Summer Vegetable Orzo

This Summer Vegetable Orzo is the perfect easy weeknight dinner idea!
Let me ask you a question. How often do you not feel like cooking dinner? I’m really curious. Because I love to cook, and I still find myself not feeling like it at least three nights a week.

I think there’s a big difference between cooking (which I love) and cooking in real life (which is not as fun). Life causes busyness, stress, sibling fights, errands to run, and all of these things contribute to me not wanting to cook.

Anyone else? The problem is, even when I don’t feel like cooking, I usually do feel like good food. I want fresh vegetables; I don’t want something that is going to make me feel sluggish like so many restaurant meals can.

This dinner is the perfect I-don’t-feel-like-cooking dinner-but-I-still-want-good-food dinner.

There’s a little prep, but it’s pretty minimal. (Even better if you prep it ahead of time like in my Conquer Dinner method!) Everything comes together super quickly. 30 minutes or even less if you’re fast.

And it’s fresh, good food.

I use whole wheat orzo. I usually can’t find it in the store, but I order it from Amazon. I cook it in vegetable or chicken broth for maximum flavor.

Here I’m using seasonal summer produce, but you can sub out whatever vegetables you have on hand that cook quickly (or extend the cooking time a bit). The dish is finished with some parmesan cheese, which is just enough cheese to give great flavor but not make the dish too heavy.

Even if you don’t feel like cooking, this dinner needs to go on your list!

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Summer Vegetable Orzo

• Author: Happy Healthy Mama
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 very large summer squash, or 2-3 smaller summer squashes, diced
• 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 4 cups loosely packed baby spinach, chopped
• 2/3 cup whole wheat orzo
• 1 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the summer squash to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook another 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomato, garlic, and spinach, and sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring the orzo and vegetable or chicken stock to a boil in a small to medium sauce pan. Boil on low until the orzo is cooked and the stock is mostly absorbed, but there is still some stock left, about 6 minutes.
5. Add the orzo to the vegetable skillet and stir to combine. Add the parmesan cheese. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
• Calories: 403
• Sugar: 8
• Fat: 17
• Carbohydrates: 43
• Fiber: 4
• Protein: 23

 

If you make this Summer Vegetable Orzo dish or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, I would LOVE to see it! Please snap a picture an share it on the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook page or on your Instagram and tag me @happyealthymama

Would you like to save this recipe for later? Here’s an image to pin to your Pinterest recipe board!

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Double Chocolate Banana Zucchini Bread

This Double Chocolate Banana Zucchini Bread recipe is a healthy, easy way to use up some of your extra zucchini!

Heads up: This recipe was first published in 2014. Photos were updated in 2017. 

It’s the time of year when you can easily eat zucchini for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.  And I have been.

Today, I bring you dessert.  Or, if you are so inclined, breakfast.  I mean, this quick bread does have zucchini and bananas.  Also, it’s made with whole wheat flour. That totally makes it breakfast-worthy, right?  I think so.  I’m always down with chocolate for breakfast.But really, we eat this for dessert.  It’s healthier than your average dessert as I reduced the sugar drastically compared to most quick breads.  With two ripe bananas in the mix, you don’t need a ton of added sugar, so half a cup of whole cane sugar was plenty here.

 

This recipe produces such a moist and decadent loaf, you won’t believe it’s actually a healthy Double Chocolate Banana Zucchini Quick Bread.  (<—–there’s a mouthful for you!) Even with reduced sugar and reduced oil, this bread tastes like dessert.  With both zucchini and yogurt in the ingredient list you are bound to end up with a super moist bread.  Sorry I keep using that word, but really, it’s the only way to describe this loaf.  The whole wheat flour and greek yogurt also boost the protein content.

If you are worried about your kids not liking this because of the zucchini, you can’t even tell it’s there.  The dark color of the loaf disguises it well.  As you can see in the pictures, it’s not totally undetectable, but for kids who are excited about eating a piece of chocolate bread, trust me, they won’t care.When Meghan saw this loaf cooling on the counter when she got home from school one day this week, she squealed.  After trying it, she said, “This tastes like chocolate cake!”

Every time I’ve made it since then, it’s been a hit. Everyone who has tried it has loved it. I hope it makes your family as happy as it makes mine.

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Double Chocolate Banana Zucchini Bread

This Double Chocolate Banana Zucchini Bread is healthier than your average quick bread, but you’d never know it! It’s moist, decadent, and wholesome.

