Tasty Twist on Tuna

This original recipe was born one morning in the shower (where I do most of my best thinking), almost nine years ago. At the time, I was working in a busy real estate office as a Transaction Coordinator (aka executive paper pusher). I shared a workspace with four fun ladies who all loved to cook and share recipes. It was insanely hot that summer and I had been thinking about putting a new twist on my tuna salad. I told my friend Jodi not to bring her lunch the next day because I was going to bring her something new to try. The next day at lunch I presented my new invention - my spin on a tuna wrap sandwich. To my surprise, she loved it so much that she convinced me to start selling them on Thursdays during our lunch hour in the office. Before I knew it, there was an actual “buzz” about my tuna wraps! Agents were calling in their orders two days ahead to make sure I had their names down for a wrap (sometimes two or three) each week! Within a few months I had sold enough Jen's Tasty Tuna Wraps to buy my wedding dress. I hope you will try them and love them too. The following recipe will make four wraps.


INGREDIENTS

2 cans fancy albacore tuna in water
2 tbsp. Regular or light mayo (your choice)
4 scallions, chopped
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
drizzle of my original dressing – recipe follows (not named as of yet!)
4 8" or 10" flour tortillas 1 lime, sliced in quarters




INSTRUCTIONS
 In a mixing bowl combine tuna, mayo, scallions, pepper, and almonds. Place two good tablespoons of the tuna mixture in the middle of the flour tortilla and, using a fork and your fingers, shape into a rectangle. Add a sprinkle of cilantro across the tuna and then drizzle a tablespoon or so of dressing over the top. Top with a handful of chopped romaine. To fold, bring the bottom edge of the tortilla over the top first, then fold in the sides and roll once. Slice on a diagonal and serve with a wedge of lime it's a must squeeze!




DRESSING

Fast and easy to throw together, this dressing is essential to creating the original taste of this wrap!

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch powdered dressing mix
½ cup 2% milk
2/3 cup regular or lowfat mayo
1 clove garlic approx.
¼ cup (or good hand full) cilantro
small hand full Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk first three ingredients together in small mixing bowl – set aside. In food processor (I have a little Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus): Add garlic, cilantro, pepitas and olive oil and pulse for a few seconds. Then add ½ of the prepared ranch dressing and pulse together until smooth and fully incorporated. This dressing is great for dipping, on burritos and salads – whatever you dream up!

Enjoy!

A Change of Space...

...Blog space that is! I've made the switch, with only a slight twinge of guilt, over to WordPress.  I hope you will consider following me there.  Well Adjusted's got a fresh new look and feel!

I will be checking in more often and look forward to connecting with you on a more regular basis.

As always, thank you for reading!

xo Jen

Wish List by John Locke

When I connected with @DonovanCreed on Twitter in 2009, I knew instinctively this was the kind of scribey guy I could learn a thing or two from.  The man behind the legendary, allow-me-to-do-you-a-favor-and-snap-your-neck, Creed, is Best Selling Author, John Locke.  As the first self-published author to sell a million books on Amazon-Kindle, you bet your sweet bippy we're all paying attention.

In what John calls "one of the biggest moments of my life" his book "Wish List" has just come out in mass-market paperback.  I picked up my copy at Barnes & Noble ($4.99) and you can also find it at WalMart ($3.47) among other places.

Giving a whole new meaning to the phrase "be careful what you wish for", Wish List is a page turner right out of the gate. It's an insanely paced, wild, creepy, thrill ride with a dash of -if that wasn't so weird it would be funny- thrown in.  Buddy Pancake and friends make a few innocent (or not so) wishes on the Wish List website and the rest is history.  Lucky for Buddy he's got Donovan Creed's number...

