Recipe #2 - Whole Roasted Chicken with Maple Roasted Veggies!

Hello Friends!

It's been a cold and snowy week here in the Big O, and so I have been happy to stay home and cook, do some home projects and read. My poor pup is really sad though, it's been way to cold to go our for our normal walks.

The upside is that I got this week's recipe done on Thursday and got to enjoy a delicious dinner and leftovers! So, let's say we just jump right in!

This week's entry from "Eat Drink Shine" is page 108 - Whole Roasted Chicken with Maple-Roasted Vegetables. Man, oh man, does this look amazing! Cold weather comfort food, coming at'cha!

Starting with the Ingredient List:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• sea Salt

• 1 whole roasting chicken (the book prefers free-range, about 4lbs)

• 2 lemons, halved

• 3 cloves garlic

• 5 sprigs of rosemary

• 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock

• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

• 3 medium apples (honeycrisp, fuji - I prefer Pink lady!), peeled, cored and cut into cubes

• 3 carrots, peeled, large diced

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled large diced

• 1/2 onion sliced

• 1/2 bulb fennel, sliced

So, because it was SO COLD, I didn't feel like going out to shop - and that worked out great since I had all of these items in my frig/pantry/freezer, except for the fennel. And here's why: I don't care for fennel. It has that licorice flavor that I don't like much. So, I modified the recipe and swapped the fennel for cumin.

I even had REAL maple syrup from an overnight oatmeal recipe I tried. I wish I had the good stuff from Canada... maybe I should see if the couple of native northerners I know could bring me some back... 

Anyway! I was able to get this going without bundling up to go outside - winner winner, chicken dinner! 

(Literally! HA! I'm sorry. I'm a huge dork!)

I preheated the oven to 400* F, got out my big roasting pan and pulled my thawed whole chicken out of the frig.

Let's get to the work:

• Rub the olive oil and a generous amount of salt on the chicken. Put the lemon, garlic and rosemary into the cavity of the chicken and set aside.

• In a small sauce pan, combine the vinegar, stock, maple syrup, butter and a healthy pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced by half.

• In the bottom of the roasting pan, arrange the apples, carrots, sweet potato, onion and fennel (or not. ;) ) to form a 'bed' for the chicken. Pour the chicken stock mixture over the vegetables and lightly toss to coat. Place the prepared chicken on top of the veggies.

• Roast the chicken until it reaches an internal temp of 165* using a meat thermometer.

• Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest 15 minutes before serving with maple roasted veggies.

OMG - this was super easy! I mean, even I can handle this one, without any special kitchen utensils! In fact, I didn't even use the one the recipe technically called for - a peeler.  Wanna know why? Sure you do:  I try to, as often as I can, avoid peeling my fruits and veggies. So much of the "good stuff" is in the skin, that I feel like unless it compromises the texture or flavor of a dish, I'd just as soon leave the peel on. So, I did. And everything was delicious! (I do wash the bejesus outta everything first though!)

The toughest part was calculating the cooking time. The whole bird I had in my freezer was about 6 pounds, and I didn't want to over cook it. There's a TIP in the recipe that estimates 22-25 minutes per pound. I roasted my bird (nearly 6 pounds) for 2 hours and it was PERFECT. 

Not only was this meal delicious, it was so pretty! The golden brown of the chicken with warm golden colors of sweet potato, onion, apples and carrots felt like one of those feasts you'd share with your family as the leaves turned in the fall, or something to brighten your corner of the world on a stark and cold winter day - which exactly what it did for me!  The aroma of the chicken and veggies filled my house and I couldn't wait to eat. The 15 minutes of "rest" for the chicken was TORTURE!

For this meal, I decided to enjoy the breast meat, so I carved out the 2 breasts by slicing along the back bone and away, and then above the wing and towards the inside. The chicken was moist and tender and came away from the bones easily.

I plated my chicken, veggies, half a pear and a strawberry for some sweetness to counter the savory chicken and veggies. 

Next time I'll pair with a deep green salad of spinach and greens, cranberries and feta cheese and a light balsamic dressing. Oh, I can't wait to have this again!

