Whole Life Challenge: The Beginning

Dear blog friends, as you may or may not know, I decided to participate in the Whole Life Challenge which started September 19th. Click on the link to learn more about this whole challenge thing!

My dear friend created a team and we have a great group of ladies striving to make some improvements in each of our lives while supporting each other. I have really enjoyed the challenge so far while also reconnecting with great friends! There are different levels for you to choose from; I am doing the KickStarter. My idea is to reflect on how things are going so potential newbies might know what to expect.

I plan to do a few blog posts titled "The Beginning," "The Middle" and the "The Final Results." So stay tuned!!

The posts will be about how I'm feeling, what I'm craving and the aspects that are most challenging (and anything else I decide to throw in the mix).

I myself am a newbie to the challenge, so here is my experience thus far!

First up: Feeling

This picture mostly sums up how I felt the first week. For Day 1 I was at a football tailgate and game so I just basically threw everything out the window. When I did finally start...I will say days 2-3 did feel like a food hangover. I think my body was detoxing from carbs, bread, complex sugars, etc. and I did not feel that great. Particularly in the mornings I did not feel good. Most likely due to the fact that I am used to a Fresca or Diet Coke every morning. Otherwise I enjoyed getting back to exercising regularly and stretching is something you think might not make a difference, but it does. It feels really good.




Craving: crackers, chips, cheese, sodas, sandwiches, fast food (not often and mostly Chik-fil-A)

I REALLY love salty snacks, so giving those up is HARD for me. Also, I enjoy my carbonated beverages. I know they are bad for you, so in the end this is a healthy move and I can do it! As for the chips...I could really go for some Miss Vickie's Salt and Vinegar RIGHT NOW!

Not to worry! We are allowed to have popcorn, so I've been eating Skinny Pop popcorn (you can find at the grocery store) as a snack alternative. I really like it.
 

Challenges:

Well, I've already talked about the food, so I'll leave that alone. Other challenges for me so far include drinking the amount of water to get the hydration point. I don't know why this is a struggle, but I feel like I have to force myself to guzzle water. I hope that gets better as we move along.

Second main challenge for me is the exercise. I tend to be a wee bit lazy when it comes to this, so I really need motivation and some variety. I guess it's time to explore some classes or online workouts etc.

That's it for now! Like I said, I'm really enjoying it so far (oh yeah, and I'm down a few pounds so that doesn't hurt either)! Check it out and maybe you'll want to join the next challenge!

Now where did I leave my daily one glass of wine?

Gwen's Tailgate Chili

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Football season!!! Our household gets EXTREMELY excited about this time of year. And I love to make some yummy tailgate/football goodies! Enjoy.

Gwen's Tailgate Chili

1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 cans chili beans
2 cans Rotel
1 can low sodium beef broth*
2-3 tbls. chili powder
dash pepper
2 tbls. low sodium soy sauce
2 tbls. worcestershire sauce
diced green onions (topping, optional)
shredded cheeses (topping, optional)
sour cream (topping, optional)

*You will want to eyeball the beef broth depending on how "soupy" you like your chili. I used about half of the can.

Brown the ground beef and drain off excess fat. In a large dutch oven combine all the ingredients (except for the toppings). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer and cover for about 30 minutes. Check and stir the chili intermittently so it doesn't burn on the bottom. Adjust any seasonings if you need to and serve up with your favorite chili toppings! This is so great and I bet you'll enjoy the leftovers too! Go. Team. Go.

Notes: The way I make it is a little on the spicy side, so always check your spices. You can also add some homemade cornbread on top! NOM NOM

Cheesy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas

I've made this recipe a few times and it always goes over great! If you want a tasty Mexi dish, try this one!!

Cheesy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas

1/2 jar salsa
~1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
1 can no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 4 oz. can green chiles
2 garlic cloves, minced
5-6 flour tortillas
shredded cheese
dash olive oil

Drizzle a little olive oil in a large skillet and brown the chicken chunks. Add the onion and jalapeno and sweat for about 5 minutes. Add in the salsa, black beans, green chiles and garlic. Let this combine for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Take a few heaping spoonfuls and place in the middle of a flour tortilla and roll it up and place seam side down in a sprayed casserole dish. Repeat until there is no filling remaining. Top the enchiladas with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven at 400 for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is nice and warm. Serve immediately with your favorite Mexi toppings. Enjoy!

Favorite garnishes:

jarred (or fresh) jalapenos

sour cream

Easy Rice

A really easy side dish that I served with the roasted chicken from the last post. Most of the ingredients we keep on hand, so I can whip this up without a fuss.

