Red Lentil Dip

This weekend I made a Red Lentil Dip. I got the original recipe here. I found it made too much, so I cut the recipe in 1/2. Two of those bowls full of dip is just too much for my family of 4. You're getting a recipe that makes 1 of them. I also added more spices. To me it just was too bland. With the spices added I love it!

You can dip corn chips, pita chips or crackers into it. It's fairly healthy!

Usually I can't get Mica to have dip at all. He'll eat up our chips, and leave the dip behind. On Sunday he gobbled up much of the dip. 

The best parts are:

1. That it was super easy to make! 
2. That it is full of protein. My boys won't be coming back after this snack to say, "I'm hungry!"

Red Lentil Dip by AlissaSpiehs-Apel on Scribd

Great Kids Snack Box Review

I have 1 little basketball player that's going through a growth spurt. Great Kids Snack Box is there to help with this. They send out monthly boxes that are loaded with individually wrapped snacks.

Protein that's great before his practices and games:

Food that hydrates, and gives him natural sugars after practices and games:

Daily snacks because he's active and growing:

What do we love about Great Kids Snack Box:

• It's filled up! There's no waist in this box.
• Everything is individually wrapped. If Isaak doesn't like something, then Mica will eat it. Isaak I know already doesn't like dried fruit, so Mica will snack that down.
• The snacks are healthy for the most part. One could argue that anything prepackaged isn't healthy. Compared to all other prepackaged things these are very healthy snacks!
• Perfect for a wide age range. These snacks will work for my 8 year old, but my 11 year can equally enjoy them. 
• It has a wide variety of things in it. 
• There's free shipping. 
• Cost wise it's fairly inexpensive: $39.95. It may seem like a lot, but there's a lot in the box.

What I wish Great Kids Snack Box had:

• I wish they'd have a survey section to get to know their audience before parents order from them. If someone has toddlers maybe the snacks would be different than older kids. Some kids may love protein bars, while others do not. Then the boxes could be tailored to each family. This is really the only change I'd make. 

Do you like getting monthly boxes?

Disclaimer: I received this product to help with this review. I was not influenced in any way when writing this review.

Mini Apple Tarts

Sometimes I get this wild idea to be creative with food for breakfast on the weekends. When I have time. Sigh

I hate don't like making pies. Ok it's the crust I don't like fitting into a pan. If I can buy a crust pre made I'll do it. I should just watch tutorials on how to put crust in a pie dish. I've tried, and failed many times over again. Something always rips.

I can do what I did this weekend, which is cheat!

Why frustrate myself when I can make a crisp, or what I made this weekend Mini Apple Tarts?

Seriously if you have tips, or know of a great tutorial on laying pie crust in a pan I'll read the tips or watch the tutorial.

Mini Apple Tarts:

Mini Apple Tarts are easy, taste good, and are pretty healthy.

I made 1/2 a recipe of pie crust, but you can make however much you'd like. If you want a lot of tarts make a full batch. You'll just be in the kitchen longer. I used this crust recipe, but any recipe will do.

It helps to refrigerate the dough for 1/2 an hour, or you could make the dough the night before.

Roll out the dough and cut it into circles with a glass, or circle cookie cutter.

Mini Apple Tarts

Cut apples into circle slices. Add onto the dough, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, crimp the edges and bake.

We set the oven to 425 degrees. It took about an hour to bake them to our liking. I was looking for the apple to be baked, and the crust to be tan. 

They were good! We all liked them!

I could see making Mini Peach Tarts too. Although the big seed in the middle gets in the way for a close to perfect circle.

You could top with a dollop of whipped cream. It would taste good with vanilla ice cream for a dessert. We actually had them for breakfast though.

Nest Protein Bites

I made these easy No Bake - Nest Protein Bites. 

You just combine all the ingredients, minus the Dove Dark Chocolate Eggs in a mixing bowl.

I use a cookie scoop to scoop them out to be the same uniform size and shape. If my hands, or the scoop gets sticky I just drizzle water on them.

Add a Dove Dark Chocolate Egg to each one.

They will store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Around our house they never last that long though.

They are super good for breakfast, or snacks. This is the first time I've made them, but they are great for around spring and Easter.

No Bake Nest Protein Bites

‪#‎CheezItExtraToasty‬ Review

My boys are always hungry! I hear, "Can I have a snack?" and "Can I have dessert?" all the time. 

