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I'm Amy, and this blog encompasses my passion for healthy family living. I hope you find the tools and resources to start your kids eating healthy (like more fruits and vegetabeles) and actually like it!
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Tag: menu

Yogurt Cheese Butterflies

Have you tried making yogurt cheese yet?  Basically it’s just draining the extra water out of yogurt until it’s more thick like a cream cheese consistency.

It’s a fabulous substitute to all things creamy.  We mostly use it as a sandwich spread (as you would with cream cheese), but it can also be used as a high protein, low-fat substitute for mayo, sour cream, dips, or you know what would be good… mixing some with peanut butter for a creamy spread.  MMM, If you could see me now, you would see me drooling.

DSC_2751Here is the super easy method:

  • Scoop plain yogurt into cheese cloth (double layered), over a colander, over a bowl. My only colander is super huge, so I used the steam basket from my rice cooker.
  • Put in fridge till desired consistency (the longer in the fridge, the thicker it will get)  But generally overnight at least!

 DSC_2737 Can’t find cheesecloth?  I had been to several grocery stores and they either “were all out” or didn’t carry it, or I couldn’t figure out which aisle they would keep it.  I finally found some at Bed Bath and Beyond if anyone is looking.

This time we spread it on bagels.  Plain is good, but I had some strawberries, so we mixed them in.

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Arranging it to look like a butterfly is always a fun way for breakfast or a snack for some kids..  My kids think they are too old for butterfly bagels..  When did that happen??

New Healthy Meal Plan- Greek Yogurt Coupon

If you’ve been in the yogurt section lately, you may have noticed Yoplait has Greek yogurt now for $0.99.  We like Greek Yogurt (extra protein, and extra creamy!).  Also, Yoplait’s flavored Greek Yogurt has regular sugar, as opposed to the High Fructose Corn Syrup.

I’m not aware if these coupons rotate or not, but currently there is a coupon for $0.30 off Yoplait Greek Yogurt on the coupons.com site!  So get it before it rotates away.Click Here

Breakfast Lunch Snack Dinner
Monday Flaxy French Toast Chicken nuggets / carrots Greek Yogurt and Blackberries Chicken noodle soup
Tuesday Pumpkin Waffles Mango chicken salad wrap Sweet potato fries Chili with vegetables
Wednesday Black bean and salsa omelets Leftover Chili Pumpkin Bread Veggie Burgers
Thursday Oatmeal with berries and milk Hummus and veggie wrap Applesauce spice bars (with healthy substitutions) Pasta with chicken and broccoli
Friday Cereal with Greek yogurt and bananas Tomato Soup Apples and peanut butter Baked Ziti

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Post note: Dear Kim- We also like Dannon! We aren’t picky :)

I got a sweet note from a preschool teacher following my presentation on healthy eating several weeks ago.  Just goes to show you… kids are super teachable!

We are learning the letter Y this week.  Yesterday I put the words "Yum" and "Yuck" on the board and asked them to each name a thing that is yummy and yucky.  They named for our "Yum" list:  apples, strawberries, oranges, carrots, bananas, grapes, etc.  All good!:)  For our "Yuck" list they named a can, a piece of wood, carpet, etc.!  After a few weeks they still remember your lesson, especially the book about the goats and all the bad things they ate!  For 4 year olds that’s really good.  You made a great impression on them.

Thanks!

Heather

Another Easy Meal Plan

After every life event I have the same thoughts,

After my next test, I’ll spend more time in kitchen….

After TJ’s birthday, I’ll make more bread…

After the PTA fundraiser, I’ll soak my beans, rather than get them out of a can.” 

And what happens next: Another bigger and more time consuming thing!

So as a result, this menu plan is going to be Crockpot week or:

“I have no time to be in the kitchen” plan, but if possible, I’ll stick the kids in the kitchen in my place.”

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If you have a healthy recipe you think our family would enjoy for future menu plans, feel free to email me a link, or the recipe, and I’ll be happy to link to your recipes in future meal plans! Thanks!!!

Disclaimer: All my children are in school, and I actually send them sandwiches in their lunch every day. These lunches are ideas if you need variety! 

