Cat-Toe Shoes + The Importance Of Compromise In A Cat-Human Slave Relationship

Momma Told Me: Compromise is key to any healthy relationship.


There comes a point in every cat-human slave relationship that you find yourself simply falling into a slump.  Wake up, feed cat. Scoop litter box. Pet cat. Slowly back away as cat makes it known they're done with you. Open window for cat. Pick up cat toys. Feed cat dinner. Scoop cat box. Attempt to pet cat again. Ignore rude feline slang and remind yourself they still love you. Go to bed. Wake up to cat on face. Do it all again.

It's no-one's fault, really. Light any long-term relationship it's bound to have it's ups and downs. But, unless your cat's making $1000's of dollars selling cereal on Instagram (yes, that's a thing) you might want to remind yourself who exactly wears the pants. Literally. Unless your cat is some sort of special pants wearing cat, in which case you're simply out of luck.

For a while, last year, Truffles and I had settled into an Eb and flow that was teetering on the edge of complacency. Our relationship was dull. I wanted nice, pretty, things, and all she wanted to do was lay around in the (dirty) sliding window track all day. She couldn't even be bothered to pull back the blinds before she smushed herself against the glass and drifted off for her afternoon naps. Neither of us seemed unhappy, but neither of us seemed particularly happy either.

So I decided to make some changes.

No long would I settle for our relationship consisting of little more than a routine. For example, if she wasn't going to get up off the floor and go buy her own groceries then she was at the very least going to help with the shopping decisions. There was some grumbling about 'angles' making her look fat, and data usage, but I at last got her to agree to Face Time on the phone during my visit to PetSmart. It turns out, much like the importance of good toilet paper to humans, cats have a lot to say about the litter they use.

Truffles wanted a lower dust formula litter, while I wanted extreme clumping action that would make my human-slave duties much more tolerable each day. We'd been using Fresh Step cat litter for years, but never paid much attention to the new varieties and innovations with the brand. I guess you can just chalk it up too our slump. So, together, we decided to make the switch to a new lower dust Fresh Step with the Power of Febreze formula litter. Our compromise skills, however,were later put to the true test when I rolled past the PetSmart aisle with the toy mice. Turns out Truffles got some new toys, and I got a new pair of shoes.

Of course a plain pair of flats didn't quite make Truffles' fashion approval- they needed a but more pizazz. So I grabbed some painter's tape, a drop cloth, and acrylic paints and sat down to jazz up my new kicks a little.

My relationship efforts must have been paying off because Truffles immediately joined me, as soon as the box the shoes had arrived in was vacant.

I was excited my cat was taking interest in my hobbies, and immediately began explaining my project to her, but her eyes only offered a glazed expression. Baby steps, I told myself.

I took my painter's tape and blocked off an even section of the toe of each flat and gave it a good layer of black paint. I then carefully peeled back the tape and added two swooshes of 'ears'.

Either the scent of wet acrylic on leather was perking her up, or she'd hit the nip a little earlier in the day but Truffles then looked at me and meowed something I took to mean "Paint me like one of your French cats" and I felt myself immediately inspired. Since I also happen to like asymmetrical designed, I decided to paint one toe as Truffles, the tuxedo cat, and the other a mysterious black kitty.

This project was incredibly simple, and didn't really require any special materials or skills- I've since worn my snazzy new flats about town several times to many compliments. This look sure beats that 'gold toe' trend everyone was buzzing about last Spring! Of course a brand new Fresh Step litter variety wasn't quite equal to my new 'designer' kicks- so Truffles demanded we compromise a little more. A new piece of furniture was in order.

Since I knew how much Truffles longed to lounge in the warm grass on a sunny SoCal day, but so very much feared the sound of a car backfiring, or the bark of a stray dog, or the shadow of a fleeing mouse (she's kind of an agoraphobe, really) I decided to bring the outdoors in. For about $8 at the local hardware store I invested in a sturdy concrete mixing pan that just so happened to be the perfect size for a section of sod.

