2015?!

Do you ever feel like you've lost part of yourself? That things are a whirlwind and you are so busy that you are struggling to catch up? A bit disoriented... you know?

I have been feeling that way lately ... on the one hand, I love it, because all of the reasons that make me so busy are amazing and I am blessed with these experiences. For instance, I am a proud mama of three pets, Kayah - our pup, Filbert and Friday - our cats, and we are picking up our puppy, Vaquita, in two weeks! This is what she looks like:

6 weeks old! 

Also, Lulu and I just came back from an amazing trip.. where we got engaged!!! Singapore, Bali, and Australia! Absolutely amazing - don't worry, there will be several posts about this vacation coming up in the coming weeks. Feel bad for me yet? Haha, I thought not...

Next, Lulu and I are preparing for our wedding. Again, I am BLESSED! I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with the absolute love of my life. Plus, Lulu is amazingly helpful and we are almost done with planning, which is awesome.

I am really busy with work, wedding plans, and tons of really fun times with friends and family. However, I feel cluttered in life... I find that I create a lot of goals to focus on each year and then I only complete some.

Lent just started and I made a long list of things to do to better myself, but I am finding that I continuously try to do so many things, that I forget that sometimes in order to be better, I need to simplify. So, a new year, a new(ish) goal: to de-clutter life. I love being busy and making plans, but every once in a while, I need a day to recuperate and re-focus.

Anyway, that being said... I'm heading to bed, but I will catch up later with vacation adventures! Hip, hip hooray!

New Beginnings!

Today's message will be short, but sweet!

I am extremely grateful for the blessings in my life. My life is filled with amazing people, who are completely supportive of me and my dreams. I have had amazing opportunities and a new one is starting soon!
At the end of the month, I will be moving and starting a new full-time position as a nanny. This will allow me to start volunteering in Child Life programs. I recently learned about this profession -- Child Life Specialists work in hospitals to help children/patients cope with hospitalization, as well as help the child to continue his or her proper development. A Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) also supports the parents/guardians and family with their coping, and helps to educate the patient and family about upcoming procedures. This career has my name on it!

It has taken me several months to get back on track, but I feel like I am finally moving forward again! Basically, this post is for all the family and loved ones who have supported me these past couple of months, in every way possible! It was hard to keep a positive outlook at times, but thanks to all of you I was able to remain (mostly) positive!

That being said, I have been taking an online course in Child Life, visiting family and friends, and working part-time. I haven't been able to cook as much as I wanted...

However, I did cook a family favorite last month -- stuffed shells with sausage and spinach -- YUM!!!



This recipe is slightly time-intensive, but absolutely worth it and leftovers last for a couple of days! If you don't know anything else about me, you should know that I will eat leftovers until the meal is gone. I strongly dislike wasting any food. This meal is amazing though, so I never get bored of it and leftovers always seems to be gone too soon, which is a good problem to have!

I haven't really tried anything new, except... my new man taught me his guacamole recipe and it is so simple and DELICIOUS!!! Wow! I love guacamole... I mean, how can you not, right? The main ingredient is avocado, which I put in and on everything! In salads, on sandwiches... sometimes I even eat them plain!


This guacamole recipes involves:
  - 4 avocados (chopped and smushed!)
  - 1 onion (diced)
  - 2 lemons (just the juice)
  - 3 limes (just the juice)
  - 1 orange (just the juice)
  - 1 large tomato (or several smaller ones)
  - 1 jalapeno (if you like some kick!)
  - cilantro (chopped) for extra flavor!

And that's EAT! I mean, it... that's it! That's all there is to it and it was absolutely amazing! Honestly, I was a little concerned when I saw the orange and all the juice that was going to go into the guacamole, but now that I have tried it this way, there is no turning back! YUM!

Well, those are my food adventures, as well as my current life adventures! I'm ready for the next chapter to begin; I know it is going to be the best chapter yet! Thank you again to all my family and friends - I love you all!

Sugar, Spice and everything... DELICIOUS!!!

