Marshmallow Toasted Oat Treats

One proven fact is that my son loves marshmallows. I decided to surprise him with a marshmallow treat, but of course I had to make it as healthy as possible (in spite of all the sugar). Similar to Rice Crispy treats, but I used toasted oat cereal (similar to Cheerios) and with only 1 gram of sugar per serving.

In a bowl, I mixed together:

• 5 cups toasted oat cereal
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Then, I melted 10.5 oz of marshmallows in 3 tablespoons of butter on the stove.

Mix the dry ingredients just before combining with the marshmallow mixture, because all of the small seeds and oatmeal fall to the bottom. Mix quickly. Press into a pan. Cool. Eat. Voila.

I must admit that I probably ate as many of these or more than my son did. The day I made them, I took him four when I picked him up at school thinking he might share with someone. He ate all four. Quickly. Wouldn't even share one with me :) The great thing is that you have so many choices of things to add: nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc.

These remind me of the energy bars I mentioned a while back. Look at the two recipes and make your own creation! The energy bars, though full of calories, offer more nutrition, but it's the same idea of making these to suit your own taste preferences.

I didn't take a picture, so I'll just need to make another batch. The 1/2 cup of chocolate chips was just enough to melt nicely and hide any hint of oatmeal or hemp seeds from little prying eyes! Here's a photo I found online that looks similar though with a bit more chocolate...

Action Item: Next time you make a dessert, see what you can add/change/omit to make it a little healthier.

For Further Reading: Try this recipe for energy bars before your next hike, run or bike ride. The October issue of Runners World also includes some great granola bar recipes.

Veggie Tart

You'd think that as much as I enjoy photography that I'd take
a little extra time to photograph my food! But here you go. 

We spent a couple of days with friends in Flagstaff to kick off our summer vacation. This dear friend is also a great cook, and one evening she made us a delicious veggie tart (quiche). A couple of weeks later, that tart was still in my mind and I also had some zucchini, tomatoes and onions from our CSA. I called my friend to get some pointers and also found the recipes below online. It seemed along the same lines as what she told me... she seems to be able to cook from memory/skill/experience whereas I need a recipe!

So I tried this and it took a while because I also made a whole-wheat crust! Yes, proud of myself. My friend made this while we were there and made it seem so simple. It did take me some time, so if this is new to you I recommend making it on a weekend or any day that you are not rushed. The result though was excellent! I forgot to take a photo, because it did look so pretty and this is all that was left. My son even enjoyed it too. He took a bite, kept talking, then took another bite and seemingly surprised said "this really tastes good." 

Flaky Whole Wheat Pie Crust (found this staring at me on the back of Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour package, so I had to try it)

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled (was a lot of butter for me to use, but I did it!)
• 5 to 8 Tbsp ice water

Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into 12 pieces and rub into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Sprinkle water over mixture, one tablespoon at a time and knead lightly just until a dough forms. Form dough into a ball. Cut in half and press each into a disc shape. Wrap each disc in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling. Yield: Two 9" single pie crusts or 1 9"double pie crust. Crust will make alone with filling or pre-bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Below is the tart recipe I used from www.ezrapoundcake.com. I made a few changes based on my friend's recommendations and our preferences:

• I used the crust recipe from above.
• I added Swiss chard and cut back on some of the zucchini. My friend recommended always using leafy greens, and I definitely agree. It just works. 
• I used fresh tomatoes.
• I used Gruyere cheese only.
• I used a red onion.

