My Hubby's Chili

It is getting colder and the holidays are upon us! Maybe it's the Canadian in me, but I love this time of year. The first snowfall. Christmas lights. Hot chocolate. Big chunky wool scarves. It's all so magical. It's always around this time of year that I start craving comfort foods. And for me, one of my favorite comfort foods in the winter months has always been Chili. It's just leaves you feeling so warm & cozy.

I'm a lucky lady. My hubby is an amazing cook, and he has taught me a lot about being unafraid to spice things up in the kitchen. And holyballs his Chili is amazing. And best of all? It's HEALTHY! *cue the applause* I would be doing you all a huge disservice if I didn't share the amazingness of this recipe because man, oh man, you won't know what hit you. 

Chili of the Gods

Makes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

- 16 oz of Ground Turkey /or/ Ground Grassfed beef 

- 2 cans of Crushed tomatoes

- 2 Serrano peppers

- 1 Jalapeno pepper

- 2 cans of Kidney beans, rinsed

- 1 large onion, diced

- 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced (We like lots of garlic, so feel free to put less if it's not your thing)

- Seasonings: Cayenne, Cumin, Chili powder, Oregano

- Optional: carrots, red peppers

Directions

Heat 2 tbsp of coconut/olive oil in a large pot on medium-medium high heat. Add onions and cook until it is soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the meat and break it up as it browns. Clear a space in the middle of the pot & add in garlic, hot peppers and other optional veggies. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about a minute, and then stir into the meat and onions. 

Add seasonings to your liking. We like things well spiced, so our measurements are usually 1 tbsp Cayenne, 2 tbsp chili powder and oregano and 3 tbsp of cumin. A pinch of sea salt for good measure is also 100% an option!

Add crushed tomatoes and kidney beans to the pot and stir until mixed together. 

Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for no less than 30 minutes. It's important to let it simmer so that all of the flavors mix together properly! Trust me, THAT'S the secret to a perfect chili.

Bonus? If you're cooking for two, you have leftovers for the week! Double bonus? Your belly is happy and you've made yourself a nutritious meal! What could be better?

Why it's so important to Feel and Express Gratitude

This time of year always makes me feel extra grateful. I mean, when you're a Canadian living in the US of A, you get two Thanksgivings for God's sake! But why is it that it takes a holiday that's sole purpose (other than stuffing your face with turkey and pie) is to say what you're thankful for to really feel and express gratitude? Shouldn't this be something we practice daily? 

I know that I always feel more full of love, light & joy when I feel express gratitude. My day is infinitely better. Lighter. A bad day can turn into a good day on the drop of a dime when I sit & think about the things in life that I'm grateful for.

Sure, I'm having a bad day. I forgot my lunch at home, the dress I wanted to wear today fit weird so it took me ten extra minutes to decide what to wear which made me later than I wanted to be and my tea got cold by the time I got around to drinking it. And I sit in those feelings. And I sulk. And I have a pretty crappy day. But WHY would I do this when I could avoid feeling like this? When a small act that takes less than two minutes could turn my day around?

So...I've decided that enough is enough. 

Starting today, I am going to start making a list of the five things a day that I am grateful for. They can be ANYTHING. Anything that sparks joy inside of you when you think about it. And what's more, once a week, I'm going to express gratitude one of the people in my life that are a constant source of joy, love & support. Because, well, the world needs more gratitude in it.

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My Gratitude List for the Day:

+ My Hubby. He's my Best Friend, my Soulmate, my Partner in crime & my #1 supporter

+ Personal Development Books. Soul searching is my fave past time. Do it. It's a beautiful thing.

+ Nature. Small parks in the city. Trees. My soul is alive when it's surrounded by nature.

+ Yoga. The stillness, strength and beauty it brings to my life everyday is immeasurable.

+ The Little Things. The moments in your mundane day that take my breath away.

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Are you up for the challenge? What are five things you are grateful for today?

Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprouts

Although fall seems to be fleeting and Chiberia seems to be starting to return in full flesh here in Chi-town, I refuse to let go of my favorite fall staples in the kitchen. Because, let's be honest, fall is the best season and I just want everything to taste like fall forever!

I've spent the past four days slaving away in the kitchen for Friendsgiving. In my house, American Thanksgiving is always spent with our friends that have turned into family. We always have our core group of friends, and we also open our house up to anybody we know who doesn't have anyone to spend the holidays with. Because, let's be honest, nobody should be sitting at home alone, watching Netflix and eating a Lean Cuisine turkey dinner for one on Thanksgiving. No, No, NO! It should be filled with Football, Foursquare (or at least, it is in my house), my homemade pumpkin pie and all the turkey ever -- followed of course by a couple of naps in between the inevitable board game playing. It's official, I'm an old lady.

After fully indulging through the holiday, I'm limiting my wine to Wednesdays and the weekend (balance!) and I'm doing my best to stay on top of my clean eating. Luckily, it is pretty easy to turn my comfort foods into healthy options! Here's one of my favorite recipes that I officially nailed this week in the kitchen. It feels like you're indulging because it tastes so goddamn good but it's healthy and super easy to do!

