Slow Cooker Pepper Steak!

I'm trying to revive the old blog.  I'm it even sure if anyone read blogs anymore but I miss having a place to jot down my thoughts and share recipes.

This was a delicious crock pot recipe that is definitely being add to our rotation of meals.

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak.  This was amazingly delicious.  Incredibly easy too.

I used 2 round steaks and 2 pepper and it was enough for 2 helpings for the 2 of us with no left overs.  Next time I am doubling it at least.  

2 round steaks cut into strips
2 peppers (I used yellow and orange but will add a red)
1 can of beef broth
1can of fire roasted tomatoes (Aldi has some delicious ones) do not drain
Cayenne pepper, garlic salt, pepper to taste
A few splashes of soy and Worcestershire sauce a

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  

We ate it sort of like a stew with bread for dipping bit I'm sure would be great over rice or noodles.


I'm eliminating the soy sauce next time and adding some zucchini for some added vegetables!  

It's been a long time

I can't believe it has been over a year since I have updated this blog.  I am not even sure if anyone blogs anymore.   The bloggers that I have followed in the past seem to have become more Instagram and snapchat oriented.   I like blogging, I just kind of forgot about it.  Life with 2 toddlers will do that to you!   Well, our Wunderful life is about to get a little bit more hectic.   We are adding another member to our little crew, sometime around Thanksgiving.  

  This pregnancy has been a little difficult.  Similar complications as when I was pregnant with Kenny.  1st trimester bleeding so I have had several ultrasounds.   I have been on pelvic rest since about 7 weeks pregnant.    At my 21 week ultrasound, we discovered I have placenta Previa, just like with Kenny.   That time, my placenta moved on it's own, so I am hopefully the same thing will happen.   If not, I will be having a c section this time around.  The thought of that is very scary for me, but I know I will be in good hands with Dr Jewell. 

   I have always been a worrywart but I thought that I would be more relaxed with this pregnancy.   In reality, I have been worrying more.   I don't know why, but I have more fears and concerns than I ever have before.   It is hard for me to explain and there is no real reason for it.  I am hoping as the weeks pass I will be able to actually enjoy my last pregnancy and stop worrying so much. 

  The most exciting part about this pregnancy is that we are not finding out the gender of this baby!   I have always wanted the delivery room announcement and this was the perfect chance to do it!   We have everything we need for both a boy or girl.  It has been surprisingly easy to not know!!!   We will all find out in about 18 weeks!!!!

Life happens

So this week has been crazy.  Travis has been in the hospital since Monday and I have been running around like crazy.  It has so hard to divide my time.  I want to be at the hospital with him, especially since I know how boring a week in the hospital is.  Problem is, he was diagnosed with RSV and we really didn't want to expose the kids to him or any of the other gross hospital germs any more than we already had.  That means having grandparents and Miss Mary watch the kids while I went to DePaul.  It has just been so hard and I have a new found respect for all the single parents out there!

So what did all of this mean for my workouts?  I didn't do them.  I was exhausted and busy and just didn't do them. I ate like crap this week as well.  A lot of fast food and grabbing snacks on the go.  So, I am going to start everything over.  I am going to catch up on my #mayibeginyoga2015 challenge.  I am going to retry the ab challenge starting June 1st and I am going to restart half marathon training on Monday.  I am going to do a 30 minute yoga session every day.  I am back to meal planning and healthier home cooked foods.  I won't let this past week bring me to a crashing halt.  I just had a misstep and am heading back on track.

My weight surprisingly stayed the same.  175

Oh and I have a favorite yoga position.  Corpse pose is just fantastic!

#battleofthebelly

I've posted a thousand times about losing weight.  I have problems sticking with a weight loss/work out problem.  I set goals and then just give up.  Not this time!!  This time I paid a lot of money to run a race while I am on vacation.  In fact, we planned an entire vacation around this race!  So I am sticking with it!

I started a 20 week couch to half marathon training program.  Interval training so I am building up my endurance in a healthy way!  I am also starting to do yoga.  I have pretended to do yoga in the past, done the Jillian Michaels yoga challenge, and got kicked out of a yogalates class in college.  However, I am really loving the way yoga is making me feel.  The relaxation (ha!) and the stretch I am getting is amazing!  I am looking for a yoga class I can fit into my week.  the #mayibeginyoga2015 instagram yoga challenge has been a lot of fun to do.  A pose a day for the whole month!

