Instant Pot Meatball + Veggie Soup

Fall is here, and soups are IN! I love this soup because not only is it healthy and EASY to make, but it will keep your stomach full, and the combination of spices it offers are FULL of delicious flavor. Have it with a warm slice of artisan bread, and you won't regret it. 

Ingredients:

20 oz./30 meatballs. We get the ones already cooked, but frozen

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. salt

6 cups of chicken broth

2 cups 1% milk

4 oz. cream cheese, shred into small pieces *this is optional!

3 handfuls of kale (don't be scared... I promise you'll love it)

8 red potatoes, quartered

1/3 cup parmesan cheese to top when soup is hot!

Instructions:

1. Easiest instructions ever. Add all ingredients together in Instant Pot. Stir. Set to "soup" for 30 minutes on normal pressure, and let it naturally release the steam once it's done. BOOM. Dinner is served. Top with parmesan cheese and enjoy while warm. 

*We always freeze the extras for those busy nights and it freezes well!

LEGS: 1 hour gym workout

Here's a sweaty, one-hour leg workout at the gym. ENJOY.

WARM-UP:
3 minutes on StairMaster, Speed 7-10

CIRCUIT 1:

KB Swings: 8-12 reps using 25#, 30#, 35# KBs, Repeated 3x (Rest for a minute between each set)

One lap on the track: speed jogging

Half a lap of lunges

Half a lap of banded side steps

CIRCUIT 2:

Bulgarian Split Lunges: 8-12 reps holding 25#, 30#, and 35# KBs

One lap speed jog

50 push-ups

50 banded air squats

25 box jumps

CIRCUIT 3:

Outer thigh machine for 2 minutes, as many reps as possible (AMRAP)

Inner thigh machine for 2 minutes, AMRAP

Leg extension machine, 8-12 reps for three sets, working up in weight

COOL DOWN:
Elliptical: 5-10 minutes, easy pace

I LOVE LEG DAY.

Overnight Peachy Oats

After having this four times in the past week, I thought it would be too selfish not to share. This is my favorite overnight oats recipe to date, and I think you'll love it too. I have been loving it as pre-workout AND post-workout fuel.

Ingredients

¾ cup rolled oats

2/3 c. almond milk (I use Califia Farms unsweetened vanilla)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Tera's Whey Vanilla Bourbon)

½ cup Plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp. raw honey

½ tsp. vanilla extract

dash of cinnamon

1 yellow peach, diced

Instructions

1. Layer all ingredients in a mason jar or tupperware you can seal. Mix all together and leave in fridge overnight. Pop out in the morning and ENJOY cold. Easy.

Tips for Picky Eaters

Anyone else out there have a picky eater at home? A toddler, by chance? ...

Here are some tips that have helped us as Ellie has become more of a picky eater as she has entered toddlerhood. 

1. Toddlers love to play with their food. So let them play with it... feel it with their fingers, look at it up close... sometimes they need to make a little bit of a mess before they end up eating what's in front of them. It's all part of their discovering the world, and let them do it. Just be prepared with bibs. These are my favorite.

2. Make it look fun. We had "ants on the log" (celery + peanut butter + raisins) today and she loved eating all the ants off the celery first. Make your fruit into fruit trains with wooden skewers, use cookie cutters to make your sandwiches into shapes, arrange it in a muffin tin... be creative!

3. If you can, eat similar food. Toddlers mirror and mimic us, and so if they see us eating the same food that is on their plate, they're more bound to do it.

4. Use sounds or play games to make eating more interactive. With our celery today, we had a contest to see who could bite with the biggest "crunch." She ate it up. Turn anything into a game, and you have them fooled.

5. Limit other distractions. Don't have the TV on while you eat, clear the toys away out of sight, and sit down with them. Make it your time together. This works wonders for us because Ellie is like..... #squirrel! :)

6. If possible, I like to have veggies and fruit at each meal, a healthy source of fat, and protein source. Today... fruit for my complex carbs, celery and pickles for her veggies, peanut butter for her healthy fat, and lean turkey for protein. Boom.

7. Don't offer a treat after every meal and try to avoid using treats for bribes (this can be REAL hard as a mom, I know). I like offering other things as bribes/rewards... she can get a sticker if she does something great, she can go to the park if she finishes her food, etc. Celebrate the victories!

