No Stress Mealtime

Unless your thing is being the health nut mama, you probably dread mealtimes.

The books say "...love should pour into your cooking so your children will be filled up with bliss and contentment. Each whole food is a gift your child will cherish. Sugar is poison so if you give it to your kids someone should call social services on you..." I was paraphrasing but you get the idea.

So there is more time for brushing the kids hair.

First of all STOP stressing about meal planning. Set yourself up with a simple weekly plan. Let's begin with the dreaded dinners:

Mondays: Pasta Night

Options: Mac N Cheese, Spaghetti, Alfredo, Lasagna, Manicotti, Pancetta Orchette, Pesto, etc.

The options are endless. Have the kids pick out their favorite noodles at the store. My kids love mini bowties and wheels.

Tuesdays: Mexican Fiesta Night

Options: Tacos, Enchiladas, Mexican Pizza, Loaded Nachos, Fajitas, Tostadas, etc.

The great part about this night is you can use the same ingredients with nearly every recipe:

Refried beans, taco meat, lettuce, torillas, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream.

Wednesdays: Soup Night

Options: Clam Chowder, Chicken Noodle, Tomato, Lobster Bisque, Chicken Tortilla, Veggie, Bean, etc.

Make it as fancy as you want. Add some salad and crusty bread and you have a complete meal.

Thursday: Make Your Own Pizza

Options: Make your own dough or buy the small pre-made ones. The toppings are endless.

We call it "Pie Night" with "messy sauce" (pizza sauce) and "sprinkles" (mozzarella). It is a win with everyone in the family.

Friday: Leftovers

Doesn't matter what day of the week you have leftover night, but make a night of it or food will go to waste.

Saturday: Stir-Fry

Options: PF Changs frozen meals, Chicken Fried Rice, Beef & Broccoli, Schezuan Chicken, or take-out!

Stir-fry is quick and tasty. Throw in all those veggies that are about to go bad and some soy sauce. You can't go wrong.

Sunday: Traditional

Options: Corned beef & cabbage, Pot Roast, Pork Loin, Steaks, BBQ Chicken, etc.

A big meal on sunday with a main dish and sides will at least ensure some leftovers for lunch options during the week. 

Kids love to know what to expect, especially picky eaters. The unknown, even if you know they will love it, is poison to them.  

This meal may not be a nutritional power house,
but it was put together in 3 minutes and there
were no tears from the kids (or me).

So what do you tell your kids when they ask "What's for dinner?"

Kids: I'm hungry.

Me: I'm about to make dinner.

Kids: What, no! I want oatmeal!

Me: Nope, it's Monday - Pasta Night. Do you want to pick the pasta shape and help me cook it? 

Kids: Uh... sure! (Yes a 2 or a 3 year old is a little easier to please with this phrasing than a 12 year old.)

Let's not stop at dinner. I said I was going to help you and I will!

Lunch is another tricky plan. I have to have something the kids can grab and eat because they can't seem to sit still when the sun is directly overhead. The lunch rotation is a little more repetitive, but it is also the meal that the kids neglect the most.

Mondays: PBJ

To make it interesting cut it into shapes... use cookie cutters or scissors.

Tuesdays: Roll-ups

Tortilla or wrap, + veggie cream cheese or hummus, + an option below

Options: Veggie burger, deli meat, veggies, lettuce, spinach, anything else you can think of 

Note: Keep it somewhat thin and spread the cream cheese or hummus over the whole tortilla to get it to stick together. A toddler will probably just like the tortilla + cream cheese.

Wednesdays: Grilled Cheese

Make it extra delicious by spreading pesto on the bread and adding thinly sliced tomatoes

Thursday: Fruit, Cracker, Cheese, & Veggie Tray

Friday-Sunday: Repeat above

I always give a veggie cup and fruit cup with lunch. Usually they will eat half a sandwich and ask for more fruit repeatedly.

