Seeds are a great alternative to nuts, but they can get a little boring, according to my eight-year-old. She alternates between pumpkin and sunflower seeds, but she needs them jazzed up occasionally. The maple syrup and sunbutter in these heavenly bars give them an...
Paleo Party Mix
Oh, how I used to love the flavor and crunch of Chex party mix! I remember munching on it during family Christmas parties where the bottoms of pants were big, and hair and eyeglasses were even bigger. Yeah, well, thank goodness we’ve outgrown all that! Especially the...
Ginger Orange Pecans
These crunchy, salty, and sweet pecans are like a mouthful of sunshine! The bite of ginger and the freshness of the orange really brighten up the dreariest road trips. Remember to take along a few napkins for this one, as they can be a little sticky (but not too bad)....
Cocoa Cinnamon Almonds
Who needs plain ol’ almonds when you can jazz ‘em up with cinnamon and chocolate? This quick snack is great after school, on the road, or packaged in a pretty jar with ribbon as a gift. Delicious and portable! 1 tsp cinnamon¼ tsp arrowroot starch2 tsp + 1 tsp cocoa...
Thai Coconut Meatballs
Food that is fun and bite-sized is much more exciting to my kids than a big slab of meat. I’m not ashamed to say that I completely take advantage of this knowledge by making lots of “mini” dishes like mini-meatloaves, chicken bites, steak bites, and of course,...
Apple Cider Chicken Thighs
Fresh thyme works the best for this apple-y dish, but if you don’t have any on hand, dried thyme will work too. Feel free to adjust this seasoning to your taste, as thyme has a distinct flavor and aroma. My family doesn’t care for a strong kick of the spice, so I keep...
Pizza Pile
PILE 1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and pulp removedSAUCE INGREDIENTS ¼ cup olive oil1 small onion, diced1 clove garlic, minced¼ cup chopped fresh parsley1 can (28-ounce) tomato sauce2 cans (4-ounce) tomato paste1 can (28-ounce) diced...
Sausage Stuffed Portobellos
My mom used to make Stuffed Hard Rolls, and boy, were they good! This beef, tomato soup, olive, and pepper concoction was stuffed in a hoagie type of roll and topped with a mound of cheese. Then it was wrapped in foil and baked, which heated it through, melted the...
Banana nut bread
Growing up, I was extremely picky about my bananas. After long swim practices, I would only eat the bananas that had the perfect ripeness (perfect by my standards) which meant just past the green stage, but not one speck of brown. I could not fathom eating browned...
Farmer’s pie
We first made a variation on this shepherd’s pie when Charles’ mom stocked us full of fresh lamb they had gotten from a friend of theirs in Tennessee. We’ve since kept this in our recipe rotation. It is a favorite on those cold rainy days. The leftovers reheat...