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chilli powder

Black Bean and Corn Fritters

June 19, 2015 by Dana

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Can I just go right ahead and admit today was just one of those days. If you have kids then I know you know what I’m talking about! Having my 8 year old son home for summer vacation and being super preggo is a lot more then I bargained for. Hello… when you can’t see your feet how are you supposed to bend over and pick random things up?? Or bend over and give the babes a bath?? Or put your own shoes on??  The big belly struggle is real! #pregnancyproblems


However…. somehow I managed to throw these super fun and delicious Black Bean and Corn Fritters together and the kids gobbled them up for lunch. I wish I could say that I served them with a green veggie or fruit salad but no, the kids are on a hard boiled egg kick so protein + protein it was. Hey, nothing wrong with that…. until tomorrow morning when I have to smell the aftermath of this bean + hard boiled egg meal. Thankfully my husband wasn’t here!

In other news my husband wants me to stop purchasing kitchen stuff. How do I put this…nevergonnahappenhubby.

In other, other news Donald Trump is running for president. Am I missing something here? Is he a politician now? Is he just going to pay someone off to make important decisions? Am I the only one super confused about this? And by the way, if you haven’t seen his Toupee memes I suggest you Google that immediately and have a good laugh!

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AAAANNNNDDD…. Back to the fritters because they are super easy to make and come together in about 30 minutes from start to finish. 30 minutes!! They are so easy I would say this would be a great recipe to let the kids help out with. I served mine with a nice dollop of sour cream and a little extra cheese on top and they were just perfect. Hope you all enjoy as much I we did!

Black Bean and Corn Fritters || www.3boysunprocessed.com

Filed Under: Recipes, Sides

Easy Cheesy Tacos

March 24, 2015 by Dana

This easy and delicious taco recipe includes a few extras so your  from scratch tacos turn out perfect! Saucy, cheesy, spicy. Yes!

Easy Cheesy Taco Meat recipe from scratch. No scary-ingredient-filled packets or unecessary additives! So easy and so delicious. || www.3boysunprocessed.com

Well hello there delicious, easy taco dinner just waiting to be gobbled up by my boys!


This taco recipe is definitely one of those “I just don’t feel like making dinner tonight” recipes because it comes together in literally just a few minutes and your family will love it! Even better, it doesn’t contain any random ingredients like the ones you will find in those pesky little taco seasoning packets.

When I started reading ingredient lists I realized quickly that those packets contain more additives then they do actual spices. Weird, I know. But if I know all the big name companies like I do, it doesn’t surprise me one bit! They never fail to add a bunch of crap to something seemingly super simple. Not to mention those packets-o-random-ingredients are more expensive then just buying real spices.

When I ditched those packets I realized something about seasoning tacos without them, and that was the texture was a little different and sometimes my meat ended up a tad dry. Don’t get me wrong, we still slapped a bunch of cheese and sour cream on those babes and the problem was solved, but one day I decided to experiment to try to achieve that “extra sauce” that I felt the meat needed.

Welcome…..strained tomatoes and cheddar cheese! Viola! 🙂 My trusty strained tomatoes solved my problem + added additional flavor to my meat. Yes and yes!

Ok, I’m sorry but here is an obnoxiously large picture. That sauce though!

Easy Cheesy Taco Meat recipe. The best from scratch tacos ever! || www.3boysunprocessed.com

One last tidbit… I did add fresh cilantro because I had some on hand. If you don’t have fresh cilantro I would go ahead and just omit it all together. Your tacos will be just as delicious even without the cilantro!

 

Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes

Creamy Crockpot Taco Dip

December 30, 2014 by Dana

This creamy Crockpot Taco Dip is sure to be your new “Go-To” party recipe! Throw it together the day of your party and keep in warm in your crockpot. Hello delicious!  

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Today my hideous crockpot is unveiled. I’ve spoke of it, I’ve joked of it, and here it is in all of it’s *older then I am* glory! Doesn’t the color  remind you of something your mother got as a wedding shower present? HA! 🙂

Before we get started I’d like to point out the obvious: tomorrow is New Year’s Eve! My whole family is going to a party at our Pastor’s house so that should be fun. I know, I know, it sounds like a big snooze fest but it is not like that at all, I’m telling you! 2014 has been such an amazing year for me. I watched my boys grow up a little more *tear*, started this blog, and was surrounded by amazing people all year long. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. It is amazing how every year seems to get better and better. Ok, I’m done with the sentimental stuff now, I promise! On to the dip….

