The weeks are flying by! I can’t believe I’m posting my 11th What-I-Ate-Wednesday!

I took my breakfast in the car with me this morning. I wasn’t very hungry but knew I’d regret it if I didn’t at least bring something. I made Ezekiel sprouted grain raisin toast with raw almond butter and an apple.

I was out running errands today getting ready for our Spring Break trip and went waaaaaaay too long without something to eat. Luckily, trying on white skinny jeans kept me from ripping open a giant bag of Easter candy in the middle of Target!!!!

The second I got home, I started reheating some leftover homemade tomato basil soup (similar to my Simple Tomato Soup with a Twist but without all of the extra veggies and just using fresh basil to season it) and throwing together a Greek salad with this dressing that I always have on hand. I had planned to throw a few crushed whole grain pita chips into the salad but ended up eating them while I was making everything.

Then it was off to get the kids from school. I realized when I got home from Hailey’s gymnastics class that it was just going to be me and the kids for dinner tonight. I may have indulged in a glass of red wine and some of the cheddar bunnies the kids were eating while I figured out what to do for dinner We ended up going with an all time favorite – Breakfast For Dinner. I had scrambled eggs with some chopped kale and blueberries on the side. Other than chopping the kale, the kids made these eggs totally on their own. They don’t like kale in theirs but were willing to taste mine. I’m all about getting them more involved in the cooking as much as I can!!!!

I should know this by now, but I have to make it a priority to pack more snacks for busy days like this!!!!

Since this is going to be a pretty busy week getting ready for Spring Break, I thought I would make up some of these Broccoli, Kale & Cheddar Quinoa cups to have on hand throughout the week.  They are a great to reheat as a grab-and-go breakfast or sometimes I even eat them as lunch or dinner paired up with some fruit or salad!

Becoming very popular recently, quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”), is a grain-like superfood grown in the Andes since the time of the Incan Empire.  Although it is often confused with being a whole grain, it is actually a seed.  It is gluten free, easy to digest, and a great source of complete protein since it contains all of the amino acids.  It is readily available in most supermarkets and is usually sold near the rice.

While I love using quinoa to make these egg-based “muffins” and as the base of a mediterranean quinoa and veggie salad in the summer, I have tried to be cautious not to over-use quinoa.  Unfortunately demand has risen so much in recent years that the crop is no longer affordable for the native Andeans who have enjoyed it as a staple of their diet for thousands of years.  Furthermore, the rising demand for more and more of the crop is also destroying their land.  Therefore I enjoy it in moderation and try to vary the color and variety of quinoa that I buy.

To cook quinoa, rinse it thoroughly to remove the bitter tasting coating.  After that it cooks up much like rice, in a 2-to-1 ratio with 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa for approximately 15 minutes.  After it cooks for 15 minutes, I like to leave the lid on to steam a little longer until it is perfectly cooked and fluffy.

To make these quinoa cups, I cooked up 1 cup of quinoa and will have quite a bit leftover to have as our dinner later this week with some of the Slow Cooker Jamaican Jerk Pork and Caribbean Salsa that I froze a few weeks ago (we will reheat the frozen meat and will make fresh salsa).

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of the cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup chopped broccoli, 1 large handful finely chopped kale, 4 eggs, 1/2 tsp sea salt, and some freshly ground black pepper.

Lightly oil a muffin pan.  I recently bought some really nice Organic Valley pastured (grass-fed) butter that is naturally high in healthy CLA’s (conjugated linoleic acid, a healthy fatty acid), so I melted a little of that and brushed the insides of the muffin pan.  Fill 8 of the muffin cups so that they are about 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22-24 minutes until egg is set and edges are a light golden brown.

Enjoy 2-3 of these alongside some fresh fruit or salad for a filling meal packed with protein and high quality carbohydrates.

Broccoli, Kale & Cheddar Quinoa Cups

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 eggs

generous 1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli

generous handful of kale, finely chopped

1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

olive oil or butter for brushing muffin pan

Directions

Cook quinoa according to directions on package.  In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup cooked quinoa, chopped broccoli, finely chopped kale, shredded cheese, salt and pepper.  Lightly brush insides of muffin tin with oil or butter.  Divide mixture into 8 of the muffin wells filling each 3/4 full.  Bake for 22-24 minutes until eggs are set and edges are light golden brown.

For a serving size of 2 Broccoli, Kale & Cheddar Quinoa Cups, the nutritional information is as follows:

• 250 calories
• 14 grams of fat
• 18 grams carbohydrates
• 2 grams of fiber
• 14 grams of protein
• 66% of Vitamin A
• 50% of Vitamin C
• 15% of Calcium

Happy Wednesday and first day of Spring!

