Food - Parenting Healthy

Comment: I was sent product for this feature. All opinions are 100% my own.

Our current house situation went from my Husband, tween son and I to adding our oldest and his GF as they save for their first home. They pay us a food allowance and get grocery shopping done and meals cooked for them. Having 20-somethings in the home I am cooking a lot more at a time and then I always try to cook huge batches of dinner because if there are leftovers they love taking them the next day for work lunch. From 3 people to a lot more, planning is crucial or it can become overwhelming.

Recently I was introduced to the new Weekly Dinner Menu Planning Board. The design is done, it stands up and even has recipe cards with shopping lists. Having a meal plan in my head wasn’t cutting it. I save so much time and money having a visual menu planning board.

Every menu board includes:

a 11×17 printed board with attached stand and velcro tabs to plan out your family’s meal for each night of the week.
15 of Nic’s favorite quick and easy dinner recipes that your family is sure to love including chicken, steak, fish and vegetarian options.
Individual cards with a shopping list for each meal.

Easy 4-step recipes for each dinner.
An extra card for “Take Out” and “Leftovers” for those night your prefer not to cook.

Take a look at the board in action

If you know a busy family or just want to start the new year off more organized, make sure to order your Weekly Dinner Menu Planning Board from Nibbles by Nic!

Food, Recipes

Garlic Butter Chicken & Broccoli Pasta – Recipe

November 11, 2019November 11, 2019 Erin Sluka

As we try to cut carbs my dinners are a lot of meat and veggies. There are nights my son will look at me with a dreaded look of food boredom. Then I always struggle on being creative. One day I found a recipe for a Butter Chicken & Broccoli Recipe but wanted to make it more enticing for the boys. So, I added the garlic, pasta and hot sauce.

I used boneless chicken thighs because I love stir fry chicken with thighs, but this recipe works great with chicken breast cut to bite size pieces.

My pasta of choice is Ancient Harvest’s Protein-Packed POW! Pasta. I used the Chickpea Elbow for this recipe. I like to sneak in the extra protein where I can especially with a tween in sports. This pasta has up to 25 g of protein per 3.5 oz serving, twice as much as traditional wheat pasta!

Just a little plug – did you know that Ancient Harvest makes protein-packed mac and cheese? My son’s favorite and it comes in mild cheddar, white cheddar or sharp cheddar (our favorite).

Now for the Garlic Butter Chicken & Broccoli Pasta recipe…finally!

Erin Sluka

Garlic Butter Chicken & Broccoli Pasta

A great tasting, protein-packed dinner!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 lbs Boneless Chicken (breast or thighs) cut into bite size pieces
2 Cups Broccoli (cooked to almost done)
1/2 Cup butter, softened and divided
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning or fresh Italian herbs
2 tsp Franks hot sauce optional
2/3 Cup chicken broth
1 tsp lemon juice or fresh squeezed
1 tsp fresh parsley
2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper
1 box cooked Ancient Grains POW! Protein pasta Elbow or penne work great

Method

Cut chicken into small pieces and prepare broccoli to cook to (almost) done. Season the chicken in season with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
Heat oil and 1/4 C of the butter in large pan or walk and cook chicken until browned and cooked through
Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and Italian seasoning and stir and cook with chicken bites
Remove cooked chicken from pan and set it and cooked broccoli aside
In the same skillet turn up to medium-high, add the garlic and deglaze with chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce to half the volume. Add remaining 1/4 cup butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, parsley. stir.
Add the (almost) cooked broccoli and stir about 2 minutes until soft
Add the sauteed chicken bites back to the pan and stir for another minute to reheat. Garnish the chicken and asparagus with more parsley, and toppings of choice.
Serve over cooked protein-pasta!

Food, Healthy Living

Eating Plants for Life: Joys of a Vegan Diet and Lifestyle

October 29, 2019October 29, 2019 Erin Sluka

If you think a vegan diet is boring, think again. Plant-based recipes are exciting because they open up a new world of textures and flavors with spices and ingredients such as nuts and vegetables and greens such as leeks, watercress, and daikon. Research shows well-balanced plant-based diets are also extremely healthy.

Going vegan is mainstream now, so you will find it easier than in decades past to find tasty meat substitutes, vegan ingredients, and even plant-based dishes in restaurants. Veganism is not just about what you eat, though. It is an entire lifestyle that honors and respects the entire circle of life—animals, humans, trees and plants, and the planet we all share. There are many joys of a vegan lifestyle, and today it is simpler than ever to go vegan in all aspects of your life.

Vegan Diets

If you want to start following a vegan diet or are curious about going meat-free for a few days each week, there are many resources to guide you. Check out allrecipes.com, goodhousekeeping.com, foodnetwork.com, ohsheglows.com, and bonappetit.com for vegan recipe sections. You may never think about food the same way again.

Many restaurants now offer plant-based options for diners. For example, the popular Chili’s Grill & Bar has a generous plant-based fajita-style meal on its menu, if you skip the cheese and sour cream. When eating out or shopping for ingredients, look for the BevVeg Vegan Certification to be sure of plant-based choices.

Cruelty-Free, Plant-Based Products

As part of a vegan lifestyle, many people choose cruelty-free products that are plant-based. Labeling tactics are often confusing. The generic term “natural” is not the same as vegan or cruelty-free, and not all cruelty-free products are vegan.

Happily, vegan personal care products, from face creams to shampoos, have come a long way, and many are now highly efficacious. As more and more people choose healthier, kinder lifestyles, choices in vegan personal products have expanded.

Animal-Free Clothing

Vegans often avoid wearing leather and other clothing derived from animals, including inhumanely sourced wool, angora, and mohair. Often, feathers for comforters and pillows are also sourced cruelly. There are great alternatives for both. Faux leather products, from shoes to belts to bags, look great and stand up to heavy use, and alternatives to feathers are kinder to both animals and allergy sufferers.

A vegan lifestyle brings with it many joys, from exciting plant-based meals to effective skincare. Being part of the circle of life is rewarding, both psychologically and physically. You may find adopting a kinder, more mindful diet brings benefits that reach far beyond the kitchen.

Food, Natural Foods

Plant-Based Broccoli Crust Pizza

September 13, 2019September 13, 2019 Erin Sluka

When we decided to cut carbs I found all things cauliflower, cauliflower pizza, rice, mashed. I actually dislike cauliflower but smother pizza sauce and mozzarella on it and I can stomach it. Broccoli and green beans are my favorite veggies so I was so excited that I can eat a broccoli crust pizza and ditch the cauliflower for a bit.

Broccoli, why not? When it is also hand-crafted and with fresh ingredients I have never felt so good about eating pizza. Pizza used to be a weekend treat, but finding healthier varieties with these veggie crusts means I can meal plan pizza into any night along with a delicious salad.

The worst part about the Spinato’s Pizza is deciding which one to try first. I typically love a good Margherita pizza so I had to try this brand’s version. Biting into my first broccoli crust was a bit comparable to a cauliflower in that it is thin and with a great crisp. With the broccoli crust you get a bit bolder taste- a bit more realistic to a flour dough crust. I love it!

Spinato’s uses vine-ripened tomatoes that are packed within 4 hours of harvesting. The cheese they use is rBST-free and their pizza sauce is authentic. It is obvious in the taste that every ingredient was thoughtfully chosen and especially as you taste the sauce. Visit Spinatos and see their store finder.

Comment: I was sent pizza to taste. Opinions are my own

Category: Food

Weekly Dinner Menu Planning Board – Includes Recipes