WHOLE30 Day #29 – Feeling Thankful

WHOLE30 Day #29 – This is the penultimate (I just love that word!) day of our inaugural WHOLE30 journey. In plain English, it’s our second to last day. We can see the end from here. It’s exciting. I already feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment, and I’m grateful that Hubs and I were able to go through it together. But there’s another feeling too, almost a nervousness or apprehension, like I’m not ready for it to end. Gone are the cravings that haunted me a week or two ago. I no longer go to sleep at night counting cream-filled doughnuts. I don’t really want to go back to my previous way of eating. And there are still so many WHOLE30-esque recipes buzzing around in my head that I’ve yet to try.

The one that follows is something that came to me during the period of overwhelming food yearnings. During a rare moment of quiet in our house, I sat gleefully perusing internet food porn while fantasizing about various delicious meals I’d enjoyed in days gone by. I remembered with fondness our annual Thanksgiving feasts, complete with moist turkey, savory homemade stuffing (or dressing if you’re so inclined), gooey sweet potatoes, maybe some mashed potatoes and apple pie too. Then I thought, what if I combined all those flavors into one dish? Something small I could eat with my hands, so I could shove a whole lot in my mouth all at once, something like …. meatballs. Surely, I could find a way to make meatballs taste good using WHOLE30 ingredients. Voilà!

Thanksgiving Meatballs

Thanksgiving Dinner in a Meatball!!!

As an additional comment (added since the original posting of this recipe), I want to mention something I’ve discovered regarding instant potato flakes. It has come to my attention that some brands contain various preservatives including sulfites, which are not approved for consumption during WHOLE30 (and which are frankly unhealthy for us to eat at any time). I highly recommend Bob’s Red Mill Potato Flakes. You can purchase this product online through iHerb or Amazon, and it is also available in many grocery stores. The moral of the story – it’s always important to check the ingredient lists of any products you purchase, especially when doing WHOLE30.

Back to the meatballs – I’ll warn you, this is a somewhat labor-intensive recipe but it’s SO worth the effort. This is possibly my family’s favorite WHOLE30 recipe so far. I’m betting your family will enjoy it as well. Be sure and leave me some comments to let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato peeled and cooked
• 2 apples, chopped finely (I left mine unpeeled)
• 9 oz. package frozen spinach, defrosted and well drained
• 1 pound lean (e.g. 93%) ground turkey breast (uncooked)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
• ½-3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes (dry)
• ¼ cup coconut oil

Hardware:
• large (preferably nonstick) heavy frying pan with lid or electric skillet
• large baking sheet
• food processor

Process:
1. Place sweet potato in microwave on HIGH for about 3-5 minutes (depending on strength/size of your microwave) until cooked through.
Allow to cool slightly.
2. When sweet potato is cool enough to handle, place in canister of food processor along with apples, and pulse until mostly smooth.
3. Remove lid and add next 9 ingredients. Cover and process on LOW-MEDIUM speed until fully blended.
4. Pour mixture into large bowl and fold in ½ cup mashed potato flakes. Stir until well combined.
5. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, overnight is best.
At this point, you may need to add some more potato flakes to thicken the mixture. Try adding 1 Tbsp. at a time to avoid ending up with overly dry
meatballs. If you do need to add more, be sure to stir well after each addition to fully combine.
6. Using clean hands (I wore disposable sanitary gloves), form mixture into individual meatballs about 1/8 cup each in size. Place on well-oiled baking
sheet.

To cook the meatballs you have 2 options: Fry or bake. I tried both and they work equally well. I’d say that baking was a lot easier for me, but it’s your call.