8. Have we ended up in the drive-through on a crazy day? Absolutely. Are there days when I feel like all she's had is goldfish crackers and string cheese? Absolutely. Are there days/weeks when I absolutely fail at making homemade meals? Absolutely. Does it take some picky eaters months/years to learn these things? Absolutely. The goal is NEVER perfection, just progress. Remember you can't control what your children eat outside your home and that's okay-- but you CAN control what food is available in your home, and make it count.

I hope this helps, and I'd love to know some of your secrets! (Hers and mine below)

Heidi's Green Beans

As soon as my friend Heidi brought these to my nephew's birthday party, I knew I needed the recipe. I modified it, but am naming it after her... because I'm SO grateful she shared it with me. It's by far my favorite way of eating my green beans and I know you'll love it too.

Ingredients

Beans:

1 lb. green beans, rinsed and trimmed

3/4 - 1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped and toasted (*For toasting, I drizzle 1 Tbsp. honey over the top of the nuts, spread onto a tin-foil covered baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes

1/3 cup feta cheese

Dressing:

3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

2/3 c. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. dill weed spice

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 and prepare your toasted pecans/walnuts. (Instructions for toasted nuts above.)

2. In the meantime, bring large pot of water to a boil. Add in your green beans and boil for ~7 minutes or until green beans are crisp and tender. Don't overcook! Rinse with cold water and dry. Store in refrigerator while finishing pecans and dressing.

3. For the dressing, add all ingredients into a bottle and shake until well combined.

4. Combine green beans, pecans, and feta in a medium bowl and add dressing to taste. I never quite use all the dressing, but maybe 3/4 of it. Save the rest for salad dressing! You want just enough to cover all your beans but not a huge pool of liquid in the bottom of your serving tray.

ENJOY! 

GLUTES

Burn baby burn!!! This circuit is bound to get those glutes firing... grab a heavy resistance band and get to work. Perform each move for 30 seconds with only five seconds rest in between moves. Good luck!

1. Bridges

2. Right leg over left

3. Left leg over right

4. Right leg lifts

5. Left leg lifts

6. Right in-and-out kicks

7. Left in-and-out kicks

8. Right lateral lifts (fire hydrants is what we call them)

9. Left lateral lifts

10. 20 squat pulses, going wide to parallel

REPEAT through 2-4x and you'll be burning!

Lake Blanche

Big Cottonwood Canyon

Distance:  ~6.9 miles RT), ~2746 feet elevation gain

Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult

Accessible June-October

Dogs ARE NOT allowed

One of my absolute favorite hikes to do in mid/late September.

The Lake Blanche Trailhead is 4.4 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon in the Mill B South Fork Picnic Ground. You can also park on the main street leading up to the picnic ground when the parking lot fills up. There are restrooms at the bottom.

This hike has a steady incline the entire way up, but is worth the climb! The lake at the top is STUNNING and one you won't want to miss. There are two smaller lakes to the west of Lake Blanche as well. Depending on how fast you hike, you can do this one in 2.5-4 hours. My group of women hiked up in an hour and a half, spent a half hour-1 hour at the lake, and then got down in about an hour. It's not kid-friendly, but is one everyone needs to do once those leaves start to turn! It's incredible.

Family Favorite Fajitas

These fajitas make me think immediately of my home growing up... even the smell for me is full of nostalgia. I know without a doubt, you'll have these on repeat!

*You can decide how many servings you'd like depending on how much meat you buy, but this marinade is best for no more than 4 servings.

Ingredients

Meat of choice. My favorite is steak cut into thin strips.

MARINADE:
 

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. oregano

dash of pepper

TOPPINGS:

(Adjust for how many people you're serving)

whole wheat tortillas of choice

mozzarella cheese

bell peppers + chopped onions to saute with meat

For toppings: avocado + sour cream

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients in small bowl. Pour over scored meat into a ziplock bag and marinate for at least 6 hours. You can even just let marinate overnight.

2. Stir fry meat with chopped onions and bell pepper. Spread over warm whole-wheat tortillas with a touch of melted cheese. Top with a dollop of sour cream/Greek Yogurt, and avocado. 

ENJOY.

LEGS/ARMS

Perform each move for 14 reps the first round, 12 reps the second round, 10 reps the third round, etc... all the way down to 4. Boom. Done.

1. Sumo squat + press... I am using a 20# body bar... If you don't have a weighted bar, grab a 20# DB and use that for all the following moves. (You can even substitute a DB for a KB.)

2. Overhead weight lunges... harder than you think to do lunges holding 20# over your head the entire time.

3. KB swing to press... I am using a 25# KB

4. Inclined push-ups

5. Bulgarian split squat pulses... 14 reps on each leg, etc.

GOOD LUCK!

