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Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks

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These Banana Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks are a healthy, gluten-free, kid-friendly breakfast recipe. They can even be made ahead of time, stored in the freezer and reheated in the microwave!

These Banana Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks are a healthy, kid-friendly breakfast recipe. They can even be made ahead of time, stored in the freezer and reheated in the microwave!

Hi friends!

Now that Squish is in preschool two mornings a week, that means we have two mornings where we actually have to be somewhere on time. As I’ve mentioned before, Squish loves breakfast…but man does he take his sweet time eating it some mornings. So I’ve been looking for breakfast options I can have on hand to get ready quickly so that when he takes forever to eat, it doesn’t put us behind schedule.

These Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks certainly fit the bill. They give me a little bit of nostalgia for the french toast sticks we used to have back when I was in school…except these are healthier….AND both my kids gobble them up!

These Banana Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks are a healthy, kid-friendly breakfast recipe. They can even be made ahead of time, stored in the freezer and reheated in the microwave!

A few good things about this recipe:

  • It’s pretty flexible so your measurements don’t have to be exact.
  • If you don’t feel like making the french toast sticks, you can just make the baked oatmeal and call it a day. Cut it into sticks or squares or whatever floats your boat.
  • You can easily make it ahead of time and store in the fridge OR the freezer.
  • They’re easy to customize. Drizzle with peanut butter, dip them in syrup or yogurt, mix in some chocolate chips or blueberries…you get the idea.
  • You could easily add some other nutritious mix-ins like ground flax, chia seeds, etc!

These Banana Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks are a healthy, kid-friendly breakfast recipe. They can even be made ahead of time, stored in the freezer and reheated in the microwave!

So here’s how you make them:

Print

Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks

These Banana Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks are a healthy, kid-friendly breakfast recipe. They can even be made ahead of time, stored in the freezer and reheated in the microwave!
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

3.5 from 2 reviews

These Banana Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks are a healthy, kid-friendly breakfast recipe. They can even be made ahead of time, stored in the freezer and reheated in the microwave!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 25 min
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: makes 12 sticks 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Baked Oatmeal:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1.5 cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup mashed banana
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (more if desired)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (optional)
  • optional add-ins: maple syrup, flaxseed, chia seeds

French Toast Sticks:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • optional toppings: peanut butter, fruit, yogurt, syrup

Instructions

To make the baked oatmeal, combine oats, 1.5 cups milk, 1 egg, banana, cinnamon, vanilla and peanut butter, if using, in a large bowl and mix well. 
Pour into a 9×9 pan lined with parchment paper. 
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until set. 
Let cool completely, then cut into 12 sticks. 
Mix 2 eggs and 1/2 cup milk in a pie tin or shallow dish. 
Dip each stick in egg mixture and cook on a griddle as you would french toast. 
Serve warm or store in the fridge. 
To freeze, cool completely, store in a ziploc bag, microwave up to 4 sticks at a time on a plate for 30 seconds, flip over and microwave 30 seconds more. 

Notes


Pretty simple right?! I hope you guys enjoy these! They’re going to be a staple in my freezer for sure. I tested the recipe with and without peanut butter and also froze them as both french toast sticks and just plain baked oatmeal sticks and they all worked fine!

These Banana Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks are a healthy, gluten-free, kid-friendly breakfast recipe. They can even be made ahead of time, stored in the freezer and reheated in the microwave!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try these freezer-friendly Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks for a quick morning breakfast!” quote=”Try these freezer-friendly Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks for a quick morning breakfast!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Thursday Things – Stasher Bag

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Hi friends!

Time for another round of Thursday Things. Here are some fun things that caught my eye this week.

motherhood

Weestructed
I’m obsessed with this mug. Bought one for myself and one for a friend. Bonus- they’re on sale right now! Plus they have cute shirts! Pretty sure i NEED this one!

stasher

 

 

Stasher Bags
Buying some of these is on my weekend to do list. They’d be perfect for sending snacks with Squish to preschool! Also great for lunchboxes for kids and adults and storing leftovers in the fridge! Made of silicone and dishwasher safe!

soulfull project

The Soulfull Project
Haven’t tried these but they sound like a great breakfast option. Multigrain hot cereal. Love the ingredient list and for each serving purchased, they donate a serving to a food bank. Win win!

kidtripster

Kidtripster
If you’re looking to travel as a family with your kiddos, you should check out this site! They have lots of helpful travel tips, highlight kid-friendly places in different cities, etc!

 

Little Mugshots
I think silhouettes are so cute! I have one of myself from when I was little and love looking at it. This site has some cute options that would make great Christmas gifts. I’m loving these cute little purses with silhouette lining inside! How unique!!

pickease

Pick-Ease
A fun tool for picky kids. Kids tend to like eating things off toothpicks but a lot of parents don’t feel safe giving them to young kids. This is a safe alternative that just might entice your picky eater to try something new!

little passports

Little Passports
A monthly subscription box that’s a great way to teach kids about the world! Added this to Squish’s Christmas list.

That’s it for this week.

Let’s chat: What’s something cool you’ve discovered this week?!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

You Can Have Hard Days

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Hi friends!

Real life post alert.  I’ve been in a bit of a funk for the past week or so. There have been some large events and some small events and together they’ve left me feeling allll the emotions – anxious, stressed, conflicted, sad. I’ve been trying to find the words to describe how I’m feeling and haven’t had much luck. In fact, on three separate occasions yesterday I opened up Instagram stories to chat with you guys about it but I held back.

And then at 8pm last night, I finally sat down for the day to read blog posts and I read Julie’s post – One of “Those” Days – and you guys, it was like I could have written the freaking thing myself. She writes, much better than I ever will, about how sometimes it’s difficult as a blogger to share about the average days. The ones that aren’t good….but aren’t horrible…they’re just blah.

A lot of times it’s easy to talk about bigger events.

Tucker

There have definitely been some big events in the past week. As some of you may know, last Wednesday we had to put down one of our dogs. While I had lost childhood pets, this was the first time I’d lost one of “my” pets as an adult. We got him when he was 3 months old and had him for 9 years. And you guys, it hurts. So much more than I ever thought it would. I struggled with everything from the expected things like missing him greeting me when I came home and having to explain death to my almost 3-year-old, to the unexpected things like mistaking our black laundry hamper for him out of the corner of my eye.

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And then, on Sunday, my uncle (and godfather) passed away after a short battle with cancer. He was only 60 years old and my cousin, his youngest daughter, is getting married in two weeks. My heart aches for her (and the rest of their family) in a way I can’t even explain. His funeral is taking place on what would have been my aunt and uncle’s 38th wedding anniversary.

Those are big things. They’re sad. They’re messy. But they’re easier to write about.

Then there are the little things. The things that may seem big in the moment…but in the grand scheme of things, really are small. This week has been full of them.

Like that fact that Monday was seemingly endless. It involved a myriad of errands that were made infinitely more difficult by the fact that I had to drag two kids along with me and get both of them in and out of their car seats 100 times. And then both kids spent the afternoon taking turns screaming at the top of their lungs and I got no work done. Those days are hard.

Real life ‍♀️ All the tears Rough day for everyone Fresh start tomorrow

A post shared by Lindsay L, RD (@theleangreenbean) on


But you know what’s also hard? Being someone who desperately wishes they had those two screaming kids to tote around.

Or the fact that on Tuesday, I was rushing around running errands to get ready to go out of town for the funeral and feeling slightly panicked about taking my kids on a plane for the first time. That was stressful.

But you know what’s also stressful? Having to deal with the fact that your dad just died.

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Or the fact that I’m annoyed that my house seems to constantly be a mess, no matter what I do. And I can’t keep up with the dishes or the pet hair no matter how hard I try. It’s a never-ending battle.

But you know what else is a battle? Every day, for all the people in Texas and Florida who don’t have houses anymore right now thanks to the hurricanes.

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I’m not exactly sure what the point of all this is other than here’s the thing. Having hard days is normal. Everyone’s life is messy.

My kitchen constantly has enough dishes lined up to fill the dishwasher again before I even get around to emptying the clean ones. My entire house is covered in pet hair. On any given day there are 3 days worth of cups, cans and bottles on the end tables in my living room. Our playroom so messy you can barely walk through it, but most nights I go to bed without cleaning it up because…what’s the point?

At least once a week I go two days without showering and wear the same shirt. And sometimes, after a long day, when the baby is finally sleeping, I put on the tv for my wild and crazy toddler and hope that I can fall asleep for 5 minutes in the chair next to him.

Most days I question my ability to be a good mom at least once.

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But no matter who you are, there will be hard days. Days when your kids are complete nightmares. Days when you lose someone you love. There will be good days and bad days, stressful days and happy days. And there will always be people who are worse off than you.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t have rough days. It doesn’t trivialize your problems OR theirs. I live in Ohio, where we’ll never be directly hit by a hurricane. I can sympathize, and go to Costco and stock up on supplies to help those who have been hit by one, while still struggling with the fact that my own house can be overwhelming at times.

I can love and support my family through the loss of a loved one while still getting stressed about taking two young kids on their first and second plane rides. And I can have hard days with my kids while still empathizing with those who are struggling to have kids of their own.

Me struggling with stuff in my life does not trivialize what is going on in the lives of others.

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I guess this all stems from the fact that I was having a tough week, made tougher by the fact that I was feeling like I didn’t have a right to complain because other people had it worse.

But the fact is, the circumstances of others don’t change mine. We can all have hard days. And we will.

And in the end, all you can do is your best. So I’ll continue to try to be the best person I can be. I’ll choose to focus mostly on the good and work hard to embrace the things I have control over and accept the things I don’t. I’ll support those around me who are struggling and also acknowledge my own struggles.

That’s real life. That’s normal. And that’s ok.

We’ll be back to regularly scheduled programming next week. I promise I have at least 3 recipes tested and photographed, just waiting to be shared. But for now, this is me writing out what I need to hear…and sharing it with all of you in hopes that it will bring comfort to someone else as well.

