Notes to my Kids

Hi and Happy Mothers Day! 

Yesterday was my birthday and today is Mother's Day. I am so thankful that my sweet children had lots of loved ones help them treat me like a queen this weekend. They bought me jewelry, made me pottery gifts, wrote cards and painted pictures. They also tried really hard to be on their best behavior and succeeded...... Most of the time. I just finished writing their thank you cards. I always write their thank you cards first. Do you know why I write my children thank you cards? Well, the biggest reason is that I have absolutely no hesitation to call them out and point out when they are out of line. So, when they do great things and create memories and kind, thoughtful gifts for me I figured I should let them know that they did a great thing. I wanted you to know about this in case your kids may be deserving of a nice thank you note written just for them. I clearly remember life as a kid. At times I know they feel like they are always being told what to do. I know they also get corrected often. Writing special notes to your children is a good way to tell them that they did something nice and good that made you feel special. Share the love. It's part of overall happiness and healthfulness. Happy Mothers Day to all of you hardworking, caring, thoughtful Mamas. You are the example for your children. Be a good one for them to follow. Show love each day. 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

NotCho Mama's Chicken Soup

Happy Beautiful Springtime! Here are some roses for you because I love you!

Yup, I grew those! Virtual high 5's all around!!!!! Yee haw! So now that we are all pumped I'd like to share a kick a$$ recipe with you. It's a tweak of my amazing friend and now neighbor, Gena's, own recipe. Thank you for the awesome lunch Gena! It's another crock pot recipe dealing with all Trader Joe's ingredients. Y'all know how much I love me some Trader Joe's!!!! This recipe is a crowd pleaser if your crowd likes their mouths to feel like a donkey's in there and tryin to kick his way out! It's a bit on the hot and naughty side. Lets just say a green pepper (or bell pepper as they say down here in gorgeous South Carolina) is a 1 on the H&N (hot & naughty) scale and a ghost pepper is a 10 on the same scale. Well then I'd call this recipe a 6. It's hot and it's naughty for sure..... But dang it's good! So here she is........ Gena's recipe with my twist. 

NotCho Mama's Chicken Soup Recipe:

3 big ole chicken breasts (mine were frozen still and TJs brand)

3 cans of cannellini beans (some folks call them white kidney beans but I like the bigger name. Makes me feel smart.)

1 can coconut milk

1 box O broth

1 pouch TJs taco seasoning (that's where the heat comes from.... Well, that and the jalapeños)

Garnish:

Chopped Jalapeños

Limes 

Cilantro 

Directions:

Ok, here's the hard part. Put the chicken in the crock pot. Open all the cans of beans and drain and rinse them. Open coconut milk. Open box O broth. Pour everything on top of chicken. Open taco seasoning and pour the whole packet on everything else. Put lid on crock pot and cook low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours or until that chicken is so tender that it falls apart even before you get near it. Shred chicken with 2 forks. If this is even 1 bit hard to do then your chicken isn't ready. Chop jalapeños, limes and cilantro. Portion soup into bowls or big mugs and top with your desired garnishes. Enjoy! 

It's sure to be a hit with your spicy friends! Tell me what ya think! Enjoy this awesome spring and remember the most contagious thing there is........ Is a smile! Do it! Others will smile back. It's the best! Just try it! 

Here are the ingredients...... So easy! Just open and put in crock pot!

(Like my new backsplash?! I did that!!! Yayyyyyy me!)

And when it's dinner time your dinner will already be done! 

Mmmmm mmmmm. Tasty and healthy! 

Mental Games

You. Can. Do. It!

 I'm telling you this. Now, the most important person needs to tell you this. You. Your mind is a powerful thing. Keep telling yourself you can't do something and guess what? You can't. But, if you tell yourself you can do something you will shock your biggest critic. You. I recently met a wonderful woman who, after she learned I was divorced, told me to do something I've never done at least once a week. I told her I would and I sure have! This month I have been tackling home improvement projects that I never thought I could do. In fact, I had 3 different carpenters come to give me estimates on the project I wanted and needed done to my kitchen. One said $700, one said $950 and one quoted me $1100! That was to bead board a small wall in my kitchen and bead board the kitchen bar where my kids love to kick their feet against the bar while they enjoy my home cookin. 

