NBD: QUINOA

Hello!  Within the past couple months I have been cooking healthier meals so I thought I would share some of my nutritious but delicious (NBD) finds.  First up is quinoa! I exercise with weights regularly, so it is important that I consume enough protein and quinoa fits the bill.  Unlike most grains, quinoa is a complete protein source.  In addition, quinoa contains about twice the amount of calcium as whole wheat.  The list of health benefits goes on and on so for those who are curious, feel free to do some more research.

Quinoa is a versatile grain, as it can be used in soups, salads, or as a side dish.  My favorite way to prepare quinoa thus far is simply mixed with veggies.  I purchase Trader Joe's Organic Tricolor Quinoa but any brand and variety will do.  Following the proportions given on the package, I prepare it over the stovetop and add half a package of Trader Joe's reduced sodium chicken broth.  You can certainly simmer the quinoa in plain water, but I enjoy the added flavor of the chicken broth. Once the quinoa has been simmering for about 10 minutes, I will start to add the vegetables.  What's great about this dish is that any veggies will do.  In this case, I used green beans, peas, spinach and sweet potato because that's what I happened to have in the fridge.

For dinner, I will pair this with seasoned chicken breasts for a simple, low-fat, high protein and fiber meal. Enjoy!

RECIPE | MANGO HONEY SMOOTHIE

Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits.  In fact, last week I had mangoes in three different forms: frozen, dried and fresh! Today I bring you a painfully easy mango smoothie courtesy of one of my friends.  While in Mo'orea she told me she loves to blend mangoes, milk and honey as a refreshing drink. Ever since then I have been aching to give it a try.  I didn't use any exact measurements and you can tailor the proportions to your own personal preference.  Using a small Magic Bullet type blender, I filled it about 2/3 of the way with frozen mangoes, letting the milk (2%) fill the crevices up to the same 2/3 level.  Then, I added about a teaspoon of honey for a little extra sweetness.  Blend it all together and voila, a delicious smoothie!  I can't wait to try adding some frozen pineapples and strawberries too.

RECIPE | OVEN "FRIED" CHICKEN

Here's the first of what I hope to be many "From the Kitchen" posts.  Living in my own apartment this year, away from my mother's wonderful cooking, has taught me to appreciate the art of preparing meals.  I have always loved to bake but I now also hunger (see what I did there?) for exciting new dinner recipes that don't break the bank or take too much time to prepare.  The following oven "fried" chicken recipe is one my mom has been using for years.  It's nothing revolutionary but every time I take a bite, I can't help but think how little effort it took to make something so scrumptious.  Plus, it tastes just like fried chicken (maybe even better) but it's baked!

What you'll need: 

Corn Flakes

Mayonnaise

Black Pepper

Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Garlic Salt

Herbs of choice 

Chicken cut (s) of choice

Greased cooking pan

Preheat oven to 375

prep time: 7 minutes

cooking time: 50 minutes

Step 1. Crush the Corn Flakes.  I used a bread pan, but a bowl would work just fine.  The amount of corn flakes you will need will depend on how much chicken you will be cooking.  I used about 1.5 cups for two large chicken thighs.  You can always add more Corn Flakes if necessary. I like to add some Corn Flakes, crush them a little, and then repeat the process.  This way, you will end up with some very fine crumbs as well as larger crumbs (this helps ensure that the entire surface of the chicken is covered).  

Step 2. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over each piece of chicken.  It gets pretty messy, but I just used my hands to spread it around.  It is inevitable that your hands will be covered in chicken juice and Corn Flakes anyways, so why not a little mayo? 

Step 3. Roll the chicken in the pan of Corn Flakes. 

Step 4. Add the seasonings! Again, the amount of seasoning will depend on the amount of chicken and also your personal preference.  I particularly enjoy Lawry's Season Salt and Garlic Salt so I add a few dashes to each piece of chicken.  A couple dashes of black pepper and a pinch of your favorite herbs (I used basil and oregano) and you're ready to pop those babies in the oven.  Bake at 375 for 50 minutes on a greased pan.  You do not have to flip the chicken half way through or else you will lose the Corn Flake coating.  

Bon Apetit! 

UPDATE!!!

The Mo'orean gods may be on my side! This afternoon, just after I had come back from finishing my experiment, my professor excitedly told me that someone MAY HAVE FOUND MY CAMERA! A very kind gentleman asked for my name and the make of the camera and said his friend had found a camera in the ocean and it had pictures of fish and cages, the exact ones I was disassembling at the time.  I gave him the number of the station and he said either he or his friend would call and let me know if it was indeed my camera.  I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I get my camera back!

