WoRk after VaCaTiOn

 "Work hard, play harder..." One of the worst cliches that I hear, merely because, to me,  it's untrue. Most of the time, you play hard and then when you come back to work; you have to work SO much harder to try and catch up - mentally and physically!

 My sister, her husband and myself just recently went on vacation to the beautiful, sunny state of Florida. What an amazing, relaxing, much needed break away from everything these past ten months. Laying on the soft sand, under the rays of the sun and hearing the waves crash over one another is one of the most tranquil feelings I have ever felt.It's almost dream-like. Not until you're driving in your old rickety car back to CT, in the rain after spending six straight days with your twin sister, that you realize you're heading straight back to reality. A reality that comes with stress, and work, and responsibility, and really thinking about how to care for yourself. 

 During our time away, we threw caution to the wind when it came to eating and drinking and such. While making a slight attempt to at least eat breakfast in the morning, (which we did, thanks to Dave getting up in the morning and cooking), we filled our bellies with alcohol and not-so-good-for-you eats. When we weren't eating, we were drinking and smoking and really feeling like Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations; except we were paying for everything. At the time, you don't think of the repercussions to come from this behavior. But why would you when everything we were doing made us feel amazing? Laying in the sun; not thinking of the responsibilities that await for you back home and at work. Drinking, numbing any bad feelings away, and of course, the classic smoke with a cold Yuengling. Sounds relaxing, and it is at the time. But coming back to that reality is a tough wake up call, as I so found this morning.

 My alarm went off at 4:00am, and Tom-cat was laying on my pillow to the right of me; a familiar experience since Tommy became part of my world. I stare at the ceiling listening to my alarm and literally drag myself out of bed. I shut off the alarm and stand at the foot of my bed in the dim light from the the window contemplating laying back down for just a minute. I decide against it as I know I will not want to get back up if I do. I take a shower, and then get my food ready and my work clothes packed in my gym bag. All of this happens within forty-five minutes, but it feels like two hours have gone by. Routine? What routine?? Three days ago I was sleeping! I was sleeping and then getting up making coffee for my twin sister and her husband and we were taking our time getting ready to hit the sunny streets...I get to the gym and meet my gym partner; both of us taking slow strides into the building of Miami bodies; knowing that what is lurking behind those glass doors are the bodies we can only dream of having. Another hard reality of being back in CT. You look at yourself the same way you did before you had the glow of FL on your skin. At least I have a healthy breakfast and lunch to look forward to. Lots of vegetables and fruit and fish. Renewing food to fuel a very deprived body. With the food we were eating, I was beginning to become extremely lethargic. I drive to work, and as if this morning wasn't already a bucket of ice water over my head, I hit traffic. Not traffic that was bringing me to the Sunny Isles side of the A1A, but traffic that was bringing me back to work.

 I walk up the eight flights of stairs to the 4th floor and through the door that I was so incredibly happy to avoid for the past week. As I am walking, I hear the chatter of the agents taking the calls, the tapping of the keyboards and I can smell the faint aroma of coffee that is all so familiar to me. A wave of nausea overcomes me while I am nearing the back of the office where my desk is. I know this is from the anxiety that I have from what I can only expect to be a horrible day of catching up. Sure enough, I dock my lap top and open my email....no exaggeration when I say I had (I should say STILL have) over two thousand emails to go through. Over forty invoices to review, voice mails to listen to and respond, not to mention all the new emails I will receive today and questions among the agents.I sit for a minute - or five and ponder how in the world I am supposed to get through this. One email at a time. Leaving work at 730 tonight is definitely not how I wanted my first day back at work to end; however, I would be lying if I said I thought it would be any different. I definitely played hard and and am working a LOT harder catching up!!

 Now I am sitting on my couch, my cat running wild - literally, writing this blog. My eyes feel so heavy; a heaviness that when I look up from the computer, the room spins. Blogging seemed like a good idea to get the first day's stress from being back from vacation out. Eleven at night seems like a good time to end this and say sweet dreams fellow blog readers. 

 Moral of this blog - You shouldn't have to work harder just to play a little hard. There is a balance somewhere in there. I've yet to find it...when you do, please share :-)

   

-Twinspiration

Love and wellness to all

Patti xox

Untitled....

Untitled; perfect name for the weekend that I am having. Mixed emotions on just relaxing and the incessant nagging feeling of needing to be out doing something instead of sitting on my lazy rear watching movies and reading all day. Physical exhaustion seems to win me over so far. 

