Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ Healthified

 photo credit

My children love this Zucchini Chocolate Chip cookie recipe from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. In an effort to make the recipe a bit healthier (and use up some of my plethora of zucchini), I experimented with it this weekend.

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Yummy Green Smoothies and Tweet, Eat, Post

Green Smoothies

We have been making a LOT of smoothies.  They are so simple to make.  We just dump everything into our Blendtec, push the "Smoothie" button, and in less than 30 seconds our nutritious breakfast is prepared.  My kids are still loving this strawberry banana smoothie.  However, I have been experimenting with some green smoothie recipes, as well.  Here is one of my favorites:

 photo credit

Spinach - Mango Smoothie

1 big handful of Spinach
1/2-1 cup of Trader Joe's Frozen Mango
*1 cup of Water, Milk, or Unsweetened Almond Milk
**Ice - Enough to get the consistency you like 

*I do 1/2cup water and 1/2 cup whole milk.
**I do about a cup of ice.

I have also discovered Vega's Whole Food Health Optimizer, which I am loving.  I started putting it in my smoothies because I have trouble with anemia and it has lots of iron.   Within just a couple of days, I am feeling like a new woman.  Seriously, this stuff is wonderful.  Here is how I have been using it:

My Vega Smoothie
1 scoop Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer
(I have the Vanilla Chai.)
1/2 banana
1 cup of water
1 cup of ice

Tweet, Eat, Post

In an effort to lose some weight, eat healthy, and be accountable, a friend and I have started food journaling through the use of Twitter.  It is so easy and convenient.  You just tweet each time you eat.  Then, you can generate a food table of your daily intake.  You can read all about how it works on Roni's Weigh.  If you are interested in following my food journal, here is the link.  If you decide to start using this, let em know and I will follow you, as well.  It could be a great way to get some new healthy meal planning and snack ideas.

This post is part of the Mouthwatering Monday Blog Carnival over at A Southern Fairytale, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdsays at  Blessed with Grace, Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, and  Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff.  Stop by for more yumminess.

Artichoke Spinach Dip Quesadillas

We are a dip family.  Queso, salsa, onion, bean, we love them all.  One of our very favorites is artichoke and spinach.  I made some over the weekend and had leftovers, so I decided to make quesadillas out of it.  They turned out super yummy! 

Ingredients

1 can of Artichoke Hearts (drained and chopped)

1 box of Frozen Spinach (thawed and drained)

1/2 cup Hellmann's Mayonnaise

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese

1/2 Cup Mozzarella

1 tbs Lowry's Garlic Salt (adjust to your taste)

Burrito-size Tortillas

Combine all of the ingredients (except tortills - of course). 
Scoop the mixture onto one half of of a tortilla. 
Fold the tortilla over. 
Cook in a buttered skillet or on a griddle until the bottom is nicely browned. 
Flip and cook until the other side is browned and the filling is all melty and gooey.

Printable Recipe

For more recipes using Hellmann's mayonnaise, visit www.Hellmanns.com.  While there, check out their Real Food Project, which features how-to tutorials (hosted by Bobby Flay) offering tools and techniques for great tasting, at-home meals.

*Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Hellmann's® prize package in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place.

** This post is linked to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum, Colleen's Kitchen Recipe Swap at And Baby Makes Five, and Potluck Sunday at Mommy's Kitchen.

Smoothies in Our New Blendtec (and a picture recipe for preschoolers)

I have been wanting to experiment with some different smoothie recipes, but my blender was the absolute pits. It was a cheapo that we got when we were first married and always left chunks of ice in our smoothies.  Therefore, I was so excited when I received a Blendtec  to try and review.  I had read so many glowing reviews of the Blendtec and could not wait to give it a whirl. 

For our first experience we made Strawberry Banana Smoothies.  They were ridiculously simple to make because the Blendtec has a specific digital touchpad setting for smoothies.  We just loaded up our ingredients and pushed the "Smoothie" button.  We didn't have to hold the lid down or even stand and wait near the blender because this magical machine automatically turns off when the cycle is complete.

