Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes

When pregnant our bodies take the good nutrients from our food and give them to baby before we see any bit of them - which is exactly what we want! But often this leaves those fatty remnants for us to absorb. This is why exercise is so important because exercise turns those fats into energy, and why eating a healthy protein-filled breakfast can really make a difference in how we feel and look at the end of the day.

These quinoa pancakes are so delicious and a great way to get healthy proteins into your baby's body, your body and your toddler's little body! Here are some of the reasons - aside from the buttery, nutty flavor it adds - that I love quinoa!

• Quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat. ...
• Quinoa contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains. ...
• Quinoa contains Iron. ...
• Quinoa contains lysine. ...
• Quinoa is rich in magnesium. ...
• Quinoa is high in Riboflavin (B2). ...
• Quinoa has a high content of manganese.

I will make a whole batch of these and stick the leftovers in a freezer bag and just reheat in the microwave on mornings when McKinley and I want them for breakfast. She can be finicky when it comes to blueberries, (she doesn't really care about all the great antioxidants they provide her) so I will make about half of these with just one or two blueberries in them. 

BLUEBERRY QUINOA PANCAKES

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOK TIME: 30 Minutes

SERVES: 16 pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup quinoa flakes

2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

dash of salt 

2 egg whites + 1 egg

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp pure vanilla

1 tsp pure maple syrup

1 cup fresh blueberries (frozen is fine, too)

1-2 tbsp evoo

In a small mixing bowl combine your dry ingredients. 

In a mixer, add your egg whites and mix on high until fluffy - this is a great trick I learned from the Food Network which helps to make those pancakes nice and light! This especially comes in handy when you don't use sugar, like we are doing today.

Add in the remaining ingredients, but save the blueberries for later. 

Pour the bowl of dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix on low until combined.

Lastly, gently fold in the blueberries. 

Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add a tablespoon of evoo (or your choice of oil) to the pan. You will only need to do this a couple of times while cooking your pancakes. 

Pour about 1/4 cup of mix onto the pan for each pancake.

When the batter begins to bubble, flip!

Continue cooking until the pancakes are nicely browned on each side and cooked through the center - 3-4 minutes per side.

Top with a little butter and enjoy your protein-filled breakfast! 

Stuffed Green Peppers

We had a super busy afternoon today. First, McKinley had a few friends coming over for a play date who Mike photographed as part of a story I am writing for the Magazine. Then, McKinley and I went to her first ever gymnastics class! It is a Mommy& Me class so I participated, sorry no photos, but it was really cute. She learned how to somersault, handstand, hang off the bars, and she got to jump on the trampoline into the big pit - her favorite of course.

So for dinner tonight, I prepared ahead of time while McKinley napped.

Stuffed Green Peppers!

These are a great vitamin and protein packed dinner. You can make it a vegetarian dish as well by simply leaving out the turkey sausage.

STUFFED PEPPERS
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS
8 Green Bell Peppers, tops removed and diced
1 lb ground turkey sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

TOPPINGS
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (If preparing ahead of time, save this step for later.) 
2. In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey sausage. 
3. Once browned, strain the juices, and place back in the skillet. Add in the diced onion, green pepper tops, can of tomatoes and juices, and seasoning. Mix until vegetables are tender. 

1. Pour contents into a large mixing bowl. Add in rice and quinoa and mix together. (If you are preparing ahead of time you can go ahead and cover the mixing bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Add an extra 15 minutes to your cook time.) 

1. 4. Divide contents of mixing bowl into the 8 bell peppers. 

1. Bake for 45 minutes, then top with mozzarella and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. 

1. Top with Parmesan and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

An Interview with the Girl Scouts; PLUS Melt-in-your-mouth Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Sometimes the life of a freelancer can be daunting. Constantly waiting on editors to send assignments, pushing through the busy times only to sit patiently through the slower times... but on occasion, it is filled with excitement and some really uplifting benefits...

Like GIRL SCOUT COOKIES! 

I ask you, what is better than a delicious, indulgent treat that actually serves as the catalyst for a good cause like the Girl Scouts? 

Today I interviewed the Central Indiana Director of Advocacy and Community Development Becky Buse for a story on the Cookie College. The Cookie College is a program designed to  teach young girls skills which will help bring them success later in life, such as financial planning, team building, goal setting, and much more. This organization, one I am afraid I was not very familiar with prior to this interview, sets out to empower young women. 

HOW HAVE I NOT BEEN INVOLVED WITH THEM BEFORE?

