Not Your Average Chicken Meal

Chicken is healthy but… I’m tired of chicken. There’s no way around it. Living a healthy lifestyle is a wonderful experience. But if you don’t seafood or fish your entrees are limited to chicken, turkey….and more chicken.

I’m always trying to find new alternatives to baked chicken breasts because seasoning can only go so far. So when I saw this recipe I JUMPED at the opportunity!

GROUND CHICKEN BALLS

(Sorry the picture doesn’t really do the plate justice but you get the gist). But these chicken balls. You’re UH-mazing. Truly. It’s like a repackaged Christmas gift that you actually love. The different texture, taste, juiciness. Everything was so good about these. I love that I could make (6) balls and eat half and save the other half for my work lunch.

This recipe is VERY easy to add or change to fit your preferences. I added the green onion and spinach to the original recipe. So for those of you looking for healthy, chicken alternatives here ya go!

1lb lean ground chicken

2-4 green onions

1/2 tomato

1/2 red onion

1 egg

1 cup spinach

2tbs honey mustard

1tbs ketchup

1-2 cloves of garlic

Pinch of salt

Pepper to taste

 

 

Prep oven at 375 degrees. Mix all the above ingredients together.

I used a 6-cup muffin pan and created 6 same-sized balls. Cook for about 25 minutes. (You’ll have a bit of liquid runoff from the balls after cooking so be careful and don’t burn yourself!) Voila!

 

-SeoulHealthy

And Life Continues…

::a quiet moment::

Life is about lessons. Some you’re happy to learn. Others you don’t even realize you’ve been schooled until years later. There’s even those that are brutal yet humbling with every second that passes. Choose to accept and acknowledge these lessons or don’t…life doesn’t care. It won’t disapprove or approve. Life merely flows. I’ve come to find that as one gets older there’s one certainty you can be sure of: life continues. With or without you it will carry on.

Some days are better than others. Those sweet days where your life seems to be going towards a goal, an end. Everything seems so streamlined and purposeful.

Then, you come face to face with those days that take you by surprise. Wasn’t even on your radar to expect. Or, perhaps, it was something that you sought but just didn’t know how to approach it. However or whatever…it’s there. Facing you and expecting you to make the choice of this or that. And choose you must.

There is a lot that remains to be said. More to even be understood. But sometimes silence is the only means of communication. Patience is a virtue. Maybe one day it will all make sense. But until then…

Life continues.

Mom’s juicy pork chops

For anyone maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it’s inevitable that at one point or another you simply say to yourself “I can’t eat any more chicken!” This is especially true , if like myself, you don’t like seafood either. Aka you can’t even add variety with fish or shrimp! And yes, I know, I’m pretty sure I’m the only Asian you will know who DOESN’T like seafood. Whomp whomp.

After about 2.5 weeks of just chicken and veggies your taste buds start screaming at you for something, anything different. Even different spices or rubs just doesn’t hack it anymore. Enter my Mom. One weekend while I was visiting my parents I ate the most fabulous, mouth watering pork chop known to man. It was about 7 minutes of pure bliss. Instantly, I made a mental note to add it to my menu and get her recipe.

I only eat them once a week. Like chicken, they’re a great source of protein. One chop has about 30g of protein and about 195 calories. With about 7g of fat much of the fat in pork chops is unsaturated, which can reduce your blood cholesterol levels and lower your cardiovascular risk. (Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/415403-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-pork-chops/#ixzz2bgnkD3SK)

So here’s my Mom’s recipe. The secret is the vegetable broth! Keeps the chops very moist because there’s nothing quite as disheartening as eating  dried out pork chops. Bleh.

 

(This is a recipe for one):

1 pork chop – I buy mine from the deli and with the bones (gives it extra flavor)

Seasoning of your choice – I simply sprinkle my black pepper/garlic mix over both sides before browning

1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

At least 1 cup organic vegetable stock

 

In a pan, brown chops with butter. Keep in mind you’re not cooking completely. Once browned on both sides, add to pan the vegetable stock to about half way up the chop. Cover and simmer on medium/medium low for about 40 minutes. Uncover for the last 5 minutes until liquid cooks off. Add more liquid if you need it so your chop doesn’t burn. And voila! Perfectly cooked, juicy pork chops ready to eat. Just add your veggies. Thanks Mom!

