Quinoa oats with blueberry, peaches and honey

I really love breakfast, especially when it involves peaches and blueberries. My favorites. Now be open minded about quinoa. It's very versatile. From breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, you can really do it all. Yesterday was the day before payday and we were making do with what we had. Thank goodness I keep a stock pile of quinoa at all times. It was quick and tasty. You probably don't have to add oats if you don't want to but I like my oats so I did.

1 cup cooked plain quinoa
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sliced peaches (I use no sugar added canned peaches in water)
Honey or agave to taste (optional)
Granola (optional)

Prepare you're quinoa as directed. Add in oats and little extra water. Mix in the blueberries and peaches. Serve with honey and granola. Oh so good and warm.

Enjoy!
-D

Protein pancakes

I have been steadily trekking through my clean eating journey for the past 2 months. I can't believe I'm sticking to it and better yet, actually enjoying it. It's really not a diet. It's a life change. It feels good that even my kids are reaping the benefits of all this clean food being thrown at them. I actually don't throw food at my kids, but I'm sure they would think its hilarious. Ok.

The point is, it's nutrition. Food for nutrition. Fuel for our bodies. Energy. My almost 7 year old Stevie is not as active as I'd like him to be. However, we have been taking our kids for hikes a few times a week and yesterday he decided he was going to ride his bike up the trail. A hill! Imagine the look on my face, I was sooooo proud, and yes I owe it entirely to healthy food and nutrition.

I whipped up these pancakes to fuel up for our hike!

1 cup oat flour (old fashioned oats, quick oats, whatever oats in a blender until its flour consistency)
2 tablespoons coconut flour
4 tablespoons ground chia seeds (Anutra)
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 mashed ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 packets stevia
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk or whatever milk you want to use
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup sliced peaches (optional)
1/4 cup blueberries (optional)
Almond butter (optional)
Agave or whatever syrup you like in your pancakes (optional)

Mix all the ingredients except desired fruit and toppings. Once the batter is mixed up good (it will be thick, add more milk if you like a thinner cake) fold fruit into the batter and cook it all in a griddle or pan. Serve warm with almond butter and agave.

Enjoy!
-D

Chocolate, peanut butter & banana Quinoa

Ah morning time. I always want something filling but not heavy. I'm on the third week of the "insanity" workout so I definitely need something that will fuel my body. Lord knows that "sh#t is bananas"!

I came up with this doozy last night before bed. I saw a lot of chocolate oatmeals and even chocolate granola but I really wanted to see how it would be with quinoa.

Hubby suggested the peanut butter, because, well you know- its peanut butter and it makes everything better!

1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 mashed ripe banana
1 sliced banana
1/3 cup egg whites
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 packets stevia
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or fat free milk
3 tablespoons melted natural peanut butter

Heat quinoa and water to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa has white rings around it. The water will be absorbed. Add in the mashed banana, stevia, cocoa powder and eggs whites. Mix it around to cook the egg whites.

Scoop into 2 bowls. Add sliced bananas on top, some almond milk and drizzled peanut butter. It's so pretty, almost a shame to mix it all up and eat it!

Yummmmmmm
Enjoy!
-D

 

Spicy chickpea & chicken skillet

Did I mention how much I love having my husband home on leave? Normally he's too tired to help me cook and that's fine, he works on tanks all day! He kinda sits around and let's the kids climb all over him. Fine by me :) Gets them outta my hair.

Tonight's adventure of baby daddy's cooking is another tex-mex inspired dish. Lots of flavors, lots
Of fiber, and a whole 'lotta clean. That makes mama happy.

Chickpea & chicken skillet


1 can organic black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can chick peas (garbanzo) drained & rinsed
1 cup salsa
3/4 cup water
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
Half chopped red pepper
1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons adobo powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Add in the garlic, onions and peppers. Sauté for a few minutes.
Add in the chicken, salsa, water, spices,beans and chickpeas.
Simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens up.

Serve over the brown rice and some shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
Yummmmmmm.

