It's #grilleverything season! The simplest Shrimp Tacos EVER.

We are getting into the season that nearly every dinner at our house will be prepared on the grill.  I don't want the oven on. I don't want to be inside more than we have to be. I want yummy food thats simple and healthy!  The grill is the best.

We don't limit our grill to burgers and pork chops either (although we do plenty of that too! Stay tuned for my spicy pork and cherry skewer recipe coming soon!). We do the whole meal on the grill.  Roasted potatoes. Grilled vegetables. Mushroom caps. You Name It. We grill it.

Now we loooove Taco Night at our house and Tacos are a perfect match for the grill.  This recipe for shrimp tacos is seriously the simplest recipe you'll find.  I seasoned some shrimp with my Salt Free Southwest Seasoning (that I keep in the pantry at all times), a couple twists of sea salt (I try to keep the salt separate when seasoning to know just how much I'm adding), and…thats it. (I did spray them with some light cooking oil so they wouldn't stick to the grill.)

I also cut up a red onion and green pepper, added a pinch of the same southwest seasoning and 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil. A quick toss and put the veggies in a foil pouch to steam on the grill.

Finally I sprayed a few corn tortillas with cooking spray, and those went on the grill as well.

Top these bad boys off with whatever taco dressings you love. We are partial to avocados, salsa, plain greek yogurt, and when we can, fresh cilantro straight from the garden. Ahhhhh…. Summer, I love you.

This is my signature move, ladies.

Cauliflower. I mean... if you have been following my Facebook page or know me in real life, you already know that cauliflower is MY JAM! So even though many of you already know about it, this blog would seem incomplete if I didn't dedicate a post to my beloved Superfood.

On this particular day, Benny had a bowl. Nat had 2 bowls. Elle had 3 bowls. Stair-step Noodle Success.

The facts: cauliflower packs tons of vitamin C, fiber & antioxidants. But the really good stuff is this fancy word Glucosinolates which you can learn more about here. Bottom line, its SUPER good for you and your family.

Now, my kids eat pretty well, but theres no denying that they love mac'n'cheese above all else. It reigns supreme and is the BEST bribery tool in our dining room drama.  So I do what I can…and try to balance the meal so this is where cauliflower has been HUGE!  Any time cauliflower is on sale, I buy 5-10 pounds, steam it, puree it, and package it up using my Squeeze Station.  I put the pouches in the freezer and pull out a couple each week to be fridge ready for macaroni emergencies.  I boil the noodles, drain, add the cheese and then become a rule-breakin' mama…I omit the milk and butter. Oh yeah, you heard me.  #risktaker  For each regular size box of mac'n'cheese, I use one-4oz squeeze of cauliflower puree and voila! Healthier "cheesy noo-noos" with a dose of hidden veggies.

Jessica Seinfeld turned me on to the hidden veggies and this has since become my signature move any day of the week. My kids are so used to it that its a non-issue and they go back and forth between restaurant mac and mine without batting an eyelash.  If you try it the first time and think a flavor difference is very noticeable, I challenge you to fix mac'n'cheese a few more times with it before you make a final decision.  It's too good of a veggie opportunity to give up too soon!

Other cauliflower yums to try:
Eggs - Using the Pureed cauliflower mentioned above, simply squeeze a little bit into your eggs before scrambling.  If you are concerned that kids will notice, put a bit of cream cheese in the eggs as well. They'll be extra light and fluffy and have a nutrient bonus! Cheese improves everything.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce - put it on everything!

Cauliflower Fried Rice - make it your own with whatever veggie or protein additions you love in traditional fried rice

Mason Jar Food Prep: Southwest Ranch Taco Salads (21 day fix approved!)

When you're trying to balance healthy nutrition with a family's worth of busy schedules, work, and the day-to-day "must-dos," grabbing snacks and haphazardly throwing together a lunch are simple ruts to fall into. But then, weekly meal preparation can feel daunting.  The idea of preparing so many meals ahead of time seems like surely it will eat up my entire #SundayFunday and that is not a trade-off I'd like to make.  While there's no denying that meal prep takes a bit of time, when done right, it's consolidated, streamlined time.  What you can do in an hour of prep on a Sunday can eliminate 30 minutes a night (or morning!) while you're tired or rushed and not able to make decisions that are well-balanced and working towards your nutrition goals.  There are plenty of time saving tips out there but one that I've found to be especially useful are Mason Jar salads.  The beauty of these is that once you have the concept, they can be whatever you want them to be. Its really just preplanning your food and storing it conveniently (and in a "green" way!) in Mason Jars. The idea is you layer your salad ingredients with the dressing on bottom, heartier ingredients towards that bottom (think cucumbers or beans - things that won't get soggy in the dressing), all the way up to the lettuce which won't even touch the dressing until you shake it all out at lunch time. *PRO TIP: When you're shopping for your jars, purchase Quart Size WIDE MOUTH Jars… much easier to shake out the salad. #dontmakethesamemistakeidid! #liveandlearn

