Winter Squash Bars

Ava helping me make the Winter Squash Bars.

If you follow my blog, you know one of my favorite cookbooks is Simply In Season using the fresh seasonal produce in healthy, multicultural family meals. I highly recommend getting a copy of the book! The cookbook is made as a companion to your community-supported agriculture subscription.

Autumn is my most favorite time for cooking in season! I love squash, root vegetables, apples and the warm spices in the fall season.

I've made these Winter Squash Bars from Simply in Season a couple times recently with the butternut squash we've received in our produce bin. I use an entire squash in each recipe. Ava likes the bread for breakfast and snacks and it's great for sharing at a potluck or a surprise for your coworkers. The snack bread is very moist, fluffy, and light. You make a pan of the bars and freeze portions of it for later. I haven't tried it, but the book says that the recipe freezes well.

Roasting squash is really easy.

Preparing the squash / Make Ahead Step: Slice in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membranes. Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven on a cookie sheet for 30-40 minutes until tender. Let cool. Using a spoon, scrape out the cooked squash. Puree in the food processor. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.


Winter Squash Bars  (Makes 24)

• 2 cups winter squash or pumpkin (cooked, pureed) *I used a whole medium butternut squash
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat together in a mixing bowl or stand mixer

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix in. Pour into greased 11x7-inch jelly roll pan or 9x13 casserole dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

*The original recipe is 1 + 1/2 cups of sugar, but I think 1 cup is plenty.


Little ones in the kitchen: Ava loves to help in the kitchen and when she helps me, I let her beat the eggs in a bowl before putting them in the stand mixer. And you can see in the picture that she likes to spread the batter in the casserole dish.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

My favorite cookbook, Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair, impresses me all the time. The philosophy of the book is cooking with whole foods for the entire family. It's my go-to cookbook for some of our favorite dishes such as whole grain bread, polenta and black bean casserole, steelcut oats and dates, tempeh bacon for sandwiches, and spinach-feta quiche.

This week, I decided to try my hand at making the Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls. They were so tasty! I've never rolled my own spring rolls before so I wasn't sure if it would be hard to do, but they were surprisingly easy. I made the spring rolls with avocado, thin slices of carrots, fried marinated tofu strips, fresh basil, spinach leaves, and a touch of lime. These little rolls were packed with flavor and a slight crunch from the carrot strips. I dipped the rolls in the Trader Joe's Gyoza Dipping Sauce, since I didn't have time to make my own sauce.

The recipe makes 10 rolls and they won't stay around long! I brought a roll to work for my pregnant friend and she thought it was a filling and delicious snack!

I found the spring roll skins at Meijer in the Asian foods section, but you can also find them at your local Asian market.

Fried Tofu: Slice the block of firm tofu and drizzled tamari over the slices on a pie plate. Preheat a large skillet. Add coconut oil to skillet. Fry the marinated tofu making sure both sides are golden. Let cool. Then cut the slices into thin strips. Use the leftovers for a stir-fry or sandwich.

Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls (from Feeding the Whole Family)
Makes 10 rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 medium carrot
• I medium zucchini (I omitted)
• 2 lettuce leaves (I used spinach leaves)
• 1 medium avocado
• 10 rice wrappers
  
• 1 lime
• Optional ingredients: fried marinated tofu, grilled chicken, cooked shrimp, fresh basil, mint, or cilantro leaves.
  

Preparation:

• Julienne carrot and zucchini. Set aside washed spinach leaves. Half the avocado and score it in thin slices and remove the pit. Half a lime.
  
• Set up a metal cookie sheet upside bottom side up for a flat surface to work.
  
• Fill a round pie plate with water. Soak rice wrappers, one at a time, for about 15 seconds until soft but still firm to the touch. Remove from the water and lay it flat on the surface.
  
• On the top third of the wrapper, layer: avocado slices, a squeeze of lime juice, carrot, zucchini, tofu strips, basil, and spinach. Try not to over stuff.
  
• Working quickly, fold the edge closest to you, then the sides inward as you roll it closed. The finished roll will be about 4 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Repeat for all 10 rolls.
  
• Place in a dish, cover, and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Don't stack on stop of each other because they will stick.

