Well guys, it's a new year, and I'm doing some experimenting with my diet and giving keto a try. I really love Paleo a lot, and I would say what I'm doing right now is just a Paleo-friendly version of keto (but at the same time I'm eating quite a bit more dairy than I usually do, so we'll see how that goes). Over the past few months I've been all over the place with my eating habits, so I'm looking forward to reigning it in and really cutting out grains and sugar again.

I came up with this Paleo recipe before the holiday break, and yesterday I made it again for lunch with some cheddar cheese. If you don't do dairy or simply want to keep this Paleo, you can just skip the cheese. Or, you can do half and half--I put cheese on Rob's and left mine dairy-free. Do whatever works for you! I think this would be awesome with a squeeze of lime juice and some sliced avocado, but it's really delicious on its own.

Low Carb Chicken Enchilada Bake

Ingredients: 

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Half of a yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-1 1/2 pounds of chicken breasts (you could also use thighs)
• About a tablespoon of taco seasoning (or a mixture of cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper)
• About 1/2 pound of Brussels sprouts, chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup Enchilada sauce (use one with little to no added sugar)
• 1-2 handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• About 2 tablespoons of chopped lettuce and 1/8 of a diced red onion, for garnish

Instructions: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. In an oven-safe skillet, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently and add the garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until onions are caramelized.
3. Move onions to the side of the pan and add chicken (season first with taco seasoning, salt, and pepper) to the pan. Move the onions so that they're surrounding the chicken. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes on one side and then flip. Add the chopped Brussels sprouts and mushrooms, then drizzle more olive oil over the vegetables and chicken. Season with salt and pepper, stirring to combine everything. Pour enchilada sauce over the whole thing.
4. Transfer pan to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the veggies are crispy and the chicken is cooked through. (Add cheese a few minutes before serving if desired.) Garnish with chopped lettuce, raw Brussels sprouts, and diced red onion.

2017. 

How odd, to see those numbers grouped together and know that it's starting tomorrow. I can't believe we're here already. This year flew by, and I know everyone says that, but it's surreal to think that just three months ago, we were living in Charlotte. Now we have a new home, a new coast of the country to explore, and we're staring at the blank slate of a new year, wondering what we'll do with it.

I'm not always great with New Year's Resolutions--they start out with the best intentions (and usually they have a clear focus), but they end up looking like a To-Do list from any other day. Drink water or exercise more turns into keep the house clean and then suddenly I'm adding fold the laundry as I call Rob and ask him to bring some dinner home.

But it feels wrong to me to start a new year without some type of resolution. So, like a lot of others, I sometimes like to choose a word to focus on these next twelve months. It's easier to give yourself a little room--to apply a word or thought to everything you do instead of coming up with specific goals. And this year, for me, it's simple...literally. I woke up yesterday with the word so clearly in my mouth before my eyes even opened.

Simplify.

I have recently found myself longing to simplify my life in every way I can. For so long I've been looking for balance in my life, but even the steadiest balance can topple over at any moment. I want my life to be easy to manage. I'm so enamored with the idea of minimalism, but even as I get rid of things I want more--more room in my kitchen, more money in my bank account, more black sweaters in my closet. Rob and I have switched gears so much that, even though we've made it this far with quite a bit of success, sometimes I feel like I just grabbed everything I could carry and ran with it, whether I really needed it or not.

It's easy to forget your intentions when you bite off more than you can chew to get to them.

So in 2017, you'll find me focusing on the things I really need, and reevaluating the things I thought I had to have. I mean this in more ways than just getting rid of clutter--I want these next 365 days to be intentional in every way. My career, my health and fitness, my daily routines, my goals for the future--I'm ready to take a step back and find a way to make it all work for me, instead of the other way around. Even (and especially) if it means simplifying things.

Happy New Year, friends--I hope 2017 brings you everything you need.

We got back from North Carolina this afternoon, but before too much time passes I wanted to share a few snapshots of my friend Paige's baby shower that I helped co-host in Charlotte last month. It was my first trip back since we made the move out west and it was so fun to have my girlfriends together to celebrate Paige's sweet baby boy, who will be making his debut in February!

My friends at Minted were kind enough to supply the invitations for us, and Paige picked out this gorgeous watercolor wreath design that ended up matching her baby shower flower crown perfectly. I love a good flower crown as much as the next girl, but I have seriously never seen anyone pull one off quite as beautifully as Paige did.

It's really good to be home after a long stay for the holidays, but I'm pretty excited to plan a spring visit to kiss that baby! We love you, Paige; and I can't wait to meet you, Baby G!