Somewhat Simple meal ideas (with 21 day fix container counts)

To me this is a lifestyle not a diet so I don't have forbidden foods.  I personally don't believe a little cream in my coffee or a splash of skim milk here and there in my oatmeal, smoothie or scrambled eggs is going to be the reason I would gain weight.  If I want raisins I will have a few.  It's all about making good choices, figuring out what you really want, and taking care of yourself.

The more prep you do the more options you will have for what to grab and sub in for proteins (cooked chicken, pork, salmon, hard boiled eggs, etc), healthy carbs (sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, whole grain bread, homemade muffin), prepped or cooked veggies (cut up cucumbers or peppers, cooked carrots or green beans, etc)

Tuna melt

one small can bumble bee tuna mixed with a tsp mayo toasted on a wheat sandwich thin with shredded cheddar cheese.

side of raw carrots

side of pre-packaged kale salad (without dressing)

1 yellow, 1 red, 2 green, 1 tsp, 1/2 blue

Smoothie

protein powder

1 tsp peanut butter

2 cups power greens

 half banana (and water and ice)

1 red, 1 tsp, 2 green, 1 purple

Protein and bean salad

Lettuce, raw carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers

kidney beans

a hard boiled egg, some leftover crab meat (sub in any protein)

balsamic vinegar and a tsp olive oil. 

(Put together from previously prepped ingredients)

1 green, 1/2 yellow, 1 red, 1 tsp

(Measure your ingredients for your exact containers)

Oatmeal with blueberries & poms

1 cooked yellow of oatmeal (1 uncooked blue = 1 cooked yellow) with cinnamon

pomegranate arils and blueberries, 

skim milk, and chia seeds.

1 yellow, 1/2 purple, 1/2 orange

(I just do a splash of milk so I don't count it!)

Scrambled eggs

two eggs, scrambled

strawberries

carrots

a slice of (homemade) whole grain bread with a tsp kerrygold butter

1 red, 1/2 purple, 1/2 green, 1 yellow, 1 tsp

Kale salad and protein

kale salad with a side of carrots and dressing

 two hard boiled eggs

 three chicken meatballs (sub any protein)

1 1/2 red, 1 1/2 green, 1 tsp

Easy egg breakfast (or lunch or dinner)!

two hard boiled eggs with ground pepper

cooked carrots with pepper and olive oil

sweet potatoes with pepper and olive oil

1 1/2 green, 1 yellow, 1 tsp, 1 red

 (Thrown together from previously prepped ingredients).

Your tsp amounts will depend on how many servings of carrots or sweet potatoes you make and how much olive oil you add when cooking)

Oatmeal

1 yellow oatmeal with cinnamon

a handful of raisins and splash of skim milk (I didn't count these!)

sliced almonds, 

1/2 banana

1 yellow, 1/2 orange, 1 purple

My favorite salad

Lettuce, carrots, peppers

blueberries

sunflower seeds and pepitas

 grilled chicken

 one hard boiled egg

1 tsp olive oil

 balsamic vinegar, pepper and garlic powder.

(Thrown together from previously prepped ingredients)

2 green, 1/2 purple, 1/2 orange, 1 1/2 red, 1 tsp

Here it is again with a side of homemade wheat bread and a little butter.

Add one yellow and 1 tsp for the bread and butter.

Chicken nachos

Homemade tortilla chips (two or three corn tortillas toasted with brushed olive oil on a griddle)

grilled chicken (from meal prep)

shredded cheddar cheese

a little bit of barbecue sauce

lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, greek yogurt

1 yellow, 1 tsp, 1 red, 1 blue, 2 green

Shrimp quesadilla

Shrimp (cooked on the stovetop from frozen with fresh lime juice, cilantro, pepper and garlic)

cheddar cheese

two corn tortillas

side of cooked carrots and green beans with olive oil

1 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue, 1 green, 1 1/2 tsp

Shredded chicken bowl

rice or quinoa (from prep)

shredded crockpot chicken (from prep)

lettuce, tomato

avocado (1/2 blue)

shredded cheese (1/2 blue)

1 yellow, 1 red, 1 green, 1 blue

easy chicken salad

lettuce, cucumbers, carrots

strawberries

rotisserie chicken

sliced almonds or sunflower seeds

feta cheese

1 tsp olive oil 

balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

2 green, 1/2 purple, 1 red, 1/2 orange, 1/2 blue, 1 tsp

Some other meals I've eaten that were quick and easy because I used leftovers:

crab cake salad

a leftover crab cake 

lettuce, tomatoes,
avocado
chopped hard boiled egg
balsamic vinegar and olive oil

a banana

1 green, 1/2 blue, 1 1/2 red, 1 tsp

stuffed peppers 

tastyeatsbyerin stuffed-peppers

side of cooked carrots

bean burgers

leftover bean burger with cheddar cheese

tastyeatsbyerin black-bean-burgers

lettuce

tomato

homemade whole wheat bun

Just a few healthy tasty lunches using some of our previously prepped items or last night's leftovers!

