Listen, Learn, Read, Eat - Edition 3

This summer has been crazy, but I’m still finding time for a little relaxation here and there and that means it’s time for another edition of Listen, Learn, Read, Eat. Below I’ll be sharing what’s been keeping me inspired, helping me relax and satisfying my taste buds this month! 

Listen: The Happy Hour Podcast with Jamie Ivey - Darbie Angell Episode #252

While I was training for my marathon I had a lot of time to dig into new podcasts. I was always on the lookout for longer shows because I’d often be running for an hour or longer when I listened to them. I came across The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey I have a feeling that this is more of a “mom podcast”, but she brings some pretty interesting guests on the show so I don’t mind. I recently listened to an episode that might be my favorite yet. Darbie Angell, someone I’d never heard of prior to this episode, was brought on to speak about starting a dinnerware business by selling diamonds she bought at cost to make initial cash and convincing men in Bangladesh to roll out her product without being paid. This woman has an incredibly interesting story of success and I highly recommend giving it a listen! 

Learn: All things Enneagram

This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned my love for learning about personality types, but I’ve been learning about something new in this area lately: One of my goals for 2019 was to learn more about the enneagram. What’s that, you ask? It still confuses me a bit, but basically it’s a nine-point diagram of integrated personality types. I look at the enneagram as a tool to help me better understand myself so that I can then better understand the people I interact with. So far in my discovery of the enneagram I’ve been reading a book called The Road Back to You which I’ve heard is a good place to start to better understand each of the nine types. After I finish the book my plan is to listen to podcasts about the enneagram to keep working towards a better understanding of each type. I’m still trying to figure out which number I associate with, but I’ll be sure to share later on for readers who are also fans of the enneagram. 

Read: Sisters First by Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush-Hagar

I love a good inspirational, “self-help” book, but sometimes I just need to read something that doesn’t require any brain power. One of those books you could just sit down and knock out in a day, ya know? I always have a difficult time finding books like this. My sister loves reading books about political figures, so for Christmas I gifted her Sisters First, written by the Bush Twins. Of course I wouldn’t buy her a book that I wouldn’t want to read myself, so Megan was nice enough to lend me the book while I was home on Christmas break. I don’t know what to say other than this book was a really interesting read! Jenna Bush-Hagar and Barbara Bush really give readers a glimpse into what it was like to be the children and grandchildren of the President of the United States. If you’re looking for a quick and easy read, I definitely recommend this one! 

Eat: Burrito Bowls

I usually love to cook often and meal prep when I can, but I’ve kind of been slacking in the culinary department this summer. When I don’t have as much time as I’d like to prepare meals, I tend to limit my cooking to one dish that I know I can eat for several days without getting tired of it. This summer, my go-to meal has been simple burrito bowls, inspired by my love for Pancheros. I started making my own cilantro lime rice which is a literal game changer when it comes to this dish. The next step is to choose your protein. When I spend an entire day meal prepping, I’ll often dice up chicken and coat it in taco seasonings and place single portions into freezer bags for later use. I usually also cut up a few bell peppers and onion and do the same with them. These two steps make this meal 100% more convenient since all you’ll need to do is dump the pre-cut, pre-portioned baggies into a frying pan for 10ish minutes. Next is the fun part - toppings! When I know I’ll be preparing this meal for the week, I’ll make sure to pick up some pico de gallo, avocados and shredded lettuce. There ya have it! This is my favorite summer dish that can be enjoyed for five days in a row. And yes, I’ve actually tested this fact. 

What have been some of your favorite things lately? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!