OMG I am struggling so bad with the snack attack.  Are you too??

Stress has got me wanting to eat everything in sight and so me that means crunch, salt and munch.  I am girl obsessed with corn chips and guacamole ( oh the grains do not settle well) but that is not doing my waistline any favors.

So I wanted to find a healthy treat that would satisfy to snack attack needs and be gut healthy needs.  

Enter...the KALE CHIP.

Its got the crunch I crave and none of the guilt.  I make them in my air fryer in 10 minutes and they come out perfect .

Ingredients

1 bunch of Kale- stems removed and torn into pieces

1 TBSP Avocado Oil or Olive Oil

Salt and Garlic Powder

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients on a ziplock bap, closed and massage the oil and seasoning in the kale.

2. Airfryer set to 250 degrees for 10 minutes-be sure to shake and stir them around every 3 minutes or so.

3. Take out when golden brown and crispy.  They do need to be watched pretty close so stay close to t...

Cooking and baking have become a part of our daily e-learning...science, math, home economics...are you using it too??

We also have a golden opportunity to teach our kiddos a healthy lifestyle by using fresh whole ingredients and sharing with them proper portions, quality of food and why we need to eat a healthy diet. 

 I have been experimenting with new flours for baking and cooking that up the nutritional game and still taste amazing...my kiddos don’t even know the difference and I can feel good about what I am giving them.

Get rid of your unbleached white flour as quickly as possible, they are not doing anything good for your bodies.

Here are my favs:

Almond Flour- it’s nutty and delicious.  It’s great for baking and cooking.  We use it as breading for chicken and fish...baking yummy breads and cakes. Just make sure you find a recipe that uses almond flour and do not try to swap white flour for almond, the ratios are not the same. (This flour is high in protein, manganese, v...

This recipe is full of protein with the eggs and milk ( you could even sneak in some bone brother powder for extra protein) and use full fat coconut milk for an extra fat boost too.  It's a very versatile recipe, if I say so myself. 

Warning...this is a make ahead dish so give yourself the extra time for the bread to dry out and then soak overnight. 

French Toast Casserole 

 Ingredients 

Avocado Oil Cooking Spray

16 ounces bread (bread of choice- I chose Gluten Free loaf) cut into 1 inch cubes (this is about 8-10 loosely packed cups)

2 cups milk (almond milk or coconut milk)

6 eggs

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 optional sliced banana on top  and addition of bone broth powder to boost the protein grams

Instructions

1. Cube up bread into 1 inch cubes. If time permits, spread the bread out on baking sheets and let dry out for several hours. If time does not permit, dry bread...

Are you looking for healthy things to cook with kiddos?

Cooking with the kiddos is great bonding time and full of teachable moments but having all the sweets in the house can be hard for our waistlines.  This recipe is a healthy and easy treat with loads of nutrition for you and your kids. It’s low in sugar, high in fiber and full of vitamins. 

Chocolate Banana Chia Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 large banana, very ripe
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 2 cups any milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp cacao powder

Instructions

1. Place all your ingredients in a blender and blend together until incorporated. 
2. Pour half into a glass container and cover. Refrigerate both for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Storage Instructions: Refrigerate assembled and covered for up to 5 days

Why eat Chia Seeds?

64% more potassium than a banana

6x more calcium than milk

100% more omega 3 fatty acids than salmon

6x more iron than spin...

Meal planning and prep each week is something I live by. If I am going to cook I always make it worth my while and cook large batches of food to freeze and call another week when life is hectic.

Homemade marinara is one of this batch cooking staples. I make my own because I can control the quality of the ingredients and the sugar content in my sauce vs sauces you find at the store. I can also make the argument that is more cost effective and tastier too.

This recipe will make you approx 6-7 mason jars of sauce. 

Shannon's Homemade Marinara Sauce 

3 (14.5-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes

4 tsp. olive oil

2 large chopped onion 

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

2 tbsp of italian seasoning ( add more to taste)

1 tbsp parsley ( add more to taste)

1. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.

4. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently...

I discovered these little gems and fell in love.

About 14 months ago I was dealing with severe gut health issues. Bloat, fatigue, brain fog, malabsorption...that lead me to a functional medicine doc who helped me tremendously.  One thing he talk about was using coconut oil ( concentrated version is MCT oil aka caprylic acid) as an antifungal, antiviral and antimicrobial. And it stuck with me ever sense.  

I have been using coconut daily to help with my gut healing journey and thought that it may just be a boost for our bodies during this time with its antiviral properties.  I am not making any claims about it curing or preventing disease but I am using as a part of my diet to give me a boost in the right direction...plus these babies are so delicious as a treat...warning...it helps if you like coconut. 

Almond Butter Chocolate Fat Bombs

1 cup organic Coconut Butter 

1/2 cup organic coconut oil 

3 tablespoons stevia powder or swerve 

3 tablespoons almond butter

3 tablespoons org...

We all remember that not so healthy boxed Helper stuff.  Well, I am on a mission to help you Mommas make easy, quick and homemade recipes that will feed your family happily, using quality ingredients...not those chemicals and preservatives in that processed food. 

This is a family fav and I always have the ingredients in the house to make it…

Cheeseburger mac…

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces of grass fed ground beef
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 c brown rice pasta 
• ⅔ cups cheddar cheese
• ½ c almond milk
• ½ tsp brown rice flour
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Brown ground beef in skillet with garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. 
2. Remove meat from the skillet and add 1 cup water, milk, flour and pasta.  Cook low-med heat for 4 minutes
3. Add salt and pepper and mix in cheese
4. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until pasta is cooked. Continue to add half a cup of water as needed.
5. Add meat back to the mixture to warm up and serve with a steamed veggie on t
...