Code Recipes21

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• 1 whole wheat pita


• 1 small orange pepper


• 1 or 2 large handfuls of baby spinach


• 1 wedge Laughing Cow Light cheese (I used garlic & herb)


• A sprinkle (scant 2T) shredded mozzarella (I used organic)


• 1 medium ripe red tomato


• A few leaves of basil, finely chopped

In a small saucepan, saute the sliced orange pepper.  When that is partially cooked, remove it from the pan and add the spinach - just to wilt it, don't overcook.  Spread the Laughing Cow cheese onto the pita, layer the tomatoes, then add the basil, peppers, spinach and mozzarella.  Put on a pizza stone or tray and place in 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, give or take.

Be prepared to not want to share.  Thankfully my girls were in their rooms for quiet time.
 

I really didn't need the whole thing, but it was so good!

Not a ton of cheese, but gooey nonetheless!

Look at the colors!  So beautiful - Eat a Rainbow People!!

Today I felt like veggies.  Straight veggies.  I had already had an apple for breakfast, so I didn't want to add that for sweetness.  I opted instead for beets & carrots which have their own sugars & sweetness.  So, what could I add to beets & carrots?  Celery and Romaine looked good!

• One medium organic beet, peeled


• 3 organic carrots, greens and tops removed


• 2 large organic stalks celery with leafy greens


• large handful red Romaine lettuce (not shown)


• 4 ice cubes

This is after adding the romaine to the celery

This is after adding the beet

The final product - my beet, celery, romaine, carrot juice!!

I missed getting a picture of the pulp!!  ARGH!  For anyone who is new to juicing, like me, the pulp was all ground up and extremely dry (makes sense, right, we juiced it!)  When I took the top off of the juicer, there was this beautiful pulp leftover.  There are lots of things I could do with this pulp, rather than toss it in the garbage disposal or into the trash can.  If I was into composting, I could add it to the compost pile.  But, since I don't compost, I wanted to find another use for it.  I read that I can stir it into batters for muffins (good way to sneak fiber into my kids!) or add it to casseroles.

For dinner tonight, I wanted a grain, so I made quinoa.  While the quinoa was simmering, I took a carnival squash (it's small, like an acorn squash), sliced it in half from top to bottom and scooped out the seeds & strings.  I sprinkled the halves with dried herbs and roasted at 425 for about 25 minutes.  When the quinoa was done, I fluffed it with a fork and added the pulp from the juice, bean sprouts and Bragg's Liquid Aminos (like a healthy soy sauce).  I added this mixture to the squash halves to stuff them, topped with a sprinkle of Daiya non-dairy cheese and baked for about 10 minutes longer.  I served this with roasted Brussels sprouts that I topped with a little Wayfare cheddar "cheese" sauce.  I got my protein (quinoa), fiber (pulp), veggies - plus some extra yumminess from the Daiya & Wayfare without using dairy products.

Stuffed squash with  Brussels sprouts

Isn't it pretty?  So colorful due to the beet pulp!

Mouth watering bite - squash, quinoa, pulp and a little bit of Daiya

Another bite of fabulousness!

• Whole wheat sandwich bread (look for no high fructose corn syrup)


• Whole wheat sandwich wraps or flat breads


• Flavored (and colorful) tortilla wraps - spinach, sun dried tomato


• Whole wheat bagels or bagel thins


• Whole wheat Goldfish brand sandwich breads - bread shaped like a fish, how fun - and no hfcs!


• Whole wheat pita bread - Trader Joe's makes cute mini pitas


• Whole wheat english muffins


• Whole wheat potato rolls - Martin's makes fabulous, little whole wheat potato rolls


• Whole wheat waffles or mini waffles


• For kids with gluten sensitivities, there are wraps made with brown rice or teff


• Lettuce leaves can make a great alternative for sandwich bread

• Natural, organic peanut butter (no sugar added)


• Cashew or Almond butter (you can make it yourself in your blender!)


• Fresh fruit as a jelly/jam alternative - mash the fruit with a fork and spread


• Sliced strawberries or bananas


• Cream cheese - mix it with a teaspoon or tablespoon of that mashed fruit, honey or maple syrup


• Cheese - have you tried Laughing Cow Light spreadable cheese?


