Healthy Choices for Busy Families

Some days I feel like SUPER mom

kids are up on time
hot breakfast waiting for them
house gets cleaned
dinner is in the crock pot
work is completed
everyone gets where they need to be after school
and we meet up at the end of the day to a great meal.

and then there are MOST days

House is messy
laundry is piling up
kids are headed in 10 different directions which means I get to spend my entire afternoon in the car
and...
hubby left his keys somewhere his car is not
so off to work to pick him up.

It's 6:00
there is NO dinner waiting at home
and we are stuck in traffic.

This is when
Healthy Choice comes in REAL handy.
{and it's even more budget friendly with the coupon}

Honestly, we don't eat many frozen meals at all,
but for nights like these, it is SO convenient.

The kids each get a meal of their choice
{no whining at all}
with a huge selection of Healthy Choice Top Chef  Cafe Steamers,
there truly is something for everyone.

I was hoping to try the crustelss pot pie, but they were gone.
I chose Chicken Marsala instead, and it was delicious.
Stella decided to try the ravioli,

and before I even blinked, they had disappeared.

Charlie LOVED his BBQ steak SO much, he wanted one for his lunch:)

We even brought home  Healthy Choice Greek frozen yogurt for dessert.

Sure, stopping for fast food is "fast" as well,
but not really the healthiest of choices.

While the kids helped to
"steam"
the meals
I had time to prepare a strawberry salad.
{pretty much how I make sure the kids are getting their veggies}

In a matter of minutes we were sitting down to dinner
and dessert
and everyone was happy.


{you can see my Google + story here}

You're never too busy to make #healthychoices!

““I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and ConAgra Foods #cbias #SocialFabric”

Crispy Parmesan Chicken

Think you can't eat well on a budget,
think again.

Chicken leg quarters make it easy,
and if you have a family of
leg lovers
like I do,
everyone is happy:)

The crispy coating make you feel like you are eating
fried chicken
{one of my childhood faves}
without the guilt, but still with all of that great flavor
and crunch.

Crispy Parmesan Chicken:
First Street Chicken Leg Quarters
2 cups of plain yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves {minced}
chopped parsley {to taste}
1 1/2 cups of Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
salt/pepper to taste

Rinse and pat dry the chicken quarters

Combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley
mix together

In a separate bowl combine the Panko, the Parmesan, and salt and pepper
stir

One piece at a time, coat the chicken in the yogurt,

and then dredge in the crumbs

Place each piece in a buttered baking dish
Cover lightly with foil
Bake @350 for 1 hour
remove the foil and continue baking until the tops get nice and golden
{about another 20 minutes}

I served this with roasted potato wedges and a green salad.

Everything was purchased at Smart and Final.  The First Street Chicken Leg Quarters will be on sale for $.89/pound beginning February 20th.

““I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Smart & Final  #CBias #SocialFabric” “all opinions are my own”

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

I always try and feed my family meals that are not only delicious but healthy as well.

Of course, with the holidays and birthdays
{both of my kids' birthdays are around Christmas}
we got a little bit off track.

Now that Charlie's birthday is behind us,
{oh my goodness I am the mother of a teenager}
I can get back to my

New Year New You
     goal

Being a food blogger is SO much fun,
and very rewarding;
however, it has not been as kind to my waistline:)

My plan of attack -
meals that include more vegetables
{even if I have to sneak them in}
no processed foods
and of course great taste.

Classico caned tomatoes are a perfect fit for my New Years meal plan.


They are always 100% all natural,
packed fresh
without any preservatives,
and they taste like they are straight from the garden.
{not my garden though - I couldn't get anything to grow this year, unless you count weeds}

I cook with canned tomatoes all the time.
My family has a mild addiction to pasta,
and there is nothing easier than making a simple sauce with canned tomatoes.
It is probably the one item that I stock my pantry with the most.
{well, maybe flour and sugar too}

Lately, I have been focusing on slow cooker meals.
Our weeknights are very busy,
and while grabbing food on the go is SO easy,
it is NOT healthy.

Using a slow cooker allows me to get a healthy meal on the table,
even on the busiest of nights.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts {season with salt and pepper}
2 cloves of garlic {minced}
1 large onion {thinly sliced}
2 zucchini {sliced}
8 oz mushrooms {sliced}
1 can of Classico Crushed Tomatoes
1 can of Classico Whole Pear Tomatoes with Fresh  Basil {the whole tomatoes will break down while cooking}

it's this easy - place everything in a slow cooker
cook on low for 6 - 8 hours
serve over whole wheat pasta {I chose capellini}

Seriously, this meal took me about 15 minutes to get together, tastes amazing {you'd never guess it was easy}, and it makes me feel good when my family can sit down and enjoy a nutritious meal together - even if it is a busy Wednesday night.

Thanks to #CookClassico and my trusty slow cooker, eating healthier in the new year is going to be a breeze.


I am a member of the Collective Bias, Social Fabric Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias  and Classico. #cbias #SocialFabric #CookClassico