The Real Life Coach's Wife Life

 In 2011 blogging was a bit of a lengthy status update for social media. Coach and I moved away from "home" and it was just a fun way to update everyone on life lately. Then in the next chapter of life it became a way to make a digital scrapbook for our first daughter, Calla. Somewhere in the next few chapters, blogging disappeared because..... ummmm..... the lack of enough minutes in the day. Recently the desire of blogging again came to my heart. I am sure many are rolling their eyes. It's fine. Roll away. 

In this chapter of our lives the reason behind blogging is to share my heart. I want to shout my feelings about many topics and tell you that YOU CAN. You CAN be a wife, mama, teacher, small business owner, and REAL LIFE person. My passion is to be someone's cheerleader. I want you to know you CAN be the biggest supporter of your husband. You can be a full time mama, and LOVE your teaching career.  You CAN make that dinner for your family in fifteen minutes with that clingy toddler on your hip. You can go on a walk and listen to a podcast just for a mama moment. You CAN post that selfie and work that business from your phone. (Send me your link, I'll support you!) You can. Let's do it together. 

I have LOTS to say. I have even more to share. 2011 Carley was a Rookie Wife just blogging for fun. 2023 Carley is here to cheer you on and show you the absolute Real Life Coach's Wife Life. 

Are You A Chef Now?

Hello from my kitchen table which is now my classroom/ desk/ small group table. Bless. While I sit and grade assignments, answer student questions, build lessons for next week... I am also making our weekly meal plan for next week. I like to plan ahead. I've always been a meal planner, and now it is even more beneficial. Like so many others (hopefully) we are trying to make one grocery store trip every week. I would love to knock it down to every 2 weeks, but we eat a ton of fruits and veggies.

If we are Insta friends, then you know I LOVE cooking with Tiny Little Chef seasonings. I found this site when I was doing a round of Whole30. I placed my first order of a 4 pack. A few months later, we use the seasonings daily and there isn't one we don't LOVE.  I've replaced all of my other seasonings and truly only use TLC. However, now the seasoning gal has helped me even more: She has launched E-Cookbooks. I've been using many of her recipes from the app and website, but now she has a resource that is flawless and so beneficial. If you are looking for gluten free recipes.. she has you covered! Kid friendly? Check! (Which in my house is "Coach Friendly") Low carb? No problem. She wrote a book for that! 

With all of the at home cooking that is occurring, use this time to up your meal planning game. Try a seasoning. You will love them! (I gave so many as gifts this Christmas!) Get the app on your phone for easy meal ideas and tips. Add an e-cookbook to your computer as a resource for all of your family dinners!

As always, CarleyC is a discount code. Let me know if you have already tried some!

The Salty Truth

If we are real life friends then you know that I am somewhat of a podcast junkie. I like to keep busy. I am not sitting very often. This summer I became hooked on True Crime. Coach bought me a nice pair of wireless headphones so that when I am listening to something, the entire house is not also listening. I've also pushed Spotify music to the side and replaced it with a podcast while I run.

You will usually find me listening to a True Crime series or a Dateline episode. (Which is a horrible idea if you are running through town by foot might I add.) It's not True Crime, but I wanted to share my most recent love: The Salty Truth. 

This is what I like to call, "Think Better, Do Better." This week's episode was all about setting goals and why we NEED to set them. It is not often I find a "Think Better, Do Better" podcast that I can hang on to every word or think, "YES! I totally needed to hear that!" after each episode. This is one. This podcast just makes me BETTER.

"Telling people you don't need to set goals is like saying, "No, I don't need to be a better person." 

So take that as a punch in the throat if you were negative to someone who was talking about their goals for 2020. 

Sorry Not Sorry. 

Episodes are short and sweet. You can rock through an episode in about 30 minutes. (While you cook dinner and ignore the eighty requests for a snack. Just me?)  I suggest you keep your journal open and ready for a quick note or two while you listen. It's good stuff.

You can find this podcast on any place you get your podcasts. (I use Apple.)

A quick question for podcast listeners: When you are listening, do you find yourself googling the people in the podcasts? I FOR sure do this.

Well... For The Salty Truth....  I actually know the voice. I know the person. He's kinda famous. He's our lead pastor at our church.

Makes me love it even more.

If you go listen this week, let me know what you think. I have no doubt you'll hit subscribe.

