Basic Kid’s Lunch

 

 

I get a ton of questions about what I feed my kids. I also get a lot of comments about how strict I am with their diets (as if that is anyone’s business but ours…haha!).

The past few weeks have been pretty hectic with me going back to work full time for the summer, and Gabe and Lily in daycare 2 days a week.  On the days they are at daycare I have to pack them a lunch and 2 snacks.

Today I felt like packing them a “typical” kiddo lunch…sandwich, fruit, snackie stuff…

But that doesn’t mean it has to be unhealthy!

 

 

 

 

I made them each a ham sandwich…adding UNCURED ham (no nitrates or preservatives), organic mayo, honey mustard (which I made from organic Dijon and a swirl of raw local honey), cheese (antibiotic and hormone free), and organic lettuce, on organic whole grain bread.

 

 

 

Gabe usually eats a full sandwich…but I’m lucky if Lil eats half.

 

 

 

I added a Chobani Champions Greek yogurt (Greek yogurt has twice the protein of regular yogurt), an all natural fruit smoothie (I know…a little redundant on the yogurt), an organic peach for Lil, and an organic apple for Gabe.

 

 

For snacks, I tucked a Clif Kid Z Bar and an organic banana in each of their bags.

Each of them also have a 24 oz. water bottle I fill with filtered water in morning, to keep them hydrated.

 

This was a VERY EASY lunch/snack day…

And a better alternative to the highly processed meat sandwich, pudding, and cookies lunches I see kid’s bringing with them every day.

Next week I am going to be posting some even healthier alternatives to this “typical” lunch…

Stay  tuned!

 

Jessie

Arrrrgh!

I have been unable to get anything to post for over a week! Finally...I think I may have solved part of the problem...Look for a complete post tonight, with some life updates!

Jessie

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

It is rhubarb season here…
and organic strawberries have been on sale at the grocery store…
and I LOVE strawberry rhubarb anything…
so I decided to put a new twist on my Berry Crumble dessert…
and came up with…




Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Filling
· 1 pound strawberries, sliced thick
· 3/4 pound rhubarb, cut into ½ inch pieces
· 1/2 cup evaporated can juice (sugar)
· 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Crumble Topping
· 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
· 2/3 cup organic brown sugar
· 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To prepare filling…Combine strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl. Add flour and sugar. Stir gently to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes.
To prepare crumble topping…Combine flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir with a fork until well mixed. Pour melted butter over top of mixture. Stir with fork until pea size (or a little larger) crumbles form.
Pour berry rhubarb mixture into an 8x8 baking dish. Crumble topping evenly over top. Bake for 35minutes, or until topping is browned and filling is bubbly.


*EDIT: I used Earth Balance Soy Garden in place of butter, as I have a slight dairy allergy 






Delicious.



And kiddo approved!








Here is a PRINTABLE version for you to enjoy.
You can also follow me on Facebook to get daily updates, my grocery lists, pictures, and my random thoughts (and sometimes they are VERY random…haha!).

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Jessie

Whole Grain Carrot Banana Muffins

 

I was in a creative mood this evening, and decided to do a little experimenting (sometimes this is disastrous).

I came up with a dairy-free whole grain banana carrot muffin with chia seeds. It turned out pretty darn tasty for a first shot recipe!

 

 

 

Whole Grain Carrot Banana Muffins

1 cup rolled oats, processed into a coarse flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 ripe bananas (1 cup), smashed

3/4 cup shredded or grated carrots

1/3 cup raw honey

1/4 cup non-GMO canola oil (either coconut oil in liquid state or olive oil…not extra virgin, can also be used)

2 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients, stirring until all ingredients are integrated. Combine shredded carrots and bananas in another medium bowl. Add honey, oil, beaten eggs and vanilla to carrots and bananas. Stir. Fold dry ingredients into wet, until just combined. Pour evenly into prepared muffin pan (about 1/4 cup of batter per muffin).

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

 

Makes 12 muffins

 

 

I used my food processor to grind my oats.

 

 

My gorgeous helper, Lily.

 

 

The food processor worked well for the carrots also! And I didn’t have to use the grater…which is soooo not my friend (or that of my knuckles either).

 

 

I actually combined all of my wet ingredients into my measuring cup, then poured them into my dry ingredients…contrary to my own written recipe instructions.

 

 

Me, adding the raw honey…and looking frazzled after a day of work and running errands with children.

 

 

 

 

I don’t know how I did it…but I got exactly 12 muffins!

 

 

 

 

Mmmmm!

 

Add a little Earth Balance…

 

Delicious!

 

I am thinking of adding some shredded apple and cinnamon the next time I make these…

 

I hope everyone is enjoying their short work week!

 

Jessie

Rapid Roast Chicken

 

.

First off…Oh my gosh! It has been FOREVER since I have blogged! I had forgotten exactly how long, because I post daily on Facebook (follow me there if you want more pics, tips and updates).

Second…I have hired a blog designer, so you are going to be noticing some changes around here! I am super excited for that.

