WELCOME BACK Posted at 7:05 PM 0 comments (+)
Hello past Kayla.
You know, when I posted things back then, I didn't think that I'd be my own audience in the future. It's kind of nice being able to look back at these posts and reflect on what past me was going through. I can really empathize with her, but oddly enough, I think younger Kayla knew that things were going to get better (despite the insanely melancholic/moody/angsty things I used to type out).

So what's different? My mind is racing and I can't really talk about just one thing. I have goals, I have things I want to catch myself up on--is that weird? To be in your own head and life but not really be present? At least until you let your mind really think and meditate on what's been going on. So what's up? What's on the boob tube, Kla? For one, the Great Barrier Reef is still dying, but maybe that's kind of comforting because it's not exactly dead yet. Everything has a life span so we're just all dying but now you know that we're dying alongside the Great Barrier Reef. I guess I should learn how to swim then. Australia? I think I'm losing focus; maybe I'll come back soon.

GREAT BARRIER REEF Posted at 2:46 PM 0 comments (+) Not sure when my last post was, but here I am.  I've been trying to start writing in my journals again but sometimes I just want to be in my bed and type. So much has changed and my life ended up being somewhere I wasn't quite satisfied with, despite working so hard to be here 2 years ago. Failing relationship, lack of creativity, lack of happiness. I guess I'll be putting these hard lessons in the book of things learned in your early twenties. Sounds like a shitty Buzzfeed list. But anyway, the Great Barrier Reef died today and I'm sitting here trying to get over someone who never appreciated me and who constantly hurt and lied to me over the course of 3 years. I feel like half the girl I was back then, a little lost and not quite fully conscious that it's probably time to let go. It's only been a few days, but I realized that I probably won't bounce right back to who I was before all this. Another hard lesson is that maybe it's not just about letting go of this relationship but letting go of who I was before. I just want to feel like myself again. I don't know. 

Creamy Avocado and Spicy Pineapple Paleta popsicle recipes Posted at 9:06 PM 0 comments (+)
My birthday was about four months and ago and Wilms bought me a popsicle maker/mold as a late surprise present. I've been using it almost every week for a new recipe but these two have been my favorites so far! I love avocados but the pineapple one caught me by surprise. I never really enjoyed pineapples but the extra spicy punch goes really well with the sweet and tangyness. I got the recipe from here.

For the creamy avocado popsicles, here's the recipe:
1 avocado (I like to use the giant hass avocados)
1 cup of half and half
1/4 of a can of sweetened condensed milk.

1. Peel and remove the seed from your avocado. Scoop its contents into a blender.
2. Pour in the half and half and sweetened condensed milk into the blender.
3. Blend everything until smooth.
4. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from the freezer and place popsicle sticks in and put it back in for at least 3 hours.
6. After it's completely frozen, you can take it out and serve or leave it in the fridge for up to two weeks!

And here is the recipe for the spicy pineapple paleta popsicles:
1 pineapple
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of sugar
1 serrano pepper, split lengthwise down the middle
1 tsp of ground chile (I used arbol)
2 tablespoons of lime juice
pinch of salt

1. Finely dice small rectangles of 1 1/2 cup of pineapples and chop up the rest. The diced pineapples will be the tiny chunks in the popsicles!
2. Mix the diced pineapples with the ground chile and salt.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and stir on medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils. Add the serrano pepper and lower the heat, letting the pepper steep in the simple syrup mixture. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Strain the simple syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pepper.
4. In a blender, combine the chopped up pineapples with the simple sugar and lime juice. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour the blended mix into a bowl and mix in the diced pineapples.
6. Divide the mixture and pour it into the popsicle molds.
7. Place the popsicle sticks in and freeze for about 4 hours, or until completely frozen.

Labels: inspiration, recipe

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Beach day from Kayla Nguyen on Vimeo.

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