Broc & Cheese

As many of you know, mac & cheese has pretty much always been my thing. Was my go-to meal for years, and to this day, I can't pass up a good serving of the cheesy goodness. The way I think about it, I could either eat mac & cheese or replace the mac with the broc(coli) and feel a little less guilty about it. Some would argue that it defeats the purpose eating a vegetable if you slather it in cheese, but I think it's a better alternative and that you should be excited about what you eat. Here we go:
 

Ingredients:
-Broccoli (however much your heart desires)
-Butter
-Shredded cheese
-Cayenne pepper or any other spices you like

Super Easy Directions:
1. Cut up & wash broccoli florets 
2. Spray & heat up frying pan, throw the broccoli in and cover for 3-4 minutes. They should be a bright green color. 
3. Butter a casserole dish, pour in broccoli and cover with shredded cheese. Generously. Sprinkle cayenne for some spice.
4. Bake @ 250 for about 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and turning golden brown. 
5. Let cool and enjoy. Congrats, you're eating veggies that are actually delicious!

Presents < Being Present

Not too long ago, I wrote about being present. Now, days before the holidays, I can't think of a better time for us to remind ourselves about how important it is. Through all the craziness of buying and wrapping presents, it's easy to get lost in the materialism of it all. This year, I'm going to wear my amethyst ring as an anchor, remind myself to breathe more consciously, and try to notice all the little things. 

Growing up, I never truly appreciated what it meant to have everyone at home with nothing on the agenda but cooking and eating good food, listening to music and being together. This year, after being around the world and back, I'm really appreciating it all. I hope each of you reading this has a wonderful time with your families and friends this week. Catch ya on the flip side right before the new year for some resolutions!

Breakfast Taco Scramble

Going hand-in-hand with my quinoa scramble post back in September, I wanted to share a new simple recipe for a breakfast scramble.

Ingredients:

Black beans
Cooked quinoa
Eggs (I usually use 2 per person)
Cheese 
Taco seasoning (I use the kind from Trader Joe's)

Directions:

1. Heat frying pan to medium heat, spray with non-stick cooking spray and add black beans. Cook covered for 2-3 minutes.
2. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add cooked quinoa and eggs, mix often.
3. Add taco seasoning (to taste) and cheese and cook until eggs are done.
4. Serve as is or on toast or an english muffin. Enjoy!

Making Room for the Good

We've got just a few weeks left before the New Year which means one thing: New Year's Resolutions. A time for self-improvement, setting goals and feeling motivated... sounds good to me. But one thing I think is super important before taking on new tasks is to make room for them. To me, this means letting go of anything holding you back or keeping you down. This might be anything from negative attitudes, fear of the unknown, things that waste your time, to jobs or relationships that are no longer serving you. Now is the time to LET GO of these things that are slowing you down from your greatest achievements. 

A few ideas I've tried that might help you make room:

1. Write down the things you want to get rid of and burn them. (Yeah, sounds like a weird voodoo seance but it works WONDERS in letting things go. Do this with friends for a fuller effect. Also, please do it safely, that should go unsaid.) 

2. Write a letter of forgiveness to someone you need to let go. Forgive them for whatever they did to hurt you and complete rid of it from your worries. Burn that, too...

3. Write a list of GOODBYE'S and HELLO'S. "See ya later": self-loathing, binge-eating, ungrateful thinking and "welcome": self-love, slowing down and gratitude. 

Comment below if you have any techniques to share on how to let go of the not-so-good and make room for the great.