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Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Are you looking for a mother’s day gift for you or Mom? I’ve got you covered with fun ideas for the kitchen and beyond.

mother's day gifts she will love

What will you be doing this Mother’s Day? Getting outside? Finally seeing your mom? It’s been a crazy year, so I hope this guide helps you find something fun for yourself AND something for your mom.

Healthy Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

From the image above (some links are commissionable but at no cost to you):

Olive & June-this is the best non-toxic nail polish on the market. Mom will look like she’s been to the salon, but without the price tag or the chemicals. Check out the new spring collection.

Chappywraps– blue hydrangeas maybe your mom’s favorite flower. Grab her a cozy wrap while she spends time with friends outside this season.

Caraway Non-Stick Healthy  Cookware– if mom is still cooking with the pans she got at her wedding, it may be time for an upgrade. This set is gorgeous, super easy to clean, not too heavy, and has a safe mineral-based nonstick coating. (no chemicals here!)

Onitsuka Tiger Serrano Sneakers– could these sneakers be any cuter for spring?! Get walking outside with this fun wardrobe update.

 

Mother's Day Favorite Beverage Gifts

Favorite Mother’s Day Gift Beverage Ideas

Seedlip Non-Alcoholic Spirit: What to drink when you are not drinking. This is a great alcohol alternative when you want something more exciting than water, but not looking for a buzz. There are lots of varieties but the Garden is a favorite.

2020 Gallivant Rosé– this will be a new favorite. From McDowell Valley in California, it’s a light, crisp rosé. Perfect to pair with any meal, but especially delicious enjoyed outside in the sun.

Tiny Footprint Coffee– this one is organic, fair trade, and delicious. Pair it with a new mug and present it during breakfast in bed for a win.

bonus Ember Mug– this is on my wish list, hint hint. Skip the trip to Starbucks and make your own coffee and tea, and it will stay WARM!

For the Gardener

Tall Raised Bed Planter-this is the easiest garden bed! No more bending over. And no more bunnies eating your lettuce!

Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden book– so pretty and inspirational. Breaks down when to plant, how to plant, and more.

Fifth Start Gardening Tool Set– my garden tools tend to get swiped…I’m keeping my own set in my own bag! The kneepad gets a ton of use while planting and weeding.

Kitchen Garden Revival-this book is inspiring our new garden layout coming this spring. Stay tuned for more updates. Grab your copy and start planning your kitchen garden, big or small.

 

What’s your favorite thing on the list? Come share in our Facebook group for other like-minded healthy women! Happy Mother’s Day.

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Simple Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe

My slow cooker turkey breast recipe is the perfect recipe for a small, family Thanksgiving.  No fuss, hands-off, and delicious every time.

I hear there is a run on small turkeys, so this is a great back-up option. A turkey breast is an economical way to enjoy turkey for Thanksgiving, but not fuss with a big bird. Pop it into your slow cooker and you have even more time for the Macy’s Day Parade and football games. (And more room in your oven for all the best side dishes.)

This is my step-by-step tutorial of how to cook a turkey breast in a slow cooker. You can play with the recipe and adjust to your taste preferences. Another bonus, you can also pop in some red potatoes and have those ready to go as an easy side dish. You can make this long after the Thanksgiving holiday is over as it’s a perfect Sunday dinner meal.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast How-To

First, make sure your turkey breast is defrosted. Take it out at least one day ahead of time if it’s frozen. This lets the meat cook evenly and avoid getting dried out.

Boneless Turkey Breast Roast slow cooker recipe

You can find a turkey breast netted or not, and it really won’t impact cooking this recipe. I grabbed mine at Whole Foods and they carry a netted option. (Amazon Prime brought me “turkey cutlets” the first time instead of my turkey breast which is why this recipe post is just a bit later than I had planned.)

There’s no need to brine this turkey. See, already easier than cooking a full-size turkey.

Simple slow cooker turkey breast recipe thanksgiving

Step 1: Place Turkey Breast in your Slow Cooker

Slow cooker temperature ranges vary quite a bit. The good news is this recipe accounts for those nuances. This is my favorite slow cooker from All-Clad that is 6.5 quarts.

Unwrap your turkey breast from the package or paper. Place it at the bottom of your slow cooker lengthwise.

Simple slow cooker turkey dinner

Step 2: Add your Aromatics

In my recipe, I love to add a bag of fresh cranberries, celery, onion, carrots, and some fresh parsley and rosemary. The reason we add the aromatics is two-fold.

