Water Chestnut Chicken Divan

Hey there, Monday peeps!

Here is an easy recipe (and Carter family favorite) that looks super fancy!  It is healthy & a "one pan dinner" so you really don't need any additional side.  Add it to your menu this week!

Water Chestnut Chicken Divan

(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken, cooked & shredded

2 bags frozen broccoli, cooked (or 3 heads of fresh broccoli, steamed)

1 large can water chestnuts, drained

1 T butter

2 t olive oil

2 t minced garlic

chopped onion - I just throw in a little, and I don't measure it

1/4 cup flour

1 cup fat free chicken broth

1 cup skim milk

2 oz dry white cooking wine

6 oz swiss cheese, divided

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (I use whole wheat)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9X13 pan & set aside.  Cook chicken & broccoli and set aside (sometimes I grab a rotisserie chicken from the store if I am in a bind!).  In a large skillet, heat your butter, olive oil, garlic and chopped onion.  Stir well until butter is melted.  Sprinkle in your flour and mix quickly.  Add in broth, milk, and cooking wine.  Bring to a boil...stirring constantly.  (Basically you are making your own cream of chicken sauce - minus the processed junk in the can and yucky sound it makes when you dump it out - eek!)  Remove from heat and stir in half of your swiss cheese.  Stir well and the sauce will start to thicken a bit.

Line your pan with all of the broccoli.  Top with water chestnuts.  We LOVE water chestnuts and sometimes I will add more than one can.  Just make sure to drain first.  If you don't like water chestnuts, feel free to omit.  Next, top with half of sauce mixture.  Sprinkle with salt/pepper.  Top with chicken.  Cover with remaining sauce and remaining half of swiss cheese.  Sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on top.  Finally, I take a little cooking spray and spray the whole top - this sets the dish!

Bake for 30 minutes, or until brown.  Serve hot with french bread.  Your family will love it and your Monday meal is taken care of!  :)

Taco Tuesday...skinny Mexican casserole

Here is a yummy casserole that is easy to throw together for your Taco Tuesday.  Enjoy!

Skinny Mexican Casserole 

(serves 4-6)

1 lb lean ground beef (or ground turkey), cooked & drained

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 large tomato, diced

1 can Grands biscuits (8 count), cut into small pieces

taco seasoning - to taste 

1 cup shredded cheese (I used reduced fat)

Garnish: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cilantro, etc 

Preheat oven to 350.  Brown your ground beef and chopped onion, drain if needed.  Stir in your taco seasoning (I don't use very much).  Spray a 9X13 pan and set aside.  Chop 4 biscuits into small pieces and sprinkle along the bottom of your pan.  They won't cover the whole pan but that is fine.  Spoon on half of your meat.  Top with half of your veggies (red/green pepper, tomato), then cheese.  Repeat: remaining biscuit pieces, meat, veggies, cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until biscuits are brown.  Top with garnish of choice!  This doesn't really require any sides, but you could do corn, black beans, or a simple salad!  Enjoy!  

All-American Chili

Happy Monday!  Need a quick & cozy dinner for this week?  Try my "All-American Chili!"  It is a Carter family favorite + so easy!

All-American Chili

* 2 lbs lean ground beef (or turkey)

* 28oz can diced tomatoes

* 28oz can tomato PUREE (not tomato paste or sauce)

* 1 can light red kidney beans, drained & rinsed

* 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained & rinced

* 1 yellow onion, diced

* 1 red pepper, diced

* 1-2 t garlic powder

* 2 T chili powder

* 1/4 cup brown sugar

* salt & pepper 

Directions: Brown your ground beef (or turkey) and add in chopped onion & red pepper.  Drain.  At this point, I add everything else into a crock pot, throw in the meat, and simmer on low for a few hours.  You could also put everything in your stock pot and cook on high until it is heated through.  We always top ours with oyster crackers, cheese, sour cream & green onions!  I like to serve ours with veggies & dip + a poppyseed mozzarella bread that I make.  YUM! Enjoy!  

Toddler Snacks!

Happy Monday!  In order to chase away the Monday blues, I thought it would be fun to talk about snacks!  Toddlers love snacks.  And mommies love snacks.  ;)  Dane is offered a snack mid-morning before lunch, and then when he wakes up from his afternoon nap.  Sometimes he eats it, sometimes he can't be bothered.  I mean - who refuses to eat a snack?? #toddlerprobs

We eat pretty healthy in the Carter house - or at least try to!  I would say that our meals throughout the week are usually on the healthier side, and then on the weekends we are a little more relaxed.  Dane has been an EXCELLENT eater so far, and I am really hoping that continues.  So with that, I try to offer healthy snack options...but keeping in mind that kids like kid food & sometimes Goldfish or a trip to DQ do the trick!

