10 Baby Must Haves

These have been my top 10 favorite things for Emmy that I used over the past 18 months.  I've included links :)

1. Ava Anderson Non Toxic, Baby Body Wash and Shampoo - This body wash and shampoo smells and feels heavenly! It is organic and naturally fragranced with essential oils...it's perfect for baby's sensitive skin! As a bonus, you can order a pump top which is so handy! They also have baby lotion and diaper cream - I just ordered those and I'm excited to try them out. I am sure that I will love those as well. I'll let you know! You can buy all three in a gift set, which is perfect to bring to a baby shower!

2. WubbaNub Pacifier - Affectionately called "the wubb" in our house... this was an absolute lifesaver for us. The attached stuffed animal makes it easy for them to grab and hold on to and also helps to soothe them. It's also easier for moms and dads to catch when it falls out of babies mouth and is on its way to the floor. The stuffed animal does not detach from the pacifier piece, but you can throw the whole thing in the washer and then airdry it. I wish we had it from since she was a newborn! The pacifier part is the same ones that they use in hospitals and it's a great quality.

3. Nuby Splish Splash Stackable Bath Cups - We love bath toys and these are so simple, but Emmy loves them so much! From banging them together, putting water in and watching it pour out, or stacking them, she has so much fun with them. Plus, they have holes so they don't get moldy!

4. Infantino Go GaGa Deluxe Twist & Fold Gym - Emmy used this up until she started crawling at 6 months and she loved playing it in everyday! This includes a pillow that is great for tummy time - and you can always move where the toys and mirror are to encourage tummy time and rolling around. This also plays music and folds up easily! The activity part detaches, so once they start sitting up, you can use the bottom part just as a nice cushioned mat on the floor! It also washes great in the machine if you have a baby that spits up gallons all day, like Emmy was!

5. Boon Odd Ducks - I told you that we love bath toys! The stackable cups and boon odd ducks are a staple in Emmy's bath every time. My mom got her these for Christmas last year and they have been a hit. They are PVC-free and do not hold water so they won't grow mold! Emmy's favorite thing to do right now is give their cute little beaks a smooch!

6. Joovy Nook High Chair - Black Leatherette - This high chair folds up to the size of a briefcase for easy storage and travel (it is so light, yet sturdy). The chair is a leather material, so it wipes down very easily. The top tray also snaps off so it can be cleaned and even put in the dishwasher. 

7. Fisher-Price Baby's First Blocks - I bought this for Emmy for Easter when she was 9 months... she loved it from Day 1 and still plays with it, just in a different way now. She loved taking things out at first, then putting things back, using just the bucket, etc. It's very versatile, inexpensive and will provide a lot of entertainment! It's also a good portable size that can be carried for car entertainment or out at someone's house or a restaurant. It's also a quiet toy since it doesn't make noise :)

8. Oxo Tot Bottle Brush - I pretty much love everything that Oxo makes...and their bottle brush is no exception! If you are using any bottles, they will need to be cleaned - this is the best brush that I found!

9. Fisher-Price Kick N Play Piano Gym - Until she was 6 months old, Emmy would rotate between the Infantino gym (#4 above) and this.. they both provided hours of entertainment. They can either lay on their backs or it can be reversed to practice tummy time. It also encourages reaching and grabbing. As she started trying to sit up, this is great because the piano is removable and it can be upright so they can sit (or you can sit behind them to hold them) and push on the keys. We also used to take the teething toys off and use them on her car seat. I love its versatility.

10. Little Green Pouch, Reusable Food Pouch (7 oz. 4 pack) - I actually bought these when she was a little over 12 months, but I wish that I had known about them when she started eating pureed foods. We use them now primarily for yogurt since buying a big tub of yogurt is way cheaper than those individual squeeze packs and little cups make for big messes when little ladies or gentleman don't know how that spoons aren't for flinging yogurt! They are dishwasher safe and so durable. These are another great baby shower gift!

Alright, that's it for now - I hope you enjoy. Let me know if you try any of these products or if you use any of them currently,  I'd love to hear what you use everyday for your little ones!

