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Homemade Swiss Chard Garlic Chicken Nuggets
So last time we chatted we were at the farmers market. I have soooooo much swiss chard left over I don't know what to do with it. I had a dilemma Anthony wanted chicken nuggets and I wanted to feed anyone around me swiss chard. I found the perfect solution I combined the two and created swiss chard garlic chicken nuggets. I am pretty sure sauteed swiss chard as a side dish to the nuggets would of just stayed on the plate. I don't know many four year old's that would have thanked there mom for a side of swiss chard. You can use store bought bread crumbs but I had a day old baguette to make homemade bread crumbs. I pulsed all the ingredients in my new blender that I used to make the rice cereal. They came out kinda green so we called them Hulk nuggets. Anthony is pretty obsessed with all things superhero's and marvel comics so I knew he would gobble these nuggets right up. My next chicken nugget challenge is to make dinosaur nuggets. A friend at his school had dinosaur nuggets for lunch. That day Anthony fired off twenty questions why are his nuggets round and not cool like dinosaurs. After trying to answer and explain that chicken is not shaped like a dinosaur nor intended to resemble one I was getting nowhere fast. So stay tuned to see how I figure out how to turn a chicken breast into a extinct dinosaur...wish me luck!
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken Breast cut into bite size pieces
1 egg beaten
1 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup of swiss chard
1 garlic clove
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
METHOD:
1. In a food processor add bread crumbs, garlic, swiss chard, salt and pepper.
2. In two separate bowls add egg to one and bread crumbs to the other
3. Dip the chicken in egg mixture then coat with the bread crumbs.
4. Brown chicken nuggets in olive oil on both sides for 5 minutes or bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
Trip to the Farmers Market
INGREDIENTS:
One sweet potato
1/4 cup of chopped swiss chard
METHOD:
1. Peel the sweet potato and cut into small pieces.
2. Rinse and remove red stalk from swiss chard and chop up leafy green leaves
3. Steam or boil until sweet potatoes are tender then puree until smooth
Butternut Squash for Baby and toddler
One of the easiest meals to make for a baby is butternut squash. I must admit the first time I tried to make butternut squash for Sofia I almost lost a finger. I find it a bit challenging to peel squash and don't get me started on peeling acorn squash, I almost lost my whole hand. It's a lot easier and safer to roast the squash with the skin on then remove the cooked squash with a spoon and leave the skin behind. The squash yields several portions so I mix it with peas, green beans, brown rice, carrots, swiss chard, spinach, or asparagus. It adds a touch of sweetness and creaminess to bitter vegetables. It's a great way to incorporate greens into your babies diet if she won't eat them alone. Sofia will eat anything! She has pretty much tried the rainbow of fruits and vegetables with few exceptions. She has not met a food she doesn't like! Anthony is starting to get a little picky with vegetables. I added the butternut squash to his chicken quesadillas and he ate them right up. I personally don't believe in hiding vegetables and never educating your child about the importance of eating them. I will admit its not always easy to have Anthony try new vegetables but we are making progress one day at a time. We are off to the farmers market tomorrow morning land of fresh fruits and vegetables. This will be Sofia's first time at the farmers market should be fun. This is my favorite time of year for eating and food shopping. Stay tuned for some farmers market recipes!
INGREDIENTS
Butternut Squash
Whole wheat flour tortillas
Cheddar cheese
Cooked chicken cut into small pieces
METHOD BABY FOOD
1. Split squash in half and using a spoon remove seeds.
2. Turn squash flesh side down on lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until tender.
3. Use a spoon and remove the cooked squash and puree.
METHOD QUESDILLAS
1. Spread 1/4 cup of butternut squash on one tortilla.
2. Add chicken and cheese then top with the other tortilla.
3. Brown on both side in a pan .
Homemade Organic Brown Rice Cereal
Why am I buying rice cereal for Sofia? I can cook a 7 course meal every holiday, puree everything from green beans to butternut squash but for some reason I can't cook rice! My rice either comes out sticky like glue that you could use to spackle a wall or hard kernels of rice that you can chip a tooth on. It's a running joke in my family that I can cook pretty much anything except rice. I once made a spanish meal for friends and the rice came out so sticky I sent my husband out to buy chinese white rice hoping they couldn't tell the difference. Growing up as a child I remember eating several meals with rice. Rice and beans, rice and chicken you name it we had it with either white or yellow rice never brown rice. I didn't even know brown rice existed until I went away to college and wasn't under my mothers rice spell. I finally learned how to make rice from a friend that informed me she just uses equal parts water to rice and simmers for 20 minutes. Wow after all these years I never heard of an recipe formula so simple. It has comes out perfect every time!
While I was researching the various stages of appropriate foods to feed Sofia I came across homemade rice cereal. I immediately went to the site and was amazed how easy it was to make rice cereal! I will admit the first time I tried to make rice cereal it was a disaster....shocker! I was starting to fear that my rice history was repeating itself. I attempted to grind the rice in the Beaba machine and but it was still chunky and thick. I cooked the chunky rice and then tried to puree it after but I made spackle again! The recipe recommends you grind the rice to a powder the Beaba, blender or food processor don't grind it fine enough so what did I do...bought another kitchen appliance! I purchased a bullet blender, the kind you see on infomercials at midnight that can grind pretty much anything including the kitchen sink. You can also use a coffee grinder if you have one just make sure you clean it really really well, the last thing you need is a caffeinated baby! I bought one for 20 bucks at Walmart and it works wonders. It turns any grain from rice, oatmeal even barley to fine powder the perfect consistency to make all those boxes cereal grains for your baby. This recipe is fool proof trust me if I can make rice cereal considering my awful history so can you!
