Today's Menu: Once Upon a Time & Pot au Feu Classique

My father's girlfriend recommended the show Once Upon A Time to me. Now at first I honestly wasn't interested because TV shows or TV in general have never really been my thing. I have Netflix but even then I never really watched the TV shows on it.. except for Lost and Lie to me... the 2 exceptions at that time. Then Once Upon A Time came to Netflix.

Now I do like the show a lot but I have to admit that sometimes the acting is a little cheesy as well as the special effects. I can only imagine myself in their place pretending to do some kind of magical enchantment with hand gestures and know I would feel incredibly silly! :p
If you haven't seen the show, well it's basically about all your fairytale characters like Belle, Snow White, The Evil Queen, Peter Pan etc... It's a cute show none the less.

Changing subjects now!

I've tried making a blog a couple times but never really managed to keep to it so this time I'm really going to try, just like this challenge I found on Pinterest which I will share with you.
Now I know I'm underweight and don't have any to lose as people will always tell me but after having 2 kids and being a person who really enjoys to do nothing  productively do things while sitting, I still would like to get those flabbier parts toned! : ) So I found what is called the 14 DAY BUBBLE BUTT CHALLENGE which you can find by clicking here! But if you don't feel like opening a new page and getting into all the details, here's the gist of it!

 I have to admit, today is day 1 and I looked at that and thought "pffft! 20 squats! thats nothing! 5 lunges... I'll do 5 per leg and burpees?! I don't know what that is but I'll youtube it.. I'm sure it's easy peasy *watches youtube video* 10 of those? what a joke!"
So I did my squats, all 20! not so bad, felt that burning in my thighs.. did my lunges, 5 per leg as I said but I also managed to slip and slide all over my floor with my big wooly socks. Then I got to the burpees. All I can say is that I'm freakishly out of shape! Jumping and squatting and push ups! I can make it down an inch if im lucky and then up I go! haha. All in due time of course!

Now after that INTENSE mild work out, here's to a good filling meal a good friend of mine was so generous to share with me. We love it because it's not hard to put together ( if you dont mind a little chopping and peeling ), and it's got all your meat and veg in one. It also gets the kids eating new and different veggies without them really knowing like parsnips and turnips, I just tell them they're potatoes. What kid doesn't like the potatoes?! The only change I make is instead of putting in 1 can of whole tomatoes, I put in 1 can of diced tomatoes. I find the whole tomatoes don't break up very well and make for a  random strange mushy red blob that neither kid will eat so they all end up in my hubby's dish and then I'm not sure what to do with them!
So I hope you enjoy! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

* My next post will be about a healthy no bake dessert I found on Pinterest that the hubby and I just adore!

Pot au Feu Classique

2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 turnips, peeled and quartered or cut into chunks

2 T flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 beef blade roast

2 T oil, either olive or vegetable (any high heat oil)

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 c beef broth

1 can whole or diced tomatoes

1/2 t marjoram or thyme

2 bay leaves

- Peel and cut carrots, parsnips, turnip and set aside.

-In a large bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper. Coat beef. 

-In a large dutchoven or oven safe pot heat 1/2 oil at med heat. Add beef and brown then reserve to plate. 

-Add rest of oil to pot and cook onion and garlic until tender, stirring occasionally. Add broth and tomatoes while scraping bottom of pot. Add veggies, spices and beef roast. Bring to boil and transfer to oven at 300 degrees F for 2 1/2 hours checking the meat every 30 minutes ensuring its always covered with the juice (I usually have the lid on during this time).

-Cook another 30 minutes until beef is very tender (with lid off). 

-Discard bay leaves. Serve. 

Legend: (just in case!)

T - Tablespoon

t - teaspoon

c - cup