-Seoul Happy Cooking

 

Boot “to butts” Camp

So, today I embarked on my very first boot camp class. Let me just say it kicked my butt and I absolutely LOVED it all with every achy and wobbly muscle in my body!

But first, I have to tell you I wasn’t always like this. I’m actually the fittest and most healthy I have ever been in my life. Literally. Not only am I maintaining a relatively healthy diet but I’m also keeping my fitness goals in reach. Of course, I’m a self-proclaimed foodie wannabe so the once a week cheat day is in order. Hey, that’s why we work out so hard right? =]

I was never a “workout” type of gal. I played golf in high school due to the fact that if you weren’t in track during the summer it was either golf or study hall. ::sigh:: Just so happened I excelled in golf. Who’d a thunk it! Lol but running was always a treacherous foe of mine. Never liked it. Never felt I was good at it. Never kept at it.

Jump forward to college and that’s when I wanted NEEDED to lose weight. This is when health and fitness became a lifestyle. I was dedicated and I saw results. Who wouldn’t stick with that?! Skip to today and here I am jogging 10+ miles a week and weight training to boot. It definitely took time and proactive dedication to have it become more natural but it was worth it. So, now I’m at the point where I’m wanting more options than just run outside, run treadmill, stairmaster, weights, repeat. I’m lean enough so now I want some definition!

::enter boot camp::

Thanks a bunch to my girl Myka who is on the same healthy lifestyle kick I’m on and suggested we go to the free, outdoor boot camp offered downtown. I was a little anxious at first. I was thinking boot camp with flashes of GI Jane popping in my head lol but was somewhat relieved when I arrived and there were no body builders or people who looked like they trained at Crossfit. Just regular joes and janes.

The 2 trainers were upbeat, enthusiastic and you could tell they lived the lifestyle. The whole time my legs were on fire, shoulders were shaking, sweat was dripping and at the end I couldn’t even flex my arms in the above “flex pic” I took. Haaha! But you know what… I loved every single minute of it! I felt like every muscle was being utilized; even my fingers and toes! Going from strength training to cardio to strength training and back had an Asian beat! Whew. But everyone struggled like I did, moaned and complained with every rep and in the end we all finished a little better than when we started. I’ll definitely be back next week in all my aching glory!

-Seoul Fit

 

Movement and Change

Late night musings while listening to Thomas Tallis, perusing Karmaloop and simultaneously giving my blog a little face lift:

A lot of changes are happening. The longest day of the year came and went. Hi Summer! The largest the moon will appear just passed by. Nature is shifting. And I think I’m moving with her. Lots of thoughts brewing and what better time to blow off the dust and get back to blogging. Well, at least more than once every 4 months. lol

Biggest change happening? Moving! I’ve literally moved about once a year since 2006. I can tell you I’m definitely getting too old for this! Permanence, a home, is sneaking her way into my “to-do in life” list. One day. Some day. The good news: I’ve given up apartment living finally. No more neighbors on all 4 sides of me. No more driving like a maniac to get “your” parking spot. No more maintenance men knocking at your door at the most inopportune times. Nope, I’m about that duplex life now. Haha not TOO far a stretch from an apartment but it’s a start. It’s definitely more a home-y feeling at least and that’s the goal! Plus, I signed a 2-year lease so I’m here to stay for a while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve already got some things (kudos to my Mom’s fabulous home décor advice that I’d get nowhere FAST if I didn’t have) that are making it feel like home already. I’m absolutely in LOVE with my new couch and rugs! It feels so grown up  to have matching/coordinating pieces even if it IS just a few things…for now. Yeah. Late twenties and just getting around to this. =]

And I’m currently obsessed with blue palettes (if you couldn’t tell from the pictures lol). Blues, teals, aquas. Gimme more! Everything in that color spectrum I’m instantly drawn to. Enough to plan on painting some walls to fit the theme! All in good time though. Baby steps.

It’s just a slow, tedious start. There’s still a LOT more to do, plan for, implement and follow through on. But for now I’m just soaking it all up. Enjoying.

-Seoul Happy

Chicken Taquitos Recipe

My nephew had a Mexican food themed birthday. I wanted to bring something. So what’s something relatively easy but still tasty? After perusing Pinterest I found the answer: taquitos! I went with chicken since it’s what I had on hand at the time. They turned out great!

