back around to Ezekiel bread with its yummy, wholesome sprouted grains. It’s a classic, and I’ll always love it!

8). Kitehill Almond Milk Cream Cheese (plain). (Vegan)

Kitehill Almond Milk Cream Cheese (plain)

INGREDIENTS: Almond Milk (Water, Almonds), Salt, Enzyme, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Lactic Acid, Cultures.

This almond milk cream cheese is so light and creamy!! I’ve enjoyed Kitehill’s vegan cream cheese in the past, but I don’t remember it being like this (though it was also amazing).

9). Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion. (Vegan and cruelty-free)

Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion

Between this product and the cosmetic item below, you’ll see what I mean when I say that I generally spend more money on skin care than I do on make-up. I love Nourish Organic’s products, so I wasn’t surprised to find that I love this face lotion.

10). e.l.f. 16HR Camo Concealer. (Vegan and cruelty-free)

e.l.f. 16HR Camo Concealer

I had to blink the first time I put this on and looked in the mirror; I could not believe what I was seeing. This liquid concealer seemed to effortlessly erase the dark circles under my eyes. e.l.f. continues to astound me… it’s sorcery, what they do. I’ve used pricey concealers by Urban Decay, Tarte, and NARS, and they were all good, but e.l.f.’s humble little $6.00 concealer is my holy grail of concealers. It’s PURE MAGIC.

On that note, I’ll close out this list… it’s a good and appropriate note for October.

Much ado about the usual, but different… (December Favorites!)

January 3, 2019January 6, 2019That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

We’re here today because, as usual, I’m compelled to share with you some of the past month’s riches. It’s all quite predictable. A movie. Some streaming series. Foods I’ve been eating with great enjoyment all month. A couple of products I’ll definitely re-purchase.

This month, though, I’m going to start with a person. Maybe I’ll make a habit of this!

1). Favorite Body Pump Bitcher and Moaner: RON.

This is Ron. Ron does not wish to be photographed in the wild. Ron’s favorite thing to do in Body Pump is bitch and moan. Ron has an answer for everything. When the instructor says “shoulder rolls,” Ron says “CINNAMON ROLLS.” When the instructor says “you can increase your weights,” Ron says “okay, I’ll decrease my weights.” When the instructor says “moving on to the lunge track!” Ron says “You mean the shoulder track. We already did lunges.” Ron loves lunges the MOST! Body Pump instructors everywhere: if Ron turns up in your class (you’ll know it’s him because he’ll be the one bitching and moaning about lunges before class even starts), make sure to do seven tracks of lunges.

(Thank you, Ron. LOL.)

2). The Possession of Hannah Grace

This film in a few words: spooky, dark, claustrophobic, fantastic. Horror fans, you’ll want to see this one. It’s not the demon-possession flick you’re used to seeing. That’s all I’m going to say.

3). The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Netflix)

We sprang for this series on a whim, and we’re so glad that we did! As Aunt Zelda would say, “HAIL SATAN.”

4). The Kominsky Method (Netflix)

I also recommend this smart series about a pair of longtime friends and Hollywood legends of yore. We found The Kominsky Method to be surprisingly fresh and delightful considering it features a couple of crotchety oldsters. Highly recommend!

5). Dumplin’ (Netflix Original Movie)

Again in a few words: powerful, moving, funny, sharp. We loved this Netflix film, and it’s not of a genre we usually prefer. The film is sorely underrated, in my humble opinion. I found Dumplin’ to be pretty much perfect, and I would see it again. I recommend that you see it, too!

6). Tinkyáda Pasta Joy Brown Rice Pasta (spaghetti style). (Vegan and gluten-free)

Tinkyada Pasta Joy Brown Rice Pasta (spaghetti)

I swear you’d never suspect that this pasta is gluten-free! You must try it to believe it. It’s amazing.

7). Victoria Vegan Alfredo Red Pepper Sauce. (Vegan and gluten-free)

Victoria Vegan Alfredo Red Pepper Sauce

We tried every pasta sauce in Victoria Vegan’s line, and this alfredo red pepper version was our favorite. To be honest, all of the sauces started out well and then disappointed with their slightly bitter aftertastes, but any bitterness at the end of this one melded perfectly with the sauce, itself. Victoria Vegan’s alfredo red pepper sauce is delicious.

8). Miyoko’s Organic European Style Cultured Vegan Butter. (Vegan and gluten-free)

Miyoko’s Organic European Style Cultured Vegan Butter

Earth Balance will always be a staple, but now we have another buttery spread favorite in Miyoko’s Organic European Style Cultured Vegan Butter. It’s so good!

9). Vega Protein Snack Bar (Coconut Almond). (Vegan and gluten-free)

Vega Protein Snack Bar (coconut almond)

Another month, another protein bar, I know. I can’t walk by a vegan protein bar without picking it up. I’ve found a lot of “favorites” in recent months, and I’m still noshing on them all… but this one. This one, guys, is my MOST favorite favorite. I’m borderline obsessed with this bar. I tried a few other flavors in this line, and I found them to be as disgusting as this one is superb. Vega is like that, in general, I’ve noticed. I either hate their products or really, really love them.

10). Alba Botanica Hawaiian Body Oil Deep Moisturizing Kukui Nut. (Vegan and cruelty-free)

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Body Oil – Deep Moisturizing Kukui Nut

Yet another product from Alba Botanica’s Hawaiian line that I adore! My ride-or-die cleansers are still Alba Botanica’s Hawaiian facial cleanser, facial scrub, and plumeria shampoo, and now I’m hooked on their body oil, too. I smooth this on at night, in the shower before I dry off. It’s moisturizing, light, and not the slightest bit greasy.

11). The Body Shop Blueberry Body Butter. (Cruelty-free)

The Body Shop Blueberry Body Butter

This body butter arrived as a free gift with my Black Friday purchases. I’m glad that this was the “surprise” scent they threw in, because I wouldn’t have tried it otherwise! This body butter smells divine. I’ve tried several other body butters from The Body Shop before, and they all smelled delicious, but this one. I’m already almost halfway through the large pot, and it’s only been a month. If The Body Shop expands their blueberry scent into a full product line, I’ll be all in.

La fin! Happy Friday Eve, everyone!

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