Meal Plan Month: January Meal Plan 4

January is already coming to a close, which means two things:

1. My first baby will be turning four in a few days. Four!
2. It already looks like 2021 will be flying by. Time just doesn’t stop.

This week, I went back to work for the first time in over a month thanks to Ms. Rona hitting our home after the holidays, we also had our sweet baby in a splint after a fall, and we have not one, not two, but three birthday celebrations (to keep numbers down) coming up for Zemirah. So you could say it was…a week. With A Pinch of Crazy, as always! Enjoy some pictures of the birthday girl – four years has flown by!

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Per usual, meals were kept simple and quick, and because I was buying stuff for the birthday parties, I really tried to keep costs down. Here is what I started with for the week:

Produce- spinach, mashed sweet potato, frozen broccoli, a few carrots and potatoes, apples, bananas, berries, cherry tomatoes, cucumber

Protein- frozen salmon filets, leftover black beans, nut butter, chia and flax seeds

Carbs- brown rice, oats

I was actually able to make two full dinners and prep two breakfasts with just what we already had! Doing kitchen inventory before planning meals can really save a lot of money! Here is what our meals were for the week:

Breakfasts:

Overnight Oats

• Sweet potato muffins topped with peanut butter *This was a concoction I made up to use up those mashed sweet potatoes. I wrote it down and will test it out again to hopefully get the recipe posted here!*
• Overnight oats with chia seeds, cinnamon, and almond butter, topped with bananas
• Breakfast tacos with egg, cheese, salsa, and avocado

Lunches:

• Leftovers
• Sandwiches
• For Z’s school lunch I packed: turkey/mayo roll ups (nitrate free), a green apple, seaweed snacks, broccoli, and a cookie. For her snack I packed: a fruit pouch and cheddar bunnies
• While Z was at school, Selah and I enjoyed a quiet brunch of scrambled eggs with spinach and tomatoes and a side of avocado toast topped with everything bagel seasoning. It was nice to change it up from our usual microwaved leftovers!

Snacks:

• Cliff bars for grownups/fruit bars for Z
• Fruit leathers
• Pouches
• Apples/bananas with peanut butter
• Strawberries with honey (Z’s favorite)
• Chocolate chip lactation cookies (mostly for me, but these only lasted two days hehe)
• Boiled eggs

Dinners:

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

• Monday: Black bean burgers with spinach, avocado, and habanero ranch; fries and cucumber tomato salad on the side
• Tuesday: Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Veggies (this was my day at work, I got home at 6 and dinner was ready for us) with a side of bread and butter
• Wednesday: Salmon *I just cooked in the skillet* with broccoli and brown rice on the side
• Thursday: This was date night! Woo! The girls ate dinner at my parents’ house, and David and I got sushi 🙂
• Friday: Pork tacos with leftover roast and sautéed peppers, onions, and mushrooms; guacamole and plantain chips on the side
• Saturday: Birthday party foods – we are having a rainbow charcuterie board
• Sunday: This is Z’s real birthday so I haven’t planned anything. We are definitely going out for breakfast, and maybe dinner, too. Or we might eat leftovers, or I might just buy some frozen pizzas. It’s up to the birthday girl!

There you have it! Because I was able to plan two meals just with what we had, plus going out one night, this week’s grocery bill was only $60! Now after I added all the birthday party foods, the total doubled, but still not too bad for multiple birthday parties. That’s a plus side of social distancing – not many kiddos get three birthday parties! We are doing a food for every color of the rainbow (red pepperoni, orange crackers, yellow cheese, etc.) and I made pink unicorn sugar cookies, confetti cupcakes (from a box mix), and will do different colored frosting using natural food dye. She is going to have a blast!

If you want to look back on the last few weeks of meal plans click here, here, and here. Maybe these posts can give you some ideas while you’re planning food for next week. Have fun cooking and feeding your family…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

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Meal Plan Month: January Meal Plan 3

The first month of the new year is already almost coming to a close – how has 2021 just started yet is already flying by?! After the last two weeks of craziness, quarantine, and sickness, it was nice to get back to a little bit of normalcy this week. Thankfully the girls and I are all feeling well still, though I stayed home from work (I work one day a week out of the house teaching music lessons) just to ensure my students’ safety, and I taught my one Fit4Mom class virtually again this week. So we had another slow week kind of easing back into our normal schedule, but I still needed lots of quick meals because being stuck at home with two little ones can get a little Crazy!

