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10/19/2022 Comments

Healthy Halloween & Fall snacks

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It's Fall and pumpkin everything time! While I do love to use pumpkin in a lot of recipes, I have a lot of fun Fall/Halloween recipes that incorporate the fun and flavors of the season. During the month of October, I have been sharing some of my favorite Healthy Halloween and Fall snacks for kids in my nutrition classes. Can healthy and Halloween even be in the same sentence? Absolutely! Everyone loves candy and treats, but I always encourage eating the healthy stuff first (and try not to overdo the candy)! I thought I would create this post to have some of my favorite recipes and ideas in the same place! I hope you incorporate some of these into your family's menu for the season.  I have been making some of these recipes with my son for years and have also created some new ones for my virtual nutrition classes for kids.  
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Caramel Apple Nachos

This is a season favorite! You will be surprised at how easy it is (and delicious) to make a caramel sauce using only dates and water! Set up some toppings and let your kids build their own nacho plates.
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Monster Mash with Veggie Fries

​Halloween time is upon us, and kids (and adults) will be filling up on CANDY and sugar filled treats! Before trick or treating, how about a healthy little snack? This Monster Mash dip is fill with protein, tons of vitamins, minerals and of course lots of flavor!​
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Pumpkin Smoothie

Have you tried adding pumpkin to your smoothie? This is a delicious blend that tastes like pumpkin pie!

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Apple Pie Smoothie

​Apples are another favorite part of the season! We love to pick apples at our local orchard every year.  This is a tasty blend that tastes just like apple pie!
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Pumpkin Pie Bites

Trick or healthy treat? You won't need an oven for these tasty and nutritious pumpkin pie bites! 

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Halloween Pasta Salad

Load up on veggies with this delicious, Halloween themed pasta salad!





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Guaca-monsters

This is a fun, Halloween twist for Avocado toast! Set up a station for kids with different face parts and let them design (and eat) their own monster!

I have included a few more healthy snacks below that my son and I have made together over the years!
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Banana Ghost Pops

These banana ghost pops are super cute and fun to make! Cut banana in half, spread with yogurt (we love coconut milk yogurt), top with unsweetened coconut, add raisins or chocolate chips for eyes and mouth. Freeze until set.

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PB Spider Crackers

Round ritz crackers, peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter), pretzels and raisins make for some pretty cute spider snacks! My son always loved making (and eating) these!

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Veggie Skeleton Man

With all the candy and treats kids eat over the month of October, it's always good to add lots of extra veggies. We had fun creating this veggie skeleton man! 
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Peanut Butter Apple Monsters

I've seen many different variations of these over the years! Gather some apples, peanut butter, marshmallows, candy eyes, almonds, pumpkin seeds and toothpicks and see what the kids can create!
Hope you all have a healthy month and experiment with some fun and seasonal recipes with your kids! Happy Healthy Halloween!! Visit my Instagram page for more healthy inspiration @lisacheplak.
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4/26/2022 Comments

Summer Ideas: Kids in the Kitchen

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Summer is here!!  I don’t know about you, but I think this school year flew by! Time to keep the kids busy and plan some fun summer activities! If boredom strikes, which we all know it will, plan some fun days in the kitchen and experiment with some new recipes.

Cooking with your kids will not only keep them busy, but it will keep them healthy too! Some of these ideas are from the past school year that I have taught in my Live Virtual Cooking Nutrition Lessons to students through my work with Green our Planet. The teachers would sometimes make the recipe along with me and serve it to the students. I guess you can say the recipes were “kid tested and approved”!

Most of my recipes include produce that is growing seasonally in a school garden and in our own garden.  If you don't have a garden, I would recommend visiting a local farmers market to find some of the freshest produce (another fun activity to do with the kids)!

So gather your kids, aprons and chef hats and basic cooking utensils, and let’s have some fun in the kitchen!
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Cucumber Guacamole Boats
This was one of my favorite recipes to teach! Avocados have over 20 vitamins and minerals! Probably one of the healthiest things kids can eat! A healthy fat that is good for brain health too! Make a batch of guacamole and add to cucumber "boats". Kids can add their favorite toppings: diced tomato, bell pepper, cilantro, onion and more! Find the recipe here: Cucumber Guacamole Boats

Veggie Bugs
You have all heard of ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins), lets take it a step further and create bugs on a log.  All you need is celery, any spread (peanut butter or sunflower seed butter if nut free), cream cheese (can use vegan cream cheese) and /or hummus.  Next create some bug parts: cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, chives, olives and let your kids get creative! Get the recipe here: Fruit and Veggie Bugs

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Apple Donuts & Banana Sushi
Have a little fun at breakfast and set up stations to build apple donuts and banana sushi. Kids can get creative and add their favorite toppings! You do-nut have to feel bad about eating these treats! Find the recipe here: Apple Donuts & Banana

