Dear Allergies, I Think We Have to Breakup

It's that time of year again where the birds are chirping, the sun is shinning and those darn flowers.... trees..... grass..... weeds.... and everything else is pollinating. Oh joy! Now please don't get me wrong, I love this time of year. Nothing gets me more thrilled that shaking off the winter coats and being able to walk outside barefoot without the risk of frostbite. My issue is with all these spawning plants, my face has swollen to the point I look like Quasimodo.... at least he had a bell tower to go hideout it. 

B bright and early this morning, I'm sexy and I know it

(Source)

All joking aside I'm not a big fan of medication, heck I don't even like to take aspirin. I blame that on my mother who told me growing up that all medication would send me into anaphylactic shock and land me on a gurney.... that's only half true. I am allergic to Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Bees, Sulfa, Morphine, The Color Orange and lightning bugs. Needles to say this kid here tends to be allergic to a lot. So I avoid medication as much as possible. With that said the rib shattering sneezing, itching eyes that I may scratch out, throat that makes a clucking sound when I try to itch it and nose running like Niagara Falls... I'm a big ole hot mess.  

"Running" has become a bit tricky. I'm sneezing and wheezing and have had more than one person ask if I'm "hanging in there". Yeah, "No, no I'm not. Want to give me a piggy back ride back to my house? No... Why?". I'm a bit tired of being puffy, wheezy and snotty like a pug puppy so I've turned to googleizing. I'm confident the interwebs will help me kick this allergy seasons butt, so I can stop looking like this when I try to hit the pavement.

(Source)

What Google taught me about the, evil cruel sometimes funny because it makes me look like a Disney character allergies from doom. 

NetiPots are apparently my friend. I take a mini tea pot and make magic water... then dump said water through my nasal cavity so it goes in one nostril and out the other. Yeah, um, no, that's not happening. With my luck I would find a way to choke or suffocate and didn't come guy get a brain eating bacteria from water up his nose a few summers ago.... NEXT.

Perilla Oil is supposed to be helpful too. A study done at Japan's Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine found that the herbal extract perilla oil could squash allergic reactions. It is also supposed to sooth itchy eyes ( so I don't have to scratch them out and wear a pirate patch, arrrrrr) and relieve sinus symptoms (bye bye looking like an old lady with tissues coming out of every pocket). It also showed to help with wheezy, asthma sounding breathing problems in less than a week, asthma girl says what? WHAT!

Honey and Lime Juice. Find some local honey (local is best, remember this tip... if it comes from a bear just say no) and a nice bright lime. Add the honey and lime to a mug of warm water. Sip and enjoy. This is said to be one of the best ways to ease allergies. Although some studies suggest the honey is most affective when it is used the weeks leading up to allergy season.... well drat!

My conclusion, it's time to head to good ole CVS and find some allergy medication. This girl right here is going to be a lake bunny the rest of the week and my swimsuit doesn't provide many places to store tissues. Plus I'm horribly behind on my running schedule. Time to bite the bullet and medicate. 

So allergies, "It's over, it's not me... it's you.... really! Don't call me!"

Do you all have any allergy tips? Share them in the comments, I'm willing to try just about anything. 

Running Shoes and Wine

This weekend I joined the ranks of many women before me, I bought big girl “running” shoes. It only took two days and 5-8 stores; I can’t say the exact amount because I lost count. E stuck by me through the entire ordeal, but that could be because booze were promised upon completion. I am not above bribery; a girl has to do what a girl has to do.

Saturday we found ourselves at Dick’s, hunting high and low for the right type of shoes for my “running” style. E looked like this while searching every possible corner of the store for my perfect glass slipper…. Er “running shoe”. He’s such a great shoe scout.

I can’t really give him a hard time because I looked like this searching for said “running” shoes. I think Mister Headless Vest guy might be the one, I mean look at those legs! Ow ow!

Needless to say we are two kids with serious ADD and lacking in all things serious. We also found no shoes, I mean they had shoes, but we quickly realized we ( I ) had no clue what type of shoe to even get. I’m the sparkly heel and purple pumps sort of gal. “Running” shoes are way outside my realm of comprehension. So I decided to call in the professionals, they after all had to know more about “running” foot attire than I could try to decipher from my googling adventures between stores. Thus enter, The Running Well Store…

I was very overwhelmed when I walked in, but the staff quickly had me laughing about my “running” insecurities. After making me run on a treadmill while videotaping my legs and playing said video in slow motion, (Horrifying when did my legs start looking like that? Hello self-tanner!) it was time for the fun part… picking out my shoes. I was convinced I wanted a barefoot style shoe, but according to the analysis, I was better off with a little bit more support. Guess it’s a good thing that I didn’t try to figure out my shoe needs solo. See, being a codependent shopper pays off sometimes.