Even though my crockpot is ugly it doesn’t stop this dip from being delicious, addicting, and pretty. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not claiming this dip to  be healthy or fat free….but it is one notch above the Velveeta and Rotel kind of thing because Hello! no random ingredients! So that makes it a little better, right? PLUS it has fresh tomatoes on top and that’s a veggie (I mean fruit, but hey who is being politically correct right now?) so…yeah…tomatoes = healthy. I mean, it was a nice try, right?

Cooking Tips

  • I only made a half batch of this dip because I was only serving it to my family. The recipe below is a full batch, that will serve roughly 12 or so people.
  • I waited until the end to add my beans, however you can throw them in with the rest of the ingredients in the beginning if you’d like.
  • If you want your dip to look like mine, use a plastic baggie to pipe your sour cream in lines! 🙂
  • I recommend choosing a tortilla chip that doesn’t contain soybean oil, and is non-GMO verified. We love the brand Garden of Eatin’ so check them out! I’ve also found Wegman’s has a decent organic corn chip if you live around one of their stores.
  • When all of your ingredients are melted together just perfectly, turn your crockpot on warm/low to keep it warm for your party.

tacodip

Filed Under: Recipes, Sides

One Pot Chilli Mac

November 12, 2014 by Dana

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Comfort food in the best way possible, Chilli Mac!


I know, I know, where have I been? Well, you see there’s this thing called *my oven is like a million years old* and I burnt the skin of a chicken that was supposed to be another post last week. Then there was also this thing called *the lighting in my photo-taking room sucked* and the beautiful reindeer cupcakes I made were basically poo-poo in pictures. And Rudolf even had a shiny nose! 🙁

Speaking of my old oven… that thing! I could seriously just take it outside and have a grand ol’ time with it + a baseball bat. You know your oven is THE WORST when you actually have to Google how to move the racks. I wish I was kidding, but no. I Googled how to move the racks in my oven. *Face Palm* Apparently in the 70’s (I’m guessing) somebody who probably never used an oven decided the best way to move a rack would be to lift it from the very back of the oven. Yeah, totally would of never considered trying that. Just another joyful aspect of apartment living!

But then today… This Chilli Mac happened. And my lighting was nice. And I wasn’t Googling how to use my ancient oven. And there was copious amounts of cheese and greens to throw around to make everyone pretty. I mean really, does it get any better? Comfort food + Happy blogger and boys = Yay!!!!

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There is one thing in this recipe that I haven’t talked about lately on 3Boys and that is ketchup. I highly recommend seeking a brand that doesn’t use high fructose corn syrup in their product. Not only is it GMO, it isn’t good for us and the brands using it in their products basically just suck. BOO to them! Don’t buy their crap! Ok, I’m done. 🙂

Now that I got that vent off my chest let’s dive head first into a big bowl of Chilli Mac, shall we? This recipe combines the goodness of hamburger, whole wheat elbow macaroni, sharp cheddar cheese, tons of spices, ketchup, mustard and sour cream into a big, delicious hot mess. This hot mess will make you want to burn the roof of your mouth right off because you can’t wait just 1 minute for it to cool down. I know, I do it every time too. Basically take everything you have in your pantry, dump it into one big hot mess, and enjoy! Chilli Mac it is!

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*Don’t forget your greens! I served this with a big ol’ spinach and kale salad and some frozen mango!

chillimac

 

 

 

Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes

#52newfoods Challenge: Sweet Fire Chilli

October 21, 2014 by Dana

Dana Carvell (3BoysUnprocessed)
One of the most common questions I get regarding healthier eating habits is “Do your kids really eat that stuff?”

In short, the answer is yes! They do. However, they are all their own little selves, so  there are some exceptions to that statement. After all, my kids aren’t heath-food robots and neither am I. We are a real family, trying to live a healthier lifestyle by cutting processed foods and cooking from scratch. Believe me, some days go better then others, but what I know at the end of the day is everything my kids eat in our home is home cooked, real food. Nothing comes from a package, they don’t eat boxed cereals and pop-tarts for breakfast, and I cook nearly every single meal from scratch. I also have the job of being a mom, in my home, where my food goals are easily attainable. Not to mention, I am already a trained pastry chef and cook, so cooking form scratch was never an issue for me. However, I would be foolish if I thought this was everyone’s life, and I know busy families will quickly fail if the only advice they are given is “cook from scratch.”


