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[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Meal Prep Sunday!!!

This was a super simple and quick meal. I really love prepping things and then storing them in my Pyrex dishes with lids....it makes reheating meals a breeze!! I prepped this meal in advance and stored it in the Pyrex dish until I was ready to bake. All I had to do was remove the lid, place foil over my dish and heat in an oven at 375 degrees until the cheese was nice and bubbly!! But you can use whatever dish you like.

So now to the recipe!!

Cheesy Tortellini Bake

1 jar Pasta sauce ( I make my own roasted red pepper sauce, but you can use whatever sauce is your favorite!)

1 pack cheese Tortellini

1 bag baby spinach

1 pack smoked turkey sausage ( or any meat you prefer)

Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Oregano

Basil

Chop smoked sausage into pieces. Set aside

In a food processor or with a knife, chop up baby spinach until in little pieces. Set aside

In a pot of boiling water, add tortellini and cook until slightly soft. Drain and set aside.

Heat sauce in a separate pot. Once heated keep in a separate pot or bowl.

Saute turkey sausage until brown and remove from heat. Set sausage aside. In the same skillet heat a teaspoon of olive oil and then add in spinach, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and basil. Cook until slightly wilted. Turn off heat and remove spinach from skillet into a bowl.

In a large bowl mix tortellini and spinach and turkey sausage. Mix well.

In a 8 by 8 or whatever size you like Pyrex dish, spread some sauce. Then add a layer of the tortellini mixture. Then add a layer of sauce. Keep alternating tortellini mix and sauce until you reach the top and end with a layer of sauce. Then top with a layer of parmesan cheese.

You can either cover and store in a refrigerator or freezer until ready to bake or bake in a 375 degree oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly!!

Enjoy!!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

It's Soup Season Y'all!!!!

Fall is here and what better way to celebrate than making soup!! I love making soups because it takes the burden off of cooking during the week. Plus it's a hearty meal and helps me get my veggies!!! This week, I made a hearty Tortellini Soup full of veggies and love and wanted to share it with you all. So here you go!!

I will say, it's a lot of steps but it is worth it in the end!!

Happy soup season!

Tortellini Soup

1 lb ground turkey

1 pack baby spinach

1 pack cheese tortellini

3 jars of roasted red peppers

1 carton vegetable broth

1/2 cup sweet onion chopped

1/2 cup carrots chopped

1/2 cup celery chopped

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

1/2 green pepper chopped

1 jalepeno chopped (optional)

1 tbs minced garlic

2 tbs of olive oil

Oregano

Thyme

Basil

Fresh parsley

Onion powder

Paprika

Salt

Pepper

Rosemary

Garlic powder

1. In a food processor, take two jars of your roasted red peppers and add peppers without liquid. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder, about a tsp of salt, a tsp of pepper and a tablespoon of garlic powder. Puree until it is liquid. Set aside

2. Take the last jar of red peppers and chop. Set aside.

3. Next, chop all the remaining vegetables and set aside.

4. In a dutch oven, heat 1tbs of olive oil. Saute minced garlic, carrots, celery, onion, green pepper, jalapeño fresh red pepper and fresh parsley. Cook until soft. Remove from pot and set aside.

5. Heat remaining olive oil and add ground turkey. Add spices- oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, basil. Cook meat until brown. Remove from heat and drain grease.

6. Add turkey and celery vegetable mixture back to your dutch oven. Heat together. Then add chopped roasted red peppers and roasted red pepper sauce and vegetable broth. Stir and let simmer. Then add tortellini and spinach. Add additional garlic, oregano and salt and pepper as needed. Let cook down and serve!!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Dating with a chronic illness....

I've said it once and I'll say it again, date with chronic illnesses is almost impossible. I decided to try again and well, my results have been the same....either being completely disrespected or totally ghosted. I don't think my plus one is out there. And I'll be honest, it breaks my heart.

