YUMMYTUMMYCOOKING.COM
Oprah - OWN Network Audition Tape
Hello my Yummy Tummy Cooking Fans,
First and foremost I'm very sorry I have been away for so long!!! Pregnancy and life have just keep me away from the computer. I miss blogging and connecting with my fans. I am due in a few days with baby number 2 however I have been a busy little bee. I saw an opportunity to host your own show on the new OWN Oprah network and I had to jump all over it belly and all! I have attached Anthony and I audition video and I would greatly appreciate everyone's support and vote. You can vote as often as you like and the person with the most votes gets to be a finalist. I would love to have the opportunity to turn this blog into reality and cook for everyone at home on their TV screen. I have attached the link to our video please vote for us!
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
Jamie Olivers Food Revolution show that aired last night on ABC at 8pm should be a must see for all parents!!! The show highlights some scary facts about the food that our kids are eating in school. Fact is that our kids are the first generation of kids that will not outlive there parents. The fact that child obesity and diabetics is an epidemic in this country is not by default. It is directly linked to the food our kids are consuming at home and at school. I found the part of the show where Jamie purees chicken parts such as bones and skin and molds it into chicken nuggets and the kids chose to eat it to be disturbing. Another portion of the show kids could not identify common vegetables like tomatoes or potatoes. Kids spend on average of 185 days a year in school eating 2 meals a day of over processed fake food. It is our responsibility as parents to demand better foods for our kids in schools. Anthony is only three years old so I still pack his lunch for preschool. If this is the food my son will eat when he starts kindergarten no thank you I will continue to pack his lunch. I believe good eating habits begin in the home. I am a working mother to Anthony and have a baby girl due this June. If I can take the time and effort to cook healthy real food for my family anyone can. Making food at home is less expensive, healthier and less time consuming that the frozen packaged over processed food that is marketed to our kids. This show just reinforced for me why I choose to cook at home and not fall into the over processed convenience rut that is made readily available to parents. Part of my role as a parent I believe is to teach my son and future daughter to eat a well balanced diet that incorporates real food that is made from our kitchen with love. This show should be an eye opener and the ultimate deciding factor to make conscious eating decisions for your kids. I hope you walk away inspired to cook more at home for your kids and try some of our the recipes on yummy tummy. Please let me know what you thought of the show and how you think it will change how you feed your kids.
Fruity Pear Oatmeal
It's 8:00 am have to get out the door take Anthony to preschool and gotta get to work. Want him to leave with a full satisfying breakfast that takes less then 5 minutes to prepare here comes instant oatmeal to the rescue! The oatmeal is done by the time your morning coffee is done brewing. The nice thing about this breakfast is that its fast and nutritious. The pear juice just adds the right amount of sweetness and creaminess and the addition of the dried pear really brings out the pear flavor. You can make this oatmeal with a variety of juices or fruit. Apple Juice and dried apples or applesauce also work well in this recipe. So next time before you reach for that cold box of cereal think of a hot nutritious bowl of oatmeal instead.
INGREDIENTS:
1 package of plain instant oatmeal
1 tablespoon of sugar
2/3 cup of 100% pear juice
1/4 cup of dried pears
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
METHOD:
1. Combine all ingredients in a pot and simmer under low heat for 3-5 minutes
2. Pour oatmeal in a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Italian Macaroni and Cheese
So I have to admit this is not my recipe it's my husbands! He thought of this recipe all by himself. The idea came to him the day I made the macaroni and cheese for Anthony. We love Italian food and macaroni and cheese so this is a marriage of our two favorite things. He used quattro formaggi cheese which just means in Italian four cheeses. You can use whichever four cheeses you like, he choose a shredded package of cheese which included mozzarella, provolone, asiago and parmesan. I loved all the ingredients separately so I had high expectations for this dish. This meal surpassed all my expectations it was absolutely the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had! It was the right amount of gooeyness from the cheese and the fresh tomatoes hidden in the little pockets of the shells was a nice surprise. This was a nice treat from the hubby that only make two meals once a year now we are up to three. I will definitely request this again!
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of mini shell pasta
2 cups of quattro formaggi cheese
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes halved
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped basil
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon of melted butter
1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasonings
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
1. Boil pasta for 8-10 minutes then drain
2. To make the cheese sauce melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of flour whisk together then add 2 cups of milk
3. Add 2 cups of cheese to the milk mixture and stir until the cheese melts season with salt and pepper to taste
4. Combine cherry tomatoes, pasta and cheese sauce
5. Combine panko bread crumbs, dried Italian seasoning and melted butter
6. Pour pasta mixture into a baking dish and top with seasoned panko bread crumbs
7. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until bread crumbs are light golden brown
Homemade Broccoli Ravioli
So the Broccoli sequel continues. The final step in his new love of broccoli was to make homemade ravioli. Anthony's loves ravioli so I thought what better way to add another dish with broccoli then to make cheesy raviolis. Glad to report he loved helping mommy make them and he especially loved eating them. I took a short cut and purchased store made pasta sheets at our local Italian market. You can make a whole bunch in advance and keep them in the freezer and cook them as needed. You can switch up the fillings to several cheese/vegetable combination you like. I may try eggplant, spinach or carrots next time. It will be a fun and exciting meal for anthony and I to make with any new vegetable he picks at the supermarket. This recipe will be extra healthy if you make it with my homemade marinara sauce recipe. Hope you make this at home with your little one!
