Paleo Honey Mustard Chicken

I found this recipe posted via Pinterest, and tracked it back to GoodLifeEats blog. I altered it a little, and loved how it turned out. Hope you enjoy, too!

Mustard Chicken

1/4 cup of Maile Course Mustard
1/4 cup Maile Original Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup honey
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion, coarsely cut
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
salt and pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the mustards, honey, 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, and rosemary oil (optional).

In a sauté pan or cast iron skillet, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1 - 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Place the chicken tenderloins on top of the onion and garlic mixture, or if the pan you cooked the onion and garlic in is not oven safe, transfer the onion and garlic to an oven safe dish and add the chicken to it. Salt and pepper the tops of the chicken according to your personal preference.

Pour the honey mustard mixture on top of the chicken. 

Bake the chicken covered at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Then remove the cover, baste the chicken with the sauce, and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes uncovered, or until the chicken is browned on top and cooked through.

15 Signs You're Addicted to Travel

Who doesn't love a good Buzzfeed for a head knodding "oh yes, that's so right" moment about once a week? 

While this week is no exception with their latest "15 Signs You're Addicted to Travel", I have a few more additions I would add as a sign of an "Experienced Traveler":

1. You can get through TSA in less than 15 minutes. 
2. You have a SkyClub membership, and can justify the expense.
3. You're a Medallion/MVP/Elite member & know how to get the best seats (with or without a complimentary upgrade). 
4. You have a GoGo Wifi Monthly/Annual Pass.
5. You know how to board your flight based on your seat (should you wait until the last minute, or board first).
6. You *never* put anything in the overhead bins. Period.
7. You have your rolling bag pre-packed at all times with the essentials you always need on any trip, regardless of destination.

What else would you add to this list? Happy Traveling!

ENFJ

I've taken the Myers Briggs personality test a few times over the years, and I am an ENFJ. What does that mean exactly? Here's a great overview: Psychology Today's Overview of ENFJ

"People with this personality type are often described as warm, outgoing, loyal and sensitive. Psychologist David Keirsey suggests that approximately two to five percent of all people have an ENFJ personality."

Here's what the E N F J stand for:

• Extraversion: ENFJs have an outgoing personality and enjoy spending time with other people. Being in social settings helps them feel energized.


• Intuition: ENFJs like to think about the future rather than the present. They may often become so focused on the larger goal that they lose sight of the immediate details.


• Feeling: ENFJs place a stronger emphasis on personal, subject considerations rather than objective criteria when making decisions. How a decision will impact others is often a primary concern.


• Judging: ENFJs are organized and enjoy structure and careful planning. Sticking to a predictable schedule helps ENFJs feel in control of the world 

Characteristics:

• Prefers harmony to discord
• Outgoing and warm-hearted
• Genuinely interest in the feelings of others
• Often have a diverse range of friends and acquaintances
• Great at supporting and encouraging others
• Excellent organizers
• Seek approval from other people

That last one, I wish I could get rid of that feeling sometimes!

Best Career Choices for ENFJs

ENFJs often do best in careers where they get to help other people and spend a great deal of time interacting with others. The following are just a few of the careers that might appeal to people with this personality type:

• Counselor
• Teacher
• Psychologist
• Social worker
• Human resources manager
• Sales representative
• Manager

I've been in sales for 13 years, now. But, I've always wanted a mix of the first 3 careers above :)

What personality type are you? 

Apple Crisp

Brunch Apple Crisp

4 Cups of Organic Apples, peeled, cored, diced
1 TBSP Coconut Oil (melted)
2 tsp Cinnamon (or more, you decide)
1 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 Cup Honey
3/4 Cup Raw Macadamia Nuts, chopped

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the above really well. Place into a pyrex glass dish and bake for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I serve this with the house-made pork breakfast sausage that our food co-op makes. I buy it at PCC and form it into sausage balls and saute it in my frying pan. 

Our family loves it, and I make it on weekends when we have more time.

Asian Pork Meatballs

I made these a while back, when we first moved to Seattle. Because I'd hit a "rut" food-wise, I dusted off this recipe and made them again last night. Now, I want to make more!

And I HATE meatballs, usually... just FYI! Here's the original recipe from Health-Bent and the below is my modified version.

Asian Pork Meatballs

1 lb ground pork
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 Cup Almond Flour
1 Jalapeno, diced
1 TBSP Asian Chili Garlic Sauce (check the label for no gluten, lower sugar, etc.)
3 Green Onions/Scallions with the tops
1 TBSP Cilantro Squeeze
1/4 t sesame oil

Preheat your oven to 350º F.

