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Lentil Sloppy Joes

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These Lentil Sloppy Joes are a healthy vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. Serve over spaghetti squash to keep it gluten-free or on a bun!

These Lentil Sloppy Joes are a healthy vegetarian recipe that's perfect for lunch or dinner. Serve over spaghetti squash to keep it gluten-free or on a bun!

Hi Friends!

Today I’ve got a nice little vegetarian recipe for you. Longtime readers may remember that I followed a vegetarian diet for a while a couple of years ago. Then I wrote this post about how my diet doesn’t need a label, and that mentality has been working well for me for the past three years. I tend to go through periods where I just don’t feel like eating meat…so I don’t. Then things change and i’m back on the chicken train.

Currently, I’m in a lentil-loving phase so I whipped up these lentil sloppy joes a couple weeks ago. They turned out so well that I remade them so I could share with you!

If you’re not a lentil lover, you could easily sub ground meat. You can serve these the traditional way – on a bun…or change things up like I did and serve them in a nice little spaghetti squash boat. Not sure how to cook that? Here are 3 ways to cook spaghetti squash. You could also cook it in your instant pot!

These Lentil Sloppy Joes are a healthy vegetarian recipe that's perfect for lunch or dinner. Serve over spaghetti squash to keep it gluten-free or on a bun!

This recipe is very forgiving. Feel free to add some extra veggies or swap out ones you don’t like. If your mixture gets too thick, just add a little water to make them sloppier!

Here’s the recipe:

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Lentil Sloppy Joes

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These Lentil Sloppy Joes are a healthy vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. Serve over spaghetti squash to keep it gluten-free or on a bun!

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup dry lentils
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2/3 cup onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
  • 3/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
  • 1– 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 cup broth or water for thinning (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook lentils in broth or water according to package directions.
  2. In a large pan (with a little oil), saute garlic, onion, peppers, sweet potato and mushrooms over medium high heat until sweet potatoes reach desired tenderness.
  3. Add cooked lentils, tomato sauce, spices and sugar and heat through.
  4. Add water or broth if needed to reach desired consistency.
  5. Taste and adjust spices as needed.
  6. Serve over cooked spaghetti squash or on a bun!

If you want this to cook even faster, toss your sweet potatoes in a little oil, put them in a bowl and microwave 2-3 minutes so they won’t take as long to cook in the pan!

Like I mentioned above, you could use ground meat…just throw a pound in with the veggies and cook thoroughly.

These Lentil Sloppy Joes are a healthy vegetarian recipe that's perfect for lunch or dinner. Serve over spaghetti squash to keep it gluten-free or on a bun!

[clickToTweet tweet=”These Lentil Sloppy Joes are a healthy vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for lunch or dinner.” quote=”These Lentil Sloppy Joes are a healthy vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for lunch or dinner.”]

Let’s chat!

Did you eat sloppy joes growing up? Were you a fan or not?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Instant Pot)

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These BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are perfect for food prep. Make a big batch of pulled pork and sweet potatoes, stuff them ahead of time and reheat to eat for lunch or dinner.

These BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are perfect for food prep. Make a big batch of pulled pork and sweet potatoes, stuff them ahead of time and reheat to eat for lunch or dinner.

 

Hi Friends!

Say hello to our new favorite dish for food prep! I made this last weekend and actually had to whip up a couple more mid-week because hubby ate them all and requested more.

They’re so easy that they’re more of a recipe idea than an actual recipe – ingredient quantities aren’t really that important because you can basically make as many or as few as you’d like.

I used my Instant Pot (surprise surprise) to make the pork. Basically, I do the same think I do in my crockpot, except it’s ready in an hour instead of 8 hours. Have I mentioned you should get an Instant Pot yet? (affiliate link)

These BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are perfect for food prep. Make a big batch of pulled pork and sweet potatoes, stuff them ahead of time and reheat to eat for lunch or dinner.

To cook the pork: I chopped up some onion and garlic and a red pepper and put it in the bottom of the pot. Then I cut a 4-5 pound pork shoulder into 6-8 large pieces and put those in the Instant Pot. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth and seal the lid. Use the manual button and increase the time to 1 hour. Once it’s done, do a quick release of the steam and shred the pork. Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours.

To cook the sweet potatoes: I put some shallow slices in all sides of mine with a knife and microwave 2 medium sweet potatoes at a time in the microwave for 6-7 minutes. You can also make a big batch in the Instant Pot before or after your pork is done, or roast them in the oven until soft for a little more flavor.

These BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are perfect for food prep. Make a big batch of pulled pork and sweet potatoes, stuff them ahead of time and reheat to eat for lunch or dinner.

Once you have your cooked pork and sweet potatoes, you’re ready to stuff them!

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BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Instant Pot)

BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes 6
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Ingredients

  • pulled pork
  • bbq sauce
  • cheese
  • green onions + avocado, optional for topping
  • cooked sweet potatoes

Instructions

  1. Mix pork and desired amount of bbq sauce in a bowl.
  2. Slice cooked sweet potatoes almost in half lengthwise.
  3. Top with bbq pork and shredded cheese.
  4. Put stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
  5. Top with green onion and avocado if desired.
  6. Serve warm or cold.

Pretty easy, right? Like I said, you can make as many or as few as you want at a time.

These BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are perfect for food prep. Make a big batch of pulled pork and sweet potatoes, stuff them ahead of time and reheat to eat for lunch or dinner.

[clickToTweet tweet=”These BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are perfect for food prep! ” quote=”These BBQ Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are perfect for food prep!”]

Instant Pot Beef Stew

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This healthy Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe is ready in under an hour and tastes like it has been simmering all day. It’s paleo, gluten-free and the perfect dinner on a cold winter night.

This healthy Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe is ready in under an hour and tastes like it has been simmering all day. It's paleo, gluten-free and the perfect dinner on a cold winter night.

Hi friends!

Time for the first recipe of the new year! We’re kicking things off with a recipe featuring my new favorite gadget. As you’ve probably heard by now, Amazon had the Instant Pot on sale for Black Friday. This is the one I bought! (affiliate link) Apparently, thousands of people had the same idea! But I gotta say, it’s probably my best impulse buy to date.

If you’re a longtime reader…and I mean long time…you may recall that 5 years ago I posted about why I love my pressure cooker after getting one for Christmas. I admittedly didn’t use it to its full potential…but I have used it regularly to make hard boiled eggs and to quickly cook dried beans over the years. The Instant Pot has made me fall in love with pressure cooking all over again. So expect a lot of recipes coming up! In case you’re unfamiliar, the Instant Pot is a pressure cooker, but it can also be used as a slow cooker, a rice cooker, a yogurt maker and more! My plan is to get rid of my pressure cooker and crockpot to free up some cabinet space, especially since my new gadget has had a permanent home on my counter since I got it!

The good news about pressure cooker recipes is that they can usually be made another way (crockpot, stovetop, oven, etc) so if you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can still make this delicious beef stew…it’ll just take longer!

Instant Pot Beef Stew

This healthy Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe is ready in under an hour and tastes like it has been simmering all day. It's paleo, gluten-free and the perfect dinner on a cold winter night.

You guys know I’m not a huge fan of beef…but I really do love this stew. You could also make it with pork stew meat! But hubby loves beef so I make this pretty frequently for him. Before I got my Instant Pot, I made it in the crockpot and it worked just as well.

Here’s how you make it:

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Instant Pot Beef Stew

Instant Pot Beef Stew 2
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This healthy Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe is ready in under an hour and tastes like it has been simmering all day. The perfect dinner on a cold winter night.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: serves 6

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Tbsp butter or oil
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2/3 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 medium russet potatoes, cubed
  • 4 large carrots, peeled & sliced into 1 inch chunks
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1.5 cups frozen peas (cooked)

Instructions

  1. Turn the Instant Pot to the saute setting.
  2. Add the butter/oil, garlic and meat and brown for 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add onion, potato, carrots, broth, tomato paste and oregano and stir to combine.
  4. Use the meat/stew button to cook. You can let the pressure release naturally or use the quick release.
  5. Stir in the cooked peas just before serving.
  6. Serve warm!

Guys, it’s so easy. I love that you can brown the meat right in the pot. Three cheers for less dishes! If you’re not worried about it being gluten-free or paleo, I usually sprinkle the meat with a tablespoon of flour when browning. It just helps thicken the stew a little bit! And you don’t need to follow the recipe exactly…just chop up a few potatoes and carrots and you’re pretty much good to go. If you’re a fan of beef stew, you must try it! To make this in the crockpot, just brown the meat in a pan, put everything in a crockpot (except the peas) and cook on low for 8 hours.

This healthy Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe is ready in under an hour and tastes like it has been simmering all day. It's paleo, gluten-free and the perfect dinner on a cold winter night.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try this Instant Pot Beef Stew for a hearty dinner on a cold winter night.” quote=”Try this Instant Pot Beef Stew for a hearty dinner on a cold winter night.”]

Let’s chat:

Are you a soup/stew lover? What’s your favorite recipe?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

PS. This is not a sponsored post. I bought my Instant Pot with my own money and was not compensated for writing this post.

