What's for Dinner {47} - Lazy Salsa

I was first introduced to this incredibly easy salsa back in October 2017 when I did my first Whole30. I was looking for simple recipes that I could make that month and this one was an instant hit. It was fast to make and only included three ingredients plus s&p. Can't beat that!

I used it mainly for my breakfast during Whole30 but now I use it for tacos, breakfast burritos, and a blended salsa if I'm feeling fancy.

Lazy Salsa

• Tomato
• Cilantro
• Habanero pepper
• s&p, to taste

Instructions

1. Chop everything up to the size you want; I like to make everything pretty small. I also only use the seeds of the habanero. Be careful to use gloves or not touch the inside of the habanero. If you do, anything you touch with burn like crazy!
   
2. Combine in a small bowl
   
3. ENJOY!

I sometimes couldn't find habaneros in any grocery store in Decorah. It was really annoying because I wanted this salsa on so many occasions. Sadly, no other pepper measured up so I often went without my beloved lazy salsa. That's where this next ingredient came to save the day. I simply just pour a teeny tiny amount of the Pickle Creek Prairie Fire Infused Olive Oil into the mixture and it's another show stopper!

What's for Dinner {46} - Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Most who know me know that I love a good red sauce for my pastas. It was time to select what I was going to make for the annual Pasta Night for students staying over break and I decided it was time for a change. As I searched for crockpot recipes, this one stood out immediately. I'm so glad I decided to try it - I can still smell the wondrous aroma coming from the crockpot as this cooked for eight hours of my workday last Monday.

The boys were able to stop by for a hot second but didn't end up staying too long. They got to try a lot of the different pastas available but sadly, the boys didn't seem to like mine too much, nor did Gspice. I'm just going to blame that on him not feeling so well because I really liked it. I'm also guessing the color didn't appease them like a normal red sauce might. However, it made excellent left overs so I can still make it for myself :) The best part of the night though was definitely the RAs washing all of the dishes!

Next time I make this, I may try to leave out the cream cheese to see how that works for the recipe. It was super creamy and delicious but without it would make it a bit more healthy! As we gear up for a fun holiday season and the coldness it brings, be sure to add this recipe to your menu planning!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff from Creme de la Crumb

• 1 1/2 - 2 lb  stew meat
• 2 t Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste (I used about 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper)
• 2 c beef broth (I used low sodium)
• 1 c sliced mushrooms (I of course left this out!)
• 3 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 T dijon mustard
• 1 c sour cream
• 6 oz cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes, softened
• 4 T corn starch (or flour) + 1/2 cup beef broth
• 12 ounces short pasta noodles, cooked according to package instructions (egg noodles are traditionally served with stroganoff but penne, macaroni, or spiral all work well)

Instructions

1. Lightly grease your slow cooker, then add stew meat and sprinkle Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste over the top. Add mushrooms, beef broth, garlic, Dijon mustard, and worcestershire sauce. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours.
2. About 30 minutes before serving, stir corn starch (or flour) into 1/2 cup beef broth and stir mixture into slow cooker. Add cream cheese and sour cream to slow cooker then cook another 20-30 minutes on high, stirring occasionally until cream cheese and sour cream are incorporated and sauce is thickened. 
3. Taste, add salt and pepper to your personal taste if needed, and stir in noodles. Serve immediately garnished with cracked black pepper and fresh thyme if desired.
   
   **This recipe makes great leftovers!

If you would like to see previous recipes that I have made for this event, check out the recipes below!

2017

What's for Dinner {43} - Shortcut Vegetable Ragu

2016

What's for Dinner {39} - Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

2015

What's for Dinner {37} - One Pot Red Pepper Sausage Alfredo with Marscarpone

What's For Dinner {45} - Detox Immune-Boosting Chicken Soup

Well hey there! It's certainly been more than a hot second since I last posted but this recipe brought me out of the rut! Along with how easy this was to make, it's going to be on my mind quite a bit with the cold weather that is coming our way.

