Friday's Fave Five: Reads

In celebration of it being Friday {as if we needed a reason}, I thought it might be fun to start a series to share some of my absolute favorite things. Today's topic is books - here are my faves that I've read over the past year.

In my 20’s, I loved to get lost in a good murder mystery, preferably while on vacation on the beach. This fascination with mystery started young, reading The Nancy Drew Case Files, then moved on to more adult suspense. While I still love those, nowadays I feel recharged if I can read for 20-30 minutes before bed and my momma heart is yearning for something different. I’ve started reading non-fiction for the first time in my life, and it’s been tough for me to find something I actually want to finish. But, here are 5 great ones I read this year that I couldn’t put down, blessed me each time I picked them up, and I would recommend to anyone. If you’re looking for something great to read, give these a try!

1.     Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley. Talk about a pulling at your momma heart strings kind of book. This amazing woman talks about allowing yourself grace to enjoy life a little more and focus on the things that matter. She has become one of my favorite women to follow, favorite blog to read, and has the cutest planners and journals to boot!

2.     The Magnolia Story. I was never a big fan of Fixer Upper until this past year, but now am hooked on both the amazing work they do to these homes, and their incredible story. A couple with a strong faith navigating today’s world, this book tells their story and makes you love them even more.

3.     Make it Happen by Lara Casey. You want to talk about another woman I have come to love this year. Her PowerSheets (see my New Years goals blog post), and Write the Word Journals have made my life better this year, literally. This book is like a working session with a coach, inspecting your dreams and fears and pushing you to step out of our comfort zone and literally Make it Happen!

4.     Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. In the age of comparison on social media, and striving to be the perfect wife, mother, leader, career woman, (insert your role), this open and honest story of success pulling her away from the ones she loves most is so worth the read. Being present, with your kids, your family, AND your work is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, and your family.

5.     Cravings. So, this one may seem like the outlier of the group, but I LOVE a good cookbook. And who knew that Chrissy Teigen was such an amazing cook?!? I love the variety of influences in her cooking, from Thai to Southern down home and everything in between. I don’t often take the time to cook big meals, but when I do, I like to do it right, and this book does not disappoint. Everything I’ve made from this book is to die for. And the amazing pics of her and her husband John Legend are just too fun. You can thank me later!

Grace Not Perfection / The Magnolia Story / Make it Happen / Present Over Perfect / Cravings

Fast Food Friday! Spicy Chicken & Sauteed Veggies - Trader Joe's Roundup Recipe #1

I love to cook, and I love being in the kitchen. But I don't often have the time for that. So, each Friday, I'm looking to share with you my fast, go-to recipes that don't involve a drive-thru, aren't deep fried, and you can feel good about eating (and feeding to your families)  

These first few are all made from ingredients that can be found at Trader Joe's. I have recently found some amazing time savers there that help me achieve fast, fresh, flavorful meals.

My favorite find from Trader Joe's, possibly of all time, is their seasoned, fully cooked chicken breast.  I HATE cooking chicken (it's never perfect and moist), HATE shredding rotisserie chicken, HATE handling raw chicken, and this chicken makes me actually LOVE including chicken in my dishes again.  GAME CHANGER!

Ingredients to Include on your Grocery List (all available at Trader Joe's):

  • Fully cooked, seasoned chicken breast (I use the Rosemary & Balsamic for this dish)
  • Onion
  • Zucchini and Yellow Squash (or your veggies of choice)
  • Tomatoes
  • Shishito Peppers
  • Bag of Mixed Hot Peppers (I used the red fresno peppers for this dish)
  • Cilantro

Ingredients I Typically have on hand already:

  • Olive Oil or Coconut Oil (I always have a large jar of both on hand)
  • Garlic (I buy the big tubs of pre-minced garlic because who has time for that!)
  • Balsamic Vinegar (Another thing I always have a large jar of)
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes if you like it hot

Directions to Yum:

  1. Heat your pan over medium to medium-high heat and add your olive oil.
  2. Add onions to the hot pan and sauté.
  3. Add garlic and red pepper flakes.
  4. Add zucchini and squash.
  5. Add a little drizzle of balsamic over all the veggies and stir to coat.  Don't overdo the balsamic, you don't want it swimming in a pool of balsamic vinegar.
  6. Add both the shishito and fresno peppers, but cut into rings.
  7. Add chopped tomatoes - these don't need to cook long at all.
  8. Add thinly sliced chicken to allow it to warm quickly.
  9. Make sure you coat the chicken with the balsamic, and add a little more vinegar if needed, but again, don't overdo it.  
  10. Top with fresh cilantro just before serving.

This dish is seriously ready in about 15-20 minutes, including all the chopping.  It's the perfect weeknight, in a rush, after a long day, I'm already starving kind of meal.  Because the chicken is already fully cooked, the prep is a breeze, and the cook time is next to nothing. It's packed full of protein and veggies and leaves me totally satisfied. But, if you're like my husband and require a non-vegetable carb with each meal, serve it over some brown rice.

Enjoy!