INGREDIENTS:
Short Grain Organic Brown Rice
Water
METHOD:
1. Grind 2 cups of rice
2. Boil 1 cup of water
3. Add 2 tablespoons of rice while constantly stirring making sure to avoid lumps
4. Let rice simmer for 8-10 minutes
* I make the rice in single 2 tablespoon portions you can store the rest of ground rice in a container for future use and make it as you need it. You can also add more water if you want a thinner consistency.
Family Trip to Whole Foods
So we go on our weekly trip to Whole foods as a family this past Friday. Mommy hurt her knee, so I am trying to make this shopping trip short and sweet....good luck! Between Anthony trying every single sample the store has to offer and Sofia begging to taste it, I am never going to get out of here. Shoppers look on as my kids beg for food they must think I never feed them. We had finally made it to the soup section after 45 minutes in the fruits and veggie section and 100 samples later. I explain to Anthony that we are celebrating lent and not eating meat today. So I recommend the typical non meat kid friendly meal...pizza. Anthony asked what I was going to eat and I reply soup or sushi. I am going over the various soup selections with him and he confidently says I want clam chowder! Clam chowder...I was shocked I have never ordered it, made it or even mentioned the dish! He said he remembered on the food show that a chef made clam chowder and it looks sooooo good. I had him taste a small sample he loved it! I am not surprised that he loves clam chowder he has his grandfathers love of seafood. Papa loved clam chowder and his grandson is following right in his foot steps. Papa would have been so proud we miss him! So we get home and he devours the whole container of soup. As I am eating my sushi Anthony asked me to taste the clam chowder....yikes! I am not a big fan of clams its a texture problem I don't eat them. I respectfully decline and say you enjoy your soup. His response immediately backfires on me "try new things mommy". Wow...wonder where he got that saying from, so I reluctantly try it with a fake smile and say its delicious. He mentioned it was the best clam chowder he has ever had in his whole life. Lesson for mommy today was don't assume because you don't like a certain food your kid wont like it. I always ask Anthony "try new things" but it's always things that I enjoy eating. Who knows by exposing him to food I don't like it may be the best thing he has ever tasted in his whole 4 years of life!
Happy Valentines Day - Chocolate Covered Strawberries Coated with Goodies
Anthony is super excited about Valentines day! He went out today and bought a gift for me...so sweet!
If I would guess its something we will both enjoy like chocolate. I combined Anthony's two true loves chocolate and strawberries and made this easy simple dessert. We had a blast dipping and picking a variety of toppings. We choose crushed banana chips, dried fruit, sprinkles, marshmallows and chocolate chips. We ran out of pretzels we would have used them also. Lets be honest, anything dipped in chocolate is going to be delicious! We used organic strawberries and dark chocolate organic bars that I melted down. Chocolate is made from plants which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. Dark chocolate is actually loaded with a large number of antioxidants actually 8 times the number found in strawberries. This treat is not only good for you but its also healthy. What's also good for you are date nights. Mommy and daddy went out Friday to celebrate Valentines day. We dined at Del Frisco's steakhouse one of the best steaks we have ever had. We brought home leftovers for Anthony and he licked the plate clean. We plan to spend our Valentines day at home and share a meal together as a family and top it off with these tasty treats. Hope you enjoy your Valentines day with your family!
INGREDIENTS:
1- 4 ounce organic dark chocolate bar
1 package or organic long stem strawberries
Variety of toppings of your choice
METHOD:
1. Break up chocolate into little pieces and place it into a bowl.
2. Melt chocolate over pot of boiling water making sure not to have water touch the bottom of the bowl.
3. Dip strawberries into melted chocolate then layer on desired toppings.
4. Lay the strawberries on parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes until chocolate hardens.
* You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals.
Sofia's First Bite
When its time for your baby to eat solids the first food is usually rice cereal. There are a wide variety of rice cereals available now. When I went to the market to select one I was both overwhelmed and impressed with the selection. I choose Happy Bellies line of cereals http://shop.happybabyfood.com/ourproducts/happybellies.html. They have three different varieties of cereals organic brown rice, multigrain and oatmeal. The line includes DHA an Omega 3 fatty acid which is important in brain and eye development. What really set Happy Bellies apart from the rest was the addition of probiotics good bacteria which aid in digestion and help boost immunity. You can read more about probiotics from a holistic point of view at http://bodyecology.com/07/09/20/introduce_babies_probiotics.php. I also included the latest findings from the American Academy of Pediatrics on probiotics http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/733463. The doctor advised me that Sofia may not like eating from a spoon and it may take several tries before she gets the hang of it. He could not be more wrong! She was in love from the very first bite. If she could talk she would have said "where has this been my whole life". She weighted in at 8lbs 12 ounces at birth she was ready for food! Since then she is 6 months and we have tried all the cereals in the line and she loves them all! I will post her first experience with veggie and fruit purees next. I am going to guess she will gobble it all up in those chunky little cheeks.
Family Passed Down Recipe - Beef Barley Soup
First snow storm in New Jersey perfect day for a big pot of soup! I made a pot of Beef Barley soup from a recipe I got from my mother in law. She used to make this soup when my husband was a little boy on snowy cold days. I had this soup for the first time two years ago in Pittsburgh back at my husbands mothers house. Prior to that day I had never tasted Beef Barley soup....one spoonful and I was hooked. This soup is a complete meal in a bowl. It warms you up from the inside out. If a meal could give you a hug this soup would. Anthony's first time having this soup he had two servings. It was nice to see him enjoy it as much as my husband did when he was a young boy. Now when we have cold, snowy days they both request grandma's soup. When I got the recipe I was a little taken back by the neck bones. I have never seen a neck bone section at the supermarket. Where does one find such an item and why? Trust me, become best friends with your butcher and get the neck bones. It gives the soup a true full bodied beef flavor. If you can't find neck bones just double the amount of beef bouillons or buy good quality beef stock....I won't tell my mother in-law! Hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do! Do you have any family recipes passed down to you?
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb of beef stew meat
1 package of beef neck bones
6 carrots
3 stalks of celery
1 bay leaf
2 onions
2 - 10 ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 cups of barley
6 beef bouillons
2 Tablespoons of oil
METHOD:
1. In a big soup pot add oil and brown all meat on all sides including neck bones
2. Add 1 onion diced to the browned meat
3. Add the other onion cut in half, 2 carrots, celery, bay leaf and beef bouillons top the pot with water simmer for one hour to make the stock.
4. Remove carrots and celery then add 2 cups of barley, diced up carrots, 2 cans of tomatoes season with salt and pepper simmer for an additional hour
6. Remove neck bones and bay leaf... enjoy yummy!
Christmas Sugar Cookies with Veggie Dye
'Tis the season to bake, cook and eat! I love all the cooking and eating but not a big fan of the baking. Exact measuring, sifting flour, and using 65 ingredients to get a dozen cookies to me doesn't seem worth all the trouble, hence why I love bakeries. Bakeries have this baking thing down to a science so why try this at home. Anthony was insistent on making Santa cookies from scratch. He has a true love of baking ever since starting Pre-K this year where they bake from scratch every Monday. So I attempted to make sugar cookies.....yes from scratch. I purchased a hand mixer so my hand doesn't fall off and to make my life easier. So I followed your tradional sugar cookie recipe but added my own twist and added a vanilla bean to the batter. When it was time to make the icing of all the different colors I got a horrible flash back from Anthony's one year old birthday party. When Anthony turned one I purchased an Elmo cake. Little did I know that this cake would haunt us for 3 days after and I would get several calls from parents complaining about there child's poop. Apparently, there was so much food dye added to make the cake red that all the kids pooped turned red for several days after the party. So when I thought of icing for the cookies I started to get flashbacks of red poop. So I found an all natural vegetable dye that are made with vegetable colorants at whole foods by India Tree http://indiatree.com. The kit includes red, yellow and blue colorants that you can mix them together to make other colors. I was also inclined to use alternative food dye since reading an article in Kiwi Magazine that talked about the harmful effects of artificial http://www.kiwimagonline.com/kiwiscoop/KiwiScoopOct07_archived.html food dyes and how they may be linked to behavior issues such as hyperactivity issues. Since this is my first time making sugar cookies and decorating I keep it simple and used white, red and green colors. My two little helpers had a great time making and decorating the cookies. The cookies taste a lot better than they look I let the kids decorate...okay I admit I decorated some myself pretty sad you can't tell the difference. In the end, we all had a great time, the cookies were delicious and we used a healthier food colorant. I will admit the colors are not as vibrant as a tradional food dye but, close second and they look more natural. The cookies are for Santa and he appreciates all different kinds of cookies. He may bring us something really special since we made them from scratch this year! Sorry santa but I still love my bakeries....we will see next year!
INGREDIENTS:
Cookie Dough
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 vanilla bean split with seeds removed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Cookie Icing
2 cups of powdered sugar
8 tablespoons of milk
METHOD:
1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt
2. Beat sugar and butter with mixer until fully combined
3. Add egg, milk, vanilla seeds, and vanilla extract to butter mixture
4. Add flour to butter mixture until well combined
5. Wrap in wax paper and refreigerate for at least 2 hours
6. To make the Icing mix powered sugar, milk and combine with a mixer
7. Divide icing into three different equal container to make seperate colors
8. Add 8 drops each blue and yellow to make green icing and 8 drops of colorant to make red icing
9. Preheat oven 375 degrees
10. Roll out cookie dough and use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes
11. Bake for 7-9 minutes when cookies have cooled decorate with icing
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
Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti
I think all kids love spaghetti and chicken fingers! This recipe is pretty much a happy marriage of the two. If you have left over chicken nuggets from the day before you can turn it into chicken parmesan in no time just add marinara sauce, top with mozzarella cheese bake until cheese melts and bam your done. I made this recipe with chicken cutlets for the whole family. You can make extra cutlets and freeze them for another day. You can also make chicken parmesan sandwiches the next day... yummy! From our family to yours hope you enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 Chicken breast
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 slice of mozzarella
1/2 cup of prepared marinara sauce (recipe on previous post Sept 8th 2009 and listed below)
1 serving of cooked spaghetti
Olive oil
METHOD:
1. Combine bread crumbs with parmesan cheese.
2. Dip chicken in egg then bread crumbs.
3. Pan fry breaded chicken in olive oil or bake on each side for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees.
4. Add half of the marinara sauce to a baking dish then add chicken and top with mozzarella cheese bake until cheese melts.