I should warn you, if you're a foodie, and really enjoy savoring your food - this could get you into trouble at the table. I was having what I can only describe as a nearly orgasmic experience, a foodgasm? I dunno, but I was all, "oh, yum, mmm, this is... oh... so... good..." and my hubster was giving me the "are you kidding me" look through most of dinner. Sometimes he just doesn't get me... What can I say, I enjoy my food.

For my leftovers, I worked to get all the remaining meat off of the bones, I had quite a bit left. The recipe says this will serve 4-6. I think, even with my slightly larger bird, that this is a solid 4 servings.

If we decide that this recipe made about 4 servings, let's talk about the cost to make it, and how it reheated.

If you're a poor college student or bachelor with nothing but baking soda, beer, and leftovers in your frig, or pantries that are bare, this recipe could set you back a little. But for the average every day family, the ingredient list is full of pretty standard items. ( I suppose for some, beer and a box of baking soda is standard. Huh, that's weird.)

The following items I'm sure you have in your pantry or frig on the reg:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• sea Salt 
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
• 5 sprigs of rosemary - I used dried rosemary.

The rest of these you may not have all the time, but they are plenty easy to get:

• 1 whole roasting chicken (the book prefers free-range, about 4lbs) -  I found that this can very quite a bit - but I paid about $2.69 per pound. (10.76)
• 2 lemons, halved - $.89 each (1.78)
• 3 cloves garlic - Fresh garlic runs about $.50 per bulb. (.50)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup - Mine was $5.99 for the bottle, but remember, I had it on had from another recipe, and only used 1 1/2 table spoons, so I'll have plenty more to use later! (5.99)
• 3 medium apples (honeycrisp, fuji - I prefer Pink lady!), peeled, cored and cut into cubes - these run about $1.59 per pound. 3 apples is about a pound! (1.59)
• 3 carrots, peeled, large diced - about $2.00 per pound, 3 carrots was less than a pound. (2.00)
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled large diced - you can get a 3lb bag for about $3.49, with usually 4-5 potatoes (1.00)
• 1/2 onion sliced - my onion was good sized and cost me just over $1.00. (1.00)
• 1/2 bulb fennel, sliced - I skipped this in favor of cumin that I can in my pantry. Fennel runs just over $1.00 each bulb. (1.00)

So, you can see with a well stocked pantry, this recipe doesn't really require much that you wouldn't have on hand for a normal week of cooking.  But if you had to purchase all these items, it would set you back $25.62. Still, divide that by 4 servings and you have a delicious meal for $6.41 per serving! not too shabby!

Leftovers are my life!

I enjoy most of what I cook several times, and usually have some to share. Things need to reheat well and/or freeze well in order for me to make it a regular in my rotation. This gem did not disappoint! I heated the chicken with the veggies and the juice from the veggies kept the chicken nice and moist. Moist. Does that word bother you? Not me. Moist, moist, moist. I love moist chicken. omnomnomnom...

Enjoy this flow chart from one of my favorites, The Oatmeal -->

and also, sorry... 

Anywho - I loved this recipe and I hope that you'll give it a try! Let me know in the comments how you modified it, or if you made it as written. Did your family enjoy it?  I'd love to know!

Here's to healthy meals, warm kitchens, and full tummies!

Until next week,

<3 jen

Recipe #1 - Avocado Hollandaise

Hello Friends!

So, here I am, ready to share with you the first recipe I chose out of "Eat Drink Shine: Inspiration From Our Kitchen" -   Avocado Hollandaise!

Ok, ok... I know that a hollandaise sauce isn't really going big or going home - but I figured that it's best for me to start off small, you know, K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid for those of you who didn't know).

Those who know me may notice how much I love 2 things: eggs and avocado. I eat them on the reg because they are versatile, packed with nutrients (protein, healthy fat, not to mention all those micronutrients) and DELICIOUS. So, when I opened the cook book to Chapter 1, Wake Up & Shine, I got a little excited. Several recipes in this chapter are close to recipes that I already enjoy. These Blissful Sisters and I were meant to be together!

So, let's get started: First, the shopping:

The very best part of this recipe is that I only needed to purchase ONE thing! Everything else I have on hand in my cupboards or frig, because, like I said, I eat them regularly.

• 1 ripe avocado (How do you know when an avocado is ripe?)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (took me about a quarter lemon to get this much juice.)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill (This is what I had to purchase, in the summer, my herbs & spices garden would have this for me!)
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Tabasco)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (a pantry staple!)
• sea salt, to taste (we LOVE our pink Himalayan sea salt!)

