Salad in a Jar

Hey friend! It's Jill here. 

I'm just about to sit down for lunch and guess what it is? 

SALAD IN A JAR! 

Yesterday, I invited my friend Necia from @popupfitness to teach us the tips and tricks of making salad in a jar because we know one of the biggest hurdles for women getting nourishing meals on the tables and their bodies is planning and prep.  

We recorded the tutorial LIVE on facebook and you can view it on our Facebook page HERE and I've attached the recipes below.

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SALAD IN A JAR w/ MAPLE BALSAMIC DRESSING:

Place ingredients into quart-sized jar, beginning with Layer 1. 

• Layer 1: 1/3 cup - Maple Balsamic Dressing  

• Layer 2: 1 cup chopped veggies – tomatoes, red onion, bell, green onions, radishes, celery, carrots, cucumbers, onions

• Layer 3: 1/2 cup - chopped grilled chicken

• Layer 4: 2 handfuls mixed salad greens (press down into jar)

• Layer 5: 1-2 Tbs sunflower seeds or slivered almonds

Store in fridge for 3-4 days. When ready to eat, dump on a plate and grab a fork! 

Maple Balsamic Dressing
Place all ingredients in jar or dressing bottle and shake. Double if desired. 

Ingredients: 
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 TBS maple syrup
1 tsp dijon mustard

Store for 1 week in fridge – if it lasts that long! 

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TACO SALAD IN A JAR
Necia Ornee (@popupfitness) 

Place ingredients into quart-sized jar, beginning with Layer 1. 

• Layer 1: 1/3 cup - Curry Garlic Dressing and/or Salsa

• Layer 2: 1-2 Tbs each – chopped tomatoes, red onion, bell or hot peppers, carrots, cucumbers

• Layer 3: ¼ cup - black beans (optional) 

• Layer 4: 1/3 cup- taco meat (beef or chicken) click HERE for our Taco seasoning!

• Layer 5: ¼ cup - brown rice or quinoa

• Layer 6: 2 handfuls mixed salad greens (press down into jar), 1 Tbs sunflower seeds

Store in fridge for 3-4 days. When ready to eat, dump on a plate and grab a fork! 

Curry Garlic Dressing
Necia Ornee (@popupfitness) 
Place all ingredients in jar or dressing bottle and shake. Double if desired. 

Ingredients: 
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced

Store for 1-2 weeks on the shelf – if it lasts that long! Serve over salad, tacos, or roasted cauliflower.

{Recipe} Oriental Chicken Slaw

Spring is in the air here in Michigan and we are super excited to share with you one of our favorite recipes (which also happens to be in the upcoming Spring Reset!).

Our registration for our Spring Reset is now open and we begin April 22. All the details are HERE. 

In the meantime, enjoy the taste of spring, with this delicious salad!

ORIENTAL CHICKEN SLAW

4 chicken breasts or 8 thighs, grilled or baked, chopped.

4 cups romaine lettuce, shredded 

4 cups Napa cabbage, shredded

1 cup carrot, shredded

3 green onions, chopped 

4 Tbsp. slivered almonds

DRESSING

1⁄4 cup avocado oil or olive oil

1⁄4 cup gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos

1⁄2 cup rice vinegar

3 Tbsp. honey or more to taste

Generous pinch red pepper flakes

1 tsp. unrefined sea salt or to taste

1/4 cup cilantro (optional but delish!) 

DIRECTIONS

Prepare salad by tossing romaine with Napa cabbage, carrots, green onions, almonds and chicken.

Mix dressing ingredients in a separate small bowl or mason jar. Toss with desired amount of dressing or serve dressing on the side. 

(Note: For leftovers, consider only using the amount of slaw and dressing you need at each meal. This will prevent it all from getting too soggy the next day.)

Flourishing...is it even possible?

Two years ago, I was in an interesting place. Uprooted is the word that comes to mind. Feeling the excitement of a kitchen remodel we had been dreaming about for years and in the throws of starting The Nourish to Flourish Society and launching our first 14-day Spring Reset program.  

I was also going through treatment for Chronic Lyme Disease.

Lyme is a mysterious, elusive, debilitating disease. I don’t remember the tick bite. What I do remember though is that for years I had been feeling incredible fatigue, depression and brain fog which eventually migrated into chronic pain in my joints and muscles and spine. I would spend hours awake in the middle of the night only to then spend the day in bed, so tired and unable to function. I had a terrible chronic cough. For months, leading up to my diagnosis, I had spent more time in bed than not. I felt like I was going mad.

