Pumpkin Spaghetti Sauce

I added pumpkin to my sauce. It added another veggie so my kid would eat it. It worked. It's delicious, we will never go without it again.

Squirt of EVOO
1/4 chopped onions
2 tsp of minced garlic
some salt
some pepper
15 oz can of pure pumpkin
jar of spaghetti sauce


Heat your skillet at medium heat, add everything but the pumpkin and sauce. Cook till fragrant and then another 30 seconds or so. Then add the rest and stir till desired temp. YUM.

Cheesy Quinoa Bites

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa (I cook my quinoa in low sodium chicken broth)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 2 stalks green onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together quinoa, carrot, egg, green onion, garlic, cilantro, cheese, flour, salt and pepper.
3. Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (1 heaping Tbs each).
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Adapted from soveryblessed

Energy Peanut Butter Balls

Try eating just one.


1 1/2 cup of organic rolled oats.
1 Tbsp chia seeds (I use black chia seeds)
1/2 cup of organic or all natural peanut butter (any "nut" butter will do)
1/3 cup of local honey (you can use processed honey, but the local honey has health benefits)
1/4 cup of organic semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together all ingredients until they are well incorporated.  If you like the sweet and salty taste feel free to add a pinch of salt.  Get a small cookie dough scoop and roll into balls and place in a container.  Then place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to firm them up.

Adapted from Amy Schmamy

HomeMade Taco Seasoning

This is good for 1 lb of ground meat. 

1/2 TBS Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Paprika
1.5 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

*Add 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if your crazy like that.

Throw in a mason jar and shake shake shake.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM

*Adapted from All Recipes Taco Seasoning I

Broccoli Bites "Green Biscuits"

Healthy Broccoli Bites

Found these gems! I need to get Veggies into Sam! He wrinkles his nose and says "No!" when we try.

A little protein and dairy and whole grains too. Not bad eh? Well Sammy got through one alright. Me too. But our little neighbor girl who's one and I hear can be super picky (who isn't at that age!) blasted through 3.5. Mission accomplished, I know what age to start 'em.

2 cups uncooked raw broccoli
1 cup oatmeal (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
3 eggs
Half a can of diced, cooked chicken (optional)

In a food processor, mix/chop the oatmeal until it is fine, almost like flour. Add the broccoli, and continue to chop. Add in the eggs and chicken, and pulse. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized bowl, add the cheese and stir. Form into one inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or sprayed with cooking spray).


Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned on the bottom.



*Adapted from SEW Very Blessed

Peanut Butter Bars

Our go-to. Every time.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (very finely crushed)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 11 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Mix the crumbs and sugar (sifted is better).
2. Add the melted butter and peanut butter.
3. Mix well and press into a 9x13 inch pan.
4. Melt the chocolate chips in microwave on 70% (about a minute 15 seconds in mine.).
5. Spread chocolate over the bars.
6. Refrigerate till hard, then take out about 15 minutes before you want to cut them, so the frosting won't crack.

Grandma's Macaroni Salad

We've eaten this salad since we were kids and every few months I call Jen for the recipe. Now I won't have to anyMORE! :) Thanks Jen, thanks Grandma! This is the best go-to-lunch for three days straight. Ha!

Grandma's Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

1 12 oz box of macaroni elbows
1 package of grapes
1 half block of cheddar cheese
1 or 2 1/2 thick slabs of ham from the deli
1/2 to 3/4 cups of Mayo
2 tbs of brown sugar

1. Cut the grapes in half
2. Boil the macaroni, drain and rinse with cool water
3. Cube the cheese
4. We like to pan cook the ham for a minute or two on each side and then cube it
5. Put all of the above in a large bowl.
6. Mix the mayo and brown sugar together and then mix all the ingredients together. Refrigerate and eat whenever you need to. Which I do. All the time.

 She at the whole thing. Well..... I helped. XOXO to Jen!

 PS We only had tiny grapes on hand so they didn't need slicing. :)