Tiff's Imperfect Blog | Tiffany Kidder

So Much Has Happened

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:47:05 -1000

I know I've been MIA for a while. There are good reasons!! I promise. One is lack of funds. We've been eating our fair share of rice and beans for the last six weeks. I'm a big believer in having faith that everything will be alright. It's pretty funny really. Without asking for assistance or even telling anyone of our shortage of cash, good friends have given us loads of vegetables from their gardens and eggs from their chickens. We even had some friends visiting that gave us a gift card to Whole Foods! (Thanks Tonya & Bryan, and congratulations again on your vow renewal!) Now things are looking good and we're doing great! To give you an update on our recent events I'll just share some pictures and video. We have had some amazing dives, found some cool stuff, fixed some old stuff, and learned some new stuff. Only one real set back that is pretty much over… Which I won't share in pictures, but I'll tell you about it at the end...

Here's some recent fun dive videos:

Deep in the channel between Maui and Lanai we ran into a few fish

We got to dive off Molokai with some good friends

Lots of stuff has been going on at home too:

Another Humpback Encounter

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:38:28 -1000

Mother nature treated us to another incredible whale encounter the other day. This whale season has been absolutely amazing. I feel very blessed to have these experiences and happy that I have the ability to share them.

Nutrition & Junk Food Addiction

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:00:47 -1000

“The food you eat

can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine

or the slowest form of poison.”

-Ann Wigmore

I just read a few articles that I really enjoyed.

The first one, written by Dr. Michael Noonan and published by the BDN Maine, is titled, “What do we really know about nutrition?” This article talks about the simplicity of good food and about the misconceptions of good nutrition throughout recent history. Good nutrition comes from minimally processed ingredients. Which is why I process my own food. I like to buy local produce not only to support my local economy but to support the health of my husband and I. We don’t eat a lot of meat but when we do it comes from a good local source.

I know many people think that it can be expensive to eat in a healthy manner. It is so much cheaper to buy ten frozen meals for ten dollars. But if you look at the cost of health care in the long run, I’d say that the veggies you eat now are much cheaper than the drugs you’ll have to take later. When I prepare the food I eat, I have control over the additives I put in my body. When I fuel my body with clean, nutritious, minimally processed food, it has the ability to build healthy cells. I listen to it. I know when my body doesn’t like a certain food because it tells me. My skin may break out or I’ll have little to no energy, I may get congested, or have headaches. All signs that something is amiss. Typically I know what has caused the problem, usually too much dairy or not enough water. Sometimes it’s just hormones… So, I eat some dark chocolate... Problem solved.

January Whales

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:22:01 -1000

I can't believe it's almost February. I was going to write a happy new years post. A little late I think. For what it's worth though, Happy New Year!! We've been super busy over here. I've been writing new recipes to post, trying new supplements, and playing with some dietary changes for myself. All of which will be shared with you soon. We have also been diving a lot and enjoying the humpback whales that visit us out here in the winter months. I would like to share with you an extremely rare encounter we had diving yesterday. The ocean is magical and so is helium… You'll hear it in our voices. This dive took place off of Maui at a depth of 180ft and was filmed with a GoPro Hero 3 Black. If I had gills, I'd never come up…. Enjoy!

Christmas Traditions

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 14:08:35 -1000

I haven't spent Christmas with my family in about twelve years. This year unfortunately is no exception. A typical Christmas day for me consists of busy work, and my annual phone call home. This phone call is a whirlwind filled with brief hello's, background discussions, dogs barking, people laughing, and me straining to understand what my nieces are trying to tell me. Things about Santa, presents, funny things Mom or Dad did, and talk of sticks with jam… (Sticks with jam…. A story worthy of its own post…) Although it's quite a chaotic phone call, I feel like I get to experience a little bit of the holiday with my family. A brief 10-15 minutes really. Then it's time to eat.

My phone call home has become a Christmas tradition. A tradition that I feel keeps me connected with the holiday Kidder chaos. Being away for the holidays is hard, and gets harder every year. Luckily I'm not alone out here.

