Honey Curry Chicken

Another gorgeous autumn day is in the books. 10.5 perfect miles left me feeling confident and happy.

I don't know where my niece found this, but it made me smile when she sent it to me. Whenever I want to run long (especially on a Monday) this gets me moving:

After a good run, I'm usually feeling like I deserve a treat. Today I indulged in diet Dr. Pepper and this delicious bread:

It was perfect!

 I After I've spoiled myself, I crave something warm and somewhat spicy to finish filling my belly. A curry dish comes to mind. Tonight it's Honey Curry Chicken.

The recipe is super easy and everyone in the family cleans their plate. What you get is a spicy-sweet chicken with the warm flavors of curry, onion and peppers. And all those peppers and onions give me a chance to use  my new favorite kitchen tool: the Vidalia Chop Wizard (not a paid endorsement). Seriously, the whole family loves chopping fruits and veggies with this tool. And that makes me one happy mother!

Honey Curry Chicken

• Chicken breast (3 large or 8 tenderloins)


• 1/2 C chicken broth


• 1/2 medium onion chopped


• 1 C chopped sweet bell pepper


• 1/4 C honey


• 1/4 C prepared mustard


• 1 Tbsp curry powder


• 1 tsp chili powder


• salt and pepper to taste


• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional, but a nice addition)

Combine all ingredients except chicken and mix well. Pour mixture over chicken in either a crock pot or large casserole dish and toss or stir to completely coat chicken. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until chicken is well done and falling apart--OR cook in crock pot on low for eight hours or high for four (preferred method). Serve over rice or quinoa (this recipe tastes great with quinoa so give it a try!), and with a healthy side of green veggies. Enjoy!

Let the Sunshine In

We live in a noisy world that constantly sends us messages.

Some messages are good. I mean, just think about all the positive body-image messages that have been produced/released lately. Music lyrics and ad campaigns targeting the worn-down self-esteem of  women and girls, lifting and enlightening. Lots of Girl Power going on lately.

And that is great.

But . . .

there are still plenty of negative messages aimed directly at our hearts, minds and souls. We are bombarded with print ads, radio ads, T.V. and films, even entire cable channels directed at filling our time and minds with junk. And the constant message that we never quite measure up.

We hear do this, be that, get this, buy that. More! More! More of everything! 

I literally battle against 'more' every day.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

You are enough!

Never let anyone tell you that you aren't or that in any way you are lacking.

Yesterday I had the most uplifting conversation with a new friend of mine. She recently had her first baby--an adorable little boy who is smart and full of energy. Her pregnancy was rough, requiring nearly three months bed rest! (I cannot even imagine!) Consequently, she gained quite a bit of weight. Weight that she'd like to lose but the task seems so daunting. She's been working out regularly, eating healthy, and having some success. But some success doesn't quite feel like enough. She feels like she needs to lose more.

Do more! Run more! Sweat more!

The message is overwhelming.

We agreed the word 'more' is the enemy. 

Let's eliminate the word more and watch what happens.

Suddenly things seem doable.

Do! That's it. Don't do more. Just do!

 Run! Sweat! Eat! Pray! Love! Smile!

That's it. 

If by chance you find something within yourself in need of improvement, focus on the little things--baby steps. 

Start by doing the right things--now. One step at a time.

If only I had her energy. . .

If you follow me in Instagram (and you should) then you've been introduced to the newest member of our family.

Meet Carly!

We love her; she's totally adorable. But, lets face it, she's a puppy. And puppies are a lot of work. Up all night, busy all day--it's like having a toddler again. If only I had some of her energy. Finding time to blog has been difficult. But I know it will all be worth in the long run--right?

The good news is the weather has been amazing! Gorgeous! Perfect weather for potty training a fur baby. Between the house breaking and running, I've been spending a lot of time outside this past week, soaking up the last of the warm-weather vitamin D. But I still find myself dragging midday (from all the middle-of-the-night potty breaks). It's been important to find healthy, energizing snacks because adult life doesn't offer much nap time, you know what I mean.

So, in the spirit of sharing and passing along anything good and healthy, I will share my new favorite snack:

No-bake Cinnamon Bun Balls

• 1 C pitted dates
• 1 C almonds (raw)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar (optional; may reduce or omit)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ C shredded coconut

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a sticky meal forms. Using a small cookie/ice cream scoop or your hands, form 1-inch balls with the sticky meal. Refrigerate and store in an airtight container.

I use almonds for these treats just because I prefer almonds to cashews. That said, you can use cashews and get a doughier mixture that forms well and can be easily made into bars. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Any tips on house breaking a puppy? Please share, I'm desperate.