Simple ways to add a little extra protein to your diet...

   

      Since the whole "spilling ketones" incident a week ago, I've had to turn my attention to increasing the amount of protein that I am eating. I never considered myself to have "eating problems," but since I still have some nausea issues, I must not be getting all of the nutrients my body and the baby need (yes, 21 weeks and still some nausea). Now, I have to make sure I am eating some kind of protein every 2-3 hours and drinking plenty of fluids. So, here are some of the simple ways I've increased the protein in my diet.

Morning: 1 of the following (if I'm really hungry, some times 2 of the following)
-2 Greek Yogurts (Oikos Raspberry is my favorite flavor)
    I, personally, love the flavor of Greek Yogurt (I know some hate it), but I also
    like that it has double the amount of protein a normal cup of yogurt has.
   That's nearly 30 grams of protein to start off your day!

-3 eggs (scrambled, and some times I even make an egg sandwich with honey wheat
              bread and a slice of cheese)
     That's 18 grams of protein for the eggs alone (not counting cheese if I make a
      sandwich)
-Bowl of Oatmeal
      I'm a mom, so I normally just buy the instant oatmeal packets since I don't have a
      ton of time to make breakfast.
      Oatmeal actually does not have a ton of protein (4-5 grams), but it does fill you
      up for the day.

Mid-Morning Snack: 1 of the following
-Protein bar: I will buy just about any brand (I always look at what's on sale that day)
       I only buy them if they have at least 15 grams of protein, usually they have 20
       or more.
-Raspberry (or any frozen berry) Chocolate Chip protein shake
      I will include a recipe below for the recipe.
      It comes out to about 30 grams of protein per 1 shake.

Lunch: 1 of the following, unless I'm out and about
-Chicken tenders: Yes, I do buy the frozen kind, Banquet is usually the brand we go
            with. It's not the healthiest option, but it's quick and no the worst option for
            lunch.
            1 serving size is about 15 grams of protein.
-Salad with chicken: If I am out and about, this is usually my go to lunch. My favorite
       place is Panera Bread for their Chicken Avocado Salad.
        Depending on the amount of chicken comes on the salad, there's anywhere
        between 15-30 grams of protein.
-Sandwich
      Could be chicken salad (29 grams of protein), peanut butter (8 grams of protein),
      or turkey (25 grams of protein)

Mid-Afternoon Snack: 1 of the following
-Cheese and crackers: My favorite cheese is Colby jack on the block
      1 slice has about 5 grams of protein (I usually have about 5-6 slices)
-Protein bar: We've already been though that :)
                     15-25 grams of protein
Dinner: 1 of the following
-Chicken  breast and a green vegetable (broccoli, asparagus, spinach, green beans, or
                 peas) about 30 grams of protein
-Spinach and cheese quiche 20 grams of protein per piece
           My recipe is in a previous blog: http://mommyvlog865.blogspot.com/2014/11/some-great-and-easy-ways-to-sneak.html

-Pork tenderloin and a vegetable
           I normally create a glaze with about  3 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons or
           Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 2 teaspoons of rosemary (I
           crush it up a little in my hand)
           About 22-25 grams of protein

This is not strictly all I ever eat, but this give you an idea on how to add a little more protein to your diet.

Raspberry (or any frozen berry) Chocolate Chip Shake
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt (I prefer vanilla) (about 15 grams of protein)
- 1 scoop of protein powder (15 grams of protein per scoop) I use EAS brand.
-1/2 cup of chocolate chips
-1 cup of frozen berries
when you use the frozen berries, you don't need to use ice
Blend in the blender until thoroughly blended
You cannot taste the powder, I swear!

                                    Image from: www.52kitchenadventures.com
                                              But it look's a lot like mine!

{Healthy} Stuffed Bell Peppers

        

Image from: www.finecooking.com       

 

          One of my favorite "go to" meals is stuffed bell peppers. My original recipe is not an unhealthy version. However, I have found a few healthier alternatives that would please even the pickiest eaters. Not only is it a simple to follow recipe, but it also is one you can throw together in about 30 minutes.{Great for a mid-week dinner option. Even better, if you plan ahead a little.} Plus, if you get the pepper on sale, it's relatively cheap. {Usually, under $15 for 6 servings!}

         Normally, I will use all green bell pepper since they are always cheaper than the colorful options. If I see the yellow, orange, and red bell peppers are on sale, I become giddy with excitement and buy plenty for my recipe. {Yes, a sale on bell peppers will make me giddy.} This past week, the colorful pepper were on sale at my Kroger for $1 a piece. They still are not cheaper than green peppers, but I love how cooking with the colored peppers make me cheery. So, I splurged and bought 6 {Yes, 6} of the colorful bell peppers {2 in each color}. Now, below I will post the recipe for my original recipe. Then, below that, I will post suggestions for the even healthier alternative options.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 15-20 mins

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:

-6 bell peppers

-1 lb of sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Regular)

-2 boxes (or the equivalent, which would be 12 oz) of Long Grain Wild Rice

 (I use Uncle Ben's Original Recipe. Plus, it already comes with all the flavoring you need.)

