(Slow Cooker) Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe

Welcome back!

I was thinking about this blog all morning, yet when nap-time came, it completely escaped my mind as I got lost in knitting and drafting a new stationery design. So many happy projects!

Without further ado, a recipe for yummy, comfort food, keep-me-warm-and-nourished-on-a-winter-day soup!

(Slow Cooker) Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
Large soup pot (or slow cooker)
Large skillet
1-2 lbs ground beef (or turkey)
1 large bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 large white potato (or 3-4 red potatoes)
2 large stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion (or 2 small/medium ones)
4 cups beef broth
28 oz diced tomatoes
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Sea Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Bay leaves


Instructions:
1) Brown beef in skillet
2) Chop onions and garlic
3) Add onions, garlic, and spices to beef. Stir and simmer until onions begin to become clear and soften. (A note on spices: I purposefully neglected measurements because I rarely measure them, a technique referred to as "throwing flour" by our friend Stuart. I tend to be passionate about garlic and stingy with salt. Season to your preference)

4) Dump the contents of the skillet into the soup pot or slow cooker.
5) Add remaining ingredients and stir.

6a) Soup pot: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally
6b) Slow cooker: Cook on low for 4-5 hours (until potatoes soften)

7) Serve with your favorite crackers, crusty bread, or pita

Bon Appétit!

Adventure well; Live fully.
HAK

Super Straighforward Steps for Pregnancy Fitness

Back to School!
 
It's that time of year again--Summer is winding down, kiddos are back at their books, and the rest of us are once again renewing resolutions of fitness and health. 


22 and a half weeks pregnant (and still taking silly selfies, but who could resist??) with a BOY (yippee!). A few weeks ago, at the sweet nudging of my Hubster, I realized that walks, even long, frequent ones, were not cutting it as my pregnancy fitness plan. About this same time, my Mama bought me a fabulous pair of maternity jeans, and I wanted to look and feel great in them. 

I hadn't gained any shocking amounts of weight or anything like that, after all, I'm growing a whole other person, but John could tell I was lethargic and losing confidence about how I looked and felt. So to the Y he sent me (side note: It takes a special man to tell his wife that she needs to get her backside out to the gym and be able to do it in a way that makes her feel encouraged and confident, not fat or criticized). 

So, in light of the last couple of weeks, here are my very straightforward 

Tips for Staying Fit and Feeling Great 

During Pregnancy:

1) Talk to your OB or midwife. Really, don't skip this step, especially if you don't have a history of being active. If you are fortunate, you'll get a green light like me, "Anything that you can do that you are able to do, do it." If they have guidelines, listen to them. You can always ask them to reevaluate your condition later after you make some progress, etc. 

2) Just do it. Really, do it. Put on your big girl yoga pants and your sneakers, and do something. Cant think of anything but walking? Walk. Start somewhere, anywhere. 

3) Shake it up. Fresh out of ideas? Shake it literally (Zumba class, baby! I'm in love!), or figuratively--try an Expresso bike or the elliptical instead of just walking. Keeping your mind engaged is also important when working out. Boredom busts good intentions. Find ways to make exercise fun.

4) Don't forget to hydrate and eat well. Hydrate means water, and plenty of it. Also, don't interpret that as "eat perfectly." I'm definitely pro-ice cream. ;-) But pay attention to what goes in your body. Don't undermine your workout with crummy eating. 

5) Look good. Choose flattering maternity clothes. Budget busted? I've found some lovely steals on Old Navy's clearance rack. Knowing that you're rocking a fun outfit will add bounce to your step and serve as both reward and motivation for staying active. 


Keep it simple. Keep it fun. :-)

Adventure well; Live fully.
HAK

Atlanta Tour de Cure: We Need Your Help!

Good Morning! 

I've actually been quite productive in my studio lately, but I'll write more on that later. For now, I need to fill you in on a new adventure:
The American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure Bike Ride. 

The Hubster, Audrey, the sweet 7th grader I nanny, and I are joining Audrey's Aunt Stacey and some friends in the Atlanta 2014 Ride. 

Who: John & HollyAnne Knight and Audrey Sylvester

What: The American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure 28 mile Atlanta ride.
 
When: May 18, 2014
 
Why: To raise money for diabetes research, raise awareness about all types of diabetes, and celebrate the champions who live with diabetes every day (Like my Hubster, who has had Type 1 for 13+ years).
 
How Can You Help: 

• We need prayer: for safety in training and riding, for this ride as a whole to raise lots of money for research, and for that research to find new and better ways to fight, prevent, and CURE diabetes. 
• We are FUNDRAISING. We need to raise a minimum of $200 each in order to ride, and we'd like to go above and beyond that. The fastest way to donate is by going online. Follow these links!

Donate to HOLLYANNE 
Donate to JOHN 
Donate to AUDREY     


THANK YOU!!

Adventure well; Live fully.
HAK

A Lesson from the Fishes

Happy Friday, everyone!

As y'all may know from Facebook and Instagram, I set up my aquarium this weekend. 
29 gallons of Amazon River happiness. 

