Muffin Tin Monday--Kebabs

For more information on Muffin Tin Mondays, or to join in the fun, click on the button above or visit Michelle's blog at Her Cup Overfloweth.

Well, I didn't really have any "Kebab" type food, so I just used what I had available. And, instead of using skewers, I used toothpicks. I made this for my son's dinner last night (Sunday). From top left to bottom right I have cheese and meatball kebabs, pizza bite kebabs, sweet potato and broccoli kebabs, and of course, banana kebabs. I am sure you already know which one my son enjoyed the most... Bananas! He touched all of the foods to his mouth, then would spit out the ones he didn't like... *sigh*! I'm hoping maybe some of the nutrients from the meat, cheese, and veggies got into his system just from that small time of being in his mouth... even just a tiny bit! Oh well, I tried! :)

Enjoy!

Muffin Tin Monday--Kebabs

Farmer's Market Challenge

In case you hadn't noticed, I've been in a blog funk over the last few days. I've been having some health problems and I've been a little down and haven't felt like doing much of anything. Sorry, everyone.

But, nothing a trip to the farmer's market can't fix!

Here's my entry for the September Farmer's Market Challenge. For more information on the Farmer's Market Challenge, or to join in, visit Judy's blog at The Road to Here.

We went to a different farmer's market near our house on Tuesday. A nice little indoor one in Mesa, AZ. It was nice to go inside-- out of the heat! :) Notice the sign? "Chilies roasted daily!" Mmmm...

Here are some beautiful Hatch Green Chiles. I wanted to take some home, roast them, then stick them on a hamburger with some bacon and cheese. Hubby didn't feel like grilling in this heat. Maybe next time.

Look how ginormous these yams are! They must be the "real" type of yams... not just sweet potatoes!

Even the squashes were huge! My local supermarket has acorn squashes that are much smaller than these!

Here begins my usual search for delicious goodies... We found these Golden Caramel Corn Nuggets. They taste like caramel popcorn, but without the kernels getting stuck in your teeth. Think "cheese puffs" with caramel instead of cheese.

My favorite sections... jams, jellies, preserves, and butters.... Mmmm!

Not only are these jams and jellies cute... they're delicious! :)

Our yummy loot. Yep, we by-passed the produce and just got sweets! ;) Caramel corn nuggets, blueberry jam, jalapeno pepper jelly, and apple butter. Mmmm! The blueberry jam is to die for! Spread some cheesecake-flavored cream cheese on a graham cracker, top with blueberry jam... tastes just like a blueberry cheesecake! My new indulgence!

Farmer's Market Challenge

Muffin Tin Monday--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

For more information on Muffin Tin Mondays, or to join in, click on the button above.

This week's theme was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, from the children's book by Judi Barrett, and now there's a movie coming out in its honor. The movie looks really fun, but I just don't think my son could sit through a whole movie yet, so we'll probably wait until it comes out on DVD. I do remember the book, though. It was fun flipping through the pages to find ideas for this meal, and also reminiscing about the first time I read the book... I think one of my teachers read it to the class. It was fun and exciting when I was a kid, and now that I'm a mama, it is fun to be able to read books like this to my son. I am so glad he loves to read! So, if you haven't read the book in a while (or ever... gasp!), go read it for yourself or to your kids. It's really a cute, imaginative story, and makes for a great food theme! You could probably have an entire party based on this book! I'll just explain what my foods are from the book. Pretty much anything was fair game, since all different types of food were pouring from the sky. From top left to bottom right... I have mashed potato clouds with peas, bananas (this was my "I don't have anything else to put in this tin" tin), a cup of milk (since it would rain juice or milk from the sky), meatballs... gotta have 'em, spaghetti, and broccoli. I don't know if anyone else noticed this about the book, but why is it when the "storm" comes, all the foods that are good for you end up being the "bad guys"? Why do broccoli and brussels sprouts always get such a bad rap? I think they are both delicious if cooked the right way! Anyways, that's my 2 cents. This was another fun muffin tin meal to make for my son, but he only ate the bananas, meatballs, and spaghetti... and, of course he drank his milk. I guess 4 out of 6 is progress... :) Enjoy!

