Resolution Broken

Last week I broke my 2016 resolution. I watched it happen. I felt it happen. Still I ignored it. I stuck my head in the sand and made excuse after excuse, and let myself consciously break my resolution for 2016.

I didn't write a single word. My resolution was to write, my word of the year is write, and still, I gave nothing last week.

Not on this blog. Not in a notebook. Not on a computer.

I didn't even look for a six word story to write on Twitter.

I just ignored that voice in the back of my head that said, put those roots down girlfriend.

I'll be honest. There were a few stories rolling around in this head of mine. There are a few characters begging to be let out. I'm not crazy, in case you are worried, I'm just a writer.

I spent the weekend trying to figure out why I'm having such a hard time WRITING. Writing anything, these days. In the past I have been able to spark my writing with a song or a picture. I've been able jump on Pinterest and find a quote or a picture and grab even the tiniest bit of inspiration. This week, not so much. What is holding me back these days? Where is the source of my writers block?

My writing is changing. I'm diving into more and more fiction these days, telling the stories of other people. Made up characters with made up personalities. I'm having a hard time coming to this blog with original stories about myself and motherhood, because my head has been somewhere else. Sure, I'm still experiencing motherhood in all it's imperfect glory. There are still days that knock me off my feet, but those stories aren't as exciting as the ones that are happening in my fictional worlds. I still want to maintain this blog and bring you great stories of how I'm surviving the best and worst parts of motherhood, but sometimes I feel like those stories are just revamped stories that I've told before. Sometimes I feel like my motherhood material isn't so original like it used to be.

Do I think I'm writing the next best seller? Not really, I'm just diving into this unknown world of fiction and I have to say that I like it. I really like this little world I'm building around characters I love and other characters that I don't. Whether or not it's the next great American novel, I'm not ready to share any of their parts just yet.

Am I afraid?

Damn right.

The Hubbs has said, why don't you just write the damn thing, but I always have an excuse at the ready. My neighbor told me that all my best excuses aren't really excuses for not writing, but excuses to not be afraid... Bingo. I've read so many books on writing, but what good will they do me if I'm not writing? All the books say the same thing, "Write". It really is that easy, but for my entire life I always do things the hard way. I procrastinate. I get scared and stop before I even get started. It's a disease and a sickness, and I swear I'm working on it.

Today, I'm thinking about all the writing I want to do. Even if I think it's crap, someone else may not. Today I'm thinking about that 2016 resolution that has nothing to do with getting skinny or eating better, but finally doing what I set out to do in 2011 when I started this blog... To write. To publish. To write some more.

Today I'm declaring that I failed at this 2016 resolution thing, because don't we all? I'm also declaring that I'm not going to fail at this resolution for the rest of 2016. I'm just going to keep writing, as best and as often as I can, even if it's on the back of a receipt in the check out line at the grocery store.

Because that's what writers do.

They write.

Even when they don't.

Resolutions and stuff

I did something to start this year that I rarely do... I went back and read my "resolutions" blog post that kicked off 2015. I was kind of scared. Do any of us really stick to our resolutions? Do any of us keep working out or eating well past January 31st? I broke into a small sweat as I began to read my "resolutions", worried that I hadn't accomplished anything I'd hoped in 2015.

Guess what? Maybe I hadn't stuck to all of my "guns", but I did, for the most part live out that major resolution, that "one little word" I was hoping would guide me last year. You can read about finding my heart of flesh here, but today I'm going to talk about living out my word for 2015. Last year I picked "resolve". I wanted to have resolve in 2015, like a quote I had found that basically stated, "Resolve to let got of everything that isn't making your life better". Can I get an Amen to that? I ended my post last year with this,

"So that next year I'll look back and know, I did everything I could to make it count, with resolve"

I did that you guys. To the best of my knowledge I lived every bit of my life with resolve. I left that job, that no matter what I did, wasn't making me happy. Then I left another job that I knew was a mistake. I cut out a lot of fat and fluff so that I could make working part time work for us. I chose joy and hope and happiness more than I chose to wallow. I swear my 2014 word should have been "wallow", because as sad as it sounds, that mostly what I did. I knew that I had to make some serious attitude adjustments in 2015, and I'm so thankful that I did.

