Turkey Pumpkin Chili

I have been obsessed with chili the last few weeks and I can tell you right now that I'm not going to stop with my chili cooking any time soon! It's so easy, filling, satisfying, healthy and tasty!

I decided to pumpkinize (not a word, but I like to make words up for fun!) a recipe by adding a can of pumpkin puree. Added goodness, thickens it up and you really can't taste it, so the health benefits are there without comprising the taste. My son picks out the beans, but my daughter eats them mashed, so win win!

Oh, yes. It's been a long while since I've last posted. Since my last post, I've had a baby girl. No biggie. Just a baby. :P On to the recipe! 

TURKEY PUMPKIN CHILI

INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp olive oil1 yellow onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves minced1 medium red bell pepper, chopped 1 lb ground turkey2 TB chili powder2 tsp ground cumin1 tsp diced oregano1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree1/4 tsp cayenne pepper1/2 tsp salt1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes1/2 cup of chicken broth2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook ground turkey and chopped onions in a pan. Then, add to a crockpot with all the ingredients. Mix well and turn on that crocker to LOW for 3-4 hours. 

NOTES:
I was impatient and ate it after 3 hours. The longer the flavors marry, the better! ENJOY knowing it's tasty AND healthy! 

TOPPINGS: greek yogurt (great sour cream alternative!), cilantro, avocado, cheese, chopped red onion, jalapeños, kimchi. So, I tried it with kimchi recently because I was all out of other toppings. It definitely had the spice and crunch factor. Not bad, but I prefer jalapeños. Give it a try though! You only live once!

Give

ThanksGIVING.

Give thanks. Give love. Give happiness.

Holidays are great to gather, have fun and create memories, but I think they're also a great time to reflect on life. And as Socrates once said, "A unexamined life is not worth living". Learned that once in 9th grade English (Go Langley!).

Each Thanksgiving meal, my family gathers and we go around the table and say what we're thankful for. Basically, we say what have we RECEIVED in the past year that we're thankful for. It's a nice few minutes of sharing and it gets conversations flowing. This year, my mindset is a little different.

What about thinking of ways I can give? Giving to others is way more rewarding than receiving. Isn't it? At least for me it is. Whether it's to donate to a charitable organization or give your time to loved ones, I believe giving warms the heart and soul.

I went through a Chick-Fil-A phase. I loved eating there. Literally. I loved going in, ordering, sitting down and enjoying my meal there. Why? It's fast food. It's just like McDonald's, Wendy's or Burger King. WRONG! Every visit, I was continually impressed by the warm welcome, happy order-taking and homey customer service. Every visit, I sat back, ate my chicken nuggets and waffle fries with Polynesian sauce and just observed the details. Fresh carnation in a vase. Disposable table mats for babies and toddlers. Ketchup packet neatly organized. Being greeted and checked in on by at least 1 manager and 3 employees.

Needless to say, Chick-Fil-A is a well-oiled machine with a great system. I wanted to know more. I was curious. I love a good read when it comes to successful businesses or people. One fine day, I noticed books on the counter. Books that were written by the Chick-Fil-A CEO himself, Truett Cathy. In true Truett Cathy form, he charged a measly $5 for books purchased in-store. "Wealth: Is it Worth it" was the title. I read it in two hours. He attributes his entire success and wealth to...you've got it...GIVING.

My idea of wealth, attaining success and being happy changed. While I am all about becoming wealthy to buy whatever I want and go on fabulous, exotic vacations, I changed my mindset and heart to give more. Doesn't have to be money, but time, energy, thoughts, prayers...those can all be given.

So, as this year comes to an end and I start writing down my 2016 goals (something I do every year), I think I'm going to do things a little differently. I'm going to write a list of what I'd like to give and see where that takes me.

Happy Thanksgiving :)

Do what you love, love what you do

I've said it once and I'll say it again. I love what I do and don't ever drag myself out of bed in the mornings, don't dread Mondays and don't complain that I'm not where I should be in life...because I'm doing something I'm PASSIONATE about.

Since I was in high school, all I ever heard was to find something I was passionate about. What the heck does that even mean? I worked at numerous clothing stores in high school and college, like Banana Republic, Armani Exchange and Bloomingdale's. I loved clothes and accessories and I worked near them...was that being passionate? It didn't drive me. First job out of college, I worked for a civil engineering association in the international department and while I enjoyed being "international" and absolutely loved my boss (Hi Marisa!), it wasn't fulfilling. Over the next several years, I worked for different companies (executive search, retail, mortgage). I learned a TON along the way.

The biggest thing I learned...I don't like working for other people. Deep down, I knew there was an entrepreneur in me just waiting to come out. The biggest opportunity was always in front of me: Taekwondo. To run one of my dad's locations was the BEST thing that ever happened to me. I learned a lot about myself and grew as a person and businesswoman. It was at this point in my life, I learned what being passionate was all about.

Fast foward, I am DARN LUCKY to say I found another passion. Two in a lifetime?! Seriously counting my blessings here. I don't know how to put in words the daily excitement I have for being a Beachbody coach. The engaging conversations, listening to struggles, helping others live happier lives, pushing myself to be the best Julia there is...

I AM BLESSED.