Mo'orea: Day 35

Quite contrary to yesterday's more somber post, this morning was exhilarating.  We dove at the fore reef, which is the reef just outside the lagoon.  A couple of years ago an Acanthaster (Crown of Thorns Seastar) outbreak devastated the live coral but now, the reef is making a great recovery and we were able to witness new coral recruits popping up on top of the dead coral.  We dropped down to about twenty-five feet, with a great expanse of reef below us and clear blue water in every direction.  My dive buddy and I were assigned to lead our small pack, keeping a slow pace, which allowed us to observe the intricate details of the reef.  As we followed the contours of the reef, with its flat plains separated by mini valleys, life was surely abundant.  It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

There was such a wealth of diversity and creatures so beautiful, they seemed unreal. Eels glared at us with their wide white eyes and open jaws, lavender soft corals swayed with the surge and neon yellow sponges made bright appearances amongst the drab mix of browns and grays of the dead coral.  As we swam up the small ridges, masses of fish appeared like a mirage over the road on a warm summer day.  Chaetodonts (butterfly fish) elegantly moved through the water so close to us that we could see the fine details of their patterns.  For the most part, the fish were unalarmed by our presence, swimming with us as if we were fish too.  Black tip reef sharks would glide right in front of us, and my heart would pound quite quickly whenever they got too close.  However, they are relatively small and unaggressive, so there wasn't much worry there.

 As we neared the end of our dive, I noticed a large fish swimming towards us, so I tapped my dive buddy to point it out to him.  Within a few seconds we realized it was not just a large fish, but in fact an 8 foot lemon shark.  He grabbed for my arm, and I squeezed back, afraid that this shark, much bulkier and obviously larger than the fairly docile black tips, was headed straight for us.  Fish began swimming in our direction, only adding to our fear that perhaps we should be swimming away too.  Since my dive buddy and I were in the lead, we were the first to notice the lemon shark, and I looked over my shoulder to see if anyone else had noticed what lay ahead (they hadn't yet, but they would in a matter of seconds).  Although I was intimidated by the size and prehistoric demeanor of the shark, I somehow lost most of the fear and was instead in a state of awe.  I felt so honored to be able to witness some of the ocean's most fascinating creatures and also proud of myself for taking the leap of faith and learning to dive.  Mind you, all of this took place within twenty seconds and before the shark came within fifteen feet, it decided it was uninterested in us and veered in the other direction.

Although the ride back was choppy and I normally would have been sea sick, I could not help but smile, even with the wind and rain striking my face.  It would have been more than ideal to have my camera on that dive, but I still have my eyes and that experience will stay with me forever.

It is starting to pour now and I think it is the island mourning our approaching departure.  Maybe not; the rain has already stopped.

Mo'orea: Day 33

No matter how many shooting stars you wish on, sometimes things just don't go your way.  This past week has been quite unlucky for me.  Two of the most expensive and important items I brought on this trip are now either in need of repair or lost at sea.  First, my SCUBA regulator started making funny noises and I have since been using the class regulator and a friend's extra BC.  Then yesterday while diving, my camera, which is extremely buoyant, came out of my mesh bag while getting out my clipboard.  There was a strong current, which swiftly took it away and is now floating somewhere in Opunohu Bay.

So much money has gone into this trip and I now just lost a substantial chunk of it.  Luckily, the regulator can be fixed and I have been able to borrow equipment.  I am terribly sad about my camera though.  I was really starting to fall in love with it, maybe even enjoying it as much as my DSLR.  It was so portable and was able to capture all of the colors and lighting as well as or better than real life. It is such a shame since I have an extra day on this island and we were planning on dedicating it to taking photos (one of the other individuals that is staying an extra day is also into photography).  

Although this week may not have been the most fortunate, I cannot bring myself to get too worked up about it.  This island is just too beautiful.  Minutes after losing my camera, I saw a shark.  Then, on the drive back, a rainbow, the sunrise over Tahiti this morning and three rays this afternoon.  I realized how lucky I am just to be here.  An expensive trip no doubt, but a luxury most can only dream of.  I am still in one piece, only suffering minor cuts and bites compared to the rest of my classmates.  I have learned so much and my research has the potential to be considered for publishing.  It's a mix of emotions, but mostly I'm glad to be going home.  I cannot wait to be dry for more than 24 hours, to smell of fresh laundry rather than mildew and sea water, to see my family and friends and be back to a place where things don't often break or get lost.  