When I sat down to think about what I really wanted out of 2016, I kept going back to the same goal. I wanted to write. It seems every year, since I started this blog, my year resolution has included writing. This year especially it seems like writing is what my heart is demanding. While I was living 2015 with resolve, I was also living 2015 away from the keyboard. It's funny but I have little regret about that. There were days that I could have sat in front of my laptop or PC and hammered out some words, but they would have been forced. You would have noticed. There were days where I wrote my heart out, but never hit publish. It was just stuff, just words and nothing more. The truth is that most days, I was just living, with little to no thought about what was happening or not happening on this blog. So days passed, nothing was posted, and at some point I became okay with that. I posted 82 lonely posts in 2015, less than I did in 2011 (100) when I first started this blog, and way less than 2013 (234) when I felt my blog was at it's peak.

So this year my one resolution and my "one little word" is going to be WRITE. Just write. Write it all out. Type it, color it, use a marker or a crayon. I just want to be stringing words along, enough to wrap them around myself like the most comfortable blanket. I want to type, to make music with the pitter patter of the keys. I want to scribble in margins, use highlighters to make corrections, I want fingers stained with ink. I want to write and hit publish. I want to write and never publish. I just want to write. Everyday if possible, even if it's just a lonely sentence about what I ate today.

via Pinterest

I saw this quote the other day that said we don't need resolutions. It said that resolutions imply that there is continuously something wrong with who we are. As if to imply that something is wrong with how we live day to day. I can see that. Why do we feel the compulsion to change ourselves every January? On the flip side, to resolve to do better, to live better, to love better, can never be a bad thing. How can any resolution to make yourself feel better be a bad thing? Maybe resolutions are crap, and maybe picking a word every year is a dumb thing bloggers do to motivate their readers, but I'm doing it anyway. I'm picking a word, and I resolve to do more of that word. Even when I'm tired. Even when I'm busy. Even on February 1st, 2016, when all my friends have forgotten about the gym, the Whole 30 recipes, and the no screen time rules. I'm going to keep writing, even if I never hit that orange publish button that haunts me.

Because even bad writing is still writing.

Checking in {on my resolutions}

Can I tell you a secret? I've been trying to write this post for over a month. Which is funny because my first resolution for the year was to break my bad habit of procrastination. I thought it would be fun to check in with my New Year's Resolutions. I've got to tell you reading them makes me feel like a total loser. I haven't really followed them at all. But I guess that is ok. Most resolutions are broken anyway am I right? I guess if I have to re-read these every three months or so, I just may get off my ass and actually put them into motion. I have a plan. We are a little over four months into the year and I'm going to try really hard to break bad habits, be inspired by people, and make some changes for a happier more productive year. 

Let's check in on my resolutions so far...

A bad habit I’m going to break: 

Procrastination.  And not washing my face before bed.  I know, right?

Let's say that none of this is happening. I'm still procrastinating like I'm being paid to do so. I haven't been washing my face before bed, which is terrible because I now wear more make up than ever! Also I put off writing for days. I have no idea where that feeling came from. So Procrastination is still a number one bad habit that needs to be broken. Any suggestions?

A new skill I’d like to learn:

Last year I was totally game to learn to knit.  Still haven't so I think I'll stick with knitting.  Any good tutorials out there?

Nope. Not even close. I also have yet to sew a project, use modge podge, or bake any kind of treats for either of my kids classrooms. Ask me if I even care? You're right, I do care, a lot, but with work and life... Store bought works just fine right now.

A person I hope to be more like:

Honey in faith, Diana in motivation, Jill in kindness, Becca business skills and Alissa in blogging social media skills, and Ashley for blog and word inspiration.

I still strive to be more like these women. Have you met any of them? You should go and check them out and be inspired. It's been a struggle lately because I don't have the time to really follow them on Instagram like I used to. And I know that spending your time on Instagram seems silly and pointless, but when you follow inspiring women, who make Instagram a great place for inspiration, you want to make time to follow. I'll be more conscious to follow these women and their blogs for those days that seem harder than others.

A good deed I’m going to do:

More random acts of kindness.  They really turn your whole day around.

