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Berry Farro Breakfast Bowl

March 22, 2017 by Lindsay 11 Comments

This Berry Farro Breakfast Bowl recipe is a fun twist on overnight oats. Packed with protein and fiber, it’s a healthy breakfast option that’s ready in minutes!

Thanks to siggi’s dairy for sponsoring this post!

Hi friends!

I’m so excited to be teaming up with my friends at siggi’s this year to bring you some delicious recipes made with their Icelandic-style yogurt. I actually got the chance to meet Siggi himself a couple years ago at Blog Brulee and have been a huge fan ever since. Squish eats the plain 4% whole milk yogurt pretty much every morning for breakfast. He’d actually eat it with every meal if I let him. And they have so many delicious flavored options as well, which I love because they’re lower sugar, high in protein and made with simple ingredients. Win, win, win!

Lately, I’ve been working on coming up with some new breakfast ideas for Squish. As you may recall, he likes to eat ASAP when he wakes up so they have to be quick and this one certainly fits the bill!

It’s a twist on overnight oats using one of my favorite grains – farro. I use farro often in savory dishes but recently discovered it’s perfect for breakfast as well. I cooked a batch during my food prep session a couple weeks ago so I’d have it ready to go.

In the morning during the week, I just mixed the cold farro with a container of strawberry-rhubarb yogurt. Then I pulled out some frozen berries, threw them in the microwave and smashed them up for a quick sauce and poured it on top. I added a few chopped nuts and seeds and voila! You’ve got a delicious bowl of breakfast goodness. It’s the perfect combination of warm and cold, chewy and crunchy and sweet but not too sweet thanks to the lower sugar siggi’s yogurt.

You could also mix the farro and yogurt ahead of time, as well as prep the sauce if you prefer a cold sauce vs a warm one!

Here are your directions:

Berry Farro Breakfast Bowl

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This Berry Farro Breakfast Bowl recipe is a fun twist on overnight oats. Packed with protein and fiber, it’s a healthy breakfast option that’s ready in minutes!

Yield: serves 2

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup cooked farro, cold
2 containers siggi’s 4% whole milk strawberry rhubarb yogurt
½ cup frozen mixed berries
¼ mix of chopped nuts and pumpkin seeds

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Instructions

Divide farro into 2 bowls.
Mix one container of siggi’s yogurt into each bowl.
Microwave berries for 30 seconds and smash with a fork.
Top each bowl with half of the berry sauce and half of the nut seed mix.

You could easily double or triple this recipe. Feel free to sub your favorite siggi’s flavor or use all one kind of berries instead of mixed.

Squish woke up from his nap just as I was finishing this photo shoot and helped himself:

Look good? Pin it for later so you remember to make it!

Let’s chat:
What’s your favorite way to enjoy siggi’s yogurt?

Enjoy!
Lindsay

Instant Pot Shredded Hummus Chicken

March 21, 2017 by Lindsay 18 Comments

This Instant Pot Shredded Hummus Chicken is a simple, healthy recipe that can be made during food prep and served alone or in a wrap for a quick lunch or dinner.

Hi friends!

As you may have guessed by now, my love for the Instant Pot knows no bounds. (Here’s the {affiliate} link to the one I have) It’s time for another month of the Recipe Redux. This month the theme was “Spring Clean the Kitchen” and we were challenged to make a meal using at least 3 items that were currently in our fridge or pantry.

I’m gonna let you guys in a little secret: I’m pretty good at food prep (I even wrote The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep) but I’m not the best at meal planning. There was a time when I would sit down every week and plan out all of my meals for the week ahead. I think that’s a great idea and I regularly encourage people to do it. However, for me personally, I much prefer to just head to the store, stock up on some healthy staples and then throw things together during the week based on how I’m feeling.

I guess what I’m saying is…this challenge is pretty much what I do several times a week in the kitchen. I have a standard list of things I buy every single week at the store – eggs, milk, yogurt, bread, peanut butter, etc…and then some things that vary slightly week to week like specific vegetables, types of meat etc. Once my fridge is stocked, then I figure out how to turn all the components into a meal.

Instant Pot Shredded Hummus Chicken

This Instant Pot Shredded Hummus Chicken is something I’ve made a couple of times now. I make either shredded chicken or pork pretty much every week in my Instant Pot and I’m always looking for new ways to flavor it. (This Instant Pot Asian Chicken is one of my favs). When I was coming up with this recipe, I was looking for a new way to flavor the chicken. Hummus is one of those things I usually buy weekly. I’m terrible at remembering how much we have left week to week so I usually just grab a couple no matter what…which occasionally leaves us with a surplus.

Since I knew I needed a little liquid for cooking, I mixed it with some broth (which I always have in the pantry). Then I added some garlic and some sriracha (another pantry staple) to give it a kick. Mix it all together into a sauce, pour it over the chicken and boom! 20 minutes later the chicken is ready to shred and eat.

This chicken would be great on its own, served with some rice and veggies and is perfect for prepping during a food prep session. Last week I ate it a lot for lunch and I really enjoyed using it in a wrap. Tortillas, cheese, red peppers and avocados are also things I tend to always have on hand. I also keep some 100 cal Wholly Guacamole packs in the freezer for times I run out of fresh avocado!

So here’s the recipe:

Instant Pot Hummus Chicken

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This Instant Pot Shredded Hummus Chicken is a simple, healthy recipe that can be made during food prep and served alone or in a wrap for a quick lunch or dinner.

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes
Yield: serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup hummus (I use plain or Supremely Spicy)
1/2 cup broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 2 Tbsp sriracha (optional, to taste)
For wraps: tortillas, bell pepper strips, sliced cheese, avocado

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Instructions

Place chicken in the Instant Pot.
In a small bowl, mix hummus, broth, garlic and sriracha until well combined.
Pour sauce over chicken and stir to coat.
Cook in Instant Pot using the poultry button. (add a couple extra minutes if desired). Use quick release.
Remove chicken, shred and return to pot.
Serve immediately or use later to make wraps: Smash avocado and spread over whole wheat tortilla. Top with shredded chicken, bell pepper strips and cheese (optional). Place in a panini press until heated through.

This chicken will be a little bit liquidy. If you’re using it on a wrap, I’ve found it works better to make it ahead of time and let cool before using. If using it right after making, use a slotted spoon to add to your wrap. Play around with the amount of sriracha depending on how spicy you want it. I like to use spicy hummus AND add sriracha but you could easily use plain or roasted garlic and then add some for less spice.

You could also use this chicken on salads, nachos, in grain bowls, etc! If you don’t have an instant pot you could try this in a slow cooker….you just might need to add a little more broth.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Make this Instant Pot Hummus Chicken during food prep for easy lunches and dinners.” quote=”Make this Instant Pot Hummus Chicken during food prep for easy lunches and dinners.”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

For more recipe ideas using fridge and pantry staples, click the image below to check out this month’s redux linkup.

Cranberry Ginger Energy Bites

March 15, 2017 by Lindsay 3 Comments

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Quitter’s Circle, a collaboration between the American Lung Association and Pfizer. All thoughts and opinions presented in this post are purely my own.

These Cranberry Ginger Energy Bites are a healthy snack to power you through until lunch or dinner! Make them mini and enjoy a few when you need an energy boost!

Hey friends!

