Teriyaki Chicken, Veggie & Rice Bowls

Teriyaki Chicken, Veggie & Rice Bowls.. oh my!!

I found this recipe on pinterest earlier in the week to share with the women in my online accountability group (shout out to the gals in my February Virtual Fit Camp). While I was typing it up to share with them, I decided to try it out THAT night because it sounded so good!

I mean, having defrosted chicken already laid out in the fridge just seemed like a sign also.

Right!??

First of all, this was SO darn easy to make.

It seriously took me 30 minutes or less to get EVERYTHING together.

Secondly, this recipe was flavorFULL & guilt free.

There are several substitutions that can be made from the original recipe to tweak it to your taste!

Lastly, you could absolutely make this in bulk for meal prep to eat on the whole week.

And no.. it would NOT get old & boring.

Okay, so the original recipe can be found HERE via GimmeDelicious

These are the instructions from that blog post, but I'll drop my own tips & modifications at the bottom!

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 12 mins
Total time: 17 mins

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups broccoli florets
1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
2 cups cooked brown rice
4 meal prep containers

For the teriyaki sauce:

¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

Instructions:

Heat a large pan to medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink 2-3 minutes.

Whisk all the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce in a small bowl.

Add the teriyaki sauce to chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes or until sauce is thick.Remove chicken from heat.

Add the broccoli florets and bell pepper to the same pan. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until the bell pepper is slightly softened.

Divide the chicken and broccoli into 4 meal prep containers. Add ½ cup of brown rice into each container. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and cover. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

My PERSONAL modifications & tips..

For me personally, recipes are more like guidelines.

I'll peek at the list, see what I have & WING it.

Occasionally I'll substitute based off what I have at home OR just leave things out & hope for the best. Let's just say I'm not a fan of making multiple grocery store runs throughout the week & that fuels my creativity.

Let's start with the chicken!

To cut down on cook time, we chopped the trimmed breasts into SMALL bite-sized pieces. I seasoned them on the cutting board with himalayan sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, garlic powder & some red pepper flakes for heat. For the actual cooking, I browned up those little "nuggets" in coconut oil - I prefer it usually over other oils.

Now, for the veggies.

I went with what I had. And NO. I am not above frozen veggies - I can buy them inexpensive & in bulk at SAMs. I always prefer fresh produce, but use frozen veggies as a secondary option on the regular. This week, I had frozen broccoli florets that I steamed in the microwave with fresh carrots & onion that I minced up & mixed in. Once those veggies were all steamed, I seasoned them a bit & put to the side until everything was done. I then mixed the veggies IN with the chicken & sauce so they too were lightly glazed.

For the sauce, I only made a couple of tweaks.

I used liquid aminos instead of soy sauce (same measurements) & agave nectar instead of honey (same measurements).

As a side/carb, I whipped up a quinoa + brown rice blend. It was a perfect little bed for the teriyaki combo!

Both hubby & I were big fans of this recipe!!

In the future, I'd try a few modifications:

adding green onion or cilantro

using shrimp or lean beef instead of chicken

leaving out meat if I want a lite, ALL veggie meal

subbing peppers, snap peas or cauliflower into the veggie mix.

or tossing some chopped water chestnuts on top for crunch

I really think you could customize this completely to your taste!!

Give it a try & let me know what you think.

Happy, healthy eating, friends.

Leaning on His Promises & Healing after Miscarriage: Part One, Our First Pregnancy Story

I promised a while back that I'd share more about our journey to a family.

I promise I hadn't forgotten.

It just takes so much to sit down, think back, relive & put into words those moments & memories.

So I'm breaking this up into parts of a little "series" called Leaning on His Promises & Healing after Miscarriage.

Today is part one.

Our first pregnancy story.

Here goes.

_________________________________________

My husband, Nate, & I prepared to start trying for a family in December 2015.

My young, naive self was convinced that because we were both incredibly healthy that the process of conception would be quick.

We embarked "officially" on that journey with PURPOSE in January 2016.

The whole process of TTC (trying to conceive) is probably a whole other post in itself.. can I get an amen from my sisters out there trying??

The occasionally, and eventually often, forced intimacy when you're EXHAUSTED. The logging everything into an app.