–Lindsay–

 

 

Chocolate Sheet Cake

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This Chocolate Sheet Cake is an easy dessert recipe and a fun change from a traditional round cake. Top with your favorite ice cream or a drizzle of peanut butter and some fresh strawberries. 

This Chocolate Sheet Cake is an easy dessert recipe and a fun change from a traditional round cake. Top with your favorite ice cream or a drizzle of peanut butter and some fresh strawberries. 

Hi friends!

Let’s power our way through Wednesday with some cake, shall we? A few weeks ago, hubby and I had a date night out. Although we were fairly disappointed with the food at the new restaurant we chose, the dessert – Texas Sheet Cake – was amazing.

I immediately knew I wanted to create a sheet cake recipe of my own that I could make at home for special occasions. This week, Little Miss turns 10 months old and Squish starts early preschool. I’d say that qualifies as a good time to make cake.

I tested this recipe 3 times over the past couple of weeks. The first time it was good but way too dry. After some adjustments, it turned out better and then third time was a charm. The first two I made in a jelly roll pan. Mine is a little small but I think the average size for a jelly roll pan is about 10.5 x 15.5 inches. The last one I made in a cookie sheet with edges (as seen in the pictures). They both worked fine but I preferred the small jelly roll pan because it made it a bit thicker (since it was a bit smaller).

This Chocolate Sheet Cake is an easy dessert recipe and a fun change from a traditional round cake. Top with your favorite ice cream or a drizzle of peanut butter and some fresh strawberries. 

I’m actually not a huge fan of chocolate cake, unless it comes with vanilla ice cream. However, this is pretty good on its own. I also tried it topped with peanut butter and fresh strawberries. Yum! If you’re looking for a thick slice of chocolate cake, this probably isn’t the recipe for you. Although you could try baking it in a regular cake pan!

I used simple melted chocolate chips as the “frosting” but you could use your favorite chocolate frosting as well.

Here’s how you make it:

Print

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This Chocolate Sheet Cake is an easy dessert recipe and a fun change from a traditional round cake. Top with your favorite ice cream or a drizzle of peanut butter and some fresh strawberries. 
Print Recipe

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This Chocolate Sheet Cake is an easy dessert recipe and a fun change from a traditional round cake. Top with your favorite ice cream or a drizzle of peanut butter and some fresh strawberries. 

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee (or water)
  • 1/2 cup full fat yogurt (plain or vanilla)
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1.25 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • chocolate chips & powdered sugar for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. 

Add coffee, yogurt, applesauce, egg and egg yolk, and sugar and mix well. 

Stir in cocoa powder and mix until combined. 

Add flour, baking powder and baking soda and stir until just combined. 

Spoon onto a small jelly roll pan (or rimmed cookie sheet) lined with parchment paper and spread evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. 

Top immediately with chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a knife to spread until top is evenly coated. 

Once cool, top with powdered sugar. 


Notes


So there you have it!

This Chocolate Sheet Cake is an easy dessert recipe and a fun change from a traditional round cake. Top with your favorite ice cream or a drizzle of peanut butter and some fresh strawberries. 

Let’s eat cake and enjoy the week!

This Chocolate Sheet Cake is an easy dessert recipe and a fun change from a traditional round cake. Top with your favorite ice cream or a drizzle of peanut butter and some fresh strawberries. 

[clickToTweet tweet=”Need dessert for your next party? Try this easy Chocolate Sheet Cake!” quote=”Need dessert for your next party? Try this easy Chocolate Sheet Cake!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

10 Cheap Toddler Activities

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These Cheap Toddler Activities are perfect for keeping young kids entertained without spending a ton of money! Most can be done using things you probably already have around the house! Do them indoors in the winter or outside in the summer.

These Cheap Toddler Activities are perfect for keeping young kids entertained without spending a ton of money! Most can be done using things you probably already have around the house! Do them indoors in the winter or outside in the summer.

Hi friends!

Back in January, I wrote a post about Indoor Activities for Toddlers and it was a big hit! I intended it to be helpful during the cold winter months but it actually got more popular this summer when it was too hot to go outside. Over the summer, I started keeping track of some of the activities we did and thought I’d put them all together in another post in case you’re looking for some inspiration. Most of these activities could be done inside or outside and the best part is they’re cheap! Nothing fancy needed- in fact you could probably do most of them with things you already have laying around the house!

Ready? Here we go!

baking soda and vinegar volcano

Baking soda and vinegar volcanos
This is a classic little science activity that Squish had a lot of fun with. We put water in a cup with a squirt of dish soap and a little bit of washable paint (not necessary, just adds some color). Then we stirred in a scoop or two of baking soda. And finally, we poured in some vinegar and watched it bubble over. Vinegar and baking soda were both already in my pantry but if you don’t have them on hand, they’re easy to find and very inexpensive. 

No specific measurements are needed here. I’m sure you’ll be doing it more than once, so just play around with how much baking soda and vinegar you need. The best part is he could do this pretty much all himself and I just had to supervise!

cardboard boxes

Cardboard Box Transformations
If your house is anything like ours, you probably have no shortage of cardboard boxes lying around. Almost every box that enters our home now gets transformed into something else. Smaller boxes can be taped or glued together to make robots (along with some things from your recycling bin!). Bigger boxes are great to turn into space ships, trains, airplanes (basically any vehicle. Use scissors to cut wings, etc and then let the kids go to town decorating with crayons, markers or paint.  If you have extra large boxes, transform them into a fort or clubhouse!

homemade stamps

Homemade stamps
There are plenty of objects around the house that can be turned into homemade stamps! We used vegetables like mushrooms, broccoli, potatoes, lettuce cores and carrots to stamp one day. Another day I cut some little shapes out of cardboard, hot glued them to wine corks and we used them as stamps after dipping them in both finger paint and ink pads.

Added bonus? If you get on a roll and do a lot of stamping, cut some of the artwork into cards and use them as homemade stationary for thank you notes, birthday cards, etc!

sidewalk chalk paint

Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Sidewalk chalk is always a hit on its own but this was a fun way to change things up. I just mixed about 3/4 cup of water with 1/2 cup cornstarch, poured into muffin tins and then colored each one with a little food coloring. Then we headed out to the sidewalk to paint! Wash it away with the hose or leave it until it rains!

discovery dig

Discovery Dig 
Bury toy dinosaurs, cars or other objects you have around the house in a container filled with oats, dirt or sand and let the kids go to work. They can dig for them with a spoon or brush them off with a paint brush. Once they find them all, set them up with a bucket or sink full of water and let them clean everything with a toothbrush.

grocery store

Homemade Grocery Store
Start saving empty food boxes, packages, etc that you would normally throw away or recycle. Then tape a few boxes together to make shelves, add the food packages and let them go grocery shopping. Squish loved filling up his shopping cart and then we set up a conveyer belt with a “scanner” and a credit card swiper (made out of cardboard) and he checked out all his groceries and bagged them up!

popsicle stick puzzles

Popsicle Stick Puzzles
Draw simple pictures across 4-5 popsicle sticks. Then scramble them up and let the kiddos try to put them back together to form the picture. Added bonus – you can make these double sided. You can also use popsicle sticks to practice counting, etc!

photo scavenger hunt

Photo Scavenger Hunt
Dig up an old camera or hand them your phone and send them on a mission to take pictures of various objects around the house or outside. Tell them to find “something green” or “a tree” or “a circle”. Then let them take a photo once they find it.

sock puppets

Sock Puppets
Don’t throw away your old socks! Transform them into fun, quirky puppet faces or animals using things like markers, puffs, pipe cleaners, buttons, etc and a hot glue gun! Then let their imaginations run wild as they put on a puppet show!

coffee filter banner

Coffee Filter Banners
Start by decorating coffee filters. We did this two different ways – some with water color paints and some by coloring on them with washable markers and then spraying them with water from a spray bottle. Once they’re dry, cut them into triangles with a rounded top. Fold the rounded edge of each one over a piece of twine or string and tape into place to make a banner. Great for decorating a bedroom, doorway or for party decorations!

See some ideas that caught your eye? Pin this post and share with friends!

These Cheap Toddler Activities are perfect for keeping young kids entertained without spending a ton of money! Most can be done using things you probably already have around the house! Do them indoors in the winter or outside in the summer.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Looking for some new activities to entertain your toddler without breaking the bank? ” quote=”Looking for some new activities to entertain your toddler without breaking the bank?”]

Let’s chat:
What are your favorite inexpensive activities to do with the kiddos? Leave them in the comments so we can all try them out!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Day In The Life – 2.75 Years + 9 Months

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Hi friends!