5. Toss spaghetti with remaining marinara sauce and top with chicken parmesan from the oven.
MARINARA SAUCE:
1 - 28 ounce of crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup of chopped carrots
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Chicken Veggie Wontons
I love asian food and wontons of various types, however Anthony is allergic to sesame seeds and peanuts key ingredients to most asian food so we avoid it. Chicken veggie wontons are a nice safe way for him to enjoy wontons. You can fill them with a variety of fillings. I made some today as an appetizer for the superbowl. I combined cooked chicken, buffalo wing sauce and a touch of honey and made that the filling for the wontons....yummy! You can try a variety of fillings spinach, cream cheese and chicken. You can omit the meat and make them all vegetarian. You can also make desert filling with chocolate chips and bananas then dust with powdered sugar. The possibilities are endless what you can fill these wonton wrappers with. Several come in a package so get as creative as your heart desires. Please share with me an fillings you create and I will post them on the blog. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
12 Wonton wrappers
1/2 cup of chopped cooked chicken
1/4 cup of fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup of cheddar cheese
1 egg beaten
2 tablespoons of olive oil
METHOD:
1. Combine chicken, spinach and cheese and chop up in a food processor or finely chop with a knife into fine small pieces.
2. Brush wonton wrappers with beaten egg on all sides.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wonton then fold into a triangle and seal edges.
4. In a pan with olive oil brown wontons on both side until golden brown.
Pizza for Breakfast?
I came up with this idea one morning when I ran out of bread and everyone wanted a breakfast sandwich. Hard to make a breakfast sandwich without bread! All I had in the fridge was pizza dough. Pizza Dough to the rescue I thought up the bright idea to make these two meals a hot breakfast pizza pocket and breakfast pizza...super mom to the rescue! This was a great success for hubby, mommy and most importantly Anthony. Now this has become a frequently requested meal by all. You can switch it up and add bacon, breakfast sausage or omit the meat and add vegetables to make it vegetarian. Hope you enjoy this new twist on pizza for breakfast.
INGREDIENTS:
1 package of pizza dough
4 slices of deli ham
4 slices of american cheese
olive oil
3 cooked scrambled eggs
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut dough into 4 sections. Take 2 sections roll into squares for breakfast pizza pockets. Take remaining 2 sections and roll into small pizzas.
3. On one side of pizza pocket squares lay one layer of scrambled eggs top with ham then cheese. Fold over and cover the pizza pocket squares and seal edges with a fork. Rub olive oil on top of pizza pocket to brown.
4. Top pizza circles with scrambled egg, top with ham then cheese.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes
The Oprah Show - Michael Pollan Before you Grocery Shop Again
Just catching up to my recorded shows today and this is an Oprah episode I think everyone should watch. The show aired live on January 27th. Oprah interviewed Michael Pollan, a journalist and food expert that sheds some light on the food industry and what we put in our bodies. He has written several books on the topic and has a documentary called Food INC. that I watched over the holidays. The movie reminded me why we have made the decision as a family to shop and eat an all natural organic diet for the past several years. Looking forward to reading his latest book Food Rules. You can watch the Oprah show and movie and make whatever decisions are best for you and your family. I have attached a link to his interview on Oprah to see for yourself. He has 4 principle rules that I think were eye opening and easy to remember next time we are in the supermarket and trying to feed our families and children the very best.
These are some of his Top Rules:
#1 Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
#2 Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third grader cannot pronounce.
#4 Eat only foods that will eventually rot.
#5 Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.
Grilled Cheese with Spinach
Anthony will pretty much eat anything in between two slices of bread that has melted cheese...then again who wouldn't? He has yet to eat a cold sandwich, no I'm not kidding! He refuses to put a cold sandwich to his lips, however if it is hot from the stove down the hatch it goes. He is not the biggest fan of vegetables we are working on it. Adding fresh spinach to his sandwich accomplishes two things he gets a hot sandwich and mommy is happy he is eating some vegetables. I have added tomatoes, spinach, arugula, basil and peas, I have added several vegetables to his sandwiches and he eats them every time. So next time your making the tried and true grilled cheese try adding some vegetables!
INGREDIENT:
2 slices of whole wheat bread
2 slices of american cheese
2 tablespoon of chopped fresh baby spinach
1 teaspoon of butter
METHOD:
1. Place 2 slices of bread and place spinach in center of sandwich
2. Heat a teaspoon of butter and brown sandwich on both sides
Homemade Fish Sticks
Instead of frozen fish sticks that have been in the freezer section for who knows how long how about making your own! It is super easy and super tasty. I bread my fish sticks with panko breadcrumbs readily available in most supermarkets. They are a Japanese bread crumb made from bread without crust so they have a crispier texture and stay crisp longer. They bake well and still remain crispy the key to yummy fish sticks. I also attached a link to kids safe seafood to determine which fish is best to use and has the least amount of mercury. I prefer tilapia lowest in mercury, readily available and a mild tasting fish that takes on the flavor of whatever ingredients you use. You can make a batch of them ahead of time and store them in your freezer for future meals. Trust me these are much tastier and healthier than any store bought brand!
http://www.kidsafeseafood.org
INGREDIENTS:
1 Fillet of Tilapia
1 Egg
1/2 lemon
1 cup of Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese
METHOD:
1. Cut tilapia into fish strips
2. In a bowl beat egg then add juice of 1/2 a lemon
3. In a separate bowl add panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese
4. Dip fish sticks in egg then panko bread crumbs
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes per side or light fry in 1/4 cup of olive oil 3 minutes per side until golden brown
Chicken Pastina Soup
With flu and cold season here thought I would post our all time favorite soup Chicken Pastina. Anthony has been eating this soup since he was a year old. Back then I would puree the vegetables and chicken then add the pasta during the last ten minutes. An ultimate short cut would be to buy the chicken stock. I prefer organic all natural chicken stock that comes in a paper container taste more home made and has a lot less sodium then the canned variety. I will cook all the vegetables and chicken together then freeze in individual containers. The day of I add pasta or rice and in ten minutes I have homemade soup. Nice to have this one on hand during this cold and flu season!