I've been doing little things for friends at work. Sending messages and texts to friends and bloggy besties. Nothing feels better than making someone smile. Try it, it changes your whole day.

A place I’d like to visit:

Somewhere with the Hubbs.  Somewhere with the kids.  Somewhere with my bestie.  It doesn't have to be exotic or far from home, just a little get away.

The Hubbs and I have been doing date days on my days off. These have been fun. I've also had to, out of necessity, taken my girls on more adventures with me. I've never been one to take the girls out for a day of endless errands. But since I started working, it's been working for us. I'm still looking forward to Elevate in May. Some Giants baseball this July. And hopefully some beach time before the summer ends. That's not too much to ask for is it?

A book I’d like to read:

Pride and Prejudice.  I have never read it.  I know.  How can I love books and have never even cracked this one open.

O. M. G. Reading Pride and Prejudice has been so hard for me. I started it in mid January and am seriously only ninety six pages into it. I even went to Wikipedia and read the synopsis. I know totally cheating but I was afraid I wasn't understanding it at all. I haven't given up, but I've never met a book that felt like a chore! So I'm still reading, chapter by chapter, day by day and hopefully by next January, I'll have finished it.

A letter I’m going to write:

To an old friend.  To say hello when they would least expect it.

I haven't done this, but this was a great reminder that I need to. And maybe I'll try to do this once a month to different friends. It's always good to check in.

A new food I’d like to try:

Kale.  I know I'm paleo and all but I have yet to conquer my fear of kale.

Still haven't tried kale other than a sample bite. So please leave your kale recipes in the comments. I'm looking for something easy and delicious. Thanks in advance.

I’m going to do better at:

Minding my temper.  Patience.  Using my words.  Asking for help.  Taking a breath.  Being me.

I've been trying really hard to mind my temper, but work has added stress that has been unparalleled since becoming a mother. So this, like all things Absolute Mommy, is a work in progress. It's with prayer and grace that I continue to mind my temper. 

I feel like this check in with my resolutions was good for me. It's going to hold me accountable and remind me of some of the promises I made to myself. I really want this year to be a year full of positive changes. Like my new job, and hopefully a greater presence on my blog and in my home life. Resolutions don't have to die at the end of January, they can be re-established and given new life. All we have to do is check in with them some time and realize they can be broken or they can be reborn. Will you be checking in with your resolutions too?

 

Words to breathe by {2014}

There is a trend among us bloggy people, like me, to pick "one little word" at the start of a new year.  Its purpose is to guide us throughout the year.  To take root in our heart and remind us as we make our way into a new year, as we chart new territory, this word can serve as our guide.  I like this idea, in fact my word for 2013 was "zest", to really capture and taste the zest of life.  I think I did a pretty good job of living in the moment, of tasting the zest, but it wasn't the only word that guided me last year.  I couldn't even begin to list the words that guided me in the last year.
You see, I'm a logophile, a lover of words if you will.  I love words in many ways.  I love screenplays that create great movies and tv shows.  I love lyrics that make beautiful music.  I love manuscripts and blogs and letters and novellas, and prose.  How could I ever pick just one word to guide me through an entire year?  Words are my oxygen.
I did start the year with one word: Soar.  I thought about the new year that lay in front of me and I really wanted to rise to meet it.  I thought about the goals that I always have at the beginning of any year and I wanted to rise to meet those.  Even if it was hard, even if there were trials, even if there were heartaches; I wanted to rise above them and soar.  But I was still a little unsure of this word.  It hadn't taken root, so I looked on Pinterest for a little inspiration.  I found this:

Pinterest / source

 And suddenly Soar had roots.
Then I was thinking of the challenges I had in 2013.  What was my biggest source of stress? I'm pretty sure it was over scheduling.  It was spreading myself and my resources too thin. Whenever a friend would ask how I was, I would always respond:  Busy.  My kids could feel it. My husband could see it.  And it totally exhausted me.  So I felt like a guiding word for 2014 could also be, Balance. I didn't realize how fitting until I found this:

Pinterest / source

How interesting, that balance is something we create, not something to seek out and find. Could I actually hold the key to creating a balanced life?  I honestly always believed that balance was something you arrived at, something you achieved, not something I actually had the power to create.  Boom.
As I went along during the first few days of 2014, my list of words grew longer.  With thanks to Pinterest.

