Back from the dead....sort of

Wow. Ok, long time no blog lol.
All I can say, is Life. Nothing super new since I posted last time. Might be getting into nursing school this fall, but not 100% sure just yet. Still waiting to finish the whole application processing ...process. The university is from Florida, so considering I am in the Denver area, it takes a little bit of time. Should be there already, however.

Anyhoo, yea. I normally post fitness stuffs, so lets start with that. I have been working on building lots of muscle lately. Lots of heavy lifting, and just some cardio. The downside to 'bulking' is you are consuming more calories so that you have the energy needed to lift like that, so you do gain fat along with the muscle. I have gone from 170 to 188. Keep in mind too, my doctor has been along for this ride with me, so everything is in good order too. I know 20lbs sounds like a lot, and it is, but for the most part my measurements have stayed the same. Tummy and hips took a bit of a hit, but that just proves that there is a lot of muscle building going on.
Now, it is time for my 'cutting' phase. I am going to be lifting still to maintain the muscle I have built,  but doing ALOT more cardio and interval training to lose the fluff over my hard earned tuff.

I have been being as active as I can lately. I did the annual heart walk a while ago, I am running the color run in August, and I am signed up for the Tough Mudder in September. Pretty excited, a little nervous for the last one. I still need to make reservations at the place my team is staying.

I really don't know what else to tell ya. I just got home from my 3rd 12hr night shift, and I am not sure if I want to stay up and try to study for my exam, or if I should sleep. If I sleep, I may not get up until really late. I don't like that, not a fan.

Well, thats all for now folks. Until next time, may Goth be with you!

Hearty Muscle Building Easy Chili Recipe

Sunday evening in Colorado, it had started to snow, and what do you know, I was already in the middle of cooking up my first batch of chili. Great timing! It was simple, easy, and relaxing, as relaxing goes for cooking. Sadly my flash started dying out, but don't worry, I was still able to get some pictures.

I am going to warn  you now, the longer you cook it, the thicker it'll be, so plan to be cooking for about an hour or two. 

My roommate just came home from wendy's with a cup of chili and some other junk food, and I understand ground beef isn't always on the healthy scale, but for those of you who are trying to build muscle, or working out all the time, this is perfect for you! 

This recipe is loaded with protein and vegetables.  

What You'll Need:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs Ground Beef

2 Carrots
1 Green Bell Peper

1/2 - 1 Onion (I used 1/2 because I'm trying to save for tacos.)

2 Celery Sticks

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

1 Can Corn (Optional, but is GREAT to add)

1 Can Kidney Beans

1 Can Pinto Beans

1 Can Ranch Style Beans (Optional)

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Packet Of Chili Powder

Olive Oil
Chili Powder for desired hotness

Salt & Peper

1 Tsp Cumin (For Taste)

What to do now:

Drizzle some olive oil in a pot, and put on medium heat. Chop up 1/4 of your onion, and garlic, and toss into the pot. Once onions become translucent, throw in the beef. Season with salt and pepper.

Now get the rest of your veggies, get them prepared and washed, and than cut them up into bite size pieces, or smaller. However you wish.

(Excuse my horrible face.)

Once your meat browns, you can drain out all of the fat, and add some water. However add just a little under how much fat you drained. Fat is thicker, and is flavorful, water is tasteless. OR!! Don't drain the fat at all. Just throw in your veggies, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Than add your corn. I used half the corn juice from the can. Its tasty! 

 Now it is time to add the tomatoes, and seasonings! Add a good amount of pepper, and don't add too much salt all at once. Just a little at a time, tasting each time you put some in. Stir it all together, and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, turn it down to low, or med low, and simmer for about an hour. Meanwhile, watch your roommates run around killing flies. Or hide behind your boyfriend, because you don't want any flies to land on you, or drink some beer, a cocktail, or finish crocheting that Harry Potter scarf you've been slacking on.

Once an hour has passed, check the tenderness of your carrots, if they seem nice and soft, than add your beans. If you want to add more time to your veggies and meat,  than cover it back up, and cook some more. I wanted my chili to be super thick, so I added just a little bit of corn starch. 

Whenever you feel like your chili is about time to be done, open your cans of beans. Pour the ranch style beans straight into your pot, and stir around. Than add your kidney beans, and pinto beans into a strainer, and rinse. After that, throw those into the pot, stir, than bring your pot back to a simmer, and cover for 10 minutes. (Or longer for desired thickness.)

Now add your cheese if you'd like, and put in a good amount of chili powder from your cabinet to add your desired hotness. And there you have it! Nice easy relaxing super yummy chili!

Tips: Chili is even better after you put it in the fridge over night. Let your chili cool all the way, and put it in a tupperware container. Throw into the fridge and eat the next night.