Have you ever said yes to something, only to realize later that you’d failed to grasp the scope of the commitment?
Why did I agree to this? You wonder.
That was my train of thought last month as I plunged into a cold lake alongside dozens of other women. As I dodged flailing arms and attempted to see through the murky water I tried to remember why I had agreed with a group of friends to do a triathlon with only 6 weeks of training.
Hey, Di, a group of us are doing a triathlon next month – you’ll join us, right? Hmm, that could be fun. Yes!
Oh, and since you’ll have to learn how to cycle anyways, want to join us on a 100 mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe this summer? Hmm, that sounds pretty cool. Yes!
Then came the invitation to spend a day in Joshua Tree learning to rock climb with a guide, and a harness, and ropes. Terrifying, heart pounding, breathtaking…Yes!
Then came the plans to spend a weekend paddle boarding and long boarding. Yes! Yes! Yes!
Waking up each day to muscles that are sore in new ways has become my normal. Soon I realized that I’d embarked on my own version of Shonda Rhimes’ Year of Yes.
There hadn’t been a dramatic moment of self-evaluation to spur my reckless yeses, rather it is an exuberant re-entry to life’s adventures following my bout with cancer in 2015. I was running down the bank of life, ready to throw myself back into the water – flailing my arms and yelling at the top of my lungs – I’M STILL HERE!
I’m re-energized to experience life from every angle…even when that angle takes me to murky lake waters, because through the cold splashes were the smiling faces of my friends and the joy of a new adventure boldly had.
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This Taco Noodle Skillet is my bold new take on Taco Night. The seasoned beef mixture is dotted with tender peppers, chiles and tomatoes and packs a nice spicy kick. Why a big bowl of zucchini noodles? It’s filled with fiber and is a fun way to dramatically reduce the fattening-factor of Taco Night by eliminating the tortillas and chips.
Serve with a dollop of Coconut Sour Cream on top, and then mix the sour cream in for a really wonderful, creamy texture over the noodles.
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 can (14 oz) fire roasted chopped tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) green chiles, chopped and mild
8 medium zucchinis
½ cup coconut sour cream
½ cup fresh Tomato, chopped
¼ cup scallions, greens only, thinly sliced
Combine all of the spices of the Taco Spice Blend in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large skillet, place the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and continue to sauté until soft.
Add the ground beef to the skillet and sprinkle with all of the Taco Spice Blend. Cook, breaking the beef into small pieces, until all of the pink is gone, about 10 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes and the can of chiles. Mix to combine and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 12 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
Use a veggie peeler to remove the green skin from the zucchini. Run through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles.
Serve the ground beef mixture over a pile of noodles and topped with a plop of Coconut Sour Cream and a sprinkle of tomatoes and scallions. Enjoy!
Calories: 285
Fat: 8g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Sodium: 445mg
Fiber: 8g
Protein: 29g
Sugar: 9g