All posts by R.C. Liley

I'm an ex-mutual fund accountant who left the cubicle world to be a stay-at-home dad to my beautiful little girl, Avery, who entered our life on 11/15/13. Also happily married to my wife, Kelley, for 7 years as of 8/17/14. Sorry ladies... :) Fitness and nutrition is of the upmost importance in our family and we strive to reflect this in our daily life. I always prepare our meals at home and only go out if it's a special occasion, and even then I tend to not get much. Food should be fun and a joy to eat, not something quickly consumed from a fast food chain or scarf down before the next meeting. I have come from strictly logging high miles to train for the next marathon to keeping exercise varied and focusing more on strength. I still enjoy going for a run when I can, but nothing crazy, and I prefer hill sprints while pushing my daughter, Avery in the stroller. She loves it and I get a great workout! I want to show the world how to appreciate their body and feed it real, wholesome food while moving more throughout the day. In doing so, everyone would be healthier, happier, and we'd all live in a better place as a result. I blog mainly about my life as a stay-at-home dad and frequently include reviews, participate in campaigns, and share my thoughts on fitness and nutrition. If you ever have any questions or thoughts to share, please reach out as I'm always open to listening or helping others however possible. That is, when I have free time since Avery is and my wife are the number one priorities!

Simply7 Lentil Chip Crusted Baked Fish in a Snap

Kelley and I were at Costco and happened upon this giant bag of Simply7 Lentil Chips about 2 weeks ago. We both said they sounded good, and after I scrutinized the ingredients, they seemed fairly decent. Non-GMO is a big one I look for too. After going back and forth, I repeatedly asked Kelley if she would help me eat the bag if we got this plus-sized potato sack of lentil chips. “Yes, I’ll help.”, she replied. Ha….
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Fast forward to now and after her “helping” by eating about 10 of the eleventy million chips, I was almost through the bag. Since I was tired of throwing them on my salads, eating them with carrots (pretty good, by the way), dipping in Greek yogurt, and just straight up snacking on them, I figured I’d use the rest in a recipe.

Thus, the crusted baked fish idea came about. We had a giant pack (yes, from Costco) of wild Dover Sole that I needed to cook, so why not add some crushed chips?
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All you need is an almost empty gigantic bag of lentil chips, white fish of choice (chicken would be good too), and an oven.

First off, you need to crush the chips. Being a parent, I made use of stroller and swing, as you can see. Hand crushing would work too, but it’s not as fun.
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Once they are crushed, toss in about 5 Dover Sole filets (these are thin, so adjust accordingly with what you have), fold the bag, and shake to coat. The chips don’t stay on very well, probably needed to use egg wash, but there’s no time when working against a sleeping baby clock!
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After they are coated, lay on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 15 – 20 minutes. The house will smell pretty fishy, that’s a good indicator they’re almost done.

Remove from oven, let cool, then serve with a side of steamed veggies like broccoli or Brussels, and maybe quinoa or a sweet potato. For an extra kick, I like topping the fish with some salsa, so feel free to do the same.
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Not the prettiest, but nothing is after it's broken down by your stomach acid. Just saying....
Not the prettiest, but nothing is after it’s broken down by your stomach acid. Just saying….

There you go, quick, easy, delicious, and healthy all together. Make a lot for leftovers; as parents, we can always use the extra time!

What I’ve Learned After 2 Days as a Stay-at-home Dad

Not much. I’m still confused and trying to figure things out, but I am more comfortable with the role.

I have been able to get Avery to take long naps in her crib without too much fussing. Swaddling, taking queues from yawns and watching the clock are very helpful. Oh, and accepting the crying in my face for a while until she gives into sleep.

Avery Sleeping in Crib

Eating while she sleeps is something I need to work on though. I get so excited about the time I have to get other things done, I sometimes forget to actually just sit and eat. For her first nap of the day, I rush to the garage to try and get in a workout. Listening to music while working out is a thing of the past, now I listen to a baby monitor. I’m still trying to learn the lyrics there….

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Husband and wife do not always see eye to eye with parenting styles. This is a big a one! If I know she has been fed, changed, and burped, I will let her cry and scratch my chest with those razors nails longer than Kelley will. Kelley will get up, bounce around, change positions, and hum loudly until Avery calms down. Are either of us doing it wrong or right? I don’t think so, it’s just us having our own ways.

Of course we argue over these differences as I’m sure most parents do, but we can also learn from each other this way.

Just last night I tried holding the screaming Avery while laying flat in the recliner. After several minutes of her thrashing and wailing, Kelley told me I’m doing it wrong. I hate being told I’m wrong (even if I am), and usually refuse to do as suggested. C’mon, please tell me I’m not the only one like this!

I own the both of you!! Now change me, then food!
I own the both of you!! Now change me, then food!

Anyway, Kelley said I need to sit up and rock so she wasn’t flat. After resisting these instructions, I gave in and did as told. Avery settled down, I then reclined and we both slept. Wife – 1, R.C. – 0.

We’re only 11 weeks into, so there is a lot of learning to come. Hopefully we learn to let each other go about their own methods and only intervene when something is seriously awry.

After making chocolate pancakes and coffee, for Kelley this morning, any argument left from last night is gone and all is well.  Until night falls again….

At the end of the day, we are all happy to have our beautiful girl and know that we’re strengthening our relationship by raising Avery together.  Yes, a little fighting is healthy, right?

Parents, do you and your significant other have different ways to handle your kids? Be honest, how many fights have started because of this?