7. To Fry: Place a large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and spray with nonstick spray. If using an electric skillet, preheat to 375 degrees
Fahrenheit. When pan is hot, melt 3 Tbsp. coconut oil and rotate pan to evenly distribute the oil.
Place half the meatballs into the prepared pan and cover pan. Turn heat down to MEDIUM (about 350 on electric skillet). Cover pan and allow to cook about
8 minutes.
Remove lid and carefully flip each meatball over.
Cover pan again and cook about 10 more minutes. Repeat process with remaining meatballs and coconut oil. You may do this ahead of time and reheat them in
a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes if desired.
8. To Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees (Fahrenheit). Melt coconut oil in microwave (should take about 20 seconds on HIGH) and drizzle over meatballs. Toss meatballs gently to coat with oil.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then remove pan from oven and carefully flip each meatball.
Return to oven and cook about 8 more minutes. Remove from oven and check for doneness. As above, you may prebake meatballs and reheat them in a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes just prior to serving if desired.
Serve & Enjoy! Makes about 6 large servings

Verse of the Day:
But I will sing to You and sacrifice to You with a voice filled with thanksgiving; Whatever I promised, I will certainly pay it because deliverance is from the Eternal alone.
~Jonah 2:9 (The Voice)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Have you recently achieved a goal and feel like treating yourself to a Pretty Mommy beautification product? Check out this list of drugstore dupes for high-end makeup products. Use this list to score several products for the price of one. Win, win!

WHOLE30 Day #24 – Cleaning Up

Much of our family’s focus this weekend has been on cleaning our home in preparation for visitors this coming week. With a baby in the house, we tend to clean more reactively than proactively. “Oh there’s a mess over here. Let me pick that up before the baby gets into it…The baby spilled her bottle over there. I need to mop that up before get into it and turn it into an even bigger mess.” We vacuum before our daughter does tummy time but not on a regular schedule (sad but true). I dust when we’re expecting company not because that’s just what I do every Tuesday.

So as I cleaned, I began thinking about WHOLE30 and how it’s been kind of a metaphor for spring cleaning, a reset if you will. I discussed it with Hubs. We talked about our individual experiences; how our initial WHOLE30 journeys are coming to an end; what we’ve learned; etc. We also talked about how we want to move forward, the aspects of WHOLE30 we definitely want to maintain, pitfalls we want to avoid during the transition from such a strict eating plan (binging on pizza anyone?) and such. More on this topic in the days ahead…

Shortly after this conversation I checked my email. I had received my daily e-devotional from Dr. David Jeremiah’s Turning Points. In case you’re unfamiliar with Turning Points – it’s a wonderful program that sends you 6 emails a week (1 per weekday and 1 for the weekend). Each email contains a short devotional with a foundational scripture, a brief discussion often based on the life story of some historical individual and an additional suggested Bible reading for follow-up. During my days in the full-time, traditional work force, Turning Points emails were invaluable for helping me establish a daily devotional routine. These days, with an erratic full-time mommy schedule, Turning Points serves to ground me and remind me every day of the peace and love God provides. I’ve pasted a portion of this weekend’s devotion below because it speaks so clearly to this issue of spring cleaning, and how we should remain continually in a process of resetting and reassessing our progress toward our goals.

…Why should we live without having our affairs in order? Why shouldn’t “getting our affairs in order” be a continual process of assessing and resetting instead of an end-of-life challenge? We know the reasons: procrastination, busyness, resistance to change, unwillingness to make hard choices, fear of the future, and more. And yet we eventually get to that place: We clean out the garage and basement, we go on a diet, we start exercising, we begin investing resources in healthy relationships, we start spending daily time with God, we fine-tune our financial matters . . . we do those things that we know will allow important priorities to rise to the top and less important ones to fall by the wayside. Is it time for you to get your spiritual and practical affairs in order? Make it a continual process as you press toward the goal of knowing Christ Jesus.

Verse of the Day:
But one thing I do . . . I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 3:13b-14 (NKJV)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Click here to register & begin receiving Turning Points e-devotionals automatically delivered to your inbox!

Eyes on the Prize – Eyeliner Dollars and Sense

Fact: High quality, user-friendly eyeliner is a must-have for busy mamas or any woman who wants to fix-it-and-forget her eye makeup. Modern eyeliners come in a wide range of formulas including long-wearing gel, felt-tip pen and various types of pencils. Many are waterproof and easy to use with options for sensitive skin, beginners and experienced makeup pros alike.