So guess what friends? I'm  here to tell you that you too can do it. What is it that you've been putting off? What is your goal? Do you want to lose weight, eat healthier, get a new job where your talents are appreciated, (don't quit your job without having a new one!) or maybe fix up your house? Well do it! You can! I did and so can you my dear friend! Tell yourself you can do it and you will surprise your biggest competition, YOU. 

Someone recently asked me, "What do you do?" Well guess what? Now I have an answer for you. "What DON'T I do?!"

Bar Before:

Bar after:

And look in the background of the pic above. NO backsplash! 

Now look:

I bead boarded the backsplash! I was given an $1100 quote to tile the back splash. I knew bead board would look killer so I did that instead and saved about $1000! And I'm crazy good at trim work now! Ya, I toot my own horn. And it feels good! 

One more pic for you....... My awesome friend, Michelle, gave me this apron. Probably because I love to cook and she is crazy thoughtful. But it's being used now more for my home improvement projects. And isn't it perfect?!!!!!:

And tonight before bead boarding the kitchen backsplash I made tacos and pudding pie for dessert and all 3 of my kids liked the dinner and thanked me. This is a winning day! Did I mention that my amazing Gena, my strong, talented gorgeous, brilliant friend I've been friends with since we were 15 moved in around the corner from us?! Her family is amazing! seriously! Yes, thank you God. I really am so thankful. 

I am inspired. I am in awe. You are my hero, Gena.

Oh ok ok ok. You want food? Recipes? Geez..... Well fine ill tell you something. It's so easy to make your own turkey or chicken at home AND save a TON of money! Can you say "Crock Pot" ?! Say it louder!!!!!!! Crock pot to the rescue. Just do this. Go to the store. Buy a big fresh or frozen turkey breast. Mine was 6 pounds. I paid $1.29 a pound! Go home and open the package the little turkey comes in. Rub that baby with some coconut oil (have you read that coconut oil can actually help to burn more calories?!..... Rub that stuff all over!) and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Put that baby in the crock pot. I surrounded mine with chopped sweet potatoes, chopped onions and garlic. Lots of garlic. Seriously. Garlic and onions. Lets all have bad breath together. Put the lid on the crock pot. Cook for 6-7 hours on high if frozen. Your house will smell amazing and dinner will be ready when you get home from work!!! Teddie, I'm talking to you!!! Dust off that crock pot my dear sweet Aunt! Here's my raw turkey before slowly cooking at the perfect temp and later being devoured by 3 hungry, growing kiddos. 

And because I've been slacking off I do not have an "After" pic. But really, we've been friends a long time now. Can't you just trust me? Please. Do it. It's easy and tasty and healthy. 

Enjoy and love each other! 

Accomplishment

Well hello to you my beautiful, strong friend! I hope this winter is treating you well. It has been record breaking cold and snow in much of the country. If you are in that part of the country I hope you are safe and warm and enjoying some extra family cuddle time.

You might be a full time parent, successful business person, doctor, nurse, teacher, lawyer, administrative assistant, military (Thank You!), retired or any other myriad of careers. We all have something in common. We all need and crave accomplishment. Remember the early days with your newborn baby at home? If you were like me you felt as if you accomplished a lot if you had a shower and changed your own clothes and had a happy, well-fed baby by the end of the night. But now, right now, what does accomplishment mean to you?

I am a "pleaser" by nature. Meaning I tend to find my joy by giving joy to others. I feel accomplished if I have done my job of taking care of others (my children). But today is a little different. I am holding my head a bit higher. I have a different feel of accomplishment. I completed a house task all by myself. My 4 year old daughter watched me closely (but at a safe distance) as I sawed, painted, nailed, caulked, taped and admired the job I did today. Last week I took apart and fixed 2 sinks, fixed the garbage disposal and now today I accomplished framing the mirror in my bathroom. Something I have wanted to do since I first eyed the large but rather drab mirror. 

Typically I give you recipes but I have been slacking in that department. But I'll give you a killer one after I'm finished bragging about my wood working job. I need to give a shout out to Mrs. Buffalo. She was my industrial arts teacher when I was a kid. I can't remember what grade but I'm crazy, ridiculous, embarrassingly good with names so i remember that at least. I also remember how awesome, smart and powerful she looked as she used tools to create works of usable art in class. I felt like Mrs. Buffalo, confident and strong as I showed my kids that I can fix things! Here is my project!

