Hi, me again! I know it’s been awhile since I have posted a new recipe on here so I knew I needed to come back with a bang… pun intended. This is a dinner recipe that doesn’t get into rotation as much as it should. This is another recipe that gets prepared for Kevin & I for 2-3 nights, but if you are cooking for a family of 5 this should be a great dinner to serve all of you.
Ingredients 2 Red Peppers 1 Green Pepper 1 Medium Red Onion 1 Whole Pineapple (can sub pre-cut or canned) 2.5 Cups of Brown Rice 4-5 Chicken Breasts
Seasonings Lawry’s Caribbean Jerk Marinade 1/3 Cup of Fresh Cilantro 2 Limes 1 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Black Pepper 1/2 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Garlic Powder
Step 1: To start, I marinated the chicken breasts in the Caribbean Jerk Marinade for about 10 minutes. This is definitely something you can do for an hour or even overnight. I had started thinking about dinner on this particular night a little later than I should have… so 10 minutes it was!
Step 2: Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. While the chicken is marinating, you should begin chopping the vegetables and fruit. I have taken step by step pictures of how to chop bell peppers and onions in a previous blog. If you would like more detailed instructions you can visit the blog about BBQ Chicken Tostadas. For the pineapple, I suggest chopping the stem off first and then slicing off the skin completely. Then, turn the pineapple onto its side and slice it into circles. Once you have that finished, you can dice into medium chunks.
Step 3: Remove the chicken from the marinade and place onto a baking sheet. Place the chicken into the oven for 20- 25 minutes (depending on size and thickness of the chicken). Always be checking the internal temperature of the chicken and be sure it gets up to 165 degrees, Add the chopped veggies to a large skillet and begin cooking over medium heat. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and coat them with the seasonings listed above: 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of black pepper, 1/2 tsp of onion powder, 1 tsp of garlic powder.
Step 4: When there are 15 minutes remaining, put the 2.5 cups of brown rice into a pot to begin cooking. I usually just use the Minute brand of brown rice because it’s quicker. (If you prefer the non pre-cooked rice, get that started prior to marinating the chicken because that usually takes about 45 minutes). Squeeze one lime into the rice once it’s almost finished cooking.
Step 5: Once everything is cooked, you can plate your desired serving. I suggest placing the pineapple chunks on top because they are cold. After you have plated everything garnish with cilantro and 1 lime wedge per plate or bowl.
Step 6: Enjoy!
Don’t forget to let me know if you make any recipes I post or add any substitutions to my original recipe 🙂
As my first quarter of a century has come and gone, I figured it was the most opportune time to have others reflect on their own.
I am certain that most people have heard of the terrible twos, right? When a toddler is struggling with testing their new found independence and they don’t quite have the verbiage to express what they need… often resulting in temper tantrums. The “terrible twenties” are kind of like that. You’re exploring how you fit in the world and it can be completely frustrating because there’s forks in the road everywhere. Initially, I wanted to create a post that could act as a road map for twenty-somethings who are struggling to feel like they have a grip on anything. All of us started on the relatively same path- going through elementary school, high school, college or work- and now we are all drifting into our own lanes and comparison is everywhere. Some of my friends have three kids while some aren’t planning to have any. Some live in my hometown while others have moved across the globe. I am here to tell you that every scenario is perfectly where you need to be. Growing pains are inevitable, but I thought it may be helpful for some of us twenty-something women out there to hear from other women who made it out the other side of 25. All of these women I have looked up to, have shaped me into who I am, are people I want to emulate, or I know have a story to share. Here’s 25 women’s responses to the question “If you could go back and give your 25 year-old self one piece of advice… what would it be?”