Mo'orea: Day 30

It has been exactly a month since I left Los Angeles for this tropical paradise.  Somehow, the time has gone by both fast and slow all at once.  Fast when I think about how long a month feels like at UCLA, yet slow when I consider how much our projects have transformed from our days in the Botany classroom.  The upcoming week will surely be the former with so much left to pack into our last days here.

It is difficult to describe every detail that has happened since my last post, but one theme definitely stands out in my mind, which is teamwork.  I am so thankful for the great dynamic of both my project teams.  However, even more impressive is the willingness of groups helping each other.  So many of us have been injured or ill and it warms my heart to see other groups eagerly stepping in to be a dive buddy, or to help remove algae from cages.

On a lighter note, I have finally succumb to the wrath of insect bites.  This whole trip, I have managed to get by with only a few mosquito bites here and there, with none of them itching (which is not the norm-everyone else seems to have been suffering from much more severe insect attacks).  A few days ago however, I woke up with 8 bites terribly itchy bites on my left leg and arm.  Even after using After Bite (anti-itch bug bite gel) I can barely keep myself from scratching.  I still consider myself lucky though, if this is the greatest extent of my injuries/illnesses.  No jellyfish stings, no sunburns, and thank goodness no urchin spines in my feet.  I sure hope I didn't just jinx myself!

P.S. Hopefully more pictures will be coming soon!

Mo'orea: Day 19

Although perhaps not the most productive day in terms of projects, it was none the less quite packed.  After breakfast, we once again sampled along 5 transects in Gump Reef, counting Lithophaga in Porites lobata for three hours.  The data did not look promising, but I am hoping that when we compare the data to other sites, it will reveal more about the infaunal community of coral heads.  Then, after lunch and some data entry, my group and I decided to visit the juice factory just down the road.  We were a few minutes late for the tour, but they were gracious enough to give us our own.  The factory was very hot and humid but it was interesting to see the whole pineapples complete the process of becoming packaged juice.  Along the tour, we came across the jam station and it just so happened that a taste test was being completed, so we got to try some pamplemousse (grapefruit) jam which was so delicious!  The grapefruits here and much unlike those in America, these are green and much less bitter.  

Back in the classroom, I picked up a Tahiti travel book and learned some interesting things about the Society Islands.  First, the seviche often served at meals is actually a popular dish on the islands and the cream I have been tasting is actually coconut milk.  Also, the black pearl market is only second to tourism.      Which reminds me, I still have to set the black pearl I have from Hawaii.  

After dinner, I lay on the dock to watch the stars with a few other girls.  The night was very clear and the Milky Way shone bright.  We found Saturn, Mars and a few other constellations, but mostly, we made up our own.  I saw a total of six shooting stars that night, remembering to make wishes on each one.  As I lay there, the smell of deet reminded me of fishing.  It has been a while since we have gone as a family, but I can picture some of those moments with perfect clarity.  Of course, I will never forget the time I fell in the river at Mammoth.  I thought about how far away I am from home, yet at the same time, in comparison to the distance from the stars, I also felt so close and so tiny in this expanse of universe.  

Mo'orea: Day 16

I finally found some time to upload photos, so here are some from this evening's sunset (really last night's since I'm writing in the following morning). We headed over to the Hilton down the road but unfortunately, left a little too late.  I did capture a few nice photos along the walk though.  

Mo'orea: Day 13

This morning it dawned (no pun intended) on me that more than a third of this trip has gone by.  Each day has been so busy that I barely even realized how much time had passed.  This morning began with breakfast at 6:30, consisting of the usual baguette with an assortment of tropical jams, peanut butter and Nesse (Nutella) as well as Q-Rox (Cocoa Puffs), K-Rox (Kix), and Frosted Flakes.  The milk here is sold non-refrigerated so our milk is often warm at breakfast, in which case I do not have cereal on those days. Luckily, it was cold today so I opted for the Q-Rox.  Most of my classmates find it odd that I include the food I eat in my journal, but frankly, I find it quite interesting.  Although our diet here is not entirely different from what I am used to, I find the differences fascinating.  There is definitely much less meat and hardly any eggs with our meals.

