Apple-Carrot Muffin

 

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 TBS melted vegan butter (I use

1/4 cup agave

1 flaxseed egg (1 TBS ground flaxseed combined with 2 TBS water and let sit)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup finely grated or food processed apple

1/2 cup finely grated or food processed carrot

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl

3. Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until just combined, do not over mix

5. Pour into pre-greased muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes

Spinach balls

Ingredients:

1 bag 10-12 ounces frozen spinach

2 TBS ground flaxseed

2 TBS lemon juice

3 TBS nutritional yeast

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

2 cups breadcrumbs (I ran out and added croutons that I food processed....oops)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Combine flaxseed and lemon juice and set aside

3. Steam spinach and squeeze out excess moisture.

4. Combine all ingredients, except the breadcrumbs

5. Add breadcrumbs gradually until the mixture is less moist, but not quite dry. Set aside excess crumbs, you'll use them later.

6. Set in refrigerator for 30 minutes 

7. Form balls (about 1 1/2 TBS) or small patties and roll or mush in excess breadcrumbs.

8. Place on a pregreased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes - flip about halfway through.

Savory waffles

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini
1 large carrot
1/2 cup sweet corn
1/2 cup vegan shredded cheese (I used Follow Your Heart, Cheese Alternative, Cheddar Shreds)
1 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 cup pancake mix (I used Birch Benders, Pancake & Waffle Mix, Plant Protein)
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

Dash of salt and pepper

Method:

1. Grate or food process zucchini and carrots and add to a bowl.
2. Add all other ingredients to form the batter.

3. Grease the waffle press

4. Spoon batter into a waffle press, panini press, or pan. 

My family these in a few different ways:
1 - with marinara
2 - with salsa
3 - topped with black beans and avocado (and salsa)
4 - topped with avocado (my favorite)

5 - with a side of pickles --> a kiddo favorite!

Homemade Vegan Nutella

Adapted with slight modification (to reduce bitterness) from one of my favorite vegan bloggers, Sadia at Pick Up Limes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups roasted and peeled hazelnuts
1/3 cup almond milk
1 TBS liquid coconut oil
3 TBS maple syrup
6 pitted dates
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Using a food processor, process the hazelnuts until they resemble any nut butter. Smooth and creamy!
2. Add the remaining ingredients and continue processing until smooth.
3. Enjoy on EVERYTHING!!
4. If any is left, store in an airtight container in the fridge.

School Year 2017-2018 (Week 1)

Strawberries, Kix, date, cashew, hard-boiled egg, ham, banana pancakes,
avocado toast sprinkled with chia seeds

Blue box: Clementines, pumpkin cherry oat cookies**, steamed carrots and
broccoli, banana pancakes (with syrup), veggie sticks, and PB and homemade
jam** sandwich
Purple box: except she chose apples, sliced raw carrots, and cinnamon
chia seed pudding

Pink box: Superhero bananas**, quesadilla (with guac), roasted broccoli, apples,
and cinnamon chia seed pudding.
Green box: He had the same except he chose corn over broccoli.

Clementines, blueberries, banana pancakes (with syrup), roasted broccoli,
cinnamon chia seed pudding, ham and cream cheese roll-up,
Triscuits topped with peanut better and date slices.

Pumpkin Cranberry Oat Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

2/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

2 flax seed eggs (or 2 eggs)

1/4 cup agave

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

2/3 cup shelled pumpkin seeds

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a microwavable bowl combine coconut oil and agave (microwave until melted)

In a large bowl combine oats, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and oats

Add pumpkin puree and eggs, to the heated coconut oil and agave. Combine well.

Add the the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Shape 12-15 cookies

Bake for 12-18 minutes, edges will lightly brown.

Homemade Jam (adapted with slight modification from www.pickuplimes.com/single-post/2017/04/06/Easy-Berry-Chia-Seed-Jam)

Ingredients

2 cups frozen mixed berries

2 Tbsp chia seed

1 Tbsp orange juice (or agave if you'd like it sweeter)

Method

Heat frozen berries in the microwave for 3 minutes (stir every minute)

Food process thawed berries

Transfer berries to leak proof container 

Add chia seeds and juice (or agave)

Shake to combine

Let cook with top off then refrigerate for up to a week

Superhero Banana

Ingredients

Banana

Peanut butter (heated for 30 seconds)

Hemp seeds

Mini chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Method

Slice bananas and set in a single layer

Drizzle heated PB over bananas

Sprinkle hemp seeds and chocolate chips

Mango-Strawberry Fruit Leather

Breakfast: LA had mango and strawberry pancakes.  LQ had a hard-boiled egg, strawberry pancakes and mango.

