KICK START 2017!!!!

WOW!!!

Can you believe that 2017 will be here in only four short days?! I don't know about you guys but, 2016 seemed a little rough. I went through some bumps and knocks. I struggled with my weight, depression, finances and let my fitness goals slack. I mainly felt pretty yucky most of the year. 

Well... 2017 is coming in fast and we can get a kick start on it. How? By making small consistent changes in our lifestyle. Here are some I plan to implement.

1. Eating cleaner. For most of the year, I just basically cooked and prepared what was easiest but not always the healthiest or wisest. I noticed that I felt sluggish most days because of it. So, these past few weeks I've been back on track with clean eating.

2. Cutting back on alcohol. This was/is a crutch for me so to speak, a way to un-wind at the end of the day. Alcohol slows our metabolism tremendously. It's just empty calories and causes me to bloat. UGH! I didn't say I will never have a cocktail, just a lot less of them. I mean - a girls still gotta celebrate now and then! 🎉😉

3. Eliminating as much sugar as possible. This pretty much goes hand in hand with clean eating but, needs addressed. A lot of foods might be labeled "gluten free" or "low carb" but still contain a good amount of sugar. Other foods like fruit, even though good for us, still has sugar. So, just be aware and try to keep track of your daily sugar intake. I recently starting using Swerve and I love it! It cooks and bakes just like regular sugar but has ZERO calories, it's non-glycemic and it doesn't affect insulin levels or blood glucose. YAY!!! 

Birthday Carrot Cake - Still not healthy lol

4. Getting out of my workout routine rut! Doing the same old routine is BORING! Plus, your body needs muscle confusion in order not to plateau. Changing your routine every 3-12 weeks keeps the body thinking and changing. Don't get stuck running on that treadmill or doing the same lifting circuit. Switch it up! FYI... Beachbody on Demand is now offering every program, a 30 day supply of SHAKEOLOGY plus the Portion Fix for only $199!!! That's a HUGE savings! This is for a limited time so comment below or email me for more info before it's too late!!!

5. Saving money! Tax season will be here before ya know it. Like most people, we'll be getting a tax return. It will be divided between our "Emergency Funds" and "Travel Funds".  Fortunately we did this last year and boy did those emergency funds come in handy when we needed them. Having the travel funds saved up allowed us a small mini winter vacation. 

Ski Lessons

6. Spending more time with God. When I get busy or feel overwhelmed, I get cranky, depressed and feel cornered. Praying more and leaning on God in those tough times I have found, is where my strength comes from to continue on.

7. Finding better quality people to share my life with. Who you hang around with most is what will influence you and your decisions the most. I've met some amazing people that just weren't where I wanted to be in life and unfortunately I had to let them go in order to be a better me.

My best friend... my mama

8. Learning to say NO. It's that simple. I often find this a hard thing to do because I love to help and care for others and hate to disappoint anyone. I am getting better at standing my ground (family holidays, nights out when I'm broke) but, I still have a ways to go. If you don't respect yourself and your time then no one else will either. 

You don't have to wait until January 1st to kick start a new you. Like they say... "No time like the present". Please comment below if you are interested in learning more about the awesome deal from Beachbody or just tell me how you plan to kick start 2017. 

Love & Blessings,
D

Pork Roast 3 Ways

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas! If you're like me you're all still trying to catch up on everything from the festivities. 🎄 This week has been crazy busy and it's already Wednesday. So, in order to buy myself a little time, I decided to roast one large piece of meat to last us the rest of the week.

I put a pork roast in my slow cooker this morning along with some fresh herbs and aromatics. I plopped the lid on, set the timer and walked away. After about 8-10 hours I will place it on a cutting board to shred and return to the broth in the slow cooker to stay moist. And, the best part is, is that I have a leg up on dinner for the rest of the week. Below is the recipe for cooking instructions. 

Once you have a basic cooked meat choice, you can change it up by adding different ingredients for different meal choices. Tonight will be Pork Ragu with egg noodles. Tomorrow Pork Carnitas and brown rice and then Friday night bar-b-q pork and spicy coleslaw. 

Follow up posts will done for the other recipes soon! 

Be creative. Make use of that slow cooker. If pork isn't your thing, chicken and beef work beautifully using this method as well. Enjoy! 😋

Slow Roasted Pork Butt

5-7 pound pork butt

Sea salt 

Black Pepper

2 sprigs fresh Rosemary

4 sprigs fresh Thyme

2-3 garlic cloves - peeled and smashed

1 small or 1/2 of large red onion - peeled and quartered

1 tablespoon dried Oregano

1 Bay leaf

1/2 -3/4 cup water

Crock-Pot liner

Place the liner inside the slow cooker and add your pork roast. Season generously with salt and pepper all over the roast. Pour the water around the roast. Add the remaining ingredients. No need to chop the herbs or garlic. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the pork is falling apart and fork tender. 

