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Showing posts with label Toddle Approved Meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toddle Approved Meals. Show all posts

Friday, 31 October 2014

Happy Halloween!

If you follow me on Instagram (here) you know that I have been creating wickedly yummy treats for the Little Ones in my home daycare for the past two weeks.  I am a little bit obsessed with all things Halloween and this year it migrated to my cooking.  Here is a peek at the deliciously spooky treats we enjoyed.


This was a simple yummy lunch.  I simply cut Jack-O-Lantern faces into flour tortillas, spread some goat cheese inside and baked at 350 degrees until the tortillas were crispy.


I froze these ghost, but you could also keep the bananas fresh.  Chocolate Chips created the eyes and mouth.  Alternatively you could melt chocolate, dip the bananas in it and then freeze.


Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a Halloween staple.  Over the years I have mastered this process, just a light coating of olive oil and some salt and pepper and these babies are done in about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Note I stir them around every 5-10 minutes to avoid burning.


These are beyond simple; pretzel sticks and cheese strings.  I did have one little one refuse to eat the cheese because she didn't recognize the cheese string she would normally devour, toddlers, geesh!


On the witching theme, these were made with sliced pitas, peanut butter and raisins, so simple.


Another yummy lunch idea is these Mummy Dogs, simply cut the hot dogs into a "person" and wrap in refrigerated biscuit dough.  The kids LOVED these.


A healthy snack is these Monster Mouths; peanut butter, apple, chocolate chips and pumpkin seeds.  The teeth options for these are endless, this is just what I had on hand.


Finally, the snack I LOVED the most, Mini Candy Apples. For these I followed this tutorial except I coated them in chocolate instead of toffee which I figured would be difficult for toddlers to bite through.  In the future I want to give yogurt a try (similar to these), which would need to be frozen and I am not sure how the apples would hold up.

Well these you have it, my week of haunted treats.  Have a great night trick-or-treating.




Monday, 27 October 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Slow Cooker Cooking

So it's been a really long time since I shared a Menu Plan with all of you.  Truth is I've been busy creating some new weekly menus centering around a wonderful, miraculous time saving device - my slow cooker.

I am sure if you've been reading my blog you have noticed I do A LOT of slow cooker cooking. Just check out some of my recipes here, here,and here.

This Friday is Halloween and what a great night to test drive your slow cooker.  You can prep everything the night before, pop it in the slow cooker in the Am and when you get home from work just serve the Littles dinner and you are out the door.  No drive-thru windows, no frozen pizza, just fresh, homemade goodness to fuel their Trick-or-Treating.  My family will be enjoying my Slow Cooker Chili (recipe here).

Below is this weeks menu.  Note I have also "Halloweenafide" our afternoon snacks at daycare, you can follow along on Instagram (here) as I share our Spooky Treats each day. 

Hope you all have a wonderful Halloween and enjoy Slow Cooking this week.


For recipes follow these links: Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Stew

Thursday, 23 October 2014

Slow Cooker Legume Soup

Is it just me or has this been the fastest/slowest October ever?

It seems like the month just started while at the same time it feels like it should be Christmas already.

When life gets busy I usually turn to my slow cooker to help out in the dinner department.  I have dedicated the month of October to using my slow cooker and have obtained a lot of inspiration from Pinterest (you can check out my Slow Cooker Board here).

The great thing about a slow cooker is you can usually throw a bunch of stuff in them and a beautiful meal comes popping out.



This recipe is exactly that, you simply throw everything in the pot and leave it alone. 


I LOVE when dinner can be simple even when life is not.


Monday, 29 September 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Why I Plan to Eat Out - September 29th - October 3rd, 2014

What an amazing Summer Fall weekend we just had; ours was a busy one.  Jon was busy with Laurier University Homecoming Weekend while our Little One started ballet lessons Saturday morning, throw in there a birthday party and some apple picking and busy we were.

Thanks to my friend Tina for taking this family photo.
 