Time for another snack recipe. You may recall I’m teaming up with the folks behind Quitter’s Circle this year to share some healthy recipes that could be helpful to those trying to quit smoking, and are delicious enough for everyone to enjoy!

A few weeks ago I shared a recipe for Spicy Ranch Popcorn, which is great for keeping your hands (and mouth!) busy when an urge to smoke strikes and is definitely on the savory side.

Today I’m sharing these Cranberry Ginger Energy Bites. They’re a bit sweeter but not over-the-top dessert style sweet. I actually wanted to name them energy bits….because the whole point is to make them really small so you can enjoy a whole handful instead of just one big one that’s gone in a bite or two…but I was worried people would just think I misspelled bites.

So I went with bites which, in the end, is what they are. Just very small bites.

Instead of using all dates like I typically do in energy balls, I did half dates, half cranberries…which makes them a little more tart and the fresh ginger adds a burst of flavor that I love!

Here’s how you make them:

Cranberry Ginger Energy Bites

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These Cranberry Ginger Energy Bites are the perfect healthy snack to power you through until lunch or dinner! Make them mini and enjoy a few when you need an energy boost!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup almonds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp chia seeds
½ cup craisins
½ cup dates
1 – 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
¼ cup 100% pure pumpkin puree

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Instructions

Place the almonds and pumpkin seeds in a food processor and process until well chopped.
Add dates, cranberries, ginger and pumpkin and process until combined. Taste and add more ginger if desired.
Roll into balls and store in the freezer.

They’re super easy to make and stash in your freezer. Helpful for keeping your mouth busy when the urge to smoke strikes. Grab a handful and take a quick walk to help the urge pass. If you know someone trying to quit, these would make a great surprise treat for them! And even if you’re not trying to quit smoking, these are a great, healthy snack to have on hand. Full of healthy fats and flavor!

If you’re not worried about perfectly round balls, it’s much easier to divide the mixture into 5-6 pieces, place each in plastic wrap and squeeze into a long snake shape. Freezer for 15 minutes or so and then cut into small pieces.

[clickToTweet tweet=”#QuittingSmoking? Try these Cranberry Ginger Energy Bites! @LungAssociation @Pfizer #sponsored” quote=”#QuittingSmoking? Try these Cranberry Ginger Energy Bites! @LungAssociation @Pfizer #sponsored”]

Looking for more healthy snack ideas while quitting? You can find more at Quitter’s Circle, a website developed by Pfizer and the American Lung Association, with the goal of helping smokers successfully ditch smoking. Check out these 10 Healthy Quit Smoking Snacks.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

What My Toddler Chose To Eat

March 13, 2017 by Lindsay 37 Comments

A look at what my toddler chose to eat versus what I served him at each meal for a week.

Hi friends!

A couple weeks ago I shared this 50 Healthy Toddler Meals post where I showed you guys some of the meals I’ve been serving Squish lately. Today I thought we’d do something a little different. Whenever I share his meals, I get a lot of comments about how much he eats and what a good eater he is. Yes, he is a good eater…but before we get into today’s post, there are a few things I want to point out:

Squish has been at the top of the growth chart for both height and weight since he was born. He is big for his age.
Yes, he eats a lot. I recognize that his meals may be bigger than the meals that are served to other two year olds. And that’s perfectly fine. Every kid is different.
No, he is not the perfect eater. If given the option, he would live on fruit and bread. (He takes after his mama)

Last week I did my best to take before and after photos of each meal to give you guys an idea of what he eats. As you’ll see, there are plenty of time when he doesn’t eat everything on his plate…and plenty of time when he doesn’t eat his vegetables, just like most kids.

Am I worried about it? No.

I view it as my responsibility to serve him a variety of foods at meals and snacks (that includes things like cookies and donuts) throughout the week. It’s his responsibility to decide how much of it to will eat. If you’re familiar with Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility, you may recognize this philosophy.

I do my best to serve him a good mix of fruits, veggies, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats. Some days he eats well, some days he doesn’t. He has his favorite foods (pretty much any fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, cookies etc) and foods he’ll spit out pretty much any time I serve them (green beans, peppers, peas, etc). That doesn’t mean I stop serving them. I continue to put different meats and vegetables on his plate, in a variety of different forms, so that he’s exposed to them.

And it can be hard…and frustrating….and a lot of times I want to take the easy way out and just give him things I know he’ll eat….but one thing I’ve learned is that every time I want to give up, he goes and does something that surprises me like grabs a raw carrot to crunch on while watching TV or eating a whole floret of broccoli unprompted.

And it inspires me to keep doing what I’m doing! So here are his meals from last week:

Monday Lunch: Pulled pork + guacamole + Simple Mills crackers + kiwi + roasted green beans & Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs

He ate most of the pork, all the crackers, the sweet potato puffs and all the kiwi. I ended up giving him the second half of the kiwi and some extra guacamole as well.

Monday Dinner: Deconstructed chicken philly: Cheesy bun + chicken + sauteed peppers and onions + a clementine

I added some Annie’s Organic Ketchup to get him to eat some chicken. Sometimes I serve a dipping sauce with the meal, other times I serve it without to see if he’ll eat the meat without it. If he doesn’t, I usually offer him ketchup or hummus to get him to eat some. He left the peppers.

Tuesday Breakfast: Siggis 4% Whole Milk Blueberry yogurt + clementine + an egg wrap (he likes them cold so it’s easy to make them ahead of time and just pull one out in the morning)

He ate it all. He very rarely leaves anything behind at breakfast.

Tuesday Lunch: Strawberries + Roasted sweet potatoes + slice of thin-sliced Dave’s Killer Bread with Crazy Richard’s peanut butter and jelly + broccoli

He ate everything except a few sweet potatoes. I gave him some ketchup to get him to eat the sweet potatoes and he surprised me by trying the broccoli on his own and then eating the rest of it, no dip needed.

Tuesday Dinner: Pasta shells with marinara + SteamFresh green beans + salmon cakes

He tried a green bean, spit it out and left the rest. He ate about half of the salmon cake and I gave him some hummus. However before this he also ate about 4 carrot sticks dipped in hummus while I was getting dinner ready.

Proud of my little carrot eater! This is my go-to snack while making dinner. Proof they’re always watching!

A post shared by Lindsay L, RD (@theleangreenbean) on Mar 7, 2017 at 4:26pm PST

Wednesday Breakfast: Pears + Blueberry yogurt + Egg wrap

He ate it all and about halfway through, daddy came home with a donut for me so I gave about 1/4 of it to Squish.

Wednesday Lunch: Cottage cheese + carrots with hummus + pulled pork + Simple Mills crackers

He ate most of it but left a few of the carrots.

Wednesday Dinner: Strawberries + Girl Scout Cookie + Annie’s Shells & Cheese with peas and chicken sausage added (I usually buy Meijer brand spinach and mozzarella chicken sausage because it’s the lowest in sodium that I’ve found)

He ate the berries and cookie, then tackled the mac and cheese. He ate all of the sausage pieces with a fork. He pulled the peas out of the shells, stuck the shells on his fingers one by one and ate them that way and left most of the peas.

Thursday Breakfast: Kiwi + Cottage Cheese + Easy Banana Pancake + Egg wrap

He ate it all without any trouble.

Thursday Lunch: Pears in 100% juice + leftover mac and cheese + thin slice pb toast + half a salmon cake

I actually replaced the salmon cake with a slice of turkey because I forgot that I’d promised him a turkey sandwich in the car on the way home. He ate it all except some of the mac and cheese.

