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Back to School: Quick Simple Family Meals to Save Mom’s Time

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“Parents love to be able to feed their kids good, nutritious foods. That’s why we have created free tools and recipes to make cooking fast, easy and delicious,” says Dr. Nimali Fernando, a Fredericksburg, Virginia-based pediatrician who founded The Doctor Yum Project. “Not only cooking at home better for a family’s health, but it also saves them money, because eating at home is usually much more affordable than dining out.”

Back-to-School Busy Schedules Call for Simple Family Meals

While the benefits of eating home-cooked meals are well documented, many parents are still unsure how to make it fit into their busy schedule. Here are 5 back-to-school busy schedule tips to help get healthy meals on the table quickly:

  • Plan ahead. On the weekend, sit down and make a list of what your family will eat for dinner all week long. Then head to the grocery store or farmers market to get the items you need for those dishes. Knowing what to make is often half the battle, so you can just look at your list on the refrigerator and get started making the meal.
  • Use what’s on hand. Pantries often have lots of food, yet people don’t know what to do to put it all together and make a meal. The Doctor Yum Project has taken on solving this problem by offering a free online tool, the Meal Maker Machine, that will help people create a recipe using the ingredients they have on hand. Simply input the items you have on hand and the system will create a convenient recipe for you.
  • Get everyone involved. Help spread the cooking tasks among the family. Get other family members involved in meal prep by assigning tasks to each person. Even younger children can help with age-appropriate tasks to help with getting the family meal ready.
  • Do prep work ahead. When you do have time on the weekend, take half an hour to wash, chop, and get your vegetables ready that will be used in recipes throughout the week. This way, you can reach into the refrigerator and pull out the chopped and prepared items that you need for your recipe. Another option that can help is to do batch cooking on the weekend, where you make up a few meals that can be frozen or put into the refrigerator. Those meals can then be pulled out and heated up during the week as needed.
  • Give pressure cooking a try. Pressure cookers like the popular Instant Pot are all the rage because they are a great way to help get healthy meals on the table quickly. This new generation of pressure cookers makes cooking healthy food so easy with other features like saute, slow cook, and yogurt making.  Drop in ingredients like dried beans, set the time and walk away while your dinner cooks up fast. This style of cooking lets you be free to focus on other after school activities like sports, homework, and more. Check out doctoryum.org for pressure cooker ideas that will be sure to please.

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4 Colorful Recipes for the End of Summer

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Hey, lovelies! Unfortunately, summer is drawing to a close! I know it makes me sad too! But here are some fun, colorful summer recipes to hopefully help cheer you up! AND get out and enjoy that sun before it’s gone!!

Carrington Farms Mermaid Toast

Colorful Recipes for the End of Summer

Ingredients:
  • 1 slice bread
  • 4 drops Chlorophyll
  • 4 oz cream cheese or yogurt
  • ½ tsp spirulina powder
  • Carrington Farms Crispy Puffed Quinoa
Recipe:
  1. Toast your favorite, better-for-you bread.
  2. Combine 4 drops of chlorophyll with 4 oz of cream cheese or yogurt
  3. Combine ½ teaspoon spirulina powder with 4 oz of cream cheese or yogurt
  4. Spread cream cheese or thick plain yogurt on toast
  5. Sprinkle with Carrington Farms Crispy Puffed Quinoa
  6. Channel your inner mermaid and ENJOY!
Viki’s Granola Berry Parfait
Colorful Recipes for the End of Summer

 

Ingredients:
Directions:
  • Place 2 ounces of yogurt into a tall glass or mason jar.
  • Pour a 1/3 of granola evenly on top of the yogurt.
  • Place 2 ounces of yogurt on top of the granola.
  • Add raspberries.
  • Add remaining 2 ounces yogurt and granola on top.
Carrington Farms Berry Chia Smoothie Bowl
Colorful Recipes for the End of Summer
Ingredients:
  • 1/3 cup frozen blueberries
    1/2 cup frozen strawberries
    1 cup kefir or probiotic yogurt drink of choice
    1 Tbsp + 1/4 tsp Carrington Farms Chia Seeds
    1/2 banana, sliced
    1 dried fig, sliced
    1 strawberry, sliced (or fruit of choice)
Directions:
1. Blend frozen berries, 1 Tbsp chia seeds and kefir to a thick consistency, for about 20 seconds.
2. Pour into a small bowl and layer fruit and remaining chia seeds on top. Bring out your favorite spoon and enjoy this delicious smoothie bowl with probiotic benefits!
Gaea’s Baked Pears with Chocolate Ice Cream and Olive Oil
Colorful Recipes for the End of Summer
Ingredients:
Directions:
Place shallow pan over heat and add butter and sugar. Stirring constantly over low flame, allow mixture to caramelize. Add pears and turning over frequently cook them for about 10 minutes or until they caramelize. Add orange zest and juice and remove pan from heat. Place a large scoop of chocolate ice cream in each bowl, arrange 2 pears around it together with the pan liquid. Sprinkle with black pepper and drizzle pears with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.
Happy Eating!

