11/27/13

Give thanks

“To express gratitude is to put into words a beautiful sense of wholeness. Recognizing the people, the experiences, and the extraordinary gifts of life which feed our souls.”

Life is empty when there is no purpose. Everyday I ask myself what I’d like to accomplish that day to improve some aspect of life.

Whether it’s a small task, like routine chores to help make our house a home, or a significant task, like giving my time to improve the lives of others, I try to assign meaning to everything I do. It may not make sense to you, but it’s how I live.

I know that life can be cut short. Therefore I will continue to live a meaningful life. These day to day experiences make me who I am. They fill my mind with memories and moments that I will cherish until I can no longer remember them, and hopefully make a difference in the lives of those I interact with.

For the week of Thanksgiving, I got an opportunity to give back to my community in two ways. On Saturday, I rounded my chicas together for an afternoon preparing and cooking dinner for the families currently residing at the Ronald McDonald House. Read more about our experiences volunteering at the House here.

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I was invited by Denise, the organizer of The Tampa Bay Bloggers, for a day of giving back at the Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Tent in Tampa. I had never volunteered for MM before, so I was excited to see what it was all about. I was able to bring some guests with me to help out for the 4 hour shift. Volunteering is always, ALWAYS better with friends 😉

The Metropolitan Ministries tent is located at 400 West. Palm Avenue in Tampa (behind Blake High School near the Hillsborough River). It is set up seasonally, to aide families during the holiday season. Additionally, there are donation tents set up in Largo and Holiday. However, MM accepts donations and assists families and individuals in need all throughout the year, not just during the holiday season! Read more about their mission and services here.

We spent our shift directly working with the clients receiving services at MM. When clients qualify for assistance, they are able to come directly to the holiday tent to “shop”. We acted as personal shoppers for the clients, and it was such a rewarding experience getting to interact with them on a one-to-one level, instead of behind the scenes. Metropolitan Ministries is extremely organized, and has a seamless system paying attention to even the smallest details. The shopping area was divided into about 10 identical aisles and the volunteer would stand at the end of the aisle with a cart and a box, waiting for the client to be sent down to us. When they arrived, we’d guide them through their shopping experience, directing them to the different sections and telling them how many of each item they could choose. The quantity of the items they could choose depended on the size of their family.

The shelves of each aisle were divided into sections: cereals, starches (rice, pasta, potatoes), stuffing, yams/pumpkin, canned vegetables, beans (dry and canned), canned fruit (including applesauce), cranberry, sweets and miscellaneous items. As they chose their items, we would bag them, then walk them to the area in the front of the tent to pickup either their turkey or chicken (individuals and couples received a whole chicken). Then we would return to our assigned aisle to meet another client and help them shop once again!

I helped close to 20 clients during my shift. Some quietly shopped along, while others engaged in conversation with me. Some were nervous, some were teary, claiming they had always given before, but they just couldn’t this year. Some were embarrassed, hoping to not be seen by someone they knew. Some were pregnant, some were immigrants experiencing their first Thanksgiving. Although they were all very different, the one thing they had in common was the fact that they were grateful for the help they were receiving this year from Metropolitan Ministries. They were grateful for the kindness of the volunteers, and the generosity of their community.

My experience at Metropolitan Ministries was such a rewarding one. I’ll be returning to volunteer some shifts before Christmas. If you’d like join me, please let me know! The tent will also be open for donations throughout the remaining holiday season. For more information on the drop off locations in the Bay area, click here.

In addition, here is a list to refer to regarding the items that are needed the most for the holiday season.

This year I’m thankful for so many things. I’m thankful for the experiences that mold and shape my own life. I’m thankful for my family and friends who are always there for me to lend an ear or provide a laugh. I’m thankful for my career, and my education, for it has given me a way to make a difference in the lives of students and teachers each and every day. I’m thankful for my health and my strength. I’m thankful for our home and yes, even our cats. 😉 I’m thankful for my parents, for they never let my brother and I do without; even when times were tough. I’m thankful to have 32 years of memories of my mother that forever live in my mind. And most of all, I’m thankful for Brian; my love and my best friend. The first person I see when I wake up in the morning and hear “I love you” from.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday and a happy Thanksgiving!

