Part 2… Sciatica Sucks!!

June 21, 2018June 25, 2018Leave a comment

So… Where did I leave off?? Oh yea, I remember… But.. I have some in between things to add before continuing where I left off.

I wanna go back to People.. and Expectations.. During difficult times..

People… and expectations.. During difficult times. This topic may be something we all may need to check ourselves on once in a while or whenever necessary. We gotta do better with how we can empathize with others during difficult times. Especially when it is something that has happened to them out of their control.

We tend to get so caught up in our routines of life, whether it be a busy life or a boring life.. We still have people that we are around and interact with on a daily. Everyone has that one go-to person that is usually down for whatever(that would be me). Whether it be something as simple as cooking a favorite meal, going shopping, road trips or doing random things just for the heck of it! Things that require some physical activity… We are so caught up that we never stop to think about what we would do or how we would feel & react if that person was not able to do all of those things that they normally do.. Hhmmm?

Ponder that…

People that really know me… Really really know me.. They know that I am almost always up for a challenge with almost anything! I wanna do.. I wanna go.. I wanna see.. I wanna try!!! Well guess what peoples…. ALL of that was put on hold during the struggle of dealing with this DAILY SCIATICA PAIN that I was dealing with.. I couldn’t even do the things that I really enjoyed doing and someof my daily living routines were even affected. It was making me angry.. I felt frustrated.. and I was just tired.. Tired of being in excruciating pain that I felt like most people didn’t really understand the extremity of the pain that I was dealing with. Unless they had personally already dealt with it before. It was the people that could relate that gave me hope & reminded me that this was going to be temporary. Those that could not relate made me feel like punching them in the throat!!!

#CheckYoSelf

That is where I had to check my expectations of other people. #SelfCheck I was getting vibes from people that made me feel like they were thinking thoughts like the following: ‘Oh you’re a strong woman.. You’re a spiritual woman so you will be alright.. You can handle this pain & get things done.. You push thru any other time.. You’re still doing this or that, so you should be able to do this too.. How long is this supposed to last.. Is there anything you can do to fix it.. Have you tried this or that.. Maybe you just need to rest.. You rested a long time & it still doesn’t feel better..’
Now, in the meantime of me having those vibes… I was actually sharing with people around me what things that could be done to actually help me feel some relief.. BUT THE GAAAAG IS… (in my best KeKe Palmer voice bcuz I’m trying to lol at my expectations of others) Nobody really put my suggestions in to action to help me!!! Some people even just had their own ideas or suggestions to help me but practically ignored what I already knew could help me.. #SideEye #Whatever #CarryOn
***SIGH***
So… At this point is when I had a #RealityCheck to #CheckYoSelf
I continued to do all that I could do for myself… By myself.. Dropped my expectations of others around me seeing me in pain knowing that I was still gonna get thru it with or without any help from them. Because that is the expectations they have of me. Hhmmm… I’m just gonna let that thought marinate right there for ya’ll.
Okay, I am finished talking about people and expectations

Where I am today with this Sciatic Pain journey…

Eleven weeks and 4 days in… What am I feeling? I still have occasional muscle spasms & pain in my right glute and hip… As well as the (sleeping foot) tingling sensation & weakness down my right leg into my foot, unpleasant pain & burning sensations down my right leg especially in the shin area. I am still far from being back to 100% but I have most definitely made a lot of progress!! Slow progress is way better than no progress at all! So there are some things that my body still says “NO” to if I attempt to do it.. I listen to my body if it is a little extreme, because I do not want to cause any nerve damage.

I have completed 4 weeks of Personal Training with the one and only Alexis Branch and that has helped me bring physical fitness life back in order. It was harder on some days than others.. I either had to modify or just push through depending on what I was doing. I am grateful for the attentiveness of my PT during the workouts.. If I made the wrong face, she wouldn’t let me do it.. Lol!

I am still seeing my awesome Chiropractor Dr. Terese Stefan who has been keeping me properly adjusted & aligned. I will be getting upside down more often pretty soon… and not on an inversion table!

Thanks again, to all who have shown me genuine empathy thru this time… That has meant a lot to me.. More than you may even know!
To the ones in the category of those that I wanted to throat punch… I highly advise you to do some extensive research of the pain associated with the Sciatic Nerve & surrounding muscles. 😉 Someone else my need you in the future.. #BeReady

Thanks for reading,

God bless you.