I've been talking with Gspice for some time now about how I wanted to try my hand at soups. I know you know that I don't make soups very often at all and now after making this one and now the one I'll be sharing today, I'm not really sure why. I made it a commitment to try out some new recipes, all broth-based. For some reason, broth-based soups sound e.x.t.r.e.m.e.l.y. appealing to me plus they are most certainly healthier for you! This soup would be a great addition to your fall/winter meal plans to beat the cold/flu season that is coming upon us. I also really liked the warmth/heat this soup brings to the palate so hopefully you'll like that too!


I made this recipe with a few tweaks which I will note in the ingredients/steps below and there are certainly things you could do with this that even I didn't. I made this to be Whole30 compliant but you could add in a small shaped pasta too which the original recipe doesn't call for. Without further adieu - here is the recipe!

Detox Immune-Boosting Chicken Soup adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 large celery stalks, chopped (I used 2)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (I used 3, I think you can tell which one I like better!)
• 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1½ tsp. sea salt
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups baby kale leaves
• I also added black pepper which I read aids absorption

**This original recipe calls for 1 cup mushrooms and 1-15oz can of chickpeas but I did not include those products in the soup I made.


In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion, celery and carrots, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cooking another 3 minutes.

Seriously, look at this garlic!!! I LOVE that this recipe used so much!

Stir in the chicken stock, bay leaves, turmeric, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper; bringing to a boil. Mix in shredded chicken, cover and turn down heat to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add kale, cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, serve and enjoy!

I prepped these for my lunches for the week and paired it with a small lettuce salad with cucumbers and green olives. I topped that with a bit of Tessemae's Habanero Ranch. If you are a fan of a little spice (or a lot like me), you HAVE to try this. Not only is it Whole30 approved, which means that it is dairy free, gluten free, soy free and sugar free....it tastes amazing! They have a ton of other products on their website too so if you are looking for healthier alternatives for dressings, marinades or salad kits, CHECK THEM OUT!

I saved the rest of the soup and put it in the freezer. When I decide to pull it out, I'll let you know how it is to see if it's a suitable freezer meal!

Also, I used these glass containers if you are interested. I did have some seepage into my salad if I didn't hold my bag perfectly flat while walking to work so maybe wouldn't recommend them for carrying soup but this could be really good if you like to separate out your food!

What's for Dinner {44} - Homemade One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

I've eyeballed this recipe for the last month or two and when I decided to add it to this week's menu, I was a little skeptical that it would be as good as Iowa Girl Eats said. I love a good chicken noodle but am often disappointed with the lack of flavor. Personally, I think that probably has more to do with me than with the soups I've tried but nonetheless, it's always disappointing. To explain, I don't have a great sense of smell which I do think correlates to my inability to fully taste a lot of things. Food needs to be salty or spicy or brine-y for me to realllllllly like it.

The last chicken noodle I tried had a few more ingredients to prep/use and while I did think it tasted good, I haven't made it since.... But this recipe, I really think it'll become one of the more popular menu planning options! All the boys loved it, even my huge skeptic of a husband. He especially loved the chicken and the broth and the carrots, so essentially all of it.

Also, it should be said that when I planned for this week's meals, I didn't account for St. Patrick's Day. Had I done that, I would have DEFINITELY wanted this recipe again. Perhaps, I will make it tomorrow!

Now for this delicious recipe, but first, let's watch the video Kristen created way back in 2014.

Homemade One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup from iowagirleats.com

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon butter (I didn't actually use the recipe when I made this so this got left off by accident)

1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled then sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped (I used diced yellow onion but would have preferred a shallot)

salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

64oz chicken broth, plus more for reheating

1 chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I used 2.5)

8oz spaghetti, broken into pieces (or any short-cut pasta)

Heat olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and shallot, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until tender, 10 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 1 more minute. Add chicken broth then bring to a boil. Season chicken with salt and pepper then add to boiling chicken broth along with pasta. Turn heat down to medium then simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta is cooked through. Taste then adjust salt and pepper if necessary and then serve.

