Taking a Break

After much consideration, I’ve decided to take a break from this blog for some time.

Right now I’m not sure when or if I will be returning. I love writing, but I don’t know if blogging is the right path for me. I have so many vastly different interests, and I’d like to free up some time to pursue them and to write more creatively or just for myself as a hobby.

This blog has been so much fun. I sincerely thank each and every one of you, my readers, for being so supportive and awesome. It means so much to me.

– Megan

Preparing for Easter

This Sunday marks a very special day for Christians. Easter! Easter is the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, making it possible for anyone to come into a relationship with God and experience eternal life in Heaven and a fulfilling life here on earth.

If you’re like me and hadn’t gotten around to doing anything refreshing to prepare yourself for the Easter holiday and all that it means, you can join me this week as I do.

I’ve decided that a fun way to do this will be to explore 6 verses, one each day until Easter, and to journal each day as well. You could even turn this into a fun conversation starter for your family each day.

If you would like to join me, here are the verses and questions that I will be focusing on:

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Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

For a meal to make it onto my weeknight meal plan regularly, I have pretty high standards.

It can’t take too long. Preferrably less than 30 minutes, start-to-finish.

It also needs to be nutritious. If it’s something we’re going to eat on a regular basis, it needs to be free from “garbage” (you know, artificial stuff and highly processed ingredients). I don’t eat 100% clean all of the time, but for something to be eaten regularly, it needs to be clean.

In an ideal world, it would create very few dishes. I’ve never met someone who enjoys weeknight dishes.

Lastly, it needs to be delicious. If knowing that a certain recipe is for dinner tempts me to hit up a drive through, it’s not delicious enough to make the cut. We basically have to love it.

This recipe hits all of these requirements and more. It’s one of our very favorite weeknight dinners, and it’s extremely quick and easy, plus packed full of good-for-you nutrients and heart-healthy fats. It requires just a cutting board, a bowl, and a pan. Best of all, it is SO GOOD! If you’ve ever had broccoli somewhere and wondered how they got a simple side of broccoli to taste amazing, it might have been this method.

It’s great served with a side of rice or quinoa, and I imagine indulging with a side of pasta or garlic bread might not be too bad either. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

Adapted from TheWednesdayChef.com

Serves 4 (or 2 if you’re hungry)

2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon cumin

1.5 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails can be on or off)

zest of one lemon

lemon wedges for serving

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons of oil, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and chili powder. Spread in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes. While it’s roasting, combine shrimp, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. After the broccoli has roasted for 10 minutes, add the shrimp to the pan, stir to make sure it’s in a single, even layer, and roast for an additional 10 minutes (broccoli gets a total of 20 minutes an shrimp gets 10). Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze on top. Enjoy!

Get the printable recipe here.

What are your favorite healthy weeknight dinners?

Is Happiness a Pursuit?

Do you feel like you’re chasing after happiness? Many people are. The problem with this mindset is that a person can only chase after something if it is an object to obtain.

What do I mean by this?

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Arizona Vacation 2017

Arizona holds so many special memories for us. It is where my husband and I first began to build our lives together after we got married, where I graduated from college, and the home of so many good times and so much growth.

Although we’ve moved back to the area where we grew up in the Midwest, Arizona has such a nostalgic feeling.

The opportunity arose to visit our friends before they move out of Arizona as well, and we jumped on it. It was a fairly quick and spontaneous decision, but we booked the flight and didn’t look back.

The day after we flew in, we visited Sedona. I could try to describe it, but you really just need to go. It gives you that same frightening-but-breathtaking feeling that you get when you look out at the open ocean.

I’m growing to like that feeling. It gives you a sense of humility at how small you really are, yet gratitude that God chose to give you life in a universe full of such amazing things.

We had such a fun time hiking and even just driving with this beautiful landscape around us.

Above all, it was great to see our friends. Life takes us in different directions and I’m notoriously bad at staying in touch (working on it!), but even so, when we get back together the relationship feels like we’ve never left. I’m thankful for these and other great people in my life.

I also appreciated the 90 degree weather when there was a snowstorm happening back home. Gratefulness comes in all sorts of forms!

Where will you be headed for your next vacation?

Connect with me!

Instagram: @megkathleen18 (You saw all my mouthwatering food photos from the trip if you’re following me already!)

Facebook: TheThrivingSelf

Email: TheThrivingSelf@gmail.com

Or in the comments section below, of course!