Browsing the archives for the snack tag.

A Really Gross Snack and 24 Sleeps To Go!

Domestic

I know, I know. This is gnarly. Not even just gross, but gnarly. Fun too though, right? Especially for the littles. I think the very first time I saw this was on Noble Pig, and since then I’ve seen it all over the place. My kids thought they were equal parts gross and amazing.

There is so much Halloween insanity going on around here. Pumpkins galore, like whoa we have a lot of pumpkins to carve. Big ones, small ones, medium ones, white ones – even those neat bumpy ones (they’re called knuckleheads, for the record). There’s also a lot of costume preparation, though again, the littles want something specific they have seen and considering I left my sewing machine in Canada, I’m not really arguing with them about it. When I get my hands on a sewing machine though, watch out!

In the meantime, I’m all about the festive food. This is not really a recipe, all you’re doing is dressing a graham cracker up like a band aid and you know, finishing it off with a little smear of blood. No biggie.

Graham Cracker Band Aids

-graham crackers
-cream cheese (or icing)
-seedless strawberry jam (or red decorator’s gel)

 

Just break the graham crackers along their ‘perforated edges’ (though really, do they ever break clean?!), use a knife to clean them up a bit. Then spread on a little cream cheese (or frosting) just in the middle. Try to level it out into nice little rectangles.

Now just add your little dollops of blood. I had seedless strawberry jam on hand and it’s yummy with cream cheese. The recipes that call for the decorator gel will work just as well though!

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Deceptively Delicious Tofu Nuggets

Healthy

A couple of years ago, I set out to cook and bake my way through Jessica Seinfield’s book, Deceptively Delicious. I did manage to cover a lot of the book, but I didn’t do every recipe. I brought it with me to LA though, and I’m still working through it!

This is one of those recipe you’ll likely enjoy of you’re down with tofu. If you’re not, this is probably not a winner! I made these for a handful of tofu-friendly friends and everyone really liked them, my husband and littles? Notsomuch.

Deceptively Delicious Tofu Nuggets

Tofu Nuggets via Deceptively Delicious
1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon ground flax
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup spinach or broccoli puree
1 large egg, beaten
1 14oz package extra form tofu
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

The process for these is, unsurprisingly, the same as for breading pretty much anything else. First dipped in vegged up egg and then in fibered up breadcrumbs. Bake or fry and voila!

To health up the breadcrumbs, mix them with the flax Parm and paprika. Then cut the tofu into nuggets. I sliced the block in half widthwise first so it was half as thick as it was, and then in half lengthwise so I had four blocks. Each of those blocks I cut into 6 more pieces for a total of 24 pieces.

Whisk the pureed broccoli or spinach (I used spinach) and you’re ready for dredging!

Deceptively Delicious Tofu Nuggets

Each piece goes first into the egg and spinach mixture to have something for the coating to stick to, then into the breadcrumb. Done!

Add the olive oil to a frying pan and cook the nuggets for 3-5 minute each side.

Deceptively Delicious Tofu Nuggets
Deceptively Delicious Tofu Nuggets
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Skinny Poolside Dip

Healthy

Today I’m linking up with Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Naptime Creations, Crafty Confessions, Me and My Boys, Mandy’s Recipe Box, Chef in Training, and Pink Sized Baker. Check out some of these link ups. So many recipes and projects to be inspired by!

I use the term ‘skinny’ pretty loosely here, because duh if you eat enough of pretty much anything there’s nothing skinny about it. It should also go without saying that swapping out crackers or flatbread for veggies to dip in this will also totally change what kind of day you have.

It’s at least fair to call it a light dip because if you’d normally be snacking on chips or crackers this dip is a step up with a lot less fat and calories and a little boost of veggies.

Skinny Poolside Dip

‘Skinny’ Poolside Dip

1 chopped red pepper
2 seeded and chopped jalapeños (or leave the seeds in if you really want the kick)
1 can of corn (drained)
16 oz fat-free cream cheese (softened)
1 packet ranch dip seasoning mix

Mash up the cream cheese to be sure it’s blended and ready for other add-ins. Stir in the seasoning mix first and when it’s well distributed, add the red pepper and the jalapeños. Then fold in the corn. Pop it in the fridge for a few hours for all the flavors to set.

That’s it. Just break out the crisp dipping veggies and some crackers.

I know, right? Too easy! You’re welcome!

Skinny Poolside Dip
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Menu Monday with Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños

Domestic

Menu Monday is back by popular demand – who knew you guys cared about Menu Monday?! Thanks for the emails, ladies! 😉 I write out the menu and usually stick it somewhere visible in the kitchen. Wee One #1, who has all of a sudden transformed into a hungry almost teenager, will see something he’s really excited about and ask to rearrange the week (‘can we switch today with Sunday so we can have buttermilk fried chicken, pleeeeease?!’). I went through a year long period of blissful extended vacation when we first moved to California and I would have swapped days without a thought. Sure, I still had laundry for 5 to do and yes we were homeschooling, but I had no real time constraints, nowhere I had no be at any specific time. It started slowly with one little taking Jiu Jitsu a few times a week, then the other two started taking dance a few times a week. Then before we knew it, not only were they getting better at their chosen activities, they were pushing themselves harder and asking to go more often! So now we’re at the dojo 4/5 days a week and at the dance studio 6/7 days a week! I know! We also moved to a much coveted, much bigger apartment, which of course means more cleaning. Duh. So now I find myself unable to mess around with dinners because, for example, while I will be homeschooling all day today (final week stretch woot woot), Wee One #1’s Jiu Jitsu keeps me out exactly when I should be making dinner, so dinner has to be something I can make and finish early and then heat up with no mushy consequence – you know, like stew. When I know I’ll be home all afternoon (like pretty much every Sunday) I can make something that is a serious time and mess investment and it’s all good. Sorry little people, no meal switching. You’ll just have to eat your stew and long for Sunday. 😉

