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Spinach Pancakes

Tried a new pancake recipe. And of course, I changed it up a bit!

They were really tasty!

Fresh berries would have been a great addition, but alas…my kids ate them all! Instead, I opted for a drizzle of 100% maple syrup. Yes, they’re green – but you won’t even taste the ‘healthy stuff’ that makes them that way. If you or your kids are veggie challenged, this is a great way to sneak em in! Just tell your kids they’re Hulk pancakes or something – they’ll love that!

Oh and they’re gluten-free (if you’re in to that kind of thing)!

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats (or oat flour)
  • 2 TBS ground flaxseed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 2 TBS coconut sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¾ cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Place the oats in your blender (or food processor) and blend until oats become a fine powder and look like flour. (I should have blended mine a bit longer! It might take up to a minute to get it nice and fine. No biggie if you like a little texture.)
  • Remove oats and place into a large mixing bowl.
  • Add flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, salt, coconut sugar and cinnamon to the oat flour and stir to combine. Set aside.
  • Add milk, Greek yogurt, banana and spinach to your blender.
  • Blend until mixture is combined and smooth.
  • Add vanilla extract and egg and pulse until just combined.
  • Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined and lumps are gone.
  • Heat a skillet or large pan to medium heat and spray with cooking spray.
  • Let your batter sit while your pan heats up. This will help your pancakes puff up a bit when they cook.
  • Pour ¼ cup portions of pancake batter onto the griddle about 1-2” apart.
  • Cook on the first side until the edges become firm and the batter begins to bubble slightly (3-5 minutes).
  • Flip and cook on the second side until golden brown (about 3-4 more minutes).
  • Repeat until all the batter has been used!
  • Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries or whatever you like on your pancakes.
  • ENJOY!

Makes about 12-15 pancakes. Store leftovers in the fridge.

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April Fools Day Dinner Fake-Out!

I’ve already been sprayed in the face twice at my kitchen sink and there are booby-traps all over my house. And it’s all my fault! I’ve pulled some good pranks on my kids over the years! Once, when my husband was traveling for work, I made an entire ‘fake Daddy’ and propped him up at the kitchen table, holding a newspaper. When the kids ran around to hug him, they stopped dead in their tracks! Daddy’s head was made of newspaper! BAHAHAHA! There have been frozen bowls of cereal, taped up computer mice, and lots of other hijinks! And now they think it’s pretty fun to ‘get me’!

Well….it’s payback time!

I’ve actually done this one with my kids before, and it’s always good for a laugh! 🙂

Kids: “Mom, what’s for dinner?”

Mom: “Cupcakes and french fries!”

Kids: “Mom has lost her marbles…AGAIN!”

April_fools_dinner

“Cupcakes” (Individual Turkey Meatloafs)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
  • 1 medium zucchini, shredded
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup w/honey (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously spray a nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray.
  2. Gently mix turkey, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, oatmeal, egg, Worcestershire, mustard, pepper and salt in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Equally divide the mixture among the muffin cups. Spread barbecue sauce or ketchup w/honey on top of each loaf, if using.
  3. Bake until the meatloaves are cooked through or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes. Let the loaves stand in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

 

“Frosting” (Mashed Cauliflower)

*Recipe from SkinnyMs.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1/4 cup skim or reduced fat milk, unsweetened nondairy milk, or 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Boil a large pot of salted water. Add cauliflower and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a separate saute pan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat, add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat.

Mash with a potato masher in a large bowl. For a smoother mashed cauliflower, use an immersion or hand blender to puree, or puree it in the food processor. While mixing, slowly add in the milk until the desired consistency is achieved. Mix in the salt and pepper and the minced garlic with the olive oil. Serve.

Mashed cauliflower can be topped with chopped scallions if desired.

*Use a little food coloring if desired!

“French Fries” (Cinnamon Apples)

Simply cut up a couple of apples. Use a fancy slicer if you have one! Toss with a dash of cinnamon and serve with a side of strawberry or raspberry preserves!

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Busy Mom Nutrition Tip – Healthy Alternatives

I don’t think I’ve ever tried posting a Vlog! But I’m going for it today!

If you’re having trouble convincing your kids to get on-board with healthier eating…I get it! Been there. Done that! My kids did not react well when I told them I would no longer be buying hot dogs or chicken nuggets at the store. That’s not to say that they will never eat them again. I am all for special occasion allowances. However, I just don’t add these items to my grocery list anymore!

I’ve found ways to substitute healthier alternatives, for the foods that they love. And of course, it’s a work in progress! We are always looking for new foods to try! The wonderful thing is that the kids are so much more aware of the foods that they eat. They read labels just like I do! And that makes my heart go pitter-pat!

So here is my vlog! What do you think?

This is one of the examples from the video:yogurt_compare

Which yogurt would you pick? Carrageenan is an ingredient that you will find in some yogurts, soy milk, ice cream, etc. It’s added to make foods thicker, creamier and to create a ‘fuller’ feeling to low-fat foods. The problem is that carrageenan could be causing inflammation, gut irritation and even cancer. Beginning in the 1960s, researchers started linking the ingredient to gastrointestinal disease in lab animals, including ulcerative colitis, intestinal lesions, and colon cancer.

Make sure you scan your labels! If you see the “c” word…RUN!

 

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Baked Chicken Tenders

no_nuggets

NO MORE CHICKEN NUGGETS!

I’m taking a stand!

Yes, the kids LOVE them, and they’re quick and easy to make when you’re short on time, but I’m done. I have begrudgingly purchased them over the years, but I won’t anymore! The cleaner I eat, the more grossed out I become about the foods that I’ve continued to allow the kids to eat.

Do chicken nuggets pass the ‘Grandma Test’? In other words, would my Grandma have served these to her family…NO WAY! Because it’s not real food.

The kids were a little angry with me initially, but then I introduced them to this recipe, and now…they fight over the leftovers and don’t even miss that big red package that used to take up SO much space in my freezer! Yes, they’re a little more work, but they’re worth it (the chicken AND the kids)! Oh, and the grown-ups will LOVE them, too! 🙂

Homemade chicken tenders

6 servings

  • 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast – cut into strips (or use the pre-cut tenders!) chicken_tenders (1)
  • 2 C. whole wheat panko bread crumbs (you can use whole wheat bread crumbs if you can’t find the panko)
  • 1 C. parmesan cheese
  • 1 t. Italian seasoning
  • ½ t. garlic powder
  • ¼ t. cayenne pepper
  • ¼ t. pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 – 1 C flour (I use wheat/white blend)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Spray a large pan with cooking spray.
  • Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl.
  • Combine bread crumbs, parmesan and seasonings in another bowl.
  • In a third bowl, add flour.
  • Take chicken pieces and roll in flour, shake off excess and add to egg mixture, then press into the breadcrumb mixture until thoroughly coated on each side.
  • Set on the prepared pan. Continue until all of the chicken is coated. Lightly spray the top sides of the chicken with cooking spray.
  • Cook for 12-15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, flip pieces over and return to oven for another 12-15 minutes.

VOILA!

 

Nutritional Info

1 serving: 290 calories, 30 grams protein, 20 grams carbs

*A good dipping sauce is mustard (regular and/or Dijon) mixed with honey. I just mix the 3 together, using about equal portions of each – just eyeball it. 🙂

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