Toddler Approved Salmon Cakes

Hey hey, this post was suppose to go up Wednesday but mama is a walking Zombie, we made them today again to shoot for the blog.

The girls favorite night is when we have enough time to cook together and since little Miss Ami is feeling so much better we just enjoyed it all so much. Ahhhh so hard for out tiny humans to not feel well! Here is to maybe just maybe kicking this virus out of our home!!

One of the goals I have for the DISHES part of this blog is to share more of my pantry staples and what I do with them. You know the things you keep in your pantry to ensure you can always whip a healthy meal everyone will eat? Well canned wild salmon is one of the things I always make sure I have a few of. I swear it is a LOT better than it sounds, very similar to tuna and so many of the nutrients I like to fill our bellies with.

Sometimes I just sauté and add to rice, top a salad with it but most recently I have been making these little salmon cakes out of them. SO SO SO easy, and quick. Which means the perfect meal.

---

STAPLE PANTRY INGREDIENTS

1 cup Whole Wheat Panko Crumb

1/4 cup Italian Bread Crumbs

2 Cans of wild salmon

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp Maple Syrup (we love the organic Costco one, or if we are in Vermont we always grab some of the good stuff)

2 tbsp Flax Seed Powder

1 tsp Paprika

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp each salt & pepper

Buns (optional)

STAPLE FRIDGE ITEMS

2 Eggs

Recipe

Drain as much water as possible from both cans.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients.

Mix all together, but careful to not over mix.

Heat a heavy pan to medium heat.

And cook about 3-4 minutes on each side.

While they are cooking if you wanted to create a kiddo friendly sauce whisk up a couple tablespoons of ketchup, a splash of rice vinegar, 1/2 tbsp of honey and an itty bitty dot of chili paste (Ami LOVES spicy and in moderation Zoe is also fine with it) all together and you can have your kiddos dip or serve right on top.

---

You can choose to make these without buns but if you are smart you'd add these little King's Hawaiin buns to your grocery order ( I grabbed at Target) because the girls feel like they are such a treat.

We serve on a salad, on a bun, with white rice, or even on seaweed wrap. You can serve with whatever your heart may want or your pantry may have... lol. You can even create a little burger bar with different toppings for picky kids (give them what seems like a choice and the love it!)

Any way you have them they are perfect for next week's meal prep.

I will say cooking with kids is SO hard but man oh man is it my favorite thing to do with these girls. Love how they can both be pretty good with directions right now and actually help (very messily help, but still help!). And as you can see they have no fun at all! haha!

Hope you all have a great Friday!

xoxo

Natalie

**Makes about 12 small burgers, probably about 6 regular sized ones, double the recipe, for meal prep, lunches or the freezer. I like to freeze them cooked but either way works!

#dishes #kidfriendly #toddlerfood #salmon

Winter Meal Round Up

Heyyy there, what's for dinner? Are you like me and (most weeks) have shopped, meal planned and prepped during the weekend? It's just easier for me to do when I have kiddo support and a chance to sit hot coffee. Or do you just wing it?

I find that knowing what I want to make and prepped, really helps me be the best version of myself during the week. I even go as far as writing out snack and lunch options for all of us on our chalkboard to help keep us on track and not waste food.

There really is no need to pull meals from scratch, I tend to have about 20 I rotate. And since I get the "help, I need meal inspo" DM's regularly I thought I'd share some favs and a few I want to try the next two months.

1. Arroz Con Pollo (I make this 2x a month!)

2. Sriracha Lime Turkey Tenderloin (love adding maple syrup instead of honey to this!)

3. Sweet Potato & Black Beans Tacos (I make these with shredded chicken)

4. Hoping to try and make these sweet potato tortillas this month

5. Skinny Taste Enchiladas (have not made these in a while)

6. Lemony Garlic Chicken Pasta Dish that everyone loves, so easy if I make the pasta ahead of time!

7. Asian Garlic Paleo Noodles (I am adding this to our meal plan next week)

8. Making this Spicy Chicken White Bean Soup this week

9. This Mongolian Beef dish is a family FAVORITE, plus some meal plan/prep tips I swear by.

10. Obsessed with Sheet Man Dinners, this chicken fajitas one for taco Tuesday.

11. I want to make this flank steak sheet pan dinner.

12. Cashew Chicken Dinner, girls are obsessed with this.

13. One Pan Sausage & Peppers is another family favorite. ( love to add squash or sweet potatoes or serve over rice or in a roll with a big salad on the side)

