​“Fold in Cool Whip. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight before serving.”
 
I think these are the last words of each and every Jell-O salad recipe in the history of Jell-O salads. When I was a child, salad wasn’t green unless there was lime Jell-O in it. The good women in my small, Midwestern farm town took these salads seriously. My mother was famous for her Green Salad which was made with lime Jell-O, cottage cheese, Cool Whip, sugar, and a can of crushed pineapple. Another staple was Carrot Salad. It was made with orange Jell-O, shredded carrots, a can of crushed pineapple, and a layer of Miracle Whip on top. These recipes are an integral part of my childhood memories of my mother, both grandmothers, and the amazing farm women from Macon, IL who all had a hand in my upbringing. Family reunions meant a rainbow of Jell-O salads to choose from…each one a specialty from that particular family. Green Salad, Carrot Salad, Pistachio Pudding Salad, Cherry Salad, Orange Tapioca Salad. You get the idea. While these staples from my childhood are not a part of our family’s diet, I do like the concept of adding fruits and vegetables to foods for added health benefits. When Tatum was just beginning to eat solid foods, I had to make most of her foods from scratch because of her allergies. I looked for easy ways to hide vegetables in every main dish for added health benefits. I still do this today but now it benefits the entire family.   
 
I am a proud product of my parents’ belief that nothing should be wasted. That’s farm life. “Cut off the brown spots. Eat around them.” Most fruits and veggies can be saved and used later if you chop them in your food processor and freeze them. At any given time, you might find the following frozen fruits and vegetables in my freezer:
 
Zucchini                    Yellow Squash         Spinach                                 Strawberries
Broccoli                     Apples                       Blueberries                           Bananas
Carrots                      Grapes                       Blackberries                        
 
When you know the fruits and veggies in your fridge will be heading south soon and you have a full plate of life going on, (or a 4-day swim meet WITH the mile on Thursday)…freeze them. I’ve saved many a blueberry, broccoli, or zucchini before they reach full squishiness by doing this. Here are some later uses for them.
 
Taco meat = spinach, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, OR yellow squash
Pancakes = apples, pumpkin, beets
Smoothies = any fruit or spinach
Spaghetti Sauce = zucchini or yellow squash
Muffins = pumpkin, zucchini, yellow squash, spinach, any fruits
Meat Loaf = zucchini or yellow squash
Soups = any vegetable
 
Side note on broccoli…a little goes a long way. Don’t overpower your meat with too much. I did that once and the family gave that particular Taco Tuesday two thumbs down. 

​I am not kidding when I say, “Everyone ages 4 and up would feel better if they drank a Rehydrate every single day.”
 
Problem-solving, attention, coordination, and reaction time begin to decline with as little as 1% loss of your mass due to dehydration. This is why we always have AdvoCare’s Rehydrate on hand.
 
For my Spark Notes kind of people out there…here are the benefits of Rehydrate:

• Helps the body stay hydrated during physical activity
• Fuels your body with carbohydrates for energy production and sustained muscle endurance
• Helps prevent cramping during and after exercise
• Lower in sugar than other electrolyte replacement drinks

 
For my detail-oriented kind of people out there…here are the benefits of Rehydrate:

• Helps replenish minerals and electrolytes through a combination of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, Sustamine ®, and a blend of important electrolytes. 
• AdvoCare Rehydrate® provides the nutrients to help you maintain proper metabolism, delay the onset of fatigue, and hydrate your body by re-establishing your electrolyte balance. Rehydrate has a 1: 1 ratio of sodium and potassium, two of the most vital electrolytes lost when we sweat. Overall, Rehydrate includes antioxidants (vitamins A and C), carbohydrates, electrolytes, Sustamine® and other nutrients that effectively promote optimal hydration and recovery. 
• Sustamine®is a patented ingredient that works on multiple levels to help rehydrate the body and sustain energy levels during exertion. Clinically tested, Sustamine® is produced through a patented fermentation method to create a unique peptide that is more readily absorbed by the body than complex protein molecules. This makes Sustamine® a highly effective ingredient for hydration, endurance and recovery.