21 Day Fix: My Journey

What is the 21 Day Fix? If you've read my blog or seen my Facebook posts, my journey began with Focus T25 in July 2014. When I was doing T25, I heard about the 21 Day Fix and I was interested since it combined at-home workouts with nutrition. Plus, the program is only 21 days long and promises to bring you great results. I wanted to find another workout that I could rotate with T25 for the winter months. My goal for the 21 Day Fix was to continue toning up.

I had heard read mixed reviews online about the 21 Day Fix and I was nervous because I loved T25 and Shaun T so much. I was afraid it wasn't going to be a good enough workout for me after I had been used to the high impact of the T25 workouts --- well, it's safe to say that after a few minutes into the first workout, I was completely humbled. The 21 Day Fix workouts are so simple, but they will whip your butt into shape! 

I was obsessed with Shaun T when I did T25... he was so motivating and always pushing you to go further. The 21 Day Fix is done with Autumn Calabrese... I am now absolutely in love with her. She makes me feel guilty if I am not giving 110% effort! I don't know how she does it, but she makes me push past all of my excuses. Plus, she travels to my living room everyday to give me a personal workout, even in rain and snow! And she gives you great motivating quotes during each workout :) I love my motivating quotes!

The best thing is that this program is a great transition from a program like T25 if you want to switch up your workouts or for someone who hasn't worked out in a while because there is a modifier for every move and breaks! It is also great for someone who has an event coming up that they don't have 10 weeks to commit to along-term program like T25.

These were comparison pictures that I posted on Day 5 and Day 11:

Okay - so let's get into the details. The program involves 7 at-home workouts, as well as portion control containers and an eating plan.

The Workouts

The 7 workouts range from 27 - 32 minutes (30 minutes on average). In addition, there is a 10-minute ab fix that you can choose to do on any or all of the days! If you order from me, you will also get a bonus Plyo workout. All of the workouts are designed to use multiple muscle groups at once so that your body burns the maximum calories. Autumn did a great job of introducing variety into each day's workout. Here are the core workouts:

There is a modifier for each move and she also demonstrates varying degrees of difficulty level so that you can step it up or step it down depending on your fitness level. 

The Eating Plan

With the 21 Day Fix, there is no need to count calories, ounces or cups. You just need the seven color-coded portion control containers and your Shakeology shaker cup to give you the right portions every time, so you don't eat too much or too little. If the food fits into the container, you can eat it! You will be eating every food group. Here are the containers:

You will answer a few questions about your weight and goals and that will tell you how many of each container you can eat each day. Based off that, you will form your meal plans and find recipes that are "21 Day Fix Approved"!

As part of my challenge groups, I provide sample meal plans and new recipes every week. Meal planning can be stressful so I help to take the stress off of it you want to follow the sample meal plan. All of the recipes I provide are simple, family-friendly and approved by my picky husband and toddler!

Some of the recipes included in my challenge groups are Mexican Lasgna, Loaded Potato Soup, English Muffin Pizzas and Crockpot Beef & Broccoli. Sounds delicious, right?!

That's it - it's simple, I promise you! I am doing Round 2 of the 21 Day Fix now and still following the meal plan about 80/20 and it's helping me to maintain my weight and continue to tone up!

Here are my final results from Round 1:

I wanted to share my journey with you in hopes of inspiring someone that you CAN make a change in your life - you just have to make a commitment to do it! I would love to coach you through the 21 Day Fix...it's your turn for a transformation!

If you are interested, tell me! You can e-mail me here! I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have. If you are interested, but have hesitations, tell me them so I can try to understand them and see if the program is for you.

Don't order the program on your own - let me be your coach and help you through it to get maximum results. Click here for the proper link to browse on your own!

5 Days of December Shakeology Shake Off

Hello everyone! I am offering a FREE 5 day Shakeology Shake Off from December 8 to 12 to help you stay accountable to your health during the holidays. You just have to buy the Shakeology - $25 and I'll send you a 5 day supply (free shipping - my gift to you). During the 5 days, I will provide tips to get through the holidays while staying healthy and recipes are healthy and delicious! All of the recipes that I will provide have all been husband and toddler approved :)

If you've ever been curious about Shakeology, this is your chance to give it a try since you are only committed for 5 days and $25.

The deadline to commit is Tuesday, November 25 so there is plenty of time to send the Shakeology out to you.

