Meal-Planning Start-Up

I have been in a super huge food rut lately, eating the same things day in and day out.  I mean, the SAME. THINGS.

So I decided to do two things today:

1. Get some meal planning inspiration online, and

2. Get a Costco Membership!!!!

It's time, you guys.  No more hearing about my friends list all of their favorite Costco foods, or reading about or seeing on IG with great envy this chick taking her little chick-a-dees.

And I am happy to announce that both goals were accomplished!!

So, of course I have been to a Costco before, but it was so much fun with my own little membership card and my own little [massive] cart going up and down every isle.  My bank account was not thrilled, but this mama and her bland shelves were.

Also, I came across this really Awesome 2-week meal plan that included meal ideas for all meals and snacks in the day, and I seriously printed - yes you read that right - printed -  off so many of the recipes. They are just healthy enough (or easily adjusted to be more healthy) for what we like.  There was also a recipe for healthy fudgecicles which - can you GET enough fudgecicles in your life?

No. I think not.

So, I'm sure you'll hear me ramble on about a recipe or two in the near future, so come back if you dare. And if you have any favorite meal planning guides I'd love to hear about them!!!!!!

...Ahem.  This is part of my current 31 Days of Awesome Kick.

5 Favorite Summertime Snacks For Toddlers

You guys, this week it has gotten up to 114.  Degrees.  This is how we have spent the summer so far:

Playing with outside toys..inside.  Much like this time as well. 

Swinging on the back porch (surprisingly she begs me to do this, multiple times a day).

Hosing down.

Sending her and her dad over to the neighbors' pool every.single.day.  Our neighbors --> the best.

Inevitably we are in serious need of some cold treats around here, so I thought I'd share with you some of my favorites lately!

1. Homemade Popsicles 

(see first picture)

I bought this popsicle maker at my local Fry's grocery store for $3.99.  It has definitely paid for itself in its very greatness. Mia loves the pops especially after we spend 5 minutes outside in the shaded heat of the desert. And they are the perfect little size for her.

One of her favorite combos: Blueberries, strawberries, banana, peaches, and milk.

2. Smoothies

Ok this is very similar to the popsicles...but they deserve to be on the list too. I love sneaking nutrient-rich veggies like spinach into Mia's smoothies because the more nutrients a veggie has, the less likely Mia is to want to eat them (as a general rule).  :)

I make sure to put plenty of sweet fruit in there - especially never skipping the banana - when the spinach goes in there.  She gulps it down.

Here are some of my favorite combos (which can also be used as pops too!)

Green Strawberry-Banana:

Strawberries / Banana / Milk / Cinnamon / Spinach / Ice

Protein Mixed-Berry:

Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Banana, Plain Greek 2% Yogurt

PB-Berry:

Blueberries, Strawberries, Banana, Peanut Butter, Milk

Chocolate Avocado:

Extra ripe banana, milk, cocoa powder, avocado, ice

3.  Frozen Blueberries {Straight Up}

Ok so this isn't quite a "complete" snack, but I was introduced to letting Mia eat frozen blueberries lately and I love it so much - especially in the summer!  It means I can buy a huge bag of already frozen, or a huge container of fresh if they're on sale, and pull out a handful for a great cold treat.

My teeth are super sensitive to cold so I never considered it, but Mia loves them.  Which means I love them.

4.  Ants On a Log {toddler version}

Apparently I have a little ant-eater on my hands

Since Mia only has seven front teeth, celery isn't quite the easiest to eat except to just chew on.  Therefore, I sub the celery for banana and voila.

And bonus tip if you don't know already: bananas break easily into thirds the long way.   Bing. Bang. Boom.

5. Frozen Yogurt-Filled Raspberries

Thanks to Pinterest, this one is also a new favorite. If this doesn't scream "I'm still on my first child and have time for things like filling individual raspberries with tiny dollops of yogurt"  I don't know what does.  Nevertheless...they are great, bite-size treats.

Ok friends, if you have any other suggestions I'd love to hear them in the comments!  Stay cool out there and have a great week!

And check out other great Faves at Mama Knows!

Salmon Burger Recipe

Oh, hello!

So a lot has happened around here lately (ok not really).  But one thing is for sure...I have a 6 month old!

OMG!

I just think she's the cutest.  I could -literally- kiss her face off.

She sits up on her own (mainly), and is a little obsessed with food right now, especially when mama is eating it.  This is a great age ya'll.  Much better than the days when she didn't even laugh at my jokes.

Speaking of food, I'm sure you would all agree it's time for another great recipe, no?  (That was a joke. I've been a little recipe happy lately. This too shall pass).

Anyhoo, I thought I would share with you my Salmon Burger recipe.  Like a lotta great things, I got this from my mama.  I made it for Joel after we got married, my super clean eating husband, and he requests them Often, people.  They are awesome.   

Kath's Salmon Burgers

Serves 4 adults

Roughly 25 g of protein per burger

1 14.75oz can / pouch wild caught Salmon (some cans/pouches are slightly less, that is OK - just shoot for 14-15 oz.)

12 soda crackers, crushed

1 Tbsp. mayo

2 eggs

Salt and Pepper to taste

Some adaptations:  I've subbed out the crackers for old fashioned oats a few times- (about 1/2 cup) and it was awesome!  I do this when I'm eating a tiny bit extra "clean".  I usually pulse them in a food processor to grind them up a bit first, but you definitely don't have to...I've done it both ways. 

I have also added more spices to it before and liked it - a mix of cumin, cinnamon, and paprika.

Anyway - whatever you put in - mix and patty them up, and fry them on a pan with either a little bit of olive oil, or some Pam.  

A lot of people might wonder, what do you eat with Salmon Burgers?  Well here I am to tell you....one of our favorite meals is in that above picture...a baked sweet potato, steamed veggies, and a Salmon Burger.

Now, don't judge me on this, but when I'm not really counting calories I dip my burger in a mixture of mayo and ketchup.  Been doing it since I was little with these babies.  

You can just call me Mrs. Gourmet with that pretty pink mixture on my plate.  I don't mind.

Get your omega 3's!

7 Quick Takes: Halloween re-cap, Apple Muffins and more

Hello Friends!  It's been a while, I know.

But here I am, with some Quick Takes!  (Don't forget to join the rest of the party over at Jen's!)

1. 
Halloween Re-Cap. I know I know, I am like a month and a half late, but I just had to share.  

Don't mind my dirty mirror.
I figured this was the one and only year we could do something funny for Halloween instead of the princess / pink attire.  How cute is she.

If you missed it on Instagram, I let everyone know that 60 seconds after this photo she spit up allllllll over me. Like, had to change my clothes, all over me. 

Like, had to wash my face, all over me.

2.
On Wednesday Mia and I went over to our friends Sharon and Ava's house to celebrate Ava's first birthday!  It was a super cute party, themed "Oh the Places You Will Go!" We even had a little photo sesh (typical mommy group activity) that looked a little like this..

(Up up and away, get it?)
You can't really tell in this photo, but there were a few (unnamed) babies who were not so happy with their (unnamed) mothers.  

They'll love us later for it though. Or, (still) think we're crazy. Either one.  

3. 
I love baking in the fall and holiday season, and found a super easy Apple Muffin recipe from a cool blogger over at Wee Eats.  It even called for applesauce instead of all that slicing and dicing and peeling I was imagining.  I, for once in my life, had every single ingredient already in my pantry!  And I bet you will too.

I subbed out (because I am a subbing snob) about half the flour for oats and flax, and it still turned out awesome.  Now go check out Natalie's recipe!

4.
Speaking of sweets, you ever have those friends that peer pressure you into stuff?  Well at Ava's birthday party I got roped into a "sugar detox" that I had no intention of joining.  5 days with no sugar.  Why? I don't know.  I'm a people pleaser.

Glad I made these muffins!! :)  "Detox" starts Monday, sharp.

5. 
My husband came home from work the other day with a present.  A random, awesome, present.
Check'em out:

L-O-V-E them.  And yes, I bust out in a rap when I put them on. You would too.

