Welcome Message
Friday, September 29, 2017
September 29, 2017
Welcome to Blissfully Fit Mama!
Thank you for joining me on this journey through the mamahood and how staying active, getting the body you want and being the BEST YOU, IS POSSIBLE!
Being a mama requires you to be selfless 24/7. Before I had my daughter, I felt like I was "living the life". A great career at the top health & fitness club in the world, a promotion to a top level coach just around the corner and getting paid to keep people healthy & fit.
I have been in the health & fitness industry for over 15 years and was a L&D nurse for 6 years (Nurse in the Army). During those early years, I never could have imagined how my life was going to be change as soon as they placed my sweet baby into my arms. Once I felt those tiny kicks inside my belly, life as I knew it was changed FOREVER.
Being a mama is tough work. Being a mama, having a job (workforce or stay at home) and trying to stay fit, is even harder. I want to bring you the good, the bad & the ugly sides of this journey to being the best mama I can be. I want to create community for YOU to join arms with me and to lift each other up. Share what we are going through. How it has changed us. And how we found our way back redefining the NEW (insert name) YOU!
My hope it to bring you real life stories and be as transparent as possible on this this journey through balancing the mamahood and my passion for everything running, fitness, & nutrition. More fun stuff COMING SOON!
xoxo,
Samantha, The Blissfully Fit Mama
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Chicken Meatballs & Sauce
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
September 12, 2017
It is that time of year when I start making all my comfort foods. This dish is sure to please everyone in the family, not to mention get them extra veggies that they won't even know are in there...insert evil mama laugh here.
I grew up eating spaghetti. My grandma (Nonna) on my mom's side was 100% Italian. No matter what day of the week it was or time of the year, you could always be sure to eat spaghetti when you were at her house. As I got older, my love for the actual spaghetti noodles began to fade. I hated how heavy they made me feel. It took me while to perfect the cooking of a spaghetti squash, but when your husband and little one keep asking for more, you know you nailed it. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family and I do!
The Squash:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove sticker from squash and place in microwave for 5 minutes (this softens the squash enough to be able to cut through it easier). Remove squash with oven mit and cut in half with a sharp knife. Remove seeds and squash flesh side down on a baking sheet. Add 1/4 c water to the baking sheet and place in center of oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until squash is soft. Time to make the sauce & meat balls!
The Meatballs:
1 lb organic ground chicken breast
1/4 c almond flour
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1/2 c whilted chopped spinach
1 egg
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper as set aside. In a medium bowl combine almond flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and spinach. Blend well. Add in egg and mix well. then add in ground chicken and mix well. Form 1.5 inch thick meat balls and place about 1 inch apart on baking sheet. When squash has 10 minutes left in oven, place meatballs in oven and cook both together. They will be about 80% cooked at this point... don't worry, they will finish cooking in the sauce.
The Sauce:
2-8oz cans organic fire roasted tomatoes
1-2oz can organic tomato paste
10 fresh basil leaves, 6 leaves and 4 thin chopped
2 cups steamed broccoli
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp oregano seasoning
1/2 onion-chopped
4 tbsp grass-fed butter
6 oz grated mozzarella cheese
In a large oven safe sauce pan, melt butter on medium high heat. Add onion and cook until clear. Mix in seasonings and remove from heat. In a high speed blender (I use a Vitamix), add roasted tomatoes, paste, 6 basil leaves, broccoli and onion mixture. Blend until smooth. Return to sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Once meatballs are done, remove from baking sheet and add to sauce pan. Cover with sauce and then add mozzarella to the top. Place in center of oven and cook for 10 minutes. If you want more of a broiled cheese on top, you can bake it for 6 minutes and then broil for the last 4 minutes. Carefully remove from oven with an oven mitt. Add chopped basil to the top & let stand for about 5-10 minutes. During that time you can portion out the squash onto a plate or in bowls (we like to eat ours out of a bowl). ENJOY!
~Samantha, Blissfully Fit Mama