• Author: Happy Healthy Mama
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12 slices
• Category: bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Sucanat or organic sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (from 2-3 bananas)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup grated zucchini

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda well. Make sure there are no clumps from the cocoa powder.
3. In a large bowl or electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the coconut oil and sugar about 2-3 minutes. The mixture will resemble wet sand.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing them to incorporate well after each addition.
5. Next, add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
6. Now add in the banana, yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla and beat until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and zucchini and do not over mix.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Start to check the bread at 45 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, it is ready. My loaf was perfect at 51 minutes, but ovens can vary. Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 228
• Sugar: 20 grams
• Fat: 9.2 grams
• Carbohydrates: 33 grams
• Protein: 4.9 grams

 

If you make this Double Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread, I would love to see it! Snap a picture and share in on the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook Page (I allow public posts on my page) or on your Instagram page and tag me @happyhealthymama

Would you like to save this recipe for later? Here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!

If you have zucchini coming out of your ears and need even more baking or cooking ideas, try one of my other recipes with zucchini:

Vegan Zucchini Muffins

Veggie Pancakes

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Zucchini Snack Bars with Chocolate Chips

Zucchini Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

 

Zucchini Noodles with Bean Balls

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Is Healthy Eating Enough? Why We Use Supplements and MegaFood Multivitamin Review

Do you ever feel like there’s so much contradictory information out there, that your head spins anytime you try to make a decision for your family? You just want to do the right thing, what’s best for you and your family, but you don’t know what that is because Expert #1 says one thing, while Expert #2 says the exact opposite.

I tend to read everything I can get my hands on when it comes to health and nutrition and it can definitely be confusing when there’s no consensus on so many topics.

One of those topics is whether or not supplements are necessary. One camp says healthy eating is enough; you should get all the vitamins and minerals you need from the food you eat. The other camp suggests that even the healthiest eaters can have nutritional gaps for a variety of reasons.

I’m seated firmly in the second camp and here’s why.

WHY WE USE SUPPLEMENTS

In an ideal world, I’d love to say I get all of my essential nutrients from the wide variety of whole foods I eat. I am a healthy eater. My family eats well.

Yet, I know we aren’t eating a big enough variety of plant foods and the part of animals that contain the most nutrients each and every day. Beef liver, for example, contains 17 times more B12 than ground beef. But how often do we eat liver in this family? Never.

Have you ever actually counted the amount of nutrients you’ve consumed in a day? I have. It’s a lot more time consuming than just counting calories, but I was curious. (I think this lands me in the “health nut” category, but I’m okay with that.) Even though I had a day full of vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and meat, I still fell short in more than one category. It’s not like I was eating processed or nutrient-void food all day! This was eye opening.

Even if I made a super strong effort to ensure we were eating enough of all the foods to get us all the recommended nutrients every day, could I really be sure the foods we eat have the nutrients they are supposed to have?

Soil quality is a real issue. Studies have shown that much of the food grown has experienced a steady decline in nutrients since 1950.

These are the two main reasons I choose to take supplements and give them to my kids. I know that we likely aren’t getting the recommended amounts of nutrients on a daily basis, so I choose to fill in any gaps with supplements. I want to help us operate at our healthiest, so we use supplements to fill in the gaps.

HOW TO CHOOSE A QUALITY SUPPLEMENT

Unfortunately, after you make a decision that taking supplements is right for you, the hard work doesn’t stop. All supplements are not created equally. Choosing a quality supplement is important or you’re just wasting your money.

Here are questions to ask when choosing a supplement:

•   Are the vitamins and minerals used in the supplement natural or synthetic?

Most synthetic vitamins and minerals are not as bioavailable as natural vitamins and minerals    that are derived from whole food sources. There is also a benefit from using whole foods instead of isolated vitamins or minerals. When a supplement delivers its vitamin C with a whole orange, for example, it is also getting all the other phytochemicals from the orange. Your body recognizes food in the product this makes it gentler on the stomach.

•   Where is the supplement company sourcing its food from?

If you can’t find this out, I wouldn’t trust the company. Quality farms are important for high-quality foods to make high-quality supplements.

•   What process is used to make the supplements?

A low heat process is imperative to keep nutrients intact.

•    What testing procedures are in place?

The company should test ingredients for quality as well as traces of pesticides and herbicides.

•   What other ingredients are used in the supplements?

Be aware that many supplement companies use undesirable ingredients as fillers, binders, or ingredients to help the taste or color of the supplements. Always read the label and see what “other” ingredients you find.

