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Healthy Snacks

Fruity Breakfast Pizza PLUS more great Morning Hacks to Make Life Easier

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+ This Breakfast Pizza Post brought to you by Jif® Peanut Butter +

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Let’s face it… Mornings can be ROUGH! But, they don’t have to be.

I know that we are mid-summer at the moment, but I’m already starting to dread back-to-school. My kiddos start in early August, so we really only have a few more precious weeks of summer left.

Now is the time to perfect our morning routine so that as we transition back into school mode, we already have a good habit to start the year off right. We sat down and pow-wow’d and came up with some great breakfast ideas and some morning hack ideas that we think will help our family have fabulous mornings and maybe your family as well!

Morning Hack #1 Plan Ahead

Nothing tanks a day faster than not having a plan. We have found that a little planning ahead of time makes for smoother mornings. Happier kiddos and definitely a happier Mom. Plan outfits, pack backpacks & make lunches the night before.

 You can even make your power packed breakfast the night before with my Overnight Protein Power Oatmeal recipe!

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 Click the photo above to grab the full recipe.

Morning Hack #2 Keep a Well Stocked Pantry & Fridge

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One of the keys to happy mornings at our house is having a well stocked pantry and fridge. Now that doesn’t mean we have an over abundance of food that goes to waste. We’ve figured out some key staples that can make several different recipes with just a few key ingredients.  All of the recipes I’m sharing today have been developed with the basic ingredients above.

Fruit, nuts, flat bread, rolled oats, milk, honey, cottage cheese, yogurt and Jif® Flavored Peanut Butter Spreads in Maple & Cinnamon. That’s it! With just those ingredients my kiddos and I can make several different types of breakfasts that they all love like our fruit pizza that my little guy adores!

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 Fruit Breakfast Pizza Recipe

Fruity Breakfast Pizza PLUS more great Breakfast Hacks
 
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This easy and nutritious meal is great for the kiddos in the morning. They can even design their very own.
Author:
Cuisine: breakfast
Serves: 1-2
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Toast your flat bread to crisp it up a bit.
  3. Spread a generous layer of the Jif® Cinnamon Flavored Peanut Butter Spread onto the flat bread.
  5. Layer your favorite fruit on top of the peanut butter.
  7. Drizzle with honey and ENJOY!

Morning Hack #3 Be Flexible

Now, I know that my first suggestion is to plan ahead BUT… What if your pre-schooler wants ice cream for breakfast and won’t take no for an answer? Or your middle schooler refuses to go to school without the right kind of hair spray (yep, I did that to my Mom once. 1st day of 7th grade. I had run out of Aqua Net. Stellar Middle School moment! Sorry Mom!) Pre-schoolers, middle schoolers… Really all kiddos are classic for this, trust me, I know the pain!

The key here is to be flexible. Learn how to go with the flow… Your pre-schooler wants ice cream for breakfast? Make them a smoothie bowl and they won’t know what hit them!

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 Click the photo above for the Peanut Butter and Fruit Smoothie Bowl Recipe

Morning Hack #4 Take Time to Slow Down

Even during the summer things can be really hectic in the morning. Chores, playdates, swim lessons you name it… Mornings can typically be a rush. On the mornings that aren’t a rush, TAKE TIME TO SLOW DOWN. Saturday or Sundays can be perfect for this. Take time to slow down and make something that is extra special for the family. Take the time to sit and giggle together, get to know each other better. These are the mornings that we want to remember for years to come!

When we take the time to slow down, our family loves to eat pancakes. I’m not always jazzed about the lack of nutrition in traditional pancakes so I’ve upped my game and made some gluten-free, protein packed pancakes that my family loves!

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Click on the photo above for the recipe.

Bottom line is, you want to have smooth mornings with your family and you want them to have nutritious meals that fuel them for the day. With a little prep work you can achieve just that and EVERYONE will be healthy & happy!! Invite Jif® Flavored Peanut Butter Spreads to breakfast and you’ll be a ROCK STAR!!

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 Disclaimer // This post is sponsored by Jif® I received product samples for review purposes. Opinions are my own.

Pomegranate Chia Pudding Recipe // DAIRY-FREE

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+ This Pomegranate Chia Pudding Recipe is brought to you by the lovely folks at SILK +

diary free pomegranate chia pudding parfait recipe from WhipperBerry // Breakfast Super Food!

Have you discovered a great Chia Pudding Recipe yet?

