Easiest Mac & Cheese Ever!

So my toddler asked for mac & cheese tonight and we didn't have any in the cabinet. Panic set in and I was waiting for a meltdown to begin. I quickly started a pot of water and figured I would wing it.

I am shocked at how good this came out! Here is what I did...

-- Cook pasta on the stove. I used elbows that were leftover in a baggie because it's all we had and it was perfect for it.
-- Add some butter (regular, sunflower, coconut, etc.) and a little cream or milk (whole, almond, etc.). Whatever you prefer and have on had.
-- Mix in parmesan cheese and a little shredded cheddar until fully melted. Add more liquid as needed.

SO easy, way more flavor then boxed and without those extra unneeded preservatives. Obviously powdered cheese can't be healthy for you, that's a no brainer.

The amount of time it took to make this was the same as microwaving an easy mac and letting it sit and cool so why not do this?! This isn't something I would do when making mac & cheese for the family or a party, etc. but it's definitely a great alternative when in a bind or when only cooking for the kids.

Next time your toddler wants mac & cheese, remember this!

 

Positive vibes,

 

Jenn

Meal Delivery Services

So I know these meal deliveries companies have been around for awhile. Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, Purple Carrot, etc. but we never tried them before. They are a bit pricey and out of our weekly budget for the regular price of the service, but with coupons they are very affordable. I always seem to see $30 off coupons, but after doing some googling I was able to find $40 off coupons. By using this coupon, 3 meals for 2 people each is only $20. This is so much cheaper than if all the supplies were purchased at a grocery store. The regular price is completely worth it also for the convenience and quality of food, but it's just not something we can afford. Finding a way around paying full price has been great because we are really enjoying the meals.

 

We have tried one week of Hello Fresh and one week of Blue Apron so far and are pleasantly surprised with the meals. My husband also loves cooking the meals and learning new recipes we can use in the future and small things you wouldn't think to do or mix together but works and tastes delicious. Plus it's a win win for me because I don't have to cook. Another plus is having my husband see that healthier options can taste good too and to broaden the types of food he eats. Who knew he liked radishes and cabbage?! :)

 

The meals only take about 30 minutes with prep and cooking which is not bad at all. They are full of flavor, there's a good variety of meals to choose from each week and are good portions. Portion size is one thing my husband was worried about. When we received the first box and saw all the supplies it didn't seem like enough for us, but once the meals were cooked and plated it was plenty. The only downfall is there isn't enough for leftovers for lunch the next day. We like leftovers but at the same time they seem to go to waste a lot too.

 

I have heard Hello Fresh is better than Blue Apron but from our experience they are equally as good.  We are excited to try more companies and more meals. Here are a few of our meals we've made so far, we as in my husband haha:

 

 

If anyone is thinking about trying one of these services I highly recommend it. If you need help finding a coupon to use let me know!

Postive vibes,
Jenn

Feel Good Food

This is always something “people” say. People say a lot of things and you can’t always believe it all, but this you can. There have been times I totally blew that little saying “feel good food” off and thought it’s all BS. Then I would continue to eat whatever crappy food I was eating and the end result was not great.  Ding! Ding! Ding! There’s a reason why. Feel good food is a real thing. There’s so much truth in it. Eating that type of food DOES make you feel good, more energized, awake, less bloated and happier. I’ve experienced it a million times over. I eat bad food and feel depressed, fat and blah. I eat good food and feel good about myself and more alive.  I do more and accomplish more when I have whole grains, healthy fats and food in my body. When I eat bad I become lazy and sad.

Granted, I can treat myself to something “bad” and still feel good too, but it’s more so when the “bad” food consumes you and your entire day that you feel different.  One meal, one snack or something won’t make you feel crappy, it’s when over indulging happens and a whole day of bad choices go by. I personally like to enjoy food, good and bad but moderation is key.

Today I started my day with a big superfood, shakeology and packed a healthy protein filled lunch to fill me up until dinner tonight which is a healthy pizza option. Still gotta have my pizza! J Finding healthy alternatives to your favorite foods helps me a lot. I still have regular pizza on occasion of course but I like to have pizza quite often so having . A plan is good to have for the day or week because this will prevent eating out, bad choices and binge eating which we are all guilty of. Not everyone has time to work out or even cook so prep and a plan helps the week go more smooth.

