I am off and running with my plan to stretch myself and do things that I do not normally feel comfortable doing.
Stretch 1- Go to the gym
Planet Fitness opened up just a few miles from our home and when I saw their $10 a month special on television I thought I would give it a try. I needed exercise and this might be the best way to get it.
My daughter had told me that one of her hubby’s relatives also had a membership so I contacted her to see if she had any plans to go. She had actually packed a bag and planned to go on her lunch hour. I told her that I would join her, though I was still a bit nervous about it. After all, I had NEVER had a gym membership.
I could just picture myself being the old one in the room and having everyone look at me with a “Why is SHE here?” kind of look. Boy, was I wrong!
There were a number of older people, both men and women. My new friend showed me the ropes of how to use the stretching equipment and the treadmill. For the next 30 minutes I walked on the treadmill, speeding it up and even raising the incline. At the end of 30 minutes I felt GOOD and not even very tired, but I figured that I did not want to overdo it, so I headed home.
As I looked at myself in the mirror I saw THIS face-
My face and other visible skin was glistening with beads of sweat. My cheeks were rosy and healthy looking. My heart rate was still a bit high due to the exercise, but I felt GREAT! I had actually accomplished something!
Perhaps I need to take a lesson from the mural on the locker room doors and stop judging myself!
Stretch 2- Try new foods
I have recently discovered the joy of shopping at Aldi. I am so sorry if you do not have one near you! This store has opened my eyes to a wide variety of food options, many of which I have NEVER tried before.
This week I decided to pull out my Instant Pot and try a Spicy Quinoa and Chicken Sausage.
The ingredients are as shown below:
2 packages of Never Any “Tomato & Basil Chicken Sausage”
1 box of Earthly Grains “Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Quinoa Blend”
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large bell pepper, cored and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeds removed, and diced
15 ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions:
I started by slicing the sausages into small pieces about an inch thick. I set my Instant Pot on saute and added the olive oil. I threw in the sausage and let it cook for a few minutes, stirring it and turning the sausage often. I removed the sausage to a bowl and set it aside.
Now I put the garlic and onions in the pot and allowed them to cook for a few minutes, stirring it often. Once the ingredients were a bit soft I opened up the box of quinoa and put it in the instant pot, setting aside the seasoning packet for a bit. I put the peppers, tomatoes, and chicken stock in the pot as well. Then I added the contents of the seasoning packet and stirred it all together.
I covered the instant pot and set it on pressure for 10 minutes. When the time was up I used a quick release and opened the pot. I put the beans, chicken sausage, and lime juice in the pot and mixed it all together.
The end result was a big hit with my hubby!
As for me, I liked it even better the second day! I was also proud of myself for trying two new foods: quinoa and chicken sausage.
If you are lucky enough to have an Aldi near you and you own an instant pot, I really recommend you give this recipe a try. To get it, just click on the link below.
Spicy Quinoa and Chicken Sausage
Renewal and Refuge 