  1. The ingredients help infuse flavor into the turkey breast, which is rather lean. By slow cooking the turkey breast we can inject it with lots of flavors.
  2. I use the broth in this recipe to make gravy. Having a homemade turkey broth adds so much more flavor to your turkey gravy.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast recipe

Step 3: Cover Turkey Breast and Aromatics with Broth or Water

This is where there is not quite a precise measurement, it will depend on the size of your slow cooker. The key is to COVER your turkey with broth or water. You can use filtered water, vegetable broth, or in my case I opted for my homemade chicken bone broth for even more flavor.

Do you know what will happen when you’ve added enough water? Your cranberries will float! It’s a good way to know you are headed in the right direction.

The last step is to add sea salt and freshly ground pepper, because everything really tastes better with a quick hit of both.

Step 4: Set your Slow Cooker Timer

I find the best cook time for the crock pot turkey breast is for 3-4 hours on high, or 5-7 on low. Now, smaller slow cookers cook faster as there is less water or broth to heat up. So adjust accordingly.

Also, make a meat thermometer your friend. I opt for 160°F when cooking poultry, then I take it out and let it rest for at least 5 minutes to help distribute the juices, and it will keep cooking to the magical number of 165°F.

Step 5: Strain the Broth

You can use the broth for gravy as I mentioned, or save for a turkey soup if you have any meat leftover. With a small, 2 pound turkey breast, you may not have a ton of leftovers, so plan accordingly.

I hope this helps you celebrate a small Thanksgiving, either in person or virtually. If you have any questions about cooking Thanksgiving dinner, head over to Instagram where I can answer your questions. 

Bonus Tips

If you have skin on your turkey breast, you can pop it under the broiler to crisp up the skin if it’s one of your favorite part’s of a big turkey dinner. (yes, it’s mine. My sister and I would always hover to grab some once it was being carved)

Also, feel free to a some white wine to your slow cooker. Always use good quality wine that you would drink in a glass. If you wouldn’t drink the grocery store white wine, don’t cook with it.

My favorite wines to pair with a Thanksgiving Turkey are as follows:

  • Pinot Noir– a light, fruity red that doesn’t compete with the turkey flavor
  • Chardonnay– a classic food pairing wine, although I love ones that are unoaked.
  • Sparkling wine– grab a glass before dinner to kick off the holiday, then enjoy some seasonal cider with your meal.

Happy Thanksgiving to you! Please pin the Slow Cooker Turkey Breast recipe below to save for seasons to come.

SLOW COOKER TURKEY BREAST

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Halloween Snack Board

How to create a Halloween Snack Board for the spooky holiday ahead.

Halloween Snack Board

A few years ago, we started planning a Halloween Dinner Board before Trick or Treating. It’s now a tradition in our house. It’s such a simple way to get some food into the kids before heading out the door.

They are always way too excited to sit still for dinner, so this snack board really makes life easier. They can grab and go as they get into their costumes. It’s also easy to entertain and feed grandparents who stop by to take costume pictures too.

Dinner snack boards or you may call them “grazing boards,” are a holiday tradition that you can mix and match with the colors of the event. For our Halloween snack board, we go with a white, black, green, and a little red mixed in.

Halloween Snack Board Emily Roach

Halloween Snack Board Shopping List

The easiest place to grab all your snack platter ingredients is Trader Joe’s. They truly have such a great selection, and I love getting in and out of their store quickly.

Here’s a shopping list of the items I usually grab for my snack boards.

  • Goat cheese (rolled in dark herbs)
  • Mozzarella balls
  • Salami and Proscuitto
  • Crackers (I like the Trader Joe’s Beet crackers too)
  • Raw milk cheddar
  • Cornichons
  • Black olives
  • Mini cucumbers
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Pesto
  • Clementines
  • Blackberries
  • Carrots (farmer’s market ones that looks like creepy fingers are best!)

Halloween Dinner Ideas Snack board

Forgive the lighting on the picture above, but that’s real life when you are busy getting the kids ready in their costumes and trying to snap a picture.

Here are some other great ideas to add to your snack boards. (and if someone has the source for these, let me know. I had them saved from ages ago)

Halloween grazing board

In my Halloween charcuterie board, I choose not to add in any Halloween candy. My goal is to fill the kids up with some real food before they dive into the sugar. This year, if your kids can’t go trick-or-treating, you may want to create an epic Halloween snack board and include some candy before you settle into a Halloween movie night.

Halloween clementines

We also put these cute clementines in the kid’s lunch boxes during the week of Halloween. Here’s a food-safe pen you can use. to decorate oranges or bananas. 

Halloween snack board

Halloween snack board can be transitioned for fall entertaining too. No need for all things spooky! If you want to create mini charcuterie boards, I really love the ones we got from Etu Home.

You can also whip up a batch of my Green Smoothie Muffins too! Such a great addition to the snack board or for snack time.

Have fun this Halloween. Be safe, and tag me if you make a Halloween Snack Board with @EmilyRoachWellness on IG.

Halloween Snack Board Ideas

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4th of July Meal Plan

Need some help planning your 4th of July meal plan? I know it doesn’t quite feel like business as usual when it comes to our summer plans, but the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday of the year. Even if it’s just you celebrating, here are some fun ideas for the kitchen. We will celebrate at the beach this year with some family outside. Here’s hoping the mosquitoes are not too bad this year!

Watermelon Sticks 4th of July meal plan

4th of July Menu

Pamela Salzman’s American Flag Pie recipe. You can check out her Instagram IGTV and watch the tutorial. Make the dough today and break up the steps to make it easier.

A Couple Cooks’ updated broccoli salad looks like a great option to use some of our garden fresh broccoli.

Potato salads are my favorite, especially when it’s a French Potato Salad. I’m totally hooked on adding capers to my potato salad, and so are my kids!

I like grilling chicken and being able to have some “plain” and others with a kick. I’ve found using a hoisin glaze at the end is perfect. Here’s an easy tutorial for a grilled hoisin chicken, but please don’t use canola oil. Sub avocado oil on the grill due to the high heat.

Zucchini hummus is a perfect pair to all the snappy veggies from our garden, plus a few more from local farms.

Round out the menu with watermelon sticks and you’ll be good to go. Sticks are the way to go for less mess and they also taste delicious frozen.

Scale-up as needed for your guest count.

 

Easy American Flag Cheese Board

American Flag Cheese Board from The Baker Mama

And a cute red, white, and blue cheese and fruit board is always a win for your 4th of July meal plan. This one from The Baker Mama is gorgeous and full of gluten-free crackers from Trader Joe’s.(She has a full shopping list on this post here.)

🇺🇸🍓🌟🍷☀️🏖

I hope you enjoy the long weekend. Raise a glass of clean-crafted wine to toast the holiday! I’ll be enjoying a glass of Adelante Sauvignon Blanc because my mom and sister are in town and it’s their favorite. You can grab it too for 20% off till Friday.

Cheers and happy 4th of July!

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Our Thanksgiving Meal Plan

As I write out our Thanksgiving Meal Plan, I thought I would share it here too, along with some recipe links.

We tend to host a larger gathering, this year will be have 20 guests for dinner, and 26 for dessert. We always try to incorporate lots of local produce, farm fresh turkeys, and delicious flavors.

Every year I take notes about what worked, and what didn’t, for the big Thanksgiving dinner. Having a Thanksgiving meal plan you can refer back to year after year is so helpful. (so much so that I want a digital copy by creating this blog post!)

What size turkey should I buy?

What size turkey should I buy?

This was the top question I get about planning the Thanksgiving Meal Plan.
What size turkey should I get for Thanksgiving dinner?

The general rule of thumb is a pound per person. However, I want to make sure we have leftovers. ⁠
I’m ordering an 18-20 lb turkey, AND I’ll cook a turkey breasts separately in the slow cooker so we have extra, AND it makes a fresh batch of turkey stock for the gravy. ⁠Last year we didn’t need to serve the turkey breast, so now I know I can save it for leftovers over the weekend.

thanksgiving meal plan

Where I buy ingredients for my Thanksgiving

  1. Farmers to You: farm fresh ingredients collected from Vermont farms and delivered to drop locations in Massachusetts.
  2. Thrive Market: all my baking staples were restocked via Thrive Market. Having it delivered makes it so much easier to prep for a big dinner.
  3. Whole Foods, Prime Now delivery: after this post is done, I’m finalizing my shopping plan for Thanksgiving. And yes, I’m a huge fan of delivery.
  4. Scout & Cellar Clean Crafted Wine: again, delivery saves the day. I ordered some pinot noir and sauvignon blanc for the dinner hour, plus I have a special Cabernet Sauvignon that will come out as dinner winds down and desserts are served. Grab your four bottle dinner set now for the next round of holidays. Stock up on clean crafted wine and share no sugar added, natural wines for the holidays. 
  5. Volante Farms: I’m picking up my farm raised turkey from the local store tomorrow, and I’ll grab some flowers and apples for decorations.