The anticipation each month.

The heart break & tears when you use the bathroom & wipe away what could have been.

Gosh.

It's nothing like the movies.

It's not like the girls' "oops" experiences on 16 and Pregnant.

Don't get me wrong.

It's exciting to try.

BUT it's also grueling, emotional & tedious.

A few months into our TTC journey, I decided to try an ovulation kit. I had realized after looking at my calendar more closely that I didn't have a traditional 28 day cycle & that the prediction dates to BD (baby dance) on my app may be wrong.

The package came from amazon & I started tracking.

Come to find out, we had been COMPLETELY missing our window.. for months.

I know everyone's personalities are different, but for me, having the tests to track made me feel more informed & empowered. I wasn't obsessive or overthinking the process like I had been before because I KNEW at that point we were literally doing all we could at the time to make a baby.

A couple of months passed.

Then it was summer.

We were spending our annual 4th of July celebration (The Granklin "FofJ") in Tennessee with our sweet friends, Jeff & Uli. And I wasn't expecting my period for another few days. In the middle of our outdoor adventures, I used the bathroom to find that I was spotting already. I went downstairs & told Nate "maybe next month." That morning was actually our 6th wedding anniversary.

Being with a couple who knows us so well & also being able to chat things out with a girlfriend face to face was a comforting, helpful distraction.

I let it go & the spotting continued a couple more days.

We returned home from TN & immediately started prepping for my in-laws to visit us for about a week. Things got busy while we were unpacking from one trip & getting ready all over again for company. Things got even busier when our house went from 2 people & 2 dogs to 7 people & 2 dogs.

Basically.. my mind was COMPLETELY preoccupied.

One evening, roughly a week after I had noticed spotting in TN, we were playing corn hole in our drive way with my sister/brother in law. I was drinking a glass of red sangria & ALL the sudden it hit me that I never started a full on flow with my period.

I excused myself immediately & shut myself in our bathroom.

I reached into our cabinets, pulled out my ovulation kit & grabbed one of the pregnancy tests that came with the bundle.

I ripped open the pack, walked to the toilet & peed on the stick.

I set it on the counter & immediately started pacing, fully expecting a negative.

In the middle of one of my strides, I walked by the test & saw two pink lines.

I did a double or quadruple take.

I immediately gasped & started to cry while thanking God.

I had always wondered what it would FEEL like to finally find out I was pregnant.

It felt surreal.

I was in shock.

I was overjoyed.

I couldn't believe it.

So I took another test.

Positive.

I grabbed the tests, placed them under my sink & walked back outside to continue with our evening.

I wanted SO badly to tell Nate right away. But I didn't want to jump the gun. And I definitely didn't want to share this kind of special news when it wasn't just the two of us. I did quick math & I was about 4 weeks along. My mind was rushing. But I resumed playing corn hole AND drinking my sangria. When I went to pour another glass & it finally dawned on me WHAT THE HECK I was doing.

"Duh, you can't DRINK ANYMORE, Linz!"

I kept my glass full & pretended to drink it the rest of the evening.

The next morning, I spoke with two of my close friends while sitting in my walk-in closet & waiting for another test to show a positive. #denial

I talked through my immediate fears of making it through the next 2 months.

I was encouraged to share my news with Nate regardless of what our outcome might be when I felt the time was right.

And was given some good new momma advice from my friend, Ali.

Things like don't be afraid to keep exercising. Stop drinking pre-workout. That stuff.

3 days later, my in-laws left.

GOSH, those were the longest days waiting to have our house back & get some time alone.

I cleaned the house. Got dinner ready. And WAITED (more waiting) for Nate to come home from work.

After we both worked out that evening, I waited for him to shower. I laid out all of my positive tests on our bed next to a shirt that read "Papa Bear." I had secretly bought these shirts MONTHS ago just anticipating this day.

Told you I took a TON of tests!

I sat in the kitchen on top of the counter  where I could see him when he finished up & just watched.

It was the longest shower EVER. ha

When he walked into our bedroom, he did a double take & then looked at me with the most confused look on his face before it CLICKED.

He then proceeded to surprise me with the most unexpected, romantic reaction ever. I was so SO surprised. Ha!