Sometimes busy just sneaks up on you, when you are not even looking BOOM there it is.  It's 6:30pm and you are finally making it home (late of course) thanks to the traffic jam/late conference call/child meltdown, who knows what really made you late, but you are late, frazzled and hangry (yes that is hungry and angry combined).  Who really wants to make dinner on a day like that?


This is exactly why I ALWAYS give my family "permission" to eat out once a week.  This eat out day is typically planned for Friday because face it that is usually the day you just don't want to cook, but we allow flexibility on this one.  If Tuesday is suddenly a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day then I say eat out and just push your planned dinners ahead a day.



Enjoy this week's meal plan and remember to use your eat out day on any day of the week you might need it.


For Recipes follow these links: Green Eggs and Ham


Tuesday, 16 September 2014

Oven Roasted Chicken Wings

Currently my Little One is in LOVE with Chicken Wings.  In fact when she asks for more she does this cute little wing flap with her arms which her Dad and I LOVE.


 She was anxiously awaiting this super easy and quick weeknight dinner and getting quite annoyed that Mommy kept taking photos instead of letting here eat.  Oh the life of a child of a #foodblogger.


Like I said these wings are quick (ready in under an hour) and super tasty and pair well with a store bought salad or freezer fries for a yummy #weeknight meal.


The only dishes you dirty are a mixing bowl and baking sheet (which I recommend covering with foil for easy clean up).


I made two pounds of wings for our family of three.  The wings I got from Dutchies here is Waterloo were HUGE so this was more then enough.  If your family needs more I would say double the recipe for every two pound of wings you add.



Monday, 8 September 2014

Menu Plan Monday - September 8th -12th, 2014


And I am back with another wonderful meal plan.  

Enjoy this week and the final hints of summer in the air.  Follow me all week on Instagram at rebeccassunshine as I share mini recipes and tutorials on all things food, daycare and decor.


 Family Menu
September 8th - 12th

DAY
BREAKFAST
SNACK
LUNCH
SNACK
DINNER
MONDAY

Avocado
Tomato
And Bacon
On
Toast



Bananas


PB & J
Sandwiches
With
 Raspberries



Apples
Sauce


Slow Cooker
Asian Pepper Steak and
Rice

TUESDAY







Cereal


Peaches



Pizza
And
Veggies


Bear
Paws


Pork Chops
Sidekick Noodles
Bok Choy

WEDNESDAY





Protein Shakes
And
HB Eggs


Grapes

Chicken
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Taziki



Crasins


Sweet Potato Soup 
And
Bread

THURSDAY






Oatmeal


Apples

Waffles
And
Sausages



Yogurt

Chicken
Wings
And
Caesar Salad

FRIDAY






Breakfast
Sandwiches


Fruit Salad

Chicken Fingers
And
Veggies

Chocolate Milkshakes


Open Night


Wednesday, 6 August 2014

Peach Donuts

Check these babies out!


I am finding fresh, juicy Ontario Peaches at the Farmer's Market and Grocery stores and I am LOVING it.  Peaches are perfect to make donuts. Say What???


These healthy, yes you heard me right HEALTHY DONUTS are super duper yummy, a great way to use in season produce and toddler approved.


 All you have to do is slice the peaches, dip them in yogurt, cover in sprinkles and freeze.  Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeeze (yes you just read that right).


Anna and the other daycare children LOVED them.


Why not give them a try.


Tuesday, 22 July 2014

Beef Roll Ups

It's summer and that means the kids are home all.day.long.  Our Chipmunk is not old enough for school yet, so she is home with me everyday of the year anyway as well as a few other little ones.  I've mentioned it before and I am sure I will mention it a million more times (sorry). In addition to writing this blog I also run a home daycare.  That means that everyday I have a few toddlers to feed two snacks and a lunch.

Feeding kids can be one of the biggest challenges parents face and when they are home for more meals then usual it can become a daunting task.



These Beef Roll Ups are great for summer.  They are a cold lunch option that is packed with flavour and received the stamp of approval from my daycare kids.


They can also be packed up for a picnic.


And the flavour will excited adult taste buds as well.