This week I went back to cooking and baking -- oh, it felt good! My life has become much more sedentary than it was when I was working my last job, so I came to the realization that I needed to change up my diet, which is the equivalent of getting back to basics for me. This includes eating smaller portions, being more conscious about what I am eating (cooking for myself; no ordering out; buying local products when possible), and exercising more. I will be starting to run a little more, especially since the weather is so nice now and I made a conscious effort to prepare my food for the week.

So, let's start with dessert first, shall we? I will be the first to admit that I have a sweet tooth. I generally do crave something sweet after a meal, which is fine, as long as I remember to keep it in moderation! I decided to try a new oatmeal raisin cookie recipe this week to satisfy my sweet craving, but hopefully also keep my portions in control. Oatmeal raisins to me are lovely because they are delicious and also they are satisfying. Eating one feels like indulging because of the brown sugar and the raisins. This recipe called for walnuts, but my family members, aka my roommates, are nutty enough (hehe), so I went without walnuts.

Oatmeal Raisin Batter

I do have a oatmeal raisin cookie recipe, but I decided to try something new! So, I started... my batter looked delicious! I did my usual scooping for cookies, which means I took an ice cream scoop -- mostly because I have fun scooping my cookie batter this way, makes them uniform in shape, etc. -- and put 12 cookies on a cookie sheet. However, I forgot to read the directions, which stated that I should only put about 1/2 a teaspoon amount of batter and only 8 cookies per baking sheet.

That being said, the first batch of cookies looked like this! One cookie made out of 5 different cookies - haha, oops! Then I went back to look at the directions and modified from there.

Also, although they taste amazing, they have a crispier consistency and look "lacy" -- I am not exactly sure why, but it's something I plan to research before I bake these cookies again.

Alright, moving backwards from dessert, the first entree I made this week was called Grilled Chicken Caprese; this was also a new recipe from my recipe binder. For this recipe, I did read carefully, but then I decided to mix it up and make it my own. This was half because I wanted to see what happened and also because I had to make decisions based on what the grocery store had in stock. So, the recipe calls for using chicken cutlets... the grocery store only had chicken breasts when I went, so I decided, no problem, I would just butterfly the chicken breast, giving me two slices of chicken per breast. I also bought the mozzarella and tomato, deciding to cut these bigger (instead of thin tomato slice and shredded mozzarella) to match the chicken slices. Now, I do not have my basil planted yet this year -- oops, running late, darn cold weather, so  I used dry basil, which I wouldn't do again. Especially this time of year, fresh is always better!

Grilled Chicken Caprese

This recipe calls for seasoning the chicken, adding the basil, stacking the cheese and tomato. Here's the tricky part... now you have to roll the chicken and pin it with toothpicks. This is where bigger is definitely NOT better!

Now I understand why we wanted thin pieces of chicken, tomato and shredded cheese -- it was very difficult to roll these pieces of chicken. However, I rolled them as best as I could, pinned them together with colorful toothpicks (remember this detail for later) and placed them on the grill. I love grilling!

Sliced, grilled Chicken Caprese
with creamed spinach

After grilling, I let them sit for 5 minutes, to keep those lovely juices in, and then sliced the chicken to prepare for serving. As I'm slicing, I see green and orange lines in my chicken. Why??? Well, note to self: don't use colorful toothpicks next time. Haha.... so many lessons in one recipe!

I served this sliced chicken up with creamed spinach and some rice, just to add some other food groups onto the plate. It was delectable, definitely went into my recipe box for future use - although next time, I will follow the directions and use thin slices of everything. OR... I could use the same size chicken, grill it separately and then just heat the basil, tomato and mozzarella chunks on top for the last minute or two. Oh, the choices! I like having options and mixing up recipes -- I also enjoy that I feel more comfortable cooking to try variations of a recipe. This recipe lasted two days, with three people eating it for dinner and one lunch!