Anyways, on with the rest of my day.  At 7:30, we loaded up a motor boat with our dive gear, a small flotation boat and survey equipment and headed for the reef crest.  We were then dropped off, leaving us only with the inflatable boat (not meant as a life preserver) in wind driven waves.  Our task was to survey Porites Lobata (a species of coral) for the presence of Lithophaga drill holes. Lithophaga is also known as the date mussel and bores into coral heads.  Unfortunately, the strong current and lack of Lithophaga made this morning's adventure a bit unsuccessful.  Every time we were surveying a coral head, the current would knock us into another coral head.  Luckily, our professor came back for us not long after we had completed our surveying.

Just as we docked back at Gump Station, we decided to join another group heading to Maharepa on the other side of the bay.  The reef there was filled with Porites Rus (another species of coral) and a fair number of fish.  Other people have seen sea turtles and sharks, but sadly, I did not see any today.

After lunch, we continued our never ending task of sorting sediment.  For hours every other afternoon, we have to sort through bags of sediment taken from the reef crest.  By now, it wreaks of decaying organisms and sea water, making this task even more unpleasant.  Using forceps, we must sort the sediment into different piles: shells, coral rubble, algae flakes, urchin spines, etc.  It's like if there were 10 different types of rice all mixed together and you had to separate each type.  Luckily, we only have one more day left of sorting.

Finally, after dinner we have to write our proposals for one of our group projects (which I will do right after I finish this post).  As you can tell, each day is packed.  I never spend more than five waking minutes in my room, which I don't mind since our rooms are somewhat rudimentary.  I will have to include a photo when I return.

Tomorrow should be another busy day, as we begin our second day of our other group projects (each person has two group projects: one for each professor).  Our site for this project is the beautiful sailing school.  It looks like something you would see on a postcard and the life below water is just as wonderful.

Time to write my proposal!

sailing school

Mo'orea: Day 4

Work officially began today with setting up some of our class projects.  By 8:00 A.M. we were in the water, collecting turbinaria (a species of algae) from the dead coral heads.  Using paint scrapers, I swam around the reef looking for small turbinaria, loosening their holdfasts and placing them in my ziploc bag.  After returning my collection to shore, I swam back out to fill a plastic tub with 20 liters of water.  During the next few hours, we sorted, spun, weighed and measured the turbinaria, prepping them for their designated treatments.  It began to pour at this point and luckily we were almost finished. Rain here is quite the opposite of the rain experienced in LA.  I normally dislike walking around in the rain, but here, it is so warm and we are usually still wet from coming out of the ocean that a little more water doesn't make a difference.

After lunch, we set out the experimental treatments from the morning.  As a group leader, I was charged with the hammer and a compass, navigating my classmates from site to site.  At each site, we nailed the cages to the dead coral heads and used cable ties to secure the cages to the nails.  It again began to rain and soon the water became chilly.  However, work continued and we nailed in about ten cages.  I felt like a true marine scientist, directing a team and working underwater.

The work continued until dinner, as we sorted through halimeda (another species of algae) to find mesograzers (invertebrates smaller than 2 cm).  Although the work was tedious, it was quite fascinating.  We found teeny brittle stars, snails, hermit crabs, urchins, crabs, worms, and so many other little creatures.  It amazed me how small these organisms are, and yet they look just like their adult counterparts.

Our days spent in and out of the water, leaving everyone famished by the time our 6:00 dinner rolls around.  The moment we finish cleaning up the lab, we all rushed over to the kitchen to eat.  Tonight's dinner consisted of pasta, clam chowder, cucumber and green bean salad, pamelo (I'm not exactly sure that's what it's called) and of course, French bread.  After dinner, we went over tomorrow's procedures for our next class project.  We will be taking boats to the reef crest to sample sediment and I will be one of the divers for my boat.  I never imagined I would learn to dive and even when I began to, I was not comfortable underwater.  After my weekend class trip to Catalina in February, I now look forward to diving. I love observing marine life: the damselfish guarding its turf of algae, the juvenille Picasso Fish darting in and out of crevices in the rocks and nudibranchs crawling on the dead coral.

Overall, these past four days have been more than I could have hoped for.  I know the real work is yet to begin, but I am still looking forward to those long days because I know they will be worth the effort. Oh look, it's almost 9:00, going to hit the sack pretty soon.