Thursday Dinner: We went out for Mexican. He ate several chips and salsa while we waited. I ordered him a chicken quesadilla with half the amount of cheese and a side of applesauce. I took one of the 4 quesadilla slices away because it was pretty much empty and he dropped about half of one on the floor but ate the rest.

Friday Breakfast: Fruit + yogurt + egg. He ate it all. I didn’t take a picture.

Friday Lunch: Cottage and Cheese + Chips and hummus + Pulled pork and bbq sauce

He pretty much just ate the cottage cheese and chips.

Friday Dinner: We went out to dinner. We ordered shrimp as an appetizer and I got him chicken fingers with cottage cheese for dinner.

He didn’t eat any of the shrimp. He ate one chicken finger and all cottage cheese…I forgot he’d also had it for lunch.

Let’s chat:

What’s your biggest struggle when it comes to feeding your kiddos?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce

March 8, 2017 by Lindsay 68 Comments

This Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce is a simple, healthy dinner recipe the whole family will love!

Hi friends!

You didn’t think I’d forgotten about my Instant Pot did you? (affiliate link) I’m still using it at least a couple times of atimes a week. I even just bought a friend one as a birthday present!

If you follow my weekly food prep posts, you can see what I’ve been using it for. I definitely have some favorites, like pulled pork or chicken, but I’m challenging myself to continue to try new things as well. Most recently, I tackled pasta. And it turned out so well I made it twice in one week.

There’s absolutely nothing fancy about this recipe. And like usual, it can also be made on the stovetop….but I enjoyed making it in the Instant Pot because it turns it into a one pot meal. You can cook the ground meat right in the pot, then just dump in the noodles and sauce and boom! Ready to eat! Even my toddler, who almost always prefers the components of his meals separate, gobbled this up!

I used ground beef but you could easily use ground turkey or chicken. And choose your favorite pasta shape. I’m partial to shells but elbows or spirals would work well too.

Here’s how you make it:

Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce

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5 from 6 reviews

This Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce is a simple, healthy dinner recipe the whole family will love!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1.5 pounds ground meat
8 oz dried pasta (1/2 of a 16 oz box)
24 oz jar pasta sauce
12 oz water (refill pasta jar halfway with water)

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Instructions

Turn Instant Pot to Saute setting.
Add garlic, onions, peppers and meat and cook until no longer pink. (optional – use ladle to remove some of the grease).
Turn Instant Pot off.
Add pasta, pasta sauce and water and stir well. Be sure to stir really well so the liquid gets all the way to the bottom of the pot.
Set Instant Pot for 5 minutes using manual mode.
Use quick release, stir well and serve. Top with cheese or fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

You can add extra vegetables. I often add carrot noodles and broccoli slaw. You can also omit the ground beef and use fully cooked chicken sausage.

That’s all there is to it. Seriously so easy. If you prefer your pasta a little more al dente, you could try 4 minutes instead of 5. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, simply cook your pasta as directed and cook the meat and veggies in a skillet. Combine, add sauce and serve.

If you’re feeling fancy, you could also stir in some extra veggies or some shredded mozzarella cheese.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try this Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce for a quick dinner the whole family will love!” quote=”Try this Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce for a quick dinner the whole family will love!”]

Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Try these:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Green Smoothie Snack Bars

March 6, 2017 by Lindsay 40 Comments

These gluten-free Green Smoothie Snack Bars are healthy, easy to make and kid-friendly. They’re made with real food ingredients and packed with protein and healthy fats – perfect for a quick breakfast or snack!

Hi friends!

Today I’ve got a fun new breakfast or snack idea for you. I made these 3 times last week to perfect the recipe for you and once they got the approval from Squish and a few people at the gym, I knew it was time to share them! Squish and I made you a video too!

Some of you may remember that last year around this time I made these Green Smoothie Pancakes. They popped up on my TimeHop this year and inspired me to make another green recipe for you guys. Hubby has been asking for green smoothies lately so I had a giant bag of spinach in the fridge to play around with. I used my Sweet Potato Bites as a base recipe and made some changes including adding oat for fiber, yogurt for protein and I left out the banana in hopes that hubby would eat them!

Looking for more sweet potato recipes? Here are 20+ Baked Sweet Potato Recipes.

These bars are definitely dense and moist. I tried them with 1/2 cup oats and they were a bit too moist. With 1.5 cups they were a little too dry for my liking. I find 1 cup to be just right. They’re gluten-free. If you wanted to make them dairy-free I’m guessing you could leave out the yogurt but I haven’t tried it yet!

If you leave out the chocolate chips, you may want to add a bit more maple syrup for sweetness or try vanilla yogurt instead of plain.

Here’s how you make them:

Green Smoothie Snack Bars

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4 from 1 review

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 9x9 pan 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup (tightly packed) fresh baby spinach
1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (approx 1 med-large sweet potato)
1/2 cup plain yogurt (i use full-fat. You could also use vanilla)
2 eggs
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

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Instructions

Add all ingredients to blender except chocolate chips.
Process until smooth and well mixed.
Pour into greased (or lined with parchment paper) 9×9 pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
Store in the fridge.

Squish has been loving these for an afternoon snack. He also loves to help me make them! Plus cleanup is a breeze because you can do everything directly in the blender!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try these gluten-free Green Smoothie Snack Bars to keep you full until dinner!” quote=”Try these gluten-free Green Smoothie Snack Bars to keep you full until dinner!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Spicy Ranch Popcorn Recipe

March 1, 2017 by Lindsay 11 Comments

This recipe for Spicy Ranch Popcorn is a helpful snack to keep on hand if you’re trying to quit smoking and an urge to smoke strikes! Stash some at work or in your purse to get you through a long afternoon!

Hi Friends!

It’s snack time! Remember last week when I introduced you to Quitter’s Circle and a new series of posts that would be coming up? I shared some tips for quitting smoking and one of them was to always be prepared when the urge to smoke strikes. This Spicy Ranch Popcorn is just the ticket!

Did you know popcorn is a whole grain?! When you air pop it yourself and are smart about your seasonings, it can actually make quite a healthy snack. Plus, it’s a volume snack meaning you can eat a lot of it without totally overdoing it on the calories. Snacks like this are great for keeping your hands (and mouth!) busy for a while without totally undoing the healthy lifestyle choices you’re trying to make.

Last year I shared this Sweet & Spicy Popcorn Snack Mix, which is another favorite of mine, but this time I wanted something a little more on the savory side. I made it extra spicy because spicy tends to mean you eat slower (because your mouth is on fire!).

While this is a helpful snack for those trying to quit smoking, it’s also great for anyone looking to add another healthy snack to their rotation. You can stash it in your cabinet, desk drawer or even your purse so you always have it on hand.

The funny thing is, I’m not even a huge ranch fan … I was just browsing for some savory spice combinations and the spices typically used in ranch dressing caught my attention.

Here’s how I made my version. Feel free to adjust the amount of each seasoning to your liking…and like I said, this is SPICY, so you can definitely cut back on the cayenne pepper if you want. You could also toss in a little parmesan cheese if you’re feeling fancy!