Now, I generally work later in the day, which can be tricky when trying to eat healthier. Here's how I work that out: I eat a large lunch, which is fine because I have the rest of the afternoon to work that off. Then, I pack a small dinner, which I will eat in my short break time during work. I have been going to kickboxing class on the nights when I get out of work on time, which helps me burn some more calories, but either way, when I get home later at night, I'm generally a little hungry and I am not yet tired enough to go to sleep.

SMOOTHIE - YUM!

What do I do to get some nourishment? I have started to make smoothies! Here is the smoothie that I have been making this week:

• 1 Cup frozen berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries)
• 1 Tbsp. creamy PB
• 1/2 Tsp. chia seeds
• 1/2 Tsp. flax seeds
• 1 banana
• 1/4 Cup skim milk

The first night I made it, I put in a shot of skim milk and it was so thick, I ate my smoothie with a spoon - also, it only made one small glass of smoothie. However, if you add more milk (about 1/4 cup), you can make 2 small glasses, or one large glass, and still have it be relatively thick. YUM! It is reminiscent of ice cream too, because the frozen berries make the entire smoothie cold, without watering it down at all. I'm going to say it again: YUM!!!

Stay tuned, maybe next week I will try a different combination, but I'm in love with this combination at present.

Okay, last, but certainly not least, I made another entree today for lunch. This entree should cover lunch and dinner until the weekend -- I love making enough food for leftovers! It's delicious and also, cost and time efficient.

This entree was also a new recipe from the binder, called Corn and Chile Pasta Carbonara. I have explained this a lot, but my current roommates are not huge fans of spicy food, so this recipe is actually sans chiles. However, after cooking the pasta, I did chop up some jalapeno slices and topped my personal plate of Corn Pasta Carbonara with these for a little kick.

Corn Pasta Carbonara

This was a delicious meal -- I love Spaghetti Carbonara, so this different twist was a great change on a classic. Also, the heat from the jalapeno was great -- I can't wait to try this with the chiles; I think put together with the parsley, thyme and chives, this is a terrifically seasoned pasta dish.

Okay, I know it's only Wednesday, but I'm done cooking for the week! I really enjoy getting back to basics, paying attention to what I am placing into my stomach, and taking the time to make it happen and eat as naturally as possible. I am looking forward to hitting up the farmer's market and getting my herbs planted soon - then I can cook even more naturally! However, that's it for this week - stay tuned and stay safe, healthy, and happy!

BELIEVE!

Happy Belated Easter! I had an amazing Easter weekend -- I was finally able to go biking and hiking; I truly love nature and was able to share this experience with an amazing person which made it all the better!

Peace Sign from my biking
and hiking this weekend!

Today, I don't have a recipe to share with you - I haven't really been cooking that often, as I've been a bit busy with my part time work, applying to an advanced certificate program, preparing for family weddings and marital events, working out (kickboxing and jogging) as well as spending time with the people I care about. So no, I don't have a new meal to share with you today, but what I do have today is GRATITUDE, HOPE and FAITH.

I saw a video about the importance of reaching out to help others and being selflessly kind to others without a need for reciprocity; I truly believe that this is how we are supposed to live.

Recently, although my circumstances are not completely ideal, I see the potential for my dreams to come true. For example, I may not have the job of my dreams right now, but I see the opportunity sitting there for me to achieve my goals. Small changes are happening all around us, every day, and if we stop to acknowledge these and take a risk on real, true happiness, I believe that our dreams can come true. I have been reading a book by Joel Osteen, called Become a Better You. One of his most consistent messages is that even if something does not seem possible within reality, God is supernatural and can change the course of your life. Miracles happen every day and I am starting to see that and I am working to strengthen my faith and my patience.

I believe I am meant to do something meaningful in my career, to advocate and assist others, as a counselor. I also believe that I deserve to be happy -- not just content, but happy, every single day -- and I am just starting to see this come to fruition in my reality.

You may say to me, "This happiness is not real," "Reality will kick in and you'll see," or any other message that I hear from naysayers consistently. Which is fine... it is your prerogative how you choose to think and act. However, I am done believing all the negativity. I almost did that - I almost settled for what others tried to tell me was "reality", whether it meant being unhappy within a career or a relationship, or others trying to tell me that my dreams and life goals are too far fetched. I was really close to living that life -- it was not a horrible existence, but I always felt like there was more to life and that happiness... real, true happiness... should not be out of reach.

