Recipes

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Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls

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Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls

I love when two things that are great on their own come together to make something even greater. Like peanut butter and chocolate, chips and salsa, champagne and orange juice. Am I right? And now, pumpkin spice and energy balls! Oh yes, a match made in heaven and just in time for the fall pumpkin season. These healthy pumpkin spice energy balls are quick, easy and make a great snack or sweet treat.

Pumpkin is the hot flavor right now, thanks to the #PSL trend and I’m getting right on that train. I can’t go anywhere without seeing a pumpkin flavored food or drink. And for good reason, really. All of the warm, delicious spices that come with pumpkin flavor like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove. I think those spices elicit a warm cozy feeling reminiscent of cold nights by the fire and family feasts at holidays.

Fresh Strawberry Oat Crumble

Fresh Strawberry Oat Crumble

Berry picking season is finally here! Yay! Berry picking is an activity we discovered we could do in Kansas City just a few years ago and I look forward to it every spring and summer now. The strawberries come first and usually have a pretty short picking season. Then, we pick the blueberries. Sometimes multiple times. Blackberries are also an option but we have yet to pick those. I'm putting it on my list this summer because they are one of our favorite berries.

I took my son last week to Benny's Berries, which is a little strawberry patch not far from where we live. When we got there we received a large box for picking and were given specific instructions on how to pick the strawberries to make them last longer and to get the best ones. The redder the better! Whenever I pick berries I always tell myself just a few more and we'll be done...and maybe just a few more on the way out. Anyone else? We ended up with 7 1/2 pounds of strawberries in a pretty short amount of time.

Crockpot Sweet Potato BBQ Chili

Crockpot Sweet Potato BBQ Chili

Is anyone else loving chili right now? We are still having a lot of cold days in KC so a good, hearty bowl of chili hits the spot. I know it's late in the football season but the Super Bowl is this weekend and this would be perfect for your game day meal! Make sure you double up the recipe for yummy leftovers too.

I found the inspiration at primaverakitchen.com and changed it up a bit to suit our tastes. If you've read any of my other posts you probably know I love sweet potatoes! I especially love them in this chili for a little sweetness to balance out the spices and the acidity. I also love the texture of the sweet potatoes in this chili.

The first time I made this I told my husband there was no way our 9 y/o was going to eat it because he despises anything with bell pepper. Well, he loved it, red peppers and all. He will occasionally ask me to make this chili for him. OMG, a total Mom win!

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How to Plan for Multiple Diets at Mealtime

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How to Plan for Multiple Diets at Mealtime

Is anyone else dealing with a multiple "diet" household and struggling to find meals that please everyone? How about multiple food allergies? I'm convinced pleasing everyone is impossible anyway then you throw in the "I don't eat that" or "I can't have that" and it's a whole different ballgame. Maybe it's food allergies, auto-immune disease, against animal cruelty, or maybe for other reasons. Ok, so it's not totally impossible but it takes a little more time and effort as well as a little bit of I don't give AF (if everyone is 100% excited about the meal) to make it happen with less stress. The problem is that I give too many Fs when it comes to what we eat so I need to work on that last part. Also, I am in NO way recommending anyone adhere to any particular diet, just offering ideas if needed.

In my house, we are working with a generally picky 9 y/o who hates change, a vegetarian that just moved back in, and I'm gluten-free and mostly dairy-free due to my thyroid health. My husband just doesn't like cilantro or snap peas, weirdo! I'm also really working toward more real food when possible. Like, gasp, real butter! Who's with me on that? I'm trying to keep it simple with decent ingredients and keeping in mind everyone's preferences. I have a few staple meals that we make when we are all going to be around for dinner. Here are some ideas on how we make it work:

The Best Healthy Banana Bread

The Best Healthy Banana Bread

Oh banana bread, I love you so much! It is the quintessential recipe to use up ripe, mushy bananas. The gooey, sorta sweet, comforting bread that can be served for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. Who doesn't love that? I mean it is fruit, right?

I have been making this recipe since I was an intern back in 2000 and something up in Minnesota. That long, cold winter definitely deserved something warm and comforting. I was into cooking and baking and discovering new recipes. Especially if the recipe included some good healthy ingredients in place of some ingredients that were less desirable. And bonus points for being a cheap recipe because interns don't get paid. Zero, zilch, nada! But lucky for me it was at one of the greatest hospitals and it was worth it!

I wrote this recipe on a half notecard, which is now stained as it has been through some baking with me.