Here’s how you make it:

Spicy Ranch Popcorn

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This recipe for Spicy Ranch Popcorn is the perfect snack to keep on hand when a craving strikes! Stash some at work or in your purse to get you through a long afternoon!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: serves 2

Ingredients

Scale

1/4 cup popcorn kernals (5–6 cups popped)
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried chives

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Instructions

Place popcorn kernals in a brown paper lunch sack. Fold over the top and use the popcorn button on your microwave to pop. (Alternatively, you can pop in a pot on the stove or using an airpopper machine).
In a small dish, combine melted butter and spice.
Transfer popcorn to a large bowl. Slowly pour spice mixture over popcorn while stirring. Continue stirring until most kernals are coated in spice mixture.

Pretty easy, right?! Just be careful not to burn your popcorn like I did or you’ll be smelling it every time you microwave something for the next week!

Let’s chat:
What are your favorite popcorn seasonings?

[clickToTweet tweet=”#Sponsored #QuittingSmoking? Keep a stash of this recipe for when an urge to smoke strikes! @LungAssociation @Pfizer” quote=”#Sponsored #QuittingSmoking? Keep a stash of this recipe for when an urge to smoke strikes! @LungAssociation @Pfizer”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

50 Healthy Toddler Meal Ideas

February 27, 2017 by Lindsay 11 Comments

Need some healthy toddler meal ideas? Here are 50 kid-friendly ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner to help inspire you if you’re stuck in a rut!

Hi friends!

Time for another round-up of Squish meals. It’s been about four months since I shared this 40 Healthy Toddler Meals post, which a lot of you seemed to really enjoy so I’ve been saving more healthy toddler meal ideas since then and I’m back with another edition.

Here are 50+ meals I’ve fed Squish over the past few months! Hope they give you some ideas! Plates are Re-Play Recycled (affiliate link) and we love them. If you’re interested in my feeding philosophy you can read Why My Toddler Doesn’t Always Eat What I Eat.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Stuck in a meal rut for the kiddos? Here are 50+ Healthy Toddler Meal Ideas to try!” quote=”Stuck in a meal rut for the kiddos? Here are 50+ Healthy Toddler Meal Ideas to try!”]

Peas + Applesauce +Baked Salmon + Chicken & Cheese Tortellini (from Costco)
Cheese quesadilla + Frozen peas + Beer Braised Pulled Pork
Deconstructed Meatball Sub + Maple Bacon Roasted Carrots
Apples + Leftover Pumpkin pie + Turkey + Avocado

Cottage cheese + Pears + Sweet Potato Bite + Life cereal
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips + Green Bean Casserole + Cheesy Chicken
Hummus + Strawberries + Smoked Salmon (we get it at Costco)
Cottage cheese + Clementine + Hard Boiled Egg (from Costco) + Smoked Salmon

Sweet Potato Fries + Clementine + Freezer Chicken Tenders
Sweet Potato Protein Cookie + SimplyNature Broccoli Bites (from Aldi) + Chicken Sausage
Clementine + Cucumbers with Hummus + Turkey (Plainville Organic) & Crackers
Clementine + Steamed Sweet Potato + Stuffed Shells

Clementine + Cottage Cheese + Whole Wheat Yogurt Waffle with peanut butter (I love Crazy Richard’s)
Fresh Mozzarella + Deconstructed Chicken Sausage Skillet with Zoodles
Clementine + Broccoli Bites + Paleo Turkey Sweet Potato Meatballs
Broccoli Bites + Mandarin Oranges + Instant Pot Asian Chicken

Applesauce + Cottage Cheese + Peanut Butter & Jelly Toast (on Dave’s Killer Bread)
Pears (in 100% juice) + Cottage Cheese + Waffle French Toast (dip bread in egg/milk mixture & cook on waffle iron)
Blueberries + Mini Bell Peppers + Instant Pot Pulled Chicken (just chicken breasts + broth) + Hummus
Roasted Sweet Potatoes + Blueberries + Smoked Salmon

Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes + Grapes + Green Beans + Instant Pot Asian Chicken
Cottage Cheese + Clementines + Egg Wrap
Sweet Potatoes + Blueberries + Smoked Salmon
Sweet Potato Bite + Raspberries + HB Egg + Shrimp with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

Raspberries + Polenta + Cheesy Pesto Chicken
PB Toast + Avocado + Turkey + Hummus
Meatball Sub + Green Beans
Raspberries + Cottage Cheese + Shredded Chicken + Marinara + Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes + Broccoli Bites + Lemon Garlic Chicken
PB Banana Oat Muffin + Siggi’s 4% Blueberry Yogurt + Egg Wrap
Blueberries + Blueberry Yogurt + HB Egg + Bite of donut
Applesauce + Blueberries + HB Egg + Sweet Potato Bite

Cottage Cheese + Donut + Clementine + French Toast Waffle
Strawberries + Peas + Sweet Potato Protein Cookie + Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Apples + Squash Yogurt Dip + Avocado Chicken Burger
Strawberries + Sweet Potato + Cheeseburger

Pasta + Steamed Carrots + Shrimp
Mashed Sweet Potatoes + Pears + Turmeric Yogurt Chicken
Mandarin Oranges + Yogurt + Egg + Sweet Potato Bite
Sweet Potato Protein Cookie + Grapes + Pesto Pasta + leftover chicken something or other

Mac & Cheese + Roasted Green Beans + Turkey & Hummus Roll-ups
Sweet Potato + Clementine + Egg Wrap + Hummus
Strawberries + Cottage Cheese + PB & J Roll-up
Cottage Cheese + Mixed Veggies +BBQ Chicken + Broccoli Bites

Paprika Roasted Sweet Potatoes + Blueberries + Garlic Chicken + Hummus
Mixed Veggies + Apples + Turkey + Triscuits
Clementine + Siggi’s Plain Whole Milk Yogurt + Life Cereal + Coconut Oil Banana Muffin
Strawberries + Baked Beans + Sheet Pan Italian Salmon and Green Beans

Other recipes we’ve been eating a lot lately:

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Yogurt Bars or Easy Banana Oat Bars for snacks
Thai Chicken Meatballs or Crockpot Meatballs (except baked in the oven)
Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas
One-Pot Shrimp & Orzo
Lemon Energy Balls

Like these healthy toddler meal ideas? Pin this post to share with others! Reminder- the plates are from Re-Play Recycled. (aff link)

Need more ideas?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Food Prep – Week 8

February 26, 2017 by Lindsay Leave a Comment

Hi friend!

I almost forgot to share my food prep from last week!

I made:

Thai Chicken Meatballs
Dairy-Free Lactation Cookies
Carrots & Sweet Potatoes
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
Egg wraps
PB Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal for Squish
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Coconut Oil Banana Muffins

Once again I didn’t do the best at tracking our meals but here’s a few of the things we ate:

Meatball + mac and cheese + baked beans + clementine
Asian chicken noodle soup
Sweet potato + egg wrap + chicken
sweet potato + egg wrap + pumpkin yogurt bar
oatmeal + yogurt + clementine
pulled pork taco + clementine
chicken, bacon and peppers + chips + avocado & salsa
Chicken enchiladas from my mother-in-law
instant pot pasta with meat sauce (recipe coming this week!)

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Chicken Bacon Avocado Breakfast Tacos

February 22, 2017 by Lindsay 4 Comments

These Chicken Bacon Avocado Breakfast Tacos are an easy way to transform leftover chicken from dinner into a healthy new morning meal!

Hi Friends!