Refreshing Summer Blueberry Drink Recipes for Blueberry Month

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July marks National Blueberry Month, and what better way to celebrate than with some exciting blueberry recipes?

From delicious smoothies to festive fruit cubes and bold cocktails, these blueberry recipes are not only perfect for National Blueberry Month but make for refreshing drinks all summer long.

Read on for the recipes!

 

Blueberry Smoothie
Recipe credit: HUROM

Yummy Summer Blueberry Recipes for Blueberry Month

Ingredients
1 large pear
½ cup of grapes
1 cup of blueberries

​Directions
Wash the pear thoroughly, and remove stem and seeds. Slice into appropriate sizes.
Remove grapes from stem and then wash grapes and blueberries thoroughly.
Add pear, grapes, and blueberries to juicer.
Enjoy! Pour over ice, if desired.

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Yummy Fourth of July Chocolate Recipes

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When visitors flock to some of America’s most iconic historic venues this July 4th weekend, they’ll learn much about our nation’s history but also have the opportunity debunk the many legends and myths about When visitors flock to some of America’s most iconic historic venues this July 4th weekend, they’ll learn much about our nation’s history but also have the opportunity debunk the many legends and myths about chocolate.

Did you know that cacao beans were used as form of currency dating back to the Aztec Empire, Christopher Columbus discovered America AND chocolate, bringing cacao beans back to the Spanish court in the early 1500s, George Washington drank “chocolate cream” at breakfast, Benjamin Franklin sold chocolate in his print shop, or chocolate has traditionally been included in military provisions throughout history?

Mars Chocolate North America has partnered with sites such as Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, Fort Ticonderoga, Colonial Williamsburg, Mount Vernon, The National Archives, Monticello, The Smithsonian, and Parks Canada to not only sell AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate, fashioned off ingredient lists from the 1750’s, but also to educate consumers on the history of the Americas through the unique lens of chocolate.

Some of the aforementioned venues including The Smithsonian, The National Archives, and Old North Church will introduce a new Spiced and Iced Chocolate drink from AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate as well as offer free drink samples, chats with AHC’s Chocolate Historian and 18th century-inspired chocolate-making demonstrations.

 

To try the drink and other decadent chocolate recipes at home, read on and happy Fourth of July!

Spiced and Iced American Heritage® Chocolate
2 Servings

Spiced and Iced Chocolate drink
Ingredients
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ cup nonfat dry milk
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate Drink
1 ½ cups water

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Valentine’s Day Recipe: Chocolate Mocha Bundt Cake

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Searching for the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert recipe that will wow your family, or that special someone? Terra’s Kitchen‘s is packed with love and flavor, not to mention also low in sugar! A Valentine’s Day (or any day) chocolate indulgence with half the guilt and twice the jolt. This decadent, delicious mix of chocolaty goodness, with a hint of coffee flavor, is the perfect ending to an amazing Valentine’s Day dinner!

Valentine’s Day Recipe: Chocolate Mocha Bundt Cake

Valentine's Day Recipe: Chocolate Mocha Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2/3 cup high-quality cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups sour cream
  • 5 tablespoons cold brewed coffee (we use Baltimore-based Zeke’s Coffee)
  • Butter Coffee Pour Over (recipe to follow)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Generously grease a Bundt pan with butter (we used a heart-shaped Bundt for Valentine’s Day). Set aside.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a standing mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and light in texture (about 5 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the sour cream and coffee and mix until combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry JUST until incorporated.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt and bake until the center of cake springs back when touched and a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean (about 45-50 minutes).
  7. Remove the cake from the oven and pour Butter Coffee Pour Over mixture over the hot cake. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Release the sides and bottom of the cake from the pan with a narrow metal spatula or knife. Invert the pan onto a plate or cake stand. Remove the pan and dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar before serving.

Butter Coffee Pour Over

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup brewed dark roast coffee (we use Zeke’s Coffee)
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

  1. Add ingredients to a small sauce pan over low heat, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

Happy Baking!

