Ezra Pound Cake

Things I’m Loving: The ‘It’s Been Too Long’ Edition

Rebecca Crump — Thu, 15 May 2014 16:52:36 +0000

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. When someone hands me a book with a warning about how much I’m going to cry, that’s usually my cue to put that book down and walk away. I certainly didn’t want to read a love story about two teens who meet in a cancer support group. We know how this ends. But so many people recommended it that I finally picked it up – and read it in an afternoon. It’s smart, much funnier than I thought it’d be, and it asks important questions, like, if I know I’m dying, isn’t it my responsibility to minimize the damage I’m doing to the people I love? This is not a beach read, but a lot of people will be falling for Hazel and Augustus this summer.

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. If you love “The God of Cake” on her blog, you’ll love this book.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. I’m a huge fan of Oliver on The Bugle, so I’m completely on board with his new HBO show, where he skewers the week’s news stories (and how they were covered by the media) with what looks like total creative freedom. That fake Mitch McConnell ad was a doozy. And Oliver’s climate change debate dropped the mic on climate change debates.

This story about a woman’s cancer being killed by the measles virus.

17 Baby Elephants Learning How to Use Their Trunks. Let the adorableness wash over you.

SANTAUR! August cannot come fast enough

Continue reading: Things I’m Loving: The ‘It’s Been Too Long’ Edition

Things I’m Loving

Rebecca Crump — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 03:07:28 +0000

Eleanor Roosevelt’s gun permit. Look at that broad. Spectacular.

Jamie Oliver’s Drinks Tube. This new YouTube channel features videos on beer, wine and how to make craft cocktails at home, including how to garnish your drinks. I’m in.

“How a Real Corpse Ended Up in a California Fun Park Spookhouse.” This story has it all: Old West justice, a shifty carnival owner AND The Six-Million Dollar Man.

Arya and The Hound. Their closing scene was my favorite in last Sunday’s Game of Thrones premier, “Two Swords.” Also, “Arya and The Hound” would make a great band name. Someone, get on that.

This 78-year-old woman’s first ride on a roller coaster:

One-Star Book Reviews. Classic works and the terrible reviews people have posted on the Internet, like this gem about Milton’s Paradise Lost: “Milton was a fascist turd.”

“Illustrator draws faces, lets 4-year-old draw bodies, ends up with adorably weird art”

20 Magical Tree Tunnels. The world needs more of these.

“Unsung Hero,” a Thai commercial about the power of doing good:

This story about a surfer who helped his friend’s paraplegic mother ride the waves by taping her to himself with duct tape. People are awesome.

This story about the Toto Washlet S350e, a “Japanese wonder toilet.” It has a remote control! Why are we still using these porcelain-covered pee buckets when we could be treating our hindquarters to a $1,700 luxury? It keeps me up at night.

Trader Joe’s Simply the Best Trek Mix with cashews, almonds, pineapple, cranberries and tart cherries. I was there looking for cheap pistachios, but then this guy walked up and started loading bags of this trail mix into his basket, so I had to try it. Why do they only sell it by the pound? So good.

Three dogs, one chair:

Whole30 Days 27-30: Boom! I made it.

Rebecca Crump — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 13:18:26 +0000

Freddie Mercury, created by Redditor keepyourfork.

Holy cow, I made it.

Thirty days without grains, dairy, legumes or added sugars. Or a constant stuffy nose.

Or hives.

I will never be the poster girl for self-control (it’s overrated), but I’m really proud of myself for following through with this. There were days when it sucked, but now my brain fog and congestion are gone, the days seem longer (in a good way), my energy’s consistent, my appetite’s under control, my nails are growing like crazy, my skin is clear, and my pants are falling off.

I’m down 14 pounds.

This is UNPRECEDENTED. Now, I have to find a belt.?

Continue reading: Whole30 Days 27-30: Boom! I made it.

Whole30 Days 24-26: Steak is the new pizza.

Rebecca Crump — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 01:11:50 +0000

No sugars or grains. No dairy or legumes. Yep, I’m doing the Whole30 for the next 30 days. Here’s how it’s going:

Weekends on the Whole30 can be tough, especially on Friday nights, when you just want to order a pizza and watch Hannibal, as God intended. Before I started this, I was setting aside a cheat day (usually Friday or Saturday) for things like hot chicken, biscuits, cheeseburgers and (small) chocolate malts, so when the weekend rolls around, my Inner Child can be a real turd.

She doesn’t wannnnnt to sauté vegetables for breakfast again. She doesn’t wannnnnt another salad. Or steamed anything. Or another freaking sweet potato.

So I finally got the bright idea to plan ahead for these weekends and make sure I’m having something that feels good n’ dirty. Like steak. We’ve never been weekly steak people (too pricey), but with the money we’re saving by not getting weekend takeout (or buying any of the Forbidden Foods), why not? Cookouts are fun.?