I served the rolls with a simple stir fry with bok choy and edamame over brown rice. They are also good as a snack or in a lunch box!

Homemade Hummus is Super Easy and Economical

When we were at our nephew's first birthday party last month, my sister-in-law made homemade hummus for an appetizer. It was really good! It was her first time making it from scratch. She served it with sun-dried tomato pesto on top. I've tried different recipes for hummus before, but I think this is the best. It's the perfect blend of olive oil, salt, lemon and garlic to complement the chickpeas. You really have to give it a try! Thank you for sharing the recipe, Megan!

I made this hummus last weekend. We love hummus and I thought it would be more economical to make it ourselves since a large container of our favorite hummas at Trader Joe's is $2.99. It's not bad, but I knew I could make it for half the cost by making it at home.

The star ingredient in hummus is Tahini, which is a sesame paste. It has a similar texture to peanut butter. You can buy it at any grocery store. My local store stocks it in the healthy/organic section of the store next to the other nut butters. I use fresh lemon. It took only 10 minutes to whip up in the food processor. I highly recommend that you make a double-batch so you can keep some on-hand in the fridge for snacks and sandwiches.

Serving suggestions: I served the hummus with slices of cucumbers and kalamata olives. I spread the hummus on a slice of bread and Aaron chose pita chips. You can dip any veggie like celery, carrots, cauliflower, or red peppers.


Easy Garlic Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 oz) can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional: sprinkle paprika and cumin in the hummus or just for serving
  

Preparation:

• Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
• Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
• Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Fall Day Trip to Brown County

Yesterday, we took a family day trip to Brown County State Park to celebrate our 5 year anniversary next week. Aaron surprised me on a trip to Brown County our first Fall that we were together in '04 to check out the trees and the hills. It was a relaxing getaway for us since we were living the city life in Chicago! We took a picture there together against the beautiful foliage and used it as our save-the-date cards for our wedding. And now that we live so close in Indy it's less than a 90 minute drive.

We took a hike on a 1-mile trail and it was beautiful! It was a crisp day of about 50 degrees so we bundled Ava up in the stroller and took the dog and realized that the trail was not paved. We went back to the car and used the sling pouch to carry Ava. She was getting tired and started rooting on me to nurse so we decided to have Aaron carry her since there wasn't a place to stop and nurse. Then she fell asleep really happily in the sling. Good thing the sling is reversible and the gender-neutral brown side isn't so bad for Aaron to use...Haha! My job was to take Bena and she was loving every minute. Vizsla's are bird pointing dogs and she loved to stop and point at the birds. We had a nice hike and it was a good workout too! Carrying your baby and walking a strong dog helps maximize the workout!

After the hike at the State Park, we went into the small town of Nashville, which is a couple miles outside of the park, for a late lunch. I carried Ava in the sling around the town and we had a relaxing lunch on the main strip. Nashville is a touristy, artist colony and in the Fall season so it was really busy. Since we were eating later, we didn't have to wait too long. Ava was in a great mood and very playful. I had been nursing her frequently throughout the day so she was really content. We had a booth and she sat between us playing. She reached toward a water glass for a drink. She likes to drink it from a glass like mom! The women in the table next to me were commenting on how much they liked my sling. Ava and I love it too! She feels close, secure, and can even sleep. I'm planning to get a ring sling next so I can have enough give in the fabric for nursing on the go.

After the lunch, we headed to the Outlet mall since it was on the drive home. We haven't been shopping in ages since we've been busy with Ava. We stocked up on essentials for all of us. I needed some 12-month size sleepers for Ava and Aaron picked up a few new clothes, too. I got to spend my birthday money for some new clothes to freshen my Fall/Winter wardrobe.

Packed Snacks for the Day Trip: The trip was easy because we had snacks with us for the drive so we couldn't be starved or settling for junk food.

• Before we left for the trip, I made a quick Breakfast Burrito to eat in the car since we were running late.
• I packed two squash pecan muffins for a snack because they're nutritious and filling.
• I threw together homemade trail mix from what I had in the pantry: peanuts, raisins, a few chocolate chips, dried cranberries and whole wheat honey pretzels. We left the shops at 6pm and since we were going to cook a quick dinner, I need something to hold us over. I picked up a pint of milk from the gas station where we filled up before the drive home and we snacked on the homemade trail mix. Not only is it economical, but it's way healthier to pack healthy snacks for the family.

You might like this post about individual serving packets of nut butter for a healthy snack. Yum!

I saw a family arrive at the State Park and eat their lunch at the car. They pulled out white bread sandwiches! I couldn't believe it. I haven't seen a bag of Wonder Bread in my house since I was a kid. We're a whole wheat bread family in our house. It amazes me that people would eat that for lunch.

When we first got to the Park, I was nursing Ava in the car in the backseat. She coughed on the milk, chocked and then grew up over both of us! In the moment we were wondering if we should have come with the baby, but a quick clean up in the bathroom helped us feel ready to enjoy the day. I know lots of parents that take their children out and about everywhere. We're still learning the best things to do and bring with us so we won't have too much to pack. We're learning the balance act along the way! All of these experiences help us with our confidence as parents and help enrich Ava's early development. A little baby puke never hurt anyone right? :)

Tasty Breakfast Treat: Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake

Ava and I had a playdate on Monday with my friend, Lisa, and her 11-week old adorably happy baby girl, Avery. She's going back to work next week so we were lucky to set up a mid-week playdate with the girls. And YES, we're well aware the "playdate" was for the mommies and not for the babies at this point! Ha!

I made this Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake from Cooking Light to bring to her house to share and she loved it so much that I left her a generous amount to have later. It was my first time making this coffee cake, but the recipe was highly rated by online reviewers so I was sure it would be a good choice. I've saved it in my meal planning software since the 2005 issue so it's been one of those recipes that I've been waiting to make for the right occasion to share it.

The cake was super moist and had tons of almond flavoring with the use of the almond paste and sliced almonds in the topping. Fresh lemon was subtle and complimented the blueberries nicely. I used both fresh lemon juice and grated peel in the batter. I used frozen blueberries and folded it in at the end. Frozen blueberries helps keep the berries whole without breaking them apart when you're folding them in.

I liked that the cake was not too sweet, but it allowed the natural flavors to come to life. The entire coffee cake has 3/4 cup of sugar. Instead of milk, I used lowfat buttermilk since I'm such a fan of buttermilk in cake/muffin batters. It's a fantastic recipe and a reliable one to make to share with friends for entertaining or just a special treat at home.

About Almond Paste: I bought my almond paste a few years ago and I never used it. I had to rehydrate it in the microwave by adding a tiny bit of water and cooking in the microwave on 60% power for about 4 minutes total, a minute at a time. I checked it and used a fork to mash and mix it. It was rock hard when I first took it out, but it worked just fine and blended well in the batter.

Make-ahead tip: The night before, I measured the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl next to the Kitchen Stand Mixer so it was ready to go in the morning. Luckily, baby Ava was really quiet playing in her bouncy seat while I baked the coffee cake and then she feel asleep to the lull of the stand mixer no doubt!

Don't forget to check out my Kitchen Work Zone Organization blog post for suggestions on making your kitchen as efficient as possible.

I have a couple small pieces left that I'm sure won't be around to long because it's so yummy!

What was Cooking this Easter Weekend...

Friday is our traditional Family Pizza Night, a new thing we started in January. This week's pizza was a little different. Aaron is picky with his pizza toppings, while I'm more adventurous and like variety. He loves pepperoni and olives. This Friday, I decided to add a layer of fresh spinach and torn fresh basil to boost the nutrients a bit more. Aaron was skeptical, but in the end he really liked it. I usually serve pizza with a green salad, but this week I just served it with sliced apples.

I've perfected the method for baking our homemade pizza. Here are my tips:

• Baking instructions: I start out with Trader Joe's fresh pizza dough in a bag or my own from-scratch dough. I roll it out and use a fork to prevent air holes. I par-bake the dough in the oven for 6 minutes on 350 degrees on my oven's convention oven setting. Then, I add all my toppings. I bake it for another 10 minutes until I see the pizza is bubbly and the cheese is golden.
• Favorite pizza sauce: We really like Roasted Garlic Marinara from Trader Joe's. I've seen pizza sauce in store, but we prefer using jar marinara. I use about 1/3 of a jar for each pizza.
  
