Archives for February 2015

Lower Sodium Vegetable Egg Rolls

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Delicious Vegetables Egg Rolls that are lower in sodium than the traditional recipes

We love oriental food in my house, but because we watch our sodium intake, we typically eat it at home due to the high sodium content this cuisine usually presents. Egg rolls are a great side for stir fries, perfect party appetizers, and they’re great for lunch all by themselves. When I make egg rolls, I usually make a big batch and keep a couple out for lunch the next day and freeze the rest in baggies for another meal. This recipe for lower sodium vegetable egg rolls is my favorite, but you can easily add chicken or pork if you’d like.

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Lower Sodium Vegetable Egg Rolls
Author: 
Serves: 12 egg rolls
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg egg roll wrappers
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • 4 green onions, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp low sodium Soy Sauce
  • 2⅓ cups cooking oil (I use Canola for frying)
Instructions
  1. Heat ⅓ cup Canola oil in a large frying pan on the stove top.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, and green onions with the soy sauce and ginger.
  3. Heat vegetable mixture in the oil until tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes.
  4. Lay out the egg roll wrappers, one at a time, and place about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable mixture in the middle.
  5. Roll the bottom up, then both sides in, then roll the last flap to complete.
  6. Note: If you put a thin layer of water on the perimeter of the wrap, it holds much better.
  7. In a large skillet, heat 2 cups of cooking oil for frying.
  8. Fry the egg rolls on one side for about a minute, flip them and do the same on the other side until the entire egg roll is golden brown.

  Lower Sodium Vegetable Egg Rolls

Although these egg rolls are way lower in sodium than traditional recipes, I need to point out that they are still higher in sodium than most of my recipes, but they’re incredibly delicious and I’m sure you’ll love them too. If you want to add meat to these egg rolls, cook up some chicken or ground pork and cut the vegetables in the recipe in half. My family especially loves when I make these with shredded chicken and serve them with some homemade sweet and sour sauce. Restaurant taste, restaurant quality, less than half the sodium. Here’s a heart-healthy recipe you’ll want to add to your recipe arsenal for sure!

Filed Under: Family Meals, Healthy Living, Healthy Meals, Low Sodium Cooking Tagged With: , ,

French Toast Crunch Marshmallow & Chocolate Bars

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Before I share this recipe, I should probably tell you that General Mills did send product, recipes, and some fun stuff to facilitate this post, but more importantly, I should probably tell you that #FrenchToastCrunchIsBack and you know you’re as excited as I am!

French Toast Crunch, cereal bars, marshmallow bars, chocolate bars, dessert recipe
This is not my typical recipe, I know that, so I thought I’d just address the elephant in the room before continuing. Although we eat healthy most of the time and I do completely limit my children’s intake of sweets, they like the sweet things too, y’all, so I indulge them when I’m moved to do so. Those indulgences often include homemade cereal bars because I can slip protein and/or fiber in, making me feel a little bit better about the whole thing. But let’s get back to this recipe, mmmmKay? You remember French Toast Crunch from your childhood, right? The little toast-shaped, maple-flavored bites of deliciousness packed into a cereal box? Yes, those. They’re back but lower in sugar (only 9 grams) than their 1995 product release original, but the flavor…oh the flavor…it’s the same one you enjoyed as a child with more whole grain. That taste inspired this recipe for French Toast Crunch Marshmallow and Chocolate (heart shaped because I’m fancy like that) Cereal Bars.

cereal bars, French Toast Crunch

I made these while the babies were at school and B was at work, and OH-EM-GEE, they can’t seem to get enough of them. As in, I need to make more STAT. The French Toast Crunch Cereal should be in retailers nationwide now. If not, ask your favorite retailer to stock it because you’re going to want to stock up (in case *GASP* it disappears again, although I don’t think it’s going anywhere this time because the people have spoken).

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French Toast Crunch Marshmallow & Chocolate Bars
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1-10.5 oz bag mini marshmallows
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 cups French Toast Crunch cereal
  • 1-12 oz bag semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Coat bottom and sides of a 13x9 inch baking dish.
  2. In a large microwavable bowl, microwave marshmallows and butter uncovered on high for 1 minute, stir, microwave for another minute until completely melted.
  3. Immediately stir the cereal into the melted marshmallows.
  4. Put mixture in pan and press, I suggest using waxed paper because this stuff is REALLY sticky.
  5. In a small microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered for 2 minutes, stopping at 1 minute to stir, until thoroughly melted.
  6. Pour chocolate over cereal mixture and spread like frosting.
  7. Refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes until chocolate sets.
  8. Cut into bars or cut with your favorite cookie cutter to make fun shapes to decorate.