If you are currently in one of my challenge groups, you can do this too! If you haven't tried Shakeology yet, this is a perfect chance. If you already have Shakeology, jump on in to get the tips and recipes :) This challenge is only open for those that are not already working with another coach.

Contact me on Facebook or e-mail me at aarikasage@gmail.com for more details.

Superfood Protein Bites

Happy Friday! I'm naming today Fit Foodie Friday...for those of us who want to be fit, but LOVE to eat. 

These are the perfect snack when you are craving something sweet or you are in the need of some pre-workout energy. Each bite is approximately 100 calories and 8 grams of protein.

1 cup Just Great Stuff or PB2 powdered peanut butter OR chocolate peanut butter
1/2 cup all natural chunky peanut butter
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 scoop vanilla or chocolate Shakeology
1 cup dry oats
Cinnamon powder (few sprinkles)
Vanilla extract (few dashes)

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Let the mixture chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes and then form them into golf ball sized bites. Store in the fridge and enjoy! You can leave off the cinnamon powder and vanilla extract, but I thought it gave them good flavor. Feel free to experiment with other natural extracts!

I used what I had on hand, so I used Just Great Stuff powdered chocolate peanut butter and vanilla Shakeology... try to mix it up and find your favorite!

Why Shakeology?

Many of you have probably seen me post on Facebook about Shakeology. Maybe you're wondering - What is Shakeology? Why should I drink Shakeology? Or maybe you're thinking - Oh, that's not for me, it's probably just another diet shake or protein shake. Well, I'm going to tell you all about it and my reasons for drinking it everyday for almost 4 months. I can tell you one thing - it is neither a diet shake nor a protein shake.

So, let me give you my story with Shakeology and how I got started with it. When I decided to do T25, I bought a "challenge pack." Basically, a challenge pack is the workout program AND a 30-day supply of Shakeology. I was completely skeptical of Shakeology because I don't eat diet foods and the price tag to continue it after my initial supply seemed pretty steep. My coach told me that it was the best deal (it was) and I love a deal, so I went for it, but I was wary. I really didn't have any intention of continuing it after my 30-day supply ran out.

I tried it for the first time on the same day that I started T25. I'll be honest, I didn't like that first sip. I hadn't prepared it in the right way. Once I started mixing it with some ice and almond milk and then occasionally blending it with banana and peanut butter - I started to enjoy it. I looked forward to drinking it every morning after my workout. I started experimenting it with different recipes. After a little over a month, my bag was empty, but I didn't really feel like I should really spend so much every month on it, so I cancelled my order.

I immediately regretted cancelling my order. I could tell the difference when I stopped drinking it. I had less energy and I felt like my body was craving the nutrients that it had given me for that month.

I kept thinking about it... $130 for a 30-day supply...what does that mean? That means it would cost me $4.33 per day and $30 per week to keep drinking it. That's when I realized that I had been spending that much on a drink each day -- I had spent at least $4.50 on an iced vanilla latte almost everyday for the past few months. I also spent on average $8 per day to eat out for lunch, which meant I was spending $40 per work week, and even more if I ate out anywhere on the weekends.

When I started T25, I had quit drinking Starbucks everyday and I also began to bring all of my food for work almost everyday (at least 4 times per week). I was subconsciously saving money by becoming healthier. That's when I knew that I should keep doing Shakeology and that my body would thank me for the nutrients and help me lose weight in return.

I did research on various shakes, but NONE of them compared to the ingredients and benefits of Shakeology. I didn't want a quick fix for weight loss - I wanted something that was sustainable and that would provide me enough nutrients, since it would replace one meal per day.

I think you already know the next chapter in this story. I decided to restart drinking Shakeology and I'm so glad that I did. It truly has helped me get necessary nutrients and keep me on track for weight loss and maintenance of that weight loss. Shakeology is one of the best investments that I make each month! You can find ways to cut unhealthy habits so that you can afford Shakeology. And now I can use Vanilla Shakeology to make myself a healthier version of a vanilla latte at home :)

A side benefit of being a Beachbody coach is a 25% discount on each bag of Shakeology, so that has also helped reduce my monthly cost.

So, now that you know my story and how Shakeology turned me from a skeptic to a believer, here is a little bit about it:

Shakeology is a superfood dense nutrition shake. The main goal of the shakes is to nourish your body. It's called "the healthiest meal of the day" for a reason!

