Spicy sausage and tender shrimp make this Jambalaya Pasta a dinner that’ll leave everyone asking for seconds. This saucy one-pot pasta is a weeknight dinner you are going to love.

This dish is loaded with fantastic flavor from Cajun spices. Both the kids and the adults in this house agree it’s a hit!

Jambalaya Pasta

The components of jambalaya are so well suited to serving with pasta. We love all kinds of noodle-based dishes, from simple Italian-inspired classics like Spaghetti and Marinara to Mongolian Beef with Noodles, and our beloved Stir-Fry Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables.

I’m always looking for interesting takes on pasta, since I know everyone in my family likes it. Recently, I posted this Cheesy Pizza Pasta Bake and Mexican Baked Pasta.

When I saw this recipe for Jambalaya Pasta in my friend Valerie’s new cookbook, The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker, I marked it to try first. This cookbook is full of both slow-cooker and one-pot recipes that are sure to make your meal planning easier.

And I’m happy to report that this first recipe I tried did not disappoint. I’ve already made it again, just to have more leftovers for my lunches!

What is Jambalaya?

Jambalaya is a classic Cajun dish that consists of chicken, shrimp, and sausage all cooked together in one pot, usually with rice. It’s a little like a stew, thick and completely satisfying with every bite.

Instead of rice, this Jambalaya recipe uses pasta. The version I’m sharing today has been a hit with everyone who’s tried it.

I’ve made it a couple of times now and I’m super happy to tell you it actually tastes even better the next day. I made it the second time, just to have it in the fridge for a few easy reheatable lunches.

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If you’re feeling lost, detached from your purpose or low on energy, spiritual coaching may be just what you’re looking for

We live in a time when there is an abundance of supportive professionals available to us. Whether we’re looking to change our relationship with food, heal from past events or update our thinking habits, chances are there’s someone out there who can help us.

But what if you’re not totally sure what you need? Perhaps you’ve just been feeling off lately, like you’re not living to your full potential. You know something needs to change, but you can’t put your finger on what.

This is where spiritual coaching can come in, helping you gain clarity and purpose. The term ‘spirituality’ can make us think of religion, and while some spiritual coaches do work in this space, for many it’s simply about connecting to something outside of ourselves.

What can a spiritual coach help with?

We asked inner peace and abundance coach Joana Calado how spiritual coaches can help and these are the areas she highlighted:  

• feminine/masculine energy balance for optimal alignment and fulfilment
• higher life purpose and soul agreements
• spiritual guidance and intuition
• how to protect your energy from being drained
• manifesting with the laws of the universe

If there are some terms in there you don’t recognise, don’t worry - let’s take a closer look at what they mean and how a spiritual coach can support you.

Energy balance for optimal alignment

Many spiritual coaches will work with energy, with a goal of balancing your energy to help you achieve your goals and fulfil your purpose. There are thought to be femine and masculine energies within all of us; the masculine energy typically deals with ‘doing’, with the logical mind and being goal-focussed. The feminine energy is believed to deal more with ‘being’, with creativity, intuition and empathy.

By bringing these energies into balance we can enjoy the best both have to offer, giving us the space to be creative and empathetic while taking action towards our goals. A spiritual coach can look at this balance and help you bring energies into alignment.

Higher life purpose and soul agreements

Your higher purpose can be described as a purpose that is beyond yourself. This often means it benefits others and encourages them to grow along with you. The idea behind soul agreements (also called soul contracts) is that before we’re born, our souls make an agreement with others about what they want to learn in human form.

Essentially, this is about uncovering what you want from life, what your true calling may be and what you want to learn during your time on earth. A spiritual coach can help you navigate this, offering reflections and exercises to bring you closer to your answers.  

Spiritual guidance and intuition

Spiritua

This Southwest Ranch fills my family’s need for a little bit of heat. This quick dipping sauce is fantastic with chicken or fresh vegetables.

Southwest Ranch

Homemade Ranch Dressing is a weekly meal prep staple at my house. Followed very closely by this Southwest Ranch. It’s a fun variation on classic ranch dressing.

