Quinoa Veggie Fried Rice

Surely this happens to everyone in busy family life. You hold that inner conversation with yourself that you are eating terrible. Too much grab and go food and not enough fruits and veggies. Well, I do! I get on a healthy kick....I take a cheat day, get busy with kids activities and shuttling throughout the week...then we fall off the wagon....we resume old habits for convenience sake and then I recommit to getting us back on track.

When I'm really trying to up the veggie intake this has become my go to dish. The hubby and I love it and the kids actually eat it too with little grumbling. They don't exactly celebrate when they know this is on their dinner menu, I mean they have a natural love like most kids for carb and cheese loaded comfort food dishes! For what this packs in when it comes to vegetable servings and variety, I'm thrilled I have 5 out of 5 people that will pull up a chair for this dinner, clean their plate with no complaints, and that just makes me happy.

I originally found this recipe HERE but for our family, we definitely had to do some modifications after reviews from the kids. They don't do soft/soggy veggies, it's an automatic thumbs down for them so I have eliminated a few of the ingredients leaving the ones that hold up with a nice crunch to them. I also felt the ginger did nothing for the dish. I don't care for the taste of it and it was just one more ingredient to get that I don't generally have on hand so it was nixed. Just my personal opinion but take a look at the original recipe we got our inspiration from and check out their rendition of this dish. I consider mine more "family friendly"

The entire recipe will be at the bottom of this post but follow along for step by step instructions. I am by no means an exceptional cook! I like easy, tasty and healthy recipes for my family and love to share.

Shown above are all the ingredients I started with. 

       Quinoa

       Broccoli florets

       Matchstix carrots

       Bag of frozen peas

       Bag of frozen corn

       1 small onion

       Jar of minced garlic

       Soy Sauce

       **not shown but 2-3 eggs and some minced garlic

Start by dicing up your small onion and about half the bag of broccoli.

The beautiful part of this recipe is amounts are not critical. When I say half the bag, that's what I use but add as much or as little as you like. There is no magical measurement for the veggies.

Add a few tablespoons of oil to a pan. Add a heaping spoonful of minced garlic to the pan. I'm a cheater on all of this stuff. I've got my precut and cleaned bags of veggies, I'm also using the minced garlic that you find in the jar. I don't have the luxury of time so shortcuts matter in my house!

Add your diced onion and stir around until it starts to soften and becomes slightly translucent.

Next add your broccoli giving it a good stir so it's getting coated in the onion/garlic/oil mixture. Stir for just a few more minutes. I like to keep things moving in the pan so it's getting heated and cooked through but nothing is sitting getting soft. Again, my kids don't care for soft veggies (or soggy as they call it) so I'm aiming to keep the crunch while still heating it through.

Now add some shredded carrots. Nothing you need to measure, just whatever you like. I grabbed a handful. I eyeball things so it looks like a nice balanced color ratio. Again, just keep stirring the veggies every so often as they continue to heat through.

Now add some of your frozen corn and frozen peas. Stir these through the mixture for a few minutes.

Next we will be adding the cooked quinoa. Since the 5 o'clock hour can be the crazy hour for me in our house I will generally cook my quinoa earlier in the day so that it's ready to go. We will be adding 3 cups of cooked quinoa to this dish.
*1 cup of dry quinoa will make about 3 cups of fluffed up quinoa when cooked.

Now add the quinoa to your pan of vegetables. At this point I splash in a bit of soy to give the dish some flavor and stir through. I just go lightly though and everyone adds more to their bowl if they like. Better to start off needing a tad more then being drenched in sodium packed soy!

****I wasn't able to photo and include my kids' favorite part....the eggs! We didn't have any today but they love them in this dish. Take 2-3 eggs and pan fry them just like fried eggs and poke the yoke so it's cooked through. We don't want a runny center. Dice the eggs up and add to your veggie mixture.

My hubby needs something a tad more substantial so I always grill some teriyaki chicken when I make this as well and dice it up to add on top if desired. Quinoa packs a nice bit of protein in this dish but for the hungry fellas, it's well received adding some meat on top. You could even dice up some seasoned sirloin and use instead of chicken.

*The meat of course is optional as this dish can definitely stand up by itself.

**Need some heat? Add some Sriracha sauce.....or rooster sauce as we like to call it if you live in our house. Can't go wrong with that!

Serve and enjoy! Happy healthy eating!