Once upon a time, dating used to be kind of easy. I was thin and pretty and the right type of man actually came around me. I had meaningful conversations and things kind of went somewhere. But after my divorce things got harder. And I got older and sicker things progressively got harder and well let's just say the pool of men was infested with algae and piss. Like I just can't believe what is coming my way now.

I get men with hundreds of kids or who don't have goals or careers or who are abusive( verbally and mentally), or who are very judgemental or who just ghost me. And well I will be honest, it hurts. It has made me question who I am amd what I am doing.

Allow me to explain. I know I'm not as thin as I used to be, I'm working on that, but I still have a great personality and many things to bring to the table. But apparently that's not good enough. The constant rejection has made me question my essential being and things like my approach to conversation, my reactions to certain things and what I reveal in conversation. I just don't understand anymore. I try and try and no matter what I get ghosted or rejected, most often times after they find out about my chronic illnesses or they when they find out I have a career ( which is quite odd). I have tried many ways to present it all and well each time it just doesn't work out.

At first it didn't hurt too bad but now the pain is deep. Some days I want to cry. I just want a fair chance like anyone else. I want a chance for that first date, a chance for good conversation and magic. But sadly I'll never get it. My guy friends try to make me feel better by saying it's not me it's them but I know the reality...it is me.

I try to paint a brave face like it's okay but I realize that I do deserve love and special things. I do deserve someone to go out to dinner with and to special events with. But, alas I guess I won't have that. It's just me, myself and I. I guess I've met my match. It's over now.

So what now? I'll wipe my tears, hold my head up high and find a new path. I'm sure there is some greater calling and purpose out there for me. One that doesn't require a mate. So here's to the new journey and the success it will bring.

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Sunday Meal Prep: Chipotle Shrimp and Kale Rice

I know I haven't posted in a while so I figured I'd share this great recipe I tried this week: chipolte shrimp and rice. Lately I have found it's getting harder for me to digest chicken, so I've been eating more fish and shrimp. So I've been looking to try many different recipes than just pasta dishes or fried shrimp.

I stumbled across this on Pintrest, but I put my own little spin on it and it came out GREAT!! It was so easy to make and I encourage you to try it too!!

Chipolte Sauce

1/2 cup mayo

1 cup sour cream

1/2 lime, juiced

1 clove garlic minced

1/4 can Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Pinch of salt

Combine ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Set sauce aside until ready to use.

Shrimp Dish

1 pound shrimp

1 red bell pepper, chopper

1 jalapeño, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 green onion, chopped, use the white part and save the green part for garnish

1/4 cup milk

3 cloves garlic, minced and divided

Olive oil, 2 tablespoons

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

Chipolte sauce

Rinse and dry shrimp. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika and one clove of garlic. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add shrimp and cook until light pink. Remove and set aside. In same skillet, add red pepper, jalapeño, red onion and green onion and remaining garlic and saute until cooked down. Add chipolte sauce and let simmer. Add 1/4 cup of milk or less to thin out. Add shrimp in and let continue to cook down. Serve with rice and garnish with green onions.

Kale rice

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 sweet onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup kale, chopped finely

1 cup long grain rice

1 bouillon cube

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

In a saucepan, melt butter and saute onions, garlic and kale. Once kale begins to wilt, add in bouillon cube and break apart with spoon. Add in rice and saute for 2 minutes. Add in broth and water. Cover and let cook down. Once water is absorbed, fluff rice and enjoy!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Weekly meal prep, AIP and Mediterranean Diet Style!

This week, I decided to make some simple dishes for meal prep and to celebrate National Nutrition Month!! Many of our chronic diseases can be managed by diet, in addition to kter treatments. And in my experience, the AIP diet or Autoimmune Protocol Diet and the Mediterranean Diet seem to be the best in helping to reduce inflammation and help manage my conditions. Both of these lifestyles focus on limiting processed foods, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and inflammatory foods such as gluten and dairy and sugar. With both diets I will say this, you tend not to go wrong if you shop the outside of the grocery store and limit items from the aisles. However this doesn't mean you can't have certain pastas, nuts, beans, whole grains etc. All of these provide vital nutrients to one's system.