 

 

Good vibes,

 

Jenn

Quinoa Cakes

 

You know me and quinoa, I love it and it's a great source of protein and a healthy food that fills you up. I ate these for dinner last week and really enjoyed them.

 

The recipe calls for:

 

2 cups quinoa, cooked

2/3 cup fontina cheese, grated

3 tbs flour

1 egg

2 tbs olive oil

2-3 chives

salt & pepper to taste

 

-- Add the olive oil to a pan and heat on medium.

-- Mix the remaining ingredients. Form patties, I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup.

-- Add the patties to the heated pan. Cook on each side for about 5 minutes.

 

I made an aioli to dip them in which came out great and paired well with the patties. I used minced garlic, a little mayo (light if you have it), a couple drops of lemon juice and a chipotle spice we had on hand. You can use any spice you prefer and can also substitute a different cheese if you wanted.

 

 

Enjoy!



Success!

 

Well, day 2 of the group I have completed what I needed. I feel even more motivated now. Yesterday's workout was AWESOME. Country Heat is better than I thought it would be and a true workout. I sweat just as much as I do with any other workouts. I felt like I really accomplished something and felt good about that and myself. Parker joined in a little here and there, he loved the music and had to put his cowboy boots on for it. Too cute!

 

This program I prefer over Cize which is surprising to me because my dream for many years growing up was to be a hip hop dancer so you would think Cize would be my absolute favorite. Cize is very fun, but it's 15 minutes longer than Country Heat and that 15 minutes is a long time with you have a toddler hanging on your leg or wanting something or bored or thirsty, etc. Cize also repeats a lot throughout the workout. When a new move is introduced, you practice it and then you have to start the routine over and put it all together and this continues to the end with the last move. Country Heat has about 20 or so different moves just like Cize but once you do one or two, you move onto other moves and don't have to repeat the previous ones. I am new to country music, my son likes it. Usually I would say I would prefer hip hop, but that has now changed. Country music really is so fun! The music really kept me interested and excited. Country Heat is something I could see myself doing daily so it was well worth the purchase. Can't wait to do a different routine after work!

 

After a CRAZY day at work, a hardcore workout, making a healthy dinner for the family, prepping my sons lunch for the next day, hanging a stuffed animal hammock and other stuff around the house...

 

I DESERVED THIS! :)

 

Simple, quick and delicious!

 

apple slices

vanilla almond butter

mini chocolate chips

 

 

So good! This or something similar to it will become one of my new favorite snacks.

 



Flo's Chicken & Spaghetti

This is such a nostalgic dish for me. I haven't eaten this for MANY years and I have never cooked it before myself. It's a meal my grandma would make a lot. I always remember as a child, the chicken and sauce simmering in a pan, it would smell up her house and we would always have this meal with buttered bread. My grandpa loved buttered bread. I would often have dinner there or breakfast before school depending on my parents work schedule. They were such great times and I cherish them.

My mother gave me the most information on the recipe she could remember and it's not many ingredients, but the flavor is there. It's a simple dish, but so good. The chicken cooking in the sauce brings this significant taste I remember from many years ago. The recipe may not be exact but the moment I tasted the sauce on the spoon while cooking, I knew my grandma was there helping me make this meal.

The recipe calls for:

chicken thighs or breasts (I used breasts, but my grandma used thighs)
1 large can of tomato sauce
1 small can of tomato paste
variety spices: garlic powder, oregano, chicken seasoning
salt/pepper
1 tbs olive oil
whole grain spaghetti (My grandma would use regular spaghetti)

-- Heat the olive oil in a large pot/pan. Once heated, add the chicken. Add salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder and chicken seasonings to both sides of the chicken and cook the chicken.
-- Add the tomato sauce and paste to the pot/pan. Let this simmer for an hour.
-- Cook the pasta and add it to the pot/pan once the hour of simmering is finished. Stir and serve.

Enjoy this special recipe!