One of my favorite Mason Jar salads is Turkey Taco Salad with Southwest Ranch dressing.  The dressing I use even offers an extra punch of protein rather than an oil or healthy fat. And it's 21 day fix approved for anyone working with that program. #Bonus

To start, you'll just cook up a pound of lean ground turkey as if you're making regular taco meat.  You can always use prepackaged, lower-sodium taco seasoning, but I like to prepare a bulk amount of this Southwest Seasoning and keep it in the pantry for whenever my life needs a little fiesta, but margaritas aren't socially appropriate. #its5oclocksomewhere

Once the taco meat is prepared, 1 pound can be portioned into about 4, 3/4 cup portions. 

 The salad part itself is up to you.  Your choice of lettuce (I tend to keep spinach and kale on hand so thats what I used), tomatoes, black beans, cucumbers, sweet peppers, fresh cilantro…these are all excellent ideas to add into this salad!  

Start with your dressing.

The most important part is ordering the layers. Given the above ingredient ideas:  Start with dressing, then add beans and tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, taco meat, and once there's a good bit of distance from the dressing, add in your lettuce, herbs, and shredded cheese or avocado if you'd like!  Finally, if you want any crunch in your salad, the last thing you'll want to add are some crunched up tortilla chips.

Add your hearty veggies…like tomatoes...

…Cucumbers...

…and peppers.

Next add your protein.  I added some black beans to my taco meat as well.

Now its time for the stuff that you don't want to get soggy.  I added fresh chopped cilantro...

Baby kale, Baby spinach & shredded cheese.

Repeat this with all 4 portions of prepared taco meat and store in the fridge for the easiest grab-n-go lunch salad you ever did meet.  

Once you're ready to eat, simply open the jar, dump it all out onto whatever plate or bowl you've got handy in the office lunchroom and enjoy!  

It should be noted that since my "office lunchroom has been known to be my SUV in the carpool pickup line at preschool, I HAVE eaten it directly out of the jar.  If you're in this scenario, simply give the jar some really good shaking before opening to get the dressing distributed a bit.  Not as pretty but just as tasty and less cleanup!

Portions & Ingredients:
2T Southwest Ranch Dressing (recipe below)
1/2-1 C Vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc)
3/4 C Turkey Taco Meat 
1/2 C Baby Kale, packed
1 C Baby Spinach, Packed 
1/4 C Shredded cheese OR 1/4 Avocado
2T Crushed Tortilla Chips

Southwest Ranch Dressing
1/4 C cottage cheese
1T Plain Greek Yogurt
1.5T unsweetened, plain almond milk
1T Southwest seasoning
Combine ingredients and blend in vitamin/food processor to a smooth, dressing consistency.  Add up to another tablespoon of almond milk to adjust consistency.

Almond Meal Chicken Nuggets: Make some Memories for Dinner

As a kid, my husband learned early how to make a few meals on his own: Mac'n'Cheese, Grilled cheese, Quadruple-decker PB&J, and Chicken Tenders. #classickidfood

When his single-working-mom had to work past dinner time, he could easily coat some chicken tenders in ranch, crunch up corn flakes in a ziploc, and toss the chicken before baking. Just a couple of simple steps to a home-cooked dinner. To this day, homemade chicken tenders still remind him of helping out in the kitchen.  When we were first married he would make us his "Famous Chicken" dinner every once in a while…and while his nuggets might not win any James Beard awards, I can certainly appreciate that he was sharing his memories with me through his cooking. These days we make our nuggets a little bit differently, but the process is still a chance for our little ones to help out in the kitchen like he did as a kid.

We use egg whites, bread crumbs & almond meal and make a yummy honey mustard dipping sauce - although my husband still can't has no desire to stop using ranch as a dipping sauce as well.

If you have Panko breadcrumbs on-hand, that's a perfectly good substitute for the Ezekial bread crumbs that I use.  They will turn out just as delish. I promise.  I just like the Ezekial crumbs for the extra nutty-flavor and nutrition that the "live-grain" bread brings to the table.

Start by cutting up a pound of chicken breasts into "Nuggets." This is an adult-friendly task, but don't worry, kids, the fun is headed your way soon!  (Want to remove a step?  Buy chicken tenders…no cutting needed. We just like the smaller size of nuggets.)

Whisk 2 tablespoons water into 2 egg whites.  Once blended, cover the chicken with the egg mixture and soak for about 30 minutes.

Once the chicken has soaked in the egg whites, put the bread crumbs of choice & almond meal into a ziploc bag.  Shake to blend.

I toasted 4 slices of Ezekial bread, cut them into quarters and pulsed them into a fine meal.  You can skip this step and use Panko Crumbs if you prefer.

A couple pieces at a time, let the excess egg drip off the chicken and move it to the bag.  Let the kids shake it around to cover in crumbs.

