Taco Stuffed Potatoes

"You know I try, but I don't do too well with apologies...."

Okay, yes, that is a J Biebs lyric (relevant: can we all agree that we love him now? Like you can't even pretend you don't sing along) but it's because seriously, I'm wondering if it's too late to say sorry for not finding and making this beautiful meal before. TACO STUFFED POTATOES HAVE KINDA CHANGED MY LIFE AND MY FEELINGS AND MY COLD HEART NOW BEATS TO THE RHYTHM OF SWEET POTATOES SIZZLING IN THE OVEN.

Please make these. Convince someone you love to try sweet potatoes like this: stuffed with turkey, corn, (fat-free) refried beans, and cheese. The flavor and spices literally can't stop, won't stop. I'll take "thank you's" in the form of cases of La Croix in lemon or lime. Seriously, I'm running low and they are heavy.

Taco Stuffed Potatoes (from "The Seasoned Mom")

Prep time:  25 mins

Cook time:  10 mins

Total time:  35 mins

Serves: 4

• 1 lb. ground turkey or lean ground beef
• 8 oz. (or about ¾ cup) non-fat refried beans
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned will all work)
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (I make my own so I know exactly what I'm eating, but throw what ya know)
• 4 medium sweet potatoes (or you can substitute with russet potatoes or a combination of both if you are cooking for animals and they don't like sweet potatoes)
• ½ cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• Optional: sliced green onion for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Scrub the outside of the potatoes until they are clean, and prick each potato with a fork a few times to allow steam to escape during cooking.
3. Place sweet potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave 2 at a time for approximately 5-10 minutes, or until tender. Let cool for 5 minutes. (Or, use your super dope potato blanket for the microwave.. hehehehe)
4. Meanwhile, brown onion and ground meat in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain and return to skillet. Add the taco seasoning, corn, and refried beans to the meat mixture and stir to combine (You're gonna need a bigger skillet than you think...trust me and the onions I'm finding all over my floor).
5. Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop the inside of the potato out of the peel, leaving a thin layer of potato inside. Set aside the scoopies that you just scooped and use them for a separate meal (LIKE MASHED SWEET POTATOES OR PIEEEEEE)
6. Spray the potato skins with cooking spray, place on the baking sheet, and bake for about 5-7 minutes (or until outsides are slightly crispy).
7. Remove potato skins from the oven and stuff with meat mixture. Top with some salsa if you want and sprinkle cheese evenly over top.
8. Turn oven to “broil.” Place the stuffed potatoes under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown.
9. Garnish with green onions.
10. Cry because you can't believe how filling and wonderful this is.

I ate one half of a potato with some green beans tonight (mostly because I'm sure I ate the other half of the intended serving size while I was scooping the mix into my mouth the potatoes). I'm full and happy and believe in love again.

These are that good. If you are feeling wild, I suppose you could leave out the turkey and add more beans. Or add black beans. Or use ground beef. Or add some avocado. LITERALLY ALL THE OPTIONS. 

Tex-Mex love,

S

Roasted Sausage and Vegetables

You know those people that when you walk into work and see them, you know it's gonna be a good day? It'll probably be crazy and you'll have 1-3 stat sections, 42.5 triages, and like 2 face presentations and you're gonna have to call Main Anesthesia 16 times and beg that guy to send someone for an epidural, but that person is there with you and you'll survive? (That was a lot of labor drama for you non-birth peeps, but it's equivalent to the stock market doing something wiggity-wack or your entire class of 5-year-olds eating live goldfish, trust me). Anyways, my dearest Crystal is one of those people for me. I'm thankful for her friendship and her awesome nurse skills, but I'm also super thankful she gave me the following recipe because it is DELICIOUS and the leftovers are quick to heat up in between trips to the OR. Believe dat.

This is paleo and gluten-free and depending on how cray your vegetable game is, can be so so so healthy and filling. Enjoy, babies.

Roasted Veggies and Sausage (adapted from Paleo Newbie)
(Serves 4-6, apparently. I could knock this bad boy out in 3 servings. #WhatIsSelfControl??)

