Cashew Chicken Or How I Learned That I Can Really Cook

In keeping with new year and new things, I'm definitely making more of an attempt to eat healthy and cook proper dinners. Awhile back I posted smoothie recipes on here and that was also when I was trying my hand at a fit lifestyle. I realized then, I need food. Don't get me wrong, juicing and smoothies are wonderful, but I can't live off fruits and veg alone! I need more and I need it to taste good! So the other day I took a good hard look at all my pinterest boards and made a real grocery list and planned out a couple meals.

Without further ado, here is Homemade Cashew Chicken. All credit for the recipe goes to blog The Art Of Doing Stuff, thanks!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Large Chicken Breasts

• 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 6 Small Garlic Cloves (minced)
• 8 Green Onions
• 1/4 Cup Hoisin Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar (unseasoned)
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Cashews (toasted over medium/low heat in pan)
• 1 Can of Mandarin Oranges or 1 Sumo Orange (optional)
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive Oil
• However Much Rice You Need, i.e: One Half Cup Per Person

To begin, I would chop everything (onions, oranges, chicken, garlic) and start your rice cooking. There was a lot more chopping than I was used to and I honestly extra toasted my cashews. They were still delicious, but a bit blackened :(. Separate your white parts from the green parts on the onions and chop all into about 1/2" to 1" pieces. Chop your orange segments in half. Cube your chicken. Mince that garlic!

Once you've cubed your chicken, go ahead and put it in a tupperware or plastic bag with the cornstarch, salt & pepper. Shake it up! Set aside. 

Then take the white part of your onions and garlic and begin to saute in the olive oil for a few minutes before adding your chicken. Fry the chicken for about 5 minutes or so, until all traces of pink are gone.

On medium high heat, add the rice vinegar and cook until it is evaporated. Then add Hoisin sauce and water. Stir in cashews as well. Remove from heat once sauce is thoroughly covering all and add in the green parts of the onion. Give that a quick stir and then serve on a bed of rice. Top with mandarin oranges and ENJOY! 

This was delicious and I was super proud of myself for adulting so well. Make this for yourself! Make it for your friends! You'll thank me! :)

Keep on, Keepin' on y'all!

M.

Stream Of Consciousness

I'm sitting here typing and listening to podcasts and thinking about my future life. Age is utterly just a number and in the generation that I am in, we have always been told to be anything. Do anything. Barbie held every job from a baker to a scientist to a teacher to an Olympic gymnast AND ice skater and up to president and then she was even an astronaut. When I look at all the paths friends of mine have taken I wonder is that what you wanted to do? Did you take the job to be successful and secure your adulthood? Did you take the job that was your passion whether or not it would offer a good path? Why did you change your path? I wonder if because we were given SO many options if that's not exactly the reasons that so many 20-30 somethings are not as driven. We have a laissez-faire attitude about life OR we are over confidently passionate about politics or money or issues. We post inspirational quotes and still drink ourselves stupid because our lives aren't the glossy 8X10 we post on Facebook. We think that because some of our heroes from our childhoods didn't start their careers til late 30s or 40s or even 50s that we still have time. I am guilty of this. I am in the same boat thinking that I'll do it tomorrow. And then next week seems better. And then I end up staying on the same path, same dreams put on the back burner when honestly if I just went and did what I want to do, plus still keep my responsibilities and work hard that I'd be living my dream. I feel that maybe in the back of my head that I will go for something and that it will fail and that's why I stay safe in my bubble. Then I put out a little feeler and I get glowing positive response and I feel so happy and so proud and I think to myself, Meghan honestly just get yourself on this path and DO IT. Take your cue from Nike and JUST DO IT. Do the small things, wake up and write in this blog. Wake up and go for a run. Come home from work and actually cook dinner and then take 15 minutes for yourself and learn a language. Write in a notebook and start your novel, start your book series. Decorate your office so you WANT to be in there. Listen to your man, listen to your friends, listen to strangers that have stumbled upon this very blog and liked it. Stop worrying so much about the negative and letting it hold you back.

If you take anything from this, know that this space is something that I put into the world and I definitely pour my heart into and show glimpses of my flaws along with fun things like smoothies and antler head-dresses.

Today I wrote and listened to the rain. Tomorrow is a new day, and I'll have a new journal and I'll put some new stories into the universe.

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

PS Thanks friends <3 :)

Choose You Own Adventure

I've been both busy and not busy. Not busy, but busy playing tablet games. Busy having a wonderful time distracting myself from both my blog and the 60 day write club to write and illustrate a picture book for my 2 year old neighbor. But also busy with work. Flipside-busy having great chats with my neighbors and bonfires. I've come to the thinking that maybe there's two forms of busy on the life spectrum. You can choose how busy to be, and with what, I will always want to choose a good busy (so bonfires and drinks and building an empire of books)

Life in general is about choices, some are hard and some are easy but as far as it being a personal matter-it's always the right choice in the end. Hear me out: even when you make a so called wrong choice, you learn/recover from it, so thus it teaches you something, so it can't be that wrong. Obviously there are other situations where a choice is very clearly wrong and I would like to think that anyone reading this would never have to make a life or death choice.