Easy Zucchini, Tomato and Cheese Tart

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 SHEET (HALF OF A 17.3-OUNCE PACKAGE) FROZEN PUFF PASTRY
• 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
• 1 ONION, FINELY DICED
• 2 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
• 2 MEDIUM ZUCCHINI, QUARTERED LENGTHWISE AND THINLY SLICED
• 1/2 TEASPOON DRIED OREGANO
• 1/4 TEASPOON GROUND BLACK PEPPER
• 1 (14-OUNCE) CAN READY-CUT DICED TOMATOES, WELL DRAINED
• 3 LARGE EGGS
• 1 CUP GRATED SMOKED GOUDA (SUBSTITUTES: CHEDDAR, MONTEREY JACK, MOZZARELLA, MUENSTER, PROVOLONE)
• 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
• GENEROUS SEASONING FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a glass pie plate or a dark 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Set aside.
2. Remove the puff pastry from the package, and let it thaw at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, Make the Filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion is slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the zucchini, and saute just until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with oregano and black pepper.
5. Mix in the drained tomatoes, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender but not mushy and the juices have evaporated. Set the pan off the heat, and let the veggies cool.
6. For the Crust: Sprinkle a little flour on your counter and rolling pin, and gently roll the puff pastry into an 11-inch square. Press the pastry into the bottom and up the sides of your pan. (Trim off the excess pastry, and discard.) Prick the pastry  with a fork, and place a piece of aluminum foil on the pastry. Add dried beans or pie weights to weigh down the foil. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights. Let the pastry cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
7. Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
8. To Assemble the Tart: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the cheese, salt, pepper, and cooled vegetables. Spoon the mixture into the tart pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is brown and a knife inserted in the center of the tart comes out clean. Remove the outer rim of the tart pan, and let the tart cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Action Item: Try new recipes when you can! Set aside one day each week or one day each month to try a new recipe. Add it to your calendar!

For Further Reading: Still have lots of zucchini from your garden or CSA? Or do you just love zucchini? Try these recipes from Meatless Monday.

Garlicky Shrimp

If you're trying to cook more meals at home, here's a simple and quick one to try: Garlicky Shrimp & Rice. I ran across it in Parents Magazine and tried it that same night.

Some of you may already make something similar, but for those that need an actual recipe (like me) here it is!

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup basmati rice (I had none in the house, so I used brown rice)
• 2 tsp. minced garlic, divided
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted vegetable stock (I used water and a little salt - and the amount needed to cook the rice per directions)
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Make it:
1. In a medium saucepan melt 1/2 Tbs. butter. Add rice and 1 tsp. garlic; cook and stir one minute. Add stock, 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 tsp. salt, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in peas and lemon zest.

2. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add shrimp and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook until opaque, 5 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbs. lemon juice and 1/2 Tbs. butter. Cook 1 minute more and serve with rice.

Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings

I made this a day ahead, refrigerated it and reheated with a little water on our camping trip!


Action Item: Add this to your week-night meal planning. It's quick, easy and nutritious.

For Further Reading: Try other recipes from Parents Magazine. We find some of the recipes a little bland, but sometimes we find a keeper!

Soaking Oat Mix

Photo is from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com
 

This is the name my husband gave his delicious mid-morning snack (blueberry/maple) of overnight oats. Our son also took one bite of his no-cook oatmeal (banana/maple) for breakfast and gave me an enthusiastic "mmm, this is good!"

So, I'd have to say these are a hit in our house, and I truly thought they'd be a big flop. A couple of people had mentioned it to me, and I thought it looked like more work than it was worth. Some times a new idea looks that way until we give it a try. With warmer temps rolling in, I decided I'd take a chance on cold, overnight oats.

The recipe I based our creations on is from 100 Days of Real Food.

Here's the recipe from that website:

• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
• ½ teaspoon honey
• 1 to 2 tablespoons raisins (depending on how much you like raisins!)
• ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 pinches cinnamon

Mix together all ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours before eating. Alternatively mix in an insulated thermos container (left unrefrigerated) and wait no more than 7 hours before eating.

 

Easy enough, right? I used the ½ cup rolled oats and 1 tablespoon plain yogurt, but then added ½ cup of vanilla almond milk. That way I didn't need to add vanilla. I used maple syrup instead of honey. For one mason jar, I added frozen blueberries. The other I mashed a banana to use. I'm sure I'll also try cinnamon, honey, chia seeds, apples and probably peanut butter! The possibilities are endless.

Action Item: Try some "soaking oats." Try them with different flavors, then when you find a combination you like, make enough for one week. Then grab and go!

For Further Reading: Probably tons of different recipes can be found, but here are several to try from The Yummy Life.

Energy Bars

From the Bicycling magazine blog. My mixture didn't look like this;
mine are chocolaty! The chocolate chips melted after pouring
in the heated maple syrup and peanut butter mixture. Yum!

I typically do not like the name "energy bar," but in the case of these bars they definitely gave us energy (or helped us maintain our energy) during some hiking at 8000+ feet elevation.