Love love,
C^2

My Favorite Pressure Cooker Dinner

Mongolian Beef and Broccoli 

I made a post one evening about my go to dinner recipe to cook in the Foodi. I had about 50 messages asking for the recipe. Then life happened. By life I mean: back to school, new grade, Calla in Pre-K, FOOBALL... the list goes on. This has been a draft for 5 months. My 2020 goal is to publish more blogs. So this is first out of the draft box.

I want to start by saying my photos are simple Iphone photos. I am just using them because I like photos when I make a new recipe.

 I should take a moment to give a plug for my favorite clean/ Whole30 blogger. She has the most beautiful content, food pictures, and she is a true blogger. Check out Healthy Little Peach. I feel like Mac and I are besties. I adore her that much. This recipe is FROM her, I just made a few changes to fit my kitchen needs. All credit should go to her.


Now for the dinner. It is super clean. Whole30 approved. Easy. Quick. Cheap. Plus you can use your pressure cooker to make it. I promise it will be on your family's weekly go to menu. I should also add that this is husband approved. Coach will actually request it. I don't let Calla eat beef too much. She will have something different when I make this, but I do give her the veggies and broth. She likes that part of the dinner. Beef just isn't her fave.

Let's get started.

What You Need: 
Beef cut into small long pieces. (Publix will cut this for you. I hate cutting meat.)
1/4 cup of oil
2 tablespoons of minced garlic

Broccoli
Fresh mushrooms
One onion diced
3 cups of beef bone broth
1 cup of liquid aminos (This will replace soy sauce.)
1 tablespoon of arrowroot flour
1/4 cup of water
Garlic salt
Salt
Pepper
(I measure no spices. Sorry.)

What You Do: 
Before I begin I like to chop my broccoli and roast it in a pan for 10 minutes in the oven. I think the broccoli cooks better in the pressure cooker if it is precooked in the oven first. You do not have to do this at all. I just love the flavor of roasted broccoli. This could be your first step. Or leave it out.

Turn your cooker on "Sear/ Saute."
Cover the bottom with an oil of your choice. (I use avocado.)
Add a tad of garlic and let the pan warm up.

Once you have a nice sizzle, add your beef and let the beef cook for 2 minutes. You may have to do this in small batches. This is fine. You will add all of the beef to the pressure cooker in just a minute.

Next you are going to add all of your beef back to the cooker. Then add your liquids. Stir all of the contents together.

Add your spices and stir.

Now add your veggies. I will clean out the fridge for this: mushrooms/ onions/ peas and carrots/ whatever you have. On this day I had mushrooms, onions, and broccoli.

Put your lid on the pressure cooker. Set on HIGH PRESSURE for 18 minutes. (Make sure you have your vent closed.)

While that is cooking, (this is a clean eating secret) you will want to add a tablespoon of Arrowroot flour to 1/4 cup of water. Mix this. (This will make your broth thick like a sauce when your beef is done cooking. This is going to replace corn starch. You can find this flour at any grocery store. Bob's brand is my favorite.)

After the 18 minutes you can release the pressure. Open your lid, add your flour and water mixture. Stir all of the contents. It will thicken up in about 45 seconds.

Plate your meal and enjoy. If I have cauliflower rice that needs cooking I will add this as well at the end. No need to do that though, because this is plenty filling and full of veggies and great protein. 

This has replaced my method of cooking Mongolian beef. I ONLY use this recipe now. It is THAT good and very easy. 

I Wanna Be An Influencer

I have a loopy case.(It's truly amazing. I never drop my phone) I own Spanx leggings. (Literally have 3 pair, and live in them. Best mom pants ever.)  I use a Billie razor. (It's good. I really just love that it is cheap and sent to the house monthly.)  I am pretty much influenced by the fine people on the internet. I will be the first to admit this. However... something is just...... missing. I want to be that something.

What's missing to me? The influence to be.... something different. 

To read the Bible. Not fake/ outdated news posts on Facebook. 

To journal. 

To cook more meals at home. 

Take a friend a homemade frozen dinner. (Or spaghetti dinner. ) 

To add crazy spices to all of your veggies to make even the pickiest husbands and 4 year olds love them. 

Binge read a book series. 

To try different foods, enjoy grocery shopping, and enjoy the food prep process.

Listen to a podcast. Or 10. 

 To meal plan with a good old actual cookbook. 

To go for a long run rather than calling someone to gossip. 

 To use that crockpot weekly. Maybe even more than once a week. 