Everyone in our house was super happy when I got a HUGE box in the mail from Cheez-It Extra Toasty. It was packed with all kinds of fun things.

Included:

• Soft T-shirts
• Sunglasses With a Case
• Flip Flops
• A Cheez-It Blanket
• Cheez-It Socks
• Cheez-It Beach Ball
• Cheez-It Extra Toasty Crackers

I was destined to like Cheez-It's. Why? Because when my Mom gave birth to me my Dad was eating them. My Mom turned to him and said, "Put the Cheez-It's down. Help me deliver this baby!" 
 
The products in the box are so fun! The boys were cracking me up because they've been fighting over the sunglasses, socks and blanket. In fact Mica said, "When it gets cold out again can I have that blanket on my bed?" I said, "Sure, but really it's my blanket." They've taken turns wearing the socks. Those to are mine. ;)

We have all dived into the Cheez-It Extra Toasty Crackers. I teased Travis saying, "Those are mine. I got them for review. You can't have them." I let the boys devour one box, and the other box I mixed in with pretzels.

Mica was home one day when Isaak was out with a friend. He became my Cheez-It Extra Toasty model.

I happen to love the sunglasses! They say, "Extra Toasty" on the side.

Mica's favorites were the crackers, the socks, and the blanket. Isaak's favorites where the crackers, and beach ball.

Are you a Cheez-It fan? Try out Cheez-It Extra Toasty crackers! They will not disappoint you!

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from Cheez-It. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Apricot Almond Protein Bites

Apricot Almond Protein Bites

They turned out really good! We have enough for a few breakfasts.

Mom and Boy Approved!

If you need a daily intake calculator, you can check one out here: https://fitnessvolt.com/protein-calculator/.

Apple Sandwiches

I love sandwiches. Since I'm trying to be gluten free, I've been trying to stay away from bread. Even some of the gluten free breads have things in them that are questionable.

I saw a simple snack pinned, awhile back. I knew I wanted to try making the snack. Off to the store I went to get some organic apples.

I don't get organic everything, but with apples I get organic ones. Their skins are so thin, that the pesticides sprayed on non organic apples goes right through to the apple. On top of that apple companies put a wax coating to make it shinny, and more appealing to buy.

I'll take the apple with no wax thank you.

I made what I call Apple Sandwiches. It was a hit with Mica and Isaak!

1. First wash an apple, and cut an apple into slices.

2. Next cut out the center of the apple. There is way less waste cutting an apple this way, than any other way.

3. Find the biggest apple pieces, and spread a nut butter on them. I used homemade almond butter. There's sunflower seed butter, and peanut butter you could use to. I try and use nut butters that have little added to them.

4. Next you can sprinkle any or all the above: Nuts, seeds, oatmeal, unsweetened coconut, mini cinnamon, or chocolate chips. I sprinkled pumpkin seeds, oatmeal, and mini chocolate chips on ours.

We looked in the store, and pumpkin seeds have more protein than any of the nuts. I'm trying to use them more.

5. You can put an apple slice on the top, or you can leave the top off. Either way they are yummy!

6. I added a little tiny bit of local honey comb on the boy's sandwiches. They loved it.

It was an easy, peasy good treat!

Breakfast Cookies With a Downloadable Recipe

Daddy says he only likes peanut Butter Cookies, Sugar Cookies, or Chocolate Chip Cookies. All those have so much sugar in them. I've been trying not to make them. They are just too tempting to me.

I felt like something a little different, so I tried out some Breakfast Cookies. They are good! Ours had homemade Almond Butter in them, but you can use any nut butter to make them.

We had them with our typical breakfast: Greens and a smoothie. I also gave them to the boys as a snack. They are hungry all the time. This is a much healthier alternative to the typical cookie. 

Breakfast Cookies

Oatmeal Superfood Power Bars

It's time to pick June Berries again. I'm always searching for recipes, and ideas on how to use them. Really any recipe that has Blueberries, June Berries can be used as a replacement.

I just tried a new recipe. This recipe I did actually make with Blueberries, but next time I plan on replacing the Blueberries with June Berries.

Oatmeal Superfood Power Bars

The boys love Oatmeal Superfood Power Bars. Even Daddy loves them. He's the pickiest one out of all of us. This morning breakfast consisted of: Oatmeal Superfood Power Bars, steamed Collard Greens, and a smoothie with mixed fruit, kale and water.