Who's ready for 2018??

I know it is only December 4^th but I am already thinking of the new year. This is not a normal blog post, no recipes or food hints. I wanted to share a little more personal post. 

As 2017 comes to a close, I think back to everything that has gone on through the year. There have been ups, downs and all sorts of directions. I am coming closer to completing my Masters in Nursing and with that comes fear. Yes, I said fear. Most people would be happy to have another degree under their belt, but it is easy when you know the direction of your life. For the first time in my life, I truly don’t know what direction I want to go. To quote the show Monk it is a “blessing and a curse.” Nursing gives me so many options but that isn’t always good. I want to do so much and it can be very confusing. So, as I look into 2018 I pray that God directs my path just like Proverbs 3:5-6 says.

            Through the stress of school, life and work I have struggled with some personal health issues. Sadly, over the last year I have gained almost 40 pounds. It has been a struggle that has been hard for me to deal with. I am a big stress eater and that doesn’t help any. One of the biggest challenges I have faced this year is discovering that  I am allergic to raw fruits, vegetables and nuts. I started allergy shots which will take anywhere from 3-6 years to complete. Like anything they have had their ups and downs. Things I used to love to eat, I can’t. It has been a pretty big adjustment for me. I am determined to overcome my allergies and still find ways to eat healthy. As 2018 approaches, I am going to sound super cliché and say that I am going to work to be the best version of me. But I really mean it. My goal is to work hard and become a healthier version of me. If anyone has any meal prep ideas I would love to hear them!

            2018 is going to be the year that I say good-bye to negativity and hello to positivity. I want to be happier, healthier and closer to God. I want to focus on the positives of life and be thankful for the journey that God is taking me on. I want to meet new people and join a church. I want to overcome my struggle with anxiety and learn to be comfortable in social situations. I want to lose all the weight I gained and develop healthier habits. I, of course, want to continue my food blog and work harder on that. I want to truly get out of my comfort zone and do things I would not have done in 2017. I want 2018 to be more about self-care. Take the time out for myself and be stronger. Focus on the plan that God has for my life and grow closer to Him. 

            So, thank you 2017 for teaching me more about myself, my strengths, my weaknesses and what I need to work on in 2018. Thank you for the memories, the heartaches, and the smiles. Thank you for the many laughs, tears and headaches. Thank you for the highs, lows, successes and defeats. I can only hope that 2018 gives me more laughs, less tears, more memories and of course smiles. I want to be able to look back at 2018 and say that was the best year yet. So, here’s to 2018. Let’s do this! 

Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos

For some people Tuesdays mean tacos! For me... everyday can be taco day! The other night I made some of the best shrimp tacos with a chili lime sour cream!  In my recipe I use bell peppers, but since I am not able to eat the raw peppers, I added them into the pan with the shrimp to cook them down. The peppers add a nice light flavor to the shrimp and a little freshness.

 

Now for my seasoning, I used the Chili Lime seasoning from P.S. Flavor. I first discovered P.S. Flavor while at Disney's Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. Pam and her daughter Nicole are the owners and create amazing seasonings! They share recipes and suggestions for using all their seasoning.  When I made my chili lime sour cream, I added some of my P.S. Flavor seasoning! I also tossed my shrimp in the chili lime seasoning as well! It was so good! I will post the link to the website so you can check P.S. Flavor out!! 

Hope you enjoy this shrimp taco recipe! 

-Simply a Girl and Her Home

Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp:

1/2- 1 lb peeled, deveined shrimp

1-2 tbs chili lime seasoning (to taste)

Chili Lime Sour Cream:

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp chili lime seasoning

Juice of 1/2 lime

Taco fillings: (optional)

Tortillas

Corn

Lettuce

Cheese

Directions:

1.  Toss shrimp in chili lime seasoning. 

2. Heat skillet at medium. Cook shrimp until pink and firm.  **

3.  While shrimp is cooking, start the sour cream. 

4. Combine sour cream, seasoning and lime juice until blended well. 

5. Once shrimp is done, place them in a bowl and set to the side. Take your tortillas, and heat them in the same skillet (doing this add some flavor to the tortillas)

6. Make your tacos how you like them! Enjoy! 

 

** If you are going to use bell peppers, then slice them thinly and cook them a little before adding the shrimp to the pan**

New Beginnings

Hello everyone!!

