Today: Dill, lemon and garlic kale chips and snack prep.

A few years back, when eating small meals throughout the day came into vogue, I was like… Duh.  Been doing that for ages.  (I think that was the only time in my life I’ve been ahead of the curve and/or a tiny bit hipsterish.)  For better or for worse, I’d much rather graze than eat an entire meal of food.  Except at dinner time.  It’s nice (and, I think, important) to make time to sit down as a little family.

Meal planning and prep, for me, is really more snack planning and prep.  I whipped up a few especially good snacks this week, including the dill, lemon and garlic kale chips below.  One look at our fridge will tell you that kale is in season in New England.  And that I can’t resist a farm stand deal.

Dill, lemon and garlic kale chips

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of kale, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 heaping teaspoons fresh dill
• zest of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
3. Wash your kale and blot it dry with a paper towel.  Remove stems and cut or tear leaves into small pieces.
4. In a large bowl, combine kale, olive oil, garlic, dill and lemon zest.
5. I hate when people say massage the kale, but um… massage the kale, and make sure it is evenly coated in oil and that your other ingredients are well distributed.
6. Artfully (just kidding…) arrange kale on your baking sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes (or until crispy, but not… burnt).  Let your kale chips cool before eating.

I love the combination of lemon and fresh herbs (and who can say no to garlic?), and while I will always have a thing for actual chips, these kale chips are a great way to green up my afternoon snacking.

While the kale chips were baking, I chopped up some vegetables for salads and baby food purees and scrolled through the new fall edition of the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan for some snack prep inspiration.  I purchased the plan a few years ago, and love when new updates are released to members.  There are so many vegan recipes that I am looking forward to making from the fall edition. I started with their spicy roasted chickpeas, frozen yogurt blueberries and Heart Beet juice (pictured above). Each recipe only took a few minutes to prepare, as I (miraculously) had all the ingredients on hand.

One shortcut (I’m all about the shortcuts, ’bout the shortcuts, no longcuts) I’m willing to pay a bit extra for these days are packaged, cooked organic beets.  Same goes for butternut squash (for safety reasons alone, it’s worth the price — you do not want to be see me wrestle a squash while wielding a sharp knife) and other tough produce that Grace seems to love.  I’m finding that so many of the snacks and meals I’m planning for the week can be seasoned and then pureed or mashed for her to enjoy, too.

Speaking of that lovely baby, we have had a rough couple of weeks sleep-wise.  I suppose we needed to make progress in order to regress (some good ol’ parent spin zone talk for you), but we’ve been firmly in the grips of a sleep regression lately.  As much as I want to reach for the Diet Coke (like, a hundred of them) in times like these, I know that more caffeine is probably not the answer.

I’m making good on my October goals by getting out of my own way, and ensuring I have better choices on hand: lots of iced green tea (I brew a pitcher and divide it up once it has cooled), fresh juice, and plenty of water to pair with all those meals snacks.

Also On Tap for Today:

• Fellow tea drinker?  Sign up for the HLB Fall Tea Swap here.
• Unintentionally puddle jumping my way to work
• I love this: 5 Books That Fueled My Childhood Love of Food via The Kitchn

Are you a snacker or a full meal type of person?