@3HDeeFitness
#3HDeeFitness
Yes, there will be a part 3 to this!

Sciatica Sucks!!!

June 14, 2018June 14, 2018Leave a comment

Sunday, April 1, 2018: Easter Sunday morning…. I woke up with pain in my lower back out of this world.. So bad that it immediately stopped me in my tracks upon attempting to get out of bed. It took me at least ten minutes to get from my bed to the bathroom, which is a three seconds stroll.. Or two seconds depending on how bad I need to go!

Once I finished up in my destination with all that needed to be done. I continued to get around very slowly the rest of the day. It was Easter Sunday and there were a few minor plans for that day with my daughter. I managed to get through the day okay… The rest of the week I continued to move about slowly and did some mild stretching and even attempted my workouts, modifying of course. Being that I have dealt with back and neck issues in the past, I figured that this was just another issue that was going to be okay after a few days to a week.

Wrong!!!

Oh my word!!! Was I wrong to think that this was going to just ease up an go away in a week!!! Although, I got through the 1st week just fine.. I let one more week go by as I did my routine things that I normally do whenever I had my back pain flair ups, which included taking anti-inflammatory medication and applying ice to my back. People that know me well already know how much I dislike being cold which included using ice packs! So that meant it was serious! Some days it seemed like maybe it was getting a little better… Up until..

Saturday, April 14, 2018: On this evening… I was in my kitchen moving about my normal slow pace that I had gotten used to, doing whatever I was doing..

I sneezed!!!

Yes, a sneeze… A regular “ah-choo” sneeze.. Caused me to feel so much pain that I saw darkness and stars and went to the floor. #iNever =0 I had never in my life had pain strike me like that!! EVER!!! I managed to get up after a few minutes, with tears in my eyes. Finished up what I was doing & made my way to bed.

The next morning I was blowing my Chiropractor’s phone up.. Yes, on a Sunday morning I was blowing her phone up. Yeah, yeah… I wasn’t expecting to get fussed at for it being Sunday.. I was only expecting what I got.. Which was fussing because I waited so long to even contact her. Okay, lesson learned this time around!!! If you live in the Atlanta, Marietta, Smyrna areas and need an awesome Chiropractor, check her out! Chiropractor Directory

So, since that Sunday, April 15, 2018, I’ve been seeing her pretty regularly for adjustments & trigger point massaging & doing my stretches to help me deal with the sciatic nerve pain.

Monday, May 7, 2018: I’m five weeks in… On this Sciatica Journey.. Yes, it is indeed a journey for me. I started taking notes aka journaling of what I was experiencing, but not just with my physical conditions. But my mental & emotional conditions.. as well as others around me. So, a lot of the following text will be coming from the notes that I had taken.

A little Journal writing…

Five weeks is the longest I’ve ever been in daily pain. I used to think that the worst pain I had ever been in was labor and delivery. Not anymore! I can actually say that labor and delivery isn’t all that bad. At least it is over within 24 hours, and you get on to your healing process. I have no words to describe having daily pain for five weeks straight. I pray that I never have to go through this again, but if I do…. God help me! At least I will know what to expect and hopefully I will have better options/resources to help get me through it much smoother.

I am very grateful for those who have prayed for me & helped me through this time, I cannot thank you all enough! Especially my Chiropractor, Dr. T! There were days that I didn’t want to move because I didn’t want to feel that pain. Not that laying still was completely painless, but it was easier than trying to move with the pain.

The Struggle was Real!

There were several mornings & some evenings that I just stood still next to my bed with tears rolling down my face because I was hurting THAT bad. I was either just getting up or preparing to lay down.. They both initially hurt the same to do.

The People…

I had the chance to really observe the people around me on a regular… See and hear their reactions to my horrific pain and limited mobility.. Very interesting.

I got the chance to really understand from a different point of view of how people may react (including myself), when someone that they are used to being the one always doing, doing, doing and going, going, going are no longer able to do or go the way they used to. That moment when one realizes how much they may rely on someone else.

…Pause…

At this point… I felt myself & actually caught myself.. Being angry and bitter towards people.. Out of frustration of being in pain and not able to do my daily functions. And noticing how others are reacting to my limitations, did not help one bit.. It did make me think a lot.

