All of us are pulled in many directions and on the go with our families. This creates challenges when trying to eat healthy.
A few key tips to support your family’s healthy eating include:
Here are a few of my family’s favorites that are quick, easy to prep, and delicious!
SNACKS
Cranberry Almond Butter Bites
½ cup Rolled Oats
¼ cup Almond Flour
2 Tbsps Flaxseed Meal/Chia Seed Meal
2 Tbsps Raw Honey
½ tsp Vanilla
¼ cup Almond Butter
¼ cup Dark Chocolate Chips (or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips or Cacao Nibs)
¼ cup Dried Cranberries or Cherries
Directions: Combine oats, almond flour and flax seed in bowl. In separate bowl, stir honey, vanilla and almond butter mixture, chocolate chips, and dried fruit. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before shaping into 1 inch balls. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Mousse
1 ripe avocado
2 heaping tablespoons of raw cacao
2 tablespoons agave
1-2 teaspoons of water or coconut water
Raw cacao nibs
Directions: Place all ingredients except for the cacao nibs in a blender, blend until smooth. Place in dish and sprinkle cacao nibs on top. Can also add raspberries on top for additional garnish
Banana Almond Butter Rollup
1 banana
Almond Butter or Peanut Butter
Hemp Seeds
1 tortilla (regular or gluten free)
Directions: Spread nut butter on tortilla. Sprinkle hemp seeds onto nut butter, place banana on one end, roll up and then slice.
DINNER RECIPES
Stuffed Peppers
4 red, orange or yellow peppers
1 lb grass fed ground beef or ground turkey
1-2 cups cooked quinoa
1 can tomato sauce
Directions: Cook up the meat and mix in the cooked quinoa along with the tomato sauce. Remove the top and inside of the peppers. Place the mixture within each of the peppers. Either cook at 350 for approximately 30-40 minutes (until pepper is soft) or place in a freezer bag and bring them out when ready to cook and eat.
Crockpot Vegetable or Chicken Stew
1 cup diced shallots
3 stalks of celery diced
4 carrots diced
1 ½ pounds raw boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks (OPTIONAL)
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup water
¼ to ½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp herbamare or sea salt
Ground pepper
Directions: Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Can also place in oven instead; place into a covered casserole dish and bake in oven for about 2 ½ hours at 300 degrees.
Southwestern Salmon Burgers
1 pound skinless salmon fillet
¾ cup almond meal/flour
2 large eggs
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon scallion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground chipotle
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Directions: Rinse the salmon, pat dry, and cut into ¼-inch cubes. In a large bowl, combine salmon, almond meal, eggs, bell pepper, cilantro, scallions, salt, cumin, chipotle, and lime juice. Form mixture into 2-inch patties. Heat grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 4-6 minutes per side or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate & serve.
* Refrigerate burgers for 3 days, freeze for longer. Cook before refrigerating or freezing. Reheat in skillet or oven
Melanie is the Wellness Coordinator for Willowsong Midwifery Care, a Certified Health Coach (through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and AADP), and more importantly a mom of 3 small children. She is very passionate about empowering moms and children in attaining overall health and wellness and loves supporting Willowsong Families with health classes, free initial prenatal consults, information via blogging and much more! Melanie approaches health from a holistic perspective, meaning that she believes each component of our lives creates our overall health and wellness. You are welcome to connect with Melanie anytime via email (Melanie@Food4Thoughtdm.com).
Please don’t just take Melanie’s experience…as always consult with your medical professional and your own self understanding when making health decision; Melanie is not a medical professional, a nutritionist or dietician. She does not hold a degree in medicine, dietetics, or nutrition. Melanie makes no claim to any specialized medical training, nor does she dispense medical advice or prescriptions. This content is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, preconception or pregnancy health. It is intended to be provided for informational, educational, and self-empowerment purposes ONLY. Please consult with your doctor or wellness team if you have questions and then make your own well-informed decisions based upon what is best for your unique genetics, culture, conditions, and stage of life.