It is seriously one of our family’s favorite breakfasts these days. The crazy thing is, I thought for sure my kiddos would want nothing to do with those “alien” chia seeds (they’re kind of picky) but they love this stuff!

The fun thing is that the Chia Pudding is like a blank canvas that you can top with all kinds of fun toppers. We’ve tried a number of concoctions since we first discovered this treat. We started with a standard Chia Pudding topped with berries and granola with drizzle of honey… super yummy!

Chia Pudding recipe from WhipperBerry // Breakfast Super Food!

Now we’ve stepped it up a notch and we are making Chia Pudding layered with pomegranate seeds, an ancient grains mixture and pumpkin seeds… simply LOVELY!

The beauty of Chia Pudding is, typically it is made with dairy, milk & regular yogurt which is fabulous, BUT… Thanks to the folks at SILK, you can also make a dairy-free version with any of the tasty Silk Milks (Soy, Almond, Cashew, Coconut, Nutshell + more) AND their scrumptious Vanilla Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative. For this recipe, I’ve used the Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk that is only 30 calories per serving (score!) AND Silk Vanilla Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative. You can now get the Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative in a large size which is perfect for this recipe. Click HERE for more info on all of the Silk Products.

Pomegranate Chia Pudding Recipe Ingredients

Dairy-Free Pomegranate Chia Pudding Recipe from WhipperBerry // This is a dairy free option, but it works well with dairy as well!

Pair all of that with some Chia Seeds and you’re golden. If you haven’t heard, Chia Seeds are one of natures super foods. They are low in calories but pack a good health punch with tons of antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, protein, fiber and more. You can check out their health benefits HERE. That combined with the plant based, non-GMO, low fat Silk products you are starting your day off right!!

Dairy-Free Pomegranate Chia Pudding Recipe from WhipperBerry // This is a dairy free option, but it works well with dairy as well!

The other AWSOME thing is… Chia Pudding is sooooo easy to make! Here’s a quick little video to show you how.

Chia Pudding Recipe Video

Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt Chia Pudding from Heather Thoming on Vimeo.
See, isn’t that simple. Now all you have to do is let it sit over night so the magic can happen.
The next morning, all you have to do is top with your favorite toppings. Today we are going to layer our pudding with pomegranate seeds, an ancient grain mixture that I just love with a few pumpkin seeds. You can pick what ever goodie you want!
So think about that… You’re adding even more nutrition with your toppings as well. This is a power house house breakfast in the super food category. The funny thing is that it really is a treat. We tend to make if for dessert too, it really does feel that decadent. 

Pomegranate Chia Pudding Recipe

Pomegranate Ancient Grain Chia Pudding Recipe // DAIRY-FREE
 
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Author:
Cuisine: Breakfast or Dessert
Serves: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cup Silk® Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • 2 cup Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative - Any flavor you like, I used vanilla
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ cup chia seeds
  • a pinch of salt
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Ancient Grains or granola
  • pumpkin seeds
Instructions
  1. In a small mixing bowl or jar, add Silk® Almond Milk, Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative, vanilla, honey, chia seeds and salt. Mix well.
  2. Cover pudding and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  3. Layer with pomegranate seeds, ancient grains, pumpkin seeds or granola.

Dairy-Free Pomegranate Chia Pudding Recipe from WhipperBerry // This is a dairy free option, but it works well with dairy as well!

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

Balsamic Chicken Bites Recipe

8 · · 1 Comment

+ This Balsamic Chicken Bites Recipe is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. All opinions are entirely my own. +

Balsamic Chicken Bites from WhipperBerry

It’s getting EXCITING!!

THE BIG GAME is almost here!

No matter who you are rooting for, the Super Bowl is always a fantastic time to gather with friends and family to enjoy some crazy excitement together and to enjoy some fantastic food!

Whether the game is a wild ride or a blowout, you want to make sure your game time snacks are ON POINT!

The Super Bowl just isn’t the Super Bowl without a scrumptious, tempting spread of all kinds of snackable treats. Just like any event or holiday, you want to make sure you have some great recipes that are tried and true so that you can look like a kitchen ROCKSTAR!

You can find all kinds of fantastic ideas at Talk About Delicious or the Talk About Delicious Game Pinterest Board. It’s packed full of great ideas. Today, I have a tasty recipe for you as well. Our family’s favorite Balsamic Chicken Bites…

WhipperBerry Balsamic Chicken Bites Perfect appetizer for the BIG GAME!

What I LOVE about this little bite sized treat is that it’s on the healthier end of the typical game time snack spectrum and it’s packed full of flavor. It’s also super easy to make, you can even make it a head of time which is fabulous, since you don’t want to be bogged down with food prep when you’re with your friends and the game is on.

