Mommy Mondays Week 34

Well we're officially moving at warp speed! I remember asking my husband what felt like months ago when we should get the car seat base in the car "just in case," and we agreed to do it at 35 weeks. That's next week! How is this possible? Her nursery is really coming together. My dad refinished a dresser that was my husbands when he was little, and all we're waiting on is the glider to be delivered. Then I'm ready to decorate! I can't wait to share. I was thinking in addition to pictures I could put a vlog up on YouTube to give you a better feel about the space and layout of the room.

I'm definitely feeling very pregnant these days. My feet swell from work, my stomach is so sore at the end of the day from all the Braxton Hicks that I feel like I've done 10,000 crunches, and I'm pretty sure I waddle. I've been noticing a lot of pressure down below, but nothing out of the ordinary from what friends tell me. I had my 3 hour glucose test about a week and a half ago and my doctors office never called me about it, so I'm assuming all is well. Which is great! I can eat sweets again haha! I don't know why, but I have this feeling the baby might come before her due date. Maybe it's the pressure, the what feels like constant Braxton Hicks, and the fact that she's been head down for so long. Everyone says first babies take forever, both in terms of how long you're pregnant and how long you're in labor. I will just keep hoping and praying it all goes smoothly. 

Mommy Mondays Week 33

I can't believe I'll be full term in only four weeks! That's just insane. I remember being so anxious to make it past the first trimester, I feel like it was just yesterday. Now we're getting closer and closer to baby actually being here. I feel like I have no time, that I'm not prepared and never will be because there isn't enough time! Our Christmas tree has no presents under it, I never even put out the nativity scene, and I haven't baked a single cookie. This hasn't been the merriest of holidays, but I'm looking forward to having Christmas day off and New Years day too. 

Once it's January I'll be on a modified work schedule until I'm out on maternity leave. So luckily I'll just be working five hour days, which is really exciting! I won't have to work long enough to take a lunch break, I won't have to sit in traffic to and from work, and hopefully it will help keep the swelling down. I got home from work Friday and I was in so much pain I couldn't even bend to take off my shoes or pants to get into pi's. My hubby had to help me, and then he pointed out my legs. They looked awful. I had a massive indent where my socks were and my feet looked really chubby. Guess it's time to slow down, my body is starting to get pissed at me.

Orange and Parsley Chicken Cutlets with Arugula

I saw this recipe on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals and just had to recreate it, in a low carb way of course! I subbed the flour for coconut flour and used flax meal and Parmesan cheese instead of regular bread crumbs. It was so delicious but quite a large meal for one person. I definitely think this is great for when you're starving, or you can share it with someone else and add some extra veggies.

Mommy Mondays Week 32

Health-wise week 32 was much better than week 31. In terms of my mental health, wasn't the best. I must have cried at my desk twice a day for the first few days during the week. There is a lot of stress in my life right now. Family members who are ill, my aunt recently passed away, and my work is unable to do anything about shortening my hours. So it's been hard. I'm just taking it one day at a time, trying to get through these next four weeks. Then I will officially be on maternity leave and eligible to collect disability from the state, since I don't have vacation or sick time through my job. I can't wait until those couple weeks before Isla is here to just spend time with the hubby, before we officially become a family. It's so exciting! I can't wait to be a mommy.

(sorry for the poor pic quality; bad lighting and a dirty lens! oops!)

Mommy Mondays Week 31

Well, week 31 was really interesting. For the most part it really sucked. My stomach seemed a little off Monday night, but nothing major at least not when you're pregnant. Woke up Tuesday morning feeling like I had been hit by a bus. My head was killing me, my stomach felt funny, and I couldn't even finish my oatmeal. I took a sip of coffee and immediately pushed it aside. I knew something was up, but I had no idea what the rest of the week was going to be like. A few hours later it was the full on stomach flu. I couldn't even keep water down, I had a fever and sleeping that night was difficult from the chills and night sweats. The next morning my hubby came home and took me to urgent care. I needed IV fluids and a prescription for Zofran to help with the nausea so I could eat a little. My pulse was a whopping 134, man was I dehydrated. 