As I have the past two weeks (read week 1 here and week 2 here) I will share any modifications necessary for the girls. One exciting thing from this week is that I have started introducing some dairy for Selah and me! This was exciting because she used to get terrible tummy pains, and, without too much detail, things were not normal with her diapers, when I would have dairy. Now, not only can I eat dairy, but she can too! I actually got a little too crazy with the grilled cheeses this week and found myself bloated and yucky feeling. Now that the initial excitement of being able to eat grilled cheese is over, I will work on scaling it back again hehe 🙂

Alright, on to the cheesy meal plan!

Doing my “kitchen inventory” this week I had:

• Protein: Greek yogurt, almond/peanut butter, one pound of ground turkey, cheese (how am I still trying to finish up this block of cheese?!), leftover black beans, the last bit of hummus
• Carbs: oats, rice, sweet potatoes, half a package of lasagna noodles, quinoa
• Produce: spinach, berries, bananas, apples, leftover squash, leftover burrito veggies, frozen broccoli

Based on these few things here are the meals I planned:

Breakfasts:

Berries & Greens Smoothie

• I made a “Tex-Mex” breakfast casserole using leftover beans and burrito veggies mixed with scrambled eggs and shredded cheese. I served it topped with avocado slices, hot sauce, and Greek yogurt.
• Berries and Greens Smoothies *I added Collagen Peptides to these for protein*
• Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal *I added almond butter and regular butter for some fat and protein here*

Snacks:

• Cliff bars, Z bars
• Fresh fruit with peanut butter
• Cheddar bunnies
• Seaweed snacks
• Pouches
• Crackers with cheese or hummus (finally finishing that up this week!)

Lunches:

• Leftovers
• Sandwiches (again, with uncured ham or nitrate free turkey lunch meat)
• For Z’s school lunch I packed half a turkey sandwich, seaweed snacks, a pouch, cucumber slices, and dark chocolate candy. For her school snack I packed a Z Bar and a clementine.

Dinner:

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

• Monday: Grilled cheese (my first real grilled cheese in like a year!) and tomato soup
• Tuesday: Spinach, squash, and turkey lasagna *I simply cooked a spaghetti sauce similar to last week but with turkey meat, mixed some shredded mozzarella with an egg and Italian seasonings, then layered those sauces between noodles and raw spinach and squash. Baked for about 45 minutes, covered for the first 30.*
• Wednesday: Salmon with tzatziki sauce and a quinoa salad with broccoli, tomatoes, avocado, and a hummus based dressing *you can see this dinner on my Instagram highlights*
• Thursday: Sushi bowls *I will be using leftover salmon shredded and mixed with mayo and sriracha, put over cooked brown rice, and top with avocado, cucumber, seaweed snacks, sesame seeds, and coconut aminos*
• Friday: Sweet and sour meatballs with red bell pepper and mushrooms over rice *I will be using this meatball recipe, but with Asian-inspired seasoning, cover in this sweet and sour sauce, then serve over cooked brown rice and with sautéed veggies*
• Saturday and Sunday: last week’s highlights, and we may go out to eat once 🙂

There is our full week of food! I kind of overly stocked up on snacks this week, so hopefully next week that won’t be necessary, as I will also be buying some birthday party foods next week. However, even with stocking up a little more than usual, I did not go too far over budget (I try and keep it at or below $100/week); I spent $110 this week. That may seem like a lot, but for a family of four eating three meals and two snacks a day, seven days a week, that’s really not too bad! We are all big eaters, too, so that’s even better!

According to insider.com the average fast food burger (not the sides, just the burger) cost $2.64 in 2018. I calculated buying 5 burgers for my family (again, no sides) for two meals a day every day and that came out to $184.80 for one week. So even with the “cheaper” option of fast food I would end up spending more per week and we would actually be eating less. Of course this is not even accounting for the health factor of eating home cooked food, which is invaluable, and I feel grateful to be able to serve my family in this way!

