Green Monster Muffins

 Anyone else sometimes struggle with getting their kids to eat veggies?  As my little guy has gotten older (and learned the word "No") I have found that getting him to eat his veggies can sometimes be an uphill battle (and he isn't a terribly picky eater)!

So I have started to look for creative, and sometimes sneaky ways to get him to eat more veggies ( I know I am not the only mom to do this)!  And with St Patrick's Day right around the corner, I decided to give our favorite muffin a little (green) facelift! 

These muffins are super easy to make, and I love the green color that the spinach gives them (side note, you can't taste the spinach at all) reminds me of Spring! Added bonus, my little dude loves them so it is a win win.   

Green Monster Muffins 

Makes 12 Large or 24 Mini Muffins 

Adapted from my Sugar Top Muffin Recipe

Ingredients:

Dry 

1 Cup Whole Flour 

1 Cup Oatmeal 

1/2 - 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar (use less if you don't want your muffins as sweet)

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda 

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder 

Wet

1 Beaten Egg 

3/4 Cup Milk 

1/3 Cup Cooking Oil (I typically use Canola Oil, but use whatever cooking oil you like!)

1 Handful Baby Spinach

Directions: 

1- Combine dry ingredients into one bowl and mix together. 

2- In a high speed blender combine wet ingredients and blend until well combined, and spinach is finely blended. 

3- Add wet ingredients to your dry ingredients, mix until combined. 

4- Line 12 muffin cups (or 24 mini muffin cups) with liners or spray with cooking spray.  Fill each muffin tin with batter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (if you like)

5- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes 

Enjoy!

Mom Guilt

Mom guilt... a "feeling of guilt, doubt, anxiousness, or uncertainty experienced by mother's when they worry they are failing or falling short of expectations in some way (source)."

 

Any mom's out there feel like this? I know I do, and maybe more frequently then I care to admit.   It is something I never fully expected to experience and at times can seem crippling.  I find that I experience it in in several different ways... it is the small voice in my head saying I am not doing enough for my kiddo, or teaching him enough.  It comes in the form of tears when I feel as if I was to hard on my little one for not listening, or being naughty.  It comes as part of the comparison trap, where I constantly compare myself and my little dude to others and feel as if I am falling short of some invisible expectation or standard.

 

I'm telling you all this because if you are feeling this way, I want you to know you aren't alone and because I want to share with you a few tricks that have helped me battle my mom guilt.   So here they are, my little tips and tricks for battling the sometimes never ending Mom Guilt!

1. When the small voice in my head tells me I am not good enough or that I am not doing enough I remind myself that I am the best mother for my little guy.  I tell myself that I know my kid better then anyone and this helps ease the chatter in my head.  I remind myself that I am human, and I am not going to have everything figured out all the time.  That I am going to make mistakes, and that’s ok.  You know the best part, your son or daughter still loves you regardless, even when you mess up!   
2. When the tears start to flow because I feel like I have been to harsh on my little guy, I make sure to let him know that I still love him and that his actions (not listening, being naughty) don’t make me stop loving him. I make sure to talk to him about why he got in trouble and then follow it up with a hug and a kiss and a few extra snuggles.  Disciplining a toddler or any kiddo is hard especially on us mommy’s but just make sure your kiddo understands their punishment, what actions got them to said punishment and that this doesn’t change how much you love them. 
3. Finally the comparison trap!   When I feel like I am constantly comparing myself to other mom’s out there and start to feel as though  I am falling short I try to shut those thoughts down quickly.  I remind myself again that I am the best mom for my child and that I am doing the best I can!  And then I take a little break from social media (or try not to look at it as much).  Most of the time when I start comparing myself to others it is because I have been on social media to much.  I find taking little breaks from Social Media helps keep my thoughts in check and helps me not to compare myself to others mommy's out there!

I hope these little tips helped and remember you aren’t alone!  Being a mom is tough work, and we are all doing the best we can!

Road Trips with a Toddler

A long distance road trip with a toddler is no joke!  And now that Derek and I have a few longer trips under our belts (9.5 hour and 12 hours) I thought I would pull a post together to share my tips and tricks for making the trip as smooth and as fun as possible!

Keep in mind I am not expert, these are the things that worked for us!  So let's get started!