Making our smoothies was truly so easy that I knew my girls could make them by themselves, so I made this picture recipe to make it easy for Gracen to read and follow.  The next morning the girls made their breakfast smoothies all by themselves. Lovely!

Printable Recipe

 The smoothies went over well, so next week I am going to experiment with some green smoothie recipes.   Anyone have a good recipe?

This post is part of the Mouthwatering Monday Blog Carnival over at A Southern Fairytale, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdsays at  Blessed with Grace, Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, and  Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff.  Stop by for more yumminess.

Healthier Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

My children love chocolate chip muffins.  However, my old recipe was not very healthy.  Besides the chocolate chips, it contained white sugar, white flour, and vegetable oil.  Since I have been trying to cut out white sugar and processed foods, I decided to come up with a recipe to make them a bit healthier.  It turned out great.  These muffins are super moist, chocolatey, and have the perfect amount of banana flavor.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup sucanat

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1 overripe banana

1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips

Combine first five ingredients.
In another bowl, combine the vanilla, egg,
sour cream, and coconut oil.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Add the mashed banana and chocolate chips.
Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. 
Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes.

Printable Recipe

Do you have a healthy muffin recipe that your family enjoys?  I would love to try it out.

This recipe is part of the Mouthwatering Monday Blog Carnival over at A Southern Fairytale, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdsays at  Blessed with Grace, and Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.  Stop by for more yumminess.

Hamburger Stroganoff

I used to make a hamburger stroganoff that used canned cream of mushroom soup.  My whole family loved it.  It was one of those "no leftovers" recipes.  However, I know that the canned cream of... soups are not all that healthy, so I decided to try and create my own recipe.  The result was perfect.  Maybe even better than the original.  Proof...no leftovers.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Hamburger Meat

1 packet Simply Organic Brown Gravy Mix

1 c. Water

Mushrooms

1/2 Block of Cream Cheese

Splash of Milk

1/2 c. Sour Cream

Worcestershire Sauce

Salt

Egg Noodles

Brown the hamburger meat and drain the fat. 
Add a packet of Simply Organic Brown Gravy Mix
and 1 cup of water. 
Simmer for a few minutes.
Add cream cheese, a splash of milk, sour cream,
and salt, pepper, and Worcestershire to taste. 
Stir and simmer for 10 minute or so. 
Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Hamburger Stroganoff

For more yummy recipes, visit Tasty Tuesday over at Beauty and Bedlam and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace.

What We Are Eating: Week Eleven

Favorites from Week Ten

•  Real Mom Kitchen's Crockpot Southwestern Chicken Nachos - These were a huge hit with everyone!  I will definitely be making these again.
• My Pinkalicious Pasta Primavera

Weekly Goals
We have come a long way in the  past eleven weeks.  We have established some new healthy eating habits and routines that I am confident will stay with us.  We are eating many more whole foods and a lot less processed foods.  We are baking our own breads and baked goods.  We are limiting our sugars, drinking more water and raw milk, and eating grass fed beef and pastured chickens raised by local farmers.  Don't get me wrong ~ we still enjoy junk food on occasion (especially Queso dip and tortilla chips and homemade chocolate chip cookies).  We just don't have it around all of the time.  Due to our progress, I will not be posting weekly goals.  Instead, I will just update with any new finds that I think may be of interest to you all.  Thanks to everyone who encouraged me through this process.  I appreciate your support!

 Dinners
 Honey Chipotle Glazed Salmon and Chipotle Rice and Veggie
Homemade Sausage Lasagna
Panko Crusted Chicken Strips
Crockpot Baked Beans and Sausage
Out to Dinner
Cheeseburger Soup
Loaded Baked Potatoes

Check out what other bloggers are cooking at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

To see all of the posts in this series go here!

Pinkalicious Pasta Primavera

The weather was absolutely beautiful yesterday.   The sun was shining, it was warm, and birds were chirping right outside of my window.   Needless to say, the kids and I were dying to get outside.  Therefore, after school we all played in the backyard for a loooong time.  It was great! However, when we finally came inside, I realized that it was later than I thought and I had not thawed out the hamburger meat for dinner. Necessity being the mother of invention, I looked around at the ingredients I had on hand and came up with the following recipe.  Funny thing is...it turned out really good!  We all enjoyed it.  Of course, Gracen and Wes picked out most of the veggies, but they ate the pasta and sauce.  What can I say ~ I gotta keep trying! 

