Gluten Free and/or Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread Muffins

I didn't want to be left out of the muffins today so I made a batch of gluten free muffins and a batch of whole wheat ones for the kids. The recipe I got from 100 Days Of Real Food and I just made a minor adjustment.

Ingredients:
3 Cups Whole Wheat flour (for GF I used Bob's Redmill all purpose baking mix)
1 TBL cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil (she used coconut, I used canola)
3/4 cup honey (I ran out so for the WW ones I used half honey and half maple syrup and for the GF ones I used all maple syrup)
1 tsp vanilla
3 Cups grated zucchini
1 Cup chopped nuts (optional...I left these out since my kids aren't huge fans)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees  for small loaf pans or 325 degrees for large loaf pan or muffins.
2. Blend dry ingredients.
3. Make a hole in the center and pour in the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla. Stir just until mixed- do not overmix.
4. Fold in the grated zucchini and chopped nuts if using. Pour batter into greased loaf pan(s) or muffin holders and bake until a toothpick comes clean in the top/center of the loaf or muffin.

*If using smaller pans bake for 30-40 minutes.
*For one larger loaf pan bake for 50-60 minutes.
*For muffins bake for 15-20 minutes.

Clean Eating Challenge

Years ago we learned how dye affects our eldest kiddo and eliminated it from his diet. Since then we have also seen it affect our middle child as well. We are well aware of how food effect our kids behavior so it was only natural that when our oldest started having behavioral issues again we take a look at our diet. In doing some research, I came across a fabulous blog called "100 Days Of Real Food".  Looking at this blog, and knowing what I do about the effects of food, I decided to put our family on a diet of "real food" for 2 weeks to see what would happen. Will A's behavior be better? Will N sleep better? Will Z's cradle cap clear up? Will I lose weight? Ok, that last one wasn't really one of the reasons but it would be awesome anyway!

So what is the challenge? To eat only fresh and natural food. Anything that may come in a package should be in it's natural state (like dried beans or oats) or have fewer than 5 natural ingredients (and no artificial ones).  I made my menu for the week and my shopping list and hit Vitamin Cottage, a local natural store.  I got organic for most things and, surprisingly, my total was WAY less than my usual shopping trip. I'm sure I will have to go to the store for fruit and a couple of other things partway through the week but it is certainly still less than I was spending.

I will try and keep up with our daily menu, with recipes and how things are going.

This morning for breakfast the kids had smoothies (organic milk, organic frozen peaches, banana, a couple of dates for sweetening), honey whole wheat toast from Great Harvest Bread Co. w/ fresh peanut butter made from organic peanuts.  The bread is thinner than usual sandwich bread but it is so much more dense. The boys were fine with just one piece and the peanut butter. They had a little of the smoothie but weren't overly thrilled with this one as much as they have been with others.

Lunch for the boys at school was supposed to be egg salad sandwiches but I ran out of time. Instead it's more finger food; hard boiled eggs (organic), walnuts, Babybell cheese (using up what I had), cucumbers (organic), carrots (organic), hummus, strawberries (organic) and an organic Halawi Date as a sweet treat. Snack at school was sliced apple and after school will be popcorn w/ Bragg's Amino Acids and Olive Oil.

Dinner tonight is crockpot chicken (organic fed...most expensive thing I bought!), veggie pancakes, and brown rice.

Munch Munch

I haven't been updating because I keep having things scheduled first thing in the morning and that seems to be my main time to post. Busy busy me also means a certain lack of creativity in the lunch department. I did, however, feed my children (most of the time) so here's a glimpse at lunches past;

Octodogs w/ ketchup for dipping, Mac 'n Cheese, sauteed purple cabbage, mango applesauce squeezer, red licorice for a treat. 

Tuna salad on hot dog bun, multigrain crackers, grapes, celery w/ cream cheese, homemade snack bars, mini chocolate chips.

Yogurt with blueberries, peanut butter and jelly roll-ups, cucumbers and red peppers, grapes and more blueberries, fruit ''nuggets' as a treat.

Not a school lunch but a picnic lunch for our day at the Botanical Gardens; pizza w/ dipping sauce,  hot dogs, cheese sticks, crackers and almonds, sour cream and onion goldfish, watermelon, pear and raisins. 

Yogurt w/ raspberries (frozen to keep the yogurt cold longer), almonds, cream cheese and peach jam roll ups, grapes, carrots, goldfish, and fruit nuggets.

Watch Out... Them Some Angry Birds

Yeah, I know the title is grammatically incorrect, so sue me, okay?

The boys LOVE Angry Birds and have gotten to levels I can only hope (or not) to reach some day. In honor of their accomplishments, I put together an Angry Bird themed lunch today.

Ham sandwich on whole wheat bagel, Asian pear & blueberries, carrots, Angry Bird babybell, graham crackers, Pig cucumber, and mini chocolate chips.

The bird is made out of babybel cheese with the red wax cut away, hard boiled egg whites for the eyes, carrot for the nose, nori for all the eyebrows and pupils and a little cream cheese to hold it all together. The pig is made from cucumber with egg white for eyes and nori for the pupils and nostrils.

The Gateway Sport

You have this little baby (ok, so he was 10lbs and not so little but ya know...) and you swear to protect him from everything you can that may hurt him. You do your best for 5 years. You keep him relatively whole and unbroken and you pat yourself on the back for doing such a good job. Then, one day, your neighbor is out shooting hockey pucks with his kid and lets your son have a go at it. Dually impressed he tells your sweet baby that he's a natural. As much as you want your son to develop his own interests from his older brother you were kind of thinking maybe he'd get into erector sets instead of legos. Instead, he's decided it's ice hockey. Yup, that's what it is. Thinking that he'll get on ice skates and fall a few times and truly hate it, you go ahead and sign him up for beginning ice skating.  And then...he loves it. I mean, really, really, REALLY loves it.  So it begins....

Ice skating....the gateway sport...

Snips and Snails

Yesterday my oldest, Alex (7), decided that he didn't like what was on the menu for that evening. Apparently, pancakes and eggs were not to his liking. So he decided to share his commentary in a place that was sure to be noticed.

Needless to say, I stuck with the original plan for dinner.

I'm hoping he's a little more pleased with today's lunch, to say the least. 

Snails, watermelon balls, mini pepperoni, pizza sauce for dipping the snails, red ants on a log, mini chocolate chips.

The snails are made with Pilsbury breadstick dough. Just pull them apart (after that dreaded POP!) and roll up one end and tuck the other end under for the head. Brush with melted butter and bake according to the package. Things not to do: turn your back on your puppy so he eats 1 or 2 of them off the stove, get sidetracked making your husband's lunch and overcook the snails.

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails; that's what little boys are made of!


It is Wednesday so pop on over to see Shannon!!

Ole!

I woke this morning wishing I were in laying on the beach in Mexico. Just me, the warm sand, blue water, a trashy novel and Raul the cabana boy. Alas, back to life, back to reality (tell me you don't have that song in your head now...liar!).  With Mexico on the mind I made lunch for the boys;

Quesadillas and beef taquitos with guacamole, carrot sticks, watermelon stars, mini chocolate chips.