Considering Little Miss is almost 10 months old, I figured it was time to sneak in our latest day in the life post.

day in the life

In case you’ve missed them previously, you can find them here:

Day in the Life – 2.5 Years + 6 Months
Day in the Life – 26 Months + 2 Months
Day in the Life – 21 Months
Day in the Life – 18 Months
Day in the Life – 15 Months
Day in the Life – 12 Months
Day in the Life – 9 Months
Day in the Life – 6 Months
Day in the Life – 3 Months

 Per usual, no two days are the same, but we’ve gotten into a pretty good routine and the overall structure of most days is pretty similar. Here’s what life looks like lately. This was Monday, August, 26th:
day in the life
Sleep is probably the most inconsistent part of our days. Since my last day in the life post, Little Miss has finally figured out how to sleep. Right around 7 months she FINALLY started sleeping decently at night and this mama was so relieved. For the past two months, she’s been sleeping 8-8 most nights, with one wake up around 4:30 to eat. There were also a handful of nights where she slept straight through without waking up to eat – heavenly!
Last week, she hit a rough patch and was up 3-4 times per night for several nights in a row. I thought maybe some teeth were coming in, but they haven’t shown up yet. Luckily, she seems to be back to normal this week so she was only up once, around 4.
6:30AM – Squish wakes up. This is pretty typical for him lately. Gone are the days where he slept into the 7 or 8 o’clock hour. He’s up and ready to go (and oh so loud) by 6:30 every day. He comes to get me and we head downstairs where I make us breakfast – fruit, pb&j toast and a fried egg for him and toast with avocado and egg and lots of coffee for me.
7:00AM – Squish finally finishes eating. He can turn eating a slice of toast into a half hour process. I grab my computer and we head downstairs. He watches PBS and I send emails, read blogs, work on blog posts of my own, etc.
8:00AM – Squish gets a snack – usually Love Grown Sea Stars and baby girl wakes up. Daddy gets her up and changed and brings her down while I make them some eggs.
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8:00AM – Baby girl eats a fried egg, avocado and blueberries. Then it’s playtime with daddy before he goes to work while I run around like crazy starting laundry, calling to schedule appointments, pay bills etc.
8:30AM – Daddy leaves for work. I nurse the baby. TV goes off and we play. This mostly consists of Little Miss trying to steal all of Squish’s toys, me running interference, some tears and finally each of them settling on something to entertain them.
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9:30AM – Little Miss goes down for a nap and it’s Mommy and Squish time. The hardest part of the first 6-7 months after baby was born is that there was literally never a time when I was without her. She was either screaming, or I was holding her, or I was feeding her. Once she finally turned the corner around 7 months, she started napping (IN HER CRIB) and it gave Squish and I some alone time together which has been so nice. We do all sorts of fun things – projects, crafts, playing outside, trains, swings etc. And we almost always spend some time in the kitchen. On this day we made banana baked oatmeal and texas sheet cake and then headed outside to the swingset until she woke up.
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10:30AM – Little Miss is up after a one hour nap, which is pretty typical. I get her dressed, give her a snack, negotiate a diaper change with Squish, pack them into the car and we head to the library.
11:00AM – Library time. Squish loves playing new games on the iPad and they have Little Miss loves all the toys they have.
12:00PM – Home for lunch. They shared a Peach Zucchini Smoothie.
12:30PM – Naptime. This consists of getting Squish into bed and reading him a few books while Little Miss either entertains herself on the floor or stands next to the bed and screams. Once he’s down, I nurse her and put her down as well.
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12:30PM – Hubby comes home for lunch and I get to work. This is pretty much my only uninterrupted time all day so if I need to take pictures for a blog post, this is when I try to get it done. I also test recipes, write blog posts, do work for Regan, do laundry, empty the dishwasher and once in a blue moon, actually take a nap.
1:30PM – Baby is up after 45 minutes. She’s still not a a great napper but at least she’s taking some now so I try to embrace that. I can typically distract her with toys and snacks for another half hour or so after she gets up so I can get a little more work done before giving up. Then we usually head downstairs and play.
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3:00PM – Squish is up and it’s snack time. On this day I was testing a recipe so I made some Baked Oatmeal French Toast Sticks that they both enjoyed. Then we play some more….both inside and outside.
4:15PM – I squeeze in a quick workout. The timing of my workout varies day to day based on their moods. Sometimes I’m able to sneak it in during naptime. Sometimes I wait until hubby gets home. Sometimes I do it while both kids are screaming out in the garage with me. My workouts rarely last longer than 30 minutes.
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4:45PM – Little Miss goes down for another nap. I turn on Disney Channel for Squish and immediately start dinner. I work on dinner and play outside with Squish. Hubby comes home around 5 and starts his workout around 5:30.
6:00PM – Dinner is served. Some nights all 4 of us eat together. Some nights I feed the kids and eat with them and hubby eats later. I also deal with a ridiculously anxious dog every night while hubby works out (he hates the sounds of the gym).
7:00PM – Family hangout time. We watch tv, play etc.
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8:00PM – Bedtime. We put Squish to bed first and then get Little Miss ready. I nurse her and then put her to bed as well. Then I take a shower.
9:00PM – Time for more work and Ninja Warrior with hubby.
11:00PM – Reading and bed.
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Best of the Bean – Year 7

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Hi friends!

I can hardly believe that today marks the start of my 8th year of blogging! That’s 7 full years in the books, folks. And boy has a lot changed since I hit publish on that first post back in 2010.

The blogging world is a unique space that is constantly evolving and changing. I continue to be eternally grateful that I’ve been able to turn my passion into a career. It took hard work, dedication and sacrifice, but I’m so proud to see all that hard work paying off. I get to wake up every day and divide my time between raising my kids and sharing my love of food and nutrition with all of you – my two favorite things in the whole world!

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Every time I sit down to work on this blog, I strive to stay true to my tagline – Balanced. Simple. Real.

I’m just a girl attempting to navigate the world of motherhood, on a mission to show you that healthy eating doesn’t have to be restrictive, complicated or expensive.

But when it comes right down to it, the thing I value most about my blog and my social media accounts is that they give me a platform to keep it real.

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I share my life with you guys in hopes that it’ll help just one person every day. Because despite what a lot of social media today wants you to believe:

Real life isn’t perfect. It’s reheated coffee, dirty clothes, screaming kids, sleepless nights, mile long to-do lists, messy play rooms and forgotten appointments.  It’s feeling immense amounts of love and pride for some of the tiniest people in your life, while simultaneously feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and hopelessly inadequate. 

If me sharing everything from healthy family dinners to epic toddler meltdowns helps even one person feel like they’re not alone…then it’s worth it! And on the flip side…when I share my life with you, it gives you the opportunity to teach and help me as well…And for that, I’m eternally grateful.

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So thank you so much to all of you who read this blog and choose to follow along on our crazy journey. I certainly couldn’t do it without you!

Every year I like to take a look back at all of the posts I published and share a recap with you. If you’re a new reader, here are some resources and recipes to check out. If you’re a longtime reader, perhaps it’ll remind you of a recipe or two you’ve been meaning to try!

So, here are some of my favorite posts from the past year:

Best of The Lean Green Bean Snack

MAIN DISHES 

Healthy options for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

5 Minute Breakfast Hash
Turmeric Yogurt Chicken
Skillet Mediterranean Chicken Pasta
Wild Rice Power Bowl
Instant Pot Beef Stew
BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Instant Pot Asian Chicken
Greek Shrimp and Farro
Pesto Chicken Caprese Pasta
Instant Pot Pasta With Meat Sauce
Instant Pot Shredded Hummus Chicken
One Pot Orzo Pasta Salad With Chicken Sausage
Asian Flank Steak
Spicy Chicken Pitas
Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup
Lentil Sloppy Joes
Quick & Easy Vegetable Recipes

Best of The Lean Green Bean Snacks

SNACKS

Snacks that kids and adults alike can enjoy!

Easy Smoked Salmon Dip
Sweet Potato Waffle Nachos 
Easy Banana Oat Bars
Green Smoothie Snack Bars
Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars
Nut Free Toddler Trailmix
Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites
Peanut Butter Banana Chia Pudding
Blueberry Cauliflower Smoothie

best of the lean green bean kid food

KID FOOD 

Healthy food inspiration for your little ones!

Easy Toddler Meals
40 Healthy Toddler Meals
50 Healthy Toddler Meal Ideas
What My Toddler Chose To Eat
Kid-Friendly Food Prep Recipes
Kid-Friendly Vegetable Recipes
Table Talk – An ebook full of tips & tricks for feeding young kids

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Life:
On my blogiversary last year, I was about 6 months pregnant so the past year has been a big one for our family. Squish turned 2 at the end of October. Little Miss was born the first week of November.  I wrote a day in the life post every 3 months and monthly updates for Little Miss (click here to read those).

kid activities

KID ACTIVITIES 

Tips for keeping the kiddos busy!

Kitchen Tasks For Toddlers
Indoor Activities For Toddlers
How to Make a Busy Box For Toddlers
Toddler Gift Ideas {Ages 1-3}

moms

MOMS 

For my fellow mamas!

Gifts For New Moms
Make-Ahead Snacks For Breastfeeding Moms
Dairy-Free Lactation Cookies
To The Parents With The Colicky Baby
How To Handle Toddler Meltdowns 

recipe reshoots

RECIPE RESHOOTS

Old blog recipes that were updated and/or republished!

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bars
Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Glaze
Tuna Quinoa Cakes
Sausage & Wild Rice Stuffing
Lentil Vegetable Curry
Spicy Salmon Cornmeal Cakes
Zucchini Carrot Apple Muffins
Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas
Blackberry Crumble Bars
Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes
Cheesy Mexican Quinoa
Cranberry Corn Muffins
Cajun Meatloaf
Easy Fish Chowder

food prep

FOOD PREP

Posts and resources to encourage you to give food prep a try!

How to Find Your Food Prep Focus Area
My Weekly Food Prep {By the Minute}
A Beginner’s Guide to Food Prep
Top 10 Foods For Sunday Food Prep
6 Months of Food Prep
15 Quick Food Prep Dinners
30+ Ways To Use Leftover Chicken
Dinner Made Easy: One month of meals, shopping lists, food prep tips and more
The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep – my ebook full of all my food prep secrets!

sponsored posts

SPONSORED POSTS

Some of my favorite collaborations with brands I love!

Maple Cinnamon Latte
Pork and Egg Breakfast Pizza
Spicy Ranch Popcorn
Mediterranean Turkey Spinach Salad
Roasted Sweet Potato Yogurt Bowls
Chocolate Sweet Potato Mug Cake
Berry Farro Breakfast Bowl
Small Batch Cinnamon Roll Scones
Vanilla Cake Parfaits
Grilled Foil Packed Tilapia with Pesto Veggies
Sheet Pan Italian Salmon with Green Beans
Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Thursday Things – ThreadUp

by 5 Comments

Hi friends!

Back for another round of Thursday Things. You know that drill. This is just me sharing some stuff that’s caught my eye lately. Some of it I’ve tried. Some of it I haven’t. If it’s an affiliate link, I’ll let you know.