So today, I choose to live in the happiness, to live in the moment and to be appreciative of all the amazing things that God provides. I know He has a great plan for me and I have been able to see small parts of this plan come to play! It is really an exciting time and I pray that everyone gets the chance to step back and to see where their happiness lies -- who is it that makes you completely happy? What activities/hobbies/career paths? If it's something different than what your life is now, don't just settle for being content - there are miracles just waiting to happen for you!

All you have to do... is Believe.

Put Some Spring in Your Step!

I can't believe it's already March! The old adage, "time flies," is actually true, who knew?

Apologies for not writing, especially to you, Miss Anastasia Beaverhausen, who await new blogs with baited breath. Sometimes, I just get tired talking about myself! However, let's chat about... me!

Amen!

When I last posted, I was talking about my aspirations for the year and about beginning anew. I have done some of that: writing in my journal, focusing on my spirituality - yoga, meditation, going to Church regularly, and getting back in shape by jogging and I started going to kickboxing classes. The classes are really exciting and so fast-paced, the hour flies by! This is definitely a workout that I can see myself doing long term; it goes in intervals, so you don't get bored and your muscles sure get a workout. Other than that, I have been focusing on finding a job. I definitely get frustrated some days, but then I take a breath and look around at all the blessings in my life. Also, I try to remember the psalm 112:7 (see right). I know that all I need is patience and faith; I will get a job that will be awesome and I will be even more blessed!

In other news, have I mentioned my personal "cookbook"? If you're like me, you see awesome recipes everywhere. In magazines, in family members' or friends' cookbooks and kitchens, on the cooking shows, etc. I find them everywhere, but I was having trouble finding them. For those of you who know me well, I LOVE to be organized, so I started to organize them in a folder. That folder became multiple folders, which turned into my current 3" binder filled with hundreds of recipes!

My cookbook!

There are days when I stick to classic recipes that I grew up with, the ones handed down by family members. However, other days, I love to try something new and that is when I consult my "cookbook".

About a month ago, I decided to try a new meal: Kale and Walnut Pesto with Gemelli Pasta and Sweet Sausage. Well, I decided the sweet sausage was a good addition, because, why not add some meat, right? I truly enjoy kale, but I know many people who are not so thrilled about it. This recipe called for boiling it for several minutes in salted water. I find that kale can have a bitter taste, but I used the recommended amount of salt (generally I use less because growing up my family did not put salt into anything) and I also boiled the kale for several minutes longer than required; I found this took away some of the bitter flavor. I loved the combination of this meal: the sweet of the sausage, the slight bitter of the kale, and the savory flavor added by the walnuts in the pesto - this recipe definitely earned its way into my recipe box!

Kale and Walnut Pesto Gemelli Pasta
 with Sweet Sausage

Again, I absolutely loved this meal. It was perfectly savory, which was awesome for this cold winter!

I did also make my farro mac and cheese with bacon (sorry again, vegetarians and vegans!) that I have previously posted in the blog. It was delicious, as usual, and yay to the fiber! Then today, I tried an appetizer and it, also, was DELICIOUS! I made spinach and artichoke dip today, served with some whole wheat pita slices (toasted), and I even adjusted the recipe - look out world, I'm a wild child!

Okay, maybe not so much, but it was delicious - the recipe called for a small amount of mayo and cream cheese instead of sour cream - I did not use the reduced fat versions as the recipe wanted. Instead I used a little less of these ingredients than called for and used a bit more of actual Gruyere cheese. Yum! I also used more artichokes and chopped them instead of dicing them or pureeing them - I love artichoke, so this worked perfectly for me, but obviously you could adjust it if you preferred it a different way. Also, the recipe called for using an actual onion rather than using powdered onion soup mix, which just makes sense ... I love using fresh ingredients rather than processed foods. Which makes me think of Spring and the farmers markets that will start to open weekly! Yay!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Well, I think that's all that is new with me and my cooking adventures. I hope your lives are carrying as many blessings as mine and that you are able to take some time to notice! Happy March and welcome to Spring (almost)!