The most sensitive person to my pain that I observed, was my 10yrs old (now 11) daughter… Even though I snapped at her a couple times.. She understood when I talked to her and apologized. Her teacher at school told me that Khamani felt so bad for me because I was in so much pain and she felt sad for me because there was nothing that she could do to help me. ❤ 🙂 That has been the highlight of this Sciatica Journey.

At eight weeks in… I was still dealing with some pain from the muscle spasms, along with the tingling, burning, numbness and weakness sensations down my right leg and foot. It had definitely gotten a bit better & I am happy about that!

At the sign of improvement, I decided to get a personal trainer to assist me and take my physical condition into consideration… Shout out to my personal trainer: Alexis Branch She has been very carefully pushing me through my workouts and telling me not to do some things even when I wanted to attempt them.. lol! So, I am currently in my fourth week of training… This is my final week of training for now.. I will continue to workout as much as I can as long as my body allows me to.

Today…

Today… At 10+ weeks into this Sciatica Journey..

Hhmmm… I’ll save that for my next post!! 😉

Thank you so much for reading… Please Share.. Follow.. Comment!!

Be blessed!

God loves you!

~Dee~

Just checking in…

December 26, 2017Leave a comment

Hello readers… Obviously.. I haven’t posted anything all of 2017 & I know that’s not good. I’m setting a goal to do better & try to post something AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH!!!

I have no excuse for why I haven’t posted.. It’s not like I haven’t had anything to write about.. I’ve even been given topics & had ideas of what to write.. I just didn’t do it.

I pray you all have had a prosperous 2017.. Be safe.. I love you. -😘

Dinner Ideas… For the “Free Pouring” cook..

January 11, 2016January 11, 2016Leave a comment

Hello readers! Happy Better New Year to you all! I pray everyone had a pleasantly blessed ending of 2015! I sure did… That will be shared with you all in another post.. What exactly made the end of my 2015 a blessing to me. 😉

Religious-Happy-New-Year-Clipart-2156-3-465x291

So, my first blog of 2016 would be about food.. Lol! Well, what can I say I love to cook & eat and it’s even more awesome when it’s healthy and the whole family enjoys it! Score! 🙂

Although I do enjoy cooking & would love to share a lot more meals or deserts that I prepare. I am not the best at measuring ingredients. I am more of what I’ve heard them say on the cooking shows, a “free pouring” kind of cook. That makes it a little difficult to share recipes, unless I’m sharing the recipe with another free pouring cook!
Since I will never really know who reads my posts and what kind of cook they are.. This year I am going to step outside the box and share things anyway!

Turkey Sausage and Kale Soup Recipe

Ingredients needed:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2-4 TBS
1lb of Sausage of your choice cut into 1/4 inch slices (I used Butter Ball Hardwood Smoked Turkey Sausage)
3-4 Potatoes Diced – Yukon Gold, Red or Regular Potatoes (I used regular potatoes because that is what I had already, but will try red potatoes next time and maybe even try using sweet potatoes)
Chopped Onion – Amount depends on what you like
Kale – 1 Bushel fresh or 8oz bag of triple pre-washed (add more if you like)
Garlic Minced 2-4 Cloves – Amount according to what you like. You can use fresh cloves or I like to use the Spice World Minced Garlic in Olive Oil (1/2tsp = approx 1 clove)
1 32oz Chicken Broth (I use the lower sodium) I added 1-2 cups water to make more soup
1 Can 15.5oz Cannellini Beans (White Kidney Beans) or you can use: Navy Beans, Garbanzo Beans or Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 Can 14.5oz diced tomatoes or about 2-3 whole tomatoes diced
Salt and Pepper or Mrs. Dash to taste
Of course anything that is in a can, by all means use fresh if you like. Just be sure to properly prep it for the recipe.

Directions:
In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-low heat, cook the sausage, potatoes and onions in Olive Oil for about 5 minutes or until sausage is heated thoroughly, stiring occasionally. Add Kale, cover and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until Kale is wilted. Add garlic & cook a few minutes longer.

Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper or Mrs. Dash.
I garnished my bowl with some avacado slices… Yum!

You can enjoy this alone or serve with cornbread or biscuits!
Of course you can double or triple up on this recipe and it’s easier to do if you are a free pouring kind of cook! Lol! 😉

Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment below if you are going to try it out or have already tried it! Share your alterations! Feedback is always welcomed here! Be sure to follow & subscribe to my blog for future posts!

