Mindfulness Techniques: Overview

Welcome to week one of the mindfulness series. Today, I am providing a mindfulness overview and some popular techniques.ย  ย 

If you have missed any part of the series, click hereย to catch up! As always, remember myย disclaimerย before practicing any mental health information.ย 

The key to mindfulness is noticing your surroundings, mood, thoughts, and senses without judging them.ย  When practicing, the purpose is to be in the moment and take it all in without overthinking.ย  In one of the Star Trek Next Generation movies, Anji teaches Picard how to stretch a moment in time.ย  To me, this evokes a visual representation of mindfulness.ย  At that moment, Picard was questioning how it was happening.ย  Anij told him not to question it but to experience it.ย  This mindset is the same thing we do with mindfulness.ย  We observe to notice the moment we are in and appreciate the moment intentionally.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a mental health technique that involves bringing awareness and attention to the present moment, without judgment. It is a form of meditation that has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health and well-being.

Practicing mindfulness involves focusing on one’s thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations in the present moment, without becoming distracted by worries about the past or future. This helps to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve focus and concentration.

Mindfulness can be practiced in various ways, including through meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simply paying attention to your thoughts and surroundings throughout the day.

Studies have shown that mindfulness can have a positive impact on a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and stress. It can also improve physical health, enhance sleep quality, and improve overall well-being.

Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can be as simple as taking a few minutes each day to focus on your breathing and be present in the moment. With patience and persistence, mindfulness can become a powerful tool for improving mental health and overall well-being.

Mindfulness Practices

Awareness

This practice involves focusing on the present moment and accepting thoughts and feelings without judgment. The goal is to increase self-awareness and reduce stress and anxiety by calming the mind and body. To practice, sit quietly, pay attention to thoughts, feelings, and sensations, and bring awareness to the present moment. Regular practice of this technique can lead to numerous benefits for mental health, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood, and enhancing overall well-being.

Acceptance

This technique involves accepting thoughts and feelings as they are without resistance or judgment, focusing on the present moment, and acknowledging them without trying to change them. The aim is to increase self-awareness and reduce stress and anxiety by calming the mind and body. To practice, sit quietly and pay attention to thoughts and feelings, acknowledge them without judgment or resistance, and bring the focus back to the present moment. This can have numerous benefits for mental health and can be done regularly to improve overall well-being.

Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation is a technique that involves focusing the mind on the present moment. It involves sitting quietly and paying attention to thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. The goal is to bring awareness to the present moment, reducing stress and anxiety by calming the mind and body.

To practice Mindfulness Meditation, find a quiet and comfortable place to sit. Start by paying attention to your breath and focusing on the sensations of each inhale and exhale. When thoughts or distractions arise, simply acknowledge them and bring your attention back to the breath.

Mindfulness Meditation has been shown to have numerous benefits for mental health, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood, and enhancing overall well-being. This technique can be done regularly and is a convenient and accessible way to incorporate mindfulness into daily life. Mindfulness Meditation can become a powerful tool for improving mental health and overall well-being with regular practice.

Mindfulness Walking

Combining mindfulness with physical movement, this technique involves slow walking and focusing on bodily sensations and surroundings, such as the feel of the ground, sounds of nature, and the sensation of air. The aim is to bring attention to the present moment, reducing stress and anxiety by calming the mind and body. To practice, find a quiet and safe place to walk, and focus on physical sensations and the environment while strolling without getting lost in thoughts or worries. This technique can have a calming effect, improve focus, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase overall well-being. It can be incorporated into daily life regularly.

Body Scan

The Body Scan is a mindfulness exercise that involves paying attention to physical sensations in the body. It helps bring awareness to the present moment, reducing stress and anxiety by calming the mind and relaxing the body. The process involves lying down or sitting comfortably with eyes closed and focusing on each part of the body, from the top of the head to the toes. The aim is to pay close attention to any sensations or feelings, taking time to focus on areas of tension or discomfort. This exercise can improve sleep, reduce physical pain, and increase overall well-being when practiced regularly.

Five Senses

This mindfulness exercise involves paying attention to the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. The goal is to bring awareness and attention to the present moment by focusing on physical sensations rather than thoughts and emotions.

To practice the Five Senses Technique, spend a few minutes paying attention to your senses, one at a time. For example, focus on what you can see, and move on to what you can hear, touch, taste, and smell. Pay close attention to each sensory experience’s details and try to immerse yourself in the moment fully.

This technique can help reduce stress and anxiety by shifting attention away from negative thoughts and emotions and toward the present moment. It can also help to improve focus and concentration and increase overall feelings of calm and relaxation.

The exercise can be practiced anywhere at any time, making it a convenient and accessible tool for improving mental health and well-being. You can incorporate it into your daily routine and see how it can positively impact your mental state.

Let me know if you have tried this! Use the hashtags #taysbpkitchen and #mindfulness

Chicken Soup and Netflix’s Altered Carbon

The second season of Netflix’s Altered Carbon is here!ย  I stumbled upon season one quite some time ago. Instantly, I was in love with the concept. The visuals, ideas, and acting were fantastic to me.ย  After I watched the last episode, I wanted more.ย  It took a while, but more is finally here!ย 

The timing could not have been better. It is a cold and rainy day here in Trotwood, Ohio.ย  Only one more thing could make this day perfect: homemade chicken soup.ย  Luckily for me, I had everything I needed to make this soup on hand.ย ย I used both bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and breasts with the skin removed. Using bone-in chicken gives the soup a particular body and mouthfeel.ย  It is collagen in the bones, which makes the broth soups feel so hearty. I tend always to use bone-in chicken when using a box stock as well. I cook the chicken with the skin on because that is where the fat is stored. It also helps keep the chicken moist. The stock, sauteed mirepoix (which is the flavor base in a lot of cooking styles, consisting of onion, carrots, and celery) dried herbs (bay leaf, parsley, and thyme) simmer with the chicken.ย 

At the very moment the chicken was done, I removed it from the stock, pulled the meat off the bones and skin, and shredded it before returning it to the pot. Soup is ready.

Tonight was a night of self-care with chicken soup and Netflix’s Altered Carbon. Something delicious in my bowl and something fun on casting on my TV. I must take time out for myself. To remember to breathe, push my worries aside, and enjoy myself.ย  Cooking for myself is one of several ways I practice self-care.ย ย What are your favorite methods of self-care?

Be sure to check out more Personal Reflections and Experiences posts!

Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli

Stir-fried beef-n-broccoli is one of my favorite dishes. It is super quick and straightforward. The key is to get all your mise en place done and cut your flank steak on a bias.ย  It is also great with chicken, pork tenderloin, and several meat substitutes.

Mise en place means everything in its place.ย  We also call it “prep work.”ย  When doing any fast cooking dish, such as stir fry, mise en place is essential.ย  Take a little time beforehand to get everything chopped, mixed, and ready to be placed inside the hot wok.

When people say they hate cooking, it is usually for one or more reasons outside of the actual task of cooking.

  1. They do not have the proper tools.
  2. Read the recipe before you start cooking.
  3. Make sure you understand the wording of a recipe.
  4. The recipe is poorly written.

Here are a couple of tips for the above.

Before you try this stir-fried beef and broccoli recipe, make sure you have the proper tools.

Those tools include cookware (pots and pans), utensils (tongs, spatulas, graters, and such).ย  When picking a recipe, make sure you have all you need to perform the method.ย  Also, a sharp knife makes all the difference in the world.ย  Pick a “steel” for honing the knives. Proper storage goes a long way. Guards for the blades or magnetic strips are excellent ideas. I would skip the storage block as some can dull the knives. I would suggest skipping the home sharpening for a professional.ย  Depending on how much usage the blades get, they may only need sharpening once or twice a year.

Read the recipe before you start cooking.

There is nothing worse than getting everything together to realize some has marinated for 8 hours.ย  Reading a recipe for more than the list of ingredients is vital.ย  It can tell you when is the best time to make the recipe, such as the weekend or weekday.

Make sure you understand the wording of a recipe.

Not all recipes are well written. Some cooks assume you have a specific knowledge set when writing a recipe.ย  Some methods are for professional cooks and chefs.ย  The New Food Lovers Companion (2001) is an excellent book for all cooking terms.ย  Once you get a handle on the definitions, another great book is Culinary Artistry (1996). This book helps with pairing flavors.

