Chocolate Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1TBS Olive oil
• 1 lbs. Ground beef or Safe meat
• 15 oz. can of Chickpeas
• 15 oz. can of chili beans
• 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans
• 4 slices of Cooked bacon, cooled and chopped (More if you want some for toppings)
• ½ cup safe turkey broth (We have also used water without much taste change)
• 1 TBS chili powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp cumin
• 3 TBS chocolate (we use Enjoy life brand choc Chips)

Directions:

1. Sauté Onion in oil until almost tender
2. Add beef and brown meat, draining fat occasionally
3. Add beans, bacon, seasonings, and broth; stir until well combined and simmer for 10 minutes
4. Add chocolate and stir until melted
5. Enjoy!

So it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. Mostly because I have been running around taking care of everyone/everything else- and not myself. I have my own medical crap to deal with and over the last year-ish I have started feeling better. So I did what any loving mother would do… give all my energy to my kids. Let’s just say, I haven’t been feeling as good as I have been the last month or so and couldn’t put my finger on why. Until today.

I haven’t been taking care of me!!!

Through all of the medical BS I struggle with, I have found (and yes it is backed by & encouraged by the Mayo Clinic) Yoga and meditation have been Godsends for my recovery. Being Mindful, being at peace with my body, breathing, & living in the moment made a large impact in  my life. (yes as weird/hokie/tree hugging/ free spirited babble as it may sound to you non-believers, i credit yoga and meditation to helping me recover) So for the last few months, I have done my physical and vestibular therapy, meditated at least once a day and thrown in some yoga a few times a week to get me back on my feet (literally from walking aides to my own 2 feet). And yes, it worked. But I have gotten lazy with myself. I did all this work to help me feel better, just to throw my energy and feeling better in a million different directions. No, it is not for a lost cause- but for my family.  You hear people say, “You can’t take care of anyone else if you don’t take care of you. Why do you think flight attendants tell you to put your own oxygen mask on before you help anyone else?” I guess the point is valid.

So take home point of todays blog… take a moment for yourself. Don’t forget about you! Do something for YOU today. Whether it be doing your nails, taking a bubble bath, or coming out of your comfort zone and meditating (which I highly recommend). Don’t forget you are worth taking care of, too!!! So do it!!

Also, for the frugal friend/ newbie out there- Meditating on your own isn’t very easy if you haven’t done it before. I found a free app (with the help of my awesome husband) https://www.calm.com/  No they didn’t pay me to market their app. No I don’t work for them… I honestly just really like, enjoy, and use their app! They have guided meditation, timed Breathing, and sleep stories to help your busy minds stop thinking so you can fall asleep peacefully at night. Check it out! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

We already know food allergies are everywhere. Yes, I know, we already check food labels, and packaging, talk to the chef at restaurants, and be the food police at school parties. So, check your medications and over the counter supplements, too. This is a big deal, too. As parents, we have to be a jack of all trades. As food allergy parents, we have to be the jack of all trades x 1,000! And yes, pharmacy tech is included in our many hats.

But the pharmacist is trained to check for allergens before we even get the pills, right? Right. BUT -remember, we are all human, and we make mistakes –even the best of us. And, yes, even if the pharmacist told you he checked the ingredients, ask for an insert, keep it on hand, and check yourself. Two heads are better than one, and 4 eyes are better than 2. Just sayin…

For example, just the other day my husband, son, and I were racking our brains trying to figure out why my kid was getting so sick (more than normal) the last couple of weeks. Turns out, 2 of the medications he had been taking, contained two different food allergies!!! One from the pharmacy had a cherry ingredient for flavor- which is a NO NO in this house. Yes they have his allergies on file, No I did not ask for a packet insert because I honestly did not think of it. Shit happens. Lesson learned- ALWAYS ask for a packet insert. Every little detail you can imagine is on that form, including the inactive ingredients list.

As if one hidden food allergen wasn’t bad enough, another supplement my son takes on a daily basis was also trying to kill him… Ok, maybe not kill him- but definitely make him sick. A couple of weeks ago I purchased a reputable brand of Vitamin D. The brand is normally top 8 free. Because we have used this brand so many times without a problem, I glanced down at the bottle and seen the normal, “Free from Wheat, soy, tree nuts…” bla bla bla at the bottom of the label. BIG MISTAKE. I actually didn’t READ the label. It contains Fish! What the Hell?! Hence- My son paid the price for my error, by vomiting and feeling like shit, every day for the last 2 weeks. Talk about feeling like a horrible parent!!!

So today’s take home tidbit is – Don’t be like me… Wait- not that’s not it…. Check your medication ingredients!! Even if you have used that brand a bazillion times. Ingredients can be shady! Now, I am going to go hug my kid, remind myself I am only human, and attempt forgiveness.