Beef, Snap Pea & Mushroom Stir Fry

A new favorite tradition I've started is watching the Pioneer Woman on Food Network Saturday mornings while I drink coffee. I grab a pen, stationary and my phone (for Pinteresting during the commercials) and meal plan for the upcoming week.

Hubs is out baby-wearing Lil' H while they walk the dogs. The. Whole. House. To. Myself. With Pioneer Woman and Food Network. Pretty sure this is SAHM heaven!

Anyway, this last weekend she made her version of chicken and cashew stir fry. Baby 2 has decided that all poultry is off limits for the foreseeable future, and I can't follow a recipe verbatim to save my life anyway, so this is my spin on what she aired!

Beef, Snap Pea & Mushroom Stir Fry

- 1C uncooked brown rice (cook to the directions on the package per that serving)

- 1lb stir fry beef strips (I additionally cut mine into smaller pieces)

- 1.5C snap peas

- 1C broccoli florets (fresh, not frozen)

- 2C button mushrooms, quartered

- 1T ginger

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 1/4C oyster sauce

- 1/4C plus 2T sesame oil
- 1/4C water

- 2T rice wine vinegar

- 3T soy sauce

- 1T brown sugar

- 1T flour

- 2T olive oil

sliced green onions/scallions (to top/ganish)

chopped fresh parsley (to top/garnish)

sesame seeds (to top/garnish) 

Optional: several tablespoons of your favorite chili-garlic hot sauce, such as Sriracha 

After prepping all your veggies and starting your brown rice, heat olive oil in a large skillet on high. Salt and pepper the beef, and add to the searing hot pan. Turn on your hood/vent, because you want this so hot it smokes! Don't stir or move the beef, but instead let it develop a dark brown color. Brown both sides, then remove from pan.

Let the pan sit to cool for a few minutes, but don't wash or clean out the beef drippings. After it's cooled, add 2T of sesame oil along with the mushrooms and broccoli. Cook on med-low heat. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, water, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, optional hot sauce and brown sugar.

One the veggies are al dente, add flour to the pan and cook for about a minute, sopping up the oil. Add the snow peas and beef back to the pan. Pour over the sauce you just mixed. Combine and simmer to thicken.

Serve over hot brown rice. Add green onions, parsley sesame seeds to taste and to garnish.

Enjoy! Do you like making your own stir fry at home? It's SO much healthier than takeout!

First Maternity "Fix" from Stitch Fix

You've all heard of Stitch Fix by now, since many bloggers have talked about it. Even I have before - this is my third "fix"! However, this was my first MATERNITY fix. Maternity clothes are a hot mess of fashion, and they pretty much don't exist if you're over 5'8.

So I put my stylist over at the Fix on notice: I'm five months pregnant and wanted maternity styles that are flattering. And stylish. And work in the Texas 110 degree day summers. Oh, and fit a 5'10 woman with a 38 inch inseam. Aaaaaaaan, go! Godspeed to you, stylist.

If I'm being honest, I wasn't that impressed. I wasn't that impressed with my first non-maternity fix either, so I know my feedback will better guide my stylist in the future. Overall, the fix had a lot of fails. But there was one major, major win. A win so big, I don't care about the four fails!

Tart "Shaina Printed Maxi Dress" $98
This was the major win! The maternity maxi I got for Henry's shower was also from Tart. They know how to make a tall maxi, and it makes me so happy! Their fabrics are so soft, and their prints not too "loud" - so many maternity prints are SO LOUD, I almost vomit just looking at them. No so here! The cut is so flattering and will work for nursing, too. Kept it. Duh.

Market & Spruce "Debra Lace Trim Maternity Knit Top" $58
I really loved the lace detail on the shoulders, and in the back was a cute keyhole (that still allowed for a bra to be worn with my mega-preggo boobs). It was just too big. There was so much fabric in the shirt, I could have worn this nine months pregnant with quintuplets. It was "tent-ish." Sent it back. (Paired it with my own pink maternity J Brand jeans from Pea in the Pod.)

Collective Concepts "Maria Maternity Stretch Eyelet Detail Top" $68
I wanted to like this! But it was tunic length. It also was tripple-lined, which just doesn't work here in the Texas heat. The length will be great with leggings, which I won't wear until the end of October. It was too hard to say if this top would be flattering (or even fit!) then, so it was sent back. (Paired with my own Gap maternity cut-off shorts and J Crew leopard sandals.)

