Resources for a Gluten-Free Life

I had been married just a couple of years when my husband's aunt was diagnosed with celiac disease. Celiac disease? Gluten? I'd never heard of either one. I remember trying to get a basic understanding of her dietary restrictions so that she could enjoy Thanksgiving with us that year. I even tried making a flourless chocolate cake so that she'd be able to enjoy something for dessert. Back then, there really weren't that many resources for a gluten-free diet. But, times have changed!

In the years since Aunt Bev's diagnosis, I've learned a lot more about celiac disease and gluten. Although my family and I don't have any food allergies that require a special diet, I've met so many people who DO have dietary restrictions. I'm so thankful that I've actually learned of several gluten-free resources in the last year or two. I love being able to pass the info onto those who have to make those lifestyle changes.

Today I thought I'd share some great gluten and allergen-free resources. Even if you don't need them, chances are you WILL meet someone who does.

• Five Easy Ways to Serve Guests on a Special Diet: Amy shares some simple ways that you can make your guests feel welcome by serving something they can actually eat.
• Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free: This is a great website with lots of refined sugar and gluten-free recipes. Amy also has a cookbook by the same name that you might want to check out too.
• The Balanced Platter: This blog is written by several contributors. At least two new recipes are posted each week. PLUS, each of the contributors has her own blog so you can find more recipes that way too.
• Diet, Dessert, and Dogs: This a primarily vegan and gluten-free blog. Ricki has lots of great information and recipes.
• Gluten & Allergen Free Expo: The Expo travels around the United States and offers classes as well as a Vendor Fair where you can try the latest products from the gluten and allergen free world. Even if an Expo won't be held near you, the website itself is a great resource of gluten-free companies. If you click on the Vendor Fair of an upcoming expo, you can see and click through to the websites of the sponsors and vendors. It is pretty amazing how many products are out there.
• Gluten- and Grain-Free Bundle of the Week: From today through next Monday, March 25th at 8am EST, you can purchase a bundle of 5 grain- and gluten-free ebooks for just $7.40. It's a great deal. Go here for more info on this bundle or sign up for the Bundle of the Week newsletter. 

Do you have a favorite gluten-free resource or product?

Easy Chocolate Fondue

Last Saturday, I went to a fondue party with ladies from my Mothers of Preschoolers group. Since I have a fondue pot, I was tasked with bringing some chocolate fondue. Well, I had never made chocolate fondue before so I had to figure out how to do it. Turns out, it really isn't that difficult. On the stovetop, a large batch takes less than 5 minutes.

I had quite a bit of leftover chocolate even though we had a pretty large turnout at the party. It got me to thinking about making fondue in smaller portions. If you have a smaller portion and eat it as a simple dessert (rather than a long, drawn out fondue event), you don't need the fondue pot.

So, I did a little experimenting with chocolate chips and cream in the microwave. It's a bit more hands-on since you have to stir every 30 seconds or so and keep checking it to make sure it doesn't boil over or burn. But, you don't have to clean out a pan and a fondue pot.

You can also add different flavorings -- extract, citrus zest, spices, or even wine. You could also make a large batch on the stovetop, divide into ramekins for serving, and then flavor each ramekin differently.

I love fondue with fresh berries -- especially blackberries -- but you can also dip pound cake, other fruits, pretzels, or whatever else strikes your fancy.

Easy Chocolate Fondue on the Stovetop

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet 60% Cacao)
1 cup heavy cream
Optional flavorings: vanilla extract, lemon zest, ground ginger, chili powder, or cabernet sauvignon

In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips until they are melted and the mixture is well blended together. Add optional flavorings to taste -- start small and then add more as needed. (I used one teaspoon of vanilla extract.) Transfer to a fondue pot and set to warm.


Easy Chocolate Fondue in the Microwave

5 - 7 Tablespoons chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
Optional flavorings: vanilla extract, lemon zest, ground ginger, chili powder, cabernet sauvignon, etc.

Put the chocolate chips and the cream in a ramekin. Put in the micowave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Remove and stir. Return to microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each heating, until the chips are fully melted and the mixture is combined. Add optional flavoring to taste -- start with very small amounts and add more as needed.

Note: I made both white chocolate and bittersweet fondue this way. I discovered that it took more white chocolate chips to get a thick enough fondue to dip. Just add more chocolate chips until you get the thickness you prefer. The white chocolate was really good with blackberries. Yum!