Here we go!

thred up

thredUP 

If you like buying clothes online and saving money…and you haven’t checked out thredUP yet, you’re missing out. I’ve gotten a ton of great deals on stuff for the kids from them lately…all in great conditions and brands I buy anyways like Gap and Hanna Anderson. Above is my most recent order (plus an amazing leopard print winter coat for Little Miss that’s not pictured). Full price in stores it would’ve been $350 for all of it and I spent $100. You can also send in your clothes like an online consignment store! This isn’t sponsored…just sharing because I love it…but I do have an affiliate link! If you want to check it out, click here to check out thredUP!

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Dailly Harvest

Squish has been on a smoothie kick lately and I’m totally intrigued by these. I’m ready to try some but need help! Which flavors should I try first?! If you’ve tried them….tell me your favorites!! They also have sundaes. I want them all!!!

 

IMG 4741 e1503535281275

Brusheez – Little Monsters Toothbruth app 

We had a little trouble getting Squish interested in brushing his teeth so I found this free app. It’s super basic but in the free version you can choose between two monsters and then set the timer in 30-second increments for up to 2 minutes. You start the clock and the monster brushes their teeth. The toothbrush moves to all the teeth and they sing a song. Squish loves to move his toothbrush around to the same teeth the monster is brushing. We started at 30 seconds and have moved up to 60 or 90 seconds of brushing time!

pow pasta

Ancient Harvest POW! Pasta 

Anyone tried this? I’m always looking for protein-packed pasta options for the kids (and me!) and these are made with plant-based proteins like lentils, beans, quinoa, etc.

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Perfectly Imperfect Produce

If I lived in Cleveland I would totally do this! They rescue imperfect produce that is totally fine to eat but often goes to waste because it looks a little funny and deliver it to you! So cool!

cs logo 200px 2x f39b0859 8ed9 4ae3 b996

Cub Shrub

My new favorite store in Columbus, but they also have a great website! We went to check it out last weekend and bought some new construction vehicle toys for Squish and a few outfits for Little Miss. But I wanted to buy pretty much everything in the store. Check out their website. The clothes are adorable, the toys are so fun and they also have some great options for baby shower gifts etc!

overnighter blue1

Birdling Bags

I can’t remember where I saw these but I’m totally in love with the Overnighter and the Weekender versions of this bag. Would be perfect for when we drive to visit my parents in a couple months! Way more stylish than a suitcase and easier to fit in a full car trunk! Love love love.

Ok that’s it for this week! Your turn! Seen or tried anything cool lately?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin

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This Grilled Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin is perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. The marinade is made with just five simple ingredients and cooks quickly on the grill!  

This Grilled Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin is perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. The marinade is made with just five simple ingredients and cooks quickly on the grill!  

Thanks to the National Turkey Federation for sponsoring this post.

Hi Friends!

Some of you may recall I’m partnering with the National Turkey Federation this year to share some tasty turkey recipes with you! A few months ago I introduced you to this Mediterranean Turkey Spinach Salad. It’s one of my favorites for meal prep.  Today I’m sharing another super simple recipe that adds tons of flavor to turkey tenderloins.

This Grilled Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin is perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. The marinade is made with just five simple ingredients and cooks quickly on the grill!  

This is me clinging to summer for as long as I can. Peaches forever…am I right? A few weeks ago I tried making a peach bbq sauce. It was disappointing. The peach flavor got lost in the tomato-based sauce and it was just blah. So this time I decided to try with just peaches so their flavor could really shine.

I chose turkey tenderloins as my protein but iturkey drumsticks would be a great choice as well! Turkey’s not just for Thanksgiving, y’all. There are tons of turkey products available at the store year round. You can find turkey breasts, tenderloins, thighs and drumsticks, as well as turkey sausage and ground turkey meat. I love turkey tenderloins for grilling because they cook so quickly! These only took about 10 minutes.

This Grilled Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin is perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. The marinade is made with just five simple ingredients and cooks quickly on the grill!  

A few more turkey highlights? It’s a lean protein packed with immune-boosting nutrients like iron, zinc and potassium that help keep you fuller longer and it easily soaks up flavors, making it the perfect canvas for this peach marinade.

For this marinade, you need just 5 simple ingredients. Blend them up, pour them in a ziploc bag and add your turkey. Let sit for a couple hours…or overnight…and then grill and serve! I served mine with this confetti cauliflower rice: just saute some veggies, add in a big of steamed cauliflower rice and add a squeeze of lime juice and some chili powder.

Print

Grilled Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin

This Grilled Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin is perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. It's made with just five simple ingredients and cooks quickly on the grill!
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

 

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 12 min
  • Total Time: 17 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup diced peaches
  • 1/2 cup onion (i used red)
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger (I use Garden Gourmet ginger paste)
  • Juice from one lime
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1.25 pounds turkey tenderloins

Instructions

Add peaches, onion, ginger, lime juice and honey to a small food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add 1 cup of the peach mixture and turkey tenderloins to a large

Add 1 cup of the peach mixture and turkey tenderloins to a large ziploc bag. Reserve remaining half cup of the peach mixture and store it in the fridge. 

Reserve remaining half cup of the peach mixture and store it in the fridge. 

Let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. 

Preheat grill to medium (about 400 degrees F). 

Grill tenderloins for 10-12 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. 

You can brush some of the reserved mixture on while grilling, or save to serve as a sauce when serving. 

Notes

Feel free to use fresh or canned peaches. Taste the mixture once blended and add more honey if you want it a little sweeter. 

If you want to make it a little spicy, add a jalapeno or serrano to the marinade mixture!

Add bonus? Save a little of the marinade (ie don’t put it in the bag with the meat) and use it as a sauce when serving.

This Grilled Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin is perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. It's made with just five simple ingredients and cooks quickly on the grill!

That’s it, friends! I hope you guys enjoy this one. I loved it! You could also roast these in the oven if it’s not grilling season!

This Grilled Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin is perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. The marinade is made with just five simple ingredients and cooks quickly on the grill!  

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try this Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin for a healthy lunch or dinner that’s oh so flavorful!” quote=”Try this Ginger Peach Turkey Tenderloin for a healthy lunch or dinner that’s oh so flavorful!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Thursday Things – Better Life Bags

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Hi friends!

It’s been a while since I’ve done a little roundup of things I’m loving lately. I feel like I’m always saving fun products/ideas/etc that I see on social media and in emails but I never seem to get around to sharing them with you guys….so I’m gonna try to be better about that.

Today’s roundup is a little different because it’s mostly things I haven’t actually tried myself. Usually I like to try them out and report back but this time I thought I’d just show you some things that have caught my eye. Have you tried any of them? Click the green links below to check them out.

betterlifebags

Better Life Bags 

I am obsessed with these bags. You can order a ready-made one or design your own and the company hires women who have various barriers to employment to make them. Bags for a great cause. There are so many I want!!

shine text

Shine Texts

You can sign up to get a daily motivational and inspirational message via text each morning. What a great way to start your day!

meals with milton

Meals with Milton

I actually did buy this one! It’s a fun way to encourage picky eaters to try new foods. They can eat their meals with Milton and feed him bites of new foods first to see how much he likes them!

dot journal

Dot Journaling: A Practical Guide – buy it here

I’ve been thinking about trying dot/bullet journaling for a while and this looks like a great starter guide. Nothing better than a pen and paper list in my opinion!

nursing sports bra

CadenShae

Again, haven’t tried this but this is EXACTLY what I was looking for after Little Miss was born. I wanted some racerback sports bras that I could nurse in and couldn’t really find any. These look perfect.

minsgame

#MinsGame 

I’m always trying to get rid of stuff. I feel like we have so much clutter so I’m tempted to try this! Basically, you get rid of one thing on the first day and add one item each day for a month.

banza

Banza 

I’ve seen so many people try this lately! Both my kids like noodles and they just came out with all sorts of fun new noodle shapes so I think i’ll give them a try soon!

greenpan

GreenPan

I was doing some research on these ceramic non-stick pans and thinking about buying one to try and then I saw this set of two at Costco last weekend so I bought them to try out! So far I’m really liking it!

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Canvas on Demand

Every time we get professional photos done, I order a few from this website. They have tons of sales and you can usually get a 16×20 canvas for $25. They’re high quality and arrive quickly!

That’s all for today! What’s the coolest thing you’ve found lately?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

 

Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes

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These Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes are made in a blender with protein-rich ingredients like cottage cheese and eggs. No protein powder required and they make a great breakfast or post workout snack.

These Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes are made in a blender with protein-rich ingredients like cottage cheese and eggs. No protein powder required and they make a great breakfast or post workout snack.

*This post was originally published April 2014. Text and photos have been updated*

Hi Friends!

These Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes were born out of necessity a few years ago. I hadn’t gone grocery shopping the previous weekend and was looking for something quick and easy for lunch. I combined some leftover baked sweet potatoes with a little cottage cheese and a couple eggs and voila! A protein-packed pancake that requires no protein powder.  Added bonus? You can whip them up in the blender making cleanup a breeze.

Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes

These Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes are made in a blender with protein-rich ingredients like cottage cheese and eggs. No protein powder required and they make a great breakfast or post workout snack.

A few things to note about these pancakes before we go any further.

  1. If you’re looking for fluffy, traditional pancakes, these are not them.
  2. There is no protein powder in these pancakes. They’re high in protein thanks to the other ingredients.
  3. Not everyone will like these. They’re a little dense in the middle so some people won’t like the texture.
  4. These do not taste like cottage cheese.

Here’s how you make them:

Print

Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes

These Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes are made in a blender with protein-rich ingredients like cottage cheese and eggs. No protein powder required and they make a great breakfast or post workout snack.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 17 reviews

A high protein, lower-carb breakfast option!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1-2 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • cinnamon, to taste
  • peanut butter, for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a high-powered blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour into a greased pan or griddle over medium heat.
  3. Let sit for 3-4 minutes before flipping.
  4. Flip carefully and let cook another 2-3 minutes.
  5. Flip again and let cook for 2 more minutes.