-1 cup of shredded Colby Jack cheese (This is my favorite. You can use any cheese you like.)

*You can add a can of diced tomatoes. I would suggest draining the liquid off, so the liquid ratio is not messed up while the rice cooks. Most people do, but I don't add the tomatoes.*

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Wash the outside of the bell peppers well and dry off. Cut open the top of the pepper {Like you cut open a Jack-O-Lantern}. Clean out all the seeds inside the pepper. {Then, I usually cut the top pieces back to the stem, dice the extra pepper, and add it to the rice mixture.} Place peppers, upright, in an oven safe dish. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, brown the sausage. If it produces very little grease, keep it. If it produces more than about a tablespoon, drain off the excess grease. {You can use the grease it renders as your oil for the rice.}This is when you add the diced bell pepper pieces. Let them cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. In the same pan, cook the rice according to the package instructions. Once rice is ready, pour into the emptied bell peppers until you reach the top of the pepper. Top the pepper with the shredded cheese, and put in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. {The cheese should be totally melted.} Enjoy!

*Sometimes, as an extra surprise, I add about a tablespoon of shredded cheese down inside the pepper before adding the stuffing.*

**Healthy Alternatives**
-You can replace the sausage with either lean ground beef or ground turkey.
-You can replace the Wild Rice with either brown rice or quinoa.
*If you use one of the substitutes, you will need to add the following seasonings to the stuffing mixture just before stuffing the peppers.*
      -2 teaspoons of garlic powder
      -1 teaspoon of dried parsley
      -1 teaspoon of onion powder
      - 1 teaspoon of powder or bullion cube of chicken bullion {add when water is added for the rice
            or quinoa}
      -salt and pepper to taste




Finished Product:

Best alternative to Mayonnaise...

      While making my turkey sandwich for lunch today, I decided that I should try to make it as healthy as possible. Personally, I prefer to make sandwiches with bread. I know making a wrap with either a tortilla shell or lettuce leaf is ultimately the healthiest option. However, I'll stick with my usual honey wheat bread. I added some spinach and fresh tomato. As I was reviewing the best way to make my sandwich healthy, I remember that I had purchased a ton of avocados at the store the other day. {Kroger had them on sale!} So, I decided to make an avocado spread to put on my sandwich instead of mayonnaise. I knew Jimmy John's has a killer avocado spread on some of their sandwiches, so I figured I can keep that in mind as I made it. My spread was not a perfect match, but it definitely did not disappoint! So, here's the recipe:

Avocado Sandwich Spread
Yields: 1 1/2 cup {approx. 3 sandwiches worth}
Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

1 avocado, ripe
1- 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice {depends on how thick or thin you prefer your spread}
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4-1/2 salt and pepper {season to taste}

Directions:
Place all ingredients into blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Apply to sandwich. ENJOY! :)

       {I'm not a professional photographer, but I think this sandwich looks pretty darn yummy}

If you truly are what you eat... Then, I am a Sweet Shop...

       It's no secret that I am trying to eat healthier, and get into better shape than I currently am in. I would say that I do not eat super unhealthy {as you can see by most of my other recipe posts}. However, I do have a super weakness for sweets. I could "eat clean" all day, but if you put a cupcake in front of me... IT WILL GET EATEN. Clearly, it has not gotten totally out of control, just yet. Most of the time, if I am having a huge sweets craving, I will have a few pieces of a Hershey's Dark Chocolate and Almond bar. Which isn't really all that unhealthy if you look into the health benefits of dark chocolate. I've tried holding out on having any desserts until the weekend and just have "cheat days." Well, what normally happens is that I make up an excuse. An example of one of my MANY excuses is: "Well, It's Thursday. It's almost the weekend. I can have just 1 {or 2 or 3} cookie(s)." So, my newest goal for my health journey is to cut back on my sweets, and if I get to really craving something sweet, I will find a healthier alternative.
     I do want to make sure I state that I am not actually dieting to lose weight. I am trying to change what my "ideal" eating lifestyle is {Cake, cookies, and sweets}, to more healthier eating habits. I know {as pretty much everyone else knows}... Just changing what you eat, and not doing more, like some kind of exercise, will only allow for limited results.  I do have an ultimate goal to change to a more healthy lifestyle altogether. For now, I'm just pleased with the baby steps I've taken so far. Due to my many unfortunate health issues, it will be very small baby steps. I will get there, eventually.