Once there is a good understanding of the four tips above, cooking becomes a much easier process.ย  Try them out and let me know what you think!

ย 

Stir-fried beef and broccoli

Easy one of my favorite dishes of all time. This easy beef stir fry is quick and delicious.ย  I prefer my broccoli to be crisp-tender.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Cuisine: Asian Inspired
Servings: 4
Calories: 305.62kcal
Author: Tay M.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 5 tsp vegetable oil
  • 3 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 lb flank steak beef
  • 1 med bunch broccoli 1 to 1ยผ lbs
  • ยพ cup water plus 1 tbsp
  • 1ยฝ tsp fresh ginger peeled, grated
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oil, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and honey.
  • Cut Flank steak lengthwise in half. With knife held in slanting position, almost parallel to the cutting surface, cut each half of steak crosswise into โ…›-inch thick slices. Add meat to soy mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Cut broccoli into small florets. With a vegetable peeler; peel broccoli stems; cut into โ…›-inch thick slices.
  • In a nonstick 12-inch skillet or wok, heat 1teaspoon oil over high heat. Add broccoli florets and stems and cook, stirring frequently (stir-frying), 1 minute. Add ยผcup water. Cover and cook 2 minutes; remove cover and cookie, stir-frying, until water has evaporated, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to large bowl; keep warm. Wipe skillet with paper towels.
  • In a skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over high heat until very hot. Add half of the beef and stir-fry until browned, about 3minutes, transferring meat as it is browned to bowl with broccoli. Repeat with 1 teaspoon oil and remaining beef.
  • In a small bowl, blend the remaining 1teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water until smooth; set aside. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over high heat until hot. Add ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper; cook 30seconds. Stir in remaining โ…“ cup water and oyster sauce; heat to boiling. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Stir-fry until sauce has thickened and boils. Stir beef and broccoli into sauce in pan; heat through. Transfer to warm platter.

Notes

Can marinate the beef up to 10 hours, if that fits your schedule better
Variation: Beef with Snow Peas and Carrots
Prepare as directed but omit broccoli. Stir-fry 8 ounces snow peas and 8 ounces carrots, sliced in ยฝ teaspoon oil.
Variation: You can use white or dark meat chicken instead of beef

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Calories: 305.62kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.52g | Protein: 28.51g | Fat: 15.79g | Saturated Fat: 4.35g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 77.11mg | Sodium: 791.01mg | Fiber: 3.46g | Sugar: 3.68g | Vitamin A: 4.41IU | Vitamin C: 126.76mg | Calcium: 9.91mg | Iron: 15.87mg
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I Let You Go: A Lesson

“Have you noticed I’ve been ignoring you?”

“Yep.”

“Why haven’t you said anything?”

“Because it doesn’t bother me. I am no longer interested in people doing things only because I want them to do it. “

“So you’re saying you don’t care about me anymore? “

“I’m saying I don’t care to make you into something you are not. “

“Which is what? “

“Someone special to me.”

Sometimes we hold on so tightly it becomes painful; however, we often forget we have the option to let go.ย  We only think about how painful it will be to let this person go while simultaneously ignoring the pain we are currently experiencing. By not letting go, we extend the life of the hurt indefinitely.ย  In my case, I felt if I let the relationship go, it would be a failure on my part.ย  Therefore, let’s be clear; it is not your fault.ย  On the other hand, it may not be anyone’s fault.ย  ย 

For this post’s purpose, the word “relationship” is defined as all types of relationships.ย  These include family, platonic, and romantic. Sometimes individuals drift apart naturally.ย  People come and go throughout our lifetime, each offering their own lessons. Moreover, some relationships end due to a misfortune incident, such as the other party passes away. There does not need to be a big blowup or betrayal to sever a relationship.ย  ย I found it hard to terminate a relationship when there wasn’t an event that caused the breakup.ย  In my mind, being unhappy was not a good enough reason to take my toys and go home.ย  But why not?ย  Why wasn’t having my needs met enough for me to walk away?ย 

