Homemade Marinara Sauce and Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Homemade Marinara Sauce 
and 
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Feel good about this comfort food!
Homemade Marinara Sauce
Probably one of the easiest things you will ever cook!

Ingredients:
  • About 10 Tomatoes- cut, sliced, wedged- whatever you want to do. (I used organic vine ripened tomatoes from Trader Joe's) 
  • 4-5 Tbsp Garlic-minced (I used organic pre-minced garlic)
  • Basil, either fresh or dried (I have used both)
  • About 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
  2. Place cut up tomato pieces on baking sheet. 
  3. Place garlic and fresh basil on the tomatoes. If using dried basil, sprinkle over tomatoes. 
  4. Drizzle EVOO over tomatoes. 
  5. Bake for 15 minutes until tomatoes soften and juices extract.
  6. Scoop tomatoes, basil, and garlic into food processor or blender. Make sure to get all the good stuff off the baking sheet, including the juices!
  7. Puree the mixture to a nice sauce. 
  8. Serve over pasta or with other accompaniment. (Pictured above with Trader Joe's Brown Rice and Quinoa Spaghetti.) This also freezes nicely. 

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
(Modified from: Baker by Nature)
All done.
Browning in the skillet.
Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Organic grass fed ground beef or Organic free range turkey
  • 5 Tbsp Fresh Minced Organic Garlic
  • 1 Organic Egg
  • 1/2 cup Grated Romano Cheese
  • 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 2 tsp Parsley
  • Pinch of Sea Salt 
  • Dash of Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (or alternative crumbs)
  • 4 oz Mozzarella Cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used cut up string cheese once which worked well.)
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
  2. Mix raw ground meat and the rest of the ingredients together except the mozzarella cheese and the EVOO.
  3. Cut mozzarella into small pieces (about 1/2 inch cubes).
  4. Form the meat mixture into the shape of balls. 
  5. Press the cheese cube into the meatball.
  6. Reform the meatball to cover the cheese. 
  7. Once all meatballs are formed and cheese has been inserted, place in skillet with 2 Tbsp EVOO. Lightly brown all sides of meatball on medium heat. 
  8. Transfer meatballs into lightly greased baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. 
  9. Serve with marinara or other sauce of choice. 

Clean Chicken Alfredo

Clean Chicken Alfredo
Delicious homemade- clean- Chicken Alfredo 
No chemicals or preservatives!
Serve with a yummy veggie!
Gluten Free!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Organic skinless, boneless chicken breasts- cooked and cut into bite sized chunks
  • 16 oz Brown rice pasta (I used Brown rice and Quinoa from Trader Joes)
  • 1-1/2 Tbsp Minced garlic (I use organic pre-minced garlic, but you can mince your own and use 2 cloves)
  • 2+ cups Organic, free range chicken broth
  • 1-1/2 cup organic milk (I use 2%)
  • 2 Tbsp flour (I use gluten free)
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 1-1/2 cup Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Cook pasta as directed on package. Set aside. 
  3. In a skillet, cook and cut chicken breasts into bite sized chunks. Add small amounts of additional broth  or water to keep from sticking to skillet. 
  4. Add garlic.
  5. Once Chicken is cooked, add broth, milk, onion powder, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper to skillet. Mix well.
  6. Whisk in 2 Tbsp of flour in slowly.
  7. Bring sauce mixture to a boil, stirring frequently until thickened. 
  8. Add pasta to skillet. Mix well. 
  9. Add 1 cup. mix well. 
  10. Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray (I use Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray)
  11. Pour pasta mixture into baking dish. 
  12. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. 
  13. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and dish is heated throughout. 
  14. Serve.

Run, Jennie, Run!

I RUN! 
Running is my favorite form of physical fitness. So much in fact, that I frequently forget to incorporate other activities. I know... BIG faux pas! Therefore, exercise is another thing that I am working on. I love yoga, but don't do it often. I am pretty much lost when it comes to weight lifting. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information on the Internet and helpful people at my health club to assist me.

I run 5 days per week on average. Unless I am training for something I run 3.1 miles (5K) each time. I am just beginning to train for a half marathon (13.1 miles) this summer and a full marathon (26.2 miles) this fall.

I have done a 3K, many 5Ks, 2 half marathons, and no full marathons to date. Kind of skipped right past the 10K. I didn't keep time on the 3K, as it was a family fun run. My PR on the 5K is 27:27 (8:52 pace) this was 10 weeks after major abdominal surgery and only 4 weeks of running prior to the race (which is pictured below). My half PR is 1:59:09 (9:09 pace) my other half wasn't much different, as I averaged an 11 second slower pace per mile.

