Happy Spring?

Who else is officially tired of winter? Can I see a raise of hands?

As if in protest, the meals this week are all easy, throw-together vegetarian fare. Maybe if I start eating lighter, spring will come?

Let me dream.

Please.

I also wanted to include some of our basic snacks. As I am moving through my third trimester of pregnancy, snacks are becoming a way of life. With Manatee’s crazy work schedule, his “lunch” is really an assortment of snacks he can eat throughout the day and on-the-go. Between the two of us, we have mastered some easy to prepare, high protein, and totally clean snacks. Hope you enjoy them!

Meal Plan

Sweet and Sour Tofu Stir-fry: This is one of two of Mama Pea’s recipes from her first cookbook, Peas and Thank You, that I will be making this week. Pineapple, sweet peppers, cashews, and tofu. I just bought the ingredients today and I can’t wait to make it.

Falafel: This is another recipe from Mama Pea.  Just so you know, her second cookbook is coming out in 2 weeks! She has some great activities/treats/giveaways going on, you should go check her out.

Egg tomato salsa bake: This is my new favorite comfort food.

egg salsa bake

Spicy salsa, peppers, mushrooms, red onions, all topped with creamy egg whites. This pic was from Round 1 and with Round 2, I have some modifications planned and look forward to sharing the recipe with you.

Mexican casserole: I had a recipe all planned out, but cravings forced me to shove those plans aside and improvise. Essentially, I layered corn tortillas with a spicy veggie filling (zucchini, red onions, peppers, salsa) with shredded chicken, Greek Yogurt, and a little cheddar cheese. I would share the recipe, but I know I can do better, and let’s be honest, I was way too impatient last night to stop and take a picture.

Snacks:

Hard boiled eggs/egg salad: You can always count on us to have hard-boiled eggs in our fridge. It’s a go-to for both of us for some quick protein. This week, I am going to make up some egg salad to spice things up.

Boiled chicken breasts– This sounds weird, but it’s a great way to make chicken and keep it on hand for snacks and salads. I made some today and I have to be honest, I was going to take pictures, but boiled chicken breasts just aren’t very appetizing. I can tell you that it keeps the breasts from going dry and you can inject a lot of flavor by boiling them with chicken broth, onions, peppers, and garlic cloves. To boil chicken breasts: Cover chicken breasts, 1 quartered onion, sliced peppers, and peeled garlic cloves with half water and half broth. Bring to a rolling boil on high heat, reduce to low and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until temperature of chicken is 165 (dgF). Remove from pan and cut into slices. Keep on hand for a quick salad, wrap, or a quick snack with your favorite dipping sauce.

Roasted almonds– We dry roast almonds at 350 (dgF) for 12-15 minutes. They make a great snack. I love them with big raisins and dates. Yum!

Hummus/black bean dip with veggies: So far, I have relied on (clean) store-bought versions. In the next couple of weeks, I hope to have a recipe to share with you.

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What are some of your favorite go-to snacks?