Basil Beef with Zoodles

It's part let's dish basil beef something, part my own extra stuff. This is what I'd do again:

Ingredients:

1. Find a good ginger/asian sauce you like (as clean as possible).

2. 2 nice sirloin steaks cut into chunks.

3. Mini peppers, cut lengthwise 

4. 2 cups Zoodles (spirilized zucchini, found premade, get a spirilizer, or use a carrot peeler to peel off thin strips of zucchini)

1/2 onion

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tsp fresh chopped ginger root

Small handful of chopped fresh basil.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan and sear meat until it's done enough for you. (I like mine pink)

Remove meat and add onions & peppers and saute until hot and starts to soften.

Add garlic, ginger, and chopped basil and cook until peppers and onions are to your liking.

Add premade sauce and meat to pan and heat/mix until warm.

Add zoodles and heat until dish is hot and all flavors are mixed. 

Serves 2.

1 ❤ 2 💚

Coffee + Crumbs (Podcast/Blog)

Coffee and Crumbs is one of my absolute favorite podcasts.  It's one of the first I started listening to, and I can't even remember how I found it.  The very first episode was recorded in a closet and I fell in love instantly with this group of moms who were just being real. Their podcast and Blog is centered in messages to mom with heart.  When I listen I sometimes cry, laugh, and overall just feel calmer, happier, and less alone in this crazy motherhood journey.  It's like getting a giant mom hug every other week.  I recommend this most to moms with littles.  Enjoy! coffeeandcrumbs.net

The Universe Has Your Back

The Universe Has Your Back: Transform Fear to Faith by Gabrielle Bernstein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was skeptical, but I listened to this audio book weeks before my brain surgery. It REALLY helped me to go with the flow and accept that my energy matters in how I feel and my anxiety. Gabrielle is relateable and interesting. I am looking forward to going back and actually trying some of her meditation strategies (didn't really work when I was listening in my car... tee hee).

The only thing I struggled with was that we have had some pretty crazy life blows where we didn't feel and will never feel like the universe had our back. Cancer sucks, death of good friends in their 30's and 40's don't inspire hope and love. But where there is hope, like with my benign brain tumors, I was able to feel grateful for things like competent surgeons, great health insurance, and that the universe lead to a diagnosis before I had symptoms. - THAT was extremely helpful! This book doesn't touch on the really hard things, like death, but there are others that do.

View all my reviews

Day 22

Ugh! That felt go good!!! 1st "workout" in over 3 weeks! 10 minute PM Yoga (from beachbody- on demand- picked because I know it well and it's a great relaxing stretch!) Planning on a walk later to keep my energy up. #brainsurgery #recovery #day22 #gottakeepupwithmychallengers #slowandsteady

Chicken & Turkey Sausage w/sauteed veggies (w/optional brown rice)

A 21 day fix approved/clean (or close enough) review and recipe. (Yield 5-6 servings)

This is my favorite recipe for bulk lunches. Why? Because you can add different sauces at the bottom of the jar to make it taste very different. I like to eat this like a mixed up casserole, but you could pack it in containers with separators, too. I also like to mix the cauliflower rice with rice for a little more carb/bulk midday, but it would taste the same without it if you are saving yellows (carbs) for dinner/wine. It freezes well and I just never get sick of it.

If you are “fixing” - Each serving is 1.5 Red (protein) , 1.5 Green (veggies), .5 (optional) Yellow (carb)

INGREDIENTS 

• 5 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 turkey kielbasa sausage
• 2 green peppers
• 1 red pepper
• 1 large onion
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 bag Trader Joe’s Riced Cauliflower
• 1 bag Trader Joe’s Microwave Brown Rice (optional)
• Various sauces - this is where my “fix approved is close enough” (A1, teriyaki, BBQ, Buffalo, etc)
• 5 wide mouth pint mason jars (or other 2 cup containers)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bake chicken breasts per package instructions until fully cooked (or cook in crockpot)
2. Microwave the rice per instructions
3. Drizzle ½ of the olive oil in large saute pan and saute the cauliflower rice until warm
4. (optional) Add the rice and mix together
5. Remove rice mixture from pan
6. Drizzle remaining olive oil in the pan and add chopped onion & peppers and saute until tender.
7. Slice turkey kielbasa and add to the pan along with the cooked, diced chicken.
8. Cover and let flavors simmer together.
9. Layer your jars in this order: 1-2 Tbsp sauce of choice, 1 ¾ cups of the meat/veggie mixture (or 1 green + 1 red container), ¼ cup packed of the rice veggie mixture. 
10. Screw on the top of the jars and freeze the leftovers.

You have 5 healthy meals ready to heat and serve!

Gratitude

This is about gratitude. Life is unexpected, unpredictable and wonderful. Sometimes it's terrible. It's always life. I have been influenced by so many positive stories, I feel the need to share mine. The joy, the struggle, the truth. My goal- to help someone be happy, healthy, and hopeful. I can't help everyone, but it's worth it if I help someone.