{6 Tips} on How to get your toddler to eat

        Let me start with this... My nearly 3 year old is one of the most difficult children that I have ever met when it comes to eating. I hate to use the term "picky" in reference to him. He will usually try just about anything once. Plus, there are days he eats me nearly out of house and home. Then, there are days I'm fairly certain he has only eaten like 3 crackers and drink his "food" in cup form (aka milk).  I have a previous post about this because it's been the biggest challenge with him since he's began eating. I am always struggling trying to find a way to get him to eat. I've read numerous articles about how to get a toddler to eat food. Here's the best things I have found work for him....

1. Offer Choices
As we do, children also "eat with their eyes." If their plate does not look appetizing even to you, then more than likely they will not want to eat it. The best "fix" for this, give them a few things to chose to eat. The healthier the options, the better. I've use little 6 count muffin tin several times and given Braeden about 3-4 different things to eat. I, also, try to make sure most of his food options have mobility. If he can grab-and-go with his food he will usually eat a little more. {Note: Too many options may be overwhelming. I'd suggest only 4 options at the most.}

                                           Image from: wedishnutrition.wordpress.com

2. Find Their Favorites
If it seems like you are at your wits end with finding something your toddler will eat, try the "choices tip from #1" and see if you can find a few things they tend to lean towards. I always try to offer healthy options, but some of my sons favorite things to eat are not always so healthy. His favorite thing to eat is chicken, more specifically, chicken nuggets. However, I have given him turkey, carrots, celery, and broccoli so much they are some of his favorite things to eat too. If you find 1 or 2 things you child seems to gravitate toward, make sure that is included with the food options you offer; then, offer a "plus 1" new item. The key is for them so see things they like, and then venture and try some of the new things you have put there for them.

3. Find Meals You Can Fix
Create meals the whole family can eat together using some of their favorite foods. Example: My son loves chicken, and he seems to like broccoli pretty well. So, the other night, we all had baked chicken with broccoli for dinner. When your child sees you eating the same food they are eating, it can reassure that "if it's good enough for you,  then, it's good enough for them." Hopefully, this will prompt them to try more the food you are eating. Plus, it helps them learn to eat around normal meal times.

4. Show them Food can be Fun
-Become creative with their food. Cut sandwiches into interesting and familiar shapes. Point it out to them that their sandwich is shaped like Mickey Mouse or a star. It's easy to take almost any cookie cutter and apply it to their food.
-Let them get involved with making their food. Obviously, keep them safe. However, they love to eat the food they have helped prepare. Sometimes, just letting Braeden watch me fix the food is enough for him to feel "involved."
-Use interesting plates or containers to hold their food. Find them a special plate or table for them to use. Make their plate a big deal to them so they get excited to eat with it.

Image from: sharemyworld.org

5. Do Not Force It
The last thing you want to do is make this such a traumatic issue that your child resents eating. They could grow to hate meal times and make their eating issue a problem. I do occasionally find myself asking him to eat a few more bites before he can go play. However, I do pay attention so see if he is really interested in eating at that particular time. If he seems to not really be hungry, forcing him to eat more food or finish his plate can cause negative eating habits in the future. It can lead to obesity if they grow up thinking the must always finish their plate. Additionally, there could be an underlying reason they do not want to eat their food. It could be a texture issue, and if you force them to keep eating, it could lead to them vomiting. {And no one wants to deal with vomit!}

6. Keep it Accessible
My little man is constantly on the go. Trying to stop him to make him eat is nearly impossible, and usually just results in him refusing to eat. The best thing I have found to do is: Let him know it is time to eat, Find a place that he can reach his food easily, and Leave it there for only about 1-2 hours. I always inform him when its lunch time or dinner time. Then, I set his food somewhere he can reach it. Usually, I place it on a table that is his level or on a couch cushion. Then, I will leave it there for him to 'grab-n-go.' Sometimes, I even find that turning on his favorite cartoon show while he is eating will help distract him while he's eating, and it usually results in him eating more than usual.