If nobody else told you today, I love you! Be blessed! ❤

Manitoba Harvest ‘Hemp Hearts’ Review & Giveaway!!

October 27, 2015October 28, 2015Leave a comment

Hello readers, thank you for stopping by! Today is a Tasty Tuesday Try your luck Giveaway post! #TryItTuesday
I will be sharing a review, a tasty recipe & other tasty ideas using Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts.

What are Hemp Hearts & how are they beneficial to us you may ask…

Hemp hearts are raw shelled hemp seeds. Complete vegetarian protein, all natural, whole-food made from ONE ingredient. It has a slightly nutty taste, similar to a sunflower seed or pine nut. I personally think it has a smokey nutty flavor. 🙂 There’s no need to cook Hemp Hearts since they are ready to eat straight out of the bag, making them easy to incorporate into your meal planning. Hemp Hearts come in Natural or Organic in a variety of sizes. The Natural comes in bags of 2oz, 8oz, 1lb & 5lbs or a box of singles of .9oz packs. The Organic comes in bags of 7oz, 12oz, & 5lbs. You can purchase Hemp Hearts from the website www.manitobaharvest.com or in your local Health Food Stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods. Prices range from $2.99 up to $70.
The 2oz bag of Natural Hemp Hearts has 330 calories, 230 calories from fat with 25 grams total fat. Per 30 grams (2 Heaping Tablespoons) serving, Hemp Hearts contain 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of omega 3 & 6. They also contain 181mg Magnesium per 30 grams serving. Hemp Hearts have more protein and omegas & less carbs than the same serving of chia or flax.

Just some FYI details ~ Manitoba Harvest products are made on-site at their hemp-dedicated facility, so they control how their products are made. Hemp Hearts & all Manitoba Harvest Hemp food products are Non-GMO Project Verified. Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods are kosher under the supervision of the Kashruth Division of the Orthodox Union. Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods’ organic products are certified by Pro-Cert and are marked with the following logos:

If you have any further questions about Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods click this link>>>Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods ~ FAQ

I recieved a 2 oz. bag of the Natural Hemp Hearts to try it out for this review and I am very impressed with this product. It is definitely something I will purchase to use regularly. Especially since it has been #kidtested #kidapproved and #motherapproved in our house! 🙂 #thumbsup

I tried the Hemp Hearts in a few different ways and was pleased with every single one. As you can see in the picture above: I sprinkled the Hemp Hearts on top of Peanut Butter spread on a Thomas’ Limited Edition Apple Pie English Muffin. The Hemp Hearts gave the flavor a little twist with its smokey peanuty taste.. My 8yr old daughter really liked it too! One day I had came home with a yogurt & fruit parfait topped with granola & added some Hemp Hearts on top of all that & it was delish! 😉

I saved the best pic for last… A recipe I found on the Manitoba Harvest website for Honey Hemp Cream of Wheat
This recipe was not only quick and easy with minimal ingredients but it was delicious and heart warming… Great for a cool fall morning or cold winter morning for breakfast or anytime! 🙂 Recipe below…(Or click on recipe name above)

Ingredients:
4 tbsp cream of wheat
3 tbsp Hemp Hearts
2 tbsp honey (we like honey bunny organic clover honey)
1 1/2 cup coconut or almond milk (I used Almond Milk)
Top with extra honey and Hemp Hearts

Directions:
Warm milk on stove, add cream of wheat, Hemp Hearts and honey. Whisk frequently until desired thickness is achieved.

Yield: 1 serving ~ ENJOY!

********************************************************************************

Now the best of the best… THE GIVEAWAY!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b82df4201/
CLICK THE LINK ABOVE TO ENTER!!!

Here are the entry options:
Follow @ManitobaHarvest on Twitter
Follow @ManitobaHarvest on Instagram
Tweet about the giveaway using the following tags: I’ve entered a giveaway to win @ManitobaHarvest #hemphearts @FitApproach #sweatpink @3hdeefitness

Giveaway Restrictions:
Open to US and Canada residents.
One prize per winner please.
If you win this giveaway, and have already won another prize from Manitoba Harvest through another blog, please disclose that you have already won so we can choose another winner.
Thank you for reading the blog post and for entering this raffle!
Enter here!>>> http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b82df4201/
Good Luck!!!

Random post… Forgiveness.

September 28, 2015September 28, 2015Leave a comment

First of all… Thank God for waking me up this morning and making it possible for me to be able to type this post!!!

