Chocolate Bowls with Pinneapple Mango Frozen Yogurt

SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

Ingredients:  

• 3 small sweet potatoes
• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups rolled oats (optional)
• 2 eggs
• Honey to taste
• 1/2 -1 cup milk (if too thick) 
• Toppings- raisins, nuts, or fruit (optional)

Directions:

1. Bake sweet potatoes on 350 for 30 min or until very soft
2. Remove skin and cut into smaller pieces
3. Puree in food processor 
4. Add bananas, eggs and honey.  
5. Add oats (optional).  You will need to add milk because the oats will make it thick 
6. Pour onto griddle and ad any toppings (raisins, nuts, etc)

 I made these tonight so will let you know how the kids like them tomorrow morning

NOODLE FREE ZUCCHINI NOODLES

Ingredients:  

• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 oz can) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• black pepper, to taste
• 3 medium (8 ounces each) zucchini, sliced 1/8″ thick
• 1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 large egg
• 16 oz (4 cups) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, brown meat and season with salt. When cooked, drain in colander to remove any fat. Add olive oil to the pan and saute garlic and onions about 2 minutes. Return the meat to the pan, add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer on low for at least 30-40minutes, covered. 
2. Meanwhile, slice zucchini into very thin slices (mine are not so thin... next time I will use a veggie slicer) add lightly salt and set aside or 10 minutes. (Zucchini has a lot of water when cooked, salting it takes out a lot of moisture. After 10 minutes, blot excess moisture with a paper towel.)
3. Saute the zucchini for 2-3 minutes to soften
4. Preheat oven to 375°.
5. In a medium bowl mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and egg. Stir well.
6. In a 9×12 casserole spread 1/3 of sauce on the bottom and layer the zucchini to cover. Spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta cheese mixture, then top with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and repeat the process until all your ingredients are used up. The last layer top with remaining zucchini and sauce, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. 

 Tastes amazing, but would look much prettier with very thin slices of zucchini to lay out like lasagna noodles.. but I just cut up and put in a bowl anyway:)

CHOCOLATE BOWLS WITH FROZEN PINEAPPLE MANGO YOGURT 

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup Organic dark chocolate pieces  (or any chocolate you want)
• Balloons
• 2 cups Full Fat Greek Yogurt
• 1 cup Frozen chopped Pineapple
• 1 cup chopped Frozen Mango
• 2-3 Tbs of honey

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate over medium/low heat
2. Pour melted chocolate in a large bowl and let cool to room temperate (I popped first balloon because it was too hot)
3. Wash balloons and blow up.. keep medium to small
4. Dip Balloon into bowl and make sure it is coated enough to form a bowl
5. Place balloon on parchment paper and place in freezer for 10-15 minutes
6. While Balloons in freezer, blend the frozen fruit, yogurt and honey in a food processor until very smooth
7. Remove balloon from freezer and pop!  remove balloon from chocolate and scoop frozen yogurt into the chocolate bowl.  Add toppings and enjoy!

Save extra yogurt into silicon Popsicle makers

 Topped with honey for Hayes and sprinkles for Lola

This was so much fun, a mess, but a blast to make with the kids! I popped the first balloon and chocolate went all over the kitchen:(

Leave Grandma Prepared

My husband and I are leaving to go out of town for a few days so I am preparing the house for my parents to stay with the kids.  I am so blessed with the most wonderful parents and in laws and I never have to worry about the kids when I am gone.  They feed my kids healthy food and have so much fun with them.  I believe that grandparents do not have to follow rules, to an extent.  They can eat some junk, stay up late, whatever... Grandparents are a treat and my kids know that it is a special occasion when they stay here. With that said, they will feed them healthy options all day and give them one special treat a day and are very respectful of my love for health (if it is more, what I don't know cant hurt me:)  They come to my house to stay with the kids so I stock up on healthy options and try to make it as easy as possible on them.  Both my mom and mother n law are incredible cooks, much much better than I will ever be, but my precious babies are a handful so I do not want my mom worried about cooking on top of running after them while I am gone this trip.

We love our Mae Mae, thank you for watching the kids!