"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a [wo]man healthy, wealthy and wise." -Benjamin Franklin

Mo'orea: Day 2

No introduction, no matter how eloquent, could do arriving in Mo'orea justice.  This island is breathtakingly beautiful.  As we rode the bus around the island, I felt like a dog staring out the window: wind in my face, smiling in bliss.  To my right were steep mountain peaks blanketed in lush vegetation and to my left was a vibrant turquoise ocean, waves breaking at the fore reef.

Yesterday we arrived at the Gump station around 9:30 and soon after unpacking, we jumped in the water for a snorkel.  The warm waters hosted a wealth of marine life.  It was so exciting to be able to see all of the fishes, algae and invertebrates we had been learning about in class for the past three weeks.  After dinner, I lay on the dock and gazed at the stars.  The slight breeze and bright Milky Way were the perfect ending to a perfect arrival here on this island.

This morning began with breakfast at 6:30.  I'm loving all of the fresh baguettes with our meals! After reviewing some of the fish found in Mo'orea we headed to the motus by boat.  First, we stopped to snorkel with the sting rays and we were soon joined by black tip reef sharks!  Before this trip, I thought I would be petrified if I ever saw a shark while in the water, but somehow, all that fear disappeared once I jumped in the water this morning.  Next, we headed to the motu, coral islands formed thousands of years ago.  The scenery was unreal, like something you only see from postcards.  The water was even clearer than at Gump and the diversity of fishes also much greater.  The Christmas tree worms were so cute and I tried multiple times to get a nice picture of them, but I was too buoyant and couldn't stay down long enough to get the camera to focus.  I will have to make more attempts while on SCUBA.

Not sure what is in store for the rest of tonight and tomorrow, but that uncertainty keeps everyday exciting.  We must be going on the death snorkel either tomorrow or within the next couple days.  I'm a little nervous, but my soul is so blissful right now, I cannot get anxious over it, even if I try.

black tip reef sharks and rays on our way to the motus

giant clam-I love their vibrant colors!

an old ship from our tour of the island

Hex Nuts Bracelets Mini Sale!

Spring break may have come and gone in a flash, but I still managed to pick up supplies to make a few more hex nut bracelets.  There is something so fulfilling about sharing your hand crafted items with friends and family, so here I am, sharing with all of you!

available

available

wait list

1 left!

white bangle is from H&M

made the bracelet on the right from scraps (sneak peek at my next sale?)

All bracelets will be $12!

As you may know, I will be leaving for French Polynesia in 9 days, so let me know ASAP if you would like one.  I'll be making more, along with other designs when I return. :)

Countdown to Moorea: 16 Days

Today marks day 4 of my Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ) experience.  I wish I could have started from day 1, but I've been so busy that I just haven't been able to sit down and write until now.

It has been almost a year since I was accepted into this program and the time since then has been a journey in itself.  I have spent the latter half of summer up until now learning to dive on S.C.U.B.A, training for my open water as well as scientific diver certifications.  Hours of practice, emotional and physical stress and thousands of dollars later, I am here.  I am 16 days away from embarking on what will likely be the most exciting experience of my whole undergraduate career.

image courtesy of worldislandparadise.com

NOTD: Spring Hearts

This was actually my Valentine's Day mani but it's still perfect for spring.  OPI's Malaysian Mist is a beautiful blush rose color.  However, it is very sheer and takes me 4 coats, and even then it is not fully opaque.  Please disregard the gash on my index finger.  The many layers of polish took quite a while to dry and I accidentally hit something before it was fully set.  I hate when that happens!

OPI Malaysian Mist

Essie A Cut Above

Jessica White Cap

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

NOTD: Turquoise and Gold

China Glaze's For Audrey is like wearing Tiffany & Co. boxes on your nails!  It is a lovely eggshell blue that is fully opaque in two coats.  I love pairing it with a gradient gold glitter effect, as I find the two colors very complimentary.  This glitter gradient on the tips is one of my go-to manis, as it hides any imperfections in the base color application and it is also easy to touch up any chips.

China Glaze's For Audrey

NYX Prismatic

Milani 3D Holographic-510

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

NOTD: Flakies!

Hello everyone! My first post will be none other than a NOTD (nails of the day).  Flakie manicures first caught my eye almost a year ago and I finally got around to trying my own.  Although the blue/green and even violet iridescence of the flakies reflect gorgeously off the deep turquoise of Dive Bar,  cannot say I will be sporting these nails often.  For me, they are not very wearable, as I tend to sport brighter, fresher colors and designs.

Essie's Dive Bar

Pa AA42

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat