DEWPS: A Dietary Journey Part 2 Spaghetti and Meatballs

I recently started a dairy free, egg free, wheat free, peanut free, soy free diet with my 1 year old who is allergic to all of these things, (You can read that whole story, here). The only reason I started it was because he was still nursing. Then about 5 days into the diet, he decided he was done nursing. Gee thanks, kid, for making me go through the withdrawals from wheat and dairy just to quit nursing. However, instead of going to attack the block of cheese in my fridge, I decided I liked how I felt and to stick with it for at least 4 weeks.

Today is day 11. (Update: I procrastinated getting this posted so it's actually Day 16, but who's counting, eh?) (Update #2: My computer wasn't cooperating and I couldn't get the pictures to upload so it's actually day 17 #bloggingfail) So far it's been the hardest since I got over the withdrawal hump. I just really really want some rosemary olive oil bread, or a cheesy pizza, or a cheeseburger from The Pharmacy. Oy. In an effort to scratch the pasta/bread itch, we are having spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. We are using gluten free spaghetti made from rice and quinoa. As far as the meatballs go, I had a hard time finding a recipe online that was DEWPS friendly. It seemed like if you took out egg, they added wheat, and vice versa.  So I concocted my own recipe.

I made a really big crockpot size batch of sauce and meatballs since we like leftovers around here.

"Mmmm, this is good, Momma!"

"If I don't eat it all in one bite, it might disappear..."

DEWPS Stupid Good Spaghetti Sauce w/ Meatballs

SAUCE:
4 big cans crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbs olive oil
1/4- 1/3 cup dry red wine (optional)
1 1/2 tsp each of parsley, basil, and oregano (fresh herbs make this even better, but I use dried most of the time)
1tsp. salt, more to taste
3/4 tsp pepper, more to taste

Dump all of this is your crockpot with seared meatballs (recipe below) and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

MEATBALLS:
3 1/2 (ish) pounds of ground beef (for added flavor, sub a pound of the beef with Italian sausage)
1/8-1/4 cup chicken broth
2 TBS olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
11/2 tsp. each of parsley, oregano, and basil
1/2 tsp. onion powder (next time I want to try grated fresh onions)

In a large bowl, mix ground beef with chicken broth and olive oil with your hands until you can form a meatball that holds together well. Mix salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, basil, and onion powder in a separate small bowl and incorporate into the meat with your hands. (You could technically do all this mixing with your stand mixer but its easy to over mix and then you have tough meatballs. That would be no good). Now, roll out your meat into cute little cocktail sized meatballs.

Heat a couple more tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in an iron skillet, and sear the outside of your meatballs, before dropping them into your sauce to finish cooking in the crockpot.

When the meatballs are cooked through and the alcohol has cooked out of the sauce, boil up some gluten free spaghetti, add a side salad, and ENJOY!

"Nom Nom Nom!"

"Can I has some more, pwease?"

Happy Eating!

-JRae

My StitchFix Story + A Fashion Show

Shortly after my sweet , little Calvin was born, a friend of mine posted about her Stitch Fix experience on Facebook. I had just been lamenting about my own wardrobe being a bit ratty and quite frankly not age appropriate since the only things I could find to fit me were in the juniors section. Except now all my juniors clothes didn't fit my post baby body and getting dressed (when I did actually make the effort to do so) was getting downright depressing.  So I signed up for what would become my favorite way to shop in the history of EVER!

I carefully filled out my style profile and even read blog posts about how to get the most out of each "fix". I also created a Pinterest board specifically for my stylist and loaded it up with all my favorite pins that had been lurking on my fashion boards. After writing more specifics for my stylist in a "Fix Note", the only thing left to do was wait. When the waiting was finally over and that first box arrived at my door I was completely hooked. You can read about that specific fix HERE!

If you've been thinking about trying StitchFix or maybe you've never heard of it, you should definitely check it out! And in case you're interested, here's what I personally LOVE about StitchFix:

1. The clothes are unique, designer, and high quality! The jeans I own from StitchFix feel like BUTTER! The dresses I have are CRAZY comfortable and definitely not see through or cheap fabric. And same story with the tops I have. The clothes are just wonderful.

2. It's like Christmas morning! It's like a pretty box, just for you! And even though you know it's clothes, there's still that element of surprise in not knowing exactly what you're getting. :-D (Unless you're one of those heathens that has the StitchFix app and as soon as your fix ships, you peek at what they're sending. Sorry, but we can't be friends.)

3. No malls. No crowded stores. No pushy salesperson. Just you and the pretty box and 3 days to decide what you want to keep.

I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with those main reasons for now. I will however, mention a little something about the prices. As I mentioned in point #1 up there, these are quality, designer pieces. Not Target brand things that become misshapen after a few washes. Therefore, you're going to pay more. There is a section in your style profile where you can specify a general price range. I always have mine at "The cheaper the better" and the next level up is $50-$100. So yes, it is expensive. But I'm at a stage of life where I'd rather make the investment in pieces that are going to last me several years, than go buy a whole new wardrobe every season because everything from the year before is worn out. Since it is expensive, I have just been getting a fix every season and aside from my very first fix, I don't keep everything. I only keep what I LOVE.  Some people get a fix every month but no matter how often you get one, you're not locked into a fix schedule with Stitch Fix so you can get one whenever it strikes your fancy! :-D

And just to give you a little taste of what you can get from StitchFix, I decided to do a little fashion show with the pieces I've gotten in my fixes. I should also mention that a couple things I've gotten from a Facebook buy/sell/trade board for StitchFix items, which is a great way to get one specific item you're looking for without getting an entire fix.

Without further ado, I give you StitchFix!

First up: Pixely Greenich Striped Knit Top & Level 99 Giovanni Skinny Straight Leg Jeans in Green

This is my birthday fix outfit! I scheduled a fix to come the day before my birthday and specifically asked for a bonfire outfit and my stylist, Erin, nailed it! I wore these pieces constantly throughout the fall and winter!

Next: Market & Spruce Corinna Striped Dolman Top & Pixley Stacey Scallop Hem Cut Out Detail Skirt

Let's start with this shirt. OH MY! SO SOFT. It's a highly coveted item in the Stitch Fix world and there's a rumor that they're phasing it out. I SO hope that's not true. Because I need it in every color that it possibly comes in. It's unbelievably versatile and I kinda wear it all the time. Here I've dressed it up with a skirt that I got in my last fix. It is truly adorable and unique. And it's navy which means just about everything I own will coordinate. :-D

Below, you'll see even more of this fabulous top's versatility. I've dressed it down with a pair of Level 99 Giovanni Skinny Straight Leg jeans in a different color. (I got these jeans off eBay when I realized that the green pair fit me as if my fairy godmother had sewn it herself). And of course I added a pop of color with the converse I wore at my wedding!  :-) 

Neeeeeext!Queensland Dolman Jersey Top and Just Black Adorra Skinny Jean

This top was one of those pieces that I would have never picked up in the store. But my stylist sent it in my very first fix for me to try and I love it! It is CRAZY comfortable! It's not as versatile as some of my other pieces but is fun to put on for a casual date night with my leopard pumps and yellow beads. These jeans. Oh these jeans! I feel like a broken record, but these are also CRAZY comfortable. I like the darker wash for when I want a dressier look. I purchased these from a Facebook Stitch Fix buy/sell/trade board. 

 This next one has a story behind it: Gilli Jessie Maxi Dress

At this point you're probably thinking, "Wait...that's not a maxi dress..." Indeed, it is no longer a maxi.

 So here's the story. Once upon a time, my sweet hunk of a husband was being awesome and doing laundry. He was not aware that it needed washed on the delicate cycle. He was also not aware that it was line dry only. So when it came out of the dryer, it was at this awkward shin length that was extremely unflattering. So, I had it hemmed and to be quite honest, loved it way better on me as a knee length dress! I even thanked my husband for ruining my dress. He asked if he could have that in writing. I said no. I love him. The End.

And last but not least, my MOST favorite Stitch Fix purchase to date: 41 Hawthorn Sara Dress
Where to begin with what I love about this dress. The material is so soft, the cut is so flattering, the stripes are so fun, I heart that it's navy, it's the perfect length, it's so happy and feminine and wonderful and I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH! Below, is how I wore it for Easter Sunday. Those blue mint shoes are just to die for as well, but they are ModCloth, not Stitch Fix.

 And as you can see, this dress is the very definition of versatile:

Isn't it so FUN!!??

 I got a little carried away....

 AND! It's not JUST for summer time! I dug out my cozy, thick mustard cardigan, boot socks and boots, and now I'm ready for fall again!

Okay. I'm done. I promise. 

As you can see, Stitch Fix is just a whole lot of fun, and you can acquire some really great pieces to add to your wardrobe. If you've never gotten a fix, you seriously need to try it! Feel free to pin any of my pics to your Pinterest inspiration boards!

Oh and one more thing! If you wouldn't mind signing up with this link right here, I'd appreciate it immensely! Ya see, one of the cool things about Stitch Fix is that after you sign up and get a fix, you can recommend it to other people and get referral credit towards your next fix! Super awesome!

Thanks for reading! 

-JRae