Veggie Fried Quinoa

       

       3 cups cooked qunioa

       1 small onion

       minced garlic

       Broccoli florets

       Matchstix carrots - 

       Bag of frozen peas (about 1/2 cup give or take)

       bag of frozen corn (about 1/2 cup give or take)

       2-3 eggs - fried and diced

       Soy Sauce

       Sriracha Sauce

**optional diced chicken

Start by cooking the quinoa and setting aside

Soften the onion in the garlic and some oil in a pan

Add the broccoli and stir through

Next add the carrots and continue to stir

Add the frozen peas and corn, stir through

Mix in the cooked quinoa through the dish adding some soy

top with diced egg

Serve hot and add optional diced chicken for the extra hungry ones.

I usually serve some fruit on the side for my kids and this dish easily feeds my family of 5 with leftovers. So I'd say it'd safely feed 4-6 if you are topping with diced chicken and would serve 4 hungry appetites if you are keeping as a vegetarian dish.

Veggie Wrap .... the perfect Summer meal

Summer is quickly on it's way and of course it always makes me think of bathing suit season! The evidence of Winter needs to be undone with a little bit of sunshine to the skin, some added exercise to the daily routine and of course making some better choices come meal time.

I saw this veggie wrap on one of my favorite sites, The Pioneer Woman while perusing Pinterest. I'd been telling myself lately, I really need to get some more veggies in my own diet and this looked like a recipe I definitely wanted to give a try. I made some changes to suit my own tastes and the result was delish!

In the photo above are all the ingredients I used except for some Balsamic Vinaigrette that isn't shown.

1. Spinach wraps (but really grab whatever you want)

2. I used Sabra's Supremely Spicy hummus because I like lots of spice

3. red onion

4. roasted red peppers in a jar

5. jar of artichoke hearts

6. crumbled feta

7. small avocado

8. mixed greens

9. Balsamic dressing

First off dice some of that red onion and put it in a pan with a little butter and cook them til they are carmelized.

Next I prepped the other ingredients. I diced up my artichoke, some red peppers, gave a good crumble to the Feta to get those big chunks broken down so it can spread throughout the wrap better and then diced about 1/4 of a small avocado.

I took my wrap, put it on the stove and lightly browned it on each side in a. Not sure why but tortillas have this plastic taste to me straight out of the bag and giving it a little grill in the pan makes it taste better.

Then I just put a good smear of the hummus through the center.

Next I just layered the other ingredients. First the grilled onions, then the red peppers, the artichokes, feta and topped by my favorite diced avocado. I added avocado to this wrap because I love the taste, texture and it just leaves me feeling quite a bit more satisfied. Plus, avocados are the good fat right?

After that I just topped with some mixed greens to give it some bulk and just lightly drizzled with the Balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Now just wrap it up, add a toothpick to each side, cut in half and enjoy! You will love all the different flavors and textures in this dish. I think half the wrap with some soup would be a super lunch. 

Curious what this totals for calories? Well I can't guess the quantity you will put on your wrap but if you put in moderate amounts of ingredients your total wrap is going to be about 425-450 calories.

My kids even gave it a try and they gave it a decent review. I've modified it a bit for them. They aren't fans of artichokes so they get nixed, we used a milder flavor of hummus (just the roasted red pepper version) and then we added some turkey.  

Clean Eating Pan Seared Tilapia Fish Tacos

I must start eating better! We all say that to ourselves at one point or another right? I consider myself a pretty good eater but just like anyone else, the older I get, the better I need to be. My girlfriend sent me this link so I could calculate how many calories I should take in a day based on my age and activity level and what weight I'd like to maintain. I exercise pretty regularly and it still only gave me 1500 calories a day. Really??? Actually it gave me 1477 but I'm a girl who likes round #'s. Okay, I'll try.

My biggest challenge is that my hubby is on the road a few days a week each week and those end up being cheat days on top of my weekend cheat days because I graze on kid style food. My kids don't appreciate meals that have lots of fresh ingredients and they certainly aren't impressed that it's a clean eating meal! They are pretty simplistic and are satisfied with a cheese quesadilla and some fresh fruit or something along those lines. I on the other hand crave texture, lots of spice, don't like to spend a ton of time in the kitchen and hate excessive waste which happens when you are cooking for 1 adult. The dinner I've been making lately is easy to make for one person, packed with flavor, texture and satisfying. Best part, light on calories!!! Have you ever tried fish tacos? Well you should...read on! Delicious and so quick to put together. This recipe is made for 1 but just adjust as needed.