“If I could tell my 25 year old self anything I think it would be to trust yourself above everyone and everything else. If something doesn’t feel right for you, then it isn’t. Honor yourself by listening to your own voice first and last.” Heather Nielsen
“At 25, I wish I wouldn’t have been so hard on myself for many reasons, but especially for life not going exactly as I planned. At 25, I thought I would be married, a homeowner, and I definitely thought my incredible father would still be with us, but life doesn’t ever seem to go as planned; I know that now. It’s important to realize that many of the things that happen to us, we have zero control over, and it’s okay.” Barbara Alvarez
“Looking back I don’t think I could or would change anything. If I didn’t take the path I took I wouldn’t be where I am today, which is a good place in my life to be. At the time I would wish it was easier, but have learned that life often throws up road blocks. Keep the end goal in mind– patience and lots of hard work eventually pays off.” Grandma
“What I would tell my 25 year old self? Good question. The first thing that came to mind was- don’t settle. Don’t settle covers many areas… don’t settle for a job or career you don’t want or like. Don’t settle for a man or woman just because there is no one else. Don’t settle for anything less than your hopes and dreams. There is a lot of time in your life to NOT SETTLE.” Kim Keefe
“I came up with a bunch of advice I wish I had known when I was young, but these are a couple that are high on my list. Start saving for your retirement now. Don’t take your parents for granted. Talk to them and ask them questions about their youth.” Aunt Jill
“Something I wish I believed when I was 25 was to embrace and accept every opportunity! These moments and opportunities only come around once in a lifetime; it’s important to live in the moment, take on the opportunities, and enjoy these adventures with the people closest around you. You’ll never get to rewind these days and embrace those opportunities you chose to dismiss but you’ll always have another day to strive to be the person you want to become.” Bree Bjorklund
“I have been thinking about your question on what I wish I knew at 25. I wish I had known that 50 would come so much faster than 25 did. You don’t really think at 25 that you will be 50 in a blink of an eye. Life really starts moving at 25. By then you have somewhat of a career, boyfriend or maybe even husband. Then children come into the picture and you start raising a family, buy a house and a mini van. Next thing you look and your kids are graduating high school and leaving for college themselves. You ask yourself where did the time go. I wouldn’t trade any of that time from 25 to 50. But just know at 25 take some time to smell that rose, save that extra penny, go on vacations, spend time with the people you love and don’t stress the next 25. We can’t predict our journey at 25, but we can try to make it the best that we can.” Wendy Shahrikian
“It’s okay to say no. You don’t have to feel guilty or feel like you must please everyone by saying yes. Teach yourself that saying no sometimes means you are saying yes to other priorities in your life.” Mariah McMullen
“Can I express TIME is big. And learn to make yourself a priority, too or you will never do it or it won’t last long in your scheduling. And move your body every day. Take a half hour and just do it. If you start young you will start a habit for life. Your metabolism just slows down as you age so fire it up now so you will feel better and have energy for life.” Christy West
“I think I wish I would have known that you don’t need to be in a big hurry to “mature” your life… ie marriage, babies, super successful. I think you should use that time to truly discover yourself, know that you can be independent and self-sufficient. Take chances and travel you can always come home!” Aunt Annette
“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. When you’re starting out in your first career with your first apartment/ house and possibly even your first child, there will be times when you are financially uncomfortable. There will be bills you haven’t had before, and life will throw curve balls and all of a sudden you’re sitting at a car dealership buying a car for the first time or you’ll be standing in a Walgreens aisle contemplating whether to cheap out on wipes or diapers that month. Accept it. Create a budget and see it through. If it means you are penny pinching just to save $50 at the end of each month, that’s perfectly fine. It won’t feel “comfortable” but hard work pays off. Don’t be too good to cut coupons, shop only the sales, skip eating out, find a second hand store, or opt to workout at home instead of paying for a gym. These times won’t last forever, but they will determine a lot about your future. Also, if you can communicate and tackle the uncomfortable with your significant other, that means more than flowers and chocolate.” Alexa Chiefari
“What I would tell my 25 year old self knowing what I know now… this is some sage advice so pay attention. Firstly, live in the moment. Don’t allow the stresses of your everyday life weigh you down. Second, be honest with yourself and those around you even if the truth hurts… the world is full of liars and deceivers don’t be one of them. Third, be happy with being alone. Take yourself to a movie or out to dinner it’s important to get to know yourself before settling down. Lastly and most important, pay your bills… that shit will follow you if you don’t.” Elizabeth Nickerson
“What I know now that I wish I knew at 25… a few wishes first. Wish I had the patience I have now. Wish I spent more one on one time with each child. Wish I went back to college. Wish I had saved for retirement. Wish Daddy & Mommy had taken more alone time. I could go on and on… and I guess that’s my point! There are so many things I wish I knew then or done differently, BUT all the living I’ve done between 25 and 77 has made me who I am today, and mostly I love the me I have become! Not always, but mostly… If there is one thing though, it would be, pay attention to life! Within your family and within your community! GET INVOLVED AND STAY INVOLVED IN BOTH! This was a difficult question for me but I thought on it for a week, and this to me is the most valuable advice I would give to 25 year old me! Having learned that if we want a better life or world for our children we have to make the changes at home first, then expand getting your whole family involved!” Granny
