Happy 100 DAYS!!!

Last night my mom and I were talking on the phone and she reminded me that Jesse and I have been married for 100 days! It's hard to believe that it's been 100 days. Well, now it's 101. The past 100 days have been an adjustment, but fun, but sometimes awkward, but mostly happy, usually extremely loud (expect when Jesse has to study), and really funny. I love being married and I'm glad it's been 100 days, because I finally am able to sleep normally with someone else in my bed, and I'm not nearly as nervous about whether or not Jesse will like what I made for dinner. 

A couple of other ANNIVERSARY shout outs...

Yesterday, September 13th, was Rand and Cynthia Mattson's 30th wedding anniversary. I grew up a few houses away from the Mattsons and they are like second parents to me. Their daughter Whitney is one of my BFs. For graduation, Whitney and I talked our parents into taking us to Hawaii. 

This is Whitney with her parents:

Also, my parents are celebrating their 33rd Anniversary next Wednesday, September 22nd. To celebrate, they're going to VEGAS!!!! My mom says she wants to see a show, maybe Donny Osmond. Hahaha, sorry, Dad. Here are my adorable parents (also in Hawaii)...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

Mmmmm....muffins

I love muffins. Who doesn't want a little piece of un-frosted cake to call breakfast? Here are a couple of my favorite muffin recipes. Okay, so they're my only muffin recipes. But they're all the rave right now among our poor fellow med student friends. I guess anything tastes better when you didn't pay for it out of your own debt, but still, they like them.
The bran muffins are actually very healthy, the banana ones....not so much. But both are yummy. The first time I made the banana ones, Jesse took a bite and went "mmmmhhhh" with eyes closed as he sat back into his chair. Made all the dishes worth it.

Bran Muffins:

1/2 cup white flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 T baking powder

_________________

1 1/2 cups All Bran Cereal

1 1/3 cups milk

1 egg

1/3 cup oil (or 1/3 cup applesauce) (or a mixture...I fill up a 1/3cup measuring cup almost to the top with applesauce, then pour oil over the top until it's full. it's usually about 1 Tablespoon of oil, or less)

Mix dry ingredients (to line) together in small bowl. Put the rest in a medium mixing bowl to soak, 15 minutes or more. Stir wet ingredients thoroughly. It should become paste-lake. If the oil won't mix in, let it soak a little longer.

Stir in dry ingredients just to mix. Spoon into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with raw sugar (optional). Bake @ 400 for 13 minutes.

Here is the nutritional information for the muffins with all oil....

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 68 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  174 Calories from Fat  67

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  7.5g 11%

Saturated Fat  1.3g 7%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  18mg 6%

Sodium  133mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates  26.1g 9%

Dietary Fiber  2.8g 11%

Sugars  11.0g

Protein  3.7g

Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 3% Calcium 12% • Iron 12%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Here is the nutritional information with 1/3 c applesauce, and 1 T oil...

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 69 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  133 Calories from Fat  23

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  2.5g 4%

Saturated Fat  0.7g 3%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  18mg 6%

Sodium  133mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates  26.8g 9%

Dietary Fiber  2.8g 11%

Sugars  11.7g

Protein  3.7g

Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 3% Calcium 12% • Iron 12%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins...

1 cup white flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use the same trick with this one...fill up my 1/2 measuring cup almost to the top with applesauce, then just top it off with a little oil. I like to use a little oil, because fats carry flavor)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (1/2 cup fat free sour cream also works)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (I use 3 bananas...usually is a little more than a cup)
• 3/4 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

This recipe makes just over a dozen...usually 15 or 16. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 63 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  162 Calories from Fat  35

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  3.9g 6%

Saturated Fat  2.0g 10%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  14mg 5%

Sodium  180mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates  29.2g 10%

Dietary Fiber  1.1g 5%

Sugars  16.0g

Protein  3.0g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 2% Calcium 5% • Iron 6%

Nutrition Grade C-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Try them out! 

Hiccups...

For the past 3 days I have had some serious hiccups. They haven't been constant, but sometimes they last for up to 3 or 4 hours at a time. I'm still not sure what triggers them because they start randomly. Sometimes it's after I eat, sometimes after a DC, but sometimes they just start. At work I walk around with my preceptor, Chef Kelly Cook (Cook is his last name, how coincidental) and we talk to a bunch of different people and whenever they hear me hiccup, they ALWAYS offer their advice about how to get them to go away. So funny. I've heard some pretty random things so I've decided to list them all here if you ever find your diaphragm spasming and need a little help, although I'm sure everyone around you will be anxious to give you their own quick-fix. Here's what I've heard so far, and who I heard it from:

1. Take 11 gulps of water (Rachel, a fellow intern)

2. Take a gas medicine because hiccups are from a gas bubble in your stomach (some lady that works in the hospital, but clearly has no medical knowledge or background)

3. Hold your breath for as long as you can (Chef Kelly)

4. Breathe into a brown paper bag (Chef Kelly....he even found me a paper bag and made me try)

5. Put a wet paper towel over a cup of water and take as many gulps as you can (Emily, and RD at Presby; and Keri...this works pretty well)

6. Drink milk. I don't like drinking milk, but eating ice cream DOES make them go away. Two thumbs up for that. (This toothless cook named Don)

7. Stand on your hands and get a big drink with a straw in it and drink from the straw while standing on your hands (the same girl from #2). Okay, I'm pretty good at standing on my hands, but this is really silly.

8. Flex your stomach  and hold your breath (Jesse)....I think he just wants me to have better abs :)

9. Be dared to hiccup again (Chef Kelly). Today, literally 5 minutes before I was off and after having them almost all day, he said that if I hiccuped again, I could have tomorrow off. I haven't hiccuped yet since.

10. And finally, the solution that seemed to be most consistently effective came from my girl, Debbie. She works in the kitchen. She said, "I tell you what you gone do. You gone go get yo-self a cup, and you gone drink upside down. I show you. My momma taught me and I aint never forget. It work ever time. Go. Get." What a fantastic woman. Drinking upside down worked. Yes, ice cream worked too, but it isn't nearly as accessible as a cup of water and a sink, and it might not be a great idea if you get hiccups often.

So in case you don't know how to drink upside down, I've create a how-to instructional video. Thank you, Debbie.