Enjoy!
-D

Cleaned up chocolate munchkins

Chocolate. Coconut. Peanut butter. Do I have you're attention yet? Good. Now listen up. I'm from New England y'all! Total oxymoron sentence, I know. But fo' real, New England is home of the Dunkin' donuts on every block. Home of the most delicious munchkins, doughnuts, bagels and lets not forget coffee. There are no dunkins' anywhere near me and even if there were, I don't believe they are "clean". Actually, I know they are not.

It's that time of night. Hubby and I want something sweet, but we don't want to sacrifice our clean lifestyle for the sake of some sweet thang. So I scrounged he cabinets (it's 2 days away from grocery day, slim pickings!) and came up with this:

Chocolate, peanut butter, and coconut "munchkins"



What you need:
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter
1/3 cup shredded real unsweetened coconut plus a little more for rolling the balls in
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 packet stevia
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Put all of you're ingredients in a food processor or magic bullet or whatever you got until smooth.

Scoop out tablespoon full of the mixture and roll it between you're hands. Roll the balls in a little more coconut (optional$ and place them wax paper lined plate.
We ate these right after they were made but if you're into the cold chocolate then you could always chill them for a bit. This recipe makes about 10 balls.




Hubby and I ate 2 each, and that's all we could take- they are rich. We saved some for the kiddies to try in the morning :)
Try it with a ice cold glass of fat free milk or almond milk.

Yummmmmm!

Enjoy!
-D

 

 

good clean preppin' fun!

This past weekend, I lost my "sunday food prep" virginity.  It was not as painful as I imagined.  Yea there was a mess, but I swear it was worth it.

 

I baked sweet potatos and chicken seasoned with italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Chopped veggies like zuchini, mushrooms, cauliflower, peppers, and onion.  Whew.  It was all so hectic for about 2 hours.  My husband was so sweet and entertained the kids while I did this so it worked out. 


I'll be honest with ya'...the dishes, I could live without.  However, having ingredients ready in neat little tupperware and ziplock bags made up for the hour I'll never get back spent over the sink.  For all the mamas (and dadas) out there that struggle at dinner time this was so awesome to whip up some sweet potato, baked chicken and fresh veggies for the wee ones to munch on.  Of course a lot of it has to involve meal planning.  I'll get into that in another post soon, promise :)

 

Black bean &corn tacos with creamy guac and cilantro lime quinoa

I have literally been obsessed with finding clean recipes on pinterest, modifying with our own touches and enjoying with our kids.  Family dinners are big deal and we never skimp on that. 

As I browsed I came across this little number on:

http://www.sarcasticcooking.com/2012/03/15/blackened-chicken-and-cilantro-lime-quinoa/

Quinoa Cilantro Lime:

1 cup dry quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
Juice and zest from 1 small lime
a handful of cilantro, chopped
salt and peppaaaaah to taste

Bring the water to a boil, add in quinoa.  Once its boiling, reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is clear and has white rings around it.  Add in your lime zest, juice and cilantro to the warm quinoa, and salt and pepper.  Mix and enjoy how amazing you're kitchen smells!




We had these with some Black bean, corn and onion.  Served on corn tortillas, pan fried in olive oil so they were crispy. This was something my husband came up with.  He has been on leave for a few days and thank the Lord, he has some secret hidden cooking talent.  Here's his recipe:

Black bean, onion and corn tacos:


1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
Half a chopped onion
6-8 corn tortillas
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil (halved)
1/2 cup to 1 cup shredded cheese of you're choice (we used colby jack and Monterey)*
crushed red pepper (we like it spicy, but this is optional)
Tapatio or whatever hot sauce you like to taste (optional)

Start by sauteing onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Once the onions are soft, add in beans, corn and hot sauce.  Get is all toasty, mashing on the beans a bit so its thick. 


Heat a separate large skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Warm the corn tortillas in the microwave and set them on a paper towel. Try and work quickly because corn tortillas tend to break when you bend them if they are not warm. 

