Chicken and Spinach Meatballs

When I was pregnant, Derek and I would have countless conversations about our future as a family of three.  And one of the things I found myself talking about a lot was feeding our little one.  I had this vision of raising a little foodie!  But let me tell you the reality doesn't exactly look like my picture perfect vision! 

Family dinners these days are loud and messy.  They are challenging and fun, and most nights more food ends up on the floor then in Theo's mouth!  But this is the season of life we are in and I am embracing it, mess and all.  

Don't get me wrong Theo is a good little eater, but we still have our less than stellar days (cue he doesn't like what I made, or he isn't in the mood to eat).  It's the less than stellar days that remind me to go with the flow, and enjoy the process of teaching him how to eat and enjoy food.   

I have found that simple meals work best for this season of life which is why I am excited to share the recipe for these Chicken and Spinach Meatballs with you!  Theo gobbled these meatballs right up which made for one happy mama!  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!   And P.S I plan on sharing another post on our approach to solids with Theo at a later date, more to come! 

Chicken and Spinach Meatballs 

Makes about 24 Meatballs 

Ingredients:

1 Lb Ground Chicken 

1 Cup Fresh Spinach Roughly Chopped

2 Eggs 

1/3 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs 

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning 

1 Teaspoon Garlic 

Dash of Salt and Pepper 

Directions:

1- In a medium bowl combine the ground chicken, spinach, egg, bread crumbs and seasoning. 

2- Mix everything by hand until combined. 

3- Roll chicken mixture into medium size balls and place in a casserole dish that has been greased. 

4- Bake for 20-25 min in 350 degree oven until cooked through. 

Serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping, a simple green salad or your favorite roasted/steamed vegetable (Broccoli is a fav in our house)! 

Enjoy!

Hey...It's been a while!

Hi All!
It has been a while since I have hit publish on a blog post, but I am dusting off the cob webs and giving this blogging thing another shot!  I will say I have missed sharing recipes and little glimpses of my life on here!

Life these days looks a little different then it did almost two years ago!  Derek and I are no longer newlyweds,  and we are now the proud parents of an energetic 10 month old, Theodore!  See, I told you things were a little, OK maybe a lot different these days! Theodore has truly been one of our greatest blessings.  He brings so much fun and excitement into our day to day lives.  Don't get me wrong, having a 10 month old brings about new challenges but I am totally embracing this season of life we are in.

 (Photo Credit - Midwest Lifeshots)

So join me as I share family friendly recipes, our experience as first time parents and so much more!  I can't wait to share this new season of life with you all!

{Review of the New Mizuno Wave Sky}

I want to thank both Mizuno and Fitfluential for making this post possible.  I received the Mizuno Wave Sky at no cost in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A few weeks ago I was sent a pair of Mizuno’s new running shoe the Wave Sky to test out.   The Wave Sky is their new high cushion neutral shoe that is replacing the Enigma.  

  

I was excited to take the Wave Sky out for a test run especially since I typically train in a lighter neutral shoe (think Brooks Launch, Nike Pegasus 33) with less cushioning.   Prior to Brooks and Nike I owned several pairs of the Mizuno Wave Rider (also a lighter neutral shoe), so testing out the new Wave Sky was not my first rodeo with the brand.  

My initial thoughts when I opened the  Wave Sky box was woah I love the color, and man that’s seems like a lot of shoe.  Now let me explain –

o   Color  - As a runner I am always a sucker for fun, bright colored running shoes.  I typically go for the brightest shoe the store has!  The vibrant teal color of the Wave Sky is right up my alley, and the lime green accents and fun detailing on the shoe laces were an added bonus. 

o   Lot of Shoe – As I mentioned above I typically run in a lighter neutral shoe.  So when I first saw how thick the sole was on the Wave Sky I was concerned that the shoe would feel clunky as I ran or be to heavy.  

Upon trying on the Wave Sky I was pleased with how comfortable and supportive they were.  The plush cushioning hugged my feet and I felt as though I was walking on pillows.  The cushioning also provided a nice spring when I walked.  I initially tested the shoes out on a shorter treadmill run, since I didn't know what to expect.  Much like when I walked around in the Wave Sky the thick plush cushioning provided a little spring to my landing, which my tired legs welcomed.   My initial concern with the shoe being to much or to heavy quickly vanished as I began running in the Wave Sky.  While the Wave Sky is more shoe then I am used to, I did not notice the shoe being overly heavy as I ran.   

I have now done several runs in the new Wave Sky and here are my final thoughts.  Overall I like the new Mizuno Wave Sky.  The added spring the cushioning gave me was nice on days were my legs felt tired.  I can see myself using the Wave Sky for slower recovery miles and sticking to my lighter neutral shoes for days when I do speed work.  The only concern I had with the Wave Sky was that my feet went numb/got tingly during my first few runs in the shoe.  About a mile or so in I would notice the balls of my feet start to burn.  Now I don't know if this is due to the extra cushioning that my feet were not used to or if it was something else.  I did notice the numb/tingly feeling go away the more I broke in the Wave Sky. 