6.
One more recipe link. I just can't get enough!

I made this recipe a few Sundays ago from RealSimple.com and am still thinking about it.  SOO good.  Beef stew, made in my crock pot.

Image from realsimple.com

I have never made beef stew before, and I must admit...I nailed it. So easy, so good.  I subbed (see quick take #4)  sweet potatoes for the regular ones, and again - so good.


7. 
I heard a news story out of Phoenix yesterday that made me take more seriously my hair cutting skillz.

A quick background- when Joel and I got married almost two years ago, we decided I would learn how to cut his hair to save money.  I am now quite the profesh, if I do say so myself.

Fast forward to the news story - in summary, a guy put on craigslist that he wanted to hire somebody to kill his grandfather (I know, terrrible right?), and for payment he would give him an ipad, an ipod, and a year's worth of free hair cuts. (!!!!)

On a lighter note, I had no idea hair cuts were so valuable!  I am now trying to come up with the perfect house-cleaning-lady barter system.

As long as she has the exact same hair cut as my husband, anyway. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Healthy Granola Recipe

{Update: If you are here from the lovely Pinterest and happen to have the symbols "?m=1" at the end of this url, please delete them and press enter to reload the page, or click here for much more viewing pleasure!}

Happy Fall everyone, and especially those in the Southwest!

It is finally -finally- time to keep the windows open at night, go for walks *during the day!* and enjoy this beautiful weather.  You know what I'm talking about...doing all those things the rest of the world has been talking about and posting pictures of on Instagram for the past 4 months.

Apparently it was the hottest summer on record here in Phoenix.  Going from an average of about 110* to highs in the 70s is  a  w  e  s  o  m  e  !

Mia and I spent some time outside today..don't mind the long sleeves, these 75 degrees felt chilly I swear!

 

And now it is time to share one of my favorite, easy, pretty healthy go-to recipes.  

GRANOLA

I love granola because:

--It is great mixed with yogurt which makes for an awesome snack or breakfast food

--Oats are believed to increase your milk supply if you are breastfeeding  and I will attest - I definitely notice a difference after I eat them.  For some awesome healthy oatmeal options, check out my five favorites here.

I also added a little "Fall Holiday Flavor" to my granola this time and added in some pumpkin pie spice instead of just regular cinnamon.  I'll admit that was a pretty great decision.

Here's the list:

:: 5 cups rolled oats

:: 1/3 cup coconut oil (I use the flavorful kind for this type of recipe - unrefined 

:: 1/3 cup honey (or I might use real maple syrup if I'm out of honey)

:: 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or just cinnamon works)

:: 1/2 tsp vanilla

:: your extra add-ins (I eyeball these measurements): 

---> 1/2 cup (or so) of pecans (or any nuts you like - I often add sliced almonds to my mix)

---> 1/3 cup (or so) sunflower seeds (I like the salted to add an extra saltiness to the mix)

---> 1/3 cup (or so) pepitas (pumpkin seeds - again I do the salted kind)

---> 1+ cups raisins, added after you bake

Of course you can add any amount of what I consider "add-ins", just remember if you add *a lot* more, you might want to up your oil/honey/spice amounts.

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350*

2. Mix all ingredients together except any dried fruit you are using

3. Spray your biggest cookie sheet with Pam (or you can use some coconut oil)

4. Pour mixture on the pan and bake for 18 minutes (or until golden brown), taking the pan out to stir every 6 minutes.  Stir in your raisins / dried fruit and let cool.

Strange numbers maybe, but after many trials and errors this is the exact timing for my oven to give me this:

And now for some full disclosure: I started making granola from a recipe I got from my dear friend Coriena who I used to live with at Maggie's Place.  After many experiments, it has transformed into this version which I now pass to you.  Enjoy!

And Happy Fall Ya'll!

5 Faves Vol. 2: Healthy Oatmeal Recipes

Thanks Grace for hosting the 5 Favorites link-up this week!!

Ok, these aren't so much recipes as the are, how-you-sayy, "combos", but here they are nonetheless. Oatmeal is a major staple in my food regimen - I eat it for breakfast 5-6 times a week plus 2 eggs and about a cup of fruit.