Below are some of our favorite toddler snacks.  Things that I know Dane will go for 80% of the time.  I would love to hear your favorite toddler snacks, too!  I am always on the lookout for variety.

Happy snacking!

1. FRUIT

If your toddler loves fruit, cha-ching!  My little D loves pretty much any kind of fruit, so I know he will always eat some diced apples, banana or clementine for a snack.  He loves peanut butter also, so sometimes I will add that to his apples or bananas for a yummy treat.  

2. STRING CHEESE

I like the Sargento brand.  Dane is just now getting to be able to "string it" himself which he thinks is fun!

3. NATURAL FRUIT STRIP 

Kind of like a Fruit-Roll up, minus the 100+ grams of sugar.  Stretch Island is the brand, and there are a good variety of flavors found in the natural foods aisle of the grocery.  They are easy to throw in the diaper bag and perfect for a sweet treat!

4.  GRANOLA

I just started offering granola to Dane as a snack and so far he has approved!  Another mama friend posted that her tot likes granola with or without milk and I thought it sounded like a fun option.  This brand is called Love Grown & is gluten-free and non-GMO.  Of course there are a TON of granola options out there you can choose from!  I just give Dane a little bowl or cup of it and he goes to town.  I also like to make Chocolate Covered Katie's chewy granola bars for all of us Carters....so good & you wouldn't know they are healthy!  

5.  YOGURT

We love Stoneyfield Organic yogurt and have been buying it for meal times also.  But it is great for a snack alternative if you are in a bind.

6.  POPCORN

Popcorn is one of mama's favorite types of snacks...and now Dane's as well!  I love the Skinnypop brand because it all natural - no butter, salt, etc!  It sounds gross when you have grown up on movie theatre popcorn, but it is actually really good!  Skinnypop now has several different kinds of popcorn out too.  It is great for movie theatre smuggling too - oops!

7.  VEGGIE STIX

Veggie Stix are perfect for road trips, or just a quick snack when needed.  They are a better alternative than chips & Dane just loves them.  Found in the natural foods aisle in the grocery.  Veggie Stix also has an "Apple Stix" as well, which is yummy!  

What does your toddler love to snack on?  Please share!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, party people!  Here is what I have been loving this week!

My hair looks & feels like a bird's nest. Curls on curls on frizz.  While in Florida this spring break, I decided to straighten it one night.  Big mistake.  Huge.  At one point my brother-in-law looked at me in horror (as my hair was getting bigger & bigger during our outdoor dinner) and said, "Um, are you ok?"  I have tried expensive hair products & I have tried cheap hair products.  And they do the same thing.  Which is nothing.  So, I might as well spend my money elsewhere & go with the cheap-o stuff.  Enter Suave Rosemary & Mint.  It smells SO good & makes my scalp all tingly with a mint feeling.  Definitely on the favorites list this week.

My sunroom has officially been transformed into Dane's playroom.  And, we both love it.  Still the perfect little nook for my morning coffee....it now just includes trains, cars & any type of ball. #boymom

I try not to give Dane too many sweets.  He is such a great eater now & really loves a good variety of fruits & veggies, which I hope continues.  However, when I am in the mood for a healthier dessert option I always turn to CCK (Chocolate Covered Katie).  Her desserts are fabulous & really good for you!  I made her chewy granola bars last week & Dane gobbled them up.  He thinks they are cookies & I am not planning on correcting him anytime soon.  ;)

Snacks by the pool with my little D are definitely on the favorites list this week.  We have been almost every day.  And my new Kendra Scott earrings are a current fave also...thank you Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!

This blog post . Oh my.  I can already see myself moving his backpack a million times to find the perfect spot.  It is that time of year when everyone is posting pictures of their babies heading off to kindergarten, dressed in new clothes with big toothy grins.  I love & hate these pictures.  I love them because it is fun to see how proud my friends are of their kids & how big they have grown.  I hate them because I know I will be posting these pictures soon enough.  I taught kindergarten for 9 years and always was baffled at the parents who were so concerned, upset, sad, distraught, etc over their children going to school.  I mean - the kids are fine.  And they are.  But, I get it now.  I simply can't imagine my little Dane getting on a school bus one day.  I totally get the "a child is your heart walking outside your body" quote.  Like whoa.  But it will be ok because I am already planning on staying in the adjoining dorm room next to him in college. #showershoesdane

What have been your favorite things this week?  Cheers to the weekend!

