Yet doctors say there are many reasons a woman might not notice she is pregnant.

“We, as human beings, have a powerful denial factor,” says Dr. Dan Frayne, assistant residency director of the Mountain Area Health Education Center's Family Medicine Residency Program in Asheville, North Carolina, and co-chair of the National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative. “You can be in denial and neglect to see the changes to your body for a fairly long time. Some women who are overweight might not see a huge change in their body, and if you are skinny, you might not show until 20 weeks.”

Denial of pregnancy is more common than expected, according to a study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. Researchers found that 1 in 475 women may not realize they're pregnant until 20 weeks' gestation, and 1 in 2,500 women make it right up to delivery before finding out (a rate similar to that of eclampsia).

More: Women confess the craziest reasons they've faked a pregnancy

Dr. Frayne outlined four reasons a woman might neglect to notice pregnancy symptoms:

Young teens who are unaware

It’s not uncommon for a young teenager to be unaware of her body and changes that occur during pregnancy, Dr. Frayne says. Some teens have irregular periods, so missing a period for six months might not be unusual. Young teens will often seek medical care for abdominal or back pain at 30 or 32 weeks, Dr. Frayne says, and when they are told they are pregnant, it is not uncommon to find out they suspected they were pregnant but were afraid to tell anyone.

Women who are busy

Some women have competing demands in their lives — children, family, work — that make it difficult for them to notice the changes in their body, or they are in denial about the changes they are seeing, Dr. Frayne says. Sometimes it takes a period of time for them to either recognize the changes or to decide they want to see a doctor.

Women with an addiction

It’s not uncommon for women with an addiction or women who abuse substances to not notice they are pregnant, because it is not a primary concern for them, Dr. Frayne says.

Women who believe they don’t need prenatal care

It’s not uncommon for a woman who has either been pregnant before or who believes she knows what to do about her pregnancy to not seek prenatal care, Dr. Frayne says.

More: My sexy OB-GYN was a total distraction during my pregnancy

One of the underlying causes for this denial, says Dr. Frayne, is that more than half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned or unwanted. When many women finally do seek medical advice and are told they are pregnant, the majority aren’t surprised. “In many cases they are being told something they knew and suspected but didn’t want to admit.”

Unfortunately this lack of awareness can put the mother and child at risk for complications during birth. The concern, says Dr. Frayne, is that prenatal care provides the best opportunity for a healthy pregnancy. It’s important for a pregnant woman to visit her doctor within the first 12 weeks of her pregnancy, he says. Even when women know they are pregnant, they often don’t visit their doctor early enough, he adds, because they lack health insurance and access to care.

Despite the fact that the U.S. spends more money on health care than any other country, we have one of the worst infant mortality rates compared with similar economically developed countries. The United States also has a rising maternal death rate. “The U.S. is the only developed country where more mothers are dying now than 10 to 20 years ago,” he says.

More: Telling pregnant women 'it must be twins' is just plain mean

“Women of reproductive age aren’t as healthy as they used to be,” Dr. Frayne says, noting that 43 percent of U.S. women of reproductive age have a medical condition, more than half are obese and 1 in 5 don’t have health insurance.

One question all health care providers should ask their female patients is whether they want to become pregnant in the next year, Dr. Frayne says. This will encourage patients and doctors to discuss preconception and prenatal care.

So, in the spirit of honoring our hoo-has, here are the superpowers your vagina has.

1. Self-cleaning

Think your oven is fancy with its self-cleaning setting? Well, your vagina does exactly that every day. And it does it without making your house stink like smoke. Your love canal naturally expels dirt and debris, all while regulating its complicated and unique bacterial ecosystem — no soap or douching required. (In fact, experts now say don't ever douche, as it can harm your delicate vaginal ecosystem.)

More: 'Vagina facial' trend a major insult to women

2. Shape shifting

Ever wondered how a large penis can fit in a small vagina? It turns out your man's member isn't the only thing that can grow rapidly in response to arousal, his is just more obvious. The average vagina is a mere 3 to 4 inches long, but can expand up to 200 percent in both length and width when you get turned on during sex. All the more reason not to skip the foreplay!

3. Purse holding

No one is encouraging you to become a drug mule — you should never, ever stick foreign objects in your vag that weren't made for that purpose — but its ability to carry things is really quite impressive. Here is just a short list of bizarre things doctors have found in a woman's internal purse: credit cards and ID, a loaded handgun, a plastic hair spray bottle, a packet of Pop Rocks candy (it did not make her feel "tingly," FYI), cell phones, not one... but two knives, a 10-year-old sex toy and an entire rolled-up poster of Donny Osmond. So. Many. Questions. (And sadly no good answers.)

4. Self-protecting

We're not talking vaginas with teeth here, but your lady bits do have ways of safeguarding the goods. The first line of defense against both chafing and infection is your pubic hair. (Yes, it does have a purpose!) Any germs or dirt that get inside are then taken care of by your bacteria and vaginal secretions. Lastly, your cervix provides a good physical barrier.

More: 8 Things you should probably know about your vagina

5. Super sensing

When Spider-Woman says her spidey senses are tingling, she's on a whole other level than poor Spider-Man. The itty bitty clitoris has twice the nerve endings as the much-larger penis, with 8,000 compared to a man's 4,000.

6. Shark-like abilities

Your vaginal lubricant naturally contains squalene, a compound found in high concentrations in shark livers. No one is quite sure why women have it in our hoo-has, but apparently it has anti-cancer and anti-aging properties, so it can't be a bad thing!

7. Weight lifting

Yes, I actually mean this literally: In 2009, a woman set the world record for vaginal weight lifting by attaching a wooden egg to a dumbbell and lifting a 30-pound weight with just the power of her vagina. Lady bits? Try lady boss! And now you have a new goal for your Kegels.

8. Sword sheathing

The word "vagina" actually comes from the Latin word that means "a sheath for a sword." Obviously a man named it. But whether it's literally housing a sword or just a penis, it's kind of a cool trick. And in rare cases the vagina can actually clamp down on a penis, preventing it from being removed. It's called "penis captivus" and I still can't think of any situation where I'd want that to happen.

