A little rainy day fun..

Today was really gray and rainy.. the perfect excuse to be lazy and sit around all day.. Oh wait not really possible when you have two little ones running the show =) Back to reality.. It was the perfect setting to bake, make kitchen messes, read stories, and play every game one little girl could think of! I recently ordered these cookie cutters and have been excited to use them! Of course we baked graham crackers... chocolate graham crackers ! ( recipe of course from weelicious ) It was a fun tasty messy little day =)

Mommy time : Pretty food

Sometimes when the Little's are napping I like to get in the kitchen and play with my food. For the last few months I've been more and more inspired by vegetarian meals and have even taken on a "flexitarian" approach in our life, trying to only eat lean meats Thursdays-Saturdays, surprisingly the hubby doesn't fight me too much ; ) Doing so has really motivated me to try  new meals and vegetables and other sources of proteins i wouldn't have in the past ( hello Pinterest!) and even has me thinking I could one day become a vegetarian ( with the exception of fish.. but anyway I digress. Pretty food on a pretty plate makes me happy. This time it was homemade kale pesto on my new love Ezekiel bread, topped with homemade pickled watermelon radish! with a side of homemade roasted eggplant (picked from our garden!) hummus! and freshly picked heirloom tomatoes and basil! Mommy time indeed! Who else likes to play with their food? In my house it is encouraged =)

A Quick and Easy little weeknight dinner....

Hello little online journal of mine and my readers if you re there, hello! Been awhile since Ive found a minute to sit and share but I'm happy to be here right now =) All is up and alive around here! two toddling toddlers 1 and 3! yeah  my days are full and colorful =) Ive been trying so many new ( and healthy!) recipes and experiments and I slowly but surely plan to document them here.. Ok so tonight I whipped up these delicious and nutritious veggie chicken patties. I basically grabbed a bunch of veggies from this weeks box and a little baby squash we picked this morning and sauteed them with onion and garlic and mixed em with ground chicken, some Bragg's liquid aminos and nutritional yeast and a little sweet chili sauce... and BAM dinner happened! I served it with a side of whole wheat couscous with feta and pistachios!  Give these a try with whatever veggies you have and hopefully you will be as happy as we were!

EASY Veggie Chicken Patties ( also you could serve on mini buns as sliders!)

1 pound ground chicken
veggies of choice ( i used chopped kale,  grated carrot, mini squash and a mini pepper)
garlic clove ( as much as little as you like)
half onion minced
teaspoon of sweet chili sauce
tablespoon of Bragg's liquid aminos ( or soy sauce)
tablespoon of nutritional yeast ( or Parmesan cheese)
cooking spray

SO.. you sautee the veggies in cooking spray  and then add the liquid aminos or soy sauce and stir a bit then add veggie mixture to the ground chicken  in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients  and mix together.. Then I use two sandwich bags to form the patties because I have two kiddos that i may need to break up n you dont want "chicken hands!" ... ok so form into 8 patties and spray a little more cooking spray and cook about 5 min each side, and serve with couscous, rice, on buns whatever floats your boat! Enjoy! Perfect for the whole family, little kids, and littler kids too (that can chew of course! )... or I suppose you can blend one of  these patties up in the baby bullet with a little water or veggie stalk n the teethless eaters can join in too!

A healthy little snack : Homemade Hummus

Hummus. We love hummus. It makes us very happy. It was one of Jyselles first foods in fact she was called "the hummus baby" at our old farmers market lol she would eat  it by the spoonful. It looks like boy boy is following her lead too he loves hummus, not as much as he loves black beans but I digress. Hummus is super healthy and versatile so its a great thing to always have on hand. There are a handful of great store brands you can buy and I usually buy a tub a week but like I said we eat ALOT of hummus so its more budget friendly to whip up your own. Its fun too getting the little ones involved picking the flavors and watching it whirl around in the food processor ( Aaron loves that part ) and then sitting on the kitchen floor enjoying your creation together. =) Give it a try sitting on the kitchen floor isn't required =) I adapted the recipe from here and added some fresh herbs from our garden ( which I cant wait to share its coming along! )
 Happy snacking =)

Ingredients:

• 1 can no-salt-added chickpeas  rinsed and drained
• 2 garlic cloves ( or more if you like garlic )
•  2 tablespoons water
•   2 tablespoons tahini 
•   fresh lemon juice 
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
•   salt, pepper, n a little bit of cumin
• fresh herbs (optional )
• Put everything in the food processor and give it a whirl until its nice n creamy, scape the sides n add more water if you need. Enjoy! 

A sweet little treat..