As it turns out you can walk into most major, and even private, hardware and nursery stores and order a section of fresh sod (grass) to pick up the same day. The smallest size, shown here, cost us $2.59, and is actually doubled onto itself in the tray. You can order your sod with or without the thick dirt base- we prefer with dirt because it just has that great spongy, Earthy, feel. Sod for this purpose is generally intended to be tossed at the end of it's life, rather than watered/maintained, and will stay green and plush for 5-7 days depending on your climate.

***Update: We have had sod beds last up to 10 days before they were starting to brown and dry. We do something like this about once a month as a treat whenever we pass by the sod farm but you can get set up on a delivery or pickup schedule for weekly/bi weekly sod if it's something you desire to do regularly. You can also install a 'living' sod bed much like an indoor plant and keep the grass thriving for months on end.

Now, let me tell you- I could have just had a Lay-Z-Boy recliner dropped off, that's how magical this lounger was for our relationship. What a difference a change of local can do for one's mindset! It was as though Truffles checked into the spa each afternoon and was the kitten I fell in love with all over again each night. After hours of recharging in the afternoon sun my cat would return to me a whole new feline, purring and begging for attention with nudges and cuddles.

We may not be completely out of our rut- After all, I'll always be the human slave, and she'll always be the cat, but things are running just a bit more amicably these days. Let's just say I'm still scooping the litter box, but at least she remembers to put Fresh Step Extreme with the Power of Febreze on the shopping list! Now, tell me, if you may Kitty-Toe Flats what type of cat would you feature on the front? Not a cat person? Tell me about your pet's favorite place to sleep in the house!

What Daughter Says: Happy cat, happy human-slave.

Grape-Chia Chicken Field of Greens Salad Recipe

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Welchs #WelchsChia #CollectiveBias

Momma Told Me: If you eat too much of that- you're gonna turn into it!

When I was about 4 or 5 years old my father's parents, who were big into holistic living in the form of acupuncture and herbal supplements, began carrying a large shaker of flaxseed to every meal. Because they lived on the opposite side of the country, and I only saw them fora  few days twice a year, it didn't seem out of place at first. Then, a few years later, the practice my father has laughed off as 'yet another holistic fad' not only had stuck around, but intensified. My grandparents sprinkled flaxseed on everything from their morning toast to an afternoon blended coffee beverage. As you can imagine, at the time, the young girl I was I fancied it a miracle seed, the way they regarded it's presence with such importance.

Of course, now 30 years young myself I know there is no such thing as a magical food, or even magical ingredient. That true smart eating comes from a deliberate, and somewhat complicated balance of dietary composition that changes day to day with our busy lifestyles. This being said, there has been quite a lot of talk over the past couple of years about a group of 'Superfoods' which offer magnified nutritional benefits when incorporated into a well balanced daily diet. As someone who is 1.) notorious for eating like a bird and 2.) has cut most meat out of her diet unintentionally (I just tend to eat chicken or tofu or veggies these days) Chia has been a big part of my own personal Superfood movement.

So you're probably thinking why would I want to put something that traditionally sprouts out of a ceramic head (anyone else remember Chia Pets?) in my food? A serving of Chia seeds may provide up to 20% of your daily dietary protein, while being packed with Omega 3 Fatty acid ALA (but not DHA) and also offer a unique texture twist to just about anything you might sprinkle them on, or put them in. I haven't quite reached the 'carrying a shaker full of Chia Seeds' stage, like my grandparents, but I have been using this ingredient in pretty much anything I can think of- mainly smoothies and atop salads as of lately.

Recently Welch's released their new Chia spreads range of NON-GMO, real sugar, spreads free of preservatives and high-fructose corn syrup. They're jars full of the real Welch's fruit flavor your love, and packed with over 700 chia seeds in every serving. You'll currently find them in the jelly and jam aisle of your favorite major grocery retailers. I found both the Strawberry and Concord Grape varieties at my local Southern California Ralph's. In fact, if you're lucky, for a limited time, you'll find a coupon on select bottles of Welch's Chia Concord Grape Spread at a store near you. It's the perfect reason to pick up a jar and try today's featured recipe!