Patience is the key when cooking these. Pour in the batter, let them sit for 4-5 minutes, flip them and let them sit for a few minutes. Then, flip them again and let them cook a little more. You can’t have your heat too high otherwise they will burn, but the longer cooking time helps them solidify a bit more in the middle.

These Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes are made in a blender with protein-rich ingredients like cottage cheese and eggs. No protein powder required and they make a great breakfast or post workout snack.

These dense, eggy pancakes continue to be a favorite of mine and both my kids love them as well! Enjoy these drizzled with nut butter or your favorite pancake topping. I often make a batch as part of my food prep and eat them cold throughout the week. They’re also great after a workout!

These Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes are made in a blender with protein-rich ingredients like cottage cheese and eggs. No protein powder required and they make a great breakfast or post workout snack.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try these Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes, no protein powder required, for a quick meal or snack!” quote=”Try these Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes, no protein powder required, for a quick meal or snack!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay-

Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars

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These Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars are perfect for breakfast or an after school snack. They’re healthy, kid-friendly and easy to make. Plus they’re vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free!

These Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars are perfect for breakfast or an after school snack. They're healthy, kid-friendly and easy to make. Plus they're vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free!

Hi friends!

Allow me to introduce you to a new favorite snack at our house: Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars. With back to school season approaching, I’ve had a couple requests for recipes that are good for packed lunches and after school snacks.

These bars certainly fit the bill! I’d been wanting to create something with the peanut butter chickpea combo for a while now. I was able to nail the flavor and consistency of these bars on the first try but finding a baking vessel took a few tries. The first time, I baked them in a 9×9 square pan and they were just a bit too thin. The next time I tried them in a loaf pan and they were way to thick. The third time, I baked them in the 9×9 pan and just left about an inch or so of the pan empty on one side and that got them to my desired thickness. They don’t really spread out while baking so it’s easy to leave some open space. You could also try them in an 8×8 pan.

Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars

These Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars are perfect for breakfast or an after school snack. They're healthy, kid-friendly and easy to make. Plus they're vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free!

I drizzled mine with chocolate but you could leave that off if you wanted. You could also mix some chocolate chips into the batter which I’m going to try next time.

These Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars are perfect for breakfast or an after school snack. They're healthy, kid-friendly and easy to make. Plus they're vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free!

I took these pictures while Little Miss was awake and was quickly reminded why I usually save photos for naptime. She made it quite clear when she was ready for the photo shoot to be over…and even helped herself to a bar.


Like I said, these are super simple to make in the food processor and require just a few ingredients. Squish helped me make a batch or two! Here’s how you make them:

Print

Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars

These Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars are perfect for breakfast or an after school snack. They're healthy, kid-friendly and easy to make. Plus they're vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free!
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 7 reviews


  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: Makes 8 bars 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1 can chickpeas (drain and rinse but reserve the liquid)
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 Tbsp liquid from chickpea can

Instructions

Place the oats in a food processor and process for about 30 seconds. 
Add chickpeas and pulse several times. 
Add remaining ingredients and process until well mixed and a ball starts to form. 
Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper. 
Scoop the dough into the middle of the pan. It will be pretty sticky. 
Get your fingers wet and then work quickly to spread the dough to the corners of the pan. You may need to re-wet them a couple of times. Leave about an inch open on one side of the pan. 
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. 
Let cool, cut into 8 bars, drizzle with melted chocolate chips and sprinkle with sea salt.


Notes


I would recommend taking a taste of the dough before you put it in the pan. If it’s not sweet enough for you, you could add a little more maple syrup but both of my kids liked these just fine.

These Peanut Butter Chickpea Bars are perfect for breakfast or an after school snack. They're healthy, kid-friendly and easy to make. Plus they're vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free!

Want more chickpea recipes? Try:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Blackberry Crumble Bars

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Serve these Blackberry Crumble Bars for a healthy dessert everyone will love! Make them with fresh or frozen blackberries and serve them for a party or a kid-friendly evening treat.

Serve these Blackberry Crumble Bars for a healthy dessert everyone will love! Make them with fresh or frozen blackberries and serve them for a party or a kid-friendly evening treat.

Hi friends!

Allow me to introduce you to this beautiful dessert! This recipe was actually published on my blog way back in like 2011 but a couple years ago I took it down because the photos were terrible. Believe it or not, these have actually been one of my favorite desserts to make at Christmas for many years because you can easily use frozen blackberries and they’re a fun way to add a little twist to more traditional cookie trays.

blackberry picking

They’ve been on my list to reshoot for years and I’ve never gotten around to it. Until now. A couple weekends ago we went blackberry and peach picking and came home with A LOT of blackberries. I immediately thought of these bars and after testing them out with fresh blackberries and even successfully tweaking the recipe to make it a bit healthier, I knew it was time to share them with you guys!

Blackberry Crumble Bars

Serve these Blackberry Crumble Bars for a healthy dessert everyone will love! Make them with fresh or frozen blackberries and serve them for a party or a kid-friendly evening treat.

We gobbled up this most recent batch last week, enjoying them for dessert and even for an occasional afternoon snack. They do require a little bit of advance preparation because you need to give them blackberry chia jam time to cool and thicken, but making both the jam and the bars themselves is quite simple.

Here’s how you make them:

Print

Blackberry Crumble Bars

Serve these Blackberry Crumble Bars for a healthy dessert everyone will love! Make them with fresh or frozen blackberries and serve them for a party or a kid-friendly evening treat.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

1 from 1 review

Serve these Blackberry Crumble Bars for a healthy dessert everyone will love! Make them with fresh or frozen blackberries and serve them for a party or a kid-friendly evening treat.

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Yield: Makes 12–16 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

To Make Jam

  • 3 cups fresh (or frozen) blackberries
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup, optional
  • 3 Tbsp chia seeds

To Make Bars:

  • 8 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups rolled oats, divided
  • 1.5 cups blackberry jam (made using recipe above)

Instructions

  1. Place blackberries (and maple syrup if using) in a saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Smash blackberries and bring mixture to a boil.
  3. Add chia seeds, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  4. Transfer jam to a bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  5. When ready to make the bars, combine melted butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in a large bowl and mix well.
  6. Add flour, baking soda and 1.5 cups oats and stir to combine.
  7. Press 2/3 of the mixture into a 9×9 pan (greased or lined with parchment paper).
  8. Add remaining 1/2 cup oats to remaining 1/3 of the mixture and mix well.
  9. Spread 1.5 cups of the chia jam you made earlier over the mixture in the pan.
  10. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top.
  11. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
  12. Let cool before cutting.

Notes

I store these in the fridge!
If your blackberries are on the sweeter side, you don’t need to add the maple syrup. I only added it because mine were pretty tart.

Aren’t they pretty!? I haven’t done it, but you could easily substitute your favorite berry if you’re not a fan of blackberries. Strawberries would be delicious!

Serve these Blackberry Crumble Bars for a healthy dessert everyone will love! Make them with fresh or frozen blackberries and serve them for a party or a kid-friendly evening treat.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Have a dessert craving? Try these Blackberry Crumble Bars for a sweet treat after dinner!” quote=”Have a dessert craving? Try these Blackberry Crumble Bars for a sweet treat after dinner!”]

Let’s chat:
Have you been to any you-pick farms this summer? What’s your favorite thing to pick?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

What is Choline?

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What is choline? Learn more about this essential nutrient, why it’s important, especially for pregnant women, and how to make sure you’re getting enough.

what is choline?

This post is sponsored by “Balchem, a nutritional ingredient supplier.”

Hi friends!

Today we’re kicking off something new and exciting on the blog today. As you guys know, I’m a Registered Dietitian. I’ve always had a passion for child nutrition and since becoming a mom myself, my interest in pre- and postnatal nutrition for moms has also grown. I’ve been thinking for a while now about starting a series that’s a bit more nutrition-focused to compliment the healthy recipes I share on the blog. I want to help educate moms about some of the nutrients that are most important for moms and kids!

When I saw the American Medical Association (AMA) release a statement on the importance of choline for developing infants, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to kick off the series! So, let’s get started.

First of all, what is choline? If you’re not sure, don’t worry, you’re not alone! Although it’s been recognized as an essential nutrient for almost 20 years, research has found that 65% of Americans do not even know what choline is. And, not only are we not aware of it, we’re also not consuming enough of it. In fact, according to a recent study, 90% of people are not consuming adequate amounts of choline.1 For reference, the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) is 550mg per day.2. However, most women are getting less than half of the choline they need, even though it’s super important during pregnancy for both mom and baby.

choline

Why is it so important? Similar to folic acid, choline protects against neural tube defects in early pregnancy and is important for healthy brain growth in babies. In fact, the importance of choline for both mom and baby prompted the AMA to release this statement, which mandates that all prenatal vitamins should now include evidence-based amounts of choline. Currently, most prenatal vitamins only include 0-55mg of choline, leaving the majority of pregnant and lactating women without enough dietary choline to protect the health and development of their babies.

Balchem Choline Food Sources

So, you may be wondering, what’s the best way to ensure you’re consuming enough choline? First, consider including foods abundant in choline into your diet. Here are the top 8 Choline food sources: beef liver, wheat germ cereal, brussels sprouts, beef and poultry, collards, lima beans and edamame, whole eggs and salmon.

pregnancy

If you’re pregnant and looking to add more foods high in choline into your diet, here’s a sample meal plan that may give you some ideas. It’s also important to note that since the highest amounts of choline tend to be found in meat and eggs and other animal based foods, some vegans and vegetarians may find it difficult to consume enough choline through diet alone. Further, even if you are not following a vegan or vegetarian diet, it still remains challenging to meet the RDI of 550 mg per day through food sources. If you’re worried about your intake, talk to a Registered Dietitian or healthcare professional about adding a choline supplement or a multivitamin to your daily routine.