Easy Rice

1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 3/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
1 can Rotel, undrained (Hot version, if you like the heat)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbls. vegetable oil
1 tsp. oregano
3/4 onion, diced
cilantro or parsley for a garnish
*optional: pinch of turmeric

In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil and let in heat up. Add the diced onions, uncooked rice and garlic. Stir constantly for about 5-7 minutes or until the onions are softened and the rice is very lightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients (besides the garnish), bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for about the 20-25 minutes. Check/stir a few times to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom. Add turmeric close to the end of cooking time. Fluff the rice before serving and add garnish.

Notes: Makes plenty and reheats well. Super easy side dish and went great with the roasted chicken! Enjoy!

Ina's Roasted Chicken

This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe I found online. Some of y'all might not be huge fans of Ina Garten, but most of her food is pretty darn delicious, even if you don't care for her personality. With that being said, I desperately needed a recipe to cook a whole chicken and this roasted chicken turned out great! Enjoy! (For the ultimate experience, you should probably make this recipe in a button down shirt, after you gather the herbs/vegetables from your East Hampton garden and have a meaningless chat with Jeffrey. Then, and only then, could you explain the importance of a "really good" olive oil.)

Ina's Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken, gibblets removed
1 head of garlic, cut horizontally
1 lemon, halved
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbls. unsalted butter, melted
baby carrots
1 onion, rough chop
1 bulb of fennel, rough chop
large bundle of fresh thyme
olive oil

In a dutch oven or a roasting pan, layer in the vegetables, drizzle with olive oil and liberally salt and pepper. On top, arrange approximately 20 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Rinse the bird and stuff with the garlic and lemon halves. Pat it dry and season outside with salt and pepper. Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together if necessary (I didn't do this step and it was fine.) Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the cookware breast side up. Drizzle the butter on top of the chicken. Use any leftover thyme to dress the inside or top of the chicken and more salt and pepper if needed.

Roast in the oven (uncovered) at 425 F for 90-110 minutes. Check the meat to be sure it is cooked all the way through. When it is done, juices will run clear. (You can see in the photo where I cut the leg.)

Notes: Although this takes a good while to cook in the oven, you really don't have to do anything to it while it's cooking. You could watch TV, take a shower, nap, whatever. It's low maintenance once it's cooking. It will also smell amazing in your kitchen. The chicken turned out beautifully and the vegetables were nice and tender. You could easily add or substitute more vegetables or even potatoes.

This was my first time roasting a whole chicken and I give it an A!! Try it! (Maybe I should just go ahead and buy a long button down shirt...)

One Pot Wonder Spicy Sausage Pasta

Yes, yes I gave into all the hype about these one pot wonder meals. Let me be the first to say, I was not disappointed. This was easy and quite (surprisingly) delicious. So grab your favorite pot or large pan and give this a try!

One Pot Wonder- Spicy Sausage Pasta

16 oz. favorite spicy sausage, sliced (our fav. is Conecuh sausage)
8 oz. favorite pasta (used penne)
1 can no-salt diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

This is so easy, it will blow your mind. Ha!

Brown the sausage and sweat the onions in your pot over medium heat until onions are softened. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Then add the remaining ingredients into the pot. Simmer and stir until the pasta is done and the sauce is thickened (about 20 minutes). That's it! So simple!

Garnish with a little green onion, if desired.

Notes: Great meal! We both enjoyed it and the leftovers! You could easily substitute a different protein if you're not into sausage. Enjoy!

Mirror Art DIY

I saw an idea on Pinterest about this project and took myself down to the Hobby Lobby to search for some goodies with a friend. I was looking for something relatively inexpensive to spruce up some of our painfully bare walls. This mirror art project seemed to fit the ticket.

This project was simple and only slightly time-consuming, so that's a major plus in my book.

What you will need (and approximate cost breakdown):

small mirror ($4.99)
lots of wood skewers ($1.99/100 to a pack)
hot glue + gun (already owned)
spray paint (~$4)
picture hanger (~$3 for a small package)
Gorilla glue (previously purchased)

Total cost ended up being somewhere between $16 and $20

Here are a few photos during the project:

starting to hot glue the skewers to the back of the mirror

finished with attaching the skewers

spray painting outside

What do y'all think?

I'm sure there will be more DIY home projects to come! If you have any good ideas or links to fun wall art/decor, please feel free to share!!

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Lemon Garlic Chicken

2 large chicken breasts, halved or in thirds
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
3 cloves of garlic, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tbls. olive oil
8 ozs. baby bella mushrooms (or your favorite kind)
1 large onion, sliced
2 tsps. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 tbls. butter
dash worcestershire sauce
4-6 red potatoes, quartered

Combine white wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a zip top bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal and refrigerate for an hour.

