Self-Care

Posted by Lisa Eirene

How are you doing self-care during this time?

Self-care is so important right now, while we are at home with no end date in sight. A lot of people have lost their jobs. A lot of people have lost people, or know people who have lost someone to covid-19. It’s hard to find a way to manage the amount of stress that is coming at us at a daily pace.

What am I doing?

I am working out 5 days a week, still. Even with my gym closed. (Quarantine workout). There is a LOT of stuff you can do at home, even if you don’t have a home gym. There are a ton of videos for home workouts, body weight workout. Even just doing squats, squat jumps, jumping jacks and ab workouts will get your blood pumping and your heart rate up and make you feel better.

I get outside every day, even if it’s a little rainy. (But not if it’s pouring rain, because- no thanks.)

Feeling grateful that our new neighborhood is very walkable. I’ve been trying to go on daily walks with Bella (weather permitting), exploring the areas of our town.

Feeling glad we live near some very pretty, scenic areas, even though parks and trails are closed. The other day, Logan I went out for a little break to get some sun and fresh air and throw rocks in the river.

It makes me feel better getting outside. I wave to neighbors, even though we are strangers, and it makes me feel a little better about life.

I eat a “normal” diet. Or try to. I am not really doing keto, but trying my best to do low carb 85% of the time. Now is not the time to be fanatical, but I still need to eat healthy, stay on some kind of plan and just not give up entirely because eating junk food doesn’t make me feel good physically or mentally.

I call friends and family. Sometimes on my walks now I give friends or family a phone call and just check in. It’s nice to hear their voices, see how they are doing, lend an ear, vent, etc.

I read. I still read a lot. (You can check out some of my old book reviews here to find some recommendations if you need some.) I get library books on my Kindle (which is a life saver!!!). If you want to order some books online and support someone OTHER THAN Amazon, check out Powell Books! They recently had to hire back a lot of staff to fulfill online orders, which is amazing!

I take a bath a few times a week to relax. The Jacuzzi tub in our master bath was the selling point for me. It’s amazing! I turn on the Spa station on Sirius radio. I drink tea and read a book and relax.

I journal. I started a “quarantine” journal. It helps to get my feelings and thoughts out, keep track of what is happening. Even if the days are all blending together. If nothing else, it’s a record of our lives in the weird time.

I do art with Logan. For his “home school” I am on art duty. We do crafts and stuff and the painting rocks for our garden was really fun!

I take it one day at a time. It’s kind of all we can do right now.

QUESTION: What are you doing for self-care?

Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe

Posted by Lisa Eirene

A Twitter friend recommended this recipe and said it was one that was a frequent meal in her house. I had some frozen chicken breasts and everything on hand (shocking!) so I gave it a try.

Here is the recipe I used:

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time25 minutes

Pressurize15 minutes

Total Time1 hour

Servings4 servings

Calories430kcal

Net Carbs:9.5g

This Instant Pot butter chicken recipe is a keto and electric pressure cooker adaptation of the popular Indian murgh makhani dish. This low carb curry has tender chicken thighs in a smooth and creamy sauce infused with coconut milk, tomato, and aromatic spices. To make it on the stovetop instead, see Butter Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless fresh chicken thighs
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 15 ounce can unsalted plain tomato sauce
  • 13.5 ounce can coconut milk (regular full-fat, not light versions; I use the Goya brand)
  • 1/3 cup plain 5% fat greek yogurt (use whole milk yogurt or high fat like 5% so it does not curdle; I use the Fage brand)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I use both stems and leaves)
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter

Spices:

Instructions

  • Add chopped onions, garlic, tomato sauce, coconut milk, yogurt, and all spices to the pressure cooker pot (I use a 6-quart Instant Pot). Stir until well-mixed.
  • Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Trimming off and discarding excess fat, cut the meat into 1-inch chunks. Add them to the pot, stirring until coated with sauce.
  • Cover and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a quick pressure release.
  • Uncover and turn on the saute mode for medium heat. Boil until the liquid thickens to your desired consistency with a smooth appearance, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. I prefer a stew-like consistency, which takes about 15 minutes of boiling.
  • Turn off the saute setting. Stir in butter and two-thirds (2 tablespoons) of chopped cilantro until the butter is melted. Serve into bowls, and garnish with remaining cilantro (1 tablespoon).
  • Butter Chicken goes great with low carb sides like cauliflower rice or creamed spinach. Leftovers taste just as good the next day; simply reheat in the microwave.

It smelled really good while it was cooking! But I am partial to Indian flavors.

It took a little longer than I would have liked, so if we weren’t in a quarantine with all the free time in the world right now, I’d probably save this recipe for a weekend dinner. You had to prep, then sauté, then pressure cook it, then sauté again.

The chicken was cooked perfectly, the sauce thickened up nicely. I bet it will be even better the next day as a leftover!

I served it on top of cauliflower rice (the frozen Green Giant kind that has peas, carrots and green onions in it).

Overall, I liked it a lot. I liked the flavors , I liked the meal as a whole. Next time I think I would add some leafy greens (spinach or kale) and maybe top it with a dollop of plain greek yogurt? It needed a little bit of something but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. But I liked it a lot.

QUESTION: Have you made something like this? Favorite recipe?