Today on our Walk About

Today On Our Walk About

We like to take walk about's in nature. We walk on our road, on other people's roads, pretty much wherever we feel like walking about.  We stop to explore the different things that cross our paths.  We thought we'd share some of those things with you.  Enjoy :)

Every time we walk by this yard we are always impressed with how very well maintained it is.  High five neighbor

Well hello to you meow meow

It's a mushroom

A great place to sit and rest

Thanks for stopping by the blog.  Check out our talk radio show too.  Just hit play

Good Talk!

Music Selection From Baby It's Cold Outside

Music

Phantogram- When I'm Small

The Submarines- 1940



BlackMill- The Drift



Azealia Banks- 212



KRS ONE- Step Into My World



The XX- The Islands



Rage Against the Machine- Mic Check



Windshield Smasher- Black Moth Super Rainbow

Thanks for Stopping by the Blog.  Check out our show just press play.

GOOD TALK!!

Get Stoopid and Snews With Lex and Mais

GET STOOPID

Netflix Pick: 

These past couple weeks when we weren't freaking out about our awesome halloween bash, we were watching the new girl. This was Mais' choice, and Lex was skeptical at first but it's actually really hilarious. this hit comedy takes a modern look at friendship & romance as it follows a group of five friends in their 30's attempting to find their places in the world.  There's two seasons on Netflix, and you can catch it Tuesday nights on fox. You can also catch up on the already premiered season online at fox.com.

New girl takes place in a loft downtown LA, where recently single Jess, played by Zooey Dashnel, moves in with three single guys she met off a Craigslist like ad. Among her new roommates were nick, the law school dropout turned bartender, Winston, a former pro European basketball player who works nights at a sports radio station, and Schmidt, the over confident yet super insecure OCD suffering number one contributor to the douchebag jar guy. He's probably our favorite. then we have the outsider's perspective on the loft's dynamics from Jess' childhood best friend, Cece, a model whose on-again-off-again relationship with Schmidt keeps surprising everyone, most of all, herself. You should check this show out, it's super good! 

Movie Pick of the Week:

Mais stumbled upon movie 43 this last week, and are we glad she did. I'm not sure how this one made it past me, because it's super star packed and pretty hilarious. It is as well on Netflix....gee Mais and I just didn't make it out of the house these past weeks due to our awesome planning of a party... This movie is basically just a bunch of stupid hilarious shorts that follow a washed-up producer as he pitches insane story lines featuring some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Apparently this movie did not get that great of reviews...I guess there's just something out there for everybody. Rottentomatoes.com says: "A star-studded turkey, Movie 43 is loaded with gleefully offensive and often scatological gags, but it's largely bereft of laughs."  Bereft means deprived of or lacking something. It only received one out of five stars, but we still liked it and thought it was worth sharing!  Sometimes it's just fun to GET STOOPID!  And believe me after you watch this movie that's exactly how you'll feel.

App of the Week:

With this app you can search all airlines for flights based through your geographical location. For example, here I am on Maui.  It gives me options of which airports on this island that I would fly out of, in order of price and of closest location. Then it gives me the option of selecting the country, city, airport ll the while showing which option is cheaper. Finally after all your criteria is established you choose your flight by the day, and once again it's showing you which option is cheaper. One of the best parts about the app is that they don't charge you an extra fee like orbitz or expedia like websites, and it's in the convenience of your lil pocket! The app itself is as well free, and a pretty good one to check out folks!

Website of the Week:

This guy Tyler started this interesting little "corner of the internet" as he calls it. He finds the recipes, makes it, takes a lovely picture of it, then draws a comic with directions on how to make the recipe. As much as some of you might have noticed how much we love Bitstrips....this website is right up our alley.

Most recently he posted a recipe that he did with thugkitchen.com, which is another food blog that we've featured here on Lex and Mais. It's for some peach pancakes that look super bomb, and I just love the Trucker mouth syndrome paired with a comic strip! Tyler also just published his first cook book last month.

Urban Dictionary Word of the Week:

So spaghet is a word that lex thought she made up, short for spaghetti, however according to urban dictionary it means:

the act of spooking some one by jumping out at them and yelling the phrase "spaghet!"

guy1: "spaghet!" 

guy2: "aaaaaaaaaaah!"

