Andouille Sausage with Peppers

Hi friend, I wanted to share a recent find I came across at Walmart.  It's Smoked Andouille sausage with  Spanish paprika, black pepper and garlic.   This sausage is made with lean chicken and is 140 calories per sausage.  I usually start my Sundays with food prep for the week and this was perfect for my lunches.  I sliced peppers, onions and browned them in a little coconut oil, then when the peppers and onions were soft, I added the sliced sausage and cooked a little while longer.

This dish would be perfect topped on a bed of scrambled eggs or paired with quinoa or brown rice.

The next time I make this dish, I will plan my sides a little better.  Yesterday, I ended up eating my entire batch during lunch and dinner.  I easily consumed 600 calories.  At least I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and dinner and ate it in two meals. Instead of face planting in one sitting.  Eating smaller portions is tough when you're a volume eater lol.

Nopales (cactus) and Eggs

Another "go to" dish is Nopales.  Have you heard of them?  If not, it's diced cactus and you can buy it already prepared in your Hispanic food section of your grocery store.  You just need to rinse it carefully before eating and it's best to pair it with something else because it has a tart flavor. I often buy this fresh and cook it myself by boiling garlic, onions, seranno peppers and cilantro along with the fresh cactus.  You boil it for about 10 minutes but you must rinse it carefully because it becomes slimmey.   It's not for everyone and I grew up eating  this dish in various forms.  I love mixing it with pico de gallo and placing it on a tostada with avocado.  Try it.  Don't be scared.

This time, I opened the jar, rinsed the cactus and then drained the excess water.  I took a pan and diced up onions, and garlic until tender, then added the cactus and cooked for about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Then I added my eggs and topped with hot sauce. I was out of fresh tomatoes, so next time I'll add that to the dish.  Here I ate it alone on a plate, but I often make a burrito using Brown Rice tortillas. Of course you must have hot sauce.  Just sayin....


I'm looking forward to experimenting more in the kitchen. I'm currently obsessed with Guy's Grocery Games.  I just love to see what the contestants do with odd items from the grocery store.  Pickled Pigs feet anyone?  No thank you.

Anyways, I hope your day is going well.  I'll catch you all later.

Best,
Paula

Happy Monday all. I hope you had a nice weekend.  Mine was low-key.  I really enjoyed the rain we had on Friday night.  My lawn certainly enjoyed it as well.

I’ve been laying low on the activity side as well. No workouts or running for the last 4 weeks. I’ve seen my regular doctor, an ortho and a physical therapist regarding my knee issue. Not sure if I ever explained but as a child, I had knee surgery that had me in a cast for a year.  It’s never really given me major issues but it would flare up time-from-time.  Apparently, I taxed my knee with all my running.  The Physical therapist said I had very little  muscle strength in my thigh due to my surgery and that I shouldn’t run at least for now.  It’s hard news to hear.  The PT has given me some leg exercises to do for the next few months and I will do them religiously… I also plan to go back to Kaia Fit and work out. I really miss it but I’m not going to lie… I’ve rather enjoyed sleeping in and not doing anything.  But I know that’s not good for me physically and certainly not emotionally.  No activity equals depression. At least for me… so today I’ll be heading back.

For now, I’m concentrating on eating less. EATING LESS. Very hard to do, RIGHT? I feel like I’m always hungry, even after a meal.  If I can just get my body USED TO WANTING less food, but obviously, it's a process. In the meantime… I keep telling self “food is just fuel. Not everything has to be a party in my mouth.”  Even though I love parties. lol. If you have any suggestions on how to eat less, I’d love to hear it. I know it’s a silly statement and there’s no one answer, but whatever you can lend to the conversation I would love to hear it.  For now, I'll food journal either on my fitness pal or even taking photos of what I eat... just to get perspective. Anyways, I hope you're doing well. 

TTFN,

Paula

working through the discouragement

Dear friends,

What a weekend.  Sunday was the Urban Cow Half marathon that I've been training for... it was a bitter sweet day.  The Sunday before I felt knee pain from an old knee injury that happened when I was a child.  I saw a doctor and was doing everything I could to heal.  It didn't happen.  Instead my daughter ran in my place. She and my friend did the Relay, each running 6.55 miles.

Here we are taking a pre-run picture. I'm trying to have a brave smile as I see all my awesome Kaia girls excited for their races.  Like our matching shirts?  While I was sad, I was also happy for my daughter and the others.

While my Kaia girls were racing, I joined our cheer squad at mile 1 and 11.

I absolutely love this sign!  And so did the runners who passed us by.

We rang our cow bells and cheered the runners as they came through.  I was so happy to see my daughter at mile 11.

She killed it and finished the second leg of the race in 1.23 minutes. My friend finished the 1st leg in 1.40 minutes.  I was proud of them.

Marathon runners had 4 hours to complete this race. By 11:45, we were still waiting for our last Kaia girl to reach mile 11.  I had been following her training and knew how determined she was to complete 13.1 miles.  She has lost a significant amount of weight and has battled knee pain as well.  I nearly began to cry as we saw her walking towards mile 11.  I saw the determination in her face. You could see the toll on her body and spirit as she walked towards us. Our cheer squad went to meet her and we walked alongside her as she neared the finish line. I couldn't walk all the way because of my knee but I shouted out: ERICA, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! She turned and smiled.  Have you ever been so happy for another person? I never knew it was possible to be incredibly sad for yourself and happy for another.  I guess I'm learning to be a better person.

I know if I were able to run that race, I would have been 15 minutes or so in front of her.  I heard one girl say out loud: "YOUR RACE, YOUR PACE."  I was so grateful to be part of that cheer squad. I witnesses so much in those few hours. 

....

Afterwards, I met up with both my daughters, son-in-law and grandchildren and we all celebrated my daughter's victory with breakfast at IHOP. It was a wonderful morning.

Later that evening, I was on Facebook looking at everyone's awesome pictures. I think that's when I let myself cry.  I had worked so hard and I wanted that feeling of accomplishment.  I wanted my cowbell.  But I know everything happens for a reason. Maybe I would have beaten myself up over my time.  Who knows.

It was then that I got an in-box message from one of the ladies at Kaia. She's 63 years old and ran the relay. She wanted to know how things went for me at the race.  I told her about my knee but asked how did she do.  She averaged a 13 minute mile.  I recalled her first run and commented on how far she's come since that first run.  

Paula, do not give up.  Eventually it pays off but you have to work through the discouragement and keep going!! 

I needed those words at that very moment.  It's one thing to know this and it's another thing when a 30 year old person tells you this but these words have so much power when a 63 year old woman who just ran 6.55 miles in 13 minutes tells you this... It  meant everything to me.  Imagine being part of a community of woman who inspire and lift you up in so many ways.

Yes, I'm working through the discouragement.... and I'm not giving up.