• Multiple cheeses: We like the blend of mozzarella and a tiny bit of sharp cheddar cheeses. Other good blends are feta and parmesan cheeses because they are very strong in flavor so you don't need as much of it on the pizza.
  
• Experiment with toppings: I like to mix it up. Sometimes I use slices of cooked Italian chicken sausage. Aaron loves pepperoni, but I like to add spinach (fresh or defrosted frozen) to boost the nutrients.

I baked Ginger-Carrot Muffins on Saturday morning. I love baking muffins. I don't like the muffin mixes in a box because they are packed with additives and just too processed. Instead, I love to make homemade muffins because they make a quick snack that you can grab-and go. Aaron's parents came to visit us this weekend so I wanted to bake muffins for their visit and keep the leftovers for snacks to serve with yogurt or fresh fruit like this picture. I pack them in our lunches.


This recipe from Cooking Light for Ginger-Carrot Muffins were fantastic! My in-laws loved them, too! They only have 1/2 cup of sugar, but the shredded carrots and raisins add sweetness naturally. My only modifications were that I used half whole wheat flour and 1/2 white flour and used walnuts and not pecans. I used my food processor to shred the carrots quickly. You need 3 cups of shredded carrots so it's easy to do it with the food processor. I made these muffins while the baby was sleeping in her swing! It was funny when I ran the food processor, she squealed and moved her hands by ears like she was covering them. What a personality already!


Storage: The muffins are great for grab-and-go snacks. I wrap the muffins in plastic wrap individually like in this picture to easily drop it in the lunch bag during the work week. I find that they stay fresh for up to a week if they are double packed in a plastic bag.

OR...freeze the individually wrapped muffins and defrost them on the counter overnight. Warm them for a few seconds in the microwave to soften.

Another favorite muffin recipe to try is the Raisin Bran Maple Muffins.

My Favorite All Natural Yogurt that Tastes Great!

Since I gave up eating funky chemicals in my foods, one thing that I had to really scrutinize is yogurt! Pick up a container of your favorite yogurt at the grocery store and you'll be surprised to see aspartame and even High Fructose Corn Syrup! Yogurt sounds so healthy, but if you look at the ingredients of Yoplait or other non-organic brands, you will be shocked to see what is in them. Aaron and I like yogurt so much that we buy it by the large container and I pack it in containers to take for snacks.

Brown Cow yogurt is one brand that I'm obsessed with because it's creamy, thick and tastes great! They use growth hormone free milk to make this yogurt and cane syrup to sweeten it. I buy the non-fat vanilla and thankfully my new Whole Foods in Indianapolis now stocks it after I requested it! In researching this blog post, I found that Brown Cow has eCoupons so you can follow this link to check it out. You can find this brand at grocery and health foods stores.

Yogurt is perfect for a snacking or in a smoothie. Plus, yogurt is a good source of calcium and heart healthy potassium.

Smoothies are refreshing and nutritious: The smoothie in the picture was blended with 1/2 cup yogurt, 3/4 cup frozen mixed berries, 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder, 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, and 1/2 cup water. Check out my other favorite smoothie recipes.

My favorite yogurt snack toppings:

• Granola
• Slivered almonds
• Cereal
  
• Sliced berries, kiwi, or pomegranate seeds
  

Great Packable Snack Idea: Individual Nut Butter Packets

I'm always on the lookout for nutritious snacks that I can pack away in my bag for travel or in everyday running around! I believe that having a nutritious snack on-hand helps you avoid eating a fast/junk food, which really doesn't do much for your energy. For example, the apples with caramel sauce option at some fast food chains is a treat, but not a nutritious snack because it contains high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Nutritionally, you're better off packing your own snacks, but even more reason--it saves you time! You don't have to go searching for food. If you treat your body well and in good health, your body will naturally be hungry after 3-4 hours. To keep your metabolism going, a healthy well-portioned snack gives you the energy boost to keep going.

