I’ve been missing….

 

I really can’t believe it’s been since October that I last put a post up for this blog. I really didn’t think it had been that long. I really have been missing.

I have also been missing cooking. Over the summer I quit my part-time job and took a full-time job. I work a lot of nights and so that means my family is used to a new chef or me leaving a crockpot with dinner in it.

I’ve been missing my family around the dinner table and hearing the silliness that is that warm spot in my heart.

I’m missing being creative, both in the kitchen and out of it. I miss writing on this blog, I miss taking pictures of food, heck I miss eating out at places, snapping pictures and posting reviews!

I’ve also been missing feeling like myself. Something as a health coach I have been pretty darn embarrassed to admit. I’ve been struggling with a health issue for months….ok honestly longer. I just didn’t know how bad it was getting. I was telling a dear friend today that for the first time in a long time I am feeling like I am coming slowly out of a really dark place in my life.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and soul-searching while I find my way out of this dark spot and slowly get my health back.  I’ve decided to let a few things go.  I’ll be sharing a few those things as time goes on. For right now I want to share with my readers who also follow my health coaching biz, Lucid Wellness, that I am officially closing it.  *GASP*  This will happen this upcoming week.

Now that doesn’t mean I wont be a health coach. I still am and to be honest, in my heart always will be. I just wont be doing it under the business name, Lucid Wellness, any longer.  While I love the name, the logo my husband lovingly created for me and all the support local small business have given me, I feel like there is a disconnect from me, Shelly, the health coach and person with a heart for helping others.

I am still here to help anyone who would like help. I am just going to be doing it much differently. I am still here for anyone wanting reiki sessions. If you’re looking for help learning to cook, I am still here as well.

What has been missing , or what I have been missing while running a business the way I was taught to do, with all these expectations and rules is doing things my way. I also hid a little about some of my other gifts. I am also an intuitive. There have been many times while doing a reiki session or even a health coaching session I have received messages from the angels and guides of the person I am working with. It has perplexed me how to share these things with others. I finally just started sharing. Especially after one angel became very persistent and I saw how important the message was to the person who needed to receive it.  I have been worried what that would do to my “brand”.  Silly I know.

 

There’s a lot I would love to share in this post but I think it would end up being a book. What I would like to share before closing this is, I plan on getting back into cooking and sharing here on this blog. After all it was cooking that helped save me before, it can do it again along with other tools I have in my bag. I will be switching from posting recipes on Tuesday to Friday.

It hasn’t been uncommon for me to post something about health on this page and I plan on doing that. I will be sharing in the future what the health issue has been that is going on with me and what has worked and what hasn’t.  I feel like I need to share to help others.

I look forward to sharing good health and great food with you!

Namaste,

Shelly

Less guilt Shrimp Po’Boys

There’s nothing wrong with  battered and deep-fried shrimp. Just putting that out there first. But for whatever reason, be it the heat of summer or just feeling like I have not been eating to well lately , I like to switch things up a little and make something with a twist in the healthy direction.

This Pan Seared Shrimp P’Boy recipe fit the bill. I was honestly not up to eating fried shrimp and was feeling to lazy to fry them so, when I came across this recipe over at MyRecipes.com, it sounded perfect. Plus I had a jar of capers I need to use up.

Quick, easy and delish. If you’re looking for something different to serve up this weekend for the farewell to summer this might be it. It’s easy enough for a busy weeknight too.

Pan-Seared Shrimp P’Boys

from MyRecipes.com

Serves 4

What you need:

• • 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
  • 1 teaspoon capers, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 (2 1/2-ounce) hoagie rolls
  • 1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce
  • 8 thin tomato slices
  • 4 thin red onion slices

What you do:

• 1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine shrimp and Cajun seasoning in a bowl; toss well. Add olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add shrimp to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.
  2. Cut each roll in half horizontally. Top bottom half of each roll with 2 tablespoons lettuce, 2 tomato slices, 1 onion slice, and one quarter of shrimp. Spread top half of each roll with about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture; place on top of sandwich.
  3. Carrot and cabbage slaw: Combine 4 cups shredded green cabbage and 1 cup shredded carrot in a large bowl. Combine 3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds in a small bowl. Add mayonnaise mixture to cabbage mixture; stir well.

Mad Hatter? Have a cup of tea!

I’ve always had a love for the movie “Alice in Wonderland”.  One of my first jobs  was at Disneyland, where I was hired to be the character Alice. It was what I wanted but when they told me the pay I declined and worked the Mile Long Bar in Bear Country, which I hear is now Critter Country.

The tea party scene in Alice in Wonderland always made me laugh. Especially since it really seems like they never get a chance to really drink their tea or have a proper tea party. Lately the craziness that is presented in that seems way to familiar. Just the insanity of the pace of life these days and how people rush to fix things. That and when the Mad Hatter goes and tries to fix something that isn’t broke and he wasn’t asked to fix.  I am a fixer by nature and while I am sure he meant well all he did was cause more issues for the uptight rushing White Rabbit.

