{Gluten Free} Mini Snack Bars

Hello All!!  Its been so long since I've posted that I hardly know what to start with! How about, Happy New Year! Its still technically the new year and I think its still allowed right? Since just before Christmas, things have been crazy around here with two boys in hockey,  a major holiday, school commitments, etc. Its sometimes hard to come up for air! So I apologize for my blog neglect, and I hope that this doesn't happen again (at least for a long time...).

I'm excited to share this amazing recipe! It happened because I messed up another recipe and didn't realize until I had half of the bars pressed into the Perfect Petites mould. So then I thought, rather than scoop it all out and start again, I'd just give it a go and see what the results would be. Well I'm thrilled to report.... they. are. DELICIOUS! And for a gluten free treat (especially a homemade one) no one else even noticed! They are the perfect consistency, kind of like a granola bar with a soft centre. How EXCITING!! So then I thought to myself, "YAY! Lunch treats!". Except then I thought to myself, "you DOPE! You put pecans in the recipe!". So I'm making the pecans optional and saying use either that or double the dried fruit for gluten free, nut free yumminess!

Creamy Dilly Cucumber Bean Salad

I'm still in salad mode while the weather stays nice. I love salads of all  kinds, and I love trying new things! If you missed them, check out my recipes for Greek Quinoa Salad, Taco Bean Salad & Cranberry Arborio Salad.

In the past few weeks the neighbours' garden has had a surplus of cucumbers. First of all I'd like to say this makes me sad & sentimental as we have not found the time for our garden over the past two summers. I loved my garden. I really wanted to have a small one this year but there are just not enough hours in the day with my little army of boys around here. My hope is that next summer the two older boys will be excited & helpful with a little garden. But I digress, I'd like to thank my neighbours for growing too much and sharing. It also makes me very happy to have fresh produce from their lovely garden and I love the inspiration for new recipes to use these fresh veggies!

10 Easter Brunch Recipes {Perfect Pins}

Here's a quick collection of Easter Brunch ideas. Its a little last minute, but I couldn't resist sharing! 

It looks like my baby won't be making an appearance before the Bunny comes, so I might actually get a chance to try out a few of these recipes for Sunday morning!  

Slow Cooker Italian Ranch Beef - Prepped in 2 Mins or Less!

I have to share this recipe for two reasons. 1) Its the most delicious recipe of my whole life I'm pretty sure and 2) it takes less than 2 minutes to prep. I am so happy that a girlfriend shared this with me, and that I was able to try it at her house so that I was extremely motivated to make it. I actually called my hubby on the way home and asked him to pick up the stewing beef so that I could make it the next day! Now I have to say that the original recipe called for three different envelopes of mixes (can you say SODIUM OVERLOAD!), but my brilliant friend modified the recipe to include the delicious Epicure products that we love.

Tomato Zucchini Soup

Recently I have been trying to fill the freezer with meals that will be handy for when I'm in the hospital, and for once we are home with this new baby.  I'm all about convenience and fast meals.  

Here is the easiest soup recipe you have ever made. Well, its not quite as easy as opening a can... but its pretty darn close!

Chocolate Peach Smootie

I've been getting a lot done around the house these days, and I have been trying to sneak in quick meals during the day so as not to interrupt the flow! I get easily sidetracked and so stopping to make lunch will usually end in me sitting on the couch for the rest of the afternoon catching up on my recorded shows. Did I mention this is week 32 of pregnancy? I think its a good enough excuse!

The To Do List for today has been shortened (due to my probably overdoing it a little yesterday) but I really hope to get through most of it. Wish me luck!

I slowed down to make some lunch, and with a lot of things being far less than appealing, I decided to make a smoothie. Now, this recipe might not sound delicious as I was just looking through the fridge and threw in whatever looked delicious. It turned out so tasty! I can't even believe it. Even now as I write this recipe out I feel like it looks like a strange combination. Give it a try though. Its so yummy!

Rise & Shine: Healthy Breakfast Omlette

Mornings are always a crunch around here trying to get everyone organized and ready for the days.  Today we were off for Family Day and it was nice to have the extra day with no plans, no school, no work & no hockey!  I took the opportunity to put together a delicious breakfast.  I LOVE really good breakfast.  Who am I kidding?... I love food in general.  But there is something about a big, healthy breakfast that makes me extraordinarily happy.  

This morning I played a little game of "What's in the Fridge", and here's what I came up with!  It was SOOOOO tasty & filling.  The boys chose to go for boiled eggs & bacon.  I enjoyed this fabulous omlette to myself.  I can't say I'm sad that they didn't want to share!  

10 Recipes for Fall Soups {Perfect Pins}

This week the cold weather has set in.  I wasn't ready.  At all.  I'm still wearing sandals.  Today I couldn't feel my toes when I got home.  I suppose I can't fight it any longer.  Fall is in the air.

What better way to transition into the cooler months, than to collect a list of hearty fall soups to warm up with.  Here are just a few that I found to get you started....