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples and Onions

Serves Four

Ingredients

- 1 large pork tenderloin (about 15 ounces)

- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard

- 2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

- 1 large onion, sliced

- 2 medium Granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 1/4 inch thick)

- 1/2 cup of apple cider 

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Season pork with a dash of sea salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear until all sides are brown (about 5 minutes). Transfer pork to plate and cool slightly, spreading combined mustard over top and sides of pork (optional: press fennel seeds into mustard). 

Add a tbsp of olive oil, onion and apples into pan and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Place pork on top of mixture and transfer skillet to oven until the centre of the pork registers 150 degrees F, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer pork to platter and make a foil tent to prevent moisture from escaping.

Meanwhile, pour apple cider over apple-onion mixture in skillet. Stir over high heat for about two minutes, until slightly reduced. 

Slice pork and spoon apple-onion mixture overtop of pork for a nice finish!

Butternut Squash & Brussel Sprout side dish

This can go in alongside your pork, so have all your veggies prepped and ready to go!

Ingredients

- Brussel sprouts, the more the merrier

- Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (You can buy pre-sliced ones at the store!)

- 1/4 cup Pecans

- 1/4 cup Dried cranberries

- 1 tbsp Maple syrup

- 1 tbsp Cinnamon

- Olive oil

Directions

Trim your ends to your brussel sprouts & then slice them in half. In medium bowl, combine sprouts, a little olive oil and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined cookie sheet and roast in oven for about 20-25 minutes. Make sure to check on them at about the 15 minute mark and shift them around a bit to even them out for browning.

In another bowl, combine cubed butternut quash, 1 tbsp of olive oil, maple syrup and cinnamon and toss to mix. Place squash on a lightly oiled foil-lined baking sheet. Baking for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through the baking process. [For fastest results, bake them side by side!]

Pour out your sprouts, your squash, your pecans and your dried cranberries into a bowl and mix it around. Serve warm!

Nutritious, delicious & husband approved! What could be better?

You up for the challenge? Make the recipe and comment below! 

My Story

Up until early 2014, I had a really strange relationship to food & fitness.

When I was younger, I was picked on a lot because I was a chubby kid. You know the awkward stage that most kids go through? Well, mine lasted about 6 years. I couldn’t fit into clothes because I was always in between sizes. From a very young age, I looked at myself in the mirror and I didn’t feel that my body reflected who I felt like I was “inside”. I had a vibrant personality. I loved to laugh. I was a total dork. BUT behind closed doors, I was insecure and ashamed and, as a result, I became a super bossy kid to overcome it.

Fast forward to the end of high school and I had gotten much taller (and thus my weight had distributed pretty nicely). My family always ate healthier than all of my other friends families and I felt that I could go into college with an understanding of how to treat my body. And all through college, I thought I did just that. But looking back, I have no idea what I was thinking. I was a cardio junkie. I would do at least an hour of cardio a day (ah, gag me) and then I would have dessert from the cafeteria every day and chocolate milk with every meal and think that it all evened out. Before I knew it, I got to be the heaviest I had ever been in my life, and I certainly was the unhealthiest. I looked in the mirror and didn't like what I saw but I kept telling myself that I was doing everything that I could to lose the weight and nothing was working. I remember telling my roommate in college, "Well, this is obviously the weight that I am supposed to be. My body must not be able to look any different". It's incredible what we can tell ourselves to not take accountability for our choices.

Here’s the thing - I’m an actor and although I wish it weren’t the case, the acting business is largely about looks.

Do you look the part to play this role?

Do you have the STAMINA to sustain 8 shows a week?

Can you handle this five minute dance number and not be so out of breath that you can’t sing the rest of the song once it’s over?

And I realized by my Junior year that come graduation, if I kept things up the way I was, I would not make it in this business. I hit a breaking point and new I needed to DO something. 

And that’s when I found Tone It Up. I was 172 pounds that July when I joined Tone It Up and with a lot of hard work, by that next February, I was down to 145 pounds. Now here’s the thing. What Tone It Up promotes is EXTREMELY AWESOME. I truly believe in what they are putting out there and the plan itself. It works and it’s a lifestyle that you can adapt forever. But I was so DESPERATE for a change that I took things too far. I wasn’t eating enough and I was overdoing it on my working workouts. I went from one extreme to the next and I didn’t understand the idea of a happy medium. I’m 5’10” and 145 pounds is just too small for my body frame . Or at least, it was for me. All of my friends were concerned that I wasn't treating my body well and they were right. I wasn't. 

That next summer, I had a very difficult time and I gained all the weight that I had lost back. I essentially had to start from scratch again, but this time, I took control of my physical AND mental state and I slowly have made positive changes to my life that have led me to where I am today. I’m not perfect (and to be honest, I think perfection is overrated and unattainable), but I am willing to learn and be the best version of myself I can be. For me, this means FEELING HAPPY. And while that definitely includes sweating and keeping fit and eating consistently well, it also means that I will let myself LIVE and have a glass of wine when I want to, eat that dark chocolate and hell, I will treat myself to a burger with my husband every once in awhile because goddamnit I just want a burger.

So that’s my story, so far. And what has led me to find my TRIBE and to pursue self love & health coaching as a career. I believe that no matter where you are in life, it is possible to make a positive change TODAY. It just takes a little bit of courage, a whole lot of love and a leap of faith.

What are you waiting for?

                           2011`                                                               NOW

Wanna Live Your F*ck YES life and heal your relationship with food and fitness once and for all? Join our next challenge HERE!