Remove the pork from slower cooker onto a large platter or cutting board. Shred with two forks and discard the bone and fat.

 Remove the herb stems, onion, garlic and bay leaf.

 Return the shredded meat back to the liquid and cover again. Place slow cooker on warm setting until ready to serve. It's that easy! 

Now you have a good amount of shredded meat to use as you please.

 How do you cook large pieces of meat to save time? I'd love to hear your tips. Please comment below. 

Love & Blessings,

D

P.S. One thing I forgot to mention above is the slow cooker liner. If you haven't already, invest in a couple of boxes of these! They're a huge convenience on clean up!!! I got these at Aldi but, I've also found them at Kroger. 

Embrace the growing out of a pixie cut

As women, most of us love nothing more than to completely reinvent ourselves. For some it's a new job or career path. Some sell all their worldly possessions, uproot and relocate to a whole new destination. For others it is simply overhauling our "look". You know what I'm talking about ladies. Hair, make-up and wardrobe get renovated! And we feel fabulous afterwards!

                                                    

Well, every so often I too succumb to that need for renovation. Most often it happens with my hair. Which in turn leads to a wardrobe and style change. It's fun and daring and I like pushing myself to try new things - get out of my comfort zone and walk a different path. Hair, make-up and clothes are an easy way to do that.

So... about year ago I decided it was time for a renovation. I decided to try a pixie cut again. I had this cut before and really enjoyed the freedom of it. So, I went for it again. And... I LOVE IT!!! It was so freaking easy to do everyday. It seriously took me all of maybe 10 minutes to dry and style. I got loads of compliments and ooo's and ahh's. That does wonders for the soul. 😊

As with any new excitement in life, eventually the newness and excitement wears off. Plus, I knew that I would eventually want to renovate me again. The problem was, that I had to let my hair grow out in order to change or look renovated. And so I began the growing out the pixie journey. It honestly hasn't been all that bad. For the most part I've quite enjoyed the different lengths and looks my hair has gone through so far. 

The hardest part is waiting patiently for the top layers to catch up with the sides and back. Trust me, I had my moments when I almost threw in towel and cut it again but, I persevered and sucked it up and just used different methods to get through the pain. 

The number one thing I found to make the growing out easier is to just play around with your hair. If you have natural wave, use a little product and let your hair air dry for the shaggy tousled look.

Change the color. I went from platinum blonde back to a darker blonde. It gave the illusion of more depth and fullness for me. 

Use accessories!!!! I can't stress that enough. I used and still use baby barrettes, bobby pins, head bands and tiny clips.

Change up your part line. If you always part on the left, try parting on the right. The layers will fall in a new pattern and look different. Play around with them to see what ya like. Or maybe wear it spiky one day and flat the next. Experiment!!!

Go in for trims regularly. This is another stress point! Most think that to go in for routine trims is counter productive but it's not. It keeps the hair shaped up and prevents the dreaded mullet look. So, go in for the trims ladies!

Try styling with different size brushes and the direction of the drying process. For instance, if you've been drying and turning the hair under, next time blow the hair back and away from the face on the sides with a round brush and let the back ends flip up a little bit. This gives your look a more carefree and playful tone.

Use hot tools ( flatiron, curling iron). Try curling your hair with one of these in different directions and add a small dollop of product to separate the the hair to keep it loose and bouncy.

And last ... wear hats! On those days, and you'll have them, when you feel like your hair looks like someone went at it with an immersion blender - grab a hat and get on with your day. Don't over obsess about it. Just work the hat into your look for the day and exude confidence. Even if you don't feel confident, fake it. The way we carry ourselves says way more than most outfits and hair-do's ever will!

 I hope this helped those that are growing out their pixie or are thinking of taking the plunge and cutting it all off. In the end just remember, it's only hair ladies and it WILL GROW BACK! Get out of your comfort zone and try something fun. Go ahead ... I DARE YA!

Love & Blessings

D

Back Pain & Desk Jockeys

Back pain is one of the worse pains to deal with and treat. Especially if you work at a desk and sit for long periods of time. It can make doing the things you love un-bearable and really change your quality of life. 

 For years and years I had no idea why my back was always in pain. I had X-rays done and it never showed anything. Finally I went to see a Chiropractor. After weeks of treatment and still no relief, an MRI was ordered and I learned that I have a herniated disk. My options were limited, surgery or steroid injections. Neither sounded like something I was up for. So, I started doing some research and digging. I found that sitting for long periods of time and inactivity are the worse things possible for the back. I started out slow. I did yoga and low impact work-outs. I quit running and doing any type of workouts that required a lot of jumping. It was slow going and torture but, after a bit of time I started to feel a lot better and see improvement. Now I am back to my full strength workouts with the exception that I still don't run much. I'm not saying my situation or what I did is what you need to do. Consult your own physician and or Chiropractor for their advice before doing anything on your own. Here are a few things that I learned that may or may not help. 