Toys/Books - I bring A LOT of toys/books on trips with us.   Not only are toys and books great for a car ride, but they are great for the end destination too (think play time in the hotel, bedtime stories etc.)  I typically fill Theo's little school backpack with an assortment of his favorite smaller toys and a few of his favorite books (think balls, small toy animals, toys with buttons/zippers, cars , flashcards and interactive/activity books).  Being that I sit in back with him on most longer trips I simply pull one toy out at a time, let him play with it and when he gets bored move onto the next!  A favorite activity on our last long car ride was putting his small toy animals through the holes in Derek's helmet.  Once all the animals were pushed through the helmet, we would free them and start the game all over (pictured below).  Get creative and use other non-toy things in the car to help pass the time!

Snacks - Car friendly snacks are a must!  I love having an assortment of yummy and healthy snacks that pack/travel easy and help fight off hunger.  I throw car snacks into there own bag and put it in the back seat next to my toy back pack (mentioned above) so snacks are easy to grab and hand out when hunger strikes!  Here are a few of my fav/go to portable snacks!  Applesauce/Vegetable Pouches (we love the GoGo Squeeze Brand and Costco Brand), Teddy Grahams, Goldfish Crackers, PB + Graham Cracker Sandwiches, Bananas, and fresh berries washed and stored in small tupperware containers (but warning, this can get a bit messy if your little one smooshes them or drops them in the car).  I also make sure to pack a water bottle/sippy cup for Theo, you gotta stay hydrated!

Stops - Lets face it we all get antsy on long car rides!  Stops for us were/are key when taking long road trips!  We usually will make a lunch/dinner stop depending on the time of day we start our road trip, this is nice because it is typically a bit longer of a stop and everyone can get a good meal in them (you don't want anyone getting hangry)!  Along with stopping for Lunch/Dinner we will also make the occasional bathroom/gas station stop or park stop!  We have found that even though stops will make the trip a tad longer, they help with our sanity in the end!  Everyone does better on a long car ride when they can get out, stretch and run around!

Naptime - Take advantage of nap time and use it to your benefit!  Theo only takes an afternoon nap these days, but we still have learned to use that afternoon nap to our advantage!   Below are two ways that we have utilized nap time to our advantage -

1 - If you are going on a longer road trip and you are going to be breaking the drive up over a few days start the first leg of your trip later in the afternoon.  For example when we drove out to MI we drove half on Friday evening and the other half Saturday morning.  Here is how our Friday evening half looked... We picked Theo up from school around 1 PM (close to his typical nap time) and let him nap in the car (roughly a 2-3 hour nap).  When he woke up we played for a bit with our bag of toys, had a snack and made a pit stop to stretch our legs.  Then we drove a bit more, stopped for dinner, changed him into PJS and drove to our hotel for the evening.   Since we drove the second half of our MI trip in the AM, we left after breakfast and just made more stops to stretch etc to keep everyone happy.

2- If you are not planning on driving the trip over multiple days, I recommend leaving in the AM after breakfast and then keep your little entertained with toys/snacks etc.  Make sure to make plenty of stops to keep people happy!   Stop for a longer lunch and then get back in the car for nap time!  

And my last and final tip... don't hate!

Ipad/Movies -  Sometimes on a long road trip you just need to sit back and relax and that is where the Ipad/Movies come into play.  We use the Ipad/Movies as a last resort when snacks/toys/books/and stops just aren't cutting it.   We typically have 1-2 movies downloaded to the Ipad that Theo can pick from and then we usually let him watch 1 movie during the road trip to our destination and then another movie home.  Again, we use this as a last resort when we all just need to relax!

I hope you found this post helpful!  Again, I am not an expert these are just the things that have helped us when traveling with our little by car! 

One Pot Pasta

I feel like every mom, or dare I say every adult has those 1-2 go to recipes.  The recipes they reach for when they need to get dinner on the table quick (under 30 Mins), and the recipes they know always turn out just right!

For me this  One-Pot pasta is one of those recipes!  On any given night I can whip up a batch of this spaghetti like pasta, and Theodore (and Derek too) will happily eat it up.  The last time I made this recipe Theodore gobbled up 3 helpings (seriously made my night)!  Another bonus of this recipe (besides being delicious) is it creates minimal dishes!  All the ingredients get thrown into one pot.  It is amazing!  