Lunch: Baked chicken breast, steamed broccoli with Mexican rice with blueberries and mango.

Afternoon snack: Strawberry mango fruit leather, cashews and yogurt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fruit leather

Ingredients

1 cup apple sauce

2 cups frozen fruit -- 1 cup mango, 1 cup strawberries

** I've used blueberries, strawberries, mango, banana, and raspberries and pretty much every combination.  I even made it with apple sauce and cinnamon.

Methods

1.  Thaw fruit 

2.  Blend fruit and apple sauce until smooth

3.  Lightly grease a cookie sheet

4.  Pour mixture on the cookie sheet and spread it out evenly

5.  Place in oven at 195 degrees and leave the oven slightly ajar, it allows for easier dehydration.  It usually takes me about 3 hours, but times will vary depending on the thickness of your fruit leather.  At some point I usually trim the cooked edges, likely cause by my super old cookie sheet.  Keep an eye on it.

Grilled Burritos and Cinnamon Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

Breakfast: Cinnamon apple pancakes and yogurt

Lunch: grilled burritos filled with cheddar cheese, black beans, avocado and spinach and a clementine

Afternoon snack: pretzel sticks and peanut butter

Breakfast: Cinnamon apple pancakes and baked turkey and egg

Lunch: Peanut butter and banana sandwich, apples and yogurt

Afternoon snack: Hummus and carrots

Breakfast: Cinnamon apple pancakes, had-boiled egg and clementines

Lunch:  Pita filled with turkey, cheese, and hummus, apple and steamed mixed vegetables

Afternoon snack: Yogurt and trailmix (Barbara cereal, cashews and pumpkin seeds)

Breakfast: Cinnamon apple pancakes, hard-boiled egg and blueberries

Lunch: Fusilli with veggie packed marinara, topped with cheese and black olives, grilled chicken and clementine

Afternoon snack: Peanut butter Triscuit sandwiches and cinnamon vanilla chia seed pudding

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grilled Burritos

Whole wheat tortilla

cheddar cheese

black beans

avocado 

chopped spinach

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and combine well.  Place the mixture in a tortilla.  Fold both ends of the tortilla (to prevent mixture from falling out), roll into a burrito and grill.

Cinnamon Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

2 TBS white chia seeds

3/4 vanilla almond milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp agave

Place all ingredients in a spill proof container, shake and place in the refrigerator overnight or at least 5 hours.

Just Can't Let Go of Christmas

Breakfast: LA had pumpkin banana pancakes, a hard-boiled egg and grapes.

Lunch: LA had Triscuits, cheese stick, chicken, clementines and steamed mixed vegetables.  LQ had Triscuits, cheese stick, hard-boiled egg, grapes and steamed mixed vegetables.

Afternoon snack: Almond butter and cinnamon whole wheat sandwich and fruit (LA had blueberries, LQ had clementine)

Breakfast: Hard-boiled egg, pumpkin banana pancakes and blueberries

Lunch: Black olives, Mexican rice, guacamole, grilled chicken and grilled bell peppers.

Afternoon snack: Pumpkin almond butter oat bar and yogurt.

Breakfast: Pumpkin banana pancakes and clementine

Lunch:  Almond butter and cinnamon whole wheat Christmas tree sandwiches, apples, LA also had peas and LQ had pumpkin seeds.

Afternoon snack: Pumpkin almond butter oat bars and yogurt

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Apple Sandwich

Morning snack: Hard-boiled egg, pumpkin pancake and clementine
Lunch: Pizza topped with black olives and peach
Afternoon snack: Cottage cheese and cantaloupe

Morning snack: Hard-boiled egg, pumpkin pancake and plums
Lunch: Breaded baked chicken, sweet corn and plums
Afternoon snack: LA had puffs with a yogurt.  LQ had Triscuits topped with hummus, avocado, parmesan cheese and black olives

Morning snack: Hard-boiled egg, pumpkin pancake and peach
Lunch: Pita filled with turkey, spinach and parmesan cheese, steamed vegetables, and hummus.
Afternoon snack: Peach, apples and string cheese

Morning snack: Cottage cheese, pumpkin pancakes and blueberries
Lunch: LA got apple slices, shredded carrots and a turkey and cheese roll up.  LQ got a peanut butter and cinnamon apple sandwich, 1/2 a string cheese and baby carrots.
Afternoon snack:  Puffs and yogurt.