Myth: Only expensive eyeliners (i.e. the ones that cost $20+ each) offer top performance.

Mommy Did You Know: … that cosmetics giant, L’Oreal owns multiple department store brands like Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent, and Urban Decay as well as several drug-store lines including L’Oreal (obv), NYX and Maybelline?

What does that mean to you? That means if you already love UD’s cult fav liner 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil but don’t love paying $20 per for a liner, you should try Maybelline’s Eye Studio Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Pencil for only $8. The two products are the same in terms of size and are virtually identical in performance. The only difference is color selection. UD offers almost 40 color options; whereas, Maybelline’s version comes in just 6 classic colors including your basic black, grey, brown and a divine sapphire blue that recently earned a coveted spot on Allure Magazine’s “Best of Beauty List.”

The Eyes Have It –
Eyeliner by Maybelline

Do you already love Lancome’s Artliner Precision Point Eyeliner for $30.50? Consider switching to L’Oreal’s Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner. At only $8.99, the drugstore version boasts a savings of more than 70%, and the only difference is in the packaging. You’ll notice that the higher end products have fancier outsides but very similar formulations. That’s because the same cosmetic chemists created both the expensive and the inexpensive products.
Why pay more for packaging?

So Pretty Mommy, next time you’re shopping for eyeliner, try this switch for a potential savings of 60-70%. Pretty cool trick, right?

Stay tuned to Daily Beauty Wisdom for similar swaps that will save you money without sacrificing performance!

Wisdom for the Day:
I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. ~Psalm 101:2-3 (English Standard Version)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Also check out Beautypedia for unbiased, in-depth reviews of hundreds skincare and makeup products.

Turban Tied

Fact: Using a microfiber cloth to towel dry wet hair decreases blow-dry time; thereby decreasing potential damage to hair and saving you time and money in the process.

Myth: In order to experience these benefits you must purchase one of the popular microfiber towel brands currently being marketed on infomercials and in beauty store chains like ULTA and Sephora.

Mommy Did You Know: … that the same fabric that comprises the microfiber Turbie Twist® and DevaTowel® also makes up all those burpie cloths and old t-shirts you’ve got lying around? And if you’ve considered spending $18 on the Aquis® Waffle Weave Hair Towel, you could just as easily purchase a thermal (i.e. waffle-weave) t-shirt from Wal-Mart for only $7! You’ll get equal performance and save a whopping 61%!!!

So grab a waffle weave t-shirt or an old burpie cloth before your next shampoo and shave a few minutes off your next blow out, Pretty Mommy.

The Marvelous Magnificence of MUTU

My Results in Only 12 Weeks with MUTU

I’m a control freak. I admit it. Big changes and major life events tend to make me anxious. I generally try to cope by doing lots of research, making plans and taking steps to feel prepared, safe, like I have a sense of control over what’s happening. So when I got pregnant, I spent a lot of time researching various health issues that may affect pregnant women. Early in my first trimester, I stumbled upon a condition called Diastasis Recti (DR) and was fascinated. It was like I finally had an answer for why so many women in my family had what they affectionately referred to as “mummy tummys” despite being relatively thin after childbirth. My own mother always carried a bubble of bloat just below her waist despite dropping to only 97 pounds after I was born. She always said it was because she never did any ab exercises. I assumed she was correct and swore it would never happen to me.

I became obsessed with avoiding DR. When I read that doing crunches later into pregnancy could cause my abdominal muscles to separate and create the very condition I desperately wanted to avoid, I stopped crunching cold turkey. I insisted on getting out of bed sideways each and every time (even in the middle of the night). I fanatically avoided any movement that would strain my abdominals. I used supportive belly bands while exercising. I counted calories throughout my pregnancy so as not to gain too much weight (because I’d read that contributed to post-pregnancy belly bulge). I drank at least a gallon of pure, filtered water every day and gave up anything that might lead to bloat like dairy or diet sodas. I took tons of supplements. By my third trimester, I had a daily workout routine of at least 300 squats (guaranteed to make labor a breeze according to multiple websites) and walking at least 5 miles. I scoured the internet for “the best” postpartum compression girdle and had that bad boy delivered and packed in my hospital bag weeks before my due date. Yep, I had it all under control…that is until I went into labor.