Pan Seared Tilapia Fish Tacos

■ 6 oz Tilapia filet (this is a single person serving, adjust accordingly)

■ Old Bay Seasoning

■ 2 corn tortillas

■ 1 small avocado

■ 1 Tablespoon Slow Burn creamy jalapeno dip (photo'd below)

■ Angel Hair coleslaw

■ Pico de Gallo

■ Salsa (optional)

■ 1 lime

■ diced cilantro (optional)

Season each side of your filet with the Old Bay Seasoning. Heat some olive oil in a pan and then sear on each side for about 2 1/2- 3 1/2 minutes on each side depending on how thick your filet is. It will be white and flake easily when done.

Above is the creamy Jalapeno slow burn sauce we use. You can hunt your own local grocery stores and probably find something similar.

As you are cooking the fish, prep your other items. Slice you avocado into slivers so they're ready to go. Cut your lime into quarters.

Heat 2 corn tortillas so they are warm. Take your cooked fish, divide into 2 equal parts onto the tortillas and then just start layering on your goodies. I usually layer fish first and then the cole slaw. Drizzle half the creamy sauce onto each taco so it's all through the coleslaw. Top with the pico de gallo and then salsa if you like. I prefer the chunks of the pico de gallo so that's usually all I use but my husband likes lots of fresh salsa added to his as well. Add a healthy slice of avocado, squeeze some lime juice over your taco for a nice citrusy flavor and finish off with some diced cilantro as an option. Enjoy!

I've tallied the calories on this and am happy to report, if you stick to using the corn tortillas that are 110 calories for 2 tortillas and you pan sear, NOT FRY, your fish, you will come in at about 200 calories a taco....and yes, that includes avocado.

No Bake Energy Bites ... by the kids!

I get this question a lot! Mom, can we make something? Since they are referring to cooking and not crafting, my practical self has that voice inside me going....."I know there is going to be a mess left for yours truly to clean up even when there is the promise to clean it all up themselves."

My reply? "Umm, what are y'all wanting to make" Those energy bites we had once! I'm thinking, well I sort of like having a stash of those on hand anyways so we'll see how this goes. Since it requires no actual cooking, only assembly, I figure go for it.

I first sampled these little yummies at a Pinterest Party I had at my house. We all brought a dish we had pinned and had wanted to try and then we did a pinned craft project as well. Lots of fun and it's a great way to sample all the things we pin! If you've never had one, schedule one with your girlfriends. I give you this promise, you'll have a great time!


So this recipe is originally on this great blog Smashed Peas and Carrots and I've copied it below. You've got a little flexibility in the recipe if you want a flavor upped a bit or maybe taken down a notch. My kids of course want lots of chocolate chips but I try to stay conservative on those. Got another ingredient you want in there? raisins? dried cranberries? Shift things around as you like!

No-Bake Energy Bites
(makes 18-20 bites)

1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed.
Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy!
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.


It really is as easy as just dumping in a bowl. Maybe the biggest stumbling block my girls came across was getting everything like the peanut butter and honey out of the measuring cups. This was probably the only part I got involved in so they could learn the purpose of the spatula!


They are ready to go and decided to skip chilling this bowl for the half hour....patience not one of our household good qualities!


Here they go making their balls. Mishapen, different sizes, every single one looks different but they still all taste delish.


They discovered the downside of skipping the "chill your mix for half an hour" part of the directions. Sticky messy hands!


Well there ya have it. No doctoring to their work has been done. Here's our gorgeous platter of snacks all shapes and sizes and I have to tell you, every family member loves them. If you love girl scout Carmel Delights, you'll love these. Give them a try, or if you choose, let your kids loose in the kitchen! These are perfect for after school snacks and we've even put them in their lunches.

I tried going GREEN

No I'm not going green using organic fabrics exclusively. I recycle as much as I can already so that's not the big change in our house. I went green in the kitchen! Green as in I tried the green smoothie recipe I'd pinned a while back. Like any household, we go through spells of resolving to add in more veggies and make an overall attempt to eat healthier. My kids are decent eaters but they definitely stay in the predictable zone of veggies they'll try. Corn, peas...you know the easy starchy ones. We've been on a smoothie kick lately ever since we got THIS kitchen gadget. Love it, works great!! Since we've been on this kick, I figured, that'd be a great place to mix things up and sneak in those things they'd normally never try.....spinach!