Started Friday morning, I got up early and went to the gym, which has been my routine now for the last two weeks - most mornings I am up and out by 430 or 445, depending on my cat and whether or not he is snuggled up next to me...meow. I give myself plenty of time to get to the gym, get in a decent work out, shower and get ready for work. Friday I didn't have to go to work, but I still decided to go to the gym at the crack a** of early instead of lying in bed trying to force myself back to sleep. On my way home from my morning plans, I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for some coffee for the boyfriend and myself. It was raining and cloudy as it has been for the past few days. My plans of having a beautiful beach day for my PTO were completely ruined by Mother Nature - thanks for that; so I figured, why not fill the void of the hot sun on my body with the hot sensation of the other thing in life that I still feel pleasure for.....a hot cup of java. Yum! Plans for the rest of the day? To relax and watch movies, read, or whatever I could think of to be relaxing - Sleep is not one of those relaxing things that generally crosses my mind, as it's not usually relaxing. The thought of having to sleep or trying to force myself to sleep is anxiety ridden for many reasons that I will not disclose here :-) It was discussed earlier in the day that this was a possible option, but not to the extent I am about to describble. Yes, I said describble - not painting a clear picture for you below, more of a Picaso painting...all over the place and no real point to it.

So I get home and bring Eric his coffee and donuts in bed...spoiled man he is. Kidding! (although I do give in to his sweet tooth - have to keep him happy!) I go back out to the living room and park myself on the couch with my coffee and settle in with two comfy blankets and throw pillows. I turn the television on and put on a movie. It's about 1230 in the afternoon and the next thing I know, it's 130. I slept for an hour! I shrug it off and the next thing I know, it's 213. Once again, I make an excuse that I am just so tired from going to the gym. Again, I open my eyes and it's a little past 4. My thoughts: "UGH! WHY!!! You stupid. lazy person! GET UP!" This cycle continued until 6pm. I decided to sit up because this was the only way that I was going to stay awake. I stumble to the coffee maker and made some more coffee...no more excuses to sleep the day away! Eric gets up with me...he slept too. We decide to go to his house for dinner, on the way there, I fall asleep again. We eat dinner and then I go lay on the couch and once again, I find myself being woken up because we are going back to my place. I fall asleep on my way home, and I am so angry at this point. Not because I have slept on and off all day and wasted time, but because someone woke me up. And I mean like a leave-me-the-"eff"-alone-or-we-will-have-a-problem-on-our-hands, angry. We walk in not saying a word and I feed Tommy (cat, meow) and grab some water. Now? I can't fall asleep. Now? I want to go to bed. DOUBLE UGH! My eyes feel like each of them has a 5lb lead weight hanging on the lid. Buuuuuttt, like the crazy soup man from Seinfeld, my brain tells me: "No sleep for you!" 

It was around three in the morning and my silly man is on the couch snoring - which he doesn't often do, or if he does, I nudge him and he stops. (THANK GOODNESS!) So I wake him to go to bed. I lie awake for about an hour and finally drift off to sleep. I wake around 630 this morning and am just so sleepy! Why?? I slept almost the whole day away. I lay in bed until about 7 and decide to get up. I shower, make some more coffee and the day is history dealing with the insanity of work, battling more exhaustion...not even knowing how that is possible after the extremely productive day I had yesterday. :-D

So eager to see what tomorrow brings. Untitled, very fitting.


-Twinspiration

Health and Wellness to all

Patti xox

Patti Soup for the Soul

“True hope dwells on the possible, even when life seems to be a plot written by someone who wants to see how much adversity we can overcome. True hope responds to the real world, to real life; it is an active effort.” – Walter Anderson - I saw this quote today and it rang so deep. So many things happening all at the same time definitely try the patience and positive spirit of someone. But there is always hope - and hope comes in different ways; even if it's not what you're expecting. So there is always a reason to stay positive, right?

These days are proving to be difficult in doing so.

It was about 3:17 a.m. this morning that I finally went to sleep with so many things running through my mind. I  could no longer lay in bed - it felt like hours that I was tossing and turning; when I look at the clock, it is only a little past six. So I decide to get up. I walk groggily to the coffee maker and make a cup of coffee as caffeine has become such an inevitable staple in my life again. And to be quite honest, the taste has some level of comfort for me. I sit down on the couch and light up a cigarette and sip my coffee, pondering every thought that crosses my mind. I feel like I cannot sit still, yet I don't have any desire to do anything - not even taking out the trash. I pull up the blinds and let the sun spill over me and I stare at the window with my face in my palm. My mind feels so tortured and confused. 