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For other fancy food ideas, be sure to stop by Life as MOM on Thursday for Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Making Meal Planning Easier

I have a sort of love / hate relationship with meal planning. When I actually do it, I love how much easier it makes my life. But really, I don't love the process of doing it. Instead, I usually do a vague meal plan in my head as I walk through the grocery store. Of course, inevitably I forget something and then stand in my kitchen later that week wondering what I'm going to make for dinner.

Sometimes part of my problem with planning is having inspiration for cooking. Sometimes it's not having time to plan and then needing to run to the store immediately because there is nothing to eat. I always hope to improve in this area. Just recently, I've come across a few resources for both recipe inspiration AND planning that I thought I'd mention in case you haven't seen them yet.

Printable Meal Plans from Life as MOM

• Freezer Cooking Plans - Once each month, Jessica at Life as MOM releases a freezer meal cooking plan. Based off of some recipes from her cookbook Not Your Mothers Make-Ahead and Freeze and some from her blogs (Life as MOM and Good Cheap Eats), these cooking plans include a list of recipes, a shopping list, and a step-by-step plan to create a number of meals for your freezer. She's offered THREE different ones thus far - Meals for Busy Holiday Nights, Cozy Winter Breakfasts, and Holiday Baking.

• Weekly Meal Plan - Last week, Jessica released a printable weekly meal plan that includes links to recipes (5 meals, 1 side, and 1 dessert) and a shopping list. Yeah, I'm totally going to use this plan at least one week this month. She'll be releasing more meal plans in the months to come. Yea!

Easy Meals Ebook Bundle from Bundle of the Week

Another great resource for meal inspiration is available this week! Bundle of the Week is offering an "Easy Meals" bundle of five ebooks to help make dinner time easier for busy families. These books are packed full of more than 125 easy recipes that are delicious and satisfying but don’t require a lot of prep time. Get everything from delicious slow cooker meals and main dish salads to crowd-pleasing comfort foods for only $7.40 (a savings of over 70%) for one week only. With your purchase, you'll get all five of the following ebooks:

• Crock On! by Stacy Myers
• 20-Minute Meals by Leigh Ann Dutton
• Feast in 15 by Tiffany King
• Got Dinner? by Susan Heid
• Eat This by Renee Tougas

If this bundle sounds interesting to you, don't wait. This deal is valid only until Monday, January 28th at 8:00am. You can purchase your Easy Meals Bundle here!

With all these great resources and talk of meal planning, I just might try to get back on the meal planning bandwagon. I think I need to be even more detailed in my meal planning and go beyond planning just dinner. My kids are easy to please for breakfast and lunch, so that isn't an issue for me. But, personally,  I have a difficult time making lunch for myself if leftovers aren't involved. And unlike the rest of my family, I'm not a huge fan of cereal for breakfast. So, in an effort to be kinder to my body, I just might start planning other meals for myself.

If you're looking for meal planning pages, check out Meal Planning Made Simple from Simply Sugar and Gluten Free. Amy's got some cool resources on her site too.

Do you meal plan? How do you make it easier?

Kale with Grape Tomatoes

When I was a kid, there was a field that we drove by on a regular basis. At certain times of the year, it would smell BAD. I seem to remember someone saying that they grew kale there. Kale? I didn't know what that was, but if it smelled like that, I knew I didn't want to eat it.

Well, I'm here to tell you that I've gotten over my childhood aversion to the mysterious vegetable that is kale. To be honest, I don't know if it truly was kale that they grew in the field because I haven't noticed that kale has much of a smell -- certainly not what I smelled in that field as a kid!

My current favorite way to eat kale is cooked in a little broth with some quartered grape tomatoes. I almost never buy prepared broth -- I always use water with Better than Bouillon. I love the stuff. It has wonderful flavor and comes in so many different varieties -- vegetable, chicken, turkey, beef, mushroom, PLUS certified vegan No Chicken and No Beef. I usually use chicken for this recipe, but you could certainly substitute vegetable or one of the certified vegan varieties if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Best of all, this recipe is super fast to make. It actually takes less time than cooking up some frozen vegetables, and I enjoy it so much more!


Kale with Grape Tomatoes

about 5 ounces kale, washed and cut (about 1/2 bag of Trader Joe's Kale)
olive oil
1/2 cup water plus 1/2 teaspoon Better than Bouillon soup base of your choice (vegetable, vegan, or chicken)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
kosher salt, to taste if needed

Heat about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the kale and stir. In a measuring cup, combine the water with soup base and stir to dissolve. Add the broth to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook over low heat for 4 minutes. Remove lid and add tomatoes. Cover and cook for an additional minute. Taste and add a small amount of Kosher salt if needed. Enjoy!