Serving suggestion is to drizzle this hollandaise over poached or soft boiled eggs and on a bed of greens, so add to your list:

• eggs (for how ever many folks you're feeding - for me, 2 please)
• 1 handful of fresh/organic greens, spinach or kale. (I have spinach on hand for smoothies, salads, and more!)

... they also have an AMAZING sounding cured salmon recipe that calls for this sauce and/or an avocado mash. But that takes 3-4 days in the frig, so it's going to have to be put on the back burner. (Sorry for the kitchen pun, I can't help myself!)

Ok, now that we have our ingredients, let's get this creamy deliciousness started:

• Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a food processor or blender. (Blendtec for me!) Blend for 30 seconds or so.
• Add the lemon juice, dill and hot sauce and pulse two or three times. 
• Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until the mixture is smooth an pourable.  If the sauce is too thick, you can add water, a tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved.
• Season with salt just before serving.

While I LOVE my Blendtec, I've found that using it as a food processor, especially small batches, it's just too powerful and the pitcher is too large. So, it took some patience and plenty of scraping to keep the avocado flesh within reach of the spinning vortex of doom, er, the blades.

So, now that I had the sauce, it was time to cook something to pour it on!

I love poached eggs, and my great grandma Lillian used to wave her magic wand (a silver slotted spoon) and create the perfect textured, perfectly soft boiled, folded neatly poached eggs. I am not my GG Lillian (well, for many reasons - one of which is that I've never owned a monkey!). So, I use a modern convenience that allows me to have very good poached eggs out of the ... ... ... microwave. I know, it's sad. But, it's yummy and fast and better than eating powdered donuts or sugar cereal every morning, right?

So, I grabbed a couple of eggs, cracked them in my egg poacher, sprinkled on sea salt, pepper and a little paprika, and placed them in the magic box for 1:05. While that was cookin', I grabbed a plate, some spinach and 3 fresh strawberries.

And here it is!

First Bite:  Warm and gooey yolk mixed with the cool, creamy and a little zippy (remember the Tobasco!) of the sauce was a fantastic pairing! There was too much soft texture for me, though. I needed some crunch, so I went ahead and toasted some of my favorite organic and seedy bread. Toast really brought out the texture and subtle flavors between the slightly salty yolk and the tang of the lemon and dill and bite of the Tobasco against the sweet avocado. The pictures show my avocado almost over-ripe, but the flavor was perfect!

Second, third, and ... well, last bite:  10 out of 10, would make again!  Eggs are always satisfying, but this felt fancy without being a lot of work. Easily something I could mix up during the week. The lemon, dill and Tobasco weren't flavors that I'd ever put together, but I'm glad I did!

The book's TIP for this recipe is to make and use the same day for best flavor. The recipe also suggests that it's a great dressing or sauce for a green salad, fish, rice, a dipping sauce for veggies and to use in lieu of sandwich spread. So, it'll be interesting how it tastes and looks tomorrow!

One of the many reasons I wanted to spend some time writing and cooking with all of you is to practice more mindful eating. So often we let life get in the way of truly enjoying whole and wholesome foods, from eating them sitting down with utensils and conversation, and allow those foods to nourish more than our bodies.  Convenience foods, and scheduling tug-of-wars between work, activities, and errands, have all but ruined dinner time for many.  I'm excited to take the time to chop and mix, taste and savor, and eventually wield my own silver slotted magic wand. I'm a masterpiece in progress, and I'm excited to share that process with all of you!

If you'd like to find this recipe: Eat Drink Shine, Page 26
Makes about 1 Cup
Estimated cost to make:
If I had to purchase all items - 

• Avocado - $1.25
• Lemon - $.89
• Fresh Dill - $2.19 (but I didn't use very much!)
• Hot Sauce - $3.14
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - around $5.00 (but can be MUCH more, depending on brand)
• Sea Salt - $5.99 

For a Grand Total of $18.46. But, let's face it, the only part of this recipe that is used completely is the avocado. I bet you'll find you have most of these items in your pantry and frig already. And if you do, stop what you're doing and make this hollandaise!!!