Muffin Tin Monday--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Chicken and Roasted Tomatoes

I guess I'm having a "food" week... I've been posting mostly recipes this week! :) This dinner was inspired by a half-dozen tomatoes that I didn't know what to do with. My father-in-law is always bringing us food when he comes to visit us, and most of the time he brings too much! It is very sweet of him, I know. But, this week I had six tomatoes, and no idea what to do with them... as they were continuing to ripen on my counter. There wasn't quite enough tomatoes for a soup, plus I didn't have tomato paste. So, I searched online and found a delicious recipe from Ina Garten from Food Network. Mmmm... roasted tomatoes. My hubby was a little annoyed that the roasting was a little "smoky" from the oil, etc. But, they tasted so good, so I think he forgave me. ;) I was actually thinking of making a chicken cacciatore, but most of the recipes I found called for a big can of tomatoes, and that just wasn't going to work for me... So, after I borrowed Ina's roasted tomato recipe, I did my own thing with them. The tomatoes are so good just by themselves. Roasting them with the oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic really gives them a whole new flavor, and they were delicious mixed with the chicken and pasta. This meal is actually two recipes, combined later. You can serve the chicken and tomatoes over pasta or rice, or just eat them plain! Ina's recipe called for 12 tomatoes, but since I just had 6, I halved the recipe. Enjoy!

Serves 2 to 3

Ina Garten's Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed

2 tbsp good olive oil

3/4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note: I didn't roast my tomatoes all the way, since I knew I was going to be cooking them further along with the chicken. But, they were still delicious!

My Easy Chicken Recipe with the addition of Ina's tomatoes:

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp low-sodium chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook chicken in skillet for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place chicken on a separate plate. Return skillet to heat, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until slightly browned. In the meantime, cut chicken and roasted tomatoes into big chunks or cubes. Return chicken to skillet, cooking until no longer pink. Add broth, Italian seasoning, and tomatoes, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes or until all flavors are combined.

Chicken and Roasted Tomatoes

Chicken Salad Mini Pitas... Makeover

So, I made some Chicken Salad for my son a while back, and I wanted to do something different this time. I got some ideas online, but ended up doing my own thing. I think it tasted better than my first recipe. My son enjoyed it too! Things I like about this recipe: I really like using the mini pitas because they're the perfect size for his little hands! I like that when the chicken salad is put with some kind of bread, pasta, or grain, it makes a complete, well-rounded meal. You have grain, protein, veggies, and fruit in this recipe! I also like that it is relatively easy to make since you put most of the ingredients in the food processor. If you are used to a chunkier chicken salad, you don't have to use the food processor. You can just chop up your ingredients to the size you prefer, or only pulse a couple of times using the food processor. :) 

Ooh! I almost forgot... I also mixed some of this salad with some pasta and my son loved it that way too! 

Enjoy! 

Makes about 2 cups 

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 apple, peeled and cored

1/2 cup celery

1 carrot, shredded

1-1/2 tbsp mayo

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning*

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg*

1/8 tsp garlic powder*

1/8 tsp onion powder*

1 tbsp orange juice (lemon juice would be good here too)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken breast as desired. I put mine in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and I sprinkled it with the dried spices. Once chicken is cooked, let it cool, then chop it. Also chop apple and celery. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you achieve your desired consistency. Cool salad in the fridge until ready to serve. You can also serve this warm. You can serve this as a sandwich, in pitas, as a wrap, or mixed with pasta or rice. 

