Friday, October 31, 2014

Recipe: Turkey Apple Meatballs

There really is no need for an introduction to this post other than MAKE THESE AS SOON AS YOU CAN!

Turkey Apple Meatballs

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil 
1 medium onion, finely chopped or minced
1/2 small apple, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 tsp. parsley
2-3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. tomato sauce
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and apple for 3 minutes, stirring until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Set aside to cool. 

3. Mix together the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan and tomato sauce. Stir in the sautéed onion, garlic, apple, and beaten egg to bind. 

4. Form the mixture into meatballs (or burgers) and line up in rows on the baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until slightly brown and internal temperature reads 165 degrees. Allow to cool and enjoy!

For original recipe, click HERE.



Why This is Going In My Recipe Book:
  • Ingredients are familiar and easy to prepare 
  • The apple adds the perfect amount of sweetness 
  • You can make a batch and freeze them for whenever you wish to chow down 
  • The smell that lofts out of the oven is one that Bath & Body Works needs to recreate in candle form STAT!
  • Versatile - add to salads, pasta, make and eat as a burger with your choice of toppings, etc. This week for lunch I paired mine with spaghetti squash and avocado! 




P. S. Let me know if you make these and what you think! Comment below.



Saturday, October 25, 2014

I Spy

About a month ago, I had the honor of standing next to my best friend on her wedding day. It was a weekend filled with friends and family, love and happiness, Coors Light and Wine. For everyone involved in Brianna and Chad's wedding, I think we can all say that it truly was a beautiful event that we are all fortunate to have been apart of! Let's play a little game of "I Spy", shall we?

I  S P Y...


Morning Necessities


Curly Locks 



Tools & Accessories




A Beautiful Woman


A Beautiful Dress


A Mother's Love


The Beginning of a Love Story 


Ladies Ready & Waiting



Unforgettable Moments


PARTY Bus





One Nervous Maid of Honor




An Extremely Valued Friendship





Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Recipe: Oven Baked Chicken

I'm always on the prowl for a quick chicken recipe that calls for few ingredients or ones that I already have in the kitchen. I came across this one today so decided to give it a go!

Oven Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast Cutlets 
Olive Oil
Poultry Seasoning

Directions:

1. Place chicken in Ziploc bag.


2. Add Olive Oil (however much you desire) and seasoning of your choice. I used Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend.


3. Seal the bag and toss around the chicken in your hands so that they become coated with Olive Oil and seasoning.

4. Place chicken on an aluminum-foil lined baking dish.


5. Cook at 350 for 40 minutes.




P.S. What seasoning do you like to add to your chicken?



Monday, October 20, 2014

Denver Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon

Alternate Title: My most dreaded race ever. 

About six months ago, a group of friends asked if I wanted to run the Denver Rock ‘n’ Roll Half, so I signed up and didn’t think twice about it. I figured since it was a month after my Marathon, I would be trained and 13.1 miles would be a breeze! Wrong. So, so wrong.

Ever since my Marathon, I’ve had such “bad vibes” towards running and truly miss doing it for enjoyment and not because I have to in order to finish a race without crossing the finish line looking like a panting dog. I was a complete Negative Nancy this past week and told my friends repeatedly that we should bundle up and cheer on the runners while holding a nice, big cup of coffee! They agreed to disagree and reminded me that we didn't spend an absurd amount of money on the race entry for nothing. True. So, so true. 

The course had more hills than I was expecting and with each new one on the horizon, I let out an "OH MY GOD!" because that made it a little easier for .3 seconds. By mile 10, I was beyond checked out and began praying for a freak blizzard calling for an immediate cancel of the race. You think I'm kidding but I'm not. 

But, like all races, the finish line appeared and I crossed that baby with a smile on my face and an eye on the free chocolate milk ahead of me! 


7 Half Marathons now in the rearview mirror!


As much as I was dreading these 13.1 miles, it was a great morning for a run alongside two of my greatest friends! 


From our first race (10k) together in 2010 to a handful of Half and Full Marathons later! Can we take a moment of silence for our "running apparel" in the top picture? My eyes are burning at the sight of our cotton shirts and soccer shorts. Bleh!


The rest of the day looked a little something like this...


…and I welcomed it with open arms.






Friday, October 17, 2014

20 Kitchen Tips & Tricks

I've recently been using my kitchen more for cooking and baking than the routine meal prep and packing my lunch everyday. Recipes I've tried out this past week have included  Italian Turkey Burgers, Carrot Cake Protein Bars, and Cinnamon Vanilla Sweet Potato Fries. How'd I score, you ask? I went 3 for 3 as I give 2 thumbs up to all! I will say that the Turkey Burgers were a smidge on the dry side but were the perfect addition on top of a salad or spaghetti squash. 