John recently teamed up with Simon & Schuster for what will likely prove to be a history-making relationship and change the future of publishing.  This is exciting and inspiring news for the world of self-published authors.  Before you go thinking Mr. Locke sold out, he recently set the record straight on INDIEREADER.com saying in part:

"From the day I completed my first novel I believed a bridge could be built between indie authors and traditional publishers, a bridge that would lead to retail outlets and newspaper book reviews. Thanks to Simon & Schuster, a forward-thinking company that understands the power, mindset, and value of indie authors, it’s about to happen.


I believe there will eventually be several lanes of traffic crossing this bridge into retail sales, and each lane will have their own risk-reward toll booths. In the lane I’ve chosen, Simon & Schuster did not pay me for distribution rights. The way it works, they receive a fee to distribute my books under my imprint, John Locke Books. That sounds stark, but here’s the kicker: S&S has gone out of their way to help me succeed in this endeavor. They’ve provided sales and marketing, accounting and tracking services, valuable advice and insight, and they’re overseeing all facets of production from printing to warehousing to shipping, and more.


I retain all rights to my books and ebooks. Let me say that again: I retain all rights to my books and S&S is helping me reach an audience I would never be able to reach on my own. To my knowledge, this type of arrangement has never been done before, but if it works, I expect some form of what we’re doing to become commonplace."


I believe!  Let's flex our Social Media muscles and help spread the word for this exceptionally talented author.

Buy.  Read.  Tweet.  Repeat!

Also, feel free to subscribe to his blog John Locke Books

Thanks for reading!  XO

Dear facebook: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Ah facebook, bringing out the insecure narcissist in all of us.  I am not sure if it is my conflicted, over-thinking, over-analyzing, fickle, sometimes hyper-sensitive, dual (Gemini) personality, but I've had enough.

It's not you it's me.

Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, do not friend me on facebook.

I do not like green eggs and ham.  I do not give two craps about how cute your kid looks eating them Sam I am.

Okay, okay, that was a bit harsh, let's try a different tact.

As a self-acknowledged social butterfly, I can tell you without reservation that I LOVE all things Social Media...but it's more complicated than that.

On the positive side, I could say that I like facebook because it keeps me in touch with family and friends who live on the opposite side of the country.  Good right?  Well in reality, while the handful of aforementioned family and friends and I are indeed connected on facebook, we rarely interact there.  Why?  Because we speak regularly on the phone.  We exchange e-mails or letters.

I am also (as mentioned in my bio) a writer and very much enjoy promoting and encouraging fellow writers and entreprenuers.  As an independent contractor for a west-coast based marketing firm I must have access to the facebook business pages of companies we support.  I am also passionate about spreading the word about people who are doing great things.

On the less positive side, I have been noticing for some time now that facebook, correction, the way that we (myself included) interact on facebook, has a way of making a person feel obligated.  Obligated to wish people you barely know a happy birthday publicly.  Obligated to leave a comment if someone is sick, or their kids are sick, or their dog ate their sofa.  Please don't get me wrong, I am not some cold-hearted bitch who doesn't care - the problem is I care too much, and so for me personally it becomes a real time-sucker. 

I believe everyone has the right to put whatever they like out there, but there are definitely those who enjoy providing a running commentary of their entire day, every day, blissfully unaware of anyone around them.  Yes, I know I can "unsubscribe" and have done so - but then you have to ask yourself, if I am unsubscribing to this person, why am I "facebook friends" with them in the first place?  You could argue that it will keep your "real-life" friendship with them in better standing if you don't see all of their posts.  For me personally, the bottom line is this:  I really don't need to know this much about anyone, nor do I believe that you care to know that much about me.

The truth is, I don't have several hundred friends. Last night before the deactivation took place I think I had right around one hundred "friends". I know who my friends are and so do they. I don't need facebook to make me feel special.  Yes facebook, I see all the "people who are going to miss" me - but really they're not, because they know right where I am.


I hear people having conversations about whether or not they should accept a friend request from so and so, and weighing hypothetical consequenses of doing so or not (e.g., if I am friends with that person then this person will see and maybe I don't want them knowing what's going on in my world, etc.)  I even received a friend request recently from a neighbor kid...who happens to be under the age of thirteen.  My eight year old daughter was just whining to me the other day that some of her friends are on facebook and why couldn't she.  N.O.!  Stop the madness people! 