Cooking for Thanksgiving

Wow, how is it that Thanksgiving is tomorrow? I'm looking forward to the meal that my sis-in-law Aimee and I will be preparing. Today the girls have the day off so I hope to get them involved in the kitchen with me as we prep what we can ahead of time.

L has always loved cooking with me, but it seems like she loves it even more these days. In fact, yesterday I was going to let her watch a little PBS Kids before naptime, but the tv was on ABC when I turned it on. She didn't want me to change the channel. Was it cartoons? No, it was The Chew. My little 4-year old wanted to watch a cooking show. Today we had a repeat experience, but it was Rachel Ray this time. Maybe I should get her a cooking-themed gift for Christmas?

But, I digress...I originally wanted to just post about some of the things that I'll be making for our feast. Aimee and I will be cooking the turkey together, but we've divided up the other dishes. This is what I'm planning on making:

Dessert
Originally, I was going to make one dessert and Aimee was going to make one. Apparently, my hubby doesn't think that 2 desserts will be sufficient for 4 adults and 4 kids (under the age of 8). So, he talked me into making more. I'm not kidding, I think his family thinks that dessert is the most important part of Thanksgiving. So, I'll be making:

• Crumb Topped Apple Pie - I think that I might get the girls involved with this. I'll teach them how to make Gramma John's Pie Crust and let them help peel the apples with our apple peeler/corer/slicer. I'll freeze it today and then bake it in the morning. I think it tastes better when it's made that way.
• Pumpkin Cheesecake - I haven't made this in ages, so hopefully I'm not too rusty. And hopefully my unpredictable oven won't destroy it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Instead of individual ones, I'll make one big one.

Side Dishes

• Green Bean Casserole - Usually, I make the traditional recipe from the back of the fried onion can, but use french cut green beans instead of the regular. This year, I'm trying for a fresher, but still easy, version. Jessica omitted the fried onions, but I'm going to add them. I was planning on frying some shallots for the top, but my hubby prefered that I put that time into making another pie.
• Mashed Potatoes - I love this recipe. I usually peel my potatoes, so you actually don't need to use quite as much butter and half-and-half as this recipe states. But man, are these good!
• Bread - I'm supposed to bring the bread. I'm hoping to try the recipe for Butterhorns that is in my sister's cookbook Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze. I think I'll let the girls help me roll them up.

Whatever you end up eating tomorrow, I hope that you all have a wonderful day with your loved ones!

Lemon Gingersnap Freezer Pie

One of my all-time favorite desserts is Toffee Dream Pie. It's a simple freezer pie -- a quick no-bake crust filled with a creamy filling that you pop in the freezer. It's a great make-ahead dessert. When my sister's cookbook Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook came out last month, I heard some rave reviews for the Coconut Crunch Pie. After I read the recipe, I realized that the method was similar to Toffee Dream Pie. It got me thinking of other ways to use this freezer pie method. Trader Joe's provided further inspiration! A sample I had there last year showed me how delicious lemon and gingerbread can be together. When I saw their Triple Ginger Snap Cookies, I knew I had to try my hand at making a Lemon Gingersnap Freezer Pie. The result? Oh, the flavor is so delicious. If you want a creamier pie, allow it to thaw more. If you like an icier treat, let it thaw enough to slice it and enjoy.

Lemon Gingersnap Freezer Pie

1 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
fresh lemon juice of one small lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)
zest of one lemon
about 1 cup coarsely crushed gingersnap cookies

1. In a small bowl, combine gingersnap cookie crumbs and the melted butter. Form the crust by patting this mixture into an 8-inch pie pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of your Kitchen Aid Mixer), whip the whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Gradually add the powdered sugar and then the lemon juice. Continue whipping until soft peaks form. By hand with a spatula, fold in the lemon zest and the coarsely crushed gingersnap cookies.
3. Spoon the lemon gingersnap whipped cream mixture into the gingersnap crust. Smooth the top with a spatula. 
4. Freeze until firm. Wrap with plastic wrap and keep in freezer until serving. (If keeping frozen longer than overnight, wrap pie in foil and place in a freezer bag.)
5. To serve, remove the pie from the freezer, unwrap, and allow it to thaw for about 10 minutes to make it easier to slice. For a creamier pie, allow it to thaw longer. Return leftovers to the freezer.

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For other pie recipes, be sure to stop by Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM on Thursday.