I decided to take a nap this afternoon because I am just so tired and I found it much easier to just lay there and feel comfort in my bed because it was daylight. - I always wonder why I love owls so much, and I am beginning to think that it's because we are both nocturnal creatures. - I was so warm, it's like the sun followed me. I close my eyes and I feel like I am basking in the warm rays emitting from my bedroom window. The heat on my face keeps me calm; it feels like a blanket engulfing me, keeping me sedated and comforted. I am startled awake about twenty minutes later not realizing where I am. Now I am left feeling uneasy and shaking inside because I woke up so fast...I get up and find the spot on my couch in the corner of my living room as I had this morning and light up another cigarette. My hunger just fleeting. As bad as I know they are for me, I continue to puff on it as it keeps my hunger at bay. All the while feeling completely guilty for feeling so sorry for myself with other things that are going on right now. Knowing there are people in my life that are so close to me who are struggling with what is going on in their lives and here I am destroying my health because I am feeling sorry for myself. I have wasted an entire weekend, when some people would give anything to have one more day.

I need my Nana in my life right now to make me some tea and tell me that everything that is going badly in my life will all sort itself out - between my internal struggles and the struggles of those so dear to me. Especially my significant other. All I want to be able to do is take their pain and their hurt and turn it into my own because as sorry as I feel for myself, I know I can manage. The quote that I found this morning really nails it - Some words of encouragement that will ring true for them and maybe myself.

So why name my blog Patti Soup for the soul? Because writing is soup for my soul. It helps me release what I cannot verbalize. I wish there really was a soup with all the ingredients you could mix together that would make all the bad feelings disappear instantaneously. As the quote said, it is an active effort - it's an active effort to keep strong and positive in the face of adversity. It's an active effort to remain positive when you see those who are such angels fall at the hand of a disease that you cannot control. It's an active effort trying to handle your internal demons when you keep getting knocked off of the horse that you've just mounted again and again. It's a collective effort, internally and externally. 

It's now 1:11 a.m. and I've going on about three and a half hours of sleep - and although I am exhausted, I cannot find the comfort to fall asleep. I have hunger pangs that are nauseating, but I won't eat, 1. because it is one in the morning and 2. because it's part of a coping mechanism I fall into when I feel overwhelmed with stress. I smoke, don't eat or I binge eat and drink. It's a great combination, don't you think? It's obviously not the smart option, but I can't seem to control any other aspect of my life. The worst part is that I am enabling my partners behavior in doing the same thing. It's a somewhat toxic environment for us both. I get upset with him for his behavior, but I am doing the same thing. It's like once you start, it's so hard to stop. So different from one year ago when my sister and I started this blog. Things happen. Just have to keep believing that "true hope responds to the real world."

Next blog will be more positive. Thanks for reading.

Twinspiration

 Health and Wellness to all,

 Patti xox

 

Being you...IS good enough.

My feet are in the sand on the beach in Cancun; living up the moments with my sister. The warm Caribbean sun is beating down on us and tiny beads of sweat trickle down our face. I stand up to take a dip in the pool and I notice I am wearing a bikini! But wait...my stomach is flat and I have this intense feeling of self confidence!! I climb into the pool and then as quickly as the cool water hits my face, I am awake....

Several months ago I wrote a blog about someone using not so kind words to describe what they thought I looked like. They said I was short and chunky. And I know, as I had said before, that it was not meant with ill intent, it still hurt. I find myself, once again, in the same situation at work. One of the guys at work went to the doctor and had a physical. He came in and told everyone how his cholesterol level is 785 - which is insanely high. This man is in no way fat, he is just short. So they got on the topic of how his cholesterol could be so high and he said that his doctor considers him obese. I was standing next to his desk discussing possible natural options because I work in a supplement shop,  and one of the guys that ALWAYS makes fun of me states: "Well, look at Patti; she's fat! If she were six feet tall, she would be skinny; but her cholesterol is fine." Now, it's one thing if I ask - "Do you think I look fat?" And how do you know my cholesterol?? I know the truth, I look in the mirror every day. I don't need you to tell me that I am fat. The girls around him and the guy that sits next to him just turn and glare. I understand that he was just saying what he thought was truthful, but I was so incredibly embarrassed. Three times this week he had made some comment toward my weight - One of the girls asked if he thought his wife was fat; his response: "She's not skinny, but Patti is fatter." I mean, what the hell?! Why am I the target of his ridicule? I'm not pleasing to the eye? Then keep it to yourself. It's such a cliched saying; but if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all. 

