I am absolutely pumped about the fact that it is officially spring AND feels like it outside! Although summer is decidedly my favorite, I am happy with pretty much anything that doesn’t closely resemble winter, so no snow on the ground and above freezing temperatures has been a welcome change after a long, cold winter. The crocuses and tulips my grandfather planted at our house over 20 years ago are all coming up and serve as beautiful sign of better days to come. As we start to work on things outside the house, I know that I would really like to be able to preserve those perennials as a happy reminder of my grandparents and the time that I spent here with them as a little girl. Plus they are just so quintessentially spring!
And you know what else feels seasonally appropriate? SPRING CLEANING! Over the past few months I have read both Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Upand Gretchen Rubin’s new book, Outer Order, Inner Calmand have been trying to apply their concepts as we settle into the new house. As part of my Happiness Project, I had read about and harnessed the power which decluttering can have on one’s subjective wellbeing; and became quite aggressive about getting rid of things that I didn’t love, use, or believe to be beautiful. As an “abundance lover,” I had a lot of potential reducing to do, which I had thought I did, but I continue to be shocked and amazed by how much I am still letting go. And by how disproportionately it (positively) impacts my mood.
And it’s not just the tangible. I am working through a lot of things in my own life from a health and emotional standpoint. As I’ve said transitions are particularly tough for meand I am still feeling a bit lost and unsettled without a strong routine and community. Plus I have been working on some pervasive physical and mental health struggles which I will likely come back to on the blog at a later date, when the struggle is not so acute. But as it turns out, letting go of old mindsets, ideas, and habits which are no longer serving me is significantlymore challenging than finally giving up on that dress with the tags still on from five years ago…
But as difficult as it is to make big changes – whether that’s giving up a stockpile of upcycled glass jars, unused cosmetics, worn out jeans, dogmatic thinking, or a fixed mindset – it is incredibly rewarding to feel the resulting “lightness” of letting go. Which is what I will continue to tell myself in this literal and metaphorical season of “spring cleaning.”
And somewhere in between knickknacks and lifestyle habits on the scale of “Difficult to Rid One’s Self Of,” for me is digital clutter! I still have plenty of old emails to clear out, articles I’ve saved but am clearly never going to read, and even a few recipe photos I have yet to share – including this one from last summer, a Paleo Enchilada Casserole. This one is muy delicioso and has thrown out the dairy, gluten, and refined junk – a few things which never “spark joy” for me 🙂
Paleo Enchilada Casserole
Serves: 4 – 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
Enchilada Sauce
– Coconut Oil 4 TBSP
– Tapioca Flour 4 TBSP
– Chili Powder 8 TBSP
– Garlic Powder 2 TSP
– Cumin 1 TSP
– Oregano 1 TSP
– Sea Salt 1 TSP
– Bone Broth 4 cups (950 ml)
Enchilada Casserole
– Coconut Oil 2 TBSP, divided
– Medium White Onion, diced 1 each
– Red Bell Pepper, diced 1 each
– Canned Jalapenos, chopped .25 cup (26 g)
– Chicken, cooked and shredded or diced 1.5 lbs (700 g)
– Enchilada Sauce
– Grain Free Tortillas (recipe here), cut in half
– Toppings of your choice – diced tomatoes, diced onions,
cilantro/coriander, jalapenos, green onions, avocado, etc.
Instructions:
- Prepare the enchilada sauce: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and then add the avocado oil and tapioca flour, whisking together to combine well.
- Add all the spices and then slowly pour in the bone broth whisking to make sure things don’t get lumpy.
- Once you have a smooth consistency, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 12-15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 F / 190 C and brush a baking pan/casserole dish with 1 TBSP melted coconut oil
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the remaining coconut oil in the pan. Add the onion and pepper and saute for 5 – 7 minutes or until softened.
- Add the diced jalapenos, chicken and about 2/3 of the enchilada sauce to the peppers and onions and stir to combine. Then remove from heat.
- Build your layers! Pour about .5 cup/120 ml of the enchilada sauce in the baking dish and spread evenly, then top with 1/3 of the halved tortillas, followed by the chicken mixture.
- Repeat – enchilada sauce, tortillas, and chicken layers two more times and then drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce over the top.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes in the oven, then remove the foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, add your toppings and enjoy!