The next day I had to work, even though I had a doctors note to rest for three days. Another girl was out sick, and the other on vacation. There was no one to work, so I went in and worked 11:30-8 pm. It was the absolute worst day. Friday I was finally feeling better and could eat a little, and hubby and I did some baby shopping. First Target, then Ikea that night. I felt like I was going to die. The weight of the baby is really starting to affect my body. Everything aches, and just walking around Target feels like running a marathon. I think I'm officially too big to shop. And if being sick for three days followed by an insane amount of shopping wasn't enough, I spent all of Saturday and Sunday nesting. I put together her changing table and crib, reorganized everything, cut off all the tags from the clothes we got at the shower, put books away, organized the closet, the list goes on. Thank goodness for the nesting instinct, otherwise I don't think I'd get anything done. Probably ever. 

On another random note, I've gained about 26 lbs at this point. I was really determined to be one of those awesome pregnant ladies who was "all belly" and didn't have the thicker thighs and double chin I'm currently experiencing. I'm a little disappointed in myself, the second trimester I just really piled on the weight. I guess for my next pregnancy I'll really watch my overall calories and salt more closely, since it didn't go so well this time around. I'm hoping to get back to my pre-prego size with ease from a lot of walking and breastfeeding once she's here!

Mommy Mondays Week 30

Wow we are officially in the 30's! I think that means time is about to move even faster than it has been. I can't believe my shower is behind me, and Thanksgiving too! That means Christmas is next, then New Years, then a baby! This past week was one of my favorites. I got to spend time with my family (my sister and her boyfriend came down from LA to visit), and I had time with my in laws as well! Thanksgiving was wonderful. We had lunch at my mother in laws, and then dinner at my parents. The boys played video games, and the girls chatted. I honestly wish I could have a do-over of the whole week. I miss having family around all the time. My sister felt Isla kick the night of my baby shower, that was so amazing to experience with her. She's very excited to become an auntie!

(downside to an early sunset is horrible quality pics once I'm home from work, sorry!)

Mommy Mondays Week 29

My last week in the 20's! I can't even believe it. Each week we're that much closer to meeting baby girl, my husband and I are getting really excited. The paint for her nursery has been purchased, hopefully we can paint within the next couple of weeks. My dad is working on refinishing a dresser and bookshelf for her, then we just need to buy the crib and changer. I can't wait to see how it all comes together. I feel like I should apologize for my lack of posting lately, I can't even manage to get this one up on time. Life. What can I say, it's been rough.

Mommy Mondays Week 28

Hubby and I are currently in Las Vegas until tomorrow, and I completely forgot to set an alarm to remind me to post. I should have typed this up before we left and scheduled it, but my pregnancy brain has me feeling pretty air headed lately. This past week seems to have flown by, and now I'm officially in the third trimester! I can't believe how fast time flies, I must be having too much fun. I really do enjoy being pregnant. It's worth the aching back, throbbing feet, tummy troubles, itchy stomach, and headaches! Just to feel Isla move and see her grow every week is such a miracle. Seeing my husband get more and more excited every week is the sweetest thing. I know once she's here his heart will melt. Can't wait to meet her. 

DIY Maternity Photos Using your iPhone

My husband and I are both awful at taking pictures. Since I've been pregnant, the only pictures I had of myself were the once a week bump shots. We've been to parties, gone to happy hours, and socialized with our friends. But we have no pictures to prove it. I wanted to snap a few pictures in order to do a name reveal for our little sweet pea on Facebook, for our not so immediate family and friends who didn't already know her name. I didn't necessarily need to involve my hubby in this, but we were both home and the weather was so nice it turned into a mini photo shoot. 

I had some friends asking who took the pictures, who the photographer was, how they were edited, etc. I thought it was easiest to explain it all in a blog post. Hopefully you will find this helpful, and if you're camera shy it might entice you to take some pictures to remember your pregnancy. I took my maternity pictures pretty early on, I'm just now in my third trimester and I was 26 weeks in these photos. My bump is small, but that's okay. I would rather take these pictures while I can see my feet and haven't entered full-waddle-mode quite yet. 