Note to self: They’re so much better served fresh, while still crispy. Although, after transporting them for an hour they still were tasty. Just lost their taquito-crunch.

You’ll need:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

4 tbs sour cream

1 cup salsa

2 tbs chili powder

1 tbs cumin

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cup shredded mexican blend cheese

1 1/2 package of tortillas – cut in half

Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheets & spray lightly with cooking spray.

In large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, spices, garlic, onion, chicken & cheese.

Place about 3 tbs in each half of tortilla. Roll rightly and place seam side down. Spray top of taquitos with cooking spray (or use olive oil).

Bake 10 minutes and check. Mine browned up pretty fast. Make sure to watch them so they don’t burn.

And voila!

“Advice To Lovers”

“Advice To Lovers” Robert Graves, 1919

I knew an old man at a fair
Who made it his twice-yearly task
To clamber on a cider cask
And cry to all the lovers there : –

‘Lovers of all lands and all time
Preserve the meaning of my rhyme,
Love is not kindly nor yet grim
But does to you as you to him.

Whistle, and Love will come to you :
Hiss, and he fades without a word :
Do wrong, and he great wrong will do :
Speak, and he tells what he has heard.

Then all you lovers take good heed,
Vex not young Love in thought or deed :
Love never leaves an unpaid debt,
He will not pardon, nor forget.’

The old man’s voice was kind yet loud
And this shows what a man was he,
He’d scatter apples to the crowd
And give great draughts of cider free.

Poem from:

A new year. A new me. A new blah blah blah.

2013. A new year. A new beginning. And all those other cliché sayings.

Personally, I’ve never been one to make New Years Resolutions. Mostly because I know I’m not one to keep them after the first 2 weeks. Then that defeated feeling that comes when you don’t keep those resolutions usually leads to you indulging even more than you had the year before. You know… THAT ugly snowball effect.

Instead I have some New Years goals as opposed to resolutions. There to be achieved for the betterment of me as opposed to a single resolve. Pretty basic. But if I can keep up on these, somewhat, I’m pretty sure this will be another good year for me!

*Lose the Holiday extra pounds. I can’t even lie to my reflection. I’ve indulged a lot this Holiday season. I’ve basically held on to the glimmer of hope that this weight will be lost once the New Year rolls around. With no holidays until Easter my gluttonous self should be okay. But in the meantime…

*Eat better. More fresh produce. More protein. Less carbs. Less processed foods. I’ve gotten bad about getting snacky, sugary quick fixes. My energy levels (and irritability levels for that matter) make roller coasters look like Nebraska high ways. The ups and downs are insane. My first project: A 5-day cleans. No carbs. No sugars. It’s going to be TOUGH. But I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

*Cook more! Although this somewhat goes against my #2. Since most of the recipes aren’t exactly figure friendly. But why have Pinterest if you aren’t going to cook? Especially to utilize that gold mine they call a crockpot. I’ve been pinning and writing recipes that sound and look tasty. And happen to be user friendly to someone who likes basic, simple instructions & ingredients.

*Less TV. More books. I’m already a bookworm. But my list of “To Read” is getting out of hand. It’s literally two full pages long and continuously growing. I need to knock out at least half. I feel my brain rotting away month by month with lack of serious mental stimulation.

*SAVE. This is the big one. Save. Lots of saving. I want to buy a home (after watching/being inspired by HGTV’s House Hunter). After seeing the options I’m pretty confident I can do it. This is my pull-up-your-big-girl-panties moment and I’m ready for it!

*Attend Church (like a job). The last part is key because I get up to go to work because I have to. I need to apply that mentality to my Sundays when sleeping in seems like a better idea. This past year has brought so many blessings in my life. I’m continually thankful. So I need to thank the proper Man in his Home!

Everything basically comes down to my ultimate goal: TIME. Or the managing of. If I use what time I have wisely then every goal I have listed (and others I keep to myself) will eventually come to pass. It’s all about acknowledging Time and rendering her to the best of your abilities!

So that’s it. Like I said… pretty basic and straightforward. Nothing too out there or unattainable. Simple things are really only an interest to myself. Lol but all these things I want to start and continue throughout 2013. “Continue” being the operative word here.  Just a fresh cleanse to start off right and keep feeling right through the year.