Notes

1. Add more chicken broth when reheating as noodles will continue to soak up broth.

2. I marinated the chicken in fresh lemon juice for a couple days before. I added the chicken and the marinade to the soup

It took me a little longer to make the soup so while that was cooking, the boys ate watermelon and a salad. Seriously, this surprises me so much because we don't eat salads at home. I gave them 2-3 romaine lettuce leaves for them to rip up, topped it with a little parmesan and ranch dressing. Owen had seconds. 

2017 Goals {6}

How fitting, that on December 31, I bring you the last 2017 Goals update! 2017 has been a very wild ride but I am overall pleased with the year. Sure, I didn't accomplish nearly as much as I wanted to and slid even far backwards on a few things. That said, I made progress on some surprising things so lets' jump right in!

You can read up on my past 2017 Goals updates here: #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5.

GOAL #1 - Read
Since my last update, I really haven't done much reading at all but I do have one book I will add to my reading list for 2018. This particular book feels to me like it's going to be a fun/inspiring read. I saw an ad for Lovesac on Instagram that had me cracking up, and actually still cracks me up. So, naturally, I did some research to find out more about this person and he has an incredible story. I ended up staying up super late after that just to watch a documentary about him on Netflix. SSG Travis Mills was severely injured after dropping his bag on an IED. He is now one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation. If you are looking for an encouraging story from a pretty awesome human being, I suggest checking it out!

I didn't read many of the books that I set out to at the beginning of 2017. However, looking back on the year, I am really happy with my progress. I did more light reading than anything else but reading more than just one book is a win for me. I really should continue this! Will it ever surpass my love for TV?  Let's be honest, probably not.


GOAL #2 - Control Finances Better
I really, really wanted to end the year strong on this one but with holidays, birthdays, birthday parties, family gatherings, extended family photos and actually playing Santa for our kids this year did us in. I do need to pay ourselves back because we WERE smart by setting up a sinking fund. If you don't know what that is, it's really just a way for you to save up for expected bills each month versus trying to pay for large expenses all at once. We use ours to save for our car insurance premium, life insurance premium, travel/vacation fund, birthdays, dates, and Christmas. But even with the sinking fund, we overspent like crazy!

Looking ahead, Gspice and I sat down and talked about what we want 2018 to look like using The Family Playbook from Words of Wisdom. I am definitely that person who strives when goals and expectations are laid out ahead of time. This playbook allowed the both of us to talk about our goals, both personal and for our family that we want to focus on next year, which definitely includes how we handle our money. As such, we will have a weekly budget meeting to talk about our spending and to see what's coming up. One thing I will be interested in looking at more is to track our own personal spending. This is something we both struggle with hardcore so I'm hopeful that tracking will help hone us in. Of course, this will help us pay off all the debts we accumulated this year that much faster.

GOAL #3 - Cook More, Cook SmarterI haven't done too well with this one either, unfortunately. Old habits die hard, man! While I did complete the Whole30 and found a few things I could easily add to my menu rotation, I'm finding a serious lack of motivation these days. I think that with the reinvestment of managing our budget, this will help my meal planning situation because I will HAVE to be frugal to ensure I don't overspend but still get delicious food on the table. I really want to introduce more seafood and vegetables into our diet and less processed food, less carbs and less dairy. I don't want to necessarily cut anything of this out completely because that's not sustainable. I just want us to have a more well-rounded diet that provides better nourishment for minds and bodies. Below are some recipes that I look forward to trying out in 2018!

Pasta - okay, I know I said that I want to eat less carbs but like I said, I'm certainly not going to cut it out. That said, I will be looking to add more vegetables to my pasta dishes. I enjoy eating pasta for my breakfasts and if I can get lots of veggies in there, I've really set myself up for success for the day.

Asparagus-Spinach Pesto Pasta with Blackened Shrimp from  Gimme Some Oven

This pesto looks so bright and delicious! I've never thought about using asparagus but I will definitely do that to change up my pesto routine.

Roasted Tomato Pasta with Garlic and Basil from Cilantro & Citronella

It's no secret that I adore tomatoes, garlic and basil but surprisingly, I have never roasted my tomatoes before. Again, just a different preparation but that's fun to do in the kitchen to keep from getting bored! Also, a good way to use up the CSA ingredients I get that the Farmers Market next summer. Yep, already dreaming of summer!

Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Fettucine Alfredo from Yellow Bliss Road

I absolutely love alfredo sauce but we all know it's not all that healthy for us. I don't use bell peppers really at all in my diet but I have had a really tasty tomato bisque that had them in it. So, it seems to me that I could definitely try this out too. Also, not a bad way to get some healthy vegetables in an otherwise pretty unhealthy dish.

Seafood - I don't eat much seafood despite the fact that I like many different types of seafood. Because we do eat a lot of red meat and chicken, it's about time to bring in some other types of protein to mix it up.

Firecracker Baked Salmon from  Jo Cooks

I love spice so this seems like a perfectly fitting way to have salmon!

Pesto Salmon and Italian Veggies in Foil from Cooking Classy

I really like to cook foil pack meals because it is so easy. This would be a different way to use up my pesto if I don't feel like eating it with pasta!

Sheet Pan Chili Lime Salmon from Cafe Delites

Yep, another spicy seafood recipe! I cannot get enough spice in my life!

Spicy Shrimp & Sausage Skewers from Iowa Girl Eats

I love a good party bite but have never ventured to use shrimp, let alone andouille sausage. I can't wait to try this because it will remind me of New Orleans with the cajun flavors!

Tilapia Fish Tacos from Eazy Peazy Mealz

We eat our fair share of tacos - chicken, shrimp, beef. Do we ever eat fish tacos? NO! I definitely need to change that because I L.O.V.E. a good fish taco!

Soup - I have been craving certain types of soups lately which is strange because I'm really not a soup person. I've maybe made 2-3 soups during our entire marriage. Call me crazy though because Gspice and I both said randomly that we were craving a soup that had potatoes in it. Since then, I've been looking at a variety of soup recipes and this one seems to fit the bill.

Creamy Potato Kielbasa and White Cheddar Soup from Cooking Classy

GOAL #4 - Form Healthy Habits
As I mentioned above, I progress better and succeed more when I have a plan and measurable goals in place. While I did have goals this year, I think I stretched them way to far out. I had hoped to lose 30 pounds but instead, gained weight. I wanted to integrate exercising into my daily routine but often petered out after a week or two. I clearly needed some micro goals to motivate myself to keep going. For 2018, that is going to be my focus.

That being said, I do think I came out of 2017 with a few things that I DID do well. First, I drink way more water than I ever have before. While I do go days without drinking very much, I see a consistent shift to drinking at least 50-80 oz of water every day. Before, I could go many days drinking as little as 10 oz!

On a surprising note, I decided to make some changes to my hair routine. I was that person who HAD to shower every day, also washing my hair every day. If I didn't, my hair would be insanely greasy the next day and I felt super uncomfortable even with it in a pony tail. Now, I can go up to four days without washing my hair! I do use a dry shampoo but am now only using that on day three and four if needed, which at this point it definitely is. So now, I take a shower on day one and let it air dry. Day two, I don't shower and don't use dry shampoo because I don't need to (YAAAAASSSS!) and with likely straighten it or just put it in a pony tail. On day three, I do shower but 95% of the time not wash my hair. I use dry shampoo and will throw it in a pony tail. I don't often stretch it over to four days but if I do, I don't shower but use dry shampoo. So not only am I making my hair healthier, I'm also using way less water and keeping my skin from drying out as much as it normally does. WIN, WIN, WIN!

GOAL #5 - Travel
I know that I still need to do a post on our New Orleans trip. I have so many fond memories of that trip with Gspice and I cannot wait to incorporate more travel for the whole family. There is talk of doing an extended family trip. This would be really fun if we can all come to an agreement that everyone feels comfortable with. Gary and I also plan to take the boys on a trip or two next year in the opposite season of the extended family trip. Right now, we're thinking Great Wolf Lodge in Minneapolis or Wisconsin Dells because we know the boys love the water and let's be real, we do too! I'd also be interested in taking the boys to the National Balloon Classic in Indianonla, Iowa. Regardless of where we decide to go, I can't wait to make memories in 2018!

