Photo Credit: Bumble Bee Foods

Unlike many parents I know, we don’t serve our children “special” kid-friendly foods.  And at restaurants, we only order off the kid’s menu less than half of the time.  When our children began solid foods, we decided to try as much as possible to avoid preparing two completely separate meals.  While I did use some organic baby food, I also pureed, mashed, and chopped up foods that my husband and I were already eating.  The result is that both of my children will eat things like Japanese Teppan, Vegan Chili, and Tuna.

Many parents struggle to get their children to eat something other than chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese.  I was very excited when Bumble Bee announced they would be partnering with Chef Scott Leibfried to create a series of kid-friendly recipes.  I could totally make this English Muffin Pizza with Vegan Cheese, homemade pizza sauce, and a whole grain dairy/egg-free bread!  Here is the recipe:

English Muffin Pizza with Tasty Tomato Basil

Ingredients
1 can (5 oz) Bumble Bee Sensations® Seasoned Tuna Medley Bowl, Sundried Tomato & Basil
2 English muffins, bagels or pieces of French bread
¼ cup store bought pizza sauce
½ cup shredded mozzarella
6 slices garden tomato
2 leaves fresh basil, torn
Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Split bread of choice in half and spread with pizza sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and add tuna.
• Add sliced tomatoes and place on a baking tray. Place in oven and bake until cheese has melted.
• Sprinkle pizza with torn basil.

Super easy right?  Stay tuned! I’ll be sharing another kid-friendly recipe next week!

No compensation was received for this post. As a Bee Squad member, I receive product samples and information.  Bumble Fee Foods is also sponsoring my trip to BlogHer 2011.

BeeWell for Life, an online resource dedicated to assisting in achieving a healthy active lifestyle, is hosting a game of Twitter Tag to increase awareness about breast cancer.  Through the end of May, when you “tag” a friend, you’ll be entered to win an iPad2.  Need a little assistance?

Simply tweet the following:

#tag4cancer @YOURFRIEND You could win an iPad2 from @BeeWellforLife and raise breast cancer awareness. http://bit.ly/fYiUYS

If you struggle to consistently engage in physical activity, need some assistance with planning healthy meals, or just want to keep your mind and body active, BeeWell for Life is a fantastic resource.  The health and fitness community features a host of interactive tools such as training programs and access to dietitians.  When you log your miles (whether you walk, run, or cycle), they will donate $0.10/mile to Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization.  1.5 million miles have been logged with a total of $450,000 donated to support programs that ensure no one faces breast cancer alone.

For more information, visit Tag 4 Cancer or follow BeeWell for Life on Twitter and on Facebook.

No compensation was received for this post. As a Bee Squad member, I receive product samples and information.  Bumble Fee Foods is also sponsoring my trip to BlogHer 2011.

Bargain Shopper Lady

Linda Sellers

MommyMandy

Nicole’s Nickels

Table For Five

The Thrifty Mommy

Not only are we going to represent the company, we’re going to be involved with a very special event taking place on the Thursday evening before BlogHer.  Stay tuned for all of the juicy deets!

In other “buzz” (hehe), Bumble Bee just announced a new partnership with Chef Scott Leibfried to create exclusive Bumble Bee recipes.  They’ve already finished filming 10 webisodes in which Chef Scott demos these recipes to give you tasty meal options using Bumble Bee products.  Here is a sneak peek at what’s to come:

Be sure to keep an eye out on their website for the release of the first webisode.  I’m excited to challenge myself a bit with Chef Scott’s new recipes.

I did not receive compensation for this post.  As a member of the Bee Squad, I receive product samples and information.  The company is sponsoring my trip to BlogHer ’10.

One of my goals for this year (and every year) is to eat healthier foods and increase my level of physical activity.  And I hope that one of the results is to shed this baby weight.  Bumble Bee Foods has launched a site called BeeWell for Life. The site is the new home of the BeeWell Miles program.  On it you’ll find resources “to make fitness and nutrition fun, rewarding, and fulfilling.”  The site is geared not only to your body but to your mind and spirit as well.

I signed up for the site as an incentive to get active.  It also provides a physical log of both my food intake and activity to see where I need to improve. The site offers much in the way of support and information for getting healthy…bothy physically and mentally.  You’ll find a community you can join for fitness tips, nutrition questions, or simply to make a new friend. My favorite part of the site is the area where Stephanie and Willow, two registered dietitians, share menus and recipes.  Here is their latest (which I am planning on making in the next week or so):

1 can or pouch (5 oz) Bumble Bee Tuna, drained and flaked

½ cup chopped tomato

3 tablespoons low-fat milk

6 large raw eggs, beaten

2 slices Swiss cheese

Combine tuna, tomato, milk and eggs. Pour tuna and egg mixture into a prepared 9-inch microwave safe casserole.  Cover and microwave on HIGH 90 seconds.  Remove lid, stir, cover and microwave on HIGH about 3 minutes longer.  Stir at 1 minute intervals until barely firm. Preheat broiler.  Place cheese slices on top of eggs and broil to melt  as desired.

Here’s a summary of the various aspects of the site:

BEE ACTIVE

Take advantage of helpful exercise tips from Coach Jenny, the training programs and tracking tools available inside your account.

BEE DELICIOUS

Each week, nutritionists Willow & Stephanie bring you insightful articles, tips and ideas to help you eat well and BeeWell! They share what they’ve eaten in a given day, along with a detailed nutrition breakdown using our Log & Share Your Meals tool. Every other week, Willow & Stephanie will review a full-day’s meal(s) from one BeeWell for Life member(s) and provide detailed feedback about what’s working, what’s not, and how to make the most positive changes to get the most out of your meals.

BEE THE DIFFERENCE

This year, make your miles matter! For every mile you walk/bike/run and log between now and October 31, 2010, Bumble Bee will donate $0.15 to Breast Cancer Network of Strength. With your help, our goal is to walk 1 million miles as a community.

BEE SOCIAL

Connect with the community and learn from others from around the country. Looking for motivation to stay or get in shape? Looking for a partner to train with? Want to share a delicious homemade recipe that’s working for you? Have a personal story you’d like to tell? You’re not alone. All across the country conversations are coming alive in the forums at BeeWell for Life.

If you’re looking for a way to help you attain your fitness and healthy goals, check out BeeWell For Life. You can join for free.  And if you do, be sure to connect with me via their community!  And to stay up to date on the latest news and updates on the BeeWell for Life program, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

I did not receive compensation for this post.  As a member of the Bee Squad, I receive information and product samples.

There are numerous ways to prepare tuna salad.  But my favorite is one that I tried at a gourmet sandwich shop years ago.  I don’t have the same exact recipe that they used, but this one comes pretty close.  What makes it taste so good is the replacement of sour cream for mayonnaise.

- 2 small cans of White Albacore Tuna in Water
- 1/3 cup Dried Sweetened Cranberries
- 2/3 cup chopped Fuji Apples
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh Dill
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream

There are a ton of different options to choose from when you’re shopping for tuna.  For many, many years (as in, since I was a child), we’ve been eating Bumble Bee Tuna (I like the White Albacore in Water).  I was recently asked to be part of a brand advocate team for Bumble Bee Foods called The Bee Squad. I don’t take the fact that I’m representing their brand lightly.  Each and every product and company you see on my blog has been carefully considered.  I turn down many “pitches” every week (I should screenshot my inbox one day!).  Over the next few months I’ll be telling you more about this company that I am proud to say is consumed regularly in our home.