Have you ever tried pizza with a ground beef or poultry for the crust? If you’re anything like me you LOVE a good pizza. Great toppings, nice balance of flavors and of course, a solid cheese pull. But of course, pizza is not the healthiest option on the menu. I am a firm believer that a traditional homemade pizza is eons less greasy and allows you to control the type of preservatives, or lack thereof, in the crust. You’re also looking at double the protein and half the carbs!

To inch pizza even a little bit closer to achieving the healthy label, I would like to present the meat-za, or in this case Chi-Za! I used ground chicken for the crust. In the past I have experimented with beef and ground turkey could also be used. Something to keep in mind when choosing your protein is the level of fat that will cook out of the meat. The leaner options are not only healthier, but also less messy when it comes to the flip process of the crust. If you use a fattier meat, more grease will cook out. Regardless of your protein choice, you will need to dab excess moisture away with paper towels before flipping the crust. You will see what I mean when I give the run down on how to put this masterpiece together. Once you mix the protein and cook it for ten minutes on parchment paper at 450 degrees, you’ll flip that baby over before you add your toppings!
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You can make this chi-za ANYWAY you want! Literally the possibilities are endless! We actually made another variation just a few nights prior with red pepper, olives, mushrooms and smoked gouda. YUM! 

​But, for the Greek version let’s discuss – so we started with a very thin layer of tzatziki made with Greek yogurt, garlic powder, dill and a little dash of Aleppo pepper! Then, add feta, sliced black olives, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, green onions and dill pickles!
 

The crust holds together so well you can eat it like a regular slice of pizza!

​Recipe & Ingredients
 
1.5-2lbs ground chicken
1 t minced garlic
1 egg
1 t salt & pepper
2 T parmigiana
 
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine all ingredients and shape on parchment paper over a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and dab excess juices with paper towels. Then, carefully flip crust directly onto the pan. Add thin layer of tzatziki, feta, sliced olives & tomatoes. Put back in oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking. Add your sliced green onions, romaine and a dollop of tzatziki. Time to enjoy!

​In a mixing bowl combine the ground beef, salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Divide the ground beef into even proportion sized balls. Cut the onion into paper thin slices. If you have a mandolin, you can also use this tool to create very fine cuttings. Just from first hand experience, if you decide to use the mandolin PLEASE use the safety or you may end up an urgent care getting a hand wound cauterized. LOL, I’m allowed to laugh now, three years later…

​Okay, so here we go. Heat up the cast iron skillet, place the beef on, flatten with the metal spatula and add another dash of s & p. Immediately, load up the onions on top of the burger and let the meat brown for ~2 minutes. You’re looking for the burger to develop a crust, which will be loaded with flavor when you bite in! Flip the burger using the spatula to help keep the onions in place. Now your onions will be frying in the beef fat under the burger. Add your cheese and cook about 2-3 minutes until your burger reaches desired consistency. Immediately top with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and enjoy!

​Depending on the size of your cast iron, you may be able to do 2 at a time, but don’t crowd the pan because it will be difficult to flip the burger. We had two pounds of beef to make six burgers, but you can use what you have! These were so good and a great bite with the crunchy onions and gooey cheese. I used a gluten free burger bun and Spencer used romaine lettuce wraps, so whatever suits your fancy!

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
¼ c gluten free bread crumbs
1 t salt & pepper
2 white onions – Vidalia or Spanish
6 slices of cheese (smoked hot pepper)
Dill pickles, sliced tomatoes, romaine & gluten free hamburger buns

Send me a note if you try it or make a variation! I'd love to continue evolving this recipe!

​These waffles are so, so good and very easy to make. Whether you’re looking to prep them ahead of time or double the recipe, it’s easy as can be. The macros are great. The sweetness in this recipe is going to come from the banana, vanilla and the natural flavors in your peanut butter protein powder or substitute.
 
I realize peanut butter protein powder isn’t extraordinarily common, unless you love Bowmar protein as much as I do. A nice substitute would be ½ scoop of vanilla protein and ½ scoop peanut butter powder for the collagen. You’ll still get a ton of peanut butter flavor with the same consistency! Yum!
 
You can preheat the waffle maker while you’re putting the batter together. After the first time making them, it will only take 15 minutes start to finish. One serving is about 3 waffles. I use our Ninja single serve blender to put together the ingredients. The recipe fits if you double it, as well. I usually add a tsp of butter or peanut butter to the waffles for topping. For dessert one evening, I topped with fresh vanilla whipped cream.
 
