Carly Dorendorf | San Diego Homeowner | February 2023 Digital Newsletter

Presented By Carly Dorendorf

TRAVEL TIME

Arches National Park Utah

Eating Well on the Go!

Life is hectic enough, why does dinner have to be complicated? Whether you have a family of four and you’re balancing several different schedules or you and your partner are trying to shed some holiday pounds – prepping your meals in advance will save you time, money and (when done right) a whole lot of head ache. First, keep it simple! Start by prepping two times a week so you’re only planning three days in advance.

Breakfast can be as easy as cutting fresh fruit to be frozen for AM smoothies or single serving overnight oats. Individual portions are great for kids and those chaotic Monday mornings.

Discover a landscape like no other! Arches National Park is home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches and hundreds of amazing rock formations, including giant balanced boulders, incredible rock fins, and high-reaching spires! Just north of Moab, Utah, and adjacent to the Colorado River, the park contains over 76,000 acres of red rock wonders. Arches National Park is also home to a large number of interesting native plants and animals, including the peregrine falcon and kangaroo rat. The park, like much of Southeastern Utah, is also home to a dense living soil layer that provides water and nutrients to complex forms of plant life that would otherwise not flourish with such low levels of precipitation.

Source: utah.com

For Oats: Mason jars work the best, pour ½ cup of old fashioned oats into ½ cup of almond milk (or water), mix and cover, then let sit overnight in the fridge. Top with fresh fruit in the morning and you’re all set! If you want to get fancy you can add some cacao or drizzle with honey.

Despite the stigma, none of your meals need to be “worthy of the gram” in order to get your taste buds talking. Stick to healthy, high protein, low carb and low processed sugar recipes for lasting energy throughout your day. An important part of successful meal prep is buying ingredients you can use for several different lunches/dinners.

For example:

1 Lunch option – Taco Bowls: Ground Beef w/ taco seasoning, black (or pinto) beans, brown rice, fresh avocado, mixed greens, corn and your favorite salsa.

1 Dinner option – Taco Casserole: Same ingredients but swap your rice for corn tortillas. Mix your beans, mixed greens, corn and salsa in a bowl and layer with the tortillas/taco meat, like a lasagna. Top it off with your choice of cheese and pop it in the oven to warm up, then add avocado when serving.

Using overlapping ingredients really simplifies your prep, just have your taco bowl for lunch one day and the casserole for dinner the next, so you don’t get bored of those flavors. One last tip that will make your prep easier: create a calendar for those three days and only buy the groceries for those meals. You can freeze what doesn’t get used for later in the week. Just try not to plan too far ahead; life happens, things come up and you don’t want to set yourself up to fail. Give it a try this week, you won’t regret it!

�elax

De-Stress After a Long Day

Had a long stressful day at work? You don’t need to go to an exclusive spa to seek solitude. Try one of these ideas to relax both body and mind. Ease your stress-related aches and pains by taking a warm bath or steamy shower. Add aromatherapy essential oils such as lavender, ylang ylang, or sweet orange to your bath for a soothing soak. Pop on Spotify and search for a relaxing playlist to calm your mind (yes, you can actually look up “relax in the tub” and find pre-mixed songs ideal for a soak). Candles and dim lighting can also increase your chill-out vibe. Don’t have a tub? Try a shower bomb … these essential oil tablets hang from the showerhead or rest on the floor and release a soothing mist as the warm water cascades down. Want to sip something? Give herbal tea a go (chamomile will help promote sleep), and skip the wine for now. Many tea companies now offer stress-busting blends ideal for relaxation moments.

Deep breathing and meditation are also beneficial for stress relief. Try this: Breathe in though your nose, hold your breath for a few seconds, and then slowly breathe out through your mouth. Repeat until you feel a sense of peace. Next-level chill: Master mediation. Sit in a quiet place on the floor and just be still and listen to your breathing. Thoughts will pop up … just let them come and go. Aim for 10 minutes of quiet time alone and increase the length as you see benefits.

Distraction is another great anti-stress tool. If music isn’t working, try getting lost in a good book or a funny movie to take your mind off work or life troubles. Laughing helps release tension and promotes stress-reducing endorphins. Feel like you need a change of scenery? Hop in the car with a friend and go for a drive to regain your sense of place in the world. Surrounding yourself with the beauty of nature on a hike in the mountains or along a sandy beach will help give you perspective. And the exercise is guaranteed to help boost your mood. If all else fails, pick up your phone and call a family member or friend. Getting together with a true pal will help you relax, but even just chatting with a family member or an old school buddy will help ease stress. You got this!

Easy Meatball Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

8 cups hot water

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tsp MAGGI Granulated Chicken Flavor Bouillon 2 green onions, sliced

2 pkts (2.11 ounces each) MAGGI Beef Flavored

Pasta Soup Mix

DIRECTIONS

1/2 cup chopped carrots

Combine oregano, thyme and coriander in small bowl. Sprinkle half of mixture over beef. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Remove from pan. Sprinkle remaining herb mixture over chicken. Cook chicken until no longer pink, adding more oil if necessary. Remove from pan. Cook onion, bell pepper and garlic until tender, adding more oil if necessary.

Add beef to vegetables in saucepan. Stir in water, yam, potato, plantain and bouillon. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook for 30 minutes. Add chicken and ham; cover. Cook for an additional 40 minutes or until beef is tender. Mash potatoes, yam and plantain in pot with potato masher. Stir in corn, capers and hot pepper sauce. Cook for 10 minutes or until corn is tender.

GoodNes.com