I was both relieved and saddened with my diagnosis. Relieved because I finally found a provider who gave me a diagnosis and a holistic treatment plan that felt promising. Saddened because I had not met anyone who was completely healed and thriving after that diagnosis.

It's not something I have talked about openly up to this point because I am not 100% “better” and I’m still trying to understand it all. I continue to quietly work through seasonal ups and downs.

Last year I suffered for 4 months with intense stomach pain. I had to stop playing tennis, which had been a huge source of stress relief and a social staple 3-4x every week.

While my stomach issues have subsided, I still haven't been able to pick up my racquet again because the stiffness and pain in my right wrist and hand is quite fierce. It makes it difficult to hold a pen, type this blog post or use a chef's knife without pain...all things that are my life's work and my passions.

I finally decided a couple months ago to return to tennis.  I was going to wrap my wrist and give it a whirl. The day before I returned to the tennis court, I tore my hamstring....doing yoga. Can you believe it? Yoga. As a once very active vibrant body & spirit, an accomplished athlete, able to do almost anything physically I put my mind to, I have felt the limitations of my body.  And all of this has challenged my spirit as well.

My body tires quickly and my mind requires more downtime and space than it used to. I used to multitask with the best of them and crank out work and create things really quickly. But in this season, I simply cannot.

If you've read my blog posts over the past year, you’ve seen some themes. Lessons I’m learning and teaching.

Slow down.

Surrender.

Breathe.

Let go.

I pray daily for full recovery and I'll receive any and all prayers for my healing, because I want to live well. Live fully. Live vibrantly. I want to run around with my kids without getting winded in the first minute. Have energy to play basketball with them. Run the bases and pitch to them. Play a flirtatious competitive game of tennis with my husband again. All without feeling stiffness & pain, fatigued and in bed for a couple days thereafter. I want to carry out creative projects.  Chop vegetables and lift heavy pots and pans safely. Think clearly. Be pain free. 

In this season, I've been pondering these words:

Jesus has a vision for wholeheartedness. It emerges in the one who comes to the end of herself, mourns the old, is humbled by the process and grows in new longings for a life of grace and mercy. She is a person of character consistency. A person who rings true whenever you tap her. She keeps promises, says one theologian. What you see is what you get. The inside matches the outside. There is no show...God comes to you disguised as your life." (Falling into Goodness by Chuck DeGroat)

And here I am today. In many ways at the end of myself. Mourning the old. Humbled by the process. Longing for a life of grace and mercy. What you see is what you get.

Do you know why am I writing this today?  

It’s obvious, isn’t it?

I run a company called The Nourish To Flourish Society.

How ironic, right?

By all definitions, my life doesn’t look or sound so flourishing.

To thrive. To grow luxuriantly. To prosper.

In some ways I haven't wanted to share my story because I haven't wanted to taint my brand and give people a false hope that if they don’t see me happy and vibrant and “flourishing” what good is the work I do? Am I giving women false hope? Do I have integrity in the work I’m doing? Does my brand reflect what's possible for women if I can't achieve this myself?

Here's the thing.

I AM FLOURISHING.

Just not the way I originally envisioned a “flourishing” life and not the Webster’s Dictionary definition.

The joy, the pain, the ease and the challenges; the highs in my marriage and parenting along with the absolute lows; the moments of abundance and the disheartening financial strain of paying out of pocket medical bills; feeling deeply connected and then feeling the anger of injustice and inequality all around us...there’s an invitation to flourish IN ALL OF IT.

We just need to look through a different lens.

And that’s why I’m writing you today.

I don’t want you to look at The Nourish to Flourish Society and assume that when we say “flourish” we are saying all will be well. Life will be perfect and that you all of a sudden ‘arrive’. I don’t want you to assume our lives are perfect; that somehow our homes are immaculate, our meal plans are 3-course from scratch, our diets are flawless, our workouts happen every day, we’re always patient with our kids and husbands. We don’t want you to assume that we don’t know struggle or hardship or pain or grief or depression. We do.

But still, when I’m with women, there’s this assumption that flourishing means you’ve got your shizzle together. Like all the time. Or that you will only flourish when things are going well for you.

“When I lose ___ pounds, I’ll flourish.”

“When ___ happens, then I'll flourish.”

“When my kids leave the house and I have more time for myself, then I can flourish.”

“When I’m done taking care of my elderly parent or retire from this stressful job, then I’ll flourish.”

“When I have the perfect diet, then I’m on the road to flourishing.”

Flourishing isn’t about arrival.

Flourishing isn’t when you have it all together.

What if we reframe what flourishing is.  

Consider a different version of flourishing that you can take through any season of your life:

To nourish IS to flourish.

There is no “arrival” point. No destination.

