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A Lunch Salad Full of Plant Protein!

This is my favorite on-the-go and go-to salad.  It is very filling, healthy, delicious, and full of wonderful plant protein! Edamame, quinoa & chickpeas make this a plant protein powerhouse! I pick it up at Trader Joes, but don’t worry if you do not live close to a Trader Joes, because this salad can easily be made at home!

Here are the ingredients:

Spinach –about 2 cups

Cherry Tomatoes –2-4

Shredded Carrots – a palmful

Quinoa –1/2 cup cooked (directions here)

Chickpeas –1/4 cup, drained & rinsed

Dried Cranberries–palm-ful

Edamame –1/4 cup, cooked

Pumpkin Seeds –palm-ful

Salad Dressing —Carrot Ginger or your choice.

These are ingredients I now have on hand at home most of the time, exempt pumpkin seeds.  I live right by a health food store that has pumpkin seeds so that is not a problem.  The Carrot Ginger Miso Salad dressing it comes with is really good, but I have made this at home and really this salad goes well with any type of dressing.  For some salad dressing inspiration, click over to my Salad Dressing Pinterest Boards.

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GF, Vegan & Raw/ Meals/ RECIPES

I Found My Go-To Chili Recipe

Michael of Koinoia is a friend of ours and had us over to recently to watch the Nebraska football game. {GO HUSKERS!}  When we walked into his home, the most amazing aroma of chili greeted us.  He made his famous chili for us, AND made a whole pot of meat- free chili just for me!  He shares his recipe and thoughts about fall here at his blog.  He has some other great recipes, like Bruschetta, that you must check out, too.  While you are there tell him Amy said hello.

I have made his exact meat- free version twice and we just love it.  His recipe uses a can of  Bush’s Chili Starter which is really good but a little bit high in sodium, plus– as you all know, I like to do one- stop shopping for my groceries at Trader Joes –but they do not sell Bush’s brand there but they do sell organic canned beans.  I decided to try my own Trader Joes version and using a can of their Vegetarian Chili in place of the Bush’s Chili Starter and it turned out yummy!  I still think I like Michael’s original version better as far as taste, but if I want to keep my shopping in one spot and keep things organic, at least there is a alternative.

I you want meat in your chili, (and a pic of the finished product) click here to go to Michael’s blog for the recipe.

Here is the meat-free version:

My Vegetarian Go-To Chili Recipe

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
15 oz can seasoned Bush’s chili beans, in sauce
1 can Bush’s Chili Starter
15 oz can Bush’s black beans, drained
15 oz can Bush’s red kidney beans, drained
15 oz can Bush’s white northern beans, drained
46 oz tomato juice
2-4 Tbsp chili powder
salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

Put olive oil in a large stock pan over medium heat.  Add diced onion.  Cook until translucent.  Add red pepper & garlic.  Cook about 5 minutes, careful not to brown the garlic.  Add all beans, tomato juice, & spices.  Let simmer for at least an hour up to 3.

Enjoy with your choice of toppings.  We love it with Trader Joes organic version of Frito type corn chips or crackers.

*To buy all ingredients at Trader Joes, get Trader Joe’s brand beans and substitute Trader Joes Vegetarian Chili for the Bush’s Chili Starter.

Do YOU have a favorite chili recipe?  If so, please share in the comments!

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GF, Vegan & Raw/ Meals/ RECIPES

Healthy Nachos

I have already posted about this Garbanzo Bean Taco Seasoned “Meat.”  I wrote about how to make Tacos & Lettuce Wraps, but I must say, I think this may be my favorite way to enjoy these taco seasoned beans.  This was amazing, and tasted just as good as any restaurant nachos I’ve ever had!

If you have never roasted garbanzo beans you are in for a treat.  You just drain them, rinse them and toss them with seasoning, then roast.  Within 20 minutes they turn so yummy and crunchy!

If we are just going to eat them as a snack, I leave the beans whole.  If using in tacos, nachos or lettuce wraps, I pulse a couple times in the food processor to make into a “meaty” texture.

This is a fun and easy addition to the nachos.  I think the added flavor of these fajita vegetables are what make these nachos so good.  Just slice onion & peppers, (I love using my favorite mandolin) add some grill seasoning, and use a grill pan on high heat to soften them.  Easy!

Garbanzo Bean “Meat” Nachos

1 recipe Garbanzo Meat filling

Tortilla Chips

Cheese of your choice (almond, soy or dairy)

Fajita vegetables (optional, directions above)

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Make garbanzo meat filling according to directions.  Put tortilla chips on a plate.  Add the beans & fajita vegetables.  Sprinkle with cheese of choice.  Microwave until cheese melts.  Serve with lettuce and tomatoes.

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GF, Vegan & Raw/ Meals/ RECIPES

Garbanzo Bean Taco “Meat”

I get so excited when I find plant-based recipes that are easy, healthy and my whole family loves.  This is one of those recipes.  I will make it again and again!

Even if you do not consider yourself vegetarian or vegan, it is still a great thing to incorporate more plant foods in one’s diet.  Even one meat-free dinner a week will help your health, and your budget!  Beans are much cheaper than meat!