Low Sodium Taco Chili

When I want a quick meal that's slightly healthier for a fast food item, I pick up chili and a baked potato. The other day I decided to go ahead and make my own chili to have over sweet potatoes. Regular chili is delicious, but I wanted to incorporate some new flavors. This taco chili is full of nutrients and low on salt. If you aren't on a low sodium diet, I definitely suggest adding extra cheddar cheese and taco sauce to yours. My husband said it was even more delicious that way. I also completely forgot to buy peppers at the store. This recipe would be fantastic with fresh green chili peppers or jalapenos for extra heat.

Mommy Mondays Week 27

I am finally in my 7th month of pregnancy! I feel like a lot has changed in terms of my looks the past week. I wake up looking quite pregnant, and strangers are noticing it as well. I know because they either make a comment, or I can feel their eyes on my stomach as they stare. It's a little awkward. 

I always thought week 27 marked the beginning of the third trimester, but according to my Baby Center app it's the end of the second trimester. For all the moms and pregos out there, when do you think the third trimester begins? The picture this week was taken, a day early, by my bestie. It's not often I'm out in the sunshine with someone else to take a picture of me!

Lower Sodium Beef and Potato Soup

*I wrote this two weeks ago, and told myself I would make it again to snap a decent picture. I only have one I took quickly to show my husband, then we ate it all. This happens a lot. So I never posted this. I've decided to go ahead and post it anyway, so it's definitely in past tense. I've been doing the low sodium thing for a while now and it's helping tremendously.*

During pregnancy, salt is your worst enemy. I've been swelling up like crazy lately. Mainly I've been too focused on overall calories, when I should be focusing on sodium. I'm eating 2000 calories a day and still gaining 5 lbs in one week, which is impossible by the way. So I've decided to stick as closely as I can to 1500 mg of sodium per day, plus extra potassium.

This soup can be fancied up into a stew if you feel like adding flour and taking the time to cook it out. I personally like the kinds of soups where you throw everything into a pot, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer. So although this soup is more watery than a stew, it tastes just as good. Plus no added salt!

Lower Sodium Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup

Another soup recipe, and what to do with those other sausage links leftover from this recipe. Hubby and I love Olive Garden for the soup, salad, and bread sticks. The only downside is the sodium. Nowadays I'm not even worried about overall calories because I always stay right around 2000-2200. I am however worried about sodium content, which has put a damper on eating out. I decided to spice up the leftover chicken apple sausage and try a lighter version of our favorite soup, Zuppa Toscana. This doesn't taste as good as the real deal because I'm using milk instead of cream, and I've omitted the bacon. Give this a try if you're also stuck on a low sodium diet like me!

Sausage Lentil Soup

My apologies for all of the soup recipes lately. Trying to go low sodium has been difficult, and soup has been something that's easy. This soup turned out amazing. I honestly didn't think I would end up sharing the recipe, because it wasn't a recipe. I had random ingredients and tried to make them work. Thanks to my pregnancy brain I left the grocery store with chicken apple sausage, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and parsley. Did not think it through. Luckily I had lentils and canned tomatoes at home, and this turned out wonderfully! Feel free to substitute the chicken apple sausage for Italian, spicy, or whatever you have on hand.

Mommy Mondays Week 26 on repeat

We found out from the doctor last week that my ultrasound confirmed my due date is February 11th, so it's been pushed back a week. I'm sad because it means I have to wait longer to meet my little one, and she might be a valentines baby! I don't know why that bothers me, I just don't want any holidays to take away from her special day. 

When they originally moved my date up a week, I didn't know why. I figured they were just going by my cycle date, but even then I would have been due in January based off that. The doctor said my fundal height is 23-24; so I'm measuring small, but normal, for how many weeks the baby is. It could be that she's a little baby, or that she was in a position where she wasn't taking up as much space. Either way, I'm fine with her being smaller rather than larger. I'm terrified of delivering a 10 lb baby. Mainly because I'm already up 18 lbs, and being a week behind means I've gained just a little more than I "should have" at this point. From here on out I'm going to eat better. All those late night Taco Bell trips in the first and second trimester are starting to catch up to me.

