Archives for June 2018

Squash-n-Sprout Salad

Summer time is salad time, and I simply love this salad! It can be a marvelous meatless meal for some, or a super yummy side dish for the carnivores of the world.  Either way, it’s light yet filling, tangy yet sweet, crunchy yet smooth, and super good for you.  A perfect choice for lunch or dinner on a hot summer day.

  • 1 lb Brussel Sprouts/ halved
  • 3 C Butternut Squash/cubed
  • 3 C Fresh Spinach
  • 1 C Quinoa (uncooked)
  • 1 ½ C Water
  • ½ C Craisins
  • ½ C Chopped Pecans
  • 3 T water
  • 5 Drops Wild Orange Essential Oil
  • 2 T Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 T Chia Seed
  • ½ t Salt
  • ½ t Pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and place it on a greased cookie sheet with the halved sprouts, and bake for 25 minutes.*
  3. Remove sprouts and place in a large glass bowl.
  4. Continue baking squash another 10 – 15 minutes making sure to not overcook. Make sure it is cooked “el-dente” so it can be cut into cubes without being “mush”
  5. Set cooked squash aside to cool.
  6. Rinse Quinoa in a strainer.
  7. Heat up a sauce pan over medium heat.
  8. Add the Quinoa and cook stirring frequently, until lightly toasted.
  9. Add the 1 ½ C water, and turn up the flame to high.
  10. Once water begins to boil, cover pan and cook over medium heat 15 – 20 minutes, or when all of the water is gone.

While that’s cooking…..

  1. Mix vinegar, chia, wild orange, salt and pepper, and 3 T water in a small glass bowl.
  2. Cube the Squash and add to the Brussel Sprouts
  3. Add the Spinach, Craisins, and Pecans
  4. Fold in the orange dressing
  5. Fold in the cooked Quinoa–the hot Quinoa wilts the spinach perfectly and clings to the dressing.

Serve alone or with a grilled fish or chicken breast!  Yum!

*Tip:  If you fancy yourself a  grill master, try cooking the squash and sprouts on the grill—I do because I don’t have air conditioning and who wants the oven on in the summer, right?

Thank you for reading my post. Does this recipe sound yummy?  If you try it out let me know what you think! All comments are greatly appreciated.  Check out more great recipes under my Killer Cookin’ blog category, and if you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’. There’s a place to do that right on my home page.  Want to start cooking with Essential Oils?  Fantastic, I can help! You can find out more at my.doterra.com/prbrady.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

 

Less Self Criticizing

Rainy days. They can be a time of peace, renewal, and rest. Or, ugh, they can really drag a person down.  Today as the rains picked up, I started feeling a little dragged.  A little un-energized, and slow to start the days to-do list.  There isn’t anything urgently awaiting my immediate attention.  No “or else” deadlines.  Nothing like what I talked about in the Less Series.  Simply a list of things that I’d like to put to rest, and today seemed like the day to do it.

Until right now.

Ugh, this rain! It triggered an old sensation for me.  It lured me back to recalling those dark days when I was over my head with everything.  I found myself about to start “should-ing” myself, for the first time in a very, very long time.   I should be getting things done, despite this rain. .  I should do….  I should get….  I should go… I should be…just look how you’re wasting this day…….you should be….

ERRRrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkk! Like a needle skipping across a record to a screeching halt, I reeled myself back to the present moment.  I was forgetting to breathe.  “I should stop should-ing myself”. I sat quietly listening to the soft rain, waiting for my breath to come back.  Beautiful, softly falling rain.  Love the sound of the rain.  It’s a perfect day.  It’s all good.  It’s. All. Good.  Breathing.  Calm again.

It sure is easy to overlook the positive when drowning in too much “more”. It sure is easy to be hard on ourselves.  What we do do is never enough it seems. How easy it is to forget all we’ve accomplished.  Why aren’t we honoring those accomplishments?  What makes it so much easier to scold ourselves for what aren’t getting done?

I give myself permission to stop everything, and enjoy this lovely rain. Yes. It’s okay.  The rest can wait.  Here and now, is beautiful.  Relax.  Enjoy.

Isn’t that what it’s all about? Allowing ourselves to simply…..be?  If we can’t do that for ourselves, well, who is going to step up and do it for us?

Listening to the calm, rhythmic pelting of the rain, I rewind the last year in my mind.  I’ve achieved so much, despite every challenge I’ve been dealt.  Faced with countless let-downs and obstacles, I’ve found new resources, new support, new people and new things to be thankful and joyful for.  While it’s hard to get out from under the stack of more negative stressful crap blurring the way, the truth is, I have much to celebrate; a multitude of successes scattered across the last year, and an enormous amount of work I’ve accomplished in the last few weeks alone!  The magic permission wand comes out.  I work hard, and do plenty.  I am deserving.  I deserve a break.