Stay busy in the way you'd like, and make good for you kind of choices.

Keep on, keepin' on,
M.

It's 2016!

So without meaning to I took the entire month of December off from this blog. Sometimes life gets in the way of things whether good or bad and you put things on the back burner without a thought. I work in retail as well so it gets pretty hectic with hours and late nights and then there's all the get togethers after and all the christmas shopping you do for your families. Basically it's alot, but now its January and it is time to begin anew and get going on making 2016 a great one.

First: So much more home organization and making our spare room into an actual office for actual work. Both with my man's business and my own writing dreams.

Second: Writing dreams are going into FULL swing this year. My dear friend Candace has been a journalist for all our years of schooling and has multiple side projects. One of them, Life Between Weekends, proposed a challenge for this year, well for the next 2 months: Write the novel you've always wanted to-and do it in 2 months! Not like write it, edit it and publish it, but get those words and thoughts down on paper, so to speak. I love the idea and to have a small team to hold each other accountable seems like a really good fit for me. So here's to me writing the next great American novel!

Third: Have more adventures. Go more places. Really travel and have a reason to pin places on the map. Live my best life.

I'm turning 30 in 6 days. Why not go for it all this year?? Make 30 the best year and banish the old stereotypes!

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

Ah Well.....

It's 9am and I have only just gotten up. Last night to be fair I worked until 11pm and came home still pretty awake. Or maybe all my early mornings caught up, is that a real thing? I've heard yes and no, catching up on sleep doesn't actually do anything....But it feels so nice to stay in bed!!!

Today I work til 5 and I am pretty sure the rest of this week is off in the early evening as well, so more chance to work back up the routine. It's alot harder than I thought, I've been a late bird for so long!

I will get there. I can do it!

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

Life Changes!

Better late than never for an overhaul of sorts. October was a VERY trying month which trickled into November. Now that the bad times are over and the upswing has begun, we have decided to clense out the clutter/fog/mess of our lives and get ourselves healthy and happy and ready to take on the next years with a new found vigor. To start on our journey we have set our alarms to become early birds. What a crazy idea we have. We are super night owls and I know that being a morning person will take some getting used to but I really look forward to not rushing in the morning and getting the most from my day.

This little blog will be getting some action with my early rising! I'll have coffee and writing time which will definitely get my mind going for the day ahead.

Maybe now I'll be able to go get groceries leisurely  if I need before work. Maybe I can start my exercise routine. Maybe I can pack my lunches!

I CAN.

I am really quite excited to start getting up with the sun, giving it a little hello to the day and become more productive and living to the fullest.

See you at sunrise!

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

November Thoughts

It has been a pretty tough month over here. As much as from the outside it may seem nice and sunshiny, it's been quite a struggle. We planned way too much for two people for Halloween and the party, went way over our heads and subsequently ended up too stressed and too tired to even enjoy ourselves. On top of blowing money on a party, my man had serious truck problems that threw a sizable wrench in his life. So here we are miserable and still having to try and put on a good face. It's really hard. When your body and mind separate and won't go back together it is the absolute worst thing in the world.

Cut to Halloween, which was actually pretty fun and we ended up going downtown with our friends.

The next day was a meltdown of uncertainty and fear. When you need a huge piece of your business is disabled and things are seeming to fall apart it becomes very damaging to your psyche and thus your body. Your brain can make you more ill than any virus or bacteria, it's insane.

Cut to the next day and things began the upswing of all upswings.

This year has been the hardest of all my years. It's had the lowest of lows and highest of highs and to be perfectly honest it's really worn me out. A lot of change has come about, mostly for good, but still it's been exhausting. I am for once very much looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas this year and also 2016. It's time for a new year clense in this little family unit I have and make our lives richer than before.

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

DAY ONE

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's 2015. What will this year hold? Who knows! That's the best part, to live by adventure. In 12 days I'll be starting my 29th year on a fun vacation with my man and my best girlfriend to New Orleans. I can not be more excited to start my year of travel around the US in such an excellent city.

Last night was New Year's Eve and we spent it with our dear friends a bit further north in Florida than our home. We were surrounded by acres of land and woods, had a huge bonfire, too many drinks and shot fireworks off at midnight. It was a great way to see one year off and ring in the newest.

This day is for relaxing, so I'm ending here. First of my year goals has started and I don't plan on ending til 12/31/15 :)

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

GOALS

Good bye to 2014 HELLO 2015!!

New Year's resolutions are always in full swing for everyone round this time of year, and I am no different. I think this year, this is the year I accomplish things! But seriously though, 2015 I want to accomplish ALL the things.

