Recipes and Challenges

I decided it might be easier to put the recipes here since I did get enough likes on my page, Teaching Myself and Others to be Healthier . I will share the original recipe and then the tweaks that I have made to satisfy my taste buds.

Sante Fe Chicken (adapted from Skinnytaste) 

Ingredients: 

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste

Directions: 

Combine chicken broth, beans (drained), corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Seasonchicken breast with salt and lay on top.  

Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, removechicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste. Serve over rice or tortillas and your favorite toppings.

For me, I use a jar of salsa instead of the tomatoes with chilies

Turkey Meatballs

1 lb. ground turkey breast
3/4 c. feta cheese (I used parmesan)
1/2 c. whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 egg
3 cloves or garlic (I use garlic powder) 

I put them in the crock pot with our homemade sauce on low to cook. 

I've spent the last 8 weeks cheating on Shaun T, and it is time for us to get back together. I will be starting a 4 week challenge group starting September 8th. Contact me at jenniferveigel@gmail.com if you would be interested in joining me and 2 other ladies. IF you are a t25 fan, I promise that you will not be disappointed.

My FREE challenge group for September is entitled "Stepping into September". It will focus on tips and accountability for those who are runners/walkers or interested in becoming a runner or walker. I will provide tips that I have used over the years to improve my running. If you are interested in joining, please feel out this form and look for an email in a few days. 

Today I am sitting in the waiting room waiting with my mom while my dad has surgery. He is having his right hip replaced. This will be his 5th surgery to try and put his body back together from all the abuse that it suffered from years working on the railroad and playing football. This made me stop and reflect on my own body. When I first started my journey, I thought taking care of my body only included eating healthier and exercising. Today made me realize that there is another piece of the puzzle. I started being an athlete at the age of 8 and never took time to take care of my body. There were numerous times that I should have iced my shoulder after pitching, but I didn't. I've done hundreds of runs and workouts without stretching before and after. What am I doing to my body? I don't want to be in constant pain as I get older because I was young and dumb, so I am determined to make a change. I WILL start stretching before and after workouts and I runs. I WILL NOT keep skipping the cool down part of the workout videos that I do. I am only given one body, and I need to make sure that I am doing everything in my power to take care of it. Remember that there are several pieces of the puzzle to take care of your body! If you leave on out, your puzzle will not be complete. What are you willing to change to ensure that you will be able to run and play with your grandchildren? What are you willing to change to not be another health statistic? What are you willing to change to be the one that breaks the cycle of bad health in your family? All it takes is the courage to get started and the strength to keep going. YOU can do all of these things if you want it bad enough. Is it going to be easy, NO? Is it going to be worth it, YES!! I am here to help in any way that I can; I know how important it is to have someone in your corner cheering you on!

Back to school eve

You would think after 14 years of teaching I would be able to sleep the night before school starts. But for some reason I cannot. I start thinking about all of the students that will come through my door and spend the next 100 plus days with me for 90 minutes. The first day is the most important because it sets the tone for the school year. I have to set the rules and expectations for the year and start establishing relationships with over 100 students. Building relationships is so important to me because if the students do not trust and believe you are genuine you are not going to teach them anything. Are all of the students going to like me? Probably not, and that is ok! I'm not there to be their friend; I am there to be their teacher and help them find a love of reading. Looking forward to meeting each and every smiling or frowning face tomorrow and the upcoming school year. I can only hope that I make a positive difference in each of their lives and help them become better individuals.

Prep Day

Most of the summer, I prepped in the morning since I had the extra time. With school starting back up on Monday, it means that I have to start food prepping for the entire week. I am starting another round of the 21 Day Fix so that means prepping and measuring. Since I want to spend our last day of summer together, I decided to do by prep today instead of Sunday. My prep for the day included: grilling chicken, making brown rice, cutting up strawberries and veggies, and making quinoa patties. After all of the cooking and cutting, it was time to measure and put in baggies, so I just have to pull out baggies for my lunch each day. Tomorrow night I will make steel cut oats in the crockpot for my breakfast. This was the first time that I made quinoa patties, and I have to say they were pretty delicious. My mom and daughter even approved! ;) I found the recipe on Skinnytaste and shared it below.