Fill each half of the tortilla with the bean mix and top with cheese.  Fold it, and place in he hot oil.  Flip it a few times until golden and crispy.  If you use a big enough pan you should be able to get a few of them at a time. 

*try and buy the blocks of cheese and shred it by hand.  It's cleaner eating ya'll!

For the sauce I mashed a ripe avocado, threw in a bit of the chopped cilantro from the quinoa, a sprinkle of cumin, salt, pepper, and lime juice, and mixed with plain Greek yogurt until it was a creamy texture.  You can play around with this and make it as creamy or as chunky as you want.

Hope you guys enjoy this, we know we did!

-D

 

 

 

 

Short and sweet oatmeal muggy cake

You know when it hits, it hits hard.  That 4 hours after dinner-hunger pang-need-something-sweet craving.  It doesn't have to be bad.  It can be good.  And sweet :)

I found this on : http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/499785-1-minute-clean-berrylicious-microwave-minute-muffin

I cleaned it up just a widdle bit more, and its perfect for me and hubby who also has a late night monster in his belly!

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
3 tablespoons egg white
small handful of berries.  (we used blackberries but I don't recommend it, the seeds we're weird.  We will try this again with blueberries or even strawberries)
1 packet stevia
1 tablespoon fat free milk or almond or whatever you got going on over there
Honey (optional)

Using a spoon, stir all the ingredients in a coffee mug.  It doesn't look like much, but I promise it is worth it!

Put it in the microwave for a minute and a half and enjoy.  Keep an eye on it though, it does rise!

I drizzled mine with honey for a little added sweetness.

Enjoy!

-D

 

Breakfast of Champs!

The kids slept in today!  Woooow.  That never happens.  In a wonderful mood I was in! They we're even good patiently waiting for breakfast (brunch).

I had some sweet potato left over from my food prep escapade so I had a thought.  What a delicious thought that was.  I've seen different combos of sweet potato, eggs and avocado all over the interweb and today was the day I conquered my own super breakfast.

This serves 4

Avocado, sweet potato, and egg over toast

4 slices of whole wheat, no sugar added, no preservatives bread (I use nature's own)
4 eggs poached, fried, baked or whatever you want.  I like the poached b/c of the runny, ooey gooey to spill over-goodness!
1 ripe avocado
2 small sweet potato's cut into rounds with skin on
sriracha (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the eggs how you want them.

Put you're bread in the toaster over or toaster, you want it crispy and somewhat hard.  You're going to load it up with some deliciousness so you want it to be firm to stand up under pressure!

Cup up the sweet potato's into rounds, about 1/4 inch thickness. 

Cup up the avocados in slices.  You're going to mash all this up so don't worry about it being purrrty.

Once your toaster dings, all the cutting is done and you're eggs are eggrific to you're liking start the assembling of the breakfast.

I placed the sweet potato rounds, about 4 rounds to 1 piece of toast.  Mashed that down a little bit and followed it with the avocado.  Mashed that down a bit as well.  Place you're eggy on top of all that and break the yolk or dig into it if it's hard yolk.  I seasoned mine with salt, pepper, and sriracha hot sauce. 

Hubby said it was a interesting combo of food and spice, but he came shy of licking his plate afterward ;)

Enjoy!

-D

 

Cleaned up PHO (phaaa)

My best friend Michelle and I love to go for our favorite Pho place when she comes and visits.  It a little whole in the wall place here in Fort Hood called "Chaus Cafe".
http://www.urbanspoon.com/cities/186-killeen/restaurants/1628391-chau-s-cafe/menu

 The owners serve up some amazing vietnamese sandwiches, Pho, and boba smoothies.  If you've never had any of that, run, don't walk, to the nearest vietnamese cafe and try it (on you're cheat day, of course!)  If it's not you're cheat day, you are in luck my clean little friends.  I found an amazing blog on pinterest that feautures amazing recipes, clean for the most part but amazingly healthy and fit.

www.thefitcook.net
http://www.thefitcook.net/1/post/2012/09/fit-fo-noodles.html

Browse her blog, I guarantee you will find something to spark you're taste buds.  You're welcome.

