MANY FACES and places OF FAGE

FAGE is back sponsoring this blog post...how much do we love our FAGE®? FAGE has become such a staple in our lives. My mom even stocked in her fridge in Texas this week for Hayden because he requested it! I bring it along running errands, to Disneyland (scroll all the way down for photo;), playdates at the park. If we’re planning on eating it sooner than later, I literally throw it in my bag without lugging a cooler. I even included it at the kids’ recent birthday party. I wanted an alternative for parents that didn’t want their kids eating so much sugar. And, although we had great food there, I wanted to make sure I had a quick, healthy, low fat, protein packed snack for me. Especially during set up time before the food arrived. 

We brought quite a few FAGE® Total Split Cups. They were gone at the end of the party! I could not believe how many parents indulged (guilt-free) right along with me, or said they were grateful we had an alternative to cake for the kids. (Just remember to bring spoons if you follow suit.) I loved sharing FAGE with our friends. 

Clearly, by the look(s) on my face, I was grateful to sneak away for one second and enjoy my split cup. My husband thought it was so funny, he wanted a photo of me “taking my moment.” Because I TOOK A MOMENT and indulged. These pictures crack me up. The love is real.  Do you blame me? A 3-year-old and 7-year-old’s birthday! I needed energy. 

Just a bucket of FAGE at Hayden and Huck’s birthday party.

Just a bucket of FAGE at Hayden and Huck’s birthday party.

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A friend at the party came up and mentioned they have the same ones in their fridge. She said her son thinks of them  as dessert! A treat worthy of bribery. She loves how they taste and appreciates how healthy they are! Sometimes her son doesn’t always eat his protein at dinner, but he’ll always have his FAGE

It’s true. I don’t worry so much about Hayden and Huck finishing their meal if they eat yogurt afterward. It’s packed with so many good benefits, it’s covers a lot of the basics. Probiotics, proteins, Vitamin D, etc. 

The split cups are almost like arts and crafts. The boys enjoy folding the perforated seam and pouring the flavored goodness over into the creamy white bowl. Hayden begs me, “let me pour it,” he says. Sometimes, if it’s right out of the fridge, it’s too cold to pour over, so I often set them out as I’m cooking dinner. By the time dinner is over, they are the perfect temperature for Hayden’s little arts-and-crafts-with-food time.

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The last post on the blog about FAGE I described what I like that it DOESN’T have! No GMO’s, growth hormones, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners or preservatives and no added sugars. 

I have to admit, my husband did not want me to substitute the 0% fat FAGE® plain yogurt in our recipes or dishes.  He wanted all the fat of old school sour creams, heavy creams, butters and oils. There is a time and a place for all that, but living your daily life, it’s better to have healthier options. I don’t mind fat. But saturated fat catches up with you quickly. Once I did the swap out, he couldn’t even tell the difference. He loved it!! Substituting with FAGE Greek yogurt, lowers the fat content greatly.  Recently, we’ve made lasagna with 0% yogurt, crustless quiche with yogurt, and I took out sour cream and added FAGE in our homemade burritos (see photo). FAGE now makes sour cream, so don’t be surprised with a new list of recipes coming your way. Have you made the swap?

and ps- I got all your recommended FAGE flavors! (thank you!) Loving my new dessert choices;) What other recipes would you like to see on the blog? Below I’m adding a new mac and cheese recipe that is quick and easy and healthier than the normal ones because of a yogurt substitute. Oh, and it’s sooo good!!

I’m gonna attempt a fat-free cheesecake soon, so I’ll let you know how that goes, but I added the recipe below! HAPPY WEEKEND!!

Recipe is courtesy of ALLRECIPES.COM

Recipe is courtesy of ALLRECIPES.COM

Taking a Greek yogurt break at Disney! lol

Taking a Greek yogurt break at Disney! lol

SHARING MEALS: RECIPES FROM Y'ALL

photo: Mattheus Spinelli for our Thanksgiving dinner with Grub Market

photo: Mattheus Spinelli for our Thanksgiving dinner with Grub Market

With three growing boys in the house (yes, I'm counting Joel, too!)-- it seems I can never get enough ideas of easy ways to create a meal. I'm hoping to start a whole new section of this blog in 2018 with interactive ways to share ideas on cooking. After discussing the slow cooker in these posts HERE and HERE,  I loved getting emails, DMs and comments from some of you with your favorite recipes! I'm sharing a few of them below! If you have one you'd like to share, please send to me in the comments section below or email it (with a picture, if you have one!) in the comments section. THANKS EVERYONE!


FROM MARY B.