Sorry I'm not sorry for over-sharing. It's part of our story.

We celebrated together & spent the evening talking about when our due date might be, possible baby names, etc. By this time, I was about 5 weeks along. I remember explaining to Nate how crucial the next couple of months were because of the risk of miscarriage - he understood, but didn't dwell in the least bit. I'm usually the one in our relationship that overthinks every outcome of every scenario. I'm so grateful for how he tried to balance me out.

We decided to keep this news to ourselves, aside from sharing with a few friends, including a couple from our church who had also been TTC at the same time & had gotten pregnant 4 weeks earlier. Hollen, dear.. you're my womb-mate!

I DRUG my feet calling to OBGYN to schedule an appointment because I wanted to wait as long as possible so we could maybe hear the heartbeat at our first visit (which I had read is usually between 8-10 weeks).

A week or so later, I FINALLY called. And our first appointment was scheduled to be right at 9 our week mark.

The next few weeks or July & August were full of fun conversations dreaming about our little babe & the family we would raise. Talks about when we would tell family. All of the normal, exciting chats.

I snapped a few photos to document the start of this incredible journey.

And began praying through my fears using some scriptures & a sample prayer from friends.

Philippians 4:6,7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 1:16, 17

For by Him all things were created, things in heaven & on earth, visible & invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled & do not be afraid.

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in You.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future.

Psalm 139:13

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

The prayer I used was from a blog I can NOT remember the name of - these are not my original words...

Although every time they left my lips, they were the CRY of my heart.

"Lord,

You are the author and giver of life. Your Word says that all things have been created by and for you.

You are before all things, and in you all things hold together.

Today I ask that the Spirit of life be on me and in me, providing everything this baby and my body needs to bring forth life to the glory of God.

I stand on the goodness and faithfulness of You, Lord, that will bless us with a healthy and whole baby.

May my life and theirs bring glory and honor to You.

In Jesus' name

Amen"

I get chills just typing out those powerful truths & statements that SUSTAINED me in the months to come.

Leading up to my very first 9 week doctor appointment, I continued with my routine.

For the most part, I felt AMAZING. But despite the symptoms I did experience, I felt pure joy.

This was a post-Insanity MAX30 photo one night in my first trimester (around week 7). These workouts helped not only my body, but my MIND!

PS: I continued these extreme workouts because they were a regular part of my routine BEFORE getting pregnant! Do not start something extreme like this during pregnancy if you were not active before. I'm happy to help provide recommendations if you need any.

_________________________________________

Okay, friends.

I'm stopping there today.

Phew.. talk about a FLOOD of emotions.

Life is so PRECIOUS.

Part two will come again in a few days.

Thanks for reading.

And please know my heart in writing these posts.

My hope in sharing this experience is that I can comfort even ONE.

So if you're my one.

Know my heart is with yours.

And I've been praying for you.

(Click here for part TWO & THREE)

Growing Ghoens: Week 22 Bump Date

Here's our WEEK 22 Bump Date!!

And I decided to start sharing a few more photos here for those of you who may not follow me on FB or IG!

Sweet girl, I feel like you're growing & changing so much every week. But sometimes I wonder if you're hitting big spurts when some of my symptoms seem to get stronger.

This week, you gave me some serious projectile vomit in the mornings (about 3 times to be exact), extreme fatigue due to insomnia & mad heart burn.

Don't get me wrong, it's ALL worth it..

But what the heck are you doing in there, little one? :) 

Pretty much the only things that kept me mentally + emotionally grounded this week were my time with Jesus in the mornings & my time with your daddy at night. You'll see one day how centering they both are!

With the extra time we took to rest this week, I made an observation about one of your fur sisters.

You might not hear as much about our Moose girl, since she's a little more independent & to herself, but I promise she loves you too.

However, I think your sister Tannyn is starting to sense you.. or at least notice that something is different with me.

She is as snuggly as ever, but seems to be more careful when I play ball with her & has paid a little extra attention to my belly lately. 

Check out this precious moment..

I just know you two will hit it off!!

{Speaking of bellies, momma friends.

If you're not trying to hide the bump anymore + actually want to accentuate your new curves, here's a tip for ya..

wear STRIPES! 