Having fresh dressings and sauces on hand makes dinner planning easy. It makes healthy snacking easier too. Check out these tips for keeping your refrigerator stocked with fresh produce boxes for your family.

If you’ve been reading this blog for very long at all, you know that I have a thing for homemade condiments. With a stocked pantry, you can make homemade versions of your favorite salad dressings, dips, and marinades.

Even better than them being a fraction of the cost is how much better they taste. I have yet to find a store-bought salad dressing or dip that can compare with what can be made at home in just minutes.

Southwest Ranch Dipping Sauce

I made this sauce to serve with our Southwest Chicken Bites and it was a huge hit. My family liked it so much that they also dipped their vegetables in it and requested more of it the next day. This dip is going to be a regular condiment in our refrigerator for a while.

While the dipping sauce is so good you could put it on anything. It works nicely as a salad dressing too.

To thin the dressing, add a tablespoon of milk or cream at a time until the mixture reaches the consistency you want.

You can also use an oil to thin the dressing (such as vegetable, avocado, or canola) an oil that is neutral in flavor works best. Just remember a little bit of oil will go a long way.

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This post is sponsored by my friends at NOW Foods. I’ve been a fan of NOW® products for years and am so thrilled to be partnering with them for this post. Check out their site here and use the code FITNESSISTA for 20% off through 12/31/22! They have an amazing selection of supplements, essential oils, beauty and health products, pet products, and sports nutrition. 

Hi friends! How’s the morning going so far? I hope you’re enjoying the day! Since I’ve been home with the kids this summer, I’ve found my way back to quick and efficient at-home workouts. A workout doesn’t have to be long or insanely intense to reap the benefits; a short block of movement and I’m feeling energized and ready to tackle the rest of the day.

Here’s a workout circuit I’ve been enjoying lately. You can do this one anywhere and all you need is your own body weight, which makes it an ideal travel workout. With a warmup (I like 7 minutes of easy cardio), you can complete the whole workout in less than 30 minutes.

As always, check with a doctor before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed.

Total Body Bodyweight Blast

Squat to single-leg deadlift (touch the floor):

Place your feet just under your shoulders with toes slightly angled out. Keep your chest lifted and a tight core as you sink back and down into your squat. Pretend like there is a chair behind you, and you’re going to tap your booty to the chair. The weight should remain in your heels. As you rise, come into a single-leg deadlift with both hips square to the floor and touching the floor. Switch sides.

Curtsy lunge to side leg lift:

Start with one leg forward, and toes angled out 45 degrees. Step your other foot totally back behind the front, so that your foot is behind the opposite shoulder. Sink low into a curtsy lunge, them as you exhale, lift the back leg out to the side. Really think about squeezing your glutes to lift your leg. Make sure that you take a nice big step back and to the side for your curtsy lunge.

Inchworm sprawl:

Start standing and walk your hands to bring your body into a plank position. Jump your feet to the outside of your hands, then back to plank position. Walk your hands back to your feet, stand, and repeat. For low-impact, try this against a wall.

Push-

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

I’m going to say it…the “M” word…this chocolate mayonnaise cake is moist, decadent, and so delicious! And it is topped with the most creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting! You’re going to fall in love with it!

What was the “M” word? Mayo or moist? Hahaha…originally I was thinking “moist” because it’s so taboo, but then I realized that some of you might have thought I meant “mayonnaise”. Mayonnaise in a cake? Heck yes!

Ok so this is typical me, but I heard about mayo cake as a kid and swore it off. First of all, I grew up on Miracle Whip. Say whatever you want, it happened. And I loved it on a grilled cheese Anyway!!!

As an adult everyone was swearing by it and I’ll be honest, mom’s chocolate zucchini cake is more moist and delicious (thank you zucchini!) in my humble opinion, but I have worked out the kinks and practiced and perfected and finally humbly bow to the Southerners that swore I just HAD TO TRY IT. It is moist and delicious and you were all right!

Ingredients for Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Something so delicious shouldn’t be so easy! The list of ingredients is brief and just the basics. You might just have everything already in the pantry and fridge. Cha-ching!