This week I used sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peanut butter, oats and some other wholesome ingredients for my meal prep. I hope you find this to be helpful for you!!

Sweet Potato Chickpea Fritters

1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and shredded

1 cup chickpea flour

1/2 sweet onion

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon of each:

Salt

Black pepper

Dried parsley

Onion powder

Cumin powder

Garlic powder

Paprika

Dried oregano

1 tbs of oil ( I used canola) for frying. Can also use air fryer

Peel and finely shred a sweet potato in a bowl. To that add seasonings and give a light toss. Then add chickpea flour, onion and egg and combine well. Set aside. In a skillet heat oil on stove. While oil is heating make balls/patties with sweet potato mixture. Place the balls in the skillet and cook until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel to drain excess grease. Let cool and enjoy!!

Peanut Butter Banana Oat Muffins

2 bananas

1 stick vegan butter( I use Country Crock Olive Oil Butter)

1 egg

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 cups oat flour

1 cup gluten free flour

1 cup sugar substitute

1/4 cup sugar free syrup

1 tbs vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 pinch salt

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp baking soda

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 sugar free chocolate chips ( optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and oil muffin tin. Set aside. Melt butter in bowl. Then add bananas and mash. Next, add in sweetener, syrup, peanut butter, egg, vanilla extract and almond extract. Mix together until you have a thick mixture, almost custard like. Add in oat flour( I take regular oats and grind them in the food processor until they become a flour...saves money on buying oat flour!) And gluten free flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Give a stir until everything is incorporated. Then slowly add milk until you have a thick wet mixture. Batter should not be runny. Lastly mix in chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into muffin tins. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let cool and enjoy with coffee or a favorite topping like butter or jam or fruit or by themselves!!!

I hope these recipes bring you joy and feed your tummy, as well as your spirit!!!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Yummy, easy, biscuits!!!

I have never been great at making biscuits but I finally have a recipe that is fool proof and tastes great!! I hope you find it just as enjoyable! So here we go:

3 cups GF flour

2 small tubs of Greek yogurt ( I used plain nonfat)

2 tbs of butter plus 1 tbs melted

2 tbs of baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbs sugar

Place flour in a bowl. Add in baking powder, sugar and salt and whisk together. Then, cut in cold butter and use a whisk to chop in butter. You should have a kind of flaky mixture at this point. Then fold in Greek yogurt one tub at a time until a dough forms. Once the dough comes together lightly knead on a floured surface ( your dough will be a bit sticky). Then roll out to about an inch to inch and half thick and cut out your biscuits. Place in a buttered Pyrex dish. Brush the tops of the tough with melted butter and bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown. Let cool and enjoy!!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Remember To Love Your Heart This Valentine's Day!!!

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and it is oh so important to remember to take care of your heart. When thinking of what to make for that special meal, consider things that are heart healthy and high in antioxidants. These foods include tomatoes, red peppers, kale, spinach, lean meats such as chicken and turkey, fish and whole grains.

Maintaining a balanced diet is just one tool in the prevention of heart disease, as well as the care of cardiovascular disease.

Not sure where to start? Try these recipes that are full of flavor, easy on sodium, and use fresh foods!!!

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

1/2 a sweet onion, chopped

1/2 a Red bell pepper, chopped

1 jar fire roasted red peppers, drained

1/2 cup of chopped kale

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Olive oil

A tablespoon of each:

Salt

Pepper

Oregano

Basil

Garlic powder

Place in a food processor or blender onion, jar of peppers and choppedred pepper. Add the kale, seasonings and cheese. Place the top on and turn on. Drizzle in the your olive oil until you have a thick liquid. Add more oil as necessary to make the sauce to the consistency you like. Also add more seasoning to get to your liking. You can store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or use immediately.