Exercising While Pregnant

I've been meaning to address this topic for quite some time now, so here it goes!

Being active through this pregnancy has completely changed things for me. It has helped me to stay strong physically, but I never realized how it would contribute to my mental strength as well. There is something to exercise that clears my mind, that keeps me positive, and has helped me to feel better overall through each stage so far.

But, let's be real here for a sec. Waking up first trimester and trying to pull myself out of bed this time around was kind of a joke. I was EXHAUSTED. And the days when I'd get up early to go to the gym, I was so nauseous, I didn't feel like eating anything before, and then my workout felt light-headed and "off" the entire way through. So many ups and downs throughout it all.

Even though there's some weeks in first trimester where I am thrown completely off-whack with 24 hour nausea and extreme fatigue, I know there are others who have it much worse and I can't imagine. I have cousins and friends who get hyperemesis gravidarum where they are constantly throwing up and have home nurses place IVs and infuse fluid to stay hydrated, I have a friend this time around who was told NOT to exercise because of some complications, I know of others who struggle the entire 9 months with life crippling anxiety... we all have different experiences. With that being said, these are my recommendations to get started, but I'll step further into a few things later.

TIPS FOR EXERCISING DURING PREGNANCY 

1. Check with your doctor or healthcare provider first before you get started.

2. Listen to your body.

3. Avoid lying flat on your back after your first trimester.

4. Rest and recover.

5. Use proper breathing and lifting techniques.

With those general guidelines, let's take things just a little bit further.

First Trimester Mamas:

Here's my best advice: 

SURVIVE.

Sounds cliche, but I know you get it. ;) We all have such varying experiences, I suggest that you play it out day-by-day and truly listen to your body during this time. Do your best to stay active, but if you are so sick and you can't imagine getting out to the gym, do what you can at home. Go for walks, try low-impact exercise like swimming, try out some of my at-home exercise videos but lower the weight and reps... just get in whatever movement you can and do your best. Don't be discouraged!

If you ARE feeling good enough to exercise, continue to listen to your body. I know there are many who need to immediately tone it down and that's okay! If you have always been active and consistent with exercise, and you're feeling up to continuing on, keep it up. I didn't change anything my first trimester, and my body was comfortable doing just that. I was training hard like usual, and refueling my body the best I could (when my nausea would subside of course). But that's just ME. Training only helped my nausea and other symptoms to subside, and I felt much stronger through those weeks than I did when I had Ellie. Your situation may be different and that's okay! Listen to your body because that comes first! Just know that whatever situation you're in, it's temporary, and you'll get through it one day at a time. Keep that chin up. You're going through something hard and you're strong.

Second Trimester Mamas:

If you have been extremely sick during first trimester and are just starting out, I would suggest starting SLOW. For example, make goals to walk a mile, and then the next week jog it. Or swim a few more laps every few days without stopping. Make small steps forward and slowly get your cardio up one step at a time. Once you feel like you can start incorporating weights, DO IT. There are SO many benefits to weight training during pregnancy (we'll get into this later), but add it in and once again, start slow. Lower the weights and decrease the reps at the start and work your way up.

If you have been feeling good and have exercised through first trimester, CONTINUE to exercise as normal, but be aware that it's completely normal to feel more out of breath and for things to start slowing down a little bit. It can be discouraging (trust me, I'm going through this right now), but you want a healthy baby and it's most important to protect your body from any pain or harm. Here's my rule of thumb: If you are doing anything that is starting to strain your abdominal region or you feel any discomfort, STOP. Just do what is comfortable for you and stay in tune with your body. 

I would recommend to everyone (pregnant or not) 2 days a week minimum of weight training. In second trimester, you have to start being more aware of exercises you shouldn't do... like anything while lying flat on your back. Any front ab-work I find is uncomfortable, and so I work on my side abdominal muscles (obliques) instead. For arms and legs, I am still training per usual and am loving it. I don't plan on losing my hard-earned leg muscle like I did when I had Ellie. My goal is to maintain as much muscle as I can in my arms and legs, while taking it a little bit easier on my core muscles. I still try to strengthen my back as much as possible since I have lower back issues, and so I love the cable machines at the gym, the lower lat machine, etc. All of these things have helped me to maintain strength. So far, so good.