Honestly, I can say guilt had a hand in my overstaying in relationships.ย  I felt guilty about having expectations for people, and I should have been happy with what I was given. Looking back at it now, I realize how silly that was.ย  There is nothing wrong with having expectations and boundaries.ย  What is the point of carrying around a friendship which does nothing for you? For me, it was so I can say I had friends.ย  ย Consequently, they were not my friends but merely placeholders.ย ย 

Do not get me wrong; I am not saying you should not repair relationships that mean a lot to you.ย  On the contrary, I am saying once you have expressed your concerns and nothing changes, it may be time to consider the friendship’s value.ย  Regardless of what some may believe, you can not force someone to treat you how you want to be treated.ย  There are several reasons for this, but I find there are two main reasons.ย  They may not have the compacity or the inclination to provide what you desire.ย  As you can imagine, it is hard to get comfortable with those ideas.ย  Nonetheless, once you understand and respect someone’s boundaries, as well as your own, walking away becomes easier.ย  There is no blame. No guilt. There may be sadness; it is okay to grieve a loss. The grief will subside, but if you continue to stay in a relationship that hurts you, the wound never closes.ย ย 

At some point, we must stop begging people to invest in us.ย  I had to take a hard look at why staying connected to someone, who had obviously disconnected from me, was so important.ย  The lesson I learned, I needed to invest in myself.ย  All of the attention I wanted to give away to someone else; I needed to provide it to myself.ย  Thus I began to invest in myself.ย  Indeed it took a while before I was comfortable to let go.ย  Once I did, I started to feel better.ย  The anxiety of losing this friendship diminished because I clipped the strings. The best lesson I received was the ability to see when a relationship had run its course.ย  I am no longer afraid to tell them, ” I let you go. “

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Finally, we have an almost perfect Chicken & Sausage Gumbo! Three times I have made this recipe from Food Network by Emeril. It is a combination of this andย this recipe by him. When I say it was a journey to make this gumbo for the third time, I would not be exaggerating one me!

For starters, the gumbo file is difficult to find in Dayton, OH.ย  I went to Kroger, Walmart, and Meijer. Nada. Zip. Zero.ย  In the end, I had to order it from Walmart.com and have it shipped to a local Walmart for pick up. However, it only came in a two-pack, more than I will need for a while! When I went to pick it up, can you believe the kiosk did not function?ย  ย I knew I had to make this perfect.

Making the Roux

To make sure this dish was a success, I knew I had to nail the roux.ย  For gumbo, only a chocolate roux will do.ย  The key to getting that beautiful dark brown color is staying put in front of the stove and stirring. Once it starts browning, this is the point where it can burn quickly! Luckily for me, I was able to get the perfect roux for this gumbo.

Final Thoughts

I used chicken andouille sausage, which was perfectly spicy.ย  Cajun and Creole use “the trinity” in place of mirepoix. The trinity includes onions, celery, and bell pepper (instead of carrots). There was a mix of beautiful spices and herbs, which gave the perfect flavor to the chicken stock base.

I love this dish so much. It reminds me of when my (grand) mother used to make it for the holidays. She would include chicken, shrimp, crab legs, and sausage. Even though I am not a big fan of shellfish, I still enjoyed it very much.

With school back in session and a harder semester ahead, this meal is comfort food, stress relief, and self-care! Next time I make it, I will try to make it more low carb using xanthan gum and less roux to thicken.

Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

A rich and delicious classic Lousiana stew with roots in West Afraica.
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Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cajun, chicken, creole, gumbo, rice, sausage
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 939kcal
Author: Tay M.

Equipment

  • 2 6 qt stockpot
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe poached chicken with stock reserved recipe here
  • 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chopped brown onions about 3 medium
  • 3 tbsp minced garlic about 9 cloves
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper about 2
  • 1 cup chopped celery 2 to three stalks with greens
  • 2 lbs andouille sausage or other smoked sausage sliced into ยฝ inch rounds
  • 1 tsp kosher salt to taste
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 2 each dried bay leaves
  • 2 tsp creole seasoning blend see below
  • 6 each green onions thinly sliced
  • โ…“ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 4 cups cooked white rice see below
  • filรฉ powder

Creole Seasoning Blend

  • 3 tbsp paprika
  • 7 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 tsp white pepper
  • 5 tsp onion powder
  • 5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 5 tsp dried oregano
  • 5 tsp dried thyme

White Rice

  • 2 cups long-grain white rice regular, jasmine, or basmati
  • 4 cups water or unsalted chicken or vegetable stock or broth
  • 1 each dried bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1ยฝ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Creole Seasoning Blend

  • Mixed all ingredients and set aside.

