Whole Wheat Pancakes/waffles

1 egg
1 c. Whole wheat flour
3/4-1 c milk
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt

This is my momma's recipe and my husband makes it. Maybe that is why I love this recipe soooo much. We have it at least once a week!

(Peach Syrup recipe to come)

Healthy Tip

When your kids need a snack give them healthy cereal instead of crackers. We buy big bags of cereal when they are on sale and my son LOVES to eat them as treats.

Chili Baked Potatoes

This is one of our faves!

Put your Potato's in the oven (stabbed with a fork and then wrapped in foil) at 425 for 50 min.

Now for the chili:
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 pkg taco seasoning
8 oz can tomato sauce
2 lg tomatoes (or one can diced tomatoes)
1/4 cup water
1 clove garlic
1/2 t onion powder or 2 tsp onion flakes:
1 cup kidney beans

Brown meat. Combine the rest of the ingredients. Heat until hot.

Top with:
Green onions
grated cheese
chopped avocado
sour cream (optional)

Papa Bear (can't live without sour cream)

Momma Bear

Children: cut up (you can half it also) potato, then add topping

and the wee little baby bear

Baby: leave out some beans, tomato, meat (without seasoning) and avocado for them.

Healthy Tip

Eat whole grains, eat whole grains, eat whole grains, eat whole grains, eat whole grains!!!!!!!

The end!

Just kidding. Why eat whole grains????

It may be more expensive to buy but in the end it is really cheaper. This is how....

When you eat whole grains you get full more quickly than when you eat "non" whole grains. Therefore, you eat less so you buy less AND you eat less so you gain less. On top of that you feel better and you have more energy. Try it. Try it and you may I say :).

Examples of whole grains: Whole wheat breads, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and corn tortillas.

Wheat Artisan bread

This is ALL the ingredients you will need other than water. SUPER EASY TO MAKE....although a little time consuming. My sis gave me this recipe and showed me how to make it. I L.O.V.E it!

Makes (4) - 1 pound loaves
3Cups Luke-warm water
1 1/2 T granulated yeast
1 1/2 T Kosher or coarse salt
1 Cup Unsifted, unbleached, all purpose white flour
5 1/2 Cups wheat flour (5 1/4 for low altitudes)
Cornmeal

Making the Dough:
1. Mix the yeast and salt with warm water. Don't worry about dissolving the yeast. Mix in the flour all at once, with a wooden spoon. DO NOT KNEAD. Just mix until everything is mixed (it will be sticky).

2. let rise for at least 2 hours (up to 5). You can use any portion of the dough after this and refrigerate the rest up to 14 days, lidded but not air tight. (refrigerated dough is less sticky and easier to work with)

On Baking Day:
3. Shape loaf (DO NOT KNEAD). Gently stretch surface around sides.

4. Rest loaf on a cutting board covered with cornmeal. Allow to rest 40 min.
*20 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 with stone cooking sheet in the middle rack. Place empty broiler tray (any metal pan) on the bottom rack. 5. Dust loaf top liberally with flour. Slash 1/4 inch deep with serrated knife.

6. Slide loaf on preheated stone. Quickly pour 1 Cup hot water into broiler tray and close oven door to trap the steam. Bake for 30 min or until crust is browned and firm to the touch.

Butternut Squash with Apple stuffing

I was SHOCKED at how much I LOVED this recipe. When my husband walked in he said "WHAT IS COOKING?? It is making my mouth water is smells SO good!"

2 Medium Butternut Squash or 4 Acorn Squash
1/2 lb Lean ground beef
1/4 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1 1/2-2 chopped Gala apples
1/8 t nutmeg

Heat oven to 400. Cut squash in half and clean out the seeds. Lightly grease the pan with cooking spray and place the squash face down on pan. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until it is tender.

Then, brown the beef and drain off fat. Remove from heat and stir in salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and apples.

When the squash is done, turn them over and scoop out the pulp from the squash making a shell that is about 1/4 in thick. Add the pulp to your apple/beef mixture.

Add the mixture back into the shells and back for an additional 15 minutes or until the apple is tender.

Children: I scooped the squash out and gave it to them without the shell.

Baby: Before you season the squash take a little out for baby. Also before you cook the apples set some aside. You could place them on the cookie sheet by themselves.

Christmas Idea for kids

I thought this was a great idea from Be Different.....Act Normal. Check it out.

Healthy Tips

Ever since I have leaned this tip (about 6 years ago) I have used it and L.O.V.E it! When you are shopping remember this simple way to calculate if the food is high, moderate or low in calories from fat.