Quinoa and Spinach Patties
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 7 • Serving Size: 2 patties • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 236.2 • Fat: 7.4 g • Protein: 11.4 g • Carb: 30.5 g • Fiber: 3.2 g • Sugar: 1.9 g
Sodium: 429.5 • Cholesterol: 110.0 mg

Adapted from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 3 large scallions, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup steamed spinach, chopped (frozen is fine)
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs (for GF, be sure to use GF breadcrumbs)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly and place the grains in a medium sauce pan with 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed the liquid, about 20 minutes. Let it cool.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, eggs, Parmesan, scallions, garlic, salt, steamed spinach, and breadcrumbs. Let everything sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid. The batter should be moist, but not runny. Form patties 1/4 cup each.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. In 2 or 3 batches, cook the patties covered for 8-10 minutes on each side, or until browned and golden.

Makes 14 patties.

Patties in the making

Taken too soon

 

 3 years ago, my aunt was taken from us way too soon. She found out on June 24th that she had cancer after going in pains in her side that resulted in surgery to remove a mass.  After her surgery, she stayed with us, so we could help take care of her. During the time she stayed with us, she always had a smile on her face even though she was in constant pain. She was determined to fight with all of her might. Unfortunately, we had no idea that the cancer was spreading like wildfire throughout her body.
      When she was taken to the ER for breathing issues, we began to realize that things were worse than we ever imagined. I can remember her looking up at my mom and I asking if she was going to die that day. How do you respond to that? What do you say to her to try and ease her pain? We each grabbed a hand and told her to keep fighting. She just smiled back at us and told us that she would.
     The next few days were a blur. Someone from an oncologist office finally came to meet with her and assess her situation. At first, the news seemed positive. We found out what type of cancer she had and treatment options were discussed. Before they could proceed with developing a plan, a CT scan needed to be done. After the CT scan, we found out that the cancer was everyone and there was nothing that could be done besides make her comfortable. I remember breaking down and telling her that it wasn't fair. She was only 48 years old, and her 2 kids needed her. My heart started breaking into a million pieces for her, for my grandma, for her children, for mom, and my family.
      I remember my sister saying goodbye before she flew back home. It will be a memory that I will never forget. I am just thankful that my sister got to say goodbye in person. My brother and his family were able to make it in from Texas to day goodbye. I knew after she was able to say goodbye to everyone that we would lose her. She had made peace with her future and was ready to be reunited with my grandpa. She told my mom that she saw grandpa, and he was waiting for her in a city of gold.
     We got the call early in the morning August 12th, 2011, saying that she had passed. We went to the hospital to say our final goodbyes to her earthly body. It was one of the hardest things that I have ever done in my life. Why was she taken so soon? How was her daughter and son going to go on with out her? How was my family going to be able to move forward?
       I promised myself that her death would not be in vain; I was going to do something to honor her and the smile she wore on her face each and every day. Since her death, I have tried to live my life differently. I decided to live more in the moment and enjoy the little things in life. Family became a priority, and I try to enjoy every moment with them that I can. My health became a focus because I wanted to try and make sure that I am around for my daughter as she grows older. I try to forgive a little bit easier and smile a little bit more. This is the way that she lived her life.
      There isn't a day that goes by that I do not think of her and wish she was still here. She was Jadynn's biggest fan, and I know that she would be so impressed with the young lady that she has become. I am thankful that we have her as a guardian angel watching over us each and every day.
        Take time to stop and smell the roses and enjoy the little things in life. Take time today to hug the ones you love and let them know that you love them. Take time today to forgive those that need forgiveness. Take time today to remember those loved ones that have gone before you and honor their memory in some way. Take time today to do something for your health.


