Ok, so another week is almost over, I guess.  I don’t even know what day it is anymore, but I feel like we’ve been in this shelter in place since 1999.

#MomFailOfThe Week:  so I couldn’t find boxed pasta anywhere.  I was so excited to have finally found it on Walmart.com, but I had to buy a case of 10 boxes.  I figured I’d just give extras to some neighbors.  When it arrived, it wasn’t 10 separate boxes, it was 2, 10 POUND BAGS of pasta.  So, if you’re in the Denver area and want some (or 10 pounds) or pasta, let me know.

SNACKS

I don’t feel like meals have been as hard as snacks.  I don’t know if it’s because everyone is hoarding and/or stress eating, but snacks are elusive on Amazon and other sites.  There’s a reason certain snacks are available – because they’re the gross ones no one wants.  Also, we’re at the whim of Amazon Fresh and our local grocery wrt fresh produce, so that’s also a crapshoot.  Here are some things we’ve done to get creative with what we have on hand:

• Banana Bites:  Put one rectangular graham cracker in a ziplock, seal it and let your kid whack the heck out of hit with a spoon until it’s basically powder.  Put a sliced banana in the bag and shake it (like old school shake n bake).  Voila!
• Decorated Grahams.  Can you tell we have graham crackers?  I set out a line of things like peanut butter, raisins, mini marshmallows, jam, sprinkles, etc.  If you are lucky enough to have Nutella, add that to the line-up.  Spread whatever on the bottom and load it up with toppings.
• Pre Packed Snacks.  When things start going sideways, I literally launch snack packs at my kids.  I really wish I had one of those t-shirt launcher guns at the college and NBA basketball games.

MEALS

Breakfast is typically fast.  Lunch and dinner are a little more planned out (if possible) and for these 2 meals I try to include fruit and veggies on each plate along with the main.

• Breakfast.  My oldest child has virtual school during the week, so breakfasts need to happen before then.  We rely on staples like frozen waffles, pancakes, cinnamon raisin toast, yogurt drinks, smoothies (almond milk, whatever fresh fruit is getting too ripe, frozen fruit), etc.  The simpler the better.  On the weekends we sometimes go crazy and make homemade pancakes (watch out).
• Lunch.  Again, it mainly depends on what we have on hand.  Of course, with the bulk pasta we have that’s always an option (butter & salt, pasta sauce & parmesan, add on a meatball, etc.); grilled cheese sandwiches, PB&J, “fried rice” (pre-made brown rice added into a scrambled egg, frozen veggies (whatever is on hand), low sodium soy sauce and teriyaki sauce); bean quesadillas in the toaster, turkey sandwiches, etc.
• Dinner.  I’m a huge fan of not always making a huge “to do” about dinner – it could be a “breakfast for dinner” night (i.e., French toast, omelet, chicken apple sausage & scrambled eggs).  But, when I do feel like making something, I go to some of our fail safe go to’s:
  • BBQ chicken – drumsticks or breasts in an ovenproof glass container, smothered with your favorite BBQ sauce at about 375 for 40ish minutes (until at least 160 degrees with a meat thermometer)
  • Pasta – surprised?; we will also sometimes make lentil pasta, but brands really vary in terms of taste and texture so that can be a risk with my kids
  • Burgers on the grill – veggie / ham burgers (I’m vegan, my youngest isn’t a huge meat eater and my oldest would probably eat a live cow if she could)
  • Veggies on the grill – simple coating of olive oil and salt / pepper.  I was also told about these Urban Accents Veggie Roaster spice mixes recently which are really good (thank you, Amy P).  I got mine off Amazon (there are 3 envelopes in each pack, and each pack is for 1 pound of veggies)

• • Garbanzo Wraps.  This is a pretty close copy of the wraps you can buy at the Mediterranean chain, Garbanzo’s.  We use a whole wheat tortilla, smear hummus on top, and then pile on cucumber & tomato salad (diced cucumber, diced tomato mixed with a Greek dill dip / dressing – we us Oladipity but there are others), cut up chicken breast and kalamata olives
  • Homemade Mini Pizzas.  I get the unrefrigerated, small pizza crusts from Target (once open, refrigerate them), top it with pre-made pizza sauce (we like Classico) and then whatever toppings you want – we are fans of mushrooms, olives, tomato slices and whatever veggies we have on hand (great way to use up veggies that are getting ripe).  I get the mini crusts so each child can put on her own toppings – also so I can put them in the toaster oven instead of the gigantic regular oven.  Again, you can just line up the toppings and let the kids go to town.  10 minutes in the oven, and it’s done.
  • Select Recipes.  As a single mom of two young kids, I don’t have a ton of time to follow recipes (one of my best friends, who is almost my Aunt, told  me  she receives recipes in her inbox that are supposed to be quick and easy with things you have on hand, but some of them require cardamom seeds and gorgonzola?!  Umm, not really what I have stock these days.  Hilarious).  Another one of my best friends, Michelle, turned me on to an amazing cookbook that is simple and fast.  And I’m probably the last person to get it as it is a #1 NY Times Bestseller:  Skinnytaste Fast and Slow.  We made the chicken pizza roll-ups the other night and both of my kids loved it.

I hope this simple blog today is helpful.  I’m off as my kids have yet again dumped boxes of things all over the living room so I need to dart off.

For those of you celebrating Easter, have a wonderful holiday.  In Denver, we are supposed to get snow on Sunday, so the Easter Bunny better be able to get inside and hide eggs in our basement.

The Almost Green Mom

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