Ok so I will admit it. I have a bit of a sweet tooth... Make that a lot of sweet teeth : ) I love chocolate specifically dark chocolate ( which added bonus is antioxidant friendly ; ) ..) but I tend to go overboard which is really conflicting with my whole 30 minutes to getting back in shape , I'm a work in progress!.. So enter Jyselles favorite brownie! I make a batch of these for her ( us ) to keep in the freezer, they are a great lil snack when u you want something Chocolatey n we eat them straight from the freezer n they taste like fudge ! You can heat them up if u want but try them frozen first yummy ! Of course this is another fave from weelicious ! They are made with whole wheat flour and apple sauce so they are healthy ! The only change I made was I used white whole wheat and a fruit n veggie applesauce to bump up the nutritional content even more ; ) They are fun and easy to make with the kiddos in fact I have a baking station set up for us to make a new batch after nap time! So go ahead n have a few ; )

Gather up:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (sometimes I even use all white whole wheat still yummy!)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup applesauce (or one motts medleys applesauce!)
• 2 large eggs (best at room temp)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

  And Then you:

Preheat oven to 350
Mix all the dry ingredients
Then in another bowl whisk the wet ingredients and then pour into the dry, mix it up ..
Then fold in mini chocolate chips...
Then scoop batter into a greased mini muffin pan and bake 10-12 min or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Enjoy!

**To freeze place the baked brownie bites in a labeled freezer bag n freeze up to 3months,defrost at room temp n serve or eat em right out the freezer like us =)

Natures goodies ..

Every Tuesday we get our "veggie box" filled with delicious and nutritious goodness. I've said before how great it is to grow your own fruits n veggies n I still do! It's just currently I'm learning this Georgia climate n our garden is not quite up to par with our old Cali garden so ill get back to you on our carrots n turnips ; ) Thankfully fresh local goodness is at our doorstep literally : ) it's so fun opening up and deciding what to make ! Today we roasted apples n bananas for Aaron's baby purée! It was so delicious we all sat on the kitchen floor n gobbled it up! .. The broccoli pesto well that needs a Lil work ; ) till next time : )

Greek chicken sliders

So this is one of my favorite little recipes, its super delicious n super easy. Ive learned that secret to a great slider ( or meatball or burger in general ) is to saute onions n garlic till they're brown n caramelized n yummy n then add them to the meat mixture you're making. I do it all the time n it really takes it to another level. I was in the mood for Greek one night so I adapted my favorite BBQ chicken burger recipe n walla! Greek chicken sliders! Enjoy!
linked up for another weekend potluck too!

Greek Chicken Sliders
1lb ground chicken
1/2 tsp onion powder, garlic powder, salt, curry powder and tumeric
a handful of feta cheese ( I used a basil tomato feta yummm)
small onion diced n a tbs or so of minced garlic
a few tbs oil 

** Saute the onion in oil till its dark brown.. add garlic n saute for another minute n set aside to cool..
Then mix the rest of the ingredients with the onion garlic mixture..
then shape into 8 mini burgers..( u can do this in the morning or even night before n they're ready to cook when you are!) Then cook em about 5min on each side, serve on mini buns n your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
**I serve them with a sauce made of: Greek yogurt, grated garlic, a bunch of dried dill n salt n pepper

Apple Pear Crisp

I got this recipe from 10 dollar dinners a few years ago and its always a hit with my family, in fact its one of the first desserts Jyselle ever had. A few nights ago I wanted to step it up and make her caramel sauce to go on top (because for some reason I never did) and oh my goodness it was so good! It was also so fun to make! it could totally be a science experiment lol! Only change to the recipe was I used the apples and pears I had from that weeks veggie box and used white whole wheat flour n all spice. super easy and super delicious! You could really use any fruit n spices you like! This is the perfect time of year to give this recipe a try! In fact Patrick just requested it again tonight! Enjoy =)        

• 2granny smith apples n 1 red pear, peeled, cored, and sliced
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt

• 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup oats
• Pinch salt
• 1 stick butter 
•  For the Vanilla-all spice Caramel Sauce:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup  half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon all spice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
 Toss the apple n pear slices with the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and set aside....
then in another small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, oats, and salt with a fork until uniform. In a baking dish, melt the butter in the microwave until about half melts, 10 to 15 seconds on high. Pour the butter into the flour mixture and incorporate with a fork. Leaving the excess butter in the baking dish, arrange the apple pear slices in the dish. Top with the flour-oat mixture. Bake until the fruit is cooked through and the topping is golden, about 45 minutes.
To make the Vanilla-all spice Caramel Sauce:
In a medium-heavy saucepan, mix the water and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow the mixture to boil, without stirring. Cook's Note: Swirl the pan, if needed. Boil until the sugar mixture is pale golden brown, approximately 7 minutes. Cook's Note: Watch closely; sugar burns quickly.
Remove the pan from the heat, and stirring vigorously add the butter and cream. The mixture will bubble. Add the all spice and stir to incorporate. Return the pan to the heat and bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from the heat and allow to cool a few minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract ...
drizzle ( our pour heavily like we do ) n enjoy! Also linked up for another weekend potluck!

