Change

We are all familiar with the phrase "hang it up," which basically means "to quit." Interestingly, the word "change" embodies the word "hang," and frequently, change can't happen without quitting something. 

Nothing in this world would exist without change. Heraclitus was quoted as saying, "Change is the only constant in life.” Do we always welcome change? Heck no! Many people deny it, some overreact to it, while others choose to be proactive and positive.

I never dreamed that, at 61 years of age, I would be living alone. Barry passed away 1½ years ago as of August 8, 2019. I have since become an empty-nester. My previous Kia Soul, MamaKia, was totaled and MiaKia has taken her place. Change is ongoing. 

I recently quit my job. I was dealing with passive-aggressive leadership and was wary of the time it took to daily rebuild my self-esteem. Toxic spills were becoming too familiar. I continued my ketogenic lifestyle, but stress and cortisol were undermining my success with losing 41 pounds.

Quitting often gets a bad rap, but I took a jumbo-jump of faith into the unknown. Remarkably, I was rewarded with instant peace. Change is a way of honoring ourselves.

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Keto Instant Pot | Maria Emmerich

If you have ever acted onstage, you know that the key to great comedy is timing. I also like to think that the key to thriving involves timing as well. For instance, I attended a Ketogenic consultation last Saturday, hosted by my Chiropractor, Dr. Rosie Main. She subscribes to the philosophy of Dr. Josh Axe and Dr. Ben Lerner, CEO of Maximized Living. Since my husband's passing, I have been intent on rescuing my body from the grips of grief, stress, and loneliness. You might call it a reboot!

So, today I received Maria Emmerich's newest publication: Keto Instant Pot. I am honored to review and promote her books here at Everlovin' Low-Carb. I not only have hard copies of her works but keep some them on Kindle, too. Life is too short to be sacrificing flavor, and Maria intuitively understands how to create satisfying meals with real food and innovative tools.

I bought my first Instant Pot in April of this year. Even though my cooking, since February, has been limited because I have fewer people to cook for, I have been collecting new ideas and inspiration.

Amazon writes...

The Instant Pot is one of the hottest cooking tools around these days. With its ability to pressure-cook foods in mere minutes, all in one pot, it is a huge time-saver for busy home cooks. You can even bake a cheesecake in it! A ketogenic diet that eliminates processed foods sometimes require a little more effort in the kitchen, so any time saved is a plus. In this book, international bestselling author Maria Emmerich presents more than 160 delicious low-carb, high-fat keto recipes designed to be cooked in an Instant Pot or other multi-cooker. The recipes run the gamut from appetizers and sides to soups to main dishes to sweet treats and even a few drinks, along with some handy keto basics. As a bonus, Maria also includes slow-cooking instructions (which can be done either in the Instant Pot or in a separate slow cooker) for each recipe for those days when set-it-and-forget-it convenience takes precedence over the need for speed.

Recipes include:

• Pumpkin Coffee Cake
• Easy Baked Eggs
• Buffalo Meatballs
• Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
• Italian Chicken Chili
• Curry Beef Stew
• Philly Cheesesteak
• Pork Lettuce Cups
• Amazing Asian Pulled Pork
• Chicken and Bacon Lasagna Roll-ups
• Garlicky Tuna Casserole
• Lemon Ricotta Torte
• Chocolate Almond Fudge
• Homemade Root Beer
• …and much more!

I am definitely in a soup-mood lately, plus leftovers are a cinch to freeze. So I will be trying the following recipes first: Reuben Soup,  Pumpkin Chili, Cioppino, Seafood Chowder, Broccoli Brie Soup, African Nut Stew, Belgian Booyah,  Egg Roll Soup, Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup, and Lasagna Soup!

Check out Maria's new book HERE!

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Thankful Musings

Since this was my first Thanksgiving without my husband, I accepted an invitation to feast and fellowship with another family. Brock and I got to have deep fried turkey for the first time! It was fun meeting their family and friends—an amiable bunch! It made the day more comfortable, and I appreciated that!

As I suspected, my 4-day holiday took on V-formation, winging its way to what my co-workers, in Orthopedic Scheduling, describe as a Monday on steroids. At least I have a chiropractic appointment after work.

It rained all day Friday. I mostly relaxed, although I launched some overdue projects. Yesterday, I attended the Small Business Saturday in Downtown Boise. Guests were given a passport that could be stamped by participating businesses. Amazingly, the outdoor market is still open until December 15th, which is impressive since the temps are descending fast! I warmed up with an aromatic espresso when my extremities grew numb.

I veered from my low-carbing (which I seldom do) to treat myself to Sambusas—traditional African meat pastries. They remind me of empanadas but with a fluffier crust. Africa was a theme because I also bought handcrafted items from refugee ladies who came from the Congo and Somali.

Today was comprised of an inspiring church service, grilled salmon and winter squash, French press coffee, and Christmas movies.

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