One of the things I have made is the Pho. I put my little adaptations and doubled it as well since we are feeding the fam bam. I also managed to take some step by step pictures with the ipadizzle while I cooked it, I'll try and do that more often for you!  Here it is:

1 tbsp sesame oil
1 big ol' honkin zuchini cut into 1/4 inch rounds
handfull of sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
handfull of baby spinach leaves
2 packets miso soup powder (find it in the asian section of you're local grocer.  Found mine at HEB.)
1 8 oz. package brown rice noodles
6 cups water (more for more broth)
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce plus more for taste (optional)
sriracha (optional)
good size handful of parsley or cilantro or both for setting in you're pho once its nice and hot!

Start up by getting the oil nice and hot and add the zuchini, peppers, and mushrooms.  Stir fry for a few minutes until the zuchini and peppers are soft. Add in the spinach, remove from heat and set that aside.

 

 

 

Bring about 6 cups of water (more if you like more broth) to a boil.  Meanwhile, rince you're rice noodles in cold water.  Add the miso soup mix, noodles, green onion, and soy sauce to the pot and let it cook until the noodles are tender. 

Mix in the veggies and give a stir.

Serve with a nice side of parsley or cilantro and sriracha.

Enjoy!

-D

 

 

 

 

Purple People Smoothie

Sometimes it's hard to get you're kids to get the right amount of nutrition every day.  Here's my take on that.  It so good, even you will want it ;)

Mama's Purple People Smoothie

4 tablespoons chia seeds
handful of frozen berries
1 ripe banana
splash o' fat free milk (for smoothie like texture, and easier to drink out of a straw)

Throw it all in the blender ya'll!

You can add more milk if you want it runnier or even greek yogurt if you want it thicker.

Enjoy!

-D

Little bits of us. Ok. Maybe a lot of us.

Wow!  So here we are.  Here I am. Blogging. Who would've thunk it?  Three years ago I don't think I even knew what a blog was.  Three years ago I was happily married, living in the wonderful commonwealth also know as Massachusetts with two wonderful children and just living the life.  I was a stay at home mom and my dear husband worked for his family business doing hard wood floors.  Fast forward to 2010 and the economy was crap, work was slow, and surprise- mama is preggers with baby número tres, and no health insurance. Whomp, whomp....

We had talked about life in the military ( growing up my grandfather was a World War II vet and my brother was currently enlisted) and what it would be like.  Well, low and behold "WE" joined.  I say "we" because in all honesty it is just that.  It's a mutual commitment that as a family you have to make.  There would be months passing without seeing each other, budgets to be hashed out, poopie diapers to swim in.... The point is it would be hard.  Army life proved to be just that.  Hard. Extremely difficult.  Tiring.  Exhausting.  Emotional.

Baby daddy left for basic training January 4th 2011.  I was about 12 weeks pregnant.  Alone, with 2 children and a dog.  Yes we had a dog.  We still do actually.  She's a peach.  Actually, no she's such a snot but we love her anyway.  Her name is Bella and she's a 6 year old Siberian husky.  Anywho... I was up to my knees in poo, dog puke (poor Bella has a sensitive belly), tears, and who knows what else!  It was an interesting 17 weeks of holding down the fort by myself, but I did it. We did it.  Sometimes there are sacrifices that together as a family ya' just 'gotta make.

So here we are, spring of 2013! And I'm blogging.  We currently are stationed in Fort Hood, Texas.  It's very different than green central Massachusetts.  I say green because this place isn't the brightest.  Very brown, but I guess that's from the dry climate and heat.  Oh the heat.  It is absolutely unnecessary.  Don't even bother with hair and makeup type heat.  By the end of the afternoon, look like a melted crayon box with "just out the shower" sweaty hair.  Gross.  Maybe it's something you gotta get used to, so I'm told.  Our daughter was born here in Texas smack dab in the middle of the hottest month ever.  July 19.  Little baby Aislin Maria made her way into the world.  She's my little southern belle.