Presented to you, the internet and so that I have a record of my musings, GOALS:

1. Freaking blog here EVERYDAY. Really make the commitment.

2. Get healthy. I know, I know so cliche, but what's so bad about putting the idea in to get healthy?! NOTHING.

3. Save my money. I'm the worst at saving and penny pinching and I need to grown up manage my finances.

4. Go on more trips! Get that work/life balance, well, balanced! And plus saving money will help fund the fantastic adventures my man and I could take.

5. Read more. Unplug(hahaha as I write this on a laptop) from the internet. Take more time doing real life things with real live people.

That's what I've got for now, pretty alright list. Here's to sticking to it!!

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

Happy Sunday

Hello readers!

So I balanced out the juicing business and made it work better for me. I incorporated it into meals/snacks and bought healthier options and feel wonderful. I also got back on my bike today. Definitely felt that!! I used to ride all the time whenever I could and loved it. Getting back on is a work out for sure. My legs are jelly, but I love it and I will get back to where I was.

The Winter Games have started! This has also weighed on my decision to get fitter. No I won't become a world class athlete haha, but I will say that seeing what they can do with their bodies shows me just how much I haven't done!

Tomorrow I have set 2 alarms to get me outta bed and onto the bike exercising. I look forward to sharing my progress on here.

Keep on, Keepin' on

M.

Tuesday Thoughts

Today was a quite easy work day and I had about a million and one thoughts whilst there. Like my brain just kept spinning and thinking of things to do and say and mostly write.

So here I go, writing. I figured I would actually hold tight to one of my goals in this life and blog more. I even set an alarm! And it was an alarm that I couldn't snooze like the one for waking up!

I thought about the dreams I have about really writing a book. And really being published. That would be awesome. Who knows what can happen in a lifetime. I wasn't always bent on being a writer. I wanted to be a marine biologist for the longest, I even went to Eckerd College for a semester. And while there thought I would enjoy anthropology better. Then a threw a wrench in my own plans and ended up back home looking for a job. Found retail and have been in that game for 9 years now. I'm great at it, I can climb up all the ladders within my current company, and only a few years ago did I really consider writing as a career path.
I didn't do anything with my dream for a while and now that I am doing something, (this blog baby) I know that I could be doing more. Thing is I'm still not sure how to really get out and get going.

I know that not everyone knows what to do in the early adult years and so I feel ok in my confusion...but I think I'd be really happy if I stopped doubting myself and just wrote a book, a short story, something! Get that published and see where it takes me.

Until then, I'll write here in my internet diary.

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

Oh Hey Blog! Been A Bit....

Ok I made resolutions and clearly could care less about them. I am not fully sure on what part of my brain told the other part to kick rocks, but that is mostly my assumption of what happened. Right, so I wanted to get fit (of course), and I have really been eating healthier, but I have yet to properly exercise or ride my Christmas bike. Terrible! Also, making a plan to wake up early......ummmm, no, sorry. I don't know what it making me so awful tired all the time but I do know that when I don't have to work I enjoy sleeping. I earnestly want to get up and be productive and get a good start to the day....but then my pillow and blanket feel the softest and I'm like, oh yea 15 more minutes, sure. And then I wake up 2 hours later feeling overtired. Great, just great.

I also wanted to write once a week! Didn't get that done. I always have cool/insightful/awesome ideas when I'm at work or at the store or driving, and I think, yes I shall write up a little diddy in my blog tonight when I get home. And then either I get caught up in the internet OR I do click on my new blog tab and my brain falls right out and takes a little nap. Thanks brain, good form there.

Suffice it to say, I am trying. I have also failed in the resolution department for January as a whole. Here;s to February and what it might bring.

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

2014 Needs To Get It Together.

It is only the 7th and I am already hating this year. I haven't started anything from my resolution list and I made a poor choice during the first weekend, making my life right now suck.

Only good thing happening is that I have transferred back to my favorite store which is only 10 minutes from my house :)

Other than that, I am right pissed. I know that on one hand my poor choice is my fault and that I have to work on things internally. On my other hand I really thought 2014 would be an epic year. 2013 had too much bad vibe that I figured this year would be all goodness. I'm 28. 28 year olds should have a better plan. A better outlook. A better brain to tell them to cut the shit sometimes.

I don't even know. Hopefully by the 13th things will get better.

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.

Ohhhhh Bonus List Making! :)

Resolution time!

I don't really enjoy resolutions, mostly because I never follow them. Maybe this year that will be part of my mental list. Who knows, anyway here it goes:

*Blog more

*Write more

*Wake up before 10 everyday (within reason :))

*Exercise (of course)

*Eat better (of course)

*Start my vlogging for real.....once every two weeks and then build upon that.

*Read more books!


That seems pretty good for now. I shall keep you up to date on how it goes.

Keep on, keepin' on,

M.