Baked Blueberry Pan Cake

Breakfast: Turkey and cheese egg muffin, blueberries and pumpkin whole wheat pancakes (LQ had a hard boiled egg, not an egg muffin)

Lunch: Steamed vegetables and breaded baked chicken

Afternoon snack: Peaches and cottage cheese (LQ had a sprinkle of shredded cheese on her cottage cheese)

Breakfast: Turkey and cheese egg muffin, raspberries and pumpkin whole wheat pancakes (LQ had a hard boiled egg, not an egg muffin)

Lunch: Pizzadillas (quesadillas with black olives) with veggie marinara dipping sauce and grapes

Afternoon snack: Baked blueberry pan cake and yogurt

Breakfast: LA had turkey and cheese egg muffin, Asian pears and pumpkin whole wheat pancakes.  LQ had a hardboiled egg, baked blueberry pan cake and Asian pears

Lunch: whole wheat shells topped with veggie marinara and a side of Asian pears

Afternoon snack: Puffs and yogurt

Breakfast: LA had a hardboiled egg, baked blueberry pan cake and apples.  LQ had a hardboiled egg and baked blueberry pan cake

Lunch: LA had 2 beet rice cake peanut butter mini sandwiches and apples and LQ had cheese, Triscuits and apples (I let her pick her food today)

Afternoon snack: LQ 2 beet rice cake peanut butter mini sandwiches and a yogurt. LA was picked up early and had no afternoon snack

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Baked Blueberry Pan Cake

These are basically pancakes but I've added blueberries, cinnamon and agave to give them a different taste and feel.  I didn't feel least bit guilty about giving my kids this for breakfast or as a snack.  To be honest I can't remember which brand I used, but I will update this post as soon as I see it at the grocery store.  Sorry :-(

Veggie Packed Egg Muffins

Breakfast: Pumpkin-banana pancakes, hardboiled eggs and clementines

Lunch: Turkey, cheese and avocado melt in a whole wheat tortilla, pretzel sticks, steamed carrots

Afternoon snack: Mango and trail mix (whole wheat Barbara cereal, raisins and raw cashews)

Breakfast: Pumpkin-banana pancakes, hardboiled eggs and honeydew melon

Lunch: Oven baked chicken breast, steamed vegetables and sliced and peeled apples

Afternoon snack: LA had puffs and a yogurt.  LQ had apples topped with peanut butter and raisins and a yogurt.

Breakfast: Pumpkin-banana pancakes, hardboiled eggs and blueberries

Lunch: Whole wheat pita filled with cheese, turkey and avocado, black olives and grapes

Afternoon snack: Steamed vegetables and hummus, and yogurt

Breakfast: Pumpkin-banana pancakes, baked egg muffins and grapes

Lunch: Chicken quesadilla on whole wheat tortilla, sliced avocado and clementines

Afternoon snack: LA had puffs and clementines.  LQ had puffs and apple slices.

Breakfast: Pumpkin-banana pancakes, baked egg muffins and grapes

Lunch: Turkey and cheese roll ups, blueberries and pretzel sticks.  LQ also had nutella chia seed pudding

Afternoon snack: Asian pears and yogurt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Baked Egg Muffins

Ingredients

Turkey

Shredded cheese

Eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Chop the turkey and add to the bottom of the muffin tin.  Sprinkle cheese over the turkey.  Scramble eggs in a bowl and pour over turkey and cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees until the center is cooked (check with a toothpick)

I made a variation of this with vegetables for my husband and he loved it.  To add vegetables chop onion, potato, bell peppers and jalapenos (or any combination of these) and saute in very little olive oil until semi-soft.  Once this mixture is cooled add it to the muffin tin, before adding the egg.

Pumpkin-Banana Pancakes are Here!!