This recipe is from Happy Herbivore.  She has done it again with a fast and easy recipe that will find it’s way into my regular rotation recipe box.

All you do is drain a can of garbanzo beans (or chickpeas if you will) and then toss them with taco seasoning, tamari (or soy sauce), & lemon juice.  Then roast.

 

While my beans were roasting, I decided to use up some of the veggies I had on hand and sliced them thin with a mandolin slicer, then softened them up in my grill pan.  I added a little grill seasoning (21 Salute Seasoning from Trader Joes.)  This added a layer and texture that really made these tacos.

When the beans are done, they are nice and crunchy on the outside.  I pulsed them in the food processor for a minute, as suggested by others who commented on this recipe.  Leaving the beans round can make for very messy eating.  This also gave them what I consider a “meaty” texture.

I did make sure I saved a few whole beans out for snacking.  My sister-in-law recommended this recipe to me and said that her husband just ate the leftover beans as a healthy, crunchy snack.  Yum!

Another way to eat this is wrapped up in lettuce.  This was super good and refreshing lunch that I made the next day with leftovers.

Garbanzo Bean Taco “Meat”

15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed

1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 recipe taco seasoning (I used 1/2 of a Trader Joes Taco Seasoning packet.  Can use 3 tbsp of this recipe if desired)

Preheat oven to 400.  Toss tamari, lemon juice and seasonings.  Add beans and toss until coated.  Place on a tray, spray with oil.  Bake 20-25 minutes until crunchy.

Assemble tacos with lettuce and tomatoes and fajita vegetables (optional) & enjoy!

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HOME/ How-Tos/ Meals/ Organizing/ RECIPES

School Lunch Plan-No More Baggies & A Free Weekly Lunch Plan Printable

Like I said in this post, I am on a mission this year to make school lunches something my kids look forward to.  I also want to feel good about the food I am serving them.  By the end of last year, if they had to eat one more peanut butter and jelly sandwich (which they had in their lunch every day) my girls would look at me like I was asking them to eat dirt.  Thankfully, over the summer their taste for pb & j has returned, and I want to keep it that way.
I also wanted to get rid of baggies.  I hated spending the money on zip baggies, not to mention the waste!  I started early on my search for the perfect lunch bag & containers, and after using them for almost a week, I can say I am super excited about how smoothly packing school lunches has been going.  
The lunch bags I found are Nike brand.  I found them at Shopko, but you can also order them here on Amazon.  These are perfect.  They have 2 pockets, and are deep enough to fit the water bottle inside with the lunch.  I love that I can fit the sandwich size container in the front pocket, which leaves the large back pocket open for water bottle & whatever else I want to fit in there.  The zippers are heavy duty and the bag is really well made.  I also found the BPA free water bottles at Shopko, my girls LOVE these. They are also Aladdin brand and they unscrew on the top like a regular water bottle, but they also unscrew further down to fit ice in if desired.

The blue containers are Aladdin brand and are AWESOME.  I found them at Target, but they can also be purchased here.  The sandwich size container is deep and comes with a removable ice pack…love that! The smaller blue container also has a removable ice pack.  The little green containers are from Rubbermaid also from Target.  They are perfect for a single cookie, nuts, dips, dried apricots, etc.  I bought each girl one large sandwich container, one side container, and two small green lid containers.  It has worked perfectly for lunches so far.
I was concerned about washing them out every night, but it really is not a big deal.  Usually we just wipe them out, but if the food is messy, we throw them in the dishwasher.  The girls empty their lunch bags as part of their afternoon routine, and they know that filling their water bottles and putting them in the refrigerator, putting their ice packs in the freezer, and emptying their containers are all part of their chart.  

Click Here To Download Free Printable
So how am I keeping this all organized and easy peasy?  With the help of our sponsor, Clean Mama.  She makes beautiful printables that keep ones home running smoothly, and she made free Weekly Lunch Plan for us!  I just love it!  It has definitely helped in keeping my mind less frazzled in trying to remember what to serve for lunch.  I especially like the area for ideas, it reminds me of food that might otherwise sit in the refrigerator and go to waste.  If you love the above printable, make sure you check out Clean Mama’s shop, which is full of more!

Here is what is on our idea list this week:
Main
Turkey Sandwich
PB & J Sandwich
Cheese Tortellini
Bean Burrito
Fruits
Apples
Peaches
Kiwi
Frozen Berries (thawed perfectly by lunch)
Veggies
Shredded carrots
Spinach Salad
Pepper strips
Protein & Dairy
I skip these because we don’t eat dairy in our home, or at least very little.  
Beverages
My girls drink water every day.  I believe juice is just too expensive and full of sugar.  Even 100 percent juice has natural sugars in it that can spike blood sugar levels since the fiber is removed from it. I can’t tell you how much money we save by just being water drinkers in our home!
Treats
Whole grain bars
Chocolate bars
Dried cranberries
Nuts
Popcorn
Chips
Dried apricots
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Here is our lunch plan for this week:

Monday
No School
Tuesday
Turkey Sandwich
Chips
Peach
Carrots
Cookie
Wednesday
Cheese Tortellini
Bread Cubes
Italian Dressing for both
Whole Grain Bar
Kiwi
Dried Cranberries
Thursday
Pb & Jelly Sandwich
Popcorn
Apple 
Granola bar
Dried Apricots

Friday
Bean Tacos
Chips & Salsa
Apples
Granola Bar
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I also bought them each a new thermos, same Alladin brand.  I will save that and my ideas for another post!