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Rainbow Salad in a Jar
If you haven't tried salad in a jar yet, now is the time! Why make a salad a jar? Here are some reasons:
1) Fun for kids to customize their own
2) Great for meal prep - make now, eat later
3) Great to pack for lunch on the go
4) Fun way to eat salads
5) Because they are soooo cool!
6) Easy way to "eat the rainbow"
Ready to get started? Find the recipe here: Rainbow Salad in a Jar
Lettuce Wraps
Another fun way to have fun with "eating the rainbow" and eating fresh vegetables, is creating lettuce wraps. Make any type of hummus then add to lettuce cup and top with favorite colorful vegetables.  I also like to use black bean salsa in the wraps which my son always liked! Find my favorite Red Bell Pepper recipe here:  Swiss Chard Wraps with Red Bell Pepper Hummus
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Lettuce Boats with Black Bean Salsa recipe here: ​Lettuce Boats with Black Bean Salsa
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Tropical Kale Smoothies
I couldn't do a post about cooking with kids without adding a smoothie recipe. This is one of my favorites that uses kale! Think your kids won't eat kale? Try this!  Find the recipe here: Tropical Kale Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to get kids involved and to sneak in some greens too! For more smoothie recipes, check out my smoothie recipe section.
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​For more tips and suggestions on cooking with kids, check out my blog post "10 Ways to Get your Kids to Eat Healthier".  For healthy snack ideas for kids, check out my blog post "Smart Snacking"

Hope you have a healthy, fun and safe summer! Please share with me any recipes that you try and photos of you cooking with your kids! For inspiration throughout the summer, visit me on Instagram @lisacheplak ! Happy Cooking and Happy Summer!
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1/13/2020 Comments

A Healthy Game Day

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Our team didn't win the NFC Divisional Playoff game, but we can win with a healthy menu for the final upcoming playoff games and Super Bowl!  Here are some of our simple, plant-based recipes ideas to incorporate into your menu.
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Quinoa Salad-Tacos/Bites
For a simlple and healthy, high protein dish, try our Quinoa, black bean salad, loaded with nutrients and color!  Serve as a salad, as a soft taco filling or in tortilla scoops for a quick bite! 
QUINOA BLACK BEAN SALAD RECIPE
PB&J Footballs
Need something for the kids? Try our PB&J Footballs!  Yes, there is a football cookie cutter. Check out this set here:
amzn.to/30sQL0l. Use pumpernickel, rye or whole wheat bread for the "footballs".  Spread with peanut butter, almond butter, nut free butter and your favorite jam!
Fresh Vegetable Tray with Hummus
A fresh vegetable tray is always a great snack for your party table.  Add your favorite hummus or dip.  Try our favorite Red Bell Pepper Hummus recipe here: 
Red Bell Pepper Hummus Recipe
Smoothies
How about setting up a smoothie bar for kids, and make your smoothies based on your team color?
Check out our favorite green smoothie  here:
The Grinch's Smoothie
Here is one of our favorite red smoothies:
Festive Holiday Smoothie
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SMOOTHIE RECIPES
For more recipes and ideas, check out our "Sides & Snacks" recipe section. Wishing you happy, healthy game days! Go team!
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2/27/2019 Comments

Healthy & Green for St. Patrick's day

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The photo above is a flashback to a favorite photo of a St. Patrick's Day breakfast for my son when he was around 5 years old!  We loved making these special GREEN "treats"!  We have the green covered for St. Patrick's Day with our Shamrock Smoothies, Leprechaun Sticks with Coconut Fruit Dip and Spinach Muffins! Now that he is 10, we thought we would remake them again to see if he was still a fan!  Check out all the recipes below!

Shamrock Smoothies
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups water
  • Handful of Spinach
  • 1 cup green grapes
  • 1 peeled kiwi
  • ½ green apple
  • 1 few leaves of fresh mint
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • Ice
Directions:
  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. ​
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Coconut Fruit Dip
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked for 30 minutes, then rinsed and drained
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • 2 tbsp. non dairy milk, coconut, almond or rice milk
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 cup coconut milk yogurt (vanilla flavor works best)
  • 1 tsp of cardamom
  • Dash of cinnamon
  • Shredded coconut for garnish on top
 
Directions:
  1. Blend the cashews, water and coconut, almond or rice milk first for a minute or so on high speed.
  2. Add the maple syrup and yogurt and blend again for a few seconds. 
  3. Add the spices and blend well. 
  4. Pour into a small bowl, then garnish with shredded coconut.  Serve with fruit sticks.

For a St. Patrick's Day theme for kids, add your favorite green fruit to wooden skewers to make these fun Leprechaun Fruit Sticks.