What's for Dinner {43} - Shortcut Vegetable Ragu

I had my eye on this recipe for quite some time. In July, I finally decided to try it and holy cow, it did not disappoint. The boys loved it, Gspice loved it and I certainly did as well. And because it's a crowd pleaser, I decided to make four batches of it over the course of two days for various events this month! And of course, one of these events was the annual Pasta Night for students staying over break! The boys came by after daycare and enjoyed a few bites before getting all crazy and needing to leave. #asperusual

If you are looking for a delicious and healthy meat sauce, I cannot recommend this enough. It hides nutritious vegetables, too, so it gets some extra vitamins for the littles who won't eat their veggies! What's even better, it also includes a heaping dose of fresh basil which you all know I am obsessed with.

Shortcut Vegetable Ragu from IowaGirlEats.com

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 large carrot, peeled then roughly chopped (I used 2)
• 1 rib celery, roughly chopped (I used 2)
• 4oz sliced mushrooms (I didn't include this but may in the future)
• salt and pepper
• 1lb ground beef (I used 80/20)
• 24oz high quality marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1lb gluten-free or regular spaghetti or linguini

Directions

1. Add onions and garlic to the bowl of a food processor then pulse until minced, or mince by hand. Heat oil in a large skillet with high sides over medium heat then add onions and garlic and saute until softened, 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, add carrot, celery, and mushrooms to the bowl of the food processor then pulse until minced, or mince vegetables by hand. Add to skillet then turn heat up to medium-high. Season with salt and pepper then saute until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes.
3. Add ground beef to skillet, season with salt and pepper, then saute until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks. I suggest removing some of the grease but that is completely up to you. Add marinara sauce and chicken broth then stir to combine, turn the heat down to medium, and then place a lid partially on top and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh basil then taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then drop in spaghetti. Cook until al dente then serve tossed with ragu.

I think he approves!

Whole30 {Weeks Three & Four - Recap}

Now that we're nearly a month out already, I'm happy to announce that Gspice and I completed the Whole30!

We officially completed Whole30 on October 31. The month went by pretty fast which is no different than the rest of 2017. Seriously, I.can.not.believe.it's.nearly.the.end.of.November!

I want to start off by saying that I am so ridiculously proud of us. We often commit to things but don't always follow through. However, I feel like we both followed the program fairly well and tested our will power for 30 straight days. If you can believe it, I went without pasta for over 30 days and Gspice gave up pop!

The last two weeks of the Whole30 program were not as great at weeks 1 & 2 but we probably followed the "rules" about about 70-80% of the time. I say that number because I did follow breakfast/lunch fairly well and slacked a little bit on dinner and I also ate some chocolate just about every day that week. That is what being lazy did to me. I also had a couple drinks and a slice of pizza. And a few handfuls of peanut butter M&Ms. You can see where this is going!

With that said, I'm still really happy with the fact that we set our sights on a pretty big goal and I feel that we accomplished what we set out to do. Pasta was the biggest thing for me by far and I stayed away for a whole month. Seriously, that blows my mind.

Looking back on the experience, I can definitely say that Whole30 has taught me a lot about my eating habits. I don't necessarily crave anything but I do tend to emotionally eat which is a hard habit for me to break. Throughout the 30 days, though, I feel that I did a pretty good job of not doing that.  Overall, I felt more energized, slept more soundly at night and had better mental clarity. One takeaway from this is that I do really like to go to bed early and I'm totally better off for it!

What I Missed the Most:

Dairy - though it was relatively easy to cut this out for 30 days, it was surprisingly difficult for us to keep this out of our diet 100%. Gary definitely struggled with this more than I, but to go from eating cheese, milk and other forms of dairy on a daily basis to nothing at all was a stretch. A sprinkle of cheese on my eggs or a taco salad would have been nice but we made do.

What Surprisingly Didn't Phase Me:

Everything! - I expected to go through some sort of detox whether that be from sugar, no pasta or alcohol. However, I felt good from the very beginning. I did have a couple random days with a headache but they were in weeks 2 & 3. I do think Gary went through some detox but I was very surprised and grateful that I did not.

