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Posted by
yanti on Sunday, March 22, 2015
Cream dory is a delicious and succulent fish, that is why I like it a lot. Here is a simple recipe that you will surely enjoy.
Ingredients for 2 servings:300 grams cream dory fish1 big onion (cut into rings)2 tablespoons soy sauce1 tablespoons lime or calamansi juice1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Procedure:1. Clean the fish very well, sprinkle with salt and pepper.2. Fry until done. Set aside.3. Saute the onion then add the fried cream dory, soy sauce, calamansi juice, salt and pepper, stir well for few minutes then turn off the heat.4. Serve with love and enjoy :-).
More about → Peppered Cream Dory
Posted by
yanti on Saturday, March 21, 2015
I was recently asked about how I organize my daily to-do pages. This was a great question because I have probably been trying for years to figure out an effective way to organize an efficient day! Last semester, I finally came up with a system that totally and completely works for me! Maybe it will work for you, too! I use a daily to-do page! Remember in a post a few weeks ago when I said that we should only be doing about 5 big things with our lives? |
| The very first one I ever made for myself! |
Well, this to-do page works perfectly for that because it has 5 "categories" out to the side for jotting down quick task lists or recording notes. Last semester, I used my categories like this: work, school, blog, workouts, cleaning. Sometimes I switched out cleaning for errands or social for workouts. (Different seasons of life call for different categories!) This was the most helpful because it allowed me to list a MANAGEABLE number of tasks per category!
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| This is the version available in the Etsy shop! |
Out to the left side, I just wrote my schedule for the day! If you color code the events in your life like I do, you could even use those colors to identify the time of day you'll work on those projects! This was also super helpful to me because it really allowed me to create a concrete time management plan for myself. I have an easy time starting projects, but I have a reeeallly difficult time making myself STOP working on them! (or remembering to eat, drink...)
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| The 2.0 version |
So, I use those time slots to force myself to say "hey, this is good enough" and move on to the next task! It has been a really helpful system for me! And so, of course, it's available in Organized Charm's Etsy shop for you to use, too! I would suggest printing out several days at a time and putting them into a notebook. Take a piece of notebook paper and write down every single thing weighing on your mind, then disperse those tasks throughout the days!
If you have long term tentative plans, you can use Post-It's to show when you'll be out for certain events (like meetings, appointments, etc) until they become "confirmed" plans! I also really love to use Washi tape on the edge of mine to add some color, and give me a space to write motivational quotes or decorate! For a while, I was even using the blank space at the bottom of the page to write down good things that happened each day!
(I should probably start doing that again)
Do you have a system for getting through your task list each day? What kind of planner/ notebook/ list do you use? How do you organize your planner/list to show the different "categories" of your life?
Posted by
yanti
You know, there are a lot of fun kitchen gadgets out there! I mean, you could have the world's largest kitchen and still run out of space if you bought every gadget that might be useful. That's why I try to limit myself to gadgets that have at least a few uses and I see myself using at least once a season (here is a list of must haves). So I must pass on that mango pitter despite how useful it would be that one time a year I break down and need some mango in my life (how far did that mango have to travel to get to my plate again? ugh).
Introducing the waffle iron... used only for making waffles, right? It's also good for making waffle sammies and potato waffles. Potato waffles are great way for using leftover mashed potatoes! I always make soooo much mashed potatoes because it's one of my favorites (I was once known to eat an entire plate of mashed potatoes at buffet-style dinners) so we always have some left. Potato waffles are great for breakfast (they're like one big hash brown), a side, or with spicy chicken!
The traditional southern comfort meal of fried chicken and waffles gets a little twist. Take out the fryer and add some potatoes for a gluten free waffles!Read more �
Posted by
yanti on Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Regardless of whether you spent $50 on an EC planner or $5 on a Target planner, when Finals week rolls around, you are going to depend on that thing like oxygen. Study guides, groups, vocabulary terms, formulas, research papers... finals week is full of expectations and pressure. Sometimes it can be a little tough to deal with (haha. just kidding. it's always a little tough to deal with... unless you don't like sleep). So what can you do now to prep for it? Plan for it! Year after year, my planner has been my saving grace during finals! Here's how!
1. Set Up Your planner so that it motivates you daily. If you follow me on Instagram or Pinterest or Twitter or Tumblr, you may have noticed that I post a few (thousand) motivational quotes. They are just my favorite! My favorite to read, my favorite to recite to others, and my absolute favorite way to start my day! Go through and write one for each week. On those weeks where you need a little extra boost of encouragement (AKA FINALS WEEK), the right mantra/quote/verse can really make a difference in your attitude!
2. Write down every tiny detail. A couple of weeks ago, I posted about using a notebook to supplement your planner during particularly stressful weeks. Finals season is the perfect time to implement that strategy! Get a random piece of notebook paper, buy a small notebook to tote around with your planner, or start a new page in your bullet journal... then just write down every little thing that's weighing on your mind! Once you've got it all on paper, write deadlines/due dates next to the things that have them. (they take top priority!)