How do you make life meaningful? What are you most thankful for this year?
Steph

PS- Read all about Christy’s experience volunteering at Metropolitan Ministries. 🙂

11/18/13

The Oxford Exchange (and a sweet lil’ giveaway)

‘Twas the 14th of November, and all through downtown
The Oxford Exchange was preparing, for a grand event to go down.

The decorations were hung by the windows with care
In hopes that the Tampa Bay Bloggers soon would be there.

The books were nestled all snug on their shelves
And goodie bags were packed by stylish little elves.

The food was all prepped and the drinks nice and steamy
The whole atmosphere was so festive and dreamy.

At the stroke of 6:30, there arose such a chatter
The doors opened up and welcomed the pitter patter,

Of little blogger feet all sparkly and bright
All ready for an evening of holiday delight!

They mingled, and greeted each other with glee
They ate, and drank, and were definitely merry.

For two glorious hours they took in the sights
They shopped, and they toured; it was a fabulous night!

They feasted on butternut soup and cheesy figs
Nibbled on fancy chocolate, and took coffee and tea swigs.

Two lovely ladies spoke all about their creations
Their family’s hand made candles are cause for celebration!

The night ventured on; the bloggers perused around the shoppe
While others learned all about the commerce club spaces atop.

What makes the Oxford so special is it’s uniqueness and style,
It’s beauty and charm will make you want to stay a while.

With floors of reclaimed wood and a retractable ceiling
And lots of comfy furniture to give guests a warm and cozy feeling.

The shoppe is jam packed with trinkets oh so sweet
It’s the perfect place to holiday shop…and maybe by yourself a treat!

The lights, how they twinkled!
The cookbooks stood neatly!
The candles’ aroma swirled around
And made the room smell so sweetly!

As the evening wound down, and the bloggers grew tired,
They reminisced about all the fun that had transpired.

They wrapped up the night, and expressed grateful words,
And were shocked at the news they had just overheard!

Not only did they leave with a bag full of loot,

But a gift for our readers! An offer none of us could refute!

The evening was fabulous! So glad it was arranged,

I can’t wait to come back to the Oxford Exchange!

Would you like to win a FABULOUS 11oz 7th Avenue Apothecary 100% soy hand poured candle? Leave me a comment below telling me what your absolute favorite thing about the holidays is! I’ll pick a winner on Thursday, 11/21!

Mine would have to be twinkle lights! 🙂

Steph

Disclosure: I was invited to visit The Oxford Exchange as part of the Tampa Bay Bloggers. Giveaway prize is provided by OE. All festively festive opinions are my own.

11/15/13

Chocolate dipped cones

When my mom first passed away, it was all I could think about.

I could barely say her name, or look at her picture. It was too devastating.

As you learn to live life after the loss of a parent, difficult thoughts don’t consume your life as much. You learn to replace constant grief with events, activities and memories. You return to work, revert to normal daily habits, and just, well, go on.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about or speak of my mother. But since her passing I have learned to deal in ways I never imagined I would be able to a year ago. Life doesn’t seem as hard as it once did because you’ve accepted the fact that you have no other choice than to continue living. No matter how much you cry, scream, yell, mope, or blame, it won’t change what happened. And so your brain learns to deal. And it does a surprisingly good job at it.

I have my moments though. Those quiet moments of sheer solitude where you think about your loved one and freak the fuck out when you realize that yup, they’re gone, and it’s quite unbelievable. I still get those moments of deep panic where I feel like my body has forgotten how to breathe. And then you begin to cry and can’t even pinpoint the cause of the tears. Do you miss them? Are you scared? Are they tears of anger? Disbelief? Guilt? Utter sadness?