Shoe Specs - 

Name: Mizuno Wave Sky

Category: Neutral

Weight:  9.3 oz. (Women’s)

Sizes: 6-11 (Women’s)

Drop: 10 mm (Men and Women)

Suggested MSRP: $150

Thank you again Mizuno and FitFluental for the opportunity! 

{Gluten and Dairy Free Chicken and Vegetable Strata on Minneapolis Running}

I'm back!

Head on over to Minneapolis Running today and snag my delicious Chicken and Vegetable Strata recipe!  It is Gluten Free and Dairy Free, and darn delicious!  Click Here for the details!

{Gluten and Dairy Free Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins}

Hi, Friends!

It has been a while since I last shared a recipe with you all.  I believe my last food post was back in April when I shared the recipe for these amazing Turkey Taco Salad Bowls, Yum!   I will admit I have been in a bit of a food rut, and Derek and I have been eating basically the same meals week after week (think grilled chicken, steamed veggies, baked chicken etc.), not very exciting!  

But, that is all about to change because today I am bringing you the recipe for these sweet little Gluten and Dairy Free Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins!  Recently I have been playing around with my diet in hopes of soothing some of my food sensitivities and stomach discomfort I experiences when running longer distances (all you runners out there know what I am talking about)!  Anyways, in experimenting with my diet I have dropped dairy completely and am now experimenting with being gluten free.  With these changes came new experimenting in the kitchen, and that is where these sweet little muffins come in!  These are a dairy and gluten free spin off of my favorite Banana Chocolate Chip muffins, and they are slowly becoming one of my favorite afternoon snacks or after dinner treats!   They are slightly sweet, perfectly portioned and studded with chunks of chocolate, what more could you ask for?  I currently have a stock pile of ripe bananas in my freezer so I feel like I have been making these little muffins weekly!

Make them today, I swear they will become your new favorite and  you will find yourself making them again and again and again!

Gluten and Dairy Free Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Makes 12 Muffins 

Ingredients: 

2 Ripe Bananas 

3/4 Cup Oatmeal

1/4 Cup Unpacked Brown Sugar 

1 Egg 

2-3 Tablespoons Dairy Free Chocolate Chunks (I love Enjoy Life Brand)

Directions: 

1- In a medium bowl mash bananas, add brown sugar, and egg and mix until well combined.   Set aside. 

2- In a small food processor or high power blender, blend oats until a fine flour has formed. 

3- Dump oat flour into a small bowl.  Stir in baking soda and baking powder. 

4- Slowly add your oat flour mixture to your banana and brown sugar mixture.  Stir until well combined. 

5- Mix in chocolate chunks and stir till combined. 

6- Divide muffin batter among 12 lined muffin tins and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until muffins are baked through. 

Check out these other delicious recipes from around the web! 
Cooking Light Almond Coffee Cake Muffins (use a vegan butter substitute to make dairy free)
Minimalist Baker - Vegan/GF Carrot Apple Muffins 
Maple Pecan Muffins - All Recipes 

Enjoy! 

{Post Run Summer Smoothie}

Hi All! 

Sharing one of my favorite post run treats over on the Girls on the Run blog, Remarkable! today!  Go snag the recipe, it's delicious and chocolaty, Click Here!  Also check out these other great smoothies from around the web!

Cooking Light Tropical Smoothie 
Fit Foodie Finds Avocado Mint Smoothie

Enjoy! 

{Stillwater Half Marathon Recap - My 5th Half}

It has been about a week since the Stillwater Half Marathon and I am still a swirl of emotions as I sit here and reminisce about my 5^th half marathon. Last Saturdays half was tough, it was the type of race that people say will make you stronger.   It was/is a race that I should be proud of, yet in some ways I am not… in some ways I am utterly disappointed. 

What started out as a promising race (pace felt good, legs felt good) quickly turned sour.  Around mile 7.5 I felt myself coming apart, stomach cramps, slight nausea, and exhaustion (you know all the things runners dread in a run).  I had to mentally tell myself I was "OK" and to just keep moving forward, my great pace unraveled and I quickly went from “let’s crush this race” into “let’s just finish the race” mode.  Multiple times I thought about stopping, especially when I saw Derek and my parents at mile 8.5.  I remember seeing them all standing there cheering for me and thinking… I could just end all this pain now and be done!  But I didn’t stop, I kept going, I pushed on, I persevered.  Looking back on the race I am so glad I did not give up.  While I am disappointed in my time (this was my slowest half marathon) and wish I could have performed better, I am thankful for the experience.

(Well earned medal!)

While it may not have been the race that I set out to run, it was a race that taught me many things.  It taught me that my drive and desire to finish something I started is much stronger than I ever thought.  This last race showed me what it means to be a part of a running community as I cheered and encouraged a first time half marathoner across the finish line (seriously coolest experience EVER)!  But most importantly this last half taught me that sometimes going out and having fun is more important than setting a personal record.   As a runner and a slight perfectionist I am guilty of getting wrapped up in the training, getting faster, and beating old race times that sometimes I forget to have fun while running.  This last race was a good reminder to not take myself so seriously, and to remember that there will be good days and bad days in running, but that is just the nature of the sport I have grown to love.  There will be other races, other triumphs, and other failures, I just have to remember to keep moving forward and enjoy the run! 

Happy Running Friends!