Pinterest / source

I really can do anything, but not everything.  And at some point in 2014 I'm going to come to a point where I'm going to have to decide that it's Enough.  That what I'm doing is enough. That what I've achieved is enough.  And that if the girls have clean underwear and grilled cheese for dinner, then I have certainly done enough on that day.  Because sometimes even the smallest victory is enough.

Pinterest / source

And while I think that Enough is plenty to be proud of, there will always be room for More.  But more of the fun stuff. The laundry will always be there, so will the dishes and the floors that have scuff marks.  The toilet will always need scrubbing, and the counters will always need wiped.  But my children will one day outgrow Saturday morning cartoons in their pjs.  They will one day think the magic of sparklers on New Years Eve, lame.  They will one day roll their eyes at the thought of going to a movie with mom.  So in 2014 I want more LOVE.  I want more FUN.  I want more last minute, heat of the moment adventures, even if it's just a walk to get popsicles.  I want more books and more music.  More everything that makes an ordinary day extraordinary.  More.

Pinterest / source

Little Miss Momma posted this quote on Charity on her Instagram a few nights ago.  I rooted immediately.  Charity is deeply rooted in love.  It's an unconditional kind of love.  When I think of charity I think of giving to those less fortunate, but that is charity in a material way.  This takes on a deeper meaning when we are think about charity in an emotional way.  Are there people in my life that deserve more charity from me?  Absolutely.  Am I going to try and be more charitable? Hell yes.  So charity was added to my list.
Have I totally lost you?  Too many words to keep count?  Soar, Balance, Enough, More, Charity.  I couldn't bring myself to pick just one.  I find that I want to surround myself with inspiration and words more and more these days.  It's not a bad place to be.
Five little words that bring new meaning, new lessons, and give strength to old goals.  Five little words to breathe by.


PS: remember that this is my first week at my new job. Be sure to come back Wednesday for a new post!

NYE 2014 {not your mama's resolutions}

Pinterest via bradanddrew Get it  here!

Two Thousand Thirteen.  You were good to me.  Even when you were bad, you were good.  I cannot believe another years has passed.  It's a total cliche thing to say, but time flies, it always wins, it can be a son of a bitch.  But not always. Time can be good, it can be a blessing.  Time means more days and more hours to spend with those you love doing what you love.  For all the days I wish time would stop, that it would freeze my kids in the moment, I'm so glad that it doesn't.  You can't grow if you are frozen.  You can't live if you are stuck.  You can't love if you can't move forward.  Two thousand fourteen will be my thirty sixth year.  It will be another year to start fresh.  Another year to plan and set goals.   Another year to live, each moment, to it's fullest.  And it will be another year where I write all about it.

Alli at simply alli, is hosting a link up today.  Here is the prompt that she has provided to get a jump start on some goals.  Perhaps you can call them resolutions.  I think I'm going to call them ideas.  I'd like to think that if I call them goals or really great ideas for 2014, I can complete each and every one.  

A bad habit I’m going to break: 

Procrastination.  And not washing my face before bed.  I know, right?

A new skill I’d like to learn:

Last year I was totally game to learn to knit.  Still haven't so I think I'll stick with knitting.  Any good tutorials out there?

A person I hope to be more like:

Honey in faith, Diana in motivation, Jill in kindness, Becca business skills and Alissa in blogging social media skills, and Ashley for blog and word inspiration.

A good deed I’m going to do:

More random acts of kindness.  They really turn your whole day around.

A place I’d like to visit:

Somewhere with the Hubbs.  Somewhere with the kids.  Somewhere with my bestie.  It doesn't have to be exotic or far from home, just a little get away.

A book I’d like to read:

Pride and Prejudice.  I have never read it.  I know.  How can I love books and have never even cracked this one open.

A letter I’m going to write:

To an old friend.  To say hello when they would least expect it.

A new food I’d like to try:

Kale.  I know I'm paleo and all but I have yet to conquer my fear of kale.