9. Danger sensing

Buffy the vampire slayer could famously detect the presence of the blood-sucking beasts through the power of her menstrual cramps. But while she is fictional, scientific studies have found that the increased progesterone that accompanies your period also increases your intuition!

10. Animal attracting

Menstrual blood has a powerful scent, as many women can attest. And certain animals respond to that scent. Research has shown that bears, sharks, dogs and horses are all sensitive to a woman's menstruation — although what that means for real life, I'm not sure. Beacon for dogs looking for you in an avalanche? You get front-row seats for wildlife shows? It's still cool.

11. Baby birthing

They can push out a whole (pint-sized) human being. You don't have to be Michelle Duggar to appreciate how something can go from 4 to 6 centimeters wide to big enough to accommodate an adorably giant baby head. They don't call it the miracle of childbirth for nothing.

12. Two words: Multiple orgasms

I probably could have just started and stopped this list here.

This little gem of wisdom has played a huge role in my life more often than not this year — but I will admit that there are times when it isn't so easy to believe them. Painful things can and do happen. When they do, it can be tough — if not impossible — to think that what you're looking at now could possibly shift into something more desirable, especially when there is no physical evidence to support this idea.

To avoid getting sucked into the notion that, when the chips are down, it's time to give up, one has to simply have a little faith.

What is faith?

I don't know if you've experienced what it's like to feel as though nothing is going your way, regardless of your intentions, methods or actions. It can feel disempowering and disheartening. When it seems as though this is a persistent theme in your life, even temporarily, it can be easy to want to give up.

This is how I have felt many times this year, but there has been one little thought that has kept me going:

I can't possibly know how things will turn out if I were to rely on my limited physical perspective to show me the truth. I know there is an intelligence system at work in my life, and it's up to me to be strong enough to trust this.

It's a form of acceptance and surrender, but it isn't from a victim-based mentality. Having faith means that you trust yourself and the universe enough to guide you in the right direction, even when you don't yet know where this will take you.

It's easy to feel confident when things seem to be going your way. Though, it takes strength and spiritual maturity to ask the question:

"Is there something for me to learn here about myself and life in general? Is it possible that this situation, as painful as it is, offers the wisdom I might need to experience even better things because I am in a place to properly receive them?"

Faith has enabled me to trust my innate intelligence and allow the unknown to teach me some valuable lessons.

If I were to have insisted that things go my way, I would have never learned to trust in the nature of things outside of my immediate awareness. The gift I have received has been one of maturity, compassion and an understanding of how certain characteristics within me have caused my own limitations.

This is what it means to have faith.

It's knowing that while things may appear to be a certain way, everything moves and changes, and the arrangement of things can go in accordance with how we choose to observe our circumstances.

I am here now, eagerly sharing this message with you because I have allowed faith to guide me when my plans didn't go as well as I would have liked. I know there is a gift hidden in everything we experience, and we'll find out what that is if we allow life to communicate with us.

Faith has been the sweet, soothing cup of hot chocolate on a frigid, snowy day. It has been the light in my darkest days — even when that light felt as though it was miles away.

Some pretty amazing things are taking place for me right now, and it's only because I have allowed myself to practice faith.

I can only give away that which I have, so by keeping the faith, I can offer this to others in a world filled with seeming uncertainty.

And this, to me, is priceless.

As the Justin Bieber-Kourtney Kardashian rumors heat up, it's no surprise that Bieber would add fuel to the fire with a confusing Instagram post. The photo, featuring a totally faceless girl posed on Bieber's black Audi, was taken on Sunday, just a few days after Bieber and Kardashian were seen together at Hollywood hot spot The Nice Guy. She was later spotted leaving The Montage, one of Bieber's usual hotels in Beverly Hills, later that evening at 4 a.m.

But don't give the new couple a name just yet. x17 Online has photos of the entire car photo shoot — and the girl posing behind Bieber is very clearly not a Kardashian. According to the site, Bieber and the mystery blonde spent the day in Newport Beach, chartered a yacht and partied into the night. Her identity has yet to be confirmed.

As Nylon points out, if you look at the photo closely, Bieber's hand is MIA – a sure sign that this 'gram is Photoshopped. Bieber may have wanted us to think this is his potential new boo Kourtney, especially since he captioned the photo "Lord knows" — a not-so-subtle nod to Kardashian's ex Scott Disick's vaguely royal background and preferred nickname "Lord." To make things even more interesting, the two are canoodling on a matte black Audi A7 that looks just like this one recently purchased by Joe Jonas. If it weren't for the telltale angel wings tattoo, we would swear this was Joe Jonas playing a joke on us.

Justin, next time you want to trick billions of Beliebers, use a better Instagram editing app — we know you can afford it. Or better yet, ask Kourtney for some tips on how to 'gram like a Kardashian.

If you’re looking for a name worthy of a future leader, look no more — these gals may be all the inspiration you need. Included are all current female leaders, and a few former leaders as well.

Leader names for baby girls

• Agatha Barbara: Former President of Malta
• Alenka Bratusek: Prime Minister of Slovenia
• Angela Merkel: Chancellor of Germany
• Atifete Jahjaga: President of Kosovo
• Beatrix: Former Queen of the Netherlands
• Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner: President of Argentina
• Dalia Grybauskaite: President of Lithuania
• Dilma Rousseff: President of Brazil
• Doris Leuthard: Former President of the Swiss Federation
• Elizabeth II: Queen of the United Kingdom
• Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: President of Liberia
• Helle Thorning-Schmidt: Prime Minister of Denmark
• Isabel Perón: Former President of Argentina
• Iveta Radicová: Former Prime Minister of Slovakia
• Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir: Former Prime Minister of Iceland
• Joyce Banda: President of Malawi
• Julia Gillard: Former Prime Minister of Australia
• Kamla Persad-Bissessar: Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
• Louise Lake-Tack: Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda
• Margaret Thatcher: Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
• Mary Robinson: Former President of Ireland
• Margrethe II: Queen of Denmark
• Park Geun-hye: President of South Korea
• Pearlette Louisy: Governor-General of Saint Lucia
• Portia Simpson Miller: Prime Minister of Jamaica
• Quentin Bryce: Governor-General of Australia
• Sheikh Hasina Wajed: Prime Minister of Bangladesh
• Sibel Siber:  Prime Minister of North Cyprus
• Vaira Vike-Freiberga: Former President of Latvia
• Violeta de Chamorro: Former President of Nicaragua
• Yingluck Shinawatra: Prime Minister of Thailand

More: Unusual Irish baby names

Names meaning “leader”

If those aren’t your speed, check out these girl names which mean leader, chief or chick-in-charge.