In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, onion, rosemary, salt an pepper and olive oil. Toss to coat and set aside.

Saute the mushrooms in butter with a dash (or so) of worcestershire over low heat.

Preheat over to 375. Spray a large casserole dish. Spread the chicken in the casserole dish and arrange the potato/onion mixture between the chicken.

Pour the leftover marinade in with the mushrooms and boil to reduce for about 5 minutes. Then pour the mushrooms mixture over the entire dish.

Cover and cook for 1 hour. Remove and sprinkle the grape tomatoes throughout. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and enjoy. This could be served with rice if desired.

Notes: Temperatures and chicken sizes will vary so be sure the chicken is adequately cooked. You could easily add some carrots or celery if you wanted extra vegetables. This dish is delicious and definitely a great all-in-one type of meal! Enjoy!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Oh my! It's 2015. That's so....um, strange. But maybe good strange. I digress. Back to cooking new recipes and blogging about them! I really do enjoy cooking and blogging. I hope that comes through to anyone who reads or follows this blog. So, let's start the year off with a yummy new recipe! Go!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

1 cup frozen corn
1 can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large chicken breast (seasoned w/ S&P), cooked and shredded
6-8 oz. sour cream
3 large sweet peppers
2 chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce), chopped
2 tsps. sauce (from the chipotle peppers)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
dash pepper
grated cheese (your favorite kind), for topping

Combine everything but cheese and peppers in medium bowl to create the filling.

Slice each pepper horizontally, remove seeds and stems. Spray a large casserole dish and stuff each pepper to the top with the filling. Top each one with a healthy sprinkling of shredded cheese.

Bake covered at 400 in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes (watching cheese so it doesn't burn) and remove from oven. Enjoy with your favorite toppings!

Servings: 4-6
Time: 40 minutes

Notes: These are soooo good and BONUS: Easy! If you like less heat, dial back the chipotle ingredients. This is a little on the spicy side. I will definitely make this again! We both really loved it and the leftovers will be gone ASAP. Happy 2015 everyone!

Holiday Sangria

Who doesn't love a special holiday adult beverage? Kick your holiday party up a notch with this refreshing drink!

Holiday Sangria

1-2 cups fresh cranberries
1 orange, sliced
1 granny smith apple, diced
1 gala apple, diced
1 bottle sparkling cider
1 bottle white wine (I chose Pinot Grigio)

Layer the fruit in the bottom of a pitcher or drink dispenser. Pour the wine in and chill for several hours (or overnight). To serve, pour a healthy amount in a wine glass and top with a splash of sparkling cider.

Notes: Pretty and tasty! Enough said. Our guests enjoyed this drink. I chose a Pinot Grigio because I do not prefer super-sweet wine like Riesling (which can also be used). You can also go with a budget wine because you really can't taste the difference with all the yummy fruit flavors. Enjoy!

Recipe inspiration from: Decor and the Dog (super fun blog!)

Crockpot Curry Chicken

Man I love my slow cooker when it gets cool out. Please enjoy this tasty Curry Chicken!!

Crockpot Curry Chicken

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into strips
3/4 medium onion, sliced
1 poblano pepper (fresh from our garden), sliced
1 clove garlic, small dice
~1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 can no salt added diced tomatoes
1 can coconut milk
1 tbls. curry powder
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. (or more) cayenne pepper
~2 tbls. tomato paste (not pictured)

Place the chopped vegetables and garlic in the bottom of the crockpot and turn on low. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.

In a medium bowl, gently combine diced tomatoes, coconut milk, curry powder, ground ginger and cayenne pepper (this may look kind of gross, but trust me it will be fine).

Pour this over the chicken and vegetables in the crockpot and cover. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. It's going to smell great. I stirred it a couple times during the cooking process and tasted the liquid to see if I liked the flavor. I ended up adding a little more cayenne to mine. Of course because we like the spice. I added in the tomato paste about an hour before it was done. Once it's done cooking you can remove the chicken and cut it into chunks if you like and then return it to the crockpot.

Serve with warm basmati rice. Delicious!

Time: 6 hours
Servings: 6-8

Notes: Husband loved it and the leftovers were devoured! This recipe is going in my crockpot catalog. I will definitely make it again!

Chicken with Balsamic Mushroom Cream Sauce

This is an excellent weekday dish. We both really enjoyed the flavors and the sauce is just divine!