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb of fresh pasta sheets
1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of broccoli florets
1 egg beaten
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
1. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook broccoli florets for 2 minutes then chop up into little pieces
2. Mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, broccoli, salt and pepper
3. Brush pasta sheets with egg wash then add 1 teaspoon of filling in a row
4. Top with another sheet of pasta then form ravioli with a ravioli cutter
5. Boil ravioli for 2-3 minutes until they float to the top
6. Strain ravioli and serve with melted butter and parsley or marinara sauce
Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli
So Im back to report on Anthony's progress with his broccoli purchase at whole foods this week. The first trial was with macaroni and cheese glad to report it went better then expected! At first there was some hesitation because its not everyday he has broccoli in his macaroni and cheese. After a few small micro bites of the macaroni and cheese with a micro portion of broccoli on it he loved it! He ended up eating his whole bowl of mac and cheese. Later on for dinner I added broccoli to the rice and chicken dish we had tonight and he ate it all up again. He will not eat vegetables on its own yet unless its incorporated into something he already likes. So before I give him a side portion of vegetables I will continue to add it to tried and true dishes he already loves. I think its important to teach your kids about eating vegetables and help them be apart of the process. The fact that he purchased the broccoli and helped mommy prepare it had a lot to do with him eating it. He was very proud of his purchase and the fact that he ate what he helped create. We will try the ravioli's this weekend and let you know how it goes!
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of elbow macaroni
2 cups of cheddar cheese
4 slices of american cheese
1/4 cup of chopped fresh broccoli
2 cups of 2% milk
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
1. Cook macaroni 6 minutes add broccoli and cook an additional 2-4 minutes until macaroni and broccoli are done
2. To make the cheese sauce melt 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour cook for 1-2 minutes
3. Add 2 cups of milk and whisk mixture all together it will get slightly thick
4. Add cheeses then season with salt and pepper to taste
5. Drain pasta and broccoli then add to cheese sauce
Nutritional Requirements of a Toddler?
Healthier Boxed Brownie Bites
I have to admit I am not the best baker! I can cook anything from the best grilled cheese to a 30 pound turkey but when it comes to baking not my strongest quality. The majority of the time I have to rely on boxed desserts for the family so I add my own healthy spin to them. I have noticed many boxed desserts are loaded with butter or oil. I substitute the butter or oil with equal parts of applesauce. I also add a pureed banana to keep the brownies moist. The results are a tastier healthier dessert with less fat and some added nutrients with the banana. Some of our favorite quality time together is in the kitchen. Anthony gets really excited when all his hard work pays off to delicious brownies. I use it as an opportunity to teach him about counting, math and food. We usually sit in front of the oven together on the floor and watch the brownies cook and talk about all the wonderful yet random thoughts of a three year old boy.
INGREDIENTS:
1 package of prepared brownie mix
1 jar of unsweetened applesauce
1 banana puree
1 can of non-stock spray
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly spray mini muffin tin with non-stick spray
3. Make brownies according to package directions replace butter or oil with equal amounts of applesauce then add pureed banana
4. Fill muffin tins with brownie mixture
5. Bake 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes
Apple Juice Homemade Jello
This homemade jello is just as easy as the boxed stuff without the added sugar or food dye. You can make this with any juice you have on hand just make sure its 100% juice with no added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. I have added a link http://www.naturalnews.com/024466.html to explain why we try to avoid HFCS at our house. You can use a variety of molds and cup cake liners at home. I have valentines day on the mind so I used miniature silicone heart shaped molds. You can also use your cupcake pan and and pour the mixture into your child's favorite cup cake liners. This is a nice safe treat to bring to school. It's a healthier alternative to the cookies and cakes and won't have the kids bouncing off the walls...teachers will thank you for that! Hope you enjoy this treat on valentines day or any day.
* For those that are vegetarian here is a link http://www.vegcooking.com/vegcooking-gelatinalt.asp for gelatin alternatives since it's a solid substance derived from the collagen of animals.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of 100% apple juice
1 cup of sliced strawberries
4 envelopes of gelatin
METHOD:
1. Heat up 3 cups of apple juice
2. Add 1 cup of cold apple juice to the 3 cups of hot apple juice and add gelatin stir until dissolved
3. Add strawberry slices to the bottom of your container and pour in the gelatin mixture
4. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm
Cornflake Crusted Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
It's a snowy day today, what better way to wake up my family then with a hot breakfast in bed! If I left it up to Anthony we would go to IHOP every day, he has been there twice and obsessed with this place. He watches the commercials and ask to go there like its Disney world. I woke him up this morning and told him this is IHOP's strawberry French toast. We ate breakfast in bed and he was the happiest kid ever. This is a pretty easy french toast to make and you probably already have the ingredients at home. I prefer to use thick Texas toast bread they are easier to fill. You can also use Challah bread or take two slices of sandwich bread and fill the center with the filling. I'm thinking of making blueberry lemon, banana chocolate or a tropical twist and adding pineapples and bananas then coating with coconut. The filling possibilities are endless. Hope you enjoy this recipe on the next snowy day or over the weekend.
INGREDIENTS:
4 slices of Texas toast
1 cup of fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon of cream cheese
1 teaspoon of sugar
2 cups of corn flakes
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch nutmeg
2 tablespoons of butter
METHOD:
1. To make the filling in a food processor combine strawberries, cream cheese and sugar.
2. To make the crust break up the cornflakes in a food processor.
3. To make the egg batter mix eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract and nutmeg.
4. Cut a slit in the bottom of the bread and fill with strawberry filling.
5. Dip both sides of bread in egg batter then coat with crushed cornflakes.
6. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and cook french toast on both sides for 3-5 minutes.
7. Top with fresh strawberries and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
* Makes 4 servings