Healthy Kids (fun recipes)

My last post (Pizza?) motivated me to find some great kiddie recipes. Sometimes I know it can be hard for the mommies of the world to get their little monsters to eat all the foods they need for their healthy growing bodies. I have been searching around to find a list of recipes and/or sites with helpful ideas that our kids will love!

Watermelon slush

Find here

 I found this recipe on Pinterest, but it came from the Food Network. It is just plain fresh Watermelon, no sugar, nothing extra, and we love clean eats!!

DIRECTIONS: The night before your picnic, puree 6 cups chopped seedless watermelon in a blender until smooth, pour into a shallow airtight container and freeze. Bring the frozen watermelon on your picnic (it'll double as an extra ice pack) and let thaw slightly, then mash with a fork and spoon into cups.

Sweet potato steak fries

borrowed from

2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick x 3/4-inch-wide strips $

1 tablespoon olive oil $

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 18 minutes or until lightly browned.

for your toddler: Cut the fries into bite-sized pieces, or let baby pick them up whole.

Note:

 www.choosemyplate.gov

Meatloaf in a mug

borrowed from

***another fun version of my "Mini Meatloaf Muffins" post from July 1st.***

1 pound extra-lean (92% lean) ground beef $

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

1 large egg $

1 (5 1/2-ounce) can vegetable juice (we used V-8) $

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

1/4 cup finely chopped carrot $

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup ketchup $

Preparation

1. Stir together first 8 ingredients in a big bowl. Divide mixture evenly into 4 portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Place each ball into an 8-ounce microwave-safe coffee mug.

2. Line the bottom of the microwave with a big sheet of wax paper in case juices from the meatloaves bubble out. Place mugs in a circle on top of wax paper. Cover mugs with another big sheet of wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 11 minutes. Cut into meatloaves with a knife and fork. If any are still pink inside, microwave them 30 seconds more and recheck for done-ness. Carefully remove each mug from the microwave using oven mitts.

3. Spread 1 tablespoon ketchup over each meatloaf; cover with wax paper, and let stand 2 minutes

Grilled peanut butter and banana sammich

borrowed from

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Place banana slices onto the peanut buttered side of one slice, top with the other slice and press together firmly. Fry the sandwich until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side. 

Chicken and melon stuffed shells

borrowed from

***This may be on the Mom wish list, but it seems like a great kid idea!***

Ingredients:

1/2 medium cantaloupe, halved and seeded

4 dried jumbo macaroni shells

3 ounces chopped cooked chicken breast

1/4 cup diced honeydew melon

2 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

  Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions:

Cut the cantaloupe half into thirds; cover and chill two of the wedges. Peel and dice remaining wedge; set aside. Cook macaroni shells according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine diced cantaloupe, chicken, honeydew, yogurt, lemon juice, chives, and mustard. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each pasta shell. Arrange two filled shells and a chilled cantaloupe wedge on each of two serving dishes. If desired, garnish with thyme sprigs.

Nutrition Facts: (Chicken-and-Melon-Stuffed Shells)

Per serving: 176 kcal cal., 2 g fat 26 mg chol., 55 mg sodium, 28 g carb., 2 g fiber, 14 g pro.

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

I feel it is so important for us to try and feed our babies the best foods possible...even if you can't go organic, at least you can try for no added sugars, preservatives, or chemicals. Enjoy!

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"Pizza?"

This was something I ate often when I was little and it's a kid friendly, healthy version of pizza. It's full of flavor, super quick and ready in the amount of time it takes to melt cheese in your oven. With very few ingredients you can have fun with the kids and teach them how to love good food.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 7-10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 slice of bread (I used shepherd style sourdough)

sliced tomatoes

2 slices of Swiss cheese

sprinkle of cheddar or any fine grated cheese

Mustard

sliced (thin) onions

Basil

Pepper

Directions:

Spread mustard on your bread and layer first your Swiss cheese, tomatoes, onion, cheddar(fine grated), and pepper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and on a foil lined cookie sheet place your "pizza" in for 7- 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Add the basil at the end for a bright, and fresh flavor!