DIY microwaveable oatmeal

I saw this recipe on Pinterest a while back and had been wanting to make it. Then a few days ago I was pleasantly pushed  by my little one. It was a busy morning and she decided of course that day she wanted oatmeal. I know its so easy to open a little package, but in my quest to be as nutritious as I can I stopped buying them saying I would make my own. Only I hadn't yet and she was hungry! Pinterest to the rescue! I pulled up the recipe and within minutes my homemade oatmeal was ready and Jyselle downed two bowls! It was so easy and delicious! With this oatmeal in your pantry there is no need to fear busy mornings! You can still give your family or your little ones nutritious and delicious oatmeal ... in the microwave! Double score! =)
**p.s this recipe is still waiting my mothers approval who is the oatmeal queen ; )

DIY microwave oatmeal
2cups rolled oats(not quick or instant)
1/2cup dried fruit of your choice
1/2 cup nuts of choice ( optional)
1/4cup packed brown sugar
1/2 Tsp cinnamon

* Place all the ingredients in a large jar and shake it up! good to go! To cook: pour 1/3 cup of oatmeal mix into a bowl add 2/3 cup water, microwave on high 2 minutes, stir and enjoy! add milk if you like =)
          *TIP: Recipe source advises you use a deep cereal bowl because it can bubble over*

                     Linked up for another Weekend Potluck!

Crock pot chicken Fajitas

This is one of my favorite Friday recipes. It's easy and delicious. Most of all it makes enough leftovers for Saturday and Sunday too! Make a big batch of brown rice n beans and you're good to go. We had chicken fajitas one night, chicken fajita burritos the next, and chicken fajita rice bowls for lunch Monday! Less time in the kitchen and more time for your weekend! Happy Friday :) **linked for another weekend potluck!

Crock pot chicken fajitas ( recipe adapted from Weelicous)
Family pack of boneless chicken breasts sliced thin strips( I use my kitchen shears! I hate chopping chicken)
3 bell peppers sliced into strips
1or 2 large onions sliced thin
1 packet of fajita seasoning n salt n pepper
 fajita size tortillas
a lil chicken broth or water (optional)
**lime, cilantro, sour cream, avocado..

*Place the onions n peppers on the bottom of the crock pot..
Then lay the chicken strips on top ...
Season with s&p n pour the fajita seasoning all over..
Add a lil chicken broth or water if you like n then cover n cook on low 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked.
Keep on warm till your ready to serve.. squeeze a lil lime at the end too, yummy!

Pretty little chips

So we got the cutest purple potatoes in last weeks organic box. I must admit they sat on my counter for a few days while I wondered what to do with them. Then of course via Pintrest I saw purple potato chips! That recipe called for frying though ,which I really try not to do @ home for a lot of reasons =).. So I decided to use my favorite blog Weelicious's recipe for baked chips. Which is perfect because you can use any potatoes you have! In fact I made a second batch of chips using sweet potatoes and added a little pumpkin pie spice with salt.. yummy! These are great for a late night snack too and should keep a day or so but best right after baked for maximum crunchiness =) Enjoy! linked up for more fun @ weekend potluck

Purple Potato Chips
purple potatoes ( sliced super thin .. I used a handheld mandolin)
1 Tbs canola oil
Salt n any other seasoning you want try!

* Heat oven to 400..
Then add the potatoes, salt, n oil in a large zip lock bag and shake it up ..perfect job for little ones =) ..
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and make one layer of chips..
Bake for 10-15 min then flip  over and bake a lil more until  crisp (keep a CLOSE eye they burn fast!)
Enjoy!

Sweet veggie n sausage bake

I am really excited to share this recipe, it came about while I was browsing through Pintrest ( as usual). I had veggies and I had sausage and I was a little stumped what I wanted to do. I saw this recipe from dinneralovestory.com and got totally inspired. I decided to also combine a weelicious recipe and then magic happened. This sweet veggie n sausage bake was born. It was so good my sister and my niece even licked the foil clean and made it for dinner the next night! This recipe is perfect for fall and if you love it as much as we did make a double batch! Happy Friday! : ) ( Ive also linked up for another weekend potluck, check it out for more recipe inspiration!)

Sweet veggie n sausage bake
1package of sweet Italian sausage cut or chopped in large chunks
2 sweet potatoes peeled n chopped in large chunks
1 onion chopped in wedges
2 or 3 bell peppers of your choice chopped in large chunks
2 or 3 carrots peeled n chopped in large chunks
1 or 2 baking apples chopped in chunks
2 Tbs maple syrup
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs salt
*Combine all the veggies with the maple syrup, oil, n salt and marinate for an hour (or overnight too)..
Then heat oven to 425 spray a large foil lined baking sheet n place veggies n bake 25 min ..
After 25 min stir veggies and add sausage and apples (add a lil more maple if you like, i did )..
Then bake another 25-30 min or so till sausage is crispy n sweet (its ok if you forget like I did n leave it longer it just caramelizes everything even more =) Enjoy!

Goodness delivered!

We recently joined an organic delivery service Natures Garden Delivered and we are loving it! It's similar to a CSA, they only offer in season local produce and goods from local farmers but with the added perk of being able to customize your order every week with your preferences according to what's fresh n available that week. Who doesn't love getting packages!? They come right to the door n even recycle the boxes and paper for you! Every week we are excited to open our goodies n see what we can create! It's a great way to try new fruits and veggies too (little ones and adults!) and since our local farmers market is seasonal this is perfect for the months they are closed! For tonight's dinner I am making weelicious cheesy turkey meatloaf and just subbing some of the veggies with the squash and peppers from our box! Tuesdays just got a whole lot better! Who knew supporting your community's agriculture could be this fun : )