cranberry sauce for thanksgiving meal plan

Thanksgiving Meal Plan Recipes

I try to plan a few weeks in advance, especially once I know how many guests are joining us for Thanksgiving. Having lists of what was on our meal plan in year’s past is super helpful. This year I even created a binder just for Thanksgiving. There are so many delicious recipes, why should we save them for only Thanksgiving? I plan to use the binder for weekly meal planning during the cold season ahead.

Thanksgiving Meal Plan Ideas

Here’s our Thanksgiving meal plan:

  • 18-20 lb Turkey and a turkey breast
  • Roach family stuffing…sourdough bread cubes with nitrate free sausage, a little homemade cranberry sauce, eggs, butter, onions, celery, and lots of poultry seasoning.
  • Murphy family stuffing….white bread, onions, celery, egg, and Bays seasoning. (old traditions die hard.)
  • Corn bread pudding…my husband just made this request as it’s one of his family favorites. I’ve doctored up the recipe over the years to include only unprocessed ingredients. This corn pudding from Pamela Salzman is very close to the way I make mine now.
  • Cranberry sauce…at least three! I make it from scratch with just maple syrup, gelatin, and orange zest. Last year we made an amazing version with chopped pears so that’s on deck to be repeated this year. (the recipe is from Pamela Salzman’s Thanksgiving ebook. I bought it last year and there were tons of great ideas in it, including what to do with turkey leftovers! (not an affiliate link…I just loved the ebook!)
  • Butternut Squash…last year my dad made it with squash from his garden. This year, I’m making a roasted holiday veggie dish with squash from OUR GARDEN! It’s one of the new recipes that’s been updated in my own Fall Ebook Bundle. 
  • Green Bean Casserole…I’m still looking for the perfect update to the green bean casserole I loved as a kid. Complete with French’s onions. This year I’m testing out the recipe from Live Simply Mom.
  • Mashed Potatoes…last year we accidentally made it with russet potatoes…use yukon gold instead. This year I’m trying it in the Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe to lighten the load on our stovetop. I don’t like to have leftover mashed potatoes, but I will increase the ingredients in this recipe to make sure we have enough.
  • Gravy…my Nana taught me to make it with Wondra flour. This year I’m testing some out with brown rice flour and arrowroot starch to see if I can make myself a gluten free gravy. Stay tuned!
  • Sweet Potato Casserole…love this with orange sweet potatoes…OR PURPLE potatoes. Using this recipe, but I do skip the apple juice concentrate. I think it’s sweet enough with the maple syrup, and I don’t like buying a random ingredient like this for just dish.
  • Something GREEN! This will be a game time decision for either Brussel sprouts or sautéed green beans. I just find I like the balance of having more greens on the table, but yet I don’t always want a salad. If you do make a salad, dress it up with pomegranate seeds and persimmons! So pretty. And use butter lettuce as it will hold up better than super greens.

purple sweet potato casserole

Okay…I better get off this computer and start cooking.

Oh wait, you didn’t think I would forget dessert?!

Thanksgiving Meal Plan dessert

Thanksgiving Desserts

  • Apple pie (little sister is the pie master!)
  • Pecan pie…also from little sister
  • Pumpkin pie…my task, and my 8 year old just LOVES pumpkin pie.
  • Chocolate and cheese board is from a guest this season, so curious to see it!
  • Tea (no one ever drinks the coffee I make!)

I hope you have some ideas now for your own Thanksgiving Meal Plan! Pin this post to save for years to come as I’ll try to keep updating it with what works! Cheers to a delicious holiday ahead.

thanksgiving meal plan recipes

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Our favorite healthy Super Bowl recipes (gluten-free, Paleo)

Healthy Super Bowl party recipe ideas for gluten-free dairy-free guests.

As the excitement grows for Super Bowl Sunday, it’s time to plan out your healthy Super Bowl recipes. Now, I hear what you are saying. Is there such a thing as “healthy”Super Bowl recipes? You bet.