Ingredients

• 1 package (or about 1 lb) of your favorite pre-cooked sausage links – cut into 1-inch long sections (I use whatever is the "healthiest"...I go for organic and with the least amount of fillers...if I could make my own without being wildly grossed out, I would)
• 2 potatoes (Sweet potatoes 4 life...or some fun red ones) cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 medium-size carrots, chopped into small rounds (Just an FYI, I DESPISE cooked carrots in every context except for this one)
• 1 red pepper, cut into large slices
• 1/2 red onion, peeled and cut into large slices
• 3 cloves of minced or pressed garlic
• 2 tbs of olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbs of Italian seasoning
• A healthy pinch of red pepper flakes
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Plus any additional seasonings you desire (go crazy)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees F
2. In a large mixing bowl, add all sliced veggies, garlic and cut sausage links
3. Next add olive oil and toss everything to coat
4. Sprinkle in all seasonings and mix again to distribute
5. Now grease or line with aluminum foil a large-rimmed baking sheet
6. Spread out the veggies and sausage across the baking sheet
7. Place uncovered in oven
8. Bake a total of 35 to 45 minutes, turning veggies and sausage twice during cooking. (Oven temperatures and times will vary...I like my veggies borderline burnt, but you do you)
9. Test doneness by checking the sweet potatoes – if they're soft, it's done (and if you can't stop eating them after that test bite, they are done and you are my soul twin)
10. Serve hot and enjoy!

26

So, I'm 26 today. Most days I still feel 17 and when I look around at my life, I can't believe this is real. Do I really get to help babies be born? Am I old enough for that? Did I really get to spend 5 years at my dream school in my dream city? Did I really move somewhere I knew 3 people and make it into my home? This is real. And it's messy and it's complicated and it's crazy and it sometimes looks like you doing sake bombs with your best friends on a Wednesday night. And it's really beautiful. This is going to be sappy as hell. Here are 26 things I'm thankful for:

1. My parents and my sister. All the best parts of me are because of you three. I see a lot of families that don't get along or don't talk and every time, I thank God for mine. When we are together, it's the best thing in the world and I wouldn't trade it for anything. The fact that I can leave Georgia and do my own thing is because of you guys. Being independent comes from having the best people to depend on.

2. This calling. Being a midwife and working in the world of babies isn't something you stumble into. I think it was what I was made to do. To be with women in the moment that they become mamas....I wish I had the right words to explain what it has done to my heart.

3. Nashville, Tennessee. I may have been raised in Georgia, but I grew up in Tennessee. Being away from home was hard, but man, if you have to do it, go to Nashville. Whenever I daydream about the future, it's me living in Nash with all my friends, waking up and going to teach at Vandy. I can't wait to go home.

4. Friends. How lucky am I to have made such amazing friends over the last 26 years. I have so many people that know me so well and the comfort that brings is invaluable.

5. Co-Workers. Nobody else gets what we do. Nobody else can experience the highs and the lows and be there through it with you. The memories we've made together are ones that'll stay with me forever and ones that I hope to pass onto my students one day.

6. Music. All of it. All the time. Always.

7. Cooking dinner with friends. I love making a meal with people I love.

8. That I didn't grow up in the social media era. I'm far too sensitive for that mess.

9. Living alone. I've learned a lot. And I've learned to clean up my own messes.

10. Not being born skinny (but I was 7lbs 11oz, so I was definitely AGA...nurse humor. lolz). The fact that being healthy and feeling my best is something that I've had to work hard for has taught me so much about strength and confidence. I don't think I'd do it differently.

11. Along those lines, having my heart broken. When I meet Mr. Shannon, I'll be so thankful and dedicated and ready because I've seen pretty much the worst of relationships and survived it. Not gracefully, but I'm here.

12. Days when all I have to do is stay in bed and read a book.

13. Farmer's Markets and how amazing fresh food tastes.

14. Tequila. It makes me sassy and I don't care who knows it.

15.  Fall. It's my favorite time of year and I miss seeing leaves change.

16. Getting to go to the beach on a regular basis. Even Especially if it's Galvy.

17. My record player. It's my favorite thing I own (thanks, Grandma and Grandpa) and I tell anyone that comes to my apartment about it.

18. That I was born in February. I think it suites me.

19. Long drives where I can blast the radio and roll the windows down.

20. Hot showers.

21. Baked potatoes from Houston's.

22. Lonnie's Western Room.

23. Concerts where I know all the songs.

24. Storms.

25. The fact that neither of my jobs require me to wear pants with buttons.

26. Houston, Texas.  I will look back at the years I have spent here and know that this is the place where everything changed.


Thank you for the love and birthday wishes. I'll post some dope recipes this week.

xoxo,

S

Word on Workouts: Spinning Edition

I have a few workout staples I've come to love over the years (barre classes, kettle bell workouts, "Hip Hop Abs"..Shaun T love), but every now and then I think it's important to switch things up. It keeps your mind from getting bored (if you can quote the DVD word for word, it's time to try something else) and it helps ward off plateaus in terms of getting fit. Plus, it's kinda fun to try something new and look like a complete fool, or at least that's what usually happens for me.

