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Peanut Butter Banana Honey Fold-Overs


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These Peanut Butter Banana Honey Fold-Overs are a new favorite at the Bowman household.  My 3 girls have simply HAD IT with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and were delighted to find something different in their lunch box.  I love that I found something just as easy to make as a sandwich, tastes amazing & is healthy to boot!

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I’ve made peanut butter honey chia rollups before, but these fold-overs have gone over much better with my kids.  They are easier to make, too.  Instead of chia being sprinkled inside, these tortillas have chia AND flax in them — thank you Trader Joes!  It is so hard to find a store – bought tortilla that does not have hydrogenated oils or tons of preservatives in them.  I have searched high and low with little luck, until shopping at Trader Joes.  These stay quite soft and chewy which my girls love.

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I just recently started homeschooling my middle girl, 13-year-old Colsie, so now I am down to making just 2 lunches a day.  To make 2 of these Peanut Butter Banana Fold-Overs, I use one banana, sliced.

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I simply spread a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter in the middle, then use raw honey on the sides which serves perfectly as the ‘glue’ to hold these fold-overs together.  I slice 1/2 a banana, arrange the slices in the middle to fit on top of the peanut butter, the fold the two honeyed sides into the middle.  The banana stays nice and secure in the middle, and does not turn all icky and brown.

If sliced in half, they fit perfectly in our favorite Sistema lunch cube.  If you have never seen these cubes you are missing out.  They have made packing lunches almost fun…almost…packing lunches is never my favorite chore. Read more about the lunch cubes in my Best Way To Pack A Lunch Post.

Don’t limit these to just lunches!  They make a great breakfast or after-school snack.

PEANUT BUTTER BANANA FOLDOVERS COLLAGE

{A Photo To Pin If So Desired}

Peanut Butter Banana Honey Fold-Overs

2 Tortillas of your choice

4 Tbsp Peanut Butter, divided

4 Tbsp Honey, divided

1 Banana, sliced & divided

Spread both tortillas with 2 Tbsp of honey and peanut butter, with the peanut butter in the middle and the honey on the outer two sides, as shown in the above pictures.  Divide the banana slices between the two tortillas and arrange in a single layer.  Fold over, using the honey as a ‘glue’.

RECIPES/ Sides

The Only Pasta Salad Recipe You Really Need

PASTA-SALAD-1

This is my go-to pasta salad.  It is easy, it is a crowd-pleaser, can be made ahead, and tastes even better after sitting a day.

I recently served this pasta salad at a pool party we had at my in-laws pool. I recently posted about our tiny backyard, and honestly, the small size is much easier to accept thanks to Grandpa and Grandma’s open door policy to their big beautiful yard, pool and pool house.  We are a spoiled bunch for sure!  There is even a family pool calendar kept on google calendar where we can reserve the pool for a party, which is just what we did a few days ago.

Red-Wine-Vinegar

I kept the menu super simple for the party. We ordered pizza, I made pasta salad, a big pot of lemonade, & freezer peanut butter pie for dessert.  It was so nice to just throw the food together and concentrate on my sweet friends instead of food prep!

This Pasta Salad is a no recipe, recipe.  

I usually use a pound (16oz box) of pasta, but this time I doubled it.  Leftovers are wonderful and last quite a few days in the refrigerator.  You can use any veggies you like, I usually use broccoli, tomato, cucumber, peppers.  I used to put shredded parmesan cheese in it, but I don’t anymore.  You can if you want.

The key to this recipe is the dressing.  The secret ingredient is vinegar. I used a whole bottle of Italian dressing for 2 lbs of pasta & lots of veggies.  The last salad I made for the party really could have used more dressing, which makes sense since I doubled the recipe.  When I use just one pound of pasta, I use ALMOST the whole bottle of dressing.  I add the vinegar to taste, usually about 4 tablespoons for 1 pound of pasta.  Do it to your own taste.

I usually use red wine vinegar, but this time I used pomegranate vinegar.  It was great, but red wine vinegar is just as good.  Any type of Italian dressing works well.

BEST-PASTA-SALAD-DRESSING{An Image For Your Pinning Pleasure}

Try this!  You will love it.  Don’t stress about exact measurements…you really can’t go wrong.

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Pasta Salad No Recipe, Recipe

1 lb pasta

cut up veggies of your choice

a bottle of Italian dressing

fruity or red wine vinegar

Boil pasta and drain.  Add most (3/4 of the bottle) of Italian dressing.  Add about 4 tbsp or to taste of vinegar.  Add veggies. Stir.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

How-Tos/ RECIPES/ Sides

How To Make Corn On The Cob In The Oven – No Shucking Mess!

Corn-In-Oven

{a repost from the archives}

I DO NOT like the mess of shucking corn. At all.  

It is not a fun job, and I think I was traumatized as a kid once when husking corn.  I vividly remember sitting at my Aunt Susie’s house with my cousins, outside in their back yard on a picnic table.  We were sitting on the table itself, feet on the bench, husking corn.  We had brown paper grocery sacks to catch the mess, and I loved getting to help my  Aunt with dinner preparations.  That is, until I opened up a piece of corn & a big fat worm nestled in a bed of silk, greeted me.  I threw the piece far away from me, jumped off the table & squealed, much to the delight of my cousins.

I have not seen a worm in my corn since, and I have husked many a corn!


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This ‘steam in the husks while in the oven’ way to make corn is by far my favorite way to make corn.  It is fool-proof, fast, and mess free.  The steaming process makes the silk super limp, so once the corn cools a bit and you husk it, they come right off!  So much better than husking before cooking the corn!

 The only prep you have to do is cut off the tassel part of the corn. Be careful not to cut too far down into the corn, as you want the husks to envelop the corn in order to steam it while it roasts.

Place on a cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Let sit a few minutes before removing husks and be careful.  There is steam in there.  Cool enough to handle comfortably, husk and enjoy!

Oven Roasted Corn On The Cob
courtesy of Tyler Florence on Food 911

4-6 ears of corn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut off tassel part of the corn, making sure you do not cut too far down into the corn, as you want the husks to envelop the corn in order to steam it.  Roast for 30 minutes.  Let cool slightly.  Peel down the husks, can use as a handle to eat the corn.

Meals/ RECIPES/ Sides

Cheesy Tortellini Crockpot Soup

Cheesy Tortellini Crockpot Soup Ingredients

This recipe Cheesy Tortellini Crockpot Soup caught my eye on Pinterest. The pinner said this was “the BEST crockpot meal I’ve tried yet.”  That was enough to perk my ears up!

I’ve wanted an easy, go-to, just “throw it all together” vegetarian crockpot recipe, and this was just the thing. I was unable to find the original source of the recipe on Pinterest, but if I could I would thank the person who shared this awesome recipe.

I’ve made it twice in a few months, and it was a hit with my family. The flavor is really nice and the soup is filling and delicious.

Continue Reading…

RECIPES/ Sides

Hummus Salad

There is a local cafe in town that serves a hummus salad that is to die for.  I order it every time I go, and leave so satisfied without being overly full.  They serve it with a side of pretzel chips– just a few–  I love the extra crunch and using them to scoop up any hummus left on the plate.

This cafe is where I first saw hummus used as a salad dressing.  It makes so much sense.  It is creamy, adds a nice bit of plant protein, and is full of flavor.  I would never have thought such a simple dressing would taste so great!

Here is my copycat salad, minus the side of pretzel chips…I ran out that day!

Here is my no recipe recipe for:

 

Hummus Salad

~greens of your choice (make sure to get some dark leaves in there for extra iron and goodness)

~chopped carrot

~chopped broccoli

~chopped red pepper

~chopped apple

~dried cranberries

~sliced almonds

~hummus

Put the greens on a plate.  Top with chopped veggies.  Top with a heap of hummus. Top with nuts and dried cranberries.  Enjoy!

The same cafe serves a hummus sandwich.  Click here to learn how to make it!

Also, don’t miss out on another of my favorite hummus recipes: 2 Ingredient Taco Dip

Meals/ RECIPES/ Sides

White Bean, Quinoa & Kale Soup

Bowl of white bean quinoa and kale soup
This soup is easy to make, and full of so much nutritious goodness!  Great plant protein from both the beans and the quinoa.  Fiber and tons of nutrients from all the beautiful plant food–onions, carrots, celery, garlic, kale, tomatoes!  All of that goodness creates great flavor.  This soup is hearty and warming.  I serve it with some sourdough bread for dipping.
Making soup and eating it for lunch or dinner is a GREAT way to get those servings of vegetables in. Add a green leafy salad and you could get up to 5 servings of vegetables in one meal!  Now that is what I’m talking about! 

White Bean, Quinoa & Kale Soup
via Enlightened Cooking
Makes 6 big servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1-1/4 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium-large onion)
1-1/4 cups chopped carrots (about 2 medium carrots—no need to peel)
1 cup chopped celery (about 2 large stalks)
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
8 cups prewashed and cut kale
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup quinoa (rinsed)
8 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1-1/2 tbsp Italian herb seasoning
1 19-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Add kale and cook and stir 1 minute.
2. Add the tomatoes with juice, quinoa, broth, and herbs and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is cooked, about 20 minutes.
3. Place half of beans in a small bowl and coarsely mash with a fork. Stir mashed and whole beans into soup and simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

RECIPES/ Sides

Balsamic Glazed & Roasted Asparagus

Balsamic Glazed and Roasted Asparagus

I am a huge asparagus fan, and I’m also a huge balsamic vinegar fan.  Put the two together and I’m a very happy girl.

It is amazing how easy it is to prepare roasted asparagus, and we eat our share of it around here, especially in the springtime!

 My favorite is tender, small stalks of asparagus.  They roast so quickly and make the perfect snack or side dish.  I will make a pan of it and just set it out after school for the kids to come grab and eat.  No plates needed!

 To prepare the asparagus, simply snap the tough end off the bottom, it usually is about an inch.  You could cut them too, which is what I do because it is faster.

I simply gather them together and lop off the thick end. Wash, cut the end, pat dry. The pat part is important…you want them to roast, not steam. Drizzle with some olive oil–about 4 tablespoons.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until tender.  You will know they are done when the parts touching the pan are a bit brown.

Once you remove the asparagus from the oven, drizzle with Trader Joe’s Trader Giotto’s Balsamic Glaze and toss. If there is not a Trader Joes close to you, you can order some here at Amazon, OR just use your favorite balsamic vinegar.  It won’t be as thick or sweet, but it will still taste delicious.

If a thicker glaze is what you want, here is a recipe for Homemade Balsamic Glaze.

 

I love tossing the asparagus in the glaze, then making impressive design drizzles on the plate.  Isn’t it so pretty?

 

Make sure you do not over-roast.  You want it tender but not soggy, and no blackened tips!

 

Enjoy with your favorite pasta dish, as a brunch side dish, or as a simple snack.

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