Tag: healthy

Living and working from home

A realization of the new normal- a transition to a work at home family

My husband and I take daily walks, our only time to just chat about life and planning for our future. It hit me that this living and working from home is our “new normal”. I’m not sure why I hadn’t given much time to REALLY think about it but it’s sinking in!

At the beginning of the pandemic it felt like a snow storm. You know, the kind where you are stuck in the house for a while and you cook, eat and watch movies. The shelves of the grocery store were always bare but this time, the snow storm lasted 3-4 months. Stores ran out of toilet paper, cleaning supplies, flour, sugar and yeast.

Fast forward to summer, we have been enjoying being outside and since we live in NJ we know we will be inside living and working from home soon enough. It is hitting me, we need a plan! We went to the gazebo by our pool, which we now lovingly have deemed our “restaurant” when we want a change of scenery and we discussed our plan!

My Domain

The house has traditionally been my domain. I’ve worked at home for 20 years and it’s been great! I’m disciplined, organized and I’m used to having my space and time to do what I need and want to do all day. I stay busy all day long toggling between work and home duties and I like it.

We are empty nesters but we currently have 4 adults living and working from home. Quarantine was a slight adjustment to those plans. I’m not complaining at all! I love having family with me and I love having built-in social! Especially during the height of the pandemic it was great to have family in the house for company and conversation!

I can’t imagine being alone or even being alone with your spouse for that long without social interaction with friends. I’m a social person and I get my energy from others. This isolation stuff stinks! I don’t like it.

So, back to the house being “my office”. I love my family and we all get along super well but sometimes I need my space! Everyone is in “my office”, which has typically been the whole house, all day long. My sweet husband is now asking me about dinner every day and none of us have privacy.

Dinner conversations

Dinner is almost the only thing that varies every day so I guess it’s fun to talk about, but Cooking has always been my thing, I’m efficient at it. I know what ingredients we have and many times I make a decision at 5pm as to what I feel like making. Now I have to think about it all day long and discuss it. My husband is just trying to be helpful and I am so very appreciative but I don’t like to discuss it all day long. I’ve talked with him and coached him to ask “How can I help you with dinner?” as opposed to “What should we do for dinner?”

It’s a slight word change that helps me feel like I’m being supported on the plans I have made for dinner.

Work Space Allocation

Since everyone is working from home, I’ve decided that we need to set some ground rules for Fall. I believe we will all be more productive and focused if we do.

Everyone needs an office/ work space. My husband and I have separate offices in the house but many days he would “work” in the family room off my office so we could be close by. Oddly, I felt stifled like I just needed my space like I had for the past 20 years. It may sound strange but I would rather have him in his office and call or text me if he needs something than to randomly chat all day.

I’ve decided that the kitchen needs to be the “break room” and no one should work in it. It needs to be social just like a break room should be. Meals and conversations shared. NO actual work!

The dining room should be either the “board room”, “cubicle space” even “school” if needed. Many people collaborating or working side by side on productive work that doesn’t involve meetings or zooms.

If you have the space, add a small desk or workspace to bedrooms so that people can work independently and privately. Conference calls, classes or networking zooms shouldn’t disturb others.

Communication is key

The bottom line is to communicate. Gather the family and discuss what is working and not working so we can come out of this quarantine on the better end of this! We need to communicate so that living and working from home will be seamless.

Plan out shopping, cooking and cleaning so that everyone has a role. I expect once the weather gets cold, we won’t be inside restaurants so there’s going to be a lot of home cooking again!

Time management, organization and setting some ground rules for space and chores in the house will allow us all to cope with this new-normal a little better! I hope this gives you some ideas on how to deal with this work from home family life that we are all getting used to. I’m not an expert but I’m good at communicating what I need and I hope you do the same!

Thai Night

  • Shrimp Pad Thai

After I shared my blog with my friends, someone immediately asked me for this recipe! I’m so excited to share it!