This year I celebrate my second Christmas with my husband Todd. I couldn't ask for a more loving, selfless, and supportive man to be in my life. I love Todd's family and their Christmas traditions as well. Todd's Grandmother believed that traditions keep us connected to our ancestors. Which is why Todd's parents sent us a pizzelle press for Christmas. Todd's Grandma Roma used to make bratzeli cookies every year using a pizzelle press.

Moving… Again & Again

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 07:28:29 -1000

Our good friend and new landlord on Halloween

I hope that everyone had a safe and fun Halloween!! We had a fun Halloween in our new place… Thats right! New place!! We've been moving over the last month. We have moved from a two room cottage to a full blown house. Having a place to put everything is a new concept for me. I feel as though I've been living out of a suit case for the last fourteen years. Probably because I have… I've been a bit of a vagabond.

Half of my new kitchen.. Still sorting

I remember how excited I was when I first moved out of my parents house. That was fourteen years ago. Since that initial move, I have now managed to move a total of 12 times. I hate moving… Even more than I hate cleaning… We officially finished cleaning our old place, and are now focused on the new place. Our old place consisted of a living room/dive shop/office combo and a bedroom/tv room/crap in boxes room. Now, we have room for everything. I can even think more clearly. It's nice to feel uncluttered. I've been arranging my new kitchen. It's a work in progress and still a total mess as I sort through everything.

A Big Thank You!!!

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:21:57 -1000

This summer has been crazy…. Really crazy. Which is not surprising at all. For those of you familiar with Maui and the ups and downs of tourism here, you know that summertime is nuts. For the last six weeks I have found myself working almost 60 hours a week. The amount of content I post on my site is directly correlated with the amount of visitors on Maui. Less visitors, more recipes…. More visitors, almost no recipes… And my poor husband is hungry.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful visitors we've had here on Maui. I get to do what I love because of you!! I would also like to thank all the divers and snorkelers that came out on the boats with me. It has been a super fun summer! I have been saving all the tips you awesome folks have given me.

Now…. What to do with the tips?? I think with all the hard work, I deserve a little treat. Maybe a personal birthday present (it was on Sunday)…? So, after rent and all the obligatory bills, I bought myself a present. Something I have wanted for a very long time. Check out my new food processor!!

How To Find Clean Meat!

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 09:25:34 -1000

I just finished reading an article this morning on NPR that notified me of a new ground beef recall. You can find the article here:

Cargill Warns Of Salmonella-Tainted Ground Beef In Latest Recall

Photo courtesy of NPR: Carolina K. Smith/iStockphoto.com

Is it just me, or does it seem like these recalls are becoming more and more frequent. My husband and I really don't eat that much meat as it is. In fact, the only day that we plan on eating meat is Mondays. We've come up with an incredibly creative name for our meat day… "Meat Mondays!" For the rest of the week our diet is pretty much plant based. We feel better and we save some serious cash. Meat can be expensive!

When we do eat our meat, we buy from good sources. It can be a little more costly than the factory meat. Its worth it though. It tastes better, we're supporting our local economy, and we know for a fact that the animal was healthy and cared for. I especially like supporting our local 4-H kids. We have a super market here that will sell 4-H meat. Have you ever seen the animals raised by these kids? They are beautiful and healthy! Its nice to see kids that have a realistic view of where their food comes from.

Carrot Conundrum

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 18:10:48 -1000

I've been feeling rather uninspired lately… sigh…. So, to get out of my rut I decided to break one of my life-rules. With my husband by my side as my faithful sherpa, we braved my favorite grocery store while hungry. There is an awesome store here on Maui called Mana Foods. They have great prices and great products. Bulk foods and tons of beautiful produce. Much of it is local and organic. They also have the greatest vegan coconut chocolate chip cookies ever made.

After spending quite some time wandering aimlessly through the store (I didn't bring a list with me.) We left with a strange combination of foods. I really saw what the purchase was when we finally brought our load home. Still looking for inspiration, I unpacked and put our randomness of groceries away.

