{FITNESS FRIDAY} Goals and Stir-Fry

image source

Happy Friday Friends!! 

Today I'd like to talk about goals (again, I know).  Are you setting reasonable goals or lofty ones?

What's the difference? Let me explain... 

A lofty goal is... 

"I'm going to lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks for vacation"

A reasonable goal is... 

"I'm going to eat really clean for the next two weeks so that I can enjoy myself on vacation"

See the difference there?  Don't get me wrong, wanting to lose 10lbs (if needed) is definitely a great goal, just be careful of why you're setting the goal and the time frame in which you are giving yourself to achieve it.  If you don't make your goal do you think you'll set another? Probably not. 

I try to set 5 goals a week/every two weeks for my healthy lifestyle.  It's all about balance, right? So, I try to make 2 of those goals absolutely attainable.   When you set yourself up for failure it's difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.   

Alright you guys this isn't really a "recipe" it's just something I whip up from time to time when I'm feeling like a little Chinese food.  Typically I use chicken, but I've so had it with chicken lately that I used stew beef.   It actually worked out pretty well as the beef is super porous making it easy to flavor.  

Stir Fry Ingredients:

Stew Beef

Package of fresh "Stir Fry" veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, shitaki mushrooms, pea pods) 

Almond butter or peanut butter

Hoisin Sauce

Low Sodium Soy Sauce

Beef Broth (or chicken, if you're using that instead of le beef)

salt & pepper

paprika seasoning

garlic powder

I start with a package of stew beef.  My local grocery store (Wegmans! God love it) has this prepackaged for approximately $6-$8.    I pulled out the pieces and cut most of them in half or thirds to be sure they were small enough to cook in a small amount of time.  

In a mixing bowl toss the beef pieces with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder (as much as you desire)

brown all sides of the beef in a pan on the stove top.  I use sunflower oil for all my cooking.  The beef will also create it's own juices.  

While that's browning start your veggies in a separate frying pan in sunflower oil.  As they're getting brighter with color start adding in your Aisan sauce mixings. 

(I use almond butter in lieu of peanut butter) A tablespoon and a half of almond butter, add this right to the center of the pan. 

Now add a tablespoon of hoisin sauce and about two teaspoons of soy sauce.  Add a cup of beef broth and mix until everything is "melted down" and mixed thoroughly.  Your veggies will finish cooking/steaming in the sauce. 

Add in your browned beef and let it finish cooking.

Mashed Sweet Potato Ingredients:

1 sweet potato or yam

2 tbspn of clarified butter 

1/4 cup of coconut milk

I microwave the sweet potato for 8 - 10 minutes depending on size. 

Once done, cut down the center and scoop out the middle into a mixing bowl

add in your clarified butter and coconut milk and mix together.  

Season to taste