Turkey Meatballs

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped finely

1/2 sweet onion chopped finely

1/2 cup kale, chopped finely

2 tbs olive oil plus 2 more

A tablespoon of each except the salt:

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Salt( 2 pinches)

Black pepper

Paprika

Ground thyme

Dried basil

Dried oregano

Parsley

In a skillet, heat olive oil. Sautee onion, peppers and kale until wilted. Remove from heat and let cool. Place skillet back on stove and heat 2 more tablespoons of oil. In a bowl, add the ground turkey, veggies and seasonings and mix together. Form meat balls and sautee' in skillet until brown on all sides. Drain on a paper towel. Eat with pasta and my roasted red pepper sauce or on their own!!!

I hope you enjoy these two recipes! Let me know how they turn out for you!!! And for some added freshness serve with some fresh green beans!!!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Tips for making infusion days bearable!!!

For many chronic illness patients, infusions or injections are part of our treatment plans. These sessions can be weekly, monthly or as needed. And each treatment has it's own set of side effects but there are some things to make treatment just a bit more pleasant. I hope my tips and tricks will help make your experiences better! Feel free to comment any additional tips you have learned along the way as well.

1. Keep hydrated! I know for some of us this is hard, but I have found if I am hydrated it is easier to get a line at the infusion center and my sessions go better.

2. Try to eat a little something before your session if your doctor will allow it. I had some toast before I went and that made my session much easier.

3. Dress warmly!! It's so cold in most infusion centers so warm layers are a comfort.

4. Wear loose clothing. I know this may be hard when you are trying to dress warm, but loose clothing makes it easy for them to access veins and ports to insert the IVs for your treatment. I wore leggings, a tank and a huge sweater and I was warm but could adjust my clothing so I could get an IV started.

5. Hydrate and snack while infusing if you can. I felt a bit woozy during my session but crackers and a ginger ale got me back on track. If allowed and you can tolerate it, hydrate and snack while infusing.

6. Take a blanket and other comfort items. While I took a blanket with me and my work stuff, I ended up not needing my own blanket but I did use it for my back. Having ear phones, my laptop and blanket made me feel comfortable for my 3 hour stay today. I definitely suggest taking things to keep you occupied like a book or computer or phone with movies. It makes things more enjoyable.

7. Constantly communicate with the nurses. If you feel sick or pain or need a break, say so. They are happy to make this experience as pleasant as possible.

8. REST. I was told I'd feel tired and some flu like symptoms after my infusion and to just rest. I tried to ignore that and do stuff but my body stopped me. So I went to Kay down. Definitely rest as much as you can afterwards.

These are just a few tips from my experiences. I hope they help you during your sessions! Here's to smooth sailing and happy days!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Better For You Yet Still Cozy and Comfy Chicken Pot Pie!!!

So, fall is in full effect and I wanted something comforting and cozy for my meal prep. I searched my brain and chicken pot pie immediately came to mind!! I haven't made it in sooo long so I wondered if I could still conjure up this comfort food classic. I also asked myself if I could do a better for you version and I think I nailed it!! I did a little taste test while cooking and let me tell you, it is still one amazing dish!!! You won't be disappointed with this version. I hope you and your family enjoy it just as much as I did!!

Ingredients

1 can reduced fat crescent rolls

3 stalks celery, chopped

8 baby carrots, chopped

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/4 of a sweet onion chopped

5 boneless, skinless Perdue chicken tenders, diced into cubes or 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast dices into cubes

1/4 light sour cream

1/2 low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons GF flour

1/2 stick of Country Crock Olive Oil Butter plus 2 tablespoons

Garlic powder

Pepper

Onion powder

Celery seed

Ground thyme

Dried rosemary

Paprika

Dash of salt

(Note: you can use a frozen vegetable medley versus fresh vegetables to save time!)