Now what can I make with….. Peanut butter, almond butter, whole wheat couscous, currants, peaches, sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, polenta, curry paste, almonds, coconut milk, basil, olives, lime, Ezekiel bread, Greek yogurt, and free range eggs? I forgot to mention the carrots. Lots of carrots… Why did I buy so many carrots? An even more important question: What am I going to do with all these carrots?

10 Ways to Cook Like a Pro

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 13:24:39 -1000

Many people make cooking much harder than it needs to be. By following a few basic rules and having a few essential tools, anyone can cook like a pro! Check out my top ten ways to cook like a pro and feel free to add your own tips in the comments below.

1. Have a few good essential tools.

A few good knives: Chefs knife, serrated knife, utility knife, all purpose knife, paring knife. Just remember to keep those knives sharp. A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one. We like to keep our knives sharp using the Spyderco triangle sharpener. On the left you'll see my four favorite knives. Starting with a 10" Chefs knife on top down to a 3" paring knife below.

A few good pots and pans. You don’t need that 50 piece set from Costco... All you need are a few good pots and pans. A sauté pan, an egg pan, a large pot and a smaller sauce pan. Unfortunately, right now a good set of pots and pans is something I don’t have. I have these All-Clad copper core babies on my wish list! I do have two great enameled cast iron pans I received as wedding presents that I love. The rest of my current collection is a mishmash of the salvation army collection... Sigh...

Living in the Present

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 09:28:55 -1000

"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today."
Dale Carnegie

I was doing a bit of thinking the other day…. Which can be a dangerous feat on my part. Anyway, I was thinking about how much of my day is spent thinking about the past and the future. Or should I say dwelling on past mistakes and worrying about the future. I had an epiphany. I was spending so much time on the past and future that I spent no time on the present moment. The more I thought about it the more I realized what a waste of time it was! The past is done. I can't change it. I can keep the positive memories and enjoy them and I can learn from the mistakes I have made. Holding on to grudges and what-ifs was doing nothing but damaging me and my thought patterns. This way of thinking was putting me in a negative, unproductive state. Lame. Worrying about the future was a total waste of time as well. I find myself being stressed out for things that will most likely never happen.

What I did realize is that my moment of power lies in this very moment. I've decided to release the negativities of my past and future thought patterns and to focus on the only thing I truly have control over. Now. This moment. Nothing else. I checked out an audio book to listen to on my way to work. You've heard of it I'm sure. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Listening to this book backed up the feelings I was already having and further encouraged me to make these positive changes. I did discover that I already think in the present while I'm diving which is probably what subliminally pushed me to become a professional diver years ago.

To Meat, or Not To Meat...

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 12:13:08 -1000

My answer?? If the animal was healthy, cared for, pasture raised, hormone and antibiotic free, then absolutely…. In limited quantities. That is what works for me. Everyone is different though. I eat a mostly plant based diet with hints of animal products here and there and little to no dairy.

You've probably noticed from looking at the recipes I post that I don't use a whole lot of animal products. I have nothing against them. I just find that I feel better when I don't use them as the base of my diet. When I do decide to indulge in a bit of meat, I buy from a local, hormone free, pasture raised source. I haven't always been this particular about the food I fuel my body with. The more I educate myself on the source of our foods, the more I support my local growers and producers and the better I feel.

NPR: The Booming Business of Antibiotic Free Meat

Photo credit: NPR Sarah Willis/courtesy Niman Ranch

I just read a great article on NPR written by Allison Aubrey, about the rising popularity of antibiotic free meat. Large companies such as Chipotle and Hyatt Hotels are using meat from a reputable sources. I think its great. It seems that almost daily now we hear nasty stuff about the way our food is processed by factory farms. Whether it is the pink slime in our ground beef, or the living conditions of the animals before slaughter.

Cooking with Kids

Sun, 13 May 2012 15:57:22 -1000

On Thursday May 10th I had the opportunity to teach a cooking class at the Whole Foods Market here on Maui. What fun!! Six kids came by to make Avocado Summer Rolls with me. We also made a Peanut Dipping Sauce to eat with our rolls. I had the perfect number of kids with me. Everyone was able to keep their hand working on something or eating the rolls that they made.