Under 15 Minutes Vegetarian Quick and Easy Recipes CookBook by Jonathan Vine

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I’m sure I’m not the only one who dreads cooking. Why?! Well it’s time consuming for one! And to be honest, I’m just not that gifted at it. I get distracted and before I know it, when I’m only halfway through my 5th email, my mashed potatoes are burning and I’ve just ruined my new All Clad saucepan. True Story, this just happened to me this week! Ugh. I may have also been watching “The Walking Dead” while cooking and checking emails too. Hey, I’m a woman! I multi-task! Things just don’t always end up perfect because of this awesome, or maybe not so awesome skill, and of course it’s my cooking that generally suffers!
This is why I was EXTREMELY happy to come across the most AMAZING E-cookbook for super easy recipes that are made in no more than 15 minutes! In fact, most I’ve tried only take a few minutes, and cooking time includes less than 15 minutes too so you won’t find your self distracted watching your favorite show while you’re supposed to be cooking!
Also, being that I am a vegetarian, this cookbook couldn’t have been more up my alley! But trust me on this ladies, even if you and you’re family still eat meat, this is a fabulous cookbook for easy cooking that is sure to please even the biggest meat-lovers in your family! Trust me on this, I cooked a bunch of these recipes for my husband who is constantly giving me crap about being vegetarian, and he absolutely loved every one of these recipes I cooked! I didn’t even add a meat side for him most of the time and he didn’t even seem to mind!
If you actually don’t know much about being a vegetarian, this e-cookbook, called “Under 15 Minutes  Vegetarian Quick and Easy Recipes” By Jonathan Vine, breaks it all down for you. I love how incredibly informative it really is and how it shows you the benefits of eating a meat-free diet. It also addresses concerns you may have (ones that I had before switching to a vegetarian diet 5 years ago) about cutting out meat. Vine also gives you some great tips for helping you stick to your goals of becoming a vegetarian too, if you so choose. Wether you want to give up meat or not, I found this section of the book extremely helpful in educating on the benefits of eating a meatless diet.
Well let’s get to the good stuff! The recipes! I have tried out SEVERAL of the recipes in this wonderful e-book over the last month and have absolutely LOVED every one of them! So has my husband! You can find fabulous recipes that the whole family will enjoy in this cookbook, and best of all, you will be amazed at just how quickly you can throw dinner together now!
Most of the recipes I tried out only called for a few ingredients too. Only a few minutes of prep work, and not very long for cooking. It really is 15 minute or less cooking. From beginning to end, the food is cooked in 15 minutes! These recipes make great last-minute dinner ideas, but are also great for anyone who just doesn’t want to spend their whole evening cooking. I often cooked a few together at a time so I had a couple of yummy meals for dinner that night, such as potatoes and brussel sprouts!
Here are some of the recipes I cooked up from the “Under 15 Minutes Vegetarian Quick and Easy Recipes E cookbook:”
 
 
Making Potato Pancakes in less than 15 mins:
Sweet Potato Thyme Hash:
Date and Coconut Bites:
Poached Brussel Sprouts with Parmesan Topping:

Cheesy Mushrooms:

These are just some of the recipes, but you will find 100 RECIPES in this awesome cookbook! This totally takes the guesswork out of finding something meatless to eat for dinner. Not only that, but you’ll never have to slave over that hot stove again, since all of these recipes can be prepped and cooked under 15 minutes!

And the food? Mmmmmm the food! These recipe were so good! My favorite was the Sweet Potato Thyme Hash. In fact, my husband hates sweet potatoes. I’ve been cooking them for years, usually in the form of baked fries, because I love them, and he won’t eve  touch them! He tried a bite of the Thyme Hash bites and raved about how good they were! He told me they were much different and much BETTER than the normal sweet potatoes I cook. He then proceeded to fill up his plate and even went back for seconds! I about fell over in my seat because he is the pickiest eater anyway, and for him to actually like Sweet Potatoes… well that just absolutely shocked me!

You can find lots of breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert recipes in this cookbook too! If you are switching to a vegetarian diet, this is the prefect cookbook to help you make you’re move! When I switched to a vegetarian diet I had no idea where to start. I kind of just kept making the same recipes but without the meat. This isn’t a good place to start. It makes you feel like you’re missing out, because you’re use to eating the meat in those dishes! This cookbook helps give you some amazing ideas for meals that are NOT centered around meat, so you don’t even notice you’re not eating it! Like I said above, my meat-loving husband did’n’t even seem to notice or mind that some of the meals I’ve cooked over the last month were completely meatless, All thanks to this amazing cookbook!

Also, if you just plain struggle with cooking like I do, you will also love this cookbook because it is made for the most beginner of cooks! These recipes are so easy you can teach your kids how to cook with this book, or at the very least, have them give you some help in the kitchen! Although not that you really need it when using this cookbook, because the recipes are so completely easy and totally time-saving enough already!

I can go on and on about how amazing this book is but you really need to try it for yourself! It is full of wonderful recipes the whole family will enjoy, wether they love their meat or not. You will also love how much time it saves you and how much less effort you will need to put into your cooking when using this awesome recipe book! The food is to die-for! I can’t go on about that enough! Again, pick it up and try it for yourself! You will be amazed!

Interested in trying out this amazing Quick and Easy vegetarian ebook out for yourself, and saving your self time while cooking too?! Then be sure to order it HERE on Amazon. It’s only $2.99 Right now or FREE if you have Kindle Unlimited!

What’s your favorite super easy recipe to cook? And do you mind sharing the recipe with us? I love to Read your comments!
Happy Healthy, Quick and Easy Cooking!
* I was given this product from Tomoson for the purpose of review. However, all thoughts and opines expressed in this post are solely my own. I only share reviews with my readers, I feel will be beneficial or informative in some way.