Cheers to 2017

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Hi Friends!

I’m back. I took several weeks off after the birth of Little Miss and I think I’m finally ready to get back into the swing of things. To be honest, I desperately needed the time off. Yes, partly because I had a newborn who didn’t ever sleep more than 2 hours straight for the first six weeks of life, but also because I was a little burnt out on blogging.

To prepare for my maternity leave, I really packed a lot into the month of October. The end of the year is the busiest time for bloggers and I worked really hard to get ahead on a lot of posts, finish up the last posts in several year-long partnerships, etc. By the time baby came I was worn out both physically and mentally.

family

It’s been 8 weeks since baby girl was born and there have been several times since then where I didn’t even open my computer for 5-6 days in a row. That’s unheard of for me, but it was necessary. It helped refresh my mind, body and soul…and now I’m excited about blogging again! I’m brainstorming lists of ideas, i’m itching to use my camera again, i’m filling in my editorial calendar….

I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted 2017 to mean for me….both personally and for the blog. To be honest, I’ve struggled a little bit with my blog since I became a mom. For so many years I was just a food blogger…and now, I’m a Registered Dietitian, I have two kids, I’m a work from home mom, I’m a home cook….and in a blogging world that’s so focused on forcing bloggers to choose a specific niche in order to become successful, I’ve struggled to find my place.

Well this year I’m saying “who cares?” After a lot of reflection, I’m finally at peace with the fact that my blog can’t really be easily defined anymore. In fact, I’m kind of excited about it. Because I think it’s going to make it easier for me to get back to my roots and fall in love with blogging again.

smootohie

A couple weeks ago I took the babes downtown to visit my girl Alexis. She’s a fellow RD and blogger and she runs Alchemy (an amazing juice bar and cafe in downtown Columbus). I try to make it down there every couple of months so we can catch up. This time we spent most of our visit talking about how much blogging has changed since we started. When I got home, I was catching up on some blog reading and I came across this post by my friend Anne at Fannetastic Food.  It perfectly articulated a lot of what Alexis and I had just been talking about as well.

Anne said “Now it seems like there’s so much going on online, constantly jostling for everyone’s attention, that it’s hard to feel like I’m still here offering something interesting or worthwhile. I also feel like in order to continue to get traffic there’s so much pressure to have every post be polished/fancy, optimized for Google, pimped out with pin-able graphics, shared and scheduled a billion times on social media, etc. – that it takes a lot of the joy out of posting.”

YES. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve struggled with this exact thing.

baby

The next day, Alexis wrote a post about how she’s so much more than a food blogger.

She said: “In the early years, it was far more the former. The blogging world was less saturated, less competitive, and less serious. I felt little to no pressure to make the titles of my recipes searchable on Google and to make images that everyone and their brother would want to pin twice. I felt free to curate content around what made me happy. The beauty of growth is the opportunity to turn your hobby, turn what you love, into a career. The downside is just that—it’s no longer your hobby. I love it just as much as I always have, but I’d be lying if I said it was the same.”

Again, yes…just how I feel.

So now the question becomes….what am I going to do about it?

duck donuts

The answer is I’m going to break the blogging rules.  

In 2017 I’m going to:

  • Quit chasing pageviews.
  • Write about things I wanna write about even if it probably won’t do well in a google search.
  • Not write about buzzwords like carb cycling, detox and fasting just because they will do well on Pinterest, unless they are things that I really care about and believe in.
  • Balance my time between family and blogging and not overcommit myself just for a few extra dollars.
  • Plan ahead but not worry so much if life happens and I don’t stick to a schedule all the time.
  • Be present and engaged with my kids.

In 2017, I want to be more helpful. You guys, my readers, are the main reason I’ve continued to blog for the past 6+ years. It’s my hope that many of you already see this blog as a helpful space, and this year I want to continue my work and connect with even more of you!

A few weeks ago I got this email from a reader and it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time:

Hi Lindsay – 

I just wanted to say that I really enjoy your recipes! I have been following you for a few years, and I love watching your family grow. I have four kids, and my youngest is the same age as your oldest (almost exactly? Her bd is 11/7/14). I know how hard having a newborn is and you’re rocking it.
 
No need to reply, just wanted to say that I love what you’re doing.
That right there is why I blog! I want to be a resource for you guys but I also want to be a real life example. I want to connect with my readers who are parents with young kids, young professionals with no kids and retirees that are having fun in the kitchen with their grandkids.

beef stew

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about being able to balance running a blog, doing part time work and being a full-time mom to two kiddos…but I’m up for the challenge and excited about the year ahead!

So in 2017 I’ll continue to provide easy, healthy recipes using simple ingredients….but maybe sometimes it’ll be a little less polished. Maybe it’ll be a few more shots of my actual dinner plate instead of a perfectly staged recipe. Maybe instead of a perfectly curated recipe video, I’ll share a messy iphone video of Squish helping me in the kitchen. And maybe I’ll share a post about some toddler art projects or how to deal with a colicky baby without worrying about the fact that they’re not recipe posts. Maybe I’ll even blog about fashion. Kidding! I hate fashion 🙂

So now it’s your turn! As we kick off the new year, tell me how I can help you! What kind of recipes do you want to see? What questions do you have? What resources do you need?

Fill me in!

Wishing you all the best in 2017!

–Lindsay–

 

Easy Smoked Salmon Dip

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This Easy Smoked Salmon Dip recipe is the perfect appetizer for your next party. It’s quick, easy and full of flavor and also makes a great snack!

This Easy Smoked Salmon Dip recipe is the perfect appetizer for your next party. It's quick, easy and full of flavor and also makes a great snack!

Hi friends!

Can you believe Christmas is almost here?! I’m having a hard time processing that it’s only 4 days away. I’m sure many of you are either hosting people in your home or headed to the house of a friend or relative to celebrate. If you’re in charge of bringing an appetizer and aren’t sure what to make, I’ve got you covered.

We’ve been eating a lot of smoked salmon lately. They sell this version from the Honey Smoked Fish Co. at Costco and thanks to my mom, it’s currently one of Squish’s favorite foods. It’s not cheap, but it is delicious.

This Easy Smoked Salmon Dip recipe is the perfect appetizer for your next party. It's quick, easy and full of flavor and also makes a great snack!

Anyways, last time we were at Costco, I bought two packages of it so I was looking for a way to use some of it in a recipe. I thought it would be good in a dip. I wanted to keep it as a simple as possible so this recipe only requires a few ingredients – smoked salmon, cream cheese, plain yogurt, green onions and optional horseradish sauce for a bit of a kick!

It’s great served with your favorite chips or crackers and is served cold so you can make it ahead of time!

This Easy Smoked Salmon Dip recipe is the perfect appetizer for your next party. It's quick, easy and full of flavor and also makes a great snack!

Here’s how you make it:

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Easy Smoked Salmon Dip

Smoked Salmon Dip 3
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This Easy Smoked Salmon Dip recipe is the perfect appetizer for your next party. It’s quick, easy and full of flavor and also makes a great snack!

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 oz plain cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)
  • 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
  • 4 oz smoked salmon
  • 1–2 Tbsp horseradish sauce, optional (depending how spicy you want it!)

Instructions

  1. Combine cream cheese, yogurt, horseradish and green onions in a bowl and mix until well combined.
  2. Place salmon in a food processor and pulse several times.
  3. Stir salmon into cream cheese mixture.
  4. Serve with crackers or chips.

Think you can handle it? I hope it becomes one of your favorite go-to appetizer recipes.

This Easy Smoked Salmon Dip recipe is the perfect appetizer for your next party. It's quick, easy and full of flavor and also makes a great snack!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Make this Easy Smoked Salmon Dip as an appetizer for your next party!” quote=”Make this Easy Smoked Salmon Dip as an appetizer for your next party!”]

Looking for more appetizer ideas? Here are a few of my favorites:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Lemon Gingersnap Parfaits

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These Lemon Gingersnap Parfaits are the perfect holiday dessert recipe. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they’re easy to assemble and oh so festive!

These Lemon Gingersnap Parfaits are the perfect holiday dessert recipe. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they're easy to assemble and oh so festive!

Thanks to Davidson’s Safest Choice Eggs for sponsoring this post.

Hi Friends!

 

 

Today we’re focusing on dessert. If you’ve never tried the Lemon-Gingersnap flavor combination, you’re in for a real treat! These parfaits are made with crushed gingersnaps, plain yogurt and homemade lemon curd. Plus they’re topped with pomegranate arils for a festive touch!

You could swap the plain yogurt for vanilla for some extra flavor if you wanted, or add a few pumpkin seeds to make them red and green for the holidays and add a little crunch!

EDITED TO ADD: Due to technical difficulties, this lemon curd recipe has been lost. But I didn’t want to delete this post because the flavor combo is just too good. I’d recommend using this recipe if you want to make your own lemon curd….or buy some at the store!

These Lemon Gingersnap Parfaits are the perfect holiday dessert recipe. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they're easy to assemble and oh so festive!

To assemble, just layer plain yogurt, lemon curd and crushed gingersnaps into bowls or glasses and top with fresh pomegranate arils!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Make these Lemon Gingersnap Parfaits for a festive holiday dessert.” quote=”Make these Lemon Gingersnap Parfaits for a festive holiday dessert.”]

Enjoy!

Lindsay

10 Kid-Friendly Vegetable Recipes

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Want to prepare vegetables for kids that they’ll actually eat? These kid-friendly vegetable recipes are healthy, quick and easy. Serve them as a side dish for dinner or for a healthy snack!

These Kid-Friendly Vegetable Recipes are healthy, quick and easy. Serve them as a side dish for dinner or for a healthy snack!

Hi friends!

Let’s talk about vegetables for kids. If you’re a parent, you’ve probably struggled to find vegetable recipes for kids…ie vegetables kids like and vegetables kids will eat! If you’re tired of serving vegetables that get thrown away, I hope this post will spark some ideas for you. 

We all know vegetables are important. They offer a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. But when you find a veggie your kid will eat, it’s easy to fall into the habit of serving that and only that…because it’s easier than fighting with them to try something new or dealing with them spitting it out all over the place. But it’s so important to expose young kiddos to a wide variety of foods and flavors. My goal is always to try to serve them twice a day whether it’s at meals or snacks. Does that always happen? No. But I try!

To help myself out (and you!) I rounded up some kid-friendly veggie recipes that I’m looking forward to trying, plus a few of my favs from the blog. Hopefully you see something that sparks some new vegetable ideas for kids!

Vegetable Recipes For Kids

Green Bean Fries

My kids love french fries. And while he certainly prefers regular french fries or sweet potato fries, the similar shape and the crunchy coating on these green bean fries are sometimes enough to get him to eat a few. When in doubt, add ketchup. Added bonus- they’re fun for kids to help make!

Green Bean Fries via The Lean Green Bean

Rainbow Veggie Kabobs

Kids like fun food. Kabobs are fun. Added bonus – they’ll love helping you assemble these, which makes it more likely they’ll eat a few veggies along the way!

Rainbow Veggie Kabobs via Two Healthy Kitchens

Marinated Vegetable Salad

Add some extra flavor to the veggies with a marinade. It’ll make them taste less veggie-like, which kids will love! If your kids don’t like steamed veggies, try serving them raw in a salad like this! They may like the crunch!

Marinated Vegetable Salad via Iowa Girl Eats

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

These can cook all day in the crockpot and be ready to serve when you get home!

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes via Baked By Rachel

Easy Spinach Balls

Finger foods are fun! These balls are easy to make and if you serve them with a tasty dip, the kids just might look past the green color!

Easy Spinach Balls via The Lean Green Bean

Caramelized Butternut Squash

Kids like sweet. Most vegetables are not sweet. Caramelizing veggies adds a sweetness factor that will up their chances of being consumed!

Caramelized Butternut Squash via Yummy Healthy Easy

Melting Sweet Potatoes

When all other veggies fail, try sweet potatoes. Especially this way. They’re hard to resist.

Melting Sweet Potatoes via Dessert For Two

Maple Bacon Sweet Potatoes

Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness, which is enhanced with a little extra maple syrup. Pair that with bacon, which everyone loves, and these won’t last long on their plate!

Maple Bacon Roasted Carrots via The Lean Green Bean

Broiled Zucchini Pizza

Almost all kids love pizza! Swap the crust for some zucchini rounds, top with sauce, cheese and pepperoni for a home run!

Broiled Zucchini Pizza via Kalyn’s Kitchen

Veggie Nuggets

Do they typically turn their nose up at things like broccoli? These nuggets can be dipped in bbq sauce, ketcup, etc which usually helps!

Veggie Nuggets via Real Mom Nutrition

Did any of these ideas catch your eye? Pin this post to try them soon!

Kid-Friendly Vegetable Recipes

These Kid-Friendly Vegetable Recipes are healthy, quick and easy. Serve them as a side dish for dinner or for a healthy snack!

Does your kiddo have a favorite veggie recipe? Leave it in the comments!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Gifts For New Moms

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Looking for gifts for new moms this Christmas? Here are 15 ideas that would make great presents for the moms in your life for the holidays, Mother’s day, birthdays and more!

Hi friends!

Last year I posted a Baby’s First Year Gift Guide to share some of our favorite new baby items. This year I thought I’d share some gift ideas for the new moms in your life. Because moms work hard…and they deserve nice things 🙂

Gifts For New Moms

Looking for gifts for new moms this Christmas? Here are 15 ideas that would make great presents for the moms in your life!

I don’t personally have all of these items…but I have tried several of them, and I can make a pretty good case for why the rest of them are good ideas! And if you’re sitting here thinking you don’t really know any new moms, have no fear! A lot of these things would be great for any of the ladies in your life – friends, sisters, girlfriends, wives etc! So take a look and start shopping!

*Note that this post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase something using that link, I get a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting The Lean Green Bean!

 

gift guide

 

  1. HP Sprocket Instant Photo Printer – I originally suggested a polaroid camera but I’ve changed my mind. I love this mini photo printer so she can easily print off some of the photos on her phone!
  2. Yeti Rambler Tumbler – This mug can do double duty. It’ll keep her coffee hot in the morning (because if she puts it in a regular mug, she’ll have to reheat it no less than 5 times) and it’ll keep her water cold in the afternoon. And in the evening, she can hide some beer or wine in there 🙂
  3. Scarf Camera Strap –   Like I said, new moms take lots of pictures. Most will probably be on her phone…but if she does drag out the nice camera, these scarf straps are a fun way to add some personality to the big camera! 
  4. Hair Tie Bracelet –  Unless her hair is too short, it’ll probably be in a ponytail almost every day to help disguise the fact that she has no time to shower anymore. These are a fun way to make those extra hair ties look more fashionable. 
  5. Lululemon Dance Studio Pants – These pants are the best. I have 2 pairs and wear them pretty much every day. They’re a step up from sweatpants but just as comfortable. My “winter uniform” is pretty much all from Lulu so if you’re looking for more ideas, i’d also recommend a Scuba Hoodie (I have 4) and a Vinyasa Scarf (I have 5).
  6. Stitch Fix Gift Card – Babies make it really hard to find time to go shopping. Maybe if she just has a newborn she could squeeze some in…but if she has more than one kid, the idea of trying to do any sort of leisurely in-store shopping is laughable. Give her a Stitch Fix gift card so the clothes show up right at her door!
  7. iPad/Tablet Stand – If she’s nursing, she’ll probably spend a lot of time watching show on the Tv or iPad. This stand is perfect for holding a tablet on a table next to a glider for those late-night nursing sessions.
  8. Instant Pot – I snagged one of these during Amazon’s Black Friday sale three years ago and I now recommend them to everyone. They cook stuff insanely quickly so when the new mom forgets to put dinner in the crockpot in the morning, she can still have dinner cooked in 30 minutes and it’ll taste like it cooked all day.
  9. Ultra-Compact Portable Phone Charger – Mama will be spending a lot of time on her phone. Buy her an extra charger that she can keep in the car or diaper bag!

gift guide

  1. Game Day Feels Bracelet – I discovered these bracelets a few years ago and love them. They have tons of great quotes to choose from, but I especially love the one I bought – “Life is about moments. Don’t wait for them, create them.” It’s a great reminder to live in the moment and be present with my kids.
  2. Weekly Planner from Minted – The important part of this is the planner part…because mom brain is a real thing and remembering anything important is pretty much impossible. Any planner will do but I love these planners from Minted because they put a whole week on one page instead of spread across two pages, so I don’t have to leave it open like a book to see the whole week….I can just look at one page.
  3. Wallet with Phone Pocket – When you have to leave the house with a diaper bag, carseat, kid(s) and more….there aren’t a lot of hands left for a purse. Get her a wallet that’s big enough to hold her phone too so she can just toss it in the diaper bag and call it a day.
  4. Seaport Stitches Diaper Bag – This is one of my favorite diaper bags I’ve had over the years and I adore it. It’s cute, it’s the perfect size and held up well. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat.
  5. Chatbooks – A fun way to print your Instagram photos into a keepsake book. You can get your mom friend to approve your request and then Chatbooks lets you design a book for her using her photos. She’ll love it..and trust me, she won’t have time to do it herself, despite her best intentions.
  6. Personalized Necklace – When my son was born, my hubby got me a beautiful necklace with his name, birth date and a few charms on it. After my daughter was born I told him I wanted an updated one to include both of them. I love how simple and beautiful this one is but actually ended up getting one from Honey Willow Jewelry and LOVE it.

So there you go! Hopefully this inspired an idea or two for someone on your list! Also check out my Small Business Gift Guide!

And if mom has older kids, here are Toddler Gift Ideas {Ages 1-3}, Best Toys for Multiple Ages and Kid Gift Idea {Ages 4-7}. Plus my All-time favorite gifts for Moms, Babies & Toddlers.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Life With Two Kids – Month 1

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Hi friends!

