RandomActsofLife

This is the craziness that is life as an actress/professor/health/fitness coach/wannabe chef!

[gennjackson]

Ohmygoodness! So......remember the #healthbet I did during the month of September? Well..... I just got this email that said I qualified for part of the prize!! And when I asked people to join me in the challenge so they could get their piece too.....only ONE joined me! My boo Kirsten! So......don't none-a y'all come trying to spend my monies when you could have gotten your own! 😁 I can't wait to see how October turns out! #superpsyched #geeked #thesirensquad

[gennjackson]

So not only was today #TacoTuesday..... it was also #NationalTacoDay! What are the odds?! It's like the odds WERE ever in my favor!! But wait...how do you modify a taco to fit working your meal plan Easily! Instead of a tortilla, you employ a romaine leaf as the shell! Extra veggies, and keeps you on track! #lifehack #jerf #beforeandafter

[gennjackson]

Got to spend some time in one of my favorite places today. I love all the changes....especially this little butterfly garden! ❤️#readingisfundamental #books #bibliophile #thesecretgarden (at Park Forest Public Library)

[gennjackson]

Tonight's dinner: Crockpot chicken cacciatore served over sautéed spinach #jerf

[gennjackson]

Kicking off my #faux30 with some eggs and sautéed Brussels! It's a faux 30 and not a true #Whole30 because of the stuff I have to make for culinary school, but I'll be mostly compliant for the next 30 days! #breakfastisserved

[gennjackson]

Guess what day it is..... #meangirls #aaronsamuels #cadyheron #october3rd

[gennjackson]

Sometimes I put on real clothes and go outside. 😁 #ootd

[gennjackson]

First run of my Phat Fall Challenge for #ifgirlsrantheworld! Today my Nike + app coach had me doing a #benchmark run to see how I've been progressing the last few weeks. I think running this Hot Chocolate race at the end of this month will be a great way to celebrate finishing this part of the FallChallenge! If you want to show support as I do this, you can donate to the charity I chose to run for! Message me or comment below for more deets! Sunday Runday Complete! #runanddone

[gennjackson]

Got to stop into one of my fave places today to orchestrate a surprise 😁 I think I did good 😊 #surprise #itsthelittlethings (at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant)

[gennjackson]

Date night #gosox #chinanigans (at US Cellular Field - White Sox Game - Go Sox!)

[gennjackson]

I've said it before (and even if you're tired of reading it), now I'm saying it again. The BEST way to stay on track with your fitness goals AND keep your finances on track is to meal prep and bring your lunch from home. I took leftover shredded cabbage from a salad I created for my final last week, the shrimp/bell pepper quesadilla last night and some ground chicken from the other day to make these AWESOME taco salads. Can you tell which one is mine/which one is his? I'm not sure how much a taco salad costs these days at restaurants, so I looked at Zacatacos near me, and saw that it's about $6/salad. So, $12 for two. Monday-Friday, that ends up being $60! Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it MAYBE cost me $20 for all of these ingredients. The shrimp, bell peppers, and ground chicken were enough for a few dual person servings as part of other meals, and there's still half a head of both the red and green cabbage. The added bonus is that I know EXACTLY what went into this food, from the seasonings to how it was prepared. Mine is also portioned into TWO servings that fit within my meal plan. (Technically so is his, but don't tell him 😂) So really, this is like 4 salads, not 2, which would be $24/day and $120/week. Most of us don't think about how much it adds up in the long run.....but we throw so much money away on food and add on so many extra pounds each year by not knowing how much we're really consuming when we give others control of our food. So my question for you today is.....do you know how much eating out is REALLY costing you? #meditationmoment #thingsthatmakeyougohmm

[gennjackson]

Shrimp, onion, and bell pepper quesadilla topped with peach mango salsa and a bit of sour cream for #TacoTuesday And YES. This DOES fit into my meal plan! I get a lot of questions about that, especially when tacos are concerned. When your portions are correct, it can provide some much needed wiggle room! #jerf

[gennjackson]

So the soup I made was a seafood gumbo. It holds a special place in my heart because it was one of my favorite things my father used to make for us when I was a kid. Last year, we were working on making a cookbook together. His recipes plus my updates, healthy or otherwise..... This recipe is the first thing I made from his cookbook. The cookbook he gave me right before he died. I always heard the stories of how he made his mother's roux and that it was incredible....And that's what made the gumbo so good.....I tried I do it justice. I was up until 6 this morning trying to get it right. I took his base and added my updates to create this......and it's amazing. Well.....I think it's amazing..... And I think my father would be proud of me. #familyiseverything

[gennjackson]

Got my mise en place set up for my foundations class final assignment. We have to make a soup/salad combo. This is for the soup, and it's REALLY special to me. I hope it comes out amazing!! #fingerscrossed

[gennjackson]

Refrigerator smorgasbord for lunch earlier. The last of the fettuccine alfredo with grilled shrimp and carrots Vichy, and a chicken burger patty with a smidge of cheese, salsa, and sour cream. #nofoodleftbehind

[gennjackson]

First day trying to run since I got sick last Friday, and boy was it tough! My breathing is still pretty labored so I took more walking breaks and only tried for 2 miles....but it felt good to be out there again! ✌🏾️ #justdoit

[gennjackson]

My scavenger hunt launched from Daley Plaza today, and on Thursdays, there's a farmer's market there. I was beyond stoked to see my favorite olive oil/balsamic vinegar shop had a stand right near where I was standing. I don't go as often as I would like because I'm in Hyde Park and they're in Naperville.....but now..... 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 Today I picked up some lemon basil evoo and a mango balsamic vinegar. I have to create my own soup/salad combo for my #culinaryschool final this week, and I know I want to make a citrus and herb vinaigrette....these will DEFINITELY come in handy! #twistedolive (at Daley Plaza Farmers Market)