It’s been a few months but I’m getting back into the swing of things with the monthly Recipe Redux prompt! This month the theme was tacos. Since we’ve been loving chicken lately and I’m always looking for ways to transform the leftovers, I whipped up some breakfast tacos!

I know, tacos for breakfast? What?! But trust me on this one. They’re simple to make and fun to eat. To up the fun factor, I actually made mine mini tacos…because I’m strangely obsessed with eating miniature versions of foods. Feels like I get to eat more even though it’s the same amount of food.

To make these, I also made some homemade tortillas. I used my favorite Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas recipe and Squish and I whipped up a batch. So easy and it was fun to make them mini-sized!

I used leftover pulled chicken for these but you could also cook some up fresh or use some pre-cooked chicken sausage if you’d like! Top them with salsa, hot sauce, cheese or all of the above! If you don’t mind reheating eggs, you could even make this filling ahead of time and then just spoon into taco shells and pop them in the microwave when you’re ready to eat them!

Here’s the recipe:

Chicken Bacon Avocado Breakfast Tacos

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These Chicken Bacon Avocado Breakfast Tacos are an easy way to transform leftover chicken from dinner into a healthy new morning meal!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup diced cooked chicken
2 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
4 eggs
1 small avocado, diced
hot sauce, cheese, salsa etc for optional toppings
tortillas – homemade or storebought

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Instructions

In a large saute pan, cook bacon and peppers. Add eggs and chicken and cook until chicken is warm and eggs are scrambled.
Stir in avocados.
Scoop into tortillas and top as desired!

Squish is a big taco fan so he was very interested in these:

Exactly why I can’t take blog photos when he’s awake!

Be sure to pin this recipe and let me know if you give it a try!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Transform leftover chicken into breakfast tacos with bacon, avocado and homemade tortillas!” quote=”Transform leftover chicken into breakfast tacos with bacon, avocado and homemade tortillas!”]

Let’s chat:

What are your favorite taco fillings?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

For more taco recipes, click the image below to check out this month’s linkup!

Sheet Pan Italian Salmon and Green Beans

February 17, 2017 by Lindsay 7 Comments

This Sheet Pan Italian Salmon and Green Beans is a healthy 20-minute dinner that requires just four ingredients!

Thanks to the National Fisheries Institute for sponsoring this post.

Hi Friends!

Some of you may remember several months ago when I teamed up with my friends at the National Fisheries Institute to share some Quick and Easy Seafood Recipes and these Easy Tuna Melts! Last year, they launched a seafood education initiative called Dish on Fish to help educate Americans about the importance of eating seafood and to encourage seafood consumption.

This year we’re teaming up to celebrate American Heart Month this February! According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Americans should be eating seafood at least 2-3 times a week in order to reap all the health benefits it has to offer. Fatty fish like salmon, sardines and albacore tuna are full of omega-3 fatty acids which are good for your heart and low in saturated fat. They may help reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. So today I’m sharing an easy, heart-healthy salmon recipe that you can add to your dinner rotation!

This recipe really couldn’t be much easier. Just line a pan with foil, add some pieces of salmon, green beans and cherry tomatoes. top with a little Italian dressing and bake! Voila! Dinner is served. Plus cleanup is a breeze.

Here’s are specific directions:

Sheet Pan Italian Salmon and Green Beans

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This Sheet Pan Italian Salmon and Green Beans is a healthy 20-minute dinner that requires just four ingredients!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 pound salmon, cut into 4 portions
1/4 cup Italian dressing
lemon slices for garnish, optional

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Instructions

Place green beans and tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Add 2 Tbsp Italian dressing and stir to coat.
Add salmon pieces and drizzle with remaining dressing. Top with lemon slices if desired.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until salmon reaches desired degree of doneness.
Serve!

See what I mean? So simple. You could easily make 2 pans of this to feed a crowd. Don’t like green beans? Try swapping another green veggie like asparagus or broccoli!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try this Sheet Pan Italian Salmon and Green Beans for a heart-healthy dinner!” quote=”Try this Sheet Pan Italian Salmon and Green Beans for a heart-healthy dinner!”]

Be sure to follow the Dish on Fish blog and their Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest channels for more great heart-healthy recipes!

And if you’re looking for another delicious sheet pan salmon recipe try this Sheet Pan Asian Salmon and Veggies from my friend Anne!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Dish on Fish. The opinions and text are all mine.

Dairy-Free Lactation Cookies

February 13, 2017 by Lindsay 23 Comments

These Dairy-Free Lactation Cookies are the perfect snack for nursing moms. Not breastfeeding? Leave out the brewers yeast and enjoy an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie for dessert!

Hi friends!

Just popping in to make your Monday a little better with some cookies! I’ve been lucky enough to have a pretty steady milk supply for the past 3 months while nursing Little Miss….but I did have one weekend where I woke up and felt like maybe it had dropped a bit. After a brief panic, I decided it was the perfect time to try my hand at making some lactation cookies.

I ordered some brewers yeast while I was still pregnant just to have on hand and several months later, it was still sitting untouched in the pantry. This is the kind I ordered (aff link). While it’s not guaranteed or scientifically proven to work for everyone, many nursing moms have had success with using it over the years and I figured it was worth trying out.

So I pulled it out and went to work. I added lots of oats and some flaxseed, which are also said to boost milk production, and since I’ve been limiting my dairy to see if it helps Little Miss, I used coconut oil instead of butter and some Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. I buy them on Amazon too! (aff link)

I’ve made these cookies 3 times now. They’re perfect to have on hand for a quick snack or after dinner treat. They also freeze well so sometimes I make half the batch and then scoop the rest into balls on a tray, freeze them and then transfer to a ziploc bag so I can just pull out a few at a time and bake them.

If you have a friend who just had baby, these would be perfect to take with you when you go visit the new little one. Even if they don’t boost her supply, they still taste great! And if you’re not a nursing mama and are simply looking for a good dairy-free chocolate chip cookie, just leave out the brewers yeast, add an extra tablespoon of flax and enjoy!

Here’s how you make them:

Dairy-Free Lactation Cookies

Print Recipe

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5 from 1 review

These Dairy-Free Lactation Cookies are the perfect snack for nursing moms. Not breastfeeding? Leave out the brewers yeast and enjoy an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie for dessert!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup coconut oil (solid)
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 heaping Tablespoons brewers yeast
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine coconut oil and peanut butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 60 seconds or until coconut oil is melted. Stir well to combine.
Add brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon and mix well.
Add remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.
Scoop onto greased or lined cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Notes

If you don’t need them to be lactation cookies, leave out brewers yeast and add an extra Tbsp of flax.

Pretty simple right? And don’t worry….if you’re not a breastfeeding mama, you can still eat these if they’re made with brewers yeast. They’re not going to make you start producing milk or anything! And if you’re wondering if they worked for me, I would say yes. They certainly didn’t start making me produce gallons of extra milk or anything, but after eating them for a couple of days and drinking a lot of water, I felt like my supply had returned to normal.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Know someone with a new baby? Make them a batch of these Dairy-Free Lactation Cookies!” quote=”Know someone with a new baby? Make them a batch of these Dairy-Free Lactation Cookies!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Greek Shrimp and Farro

February 8, 2017 by Lindsay 5 Comments

This recipe for Greek Shrimp and Farro is perfect for a quick, healthy dinner. Loaded with flavor, it’s easy to make and tastes great warm or cold!

