5 Healthy and Hearty Trail Meals For Toddlers Guest Post for Go Explore Nature

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine

Two things I’m most passionate about in my life are introducing my daughter to nutritious and delicious foods and allowing her to explore, discover and learn from the wonders that Mother Nature has to offer, so when Debi invited me to do a Guest Post on hiking meals for kids I was honored and excited!

Packing lunches on-the-go are pretty commonplace in our household and I have gotten fairly good at keeping the fridge stocked with quick and healthy choices. When doing my weekly shopping I focus on buying a rainbow of fruits and vegetables to ensure our diet is full of vitamin and mineral goodness!

Another trick I learned and implemented early on in motherhood is to intentionally cook extra at dinner time, so there is a nutritious and filling meal already made for lunch the next day! I cook a LOT as it is and doing this saves me time and pot-washing. Win-Win-Win!

One more simple idea I call upon quite frequently are make-ahead meals and am constantly adding new make-ahead meals to my cooking arsenal, Make a bunch ahead and enjoy throughout the week without having to lift a finger! It doesn’t get much sweeter.

Here are some of my favorite go-to trail meals! I hope you enjoy!

[Wheat Berry Salad]

I used to be terrified of a wheat berry! Weren’t they weird and unusual and hard to cook? As a matter of fact, that couldn’t be farther from the truth! 

Toddler eating Wheat Berry Salad

Just soak 2 cups of wheat berries in water overnight in the fridge, then boil them in 4 cups of your favorite stock, 4 cups of cold water and 2 bay leaves for about an hour. That’s it! Rinse and drain them and add whatever tickles your fancy, instant Wheat Berry Salad. I love to add cucumbers, berries and garbanzo beans with a splash of olive oil and lemon.

Want to find out what the other 4 healthy toddler trail meals are? Read the full article at Go Explore Nature!

By Jennifer Fontaine

[Food Series] Healthy and Delicious Oatmeal Banana Bread

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine

Some people say we are a family of Monkeys because, in our house, we go through bananas at break-neck speed. We just can’t get enough of them! Banana bread is one of my favorite breakfast foods and a must have make-ahead meal when we go camping. It’s also a quick and healthy snack on the trail. This recipe has morphed too many times to count, but feel free to add fun things like semi-sweet chocolate chunks or walnuts. V has a slight nut allergy, so we forgo that for the time being. I love this particular recipe because it’s really flavorful without too much sugar and packed with nutrition. Enjoy!

Healthy and Delicious Banana Bread

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of Organic Whole Oats
2 very ripe Bananas
1/2 cup Honey
1 cup Yogurt
2 Eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Throw the oats in to a food processor until they become a fine, powdery consistency. Into the oatmeal flour, incorporate the other dry ingredients; nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Slowly begin to blend in the wet ingredients, starting with the applesauce, then add the 2 eggs, yogurt, bananas, vanilla extract and lastly the honey. Scrape the sides of the processor to ensure there aren’t clumps of the dry mixture stuck and all of the banana is pureed throughout. Spray two bread pans with non-stick cooking spray and evenly divide the batter between the two pans. Bake loaves for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

By Jennifer Fontaine

[Food Series] Lemony Sweet Pea and Pancetta Risotto with Mint

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine

I have been in a European state of mind this week, pining for its narrow cobblestone streets, Gothic cathedrals, fresh pastries and one-of-a-kind coffee. I’m sure it’s due to the fact that we haven’t been out of the country this year, opting for a plethora of domestic camping and road trips instead. Don’t get me wrong! I’m not complaining (trust me). I just can’t seem to shake the gentle whisper of far off lands, so I decided to make some Risotto! Granted, it’s a bit heavier fare than most meals at Fontaine Family Casa, but every now and then, we indulge! Enjoy!

Lemony Sweet Pea and Pancetta Risotto with Mint

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of Arborio Rice
2 medium Shallots
3 cloves of Garlic
1/2 cup of Pancetta
1/2 cup of Sweet Peas
1 tablespoon Lemon Zest
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 tablespoon fresh Mint
1 cup Dry White Wine
2 1/4 cups Chicken Stock
2 1/4 cups Beef Stock
1 cup Parmesan
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

In a medium size sauce pan, combine your white wine, chicken stock and beef stock and set it on the back burner on low heat to keep it warm. Finely dice your shallots and garlic then toss them in a deep pan on medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute them for about 2 minutes. Next add your pancetta and cook for about 7 minutes to render all of the fat out. Add to the pot the arborio rice and saute for another 4-5 minutes until the edges of the rice are translucent. Then, add just enough of the warm wine and stock mixture to cover the rice and reduce the heat of the risotto to low. Make sure to stir your risotto frequently and each time the wine and stock mixture has absorbed fully into the rice add more just to cover the top of the rice. Repeat this process until the wine and stock mixture is gone! This usually takes about 45 minutes. When all of your wine and stock has been absorbed into the risotto toss in your peas, mint, parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest and simmer for just a minute, then serve and enjoy!

By Jennifer Fontaine