It’s officially been a month since Little Miss entered the world. And guess what? We survived! I won’t sugar coat it for you and say it’s been easy, because it hasn’t! I figured I should try to bring you guys up to speed on what’s been going on around here. I’ll try to break it down into some categories you may have questions about:

  • Sleep
  • Squish
  • Baby
  • Mom
  • Breastfeeding

So here we go:

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Sleep

Simply put, I’m not really getting any. With the exception of one time (two nights ago), I have not slept longer than 2.5 hours straight in a month. I’m exclusively breastfeeding, so when baby wants to eat, it’s me feeding her….and she is a frequent eater. Squish was a very good sleeper, sleeping 3-4 hour stretches pretty much right from the beginning. Not the case with this one. She’s pretty much up every 2 hours wanting to eat. Couple that with the fact that  I have a toddler who thinks that 4:30 – 5am  is an appropriate time to start the day and yeah….no sleep. I’d say I’m averaging 4-5 hours of non-consecutive sleep a night.

Baby sleeps much better during the day than she does at night…but during the day Squish is awake and when he goes down for his nap, she always seems to be awake. On a rare occasion, they’ll both be asleep at the same time during the day and I can sneak in a quick nap.

The good news is, on Sunday night she slept long enough for me to sleep 5 hours straight and it was glorious! I almost felt like I didn’t need my second and third cups of coffee on Monday! Almost. And last night she slept a little over 3 hours straight so maybe we’re turning the corner a little bit. Now if I could just get Squish to sleep in!

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Squish

Speaking of Squish, many of you have asked how he’s doing with his sister. This was one of my biggest anxiety sources during my pregnancy and I spent a lot of time worrying about how he would handle it. Turns out he’s doing great! Sure he has his moments where he’s a little overly exuberant around her…but hello, he’s a toddler. Overall, he’s not super interested in her. He will show you where she is if you ask, occasionally give her toys when she cries, etc….but he doesn’t seem all that interested in holding her or trying to play with her.

In the past week or so, he seems to have taken a bit more interest. He attempted to brush her hair after her bath and tries to put her binky in when she cries.

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Squish has always been very mommy-attached so I knew the transition would have some challenges…and it has….but having daddy home for those first two weeks after baby was born was invaluable in helping to deal with him. The hardest times of day seem to be meal time. Whether it’s trying to keep him entertained while I’m nursing her…or trying to feed him while she’s screaming to be fed as well, it can get a little overwhelming….but we’re surviving. He’s been watching his fair share of tv because it’s the one thing I can count on to contain him to the same room while I’m trying to nurse.

Overall I’m proud of what a good big brother he is and I’m excited to see how they start to interact as she gets older.

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Breastfeeding

This is the big one I know a lot of you are wondering about. If you don’t know my story about breastfeeding with Squish you can read it here: Breastfeeding is Hard. To sum it up, I got mastitis a week after he was born, which developed into a breast abcess. I spent 5 days in the hospital and stopped breastfeeding when he was 6 weeks old.

Many people asked me if I was going to try again after my terrible experience the first time. My answer was yes. When I got mastitis, I was given a few rounds of medication that were not ideal for treating it (and didn’t work), because I have a drug allergy to meds in the same family as the drug they typically treat it with. In the end, I was given that medicine and was fine….but because I didn’t get it right away, the infection kinda spiraled out of control. So my hope was that breastfeeding could and could go better the second time….and it has!

But I stand by my statement that breastfeeding is hard. Just because it’s going well does not mean it’s easy. It definitely helped to know what to expect this time around. I spent a ton of time disconnecting and relatching the baby right from the beginning to avoid damaging my nipples and I think that helped a lot. But I still forgot how painful it was in the beginning as they learn how to latch, milk comes in, etc. Plus, for the first week or so I was using two hands to keep her in position, etc which made it nearly impossible to deal with an active toddler who also needed me.

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After about 2 weeks, I started to get my groove. She learned how to eat, I learned what position was best, I could have a hand free to look at my phone or deal with Squish. After a month we’re too the point where it’s pretty comfortable. I’ve fed her on the couch, at the kitchen counter, while walking around the kitchen trying to get dinner ready for Squish, at the table while we were out to eat…

She’s a pretty good eater and will typically nurse for 15-20 minutes on each side. Her brother as constantly falling asleep while eating and we had to strip him down to a diaper at every feeding, cold wash cloths etc. She’s much better at staying awake…which is nice.

But it’s also time consuming. I added it up one day and found that some days I’m actively nursing her for 6 hours. You guys, that’s a lot of time. With Squish we dealt with jaundice and low supply so we were supplementing with formula after just a few days and then after a few weeks, on formula completely. He would suck down a bottle in about 2 minutes and be done with it. This time, every time she nurses it takes 35-40 minutes. That’s been hard to adjust to.

I posted this on Instagram the other day:


Judging by the response I got, many of you agreed! I’m so grateful breastfeeding is going better this time around, but it’s still hard.

Since I had low supply last time, I still find myself worrying about that with her, but she’s gaining weight so I know that means she’s getting what she needs.

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Baby

Baby girl is doing well. She was 8 pounds, 10 oz when she was born and according to our rough estimate using a bathroom scale at the gym, she’s up to about 10 pounds now. She doesn’t go back to the doctor for her first round of shots, etc until after the holidays so we’ll have a better idea of her weight and height again at that point.

She’s definitely more work than her brother was as a newborn. Simply put…she’s fussy. If she’s not sleeping or eating, she’s usually fussing, crying or full on screaming. I think she’s a bit colicky….from about 7-11pm is her worst time of day, typically full of screaming…but luckily she gives us a break some evenings. Mornings are when she is happiest and she will occasionally sit in her rock and play and just look around. But she definitely prefers to be held. Oh and she’s not a fan of the pacifier. Squish took one immediately when he was about 3 days old and it was a lifesaver. She’s just not really interested. She wants to suck her fingers or thumb but can’t get them into her mouth and she’ll only take a binkie about 30% of the time…and only for a few minutes.

Luckily she likes the Ergo and will usually calm down and go to sleep if I put her in it during the day. She’s not a huge fan of her carseat and cries in it a fair amount…but if the car is moving she does alright.

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She’s already spending a fair amount of time at the gym and does pretty well there. The loud noises and music don’t bother her. Unlike her brother, she usually doesn’t mind tummy time and she likes to be swaddled. Just like we did with him, she’s sleeping in the rock and play next to the bed for now.

At this point she’s napping wherever. The plan is to use Squish’s crib for her…but we’re in no rush. Squish still sleeps very well in the crib and I’m in no rush to put him in a toddler bed. Basically I’m waiting until he figures out how to climb out of the crib and gives me no choice but to transition to big kid bed!

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She’s wearing some newborn clothes but 0-3 month stuff fits her best. She can fit into some 3 month sleepers and onsies but some stuff is too big, especially pants. She’s wearing size 1 diapers and has at least 1 blowout a day, without fail. They tend to happen when she’s in her carseat, which typically means we arrive home and she’s screaming and uncomfortable and Squish is screaming for his dinner and then I end up getting his dinner and then trying to deal with the blowout on the kitchen floor and simultaneously watch him while he’s eating.

But she’s still a sweet baby. She has big blue eyes and her snuggles are the sweetest.

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Mama

Overall I’m doing well. Besides being tired and a little overwhelmed at times, I’m loving life. Being responsible for two littles is definitely hard…especially when they’re both screaming at once, or when they have opposite sleep schedules, or when you have to tell your toddler not to hammer his sister…or that he can’t sit on top of the baby in your lap…but we’re all adjusting.

I have my follow-up OB appointment on December 15th,  so hopefully I’ll be cleared to workout. Healing is going well. My stitches hurt more than I remember from last time…but last time I also had mastitis after one week and I was feeling pretty much all-around miserable so it’s a little hard to compare. I’m just a couple of pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight so most of my normal clothes are fitting…with the exception of a couple pairs of pants.

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I’m excited to get back into working out! Again, it will be a little hard to compare my CrossFit comeback to last time because of how sick I got. I had an incredibly hard time coming back last time. This time will still be hard…but I don’t feel like I’ll be starting totally from square one. My goal is to spend the next two months building my strength and endurance back up again to be ready for the Crossfit Open at the end of February. I’m also super grateful that we own a gym so that I have the freedom to go in and do some random workouts if I need to work around the kids’ schedules and moods.

Dealing with a fussy/colicky baby can be emotionally taxing…but I know it’s just a phase and this too shall pass. I’m trying to keep us busy without overcommitting. Winter is definitely hard with an active toddler and a newborn. We’ve been to a few playdates with a friend or two for Squish and started going to The Little Gym once a week again to get him around other kids. Plus, we go to our gym several days a week and that helps a lot because he can run around like crazy and burn some energy.

I’ve been doing pretty well at taking a break from blogging and the work I do for Regan but that will start back up again after the first of the year. I’m a little anxious about how I’ll have time to fit everything in…but I’m just going to take it week by week and adjust as needed!