Soup Night with Freshly Baked Herbed Bread

Now that Fall is here, we have Soup Night at least once a week. Homemade Chicken Soup and Healthier Clam Chowder are two of our favorites and make it into the rotation pretty frequently. My family gets REALLY excited about Soup Night when I serve this freshly baked Herb Garlic Bread alongside it. 

Soup and bread can be a very economical meal. It costs me less than $1 to make two loaves of this delicious bread. As for the soup, I usually don't spend more than $5 for a batch. For our family, having a weekly Soup Night is a great way to help keep our grocery budget lower. However, to make homemade bread you do need to plan ahead since the dough takes about 3 hours to prepare.

Herb Garlic Bread
slightly adapted from Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer Recipe Booklet

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour (or half all-purpose and half white whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold water
1 egg
1 teaspoon water

In a Pyrex measuring cup, heat up 1/4 cup water in the microwave until warm. Add yeast and sugar, and stir to dissolve.

In a KitchenAid mixer bowl, combine flour (or flours) with basil, oregano, thyme, and salt with the dough hook attachment. Add the yeast mixture and the cold water and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place in a greased bowl, turn dough ball to coat with oil, and cover. Allow to rise at room temperature until about doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Remove all the air bubbles by punching the down dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide into two parts, and shape each loaf into a long 12-inch loaf. Place each loaf on a parchment lined pan with plenty of space in between. Make 3 shallow slits on a diagonal across the top of each loaf.

Combine the egg and teaspoon of water in a small bowl. Brush the top of the loaves. Spray some plastic wrap with nonstick spray or oil and lightly cover the loaves. Allow to rise until doubled in size again, about 1 hour.

Brush each loaf again with egg mixture. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool loaves on wire racks.

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For other meal ideas that cost $10 or less, stop by Life as MOM for Ultimate Recipe Swap on Thursday. Also, VineSleuth Uncorked has a great ebook for Dinner & Wine for $20 or Less! Each of the recipes in the book can be made for about $5.

Free Ebook from VineSleuth

Have you heard of VineSleuth Uncorked? It's an awesome wine blog for the casual wine drinker.   

For a limited time, VineSleuth is offering the updated version of the Wine & Dinner for $20 or Less for FREE! Yes, FREE! This ebook contains 19 recipes that can be prepared for a mere $5 plus suggested wines to pair with these meals. If you're like me and have trouble locating wine at the store, the ebook also includes an index with photos of many of the recommended wines to make it easier to spot what you want on the shelves.

Stop by and check out VineSleuth and get your free copy. This offer expires on Sunday, October 7th.

Lime Ginger Ale

When I was a little girl, part of me didn't mind having the stomach flu because it meant that my mom would let me have Ginger Ale. I loved the stuff. I've always known that ginger was good for soothing an upset tummy, but apparently it has even more health benefits! Just check out these Top Ten Benefits of Ginger.

Because we're not too fond of high-fructose corn syrup at our house, I don't buy soda very often. Now that I have my own SodaStream, I like to experiment making healthier beverages. This week, I thought I'd try making some ginger syrup to make my own Ginger Ale. I took inspiration from Amy Green's recipe for Homemade Ginger Ale and Jessica Fisher's Simple Syrup to make my version. I store it in a glass flask in the fridge, and combine with sparkling water when I'm ready to enjoy it.

Lime Ginger Ale

1 cup water
1/4 cup ginger root, peeled & sliced (about a 2-inch piece)
1 cup sugar
juice of one lime (about 2 Tablespoons)
sparkling water

In a small saucepan, combine water and ginger root. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Allow to steep for about one hour. Strain the infusion, and discard the ginger slices. Rinse out the saucepan, and return the ginger infusion to the pan. Add sugar and stir to dissolve over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Add fresh lime juice and stir to combine. Cool and pour into a storage container. Store in fridge. To serve, combine sparkling water with a small amount of syrup to your desired taste.

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For other healthier recipes, be sure to check out Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free.

Quick Emergency Black Bean Chili

Growing up in California, I was prepared at a very early age for earthquakes. I felt a tremor here and there when I was young but didn't experience my first true emergency until high school when the Northridge earthquake hit. Eventhough there was damage to some of the homes in our neighborhood, our home was unscathed. We only had to live without water and power for about 24 hours. My father thought it was the greatest thing...just like the ol' days on the farm. I don't think we really had an "emergency" supply of food or anthing, but somehow we managed to eat leftovers/pantry supplies and used the grill to cook food.