I think that covers everything for this week. Next week I’ll finally be going back to work after winter break/quarantine so I will likely have a crock pot meal in the menu sometime. Our sweet Z is turning four next week so I will also be sharing her birthday party foods, so stay tuned for the last meal plan of the month. I hope you can draw some inspiration from these easy meal plans, get in the kitchen, make some good, healthy food…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Green Pancakes

It was Halloween morning and my second attempt at my Green Pancakes. The first attempt did not go well, but I thought I would try again (with a touch more almond flour) because green goblin pancakes sure would be fun for Halloween breakfast! As if the excitement of dressing up like a unicorn (cute Halloween pics below) and wearing sparkly makeup wasn’t enough to send shrieks through the house, let’s add some syrup!

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In my recently posted waffle recipe, I admitted to my morning hanger problem… oops. So like those waffles, this batter is made in a blender just to simplify everything and get some food in my, uh… I mean my kids… belly faster.

Speaking of kids, these pancakes are perfect for all the kiddos in your family, even your baby! These are perfect if you are doing baby led feeding. My seven-month-old absolutely loved them, and because breastfed babies iron stores are depleted around six months, I was glad to give her something so high in iron. Thanks, spinach!

Now I know you might be thinking ‘spinach pancakes sound like my kid’s personal torture’, but don’t worry: they won’t even be able to tell there is spinach in them. Now, I don’t recommend lying to your kids by trying to hide the fact that there is spinach, but this is just spinach dressed up, so to speak. The spinach has such a mild flavor, gives the pancakes their fun green color, but they taste just like a bananas!

So what do we do for toppings? Arguably the most important part of a pancake breakfast, don’t skimp on the toppings. Because these taste so strongly of banana, peanut butter and/or chocolate chips are delicious options, chopped walnuts would be great, and you can’t go wrong with a hefty glug of maple syrup.

Whether you really deck these out with toppings, keep it classic, serve them up for a holiday breakfast (perfect for Christmas, St Patrick’s Day, or Halloween) or just a fun Saturday morning surprise, these Green Pancakes are sure to please!

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• Servings: 16-20 mini pancakes
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Ingredients

• 4 small, ripe bananas – the more freckled, the better
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of almond flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 cup of loosely packed spinach
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• Desired oil for coating skillet (I used coconut)

Directions

1. Heat large pan (I used my cast iron) over medium-low heat and coat generously with oil
2. Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth
3. Pour small rounds on pre-heated skillet
4. Once bubbles around the edges have formed and popped, flip pancakes over (these are quite delicate so be gentle)
5. After about two minutes on the other side, take off pan
6. Serve pancakes warm with desired toppings

For more breakfast recipes with leafy greens, check out my Berries and Greens Smoothie, Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bake, or Whole30 Breakfast Hash. For a heartier, less green (actually not green at all hehe) pancake, check out my Flax and Oat Pancakes. Have a little fun with breakfast, don’t skip the most important meal of the day…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Pumpkin and Oat Blender Waffles

As a new mom for the second time (still unreal?!) I get attacked often by hanger. Feeling “hangry” is feeling so hungry that you get angry, and unfortunately, this happens to me fairly frequently. It goes a little something like this: I wake in the 6 o’clock range to chubby fingers pulling my eyelids open and giggling morning breath in my face. After some persuasion, I get out of bed and am greeted by Coffee, my morning buddy. After having a semi-rough night of sleep either comforting a preschooler with a bad dream and/or nursing a hungry baby, the hanger strikes.

All of a sudden my hands are shaking, my stomach is growling, and my patience is thin. And something like cereal will not cure the hanger; at this point I need something substantial, and I need it fast! At this time of year, pumpkin flavored everything abounds, and I am not ashamed to say I love pumpkin flavored goodies (still haven’t tried a PSL, though), and even more so if I can have healthy pumpkin goodies!

How can this breakfast live up to all of my demands: fast, pumpkin flavored, healthy, and filling?! Blender waffles! It does not get much easier than blending all your ingredients then pouring them into a waffle iron! Have your kiddos help you blend it up while you sip your coffee: healthy, fun, and delicious for the whole family!