Chicken Stock

  • Make our poached chicken recipe. Remove chicken from the liquid and set aside, then strain the liquid and reserve. Once cool enough to handle, discard the bones and skin and chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cool the stock to room temperature before making the roux.

Make the Roux

  • While poaching the chicken, make a roux in a heavy bottom stockpot or dutch oven and heat oil over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in the flour until thoroughly combined. Be sure to continue whisking/stirring, paying close attention to the curves of the pot. When the roux starts to brown, drop the heat to medium or medium-low heat. Do not stop whisking until the roux is the color of milk chocolate.

Finish the Gumbo

  • Stir in the onions, green peppers, celery, and garlic to the roux and cook until softened, about 4 to 8 minutes. Add cooled stock to the roux-vegetable mixture with bay leaves and two teaspoons of the creole seasoning blend while stirring. Simmer for 2 hours, removing any foam that rises.
  • Towards the end of the first simmer, brown the sliced sausage and add to the pot. Check seasonings and simmer for two more hours. Add chicken and simmer for another 30 minutes. Stir in the gumbo file.
  • Serve over white rice and top with parsley, and green onion.

White Rice

  • In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, water, butter, salt, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is gone, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes.
  • Uncover and fluff with a fork, discard the bay leaf.

Notes

Variations

Seafood:ย  Add raw large (18/20) deveined shrimp, tail on if desired, seasoned with creole seasoning blend in the final 5 minutes of cooking.ย  Do not add them too soon, or they will become rubbery.ย  My mom would add clusters of cooking crab legs in the final 30 minutes of cooking.ย 
Sausage: Feel free to substitute your favorite poultry or beef smoked sausage.ย 
Chicken: Instead of poaching, use bone-in with skin on chicken pieces (breasts, legs, and thighs) and brown evenly.ย  Add to the pot with the sausage.ย  To replace poaching liquid, use 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock.ย 
Tomato: If you are a fan of the tomato-based version, add one can of diced tomatoes with juices after the stock.ย 
Okra: Some people do not mind the sliminess of gumbo, and like filรฉ powder, it acts as a thickener.ย  Add 1.5 cups of sliced okra in the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.ย  You can also saute the okra seasoned with salt and pepper or more creole seasoning in the same pan as the sausage.ย 
Vegan: Use six cups of vegetable or vegan chicken-flavored stock.ย  Omit chicken and sausage for 1 large sliced zucchini, 1.5 cups of sliced okra, 1-14.5 oz can of diced tomato, and/or meat substitute.ย  Any combination of these will work too. Reduce cooking time toย  20 to 30 minutes in total.ย 
ย 

Nutrition

Serving: 2c | Calories: 939kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 3041mg | Potassium: 828mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2151IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 5mg
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Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork & Creamy Coleslaw

Here is a little something about me: I can’t pass up a good sale on groceries. It is a severe issue.ย  I do need a chest freezer.ย  In my opinion, a vacuum sealer is one of the best inventions known to man.ย  Of course, a good Sharpie rounds it all out.ย ย 

So when I saw pork shoulder-butt on sale, I had to get it.ย  The fact it was about six pounds of pork for one person did not phase me at all. The first thing I did was cut it in half, freeze it for an hour before vacuuming, sealing it for it to stay in the freezer.ย 

About a month later, the desire for pulled pork and carnitas hit all at once.ย  Even with about two and a half pounds of shoulder butt, I knew that was still too much for me.ย  So I did the most logical thing.ย  I cut it in half.ย  One side for BBQ pulled pork and the other for carnitasย in this post.

Another thing I love doing is combining two recipes to make one, then tweaking it if need be to make it more like my own.ย  For this recipe, I took a little bit from hereย by Food Networkย and a little bit from hereย by The Kitchn.ย  I altered the quantities to fix the amount of pork I was using.ย  Honestly, aside from the brown sugar, I combined the two recipes.ย 

What was unique about this pulled pork is going to be low carb!ย  Recently I discovered G. Hughes sugar-free BBQ sauce. They are so good to me!ย  ย Currently, I am using the Hickory, but there are several other flavors and teriyaki sauce, and sweet chili.ย  I had hamburger bunsย byย Solaย from Meijer. For the low-carb coleslaw, I took some inspiration from Wholesome Yum.