Here we go:
Calories from fat / (devided by) Calories X (times) 100 = % calories from fat

Looks hard....well its not!

Example: Lowfat Strawberry Yogurt

Calories: 200
Calories from Fat: 10

10/200=.05

.05 X 100 = 5%

So what does 5% mean?

High Fat: >35% calories from fat
Moderate Fat: 25-35% cal's from fat
Low Fat: <25% Info from: Jennifer Turley, Ph.D. and Joan S. Thompson, Ph.D., R.D., C.D., Resources for Foundations in Nutrition: Power Tools. 2002.

Spaghetti Squash dinner.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I always improvise on recipes or make them up completely. Today was actually a success. I LOVED IT! You should definitely try this one even if you don't like squash. You can even use this for a side. Sometimes we also add 1 large chicken breast.

1 Spaghetti Squash
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1 chopped onion (I used dried onion flakes)
1 clove garlic, minced (I used the stuff that is already minced)
1 Roma tomato
1/2 c. Shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 t salt
dash pepper
1/2 Tbsp Basil (I used dried basil leaves)

1. Slice squash lengthwise (clean out seeds) and place cut sides down on cookie sheet (sprayed with cooking spray). Bake at 350 for 30-45 min.

2. Meanwhile, spray a skillet with cooking spray and saute onion, peppers and garlic. Stir in tomatoes and basil and cook it only until tomatoes are warm.

3. When squash is done use a fork to clean out the insides and throw away the skin. Put in a bowl and add salt and pepper. Then mix everything together including cheese.
This fed us three so you may need to double or triple it according to your family size. I was actually surprised at how good it was. YUM!!!

Children: Make sure things are cut into bite sizes

Baby: Keep some Spaghetti squash separated before you add seasonings and vegetables. Cut into small peices. You can also slice cheese and tomato separately.

Sweet Potato Fries!

1 lb Sweet Potato
1 T. Olive Oil
1/2 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Paprika
1 t. Salt (I use Kosher)

Slice sweet potato into fries. In a freezer bag add oil, cinnamon, paprika and salt. Add sweet potato to the bag and mix until potato is completely covered. Preheat oven to 400. Bake on a cookie sheet covered with foil for 20 minutes or until tender. Serve warm.

Healthy Tip

I generally DO NOT us coupons. Why? Most coupons are for food that is not healthy. It is as simple as that. If I clip coupons I generally by crap food. There usually are not coupons for fruits, veggies and whole grains. HOWEVER, I have checked coupons.com and they have had coupons for whole wheat pasta lately. Check it out. You can print up to two.

Healthy Tip

PLAN YOUR MEALS!

I have started to plan my meals on Saturday before I go shopping. I pick about 5-7 things to make and I buy all the ingredients JUST for those 5-7 meals. Why do I do this?

1. I have saved SO much money!

2. I eat SO much more healthy.

If you don't buy things that aren't healthy you WON'T eat them. Therefore saving you money.

Also, this last week I didn't plan meals and we ended up with pizza and Taquito's. When you don't have something healthy planned you go for the easiest thing.

So, plan you meals!

Kabob Delish

You can use whatever veggies you want. We have used cubed sweet potatoes, different color bell peppers and more. Sometimes we even marinate the veggies.
2 Chicken Breast
about 25 Cherry Tomatoes
1 Bell Pepper
1 can Pineapple
Skewers

Marinade:
1/4 c. Worcestershire Sauce
1 T. Soy Sauce
1 minced garlic (I use bottled)
1/2 t. Onion salt

Marinade chicken for 2-4 hours. Slice chicken into cubes. Slice green peppers. You can combine veggies and meat onto one skewer or separate them. Grill on a low temperature until veggies are soft and meat is done.

Children: Take veggies, fruit and meat off the skewer for them to eat.

Baby: Cut up soft veggies, meat and fruit.

Tasty Taco's

My 2 year old is in LOVE with Taco's. We just roll em up and help him to hold it with both hands and away he goes!
(It's a Taco people....just put whatever you want on it!)

Tomatoes (your favorite)
Avocados
Shredded cheese (your favorite)
Tortilla's (wheat generally has more lard)
Spinach (cut if desired)
Olives
Kidney or Black beans
Salsa
Lean ground beef or turkey
Taco Seasoning

Brown meat and season according to directions. Slice all vegetables. Warm Tortilla's and top with desired amount of veggies, cheese and beans. Top with salsa. Roll tortilla into a taco.

Children: Just put less in the taco then roll em up.

Baby: Give them the beans, olives, beef/turkey, tomato, avocados and cheese separately and cut small.