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• Servings: 12 mini waffles
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Ingredients

• 1 cup of old fashioned oats
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp of ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp of ground ginger
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp of melted coconut oil
• 3 tsp of maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• Optional mix-ins: chocolate chips, pecans, or collagen peptides

Directions

1. Plug in waffle iron to begin heating. (My husband got me this mini waffle iron for our anniversary)
2. Place all ingredients in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
3. Oil your waffle iron, then pour in desired amount of batter. Have a little fun and stud your waffles with chocolate chips or pecans!
4. Cook waffles according to your waffle maker directions.
5. Top with butter, honey, syrup, cinnamon, peanut butter, whatever your heart desires!
6. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

These waffles will be sure to hit the spot! For more quick breakfasts to beat the hanger, check out my Berries and Greens Smoothie or Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats, and for another pumpkin treat, check out my Pumpkin Spice Cake.

Beat the “hanger”, have fun with your family, eat waffles…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, but a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Hash Brown Cups

Wow I can’t believe it is 2020! I haven’t written in so long because Zemirah and I had the flu over the holidays, and I am just now feeling better after a month of the yuckies. Technical term. Anyways, I certainly hope everyone’s new year is off to a great start! Now that I’m finally feeling better, I am turning my attention to the baby’s room because she will be here in about 2.5 months! *insert shocked face* I hope to give you all a few more new recipes before I take an extended break, but as always, follow along on social media (clickable links on the sidebar or at the bottom of this page) to keep up with the fun/craziness!

Okay, so back to the new year. More often than not, the new year comes with resolutions to declutter, eat healthier, get into the gym more, and all that good stuff. (My resolution/word for this year is to “release” AKA stop being a control freak. Oops.)  I want to help people with their eating habits because I truly believe what we put in our bodies is the most important thing for our physical, mental, and emotional health. Breakfast is “the most important meal of the day” yet so often rushed and overlooked. These Hash Brown Cups are the perfect breakfast recipe to make ahead of time, pack up to take to work, or even eat on the road, and you can top them with avocados or veggies for extra nutrients. I think these little breakfast cups (and, of course, coffee!) will get your mornings off to a happy, healthy start!

• Servings: 10
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Ingredients

• 1/2 lb of frozen, shredded hash browns
• 3 tbsp of your favorite cooking oil (such as avocado oil)
• Desired seasonings (I used salt, pepper, and spicy garlic salt)
• 10 eggs
• Desired toppings (greens, avocado slices, tomato slices, cheese, etc.)

Directions

1. Line or grease 10 muffin tins.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 F
3. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Cook hash browns until brown and slightly crispy.
5. Season as desired.
6. Press the hash browns down into muffin tins.
7. Crack eggs on top of the hash browns and season as desired.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until whites are set, and the yolk is the way you like it.
9. Once cooled, store covered in the fridge, top with desired toppings, and heat to enjoy for an easy, filling breakfast!

For more breakfast recipes you can prep ahead of time, check out my Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats, Breakfast Bites, Chocolate Covered Strawberry Chia Pudding, and Fruit and Nut Granola. Let me know what your goals are for 2020 (and if it’s just to make it or stop being a control freak like me, that is a-okay!), and what kinds of foods you want to eat more of this year! Soak up this fresh start, set realistic goals, eat your breakfast…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

How does time keep escaping me? I blinked and October is almost over! Halloween is a mere 9 days away, and I still haven’t hemmed Zemirah’s Elsa costume, nor have I blogged in over two weeks. Two weeks with no new recipes is officially my longest, albeit accidental, break from my blog. In case you missed it on my social media (click the links at the bottom of this post to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook), we are expecting Baby Mills #2 in April! I’m currently four months along, Baby is the size of a large avocado, and giving me sweet little jabs every now and then. After our miscarriage in July, we’ve been concerned with Baby’s health, but so far everything is looking perfect!

Little baby bump when I was 12 weeks along.

Obviously pregnancy along with being the mom of a rambunctious toddler has kept me occupied, in a true Pinch of Crazy way. *insert crazy heart eyes here* Bear with me over these next months; I promise I’ll blog whenever I get the chance! For now, continue relishing your crisply cool fall days while enjoying these delicious, not-too-sweet, healthy Pumpkin Pecan Muffins. Nothing like a homemade pumpkin treat to welcome fall in!

• Servings: 12
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Ingredients

• 1.5 cups of almond flour
• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
• 1/3 cup of coconut oil, melted (here is my favorite brand)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup of roughly chopped pecans (or buy pecan pieces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 liners. (or use these reusable silicone liners)
3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine first 6 ingredients (almond flour through nutmeg).
4. Create a well in your dry ingredients and add the next 4 ingredients (pumpkin through syrup), stirring until just combined.
5. Fold in your chopped pecans.
6. Fill each liner about 3/4 of the way full.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the top bounces back when touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Serve warm or room temperature with butter and a drizzle of honey (optional but sooo delicious!)