Since I love charts, here is a chart of the ingredients in Shakeology and information about each:

Shakelogy has no trans fat, no saturated fat and no artificial sweeteners. A serving of Shakeology has 16 grams of protein, only 14 grams of carbohydrates and 130 calories, of which only 20 calories are from fat.

Some of the benefits of Shakeology include:

• Nourish your body with the nutrients it needs for optimal health
• Lose weight
• Reduce cravings
• Increase energy levels and stamina
• Promote regularity and healthy digestion

It is suggested to replace one meal per day with Shakeology. I usually have it for breakfast, but you can have it for any meal or snack during the day. There are also many ways that you can shake or blend Shakeology that your options are endless!

Also, it's "fast food" - it's so easy to mix it up or blend it up, grab it and go!

I hope this gave you a little bit of insight into Shakeology and why I am such a dedicated fan!

The best thing about Shakeology is the "bottom of the bag guarantee." Beachbody is so confident that they know you are going to love it that they provide a 30-day money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied. It's called "bottom of the bag" because you can return it even if you  have an empty bag!

You can browse the flavors, check out more information or order Shakeology here.

What do you think? Do you want to become a Shakeology-holic with me?



*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

This recipe for chocolate chip cookie dough truffles is my absolute favorite...bring these to the next party that you go to and I guarantee that you will be the most popular person there! They are perfect for all the holiday parties in the next few months! Or Sunday football!

Image source

These are DELICIOUS! Also, I can't take credit for these photos - I actually don't have pictures handy of the ones that I made...probably because they were eaten immediately after I made them ;)

So, let's get to it:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I recommend Ghiradelli)
Chocolate for dipping like Baker's Dipping Chocolate -- I'd get 2 or 3 of these to be safe

Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla extract. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until incorporated. Don't get crazy here or you will have this dry mixture all over your kitchen - trust me, I know this from experience. Add in chocolate chips and mix by hand.

Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

When the dough is firm enough to handle, form dough into 1" balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place the baking sheets in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Image source

Melt the dipping chocolate in microwave according to package directions. Alternatively, you could use chocolate chips or chunks and melt in a double boiler - but I seriously can't do this for the life of me, so I can't tell you how to do it. But if you rock melting chocolate in a double boiler, go for it! Maybe you can tell me your tricks. Using toothpicks as a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into melted chocolate to cover it.

Return the covered cookie balls to the waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill in the fridge until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Resist eating every single one! If you are serving them or bringing them to a party, they look great in mini cupcake papers.

Enjoy! Let me know if you try it!

Meal Plan Motivation Monday

I wanted to give you some tips on how I meal plan for the day, especially for those hard mornings like Mondays. It's so tempting just to get up, roll out of bed and head out out to work/school/playdates, but planning out the meals for your day in the morning (or the night before) saves you time, money and keeps you eating healthy!

Here is what I brought for work today:

Everyday, I try to bring breakfast (almost always Shakeology), 2 snacks (1 morning, 1 afternoon) and lunch (I do occasionally buy lunch, but I try the best I can to bring something from home).

I also always carry my Camelbak with me and make sure that I drink at least 3-4 of them everyday to stay hydrated - it is amazing how hydration or dehydration affects your body and energy level. A few months ago, I never drank water during the day - I just didn't think about doing it. But now that I'm in the habit, I need it everyday!

On the menu today:

Breakfast: Vanilla Shakeology shaken with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and pumpkin spice coffee.

To make sure that I always have Shakeology on hand, I have home direct and it ships to me each month. Kris and I go through almost 3 cartons of almond milk each week - I always buy these on the weekend to make sure that we are stocked up. It's a staple of my grocery list. Trader Joe's is the best and has the cheapest! I just bought the pumpkin spice coffee this weekend and it's also from Trader Joe's. Delicious and really gets you into the fall mood!

Morning snack: Carrot sticks with hummus

A giant bag of carrots is super cheap and taste SO much better than baby carrots. They also last for at least 2 weeks so you don't have to buy them every week. Just peel them up quick, cut them up and store them in the fridge in individual ziploc bags to grab for the week! I buy the individual hummus containers in bulk from Costco. They are a great deal and you don't have to worry about a) having a container on hand and washing it each time you want to carry hummus with you and b) it going bad once you open the big container. Let's be honest, we all do it - I know I waste hummus all the time when I buy a big container of it.

