I fell into a snack and lunch slump. This realization hit me hard between the eyes because of the following conversation I had with the Lil Man.

Me: What would you like to have for lunch today?
LM: Mac and Cheese
Me: I haven’t made any and we don’t have any Annie’s. Any other ideas?
LM: A quesadilla
Me: Well, we don’t have any tortillas. Anything else?
LM: Grilled cheese sandwich.
Me: Ya, it is time for us to change things up.

I realized I was stuck in a cheese rut. This wasn’t my usual MO, but we were in it and we were in it deep. I looked inside my fridge and one of the veggie compartments was filled with 3 different bags of cheese, plus two bricks. Yikes.

New day. New leaf. I have approximately 6 pounds of quinoa sitting in my pantry and I need to use it. We tried these quinoa bites today and the Lil Man suggested that we call them “Num Nums”. Alrighty then. He ate 6 and Lil Miss ate 2. I consider that a success.

The veggies combinations you can add in are numerous. I used kale, broccoli, and carrots. Other options might be peas, squash, spinach, chard, corn, or cauliflower. This is an easy way to use those leftover veggies from dinner the night before.

I served them up with some apple rings (use an apple corer to take out the core and then slice into thin slices). The kids ate two apples worth and had fun pretending they had apple eyes, apple ears, and apple noses. Who knew that cutting the fruit a different way would make it a renewed hit?

So here you go…ENJOY!

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Quinoa Veggie Bites

Course Snack

Keyword gluten free, kid-friendly cooking

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 24 bites

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped veggies
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons flour All purpose or GF
• 1/2 tsp curry
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Put water and quinoa into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and keep covered for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and remove from heat.
• Grease a mini muffin pan with olive oil.
• In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except for salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Using a tablespoon, fill mini muffin pan cups. Press contents firmly into the base of the pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top.
• Bake for 15 minutes. To remove from pan, use a butter knife to slide around the edges if there is any sticking. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or plain!

Notes

Makes 24 bites

TAKE A PEEK AT MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS IN THE KITCHEN

The post Quinoa Veggie Bites – Superfood Snack for Kids first appeared on BonBon Break.

Grow kale. You may not be the gardener type, but you can even stick it in a container and if your kids harvest it, they will be more likely to eat it….and it is the world’s easiest snack to make.

I love that these taste SO much better than the store variety and we can play with the different kale varieties – we prefer curly – and ramp it up with some awesome toppings. Your mind will be blown when you see how simple this is.

Here is a little PSA with love from me to you before you dig into the recipe.

…and now you know why I have to dye my hair.

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Easy Kale Chips Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• A bunch of kale
• Olive oil
• Kosher Salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 and place a baking sheet covered with foil inside.
• Grab a bunch of kale.
• Place in a colander, clean, rip into 2" pieces and rinse.
• Pour 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil over the top.
• Toss the kale in the colander to ensure it is covered with EVOO.
• Using an oven mitt, grab hot baking sheet out of the oven. Pour kale out of the colander onto the baking sheet and separate.
• Bake for 35 minutes. Keep an eye on it around 25 minutes. Cooking times will vary based on ovens, the moisture level of kale, etc.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Enjoy!

[PRINT RECIPE]

Are you laughing that I mentioned using an oven mitt? Don’t. I know you are busy when you are making these and the last thing I want you to do is burn your hand. So there. I am looking out for ya.

Once you have mastered the basic version, try these. You won’t be disappointed!

Other kale chip variations:

Cheesy: Add grated parmesan with the EVOO (OMG! So good!)

Salt and Vinegar: add sea salt and red wine or malt vinegar

Salt and Pepper: add salt and pepper  ***insert eye roll***

Spicy: add red pepper flakes or add Siracha to the EVOO (Kapow!)

Our Fave: Add Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce with a splash of toasted sesame oil in the EVOO

This post was written by Val Curtis exclusively for BonBon Break Media, LLC.

The post Easy Kale Chips Recipe first appeared on BonBon Break.