For more information on choline, and to learn more about how choline can fit into a variety of meal plans, be sure to check out these meal planning resources.

[clickToTweet tweet=”What is Choline? If you don’t know, you’re not alone. Click to learn why it’s so important!” quote=”What is Choline? If you don’t know, you’re not alone. Click to learn why it’s so important!”]

I hope you guys found this helpful! If there are other nutrients or nutrition topics related to pregnancy, child nutrition, etc. that you’d like to see covered in this series, be sure to let me know in the comments or via email!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

1.Wallace TA and Fulgoni VL 3rd. Assessment of Total Choline Intakes in the United States, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2015.1080127. Published online February 17, 2016.

  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. 21 CFR §101. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/ pkg/FR-2016-05-27/pdf/2016-11867.pdf. Revised May 27, 2016. Effective July 26, 2016. Accessed May 25, 2017.

How To Handle Toddler Meltdowns

by 33 Comments

Learn how to handle toddler meltdowns! It’s a healthy way for kids to work through their problems and a good approach for parents to take with young kids.

Learn how to handle toddler meltdowns! It's a healthy way for kids to work through their problems and a good approach for parents to take with young kids.

Hi friends!

If you’re here because of the title of this post, let me cut right to the chase for you:

Question: How to handle toddler meltdowns?
Answer: Let them happen.

I planned to share a recipe with you guys today but then yesterday we had quite a day. Toddler meltdowns have been on my heart a lot lately so I thought I’d just share a few words on that instead. I would consider my son an expert on the subject of meltdowns and as such, I’m getting lots of practice dealing with them.

The bottom line is: I let my kid cry a lot. And here’s why:

toddler meltdown

Toddlers need to cry. It’s the best and sometimes only way for them to process their emotions, especially before they can put their feelings into words. I have a strong willed child – this is a good article on that subject. I compromise a lot. But I’m also willing to stand my ground. And that means he doesn’t always get his way. And he doesn’t like it. So he cries. And by cries I mean more like ear-splitting full volume wails coupled with his little body vibrating in anger, occasionally coming close to hyperventilating, often throwing himself on the ground…full on meltdowns.

And more often than not, I ignore him.

There is at least one point in every single day where I question what I’m doing as a parent. When I get totally overwhelmed, I like to go back and read articles I’ve saved over the past few years that help me feel somewhat validated, like maybe I’m doing ok at this whole parenting thing

A few weeks ago I read this article on Romper called 8 Thinks You’re Teaching Your Child When You Ignore A Tantrum and boy did it resonate with me. By ignoring him, often leaving him alone in a room if I can safely do so (ie if we’re at home), I’m hoping to teach him that his behavior won’t help him get what he wants. If I say no TV, and he screams and screams, the answer is still no TV. I don’t care if he does it for an hour. It’s not going to change my mind.

toddler meltdown

I am always checking on him to make sure he’s ok and safe, and I’m more than willing to hold him, encourage him to take deep breaths or give him a hug if he needs it, or talk about the problem once he calms down…but in the moment, I can tune out a meltdown with the best of them.

Of course, each tantrum is unique and I do vary my approach depending on the situation, especially if we’re out in public. That does NOT mean I give in when we’re in public just to keep him quiet. I still let him have his meltdowns in the grocery store or at the park…but if we are in an enclosed space or he’s disrupting a party or other gathering with his screams, I will typically remove him from the room and let him cry elsewhere.

In addition, I do my best to let him work through whatever is going on, without letting it affect my mood…but it doesn’t always work.

toddler meltdown

Let’s take yesterday as an example:

Yesterday I woke up to face day 3 of solo parenting as hubby was on a business trip. I had a sore throat and a headache and I was tired from staying up late to work after the kids went to bed. We were supposed to join our local moms group for a trip to a small farm not far from our house. I’ve been a member of this mom’s group since we moved a year ago but only went to a couple events last summer and then went on a bit of a hiatus after baby was born. So, this was pretty much a totally new group of moms and kids. As an introvert, putting myself out there to meet new people is hard for me, but it’s something I’ve been working on this year….so I got the kids up, ready to go and off we went to the farm.

Squish was excited when we got there, we introduced ourselves to a few people and things got started around 9am. Squish noticed some small tractors that he wanted to investigate. The rest of the group was heading in the opposite direction, towards the garden and chicken coop. I told him now was not the time for the tractors and we’d come back to them later. Instant meltdown.

Squish spent the majority of the next 45 minutes standing about 50 yards away from everyone else, screaming his head off while all the other kids listened politely, met the chickens, planted seeds in the garden, etc.

toddler meltdown

I wanted nothing more than to give in and let him do what he wanted so he would be quiet.

Does it suck when your kid is the one misbehaving? Yes.

Was it embarrassing for me that this was the first impression we were making on this new moms group? A little bit.

But I stuck with my philosophy and let him cry. When he calmed down and told me he wanted to go home, I did the following:
1) Asked him several times if he was sure. (Yes)
2) Told him about the things we would be doing soon like petting goats, riding a pony etc. (Don’t want to see pony. Want to go home)
3) Reminded him that if we went home, we wouldn’t be having a snack or watching a show. (Want to go home)
4) Put him and the baby in the car and went home.

When we got home, I gave him the option of playing with his toys or laying down in his bed. He screamed for another hour while sitting at the top of the stairs, and then laid down and took a 2 hours nap.

I used the time to finish a work project and re-read this article that I’d saved last week: The Train Analogy That Will Change How You See Your Child Crying.

If you’re a parent, definitely go read the article. Here’s what it says at the end:

So the next time your child is deeply frustrated, angry, or upset, remember what the job of a parent really is.

The job of a parent is to:

  • Provide comfort through the frustration.
  • Draw out our child’s cleansing tears.
  • Show empathy to our child’s struggle.
  • Allow the life lesson to be learned naturally—not through preaching.
  • Support our child’s journey through the emotional tunnel.

The job of a parent is NOT to get our child to stop crying as quickly as possible. Tears are a sign of parental success, not failure.

When Squish woke up from his nap it was like we’d hit the reset button on the day and we were both refreshed and happier.

toddler hug

So the next time your toddler has a meltdown, try this:

  1. Let them cry. It’s not your job to get them quiet immediately. Move them to a different location if necessary but still give them time to work through it.
  2. Remind yourself that you’re not alone. Other parents have been in your shoes. Phone (or maybe text) a friend for moral support if needed.
  3. Remind yourself that ignoring a tantrum doesn’t make you a bad parent.
  4. Take a deep breath…or two…or five. Both of you will be ok. It can be hard to watch and listen to your child scream but it won’t last forever and they’re learning valuable lessons.
  5. When they’re done, give them a hug, talk about it and move on with your day!

I recognize that this approach might not work for everyone, and that’s ok. I’m certainly not a parenting expert…just an average mom doing the best I can.

But I wanted to share my experience in case it helps give someone out there some encouragement that they’re doing a great job as a parent, even if it’s hard and doesn’t always feel like it.

Learn how to handle toddler meltdowns in a way that's healthy for the child and the parents!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Wondering how to handle toddler meltdowns? Check out this approach!” quote=”Wondering how to handle toddler meltdowns? Check out this approach!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup

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This Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup recipe is dairy-free and packed with summer vegetables. Perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner in under 30 minutes.

This Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup recipe is dairy-free and packed with summer vegetables. Perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner in under 30 minutes.

Hi friends!

You guys didn’t think I forgot about my Instant Pot did you? Don’t have one yet? Snag one here! (affiliate link) As you know, I bought mine back in November and have continued to use it pretty much every single week since then.

This most recent creation was an experiment that turned out SO well. It was loosely inspired by my Salmon Corn Chowder. For some reason, I crave chowder in the summer. I think it’s because I grew up eating this Easy Fish Chowder at my aunt’s house every summer. However, although I’m not completely dairy-free, I have continued to minimize my intake while nursing Little Miss…so my two go-to chowders were out of the running this summer.

Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup

This Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup recipe is dairy-free and packed with summer vegetables. Perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner in under 30 minutes.

Instead, I grabbed a can of coconut milk from the pantry and took a risk combining some summer veggies like yellow squash, zucchini, peppers and corn with a non-traditional soup ingredient – peanut butter!

The end result was epically delicious – if you like coconut. The flavor of the coconut milk definitely shines through and it’s balanced well by the peanut butter. Then add a healthy squirt of sriracha and you’ve got yourself a spicy bowl of goodness! Plus it’s fast. A few minutes of chopping veggies and chicken, a few minutes for the instant pot to heat up and 10 minutes under pressure and boom!

Here’s how you make it:

Print

Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup

This Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup recipe is dairy-free and packed with summer vegetables. Perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner in under 30 minutes.
Print Recipe

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This Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup recipe is dairy-free and packed with summer vegetables. Perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner in under 30 minutes.

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 strips bacon, diced
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 1.5 cups sweet potato, diced
  • 1 cup red pepper, diced
  • 1 cup zucchini, diced
  • 1 cup summer squash, diced
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernals
  • 1–2 Tbsp fresh ginger, depending on how much you like the flavor
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth
  • 1.5 pounds chicken breast, diced
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 can coconut milk (i used full fat)
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • optional garnishes: green onions, chopped peanuts, sriracha

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to Saute. Add bacon and onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Turn Instant Pot off. 

Add all remaining ingredients except coconut milk and peanut butter and stir to combine. 

Use manual mode and set Instant Pot for 10 minutes. 

Use quick release, remove cover and add coconut milk and peanut butte. Stir to combine. 

Serve warm with optional garnishes if desired.

Notes


Think you can handle it? I leave the sriracha out to let everyone add their own, but if everyone you’re making it for likes it spicy, feel free to add it in! The spicy kick is definitely what takes it to the next level.

This Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup recipe is dairy-free and packed with summer vegetables. Perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner in under 30 minutes.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Looking for a new summer soup? Try this Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup for dinner!” quote=”Looking for a new summer soup? Try this Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken Soup for dinner.”]