1. Sitting puts nearly twice the amount of stress on the back that standing does. Mainly because when sitting most of us slouch and do not use proper posture to support our backs. 

2. Activity and motion are necessary in keeping the back strong and supplying much needed nutrients to the disks.

3. Sitting for longs stretches of time also shortens our hip flexors which in turn can make our pelvis rotate and increase the load on the lower back. 

4. Hamstrings tighten when sitting for prolonged periods of time and cause pain in the lower back.

5. Sitting causes a flattened and or flabby butt. You glute muscles are a huge player in keeping your back pain free. When they are weak the quads must step in and pick up the slack. 

So, to help with these issue I've done the following:

1. Stand up and walk around frequently

2. Bend and stretch to get blood and circulation moving

3.Squats. I started with body weight only and in a shallow position and built up from there. 

4. Lunges. These are highly recommended by most health care practitioners because of the building effect they have on the glute muscles. To learn the proper way to do lunges, I suggest researching or asking a health care professional.

5. Try changing your chair position or height. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Keep your shoulders down and back, not slumped.

6. Try using a foam roller. Foam rollers can be used on many different muscles. If done properly they work wonders. Make sure to research the proper way to use your foam roller before beginning. 

7. Strengthen your front and back core muscles to help support the spine. Again, research proper exercises on how to do this properly or seek instructions from a health care professional. 

These are things that I do on a regular basis along with my workout routines to keep my back as pain free as possible. Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor or a health care provider. I am only expressing what I have found to be beneficial for me. Please consult your own doctor or health care provider before trying any of the above mentioned. 

What are some ways you treat or find relief from back pain? I would love to hear back from you. 

Much Love & Blessings,
D

Starting Fresh

Hi everyone. 

First let me say it's been a very long time since I've posted and I am sorry. Life got really hectic and demanding for me the last few years. The biggest things were health issues for me and my husband. I am happy to report that we overcame those and we are both doing great now! 

In fact we celebrated our 5th Anniversary this past August. WOW- times flies!

We are working on a bunch of new and exciting things in our lives and I am hoping to share those with you as we go along. God has been doing some amazing things in our lives and opening new doors to explore. I cannot wait to see how His new plans for us turn out!  So stick around! More to come soon!!! 

Much Love & Blessings,
D

Sausage, Mushroom & Kale Soup

Fall & Winter are a perfect time for soup making for most people. I, on the other hand, make soup all year round. I try to always have my freezer stocked with soups and chili. This soup is easy to make and absolutely delicious.

Here are the steps. I like to gather all my ingredients and utensils first and also chop my veggies and herbs that I'll need for any recipe. It saves time and keeps me from hunting around for what I need and taking the chance on burning something in the process. So, here is what you'll need.

Equipment

Large Stock Pot or Soup Pot
Cutting Board
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoons
Large Soup or Stir Spoon


Ingredients 

1 tablespoon olive oil or enough to saute the onions
1 large onion - chopped
3 garlic cloves - minced
2 quarts or 64 oz chicken broth or stock
8 ounces or 1 cup white wine
1 pound ground sausage or ground pork
1 package sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp or to taste crush red pepper flakes
1 bunch of kale ( I bought a bag of kale and just eyeballed it)
1/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or 2-3 Parmesan cheese rinds
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

In your stock pot or soup pot, I found mine shown below at a garage sale and I love it, heat your olive oil and then add the onion. Cook the onion for about 2 minutes and then add your garlic. Cook another 2-3 minutes until all the onions have softened. Next comes the ground sausage or pork. You can use turkey sausage too. Cook until the meat is done. You can drain off the fat if you choose but I left mine in. To me, that is where the flavor is.

Next add in your mushrooms, kale, chicken stock or broth, white wine and pepper flakes. You want to bring that to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Last, add in your cheese, cream and salt and pepper to taste. Now, I like my kale with a little bit of texture left to it so I don't cook mine to death. I only let the soup to continue to cook until the cheese or rinds melt. Then I serve with a nice arugula, radish and chive salad. I apologize for the photos. I am not in any way a professional photographer.

Zucchini and Bean "Pasta"

So, I really love pasta but, I don't love what it does it to my butt. I came up with an alternative. Its a quick and easy faux pasta. It took all of maybe 15-20 minutes to make and it is so delicious! Try it out and leave me some comments on what you thought or some of your zucchini "pasta" recipes. Enjoy! 


Here's the Ingredients

1 small - medium zucchini- julienned  

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp un-salted butter

1 can white beans - rinsed 

salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, melt butter and add olive oil and garlic. Infuse the oil and butter for about 2 minutes with the garlic and then add the zucchini. Saute' for about another 2 minutes while you rinse and drain your beans. Now add your beans and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. You can top with a little crushed red pepper and Parmesan cheese if you prefer. All the flavors of Italy without the guilt. 

P.S. I got my handy little julienne tool off of amazon.