Guest Writer Julie Belman Shares her Amazing Toddler Meals

We are so happy to have a dear friend and guest writer this go 'round!  I met Julie Belman in college and remember her as a beautiful young woman and gorgeous dancer with an amazing spirit and a true kindness!  The awesome about it is SHE IS STILL EXACTLY THE SAME WAY and has become a wonderful Methodist minister.  I'm surely sure her congregation treasures her for all the reasons I did.  

I was drawn to Julie's lunches she prepared for James, her one-year-old son.  They were so balanced and kid-friendly!!  I couldn't wait to share it with you!  I'm happy to introduce you to my friend, REV. JULIE BELMAN and her sweet son, James (aka, BB (Baby Belman))!  Thank you so much, Julie, for doing this for us!!!

  

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We have been super lucky with James, because he hasn’t hit a “picky” phase yet, and pretty much gobbles up everything we offer to him! We’s also lucky that Daddy Travis is an amazing chef and enjoys cooking healthy meals for our family. I am not a great cook, but I can make simple things and fortunately most babies like simple! :) 

For breakfast, James always gets some Cheerios & milk while I slurp down coffee and pack his bag. They serve sugar-packed foods like pop-tarts and frozen french toast sticks for breakfast at his preschool, so I pack an alternative (healthier) option. Usually it’s blueberry pancakes with sliced banana. The fruits are organic, the pancake mix is not. Win some, lose some.  I make a big batch of the pancakes on the weekend and then freeze them, so it’s super easy for those early mornings. I occasionally mix it up with waffles (the Greenwise organic & gluten-free blueberry waffles are so delicious!) Nutrigrain bars, a Plum Organics fruit & grain pouch, and the occasional quiche.

My goal with his lunch is to always offer a colorful, appealing variety.  I use the “Yumbox” brand of lunch boxes and they are great! They have these adorable compartments that are labeled: protein, dairy, grains, vegetables, fruit, and “treat”, which serve as a reminder to me about balance and portion size. Each day, I try to include at least one food James loves and one food he’s still learning to like.

Lunch favorites include: spaghetti (or any kind of pasta!), berries, scrambled eggs with cheese, yogurt, Ritz crackers, green peas, and all the Plum Organics Mighty Veggie pouches.  Even though he's a good eater, I do still try to sneak in veggies as much as possible (grated carrot in the blueberry muffins, zucchini in spaghetti sauce, etc.)

I always buy organic dairy, eggs, and meats. Breads and crackers are almost never organic. I watch the Environmental Working Group‘s “Dirty Dozen” and buy those fruits & veggies organic whenever possible.  I also pay attention to the “Clean Fifteen” because if I don’t have to buy organic, I won’t.  I try to be realistic and buying only organic produce is expensive! Plus, we live out in the country — the nearest Whole Foods is an hour away! I make use of canned veggies because I can stock up. I buy the Publix Greenwise organic kind because they usually contain less sodium than other canned organic brands. 

I love the Weelcious & Tiny Grazers blogs for ideas, but I try not to spend too much time on Pinterest because some of those super-moms make me feel really inadequate! That’s NEVER been the goal of my sharing lunch photos. I would never want to make another mom feel bad. We are all just doing the best we can. A bunch of friends kept asking me about what I was sending, so that inspired the Facebook album of BB’s lunchbox photos!

One final thought: I think children develop a taste for healthy, wholesome foods early on. As an adult, I’ve had to re-learn and re-teach myself a lot about eating better (not instantly salting food, immediately buttering bread, drowning a pancake in syrup, etc.) and so I’ve made a conscientious effort to avoid that with my son. I exclusively breast-fed until he was 6 months and then started making most of his pureed baby food at home in our Vitamix. This was a way I could ensure he was eating only plain, organic fruits and veggies, without added sugar, salt, or preservatives. I DID add herbs and spices early on to hopefully develop a diverse palate.  We never did rice cereal and still very rarely drink any juice. We don’t do “dessert” on a regular basis. I have such a personal addiction to sugar that I am trying to prevent that with James. 