• Ailani: This Hawaiian name means “high chief”
• Alufa: A Hebrew name, this means “leader”
• Deanna: Meaning “church leader,” this name has Old English roots
• Idris: This Welsh name means “fiery leader”
• Oma: This name means “leader”
• Pandra: A Celtic name, this means “chief dragon”
• Ricarda: This Old German name means “powerful leader”
• Valeska: Meaning “splendid leader,” this name has Slavic roots

More: 50 Trendy baby names inspired by TV characters

More: Farrah Abraham shares sickening details of alleged rape by James Deen

If recent reports are correct, Abraham has quit Teen Mom OG. Guess she was right back when she said she doesn't "need to be on a trashy-ass reality show."

Abraham reportedly skipped out on mandatory filming for promos and the after show in New York City for the popular MTV series, prompting rumors that she's no longer involved.

"The whispers around here are that Farrah quit the show, supposedly," a source told The Ashley's Reality Roundup. "Farrah’s in New York City but isn’t part of the filming of the after shows."

According to the source, word on the street is that Abraham left the show because "she's mad about the stuff that was shown in the trailer that made her look bad." That's not too surprising, because promos for the show's second season showed Abraham threatening to quit, and calling Teen Mom OG's executive producer, Larry Musnik, a "twisted motherf***er."

More: Farrah Abraham makes Christmas an X-rated holiday with new pics (PHOTOS)

According to The Ashley, there's another reason that might have prompted Abraham to back out of the show: a major dis from her co-stars. According to the site, Maci Bookout, Amber Portwood, Catelynn Lowell and Teen Mom 2 star Kailyn Lowry held a joint book signing event in New York City, but didn't invite Abraham to promote her new title, My Teenage Dream Ended. According to reports, Abraham hosted a holiday party that day instead, while her castmates promoted their books.

But there's still the possibility that Abraham hasn't left the show at all, and all the rumors are, in fact, just rumors. The Ashley later reported that new sources had said Abraham showed up for filming after all.

More: Farrah Abraham and her sister may be feuding for a strange reason

Do you think Farrah Abraham has left Teen Mom OG for good? Would you miss her if she did depart the show? Sound off down in the comments.

I'm boycotting the hottest gifts of the season.

In previous years the hottest toys have been my go-to not only for my own kids but for all the other kids in my gift-giving vortex as well. They were the answer to the age-old question, "What do you get for a kid who has everything?" Instead of being a singular question, however, focused on that one kid (you know the one…), the modern-day version has morphed into a question that has made the hottest toys an even greater necessity in our lives: "What do you get for all the kids who have everything?" Because it’s no longer just the rich kid living on Park Avenue. It’s now two out of three kids you encounter on any given street or playground.

More: Mom defends her 'disgusting' Christmas tree photo

And I can’t take it anymore. I mean, literally, my Brooklyn apartment can’t take anymore stuff, but more important, I can no longer stand to look at all my kids’ excess and justify giving away the dinosaur I just bought 365 days ago to buy this year’s bigger, better and more expensive model. Nor can I continue to watch my mini-mes become mini-monsters who have far too much and value far too little.

So, in lieu of celebrating this year’s list of the Best Goods for Spoiled Kids, I’m putting together my own list: the Best Goals for Un-Spoiled Kids. (Thanks, Ron Lieber of The New York Times, for coining the "Un-Spoiled kids" terminology.) So for any of you who are ready to stand with me and start the revolution against stuff-trash-consumerism-plastic-waste-excess-landfills, let the revolution begin. I’m ready to take it on piece by plastic piece.

In lieu of Bright Beats Dance & Move BeatBo...

How about skip BeatBo’s bright beats, and instead turn on a free Pandora app, and have a dance contest with your kids (make sure you’re the judge if you want a shot at winning)? Then donate that $33 you didn’t spend to Dancing Dreams, which provides dance classes and performance opportunities for children with medical or physical challenges, or to Everybody Dance Now, a youth-run nonprofit organization that uses dance to promote healthy lifestyles and leadership development.

More: 16 Adorably crafty gifts kids can make themselves

In lieu of the Smart Toy Bear, which reportedly "listens and adapts to your child to figure out their favorite activities"...

How about you ask your child what their favorite activities are and then write up some free coupons for them to use over the holiday season? Trip to the park? Ice cream outing with the family? Playing a soccer match against Dad? Reading a book with Mom? You can do all of that and then some for far less than the $90 price tag the Smart Bear charges you for learning your child’s interests.

In lieu of your kid taking care of the Doc McStuffins Little Lambie...

How about your child help buy a little lamb to take care of a kid and his family? Through Heifer International, $120 can buy a family a sheep, or $10 can buy a share of a sheep. If you pass on spending $40 on Lambie, you could buy a full one-third of an actual sheep that could transform a family’s life.

In lieu of Barbie Saddle 'N Ride Horse...

How about you help your equine-loving child saddle up for life rather than saddling up for horseplay? Buy her a share of stock in Mattel or any of the other companies that make her favorite toys and brands. With the $40 you pocket from the toy horse, you can grab a share of stock or a diversified fund (try Betterment, which has no minimums) and teach her a lesson for a lifetime.

In lieu of encouraging your daughter to shop for hot handbags and shoes to start her on her path to a Kardashian-inspired lifestyle...

How about spending that $33 to provide professional attire for disadvantaged women who are returning to the workforce through Dress for Success?