Snacks: Keep it simple

Raw Veggies

Fruit

Cheese Sticks

Yogurt

Fruit Pouches

Protein Bars

Veggie Straws

Pretzels

Goldfish crackers

Breakfast for us is our biggest meal of the day and one that we all eat together, even when Daddy only has 10 minutes to spend with us before heading to work. Our meal plan might be a little over the top for families that have to leave very early in the morning. However... DO NOT under estimate the power of eggs. They cook SUPER fast and they are healthy and kids love them. 

We have a big breakfast every morning: Bacon, eggs, oatmeal, bagels, and fruit. 

We have this so dialed in that Kenzie (3 years old) cooks the eggs, Ketcher (2 years old) sets the table, while I make the rest and we have breakfast on the table within 10 minutes or less every morning. I load their plates with a little of everything and they decide what they want more of. 

On the weekend we try and do a pancake breakfast one morning, or some cinnamon rolls for a treat. 

Need variety? The options for eggs are endless... google it. Instead of bacon use sausage, or ham. Add some veggies to the eggs and make omelets. Do whatever you are in the mood for, just keep it simple.

Apple sauce is always a favorite, as long as
it's always served in this exact pouch.
No substitutions FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!

I hope I have given you plenty of food for thought... ha ha... okay that was cheesy... I just can't help myself.

Stay tuned for the next segment in simplifying your life. 

Best Grilled Cheese Ever!

So we parents are trying like hell to feed our kids healthy good. I hide veggies in everything, but that's a skill you acquire when you go vegetarian and your husband presumes to not like veggies. Here is my version of a slightly healthier, and much tastier, grilled cheese.

BEST GRILLED CHEESE EVER!

• 2 slices of bread
• Pesto sauce
• Sliced Tomato
• Sliced avocado
• 2 slices American cheese
• Butter

1. Butter one side of each slice of bread.  Heat your skillet on medium high.
2. Get all your stuff cut up and ready to go... it cooks fast!
3. When pan is hot, toss one slice of bread into the pan.
4. Add your tomato slices and 2 slices of cheese to cooking bread.
5. Top with slices of avocado.
6. Spread some pesto on your other slice, on the unbuttered side.
7. Slap your slice of bread, pesto side down, on top of the avocado.
8. Flip your sandwich and cook until golden brown.

Chili

Fast, easy, and filling. Nothing says "Ugh, stinky dogs!" like a good pot o' chili.

CHILI

• 1 small red onion
• 1 bag ground crumbles or 1 lb ground meat
• 2 cans bushes mild chili beans
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 can petite diced tomato

Cook your red onion and crumbles or meat together in a large soup pot. Add beans, tomato sauce, and diced tomato. Bring to boil. Simmer for 20 mins.

To freeze: After it has cooled, add to gallon Ziploc bag and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Leave in fridge to unthaw for 24 hours. Add to pot and heat until boil. Turn down to low and let heat through.

Garnish with cheese, sour cream, or crackers.

Lasagna

This recipe, like the others, is vegetarian but you would never know it. I baked 3 of these for Dan's work Christmas party this year and no one had a clue it was vegetarian.  You can feel free to add meat instead of the meatless crumbles.

LASAGNA

• 1 bag Morningstar farms meatless cumbles (or 1 lb meat)
• 1 onion chopped
• other additions include shaved carrot, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.
• 2 cans petite diced tomato
• 2 cans tomato paste
• 1 T basil
• 1/2 T oregano
• 12 lasagna noodles (I have never used the ones that you don't have to boil)
• 1 pint cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded or grated
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 T parsley
• 1 lb mozzarella

Boil your lasagna noodles according to the package.  Sometimes I break my noodles in half if my big pot isn't available.  Once finished flood pot with cold water. When noodles are ok to touch lay flat to dry on either paper towels, parchment paper or wax paper. 

Cook your meat or meatless crumbles with the chopped onion.  If using a lot of veggies cook separately. Add diced tomato, tomato paste, basil, and oregano to meat/veggie mix. Simmer for 30 mins stirring occasionally.