Whew….so I think that’s enough for now! I’ll check back in new month with more updates.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Tuna Quinoa Cakes

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These Tuna Quinoa Cakes are a great way to add some extra protein to your day. Eat them plain, put them on a bun, or use them to top your salad for a healthy lunch or dinner!

These Tuna Quinoa Cakes are a great way to add some extra protein to your day. Eat them plain, put them on a bun, or use them to top your salad for a healthy lunch or dinner!

Hi Friends!

I first shared this recipe on the blog about 4.5 years ago. I updated the photos once already, a couple of years ago…but I’ve been making them a lot lately because they’re such a great quick meal or snack…so I snapped some new photos of them again to entice you to try them!

The great thing about these is that while they’re good the day you make them, they’re even better as leftovers, which makes them perfect for lunchboxes! They’re packed with protein, easy to make and taste great warm or cold. I eat them for lunch, dinner and snack time….and I’ve also been known to eat them as a post-workout snack.

These Tuna Quinoa Cakes are a great way to add some extra protein to your day. Eat them plain, put them on a bun, or use them to top your salad for a healthy lunch or dinner!

Here’s how you make them:

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Quinoa Cakes With Tuna

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These Tuna Quinoa Cakes are a great way to add some extra protein to your day. Eat them plain, put them on a bun, or use them to top your salad for a healthy lunch or dinner!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 c cooked, mashed sweet potato
  • 2 cans tuna, drained
  • 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1/4 c green onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 c plain yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp mustard
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 c breadcrumbs

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the tuna and sweet potato and mix well.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
  3. Using your hands, form into 6 cakes.
  4. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20 min, flipping once.

Pretty simple, right? Enjoy these on their own, warm or cold (I love them cold!), on top of a salad, or even on a bun!

Drizzle with sriracha for a spicy kick or mix some thai chili sauce with plain yogurt and dip!

These Tuna Quinoa Cakes are a great way to add some extra protein to your day. Eat them plain, put them on a bun, or use them to top your salad for a healthy lunch or dinner!

 

[clickToTweet tweet=”These Tuna Quinoa Cakes are perfect for a protein-packed meal or snack!” quote=”These Tuna Quinoa Cakes are perfect for a protein-packed meal or snack!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Moms: Here Are 10 Things To Stop Feeling Guilty About

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We need to work harder to stop mom guilt. Here are 10 Things To Stop Feeling Guilty About as a mom. Everything from feeding your child formula to not buying organic food, these things aren’t worth beating yourself up over.

stop mom guilt

Today my friend and fellow Registered Dietitian Sally from Real Mom Nutrition is taking over the blog to talk about mom guilt.

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For moms, the guilt trip begins even before the baby arrives.

  • “Are you going to try for a natural birth?’
  • “You’re planning to breastfeed, right?”
  • “I hope you’re going to use cloth diapers.”
  • “Wow, you’re HUGE!”

By the time your child is born, you may think you’re pretty good at dealing with nosey and judge-y people. But oh, the judgment is just getting started! And food is one of the biggest sources of guilt and angst for moms. Between what you’re told by friends, celebrities, social media, and totally random strangers in line at Whole Foods, it can be tough to navigate without feeling like a lousy parent.

But I’m here to tell you: It’s time to relax! Here are ten things to stop fretting about:

formula feeding

(Note from Lindsay – you can read about my experience in this post: Breastfeeding Is Hard)

  1. Formula

Breastfeeding is a wonderful thing. As a dietitian, I know about the benefits and support women who do it. But if you can’t breastfeed (or don’t want to), formula is a healthy and safe option. I battled supply and latch issues and ended up using formula. But I spent far too much time mired in guilt and shame over it and don’t wish those feelings on any new mom. So do what works for you, and know that whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding, you’re providing nourishment for your baby.

  1. Jarred Baby Food

If you want to make your own baby food, that’s great! But I don’t see anything wrong with using jarred food if that works better for you—especially if it means you’ll be less stressed or have time to catch an extra nap. Besides, there are so many wholesome options that don’t have fillers or other additives. You can even snag store-brand organic jarred baby food at a reasonable price.

  1. Packaged Food

You probably try to eat a lot of whole, unprocessed foods. But packaged food is not the enemy. I couldn’t get by without packaged crackers and tortillas, canned beans, bagged salad, and boxed cereal. I read labels to make better choices, but I don’t feel bad about not making everything from scratch.

  1. Ketchup

I don’t know what it is about kids and ketchup. Mine have dipped practically everything into it, including asparagus spears. My younger son has slurped it plain with a spoon (that’s my cue to take the bottle off the table). But I know that their ketchup obsession is fleeting–and that ketchup can actually be a great tool to encourage them to try unfamiliar foods.

Snack Platter with Ranch

  1. Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing is another magical vehicle for turning new foods into something your kids just might try. It’s the reason my older son eats greens salads and takes carrots in his lunch box. Dips and sauces like ranch, BBQ, ketchup, and even butter add flavor to foods that may otherwise seem bitter or bland to kids. In one study, preschoolers who were especially sensitive to bitter flavors ate 80 percent more broccoli at snack time when it was served alongside ranch dressing (read more here).

  1. Cereal for Dinner

I’m a big proponent of family dinner, and I cook dinner most nights of the week. But sometimes dinner inspiration feels more like dinner desperation. That’s when you pull out the cereal (or PBJs, or boxed mac and cheese) and call it a day. An occasional cereal-for-dinner night never hurt anyone, especially if everyone is sitting around the table together and especially when you add milk and a side of fruit. In my book, that’s preferable to greasy pizza delivery.

lunch ideas

  1. Boring Lunch Boxes

Do the perfectly packed lunches on Instagram make you feel inadequate? I’m guilty of posting photos of photogenic lunch boxes to give people ideas. But I’m also not above just getting it done with a turkey sandwich or PBJ and cup of applesauce. And you know what? My kids love those boring lunch boxes. So don’t feel pressure to pack sushi and kale salads, especially if what your kid really wants is a turkey sandwich and cup of applesauce.

  1. Kids Who Won’t Eat Broccoli

It’s normal for kids to go through an especially picky phase between ages 2-6 and even reject foods they used to devour. Continue to serve a variety of healthy foods, be patient, and focus on the long-term goals: You want a child eats lots of heealthy foods because he wants to, not because he has to. (If you want more strategies for picky eating, I have a free Picky Eater Problem Solver course—you can sign up here.)

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  1. Kids Who Like Junk Food

Does your friend’s kid prefer Brussels sprouts over cookies? How fabulous for her. But most kids like the taste of junk food because it’s engineered to taste amazing. So don’t feel like a failure because your child digs the taste of chips or soda. My strategy is to stock healthy foods at home but allow for some junk when we’re out and about.

  1. Not Buying All Organic

As a dietitian, I want people to eat a variety of healthy foods, including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables—no matter whether they’re organic or conventional. If organic is important to you, go for it. If you don’t have the budget for it, buy fresh, healthy foods and know that a healthy pattern of eating—lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains, healthy fats and protein—is the most important thing.

————-

Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, educator, and mom of two who blogs at Real Mom Nutrition. She is the author of The Snacktivist’s Handbook: How to Change the Junk Food Snack Culture at School, in Sports, and at Camp—and Raise Healthier Snackers at Home. She also collaborated with Cooking Light on Dinnertime Survival Guide, a cookbook for busy families. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

 

Dream vs. Reality: Working From Home With Two Kids

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This is a guest post from Katy Widrick, who blogs at KatyWidrick.com and runs a blogging and online marketing consulting company called Make Media Over. Katy is the mom of two gorgeous girls (4 and 1) and shares their journey at Bug Child{ren}.

I recently took a call from a friend who was having a rough day working from home with two young kids. She asked me how I had it altogether with:

  • my own online marketing and blog consulting business
  • a separate, part-time job
  • two blogs
  • two kids

And I laughed so hard that I nearly spit out my coffee (my third cup of the day, mind you, because my baby had been up twice through the night and the big kid crawled into bed with us at 5:30 a.m. asking for an episode of Daniel Tiger and COFFEE IS LIFE).

Dream vs. Reality: Working From Home With Kids

I don’t have it together. Not nearly. Nobody I know does, regardless of whether or not she has kids, but the little gremlins sure seem to add a new layer of stress and guilt. Screw up with a client project, burn dinner or have a bad workout and you can do better the next day. No harm, no foul.

Screw up with the kids and it sure feels as if you’ve ruined their little lives.

I have (and this is not an exhaustive list):

  • turned off the camera during Skype calls to nurse a screaming baby just to try to maintain some semblance that I am a professional
  • launched websites at 2 a.m. in my pajamas because it was the only time I could type without fear that a flying juice box would detonate over my keyboard
  • said no to travel opportunities because I don’t have childcare or family nearby
  • had sleepless nights thinking about time I wasn’t spending with my kids and husband
  • had sleepless nights thinking about time I wasn’t spending on my work

I’ve worked out of the home with one kid (in daycare) and later, worked from home with two kids (one in school and one at home) and I promise you: there’s nothing easy about any of it. In fact, I wrote more about it in The Tale of Two Experiences and Spoiler Alert: It’s All Hard.

