Sweet Love and Ginger

Jessica

This Year’s One Little Word

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This year I am doing something a little different in reference to my goals and plans this year. I have heard of this concept before and never really felt like it was something that could work for me until now. I am choosing one word to focus on for the year.
This is a big year for me, a huge year, I’m getting married, I’m starting the year off in a new position at work, discussions of house buying are finally becoming real, our next European vacation is in the works. On top of all that I put a lot of work into myself in the last year and I finally feel like I have a line to follow, I finally feel comfortable and have an idea of who I want to be (I won’t say that I know because as life moves forward our dreams and goals change).
2014 was what I call a middle year. Nothing to exceptional happened but nothing too terrible happened either. I think that I was able to grow a lot and learn a lot, which is always a great thing. And honestly I feel like we (Chuck, Brody and I) needed this year. We were able to save so much for
the wedding, the house, and the truck that Chuck just got. We took the time to work on ourselves, Chuck spent a lot of time in the woods, while I worked on the numerous artistic projects that I love. We both made huge strides with our careers. I’m happy with how this year came about, but am looking very forward to next year.
This year I want to build.
 
We are building a family here; a life and a lifestyle. After spending a year figuring out what we want, now it’s time to get there. To do that we need to build ourselves, our savings, our home, our marriage, our life. This year we are going to do this together.
I feels kind of big. Not big in a daunting, kind of scary way but big in an exciting, wonderful, hopeful way.
There are a few things from the last year that I want to carry into this year. I want to continue to build relationships with friends that are far away. I want to keep building our savings (this house that I want so bad, is so close!). I want to build on everything I learned about myself in the last year. I fell flat on my face with anything that has to do with fitness last year so this year it will be a big focus for me to build my fitness (that dress man, I have to get in shape).
This year I want to build my knowledge base. I have a lot of experiments in the works, especially in the garden, and kitchen. Both Chuck and I want to learn how to do a few more things around the house. Obviously with the wedding in the works we are going to build our family.

This is another year focused on ourselves and I’m excited for it. It’s going to take a lot of work, probably some heartache, and definitely some  frustration, but I’m ready for it. I think we are ready for it.

10 of the Best Clean & Healthy Meals from 2014

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This is my third year recapping my best clean & healthy recipes from the previous year (2012 & 2013). While I don’t talk about it often I have a real passion for real food and I love that I get to show that here on the blog with all of my recipes.

The recipes listed here were chosen based solely on the number of views. However I am always looking for more inspiration so if there are any clean recipes that you want to share or anything that you want to see “cleaned up” please leave me a comment and I will see what I can do about providing that for you.

Parchment Tilapia

Swai with Brussels Sprouts & Potatoes in Sweet Mustard Sauce

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I’ve mentioned before that this is the time of year when we
are all surrounded by incredibly rich and heavy food. In an attempt to eat a
little better on the weeknights during this busy season I have been
experimenting with a number of different dishes that can be cooked easily and
quickly.
This particular recipe was a huge hit in our household,
which is quite impressive since Chuck is not really that in love with fish. He even went for seconds!
What I liked most about this recipe was the amazing sauce
that brought all of the different base flavors together. It was perfectly sweet
with a slight hint of smokiness from the paprika.

I want to mention quickly that it is possible to cook the
potatoes in the same pan as the Brussels sprouts and fish. They simply have to
start cooking 15-20 minutes before you add the fish and sprouts. The benefit of
doing it this way is that it is the entire meal can be prepared in a single
sheet tray, saving you a bit of clean up.

Swai with Brussels Sprouts & Potatoes in Sweet Mustard Sauce (Serves 2)
1lb yukon gold potatoes, cleaned and chopped into bite size pieces
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup grainy Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb Swai fish fillets
1 lb Brussles sprouts




Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread the potatoes out on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, tossing again half way through. Meanwhile mix together the mustard, honey, smoked paprika, and oil in a small bowl until well combined.  Dredge the fish in the mustard sauce and place on a greased rimmed baking sheet. Clean and dry the Brussles sprouts then cut the large ones in half so that they are all bite size.Toss the Brussels sprouts in the remaining mustard sauce and spread them out on the baking sheet with the fish. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. The fish should flake easily with a fork when done. Serve fish, potatoes, and sprouts together.

PS Since the holidays are fast approaching I will be taking a few days off from posting to enjoy them. I’ll be back sometime after the 25th of course, but in the mean time I wish you all the best!

Roast Veggie Bowl with Lemon Pesto Dressing

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It’s that time of year when we are constantly surrounded by
overly rich and heavy food. It’s great; I mean who doesn’t get excited for thick
and creamy soups, gravy, cookies, and pies? But these are the day’s I find
myself feeling the most weighed down. My body feels lethargic and slow, I’m
easily bloated and grumpy. Really they only thing I have to blame is all of the
rich carb loaded food that I’m likely to eat.