I chop everything and start folding it all together as I go along. There isn't really a science to it.

Use your Ice cream scoop or something similar to form the balls.

Place the meatballs in the oven on an ungreased baking sheet covered with parchment.

Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Turn the oven on broil and brown the tops of the meatballs.

I dip them with Sweet Chili Sauce, and it's super yummy. Although, not totally paleo ;)

We are a Healthier Family

We moved to the Seattle area last March. Since that time, our little family has had the longest stretch of time where we've all been healthy. 

I realized this, because I have to do some research (finally) and find a pediatrician for Tali here! She hasn't had to even go to Urgent Care, not once.

I started thinking about what we changed, and I've come to a few realizations. 

I cleaned out our pantry of all the JUNK when we left Atlanta:

1. Gluten: we have no gluten in the house, save for a treat here and there for Tali.
2. Oil: I stopped cooking with oil other than coconut oil
3. Dairy: my half & half, otherwise we have no dairy. Coconut Milk, Almond Milk, Goat Cheese-that's it
4. Grass fed: Beef
5. Organic: Vegetables, Fruits, Chicken
6. Local/Sustainable: Wild Caught Fish, Honey
7. Canned Goods: I don't buy them. I buy Pomi for shelf stable tomatoes for sauces, etc. otherwise, I use fresh.

When we were in Atlanta, Tali had a drawer in the fridge with yogurt tubes, string cheese, etc. When we moved, we cut that out. We also cut out a lot of the shelf stable super processed snack foods, too.

Organic non-GMO snacks she eats now:

• Applesauce
• Carrots
• Bananas
• Apples
• Raisins
• Almonds with Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (soy/dairy/gluten free)
• Berries

As most of you know, Beau is gluten-intolerant and eats a mostly Paleo diet. When we moved, it was a good opportunity for me to selectively "get rid of" a lot of the things that were making us feel bad, adding fats, calories etc. to our bodies and chemicals, too.

I fully believe this change has had a significant impact on our health and immune systems :)

The Company You Keep

A reminder to my teenage daughters and anyone who may need this. A favorite of mine from a few years ago. 

The Company You Keep

Tell me who your best friends are, and I will tell you who you are.  

If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl.  

But, if you associate with eagles,

you will learn how to soar to great heights. 

 "A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like 

is shown by the kind of friends he chooses." 

The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for the good and the bad. 

The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve.   

Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.   

An important attribute in successful people is their impatience

with negative thinking and negative acting people.  

As you grow, your associates will change.  Some of your friends will not want you to go on.  They will want you to stay where they are.  Friends that don't help you climb will want you to crawl.  

Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream.  Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you. 

Consider this: 

Never receive counsel from unproductive people. 

Never discuss your problems with someone incapable

 of contributing to the solution, because those who never

succeed themselves are always first to tell you how.  

Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. 

You are certain

 to get the worst of the bargain 

when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. 

Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere. 

With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. 

Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. 

Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. 

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nothing surprises me with Paleo, anymore. When the hubby sent me this recipe, I knew I'd have every man who even considered paleo (and many who don't care) wanting to have the recipe.

Here's the link to the original: Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1.5 c. almond flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tbsp arrowroot
• 1/2 tsp. maple extract/flavoring
• 1/4 c.  Organic amber honey
• 1 egg white
• 3 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 1/3 c. Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 5 strips Uncured Whole Foods 365 bacon, cooked, cooled, and diced

Instructions

1. Mix almond flour, arrowroot and baking soda in one bowl. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, beat egg white and slowly add melted butter and then maple flavoring.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
4. Add chopped bacon and chocolate chips last.
5. Use a cookie scooper and scoop out onto a baking stone
6. Bake at 300 for 12-13 minutes depending on the size you made your cookie.
7. At 8 minutes flatten your cookie, if you care about how they look. Then, bake for another 5-7 minutes. *For me, 13 minutes wasn't enough time.

Make sure you cool them completely, they can be doughy if you don't.

Paleo Ahi Poke

Paleo Ahi Poke

1/4 lb. Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna block
2 Green Onions with tops
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
1-2 tbsp. Toasted Organic Sesame Oil
1-2 tbsp. Coconut Aminos (soy sauce substitution)
pinch red cayenne pepper powder
pinch sea salt

Chop and dice the ahi block into cubes. Chop and dice the green onions. Sprinkle in sesame seeds, sesame oil and coconut aminos until there's a sufficient amount of liquid coating the diced ahi. Once combined, sprinkle with cayenne and sea salt and allow to marinate in the refrigerator 1 hour up to 24 hours.