I typically head to Walmart to gather all of my supplies. I love using the fresh Tyson® Chicken found in the refrigerated meat section of the store. Then I grab the rest of the ingredients for my marinade, one of the stars of the show.

Ingredients for Balsamic Chicken Bites from WhipperBerry

For the chicken marinade you’ll need–

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

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Cut two Tyson® Chicken Breasts into bite-sized pieces and add your dry ingredients.

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Then add your wet ingredients and mix well. Store in an air tight container or Ziploc bag for at least one hour or up to 4 hours. This is a strong marinade and you don’t want to over do it with those bite sized pieces of chicken.

Now, this marinade is one of my go-to recipes when it comes to making scrumptious chicken meals for the family throughout the year.  When I am using it with whole Tyson® Chicken Breasts, I can marinate it overnight and it will be just fine. I normally serve it with a lovely salad and some French bread and you’re good to go.

Once the chicken is full of that balsamic flavor, you’re ready to cook your chicken. Typically if I am cooking whole breasts, we grill them BUT, since these little gems won’t really work on the grill AND it’s February… I cook them inside either on a cast iron grill pan or a cast iron pan. I LOVE my cast iron cookware, I’ve grabbed most of my pans at Walmart. They are fantastic and you can’t beat the price. I purchased the pan I’m using in the photo below for less than $15!

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Now these little gems cook pretty quick. I heat-up my pan until it’s screaming hot and then I turn down the temperature to medium. I add a little olive oil to the pan and then place the chicken into the pan making sure not to over crowd them or add too much liquid to the pan. You want to sear them, NOT boil or steam them. I typically cook them in batches. Turn them after 1-2 minutes and continue to do so until you have a good sear on them. Make sure to keep a close watch on them. Because of the high sugar content, they can burn quickly.

These little balsamic chicken gems cook pretty fast, usually 4-5 minutes but you’ll want to check the temperature to make sure they are fully cooked and are safe at 165˚. Remove from pan and set aside until you have finished cooking all of your chicken.

Tyson® Balsamic Chicken Bites

Next, all you need to do is assemble your Balsamic Chicken Bites. You’ll need…

How-to-assemble-Balsamic-Chicken-Bites

cherry or grape tomatoes

balsamic chicken gems

buffalo mozzarella pearls

Now, the key to making this appetizer sing is to pair the Balsamic Chicken gems with some scrumptious bite-sized tomatoes like these cherry tomatoes still on the vine or some lovely grape tomatoes. Either one will work really well.

 I use a large toothpick and feed a tomato onto the toothpick followed by a balsamic chicken gem and then cap it with a buffalo mozzarella pearl.

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It’s super slick. You can either serve the chicken warm or cold. They taste great either way. I like to lay out a few basil leaves to set the Balsamic Chicken Bites on…

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… I love how it adds some lovely color and some fresh vibrant flavors to your Super Bowl spread!

Looking for more GAME DAY ideas? Don’t forget to visit Talk About Delicious for more fantastic ideas and then visit your local Walmart to stock-up on all your game day goodies!

Honey Pumpkin Yogurt Topping

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+ This Honey Pumpkin Yogurt Topping post brought to you by Silk +

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I don’t know why this is, but the minute the kiddos head back to school I’m ready to head into the magic of fall. It just doesn’t seem right to continue to celebrate summer when there’s early bedtimes and homework to be finished.  In my mind, I KNOW that it is still mid-August and pumpkin season still has a few weeks before we hit it full swing, BUT… I’m in the mood for fall flavors!

Fall flavors are just something extra special. It’s like a little gift from Mother Nature saying, “I’m sorry the summer is over, here’s your little gift to smooth the transition to winter.” That’s when the pumpkin spice, stewed cinnamon apples & candy corn come to play. That’s the magic when the air turns cooler.

With the kiddos getting back into the routine of school, we’ve had to get back onto a normal breakfast schedule and sometimes that can get a little boring. We love yogurt, but sometimes you need to kick it up a notch, plus we need some of  that autumn magic this time of year to make it special.

Here’s what we came up with at our house…

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Honey, pumpkin butter, roasted pumpkin seeds & Vanilla Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative. I love that thanks to silk, even people with diary issues can still enjoy great yogurt creation for breakfast. Who knew that dairy-free could taste so good. Silk® Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative  has…

  • 6 grams of plant-powered protein per serving
  • 6 smooth, creamy flavors with juicy bits of real fruit
  • Excellent source of calcium and vitamin D
  • No cholesterol, dairy, lactose, gluten, carrageenan
    or casein.

