PICKY, PICKY, PICKY

How many of you cook at home?  As a stay at home mom, I'm the primary cook in our household.  I've been married for 9 years and have a 5 year old son and a 2 year old daughter.  Our family is complete.  I wasn't much of a cook when my husband and I got married.  We spent a lot of our first year or two eating out.  Along the way, I've learned a thing or two.  I'm not the best cook, but I think I could manage an award for most improved.  I love to bake and am a better baker then cook but my husband doesn't often get in the moods for sweets!  From my sweet tooth perspective, it's hard for me to even imagine!

If you have a sweet tooth like me, try this recipe here for these yummy looking banana caramel cupcakes pictured below!

Anyway, I sometimes find cooking a meal in our household frustrating.  My husband is a picky eater.... He hates tomatoes and doesn't like a lot of vegetables.  That limits a lot of easy meals!  And if any of you have children, you know how picky they can be from time to time.  I myself, am not a picky eater.  I like most foods.  Cooking in my house is definitely a challenge.

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One of our favorite meals that we can all agree on, are TACOS!  Luckily we all love tacos in one form of another and that's an easy but delicious meal to make!

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We also do indulge a little bit with takeout.  We have a family tradition of PIZZA FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT every Friday.  We usually pickup a couple of pizzas at a local pizza place or sometimes make them at home.  We get to eat dinner in the living room (which is not something we normally do) and watch a movie perfect for our little ones! Pizza isnt always the healthiest option but we've really enjoyed having a consistent family tradition each week that are our 5 year old son really looks forward too!

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Do any of you deal with picky eaters or limited skills in the kitchen?  I'd love to hear any of your go to recipes or personal favorites?  Or tips with how to cook for picky people!?  Or maybe you have some fun family traditions you either grew up with or are incorporating into your family now?  I'd love to hear!

CUPCAKE DIET

Today my kids and I made lemon cupcakes!  I was in the mood to bake something and was leaning towards blueberry muffins since we still have a lot of fresh blueberries left from picking last week, but my son wanted cupcakes,  and surprisingly lemon.  I myself, like all cupcakes, well to be honest, I like almost all desserts, haha, but I thought for sure he would pick chocolate.  However, the lemon ones were delicious! We made regular size cupcakes and mini ones too, which was good for me, so I could eat a couple without feeling completely terrible!  I've been trying to eat healthier these last few weeks.  I wouldn't mind losing just a couple of pounds. 

So instead of cupcakes, I should be eating this: 

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Which don't get me wrong, I love fruits, but I do have a sweet tooth!  Goodness, dieting can be no fun!  What about you all?  Are any of you on any type of diet?  If so, what are your go to recipes? 

I'm really into nuts and seeds right now. 

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 My current favorite seeds right now are raw pumpkin seeds and my go to nuts are raw almonds and a little bit of walnuts too.  Pair nuts and seeds with a a little bit of dried fruit and it's super yummy! Although you really have to watch the sugar content on dried fruit.  Do you have a favorite healthy snack?  

Double C: CARROT CAKE

So I ended up baking some cupcakes the other day.  Baking is something I love to do, but I don't seem to have much time for it these days.  I thought with my blah mood, I would make the time for it.  

I baked carrot cake cupcakes.  Nothing fancy.  

  

Another reason I haven't been baking lately, is because I've been trying to eat healthy, and all the sweets I love to make are not even close to being low calorie!  But for the sake of my mood I gave into temptation!

Sorry the pictures aren't the greeatest, it was late at night, and all I wanted to do after baking was eat them, not take pictures of them!!

I iced them with a cream cheese icing, which I think is best with carrot cake.  My husband's not big on sweets, but he likes carrot cake, so that's why I chose that flavor.  So I wouldn't be the only eating these cupcakes!  Even though I did eat more cupcakes in those two days than I have in this past year!!

Yikes!  But since than, I am back on track to my healthy eating, thankfully!  I think it's ok to every now and than sprulge on something bad for you, as long as the next day you go right back to healthy eating.  Most of the time I can do that pretty well, but there are days, when once I start eating something unhealthy but tasty, I can't stop eating!!!  

What about you girls?  How are your eating habits?? lol