VIDEO: Episode 5 of Live with Evette on Facebook and Instagram
New York City Lifestyle Blogger Brianne Manz of Stroller In The City has three kids who each attend a different school. Mornings are so hectic, the kids often have very little time to eat.
So, when she visited Lifestyle Expert Evette Rios in her NYC kitchen for Episode 5 of “Live with Evette,” she shared tips for making healthy, delicious food her kids love to eat on the go.
In return, Evette shared an idea for delicious pizza, perfect for Brianne’s mostly gluten-free cooking style.
Tip 1: Breakfast Smoothies
Brianne’s kids love breakfast smoothies, and often don’t realize she packs them full of healthy ingredients -- masked by the bright colors of whole fruits and vegetables.
Here’s Brianne’s smoothie recipe:
· About 2 cups of milk (Brianne uses nondairy milk)
· Handful of spinach or kale
· 1 banana
· Frozen berries
· Chia seeds
· Sprinkle of instant oatmeal (about ¼ cup)
Blend all ingredients in a blender and pour into travel cups with straws for a quick breakfast on the go. Makes 2 servings. This smoothie should turn green or purple, depending on how much spinach or frozen fruit you use. Try swapping in different fruit or veggie ingredients to experiment with different colors!
Tip 2: Present Food Creatively
Brianne loves reusable bento lunchboxes to make it look like her kids have a ton of food choose from at lunchtime. She uses stainless steel bento boxes, but plastic works great, too!
She also loves to cut sandwiches into fun shapes using large cookie cutters. Her kids love sunbutter sandwiches with banana and chia seeds cut into stars! If your house is nut allergy-free, use peanut or almond butter instead.
Tip 3: Prep in bulk and freeze!
Prepping food in advance so it’s ready to go when you need it helps cut down on temptation to make poor food choices. For example: Evette shared how she preps her recipe for gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza in advance so her family isn’t tempted by store-bought or delivery pizza.
Evette’s Cauliflower Pizza crust
· 1 head of cauliflower
· Garlic
· Parmesan cheese
· Mozzarella cheese
· 1 egg
· Oregano
· Basil
Preheat oven to 400. Pulse cauliflower and garlic in a food processor until it looks like rice. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until sides are slightly brown.
Let cauliflower cool, then spoon into the towel. Wring it out to release excess water.
Place the cauliflower into a bowl and mix in parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, oregano, basil, and egg.
Spray a parchment-lined baking sheet. Shape cauliflower mixture into personal pizza-sized rounds about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Rounds are ready for tomato sauce, cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings! Pop them back into the oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.
To store, place your crusts in between small sheets of parchment paper, place in a freezer bag, and freeze! Next time, try heating in a toaster oven.
Watch more "Live with Evette:"
For more Lunchology tips and recipes, visit fideliscare.org/lunchology, follow Fidelis Care on Facebook and Instagram, and search for #Lunchology.