I'm pretty used to using Chia as an ingredient in my day-to-day recipes- but most curious about this Superfood might not know where to begin. Welch's new Chia spreads offer a great way to experience the texture of Chia in a delicious natural fruit spread. I found that Welch’s Chia Concord Grape Fruit Spread is really versatile and easy to work with, thanks to the generous helping of real Chia seeds, which makes it bind beautifully as a baste for some freshly grilled chicken. In fact, I sear off 2 grilled chicken breasts, and baste each side in a thick layer of Welch’s Chia Concord Grape Fruit Spread, then send them directly to the oven on a cast iron skillet to finish reaching temperature.

While my chicken finishes cooking I use a few tablespoons of Welch’s Chia Concord Grape Fruit Spread to whip up a light vinaigrette with fresh lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and Omega 3-DHA Canola Oil. The result is a fragrant fruit vinaigrette that tosses into a bowl of fresh greens for the perfect sweet-citrus flavor to bring this delicious salad to life.

When your chicken emerges from the oven it'll have a gorgeous cranberry color glaze that reminds me of Thanksgiving turkey. Don't be fooled, there's only a touch of sweetness from Welch’s Chia Concord Grape Fruit Spread's real sugar. In fact, most of the sugars in the spread bake off during the 2nd stage of cooking (in the oven) and this grilled chicken has a wonderful flavor that is light and addictive all at once. 2 large breasts, thinly sliced will provide us with 2-3 generously portioned meals for 2. And that's perfectly fine with me, because I wouldn't mind eating this salad every day of the week.

As amazing as the flavors are when combining the Grape-Chia grilled chicken and the Vinaigrette, there are a few other star ingredients I suggest to make a flawless salad. While it might seem logical to put actual grapes in your salad, don't. For an extra layer of texture and natural sweet-tart that will go far to bring out the delicious Welch’s flavor, thinly slice some sticks of Granny Smith Apple and allow them to soak in fresh lemon juice while preparing your ingredients. A slivered red onion will also help to balance the acidity of the plate, while crumbled goat's cheese will bring in a bitter creamy element that I especially love when chia seeds are present. To top it off- candied pecans make this one irresistible salad, great for any season.

Be sure to toss your greens in the prepared Grape-Chia Vinaigrette prior to building your plate- a little goes a long way and you really want that powerful vinaigrette flavor to interact with all of your ingredients! Nervous about how the chia seeds might impact your textural culinary experience? Don't be! You'll hardly notice they're there among all the other texture profiles in this dish!

As someone who reaches for Chia to incorporate into her meals on a day-to-day basis, Welch’s Chia Concord Grape Fruit Spread is a great way to take the mess out of a thousand tiny seeds and still enjoy the goodness that Chia has to offer. With 700+ seeds per serving, it likely is more than I'd organically put on or into my food in the first place, and it really offers a delicious flavor boost of natural grape that works wonders with smoothies, breakfast bowls, and even grilled chicken! Now, tell me, have you ever tried Chia seeds in a recipe? What might you do with Welch's new Chia spreads?

What Daughter Says: Balance is the biggest key to smart eating. There's no such thing as a magic ingredient, but smart ingredients can help make decisions easier.

Grape-Chia Grilled Chicken Field of Greens Salad

***Click here for Grape-Chia Vinaigrette And Salad Recipe

Celebrating Chinese New Year: Pressure Cooker Kung Pao Chicken Recipe + More!

This post was sponsored by Ling Ling, all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I recall once I had shark fin soup.

At age 11 my parents moved from their humble 'starter home' condo into a brand new house on a legit street, with a real back yard, and a melting pot of neighbors. It was a bit of a culture shock for me, but everyone was quite welcoming from the Latino family 2 doors down to the Vietnamese family directly across, and the several generations of heritage Chinese-Americans living directly next door. As it was a new housing track, we all moved into the neighborhood at roughly the same time, so everyone was receiving and giving traditional welcome dishes.