Between sports, Spring Break, birthdays, and end-of-school-year activities, this time of year always seems to get a bit hectic for us. Looking back over all that I ate today, I think its a pretty good example of eating well even when your days are busy.

I was rushing to get out the door with the kids this morning and literally threw a handful of things into the blender to get a smoothie into my to-go cup and grabbed 2 of these little oatmeal bundles to go with it. Quick, yummy, healthy, and totally kept me full all morning!

The smoothie was 1/2 of a frozen banana, 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, a big handful of spinach, 1 T. flax seeds, 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder, and 1 T. ground almond meal (a spoonful of any nut butter would work here). The oat bundles are still a work in progress. They are made with mashed banana, oats, maple syrup, shredded coconut, orange zest, and dried cranberries. But as you can probably tell from the picture, they’re a bit dry so I need to work out the kinks in that recipe before I post it!

After a marathon morning of running errands, I came home and munched on a handful of gluten-free crackers and hummus while I threw lunch together.

The kale salad came together quickly since I had some pre-washed, chopped kale in the refrigerator. In a small bowl, I mashed up 1/4 of an avocado with a big squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of kosher salt and massaged it into a huge bowl of kale. It was topped with chopped carrots, cucumbers, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts – served with an orange on the side.  I love this lunch because it is filling without weighing you down.

Before I took off for my after-school shuttle run, I threw some chicken into a quick marinade of equal parts fresh lime juice and olive oil with a couple of teaspoons of homemade taco seasoning.  Darren filled in as the dinner chef tonight so he cooked up the marinated chicken, and also sauteed a big pan of sliced onions and bell peppers with a splash of lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to make homemade fajitas. We also reheated some of the Slow Cooker Black Beans that I had de-frosted from the freezer and seasoned them with a little taco seasoning.  The kids fajitas are a little more simple than this and consist mostly of cheese, but we’re working up to more toppings to make it a more balanced meal for them too.

The busy day didn’t end there because right after we ate this, we were off to see Hailey’s artwork that was featured in this year’s school art show. So proud of her for making it into the show again this year. She loves her art class so much!

Well, there you have it for this What I Ate Wednesday!  I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to some fresh spring produce and warmer weather for grilling in the coming weeks/months!

We love celebrating St. Patrick’s Day around here!  It probably comes from living in Chicago for so long where the entire city celebrates with two huge parades, the river is dyed green, and lots of other shenanigans.  The kids get in on it too by building a leprechaun trap every year, but that sneaky guy always seems to get away and leave some chocolate “gold” coins behind instead.

Over the past few years, I’ve started experimenting with some fun holiday food ideas for the kids that don’t involve artificial food coloring.  Some studies have concluded that certain food colorings commonly used here in the U.S. are carcinogenic.  Most food coloring has also been linked to hyperactivity in kids, which I have seen firsthand in my own kids.  It took me awhile to make the connection between their behavior and what they had recently eaten, but once I started learning about the dangers of artificial food coloring, I now try to avoid them as much as possible.

As an alternative, its really easy to puree a little spinach with some water and add it to any kind of pancake or muffin batter or even eggs – that’s what we’ll be doing tomorrow morning for breakfast!  Of course, you could make any one of my green smoothie or juice combinations as well!  A combination of almond milk, peanut butter, banana, and spinach is an all-time green smoothie favorite that my kids will devour.  Spinach has such a mild flavor that a small handful will blend right into just about anything without changing the flavor profile.

I thought this was a fun idea that didn’t involve dyeing anything green.  And it went great alongside green pesto pasta for dinner!

Bell pepper strips arranged like a rainbow over a bowl of veggie dip with carrot chips as gold coins at the end of the rainbow.

Just like my post earlier this week with the taco seasoning, I made my own Ranch seasoning mix.  The store-bought packaged versions all contain MSG, even the organic brands.  Its so easy to throw a handful of dried spices together and keep it on hand for dressing or dip.

Ranch Seasoning

• 2 T. dried parsley
• 2 tsp. dried dill
• 1 tsp. dried garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• some fresh ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

To make Ranch vegetable dip, mix 1 Tablespoon of seasoning with 1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and 1-2 Tablespoons of good quality, clean ingredient mayonnaise such as soy-free Vegenaise.  Let it sit for 2 hours for flavors to develop.