I spy with my little eye... Henry getting in on the action!

Papermoon "Remmie Printed Maxi Skirt" $58
All it took was one look at the print and I knew this wasn't for me. It also looked really small in the waist, and wasn't maternity, so I was doubtful it would fit... It did. But it hit well above my ankle. Not cute. Also, this is what the Collective Concepts top looks like fully pulled down - I bunched it up in the above pic so that you could see I was indeed wearing pants!

 
Loveappella "Sheeni Peasant Maternity Top" $34
Oh, you can't see it that well? Trust me, you're not missing anything. I looked like I had four-too-many-burritos, not five months pregnant in this top. It was off the shoulder, so one would have to go braless or wear an uncomfortable strapless with it. NOT what a preggo wants! This was an easy top to send back, immediately. (Paired with my pink J Brand maternity jeans from Pea in the Pod.)

And, Henry peaces out to disassemble the tub faucet. Future plumber?

Stitch Fix is great because you fill out a style profile and a legit stylist selects five pieces for you, sent directly to your home. So you can try it on in good lighting (what's with dressing room lighting, y'all?!) and pair it with your own pieces to see how it will work for you (like I did above!) You're not obligated to keep a thing. But if you do, the $20 styling fee will be deducted from your order! And if you keep all five items, you get a hefty discount that seriously makes it worth your while.

Not pregnant? They have FANTASTIC "regular" clothes! Petite? Yup, they got you covered too. Pregnant like me? They just added maternity - be sure to check it out and put your due date in your style profile!

Have you gotten a "fix" yet?

5 Ways To #LiveBrighter With Kids to Reduce Energy Consumption!

It's officially the dog days of summer, and that means everyday here in Texas is over 100. While AC keeps us safe (and sane!) it does a number on your wallet and stresses "the grid" to the max.

I'm not big into promoting corporate America or big utilities, but Direct Energy (for both U.S and Canadian consumers!) wanted to partner with bloggers to spread the word on how we can get folks to USE LESS OF THEIR PRODUCT. That's right, an energy company that wants you to buy less of what they sell. Ok, this is something I can support!

5 Ways To #LiveBrighter With Kids to Reduce Energy Consumption:

1) Dress cooler: While I can't set the thermostat to 80 degrees during the day because H and I are home, I can raise it. Adjusting your usage by even a few degrees can have huge effects on your monthly bill! Our daily setting is 74. To accommodate the warmer temp, Henry and I are in tank tops, shorts and bare feet. I've gotten so used to the warmer indoor temperature, I freeze my bum off when we go to a mall or a movie theater!

2) Use the tools they give you: Direct Energy provides you with a "Direct Your Plan" tool where you can create custom billing, get charts to monitor your usage and heat maps that help you plan your consumption during off-peak hours. So in the Texas summers, you don't have to face $450+/mo AC bills. Plus, creating a more even distribution of payments helps out with your monthly budgeting. (Direct Your Plan tool valid in Texas only.)

3) Go Green - literally: Plant shade trees in your yard! South and west facing light is the hottest, so strategically placed trees to provide your roof shade is crucial in reducing your energy consumption. Did you know there can be a difference of over 20 degrees between the sun and the shade? Make it a fun weekend project with your kids! I know mine love to play and dig in the dirt and would be happy to help - as much as a toddler can ;)

4) Stay hydrated: This is a no-brainer, right? But when your body is hydrated, it's easier for it to maintain homeostasis. When your body has to work less to stay healthy and in normal, working condition, you don't need to crank up that AC as much! Make sure your little one is also drinking tons of WATER (juice isn't necessary and is nearly all sugar. Stick to water!) by providing constant easy access to it. I give Henry a sippy and leave it in our playroom for him to grab as needed, and pack it along when we leave the house.

5) Get points for what you spend: Direct Energy is a provider of Plenti points, a national consumer rewards program. Plenti lets you earn points at one place and use them at another, making this a user-friendly rewards program that you'll actually use! If you sign up with Direct Energy, you'll get 1000 bonus Plenti points when you register your account online at plenti.com and link your Direct Energy account. Click the here for more details  on how to sign up! (Valid in U.S.)

How do you manage your energy consumption? Do you find yourself making an effort to consume less, and teach your children to live greener? I'd love to hear your tips!