*Note about spices: You can use any spices you like, or none at all and it will still taste good. I don't really measure my spices when I add them, so the measurements listed are approximate. I usually just do a sprinkle or a pinch here and there, until I think it tastes good. ;) 

Chicken Salad Mini Pitas... Makeover

Easy Bean Salad

So, I'm sure all you bloggy friends that follow me and my recipes will get sick of hearing me say this, but here it goes again... The other day I was trying to create something that I knew my son would eat... but, it had to have some protein and veggies mixed in it somehow. Well, earlier this summer, we had gone to a little sandwich shop, and they had a bean salad served along with their sandwiches. My son absolutely loved it! So, I knew I had to try and create something similar. Well, I don't know what they put in theirs, but I think they had tomatoes, and some other veggies mixed with Cannellini beans and a simple dressing. I was unable to completely recreate their recipe, but this one was super quick and easy to make. The best part was... both my son and my husband loved it! :) I think next time I'll try making my own dressing, and maybe adding cilantro and tomatoes. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 can Cannellini beans (white beans), drained, rinsed and dried

1 carrot, shredded

1 zucchini, shredded

2 tbsp Italian dressing (or to taste)

Pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and stir to combine. Serve and enjoy, or refrigerate and serve later! :)

Easy Bean Salad

Thank you, Julia and lululu!

So, the other day, I was catching up on my comment love, and was visiting lululu's lovely blog when I saw that she had posted Julia Child's recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon. Well, I have no way of knowing if it's really her recipe or not, since I don't own Julia's book yet, so I just took lululu's word for it. ;) Nevertheless, I was excited to see the recipe, having recently seen the movie Julie & Julia. Of course, the meal looked delicious in the movie, so I really wanted to try it! So, try it I did, and it is a delicious recipe! I think this may have been one of the best meals I've ever made! Either that or I was really hungry after taking the time to make this. I won't lie... it takes a long time to prepare... but, the directions are easy to follow, and it is so worth it! My husband loved it too, and he even had a stuffy nose that night! So, since I didn't come up with this recipe, I'm sending you over to lululu's blog to check it out. I only added one thing extra to this... a few leaves of fresh sage, finely chopped, in addition to the other herbs. Probably my three favorite herbs for turkey, chicken or beef are thyme, rosemary and sage... and I love using them together! Plus, they're readily available in my backyard garden! :) I served the beef over some homemade garlic mashed potatoes. Sorry, no recipe for these either, I just added some milk, sour cream, garlic and salt to the flavor and consistency that I wanted. 

Enjoy!

Thank you, Julia and lululu!

Farmer's Market Challenge

I am participating in Squirrel Queen's Farmer's Market Challenge today! For more information, or to join in, check out her blog! 

Our local farmer's market is closed for the season... probably because it is SOOO hot here! And, my backyard "garden" is looking pretty shabby right now too. So, we went to a farmer's market about 30 minutes from our house. This one was in Ahwatukee, AZ. It was pretty small, and very hot! We didn't stay very long since we had our son with us, and we were all sweating after 5 minutes of being outside at 9 am. I SO wish we had nicer weather and bigger farmer's markets like in California!

But, they did have some lovely produce. The tomatoes looked so beautiful, and I was secretly jealous, since my tomatoes didn't turn out very good this year. My son sampled some yummy watermelon, and we ended up taking a few things home. 

Here's our loot: Some delicious Banana Nut Granola from Gourmet Granola, a butternut squash, and some really good salsa from Lil' Sassy's Salsa. My son and I immediately started snacking on the granola, and my hubby started munching on some tortilla chips and salsa! So yummy! Check out their websites if you're interested! 

There were also some crafters at the farmer's market, and I got some more ideas for things I can make for my son. ;)

I can't wait till the weather is cooler so we can visit the farmer's market more often! Hurry up, fall!

