Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken Legs

Bringing the heat in my kitchen today with some Spicy Chicken Legs. If you like hot wings, your taste buds will definitely agree with these babies. They are hassle-free, fall-off-the-bone, crispy goodness. Just writing this is making my mouth water! OH MAN!

The Active April Challenge

It's 6:00 PM, my husband and I have just finished dinner and we start talking about our plans for the evening. "What do you want to do?" "I dunno, what do you want to do?" is our usual conversation. We end up taking so long to decide, that we just settle for watching some television or a movie. 

Sound familiar? Whether it's when the day is over or during the weekends, this is a regular occurrence at my house.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good movie - and I will binge watch a television show as well as anyone I know - but when the day is over and I am heading to bed, I like to know that I'm living an active lifestyle.

What do I mean by active lifestyle?

Food is Fuel: Introduction

How often do we eat something that we know is good for us, but we don't know what about it is good? Or how often do we avoid certain vegetables or fruits that are less familiar because we simply don't know how to use them, or we're unsure if they will taste good? If you're like me, it's super easy to get caught up in using the same vegetables and the same fruits over and over again (I'm a broccoli and banana girl). Well, if you're looking for motivation to branch out, or if you want some more details to tell your kids than "because it's good for you!" you've come to the right place.

Here's the Food is Fuel series, updated every Friday, that will cover basic produce to more unfamiliar fruits and veggies. I'll discuss what makes certain foods beneficial, as well as what to buy in season. Also, how to use these various foods in tried-and-true recipes to help you and your family enjoy eating healthy, not just endure it. There will be facts, recipes, tips, and pictures to help improve your understanding of vitamins and nutrients, and expand your go-to herbivore recipes. Let's get started!

Vitamin A

When we hear Vitamin A we immediately think of carrots and improved eyesight. Although true that one serving of carrots contains a whopping 200% daily value, it's definitely not the only source of Vitamin A, and Vitamin A can do a whole lot more than benefit your eyes. 

Don't Let These Three Reasons Cause You to Give Up

I am THE BEST at starting new things -- the key word there is "starting" -- the finishing part is a different story. It's pretty easy to get me excited or motivated to make a change, or try something new. It's even easier for me to convince myself that I should give up. It's not that I never complete things (I have accomplished things that I am proud of), but I do often find myself giving up on goals that are important to me for the same three reasons. These three reasons affect everyone, no matter who they are or what they are trying to accomplish. However, not one of them is a good enough reason to give up on your hopes and dreams.

Vegetarian Mushroom Poblano Tacos

This week my husband asked for some Mexican food to be planned into our meals. However, since I am trying to eat less red meat (and since we'd had chicken two nights in a row), I made the comment that all my recipes required meat of some kind, which would make it difficult to stick to my goal. With this in mind I started my hunt for a healthy, meat-less fajita, enchilada, taco, etc., and found this gem. To be honest, I was a little skeptical -- I just wasn't super confident that it would compare well with its meat-filled counterpart. I was WRONG! It was such a fresh-tasting, flavor-filled taco that I hardly noticed there was no meat. My husband and I both really liked them and vowed to make it again.

"Impossible" is an Ugly Word

Last night I didn't sleep well, which made it insanely harder to get up this morning. As I laid in bed trying to will myself into sitting up, all I kept thinking was "I can't do another Monday." Mondays can be just plain hard. Sometimes just the thought of another Monday makes me want to curl up on the couch and cover my head with a blanket, humming to myself pretending that if I can't hear Monday, then it might not actually come. This morning was one of those mornings -- I needed an attitude change and I needed it quick.  I needed some motivation.

Slow-Cooker Sunday: Lemon Garlic Chicken

Happy Slow-Cooker Sunday everyone. Tonight I made this amazingly moist, flavorful, perfectly seasoned chicken. I am in love. I am one of those people that no matter how hard I try to pan-fry chicken, I ALWAYS overcook it.....without fail...every single time. So I have turned to baking and slow-cooking my chicken (and most meats), with amazing results.

Don't Stop, Don't Give Up!