“Yes I wish I knew a lot when I was 25 that I know 29 years later. I would have gone back to college and finished. I wish I put others before me. I wish my looks didn’t mean everything. I’d like to have married and waited for the right person. I wish I wasn’t so obsessed with my weight. I wish I knew how to love myself.” Aunt Patti
“I would say worry less about the house being clean and everything being done– and what I thought was important. Just enjoy the moments. Time does go fast!!” Molly Noble
“There is a whole world out there that you don’t know about. You can drastically change your life at any moment. Travel, learn, grow.” Amber Bottensek
“Not to care SO MUCH about what others thought of me. Looking back I really limited myself from being true to the real me because I was so scared of what others would think. It was after becoming a mom that I finally felt comfortable with myself. I’m not sure if it was the hormone change or just constantly being in mom-mode that distracted me from thinking about others thoughts. Whatever it was I’m grateful. I’ve finally realized that you’re not going to be someone’s cup of tea and that’s ok.” Brittany Schweitzer
“I’d probably tell myself… Relax! There’s still plenty of time! I think most people think that they should have it all figured out by 25 and have their shit together. I feel like 25 was just the start of getting it all “right” ya know?! There isn’t a certain timeline you have to follow. Things will come and happen when they’re supposed to. I’m 31 and I’m just figuring out who I am, what I love, what I’m passionate about… and it’s completely different from when I was 25.” Jaimie Baker
“Be patient with yourself and allow yourself to make mistakes, but make sure you learn from them and find the value in the lesson. Truly learn to love and accept yourself for who you are and don’t focus so much on what people think. Lastly, learn to set healthy boundaries.” Lynette Erickson
“Just start. Time flies, so start today. Start reading or writing the novel, start contributing to the 401k. Start learning to play the piano or cook the perfect lasagna. Just start, because you will blink and realize a lifetime has passed. Oh, and floss, like every day. Do not neglect your gums.” Jackie Powers
“Quit waiting for someone to give you permission, validation, or an invitation to use your gifts, create your best life and shine.” Megan Valentine
“I had lost my dad by then… was married… and then the rest of my family moved away. All I can say is spend time with the people you love and care about. SAVE MONEY. Be good to yourself. Just be the best you.” Mom
“Iguess I would have to go with FAMILY! I say this, because thank god I followed through with it… but knowing this is going out to others… I think it’s the Best Advice I could offer. I would tell my 25 year old self to take all those things my deep Sicilian Family instilled in me… Loyalty, Commitment, Unconditional Love, Trust, Forgiveness, Values, Morals… And instill them into Any… Any Relationship you have because FAMILY… isn’t just about Blood! “Trust in those that trust in you!” “Look out for those who look out for you!” These are statements that were made over and over again on my grandparents back porch years and years ago… and something I am super grateful I listened to. No matter who you are… how much money you do or don’t make… what kind of family you come from… there will Always at some point in everyone’s life… be a moment when you need someone or a LOT of someone’s! I Promise, I was convinced for a lot of years I could conquer the world all on my own… and then BAMMMM…. I get hit in the face with something so devastating I’d lay in bed at night wondering what the hell am I going to do…. then… out of no where… all those people, the people I’ve loved, supported, helped, mentored or just spent time with… they just start showing up… some I’ve seen on a regular basis, some I haven’t seen or talked to in years… but here they all are… Showing Up! It’s hard work, super exhausting at times… lots of Great Times and definitely mixed in with some bad… but through it all… I’ve always made sure that every person in my life that has stayed is because I Trusted Them and They Trusted Me… and no matter what… I Always had Their Back because I knew they would Always Have Mine!!! It makes no difference what God they worship (or don’t) who they love or what color their skin is… you bring people into “Your Family” because no matter how off the deep end you may go at times… they are always there to throw the rope and reel you back in… because you have or would do the same for them! I would also slap myself upside the head and tell me to quit spending money on everyone else… Save IT! Cause there is life after your 40’s and if you work hard… you deserve to have some time to enjoy it without the worry of money! When you’re a kid… you spend money on crazy stuff… cause you’re a kid and it’s the coolest!!! I promise… when you get into your 40’s and beyond… that’s when the “cool stuff” really starts happening!!!” Terri Agate
“I think the biggest thing I’d say is to remember to take care of yourself. It’s too easy to put work, boyfriends/ husbands, and kids ahead of yourself. But having some time for you is so important. I wish I’d started doing it sooner.” Ariel Atkins
“I would say at 25 I had a lack of confidence in myself and worried too much about what people thought of me. If I could give myself advice it would be to stand tall and be the strong person you know you are!” Sherri Rader
Because soup season is right around the corner, I thought I would share one of my favorite soup recipes! This recipe is an absolute staple in our house and gets prepared for me and Kevin for two nights. It is a definite go-to for weeks when I have hockey games, concerts, or any other crazy event. This soup does take a bit longer than most of my recipes to prepare, but what’s nice is while this is simmering you can do other things in the kitchen or around the house!
Servings 5-7
Cost Per Serving: $3.09-$2.21 Total: $15.47 (excludes seasonings)
Ingredients 2 Green Bell Peppers 1 Yellow Bell Pepper 1 Large White Onion 28 oz. Can of Diced Tomatoes 1 lb. of Ground Beef 6 oz. Can of Tomato Paste 32 oz. of Beef Broth Small Shell Macaroni Garlic (or Garlic Powder) Onion Powder 2 TBSP of Olive Oil Italian Seasoning Salt & Pepper
Step 1: To start, brown the ground beef in a large pot. For soups, I often use the Red Copper pot my mom got me for Christmas one year. Yes, the one that’s “as seen on TV.” HA. It’s a 4.5 quart, 10 inch pot so… really any pot that has those dimensions (or close to those dimensions) will work.
