Cinnamon and Sugared Pecan Salad

 Call me transparent, but the better and treaty-er it sounds the higher my kids' enthusiasm is in eating it. 

1 head Romain

2 handfuls Spinach

1 cup blueberries

1/4 red onions diced

1/4 cup feta crumbled

1/2 cup cinnamon and sugar almonds 

(brown raw pecans in pan with a bit coconut oil, toss in jar with cinnamon and sugar to taste, keep around to sprinkle on salads)

1/2 cucumber chopped

(slice other part of cucumbers for water glasses at the table to make it a fancy meal, according to my offspring)

Dressing:

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Keep a large dressing made up and dress salads to taste.  

Put it all together. 

 

Baked Chard Chips

This recipe found on about a million other websites and cookbooks these days! This is one of two "green things" my 3 year old will eat! The other being seaweed snacks! These take a little effort to make, but the result is worth it. 

BAKED CHARD CHIPS RECIPE
A close friend of the kale chip, which is a great one as well.

I bunch of fresh chard
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt

Pre-heat the oven to 400 (375 convection). Wash chard thoroughly and dry. Cut away the thick stocks and place smaller pieces in a medium bowl. Pour olive oil over the chard and massage until the oil has soaked in.  Spread out flatly on metal baking pan and sprinkle with little salt (the leaves will shrink up so don’t get too crazy with the salt!).  Bake for 4-7 minutes depending on your oven. Keep a look out for slightly brown edges; these can get away from you easily and they go from great to garbage!!

Trail Mix

This is a good one to have the kids make.

Send it in lunches, take a baggie to the movies, bring it to the park, keep a few small baggies in your purse.

5 parts Cheerios

1 part banana chips

1 part raisins

1 part raw sunflower seeds

1 part chocolate chips

1 part raw almonds

1 part raw pumpkin seeds

Fast Food Chicken Dinner

It's not technically fast food but as much effort when into this as driving to a fast food restaurant would.

Argue with me, go ahead. 

Steamed artichokes, baked sweet potatoes and slow cooker rosemary chicken.

 

Chicken: Put a whole roasting chicken in the slow cooker, cut fresh rosemary on top (dried will work as well), drizzle a little olive oil on top and salt. Set to low for about 8 hours.

Then go about your day. When you get home as everybody is getting homework started put a few sweet potatoes in the convection/toaster oven at 400 degrees.

Boil a couple inches of water in a big pot, squeeze some lemon in, put 4 artichokes in to steam. (Cut off the stem and leave tips first.)

Your now have about 45 minutes to set the table, pour some drinks, hang up the 800 coats your family inexplicably wore today, put lunch boxes away, silently question what was going through their heads as they chose what to eat and what to refuse today, refocus wandering 5 year olds who are supposed to be doing their homework, throw the laundry you forgot about in the washer into the dryer, wipe down the kids' bathroom because it ALWAYS needs to be wiped down and since you were too lazy to run upstairs use your own bathroom you used the kids' and now you are compelled to acknowledge its need,  find the gym bag that has not been unpacked for one too many days, throw its contents into the now free washer, where it will sit for too long once again, and sit down and have a relaxing glass of wine with your husband while he tells you amusing and witty quips about his day. (You did notice I said pour drinkS at the beginning of this.....) 

But I digress.  Often.

Be sure to put cinnamon on the table to season the sweet potatoes. (My kids have confused it with sugar and think they're getting away with something when they do this.)

For the artichokes serve yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, and a squeeze of mustard (I dislike mustard immensely but you can't taste it in this.) mixed in little individual bowls which everyone can season to taste. 

(Hot sauce or cinnamon work well.)

Salsa is a good dip as well.

Apple Pancakes

These are good anytime of year but, in our house, when the apple tree is brimming and fall is in the air these are an absolute must!

Apples

1 cup Oats

1 cup Milk

1 Tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

Cinnamon to taste

Slice the apples into 1/2 inch pieces and use a shot glass or whatever works to cut out the core.

Blend other ingredients into batter.

Dip apple slices in batter, cook on hot griddle as you would pancakes.

Serve plain, with cinnamon and sugar, peanut butter, peanut butter mixed with yogurt, maple syrup, honey.... basically whatever floats your boat.

Breakfast Tacos

Sometimes it’s about changing it up and being silly to keep everyone excited about their morning fare.

Tacos for breakfast?

Absolutely!