WHICH SUPPLEMENT BRAND DO I RECOMMEND?

There are very few supplement companies that I can stand behind and say I recommend without hesitation. I have definitely tried and researched many brands. MegaFood is the supplement brand my family currently uses and I recommend 100%.

I first discovered MegaFood when I was breastfeeding my son Luke, who had MSPI and other protein intolerances, and needed a supplement that was certified free of soy, dairy, and wheat. I found MegaFood and am so grateful to have found such a high-quality supplement line. (It was the Baby and Me Multivitamin I took during that time.) I don’t take partnering with brands lightly, and only choose brands that I use, love, and can feel confident recommending to you, my reader. As a MegaFood ambassador, I recently was able to take a trip to New Hampshire and see their manufacturing process first hand. I was confident in MegaFood before this trip, but that confidence and admiration greatly deepened after what I saw.  I was blown away by this company.

From the transparency they have in every part of their manufacturing process to the integrity and commitment to “doing it right”, this is a company I have deep respect for.

MegaFood supplements deliver their vitamins and minerals with whole foods that are sourced from trusted, high quality farms. All of the farmers they use are dedicated to growing the most nutritious foods possible. You can read about their farm partners here.Every food ingredient that comes through the door at MegaFood is rigorously tested. It’s tested for quality: does it have the nutrients it’s supposed to have? Are there traces of anything it isn’t supposed to have, like gluten? It is tested for 149 different pesticides and herbicides. If it doesn’t pass any of these tests, it’s rejected.Once the food is tested, it’s ready to go through the 236 hour (!!) process of becoming a supplement. They start by grinding the food into pulp.

When I was at MegaFood, it was turmeric in the grinder. It was so cool to see the way these supplements start with a whole food!After the pulp is sent through these tanks, it’s ready to be dried.The food is gently dehydrated to preserve all nutrients.

It’s then turned into a powder and pressed into a tablet. MegaFood is very careful to only use machines with controlled heat so that the nutrients are still intact.

Having all of this carefully explained to me while getting a tour of the plant was incredible. I wish you all could have been there with me to see it. Even if you can’t make it to New Hampshire, MegaFood is so intent on being transparent with their customers, they have live cameras set up so anyone can watch their manufacturing process. How awesome is that?! Check it out here.

MEGAFOOD MULTIVITAMIN REVIEW

MegaFood Multi for Women is formulated especially for women. It is part of a line of gender specific multivitamins created in partnership with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, an integrative medical doctor who is recognized as a top expert in the fields of integrative medicine, herbal medicine and dietary supplementation.

The formulation for this Multi for Women is based on the latest recommendations for supplements, as discussed in Dr. Low Dog’s latest book, Fortify Your Life, Your Guide To Vitamins, Minerals, and More. (I highly recommend this informative book, by the way! It’s a top-notch resource to help you learn about what our bodies need and which supplements are needed for specific conditions.)

MegaFood Multi for Women has 15 mg of FoodState iron to replace iron lost during your monthly cycle.* There is also FoodState iodine and B vitamins to aid in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.* B6 and B12 support balanced hormones and endocrine function.* Biotin, beta carotene, and vitamins A, C, and E support healthy skin, nails, and hair.*

I feel fantastic about taking a multivitamin that’s been formulated by a renowned doctor and is specifically formulated to suit my unique needs as a woman.

SUPPLEMENTING WITH MEGAFOOD

I know that the choice to use supplements and which brand to use are big decisions you need to make for you and your family. I can recommend MegaFood with full confidence. You will be getting high-quality supplements that your body can recognize and use from a company that operates with integrity.  You can find out where to buy them in your area here.

This post is sponsored by MegaFood. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Happy Healthy Mama possible!

* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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source http://happyhealthymama.com/multivitamin-review.html

Chili Lime Baked Salmon Recipe

This Chili Lime Baked Salmon Recipe is an easy weeknight meal and is perfect topped with Avocado Pineapple Salsa!

Something magical happened in the last few months. Mom brain is preventing me from remembering exactly when this magical even occurred, but it was a recent event. My five-year-old, Luke, decided he likes salmon.

Do you know what that means?!

That means that every person in my family likes the same thing! We all like salmon!!

You can probably tell that doesn’t happen often in this family. I’m totally jealous if you have a family with similar tastes. We rarely all like the same meal, so this is a big deal.

Side note: It’s been a good lesson for all of us to learn to tolerate each other’s favorites, so having diverse preferences isn’t all bad.