Step 2: While the ground beef is browning, this will give you time to dice the onion, yellow pepper, and green pepper. You can substitute yellow onion instead which is usually my preference, but the yellow onion selection was less than desirable. If you can’t find one onion that is large enough you can get two smaller ones- which is unfortunately the route I had to go this time. Dice the peppers into small cubes.
Step 3: After browning the beef in the pot, I use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef into a bowl- leaving the grease in the pot. This is what you’ll cook your onions and peppers in! At this time, add your onions and cook them at medium heat until they are translucent in color.
Step 4: Once the onions are the appropriate color, add the green peppers, yellow peppers, and the two tablespoons of olive oil. This is also when you will add your first round of seasoning. Add a generous amount of salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. Start out slow, you can always add more. You know me, not measuring anything and just following by taste 🙂 I’ll try to get better at that! Be sure to continuously stir the onions and pepper in this step.
Step 5: You should simmer the onion & pepper blend, still over medium heat, until the peppers are soft. This should take about 10 minutes.
Step 6: Once the vegetables are cooked, you will be adding the diced tomatoes- do not drain the can! Stir everything together for about 5 minutes.
Step 7: Add the beef back into the pot and stir.
Step 8: Now add 4 cups of beef broth, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, and additional seasoning as needed. Stir. Cover with lid and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Occasionally stirring.
Step 9: While the soup is simmering, cook 5-7 servings of the small shell macaroni.
Step 10: Once the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, add the cooked macaroni to the soup. Let sit for 5 minutes and then it will be ready to be served! If you like your soup to be thinner, you can always add water or more broth. I suggest adding in 1/2 cup increments.
I have quite a few friends who are either vegetarian or vegan and have always been intrigued by the notion of cutting out meat and animal products from my diet. I knew there were benefits from opting to not eat meat, but was unsure of the actual pros & cons of doing so and wondered how potentially difficult that may be. Considering I grew up and still currently live in meat and potato central, meat-based protein was/ is always the center of any dish. I somehow got Kevin to agree to going vegetarian for a week… well, a work week. Before diving into the meatless week, I did some research and found that these were the most prevalent reasons that becoming vegetarian could be beneficial:
Positively Impact the Environment
Animal Welfare
Combat Disease/ Improve Health
Avoid Toxins
Knowing all of these benefits, it made me even more interested to see how easy going meatless was in practice. I perused Pinterest for some lunch & dinner inspiration, in addition to the already vegetarian meals I have in rotation (these are few & far between, but I do have a couple!) and made my shopping list! In addition to discovering how easy becoming vegetarian would or wouldn’t be, I also wanted to see how much it would affect my grocery budget and how we would feel throughout the week. During the week, I have the same thing for breakfast every morning- two scrambled eggs, 1/2 an avocado, and a pinch of cheddar cheese- which is already a vegetarian meal so I didn’t need to brainstorm a meal for breakfast. Below is the menu I came up with for lunch and dinner, including ingredients:
Monday Lunch: Lasagna Roll-Ups Lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, pasta sauce Dinner: Creamy One-Pot Zucchini, Mushroom, and Pea Pasta Spaghetti noodles, heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, sweet peas, mushrooms, onion, zucchini
Tuesday Lunch: Lasagna Roll-Ups Lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, pasta sauce Dinner: Zucchini Taco Boats Hollowed out zucchini stuffed with Spanish rice, tomatoes, corn, black beans, onion, and cheddar cheese
Thursday Lunch: Lasagna Roll-Ups Lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, pasta sauce Dinner: Creamy One-Pot Zucchini, Mushroom, and Pea Pasta Spaghetti noodles, heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, sweet peas, mushrooms, onion, zucchini
Friday Lunch: Lasagna Roll-Ups Lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, pasta sauce Dinner: Cheese Ravioli Spinach Artichoke Lasagna Layers of cheese ravioli with spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, garlic, mozzarella in between
Now that you’ve got a blueprint of what we actually ate throughout the week, I am going to evaluate how becoming vegetarian for a week affected our budget, cooking, and how we felt.