The original recipe comes from Cooking Light, linked here.  Most times I add in additional veggies! Just toss them into the post while the pasta is cooking and voila, no extra dishes!  A few of our fav veggie additions are broccoli, broccoli slaw (cooks up like noodles), peas and carrots!    I seriously will do anything to get more veggies in front of my kiddo!  I have also added cooked chicken sausage to the pasta prior to serving for additional flavor and a good protein kick!  

Looking for other easy one pot family friendly meals?  Check out the below!

Chicken Sausage Skillet with Peppers
Parmesan and Ricotta One Pot Vegetable Pasta
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Spinach

Enjoy!

Guest Post - My Yoga Teacher Journey

I am so excited for today's post!  My little sister Miranda is sharing all about her journey to becoming a Yoga Teacher!  I am insanely proud of her for going after this dream of hers! Thanks, Miranda for sharing your journey with us! 

It never ceases to amaze me how people have such strong opinions about Yoga. Including, if they practice yoga, the studio they sweat at, , types of classes, and all the accessories (I can’t stop buying yoga clothes). I had never really been a “yogi”- I always saw yoga as a waste of a workout because “if you weren’t sweating and doing cardio, you aren’t getting a workout."  Enter Yoga Sculpt at Core Power Yoga (CPY)! My friend Lindsey is an avid sculpter and lived next to a studio. She convinced me to come along one day and I was INSTANTLY hooked.

What made it different? It took the principles of yoga but added weights and cardio all while being HEATED to 93 degrees. It was high intensity, heart pumping, with all the jams you could ever want.

I started going religiously- I am talking 5-6 times a week. Somehow, I still couldn’t bring myself to go to a “real” yoga class. It seemed too zen. At this point I felt pretty part of the CPY community and met some bad a** instructors. One of which really encouraged me to attend teacher training. I was at a point where I wasn’t feeling challenged at work, I had some big personal life changes and thought “why not? I am not committing to teaching.”

Our crew from YSTT (Yoga Sculpt Teacher Training) graduation! 

Through the 5 weeks of Teacher Training and then 4 weeks of extensions- I met AMAZING people, learned so much about myself, took my first “real” yoga class and pushed myself way outside my comfort zone.

We invited friends to take free classes and with each session I felt more confident in my knowledge and ability to teach and LOVED it. So much so that I decided to teach!

Friends that came to our free classes!

I started teaching at YogaFit and the YMCA and am honestly so happy with it! I was so scared before my first class, what if I forget my words, what I if I sound like an idiot. And then I remembered the class isn’t about me- it’s about my students having a great work out, fun, and doing so in a safe way. If I keep them at the center of my mindset all will be okay!

Two of my instructors/mentors/friends and boyfriend at my First class! 

I am so thankful to the CPY community for building me into the teacher I am and for providing me a great foundation! I think Yoga Teacher Training taught me to go outside my comfort zone and live my life in the most authentic way.

What is stopping you from taking that next step in something you want to do?

Hope you all enjoyed this post, again thank you Miranda for sharing your journey with us!    For those in the Minneapolis area that are interested, Miranda teaches Monday/Tuesday at the Minneapolis YMCA and Saturday at YogaFit in Northeast!   I am taking her class in a few weeks at YogaFit, I am so excited! 

Papa Wolfe's Classic Pancakes

Pancakes are always a crowd favorite in my house, and I don't make them nearly as often as I should!  Whenever I make pancakes I always think about weekend mornings growing up!  Growing up my dad was the pancake maker in our house, and weekend mornings were usually reserved as pancake day!

Pancake day was always a favorite of mine.  Probably because of all the memories that were made around my parents kitchen table while munching on pancakes (and also because who doesn’t love chocolate for breakfast).

So today in honor of Father’s Day this Sunday, I want to share with you my Dad’s Famous pancake recipe.  Whip up a batch this weekend for the special guys in your life!  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did/do!

Papa Wolfe’s Classic Pancakes
1 Large Batch! 

Ingredients

Dry –

1 Cup Flour

2 Tablespoons Sugar

½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

¼ Teaspoon Salt

Wet –

1 Egg

1 Cup Milk of Choice (add more in small amounts if you want thinner pancakes)

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

For Serving - 

Maple Syrup

Butter 

Peanut/Almond Butter 

Cookie Cutters - Fun for kiddos, my sister and I used to cut shapes out of our pancakes and thought it was the best thing ever! 

Directions- 

1 – In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients and stir until combined, set aside.

2- In another small/medium bowl combine all wet ingredients and stir until combined. 