 
For all of my people who like a lot of choices and variety, Rehydrate is available in seven flavors and a handy gel pack option:
Key Lime Cherry                         Orange                            Berry Lemon Ice
Lemon Lime                                Fruit Punch                      Mango Pineapple
Red Raspberry                            Lemon Gel Packs
 
Here are some ways to incorporate Rehydrate into your daily life:

• For workouts or activities when sweating is a given. This could be team practices, game days, hiking, yardwork, sitting at your kids’ sporting activities in the summer, home renovation projects, or all 100+ degree days in AZ
• For anyone sick, vomiting, or running a fever; keep an ice cube tray full of Rehydrate in your freezer. Break cubes apart with a meat tenderizer and place in a cup to suck on.
• For senior citizens who have trouble drinking enough liquid on a daily basis.
• For firefighters, police officers, military people, landscapers, coaches, postal carriers, or anyone working outside.
• We like to keep the Lemon Gel Packs in our freezer and eat them like a mini serving of sherbet. Yum! This can be great for athletes who want the benefits of electrolytes but not the sloshing of too much liquid before a race or game. 

​ “When you eat a lot of spicy food, you can lose your taste. When I was in India last summer, I was listening to a lot of Michael Bolton.” - Jimmy Carr, comedian
I want my food to be flavorful. I have a wide variety of spices in my pantry and refrigerator dedicated to that very statement. My friend, Aimee, shares this philosophy but in a more gifted way. When we lived in Columbia and visitors would ask me where I liked to go out to eat, my first thought was, “Aimee’s house.” She reads cookbooks like I read books, (and I read A LOT of books). She sends pictures of items I always need to have on hand in my pantry and refrigerator. She is NEVER wrong. Here are some examples:

• Thai Kitchen, red curry paste
• Sriracha Cha! By Texas Pete
• Thai Kitchen, premium fish sauce
• Sambal Oelek, ground fresh chili paste
• Alwadi Pomegranate Molasses
• Hoffer Salsa

One of my favorite Aimee suggestions is Chipotle Pepper discs. Here’s the “how to”:

1. In your food processor, puree 2 cans of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. (I like La Costena or Embasa brands but you can use whatever is sold in your local grocery store.)
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3. Drop by tablespoonful . They will look like mini chipotle pepper cookies.
4. Freeze. Once frozen, store in an airtight container.

In Arizona, chipotle peppers are not novel. Growing up in a tiny Midwestern town, this was not an option for me. Nowadays, I simply drop a disc or two in many of my recipes. Here are some examples:

• Marinades
• Almost any crock pot dish involving meat
• Soups
• Sauces
• Homemade salad dressing (Be sure to break apart a disc unless you like it “muy caliente.”)
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Taco meat

“Be prepared” is the Boy Scout motto. I am an Assistant Scout Master for Riley’s troop and this motto comes up regularly in conversations with the Scouts. Baden-Powell made the phrase famous, but it applies to all avenues of life. Be prepared for your day, week, month. Be prepared for that presentation. Be prepared for finals. Be prepared for the upcoming Age Group State Meet. Be prepared to squeeze in a workout while they’re at swim practice. Be prepared with healthy food options in your fridge. I once heard a statistic that stated, “From the time they are born until they move out of your home, you will spend approximately 20% of your income on food for the family.” For those of us feeding swimmers…I figure that looks like 25% or more. Swimmers take their eating seriously and do it often. They love carbs. They need carbs for all the calories they’re burning. I want some of those carbs to be fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. So, I am prepared. Here is the strategy that works beautifully in our home:
 

1. Invest in several stackable, clear containers with lids.
2. Plan ahead for grocery shopping. Make a list of fruits and veggies your kids will snack on.
3. When you get home…peel, chop, and cut all your fruits and veggies. Enlist your kids in this part so they know exactly what’s in the fridge.

 
Step #3 is imperative. “Be Prepared.” I have found if it’s already cleaned and in the main compartment of the fridge they are more likely to grab it. Teenagers, (and especially swimmers) will eat most anything but it has to be quick and easy. Otherwise, they go for crackers, chips, cookies, etc. With these containers in my fridge at all times, it’s easy to throw them on the table for snacking or at mealtimes. If your swimmer needs additional calories, pair them with hummus, cheese, or your favorite nut butter. It’s a win-win for everybody.
 