Even when you feel like quitting, just take her advice and "don't stop, don't give up!" Find motivation wherever you can, and "keep trying" believing that "you'll get it right!" I love the enthusiasm and optimism of kids, I can definitely take a lesson from them. Happy Thursday everyone! :)

Baked Salmon

If you are looking for an amazingly flavorful, foolproof salmon recipe, then look no further. This recipe turns out perfect EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. So even if you aren't super comfortable cooking fish, you can feel confident with this salmon the very first time you make it. It takes some planning ahead (to marinate) but other than that, it's not too time consuming either. The fish comes out really well-flavored, but slightly salty, so I really like to serve it with couscous or wild rice to tame it down.

A Good Morning Routine

Lacking in motivation? Feeling discouraged? Take a lesson from this little gal and build confidence through positive thinking.

Turkey Veggie Stuffed Bell Peppers

This recipe is adapted from here.

I've gotta say, these are the best stuffed bell peppers I have ever had, and they are loaded to the brim with nutrients! Normally, I feel like stuffed peppers are too tomato tasting and overly sweet -- not with these.  For less calories or to go dairy free, forgo the cheese on top, it's still AMAZING!

Exercise Tip #1:

If you lack motivation to get on that yoga mat, hit the running trail, or pick up those weights try this handy tip.

Exercise Tip #1: Make a habit of changing into your work-out clothes at the same time everyday.

If you have a morning routine, change into your exercise attire before you leave your bedroom. Evening work-out? When you change from work clothes, go straight into those running shoes, yoga pants, compression shorts etc. even if you do not plan to exercise right away. The idea is that by making a habit of being in your work-out attire at a specific time of the day, you can by-pass the will power it takes to choose to exercise. If you are already in your running shoes, it's easier to make the effort to walk out the door. So, the next time you reach for your jeans in the morning, or for your PJ's after work, choose instead to grab some comfy work-out garb and make an effort to move more and move better.

Redefining Your Relationship With Food

Step 1 (on your journey to health): Let go of preconceived perceptions, and redefine your relationship with food.

Everyone's relationship with food is different and comes from years of experience. This experience is valuable in understanding current habits, and creating new habits. However, too often what we think we know about food holds us back from reaching our ideals for health. So, within reason, forget your prejudices and stigmas, your cravings and addictions, your typical meals and repeated recipes, and become reacquainted with food. Try to let go of the stereotypes that are placed on certain foods, and open your mind to eating differently. Stop thinking about food as the enemy, and instead redefine food as your partner. Food is how you will reach your goals, not the absence of food. At the core of health is good nutrition, not the lack of nutrition. Reaching your health goals is way more than how many calories you eat, and more about what foods your getting those calories from. In order to build a foundation regarding our perceptions on food, each week I will go more in-depth into different sources of nutrition and how they will work with you to achieve your ultimate goals of healthy living.

Hello! Welcome to Food For Life.

This blog was created with the purpose of  creating a space to document my own personal journey towards health and happiness as I work towards my goals of maintainable habits that will last for life. My hope for this blog, is that it will be a resource that will enable other individuals to take control of their lives as well, and assist them, and myself, in achieving physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness.

In the world of health and wellness there is an overload of information available. There are so many opinions out there, coming from varying angles and sources, that it can be confusing, daunting, and discouraging. It is easy to become weary of the multitude of "miracle diets" and "revolutionary workout routines." It's hard to know whether to believe what your sister's co-worker says regarding the newest "cure-all" vegetable or your friend's checkout lady's exercise routine "guaranteed to lose 10 pounds in 10 days." General wellness is something that is applicable to all of us at all stages of life. We all want to not only look our best, but also feel our best. However, with the overload of contradicting information, it is easy to buy into the idea that "Healthy means hard" or "Healthy means complicated" or even "Healthy means extreme."

I would like to debunk all the above assumptions and get back to the basics, creating goals for diet and exercise that are meant to be simple and accessible. The idea is not to find an extreme plan that works for a few weeks, or even a few months, but a lasting lifestyle change for the better using sound principles. As I work towards my own lifestyle changes I will be posting updates on my goals, nutrition tips that I found helpful, recipes of all kinds, and I will even give you a look into a day-in-the-life of Nora. So join with me on a journey for health, and find lasting habits for life.