Classroom Friendly Supplies Pencil Sharpeners

As a mom of 3, homework time often becomes about wasting time finding a sharpened pencil.  We have bought numerous sharpeners from the high end electric ones to the cheapest hand held ones.  There are always issues with them!  The electric ones need a place to plug in or batteries and they always over sharpen and eat our pencils down.  With the hand held sharpeners, the lead breaks off of the end and jams the sharpener and the little shavings get everywhere.

I was honestly a little skeptical of the Classroom Friendly Supplies Pencil Sharpener.  I figured that it would let me down the same way that others had in the past.... Boy was I wrong!  I am so excited to tell you that this sharpener was easy enough for my 7 year old to use and we got the perfect pencil point every time!  It can't over sharpen and the clean out try for the shavings was easy to use without the mess.

This great product was created by a teacher for teachers!  It is Teacher Appreciation time and as an ex-teacher, I would highly recommend buying one of these instead of the latest Pinterest project.  I promise that it will get a lot of use and love in their room!!  Here is the link one more time for your fast and easy purchase :)  http://www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com









*I am not affiliated with Classroom Friendly Supplies in any way nor am I compensated for my review or any purchases of their supplies.   

THIS WEEK'S MENU 4/18-4/24

I'm back from Vegas, baby, and I'm getting back to business!  Here's my menu line up for this week!

MONDAY:  Squeaky Clean Slow Cooker Beef Bourgignon with Cheesy Quinoa.  I prepped this for last night then forgot to put it in the crock pot!  Oops!  http://thehealthyfoodie.com/slow-cooker-squeaky-clean-beef-bourgignon/  and https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=2425851



TUESDAY: Asian Chicken Salad in Cucumber Boats  http://bydawnnicole.com/2014/05/oriental-chicken-coleslaw-salad-whole-30-compliant.html  Take some cucumbers and hollow out the center of them.  Pile the coleslaw inside so you don't need the bread!  Great idea!!  Found it on Pinterest, of course!  I'm going to serve it with roasted spring veggies!



WEDNESDAY:  Kale and Sausage Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust, Side Salad.  This just seemed so yummy and a great way to transition me into loving kale.  http://bydawnnicole.com/2014/07/crispy-kale-sausage-quiche-with-sweet-potato-crust-paleo-whole30-compliant.html  I'll serve it with a simple side salad.


THURSDAY:  Salt and Vinegar Chicken, Sweet Potato Skins.  The recipe I've attached for this uses chicken wings, but I think I'll try it on thighs instead.  Seems to be easier in my brain.  I'm keeping the insides of my skins (the guts of the potatoes) for my Shepherd's Pie for tomorrow.  http://www.casadecrews.com/2014/02/salt-and-vinegar-chicken-wings-for-sundaysupper.html  and  http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/10/savory-sweet-potato-skins/#_a5y_p=1038494




FRIDAY:  Bacon Avocado Burgers, Grilled Squash and Zucc.  Perfect for warm weather and grain-free!  http://thepikeplacekitchen.com/garlic-bacon-avocado-burgers/  I think I'll even take those really large mushroom caps (can't remember the name!!) and make them the bun!  I'll salt and pepper some veggies and throw them on the grill too!


SATURDAY:  Shepherd's Pie, side salad.  We went to a friend's house for dinner the other night and ate some Shepherd's Pie and it was so yummy!  It's what's for dinner tonight!
http://i0.wp.com/thepikeplacekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/gbb-12.jpg?resize=625%2C933  I'm going to sub Greek Yogurt for the sour cream.


SUNDAY:  Skillet balsamic Garlic Chicken.  The side dish is still TBD.  Hmmmm... Any ideas?  Comment below.  In the meantime, here's the recipe for the chicken.
http://cookiesandcups.com/skillet-balsamic-garlic-chicken/


Hapy eating!