Put it all together, and you have the picture above!ย  It was so delicious, and I didn’t even miss the sugar.ย  It was nice to enjoy such a wonderful treat. Why don’t you try Instant Pot BBQ pulled pork & creamy coleslaw this weekend?

Instant Pot Carnitas

Pork shoulder butt was on sale at Kroger. They can range from four to six pounds, which for me is a problem.ย  I live alone, and thanks to the gastric sleeve, I now have a tiny stomach.ย  As I stood in front of the meat case, contemplating my next move, I realized I wanted pulled pork andย carnitas. Even if I cut it in half, it would still be too much for me to handle.ย  My only option was to reduce the half of the half. Yep, quarter it, and use my Instant Pot.

My adoration runs very deep for my Instant Pot; however, I still need help to make sure I am using the correct times.ย  I also need a good marinade, leading me to Gimme Some Oven recipe for Instant Pot Crispy Carnitas. The mojo sauce catches my eye. The ingredients include garlic, fresh-squeezed orange and lime juice, oregano, and cumin. I added my little spin by using half of it as a marinade and the other half as directed.

My little trick to shred pork, chicken, or beef uses a handย mixer on low speed. Once I had it pulled to my liking, I simmered it in the mojo sauce to get the consistency I wanted.ย  From there, they went under the broiler to get them crispy, using the leftover sauce to keep the meat moist, as stated in the recipe.

Talk about tender and delicious. I made nachos out of the, but the star of the show was the tacos! Instant Pot carnitas tacos were a fantastic success!

While I had the shoulder marinating, I decided to make some pickled onion.ย  After I found this recipe online,ย I got to work.ย  I knew the carnitas would be excellent on the tacos and with anything else I made from the carnitas. They were super simple to make.ย  A quick brine and a slicer to get the onions nice and thin before they went into a sixteen-ounce jar.

Lastly, I topped the taco with pickled onions, grated cotija cheese, cilantro, and poblano tomatillo salsa verde on top of a Maria & Ricardos Whole Wheat Low Carb 6 Inch tortilla. Do yourself a favor and try Instant Pot carnitas tacos!

Roasted Bone-in Chicken Breast

Roasting an entire chicken for one can be a bit too much. This fact is even more true now that I have had gastric sleeve surgery. So what does one do with a tiny stomach and a craving for roasted chicken? You strike a compromise. My hero comes in the form of a bone-in skin-on chicken breast. I always keep one in the freezer for this reason. Depending on the size of the piece, it can last me two or three meals. This time frame is pretty similar to how long half of the chicken would last me.

Another reason I give precious freezer space to the bone-in skin-on breast is how roasted chicken makes me feel. There is a level of comfort radiating from this dish. The food which causes this cozy feeling is known as comfort foodโ€”types of comfort food change from person to person and culture to culture.

Precisely because of this reason, boneless, skinless chicken breasts do not invoke feelings of comfort. While I am partial to the breast, thighs, and leg quarters will also do.

Insurance for the Bone-in Chicken Breast

Before it goes into the oven, I prepare a bit of seasoned “insurance” in the form of butter. Soften butter with salt, pepper, whichever herbs tickle my fancy on that particular day. If I plan to use some of the breast for another day, I will only use salt and pepper. After the seasoned butter mixture, it is placed into the freezer to harden. Breast meat tends to dry out; keeping the skin and bones intact gives some protection from drying out. Placing the frozen butter under the skin will baste the chicken as it cooks.

Roasting Process

Using a cast-iron skillet keeps the heat consistent even and makes sure the chicken does not dry out. Using a higher temperature of 375 degrees will also keep things from drying out as well.

Self-Care Day

Today, I decided I needed a self-care day. It was a painful, emotional past few months.ย  I’m finally back in Ohio.ย  Yet, my tension is still quite high. It has been a while since I had taken some time to myself, alone.ย  It was time I put everyone else on hold.ย  For a few hours, I need to shrug off all my stress, hurt, and confusion.