INGREDIENTS:
10 cups of water
2 chicken breast w/skin and bones
4 carrots (2 cut in half for stock and 2 cut in small pieces soup)
4 celery (2 cut in half for stock and 2 cut in small pieces soup)
2 garlic cloves
1 onion cut in half
2 tablespoons of parsley
2 bay leafs
2 cups of pastina pasta
1 tablespoon of salt and pepper
METHOD:
Step one make chicken stock (You can skip this step if your not making your own chicken stock):
1. In a big pot add 10 cups of water, chicken, 2 carrots, 2 celery, 2 garlic cloves, onion, bay leafs, salt and pepper
2. Simmer under low-medium heat for 45 minutes with pot covered
3. Strain all vegetables and chicken
4. Remove skin and bones from chicken and cut up into small pieces
5. Return broth to the pot congrats you made homemade chicken stock!
Step two chicken pastina soup:
6.To the strained broth add chopped chicken, pastina pasta, carrots, celery and parsley simmer for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are soft
* Freeze remaining portions in 2 cup increments.
Chicken Taquitos
This is a quick and easy alternative to fast food taquitos that are deep fried. This is a great hit and quick to prepare for a boxed lunch to school. You can take whatever protein or vegetables you have on hand and roll it into a taquitos that your child will love. I have used ground beef, chopped tomatoes and cheese in the past. You can make it all vegetarian with spinach, black beans, tomatoes and cheese. This recipe has many different possibilities. Hope you enjoy our healthier version of Taquitos!
INGREDIENTS:
1 Corn Tortilla Shell
1/4 cup of cooked chopped chicken
2 Tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons of black beans
1 Tablespoon of Olive oil
METHOD:
1. Heat corn tortilla in microwave for 10 seconds (makes it easier to roll)
2. Add chicken, black beans and cheese in the center of the tortilla
3. Roll tortilla up into a taquito
4. Heat up oil and brown taquito seam side down first to seal the taquito then brown on all sides
Fettucini with Tomatoes and Mozzarella Cheese
What do you cook when your child wants pasta with red sauce when you did make it ahead of time...this meal! By the time your pasta is done cooking the meal is completely done. If your child will scream at the site of these tomatoes on his plate you can also puree the tomatoes. The cheese is a nice way to use up all those mozzarella sticks we all have in the fridge. This meal is a nice quick healthy meal to put on the table in 10 minutes.
INGREDIENTS:
1 package of fettuccine
1/4 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 sting cheese cheese chopped up
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of chopped shallots or onion
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of parsley
METHOD:
1. Boil pasta for 8-10 minutes until cooked
2. In a separate pan heat up olive oil and saute garlic, shallots, and tomatoes
3. Toss in pasta then add cheese and parsley.
Pigs in a Blanket Stuffed with Veggies
What kid does not like hot dogs? I created this meal as a healthier version of pigs in a blanket with pea shoots in the middle. Pea shoots are the leaves of pea plants they are a mild version of a pea that you can sneak into just about any meal. If you can't find or have pea shoots you can use whatever vegetable you have on hand, grated carrot and spinach work well also. I stuff the hot dogs with a veggie of choice and american cheese then wrap them up in store bought crescent rolls. I prefer Applegate organic hot dogs they are grass fed all natural beef without the use of antibiotics or nitrates...the less chemicals and weird stuff he consumes the better. Hope your little one gobbles up these hot dogs like my little guy does...enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
5 hot dogs
1 package of crescent rolls
1/4 cup of chopped pea shoots
3 slices of american cheese
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cut each hot dog into four equal pieces then split center half way making sure not to cut all the way through
3. Stuff hot dog slit with pea shoots and cheese
4. Cut each crescent roll triangle into 4 strips and roll each hot dog up
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes
* Makes 20 pigs in a blanket
Fresh Fruit Oatmeal
I try to make a quick and healthy breakfast every morning. Instead of reaching for those sugar laden already made Instant oatmeal packets I created a healthier version. I puree fresh fruit and add it to instant plain oatmeal. Takes no time at all to make and I know exactly what's he's eating. It also gives me an opportunity to send him off to preschool with a hearty and healthy breakfast in the morning. Anthony thinks its pretty cool that his oatmeal is blue. If you combine strawberries and raspberries you would end up with a cool red oatmeal. Hope you add this to your breakfast morning routine.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 banana
1/4 strawberries
2/3 cup of milk
1 package of instant oatmeal
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
METHOD:
1. Puree banana, blueberries and strawberries
2. Combine fruit puree, oatmeal, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract
3. Microwave 1-2 minutes
Thanksgiving Leftovers
What are you going to do with all your thanksgiving leftovers? Even I can eat the leftovers but so many times. I came up with two creative, healthy, and quick meals to prepare with leftovers that your child will love! I use up leftover turkey, sweet potatoes, vegetables and cranberry sauce. You can also use the leftover turkey to make previous recipes like the fun shaped sandwiches or mini calzones just replace the meat with turkey. Hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving and enjoy these new recipes!
