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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Adel's July Recipe - A Healthy and Cool Treat

by Adel Aschenbrener and Amy Robinson

Writing Pad is the coolest place to be this summer! Call 323-333-2954 to RSVP before our classes are full!


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Adel says:
"During the summer I find that I don't have much of an appetite for big, heavy, hot meals or a need to heat up my kitchen. Since I don't have an outdoor grill, this means finding other ways to incorporate healthy, fast protein into my diet. This classic, lemony hummus fits the bill perfectly. It's fast, easy, and won't cause you to break a sweat. Slather it on pita and top with cool slices of cucumber and tomato and some crumbled feta cheese and you have a refreshing summer meal or snack in seconds."

Adel's Hummus

1 15oz. can of garbanzo beans (I like Trader Joe's organic)
2 medium sized lemons
2 large cloves of garlic
1/4 cup greek style yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste
paprika for garnish

Drain the garbanzo beans, reserving a few tablespoons of liquid. Rub the outer skins off the beans and discard (I dip my hands in a bowl of water to aid in this process). This step isn't absolutely necessary and to be honest it removes some of the fiber, but it also ensures a beautifully smooth puree, so you make the call. Sometimes I skin only half the beans to save time and retain some of the nutritional benefits.

Place the garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add beans, yogurt, tahini, and cumin, and the juice of one lemon and puree, scraping the bowl down often. Drizzle olive oil in while machine is running and puree, scraping as necessary, until smooth. This can take a few minutes. If the puree is still thicker than your liking, add more olive oil (use reserved canning liquid or more yogurt for a lower fat version) until desired consistency is achieved. Season to taste with the juice of the remaining lemon and salt. If serving this as a dip or part of an appetizer assortment, I like to drizzle a little more olive oil over the surface and add a sprinkling of paprika for color. For variety, try adding some jalapeno, a roasted pepper, or a handful of cilantro to the recipe.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Writing Prompt - Seriously Funny

By Amy Robinson

Writing Pad has a whole pile of exciting classes this summer. If you take Etch a Sketch: A Webisode and Sketch Comedy Writing Workshop, you'll learn how to write a comedy sketch so hilarious you'll want to perform it, use it for a webisode, or submit in application to Lorne Michaels for a writing job on SNL! It is taught taught by the talented and successful comedy writer, Jessie Gaskell (head writer of The Dish and Streamy award nominated Dorm Life). Call 323-333-2954 to sign up for a class before it is full!
Writing Prompt: Life can be hilarious. Make a list of 5 of the funniest situations you've (or your character has) ever been a part of (intentional or unintentional). Perhaps there is something that happened to you that wasn't funny at the time, but is funny in retrospect. Pick one of those experiences and write about it for ten minutes. Make sure to include one of the less common sensory details (e.g., smell, taste, sound, touch). Then post your ten minute write in the comments of this blog! Whenever I hear bees humming, I remember hiking up a cliff and accidentally stumbling into a den of bees. That's what I'm going to write about!

Comment on this blog! Share one of your funny life stories. Write about it for ten minutes and then post your writing in this blog for the chance to win a free class!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Writing Prompt: Dear Old Dad

By Marilyn Friedman

June and July are the perfect months to bring your journal to the beach and write your own bestselling summer read or blockbuster! Writing Pad has many ways to help you do it! Check out what we have on our menu for the next few weeks below:
Writing Prompt: Here is a writing prompt in honor of Father's Day. Make a list of 5 products that you associate with your father. Pick one and write about it for ten minutes. Make sure to include one of the less common sensory details (e.g., smell, taste, sound, touch). Then post your ten minute write in the comments of this blog! Whenever I think of my father, I think of Lava Soap, so that's what my piece will be about.

Comment on this blog! What product do you associate with your Dad? Write about it for ten minutes and then post your writing in this blog for the chance to win a free class!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Writing Prompt: It's Lunch Time!

By Marilyn Friedman

Write your award-winning book or screenplay BEFORE the next rapture! Writing Pad wants to help you. We have brand new novel writing, children's book writing, personal essay writing classes starting up this weekend. We have new rounds of Finishing School and So You Want To Be A Writer starting up, and we even have a class that will help you get a publishing deal! Check out the list below and call 323-333-2954 or email marilyn@writingpad.com before the classes are full.


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Writing Prompt: Make a list of 5 things that come to mind when I say "childhood lunch." What was inside of your lunch? Did anything significant happen when you (or a fictional character) had lunch in the school cafeteria? Pick one (or several) of the items on your list and write about it for 10 minutes. Then post the results on this blog!

What comes to mind when I say "childhood lunch?" Write about it for 10 minutes and then post your write on this blog for the chance to win a free class!