PLUS, It’s tastes aaaaamazing topped with honey, your favorite pumpkin butter and some roasted pumpkin seeds.

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Honey Pumpkin Yogurt Topping Recipe

1 5.3 oz. container of Vanilla Silk® Diary-Free Yogurt Alternative

1 tablespoon honey

1-2 tablespoons pumpkin butter

1-2 tablespoons of roasted pumpkin seeds

Top yogurt with honey, pumpkin butter and roasted pumpkin seeds to your taste and enjoy!

If pumpkin isn’t your thing and you would like some more fruity flavors, Silk® has you covered their too.

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They also have Black Cherry, Peach & Mango, Strawberry, Tropical Pineapple along with Blueberry. All of them perfect to top with your favorite toppings. Click HERE to grab a coupon to try these Silk® dairy-free yogurt alternatives.

I think I’m going to stick with my honey pumpkin creation for a bit. I’ve kind of fallen in LOVE!!

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This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Fresh Avocado Bites Appetizer

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+ This Fresh Avocado Bites Appetizer post brought to you by Avocados from Mexico #FirstDraftEver +

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If I were stranded on a desert island and was given a choice of one fresh food plant to bring with me, I would choose an avocado tree. Yep, I love them that much. As a child I couldn’t get enough of them. Luckily my Grandfather had an avocado ranch and when we visited in the summer I could eat all the avocados a girl could ever want. Those are happy memories!

If I could I would add avocado to almost anything; sandwiches, soups, salad, egg dishes, salsas, smoothies, pastas… you can add it to almost anything! The cool thing is that Avocados from Mexico are available 365 days a year!

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So, even in these cold dreary months, we can add a FRESH Mexican goodness into our lives.

Did you know that avocados are a FRUIT? Not only that, but they are part of the BERRY family? They are full of all kinds of vitamins and nutrients, plus they are a fantastic source of “good fat.” Yes, our bodies need fat to keep our cells strong, great news for fans of this incredible fruit! For all of the avocados nutritional facts, you can check out this site.

My family adores this fresh avocado salsa that I make for all kinds of dishes. Today, I’m making it for a fun appetizer to share during the Super Bowl.  This is a simple dish that’s easy to whip up and the light, fresh flavors will have your guests coming back for more. Speaking of the Super Bowl… Have you seen the Avocados from Mexico Super Bowl commercial? It’s hilarious!! If you missed it, you can check it out HERE.

First you need to grab some wonton wrappers from the market. Using a mini-muffin pan, place your wrappers into the cup and press them down to create a “cup”. Spray with cooking spray and place in a 350˚ oven for 5-7 minutes, until they are nice and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool.

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These cups can be made a day or two ahead and stored in an air tight container until you are ready to use them.

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Now’s the fun part, making the fresh salsa… This is super simple!

Cut all of your ingredients into small bite sized pieces. The ingredient list is below.

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Add your lime juice, olive oil and chili powder to the bowl and gently toss.

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Spoon them into your wonton cups and top with the sour cream sauce and serve.

Looking for more avocado fun? Come join me along with Mario & George Lopez, the folks from Avocados from Mexico and a handful of other bloggers as we tweet it up during the Super Bowl today! Follow Avocados from Mexico on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram for all kinds of avocado ideas.

Fresh Avocado Bites Appetizer
 
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These fresh avocado bites are a creamy burst of flavor in your mouth, your guests will adore the simple yet complex flavors of this appetizer.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Serves: 48 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 package of wonton wrappers
  • cooking spray
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño
  • ½ a mango diced
  • 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ¼ chipotle chili powder
  • ½ cup green onion sour cream
  • green onion
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375˚
  2. Place wonton wrappers in a mini muffin pan and press down to create cups
  3. Spray with cooking spray and bake for 5-7 minutes or until lightly brown and crisp
  4. In a medium size bowl add your diced avocado, diced tomatoes, diced jalapeño, diced mango, juice from one lime, olive oil, chili powder and green onion. Gently stir. You want to make sure you don't mash the avocado.
  5. Spoon avocado mixture into cooled wonton cups
  6. Put sour cream in a squeeze bottle and top avocado bite with a drizzle of sour cream

Disclosure // This is a sponsored post brought to you by Avocados from Mexico via Mom it Forward. As always… All thoughts, ideas and opinions are my very own.