Let’s chat:

What’s your favorite summer soup?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

6 Months of Food Prep

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I challenged myself to 6 months of food prep. That means every weekend for six months straight, I spent at least some time prepping food for the week ahead. Here’s what I learned and why I recommend it.

I challenged myself to 6 months of food prep. That means every weekend for six months straight, I spent at least some time prepping food for the week ahead. Here's why I think you should make it part of your weekly routine.

Hi friends!

Can you believe we’re already halfway through 2017? I thought I would pop in today to tell you about a little goal I set for myself way back in January. You guys know I’ve been a huge fan of food prep forever right? I think that it’s something almost everyone can benefit from and it’s my number one tip when it comes to healthy eating.

When Little Miss was born in November of last year, I (not surprisingly) had several weeks where I didn’t do any food prep. I had stocked the freezer in preparation, my parents were in town, my husband was off work, etc so it wasn’t really a huge deal. However, as the new year approached, I knew I would need to get back on track at some point. I’m not a huge goal setter, but I challenged myself to do at least a little food prep every weekend for the first 6 months of the year to help make life a little easier.

In January, we had a 7-week old baby and a 2-year-old toddler. My husband and I were both working full-time, I was watching the kids full-time and we also owned a CrossFit gym. There’s no question we were busy but there’s also no doubt that food prep was a huge help.

Here’s what so many weeks in a row taught me:

  • It really does become a habit. Sure there were weeks when I didn’t want to do it, but for the most part, after a few weeks I just automatically started thinking of it as part of my Sunday schedule and making time to fit it into my day.
  • You just have to start. Some weeks were easy, some weeks were hard. There were weeks when I prepped food with a screaming baby in the Ergo and a screaming toddler at my feet. There were weeks when I had to prep on Monday morning because we were too busy or the kids skipped their naps. There were weeks when I was so tired that standing around in the kitchen was the absolute last thing wanted to do. But I did some. Every week. And most weeks I found that if I just committed to half an hour, it wasn’t so bad and I usually got into a groove and ended up doing more. And I never regretted it.
  • We struggle without it. There are a lot of different ways to food prep. You can prep whole meals, meal components, just one meal or snack, etc. I tend to focus a lot on snacks, breakfasts for Squish and dinner components. When I don’t do food prep, there are a lot more toddler meltdowns because I can’t get his meals and snacks ready as quickly. I find myself doing more mindless eating and grazing because I don’t have healthy snacks easily accessible to keep me full. And we often end up eating out much more frequently because I’m too tired or too busy or too lazy to put together dinner if I don’t have a food prep head start.

So, the bottom line is…anyone CAN do food prep. Even if you’re busy or tired…you just have to make it a priority. But I promise it’ll pay off.

Just to be clear, no I don’t think you need to do it EVERY single weekend to be successful. Take a weekend off here or there if you need to, but I do encourage you to make it part of your regular routine! If you want more food prep tips, check out my ebook: The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep or any of the other food prep posts I’ve written. I also have a Freezer Magic ebook full of freezer-friendly recipes.

I challenged myself to 6 months of food prep. That means every weekend for six months straight, I spent at least some time prepping food for the week ahead. Here's what I learned and why I recommend it.

I rounded up all 26 of my food prep photos in case you want a closer look at what I typically prep or need some ideas! I also linked to the blog post I wrote for each week. Some have further details about our week including pictures of what I ended up making for meals with the food I prepped so feel free to check them out!

food prep

Week 1

  • Tuna Salad
  • Sweet Potato Bites
  • Instant Pot Almond Butter Chicken (was just ok. never ended up perfecting the recipe.
  • Instant Pot Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
  • Squash Yogurt Dip
  • Carrots & Greek Hummus Topping for snacking
  • Salsa Verde – Just cut about 10 tomatillos in half and roasted them at 400 for 20 min, drained the liquid and put them in the blender with some chopped onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro.
  • Enchiladas – I mixed homemade salsa verde with pulled pork, black beans, red peppers, onions and cheese and used it as the filling for my enchiladas. Just portion it into a few tortillas, put some enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan, add the rolled up tortillas, top with more sauce and cheese and bake covered with foil at 350 for about 25 min.

IMG 2258

Week 2

  • Carrots
  • Asian chicken noodle soup. (Another recipe that’s still on my list to perfect enough to share – basically chicken noodle soup except with extra veggies, ginger, some soy sauce and rice noodles)
  • Zoodles for this Chicken Sausage Skillet
  • Lettuce for salads
  • Sweet potatoes – just slice a few slits and microwave 2 at a time for 6-7 minutes
  • Double batch of these Paleo Turkey Sweet Potato Meatballs – stuffed w/ mozzarella cheese
  • PB Banana Oat Muffins – in a mini muffin tin
  • Whole Wheat Yogurt Waffles – prepped for the freezer

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Week 3

food prep

Week 4

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Week 5

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Week 6

  • Roasted squash
  • Cheese stuffed meatballs – just basic meatballs with chunks of cut up string cheese in each one
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Hummus topping
  • Roasted green beans – tossed in Italian dressing and roasted at 425 for 10 minutes or so
  • Homemade guac
  • Carrots for snacking
  • Popcorn Snack Mix

IMG 4276

Week 7

  • Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin
  • Instant pot shredded chicken
  • Roasted sweet potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Lettuce for salad
  • Coconut Oil Banana Muffins
  • Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

IMG 4616

Week 8

food prep

Week 9

  • Instant Pot Hummus Chicken
  • Cottage cheese bisquick pancakes- just replaced 3/4 cup of the milk with cottage cheese to make Bisquick pancakes as directed
  • Roasted sweet potatoes
  • Tuna salad
  • Egg Wraps
  • Hummus topping
  • Meatloaf- random recipe my sister chose to make while she was here
  • Sweet Potato Protein Cookies
  • Chopped veggies and lettuce

food prep

Week 10

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Week 11

food prep

Week 12

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Week 13

food prep

Week 14

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Week 15

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Week 16

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Week 17

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Week 18

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Week 19

  • 5 Minute Breakfast Hash
  • Carrots
  • Turkey Tenderloins in this marinade
  • Lettuce
  • BBQ Chicken for lettuce wraps – just baked chicken, peppers, onions, corn and black beans mixed with bbq sauce.
  • Hummus topping
  • Ground beef & mushrooms for tacos
  • Corn on the cob and sweet potatoes for sides

food prep

Week 20

1 hour of food prep

Week 21

food prep

Week 22

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Week 23

food prep

Week 24

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Week 25

  • Carrots and cucumbers for snacking
  • Green beans with tomatoes and Italian dressing
  • Lettuce for salads
  • Baby bok choy sauteed with bacon, peppers and corn
  • Sweet Potato Bites
  • Hummus topping
  • Grapes
  • Microwaved sweet potato
  • Roasted potatoes
  • Extra bell peppers chopped and ready to be frozen for later

IMG 0587 e1500032540994

Week 26

 

30+ Ways To Use Leftover Chicken

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Looking for ways to use leftover chicken? Here are 30+ recipes that call for pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken to help you transform your leftovers into healthy new lunches or dinners!

Looking for ways to use leftover chicken? Here are 30+ recipes that call for pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken to help you transform your leftovers into healthy new lunches or dinners!

Hi friends!

As I mentioned in my last food prep post, I recently found myself with like 8 grilled chicken breasts that were leftover after a party we had over the weekend. So, I spent the whole week that followed thinking of ways to use leftover chicken. I came up with some pretty good ideas but it got me thinking that some of you might often find yourself in a similar situation.

To help you out, I rounded up over 30 ideas from my blogging friends to inspire you. All of these recipes call for pre-cooked, leftover or rotisserie chicken. Use them to transform your leftover chicken into some totally new and delicious lunches and dinners!

Ways To Use Leftover Chicken

buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes

Mix chicken with a flavorful sauce and stuff it in a sweet potato!
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes via Peas & Crayons

Combine leftover chicken with a few other ingredients for a quick soup.
Thai Coconut Chicken Soup via Fannetastic Food

one skillet chicken broccoli and rice

Combine pre-cooked chicken with broccoli and rice for a quick skillet dinner!
Skillet Chicken Broccoli and Rice via Amanda’s Cookin’

Throw a few extra chicken breasts on the grill to make this dinner later in the week.
Grilled Chicken Parmesan via Mom to Mom Nutrition

cajun cauliflower tot chicken casserole

Add some cajun seasonings and top with cauli-tots!
Cajun Cauliflower Tater Tot Casserole via Food Faith Fitness

Add leftover chicken to this Mexican-inspired pasta salad.
Southwest Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad via From Valerie’s Kitchen

Asian Chicken Mason Jar Salad web 4

Use leftover chicken to prep lunch for a few days!
Asian Chicken Mason Jar Salads via Joyful Healthy Eats

Use pesto sauce and pre-cooked chicken to make a quick pizza.
Chicken Pesto Pizza via The Blond Cook

miso mango chicken salad

Use a few flavorful ingredients to transform leftover chicken into these wraps.
Miso Mango Chicken Salad Cabbage Wraps via Cotter Crunch

Add a little crunch to your next meal.
Crispy Chicken Apple Cabbage Salad via Nutmeg Nanny

almond sesame asian salad

Transform plain leftover chicken with these Asian flavors.
Almond and Sesame Asian Chicken Salad via Foolproof Living

Add chicken and quinoa for a quick dinner bake.
Cheddar Chicken Quinoa Bake via Running to the Kitchen

This Strawberry Chicken Spinach Power Salad is perfect for summer! It's packed with protein, fresh produce & nuts and topped with a lemon poppyseed dressing. A great recipe for lunch or dinner!