There is no “once I do __, then I’m perfect/enough/got it all together and I’ve arrived and I’ll be flourishing forever!” kind of life.

We will ebb and flow out of it. We are human. It’s not all or nothing.

So instead of looking at this whole flourishing thing as only happening when you've got it all together, how’s this instead:

ANY time you choose nourishment (in thought, word or deed), you are simultaneously choosing to flourish for that moment. Every nourishing act is an opportunity to flourish.

And a "nourishing act" is not just about food. 

I have found myself nourishing in non-food ways that feed me on the deepest of levels. When I slow down. Breathe. Surrender. Ask for help. Practice vulnerability. Listen well. Pray. Smile. Laugh. Practice connection and compassion. Practice gratitude. Celebrate life. Receive grace. 

Maybe together, we can shift our idea of flourishing. Moments of nourishing lead to moments of flourishing. And begin to string more and more of these moments together to create longer, meaningful seasons of flourishing.

I invite you to try something.

At the end of each day for the next week, simply ask yourself:

How did I nourish and flourish TODAY?

Start here. And let’s keep the conversation going.

What to Do When You're Overdoing It?

This week Jill counted similar conversations with 8 different women. Eight women who are all feeling scattered, frazzled and overstimulated. Feeling run over by their to do lists or kids’ sports schedules or work deadlines. They are either going to bed waaay too late or crashing by 7:30 because they have nothing left. The constant speed and demands of our life can make us grow weary.

Especially when the wisdom of winter invites us to slow down, hibernate and rest.

Maybe you feel this way too?

In response to these conversations, Jill wrote this week's blog post on this topic and just before she finished, she lost the entire blog post...and it was unrecoverable. 

So instead of rewriting the entire post and getting frazzled - which would be complete irony - she put into practice what we encourage our Reset members to do when things go awry. She removed herself from the stressful situation and asked: "How can I let this be easier?"

Because what do we usually do when things get stressful?

Often times we keeping going. Keep pushing. Keep hustling. Keep grinding. And sometimes that's okay, but she wasn't feeling that way today. And because Angelle is a business partner that aligns with these beliefs too, there's freedom and permission in letting it go.

Maybe you too would benefit from asking the question “How can I let this be easier?”

Click through to read Jill’s popular post: What to do when you’re overdoing it? to get a glimpse into how asking this very question often leads her into just what she needs to do: Slow. Down.

Here's an excerpt: 

If you find your life overwhelmingly full and you're always in a hurry, perhaps the best remedy is not to step on the gas. It is not to push, grind, force, crank it out, hustle, lose sleep, compromise connection within ourselves, our self-care and our loved ones. It's simply to step back and recover from the motion sickness and recalibrate your bearings.  All while listening to the new belief in your mind:

• I do have time.
• Life can continue without me rushing about.
• My family will manage without me for this hour.

So this weekend, staring at all the things I could be doing. I dropped it all. Because...

IT’S NOT POSSIBLE TO CREATE A NOURISHING LIFE WHEN MAKING DECISIONS FROM A PLACE OF ANXIETY, OVERWHELM, STRESS, SHOULD’S, OUGHT-TO’S.

 Read the entire post HERE. 

Super Bowl Chili

Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner, so we wanted to share a crowd pleasing Chili Recipe.

The best part? It's Reset-friendly!

So if you're thinking about joining us for the 14-day Winter Reset AND ALSO want to enjoy the social festivities this weekend, no worries, we've got you covered. Bring your favorite kombucha to your party and it's double delicious.

This is the last day to register for our final Winter Reset, so check out details and registration HERE before you write your shopping list for this Chili recipe and have a great weekend!

“I continue to be impressed with the quality of this program.  It was superbly organized, well researched information, helpful tips, and always upbeat.” Pat | Winter Reset Participant

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SUPER BOWL CHILI

Recipe by Jill Tanis

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2 pounds grass-fed organic ground beef

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil or ghee

1 onion, chopped 

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red pepper, chopped

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1” cubes or 1 package frozen cubed butternut squash

2 28oz cans stewed tomatoes

1 28oz can tomato sauce

1 TBS chili powder

3 TBS cumin

1⁄4 tsp cayenne

Sea salt

Directions:

In a large stock pot, over medium heat, add beef + oil.

Mash beef with a fork to separate until cooked halfway Add onion and garlic and red pepper.
Cook until onions are nearly translucent.*
Add squash, tomatoes, seasonings and stir.

Bring to a rumble and simmer, at least 30 minutes.

Comments:

*At this point, you can transfer to a slow cooker and add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Top with guacamole or sliced avocado and chopped cilantro and green onions (optional).

For additional heat, add more cayenne.