Single Serving Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup

I had a sweet potato hanging out on the counter, and some leftover pumpkin puree in the fridge. I've been making pumpkin spice lattes in the morning, but that only uses one tablespoon of pumpkin at a time. I really wanted to use up these ingredients before they went bad, so I made myself a single serving of soup. It turned out great! It was quick and easy.

Mommy Mondays Week 26

I can't believe that in just one week I'll officially be in the third trimester. Time has absolutely flown by! I've been so busy working that I haven't accomplished much else. In November we'll start on the nursery. I want to paint her room, finish painting and refinishing the furniture she already has, purchase the crib and changer, and start decorating! I plan on making her a chandelier mobile, a frame with her initial (hint, it's an I) to go over her crib, and some other sweet touches. Should be fun!

Spinach, Bacon, and Mushroom Breakfast Quesadillas

My hubby and I call breakfast for dinner "brinner," and it's one of our favorite things to make. It's usually quick and easy. You can just do toast and eggs, or pancakes and omelets. We decided to get fancy and make some gourmet quesadillas. I ended up making a ton of food, which we ate. All of it. No shame. 

Protein Packed Chocolate Milkshake: A Pregnancy Treat!

I find myself wanting ice cream more now that I'm pregnant. I'm not sure if it's because of the sugar or my new found love of dairy. I did read online it's a good craving to indulge in, in moderation, because at the very least it has calcium. I only wish it would fill me up a bit more, for longer anyway. Enter protein powder. We have huge tubs of this stuff because my hubby is a fitness buff, and honestly it doesn't taste all that bad. But when you add milk and chocolate ice cream, it's certainly more satisfying.

Mommy Mondays Week 25

I think it's safe to say this was the best week ever. No work, all play. It was just what I needed. I want to see my husband, friends, and family more. I also want to cook and blog more because I really enjoy it. I'm looking forward to November. Work will be slow, the weather will hopefully cool down, and I can just focus on being healthy for baby and cooking up a storm!

Sweet Potato Soup with Carrots, Apples, and Ginger

My birthday week was a definite success! The only downside was gaining five pounds in a week. It wasn't because I was eating in excess, it was because we were eating restaurant food! My stomach hasn't been feeling great from the lack of fiber, and I am definitely retaining water. My solution is to eat as clean as possible and see if a few of the pounds will come off. I've been wanting soup lately. Something creamy and rich, even though it's been beach weather this whole week. Who says you can't make soup when it's 82 degrees out!? I went to the store and picked up all organic ingredients for this meal, and I absolutely love the way it turned out.

Apartment Redesign: Updating the Bathroom

The longer my husband and I have lived in our current apartment, three years now, the more things I notice that really need fixing. It's hard living in an apartment with ugly doorknobs, bad paint, or hideous carpet. Luckily being a renter doesn't mean you can't make some changes of your own.

Doorknobs can certainly be swapped out, just not the front door! We went and bought a new doorknob with a lock for our bedroom door when we moved in. I'm home alone 3-4 days a week, and it makes me feel safer. When we move out, we'll just swap it with the original knob. There are also little cosmetic things you can change like the knobs on cabinets, the paint (if your complex allows it), new light switch covers, and putting down a rug to cover ugly carpet. The closer we get to baby's arrival, the more I want to change. 

Mommy Mondays Week 24

Another week down! Sometimes I feel like I'm really waiting to pop still. My family and friends say they can tell I'm pregnant, but they also know I am. I'm waiting for strangers to be able to tell! That way they probably won't be thinking "why is that fat girl out of breath if she's walking so slow?"

Guest Post by Linda from Chef Needs!

Chef Needs has a wonderful blog with great tips on buying and caring for restaurant equipment and supplies. They also have a website where you can purchase anything and everything from graters to refrigerated bakery display cases! It's really fun just to look at all the restaurant supply products. I don't have room for anything, but it's nice to window shop.