I hope you have a chance to enjoy this sauce, and look forward to hearing what you think!

Until next time, with a full tummy and a happy heart <3

jen

"Be Fearless in What Sets Your Soul on Fire."

Greetings, friends!

I can't believe it's been over a year since I sat down and opened this page. I've no excuses for my hiatus, I've no good reasons. But I can tell you with all certainty that I've missed it, that I'm excited to be focused anew, and that I'm looking forward to sharing with all of you.

Is it coincidental that I'm starting this off in 2018, New Year's Day?  Well, no. I'm not really about the "new year, new me" that so many embrace this time of year, but I do happen to believe that every day is an opportunity to make new choices and be the best version of yourself. Today is as good a day as any!

I've been playing tug-of-war in my brain with what I'm meant to do in this lifetime, where I'm meant to be, how I'm to get there, and who I'm taking along with me. (The fact that the Powerball is over $400 Million may play a small part in my day dreaming!) And, well, let's face it... I'm not getting any younger. Having kids who are all but out of the house, and grandgirds (grand daughters) to boot makes you stop and think about how you spend your time. When it's just me, the hubster and our puppa - what will occupy my time? Will I be happy? Successful? Content?

I'm the only one responsible for my happiness. And I've decided that it's time to do what I love. It's time to make the things that light me up a permanent part of my daily routine.

Writing. Writing has always lit me up. Sure, sometimes it's newsletters for my employer, jokes and handwritten notes to friends and loved ones, a silly semi-comic book style story about my dogs... whatever it is, I enjoy the process of it. I enjoy the discipline of it, the revisions, seeing things through new eyes, the art of it - painting a picture in my mind that I can share, but mostly I love that it's mine. It's selfishly, wonderfully mine. An exercise for my mind, relaxation for my soul, humor for my heart, and break for my body.

You know what else really gets me going? EATING. I love to eat. I love colorful dishes presented beautifully (you'd know this if you follow me on Instagram). Sometimes it's an easy meal I've prepared, or something that I've ordered at a restaurant - but the way food LOOKS is sometimes as great as how it tastes.  I love to try new and exotic foods. Not like bugs or animal feet or anything, but combinations of spices and seasonings, new veggies and fruits that aren't in my weekly grocery basket, and new combinations of the foods I already know that I love.

So - what am I getting at? I'm going to combine 2 of the things that light me up as a weekly practice.

A couple years ago, a friend gave me a cook book as a gift: "Eat, Drink, Shine: Inspiration From Our Kitchen" by the Blissful Sisters, Jennifer, Jessica and Jill Emich. This is a beautifully illustrated cookbook that is both gluten-free and Paleo-friendly.  It's been sitting on my counter, hiding behind dishes drying on the mat, between the bread maker and the Blendtec. Well, it's time to get it out!

I am not following any special diet, nor am I restricting foods that I can eat. What I am interested in is approaching food with a different perspective, broadening my horizons to more whole foods and recipes that require more time and care. 

I want to enjoy shopping for the items in the recipes separate from my weekly family grocery trip. I'll share where I find the ingredients and how a trip to the grocer doesn't have to be hurried and stressful, but an errand of self love and care.

I want to share how I prep food in my home. We live in modest home, without all the ooh la la granite, stainless and fancy kitchen gadgets. We live here, we eat here, we laugh, and make messes, and scratch the wood finish on the dining table  (I call it 'character'!). But it's real.

I want to share visually and through words - how it looks in process and on my plate. I want to tell you how it reheats (you know that the hubster won't eat most of these recipes - he's quite finicky)  because I love leftovers! I want to share with you the approximate cost per meal/per person, so you can see that many of these recipes are practical, delicious and can be part of your weekly menu.

I'm going to combine my love for writing and food to take myself through the cookbook, one recipe each week. 

(BTW - Full disclosure, I'm not affiliated in anyway with the Blissful Sisters, their shop in Colorado or their publisher. I'm not being paid, reimbursed or in any way compensated for these entries. It truly is for me, an exercise in self love.)

This exercise will help to keep me focused on practicing my writing, sticking to deadlines, and staying true to my mantra that "Food is fuel, but that doesn't mean it has to taste like crap!"  Ha!