Recipe

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a clear 9 by 9 pyrex dish. Unroll your crescent rolls onto wax paper and take half and spread out onto the Pyrex dish. Smooth the edges and the poke holes. Place in oven and bake for about 7 minutes or until slightly brown. Remove and set aside. Then, proceed to chop all of your vegetables and place in a bowl. Season with garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, dash of salt, celery seed and pepper. Set aside. Next clean and dry your chicken. Dice into small cubes and season with pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and a dash of salt. Then, in a skillet melt the butter and saute the chicken. Remove the chicken once brown but leave any juice and fat. Add in the vegetables and saute until transparent. Add in the remaining butter until melted. Then, add in the chicken broth. Stir and then add in the flour and sour cream. Let boil until thickened. Then add in parmesan cheese and stir. Add additional seasonings to taste!! Let boil about 6 minutes or so. Turn off heat and then let sit a few minutes. Then spoon into the bottom crust. Then top with remaining crescent rolls and smooth the edges again. Place back in over until top is golden brown. Be careful as this happens fast!!! Remove, let cool and enjoy!!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Navigating Shoulder Surgery

So I recently had shoulder surgery and I will say, it has been a very difficult recovery!!! From excruciating pain to a post op infection, it has been very difficult.

However, there have been some things that have made life great, and some things I learned that have helped to navigate the process. For example, I have about 5 good ice packs in my freezer so I never went without a good cold ice pack. These were needed so much to help with pain and swelling. I also realized I needed to stay on top of meds in order to keep my pain levels manageable, so that meant taking them about every 3 and a half hours versus 4. It made a huge difference in keeping things under control.

But there were some other things that made this journey easier such as having flushable wipes for the bathroom and this amazing Peri bottle to clean my bottom. I had surgery on my right shoulder so I was not able to clean as easily as I normally would so I would use this bottle to cleanse my bottom, then use the flushable wipes to finish getting clean. So useful!!

Showering also proved to be a task and it took me forever!! But I put my body wash in a pump dispenser and used this body scrub brush and I have never felt more clean in my life!! It made showering so much easier and gentle in my shoulder. After I got out, I would sit on the toilet, which was covered in a towel, and drape another towel over my shoulders and take my time drying. This was a great way to do it and put less stress on my body. I also used badeau bras and surgical bras, as they were easier to get on and off. And of course, I wore oversized tees and button down shirts!!

I hope these tips and tricks will help you navigate a shoulder surgery!! Feel free to like and share!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Drop It Like It's Hot Peach Coffee Cake!!

So, I got up this morning and yelled for the butler and when nobody showed up, I realized I had no butler and got my aching body up and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. I turned in some music and Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot" came on and took me back to my high school and college days and whew chile if I didn't have 5 minutes of pure joy. Well that joy went into this coffee cake and mmmmmm mmmmmm is it good!! So put on your favorite jams and get baking!!!

And so you know, this recipe is gluten sensitive, heart healthy and dairy free!! So go ahead, enjoy yourself!!!

Recipe!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups Almond Flour

1/4 cup Oat Flour

1/3 cup Erythritol or sugar-free crystal sweetener of choice

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 large eggs  (room temperature, not cold)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup melted butter or you can also choose coconut oil if you would like dairy free

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (room temperature, not cold)

PEACH FILLING

1 ripe peach, peeled

1 Tablespoon sweetener

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

STREUSEL TOPPING PORTION:

1 cup Almond flour

1/2 cup oats

1/3 cup Erythritol or other non sugar sweetener

1/3 cup butter (melted) or melted coconut oil

1/2 cup chopped walnuts – optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a square 9×9 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.  

Start by preparing the streusel topping.  Combine all the streusel ingredients together until it forms a crumble. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

Next prepare the cake batter by gathering a large mixing bowl,  add in almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, erythritol and salt. Stir dry ingredients until well combined.  

Add to the dry ingredients, eggs, melted butter (Not hot or it will cook the eggs) almond milk and vanilla. 

Combine until it forms a consistent batter with no lumps. 

Assemble the cake: 

Start by spreading evenly the coffee cake batter into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the peach mixture on top of the cake batter then spread the the streusel on top of the cake. The cake batter will mix some of the streusel and that’s just fine. 