Cue Garden Lites®. Just when I decided that my plate was TOO full and I couldn’t start any new relationships with brands in September, they offered me some healthy snacks that can be stocked up in my freezer — and they were sending me a boxful.

As I read through some information about the company, I knew this was a perfect match for my family and I thought you would want to know about them as well.

Garden Lites creates delicious healthy, veggie-rich foods with veggies as one of the first three ingredients in everything they make. Their products currently include muffins, snacks, and entrees, and they are introducing veggie-rich waffles in October. All Garden Lites products are frozen and can be found in the freezer section at your local grocery store, but only take seconds to minutes to heat and enjoy.

The shipment came through on my first day of teaching. My kids were starving when we got home from school and they had a friend over to boot. On the way home, I was hoping we had enough carrots and apples to get a healthy snack started. I only had apples — and Garden Lites!

Healthy Snacks for Kids

With a friend over, I am always asking about allergies. Personally, I cannot eat gluten. Garden Lites are gluten, dairy and nut free. Yet another reason to have these stocked in your freezer. They are playdate perfect (for kids OR moms!).

I opened the Chocolate Muffins, placed them on a cookie sheet in the oven for 6 minutes at 350 and out popped delicious, lava cake-esque chocolate muffins. They were gobbled up, along with the apples, in a flash! I gave myself a little pat on the back for offering a veggie-rich food and enjoyed one myself. It was oh-so-good. Even better, if you have a microwave it will take only a few seconds to heat these babies up!

The next day, my kids were asking for more. I couldn’t blame them. I wanted to save them so my husband could have a taste since he is a serious chocoholic.

This weekend, I created a sampler – some might call it “almost lunch”- of the blueberry oat muffins, the veggie cakes and the chocolate muffins for the wrap-up.

Here is how it went down:

My daughter ran in and said, “Mama, you can take tons of pictures of me. I will brush my hair and put on my cute dress.” She wanted to start with the chocolate. I had her start with the muffin and lo and behold, she munched that bad boy down SO quickly! Next, was the Superfood Veggie Cakes – ANOTHER winner! She wrapped up with a Chocolate Muffin, took one bite and said, “SO good, but can I have another Blueberry Muffin? Those are my favorite!” My camera was busy clicking away when in dropped the Hubs.

He picked up the chocolate first, popped it in and said, “Mmmmmm”. This is high praise folks. The tell-tale sign of delight? He grabbed a muffin and a Veggie Cake and walked off. #Winning

Adults Love These Healthy Snacks, Too!

I tried a Superfood Veggie Cake. THESE ARE ADDICTIVE. Good news. They are a great snack OR a side dish OR I am thinking these will be great to take to work for lunch. There are 6 per container (12 in a box) so I would only take 2, but YUM! They are SO good. There is brown rice, red pepper, garlic and all kinds of veggie goodness in these and they are really, truly delicious. I would love to report that I tried the muffin, but someone – I won’t mention names – took the rest off the plate while I was taking photos.

Bottom line? You should have some of these in your freezer. Click here to find a store near you that carries Garden Lites.

Oh, and Garden Lites Team, when those waffles come out, I have the perfect taste testers for you.

In the meantime, feel free to follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Garden Lites. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Hooked on Veggies: Your Guide to Quick, Healthy Snacks first appeared on BonBon Break.

It wasn’t a far stretch to imagine that cows laid beef or that pigs cheerfully gave us bacon. I wasn’t raised on a farm, so I never put two and two together. Grocery store packaging doesn’t help. It’s not as if bacon comes with a picture of a pig on it. I remember being particularly confused by Chicken of the Sea and Chicken in a Biskit, my mother’s favorite. Did chickens live in the ocean, in “biskits?” I wondered. What is a biskit, anyway? I digress, but my point is that as children, the source of our protein is hidden from us; presumably, so we do not feel badly that animals are slaughtered for our benefit. A misguided policy, perhaps, but understandable.

