Silver lining to being stuck at home!

     Well my daughter has been sick with the stomach flu for the last 6 days. What that means for me is ....well pretty much stuck at home unless I want to clean puke out of my van (she cant seem to grasp the puke bucket idea) This is not normal for me. I rarely see my house. So to keep from cabin fever I have been trying new recipes. I've been on the lookout for great go to recipes that are fast but healthy and mainly Paleo and GF obviously right? ;)

    Well my favorites so far I will most likely make again are:

1. Zucchini Pancakes
2. Paleo Coffee Protein Shake
3. Chicken Lettuce Wrap

 Zucchini Pancakes

1 Medium Zucchini shredded 

1 Large Egg

1 Green Onion chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons of oil for frying 

• Grate zucchini into a bowl.
• Finely chop 1 green onion and mix with the zucchini. –
• Add 1 large egg and mix thoroughly adding salt and pepper to taste.
• Add 2 Table spoons of oil of your choice to a pan on medium heat
• Spoon two or three mounds of the mixture into the pan and fry until lightly browned, pressing down to flatten. Flip until both sides are slightly brown.
• ENJOY!

I made the mistake of making one big one. Thinking that it would be faster and well I don't follow directions very well. ;) My zucchini was a little crunchy still and it fell apart. Next time I will make 2! I also added a sausage patty and a cup of coffee and that was my breakfast! So filling! I'm normally starving all the time!

Paleo Coffee Protein Shake

2-3 handfuls of ice

1 scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder.I use chocolate flavored plant based brand

(pictured below, bought at Sunflower farmers market)

1/2 frozen banana

1 cup of brewed coffee any flavor

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk- Or coconut milk I like coconut milk but you can really use any milk you'd like

• Put all ingredients in blender (I use a ninja it breaks up ice and makes everything perfectly smooth every time!)
• If not sweet enough for you, you may add sweetener but I stay away from it as often as possible so I omit it 
• Enjoy! 

Chicken Lettuce wraps

3 Chicken breasts 

2 Bell peppers of your choice (I use yellow)

1 Onion 

Lettuce of choice for wrapping

Fresh Cilantro 

Shredded cheese

1 pack of Weber chipolte marinade mix

1/4 Cup oil 

1/4 Cup water

• Cut up chicken into strips.
• Place chicken with Weber mix, oil and water in a ziplock bag and place in refrigerator (you may leave in overnight but I just do in the morning and cook for dinner. The mix only calls for 15 min) 
• Slice bell peppers and onions and set aside.
• Cook the chicken on medium heat, when almost done add the onion and bell peppers and continue to cook until the peppers are soft and chicken is a little crispy.
• While the chicken is cooking cut up fresh cilantro and separate your lettuce. You can use butter lettuce or any lettuce that has big leaves I just use iceberg head lettuce I usually have on hand.
• Top your lettuce with your chicken mix and top with cheese and fresh cilantro. For paleo omit the cheese. 
• You may also add avocado  sour cream, tomatoes or any taco topping but I have found the Weber mix is so good you really don't need anything else to take away that flavor. 

Is gluten the culprit?

 I've always let my kids eat junk food. WAIT... Hear me out. Kids are kids. I look back at being a kid and some of my best memories consisted of eating a drumstick or some sort of cold sugary snack outside on a hot summer day. Or eating popcorn and candy at the movies. On the weekend if we got a Pizza Hut pizza with a soda those days were heavenly. You get the idea. Good food and good times went hand in hand.  And it was always the kids that werent allowed to have candy or junk that went crazy when they would sneek eat it and act stupid. So my theory has always been that with my kids I will not make "junk" food a big no no and this forbidden fruit because then they will want it more. If I let them eat it every so often they wont "go crazy" when they are subject to it. So we have always had pizza days usually once a month with a family movie or game day. Or have a friday ice cream treat after school on occasion. Don't get me wrong they have to eat their fruits and veggies and drink their water every day but if they wanted french fries before baseball or a hotdog at costco I wouldn't stress about it.

WELL once my daughter was diagnosed ADHD I looked a little closer at my kids diet and decided to revise it. I noticed my standards for school lunches had diminished. Its just so fast and cheap to buy those little boxes of sugary colorful snacks I could toss in their bags. I found as the kids got older everything I was against always feeding them was filling my cuppboards. So I cut out all fruit snacks and anything super sugary. I pack hard boiled eggs, pickles, yogurt, fruit, veggies, anything I consider somewhat healthy instead.

Ok so the point to all this rambling... I started researching the link between gluten and ADHD.. Im just at the beginning of my search but I'm wondering if maybe cutting gluten out for her would help her. She is the pickiest eater in our house for sure so this could be very challenging.  But I noticed her mood changes all the time especially after she eats. Shes SO moody. She will be grumpy, sensitive, hyper, crazy, sad, mad, irritated, tired, you name it she goes through it all the time. I'm trying to pin point what her triggers are in food and thus the research. I am reading a lot on adhd kids cutting the gluten and symptoms of ADHD disappearing. Could this be the answer to her problems too? I am celiac and so is her dad so there is also a possibility of her being celiac as well.. I just don't know yet. I am thinking of doing a trial period of no gluten for her and see if I notice a change. I would love for her to feel normal or not so emotional all the time. I havent exactly decided yet but its on the drawing board right now.