SNEWS

Food Myths That Just Won't Die Debunked by Science

So apparently skipping a meal isn't gonna kill ya.  You aren't going to put your body in starvation mode and chances are it won't change your metabolic rate.  We've all heard that you shouldn't eat passed X:00 but if you're hungry its a better idea to eat vs skipping the meal because your blood sugar plummets causing cravings so when you do sit down to eat chances are you will over eat, but if you skip the meal your body will deal with it just fine and you'll pig out at breakfast.

 This myth is pretty much spread around by every single person who is a workoutaholic.  Eat a high protein diet to gain muscle mass.  You've probably heard that gulping down a bunch of protein shakes and eating a bunch of meat will get you bulkier 

Not so, says Seattle-based Registered Dietitian Andy Bellatti. He explains, "gaining muscle mass requires two things: weight training that stresses the muscles and consuming extra calories. Eating a high-protein diet that doesn't meet increased caloric needs is not conducive to gaining muscle mass. By simply eating more calories from healthful, whole foods (ie: grains, nuts, seeds, fish), you will take care of all the necessary nutrients that support muscle growth."  Although protein is necessary when you are strengthening your muscles so are all of the other foods in your diet.  In fact to much protein can lead to digestive problems.  High calories = big ass muscles

  

Salt is bad for you.  The problem with this myth is that is speaks in absolutes, people with high blood pressure and hypertension should limit their salt use people with normal blood pressure have no reason to fear the salt.  Using everything in moderation is key.  These days people eat so much packaged food that it is hard to monitor their sodium intake.  So limit your amount of pre packaged and processed foods and watch your blood pressure level out in a healthy way.  It has also been known that potassium levels out sodium so adding some spinach, broccoli, bananas, and beans can help regulate blood pressure so you can enjoy your salt.  Too little sodium is bad for your body too much sodium is bad for your body so enjoy your salt sensibly

Here's a myth that just won't die, Animal Protein is better than Plant protein.  

Protein is protein, regardless of its source, in fact all animal protein comes in the way of plants somewhere along the food chain.  You can get protein in a number of different ways besides meat and your body absorbs it just fine.  Beans, cheese, nuts, even broccoli has protein which is exciting cause I just harvested some broccoli out of my garden.  A cup of cooked oatmeal contains the same amount of protein as an egg.  A properly balanced diet of veggies, beans, nuts and fruits will give you the daily amount of protein you need.  But hey if you want to chow down on a big fat steak go right ahead you'll get your protein that way too.

Here's a great food myth to know about for all of you turkey eaters out there. Turkey makes you sleepy because of its tryptophan.  It's actually true turkey is a good source of tryptophan and it does make you sleepy but there are plenty of other foods that have this sleep inducer.  Chicken, tuna, mushrooms, scallops, shrimp and soybeans contain just as much tryptophan as - and, in some cases, more tryptophan than - turkey.  In order for the tryptophan to actually have an affect you have to take in a lot of  carbohydrates or simple sugars because of the way the body breaks down all of these compounds.  You would literally have to eat an entire turkey by itself to get the effects of the tryptophan.  In essence its not the turkey that makes you sleepy its eating the turkey combined with all of the other foods that makes us sleepy, and probably the bottle of wine isn't helping much either.

Thanks Lifehacker.com for those great facts about foods.  

Thanks for stopping by the blog

Good Talk!

Food For Health With Lex and Mais: Home Remedies for the Cold and Flu

Food For Health

Home Remedies for the Cold and Flu

Tis the season for the cold and flu.  This year instead of running to the dr and pumping yourself full of antibiotics or pharmaceuticals why not try some home remedies.  The #1 most important thing to do when you are sick is to get plenty of liquid. A great remedy for a sore throat is a honey lemon tea.  Chug that down all day and it will definitely soothe a sore throat.

For a cough from congestion the best thing that works in my house is to get a pot of water boiling and add some vix vapor rub lean over the pot when the steam gets going and huff.  The steam mixed with the vix will break up the mucous in your lungs and help you to get it out.

After you're done huffing steam use a nasal spray to clear the virus and bacteria from your nose.  Here's a homemade solution, mix 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of baking soda in 8 oz of warm water.  Use a bulb syringe or a neti pot ( Available at your local health food store) to squirt the solution up your nose.

Stay warm.  Get cozy in a blankie and wear socks on your feet.  Staying warm and resting helps your body direct its energy toward the immune battle.