Farmer's Market Challenge

Muffin Tin Monday--People and Faces

I made this muffin tin meal for my son on Sunday evening. So, since I have been a little unsuccessful in getting my son to eat his 6-cup muffin tin meals, I decided to go back to doing 4-cup meals. Also, I really didn't know what to do with this theme, so it's not super creative. I don't know how to make actual people's faces out of food, so I just stuck with smiley faces. From the top left to the bottom right... I have spaghetti with "red hair" (pasta sauce), carrot eyes, and red pepper mouth; ham with cheese eyes and mouth; yogurt with granola hair, blueberry eyes, and apple mouth; and toast with cheese hair, and fried egg eyes and mouth (kind of like a "toad in the hole"). So, the last one didn't turn out the way I envisioned it, but it was close enough... Yet again, my son only ate the yogurt and fruit. But, he did have 3 days of protein-packed meals, so I didn't feel so bad. The toast/egg smiley face was yummy (I ate it since my son refused it)... and now my hubby wants me to make him one for breakfast! See? Muffin tin meals are fun for all ages... ;) 

Enjoy!

Click on the button above for more information about Muffin Tin Mondays, or check out Michelle's blog at Her Cup Overfloweth. 

Muffin Tin Monday--People and Faces

Muffin Tin Monday

Since there was no theme for Muffin Tin Monday this week, I just did my own thing... My son ate his muffin tin meal on Sunday for lunch. I had made some Pumpkin-Banana Muffins that morning, so I decided to fill a cup with one of them (stay tuned for a muffin recipe later this week). I also made some spinach and ricotta filled tortellini (the easy packaged kind) with pasta sauce, and some dinosaur-shaped quesadillas. In the second row, there are some dino-nuggets, chopped apples, and bunny crackers. My son enjoyed three out of the six cups this week. I bet you can probably guess which ones... 

Yep... Muffin, apples, and crackers. Great lunch! Oh, well... I tried... 

I enjoyed his leftovers... :)

Have a great week, everyone!

For more information on Muffin Tin Monday, visit Michelle's blog at Her Cup Overfloweth, or click on the button above. 

Muffin Tin Monday

Savory Sweet Potatoes

Hey everyone! This is a re-post from before I had followers. I figured this would be easiest since I am not feeling well. Sorry. Hoping to be back to normal soon. Enjoy!

My family LOVES sweet potatoes! I found a recipe for roasted root veggies in my Cooking For Baby cookbook (see April 2nd post), but I do it a little different. Sometimes I add carrots to my mix, but since my son (and husband) love the sweet potatoes, I usually only use them. It is a very simple recipe and very yummy! And when they're done (and cooled down), they make a great finger food for your toddler (or a practice "fork-stabbing" food), or a side dish for the family! We love the sweet, but salty/peppery taste of them!

Ingredients:

2 to 3 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 to 2 tbsp olive oil (depending on the amount of potatoes)

1 to 2 tbsp snipped fresh rosemary, minced (thyme also works good)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray. Place prepared potatoes on tray, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper and herbs over potatoes. Stir potatoes so that they are evenly coated, then spread out evenly on tray. Bake at 400 F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. 

Note: You can also add carrots, parsnips, white sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, or any other root vegetable to this mix. They all taste delicious! :) I've also made these with a mixture of fresh minced rosemary, sage, and thyme and they are even yummier!

 

Savory Sweet Potatoes

Soft Taco Night...

So, my husband was craving some tacos, and since we had just bought some tortillas, he apparently felt the need to use them all up right away... I actually wanted them to make some quesadillas for my son. But, instead I ended up making some delicious soft tacos for dinner! I usually use a packet of taco seasoning, but I didn't have any, and I also didn't feel like going back to the grocery store in a hot car just for a small packet of seasoning. So, I made up my own "taco seasoning" and it tasted pretty good with the ground beef. It was a little bit spicy, but still yummy! :) When you have the beef mixture made, you can add any toppings you want. We had some tomatoes, green chili and shredded cheddar on hand. I also like sour cream, but we didn't have any. The beef mixture can be used in any kind of tortilla you want. Since we just had flour tortillas, we made soft tacos. But you can certainly use corn tortilla taco or tostada shells, or make your own corn tortilla tacos if you have a deep fryer. Yum! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients for beef mixture:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground beef