Five years ago I was not having conversations about facebook.  I was writing more and being hijacked by BS less.

The irony in all of this is that I need access to facebook for some of the work that I do.  So, I have created a new super stealth facebook page, which will serve as home base operations for JenCann Productions only, and which will otherwise be invisible to the naked eye. 

Thanks for reading ~ Would love to hear your thoughts.

xo

Happy New Year!

As another year comes to a close (wow, that was fast!) I can look back fondly on 2011, and look forward to the year ahead like a gift waiting to be unwrapped or, just like last year, another ream of blank pages stacked in front of me. 

I am always tempted to make resolutions which we all know can be counterproductive.  This year, however, I can tell you without reservation that I plan to do a few things that absolutely scare the bejeezus out of me.  The list isn't too long or complicated.  I will share one of them, the scariest of them all here with you tomorrow (gulp).  The resolve I am feeling for what is sure to be a very exciting new year can be summed up in one word.  The word is:  Focus.

The time has come for me to get a firm grasp on the ol' boot straps and pull!  I find myself surrounded by and in awe of folks who have done so and are succeeding - making their own success.  I am so passionate about promoting my fellow entrepreneurs that I often forget about my own *tongue-firmly-in-cheek* "hopes, dreams and aspirations".

Thanks to several very encouraging, supportive friends, the voices of doubt are dissapating and I'm ready to dive into two new personal projects this year.  One is a book of poetry and the other is a fictional novel based on the life of my grandfather...  Yes, I am aware that everyone is writing The Next Great American Novel.  I go into this with a realistic attitude knowing that there are so many books in the world, and that just because I write one doesn't mean it will ever be read.  It would though, be a huge personal accomplishment and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream...  And, anyone who knew my Gramps knows this will be one helluva story!

By sharing some of this information with you, my tens of readers, I feel accountable in a way that I think will help me reach my goals!  So, thank you in advance for being there on the other side of the screen.

Wishing all of you the very best that 2012 has to offer and, as always, thank you so much for taking the time to read.

Peace and Love xo

Dog's Gone Wild for Rotations Pet Food!

This is Cinnamon.  She may look demure in her pink feather boa channeling her inner "I believe in pink..." Audrey Hepburn, but don't be fooled.  Beneath the surface of that sweet Maltese face lies the fiery Scottish temper of a terrier (Cairn) bitch.  Anyone who owns a Cairn knows how they drive us mad by being so irresistibly cute, yet so aloof... If you've ever accidentally brushed an arm across the hind end of one sleeping on the back of the couch, you know what I'm talking about.

Cinnamon had the opportunity recently to sample Rotations Pet Food.  I will admit I didn't know much about holistic or all natural dog foods before now, and she seemed to be doing okay with the dry kibble from our local pet store.  She gets 1/2 a cup of food in the morning and 1/2 a cup in the evening.  Typically, it will stay in her dish for the better part of the morning and she'll just take a few pieces here and there to nibble on. 

When our rotational pack arrived (3 5lb. bags, 1 of each variety: Chicken and Brown Rice, New Zealand Lamb and Potato, and Wild Salmon with Peas and Carrots) I opened the Wild Salmon first and mixed several pieces of the kibble into what was still left in her dish from earlier in the day.  I kid you not- she took one sniff and immediately started rooting through the food picking out the Rotations kibble!  I liken it (not proudly) to the first time I let my kid eat a (NOT at all holistic) chicken nugget from McDonald's -she was instantly hooked.

By the third day I could say to Cinnamon "Where's your food?" 

By the end of the first week she had easily transitioned over to Rotations and now sits (and often lies) by her dish when she thinks it's time to eat!  There is no more grazing - the food disappears in short order. And check out that shiny coat!