I’m going to do better at:
Minding my temper.  Patience.  Using my words.  Asking for help.  Taking a breath.  Being me.


I really liked those prompts by Alli.  They bring a different meaning to "resolution".  Last year I participated in "Seven Things".  I've decided to review them and then pick seven new things for 2014. Here is how I fared last year.

Seven things: 2013/2014

Learn:  How to knit.  Everyone is doing it, and I love scarves way too much not to try.  Nope.  Didn't do it. Learn for 2014:  same.  I still want to learn to knit
Start: Running.  Again.  I stopped and have regretted it every day.  Time to lace up my trainers. Nope.  Tried and tried, but just couldn't get back to it.  Maybe this year. Start for 2014: working out in general.  Moving.  And maybe some running too.   Stop:  putting off my freelance/book dream.  Seriously what am I waiting for.  The worst they can do is say no! Nope again.  I did send off some work for contests and submissions but they were all rejected.  Still trying to work on that book dream though. Stop for 2014: Procrastinating on this writing thing.   Well to stop procrastinating on most things.   Take a vacation to: a blogging conference, writing conference or both. Also Disneyland with the kids would also be awesome. Elevate.  It was amazing! Take a vacation for 2014: Anywhere, but mostly Vegas again!   Find: and make the perfect roasted chicken Did it for the Resolutions Challenge. But haven't made it again! Find for 2014: The perfect flats for work.   It sounds very boring but I'm going to need them. And also a fancy handbag.   Try: to put my laundry away when it's washed.  I know, but seriously these things are made to be broken. You don't even have to ask. Try for 2014: to be more patient with my oldest.  To not lose my temper and my mind so easily with her.   To show my love more than my temper.   Be (more):  Inspired.   I was very inspired in 2012, and I think it made all the difference.  I want to keep that spirit and be inspired by words, art, crafts, people, music, everything. Now this I did.  I was inspired by so much and so many people in 2013! Be for 2014: Be inspired.  Be happy.  Be in the moment.

Happy New Year dear readers and friends.   I look forward to spending 2014 with you.   Let the ball drop, let the bottles pop, and embrace 2014!

 

link up with us here!

Just for the Halibut {Resolutions In Motion}

  I can't believe that this is the last Resolutions in Motions post. Has it really been six weeks and six recipes? I guess it has, because the announcement of the link up at Megan's place was a total surprise.   This week it's fish, just for the Halibut... Get it? Jokes aside, I have always had a fear of cooking fish. It just seemed too hard. I was always worried that I'd burn it and my house would forever smell of burnt fish. I worried that I wouldn't cook it right and we'd all get food poisoning! So since this was a resolutions challenge, I thought the best way to cap six weeks of new recipes was to go out on a limb and face my biggest cooking fears. FISH.  

The before picture.  I promise there is fish under there!

    Thanks to Parents Magazine, and a recipe from their June 2010 issue, I felt that I was in a good place to try and make some fish.  In parchment pockets. Yes, parchment paper pockets. Like a big girl.   Ingredients: 4- 2.5 oz white fish fillets (like halibut) 16 stalks of asparagus trimmed 8 small carrots halved lengthwise 1/2 tsp garlic herb seasoning (like Mrs. Dash) 4 thin orange slices, halved 1 roll of parchment (approx 4 12" pieces)   Preheat your oven to 400.  Cut your parchment into 4, 12" pieces and fold those in half.  Assemble your packets with 4 stalks of asparagus, 4 carrots and 1 portion of fillet on the crease side of the parchment.  Sprinkle with olive oil and seasoning.  Top with the orange slices.  Fold the paper over your fish and veggies and then fold up the sides to make a pocket.  Make sure it's wrapped up nicely, and then arrange on a baking sheet.  Bake for approx 12 minutes.  Check for doneness, fish should flake and veggies should be tender, but not soft.  When done, remove from parchment, plate, and enjoy.  Makes 4 servings.   *** I searched for the original recipe on Parents.com and Google. This link was the closest I could come up with. The link will also take you to an ebook available for purchase. I'm not blogging for Parents Magazine or the ebook. Just to be clear.  

The after.  Yum!

