New Year's Resolutions!

Since I have been fired, I have been trying to find ways to de-stress my life! As I was thinking of ways to make life less stressful, I was looking at some new music books that I had bought over the break. One of the songs I fell in love with was this one...



The diction in this video is horrible, but it was the best video I could find.

Anyway, I decided to pick up my violin and start playing again. After I finished, I played the piano a little, and then practiced singing some old songs. By the time I was finished, I felt SO good! I really have missed my violin, and the concerts/masterclasses that I had to go to in school. So, I decided that this year my resolution would be to continue working on my musicianship.

I have practiced my violin, piano, and voice everyday, and I am loving it! It's the best part to waking up in the morning!

I also am trying to continue on last years resolution on exercising and eating well. I love the changes I have made in my eating habits. I feel so much better, and I have WAY more energy! It wasn't easy changing my eating habits. It was hard to find cheap, easy, healthy meals. So many healthy meals have a lot of ingredients, or take a lot of time. However, I am getting better at spotting them now that I have tried a few. To continue eating healthy, I have decided to continue looking for new healthy recipes and blogging them. I was going to do one once a week, but I know myself too well...I know I won't do it faithfully and then I'll get upset at myself because I am a slight perfectionist. Why stress myself out right? So, everynow and then...I will post a new recipe! I feel good about saying that!

Here is one of our favorites:

French Vegetable Ratatouille (Slow Cooker Cookbook)

Ingredients:

* 1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 5 cups)
* 4 medium tomatoes, cute into fourths
* 1 medium zucchini,sliced
* 1 medium green bell pepper,cut into strips
* 1 medium onion, sliced (I buy red onion)
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (1/4 tsp. garlic powder)
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes)
* 2 Tbsp. Olive oil or Vegetable oil
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
* 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in 3 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Makes 8 servings.

And thats it! So easy and AWESOME! We usually eat it on top of some pasta noodles, but you can eat it plain too! I plan on making it this weekend!