More: Dear Grandma, our kids can't handle your massive load of presents

In lieu of buying a robotic droid for $140 (you didn’t have one of these growing up and still loved Star Wars)...

How about investing that $140 in your kid’s college fund? It will be worth $473 in 18 years, when they can spend $5 to rent Star Wars on the futuristic version of Netflix and the other $468 on their education.

Join the revolution today.

#givegoalsnotgoods

#nomorestuff

Start investing in your kid’s goals and dreams instead of their clutter.

Tanya Van Court is the CEO of Sow.com, a site that lets kids register for goals in three categories — saving, sharing and spending — and helps them to start on their path to a life of goal creation and wealth creation rather than landfill creation.

More: When it comes to Joshua Jackson, chivalry is clearly not dead

And more importantly, is she getting it with The Walking Dead hunk Norman Reedus?

Witnesses at a New York City bar revealed to Radar Online that Kruger and Reedus were spotted getting cozy over drinks this past weekend, and that they seemed to want to do it without anyone noticing.

"They were both dressed very casually. Norman was wearing a hat, and Diane had barely any makeup on," an onlooker said of the pair. "They ordered whiskey, and immediately walked hand-in-hand to a table in the back corner."

Kruger and Reedus reportedly arrived at the 12th Street Alehouse, an East Village dive, after 1 a.m. Witnesses say the bar was pretty quiet, but the small group that was there immediately recognized Reedus from his role on The Walking Dead.

"My friends geeked out," Radar's source said. "We couldn't believe he was right there."

More: Wedding bells? Nope, not for Diane Kruger & Joshua Jackson

Witnesses said Kruger and Reedus were only in the bar for 10 minutes before engaging in a "high school make-out session," with one adding, "They were on top of each other. Every time I looked over, she was on him, or he was on her."

Another source added, "They clearly thought they were incognito. They thought no one could possibly recognize them in that hole in the wall."

But while Reedus is single, Kruger is decidedly not — she's been dating The Affair actor Joshua Jackson since 2006. There's no evidence that Jackson and Kruger have broken up, and if they have, it was very recently; less than a month ago, Jackson spoke publicly about his relationship with Kruger.

"One of the most attractive things to me about Diane is how confident she is in herself as a woman and in her beauty and how much self-respect she has," he said at the time.

More: Joshua Jackson explains why he won't marry Diane Kruger

Do you think Diane Kruger would cheat on her longtime love? Or do you think there's more to this story?

But the facts weren't just spun to make the family sound better. According to In Touch, many of the details weren't even facts, but fiction.

More: Anna Duggar may have sad motives for appearing on Jill & Jessa: Counting On

Specifically surrounding the counseling the family received following the revelation that their brother, Josh, had sexually molested multiple young girls, his sisters among them, for years as a teenager.

In the premiere of the show last night, Jessa said, "There was a period of time in our family when Josh was not to be trusted," but she said that through counseling and over time, "that relationship was restored."

But In Touch reports that Josh never had any formal counseling. And Jill and Jessa, who were both among their brother's victims, didn't receive professional help until years after the initial incident.

Rather, Josh built houses and participated in manual labor activities under the supervision of a family friend, not a certified mental health professional.

Still, Jill claimed the family went through "lots of different steps" after the incident to heal, including counseling "when that situation took place."

More: Jessa Duggar's new show to feature intimate moments from her labor (VIDEO)

However, court documents revealed that it wasn't until child services did a probe, years after the molestation, that the family finally got the girls into counseling.

During the year and a half between the initial discovery of Josh's actions and parents Michelle and Jim Bob going to the authorities, In Touch reveals that the police reports state the girls were repeatedly molested.

Furthermore, Jill also said in the show last night that she felt it "wasn't right" for her to be exposed as a victim and she said that she felt like she and her sister had been "thrown under the bus."

But In Touch states that Jill and Jessa weren't named in Josh's crimes until they themselves chose to come out publicly.

All in all, if these reports about the Duggars' lies are true, then it sounds like there was a lot of sympathy baiting going on that should have been carefully managed by TLC, but wasn't.

The network knew they were taking a risk by allowing the Duggars to return to television. Jill & Jessa: Counting On has already been the subject of a lot of controversy.

More: Anna Duggar gets emotional on camera talking about Josh Duggar

Now to allow lies about the molestation to be further permeated, thus lightening the truth of the situation and making it seem like it all wasn't as big a deal as reported, the show is creating more harm than good.

Do you think TLC should cancel Jill & Jessa: Counting On?

Sure, when you think of salads, you think of them being a summery dish. But with the right ingredients and some creativity, you can enjoy a delicious salad in the colder months too. These winter-inspired quinoa salads are not only healthy but also great for the holidays, and each makes an excellent side dish to your festive meals.

Pears, cranberries and citrus fruits are in season right now, and all are perfect for these recipes. The cheeses and other ingredients in the salads complement those flavors, like the grapefruit and cranberries, which can be tart. Feel free to play around with the ingredients and make the recipes your own.

Cooking tip: Make your quinoa ahead of time to save time in the kitchen. For every 1 cup of dry quinoa, use 2 cups of liquid (water or broth). Cook uncovered over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the liquid has cooked away.

Pear, arugula, walnut and quinoa salad recipe

Simple yet elegant, fresh pears and salty Gorgonzola make this the perfect sweet-and-savory salad.

Serves 6

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 4 strips cooked bacon, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup balsamic salad dressing
• 4 cups baby arugula
• 2 red pears, diced
• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the quinoa, bacon and balsamic dressing, and mix well.
2. Place the arugula in a serving bowl, and top with the quinoa mixture.
3. Finish the salad by adding the pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola on top.
4. Serve at room temperature, tossing well before serving.

Next: Orange-cranberry quinoa salad recipe

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Orange-cranberry quinoa salad recipe

Full of sweet fresh oranges and cranberries, this quinoa salad is perfect for the holidays.