Serve cold and enjoy!

Spicy Pineapple Paleo Chili

A lot of family and friends have asked for this recipe, so I decided to post it on my blog vs. emailing it out to a zillion people (and probably forgetting a couple).

The original recipe was posted in Paleo Magazine August/September 2012 issue. When I made it for the first time, I altered it. After my husband wanted to live off of it the past month, I've continued to alter it more based on our tastes. In all, I've made various versions about 8 times in the past month. 

Spicy Pineapple Paleo Chili

2.5 lbs. Local Grass Fed Ground Beef
12 ozs. Uncured Bacon-chopped 
2 Green Bell Pepper diced
1 Large Sweet Onion diced
1 Large Jalapeno diced
2 Tbsps. Minced Garlic
1/4 cup Chili Powder
1 28 oz. can San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes
1 Pomi Diced Tomatoes
1/4 cup Tomato Paste
2 Tbsps. Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Ground Red Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
1 Pineapple - diced
Sea Salt to taste

Chop and dice vegetables, then saute in coconut oil. Once cooked, set aside in a bowl. Brown ground beef while folding in cayenne and garlic powder. Once brown, combine sauteed vegetables with browned ground beef and tomatoes. In separate frying pan, cook bacon until done but soft (not crispy). Fold bacon into chili pot and let simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomato paste and pineapple 5 minutes before serving, after turning off the heat, but keep the lid on.

Wonder Woman

Great User Experiences

I've written about bad user experiences, now here's the good..

Path who needs another mobile diary timeline of your life? I know I know.. But, Path is so beautiful that it beckons me to open it every day! Unlike Facebook, where you can have virtually unlimited friends, you're limited to 100 of your closest friends. Mine? My favorite startup, development folks that I love and trust. Plus, a couple of my "early adopter" marketing friends.

Why do I love it? It's easy to navigate, use and let's face it.. it's beautiful!

Jobvite having seen and used most every ATS and Recruiting platform (or at least a demo of it), this is the best I've seen. And by best, I mean by at least 1000k times better.

I hate Taleo. It's not a secret. If you've looked through larger company job listings and applied anywhere in the past 10 years, chances are you have used Taleo. The scary thing? It hasn't really changed or improved in a decade. 

Jobvite makes it easy for applicants to apply via their LinkedIn profiles, and upload your resume without parsing it and hacking it 12 ways from Sunday. 

If you haven't heard, there is a hiring war going on in a lot of cities (especially within IT). Getting a software engineer excited about your company is one thing. Actually making them fill out a profile on your corporate Taleo site? You're basically telling the candidates that you don't respect their time and showing that your company is stuck in the "black hole of the recruiting process".

Who uses Jobvite? Software Engineers-basically any company that you would *want* to actually work for. For my other friends and non-software engineering types? If you want to work for an innovative company, they should have a Jobvite portal for you to upload your information into.

What are you favorite user experiences, lately? What makes them awesome? Tell me! I'm always looking for great user experiences to add to my list.

The relationship between large corporations & staffing agencies-is broken.

My Top 7 Examples of Bad User Experience

I recently had a client looking for a very senior User Experience Designer to add to their team. In my quest for this person, I started asking myself ...

"what really makes a great user experience designer?"

Along the way, I remembered my own first experiences in college.

I feel old typing this. But, "when I went to college".. it was 1994

• We were using dBase on an Apple II
• We used CorelDraw 4 & 5 on our friend's computer he had in his dorm room. Having a computer and that newest expensive software? Was a HUGE deal-it was super $$$.

Back then, was the birth of the web. Not everyone had cell phones, either. SHOCKING!!

Today, we visit websites and apps via our tablets, mobile phones and anywhere we have a connection. I am going to come right out with it..

EVERY company

needs User Experience people

2012 eCommerce & B2C facts

Percentage of online shoppers that base their opinions on a website 

by the design of the site alone: 

42%

Percentage of online shoppers that did not return to a site 

based on the site aesthetics: 

52%

My 7 top examples of Bad User Experience and User Interface Design

• Mobile "optimized" site - that looks like a table of contents
• Flash - I have an iPhone, iPad and a MacBook
• Pop Up Ads - I click to close them. Period.
• Flashing Banner Links - again, it looks like an ad and I will not click
• Site Consistency - your user needs to feel comfortable
• Auto Play Video - huge problem on major media/magazine sites
• Keep it simple - the best design is often the most clean

I'm considering switching banks. A good percentage of my frustration is their UI and UX on their website.

What sites frustrate you? What else would you add to my list?