**The best part about this great snack even more than it being a healthy alternative is that you can make it for less than $2.00.....wow!

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Mini Meatloaf Muffins

I used a simple meatloaf recipe and packed it into mini muffin cups. I spiced the meat up with sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms and fresh parsley so I could add less salt, and also used a GLUTEN-FREE "bread" crumb to bind it. Then I piped a dollop of mashed potatoes on top of each mini muffin and added a sprinkle of parsley. Tyler poured a little BBQ sauce on each one of his, and we paired it with a little avocado, tomato and cucumber salad.

Prep. time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
1 lb. of ground turkey
2 eggs
2/3 cup of gluten free panko or GF bread crumb
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 8 oz. pkg. of mushrooms chopped
1/3 cup onions chopped
1 Tbs. garlic minced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried parsley
3 cups of mashed potatoes
cooking spray
salt
lemon pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Peel, dice and boil your potatoes. Saute onions, garlic, and mushrooms, in olive oil. Set that aside to let it cool down and grab a large mixing bowl. Combine the meat, eggs, about a 1/2 tsp(approx.) of lemon pepper, and when the onion mushroom mixture is cooled add that the parsley and bread crumbs. Mix by hand lighting incorporating all the ingredients, but be careful not to over mix or the meat will become tough when it's cooked.

Spray your muffin tin and roll approx. a Tbs. worth of the meat mixture and plop one into each mini muffin spot. You can lightly pressed down to create the "muffin shape." Once your oven is done preheating place the muffin tin in, uncovered, and set the timer for 20 minutes.

Drain your potatoes and whip them until they're creamy. Add a little salt and pepper. I used a sandwich bag to pipe the potatoes onto the finished mini muffins. Fill a sandwich bag to the tip of one side and cut the tip off, about the size of a dime. Set the potatoes to the side until the meat loaf muffins are finished.

When the muffins are done they should slide out pretty easy, arrange them on a tray or large plate, take your mashed potatoes and slowly in a circular motion pipe them into a little mound on top. I garnished each one with a sprinkle of dried parsley, but you could also spoon a glaze of BBQ sauce like my boyfriend did!

These are a fun little idea to mix up dinner night, for a party, or BBQ.

You might be dehydrated if...

borrowed image

The other day my boyfriend, Ty, who is constantly having neck and upper back pain was complaining again. He knows why, and he won't remedy his situation with a simple solution. I have been telling him for a long time that he doesn't drink enough water, and his muscle pain is largely due to dehydration. People don't want to actually admit how much water they DON'T drink. It's crazy that drinking more water than you lie about could quite possible fix some of your physical ailments ranging from fatigue, muscle pain, stomach aches, constipation, even wight gain!

borrowed image

I had read one of those viral Facebook posts comparing Coke to water. I was reminded of this when he started with his stiff neck lament yesterday, and it sounds like I don't care, but I do..very much. I'm worried that the second most important person in my life is not drinking enough water for no good reason and feeling pain because of it.

borrowed image

There is a really cool page I stumbled upon today when researching for this post and you can find it HERE. It has a great diagram and pictures for people with too little attention span for intense reading:) I enjoyed it very much, it has a lot of information about what exactly in your body is affected, and what parts of your body are mostly made of water i.e. your brain, blood, bones, and muscles.

Most of the time we think we're hungry when in fact we just need water. I'm not referring to replacing meals with water I'm saying that you are not hungry you are thirsty. I personally know people who hate drinking water and convince themselves that sweet no calorie drinks, juice or even soda suffice as hydration, but they don't..not at all. They are essentially sugar and in the case of no calorie beverages they are chemicals. Some times we need to realize that taking better care of ourselves is more important that what our taste buds prefer. Medication doesn't taste good even when they call it "grape" flavored, and if you are experiencing physical pain, upset digestion, fatigue or loss of energy sometimes the solution is clear, cold, refreshing, and sitting in your fridge!

I have a theory...DRINK water, EAT fruit. What I really found out about those "natural" juice labels...

