Spicy Pork Kimchi Is the Best Ready in 15 Minutes Weekday Meal

My goals for weeknight dinners are easy to make, healthy and flavorful. This one is on the regular rotation! The recipe I originally used for this called for pork belly, which was delicious. I like the ease of ground pork, and I find it works well in this dish for a super quick meal. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice. I haven’t tried this recipe with tofu or chicken, but I bet it would work!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork

1 large yellow or white onion, chopped

8 oz kimchi (I use one jar Gathered Threads kim chi, available at the Charlottesville farmer’s market at Ix Park on Saturdays)

1-2 tbsp gochujang or chili sauce, depending on how hot you like your food

Salt to taste

Green onions, chopped

Instructons:

Saute the yellow/white onion in a large frying pan until it starts to soften (about 4 minutes), add pork and cook until fully cooked (about 6-8 minutes). Add the kimchi (drain most of the liquid first), and the gochujang or chili sauce, simmer for 2 minutes. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice and top with fresh green onions.

Working With Your Nervous System to Ease Making a Change

Our brains and nervous systems have patterns and habits that have been learned and engrained over our lifetimes. Our bodies hold the memories of what has worked and what hasn’t. Our brains are especially good at experiencing something now, and seeing that it’s like something that happened in the past and then our nervous system responds as if the current situation is the same experience of the past.

This is primarily a way that our brain and nervous system tries to keep us safe, and it’s great that our nervous system is always there to protect us. It is also limiting. If our response is a pattern we want to change, or something that feels reactive or feels like it is more habit and less thoughtful response, this can limit how we respond to something and how we make (or don’t make) changes.

A couple of months ago, I shared a primer about how the nervous system works and how understanding nervous system states is helpful to supporting your health. When working toward a goal and trying to make changes, being aware of your nervous system is key and will help make changes easier.

If you’re someone who spends more time in a dysregulated nervous system state (which is very common, by the way!), it’s going to be harder to make sustainable positive changes because your nervous system isn’t in the best state to support you in trying something new. This nervous system state could help explain if you’ve tried to make changes, but they haven’t lasted; if you want to do something different, but you can’t seem to take the first step; or if you start something new and yet you end up “falling off the wagon” and returning to familiar behaviors or patterns,. Once you determine if your nervous system is in a dysregulated state, you can learn how to support your nervous system to be in a more regulated state, thus creating a stable foundation on which to build the changes you want in your life.

Simple ways to start to bring yourself into a more regulated nervous system state can be as easy as feeling your feet on the ground, really noticing your hips as you’re sitting in your chair, placing a hand on your belly and noticing the rise and fall of your breath.

Spend time in nature, looking at flowers or trees or things that are pleasant and enjoyable to look at. And notice how you feel. You are looking for ways to notice being more settled. A deeper breath. A yawn. A feeling on your body in a different way. This aspect of noticing is a start and a foundation for change.

What Are SMART Goals and How Can They Help You Make a Change?

Ok, you want to change something. Now what?

Setting a goal can be very helpful in getting you from point A to point B. Let's talk about how you can use the SMART* approach to set goals that actually help you get the outcomes you want. SMART is an acronym that you can use to support your goal setting.

S: Specific

What do I want to accomplish? Why do I want to accomplish this? Who/what will be involved in meeting this goal?

An example of a specific goal is: I want to pick up my grandkids without pain.

Goals are going to be much easier to achieve if you have a clear reason WHY you want to achieve them. I find goals that promote better function, ease and enjoyment of life are going to be easier to implement than a goal that is more arbitrary. Picking up your grandkids without pain is a great goal! It’s helpful to understand what you want to accomplish (no pain with this activity) and why you want to accomplish it (because picking up your grandkids brings you happiness but back pain hurts!). Who/what will be involved gives you the opportunity to have support with your goal. Do you need someone to help you get strong, give you tips on body mechanics, or offer support in another way?

M: Measurable

How much?

How many?

How will I know if I’ve achieved my goal?

We want your goal to be measurable. Things are constantly changing, and sometimes we won’t realize how much progress we’ve made toward a goal. So being able to measure the goal in some way can be really helpful. If we use the grandkids example, you might have a goal to be able to lift them five times. You’ll know that you’ve achieved your goal when you can lift them five times without pain during or after. Of course, these are your goals, so you get to decide how you’ll measure them.

A: Achievable

How realistic is this goal?

Are there other constraints that are limiting?

Most of us aren’t going to the Olympics anytime soon. Your goals should reflect something realistic for YOU. Lifting your grandkids five times without pain might be realistic. Throwing them up into the air and catching them might not. Are there things that are limiting you that make a goal unachievable? We all have limits and getting clear on what yours are will help you to know if a goal is achievable for you.

R: Relevant

Is the goal worthwhile?

Is it the right time?

Yes, picking up your grandkids without pain feels very worthwhile! You might explore if it is the right time to pursue the goal. For example, if you’ve had an acute back injury and need more medical care, this goal might need to take a back seat until you are healed.

T: Time bound

What can I do today?

What do I want to do in one month? Three months? Six?

Understanding where you are currently and making a roadmap helps you stay accountable, feel supported and gives you a clear plan and path forward.

Want help reaching a specific goal? Reach out, I’d love to support you!

*SMART goals were developed by George Doran, Arthur Miller and James Cunningham in their 1981 article “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management goals and objectives”

A Simple Spring Asparagus, Edamame and Mint Salad

This salad is fresh, bright and satisfying. It’s always a favorite to share if you need a dish to bring to a barbecue or party, but it’s easy enough to make quickly at home and keep it all to yourself!

Ingredients:

*this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, and tastes good as leftovers too!

1 cup asparagus tips (2 inch pieces)

1 cup edamame

1/4 cup fresh mint

3 tbs olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup shaved pecorino or parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Boil 1 cup asparagus tips in salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water or place in an ice bath.

For the edamame, you can use fresh. However, frozen shelled works fine. For frozen, defrost in microwave or gently cook in boiling water 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Place asparagus and edamame in a bowl, add chopped mint, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Top with shaved cheese and enjoy!

Thai Basil Chicken With a Little Spice and Everything Nice

PHOTO COURTESY OF NOM NOM PALEO

This recipe is SO easy. I really enjoy recipes from Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo. They are super easy and fast to make, which is so helpful when you’re short on time but still want a delicious and healthy meal.

Dish serves 4 or serves 2 with leftovers.

Ingredients:

2 TBs coconut aminos (or soy sauce; the coconut aminos give a sweet taste)

1 ½ TBs of fish sauce

2 TBs avocado oil and more for frying the eggs

2 large shallots thinly sliced

4 large garlic cloves thinly sliced

3 Thai chili peppers finely chopped

1 ½ pounds ground chicken (or turkey) thighs

½ pound green beans cut into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cups basil

4 large eggs

Sea salt to taste

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots soften, about 1-2 minutes.

Add garlic and chili peppers for about 30 seconds. 

Add ground meat and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes

Add green beans, coconut aminos and fish sauce, combine well and cook until beans are crisp and meat is fully cooked, about 2 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and add the basil leaves until wilted.

Heat a small skillet, add avocado oil to cover the bottom of the pan. 

Crack an egg in the pan and cook until the whites are golden brown and the yolk is cooked to your desired preference. Sprinkle with salt and set aside on a plate and cook additional eggs as needed.

Serve the Thai basil chicken over rice, cauliflower rice, or rice noodles, top each bowl with a fried egg and enjoy!