It is almost Easter!  

Although it is not one of our favorite holidays it is a sure sign that spring is coming and I couldn’t be more excited.

A few days ago we all decorated the house with bright colors and eggs; it is amazing how bright decorations can really bring a sense of cheerfulness into a home.



Today Liam and Hannah decorated some eater eggs and made “Easter Bunny Bait” so that the Easter Bunny will bring them their baskets tomorrow.

I found this recipe years ago and use it all the time because it is so easy and delicious.  If you need to entice the Easter Bunny to hop to your house, here is the recipe for Easter Bunny Bait.
Ingredients- (the M&M’s, peanuts, pretzels and sprinkles can be changed to other candies or have more of one than the other depending on your sweet tooth preference)

• 1 package white candy melts
• 10 cups air popped popcorn or 2 packages of micro-wave popcorn
• 1 ½ cup pastel M&M’s
• 1 ½ cup salted peanuts
• 1 ½ cup twig style pretzels, I break them in half or thirds to have more
• Multi-colored sprinkles


Instructions-
• In a large bowl mix the popcorn, M&M’s, peanuts, and pretzels.
• In a glass measuring cup microwave the candy melts, checking and stirring every 30 seconds until it is fully melted.
• Pour the melts over the popcorn mix and immediately stir coating the mixture.  Add the sprinkles and continue to mix.  Dump mixture on a flax surfaced covered with wax paper and let cool and harden.  Your Easter Bunny will like your bait!

Liam and Hannah has so much fun making the bait, although they did eat a good portion of it while mixing…
I think they had more fun getting messy and painting eggs.  We always wait until the day before the dye eggs and I always realize on that day it is a bad idea; the kids have dyed hands for Easter.  It makes for interesting photos.

Hannah, as always, got really creative using jewels, stickers and sparkles to decorate her eggs.  They were beautiful.  Liam on the other hand was dipping them and painting them with all the colors…they turned out “delightfully Liam beautiful.”  I have to laugh when they do crafts together, they are so opposite.

Hope you had fun decorating and getting ready for Easter!


Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

I often write about how to make easy dinners and breakfasts when your family is running around like crazy.  If you have young children you know that being busy is just a part of daily life.  Prepping meals before and planning ahead can be hard when your mind is running in a million different places.  When I’m really desperate I turn to my pantry and find something I can throw together. 

Coming up with recipes using beans I find in the pantry has become somewhat of an art to me.  Luckily for me unlike most kids, Hannah and Liam love beans when they are disguised well.  I’ve come up with some really good recipes that are easy and can be thrown together with those extra beans you find pantry.

I love making dinner in a skillet so my Cheesy Bean Enchilada Skillet is one of my family’s favorites, I made it tonight! 

Ingredients-
•    1 cup rice, cooked according to package directions
•    1 tbsp. olive oil
•    2 cloves garlic, minced
•    1 small onion, diced
•    1 bell pepper, diced
•    1 cup canned corn kernels, drained
•    1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
•    ¾ cup mild enchilada sauce, I used the Old El Paso brand
•    ½ cup mild green enchilada sauce, I used the Old El Paso brand again
•    ½ tsp. chili powder
•    ¼ tsp. cumin
•    ¼ tsp. oregano
•    Salt and pepper to taste
•    1 cup Mexican cheese, shredded
•    2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions-
•    In a large skillet heat the olive oil, garlic, onion, and bell pepper stir for about 2-3 minutes.  Add the rice, corn, black beans, enchilada sauces, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and stir until mixed.  Stir and cook for about 5 minutes then add the salt and pepper to taste. 
•    Remove from the heat and top with the cheese and cover until it is melted, garnish with cilantro and enjoy!

My family loves Mexican food so when I have extra beans and the “crew” doesn’t want enchiladas, Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos are always a hit. 

Ingredients-
•    2 tsp. chili powder
•    1 tsp. ground cumin
•    ¼ tsp. garlic powder
•    ¼ tsp. onion powder
•    1 tsp. sea salt
•    1 tbsp. lime juice
•    1 tbsp. olive oil
•    1 tbsp. water
•    1, 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
•    1 small head cauliflower, washed, and cut into small florets
•    Tortillas
•    Toppings of your choice, we like using jalapeños, avocado, cilantro, and salsa



Instructions-
•    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
•    Mix the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, lime juice, olive oil, water, chickpeas, and cauliflower in a bowl.  Pour the contents of the bowl on a greased baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes until the chickpeas are almost crispy and the cauliflower is crispy, stirring occasionally.
•    Assemble the tacos in the tortillas and top with your chosen toppings.  Enjoy your yummy tacos!

