ahi tuna

(edited: better photo)

O.M.G. this is by far the best thing i've ever cooked!!! i went to costco with my friend emily one day and found this beautiful piece of wild ahi tuna and just HAD to have it! (tuna is kevin's favorite... i was trying to be a good wifey!) so here's the recipe!

Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna (685 calories total or 342.5 calories per serving)

2 6-ounce ahi tuna steaks (180 calories each)
1/2 cup soy sauce (40 calories)
3 teaspoons wasabi paste (15 calories)
salt and black pepper to taste (0)
1/4 cup sesame seeds (210 calories)
2 tablespoons olive oil (240 calories)

- combine soy sauce, wasabi paste, salt and pepper
- marinate the tuna steaks in the wasabi soy sauce mixture for at least 30 minutes
- coat top and bottom of tuna steaks with sesame seeds
- heat olive oil in a large skillet
- sear tuna about 1-2 minutes per side (i like mine a little more medium than rare)
- let steaks rest 5 minutes before slicing

serve with soy sauce and/or wasabi paste.
i also made a mixed greens salad with toasted sesame dressing and curried ginger rice

surprise... sort of

this is a little late, but thought i'd show you guys my new piercing... LOL! before we left for colorado i decided to get my nose pierced! i absolutely LOVE it! it didn't hurt AT ALL!!!! i was so shocked! i also died my hair back all brown. (while on vacay i notice if i put my hair up in a ponytail i had this whole skunk thing goin and it was cool... so it's gone... for the summer at least!)

here's a picture of me after i got my nose done. i was so happy!!! i asked the guy if it was going to make me cry and he said "you're eyes might water a little" so i told him i was going to sit on my hands so i wouldn't try to hurt him while he was sticking a needle through my nose! after the initial stick i couldn't even feel it. so i opened my eyes to see the needle sticking out of my nose!! my eyes did water a little when he put the stud through because it's bend and he had to turn it. it's been 3 weeks now and has pretty much healed up! i love it!

this is after i died my hair back. i really liked the blonde streak in the front but didn't like how it looked when i put my hair up... and i can't have bad hair all summer long! so it's all brown again... for now!

braud family vacation

my brother and sis-in-law left friday morning. my parents left saturday morning. kevin and i left sunday morning. all to meet up in Buena (buh YOU nah) Vista, Colorado. monday we started our week long family vacation. (more pictures on facebook... i'm having a hard time with this stupid blog thing!)

day 1:

we rented jeeps and went down a bunch of bumpy, muddy trails. it was awesome!

me and my nephews! they had a blast!

we got to feed some chipmunks. i wanted to bring one home with me

day 2:

train ride!

the boys wanted the train to go faster!

we got to see a lot of snow!

day 3:

alan, peyton, and daddy at black canyon of the gunnison.

at the black canyon of the gunnison

day 4:

kevin and i rode up to independence pass before saying goodbye to the family.

i have problems.

day 5:

on our way home we stopped at Treasure Falls before heading through Pagosa Springs to Durango.

it was beautiful and cold.

we also got to see a lot of deer on this trip.

and i had to put my feet in the extremely cold water every chance i got!

we had a wonderful time and didn't want to come home. we are so blessed to be able to take these trips and spend time with our family. don't know where we're going next... but i'm ready!

pictures from our san diego trip!

sorry it's taken so long guys... we had just a few days once we got home from san diego to unpack, wash clothes, repack, and leave for colorado! i have more pictures posted on facebook if you want to check them out.

our first view of downtown... going over the coronado bridge

kevin, myself, and susie went to sea world. it was kevin's first trip to sea world and we had a wonderful time!

sting rays are awesome... he was smiling at me!

we were downtown and saw this quote on one of the windows... thought it was interesting!

we also went to our first MLB game! we got to see the Chicago Cubs play the San Diego Padres... surprisingly, the Cubs didn't score a single point!

cabrillo monument. a beautiful view of the ocean!

here we are at the beach... at 6 a.m. it was a first for both of us. our first time to ever see the ocean (the gulf of mexico SO does not count!) we were collecting shells and sand dollars. and kevin, of course, has his cup of coffee!

the water was SOOO cold, but i HAD to put my feet in!!! it was the first time i ever had my feet in the ocean!

this sand dollar is still alive. they are purple and covered in tiny hairs (or legs) that they use to swim through the water. it was cool getting to find a few that were alive!

this was our wonderful tour guide, and my dear friend from high school, susie!