Hi friends!

I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and am excited to share it with you today. It’s one of my favorite kinds of recipes…made with a bunch of random ingredients that I had on hand and turned out absolutely delicious.

Usually when I make dinner recipes like this one, I make them once, let hubby try them to see if they’re blog-worthy and then remake them to take pictures. This time I was so confident that I made it, tasted it and took the pictures right away. After hubby ate it, I verified that it was indeed delicious and he agreed.

So here we are.

I’ve professed my love for shrimp dinners before. They’re tasty and cook so quickly that I always have them in the freezer for nights when I need a quick dinner. I dug around in my pantry and found some farro, which I love, but always seem to forget about making…and added it to the mix along with some other staples like peppers and feta.

I’m not really sure if this should officially be called a Greek recipe but in my world, pretty much anything with feta seems Greek….so we’re going with it.

Here’s how you make it:

Greek Shrimp and Farro

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5 from 1 review

This recipe for Greek Shrimp and Farro is perfect for a quick, healthy dinner. Loaded with flavor, it’s easy to make and tastes great warm or cold!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: serves 3-4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup dry farro
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium bell pepper, diced (red, orange or yellow)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1–2 tsp oregano
juice from 1 lemon
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
fresh parsley for garnish

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Instructions

Cook farro according to package directions.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add onion, garlic, peppers and tomatoes and saute for 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and cook an additional 4 minutes.
Add oregano, feta, lemon juice and cooked farro and heat through.
Garnish with parsley before serving.
Serve warm or cold.

Super easy and ready in 15 minutes. I ate this both warm straight out of the pan and cold on a bed of lettuce like a salad! Both delicious

[clickToTweet tweet=”Enjoy this Greek Shrimp and Farro for a quick weeknight dinner!” quote=”Enjoy this Greek Shrimp and Garro for a quick weeknight dinner!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Lentil Vegetable Curry

February 6, 2017 by Lindsay 43 Comments

This Lentil Vegetable Curry is an easy vegetarian recipe for a busy night. Or make it ahead of time and reheat for a quick lunch or dinner.

**This post was originally published in 2012. I updated the photos and recipe in August 2016**

Hi Friends!

Today I’m sharing one of my go-to meals. Everyone has them. The ones you make so often you could pretty much do it in your sleep. The ones that are quick, relatively healthy, quick, enjoyed by the whole family, quick….for those nights you just don’t feel like cooking.

I know I have several. And a lot of them aren’t on this blog because, quite frankly, I don’t follow a recipe. I use what I have on hand, I don’t measure things, and the beauty of these “recipes” are that they’re still delicious every single time.

But, in an effort to help you guys…because I know many of you are searching for quick, easy meals…I’ve decided to start paying more attention when I make these meals. Maybe snapping a few pictures and taking a few measurements….so that I can share them with all of you!

Today’s recipe is one of our all-time favs. I make it pretty much once a week. It’s great for packing in a lot of vegetables and it’s also a great recipe for using lentils because they totally absorb the curry flavor and you really don’t even notice that they’re in the dish.

My Go-To Meals: Lentil & Vegetable Curry

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5 from 1 review

This Lentil Vegetable Curry is an easy vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for a busy weeknight. Or make it ahead of time and reheat for a quick lunch or dinner!

Author: Lindsay
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Scale

2/3 cup green or brown lentils, uncooked
3/4 cup brown or basmati rice, uncooked
1 Tbsp oil
1.5 cups (small) diced potatoes
1 cup diced red peppers
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
3 Tbsp red curry paste (hot or mild)
2–3 dried red peppers, minced (optional)
1 can coconut milk
Naan (optional)

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Instructions

Cook lentils according to package directions.
Cook rice according to package directions (or use 90-second microwave rice)
Microwave diced potatoes for 1 minute to soften.
In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute potatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, mixed vegetables curry paste and hot peppers for 10 minutes.
Add coconut milk and cook another 10 minutes or until vegetables reach desired tenderness.
Stir in lentils, heat through and serve with rice and naan.

I love making a big batch so we have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. I buy my frozen naan from Trader Joes’s and it is absolutely delish!

Side note- The reason I microwave the potatoes is because they take so much longer to cook than all the other vegetables. Nuking them for a minute or so gives them a head start so they end up being the perfectly cooked by the time the other veggies are ready. If you don’t want to microwave them, you can just add them to the dutch oven first and saute them for a while before adding the other veggies.

All in all, this dinner can be ready in under 30 minutes and it’s a winner every time! If you’re a meat-eater, feel free to sub chicken for the lentils. I also make this with chickpeas sometimes.

Enjoy!

–Lindsay–

Coconut Oil Banana Muffins

February 3, 2017 by Lindsay 36 Comments

These dairy-free Coconut Oil Banana Muffins are packed with flavor and perfect for breakfast or a quick snack.

Hi friends!

Wasn’t planning to share these until next week but miraculously both kids fell asleep at the same time yesterday afternoon so I had time to make another batch. Unfortunately, they both woke up before I got the pictures taken….which mean those nicely placed chocolate chips you see above kept disappearing thanks to the toddler’s sneaky little hand!

{Check out the video above to see how easy they are to make!)

But I powered through and snapped a few pics so I could share them with you today because I these are definitely the best banana muffins I’ve ever made. You guys know how much I love these PB Banana Oat Muffins, right? These are very similar but they’re dairy-free. I’ve been cutting back on dairy for the past few weeks to help it if helps Little Miss be more comfortable so I thought I’d try my hand at a new muffin recipe.

Guys, these are so good. They have coconut oil and peanut butter in them for healthy fats, but you don’t really taste either one. These are just really good banana muffins. Really good.

Definitely need to be added to the rotation whether you’re dairy-free or not! Squish has been loving them for breakfast this week and I’ve been eating them for a quick morning snack. I made a batch on Sunday and they tasted just as good on Thursday as they did on Monday! That’s a win in my book!

Here’s how you make them:

Coconut Oil Banana Muffins

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4.5 from 2 reviews

These dairy-free Coconut Oil Banana Muffins are packed with flavor and perfect for breakfast or a quick snack.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Yield: 12 large muffins 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1/4 cup coconut oil, solid
1/4 cup peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup almond milk (or other milk of choice)
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups white whole wheat flour
1.5 cups rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips (dairy-free if needed)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine coconut oil and peanut butter in a large bowl.
Microwave, stirring often, until coconut oil is melted.
Add maple syrup, almond milk, eggs, vanilla and banana and mix well.
Add remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.
Pour into 12 lined muffin tins (they’ll be very full).
Bake at 375 degrees F for 22 minutes.

So easy! I haven’t tried yet, but I’d imagine they would also freeze well!

[clickToTweet tweet=”These dairy-free Coconut Oil Banana Muffins make a great breakfast or snack!” quote=”These dairy-free Coconut Oil Banana Muffins make a great breakfast or snack!”]

Let’s chat:

What’s your favorite muffin recipe? Leave me a link!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

An Easy 5 Minute Lunch

February 1, 2017 by Lindsay 3 Comments

This Easy 5 Minute Lunch is perfect for a busy day. Pair a jazzed up grilled cheese with a cup of soup for an easy, filling meal.

This post is sponsored by the General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition on behalf of Progresso^TM and ReganMillerJones, Inc. I received free samples of the soup mentioned and was compensated for my time.

Hi friends!