TURKEY RICE BALLS
Ingredients:
1 bag of uncle ben's whole grain ready rice prepared according to package directions
1/4 cup of leftover chopped green beans or any leftover vegetable side dish
1/2 cup of chopped turkey
1/2 cup of shredded mild cheddar
2 eggs
Flour
Italian Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
cranberry sauce (optional)
METHOD:
1. Place rice, chopped green beans, turkey, cheese, 1 egg beaten, 2 tablespoons of flour,
salt and pepper in a bowl and mix all ingredients together (add flour as needed until the mixture is able to form into a ball)
2. Form 1 teaspoon sized rice balls then dredge in flour, egg then breadcrumb mixture
3. Brown in olive oil 2-3 minutes until browned on all sides
4. Serve cranberry sauce on the side to dip rice balls (optional)
* Makes 24 rice balls
TURKEY QUESADILLAS
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole wheat flour tortilla
1/4 cup of leftover mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup of chopped turkey
1/4 cup of mild shredded cheddar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
cranberry sauce (optional)
METHOD:
1. Place tortilla shell in microwave for 10 seconds (allows you to fold it without tearing the tortilla shell)
2. Spread a layer of sweet potatoes, add chopped turkey and top with cheese then fold tortilla in half
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and brown tortilla on both sides 3-4 minutes per side.
4. Serve cranberry sauce on the side to dip quesadillas (optional)
Lasagna Roll Up
Lasagna roll up was my idea to use up some left over meat sauce I made from the day before (recipe mentioned in previous post on Sept. 13 th) Anthony is not a big fan of leftovers or eating the same meal twice in a row. So I used the meat sauce in a lasagna roll up...genius. We are both satisfied mom gets to use her meat sauce again, and Anthony not eating leftover (our secret). Its a pretty quick and healthy meal to whip up in a short amount of time, definitely easier and faster than your traditional lasagna.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup of ricotta
1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup of meat sauce
1 lasagna sheet
METHOD:
1. Boil lasagna sheet 8-10 minutes
2. Lay lasagna sheet flat and spread ricotta cheese, meat sauce then top with mozzarella cheese
3. Roll lasagna up and place in a baking dish and top with meat sauce and cheese
5. Bake 25-30 minutes
Halloween Chocolate Covered Strawberries
With Halloween coming up I was thinking of a nice alternative sweet to the typical candy bar. I combined Anthony's love of strawberries and love of chocolate. it also gives us an excuse to hang out in the kitchen and make something fun together. I let him dip the strawberries and decorate some of them (as you can see in the picture above) Mommy drew some also lets just say Art was not my major in college. This would also be a nice treat to make for a Halloween party!
INGREDIENTS:
1 bag of Wilton's orange chocolate wafers
1 package of lollipop sticks or toothpicks
1 package of fresh strawberries
1 small tube of black icing
METHOD:
1. Rinse strawberries and let them dry on a paper towel then insert lollipop sticks
2. Melt chocolate wafers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes mixing every 40 seconds.
3. Dip strawberries in melted chocolate then let them cool on a sheet of wax paper
4. When chocolate is cooled and harden use black icing to decorate
* Makes 24 strawberries refrigerate remaining strawberries.
Pumpkin French Toast
We love a nice hot breakfast on the weekends! With Halloween coming up I decided to use pumpkin cookie cutters to make this breakfast. You can use a variety of cookie cutters and fruit options to keep it interesting. Hope you enjoy eating this as much as we enjoyed making them.
INGREDIENTS:
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Fresh Blueberries
1 tablespoon of butter
METHOD:
1. Mix egg, milk, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. Press cookie cutter into bread to form the shapes
3. Soak bread in batter for 2 minutes
4. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and brown french toast on both sides 2-3 minutes
5. Using blueberries form a face on pumpkins
Mommy's Sneaky Fruit Yogurt
So we have all been there, your at the supermarket and all your kid wants is the food that has a cartoon character on it. Even I lose that battle sometimes. Anthony could eat yogurt every single day he loves this stuff. I devised a recipe so that we are both happy and satisfied. I add fresh fruit to plain organic yogurt and put it in cleaned Cars yogurt containers! They are half the sugar and I know its loaded with fresh fruit and not mystery fruit. If I can only come up with a way to make those gummy snacks that come in the spider man wrappers.
INGREDIENTS:
1- 32 ounce of Organic plain yogurt
1/2 cup of strawberries
1/2 cup of blueberries
1 banana
METHOD:
1. Place yogurt and fruit in a food processor/blender and puree.
2. Pour into 4 ounce container of choice
3. Top with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator
* Makes 8-4 ounce portions.
Breakfast Yogurt Parfaits
This is a quick healthy breakfast for those days when you don't have time to make a hot breakfast. I use a variety of nut free granolas that I find at whole foods in the bulk section. If your child prefers cereal in the morning you can try laying the parfait with there favorite cereal instead of the granola. You can also use a variety of fruit or yogurt. I prefer Vanilla yogurt has less sugar than the fruit variety. I will show you soon how to make your own fruit flavored yogurt without all the sugar.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup of granola
1/4 cup of strawberries
1/4 cup of blueberries
METHOD:
1. Layer cup with one layer of yogurt
2. Top yogurt with granola then fresh fruit
3. Repeat steps 1 & 2 then top off with fruit
Strawberry Rice Crispy Treats
The inspiration for this treat began with Anthony's new obsession with Rice Crispy Treats. I thought there has to be a better way to make this all time classic dessert a little healthier. So I added dried strawberries and blueberries. Anthony was my little helper he was so excited that we were making fresh football and heart shaped treats. After you mix all the ingredients and lay it on a tray let them cool off for about 10-15 minutes. Then you can let your little one help you make different shaped ones with cookie cutters. This is a great quick dessert you can make with your child in no time.