PORK CHOP WITH MUSHROOM SOUP

- 4 pieces of pork chop
- Large can of Cream of Mushroom soup

I use about 16 oz. of the cream of mushroom to cover the pork chops and cook on high for 4 hours and then serve it with rice (pilaf, etc.). So easy and my husband and kids love it!

Thanks for sharing your chicken taco recipe. My daughter wolfed down the tacos! For the tortilla soup, I added the below ingredients to the remaining salsa since we like more veggies in the soup (still easy):
- 1/2 ts pepper
- 1 ts ground cumin
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1 can whole kernel corn (drained)
- 1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Cook on low for 4 hours and then add remaining shredded chicken and cook for another 30 mins. Serve with tortilla strips.


From AMY B.

One of my fams current faves: Healthy, super easy, super yummy: CHICKEN ROPA VIEJA

Ingredients
1.5-2 lbs chicken (I use breast)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 TBSP oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 med yellow onion
1 med green bell pepper
1 med red bell pepper
One 15 oz can diced tomatoes
3 TBSP tomato paste
Salt to taste (I actually don't put any in)

Instructions
Trim fat off chicken, place in bottom of slow cooker. Mince garlic (though I cheat b/c time and use already minced), put on top of chicken. Sprinkle oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, and pepper over chicken. Slice onion and peppers into strips, place on top of chicken. Add can of diced tomatoes w/juices, dollop tomato paste on top. Cook on high 4 hours. Shred chicken, stir all together. Serve in a bowel, over rice, or in a warm tortilla.


Name: Susan K.

Message: Hi Ashley -
Wanted to share a super simple Crock Pot recipe my kids love....

Slow Cooker BUFFALO CHICKEN SANDWICH

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (@ 17 oz bottle of your favorite buffalo wing sauce- divided)
1/2 of a 1 oz package dry reanch salad dressing
2 tablespoon butter
6 of your favorite rolls (whole wheat, whole grain or plain hoagie)

Directions:
Place clean chicken breast into slow cooker and pour 3/4 wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Once chicken has cooked, shred the chicken finely with two forks. Add the butter and mix well.
Pour over rolls and serve.

A great "game day" party meal - I add a salad and your done.


 

 

 

SLOW COOKER EASY RECIPES!

Hello!! A quick couple of things... I've started wanting to cook more, but a) am not great at it and b) hard to find the proper time needed. If you follow me on INSTAGRAM and watch the stories, you've seen us trying out new things in the kitchen... from Hello Fresh delivery system to the slow cooker. I've trying to learn the best new ways to be time efficient and healthy. I'm not so good at it all, but the intention is there! I recently discussed it all in a new column for Soap Digest, too. ps-This post was suppose to go up over a week ago. Somehow, it never got published. So, forgive the delay, please, and thank you for your patience. 

Photo by @Ographr

Photo by @Ographr

My girlfriend Willa Ford (@wfordinteriors) shared these simple gems with me below. I'm just starting out discussing more food items on the blog, so bear with me here. Not caught up yet on great photos and such, this is a work in progress. If you're well versed in the kitchen and with the crock pot type dishes, this may seem remedial. But, maybe you'll find a new twist on an old faithful recipe. Hope so!

SHREDDED CHICKEN TACOS - so easy, it doesn't seem right.  You will need:

  • 4 chicken breast

  • 2 large jars of Pace Picante Salsa

  • tortillas

  • Your favorite toppings-- mine are shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, low-fat sour cream, diced avocado

Put chicken breast on bottom of slow cooker. Pour the salsa on top. Cook on slow for 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours. If frozen, cook on slow for 12 hours.  Remove chicken when done and shred in a different bowl. 

Make tacos as usual. I can't get enough of these. It's so easy and the salsa gives you so much bang for your buck!! Tastes much more gourmet than it is.

For extra credit: Use the juice left to make chicken tortilla soup. Add potatoes, carrots to thicken soup. Cook another 3-4 hours. 

MEATLOAF 

  • 1.5 lbs of ground beef or turkey

  • French onion soup packet

  • Chicken stock

  • Bread crumbs

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tsp of minced garlic

  • Chopped onion

Mix all ingredients together. Make two smaller long dome shaped loafs. Put in crockpot. Smother the tops with ketchup. Cook on slow for 6-8 hours. Voila! 

Here are two options (high and low) for slow cookers:

 

I will be adding more recipes! I enjoyed getting recipes from you all, so I added THIS POST.  I'd LOVE to SHARE MORE OF YOUR favorite slow cooker recipes and photos of the finished meal. Please feel free to contact us sharing your favorites (or post in comments below). Happy Weekend!