  The FDA requires that juices sold commercially be pasteurized. Pasteurization means heating the product 160-180 degrees for a short period of time to kill any bacteria that may have made it into the production process. Which is a good thing since there have been many food borne micro-bacteria infestations in fruits and vegetables. The problem with heating an enzyme like the ones that fruits and vegetables are made of is it kills most of the health benefits. In the end that bottle of juice you just bought, thinking it's adding to your health, is essentially sugar water.

We have all been convinced to think that a glass of orange juice in the morning is a part of a well rounded breakfast. Studies in health and diabetic articles have shown that commercial orange juice, even when it states "does not come from concentrate," is one of the worst things you can consume especially when trying to lose weight. You are essentially drinking orange sugar water, and labels will tell you what a great source of vitamins, fiber, calcium, antioxidants...blah blah blah, and I fell for all the same things. Pasteurizing removes most if not all of those benefits we all thought store bought juice contained, even the really really expensive ones. Pasteurization=not real juice.

Home juicing has become huge in the health department. There is one little problem with a "JUICER," and that's when you toss that lovely apple in it's stripped of it's most beneficial components that are found riiiiiight beneath the skin. Now the real smarty pants know that a high powered blender like the VitaMix or Ninja are the way to go, unless it's an orange then squeeze it fresh yourself! You toss everything in and blend it up, similar to a smoothie, and it's the real juice your body is actually looking for!

I have a theory... drink water, eat fruit. Fruit, naturally, has a lot of sugar there's no need to add any:) When trying to lose weight, especially for women it's a huge help to cut out anything with processed sugar. Next time you are in that juice isle look at how much sugar is actually in that bottle, see how almost all juices are from concentrate, and then when you find an "all-natural juice" see where it says pasteurized. If you don't believe me then do what I always suggest and research it, you will be just as sad as I was to find out that 18 oz. of "real" Blueberry juice can cost $8.99, and still be almost nothing more than Kool-aid.

P.S. don't be afraid to add vegetables to those juice-blends!


(ALL IMAGES BORROWED)

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Puttanesca Sauce $6 dinner for Four in 30 minutes from start to finish

I have made this a couple of times over the last couple months, it is especially for Kui. It's been so crazy in my kitchen that I have a hard time cooking AND taking pictures lately, but today was relatively easy and I used my time to my advantage! Here below is a step by step for this sweet, fresh and herby "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink" pasta sauce. If you are a fan of Anchovies you'll love this!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20

Servings: 4

Cost: $6.00

Ingredients: 

3-4 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. garlic

1/8 cup onion

2 oz. pkg, anchovies in olive oil

Sprinkle of each: (dried)

Oregano

Sage

Thyme 

Rosemary

1 15oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes

1 cup of bullion (I used Tomato Base)

Fresh Basil and Oregano about 1/3 cup each

1/2 tsp. Sugar

Salt and Pepper

1 lb. of Pasta (I used Rotini)

Saute chopped onion, garlic and anchovies in olive, don't forget the salt and pepper. (I add the oil from the anchovies as well)

These are the brand of anchovies I used. This 2 oz package was $1.39 at a local market near my home, and normally they go on sale for just $1.00.

I just used some dried spices from my rack, but if you can find these fresh it's a plus! I add these in once the onion, garlic and anchovies have cooked down a bit.

Add the whole can and of tomatoes and crush by hand or with a potato masher. Salt and Pepper again after adding the tomatoes.

Microwave or heat 1 Tbs of bullion powder in a cup of water and add it to the sauce.

Rough chop or rip off some fresh Basil and Oregano and toss it in!

Simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Add your tsp. of sugar and continue to cook while the pasta boils. Don't forget to salt your pasta water as well.

Puttanesca is a very thin sauce and is one that is the best a day later once the flavors have had time to marinate and meld together! I normally make this sauce with Spaghetti, which is traditional, but any cut will work great. Also traditionally this is a sauce with capers so if you love those little pickled bursts of flavor go ahead and include them as well!

ENJOY!

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Looking for some great RAW Vegan recipes?