           I'm back! I know I have been gone for a while! A lot has happened the last few months...I started my Masters program for nursing, working a lot, and some various health issues! One of the biggest health issue that I have been dealing with is being diagnosed with Oral Allergy Syndrome. For those who are not familiar with OAS, I am basically allergic to the pollen of raw fruits, vegetables and nuts. I really like fruits, vegetables and nuts and I can't eat them unless they are cooked! It has been a little bit of a challenge, but I am learning to adjust. I have been researching recipes for people who suffer from OAS. I am hoping to share the recipes I find with you!
    As far as my house goes, I am working on completely redoing my backyard and getting it ready for the Fall!! I don't know about you but I am extremely ready for Fall.. pumpkin spice, the scents and of course the cooler weather! Last month, I sat down and planned out my backyard. I am going to add a small wall around my plant beds, re-cypress mulch, and add some more tropical plants!

Stay tuned for pictures! More recipes and DIY projects!!

Learn more about OAS here!

-Simply a Girl and Her Home-
 

Slow-Cooked BBQ Chicken Tacos with Ranch Slaw

Happy March everyone!

I want to apologize for not posting in ages! It is crazy how quickly life can change in the blink of an eye! I started my Masters program in August and a few new things at work, so needless to say it was busy! Now that things are starting to settle down a little, I will be able to post more!

To start the new year out I thought I would post my Slow-Cooked BBQ chicken taco and ranch slaw recipe that I made a couple of weeks ago! I completely made this whole recipe up one day and it turned out to be amazing so I thought I would share it!

I slow-cooked the chicken, which made it very moist and tender. I started it in the morning and left it on all day in my Crockpot, so it would be an easy dinner if you are working or simply cleaning the house.

If anyone tries it and has new ideas or changes something, let me know! I love to know how everyone makes these recipes their own!

Enjoy!

-Simply a Girl and Her Home

Slow-Cooked BBQ Chicken Tacos with 

Ranch Slaw

BBQ Sauce Recipe:

1 1/2 cup Ketchup
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs grape jelly
Apple cider vinegar to taste
Chili powder to taste

1. Place all ingredients into medium sauce pan.
2. Heat until all ingredients are well blended.
3. Set aside

* I would frequently taste the sauce and add more ingredients as needed*


Slow-Cooked Chicken

4- boneless, skinless chicken breasts**
BBQ sauce from above

1. Put chicken breast in slow cooker and add sauce on top.
2. Mix chicken with sauce. Make sure the chicken is well coated with the sauce.
3. Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 6 hours.
4. After the chicken is cooked, temp should be at 165°, take chicken out of the crockpot and shred on a cutting board. ***

**I used frozen chicken breasts for this recipe. You can use thawed chicken, but I would cut the time down by at least an hour. **

***I let excess sauce drip off the chicken before I put it on the board. As I shredded the chicken, I would add some sauce and mix it in.***


Ranch Slaw

1 bag of shredded lettuce
1/4 ranch dressing
1 tbs mayo
Onion powder to taste
Apple Cider Vinegar to taste

1. Mix ranch, mayo, vinegar and onion powder in a large bowl. Taste and add ingredients as needed.
2. Add shredded lettuce to dressing mix.
3. Set aside.


Now to put it all together!! I caramelized one onion as a topping too!

1. Take a tortilla and add the shredded chicken.
2. Layer on some caramelized onions.
3. Top with Ranch Slaw.
4. Get the napkins ready and ENJOY!!