Tips for a successful farmers market trip

Even though it's raining on this first day of spring I can't help but to look forward to whats coming. If you know me you know how much I hate the sun and heat HOWEVER.... I am going to focus on all the good the spring and summer bring. Fresh veggies and fruit a plenty! I don't know about you but we have a small but good farmers market every Thursday and Saturday once the sun comes out. Here are some tips for a successful trip to your local farmers market!

Shop early or shop late~

Shop early for the freshest selection. The best stuff will disappear quickly. Especially if you have local restaurants that shop there too. Chefs and bakers need bulk and will wipe out all the good stuff early. If your looking for first pick and lots of variety early is the best choice for you.

Or..

Not an early bird? That's okay too! Shop within the last hour. Farmers will often offer deep discounts at the end of the day to avoid hauling it all back.  You may not get the brightest prettiest veg but its still good stuff and who doesn't like a great deal? 

Speak up!

Don't be shy. Ask questions, lots of them. See something you don't recognize? Ask what it is and how to eat it. See something you are not sure you will like? Ask to try it! Good farmers love to share what they are passionate about and love the opportunity to build repeat customers. Or just not sure how to use something? Ask what kinds of things they use it for. You can get great recipes or cooking tips straight from the farmers!

Don't bring big bills

Most farmers markets are cash only. If they do offer credit card payments it costs them even more, so try to always pay cash regardless.  Bring mostly small bills. It helps to have just the right amount.  I feel bad taking all their ones when I buy 2.00 in herbs and pay with a 20.00. It often times will leave you buying more then you need so you can spend your 10.00 or 20.00 and then you end up not saving money but spending more then you planned.

Pick the not so pretty variety

Most people dash straight to the most uniform, shiny, perfect fruit and vegetables. I always go for the oddest looking varieties . They often taste the best and cost a lot less too. Bugs also go for the sweetest fruit. So try and pick the ones that look like the hungry caterpillar got a hold of first. They will have the sweetest taste. Do you juice? I do! And getting a great deal on a lot of ugly tomatoes makes a lot of great tasting juice!

Buy in bulk

You will get a better deal the more you buy. Great for canning or freezing. If you have a party you have to prepare a dish for, plan around food you can buy at the farmers market. Pre-make sauces so you have on hand for a quick pasta in a pinch. 

Shop around

Many stands will offer the same fruit. Don't be afraid to shop around and find the best price and selection. Often times prime location stands will charge a lot more for quick impulse buys. So take your time! I always walk around the entire market once before I decided what I want and where I want to get it from. 

Bring the whole family!

If you have kids, bring them along!. They will always find something they want.  So why not let them pick a few things. They will get to try something healthy without you trying to convince them to try it. They get what they want and you get what you want (them eating their fruit and veggies)

Wowzers these are yummy crackers!

Well I picked up these tummy pleasers at Winco for $2.50. It says serving size 4 and that's pretty accurate  I had them a couple times for a snack and they were gone =(  I am going to pick up all the flavors to try now! They kind of remind me a little of corn nuts for some strange reason. 

GF Boxed Chicken Alfredo

Well I am not usually a fan of boxed food. Especially pasta dishes BUT I gave this a try and it actually wasn't bad. It made enough for me and my 2 kids and they actually liked it. It only calls for your own chicken but I added peas for a bonus veggie. I would make again, maybe as a side dish as it didn't make enough to feed the whole family. Always a bonus when I don't have to make 2 different meals for the family!

My first successful gluten free recipe I actually LOVE

Well I was looking for some gluten free recipes that don't take 40 ingredients and are more hassle then they are worth. I stumbled upon a few. Instead of trying them all I just merged a couple and made my own. And mighty successful may I add. My whole family liked them and I really like how you can substitute to your liking with raisins,  more or less apples, nuts, different milk. Love this recipe! And was surprisingly cheap and easy to make!I would have taken photos of them out of the pan but they didnt last very long before someone ate them all... oops!

Apple cranberry oatmeal muffins

2 Cups gluten free rolled oats (found at winco bulk section)
1/4 Cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tsp baking powder
2  Tsp cinnamon
1/4 Tsp salt
1 1/2 Cups coconut milk (or milk of your choice almond, skim, rice etc)
2 Tbs franch vanilla creamer
1/4 Cup applesauce
1/2 Cup egg whites
2 Apples cored and peeled and cut into small 1/2'' pieces
1/4 -1/2 Cup cranberries
optional - nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray cupcake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a separate bowl wisk together milk coconut milk, applesauce, and egg whites.

Add the wet ingredients to the oat mizture and mix until combined. Carefully fold in apple and cranberries.

Fill in prepared cupcake pan about 3/4 full. Bake for 30-40 min or untol tops are browned but not burnt. Remoce and let cool 10 min before transferring to cooling rack.

Optional- enjoy warm with additional toppings (nuts, brown sugar, milk etc) or pack in easy to go containers  to enjoy any time.

Not so good find..

Recently I stumbled upon a fancy looking yogurt. Siggi's Icelandic Style strained non-fat yogurt. I was excited to try this high end normally 2.99 each yogurt on sale for 1.00! I had high expectations. Looking at the fancy label and reading all the healthy facts. O% milkfat, live active cultures, No artificial sweetener, the works! I dive in with a huge spoon full... OMGROSSNESS... so bitter. It was sooo disappointing! Maybe it was spoiled? I don't know. It was not my cup of yogurt that's for sure! I will stick to my Z.O.I. greek yogurt that I love so very much and not be swayed by high price tags thinking it must be better.