[clickToTweet tweet=”What does working from home with kids really look like? Plus, tips for staying productive.” quote=”What does working from home with kids really look like? Plus, tips for staying productive.”]

But I will admit, there are a number of systems and routines I have in place that help, or at least fool those close to me into thinking I am some kind of super mom.

Dream vs. Reality: Working From Home With Kids

My Bullet Journal

I am Type A. I like lists, and plans and schedules. I am always early to appointments and clutter makes me slightly shaky. No planner has ever really worked for me, but the bullet journal — a system, not an actual product — has been a life-changer for me.

Shared Calendars

Yes, this is another system, but having a shared Google calendar with my husband means that I can always see at a glance when he is out of town or working late. I put important, can’t-miss events on our calendar (school recitals, visitors, etc.) so neither of us accidentally double-books ourselves. I put blocks of time where I need him to be home so that I can take a client call or go for a workout, and he puts blocks of time when he wants to be able to watch sports or do work without interruption.

Early Mornings/Late Nights

I honestly do not believe in work-life balance. I think it’s an awesome thing to strive for and I’m constantly trying to make my own scales a little bit less lopsided. But there are weeks where my kids just need me: they’re sick, they’re sad, they need some extra love. And when that happens, I don’t feel bad putting my work and deadlines aside.

Often, though, my work needs me just as desperately. Clients break websites and call me in a panic. A brand approaches me for an amazing opportunity that I just can’t pass up. And when that happens, I have to ask for more help with the kids, and/or get more creative about how and when I work.

So, I work early in the morning, before the kids get up (usually after the baby wakes me up around 4 a.m., I nurse her, put her back down and then go downstairs to check email). Or if I’m just too tired, I’ll work for a few hours after they’re in bed.

I want traditional hours, but life just doesn’t work that way right now. So I do what I can, when I can, and let the rest go.

Saying No

Saying no is a big part of letting things go. This is an ongoing challenge for me, because as a small business owner, I’m always afraid of losing a revenue stream, or a client, or passing on what could be a really great chance for me to build my brand.

But I’ve made the mistake of overbooking myself — more than once — and paying the price with headaches, anxiety, and frustration. Maybe worst of all, taking on too much just means that none of it is fun. And why do it if it’s not at least a little bit fun?

I love my kids beyond measure. Even when they frustrate and challenge me, they are my people. The reasons I do what I do. The ones who love me unconditionally, whether I make a million dollars or barely scrape by. At the end of the day, I just want them to know that in my perfectly imperfect way, I did my best, and that I was always proud to be their mom.

Turkey and Cornbread Panzanella

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This Turkey and Cornbread Panzanella is the perfect recipe to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers! Enjoy this healthy bread salad for lunch while watching football!

This Turkey and Cornbread Panzanella is the perfect recipe to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers! Enjoy this healthy bread salad for lunch while watching football!

Hi there! So excited to be guest posting today on Lean Green Bean! Lindsay’s blog was one of the first dietitian blogs I found, and I’m thrilled to step in and help as she enjoys time with her baby beans!

If you haven’t “met” me before on my blog, Avocado A Day Nutrition, allow me to introduce myself! I’m Rachael Hartley, a private practice dietitian in Columbia, SC, joyful eating advocate and avocado enthusiast. I’m a big believer that food is something to celebrate, not fear. That’s why I work with men and women helping them better take care of their bodies by nourishing a healthy relationship with food, not through diets and deprivation.

Speaking of food fear, during this holiday season, it sure seems like there is an epidemic of it. Magazines and media fuel the fire with a barrage of headlines telling you how to avoid the dreaded holiday pounds. They tell you to lighten up the sweet potato casserole recipe you’ve been enjoying since childhood, how to harness your willpower and discipline to eat only one slice of pecan pie, and what exercises will “burn off” every last bite of turkey.

For a time that’s supposed to be a celebration of family, friends and thankfulness, it breaks my heart to see how many people approach the holiday season with dread.

This Turkey and Cornbread Panzanella is the perfect recipe to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers! Enjoy this healthy bread salad for lunch while watching football!

But did you know the average American gains only one pound over the holiday season? One pound? That’s well within the range of what your body will naturally fluctuate over the course of a single day. I once did an experiment to prove how silly the scale is and weighed myself each waking hour. My weight fluctuated in a six-pound range! Certainly, you may require a little more self-care during an often stressful, hectic and cookie-laden season, but is one pound really worth giving up fully experiencing the joy of the holiday season?

When I work with clients on intuitive eating, one of the cool things they notice is when they tune in to how they feel and how food tastes, the holidays don’t become a smorgasbord of casseroles and cookies. That’s because when we overeat one day, we feel less hungry the next. We want to feel good – energetic, alive, and digestively, you know…normal. Plus, when food isn’t off limits and we know we have permission to eat mac and cheese or pie or creamy casseroles any time we like, there’s no need to “fit it all in” a month-long span.

Buttermilk Dressing

Intuitive eaters notice their taste buds habituate. Eating the same foods and flavors over and over again (usually a combination of cheese, butter and flour if your Thanksgiving is like ours), you’ll quickly tire. You may have noticed this yourself if you experienced a sense of excitement at finishing your Thanksgiving leftovers so there was room in the fridge for something more plant-centric.

After a couple meals of Thanksgiving leftovers, my taste buds are pretty much screaming for something fresh, tasty and nourishing. But considering we’ve been hosting over a dozen family members for Thanksgiving the past few years, we’ve usually got more than a few meals worth of leftovers. That’s why I love to repurpose my leftovers into dishes that are a bit more vegetable focused, like this Turkey and Cornbread Panzanella.

skillet cornbread

Any type of leftover cornbread will work for this, but living in the south, I’m a fan of recipes made with only cornmeal and just the smallest hint of sugar. To me, the cornbread they make up north tastes like cake! Here’s my recipe for the thin and crispy skillet cornbread I used to make this salad.

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Cornbread and Turkey Panzanella

turkey cornbread panzanella 1
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This Cornbread and Turkey Panzanella is the perfect recipe to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers! Enjoy this healthy bread salad for lunch while watching football!

  • Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups cubed cornbread
  • 3 cups shredded leftover turkey or chicken
  • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup sliced pickled okra
  • 1 cup thinly shredded collard green leaves
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/3 cup full fat plain yogurt
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon or parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread cornbread evenly on a large baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  2. In a large bowl, toss together cornbread cubes, turkey, cherry tomatoes, okra, collards, and red onion.
  3. In a mason jar, mix together dressing ingredients. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
  4. Drizzle salad with dressing to taste and serve with leftover dressing on the side.

Such a simple, easy way to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers!

This Turkey and Cornbread Panzanella is the perfect recipe to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers! Enjoy this healthy bread salad for lunch while watching football!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Transform those Thanksgiving leftovers into this Turkey and Cornbread Panzanella!” quote=”Transform those Thanksgiving leftovers into this Turkey and Cornbread Panzanella!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are fluffy, chewy and full of delicious mix-ins. They’re easy to make when a dessert craving strikes!

Fluffy and chewy, this Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are full of delicious mix-ins and can be whipped up quickly when a dessert craving strikes!

**NOTE: This post was originally published in October 2010. I updated the photos in October 2015 and am now republishing the recipe because let’s be honest, you probably missed it the first time** 

Hi Friends!

Cooler weather is finally here and that means one thing- time to bake! There are few things more comforting to me than baking cookies, especially a tried and true favorite that I know will come out the same way every single time. I can’t even remember where this recipe came from originally. I make them so often I just have the ingredients written down on a scrap of paper, with no title or directions.

These are my hubby’s favorite cookie. He’s not a dessert person but he will occasionally request these so I’m happy to oblige. They’re the perfect balance of fluffy and chewy and are jam-packed with delicious mix-ins.

Here’s the recipe:

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Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Fluffy, chewy and full of delicious mixins, these cookies are sure to become your new favorite.

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 0 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 24 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 c butter, softened (or melted)
  • 2/3 c brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 c oats
  • 1 1/2 c flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 c dark chocolate chips
  • 1/2 c cranberries

Instructions

  1. Combine the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a bowl. If you want to use a mixer, just soften the butter in the microwave. If you prefer to stir by hand, melt the butter completely before adding the other ingredients.
  2. Add flour, oats and baking soda and beat or stir to combine.
  3. Mix in chocolate chips and cranberries.
  4. Scoop onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

Don’t they look yummy! Make some to share or make a double batch and freeze half the dough for later. Oh and just a little side note- if you have a friend who just had a baby, do her a favor and either make her some of these cookies….or make the dough to stock her freezer. Just trust me…she’ll appreciate it!

[clickToTweet tweet=”These Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are a tried and true recipe everyone will love!” quote=”These Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are a tried and true recipe everyone will love.”]

These Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are fluffy, chewy and full of delicious mix-ins. They're easy to make when a dessert craving strikes!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Recipes To Fuel Long Runs

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If you’re looking for some homemade Long Run Fuel ideas, here are four real food recipes to try before your next workout!