The next day it became the thing to talk about - how can someone eat healthy like me, but stay fat? I am facing my computer screens when they start talking about what I ate for breakfast and what I brought in for lunch; I slowly turn around to them and shake my head. I just couldn't believe it. There is so much work to be done and some people are more worried about the affect of the good food I am putting in my body is having on me than doing their job. I just want to scream out: WHO THE HELL CARES?! I should be the only one concerned with me, and you should be the only one concerned with you. Yes, I eat healthy. No, I am not skinny. But, please, tell me...why does the entire world need to know my insecurity about being fat?! Why do you feel it necessary to tell the people with in a six-foot radius that you think I am fat? I have a bad enough complex about myself, and you feel the need to add to it. And they sit there and laugh because to them, it's a big joke. It's not funny - it hurts.

Today I wore black slacks with a fitted sweater and black flats; normally I will wear a scarf over my sweater so it sweeps over my stomach and hips or I will wear a flowing dress or some other fabric with many layers; but I didn't today. The girl that sits next to me tells me that I should wear things like this every day because I look 10lbs lighter. Maybe it was a compliment; but it still angers me. If I wanted to discuss my weight with my co-workers then I would. But I don't! I obsess over my weight enough in my head and with my twin. I tell her every day in an email what I am eating, what I have planned to eat and what I bought at the grocery store. I write my food in a daily journal, and count calories every single day of my life. If you ask me how many calories are in a piece of chicken, I can tell you. Skin on? I can tell you that. Cooked in olive oil and served with rice? I can tell you that too. So the last thing I want to do is come into work and have to discuss with people who don't care, things that are so detrimental to my well being.

This brings me to my title that being you is good enough. I was made fun of so much when I was a child and through middle school that I don't need to endure this as an adult. I am not that far away from being 30 years old and the last thing I need is for some 30-something-year-old man to tell me almost every day that I am FAT. I strive to live a healthy lifestyle and I eat as healthy as possible. It doesn't mean that I will be a size 0. It means that I will be as healthy as I can be on the inside. You cannot listen to the negative things others may be saying to you. You are good enough. Being you is good enough. You don't have to be something that others think you should be. Keep that in mind the next time someone says anything negative to you. Exuding positivity from within will make you a happier and healthier person.

Thank you for listening to another rant of mine. I think it's important to share things such as this because I know that there are others who go through this, too. I can't be the only one who struggles every day with their self image. Who feels like the mirror is going to break in disgust whenever you step in front of it. One day it will get better. You just have to remind yourself that there is no one else in the world that can be a better you. So you have to be your best you. And your best you starts with, none other than YOU.

Twinspiration

Health and Wellness to all

Patti xox

Busy working girl getting back on track...

Hello my friends! It feels great to be back! I have been stretched thiiin. haha! I still have about 12,000 more photos to go through and edit, but believe it or not, I have made a dent. Which brings me to the topic I am about to discuss. Weddings. During the week I have a pretty set regimen of my food intake for the day. I have a banana and plain oats for breakfast, a mid morning snack, a salad with protein for lunch or a sandwich on sprouted grain bread, then an afternoon snack (usually raw almonds and a piece of fruit and last but not least, a protein and vegetable for dinner. Sometimes I will have a sweet potato if my fat kid is really screaming. 

Now... that's during the week. The weekends are a bit harder. I am usually photographing a wedding or on a shoot so I am not able to eat at the correct times or always eat the right thing. Recently I completed a 24 day challenge and I had to eat super clean AND cut out  coffee. Ouch. I don't think I could have picked a more challenging time to do the challenge. In that 24 day period I had 4 weddings and a few portrait, and engagement sessions and with that, came the wedding food. The food usually consists of mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, pasta,  stuffed chicken breast, and a salad... but it's caesar salad. I had to come up with a plan to make sure I wasn't going to slip up at the weddings! Remember:

 It IS possible to be healthy and eat right when you are constantly on the go. I decided that I could either take on the challenge or not. It was that simple. I continued my new way of eating for my monotonous M-F work schedule, and when it came time for the back to back weddings, I felt prepared and found myself excited to see what the weekend was going to bring. I also knew that this would set the tone for the rest of the 24 days. The night before, I acted like it was going to be another work day. I packed a lunch and tried to get plenty of sleep. (Yeah right.) I woke up and had an Orgain organic protein shake and a banana for breakfast. I got ready with Patti and then made sure that I had packed enough food for us. For the rest of the day we had a snack bag of grapes, raw almonds and a few clementines. I made two salads that had grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, spicy peppers and crushed red pepper. For dinner we had a piece of chicken, sweet potatoes and green beans. 