Back to the nut butter packets...I bought these to pack in my bag for the hospital. When I go into active labor patterns, I'm going to make my way to the hospital with Aaron and my doula. This is my first baby, but from my research and knowing my body, I'll need healthy light snacks to keep my energy up. Midwives and doulas recommend that laboring women eat lightly and drink regular fluids to keep their energy strong during labor. I'm all over it! What else is in my snack bag for the hospital? ...Natural juice boxes, Horizon low-fat milk in a box, crackers, and trail mix. Plus, I know Aaron will forget to eat and having the snacks available for both of us will be very helpful!

These nut butters "Honey Peanut Butter" and "Maple Almond Butter" are all-natural and I plan to spread them on crackers or whole wheat bread. They were only $.79 at my local Whole Foods near the other nut butters. These small packages are convenient to add to your computer bag, travel carry-on, diaper bag, or purse! Don't forget to mix them before you squeeze them since the oil separates from the nut butter.

If you have a nut allergy, this is not the snack for you, but click here to find more packable snack ideas. If anyone has tried this brand, please let me know how they taste in the comments below!

Been Super Busy! My Healthy Tips for a Crazy Schedule

It's been a month since I've had the chance to blog! I didn't mean to be quiet for so long, but Aaron and I have been so insanely busy that I haven't had time. Remember back in June, we decided to move to Indianapolis? We've been busy looking for a house for the past month. We're not just going to buy "any home" either. We're buying "the" house to raise our family and settle into our new city. Aaron is the king of thorough research so by the time we've been actually looking at the homes, he's already scoped out all of our desires and balanced against our budget. Once we were approved for financing, we went out with our realtor. Then last week, we visited my family and friends in the Bay Area for Thanksgiving and one last trip to CA before the baby is born! This picture with my mom and aunt is from my baby shower that my friends hosted while were were out visiting in CA. While the girls were visiting at the shower, Aaron went golfing with the guys.

During our trip, we negotiated with a buyer and now we're under contract to close on our future home on Dec 22! We are so excited because it's a new home in an older neighborhood, not far from downtown. Life has been very hectic because evenings and weekends were devoted to house hunting and traveling.

Here's a few things that I've been doing this past month, even with a crazy schedule....

• Getting 8-hours sleep is still a top priority to stay healthy, especially with my pregnancy. Sleep helps rejuvenate your body and balance your metabolism.
• I pack snacks when we're on the go. I cut up apples and put them in my purse in case I get hungry.
  
• Homemade trail mix is a easy when you stock your pantry. In a plastic bag, I throw in a handful of nuts (cashews, peanuts, or almonds), some dried fruit (dried cranberries, apricots, or raisins), and honey whole wheat pretzels from Trader Joe's. I put in a single serving and drop it in my bag and go!
• Stocking the basics: whole wheat bread, sliced low-sodium turkey or ham deli meat, eggs, milk, sliced cheese, fresh fruits and veggies. Instead of takeout when we get home really late from house hunting or traveling, I make all natural tomato soup (box from Trader Joe's) and a grilled cheese and ham sandwich. Or you can always cook eggs and toast for dinner! If you have carrots in the fridge, it's easy to peel and cut them for a quick snack for later in the day.
• A frozen meal works in a pinch. Trader Joe's has better-than-most frozen meals that I can pack for lunch for me or Aaron in the morning with fruit. There have been many nights lately that I didn't cook the night before and there's no time to make lunch before bed. I select the higher vegetable quantity, lower fat/sodium varieties like spinach lasagna for example.
• This Monday, I made dried pinto beans in the crockpot (see my recipe from dried black beans). I picked up pre-cooked chicken breast from yes, Trader Joe's, but you can get a rotisserie chicken from any grocery store. I made corn tortilla chicken tacos with tomato, avocado and lettuce (from my produce box) and served the beans on the side. It was a healthy and easy meal that produced a lot of leftovers.
• Don't skimp on vitamins. I take my prenatal vitamins and fish oil caps daily, but when I'm feeling extra tired or when I'm fight a bug, I use Emergen-C to boost my vitamin C and electrolytes.

These are some strategies that have helped me, if you want to share your tips, please add a comment!