This year I am attempting to avoid that. Not only am I going
to try really hard to follow my own
advice, but I’m incorporating more light, veggie loaded healthy meals into our
weekly diet. Meals like this, this or this.
I was scanning through my fridge to see what I had to make
up lunch one day a few weekends ago when I remembered the early summer wonder bowl I had made what seemed like years ago (in fact it was only months). I thought it would be a good idea to
make myself a winter version with roasted, and sautéed vegetables. I couldn’t
have been happier with the result especially with this simple and bright
dressing, because pesto.

I used the vegetables that I had on hand, leftovers from
friends and family member’s gardens, but you can use whatever you have on hand,
even leftovers warmed up from the night before. Just be sure to cut the hardier
vegetables up small enough to roast evenly with the less hardy vegetables.


Roasted Winter Veggie Bowl (Serves 2-4)
2-3 purple potatoes, cleaned, and chopped into 3/4″ cubes
1/2 a small butternut squash peeled and chopped into 3/4″ cubes
1 medium red onion, peeled and quartered
2-3 tbsp olive oil, separated
Salt & Pepper to taste
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
1 bunch of broccoli rabe, chopped


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes, squash and onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle with about half of the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables in the oven for about 40-45 minutes or until the vegetables are all tender. Meanwhile drizzle the rest of the oil in a large pan and add in the garlic and broccoli rabe. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until it is tender, and vibrant green. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve warm.


Lemon Pesto Dressing (Serves 5-6)
1/2 cup prepared pesto 
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt


Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until well blended. Serve immediately, or stored in an air tight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.

How I Spend my Me Time

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Recently Jenn of Hello Brio wrote a post called How I Spend My Me Time. There after it was picked up my a few other bloggers, and I thought it was a pretty solid idea. I have had a lot of me time lately since you know it’s hunting season, also known as leave your significant other for a stinky cabin in the woods season. Anywho, we are here to talk about me not him so let’s get down to business.
All the questions below were provided by Jenn, and my answers are listed below.
What do you watch or read during me-time?
It changes based on what I have/have not finished on Netflix. Right now I’m watching the Tudors. I also have been known to watch Bones, and random food/farming documentaries. I also have a deep love for magazines, I get quite a few each month so I spend some time flipping through those and my past collections for inspiration.
What do you wear during me-time?
Sweatpants, a t-shirt and slippers.
What are your me-time beauty products?
Ha! Me time is not about beautifying for me. If anything I like apricot scrub, and a good honey face mask. I love the way my skin feels after I put this face mask on. Instructions are below.Avocado & Honey Face Mask
1/2 an avocado, mashed
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Spread the mixture over face and neck and let set for 15-20 minutes then rinse off.  

Current favorite nail polish?
Eek I don’t paint my toe nails myself. I usually just wait until some event happens and get them done then leave that nail polish on until it chips off itself or the next big event. I also use pedicures for personal rewards, like lasting through a 2 week cleanse or finally putting up a certain weight at the gym.

 

What do you eat/drink during me-time?
Tea! I think this is a given with me. Right now monks blend is my absolute favorite. I find eating during my me time kind of a pain so I usually make my own ramen or go to the standard blue box mac and cheese. Also sushi, there’s a place I can get take out right down the road and it’s awesome.
Current favorite candle?
Right now because it’s the Christmas season I have a vanilla chai candle and a pine candle that I have been alternating.
Do you ever have outdoor me-time?
Yes! Brody loves his weekend long walks. I always consider outdoor runs me time, and in the summer sometimes I go kayaking or read in the back yard. I also consider gardening more me time than a chore because it helps me relax.
Would you ever go see a movie alone?
Probably not. I’m not really a fan of seeing movies in the theater, I much rather prefer the cheaper rental on my own TV with whatever food I want in whatever clothes I want. Besides theaters are always cold, and not everyone appreciates it when I take my shoes off, but let’s face it I’m going to do it anyway.
Favorite online shop?
I don’t shop online much, but right now it’s Modcloth, because it’s where I got my wedding dress, and I’m pretty in love with that.
Anything to add? What else do you do during me-time?

I usually spend my “me time” in the tub, or crafting. I’m a blend of introvert and extrovert so I need a lot of alone time in order to function like a normal human being. Even Chuck knows this, and has in the past pushed me into the bathroom with a glass of wine and a stack of magazines for a bath before I took his head off.

I also want to add that the little guy above is usually hanging around during my me time, and by hanging around I really mean asleep on me in some way shape or form.