Lunch: Beef and Sausage Hearty Chili with shredded sharp cheddar cheese

I made a big pot of chili on Sunday and now we have it to grab for the rest of the week for a quick, healthy meal....recipe to come at a later time. I also buy big blocks of cheese at a time and shred them myself. It's so much cheesier without all of the preservatives in those pre-shredded bags. 

I love these Oxo Tot containers because they are perfect for cheese, almond butter, hummus, avocado, etc. - we actually bought them for Emmy's baby food and we still send her to school with them for fruit, goldfish, etc.

Afternoon snack: Sliced apples with almond butter (unsweetened)

Apples also last for at least 2 weeks, so I stock up every other week and keep them in the fridge handy to slice in the morning. To make slicing easy, I have this handy Oxo slicer (can you tell that I'm obsessed with Oxo products?):

Dinner: Kris and I are a big fan of breakfast for dinner! We had eggs over easy with toasted whole wheat English muffins. I buy English muffins when they have the buy 2 get 1 free sales and then store them in the freezer. You can do so much with English muffins - it's not just a breakfast food - such as English muffin pizzas!

So, that's it for my first Meal Plan Motivation Monday.

What are some of your tips for meal planning?

Focus T25: My Journey

You may or may not have seen my posts on Facebook about Focus T25. Maybe you were asking yourself how I have been able to get back into shape between balancing a full-time job and a family? Well, T25 is the answer! Actually, T25 AND Shakeology, but that deserves its own post! In this post, I wanted to give you a run down of exactly what T25 is because it has changed my life and given me the kick in the butt that I needed to get back into shape. 

I'm not going to hold anything back in these blog posts and be completely honest with all of you. After Emmy was born, I lost all of my pregnancy weight within 3 months. However, when I went back to work, I gained a lot of the weight back. I didn't have the time or ability to get to a gym. I was at the heaviest weight I have ever been in my life and I think I had just accepted the fact that this was a consequence of becoming a mom. I knew Emmy didn't look at me any differently, so I convinced myself that I shouldn't feel bad about it. 

However, the biggest pants that I owned were getting tight. I refused to buy a new pair. I knew that I had to make a change, but I just didn't know how. I always eat fairly healthy, so that wasn't really my problem - it's that I sat at a desk everyday and I didn't have time to workout. Yup, those were my excuses - excuses that I no longer allow myself to use! 

Cue my coach Megan sending me a message that she was in the middle of an amazing program called T25 that had changed her life and had helped her lose all of her baby weight and more! I was sold the minute that I heard that I could do it at home in only 25 minutes each day and that it would be paired with a virtual accountability group! That sounded so doable and like it could totally fit into my life. It was exactly what I needed! I ordered the program right away and waited anxiously for it to arrive.

I started it and after 4 days, I quit. I was busy preparing for Emmy's first birthday party and skipped one day. Because of that one day, I felt like I was off track and had failed. So, 2 weeks later, I started the program from the beginning and now, 13 weeks later, I'm still going strong and entering my last week of the program!!! I honestly can't believe that I've worked out 5-6 days per week for 13 weeks...I've NEVER done that in my life...and guess what - I love it and have no intention of stopping.

Here is a comparison picture I posted after Week 6:

So, now you know what led me to start T25 - here is a little bit about it!

T25 is a 10 week at home fitness program led by Shaun T... he is absolutely INSANE and such a great motivator. He is truly a great workout buddy to have and he will come to your house everyday to train with you (he's very dedicated)! It is a Beachbody program - you might have heard of some of the other popular programs - Insanity and P90X.

Those programs are for very serious fitness enthusiasts who are already in shape and have a lot of time each day to dedicate to working out. However, who has time to do 1+ hour workouts everyday, even if they can do it at home? Not me, that's for sure. Hence, T25 was created!

Every workout is 25 minutes long - that's it! It rounds up to 30 minutes if you want to count turning on your DVD player, putting on your sneaks and the 2-3 minute cool down, but you need to do all of those things with every workout. Don't be fooled - this workout is not easy - you are going to be pouring sweat halfway through, I promise! It is an intense 25 minutes, but each move has a modifier.