The tank is still cycling, so we'll see if everyone makes it through these critical next few weeks, but for now we have 2 striped angel fish, 6 lamp-eye tetras, and 6 cory catfish (3 different varieties: 1 green, 1 julii, and 4 sterbai...we kind of bought all the leftovers at the pet shop).

I knew that these fish were very different from each other (even though angels, tetras, and corys are a pretty common community tank combo), but since this is my first community tank, I'd never had the opportunity to see how different species reacted when introduced to a tank . 

By the end of the day, I had a few thoughts:

Tetras

My apologies that they are so far away, but they are shockingly camera shy. Just trying to get this shot was an adventure--the angels love to hog the limelight!

So how did they handle their big ol' home?
As soon as the dropped in they just started puttering around like it was no big deal. They've explored some since, but they were overall pretty nonplussed by the whole thing.  

Angelfish

We call this guy Quatro (he has 4 stripes), and we also have Trip (3 stripes). Quatro is certainly the dominant one and has decided that he loves the camera...though he hasn't quite figured out how to hold still. haha. 

Anyway, these guys are about the size of a quarter and already growing. Quatro has shown mild signs of aggression (that dominance thing), so we're hoping that doesn't become an issue as he gets bigger (they'll both be bigger than my hand at full size). But let me tell you, that tough guy act was NOT a thing the night we put them both in the tank. They both had freaking panic attacks. If I hadn't been so worried about them adjusting well, it would have been funny. They had been moved from a crowded, bare store tank to my wonderfully planted Amazonian haven...and they were having a cow. It was ridiculous. 

Cory Cats

 If you are not an aquarist, this may be  the first time you've heard of "cory cats." Corys are catfish and members of the family Corydoras. They are small, usually growing to 2-3 inches in length, and they are much more active and diurnal than many other catfish. They are very peaceful and prefer to life in schools. Really, they're like a bunch of swimming puppies. 

The top photo is of my Green Cory and the bottom is a Julii Cory (We also have 4 sterbai--they look a lot like the Julii, but without the black dorsal and the stripes on the side). I bought the Green Cory first because he was just so active and playful, and we got the rest to keep him company. 

Unlike the tetras who took everything in stride or the angels who panicked, the corys seemed to embrace being introduced to a new home. As if on an adventure, they immediately began to explore their new tank and make themselves at home. It was only a day or so until I found they'd dug quite a hole against one of the logs to give themselves a new hidey hole, and I've found them everywhere from under the java fern to lounging on the Amazon Sword leaves. I often find them swimming excited laps or all piled together in a corner. 

So, what's the point?
Here's the point:
I want to be like the corys. 
I don't want to act like life is either no big deal or the scariest ride ever. 
I want to admit that I may not know or understand it all and embrace new things with a bit of excitement, making a conscious decision to focus on the learning, growing, and process of life rather than a race for perfection. 
I want to focus on the good stuff. For example, corys typically prefer to school with their own species, but we couldn't find 6 of any one species, so we just bought all the oddballs--and they all seem to be getting along just fine. They'd rather have 5 other corys of 2 other species than be alone I suppose. I want to embrace the folks in my life without expecting them to be perfect or just like me. I just want to do life together, each teaching and learning. 

As I told y'all, I recently started a job as "Mary Poppins" for a teen girl and her teen brother. We've been spending the last few weeks learning how to do life together. They and their dad keep talking about stuff that I'm teaching them, but let me tell you--I am learning so much and being so blessed by these kiddos. They ask me to plan and be patient; they ask me to try new things so we can figure out paths to success; they ask me to walk away from my homework for Apples to Apples or biking, or just a story. They ask me to laugh and love and, most of all, just be with them. They ask me to make time and room in my schedule, my thoughts, and my heart for them. We're not just alike; none of us are perfect. But, like corys, we're finding friends and safe places and room to swim and time to discover, and those are treasures. 

Keep calm and Cory on. ;-) 

Adventure well; Live fully. 
HAK  
   

10 Tips for Surviving Finals

Maybe this post is a little late to help this semester, but maybe you're already thinking, "Next semester will be better. Next semester I'll sleep more, eat better, etc." If so, this is the post for you! A few ideas on how to relax, study efficiently, and, hopefully, be a little happier and healthier when you get home for break. 

1) Make like Hermione and create a plan and start early. Finals start in two weeks? Set aside a simple one hour per day to finals prep. That could add up to 12 hours of studying (assuming a 6 day study week--that gives you a "freebie") over a period of time which is perhaps more effective than you might thin. That's before finals week even strikes. In addition to that kind of plan (Which should include which classes you tackle which days), make a plan for finals week that include several hours of studying, but also leaves time for other things. 

2) Organize everything BEFORE your reading days. During that early study time? Take a few minutes for each class and make sure all your notes and other papers are in the same place (preferably a binder) and in some logical order. By doing this early, you'll have plenty of time to track down profs or other students for anything you're missing before everyone else's stress levels rise, too. 