I gathered all sorts of veggies for the kids. They had the chance to pick what they liked to put in their roll. Noodles, cucumbers, and carrots were by far the most popular fillings. They also got to pick their dipping sauce of choice. We made the Peanut Dipping Sauce and we also had sweet chili sauce and shoyu.

I'm excited to teach more kids about good food. So many children never have the opportunity to learn how to make real food. I see a lot of convenience foods being pushed at them. Those foods are filled with additives, chemicals, fillers, and artificial colors and flavors. Letting the kids help with preparing really gives them more ownership over the finished meal. I notice that when I cook for kids they are reluctant to try new unfamiliar foods. When I have them help me prepare the meal, they usually eat it.

Support Your Local Farmer

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:35:36 -1000

I found this online just a bit ago. Although it's a bit dated, I think it's an important piece of information to share. I believe it is so important to support our local organic farmers. Check out this chart about the mineral contents of organic vs conventional produce.

Now I know that buying organic foods can be costly. My husband and I survive on a very limited budget. However, I believe that spending a bit more on the food we fuel our bodies with is actually cheaper in the long run. If we take care of ourselves now, our health costs will be much lower in the future. Compare the cost of eating well with the cost of obesity or diabetes… Just saying…

Not just good for our bodies but also good for our local economy. I would much rather support my neighbor with my dollars than a big chain store. I especially don't want my future money going to the greedy, self-serving pharmaceutical companies.

Next time you go food shopping, look for a farmers market or find a store that supports the local growers. We're coming into the best time of year for awesome produce. Take advantage of it!!

You are what you eat!!

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:20:06 -1000

Do you know what you're eating?? Its pretty amazing what gets added to our everyday foods. Check out this podcast by the What You Ought To Know guys. You'll be pretty surprised about the origins of some of the additives we ingest.

Girls Night Thai Cooking Class

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:22:55 -1000

Need a good excuse for a girls night?? How about a cooking class! This last weekend I had so much fun teaching a great group of women a few good Thai dishes. My friend Kelly hosted the girls night at her house. By the end of the night my cheeks hurt from all the laughter (and eating.) Not only did we share some delicious food but we shared some good quality friend time. It seems that all too often its easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and lose contact with whats really important. Thai night at Kellys house reminded me that life is about the process and journey, not the destination, or finished product. So next time you feel like you're lacking some friend time, host a cooking night at your place! I can't think of a better way to share stories, laughter, and tears than over a meal cooked together.

Check out some of the picks from our Thai night. I'll be sharing the recipes soon!

Links to the recipes:

Summer Rolls

Peanut Dipping Sauce

First things first… Lychee Martinis!

Summer Rolls Prep

Mercedes and Robyn

Pad Thai

Photo taken by Robyn

Massaman Curry

The Pad Thai Finished

The Finished Massaman

The Girls

Embracing Change

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:27:17 -1000

Lately my life has been quite crazy. I was married in December, then moved in with my Husband (I stubbornly waited to combine households). My work has been really sporadic and uncertain. Now I've launched my website and put myself out there for all to criticize…. or hopefully to embrace :) Either way, its been a difficult few months. I feel very fortunate for all the support of my friends and especially my Husband Todd.

I can't lie. I have felt very unstable and stressed out through all of this. I think all the change in our lives has tweaked me out quite a bit. So, the other day I took a walk and meditated on all the change. Both the positive and the negative. I'm much more at ease now. I was getting stressed about things that hadn't happened yet and things that were already in the past. Where is the present?? I was spending so much time dwelling on things that were either over already or didn't even exist yet! What!?! Why!!! Its time to focus on the now and enjoy it. Time to embrace the coming change and be receptive to the possibilities that lie within it. To be resistant to any change is such a waste of time and energy. There are so many random accidents that happen in this world. Its really critical that we spend our time and energy on the things that really matter. Family, true friends, nature, fun…. Not a job that puts us in a bad mood at home. Not people that bring us down. Purge the negative…. I can't say that enough.