I love this season of pumpkin treats! For more pumpkin recipes, check out my Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping, Pumpkin Spice Cake, No Bake Pumpkin Pie, and Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer. If you’re searching for more a savory fall recipe, you would probably like my Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Lemon Butter Shrimp, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, or my Two Bean Turkey Chili. Whatever you end up cooking/baking, I hope it warms your bellies and your hearts! Bask in these gorgeous fall days, nap in the afternoon sunshine, crunch some fallen leaves beneath your feet…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Breakfast Bites

Ding! The toaster sends two pieces of toast bouncing up, ready to be slathered with butter and jelly – a welcome sound to your grumbling tummy. Mornings are usually fairly frantic for people (myself included); trying to get yourself plus a child or two (or three or four) ready to get out the door on time for school/work/morning activities, and breakfast is usually a sad afterthought. It may be quick and easy to grab a yogurt or some toast, but your hunger will return with a vengeance for a nice mid-morning slump, and leave you scourging the office for snacks. I have a great solution for both the harried mornings and the pre-lunch slump: Breakfast Bites!

With just a little before hand prep, you can have a quick, healthy breakfast on hand to grab and go out the door. This is such a versatile recipe – you can use your favorite breakfast meat(s) and vegetables, cheese or no cheese – whatever you have on hand. They reheat great, and are delicious served with Spicy Garlic Salsa or hot sauce. I sent two (with salsa) plus some fruit for my husband’s breakfast, and Zemirah and I each ate one with a small glass of Berries and Greens Smoothie, and we were full until lunch! Do yourself (and your office’s snack supply) a favor, and make a batch or two of these Breakfast Bites!

• Servings: 12
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Ingredients

• 1 cup of chopped breakfast meat (I used sausage)
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1.5 cups of desired vegetables (I used spinach and onions)
• 9 eggs, beaten well
• 1/3 cup of cheese, chopped or shredded
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large skillet, cook your breakfast meat over medium heat.
3. Remove cooked meat and set aside.
4. In the same pan, add olive oil and vegetables.
5. Lightly sautee vegetables – for about 3-5 minutes.
6. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.
7. Grease a 12 count muffin tin with coconut oil.
8. In a large bowl, beat your eggs until whites and yolks are combined.
9. Add salt, pepper, cooked meat and veggies, and cheese to scrambled eggs.
10. Pour egg mixture into muffin tins, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
11. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until risen with the edges slightly browned.
12. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a week.

For more breakfast prep ideas, check out my Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bake, Fruit and Nut Granola, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats, and Chocolate Covered Strawberry Chia Pudding. Get your mornings off to a good start, ditch that mid-morning slump…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using these links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Chia Pudding

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m a chocoholic, and I am a lover of all desserts. I don’t discriminate, each dessert is delicious in it’s own way (except you, Jell-O, you’re a sick food and can’t pass as dessert), but I have a special spot in my heart for milkshakes. When my husband and I first moved to California, we lived within walking distance of a burger place that sold those really big milkshakes like in a 50’s diner. Of course, after thoroughly enjoying my usual chocolate covered strawberry shake, I would feel sick from all the sugar and dairy and did not enjoy the stomach ache…but would still usually get one whenever we went. Oops.

The first time I made this chia pudding, I was instantly transported to sunny Southern California and reminded of the flavor of my beloved chocolate covered strawberry shake. It’s a huge bonus that this deliciously sweet pudding is refined sugar free and dairy free – so no stomach aches or wacky blood sugar! Chia seeds are small but mighty, containing 11 grams of fiber, 9 grams of fat, and 4 grams of protein in just one ounce. Plus they are high in magnesium, which has a calming effect, zinc, B vitamins, and calcium. So when people find out you don’t eat dairy and ask about your calcium intake – tell them you eat chia pudding! This sweet treat is perfect for breakfast meal prep, and is delicious eaten as is, mixed with overnight oats, or on top of smoothies or even nice cream. Let’s grab a spoon and dig in!

This recipe is for one half pint mason jar. 

