Hi there! With the winter months almost behind us, I felt it was due time to send out the winter newsletter!

It’s been a cooler winter in Phoenix, so I’ve gotten the chance to try out some excellent winter recipes that I’m excited to share with you! I’ll also share a few other facts from all the dimensions of health. I hope everyone is staying warm and cozy this winter (especially the Midwesterners)!

Mental/Spiritual/Intellectual Health

The winter months can often be more subdued and reflective months. And sometimes that’s a good thing! But, if you’re looking for a little pick-me-up to brighten your mood and broaden your intellectual horizons, I’ve found a couple podcasts that have really been helping pick me up lately!

The first is a podcast on happiness hacks and a little psychology, but it’s done by a pair of sisters that have dry humor and keep it interesting! Happier’s host, Gretchen Rubin, actually studies the psychology of happiness!

Pretty sure I’ve shared Pastor Rick Warren’s Daily Hope podcast, but there is just something for every season of life! The marriage, parenting, and health ones are my favorite!

Environmental Health

With a newborn in tow the majority of my day, I’ve found a lot of things in my house to be higher maintenance than I’m able to deal with… Like the flooring in my daughter’s play area that has removable letters that always pop out and trip me… or the dining chair that I always have to avoid because it’s a little too far into the walking space in the kitchen. Solution? Putting the floor mat in storage and getting a play rug and moving the chair to a space against the wall where it fits nicely….

Do you have some of those things in your house that constantly bugs you but you haven’t taken the time to do anything about? Make it happen! It’s such a stress release and makes that space so much easier to exist in!

Spiritual Health

With a new baby in the mix, my hopes to read the Bible in a year quickly became too much… I often fall asleep when trying to read at night (but my church deaconess reassured me this is just God’s way of lulling us to sleep haha…). The back up plan is to take on reading solely the New Testament this year.

I really like the YouVersion app. You can easily choose what version you’d like to read and navigate easily through chapters. It will also send you a push notification with the verse of the day that you can even share on social media if that’s your thing!

Physical Health

Is anyone looking for a new workout? I am starting up an accountability group with workouts starting March 1st… the workouts are 30 minutes or less and have modifications to meet any fitness level. The part I love most is that there is a workbook that goes along with the workouts that focuses on your mindset as well!

The more I coach, the more I find I love these workouts and also the nutrition products! The shakes that I was hesitant about at first, I now have daily– they are filled with superfoods and other vitamins and minerals that have kept me healthy even though I’m running on very little sleep! There are also strictly nutrition programs that have great results– the focus, again, is on mindset, which is a holistic approach I’m all about! Like I said, the deeper I dive into my work as a coach, the more impressed I am with all they have to offer. Contact me if you want me to get you started with anything!

Recipe TIME!

Cilantro Jalepeno Hummus is new secret for eating veggies! It is delicious! Here is the recipe:

2 – 15 oz cans cooked garbanzo beans one can drained
1 bunch cilantro stems included
2 jalapeños stems removed
2 lemons juiced
2 tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves
6 tbsp tahini
kosher salt to taste

Blend to combine and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (uncooked/raw)
1 can (15 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, undrained OR 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 can (10 ounces) red enchilada sauce
1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 yellow onion, diced
1 can (4 ounces) fire-roasted diced green chiles
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) fire-roasted corn, undrained
1 container (32 ounces) chicken stock or broth (stock has more flavor)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
Seasoned salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Tortilla strips, Freshly squeezed lime juice, freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, ripe avocados, fresh cilantro

Instructions
CROCKPOT:
Remove the fat from the chicken breasts and add to a large crockpot (I use a 6-quart crockpot). Gently crush the tomatoes with your hands and add those and all juices to the crockpot along with the enchilada sauce, minced garlic, diced onion, green chiles, drained & rinsed black beans, and undrained corn.
Pour in the chicken stock or broth, the cumin, chili powder, paprika, bay leaf, and salt & pepper to taste (I use 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 5-7 hours on low or until the chicken is cooked through, tender, and easily shreds.

Remove the chicken to a plate or bowl and shred with two forks. Return the chicken to the crockpot and add in 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (to taste). Taste and adjust any seasonings (salt + pepper) and add fresh lime right here if desired. Remove the bay leaf.

Serve bowls of the soup with lots of your favorite toppings: freshly grated cheese, a large spoonful of sour cream, additional cilantro, fresh lime, and lots of tortilla strips!

INSTANT POT
Using the saute function, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute the minced garlic and diced onion for 3-4 minutes until the onion starts to soften.

Remove the fat from the chicken breasts and add to the instant pot along with all of the other ingredients. Give everything a good stir.

Secure the lid and cook on high pressure (manually select) for 7 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10-15 minutes before using quick release for the remaining pressure. Remove the chicken and shred and then return to the pot. Taste and adjust any seasonings (salt + pepper) and add fresh lime right here if desired. Remove the bay leaf.

Serve bowls of soup with your favorite toppings: freshly grated cheese, a large spoonful of sour cream, additional cilantro, fresh lime, and lots of tortilla strips!

Social Health

Social health is something that is very difficult to keep up with a newborn, as the sleep-deprived fog and strong pull to stay home on my second day of sweats and with unwashed hair. But, I find that having the goal to get out twice a week, minimum (once ourselves and once to meet up with friends/family), has really helped me get out of any funks I get into! Community is very important!

The online community I’m facilitating (BEstYOU Boot Camp) is another way to stay in touch with people, albeit electronically and not face to face, but it is still nice to have conversations, share recipes, and swap tips that are health-related from other ladies that are on a health journey as well! If you want to join this group, it’s a really positive, resourceful community to be apart of! There are about 90 of us, some post regularly, some just browse recipes, but you are welcome to join in whatever capacity that you feel would be helpful to you– just email me or let me know if the comments below!

I mentioned in a previous post that I’ll be posting about forming goals–> and I’ll do that as my next post! But, my social health goal for the year was to get out twice a week and to stay in contact with long-distance family members at least every two weeks. What kind of goals can you make that might help improve your relationships and strengthen your community ties!?