Tears came out tonight as I shut the television off and prepared to head to bed. I just sat on the sofa and reflected on things for a moment. Staring up at my wooden plank ceiling I thought about how happy I am to live here with Brian, and how much he loves me. Those feelings and thoughts made me miss my mother desperately. She only came to visit us once, when we had just moved in. She was weak, and could barely climb up the stairs to the porch. She sat in our front living room. I can still see her there. I had cooked crab legs for us, but my mom insisted on having ice cream for dinner, so when we finished, we loaded up in the car and headed over to Bo’s; the local ice cream shop.

We ordered chocolate dipped cones and sat on picnic tables outside the shoppe enjoying our treats on that cold January evening, waving to my mom who remained in the Green Suzuki, eating her cone from inside the warm car. I can still picture her sitting in the passenger seat, bundled up with her jacket, with her bald head and glasses on. Chocolate dipped cones were always her favorite.

Although I don’t like to keep memories of my mother during her illness in the forefront of my mind, I don’t mind keeping this one in my pocket. It’s the only memory I have of my mom at this house, and its comforting to know she was here.

11/10/13

Sunday markets and baking with almond meal

When I met my boyfriend, he was just about to sell the house he was living in and start shopping for a place of his own. Just a couple of months into our relationship I was tagging along with him looking at houses throughout his favorite spots in Tampa. Our love was new, and no one really knew what the future would hold. But there’s one thing he made clear: his future was with me. He knew it early on (and so did I), and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

At the time we met, Brian was living in Temple Terrace. There were some perks to living there (a nearby favorite golf course being one), but he also had his eye on the Forest Hills area of Tampa, another decision driven somewhat by the fact that most of the houses are near a golf course (can you tell he loves golf?), and the fact that the price range of houses in that area are fantastic. However when the decision was finally made, he chose a house in the Seminole Heights area; his childhood neighborhood.

If you’re from Tampa, you know the area I’m speaking of. It’s a place where time has stood still. Most of the roads are still paved in brick, many of the houses are wrapped with wide porches, graced with swings and creaky wooden floors. Yards are spacious, and nothing is cookie cutter. Each house has its own charm and uniqueness. Seminole Heights is definitely a hidden gem.

After living here for a bit of time now, I’ve grown to love the area. It’s where I work. It’s where we play. It’s where I shop, dine out and explore. There are so many hidden spots sprinkled throughout Seminole Heights, and one of my all time favorites started back up for the 2013-2014 season: the Seminole Heights Sunday Morning Market.

The market is held the 2nd Sunday of the month from October to May, on the front lawn of Hillsborough High School on Central Avenue and Hillsborough Avenue from 9am-2pm. There are dozens upon dozens of tents, food trucks and farmer’s market booths selling everything from fresh produce and soap to local art and baked goods. Today as I walked around the market I noticed local vendors offering samples of freshly squeezed juices, homemade beef jerky, lotions, body scrubs, smoothies and more. Some of the local art featured things like metal sculptures, hand made quilts and jewelry. I love the feel of the market. Hillsborough High School is such a beautiful setting for something like this.

I was hoping to be able to score some #NSNG goodies at the market. Luckily I had some cash in my pocket because one of the first booths I stumbled across was one that featured a HUGE variety of dried fruits, vegetables and dry roasted nuts.

As I chatted with the owner about the market, he let me sample a few of the products. We talked a bit about NSNG and he introduced me to some delicious products that would definitely make life easier while eating this way. I walked away with THE most amazing dried pears, dried bing cherries, dried dates and dried apple rings. I also purchased some beet chips, a bag of almond meal, a bag of coconut flour, and some dry roasted pecans.

On the way out, I also purchased some fresh produce from the farmer’s market. Check out some of these veggies! I think those are hands down the largest carrots I’ve ever seen!