Happy Healthy Motivational Monday!!!

I just wanted to share how amazing life is or can be… Yesterday at Church, we had a guest speaker who prayed over everone. Even mentioned some specific prayer requests people may have shouted out. One of them was.. Forgiveness.

I personally struggle with full forgiveness… But I am working extremely hard on it every day!!! I know that without forgiveness my blessings can be blocked or limited (I don’t want that blockage!). I can feel that I am working on it. It falls in the category of me in general working on me, which I am doing a LOT of lately. Things people notice about me and mention to me or to someone else is general proof of me working on me.

Self improvement… Progress 😉

I am learning the hard way to not ignore my dreams… It only takes one time for me to miss out on something all because I ignored it in my dream… Never again!!! Lesson learned!!! I had a dream that woke me up about 4am this morning… All I could do was cry.. It wasn’t a nightmare or anything scary.. It was God telling me to forgive someone.. The individual was as plain & clear as if sitting next to me in my dream.. The flesh part of me immediate thought was to beat & stomp the individual to a human pulp. But the spiritual, more God-like side of me, told me to just sit & listen… (Which I was in my dream but for some reason was trying to fight it to be un-Godly). My tears were because I have spent so much time fighting against God and his expectations. Unfortunately, it’s taken a potentially almost life threatening reality check for me to start listening…

Mark 11:25-26 ~ 25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

So, my conclusion to this post is… Prayer & anointing oil works!!! Forgiveness & good supportive people in your life also help when it comes to forgiveness… Don’t ignore your dreams, no matter how big or small the information is in the dream.. Love yourself enough to forgive others for doing you wrong. Then, let go & let God deal with them!

That is all… For now.. Thanks for reading! I hope this inspires someone… Please share!

#PrayForMe

A lil snippet from my 5 Day Challenge… Working on Me.. Progress.

September 1, 2015September 1, 2015Leave a comment

5 Days to Sweet & Salty Speech ~ By: Karen Ehman

A wound grows worse with a lack of truth. Sin, like bacteria, grows in dark, damp places. The Bible declares, “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” John 3:20. For a “sin-fection”, be sure to sprinkle on a salty confession and the light of God’s own Son. Jesus is the only way we can have forgiveness.

Prayer for today:

“Dear Heavenly Father, please let me admit when I am wrong. Remind me that the truth will set me free. Let me always make decisions of integrity, but if I don’t, allow me confess my sin immediately so that my heart can be clean again. Let me add the salty words of confession to my daily spiritual vocabulary. Save me from the debilitating infection of multiple sins by allowing me to remember to constantly stay in your light. Help me to daily speak the truth and always look to you to make good decisions in the first place. In Jesus’ Name – Amen.”

That is all for now… Thanks for reading.. If you would like to do the 5 Day Challenge just click here. >>> Freebies from Karen!

Be blessed!

3HD

Just because… A pre-review of Keep It Shut..

September 1, 2015September 1, 20152 Comments

As I come to the end of reading Keep It Shut by Karen Ehman (<<<Purchased on Amazon.. Click the link to the left.) I have so many things going through my head.

Mostly good things of course! You know that feeling after reading a book that makes you REALLY think about certain things. This book in particular really makes you think back & look at your current ways of speaking to people, listening to people and looking at people whether it be in person, over the phone, in a text, video chat or online. Even better, this book helps you look at all of those things from a biblical & spiritual point of view. I most definitely know and realize even more now, that I am work in progress in this particular area of my life. I’ve noticed that, just like the Author, Karen Ehman I have a not so good habit of losing my cool with my family, but somehow manage to keep calm when I interact with others.YIKES! Yeah, I’m not so proud of that one… 😦

The book of Proverbs describes a woman who is praised not only for what she does, but more importantly for who she is — specifically, how she interacts with people: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” (Proverbs 31:26 ESV)

I must agree with the feedback comment on the cover of the book from Lysa Terkeurst which says, “This book is funny, honest, and tackles the hard subjects of gossip, speaking the truth in love, and the power of our words from a biblical standpoint.” This description hits the nail on the head! 😉

I like the way she incorporates her real life scenarios in the book. She definitely kept it real with those! I must say one of my favorite quotes that came from one of her real life scenarios is when her son (who she refers to as the man-cub) tells her, “Hang on a second. I gotta die.” When he said those words to her, they spoke to her soul. As I read how they spoke to her soul… She spoke to my soul. Just as she put it in the book… Before we react.. Hurl a harsh word.. Pass judgement or speak unkindly to our spouse or snap on our children.. Perhaps we need to just take a deep breath and say,

“Hang on a second. I gotta die.”