Continue reading: Whole30 Days 24-26: Steak is the new pizza.

Things I’m Loving

Rebecca Crump — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 03:32:53 +0000

Via KillerKenyan on Reddit.

This kid’s school photo (shown above). I think we know exactly what happened there.

Minecraft Marshmallow Peeps!

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I stayed up until 2 a.m. to finish this book two days ago, and I’m still thinking about these characters.

True Detective. We finally saw the first episode this week and proceeded to binge-watch the entire series. I still can’t get over Matthew McConaughey as Rust Cohle

Continue reading: Things I’m Loving

Whole30 Days 21-23: Oh, come on.

Rebecca Crump — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 17:01:51 +0000

Pure chocolate torture, via Hershey’s.

No sugars or grains. No dairy or legumes. Yep, I’m doing the Whole30 for the next 30 days. Here’s how it’s going:

When I decided to do the Whole30 from March 12 to April 10, I thought I’d found the only 30 days on the calendar that didn’t include a major holiday or big family event. I figured that if I avoided the big temptations – fried chicken, Granny Myra’s Mexican cornbread, birthday cake – I’d be halfway home.

The timing has definitely worked for me, except for one huge miscalculation.

Easter candy

Continue reading: Whole30 Days 21-23: Oh, come on.

Whole30 Days 16-20: BrrrZap!

Rebecca Crump — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 04:07:53 +0000

Nikola Tesla, just hanging out in his Colorado Springs lab, December 1899.

No sugars or grains. No dairy or legumes. Yep, I’m doing the Whole30 for the next 30 days. Here’s how it’s going:

The all-day energy has officially kicked in.

I knew it’d happened the first morning I forgot to have a cup of coffee. I sat down to breakfast and had this feeling in my legs, like someone had charged them up overnight. I don’t think I’ve had restless legs since the ’90s, so I just went with it, and so far I’ve doubled my usual number of steps per day.

No afternoon slump, either.

Last night, I was loading the dishwasher, and my jeans fell straight to the floor.

I still miss pizza, but this might be worth it. ?

Continue reading: Whole30 Days 16-20: BrrrZap!

Things I’m Loving

Rebecca Crump — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 01:27:11 +0000

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. I couldn’t stop reading this novel about a laid-off San Francisco Web designer who finds work in a tiny, hole-in-the-wall bookstore, where people rarely come to buy books, but a handful show up to borrow the ones on the highest shelf – the ones that are written in code. Loved it.

30 Naughtiest Dogs. Not the Roomba!

The Lego Movie. My niece and nephew begged to go, but I think Jeff and I probably liked it even more than they did. I cannot get “Everything Is Awesome” out of my head

Continue reading: Things I’m Loving

Whole30 Days 12-15: Halfway There

Rebecca Crump — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:03:38 +0000

No sugars or grains. No dairy or legumes. Yep, I’m doing the Whole30 for the next 30 days. Here’s how it’s going:

When I started this thing, one of my favorite pastimes was fantasizing about what I was going to eat the second it was over. Maybe an apple fritter doughnut from the Donut Den or a wedge of that triple-chocolate cake with Sambuca sauce from Buca di Beppo. Or a wheel of cheese.

I’m happy to be over it.

I mean, I’m a former pro baker. I used to have a Costco card just to buy massive quantities of butter, eggs and sugar. “Cake” is in my blog name. And until this streak with the Whole30, I probably hadn’t gone a day without some form of chocolate in years. If we didn’t have a chocolate snack in the house, I wasn’t above opening a bag of chocolate chips and grabbing a handful. Right before I started this, I was still having a cup of sugar-free hot chocolate after dinner every night.

It’s good to be free of that sweet tooth and not NEED something (anything) sweet around 3 p.m.?

Continue reading: Whole30 Days 12-15: Halfway There

Barbacoa Pot Roast

Rebecca Crump — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 19:42:29 +0000

When I started the Whole30, I panicked a little about what to make for dinner, because I didn’t want Jeff to run off with the yeast-roll girl at Longhorn. I needed some basic things that would work for both of us.

My first basic thing was this Barbacoa Pot Roast from Brandon and Megan Keatley’s Primal Cravings. It’s mouthwatering, spicy without being hot, and it’s versatile, which makes customizing dinner much, much easier. You can serve it so many ways:

As a stand-alone entrée;
Sandwich-style, inside a hoagie roll with provolone;
Taco-style, inside a tortilla with lettuce and tomato;
Stuffed inside a roasted bell pepper, maybe with some melted cheese on top;
Piled on top of a baked potato or sweet potato;
Piled on top of an avocado half with salsa;
Piled on top of a corncake with slaw on top;
In a burrito bowl, layered with cilantro-lime rice, black beans, chopped tomatoes, cheese and guacamole;
Folded with cheese inside a quesadilla;
Rolled up in a burrito;