Bake for about 40-45 minutes until a knife comes out clean

*recipe notes: you can switch up the flours(such as coconut flour or a regular GF flour) and add cinnamon and nutmeg to the streusel. I am allergic so didn't use them in mine!!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Healing Hurt and Ending Generational Trauma

Healing is a term that can apply to many different things. From the outside looking in, I had a beautiful childhood and life. Some would even say privileged. But what the world didn't see was the trauma I endured such as arguments, lack of emotion, lack of communication, awful coping mechanisms, abuse, eating disorders and other things well because culturally African Americans didn't discuss their problems. What happens at home stays at home and well you just shove it under the rug. But as I grew older, I repressed a lot of it and things got better, until I began living much of this in my own life and said " whoaaaaa wait a minute, hold the phone. What we aren't going to do is live this all over.." so I took my butt to therapy and healed and began to break generational curses. And then came the hard part. Applying what I knew and what I learned to my family. And boy did that cause a storm. But yet I persisted. For years I have been working on this and well, I think I have finally been heard. I received a message from my mother today after we hung up from our daily telephone call. Now, I love my mother. I know she loves me. She is not the type to outwardly show love and affection, that's who she is. This is a result of her being in fight or flight her whole life, even as a wife and mother. But today she evolved. She showed me a side I haven't ever seen when dealing with me, baby, her life changing wild child. She texted me " So, so proud of you! You are so very intelligent. I thank God for the anointing, continue to grow and be led by God Almighty in Jesus name. Love mom." In 35 years she has never said such to me. And having her say such mad me feel so much joy. And I made sure to tell her that so she knew I receive her love and see her trying.

My prayer is that she continues to grow and evolve and heal her wounds so we can grow together. For it would be beautiful to see new things evolve in a totally healed family.

And as a closing note, you can heal your hurts, you can break curses, you can work through trauma. It may hurt, you may feel uncomfortable and it may be hard but that means it's working. And the end result is beautiful ���❤❤

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Learning to Walk Away

If I have learned anything in my 34 almost 35 years, perhaps it's been that relationships serve a purpose in our lives and teach us different things, even the relationships with our family members.

Most recently I have learned that many of my relationships are evolving and some for the better, some for worse and some are dissolving. And the even harder part has been to just let things go.

Sometimes we go through things in such a way that shakes our entire being and changes everything we know and are comfortable with in order to open our eyes to what it is we need to see and gives us just enough to lay a new foundation for the life we need to live. And this new life doesn't include certain people....and that is absolutely fine. But it takes time to be okay with that, and that's just fine.

I have also learned that sometimes we hold onto relationships because we feel we have to do so out of obligation but in reality we don't. There is not one obligation anywhere to be had. The only obligation we have is to ourselves, and that is what is important.

So what is the point of all this? What am I trying to say? I'm saying this: stop trying to fit people in your life who don't belong. Stop going after people who don't want want you in their life. Stop breaking your neck for people who don't do the same for you. Stop going back to things that have proven to to be a dead situation. Stop investing time into things that won't contribute to your growth. Basically, STOP THE BULL AND START FINDING YOUR JOY. Start investing in you. Start surrounding yourself with things that bring you joy. Start engaging in activities that contribute to your success. Start having productive conversations. Start filling your space with the people and things that build you up.

I realized that there were so many people in my life that made me cry and broke my heart day in and day out and caused me to be still. These people had joy because they could suppress me but I regained my power and peace which broke the force field they had over me. Is my circle smaller? Yes. But I'd rather have that than have a larger circle that broke my heart.

And this really applies to romance as well. Having potential partners who just waste your time with empty words and promises just to string you along...they have no value in your life. Let it go. Open the space for that right person.

So take time to evaluate your relationships. This will take time but you will soon see yourself grow. And remember, happiness is temporary but joy is something deep that can't be taken away.

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Almond Oatmeal Muffins!!!

