Tuesday Tangents, Bloggie Birthday, and Lo Mein

Guess what I missed?!?!?

Yesterday was Running Around Hungry’s one-month birthday!!!

...and I missed it!!   This whole time I’ve been thinking I started the blog on the 19^th of June…only to find out that it was the 16^th.  This month has been such a learning experience and yet so rewarding!  I will definitely be continuing.  I am really starting to get into this blogging stuff! J

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Here are some tangents for today:

1. Dr. Oz

Now that I am off during the day (perks of being a teacher), I get to watch Dr. Oz.  I love this show!  So much useful information!  I love his healthful tips, and the explanations about medical things that he provides.  A lot of the topics he covers are about things I might have never known about if not for his show.  I have started writing down all of his tips especially on supplements and things I should be eating/drinking.  The problem is that my list of teas-and-supplements-to-buy is growing way too long! 

2. Instagram

I am new to Instagram as I have only recently installed the app.  I’m loving it, though, and am slowly building my list of who-to-follow.  I need your suggestions on “must-follow-people”, and would love a few followers of my own!  Please follow me – my username is letiortdur.  Leave me your username in the comments and I’ll follow you too!

3. the Olympics are coming!

The countdown is officially at T-10 days…and I can’t wait!!!!  I have always loved watching Gymnastics, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming and Track and Field.  However, this will be my first Olympics since I became a runner and am so excited to see our marathon teams (male and female) kick some long-distance butt!!!!  #London2012

4. President Obama was in Texas today!

President Obama attended some fund-raising events in San Antonio and Austin today.  Totally wish I could have been there!  Whatever your views on who should win the election in November, you have to admit knowing that the POTUS is in your state…in a city only 2 hrs away…is still pretty cool!  Or maybe I’m just #cheesylikethat!  By the way, and I’m almost embarrassed to admit this but, I just today figured out what the heck POTUS meant!  I’ve seen President Obama referred to as POTUS on Twitter before but until today did not put two and two together.  Embarrassing! #imalittleslowsometimes

5. I collect quotes

…and I have since I was in 6^th grade!  I started a binder when I was in 6^th grade and started putting poems and quotes that I liked in it…and I still have it to this day!  The binder and the habit of collecting quotes, that is.  I have always loved motivational phrases that inspire you to do better and be better, and even collect Spanish ones!  Honestly, this is part of what drew me to Pinterest.  I love all of the inspirational pictures, and find myself pinning the motivational quotes and fitness motivation all the time!  Anytime I hear (or see) a quote I like, I jot it down – on napkins, in my phone, in my notebooks…whatever I happen to have on hand!

6. "Letters to God"

Last night the fam and I watched “Letters to God.”  I had heard a lot about the movie when it first came out but we never got around to seeing it.  When I was at Dollar General last week I picked up the movie out of the $3.99 previously viewed bin.  We – all three – enjoyed the movie!!  I cried way too much a few times throughout the movie…and my daughter did too.  It really hit home for her, I guess because it was based on a little boy close to her age.  She was so into the movie and afterwards, we had a long talk about cancer, and her own health scare at the age of two.  It felt good to discuss these things.  In my opinion, sometimes the best thing you can do, instead of shielding your child from scary/disturbing things, is face them together because it gives you a chance to talk about it and clear up any confusions/misconceptions.  My mother was always very open and honest with me – some would even say too open and honest – but it always kept the lines of communication and truth open between us…and besides, I didn’t turn out so bad! ;-)  I highly recommend seeing this movie as a family.  It’s one of those feel-good, heart-warming tales that we just don’t get that often in Hollywood anymore!

7. Dinner success (again!)

For dinner tonight I tried my hand at making LoMein, one of our favorite Chinese dishes.  My version was loosely based on a Quick-and-easy Rachel Ray one, only hers was a Veggie LoMein recipe and I added meat.  Three kinds of meat, in fact!  I added thin beef steak (which I cut into strips and marinated in soy sauce and Sriracha), chicken, and shrimp. 

It was really good, and had excellent flavor from all of the fresh garlic, ginger root, green onions, soy sauce and oyster sauce.  It was a lot easier than I thought; the secret was having all of the ingredients ready to throw into the hot wok.  Here is a quick summary of how I made it. 

Leti’s Delectable Lo-Mein

1.         First I put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta.  I used whole grain (of course), thin spaghetti and cooked it according to the package directions.

2.      Next, I got out my wok and heated it with some dark sesame seed oil.  Then I tossed in the freshly chopped garlic, ginger root, and green onion in to sautee. 

3.      Then I added in the beef and chicken, along with some Oyster sauce, Sriracha, and Low-Sodium Soy Sauce and cooked it a bit.

4.     The chopped cabbage was added next, and I cooked the mixture a bit more.

5.      Next I added the shrimp, which I added last so they wouldn’t over cook and get tough.

6.     Last, I added in the pasta, which I had drained after it finished cooking and set aside.  Along with the pasta, I added in a little bit more soy sauce and sautéed it all together a little bit more.  The LoMein is now ready to enjoy!!!

Although super delicious, it did not have that wonderful smoky flavoring that my favorite restaurant LoMein has.  Anyone know what that secret smoky seasoning is?  If you do know what it is, puh-leeeez leave me a comment and clue me in!  I definitely want to add it to future LoMeins that I make.  My family and I thank you in advance!! J

Those are my Tuesday Tangents.  I hope you enjoyed them!  What are some of your tangents today?