Die to self. Die to flesh. Die to my “rights” that too often result in my wrongs. Yes, Paul said it best — “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31 KJV) Then, Karen asks… Does this mean in everything? Consider Jesus’ statement, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13) Then she mentions her initial response of all the imaginable dramatic ways that could actually happen. All of her thoughts were pretty scary but realistic.. I can relate to all that she said. But, um.. I’m not going to mention too much more of this section of the book.. I believe this is a must read book for everyone with sight and a voice!

This is just a brief pre-review of this book… I will be speaking more of this book in my blog in the near future.. I will also be doing a Periscope review of the book. So, go follow if you aren’t already following @3HDeeFitness & on Instagram also!

Think about it… Sometimes we all just need to..

Take a deep breath, a pause that centers your heart, snaps your soul to attention, and gently declare… “Hang on a second. I gotta die.”

I am looking forward to doing my full review on the book & can’t wait to share my feedback with Karen Ehman, who is actually active on social media. She actually responds to posts or comments! Check her out on the following links>>>> Karen Ehman on Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest

I hope you enjoyed my pre-review of this book. Thank you so much for reading!

Until next time… God bless!

Helene

Mom, what’s for dinner???

August 25, 2015August 25, 2015Leave a comment

Between the husband and the child(ren).. If mothers and wives got paid for every time they heard that question, we would have a pretty nice savings account.. $$$

Mom, what’s for dinner?!?

If your house hold is anything like mine, dinner preparing can easily get boring for the whole family if you have a picky eater or anyone with food allergies. The one thing I am grateful for about my family is the will eat leftovers. I have heard some stories from women who say their significant other or their child(ren) refuse to eat leftovers. That just blows my mind! Growing up as a child with my two older sisters (and a step brother for a little while) we were to eat whatever was served. If we didn’t like it or didn’t want it, we would just have to be hungry that evening! Don’t get me wrong, depending on what it is that is left over, I may not want to eat it more than just one day left over. Unless it is a protein, llike chicken or turkey, sausage or seasoned ground meat not mixed with anything. I have gotten pretty creative with completely changing a leftover meal into a whole new meal using the leftovers! It’s part of my “Create-A-Meal” deal! One thing that has actually stuck with my two older children… Which I laugh at to hear them actually say they had to do what Mom does sometimes by creating a meal out of whatever they have on hand or someone brings over! The base of most of the “Create-A-Meal” ideas are: Meat, Tomatoes, Pasta or Rice, Beans & a type of Sauce if you have it. Anything extra is a bonus! It may not always be what you want but guess what… You won’t starve if you have it!!! 🙂

One way I like to get into a create a meal flow is to view multiple recipes and basically take either an idea or an ingredient from all the different recipes… Sometimes it’s by choice and sometimes it’s based off of what I have or don’t have to work with. Either way, all things are possible if you have your faith in Christ in your life at all times! Hence why we bless the food we prepare and eat and also bless the cook(s).

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ

I am so happy that our daughter loves to eat fruits and veggies!!! #HappyMommyMoment 🙂 So I try to have a variety of good fruits and veggies to snack on and prepare for meals. I don’t want the selection to get boring so I’m always open to try something different. Not sure if she liked asparagus or not, I stepped outside the box and made some asparagus for dinner with a back up plan to fix her some brocolli. I know that I had not always had the best experience with eating asparagus but I also understand certain foods have potential to be good if prepared the right way (brussel sprouts & eggplant to name a couple). During my trip the other day to Sprouts Farmers Market with my friend, sister in Christ and fitness & mentor Amia Freeman, with Sunday dinner prep in mind… I picked up a fresh bunch of asparagus, a bag of Sprouts baby medley potatoes (which had purple, red and yellow potatoes). My plan was to prepare those two sides with a salmon steak. Not knowing exactly what the outcome of this meal was going to be, I told myself it was going to be awesomesauce before I even prepared it! Here’s a pic of the outcome:

Honey Glazed Salmon, Garlic Butter Asparagus & Roasted Baby Potatoes Medley

I must say that I really love cooking/baking with lots of colors and lots of flavor. But, I do not use much salt, if any at all. When I do use salt, I just use a little sprinkle of sea salt. When I cook, I really don’t like to “measure” stuff which can make it a little difficult to tell someone how to make it if they want to. I’ve learnd to guesstimate what I use and tell others to use according to how they want it to taste.