While that's cooking mix your cottage cheese, parmesan, parsley and eggs together in a big bowl.

Spray your lasagna pan with non-stick spray.

Layer as follows:
On bottom -  1/3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese mix, 1/3 sauce, cover sauce with a layer of mozzarella.
Middle - 1/3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese mix, 1/3 sauce, cover sauce with a layer of mozzarella.
Top - 1/3 lasagna noodles, remaining sauce & mozzarella

 To cook immediately bake in preheated oven at 375 for 30-45 mins. (My bake time is more like 45 mins due to altitude.)

To freeze: cover with tin foil and put in freezer.

To bake after frozen:  thaw in fridge 2 days.  Bake in preheated oven at 400 with tin foil covering for 45 mins. Remove tin foil. Continue baking another 15 mins.  If your at altitude or have an old oven, you may need to bump up the timing to 60 mins and another 15 without the tin foil. 

Black Bean Tortilla Soup

This is my toddlers favorite. I add lots of avocado to hers and exclude the cheese and sour cream.

Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp chili powder (this is not spicy so don't be scared)
• 2 cans petite diced tomato
• 2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 cups chicken or veggie broth
• 1 10oz package of frozen corn
• salt and pepper
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)
• salsa (optional)
• avocado (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• cheese (optional)

In a large sauce pan heat oil over medium heat, cook garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, beans, broth, corn and 1 cup water. Season with salt & pepper.

Bring to boil; reduce to simmer. Add tortilla chips and cook until soft; about 2 mins. Remove from heat and if eating now garnish with any optional ingredient.

If freezing, let cool completely in fridge over night.  Put in gallon size bags and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Let thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Add to sauce pan and heat on medium until starting to bubble. Turn down to low and let simmer until heated through.  Garnish before eating. 

Dan's toppings:  cheese, sour cream, extra tortilla chips
Amanda's toppings:  tortilla chips, avocado, black bean and corn salsa from Target... yum!

Mexican Burritos

I just made this yesterday and they were great!  As always you can adjust your fillings as needed. 

Mexican Burritos

• 1 box rice-a-roni [I used the one with red beans but any kind works]
• 1 small can sliced black olives
• 1 can corn
• 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
• 12 flour tortillas
• 1 can refried beans
• Salsa of any kind

Cook rice-a-roni according package. When its finished add in black olives and corn. Heat through.

Heat up your refried beans so they are easier to spread.

Heat up your tortillas:  Wet a dish towel but ring it out so its just damp. Wrap your stack of tortillas in it.  I recommend doing 6 at a time.  Heat in microwave on high 1 minute.  This will ensure that they are easy to fold.

While your tortillas are heating cut 12 tin foil squares to wrap your burritos.

On the stack of tin foil, put 1 tortilla, spread some refried beans, add your rice mixture, and top with cheese and salsa. Wrap it up.  Sides first then fold top over and then bottom. It may take a few until you get the hang of wrapping them.  Wrap the tin foil around it and let cool.  Continue until all are wrapped. 

Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags.

To reheat:  Take off tin foil, wrap in a paper towel. Cook on high in microwave 3 minutes.

For feeding a toddler, I just scoop out all the insides and feed with a spoon. 

Egg Muffin Cups

I love these and they are excellent for toddlers. Great size and veggie loaded.

Egg Muffin Cups

• 12 Eggs, beaten
• veggies
• meat
• cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray muffin trays (2) with non-stick spray.

Cook any meat you plan to use.

Layer your muffin tray cups as follows, MAKING SURE TO NOT FILL MORE THAN HALF FULL: uncooked veggies on bottom, then meat, uncooked egg, cheese.

Bake for 20 mins.  Cool completely and add to Ziploc bag and freeze.

To reheat: 1 cup = 1.5 mins on high in micro <- I am not positive here, I have frozen these but unthawed them over night in the fridge so adjust as needed.