Healthy Hot Artichoke Dip is Perfect for Game Day and Parties

When we're invited to a party where we're asked to bring a dish to share I use it as an opportunity to bring a tasty healthy snack, side dish, dessert, or salad that I feel good about eating. Many parties have food that is packed with fat, preservatives, HFCS, sodium, and who knows what else! The idea is to bring something that is both healthy and flavorful.

The Hot Artichoke Dip is one of those tasty and healthy treats. I served it last year at a jewelry party that I hosted and it was very popular! So today, we're heading to a friend's house to watch a football game and I'm bringing this to share. Traditional artichoke dips are filled with high fat items like cheese, mayo, and whole milk sour cream.

This version uses white beans to thicken the dip and add flavor. The combination of the beans and artichokes make this a high-fiber snack! Using Parmesan cheese, you don't have to use as much as other milder cheeses since it has a deep flavor. The best thing is there is NO chopping! You can make this with the food processor. It's very quick and you can pop it right into the oven when you arrive at the party.

Hot Artichoke Dip from Cooking Light Dec. 2005
Serve with cut veggies (cucumbers, carrots, celery, cauliflower) and pita chips or crackers.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cups reduced fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional (*I do this to boost the lemon flavor)
  
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard (*my addition)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, rinsed drained and divided
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; add 1 can of artichokes and beans. Process until smooth. Add remaining can of artichokes, 3/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, and garlic. Pulse 20 times or until artichokes are coarsely chopped.
• Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
  

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 98(37% from fat); FAT 4g (sat 2.2g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 5.8g; CHOLESTEROL 9mg; CALCIUM 108mg; SODIUM 488mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 0.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.3g

What's In Season Now: Cantaloupe

Serving fresh fruit for a family meal is a great way to add more nutritional values to your diet and if it's there ready to eat, kids and adults alike are more likely to serve it up on their plates. Cantaloupe is a fresh-tasting, sweet melon that is in season all summer so take advantage of the best prices now.

Cantaloupe is a nutritional powerhouse that is low in calories (about 50 calories per cup) and high in potassium (490 mg per cup). Potassium helps you keep your heart healthy and help regulate blood pressure. Cantaloupe is also an excellent source of vitamins A and C!

Cut up the cantaloupe all at once and store in containers in the refrigerator for quickly packing for lunches or snacks.

Tools you need to cut a cantaloupe quickly and safely:

• Large chef knife
• Small paring knife
• Tablespoon (Your table utensil, not measuring spoon)
• Cutting board
  

An efficient way to cut a cantaloupe:

• On a clean cutting board, cut the cantaloupe in half on the vertical line (longway) with the chef knife.
• Using a tablespoon scoop out the seeds and make sure you empty as much of the liquid from the hole in the middle.
• Starting with the first half, slice the melon half in 4 vertical strips.
  
• Then use the small paring knife to follow along the line of the rind against the flesh. Discard the rind and any green edges. With the paring knife slice cross-wise to form chunks.
• Repeat with the other half.
  
• Store in a container for serving or the refrigerator. Work next to the sink or garbage can to discard quickly and clear your space to keep your board clear.
  

Cantaloupe Snack Suggestions:

• Power Energy: Serve 1 cup of cantaloupe with 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese.
• Italian Appetizer: Wrap prosciutto slice around cantaloupe slice (don't cut into chunks for this snack)
• Accent for Salad: Slice cantaloupe for a spinach or arugula salad paired with Serrano ham or prosciutto and red onion slices. Use a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing for a balance of the sweet, salty, and spicy flavors.
• Sweet Treat - Homemade Popsicles: Puree cantaloupe in the blender with a bit of water. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and serve to the family on a hot day.
  

Try this Easy, Make-Ahead Healthy Snack: Banana-Oat Energy Bars

Bananas are very nutritious and portable enough for snacks on the go. We get bananas in our produce box every time, but unfortunately, Aaron I really don't like to eat raw bananas. I've found a way to use them up by freezing them for smoothies, making banana bread, or energy bars.

I really like the banana energy bars and it only takes 10 minutes of prep and bakes in just 25 minutes. In that short amount of time, you can have 12 servings. That is a great value of time!

Try these energy bars for a snack with milk before/after a workout. They pack easily to have on-the-go. Check out my previous post for more ideas on packable snacks. They are sweet enough for kids to enjoy. I've given these to my friends and family and everyone really likes them.

