Food

School Lunches

My Favorite Chicken Salad Recipe: You could put this on a croissant, wrap, bread, or lettuce wrap to switch things up!

School lunches can be a part of what your family is eating the night before or has on hand throughout the week. I also know that it needs to be something that doesn’t needed to be heated or kept extremely cold, which eliminates a lot of things. Here’s a list of recipes I have on hand that are perfect for school lunches and encompass those two categories! (Also, I’ve used this lunch bag for years and loved it!)Burrito Bowl: Can be eaten cold. 🙂Brussel Sprouts Salad: I bet if your kids try it, they will love it! Plus, it’s a great way to get them to eat veggies.Cheese Board : Mix and match dried fruits, fresh fruits, cheeses, nuts, and crackers and/or bread. Mixing and matching the combination will make it feel like an entirely different lunch!Winter Couscous Salad: Make a big batch of this for the week to have on hand. It’s addicting, so flavorful, and can be eaten cold! 

Homemade Lemon Larabars: Such fresh flavors to pack as a snack.
Pumpkin Bars: It’s basically all fall flavors in one bar!Homemade Peanut Butter Lara Bars: What kid doesn’t love peanut butter? Key Lime Pie Bars: Such a different twist of flavors and so easy to make!No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars: Chocolate + Peanut Butter = Heaven. Serve it for breakfast too with milk. 😉 Healthy Banana Bread: Follow the directions right above. 😉 Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins: Perfect on the go, as a snack, in a lunch…the list goes on!Healthy Pumpkin Bread: If you aren’t ready for fall and like homemade bread…make this recipe today! 

Happy back-to-school and lunch packing! xo

Bacon, Kale, and Pepper Frittata

They’re easy to make, quick to eat, guilt free, and can feed an army or a party of one. Enjoy! 

Bacon, Kale, and Pepper Frittata

Ingredients

  • 10 eggs
  • 5 pieces of bacon
  • 3 kale leaves
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • S & P to taste
  • Ghee for greasing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pan, cook the bacon until fully cooked. While the bacon is cooking, cut and cube the green pepper. Set aside. Cut the kale into small pieces and set aside with the green pepper. Remove the bacon and crumble into bite-sized pieces. Pour out the grease from the bacon, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the green pepper and kale to the pan (medium to medium-high heat). While they are cooking, combine eggs, coconut milk, salt, and pepper into a large bowl. Whisk. Once the green pepper is soft and/or the kale is turned slightly brown, remove from heat and add to egg mixture. Add bacon as well. Mix with a spoon. Spoon the mixture into the greased muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until egg is set.
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Natural Energy & Beauty

I’ve thought about this post for a while and debated how to go about sharing it. I’m not an expert and not claiming to be. But…there are definitely a few things that have helped me pre and post baby that naturally provided me energy and helped my mood stay in check. Several things have also helped with my gut health, immunity, and better my hair, skin, and nails. Since all of this was pre-baby and post-baby, it’s basically for anyone. 🙂 With a combination of a little research and using these products over time, I wholeheartedly would recommend everything I’m about to share and why I use it.

Foods/Drinks:

Chia Seeds: These can be added to almost all my smoothies. (I use about a tablespoon). They are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, rich in antioxidants, and they provide fiber, iron, and calcium. 

Hemp Hearts: (I like this brand too!): This article explains all the benefits of hemp hearts better than I can. It also talks about hemp hearts verses chia seeds. I love, love, love topping this smoothie with them!

Coconut Oil: Gosh, where to start with this?! There are so many uses that I’m basically going to just scratch the surface. It promotes healthy skin and hair, while boosting digestion and heart health, and I love using it to cook and bake since because of the healthy fats it contains. (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bites/ Healthy Pumpkin Bread/ Healthy Banana Bread). It’s also an ah-mazing make-up remover!

Flaxseed Meal: I use this in smoothies or on top of smoothie bowls all the time. When you buy flaxseed, you want to make sure you are getting the flaxseed meals verses whole flaxseed. The meal provides the nutritional benefits. It has omega-3 essential fatty acids, “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects and helps increase milk supply for breastfeeding. It’s a win all around!

Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen: I add a scoop (or you can buy the packets) to coconut milk with ice and a splash of pure maple syrup or honey to create an iced matcha.

Vital Proteins Vanilla Collagen: I add this to smoothies (Blueberry Ginger Smoothie/ Orange Fluffy) to support my skin, hair, tendons, cartilage, bones, and joints.

Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin: I used this during pregnancy to make gummy vitamins because it was great for baby and me It also promotes youthful skin, healthier hair, stronger nails, and helps keeps bones healthy. It contributes to a balanced diet and helps maintain weight while providing a natural glycine that promotes healthy immune, digestive, and central nervous systems.

Reishi: You can read about the amazing benefits, here!

This might go without saying, but drinking water is HUGE! I drink almost a gallon a day to stay hydrated and contribute to helping myself feel healthier.

Supplements:

Vitamin B Complex: Vitamin B boosts energy, while supplying your body with a slew of vitamins that need to be replenished on a daily basis. (If you want to order, just let me know).

Vitamin D: I actually started taking this a few years ago during the winter months. My body was craving vitamin D since I wasn’t getting it from sunshine. I continue taking it during the winter months and still currently do to level out hormones post pregnancy.

Probiotic Supplement: Gut health affects so much of your overall health. Taking probiotics can improve your digestion, boosts immunity, lowers blood pressure, and so on. You can read all about it, here.

Omega-3 Fish Oil: This helps support brain, hair, skin and heart health.

Baby ProbioticsI give these to Capri. They help support gut health and immunity while providing vitamin D that doctors recommend for infants.

Mood booster:

Bergamot Essential OilThis oil has ingredients that are uplifting when diffused or worn. I love it!

Leave a comment with any questions and I’ll answer them this week!

*A huge thank you to Vital Proteins for sponsoring this post!*

Parmesan Crusted Snow Peas

Stick with me, people. We got a TON of snow peas from our CSA, so Eric was determined to put them all to use. This is why I love him. Allllll the credit goes to him for this recipe, I was just the lucky one who got to eat (devour) majority of them.

Parmesan Crusted Snow Peas

Ingredients

  • 4 cups snow (or snap) peas
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • Enough EVOO to coat snow peas
  • Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, toss peas in EVOO. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Once the dry ingredients are mixed together, pour over the EVOO coated snow peas and toss until all are coated. Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper to avoid sticking to the pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crispy and browning. Enjoy!
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Bites

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Bites--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.comIf this is my main weakness lately, I think I’m doing alright. 😉 Because in reality they are made up healthy fats, are dairy free, and unless I eat the entire batch (which some days is definitely a possibility) they are a great snack! Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Bites--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.com
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Bites--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.com

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Bites

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup peanut butter (you can use crunchy or smooth)
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil (not melted)
  • 2/3 cup shredded coconut flakes
  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips (I like this kind)

Instructions

  1. In a medium sized bowl combine peanut butter and coconut oil. Mix with a spoon until smooth and thoroughly combined. Stir in coconut flakes and chocolate chips. Place in the refrigerator for about an hour or until a more solid consistency. Remove from refrigerator and roll into about one inch balls. Place onto parchment paper and put into the freezer for about one hour. Store in an airtight container and keep int he freezer.
  2. Makes about 18 balls.
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