I hope you have a HAPPY St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy Wednesday!  Here is a snapshot of everything I ate today.  I feel so silly posting this, but it seems to be the most popular page on the blog so I’ll keep including it until you’re sick of seeing my 378th green smoothie concoction!

I started the morning off with a green smoothie made with spinach, fresh pineapple, and a whole kiwi.

I was hungry before my workout so I had some apple slices and 2 of the Granola Energy Bites from yesterday.  They are seriously good workout fuel and super tasty!!!

Yes, I’m 36, and I play with my food

Our dinner was so good last night that I made it again for lunch today!!!

Last night, I cooked up some lentils (this is HUGE for me since the “Sloppy Lentils” incident a few years back!) and added a little bit of homemade taco seasoning to them.  I layered some leftover rice and the taco-flavored lentils.  Then I topped it with lots of romaine, red onion, yellow pepper, chopped tomatoes, green olives, organic blue tortilla chips, and topped it off with guacamole and salsa.

Please do me a favor and stop buying little yellow packets of MSG flavored with salt and preserved with genetically modified corn and try making your own taco seasoning!  Its so simple that I can do it with my eyes closed now.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

• 2 T chili powder
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika (I use smoked paprika)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• some fresh ground pepper (and a few red pepper flakes if you like it spicy)

Mix all ingredients and store in a small jar or container.  Approximately 3 Tablespoons equals one “packet” of seasoning.  I tape the recipe to the inside of my spice cupboard so its super easy to mix up more any time.

For dinner, we moved Pizza Night to Wednesday this week since we have plans to go out tomorrow night.  Mine was an Ezekiel Pocket Bread topped with pesto, sauteed spinach, fresh mushrooms, and artichokes, sprinkled with some crushed red pepper flakes.  It was so good that I was kind of sad when it was over.

In this house, pizza is always served with a salad on the side.  We are obsessed with this balsamic dressing from last week!  I even gave it to the kids in a little dish to dip their cucumber slices tonight.  Hailey really liked it.

Now its YOUR turn –  leave me a comment with something awesome that YOU had to eat today!!!

I just started coaching a group of elementary-age girls for the Girls on the Run program at my daughter’s school.  This is a little bit of a stretch for me.  Although I work out on a regular basis, I wouldn’t exactly consider myself a runner – I have run one 5K in my life just to check it off of my bucket list.

Being that I love all things related to nutrition, working out, and a healthy lifestyle, I felt like it was a good fit for me and a fun way to push myself outside of my comfort zone to try something new.  Plus I really like the bonding experience with Hailey as we work together towards this goal.  And to keep us going, I already signed us up for The Color Run later in the summer (supposedly the happiest 5K on the planet, how fun does that sound?!?).

Today’s lesson was so much fun for me to prepare.  It was all about our physical health and nutrition, so of course I wanted to provide the team with some healthy snacks.  I tried to come up with some things that I use as a pre- or post- workout snack but would be kid-friendly at the same time.  I also need it to be practical to transport and cost-effective for a team of 14 girls.  I came up with apples and my Quick and Easy Apple Dip and these Granola Energy Bites.

I have tried different types of these energy “balls” before, usually with a combination of dates and nuts in the food processor with add-ins like coconut, cocoa powder, etc.  I have always liked them but the kids never really seemed to care for them very much.  So I decided to adapt one of our favorite no-bake granola bars into these little nutrient-packed bite size treats.  It totally worked!  I really think the addition of the oats for texture and the familiar flavor of peanut butter helped.

These are great before or after a workout since they include some high quality carbs from the oats and dates.  The protein in the peanut butter, chia seeds, and flax seeds help with muscle recovery and any pre-workout hunger.  If you happen to be on a long training workout, they would even be a great mid-workout snack too since they are portable and easy to eat.  They are versatile based on your taste preferences or food allergies – feel free to swap in Sunflower Butter for a nut-free option or raisins instead of the chopped dates, etc.

Granola Energy Bites

Ingredients

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed (or a mixture of half ground flax and half chia seeds)
• scant 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (I prefer the Enjoy Life brand)
• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup finely chopped dates (or raisins)*
• 1/2 cup all natural (no sugar) peanut butter or almond butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

**Edited – after making these quite a few times now, I no longer add the chopped dates or raisins.  I find that they are sweet enough for us without them, but feel free to use them if you like!

Directions

• Mix oats, flax/chia seeds, and coconut in a large bowl.
• Combine honey, nut butter, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well.
• Fold in chocolate chips and chopped dates/raisins.
• Form into small balls (I used a mini ice cream scoop then packed them together) and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.