When I have a little more time, Double Bean Burgers with Avocado Cream are my no fail dinner that everyone will enjoy!

Ingredients for avocado cream-
•    2/3 cup sour cream
•    1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
•    10 basil leaves, finely chopped
•    ¼ tsp. salt
•    Pinch of pepper

Instructions for cream-
•    Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a fork thoroughly,  I sometimes use a food processor to really get a cream.

Ingredients for burgers-
•    1, 15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
•    1, 15 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
•    1 large egg and 1 large egg white, lightly beaten with the whole egg
•    ½ cup bread crumbs
•    3 tbsp. olive oil
•    3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
•    4 garlic cloves, minced
•    ½ tsp. paprika
•    ½ tsp. onion powder
•    ¼ tsp. salt
•    ¼ tsp. pepper
•    6 whole wheat buns, or buns of your choice

Instructions for burgers-
•    Mash the beans in a large bowl.  Add the cilantro, garlic, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. 
•    In another bowl mix the eggs with olive oil and bread crumbs.  Add the mixture to the bean mixture and combine well.  Form the mixture to 6 patties, I use my hands. 
•    Heat a skillet with about 1 tbsp. olive oil and cook the burgers until they are golden on each side. 
•    Top with avocado cream and toppings of your choice on the bun.  Enjoy!

Next time you don’t know what to make and you have a few kinds of beans in your pantry, use one of these recipes!  I am sure your family will love it!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

This weekend we celebrated the 4th of July so much, I need a vacation from the weekend.  Not only were we invited to three Fourth of July parties, we also hosted a barbeque ourselves.

Hannah is my little party planner so I would expect nothing else than her wanted to host a BBQ.  I am glad we all have the day off today to relax and have a little rest from the weekend.

On Saturday afternoon we hosted a fantastic 4th of July BBQ.  It is always such a busy time of the year with all the holiday parties and the kid’s activities.  I don’t know why I let Hannah convince me to have a 4th of July barbeque, but it turned out great.  Surprisingly she is a very good party planner, to the extent of food, decorations, and inviting people…she isn’t that good on the cleanup part yet.  :)




Hannah wanted to be part of ALL the planning for our barbeque, even though she is pretty busy with soccer.  She wanted to plan it all herself and then have us make the final decision.  She actually came up with some really great ideas for decorations and food that were easy and cheap!

She also wanted to help create a red, white, and blue menu.  She officiated “Dad” to the grilling of the burgers, veggie burgers, and corn on the cob. (Her favorites on the grill)  She found quite a few food ideas of Pinterest and made them with a little help from me.  We made watermelon, blueberry and banana kabobs, “stuffed strawberries,” and patriotic Jell-O bites.
 
On top of Hannah’s special treats she found, I also made some easy snacks and sides.  One of my good friends who is an incredible baker offered to bring a cake…I have never said no to a cake. :)

Overall it was a successful 4th of July BBQ.  Today we are laying low and recuperating from all of our weekend festivities.

I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July! :)

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

It is very important to eat a diet high in nutrients to make sure your body has the essential vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy.

Your plate should be a spectrum of bright colors.  We are naturally attracted to bright things, whether it be lush landscapes, clothing hues, bright flowers, or whatever it might be.  The foods you chose to eat shouldn’t be any different, the brighter in color the food is, the more likely it high is nutrients.

Foods that are bland colors often don’t provide as much nutrients as bright fruits and vegetables.  I taught my kids to fill their plate of color.

From when they were little, we always made sure we had at least three colors on our plate for every meal.

Liam and Hannah will even comment if our dinner or lunch is lacking in bright colors and find some fresh veggies to add to it.

Instilling good eating habits to our children is essential to their health.  Here is a list of five food color groups that are great for growing children.

• Orange fruits and vegetables are often high in vitamin A, improve immune and reproductive health, and also have anti-cancer properties.  Sweet potatoes, yams, winter squash, carrots, and apricots are all good sources of your daily dose of orange.

• Yellow fruits and veggies like squash, potatoes, bell peppers, and apples; promote skin and eye health.  They can also improve cognition.

• My favorite color, green is great for lowering the risk of cancer, improved eye health, and stronger teeth and bones.  Some of my favorite green veggies are asparagus, kale, spinach, and broccoli.

