Korean BBQ Bulgogi Recipe - 3 Ways! - Korean food BBQ Fusion 불고기

Disclaimer: I am not the creator of this video. I am subscriber and a HUGE fan of The Squishy Monster on YouTube and have elected to utilize the share option and post this video to my blog. 

Yellow Pickled Radish (Danmuji:단무지): English

DIY: Ground Seeds for Smoothies - Flax and Chia

If your smoothie or recipe in general calls for ground flax or chia seeds you can easily make your own. It is cheaper to buy organic, non-GMO seeds and pulse to a fine powder in either a coffee grinder in my case Nutribullet. The Nutribullet comes with a blade to pulse dry items. The seeds should be pulsed until a fine powder and stored in an airtight container. If you want to prolong the shelf life, store in the refrigerator (max. 6 months).

Quick & Easy Meals

Curry Tofu and Mushrooms (taste just like curried crab)

Drain 1 package firm tofu, cube into 1 inch pieces. saute onions, garlic, sliced button mushrooms (1 package). Add tofu and Jamaican curry powder. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Salad for dinner one night (topped off with crushed kale chips). 

Yummy salad topped with Kale chips from Trader Joe's.

Two Easy Weekday Meals

Kimchi Goat Cheese Omelet

Saute onion and kimchi (amount varies), in a bowl beat eggs and goat cheese, season with salt/pepper/garlic and onion powder. Add to pan and cook.

Curry Shrimp & Onions

Saute 2 large onions, add 2 squares of Golden Curry paste and 1 cup water. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, add shrimp cook until pink. 

Kimchi and goat cheese purchased at Trader Joes.
Curry purchased at Lotte Plaza.

New Year New Attitude

To celebrate the end of 2013 I decided to invest in a Nutribullet (I really want a Vitamix) but this should serve me well. I am excited I started juicing  and as you can see eating a little cleaner but I am on a mission to stick to it and see it through. I'll be updating this blog more often in 2014. I'll be sharing various juries and teas and giving my take on them.

Image courtesy of Nutribullet.com

Review - Rawmazing by Susan Powers

I got this book of Raw recipes and oh my they had me drooling.

Rawmazing: Over 130 Simple Raw Recipes for Radiant Health by Susan Powers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book in one night. I am drooling over these recipes and what a difference great pictures make in a cookbook (compared to my other RAW cookbook that has no images). I can't decide what to try first.
The author has included helpful tips for choosing the right equipment and tools. In addition to this she also gives hints on sprouting seeds, dehydrating foods etc. There is great variety including recipes for each meal of the day e.g breakfast, dinner, drinks, salads, snacks and the desserts, oh my the desserts amazingly gorgeous and yummy (well visually). 

View all my reviews

Brunch - Zucchini, Mushroom & Egg Scramble

Today I had scrambled eggs (organic) with some zucchini (from farmers market), mushrooms (Trader Joe's) and shallots. It was super yummy.

Sauteed lightly (to retain semi-rawness of the veggies) with Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil. 

In depth review and giveaway to come. You can taste the unique flavor of coconut with tis oil a big difference from extra virgin olive oil.

Finished  off with some vine ripen tomatoes and a glass of natural orange juice. It was very filling.

Trader Joe's Greek Inspired Pitas

A quick and easy meal after a long day at work. I stopped by Trader Joe's to get some things for a Greek inspired pita pocket dinner. I had some hummus and sharp cheddar in my fridge.

I also had this Flax Oat Bran Whole Wheat Pita Bread (not as good as the TJ Flatbread) it breaks apart too easily and is very dry.

Spread with your favorite hummus.

So adding these deleicious cured meats may not be 'healthy' but is was so good. Viva la pork!!!!!!!! I try to have cured meats once in awhile (maybe once every 2-3 months).

Add everything else but not too much, too much filling will make if difficult to fold and very messy.

Viola!!!! TheTJ's Middle Eastern flour flatbread was very good and I included a cucumber on the side. 

Perfecting Barefoot Contessa's Baked Eggs

I don't really cook that much, I actually do not like to eat (I try to eat just enough so that I donot feel sick). Although I am very picky, I do like most foods. I tend to stretch out my meals splitting one meal over a few days. Believe me you could not tell by looking at me how little I actually eat. But one thing I love eggs and I only eat whole eggs scrambled, hard boiled eggs (whites only), fried egg whites or fired eggs with runny yolks and now baked eggs. 

So I decided to try Barefoot Contessa's French Baked eggs.

This is my second trial (see the first at the end of the post)

I used two jumbo eggs in a deeper dish (I most find the dish Ina used). Added 1tsp milk and salt/pepper baked in a preheated oven at 425 for 12 minutes. The recipe says to use the broiler but my apartment has a cheap stove hence a horrible broiler. I think it is best to use large eggs instead of jumbos. Have toast everything prepared before time is up, eggs will still be hot and cooking. The longer you take the harder/more cooked they will become.

