Best Chili Recipe

The best chili recipe I have ever made! It’s packed with ground beef, bacon and 3 kinds of beans with just the right combination of spices for the perfect flavor! Top it off with a little sour cream and shredded cheese, Yum!

You all have been loving our award winning Instant Pot chili for quite some time now, but this one is better. I can’t believe I’m saying that because the Instant Pot version is the bomb, but this is THE BEST!

Now, I’ve actually never been a chili fan. Spicy is not my thing and growing up I didn’t like ground beef and wasn’t a huge bean fan so chili was definitely not my favorite. But then I became intrigued, and all from one story…

My sister once called me later at night and I was juuust about to go to sleep. I knew she’d just been on a date so I answered to hear the details. No. No this was not a, “best date ever” call, but a “you will not believe the awkwardness” call.

He had called last minute and asked if she could pick him up. “Oh sure” she replied, totally not worrying about it as they were nearing the end of college and maybe his car was out of luck. So she picks him up and he tells her he actually doesn’t have a car, or a job, nor is he actually in school. Instead he’s pursuing breakdancing.

Best Thing I’ve Ever Eaten

Which is fine, there’s probably some good ones out there, but as he later showed her, he wasn’t one of them. But I’m distracted. So this kind boy tells her, I’m taking you out for the very best thing I’ve ever eaten. “You’re going to love it,” he says. Right at the light, then head straight down main. Take a left at this light and straight again until it’s on the left hand side. Wendy’s.

Well again, she’s so kind and gives him a chance. They get inside and he orders two baked potatoes with chili. Whhhhhaaaaaa?

This is the BEST thing you’ve ever eaten?

That date didn’t end up going anywhere, haha, but it sure sparked something in me!

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m writing to you this morning from Switzerland – no joke – and I’m pretty excited about it. We just settled in at our Airbnb a couple of hours ago and the view of Lake Geneva from our apartment is lovely.

I’m here for Prix de Laussane and can hardly wait to see Rowan dance again. (I’m also here for alllll the chocolate and the cheese, but if Rowan asks, this week is all about him, k?) If you’re reading this and happen to be familiar with Switzerland, send me your favorite must-try foods, pretty please!

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: With a flavorful chicken broth base and light wisps of egg throughout, classic Egg Drop Soup is a wonderful, light, and simple soup your whole family will request again and again. The first time I made this soup, my kids went crazy over it and devoured every single sip. They requested it again the very next day for lunch.

Flavorful artichokes and earthy spinach meld perfectly with zesty garlic and Parmesan cheese in a creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip so good, you will not be able to stop dipping.

Tender chunks of savory chicken dance with crisp green beans in a sauce that’s the perfect blend of savory and spice in this Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry.

With a rich, buttery dough that is loaded with irresistible morsels of chocolate, these Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies nail every delicious detail. And, bonus, they stay soft and chewy for days.

Andes Mint Cookies are soft-baked chocolate cookies loaded with Andes Mint pieces and spread with an extra layer of mint goodness. They’re amazing straight from the oven.

Gooey chocolate chips and salty bits of toffee are wrapped up in these soft Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies that are just begging to be dunked in your favorite milk.

Creamy vanilla ice cream is swirled with decadent fudge while tiny peanut butter cups dance in every spoonful of this homemade Moose Tracks Ice Cream.

What I’m CRAVING: Raclette! I can hardly wait to try authentic raclette while we’re here in Switzerland. It’s going to be a delicious week. 

My FAVORITE THING this week is my

Hi friends! Happy Friday! The weekend is heeeeeere. What do you have going on? I’m taking my first Spenga class with a friend – I’ll report back!- and putting the finishing touchings on February Fit Team programming. New workouts drop on Sunday! If you want to try it, sign up here – the first 7 days are free.

I’m also looking forward to teaching a barre class, Meg’s baby sprinkle (Kyle and Meg are having baby #3 in a month and a half!), and a family hike. I hope you have a fun and relaxing weekend ahead.

(A leftover lunch of chicken with artichokes and mushrooms, plus radishes, broccoli and homemade hummus on the side)

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

 Friday Faves 1.26

Read, watch, listen:

Liv and I saw Mean Girls last weekend and LOVED it. I had low expectations but was blown away – I want to see it again.

