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Triple Berry Smoothie Pops

August 16, 2015

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops // For School Lunches

Well, it’s hard to believe… but summer vacation is officially over for my crew. Boy that went by fast! Two months out of school surely wasn’t enough! We fit in a couple road trips to far off places, a week of VBS, and some time visiting with close friends. Besides that…. we soaked up the down time together.

I’m still in denial about the school schedule and extra curricular activities. I don’t personally love being tied down to a schedule, so it’s something I struggle with every year. We’ve embarked on quite a few big changes in our family… one being the start of middle school for my oldest (wish us luck)! I hope to update the blog with photos of our summer adventures and news about this new chapter in our lives. Until then… let’s talk school lunches!

I have to admit that I fell into a rut last year when packing their daily lunches. My oldest is pretty picky and won’t eat typical lunch items. I found myself making three to four different lunches every day. My goal was always to provide them with a healthy variety of foods, but towards the end of the school year… I was completely over it all!

This year, I’ve started thinking about different things I could include to mix things up. I watched a few videos on school lunches, including this one from 100 Days of Real Food. I really appreciated her ideas about making at least one thing in their lunches ahead of time (like soup, homemade uncrustables, muffins, or even frozen smoothie pops)!

That brings me to this post! I purchased these super cool silicone mighty pop reusable holders from Sunsella. They’re durable, dishwasher safe, and easy to use! Simply fill with your favorite smoothie recipe, freeze, and pop into your kids’ school lunches!

I don’t tend to use smoothie recipes… I prefer throwing in the fresh/frozen fruit that I have on hand. I always add a few things to make them even healthier, too … such as almond milk, coconut water, greek yogurt, nut butters, and/or chia seeds. I included some helpful tips, links to buying the molds, and also a Triple Berry Smoothie Pop recipe for you to try out! Happy lunch packing, friends!

TIPS & LINKS //

Mix up your favorite healthy smoothie recipe and use a funnel to fill your silicone molds. I used this funnel from Oxo. (There is also an optional strainer you can attach to the funnel for those of you that have picky kids that don’t like chunks of fruit in their frozen pops). I used these Sunsella Mighty Pops for the mold.
Leave approximately one-inch of room at the top of the mold to allow for expansion once the smoothie mixture freezes.
Freeze overnight or for a minimum of 4-6 hours.
Depending on your insulated lunch box, the pops may stay frozen, or turn into a cold drinkable smoothie!
This is a simple recipe that the kids can help with! From my experience, if they help, they tend to be more open to trying new things!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Triple Berry Smoothie Pops

A simple way to add healthy smoothies to your kids' school lunches!

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: School Lunches

Servings: 6

Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

2 cups of coconut water
2 cups of fresh or frozen berries I used strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1-2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients into your blender.
Blend on high for approximately 1 minute until smooth.
Add in more coconut water if the mixture appears too thick.
Using a funnel, pour smoothie mixture into silicone molds. (I used large plastic tumblers to hold the molds in place while I poured in the liquid.)
Leave one-inch of room at the top of the mold to allow for expansion when the smoothie freezes.
Place lids on molds and freeze (standing upright -- I placed my tumblers in the freezer) for 4-6 hours.
These can be made ahead of time and used as desired in school lunches, for quick breakfasts, or for snacks!
Enjoy!

Watermelon Salsa

June 30, 2015

Watermelon Salsa //

There’s nothing better than a quick and simple homemade salsa! The flavors are robust and so fresh with a medley of vegetables, cilantro, and…. WATERMELON (the secret ingredient that has made this my new summertime favorite)!

This Watermelon Salsa is delicious served as an appetizer with some salty tortilla chips … or it can be used as a fresh topping on poultry or fish. (I even love eating it completely plain — straight out of the bowl with a spoon!) You can even add a heaping spoonful into the center of a sliced avocado and eat it for lunch. (YUM!)

The salsa will remind you of your favorite pico de gallo, only better! The sweet bites of watermelon… combined with chopped bell peppers, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro balance the amazing flavors present in the dish!

Not only is it clean and healthy… it’s pretty to look at, too! Don’t you think?

This Watermelon Salsa would taste fabulous with roasted corn, black beans, chunks of fresh avocado, or sliced cherry tomatoes thrown in the mix. (I love a recipe that’s easy to customize according to what you have on hand!) It’s the perfect appetizer to bring to an upcoming Fourth of July Party or summertime soiree! Enjoy, friends!

Print Recipe

Watermelon Salsa

This tasty Watermelon Salsa is filled with healthy, fresh ingredients! It's a simple Fourth of July appetizer or summer potluck dish!