I recall out Chinese neighbors were the most welcoming of all. They quickly forged a bond with both my mother and father and began inviting my family over regularly for family meals and celebrations. The biggest, of course, was their annual Chinese New Year celebration, which seemed to go on for weeks in my young mind's perception.

While there, indeed, would be a week of solid eating and celebrating, as well as deeply important traditions, the weekend would always bring one giant family gathering meal. This included the building of a roasting pit and the cooking of a whole pig over an open flame. More traditional cuisine was made from scratch indoors, as the buffet of food seemed endless and diverse from multiple styles of fried noodles and rice to the more exotic shark fin soup, Vietnamese inspired quail eggs, and hand rolled spring rolls. But one thing I remember quite vividly was the yellow bag of frozen Ling Ling Potstickers that always lined the kitchen counter next to the family's stove.

I recall once, around 15, feeling bold enough to question the seemingly odd presence of a store-bought dish among all this lovingly hand-made cuisine. Christine, the mother of the family, with a twinkle in her eye pressed her fingers to her lips as if to make a 'Shhhh' motion.

"This is the only thing I don't have to worry about making from scratch, because they are as good as the real thing!" she explained.

And she was right, not only did her family love them, my own family made Ling Ling Potstickers often at home, as well. In fact, hosting a family meal every Chinese New Year isn't the only tradition my childhood neighbors impressed upon my present-day family, we keep a bag of Ling Ling frozen Chinese-cuisine Potstickers in our freezer at all times, too!

Of course I don't claim to have a Chinese heritage, outside of the friendship forged with the amazing, quite large and extended, Le family- who still lives next door to my father this day. But I do have a rich appreciation for their traditions and customs which evokes fond memories and a  (much smaller scale) celebration of my own.

In general Chinese New Year is all about generating, and preserving, one's good fortune for the coming year. The delicious food and family/friends are just a benefit.

Each year I try to observe some of the most important traditions I remember being taught by my neighbors, while serving a giant celebratory meal of my own.

Christine used to, and still today, spend/s hours upon hours during an entire week preparing her handmade dishes and authentic cuisine for celebration. I don't quite have that time, so I like to feature a few simple, but delicious, traditional dishes such as a Sesame Cucumber Salad, marinated in sugar and rice vinegar.

Not only is this dish affordable to whip up, it's pretty and simple to serve. I was taught to core the cucumber seeds out before slicing, as well as peel alternating stripes off the cucumber's skin for saturation and aesthetics- two culinary additions that really help give this easy side dish some pop.

Simple Sesame Cucumber Salad

***Click here for printable Cucumber Salad recipe

Ingredients

2 Medium Cucumbers

1/3 C Rice Vinegar

1 1/2 tsp Rice Vinegar

1/4 tsp Salt

2 TBS Sesame Seeds

Directions:

1. Cut cucumbers in half, width-wise. Peel cucumbers length-wise in alternating green stripes.

2. Gently core the seeds out with s small spoon (optional). Using a sharp knife cut the cucumber into diagonal, thin, slices.

3. Place slices on a double-layered paper towel and place another double layered paper towel on top. Gently pat to remove excess moisture.

4. Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to dissolve. Add the cucumbers and sesame seeds and toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes to allow dressing to soak in or serve immediately if desired.

Ironically, Chinese New Year tradition dictates that the women of the house should not go out on New Year's Day, as it forebodes bad luck for the rest of the year- so all of that traditional celebrating should be well planned and prepared for in advance. This means you'll want to have plenty of Ling Ling entrees and appetizers on hand, you'll find a store locator here. While you may already know, and use, Ling Ling's Potstickers, you may not know that they recently released a line of delicious fried rice options in 5 varieties such as Yakitori Chicken, Thai-Style Chicken, and Bibimbap Beef. Each unique Fried Rice recipe is inspired by a different region and prepares quickly on the stove with rich flavors infused in every grain of rice.

