There are a few exciting things coming up for Inspiralized, and I am the worst at keeping these types of announcements a secret.
I get so excited about Inspiralized, and I want to tell everyone about what’s about to come, but I’d hate to spill the beans and then have to come back around and say, “Actually, that didn’t pan out!”
Well, today, I don’t care if it goes poof, I can’t help but share!
Actually, I feel like that’s how business (and perhaps specifically, entrepreneurship) goes. So close to closing a deal, reaching a metric, launching a product and then poof – something goes wrong. Not to be a negative Nancy, but that’s how it often goes.
But here goes: I’m getting an office!
I know there’s a slight chance that something will go awry between now and move-in, but, for the sake of me bursting at the seams, I had to tell you all: I’M GETTING AN OFFICE!
I can’t even explain to you how heavy of a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I have been going through a little personal slump lately, and it was 100% driven by the fact that I eat, breath, live, work out of my apartment 24/7. That’s 24 hours a day in the same spot – a spot that’s less than 1,000 square feet.
Although I love what I do, I was downright sick of sitting at my tiny desk up against a corner of my living room. I was starting to lose motivation, wasn’t as excited to wake up and sit at my desk as I used to be, and I realized: it wasn’t the work, it was the atmosphere, the environment.
I need an inspiring workplace, and my personal home isn’t it anymore.
SO. I work hard and I decided to stop saying, “Well, it’s so much money! I can just suck it up – I’m lucky to be able to work from home” and I resolved to move Inspiralized to its own space. Luckily, I found something available and within a few days, IT WAS MINE!
I’m “moving in” in a couple of weeks, and I seriously cannot wait. I’m so excited for all the positive vibes that are going to come from these new surroundings. I’m going to setup my own photo studio (not a box of stuff hidden underneath the couch in our living room), have a proper desk, a dining table (I can’t even begin to tell you how much that alone excites me), and more.
And of course, I’ll be sharing pictures, Snaps, Instagrams along the way. It’s going to take a bit of time to get the office together, but now, I’ll have a dedicated space for work and a dedicated space for home.
I CAN BREATH!
As for today, this recipe was inspired by the chillier temperatures on Saturday evening. I literally thought to myself, “It’s time to make a ragu with sweet potato noodles!” This will not disappoint – it’s hearty, chock full of veggies, and has a tad bit of sweetness thanks to the sweet potato noodles. To save time, I used my favorite jarred marinara sauce by Victoria Fine Foods.
If you want a bit more Italian-style flavor, Victoria Fine Foods‘ Tomato Herb would be a great sauce to use as well. Nothing screams cozy like a hearty tomato ragu – and Victoria Fine Foods meets my clean-eating standards. Actually, they have started a “Read Your Label” campaign to encourage people to, well, read the label and truly understand what you’re putting int your body! I love their brand, because they include their ingredient list on the FRONT of the label.
Join Victoria Fine Foods and encourage family and friends to pay attention to the ingredients in the food they are serving! To participate, share this Facebook post or hashtag #ReadYourLabel and Victoria Fine Foods will donate $1 (up to $10K) to Spoons Across America, a non-profit that teaches healthy eating habits to kids.
Now that’s something I can stand behind!
Note: This post was sponsored by Victoria Fine Foods. However, all opinions are my own, always.
Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a sweet potato using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:
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Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 11 points
*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.
Sweet Potato Noodles with Brussels Sprouts and Lentil Ragu
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry brown lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 cups water
- 3 medium sweet potatoes peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- 1 small red onion peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 small carrots diced
- 2.5 cups shredded brussels sprouts
- 1.5 cups Victoria Fine Foods Organic Marinara sauce or similar jarred sauce
- chopped parsley to garnish
- grated parmesan cheese if desired (to garnish)
Instructions
- Place the lentils, bay leaf, and water in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are cooked through, adding more water as needed.
- Meanwhile, cook the sweet potato noodles. Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the sweet potato noodles and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until cooked through and al dente, about 7 minutes. When done, transfer noodles to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Place the skillet back over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until vegetables soften. Add the brussels sprouts and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils and tomato sauce and let cook for 5 more minutes, letting flavors mend together.
- Divide the sweet potato noodles into bowls and top with equal amounts of the ragu. Garnish with parsley and cheese (if desired.)
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