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

Ingredients for taco seasoning:

2-1/2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp New Mexican chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flake

In a small bowl, stir together all taco seasoning ingredients until combined. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook until tender. Add beef and combine with the other ingredients while browning. When beef is browned, add taco seasoning mixture. You can add as much or as little as you want until it is to your preferred taste. Mix all ingredients well. Serve in a warm flour tortilla or a crunchy corn tortilla with your favorite toppings. :)

Soft Taco Night...

My Backyard Herbs

I am posting a picture of some of my herbs to enter into Squirrel Queen's Farmer's Market Challenge this weekend. Check her site out and enter your photos of your local Farmer's Market or your backyard garden.

I am growing some tomatoes and bell peppers in my backyard planter too and I was hoping to have some of them in this pic too, but they weren't quite ready yet.  However, my herbs are growing like crazy! I have a bunch of basil, sage, rosemary and thyme, and I love using them in my cooking. The best part is, I can just walk outside, snip some fresh herbs, rinse them, then start chopping! I just LOVE the smell of fresh herbs!

I put my herbs in little brown bags and my mini shopping cart to make it look like I was doing some serious "shopping" in my backyard. ;) 

My Backyard Herbs

Mac and Peas

I was having a really rough time this past week... trying to get my son to eat anything nutritious! I don't know why this happens. He has some really great weeks of eating "normal", and I think, "maybe he's changed and he's going to be a good eater from now on"... But then we have frustrating weeks like this past one where he turns down almost anything I make for him. It is frustrating, and I have no idea where he gets it from... my husband and I are both good eaters! Anyways, this week it seemed my son would only eat anything "bread" related... crescent rolls, crackers, pasta... So, I've had to be really creative this week. I made this new Mac and Cheese where I snuck in extra protein and veggies (I can't believe I'm having to resort to sneakiness!). I mixed in some tofu with the cheese sauce, then added sweet potato puree and peas. It was very successful! I tried some too... and it was delicious! This is going to be one of my new "go-to" recipes when my son is feeling picky again! Enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

2 cups small pasta (I used elbows)

1/4 cup tofu (I use firm since it has more protein)

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sweet potato puree

1/4 cup frozen peas

Dash of pepper

Cook pasta per package directions.

In a food processor or blender, puree together tofu with 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Heat tofu mixture over medium heat until warm. Slowly whisk in cheese until melted evenly, and mixture becomes smooth. Reduce heat to low. Add sweet potato puree and stir until combined. Add pasta and frozen peas. Stir until evenly coated with cheese sauce, and peas are cooked (this only takes a minute or two). Add pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Mac and Peas

Different Chicken Noodle

When my son is feeling under the weather, I make him some homemade chicken noodle soup. It is such a healing natural remedy for colds, and I think it just makes you feel better by keeping your insides warm! Normally I like to use the typical onion, celery, and carrots, but I didn't have any celery on hand. So, I decided to make my own version using ingredients that I had. You can really use any kind of vegetables you like, and I'm sure it will taste delicious no matter what. I usually steam the chicken and vegetables first to soften them before I stick them in the broth with the noodles. When my son was younger, I would puree the chicken and vegetable mixture with a little bit of broth, then use it as a sauce over small pasta (elbows, wheels). It makes a great finger food! Nowadays, he is becoming more independent and likes to feed himself, so I just give it to him the same way we eat it! It is so much healthier this way without all the added sodium and preservatives that the canned versions have. The best part is my son LOVES it! :) Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed and cooked

6 oz whole wheat egg noodles

1 cup chopped broccoli florets, cooked

1 cup chopped carrots, cooked

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbsp minced garlic

3 cups water

3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp poultry seasoning

In a large pot, bring water and broth to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, stir, and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, tender, and the flavors are combined. Serve hot, or at room temperature for toddlers. Makes about 6 cups. 