Happy New Year, 2014 Style!

I know, I may be eighteen days late, but HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I absolutely love celebrating the new year, because, similar to birthdays, I just feel that they are a brand new start, a baptism of sorts. I truly try to refresh my life on my birthday each year, as well as the new year. My plan for 2014 is to take some time for self-exploration. In the counseling field, we talk often about our personal health plan or our self plan - there are many terms for it - basically a plan to preserve our sanity and overall health. Obviously, if a counselor is not taking care of his or her own social, emotional, physical, spiritual, or basic needs, how can they truly help others? Often times, this is when we see "burn out" with our counselors. However, personal health plans are not only a good plan for counselors; I believe that each and every individual should have a plan of what they need to do to stay happy and healthy.

When I am feeling particularly stressed, some of my "self health" plans include:

• writing in my journal
• cooking
• running
• yoga
• going to Church, meditating, reading the Bible
• talking and visiting with friends and family
• spending time in nature
• spending alone time to reflect 

2014 Mason Jar!

As I stated before, in 2014, I want to be better about checking in with myself and exploring more things ME! One part of this is taking the time to focus on the positives. I found this awesome idea on Pinterest and thought it would be the perfect way to a) identify things that I love on a daily basis and b) to remind myself at the end of the year of all the amazing things that happened, no matter how small they may seem at times. So, I got a mason jar (I absolutely LOVE mason jars - so versatile!) and stuck the following instructions on said jar:


I am excited to see how many positive ideas, stories, moments and memories I have at the end of the year.

So, even though it has taken a couple of weeks after the holidays and the actual new year, I finally feel like I am starting to get back to myself. I have been working out, not daily or even consistently, but I have been exercising for ME, when I want to. Naturally, I have been job searching, spending time helping Filbert and Friday (my feline friends) get accustomed to their current home, I started a puzzle and I have been READING! I have already read three books in the past week and a half, and I love it. Oh yes, and... I cooked something new this past week!

I really enjoyed this marinade!

At the suggestion of my aunt, I cooked something with Quinoa, which I must admit, I do love. I did a little Tex Mex Quinoa with simple marinated chicken which was cooked on the stove top. Such an easy, simplistic meal and so delicious. I have to say that sometimes I get bored with chicken. That is possibly blasphemous, I know, since chicken is delicious and relatively healthy, but I oftentimes over cook it or just get bored with eating it. However, I love the Lawry's brand of marinades - there is such a variety and they help me to keep the chicken nice and juicy! This time I used Lawry's Baja Chipotle marinade because I thought it went hand-in-hand with my Tex Mex Quinoa!

Tex Mex Quinoa

So, what did I put with my quinoa to make it "Tex Mex"? I added onion, frozen corn, and black beans for starters. Naturally, I added some cumin and the recipe called for cayenne pepper, which I would have put in, but I was cooking for family and the family members were not too fond of spice. However, when I make this for myself or some other "heat" lovers, I will absolutely put in some cayenne pepper to give it an additional kick.  Also, I did not mix the black beans into the entire quinoa mixture, because I was not sure if the family were black bean fans. I absolutely love black beans - such a great source of iron and fiber - yay nutrients!

After I made this Tex Mex Quinoa, I asked myself what I could add to kick it up a notch; it was good on it's own, but if I wanted to add some more creaminess, I could have added chopped jalapenos, sour cream, or shredded cheese, similar to what I would add to my stuffed peppers or tacos. This quinoa recipe was created with the thought that it would be the main dish; however, I cannot just eat one thing for dinner, so I made this the side and added some chicken for the extra protein. However, it was delicious and I could absolutely eat it on its own.

Although I am still getting back on my feet and I hope to be working more full-time soon, I am enjoying this time to sit, relax and explore. I recommend that everyone does this often, despite how busy life can become. I am so thankful and blessed in every area of my life - I hope to be able to take the time to recognize this more often and share it with others.