Apple cider vinegar has so many health benefits.  It is a remedy for heartburn, clears up acne, helps to control weight and of course helps to clear the sinus and cures sore throats.  The recipe for a great apple cider vinegar elixir will be on the blog for those of you who like exact measurements but here are the ingredients for those of you who eye measure.  water apple or grape juice acv cinnamon and stevia.  That'll clear ya right up.

This is our favorite Apple Cider Vinegar

Chicken noodle soup is always the best food to eat for a cold it keeps you warm and hydrated so we came up with a great no chicken noodle soup for the veggies and the meaties can just add the chicken. Who would've thought a cookie could help you feel better from a cold?  This easy to make cookie has just the right amount of fruit and nuts to get you back on your feet after a nasty cold and flu battle.

No Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 tsp. minced garlic, (3 – 4 cloves)
• 4 stalks celery, sliced (use the leaves, too)
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 64 oz. reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups fine egg noodles
• 1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
• 2-3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)

• Heat a stockpot over medium high heat add the butter and oil, and when the butter melts, add the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. Sauté them until the onions are tender and translucent, 8 – 10 minutes
• Stir in the thyme, then add the broth and bring it to a boil. Add the noodles and cook them until they are just tender, about 4 minutes if you are using fine egg noodles. Season it with salt and pepper to taste, garnish it with the parsley, and serve it immediately.
• Slow Cooker Directions: Add all ingredients except the noodles to the slow cooker, and turn to low for 8 - 10 hours, or to high for 3-4 hours. 30 minutes, before serving, add noodles and turn slow cooker to high for the final 30 minutes of cooking.

We got this deliciously easy recipe from: http://www.pbs.org/parents/kitchenexplorers/2012/03/06/no-chicken-noodle-soup/Instructions

Flu Fighter Cookie

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups golden raisins
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups roughly chopped walnuts, toasted
Directions
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Add the molasses, yogurt, ginger and lemon zest and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture to make a sticky batter (do not overmix). Fold in the oats and half of the raisins, cranberries and walnuts. Mix the remaining dried fruit and nuts in a small bowl and set aside.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Top each with some of the reserved dried-fruit-and-nut mixture and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bake the cookies until dark golden but still soft, 10 to 12 minutes; cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.


Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/flu-fighter-cookies-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Stay warm and healthy friends 'cause baby it's cold outside...

Good Talk

Wea You Stay?

"Party Time Excellent!"

We stay at our awesome Halloween Party!  Yea, yea I know Halloween is long gone but we couldn't help it we wanted to share it with all of you.  It was a GREAT party!  Thanks to everyone who came.  We couldn't upload all of the photos to the blog because there are so many so for more on our Halloween fun check us out on facebook under lexmais.

The Decor

The Food

The Peeps

GOOD TALK!!

Music from the Halloween Special

MUSIC

Jai Paul-BTSTU

The Game- Martians Vs Goblins







DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince-Nightmare on my street




Lorde-Team




Muse-Madness





Passion Pit-Take a Walk



Monster Mash

GOOD TALK!!

What's For Dinner? Lasagna Soup With Lex and Mais

Lasagna Soup

The Inside

With The cheese melted on...YUMMY

• 1/2 pound of pasta (I used rotini)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 12-16 ounces ground Italian Sausage (my grocery store sells it in packages, just like ground beef)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flake (omit if you don’t want the heat)
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth/stock
• 1- 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup cottage or ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large stock pot, heat the oil on medium heat and cook the Italian Sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks with a wooden spoon). Remove sausage from pan and set aside, draining any excess fat.
2. Add the onion to the stockpot and sauté until translucent. Then add in the garlic, and stir for a minute or two.
3. Stir in the red pepper flake and allow to cook for a minute.
4. Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, uncooked pasta, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. The pasta will cook as the soup simmers.
5. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the Italian Sausage back in and allow the soup to simmer for about 30 minutes.
6. Pre-heat your broiler on high. Make the cheese topping by combining cottage or ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.
7. To serve, spoon about 1-2 cups of soup in oven safe bowls. Spread some of the cheese mixture over the top and broil for a few minutes, or until the cheese is all melted and bubbly. Keep a close eye on the bowls of soup as the cheese melts so that it doesn’t burn.
8. Serves about 6

Thanks Pinterest!! Here's the link if you'd like to check it out for some other recipes:

http://centercutcook.com/lasagna-soup/ 

GOOD TALK!