I found this recipe in a friend's facebook group (Smoky Mountain Military Cycling), and it's actually from a Bicycling magazine blog. These are very tasty bars and I really appreciated the versatility and simplicity of the recipe.

View the recipe here. For my bars, I used oats, my son's favorite cereal (multi-grain and low-sugar flakes), finely chopped walnuts, chopped dried apricots, chia seeds, maple syrup, natural peanut butter and dark chocolate chips. I only made half a batch the first time. I wanted to make sure we liked them before using so much liquid gold (aka maple syrup.) My conclusion is that these are definitely easy to make and delicious to eat. The problem is that these have quite a few calories - I didn't even calculate the calories in ours - but at least I know that each ingredient in these bars is a good one! No hidden additives, artificial anything or preservatives. We all enjoyed these on the trail. These energy bars are a good idea for extended exercise such as long runs, hiking or cycling.


Action Item: Make your own energy bars or granola bars when you can. Homemade versions are healthier, cost less and prevent lots and lots of unnecessary packaging!

For Further Reading: Eating During Exercise. A reminder that each person has different needs during long-duration activities (over 60 minutes), and it usually takes trial and error with hydration and nutrition to learn what works best for you and your body.

Sweet Potato Muffins

Here's a recipe I pulled from Runner's World in 2011. Tried them for the first time this morning! My reaction is mixed. First of all, I had to change some ingredients based on what I had in the house, and of course I always add a personal touch. Be that good or bad. So as I mentioned, my reaction is mixed, but I will definitely make these again and try to follow the recipe exactly. OK, except maybe for the vegetable oil. The texture of the muffins is great, but there's not tons of taste. Knowing these muffins are packed with nutrients though makes it even more appealing for me. The mild taste makes them very versatile; I could eat them for breakfast (and I did), eat them post-exercise (which I might in a little while) or they'd be great in my son's lunch or easy to eat on a road trip. Filling and good and healthy!

 

"These are the lightest, fluffiest, easiest whole-grain muffins—ever," promises Bittman. Using sweet potato adds moisture and nutrients, such as beta-carotene.

Sweet Potato Muffins
2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour (preferably pastry flour)
3/4 cup sugar (I tried mostly honey and some brown sugar, still didn't equal 3/4 cup)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used applesauce)
1 cup pureed or mashed cooked sweet potato
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used coconut milk mixed with a little Greek yogurt)

Our batch was very dry so we added extra applesauce and milk at the end.

• Heat oven to 375° F. Grease 12 muffin cups or add paper liners.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
• In a bowl, whisk butter, oil, sweet potato, egg, and buttermilk. Fold wet mixture into the dry; stir until just combined.
• Fill muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Banana Nut Variation Reduce sugar to 1/2 cup. Replace sweet potato with 1 cup mashed, very ripe banana; add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to the batter.

Pumpkin Coconut Variation Replace sweet potato with 1 cup canned pumpkin; add 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut to the batter.

CALORIES PER MUFFIN: 248

CARBS: 37 G

FIBER: 3 G

PROTEIN: 4 G

FAT: 9 G

MARK BITTMAN may not be sure which marathon he's running next (he'll either tackle November's Philadelphia Marathon or December's Palm Beaches Marathon Festival), but he is sure about one thing: his training. "I'm doing a long run, speedwork, and tempo run every week," says Bittman, author of The Food Matters Cookbook. "And I'm following hard weeks with easier ones." For more, go to markbittman.com

 

Nutri Ventures

If you have a cartoon-watching child, introduce them to Nutri Ventures. At the moment, it's our son's favorite show and the only one he has watched since being introduced to it. He watches it on Hulu Kids.

Here's the story:

The heroes of the story, Theo, Lena, Ben and little Nina, live in a grey city, where food doesn’t exist. 30 years ago, Alex Grand, the terrible villain, ordered his army of G-Squads to destroy all the foods so his people would be forced to eat only Genex-100, a high calorie compound manufactured at the Grand Corporation of which he is the owner.

Before Alex could wipe out all the foods, Nexus, a wise nutritionist, told his seven most trusted scientists to escape, with the help of their Gugas, to a faraway place so that they could each preserve a food group. They became the Nutri- Guardians. Up until now they have lived in isolation in their far-off kingdoms where they have conserved the foods they were entrusted with.