   
   

August, why did you come so soon?

   

  Dear August,
           Why did you show up so soon? Do you know what seeing you means? It means my baby girl is a step closer to being an adult, summer is almost over, another school year is starting, and I have to find a way to balance everything again.
    I really wish I could slow down time because Jadynn is going to be starting her sophomore year of high school. She was just starting Kindergarten yesterday! Right?! Since I cannot slow time down, I've decided to embrace the journey. Last year was an amazing ride. She conquered her freshman year and started finding her niche. I watched her play volleyball games, compete in speech tournaments, direct the middle school play, dress up for her first homecomings, walk across the stage in a teen pageant, graduate from modeling classes, participate in her first photo shoot, create a duct tape ensemble and share with thousands of people, and grow into an independent, confident young lady. She truly makes my job as a parent easy! I can only imagine what this year will bring!!! 
      With summer coming to an end, it means no more sitting by the pool basking in the sun, no more staying up late and sleeping in, no more going with the flow of things and seeing what the day brings, and no more workouts in the middle of the day. It also means that it is time to sit down and see how I did with my summer goals. I had a couple of goals for the summer: become a summer runner, maintain or lose weight ( I usually gain), start a blog, be consistent with Beachbody, read for pleasure and personal development, and enjoy time with Jadynn. At first glance, I think that I crushed all of these goals. Thankfully the temperatures weren't smoking hot, and I was able to keep up with my running. I even set a PR in a 5 mile race by taking 8 minutes off my previous time. Thanks to t25 Gamma, PiYo and running I am 3 pounds lighter than I was at the end of May. I won't bore you with the details of my other goals except to say that I am proud of myself. In the past, I didn't set a lot of goals because not meeting them meant failure, and I HATE failing. While hearing Darren Hardy speak this summer at Summit, I learned that failure helps you become successful. This is something that I have started to embrace. 
       This will be my fifteenth year in education, and I truly love my job. Summer gives me time to rejuvenate and collect new ideas for the upcoming year. When August rolls around, I start feeling mixed emotions. I look forward to heading back to work, but at the same time, I will miss my days of reading in the sun and watching Netflix for hours with Jadynn. The little things!With the start of each year, I look forward to getting to know the new 8th graders and sharing my love of reading with them. There is nothing better than hearing that students like a book that I put in their hands. That makes my job worthwhile. It isn't about the test score he/she gets at the end of the year (even though the state says it is); it's about building a relationship with each student and teaching him/her something that will last a lifetime. That's why I am a teacher! 
        With going back to work, it means that it is time to get back on a schedule. I like my haphazard schedule of summer. There are no bed times, no early wake up times, and no specific time frame to get my workout(s) in. Soon the alarm will be set for 6:10 which means I will have to go to bed by 11:00. I will only have a small window of time to get in my training runs and PiYo workouts. The best thing about being on this schedule is keeping my eating in check. I do so much better when I am working, guess that's a positive. 

        I am going to have to accept the fact that it is August, and my last days of summer are fleeting by in the blink of an eye. Soon I will be waking up early, watching Jadynn play volleyball, grading papers, making lesson plans, and setting new goals for the Fall. Until then, I will enjoy the last rays of sunshine, a few more late nights, and finishing the last few episodes of Revenge on Netflix. Here's to embracing that fact that it is August and making the most of it. Are you with me?

I did it!

Starting a blog was on my bucket list for the summer. Since the days of summer are passing by at Mach 10 speed, I figured that it was time to bite the bullet. This morning I watched a video about creating a blog through Google, and now I am typing my first post and figuring out the logistics. I could be wasting my time because others might not find what I have to say worthy of being read. That's ok! I am doing this for me- to record my journey and thoughts and share just in case it will help someone else. I don't have all of the answers for being a mom, running, teaching, eating clean or coaching, but I am doing the best I can and trying to learn along the way. This isn't a long post because I want to spend time on my other pages as well. Here's to sharing and hoping that I inspire someone along the way!