Mother knows best. So when it comes to healthy living tips for back to school time, why not ask moms themselves? From tips on smart school lunches to Paleo diet recipes for a family with celiac, the two moms featured here have all the answers.
Tammy Credicott has become famed for creating recipes based on the needs of her family. With two daughters and a husband who have celiac disease, Tammy has become an expert in grain-free Paleo-style meals. Among her books is a new one especially perfect for busy households: "Make-Ahead Paleo: Healthy Gluten-, Grain- & Dairy-Free Recipes Ready When & Where You Are" (click for details). Below is one of her recipes.
Tina Seitzinger, famed for her Life Without Pink columns, has two boys, one age seven and one almost five.
Her tip for getting her boys to eat healthy school lunches: "Making them part of the process. We go food shopping together and I let them pick out a few "healthy" snacks. We also will make dinner together. I find if my boys help me in the kitchen, they will at least attempt to try the meal which is all I ask."
Tina's favorite recipe for roasted chickpeas is below.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 dash crushed red pepper
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Whisk the oil, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper together in a small bowl; add the chickpeas and toss to coat. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.
Roast in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned and slightly crispy, about 45 minutes.
Tammy's recipe for Vibrant Soup follows.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 bunch of beets (the bunch I used had 3 decent size beets in it), peeled and chopped. Stems and leaves removed (I saved the leaves for another day)
- 1 large bunch of Swiss chard, chopped (stems and leaves)
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt & fresh ground pepper (to taste)
Directions:
1) Add oil to a large stock pot, until the bottom is covered. Heat over medium heat.
2) Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add beets and squash. Stir well.
3) Add enough water to completely cover the veggies. Bring water to a low boil. Cook for 10-12 minutes.
4) Add chard. Check your water level, if everythings not covered, add more. Cook for another 10-12 minutes, or until squash, beets and chard stems are soft.
5) Remove from heat.
6) If you have an immersion blender, use it to grind what’s in the pot until there are no more chunks and it’s smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, add the soup, in small increments to a blender and blend until smooth.
7) Add salt and pepper to taste.
8) Whatever you don’t eat, can be stored in mason jars (once cooled) and either stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen in your freezer for another time.
