The Story of My Life

Some 21 years ago on a wintery Tuesday, I was born. Until I was 3, my parents and I lived with my grandparents. During that time, while my parents worked, my Nonna took care of me. Then, we moved with my other set of grandparents for a few years, and finally into our own house (after staying at a townhouse between moves). I remember being a shy kid. My mom called me an "observer," just gazing at people with my big eyes. Though with my cousins and my baby brother, I was super silly. The seven of us cousins grew up like siblings – always close and playing together – and those are some of my greatest memories.

The not so nice part of my childhood was that my parents fought a lot. If not crying alone in my room, I'd be the one running between them yelling, "STOP!" That fighting, screaming, and threatening completely shaped me. I always felt trapped, like I had no choice but to endure the sadness. It became even harder to deal with as I got older. I pushed myself into school and music as an escape. Taking part in voice lessons, musicals, and competitions were really happy moments during times I wasn't so fully content.

At the age of 18, I had my son, Carter, and that was really a turning point. Many people would expect that having a kid at such a young age would be the lowest point in your life, but it was the exact opposite. I was in a place I loved with my newborn son and Kyle. I graduated high school, had a year off with Carter, and began university. It's always a hard job and I can guarantee I'm exhausted 99% of the time, but Carter and Kyle have been the absolute best things to happen to me. They are part of the life that I am creating for myself. I finally was able to say no to a destructive environment and say yes to a lifestyle that is loving and positive and growing.

No one's life can be fully described in 250 words (mine came out to 377), but my story just says that things get better. I can’t wait to write the rest of it.


*This post was the first of the "Blog Every Day in May" challenge: to write the story of your life in 250 words or less.

Garlic Lentils & Lemon Oregano Shrimp

I have no idea why, but lately I sort of fell in love with beans. I used to buy them canned, but when Kyle (a.k.a my health nut fiance) showed me the amount of sodium in each can, I just couldn't go back. Now, I've been cooking dry beans and topping it off with greens and protein! I hope you enjoy this recipe of mine - garlic lentils and lemon oregano shrimp. The mixture of warmth and cool freshness makes it a healthy comfort meal - suitable for lunch or dinner and perfect for 4 servings. Anyhoo, let's get started!

You'll need:

• A rice cooker
• A skillet
• Olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of green lentils
• 6 cups of water
• A colander
• A bag of frozen cooked shrimp
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• Dried oregano (amount depends on taste preference)
• Ground black pepper (to taste)
• 2 tomatoes
• A handful of kale

Instructions:

1. Saute garlic and 3 tbsp. of olive oil in skillet over low-medium heat until soft.
2. Pour the sauteed garlic/oil mixture, lentils, and water into your rice cooker. Stir all together.
3. Turn on rice cooker and leave for about 30 minutes.
4. While the lentils are cooking, quickly thaw the frozen shrimp by running it under cold water in a colander for 5 minutes.
5. Once thawed, remove the tails from the shrimp.
6. On your skillet, over low-medium heat again, place your shrimp, lemon juice, oregano, and ground black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Then, put aside.
7. Dice your tomatoes, cut your kale, and put aside.
8. Once your lentils are cooked, combine the lentils, tomatoes, and kale in a serving bowl. 
9. Serve the garlic lentils topped with the lemon oregano shrimp. Bon appetit!

Are you a "bean-lover" too? Let me know in the comments!

Weekend Thoughts

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This week was tough on the heart. More than anything, I'd like to extend my deepest thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the bombings in Boston and the explosion in Texas. Tragedies always remind us to turn our compassion into action and to appreciate every moment we are given. 

I hope you have a nice weekend. Let's all hold our loved ones tight.

Fun at the Park

Rosemary Salmon Over Salad

I try my best to steer towards healthier foods - I have a wedding to plan and only 14 months to go! This is a recipe that is quick, easy, healthy, and good for one serving.

Ingredients

• 1 salmon fillet
• Rosemary (fresh or dry)
• 1 tbsp. of olive oil
• 1 tomato (cubed)
• A handful of baby spinach
• A handful of kale (cut)
• Red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Place washed salmon fillet on baking dish and drizzle with olive oil
3. Garnish salmon fillet with rosemary (as much or as little as you'd like)
4. Bake the salmon in the oven for 20 minutes (this really depends on the thickness of the fillet. Assume 10 minutes per inch of thickness)
5. While the salmon is in the oven, combine your tomato, baby spinach, and kale on a separate plate
6. Dress your salad with red wine vinegar (as per your preference)
7. Take your salmon out of the oven once ready and place it on the salad to top off your healthy meal

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It's really simple and easily customizable to your preferences - maybe you prefer balsamic vinaigrette over red wine vinegar, or oregano over rosemary. Just keep it simple, no salt, very little oil, and lots of greens.

What's your favorite healthy treat? Let me know in the comments!

When Compassion Calls

Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't like scary movies. Sometimes, I don't even like action movies. Still to this day, I always get asked, "Come on, Diana. It's just a movie. What's the big deal?" I'm sure you're wondering the same thing.

Well, while watching those movies, I cover my eyes or hide behind my popcorn because I can't help but put myself in the character's shoes and feel their pain or fear. Yes, it's an acted-out scene, but it's an emotion I can empathize and it hurts my heart.

So, imagine how that same hurting in my heart translates to true stories in the news. I read the news daily - several times during the day actually from different sources. And everyday, without fail, there is a story about innocent lives lost or hurt.

From Sandy Hook to Rehtaeh Parsons, these stories bring me to tears. I close my eyes, put my hands over my face, and cry to myself as I read about the beautiful children and educators that lost their lives in Newtown, Connecticut. How they must have felt in that moment, how their parents and family are feeling right now, how someone could do such a thing - it all just hurts.

And this feeling, this pain in my chest, it means something.

I know that I am definitely not the only person out there that feels the hurt. In the midst of these tragedies, social media fires up with prayers, sad reactions, and big opinions... I know you feel it too.

This hurting of the heart, this compassion, is a calling to do something. Big or small, it calls us to just take a step and make a change for the better. 

I can't help but care for others - family, friends, and strangers.  Especially as a parent, I feel responsible to put in the effort, to contribute to this world that I will one day leave. One day, I won't be here, but my child will - and I want him to be happy, healthy, and safe. And the more I think about it, I want that same thing for all the other people on this earth.

This hurt, these tears, this compassion, this love... where do I begin? It's so easy to feel like a little speck of dust in the middle of issues so complicated. This is my next challenge: to think and research and find out how exactly I can make a positive, effective, educated change.

You and I, we may never be super heros or world leaders, but that doesn't mean we can't be agents of positive change. That doesn't mean we can't help and protect others. So, when your heart hurts, take the time to think about it: What is your heart calling you to do? How can you make a difference?

Weekend Links

This week was a slow one - that's for sure. It was just one of those weeks that felt kind of repetitive yet nice. The best part of my week was definitely the April weather peeping through. The pouring rain oddly made me smile (yay rain!) simply because it means that blooming flowers and sunny days are soon to be here. I hope your week was amazing - rain or shine - and let's round up the week with a few links.

1 // A must-read if you love Ryan Gosling as much as I do!!! (!!! = serious business)

2 // My absolute favorite daily vlogs to watch! Love this family!

3 // The perfect red nail polish that I am currently wearing

4 // An inspiring list that encourages putting your dreams into action

5 // A creative way of using mason jars as sippy cups

6 // Chocolate covered cheesecake strawberries! Need I say more?

7 // A great post about an imperfect life, beautiful moments, and Instagram