*I registered for Stanford University HCI classes to dive deeper into Human Computer Interaction. They start sometime in February!

Once it starts, I'll be writing on the blog to let all of you know how the class is going!

Here's a nice 2012 B2C Color Infographic from the folks at: The Infographics

The difference between being a leader, and leading

"Whatever else each of us derives from our work, there may be nothing more precious than the feeling that we truly matter — that we contribute unique value to the whole, and that we're recognized for it."

What a powerful statement. It's very simple, really. Most of the time, it's easier to push people for "more". Whether more is more time, more production, more sales, more contacts, more meetings, more coding, more traveling... More gets in the way of Appreciation, too often.

http://blogs.hbr.org/schwartz/2012/01/why-appreciation-matters-so-mu.html

by TonySchwartz

Points from Tony's blog:

•  "The single highest driver of engagement, according to a worldwide study conducted by Towers Watson, is whether or not workers feel their managers are genuinely interested in their well being. Less than 40 percent of workers felt so engaged."
• "Oddly, we're often more experienced at expressing negative emotions — re actively and defensively, and often without recognizing their corrosive impact on others until much later, if we do at all."
• "Feeling genuinely appreciated lifts people up. At the most basic level, it makes us feel safe, which is what frees us to do our best work. It's also energizing. When our value feels at risk, as it so often does, that worry becomes preoccupying, which drains and diverts our energy from creating value. "

This is why I'm incredibly passionate about company culture creation and preservation. Think about what you say, what you do and how you lead.. as if your grandmother were sitting on your shoulder watching your every move.

Would she be proud?

Someone reminded me on Twitter tonight about an old saying. What do you want people to say about you and remember you by at your funeral? Now, go do that. 

Simple, but perfect.

Cooking with my Girls

I LOVE cooking. It's one of the things I learned during my childhood when I hung out with my grandmother so much. She would make everything from scratch. I never once saw a box of anything "pre-made" in her kitchen. It was so much fun to help her make cornbread, batter chicken and especially help with her Red Velvet cake.

We would cook and cook and be in the kitchen all day. It was so much fun to me.

Now I'm passing that love of cooking down to Emma. She's around the age I was when I started cooking with Grandmother. I'm so happy that she wants to learn :-) Makes me tear up a little because it reminds me of my grandmother and the special times that we had.

Today we made Blue Cheese and Fig Tartlets. Only she and I liked them turns out-but we didn't care ;-) Tonight we are making Parmesean Crusted Chicken and veggies and salad. YUM! Tomorrow it's pot roast and I'm going to have her help me make Yorkshire Pudding too.

And of course there's plenty of my homemade sweet tea to go around too....

Compassion

I completely believe in the "Pay it Forward" mentality. I have seen it work personally and all around me.


I always try and help someone else if I feel like they need it. I practice this in business as well as my personal life.


On Good Friday, I had stopped at my sometimes usual gas station on Piedmont near Sidney Marcus for gas for the weekend of soccer games here and there with the kids. I had $20 in my wallet to buy more lottery tickets-just to hedge our bets. I had planned on going into the store after filling up and purchasing them. I was excited-the lottery was over $80M. Surely we could get even a small piece of that right?


As I was about to get out of my car I see an elderly man walking towards my car. This particular intersection is famous for day workers, etc. so I thought to myself "oh gosh please don't bother me and just go away". With recent abductions featured on the news I get scared so much easier these days-and a girl can't be too careful. So I rolled down my window just a bit and the man began to tell me a story...


He said his wife and he were victims of a house fire and had no homeowner's insurance. Sure enough an elderly lady stood right on the sidewalk in front of me with a cane and what looked to be belongings on a wheeled cart. They were decently dressed and looked pleasing enough. He then went on to tell me that they were put up in a hotel by the City of Atlanta but could only stay there a week under the city's provisions until they had to find semi-perm/perm. housing elsewhere.



The man went on and on without asking me for anything. It was almost as if he just wanted to tell his story to someone. Although I knew he wanted money I felt I needed to hear what he had to say.


So the $20 that I had planned on buying lottery tickets with-went to he and his wife. She waved to me and said "God bless you baby" when he told her what I had given them.


The older man could have been a con-artist feeding me a line. He could've been giving everyone the same line all day long. I'm the biggest skeptic on the block and trust me that was going through my mind the entire time I was engaging in conversation with the man. 



So I invested in Karma on Good Friday. I hope it helps he and his wife out and that it starts a chain reaction of people helping people in some small way in this world. That one day he and his wife will be on their feet and can help someone else and remember that someone helped them at one point when they were down and out too....