Budget: Like I have said in previous blog posts, I try to keep our grocery bill to around $100 per week and was pleasantly surprised when our grocery total came to $86.90. That was an early check in the pro column 🙂
Taste & Ease of Cooking: Lasagna Roll-ups are a meal that I prepare for us on a regular week so this is one that we already knew we would like and was easy for me to batch prepare and “meal prep” for my lunches. (Kevin had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for his lunches!) Monday’s dinner is also something I have prepared before and we definitely enjoy. Because it’s a one-pot dinner, the ease of preparing & cooking this meal was pretty simple. The zucchini taco boats on Tuesday are something I have previously done, but typically I add taco seasoned ground beef. Because I cut out the ground beef, it took me 10 minutes less than it typically does- another plus in the pro column! I actually have a post where I dictate exactly how I prepare the buffalo & sweet potato bowls I made on Wednesday. You can view it here. This was an easy swap and took much less time than the chicken usually does. The last meal was a Kevin find… and looking at the ingredients, I think you can see why. LOL. He came across this meal on Facebook and told me this was his one request for the week… so of course I had to make it! This meal was very dairy heavy, so definitely not vegan-friendly, but it was super delicious! (Like, super delicious!)
How We Felt: I’m not going to lie, I think I would have to give up meat for 2-4 weeks to actually see how beneficial it would be and try to not use as much dairy in my recipes 🙂 Because quite a few meals were pretty heavy on the dairy ingredients, I did’t feel less bloated, however; I did feel much less sluggish!
Now, I don’t see us giving up meat any time soon… or ever… but I definitely think the benefits of incorporating more meatless meals outweighs any cons. It was much easier to do than I was anticipating and honestly, the hardest part I thought would be getting Kevin to agree- and that was surprisingly easy! This is my way of telling you that it is worth looking into and becoming more educated about why others choose to eat plant-based and why it might be beneficial for you to consider a “Meatless Monday”… or be super daring like us and try an entire week without eating any meat!
In my previous blog post I discussed how I am the queen of organization. Which holds true when it comes to grocery shopping, paying bills, school work, work life, etc., but when it comes to areas in my house I have been struggling to learn how to best get organized. It has been a goal of mine at the start of 2019 to organize and decorate our apartment to function best for us. The bigger goal was to not break the bank doing it. Everything at Home Goods and Target is so adorable, but c’mon, $30 for a basket to organize?! Yikes.
Although I made this goal at the beginning of 2019 and we are already more than halfway through… now is as good of time as any to start the organization! On my list- our bathroom is first. In our previous apartment we didn’t have a lot of bathroom space… so there wasn’t much that needed to be organized. I kept most of my make-up, body sprays, nail polish, etc., on my vanity instead of in the bathroom while everything else went under the sink. Now that I have more room organization is much needed!!
I have been keeping my make-up and every day products- leave-in conditioner, perfume, deodorant, etc., on top of our counter, which had been working, but it just felt so cramped. It was time for a change. I moved our shelving unit that I had in our entrance way into the bathroom and decided that was the best place to store my every day needs. This way it was not on the counter, but was within easy reach.
To start, I took every item out of the drawers and closet and put them into categories all over the floor and counter. I classified all of my items into 7 categories: beauty, medicine cabinet & first aid, Kevin’s, towels, paper products, oral hygiene products, miscellaneous. I also took every storage item I had been using in the bathroom (a basket, 2 drawer storage units, fabric basket, and a couple organizers for the drawers in the vanity) and took inventory of how they could be most effectively purposed. Once everything was in their respective categories I determined if there were any products that needed to be tossed, either because I wasn’t using them or they were expired. After dwindling all the bathroom products into what I use regularly- and getting rid of some OLD bathroom towels– I started adding each category into existing baskets.
The organized chaos…
With the remainder that didn’t have a home or storage bin- foundation, toliet paper, paper towels, nail polish, our eye “accessories” (aka glasses & contacts), my robe, and extra “medicine cabinet” items- I determined how many more organization items would be needed and what size would be appropriate. I made a list in my Notes App on my iPhone as I do with just about every list in my life. LOL.
Now, usually I would make a trip to Target to get some trendy baskets, but since a big part of my goal was to get organized without blowing my budget out… I headed to Dollar Tree! I’m not going to lie, this was the first time I had ever stepped foot into a dollar store at all, but I recently watched one of my favorite YouTubers who does DIY and home decor on a budget who said that dollar stores are the best place to get small organization needs that are budget friendly. Since these baskets were literally just going into my closet or a drawer, I decided that the dollar store was definitely worth a trip.
I started by going to Family Dollar. There I was able to find a door hook for my robe ($2.25), 2 small drawer organizers for my hair ties & bobby pins ($1.00), a small gray tub for the extra medicine cabinet items ($2.25), and 3 small black drawer organizers for my nail polish, foundation, and our contacts & glasses ($1.00). I was wanting baskets for the extra toliet paper and paper towels that we have, but the baskets that were available at Family Dollar were around $8-$10 and I knew I could find some more reasonably priced ones than that. I ended up venturing to Dollar Tree and found a white basket for $1.00. Yup, ONE DOLLAR. I bought two. So in total for everything to up my bathroom organization game I spent $8.50. Just for kicks and giggles I researched what I would have spent on similar items at Target and folks… it would have cost me about $58, WHAT?