On this, my heart anniversary, I felt it proper to finally dust off my pots and pans and do some meal prep. 5 years ago i was surely on my way out of here. But because of the swift thinking of a friend, I made it to the hospital and was able to get the help I needed. Since then, my poor heart has been through a lot, and I'm still fighting battles each day, but I'm here and for that I'm grateful.

So, to celebrate I made all sorts of goodies!!! We have Almond Oat muffins ( heart healthy!), Turkey Meatballs, Shells, Low Sodium Seasoned Broccolini and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce....all Mediterranean Diet approved!! I haven't really cooked since my major flare up so this was a major milestone for me. I chopped, blended, sauteed and did things I haven't done in about 2 months. Now, my body is paying for it but it feel great to have a fridge filled with yummy things again.

So, here are the recipes for the muffins and the sauce:

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

2 jars roasted red peppers

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

Dried basil

Dried oregano

Garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Dried thyme

Dried rosemary

Pepper

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Olive oil

In a food processor, put onion, peppers, cheese and herbs and spices. Turn on and drizzle in about a 2 tablespoons of olive oil until well combined. Remove from.processor and then heat. While cooking, taste and add spices to taste. You may need to add oil as well. Cook about 30 minutes to ensure marinating of flavors and cooking of everything. Enjoy!!!!

Almond Oatmeal Muffins

2 cups of oat flour( I take old fashioned oats and mill them in the food processor)

1 cup of almond flour

1 cup splenda

2 eggs

1 stick vegan butter, softened plus 2 tablespoons

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

1.pinch salt

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees grease muffin tins and set aside. Combine eggs, butter, extracts and splenda. Then add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Mix and then slowly add the milk until wet but not runny. The batter will be thick, that is how it should be! Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the muffin tins evenly. Then, take a slice of butter and top each of the muffins. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy with your favorite jam or by themselves!!

#awareness #chronicallyillandstrong #chronicillnesswarrior #autoimmunelife #heartpatient #goodfoodgoodmood #foodismedicine #Mediterraneandiet

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

You were baked just right.....

Good morning loves. Wanted to send some encouraging words. I went to make muffins this morning and was so proud of myself. They smelled and looked great. However I forgot to use baking powder and baking soda! I tried one and it was not only nasty, it almost choked me! I decided to make another batch, careful to add the ingredients I previously left out. I put the muffins in the oven and baked them and the not only smelled great, but tasted great.

It reminded me of the woman at the well. Man had basically tossed her aside because she was missing things and wasn't baked quite right. But see the God we serve fills us with the missing ingredients so that we can become better versions of ourselves and go forth and do more and better and serve him and help others. Just like the woman at the well. He knew her story, forgave her sins, restored her and she walked away a better version of herself, renewed in God and spread his word. Let us rest in peace and comfort knowing that God has crafted each of us to be better than what we were.

#awareness #chronicallyillandstrong #chronicillnesswarrior #autoimmunelife #chronicpain #lupie #patientpatient #crps #womenshealth

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Breaking the silence about women's health

Endometriosis is an awful disease and literally wreaks havoc on a woman's entire body, especially her pelvis and the organs in the pelvic area. However, it can spread all over the body and cause problems with other organ systems. However, most women have issues with their reproductive organs mostly. Endometriosis causes all sorts of issues from intense pelvic pain, heavy periods with breakthrough bleeding between periods, pain during sex, constipation, bladder issues to include incontinence, infertility,  nausea and vomiting.

I myself had extreme pelvic pain and God awful periods, as well as frequent cysts. It took years for me to be diagnosed and even though I did as much research as I could, and I still research now, I always found more information and saw just how much of an awful disease endometriosis is and how it cam affect any and everything. Endometriosis has been known to take women's livelihoods and make them bed bound and despite all of this, it isn't recognized as an actual disease. So many of us suffer in silence  for years without a treatment or diagnosis. This has to stop. All women deserve to have this addressed and treated in some way.