To sit at the table with friends and family and share delicious meals and even better conversations.

To not schedule yourself so thin that dinners are nonexistent. 

Where are these people? Why can't we swipe up for this feature? Can we make a change?

Share your healthy dinner posts. Share your grocery lists with friends. Tell me what you're packing in your kid's lunchbox. (Over here it is some pepperoni. We are obsessed.)

I am the first to want more from myself. Do you? Do you want a change?

Edited To Add: 

I sat at the computer for three days and worked on this post. I didn't want it to sound like I was pointing fingers at others for NOT doing these things. I am not at all. I'm actually pointing fingers at myself. I am guilty. I am wanting to change. 

Love love,
C^2

Must Have

*All if the items that are linked are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.  I do receive a small amount of commission for the links provided. 

Fun fact. The recent tanning blog has more hits than the kitchen blog. Ha. Y'all must like some tanning and not so big on the cooking.

So if that is you... may want to come back tomorrow. Today I am sending some love to all of the kitchen loving gals here on the dot com.

I usually don't tell myself "No" when it comes to a purchase for my kitchen. I feel that I spend so much time in here that I will use whatever I buy. That may be why this came home with me yesterday...

It wasn't until recently that I absolutely fell in love with cooking. I am slightly obsessed with cooking healthy meals for the Cain fam. I want something that is done in 20 minutes, delicious, and made with ingredients that I can pronounce.

If you are going to treat yourself to a new kitchen tool, here are some that I use regularly.


A sweet friend sent me a picture of her zoodles. My heart was so full of love and pride. Then I saw the price she paid for those sweet little noodled veggies. WOW! DO NOT. I repeat: DO NOT but your veggies pre-cut. I promise it takes two minutes tops to cut your own and clean up. I LOVE this zoodler. It is very simple to use and actually works. I tossed several $4.99 TJ MAXX hand held ones before I just ordered this one. It's under $25.00 so you really can't go wrong. We eat zoodles weekly.
If you are keto, Whole 30, or just like to have more veggies on the table, you will use this often. Promise.

I asked Santa for this item for Calla's first Christmas. I knew I didn't want to use baby food out of a jar and I researched making my own so I wanted a tool that I would use for baby food as well as afterwards. Spoiler alert: I made food for about 2 weeks then just went with solids. BUT... this purchase has been well worth it. I use it every morning to make a shake/ smoothie. I use it again at night to rice my own cauliflower. We seriously love it so much that we have given it as a gift and convinced every person in our family to get one. Plus, Ninja just has my whole heart. I love love love them and their company. (Yo, Ninja.... feel free to throw some partnerships my way!)

For the next item I literally asked Coach, "What is something you see me use all the time in the kitchen?" His reply: this. He is right. I use this weekly because we love ground beef. Tacos. Spaghetti. Chili. (Just brown it and eat it out of the pan?) I love this so much I gave it as my gift this Christmas when I hosted a favorite things party. What did I do without this?

I also love these. They work with every Yeti lid we have. They keep me from using plastic straws. For some reason I drink more water when I use a straw. Strange? Probably.

Remember when I said we cook every night just so we can have leftovers for lunch the next day?  I went ahead and made the switch to these. I haven't switched all of our dishes, but we really LOVE the ones we do have. I need to purchase a set of bigger ones.

There you have it... What I am using most in my kitchen! What should I add? Do you have a go to item that you love? I am in the market for some great knives!

If you missed my other post on my absolute FAVORITE items in the kitchen: visit that here! You can't go wrong with either of these!

Love love,
C^2

Say NO To Tanning

*Links provided are affiliate links. I do receive a small amount of commission for each link. All opinions are my own. 

So. Many. People ask about my tanning machine. I decided to give all of the details here.

3 years ago I gave up tanning 100%. No more tanning beds. I still wanted a tan... so I did some research and bought THIS spray tanning system.

It really is perfect. I spray weekly and it is amazing just to have it in my garage. I also spray friends that want a tan. I know the machine is kinda $$. ( I always kinda hate linking things because then Coach knows...) 


This is also the hands down try this. best solution to buy. It is the perfect color for all skin types. You can youtube videos and teach yourself how to use it. So simple. Truly worth every single penny!
You do use this solution with the machine.

BUT.... if you just want a quick tan in a can... and don't really want to invest the $$ in the system: I have used ALLLLL things self tanning and this is a great quick option.