Third Trimester Mamas:

You're on the home stretch, and your belly has officially been stretched. Take things easy. If you've been able to maintain a moderate-vigorous exercise schedule, continue on but be sensitive and aware of when you need extra rest, or when you need to tone things down. If you are feeling a lot of discomfort, stick to things that feel good. I remember with Ellie, the swimming pool during third trimester seriously saved me. Having that low-impact option for cardio was the best thing I did through that last little bit, and it made me feel so good. Hop on a stationary bike, or do something that doesn't require as much weight-bearing effort. And remember, that little angel is coming to you soon, and it's most important that you take things easy to have a safe and healthy delivery. I think the hardest part for me was remembering that my situation was temporary. At the end of third trimester, it can be hard to see light at the end of the tunnel... but it's there. And it's coming SOON. So rest as you need, take care of that babe, and know you have plenty of time to get back in shape when your sweet little one arrives. 

We're all in this together! Good luck!

Promptly

When I was six years old, two of my neighbors gifted me my first white, college-ruled journal. I remember the feeling of the book in my hands; the weight of the pages, the gold-foiled lettering at the top, and the beautiful sight of empty black lines ready for words. I sewed a little case and buttons for it, and began to write my stories, my experiences, and always ending with a big "THE END" scribbled across the bottom of each page. I think part of my love for writing arose from filling out my first journals, and I've hung on since. As time has progressed, a lot of my journal writing has adapted into my scrapbooks, where I write and include photos from the memorable happenings of life (read more here). I've found that among all the business of trying to keep up, I haven't been the best tracker of the specific things I hope to pass on to my little Ellie: details from my pregnancy with her, or my random ramblings I hope to pass on as she grows. I have them scattered between hand-written notes, my blog, my personal journal, and my scrapbook. But I really wish I had them in one place.

Now with baby number two on the way, I'm anxious to switch things up. I've been wanting ONE meaningful place to put all my baby/childhood-specific ramblings for this little one coming... something not too overwhelming, but just enough to capture the details. When I happened upon Promptly, I knew I found my answer.

Promptly is run by my friend Jayne, who I adore. She's real, she's genuine, she has a heart of gold, and she designs the most classic and timeless childhood journals; a place to capture all the details in an easy and concise way. These are prompted journals that help any parent easily document a complete childhood history for their child. It covers from the time the mother is pregnant, until the child is 18 years old. Each phase and year of the child's life has custom, tailored prompts to ensure quick but meaningful recording for the parent.  

I got my first one and I'm hooked. It's my perfect solution.

I love how the journal begins with a family tree: a place to see family ties, to write the names of those who came before us; people who lived, so we could live too. Those pages are followed by a place to put baby handprints and footprints. I've got to remember to pack my hospital bag with this journal in it so I can remember to get those things documented there. And then the beautiful pages begin... the ones with prompts and empty, black lines. Starting with first trimester and prompts like, "Where were you and how did you find out that you were pregnant?" to "What food did you crave (or not crave)?" More empty lines for places to write thoughts, feelings, special moments, and paste in a photo. I could not be more obsessed with the organized layout. The design is flawless, and coming from Jayne, I'm not the least bit surprised.

Page by page, this journal walks you through pregnancy, birth, and then infancy to adulthood. It ends with some special pages to write your child a letter, right before they spread their own wings and fly on their own. And they just got two new colors: Navy and Sage Green (among their others).

My plan is to fill these in until my children are 18, and then gift them to each one on that 18th birthday. I think about how special that will be and I hope they'll treasure my words for them as they begin their own adult lives.

Thank you, Promptly, for giving me one of the greatest gifts of all: a gift that keeps on giving.

*For anyone adopting, the Adoption History Journals would be extra special to have, and I think for any single fathers with children out there, this would also be something really meaningful for a father to write his thoughts in as his child grew. Find them here.

22 weeks

Here's the update for those interested.

Biggest craving right now:

Bagels. From Rich's Bagels or Einsteins Bros. But that's not that weird because I swear I'm always craving bagels and cream cheese. There's something so satisfying about them. And yes, still wanting those chocolate covered cinnamon bears. I've indulged in both of those things once in the past week and a half, and I'd say that's pretty good for craving it daily (or even hourly). So there you go! :)

Baby is the size of:

A coconut. 10 inches long and moving around inside me like a crazy person.

Weight gain:

7, almost 8 pounds. I'm gaining about a pound each week, so that's good news! Nice and steady. My "outie" is popping through my shirts I wear haha, so that's always interesting.