Today I’m sharing with you some fun finds that the whole family will love. With the game later at night, there are lots of small bites on this menu round-up. All of these items are gluten-free and dairy-free, so you can wake up in the morning feeling awesome. (Especially if your team wins!)

HealthySuper Bowl Recipes

healthy superbowl sunday recipe avocado citrus ceviche dip

HealthySuper Bowl appetizer recipes

Chipotle Cauliflower Tacos- fun, vegetarian option as a main meal or appetizer from Pamela Salzman.

Avocado and citrus “ceviche”- light and bright from Cookie and Kate. Serve with organic, corn tortilla chips. Better yet, try the new grain-free chips from Siete.

Chicken Pineapple Meatballs- these look super kid-friendly! Recipe from Stupid Easy Paleo

Spinach and artichoke dip- I’ve made this recipe from Robyn at Real Food Whole Life and it’s amazing. Your guests will never know it’s dairy free, and it’s made in the slow cooker! I serve this with a mix of raw veggies, corn tortilla chips, Mary’s crackers, and sometimes pita bread for the kids.

Bacon wrapped cinnamon apples- this looks so fun for pre-game!

spinach artichoke dairy free recipe for healthy superbowl sunday

HealthySuper Bowl entree recipes

Buffalo Chickpea Chili- a cool combo of flavors from The First Mess

Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Skins- those sweet potatoes actually help you sleep better at night, no matter what the score it. 

Slow cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup-one of our family favorites

Paleo Teriyaki Chicken Wings- make enough for a crowd with this recipe from Predominantly Paleo. 

Instant Pot Enchilada Chicken- this is on our list for this Sunday, along with the sweet potato skins on the side. Make extra and use it for Monday night’s dinner in tacos!

Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Pomegranate Salad

 

HealthySuper Bowl Dessert recipes

(just don’t eat too much too late at night!)

Paleo Seven Layer Bars from Danielle at Against All Grain. (Love her Celebrations cookbook!)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Brown Rice Crispy Treats

Coconut Oil Chocolate Bark from Oh She Glows

Healthy Super bowl recipes ideas for gluten-free dairy-free guests.

Are you ready for some football?! Enjoy these fun, healthySuper Bowl party recipes. Join us in the private Facebook group and come tell us what you are making. 

 

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Healthy Holiday Gifts for Everyone on Your List

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…and time to pick out some healthy holiday gifts to kick off the new year in style. I pulled together a list of my favorite wellness items that will appeal to a wide variety of people on your gift list. I love gift giving, especially when it’s something that’s going to support your overall health. You will see a trend that I picked out gifts that are practical, with some extra beautiful ones just for fun.

Some of these sites offer affiliate marketing programs, which means if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission which helps pay for all the behind the scenes blog expenses. 

healthy holiday gifts for everyone on your list

Healthy Holiday Gifts for Women

Aroma Globe Diffuser– I’m a huge fan of diffusing our essential oils to help support our everyday routines. Some oils are immunity boosting and others help my kids settle down to do homework. My diffusers are all plastic and I’m looking to switch to the  Aroma Globe option that is made with glass. Young Living also carries the Aria diffuser which is beautiful, but a little more expensive. Order  a starter set of oils to get someone covered from head to toe!

Dry Brush Set– adding dry brushing to your wellness routine helps your body naturally detox. Dry brushing helps stimulate the lymph in the body and get it moving. Toxins can get stuck in the lymph so we want to get it moving and clearing out of the system. I recommend doing this before your shower. You will be amazed at how much better your skin looks once you start a regular routine!

Emily Ley Recipe Binder-collecting your recipes in one place is the first tip I give people when they start meal planning. I like Emily’s planners and the Recipe book is a great match to anyone who is a fan of the Simplicity Planner. {Note-this is currently 40% off at publication}

Plan to Eat– if someone you know doesn’t want “stuff” this is a great alternative! Plan to Eat is a meal planning program. It’s a digital product that allows you to save magazines you read about online (or in my meal plans) and save them to a private database. You then create a weekly meal plan and select the recipes that work for you. Plan to Eat automatically creates a grocery list for you. My favorite part is being able to print the list so I can bring it to the store without getting distracted by my phone. {Currently 50% off Black Friday subscriptions happening!}

Himalayan Salt Lamp-turn these on at night to help quiet the world. The thought is the salt lamps help buffer the EMF (electro magnetic frequencies from wireless signals.) I like to keep these on while we fall asleep, and then also get a wireless shut off timer for our routers. 