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer

Servings: 8 -12

Author: Simply Happenstance adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1/2 whole Small Seedless Watermelon Diced
1/2 whole Red Onion Diced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper Seeded and Diced
1 whole Green Bell Pepper Seeded and Diced
1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper Seeded and Diced
2 whole Jalapeños Seeded and Diced
1 whole Bunch Fresh Cilantro Chopped
1-2 whole Limes Juiced
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

Instructions

Combine all prepared ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Give it a good stir and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Keeps for one day, so get those chips ready!
*Optional ingredients // sliced avocado, sliced cherry tomatoes, black beans, and/or roasted corn.

Notes

Serve fresh salsa with tortilla chips for an appetizer, or scoop into one half of an avocado and eat for lunch! Also delicious as a topping for poultry and fish.

Original recipe from The Pioneer Woman // https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/06/watermelon-pico-de-gallo/

Protein Packed Energy Bites

April 28, 2015

Protein Packed Energy Bites //

There are few things I enjoy more than whipping up something delicious for my four little ones. I love knowing the ingredients that go into the foods that nourish their bodies. I also love the sweet smiles on their cute little faces when they bite into homemade treats!

This recipe is a simple one that the kids can even help with. With only a handful of healthful ingredients — this snack can be made in minutes. Their little hands are perfect for rolling the (no-bake) mixture into bite-sized balls.

I must admit, once you take your first bite, you may feel a little guilty! It’s sort of like eating a ball of cookie dough… only this time, you don’t have to sneak it!

Oatmeal, flaxseed, chia seeds, natural peanut butter, unsweetened coconut, raw honey, and chocolate chips make up the ingredients. The kids will have no idea that you are really filling up their bellies with protein-packed energy food!

These energy bites are great served as part of breakfast, packed in school lunches, eaten as an afternoon snack, prepared for upcoming road trips, for a fun day hiking, or an outing to the beach. (In fact, these little goodies will be accompanying my little girl on her field trip today!)

There are so many ways that you can customize these energy balls to make them your own! Try adding nuts, pretzels pieces, dried fruit, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, and/or endless other ingredients! (Just make sure to add enough nut butter and honey to bind it all together.) Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Protein Packed Energy Bites

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Healthy Snack

Servings: 20 -25

Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

1 cup dry oatmeal
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup raw honey
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1/2 hour.
Once chilled, roll into balls (I used a 1" cookie scoop to make mine bite-sized for the kids). If the mixture isn't forming/staying in a ball, simply add a bit more honey to bind it all together.
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

Avocado Toast

February 17, 2015

Avocado Toast //

So… I’ve been on a serious {carb-overload} toast kick. I can’t seem to shake it. I usually start my day with a healthy, protein-packed smoothie, but lately… all I crave is a warm cup of coffee and a buttery piece of toast. {Yikes!} Perhaps not the healthiest way to start my day {insert frown face}. I’ve noticed within an hour or two, my stomach is already growling. I decided it’s best not to fight my craving, but instead… let it ride out. After all, how long can this toast addiction of mine last?

So, in an effort to make my latest obsession a little more nutritious, I gave Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe for Avocado Toast a try. It’s from her It’s All Good cookbook – a fave of mine! You guys… how have I not been eating this? Not only did I love it… but so did 3 out of 4 of my kids {success, right?}! It reminded me of my husby’s tasty homemade guacamole on toast! PERFECTION, I tell you!

As you can imagine, the ingredients are super simple… some healthy bread, mayo, ripe avocados, sea salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. [Read more…]

Summer Pasta Salad

July 22, 2014

:: Summer Pasta Salad ::

Do you find, in the summer, that you cook less or look for easier recipes? I certainly do! Our days have been filled with outings, lots of outside time playing, and for us… packing up our mountain home in preparation for our upcoming move {not so fun!}.

During the school year, I’m fairly good at sticking to a routine of eating dinner at a reasonable time so that I can get the kids in bed around 8 p.m. In the summertime, that’s not the case! Usually, I’m throwing dinner together on a whim… with little time to spare! This recipe for a chilled Summer Pasta Salad is perfect for nights like that! [Read more…]

Healthy Taco Salad {vegetarian}

January 23, 2014

:: Healthy Taco Salad ::

Confession: When my husby is home from work… I do very little cooking. With our new life in the mountains, he not only does 100% of the grocery shopping, but also cooks, so I can focus on homeschooling our four little ones. We eat very well when he is home! He’s super creative in the kitchen {thanks to the near decade he’s spent as a firefighter}. I am truly one lucky wifey!

This healthy Taco Salad is one of our family favorites. We love it because it is so versatile, quick, and easy to prepare. You can basically cut up and add-in any fresh veggies you have on hand from your garden or market. {For meat lovers… you can grill up some chicken, or prepare ground turkey, or lean ground beef to add to the salad.} To be honest… I rarely use dressing, instead I mash up the avocado and add a dollop of salsa. {If you like sour cream or plain greek yogurt, it would make it even creamier!} For those of you that love a simple dressing… a Creamy Cilantro Avocado or Italian drizzled on top tastes divine! [Read more…]