Recipe
Preheat waffle maker and spray with nonstick spray
1/2 scoop pb protein powder (or whatever you have)
1/2 scoop collagen (can be omitted, but seriously helping my recovery so sticking with it)
1/2 banana
1 egg & 1 egg white
1/2 cup oats
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt, baking p & s, cinnamon
Blend ingredients until smooth and put ¼ c on waffle maker
Topped with fresh vanilla whipped cream, butter or favorite topping 😋

​We had leftover grilled sirloin from last night so we decided to whip up an Asian inspired meal with Teriyaki sauce and what we like to call dirty rice.
The rice consists of whatever veggies you have on hand, sautéed and reduced down in broth. Then, mix the veg and rice together. I used Forbidden black rice and for veg I had a red pepper, white onion and four carrots.
Traditional teriyaki sauce is equal parts reduced sodium soy sauce (San-j), mirin (sweet & savory cooking wine -Eden) and sake. But, as per usual we made some adjustments including using reduced sodium soy sauce so it is easier to control the salt. We also made our own sake substitute using just shy of 1 cup extra dry vermouth and 1 T rice wine vinegar (Marukan).
 
For equal parts we used a 1 cup measurement. We also added a corn starch slurry 2:1 water (2 T water: 1 T corn starch) to thicken. Who said you didn’t need to learn tratios?   Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat in a sauce pan, reduce by 1/3 until it reaches your desired consistency.
 
NOW, this is where is get exciting!
We wanted to spruce it up a little, so went with some aromatics by the way of minced sushi ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, Aleppo chili flakes and a dash of maple syrup for a HINT of sweetness. Mirin is naturally sweet so depending on your brand you may not even need to add it.
 
After the sauce was complete, we added the grilled sirloin to the sauce to simmer for a couple minutes and then served it over the dirty rice. Enjoy!!
 
One of our goals with recipe development is to cut down on added sugars, preservatives, etc. In this recipe, we cut WAY down on the traditional amount of sugar. We also added maple syrup instead of a typical white sugar. It is important to start with a small amount of sugar in recipes, then test to see if it is needed. We added the small amount for balance. Keep sugar low!!! Health goals 😊
 
This ratio made plenty for leftovers so tomorrow we’re planning to try baked chicken drumsticks and broccoli with a nice drizzle of teriyaki! Yum, I’m already excited!

1 c soy sauce
1 c Mirin
1 c Sake - substitute (just under 1 c dry vermouth & 1 T rice wine vinegar)
2 T water
1 T corn starch
2 T minced sushi ginger
1 T minced garlic
2 t sesame seeds
2 t aleppo chili flakes
Dash of maple syrup
 
1 cup rice
Vegetables of your choosing!
 
 
Comment below if you’ve tried this or something similar. I would love to try a new variation!

​In sequence with “The Tale of an Efficient Resume”, up next is “The Tale of an Efficient Job Search” which will post as several different blog articles to fully encompass the process. In this article you can expect to refresh or learn about commonly used interview questions and the best ways to answer them. Anxiety is often running high in the interview setting, therefore preparation is a no brainer! Take the accountability and set yourself up for success.

If you have been following along with my social media posts, there have been daily questions, but for your ease, each one will be listed in this article, so here we go! First things first is how to answer questions most effectively. One commonly used approach is the STAR format. While on the surface this format seems to encompass a lot of information for the interviewee to spit out, it ensures touching on all aspects of the answer the interviewer wants to hear.

S-Situation: Explain the layout of the situation. It may be fresh in your head, but the interviewer needs some background in order to understand exactly what message you are trying to leave.
T-Task: What were you trying to accomplish in this situation? Lay clear ground work as to the overall goal and this will help close R with a bang!
A-Action: What action did you take in order to conquer and complete this task?
R-Result: You had X task as a responsibility, you took Y action in order to make it happen, which lead to Z result!
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You can see how it all comes together using this structure. Let’s discuss some questions to expect and how they will fit.

​The most common opener is “Tell me about yourself”. Not only will it get you to do the talking, it is a simple way for the interviewer to ease into their groove also. Ask about the expectations for the question. Inquire if they’re looking for something specific or if you should summarize your resume. Assuming they indicate the latter, pick important details and avoid reading line by line. Include education, work experience with major influential moments and any other miscellaneous activities with relevance to the role.

​Describe a time when you faced adversity. Break out the STAR format here as you will be able to easily loop in the outcome during the “result” phase. An example is a deadline quickly approaching, but there were still objections for the project and what you did to expedite progress to finish promptly. Each industry and role is accompanied by its own set of adverse situations, so the potential here is sky high.