Breakfast Burritos

SO YUMMY and filling. You can add or remove any of these ingredients but this is my base recipe.  No one ever knows they are vegetarian.

Breakfast Burritos - makes 12
*If making a bigger batch cook eggs separately or else it takes forever.

• 12 flour tortillas - use the regular size not extra large burrito size
• 12 eggs
• 6 Morningstar farms faux sausage patties (or cooked meat of your choice)
• 1 can petite diced tomato
• 1 6oz jar of mushrooms
• 2 cups of sharp cheddar

Heat your sausage patties in the microwave in a single layer on high for 2.5 mins. Put in food processor to ground.  Set aside.

Beat eggs until blended, optional splash of milk here but it isn't necessary. Start cooking your eggs, when just beginning to firm add diced tomato & mushrooms, and any seasonings you want.  I usually use some salt, pepper and onion powder.

After eggs are firm mix in the sausage.

Heat up your tortillas:  Wet a dish towel but ring it out so its just damp. Wrap your stack of tortillas in it.  I recommend doing 6 at a time.  Heat in microwave on high 1 minute.  This will ensure that they are easy to fold.

While your tortillas are heating cut 12 tin foil squares to wrap your burritos.

On the stack of tin foil, put 1 tortilla, add 1/2 cup egg mixture, top with cheese and wrap it up.  Sides first then fold top over and then bottom. It may take a few until you get the hang of wrapping them.  Wrap the tin foil around it and let cool.  Continue until all are wrapped. 

Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags.

To reheat:  Take off tin foil, wrap in a paper towel. Cook on high in microwave 2.5 minutes.

For feeding a toddler, I just scoop out all the insides and feed with a spoon or let her eat the egg pieces herself.  Great way to give them some protein.

Toddler Meals

Here they are... toddler approved:  quick, easy, no fuss meals that can be made in 30 mins and frozen for a few weeks. Tiny fingers can break them apart and they can be heated up in 60 seconds.

No they aren't paleo, gluten free, or super healthy... but your kid will eat them and that's what's important when you only have 5 mins of prep time before a conference call.


PASTA CUPS
*This makes a LOT!  So it will fill 24 cups + a 9x9 casserole dish for tonight's meal.
** Sub 1 jar pasta sauce for all ingredients except pasta and cheese.

• 1 box small shaped pasta
• 2 cans petite diced tomato (or 1 15 oz can)
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 bag Morningstar farms meatless crumbles (or 1 lb ground meat)
• 1 T basil
• 1/2 T oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2-4 cups shredded mozzarella

Make your pasta according to the directions on the box or bag. In sauce pan cook your meat or crumbles. Add your diced tomatoes and tomato paste.  Season the sauce with basil, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. Cook on low while pasta is cooking. 

Once done rinse your pasta and mix into sauce.  Mix in cheese.  Use foil cups with liners in muffin tins.  Add a scoop of pasta to each cup.  Cook at 350 degrees for 15 mins.  Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags and freeze. 

To reheat:  Remove foil muffin cup (leave liner), and cook in microwave on high for 1 minute for 2.  45 seconds for 1. 1 min 30 seconds for 3.

 

MAC CHEESE AND VEGGIE CUPS
*Makes 24 cups if you can resist eating while cooking.  Surprisingly my toddler will eat the veggies out of it first and then the noodles.

• 1 box of your favorite mac n cheese
• 1 cup of frozen veggies

Thaw frozen veggies in microwave while you make your mac n cheese.  Once veggies and mac n cheese are cooked, combine.  Use foil cups with liners in muffin tins.  Add a scoop of pasta/veggie mixture to each cup.  Cook at 350 degrees for 15 mins.  Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags and freeze. 

To reheat:  Remove foil muffin cup (leave liner), and cook in microwave on high for about 30 seconds per cup.  So 1 cup = 30 seconds on high, 2 cups = 60 seconds on high.