Leprechaun Fruit Sticks
  • Kiwi
  • Green Apple
  • Green Grapes 
  • Wooden Skewers  
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Spinach Muffins
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  •  ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  •  ¼ cup applesauce
  • ¾ cup almond or soy milk
  • 4 cups fresh spinach
  • ½ cup mashed banana (about 1 banana)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
2.      Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
3.      In a blender, add applesauce, non dairy milk, and spinach. Blend on high for about 30 seconds or until completely puréed. Add banana and vanilla; blend on low until combined.
4.      Pour puréed mixture into dry mixture and fold together with a rubber spatula until completely combined.
5.      Fill muffin cups about ⅔ full and bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
 
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1/18/2019 Comments

Chunky Monkey Smoothie

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​A Flash back to Valentines Day 2014: In the kitchen with my son and his friend making Valentine "treats" like this delicious smoothie!
Chocolate, peanut butter and bananas are always a great combination. We have created this delicious smoothie that uses peanut butter, banana, and raw cacao powder, along with a few other healthy ingredients.  Raw cacao powder is a 100% dark chocolate source of antioxidants, magnesium, iron and fiber and has the rich chocolate taste without the sugar and processing. This smoothie would be a perfect, healthy treat for a Valentine's Day breakfast.  
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​Chunky Monkey Smoothie
Ingredients:
  • 1 banana, frozen works best
  •  ½ cup peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
  • 1 tablespoon flax seeds
  •  2 dates
  • 2 cups almond milk or other non-dairy beverage of choice
  • Ice
 
Directions:
1.    Blend all in a blender until smooth.
2.    Top with unsweetened coconut (optional)

We hope you enjoy this chocolatey, delicious and nutritious smoothie!
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12/29/2018 Comments

Maple Granola & Yogurt Parfaits

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There is nothing better than home-made granola, and it is so easy to make.  You can add your favorite ingredients and customize it to your own taste. I prefer to bake the granola in my Excalibur Dehydrator, but you can make this recipe in an oven as well if you don’t have a dehydrator.

Granola makes a perfect breakfast, lunch or snack.  I love it with Almond Milk or in a Coconut Milk Yogurt Parfait, my new favorite (recipe below).  It’s great for kids because you can add so many nutritious nuts, seeds and grains, and it’s low in sugar.  We also like it for a topping for our frozen fruit “ice cream”.  It’s easy to make and I always have the ingredients on hand.
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A basic recipe is below, but have fun adding YOUR favorite ingredients.
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​Maple Granola and Coconut Milk Yogurt Parfaits
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Yield:  About 5 cups of granola
 Ingredients:
  • 4 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup ground flax seed (and about ¼ cup whole flax seeds)
  • 1 cup chopped raw unsalted nuts, such as: almonds, walnuts or cashews
  • 1 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice
  • ¾ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
Directions:
  1. Add oats, nuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, and coconut.  Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix together ¾ cup maple syrup and ¼ cup melted coconut oil.  Pour over granola and mix well to coat.
  3. Pour onto sheet pans covered with parchment paper.  Bake at 250 degrees until golden and toasted about 45 minutes.  Watch closely and stir about every 10 minutes.  *If using a dehydrator, pour granola onto dehydrator sheets, and set temperature to 115 degrees for about 8 hours until everything is well toasted.
  4. Remove from oven or dehydrator and add raisins, cranberries, dates, apricots and/or any other favorite dried fruit.
  5. Cool and store in an airtight container.
 
Coconut Milk Yogurt Parfait
Ingredients:
  • Granola
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Coconut Milk Yogurt, Vanilla flavor is the best!
Directions:
  1. Layer granola, coconut milk yogurt and fruit into a glass, about 2 or 3 layers per serving.
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The photos below are of my son was little and was helping to make the granola. He has always loved granola! Kids can help by chopping the nuts with a chopper like this and mixing the ingredients together.  
 We hope you enjoy these simple ideas for making and eating granola!
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11/18/2017 Comments

Lettuce Boats With Black Bean Salsa

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My son and I started our holiday baking this weekend which is one of our favorite traditions. Since I knew he would be sampling all the sweet treats, I thought we would make a healthy lunch before we started.  We made  lettuce boats filled with a fresh black bean salsa.  They were so delicious that we just had to share the recipe on our blog! 

