Easy to make Minestrone Soup

 

There's nothing like a warm bowl of soup on a chilly day. At 55 degrees here in New York today, I made my first fall vat of Minestrone. This is one of my go to recipes and a family favorite.

Chloe isn't much of a meat eater but she likes beans so I add cannellini and kidney which are both good sources of protein. There's a great mix of veggies so it's hearty and healthy.

This recipe makes enough soup for some leftovers which you will be thankful for the next day...it's super easy and so good! Pre- chop all the ingredients to make it even easier to follow.

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

1tbsp. olive oil
1onion, finely chopped
1 leek halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 carrot, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 yellow squash, finely diced
1 green zucchini, finely diced
14 oz. can of cannellini beans (do not drain)
14 oz. can of kidney beans (do not drain)
3 cups water
4 cups of chicken or veggie stock
3 oz of tubetti or pipette pasta
salt & pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve


1. Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion, leek, and garlic and cook about 4-5 minutes until softened.

2. Add crushed tomatoes, carrot, squash, celery, zucchini, water and stock. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in beans. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes.

4. Bring a salted pot of water to a boil for your pasta. Once cooked, drain and add to soup.

5. Add grated parm to soup once bowled.

I hope this soup warms your soul like it does my family!

ENJOY!

    

Peanut free snacks

It's been super busy around here with back to school and now a week of birthdays! Max turned 3 on Tuesday, Chloe 5 on Sunday! I had such an amazing day with my little guy, cold and all- he was a trooper. We started at the diner which he loves! The waitress asked his name and he answered, "buthole"...needless to say, the day started with some laughs! It was a day of reflection for me, thinking back to the day he was born. He slept the entire first night of his life...and has been easy ever since. I am such a lucky mom. He celebrated with his classmates last Thursday! I had such the best time with 13 three year olds! They were adorable. I got to read a story to them which I absolutely loved. I picked Chloe up early so she could come to Max's class with me. She assisted in my reading! She was the proud big sister and all the little kiddies just loved her! Gaga also got in on the action- so it was quite the family affair!

Chloe celebrated with her classmates on Friday! I was so excited to meet all of her classmates as well and share in her special day with them. I read "If you Give a Pig a Party" to them while they ate their pink cupcakes. Chloe wanted to give her Principal a cupcake so we brought one to her office and Chloe got to feed her fish- very exciting stuff! We had a joint party for them on Saturday since their birthdays are so close. Then...for Chloe's actual birthday on Sunday, we had something small at the house with our family. She was so happy it was her day and not Max's!

On top of all this, I am taking a grad course (shoot me now!). I have 2 classes left to finish and promised myself I would. I have been working on cloning myself with out much  luck...but if I do- you'll be seeing a lot more posts in the future!

And now for the actual post! A lot of my mommy friends have been asking me to compose a list of snacks I send to school with Chloe. They know how freakishly into feeding my kids I am! I wanted to work on the peanut free list first because I know those moms are having the hardest time figuring out what to send each day. Luckily, Chloe can bring in anything this year- but I was faced with this difficult challenge during her pre- k year last year.

Peanut Free Snack List

• Danon danimals smoothies
• Mott's Medleys peach apple applesauce (made with veggies too!)
• Sabra individual hummus with riceworks gourmet crisps, pretzels or celery
• Mott's apple slices (comes pre-sliced in individual bags) pack with plain yogurt for dipping!
• pudding cups
• Jello cups
• yogurt
• gogurts
• cereal in container with or without milk- I buy the milk singles (freeze them if lunch or snack is late in the day)
• Ritz crackers, triscuits, saltines with slices of cheese
• Orange slices, watermelon, strawberries, grapes (halved), bananas, pineapple- my kids are fruities so any fruit I send they eat.
• Special K bars
• Nutri grain bars
• Pirates booty
• Goldfish
• Cheese sticks
• Granola with chex cereal and raisins
• Annie's organic Bunny Fruit snacks
• Graham crackers
• Sun snacks mix-ups in berry crunch 7 apple cinnamon (makers of sunchips) sweet mini sunchips, fruity flavored bagel buttons, cereal squares or oatmeal bites in each bag!