I hope you will join me each week to see what's cookin' (I'm so punny!) and share with me your thoughts on the recipes, life, whatever! I'd love this to be a conversation among friends, and conversations are best when they go both ways!

I'm off to bed soon, but wanted to get this out - mostly so that I can't chicken out! Stay warm, stay happy, but most of all...

"Be Fearless in the Pursuit of What Sets Your Soul on Fire!"

- unknown

All my best,
Jen

So, What are You Training For?

What is happening today?!  I have a question to ask you...  What are you training for?

It's a legit question! You could be following a running program for the next big race. Maybe you are cycling to complete the Corporate Cycling Challenge here in Omaha. It's possible you are swimming so you can conquer your first open water swim triathlon. Perhaps you are lifting to compete in a strength challenge. 

But for me, at 40 years young with bad knees and a full schedule the most accurate answer I can come up with is...

"I'm training for life."

I've done the races - runs, bike rides, triathlon. I've played in volleyball tournaments and leagues. While I'm still a competitive person, I've come to realize that sports, medals and trophies aren't the only reason to train.

I'm not here to impress you or anyone else. What I am here to do is live the healthiest life I can. I want to feel strong and empowered in my daily life. I want to be a positive example to my kids and the folks I interact with every day. I want to show that YES YOU CAN if you focus and have discipline - no matter what your goals are. It's important to me that I enjoy all that I can everyday, no matter where I am: having the strength and stamina to enjoy hikes in the mountains, bike rides down volcanoes, a full day of swimming and paddling in the ocean, sand volleyball, or volunteer to carry a standard and walk 18 Holes of golf as a volunteer, to help my kids when it's time to move all their belongings down a steep set of stairs, load a truck, and then unload and carry up 2 flights of stairs, or carrying a heavy suitcase up the stairs from the subway (Side note: That wasn't super enjoyable, but I was glad I could do it!). 

I want functional strength. What is that, you ask?

Functional strength is the strength that gets us through life and daily survival.

But wait - I don't want to GET THROUGH my life, or merely survive! It is my intention to be active as long as this body allows me to be, and I'm going to do all that I can to live up to that intention! My knees are a challenge for me - but I find ways to keep moving. I listen to my body and push to my edge, but not passed it. (Maybe someday I'll get new ones that bend like they should!) I want to continue to take on new challenges, explore new places, and experience all that I can. That's what functional strength means to me.

Another major component to my training is nutrition. 

Nutrition. Yup. Notice I didn't refer to it as DIET. While DIET is what we eat, many look at it as a temporary state, something you do to punish yourself for bad food choices or a few extra pounds gained. I'm switching the script and calling it Nutrition. How should I nourish my body, fuel it to successfully train for this epic sport called LIFE?

Tough question. I'm finding that pinning down the "right" answer is a challenge, and very different depending on what you read and who wrote it!

Here's what I know: When I keep it simple, whole foods, nix the artificial stuff, and drink plenty of water, I feel awesome. I sleep better, my digestion is better, I'm less irritable, and getting through my workouts feels easier.  I'm not a proponent of any particular fad-type diet or anything that's uber restrictive - I'm not all Paleo, or Vegan, or gluten free ... I'm working on the KISS Plan. KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID! :D  

I wish that we all could have learned early in life that diet and exercise and taking care of our bodies was our best bet for staying healthy.  How has this been missing from our education? Why is "fixing our diet" an after thought?  Why is diet and exercise prescribed AFTER the diagnosis? I may never understand the reasons for the way health, nutrition and fitness education has evolved (or disappeared, as it were). I feel strongly that we all  need to take a more active role in our well being through strength training and nutrition. After all, there is no finish line. This sport lasts for a looooooooooooooooonnnnggggg time (if we're lucky).

So lace up, get warmed up, and let's get after it - DAILY. 

Until Next Time,
<3 Jen

More Time BEING and less time DOING...

Hello Friends,

Some of you may have seen this video circulating around the interwebs. It talks about how as women (hell, all people, really) we focus on what we've gotten done, our resume of accomplishments, our list covered in red check marks... what do you have to SHOW for yourself? These women share that they would spend more time enjoying life and living in the moment. They share the mantra, "Spend more time BEING, not DOING."