​Give me an example of the biggest disappointment or failure you have had to deal with. This question may be uncomfortable, but be prepared to answer it. The key is to conclude with adjustments made to never experience that failure again. What skills have you gained to overcome this challenge in the future and what have you learned? Turn the surface level negative into a positive.

​Tell me about your adaptability. Can you roll with the punches? Can you change direction at the drop of a coin? Be ready to discuss your skill to be versatile. One major trait an employer is looking to hire is the dynamic ability to rapidly accept change and apply it to the work.

​Describe in detail a day in your current role. Discuss from start to finish what your daily operations look like. It is important to remember an activity seemingly mundane to you (because you have been doing it for years) is new to the interviewer so be detailed. Talk about responsibilities, different challenges that arise and ultimately what the goal of your workday is.

​Tell me about an accomplishment due to your consistency. Regardless of industry, consistency is another top trait an employer is looking for in their workforce. Have an example prepared that led to a successful endpoint or how consistency has always been a factor in your success and why. Consistency is hands down a factor to increasing a candidate’s hireability.

​What is your greatest weakness? Another question posing some uncomfortable feelings, but don’t evade preparing for it. Choose a topic you’re actively working to improve and admit you are not perfect. Avoid speaking about something that is a primary function of the role you’re applying for. An interview is one of the primary sources for leaving an impression on how you can make a difference in their organization, therefore strategize effectively with this question. 

​Tell me about an initiative for improvement you created. Time to shine! End goal of this question is to learn if you have displayed out of the box thinking and had the courage to spearhead the project. If you’re not sure how to answer this question, start thumbing through old emails and recover a lead you took to change the outcome of a project.

These eight questions are just a small tester of questions that could be fired off during a phone or face to face interview. As mentioned earlier, applying the STAR format to answer thoroughly will take you down the path to success. For more interview strategies and tips, follow my IG @buildyourbest_withbec and check back for the next blog article!

This past week I went to town on resume basics with my posts on social media. Seeing that January is a time when hiring increases, it seems appropriate. In addition, a trend I have been hearing among my clients and professional network is the added value of an efficient job search. About three years ago I was looking to move back home and I remember the struggle of working my full-time job and then coming home at night to start the applying process. Many employers have their own interface to apply through and specific documents to fill out, on top of attaching your resume and cover letter. It can be simple to take your foot off the gas pedal when the process begins to feel monotonous. So, the question is how do you create an efficient job search?

​First things first, create the most readable and prime detailed resume. Let’s pound through a few easy tips to get started. The first thing listed on your resume should be demographic information; Name, telephone, city and state. An older resume may list an entire address, but that is not necessary (preference). Two necessities are an accurate, professional email address and also LinkedIn URL. To keep the demographic section, clean login to LinkedIn, edit profile and edit the URL. It is extremely simple, small detail, but impactful. 

​The next section is work history, AKA experience. This is going to be the meat of your resume, so making it effective is crucial. Utilize action verbs to begin each statement and stay away from standards statements like those found in your role’s job description. A formal job description can help organize thoughts about influence of those duties, but these bullet points should be more specific. A few examples are manage, oversee, develop, strategize…you get the idea! As far as format goes an example is “Managed ‘X’ task resulting in % growth of ‘Y’ over ‘Z’ time period. A million different forms can be listed, but be specific to your industry and list YOUR influence on those tasks.

​Internships should be listed in certain scenarios. Time and effort were put into these roles so don’t overlook the experience thinking it is outdated or irrelevant. If you’re a few years out of college, the experience is relevant or complimentary to the role you’re applying for, brings added value to your overall knowledge base or it’s the only work history you have, LEVERAGE IT!

​Next, is technology and trust me, we are moving right along. By this point, your resume is really beginning to take shape. This section will include computer skills, database knowledge and all over IT. It is no surprise these skills are a hot point, and most industries have specific databases or technical skills that reign over others. If you possess this knowledge coming into a new role, you’re a more well-versed candidate, can hit the ground running and will require less training ($$). Now, what about Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc? These can be listed as Microsoft Office to include, but not waste space on what may be expected as a standard (depending on role). 

​A special section titled ‘Relevant Experience’ or ‘Additional Information’ can be utilized to include details that just did not seem effective in other locations. Don’t let it fall off the page if it’s truly important. As an example, I recently worked on a pharmaceutical sales industry resume for a client who also carried EMS industry, so it was added to his ‘Relevant Experience’ to highlight a well-rounded medical background. 

​Have you recently completed any volunteer and philanthropic work? Listing it is important and this is the final piece! Don’t hold back displaying how seasoned you are. Also, this is another building block to show the recruiter or employer your expansive knowledge base and humanity.