Just popping in to share a quick little lunch idea I’ve been loving lately. For some reason, the idea of a soup and sandwich combo is something I typically only choose at restaurants. It never seems to come to mind when I’m thinking about lunch at home…until lately! When I was asked to check out some Progresso^TM soups, I jumped at the chance! The weather was cold and I was definitely in need of some quick lunch options. I was also excited to hear that Progresso^TM is now serving White Meat Chicken With No Antibiotics. Ever! They have a variety of chicken soups made with 100% antibiotic and hormone free white meat chicken breasts…because quality is always in season!

As you guys know, when my toddler decides he wants to eat, that means he wants to eat immediately. He’s recently become pretty good at using a spoon, so I’m excited to be able to start stocking my pantry with these soups for a quick, easy and convenient lunch option.

Squish and I enjoyed the Savory Chicken and Wild Rice Soup for lunch a couple weeks ago. I loved that it was a reduced-sodium variety and he loved fishing the chicken and carrots out of his bowl with his spoon. To make it a complete meal, I whipped up a few sandwiches to go with it.

We all know grilled cheese pairs perfectly with soup. To jazz things up a little bit, I added a fried egg and some avocado and red peppers to our sandwiches.

So here’s what you do:

Easy 5 Minute Lunch

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This Easy 5 Minute Lunch is perfect for a busy day. Pair a jazzed up grilled cheese with a cup of soup for an easy, filling meal.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients

Scale

1 can ProgressoTM Savory Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
2 eggs
4 slices bread
1 small avocado
2 slices cheese (i used pepperjack)
red bell pepper slices
butter

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Instructions

Divide soup between two bowls and heat in the microwave (or heat on the stove)
Add a little butter to a pan.
Fry eggs, flipping once and cooking until yolk reaches desired degree of doneness.
Butter outsides of breads
While eggs are cooking, mash avocado and spread on the inside of two slices of bread.
Top with red pepper slices.
Add a fried egg to each one, top with a slice of cheese and another slice of bread.
Place sandwiches in pan and heat, flipping once, until cheese is melted.
Serve with soup!

Give it a try for lunch this week! And follow Progresso^TMon Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for more great recipes.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Instant Pot Asian Chicken

January 25, 2017 by Lindsay 11 Comments

This Instant Pot Asian Chicken can also be made in a slow cooker. It’s full of flavor and easy to make. A healthy dinner the whole family will love!

Hi friends!

I’m back to share another quick and easy Instant Pot recipe with you guys! Don’t have one yet?? As you can see I’m still loving mine and using it a couple times a week. I have this one (affiliate link). But rest assured, this can also be made in a slow cooker and taste just as good!

Chicken is a staple in our grocery cart every single week so I’m always looking for new ways to flavor it. I made this last week on a whim and it turned out really well so I made it again this week to share with you guys! Start to finish, it only takes about 30 minutes and it super versatile. You could use it to make tacos, serve it with veggies like I did or serve it over rice. I use about one and a half pounds of chicken so we have some leftover because the flavors deepen as it sits!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Serve this Instant Pot (or slow cooker) Asian Chicken with veggies and rice for a quick dinner!” quote=”Serve this Instant Pot (or slow cooker) Asian Chicken with veggies and rice for a quick dinner. “]

Instant Pot Asian Chicken

Pretty much all you have to do here is chop up a few veggies, throw them in the pot, add the chicken and whip up a quick sauce to pour over it. 5 minutes of effort- that’s it! If you’re cooking it in a slow cooker, I’d probably add an extra 1/4 cup broth.

Here’s the recipe:

Instant Pot Asian Chicken

Print Recipe

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No reviews

This Instant Pot Asian Chicken can also be made in a slow cooker. It’s full of flavor and easy to make. A healthy dinner the whole family will love!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional…i often sub sweet potatoes)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 red bell pepper, diced
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp fresh ginger (i use ginger paste)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup ketchup, optional

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Instructions

Place chopped veggies in the bottom of the Instant Pot (or slow cooker).
Top with chicken breasts.
In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well.
Pour sauce over chicken.
For the Instant Pot, use the manual button and set for 15 min. For a slow cooker, cook on low 6-8 hours.
Use quick pressure release method, shred chicken and serve!

That’s all there is to it! Easy and delicious!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Kitchen Tasks For Toddlers

January 23, 2017 by Lindsay 19 Comments

These simple kitchen tasks for toddlers are a great way for you spend time in the kitchen with your kids. They’ll have fun learning, developing new skills and trying new things!

Hi friends!

If you follow me on social media, you may have noticed I’ve been posting a lot recently about my time in the kitchen with Squish. Although he’s been helping me in the kitchen for quite a while now, I’ve really made it a goal this year to help more people realize the importance of getting into the kitchen with your kids. They can do a lot more than you may think…especially with some practice.

Since I started sharing these videos, I’ve had so many people tell me that they’ve always wanted to bring their kids into the kitchen but just weren’t really sure where to start. The answer is- it doesn’t matter! Just start!

It’s messy, it takes forever and it definitely requires some patience…but it’s so important. And it’s about so much more than food. The other day, Squish and I made baked beans. When we were done, he took one taste and spit them out. So he didn’t eat baked beans that day. But you know what he did do during our time making those beans?

He tasted molasses for the first time
He worked on his fine motor skills by trying to use the can opener.
He practiced his coordination by pouring ingredients into the bowl.
He practiced counting the dried beans.
He had fun!

So don’t focus too much on things going perfectly. Just grab the kids and give it a try!

Here are 12 things toddlers can do in the kitchen:

Pour/drain – Measure ingredients and help them pour, open a can and let them dump it in all by themselves, give them a bottle and let them pour some into the pan, help them dump something into a strainer
Stir – Hand them a spoon and a bowl of ingredients and let them go to town. I even let Squish stir things on the stove if he’s being carefully monitored.
Rip – Give them a head of lettuce and show them how to remove the leaves, tear them into little put them in the salad spinner.
Spin – Rinse lettuce in a salad spinner and let them go to town pumping the salad spinner to spin it dry. Then let them help you put it into bowls.
Peel – Hand them a vegetable peeler and let them work on peeling some carrots or potatoes.
Scoop – Make cookies or muffins and let them help you scoop the batter onto a try or into a tin. A cookie scoop works well for this!
Count – Tell them you need 3 carrots and help them practice counting them out for you.
Chop – Give them a small plastic cutting board and a small plastic knife and let them practice cutting soft things like mushrooms, cooked potatoes, etc.
Crack – Help them crack an egg into a bowl and then practice washing hands.
Retrieve – Tell them what ingredient you need and let them get it for you out of the pantry.
Put away – Let them help you bring the groceries inside or empty the dishwasher and give them things to put away in their proper place.
Taste – Encourage them to try things during the cooking process, as well as after you’re done. Squish is much more likely to taste a carrot after he peels it than if he just sees it on his dinner plate.

Side note- I realize some people may think 26 months is too young for him to be doing some of the things he’s doing and that’s ok! Everyone will have their own comfort level for letting their kids do things. I’ve made it a point to talk about kitchen safety every time we’re in the kitchen. We talk about how the oven is hot and he shouldn’t open it, how mommy uses pot holders to get hot things. We talk about how the stove is hot, how he doesn’t touch the knobs for the burners or the hot pans on the stove, how he doesn’t stand on his stool by the stove unless mommy is right there with him, etc.