Pad Thai is one of my “cravings” I have and I love that I can make it myself now. It’s super easy and delicious!

You’ll need the following:

  • 8 oz rice noodles
  • 2 tbs lime juice
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 tbs fish sauce
  • 1 tbs soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbs vegetable oil
  • 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small package of bean sprouts
  • 1/2 small package of snow peas
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 lb shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined, tails off is nice too.
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 c peanuts chopped
  • Sweet chili Sauce

Cook rice noodles per instructions

In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. Set aside

In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add bell pepper, snow peas, sprouts and cook until about tender (approx 4 min). Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant about 1 min more. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook until pink.

Push the shrimp and vegetables aside and pour in the egg and scramble until just set then mix with the shrimp mixture. Add cooked noodles and toss until combined. Pour in the lime juice mixture and toss until coated.

I found that this recipe is a little dry… so add sweet chili sauce to taste and to moisten. Depending on how spicy you like it, add Sriracha sauce to the entire pan or to individual servings. Top each plate with green onions and peanuts and even a wedge of lime! Enjoy!

Cooking Therapy –

We are still in lockdown here in New Jersey... although we can get take out or delivery, our family is having fun cooking from scratch and trying different recipes! Without the commute time, everyone pitched in and we had this meal in less than 1 hour! One night this week, my daughter got the idea to try to recreate one of her favorite meals from a restaurant in Blacksburg, VA

Cabo Fish Taco Soy Ginger Shrimp Tacos is what we tried to recreate! I am pleased to say it turned out AMAZING… and healthier since we didn’t beer batter fry the shrimp! Take a look at the process!

Soy Ginger Shrimp Tacos

I’d start with the Marinade…. just to get things moving….

1/3 C Soy Sauce

2 TBS honey

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp ginger minced

1 tsp sriracha sauce

2 tsp fresh parsley chopped

1 Lb of shrimp (We doubled the shrimp and marinade for 5 people… you can make what you want to eat but leftovers will also be amazing so okay to make more than you need!)

Homemade Flour Tortillas – (made and perfected by my son’s girlfriend)
3 cups of flour
1/3 c canola or sunflower oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 c warm water
Mix all ingredients and roll into one big ball. Separate into 12 balls ( we doubled it for 5 people and had some extra) and roll out with a rolling pin. Use a non-stick skillet and cook until bubbles appear and flip them. Keep them warm in a warm oven while you’re preparing the rest of the dish

Here’s how they’ll look when they bubble and when they are ready!

You’ll want to make your salsa before you assemble it all… you can do this ahead of time and save some prep time in the moment! Don’t skip this step… jar salsa just won’t do in this case!

Take a little time to prep the fixins…. either shredded cabbage or lettuce and some extra cilantro and your salsa!

Also helpful to take the tails off the shrimp prior to cooking! Heat a skillet and add all the shrimp and then the marinade! Once shrimp are cooked through, remove them and leave the remaining marinade in the skillet. Make a rue with about a cup of hot tap water and about a TBS of corn starch and mix thoroughly before adding to the marinade…. stir over medium heat until thickened. This can be drizzled over the tacos when assembling!
Optional side dish- prepare 2 cups of jasmine rice and then transfer to skillet with a jar of salsa and sprinkle cumin to taste to get your home made Spanish rice side!

VOILA! Bon Appetit!

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Please comment and tell me how yours turned out!

Sweet Tooth!

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So I have been on a massive “slim down” for summer…. and if you’re like me…. YOU love Chocolate!

Well… this does not exactly taste like rich chocolate mousse…. but it does help the cravings and gives me something to sip on in the evening that feels like a treat!

Another idea to feel like you are getting something decadent….combine non-fat greek yogurt with stevia sweetener… Coconut, chocolate… pick your favorite and just enjoy!    On the Weight Watchers plan, it is ZERO points!  I’m all about that!   I think I’m going to try freezing some to see how that tastes!  YUM!  Stay tuned!