Vices - I am still so very shocked that we lasted the whole program without consuming our vices. Mine is most definitely pasta and Gspice's is pop. I literally had no issue whatsoever giving up pasta which tells me that I don't have an addition problem. Thus, my bad habits should be easy to break, right?

What Helped Me the Most:

Preparation - I would not have been successful doing Whole30 without planning the meals in advance, creating the grocery list, going grocery shopping and meal prepping. I never did these steps all in the same day because that would be impossible for me to keep up with. I typically planned on Thursdays/Fridays, went shopping on Saturdays, and prepped on Sundays. Do what works for you and break it down any which way you like, but DO NOT ATTEMPT to do any sort of elimination diet or even just trying to eat better without preparation. It will do wonders and I promise you that!

Tomatoes & the Co-op - I know this is a little silly, but I feel like I was pretty lucky that there were still some good tomatoes left in October. If I got a little hungry in the afternoons, I went for sliced tomatoes with a little salt and pepper. You aren't supposed to snack but this was smart snacking if you ask me. I also would eat an Applegate pepperoni or two because meat was one of the only things I craved all month and it helped to tide me over until dinner. Thankfully, I was able to purchase some of the specialty items like Applegate products, at Oneota Co-op. It was so nice to know I could get Whole30 approved items there that aren't carried by Fareway or Walmart.

Before & After:

I wish I could tell you how many inches I lost or even took photos of the progress, but I didn't go that far with this program. I did hope to lose some weight but I also wanted to focus on changing habits. Now that I'm almost a month out, I can say that though I still struggle with some of the same habits, I do think I'm doing some things differently than before. I drink more water, I'm doing my best to get to bed earlier, I'm not eating pasta for every meal, etc. I'd call that a success :)

I did track, however, the amount of weight I lost. I believe that most of the weight came off in weeks 1 & 2 but a few more pounds did come off in weeks 3 & 4. I'm not surprised by that at all because of my commitment level during those weeks. With that said, I lost a total of 14 pounds!!!

Wrapping It Up:

I was very encourage by doing the Whole30. I surprised myself with my perseverance and will definitely try this again very soon. I didn't do a lot of exercise during this round besides walking to work so the next time I do Whole30, I will definitely make this a part of my routine.

Whole30 {Week Two - Recap}

I've been a little quiet on the Whole30 front but don't worry, I'm still plugging along. I'm back with my Week Two update!

I've always had an issue with persistence so I was really happy that I got through Week Two with a nearly perfect record in terms of following all of the rules of the program. I did so well up until the last day of week two, Sunday, October 15. The boys were being especially difficult that day and I seemed to have a mental breakdown after a really awful Walmart check-out experience with the boys. I came home and was very upset and anxious and after I had time to calm down and get back to normal, I opted to have two little chocolate chips. Just two :) I had planned to make the boys some cookies so I suppose that is better than eating all of their cookies, right? I just didn't make them because frankly, I wasn't about to reward them for their bad behavior!

*Meals
This is still a big part of the reason why I was so successful this week. I was able to plan for and prep all of the things I planned to eat this week and didn't stray outside of that too much. There were definitely days I didn't want to eat more broccoli but you know what, I did it anyway or instead ate a tomato.

Breakfast
-Same as Week One: Two scrambled eggs with spicy sausage (SO GOOD!)

Lunch
-Compliant pesto (no cheese! I used cashews instead) with chicken, green beans and tomatoes. I cooked the tomatoes down a bit more than I have before with this meal and definitely made too much pesto but it sure was delicious!

Dinner
-I didn't do too well with dinner this week. I opted for burgers again with veggies and then got super lazy and made goulash to have on some of the nights. I definitely need to figure out better dinner options that I like.


*Drink more water
I averaged closer to 60oz of water this week but I think part of that was because I sometimes forget to log the amount of water I drank so that could be a little higher. I didn't quite reach 75/80 most days so I just need to keep reminding myself to drink water! It's definitely not hard!


*Have better sleeping habits
 I definitely improved in this department which is awesome! I love to sleep and never prioritize it. I averaged between 5.5-6.5 most nights before doing the Whole30 but I averaged 7.25 hours this week! It's been amazing to feel a little more rested (though I'm always tired) and have more clarity.