Chicken with Balsamic Mushroom Cream Sauce

1 package of skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts, whatever you have)
1 12 oz. package sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 medium onion, sliced
~3 tbls. unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbls. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
pecorino romano cheese, freshly grated

In a medium pan over medium heat, but in 2 tbls. of butter and the onion slices. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook while stirring every so often until the onions are caramelized and have a nice brown to them (about 20 minutes or so). At the very end of the cooking process, throw in the garlic and turn off the heat. Set aside for the sauce.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly brown in a saucepan over medium heat with a pat of butter. After lightly browning on both sides, remove to a plate.

Pour the chicken broth in the empty pan and scrape up any little bits with a rubber spatula. Allow this to simmer for 5 minutes. Next, add the sliced mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, heavy cream and a little more salt and pepper if you like. Allow this to lightly simmer for 5 minutes while stirring. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove and plate the chicken. Now add the onions/garlic and the grated cheese into the sauce, stir around until cheese is melted and then pour sauce over chicken. I served this with brown rice and butter beans.

Notes: Husband and I both thought the sauce was really flavorful and delicious. The sauce is also very good mixed in with the rice. Happy bellies! Enjoy!

Delicious Pumpkin Bread

I have never made pumpkin bread before, but I wanted to try something new. And it's fall y'all! I know everyone gets on the pumpkin spice latte train, but this is pumpkin bread and it's going to knock your socks off. I don't care what anyone says. Fall/Pumpkin train wins on this recipe!

Pumpkin Bread

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1+ tsp. cinnamon
1/2+ tsp. nutmeg
1 stick unsalted butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Soften butter and mix sugar in together until well incorporated. Add the eggs and combine.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Then combine the dry ingredients with the sugar/butter/egg mixture. Add in the pumpkin puree, sour cream and vanilla and gently incorporate.

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray a loaf pan. Pour batter into pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes clean. Cool for about 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

This would be delicious with your morning coffee...or morning Diet Coke. If you love Diet Coke like me.

Notes: This bread is awesome! It is so light and the texture is wonderful. I even gave it to the local tire dealership because they fixed my busted tire for free!!! Spreading good karma! This pumpkin bread just seems like a part of fall. Try it for yourself! I am sure you won't be disappointed.

Veg All Casserole

I never had this dish until I met my husband and his family. It seems to be a staple for holiday meals at their table. He loves it and I make it for him as a treat every so often. I happen to like it now too! Give it a try if you haven't before!

Veg All Casserole

1 can no salt added Veg All, drained
1 can diced water chestnuts, small dice
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Ritz crackers, crumbled for topping
1-2 tbls. melted butter

Prep the ingredients. 

Combine the Veg All, water chestnuts, onion, cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Lightly spray a small casserole dish and pour the mixture into the dish. Evenly sprinkle the crumbled crackers on top and drizzle the melted butter over the crackers.

Preheat the oven to 400 and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes. 

Allow to cool about 5 minutes and enjoy!

Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Notes: Originally, this recipe makes a lot more, but I cut it in half for just the husband and myself. If you've got more folks, feel free to double it. The leftovers are gone in a flash at our house. This recipe has certainly grown on me and I make it several times a year now! Enjoy!

Easy Jambalaya

Having grown up on the Gulf Coast, I certainly love the flavors and staple dishes of the area. I know this may seem like a slap in the face to traditional jambalaya, but this is a great and EASY alternative. I am not a spokesperson for Zatarain's; they just happen to make a really simple and yummy box of rice and spices. With that being said, enjoy this tasty jambalaya and take in the flavors of the Gulf Coast. Eating this makes me miss and love New Orleans at the same time!

Easy Jambalaya

1 box Zatarain's low sodium jambalaya mix
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 can diced tomatoes (no salt added), partially drained
olive oil
about 13 oz. Conecuh sausage, sliced (or any meat you prefer)

In a medium-large pot, lightly saute the pepper and onion in olive oil. Next, cook according to the package directions and add 2 cups of water and the rice mix to the same pot. Stir to combine. Bring this to a boil and then down to a simmer. Add the sausage and cook for about 15 minutes. Add in the diced tomatoes and jalapeno.

Continue to simmer and stir (so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom) until the rice is tender.

Serve warm with a few dashes of hot sauce and enjoy!!!

Notes: I LOVE jambalaya. Add in what you like! Chicken, shrimp, okra, whatever...it's all good! The one variation I like to do is add some peeled and deveined shrimp at the very end of the cooking process. Just add them right on top and cook until pink. It will only take about 5 minutes or so. Enjoy!!

Servings: 4+
Total Time: about 40 minutes