Theo, Lena, Ben and Nina have the exciting mission of discovering these fantastic kingdoms and returning to the world the food variety which Alex had destroyed. During their adventures they will taste unknown foods, experience their incredible Nutri-Powers and engage in hard-won battles, always accompanied by their Guga!

Nutri Ventures Corp., which produces the series, has entered into partnerships with ministries of education and health around the world, as well as with the World Health Organization, with which it offers educational content for free to public education systems.

Parents can learn more, without watching all the episodes, at the website listed below. The Kingdoms do include meat and dairy, so this show may not work for everyone.


Action Item: If this interests you, let your child give it a try on Hulu Kids.  I'm not saying this is the perfect series (partly because I haven't watched them all), but we definitely appreciate the focus on healthy eating and the effort to teach children in a fun way. Nutri Ventures is an excellent alternative to the many mind-numbing cartoons that abound!

For Further Reading: http://www.nutri-ventures.com/pais/en/parents/

So Good, So Good

I've been watching a lot of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, but "so good, so good" really fits this recipe. It's actually delicious and has the ability to be as spicy or mild as you'd like.

Vegetarian Korma from www.allrecipes.com

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 1 small onion, diced                                          
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 4 carrots, cubed                                                
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
• 3 tablespoons ground unsalted cashews
• 1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt                                                   
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Ground cashews? I thought that would be too much like flour, so I chopped them quite a bit. I think the dish would be good with larger cashew pieces as well. 

I felt like such a chef making this meal. Wasn't it beautiful while adding the ingredients? :)

Did I mention that this is so good? I used way less salt than called for, yellow peppers since I had those in the house, and based on some of the reviews I used coconut milk instead of heavy cream. I added the coconut milk in step 1 (another recommendation in the reviews) to help the potatoes cook. Ten minutes is not nearly long enough for that. I didn't have fresh cilantro either, but I served the meal with whole-wheat naan bread and brown rice. Yum. My son and I both really enjoyed this. The sad part is that Ron is out of town and not even here to be official taste tester! We have plenty of leftovers, so maybe he can have some tonight when he returns. The nutritional information on the allrecipes page shows tons of sodium, but mine is pretty low. Check your tomato sauce and also your frozen peas. Yes, sometimes, salt is added to frozen veggies! Good ingredients make a recipe good.

Here's the tomato sauce I use. If you don't mash your own tomatoes, this is the next best thing!

Action Item: I think I've said this before, but try allrecipes.com if you haven't already. I found this recipe using the "search by ingredient" option. I had yellow bell peppers and potatoes in the house that needed to be used, so I searched just with those two ingredients.

For Further Reading: I like to use Sun Brand Madras Curry Powder, but you can make your own if you don't have a favorite. Lots of recipes are out there, here's one to try.

(Patsy, if you've read this far... is this similar to the curry dish you made us long ago? It was one of Ron's favorites!)

Blueberry Scones

Here's a delicious, kid-approved recipe from Parents Magazine for blueberry scones. I've made these twice and now that I've pulled out the recipe, maybe I'll make them again tomorrow morning! These are also good for guests or a special Sunday brunch.

This recipe says that it has half the fat of typical scones, plus whole grains to boot! I only made a couple of changes to our scones as you'll see below.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. old fashioned oats, divided
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (of course, I used a little less because you'll probably add jam to the finished scone!)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup), frozen
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup light sour cream (plain Greek yogurt is a healthier substitute)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 Tbs. coarse sugar

Make it

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a bowl, mix flour, 1/2 cup oats, brown sugar, and baking powder. Grate butter into flour mixture using the largest holes of a box grater; mix.
2. In a small bowl, whisk egg, sour cream and vanilla. Stir in berries. Gently stir liquid mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Use your hands to bring dough together. Refrigerate 15 minutes if sticky.
3. Mix remaining 2 Tbs. oats with coarse sugar. Sprinkle half of it over a cutting board. Form dough into two 4-inch rounds using your hands. Set them in oat mixture, press lightly. Top with remaining oats and sugar.
4. Cut rounds into six wedges each. Set on cookie sheet at least one inch apart; bake for 24 to 26 minutes.

Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Makes: 12 scones

Nutrition per scone: 144 calories; 3g protein; 5g fat (3 g saturated fat); 22 carbs; 11g sugar; 2 g fiber; 1mg iron; 45mg calcium; 54mg sodium.