Eggy Goodness!!!!!! added some real bacon bits, hot sauce and cheese. Words cannot describe how good and comforting this is :)

This was trial #1 - so many things went wrong: used the broiler, added cheese before baking and too much, dish was too small. But it made really good scrambled eggs (I just used a fork to mix it up since it was really hot)

Mmmmm

I am still alive and have been a postdoc for 1year, 8 months and some day, hours, minutes and seconds.

My lack of updates may be an indication that I am no longer interested in science, well at least academic research. I still like science, bench work, problem solving etc. What I don't like in general, is the bullying, politics, dishonesty, backstabbing, grant writing, begging, hypocrisy, unethical people, abuse, minimum-wage-stipend where I'll have to be a postdoc for 2 more years before I make $40,000 (before taxes mind you) and being one of the educated poor even a tech, peeps at McDonalds make more than I do.

I can tolerate all the things if a real salary + real benefits was attached. But until then I need to pay my rent so I will go to work each day with a smile and at least be grateful I have a job to go to.

All in all I may or may not continue this blog or I may change tone (I've done that before) which I may actually update more often. So stay tuned if you're interested :)

Enjoy the rest of the SUMMER!!!!

WTH!!!

Yesterday was 'lab clean up day' and PI basically created more of a problem a solution. I swear PI is mental, there is just no explanation. PI yelled, complained and screamed (all the stuff was things PI can't le go off because PI did this a million years ago when kits etc were not invented...) and then ditched us to Skype. Then came back and threw a tantrum (picture a 4 yr old having a fit in public) because PI wanted to dictate the toppings on the pizza we ordered, which we had to pay for and then PI wanted to share it with everyone in the department. We said 'NO!!!'.

PI proceeded to eat said pizza complaining the whole time about not eating meat, being lactose intolerant, too many calories, blah, blah, blah. OMG I cannot wait to get out of this lab/institution/academia. Can you imagine spending all day in a lab with this and 90% of the times it's worse.

Crazy Week

I have had a crazy week, juggling my own work and now three students. 'Cruella' had stated at the end of last year that she would be in charge of the undergrads (mind you stepping in after I taught them all the basics). She made a huge deal of this, I've never complained about doing it in fact I prefer one-on-one teaching than being a postdoc. So here we are in February and she has not even made an attempt to even talk to them. All she does is sit in her office, browse PubMed and terrorize the handful of people that actual decide to work for her. 

What she fails to realize is how much work goes into 'teaching' undergrads who are either non-bio majors (public heath to be precise) or just sophomore and take one bio class per semester. Each comes for six hours/week in addition to a an exchange student from a different country who follows me around all day long. I don't even have time to check my email, in fact I don't even have a computer. I use a lab desktop attach to a plate reader because she refuses to buy a computer, which other people use on and off during the day.

I should be in lab now but I'll go in later, I'm tired. I have to use the weekends to recuperate from the week with her and the lab and it's hard to get up out of bed. Plus I applied for a somewhat science related part-time job for which I have to do some training for which I want to get done this weekend.

..........................

In lab again

I really need to avoid coming to lab on the weekends. I'm only here because I'm doing a cell proliferation assay and I can actually get to think in peace and quite away from Cruella (also known as my PI). I was to go to a conference that was coming up in March and she informed me that she won't be paying for the registration fee. In other words she wanted me to shell out a $1000 to pay up front for this conference. Even if I had it I would not pay that much out of pocket. This particular conference wants you to pay up front and then if you get a travel award, they wil reimburse you the money. Still as a single postdoc I do not have $1000 lying around and it being winter all the money trees have lost their leaves.

On a more positive note I have a friend in industry who has been kind enough to serve as a sort of mentor and has looked over my CV/resume. So when I get home tonight I'll be working on that and some cover letters.

Happy 2012!!!!

I've been a post doc for 1 year and 41 days!!!!

This year has already started out rough. My current PI is officially certifiably crazy there is no pleasing her and today was a perfect example. She is applying for a grant in a field she has no, zero expertise in apart from what I bring to the table. From day one I have offered to help her with every and anything, the science, the admin, etc. she said no, she does not need or want help. But yet she ask me to make a check- list which I did, the budget which I did. Then she gave me a copy of the 6 page-grant and I read through it, highlighted keys experiments that only people in the field would know and the reviewers would expect to see, grammar, spelling etc. It was due at Admin yesterday, today she told me she's not going to pursue this one anymore because I DID NOT HELP HER. That is how my 10 days of 2012 have been. What she really wants is someone to be at her beckon call and to sort through all her issue and not actually do any science at all. Then where will the preliminary results come from? Mars

It's a good thing I am job hunting :)

Grants, Papers...OMG I need a real JOB

Well I've been a postdoc for 11 months and 20 days.....

My first paper has been officially accepted and is in print.

I spent a couple of days this month recruiting for my institution as an alum/postdoc at a national conference, where I also served as a judge (I also won a travel award). I like the recruiting aspect and could see myself doing it as a job, except for when the airline looses a piece of luggage.