I truly hope some of these tips really do help you. I know first hand just how stressful it can be having a toddler that seems to never really eat (or eat like you would like them to). As long as their weight is not in a concerning percentile {and trust me the Dr. will let you know it if is}, try these tips and just keep plugging along. Toddlers will typically grow out of this problem.  The fact that you are reading this article about how to get your toddler to eat better, means you are a good mother. Don't let people make you feel inadequate since your toddler does not eat as much as they feel they should. Just as most people say, it does get better.

Healthy Summer Salad

           I'm always thrilled when I can find a recipe that does not require actual cooking, especially in the Summer. It keeps the kitchen and the house from getting too hot. Trust me, there is nothing worse than a super hot house in the Summertime. I saw this idea on Pinterest, and as usual, I added my own spin to this recipe. I tried this recipe out on the family again, and everyone approved. With Independence Day (aka 4th of July) coming up, this is a great recipe for entertaining. Your family and guests with love it. It's so light and healthy, you can't feel guilty eating it.

Here's the recipe:

Healthy Avocado, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad
Serving Size: 6-8
Prep Time: 15 min  Suggested chill time: 15-20 min

Ingredients:
-1 ripe Avocado, diced and put in a separate container and toss in 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice to slow down browning.
-2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
-1/2 red onion, diced {if you set the diced red onion in a bowl of cold water, and let soak for 10-15 minutes prior to making dish, it will remove some of the strong raw onion flavor.}
-1 Pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on the size)
-Crumbled Feta or "Fresh" Mozzarella pearls (I prefer the mozzarella pearls.)
-1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon of parsley flakes (I prefer fresh parsley, but was out the day I made this. It is just as great with parsley flakes.)
-1 Tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar
-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
-1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper

Instructions: *First of all, if you are not serving this salad right away, do not dice the avocado. Wait until right before you serve this salad to dice it and add to the salad... because, even with tossing it into lemon juice, it will brown eventually.* Now, for the rest of the instructions... Take the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta or mozzarella and place into a serving dish of your choice. My favorite kind of serving dishes are usually my white Corning Ware. {Quick note}... in the picture, you will see I used the mozzarella pearls instead of the feta crumbles. The original recipe on Pinterest calls for feta. I am not a huge fan of feta, so I substituted that with the mozzarella and it was still fabulous. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the vegetables. In a small separate bowl, I mixed the parsley, red wine vinegar, and olive oil together. Then, I poured it over the salad, and tossed it all together. I, personally, feel the salad should chill and "rest" in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. This allows all the vegetables to marinade in the dressing and develop the flavor. When, you're ready to serve the salad, add the diced avocado and toss to combine with the vegetables and dressing. Serve and Enjoy!

Healthy Dessert? Yes Please!!!! Wait unitl you hear the special ingredient in this Chocolate Pudding...

        So... this eating healthy thing is hard for some {aka: me}. I used to eating something sweet or a dessert after dinner. It's probably the worst habit I have. I'm not dieting, but I'm trying to eat healthier. Not just for me, but I'm breastfeeding my baby girl. I know if I'm eating healthy, it benefits her as well. All that being said, I needed to find a way to get my "sweet fix." I'm hoping to find more recipes for you all that are just a great as this one. Now, when I tell you what it is... have an open mind. It's super good!!! My mother, toddler, and husband all approved it. They said it was great. My husband ate it without even knowing what was in it {hehehe}. Ok, so it's Avocado Chocolate Pudding. Yes, I'm still on this Avocado kick... but this was surprisingly delicious. I plan to make more and more of it.

Here's the recipe:

Avocado Chocolate Pudding
Serving size: 4-6

2 ripe avocados
1 tablespoon of Chocolate Hazelnut spread (I used Nutella.)
1-2 tablespoon of honey (It depends on how sweet you prefer it. I always prefer using local honey.)
1/4 cup of cocoa powder (I used Hershey's. You can use the regular or the dark chocolate kind.)
1/4-1/2 cup of low fat milk, coconut milk, or almond milk (I used almond milk.)

The easiest way to prepare this pudding is by putting all the ingredients, except the milk, into a food processor. Blend them together, and slowly add the milk. I would only start with 1/4 cup of milk, and then add more until the texture is how you like it. I like mine to be a little bit thinner than mousse texture. You can serve right then, but I suggest letting it chill (covered if possible) for at least 30 minutes. I topped mine with chopped almonds.