I decided I needed a little bit of pampering, entertainment, and a meal out.ย  A few days before I decided to go out, I call Ulta and made an appointment with their Benefit Brow Bar at The Greene.ย  Before I moved to Dayton, I had not been to the Benefit Brow Bar.ย  It was always less expensive in Long Beach to get my brows done.ย  I didn’t understand why I should pay $40 for the service.ย  However, it quite a bit more expensive to my eyebrows done here. It was with this fact I had in mind when I was at a few months before Ultra and decided to give it a whirl.

My brows have a lovely natural shape, but they are a bit on the light side. Benefit has a tint and wax service for about $36.ย  When I say my brows had never looked better, I would not be exaggerating at all.ย My technician did the wax first to get the shape perfect.ย  Then it was time for the tint, which she did in half black and dark brown. It was just dark enough for me. My brows looked like Instagram brows, so close to perfect.

After the eyebrows were finished, I went over the Cinemark to watched the newly released Spider-man: Far Away from Home.ย  As with most Marvel superhero movies, I enjoyed it. Tom Holland is the only Spider-man who feels like a teenager. His portrayal of Peter Parker is so impressive.ย  Don’t wrong, I like the other Spider-men, but they struck me more as a college student than high schoolers. The downside of Tom’s Peter to me is how they seem to downplay how intelligent he is supposed to be. You get the idea he is smart, but not at the level Peter usually is. Nonetheless, it was a fun movie.

Lastly, I capped off my self-care day at bd’s Mongolian Grill. I have always enjoyed this Mongolian BBQ concept rows of protein, vegetables, spices, and herbs to go on top of my favorite carbohydrate.ย  Squeeze as much meat, veggies, and noodles into a bowl as you can top it with my favorite sauces and seasonings. After that, you hand it off to the folks working the round grill with long sticks.ย  Regardless of how much you cram into the bowl. I always get it back with a lot more room than I think I should have.ย  This time, since I was getting ready for my surgery, I did not get any noodles or rice.ย  Unfortunately, I put way too much chili power on my creation and didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked.

It is nice to have finally shrugged off some of what I had been feeling.ย  There are times when you just have to take a self-care day and breath.

When Life Gives You Lemons

** Trigger Warning ** This post deals with suicide. Please proceed carefully.ย 

When life gives you lemons, they said you should make lemonade.ย  There are times when the lemons are so tart, and it doesn’t seem as if they will be enough water or sugar to make the lemonade sweet enough to be enjoyed. I find myself in this exact situation, which brings me back to California.

I am back home suddenly because or at tragedy. My friend’s son took his own life. His passing was sudden out and out of the blue.ย  Yet isn’t it always?ย  I had no idea he was suffering so much. Of course, I wish I had found out sooner.

Zack was barely 25 years old. He had the biggest brightest smile. The free hugs button was something Zack would wear.ย  I was close friends with his father since he was eight years old. To say I knew the kid for a while is an understatement.ย  He was always the sweetest child.

Quickly, I came back to California to support my friend though this trying time. I am stuffing my grief down to stay helpful.ย  ย If the tears started to fall, I don’t know when I would be able to get them to stop.ย  Aside from my grief, I feel the sadness for his parents and friends who are devastated by his passing.

When I was standing in my friends’ mother’s backyard, I saw these lemons on the tree.ย  I thought about how much I do like fresh lemonade. I wondered if anyone else would appreciate some fresh lemonade as well. It made perfect sense to me, when life gives you lemons, of course, you make lemonade.

These were not the first lemons off the tree. I just happened to the first ones I picked myself.ย  As I was making the lemonade, I keep thinking to myself I can’t do anything about the situation. I can not bring Zack back. There is no way for me to take away their pain and ease their suffering.

Their pain was the lemons given to them.ย  It was for them to figure out how to make lemonade out it.ย  It is such an ugly, bitter lemon. It is hard to see how anything could come from them.

When life gives you lemons, it doesn’t always mean making the best of it.ย  I feel it means to learn from this situation.ย  Matters concerning precious loved ones it hard to find the “lesson.”

I am not even sure if there was a lesson for me in it other than realizing life is precious and fleeting.ย  This whole thing has me holding on to it with both hands.