When the Labor & Delivery began monitoring our daughter, they estimated her size as between 8.5 and 10 pounds. I knew at that point that I was not going to have the easy breezy labor I’d planned for (I’m a small person with narrow hips not designed to push out a large baby). I’ll spare you the details of my labor. In summary I was in labor for about 20 hours after my water broke. I pushed for about 2 hours. And though I dilated fully, my daughter just never “arrived.” Her head was stuck, and I needed an emergency C-Section. There were several moments during that 20 hours where I remember saying to the doctor, “just go get her (e.g. do the C Section now)” because I was concerned about my daughter’s safety and all my planning and vanity ceased to matter. When they wheeled me in for the surgery, I remember thinking, “I’m so glad we are doing this!” Ironically, when the doctor cut me open he also pulled my abdominal muscles apart just like you’d pull open a pair of curtains. He did exactly what I’d tried to avoid all those months, and I ended up with a great big split in my abdominals. And I’m happy he did it because I have a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Of course, I was left with not only bulging abdominals but a big surgical incision so I wasn’t even able to use the expensive compression girdles I’d purchased. Isn’t it funny how we think we are planning our steps, but God determines the ways we truly will go (Proverbs 16:9)?

Anyway, after about 2 months of recovery from major surgery and the even bigger life adjustment of having a newborn, I got the go-ahead from my doc to begin some physical activity. So I began searching for a program to rehab from DR and a C Section, and I found several articles recommending the MUTU system. After more research, I decided MUTU would be the best program for me, and Hubs generously offered to purchase for me as a Christmas gift. I started the program at 3 months postpartum and have posted my BEFORE and AFTER pics below. The results are really incredible. I am sharing my story because DR affects more that 65% of all mamas, and it is incredibly frustrating and may include some very problematic other symptoms. But recovery is possible even if your children are 5, 10 even 15 years old. Also, I think it’s important for us all to remember that as humans we can only control so much in life but there is comfort and peace in knowing the God who is in control of everything and in trusting that He has a good and perfect plan for each one of us (Jeremiah 29:11).

I hope my story and pictures provide you with encouragement. I have also included the direct link to the MUTU online store below a couple more of my before & after pictures so you can directly access this awesome resource, my fellow Pretty Mommies. I pray for peace, health and joy for each of you all!

Thought for the Day:
Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.
~James 4:13-16 (NLT)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:

Quick Hitter of the Day – Love This, Try That

Cream Eyeshadow Switch Out

I love cream eyeshadows. They really work well on my dry skin. And, for some reason I seem to be able to create prettier looks and to blend and smooth the colors better when using my fingertips. Guess my brush application techniques need some work. The current crop of cream/gel shadows offers some tremendous choices in all price ranges.

One of my all-time favorite cream shadows is MAKE UP FOREVER’s Aqua Cream. This is the first such shadow I ever tried. The Taupe color is among the most gorgeous neutral shades I’ve ever encountered. It works create for a single, all-over look and is flattering on most if not all skin tones.

Taupe

MUF’s Taupe Aqua Cream

Alas, this favorite is fairly pricey at $23 for 0.21oz. And, surprisingly, it’s kinda hard to find – often sold out online and in Sephora stores. (I say surprisingly because Sephora owns MUF’s line and should, to my mind, be able to keep their products in stock. But I digress….).

Enter today’s standout duplicate – Maybelline EYESTUDIO Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow in “Bad to the Bronze.” What an awesome drugstore product! Nearly identical cushy, squishy texture as the MUF product and the same sheer-out capabilities. Neither product tends to migrate under eyes or to crease, especially when applied over a standard shadow primer. And neither the Maybelline nor the MUF offerings include too much glitter, trending more toward a flattering shimmer versus disco sparkle.