Easy Peasy Mac & Cheesy

We are going to a potluck on Easter Sunday.  The host is providing ham and rolls and there will be a number of kids there so I volunteered to make macaroni and cheese.  Because I want the kids to eat it I kept the recipe very simple.  My six year old approves!  I am deliberating whether or not to bake it - I will probably just put it in the oven long enough to warm it and not really cook it.  It came out great just from being made on the stovetop.

This recipe was for a big crowd so I would scale it down by at least half if you are making it for a family and want some leftovers for lunch or to freeze.

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes pasta shells (I used regular pasta but if I was making for my family alone I would have used whole grain shells)
• 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
• 4 Tbsp flour (I used white whole wheat because that's all I have)
• 1 1/2 cups (I used whole dairy milk)
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• ~ 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (We buy a block and shred ourselves in the food processor)

If I was making for my family or adults I would have added some ground pepper, maybe some mustard and some veggies and breadcrumbs on top but for a potluck with kids I kept it straight up!

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the pasta box.  I ended up cooking one box at a time in boiling salted water for 8 minutes before draining and putting all the cooked pasta in an extra large disposable baking dish.  Using the same saucepan rinsed out I melted the stick of butter over medium heat.  I turned the heat down and added the flour, one tablespoon at a time, stirring until absorbed.  I then added the milk a little bit at a time to keep the thick consistency of the roux.  I added garlic powder and salt and stirred until blended.  I then added the cheese about a cup at a time until completely melted.  When done I poured the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta and stirred until all the noodles were coated.  I put in the refrigerator covered and will put in the oven to warm at 350 before it will be served.  

The meltedbutter, adding one Tbsp flour at a time

Adding the milk slowly and stirring constantly

Adding the shredded cheese

Sitrring until it melts

The cooked pasta

Adding the cheese sauce

Stirring until it's all incorporated.  Ready to just be warmed up and devoured!

Kid lunches with pictures

My aim for lunch for my four and six year old is to just to provide a balanced meal.  If we have leftovers that they will eat I plan around those.  If not I just try to put something together with a protein, a healthy carb. a fruit and a veggie.  My six year old is in morning kindergarten and attends an afternoon program two times a week.  Those days I may include a little treat for her to get excited about too.  Usually a muffin or bar but sometimes fruit snacks or another little treat.  I will post recipes for the homemade items that I haven't already posted as soon as I can!

I warm the food to piping hot and place in the thermos and it is all set for her to eat a few hours later. 

The rest of the food I put in a lunch bag with an ice pack.

She always takes water in a thermos as well.

Here are some recent lunches I have sent:

#1:

ham and provolone cheese roll ups

triscuit crackers

a peanut butter lara bar (she eats that in the car since it's a peanut free school)

cut up pineapple

cooked broccoli

two clementines

dried apple chips in the pouch

#2:

crockpot "refried" beans and cheese quesadilla (recipe to come)

raw tomatoes

a zucchini carrot muffin (recipe to come)

blueberries, grapes and black berries

#3:

whole wheat pasta salad with green beans, raw peppers, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and balsamic vinegar and olive oil

a homemade whole grain roll with butter
(realfitrealfoodmom honey-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread)
(I make into rolls and cook at 375 for 15 minutes instead)
cucumbers

a breakfast cookie (recipe to come)

#4:

Crockpot shredded chicken, cheese and black bean quesadilla

(tastyeatsbyerin crockpot shredded chicken)

a carrot muffin  (tastyeatsbyerin carrot-muffins)

raspberries and blueberries

raw carrots

#5:

Leftover stuffed pepper in the thermos

(tastyeatsbyerin stuffed peppers)

one slice of homemade whole grain bread with butter (same as roll above)

cooked plain carrots

a homemade "healthier" brownie (recipe to come)

#6:
Crockpot shredded pork carnitas with cheddar cheese (in the thermos)
(tastyeatsbyerin crockpot-pork-carnitas)

Carrots and green beans cooked on a sheet pan with a little olive oil

two mini banana chocolate chip muffins

(tastyeatsbyerin banana-blueberry-muffins but made with choc chips instead of blueberries)

a few tortilla chips to eat with the pork (can you tell this is the end of the bag?)

raspberries

#7:

Vegetarian three bean chili

(tastyeatsbyerin three-bean-vegetarian-chili-in-crockpot)

homemade cornbread
(realfitrealfoodmom sweet-corn-bread/)
raspberries

(She had a smoothie on the way to her program so I didn't give her a ton of food)

(I also forgot to take a picture until I got there so this was on the car seat!)