Once I got everything home, I put all the items into their perspective baskets & bins and in the closet I put the things I use most often at eye level. I am planning to add some more decor to our bathroom- especially now that we have more counter space! If you enjoyed this organize with me blog post… let me know and I can post more because there are a few spots in my house that could use some TLC in the organization department. LOL.
As long as you are trying your best, everything will eventually fall into place. Or they won’t. Ha. There are so many uncontrollable variables in your 20’s that you just can’t plan everything. I went through a lot of growing pains throughout my teens into my early twenties, but honestly nothing compares to the pains of your mid twenties. (I hear your thirties are kick ass, though, so that’s something to look forward to.) The number one thing you can control is your attitude and doing your best every day. Wake up, do what needs to be done in order to get you where you want to be, take care of yourself, and enjoy yourself. It all goes way too fast! Be gentle with yourself… nobody is getting it all right 100% of the time.
Don’t play the comparison game with everyone’s curated version. I love social media: you get to keep in contact with family and friends that you don’t get to see as often as you would like and it’s a constant stream of entertainment lol. HOWEVER, it is hard to keep yourself feeling positive about your life and your struggles when Sally from high school shares all about her promotion and engagement. You are living your behind the scenes while watching everyone else’s highlights… and it is frustrating! Stay in your lane and know that you are more than likely not the only twenty-something driving the struggle bus.
Not everything is worth your energy. This comes with age for sure. I used to NEVER be able to say no to anything, but now if it’s something I don’t want to do.. I don’t do it. It’s that simple. Not everything & everyone are worth your energy. You learn what is most important to you and make time for those people and things.
Take care of yourself. This is important. I spent a couple years in my early twenties drinking everything, eating whatever I wanted, not taking my vitamins… basically treating my body like a trash can not a temple. Now I am trying to reverse the bad habits I created in my early twenties. My advice: just always take care of yourself. Not only should you be taking care of yourself physically, but also mentally. Know when to take a personal day and do what your body is telling you it needs. For me, that’s a day filled with bubble baths, beer, face masks, and shopping. HA. Find out what is going to get your mind right & know when it’s needed.
YOU GOT THIS. I know it feels like the sky is going to fall on your head at any moment. Seriously- I KNOW. But, many have come before us and many will come after and they survived… for the most part. Be your own cheerleader and take one day at a time! You can and will succeed 🙂
Just remember we are all trying to do our best! Adulting doesn’t come with a handbook- and like I’ve said before- someone should create one! (Maybe that’ll be an upcoming project- HA. I don’t know if my advice for adulting should be publicized.) I need to tell myself all of these things more than once a day so I figured someone else could benefit from these reminders.
Since we moved to Omaha I have been planning every meal of (almost) every day for Kevin and myself. This has helped us save money, be more organized, and eat more healthy-ish meals.
Every week we alternate who purchases groceries which week and we have a $100 grocery budget- this excludes any nights we eat out. Because I plan out our meals, it’s not likely that we won’t know what we’re having for dinner and run through a fast food restaurant for convenience. Instead of spending almost $20 on 1 night of meals, we’ll spend $20 for 2-3 nights of meals.
Anyone who has been to my house can attest that I am the organization QUEEN. I have a monthly calendar, weekly calendar, daily planner, and a monthly bill tracker. This excludes everything I have organized on my phone as well. I told you… organization queen here. Having a career that has a different schedule week to week, scheduling out our meals helps to keep the both of us organized. We also go grocery shopping the same day every week (most of the time)- Sunday. Not only does this help in my planning, (I can start planning fresh on a Monday) but this is something we can do together and look forward to.
I say “healthy-ish” because planning these meals around the most healthy ingredients is not my main goal (I like recipes with heavy cream & butter, too!), but when I can incorporate more healthy options- I do! Most of the time anything you make at home will be more healthy than if you ate out at a restaurant because you are in control of the ingredients.
On Saturday or Sunday morning I will begin my meal planning for the week. I start by perusing the pantry to see if there are any dry goods we have on hand that I can get rid of and utilize in any recipes. I will then go through previous weeks’ meal line-ups and add some of the rotating recipes- stuffed pepper soup, lasagna roll-ups, Andouille sausage cajun pasta, Mexican bake, etc.- into the current week. If I still have holes in my week, I will turn to Pinterest for inspiration-whether that’s to use a recipe exactly or just to get some ideas brewing in my head. I usually plan meals for Monday-Saturday, leaving Sunday day open in case we want to do something. For the past couple months we have been getting the ready-to-bake Hyvee pizza for Sunday night dinner. It’s our night to indulge and it’s a night where I don’t have to worry about actually prepping & making a meal. LOL.