• Hummus or mock tuna salad made with chick peas or mashed white beans

• Make your own snack mix using organic, whole grain, low sugar cereal, unsalted pretzels, raisins or other no-sugar dried fruit, non-dairy or dark chocolate chips.  You can even dehydrate your own fruits to add into the mix.


• Fruit kabobs with a honey yogurt dip


• Veggie kabobs with hummus or salsa


• Veggie slices (use a mandolin on the crinkle cut setting) with a mix of greek yogurt and fresh salsa for dipping


• Mini muffins (sneak in canned pumpkin, applesauce, mashed banana, or pureed vegetables like zucchini, carrots or spinach for added fiber and nutrients)


• Bars - my kids LOVE bars!  I give them Clif Kids' bars in Peanut Butter, S'Mores, Chocolate Chip, Honey Graham or Blueberry


• Tortilla roll ups - add a nut butter or cream cheese, add sliced banana or strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup; slice into pinwheels or leave as logs


• Pasta salad - use mini cheese ravioli or tortellini with diced veggies and chick peas or beans

• Have a lunch theme one day per week.  For example - Lunch At Sea.  Pack the whole wheat Goldfish bread with tuna salad, green lettuce (as seaweed), whole grain gold fish crackers, celery with cream cheese and cucumber triangles (sail boats)


• Choose a color theme.  Let's use red as our example.  Thinly spread cream cheese, nut butter or a spread of your choice with mashed raspberries and roll up, then slice into pinwheels so the read shows through.  Also offer sliced strawberries, watermelon and red pepper strips.


• Have a dippin' day.  Provide several colorful sliced veggies with a dip or two (hummus, salsa, bean dip, yogurt based dressing) and a few sliced fruits with a yogurt/honey dip.  Throw in a few unsalted pretzel sticks too.

• Colorful reusable containers.  I have seen them pretty much everywhere this year.  Colorful containers with contrasting color lids - some with locking tabs for spill proof toting.


• Sandwich and snack sack bags.  You can find these at some stores and online as well.  Some have a zip closure, some snap and some have velcro.  There are multitudes of patterns to choose from, and they're lined on the inside.  All are washable by hand or machine and can greatly reduce the need for plastic sandwich or snack baggies.


• Aluminum water bottles - what better way to get kids to drink their water then by giving them a water bottle with a fun design; one that can be washed over and over again, and help eliminate plastic water bottles and juice boxes from piling up in the cafeteria trash cans.


• Don't forget the note!  I always put some kind of note in my daughter's lunch box to let her know I love her and I want her to have a fantastic day.  I think this year I will get a mini dry erase board so we can write back and forth.  I'll write her a note in the morning and she can write one back at lunch time.  That'll save some note paper!

Share with us: What have you been planning or thinking about making for your kids' lunches?  We have a lot of school lunches to pack this year, so let's hear your suggestions! 

Packing lunch & snacks for three kids!

Whole wheat tortilla roll ups

Snacks: raw cashews, raisins, strawberries, grapes (all 3 like don't like the same things)

Our reusable goodies: lunch boxes, plastic containers, sandwich/snack pouches, SIGG aluminum water bottles

• Greens, including: spinach, collards, kale, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, avocados, cauliflower, artichokes, asparagus, cucumbers, honeydew, kiwi, peas, green peppers, zucchini
  
  Greens boast an array of positive health benefits.  They contain dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium, as well as a host of phytochemicals.  They also provide antioxidants that assist the circulatory system. Studies show that greens reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. 
  
  


• Yellows & Oranges, including: sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, apricots, butternut squash, papaya, pineapple, pumpkin, squash, peaches, tangerines, oranges, yellow peppers
  
  Most yellow fruits and vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, carotenoids, vitamin C and minerals. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that helps make the immune system strong. Orange fruits and vegetables also have vitamin C and folate to improve circulation, prevent inflammation, prevent cancer by repairing DNA and reduce the risk of heart disease.
  
  


• Reds, including: tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, cherries, rhubarb, red peppers, pomegranates, radishes, apples
  
  Most red fruits and vegetables contain lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that helps fight heart disease and some types of cancer, particularly prostate cancer. It also reduces the effects of sun damage on the skin.
  
  


• Blues & Purples, including: blueberries, purple grapes, red cabbage, beets, plums, blackberries, figs, eggplant, prunes
  
  Blue and purple fruits and vegetables have antioxidants called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins protect against heart disease by improving circulation and preventing blood clots.  They have also been linked to healthy aging and improved memory function.
  