INGREDIENTS:
3 Tablespoons of butter
1 bag of Strawberry marshmallows
6 cups of rice crisp cereal
1/2 cup of dried strawberries chopped
1/2 cup of dried blueberries
METHOD:
1. Combine melted butter and marshmallows and microwave for 1 - 1-1/2 until melted
2. Add dried strawberries and blueberries to rice crispy cereal
3. Combine cereal, dried fruit and melted marshmallows
4. Press mixture into a greased baking pan or a pan lined with parchment paper
5. Let mixture cool 10-15 minutes then using a cookie cutter cut out your treats
Pizza Dough Three Ways
I am going to show you three completely different meals you can make with 1lb of store bought Pizza dough! We love to eat Pizza in our family especially Anthony...who doesn't love pizza? Who wouldn't want to eat pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner? These recipes are super easy, healthy and tasty. Once you realize how easy this is to make you may never buy frozen pizza again. Anthony and I make these recipes together. He loves trying to roll out the dough and putting the different toppings on. We both sit patiently in front of the oven door waiting for the timer to go off...it feels like the longest 10 minutes but well worth the wait!
Take the pizza dough and cut it into three equal portions to make the recipes below.
BREAKFAST PIZZA
INGREDIENTS:
Pizza Dough
1/4 cup of Cream cheese
1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of Sugar
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2 Banana mashed
Sliced Strawberries
Blueberries
Sliced Peaches
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Form dough into a pizza sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
3. Bake pizza dough for 10 minutes then let cool for 5 minutes.
4. Mix cream cheese, banana, and vanilla extract.
5. Top pizza with cream cheese mixture and top with fruit.
CHEESE PIZZA
INGREDIENTS:
Pizza Dough
1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
1/4 cup of chopped carrots
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt and pepper
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Saute garlic and carrots until tender
3. Combine tomatoes, garlic, carrots, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
4. Form dough into pizza and top with sauce and cheese
5. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown and cheese melts
* Save Pizza sauce for another day.
HAM AND CHEESE CALZONE
INGREDIENTS:
Pizza Dough
1/4 cup of ricotta cheese
1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup of chopped spinach
1/4 cup of ham
1 teaspoon of olive oil
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Roll out pizza dough
3. Combine all ingredients except olive oil and place in the center of the dough
4. Fold dough over to make a calzone, close ends by pressing a fork on the edges to seal
5. Top calzone with olive oil bake for 10 minutes until golden brown
* Store any leftover filling to make calzones another day.
Helmet Shaped Sandwiches
For a quick and easy lunch you can send your little one to school with try our Helmet shaped sandwiches. I have a variety of cookie cutters helmets, footballs, hearts, circles, triangles you name it. I try to make a simple sandwich into something fun to eat. By making the fun shaped sandwiches Anthony barely notices the fresh spinach leaves mommy snuck in them...shhhh! (Luckily I did not buy any of the Queen Victoria or Tubby spinach that was recalled recently). I round out this lunch with some fresh fruit and a cup of 100% apple juice. I still dilute Anthony's apple juice it's more like 80% water 20% juice. The first time he had a juice box of apple juice his eyes almost popped out of his head with excitement! Try to use organic all natural cold cuts has less chemicals, preservatives and additives like MSG. Hope you get creative and use a variety of cookie cutters.
INGREDIENTS:
2 slices of whole wheat bread
2 slices of cheese
1 slice of ham
5 fresh spinach leaves
1 Tablespoon of butter
METHOD:
1. Place cheese, ham, spinach then cheese in between bread in that order.
2. Brown sandwich on both sides.
3. Place cookie cutter in the center of the sandwich and press until your shape is formed.
Mini Pasta & Meat Sauce
Anthony is a big fan of any type of red meat. He started this love affair with meat at a very young age. I craved red meat for nine months while I was pregnant with Anthony. I make this batch of meat sauce and serve it over a variety of pastas. Barilla makes a nice line of miniature pasta. He is a big fan of the wheels pasta because it reminds him of the Disney movie cars. I let him drop the pasta into that water and let him stir the sauce. I find the more involved he is in the cooking process the more excited he gets about eating his meals. Feeding a toddler a variety of healthy and nutritious meals is no easy task, however the more involved they are in the kitchen the better they eat. I freeze the remaining batches of meat sauce and save them for other meals throughout the week.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lbs of ground beef 90/10 lean
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup of chopped baby spinach
1/4 cup of chopped carrots
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 - 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of salt and pepper
1 package of Barilla mini wheels pasta
METHOD:
1. Saute onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil
2. Add ground beef and cook until browned
3. Add 1 can of crushed tomatoes
4. Add spinach, basil, parsley, salt and pepper
5. Simmer meat sauce for 30-45 minutes
6. Serve meat sauce over pasta
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Anthony's favorite meal in the whole wide world is spaghetti and meatballs. I can honestly say he has never eaten a frozen meatball or the canned stuff. Once you see how easy, healthy and tasty this meal is you may never pick up the canned stuff again. I usually make a pound of meatballs approximately 20 mini meatballs and keep them in the freezer when he is craving meatballs again. I'm going to a 3 day meeting for work so he has left over meatballs while I'm gone. Wednesday he will have spaghetti and meatballs. Thursday meatball mini sub - put meatballs in a mini roll and top with mozzarella cheese place in the oven until cheese melts...Dad should be able to handle that. Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner on Friday. It makes me feel better leaving him for 3 days when I know he is eating well while I'm gone and has a little bit of mommy's love in every bit.
INGREDIENTS:
Meatballs
1 lbs ground beef 90/10 lean
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped basil
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped baby spinach
1 egg
1 tablespoon salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 package of dried spaghetti
Marinara Sauce
1 - 28 ounce of crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup of chopped carrots
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
METHOD:
1. Cook carrots, onions and garlic in olive oil add tomatoes simmer 30 minutes.
2. Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until tender.