#8:

chicken breast (or ham) and cheese sandwich 

raw chopped peppers

two mini chocolate chip banana muffins

(tastyeatsbyerin banana-blueberry-muffins but made with choc chips instead of blueberries)

(She had a smoothie on the way too)

#9:

Grilled chicken breast, cheddar cheese slice on homemade wheat bread

chocolate muffin

(adventuresofashrinkingprincess.com healthy-chocolate-banana-muffins  I use chocolate protein powder instead of shakeology)

mini peppers and cucumbers

#10: 

Breakfast for lunch

Plain greek yogurt mixed with homemade vanilla, cinnamon and a teeny bit of pure maple syrup

with chopped up berries

homemade granola or in this case cereal to put on top

a few pumpkin pancakes on the side

(momables mini-pumpkin-pancakes-recipe)

This is a simple home lunch for my four year old.

Chicken and cheese quesadilla

rinsed black beans

raw carrots

Coming up soon will be my simple (with some meal planning!) lunch and dinner ideas for Mom & Dad lunches (with 21 day fix amounts)!

Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes

Can I call these Virginia style crab cakes? These crab cakes are so easy to make you will never have to go out for crab cakes again.  They make a lot and they are baked so you don't have to feel too bad about the little bit of butter you put on top of each one.  I am not an old bay fan so you won't find that in my crab cakes, but no one has ever complained! (Feel free to add if you can't go without it!)  I must insist you use the buttery crackers; I generally don't buy those but they totally make these crab cakes.  I have had rave reviews every time I make and serve these and you will too!

Ingredients:
1 pound lump crab meat
9 buttery (like Ritz) crackers, crushed
1 egg
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
salt and pepper
a splash of Worcestershire sauce
butter, for cooking

Directions:
In a bowl combine the lump crab meat (make sure there are no pieces of shell in it), crushed crackers, the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper and Worcestershire.  Stir together until just combined and then put in the refrigerator for at least one hour.  After refrigerating, form the mixture into patties. Place the cakes on a greased sheet pan, cover and put in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them. Often I just make the patties right away on a cookie sheet and chill until I'm ready to bake them, saving a step.   I usually make about ten to twelve smaller cakes. When ready to bake, place a pat of butter on top of each crab cake and bake in the oven for fifteen minutes at 400 degrees.  (Don't skip the butter! Just use a little if you want, but it really enhances the flavor. And you're not frying them - it's ok!)

We had them tonight with sweet potato fries (the same as my sweet potato cubes tasty eats by erin: how-to-oven-cooked-sweet-potatoes-cubes but cooked for 30 minutes instead) and kale salad.  The ketchup is for the fries but my 6 year old likes to put it on her crab cake too. 

Adapted from: http://americanfood.about.com/od/keytipstechniques/r/mcc.html

Banana Blueberry Muffins

I adapted these muffins from a recipe a good friend gave me.  They are SO good!  We used to make them with chocolate chips per the original recipe which is obviously super yummy but my kids love them with blueberries instead so that is our go-to lately!  We love them with peanut butter on them and a side of fruit for breakfast or packed as a snack into school lunches.  The original recipe is also gluten free so go ahead and check it out below.

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin (we tend to use liners but the batter does stick a little bit - it doesn't bother us). Place all the ingredients except blueberries (or chocolate chips if you are using them) in a blender or food processor. (If you're putting it in a blender try to ensure there is some liquid and not just oats in the bottom so it will blend easier.) Blend until the batter is smooth. Fold in the blueberries or add them to each muffin well after you pour the batter in the individual wells. Don't fill the wells any more than 2/3 full or they will overflow when they rise. Bake the muffins for 15-20 minutes (ours took closer to 18-20). Allow to cool before putting in an airtight container to store for three days (if they last that long) at room temperature. Or freeze extras (they can be defrosted in the fridge or in the microwave, wrapped in a paper towel). Makes about 16 muffins.

Adapted from:

http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/banana-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-muffins-gluten-free/#RwqtdsIy5iREv7IS.99