All you need is less.

I’d been pushing forward with more than I could handle for years.

I could have fared better with “less”.

But we can’t change the past.

What we can do is learn from it.

We can’t predict the future.

What we can do is plan for it.

So in this rainy moment, I brought to my awareness a gentle reminder that not so long ago I made the decision it was time to face more with less. This week’s mantra is a gentle reminder of that decision, simply meant to keep my thinking on track, even on dreary rainy days.

Less time on self-criticizing.  Why are we so hard on ourselves, anyway?

Back in 2016, in order to heal from beating myself up about everything I didn’t do, couldn’t do, shouldn’t do or wouldn’t do, I created a script to play in my head every time I started going down that path of finding fault with myself. An affirmation list, so to speak.  I started reciting it, out loud, sometimes in front of the mirror, first thing each morning until I’d done it for 60 straight days.  Today I say it once again, and share it with you:

  • I am good, and I am good enough, just as I am.
  • Making time for nothing is healthy to do.
  • I recognize and honor that my health is most important.
  • My intentions are honest.
  • I can choose to be flexible.
  • My priorities are my priorities, and written in pencil.
  • I deserve love, kindness, understanding, forgiveness and support.

Once I allowed these simple phrases to sink into my brain and stick, my self-perception and attitude made an epic change for the better. And reading them again now is like giving myself a much needed hug.  I’m back on track.  It’s ok to do nothing sometimes.  It’s ok to change the plan sometimes.  We can give ourselves permission.  The truth is, what we don’t get done today will surely still be there waiting for us tomorrow.  Unless some magic genie appears and takes care of it all! Oh, look at that, here comes the sun!

Hey, is that a genie I see over there?

 Thank you for reading my post. Did it strike a chord for you or did it seem far and away from your own perspective?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!  All comments are greatly appreciated.  You can read about all sorts of ideas, opinions and feelings from the heart and soul of an outdoorswoman… there are lots of topics covered in my blog category, “Girl Outdoors”.  If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website.  You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’.  There’s a place to do that right on my website homepage.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

 

Notable Quotable Thought Provoke-able 26

 

 

 

“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.”    

—Jamie Paolinetti—

 

Welcome to week 26 of 52 weeks of quotes meant to give you something to think about……..please do share your thoughts in the comments on my website in this post!  The opportunities in 2018 can be endless!

 

Thank you for reading my post. What do you dream about seeing, doing, being?  Got a bucket list? A life plan?  Want to start one?  I’d love to help you get there, check out my services.  The first step to believing ‘opportunities are endless’ is sometimes not as hard if you grab some inspiration under my blog category, “Bucket of Limitless Possibilities”.  If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. All comments are greatly appreciated.  You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’.  There’s a place to do that right on my website homepage.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

Notable Quotable Thought Provoke-able 25

 

 

 

“We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.”    

—Charles Kingsley—

 

Welcome to week 25 of 52 weeks of quotes meant to give you something to think about……..please do share your thoughts in the comments on my website in this post!  The opportunities in 2018 can be endless!

 

Thank you for reading my post. What do you dream about seeing, doing, being?  Got a bucket list? A life plan?  Want to start one?  I’d love to help you get there, check out my services.  The first step to believing ‘opportunities are endless’ is sometimes not as hard if you grab some inspiration under my blog category, “Bucket of Limitless Possibilities”.  If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. All comments are greatly appreciated.  You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’.  There’s a place to do that right on my website homepage.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

Notable Quotable Thought Provoke-able 24

 

 

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

—Stephan Hawking—

 

Welcome to week 24 of 52 weeks of quotes meant to give you something to think about……..please do share your thoughts in the comments on my website in this post!  The opportunities in 2018 can be endless!

 

Thank you for reading my post. What do you dream about seeing, doing, being?  Got a bucket list? A life plan?  Want to start one?  I’d love to help you get there, check out my services.  The first step to believing ‘opportunities are endless’ is sometimes not as hard if you grab some inspiration under my blog category, “Bucket of Limitless Possibilities”.  If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. All comments are greatly appreciated.  You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’.  There’s a place to do that right on my website homepage.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

PR’s Linguini and Clam Sauce

One of my favorite things to order when eating out was always linguini and white clam sauce. It seemed so decadent and delicate, and must be difficult to make.…

Then came the day of enlightenment. I found out how darn easy it was to make linguini and clam sauce!  I admit that preparing it with fresh clams in the shell is quite a bit more time consuming and expensive, so I avoid that process unless it’s a very, very VERY special occasion.  Hands down, I’m in favor of this simple recipe, and have been whipping up my own decadent clam dish ever since.