DIY Hairclip and Hairband Holder

CJ and I are expecting a baby girl due in January. I am over-the-moon excited for my little girl's arrival. I can't wait to dress up in matching outfits with her. When she gets older, I can't wait to do all the girly things that moms do with their daughters.

We haven't decided on her name yet, so for now, I'll be referring to her as baby girl. Baby girl's nursery is slowly coming together. I'll be sure to post pictures of the final room. As an early gift, I received a few pieces of pink clothing, hats and hairbands. Hairbands. For years and years, I've secretly hoped I'd have a girl one day to dress her with beautiful hairbands. I haven't bought any yet, but I've no doubt baby girl will have a huge collection.

I got to thinking...what am I going to do with all the clips, bows and bands? Pinterest? Pinterest can be overwhelming with fabulous ideas, so I tried to stay away from it, but I was quickly drawn back to it. It's just the easiest place to save all my favorite ideas.

I came across pins for DIY hairclip and hairband holders and wanted to attempt making one myself. I have plenty of Pinterest fails, but I was confident this one wouldn't be so hard. It wasn't!

DIY Hairclip and Hairband Holder

Supplies:

* Frame of choice (I chose a 9x12 frame from Michaels. $9.99 with a 40% off coupon!)
* Ribbon (you can have fun with this. I kept it simple with a wide pink satin)
* Glue gun or super glue (I used super glue)
* 7/8" Cup Hooks (Bought at Michaels, but cheaper at Home Depot)
* Decorative flowers, butterflies, lettering, whatever you want!
* Measuring tape or ruler
* Pencil
* Scissors
* Powerdrill with drillbit smaller than 7/8" (CJ took care of this for me, so I don't know which size he used)

Instructions:

* Remove everything from the picture frame so you're left with only the frame.
* Decide how many strands of ribbon you want. I tried to keep in mind that hairclips have attachments and bows to them, so they'll stick out the sides a bit and space the ribbon out that way. 
* Measure the ribbon so you can glue from top to bottom. Cut.
* Measure how far apart you'd like the cup hooks and mark the spots with a pencil. I suggest keeping them at least 1.5" apart. If they're too close, the frame may crack. There's a little crack on the bottom of baby girl's frame. Not a big deal, but it'd be nicer if it wasn't there.
* Glue ribbon onto the frame. Let dry completely.
* Using the powerdrill, drill holes where marked. (CJ did this part for me, so I don't have other directions to give here).
* Hand screw in the cup hooks. (CJ did this part for me, so I don't have other directions to give here).
* Decorate the frame and you're done!

Overall, this was an easy project and something that baby girl will use for a few years. I can't wait to put it up on the wall :)

Carrot Coconut Curry Soup

A few weeks ago, my fridge was running on fumes. It was looking pretty bare. After exhausting much of food in the pantry and freezer, I wasn't left with much. 

I like to challenge myself in moments like these. Think like Rachel Ray. What can you make with what you've got?

Carrot Coconut Curry Soup!

It's got a bit of kick to it and it's so comforting. Add some bread to it and you've got yourself a meal.

Carrot Coconut Curry Soup

(Recipe from thekitchn.com)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cups carrots, unpeeled and roughly chopped
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock (
One 15-ounce can coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly chopped ginger root
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot and add the onions. Sweat the onions on medium heat for about 7 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the stock and coconut milk. Add the ginger, curry powder and chili flakes. Put a lid on the pot and cook until the carrots are softened, about 10 or 15 minutes.

When carrots are soft, carefully blend the soup in batches in a blender or use an immersion hand blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh herbs, and more chili flakes, if desired.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

I am officially OBSESSED with all things pumpkin. I want to get my hands on everything!

I had an OB ultrasound this morning (baby girl at 24 weeks is healthy and beautiful!) and on the way home, I had a serious sudden craving for pumpkin pancakes. I don't crave anything in particular this pregnancy (neither did I the last one), but if I want something, I just HAVE TO HAVE IT!

I happened to have leftover pumpkin puree from making the Pumpkin Apple Spice Vanilla Shakeology a few days ago. I also remembered a 2-ingredient pancake recipe I haven't made in awhile. It didn't take me long to to decide I was going to add some pumpkin puree to the pancake recipe to make a healthy version of pumpkin pancakes.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 banana (ripe and mashed)
• dash of pumpkin pie spice (optional, but highly recommended!)

Instruction:

• In a bowl, beat 2 eggs with a fork. 
• In another bowl, mash a ripe banana with a fork. 
• Mix all ingredients until there are no banana lumps. 
• In a pan on medium high heat (not too hot, otherwise it'll burn real fast), put some coconut oil and swirl it around in the pan. 
• Pour little circles of pancake "batter" onto the pan. Keep a close eye and don't leave it on the pan too long. Once you see the edges cooked, flip over carefully. They will break if you're not careful. 
• If your banana is ripe, that'll take care of the sweetness for you. If you really want some syrup, go right ahead! 

ENJOY!

Pumpkin Apple Spice Vanilla Shakeology

FALL IS HERE!!

I'm a summer baby and love summer, but there's something about fall. I love everything about it - the fall foliage, crisp air, and pumpkin everything. I am READY to try a bunch of pumpkin recipes starting NOW!

I just tried this Shakeology recipe and it's yummo! I may have added a little too much pumpkin spice, but it's delicious and healthy nonetheless. I also needed some extra sweetness and added some extra sugar. Whatever floats your boat!