    Cooking notes:  I used about 5 oz of halibut, which I halved into 2 parchment packets.  I added the veggies and orange slices accordingly.  Since the fish was a larger portion I cooked it for 20 minutes total.  It was delicious, but I think that was because I had actually made fish.  Fish that was edible!   Joining Resolutions in Motion was a great start to the new year.  I'm hoping to keep it up, and still try one new recipe a week for the new year.  I pin tons of recipes.  I'm always cutting them out of magazines, but then I get too overwhelmed to try a single one.  Then when I do, I plan to cook a new recipe every day, and when one doesn't come out right, I quit.  I get discouraged, and resign myself to the fact that I'll never be a domestic goddess.  It doesn't have to be that way.  Start small, with just a single goal, and you may end your journey with baked fish in parchement, just for the halibut.     Linking up here!

 

Almost Perfect Tacos {Resolutions In Motion}

  Yes, almost perfect tacos. Because my hubby said they would be better if I skipped a step in the process. No bother. At least Caitlin liked them too. I planned on making them again this week, but life got away from me. Oh, well, maybe next week.   I got the inspiration for these tacos on Twitter via Ashlee. She said they were on her pinterest board, so I did a little pin-stalking. I proceeded to pin them, and make them, to ho-hum reviews. The idea for this recipe is genius. It's so easy and you can have dinner on the table in just under a half an hour. Ashlee said her family loved them. Guess my family is just picky.   Almost Perfect Tacos: Originally Oven Tacos  

source / pin

Check out the recipe at it's original home and you will be amazed how easy you are going to make dinner tonight.  The hubbs felt that by baking them, they got a little soggy.  I may, or may not have filled the shells a little too much.  Hence, possible sogginess.  Also, the picture above is just the beginning.  After they are baked to cheesy, melty, goodness, you can then fill them with your favorite taco toppings, like shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and avocado.  Whatever makes you happy.  In the future, since the hubbs wasn't totally impressed, I will not bake them, but serve them right off the stove top.  If you skip the baking step, you can literally have dinner on the table in 15 minutes, provided that your taco toppings have been prepared in advanced.  Which in my house means, cutting some avocado, opening a tub of sour cream, a jar of salsa, and lettuce shreds out of a bag.  See, simple, easy, and delicious.         Linking up with my gal Kristine  

Lazy Breakfast and some Paleo Goodness {Resolutions in Motion} SundayFunday

  This post was supposed to be up this morning.  By like 2:30 am PST. Oh well. Yesterday was quite a day. Started out lazy, yielded into a sick kiddo with a fever, then into a last minute Target trip for a afternoon birthday party, and finally ended with one kid at Grandma's, one at home, and mom and dad sneaking in a movie. So yeah, no blogging happened.   Good thing for Sunday night.   Even better are Sunday mornings. When the family is together and gets to sleep in (hopefully). It's a time for everyone to eat breakfast at a normal pace. Maybe with the Sunday paper. Maybe with an extra cup of coffee or tea. Possibly even if you are mommy.   This weeks recipe is kind of a cheat. I made a breakfast dish instead of a dinner dish. I wouldn't have even thought to post it except when I posted a picture on Instagram,  it got a lot of inquiries.  So did the Paleo recipe I'm going to share. Both are totally appropriate for breakfast or brunch. Or if you're like me, a mid morning or late night snack.   Let's start with Baked Oatmeal.  

  From Pinterest of course.  You can find the original recipe here (or the pin here).  I followed the basics.  I did switch out raspberries for frozen strawberries, because it's what I had.  I'm convinced that fresh is probably better.  I say this, but I myself didn't try it because I can't have oatmeal (wink).  I also didn't use the entire amount of chocolate chips that the recipe called for because we were almost out of chocolate chips ( I know!).  I did, as the original recipe stated use GLUTEN FREE oatmeal, and no one noticed.  Except for my mother in law who said it looked like raw hamburger and made a face.  I can't really address that entire situation here, because there are not enough hours in a day.  Let's just say, I will never please her tastes.  On the upside, my cousin Kim, her boyfriend, and my hubby all agreed that it was delish!  The kids thought it was weird, but I made them try it anyway.  When chilled and cut into bars, I'm sure they would have like it better... Also according to Anthony (my cousin's boyfriend), the bananas are what made it heavenly.  I'll just say it must have been the extra brown sugar sprinkled over the top before baking!   Now on to Paleo German Pancakes Yes, Paleo.   If you have been reading this blog for the last year, then you may know that I'm 100% grain free.  It hasn't been as hard as I thought, and since I'm doing it for health reasons, I stick to it pretty consistently.  But every once in a while I want something cake or cookie like.  Pinterest has been a great resource for paleo and paleo food blogs.  I've found tons of recipes, including a chocolate cake that I'm thinking has to happen next month for my birthday.  But back to the pancakes!  