Nana's Cinnamon Toast

Growing up my mom (Dane's Nana) always broiled our cinnamon toast toast versus using the toaster.  Interesting, right?!  We had a toaster, so I'm guessing it was just her fancy way of doing things.  And I like fancy.  Dane loves his toast this way now.  Try it out with your Monday morning coffee, fruit or eggs!

Nana's Cinnamon Toast 

(serves 4...or double for more)

* 4 pieces of high quality bread

* cinnamon/sugar mix 

* butter

Directions: Turn broiler on.  Spray a cookie sheet with Pam.  Butter the bread and then sprinkle your cinnamon/sugar mix on top (I use a generous amount of butter & cinnamon/sugar).  Place on cookie sheet and put under broiler.  I usually crack the door open while broiling, because this does not take long at all.  Watch carefully to avoid burning.  Remove from oven when the edges are turning a slight brown.  The toast will be crispy on the outside & soft & gooey on the inside!
Serve immediately.  Enjoy!    

Tuna Tuesday

There are two types of people in the world.  Those who like tuna and those who hate it.  If you are tuna lover, read below.  ;)


When summer rolls around, I always look for easy, no-mess dinners & lunches.  My chunky tuna salad fits the bill.  It's what the Carters are having for dinner tonight!

Chunky Tuna Salad

(makes 4 sandwiches/wraps)

12oz can of tuna, drained well

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

2-3 heaping spoonfuls sweet relish (I use low-sugar)

Miracle Whip (or real Mayo)

1 T sugar or 2 packets sweetener 

salt/pepper

Directions: Drain tuna & add in all ingredients.  I hard boil two eggs, but only add in one egg yolk.  Sometimes it dries out the tuna salad if I add in both, but feel free!  I'm not a huge Mayo fan, but it is a must in this recipe.  I don't measure it and just keep adding to get the consistency I like.  Feel free to add more/less salt & pepper and/or sweetener.  Toast bread for tuna sandwiches or use my favorite - lettuce wraps!  Serve with veggies, fruit or chips.  An easy dinner (and lunch the next day!) tonight!

*recipe can easily be doubled to serve more*  

Road Trip Trail Mix

About 6 years ago, I had a sweet kindergartner whose mama gave me this trail mix recipe.  Nothing fancy, which is something I have learned is a prerequisite for a busy mom.  No baking required, and so easy to change up!  I usually make it for any road trips we have coming up, but I find myself buying the ingredients in the summer a lot as well.  Happy snacking!  

Road Trip Trail Mix

* serves a lot!*

3 cups Cinnamon Life (NOT Cinnamon Toast Crunch)

1 bag banana chips (unsweetened, I usually find at Wal-Mart)

4 cups Cheerios

1 bag yogurt raisins

2 cups honey roasted peanuts

2-3 cups pretzel sticks 

Ziploc snack baggies 

Add all ingredients and stir well.  Divide into snack baggies.  These keep well (at least a week) and are great for road trips, pool days or just a healthy snack!  There are a lot of ways to change this up to your liking - add mini chocolate chips or marshmallows, different types of pretzels, chocolate-covered raisins, regular raisins, apple chips...the possibilities are endless!  

Ditch your boring granola bars & make this today!

Monday Meals...baby edition!

My little pumpkin getting ready to try avocado for the first time! 

Dane loves to eat.  Mom loves to cook.  We were a match from the start.  I knew even before we started thinking about children, that I wanted to make my child's baby food.  It was not because I was over health-conscious, or to save a ton of money...but just because I love to cook & it sounded fun.  I know so many mama friends who don't like to cook and/or don't have the time...no problem! 

 And their kids are just fine.  :)  

We are all doing what works best for our families, and I think that is the most important thing to remember.  

I waited until Dane was 6 months old to start solids.  He didn't start sitting up until a little after turning 6 months anyway, so the timing was perfect.  A friend from church offered to bring her baby food maker & freezing trays & show me the ropes.  It really was unbelievably easy & in just a few hours we made weeks of baby food that could be stored in the freezer and conveniently thawed for meals.  Healthy foods + saving money = more shopping for Abigail more grocery money for the month!  Per our doctor's advice, we started with vegetables (sweet potatoes, squash, avocado, green beans) and later tried fruits (banana, pears, mango, peaches, apples).  Dane is an excellent veggie eater and I am convinced that is because we started with vegetables!  Each food was introduced one at a time to make sure we were clear of allergies, and then new foods were added every few days.  Some vegetables were added later (like carrots, who knew they could be full of nitrates?  Not good for infants.  Berries were added in later as well, common allergen)  My sweet friend Allyson also suggested the book Super Baby Food & I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone thinking about making their own!  It has user-friendly charts for each month recommending foods to try/add, tons of recipes and is just very informative.  I also made Dane's oatmeal and rice cereal to begin with (also super easy!) & recipes for those were found in that book as well.  