Once all the meals have been decided, I organize the week in the Notes App on my iPhone. Depending upon what events I have going on at work will determine which meals are made on which day. Below each meal I list out the ingredients that will be needed.
Once I’ve gathered all of this information, I log onto the HyVee website and shop for all the items needed. This gives me an idea of how much we will be spending and if I need to change out a meal or use a different brand because we are past our $100 budget. I also try to see if there are any deals where I could swap something in the recipe for whatever is on sale or if a certain item has a lot of fuel saver opportunity. (Hy-Vee has the fuel saver program where certain items get you a certain amount off of gas). In addition to the ingredients for the meals, I check with Kevin about what lunches he will be having- he’s a simple guy, it’s either a deli meat sandwich or PB&J’s- as well as whatever snacks I’ll be having at work throughout the week. It’s usually only a few rotating snacks- bananas, pretzel crisps & hummus, carrots & ranch, and Cheez It’s. Once these are all added to the list and the Hy-Vee cart to be sure we have everything and are within budget we head to the store. Like I said, we kind of enjoy our time together at the grocery store so that’s why instead of just utilizing the Hy-Vee pick-up since everything is already in the cart, we go to the store.
And that pretty much sums up how I plan out our meals weekly! I really do think that this way of planning has helped us save money & make better choices for meals. Just because this system works for me, doesn’t necessarily mean this exact way will be perfect for you, but maybe my organization tips can help you create your own! 🙂
I’ve been thinking about this topic a lot lately and felt obliged to share my thoughts with all of you. I’m sure you have often heard the saying, “comparison is the thief of joy,” which is completely true; however, it can steal so much more from you than joy. I know we are all guilty of comparing ourselves to our neighbor, co-worker, friend, family member, high school acquaintance, etc. Comparison is everywhere. I am not here to tell you that it is going to go away, who am I to judge? The moment you start celebrating others’ victories instead of using them as a measurement for your own life events, you can concentrate on making yourself the best version of you. Look, it took me 6 years to graduate undergrad.. SIX YEARS. People who entered college after me were graduating before me and it was tough to not notice how everyone else was progressing around me.This way of thinking just takes away from my accomplishment. As much of an “expectation” graduating a four-year school is still only 37% people are doing it. I just recently started working out again after two years of not having a consistent gym routine. Getting back to the gym was TOUGH. So many people who knew exactly what they were doing and had a consistent routine that they were diligently following and I felt so lost. Instagram fitness models don’t help the equation either. Wow, that’s a lot of bodies to being comparing myself to… on the DAILY which is completely unfair to my own accomplishments I have made while on my own fitness journey. This year I started my first big girl job and was feeling pretty at ease with how it was going. One of my co-workers, only a few months older than me, has been with the company longer than me and got a much deserved promotion, but I can’t help but think about how if I had gotten on my path earlier maybe I would have been in that position. Then I remember that I have worked really really hard to be where I am and I have only been in this position for less than a year!
Honestly, the amount of times I compare myself to others in a day is absurd and it hurts my heart because we’ve all been taught along the way that by X age we need to have this and by X age we need to be there… IT’S A LIE. We all need to be kinder to ourselves because the way we talk to ourselves is the way we will allow others to think of us. You set the tone and if the tone inside your head is constantly telling you you aren’t good enough, you will not amount to your potential.
I’ve been learning to start every day immediately thinking of the traits that make me who I am. The things I don’t like, I am learning to allow myself a little grace. I think we all need to remind ourselves that we are all just trying the best we can. As long as we are doing that and only comparing ourselves to who we were yesterday- we are on the right path. I’m sure someone else needed to hear this as much as I needed to write it.
Be gentle with yourself. You are doing your best. No comparison needed. XO
My summer make-up routine and my winter make-up routine are vastly different. While I use a lot of the same products throughout the year- during the summer I just use less. My skin is usually so much clearer in the summer which is wild considering my face gets much more oily. But, hey, I’ll take it. Some of these products you can find at your local drugstore and others you will have to find at Ulta or Sephora. I labeled the products A-F in the order I apply them 🙂
A. RIMMEL STAY MATTE POWDER- $3.97 at Walmart Typically I begin by applying the Matte Powder in “natural” all over my face with a big fluffy brush. Like I said, I tend to get more oily in the summer- I’m sure a lot of you can relate!- and this definitely makes you MATTE. I also toss this in my purse for a little touching up throughout the day. The Midwest humidity is no joke this time of year.