I hope each and every one of you have goals you hope to achieve encompassed with the willpower and desire to follow through with them. A wonderful and blessed New Years to you all! See you next year!

My October Birchbox!

Okay. I’m about a month-after-the-fact in posting this. And the only reason I’m doing it now is because I just received a notification that my November box has shipped. lol! BUT. Anyway. Here ya go!

So, I saw a couple celebrities tweet/blog about this new, cool deal called Birchbox. Where you pay $10/month to receive sample (and some name brand) goodies. Now, as a lady who likes to use a new product for about a week then on to the next… this seemed perfect! Then, in Allure magazine they had a whole article about sample deals (Birchbox seeming the best of them all) and I signed up! For 10 bucks I got a pretty good deal. Pretty much everything that came I would use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Starting clockwise)

Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy La Fleur: THIS smelled sooo good! I’m saving the cover to take with me when I go to find a bottle! It’s just enough fruity mixed with the darker, musky scents. It is more summer/spring oriented but I’d rock it any time truthfully.

Kerastase Chroma Sensitive: I haven’t used this yet. One: everything is written in a foreign language so I don’t know what the instructions say. Two: I don’t do much with hair product unless it’s flyaway creams. haha! So, if anyone knows what this is for fill me in please!

twistband Hair Tie: I’m not sure of the hype on this hair tie. They say it can also be used as a bracelet…which I seem to find more use with. It doesn’t really make a secure ponytail. Although it doesn’t leave a crease. I use it to wash my face with.

theBalm cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer: It’s a 3-in-1 highlighter, shadow & shimmer. I played with it a little bit. It goes on pretty smoothly and doesn’t flake off after the first 3 minutes so I’ll keep trying it out.

tili Bags: These are big enough that I plan on using this when I travel. Keep my lotions/shampoos or anything else that would likely squirt out and get ALL over my bag.

Mox Botanicals Pomegranate & Fig Lip Butter: I have a dilemma with this. It’s a good product. Goes on not too thick and keeps my lips moisturized for a good while. I just do not like the taste. At all. It’s too potent. I don’t like tasting a lip balm every time I lick my lips. Let alone when I’m just talking. So, I use this sparingly when I can’t find my cocoa butter around.

And that’s it! I’m excited to see what November has in store!

Fall is finally here! For me at least.

I don’t call it “Fall” until the weather changes. How can you say it’s Fall when it’s still reaching upper 90s? So, with that said…my FAVORITE season of the year is here!!! Seriously. What’s not to love about Fall? The temperature is absolutely euphoric. The air turns so crisp I swear you could detect every little different, distinct smell on the wind. And let’s not forget it’s also the season of yours truly birthday month! Scorpios rule! =]

Every Fall means I look forward to a few special Autumn favorites. Here’s a few of those things I wanted to share.

Hocus Pocus on ABC Family. Or actually, the entire Halloween countdown on ABC Family. If you don’t like this movie we can’t be friends. 3 of the best witches ever (took me forever to realize it was Carrie Bradshaw). Judge me. “Come little children. I”ll take thee away…” Ooops. Sorry. Got caught up in the moment. And how can you not love the oh-so cute Thora Birch (pre-boobie exposing American Beauty)? Which reminds me I want to watch Now and Then again.

Colors. Nothing is prettier than the changing of the foliage. I would DIE to drive up through New England right now. I know it’s absolutely breathtaking. But for now I’ll make due with driving to my parents house in the country and enjoying the scenery there.

Hot cocoa + warm cozy blanket + sofa + movie = heaven (And don’t you dare mix any pumpkin in my perfectly good chocolate cocoa!)

College football. School pride runs rampant in these parts around this time. And I love it. I’m a Big 12 girl. And rather than have a real pic I thought this was SO much better! Although now it’s somewhat void. But you get the picture. Poor Mangino’s face is priceless! And Gundy’s hair is hilarious! GO POKES!

And of course…the style. Now is the perfect temperature to blaze style and be comfortable wearing it! Hoodies, scarfs, boots, sweaters, tights, blazers. What whaaat?! I like summer fashion and all, don’t get me wrong but I’m usually melting away versus being able to really appreciate it. I could post so many pics but I’ll save you the misery and pick a few of my favorites from my Pinterest.

So what’s your favorite things during the Fall season?