Printable Meal Plans

Breakfast Lunch Snack Dinner
Monday Homemade Freezer waffles with sliced bananas Chicken salad pockets Tapioca with fruit Crockpot: Black bean chicken wraps
Tuesday Oatmeal with berries English muffin pizzas Baked tortilla chips with bean dip Crockpot: Café Rio sweet pork burritos
Wednesday

Scrambled eggs with whole wheat toast Sliced apples

Tortilla pinwheels with light cream cheese and vegetables Fruity finger chicken salad

Strawberries and greens salad And crock pot Chicken tenders

Thursday “Banana splits” (sliced banana, yogurt and granola on top) Almond butter and Fruit spread on mini whole wheat bagles (PB&J)

Zucchini Bread(So, I need a little baking time, or I’ll go through withdrawal)

Crockpot Minestrone Soup
Friday One eyed monsters and orange juice Whole wheat pasta with broccoli and parmesan cheese Baked pita slices with hummus Crockpot cranberry chicken with green beans

If there is ever something in my menu that I didn’t post the recipe or link for (generally because its in one of my cookbooks), feel free to email me, and I’ll get it to you. amy@superhealthykids.com

What to look forward to this week: (subject to change if something doesn’t turn out right)

  • Party/ Finger food
  • Red Cabbage
  • Coconut nests
  • Crockpot recipe
  • Indoor activity idea

New Healthy Meal Plan for your Family!

Here is a new menu plan… If you get a chance, go check out the cute sidebar image for the link to the printable menu’s!

Breakfast

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Monday

Swiss Muesli (oats, yogurt, craisins, apples)

Pasta salad with vegetables (chilled)

Applesclip_image002auce

Sesame Mandarin Quinoa Salad

Tuesday

Egg white omelet’s with mushrooms

Mini Whole wheat bagels with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes

Apple Chips

Fritatta (with broccoli and potatoes)

Wednesday

Power Gold Smoothie

Almond Butter and Jelly on Whole wheat bread

Yogurt with Cottage cheese and berries

Pioneer Woman’s White Chili

Thursday

Protein Pancakes

“Toothpick lunch” (cubed veggies, cheese, and meat)

Almonds and raisins

Noodles with Mushroom and lemon ginger dressing.

Friday

Porridge (oats, rice, wheat germ, raisins, vanilla)

Mini whole wheat bagel with cream cheese and cucumber

Carrots and dip!

Lasagna with salad

Also, we need your help!

This group; XX1st Century Kids 1st foundation is trying to win $50,000 to provide low income kids in the Chicago area with healthy food and lifestyle choices.  They just need your votes to win!!  Go here to vote!

Pumpkin Hummus

So many blogs, so little time! Have you seen this one?  Although I am the world’s worst crafter, I love to look.   I wish I could make this Christmas Advent calendar, but I know if I tried, my dove would look like a piece of felt with a spec of blue dirt on it.  So, I won’t try. I’ll just enjoy what others can do.

My pumpkin hummus flopped like many of my crafting attempts.  I don’t feel bad.  I liked it of course.  My husband thought it tasted like baby food (but he doesn’t like hummus anyway), and the kids wouldn’t try it at all.

Here is the recipe from allrecipes. (I cut the recipe in half to fit my tiny food processor). If you like hummus, I’m pretty sure you will like this.

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Give it a try!  The sourdough bread made it all that much better.

And hurry, before it’s too late. Enter Cathy’s giveaway to try some organic fruit puree!

Smoothilicious- Orange creamsicle Smoothie

There are so many different ways to make a smoothie, your kids should never be bored.  While not packed full of fruits and veggies, this smoothie sure made a great treat. We called it the Orange creamsicle smoothie.  I’ve seen different versions on many different websites, but I kept ours simple:

  • 1 Cup vanilla yogurt
  • 1 cup Orange juice
  • 24 ice cubes

IMG_2691Put all ingredients in a blender.

IMG_2693  And drink

IMG_2700 IMG_2704 (Those are sunglasses that the lenses broke out of. She loves to wear them and “trick” people into thinking she wears glasses.  She wants braces too. Remember those days?)

