The Chicken and the Egg

When my mom found me, I was curled up into a fetal position. I was counting down the minutes for the Advil to work.

“Imagine your pain multiplied by 100, that’s what labor pains are like,” she said as she covered me with a fuzzy fleece blanket. Having this pain once a month is enough for me.

“That’s a huge sacrifice that mothers make,” I said.
“It’s true, but people underestimate the chicken,” she replied.
“What do you mean?”
“Women go through these pains once a month and go through a lot to deliver a baby,” she explained, “but the chicken does that every single day.”

She recounted that as a young child, every morning she would hear the loud clucks of a distressed chicken, signaling the laying of an egg. Soon after, the eggs would be collected for consumption. Sometimes chickens would lay eggs multiple times a day. After some time, the chicken that had provided their daily sustenance would be sacrificed for food as well.

When the medicine started working I began to feel hungry. I wanted something warm to soothe my cramps and found some boiled chicken my mom had made. I soft boiled an egg and ladled some chicken and broth in to a bowl. With a newfound appreciation for the chicken and the egg I enjoyed every bite, realizing this chicken lived, experienced pain and died in order to provide food and comfort to me. Now I have found new meaning in the normal routine of cooking eggs for breakfast or using chicken to make a casserole.

Chicken, I have underestimated you. You are strong and generous, and I thank you for your sacrifice.

Tomato Basil Egg Skillet

This dish was inspired by my mom and it's very filling and flavorful.

Ingredients

• Onion (green or white)
• 1 tomato
• Fresh basil

Alaa's Avocado Salad

This is my mom's recipe for avocado salad. It has been a hit with anyone who's tried it so far. Putting it together is simple and it's a great dish to take to picnics. Thanks Alaa!

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• Red onion
• 1 lemon, or lemon juice
• 1 pack fresh mozzarella 

Chicken Paprikash

This is my take on the Hungarian dish chicken paprikash. It's usually served on noodles or white rice, but I served mine on mashed cauliflower, very delicious! This recipe was inspired by Lori's recipe found here.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic (or garlic powder)
• Paprika (sweet or Hungarian)

Coconut Flour Banana Pancakes (Guilt-free)

Coconut flour is a low-carb, high fiber alternative to grain flours (see nutrition facts for Hodgson Mills coconut flour below). Although it is healthier than white flour, the texture can be quite grainy. It is also expensive but a little bit goes a long way. Overall, these pancakes taste great because of the added sweetness of banana.

5 Easy Changes to Lessen Harm on the Environment (and Save Money!)

Source

1. Take shorter showers

This will save thousands of gallons of water per year and reduce the amount of energy used toward heating the water that is used.

Turkey Lettuce 'Sandwiches'

This is a great and easy low-carb meal/snack that satisfies a need for sandwiches :)

Easy Slow Cooker Chili

With temperatures below zero, this slow-cooked chili is a warm welcome. This recipe is easy with minimal time devoted to preparation. Just throw in all the ingredients, grab a blanket and let the crock-pot do all the cooking.