  • 51 oz can of chopped clams in juice
  • 3T Butter
  • 3T EVOO
  • 1 medium diced onion
  • 8 large cloves fresh minced garlic
  • 1T Basil
  • 1T Oregano
  • 1T of your favorite creole seasoning (I just use crushed red pepper flakes)
  • 1 ½ t Anise
  • 1/3 c white wine (just sneak a little from the bottle you’re serving with dinner, who would know?)
  • 1 lb package linguini noodles
  • 1T EVOO
  • ¼ c fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ c fresh chopped parsley

 

For the noodles:

  • Start a pot of water heating on the stove, and add the 1T EVOO to it—it helps keep the pot from boiling over.
  • Once the water comes to a boil, add the noodles and cook until they’re al dente’. (about 6-8 minutes)
  • When the noodles are done, strain them from the water and rinse them, then return to the empty pot.
  • Note: Avoid having the noodles done and waiting for a long time or they will stick together.  To prevent that, you can toss a splash of EVOO into the waiting noodles and stir them up to give them a light coating and they should stay “un-stuck”.

 

While the water is heating up, prepare the sauce:

  • Place the butter and EVOO in a medium size sauté pan and cook onion and garlic until softened.
  • Stir in the wine and spices and cook until well combined (about 3 minutes).
  • Add the lemon juice, clams and juice and simmer 5 – 10 minutes.
  • Now you have a choice:
  • Fold the clam mixture into your pasta in a big decorative bowl
  • Or
  • Plate the noodles and lay the sauce on top

Garnish your plated dish with parsley and cheese, add a basket of sliced, warm Vienna bread, a dipping dish of garlic infused EVOO, some pads of soft butter, and enjoy!

Serves 4

 

Thank you for reading my post. Does this recipe sound yummy?  If you try it out let me know what you think! All comments are greatly appreciated.  Check out more great recipes under my Killer Cookin’ blog category, and if you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’. There’s a place to do that right on my home page.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

 

The Big Reveal on My Memorial Weight Goal

How did it get to be June already? While I’m a little late in checking in, at least it’s with good news.   Once again there are victory flags a-flyin’.  I’m pleased to report a final update how I did with shedding those 25 pounds by Memorial Day.

Yes, I am happy to say I’ve completed the weight loss challenge and am feeling pretty darn awesome!

Seems like dieting is all about food rules, restrictions, and strenuous exercise, doesn’t it?

“Pffffffffft” !!! Not for this girl!

It’s been 5 months since I started my wellness journey. In regards to eating, I never really felt like I’d “given up” anything to eat, although I did choose to omit certain things for 30 days during the Cleanse and Restore Challenge in January just for the principal of following more of a Keto/Paleo diet.  It really wasn’t a big deal to do knowing it was temporary.  If you have been keeping up with my story, the Cleanse and Restore Challenge truly set the stage for me to prepare to make some modifications to my lifestyle habits.  It was an interesting process that reignited a sense of health, strength and energy I thought I’d lost forever.   Check out the series of blog posts I’ve written describing my journey.

Completing the Cleanse so successfully inspired me to keep going, resulting in me dropping 2 ½ sizes in 5 months, and not just 25 pounds, but a whopping 28 pounds – pounds that just weren’t serving me well. Dang I pulled out my summer pants from last year, dressed real quick and shot out the door to get groceries, and spent the whole time trying to keep my pants on! Say—what?  It’s true; they literally were dropping off of me. I don’t understand how these people who purposefully wear their pants hanging down off their butts can stand that feeling!  It was quite the awkward experience!

Sorry. I digress.  Okay, so here’s the most interesting part of losing the weight:

I didn’t exactly “follow the rules” of health and wellness to get here. The whole philosophy of being kind to your body?  Ha. That went right out the window.  I did not live with moderation or get 8 hours of sleep a night—I averaged a frightening 3 ½ to 4.  Why would I not be getting enough sleep? Well because I did not have a balanced work/personal life—I worked full time, (still) go to school full time, and manage 2 small businesses.  Yup, I didn’t follow my own advice of establishing boundaries and work/life balance.  My mantra of “Less” was cast to the side these last 5 months.  And what should have happened is, I should have failed miserably at achieving my goal because the stress of my day to day should have totally thrown my system out of whack.

But it didn’t, and here’s why.

I practiced yoga and meditation daily. Hard to believe?  That’s all? How could I even have time for that, and why would I stop everything to make time for something like that?  Well, I have always been a high achiever in life, much like Nike’s “JUST DO IT”, but over the years as I’ve evolved and found deeper reasoning as to how I’m able to do as much as I do. I’ve become more in tune with the base, or the root of self-care.  I believe achieving virtually anything is tied into a Three Part Intention based on Understanding.

