2014

3 Apps and a Chicken Recipe to Make the Holidays just a bit more awesome

3 Apps and a Chicken Recipe to Make the Holidays just a bit more awesome
[caption id="attachment_17287" align="alignright" width="330"]Gotta get your hands dirty... hoorah!Gotta get your hands dirty... hoorah![/caption]

Happy Holidays! 

But are they really?  You know what I'm talking about. Family commitments, work outings, parties, school concerts, shopping while battling through the crowds EVERYWHERE and did I mention on top of all that, cooking for oneself and family? Yikes!

As noted in a post a few months ago , Christie and I are busy, busy parents. And we often find ourselves rushing around last-minute to piece together healthy meals for our 2 daughters, Chardonae and Brie. It's a priority for us to make sure they are getting healthy meal and snack options every day, and as busy as we might find ourselves, we make sure to commit the time to fueling them with the cleanest foods we can.

Fortunately, if we take a step back and "choose" to plan, then our holiday commitments may not seem as daunting. We love leveraging technology, in particular some very cool apps, to prepare ourselves for all that the holidays bring.

3 Apps for making the Holidays just a bit more awesome (and less stressful)



  1. Evernote - I can't live without it! I have it on my phone, computer and synced with all my main programs that I use. I segment lists for recipes, gifts, holidays, and anything that is relevant to me. If you are unsure of the power of Evernote, here's 2 resources to check out: Evernote Essentials and  Evernote Everyday.

  2. Lift - this app is awesome! Set yourself some daily, weekly and monthly goals, leveraging the power of community to hold you accountable. Pretty awesome and available on iPhone and Android platforms.

  3. The (Chicken.ca) Shopping App- I've written about this app before, just  read here - recognize that if you are like me, out at the grocery store and walking around aimlessly trying to figure out a) what to have for dinner b) how to make it and c) what ingredients do I need to cook it... well, all of that is covered with this awesome app. Some of the key features include : List sharing with real-time syncing; Chicken.ca recipes including nutritional information, tips, tricks and more; add any ingredient from chicken.ca recipes to your list; database of over 350 common grocery items; and the ability to categorize your own custom items


Speaking of meal prep, it is the season of dinner parties, wine and dine soirees, and family get together's... appetizers is where it's at! And on that note, here's...

4 of my favorite appetizers from the Chicken.ca Recipe Finder



  1. Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers with Sweet Potato “Plum” Sauce

  2. BBQ Chili Drumsticks with Avocado & Tomato Salsa

  3. Chicken & Vegetable Pakoras with Yogurt Mint Chutney

  4. Asian Chicken Meatballs


[gallery type="square" link="file" ids="17253,17254,17255,17256" orderby="rand"]

A Must Try Chicken.ca Appetizer: "Asian Chicken Meatballs of Awesomeness"


I'm going to be completely transparent with you. I chose this recipe because it seemed the easiest.

The only thing I had to do was chop, form into balls, then throw them in the oven. Seriously! That's awesome, right?

Preparation time is about 10 minutes, cooking time is about 30 minutes and the recipe below will serve 12 as an appetizer, 6 as a meal, or 4 if you are feeding a family of Meeses. 

[gallery type="rectangular" link="file" ids="17283,17284,17285,17286,17287,17288,17289,17290,17291,17292"]

What you are going to need to make this recipe:

  • 1 cup (250 mL) short grain brown rice, cooked

  • 1 lb (0.5 kg) ground chicken

  • 1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) garlic, minced

  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ginger, minced

  • 1 cup (250 mL) mushrooms, diced

  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) sesame oil

  • 1 cup (250 mL) shrimp, raw, peeled, diced

  • 1 can water chestnuts, minced

  • peanut sauce (or Thai Sauce)


Step by step instructions for Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

  2. Combine and mix all ingredients in bowl.

  3. Form meatballs with the mixture using about 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of the mixture per meatball.

  4. Place meatballs on baking sheets and cook in oven until cooked through (about 30 minutes) and the internal temperature of the meatball reaches 165°F (74°C).

  5. Serve with a Thai or Asian peanut sauce and fancy toothpicks inserted in each meatball.

  6. Then, EAT IT! 


FYI, did you enter the Cityline contest?


ChickenDotCa Cityline Contest

So what's on your dinner list? I'd love to exchange notes... leave a comment below.


[box type="info" align="alignright" ] BTW: If you are like me and the Moose family, and into Chicken, be sure to check out and like Chicken Farmers of Canada profiles on Facebook and Twitter ,  Instagram  and  Pinterest.

Disclosure: I am participating in the Chicken Farmers of Canada campaign managed by  SJ Consulting. I received compensation in exchange for my participation in this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own. [/box]

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you are awesome - really This is my disclaimer, “Just so you know, I have been compensated to share my ideas on this topic. Sometimes it is in the form of products, or services or even money… But here’s the thing; I won’t  share anything with you that I don’t fully support. It doesn't matter what it is, or how much they are willing to give me, if I don’t believe in it, It won’t be on my site. Seriously. You’ll just have to trust me on this.”   ~ Moose

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