This experience is why I find the latest trend to anthropomorphize our fruits and vegetables so puzzling. Kids generally know that they come from plants and farms. It’s a simple concept. No one is upset over their harvest. It was working! So why the change?

A few weeks ago, I went to the store to buy mandarin oranges. I didn’t see any, so I checked with the produce clerk.

“We don’t have any mandarin oranges,” he said, “but we got some halos in today.”

“Halos?” I mused, “Angelic circlets of purity and blamelessness? I’d like one of those.” But alas, the new name for mandarin oranges is halos – oranges, imbued apparently, with “pure goodness.”

Mandarin oranges are not the only produce receiving an anthropomorphic makeover. Kiwis have become “Mighties.” Grape tomatoes are now winged “Cherubs,” another heavenly food, and acid-free tomatoes have become athletically inclined “Sunbursts.”

What gives? We hide the fact that we kill animals and pretend that we’re eating “human” fruits and vegetables? It’s baffling, but perhaps it’s working. If our children begin eating more fruits and vegetables, I’m good with that. If our children begin thinking we have to hunt for our fruits and vegetables, we may have to rethink this strategy.

In the meantime, if your children refuse to eat faceless fruits and vegetables, I suggest you have some artistic fun. Buy a bag of black-eyed peas (call them “Eyebrights,” if you prefer) and make as much anthropomorphic produce as your heart desires. Bon appétit!

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This post was written by Lisa Taylor exclusively for BonBon Break Media LLC.

The post If It Doesn’t Have a Face, Will They Eat It? first appeared on BonBon Break.

Yogurt has so many uses. Topped with granola or fruit, it makes a great breakfast or snack. Add it to smoothies for a healthy sweet treat or mix it with garlic and herbs for a delicious savory dip. Use it as a substitute for mayonnaise on bread or mixed into tuna or chicken salad. As a marinade, it tenderizes meat beautifully. And let’s not forget the great tang and fine, light crumb it gives to baked goods. With this versatile staple in your refrigerator, you’re pretty much ready for anything.

Mel of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe has been stocking her kitchen with homemade yogurt for several years. She makes it at least three times a month, so her methods are tried and tested, and she’s documented the process in easy-to-follow steps.

Find out how simple it is to make your own yogurt.  Mel’s directions, which lend themselves well to customization, will make you want to get started preparing your own supply right away!

RECIPES FROM THE KITCHEN THAT INCLUDE YOGURT:

• Maple-Pecan Bran Muffins
• Easy Indian Spiced Tomato Soup
• Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos

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The post DIY Homemade Yogurt first appeared on BonBon Break.

Is there anything better than a happy accident?  I think not. Especially a delicious one like this Snickerdoodle Chex. Wendy came up with this recipe by accident, but I can see she’s really on to something here. Cinnamon+vegan white chocolate chips+Chex is like a person with food allergies snack dream come true. Wendy is the expert on all things allergy free, but she’s also proof that allergy friendly can be insanely delicious.

When it comes to this Snickerdoodle Chex she says,

” The white chocolate and cinnamon flavor of this Snickerdoodle Chex is scrumptious! I bet you can’t eat just one handful!”

You could feed this to any kid or adult and they would never even know it’s allergy free. It’s the perfect after school snack, party favor, holiday treat or even dessert. Not to mention it’s ready in about 10 minutes! Wendy, you just blew my mind. Friends, get ready to see a lot of this at gatherings in the future. I think I have new go-to potluck recipe.

READ MORE FROM THE KITCHEN:

• 15 Minute Chicken Scallopine 
• Sweet Potato and Lentil Chili 
• One Pot Cheesy Turkey Tamale Pie

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The post Snickerdoodle Chex first appeared on BonBon Break.

I’ve been a hummus-a-holic for a while so I’m  thrilled that it’s become a staple in so many households.  Hummus is one of those things that everyone eats, but no one ever makes, which is crazy since it’s so simple to prepare. Do not be intimidated by tahini or garbanzo beans! These are things you can easily find at your local grocery store. I promise.

This Roasted Red Pepper Hummus from Brittany is just one great example on how you can add your favorite flavors to the blank canvas that is hummus. Brittany says,

“Whenever I talk to someone who has made hummus for the first time, they always mention how incredibly good it is.  As yummy as store bought hummus is, there is nothing like the flavor of a batch you made yourself.  Making it specially flavored is just that much better.”

I’m thinking some garlic and jalapeño hummus is in my future! What kind of flavors would you add to your homemade hummus?

READ MORE FROM THE KITCHEN:

• Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef 
• Cheesy Bacon Kale Potato Skins 
• Stuffed Pepper Soup 

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Healthy eating means different things to different people.  Since we’re constantly barraged with conflicting information about everything from gluten sensitivities to Paleo diets to supplement-popping propensities, this shouldn’t surprise anyone.  Even those with years of study in nutrition science would agree that there’s no one answer to healthy eating.

Here’s the thing, though.  Most of us — when we really pay attention — understand how different foods affect our bodies and minds. We know how we feel after we eat too many potato chips.  We know what it feels like to indulge in too much chocolate cake.  And we know how much — when we eat that certain food for which we have a food sensitivity or allergy — we’re going to have to pay for it later.

Here’s a revolutionary idea for healthful eating:  let’s pay attention to the food that we eat.  When we do, often we make better food choices — ones that still taste great.

We’ve gathered a health-minded collection of recipes that we hope will become a great resource for mindful meal planning.  Will every single recipe here make sense for your own personal vision of healthfulness? Of course not!  Everyone has different needs and ideas about food.

But whether you’re someone who is lactose intolerant with a nut sensitivity, a vegetarian who eats bacon on occasion, a hunter gatherer of the raw food persuasion, or a straight up omnivore, we think we’ve come up with one healthy-eating rule that almost anyone can get behind:  eat a variety of fresh, unprocessed foods in moderation.  Oh, and don’t eat anything that makes you feel terrible. Whet your appetite with these…

Recipes for Healthy Eating

MAIN DISHES

Quinoa Chicken Curry Bowls from Pinch of Yum (pin it) 

Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon from Cooking Classy (pin it)

SALADS

Grape Salad from Drool-worthy (pin it)

Greek Salad by Cooking Classy (pin it)

Apple-Walnut Chard Salad from An Edible Mosaic (pin it)

WHOLE GRAINS

VEGETABLE DISHES

FRUIT DISHES

SOUPS

APPETIZERS

Healthy Turkey Potstickers by BetsyLife (pin it)

SNACKS

BREAKFAST

Peanut Butter-Banana Muffins by An Edible Mosaic (pin it)

Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancakes by Drool-worthy (pin it)

Quinoa Whole Wheat Pancakes by Cooking Classy (pin it)

FOOD ON-THE-GO

SMOOTHIES

Find all of these great recipes and MANY, MANY MORE on our Healthy Recipes Pinboard:

Follow Bonbon Break’s board Healthy Recipes on Pinterest.

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Here are some of our FAVORITE kitchen tools for preparing healthy, delicious meals (click to buy now using our affiliate links to Amazon  —  no extra charge to you and a little perk for us):

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The post 50+ Recipes to Foster Healthy Eating first appeared on BonBon Break.

For me, for six years, it was synonymous with parenting. It was a distraction, a bribe. It was a tool to keep kids quiet for a few minutes.

I used it as a reward and as an activity. Everywhere I went with my four littles I brought along snacks – and lots of them. Crackers, squeezable applesauce, cheese sticks, and the occasional organic sucker.

Due to health reasons, however, we recently stopped all mid-day munching cold turkey. I have since realized that this is completely counter-culture in America. Every day, everywhere moms, dads, nannies, and other  caregivers in the United States have snacks readily available– tucked inside their diaper bags and purses.

Snacks are so common, in fact, that the practice of giving our children food at all hours of the day often starts as early as age six months with the puff-type dissolvable snacks.

Snacking happens in the car, in front of the television, at the grocery store, in church, at school, at sporting events, waiting for doctor appointments. You name it. In America, where there are people, there are usually snacks.

Is it possible that this common event of snacking, totally accepted by our culture, is contributing to an undercurrent of health problems? Is using food as a bribe, reward, or a parenting tool something that will come back to harm our children as they grow older in terms of bad habits and coping mechanisms?

Did you know that even just a few decades ago is wasn’t all that common to see people walking around with snack bags and drinks in hand?

Is it even possible to cut out snacking? Have you ever considered it? This is our journey of how and why we’ve eliminated snacking from our day-to-day lives.

It is a small glimpse into how the transition began. . .

READ MORE IN THE FAMILY ROOM

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The post Why I Stopped Giving My Child Snacks first appeared on BonBon Break.

If you’re in need of a holiday treat without the guilt, then these Maple Walnut Cheesecake Truffles are for you.

These itty bitty power-packed treats are deceiving; despite being small, they pack a serious punch of protein and whole grain. Plus they’re naturally sweetened with a touch of maple syrup, gluten-free (just be mindful of the brand of oats you buy; be sure to buy from a company who offers certified gluten-free oats because some companies process their oats on the same equipment that they use to process products containing gluten), and dairy-free.

Faith, you are my fave. I am all about recipes like this one that make simple, healthy swaps without sacrificing flavor. These Maple Walnut Cheesecake Truffles have made their way to the top of my must-make-now list. ~Betsy

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The post Maple Walnut Cheesecake Truffles first appeared on BonBon Break.

You’ll find recipes full of traditional holiday flavors, as well as those that take your leftovers in totally new directions.  From soups to sandwiches to salads and casseroles, these recipes will enable you to dish up leftovers day after day without getting tired of them.

Get ready to prolong your holiday cheer with this tasty collection of leftover recipe ideas.

Holiday Leftovers Recipes

CLASSIC HOLIDAY FLAVOR LEFTOVERS

LEFTOVER TURKEY RECIPES

LEFTOVER HAM RECIPES

LEFTOVER MASHED POTATO RECIPES

LEFTOVER SWEET POTATO RECIPES

LEFTOVER GREEN BEAN RECIPES

LEFTOVER CRANBERRY RECIPES

SOUP FROM LEFTOVERS

SANDWICHES FROM LEFTOVERS

Find all of these leftovers recipes and MANY, MANY MORE on our New Life for Holiday Leftovers Pinterest Board:

Follow Bonbon Break’s board New Life for Holiday Leftovers on Pinterest.

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Oh, and you will want to CHECK THIS OUT, too:

Here are some of our FAVORITE kitchen items helpful for storing holiday leftovers or recreating new dishes with them (Click to buy now using our affiliate links to Amazon. No extra charge to you and a little perk for us.):

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What I love the most about these chocolate peanut butter apple bites is that they’re single serving sized….or could be single serving sized. I’m not a big dessert eater, but I do enjoy a bite-sized sweet treat after dinner. I tend to buy dessert options that are individually wrapped, and mini, not only to control my portion size, but also reduce my temptation. These apples are the homemade variety of that.

Sure, you could easily take down 2 or 3 slices, but if you cut the apple to be exactly enough for your family then everyone can have a sweet treat, and you won’t have a ton sitting around afterwards tempting you to eat more.

Unless, of course, it’s one of “those days.” You know the ones. The alarm doesn’t go off, the kids spill a gallon of milk all over the kitchen floor, everyone is late, your boss is making unrealistic demands, the dog chews up the remote, and the dishwasher goes on the fritz. If it’s one of those days then by all means, make a whole chocolate peanut butter apple with maple pecan granola all for yourself, and eat it alone hiding in the laundry room. You earned it, and you shouldn’t feel guilty because after all, there’s fruit and grains so it’s good for you, right?

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The post Chocolate Peanut Butter Apple Bites with Toasted Maple Pecan Granola first appeared on BonBon Break.