Different Chicken Noodle

Greek Pasta Salad

I have been making this pasta salad at least once a year for the past 10 years or so. The first time I made it, I used a recipe from one of my mom's cookbooks. Then, the cookbook somehow got lost or otherwise vanished... I have never been able to find it again. But, since that first time I made it, I LOVED this salad! And everyone else loved it too! So, I've been "winging" it for the past 9 or 10 years... I remember some of what was in it, but I've never really measured the dressing. I just grab handfuls of this and that, mix it up and taste to see if it's right. So, I apologize for some of the non-measured ingredients. This is how I've been doing it for a long time. It works, and it ends up tasting delicious! My son even loves it! This is a great summer time salad, or any time potluck salad, with yummy fresh and light ingredients! 

And it's very colorful! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Salad

1 pkg. (12 oz) tri-color rotini, cooked per package directions

1 red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

1 green bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

1 pkg. grape tomatoes

1/2 cup Calamata olives, pitted and halved*

1 pkg. (4 oz) Feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

About 12 fresh basil leaves*

About 6 big fresh sage leaves, chopped*

About 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves*

Big handful of fresh Italian Flat-leaf Parsley*

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 tbsp garlic, minced*

1/2 tsp salt

8 to 10 turns fresh ground black pepper

1 to 2 palmfuls parmesan cheese, grated

Putting it all together

In a large serving bowl, combine pasta, bell peppers, tomatoes, and olives. Set aside. In a food processor, combine all dressing ingredients and puree until smooth. I always taste it to see if it needs anything else. Some things I occasionally have to add are: more pepper or parmesan cheese. Once you have your desired taste, pour dressing over pasta mixture, and gently stir to coat the pasta with the dressing. I think it is much easier to use clean hands here. Add feta cheese and gently stir it into the pasta. Refrigerate before serving. It tastes really good if you refrigerate it overnight. I think more of the flavor gets absorbed in the pasta or something... yum! :)

*Note: Green olives would be fine here too. I think they taste about the same. The Calamata olives are a little bit more tangy (?), vinegary (?), which goes well with this salad! You can also use crushed dried herbs if you don't have fresh on hand. Use 1/3 dried herbs per 1 part fresh herbs. So, 1 tbsp fresh basil=1 tsp dried basil. Since I don't really measure my fresh herbs, if I were to use dried herbs, I would start with about 1 tsp of each and go from there... If it tastes good, leave it... If it needs some flavor, add more. And if you're using dried herbs, crush them in your hand a little before you add them to your dressing. This helps release more of the flavor. :)

Greek Pasta Salad

"Barbeque Chicken Buns"

So, in my previous crescent roll recipe, I had said that I would try to make my own barbeque pork buns. Well, this is sort of my take on that, with some slight differences. I took the meat idea, and used chicken instead, since I didn't have shredded or diced pork in my fridge. I also used my Better BBQ Sauce recipe which I had frozen into ice cube trays... and I must say, it freezes and defrosts very nicely! So, besides the chicken that I had to cook, I basically had most of the ingredients (rolls and BBQ sauce) already prepared, so this was a very easy recipe for me to put together. But, I realize that if you are going to try to make my version of barbeque sauce, then there is a little bit more work involved for you. :) Otherwise, to make it easier (and faster), you can certainly use the store-bought barbeque sauce and you'll have these "buns" prepared in no time! In case you missed the BBQ Sauce post, here's a little background info on my barbeque sauce: My son LOVES barbeque sauce, and I know that if I drench his meats in it, he will definitely eat more protein! However, my problem with store-bought barbeque sauce is that they are loaded with sugar! Obviously, this is the reason why my son likes it so much! So, I tried to make a healthier version for him. We both think it tastes pretty good, and I snuck in some veggies too! :) Needless to say, my son LOVED these barbeque buns! Yay! Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1/2 cup Better BBQ Sauce (recipe below)