  French Toast Crunch, no bake cereal bars

My kids are in love with these cereal bars and they have a new (old) favorite cereal for breakfast. Score another win for me with these No-Bake French Toast Crunch Marshmallow and Chocolate Bars. I may never get the hang of baking (OK, I won’t ever get the hang of it), but I’m pretty much mastering these no-bake desserts.

Your favorite childhood cereal is now available at retailers nationwide. Head on out today and grab a bowl of happiness then head on over to Facebook to thank General Mills for listening and get more recipes like this one. And if you have any great no-bake dessert recipes, please share them with me. My family is getting used to this and I’m running out of ideas!

Filed Under: Family Meals, Things I Love Tagged With: , , , ,

6 Ways to Fix a Terrible, Horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY (Week)

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We’ve had a really bad week and a half. Special thanks to Click Communications for sending us an early release copy of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY (available on Blu-Ray on 2/10/15) and other fun products to help us get out of our funk and have a great time!

family movie night, family game night, Disney movies

I’m not going to complain about this to you (much), but with cold, flu, and virus season, we pretty much had a terrible, horrible, no good, VERY BAD WEEK last week. As in craptastic. The kids were on again, off again, sick all week long and luckily for me…they took turns! One would be fine in the morning (no fever, no cough, no signs of *shudder* vomit) and they’d head to school. I’d get a call around the end of the day that one of them was sick. Again. So much back and forth to school. So many days keeping them home all together. So much not fun stuff happening. But Friday, they were both feeling great and I wanted to kick this terrible, horrible, no good, VERY BAD WEEK and cheer them up. Oh wait, you’re having the same problem? I’m sorry, but when they’re well, I have the perfect plan for you! Here are 6 ways to help you, and them, get back to having really great days again and a lot of fun while you’re doing it!

family movie night, family game night, Disney Movies

#1 – Head to your favorite retailer and pick up the supplies you’ll need.

You’re going to need a good movie. I highly recommend Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY because it obviously fits my theme, it’s hilarious, and it’s available on Blu-Ray on 2/10/15. I’ve read mixed reviews, but I have to say that people that didn’t like it (sorry, people that didn’t like it) obviously don’t have a sense of humor. This movie made me giggle snort, and giggle snort often. I won’t give anything away in case you didn’t see it in theaters, but Alexander has an obsession with Australia that turns his family’s terrible, horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY into something amazing that made me find hope for the end of some of our worst days and/or weeks. We decided to pick up some Australia-themed games to start out our evening of recovery and fun.

movie night

#2 – Before the movie, let them have fun playing some themed games.

Toss the ring around the alligator’s tail or head. Games help with hand-eye coordination, they’re fun, and they get the kids excited to see your movie of choice.

family game night

#3 – Buy them themed puzzles.

Puzzles are another way to challenge them. They’ll read directions with this 3-D alligator puzzle and they’ll learn to work together (and ask their daddy for help). For the record, read the instructions BEFORE you remove all of the pieces for this puzzle. Removing all of the pieces first only makes it more difficult. Who knew?

family movie night, Disney movies

#4 – Pop in the movie while they’re still playing.

There are a couple of reasons for this one. Children’s attention spans are short. We all know this. They love movies, but they sometimes get bored. If they still have a toy in front of them, they have something to do with their idle hands and minds when they want to turn away from the movie. This step also lets you enjoy the movie when they otherwise might get distracted and ask you to entertain them. You’re welcome for that tip.

family movie night, Disney movies

#5 Turn down the lights and let them watch and enjoy.

We love sitting down to watch a good movie together. I especially love the movies that we all like to watch. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY is about a family going through an awful day. We do that too. The kids in the movie are from high school aged to baby. There’s something everyone can relate to here.

family game night, Disney movies

#6 If time allows after the movie, play more games.

Family games or projects are a great way to bring the family together. We had some Lego fun with this Lego Sydney Opera House that was the perfect way to round out the evening. This daddy-daughter activity turned into some great bonding time that created a shelf-worthy memory from this movie night.

I’m glad my family takes the time for movie nights and I’m super appreciative that Disney puts out awesome movies all the time that we can all enjoy. Have you had a terrible, horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY (or week)? We all have them. Watch this movie and you’ll realize that you don’t have it so bad. It’s available at your favorite retailer on 2/10/15 (like TODAY people) so head out and get it and plan your very wonderful, awesome, totally good, amazingly great movie night. That’s what weekends are made for and you know you want to!

Have you seen the movie yet? Did you love it? I think I loved the green marker eating the best, but it’s a toss up with the pirate fire arm scene, or maybe the driver’s test. I don’t know. I’d love to hear your favorite part of this movie if you’ve already seen it. If not, come back after you do and share!

Filed Under: Disney, Family, Family Traditions, Funny, Life, Moms Tagged With: , , ,