Julie, at Peanut Butter Fingers, has her own series called "Things I'm Loving Friday" where, you guessed it, shares with her readers things in her life that she loves! There was one thing today on her list that I thoroughly enjoyed and I'm sharing it with you as I think you will enjoy it, too. 

On the list was "20 Kitchen Tips & Tricks" by Lindsey at The Lean Green Bean. While you may have heard or used some of these, there may be others that you find interesting and useful like cutting your pancakes with a pizza cutter? M I N D  B L O W N. 






P.S. Do you have any tips or tricks to add to this list? Comment below!







Sunday, October 12, 2014

Piece of Work

The message that was taught at church this morning was what my ears and my heart needed to hear. It struck chords within my dwelling that have been doing nothing except collecting dust. It’s days like this that I find myself looking at things in a new light and with new thoughts. Let's get talking, shall we?

- - -

We are all guilty of walking into a room and inevitabley we begin to measure ourselves up with the people we share it with.
I’m dressed nicer than her

When was the last time she went to the salon because her roots are like whoa!…

I can see her wedding ring shining like a disco ball from over here so I better just stay on this side of the room...

It’s as though we were auto-programmed, re-wired and structured to slip into this mindset of “I’m not good enough” or “I am good if…”. It's the thought behind if we just keep climbing the ladder and getting ahead of our peers and earning that promotion than finally, we are good enough.

But for who?

God is so overflowing with love that He made us very, very good. He weaved our inner threads exactly how he wanted them to be and for that, we matter and have purpose and mean something with every beat of our heart.

“If God is satisfied with the work, the work may be satisfied with itself.”


Today I am telling myself that...

I AM LOVED

I AM GOOD

I MATTER

I’M HERE ON PURPOSE


Because once I know these things, I AM FREE!


Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Health Hero

An e-mail ended up in my inbox that was unlike all the rest. It wasn’t a Facebook notification or a payment reminder for my upcoming credit card bill, but this piece of mail was from Andrea, the Outreach Coordinator for Oscar Insurance. Having never heard of this company, I did some research a.k.a type 'Oscar Insurance' into Google, and stumbled upon an article written about them in Forbes Magazine. If your company has an article in Forbes Magazine, you must be doing something everything right.

Oscar Insurance serves and provides insurance to those in New York and New Jersey. If you would like to learn more about this up and coming company, please visit there website for more information!

Andrea’s request was simple:

We know firsthand the importance of having the proper tools, motivation and support to make healthy choices, so we're asking a group of influential bloggers like yourself to tell us about a person in your life that helps you do just that -- who is your #HealthHero? Whether it's your running partner who keeps you going, your mom who still reminds you to eat your veggies, or even your dog, Tommy, who's always there to put a smile on your face. We want to hear about the people (or pets!) in your life that help keep you healthy and happy.”


My #HealthHero is a person who continually goes “up to bat” for me time and time again. Whether it is planned, at the drop of a pin, or when I don’t even expect it, she’s there cheering me on through the ups and downs that everyday events bring.



She walks next to me when my own path is dimly lit.
No matter the circumstance I'm under, she is the light to keep me moving forward and reminding me that "this too shall pass". 

She encourages me to be better, get stronger, push farther.
I am inspired by her to continue to seek out the things I love and do them wonderfully. 

She is selfless and patient when I am stressed and frazzled.
I tend to run my engine pretty hot and she is the one that tells me to turn it off and take a break. 

She reminds me to love myself (and not just the outfit I’m wearing that day). To really love ME – how I treat my body, the way I perceive myself, and practicing positive self-talk instead of negative.
Being a woman is hard work. There are standards we all try to live up to yet I am always feeling like they are never within reach. I can always count on her to send me random texts of motivation, compliments, and ones that say "just eat the damn dessert - you deserve it!"

She is next to me on the running trails, the chairs at church, and at the dinner table.
Running with her is similar to a comedy show which makes the time go by faster as well as my pace. She helps me to break down the walls that I build for myself and is my sister in Christ. We fill our tummies with healthy dinners on the weekends because we know that McDonald's won't allow us to live next door to each other at 100 years old. 




Being healthy is more than just exercising; it's the teamwork of our minds and bodies working together to live a life that is full of positivity and balance. Let's continue to spread the word about the importance of healthy living by celebrating the people in our lives who help us take care of ourselves! With that said…T H A N K S  M E L !




P.S. Who is your Health Hero? Comment below!