Christine, The Hunebee, and I used to work in a Raw, Vegan restaurant. I have previously mentioned this in past posts, but never specified where. Cilantro Live was a small Vegan eatery that opened up on 3rd Avenue down in the middle of Chula Vista, Ca. It was at the time one of the first restaurants of it's kind. I have to admit it was also one of the most fun jobs I have had. We learned so much and got to play around with food all day besides getting to eat it! They have since closed the doors to all of their locations which is a bummer because it was a great idea. In the end it was a lack of consistency in the ownership department. On a better note there were so many awesome recipes that Christine and I got to learn. If anyone reading this isn't familiar with a "Raw, Vegan" diet here is an excerpt from Wikipedia.com,  and since they said it so well why not let them do the work!

I am excited to say that The Hunebee and I will be feverishly working in the kitchen for the next couple weeks trying to re-create the dishes we favored like the "Lemon Coconut Dream Bar" which is a Vegan cheesecake made from baby coconut meat, vanilla bean and fresh lemon. The "pie crust" for this raw dessert consists of assorted specialty nuts, agave and a handful of our favorite baking spices. The texture of the "crust" is the best part aside from the great nutty flavor with a hint of sweet. Next to tackle will be something called "Raw-violis" which are delectable little roma tomato sandwiches stuffed with fresh pesto. These are dehydrated and are also a great reason for me to go buy the dehydrator I have been neglecting to purchase for some time now. Cilantro used to offer some great drinks and one of our favorites was a "Raw-Margarita." It's definitely not what you're thinking there is no alcohol, rather tart green apple juice, spicy ginger, fresh lime and a sprinkle of cinnamon, but a medley of perfect flavors that compliment each other perfectly. There are many other really unique items and recipes we learned, and as we go we will be sure to share!

Subscribe to this blog to receive a special "Member Only" recipe for something you would never think you could do with Cashews!

Thank you everyone for stopping by, we are still working hard at bringing you the video portion of some of my best dishes!





Cilantro Live "Sample Platter," Raw-violis, mini Pizzazas, Nori roll, Spring Roll, Pate', and small house salad.



(picture from Potatomato Blog)

Eat more to lose weight, not less.

Since I was 18 I have battled with portion control. When I was younger I could eat, and eat, and eat, and eat and eat, but it never affected me at all. By the time I was my biggest I thought eating less would do the trick, but I was wrong. I thought not eating certain foods would work and it did, but not without consequences. Losing muscle along with fat will make you smaller, but not healthy. There are a million fad diets or diet pills( I never used ), but there are really only two options I see that are correct; eating more often (healthy foods) and eating more often and exercising. When a diet tells you YOU CAN EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT it generally means it's ok to have a burger or pizza even ice cream, but not everyday. Portion control, when I implement it correctly, has been the one thing I've done that has shown the quickest results.

A couple months ago, on and off, I began a protein shake regiment with the girls, Christine and Kat. I would wake up in the morning and drink a shake within 30 minutes of getting out of bed, I got that from Christine, and it worked wonders on my energy level and my overall mood. I would then eat every 2-3 hours whether it be scrambled eggs and salsa or a handful of cranberries and nuts, but I would limit my servings to never exceed a measuring cup worth of food. It also helped a lot to jot down every time I ate and at what time. That motivated me to not only eat more, but better. Don't get me wrong I still ate cream cheese and mashed potatoes, but because I was being more personally responsible with my diet it was easier to limit heavy foods, or junk. I also made a huge effort to not eat carbs with dinner, which can be hard with Ty and the Baby, but they didn't notice much and that made me happy.

 There are two things that really make eating throughout the day easier for me and it's Greek yogurt and Cottage cheese. I buy the 0% yogurts by Chobani that come in really awesome flavors like "Black Cherry" and "Blood Orange." Mixing things into cottage cheese can make it easier to eat for some people, I'm not one of those, but I put chopped tomatoes and pepper or even mix a little with one of my bean salads if I have one already made. While you want to watch fat, and sugar intake, you really just need to pay attention to the other benefits of certain foods. Both Cottage cheese and the yogurt have protein. Greek yogurt is also a great probiotic and can be used inplace of things like Mayo or Sour cream. I was reading not to long ago that not consuming enough protein is what forces some of us to snack on certain things that we definitely don't need. I found a calculation to help figure out what your daily amount of protein should be:



The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound 
(found on  http://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-protein-per-day/ )

The protein shake I drink equals about half of my daily requirement for protein, so why don't I just drink two? Well because what I'm trying to do is not about eating less, it's about eating healthy. I have researched liquid diets in length, and they are not necessarily advocated by doctors, dieticians, or health experts. Yes, you will lose tons of weight by drinking your meals, but we have teeth for a reason and there is a lot necessary function to the act of chewing your food. Chewing is the first step in proper digestion and is what tells the body to start producing digestive enzymes so you can efficiently break down food and absorb all the benefits. If your body isn't absorbing the vital substances from your food than you are missing out and that is what experts say happens in a largely liquid diet.

I have found with this eating habit I eat anywhere from 5-8 times a day starting within 30 minutes of getting out of bed and stopping by 7p.m. Drinking more water than normal has shown, in my experience, to be really helpful when drinking protein shakes. The protein powder can have a tendency to absorb a lot of liquids from your system upsetting any "regularity" balance in place. This is to be interpreted as a choice on my behalf, I am not an advocate for any particular diet I have just found a healthy way to start controlling an out of control habit of overeating. I have more energy and a better attitude which is funny to be able to attribute eating "more" to that conclusion.

Here in the link below WebMD has an article that maybe interesting for you to read if you are torn between the 3 square meals or 6. Keep in mind they are discussing what is better for weight loss, while my approach encompasses both health and the average of 4 lb.s a week I have lost in a one month trial. Again, I have found something that works for me, but we are all different! The worst thing you can do is find out something doesn't work for you and move on:)

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/3-hour-diet-or-3-meals-a-day

*Remember to always educate yourself on any extreme diet change.

3 ways to use Ground Beef, GLUTEN FREE to-go!

Most of the time we use or see ground beef being used it's for something you wouldn't label as "healthy." The thing I have grown to love about making great things with not much is the meals I have to invent for changing my families health. When I was growing up ground beef was used for burgers, meat loaf, and pasta sauces. A lot of friends houses showcased ground beef in "Hamburger Helper." < --- Something that never graced my table as a kid. Secretly I will admit as an adult I have consumed said "Helper," and secretly enjoyed it.

About two months ago, when The Hunebee and KATvonVAPURE started their diets, we had to adjust meal plans for both girls. With The Hunebee's Tryptophan allergy, and need for low-fat meat proteins, we put our heads together and used low-fat high quality ground beef to spice up her week. Using an Organic, Certified, 15% fat Ground Beef I was able to make a few variations to her weekly menu as to not cook the typical beef stews, sautees, or roasts.

For all three dishes I used a spiced ground beef. It was easiest for all three to use the same beef and add other vegetable components.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minnutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients: (for the Ground Beef)

1 lb. Organic 15% (fat) ground beef
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
1/3 cup of green bell pepper, diced small
salt and pepper
sprinkle:
garlic powder
ginger powder
SMALL dash of cumin

Set the beef aside. For the rest you can use any vegetables you prefer. Below are a couple ways we chose.

(for The Hunebee)
Ingredients:

1/2 cup slightly steamed broccoli
1/3 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup "Spiced" ground beef

A dash of Soy and Oyster sauce made this a kind of "Beef and Broccoli."

Price: $2.25

Ground Beef and Broccoli with Sprouts

(for Kuizzy)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh spinach

1/2 cup of "Spiced" ground beef

1/4 cup fresh bean sprouts

top with fresh cilantro

Price: $3.00

Spinach, Ground Beef bowl with Sprouts and Cilantro

(for The Hunebee)
Ingredients:

1/3 cup green beans, sauteed with grape tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced zucchini, pan fried
1/4 cup bean sprouts
1/3 cup spinach, sauteed
1/2 cup "Spiced" ground beef

Price: $4.00

Spiced Ground Beef with Green Beans, Zucchini and Spinach

It really is that easy to prepare lunch or dinner on a budget to go. These are low calorie, GLUTEN FREE, filling, EASY and healthy choices.

ENJOY!