You can find Linda's blog at http://chefneeds.com/blog

They also have a fan page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chefneedsrestaurantequipment

Below you will find Linda's fantastic recipes for healthy side dishes! Enjoy!

Mommy Mondays Week 23

WOW what a week! It's crazy how 'pregnant' I feel now that the baby weighs more. We had a doctors appointment during week 23, and found out my placenta is within 1 cm of my cervix. He's not calling it placenta previa, but I have to go back for another ultrasound at 25 weeks. Hopefully everything will move along and it won't be an issue, otherwise I will need a c-section. I'm not anti c-section for the women who choose to have them or have to have them, I just really don't want one. This week also came with a lot more movement, reflux, some nausea, and an upset tummy. I think I'm dehydrated, I need to be better about getting all of my water. I look huge in the picture, but I swear it's half undigested food. And I took this picture after work, so I had already eaten two meals plus snacks. 

5 Ingredient Homemade Mac n Cheese

Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with the stuff in the blue box, but homemade macaroni and cheese is completely different and more satisfying in my opinion. The good news is, it's basically the same amount of ingredients (pasta, cheese, butter, milk) this recipe just adds flour! You can prepare it in one pot, so you aren't making more of a mess. The fun thing about making it from scratch is the many variations you have available. You can make it the basic way, which I'll show, but you can also turn it into a casserole with a few mix-ins. Here is the basic recipe, and I'm guessing you already have these ingredients. 

Mommy Mondays Week 22

I'm filled with mixed emotions about my pregnancy flying by! I really love being pregnant, and I know I'm going to miss this feel good part of the second trimester. But at the same time I really can't wait to see my baby girl, and sometimes I wish I could fast forward time to meet her.

Mommy Mondays Week 21

It's hard to believe I am officially more than halfway through my pregnancy! I really feel like time is flying by, although I doubt I'll feel this way when I'm huge. I've watched a ton of Vlogs on YouTube, and I love the way women answer the same questions every week about their pregnancy. I've decided to pick a few to answer. Because I'm starting out a little later, I'm going to skip things like gender (she's a girl), morning sickness (already had it), and whether or not I'm in regular clothes (trust me, I've definitely outgrown them). I will also include a belly shot every week, they're so much fun!

The Nursery

Good news! I can finally start planning the nursery now that I know what we're having . . .

Mommy Mondays

The secret is out! My husband and I are expecting our first baby, due February 4, 2014! I've been wanting to announce this on my blog for quite some time, but life kept getting in the way! I've been working full time, pretty much, since April. It's been exhausting. We found out we were expecting in June, and I've been completely exhausted ever since!

I'm attempting to commit myself to 2-3 blog days a week. I can do Mommy Mondays, maybe a recipe on Wednesday, and something else on Fridays? It's hard setting aside the time. I work, come home, watch Netflix, eat something that can be heated up, and then go to sleep. Rinse and repeat. And basically sleep all day and run errands on the weekends. Luckily I'm 5 months along now, and feeling much better! I have energy and motivation again, something I've been lacking for a while.

So if there is anything in particular you would like me to blog about, let me know in the comments below! I am also open to doing YouTube videos, if that's something you're interested in. I can definitely do a baby haul soon, we are getting so much cute stuff from grandma(s) already! I think it's easier to share in video form. Although I'm extremely nervous about that! Can't wait to update more about the pregnancy. My weeks roll over on Tuesdays, so tomorrow I will be 19 weeks! ^_^

Dairy Free Coconut Flan

  Without a doubt one of the best parts of the flan, besides the velvety rich texture, is the caramel syrup at the bottom. I love sugar, but my body does not! I've recently rekindled my love affair with agave nectar (organic and raw) and decided to give it a shot in place of the caramel syrup. Agave is already a thick luscious syrup, all I had to do to thicken it up a bit more was place it in the fridge. I hope you find this recipe as satisfying as I did. I highly recommend toasting the coconut before you add it in, it just creates another wonderful layer of flavor in this dessert.