  


• Whites, including: garlic, onions, bananas, cauliflower, ginger, jicama, mushrooms, parsnips, turnips, potatoes
  
  White fruits and vegetables have allicin, which helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Allicin also can act as a poor man's antibiotic and reduce the risk of stomach cancer.

Getting back to VIBRANT for a moment, check out some of my Farmers Market and Organic finds from this summer:

Baby Eggplant - Fell's Point Farmers Market

Heirloom Tomatoes - Towson Farmers Market

Apple, Carrots, Spinach - for a smoothie!

White onion, organic carrots, organic beets - MOMs (My Organic Market)

Organic Asparagus - MOMs

Local white corn - Richardson Farms

Organic Carnival Squash - MOMs

The baby eggplants - aren't they cute?

chopped onions, broccoli, eggplant & mushrooms

Earth Balance & organic millet

Sauteed veggies

After baking!  (Yes, I really have a Fit & Healthy spoon rest)

Dinner!

More about millet...

Millet is a gluten-free grain (well, actually it's a seed, but it looks and feels like a grain).  It has been used for centuries in ancient diets and because it is hardy, it can survive drought.  It's also extremely versatile - it can be used as a breakfast "porridge", served savory or sweet, made into a flat bread, used as one might use other pastas or grains, and used in soups.  Nursing mothers have relied on millet soups to aid in breast milk production and to recover more quickly after childbirth.  Millet is a good source of protein and also contains B vitamins, especially niacin, B6 & folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc & potassium.

You might be saying, "Debi, you've posted about how finding time for you has changed your life.  You gave us some tips on how to fit exercise into our busy lives.  But, what about finding the motivation to get started?"

Believe me, I was once the queen of excuses.  "I'm tired, it's been a long day."  "The kids wore me out today." "It's early, I want to stay in bed, it's comfy here."  Let's not forget one that many of us may have used this past week, "It's way too hot outside, and I am already sweating as it is, why make it worse?"  I will confess, sometimes I still don my tiara and I let excuses keep me from working out.  Do you notice how you feel when you don't exercise regularly or when you take a few extra rest days?  I know that when I take a few days off, I feel sluggish, more tired, and a bit irritable.  I talked myself out of my excuses the other day and thought since it was so hot and I was already sweating, I might as well add to the sweatfest by getting in my workout.  At least I'd be sweating due to being productive.

What else can we do to break through those motivational barriers when the excuses squash the desire to get moving?  Have you found that sometimes simply telling the justifications to take a hike just isn't enough?  Here are a few tips to boost motivation and put those excuses to rest:

• Think about your goals and make sure they're realistic  Write out your fitness intentions and read them each morning & night.  Keeping these affirmations in mind every day will encourage you to take the steps needed to succeed.
• Picture yourself ten years from now.  Do you want to be strong, resilient and healthy?  Keep that mental picture in mind when you don't feel like exercising. 
• Does the number on the scale frustrate you and cause you to throw in the towel?  Perhaps staying away from the scale for a few weeks would prove beneficial.
• Surround yourself with inspiring people, blogs, Facebook pages or magazine articles.  Post a note on your mirror so that you see it every day (I have one on my bedroom mirror and my bathroom mirror).  I have a magnet on my fridge that says "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
• When the alarm goes off, get up and put on your workout clothes right away.  Wearing those duds can encourage you to get moving.  Heck, I have slept in my workout clothes on occasion.  No excuses there!
• Create an accountability group, or find a partner.  Encourage a friend or loved one to be your support.  Email, text or call each other every day and cheer each other on.  Workout together or do the same workouts if you are not in close proximity.  Talk about how many reps you did and what your goals are for your next workout.
• Blog about it!  When you put yourself out there and tell people that you have specific goal in mind in terms of your workouts (or anything else), you might feel obligated to follow through because you know people will be looking forward to your next blog post.
• Put on some upbeat music or whatever you like to listen to.  It'll get your heart pumping before you even start your workout.
• Set your goals and reward yourself when you reach each one.  If you work out for X number of days in one month, treat yourself to a new (insert item here).  You don't need to break the bank, but you should reward yourself with something that's worth working for.

Now get to it!!  I'm happy to answer any questions: debi@fitnhealthymommy.com.  Have a great (and productive) week!