Now that I live here in Virginia, I actually DO need to have some emergency food on hand. Just a couple of weeks after we moved here, Hurricane Irene hit, and a power pole on our street went down. We were without power for 5 days. In an all-electric house, that isn't much fun. No lights. No stove. No hot water. I was so thankful that I had picked up the very last camping stove at Walmart in the days before the hurricane hit. We were able to cook some food and heat water to clean the dishes.

In the year since the hurricane, we've lost power several times -- at least twice this summer. I've found myself scrambling to find something that I can cook on my campstove. This recipe is of the dump-it-in-the-pan and heat it variety. It's pretty healthy, and all the ingredients can be stored for emergencies.

Quick Emergency Black Bean Chili

1 can (15.25 oz) no-salt whole kernel sweet corn, drained
2 cans (15.5 oz) black beans, undrained
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
3 - 4 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning mix
tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, combine the canned ingredients and the water. Add taco seasoning mix, and adjust the amount according to your tastes. Simmer for about 25 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

If it's not an emergency and you actually have access to refrigerated ingredients, you can also top the chili with shredded cheese, sour cream, and avocado.

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For other healthier recipes, check out Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free. For "emergency" recipes, stop by Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM.

Chicken Scampi

If you're looking for a crowd-pleasing recipe, this is it. At least at our house, it is. My entire family loves this recipe for Chicken Scampi. Lucie calls it "the best dinner in the whole entire world!"

I was first introduced to this dish by my friend / former landlord Samantha. I'm listing the recipe as I received it from her. I don't always follow it to the letter. Honestly, I feel a little guilty using an entire stick of butter, so I usually only use 1/4 cup instead. I also might vary the amount of garlic (less) and green onions (more) depending on what I have on hand. Adjust those according to your tastes. It's a great dish to make when you've got company -- it's just as easy to make a double-batch as it is to make a single one. I nearly always serve it over egg noodles with steamed green beans on the side.

Chicken Scampi
Serves 4

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 teaspoons dried parsley
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 pound egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

Melt butter and oil in a large skillet. Add green onions and garlic, and saute. Add chicken and cook until chicken is done. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir well. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

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For other crowd-pleasing recipes, check out Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM this Thursday.

Yummy Recipes and Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

On Sunday, I decided to get busy in the kitchen and make some favorites for Brett's last night before he resumed to his law school classes. It was a lot of work, and dinner was on the table rather late, but oh was it good!

For dinner, we enjoyed Chile Enchiladas with my favorite Mexican Rice and black beans. I got this enchilada recipe from my sister, and it falls into the "Makes Me Happy" category. Honestly, this is one of my all-time favorite dinners. I don't usually make it very often since it takes a bit of time to assemble, but I enjoy each and every bite.

For dessert, we devoured homemade vanilla ice cream and Nectarine Pie with Almond Crumb Topping. I love this pie -- I think it is the almond topping really makes it so fabulous. I didn't have any whole or slivered almonds on hand so I substituted 1/2 cup of almond meal, and it worked perfectly. Brett said, "I should have a first day more often so that we get to have this pie!" and then he warned me not to eat all of the leftovers before he got home from class.

Of course, this pie also just screams for some homemade vanilla ice cream. I've played around with different recipes but this has become my go-to vanilla recipe. It makes a great base for any other add-ins, but it's perfect plain to accompany a fruit pie. Yum!

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

In a large 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine cold half-and-half with sugar and stir until combined. Add in the cold heavy cream and vanilla. Stir to combine well. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions, transfer to a storage container and allow to harden for a couple of hours in the freezer.

Easy.Homemade by Mandi Ehman

Last week I got a sneak peek at a new ebook, and I've been waiting to share it with you. Well, the wait is over! Today Mandi Ehman is releasing her latest ebook, Easy. Homemade. - Homemade Pantry Staples for the Busy Modern Family.

This book features more than 60 recipes with chapters on beverages, seasonings, condiments, pantry staples, dairy, snacks, and baking mixes. Just looking at the table of contents makes me hungry! You can even download a free sample of the book to check it out.

Right now, if you purchase Easy. Homemade. through August 21st, you'll get free printable recipe cards, the Kindle and Nook files to load onto those devices and acccess to all of the recipes from the book on PlantoEat.com. Best of all, this ebook is on sale for just $0.99! Really, you can't beat that!

Get your copy today!