 

 

Having my husband there for the birth of our little baby is something I will forever be grateful for.  To many it may just seem like an obvious situation to have someone there, a husband, boyfriend, mom, dad, aunt- whatever.  But for me it went like this:
I went to my regular doctor appointment about a week from my due date.  It was hard to hold back
the tears.  We had known for awhile that he would be deployed, but his chain of command had said that he would be able to stay back for our baby's birth.  Well, that was not the case. Things can change quickly and often in the Army.  We got the phone call saying he would have to deploy on July 19.   I was hoping that the doctor would check my dilation progress at my appointment and give us good news, but no.  Thanks to my hysterical bawling- I blame it in the hormones- I got to call the labor and delivery ward to be induced.    Oh dear.  I had so much going through my mind, so, so much. But at least he would get to be there.

The birth of our child was pretty unevenetful, as in dont want the epidural, no wait, just kidding I really do.  Give it to me NOW- type birth.  It wasn't until midnight that night (baby A was born at
8:08 pm) that it hit me.  He was leaving.  He had to go. That was it.

 

The next morning I layed in the hospital bed with my freshly born baby girl, weighing 6lb. 10 oz, of which most of was jet black hair.  The nurses came and checked on us periodically.  One actually asked to pray with me.  She was sweet.  She held my hand and prayed that maybe they would let him
stay.  Maybe somebody would take his spot.  I knew that it was a fat chance but I listened. And cried.
 And cried some more.

Just when I had given up all hope, there it was.  He was staying,  he didn't have to go.  Not just yet,  he had time. Time to hold his baby girl, his little southern belle.

When b-diddy did go it was about 3 weeks after baby A was born.  To be honest, it was pretty unevenetful, like many other things in our lives.  Lots of tears, lots of hugs, and no goodbyes.  Just see ya' laters.

And we did.  He deployed to Iraq and Kuwait, and was home by June of 2012.  Throughout the time he was deployed, I was breastfeeding little piglet baby and ate really well.  Not "clean" but good.  I lost all my baby weight and even managed to lose a little extra. Who doesn't like that?  Well, obviously didn't stay that way.  When the mans got home we celebrated.

 

I cooked delicious, guilty dinners like cowboy casserole, and homemade bacon Mac and cheese.  Had lots of sugar, a good amount of alcohol and not enough exercise.  Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what that does to ya'.

Throughout the past year or so, I have gained about 10 pounds, and he's gained right along with me!  It wasn't until this January that I really noticed.  Our eating wasn't terrible, it's just we ate however much we wanted, had deserts, drinks and didn't exercise.  This was it for me.  I felt so yuck. Just not happy with my body, my mind, and just down in general.

My great friend Michelle, has also struggled with the same issues I have.  She has proven to be an amazing inspiration, friend and just all over person.  M visited us in January and raved about the clean eating diet she was doing.  I listened like any good friend would but really just rolled my eyes.   I guess I just didn't want to believe that good, real, food could be satisfying and make me lose weight and make me feel good.  Right.  Whatever.  I was intrigued, ok?

I read up, I googled, I pinterest(ed).  I was going to do it.  Slowly.  I can't just throw food out like that.  So I bought a few things here and there. Incorporated whole wheat into our pasta dishes, fresh veggies without sauces or cheese.  Lordy knows we love the cheese! I'm telling ya' - it doesn't have to be hard!  We are 8 weeks into "clean eating". Yes the first 2 weeks were kind of a pain in the butt.  Had to run to the store about every other day because something I wanted to make I didn't have the right ingredients for.  Or, chopping vegetables, and trying to figure out how to get my kids to eat.  Poor daddy,  God bless him, he will eat anything I put in front of him.  I'm really not a bad cook, I promise.  But this was new to me. Cooking without butter or "bad fats" as the clean folk like to call it... That's just crazy.  But once again, I did it.  WE did it.  And I can tell you, we are NEVER going back.

- D