DIY| Healthy Curry Chicken

Hey Guys!!

Since being on a journey to better health and wellness, we've started "tweaking" recipes and everyday meal ideas to be a bit more conscious of calories, portions, and ingredients. In this post we're going to share how we create our curry chicken dinner from different techniques we've accumulated. Having Jamaican ancestry, Sheena grew up on curry chicken and goat, so it was fun to put a twist on a well-known recipe from the islands. :)



Here are the ingredients you'll need:

• 1-1/2lb chicken breast


• salt (eyeball it)


• pepper (eyeball it)


• 2 tsp olive oil or coconut oil


• 1 small onion


• 2 tsp of garlic / 1-2 cloves


• 4 tsp of curry power (or more)


• 1 tsp of cinnamon


• 3/4 tsp ground paprika


• 1/2 tsp ginger


• 3 tsp sugar (as desired)


• 1 cup non-fat greek yogurt


• 1/4 tsp cumin optional

Now, let's get to cookin! ;-)

1.) Cut the chicken into 1-1/2 inch cubes.

2.) Season it with a bit of salt and pepper, set aside.



3.) Dice the small onion and set aside.

4.) Grab a skillet or a wok, turn to low-med heat and add olive oil.



5.) Once oil is heated, add onions and allow them to sautéed until lightly golden.

6.) Add the garlic and allow to cook with onion for about 30 seconds.

7.) Add in the curry powder, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, and sugar -- stirring constantly.



8.) Let the spices simmer together for about 2 mins, then add the chicken cubes in!

9.) After stirring chicken with spices for 2 mins, bring the pot to a boil, throw in the cup of greek yogurt, and stir thoroughly.



( Feel free to add any additional spices or oil at this stage, if needed.)

10.) Once pot begins to boil, turn down to a simmer ( LO temp ) and allow it to cook for another 20-25 mins. Continue to stir every few mins during this time.

11.) Voilà! Dinner is served! :-)



We decided to go with a side of basmati (white) rice! We used the "Success" brand, that boils in a bag for about 10 mins.



We also steamed a medium sized bowl of broccoli in the microwave, with saran wrap over the top, about 3 tbs of water in the bottom, for 3 - 3 1/2 mins.



This meal is so yummy and is a frequently made (FAVORITE) in our home! Thanks so much for stopping by our page, and feel free to share your versions of this recipe too! ;-)

Love in the details,

SpokenHome.

DIY | Date Night

Thanks for stopping by again! We are glad to announce Spokenhome.com!

It's been a work in progress, but this will be a great way to stay in touch with everyone by posting more frequent projects & updates.

In this post, we thought we could share some cheap and easy date night ideas!


#1) Game of darts!



Darts is one of our favorite games to play together, seeing we are both incredibly competitive!

The actual dart board and darts can be purchased for under $40 at any major retailer.
The casing that the dartboard and darts are stored in was made using scrap pallet wood.
Possibly an idea for a project together on the weekend if you have couple hours.
We located the dimensions online, however feel free to design the enclosure however you wish!
There are tons of different game variations, so find one that suits your skill & patience level :)

#2) Work Out or just go running together!



Wouldn't you agree that staying motivated is much easier with your partner doing it with you?

Our favorites include T25 & Insanity, but even a walk around the neighborhood is good for the body & relationship.
In a world of so many distractions, its quality time to spend with the one you love while staying healthy!

#3) Play a few rounds of your favorite video game



We went out and bought a used N64 system for $40, one we both grew up playing.
Be sure that you're BOTH playing a game you enjoy, for us it's a toss up between Goldeneye & WCW vs NWO Raw!
We're frugal, so buying used video game consoles is the way we go! Keep your eyes open for good deals, buying
one of these systems for a creative date night is still cheaper than going out!

#4) Cook a meal together



A great idea is to Google recipes for your favorite restaurant's meals, then cook them yourself with healthy ingredients.
Experiment by substituting ingredients, such as greek yogurt instead of sour cream, or well seasoned turkey rather than beef.
If both of you contribute to the meal, prep time is shortened and it's another great time to talk and enjoy each other's company.

#5) Rent a DVD or stream from Netflix!


Nothing against movie theaters, but we both agree watching a movie is more personal at home.
It's much more affordable & allows you to have conversation, something you shouldn't do at the box office ;)

#6) Play an interactive game!


If you both have a smart phone or tablet, download a game that can be played over wifi against one another.
We LOVE Jeopardy, so that's our nerdy game of choice!
If you want more competition, play for chore responsibilities! Just be sure you're playing a game that
both of you enjoy & share the same skill level. No one likes getting whooped over and over again!

 

That's just a few of our ideas, but would love to hear more from you!
Thanks for checking out our new blog,
we'll have many more projects coming soon so keep coming back!

Love in the details,

Spokenhome.

DIY| No-Sew Curtains

Hey Guys & Gals! :)

So, here is a quick demonstration of how you can create some quick curtains, without knowing how to sew and without purchasing equipment. We have a modern/contemporary, but funky style, and wanted some curtains in our living area that reflected that same style. Sheena searched several fabric stores until we found a pattern/fabric that we could agree on. Here is that fabric:

We decided because it was great quality (by Waverly Fabrics) and we got a 50% off deal, with an additional 10% for being an active student! (Ah yeah!) This fabric was so fun, but also had a cool 70's twist to it. The colors are vibrant enough to wake a room up, without overdoing it. So, we took it home and started to measure for cutting.

We had a total of 4 panels to make, and ended up not having enough fabric. (*facepalm*) We were able to jump onto Joanns.com and get the same deal, and FREE shipping to our house! Once the rest arrived, we began to assemble them. We opted for "no-sew" curtains, because we do not have a sewing machine, and sewing by hand would've been way too tedious. "Stitch Witchery" definitely came in handy, and combined with fabric glue - bonded the seams shut after maybe 10 seconds of steaming. Here is Sheena sitting on the floor going to work on those seams!

The curtains were completed on an old blanket, with a clean rag on top to protect the fabric from our old iron. Once the seams sealed up, we let the curtains "hang out" to air dry for about an hour. Once the curtains dried, we used some hooped hooks purchased at target. It is from their "Threshold" brand, and ran us about $11.99 for an 8-pack of hooks. Here is how we ended up hanging the curtains:

For those weekend warriors that are not afraid to apply a little time and nurturing to a good piece of fabric, this is what you can accomplish! I think the best feeling is knowing that it cannot be purchased to be just like yours. :) Happy Fabric hunting, and we would definitely love to see what prints and textures you guys find & where!

Love in the details,

SpokenHome.