Go-To Recipes.

Let's face it… some weeknights it's impossible to cook a good, healthy meal. Some weeknights it's impossible to even THINK about cooking a good, healthy meal. At my house, we have several recipes that we consider our go-to favorites. These are what we cook when we're low on time…and energy! We have tested them out, and they are easy to make, pretty healthy, and very tasty! All requirements for dinner at our house! Because my theory is: If you're making the effort to cook, it might as well be amazing!

This is a staple! So easy to throw together the night before or in the morning, then grill when you get home from work.

I blogged about it here.

Another new favorite recipe we found in 2014: Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken.

I keep frozen and fresh chicken breasts at all times, as well as 2 or 3 cans of salsa verde. That way, I can easily throw this meal together. It's SO tasty and versatile. Sometimes we will put it over brown rice and add veggies for a complete meal, and sometimes we will put it in tortillas for a Mexican taco dinner. I take leftovers and put on top of my salads for lunch the next day, too! 

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This Spicy Peach-Glazed Pork has been one of our top fave dishes since we were dating!

As with the chicken above, I always keep a jar of peach preserves on hand when we want to throw this meal together. It's SO good with sweet potatoes, or over brown rice to soak up the sauce!

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Roasted Ranch Potatoes have become a quick staple in our house this year! Very quick to throw together, and I always keep the dry ranch packets in my pantry. 

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I have several other staple recipes that I will share another time! Please let me know what some of your staples are, too! Enjoy!

The Gratitude Project.

I've been thinking a lot about starting a gratitude journal. I thought about actually doing it in my journal, but I realized I wouldn't stick to it like I should. Let's be honest…I can't write as fast as I can type, so a blog it was. I can only keep up with so much blogging and social media, between my own person outlets and Sidney Clark Designs. So, for the rest of the year, I wanted to make Mondays on my blog dedicated to "The Gratitude Project." Simply put: I will write about things I am grateful for…big and small, obvious and not so obvious, and possibly cheesy but extremely honest. I hope it inspires you to start one yourself, or at the very least, find gratitude in every day!

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I AM GRATEFUL FOR:

1. A New Year - Full disclosure: Last year wasn't my favorite. There were some amazing moments, for sure, but 2014 isn't a year I will look back on with much fondness. Let's put it that way. My grandfather passed away in early February, and it was the first time I had lost someone that I was incredibly close to. Shortly after that, my husband made the emotional decision to retire from a decade-long career in professional baseball. Seeing someone you love so much struggle with a decision like that is heartbreaking. You know it's coming eventually, but that doesn't make it any less hard. That, too, was like mourning a death because baseball had been in his life since he was a young child! I'm happy to have a fresh start in 2015 and look forward to see where God is leading us both.

2. People who are willing to say "I'm Sorry" - Recently, I had a friend call and apologize for something. It was a big move on their part, requiring humility and empathy. A lot of times, as humans, our ego gets in the way (mine included!), and so I deeply appreciated that phone call for that reason. The call took guts, and now I have a level of respect for that person that I didn't have before.

3. Hats - Any hat. Ones that cover up my crazy hair on bad hair days…or days I don't want to shower…or days that I am just too lazy to make my hair look good presentable. On days I am rushing to work or a meeting, which is most of the time, hats are a life-saver for me! They can transform an outfit and make it - and my hair - look put together…even though what's underneath the hat is anything but! ;)

4. A Warm Coat - Nashville has been having some COLD weather lately! Schools were even closed because of it. I know a lot of people in Nashville - and around the world - do not have warm coats for the winter. I am grateful for my own warm coat and for ways to donate one here in Nashville. Check out these sources to donate: One Warm Coat or Hands On Nashville.

5. My Strong, Healthy Body - As women, we spend an insane amount of time comparing our bodies to others, obsessing over our flaws, and sometimes even hating how we look. No one is immune to those kind of thoughts, but not letting them take over is the key to a healthy, happy mindset and body image. My body is no where near perfect, but I am thankful for it and what it allows me to do on a daily basis. I can workout, lift heavy weights, run, cook, travel, and have fun with my family and friends. All because of my healthy and amazingly strong body!

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Happy New Year + Greek Yogurt Pancakes.

Happy New Year! I can't say I am sad to see 2014 go, but I am healthy and alive so that means 2014 wasn't too bad! Haha. I wanted to start the year off right, with a good, healthy breakfast for us. This is the first new recipe I've made in 2015… Greek Yogurt Pancakes! I love Greek Yogurt and love incorporating it into recipes I use. I use it to marinate chicken (recipe I will share later), top soups in place of sour cream, and in my smoothies. It's healthy for you, as well! Win. Win. Here is the recipe…

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GREEK YOGURT PANCAKES

adapted from Creme de la Crumb

• 1½ cups all purpose flour (can use whole wheat flour, too)
• 2 tbs sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 eggs
• 1.5 tsp vanilla (or ½ teaspoon almond extract)
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt (I used plain, nonfat Greek)
• ¾ cup milk (I used 2% but can use almond milk)
• Sprinkle of cinnamon 
• Topping suggestions: syrup, agave, honey, fruit
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• Preheat a pan or griddle over medium heat. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, mix oil, eggs, vanilla, milk, and greek yogurt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir. Do not over mix, there should still be a few lumps. Grease griddle/pan and pour ⅓ cup batter onto the griddle. Allow to cook 3-4 mins or until tops of pancakes begin to bubble. Using a spatula, flip pancakes over and allow to cook for another couple of minutes. Transfer to a cookie sheet and put into a 250 degree oven to keep warm. Continue with remaining batter. Top pancakes with desired toppings!