• Blue and Purple fruits and vegetables are my second favorite to eat.  Eggplant (my favorite), purple cabbage, prunes and raisins help to protect cells from being damaged and help lower the risks of heart disease, and cancer.  They also have anti-aging and brain boosting properties.

• Red fruits and vegetables like cranberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, and pomegranates contain antioxidants that benefit heart health and can help prevent some cancers.

If you have young children there was a rainbow game we used to play that can be found here.  It is a great way to get them involved with the meal and healthy choices.

I challenge you to try having three different bright colors on your plate this week.  It is not as difficult as you might thing, but the rewards will be well worth it.

Eat the rainbow.


Go green and stay keen,

Julie

There is no doubt if you have a family, budgeting is extremely important during grocery shopping.  This morning while I was shopping I ran into one of my good friends and we were joking around that feeding a family needs its own full time job to pay for it…especially growing boys.  After thinking, I realized I do a lot to budget and save a little at the check outs.


I am sure, if you have kids, you already know how to save but why not share a few of my secrets in case you don’t already use them. :)

•    Buying in season and at the farmers market is a lifesaver for me.  It is a great way to get fresh fruits and produce and to save a few dollars.  Buying straight from the farmer or farm cuts down on the transportation costs and also minimizes the harmful emissions from big trucks.  Shopping at the farmers marketing is an experience in itself, full of vibrant foods, interesting people, and plenty of laughs.



•    Instead of getting fancy “super foods” find your own super foods and concoct a super food recipe.  Social media, the news, and word of mouth spreads food hype so quickly it is hard to know what is actually true and what is just made up to make a little extra money.  There are so many wonderful foods that are readily available for a low costs that are high in nutrients.  Skip the hype and go for something that has lasted the test of time.

•    I never skip the frozen section at the grocery store.  Fruits and vegetables that are in the frozen section are always in season.  Because most of these products are picked and frozen during their peat ripeness, they retain all their nutritional values.  They also go on sale more frequently than fresh products, so stock up.

•    Skip the name brand and chose the store brand.  I know there are those products and brands you can give up, but does it really matter what kind of pasta it is or what brand the olive oil is.  Save a few cents goes a long way when you’re shopping every week.  To make sure I am getting a good quality store brand I always make sure the check and compare the ingredients list.  Sometimes the store brand is even healthier!

•    Coupon!  I don’t mean like “Extreme Couponing” but going on the stores website or browsing a paper before heading to the store can help schedule meals during the week in accordance to what is on sale.  Many stores accept competitor’s coupons and online coupons presented on your smart phone to save on paper.

Saving a few extra bucks a week on groceries can go a long way when you are saving up for college tuition.  What are your grocery saving tricks?

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

Happy Valentine’s Day cyber world!  Today is such a wonderful day, you can’t go anywhere without feeling the love in the air.  I love Valentine’s Day because it celebrates one of the greatest gifts of life, love.  I love my husband, but instead of sneaking off today and doing our own thing we decided to have a family Valentine’s Days.  Our kids have allowed us to grow and fall in love even more and I fall deeper in love with my husband and my children every day. 



This morning my husband and I woke up early and made heart shaped pancakes with pink and red M&M’s in them for Hannah and Liam.  We surprised them with their first breakfast in bed.  They thought it was so great they didn’t have to get dressed to have breakfast. :)  It was fun being sly with my husband to surprise the kids.  I don’t know why we didn’t think about doing stuff like this before.




After breakfast and the kiddo’s finally got out of bed and got dressed we went to the park to play a game of Frisbee and have a picnic lunch.  It was fun getting out and being active on such a beautiful day.  We may have ruined a few couples romantic park setting by running around and whipping the Frisbee around, but we sure had a fabulous time.

A few hours later and we were exhausted and ready for our picnic.  Liam and Hannah thought it was funny that we were one of the only families in the park and the rest were couples.  They picked out a spot in the middle of the big clearing where there weren’t that many couples.  We sat there for almost two hours laughing, making duck faces, and rolling down the hill.  I don’t know what got into the kids and my husband they were so silly. 

We made it back to the house late in the afternoon and the kids, including my husband, fell asleep on the couches watching a movie while I made dinner.  I made some spaghetti with garlic bread and a delicious Valentine’s Day cake for desert.  By the time I was done cooking all my children woke up, set the table, and we had a fabulous dinner.


We concluded our family Valentine’s Day with a competitive game of sorry and apples to apples.  Today has easily been one of the best Valentine’s Day I have ever had.  Spending time with my three loves was so special and it definitely was a laugh filled day.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie