Half of Your Body Weight in Ounces of Water Per Day - Are You Drinking Enough?

Half of Your Body Weight in Ounces of Water Per Day - Are You Drinking Enough?

I think this is the challenge I will try for 30 days .  If I drink half my body weight in water, will I:

• lose weight
• feel better
• have less digestive issues
• anything else that might be beneficial to my health

Happy 17th JazzyTay

High Heels for Korean Men (깔창 - kkalchang)

10 Minute meal

 I am a fan of quick and easy.  For lunch today I decided on ramen, but who wants just plain old ramen?  Yeah me either.  So, I did a one pan dish that took all of 10 minutes to cook.  I started with 1 Italian sausage link like the one pictured.  Literally, a handful of spinach.  Now the amount of spinach you use is dependent on how much you like spinach.  So, back to the handful of spinach.  I take the handful and rough chop it into more bite-sized pieces or nice shreds.  Ok, so for those of you who do not have fresh spinach on hand, you can use half a box of chopped frozen spinach.

Begin by browning the Italian sausage in a skillet along with 1 tbsp of minced garlic.  Now, I use a lot of garlic, so I buy it by the jar for quick use.  If you are ambitious and would like to mince it yourself....GO FOR IT!!!!   

Once sausage is browned and mixed with garlic, add in the spinach and let it cook until it wilts slightly.

Your mixture should look a little like this  ===>

Add in one pack of ramen.  Now I used pork this time because I am using a pork sausage and was just feeling that way I suppose.  If you like a different one, then use that.  Whatever floats your boat.  Make sure you add the seasoning package also and crush up the noodles a bit so they are easier to eat.  Now if you like them all long and unruly, knock yourself out.  I added about 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups of water.  The amount of water you add should do two things.  1.  Be enough water for the noodles to cook in, and 2.  alters the amount of saltiness you will get.  I am not a huge salt person so I tend to give myself more soup so the saltiness will not overpower my poor little taste buds.  Another thing you need to consider is how you like to eat your noodles.  I don't like mine all soggy and try to get a good cooked but slightly firm noodle.  It should look a little like this below once it is pretty much done. 

 

 The finished product should look a little like this.  You can always add a little heat to it with either a dash of cayenne or you can add a boiled egg.  Whatever other additives you would like to add to enhance your experience go for it.  I like to make this for either lunch or when I am looking for a lazy dinner.  It is filling and pretty darn tasty.  Of course you can modify the sausage to be a turkey Italian sausage or ground beef./turkey/chicken/pork.  whatever your like, don't deny yourself, throw it in and enjoy.  It is all about the experience and the enjoyment.

Ponderances

This is something that came to me years ago and I find that it still provides me with a level of comfort when life gets a little more challenging than I would like.  I hope that this can provide a little reassurance,comfort, or whatever some one may need upon reading it.

S t r e n g t h . . . . . .

We don't always have to be strong to be strong.
Sometimes our strength is expressed in being vulnerable.
Sometimes we need to fall apart to regroup and stay on track. . . . . . .
We all have days when we cannot push any harder, cannot hold back
self-doubt, cannot stop focusing on fear, cannot be strong. . . . . . .
There are days when we cannot focus on being responsible.
Occasionally, we don't want to get out of our pajamas.
Sometimes we cry in front of people.
We expose our tiredness, irritability, or anger.
Those days are okay.
They are just okay. . . . . .
Part of taking care of ourselves means we give ourselves permission to "fall
apart" when we need to.
We do not need to be perpetual towers of strength.
We ARE strong. We have proven that. . . . . . .
Our strength will continue if we allow ourselves the courage to feel scared,
weak, and vulnerable when we need to experience those feelings. . . . . . .
Today, help me to know that is it okay to allow myself to be human.
Help me not to feel guilty or punish myself when I need to "fall apart."

A touch of beauty.

Found this picture and wanted to share it.  There is just something very pure and simple about this flower, yet it can bring a calmness over me just to see it.  I wonder if it smells as pretty and exotic as it looks.  Is the surrounding flora just as beautiful?  It brings me back to my visit to the rain forest in Puerto Rico.  That is a place I would love to go back and visit when I have more time on my hands to explore. 

To sabotage or not to sabotage. That is the problem.

I have found that there are 2 major types of sabotage...at least in my life.


Friendly Sabotage and Self Sabotage.



Self sabotage is the most destructive as you are pretty much screwing yourself.   Sometimes it is so subtle that you don't realize that you are doing it...then one day...you find the missing piece of the puzzle and you're  way out of the maze that is your self-doubt.  Although you may think..."How could anyone do that?" You would be amazed that it is quite easy to do.  Some miscellaneous thought that has been implanted in you early on in childhood that makes you constantly strive for perfection in that particular area.  You may have possibly done exceedingly well in that area all your life. Then one day, you begin to fear that you can't do whatever it that "thing" is...so you either don't try so that way if you fail, it was because you weren't trying....OR. you do other little things that will eventually prove negative and lead to failure.   The question to be answered is: How do you stop the self sabotage?



Do you sabotage yourself? Did you ever sabotage yourself? Do you know someone who self sabotages?



Now, the friendly sabotage is another beast in it's own right.  This is where you have a person who claims to be your friend, but you begin to notice over time, that they don't really like you however they can't seem to stay away.  They are in constant competition with you about one thing or another... and seem to relish in your misery.  They also tend to want to come to your rescue, to prove you "need" them and tend to become very upset if you don't ask for their assistance.  Personally, I like to play with a person who is straddling the fence of being a real friend.  I enjoy making them work harder to compete with me.


Why you ask?  Because I am always happy for my friends and all that they accomplish.  I try to support them in whatever they do even if it isn't something that I especially care for.  That is what a friend does.  So when I have someone in my life who is trying to cause me harm emotionally , I tend to want to get even...... make them work very hard......and then get rid of them.


Do you have someone who is committing friendly sabotage?  What do you do about it?

Simple, quick, and tasty.

So  with the day being so beautiful, I didn't want to spend all my day inside preparing dinner, so I decided to do simple and satisfying: Tomato, cucumber, and onion salad w/grilled Italian chicken thighs.

Tomato, Cucumber, Onion Salad

• 2 cucumbers (peeled and sliced thinly)
• 1 pint cherry tomato or you could dice up 1 large tomato
• 1 Red or Vidalia  onion (depending on your preference)
• 3 tbsp  Marzetti Sweet Italian  

Mix all ingredients together and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or could be made the night before so that the flavors have time to mix well.   You may also add green pepper slices if you desire.

**Some people like to add 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and olive oil or zesty Italian dressing.

Italian Fiesta Chicken

       

• 1 4lb bag of chicken thighs. (I used the Great Value brand from WalMart).
• 3 lb chicken legs
• 1 pkg Hidden Valley Farms Fiesta Ranch Dip
• 1 8oz bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

Place chicken in a bowl and mix in ranch and itlaian dressing until every piece is covered.  Allow chicken to marinate for at least an hour, but ideally this is best if you put it together the night before or before you go to work in the morning.   I am not sure about you guys, but I prefer grilling on a charcoal grill.  There is just something about the smokey flavor and essence derived from grilling with charcoal.  That being said, you are welcome to use whatever method you prefer.  Some people like the indoor George Forman grills, propane, blah, blah, blah.  Do what makes you happy and what is easier for you.

I hope you enjoy.  Also, if you want to have a bit more of a kick, add a dash of cayenne.  
  

Welcome to my world.

 

 

Simplicity is generally defined as a state or quality of being simple and that is how I like to live my life.  I am a simple woman who enjoys the little things in life.  I enjoy cooking, experimenting, crafting, and trying to keep my sanity while dealing with 16 (almost 17 in 2 weeks) year old twin daughters.  I invite you to come peek in on my journey and have laughs, cries, or both.  Whatever it is that you wish to get out of it, I hope you find it and feel welcome.