My F32 was reviewed this week and went unscored, ouch. Am I upset, no because I knew it wouldn't stand a chance in the study section they assigned it to (which I didn't request). It was doomed from day one. Oh well maybe it was a good thing, now I won't be stuck in research with a grant and won't feel bad when I have to leave for a real job in a year (keeping my fingers crossed). I'm taking this as a sign that I really need to focus on what kind of a career I want and work towards it.

My two undergrads are getting ready to give their end of semester presentations. I have a new student coming for from France for Spring 2012.

My Ph.D lab is basically bankrupt and my advisor is desperate so he really wants to publish a part of my thesis (which he has turned into a lab effort). He also is making this a huge focus of his R01. If memory serves me right this was a project he had no interest in for years and I labored (without his knowledge) over it. Look whose still keeping this lab afloat even a year after she left? 

One thing I heard through the grape vine is how suddenly the author list has grown. I've made myself clear that I won't take anything less than second author or co-first author (I left the project to a postdoc whom I had asked to help me with it). And if there are any difficulties I just have to remind them that I copyrighted this project and all other work in my dissertation. 

I think I've made my first industry contact with a research and development rep from a big company. I need to nurture this because I'll be looking for a job soon.

Well that's all for now folks......

Still hanging on....

to the life raft of scientific research...


I have been a postdoc for 9 months and 6 days!!!!


F32 grant submitted to NIH, no errors or warnings. Keeping my fingers crossed. That was a rough experience not only writing the actual grant but going through my institutions administration.


Now on to exploring some non-goverment funding opportunities.


First manuscript of postdoc will be submitted next Tuesday. Again keeping fingers crossed.


I've been invited to be a reviewer for a journal.


Three papers maybe coming out of my thesis. Keeping my fingers crossed but not holding my breath.


My undergrad student comes back in the Fall must think up of a few projects.


Getting another student for 9 weeks in the spring.


Recently decided this may be my first and last postdoc; the stipend is barely keeping up with the cost of living and being single makes it worse.


I'll make an effort to update this blog more.

Update

Time as a postdoc: 4 months and 20 days

Today the department is having a retreat on campus and I have a poster to present. Things are moving along very well and I'm super busy I have a manuscript and a F32 due by June 30. The F32 this early because my PI and the administrator who submit the grants for our department are going on vacation 1st week of July for at least a few weeks. Once I get it in I can relax a bit, I'm planning on going to the mid-west for a few days while my PI is gone. I'm going a million different experiments for another paper due out later this year as well as teaching my undergraduate. We are doing a bioinformatic based project which my PI and I will do a review for later this year too. Also because the lab is small and the other two senior postdocs are useless I've somehow become the 'lab manager' making sure things are done and the lab tech gets her stuff plus lab stuff done.

So much to do and not enough hours in the day but I'm happy and pleased with the progress.

Pros and Cons of a Small Lab

First I'll start off by saying I'm still alive!!!!!!!!!
So I've been a postdoc for 3 months and 28 days in a small lab with a PI whose main goal is to produce quality work and publish. How does this compare with being a graduate student from August 2003 to November 2010 in a medium sized lab with a PI who could care less about the work being done?
1. I already have a draft for a manuscript ready on work I've initiated and done since I began.
2. I'm already going to two conferences and presenting at one.
3. I've made connections with people who will be able to help me with my career goals.
4. I've been acknowledge and somewhat rewarded for my leadership and organizational capabilities.


Pros
1. The work done means something and will be used
2. 90% of the time you'll be an author on a paper
3. If you have a good mentor you can be directed in the right path early on and have more one on one (which maybe a good thing or a bad thing).
4. It's easy to see whose not puling their weight.


Cons
1. Some members can be very possessive of the work and not let anyone else help. Case and point our RO1 is up for competitive renewal and it so happens that the senior most post doc has done most of the work. But he's hoarding the results, so the PI doesn't know what has been done, what needs to be redone or what else needs to be done. I told her that this is very dangerous and if they keep arguing back and forth before long the deadline will be upon us and grant still isn't ready.
2. PIs can be a little bit too involved, wanting to actually be at the bench (which is not necessarily a good thing).
3. everyone is responsible for the same things, which leads to nothing but chaos.


I'm still trying to get stuff out from my old lab but my old advisor is not very responsive. I can do nothing but try and move on.

.......

Well I've been a postdoc for almost two and a half months. So far things are moving along at a nice, rapid pace if that makes sense. It is so much different from my PhD lab, my new PI is actually focused on publishing and my career. We're already outlining three papers, talking about conferences, seminar presentations, collaborating with other labs etc. It's such a breath of fresh air to do science that is taken seriously, appreciated and will be (hopefully published), no it will be published. I want to use this first year to get stuff published so that when I apply for my first grant which may or may not be in this lab, my publication record will be strong.

My new PI is a bit crazy and is not really liked in our department because she doesn't filter her thoughts before she speaks and it offends people more like hurts their feelings. At least she's honest and says it like it is, she's had a lab for quite awhile now and is looking to move make waves once again (she did over 10 yrs ago) by taking advantage of new technologies etc. So maybe I left my old lab and joined this one at the right time. 

I'll blog more I've just been lazy.