Now that Dane is 18 months (I can't believe I just typed that) the baby food days are over, and I am a little sad!  I really loved making new foods & pureeing different things together to see what he liked. We have moved on to real "people food" for him & that can be just as fun!  Dane typically eats what we eat for meals, and does a great job in his high chair.  His favorite meal is probably breakfast...and mine as well!  He loves French toast, pancakes, muffins, fruit, yogurt, eggs...basically anything that goes with coffee.  :)  Lunch is usually some sort of sandwich (pb&j, ham & cheese, grilled cheese, quesadillas, etc), plus fruit and veggies and dinner is whatever we eat as a family.  He has grown accustomed to Mommy's Famous Meatloaf which is great since it is on the Carter dinner rotation quite frequently!  Snack time is another favorite for Dane and is typically offered after waking up from his nap, or before dinner if he is acting hungry.  Sometimes I run out of snack ideas and don't always want to offer a "cracker" type of snack...although he definitely smiles for his beloved Goldfish!  Some other popular snacks for us are: grapes, banana slices, cheddar cheese & baby Triscuits, Puffs, graham crackers, or string cheese.  

Because Dane loves breakfast, I included two of my go-to recipes below.  I love both of these because the recipes make a lot and both freeze well.  We all know that when the Today Show is on, Mama likes to thaw something out quickly for breakfast and not have to worry about being in the kitchen all morning!  I also love both of these recipes because you most likely have all of the ingredients in your pantry right now.  Happy cooking!    

Whole Wheat Pancakes (adapted from the Super Baby Food book)

*makes a lot, depending on size of pancake.  I usually do a silver-dollar size*

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons oil (coconut, veggie or canola)

1 very large RIPE banana, smashed

1 teaspoon vanilla 

cinnamon to taste 

Mix wet ingredients together.  Add in dry ingredients; do not over mix.  Pour silver-dollar sizes on griddle & cook until golden brown.  Top with pure maple syrup.  Freeze up to 1 month.  *Can sub pumpkin for banana (I loved to do this in the Fall!)  I also have added mini chocolate chips to spice them up as well!*   

Heavenly Banana Oatmeal Muffins (adapted from Skinnytaste Cookbook)

* makes 12 large muffins, or 20 mini muffins*

1.5 cups quick oats

1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup ripe banana, smashed (about 2 large bananas)

2 large egg whites

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup flour (I used spelt flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 12 muffin tin with cupcake holders & then lightly spray with Pam.  In a large bowl mix oats and milk together and put in fridge for 30 minutes.  After soaking, add in wet ingredients - then dry.  Mix well and pour into muffin tin.  Bake about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Dane loves his with butter or even fancier - a little peanut butter on top!  

And there you have it.  Simple. Easy. Yummy.  Three prerequisites in my cookbook.  Now you share! 

What are your favorite or kid-friendly recipes?

"Food tastes better when you eat it with your family." 

~ author unknown 

Monday Meals...Sweet Onion Salsa

Mexican food is like a love language for me.  It's no surprise if we have Mexican 3-4 times a week.  So enjoy my favorite homemade sweet onion salsa - perfect over eggs, chicken, in tacos, fajitas - or just with a spoon.  :)

Sweet Onion Salsa

(adapted from Infarrantly Creative)

Shopping List

* 1 can diced tomatoes or 1.5 cups fresh

* HUGE handful of cilantro (I always end up adding more too!)

* 1/2 small sweet onion, diced

* 1 T apple cider vinegar

* 1 T honey or other sweetener of choice 

* 1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic

* 1/4 heaping teaspoon cumin

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1 jalapeno slice - or more based on taste!

* Measure all ingredients EXCEPT for tomatoes directly in blender.  Blend until chopped.  Next, add tomatoes and pulse a few times.  I like mine chunky, but blend to your liking.  Add more salt, jalapeno, tomatoes, or sweetener to taste!  Put in an airtight container and refrigerate.  

Bets are it will be gone in 2 days flat.  OLE!  

Monday Meals...Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

Happy Monday!

Need a quick Monday dinner?  Try my Crockpot Buffalo Chicken!  It's simple, fast, & perfect for a busy Monday night.  ENJOY!

