Fun snack for kids

An old stand-by to always fall back on for a quick and easy snack is a piece of fruit and a stick of string cheese. Easy, yummy, and balanced. So why not mix it up a bit and make it fun for your kids? Here's how:

1. Supplies: string cheese, desired fruit, kabob sticks, and some fun treats: marshmellows, gummy bears, caramels, etc...
2. Slice up string cheese into 4 or 5 chunks.
3. Dice desired fruit into pieces - bananas, apples, kiwi, berries, etc... The more color, the better!
4. Stack kabob stick by alternating cheese and fruit. Add the treats if desired.

Chocolate protein brownies

Chocolate Protein Brownies (1 serving)

1/4 cup black beans (rinsed)
1/2 egg yolk
2 egg whites
2 TB Chocolate or vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup oats blended into oat flour
1.5 TB plain baking cocoa powder
1 TB Applesause (no sugar added)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 droppers of vanilla stevia Optional

Directions: Blend all ingredients together in blender with a flat blade. Taste batter and add additional vanilla stevia if needed. Spray all sides of small bread pan (or use small cheese cake pan or 4 cupcakes) well with pam. Pour batter into pan, bake at 375 degrees for 18 - 20 minutes or until edges are crisped. Add one TB sugar free syrup or fat free cool whip on top. Great warm or frozen.

Calories: 242
Carbs: 28
Fat: 4
Protein: 25
Fiber: 8

Beef and Sweet Potato Crock Pot Stew

1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into chunks or stew meat
2 sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 inch circles
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 onion, cut into wedges
1/2 cup dried apricots
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup roasted almonds

In a slow cooker, combine the beef, tomatoes (and their juices), onion, apricots, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and 1/2 cup water.

Cook covered until the meat is tender, on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Ten minutes before serving add chickpeas and heat through. Then stir in spinach. Serve over rice and sprinkle with almonds.

(You will need a large crock pot for this recipe, it serves 6. Or cut the recipe in half and use a smaller crockpot).

Lunch made easy

Lunchskins: Reusable sandwich and snack bags made from cute pastry bag fabrics–they saved more than 12 million plastic bags from being in landfills last year. These can be washed in the dish washer or washing machine.

Other options are available from people on Etsy, but they may not be made of food grade materials.

KlipIt by Sistema: A cool container that holds a sandwich in one place and two sides in the other side. Available at The Container Store or in Old Navy stores for a limited time. They also make other cool containers you will want to check out.

Lunch ideas:

• Peanut butter and crackers
• sandwich-gluten free bread, of course
• Rollup with cucumber, bell pepper and salad dressing
• Brown Rice Tortilla, spread with PB, wrapped around a banana—can add a drizzle of honey
• Tuna salad and crackers
• Quesadilla (just cheese, or add some ground beef) serve with salsa
• Hard boiled egg, , fruit and veggie
• Fruit smoothie: I love this trick—make several smoothies, freeze in 8 oz containers and pop them in your child’s lunch. They will defrost and be ready to stir or spoon up by lunch
• Baked chips (whole grain/healthy versions)—dips or sauces if you like
• cheese stick, apple/grapes
• Crackers, lunchmeat, cheese (homemade lunchable)
• Waffles
• Cliff and a piece of fruit and vegetable
• Soup in a thermos
• Sides:

• Nuts
• Cheese sticks/slices
• Snap peas
• Canned fruit
• Carrot sticks
• Dried apples
• Broccoli and ranch
• Cucumbers
• Grapes
• Bell pepper slices

DRINK:

Water. Really. No fruit drinks. It is a lot of money and they really need to rehydrate with some good old water. Check out the Kleen Kanteen or the SubZero Stainless steel containers instead of the plastic ones.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Make these, you won't be sorry!


1 cup honey
1 cup lime juice
3 Tb chili powder
1 Tbsp minced garlic

2.5 or 3 lb COOKED chicken, shredded
3 cans black beans
corn tortiallas
colby or monterey jack cheese, shredded
2- 14oz. cans green enchilada sauce

Mix first 4 ingredients together and toss with shredded cooked chicken. Let it "marinate" for at least a half hour. Fill corn tortillas with chicken, beans and shredded cheese. Pour the rest of the can of green enchilada sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle with more cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/slideshow-gluten-free-diet

We already know all of this stuff, but it was just funny to read it. I dunknowwhy