3. Prepare your daily schedule. By now, you should be in a "semester routine". You should be pretty aware of when/where you do your best studying. When you need to leave to get to class/work on time. How much time it takes you to complete writing assignments, etc. Since you're already pretty in tune with your daily routine, go ahead and schedule out the time of day that you will set aside for studying. If you know you'll need to add extra study time before finals, get your low priority tasks done now so that you'll have less to do then!
4. Work high priority to low priority. I read SO many articles on productivity! And in nearly every single one, one of the top tips is to "eat the frog". Which is a term I'm not crazy about (for obvious reasons). However, I do love that advice! It means to pick the biggest, hardest, scariest task on your list (the one that's causing your procrastination- or will if you put it off long enough) and just attack it! If it's super huge (like studying for a certification exam), just spend 1-2 hours on it at the beginning of your day! If nothing else, you'll feel accomplished!
5. Keep a "Done" list. Something that's super helpful for me when I'm beyond stressed is to record the time that I finished each task. This is good for a few reasons: it makes me feel happy to see what all I have done (for those discouraging days when it seems like the "to-do" list is eternal), it also helps me to reference those things in the future (email Emily email sent Monday @ 8:04), and it helps me know where to start next time (Read Ch. 5 pick up @ pg. 322). Best of all, this keeps me moving from task to task throughout the day!
(here's a free printable to help YOU create a "done" list, too!)
6. Give yourself credit. This is definitely something that I got into the habit of doing in grad school. In reality, the to-do list is never going to end. It's like a carousel of things that just keeps on coming at you. And that's fine because it also means you're accomplishing a lot! Try to give yourself a "shut down" time where you shut down all of your electronics and just go unwind. If you're feeling really discouraged, use a little notebook to write down some praise for yourself! (I am proud of myself for...) It feels silly but I promise it helps!
Finals week is tough (like, really tough). But you'll get through it! Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can. -Arthur Ashe
(I can't stop myself with the quotes).
Do you have any tips for finals week? How do you unwind after studying (if you do)? Do you have any strategies to add to the list?
Posted by
yanti on Sunday, March 15, 2015
The weather is finally starting to feel like Spring... some rain... some blooms... now some sunshine! And tomorrow is supposed to get near 70 degrees! Hopefully we can maintain the Spring weather, but I fear another cold snap before winter is finally finished with us.
This weekend marked the home opener for the Crew... lots of changes this year with the stadium sponsor, food trucks, local beer selection, and... a parking price increase. :( At least we don't have to find somewhere to eat before the game with Hot Chicken Takeover, Schmidt's, and Jeni's now available! :) (Oh, the Crew won 2-0!)
All summer we were waiting, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on inside the old Reynoldsburg fire department building. A few months ago, Prost Beer & Wine Cafe finally opened and we just got a chance to check it out this weekend. They have a nice rotating beer list... I'm sure the wine list is good too, but we didn't really look at it. There are flight options for both beer and wine. And then they do have some food which includes a variety of bruschetta and paninis. All in all, one of the few good beer lists in Reynoldsburg with some decent food. :)
Meal planning time...
burgers (because it's going to be warm enough to grill!)sour cream enchiladasgrilled asparagus with poached egg and crispy potatoesalley doughs (calzones)salmon burgers and brussel sprouts
More about → Weekly Menu
Posted by
yanti on Thursday, March 12, 2015
This morning I got to spend some time with the Good Day Columbus crew at Fox28 (check out the video here). It was a lot of fun seeing everything that goes on behind the scenes and all of the fun segments they get to do. I helped out with some tips on packing sandwiches for lunches, whether that's for your lunch or your kids' lunch. It was kind of a mini Chopped challenge to think of some interesting ways to use Klosterman's bread (Ohio family owned bread company). So here are the three super easy, super quick, all vegetarian sandwiches I came up with....
Peanut Butter Banana Rollup
Perfect for kids! Just smear some peanut butter on two slices of bread, split the banana in half with your fingers, and wrap the bread around the banana like a taco. The peanut butter will keep the bread "stuck" to the banana and prevent the banana from oxidizing. Also delicious toasted a bit for ooey gooey peanut buttery goodness!
Avocado Tomato and Cheese
Kind of your vegetarian BLT. Avocado makes everything better and a packed lunch is no exception. Bring the avocado with you if you're worried about browning because all it takes is a spoon to scoop and squish! The avocado and the cheese act as barriers for your bread to keep from getting soggy from the juicy tomatoes... and I hate soggy bread... you know I'm not recommending anything that would leave you with a soggy mess. :)
Pear and Brie
During the winter I was obsessed with this panini! I made them several days in a row, which never happens in my house... we're all about variety. Even though melty brie is the best, you can still get a good cold sandwich out of this cold duo. Just slice up the pear and the brie and layer it on. Extra points for a toaster oven at work because nothing beats melty brie! :)
More about → Good Day Columbus - Packing Your Lunch
Posted by
yanti on Wednesday, March 11, 2015