   Find the original recipe here (or the pin here).  I'm not going to lie to you.  These are "involved".  Not hard or impossible, just involved.  I did everything according to the recipe with the exception of the coconut oil.  In place of the coconut oil I used Earth Balance Coconut Spread.  I've also used it in paleo cookies too, it's great.  I cooked these in jumbo muffin pans, and those I greased with real coconut oil.  They were delish.  And the hold up well for a couple of days.  When they were cooled I wrapped them in wax paper and put them in a zip lock bag in my fridge.  The apples get a little soggy, but to me, who hasn't eaten a "muffin" over a year... Heaven sent!  Side note:  Earth Balance did not sponsor this post.  I'm just sharing info.  Side note two: mine pancakes look nothing like the pinned pancakes.    Now I'm on to my next Resolution in Motion recipe, Baked Tacos.  Sounds interesting right?   Meet me back here next Sunday. Or quite possibly Monday morning if Sunday's a little lazy.     Linking up with Kristine! It's her Bday!  Stop by and Link up!     Part of the Resolutions In Motion Series

Spaghetti Squash? Let's! {Resolutions In Motion}

  Spaghetti Squash. Yes, Let's. I know what you are thinking. That sounds scary. It sounds like diet food. Who would eat that?   I thought the same thing.  

    But I had pinned like a million and one (ok four) pins about spaghetti squash. It's supposed to be delicious. It's supposed to be perfect food for eating right. It's the perfect foundation for all the pasta sauce you may have had to give up in an effort to reduce your carbs. Whatever the case may be it looked... Interesting.   It also looked scary. Because you have to cut and roast a squash. I can barely carve a Jack-o-Lantern people.   I promise you this was easy. It was a little time consuming, more on that later. In the end, it got a thumbs up from my momma. More importantly, I loved it.   Sadly the hubbs and the girls wouldn't touch it. Oh well, resolutions aren't for everyone!   Let's start with the basics.   To cut your squash visit this video here. It will tell you how to cut the squash without cutting off your hand. Good advice for kitchen novices like me.   To roast your squash visit this pin. 

visit the site for more info HERE.
 


For the Inspiration for my recipe check out this pin.

Visit the site for details HERE.

  Now for how this went down in real life.  

Mine.  I made that!

  I did pretty good when I planned this out.  I knew that I wouldn't be using the sun dried tomatoes the recipe called for because... Well I just don't buy things like that.  I also knew that I would have to prepare this recipe in steps.  Roast the squash first, then make the actual dish.  In the future I'll roast the squash the day before, because one you put it all together, it only takes about 20-30 minutes to heat through.  Using the recipe I pinned as inspiration I warmed 2 cans of petite diced tomatoes in a pan on top of the stove.  I then added a bag or steamed broccoli (yup, the ones that steam in bag from the frozen section).  Then to that I added about 2 cups of diced chicken that had been baked before.  When that was starting to bubble, I added the shreds of a medium sized spaghetti squash.  Then over that I sprinkled a half a package of dried Italian dressing.  You could use any, I use this one that I buy at Whole Foods.  Then I let that heat through and simmer for about 20 minutes.  I'm not going to lie.  I was so surprised that this was appetizing that I almost cried.  I have a history of making things I think are going to taste good and then they end up in the trash.   So that's it. If I can Spaghetti Squash, so can you!   Any other Paleo or Grain Free peeps out there? Leave me your go to recipe in the comments!!     Linking up with Kristine for Sunday Funday! Join Us!!