My first taste of running was in high school track. I didn't fall in love with it then, however! I thought it was brutal!! It wasn't until 12 years ago that I fell in love with it. I have been doing it ever since. It's quality time with me.

My last organized race. The Northern Voices Walk for Talk Hear-O 5K
Channeling my inner superhero!

Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice Bake

Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice Bake



Clean. Organic. Gluten Free. 

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb Organic skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite sized chunks
  • 2 avocados, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 4 limes, cut and squeezed for the juice
  • 2-3 tsp Cumin, ground
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 2 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 6 cups Organic brown rice, cooked

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Cook brown rice. Set aside. (I use Trader Joe's Organic Frozen Brown Rice)
  3. In a skillet, cook chicken. 
  4. Add cilantro, garlic, cumin, and sea salt. Stir.
  5. Add freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir.
  6. Add avocados. Stir.
  7. Mix chicken mixture together with rice.
  8. Add 3/4 cup of cheese. Stir. 
  9. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. (I use Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray.) 
  10. Pour mixture into baking dish. 
  11. Top with remaining cheese. 
  12. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. 

Lemon Chicken Pasta

Lemon Chicken Pasta
(Modified from: diethood)


This pasta dish is delish! I have made similar variations time and time again, when shooting from the hip to prepare make-shift dinners. Yesterday, I was scrolling through Pinterest, trying to come up with dinner inspiration for the week, when I found this dish. I didn't make it exactly as the recipe suggested, I modified, as you know I like to do! I knew It was a familiar recipe when I saw it, but it wasn't until I tasted it that I realized just how familiar. How funny is that?!?!

Clean. Organic. Gluten Free.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Brown rice pasta
  • 1 lb organic skinless, boneless chicken breasts- cooked and cut into bite sized chunks
  • 8-16 oz Baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 8-16 oz Organic grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup Parsley
  • 1 Fresh Lemon, cut and squeezed for juice
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 2 Tbsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Sea Salt to taste
  • Ground Black Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic powder

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. In a large pot, cook pasta as directed on package. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown chicken. 
  4. Add, mushrooms, tomatoes, and parsley. Cook until tomato juices are extracted and mushrooms are tender. 
  5. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir. 
  6. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken mixture. Stir.
  7. Add olive oil to pasta. 
  8. Add chicken mixture to pasta. Stir.
  9. Add half of the cheese mixture to the pasta. Stir.
  10. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. I use Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray.
  11. Pour pasta mixture into baking dish. 
  12. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of pasta.
  13. Heat for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. 

Cheesy Beef & Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Cheesy Beef & Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
(Modified from: Damn Delicious)




Ingredients:
  • 1-1/2 Cup Quinoa
  • 1 lb organic grass fed ground beef
  • 1 can (10 oz) Mild Enchilada Sauce
  • 1 (12 oz) Bag of Frozen Corn
  • 1 (15 oz) Can Black Beans 
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro Leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1-1/2 Cup Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 1-1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 1 Fresh Avocado, diced
  • 1 Fresh Tomato, diced
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
  2. In a saucepan, cook quinoa as directed on package. Set aside. 
  3. In a skillet, brown ground beef until fully cooked. Set aside. 
  4. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, ground beef, enchilada sauce, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, and 1 cup or mozzarella cheese. 
  5. Lightly oil a 9X12 baking dish with nonstick spray (I uses Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray). 
  6. Pour mixture into baking dish.
  7. Top with remaining cheeses.
  8. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until heated through and cheeses have melted. 
  9. Top with avocado and tomato. 
  10. Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Cucumber Tomato Salad and Homemade Dressing

Cucumber Tomato Salad


Serves: approx. 4-6
Calories: approx. 60-90 per serving (Depending on how many/the size servings you make out of the batch.)

Ingredients:
  • 4 Organic red vine ripened tomatoes, cut into bite sized chunks 
  • 1-2 Organic cucumbers, cut into thin slices
  • 3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped finely
  • 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped finely
  • 1-2 Tbsp salad dressing *See recipe below* (I used 2 Tbsp, but next time I may use 1 Tbsp.)
Directions:
  1. Place all chopped vegetables in a medium sized bowl. 
  2. Add salad dressing. 
  3. Toss to coat evenly.

Homemade Dressing

Serves: 16 (Serving size=1 Tbsp.)
Calories: 112 per serving

Ingredients:
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup Organic Unfiltered Raw Apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese, finely grated

Directions:
  1. Place all ingredients together in a salad dressing shaker or a mixer cup. 
  2. Shake well. 
  3. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. 
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