Like I said a few weeks back when I shared how Zrii has helped me get a more restful sleep, we all need help from time to time with the stress of life catches up with us. If you’re a woman reading this, and are over the age of 35 and suddenly not sleeping and finding yourself having other issues like extra worry, stress and anxiety, it might just be perimenopause. Sadly, as I have found out this year, there no real test to confirm you’re in it. I’ve been tested for all kinds of things that would produce the symptoms I have and have come back perfectly healthy. All I got was “you could be in it, sure seems like you are but there’s now real way to confirm”.  I got my confirmation from wise women around me who are happy to share what it was like for them and then give me a hug and tell me it’s going to be ok. Just listen to your body and take time to care for yourself. That my fellow sisters, is the key, finding support and other women to talk to.

Now guys, don’t think what I am going to share is just for the ladies. You all have your own stresses and need to find a way to mellow out as well. The following teas I am going to share work for men too. Actually, my husband drinks these teas too. He’s told me they do help.

I must add the degree in which these teas will work is totally different for each person. I also listen to my body. Some folks are able to take the herb , Valerian. I am not. I have to say that this herb doesn’t like me so much that even holding a box of tea or a tincture of Valerian feels bad for me. I am an intuitive and was taught in my teens how to tell if a herb would work for me or not and this one just is not one I would take. Passionflower on the other hand makes me feel like I have been in a nice warm bath and washes over me the most lovely feeling. The more a tea has in it the more I am knocked out for a good sleep. I have a son that does wonderful just taking a nice Chamomile tea. Puts him right to sleep.

Ok now for my top four favorite teas:

Yogi Calming

This tea says it is for mild tension. It contains licorice root, chamomile flower, gotu kola leaf, hibiscus flower, fennel seed, lemongrass, cardamom, orange peel, rose hip, lavender and barley and a natural plum flavoring.

The chamomile helps the mind and body relax , while gotu kola and lemongrass help support the nervous system.

I love this tea with a little local honey and will sip it on days I am feeling overly stressed out and sometimes will have it before bed if I feel like I need it. Ladies if you’re having PMS or Perimenopause sleep issues this will help if you drink it before bed.

One silly side note. I love that each Yogi tea is like a fortune cookie and comes with its own little uplifting saying.

Tulsi -Jasmine

I love Organic India products. I’ll say that right out. High quality and a great price. Tulsi tea is known in India as the “Queen of Herbs” and is used a lot for its healing powers.  It is also known as Holy Basil.  It has a lot of health benefits. It’s an adaptogen so it helps the body deal with stress , thus supporting the immune system. It helps with moods and it helps with energy levels.  In the morning I love to have Tulsi India Breakfast Tea as it has a small amount of caffeine but wont make me jittery or give me a crash later in the day.

The Jasmine tea is one of my favorites because the smell is just heavenly. The box says it is stress relieving and enchanting and I have to admit that is totally spot on.  It’s one of those teas I feel like I am indulging in and definitely love to have after a warm bath before bed.  This brand offers a lot of other great relaxing teas so check them out.

Traditional Medicinals- Organic Easy Now

Another company with great teas and usually you can find these easily in your local grocery store in the health food aisles but sometimes you can find them on the tea/coffee aisle.

This one has a lot of great  herbs in it but the two main one are passionflower,  chamomile, lavender and catnip which are known as “nervines” because they have a positive effect on your nervous system.. Now do not take anything with passionflower while pregnant.

This tea is great if you have a hard time falling asleep at night or just need something to settle you down in the evening.

Gaia Herbs- Sleep & Relax

While the Traditional medicinals tea has 180 mg per cup of passionflower this tea has 425mg per cup. It also has more chamomile and other higher amounts of other helpful herbs that will ease you into a really good sleep and relaxation. The only better in my opinion to this tea if your really stressed out is taking passionflower tincture.  I have used this when I am having anxiety or can’t settle down to sleep. Like I said in the opening of this post, it has a good effect on me and honestly knocks me out pretty quick. I usually try to drink it an hour before I am going to go to bed. For me, this tea makes me feel so ultra relaxed and happy. This tea does make me very drowsy so I suggest trying this tea on a night when you have nowhere to go and don’t have to do anything but relax and sleep.

Now passionflower is great for anxiety, hysteria, insomnia and I read it helps with seizures. I’ll be honest, I’ve only tried it for the first three and found it does work. It’s a mild, non addictive sedative. So again check with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you to use and then use wisely.

Another time I’ll share some of my pick me up teas that are my favorite that don’t leave you jittery and can actually help with digestion.

What’s your favorite tea? Share below in the comment section.

Till next time, when we get back to food and a recipe,

Blessings,

Shelly