Fake It Till You Make It!

I have been following this story of Lauren Scruggs. A fashion blogger from Austin, TX who after a helicopter sight seeing trip, deplaned and horrifically walked into the running propeller, resulting in the loss of one of her eyes and hand.

I remember reading this story and thinking how is this gorgeous girl going to handle her reality when she wakes up? Life as she knew it has totally been shattered.

So when I came across this picture yesterday of her happily smiling with her family on vacation – it made me cry.

There is nothing more beautiful and inspiring than that smile on her face. And even if she might be struggling every day with her loss, we would never know it by that joyous look.

So I guess if she can do it, What the heck is wrong with me? I really have zero-to-NO EXCUSE not to smile!

I think its time to remember a mantra that has gotten me thru many things in my life – FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!  Well honey I am making it today’s mission, my face is gonna hurt from all the smiling I will be doing around town (or at least in my kitchen)!

Also after talking to a friend who spear headed, from what I heard by all accounts, was an incredible evening for Chai Life Line’s Womans Spa Night the other day . Her retelling me the emotion she felt, watching a young woman with stage 4 cancer getting a pedicure, who to look at her you would never know. The tears my friend experienced watching this woman relishing the pleasure in the little things that life had to offer and living in the MOMENT to its fullest – well what can I say…it is a  LIFE LESSON learned today.

Hashem (g-d) really works in mysterious ways, beautiful people get disfigured, young vibrant women get stage 4 cancer, it is hard to comprehend the reasons – that is what true bitachon ( faith) is all about.

So instead of trying to get an explanation, or feel like a duck who is pedaling as fast as she can to find a solution to my issues, I just have to BELIEVE there is a reason for all of it  -  LIVE in the moment and relish the pleasure of the little things that I am truly blessed with right now!

it aint gonna be easy … but darn if I wont try my hardest! I read a great quote by race car driver Leilani Munter,  that I made my iphone wall picture:

“To be successful, you have to be willing to hit the gas when your body is begging to hit the brakes”

Because I am in the FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT mode and everything at the end of the day comes down to food for me (LOL with a BIG SMILE –see I already started) here is a recipe that I made this Friday night that I have been craving all week, still for.

My super fast, cut-every-corner-possible-version of  Moroccan Chicken from Paula Wolfert’s cookbook – this ones prep time is about 5 minutes and personally I think comes out just slightly better than the one I originally tweaked from her book.

Moroccan  Tomato Jam Chicken:

Ingredients

chicken thighs

5 tsp. crushed garlic ( I like to use for this recipe the frozen cubes)

5 tsp. chopped basil (also used the frozen cubes)

3 tsp. cinnamon

salt & pepper

1/4 cup honey + 2 tsp.

2 cups tomato sauce

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. olive oil

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 F

Lay your washed chicken thighs an aluminum pan. Take 4 tsp. each of both the garlic and basil and   rub all over your chicken thighs, making sure to get into the crevices and under the skin.

Sprinkle 2 tsp. of cinnamon, slat and black pepper over the tops of each chicken.

Take the honey and drizzle generously over each of the chicken tops. Use a brush to coat the honey evenly.

In a bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, tomato paste, 1 tsp. garlic, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. honey and the olive oil, and mix well.

Pour and cover the chicken completely with the tomato sauce. Cover the chicken with foil, and bake in oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes till chicken is fully cooked and the tomato sauce has thickened quite considerably.