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken 

Shopping list:

1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts

1/2 packet of Ranch seasoning (or make your own)

2 cans fat-free chicken broth

1 small onion, chopped 

Frank's Hot Sauce (to taste)

pepper to taste 

Combine first 4 ingredients in your crock pot and cook on high for 4 hrs or low for 6-8.  Once chicken is cooked through, take out and shred.  Stir in Frank's & put back in (drain a little liquid if needed).  Serve on whole grain buns, lettuce wraps or on a salad - my fave!  You can also top with Ranch, Bleu Cheese and/or Sharp Cheddar.  I think plain is just as good!

kiss the cook

I know I said earlier that I was going to post about this dude next...but I'm not quite done with it yet.
It's kind of hard to sum up 13 years of fun in one post.

On to one of my newest loves though - healthy cooking. I never thought we would go together, but we kinda do & I like it. In college, every Sunday was Big Mac Sunday. My friends & I would wake up early, and head to the golden arches for Big Macs, fries, and cokes. EVERY Sunday. Then, we would be complete slugs all day long. I wonder why. So, sorry McDonald's...I've moved on. I won't come visit for Big Macs anymore. Well, maybe once a year. Your special sauce is so good. But, I will still visit you every week for a diet coke, in a foam cup, with extra ice.
Thanks, McDonald's.

I've always considered myself a leader (see previous post), but I'm a follower too. The latest shoe fashion...I have to have a pair. A popular reality tv show...it's on my DVR. And lately, it seems like the newest rage is healthy eating: gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, vegan cooking, etc.
I'm embracing it all.

This summer I read The Skinny Rules, written by Bob Harper (Biggest Loser Bob). I love me some Bob.
He lays out 20 rules that promise to make you skinny, feel great, & look good.

A few of his rules: no carbs after lunch, get rid of ALL fast food & fried foods, go to bed hungry, no more white potatoes, don't drink your calories, eat a real breakfast, etc. He goes through each rule explaining why he follows it.
And, let's face it - the man looks amazing so I believe him.
Next up, three of my favorite healthy eating websites. These ladies are incredible & I stalk them everyday. I think I made something new this summer 3-4 times a WEEK! I love recipes that are easy, inexpensive, and now...healthy. All of these websites meet the criteria.

Skinnytaste.com: A friend from school introduced me to Gina. She's a gem. And, wow. Here are a few of my faves from Gina: Philly cheesesteak sandwiches (she has a great tip on what to do with the bread to make it "skinny", yogurt cheesecake cups, overnight oats in a jar). My other ST faves: mini-meatloaves, bison burgers, zucchini tots & chicken divan (I don't have pictures because all of these dinners were gobbled up before I could pop off the lens cap.)

Eat Yourself Skinny.com: Another adorable healthy-cook-person...Kelly. She introduced me to kale chips. If you haven't tried these bad boys, then ya better recognize...ya heard?

Hungrygirl.com: Lisa is great & her recipes have fun names. I am a huge oatmeal person & eat it almost every morning. Her growing oatmeal bowl is the best. Nothing fancy, but she invented a way to take a regular serving & magically make it grow...just by doubling the water/milk & doubling the time you boil it. Pure genius. Other HG faves: eggs in mugs, mexican pizza, italian frittata & whole wheat cheesecake pancakes. Word.

Dashingdish.com: my newest stalking victim. And yet again, an absolute doll. What is WITH these cute healthy cooks?! However, she was in charge of causing my internal organs to fail from an overload of pure bliss.
Meet her pumpkin pie protein "milkshake."

When I hear the word pumpkin, a trigger goes off in my brain that causes automatic happiness. Pumpkin & Abigail go together like pb&j, coffee & cream, and steak & ketchup. Ok, those only go together in my world. And, my dad's. I got it from him. Back to the pumpkin. Katie's "milkshakes" are made with cottage cheese, not ice cream. Sounds gross, but I like everything so I thought I would give it a try. They are all low-fat, low-calorie & low-carb. Triple threat. And absolutely.the.best.things.ever. I have tried them all now. I love a good milkshake. Like Chick-Fil-A's cookies & cream one. It's amazingly good, and amazingly awful for you. But, don't worry Chick-Fil-A, we aren't broken up yet. I will still come visit you for your diet lemonade, just not your milkshakes anymore.
I might come back every once in a while for your chicken mini's too, Chick-Fil-A. We'll see.

I have to say, I like this healthy-eating thing so far. At least until the next big thing comes around (maybe cupcakes as a staple for breakfast?). Devin's hot bod agrees. He recently declared he is at his lowest weight since high school. Yeah, boy. I'm not saying that it's all because of eating better...but he hasn't had fast food or real dr. pepper in awhile (see Bob's rules above!).

If you have any great healthy recipes or websites that you use, please share! Now I'm off to clean my blender & stock up on cottage cheese.

happy weekend eating to you.
~ abs