Action Item: Try this recipe with frozen blueberries (try to find the small tasty wild blueberries if you can) until it's blueberry season. Usually starts around May and then lasts almost all summer long! Yay, for blueberries.

For Further Reading: 'Superfoods' Everyone Needs

Whole Wheat Penne with Roasted Cauliflower and Parsley Pesto

I see that many of you really like new recipes, so I tried another one for you last night. We rarely read a real newspaper anymore, but we do pick up a Summit Daily News when we're in Keystone, CO. So glad I did, because I found this recipe in the weekend insert. Cauliflower, pasta, beans... sounded yummy and something my son would enjoy too.

I did not make my own pesto this time (it looked like more than I wanted to do in one night), so I used store-bought basil pesto. It's not my favorite taste, so I'm looking forward to trying the recipe as it should be with parsley pesto. I also added a little garlic to our dish for some extra taste (since I didn't use olives either). Saying all that, I don't think I really "tried" this recipe... BUT it was still a really good dish. Thinking next time that it will be delicious! We especially enjoyed the roasted cauliflower; so much better than steaming it in my opinion.

Try it out and let me know how it works for you! If the Culinary Institute and Harvard School of Public Health give it thumbs up, it must be my culinary skills that are lacking :) Here's the recipe:

Everybody loves a hearty bowl of pasta, and this whole wheat penne dish is an excellent addition to a heart-healthy diet. Each year, The Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of Public Health bring health care professionals from across the nation to their Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference to help them help their patients to eat better. A favorite at the event, this dish features an abundance of vegetables and herbs, healthy fats and carbohydrates, fiber, nutrients — and deliciousness.

WHOLE WHEAT PENNE WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND PARSLEY PESTO

• 2 pounds cauliflower, sliced in 2-inch x 2-inch pieces
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Kosher or sea salt, as needed
• Ground black pepper, as needed
• 8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
• 2/3 cup Parsley Pesto (recipe at right)
• ¾ cup oil-cured black olives (such as niçoise, kalamata or Cerignola), pitted and cut in half lengthwise
• 1 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• Crushed red pepper, as needed (optional)
• ¾ cup Asiago or Parmesan cheese, thinly shaved
• Fresh mint sprigs for garnish, as needed

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Brush both sides of the cauliflower with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, or until the cauliflower is nicely browned and tender.
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the pasta until just al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water. In a large warm bowl, add ½ cup of the pesto and some of the reserved hot water, stirring to create a sauce. Add the hot pasta along with the cauliflower, olives, beans, and crushed red pepper (if using); toss to coat with the pesto sauce. If the mixture seems dry, adjust by adding a small amount of the reserved hot water and the remaining pesto. Top with cheese and mint. Serve warm or at room temperature.

=========================

PARSLEY PESTO

• 3 cups packed fresh parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons roasted garlic, chopped (see Chef's notes)
• 1½ tablespoons pistachios, almonds or pine nuts, toasted (see Chef's notes)
• 1½ tablespoons Parmesan or Asiago cheese, freshly grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher or sea salt, as needed
• Ground black pepper, as needed

In a food processor or blender, combine the parsley, garlic, pistachios, cheese, lemon zest and olive oil, and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Chef's notes:
To roast garlic: Cut off the top 1/3 of a head of garlic. Place the garlic on a square of aluminum foil large enough to enclose it. Drizzle with a little olive oil, wrap the garlic in the foil and seal closed to make a pouch. Roast in a 400-degree F oven until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
To roast nuts: Arrange the nuts in a single layer on a sheet tray and place in a 350-degree F oven and roast for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown, checking frequently to prevent burning.
=========================
Yield: 6 servings
PER SERVING: 451 CALORIES, 15 g PROTEIN,45 g CARBOHYDRATES, 9 g FIBER, 24 g TOTAL FAT (6 g saturated fat), 721 mg SODIUM, 22 g CHOLESTEROL


Action Item: Try this recipe! It's a great, heart-healthy meatless dish.

For further reading: The Health Benefits of Cauliflower

Naan Pizza with Asparagus

Another favorite of ours from Runner's World magazine! We first tried this about four years ago, and we still enjoy it.

Asparagus is rich in bone-building vitamin K, immune-boosting vitamin C, and heart-healthy folic acid. Canadian bacon adds big flavor with little damage—an ounce has about one third of the calories of regular bacon and 10 fewer fat grams.