Instant Pot-I totally recommend the 8 quart option. I’m using it to cook sweet potatoes, hard boiled eggs, and bone broth super fast. {note: this is currently an Amazon deal of the day}

Healthy Holidays Gifts for Men

Clean Slate Charcoal Duo– did you know our skin detoxes about two pounds of toxins per day?! Isn’t that wild? You can help support your skin with the charcoal soap and mask. Use on a weekly basis. This is a wonderful gift for a husband or a friend.

S’well Tumblers-a fabulous upgrade for your coffee/tea/water to-go!

Air Purifier– this one is actually on my own list. We have a beautiful wood burning fireplace, but I don’t love how the smoke seems to remain in the air. I’m getting one to help clean up the air in our family room.

Healthy Holidays Gifts for the Family

Blue Blocking Glasses-grab a pair of these for your spouse or a friend. The new styles are so much better than the original! This brand even has kid sizes too.

EMF Blocking Blanket– if your kids are getting some form of wireless device for the holidays, I urge you to get one of these EMF blocking blankets. The newest research is showing damaging effects of the EMF. I like this style that’s gender neutral and is perfect if you have a kid that likes to curl up with their device to watch something. (Also, if they are just playing a game, switch it to airplane mode.)

Personal Meal Plan Gift Certificate– I recently sold my personal meal plans as gift certificates at our local marketplace. I thought I would offer you the same opportunity. One customer purchased it to give to her husband as a gift so he can get a personalized meal plan. I’m excited to work on this in the new year. Gift certificates need to be redeemed by March 2018. Click here to purchase one!

Hanna Andersson pajamas– as I learn more about protecting our body from chemicals, I’ve realized our choice of pajamas is very important. I’ve learned to look for GOTS certified clothes, or OEKO-TEX® certification. Both of these mean the clothing is not treated with flame retardants. You can find adorable chemical-free pajamas over at Hanna Andersson.  They have sizes for all ages so you can be coordinated on Christmas morning!

Mini Trampoline– we had grandparents get one for our kids last Christmas and it was a huge hit. I love that there is somewhere for the kids to burn off energy all winter long. We got the Pure Fun version with the handrail so the littlest one had a safety bar. After our move they took it off and it’s even better!

Healthy Holiday Gifts for Bakers

Beautiful measuring cups-having two sets is super helpful for holiday baking. These make a great hostess gift too.

Marble Cookbook Stand-this elevates the home cook’s work space just a bit. This works great for tablets and magazines best.

Healthy Holiday Gifts for Gardeners

Heirloom seed kit-this one from Williams Sonoma is ideal for small spaces. Start some seeds in the winter to help keep spirits up during the dark, cold days.

Garden jar Kitchen Herb kit-mason jars just call to me! This is one of the Oprah healthy holiday gift selections. It’s cute and functional. Modern Sprouts also has a grow house that is one of the prettiest greenhouses I’ve seen on the market.

 

Alright, that was a lot. Tell me which is your favorite healthy holiday gift? Happy shopping.

 

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HEALTHY HOMEMADE MINI CHOCOLATE TREATS

Finding a healthy chocolate recipe is always on my radar and these Mini Chocolates I created are my new favorite. I’ve tried a bunch of different options and they often come out too grainy. Not these little gems, they are rich while also full of healthy fat and a secret superfood! I think you will be surprised how easy it is to make your own chocolate.

Conventional chocolates are made with refined sugar, which has two big negatives connected to it.

  1. It causes inflammation in the body…which is what can lead to weight gain.
  2. Sugar is made from sugar beets, a GMO product.

When you take a few minutes to make your own chocolate you get the relief of knowing exactly what’s in it. Did I mention raw cacao? By using unrefined chocolate, you get the nutritional benefits of chocolate. One of the key nutrients is magnesium, which is considered the “love vitamin” so it’s a perfect time to treat yourself to a little chocolate.

Healthy Homemade Mini Chocolate Dessert Recipe

I used cute mini muffin liners in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, but you can make it work for any holiday or celebration. If you are serving to kids or anyone with a sensitive palette, you may want to omit the cayenne pepper. Otherwise, cayenne is a warming spice and is great for those chilly months of the year.