Serves 6

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups organic spring mix greens
• 1 large navel orange, juiced and zested
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 large navel oranges, diced
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. On a serving plate, arrange the spring mix greens, and set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Mix well, and add in 1/2 the diced oranges, quinoa, cranberries and green onions.
3. Toss well, and transfer to the serving plate.
4. Garnish with the remaining oranges, feta and pumpkin seeds, and serve.

Next: Pink grapefruit-kale quinoa salad recipe

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Pink grapefruit-kale quinoa salad recipe

Pink grapefruit adds beauty and tartness, while the avocado balances the flavors of this salad.

Serves 6

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 3 cups fresh green kale, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups fresh pink grapefruit chunks
• 2 small avocados, cubed
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, honey, lime juice, garlic powder and desired amount of salt and pepper.
2. Mix, add the quinoa to the bowl, and toss well to evenly flavor the quinoa.
3. Place the chopped kale on a serving plate, and top with the quinoa.
4. Top the salad with the grapefruit, avocado and toasted pine nuts, and serve.

More quinoa recipes

Southwestern quinoa bake
Quinoa veggie fried rice
Quinoa veggie skillet

The possibility of a romance between Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry was one of the most talked-about aspects of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (after Pippa’s stunning rear view, of course), and now it seems that possibility could be a reality.

A source told OK! magazine that Pippa and Harry have been locked in a "secret romance" for several months, but that the passion between them goes back years.

The insider revealed that while the pair knew each other for years during Will and Kate’s courtship, "sparks flew" at the royal wedding and the two couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

More: Prince Harry wants 100 women to himself; is that too much to ask? (VIDEO)

"Kate went to check her makeup and found them snogging in the bathroom!" the insider revealed about one awkward wedding reception encounter.

While nothing serious came of it in the direct aftermath, now that both are single — Pippa recently called it quits with her longtime love Nico Jackson — Harry reportedly has stepped up his flirtation game.

"There's always been sexual tension between them, even when they were dating other people," the source explained. And for their first hot date, Harry reportedly "lit candles and put on some soft music he thought she'd like — Adele, Ellie Goulding, Bruno Mars. They sipped wine and then ate a pasta carbonara that he'd prepared himself."

The insider does not reveal what happened next, although after a heavy carb-laden meal we can’t imagine it was too scandalous.

More: Prince Harry builds the best toilets, reveals Dominic West

But in a more scintillating tidbit, the mag claims that on another occasion, Prince William caught the couple in bed together at Harry’s apartment.

"They’re trying to play it coy," the insider said, "but there’s no doubt that this is developing into something serious. They’re truly sweet together and, in fact, seem very much in love."

We remain hopeful yet skeptical of this report, but seriously, how great would a second Middleton-Wales wedding be?

More: Why Amazon is poised to take on Netflix with new show Transparent

When we meet Rita in Season 1, she’s a strikingly beautiful middle-aged woman who appears to be one of Josh’s many ongoing affairs. But it’s a lot more complicated than that, we soon learn; Rita was Josh’s babysitter during childhood, and they began having a sexual relationship when he was a teenager. Everyone around Josh finds the relationship to be inappropriate — Sarah calls it “creepy”; Syd calls it “lecherous” — but no one makes an effort to intervene. Through flashbacks, it becomes apparent that all of the Pfeffermans knew about the sexual relationship when it began. Why none of them made an effort to stop it then is never explained.

It’s not until Colton enters the picture that we see the full extent of the Pfeffermans' collective denial. When Josh finds out that he and Rita had a child together — a child who is now a 17-year-old man — he steps up to the plate to be a role model. He and Raquel even invite Colton to move in, once it becomes clear that the boy has an interest in reconnecting to his biological families. But including Colton means including Rita, something that Raquel won’t tolerate.

Perhaps it’s unsurprising that Raquel is the first character to explicitly name Rita’s relationship with Josh as molestation. Objectively speaking, it is the only way to look at it; Rita took advantage of Josh when he was a minor, making his ability to consent null and void. But even though other family members and friends have no problem using coded language like “lecherous” and “creepy,” Raquel is the only person who is comfortable labeling the situation as abusive. She is the only person who understands that until Josh deals with his trauma and with the unbalanced power dynamic in his relationship with Rita, he will be doomed to continue struggling to make every other relationship in his life functional.

Even though Josh and Rita’s sexual relationship has ended, she still will call him over to her apartment to fix appliances or clean mold out of the fridge. He puts his foot down when he can, yelling “That’s enough!” when Rita won’t stop singing an uncomfortably incestuous version of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Family Affair,” but he’s never quite free of her. Raquel senses this, and as much as she loves Josh, the events of Season 2 make her understand that as long as his abuser is in his life, he won’t be able to truly be in a healthy relationship with anyone else.

More: HBO renews Togetherness and we could not be more excited about it

Halfway through Season 2, Maura confesses one of the deepest, darkest Pfefferman family secrets to Josh: she and Shelly knew about Rita’s pregnancy all along. They never told Josh, out of a desire to “protect” him, and they made a donation to the church run by Colton’s adoptive family to provide for him from afar. This devastates Josh, as it erodes his already depleted trust in his family.

Though they strive to keep their relationship together for a whole ‘nother episode, once Maura confesses the truth about Colton, it’s clear that Raquel and Josh’s relationship won’t survive. She sees clearly then that the problem isn’t just with Josh — it’s with everyone in his family who refuses to acknowledge what really happened with him and Rita. Knowing she can’t save him, she saves herself and leaves.

Raquel’s departure is undoubtedly the right call for her. But how it will end up affecting Josh is a great concern. My fear is that with Raquel and Josh’s relationship over (for now?), there isn’t anyone else in his life who will encourage him to dig deeper into his increasingly queasy feelings about Rita and the secrecy within his family. I want Josh to enter counseling, or a support group, or even just acknowledge to a friend or one of his sisters that he’s a survivor of abuse. But since he’s unlikely to do this on his own, and since no one else in his life is going to acknowledge the problem, I am worried that Josh’s abuse will continue to be pushed to the back of his mind and will never be properly dealt with, by the character or by the show.