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Dinner for $2.99

Since I generally buy canned beans, or beans in bulk, I hadn’t spent much time on the bean aisle.  But on my last shopping trip, I noticed this gorgeous little bag of mixed beans for $2.99!

An entire meal for three bucks. And it included a seasoning packet.

P9120026With so much trouble cooking beans from dry, I stopped reading the directions, I have adopted my own method.

  1. Pour beans into large pot in the morning.
  2. Boil for 15 minutes
  3. Remove from heat.
  4. Cover with lid until ready to prepare dinner.
  5. At about 4:00, I rinse the beans.
  6. Refill with water.
  7. Boil until beans are tender.
  8. Depending on the type of beans, this may take 2 hours!!  I like my beans soft.
  9. Keep testing beans till desired softness.

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I was a bit disappointed with the seasoning.  There wasn’t much flavor to it at all.  Next time I will season it myself.  But with a handful of saltine crackers, my family at it up!

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I got an A on my last Organic Chemistry test! I can’t tell you what a relief it was. I was getting worried about this whole back to school thing, but now I’m feeling much more confident!

Veggie Burgers

Your kids need more beans!  They are such a perfect food.

After a conversation with some friends last night who declared “My kids would never eat beans!”  I got to thinking…. Is it the kids, or is it the parents  (You know who you are!) bad attitude towards beans that leaves them uninterested.  Maybe a little of both.

My kids were such picky eaters before I started this blog.  However, I wasn’t exposing them to a variety of foods like I do now.  Now, when there are no other options, and since children don’t like to starve… they eat!

So, onto my bean dish.

I want to start using my $50 Costco blender more.

I posted this recipe for Black Bean Burgers moons ago.   But this time, I put in my blender

  • 1 can of black beans
  • oats (because I was out of bread crumbs)
  • salsa and an egg!

I know it looks gross, but, it is what it is.

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Then I added the cooked rice separately because I wanted it a little chunky.

p9140018Then I poured about 1/3 to 1/4 cup on my cast iron skillet.

p9140019And then of course put the patty between some delicious whole wheat buns (with a bunch of ketchup).

p9140042Then TJ added more ketchup to the TOP of his bun. Such a strange kids sometimes.

We topped it off with some homemade french fries, and the kids Gobbled it up.  Most kids won’t notice you used black beans instead of beef.  You will notice, but its still delicious.

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More beans our in my blog future!!! They are cheap, low fat, good for you, high in protein, high in THREE kinds of fiber, and did I mention CHEAP!!  Way cheaper than ground beef.

Other awesome bean posts!

Beans 101

Fruit and vegetable salad

Today’s post is brought to you by my 8 year old daughter!

chop  the    carits. cut  the  strobarys. put  in frozen bluebarys. cut a appel. chop up  frozen   charys. put it in a bole and eat.

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Apples and oats

With over 60 nutrients including a special fiber (beta-glucan) that helps to lower cholesterol, oats are a high quality source of whole grains.

I love oatmeal because it is so versatile. You can literally make a bowl of oatmeal, hundreds of different ways.  Here is one way my kids like it.

I prefer instant oats or quick oats (I think its less gummy and obviously quicker.  So, I use 1/2 cup quick oats, and approximately 3/4 cup water.

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I cook the oatmeal with water in the microwave for one minute

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Then I add a shake of cinnamon, and chopped apples.  Return to the microwave for 30 seconds to soften up the apples.

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After mixed, I add applesauce and a tsp or two of brown sugar.

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Then we eat!! This is so delicious and so filling.

Oats are

  • inexpensive.
  • You can always have some on hand since their shelf life is long.
  • They are so satisfying on a cold fall morning.
  • Kids love oatmeal if you start them young.  If they don’t like oatmeal because of the texture, try oat groats, rolled oats, or quick oats to see if it makes a difference with them.

Here is what cereal boy thought of it.

p9120056Other oatmeal posts:

Strawberry oatmeal

Oatmealpalooza

A proud moment:  Yesterday a friend from church gave us a package of microwave popcorn.  I didn’t realize how long its been since we bought microwave popcorn until one of my kids said, “You’ve got to be kidding! They put the butter IN the bag of popcorn!  Amazing!” Then the other child said, “Did they put salt in the bag too?”

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