So, what is a chronic DOER supposed to do? Many of you know: I make lists. I like to schedule everything. If it's important to me, it has a place on my calendar. It's always been about keeping busy, accomplishing, doing... I have FOMO - you know, the Fear of Missing Out. If I don't keep going, doing, working, moving, getting shit done, kicking ass and taking names, that I'll somehow miss out on some amazing opportunity.

With the latest Iteration of Awesome - Jen4.0, I've been busier I could have imagined. Good busy, but some days still feel overwhelming. The "To Do list" continues to push me around. Because, I mean, who wants to build up to the idea of what 'just right' is? I want just right RIGHT NOW! There is work to be done, emails to send, calls to make, social media to update, strategies to learn, workouts to write, research to do. I'm so thankful for a great team, at work and at home, and I'm finding that work feels less like work than all my previous iterations.

But, at what point do I put "BE" on my To Do List?

For a list maker like me, putting "BE" on my to-do list has become a new "DO". Sounds like an oxymoron. Let me explain.

I've made appointments to just "BE":

Yoga. 2 mornings a week where I can reconnect with my intention, feel my breath, listen to my body, and enjoy the company of others without feeling like I have to be the teacher or hostess.

Walks. Returning to daily (and sometimes twice daily) patrols with my furry boys. It's not just good for them, it's quiet time, creative time, and me time. I focus on conversations with them instead of running through my to-do list. I observe the neighborhood, enjoy the sunshine, feel the wind in my hair.

Bedtime. Sometimes I read, other times I've been getting to bed nice and early so I can feel fully rested the next day.

Coming soon - Gardening. I've got the garden prepped and most all the planting done. We've spruced up the back yard so I can spend more time just BEING - listening to the fountain and wind chimes, feeling the breeze, maybe even enjoy a fire pit on cool evenings.

I've been reading a fabulous book that has helped me with some ideas and tips on how to Level Up - but this is just taking my ultimate goals and breaking them down in to manageable quests/tasks. So, if my ultimate goal is to DO LESS and JUST BE MORE, the To DO list above is a great way to start.

Sure, there is more on my list - and I'll never be an idle person. But for me, finding a balance of DO and BE is priority. If you spend your whole life working from one thing to the next, when do you enjoy any of it? The time is now. Do AND be. 

It's maybe not the popular mindset, but it feels good to me. I'm working on making the DO become the BE, and when I get there, I'll know I did it right.

Love what you do, do what you love and JUST BE.

Until next time,
<3 Jen

Time to Reboot!!

Hey Friends!

It's been far too long since I've written - and for that I apologize. Not just to you, but to myself. This is an outlet for me, creatively and as part of my healthy lifestyle. Writing represents part of me that I want to continue to develop and a discipline that I've let slip by as less important.

Clearly, I haven't made it a priority. And that's the key. I will prioritize the things that I deem most important for my health, well-being and happiness. This blog is one of those things! So, in the spirit of technology and with the guidance of my favorite technology geek hubster, it's time to reboot!

The theme of the month of May is "REBOOT."

This month, the management team at the Studio is taking on the "Reboot" theme with a 30 day cleanse. We'll be resetting to the eating habits we know we should follow, cleansing and detoxing our system, and the best part? We'll be doing it together. Supporting  each other with clean recipes, support on tough fasting/cleanse days, and working out together. We'll be flexing our "will power" muscles, for sure!

I'm not much for before and after photos - because, frankly, THERE IS NO AFTER. Healthy eating and exercise is something I plan to do forever. And, while releasing some excess fat, bloating, and reducing inflammation will change the way I look, that's not what this is about. It's about feeling my best, feeling strong, sleeping better, digestive health, and taking control of what I can control. (Though, I will be taking measurements and stepping on the scale to measure progress.)

I hope you will join me in taking time to REBOOT your life. Revisit a habit that you've let slip. Reboot your commitment to eating well. Reboot your commitment to exercising. Reboot your commitment to being present. Reboot your commitment to living the life you love!

Look for weekly updates from me - maybe even some Video Blog action!  

More soon!

Until then,

<3 Jen

Self Love & Self Care - Not just for the Bold & Beautiful (or "Special Occasions")

Hello, friends!

What a beautiful day! Well, inside my head and heart, not outside so much. It's rained, hailed, potential for tornadic action, and a likelihood of snow sometime today. Go home Mother Nature, you're drunk. Seriously.