Creamy Chicken Fettuccine

  Unfortunately I had trouble getting good pictures of this dish, the above shot was the winner. This was one of those meals where you could eat a giant bowl, and then go back for more. So I recommend making this for a crowd; save yourself from those extra pounds!

Throwing a Casual Tea Party, Part 3 of 3: The Food

  This is the most delicious part of the tea party series, food! Luckily when throwing a casual tea party for friends, you can make the food as simple as you'd like. I recently co-hosted a tea party for a few close friends; M and I decided to keep the food pretty casual and simple. I made chicken salad on croissants, and she made delicious BLT's with avocado on white bread; no crusts, of course.

Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna

  Oh my goodness. This. Was. Good.

 We love Italian food, especially the stuff heavy on the carbs. However, me being me (aka high maintenance) I am currently eating low carb/low sugar. It just seems to work best for me! Hubby wanted lasagna, so I decided to ditch the noodles and use zucchini.  Not only does skipping the noodles cut the carbs, it cuts the calories significantly. So you can have more cheese. Because really, isn't that what life is all about? More cheese? Maybe that's just my life.

Throwing a Casual Tea Party, Part 2 of 3: High Tea

  Welcome back for part two of how to throw a tea party. Today I will discuss how to host high tea. Many Americans associate high tea with something very fancy and regal; however, in other countries it's thought of as meat tea, or simply: dinner. 

Throwing a Casual Tea Party, Part 1 of 3: The Buffet

 Hello all! Life has been crazy lately. I was sick three times in the first three months of this year, and one of those illnesses was the flu. Yuck. My husband started a new job, I was in the process of being interviewed and thankfully also started a new job! We have been busy bees, and cooking has been on the back burner. Our meals have consisted of pre-made salads, quesadillas, and crock pot meals. Something that has been a constant in my day to day is tea. 

Firmoo Glasses!

I was contacted by Firmoo.com recently, and was excited to learn more about the company when I heard they sold glasses and sunglasses. Here in sunny California I can't go a day without sunglasses, but I never spend the money to get good quality glasses. Firmoo offers your first pair free, you just pay for shipping. If you don't like the glasses you can exchange them, or get a refund. 

My new glasses arrived at the perfect time, because my super cheap new pair had just broke. It wasn't an issue of the lens popping out, the side of my sunglasses actually broke off. It was tragic. When my sunglasses from Firmoo arrived I was happy with the packaging. I received a hard case, a soft pouch, and an eyeglass repair kit. The hard case is nice because when my sunglasses get put in my handbag they get smashed and tossed around. I'm hoping the hard case will help prevent future scratching, and smashing. The hard case is also super lightweight which I appreciate since my purse already weighs about 5000 lbs.

I have to say that the glasses I chose are totally not something I would go for normally. I always reach for aviators, but I thought these glasses looked sort of vintage. Plus I think they're on trend so maybe I look cool wearing them? Overall I love the glasses, mainly because they stay on my face without falling down. I really don't have a particularly small face or nose, but glasses always without fail fall, not slide, off of my face. I'm convinced my husband wears them when I'm not looking and stretches them out. I got these glasses with the darkest brown tint, since I don't actually need prescription lenses. They work great as sunglasses because the tint is dark enough to shield my light eyes from the sun, but I still feel like I can see clearly. They don't darken everything while I'm driving, I just feel like my eyes are protected and I don't have to squint. 

The customer service was great, and shipping was fast. I received these glasses in a week, which was great timing, I was due for a new pair of sunglasses. I chose this style frame, with the C3 coloring. I love the coloring because it's a hint of the tortoise shell but the top and sides of the frame are just plain brown. 

I'm definitely happy with my new glasses, head on over to Firmoo's website if you're looking for nice and affordable glasses!

Low Carb Gluten Free Pizza

  Apologies for my absence. I was hit with a cold, then worked a week, then got the flu, then was in Vegas the next week. It's been an exhausting month! I've been attempting to meal plan lately, so two big dinners twice a week and we're pretty much set. This pizza dough is one of my favorite recipes. It's easy, cheap, fast, gluten free, and tastes great. It most certainly is not low calorie or "light," but I prefer to stick to a low carbohydrate diet, even if that means going over my calories on days where I want pizza.