More: 9 Best quotes from Transparent creator Jill Soloway's address to AFI

Transparent is an ensemble show; though Maura was the central character of Season 1, each of the five Pfeffermans appear to have equal screen time and equal development of storylines in Season 2. The fact that Josh’s trauma has taken a long time to unpack isn’t surprising, then — it’s simply what’s to be expected for a character who isn’t the primary focus of every episode. My hope, though, is that even if Raquel won’t be in Josh’s life going forward, he will still find a way to deal with this issue as the upcoming seasons progress. It’s only fair to him as a character if he is allowed to begin dealing with his past.

More: Joey Feek shares an adorable moment with her daughter, Indiana (PHOTO)

The terminally ill country singer was able to leave her hospice bed for the first time in weeks in order to get on the floor and play with her baby girl, Indiana.

"I guess the power-of-the-will is much stronger than the power of fear," her husband, Rory Feek, wrote in a blog post about the day. "Honestly, I think Joey just got tired of listening to life going on in the rooms outside of her bedroom and tired of wondering what it would be like to be part of it."

A video of the occasion shows Joey, assisted by her sister, shocking her friends and family by walking into the living room. Joey, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, stopped treatment last fall when it was discovered that her cancer was continuing to spread, and entered hospice care in her home.

"We almost couldn't believe our eyes," Rory wrote in his blog post, titled "The Gift." "We were all so proud of her, but I think Joey was even more proud of herself."

More: Joey Feek makes emotional plea about her baby (PHOTOS)

Rory also shared photos on Facebook showing Joey on the floor with Indy, soon to be 2 years old, playing and teaching her sign language.

"She was a mama again," he wrote. "Playing with and teaching sign language to her little girl, like she'd been dreaming of being able to do."

Rory, who has been documenting his wife's illness and treatment on the blog, wrote that although her looks have changed, she has "the same joy in her spirit and the same beautiful smile is still there, shining through."

More: Joey Feek's husband gives heartbreaking update on his wife's health

Lawrence, who is busy promoting her new movie, Joy, compared the birth of Kim Kardashian's baby boy, Saint, to that of the former Kate Middleton's precious baby daughter, Charlotte, born last summer.

More: Jennifer Lawrence is refreshingly honest about marriage and having kids

"Oh, my God! It was like when Princess Kate was having a princess," she told E! News reporter Marc Malkin when asked about Kim and Kanye West's new arrival. "I can't wait for it to be 16 years from now, we'll have a teenage princess. That's just the same in America and we'll have a little prince."

Lawrence does have her own Kardashian connection — family matriarch Kris Jenner surprised her with a visit on her birthday — but the relationship is apparently not so close that she has been able to lay eyes on little Saint. She told the reporter that she has not seen a picture of the baby yet. Nor does it appear that she was consulted about that controversial name.

More: Everything we know about Amy Schumer and Jennifer Lawrence's new movie so far

"I'm so mad that they stole my baby name, though — Saint Lawrence," she joked.

More: Jennifer Lawrence could end up dating Rob Kardashian... seriously

Laugh it up, Lawrence — the Internet does not think your quips are nearly as funny. Lovers of the royal family had absolutely nothing nice to say about Lawrence's comparisons between an actual princess and the child of the world's most notorious reality star.

So what do you think: Are the Kardashians America's royal family or has Jennifer Lawrence well and truly lost her mind?

More: Prince Harry allegedly got shot down by one of America's favorite actresses: Jennifer Lawrence

Giudice is currently in prison on fraud charges, but her new lawyer has arranged an early release and she will be home in time to spend Christmas with her husband and daughters.

An insider revealed to E! News that Giudice will walk free next week.

"All Teresa wants is a very low-key Christmas at home with her family. She's nine days away from getting out and it's her only focus," the source said. "She and Joe have had conversations about presents, yes, but it's not what matters. Literally the only thing she cares about is coming home to her family."

More: Joe Giudice and his daughters are staying busy until Teresa's release

Her friends and family could not be more excited, said the source.

"Everyone's doing a countdown. It's an exciting time," the insider shared. "Everyone's excited to see her again and come over to the house and hug her. Everyone's just very proud of how she's handled things and gotten through it and stayed strong. They're really thankful she's finally coming home."

So what is on her agenda after spending the last year in prison? A fancy vacation? Shopping sprees? Nothing like that, said the pal. She just wants a low-key holiday with her loved ones. The Giudices have "no plans other than that now."

More: Teresa Giudice's lawyer reveals her amazing prison transformation

The family's joy could be short-lived, though. While this holiday will certainly be a special one, there is a specter hanging over the family: Joe Giudice still needs to serve his own prison term. He is expected to report in March. However, they will not let that put a dampener on their Christmas.

"No one's thinking about [Joe's prison term] right now," the source shared with E! News. "No one's thinking beyond having Teresa home again."

Hopefully The Real Housewives of New Jersey cameras will be present to capture the entire reunion.

More: RHONJ's Jim Marchese furious over Bravo's decision about Teresa Giudice

More: Kourtney Kardashian is having a shocking romance with a younger man

Sources close to Kardashian have been saying that the reality star, who dated Scott Disick for years, is "hooking up" with the Biebs now. Color us surprised.

But on closer examination, it appears that Bieber and Disick have some other things in common.

More: Justin Bieber's "mystery girl" revealed — and it isn't Kourtney Kardashian

1. They have similar looks

At least, kind of. It's mostly in the hair, which Bieber and Disick both wear in a similar, combed-back style.

2. They have an ego

Neither the Biebs nor Disick is exactly known for being humble. Disick has long referred to himself as "The Lord" and has encouraged others to do the same. And one look at JB's Instagram is all it takes to know one thing for sure: The singer really loves himself.

3. They rock off-and-on relationships

Disick and Kardashian dated off and on for about a decade. Biebs had an on-again, off-again thing with Selena Gomez for years, as well.

4. They love expensive cars

Both their Instagram accounts reveal that Bieber and Disick love their fancy, four-wheeled toys. Unfortunately, those tend to get them into trouble...