This summer, I decided to try a spin class. I blame it on the fact that I was working night shift at the time and rarely made intelligent choices due to chronic confusion as to what the hell day/time/week/planet it was. Usually, I try a new class out with a friend but THANK GOD I did this one solo. I roll up to a popular Houston studio around 1pm thinking "Eh, it's the middle of the day. The class should be kinda empty". False, young and naive Shannon. I had to get a bike in the back row. What do all these people do with their lives that they can be here at 1pm on a Tuesday? They can't all be nurses. Do they spin on their lunch breaks? If so, they are insane because it took me days to recover. 

The kind soul of an instructor helped me clip into the bike. This is where I knew that I was in the process of making a mistake. I have flat feet (thanks Dad) and this was wildly uncomfortable and scary. What if I needed to make a run for it? What if I toppled over? What if my feet came out, but the shoes just kept rolling like hamsters on a wheel? Then the lights dimmed and some Ying Yang Twins started booming. 'Okay, Shan, you got dis' the Twins basically serenaded me. The first few minutes weren't bad. Then there was this ball we had to lift whilst spinning. This requires stupid amounts of coordination. And then about 10 minutes in, my butt felt as if perhaps a small bone had broken. This girl in front of me, who looked like a damn Lululemon model, was all "up, down, up, down" like she was going for a casual Sunday stroll. This was not the case for yours truly. It was the longest hour of my life and I entered that special state of delirium only people who work nights get-I started giggling uncontrollably. I think it was either that or I was crying.  

Thankfully, the fresh hell that is spin class ended shortly thereafter. I hobbled out of there (after unclipping myself from the foot traps of death). It hurt to sit down for a full 4 days after and I couldn't bend down or move quickly. "Sorry, m'am, I'm gonna need you to not push your baby out yet because your nurse is trying to wheel herself down the hall so she doesn't have to use her legs".

Anyways, people I work with at the gym tell me to try it again. One of our fab instructors tried to give me some pointers and I basically told him to talk to the hand. The only way I'm doing that again is if I have four tequila shots beforehand. 

Godspeed, you spinners out there. I'll stick to not being tortured.

xoxo,

S

Grillz

I love a lot of foods, but I reallyyyyyy love anything grilled. I think it adds such a great flavor to anything from a steak to an ear of corn. I also really dig the fact that despite adding such nom-ness, it can be a pretty healthy cooking technique!

My apartment in Houston has an awesome grill. It's very fancy and I'm a little terrified of it. My guy friends can use it, but I got tired of waiting around for them to stop fishing under highway overpasses (don't ask) and took matters into my own hands. Well, Santa Shar Shar's hands. I asked for a George Foreman grill for Christmas and I'm in love. It's a relatively cheap way to create that grilled yumness in your apartment kitchen all year (you know, for those of you that have to worry about winter. It's 75 degrees in HTown today). The G (as I affectionately call it) is great because it is designed to drain fat from whatever you're cooking, but if you have another indoor grill preference (or you aren't afraid of an outdoor one), do yo' thang.

I've been living off of turkey burgers for the last week. I crumbled a leftover one into some scrambled egg whites the other morning and it was awesome. They are healthy as hell and really filling. They heat up well and only took me 6 minutes to make. Plus, I get to toss on some of my favorite toppings (tomato, red onion, avocado) and get some vegetable game going. I could eat red onion like an apple. Look.

Form a line, boys

Turkey Burgers (From "Beach Ready Now")

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey (I get extra-lean, but you get whatever you want....or what's on sale)
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. dijon mustard (I used whole-grain and it was just as fly)
• 1 Tbsp. mild hot sauce (like Frank's or any Louisiana Hot Sauce...do not put a tablespoon of Tabasco in this, ding-dongs)
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 3 Tbsp. minced onion
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. brown rice flour (or whatever flour you got, DON'T GO OUT AND GET THIS IF YOU A'INT GONNA USE IT)
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Mix ingredients well. Makes six turkey burgers. I grill on the G for about 6 minutes. Use a meat thermometer if you have one...I'm no Iron Chef. 

                                                                           Lol, so artsy.

Enjoy :)

Cheap Makeup I Dig

Anyone who knows me pretty well knows I have little to no self-control when it comes to Sephora. I'm like a kid in a candy shop where everything is free and your mom's not looking so YOLO and grab 12 of those big, swirly lollipops.