SO proud of the #1 spot on this list! One of my all-time faves. Tucson has a few spots on this list!

Don’t miss this week’s podcast episode here chatting about breast implant illness.

What do you always pack for a trip?

Fitness, health, and good eats:

Latest pair of Vivobarefoots (<— my referral link gets you 15% off). This is the 7th pair to enter our house. The Pilot, P, and I are all on board the barefoot train. (Liv sticks to her Jordans and Converse.) It’s wild to see how constricting *normal* shoes feel now. They squish my toes so much! These are extremely light, comfortable, and plenty of room for proper toe splay and foot function. 😉

(Also worth mentioning her

Creamy vanilla ice cream is swirled with decadent fudge while tiny peanut butter cups dance in every spoonful of this homemade Moose Tracks Ice cream.

Moose Tracks Ice Cream

The original moose tracks ice cream has been making people smile for decades, with it’s fudge ripple and peanut butter cups. And, if you love that, then this homemade moose tracks ice cream recipe will knock your socks off.

You won’t believe the difference it makes to eat it while it’s still freshly churned with top-notch ingredients. The sweet vanilla, rich chocolate and peanut butter flavors will keep you coming back for another spoonful.

One of my favorite things about ice cream is that it is an endlessly versatile, adjustable dessert. Add chunks of baked goods, candy, fruit, or nuts and you transform plain old vanilla into something truly magical.

Even with an ice cream like moose tracks, which already has mix-ins, you can still make it even better with toppings. There’s whipped cream, chocolate sauce, peanut butter sauce, salted caramel sauce and so many more!

With over Read more

Hi friends! How’s the day going? Thank you so much for the beautiful birthday wishes for Miss P. I read them all to her and she loved them. (She also LOVED having everyone sing “Happy Birthday!”) I’ll be sure to recap the birthday festivities in one post after her party. 🙂 For today, I have a brand-new workout for you, combining two of my very favorite tools: the kettlebell and the TRX suspension trainer.

(Wearing Nikes, lulu crops, and this Zella tank which I later realized was inside-out for all of these pics. Derp. haha)

TRX Kettlebell Circuit Workout

Kettlebells and the TRX add an entirely different dimension to training, as they target our deep internal core stabilizers. You have to work harder to maintain balance or center of gravity with the kettlebell, and the TRX encourages a plank position for the exercises. You’re in a moving plank the entire time. These are excellent tools to to challenge yourself and keep your muscles guessing!

The workout is meant to be completed circuit-style, moving quickly from one set of exercises to the next. After you finish one round of the entire circuit, you have the option to move through it again 1-2 times for 3 total times.

What Is Power Circuit Workout

Here are a couple of interesting things about this circuit, which increase its *excitement*:

-It’s a longer circuit (11 exercises). This use uses quite a few unilateral movements, focusing on one side at a time. If you’re in a time pinch, you can do a couple of bilateral movements instead. (For the burpees, do regular, non-TRX burpees, and for the kettlebell squat and press, hold two kettlebells instead of one. Ditch one of the squat exercises if you’re trying to bring down the time.)

-Speaking of unilateral movements, this is SUCH a great way to train. If we’re always training both sides at the same time, it’s easy to depend on your stronger side, or ignore how each side is feeling. You may find that you can make simple tweaks to improve form because you’re really paying attention to the working muscles.

-It’s a leg crusher. These are challenging movements to work your entire body, with a lower body and glute emphasis. You’re welcome. Mauaha.

As always, talk with a doctor before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed. This workout assumes that you’re comfortable working with the TRX and kettlebell, and know how to execute these moves safely. If you have any questions, please let me know, or ask a personal trainer at your local gym to help you. We are happy (and stoked!) for the opportunity to help others work out more safely.

Now, let’s move onto the workout!

(Pin for the next time you need some gym inspiration!)

Form cues and tips:

1. Squat and reach: step away from the TRX base point, holding onto the strap with one hand. Sink down into a squat (chest listed, and weight in your heels), as you tap your free hand to the floor. As you exhale to rise, squeeze your glutes, and “c