MH&S Dynasty Team Call 2/17/2016

Healthy Buffalo Cauliflower 'Wings'

Can we just talk about cauliflower for a minute?  I NEVER bought it until I started seeing tons of recipes suggesting that it's a good carb replacement.  My first thought: "Stop."  I mean, it REALLY got to me that people would even compare my beloved carbs to ANYTHING let alone cauliflower.

 

Alas, the cauliflower advocates were right and I am OFFICIALLY obsessed.

 

Healthy Buffalo Cauliflower 'Wings'

 

1 head of Cauliflower, cut into large chunks

2 teaspoons Garlic Seasoning

1 tablespoon Coconut Oil, melted

¾ cup Buffalo Wing Sauce

 

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 

Mix Coconut Oil, Garlic, S&P, and Buffalo Wing Sauce in a bowl. Toss Cauliflower in and mix with hands to coat. Put on a large baking sheet (lightly greased with Coconut Oil) and bake for 20 minutes.

 

THAT'S IT!

 

Now, if you're like my husband, you're saying "this will never replace chicken wings" and you're right.  BUT, it's a nice, healthy, DELICIOUS alternative to the wings on a week night or for a snack.

The Easiest Sweet Potato Fries In All The Land.

So, you guys know my deal...I do NOT like sweet potatoes.  I just don't know why it's even called a potato and that really bothers me.

BUT, I also know that sweet potatoes are the BEST carb out there, so I on a mission to come up with ways I enjoy it while please at least 2 other people in my family (let's face it, pleasing them all is an impossible feat).

We can OFFICIALLY add Sweet Potato Fries to the list and they couldn't be easier to make.

 

 

The Easiest Sweet Potato Fries In All the Land

 

2 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into strips

1 tbsp. Coconut Oil, melted

2 tbsps. Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning (or really any seasoning you like)

 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 

 

Mix Coconut Oil and Seasoning in a large bowl.  Add the Sweet Potatoes and mix with your hands coating each potato.

 

Lay out on a flat baking sheet in one layer and bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

Because I like mine a little charred/crisp, I then broiled my potatoes for 3 minutes to give them a little extra texture.

 

BONUS POINTS if you have 'Chups Fruit Ketchup.  My husband and I are OBSESSED with the Spicy Pineapple and could basically drink it if that was okay.  Plus, it's called 'fruit ketchup' which is pretty much my favorite part.

 

Still taking suggestions for Sweet Potato recipes, so if you have one, find me on Facebook and tell me about it!

 



No-Bake Peanut Butter & Chocolat Oat Protein Bars

No-Bake Peanut Butter & Chocolate Oat Protein Bars

 

 

You will need:

2 cups Steel Cut Oats
1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
1/4 cup Slivered Almonds
1/4 cup Raisins
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 cup Organic All Natural Peanut Butter
4 scoops Chocolate Shakeology

Mix Oats, Coconut, Almonds, Raisins, & Shakeo together in a large bowl. Mix in Milk and PB - GET THOSE HANDS DIRTY!

Press mixture into an 8x8 dish until flat and refrigerate for 30 minutes before eating.

These are SUCH an awesome on-the-go treat and it SUPER healthy.  Let me know what you think after you make them!

Assumptions.

We all know what they say about assumptions, right?

I've noticed just in the last week just HOW MUCH we assume in general.  I am not excluding myself from this, but it's been weighing on me heavily and I know I will be much more aware of it going forward.

So, here's my big PSA about it (and a lot of vague pronouns to follow - sorry grammar friends):

Stop assuming a person who posts about how much they love their spouse is hiding something. 

Stop assuming a person who takes a selfie is vain/insecure/fill in the blank.

Stop assuming a person who is overweight eats crap all the time.

Stop assuming a person in pain probably just wants medications.

Stop assuming that a person who chooses optimism is fake.

Stop assuming that a person who gets government assistance is lazy.

Stop assuming the worst in everyone.

We could ALL use a little more grace in our lives and we could CERTAINLY all be a little more graceful.

Storms.

 

In the last couple of months, I've entered a season of 'life storms.'  I share the details with a VERY select few and it's not because I want everyone to think my life is perfect, but because I know prayer & faith are what I need as opposed to advice and judgment.  Yesterday, I had a slow morning and ALMOST skipped out on church, but I've found that the times I want to ditch church are the times I need I the most, so I packed my van full of kids and went.  And, as usual, the message tore me up in the best way possible.

 

We read through the calming of the storm.  The disciples are all freaking out, naturally, trying to get the water out of the boat and Jesus is sleeping.  So, they wake him up and say, "don't you CARE if we die?"  Jesus' response was not "of course I care.  My bad."  His response was: "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"

 

In my own life, when things seems hard or I get really down, I am (slowly, but surely) realizing that it's because I am lacking the faith that is required of me.  I start to get all "WHY ME?!" and tend to think that I have done my part in this relationship with Christ enough to at least get a pass on the really hard stuff.  I was reminded this Sunday that Jesus died on the cross for me - I am owed NOTHING.

 

The BIG takeaway for me was that Jesus was there; he was there, IN the boat, WITH them the whole time.  He never left, he never abandoned, and he never worried.

 

I want to encourage you today with whatever storm you're going through that you aren't alone.  Yes, it will hurt and, yes, it will be hard, BUT if you believe in Jesus Christ and have that faith that so may of us are lacking, you are weathering this storm with the Creator of the universe.

 

You're in good hands.

October School Lunches!

The best part of October lunches was making treats "for the kids."  I've gotten some questions on what I feed my younger two and, generally, I feed them the same thing I send with my Kindergartener!  They're both pretty good eaters, but need variety so they don't get bored eating the same thing every day.

 

[PB&J, banana, Gogurt, Football shaped pretzels, confetti sugar cookies]

[Halloween Mac 'n Cheese, Trader Joe's organic Animal Crackers, Grapes]

[Annie's Mac 'n Cheese, Greek Yogurt w/ Sprinkles, Broccoli]

[PB&J, Cheez Itz, and Mixed Fruit]

[Homemade Lunchable: Chicken Chunks, Cheddar Cheese, Pretzel Sticks, Mini Cookies, & Grapes]

[Turkey, Cheese, Crackers, Banana Muffin, Grapes, & Dark Chocolate Chips]

[Spaghetti & Meatballs, Garlic Knot, Grapes, Mini Cookies]

[Beef & Cheese Burrito, Smoothie, Bitsy Brainfood Cookies, & Mixed Veggies]

On the day we made 'lunchables,' someone spilled Stevie's lunch and it was the worst day ever until they gave him pizza from the cafeteria.  I was SO THANKFUL when Stevie told me that one of the ladies that works in the school café took him back and got him a lunch when he was crying because I can only imagine his sweet little face when his food fell to the ground.

I scored a couple of boxes of Bitsy Brainfood Cookies from Target for next to nothing with a coupon on Cartwheel and he LOVES them; they're shaped like letters and the ones pictured are made from organic beets and chocolate!  I really like to give my kids 'fun food' and I try to make it homemade most of the time, but these are such a good option for quick grabbing.  Total bonus buy!