Use leftover chicken as the base for this summer salad.
Strawberry Chicken and Spinach Power Salad via The Lean Green Bean

Combine chicken with warm spinach, bacon and peaches for a summer lunch.
Warm Spinach & Bacon Salad with Chicken via The Lean Green Bean

blueberry corn chicken salad

Mix leftover chicken with summer produce like corn and blueberries.
Blueberry Corn Chicken Salad via Eating Bird Food

Throw pre-cooked chicken in some tacos and top with a flavorful sauce.
Baked Chicken Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Sauce  via The Lean Green Bean

bbq tater tot chicken salad

Combine rotisserie chicken with sauce and tater tots in this salad!
BBQ Chicken Tater Tot Salad via Love and Zest

Transform leftovers into Italian comfort food.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stuffed Shells For Two via The Spiffy Cookie

asian chicken chopped salad

Serve leftover chicken over lettuce with a tasty peanut sauce.
Asian Chopped Chicken Salad With Spicy Peanut Dressing via Healthy Aperture

Combine with Mexican flavors for an easy lunch.
Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad via Abbey’s Kitchen

chicken pesto artichoke naan pizza

Use naan to make quick, flavorful pizzas.
Chicken Pesto Artichoke & Feta Naan Pizza via NeighborFood

Use cooked chicken in this one pot dinner.
One Pot Lemon Parmesan Pasta via Happy Healthy Mama

chicken taquitos

Whip up this finger food appetizer idea!
Baked Chicken Taquitos via Two Peas and their Pod

Throw it back to your childhood with this classic.
Whole Wheat Chicken Pot Pie via Real Mom Nutrition

roasted roots and chicken power bowl

Combine rotisserie chicken with roasted veggies for a balanced dinner.
Roasted Roots and Chicken Power Bowl with Maple Aioli via Girl Carnivore

Add leftover chicken to fresh veggies for a quick salad.
Thai Cucumber Chicken Salad via The Fit Cookie

chicken and corn chowder

Turn leftover chicken into a quick summer chowder.
Light Turkey (Or Chicken) Corn Chowder via Cookin’ Canuck

The kids will love these easy taco cups.
Chicken Taco Cups via Jessica Spiro RD

IMG 9848

These naan wraps mixed with peach salsa scream summer!
Chicken & Peach Grilled Naan Salad Wraps via The Organic Kitchen

A quick weeknight meal the whole family will love.
Chicken Chilaquiles via Healthy Seasonal Recipes

thai chicken and sweet potato noodle bowls

Pair sweet potato noodles with asian flavors and leftover chicken.
Thai Chicken & Sweet Potato Noodle Bowls via Allergy Free Alaska

Mix chicken and wheatberries with veggies for a fresh new dinner.
Chicken & Wheatberry Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts via Domesticate Me

Bonus idea? 2 Ingredient Dog Treats for your furry friend

Anything catch your eye? Pin this post or share with a friend!

Looking for ways to use leftover chicken? Here are 30+ recipes that call for pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken to help you transform your leftovers into healthy new lunches or dinners!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Looking for ways to use up leftover chicken? Here are 30+ healthy recipe ideas to try!” quote=”Looking for ways to use up leftover chicken? Here are 30+ healthy recipe ideas to try!”]

Got a favorite leftover chicken recipe? Leave it in the comments!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Vanilla Cake Parfaits

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These Vanilla Cake Parfaits are the perfect dessert. Adults and kids will love the layers of cake cubes, yogurt and fresh fruit. Assemble it ahead of time or set up a DIY parfait bar and let people build their own!

These Vanilla Cake Parfaits are the perfect dessert. Adults and kids will love the layers of cake cubes, yogurt and fresh fruit. Assemble it ahead of time or set up a DIY parfait bar and let people build their own!

Thanks to siggi’s dairy for sponsoring this post.

Hi friends!

These Vanilla Cake Parfaits are another recipe I created for my partnership with my friends at siggi’s dairy this year. So far I’ve shared:

Go check them out if you missed them!

These parfaits are the perfect party dessert. You can assemble a giant parfait in a big bowl for people to scoop from, or set up a DIY parfait bar and let people build their own.

The homemade cake is made with siggi’s yogurt and is lower in sugar than a traditional cake. The yogurt helps make it moist and a little spongier than a traditional birthday cake….but that actually helps it hold up better in these parfaits.

These Vanilla Cake Parfaits are the perfect dessert. Adults and kids will love the layers of cake cubes, yogurt and fresh fruit. Assemble it ahead of time or set up a DIY parfait bar and let people build their own!

If baking isn’t your forte, don’t panic. This cake is made with just a few simple ingredients and is so easy to make! Of course, you could use a store-bought cake or box of cake mix, but the ingredient list will probably be a little longer and the sugar content a little higher. What I love about making the cake with siggi’s is that it allowed me to cut back on the butter and sugar without losing flavor…plus it adds a little protein punch!

These Vanilla Cake Parfaits are the perfect dessert. Adults and kids will love the layers of cake cubes, yogurt and fresh fruit. Assemble it ahead of time or set up a DIY parfait bar and let people build their own!

As far as the parfaits themselves, all you need is more siggi’s yogurt and some freshly cut fruit. I used siggi’s 4% vanilla in the cake and siggi’s 2% coconut in the parfaits. The light coconut flavor pairs well with the vanilla cake and the fruits I chose – including cherries, peaches, blueberries and kiwi. Feel free to try other siggi’s flavors if you prefer – they have some great choices like mixed berry, black cherry, mango and strawberry rhubarb that would also taste great!

So here’s the recipe:

Print

Vanilla Cake Parfaits

These Vanilla Cake Parfaits are the perfect dessert. Adults and kids will love the layers of cake cubes, yogurt and fresh fruit. Assemble it ahead of time or set up a DIY parfait bar and let people build their own!
Print Recipe

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These Vanilla Cake Parfaits are the perfect dessert. Adults and kids will love the layers of cake cubes, yogurt and fresh fruit. Assemble it ahead of time or set up a DIY parfait bar and let people build their own!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: makes one round 8 in cake 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 Tbsp butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup siggi’s yogurt (vanilla or coconut)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • additional siggis yogurt for layering
  • diced mixed fruit (blueberries, cherries, peaches, kiwis, mangos, strawberries, etc)

Instructions

In a large bowl, beat butter, yogurt, sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add milk, flour and baking powder and mix until just combined.

Pour into a greased 8 inch round cake pan (i line the bottom of mine with parchment paper) and bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.

Let cool, then cut into cubes of desired size.

To assemble parfaits, layer yogurt, fruit and cake cubes in bowls or mason jars and serve.

Aren’t they pretty?! They’d be perfect for your upcoming 4th of July party!

These Vanilla Cake Parfaits are the perfect dessert. Adults and kids will love the layers of cake cubes, yogurt and fresh fruit. Assemble it ahead of time or set up a DIY parfait bar and let people build their own!

Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites

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These Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites are a kid-friendly treat that makes a fun, healthy dessert alternative to cookies or cake.

These Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites are a kid-friendly treat that make a fun, healthy dessert alternative to cookies or cake.

Hi friends!

Let’s talk dessert today because boy do I need it. This post was supposed to go up yesterday and clearly, it didn’t. We’ve had a rough few days over here trying to adjust to the toddler being in a big boy bed, no naps, crankiness, etc and then Squish woke up with a fever and sore throat this morning.

It’s time for this month’s recipe redux and honestly, I was going to skip this month. This week has drained me and I was feeling uninspired and I had pretty much given myself a pass when I randomly had this genius idea. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I often make French toast waffles for Squish to eat for breakfast during my food prep sessions.

By French toast waffles, I mean just what it sounds like. Dip bread in egg and milk mixture but instead of throwing on a griddle, throw it in a waffle iron for a minute or two. They’re a staple in our house because they’re great for breakfasts and snacks.

Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites

These Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites are a kid-friendly treat that makes a fun, healthy dessert alternative to cookies or cake.

Yesterday I had the brilliant idea to make a dessert twist. I stepped up my french toast game by sprinkling on a little cinnamon and sugar mixture, some rainbow sprinkles and a little melted white chocolate drizzle and boom! You’ve got a little treat that looks like dessert, but it also relatively healthy thanks to the base of it being whole wheat bread and eggs!

I make this with my favorite – Dave’s Killer Bread. Not sponsored – i just love their bread. And I especially love their thin-sliced varieties which are perfect for this!

So here are your directions one more time. Adjust the quantities based on how many you want to make! French toast is very forgiving so the measurements don’t need to be exact.

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Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites

These Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites are a kid-friendly treat that make a fun, healthy dessert alternative to cookies or cake.
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These Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites are a kid-friendly treat that makes a fun, healthy dessert alternative to cookies or cake.

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 0 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: makes 24 - 36 bites 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 9 slices of thin-sliced bread (or about 6 regular slices)
  • 5 eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • rainbow sprinkles
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

In a pie tin, whisk together eggs and milk.

Dip a slice of bread into the mixture and turn until well-coated.

Place on a greased waffle iron. Sprinkle the top with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Add sprinkles as well if desired.

Close the lid and cook 1-2 minutes.

Remove and repeat with the rest of the bread slices.

Cut each piece of bread into 4 sections.

Melt chocolate chips, spoon into a ziploc bag, cut off the corner and drizzle over waffle bites. Top with more sprinkles if desired.

Notes

You can skip the sprinkles if you want.

You can also skip the white chocolate drizzle and just enjoy them topped with cinnamon and sugar.

You could also top with yogurt, ice cream, peanut butter, etc.

Aren’t they fun?! Like I said, skip the sprinkles or white chocolate if you want to. Try drizzling with peanut butter or topping a few with some yogurt or ice cream!

These Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites are a kid-friendly treat that makes a fun, healthy dessert alternative to cookies or cake.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Kids and adults alike will love these easy Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites for a treat!” quote=”Kids and adults alike will love these easy Dessert French Toast Waffle Bites for a treat!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

For more small bite dessert ideas, click the image below to check out the redux linkup!

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