Last year for lunch, Chloe lived on Pastina in a thermos!
She also ate faux PB&J sandwiches with I AM Healthy Soy Nut Butter. That is definitely worth a try for your little peanut butter lover.

This year I've been giving her turkey roll ups, bagels with butter, banana bread...whatever she likes and I know she will eat. If I make a big breakfast of pancakes or waffles, Ill cut them up into sticks and put them in a baggies for her snack.

I hope I was able to help those of you in a pickle (another peanut free food...but way too smelly according to Chloe!)

My non allergy list is next to come...hopefully sometime this school year!

Fall in Love...with Nashelle

 

Pure 'Harp' Necklace- Nashelle

 

Even when the kids aren't with me, they are always close to my heart while wearing Nashelle's identity necklace with their initials. This was the necklace that started my obsession with Nashelle's line of handmade designs, created using recycled metals and stones.

 

I have been incorporating pieces little by little to feed my addiction! I now pair my favorite identity necklace with the Pure 'Harp' necklace pictured above. I get so many compliments on this! These pieces transition from summer to fall easily. They are so dainty and can be worn every day either with a maxi in the summer or a blazer in the fall. 

 

 Mostly all pieces are offered in gold fill, silver or brass.

 

 

 

Check out www.nashelle.com and you'll surely fall in love yourself!

 

 

 

 

Pure 'Harp' necklace paired with cupped cushion identity necklace 

Fruity Frozen Yogurt Pops!

Recipe and photo from The National Honey Board 

How awesome do these look? Mine did not come out as pretty or tri-colored! I made them with a refreshing after school snack in mind. The first few weeks back to school are hot and Chloe's school has no air conditioning- so I figured it would be nice for her to come home to something cold and tasty!

She absolutely loved them and ate two!

 These pops are super easy to make! A perfectly healthy after school snack for your little honey!

 

                

                   Fruity Frozen Yogurt Pops

Makes 8 servings

• 1 cup fresh, ripe nectarines, pineapple, or strawberries, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 paper cups (3 oz.) and popsicle sticks or plastic spoons

In a blender, combine all ingredients; mix well. Pour into eight (3 oz.) paper cups; insert popsicle sticks or plastic spoon in center of each. Freeze 4 hours or until solidly frozen.

 

 

 

I should be embarrassed to even show mine! They tasted good- I swear!

 

 

Lunchbots- Love Packing Lunch!

 

One of my readers left a comment on my healthy back to school lunch post telling me to check out Lunchbots. I am so happy she left that comment! Thank you Rachel! I ordered two as soon as I did. These stainless steel containers come in divided sections of two, three or four. I went with the four knowing how Chloe and Max like to pick on a variety of foods. They aren't sandwich kids so I knew this would solve my problems! I absolutely love packing lunch now and love seeing a practically empty container come back home even more!

 

Sliced cucumbers, celery sticks, crackers, grapes, pretzels, trail mix, berries are all foods that fit perfectly into these smart containers and our schools request for healthy lunches. The dividers make the possibilities endless.

 

Lunchbots make packing a healthy lunch easier without all the plastic baggies for the kiddies to take out and fumble over. They fit right inside a standard lunch bag. I place Chloe's right in the pouch inside of her lunch bag.

 

 

 

 

 

Raising Humans: Growing Pains

 

 

 

Almost five years ago, I came home from the hospital with my baby girl. She was born the last day of September so it was early October when we came home. It was a beautiful 90 degree day- unusual for New York that time of year. If the day wasn't perfect enough, the sun shining on my face gave me a feeling of warmth and happiness that I never felt before. I felt like it was our special day and the sun was shining for us, lighting our path home.

 

 

To continue reading about the journey of my Kindergarten growing pains with Chloe, please read with me here.

 

When Tricia from Raising Humans asked me to write for her weekly series, Growing Together, not only was I honored- it was at a perfect time. Her blog focuses on growth. With my daughter starting Kindergarten this week, I am mixed with many emotions from sadness to excitement. We are at the beginning of her educational journey that I find bittersweet...so what better to write about?

 

Tricia, thank you for trusting in me with your blog and your readers. You are an amazing writer and mommy. You asking me to write for you is so gratifying. It validates that my voice is being heard! Thanks again Tricia- for hearing my voice...and sharing it with the world.