A couple of things I noticed within the first three weeks of feeding Rotations were that her coat became (and still is) very soft and shiny, and she has definitely "filled out" a bit.  I actually feed her just a tad less than a cup a day so that she doesn't plump up like a ballpark frank!  We have also stopped buying expensive "treats" like bacon strips, etc. and now, when she's done something to deserve one (i.e., her business outside when it's 20 degrees), she gets a couple of pieces of kibble instead.

In light of recent dog food recalls, one by Proctor & Gamble, maker of big name IAMS and another by Advanced Animal Nutrition, maker of Dog Power dry dog food it seemed like the right time for a change.  I had no idea that many dog food manufacturers use rancid, or almost rancid meat in their food! What?!

I am happy to report that Rotations is one of the ONLY U.S. based manufacturers that peroxide value tests ALL meat used before it goes into their recipes to ensure with 100% certainty that it has not even begun to go bad.  This has to be one of the top reasons ROTATIONS® dog food feeds better and is liked by more dogs than most other meat-first all natural pet foods!

One of the coolest things about Rotations is that once your dog has transitioned over, you can feed them one or all of the three varieties at any time with no digestive upset.  It really is remarkable.  There's no rocket science involved, but if you follow these guidelines for transitioning you can't go wrong:

Day 1 & 2 - 25% ROTATIONS, 75% existing food

Day 2 & 3 - 50% ROTATIONS, 50% existing food

Day 4 & 5 - 75% ROTATIONS, 25% existing food

Day 6 - 100% ROTATIONS

Money Saving Note:  When you buy the Rotational Pack, you're getting 3 bags for the price of 2!

Why Rotate?  Here's a partial excerpt: 

"Once you have selected a quality dog food, that’s all you need to feed, right? Despite what many dog food companies tell you, the answer is NO!

Dogs weren’t intended to get all of their nutrients from a single food. Just like all mammals, dogs are meant to thrive on a range of different foods obtaining the unique nutritional benefits from each. They are not intended to eat "only chicken" or "only lamb" or any other food item for most of their life. Changing a pets food provides the nutritional variety they need in order to thrive."

Find additional information and all of your questions answered here: http://www.rotationspetfood.com/
We've switched completely to Rotations and won't ever go back!

And now, a GIFT for you! Please DO use this special Coupon Code - CINNAMON - during your checkout process to recieve 15 lbs. of Rotations FREE! This offer is also good for the 3 bag "Rotational Pack" (You pay shipping only).

This generous offer is limited to ONE per household and is valid until 12/31/2011.

Have a furbulicious day and thanks for reading!

XO

SassaB ~ Fun Fab Stocking Swag!

Christmas is around the corner and I'm always trying to find fun stocking stuffers at the last moment.  It's a double bonus when I can support a fellow small business owner and get a quality product. 

I love these new, fun, linkable charms from SassaB!  I recently interviewed Tracy Sanders, Owner and Creator of SassaB LLC about the upcoming launch of her very first product, and I couldn't be happier for her!  A little history - Tracy and I attended the same casting call for what would become Kelly Ripa's Homemade Millionaire during the Summer of 2009 in Chicago.  We didn't meet at the audition, but connected subsequently through her ProductX Blog.  There have been a lot of ups and downs for us both since then and she has never given up on her dream of bringing a product to market.  Well done T!

How fun are these charms?  I have spent many a dollar in the past on other charms found in novelty stores, etc., that either broke or fell apart within the first few days.  They say the devil is in the details, and the first thing I noticed is that the lobster clasp on SassaB is much better quality than those "other" charms.  They are easily linked together with connector rings on both sides of the charms. 

The girls were so excited to wear them to school and now they are finding all sorts of fun things to do with them! 

Make a necklace...

Add pizzazz to a zipper...

"Create your own style!"

Looking forward to collecting them all and spreading the word about these FUNtastic new charms!

You can also find SassaB on Facebook.

As always, thank you for taking a few moments out of your busy day to read.

XO Jen