No, what's beautiful is how seemingly small changes in life - and some great big changes - are shaping and molding my future. 

Today, I had a breakthrough, and I have to thank my pal Angie for it. Let me explain...

I'm a low maintenance girl. I don't spend much time on the latest and greatest baubles, creams and potions. I am who I am and that's all that I am (I'm Popeye the Sailor Man, Toot - Toot! - wait, no.). I have never spent much time thinking about what the difference between self care and pampering was. Do you know the difference? Is there one? Are people who "pamper themselves" wrong, spoiled or entitled? What IS pampering? Do you have to deserve to be pampered? Is there a way to earn it?

I have more projects going than I can keep up with daily, and let's face it, self care has often fallen by the wayside. Why? Because I didn't have time, didn't feel I deserved it, hadn't earned it, couldn't afford it.  But, by not taking care of myself (my WHOLE self) I was adding to stress, aggravation, feelings of inadequacy, and burying my joy.  Which meant that I wouldn't earn it, would never have time, and would continue on with the I'm not important enough for self care mindset. It's a vicious cycle!

All these things have swirled in my mind, and I became judgy. (Me? No!) I felt like those people - the "Pampered" people - didn't really deserve it. That money or fame or a bad sex video leaking to the world was why they got to have the good life of spas, high end product lines named after them, blow outs and buffed fingers, glowing skin and to be envied by all the world. Turns out, I was wrong. (Mark it, and someone tell the hubster I said it.) 

In my opinion, pampering is the name for self care given by those who have yet to find the value in it. 

Wait - how has someone not found the value in self care?   Before we can answer that, what is self care?  

Jen's definition of self care:

Actions that empower you and enhance the quality of your sense of health, fitness, emotional wellness, and overall being. Actions that help you feel amazing and allow you to help others feel amazing.  

So, things like showering, eating right, reading a great book, going for a walk, hugging, and learning how to use power tools all qualify. Other self care items: working out, massage, talking to a counselor or great friend, being part of a book club, volunteering. Others? Facials, pedicures, chiropractic care, learning to and practicing cooking and taking time to buy clothes that when you're wearing them make you feel amazing.

Think about this: all these things can be viewed as rewards. Things you have to earn. But, we don't think twice about rewarding ourselves with things that potentially negatively impact our sense of wellness (health).  Great job on that project - eat some sugar laden treats.  Hard day at work? Drink some alcohol.  Need time off? Plop down in front of the TV for hours on end.  Do any of those things improve who you are or how you feel?  

And here's what hit me... You don't have to EARN the right to be happy and healthy. You shouldn't have to wait to use the good china. Go ahead and use the fancy soaps. Get out the good towels. I work hard, do my best to take care of my family, friends and coworkers. I am, every day, deserving of self love and self care.

Today - I enjoyed a wonderful facial. 60 minutes of Oh.Emm.Gee amazing from Angie Ruh at Shine. 

Not only does it feel amaze-balls (thanks Ruh!) - but I actually relaxed. I let go. It was a form of meditation, I suppose. I didn't allow myself to think of work stuff, or how much I had to do today, or how sleepy I was after my early workouts. I just took deep breaths and enjoyed the smell of the lotions, the feeling of the warm blankets wrapped around me, the soft and soothing music in the background.  

I emerged a soft skinned, relaxed and happy me. My synapses were firing with ideas and excitement for my new ventures, I was excited to spend the afternoon with the hubster (a day date which is also part of our relationship self care), and found myself feeling lucky to have such wonderful, interesting, caring and enterprising people in my life.  I was energized. De-stressed. Happy.

Here's what makes the difference between pampering and self care. I am ready to share that feeling with others. My cup is full and I'm ready to pour! 

What it comes down to is that I don't need a special occasion to look and feel beautiful. I don't have to earn the right to take care of me and fill my own cup. I don't have to wait for a birthday or promotion. Every day is the right day to feel great about yourself. 

Find things that make you feel amazing! 

I want to hear some of your self care / self love activities (keep it PG, folks - I hear the 12 year olds in you snickering...), so leave them in the comments!

So many wonderful things happening - and this realization is one of them!  Happy Pampering (wink wink) and congratulations on taking care of YOU!!

Until next time,

<3 Jen