Outside the Comfort Zone

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:13:47 -1000

I'm so thankful for the supportive people around me. I would have never been able to put myself "out there" without them and their gentle nudges. They help me to move beyond my comfort zone. I think that in order to really make progress and grow I need to take those steps. Every time I push my limits I gain a little more confidence. Every time I gain confidence I get closer to reaching my goals. Ten years ago there is no way I would've published a webpage or wrote a blog. My fear of judgement stopped me. Now, I'm excited to post. To show my authentic self. I am me… If people don't like it, they won't come. And I'm okay with that. What is important to me is my loved ones. What we call our 'Ohana in Hawaii.

I would like to thank everyone that comes to visit my page. I encourage you to move out of your comfort zone and take the steps to meet your dreams and goals. A lot of times the only thing that stops people is their limiting beliefs. Turn those beliefs around and stay positive and true to yourself. If you need a nudge, drop me a line. I'd love to hear about your dreams and give you the push you may need.

The Pyramid of Happiness

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:55:39 -1000

I believe there are three one needs to have a happy healthy life. We'll call it "The Pyramid of Happiness!!" I like catch phrases :)

1. Exercise. Not just cardio… We need to lift weights. Women too! Especially as we age. Check out this article by the Mayo Clinic. Maintaining a weight training regimen will keep our bones strong and our balance in check. There are so many myths that have been spread about women and weight lifting. Many women are afraid of getting bulky. It wont happen! Unless, you are taking steroids and living in the gym. I been lifting regularly for over two years now. My metabolism has skyrocketed and my stress levels are lower. Lifting helps me maintain a lower bodyfat. I actually do very little cardio. The "cardio" I do regularly includes fun things I do with my friends. Such as hiking. As a professional diver I burn a ton of calories underwater. Find an activity that you like and go with it! If you enjoy it, you wont dread it.

2. A Clean Diet. I mean real food. Try to eat food the way it was suppose to be eaten. Make your own and buy from a reputable source. Like the deli counter at the health food store. We try to eat local produce. Not only does it support a healthy body, it also supports the local farmers. I know where my food came from, whats been put into it, and how it was grown. It doesn't have to travel thousands of miles to get to me. I like that. When I buy from a local farmer, I'm always getting what is fresh at that moment. That helps me keep a diverse diet. We do eat animal products on occasion. But, when we do, it comes from a local source as well. Beef from a local organic free range rancher. Venison from our friends hunt. Fish caught by a neighbor. Eggs from our friends fat chickens. All clean, all good. All of this food lacks preservatives, coloring agents, additives, and weird stuff like pink slime. Yuck! I believe a clean diet fuels a healthy body.

Todds Birthday Experiment

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:59:25 -1000

We try to eat real food, healthy food, all the time in my house. But, none of us are perfect and I do believe that on special occasions we deserve a day to splurge.

I consider birthdays splurge days… Especially for my Husband Todd. He is the most supportive, wonderful person i've ever had the pleasure of spending time with. Which is probably why I married him. So, on his birthday this year, I've decided to make him a Japanese dish called okonomiyaki. Todd introduced me to this dish at a little local Japanese pub restaurant. It sounds weird but, it's delicious. It's a sort of cabbage pancake with whatever additional ingredients you like. Roughly translated, okonomi means my favorite things and yaki means fried. Believe me…. Its so amazing. It's also amazingly bad for you.

Todds Okonomiyaki

I bought some Kirin Ichiban, Japanese beer, to go with it. Since okonomiyaki is a sort of pub food in Japan.

Dessert is going to be tricky. Last year I made him a chocolate bacon cake…. I know… It was awesome, but it set the bar pretty high! I'll share that recipe at some point. This year, I'm focusing on the mint-dark chocolate combo. One of his favorite flavor combinations. With my mini springform pans I'll be making a crust of girl scout thin mints topped with two layers of ice cream. The first layer will mint chocolate cookie and the second will be chocolate. I'm topping it off with a layer of minted ganache. Ouch…