Tips For Packing Healthy Snacks

I have wanted to write about this for a while now, so here we go. 

The key to packing healthy snacks without packing processed food, is preparation and good efficient containers. I found these containers made by Seistema and I LOVE them. They make it super easy to pack healthy snacks. They are BPA free, and I know the verdict is still out on weather BPA free plastic is even that much better than the kind laced with BPA, but I have yet to find a stainless one that works as well as this. Plus, I never heat this up in the microwave (we actually don't have a microwave even) and I really try not to put this in the dishwasher. 

Here is a link if you want to buy these awesome little containers. 

I typically do prep for the snacks/lunch a couple times a week. This week I made some "Lara" snack bars and boiled about a dozen pastured eggs ( add baking soda and salt to the water to make them peel easily)

I also like to cut up a bunch of various veggies and store them in glass containers in the fridge. Another quick tip, boil a pot of water on the stove and pop the cut up veggies in for a minute, the day you will be using them. I find the kids have an easier time eating the raw veggies if I do this. Be sure to flash them with ice cold water immediately after cooking to prevent them from cooking any more.   I usually pack something to dip the veggies in, guacamole is a fan favorite, but they also love hummus, and tzatziki. 

Today we are having carrot sticks, broccoli, sugar snap peas, celery and a boiled pastured egg

On the other side I have homemade snack bars, macadamia nuts, raisins, and plantain chips

Chicken Tenders - Grain Free

The kids love these, and so do my husband and I!  I freeze them too, and it's a great fast lunch!

Ingredients:

1 Lb organic pastured or free range Chicken breast tenders (you can also just cut a large breast into strips)

1 Cup almond meal

1 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup coconut flour

2 eggs (beaten)

Pink sea salt and pepper to taste

Really whatever spices you want to add!

I added a tiny bit of turmeric, ground mustard, this 21 season salute from Trader Joes, and just an every day spice mix from TJ's

Instructions:

-Place the coconut flour in a shallow dish

-Mix the almond flour, Parmesan cheese, and spices together and place in another shallow dish

-Beat the eggs in a shallow dish

-Season the chicken with salt and pepper and any spices you choose. 

-Start by layering the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet  pound them put as thin as you like

-Next, dredge them in the coconut flour, then egg mixture, then finally the "bread crumb" mixture 

-You can do this two different ways. You can either pan fry them in a little grapeseed oil, or the way I like to do it;

-Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat generously with grapeseed oil. Lay the chicken fingers down and cover with a little more oil

-Place in a 375 degree oven and cook about 12 min on one side, flip, then cook another 12 min on the other side

Enjoy!!!!!

**P.S. A little tip, I usually freeze half the chicken after I pound it out so I can make a quick lunch later in the week. I haven't tried freezing them after they have been breaded though. 

Grain Free Lasagna

I'm so excited to share this recipe. I have been brainstorming this recipe for a while now...ever since I made my grain free tortillas. 

This is not just eh..."good for a grain free recipe".  This is just a GOOD recipe!  My husband was a little horrified when I told him I was making this for dinner. His skepticism quickly turned into enthusiasm after the first bite. 

If you had told me 1.5 years ago, when I first started dabbling in grain free recipes, that eating this way could be enjoyable...I would have said you were a liar!

I honestly love eating this way. My youngest is intolerant of most grains for the most part, so he has to eat this way. I think it's awesome that the whole family is now eating this way and supporting him. It has also made me become much more creative in the kitchen. 

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Grain Free Lasagna

Ingredients:

About 10-12 (8 inch) grain free tortillas

Find the recipe HERE

1 lb organic grass fed ground beef

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 cup mushrooms (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 jar of organic tomato sauce (I used a basil marinara)

Dash of fresh grated nutmeg

Pink sea salt and pepper to taste

Oregano or Italian seasoning

1 12 oz container of whole milk ricotta cheese

2 eggs

About 2 cups of grated mozzarella

1 cup fresh grated Parmesan 

-About a cup of chicken stock for deglazing pan

* I also used about half a package of smoked mozzarella cheese (sliced) from trader joes

Instructions:

-Make the "lasagna noodles"  Recipe 

HERE 

-Heat large pan to medium heat with some grapeseed oil to coat

-Sauté onions about 3 min (add a splash of chicken stock or water to deglaze the pan, and keep the onions from buring and sticking)

-Add chopped mushrooms and cook another 5 min or so

-Next add the garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper

-Sauté another 5 min or so, until all ingredients soften and brown (scraping and deglazing pan with chicken stock or water as needed)

-Brown the ground beef right in the same pan as the onions and mushrooms. Deglaze with chicken stock as needed

-Add jar of sauce and simmer on low (I like to simmer mine about a 1/2 hour)

-Lightly beat 2 eggs, add ricotta, salt and pepper to taste and a sprinkle of oregano or Italian seasoning.  (set aside)

-Start layering your lasagna in a 13x9 baking dish. 

-Start with a layer of sauce mixture, then three "noodles", then meat mixture again, then ricotta, then cheese mixture, noodles, meat, ricotta, cheese mixture...repeat. 

-End with sauce, then shredded cheese

-Cover with foil and place in a 350 degree oven for about 45 min

-The last few minutes of cooking, remove foil and broil until cheese is brown and bubbly. 

-Let cool 5-10 min before serving

ENJOY!!! ;)