C. BECCA SHIMMERING SKIN PERFECTOR- $38 at Ulta Okay, this is definitely one of the more pricey items in my summer make-up bag, but oh so worth it. I have this Becca Cosmetics highlighter in the shade Champagne Pop which is a light gold with pinky peachy undertones. And honestly, the best color for summer/ fall/ winter/ spring… it doesn’t matter whether I am super tan or pretty fair, it looks super flattering! I apply this specifically with a Morphe M510 brush, but your favorite highlighting brush will do!
D. ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS DIPBROW GEL- $18 at Ulta This was a game-changer for those days when you want to have brows, but not a complete penciled in look. My brow hairs are so much lighter than my actual hair that you can hardly see them, so I appreciate when I have brows on to frame my face better. I have the shade “Medium Brown” for my darker hair that I have now, but if I ever go lighter again I will probably use the shade “Taupe.” I usually just brush the spoolie through my brows a couple times to add the color and then immediately run a clean spoolie through to help disperse the gel. It takes 30 seconds to do my eyebrows versus 5 minutes when I am completely penciling them! Much better for summertime!
E. NYX EYE AND EYEBROW PENCIL- $4.50 Ulta Typically I will only run this along the bottom lash line, but some days will add a bit to the top line as well. I like using the shade “Dark Brown” instead of black in the summer because it gives it a lighter look and not so heavy.
F. L’OREAL LASH PARADISE MASCARA- $7.99 Target Honestly, I never use high-end mascaras because there are so many great drugstore mascaras out there, but especially this one! I use the shade blackest black NOT WATERPROOF. I hate waterproof mascara, the formula is completely different & it’s not often I am trying to wear my mascara in the pool, ya know? Not worth it. This mascara gives your lashes lift, thickness, and length… which is the three exact things I am looking for in a mascara!
That’s all folks! I don’t like to go too heavy in the summer time & all of these products fit nicely into a clutch for the on-the-go-vibes of the summer 🙂 Hopefully this helps when you find yourself strolling the aisles of Ulta or Target unsure of what is essential for summertime!
Hi, me again, trying to write out a recipe when you don’t follow recipes is rough 🙂 Bear with me once again while I get the hang of these food posts! I got the inspiration for this recipe from Pinterest, but have given it my own twist. This is a relatively easy dinner for the work week that Kevin requests very frequently. This recipe typically yields enough servings for 2-3 people. (When Kevin works 12 hour days outside, it’s definitely only for two people. HA.) All the ingredients together cost $12.74 (without BBQ sauce included because this is something I almost always have on hand).
Ingredients:
1 Small Red Onion 1 Red Bell Pepper 2 Large Chicken Breasts 3/4 Cup of BBQ Sauce 12 Street Taco Tortilla Shells Monterey Jack Shredded Cheese
Again, I am going to urge you to get all of your ingredients, chopped, shredded, or placed out and ready to go… “mise en place.” To begin, I place the two chicken breasts (if you have smaller chicken breasts, I suggest using 3) on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. I then season the chicken with salt and pepper and put them into the oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
2. While the chicken bakes in the oven, I will begin to chop the red onion and red pepper. You will want to cut the onion into long, thin strips. To do this, cut the onion in half from top to bottom (the bottom being where the “hairs” are). Now, cut the bottom parts off of each half and discard them. Cut the onion along the ridges to give even slices. (3rd picture below). The red pepper should also be chopped into thin slices. Slice each edge of the pepper and then slice each of those into thin strips.
3. Now that all of the vegetables have been chopped, the chicken is ready to come out of the oven and be shredded. If you have a hand held mixer, I would definitely use that in this step. Because I don’t have one of those, but I have a Kevin, he helps me shred the chicken with two forks. Judy likes to help too 🙂
4. Once the chicken has been shredded finely, you can add 3/4 cup of Barbecue Sauce. Any brand will do, my favorite brand is Sweet Baby Rays. If you desire a more “wet” or “dry” chicken- dress accordingly.
5. Next, place the 12 tortilla shells onto two greased cookie sheets- 6 will fit perfectly on each sheet. On each tortilla place about 1/4 cup of barbecue chicken.
6. After each tortilla shell has the chicken added, you can add the vegetables and cheese. I typically put 3-6 pieces of each veggie on top of each tortilla, but if you prefer more or less, top accordingly. For cheese, I like to use Monterey Jack cheese, but I’ve used plain Cheddar and Colby Jack as well. Just a pinch of cheese atop each tortilla is plenty.
7. Once you have added all of your toppings you can pop your tostadas into the oven at 375 degrees for about 18-20 minutes. You don’t want the shell to get too golden. The perfect tostada will have a slight crunch, but still be a bit chewy.
Voila! You have made yourself some delicious barbecue tostadas. It takes longer to prep this meal than to actually bake it, so if you are short on time, you might consider chopping all of your veggies and cooking your chicken a day or two prior. This will cut time down to less than 30 minutes. If you make this recipe, share it with me 🙂 I’d love to see your recreation of it!