Breakfast: Pumpkin-Banana pancakes, hardboiled egg and sliced strawberries

Lunch: Breaded and baked chicken strips, steamed carrot slices and strawberries

Afternoon snack: Puffs and organic yogurt

Breakfast: Pumpkin-Banana pancakes, hardboiled egg and blueberries

Lunch: Spaghetti, steamed vegetables and clementines

Afternoon snack: Puffs and organic yogurt

Breakfast: Pumpkin-Banana pancakes, hardboiled egg and honey dew melon

Lunch: Turkey quesadilla, black olives and sliced avocado

Afternoon snack: Sliced strawberries and peanut butter crackers

Breakfast: Pumpkin-Banana pancakes, hardboiled eggs and sliced strawberries

Lunch: Peanut butter and mashed banana roll up in a wheat tortilla, steamed baby carrots, 1/2 string cheese and whole grain Goldfish.

Afternoon snack: flavored rice cake and organic yogurt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pumpkin-Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas

1 15oz can of 100% pumpkin puree

1 TBS cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 cups pancake mix

1 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup hot water

Method:

Mash the bananas. Add pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and cinnamon.  Add pancake mix.  Add milk.  Add water until the mixture gets a bit watery.  Combine well after each addition.  Cook on a lightly greased griddle.  They take a bit longer to cook than normal pancakes so be patient.

Labor Day is For Laboring, Right? At Least It's Delicious!

I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to do this again, but I have to say that preparing a week's worth of meals is AWESOME!  

Morning snacks:

- hard boiled eggs, raspberry whole wheat pancakes, clementines

Lunches:

- whole wheat mac and cheese, baked chicken, and watermelon

- quesadilla, apple slices (rubbed with lime to prevent browning) and avocado (will be cut morning of, not pictured)

- turkey and cheese roll up, steamed carrots and hummus

Afternoon snacks:

- grapes and granola balls

- puffs and yogurt (not pictured)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Granola balls

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup almond butter (oil removed, only because I couldn't get it to mix so I opened up a new jar, poured out the oil and added butter)

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 TBS unsalted melted butter

2 TBS dark chocolate chips

2 TBS white chocolate chips

1 cup Evoke almond and raspberry Muesli.

Method:

Place all dry ingredients in a food processor.  Add the butters to the food processor to help everything combine.  Form bars or balls.  Place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to allow it to harden.  ENJOY!!!!

**This actually ended up a little too sweet for me, so we'll likely add more Muesli and butter next time.  But, LQ loved them!

Orange you glad school is back in session!

LQ has been home for the last 3 weeks and she's READY to be out mingling with all her best friends (in case you don't have a 3 year old girl,  everyone who is semi close is a best friend). So here's to a great school year!

   

Morning snack: Hard boiled egg,  apple cinnamon pancakes,  clementines

Lunch: Black olive pita pizza and peaches

Afternoon snack: cottage cheese and cantaloupe

Morning snack:  Cottage cheese, apple cinnamon pancakes and blueberries

Lunch: LA had a turkey and cheese roll up, shredded carrots and apple slices.  LQ had an cinnamon peanut butter apple sandwich, carrots, and string cheese.

Afternoon snack: puffs and yogurt

Morning snack: hard boiled egg, apple cinnamon pancakes and plums.

Lunch: breaded baked chicken, steamed sweet corn and plums.

Afternoon snack: LA had puffs and a yogurt.  LQ had Triscuits topped with avocado, shredded cheese and olives.

Morning snack: hard boiled egg, apple cinnamon pancakes and peaches.

Lunch: whole wheat pita filled with hummus, turkey, avocado and Parmesan cheese, steamed vegetables and hummus.

Afternoon snack: string cheese, peaches and apples.

Week 7 - Daddy prepped meals

Morning snack: cottage cheese and Triscuits

Lunch: Turkey, cheese and avocado whole wheat tortilla roll up, steamed broccoli, and cantaloupe.

Tuesday-Friday

I don't have pictures for meals prepared for Tuesday through Friday this week because LA and I went out of town and left Daddy and LQ at home.  I left a menu for Daddy and he prepared all the meals for school.  According to LQ Daddy did GREAT!  Here's the menu I left him. 

Week 6

Morning snack: Banana cinnamon whole wheat pancakes and Yotot/Yokids yogurt.
Lunch:   LQ leftover pita cheese pizza, black olives, steam broccoli and sliced apples.
Afternoon snack: LA sliced turkey, cheese and blueberries. LQ trail mix with Barbara cereal, shredded coconut, cranberries and cashews.