Here are a few more shots from the market. I’m already thinking about my next trip in December!

I couldn’t WAIT to get home and start working with some of the goodies I purchased. Today marks two weeks on No Sugar and No Grains, and now that I’m into a pretty good routine of what’s compliant and what’s not, I’m excited to get cooking and start experimenting with some recipe creations.

Now although #NSNG means no “bread” type items, I decided to try my hand at baking with different types of compliant flours, like coconut flour and almond meal/flour.

Now while I don’t know much about the science behind cooking with these alternative flours, I did some reading up on them tonight and realized that almond meal (ground up almonds) seems to be an excellent replacement for grain based flours. Check out this post to learn more about this versatile product.

So about those recipes… I decided to whip up two of my favorite “carbs”: fruit muffins and drop biscuits!

Oh drop biscuits. You taste so good.

You can purchase almond meal at any of your local health food stores, Whole Foods, Nutrition S’mart or places that sell bulk bin items.

Apple & Date Cinnamon Muffins
2 cups almond meal
2 eggs + 2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extra
8 dates (at room temp), pitted and pureed (you can use a food processor)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Add all ingredients, except for dates, into a bowl. Using a mixer (hand mixer or standing mixer), combine all ingredients well. Add dates and mix to combine. Pour tablespoon fulls of batter into the cupcake tin. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes, or until toothpick test comes out clean. Enjoy with butter or nut butters!

Cheesy Drop Biscuits
2 1/2 cups of almond meal
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
4 tbsp. melted butter, cooled
1 cup shredded cheese (I used Parmesan)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients using a standing or hand mixer. Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough onto greased (butter) baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until firm and golden brown. Enjoy!

Have you ever baked with almond meal?

Steph 🙂

10/29/13

TeamJudy on Fox13!

Today was awesome.

That’s me representing Team Judy on Fox13’s Good Day Tampa Bay!

Like my face? Yeah, apparently I make a lot of weird faces on live TV.

I’ve been working with the people over at Dirty Girl 5k Mud Run since last year. I blogged as a Dirty Girl Ambassador, completed the muddy 5k in February, was interviewed for an article in the St. Pete Times, wrote an article for the Dirty Girl 5k mud run blog and now, this ambassadorship has given me an opportunity to talk all about my efforts with Team Judy on the local news!

I arrived about 30 minutes before I was to go on air, checked in and sat in the green room for a while until the producers came to take me to the studio. They gave me a rundown of what questions they’d be asking during the interview, so as I waited, I looked it over and prepped.

When it was time, the producer walked me into the main studio and into the area where I’d be doing the interview in. I was amazed at how quiet it was throughout the studio. While I waited for my segment to start, the producer let me snoop around. I even got to watch the anchors deliver the news!

I had such a blast at Fox13 this morning talking all about Dirty Girl and Team Judy! Click on the link below to check out my interview!

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9465621

Want to join us at this year’s Dirty Girl 5k in the Tampa Bay Area? Read all the details here!

Have you ever been on television? I must say this was a first for me, and I was in awe the entire time!

Steph 🙂

10/1/13

Riverdancing and Roaches (a typical girl’s night out around these parts)

A few weeks ago, my friend Monica and I got together for coffee one Friday after work. She needed to vent (desperately) and I was happy to lend an ear. Monica’s life is full of adventures, so it’s always interesting to hear her stories. 😉

By the end of the evening, two other friends had joined us, turning a quick after work coffee visit into a 6 hour long girl’s night out.

A few hours into our coffees we realized we all had food on the brain.

We decided to forgo pastries from the Starbucks counter and head to dinner somewhere. Living in Seminole Heights there are always amazing places right around the corner to try out. Sarah and Liz had never been to Ella’s, so before we could think twice, we were there, putting our names down.

By this point it was close to ten. We were hungry and frustrated by the hour and a half wait for a spot. Ella’s has this awesome outdoor patio area and it was suggested that we sit out there and order from the bar. It was a perfect evening, a little cool from after the rain, so we all agreed that would be the plan.