Color = Bad to the Bronze

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow

Incidentally, the Color Tattoo comes with 0.14oz. of product (roughly 2/3 the amount you get from the MUF product) and retails for $5.29 at both Target and Wal-Mart. CVS, Walgreens and ULTA currently list product prices at $6.99 each. And all of the retailers often offer buy one, get one 50% off Maybelline products (basically resulting in a 25% discount on each if you buy two products at once for a cost of roughly $5.24 each). That means, if you purchase two Color Tattoo shadows at once, you’d get about 1 & 1/3 the amount of product at a savings of $12.50. Keep in mind too that buying in this way may actually result in better product performance because these types of shadows tend to dry up with usage and exposure to air. So having a new and unopened pot of shadow can actually mean longer product life than if you had a larger pot of 0.28oz. I’ve actually experienced that drying with the MUF product but never with Maybelline’s version. I believe that’s why.

Hope you find this helpful. Happy finger painting!

KarenHD

Quick Hit #1 – Love this? Try that! – Teeth Whitening Lipgloss

A few months ago, I succumbed to all the positive pub surrounding the It Cosmetics News Anchor Blue Vitality Lip Flush Butter Gloss ($24). This gloss is marketed as shimmery gloss with blue tint to help make teeth look whiter and to enhance the whites of your eyes. What a great idea!

The gloss itself is fairly sticky and, for some reason, seems to make lips feel drier, even crackly when it wore off. I can’t say the product wowed me but the blue shimmer seems like an interesting novelty and has some minimal teeth whitening effect, especially applied over a blue-based pink or red lipstick.

But, $24 is a pretty steep price for a 0.11oz novelty lipgloss, particularly since my all-time favorite lip gloss ( Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss ($16) ) is a full $8 cheaper and provides nearly 5 X the product (at 0.5oz.).

Still, what if I want/need that quick brightening effect? Enter the big find, quick hit:
NYX The Blue Lip Gloss Smile Brightener ($4.50)

At less than $5 for 0.31oz., this little baby is the perfect wise alternative. You get plenty of product and far less lip-drying side-effects. I encourage you to pick up this gloss at your local NYX retailer. It may not be your everyday, all-day gloss (heck, maybe it will be). But it’s a great option for that finishing touch to make your smile extra bright and pretty. Enjoy!

Curious about how the two products compare side-by-side, check out the pics below:

Special savings – I purchased a two-pack of NYX blue and mood glosses for only $3 during Christmas shopping blitz

Take a look at the It Vitality Gloss bottle. It’s cracked. So often you’re paying for the packaging (not the actual ingredients) with “higher end” products. Imagine the disappointment when the cap cracks. Ugh!

Learn the Basics about Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures

After 35, looking good takes some effort, and sometimes … it requires a little help. Whether you are just beginning to contemplate Botox, Sculptra etc. or are a long-time injectable connoisseur, I encourage you to check out this fair, unbiased and informative article before scheduling your first or next appointment.

Non-surgical Cosmetic Treatments

As always, a great article from the incomparable Paula Begoun!

Enjoy in peace and love,
~ KarenGinHD

Fantastic Money-saving Tips from Angie of Hot & Flashy

How to Remove Hard Film from Powder Foundation, Blush or Bronzer

This is a terrific video for anyone who has thrown away a half-used powder foundation compact, or for those who (like me) have 2 or 3 such compacts stashed around the bathroom because you just can’t bring yourself to toss them. I hate that! For some reason I’ve encountered this a few times with Pur Minerals powders.
That can be such a fantastic all-in-one product and is virtually allergen free. For fuller coverage, I especially love this powder over a good, high SPF tinted moisturizer or BB/CC cream. But when that slick, shiny film forms atop the powder – it’s practically unusable. Still, at nearly $30 each, the prospect of throwing away 2/3 of the product is not okay with me.

Enjoy this quick process comparison and be sure to let us know your experiences if you try out one of these options.

Wishing you grace & peace in 2015!

~ KarenGinHD

Daily Beauty Wisdom

Walk in wisdom : grow in beauty: live in love

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