This was my bathroom mirror. Large and in charge but definitely lacking. I knew it needed a frame. Big sis, T, cleverly told me to use wood and not tile since tile can go out of style. Always listen to wise older sisters! I'm lucky to have 2 of them!

See how boring it was?! That's my liquid nail! New fun toy !

Now look at that!!!! The frame makes it so much better! 

I had to tape just to be sure the liquid nail did its job! My beautiful assistant was admiring my tools!

Ta Da!!!!!!! Now all I have to do is remove the tape tomorrow and it'll be perfecto! What do you think? 

Now it's time for a fire made by ME!!!!!!! And by the way. My Mom said she's SO proud of me and then she tried the dinner I made tonight and said I should sell it! She wants my Asian taco recipe. My kids loved it too! Score for me today!!!!!!!!! I did something good and made a good meal. 

Here's my super easy recipe for Asian Tacos:

2 pounds raw chicken rubbed in a tiny bit of sea salt and black pepper

Big bag of Trader Joes peppers and onions (frozen)

1 can drained/rinsed garbanzo 

1 can drained/rinsed black beans

1 whole big ole can of chopped tomatoes (I used Trader Joes brand for all canned goods)

1 jar of Trader Joes Thai Red Curry sauce ( seriously this stuff is the bommmmbbbbbb!!!!!!)

Now here's the crazy fun part. Put all that jazz in your crock pot (or slow cooker as it's commonly called nowadays). Here's the 1920s girl in me coming out....... Ready for it? After you pour the whole jar of Thai sauce in the crock pot pour a little water (like 1/2 cup tops for you measuring type A people) in the jar of Thai sauce. Screw the lid on nice and tight and shake it up. Get every last bit of your sauce out of that jar! Now this trick works on EVERYTHING! Lotion, makeup, food! Don't waste anything! Ok, back to directions....... Just stir all that up and set your crock pot on low for 8 hrs or high for 4-6 hours. You will have the most delectable, melt-in-your-mouth, awesome chicken and veggies! 

Now for the kids I just warmed taco shells and let them spoon the filling into their taco shells, add cheese and they were in chicken heaven! I added chopped jalapeños and ate mine over steamed kale. Yummmmmmyyyyyyy! Seriously, try it. If my Mama tells me to write it down and sell it then you know it's awesome! Enjoy and tell me what you think! 

Any Meal Egg Frittata

Hello There Awesome Reader of all Foods Good!

It is now the Christmas season. Time for being with friends and family curled up in front of the fireplace and listening to soft Christmas music in the background. Cooking and eating together is always a big part of the season too. I have created a recipe that I know you will love and it can be made ahead of time so that you can enjoy those special moments with your loved ones. You know my love affair with eggs, right? Well, this recipe has a dozen of them so you can imagine how excited it makes me. Mmmmmm mmmmm and it makes the kitchen smell so very nice. The best part about this recipe is that it can be enjoyed at any meal. It makes an awesome make ahead breakfast for Christmas morning but it's equally satisfying as dinner served on top of a salad or steamed greens. It is high in protein from the eggs and sausage and contains super healthy carbs from the home grown sweet potatoes (thanks to my awesome sister's garden..... Thank you Melissa!). 

I hope you enjoy my latest creation and thank you, Janae, for the kind compliments prompting me to share some of my new recipes. It is inspirational for me that you enjoy my recipes and my blog!

Any Meal Egg Frittata 

12 eggs

2 cups grated sweet potato 

1 cup chopped sweet onion

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (grate then squeeze out all moisture using a clean kitchen towel. Measure after squeezing)

1 1/2 cups sausage, diced(I used Trader Joes)

Salt and pepper to taste

Coconut oil (2 T and 1 T for greasing your pan)

Preheat Oven to 350. Grease a 13x 9 pan with 1 T coconut oil and set prepared pan aside. Heat coconut oil in a skillet on medium heat and add grated sweet potatoes and onions. Cook until onions are translucent and sweets are slightly browned. Add diced sausage and cook another 3 min or so. Add squeezed zucchini & cook while stirring 3-4 min. Add salt and pepper if desired.... I actually don't think they are needed with this spicy sausage. Now pour sweet potato mixture into the prepared 13x9 pan. Make sure it is evenly distributed. In a separate mixing bowl whisk eggs. Then pour the whisked eggs on top of the veggies mixture. Bake about 15 min or until set in the center. Cut into 12 squares and enjoy!!!!! Yummy!!!!