If you're looking for some homemade Long Run Fuel ideas, here are four real food recipes to try before your next workout!

Hey guys! I’m Anne, a fellow Registered Dietitian and a food, fitness, and travel blogger over at fANNEtastic food. Thank you to Lindsay for having me here today! 🙂

In addition to being a dietitian, I’m also a big fan of running, which means that I’m passionate about helping people make sure they are fueling their runs properly. So – here are 4 of my favorite recipes to fuel your next long run, along with some information about what makes them so great as workout fuel. Happy running!

If you’ll be running over about an hour, it’s important to fuel during your run, ideally in the form of simple carbohydrates that are quickly and easily digested and turned into energy. For a quick rough estimate of how many carbohydrates you should take in while on a long run, divide your body weight in pounds by 4. This will give you a good starting point for the grams of carbs you should aim to take in per hour (for runs over 1 hour).

And now, here are some of my favorite real food fueling recipes to put that advice into action!

Homemade Citrus Sport Drink

This sports drink can really hit the spot – and help to avoid dehydration and muscle cramps. Food dye need not apply! 🙂

If you're looking for some homemade Long Run Fuel ideas, here are four real food recipes to try before your next workout!

Nut Butter Stuffed Salty Dates

These are my absolute favorite fuel for long runs – fast and easy enough to throw together the morning of the run, and so delicious. Why do these make great running fuel? Dates provide ample carbohydrates for energy as well as potassium, which can help to prevent cramps. The salt helps replace that lost from sweat, and the small amount of nut butter helps to keep your energy levels more stable. I especially love eating these later on in my long runs, when I start to get sick of gels and more hungry for serious food (and just a little fat/protein – enough to satisfy me but not so much that it’s hard to digest while running).

If you're looking for some homemade Long Run Fuel ideas, here are four real food recipes to try before your next workout!

Salty Maple Nut Energy Bites

If you enjoy the salty-sweet combo, you will love these! In addition to making a delicious afternoon snack, these make an especially great fuel for endurance workouts of all kinds thanks to the healthy fat and protein from the nuts and chia seeds and fiber from the dates. The puffed brown rice adds an awesome crunch to the mix, too!

If you're looking for some homemade Long Run Fuel ideas, here are four real food recipes to try before your next workout!

Tart Cherry Sports Drink

I love this drink because it rehydrate and refuels with an added inflammation-busting punch from the tart cherry juice.

If you're looking for some homemade Long Run Fuel ideas, here are four real food recipes to try before your next workout!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try these delicious recipes to fuel your next long run, from @fANNEtasticfood!” quote=”Try these delicious recipes to fuel your next long run, from @fANNEtasticfood!”]

If you're looking for some homemade Long Run Fuel ideas, here are four real food recipes to try before your next workout!

If you’re interested in learning more about running nutrition, check out my Sport Nutrition Myth Busting Q&A, which is free to download. It would be perfect to listen to on your next long run, in fact! I co-authored a Nutrition for Runners program with running coach Jason Fitzgerald, and we recorded the Q&A together. It answers and discuss a lot of the typical hot topic running nutrition questions, like:

  • How can I eat enough to fuel my runs but still maintain my goal weight?
  • What’s the best way to refuel after a tough workout, especially if I have no appetite?
  • The top myths about calorie counting and tracking percentages.

More sports nutrition related posts you might enjoy:

 

Many thanks to Anne for filling in for me today!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Cranberry Corn Muffins

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These Cranberry Corn Muffins are lightly sweetened and bursting with tart fresh cranberries. They make the perfect dinner side dish. Serve them with a hearty chili or make a batch for your holiday dinner.
 
These Cranberry Corn Muffins are lightly sweetened and bursting with tart fresh cranberries. They make the perfect dinner side dish. Serve them with a hearty chili or make a batch for your holiday dinner.
 

**NOTE – This post was originally published in November 2010.  Photos were updated in October 2015. I’m republishing them this year because they’re so darn good and I make them every year for Thanksgiving.**
 
I first published these muffins on the blog way back in 2010. Since then, I’ve continued to make them year after year. I always crave them during the first few weeks of fall and they’ve officially been added to our Thanksgiving menu, which pretty much guarantees they’re good. Growing up, we always had my Mimi’s cornbread for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s dense and moist and a little sweeter than cornbread probably should be.
 
These muffins came about when I wanted to try something a little different. I was looking for a recipe that was slightly more like traditional cornbread (ie less sweet). I love the tart pop of flavor that the fresh cranberries add to these muffins. It makes them just a little more exciting and how gorgeous is that bright red color?

These Cranberry Corn Muffins are lightly sweetened and bursting with tart fresh cranberries. They make the perfect dinner side dish. Serve them with a hearty chili or make a batch for your holiday dinner.

Here’s the recipe for you:

Print

Cranberry Corn Muffins

Cranberry Corn Muffins 4
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

These Cranberry Corn Muffins are lightly sweetened and bursting with tart fresh cranberries. They make the perfect dinner side dish. Serve them with a hearty chili or make a batch for your holiday dinner.

  • Author: Lindsay L
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 16-18 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries (or frozen)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup butter (melted) or vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Mix melted butter or oil, eggs, milk and sugar in a bowl.
  2. Add flour, cornmeal and baking soda and stir to combine.
  3. Stir in cranberries until just mixed and scoop into greased or lined muffin tins.
  4. Bake 22-25 minutes at 375 degrees F.

A few notes about this recipe:

  • I prefer these with butter but have also successful made them with oil.
  • Feel free to add some extra cranberries. I always do!
  • These muffins are moist so I don’t store them in a tightly sealed container.

These Cranberry Corn Muffins are lightly sweetened and bursting with tart fresh cranberries. They make the perfect dinner side dish. Serve them with a hearty chili or make a batch for your holiday dinner.

Let’s chat:

What’s one recipe you’ve added to your family’s Thanksgiving menu over the years?

[Tweet “Add these Cranberry Corn Muffins from @leangrnbeanblog to your fall baking list!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Easy Tuna Melts

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This recipe for Easy Tuna Melts comes together quickly and is great for lunch! Try it to help add more seafood to your diet!

This recipe for Easy Tuna Melts comes together quickly and is great for lunch! Try it to help add more seafood to your diet!

Thanks to the National Fisheries Institute for sponsoring this post.

Hi Friends!

Remember a few weeks ago when I shared this post full of Quick & Easy Seafood Recipes? I talked about the recently released 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines For Americans which recommend all Americans eat at least 2-3 servings (8 ounces) of seafood, which includes fish and shellfish, per week.

Here’s the deal: Seafood is often under-consumed, but that doesn’t have to be the case. It’s super versatile and easy to prepare. Plus there’s a wide variety of seafood options to choose from when you’re looking for delicious recipes to try! The new Dish on Fish blog (plus their Facebook and Pinterest pages are a great place to start for healthy seafood recipe ideas!

This recipe for Easy Tuna Melts comes together quickly and is great for lunch! Try it to help add more seafood to your diet!

And lucky for you, I have another easy-to-prepare recipe for you today! Lunch is sometimes a bit of a struggle for me as I seem to spend more time getting Squish’s lunch ready, talking to hubby, cleaning up the kitchen etc than actually eating myself. I’ve been looking for delicious lunch ideas that I can throw together and eat quickly so I still have time for everything else that needs to get done.

These Easy Tuna Melts fit the bill! Ready in minutes and then you can just pop it under the broiler or into the microwave to melt the cheese! Best part? I can eat it standing up with one hand, or sit down and eat it with a fork if I’m feeling fancy.

Here’s how you make it:

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Easy Tuna Melts

Easy Tuna Melt 3
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This recipe for Easy Tuna Melts comes together quickly and is great for lunch! Try it to help add more seafood to your diet!

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

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 can tuna (I use low-sodium)
  • 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato
  • 2 Tbsp mashed avocado
  • 1/4 cup chopped red pepper
  • 2 Tbsp chopped green onion
  • 2 Tbsp hummus
  • 2 slices bread
  • 2 slices cheese
  • hot sauce – optional

Instructions

  1. Toast slices of bread.
  2. In a bowl, combine the tuna, sweet potato, avocado, red pepper, green onions and hummus and mix until well combined.
  3. Divide tuna mixture onto two slices of bread.
  4. Top each with a slice of cheese and stick under the broiler or in the microwave to melt cheese.
  5. Top with hot sauce if desired and serve warm!

See what I mean by easy?? To make these even easier to prepare, make the tuna mixture ahead of time…then all you have to do is assemble at lunch time! Boom! 5 minute lunch!

This recipe for Easy Tuna Melts comes together quickly and is great for lunch! Try it to help add more seafood to your diet!

[clickToTweet tweet=”These Quick and Easy Tuna Melts make a great 5-minute lunch!” quote=”These Quick and Easy Tuna Melts make a great 5-minute lunch!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of National Fisheries Institute. The opinions and text are my own.