By the time the weekend was over I had made it! I proved to myself and every other busy working person that you can be healthy. You just have to plan ahead and remember that sleep is a big factor as well. Even though I can't pack my food for the wedding we have in December in Mexico, I know that I will be prepared for whatever is placed in front of me!

I hope you enjoyed my blog today! I will blog some of my new recipes soon!

Twinspiration-

love and health to all

Staying busy on an unproductive day...

...Well that's kind of a contradictory statement, now isn't it. But is it? Most of us work hard, and work a lot; so when it comes down to a day where you don't have to do anything you might not know what to do with yourself or your time...

I found that I was lost today. I woke up early and realized that I didn't have to do anything. Nothing. I walked out to my living room and stood there for a minute;. Looked around and then went to the kitchen. I made myself some ginger pear tea and filled my 34oz mug with water and plopped on my couch. I sat there and pondered for a few minutes what I would do today to ensure that I am not sitting on my butt being useless. Nothing came to mind that seemed to fit how I was feeling. So I opened my kindle and just started reading my latest purchase. Today was a day that I could have to myself - mostly, as my job demands a majority of my time; that I didn't have to feel the pressure of answering to anyone or being around people. Everyone deals with their emotions on different levels, and I really love the time that I have to myself. 

As an hour passed and I was still in my pajamas, I started getting this nagging feeling of guilt. I was just sitting there, reading when I could be doing something productive with my time away from work. What do I do? I pull out my lap top and start making corrections to this big project we have going at work. This absorbs about a good 4 hours of my time. Awesome. Let's spend the day working when you're supposed to be OFF work. (We have a running joke in the office: (PTO is not "Paid Time Off," it's "Pretend Time Off"). Such conflicting feelings! I feel like I should be working, but then I get angry for working when I am supposed to be enjoying the one day off that I have! Geesh! I know what can settle this argument in my head..."COFFEE BREAK!" YEAH!!! And then I realize...I gave up coffee one week ago today. Grrrr, okay so now what, I think to myself. Oh - tea! Wait, no...Lunch, lunch would be good since I skipped breakfast; shhhh, don't tell Nikkie. It's not part of the cleansing routine. You have to have eaten at least two servings of fruit by now. Oops. I stumble into the kitchen as my legs are half weakened from sitting for the last 5 hours (that is just terrible). And I make a turkey burger with some steamed zucchini and eggplant. YUM! I go back to the warm spot on my couch and enjoy my delicious lunch - I flip on the T.V. and watch the X-Files movie on Netflix. (I found that I can hook my computer up to my television and watch movies on T.V. while streaming from online)! 

Now what? I am trying to stay busy on such an unproductive day...Do I take a nap? No...that's just being really lazy; I hadn't even been up for 10 hours. So, I make another cup of tea. Sooo good! So calming, I think and so worth sitting on the couch once more - still in my pajamas. Should I go to the gym? No, every excuse in the book comes flooding to my mind. I don't hate exercising; I just don't want to be around people today. Decision made; I get up and start doing push-ups on my floor. What? Yes, random push-ups, which turn into squats and then calf raises. I'm done. I sit back down and sip my tea again. Ahhhh! I am starting to get really antsy. I should be doing more! I should be outside enjoying this beautiful day - I hear rain and then I feel a little better. I tell myself that's it's okay to be home right now. It's raining outside and you don't like to drive in the rain - it will just make you miserable and have outbursts of hatred-filled road rage. The less rational side of my subconscious wins and I stay in. Just to sit back down on the couch and shop online. I need new things for my place as I am moving in December. OH CRAP! I am moving, which means I need to pack. I don't even know where to start. There is just so much stuff!!! So much to pack. Will it all fit? Will my bed fit in the bedroom?? Will I have to purchase a new bed?! It's a house - with a basement, how am I going to lock the door to the cellar?? Do I need new curtains? I need to call my leasing department and tell them I am not re-signing. Too much to think about. Geez, this isn't working. I close the computer and just shut my eyes for a minute to bring me back to a non-panic state. I decide to just put on another movie and lay down. I put on Georgia Rule and just sink into the couch with my blanket wrapped around me, the shades all drawn, my 3rd hot tea and my pillow tucked under my right side. I feel my body start to physically relax.