Embarrassing fun fact: Did you know that if you spend a certain amount of cash money there (Sephora, not the candy shop) in a year, you can walk in and get your makeup done for free? Literally, all you do is show them this little red card. It's mortifying/one of the proudest moments of my...er, someone I know's life.

So, in an effort to cut down this little addiction healthy habit, I'm going to let you know about a few of my favorite, ballin' on a budget finds in the beauty world.

1. "Yes to Cucumbers" Face Wipes, $5.99 for a 30ct pack

These little buddies smell like the spa. They are 98% natural and full of healthy things for your skin. No crazy chemicals up in here. They also sell ones specifically for eye makeup removal (side note: WHY DOES MY WATERPROOF MASCARA LITERALLY NEVER COME OFF?????)  Get them at Target (where sometimes I snag 'em in a bundle pack for cheappppp) or pretty much everywhere now. Their whole "Yes To" line is fire. 

2. Covergirl's trunaked Eyeshadow Palletes; $11.99

I'm highly annoyed I didn't know about these before I shelled out $50 for some other eyeshadow. These are such awesome neutral tones that'll look great on everyone. They have three different compilations: Goldens, Roses, and Nudes. I've always loved CG's eyeshadows, the pigmentation is awesome and they stay on all day. 

3. Lip Smacker Red Raspberry Lip Balm; $2.50

Y'all, if you ever need to get a beauty product for my mother, the one and only Shar Shar, this is it. One time, in the early 2000's, they stopped selling this in stores. I'm relatively confident my mother bought some in bulk and we still have them scattered throughout the house. Don't mess with Red Raspberry. I've had a lot of lip balms in my day, but man, this OG balm is as good as it gets. 

4. The Original Beauty Blender; $20

Okay, so you're probably thinking it's a $20 sponge and that I'm cray. I am cray, but that's not the point. This little beauty will take the place of at least three brushes in your collection. Flawless foundation application? Check. Contouring on fleek? You got it. Blush for daysssss? Word. Highlighting like a boss?  Duh, homie. Seriously, I love this sponge. Makeup artists swear by it....and so do I. 

Okay, so those are a few of the must-haves I use on a daily basis. Let me know what products you like to save on....and I'll post about what I splurge on soon :)

Love,

Shannon

Cheesy Chicken and Green Chile Lasagna

Now listen, I don't toss the word "lasagna" around all willy-nilly. I grew up eating super delicious real, homemade Italian lasagna. This is not that, but this is one of my favorite things I've made since I started eating (mostly) clean. Delicious and cheesy and some good ol' Tex-Mex. In Texas, green chiles (specifically, Hatch green chiles) are a big deal. And they are nom city. Make this and you'll understand why. Also, it's gluten free, so go on with you gluten-free self.

Cheesy Chicken and Green Chile Lasagna
Serves: 6
From: Dashing Dish and Allison Cazenave's Beachbody blog

1.5 cups  Cooked, shredded chicken breast
1    cup   Low-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup   Low-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup   Low-fat, plain Greek yogurt
4oz can   Green chiles
2 T         Diced jalapeños
1 tsp       Cumin
1 tsp       Chili powder
1/4 tsp    Salt
1/2 tsp    Garlic powder
4             Corn tortillas
2 T         Low-fat, shredded cheese (pick what you like)

1. Preheat oven to 425F and spray a medium sized baking dish with cooking spray
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together chicken, mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, green chiles, jalapeños, and seasonings. Combine well.
3. Layer 2 corn tortillas on the bottom of the baking dish. Plop a whole one in the center, rip the other in half and place on each side of the whole one. Like a tortilla Venn diagram.
4. Using a spatula or spoon, scoop half of the chicken mix onto the tortillas. Smooth it out.
5. Layer 2 more tortillas and then put the rest of the chicken on top of those bad boys.
6. Top with 2 tablespoons of a low-fat shredded cheese (I went with Mexican)
7. Cover and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted.

Optional: I like things spicy, so I added a few slices of PICKLED (or fresh if you feel like testing your palate's sanity) jalapeños on top before I served it (Served it? I slapped it on a plate and watched "Throwdown with Bobby Flay", let's not kid) .

This was awesome as leftovers for a couple of days. Also, there are no pictures because I ate it too fast. No regrets. It's delicious.

Nutritional Info:
Per serving
Calories: 200
4g fat
17g carbs
22g protein

Enjoy <3

Shannon