Healthy Chia Oatmeal Bars

Have you heard of chia seeds? You know, like in, "Cha-Cha-Chia!" As a kid, I always thought it would be cool to have a Chia Pet. Who knew that the seeds for the Chia Pet are actually healthy for you? Maybe a lot of people know that, but I've just learned it recently. Apparently, chia seeds are considered a superfood. Just one tablespoon of chia has 3 grams of protein, nearly 3 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids, and 6 grams of fiber. So, when I was at Trader Joe's the other week, I threw a package of chia seeds in my cart. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to use them, but the package said they were good in yogurt, smoothies, salads, and baked goods.

With the school year on the horizon, I'm already thinking about how I want to tackle back-to-school lunches and afterschool snacks. Usually, I let the girls enjoy a cereal bar after Ella gets home from school. Today I decided to try making a healthier, homemade bar with chia seeds. The result? It's a slightly sweet and dense bar that's perfect with a glass of milk. Ella said that they were "extra, extra good!" It's very different from the cereal bars and granola bars that she's used to, and she still liked it. Ella was actually thrilled that it had some honey instead of sugar. I'm happy to have a new and healthy afterschool snack that she enjoys!

Chia Oatmeal Bars
adapted from The Laptop Lunch User's Guide

3 cups old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup white whole-wheat flour (I use Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil, in liquid form
1 egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients -- oats, flour, chia seeds, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients -- honey, coconut oil, egg, water and vanilla. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch pan lined with parchment paper and use a spatula to flatten. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 - 15 minutes until light brown and firm.  Cool and cut into bars.

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For other healthier recipes, be sure to check out Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free. For other afterschool snack ideas, check out Ultimate Recipe Swap this Thursday at Life as MOM.

Veggie Pancakes

Ever since I was a kid, I've loved potato pancakes. It started in Kindergarten when we were studying Hanukkah, and we got to sample some latkes. I thought they were so good that when I went home I told my mom that I wanted to be Jewish so I could eat latkes!

Over the years, I've tried my hand at making a version of potato pancakes. When I bought Laptop Lunch boxes for the girls a couple of years ago, I tried the recipe for Potato Pancakes that came in the user's manual / recipe book. The girls really enjoyed them. The book suggested making some for dinner as a side dish and serving leftovers as lunch. I thought that was an interesting idea.

Recently, I thought about potato pancakes again when I saw this recipe for Zucchini Fritters on The Balanced Platter. I decided to try altering the Laptop Lunch recipe a bit to include some zucchini and carrots. They add some extra nutrition and beautiful color. I also threw in some herbs and Parmesan cheese too. The verdict? The girls loved this version too - especially when dipped in ketchup. If you plan on serving them in a lunch box, you might want to make smaller pancakes (about 2 Tablespoons of mixture) that will easily fit into your storage containers.

Veggie Pancakes

1 zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, grated (about 1 cup)
1 potato, grated (about 1 cup)
1/c cup grated onion
3 eggs
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (or other herb)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Grate the zucchini, carrots, and potato and place in a colander. Squeeze to remove excess moisture.
2. In a bowl, combine eggs, whole wheat flour, salt and herb. Stir to combine well. 
3. Add grated vegetables and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine well.
4. Spray a griddle with oil or non-stick spray. Scoop the mixture onto the griddle in 1/2 cup amounts. Flatten out each scoop into a "pancake" and cook about 3 - 4 minutes on each side.
5. Adjust seasoning if necessary. 

For other healthier recipes, be sure to check out Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free. For other back-to-school lunch ideas, check out Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM.

Homemade Clam Chowder

Yum! I have always loved Clam Chowder. Because we don't eat out often, I rarely got to enjoy it until I learned to make my own from Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn. This great resource has a recipe for Cheesy Corn and Potato Chowder and a suggestion for transforming it into Clam Chowder. I've adapted it slightly by omitting the bacon, swapping cornstarch for flour, and using half-and-half rather than a combo of heavy cream and milk. This change makes it a little bit healthier by reducing the fat calories and still keeping the creaminess. It is oh, so good. We love to have this for dinner with homebaked bread and butter.

Clam Chowder

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt (depending on how salty your broth is)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups chicken broth (I use Better than Bouillon & water)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cans (6.5 oz) Snow's Minced Clams, drained
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (we prefer Tillamook)

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot, and saute the onion and celery with the spices for about 3 minutes.
2. In a large Pyrex measuring cup, combine the cornstarch with the broth. Whisk this into the sauted vegetables in the large pot. Add the potatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally.
3. Add the drained clams and the half-and-half. Simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes or until all the veggies are tender.
4. Add cheddar cheese, and stir until melted. Adjust seasonings if necessary. 

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For other healthier recipes, check out Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free. For other fish & seafood recipes, check out Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM this Thursday.