​Last, but certainly not least, is the length conversation. Resume length is highly debated, but most companies expect one to two pages for a couple reasons. The first is simply the reader’s attention will span. Second, it is believed the experience and impacts you’ve had over the years should be compact and concise enough for this length. Some specific trades and skilled positions require much longer descriptions of the role and your background. The easy answer is to do research regarding expectations for your industry. Be prepared with the proper resources to make the most impressive impact!
Utilize this inclusive resume guide to break down each section of your resume to allow for a seamless build. Try not to get lost in the confusion of how to put it all together. Approach is step by step and keep it simple. Please reach out to me with questions or for assistance!

As I recently spent some time exploring the writing of Charles Dickens, I have new thoughts flowing. In the mid-1850s when Dickens was forming a Christmas story, “The Chimes”, he spoke about the New Year being a time to close out any debts, matters or projects to start the next year fresh. Although the term ‘New Year’s Resolution’ and ‘New Year, New You’ are commonplace now, do you actually find yourself finishing projects and making yourself available to begin 2019 with a clean slate?
 
I do not personally believe in substantial, abrupt changes when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. In order to properly change behaviors and engage in new activities, a specific mindset change in necessary. It is proven incremental adjustments versus a larger one will produce longer term results ultimately leading to a lifetime of change and not just the short term. How can you beat the question of “oh, how long did you stick with it?”.

​All the suggestions listed happen with your initiative. They are not reliant upon the actions of others, nor will they benefit others. This strictly falls into your boathouse of responsibilities. As always, I am realistic. I understand there is not always enough time in the day to add on extras, so what is the benefit of laying out changes and executing? As all the effort falls on your plate, so does the benefit. The list of three suggestions above is so small relatively speaking to what you may have in mind to fit your current situation and where you would like to go, but regardless, all these initiatives have one thing in common. They better YOU. It may contribute to your organization, health, time management, professional development and the list goes on.
 
To relate to my concentration of your professional development journey, I would like to spend a few minutes honing in on your LinkedIn profile, personal portfolio and resume. Many employers require employees to participate in an annual review, including feedback from management and self-assessment. If you are a part of an organization requiring this, great! They have provided a guide in order to get started! If not, it is not a problem, as you will have free reign to decide exactly which categories of your development to highlight. Take the opportunity to review the projects you have led or played a role in and what the results were. You can identify quantitative results tied directly back to your efforts. Another avenue to pursue is featuring educational or learning efforts pursued to further your range of expertise.
 
The skills or tasks you choose to highlight, will dictate which interfaces to focus on. The end result will remain consistent though in focusing on your development. Little changes to your resume, personal portfolio or LinkedIn profile produce a larger influence in the end

​As we close out the year, my biggest tip is to hold yourself accountable. Don’t waste time saying you will make these changes at the end of 2019. Roll into the year ready to rumble and make a difference for you. Time is and always will be our most valuable asset, so treat it right and focus on your priorities.
The writing of Dickens's presents in an old style, but his thoughts about time are relatable to where we currently stand. “The voice of time cries to man, Advance! Time is for his advancement and improvement; for his greater worth, his greater happiness, his better life; his progress onward to that goal within its knowledge and its view, and set there, in the period when Time and He began.” Let these words linger on your mind and soul until they resonate. Happy New Year, everyone!

As I reflect on what the most important read for my clients could be given the timeline, I am thinking about personally how this time of the year is, and has, affected me. There are a lot of differences throughout the workforce, but certain stressors and deadlines remain the same. When the end of the quarter approaches throughout the year things like budgets, billing, sales and project deadlines become the norm. Now, when it is the end of the year and quarter all in one bucket, it seems as those all these things are amplified. In addition to workplace targets, the influence of the holidays adds another layer of responsibility and organization to an already full plate.
 
Full disclosure, I am undoubtedly a strong type A personality. The reason I am sharing this is because when the hammer comes to down to make sure all the fine tune details have been handled with care, I naturally develop more stress and anxiety to achieve perfection. With that being said my goal of this article is to expose some of my secrets to keep chugging along and excel through the most stressful days of the year. Admittedly, I am also writing this piece to serve as a reminder to myself how to handle all the joys and obligations the end of the year delivers.
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​The most simple and effective tip to cut down on stress is to stay organized. Investing the extra 30 to 60 minutes to develop a plan will save hours on the back end. For myself this is taking the time on Sunday to get ready for the week. Being in sales, I want to know exactly where each one of my stops is going to be and the approximate time each will take in order to be most efficient. Another helpful organization tip is developing an objective with set checkpoints to track progress and keep each milestone meaningful. Even though these will just be small chunks of the big picture, it will help to promote productivity.

