TDS 46 How Simple Helps. Interview with Erin Port of Simple Purposeful Living
Erin Port of Simple Purposeful Living
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Are you one of those people who overthinks and overstresses about any number of things going on in your life? While you dive into obsessing, it gets pretty noisy in your head, doesn’t it? Maybe you even feel like you’re all alone.
Except…you’re not alone. You have kids, activities, a job, and so much more going on. Maybe TOO much going on.
Can you relate? If yes, take a moment to breathe and get ready to meet Erin Port of Simple Purposeful Living on this week’s episode of The Delicious Story. Not only will she share her own story, but you’ll find her energy and enthusiasm a respite of encouragement.
Erin lives a full and busy life—children, spouse, business—but in the midst of what can sometimes look like mayhem, she’s found the path to personal security by enjoying the simple little moments. In fact, Erin’s key to living well is all about doing the simple things on purpose and sharing that message with others.
You’ll learn how Erin turns mishaps and daily adventures into fun and inspiration. There is nothing perfectly coiffed in that improvised dance, either, which is the point. Erin shares loads of ideas that help her connect with other women, specifically, by offering great tips and assurances, too.
Erin came upon creating Simple Purposeful Living as a means to connect with others. You’ll be amazed by how she turned bonding into blogging (and videos), which provide helpful resources to a growing audience of other women who appreciate the support. Erin is authentic about what works and doesn’t. No shame. No comparisons with something perfect, either.
And let me tell you, creating content and building an audience is hard work. I asked Erin to explain what keeps her going and how she manages the business while also raising a family. You’ll find her answer is in keeping with much of the other details she shares. They’re each bite-sized ideas that are practical and make sense, too.
Erin works with the ebb and flow of life but also has a system which consistently keeps her moving along. As a grandmother, I don’t recall having any of it this together when I was raising my children. Erin would have been a wonderful friend to have in my corner with her energy and encouragement. That it works well for Erin and her family is a testament and inspiration. Meal planning, recipes, activities and adoption are some of the topics she covers honestly and with humor.
You’ll find Erin’s memorable meal story a fun romp into misadventure—it’s the disaster turned cherished memory that will warm your heart. And when it came to recipes, Erin has loads of those to share. She recommended her Easy Baked Mexican Dip, for instance, which is a family favorite. The recipe is included here, but you’ll want to hear her story behind how it came to be a favorite during the podcast. If you’d like to see images of the finished dish, you can go here.
Ingredients
1 8 oz Bag of Taco Blend Cheese
1 small bottle of mild taco sauce (Taco Bell is the only brand I can find that has the smaller bottle)
1 can diced green chiles
1 can traditional refried beans
1 packet taco seasoning
1 lb ground beef (I use turkey)
Directions
Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees and then brown your ground meat and chop until finely ground. After it’s cooked, I like to rinse it to get out the excess grease and then add the taco seasoning packet and add water according to the package specifications. Then cook through.
While your meat is cooking, you can add the refried beans to the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Spread the refried beans into the thin bottom layer.
Add your seasoned ground meat on top of the refried bean layer and then sprinkle the green chiles over top of the ground beef to make a 3rd layer. Then, pour the entire bag of shredded cheese on top to make an even 4th layer.
Finally, evenly pour the taco sauce over the top. The oven should be pre-heated, and it's ready to cook. Since everything is cooked through, you really are just warming it all up. You will cook the dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. You know when it’s done if it’s bubbling on the sides.
How to Serve
Take it out and allow to set for a few minutes. Then you can dish it on to a plate and serve with taco chips, or you can spoon into tortillas with lettuce and toppings if you wish.
If you get overwhelmed and think a lot of life is complicated, remember that in the fray, there are small moments of doing basic things which can provide you comfort. Erin Port is all about acknowledging that sometimes the best answer is really the simple one.
Here are several ways to connect with Erin and learn more.
Simple Purposeful Living Instagram
The simple act of getting organized is a treat. One of my spring pleasures is cleaning up spaces at home. Every time I get around to ordering things, I wonder why I don’t keep them that way in the first place. This year I took a course by Get Organized Gal and found it was just the thing to help keep me on track. You can check out all of Get Organized Courses and see if something sounds like a good fit for you.
Sherry and Alexandra Borzo together in Lima, Peru
Sherry is the founder of Storied Gifts a personal publishing service of family and company histories. She and her team help clients curate and craft their stories into books. When not writing or interviewing, Sherry spends loads of time with her grandchildren and lives in Des Moines, Iowa.
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