YUMMYTUMMYCOOKING.COM

Homemade Swiss Chard Garlic Chicken Nuggets

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2011-05-20T22:15:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2011-05-16T12:02:00Z

We all went to the farmers market as a family on Saturday morning. This was extra fun because it was Sofia's first trip to the farmers market. Considering both kids beg and taste every single sample at whole foods I knew this would be an interesting adventure. Within 5 minutes at the farmers market one needed a diaper change the other needed to go to the potty. Porta-johns are not an option, so I basically break into a senior center and make believe I am there for the CPR course so we can use the restroom. All is done in the bathroom department now lets do some shopping. We picked up some herb plants to start our annual herb garden we grow every summer. There was a nice selection of various fruits and vegetables this season. We purchased strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, swiss chard, cucumbers, and several other fruits and vegetables. For those that aren't familiar with Swiss chard it's a leafy green vegetable similar to spinach. Swiss chard is high in vitamin A, B and C and rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein. It can be a little bitter if not cooked properly. I recommend removing the bitter fibrous stalk and using only the green leafy parts and either steaming or sauteeing before you add it to any baby, toddler or adult meal. I steamed the swiss chard with sweet potatoes for Sofia and she loved it. I sauteed some for Anthony in olive oil and added it to his pasta and cheese quesadillas. If I can only get my third child to try it....my husband!

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2011-05-14T00:25:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2011-04-29T19:31:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2011-04-10T13:30:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2011-02-14T03:51:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2011-01-31T03:12:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-12-27T20:00:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-12-24T01:54:00Z

'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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-06-06T03:50:00Z

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!

http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=6862&promo_id=1

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-03-28T03:12:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-03-24T02:15:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-03-18T04:07:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-03-14T02:22:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-02-26T01:48:00Z

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?

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-02-23T01:32:00Z

Ever wonder how many calories do kids require on a daily basis? How many fruits and vegetables should they eat everyday? I try to feed Anthony a pretty wholesome well rounded diet. Okay maybe except for Valentine's day when we had a chocolate attack together preggo mama wanted a partner in crime that day. When I ask his pediatrician I never really get a straight answer limit sweets and eat a healthy diet...not really helpful. All the answers to my questions were answered when I discovered the following website http://www.mypyramid.gov. It's the food pyramid however specific to your child's age and weight. You can enter your child's name, age and activity level and it will calculate for you the exact number calories needed per day. It even provides a tracker for you to keep a daily tally to see how your child is doing on a daily basis. It breaks down the daily requirements by grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans. We are doing pretty well in all categories except vegetables. So I am trying everything in my power to have Anthony eat more vegetables. We went food shopping today at Whole Foods today with the little shopping carts (every store should have one) and the new rule is that he has to pick a vegetable bag it himself and try it. He picked broccoli. He was excited to pick it himself and I told him we would cook it together. My number one piece of advice for any parent is if you want your child to try a variety of foods take them food shopping with you and let them help you in the kitchen. The easiest way I find to incorporate something new is to add it to something old. For example Anthony loves ravioli's and macaroni and cheese so I will add a new vegetable to things he already enjoys eating. We plan to make cheese broccoli ravioli and macaroni and cheese with broccoli. I will let you know how well this goes over later on in the week so stay tuned and wish us luck!

Healthier Boxed Brownie Bites

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-02-18T00:15:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-02-13T01:15:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-02-11T01:00:00Z

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

yummytummycooking@gmail.com (Yummy Tummy) — 2010-02-09T01:24:00Z

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