Parent-Friendly Pizza Rolls

Do a Pinterest search for kids lunch options and you will find pizza rolls galore. I knew my girls would love some pizza rolls so I gave it a go - and it worked! They loved them. I’m calling these “parent-friendly” because honestly, parents love them as much as the kids do. They taste like pizza but are packed with veggies and your kids (and your tastebuds will never know) - a total win. The best part is they are delicious fresh from the oven or at room temperature and can be made, frozen, then reheated. I see these being a staple in our lunch boxes and after school snacks this year.

Ingredients:

Prepared Pizza Dough (you can using any kind - I like a gluten-free option like Bob’s Red Mill or Simple Mills or a whole wheat version like the kind available in the Publix Bakery)

1 small jar marinara (Look for one without any added sugar like Rao’s)

Shredded mozzarella

2 cups chopped veggies (anything you have will work)

Dried Italian Seasoning (oregano would work here too)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat and saute veggies for 5-7 minutes or until tender.

3. Remove veggies and add to a blender. Pour in marinara and blend until smooth.

4. Roll out prepared pizza dough into large rectangle.

5. Add a nice layer of marinara (leaving room on the sides for rolling) and sprinkle with mozzarella and seasoning.

6. Starting from the far side, roll pizza dough toward you, creating a large roll. Place seam-side down and cut into 12 pieces. Place pieces in a nonstick or greased muffin tin.

7. Bake 15-18 minutes or until outside is golden brown and inside is cooked through.

Serving suggestion: warm leftover veggie marinara in a dish for dipping.

Sweet Summer Granola

Virginia & Kate spent a couple days this week with my mom, who they call Kiki, at what they have dubbed “Kiki Kamp.” This was Kate’s first time to go and Virginia who went to “Kiki Kamp” last year had to fulfill her big sister duties and tell Kate everything that was going to happen while they were there, including flushing out their schedule for who would get to give my mom’s cat his treat each day they were there. I also overheard (don’t you love eavesdropping on your kids?) her telling Kate that going to Kiki Kamp is awesome because she lets you eat Cheerios for breakfast and mac n’ cheese for dinner and all the other “junk food” Mommy doesn’t let us have.

Ha. Kids. They’re something else. While I do just slightly love that they view Cheerios and mac n’ cheese as junk food, I actually do let them both those things - as well as lots of other actual “junk” foods. They just do not get to eat ONLY mac n’ cheese and not every night…and same with Cheerios. Because if my kids had it their way, they would only eat Honey Nut Cheerios for breakfast and nothing else…ever. So occasionally we have Cheerios but a lot of times, we don’t. The real question I have though is why would they want to eat Cheerios when they can have this delicious sweet, crunchy granola I just made? I guess we’ll never know because it’ll probably be gone by the time they get home.

This granola is perfectly crunchy and lightly sweet. The macadamia nuts and coconut oil give you a good boost of healthy fat, the oats are good for your beating heart, and coconut flakes and dried pineapple just scream summertime - piña colada anyone?

Ingredients:

3 cups GF Old-Fashioned Oats

1 cup Macadamia Nuts, unsalted, chopped

1/2 tsp Salt

1/3 cup Coconut Oil, melted and cooled

1/3 cup Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1 cup Coconut Flakes, unsweetened

1 cup Dried Pineapple, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250F. Line a baking sheet with silicon baking liner (or parchment paper).

2. In large bowl mix all dry ingredients (except coconut flakes and pineapple). In smaller bowl, add wet ingredients and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and toss to combine.

3. Spread mixture onto baking sheet in single layer.

4. Bake in over for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add coconut, stir to combine, and bake additional 30 minutes (stirring halfway through).

5. Allow granola to cool completely then break into chunks. Add dried pineapple.

6. Store in airtight container.