*Work out more regularly
I walked to work everyday, does that count? I didn't do much for workouts but you know what, I got my two 2016 family photo books completed :) I've had the weights I want to buy in my Amazon cart but I just haven't completed the order! That's called lazy.


Weight Loss
Still seem to be losing some weight which is so exciting! I have a long way to go but this is a step in the right direction. I wasn't too kind to my body the last few months so have got some work to do!


Temptations
I don't recall off of the top of my head if we had any specific temptations this week but I did pretty well with not eating any peanut butter M&Ms that a coworker leaves out. Of course, I should count those two chocolate chips I had. Damn.

OH, I did successfully avoid a Pinter's cupcake on our annual trip! That was a big deal!

2017 Goals {5}

It's time for another 2017 Goals update! This year has gone by soooooooo quickly. It's hard to believe that we'll see the end of 2017 in less than three months. Let's all try to make the most of it!

You can read up on my past 2017 Goals updates here: #1, #2, #3, and #4.


GOAL #1 - Read
In my last update, I mentioned that I was going to reread all of the John Grisham books that I found when cleaning out the basement. I was headed into a busy time so I knew that I needed some light reading. I can't tell you how much this helped me stay a teeny bit more sane while life was crazy around me. Between my last update in July and probably the first week or two of September, I got through four books: The Firm, A Painted House, The Summons, and The King of Torts.

I took a couple weeks off and then decided to read this book, which I will talk about more down below and in posts of its own!


GOAL #2 - Control Finances Better
Wow, reading what I wrote about in July is fascinating. It's fascinating in the way of all of the money we've spent progress we've made! Let's look at the list, shall we?

Since July
*We've had our basement floors professionally cleaned
*Our duct work was cleaned out (GROSS!)
*Had Driftless Gardens redo our landscaping and hardscape!! This will get it's own before & after post to show the full affect of this change. It's insane.
*Got our HVAC system serviced
*Ordered a new furnace!

Yep, we had our HVAC serviced in September right after our New Orleans trip and I was not in the least bit surprised that it was strongly suggested that we replace our 22-year-old furnace. Thankfully, everything else is working just fine even though they too are 20+ years old. We'll just wait for those things to die before replacing them. Back to the furnace, we got estimates from a couple of different companies and did decide on who to go with. We're now just waiting for the new furnace to arrive so we can set up an installation date. Though this wasn't an expense we were planning on, I'm pretty excited for the new furnace. We'll be getting a new thermostat  too and I'm pretty darn excited about it. It will have wi-fi capabilities, tell us the indoor/outdoor temp, humidity levels, when to change the filter, etc. If nothing else, it'll be so much better than what we have now.

As you can tell, we've been shelling money out left and right this year. Everything that we're doing is really helping out this ol' house of ours so it's all money that is well spent in my book. We just need to keep prioritizing all of our other spending to make sure we're paying down some of the debt we've accumulated.

GOAL #3 - Cook more, Cook Smarter
I had high hopes for the last few months and didn't quite measure up to my goals. I'm going to give myself some grace here because what I did do is learn how to make my own alfredo sauce. Holy cow, it's amazing but it, along with my constant pasta-eating and beer-drinking habits, meant I gained a bit of weight in the process. Was this totally worth it? Not 100% but it was pretty damn delicious!

Lately, I've been trying to be more intentional with meal planning again and making sure to cook dinner at night. This helps us tremendously in terms of eating better. We just need to make sure it's a dish we both like because that's the game changer!

I definitely want to add this recipe in to our rotation after we tried it a few months ago. Holy cow! The whole family absolutely loved it so we'll definitely have this more often when we can have pasta again! Just look at this simmering beauty!

Fall also indicates to me that TOMATO SEASON is upon us! I decided that I needed to can more tomatoes this year than I did last year because I ran out of my stock in February. This was the main reason why I bought more of a CSA share this year. I'm so glad I did but man it was a ton of work. I bought 130lbs and canned it ALL over two days. Despite the amount of time and work it took, I'm definitely glad I did it and that I shouldn't have to worry about running out for at least a year. I'm hoping to make it extend past a year, though, so I don't have to do as many next year! In total, I have 24-8oz jars and 51-32oz jars.