Love our Coz too!  Thank you for the meatballs

Breakfast options:
Spinach, Oatmeal Pancakes
Frozen Waffles- I like 365 brand multi-grain organic
Eggs
Organic Instant Oatmeal

Snack Options:
Homemade Yogurt Covered Strawberries
Smoothie Pops
Fruit
Pretzels
Applesauce
Cheese

Lunch Options:
Tuna salad
Turkey and Cheese Roll Ups
Peanut Butter and Banana Roll Ups

Dinner Options:
Crock Pot White Beans with Chicken
Spaghetti and Meatballs (my mother in law crooked and froze her spaghetti and meatballs for us so I saved it for this.  This is Lola's favorite meal)


Yogurt Covered Strawberries 

1.  Wash and cut strawberries in half
2.  Cover with yogurt- I used Cabbot plain full fat Greek yogurt which is thick so it is a little messy and doesn't turn out looking very pretty but they taste great.  If you use something thinner (like Stonyfield Yo Tot or Yo Baby organic) you can simply dip the strawberry into the container and will look much smoother and even tastier. 
3.  Place on parchment paper and freeze

With a thick yogurt they aren't very smooth but still fun and tasty

Smoothie Pops

1.  Blend your favorite smoothie (we used frozen organic berries, spinach, kale, banana, yogurt, ice and water)
2.  Pour into silicone ice pop with top
3.  Freeze

If you put in a lunch it will be yogurt consistency by lunch time.  My kids like to lick it frozen... keeps them busy

 Great treat after practicing gymnastics in our living room for 2 hours!

 Tune Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of tuna
• 4-6 boiled eggs
• 2 pickles
• 1 apple
• 1/4 purple onion
• 2-3 Tbs plain greek yogurt
• 1 Tbs Vegenaise 
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:

1.  Drain water from tuna very well
2.  Chop boiled eggs, pickles, apple and onion very small
3.  Mix tuna with eggs, pickles, apple, and onion.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper and add 1 Tbs of yogurt and 1/2 Tbs of vegenaise and mix well.  Taste before adding more.. you do not want too wet.

Homemade Granola Cupcakes

I had a week of totally nothing creative for the kids after our beach trip.  I went to the grocery and stocked up on fruit, yogurt, turkey, cheese, raisins and just kept things simple.  You don't have to be creative or put any time into staying healthy.  But I will be 100% honest..... my kids ate frozen pizza last night as I meal prepped for this week:)  Keeping it real people.

Lunch on the left:  Babel cheese, turkey, pretzels, strawberries, and greek yogurt with a little honey

Lunch on the right: banana slices topped with peanut butter and a blueberry, left over energy bites, and yogurt with granola and strawberries

Meals for this week:
Fruit and veggie smoothies
Coconut flour zucchini bread
Granola and yogurt cupcakes
Shrimp and spinach orzo

SHRIMP AND SPINACH ORZO

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 medium green onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped dill weed
• 1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
• 1/2 Tbsp salt
• 14 oz chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound shrimp
• 1 packaged of shredded spinach
• 1/4 cup grated parmsean

Instructions: 

1. In 12-inch skillet, beat oil over medium heat.  Cook pasta, bell pepper, green onions, and garlic for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly until vegetables are crisp
2. Stir in dill weed, lemon peel, salt, broth and water.  Heat to boiling then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender.  Still a little liquid.
3. While pasta is simmering, Cook shrimp in a separate skillet until pink then add to pasta
4. Add spinach and Parmesan cheese and mix until spinach is wilted

COCONUT FLOUR ZUCCHINI BREAD

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini, shredded finely and squeezed out (patted with paper towels to reduce moisture)
• 4 eggs
• 2-3 Tbsp honey
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup walnuts (Optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil or line with parchment paper; set aside.
3. Shred your zucchini finely, and then pat with paper towels to help squeeze all the moisture out of it.
4. Mix the egg, honey, oil, and banana together in a large bowl.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients and zucchini, then add the apple cider vinegar, and stir until the batter is smooth.
6. Stir in the nuts, if using.
7. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Larger pans will take less time.)

 GRANOLA & YOGURT CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats or steal oats)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (chop very small so they aren't too heavy)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 Tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine oats and nuts in a large bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine salt, almond butter, honey, coconut oil, and brown sugar.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat and immediately remove from heat. Pour over oats mixture and combine until dry ingredients are evenly coated.
4. Spray a muffin tin. Press a scoop of dough on the bottom, and up the sides of the muffin tin, forming a bowl.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until starting to brown. Remove from oven. Using a spatula or knife, loosen granola bowl from the edges of the pan, without removing the granola bowl. Allow to cool for at least 2 hours, and then they can be removed.
6. Top with yogurt and fresh fruit