5. They both have terrible driving records

It was revealed back in 2010 that Disick has a little bit of a spotty past, including speeding 47 miles per hour over the speed limit and and driving while intoxicated, both before he was 18. Bieber has a record of his own, including a number of reckless driving charges and a DUI.

6. Fans love to hate them

If there's one thing the Internet loves, it's trolling a celebrity. And anyone who lingers on comment sections can see that many rejoice at the idea of paparazzi leaking nudes of the Biebs, or Disick heading into another rehab stint. It may be cruel, but that's online anonymity for you.

More: Kourtney Kardashian & Scott Disick reunite, fueling publicity stunt rumors

Anything else these two have in common? Let us know down in the comments.

More: Gilmore Girls reboot: Where did the relationships end?

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Mike & Molly actress Rondi Reed (she plays Mike's mother, Peggy) announced on Facebook that the upcoming Season 6 had been trimmed to 13 episodes, rather than the previously announced 22. "Before you hear it elsewhere (and some already have) this is the final and sixth season of Mike & Molly on CBS. It is also a shortened season (13 episodes) after the announced full renewal of 22 episodes back in March by the network."

A few days later, the cancellation news began circulating, which was a total bummer for fans. On Monday, McCarthy took to Twitter to comment on the disheartening news and tweeted, "I was shocked and heartbroken when @CBS canceled #MikeAndMolly. I would have shot this show for 50 more years. I'll miss my 2nd family."

More: Gilmore Girls: 6 Things we know so far about the revival

Her costar and onscreen husband, Billy Gardell, also tweeted Monday: "Mike and Molly returns Jan 6, it will be our last episodes. There are 13 of them. Thank you everyone who supported us."

Here's the silver lining: This might mean the chances are that much greater for McCarthy to return as Sookie for Netflix's Gilmore Girls revival. There's been talk that her schedule might be too busy for her to show up in Stars Hollow. Well, seeing as it's going to be less hectic now that Mike & Molly is over, here's hoping the Sookie Gilmore Girls fans all know and love will appear alongside Lorelai, Rory, Luke, Emily and whoever else signs on.

As you can see, fans are already crossing their fingers.

Here's hoping McCarthy can make time for Sookie, because Gilmore Girls wouldn't be the same without her.

Mike & Molly's final season premieres Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.

More: Melissa McCarthy's clothing line is here and looking truly fierce

Over a decade later, Milian is coming forward to share the story too many women have in common: being a victim of domestic violence. In an exclusive interview with The Huffington Post, Milian discusses how the relationship started, what her ex was like and what transpired as it escalated to violence.

Milian is speaking out now to inspire other victims to do the same. She says, "My experience happened when I was 18 and I've been holding on to this for too long. I lived in fear for a long time. I'm here to save someone. I really want to help other people, especially the youth."

She describes a relationship built on fear, as her boyfriend manipulated her into cutting ties with her family, friends and spending less time pursuing her career. Eventually, it escalated into "threats. He'd say, 'if you leave me, I'll bomb your mom's house.'"

More: 10 Domestic violence facts we should all be taking very seriously

According to Milian, he would pick fights over nothing and create reasons to incite violence. She says, "I remember waking one morning and he was kicking me and stomping on me. It was over nothing. He accused me of lying about a boy. Then the violence escalated. When we had arguments, he would choke me and kick me."

More: My experience with domestic violence inspired me to become an advocate

When she finally decided to leave, he would prey on her nurturing tendencies, "The days when I would gain strength to leave him, he would call me and say he was going to kill himself — literally!"

After trying 10 times to leave him, she eventually got a plane ticket to New York with the help of her record label. She has some advice for women in a similar situation: "Find a way to separate yourself and change your number. Visit family or friends. Go to a shelter. Do that for your own healing."

In addition to her reality show Christina Milian Turned Up, Milian is now involved with Stop Attack, an app that takes video and audio recordings of attacks when activated.

More: Katy Perry gives her Grammys spotlight to a domestic violence survivor

If you have ever experienced any form of violence from your intimate partner — whether it is physical, sexual or psychological — please reach out for help. We hope that these sobering statistics help you see that you are not alone, and you are not to blame. Call the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.

As with every year, 2015 had its fair share of things the Internet loved so hard. These expressions, lifestyles and hashtags may not have all been started this year, but this is the year they definitely "had a moment," as they used to say in 2014.

Here, 11 things the Internet fell crazy in love with this year.

1. #Goals

The Internet was very ambitious this year, what with setting lots of #goals for itself. #RelationshipGoals, #LifeGoals, #FitnessGoals — nobody on social media seemed to shy away from expressing their aspirations in various facets of their lives. But sadly, most people's #BestieGoals with Beyoncé likely won't be met.

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2. Curating

Life online this year was very curated. In fact, it was sometimes even referred to as The Curated Life. According to Instagram, people's homes are now curated, not decorated. And people with no definable jobs are often referred to as curators.

3. #Basic

The term — and hashtag — "basic" certainly has been around before this year (just ask Lauren Conrad), but 2015 was the year the Internet sank its virtual teeth into it and used it ad nauseam. Like pumpkin spice lattes? You're basic. Wear Uggs? You're basic. Live in a house and eat food? Basic, basic, basic.

More: 25 Hilarious wrong homework answers from kids

4. #Squad

Again, not new to 2015, but man, did the Internet love this hashtag this year. Your family isn't your family; it's your squad. Your group of friends isn't your group of friends; it's your squad. Oh, and don't forget — your #Squad needs to have #SquadGoals. If not, you may as well not even consider yourself a squad. Which is so #Basic of you.

5. Slow living

The term "slow living" seemed to pop up quite a bit on the Internet this year. Mainly on social media, where people extolled the virtues and benefits of living slowly, which in theory is a nice concept (less is more; choose things that are meaningful), but something about taking time to document one's every slow move online seems counterintuitive.

More: Top 10 most-liked Instagram photos of 2015: Taylor Swift rules the list

6. Netflix and chill

While its evolution seems perfectly organic — people have been boning on couches with random movies on in the background since the beginning of time — enough already, no? Also, the saying has ruined it for people who actually want to watch Netflix and chill after a long day.