Ingredients:

• 1/8 cup of chia seeds
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk – this can change depending on the consistency you want
• 1 tbsp of no sugar added strawberry fruit spread or preserves
• 1/2 tbsp of 100% cocoa powder
• 1/2 tbsp of honey and/or pure maple syrup
• Optional toppings:
  • more preserves
  • a drizzle of syrup/honey
  • fresh or frozen fruit

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a half pint mason jar
• Stir to combine well
• Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator overnight
• Stir again before eating
• Top with desired toppings and enjoy!

For more sweet breakfast treats, check out my Flax and Oat Pancakes or my Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal – both sure to leave your tummy, and your sweet tooth, satisfied. Don’t forget to pin this recipe by clicking the “pinterest” button down below – that way you can come back to it often. Chia pudding may be something new for you, but I dare you to try it! It’s light, sweet, refreshing, and high in fiber, healthy fats, and calcium. Eat your tummy-ache free “milkshake”, get your calcium in…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

Perfect Boiled Eggs

Breakfast is important, but hard to make time for, so every Sunday night I do breakfast “prep”, which usually includes boiled eggs, overnight oats, and some form of breakfast casserole. It helps us get our days off on the right start nutritionally, without making us run late! I’ll admit it – I used to hate hard boiled eggs. The chalky texture, the gray ring around the yolk, the smell… yuck! Turns out, that was the wrong way to boil eggs! Well, unless you are trying to boil them to death… then that would be the correct method. So here it is, just in time for Easter, the perfect (in my opinion) way to boil eggs!

Use as many eggs as desired. I usually do 6-8 for weekly meal prep.

Ingredients:

• Eggs – as many as you need
• Water – enough to cover all your eggs
• A bowl of iced water

Directions:

• In a large pot, bring water to a gentle boil
• Just as it starts bubbling, gently add your eggs
• Cover and let the eggs boil for 8 minutes
• After 8 minutes, immediately submerge your eggs in the iced water to prevent them cooking further
• Store eggs in fridge until ready to use

There you have it; a simple way to make tasty eggs with jammy yolks, not that chalky gray stuff. These are easy to peel, too! Eat them with a sprinkling of salt and pepper – perfect for breakfast meal prep or a quick snack on-the-go. For more breakfast prep ideas, check out my Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats, Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bake, or Fruit and Nut Granola. You can eat your most important meal of the day and still get out the door on time! Drink some coffee, get a nutritious breakfast, slay that morning carpool or meeting…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

Flax and Oat Pancakes

You groggily open your eyes one Saturday morning. Spring is here; this fact is made evident by the warm sun streaming through the blinds and the cheerful songs of the birds outside your window. You hear your children and spouse giggling down the hall, you smell the freshly brewed coffee, with a light and happy heart you head to the kitchen and…pour the same tired, old, strangely-reminiscent-of-cardboard cereal for breakfast?! No! Such a perfect spring Saturday morning calls for pancakes! And, believe me, these hearty and healthy pancakes will have everyone around the table full, happy, and ready to enjoy their spring break adventures without a sugar crash.

Makes about 12 pancakes, depending on size.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour (could be made gluten free by substituting GF flour)
• 1 cup of old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup of coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp of whole flax seeds
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 3/4-1 cup of water
• Optional toppings:
  • butter
  • coconut oil
  • maple syrup
  • honey
  • chocolate chips
  • unsweetened coconut
  • chopped fruit
  • chopped nuts

Directions:

• Heat your skillet over medium-low heat, and grease with desired cooking oil
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through salt)
• Add egg, oil, and almond milk, stirring until combined
• Add water about 1/4 cup at a time, until it makes a fairly thin batter
• Spoon batter (your desired pancake size) into hot pan
• Once bubbles form and pop, flip and cook on the other side
• Repeat with remaining batter
• Serve warm with desired toppings
• Store leftovers covered in the fridge – they reheat fine in the microwave, good to grab and go!

I hope you and your family can enjoy a slow Saturday morning breakfast together; I’d guess that these pancakes could rouse even the most sullen teen out of bed 😉 For more breakfast ideas, check out my Whole30 Breakfast Hash, Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bake, Fruit and Nut Granola, Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal, or Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats. I hope this season, in all of its newness, starts off wonderfully for you. Have some quality time at breakfast…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!