Pinkalicious Pasta Primavera

(because the sauce looked kind of pink,
we named the recipe after Gracen's favorite book)

 

2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)
Your favorite Veggies ~ I used Zuchinni, Mushrooms, and Yellow Peppers. 
1/2 Block of Cream Cheese
1 Jar of Your Favorite Ragu Sauce
1/4 c. Heavy Cream
5 Slices of Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
Your Favorite Type of Pasta

Saute garlic in olive oil.  Add veggies and sautee until tender (but not soggy).  Cut the 1/2 block of cream cheese into smaller pieces and add to the veggies.  When cream cheese is melted add the jar of Ragu and heavy cream. Salt to taste.  Allow to simmer on low for 10 minutes.  Serve over your favorite pasta and top with crumbled bacon.

I have entered this recipe in the Recipe for a Good Start Contest. 

 

Ragú® is asking moms to share their recipes for a good start for a chance to win a $5000 scholarship.  Visit

Recipe for a Good Start Contest and submit your recipe for a good start in life and your original Ragú® recipe that has the family running to the dinner table! Ragu will choose three first prize winners,who will be awarded a family trip to New York City where they will compete in a nationally televised Ragú® Recipe Challenge for the chance to win the ultimate prize of a $5,000 college scholarship.

I was entered for a chance to win a Ragú® family package in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place.

What We Are Eating: Week Ten

Favorites from Week Nine

• Lynn's Kitchen Adventure's Pepperoni Pizza Pie Quiche 
• My kids absolutely loved Lynn's Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal.  I did not have quick oats, so I used old fashioned and it came out perfectly.
• A new recipe I created for hamburger stroganoff  (I will be sharing it later this week).

Goals for Week Ten

• Continue with Couch to 5K Program.
• Experiment with smoothie recipes.
  

 

New Breakfast Recipe

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Dinner
Saturday - Orange Chicken with Snow Peas and Vegetable Egg Rolls
Sunday - Roast chicken with Paula Deen's Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Beans, and Homemade Yeast Rolls
Monday - Pizza Rolls
Tuesday -  Southwestern Creamy Chicken Nachos
Wednesday - Pink Pasta Primavera
Thursday  - Thai Beef Over Rice with Broccoli and Carrots
Friday - Out to Dinner

Check out what other bloggers are cooking at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

To see all of the posts in this series go here!

What We're Eating: Week Nine

 Favorites from Week Eight

• Passionate Homemaking's Chicken Curry 
• Musings of a Housewife's Cookie Corn Muffins

Goals for Week Nine

• Drink more water.  I know I need to drink more water.  I drink it with my meals, but I am bad at drinking throughout the day.  I think I just get busy and don't think about it.  Maybe I need to keep a bottle near me.  Any water drinking suggestions?
• Continue with Couch to 5K Program.
• Register for a 5K for me and a fun run for the girls.
  
  

New Breakfast Recipes
Sweet Potato Pancakes
PB Baked Oatmeal

Dinners
Marinated Steak Sandwiches with Basil and Red Pepper Mayo
Pepperoni Pizza Pie Quiche and Spinach and Tomato Quiche
Red Beans and Sausage
Black Beans and Rice
Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos
Hamburger Stroganoff
Orange Chicken and Vegetable Egg Rolls

Check out what other bloggers are cooking at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

To see all of the posts in this series go here!

Why I Love Jamie Oliver

Please take the time to watch this video.




Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Trailer


The show begins Friday, March 26 @ 9pm on ABC.

Download Jamie's School Food Charter and Two Week Menu Planner.  How does it compare to the lunches served at your child's school?

For more information about school lunches check out:

• Fed Up:  School Lunch Project:  A Teacher Who is Eating School Lunch Everyday in 2010
• School Lunch Talk - dishes out the latest on public school food, from chicken nuggets and chocolate milk to legislation and regulations.
• What's for School Lunch? - Pictures of school lunches from around the world