Funny pregnancy moments:

We just hiked to Cecret Lake for Labor Day, and after almost getting to the bottom, I realized I forgot my prescription sunglasses back at the top (surprised? haha). I have serious forgetfulness for things like that right now. I had to then trail run back up the mountain to get them and back down with my belly bouncing around, and was dripping sweat when I finally got down to my car.. If only I could use this forgetfulness for something USEFUL. Sheesh.

How I'm feeling now:

I feel like I'm just rotating through four different dresses each week and I'm getting a little tired of it. It's so hard for me to dress a bump in the hot heat because I want as much air flow as possible haha. So I try avoiding jeans as much as possible, and I've been sticking to those dresses for now. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather so I can get back into stretchy black leggings and layers to wear over top.

Physically, I had a really discouraging week last week. It happens, and it's hard. Pregnancy is no easy walk in the park, and we all have different experiences throughout that journey. I'm feeling way more out of breath than normal because this little one is starting to take up more space inside. But last week I just felt more-than-usual "off my game". My nutrition stayed pretty good and consistent, but physically I felt a whole lot of things start to decline.

I know there are a lot of you who would kill to do even one chin-up (so please don't roll your eyes when I say this), but I've worked my bum off to be able to do about 8 consistent chin-ups at the bar this past year. Last week, I jumped off the ground to hang from the bar and struggled to get my first rep while barely completing 2 before I maxed out. I felt so discouraged, especially after working up my strength to hit 8 consistently. It's little things like that... getting more light-headed while lifting and having to decrease my weight on my big lifts, starting to find any front ab-work extremely uncomfortable, etc. Or waking up and feeling completely exhausted and unmotivated to get in any exercise, so rolling over and falling back asleep instead. Yep, that happened a couple times last week too. These things can be really discouraging, and I know there are a lot of you out there who have felt those things/are currently feeling those things too.

But I wanted to write to you all about something that happened this past week, and something I'm vowing to embrace fully from here on out until this baby arrives. Cross my heart.

That something is called SELF LOVE.

I went to the pool this past week and felt a little awkward in my swimsuit. not gonna lie. With this last week of training being discouraging for me, I think it threw me into a whirlwind of negative thoughts. I came home after being at the pool, and I let four ugly words slip from my lips to Bry... words I try my absolute hardest to avoid but they came out anyway: "I felt huge today."

Without hesitation, Bry turned me around and looked me in the eyes. "Meg, your bump is the most beautiful thing to me. And I truly mean that." It made me cry. I could tell he meant it. His words melted into my skin and I felt horrible for what I had said. Here, I teach and preach about body positivity because it is something I believe in so strongly, yet there I was letting some negative words take over. I walked in front of my mirror and told myself I would promise to do my best to stop those negative words and to think of my bump the way my husband described it... as beautiful. Because it truly is.

Our bodies are INCREDIBLE. They are our greatest gifts, and when we defile them with our words, we are held captive to negativity and self-doubt. I don't want that to be me. Self-doubt has no room or place in my life, and I'm making a conscious effort each day to fill my environment with positivity and love.

I want the healthiest baby I can get, and I'm adjusting to protect him and my body through this process. That is more important to me than anything else. It's a sacred thing to be slowed down only to give strength to a human I love beyond belief already. I'm willing to do as much slowing down as I need to get him here to us safely. So I'm listening to my body and working as hard as I can to stay in tune with what it needs. This involves a lot of SELF LOVE and a pair of unassuming eyes.

I know there are many of you out there who are aching to have a child of your own. I have felt the pains of miscarriage and they are piercingly heart-wrenching. I pray for you. And I love you. But I hope if you're pregnant, no matter what your situation is, I hope you find a similar mindset. No doubt it's a sacrifice... to watch the scale go up each week and see your skin begin to stretch and change. It's hard as clothes begin to not button up or fit the same as they did before. It's hard to feel yourself panting up a flight of stairs. It's hard to find energy and positivity when your hormones are raging and when no matter what you do, an afternoon nap always seems necessary and so badly needed. These things are HARD.

But

you are STRONG.

You are doing this because one day that little heartbeat you feel inside of you will be tucked in your arms, will be learning and growing, and perhaps tucking you into bed one day far far away. So these days where you feel that swelling in your feet, or when you go to the pool and feel like everyone is staring because you feel "huge," or when you start to see stretch marks begin to form... know that one day that child you'll be holding will become a piece of yourself that you don't know how you could possibly live without. Because everything will change, but you will be more than you've ever been because of it. Motherhood is and has been my greatest journey, my greatest act of courage, and my greatest love.

Love yourself. Be kind.

And keep those positive vibes around. Your growing bump is absolutely beautiful.

xo

Meg