The more often and earlier they start hearing these things, the more likely they’ll follow the rules. Do what you’re comfortable with. If I was bringing him into the kitchen for the first time today, I probably wouldn’t let him help me use a hand mixer or stir something on the stove. It takes time and practice.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Want some help in the kitchen? Here are 12 kitchen tasks for toddlers!” quote=”Want some help in the kitchen? Here are 12 kitchen tasks for toddlers!”]

In case you’re a visual person, here are some videos of Squish helping me in the kitchen lately. In the past couple of weeks we’ve made Green Bean Fries, Banana Oat Bars, Chicken Pad Thai and more!

Even when they don’t like the end result, they’re still learning and building skills!

Here are (affiliate) links to a few of the kitchen tools you see in the videos:

Curious Chef Nylon Knife Set
Little Partners Learning Tower
Curious Chef 30-piece Chef Caddy Collection (don’t have this but want it!)

Like this post? Be sure to pin it to help encourage others to get their kids in the kitchen!

Cooking with Squish is fun for me, but I realize that for some people it may be stressful to bring kids into the kitchen. My friend and fellow RD Katie has two toddlers and a baby. She enjoys her time alone in the kitchen and that’s great! But even though it stresses her out a little bit, she’s still making an effort to spend some time in the kitchen with her kids each week. Check out her Toddlers In The Kitchen post as well!

If your kids are a little older, you might like this post I wrote about a year and a half ago about kids in the kitchen. I reached out to several of my friends to see how they got their kids involved in the kitchen!

If you’re struggling with feeding your young child, check out our Table Talk ebook for tips and tricks for feeding young kids!

Let’s chat:

Do you cook with your kids?! What’s your favorite thing to make?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks

January 16, 2017 by Lindsay 10 Comments

These Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks feature ingredients that are naturally gluten-free like sweet potatoes, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. The recipes are packed with nutrients and great for adults and kids.

Hi friends!

As you guys know, I don’t follow a gluten-free diet, but I had a request for some healthy gluten-free snacks so here we are! When I started thinking about a lot of my own personal favorite snacks, I realized many of them center around ingredients that are naturally gluten-free. Things like eggs, sweet potatoes, nuts and fresh produce. So I rounded up 24 healthy gluten-free recipes that are perfect for snack time for both adults and kids – whether you’re gluten-free or not! I divided them into four categories to make it easier for you to browse. Remember that oats are often cross-contaminated during processing so be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if necessary.

Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato Protein Cookies

Sweet Potato Banana Bites

Microwave Sweet Potato Chips

Sweet Potato Toast – 2 Ways

Everything Sweet Potato Flatbread

5 Ingredient Paleo Pancakes

Nuts, Seeds & Legumes

Lemon Energy Balls

Banana Nut Chia Power Bars

Cherry Power Cookies

No Bake Chocolate Coconut Cashew Bars

Peanut Butter Power Cookies

Chocolate Tahini Crunch Bars

Produce

Sweet Lime Plantain Chips

Healthy Hummus Stuffed Peppers

Green Smoothie Popsicles

Cauliflower Pizza Bites

Turkey Veggie Rollups

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Eggs

Egg Wraps

Egg & Avocado Bowl

Egg Waffles

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Spicy Tuna Deviled Eggs

Mini Egg Cups

[clickToTweet tweet=”Looking for some new snack options? Here are 24 gluten-free options!” quote=”Looking for some new snack options? Here are 24 gluten-free options!”]

Let’s chat!

What’s your favorite gluten-free snack?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Day In The Life – 26 Months + 2 Months

January 12, 2017 by Lindsay 9 Comments

Hi Friends!

For a while I was doing pretty well at publishing one of these every 3 months. I missed one right around the time Little Miss was born/Squish turned 2…but I’m jumping back in and i’ll try to keep up!

In case missed any of my previous posts, I’ve been writing one every 3 months since Squish was born. You can find the links below:

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

Let me preface this post by saying that there is no normal right now. Every day is different. But this was Monday of this week. The photos are taken quickly on my phone and unedited..but that’s life 🙂

4:45 – Baby gets up. Lately, she’s been sleeping until at least 6 so this is pretty early. I go downstairs, grab my computer, start the coffee and settle in to feed her and get some work done. Hubby coaches a couple of our morning CrossFit classes a week so he leaves to coach at little after 5.

5:00 – 7:30 – I work on Healthy Aperture stuff and stuff for my blog while also trying to feed and entertain baby. Hubby comes home around 6:45 and hangs out with us for a few minutes before going back to bed for a little while.

7:30 -Squish wakes up. I change him and feed him breakfast while drinking my coffee.

8:00 – 9:00 – We play and I feed the baby again.

9:00 – Put everyone in the car and leave for the gym. I coach our 9:30 class two days a week. Squish watches his tablet and runs around the gym. Baby falls asleep around 9:30.

10:45 – Home from the gym. I make my morning oatmeal and Squish eats some with me.

11:00 – 12:30 – We play. Baby wakes up at 11 so I feed her, deal with her second blowout of the day, follow Squish around to his various playrooms.

12:30 – Lunch. Daddy comes home and we all hang out in the kitchen. Not pictured, baby screaming, squish falling off stool and screaming, etc.

1:00 – 3:00 Naptime for Squish. I try to get work done, write my Bean Bytes post and also feed and deal with baby who doesn’t sleep and alternates between happy and fussy.

3:00 – 4:00 – Squish wakes up, we have a snack, play, feed baby, do some chores, etc.

4:00 – Back to gym. Daddy coaches our 4:30 class and I workout. Usually baby falls asleep around this time but she’s been up since 11 and still not interested in sleeping.

6 :00- Home to make and eat dinner with Squish. Baby is still awake and screaming.

6:45 – 7:45 Squish watches Thomas while I feed the baby and then walk around holding a screaming baby and a phone blaring a hair dryer noise to try to keep her somewhat calm.

7:45 – Daddy comes home. Squish hangs out with him for a little while.

8:15 – Squish goes to bed, baby finally falls asleep for a few minutes and I take a shower.

8:45 -Sit down to write a freelance article and baby wakes up screaming.

8:45 – 9:45 – Deal with baby and try to answer a few emails on my phone.

9:45 – She’s finally hungry so I feed her while writing a freelance article.

10:45 – She’s done eating and finally asleep so I put her upstairs, feed the animals, eat a snack, get the coffee ready for the morning, etc.

11:15 – Bed.

Here’s my Snapchat story for the day! Follow me: leangreenbean1

Like I said, every day is different. This was Monday. On Tuesday:

I got up at 6 to work.
Hubby didn’t coach in the morning.
Baby slept until 7.
Squish slept til 8.
I worked out at 9:30.
Squish asked to take a nap at 12:15 – before he’d eaten lunch (unheard of!)
Squish spent the afternoon screaming bloody murder.
Baby took an afternoon nap.
Both kids screamed for a while simultaneously.
We didn’t go to the gym in the afternoon.
Squish took a shower.
Squish ate dinner by himself while I fed baby.
Daddy came home at 6:30.
Squish went to bed at 7:15.
We ate dinner at 7:30.
I drank a beer because…toddler getting his molars.
Baby was asleep by 10:30.

On Wednesday Baby and I were up working and eating at 5:30. You get the picture!

Let’s chat:

How does this compare to your Monday this week?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–