Stay tuned and I hope to share more thoughts, recipes and stories in my next post!

Merry Winter: Taking Stock

Have you missed me?

I have missed writing, that's for certain. At the end of each year, I like to take stock of what has happened over the past 12 months and prepare for a new year. This year has held a lot of changes and challenges, as most do. In 2013, I started out as a nanny, switched to working at a residential mental health facility, and then got hired as a substitute teacher. Currently, due to other circumstances, I am searching for a new job. Other circumstances include an end to my relationship and engagement, as well as needing to find a new place to live. This meant that I had to leave the substitute position. However, as of Saturday, I will be relocated and continuing my search for the perfect job.

Looking for jobs always makes me wonder: do most people love their jobs? I want to LOVE my job ... I don't want to live for work, I want to work so that I can enjoy life. However, I want my job to be something that corresponds with who I am and does some good in the world. Is that too much to ask? I think not and hopefully soon I will get positive news on the job front.

Okay, what else am I taking stock of this year? I have been able to stay active this past year, with running and joining a gym -- although with my second job, I did not consistently work out. I was able to run in the Warrior Dash, which was amazingly fun and I actually signed up for another one in June 2014. I also half jogged/half walked the Vegas Rock and Roll Half Marathon -- it was fun because of the people who ran with me, but I was surprised that there was not more music in this so-called "Rock and Roll" 13.1 miles... The trip to Vegas was a ton of fun, which makes me think of traveling. I have been able to visit my family, which is always fun and also, I was able to travel internationally to France! I have been so blessed with my ability to travel both nationally and internationally - thank God!

What else, you ask? Well, I have been a lot better about making time to try out new recipes. Some weren't my favorite, but out of all the recipes I tried, I have expanded my collection of possible meals, which is DELICIOUS! Also, at the beginning of the year, I challenged myself to read 35 books within 2013. I am currently at 32 books read. Currently, I am in the middle of reading one and I have one that I set aside a while ago that I will try to finish. I am still hoping that I get the chance to read all 35 - I still have time before New Year's Day!

Would you like to know what I've learned or taken away from the reflection of 2013?

• To trust my instincts
• To stay optimistic - I have faith that amazing things are in store for my future
• To take time to be grateful of all the blessings in my life: family, friends, my cats, the opportunities I have experienced, love, support, good health, loyalty, etc...
• That only I can make time for what is important to me - I know that it is easy for me to get caught up with work or stress, but I am the only one who can change my thoughts and actions - to take time to enjoy the world around me.

For instance, today I saw the most beautiful sunset. The sun was so large and seemed to fill the most of the horizon. The sunset included so many variations of deep oranges, yellows and even some red tones -- absolutely beautiful. Instead of getting frustrated about being slowed up in traffic, I took a breath and thanked God for the beauty of that sunset.

Well, what have you taken away from 2013? It's almost time for New Year's Resolutions! : )
Seeing as how the year is not over yet, two of my goals for the remainder include finishing my current book, the other book I put aside and one final book to give me 35 books read this year and also, to continue cooking new meals. In fact, here's a meal that I cooked about a month ago, that I thought was delicious!

Harvest Soup with Apple bits and Bacon!

This "Harvest Soup" was really good; however, I made some alterations that I believed changed the consistency of the soup. When I think of a hearty, harvest soup, I imagine a condense soup, but this was definitely a thin soup. I included the butternut squash, turnip (I would add more because I LOVE turnips), apples, sweet potatoes, but I did not include the celery root. I did not include celery root because, honestly, I couldn't find it and did not know what to look for - I definitely advocate for researching unknown items before heading to the store, but I did not on that particular day. Even though I did not add all of the ingredients listed, I did include all of the liquid that the recipe called for; next time, I would like to cut back slightly on the amount of liquid and add more vegetables, like more turnips!

Well, I am sorry it took so long for me to catch up, but I'm glad I was able to write this post. Have a happy holiday season and happy New Year!