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Friday, October 28, 2011

Halloween Party Snacks

This afternoon, my daycare kids and I had a Halloween Bash-complete with costumes and dancing! Since they will all most likely be eating candy and junk all weekend and Monday, I decided to keep it healthy and here was my menu:

1. Ghost Bananas-stuck in peanut butter, dark chocolate chips for eyes, and a raisin for a mouth
2. Deviled Egg Spiders-Deviled eggs made with vegenaise, organic mustard, sea salt, and paprika topped with a black olive "spider" (or my attempt at carving a spider out of an olive)
3. Boooo-berry muffins

The kids loved it and didn't even ask for candy/cookies/etc. By the way, we understand that at the holidays it can be tough to avoid treats, so my advice is either to make homemade snacks/treats, buy organic treats to swap, or just let them have a couple pieces of cookie/candy and then make it disappear. Remind them of other fun things about holidays, such as dressing up, spending time with family, games, etc. My 3 year old LOVES parties but for her it's just the idea so as long as you are excited about it, she's happy! Have a Happy Halloween everyone!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Some Snacks Around the House

We try to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables for snacks or make homemade trail mixes or bars, but sometimes you just need quick, kid-friendly snacks that you can find anywhere. Here is a sampling of some snacks that we might have on hand... (by the way, you can get all these at Target, Whole Foods, or Valley natural; you can also get most at Rainbow or Cub so they are not hard to find)
1. Organic, Raw Kombucha-do you love soda, this gives you the fizz but doesn't cause cancer!
2. Raw Almonds
3. Mary's Gone Crackers-made from Seeds, Quinoa, and Rice (great with salsa or hummus)
4. Brown Rice Pasta (not a snack, but good with spaghetti sauce or in a pasta salad)
5. Back to Nature Crackers (my 3 year old had a tummy ache yesterday and these settled the belly)
6. Cascadian Farms Organic Granola Bars-occassional treat, but super yummy!
7. Organic Fruit Strips Simply Balanced (Cliff Kids also has a yummy one)-instead of feeding your kids junky fruit snacks, try these (adults like them too)

I often have a few of these thrown in my bag for sudden hunger attacks!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Weekly Meal Plan 10/16-10/22

Sunday:
Lunch-leftovers
Dinner-Grilled bunless hamburgers, steamed veggies

Monday:
Lunch-Omelets
Dinner-Chicken Asparagus Marsala (added shitake mushrooms and pea pods)

Tuesday:
Lunch-Grilled Chicken Sausages, sweet potato fries, raw veggies
Dinner-Taco Soup (crockpot style-we have gymnastics so dinner must be ready when we walk in the door)

Wednesday:
Lunch-Blueberry Pancakes, chicken sausages, fresh fruit
Dinner-Taco Salads (I know, lots of taco stuff but my daughter loves her tacos)

Thursday:
Lunch-Leftover taco soup
Dinner-Leftover Chicken Veggie and Bean Soup (beans instead of rice) from the freezer

Friday:
Lunch-Chicken Nuggets with Veggies
Dinner-Out for dinner with family

Saturday:
Lunch-leftovers
Dinner-Spaghetti with meat sauce and brown rice pasta

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Mushroom Tomato Eggbake

It's been a while since I have posted a recipe! I have been making old favorites instead of trying new things...oops! A few weeks ago, I went to a wonderful brunch with other wonderful Mommies that I attend church with-it was great fellowship and great food. After I got home, I just had to ask for the recipe for the vegetarian eggbake that I tried out, and I was pleased to find out that it was actually not terrible for me. I used their recipe (it actually came from wholefoodsmarket.com), but I tweaked it a bit and made it for my family. My husband and I enjoyed it (he even ate the leftovers cold-yuck) but my daughter wasn't a fan (she said she's rather have an omelet instead-I can handle that).

3 Ezekial Sprouted Grain English Muffins (found in the freezer section-I've seen them at Target, Cub, Rainbow, Valley Natural, and Whole Foods)-thawed
2/3 lb mushrooms (I used a combo of cremini and button mushrooms, sliced)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
5 organic eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
Any seasonings you like (I used basil, rosemary, and oregano, and more sea salt)
2/3 cup raw, organic cheese (I used sharp cheddar)-shred

1. Cut English Muffins in half and spread in bottom of a casserole pan (I used an 8 x 8 glass pan). I had to cut some to make it fit.
2. Saute' mushrooms and tomatoes in a bit of butter or coconut oil until softened. Spread mixture on top of english muffins in the pan. Let cool.
3. Combine eggs, almond milk, and seasonings and whisk. Pour on top of mushroom/tomato misture in pan.
*I put mine in the fridge overnight and baked the next morning at this point, but you could also bake right away.
4. Top with raw, organic shredded cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until eggs are firm and cheese is browned.

Next time, I might try this with asparagus, peppers, or any other kind of veggie as well! It would be a perfect holiday morning meal for your family! Enjoy!