Confessions of A Self-Admitted Foodie

Alright, first a disclaimer:

This is not a food blog, but I am a self-admitted foodie. The kind that takes pictures of their food at restaurants before they eat it. The kind that scours pinterest for new recipes. The kind that has more than one cook book on their kindle. The kind that makes food-related posts on non-food blogs. That’s me.

I am also living truly on my own now for practically the first time in my 24 years. On top of that… I work a high-stress yet low-paying job (Chasing dreams out here ya’ll). Cooking is not only cost-saving, satisfying and satiating for me… it’s relieving. I relish a delicious, well-prepared meal. And no, I am surprisingly *not morbidly obese. Although, I would say I have a healthy obsession with good food. (I’m clearly still in the “denial” phase of dealing with an addiction).

So, with that said, I holding my head high, puffing out my chest, and providing all of our beloved thREADERS with my first, self-made recipe. Yes, I came up with this all by myself. I have no idea what to call it, but rest assured… it is highly delectable.

Easy Chickeney, Noodley, Spinachey, Saucey Goodness

This is an easy, quick meal that tastes great. No idea if it’s healthy, but you can whip it up in no time! Here’s what you need:

• Fresh, baby spinach leaves

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast

• Noodles (flat noodles, udon noodles, angel hair… whatever you like!)

• KC Masterpiece honey teriyaki marinade

• Pineapple juice

That’s right… just FIVE ingredients! The best part is, you get to throw most of them in a crock pot and then forget about them until your belly begins to rumble! For those of you unfamiliar with the marinade, you can find it at any grocery store on the condiment isle near the bbq sauce. Here’s what it looks like:

Now you may have noticed that I didn’t tell you how much of each thing you need on the recipe list. Well, I’m just not a measurement kind of girl. If you like lots of spinach, throw lots of it in there! If you like plenty of noodles, use a bunch! If you want it to taste more sweet and tangy, put more pineapple juice! You get the idea. Do whatever your own little taste buds lead you to do! Now for some directions:

• Throw the chicken breasts, pineapple juice, and teriyaki marinade in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours. I put just enough of the wet ingredients in there so that all of the chicken is submerged.
• Kick back and relax (or in my case… go to work), and let the slow cooker do the REAL work!
• When you’re about ready to eat, boil your water for the noodles and throw them on the stove.
• Take the chicken out of the slow cooker, and shred with a fork.
• Put olive oil and the baby spinach leaves in a medium-sized frying pan and saute it over medium heat.
• Throw the cooked noodles and shredded chicken in the same frying pan, and add some of the marinade. Use more if you like your noodles more saucy, use less if you want them more sticky. I used about two cap fulls.
• Stir fry all of your ingredients over high heat for about five minutes until you hear the noodles start crackling and popping. Taste them to decide when they’re ready to eat! Then, put it all in a bowl and enjoy! Bon Appetit! 

Once the chicken is done, this takes about 10 minutes to make.

PS: For those of you who happen to be wine-o’s like me… (I know what you’re thinking. A foodie and a wine-o. Dangerous combination.) This dish goes great with a California white. I suggest Ménage à Trois. According to their website, “Three different grapes add up beautifully in our Ménage à Trois White. The Chardonnay is rich and firm. The Muscat is wild and exotic. The Chenin is soft and supportive. Together they make the perfect threesome.” Did I mention that it’s cheap? About 10-11 dollars depending on where you go. You can find it at almost any liquor store, or even HEB! Here’s what the bottle looks like:

This is literally the easiest and most delicious thing I’ve ever come up with in the kitchen! I hope you try it, and I hope you like it even more. Remember, you heard it here first!

 

Voila! The Vision Board is Finished

As promised, here’s my VB. I am personally in love with the entire concept as well as my final product. You may not understand all of the images Iselected, but each and every picture means something to me and the vision I have for the future! And if you still haven’t sat down to make yours… what are you waiting for?

Mags used: Travel+Leisure, Cosmo, Essence, Ophrah, Martha Steward Living (Don't judge)

-You Heard It Here First

 

Getting The Guts To Go Bald

 

Put on Those Barely-There Panties Girl!

This post is for the ladies:

We all know what a chore it is to keep the downtown area… managed. I’ve always been one to try hair removal creams, razors, or heck, let it be. But recently, my MOTHER of all people has been trying to convince me to put my big girl panties on (or rather, shed those little girl undies) and get a wax. A full Brazilian wax.

 

Confessions of A (negative) Thinker

Confession: I have a very ugly thought life. I take good things and make them bad, all in my head. I want the greatest things for myself and my life in my heart. But, what if it doesn’t pan out? Disappointment, rejection, let-down, and regret are some of the toughest emotions I’ve had to deal with in the short 20-something years of my life.

I’m a person that is fortunate, though, in that I know myself very well. I know what I want out of life in my heart, but I don’t allow myself to think about it in my head. Why? Precisely because I do not want to deal with all those feelings and emotions I mentioned earlier. But I got to thinking (as I often do)…

Could I be thwarting good things from happening to me because I refuse to think about what I REALLY want for fear of a let down? Seems like a cowardly way to live.

But that brought me to an even bigger question…

Can our Thoughts create our Reality? If so, I’m screwed. Hope is something I don’t do. So I thought on it and thought on it, and here’s what I came up with. Three things to consider, and then something to try:

 

Don’t Be Single… And Not Be Single

Everyone’s single these days, but no one’s really single.

Talking. Dating. Kicking it. Hanging out. Friends. Friendlies.

What the F word does that all mean, and when did relations between men and women get so confusing?!

Why are women obsessed with defining or putting a name on the relations between themselves and men?

Confession: I’m as clueless about all of this as you probably are.

So you meet someone, a new friend we’ll say.  Ya’ll hit it off, at least you think so anyway. The texting turns into late night phone calls, you get those butterflies every time you see that person’s name pop up on your phone screen, and you start thinking to yourself: this is pretty cool. You go on a few dates.. hold up… are yall dating?!  That special friend starts making late night visits, and ya’ll even have spend the night parties. Wait… are ya’ll talking? Is this a relationship? Quit stressin and guessin and have a DTR.

You're gonna have to make it plain, ladies. But, sit him down until things are DETERMINED!

What’s that, you ask? DTR = Determine The Relationship. And let me be real, ladies, you’re probably going to have to be the one to initiate the conversation. We all know that men will do what you let them get away with. Play some of the cards in your hand. Bring it up if it’s pressing on your mind so that you can have PEACE of mind! But, let me warm you, the DTR may not always turn out like you want it to. Say he isn’t interested in anything more than what ya’ll already have? Say he actually want’s more than you do? Well, now you have some decisions to make. Point is, the ball is in your court. The DTR can do nothing but empower you and bring resolution to your life.

Remember girls, play the cards in your hand. USE THE DTR.

-You heard it here first