I am telling you my crazy day because it's not really a crazy day. It's a non-productive day physically, but a mentally hectic day in my mind. I feel like I should have done so much more like search for answers for things I need answers to, or planted a pumpkin garden, something that would have physically told my body that, yes,  you did good today, now you can rest. Instead, my mind is still completely active because I feel like I was under accomplished today. I am sure you are asking yourself how this has anything to do with health and wellness. It has everything to do with it. When your body is stressed it releases hormones into your body that can cause internal damage. You have to find ways for your mind and your body to relax and not be in a constant state of anxiety.  Once I find them, I will blog about them each time one comes to me that truly works.

It is 12:18am and I STILL don't know what I could have done differently today. And I think that's okay. Sometimes you just have to figure it out. 

Twinspiration

Love and Wellness to all

Patti xox

Back to the basics...

Hello to all my blog followers!! Many apologies - as it has been over 2 months since my sister or myself have written. :'( So our promise to you is to ensure that we are keeping up to date with our latest shenanigans!

About 1 week ago I decided that my body and my mind needed a complete overhaul from the stress induced environment I have been in lately. My sister started it a week prior and she is feeling incredible. What we started was a cleanse - not a detox as you would think. It is a complete cleanse of anything that promotes inflammation within the body. So yes, this means I have given up coffee! (Everyone beware). Just kidding ;) The cleanse also prohibits sugar, salt, processed foods and dairy. It's very much like the Paleo diet - vegetables, lean protein, complex carbs (meaning legumes and brown rice). My water intake has increased to just about a gallon a day, sounds easy enough to drink that much, right? Well, let's put it this way; 1 gallon of water is equal to 128ounces. That's tough, but a mix of herbal teas, water in between meals and some energy mixes has made it easier. In doing this cleanse, I have been introducing myself to new ways of cooking my food and new recipes. I just may even have a cook book by the time I am through with this. And so I am writing to not only share that so far I am feeling better, but also one of my favorite things I have cooked thus far.

It is baked sweet potato with onions and sauteed chicken in garlic infused extra virgin olive oil:
 

Here is what you will need:

1 Organic large sweet potato
1 Organic sweet onion
1 Package of boneless, skinless chicken breast (Trader Joes has a good selection of hormone free, free range, no antibiotics chicken). 
2 Tablespoons of garlic infused extra virgin olive oil 
1 Tablespoon of Oregano
1 Teaspoon of garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1 Teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic 

1-gallon ziploc bag
Baking sheet
Small frying pan or wak

How to make it:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash your sweet potato as you will leave the skin on. It is so thin and there are many added health benefits to eating it. Cut the potato in thin, round slices. Then take those slices and cut them into quarter pieces and empty into the ziploc bag. Chop your onion and add to the potatoes.  Add 1 tablespoon of the garlic EVOO, and the rest of the spices to the mix. Shake up the bag. Line your baking sheet with either parchment paper or aluminum foil and empty the contents of the ziploc onto the baking sheet. Spread evenly so the potatoes and onions are covering the entire surface. Place in the oven on the middle rack for about 25-30 minutes. (I have found that baking them for 28 minutes in a gas stove is the best - it gives them the perfect texture and takes that raw crunch out). While this is baking; add the remaining EVOO to your frying pan or wak, and place burner on medium heat. Cut up the chicken into thin slices; it cooks faster this way - but you can cook as desired. (Be sure to wash your hands and the counter where you just cut the raw chicken; safety first). Add the cut up chicken to the frying pan and season to taste. Add the minced garlic cloves. I added more oregano to the chicken. You want to cook the chicken after the potato and onion mix are in the oven as it does not take as long to cook. The chicken should be thoroughly cooked within 18-20 minutes; but timing may vary depending on your stove. The best way to check is to cut one of your bigger pieces in half and make sure there is no sign of pink. The juices need to run clear - and a cooking thermometer is also very useful. Once cooked, serve :)

This yields between 2 and 3 servings. 

This recipe is packed with many nutritional benefits and is also very tasty. I hope you all get a chance to try this. There are many alternative foods that you can substitute if you're not able to eat sweet potatoes or are vegan! You could use butternut squash and/or zucchini as an alternative to the sweet potato and firm tofu for the chicken. All just as delicious and something I just may have to make tomorrow!

Thank you all for reading...off to tend to the chicken drumsticks I currently have simmering in the crock pot...

Twinspiration

Love and Wellness to all

Patti xox