Banana-Oat Energy Bars
12 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (use 2 large)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tbs vegetable or coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
2 tbs ground flaxseed
1 1/4 cup regular oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or roasted sunflower seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour - salt)
3. Beat bananas through egg at medium speed in a stand mixer until blended.
4. Add oat mixture to the banana mixture.
5. Spread mixture in 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Serve/Store: Cut in 12 equal servings. Wrap in wax paper in plastic resealable bags and store in the refrigerator. The bars last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

New Reasons to Eat Eggs for Healthy High Quality Protein

Any of my coworkers or family will tell you that I'm a huge fan of eggs. On my honeymoon in Italy, for most of the trip, I craved eggs for breakfast because there not as common by the locals in the morning. I've noticed that if I eat eggs, especially in the morning, I have more energy, longer. On days when I workout at lunch, I try to eat eggs for breakfast. Eggs are perfect for any meal or snack.



Eggs are a high-quality protein and nutritionally-rich food for relatively few calories and comparative cost. The best options are organic, cage-free. Today, Dr. Mercola, health researcher, put out a very informative article on the health benefits of eggs. I encourage you to look at it so you educate yourself on these important facts. Here are some tips for making eggs quickly during the work week.

Breakfast:

• At night, crack eggs and store in an airtight bowl in the refrigerator.


• In the morning, preheat a small skillet on medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Use a fork to lightly beat and pour into the skillet. Scramble for egg burrito or cook omelet style for egg sandwiches.


• Store eggs from the stove-top in an airtight microwaveable container that you can reheat by the time you get to work.

Snacks/Lunch:

• First, boil eggs on Sunday and set aside in the fridge for work.


• For snacks, pair with an orange or your favorite fruit


• For lunch, make a quick egg salad for a sandwich or make a chef salad with other lunch meat.

Making perfect hard-boiled eggs:

In a small saucepan, add 3-4 inches of water and bring to a boil on high. When water is "rolling" use a large spoon and drop in the egg gently in the water. I typically cook 4-6 at a time. Turn the heat to medium to maintain the boil, but not overflow. Set the timer for 15 minutes. Drain the water in the sink and cover with cold water. Add ice to stop the cooking process. Let cool and eat immediately or store in a bowl in the refrigerator for future use.

I find it's best to peel the egg when you're planning on eating it. To peel, gently push on the egg on a flat surface to crack the shell. It should be easy to take off the shell pieces. I try to eat them within the week for maximum freshness.

These are a couple of ideas that may work for you to help you save time, while eating a nutritious and energy-packed meal or snack.

Snacks in my purse...

I went to Aaron's grandmother's funeral a couple weeks ago. The service was long, so my stomach was growling. In the car, on the way to cemetery, I pulled out my apple and started snacking because I knew it would be over an hour before lunch. Aaron laughed at me because he wondered where the apple came from and I told him I planned it all along!

Snacks in my purse are perfect for when I'm on the way out of the house for more than 4 hours and I know I'll be hungry. Realistically, if you have a healthy metabolism and exercise often, you will get hungry while you're out for the day.

Has this happened to you? You're out running errands or at an event and there is nothing to eat, expect for monster pretzels (that really serves 3 people), candy bars or worse yet fast food! Let's face it, you're weak when you're hungry! I'm convinced if you stuff your bag with a healthy portable snack in your bag (guys, try your computer/gym bag), you will have the energy you need to keep going.

My personal favorites for portable healthy snacks:

• Apple (cored and cut in a baggie so the apple doesn't bruise and get dirty)
• Trail mix (Trader Joe's sells the individual servings or use "snack-size" bags to portion a serving of trail mix)
• Dried apricots (or raisins, dried cherries, etc)
• Baby carrots
• String cheese (only for a couple hours outside of the fridge)
• Larabar (mix of fruit and nuts)

The bottom line is that you need something that can withstand being in your bag for a few hours without refrigeration. It's best to pack something that you don't need utencils to eat. Plus, it's less conspicious, right!

Share your snack ideas. Add a comment to tell me your favorite non-perishable, healthy snack that is easy to eat on the go.