As a woman and mother of a future woman of America, I make it a goal to teach McKinley the importance of making her own way in the world, just as my parents taught me. Since I was involved in sports growing up I didn't have much time for other clubs and organizations such as the Girl Scouts, but any group of individuals who makes it their goal to teach women how to have an impact on the world gets a big vote of confidence from this Mama. Becky invited me to speak at an event next month as a "Young CEO" (I'm so flattered) to inspire these girls to strive for their goals. It has turned out to be quite the Saturday! 

While I was off learning about woman empowerment, my wonderful husband had a play date with McKinley. It's unseasonably warm out right now at 45 degrees in January so they had a park date! 

McKinley has missed the outdoors so much, so any chance we get to let her play outside without risk of ending up sick, we take. 

Since we have been so busy today, the crock pot is-a-cookin'. Below is the recipe for a delicious, flavorful and lean Slow Cooker Pot Roast. Happy Weekend Everybody and YOU GO GIRLS! 

For more information on the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana: www.girlscoutsindiana.org/ . 

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
For a flavorful, inexpensive meal that will feed quiet a few, this Pot Roast is a great choice. It's filled with vegetables, loaded with vitamins and protein. This is a great dish for a pregnant Mama and will certainly go over well with the hubby!

Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 8-10 hours (4-5 on high)

INGREDIENTS
4-5 lb Bottom Round Roast (or whatever is on sale at the Market)
5 large carrots
1/2 pound green beans
5 stalks of celery
6 yellow potatoes
1 medium yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low sodium beef broth
2 cups water
2 tbsps Worcestershire
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsps onion powder
2 tsps garlic powder
2 tsps oregano
1 tsp parsley

INSTRUCTIONS
Trim the fat off of your of your meat and tenderize.

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
Rub both sides of your roast with the dry ingredients and place it in the center of the crock pot.
Surround the roast with beef broth, water, Worcestershire, soy sauce and garlic.
Chop the carrots, onions, celery and potatoes; trim the ends of the green beans.

Place the potatoes and carrots in first, near the bottom, around the roast, then add in the celery, onion and green beans.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5.

It is so tender it just pulls apart. No knife necessary. Enjoy!

Toddler-Friendly Whole Wheat Banana Waffles

WHOLE WHEAT BANANA WAFFLES 

                               NO SUGAR!
                                  NO OIL!
                                           NO BUTTER!

These waffles are a-ma-zing!

 Not only does McKinley gobble them up...

but they are one of my favorite breakfast foods, too. They have no sugar, no oil and no butter and yet, they are so sweet and fluffy you almost won't believe it. You can even throw in a dash of ground flax seed or wheat germ for added nutrients, but for the basic healthy goodness, here is the recipe:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 5 Minutes
Total: 20 Minutes

Makes: 8 Waffles

Ingredients:
2 Ripe Bananas, mashed
1 Large Egg
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 tbsps All Natural Applesauce
1 Cup Milk

Toppings:
1 Banana, sliced
Pure Maple Syrup

Mix together the above ingredients well. Spray your waffle maker with nonstick spray. Pour about 1/4 cup size of batter into your waffle maker. Depending on the waffle maker it takes 3-5 minutes to cook. Top with banana slices and syrup and enjoy!

Warm Up with this Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup

It is a cold day here in Indiana. This isn't uncommon for January many of you Midwesterners know. McKinley is very tired since she has been up teething a lot lately, so I am taking advantage of nap time and throwing on some soup for dinner! Nothing tastes better on a cold winter day than hot soup. Plus this saves Mike the trouble of standing out on the porch grilling later tonight, With baby #2 coming we will be preparing a lot of crock pot meals in the future since they also serve great as Freezer Meals!

CROCK POT CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
Cooking Time: 6 hours (4 hours on high)
Serves: 4-6

5-6 Chicken Thighs, fat trimmed off
1 16 OZ Jar Salsa
2 cans low sodium Yellow Corn
1 can low sodium Black Beans
3 cups low sodium Chicken Broth
2 tbsps diced fresh cilantro
dash salt and pepper
Juice of 1 Lime
2 cloves garlic, minced

Toppings:
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 Avocado, chopped

Place chicken thighs on the bottom of your crock pot.
Pour salsa over the chicken.
Add remaining ingredients to the pot.

1 hour before serving shred your  chicken - the nice thing about these thighs is that they are so tender they basically shred themselves.

Serve with a sprinkling of shredded cheese and avocado!