We like to dance during this portion of our cooking.

 

Once all the chicken is coated in crumbs, we place it on a parchment lined cookie sheet and lightly sprinkle with sea salt. I often put paprika and pepper on the adult portions as well.  Bake at 425* for about 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking time.

While the chicken is baking, we make our honey mustard.  So simple. 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, 2 TEAspoons vinegar (we have apple cider vinegar on hand so I'm using that…white or rice works well too!)  Mix it up. Done.

Cut up some fruit, veggies and dinner is ready to go!  Finger food at its finest, and some memories-in-the-making too!

Chicken Nuggets:
2 Egg whites
2 Tablespoons water
1 pound antibiotic-free chicken breasts OR tenders
4 slices Ezekial bread, toasted and pulsed to crumbs in the food processor OR 1C Panko Breadcrumbs
1/2C Almond Meal
Salt & Pepper to taste

Honey Mustard:
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 teaspoons vinegar

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk egg whites and water.
3. Soak chicken (cut if desired) in egg white mixture for about 30 minutes in the fridge.
4. Combine Ezekial Crumbs/Panko and Almond meal in a ziploc bag.
5. A couple pieces at a time, add chicken to the bag (let excess egg white drip off before placing in the bag). Seal bag and toss the chicken pieces to cover completely in the meal. Remove chicken from the bag, shaking off any excess and place on parchment lined pan.  Repeat until all chicken is coated.
6. Lightly season chicken with sea salt.
7. Bake chicken for 10 minutes, flip pieces and cook for another 10 minutes.
8. While Chicken is baking, combine mustard, honey and vinegar.  Blend well and reserve for dipping at dinner!

Let's get to know each other.

In the spring of 2014, 6 months pregnant with our third child under 3, my husband and I made the decision that was best for our family on all fronts – for me to finish off the school year as a middle school teacher, enjoy my summer with the girls, and in August when our son was born, I would begin a new adventure as a stay at home mom.  I was excited about this.  While I love teaching, and was at a great point in my career, I am someone who likes to do things all the way.  I like to feel like when I start something I’m giving it 100%.  Once I became a mom, that was my new thing. I wanted to give that 100%. But I wanted to give teaching 100% too. It’s hard math. Classic #momproblem. (I should point out, I know a lot of moms who manage and thrive at carrying both roles at once.  You are what I like to call The Rockstar Mamas and I raise my cold coffee mug to you.) In the end, for me, staying home was a possible opportunity and I wanted the gig and so I was excited to start.  Now, I could give the mom thing my 100% all the time and wanted to make the most of it. Another truth though, once a teacher, always a teacher… there were still lesson plans to create.  

Enter Mama's Blue Binder.

On a trip to Target (that was likely just for diapers and dryer sheets…which reminds me, I need some of those…) I wandered into the office supply aisle (#teachersparadise) and began to peruse.  I wanted a lesson planner for my new career.  Target doesn’t carry those, but they do carry really cute binders.  I bought a fabric covered binder with a blue floral print, a monthly calendar planner, dividers, and obviously, some awesome pens.  When I got home, I created our weekly meal and activity planner template and printed off about 20 copies (teachers brains live in weekly planning and in my mind I knew that many weeks would get me to Christmas break).

Ta-Dah!  Mama's Blue Binder was born. 

I love lists. And pretty pens. 

What’s in that Blue Binder, Mama?

Lists. Lots of lists.  I’m in the variation of our species that gets so much gratification out of making and checking-off lists.  (yes, there’s a name for that. Genus Type A.)  Grocery lists. Chore lists. Activity lists. Event lists. Things I’d liketodobutnevergetaroundto lists (that I just draw lines through arbitrarily to feel better sometimes). So.many.lists. And calendars. School calendars. Playdate calendars. Meal calendars. And more recently, mommy’s fitness calendars. So.many.calendars. They’re definitely not all necessary.  Some are created, just to be checked off.  It’s just a thing I do.  But it all helps me to feel like I’m staying ahead of things.  Not everything in our lives goes on a list or a calendar.  Spontaneity is fun! Live a little! But lists are cool too.

Mama, what are you working on with your ‘puter?

At the time, my two year old would see me with the computer and say, in her then broken phraseology, “Mama working. Mama ‘puter.” It was usually followed by, “Bean watch Tiger, mama ‘puter?”  She either wanted the computer to herself, or she wanted Daniel Tiger on the TV as payment for allowing me a few moments to work.  Either way, my now three-year-old is already working master negotiation skills. #mombrag

What I’ll share with you, while Bean is catching up on the latest Daniel Tiger (or realistically, watching the “Baby Duckie” episode for the 1,978th time), is what we do every day.  Well, not every day, some days are really boring. But we do some fun crafts, we eat some great meals, we do some yoga, we live our days as best and as full as we can. And that is what I’d like to share with you.