I am also doing a #30dayabchallenge  My upper body and my core are super weak.  I am hoping that by toning my core muscles through yoga and ab work, not only will I have a flatter tummy, but also help with my back and hip issues.  My back is a mess after scoliosis, a few car accidents, and injuries dating back to high school and now my hips are out of whack after pushing out 2 babies.  I don't feel comfortable going to a chiropractor so I am hoping all of this helps.

Now, on to the part I dread: The Weight Loss Goal.

I currently weight almost as much as I did the day I had Loralei.  I have let myself go over the last year and half.  It was easy to use excuses.  "i have a toddler and a newborn" "I'm exhausted" "I don't have time" "I don't care if I am fat, I'm happy"   Well the truth is, my baby isn't a newborn anymore.  She isn't even really a baby.   I'm exhausted because I am not healthy.  I have plenty of time and really just lacked motivation.  I do care that I am fat and I'm not really happy.  It's time to change all of that!  I want to have energy and be healthy and happy for my kids.  I don't want to get tired just chasing Kenny around the yard or get winded running up the stairs.  I want to lose 25-30 pounds.  That will put me in a healthy BMI and get me down to a size I am comfortable with.  If I lose more, then great, but I don't want to go to the extreme.  I am more concerned with  how I look and feel than what the scale actually says.

Soooo......  I will be posting my weight and doing biweekly weigh-ins to keep myself accountable.  If it's out there, then I will want to make sure I change it.

175.2
There it is.  It's not a pretty number and I am determined to see it drop.  So thanks to all of you following this journey and keeping me accountable.  I really do appreciate it!

Cheesy taco chicken and rice

I love one pot meals!  Between these and my crock pot, cooking dinner can be almost as easy as hitting up the drive thru!  This is one of those, "throw whatever in the pot and it will still taste good" meals.

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
1 cup white instant rice
1/2 bag frozen corn
1 can of tomatoes and green chilies
1 can of black beans drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 packet of taco seasoning
cilantro
onion powder
garlic powder
cooking oil
Cheddar cheese
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Cook chicken in large skillet . Season with onion and garlic powder
2. Chop chicken and return to skillet.  Push to one side of skillet.
3. Add small amount of oil to empty side of skillet and add rice.  let the rice start to brown a bit
4. Stir in beans, corn, chicken broth, taco seasoning, tomatoes, add a pinch of cilantro
5. cook covered for about 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed
6. Add a spoonful of sour cream/Greek yogurt and a handful of cheddar cheese.  
7. Stir and let cheese melt.
8. Serve like this or with tortillas

Poor (Wo)man's cottage pie

I am always looking for quick and easy, but somewhat healthy meals that the kids will eat.  Kenny is still super picky and won't eat a vegetable at all, but I keep offering and hopefully that will change.  Loralei still eats whatever you put in front of her and this was no exception.
Here is a quick and easy take on Cottage Pie (Shepard's pie is made with lamb, Cottage pie is beef)

Ingredients:

1/2 bag frozen tater tots
1/2 bag of frozen corn
1/2 bag of frozen green beans  * use whatever frozen veggies you want*
1 can cream of celery soup
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• brown beef and drain.  I seasoned with minced garlic and onion powder
• Pour beef into 8x8 pan
• Mix can of soup and milk in bowl and pour over beef
• Top beef mixture with frozen veggies
• top veggies with a layer of cheddar cheese
• top with tater tot
• sprinkle a bit more cheese over the top
• bake in oven for 45 minutes

Chunky Monkey banana bites

Kenny is always asking to eat chocolate now, thank you Valentine's Day.  I decided to try and make a healthier snack/dessert that would still appeal to this new love of "shocklate"

 1 banana sliced into 1/2 inch slices
Freeze banana for 30 minutes to an hour
melt 3/4 cup of chocolate chips and 1 tsp of vegetable oil in the microwave in 30 second increments, until smooth.
Spread a layer of peanut butter on top of banana
Dip banana slice in melted chocolate and place on waxed paper.
Freeze until chocolate is hard.

I made some peanut butter free version for Loralei ( I haven't started her on peanut butter  yet)