The 10 weeks consists of 5 weeks of Alpha round and 5 weeks of Beta round. You receive a calendar that tells you what workout to do which day. This is one of my favorite parts - you don't have to even think about what workout you are doing that day or if it's going to be effective - you just pop in the DVD and Shaun T has done all of the thinking for you!

Alpha round includes:

• Cardio. 25 minutes of calorie-burning, sweat-drenching cardio.
• Speed 1.0. Ignite your quickness. Burn the fat. Fast-paced for fast results.
• Total Body Circuit. Focus on strength and resistance - without lifting a single weight.
• Ab Intervals. Cardio and ab intervals that shred the fat from your midsection.
• Lower Focus. Focus on your lower-body muscles - they key to burning fat and kicking up your metabolism.

Beta round includes:

• Core Cardio. Get your sweat on! This progressive cardio-core workout is about you getting shredded fast.
• Speed 2.0. Rev it up with Shaun's calorie-scorching, core-focused speed drills.
• Rip't Circuit. Cardio... upper body ... legs ... abs ... repeat! This is how you get ripped in 25 minutes.
• Dynamic Core. You'll go from vertical to horizontal and back again in this dynamic, crazy core routine.
• Upper Focus. Shaun will help you develop the upper body of your dreams. All you have to do is FOCUS.

Click here to see a quick video of the greatness that is T25 :)

Another great part is that when you sign up through a coach, you get accountability. I was part of a virtual Facebook group where we were all going through the program together and supported one another. I had never met the people in my group before, but we all instantly bonded because we shared a common focus. It kept me going and helped me get through the program on weeks where I felt like I was struggling or I had gained weight. The coaches posted the best motivational quotes and tips and really created a great experience for us. A reason why I wanted to become a coach - but more on that later, also :)

Unlike a lot of other in-home fitness programs, there is no equipment required. You can use a mat and light dumbbells if you want. The program comes with a resistance band that is used for 2 of the Beta round workouts. I preferred to use 5-8 lb. dumbbells instead of the resistance band, but it's your choice.


Here is a picture that I posted after Week 12:

I have 1 week left of T25 and I will post my official "before" and "after" pictures and results then! In a bikini, yikes!! At least I have another week to get up the courage to do it :) 

I wanted to share my journey with you in the hopes of inspiring someone that you CAN make a change in your life to get healthy. If you don't do it for yourself, do it for the loved ones around you! I would love to coach you through T25...now, it's YOUR turn for a transformation!

If you are interested, tell me! I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have. If you are interested, but have some hesitations, tell me what they are!

 Don't order the program on your own - let me be your coach and help you through it go get maximum results. Click here for the proper link to order and if you want to browse on your own. 

If you aren't quite sure about Shakeology and a "challenge pack" (30 day supply of Shakeology + T25), then I can give you a link with just T25!

Turkey Meatballs

I'm baaaack! Incorporating cooking, adventures with a toddler and my journey into fitness, I hope you enjoy :)

Today I'm going to share my recipe for turkey meatballs. Kris gave them 5 out of 5 stars and that is a lot coming from him! I put them over spaghetti squash to keep the dish as low carb as possible.

1 pound ground turkey
2 eggs
1/4 cup italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon basil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Form the meat mixture into balls (I made mine pretty big). 1 pound of turkey made 11 meatballs for me. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Optional: To make them parm, add a tablespoon of tomato sauce and slice of fresh mozzerella cheese to the top of each meatball. Put in the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and brown. Watch it closely, it happens fast!

ENJOY! Let me know if you make it - I'd love to hear about it and see pictures!

Hearty Kielbasa White Bean Soup

Soup is a perfect food in a lot of ways - you can easily make large quantities so it can be eaten for many meals, it warms you up in the winter and it's simple to cook!

This past week, I made up a large batch of what I have coined as Hearty Kielbasa White Bean Soup, which is a delicious mix of kielbasa, cannelini beans, and spinach in a warm beef broth that I could eat for days (and that is saying a lot because I am not generally a fan of leftovers, but I'm trying....).