Morning snack: Hard boiled egg and Yotot/Yokids yogurt.
Lunch: LA banana and peanut butter roll up on wheat bread and blueberries.  LQ banana, raisin and peanut butter roll up on wheat bread and peach.
Afternoon snack: Triscuits, sliced black olives and cubed cheese.

Morning snack: Hard boiled egg, whole wheat apple cinnamon pancake muffin and Asian pear
Lunch: LA turkey quesadilla, Asian pear and steamed butternut squash.  LQ turkey quesadilla and Asian pear.
Afternoon snack: LA puffs and vegetable pouch (not pictured).  LQ trail mix with Barbara cereal, raisins and cashews.

**NOTE: The whole wheat apple cinnamon pancake muffin uses the same recipe as the pancake recipe it is linked to except that I just added raisins and a little water to make it a bit more water.  Then I baked it for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Morning snack: Strawberries, blueberries and mixture of shaved coconut and pistachios
Lunch: breaded chicken, steamed peas and pretzels.
Afternoon snack: Cottage cheese and Triscuits

**Only LQ went to camp today.

Week 5 - Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Morning snack: LA Annie's cheddar bunnies and watermelon.  LQ Triscuits topped with peanut butter and raisins and watermelon.
Lunch: LA mac and cheese, oven roasted chicken and halved cherries.  LQ whole wheat pita pizza topped with homemade pizza sauce, mozzerrella and black olives and blueberries and plums.
Afternoon snack: LA puffs and butternut squash and pear pouch.  LQ trail mix with almonds, pistachios, shaved coconut and raisins.

Morning snack: Hard boiled egg and Yotots yogurt
Lunch: LA grilled cheese sandwich, steamed peas and plums.  LQ cheese, turkey and avocado sandwich and cherries.
Afternoon snack: LA sliced plum. LQ plum and pistachios.

Morning snack: Whole wheat apple cinnamon pancakes and hard boiled egg.
Lunch: LA turkey and cheese roll up, Goldfish and blueberries.  LQ grilled cheese and turkey whole wheat roll ups, shredded carrots, blueberries an dried cranberries
Afternoon snack: Mango and cherries.

Morning snack: Whole wheat apple cinnamon pancakes and Yotots yogurt.
Lunch: Breaded chicken, brown rice, steamed butternut squash and broccoli and apples/blueberries.
Afternoon snack: LA peach.  LQ insisted on eating the camp provided snack, cheese crackers, I think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
1 TBS agave or maple syrup (more if you'd like it a little sweeter)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp sodium-free baking powder
2 TBS cinnamon

Method:

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl  Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl  Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Cook on a preheated, pre-oiled griddle.

**NOTE: depending on the amount of cinnamon packed into each tablespoon you may need to add more liquid.  Cinnamon has a tendency to coagulate a bit.  

Week 4

Morning snack: LA zucchini pancake muffin, Yotot yogurt. LQ zucchini pancake muffin topped with peanut butter and blueberry jam and blueberries and raspberries.
Lunch: LA diced turkey, diced cheese stick, sliced black olives and steamed mixed vegetables. LQ stuffed whole wheat pita with turkey, avocado and cheese, baby carrots and pretzel Goldfish
Afternoon snack: LA Blueberries and raspberries and buffs. LQ plum.

Morning snack: LA banana whole wheat pancakes with cantaloupe and blueberries. LQ banana whole wheat pancakes with Yokids yogurt.
Lunch: Mac and cheese, hard boiled egg and steamed mixed vegetables
Afternoon snack: LA puffs and organic fruit yogurt smoothie.  LQ blueberries and cantaloupe.

Morning snack: LA hard boiled egg and blueberries. LQ hard boiled egg and Triscuit topped with cream cheese and raisins.
Lunch: LA oven roasted chicken, Triscuits and sliced peach.  LQ whole wheat pita stuffed with oven roasted chicken, hummus and shredded cheese and sliced peach.
Afternoon snack: puffs and Yotot/Yokids yogurt.

Morning snack: Banana whole wheat pancake cupcakes and Yotot/Yokids yogurt.
Lunch: Oven roasted chicken, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and wild rice
Afternoon snack: puffs and mango