Quick & Healthy Dinner Ideas

For the past 2 years, I’ve had to modify my diet.  I’m almost 51 and it’s harder to keep weight at bay… so I’ve cut out gluten, sugar and most dairy… and eat Low fat now.    I think I’ve finally weaned myself off sugar because my sweet tooth seems less demanding!  I never thought I would see that day coming!

I love how the grocery stores today are helping with the prep work!   Already cut up veggies makes this a super simple supper!

Just throw all of these ingredients into a skillet with a little broth, add lid to “steam” and then add some low sugar full of flavor Fra Diavlo sauce and some crushed red pepper and you have yourself a meal!  I’m a huge fan of spices to really kick up simple dishes a notch!   Add some protein… some sautéed shrimp, chicken or chicken meatballs 🙂  and you have a super healthy meal in less than 20 minutes!

So next time you’re at the store, avoid the pre-packaged foods with lots of preservatives…. go with fresh ingredients…. cut up if necessary to save time and you’ll be on your way to healthy in no time!

What are your go-to healthy meals?  I’d love to hear!

 

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Hot Hot Hot!

Cooking skinny so you can get in that bathing suit this summer?    Here’s a no fat, no carb, no sugar and no dairy,  PACKED with flavor Mexican chicken recipe with Spanish Riced Cauliflower that is YUMMY!!

You’ll need:  Chicken, Chipotle Seasoning, Cilantro,  Rotel Tomatoes, Jalepeno slices, and Juice of 1 lime to make the chicken!  It takes about 5 min of prep and 20-30 min of bake time depending on the thickness of your chicken.

Just shake chipotle seasoning on both sides of your chicken in a large baking dish.  Sprinkle chicken with chopped cilantro and then dump on can of Rotel Tomatoes on top,  sprinkle some jalapeño slices on top of that and then squeeze lime juice over entire dish of chicken.  BAKE!

As a perfect SIDE dish with no carbs… .Try Spanish Riced Cauliflower instead of Spanish Rice

Here’s what you’ll need in addition to your riced cauliflower you can find in your local grocery store!

Just saute your riced cauliflower in chicken broth… Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.   Add and mix in a can of Rotel Tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, Garlic salt and Oregano to taste…. cook until cauliflower is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.

All you’ll need is a side salad to compliment this meal!

Enjoy the flavor and none of the guilt!

 

 

Best Gluten Free Brownie Ever!

I’ve recently tried to eliminate Gluten from my diet.  Not because I’m intolerant, but because I needed to lose weight!   One of my friends asked for Gluten Free Recipes today and so I got inspired to post a great and VERY easy recipe here on my blog!    I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!  Would love your feedback!

img_5965  fullsizeoutput_3d8a Ingredients

1 cup paleo-friendly almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 egg
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond butter, syrup, egg, ghee, and vanilla. Stir in the cocoa powder and baking soda.
Pour the batter into a 9-inch baking pan. Bake for 20-23 minutes, until the brownie is done, but still soft in the middle.

 

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Spiralized!

This winter… I decided to cut out the crap and eat nothing but REAL food… Yep… basically protein, veggies and fruit.  That is it.   No Gluten… no Sugar… no dairy.    I had to get creative with my eating….. so I wouldn’t get bored!   SOOOO I bought a Spiralizer!    How fun is this?    This made eating veggies so much more interesting!    Here you see my spiralized Zucchini  that I could saute in onions and garlic OR…. use as a zucchini noodle for my tomato sauce!  Yum!

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I discovered how fun it was to spiral things… like onions (thinly sliced,)  potatoes, cucumbers, and squash!

Think about it… thinly sliced red onion for salads, burgers or sandwiches…. thinly sliced yellow onion for french onion soup, spiraled cucumber for an interesting cucumber salad with rice vinegar and toasted sesame seeds or apple cider vinegar, dill and pepper…. OR Zucchini “pasta” to satiate even the worst pasta craving!    It worked!   Potatoes also work great in the spiralizer…. for great home fries!   Oh my goodness!   So yummy!