Need MORE School Lunch Food Ideas?  Click here.

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FAMILY/ Healthy Eating/ HOME/ Meals/ Parenting/ RECIPES/ Simplifying

Need School Lunch Ideas & Inspiration? So Did I. Here Ya Go!

Best School Lunch Inspiration, healthy and eco friendly ideas | New Nostalgia

I am on a mission this year to make our school lunches something my kids look forward to.  I also want to feel good about the food I serve them.  By the end of the school year last year, if I even mentioned peanut butter and jelly all 3 of my girls would moan.

I’ve been scouring the web for inspiration and guess what?  I AM SUPER INSPIRED!

I’ve learned that half the battle is having the right equipment, so today I will be going shopping for thermoses, containers & ice packets.  I am so tired of buying little baggies, not to mention the waste, so small containers it is.  They will eventually pay for themselves with the money I save in not buying those zippy little baggies!

On to my inspiration:

This first pin share is a great way to get started.  I am going to print it off and keep it on my refrigerator for inspiration & a quick reference when I am making my grocery list.  It is a list of lunch box ideas sorted according to each type of food–fruit, vegetable, dessert, fillers, etc.

Source: flickr.com via New on Pinterest

This is an awesome site.  This mom documented every lunch she packed for her child for a year.  She said the square box she uses in each lunch is from Target.  I like how she uses a muffin liner to separate foods.  She also writes that she uses press and seal for any “spillable” foods like yogurt or dips.

Make smoothies, freeze them, then put them in lunch box.  They will freeze just enough by lunch time, and also act as a cold pak.

This is a great post by my blog friend Cassidy at Remodelaholic.   She lists 25 best school lunches, some are quite creative.  I like the simplicity of the lunch pictured above.  A silicone muffin liner is another way to separate food, and is reusable.

This is a super fun idea if your kids are banana lovers. Write on them with toothpicks and as the day goes on, the message appears.

I know I will fall back on the trusty peanut butter and jelly sandwich once in awhile, but I don’t think my girls will mind if I add some interesting & healthy sides to it.  That power bar looks awesome, huh? Click link under the photo for the recipe.

This site is in Spanish, but the picture speaks for itself.  What a simple, cute & healthy way to express love.  Kids love and notice little touches.

Source: family.go.com via New on Pinterest

This photo is from the Disney family site.  They have a TON of great ideas for school lunches, all organized and divided up according to what your child’s tastes are.  I love this one with hummus, flat bread and tabbouleh.  Again, the cupcake liners serve as dividers.

Aren’t these so cute.  Easy and sweet.  I’m gonna have my 9 year old make the clips, but I won’t tell her what I plan on doing with them!

School lunch vanilla parfait.  I plan to put my mason jars to good use with this idea!  Yum.

The rest of my shares will be from this amazing site called Easy Lunch Boxes.  There are so many ideas!  I will share my favs:

Served with a thermos of lentil soup.

Served with a thermos of tomato soup.

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Want to see more of my pins?  I’d love you to follow me on Pinterest.

Follow Me on Pinterest
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Got any more great lunch ideas for me?  Please share in the comments!

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Meals/ RECIPES

Pasta with Tomatoes and Chard

Last night was one of those evenings that I simply did not want to make dinner!  I was so tempted to order a pizza, but then took a little stroll out to my garden.  We have had little rain, and I have been very lazy in watering, so my garden is pretty sad looking right now, but I was able to harvest some beautiful cherry tomatoes and gorgeous swiss chard.

I decided to buckle down and throw some dinner together, so I put a pan of pasta on to boil, added some olive oil & garlic to a sauté pan, washed and roughly chopped the chard, and cut the tomatoes in half.  Pasta with Tomatoes and Chard was born.

It was awesome & so simple.  The swiss chard became almost buttery tasting, and the tomatoes added a sweetness and helped form a light sauce.  It was the perfect simple summer supper!

Pasta with Tomatoes & Chard

1/2 lb. pasta
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried basil*
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large leaves swiss chard, ribs cut out & roughly chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
salt & pepper to taste
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Parmesan cheese, shaved (optional)

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Boil pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan on medium heat.  Add olive oil & garlic.  Let garlic soften, then add basil & swiss chard.  Cook for 5-10 minutes, until chard shrinks and softens & turns a dark green color.  Add tomatoes.  Cook 2 minutes more.  Season well with salt and pepper.

Serve tomatoes & chard on top of pasta.  Top with parmesan cheese if desired.

(*if you have fresh basil, add it with tomatoes at the end.)

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