The secret ingredient in my mini chocolate recipe is Spirulina, a blue-green algae. This offers you a dose of B vitamins, including B12, iron, and antioxidants. You can’t taste it in the chocolates and it’s a great way to add in a superfood.

Click here to print your recipe for the Homemade Mini Chocolates and enjoy with someone you love!

p.s. Double the recipe…you’ll be glad you did! Those mini chocolates didn’t last long in my house.

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December’s meal plan

Happy December! As this month of celebration twists and turns your usual routines on their heads, meal planning can take a back seat. It has to a point in my house, as I mainly do it in shorter bursts instead of tackling the whole week at once. This is working great for us, just not for writing a weekly post for my readers. I thought I would take a moment to share a few of our favorite recipes this month to help inspire your menu planning this week.

Main Dish

  • Honey Garlic Shrimp Skillet– this recipe is quite fast to prepare as long as you get deveined shrimp. Serve it with some basmati rice and drench it with the extra sauce.
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala– Easy to toss into the slow cooker in the morning (or during nap time) and it will be ready for dinner. The flavors were mild enough for all the kids.
  • Slow Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Stew– Another easy one to prep ahead for busy weeknights. This is perfect for a cold winter night along with some bread. I strain the broth a bit for the kids and it was a winner.
  • One Pot Cheeseburger Casserole– A repeat dish that makes a lot so we froze half. It reheats well on stove or the microwave.
  • Chicken Nuggets– old faithful. Always good for those nights when no one is feeling adventurous.

We also did a fun little taste test last month of hot dogs/veggie dogs/tofu dogs. I’m not allowed to do that again in our house. Ever.

Baked Oatmeal to-go cups

Snacks

  • Baked Oatmeal to-go– easy to make and customize with fun toppings. We made a bunch nut free so they could go to school with the kids. Their favorite topping- chocolate chips.
  • Stovetop Popcorn– made with coconut oil this is still a family favorite snack. Make some to eat and string the rest for the tree!

Breakfast

  • Gingerbread Pancakes– these are gluten free as they use oatmeal ground into flour as the base. One kid had 5, another didn’t love them. I would grind up my oatmeal a little more next time so it’s less grainy, but I definitely will make them again.

Easy weeknight dinner recipe ideas

I’ll save the desserts for a latter post…on deck today is our holiday Buckeye Balls to get ready for my Mom’s visit to celebrate Christmas a little early. Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you have a lovely holiday season!

For more inspiration, see three years of past dinner plan here, my Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of weekly meal plans. All images from Ricardo magazine. Some affiliate links included. 

 

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Weekly Meal Plan

Happy summer friends! I hope this week’s meal plan finds many of you on vacation. In our house, summer vacation still means we are cooking for family and friends so I’m still making a loose plan of the dinners ahead. As time slows down here at the beach house, it’s a fun opportunity to try some new recipes. All the magazine reading at the beach pays off in the kitchen!

cousins-beach

You will see a little less content around here this month as we spend time as a family at the beach. It’s hard to find time to sit at a computer when the sand is just a few steps away. Follow along our summer adventure over on Instagram.

On the menu…

Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad

Make the salad in the morning and it will be ready after a fun day in the sun. (image)

Sunday~ Lobsters and Steak. A perfect summer dinner. Plus lots of fresh greens and veggies from my Dad and stepmom’s garden. We never leave hungry from their house.

Monday~ Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad. I found this recipe in my Instagram feed this week and can’t wait to make it. Large platter salads are generally a win with the kids since they get to control what they pick out. We “gently” encourage them to put everything on their plate, even if they don’t eat it. It’s a great chance to give everyone exposure to the rainbow.

Tuesday~ Hamburgers, oven fries and corn on the cob. Super simple…but a little extra special with lime juice for the corn instead of butter.

Wednesday~ Dinner out in Gloucester. So many choices…

Thursday~ Oven to Grill Baby Back Ribs and coleslaw. The inspiration for this recipe is here, but I may tweak it and cook it in the foil packets in the crock pot instead. No need to introduce more heat in the house!

Friday~Hot dog dinner post beach and then off to see the fireworks!

Saturday~ Family BBQ. I’m making the Sugar Snap Pea, Tomato and Orzo salad from Brown Eggs and Jam Jars.  (you could also try this Beet Orzo salad)

Brown Eggs and Jam Jars cookbook

Happy 4th of July!!

 

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