So if you are looking for a fun kitchen tool this summer that inspires healthy eating…. Enjoy getting your Spiralizer!    I’m not even sure if that is a word… but… I’m sticking with it!

Cheers!

Eating Healthy For Spring

 

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Are you working on your Spring Slimdown for bathing suit season?   Almost every woman I know…. and some men, are trying to exercise and eat healthier for Spring!

For the last 30 days or so, I’ve eliminated sugar, carbs/gluten and even fat from my diet… except good fats like nuts, coconut oil, avocado etc.   I have not had anything to drink but water, tea and coffee and have basically eaten WHOLE foods!  Lean protein, vegetables and limited fruit.

First 7 days were hard!  I admit it!    The natural inclination to grab a cheese stick, a piece of chocolate, a chip or two was super strong!  Now… I’m almost reformed although I admit I crave an occasional bagel, cookie or pasta, I’m really doing well!

Just thought I would share some of my favorite new healthy recipes with you over the next few weeks…. I would love to hear some of yours!

One of my favorite lunches is tuna with onions and dijon mustard wrapped in lettuce and topped with chopped tomatoes!   Lunch is under 200 calories and is filling and delicious!  Add salt and pepper to taste!   Leave out that mayo!  It’s packed with unnecessary calories!

Getting slim doesn’t mean not eating….. it just means you can eat REAL food … delicious food!   Here’s to our heath!

Eating Healthy – Losing Weight

We all want to eat healthy right?   It’s soooooo hard!   I know!   I’ve been struggling with the same 2-3 pounds again and again.    After my mom passed away, my comfort may have been excess calories ;-).  I have tried lots of things over the past year!   I have been exercising about 3-5 times a week for the whole year doing everything from exercise videos to walking or biking outside.   I have gained muscle definition and strength but still have a cushy layer over it.  ;-/.

I tried some other systems from protein shakes and cleanses and nothing seemed to work for me.   They “work” but you have to be super strict about them. No deviation.

I needed a system that I could eat REAL food and that I could incorporate into a very social calendar.

So out of desperation I tried a green smoothie “diet”.   A friend of mine told me about it…. AND…. it worked.  It was easy too!    I felt super good about it because I bought my ingredients and blended them up in my Nutribullet.  I have not gone to a nutritionist… YET… but for the first time in years, I’m losing weight and keeping it off.

So 2 times a day, usually, I’m blending spinach or kale with frozen fruit like Bananas, Oranges, berries etc.   sometimes adding a bit of mint.. or some Stevia for added sweetness.  After you get over the green color, you’ll find the smoothies are delicious!   Snacks are usually a hard boiled egg, kale chips, a Kind Bar, a few almonds or a green apple and a nice salad for dinner with a little egg, grilled chicken or turkey for added protein.

I’ve pretty much eliminated meats from my diet… no dairy and no processed sugar but I’m not being totally nutty about it.  On vacation,  I tasted dessert… and had a glass of wine or two.

If you are struggling with weight in your 40’s… maybe you would want to try this too and let me know how it’s going.   I’m excited to finally have found something that works for me.  I’m not at my goal weight yet.. but for the first time, I see results!

If your bananas or other fruit are about to go beyond ripe…. slice and freeze so you can use in your smoothies.  Frozen fruit eliminates the need for ice cubes and keeps your smoothie nice and cold!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The PERFECT Kale chips….. I found that if I spray them with coconut oil… they get the perfect amount of “oil” and then sprinkle with garlic sea salt or just salt and pepper… even tried cayenne pepper and that’s yummy too!  Broil on Low or bake at maybe 450 degress… turn off the oven and let the oven just simply dry it out so it does not burn.  This is a great method when you are in a hurry, want to make kale chips but don’t have time to watch the oven…. put them in a hot oven, turn off the oven and leave.  When you come back….. Voila…. kale chips!  Enjoy!