Dairy-Free Beef and Broccoli Noodle Casserole

Depending on how many serving of this you want to make you may need to double or triple this recipe. I made this specifically for my daughter while I made a non-dairy free version for us. This yields two small portions for my toddler. Idea for the white sauce came from here.

Dairy-Free Beef and Broccoli Noodle Casserole

Note: This is a stove-top casserole

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp flour

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup rice milk

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup noodles (I use egg-free, but egg noodles would work great here)

1/4 cup leftover roast, cut up

1/4 cup broccoli, cut up

1. Cook noodles. Drain

2. On high heat mix olive oil, salt, pepper and flour together. Stir for a couple minutes until smooth.

3. Add milk and continue to stir constantly.

4. Turn heat to medium and add cornstarch until thickens. About 5 minutes, mine took less.

5. Add leftover roast, broccoli and cooked noodles. Heat through on medium low for about 5 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes

This is a great way to make sweet potatoes. I made up two and froze them in one-size portions for quick vegetable to add to lunches or dinners. Good way to get some good nutrition in your little one! And of course I didn't add butter.

I wonder if

Having a child with allergies has me uttering these words very often  "I wonder if..."  Yesterday, my daughter had an explosive diaper after snack.  I thought of everything she ate yesterday and nothing new.  I did give her Aunt Annie's graham crackers (shaped like bunnies). I wonder if that was the cause.  It was the second time she ate them.  I vaguely remember her having a messy diaper last time she ate them, too.  Maybe.  It's so hard to remember.  So, I looked at the ingredients again (I must check labels four times before I give her something new) and it say it was made on machinery with eggs, milk, soy and wheat.  It only contained wheat.  I'm going to wait a week or so and give them to her one more time.  If we have the same reaction then I know.  

When she has these reactions, it can be very frustrating.  I wonder if it is teething.  I wonder if it was something she picked up off the floor.  I wonder if it was something outside. I wonder if it was something she's had before and now has a reaction to.  I wonder, wonder, wonder.  

Father's Day Ideas

Over on my other blog I have posted some ideas for Father's Day gifts.

Check them out here!

Coupons

Stoneyfield Farm has coupons on their site for organic products.  I printed some that were soy-based.  Here's the link!

Fruit Snack

So, we've been buying the Gerber fruit snacks.  Not a lot of nutrition in those and yes they are expensive.  In fact all fruit snacks are expensive.  Today, I decided to break down and find some that weren't too costly and had some nutritional benefit.  

Here's what I chose:  Welch's Fruit Snacks -- Mixed Fruit

This is why I chose them: 

• no fat/no saturated fat
  
• 1 g protein
  
• 25% Vitamin A
  
• 25% Vitamin E
  
• 100% Vitamin C
  

The only down fall is that there is 6% carbohydrates, but the packaging claims made with real fruits. I paid $2.50 for 10 pouches.  So I guess for a once in a while snack it will be okay.  I also like that they are not messy for snacks in the car, which we are going to need this summer.  Plus, my toddler just loves chewy snacks and this is a little bit better than a gummy candy.