HA

I can't tell you how many double takes I got in this outfit over the weekend.. Plus a few sweet comments.

I bought my first pair of maternity shorts.. and they AREN'T too shabby!!

I had just made a Facebook post last week about how the only pair of non workout shorts that still fit were my bathing suit cover ups, so when I rolled up to Target a few days ago & saw these on the rack I got pretty pumped!

Another budget friendly tip for my pregnant readers out there..skirts are SO easy during the warmer months. And because I'm a bargain hunter, here's another tip for y'all.

I ran to H&M this weekend to check out their maternity gear.

Surprise surprise.. there's very little variety & it's all overpriced.

So I snagged a couple of regular, stretchy, mid-length, high waisted maxi skirts in black + grey for $12.99 each.

All I needed to do was snag a size up to accommodate for my belly now & the growth I still have to do over the next 4 months. LOVING them so far! And you canNOT beat that price tag!!}

Okay, back to you, cub!

This weekend your dad & I were making breakfast before we spent the day out in Destin together.. and we whipped up one of my (our?) FAVES!!

Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

*drooling*

We started talking about what weekend traditions we want to start once you arrive..

When I was little, and even into my teenage years, it was ALWAYS one of my dad's ways of saying "I love you" when he'd make us girls breakfast on Saturday mornings. I NEVER outgrew those moments in the kitchen watching him make us heart shaped/colorful pancakes or miniature biscuits.

I'll cherish those memories forever..

We can't wait to do special things like this with you, sweet girl!!

Otherwise, this week was pretty "normal."

We worked out 5 times #HOLLA, ate lots of lettuce wraps, sent out thank you cards for some sweet gifts we got (thank you Tara & Cyndi) & did some shopping/planning for your room.

Your dresser is in the works & now we're picking out a stain color for the wood over the next couple of days.

Your dad hopes you love it so much that you'll want to keep it forever!

He sure does love you, little one!!

Well, that's all for this week, friends!!

Thank you for your continued prayers over our growing girl & family.

Keep them coming!!

Until next Monday's #GrowingGhoens bump date..

MUCH love

Growing Ghoens: Week 21 Bump Date

Here's our Week 21 BUMPDATE, y'all!

Girlfriend, we officially have a BELLY.

But that's because you're a whopping 14 ounces now & growing like a weed as each week passes!! And your momma has gained almost 8 pounds herself..

Thank goodness we're staying healthy & working out hard.

Just doing our best :)

Speaking of working out hard, your movements are getting even stronger & more frequent. You like to move lots during the day even though that's when most people say you should be sleeping. Aren't you a little rule breaker..

And sometimes you like to scrunch up on one side of my belly in the mornings.. it looks like I have an alien in my tummy! Pretty cool, peanut.

I started reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth this week & kind of wish we were having you on the Farm in their cozy little birthing house. Your dad would NOT know what to think about that, but it's pretty amazing reading about the love & support given to each of the families who have birthed there. We'll make it just right here for you though!

OH! Baby girl, your first mail came this week from our nice neighbors. How cool is THAT?! You got a couple of classic books that I can't wait to read to you.

Speaking of reading, your dad has still been going through Genesis with you every couple of nights.. can you hear him anymore clearly now? He loves that time with you.

What we're munching on lately:

Well, everything is basically the same.

BUT I indulged in our first pregnancy craving so far this week..

a toasted turkey sub on wheat bread with pepper jack cheese & EVERY veggie they had + yellow mustard. Guilt free & SUPER tasty!!

Do you like veggies as much as I do?

We got a surprise peek at your sweet face this week & it seems that you're going to look a lot like your papa bear! From the profile photo we got, you already have his nose & lips! AHHH

I'm so grateful for how you're growing, my dear.

Your heart is beating strong & you're developing like you should.

We're praying for you EVERY single day though & would love it if our family and friends would join us.

There is still lots to come in this journey before we meet you & we're learning to trust the Lord every step of the way. 

Your dad & I are meditating on this passage of scripture & remembering that God already knows EXACTLY who you're going to be, even when we wonder or worry!

Psalm 139:13-16

For you formed my inward parts;

    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

Jesus has you RIGHT in the palm of His hands, hun.

There's no where safer we could hope for!

only 19 more weeks..

we love you