3- Gently pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk together until combined, and there are no lumps in the pancake batter.

4- Pour 1/4 cup batter onto a hot lightly greased griddle/skillet.  Flip pancake once tiny bubbles form.  Cook on second side until done through.  Remove from griddle and place a square/slab of butter on center of each pancake (nothing better then hot pancakes, with melted butter).  Repeat step 4 until pancake batter is gone.  

Note - I like to warm my oven slightly and place cooked pancakes in oven (on plate) to keep warm while I make the rest!  Serve pancakes warm with favorite pancake toppings!  See suggestions above! 

Global Running Day

**Disclosure - The below post contains affiliate links.  Which means I will receive a small commission if you click a link and make a purchase.  Clicking the link is no cost to you.**

Happy Global Running Day!

  

First Stroller Run of 2019! 

I love running, and recently shared this post on how my relationship with running changed after having Theodore!  But today, in honor of Global Running Day, I wanted to share with you my must have gear for Summer running!   These are the items/things I reach for the most when heading out for a Summer run.  I have also included a few things I take with me on my run depending on if I am running solo or taking my tiny running buddy with me!   

1st Female Overall - Stillwater 1/2 Marathon 5k 2019

Enjoy and Happy Running!

Clothing/Gear

Shorts/Tank  -

• Hot Summer days require running in a tank and shorts!  Lululemon  tanks and shorts are hands down my favorite!  I love the Swiftly Tech Racerback Tank and their Run The Line Off IV 2 Way Stretch (4”) Short!  I know Lulu can be a bit on the pricier side, but their workout gear seriously lasts! 

Good Quality Shoes –

• Good running shoes make the world of a difference in your running, and I highly recommend checking out your local running store so you can get properly fitted!  I have been fitted several times at Mill City Running in Minneapolis, and think they do a fabulous job!  A few of my favorite running shoes both past and present are the Brooks Launch and the Nike Pegasus. 

SPIBelt –

• If I am running solo without Theodore and the Bob (Running Stroller) I love to wear the Large Pocket SPIBelt!  It’s a great lightweight belt that I can stash my house key, ID/Credit Card and cell phone in while I am running outdoors!  I love the SPIBelt so much that I actually own two of them! 

Sun Protection

A Good Hat –

• When I first started running I found that I hated my hair in my face especially as I got sweatier and sweatier on my run.  At first I tried headbands to keep my hair out of my face, but I could never find one that stayed in place.  So in came my love for running hats!  I love running in a hat because not only does it keep my hair out of my face, but it also helps shield my face/eyes from the sun!  I love ones that Velcro in the back so I can easily adjust the hat to fit my head!  Under Armour, Lululemon and Nike make some great ones!     

Sunglasses –  

• As I mentioned above I love running in a hat, not only because it keeps the hair out of my face, but for the added sun protection for my face/eyes.  However sometimes a hat isn’t enough and sunglasses are needed!  So on top of running in a hat, on extra sunny days I will even run in sunglasses!  My sister gave me a pair of Goodr Running Sunglasses for my birthday and I am in love with them!  They are light weight, and don’t bounce around while I am running!  Plus they have a ton of styles! 

Sunscreen-

• As I have gotten older I am starting to realize/understand the importance of Sunscreen!  Don’t get me wrong I am not great at always remember to wear it, especially when I am in a hurry to get my run started.  But when I do remember to put my SPC on I love Beautycounter’s line of Sunscreen!  Beautycounter’s Mineral Sunscreen lotion is my favorite.   It goes on smooth, rubs in nicely and smells great!   

Misc -

Water Bottle –

• If I am doing a solo longer run outside 10-12 (but lets be honest, that isn’t happening as much anymore!), I love to carry a hand held water bottle!  I really like the Nathan, QuickShot Plus Hydrating Flask.  It is a small handheld water bottle that fits the palm of my hand well and doesn’t get to heavy!

Misc Items for Theodore!

• Now that I have a little running buddy, I also need to think about him when we head out the door for a run.  I always pack a water bottle/sippy cup of water, snacks (banana, small crackers, granola bar), and small toys for Theodore when we hit the road/trail for a run! Most of the time he is happy cruising along in the running stroller checking out the scenery.  But other times he wants toys/snacks/water!  I also always have kid friendly music easily accessible so I can play that for him if he gets bored!   Oh and Sunscreen, can’t forget that!

What is your must have gear for Summer Running?