3. Combine beef, onions, garlic, parsley, basil, breadcrumbs, spinach, egg, salt and pepper.
4. Form mini meatballs either with a teaspoon or my favorite tool a melon baller.
5. Brown meatballs on all sides in a pan with olive oil.
6. Add meatballs into sauce simmer together for 15 minutes.
7. Serve meatballs over cooked pasta
* Makes approximately 15-20 mini meatballs. I freeze the remaining meatballs in individuals containers with sauce and have them on hand for extra meals throughout the week.
Birthday Dinner
On the 4th it was mommy's Birthday. We decided to go to my favorite restaurant in Philadelphia Melograno. It's a BYOB Italian restaurant in the city. It's not your typical spaghetti & meatball restaurant a little higher end Italian food from chef Gianluca Demontis which brings a little piece of Rome to every entrée (he was born there). We know the hostess and she recommends Spaghetti for Anthony. He gets the garlic and olive oil spaghetti. As Anthony is eating his spaghetti he hears daddy deciding on whether he want the steak or chicken dish. Anthony's ears perk up and he says "Daddy get the steak I'll eat your juicy steak". So daddy decides on the steak with a little help from Anthony. When our entrées arrive he practically leaps over the table and helps daddy devour his steak. The photo is Anthony savoring every last morsel of that "juicy steak". Lesson to be learned here no matter how difficult and challenging it may be to feed a toddler, at the end of the day they just want a tasty well done meal...or maybe just a "juicy steak".
Baked Chicken Nuggets/Sweet Potato Fries
Today was Anthony's first day of Preschool! We started the day with Anthony diving into my car and eating a piece of candy that he found on the rug. I immediately go into panic mode because I wanted to make sure it was a plain M&M not peanut (Anthony's highly allergic to peanuts). 30 minutes later no reaction...thank god! When we got to preschool I was excited yet also very sad to see my little boy grow up so fast. It hit me how old he is when the teacher told me we don't drink out of sippy cups in preschool. Mommy has to go buy a thermos to keep his milk cold...no more sippy cups big boy cups! Today we decided to pack a tried and true lunch item chicken nuggets. What kid does not like chicken nuggets? Anthony did not like to eat chicken nuggets until recently when I started making them at home. I can honestly say we have avoided all major fast food restaurant so far...can't miss what you never had. I took this picture before we were off to school today, I know his lunch bag is almost bigger than him!
Ingredients:
1 Boneless skinless chicken breast
1 Cup bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 Sweet potato peeled and cut into fries
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut chicken breast into bite size pieces
3. Combine Italian seasoning and bread crumbs
4. Beat 1 Egg
5. Dredge chicken in egg then bread crumb mixture
6. Toss sweet potato fries in olive oil and cinnamon
7. Place nuggets on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil
8. Cook nuggets and potatoes on a baking sheet for 20 min 10 min per side
Birds in a Nest
This recipe reminds me of my childhood. My mom would make this for us for breakfast on a regular basis. Anthony is a big fan of football especially the Steelers. I used a football shaped cookie cutter to cut out the hole for the egg. You can use whatever cookie cutter you have at home. They have a huge collection of cookie cutters at Sur la table. I usually go with Anthony and let him pick out which cookie cutter he wants to try next. He picked a football and helmet on this visit...helmet sandwiches coming up this month. He loved this quick, easy and healthy start to his Sunday morning.
INGREDIENTS:
1 slice of bread
1 egg
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cookie cutter
METHOD:
1. Take a slide of whole wheat bread and using a cookie cutter cut out a hole.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and place slice bread and cut out in the pan.
3. Crack egg open and place in the center of the bread opening that you created with the cookie cutter.
4. Brown bread/egg on both sides for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and egg is cooked in the center.
Cheeseburger Sliders w/Baked French Fries
This meal is a nice healthy alternative to fast food burgers and fries. I add Fresh baby spinach to the hamburger meat to add some vegetable content to this meal. I prefer baby spinach because it has a milder taste. I used whole wheat dinner rolls. Trader joe's makes a great dinner roll and pepperidge farm has a slider bun that is whole wheat.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lbs ground beef 90/10 lean
1/4 cup chopped baby spinach
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 package of mini slider buns
2 potatoes cut into French fries
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine cut French fries and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil salt and pepper.
3. Bake in oven for 20 minutes - 10 minutes per side.
4. Combine ground beef, spinach, salt and pepper.
5. Using a 1/4 measuring cup portion out meat and form mini hamburgers.
6. Cook at medium/high heat 4-5 minutes per side until well done.
* Makes approximately, 6 sliders I freeze the rest for his lunch/dinner on other days.
4th of July Pancakes
Anthony's favorite thing to eat for breakfast is pancakes. His birthday on the 4th of July inspired this meal. This meal reminds him of his birthday every time I make this for him. He does not like pancake syrup and loves strawberries. I use whipped cream instead of syrup and top it with strawberries and sprinkles.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of flour
1 cup of milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of chocolate chips
METHOD:
1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter into pan.
3. Use a 1/4 measuring cup and pour batter into buttered pan.
4. Cook pancakes 2-3 minutes per side over medium heat until golden brown.
5. Top pancakes with whipped cream, sliced strawberries and sprinkles.
* Makes approximately 6 pancakes. You can freeze/refrigerate the rest for another day.
About Me
Welcome to Yummy for your Tummy cooking. I created this blog to show how easy it is to create Yummy and nutritious meals for your child's Tummy. I'm a working mother to an active three year old son named Anthony and 7 month old daughter Sofia. Follow us on our journey on creating baby and toddler meals. Hope you enjoy our meals!