I am trying to cook better. I think it's important to feed my family something I feel good about. But as I have been reading, I feel so overwhelmed by the suggestions that I almost don't know where to start. And yet I feel such a weight to do so, since I am the sole provider of the food for my children. Any habits and food choices they make right now start with me. So here are just a few ways I am working on improving our families health one step at a time:

1. Use butter or Olive oil in place of other oils. I know adding butter to our diet doesn't seem like it's "healthy" but using something natural in small portions makes me feel better than using processed materials like margarine or shortening. And small amounts of olive, coconut, or avacado oil contain good fats that are actually good for us.

2. Cook more with wheat flour. I will be honest, my husband does not like when I cook with wheat flour. 'Why ruin a perfectly good roll recipe by adding wheat flour' he says. But there are ways I can include it without changing too much of the taste. I have started substituting half of the flour in cookies, breads and pancakes with wheat, and nobody complains. I can also slip it in soups (like when you have to make a roux to thicken it). We already eat whole wheat bread so my kids already have a taste for it. It works.

3. Include more legumes in our diet. Not only are beans cheap, they are versatile and provide protein to our diets. Although we mainly eat black beans, I also make recipes with kidney beans, white beans, and even peanut butter.

4. Place a bowl of fruit on the table each day. My kids are always hounding me for snacks. I have limited it to one snack before lunch and one snack before dinner. And they like eating fruit. But when they open they open the cupboard or the fridge and see yogurt, string cheese, crackers, raisins, or nuts, they will almost always choose those over fresh fruit. So I opted to put the fruit on the table. Then they are more likely to grab an apple or ask me to cut up a kiwi before even opening the fridge.

So I now these are not life changing decisions, but they are small things that we have started doing that can get us moving in the right direction (and I'm sure most of you already do this stuff!).

So with that being said here are some of our favorite "healthy-ish" recipes we have been eating this summer:

Black Bean Enchiladas:

(this is honestly the cheapest, fastest, tastiest recipe. It takes me 8 minutes to prepare and the kids eat it up)

1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
3/4 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp cumin
8 flour tortillas
1 can green enchilada sauce
1/4 c. cheese

Mix beans, salsa, bouillon, and cumin in the blender. Add a little water if it is too thick to blend. Fill tortillas with mixture and place in 9x13 pan. Once all are filled top with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheddar or pepper jack cheese. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Whole Wheat Crepes

(my go to meal when I don't want a fight at dinner. The rule: no whipped cream on top unless the crepe is filled with fruit. Then I have no guilt!)

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup wheat flour
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp. Coconut oil or butter

Mix all ingredients in blender and pour thin layer in frying pan. Fill with strawberries, blueberries, bananas, or fruit of choice and top with whipped cream.


Creamy Chicken Tacos (with Mango and Avocado)

(this one is courtesy of my cousin's food blog "hold the onions" and it is divine. Greg raved about it so I consider it a winner. I describe it as a party of flavors in your mouth-yummy! I changed it a bit to make it a little more healthy. I make the shredded chicken in the crockpot by covering 3 breasts with salsa and shredding it in the pot. You won't be disappointed)

1 lime
1/4 C. light mayo
1/4 C. light sour cream or fat free plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cumin
pinch cayenne
3 C. cooked shredded chicken
1 mango
flour or corn tortillas
1 avocado

Mix together 2 T. lime juice, 1 tsp. lime zest, mayo, sour cream, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Add chicken and toss. dice avocado and mango, and toss in 1 T. lime juice. Spoon chicken into shells and top with mango avocado mix.

How are you eating better? And what recipes do you love?