14. This twist on Stuffed Peppers is another thing I want to toss in our rotation.

15. Sweet Potato Shepards Pie is on this week's menu, absolutely love Sara and her recipes!

16. We always make a pasta dish, it's easy (easier all in one pan) and everyone loves it.

17. This Cornbread Sloppy Joe Casserole looks so indulgent for a really cold night.

18. Crock Pot Beef Stew (have not made it this winter, I change up this recipe a bit every time).

19. I love this chili but most of the time I add 2 cans of black beans!

20. Making this Crockpot Taco Soup for dinner tonight! (I added black beans, used ground turkey and did about 1 tbsp of each seasoning (minus the salt & red pepper flakes) and I add olive oil too.

21. Love This Fried Quinoa recipe, I make this with brown rice, white rice, even faro. so good. Heats up well and so yummy.

Lunch/Pick Up Snack

Greek Yogurt Drops (Ami's favorites)

These Cheerio cookies too (with sunbutter & chia seeds w/ Whole Foods cheerio's)

These apple "donuts" are the girls favorite snack or desert!

Super Food Energy Bites, I make a version of these at least 2-3 times a month.

Chia Pumpkin Bread (love making a loaf for a treat or breakfast)

Chicken Nuggets (for lunches and sides!)

Dino (spinach) Muffins (are awesome for pickup snack, in the lunch box, or breakfast on the go!)

Hopefully these help!!! Any other type of meals you are looking for? I am hoping to share some of my favorite Weight Watcher meals and snacks soon, so watch out. :)

xoxo

Natalie.

Here are some previous meal rounds ups and I promise to keep these going!

Shredded Chicken Recipes

10 Easy to Freeze Recipes

25 Lunch Box Ideas

#dishes

'Dino Muffins'

Ahhhhh I am finally (knocks on wood one million times) feeling like myself. Feb 1 was the beginning of my year and that's that. Seriously. Have you got your year started yet?

First up on the things I want to share is more meal prepping/make ahead stuff for the girls. I thought it was silly to share these because they are so easy but then again it's exactly why I love them. They are easy, (even to make with your little ones) they are healthy and filling.

The best part is that you can pretty much make any version of these that you would like. Like adding zucchini, red peppers, or even make them savory and add pieces of bacon or sweet with a couple dark chocolate chips! The possibilities are endless.

I usually would have stalled on posting because I don't have my camera but iPhone photos will have to do!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsweetened applesauce (two of those applesauce pouches work too! )

1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

2+ cup fresh organic spinach (I use a whole bag)

4 ripe banana

1/2 cup Organic Agave (sometimes use maple syrup or honey)

2 tbsp Organic Coconut Oil

2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (regular flour works too!)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon (more or less here depending on your kiddos)

RECIPE

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Put all of the wet ingredients (applesauce, egg, vanilla, spinach, (or any veggies you are using) banana, maple syrup and coconut oil, all into a blender and blend really well, this step is especially good for your pickiest eaters who may be thrown from the chunk of a veggie), so blend until it's liquidfied.

3. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt) in a bowl

4. Add the wet mixture from blender to the dry ingredients in the bowl.

5. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.

6. Scoop the batter into greased muffins tins.

7. Bake at 350 degrees (12 minutes for mini-muffins or 17 minutes for regular-sized muffins). Timing will depend on your oven but the toothpick should come out clear!

We love to make these into mini muffins, easy to eat and they fit in Z's lunch box. PERFECT snack for pickup or on the go. Let me know if you make these in the comments!

Happy Monday my friends!!

xoxo

Natalie

#dishes #bebe #family