My son used to love tomatoes, but had stopped eating them a few months ago.  This recipe has tomatoes and once again he likes them.  Just a quick tip:  Keep introducing and re-introducing different vegetables to your kids and different ways to eat them!  Salsa is very flavorful and a fun way to eat veggies.  Below is our delicious new recipe!
Yield:  About 3 cups of salsa
​Ingredients:
​Romaine Lettuce (Romaine lettuce works best for the "boats")
Separate lettuce leaves, rinse and pat dry

Black Bean Salsa
  • ​15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained (you can also use garbanzo beans, pinto beans or any favorite bean)
  • ​1 tomato
  • ​1/4 red onion
  • ​1 garlic clove
  • ​1 handful of cilantro (or parsley)
  • ​Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • ​1/2 tsp cumin
  • ​(Can also use veggies such as red bell pepper and cucumber)
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Directions:
  1. Add  tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, lemon and seasonings to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.  (If you don't have a food processor, finely chop by hand).
  2. ​Add to large bowl and mix in black beans.
  3. ​Fill lettuce boats with salsa and serve!  I could barely get photos because my son ate them so fast! 


It doesn't get much easier than this to put together a quick and healthy lunch!  We hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and all your fun, family traditions! 
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2/17/2017 Comments

Cauliflower Rice

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​Cauliflower seems to be pretty popular these days! From making pizza crust, buffalo wings, "rice" and eating it raw or cooked, cauliflower is pretty versatile. A cousin of broccoli, cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous group of vegetables. 
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​It contains a healthy range of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that are beneficial for our overall health.  These nutrients include vitamins C, K and B6, omega 3, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, and manganese. Health benefits of cauliflower also include healthy digestion. A typical serving of cauliflower provides over 3 grams of dietary fiber, which is essential to maintain a healthy digestive system. It is low in calories so it makes for great vegetable to eat when dieting. 
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​Here is a simple Cauliflower Rice dish which would make a delicious and healthy, low carbohydrate and gluten free meal.
Yield: approximately 4 servings
Ingredients:
  • 1 head of cauliflower, finely chopped in food processor
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1, 15 oz can kidney beans
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Directions:
  1. Cut the head of cauliflower into quarters, then trim out the inner core from each quarter.
  2. Break apart the cauliflower into large florets.
  3. Add the cauliflower to a food processor. Process in two batches if necessary.
  4. Process the cauliflower in pulses until it has completely broken down into rice-sized granules.
  5. Add the carrots, bell pepper, zucchini and celery (and any other favorite veggies) to large pan with ½ cup water.
  6. Sauté until veggies are soft about 5-10 minutes.
  7. Add in the cauliflower, kidney beans, and ginger and combine well.
  8. Cook about 5-10 minutes more.
  9. Add 2 tbsp. tamari, soy sauce, or liquid aminos and mix well.
  10. Top with sesame seeds.
  11. Serve.
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​We hope you enjoy this simple and delicious dish! "Make It Healthy and Make it Fun!"
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12/1/2016 Comments

Holiday Endive Boats

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It's hard to believe that it's the Holiday season once again! I love cooking with my son, especially for the holidays! Our recipe this month, is a fun appetizer using endive! My son had endive for an appetizer at a restaurant recently and wanted to create his own version at home. Endive is a green leafy vegetable and a member of the chicory family, which includes radicchio, escarole, frisee and curly endive. It has a crisp texture and a sweet, nutty flavor with a pleasantly mild bitterness. It is great served raw or cooked. Endive is a great source of potassium, fiber and Vitamins A and C.​
Holiday Endive Boats
Yield:  Makes about 20 
  • 4 bunches of endive, separate the leaves and arrange on a platter
  • 1 cup Jicama, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup Radishes, diced
  • Chopped mint and parsley
  • Lime zest
  • Juice of two limes
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup
  • Pomegranate seeds
 
  1. Mix the jicama, radishes and herbs in a large bowl. 
  2. Whisk the lime juice with the maple syrup and add to the bowl of veggies/herbs along with the lime zest. Mix well.
  3. Add a scoop of the mixture to each endive leaf.
  4. Top with pomegranate seeds.
These Festive Holiday Endive Boats would make a perfect snack or appetizer to bring to a holiday party!   Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!!

​Make It Healthy and Make It Fun!

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10/13/2016 Comments

Making Pumpkin Hummus!

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​October is always our favorite month! Cooler temperatures, Fall Festivals, Halloween and of course pumpkins!  We will soon have our annual visit to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard.  We are not overly crazy about pumpkin products, but definitely love our fair share of pumpkin during the season.  
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There seems to be pumpkin products everywhere you look! Pumpkin chips, pumpkin granola, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin cereal. You name it! I picked up a couple cans of organic pumpkin and made some hummus. It was really delicious and the pumpkin added a nice flavor to the hummus! With some fresh cut vegetables, it made a perfect appetizer! 
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Yield: approx. 3 cups
Ingredients:
  • ​1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin (save the rest to make pumpkin bread or pumpkin smoothies)
  • 2 tbsp. tahini
  • juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • a sprinkle of paprika for the top
Directions:
  1. Add all ingredients (except paprika) to a food processor or blender and combine well.
  2. Add to serving dish and sprinkle with paprika.
  3. Enjoy with vegetables and pita chips. 
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