See my YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/Xhq9MPvpD7M) or all the challenges for the year and details about the January Mini Challenge. Here are the planner sheets for the month.
Remember... the point of this mini challenge is self CARE. Don't pressure yourself into using all of these planning sheets. Choose the ones that best fit your goals.
Self-Care Planner
Self Care Bingo
Coloring Page
30 Days of Self Care
Mood Tracker
Self-Care Checklist
Sleep Log
Letting Go
Join me toward the end of January on youtube.com/BusyBeingJen for the February Mini Challenge.
To go along with my YouTube video about what I eat in a day (see the video below), here are the recipes I mentioned. In the video, I showed what I ate over the course of THREE days! I hope you enjoy the recipes.
1 1/2 cups water 2 cups spinach or kale 1 banana 2 cups frozen berries
If
you have a Nutribullet, put everything in and blend it up. If you are
using a regular blender, blend the water and greens first. Then add the
fruit and blend again. (This helps the greens to break down better.) I like to mix in a tablespoon of Chia seeds or Hemp Hearts before drinking.
Salad with Artichoke Hearts and Potatoes (serves 2)
Ingredients
1 can artichoke hearts (drained and halved)
2 Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
1 oz green olives (sliced)
one head of romaine lettuce (torn in bite-size pieces)
sliced almonds
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Dressing Ingredients
2 T mayo (I use vegan mayo)
1 T white wine vinegar
a pinch of minced garlic
a pinch of chipotle powder
Directions:
1.Saute potatoes at medium-high in a bit of olive oil until browned (about 8 minutes). Place on a paper towel and toss with salt and pepper.
2.Saute artichokes for 5 minutes until browned.
3.Mix salad ingredients together and season with salt an pepper.
4.Place potatoes, artichokes, and tomatoes on a bed of romaine. Top with almonds and feta and drizzle with dressing.
Corn and Black Bean Tostadas (serves 2–3)
Ingredients
3/4 cups corn
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
shallot (finely chopped)
1 T chopped cilantro
6 corn tortillas
cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)
salsa
Directions:
1.Saute shallots for 3 minutes in a tsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add corn.
2.Mash black beans with a potato masher and add to the pan with and 2 T of water. Cook until heated (just a few minutes).
3.Stir in cilantro.
4.Toast corn tortillas slightly and then top with black bean mixture and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese (optional). Toast or broil just until cheese melts.
5.Top with salsa.
Quinoa and Salad Sandwich
Put cooked quinoa, greens, and salad veggies in a whole wheat pita and drizzle with dressing. I used balsamic vinaigrette.
Israeli Couscous with Chickpeas and Roasted Vegetables (serves 2)
Ingredients
zucchini (cut into 1/2" cubes)
cherry tomatoes (halved)
thyme
garlic
smoked paprika
2 green onions (thinly sliced)
lemon juice
1/2 can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
3/4 c Israeli couscous
1 1/2 c vegetable broth
1//2 c feta cheese (optional)
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 425. Drizzle zucchini and tomatoes with a small amount of olive oil. Toss with salt, pepper, and thyme. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.
2.Drizzle chickpeas with oil and toss with a tsp of paprika, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes.
3.Heat a small amount of oil in a pot. Cook garlic and the white pieces of the green onions over medium-high for a minute. Add couscous, thyme, salt, and pepper and cooking (stirring) for 2-3 minutes.
4.Add 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or so. Stir in half of the veggies, half of the feta, and a splash of lemon juice.
5. To serve, divide couscous between two bowls. Top each with remaining veggies, chickpeas, green onions, and feta.
I have struggled with my weight my whole adult life. I have insulin resistance and polycystic ovarian syndrome which lead to pretty significant weight gain. I have tried numerous diets and, in fact, found that if I wasn't on a diet (any kind of diet), I was gaining weight.
Then a few years ago, I participated in a study eating a plant-based diet. I thought I would never be able to give up meat and cheese, but was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to adjust to. My weight loss was slow, but over the course of a year, I lost 30 pounds. The great thing about this is that it's a lifestyle now and I haven't struggled with my weight at all. I eat mostly plants and plant protein, but I allow myself one serving of animal protein each week and, while I still eat cheese, I use it as a garnish. So, as an example, rather than making cheese enchiladas, I make vegetable enchiladas with a bit of cheese sprinkled on top.
See my story on YouTube.
The guidelines below were what I followed when I participated in the study. I eat pretty much the same way now (two years later), including one serving of meat each week, with the addition of a sprinkling of cheese here and there.
As with any new diet, you should check with your doctor first. I've included some resources below the chart about the benefits of a plant-based diet and some sites with delicious plant-based recipes.
Add
all ingredients to the roller ball bottle and give it a good shake.
Each time you use it, you'll want to shake it up to mix in the baking
soda that has settled at the bottom. This is amazing stuff!
Put
10 drops of Geranium essential oil and 10 drops of Frankincense
essential oil into the roller ball bottle. Top it off with either sweet
almond oil or jojoba oil. Snap on the roller ball piece and give it a
good shake. Use the serum every night after cleansing to hydrate and
depuff skin and minimize the appearance of wrinkles.
I started using essential oils from Young Living several months ago and have amassed quite a collection. It became necessary to figure out a way to store them, so here's what I've done that makes the oils easy to identify and keeps them all in one place.
First, I got a set of labels (specifically for Young Living oils). They are laminated for durability and are great for labeling the caps of your bottles, so you can identify them from the top.
Then I got this great case that holds 45 5-15 mL bottles in the top levels and another 14 roller bottles in the drawer. I love it!
How do you store your oils? If you are interested in learning more about Young Living essential oils, leave a comment below or contact me through email (busybeingjen@gmail.com). You can also click HERE.
***This post contains affiliate links. For quite some time, I've been looking for a natural deodorant that actually works. Now I've found one! This recipe is made with essential oils from Young Living and a few other basic ingredients.
Natural Deodorant Recipe
8 drops of lemon essential oil 8 drops of tea tree essential oil 8 drops of Thieves essential oil 4 drops of Purification essential oil 1 1/2 Tablespoons of liquid coconut oil 1 Tablespoon baking soda Put ingredients in a roller ball bottle and shake to mix. If you're interested in learning more about essential oils, leave a comment below or contact me at busybeingjen@gmail.com. You can also check out Young Living by clicking HERE.
I'm a recently retired college professor and freelance writer with far too many interests on the side. My blog and YouTube channel are about those interests--natural beauty and bath products, organizing, vacation planning, and trying to keep all things balanced.
