BC Storms, Thai Chicken Cabbage Skillet & Pumpkin Loaf

Climate change is sometimes misunderstood as being about changes in the weather. In reality, it is about changes in our very way of life.

Paul Polman

Before I get into it today I wanted to make 2 amendments to my last post,

#1 I asked HBear if I could write that post and she said yes. Before I hit publish, she read it over and gave me permission to post. I 100% respect her privacy and her wishes. With that being said, thank you to all those that reached out. We appreciate your words and friendship. HBear is learning that hiding from her problems is not the answer but being truly herself is the key to getting through this.

#2 I know that changing from French to English is not necessarily the answer. I know that she has a long ways to go to truly being happy in her own skin. We are hoping that taking this one thing off of her plate will help ease her burden so that she will be clearer and able to put the work in and continue to make progress. She has a great support system at home, school and dance PLUS a great Dr and therapist. She is dedicated to learning the tools needed to becoming a happier and healthier young woman. I am SO proud of her.

These past 2 days have been a climate nightmare for my beautiful province of British Columbia… again. Anybody who still questions climate change needs to come visit us to see what the heck is going on and what the future looks like. All year we have heard “this is a once in a lifetime event” in regards to drought, a heat dome, a cyclone bomb, massive raging fires that we watched spread outside our windows, and now major mudslides and deadly flooding.

It’s all so much and so disappointing that the conversations continue to revolve around keeping the status quo in environmental goals while we so obviously can’t do that anymore. As of right now, the 2 main highways to Vancouver are flooded, blocked by mudslides or just completely broken and washed aways by the rushing waters that have overtaken them. Those are our 2 highways that get the rest of us our mail and our food supply. In the past few hours my city of 30,000 has emptied all the dairy and produce aisle in every store. People get panicked when they don’t know when the supply chain will get started up again.

This isn’t a once in a century thing. This is the new norm. We need to come together and figure out how we are going to get through this and thrive in the future. We need to start figuring this out NOW. We are in a climate emergency and this isn’t about someday, it’s about TODAY. (Photos aren’t mine they are taken from different news sources)

Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #250: Shop ‘Till You Drop! HERE! After a week of Birthday & Xmas shopping, we discuss: plants, Okanagan Spirits, Nov 11, fix-it, new puppy, crossing borders, free time, hockey, bath bomb, & dance moves.

This week I’m sharing a recipe that we use a lot. It is low prep, tasty and healthy! HBear loves having it the next day too, it’s one of her favourites for leftovers 😀.

I’m also sharing a new pumpkin loaf that we tried this year! We all really liked it! We love having banana/zucchini/pumpkin quick breads in the freezer for lunches and for snacks. I used the pumpkin puree I made the other day and it was moist and delicious!

Thai Chicken Cabbage Skillet
Adapted from Little Broken

3 tablespoons oil, divided
1 lb. ground chicken
16 oz. coleslaw cabbage mix
3 green onions, sliced
½ cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
¼ cup peanut butter
¼ cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, ginger, rice vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl, drain juices from pan and wipe clean.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, add coleslaw mix and cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes until the cabbage is tender-crisp.

Add chicken and sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for few minutes until heated through.

Stir in green onions and cilantro. Serve topped with more cilantro.

Pumpkin Loaf
Adapted by Will Cook For Smiles

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup vegetable oil
1½ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a standard loaf pan.

Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl well.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, milk, pumpkin puree, and oil until smooth.

Pour in wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined and smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar on top.

Bake for 55–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

This week HBear’s dance teacher sent me a picture of my girl, flying 💛. A reminder that she can do anything that she puts her mind to. My body is aching so I tried a new cannabis bath bomb that helped! We family FaceTimed with my nieces, right before we left to go see them 😆. I spent my day off hanging out with my Sis and CabbagePatch! We shopped, had treats and taste tested a new gin! On Friday I went to Costco with my Sis, it’s the small things that we can do together that are so special 💛. The Girls stayed over at my Sis’s that night while Ninja and I got Corleone’s Pizza and watched the hockey game. Ninja and I just about finished our birthday and Christmas shopping on Saturday and then went to BNA Brewery for games, dinner and craft beer! It was a nice and relaxing week and I am feeling grateful.