When planning out time and how to fit in each aspect of the 24-hour day we are allotted, devote some to the activity that allows you to take your mind of the work topic at hand. My personal preference is the gym and volleyball. I spend at least an hour each morning sweating out my stress and trying (keyword-trying) to remove my mind from all the chaos. I have to admit this past week meant more sacrifice to my sleep schedule than normal, but I utilize self-awareness to prioritize my workout routine.
 
Another refreshing activity I take part in to slow down is reading in the evening before hitting the pillow. Not only does reading give my eyes and mind time to adjust away from electronics, I can slow down my heart rate and truly engage solely in the pages in front of me. Friends of mine have mentioned yoga, meditation, pottery, cooking and more to step away from the strain. It all depends on what YOU prefer. What are a couple activities you engage in to de-stress?
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​When you strap on your boots or heels each and every day, it is important to take a moment and reflect on why you do what you do. Some days when tensions are running high and stress gets the best of you, it may seem like an impossible task. We are all human, so this will happen, but it will help to hold yourself accountable to concentrate on your ‘why’ being at the center of your actions. The benefit of being self-aware is even higher during the year-end deadlines we have been discussing. Rediscover your passions and actively spend your energy in this space.
 
There are many other tips that can help us get through stressful times and I would be happy to hear any other suggestions! I hope these will help alleviate some grind it out moments as 2018 comes to a close! Happy Holidays everyone.  

​LinkedIn and Professional Development
I am also here to bust the myth of LinkedIn profiles solely being beneficial for job searchers. Utilizing LinkedIn for professional development and networking continues to be overlooked. Whether business growth is your goal or simply learning new skills from others, LinkedIn is the perfect go-to. If you are familiar with Gary Vaynerchuk, this social media platform is one he frequently speaks about regarding the attention being significantly underpriced. The breakdown of this idea is the audience available through LinkedIn is accessible for a very low cost (if any, depending on your goal). Essentially the reach is significant and cost is low to initiate. Another notable feature of the platform is reaching those across the world from your own living room, but that is a completely separate conversation. Let’s stay on task!

​Top to Bottom
Starting from top to bottom with your LinkedIn profile, I will begin with Summary at the top. This is your personal and professional introduction to all eyes viewing your profile. Think of it as your initial handshake and meaningful first impression. A noticeable similarity in messaging can be seen on the introduction of your resume. Utilize the space to breakdown your highlighted skills in a one to two sentence format followed by bullet points encompassing other notable details. Two great examples are quantitative statistics or awards won that can be displayed to draw attention to how attractive a candidate you are.

​Summary
The Summary section is followed by Experience. Similar to what I mentioned earlier, the tone and format here look familiar to your resume and vice versa. Present the information in a well thought out and direct manner showing specific tasks completed or influenced in order to make the largest impact. The use of bullet points again will allow the reader to review your skills and history with ease!

​Education
Next, is the Education section, which is fairly straight forward. List each degree with accuracy and specificity. One thing often skipped is if an Associate’s degree was completed at a different school from Bachelor’s, both should be listed. There are endless possibilities with networking or alumni connections that could potentially be missed if only one is listed. 

​Skills
LinkedIn Skills brings another important section! Recruiters are looking to identify key skills in order to fill their positions properly. On top of the manual review, queries are run to locate potential candidates who qualify for openings, so you can see the emphasis necessary. Terms such as customer service, sales, ICD-10, work flow operations, financial analysis and many more can be included depending upon industry.

​Recommendations and Endorsements
Last and most certainly not least, are what I refer to as ‘LinkedIn Extras’. The entire profile holds weight, so don’t skip over the last couple sections. You will notice a section for Recommendations and Endorsements where other members can endorse you for particular skills or write a complete recommendation. If you’re a business owner looking to increase credibility, the recommendation section can be an effective ask of your clients to help after delivering a satisfying product or service. Endorsements can simply be sent from other members who believe you excel in particular categories, such as marketing or team building.
The final section is ‘Interests’, which will populate those pages and companies you have followed. It is important to remain specific about what you ‘Follow’ knowing it will show as public.
With all these details wrapped with a bow, you can begin to transform your profile one step and section at a time. Avoid overwhelming yourself, regardless of time of year by making small incremental changes. If you have specific questions relating to your experience and future goals, please drop me a message at buildyourbest@becwagner.com! Until next time, Happy Holidays to all!