7. The struggle is real

Not new to 2015, but can 2015 be the last year we hear "the struggle is real"? This saying doesn't even really make sense! Aren't all struggles real? Sorry, Mindy!

8. Tho

This weather tho. That a** tho. This cake tho. Spelling mistake and grammatical awkwardness aside, "tho" was kind of like this year's "omg." Except it kinda makes "omg" sound like something Queen Elizabeth would say. Have I used it? Of course tho.

9. Bae

People loved the term "bae" hard in 2015. They also loved memes that started with "When bae..."

10. All the...

You know you've seen these sayings constantly this year: all the feels, all the coffee, etc. It officially had all the moments.

11. Game strong

In all honesty, "game strong" seems to be dwindling, but it was, well, strong for a minute there. Anyone who lay by the pool this year posted a photo with a caption in the vein of "pool game strong." Anyone pleased with their brows had an "eyebrow game strong." It was funny. But then, like many Internet-y things, it got kinda old.

Here's looking forward to what 2016 will bring!

What were your favorite/least favorite hashtags and Internet sayings from this year?

Until 2015, I was only peripherally aware of this word. As an English-degree holder, when I first heard it, I admit that I had bias against the word. I’m not much into verbing nouns. The more exposure this word got, the more I began to do the slow nod of understanding. Adulting. No hashtag. Yes, it’s a thing.

Of course, the good folks at Merriam-Webster haven’t picked up on that fact yet, so I sought out my favorite lay authority for a definition of the term, the blog Grammar Girl, where adulting is defined as, “acting like an adult or engaging in activities usually associated with adulthood — often responsible or boring tasks.”

2015 was a particularly significant year in adulting for me. This was for many reasons, none of which really needs introductions so let’s just jump right in.

1. Adulting is a skill — not every adult possesses it

I’m not here to judge anyone, but I will say this: In the past year, I’ve experienced many people over the age of 18 who choose not to adult. I’ve seen folks who don’t pay their bills, don’t support their children, don’t hold a steady job and don’t care that any of these things create burdens for people around them.

Now, until I’ve walked a mile in their shoes, I can’t begin to tell their story, but my takeaway is this: The skill of adulting is not mandatory to being a “grown up.” You can probably get by in life without doing it, but at what cost? As you look to your year ahead, look at the places where you’ve refused to grow up. Do those habits and tendencies affect others? How? If your anti-adulting ways don’t affect anybody but you, rock on. If you are causing others undue stress, maybe it’s time to take your adulting up a notch!

2. You’re never really going to feel your age

I think that’s a good thing, because, really, what is 39 supposed to feel like? While I already knew that life didn’t come with an owner’s manual, even if it did, I highly doubt there’d be a chapter on the late 30s.

It’s all so easy in younger adulthood. When you are 18, you revel in the independence of adulthood, of being legally able to make your own decisions. At 21, you can drink. At 25, you can rent a car. But by the time you hit your mid 30s, the milestones are over and society kind of expects you to act your age — whatever that means.

Acting your age is hard when you don’t know what your age is supposed to feel like. According to my teenaged daughters, I’m ancient. According to my elder family members, I’m a baby. So what do I do?

This year, I embraced how I feel — which is pretty darn good most of the time! I don’t believe I’m too old or too young to do anything I want to do in this life. It’s just a matter of figuring out what I want to do. These days, it’s laughing with my family and friends, drinking good wine, eating good food and occasionally mortifying my teenagers by rocking out to Bruno Mars in public. What will my next few years bring? I have no idea! My big point is simple: don’t let age dictate anything about how you live your life.

3. While you can’t fix your past mistakes, you certainly can repeat them

I’ll file this under my most painful lesson in adulting.

You know that saying “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”? I’m pretty sure the person who first said that was not talking about mistakes.

This past year wasn’t a year of making mistakes so much as it was cleaning up mistakes — most of them financial, by the way. From borrowing too much in student loans to not keeping an organized budget, to not hiring a bookkeeper for my blogging business until recently, this year was the year I put out fire after fire after fire. But the most frustrating part? These were fires I’d put out before. I should have learned from them.

I’m sure you’ve also heard that saying “third time’s a charm”? I think that’s been my theme for this year. I’ve made mistakes, learned from them, inexplicably made them again and finally decided to take action so that I don’t make those same mistakes again.

So, here I sit, having just downloaded QuickBooks at the insistence of my bookkeeper, my quarterly tax statement in hand, planning for 2016 to be the year I not only learn from my mistakes, but avoid making them again. (Or, as we say, adulting!)

4. Life really is too short

I not-so-affectionately call 2012 the worst year ever. I lost my house to the mortgage bubble. I lost my mother to complications from diabetes. My life was essentially in shambles. Picking up the pieces these last few years has been hard but telling.

One of my late mother’s favorite sayings was, “I’d like to smell my roses while I’m still alive.” Now, to her, that was an excuse to spend outrageous amounts of money on the people she loved; but there’s more to that saying, I think.

I now understand it to mean that I shouldn’t let one single opportunity in life pass me by. In the past, I can be accused of putting off the things that nourished my spirit in favor of practicality. Don’t get me wrong, I always advocate for paying your rent — or mortgage! But there’s still room to be yourself and enjoy your life to the fullest.

Not ready to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro? Try hiking your state park. Don’t have time to write the great American novel? Try mastering the art of the short story. My point here is to start where you are and build up from there. Like most other parts of adulting, there’s as much value in the process as there is in the result!

So, there you have it. My year in adulting. I turned 39 on Dec. 4 — same day as Jay Z — holla! — and trust me: I have lots of adventures in adulting yet to experience, including teaching my eldest teen to drive, prom (hers, obviously, not mine!), attempting to buy another house after the housing bubble and deciding if I will stop being a commitment-phobe and make my long-time boyfriend an honest man.

Will I do it? (Shrugs.) Guess we’ll have to wait and see. I hope your 2016 is full of fun, adventure and, yes, even adulting!