3) No one's joking around when they say you should sleep. You're making your plans early. PLAN SLEEP. And don't mess around about getting it. 8 hours is best, but if you're worried about that, 7 is still way better than 4 or 5, or less. You will think more clearly on rest than caffine, and you'll be less mean by the end of the week too. ;-)

4) Eat. Eat well. Let's assume a few scenarios: If you're a meal person, value that time. Set aside a little extra time for meals: don't take your books, just enjoy the break. More of a grazer? Plan what you have on hand: make sure your snackage include proteins, fruits, veggies, carbs. Don't end up stealing easy mac from your roomie or buying chex mix from the vending machine. Remember this, too: You are stressed. You will want comfort food. Think that through, too. It's better to, say, buy dark chocolate or your own thing of ice cream and have a limited quantity than to go in hunt of comfort every night when you get frustrated with your homework. 

5) Exercise. Even if you just go for a twenty minute walk a time or two per day. Go to the gym, a jog, ride a bike. Something, anything. And, most importantly, don't take any homework. Eating and exercise are no homework zones. Give your brain a break and restore it and the rest of your body with good nutrients and getting up and moving. 

Okay, you've been planning and preparing. You have schedules drawn up, snackage stocked up, and classes are about to end. Reading days and finals are eminent. 

6) If you've been following the early study plan (so your stuff is already well under control) and you live close enough, take a reading day and go home. See your family; see your friends. They're a huge part of why you're so anxious for the break, so take some of the edge off and get some time with them. If you don't live close enough to go home for a day, take a day to do something with friends at school. Take a day trip, go hiking, even just do dinner and a movie. Give yourself a taste of break long enough to defrag. 

7) Don't study until bedtime. In addition to taking periodic breaks during the study stretch (which we all know is important), stop studying at least an hour before you're due to crash. Take an hour to shower and do your own fun stuff--read, draw, knit, whatever. Unwind. You don't want to fall asleep with equations or random facts parading through your head. That's miserable. Again, defrag. 

8) Speaking of showers, take them. Regularly. Daily. Don't be one of those grubby, I-got-hit-by-a-bus students. Gross. Bathe, brush your teeth, wear real clothes (at least jeans and a sweater or something), put on your make up, shave. You get the idea. You will feel better and focus better if you're confident and clean. 

9) Don't cram right before each test. That would be a great time to exercise and then shower. Go in to your test fresh. 

10) CELEBRATE after every test. Go to Starbucks for your next study session, eat some of that chocolate, pop a balloon. Something to give closer to each step CELEBRATE at the end, too. Plan that ahead of time so you can count down and look forward to it. (This semester, I'm spending the afternoon at Barnes and Noble reading Atlas Shrugged and drinking coffee, then going out for dinner and a movie with the Hubster. So much motivation!)


There. These are common sense things, but they will make a difference. I haven't been very good about this in the past, and I don't really remember the few days following finals for most of my college experience. I was often feverish and beyond exhausted. Finally, I got sick of feeling like that, and I'm trying to prevent it this semester. 

Here's a sample schedule, assuming one exam on this particular day.
7- Up, breakfast
8- Emails, social media, general getting things ready for the day
9- Gym
10- Shower/Dress
11- Study for Exam B (The following day's exam)
12- Review for Exam A (this day's exam)
1- Lunch/ Other non-studying necessities
2-Exam
3-Exam
4- Break
5- Study for Exam B
6- Dinner
7- Study (for Exam B or other subsequent exams)
8- Study
9- Study/ Other necessities
10- Wind down
11-GO TO BED 

Notice that this gives 6 potential study hours in just one day! That should be more than enough time, especially if you use it effectively. AND you won't be crazy by the end. :-) 

Adventure well; Live fully.
HAK

[Not a boring] Salad

As a general rule, I cook an astonishing amount for two people. What can I say? We love good food, and we love feeding our friends (I can hear you all rushing to knock on my door at mealtime). I love to cook, too, and I especially love to experiment. Now, it's true, I developed my salad making technique through experimentation, but my Mom deserves a lot of credit, too. We made salads for lunch together nearly every day of my four years of high school. Mother-daughter bonding, making a healthy meal, not too much clean up... it was a win all around. 

My general method is pretty simple: Open fridge and pantry. Dump everything on a plate. 

You think I'm kidding. 

I've had everything from cold peas and broccoli to cottage cheese to banana (it's awesome) to parmesan to leftover spaghetti in my salads. Soup is about the only thing I exclude, mostly because I'm terribly messy, and I don't want to deal with the splatter. It's bad enough that balsamic stains, and I loooove balsamic vinegar. 

John and I had salads for lunch yesterday. (Before you think we really are that healthy, the salad was largely inspired by the chocolate chip greek yogurt oatmeal pancakes we had for breakfast and the rotten coconut cake I had made for small group later in the afternoon). We really did need to eat our vegetables. 

So, after church, I started pulling things out of the fridge and washing veggies. 

There's something earthy about cutting raw veggies. It gets me every time, and I wonder why I don't eat salads like it's my job. The preparation and the satisfactory crunch of each bite is refreshing, calming. There's a peace about eating something so healthy. Something closer about God's provision of the food. 

Yesterday's salad: romaine lettuce, cucumber, carrot, tomato, celery, mushroom, apple,

 banana, almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins, dried cranberries, and feta cheese.  

Dressing: balsamic vinegar.

Delicious!!
Adventure well; Live fully.