Understanding of your mind (rational thinking)

Understanding of your heart (emotional)

Understanding of your body (honoring what your body needs)

That said, I made a conscious decision to put myself through a period of time of over extending, with a very specific structure and purpose behind it, knowing that overextending was a temporary situation with an end date. I wanted to change.  I wanted to improve my health (mind).  I wanted to get back into my clothes (emotional).  I wanted to be able to enjoy the things I used to do again (body).  It wasn’t a situation I was “sucked into” with no control over.  I had complete control.  Nose to the grindstone, I was focused and driven.  I chose to commit to a set of circumstances in order to obtain the results I wanted. Having that level of clarity is psychologically key in managing stress—I mean consciously managing stress.  It seemed like knowing I’m in charge made it all so do-able.  There was no stress.  And if there’s no stress, your mind and body doesn’t shut down and refuse to cooperate.

So I began each day the same way, with a short “wake up” work out that starts in bed, and ends on the floor next to the bed, becoming yoga, and then ending with meditation. This (still) happens from 4:45 to 6:00 each day.  What I did run out of time for was other forms of exercise. On average I headed to the gym after my meditation and got on an elliptical about two or three times a week for maybe 30 minutes tops.  That became very difficult if I was to get to work by 8:00 am with my geriatric dogs doing unexpected things in the morning. That’s right; my entire weight loss experience was completely VOID of heavy duty sweaty workout sessions.  The rest is history.

My body has definitely changed. My life has most certainly changed. I have maintained an increased energy and stamina all year.  Even with just a few hours, I sleep like a log and wake up refreshed most of the time. My physical condition remains fantastic and pain free.  This has become my new normal, and I love it.

Of course, there are dozens of additional things I did to achieve this weight transformation goal, but I’m saving those gems for a workshop I’m doing. For now what I can share is; I feel like I did not go on a diet.  I changed my lifestyle.  Having done THAT requires very little maintenance.  Yoga and meditation is like breathing for me.  I eat pretty much whatever I feel like eating—I just happen to feel like eating a little differently.  I continue to drink lots and lots of water with essential lemon oil–about 64 ounces of water a day– to flush out the toxins our bodies are subjected to every day.   Of course I continue to use the Life Long Vitality Supplements as a staple part of my daily routine.  The PB Assist (probiotics) and the TerraZyme (digestive enzyme complex) are products I continue to use for maintenance as well.  I incorporate essential oils to protect my immune system, assist with curbing food cravings, and to increase my metabolism.  My life is joyful.  I am filled with gratitude. I love where I am, and where I’m going.

But my work contract just completed (heavy sigh)! Now that I’ve got an additional — OH MY! — 50 hours a week to work with, what EVER will I do with that time?  First off, I’m going to break out my box of “I’ll never get into these pants again” pants and stow away my ‘pants on the ground’ pants. I’ll ramp up my exercise program—more cardio and more core muscle group specific strength training, along with my daily Yoga, and regular meditation.  Time to melt away the jiggly bits and firm up.   I have a new goal.  I want to be able to pull back and shoot my bow at 57 pounds again, and hunt this fall.  After all, girls’ gotta eat.

Bow opener is usually around the 15th of September.  Will. She. Do. It?

 

 Thank you for reading my post. I’d love to hear your thoughts!  All comments are greatly appreciated.  Life is an adventure—good or bad, and it begins today!  If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’.  There’s a place to do that right on my home page.  If you are interested in learning more about doTerra and the Cleanse and Restore Challenge, please reach out for me! I would love nothing more than to help you achieve your healthiest self too!  I also offer essential oil wellness workshops for formal and informal groups.  Message me if you’d like to set one up.  As always, please feel free to share with others who may find meaning and value in exploring limitless possibilities with PR Brady AdVentures. Thanks again!

Notable Quotable Thought Provoke-able 23

 

 

“There comes a time when you have to stop crossing oceans for people who wouldn’t even jump puddles

for you.”  

—Unknown—

 

Welcome to week 23 of 52 weeks of quotes meant to give you something to think about……..please do share your thoughts in the comments on my website in this post!  The opportunities in 2018 can be endless!

 

Thank you for reading my post. What do you dream about seeing, doing, being?  Got a bucket list? A life plan?  Want to start one?  I’d love to help you get there, check out my services.  The first step to believing ‘opportunities are endless’ is sometimes not as hard if you grab some inspiration under my blog category, “Bucket of Limitless Possibilities”.  If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. All comments are greatly appreciated.  You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’.  There’s a place to do that right on my website homepage.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!