Now, I have said this condition affects just about everything and let me tell you it does. It has made sex unbearable at times and now my bladder has been affected but by default. Let me explain. So one thing us women don't discuss is how our lady parts sustain trauma. Whether it is having multiple surgeries on them like myself or having given birth, this has messed with the anatomy of our parts and this subjects them to not working correctly. And we don't talk enough about that. We don't talk about how going pee gets harder or you struggle to pop. Hell, we don't even discuss the pain that may come with sex all just because you had a baby or multiple surgeries. It's time to be open about this.

I myself have been struggling with pain for years. It has limited my sex life, what type of pants I wear and even where I go because I cannot walk far due to the pain. I have trouble with my bowels because the endometriosis has affected them so having regular movements requires assistance. And most recently, my bladder is either super active and I pee all the time or I leak or have trouble going in general, which I found is probably from my surgeries. Luckily, there is a fix to some of this.

I went to see a urogynecologist( a doctor that specializes in urology just for women) and she explained A LOT to me. We discussed how female anatomy is different and we need to be kind to it. That means changing out diets to food that are kind to our bladders, peeing a certain way to ensure we empty our bladders totally, keeping our feet elevated to reduce trips to bathroom at night, and positioning ourselves for comfort during pooping and sex. While these tips may not fix everything, it can provide relief and give us some pieces of our lives back. While we can't totally fix things like endometriosis, we can certainly try to make life manageable with them.

Ladies, I want you to know you aren't alone. I want you to also know you don't have to suffer. You don't have to leak or feel pain or pressure or bleed or any other unusual symptoms. There are treatment options available. We need to normalize discussing these issues.  Speak to your primary care and then get over to that gynecologist or urogynecologist and share your concerns. You deserve better. So go ahead, make that appointment today, you won't regret it!!

[simplelittlebrowngirljae]

Heart Healthy Meal Prep!! Almond Oat Waffles and Mediterranean Pasta!!!

In continuing to celebrate heart month, I made some recipes this week that are sure to keep your heart nice and healthy. I made some heart healthy waffles and pasta for my breakfast and dinner this week. I used almond flour and milk in my waffles, as well as oats to maximize my nutritional benefits in my meals. So why almonds??? Well almonds are jam-packed with vitamins and minerals that are good for your heart. They can also lower blood sugars and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Additionally, they are high in protein which will satisfy your hunger for longer periods of time. They also contain antioxidants, which help fight off cancer and other diseases. So almond flour is a naturally great choice to cook with!! And oats flour only enhances these benefits as well, as oats have been known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol as well.

Now for the pasta I chose a wide variety of colors that are good for you, such as spinach and red bell peppers. Both are rich in essential vitamins and minerals that support heart health. And the whole grains in the pasta are better for you.

So here are the recipes for the week!!

Almond-Oat Waffles

1 cup almond flour

1 cup oat flour

2 eggs

1/2 stick Country Crock plant butter, melted

2 tbsp splenda

1 tsp almond extract

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk or nondairy milk of your choice,  plus more as needed to thin out your batter

Preheat waffle iron and grease lightly with oil or butter of your choice. In a bowl, combine butter, eggs, extracts, sugar and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl combine flours, baking powder, baking soda. Mix with a whisk. Add your dry ingredients to your egg- butter mixture. Then stir in your milk until everything is well combined. Pour into the warm waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Enjoy with fresh fruit or nut butter!

*note: before each pour, you may have to add a little more milk to thin the consistency of the batter a little.

Mediterranean Pasta

2 cups spinach, ribbon cut

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 cup Skinless Turkey sausage, diced (optional)

2 cups whole wheat pasta

1/4 olive oil

Feta cheese

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp basil

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp rosemary

2 pinch salt

Boil water on the stove. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a skillet, heat 1/2 of your olive oil. Cook your onions and pepper and 1/2 your seasonings. Then, add your Turkey sausage at this time if you are going to use it. Cook until brown. Then add in your spinach and cook until wilted.

Take your pasta and toss with the rest of your olive oil and seasonings. Then add your veggie and sausage mixture and toss well. Serve with topped with feta cheese or any cheese of your liking. Enjoy!