• 2 9-inch store-bought naan (Check the sodium levels, some are very high!)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup prepared pesto
• 3 slices Canadian bacon, cut into thin strips
• 8 asparagus spears (bottom ends snapped off and discarded), cut into 11/2-inch lengths
• 1/2 cup (or about 2 ounces) grated fontina cheese (we use Gruyere)

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425° F. Place naan on a baking sheet. Mix ricotta and pesto and dollop onto breads.

Toss asparagus with oil and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Evenly distribute spears, along with Canadian bacon, over naan.

Bake until breads are warm throughout and asparagus is bright green, about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven; divide the fontina equally and top each naan with a portion of the cheese. Return them to oven and continue to bake until breads are crisp and cheese has melted, about five minutes longer.

Cut each pizza into quarters, serving each person two slices. Serves four.

I recommend serving these with a big salad or a side of vegetables. Naan Pizzas are really good and it's easy to eat more than a proper serving (plus I usually double or triple the recipe for the three of us and so Ron will have leftovers for work).

Though ricotta is healthy in many ways it is also high in saturated fats, so watch serving sizes. Part-skim versions can be very tasty. Some are better than others, and I've noticed that the texture varies from brand to brand.

Action Item: Try making your own pesto!

For further reading: The Health Benefits of Asparagus.
 

Frozen Banana Bites

I have been mentioning chocolate a lot lately it seems, but here's one more. I really need to share this! My Mom found the recipe on facebook and shared it with me. We commented on it back and forth, so I just got up from the computer, marched to the kitchen and made these. Easy. Super yummy. Kid-approved!

The recipe/photo came from Dr. Josh Axe's facebook page:

• 2 large bananas
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips (use whatever chocolate chips you have... dark chocolate is best!)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (make sure it's natural, no added anything)
• Unsweetened coconut flakes (I actually left some of mine plain, topped some with chia seeds and others with hemp seeds. Nuts would be good too).

Method . . .

Set out a large plate or bowl with a piece of parchment or wax paper on it. Cut up the bananas into good-sized chunks. Each banana should give you around 5 to 6 pieces. Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips in the microwave on high for about a minute. Then stir until smooth.

This is what mine looked like going into the freezer.
A little rushed and messy, but still a thumbs up.

Dip the banana pieces in the chocolate-peanut butter mixture. Lay them out leaving some space between them on the parchment/wax paper. Then when you've "covered" them all, use the remaining mixture to spoon over the tops (for even more chocolate-y goodness).

And my son's enthusiastic thumbs up!

Then sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Transfer to the freezer for about an hour until hardened. You can enjoy them like this (but they really aren't frozen yet -- and when they're frozen, the banana tastes like vanilla ice cream). I suggest then covering with some plastic wrap (or really you can do all of this in some kind of Rubbermaid container) and let freeze overnight.

 

These are really delicious, easy to make, would be great for guests, for a kid's party or just as a snack for yourself. I am thinking I will try using a whole banana and putting it on a stick. Jaryn keeps seeing these at Sprouts and wants me to buy them; homemade would be better for so many reasons: natural, no preservatives, made with love, no packaging, less expensive. And here's my reminder to only eat a few. Chocolate and peanut butter both have lots of calories, plus that way you can save some for the next day!

 

 

Action Item: Yep, you guessed it. Try these healthier treats for you and your family.

 

For further reading: A Dark Chocolate a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Fruit Leather

I grabbed a several pieces of fruit leather (fruit roll-ups) while at the store. I checked the ingredients first, especially making sure they contained no artificial food coloring. I then asked myself "why don't I make these more often?" Homemade fruit leather is healthier, less expensive and requires no packaging.

So I searched for the recipe a few minutes ago in order to share it (see the link below)... use whatever fruit you have on hand, blend it, place it in a pan and cook it on a very low temp for hours. I think I lightly oiled the pan rather than using plastic wrap or parchment paper. I was worried about heating the plastic, and what might come out of that and I also had no parchment paper.

Action Item: Check your kitchen, you should have fruit or even applesauce (natural, please). Try a batch of these today! They're not just for kids, but a great snack for anyone.

