Healthy Banana Cookies

Clean eating cookies -- kind of an oxymoron if you ask me, but you may have seen similar cookie recipes floating around on Pinterest. So I just decided to call them Healthy Cookies, because they are! It took me a long time to make these, because I have been rather let down by some of the banana based desserts, like "banana ice cream"... I have some friends that love it, but nope, didn't fool me and in fact I don't like it at all. But that's just me and I do love bananas, so maybe its just that I can't get past the fact that it isn't really ice cream! Any how, I finally made these a few months ago and my 6 year old went crazy for them. Basically, he ate the whole batch single handedly in 2 days.

 



 

My Morning Workout Routine and Cherry Bomb Shake!

Hi guys! The Fresh Mama Fitness  page is growing quickly and I'm pleased to say you will be seeing fitness related posts here. I receive many fitness related questions daily, so I think it makes sense to address some of the questions here.

Getting a PiYo workout in, no equipment needed! (Photos courtesy of my 8 year old)

Meal Plan of the Week September 21, 2014-September 27, 2014

Another week, another meal plan! Today I realized we are coming up on the one year anniversary of my my very first blog post and it got me thinking how truly thankful I am to have started this. To all my friends and family who encouraged and literally pushed me to share my recipes and cooking techniques with the virtual world -- Thank You! I blog for many reasons, but mostly, just to show how easy it can be to incorporate farm fresh ingredients into a busy family life. I hope that those of you who follow me have learned something here -- I certainly have learned many, many things from interacting with you guys on facebook, instagram, twitter, and of course emails! With so many food blogs out there, many with better photos (yes, still working on this...), I thank you for taking a little time out of your days each week to read my recipes. I know many of you come here for the meal plans, so here you go... this week's meal plan!

Crockpot Recipe Roundup

I love my crockpot. There. I said it. What's not to love? In a perfect world I would be in the kitchen cooking a delectable dinner from scratch every night, however, in reality I need all the help I can get and the crockpot is a lifesaver! Plus, one pot to clean? -- I'm all for that! To be honest, I am very picky about what I cook in the crockpot and I'm the first to admit there have been a few terrible crockpot experiences in our house (as in straight-into-the-garbage experiences .. blech!) -- so I promise I will only share the best here. These recipes are tried and true, made on a regular basis in my house and loved by many. Enjoy!

Easy Crockpot Chili

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Looking for an easy clean-eating recipe chock full of veggies, flavor, and delicious for days in the fridge? Here you have it -- my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad. I based it off an orzo salad I have been making forever. It is a favorite with many of my friends and one of my go-to recipes for potlucks, but I wanted to go the gluten-free route, so I decided to mix it with quinoa instead of orzo. Just as delicious and so filling. I use it as a side-dish with dinner, but bring leftovers for a complete vegetarian lunch. Yum, yum, yum!

Meal Plan of the Week September 14th-20th

Super excited to report I am finally feeling back in the swing of things! Last week's meal plan went off without a hitch and we stayed on track. Aaaahhh - as much as I love summer, I have welcomed the routine of fall with open arms. Are you guys meal planning?

This week's CSA Delivery was full of organic, yummy goodness including this pink watermelon. Ev declared it "the best watermelon ever!", but then again he rarely meets a watermelon he doesn't like. Since it was organic, it did have seeds, but a few seeds never hurt anyone and it was soooo sweet and juicy. Special items like this make me so thankful I belong to a local CSA. You won't find these at the grocery store!

Parmesan Roasted Fall Veggies

This recipe is dedicated to all the home cooks out there who are intimidated by fall/root vegetables. When I tell people I do a year-round CSA, they always ask what I get in the fall/winter time and often comment that they don't know what to do with the cooler weather veggies. As you know, my favorite method of cooking most veggies is to throw them on a baking sheet and roast away...Once again, I use this basic method to enhance the flavors of these fall veggies. The cauliflower gains a nutty edge, the radishes and kohlrabi sweeten up, and don't even get me started on the fennel --Soooo delicious!  Throw the Parmesan on there and it is just a party in your mouth.

 

These veggies make a great side dish or topping for salads. So, if you are stumped by kohlrabi, radishes, cauliflower, and fennel - give this recipe a try and make sure to use a good quality Parmesan, no Kraft in a shaker, please!!!!! 

 

Broiled Honey Peaches and the Reluctant Hockey Mom

Summer is officially over -- school is in full swing (homework has begun!) and the fall sports are keeping us busy after school and on the weekends. Most days you can find me either on the soccer field or the hockey rink. If you had told me a couple years ago I would be a "Hockey Mom", I would have said you were NUTS! However, nothing like being a mom to make you eat your words and prove you don't know as much as you think you did. When we first knew we were having boys, of course the hub immediately started dreaming of throwing around the ball and teaching them all the sports he loves. I immediately said "no hockey, no football!" -- which wasn't a problem for the hub since he was a soccer and baseball guy. Even before I met them, I had preconceived notions of how I would keep them safe in the world.

Meal Plan of the Week September 7-13th

They're baaaa-aaaack!!! And by them, I mean meal plans! It is high time I finally got my butt in gear and started posting meal plans again. Now that the kid's activities and my work schedule are finalized, I feel like I can actually take control over my week. Hockey and soccer are in full swing and with 5 practices between the two boys (some overlapping) and only one weeknight without an activity, this fall is sure to be challenging. Having all lunches, dinners, and snacks planned out and ready to go will be a huge part in maintaining my sanity! Here is this week's dinner plan:

 

 

Swiss Chard Mango Salad with Pear Vinaigrette

These days you can find pears year-round, but nothing beats the flavor of fresh in-season pears. My kids fight over who gets the pears from our CSA box because they are so sweet and flavorful! Usually pears don't last long enough to make it into any recipes, but I grabbed a couple little ones and reserved them for this recipe. A truly delightful dressing for any salad! So if you are looking for something a little different than the standard vinaigrette and have some tasty pears, give this a try.

Salsa Verde Turkey Burgers

Here it is, my current quick, easy, and healthy obsession -- Salsa Verde Turkey Burgers!!!! I pinned this recipe ages ago and my only regret is that it took me this long to make it. I used Trader Joe's Salsa Verde, but I'm hoping for tomatillos in my CSA delivery soon, so I can make my own salsa. These take just a few minutes to make and the flavors are amazing --smoky grilled burger, spicy salsa, and creamy avocado. Yum!

Roasted Beet Salad

Beets, beautiful beets! A guaranteed item at farmer's markets and in CSA deliveries, the humble beet takes on gourmet status in this delicious salad. As you may have noticed, my motto is "when in doubt... roast it!". Pretty much any vegetable can be tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, roasted for 20-30 minutes and transform into a tasty side dish -- beets are no exception. So, if you have been intimidated by beets, please don't be! Try this salad and you will be hooked -- and  make the dressing -- to.die.for. Enjoy!

 

In Defense of the Word "Busy" and Easy Slow Cooker Chicken

After blogging for the past 9+ months, I have stuck mostly to talking about healthy recipes, but for those of you who know me outside this blog, you know I'm not one to sit quietly when I have something on my mind. After reading many posts on Facebook and other media over the past few months, I have been mildly amused by the sudden demonization of the word "busy." I first saw THIS article on Huffington post and then proceeded to see many shares and repeats of the tone of the article, plus many more bloggers jumping on the "anti-busy" bandwagon. I responded politely to one friend (whom I respect and admire greatly), that "hey, yeah, I'm busy, but mostly doing things I love with the people I love." To me, that is life, people have always been busy, heck, not so long ago humans were busy just trying to SURVIVE. It took all day just to find a meal! And lets not forget there are plenty of people in this world who still struggle every. single. day just to survive.