What a huge breakfast.  I know!  People - it's the most important meal of the day.  (And, I'm breastfeeding and count this as some of my extra calories for the day.)

Anyway - 2 problems often arise with people + oatmeal: either A) they don't eat it because they think it is bland, or B) they add tons of brown sugary type toppings and/or eat too much for a major carb overload.

Well, here are my favorite ways to eat oatmeal, and they are (in my humble opinion) A) great tasting, and B) great alternatives to the high-sugar variety.

And since I aim to please - I am adding a 6th bonus!  Last week when I was talking to my husband about this post I was preparing for (by eating each recipe of course) he insisted I include HIS new favorite way to eat oatmeal.  Maybe he should get his own blog!  Er,,, see below for the bonus!

Before we get started, this is my basic oatmeal foundation pre-mix-ins:
-1/4 cup old fashioned oats (or steel cut - also good)
-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (and sometimes just straight up h2o)
-1 big pinch of ground flax or 2
-Cinnamon - a great spice that adds the taste of sweetness without using sugar

Microwave for 3 minutes in a tall bowl, and add the flax and other mix-ins and you're all set!  Now for my favorites:

1. Peanut Butter (1 Tbsp or less) + Strawberries

2. Peaches - This is my all-time favorite.  It tastes like peach pie, I swear.  Don't forget the cinnamon, and let the hot oatmeal warm up the peaches and mmm.

3. Raisins + Sliced Almonds (again - stir this up and let it sit for a sec to plump up those raisins)

4. Blueberries (I've done the frozen blueberry thing and it works OK in a pinch - just let the hot oatmeal heat up the berries)

5. 1/3 banana + pecans (I skipped the cinnamon here because the banana was extra ripe and extra sweet)

**Just keep in mind, when you add in nuts or PB, serious extra calories are involved. (people, don't be in denial about this)

And the bonus!
6. An egg and 2 sliced up turkey sausages.  A salty/savory edition for you salty/savory people.

Enjoy!

Beet salad, please?

Today has started off pretty swell.  The evidence:

-- The 3-month-old slept in till 8:35! (obediently fulfilling my request from the night before)

-- I finally mopped the floor (hate Hate), which is inevitably followed by the declaration - "I am awesome" 

-- Mia and I Skyped with my parents who are celebrating their wedding anniversary today (Go Mom and Dad!)

-- My husband lined up a sitter and a restaurant for Date Night all.by.himself!  I love just showing up to date nights...feels like the early days or something.

-- I made an awesome lunch with surprise left-overs from the fridge.  I only say surprise because I had forgotten about them...silly me.

I thought it worth sharing because it was GOOD.

First, I remembered I had salad dressing leftover from last night..

My old cooking friend Martha gave me this recipe for a dressing, so I shook it up in an old olive jar I stole from our kitchen recycle bin a month ago.  It has been waiting for a life-after-death purpose ever since, and dare I say I found it.  

The picture makes it look huge, but it only holds about a cup and a half of dressing.

Then I found some grilled chicken, carrots, lettuce, feta, and some cooked beets from earlier this week, which brings me to a quick point about beets and taste buds that I feel called to share.

So, I used to HATE beets.  Beets and me..no bueno.  But then one night I found myself at a dinner party, politely eating a beet / goat cheese / spinach / balsamic vinaigrette salad.  It wasn't bad, and I was curious about the fact that it wasn't bad, so I kept trying that salad combo every now and again.  Little by little, I started really liking beets.  Now, you guessed it, we are Bffs.

This situation reminds me of an experiment I read once where a nutritionist wondered if there were "reallly" foods we didn't like, or if not liking them was just the result of us not eating them enough (it was a book about parenting and raising non-picky children).  

So he did an experiment on himself, and for a month ate foods he hated, over and over.  Apparently at the end of the month he was craving those foods he previously disliked, and confirmed for himself that all foods are just acquired tastes, and we can learn to like just about anything (within reason), it just takes repeated exposure to your taste buds.

A controversial topic among picky eaters, I am sure!  But I say - give those foods you don't like a chance! (or 10)!

  

I am a believer.

Happy Saturday!