Now…I am giving you all a recipe for the EASIEST, yummiest roast chicken EVER. This is the recipe I use every time I bake chicken. Then, we use the leftovers to create chicken salad, quesadillas, soup, or fried rice. You can alter the seasonings to suite your own tastes. Sometimes, in place of the spicier seasonings, I just combine salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder

 

 

 

Rapid Roast Chicken

 

1 whole, organic chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 tsp salt

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine salt and spices in a small dish and set aside. Place chicken in a roasting pan or baking dish. Coat both sides of the chicken with the olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings and rub into the skin, covering the chicken evenly. Make sure that the bird is breast side down in the pan/dish. Place in the oven. Let bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 400 degree and continue to bake for 60-70 additional minutes, depending on the size of the chicken.

Take chicken out of the oven and immediately tent with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve with rice, quinoa or whole wheat pasta and a veggie.

Now you have a delicious (easy) Sunday dinner!

 

Jessie

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

 

Jessie

Where To Begin…Part 3

 

It’s been a while. Did you think I was going to leave you hanging? Nah! I actually forgot…haha! Yeah…imagine that…me forgetting something! It happens way more frequently than I’d like to admit! Any professional organizers out there…I could use some serious HELP...haha!

If you are new to my blog, or haven’t visited in a while, I started a healthy eating series called “Where To Begin”. To catch up, or just refresh your memories, here is Part 1, and here is Part 2.

I am sure that you have rid your pantry and refrigerator of junk and chemicals…and you have been patiently waiting for me to tell you the next step…

Well…I have told you what not to eat, so I thought I would start telling you what you should eat!

As we all learned in grade school, our bodies need fuel, in the form of food, to function. The more nutritious the fuel, the healthier your body will become. Seems simple…

Apparently not as simple as one would hope. While we know we should eat “healthy”, most of us have no clue what healthy actually is. One person’s view of healthy may be a diet filled with fat free, low fat, and low calorie foods. Another may feel that as long as they get their 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, they will always be the picture of health. A lot of us think that if we are following the latest fad diet, we are definitely eating healthy. Guess what…I have been each of these people…and I have been so completely WRONG!

I have been researching diet for years, and even now stumble upon things I never knew.

Here is my personal diet (diet as in what I eat…not weight loss plan!)…

 

 

I NEVER skip breakfast!

If you do this, you are setting yourself up for a day of hunger and low energy. A high protein meal will give you the best start to your day.

Examples of what I eat:

• 2 eggs, scrambled or soft boiled (YES, you want to include the yolk! That is where your nutrients are…the omega 3’s, B vitamins, calcium and vitamins) with a piece of fruit or a cup of berries.
• Overnight Oats (here is my favorite recipe)
• A protein shake (Cinch is my favorite!)
• Whole wheat toast topped with 1-2 tablespoons of organic peanut butter and a sliced banana

I like to keep my breakfast between 400 and 500 calories. This is usually my biggest meal of the day. If I eat a 500 calorie breakfast, I am NOT hungry again until lunch!

For lunch I usually have a protein shake every day. It is easy, healthy, and I know I am getting all of the nutrients I need. My favorite shake is a soy protein shake, and is the only shake I have found that keeps me full throughout the afternoon. It is made from all natural ingredients, with no artificial colors, artificial sweeteners (watch out, because most shakes contain these!) artificial flavoring or preservatives! I have found several ways to mix my protein, so it suits my mood and tastes for the day. I will be sharing these recipes tomorrow!

I snack on veggies and hummus (a good combo of antioxidants and protein), fruit (apples and bananas are highly portable and good sources of vitamins and fiber), and nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds and sunflower seeds are my tops).

For dinner I try to eat a lean source of protein (beans or lean meat), a complex carbohydrate (brown rice, whole wheat or rice pasta, or quinoa), a veggie, and a  big salad with a homemade vinaigrette. I will be working on creating a “Recipes” tab this week, where you will be able to find my dinner recipes (and also a few for treats!).

In the evening I snack on either high protein or high fiber foods…popcorn, a small, all natural protein bar, or almond butter on an apple or pear. Sometimes, if I am feeling particularly snackish, I will have a less nutrient rich snack…Food Should Taste Good Sweet Potato Chips and organic raspberry jam or apple butter, blue corn tortilla chips and homemade salsa, an ounce of dark organic chocolate…I am so not about deprivation! If it is made of whole, real food ingredients…and I want it…I will let myself eat it! But not gorge myself.

For me personally, 1800-2000 calories per day works. I do have a pretty fast metabolism though. I also walk 5 or more days per week for an hour or more, on routes that include steep inclines, and will sometimes run or jog part of the way (depending on how my neck and back are feeing).

 

Did you notice a theme?

Lots of lean protein, fruits, veggies and healthy fats! 

 

To give you a better feel of what my food life looks like…

Here are some pictures of a few of my grocery hauls…

 

 

 

 

 

 

My pantry and dry goods…

 

 

 

 

The fridge…

 

(These pics were taken before I realized that I had a cow’s milk allergy…so the dairy is slightly less lately, but I still keep a lot on hand for my kiddos and husband!)

 

Next week I will give you the “why” (why eat this way!), and I will show you how to add healthy foods into your own diets.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

 

Jessie