Spicy Peanut Chicken and Noodles

  If you love noodles but hate the carbs that come with them, this recipe is for you. I try to keep it low carb most days. Eating high carb meals gives me stomach aches and makes me feel tired and sluggish. The problem is, I love carbs! It's a struggle, but meals like this give me my carb fix with doing damage. This noodle dish is creamy, spicy, sweet, crunchy, and satisfying. 

Low Calorie Black Bean & Quinoa Crunchy Tacos

  Okay, confession time. This is a big one, so brace yourselves. My favorite fast food item? Beef crunchy tacos from a certain well known chain restaurant, that not a soul living in CA would dare call Mexican food. I wish I was kidding. The soft warm meat-like filling, crunchy shell, and shredded cheese make my heart skip a a beat and make my stomach cry out with gratitude. The only downside? They're 170 calories each, with 10 grams of fat. I could easily polish off one of those variety boxes of 12, without help. Alright that might be a slight exaggeration, but I really do love them.

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

Stay Up to Date Via Email!

I have recently changed my domain to www.healthyandhomemade.info

I purchased this domain in 2009, but I've always used a Blogspot redirect address. I honestly didn't know before what to do with my original domain without using a website with a built in template, and Blogger was super easy to use. Since changing my domain certain things are a little off, such as the feedburner. Hopefully you are still able to receive emails with my latest recipes, but if not I've added a tool on the sidebar that says "Get New Recipes in Your Inbox!" All you have to do is type in your email address and every time I post a new recipe you'll get an email. It's a little confusing because I technically have two separate feedburners for my website, I'm currently working on merging those? If you know how or have any experience with this comments are more than welcome.

I think it's simple, but I can also see how it would be overkill. So do what works best for you. I've been using Bloglovin' a lot lately as a way to keep up with my favorite blogs. I used Google Reader for years but always found the the layout and amount of unread posts to be overwhelming. I suggest that site over Google Reader if you get overwhelmed easily, I know I do. I'm very visual, and having to click from blog to blog and see things in bold all lined up makes me anxious. Anyway, I'm glad to be back to blogging and keeping up with some of your amazing blogs! 

Feel free to comment with your blog address and let me know if I'm not following you back. It's always fun to find new blogs. Hope you're all well! Thank you for your continued support, I am working on some fun new recipes I hope to share soon.

Pasta & Italian Meatballs

*This is a reposting of a previous recipe from 2011, I lightened it up a bit and calculated the calories*

There's absolutely no way you could see these pictures without a little drool dribbling down your chin. Or is that just me? I'll own it, because this dish is divine. I highly recommend not using Bucatini noodles, and instead using spaghetti or angel hair pasta. In fact, given the fact that I am gluten free most days I would substitute quinoa spaghetti pasta for the noodles and call it a day. I would also, sadly, pass on the white bread. Anyway the Bucatini noodles look great and I remember thinking they would absorb the sauce well, but they were chewy and disappointing. Since these pictures I have made the dish using spaghetti or angel hair pasta and we have enjoyed it more that way.

Like Me on Facebook!

After three years of writing this blog, I have finally become more involved on the web. I created a Facebook page where you can like and follow me, get sneak peeks of recipes, and even make recipe requests or suggestions! Please take a moment to go over there and like Healthy and Homemade if you have a Facebook account (don't we all, really?) I will probably offer a better glimpse into my personal life over there, so go check if out even if it's just to snoop. I don't mind.

Crock Pot Beef & Veggies

Oh my yum. I love this recipe, I've used a similar method in the past with seasoning packets. This time I mixed it up a bit by throwing the veggies right into the crock to save some time. What I learned? Use less onion, otherwise your eyes will burn when you enter your home for about a day. This is a simple and healthy meal, great served over rice, mashed potatoes, or steamed veggies. Hearty and healthy, perfect for those cold rainy days.