The squares are served on top of a halved and roasted eggplant.....adds another dimension to this healthy meal. 

Forgiving

It's something we as humans are not born with. It must be learned. It must be taught. Forgiving. Forgiving yourself. Forgiving others. Forgiving situations. Forgiving and realizing you are lucky to be able to start again. This, as we know, can encompass many aspects of our lives. Family, relationships, and as this is a blog/website about nutrition and wellness we all know forgiving must also be done in areas of self healing and weight management. If you are on the right path and then an obstacle comes in your way and creates a road block FORGIVE yourself. Mama always says, "You are your own worst critic". Others do not see your flaws. They see your beauty, your love, your passion. Sometimes forgiving yourself is the hardest thing of all but it can be the most freeing. 

So how was your weekend? Did you make healthy decisions? You can control how you think, how you move and what you eat. Weekends can be a tough time to do our best but tomorrow is Monday. A perfect time to start anew. And guess what I just read...... Never skip a Monday workout. Never. Ever. So I will be working out tomorrow. Join me. Start anew. Realize that forgiving is a lifelong action. But start with yourself. Be the best YOU you can be. 

I had frosted shredded wheat for a bedtime snack with my kids and it was so good. So so good and it reminded me of being 19 and going to school all day and working all night and coming home to a nice bowl of cereal for dinner. Good times for sure but probably not the best 8pm snack for me to have but tomorrow is Monday. The world starts over. A new beginning. So smile when you wake up. Let your alarm go off, stop the sound and then smile. Your life is worth smiling about and you are loved and its a new day. I will give you some awesome recipes this week! Smile at a stranger tomorrow too..... It's crazy how contagious it is.

View from atop the Ravenel Bridge in Mount Pleasant, SC. Awesome way to exercise and see Charleston and enjoy the view. 

Stress and Love

I have had a busy few weeks! By busy I mean BUSY but life is what you make of it. Some people say life can be stressful but that too is in the eyes of the beholder. Most seemingly stressful situations can also be looked at as exciting (I do admit there are down right stressful times though folks..... I am a glass half full gal but I'm not totally in the clouds.). It's how events are presented and perceived that will cause you to be either stressed or excited. Lets just take moving cross country for example.... Solo and with children and a dog for example......just to make things a bit more spicy. Look at life as exciting and an adventure and others, including children, will view it that way too. Be aware that your children are tiny, little sponges that soak up all of the information around them. That could mean as little as how you treat the woman serving you your coffee at the coffee shop or as big as how you treat them and how you teach them to love each other and the world around them. But guess what? It's all related. If you are impatient, heartless and demanding to every server who brings you food you are teaching your kids by modeling your behavior. Every moment, every second is a teaching experience waiting to happen so grab onto it. Have a long car trip planned with the kids? Play the license plate game (see who can tell what state's plate is in front of you first), or play ABC game (find each letter of the alphabet on signs, billboards and cars. First one to say the letter and read the word wins that letter, keep score and winner at the end can get a prize. I think it was a penny when I was a kid...basically just the glory of winning). 

Yes, this is typically a food blog but this is a busy time of year for traveling, family and outdoor fun. Make it special and educational for your children. And of course I am going to give you some food advice!  

Car snacks! Yummy and fun! Eating in the car is a great way to pass the time while on the way to Grandma's house. But be sure to eat only if you are hungry. Some great, crunchy, light foods to eat in the car are celery and carrot sticks, cheese sticks and some BBL bars! Also, almond milk protein shakes are great too. They are easy to drink and have tons of protein to help keep you fuller longer. Just be sure to sip slowly and take your time. After all, on long car rides time is on your side. So laugh, love and enjoy each other! Happy July friends! I hope the summer has been treating you well!