From my fridge to your fridge:

• Bell peppers
• Steamed broccoli
• Steamed asparagus
• Jicama
• Carrots
• Celery
• Grapes
• Black or green olives
• Pickles
• Berries (love ALL berries!)
• Cucumbers
• Roasted potatoes: sweet or white
• Roasted zucchini and parsnips
• Watermelon
• Pineapple
• Orange slices
• Salad in a bag
• Cantaloupe
• Snap peas
• Tomatoes

“I’m sorry for what I said when I was hungry.”
​
For everyone out there feeding athletes and teenagers…I bring you Crock Pot Chicken.
For everyone who Ubers kids to and from practice, relearns algebra to help with homework, says no to that glass of wine so you can do a 10pm pick up on a Saturday night, or have made last minute runs to Michaels or Walgreens for the project DUE TOMORROW! Let’s make answering the eternal question of “What’s for dinner?” a little easier on ourselves. Enter….Crock Pot Chicken. Here’s the recipe(s):
 
Crock Pot Chicken
1 crock pot
3 lbs. chicken (breasts or thighs)
¼ cup oil 
3/4 cup water
Seasoning of your choice
Cook until chicken shreds easily

Oil options:

• Olive
• Grapeseed
• Coconut
• Avocado
• Vegetable

 
Seasoning options:

• McCormick Taco Seasoning (for 3 lbs. of meat)
• 1 each: McCormick Mesquite Marinade and McCormick Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade
• 1 bottle of Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Sauce (no added water)
• Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce
• @ Trader Joes: Raspberry Chipotle Sauce, Ming’s Gyoza Dipping Sauce, Thai Red Curry Sauce, or any TJ’s sauce that strikes your fancy. Mmmmmm!

You’re probably thinking, wait…what? This is not magic, Pam. This is chicken with marinade. Yes, you are correct. The magic is not the ingredients but the fact this gets made almost every Sunday at our house. THAT is the magic. What does Crock Pot Chicken mean? There’s always an answer to “What’s for dinner?” Even when I’ve worked all day. Even when my swimmers are on dinner #2 for the night.
 
Here’s our house-favorite combinations:

• Chicken with noodles and veggies
• Burritos or Nachos
• On salads
• Chicken salad (made with mayo, mustard, curry, peppers, green onions, Craisins, and celery)
• Chicken quesadillas
• Toasted sandwiches…Panini, Ciabatta Rolls, English Muffins, Sourdough, etc.

​You’re welcome.

​How do you get toddlers to eat green muffins? Call them Monster Muffins, of course. It also helps to make monster faces, growl like Frankenstein, and serve them on a Halloween plate.
With Tatum’s food allergies, I was always looking for ways to hide vegetables in everything I made for her. Monster Muffins is simply an adapted version of Better Homes and Gardens Zucchini Bread. It has spinach, zucchini, AdvoCare Muscle Gain, and reduced sugar. As teenagers, our kids still love them. I make a double batch and freeze them, (if they last that long). It’s a great grab & go snack after school or after practice. Add your favorite nut or sunbutter and you have a high calorie, delicious snack for hungry swimmers or teenagers.
 
Recipe for a double batch
2 ½ cups flour
3 scoops vanilla AdvoCare Muscle Gain
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp nutmeg
4 beaten eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup cooking oil
6 oz. bag of pureed spinach
 
1 ½ cups finely shredded unpeeled zucchini OR 2 cups finely shredded apples

Use mini loaf, cupcake, or mini cupcake pans. This recipe does not work well in large loaf pans due to the added water in the spinach. Spray mini loaf pans with PAM. Use cupcake liners for the muffins.
 
Combine dry ingredients (except for the sugar). Make a well in the center  and set aside.
 
In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and sugar. Add this to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened, (batter may be lumpy).
 
Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. This is important or condensation will build up. Yuck! Store in refrigerator.

Approximate cook times:
(I’m more of an “insert toothpick in the center” kinda girl. I took a guess at the times.)
Mini loaves: 25-30 minutes
Muffin pan: 18-22 minutes
Mini muffins: 10-13 minutes
 
Hints and tips when cooking w/ Muscle Gain: Things brown faster because of the added protein. About halfway through the cook time, I cover the muffins loosely with tin foil so the top doesn’t overbrown. 

To order Muscle Gain go to Advocare.com/10076259 and go to Shop.