Ever since the The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook entered my life, I have been cooking and baking up all kinds of neat things that (shocking) everyone has loved! Usually at least one person is not 100% happy with dinner, but from this book, they’re all happy. I know. It’s my new favorite thing. I can’t bring myself to post recipes from her book since I have been reading her since the dawn of time (aka 2007), but since she does post some of her cookbook recipes on her blog and I’ll happily post those. More this week!

This week is full of Pioneer Woman goodness, and some other goodness as well. 😉 The Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños are not a PW recipe, but they’re crazy fantastic! The original poster intended these jalapeño poppers to be cheesy jalapeño cornbread but switched them up because she’d done the spicy cornbread a zillion times before (I may be paraphrasing). This is one of those things that reminds me of the foodie differences between Canada and The States, I have never had cheesy jalapeño cornbread. That’s ok, I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity!


This Week’s Menu June 3 – June 9

Monday – PW beef stew with buttermilk biscuits and lemon meringue pie for dessert

Tuesday – ranch crusted chicken pieces with homestyle french fries & salad, and PW homemade donuts for dessert

Wednesday – PW meatloaf, bacon mashed potatoes and PW roasted cauliflower, and ice cream sundaes for dessert (with tiny fudge brownies)

Thursday – barbecue pork chops, smashed potatoes & candied carrots and samoas cookies for dessert

Friday – spaghetti and meatballs with all-day tomato sauce and PW ‘Knock You Naked’ brownies for dessert

Saturday – chicken Alfredo with cornbread stuffed jalapeños, and cinnamon roll cookies for dessert

Sunday – buttermilk fried chicken, mac & cheese, & broccoli and toasted coconut cake for dessert

Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños

Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños via Oh, Bite It!

12 medium fresh Jalapeños

1 cornbread mix

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top)

1 cup corn (canned or fresh, whatever)

Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños

Clean out your peppers, if you like it spicy leave some of the seeds in, otherwise clean them out. I usually wear gloves when I handle peppers but I didn’t when I made these and yeah my fingers were all burny for about half an hour after. Sigh. Wear gloves, people!

Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños
Follow the instructions for your cornbread mix, then add in the corn and 1 cup of the cheese.

Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños
Now, duh, fill those babies in! When they’re full, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top! Cook at 350 for about 20 minutes and voila!

Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeños
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‘Cream Cheese’ Filled Strawberries

Healthy

Generally, a bowl of strawberries doesn’t need any dressing up around here. All of the kids will devour a bowl without any sugar on them, without them being dipped in chocolate (though that never hurts, especially if it’s dark chocolate). Sometimes, though, I feel like a little something and these little somethings are just the thing. No dairy, just a little hit of sugar and a tofu punch at the same time! Totally impossible to eat just one.

Let’s get educational, shall we? What’s so great about strawberries and tofu anyway? Weeeell, since you asked…

What’s so great about strawberries?
-1 cup of strawberries has 141% of your vitamin C for the day and 28% of your manganese (not to mention the fiber, folate, iodine, potassium, magnesium, vitamin k and omega 3 fats)
-cardiovascular support and prevention of cardiovascular diseases
-improved blood sugar regulation, with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes
-prevention of certain cancer types including breast, cervical, colon, and esophageal cancer
-anti-inflammatory
-amazing combination of phytonutrients–including anthocyanins, ellagitannins, flavonols, terpenoids, and phenolic acids

What about tofu?
-4 oz tofu has 43.7% of your daily tryptophan (an essential amino acid which is the key ingredient in serotonin, which promotes feelings of calmness and relaxation), 39.6% of your calcium, 34.5% of your manganese and 33.7% of your iron (plus protein, omega-3 fats, selenium, copper, phosphorus and magnesium)
-the iron in tofu is important because it’s used as part of hemoglobin,which is responsible for transporting and releasing oxygen throughout the body
-…and hemoglobin synthesis also relies on copper, which is also in abundance in tofu
-soy protein can help to lower total cholesterol levels by as much as 30%, lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels by as much as 35-40%
-soy protein may reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease
-lower triglyceride levels, reduce the tendency of platelets to form blood clots, and possibly even raise levels of HDL (good cholesterol)
-helpful in alleviating the symptoms associated with menopause


4 ounces non dairy cream cheese, like Tofutti
1/2 cup extra firm silken tofu
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons lemon or orange juice

Just chop the tops off the strawberries and hollow them out. Pulse together all the ingredients and pipe the filling into the strawberries however you want. Pastry bag, zippy bag, spoon…whatever.
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