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls (I used the Pillsbury Big and Flaky)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine barbeque sauce and chicken and stir until sauce is evenly distributed throughout the chicken. Unroll and separate crescent rolls onto a baking sheet. Place about 2 tbsp of meat mixture onto each crescent roll, and spread all along the inside of the roll. Starting at the wide end, roll up the crescent all the way to the tip, making sure meat stays in place. Curl the two ends of the roll to make the crescent shape, and lay on the baking sheet. Space rolls about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for about 15 to 19 minutes, or until golden-brown. Makes 6 to 8 rolls. 

Better BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup sweet potato puree

1/2 cup carrot puree

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp agave nectar

2 shakes Tabasco

pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan over low heat, until combined and heated through. Makes about 2 cups. Extra sauce freezes nicely. Enjoy!

"Barbeque Chicken Buns"

Yummy Mush

My son goes through phases of eating really great one week, then being picky about food the next. This was one of those picky weeks, so I had to try something different to make sure he's getting all of his nutrients. Sometimes, I don't know how I come up with these recipes! I suppose I just throw a bunch of different things together that I think my son will like, then hope and pray that he eats it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't and the food is either thrown to the dogs (by my son, not me...), or eaten by me or my husband, or sadly, a wasted recipe... This is another one of those weird combinations of foods that actually worked for my son. I got him to eat some grain, protein, and veggie. He LOVED it, and even ate leftovers! I was a very happy Mama! It may sound weird, but maybe your picky eater will like it too! :)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup brown rice, pre-cooked

1/4 cup sweet potato puree

1/2 cup tofu, cubed

Sprinkling of pepper

Heat chicken broth over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low, and add remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine, and heat until warmed through. Cool to a temperature suitable for your child. You can also puree all the ingredients together for a younger baby. Serve and enjoy!

Yummy Mush

Another Garden Update...

It is starting to get hotter here in AZ! But, my Roma tomatoes wouldn't know any different! They are thriving! I think I put them in a good place. They are in a raised bed behind our Jacaranda tree, so they get a good amount of shade during the scorching afternoon heat. So far, I've used four tomatoes in our meals and they are delicious! You can see I have plenty more on the way, so I'll be adding them to some delicious recipes! Our favorite thing to make with them is my Shrimp Pasta recipe, since I can also use my basil (which is also doing very well). Sadly, my yellow squash got too hot and dry. I should have covered it... And the heat was too much for my dill. But, I have some lovely basil, thyme, sage, rosemary, cilantro, an occasional bell pepper, and of course tomatoes! :) Yay me! I am so happy I was successful in most of my plants! I am going to try to grow some pumpkins later on! I am already anxious for fall! 

Another Garden Update...

Protein Smoothie

I was feeling like making another smoothie for my son (and me), but I wanted to add some extra protein to it. Tofu is great for smoothies since it has a smooth texture, and blends very easily with the other ingredients. And for anyone who is not a tofu fan, you can't really taste it when it is mixed up with delicious fruits! I like to use the firm tofu, since it has more protein than the soft or silken versions, but any tofu is fine. I also use whole milk and whole milk yogurt since this is for my son. But you can certainly use low-fat or skim to make this lighter. This smoothie is packed with nutritious ingredients! Protein from the tofu, flaxseed meal, and wheat germ, as well as the milk and yogurt... Vitamin C from the mangoes and pineapple... Potassium from the banana and sweet potatoes... and many more vitamins! To put it another way, this smoothie is a meal in itself! :) Oh, and by the way, it is delicious too! Enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup tofu

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup pineapple chunks

1/4 cup mango chunks

1/4 cup sweet potato puree

1 medium banana, sliced

1 tbsp flaxseed meal

2 tbsp wheat germ

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy! This smoothie came out a little bit thick, so if you like yours thinner, you can add more milk. 

Protein Smoothie