What happened next, no one could predict. No one.

I had known Liz for a few years. But it’s true what they say: You really don’t know someone, until you realllllly know them.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love Liz. She’s become one of my best friends. She’s extremely smart, funny, kind, and there for her friends no matter what. However, Liz was withholding a little secret from us all this time. And until that fateful evening at Ella’s, we were totally in the dark.

I didn’t realize it at first. I mean, I noticed she had decided to pull up a chair to the outdoor booth, but I didn’t think twice about it. I figured she just didn’t want to take a chance of her pants getting wet from the wooden booth. As we ordered beers and munched on appetizers, I started to see her get a bit fidgety, but again, no big deal. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary. But then. Suddenly. Out of the blue. Appeared this uncontrollable, irrational, blood-curdling screech making me think there was a Walker behind me ready to tear my face off. Then, we all watched as Liz did this:

Like a frantic crab running along the shore, Liz left our table, ran over to a nearby barstool and began to climb on top of it. It appeared as though she was escaping some unknown force, but we didn’t see a thing! With panic in her voice she screamed “OVER THERE! OVER THERE! ABOVE YOUR HEAD STEPHANIE! OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH IT’S HUGE!”

Well, you can imagine my own fear as I envisioned massive blood thirsty bats hovering over my head, waiting to suck my brains out. I looked around, listening to the laughs of Monica and Sarah, assuring me it was nothing more than a small spider, trapezing through the trees above me, minding her own business in the night. Unfortunately, for Liz, this was doom. Apparently, her biggest, most spine chilling fears are driven by those of the smallest kind: bugs. Here’s a picture of the horrid little creature. It’s blurry, mostly because we were laughing too much to stay still and get a good shot.

Well, after much coaxing, and convincing that little Charlotte wasn’t going to end any lives tonight, Liz came back to the table, just in time to calmly enjoy Ella’s famous bacon and egg pizza.

But then. Just when we thought the rest of the evening would be smooth sailing. They appeared.

By the hundreds.

Creeping and squeezing their little shiny, winged bodies through the cracks in the deck underneath Liz’s feet.

Sorry. I couldn’t bring myself to putting a closeup photograph of a cockroach on my blog. Nope, not gonna happen. We’ve all seen them, so at this point, go ahead and create a mental picture of ~~thousands~~ ~~hundreds~~ about 10 roaches crawling around a wooden deck taunting Liz with their creepy little antennae flailing in the wind as they peeked through the separations in the deck.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Liz developed a bad case of indigestion from trying to eat and Riverdance the roaches away from her feet.

Monica, the logical one, attempted to calm Liz with words of wisdom that just went in one ear and out the other.

I spilled pizza all over my work polo, but the spilled pizza toppings came in handy, as I threw them away from our table in an attempt to distract the roaches.

And Sarah? Well who do you think was brilliant enough to capture this all on film for me to blog about? Genius.

Oh and because I’ve thoroughly disgusted you by this point, here’s a yummy recipe for Pumpkin Spice Crinkle Cookies.

There, now the image of a roach eating an egg is out of your head.

Have you ever been to Ella’s? Be careful if you dine outside! It’s wild kingdom, apparently. 😉

Love you Liz!!! <3 Steph

08/11/13

Judy’s Tales: beef and sliced bananas

I do the most thinking about my mom while I’m in the kitchen.

Like on lazy Sundays when the TV is off, the guy is hanging out with his brother and the only sound heard is the sharp edge of my knife slicing and chop chop chopping against a smooth bamboo cutting board.

I love that sound. Sometimes I will just chop, dice and slice every bit of produce I’ll need for a week all in the same day just so that I can practice the art. You know, just in case I’m ever on Food Network Star or something. 😉

Those moments of solitude and silence are when I relive stories of my mom. Never a day goes by that I don’t try my hardest to remember things. Sometimes I feel as if I don’t make a conscious effort to go through those 32 years of life, year by year, I’ll forget something important that I want to be able to remember and share with my own children.

My mom loved to be in the kitchen, just like I do. She was in her element entertaining, cooking up comfort foods (like her scrumptious chicken parmigiana!), baking for a crowd, or prepping a Thanksgiving feast.

I’ve mentioned before what a picky eater my mom was. My dad was the complete opposite. He’d eat just about anything (and anywhere!). He’s dined at some sketchy establishments that my mother wouldn’t even drive by. Somehow my palette fell somewhere in between.

As I was prepping ingredients for fruit smoothies the other day, I was reminded of something I had forgotten about my mother. As much of a finicky eater that she was, she did possess some very strange eating habits! One of her favorite foods of all time was ropa vieja (old clothes). It’s a Cuban staple of stewed flank steak in a rich tomato sauce cooked for hours until it’s fork tender and served over rice. My grandmother would make it for her all the time, and after she passed, my godmother Laurie took over and made it for my mom.

The strange part about my mom’s love affair with this dish was in the way she ate it. She would start with a base of white or yellow rice, top it with a scoop of the saucy ropa vieja, then top the beef with sliced bananas.

No, not plantains. Bananas. You know, regular bananas that you would make smoothies with? Yup, those. Bright yellow bananas slices right on top. She would then proceed to fork all three into one bite and add more slices if she ran out.

I would have to ask my uncles or my mom’s cousins when and how my mother conjured up this crazy creation. But as far as I can remember, this is how she ate her ropa vieja. It didn’t stop there though. Mom would also add banana slices to her yellow rice and chicken!

I couldn’t help but laugh at loud when I was thinking of this story. I think I’ll have to whip out Clarita’s Cocina next week and try my hand at making ropa vieja. Maybe I’ll through a few banana slices in honor of my mom so that I can taste what all the fuss was about!

Do you have any strange eating habits?

Steph 🙂

PS- Don’t forget to enter my giveaway!

08/9/13

Nutrition S’mart review

I love supporting smaller stores around the Tampa Bay area. Especially when the managers of theses establishments are near and dear to my heart.

That’s the case with Nutrition S’mart. Currently Rudy and Maruchi manage two locations here in Tampa: Carrollwood and Wesley Chapel and I’ve known them, well let’s say they’ve known me since I was a just a little baby. We lived in the same neighborhood, and we were all the best of friends. I use the word “all” because Rudy and Maruchi have 3 children, and I have the fondest of memories growing up with them. Dozens of play dates, beach trips, fishing adventures, Halloween parties and so much more.

Eventually the family moved away, we grew older, and went off to college leaving those fun adventures in our childhood, however our families never lost contact. In fact, they remained very close to my mom and dad, especially throughout my mom’s illness and passing. They have supported Team Judy and our fundraising endeavors, and even walked by our side at our inaugural Miles for Moffitt, Jogging for Judy event. I’ve also reconnected with their daughter, Lauren, and her fabulous blog Gluten Free with Lauren Marie. She shows you how delicious and satisfying gluten free cooking can be!

Rudy and Maruchi are the real deal. They are genuine, kind, giving and two of the most positive people you’ll ever meet. In my opinion, when you manage a business, qualities like this mirror in an establishment. Walk into one of their stores and you’ll feel that vibe.

Nutrition S’mart is staffed with friendly and knowledgeable employees who are willing to help you navigate the over 10,000 natural and organic vitamins, groceries, produce and beauty supplies they carry. Their motto “organic, doesn’t mean expensive” rings true. Their prices are truly amazing, and they offer a variety of weekly BOGO specials. When I was in the store last weekend, the BOGO specials were a-plenty! Everything from Zevia soda and Almond Breeze to coconut water and Alexia frozen potato products! They even featured Kind Bars BOGO! These specials aren’t advertised, so each week you walk into a Nutrition S’mart you will definitely be in for a surprise!
They have an extensive and exclusive Gluten Free section of the store, and a vitamin aisle that literally stretches as far as the eye can see!

Their 100% organic produce section is impressive, and so are the prices! Each week they feature sales on different items. While I was there organic avocados were $.99 each! That is one of the best prices I’ve seen!

The Carrollwood location carries vast selection of craft beer and wine, and great variety of dry goods in bulk bins. Even some of their wines were BOGO!

In addition to the awesome BOGO specials sprinkled around the store, I also noticed amazing deals on some of the products I love.

The shopping experience doesn’t stop at the prices though. Both of the Nutrition S’mart locations in the Bay area offer classes on cooking, and health, in addition to weight loss challenges, product demos, samples and more! Oh, and if you bring your own shopping bag, they’ll give you a nickel off your purchase for every bag you use!

If you haven’t visited a Nutrition S’mart, I definitely suggest you stop by and see what it’s all about! Visit their website for more details, store hours, directions and more!

I’m more than happy to support local businesses in the area, especially those who are dedicated to quality, healthy living and are looking out for the customer. Hoping you’ll stop by and visit Rudy and Maruchi! Tell them Steph sent you! 🙂

**WINNERS**

Please make sure you contact me so that I can get your gift cards to you! 🙂

07/31/13

Mama’s pajamas

I don’t know what inspired me to grab my mom’s pajamas out of her memory box this evening. But I did. In fact I’m wearing them right now as I type this post.

Sometimes I cannot even stand to grab the box and look through it’s contents. Sometimes I can’t even make eye contact with a photo of my mother.

Even 15 months later, there are days when it hurts so hard and the memories are so raw, that it’s easier to ignore them than to recover from 20 minutes of crying.

Then there are times, like tonight, when I just HAVE to do something that reminds me of my mother. Whether it’s whipping up her favorite recipe, thumbing through camping trip photos, or, like tonight, using or wearing something of hers,

Tonight, it was her pajamas. They actually went straight from the laundry at her house after she wore them, to my house, to the memory box.

They still smell of my parent’s home and Gain detergent; her tried and true brand.

I don’t want to have to wash them.

My mom loved her pajamas. She had LOTS of them. PJ pants and shorts, matching tops and bottoms, night gowns with and without buttons, lacy, striped, Disney, holiday themed. She was the pajama queen. And she loved buying them for me too. Anytime we had a camping trip on the horizon, she’d pick up a new pair so I’d be “decent” in front of anyone who was sleeping with us in the camper. Apparently faded old Christmas pajama pants with old 5k shirts weren’t suitable. 😉

That’s the thing about grief. It’s unpredictable. One day you could be weeping over an old Facebook message you still have of hers. Other days, you’re laughing uncontrollably at a ketchup bottle story.

But as you go through life after the loss of a parent, you do adapt. Life adapts. It’s like your brain eventually figures out what to do, and you just, do. 15 months ago I would have never accepted this fact. And if you’re reading this post right now, you might have just lost someone close to you and can’t imagine a future where your life is normal.

I must admit, life is definitely not the normal it used to be. It’s a new normal, and it’s ever changing. Once you get over the initial shock of the loss, you realize that you have a life, and they would have wanted you to live it as fully as possible.

And so you do.

This post was inspired by a few things that have been on my mind lately. Initially, it was a search that led someone to my blog. “Triple negative breast cancer worst case scenario”.

I’ve been thinking about those words a lot lately, as that is what my mother was initially diagnosed with, and what eventually took her life. I remember staying up very late so many nights researching breast cancer on the internet while my mom was ill. Was this a daughter searching for information on what could happen to her mother?

I wish I could reach out to whomever came to my blog with these search terms and speak with them. To tell them to stay positive and never, ever give up hope. To tell them that I’m here for advice, guidance, or just an ear if they need it. Hopefully they will return and see this post.

I’ve also had my mother in my dreams lately, vividly interacting with me, and directly speaking to me. Maybe I’m hoping that wearing her pajamas to bed tonight will keep those dreams coming. Either way, I’ll sleep well knowing I have a little piece of my mom with me by my side.

Miss you mom,
Steph

07/29/13

4 Steps to Hearty and Healthy Slow Cooker Stews

I love simple meals like slow cooker stews.

Easy to make, rustic, healthy, and stick to your ribs good. And my slow cooker? It’s just about my best friend these days. A simple $20 slow cooker can be a life saver when you know you have a busy week coming up, or when you want to make a larger batch of something you can turn into multiple (or even freezable!) meals.

I also love that you can play with the flavors and textures of slow cooker stews. With just 4 simple components, you can make an easy family friendly and super healthy meal that’s ready for you when you walk through the door after a day at work. But don’t limit your slow cookers to just weekdays. Some of the best of my Sunday suppers (like my fool proof pot roast and Cuban pork) were made in the slow cooker. Really, the options are endless.

Is the world of slow cooking new territory for you? Need a place to start? Here are my 4 easy steps to successful slow cooker stews:

1. Protein– Choose a protein to start your stew. I love using boneless skinless chicken breasts, pork loins, chunks of beef chuck, garbanzo or black beans, and even tofu!

2. Vegetables– Choose a few veggies to really bring your stew together. Root vegetables hold up well in the slow cooker, so try rutabaga, sweet potatoes, carrots or parsnips. Greens like kale and spinach add flavor and texture. Onions, garlic cloves, and even tomatoes bring depth to a dish.

3. Seasonings– Choose a few fresh or dried herbs to add flavor and freshness to your stew. Thyme, rosemary, tarragon, oregano, cilantro or even parsley are great additions. Warm seasonings like cumin, smoked paprika, curry or dried mustard hold up well in the slow cooker.

4. Liquid– Homemade or store bought broths or stocks, tomato sauces, barbecue sauces, salad dressings and sometimes even water (like if you’re using strong seasonings and herbs) are perfect. You should have enough liquid to cover about half of the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Cooking times vary depending on the ingredients. Check out this awesome chart with various cooking times organized by protein. You can also reference your slow cooker’s user’s manual for cooking times. Most will come with an instruction booklet.

Tonight’s dinner was brought to you by my own little slow cooker. I stocked up on chicken last week when it was BOGO at Publix (such a deal!). I decided to use one of the boneless skinless packs for this delicious sweet potato and chicken stew. I’m serving it over polenta for a hearty meal before my softball game this evening. Enjoy!

Chicken and sweet potato stew
Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 onion, diced
4-5 carrots chopped (or a cup of baby carrots)
1 stalk of celery, diced
2 cups of baby spinach
5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme (off the stems)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. cumin
salt & pepper to taste
1 box low sodium chicken broth

Layer ingredients into the slow cooker in this order: vegetables, chicken, spinach, broth. Cook on low for 8 hours. Stir and remove chunks of chicken. Using a fork (or your hands!) shred the chicken then add back to the stew. Stir to combine then serve over polenta. Delish!

Slow cooker tips:

Purchase a slow cooker with a timer, that way if you’re running late, you can set it to turn off after cooking is completed.
Slow cooker meals should be treated like any other meals. Use the “keep warm” feature so that they remain at a safe temperature, then cool and store meals promptly, as you would any other type of meal.
When cooking beef or pork loin, sear meats in a pan prior to placing in the crock pot. The carmelization will help give extra flavor and juiciness to your dish!
Once you get comfortable with cooking stews using my 4 step system, break outside the box and try some other recipes! Rice pudding, casseroles and even breads can be made using your slow cooker!

And one last thing…. a reminder to keep on hand, print out and have ready for you to start your slow cooking adventures! What are your favorite slow cooker recipes? Do share!
Steph 🙂