Since salmon is on everyone’s “I like it” list, I’ve started serving it more. This Chili Lime Baked Salmon recipe is my latest way to make it into an easy weeknight dinner.

That’s what I love about salmon. You can easily transform it into something new and it’s always pretty quick. 

Today’s salmon gets brushed with some chili-lime flavor before baking. Doesn’t really get much easier than that.

I also love how quickly salmon cooks. 

Now, this Chili Lime Baked Salmon is fine right out of the oven. BUT. If you have a few minutes while it’s baking, I highly suggest you whip up some Avocado Pineapple Salsa.

It brings this salmon over the top! You’re getting the perfect combination of sweet and heat and it is so so good.

You’re going to LOVE this healthy and easy dinner!

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Chili Lime Baked Salmon Recipe

This Chili Lime Baked Salmon recipe is quick, easy, healthy, and has terrific flavor!

• Author: Happy Healthy Mama
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 17 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 (6 ounce) salmon filets
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium Tamari or soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, tamari/soy sauce, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt.
3. Place the salmon filets on your baking sheet and brush each filet with 1/4 of the chili lime mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the fish is opaque through the center. Enjoy!

Notes

Recommended: Serve with Avocado Pineapple Salsa

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 salmon filet
• Calories: 244
• Sugar: 0.1 grams
• Fat: 8 grams
• Carbohydrates: 1 gram
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Protein: 39 grams

 

If you make this Chili Lime Baked Salmon recipe, I would LOVE to see it! Snap a picture and share in on the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook page or Instagram and tag me @happyhealthymama

Would you like to save this recipe for later? Here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!

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Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups

These Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups are a fun twist on traditional French Toast!

Sometimes you just need to do something because it sounds fun. That’s why I made these Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups. It sounded fun. French Toast baked in a muffin tin? Yes! Fun, right?

I love that my kids are getting to an age where they are remembering life events and wanting to start/continue traditions. The last few years we’ve gone blueberry picking and a few weeks ago Luke asked when we were going this summer. 

I’m pretty sure that blueberry picking is going to be on our list of things to do every summer.

Both kids love it and this year they had fun giving me recipe demands ideas. 

Their idea was blueberry pie. I wanted Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups. They might still get their pie. We came home with seven pounds of blueberries, after all! 

I didn’t use special bakery bread for these cute little cups, although you totally could and it would be lovely. I used the end of a loaf of our standard sandwich bread. A while ago I discovered Dave’s Killer Bread, and it’s got the best ingredient list of any store-bought sandwich bread I’ve found and it’s really good! So that’s what I used here.

Let’s be honest…if you’re going to make Baked French Toast Cups on a random day, you’re going to use whatever bread you have in the pantry. Totally acceptable. 

 

These Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups are slightly crisp on the outside and soft (but not mushy) on the inside. We eat them with a fork, but you could totally eat them with your hands like pull-apart bread. 

They don’t need any maple syrup on top, but I gave them a light brushing of it. It added a bit more sweetness, so it’s up to you if you want to do that. Either way, I think you’re going to love these!

Have some fun and try these Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups!

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Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups

These Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups are a fun twist on traditional French Toast!

• Author: Maryea
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 10 cups

Ingredients

• 6 slices bread, cut into cubes
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy will work)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 35o degrees. Spray 10 cups of a muffin tin with cooking oil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla.
3. Add the bread to the bowl and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
4. Add the blueberries to the bread mixture.
5. Scoop the mixture by the heaping 1/2 cup into the muffin tins.
6. Bake in the preheated oven 15-25 minutes*, until the French Toast Cups are set.

Notes

*In the regular muffin tin, these were ready in 15 minutes. In a ceramic muffin tin, it took 25 minutes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 134
• Sugar: 8.6 grams
• Fat: 4.3 grams
• Carbohydrates: 17 grams
• Fiber: 1.2 grams
• Protein: 6.8 grams

 

If you make these Baked Blueberry French Toast Cups I would LOVE to see them! Please snap a picture and share it on the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook page or on your Instagram and tag me @happyhealthymama!

Would you like to save this recipe for another time? Here’s an image to pin to your Pinterest recipe board!

Need more blueberry recipes? I’ve got ’em!

Blueberry Banana Oat Bars

Blueberry Chia Seed Jam

Blueberry Lemon Quick Bread

Baked Blueberry Oatmeal Cups

Happy blueberry baking!

 

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