Hearty Kielbasa White Bean Soup

I love kielbasa because it's a grown up version of hot dogs, one of my favorite foods! This soup also has no milk/cream or cheese, which in my mind, automatically makes it healthy and I am giving myself a big pat on the back for creating a recipe with no dairy (since I'm a cheese-aholic...seriously, I need to go to meetings, let me know if you know of a group).

I'm actually craving this soup as I'm typing this...we have 1 more serving left, but I promised Kris that he could have it...have I mentioned that he's lucky?

Alright, let's get cooking!

Click here for the printable to bring into the kitchen.

Here is what you'll need to pull from your cabinets and fridge before you start:

6 beef bullion cubes

12 cups water

1 medium sized onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-13 oz. lite polska kielbasa, sliced

1-15.5 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Handful baby spinach

How much time you need:

Between prep and cook time, plan to be in the kitchen for 30 minutes in total. I made the soup after I got home and put Emmy to bed, since you need to be pretty much uninterrupted in order to cook it - it cooks fast but between chopping, slicing, cooking kielbasa, etc., there isn't much downtime while it's cooking.

Now, to the fun part (lot's of pictures for this one!):

Start by boiling 6 cups of water with 6 beef bullion cubes. Stir every so often so that the cubes fully dissolve into the water. You could also buy pre-made beef broth, but I had a whole jar of these cubes in my cabinet that have been sitting there for a few months, feeling pretty lonely, so I wanted to give them some love...

Oh yeah, look at that rolling boil... 

Once it has boiled, you can reduce heat to low.

While you are waiting for the water to boil, chop up your onion (keep chopping  through the tears, it will all be worth it in the end...I promise). Mince up your garlic cloves at this time too.

Heat up 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a dutch oven (or similar pot). I have a Simply Calphalon Nonstick 7 qt. Dutch Oven and I absolutely love it, I use it for everything from soup to chili to macaroni and cheese. I definitely recommend investing into one, if you don't already have something similar.

Throw your onions and garlic into the EVOO and saute them over medium high heat until they are translucent and just starting to turn brown, as seen in the below picture.

Drain and rinse your cannellini beans.

Ignore the sink fully of dirty dishes in the background please...focus on those beautifully drained and rinsed beans! I was waiting for my dish washing fairy godmother to come by later that night and do her job...

Add the beans to the onions and garlic...mix them around and let them heat up for a few minutes.

Now, pour your beef broth into the pot, as well. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once it has boiled, add in 6 additional cups of water.

While your beans, onions, garlic and broth are having a flavor party over in your dutch oven... slice your kielbasa up into bite size pieces. 

I used lite polska kielbasa, but you could switch out for turkey kielbasa, or any other kind of kielbsa for that matter, if you want to! You could probably even use sweet or hot italian sausage with this recipe, if you want to go for an Italian twist...but I wanted more of a German dish this time.

Yum, this picture makes me want to break out some cheese and crackers to eat with the kielbasa slices... see, I got side tracked thinking about cheese, I really need help.

Heat up 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a frying pan over medium high heat.

Toss your kielbasa into the hot EVOO. Cook them in the pan until the pieces have a nice sear on both sides, like in the picture below.

Deeeelicious.

Add the kielbasa into your soup pot and allow the broth to come back to a boil, and continue boiling for about 5 minutes to make sure all the flavors have all been married together.

Last step, grab a handful of baby spinach.

I'm sure that you are all wondering why I've never been asked to be a hand model... I'm sure Sally Hansen will want to snatch me up for a nail polish ad after they've seen this picture.

Throw Toss (I just realized that I say "throw" a lot...let me be clear that I don't have a violent kitchen, I'm not throwing food everywhere all the time) the spinach into your soup and stir.

You should see your spinach starting to wilt fairly quickly...

until it looks like this...and then you're done!

And, that's it, folks, a yummy soup for dinner that is also perfect for lunches. The soup tastes even better the next time, after you've allowed all of the flavors to spend a night together in the fridge. I brought it into work twice for lunch and Kris also ate it twice for lunch. So, I would say it makes about 6-8 servings, depending on how hungry you are (or how much self control you have). I know that I'm going to make a double batch next time, so that I can freeze half of it for an easy dinner.

But don't take my word for it how good it is, because pictures speak a thousand words:

From my kitchen to yours,

Mama Friend