Monterrey excursion

Have you ever been to Monterrey? It's off the coast of central California. My husband and I took a trip there recently, and we loved it. It's this quaint little beach town, with fun shops, scenic drives, and a boardwalk. I loved taking photos with my new camera! I wanted to share some of my photos that I took. Tell me what you think!

Spicy Chicken Stir-fry

Whenever I am in the mood for Chinese style take-out, I always ask myself if I can make it healthy by making it at home. I've been trying to overcome the desires to eat out by making similar stir-fry's at home. Some items just can't be made at home... ie .. chow mein! Well, they can, but I haven't yet perfected that recipe. I have been tinkering around with this recipe to maximize flavor, and minimize calories. Here are the results...

Try it the next time you want a take-out stir-fry!

Ingredients-

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 cup broccoli

1/2 cup of red bell bepper, sliced

1 large jalapeno, sliced

1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon flaked chili peppers

1 tablespoon rice-bran oil 

Sauce-

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos

3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)

Marinade-

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions-

Pour marinade over chicken pieces, and store in fridge until ready to use. This step can be omitted if in a time crunch. Add oil to fry pan or wok. Heat to medium high. Add the chicken, and cook until more than half-way cooked but not fully cooked. Add vegetables, and stir fry for a minute or two more. Now add the sauce into the mix. The mixture will thicken 

Serve over rice, or eat as is

Enjoy!

Grilled Salmon with Dill sauce

 This is a simple, and quick meal, that's both healthy, and yummy. I like to serve over vegetables (pictured), or potatoes. I really wanted a healthier option for the dill sauce, so, I tweaked it a little as it is normally made with sour cream, and mayo.This recipe was adapted from my family's restaurant. 

Ingredients-

2 large salmon fillets (4-6 oz)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dill Sauce-

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon of dill weed (fresh or dry)

Directions- 

Heat grill on medium high. Season the fish with salt and pepper to liking. Cook salmon on grill to desired doneness. I cook about 6 minutes per side. 

Dill Sauce- combine all ingredients in a small bowl, and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. 

Serve with rice, vegetables, or potatoes

One more go on the Merry-go-round

So, we found out we are expecting baby number 2 this week. It was kind of unexpected. It's not that it happened out of the blue, but I also didn't expect it to happen so soon since took us a while with our first one. I assumed that original waiting period must be the norm. This brought up some mixed emotions. Am I ready for this? is this the right time to have another baby? ( although, it doesn't matter now) Will my housework double? What will happen to my career? It was one question after another. I fought back tears as these questions played out in my mind.

I'm just scared. Scared, of the changes that lie ahead. I felt the same type of anxiety before I got married. The feeling that things will never be the same. The feeling that I am not responsible for only myself. The feeling that I must plan out once impromptu trips.The feeling that I might lose myself in the process of becoming a Mom again.

As a point of clarification, I love being a mom. It has been an incredible experience. I am 7 months postpartum, so things are calming down a little. I am no longer operating on 3 hours of sleep. I don't miss pumping every 3 hours, even in the middle of the night. I sure as heck like having the ability to walk without some sprays of Dermoplast in my private parts. Finally, I can walk past a mirror, and not be afraid of my reflection. 

 The addition of a child into the fold is an overwhelming experience. I can't say whether having two is different than one. I don't know if there are different struggles than with one. I just know life is changing once again. 

 Then again, I couldn't expect things to stay the same forever. If they did, I would complain that nothing new happens in my life. Maybe it's human nature to be cautious of the unknown.  Who knows?

But, this is what I do know: Change is inevitable. I must embrace it, rather than be afraid.  I try to remind myself of this truth. However, these are just words. I can tell myself, but feeling them; living them is what actually matters.

I am learning through my experiences everyday. This is my chance to make the most of it. I can choose how I want to look at the situation. 

So, I have assessed: I am happy to experience pregnancy once again, and look forward to another little person entering my world.  My only hope is that I can be a good role-model, and friend. 

 Raising a child is truly a labor of love. A lot of hard work goes in, but yields so much back in unconditional love. You can trade in all of the unsavory moments for a snuggle, a tooth-less smile, and a tiny hand gripping yours. In those moments, it's pure bliss.  Those are the moments I will cherish forever. 

 

Exercise During Pregnancy

Before you embark on your fitness journey, watch this.  Here are a few tips from the March of Dimes on types of pregnancy exercises to avoid. Keep it safe ladies!

Holiday Entertaining

I finally got to host my first Christmas party! I always wanted to attempt this sort of entertaining, but never felt I could pull it off. Well, I mustered up the courage to do it, and well, I did it! Have you ever wanted to entertain? Try it, it's fun (with some exceptions!) Here are some photos from the event!

Setting it all up!

Reaching for a quick snack

Here is the appetizer spread. We had eggnog, fried wontons, jalapeno poppers, spanokopita, and fruit skewers.

A closer look!