Squish Turns 2!

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Hi Friends!

Well, I don’t know how it happened, but my little baby turned 2 on Saturday!

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It’s also been 3 months since I wrote a Dear Chase letter! #whoops. So first things first, here’s how months 22-24 went down.

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We had a great rest of the summer. We pretty much lived outside all day every day and managed to keep busy.

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Some things of note:

  • Mommy took you to your first Ohio State Fair!
  • We dug in the dirt!
  • We played in the water!
  • You ran full speed everywhere!
  • We did lots of swinging!
  • You started swimming lessons. Your first lesson or two didn’t go well but now you love it!
  • You developed an obsession with choo-choos.
  • You love helping daddy with projects around the house!
  • You love helping mommy in the kitchen!
  • We picked apples.
  • We went to the zoo.

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You turned into a toddler right before my eyes, complete with your fair share of epic meltdowns. For the most part you’re a happy little guy. You love running around…and I do mean running. You won’t sit still unless it’s to watch tv. You still love all your shows on PBS kids, as well as Shaun the Sheep and Blue’s Clues.

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You love to eat. Vegetables are not your favorite but there are some you’ll eat. You love meal and snack times, especially if I give you a smoothie. Pretty much all food is “num num”.  You’re wearing 4T clothes…around the middle. Your legs are fairly short, even though you’re tall, so pretty much all pants have to be rolled up several times and you’re now in size 7.5 shoes.

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You love your animals, especially Marcus and are getting better at throwing the ball for Tucker.

Your sleep schedule is a little unpredictable but most days you wake up between 6 & 7am,  go to sleep between 7:30 & 8pm and take a nap for anywhere from 1-3 hours in the afternoon, depending on the day.

You still spend a couple hours at the gym most days and you’re getting quite good at deadlifts, burpees, ring hangs, rowing and more!

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We got some family pictures taken to celebrate you turning 2/maternity photos for your sister. You’re still very attached to mama and I think we’re in for a rough couple of weeks once baby sister arrives this month!

We just came back from your 2 year appointment at the doctor. Since your 18 month appointment, you’ve gained about 6 pounds and grew 3+ inches. You currently weigh about 37.5 pounds and are 36.5 inches tall. That’s 99% percentile for height and weight….just like you have been your whole life!

You’re quite the chatterbox and even though you don’t say a ton of words, you’re adding some each week and have no trouble getting your point across.

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This weekend we had friends and family over for a choo-choo themed party to celebrate you! We borrowed a bounce house from our neighbors, which was a HUGE hit!

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 We got you a Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake….which was also a huge hit! (You love them just like your mama!)

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PS – Big thanks to Cheryl’s Cookies for sending this (free) fun “Decorate Your Own Cookie Kit” that was perfect for the older kids at the party!

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You opened your presents. Some of the big hits included a guitar, a new keyboard, a few remote controlled cars and Mr & Mrs Potato head. (You’re very musically inclined like your daddy.)

Overall it was a great day, although mommy is having some trouble coming to terms with the fact that you’re now two years old!

Your little sister is due to arrive in 2 weeks. We all can’t wait to meet her!

Mama loves you!

15 Healthy Wild Rice Recipes

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Looking for Healthy Wild Rice Recipes? Here are 15 protein-packed ways to use wild rice in dinner and side dish recipes!

Looking for Healthy Wild Rice Recipes? Here are 15 protein-packed ways to use wild rice in dinner and side dish recipes!

Hi Friends!

If you’ve been reading the blog lately, you may have noticed I’m on a bit of a wild rice kick. I’m not quite sure why, but I can’t seem to get enough of it lately. It’s so chewy and delicious, plus it’s packed with protein and fiber. And there’s something about fall that makes me want to use it in ALL the recipes!

In case you’re feeling the same way, I rounded up some wild rice recipes for you to try! Everything from salad to burgers so there’s bound to be something for everyone.

This Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffing is hearty enough for a meal but also makes a delicious side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Add this to your Thanksgiving menu this year!
Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffing via The Lean Green Bean

This vegetarian Wild Rice Power Bowl is perfect for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner. Customize the recipe with all your favorite ingredients!

With a little food prep, these make a super easy vegetarian lunch!
Wild Rice Power Bowl via The Lean Green Bean

Crockpot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Slow Cooker Soups are perfect for colder weather!
Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup via Iowa Girl Eats

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole with Butternut Squash

A well-balanced casserole full of protein and fall veggies!
Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole via Well Plated

Pomegranate Kale & Wild Rice Salad

Add some gorgeous colors to your dinner table!
Pomegranate, Kale & Wild Rice Salad via Pinch of Yum

Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Nuts

So much delicious crunch in this salad!
Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries & Nuts via View From The Great Island

Caramelized Sweet Potato & Kale Fried Rice

A fall twist on fried rice!
Caramelized Sweet Potato & Kale Fried Wild Rice via Iowa Girl Eats

Curried Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Burger

Add some rice to your next veggie burger!
Curry-Spiced Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Burger via Ambitious Kitchen

Wild Rice Black Bean Burger

Freeze a batch of these for busy days!
Mushroom & Wild Rice Black Bean Burgers via Wholefully

Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Salad

Put alllllllll the best toppings on your salad!
Roasted Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Salad via Chelsea’s Messy Apron

Citrus & Wild Rice Salad

Combine juicy citrus with chewy wild rice and crunch nuts!
Citrus & Wild Rice Salad via Recipe Runner

Wild Rice Salad

Experiment with flavorful dressings!
Wild Rice & Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Dressing via Heartbeet Kitchen

Cranberry Wild Rice Bread

Throw your leftover cooked rice in a loaf of homemade bread!
Cranberry Wild Rice Bread via Bourbon & Honey

Wild Rice with Apricots and Avocado

Mix wild rice with your favorite fruits for a unique salad.
Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries, Apricots & Avocado via Healthy Seasonal Recipes

This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Skillet recipe is the perfect dinner for a busy night. It's quick, healthy and packed with protein and vegetables.

Add it to a hearty skillet dinner!
Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Skillet via The Lean Green Bean

See any that look good? Pin this post for later so you can make them all!

Looking for Healthy Wild Rice Recipes? Here are 15 protein-packed ways to use wild rice in dinner and side dish recipes!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Have you tried wild rice yet? Here are 15 Healthy Wild Rice recipes to try this fall!” quote=”Are you a fan of wild rice? Here are 15 healthy ways to use it!”]

Let’s chat!

Are you a wild rice fan? What’s your favorite recipe?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Wild Rice Power Bowl

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This vegetarian Wild Rice Power Bowl is perfect for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner. Customize the recipe with all your favorite ingredients!

This vegetarian Wild Rice Power Bowl is perfect for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner. Customize the recipe with all your favorite ingredients!

Hi Friends!

It’s time for another month of Recipe Redux! This month the theme was vegetarian power bowls and I must say, this Wild Rice Power Bowl is pretty delicious! There’s just something about fall that makes me crave wild rice. I don’t know why I rarely think to make it during the other seasons. It’s so chewy and delicious….and full of protein! I love it in this Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffing that I make every year for Thanksgiving.

To make this, I used up some of my fav veggies that I always have on hand – red peppers and carrots. They’re a good combo because they both have similar roasting times so you can roast them on the same pan. Then, to add some healthy fats, I added avocado and some spicy hummus for a “dressing.”

This vegetarian Wild Rice Power Bowl is perfect for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner. Customize the recipe with all your favorite ingredients!

You could definitely customize this with your favorite seasonal roasted veggies and use your favorite hummus flavor! If you’re a lettuce lover, feel free to throw all of this over a bed of spinach or lettuce for even more veggies. I’m just not a huge fan of leafy greens during this pregnancy, so I skipped them. There aren’t really any required amounts either. Feel free to load up your bowl with as many veggies as you’d like!

Here’s how I made mine:

Print

Wild Rice Power Bowl

Wild Rice Power Bowl 3
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This vegetarian Wild Rice Power Bowl is perfect for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner. Customize the recipe with all your favorite ingredients!

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: serves 2

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1/2 large avocado
  • 1/4 cup hummus

Instructions

  1. Cook wild rice according to package directions.
  2. Place chopped carrots and whole pepper on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and roast and 425 degrees for 20-25 min, stirring the carrots occasionally.
  3. Remove vegetables, peel skin from pepper, remove seeds and slice into strips.
  4. Divide rice and veggies between two bowls, top each with avocado slices and hummus.
  5. Serve warm or cold!

So much goodness in one bowl! You could eat these warm or cold so feel free to roast the vegetables and cook the rice ahead of time for quick assembly. And if you’d prefer, you could use a mix of wild rice and brown rice or another grain like farro or wheatberries!

This vegetarian Wild Rice Power Bowl is perfect for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner. Customize the recipe with all your favorite ingredients!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Try this Wild Rice Power Bowl for a healthy vegetarian lunch!” quote=”Try this Wild Rice Power Bowl for a healthy vegetarian lunch!”]

Let’s chat:

What are your favorite power bowl fillings?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Check out more plant protein power bowls: