Tag Archives: Smart Food

Fresh local produce is something a Smart Mama LOVES!  I’m sure you all agree!  Whether you’re at a local farmer’s market, partake in a farm-share or have a great produce department at your grocery store, the freshness of good produce is something we all want for our families.

My near 5 year old has developed a recent fascination with red peppers.  I need to jump on this before the fascination turns to disgust like asparagus did last month.  (I’m sure I’m not the only mother dealing with a stubborn eater!)  This locally grown veggie is great at summertime.  It’s perfect for grilling, adding to kabobs and including in salads.

As we transition from summertime schedules to the school routine, I continue to look for recipes that are not only are healthy and easy to make, but they must be yummy too. During a recent trip to Publix Isabella had a blast …

Another great slow-cooker YUMMY recipe for back to school days!  I adapted this recipe from EatingWell.com.  It tastes great with a serving of brown rice and salad.  My daughter, the picky eater, LOVED it.  The chicken comes out moist, which is a challenge for many of us when making chicken.  Leftovers taste great, too.  I served a thigh and the sauce on top of salad greens and it was great.

As we get ready for the crazy back to school schedule, we need to stack our decks.  We need to have plans in place to increase our chance of success.  The slow cooker is a busy Smart Mama’s friend!  It can be the sous chef that we have always longed for.  Dedicating often less than 15 minutes, a Smart Mama can get dinner organized during nap time, while kids are in school or even before they wake up!

The slow cooker cooks dinner throughout the day, giving you time to do the other millions of things on your to-do list!  As we begin this school year, I hope to share meals that are both easy and yummy, perfectly inline with a Smart Mama’s needs and appetites!

I know you want to stay warm with the cold weather that is approaching across the nation!  Here is a delicious YUMMY recipe that is sure to warm up tummies in your home!
Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups chopped red pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can black eyed peas, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 cup quick cooking barley
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans stewed tomatoes

Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic & red pepper.  Cook for a few minutes until the vegetables start to soften.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Do you have a favorite recipe that you would love to share with Smart Mama readers?  Please email SmartyPantsMama@gmail.com to learn how to be a guest poster!

Mommy, can I have a pancake on a popsicle?
Bet your child didn’t ask you that this morning!
Jimmy Dean has created what I consider a mother’s solution to eating on the run, the Jimmy D’s Griddle Stick!  This pancake on a stick has a delicious turkey sausage in the middle.  After just 60 seconds in the microwave your child is holding their breakfast and ready to munch on the run. The 160 calories and 7 grams of protein also they make Smart Mama happy, too!  The griddle sticks sell for about $4.99 and come with 6 in a box.

I had my first griddle stick at BlogHer, a conference for bloggers, this past August. I was captivated by its design and most importantly nutritional content.  My family loves pancakes and turkey sausage. How great would it be, I wondered? Fantastic! Ideal for moms, ideal for kids …

Guest Poster: Gigi from KludgyMom.com
This week I welcome Gigi, a stay at home mom who parents, cooks and lives haphazardly!  She blogs about it all at http://www.kludgymom.com
I love the delicate, spongy, low-fat goodness that is an angel food cake. Why not make a chocolate one? I tried making my first angel food cake this weekend (chocolate flavored) and I have to say…it turned out as good as any angel food cake I’ve had anywhere. As long as I have the massive amount of required eggs on hand, there’s absolutely no reason to buy one in a store anymore.
The one thing that took me by surprise in making this cake was how lonnnnnnnnnnnng it takes to beat the egg white and sugar mixture to get it the desired degree of stiffness. I served this with fresh whipped cream and strawberries. …

Guest Poster: Gigi from KludgyMom.com
This week I welcome Gigi, a stay at home mom who parents, cooks and lives haphazardly!  She blogs about it all at http://www.kludgymom.com

Straight out of Martha Stewart’s Great Food Fast is this recipe for cashew chicken. I am still a stir-fry novice; I’ve made some with flank steak a few times but needed to branch out and try some chicken. I love cashew chicken when I eat Chinese out – it’s one of my favorite dishes.   This was incredibly easy and fast to pull together and it tasted really good. I wouldn’t say it was exactly like cashew chicken you’d get in a restaurant, but still had great flavor and was inexpensive to prepare. The biggest endorsement I can give this dish is that my husband …

I have a new secret ingredient!  It’s what Thomas Jefferson is credited with introducing to the United States in the late 1700s.  Vanilla!
I was recently provided with a bottle of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste to try.

Are you wondering exactly what is vanilla paste and how does it differ from extract?  Flavours Magazine (April 2009) describes it as “a concentrated vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds ,suspended in a gum paste, and may contain alcohol.  It gives foods the authentic appearance of vanilla seed.”
Reviewing the Nielson-Massey site (http://www.nielsenmassey.com) I came across a number delicious recipes but the Salmon with Vanilla Balsamic Marinade recipe quickly caught my eye.  I knew I had to try it!
Salmon with Vanilla Balsamic Marinade
Vanilla Balsamic Marinade
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1-1/2 teaspoons dried organic parsley
1-1/2 …

Here’s a recipe that’s fairly easy and healthy! I have included nutritional information below.
Chicken with Apricots ~ Serves 4

Pecan halves, 2 oz
2 teaspoons of margarine
3 ripe apricots, quartered and pitted
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
4, 4 oz chicken breast halves
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon of freshly ground ginger
1 scallion, white & green parts, thinly sliced (separated)
½ teaspoon of grated lime zest
1 teaspoon of cracked red pepper
½ cup of chicken broth (or dry white wine)
2 tablespoons of maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350.  Place the pecans in a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Let cool.  Crumble the pecans with hands or masher.
In a large skillet melt margarine on medium high heat.  Add the apricot.  Sauté the fruit for 5 minutes to soften and lightly brown.  Stir the apricots frequently. Remove fruit from pan and set aside on plate.
Add oil to pan.  Lightly salt and pepper the chicken.  Place …

Sliced Summer Fruits with Mango Puree – For 4

1 mango
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Pinch of cayenne pepper
½ small papaya, slice into thin wedges
¼ cantaloupe or honeydew, sliced thin
8 strawberries, hulled
¾ cup cherries, pitted & halved (1/4 lb)
½ grapefruit, sliced & sectioned
1 peach, sliced & cut into wedges
2 plums, sliced
1/3 cup (1 oz) pecans
4 sprigs of fresh mint

Press mango through sieve and remove tough fibers.  Place in stainless steel pan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and cayenne.  Chill.
Divide the puree among 4 large serving plates.  Arrange fruit on top and garnish with nuts and mint.

What a great surprise last week when we ordered a chicken and rice dish at a new sushi restaurant! I’m sure you’re not surprised that my little 3 1/2 year old LOVED it! Now I need to get myself a boat to keep in the cupboard, because guess what?  She certainly didn’t argue about eating, when taking bites from the boat.  (Normally she’s like a little bird who pecks for a minute and then is “done”!)

     Picky eater in this house!  How about yours? 
I was provided with a sampling of both the CLIF Organic Twisted Fruit & CLIF Organic Z-Bars.  Here’s what I think:
The CLIF Organic Twisted Fruitare tasty and nutritious!  These fruit snacks come in 6 different flavors, increasing the chances of satisfying the pickiest of eaters!  Each snack is equal to one serving of fruit!  How great is that!  Last week, as a change from the standard snack of fishies or cheese sticks, I shared the CLIF Organic Twisted Fruit with Isabella’s playgroup.  See first hand what they thought:
 
Next up was the CLIF Organic ZBars.  We tried them out on the way home from the park and they were lovedby my daughter!  Isabella enjoys “bars” for snack with a stash of NutriGrain or its store brand version always filling the pockets of my bag.  While these bars are yummy and offer …

Ahoy! Did you know that Saturday, September 19th was ‘Talk Like a Pirate Day’? Arrrrr!I feel the need to celebrate! Where’s my eye patch, hook and hat? Most importantly, where’s my treasure!?
While I continue to search the high seas for my gold, I have a very special treasure for a special Smart Mama Pirate! A treasure chest full of so delicious Pirate’s Booty!!! Can’t get much more appropriate than that for a Pirate Celebration! (Ok, I guess a treasure chest of gold would out do that, maybe next year!)Well mates, to capture this treasure, complete the entry form linked below! I will select one Smart Mama Pirate on Wednesday, September 30th!
The very special treasure chest (approx. $20 value) includes Pirate Booty flavors such as Aged White Cheddar, Barbecue, Veggie (vegan), Bermuda Onion and Sea Salt & Vinegar!
All Pirate’s Booty products are low in fat (130 calories per …

Last week I was June Cleaver…made a nice turkey breast and delicious salad for the fam. In my crazy Smart Mama schedule, I barely had time for all the trimmings, so, I saved tons of time and stress by warming up Bob Evans Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Yes, Bob Evans, maker of the oh so yummy breakfast sausage, now makes sides that are housed in the refridgerted area of your super market. In just minutes I was able to heat up the potatoes! No peeling potatoes, no dry potato mix…just simple, tasty mashed potatoes to compliment, my delicious turkey

Want to try them out? Bob Evans has provided 3 coupons to try out a side for FREE!
Visit Twitter and post the following to earn a chance to win:

RT @SmartyPantsMama Bob Evans Sides, easy and delicious! Win a coupon for a FREE side! http://www.SmartyPantsMama.com
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