10 Crockpot Recipes {Perfect Pins}

With less than one week left to get organized, here are this week's perfect pins for crockpot recipes!  

OMG! I Love to Cook

Chef This Up

Living Mama Style

Sally Cooks

A Bear in the Kitchen

Just A Pinch Recipes

Key Ingredient

The Crockpot Recipe

Michelle Marie

Epicure Selections

10 Weekly Planner Ideas {Perfect Pins}

Keeping up the momentum in preparation for Back to School, I found all these great weekly planning tools to help ease into the routine and scheduling that will be required now that there will be school AND extracurricular activities (my boys are into swimming and hockey).  

Easy Weeknight Pasta Dish - Gluten Free

Tonight's dinner was brought to us by 'hurry up', 'everyone's starving' & 'no time'.  We had a wonderful family photo session with a great friend of mine that I will share at a later date so supper plans got a little fragmented.  Hubby had browned the beef before we left and when we returned I played a quick game of "What's in the Cupboards?"

10 Back to School Lunch Ideas {Perfect Pins}

With back to school JUST around the corner, I thought I would seek out some fun lunch ideas for the boys.  My oldest is starting into Grade 1, and my middle is starting Kindergarten!  I can't even believe how fast these last few years have gone!  


Here they are, my fav 10 Back to School Lunch Ideas!

Gluten Free Greek Style Pitas

There aren't many things that I really really miss about having a regular diet. Pitas are one thing that I really really do. I've been searching and I haven't found a brand or store that carries them gluten free, so I made my own! I didn't know how this would turn out, but GOOD NEWS! They are delicious!! (& fairly simple to make!) 

Foodie Friday: Cheesy Tomato & Zucchini

Here's a great simple side that goes with pretty much anything you're serving.  And the very best part:  its only 3 ingredients!  Yep.  3. That's it.  And they are all in the title of this post.


Cheesy Tomato & Zucchini

2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
3/4 c. shredded cheese

Summer Salads Series: Cranberry Arborio

This salad is not as quick to make as the last, but I assure you, it's worth the long ingredient list and the time to prepare! I've been trialing the recipes I post on my hubby and baby (the other boys won't eat these types of salads despite persistence on my part. This recipe was approved (hubby even took seconds!). 

For this one, the ingredients all get combined and stirred. 

Simple. 

Meals for the week

I'm feeling very inspired by my dear friend who was inspired by the recipes I shared on fb.  I'm hoping to figure out how to create a 'Recipes' tab on here where it will be fast and easy to find.  Here's hoping my bloggy buddy I'm meeting with soon will hook us up!

Anyway, I'd like to share the recipes I made earlier this week, all in one day.  I prefer to binge cook, and I often make 4-6 recipes in one day.  I freeze in portions for later consumption.  Its way easier for me than dealing with the burden of daily meal preparation.  That's when I get the blahs... having to cook/plan daily.  Also, I will be returning to work in a few weeks & I am motivated to fill my freezer before doomsday so that we have quick weeknight options.  

Can I just throw in that I am typing all this with my left hand... as I am holding my wee little one who won't nap in his crib this afternoon.  He was in there for long enough that I switched the laundry over, swept/scrubbed the entryway,  had a snack & read a book with my middle dude.  I'm way better at this than I thought.  Maybe 20 wpm or so. haha.

(I am aware the blanket is pink... We were also making pink forts today.)  

Ok, back to the recipes.  You will notice that most of what I am cooking contains some kind of Epicure products.  Its taken over our kitchen.  Seriously.  Look at the wall....

While walking through the grocery store I picked up what was on sale (pork tenderloin & ground beef), and also some delicious looking sweet potatoes.  I used the recipe search on the Epicure Selections website to find recipes for my ingredients.  I was delighted to find one that was for pork tenderloin & sweet potatoes!!

Here it is!  

http://www.epicureselections.com/en/recipe/4300/grilled-adobo-pork-tenderloin-with-barbecued-sweet-potatoes

I also made the recipes on the side of the jars for Epicure's Classic Meatballs & Everyday Meatloaf.

Here are the links:

http://www.epicureselections.com/en/recipe/1533/classic-meatballs

http://www.epicureselections.com/en/recipe/2387/everyday-meatloaf


These recipes are super easy.  I spent only about 45 mins doing prep.  I froze half the meatloaf (cooked them in mini pans so it was easier to portion).  

The pork was enough for dinner & lunches twice (there may actually be a bit left kicking around in the fridge).  

We used the meatballs for spaghetti.  I made the sauce:



EASY SPAGHETTI SAUCE

1 can diced tomato
2 tbsp Epicure's Marinara Sauce Mix
1 1/2 cups cauliflour (steamed and pureed)

I used my Mix & Masher on the tomatoes first, then I simmered all ingredients together for about 20 minutes.

It was a hit!

The meatloaf is on the menu tonight with oven fries and steamed broccoli.  


Happy Meal Planning!