Serving Ling Ling favorites, such as Chicken Potstickers, and our new favorite, Bibimbap Beef, allows me to spend more time creating a unique feature recipe to truly make our Chinese New Year celebration a hit. This year convenience and time has been a big theme for our family; we're in the middle of several major remodels and work around the house and property so much of my attention has been on the droves of workers storming in and out of the house. While I knew I wanted us to take a time out for a special family meal, I didn't have a lot of time to spend a weekend preparing one. As a result I decided to be brave and try a variation of a pressure cooker recipe I'd been itching to give a go, kung pao chicken.

I chose Kung Pao chicken because it features an assortment of fresh vegetables that reminded me of a traditional Chinese New Year dish I used to enjoy at our neighbor's house, Fortune Salad. While you can add even more fresh ingredients (try mushrooms!) the base recipe calls for peppers, baby corn, zucchini, red onions, and peanuts.

I was a bit skeptical of making a traditional Chinese dish in a pressure cooker, but was actually quite impressed with how it turned out- I even substituted the chili paste with Sriracha (which was what I had on hand).

This entire Insta-Pot/Pressure Cooker process takes less than 10 minutes, across 2 cook sessions, and has about another 10 minutes of ingredient prep. It's a recipe that times perfectly with a pan of Ling Ling Potstickers and 1 Box of Ling Ling Fried Rice on the stove. The end result is a 4 course Chinese New Year Meal in about 30 minutes, minus clean-up. I almost feel guilty putting this spread together knowing Christine will be meticulously cooking from scratch all week to feed her family.

One of my favorite things about pairing a pressure cooker entree recipe with our Ling Ling Fried Rice and Potstickers is the rich flavorful sauce of this Kung Pao dish. It perfectly compliments the hearty Bibimbap Fried Rice brimming with edamame, yellow and orange carrots, bell peppers, beef, and spinach and it's savory gochujang sauce. Making fried rice from scratch typically takes me hours so Ling Ling Fried Rice entrees are not only a time-saver, but a flavorful hit in our family.

Preparing our favorite Ling Ling Fried Rice entree for Chinese New Year, or any meal, is as easy as heating a pan coated in oil, adding the rice, and allowing it to cook, covered for a short period of time. I like to remove the lid just towards the end and really 'fry' the rice with some hearty tossing for 2 minutes to get some nice brown edges on those flavorful grains.

While my Pressure Cooker Kung Pao is pressurizing and my Ling Ling Fried Rice is cooking I also heat up my wok with some oil and a shallow layer of water. Next I place my frozen Ling Ling Chicken Potstickers, flat side down, in the pan, side-by-side and cover to cook for about 8 mins. Finishing the potstickers with a nice golden brown edge simply requires removing the lid and cooking the potstickers an additional 2-3 minutes, or until all of the liquid has absorbed. Ling Ling even includes a few pre-portioned savory dipping sauce packets in each re-sealable bag so I don't have to worry about that, either!

I'll admit, I feel quite proud of myself when I pull off a meal as diverse and flavorful as this with so little effort. Sure, it feels like cheating, but it tastes like hours of effort. I especially love how the rich authentic flavors shine in my Ling Ling entree choices.

We always plate our Chinese New Year dishes buffet style, with each entree and side on large plates, bounding with portions. Everyone grabs their own plate and chopsticks and serves up their favorites directly from the family style presentation. It's a great way to get everyone gathered around the table and interacting with one another. Of course, during Chinese New Year, we always have a giant bowl of fresh mandarins to greet family and guests alike, as it is said to bring good luck to both the giver and the recipient. Mandarins are also the perfect way to wrap such a hearty and flavorful meal!

Chinese New Year has a sentimental value in our family thanks to traditions shared by my childhood neighbors, but all of these dishes are ones my family enjoys throughout the year. Find your favorite Ling Ling Asian inspired entrees and side dishes at a store near you, or discover new Ling Ling entrees that are sure to become favorites, this Chinese New Year. Now, tell me, does your family have a Chinese New Year tradition?

Insta-Pot/Pressure Cooker Kung Pao Chicken

****Click here for printable Insta-Pot Kung Pao Chicken recipe