Removing processed foods from my household didn’t happen over-night. I was desperate to loose my baby weight, and I knew the key to doing that was getting rid of packaged stuff and replacing it with fresh stuff. Little by little my husband and I made smarter choices, came home from the grocery store with more produce, and started incorporating new foods into our family dinners. When my husband was grocery shopping alone I would ask him to bring home one mystery item for me to create a new recipe with, and to encourage all of us to try something new.

When I started sharing pictures on Facebook of what I was feeding my toddler for lunch, people were instantly interested.

” How do you get your kids to eat that stuff and how can I learn to do the same thing?” came from just about everyone I knew.

Unfortunately I don’t really have any fun or interesting answers! I changed the way we ate little by little, and began cooking everything from scratch instead of using convenience items. The more and more I read ingredient labels, the more I understood just how much food companies take a simple item and turn it into something horrible and unhealthy. I also realized relying on marketing wasn’t going to cut it. I began realizing the more items I purchased THAT DIDN’T EVEN HAVE PACKAGES, the easier making healthy choices became.

Since starting the blog I’ve been on the look-out for helpful ideas for parents trying to solve the never ending mystery that is getting their kids to try new foods. I know every family has their own story, way of life, and eating habits so I was really looking for something that was relatable to all families. When I came across Jennifer Tyler Lee’s new book: The 52 New Foods Challenge, I knew this book was exactly what I was searching for!

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The Book

Have you ever considered forgetting about pushing “healthy” foods and just asking your kids to play a game with you? How about pitting your oldest against your youngest to see who can eat the most colors and score the most points? What if broccoli and kale scored higher so they were now the most sought after foods at the dinner table?

I know, I know, it sounds crazy but when I was reading The 52 New Foods Challenge, I started thinking “Why didn’t I think of this before?” My boys absolutely LOVE to out-do each other and dinner time is no exception.

What about considering taking just one hour a week and putting it toward trying something new? No need to completely over-haul your life, just one baby step at a time, and you will be reaching your food goals in no time! Can you imagine next year at this time if your kids were familiar with 52 new fruits and veggies that you could now incorporate into your family dinners?

The 52 New Foods Challenge lays all of this out in a fun and exciting new way to deal with food. No more stressful evenings fighting with your children about why they won’t eat their veggies! Not only does Jennifer explain the game, the point system, and the foods, she also talks about how she plans her meals and packs lunches. Last but not least, Jennifer suggests NO SNEAKING! This was one of my favorite things in the book because I feel the same way. Foods don’t count if your kids can’t see them, and feel their texture.

*For more about Jennifer Tyler Lee’s new book The 52 New Food Challenge, check out her website here!

1 overview 52 new foods

The Recipe

One amazing thing about The 52 New Foods Challenge is that the foods are listed in season. We try to eat in season as much as we can because I can get a ton of produce at local markets, and it is cheaper! I also prefer food that comes from my area, and eating in season makes this goal really attainable.

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Sweet potatoes have long been a staple in our household. When my son was a baby I started feeding him sweet potatoes and he’s been loving them ever since. When he was small I would steam them really soft, and when he got a older I made fries with them. I still make my kids sweet potato fries a few times a week because I know for sure they will always, always eat them! Most of the time they are gone before I even get a chance to grab one!

When sweet potatoes became a staple in our home they started finding their way into our family dinners, and when I put them in chilli I knew I had a winner on my hands. It was absolutely the best chilli I had ever made, and I have been making chilli with sweet potatoes ever since! When I was thinking of a fall recipe to share, I knew this Sweet-Fire Chilli had to be the one. I take fire roasted tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and great northern beans to make a colorful, delicious dinner that your whole family will love. My kids love the color, I love the nutrition, and everyone loves the cheese and sour cream we get to put on top. 🙂 How many colors can you count in the bowl?

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Jennifer also suggests getting kids involved with food preparation, so I let the kiddos cut up their dessert, a fruit salad. The used baby oranges, strawberries, and pomegranate seeds to mix together to make themselves a snack after school. They had fun eating their fruit as they were cutting, and even helped me with some of the tomatoes for the chilli. It actually went a lot smoother then I thought it would because typically I don’t let them help.

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Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes

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I'm Dana! Foodie + Photographer. Momma of 5. Baby lover. Coffee addict. Cooking through the chaos one recipe at a time! I've built this food blog out of a desire to create and share. My time spend around the table with my family and friends means the world to me. My hope is that you get to feel that too!

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Foodie + Photographer. Momma of 5. I've built this food blog out of a desire to create and share. I feel most alive when I'm talking with family and friends around the table. My hope is that you get to feel that too!

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