So, here is what I did & used to prepare this meal… First:

Thawed & rinsed. Place skin side down on pan. Dropped butter pieces on top & sprinkled Mrs. Dash, Italian seasoning & a dash of smoked paparika. Place in over heated at 400 degrees til butter melted. While in oven, I mixed equal parts of honey & ketchup(yes, ketchup..lol) Mix enough according to how much you want on the salmon. The taste was actually very good! I had no idea how that concoction was going to taste! Lol! Removed from oven & spread mixture over salmon & returned to oven til done. Flaked when forked! 🙂

Next… ( I didn’t necessarily go in this order but it all got done.)

Baby potatoes were cut into quarters to make wedges. Tossed in a mixture of almost equeal parts.. Red Wine Vinegar & Coconut Oil ( I was out of EVOO). I used a little more Red Wine Vinegar to Coconut Oil. Wisk in some Mrs. Dash, Italian Seasoning (salt & pepper if you like). Toss potatoes in mixture, then place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet which you can line with foil for easy clean up..(but save the mixture!) Bake in oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes (depending on size of wedges cut). Remove from oven & toss in mixture again. Place back in the oven until done. These were very flavorful!!! 🙂

Finally…

I used FRESH Asparagus. I read a little tip somewhere that said to “break” the ends off that is tough and chewy instead of cutting. To ensure the really tough end is off, breaking it at it’s natural breaking point helps with that. (I thought that was interesting…) After breaking & rinsing the asparagus. Melt butter in the pan & add either fresh garlic or I used the Spice World Garlic in EVOO (sold in the jar). Sautee the garlic in the butter just a little bit (don’t let it burn!) add the asparagus, sprinkle on a little sea salt and pepper while cooking & turning.. Cook for about 7-10 minutes. The taste was amazing!!!

My 8yr old daughter LOVED the asparagus.. And everything else too!!! My grandson who has a texture issue with food didn’t like the asparagus but he loved the Salmon & Baby Potato Wedges!!! My husband enjoyed the entire meal as well… I’m sure he was just happy it wasn’t chicken!!! Lol 😀

Genesis 6:21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and them.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it & if you give anything a try, please let me know how yours turned out for you! If you tweak anything please share that as well!

God Bless & Take care!!

~Dee~

Finally stepped outside the box…

April 11, 2015April 11, 20151 Comment

Big thanks to my sister for pushing me to get my Boot Camp Sessions started!!! I was doing what I do best… Procrastinating and indirectly making excuses as to why I haven’t started promoting Boot Camps in the neighborhood. It’s only been two weeks but I feel really good about it. I’ve even done a Boot Camp Session on a day that I really didn’t feel like it but went out there and did it anyway! According to The Art of Work Book by Jeff Goins everything that has taken place in these past two weeks is just a part of my Calling or Vocation. This particular quote from the book caught my attention:

“If you can Love what you do even when it hurts, then you may have more than a hobby…”

That being read and said… It seems to be pretty obvious that me having a fitness business is way more than just a hobby… Wouldn’t you agree? 🙂

I would also like to give a big THANK YOU shout out to my mentor Amia Freeman for always having encouraging words for me to give me that reminder of what I am really capable of accomplishing & believing in me! Also, I would like to give a THANK YOU shout out to Brooke aka Brookie, a friend I made thru my mentor at Refresh Summit TN 2014. Although Brooke may look up to my mentor and I for fitness, nutrition & general life coaching, she also is a very positive, motivating and encouraging woman herself. For more info on my awesome mentor & Brooke just click on their links above!

Every since becoming a Sweat Pink Ambassador I’ve come across so many perks that can help with my fitness business and lifestyle. One thing in particular is my very own Sweat Guru website where I can set up Boot Camp Session schedules and get new clients & keep track of them also. Another cool perk is the unlimited FREE pink shoelaces!!! I have been giving a pair to any new clients & we are planning to have a pink shoe laces Boot Camp day in the future! So keep an eye out on the Sweat Guru website for Boot Camp Session scheduling as I learn how to use it! Lol!

Thanks for reading! Be blessed!

3HD