I grabbed all of the ingredients shown below found originally on this Skinny Taste website. but will throw in my own notes or substitutions. I didn't use Greek yogurt. I used the Yoplait light and fit vanilla yogurt just to cut down the overall calories. Love the creaminess of Greek yogurt but wanted to save on calories. I also ended up buying a can of pineapple chunks. I just have to be realistic about my shopping tendancies and buying the canned pineapple that can go on a shelf so it's there anytime I need was just a lot more practical. My grocery store didn't have anything that said light coconut milk so I just grabbed the lowest cal stuff I could find.

Skinny Green Tropical Smoothie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup light coconut milk
6 oz fat free Greek yogurt
3/4 cup fresh pineapple, cubed
1 ripe medium banana
1 cup spinach - tightly packed
2 tbsp sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/4 cups ice


I have to say, it was a great smoothie!!! It might look like split pea soup but it was great. Not quite as delish as ones we typically make filled with a lot more yogurt, using V8 splash juice for my liquid and naturally being overall sweeter but this is definitely something I'll make again. Considering how much spinach is in it, this gets 2 thumbs up. I did end up adding more ice, it wasn't the consistency I like so wanted to thicken it up. I know I'll have to get my kids over the fact that it's green but I'm certain they'll love it and I'll consider it a success we are all taking in that much spinach.

I kept a calorie tally of everything I put in. The recipe makes 2 servings, each 200 calories. Satisfying and takes the edge off the hunger pains that hit me hard mid-afternoon. When the kids get home from school this will be one of my new snacks I'm going to put into rotation to keep me from grabbing the bags of salt and vinegar chips I love so dearly!


My 2 youngest kids came home so I could get little people reviews. They seemed unenthusiastic as they asked what all was in it. I knew the color would throw them off. Happy to report, we got 2 thumbs up!

Enjoy and if you have any substitutions or additions you've used, please comment. I'm always interested in mixing things up in new ways.

The Biggest Loser Pizza

It's a family thing, we all love watching the show The Biggest Loser. It is far from what I would've guessed to be the show my kids look forward to watching with me but I have to admit it, I love it! I love that this show tees up these conversations on the importance of having a balanced lifestyle combining exercise and healthy eating. These folks who have gone on this show have decided to be real about their situation and let us watch as they aim to create a new life for themselves. It is so incredibly inspiring to watch and I'm guaranteed to cry each week as I see these folks bravely press forward!

A friend of mine sent me this funny cartoon this morning. It's something that totally made me laugh but also was a real eye opener regarding the change in how kids are growing up these days.



I know it's my job to keep this in mind and not let my kids fall into the trap of a sedentary lifestyle coupled with freezer food filled with all the stuff that's horrible for us. I'm guilty of this. We are an active family but I knew I needed to raise the bar with things we were eating. Dad travels each week for work and well, that's when I like to take a little vacation from making full dinners for the family. I'm working on changing this :) It's no excuse not to offer them something healthy.

Earlier this week we all watched this weeks installment of the show and watched the nutritionist walk them through the grocery store and she pulled out the frozen pizzas and had a short rant on them. I wanted to duck as all my kids looked at me and said, "Mommy we should stop buying those" She offered a simple idea and we decided to try them last night.

We had all the ingredients on hand so the kids and I made Biggest Loser Pizzas. Talk about easy, like no time at all and they loved them. Of course the nutritionist suggested topping them with various veggies. I figured we'd start with basic cheese pizzas and not push my luck. For our first time trying them, I want them to eat them not stare at them like I've tortured them with veggies. My youngest tends to stare at a plate with tears welling up if too many veggies lay in front of him. We had enough other good stuff so kept it simple.



We were working with what we had on hand. Whole grain tortillas and these are the larger burrito size. Some shredded part skim mozzarella cheese and then some marinara sauce. I had a partial jar still in my fridge but next time I shop, I may start paying closer attention to the sodium and sugar content in the various brands. We've always used this but we are certainly willing to check out other brands if they still taste great.


My little helpers wanted to make their own dinners. Score!! I haven't found my love for cooking yet so I like helpers and like even more they're starting to take an interest in eating healthy. Here it is, ready to go in the oven.



And voila! The tortilla wasn't super crisp through the center like you might find with a pizza but my kids absolutely loved them. I bet if I made these on a pizza pan the tortilla might crisp up a bit more but I had these on my Southern Living baking sheet. We ate these with a mixed bowl of fresh fruit and I'm feeling good knowing this was miles better than pulling that boxed pizza out of the freezer.