Taco Shells

Cheesy Scrambled Eggs *

Green Onions, Sliced

Black Beans

Salsa

Greek Yogurt

Guacamole or Avocado slices

Bacon or Sausage (optional)

Set it up as a taco bar or assemble them to your family’s tastes.

*Why must I call things by such weird but official sounding titles??

Besides the nerdy pleasure I derive from it, it makes things sound more exciting to the kids.

In the case of Cheesy Scrambled Eggs you scramble eggs and add cheese. Any kind, to taste.

Left Over Pizza Breakfast

Ok, I will accept that our days of eating cold left-over pizza standing at the kitchen counter are over.

At least in front of the kids, right?

But I refuse to banish leftover pizza from my breakfast options.

Solution; stick it on a  parchment paper lined cookie sheet, crack a few eggs on top (the number depends on the number of slices and size of said slices - I go with about one egg per large slice.)

Place it in a pre-heated 350 degree oven and bake until the eggs are the consistency you and your family prefer; about 4-7 minutes.

It sounds so simple but I get treated like a culinary genius, at least until they're hungry for lunch......

Quichitas

These are kind of amazing.

They, also, are just a spring board for your creativity.

Sure you can go with the traditional breakfast items to fill them; bacon, sausage, spinach, onions, cheese but I’ve had just as much success with random leftovers. Think taco left overs; meat, beans, cheese, tomatoes. Or chicken, artichoke hearts and kale. Salmon, cream cheese, and capers. Really, if it has gone together as a meal it will most likely work in this.

I use the raw tortillas from Costco for half and leave half with no shell. Both are delicious. Here is a basic recipe but the idea is fill muffin tins with yummy food (precooked meats, which is why leftovers are so perfect) pour scramble egg mixture to fill cups about 2/3 of the way full, bake.

Here is a basic recipe to get you started:

6 raw tortilla shells

5 eggs

couple handfuls of spinach chopped

bacon (cooked)

1/2 cup of milk

shredded cheddar cheese

Toppings; Salsa, yogurt, avocado

Grease the muffin pan.

Cut tortillas in half. Bring ends to meet to make a funnel sort of shape and stuff into muffin cup. (It should look like a little pie crust, and it is ok if you stuff some down, you’re just lining the cup and making the crust.

If you don’t want to use tortillas skip the above step.

Divide the filling ingredients into each cup: spinach, bacon and cheese.

Beat eggs and milk and fill* each cup 2/3 full.

*I use a turkey baster to fill the cups with the eggs mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the centers don’t jiggle when you shake the pan.

Top with salsa, yogurt and avocado if desired.

These are great for breakfast on the go if you so need.   

Smoothie Pancakes

I promise to add pictures asap but I want to start putting this on now. The sooner you start making these the happier a person you'll be. You'll forgive the photo digression eventually. 

Smoothie Pancakes are far and above my favorite thing to make for the family. They are the easiest way to ‘sneak’ in veggies and other healthy foods while still appealing to the crowd. 

They are a great way to introduce your kids to different colored foods; green, purple, and yellow in natural ways which will make their appearance later less off-putting. The possibilities are literally endless and your creativity is your only limit. Here is a basic recipe from which to start.

2 very large handfuls spinach
1 1/2 cup oats (old fashioned rolled, not quick cooking)
1 cup milk (add more to desired thinness)
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 large eggs or 3 small eggs
10 almonds
1 frozen banana (fresh is fine, frozen is just more likely in my house)
1/2 tablespoon oil
pinch of sea salt
cinnamon to taste

Throw all ingredients in blender - the better your blender, the better!
Cook on hot skillet or griddle as you would traditional pancakes.

Topping suggestions: syrup (the real, pure, maple sort, in moderation of course), honey (raw, local), fruit spread, fruit salsa, regular salsa, lemon curd.
We put a fried egg on top for anyone in the mood and occasionally serve with a breakfast meat.

Alternative ingredient ideas that actually work~
Spinach: Kale, Chard, Brussels Sprouts
Oil: Coconut oil, flax seeds
Milk: any milk substitute works including yogurt
Almonds: any nut
Additions: Apples (quartered with peel and core)
Blueberries, raspberries, cherries
 
Once the family is used to the change from traditional pancakes you can  stir in some corn, peas, cocoa nibs, hemp seeds, or whatever other superfood of the moment floats your boat. 
 
You get the idea; the possibilities are endless.