It took about an hour, 6 pairs of shoes and a lot of jogs up and down the sidewalk in front of the store before I decided on a shoe. Speaking of sidewalks, ever jogged up and down one wearing mismatched shoes while talking to yourself about said shoes? No? Well a word to the masses, if you do this people will look at your funny. Weird, I know. I even had one guy ask if I knew my shoes didn’t match. I smiled and told him I had stolen them and in my mad dash didn’t grab a matching pair. He didn’t look amused… I was!

My previous ancient, worn, used and abused “running” shoes.

Then after The Running Well Store waved their magic wand, my “running” shoes look like this

Aren’t they pretty and new and fresh looking… which means I obviously haven’t worn them and they are still sitting in their pretty Brooks box. Le sigh.

Post shoe shopping it was time for booze as promised, I am nothing if not a girl of my word. We headed to one of the many local wineries and wrapped up our Saturday.

After the winery. 

Tonight it’s time to take the pretty new shoe babies out of their box, strap them on my wide feet (wide toe box to be exact) and put a few miles on them. Well maybe not a few, but at least one. AND.. it’s still not exactly “running” I’m still working intervals that involve an equal amount of walking. BUT, I’m getting there. Today should be interesting since I’m sore from…. gardening… that’s right, gardening. I’m getting so old. Who would have thought, tomatoes, cucumbers and garlic could cause my legs and glutes so much pain? Learn something new every day. Veggie injury or not, this girl is hitting the road (sidewalk) tonight. 

One Bad Apple, Being Bad Never Tasted So Good

New Edition to Smiling Running Shoes.... Allow my to introduce, One Bad Apple! Being bad has never tasted so good! This Bad Apple I also call boyfriend, manpal, sexy butt.... whatever strikes my fancy at the moment I open my mouth. Which anyone who knows me knows that I say what I'm thinking whenever I'm thinking it. It keeps life interesting. 

E (a.k.a One Bad Apple) will be providing recipes that he whips up that are tasty and easy to prepare. Yup, we like it easy around here. There is no reason you have to go to a restaurant to enjoy a tasty meal. E will provide you exactly what you need to impress your friends, family and taste buds. 

Below is his first recipe, all pulled out of thin air, while I scribbled down notes as quickly as possible. You should see my notes, it looks like a second grader took them. I have no idea how he creates these delicious dishes, I am a total Recipe Princess. Without a recipe I'm a lost little puppy. He on the other hand is an artist.... or...... One Bad Apple!

Ahi Tuna Asian Infusion with Pineapple Mango Chutney and Spicy Rice
by One Bad Apple

Pineapple Mago Chutney 

1 clove garlic (diced)
1/4 fresh jalpeno (diced)
pinch red chili flakes (to taste)
3 dried thai chilis (crushed)
a few springs fresh cilantro (leafs pulled from stem)
1/4 cup mango (chopped)
1/2 cup pineapple (we used canned you can chop up a fresh one)
1 green onion the green part only (chopped)
Add a tiny bit of pineapple juice

Prep all ingredients and combine in a bowl, add a small amount of pineapple juice, stir. Allow to sit and meld together while you prepare the rest of dinner. 

Spicy Asian Infused Marinade 

1 tsp. fresh ginger
1 slice fresh jalepeno (diced)
2 tbsp. pineapple juice
1 tbsp. grape jelly
sprinkle red chili flakes (to taste)
1 tsp. fresh garlic (diced)
1 tbsp. soy sauce 

Take two ahi tuna steaks (frozen but thawed or fresh)and soak them in the marinade. Making sure to spoon marinade on top of the steaks. Allow to soak for at least 10 min. 

Spicy White Rice
(You can sub brown rice)
1 serving rice
1/4 green of green onion
1 clove garlic (diced)
a few spring of cilantro (leafs pulled from the stem)

Combine all ingredients and then cook according to package instructions. 

Ahi Tuna Asian Infusion 

The ahi tuna steak just on the grill

The ahi tuna steaks after being flipped

Once your ahi tuna has soaked at least 10 min, it's time to put it on the grill. You want to cook it over 350 or low heat. Take olive oil and rub over your grill grate. Place ahi tuna on the grill, pouring a little of the exra marinade on top. Cook for 2-3 min and then turn, allow to cook for another 2-3 min. You want to keep an eye on the ahi tuna steaks because they will dry out quickly. Flip, pour additional marinade over ahi tuna steaks. Cook for another 2-3 min. Once fully cooked removed from the grill.



Plate

Plated Ahi Tuna Asian Infusion with Pineapple Mango Chutney and Spicy Rice

Serve cooked ahi tuna topped with the Pineapple Mango Chutney. Enjoy your Ahi Tuna Asian Infusion with Pineapple Mango Chutney and Spicy Rice. 

Use the comments below to show E, One Bad Apple, some blogging love. If you try out his recipes, please let him know what you think!! Remember... being bad NEVER tasted so good!