Having an Affair (With Your Husband)

Let me take a second to explain my title.  I've been married to my hubs for almost 9 years now (Wow!!!) and let's just say, I've gotten a tad.... lazy.  Make up? Sometimes.  Cute clothes?  Sometimes.  Clean shaven legs?  Rarely.  Poor guy.  He's gotten the short end of the stick, really.  Back in the day when we would go out on dates, before we were married, I was a very well manicured, adorable little sass with a perky body (Ahem.).  I made sure I looked good and smelled good and that everything about me was attractive!!! I wanted to be the best catch!  The whole experience of marriage has done things to us both-- saggy bodies, wrinkles, less patience, big bellies, budget talks, and scheduled intimacy (aka, dates.)

Now, as an old married couple, dating has become even more important now than before!  IT'S SO EASY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE!  But it's super hard to stay that way!  As romantic as it is, a lifetime commitment to the same person is so hard but so wonderful! It's like a big oxymoron!  Let's face it.  Sometimes it SUCKS!! But, most of the time it's so great to share every living, breathing moment with your favorite person on this planet.  Really and truly.  By going out together on a date, it's almost like we are boyfriend/girlfriend again and having an affair WITH our spouse!

Josh and I after 2 months of dating.  He was 25 and I was 28.  (Yep, I'm a cougar.)

{Nerd alert!}  I was doing some research and found these stats...

• 63% of men and 61% of women are "very happy" in their marriage.
• Married men and women have longer life expectancies than single or divorced men and women.
• According to recent studies, the percentage of children that experience parental divorce by the age of 12 is estimated to be about 24%.

                                   From http://www.foryourmarriage.org/factsfigures/

What can dating for your marriage?  TONS!!!  Shoot!  Frankly, it gives me a reason shave my legs and wear a push up bra!  Can I get an amen?!  Men are primarily visual people so let's give our husbands something to fancy to look at!  Dating your spouse also opens up uninterupted communication, offers a chance to flirt and be romantic, have a blast together, and show that you are all in!  What's wrong with that?!  GENIUS!!

A few weeks ago, a group of 5 couples (including us) went out on a group date!  We had soooo much fun together.  First dinner and drinks then off to a fantastic place called EXIT STRATEGY!  Wow, was it fun!  They have these different themed rooms and a problem to solve with each.  You have to use the clues you find in the room to solve the problem and exit the room within 60 minutes.  You can ask for help from the staff, but it's way more fun when you work together as a team.  Here's their blurb...

At Exit Strategy, sixty minutes will fly by as you attempt to unlock the door to your escape. Few have beat our rooms and those who did, have earned bragging rights and a place on our wall of fame. 

Although our rooms are known to claim many victims, visitors of all ages are sure to have a great time! Exit Strategy is the most challenging fun you'll ever have in sixty minutes. So, gather up a group of friends, family, or co-workers and see if you can work together to solve puzzles, find clues, and ultimately escape one of our rooms.

It's sooo much more fun than going to a movie together or with a group! You are forced to communicate with your spouse and your friends, forming instant connections and converstation!  It's like you are inside a mystery novel and it's unfolding right before your very eyes! 

I will say it was a tad costly at $25 per person, but money much better spent than going to the movies and paying ridiculous amounts on salty popcorn and sugary soda, and on a movie would have been better to watch later on Netflix.  The experience and the very detailed theme room is what you pay for and there's nothing else around like it.  

The themes are great:  Queen City Heist, Cabin in the Woods (the one we did), Murder Mystery, The Final Sacrifice (Eek!!), Quest of Honor, and Lost in Space.  

When you get there, you have to put your belongings in a locker and you get to keep the key.  They do this so you don't take pics of their rooms or try to copy their idea.  I totally get it.  Then, you are blindfolded and taken to the room.  Once you are in there, you are able to take off your blind folds and they lock you in the room.  And, as a person with claustrophobia, I thought it was going to be waaaay worse than it was.  The room was super spacious and I wasn't freaked out at all.  I'd give you more details about what was inside the room but I don't want to ruin it for you!

All in all, I'd give it 4 3/4 stars.  Not a perfect 5 because of the cost, but that's the ONLY reason!  We will definitely be back!!!!  Even thinking of taking our church group there!  

Do something big this weekend!  Hire a babysitter (or swap services with a friend) and take your guy or girl out for a date!  

I have a $50 gift card up for grabs for EXIT STRATEGY!  That's a paid date for the two of you!  Comment below with where you went on your first date to get entered in the drawing!!  

THIS WEEK'S MENU 3/28-4/3

Hey everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful Easter!  Christ is Risen! The tomb is still empty!  Hallelujah!

I'm sorry I left you hanging last week! I was so involved with learning some new things for my Arbonne business that I totally forgot!  If you know me at all, you shouldn't be shocked by my forgetfulness!  Here's this week's menu.  This menu isn't what we are cooking this week because my husband is sick and the kids and I are going to travel the back half of spring break, but I still want to share my faves with you!

MONDAY:  Tuscan Skillet served over gluten-free pasta.  Doesn't this look DIVINE?!!   It can go without saying that I LOVE Italian.  Those deep and rich flavors-- can't live without it!  Served this over gluten-free noodles if you are gluten-sensitive or doing Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living, but be sure to do it in moderation.  No need to go crazy, no matter how bad you'd like to.  http://thewanderlustkitchen.com/tuscan-chicken-skillet/




TUESDAY:  Zucchini boats with side salad.  You seriously can't screw these up.  Zucchini boats are ridiculously easy.  I'd pre-bake the boats though, seeing all the ingredients you stuff the boat with are already cooked and don't need to be in the oven for long.  You might also top the boat with mozzarella cheese because, ... well, because it's awesome.  Serve it with a substantial side salad or with a roasted veggie.  Yummyyyyyy...  http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/2013/06/grilled-herb-and-sausage-stuffed.html




WEDNESDAY:  One Pan Ranch Chicken and Veggies.  This is super easy and delish!  When I make this, I drop the brown sugar down to about half because the hubs doesn't care for "sweet meat" and I use a homemade ranch dressing mix to cut back on sodium. You can also do it with skin-off thighs.   But do what you want!  You're a grown up!  ;)  http://damndelicious.net/2015/05/08/one-pan-garlic-ranch-chicken-and-veggies/




THURSDAY:  Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken with Sweet Potato Fritters.  Odd combo, I understand you thoughts here.  But the two separately are a.m.a.z.i.n.g. so wherever you put them in your menu, just make sure they are there.  The fritter are so easy and work really well with the left over sweet potato from your sweet potato skins (another week).  http://www.mynaturalfamily.com/recipes/clean-eating-recipes/clean-eating-chicken-recipe/  and http://yes-moreplease.com/2013/11/sweet-potato-kale-and-quinoa/

  


FRIDAY:  Chicken Avocado Lime Soup.  So light. So springy.  Sooo good.  If you like a thicker soup, more like chili, add some black beans.  It makes the soup even prettier, I promise.  I love soups because you only have one pot.  And on a Friday night, who wants to do dishes?  http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/07/chicken-avocado-lime-soup/




SATURDAY:  Greek Nachos.   We love this because of the simplicity of the dish and it's very filling.  Anything that someone can build on his/her own is awesome.  You can also had olives or banana peppers, or any of your other favorite Greek or Mediterranean toppings.  http://notwithoutsalt.com/greek-nachos/



SUNDAY:  Shepherd's Pie.  I admittedly have never made Shepherd's Pie before but I ate it for the first time the other night at a friend's house and it was delicious!!  I like this recipe here but I'd add some more veggies, I think.  I mean, why not?  Added nutrition, added flavor, added color.  Yep!
http://www.noshtastic.com/easy-shepherds-pie/?utm_content=buffer07a61&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=buffer



Happy eating!!! Hugs!

3/14-3/20 Menu

Happy Monday y'all!!  Seems like that groundhog was right!! I'm loving all this warmth!  And our grass is sooooo green!  How refreshing!

Here's our menu for the week!  Happy eating!

MONDAY:  Kielbasa, pepper, onion, potato hash.   I love kielbasa. My parents always made scrambled eggs with kielbasa for breakfast and nothing is quite as yummy in the morning.  I also love one-pot-wonders!  This one is a keeper! I'm not a fan of green peppers but all tri-color peppers will work beautifully!  http://www.thetwobiteclub.com/2014/05/kielbasa-pepper-onion-and-potato-hash.html?m=1



TUESDAY:  Cilantro lime honey salmon and sides in foil packets.  Warm weather makes me want to eat lighter.  Not sure if it's the impending doom of bikini season realities or what.  Here is a super light salmon dish grilled in a foil packet (or baked in foil in the oven if you're like me and afraid to touch the grill).  For sides, I'd throw some zucchini and squash with red pepper slices in a foil packet and throw it on the grill (or oven) too.  Yummy and no dishes! http://juliasalbum.com/2015/08/cilantro-lime-honey-garlic-salmon/


WEDNESDAY:  Spicy pineapple chicken kebabs.  My goodness!!  These are gorgeous!  Pair them with a green veggie and you're good to go!!!  http://www.thegunnysack.com/spicy-pineapple-chicken-kabobs/
  


THURSDAY:  Beef Dip Sandwiches.  These look super yummy. I'd even take it a step further and throw the entire sandwich, bread and all, right onto my George Foreman (Those are soooo 1990!) and make it into a panini.  For some reason paninis seem more dinner-ish to me.  If you are staying away from gluten, Take the bread off all together.  Saves time, too, because there isn't any need for George.  http://www.tasteslovely.com/beef-dip-sandwich-with-gruyere-grilled-onions/  Pair it with some nutritious raw veggie sticks dipped in your favorite hummus and viola!


FRIDAY:  Sausage, cannelini bean, and kale soup.  Old faithful.  Tried and true.  Gotta love her.  She's easy (ahem) and fast.  Now Stephanie, the creator of this soup, told me on our walk the other day that she has a new and better soup to share!  Honestly, I have no idea how it could top Old Faithful!  When she posts it, I'll try it and give you the skinny.  But until then, here's our favorite girl... http://gatheredinthekitchen.com/2015/09/14/kale-sausage-cannellini-sun-dried-tomatoes-soup/


SATURDAY:  Bruschetta chicken with spaghetti squash.  Here's how you cook spaghetti squash.  http://www.kitchentreaty.com/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash-two-different-ways-in-the-microwave-or-in-the-oven/  Throw some organic jarred sauce on top and your side dish is done.  Now for bruschetta chicken.  I cook chicken thighs (We choose those over breasts.) in the oven with salt and pepper.  I roast onions and halved cherry tomatoes in a pan with sides in the oven at 425 until the onions are cooked through but not over cooked.  All the while, I put tons of balsamic vinegar on the stove and reduce it by half or until it coats the back of a spoon and tastes super duper yummy.  Once all is done, pile the tomatoes and onions on the chicken and drizzle the balsamic on top.  Sooooo delicious!!  No pics but you can imagine it's beauty.


SUNDAY:  LEFTOVERS!  Clean out your fridge so you're ready to restock on Monday!

Fear

fear

ˈfir/

noun

1. 

an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Have you ever found yourself swallowed by fear... fear of the unknown or fear to take the next step in someway?  It's debilitating.  I find myself in a place of fear sometimes to the point of feeling frozen.  I see the storm coming or maybe the goal ahead, yet I am frozen.  I don't want to step left or right or make any decision for that matter, because the decision that I make could possibly.....  

And then I have to ask myself... "Could possibly, what?"  Is anyone going to be harmed if I make the wrong decision?  Is anyone's life going to be over or changed in anyway for that matter?  

Next I have to ask myself, what does God say about fear?  He says a lot actually.... Some sources say that the Bible mentions fear 365 times, but with further research, I have found that in the context of "fear-not" it is about 21 times.  But God clearly asks us for our burdens and to lay aside all of our fear.  

“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Franklin D. Roosevelt says in his famous inauguration speech, "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance..."

Fear is an age old struggle and we all deal with it in one way or another.  The best way to overcome fear is to breathe and remember reality.  The reality is, the God has you in his loving arms and nothing can stand against us when God is with us.  So today, as I face my fears, I am going to remember that my God is greater than all of my fear! 

Amen!