GOAL #4 - Form Healthy Habits
This is where Whole30 comes in to play.

I bought the book back in August and decided that it was definitely something I needed to consider. I knew I had some pretty bad eating/drinking habits that I needed to fix and some weight to lose. This program would help me do both, in addition to a number of other things, like sleeping better, be less stressed, have more mental clarity, etc.

I am happy to report that today is Day 9 of the program and I'm doing very well so far. I'll be writing a separate post on this too so you can read that for more details on my first week!

GOAL #5 - Travel
NEW ORLEANS! Guys, this vacation was soooooooooo necessary and sooooooooooo nice. It was a leisurely few days in a pretty cool city. We got to try a lot of good food, walked around a ton and just enjoyed our calm days without any responsibilities whatsoever. I'll post about this too to give you all the fun details of our trip.

What's for Dinner {42} - Spaghtetti & Meatballs with Bone Marrownara Sauce

So there was a time back in 2013 when Gspice and I went to Chicago with some friends. I had very recently found out I was pregnant with Owen and I was a hardcore debbie downer, not wanting to go out at night and do anything fun. On one of the nights I stayed in to watch Chopped, Gspice and friends went to Gilt Bar and he stiiiiiiiiiiill talks about what he ate there.......Bone Marrow.

Fast forward to a couple of week ago, when I saw this Tasty video on Facebook.

This video pretty much changed my life. I saw it and almost peed my pants because if you know me, I love a good meatball and red sauce, let alone a homemade red sauce. I showed it to Gary and he almost peed his pants because you know, the bone marrow. Just look at the bone we got from Fareway!

I really wanted to surprise Gspice when I told him we were going to have this so I did some digging to see if I could buy the marrow in Decorah. Turns out that Fareway has these huge bones, frozen in their meat department. Awesome! I bought two for less than $10. I let them thaw a little bit and then popped them in the oven for a few minutes. I can't remember what I had it set at but I may have cooked it a little long based on the video and what mine looked like once I scooped it all out. Oh well because..................................................................

Daaaaaaaamn, it was good. SO GOOD. It's seriously legit and I highly recommend making this recipe!

Spaghetti & Meatballs with a Bone Marrownara Sauce from Richard Blaise on Tasty/Buzzfeed

1 yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes and their juices
¼ cup red wine (we used a cabernet sauvignon)
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
8 ounces ground pork
8 ounces ground beef
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped bone marrow
12 ounces cooked spaghetti
1 cup plain bread crumbs, toasted
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot over medium heat, mix the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions start begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Remove half of the onion/garlic mixture and place in a small bowl to cool. Set aside or refrigerate to cool completely. To the pot with the remaining onions/garlic, add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste, about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, to caramelize the natural sugars in the paste.

3. Add the canned tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, and scraping the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing burns, until the mixture comes to a low simmer. Break apart the whole tomatoes using a wooden spoon or squeezing with tongs.

4. Add the wine and continue to cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes to give the alcohol in the wine a chance to evaporate. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes longer.

5. In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir the ricotta with the reserved (and cooled) onion-garlic mixture. Add the ground pork, ground beef, basil, oregano, sage, rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper. Gently mix together first with a spoon then going in with your hands. Shape the meat into ping-pong-sized balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Place the meatballs in the fridge if you will not be cooking immediately or if they have warmed from handling (they will keep their shape better if kept cold before cooking!).

6. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the meatballs lightly on all sides until they begin to brown. They will not be fully cooked at this point.

7. Transfer the seared meatballs (and any accumulated juices) to the marinara sauce and add the bone marrow. Cover and let simmer for an additional 20 minutes to finish cooking the meatballs and allow the bone marrow to render its fat.

8. Add cooked spaghetti to the finished sauce and toss to coat. Serve garnished with toasted breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.

9. Enjoy!

**I highly recommend making the meatballs ahead of time! Our meatballs kinda fell apart in the cooking process but aren't they pretty?