For Further Reading: Two Peas & Their Pod

Kale and Quinoa with Creole Seasoning

I tried a new recipe from allrecipes.com last week, and it was delicious. Don't you just love when a recipe works out the first time?

I added shrimp, a little garlic, used vegetable broth, used an onion because that's what I had in the house, and I omitted the salt. The only problem was that four servings were not enough for the three of us. Oops :)

Ingredients               

• 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)                                                                      
• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 quarts water                                                    
• 1 bunch lacinato (dinosaur) kale, sliced (or any type you have on hand)                                                         
• 1 teaspoon olive oil                                                                     
• 1 large shallot, minced                                                                     
• 1 teaspoon salt                                                                     
• 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's®)                                                                     

Directions

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan; stir in quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
2. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan; cook kale in boiling water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in the same saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir shallot until softened, about 5 minutes. Add kale, cooking and stirring, until desired doneness. Mix quinoa into vegetable mixture and season with salt and Creole seasoning.

The directions say: 30 minutes total prep and cook time!


Action item: Make sure to try at least one new recipe this week!

For further reading: Cooking With Quinoa: 23 recipes

Yummy Quesadillas

Have some leftover veggies in your kitchen and not sure what to make? Try them on pizza, in a stir-fry or make some yummy quesadillas! This is a favorite in our home, and you can change it up based on your favorite foods.

There is no recipe, but you will need:

• whole-wheat or corn tortillas
• shredded cheese (it's healthier and cheaper to buy a block and shred it yourself)
• vegetables to sauté (we typically use onions, red peppers, mushrooms, spinach... or whatever is in the house)
• black beans, kidney beans or lentils
• corn

I place two tortillas filled with goodies in a skillet, with very little or no oil, to brown. I start with warm ingredients, then I place each browned tortilla in a warm oven while I finish making all of them. This way you don't need as much cheese because it has time to melt in the warm oven. Yummm, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. We then top each quesadilla with a dollop of Greek yogurt, avocado and salsa.

The beauty of quesadillas is that you can add just about anything that interests you... sweet potatoes, ham, zucchini, feta cheese, rice, you name it.

In our family, quesadillas are kid-approved with two thumbs up!


Action Item: Make quesadillas this week. If you already make them, let me know your favorite ingredients!

For further reading: This is just a fun article I ran across, The 13 Greatest Things About Being a Vegetarian.

Sweet Potato Chowder

Here's another yummy and kid-approved recipe. I don't remember where I got this one; it was cut out of a magazine long ago. Some of you in the COLD parts of the country right now may especially enjoy it!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound lean ham, cubed (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 2 medium white potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2.5 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fat-free half and half

Heat oil in a 3-quart soup pot. Add ham, onion and celery. Saute until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). Add diced potatoes and garlic. Saute briefly. Add seasonings and chicken broth, and stir well. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Partially puree soup with a potato masher. Stir in fat-free half and half. Taste, and correct seasonings if required.

Makes 8 (one-cup) servings
Preparation time: one hour


My comments: Be sure you look for low-sodium chicken or veggie broth. I haven't tried, but I think next time I will try with half broth and half water when I am also using ham. I think there is enough taste without the extra broth. Try it without ham, and maybe add lentils for more protein? Also, not sure why you couldn't use more sweet potatoes and less white potatoes? It may change the texture? Any comments or ideas?

This is one of my favorite recipes especially in cooler weather. My son gobbles it up too. Always good with a salad or a grilled cheese to go with it! If there are leftovers, they are delicious as well.


Action item: Try this recipe while it's cold outside!

For further reading: And look what I ran across while searching for a picture of sweet potatoes - Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas.

Kid-approved!

We just enjoyed a wonderful weekend with dear friends and their three amazing children, so now I guess I can say that the rest of this information is kid-approved because all the meals were well-received by the 4 out of 4 kids eating them! Hope they work for your family too.

The three dinner meals we ate this weekend were: sweet potato chowder, crab burgers and quesadillas. Here's the crab burger (aka, crabby patty) recipe. I'll share the others in coming days:

Crab Burgers (aka Crabby Patties in our house) from Epicurious.com:

• 1 lb. lump crab meat, picked over (I use about half imitation crab and half canned lump crab meat)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (sometimes I substitute part with greek yogurt)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (I do not use)
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (I use Old Bay Seasoning, and at least one teaspoon)
• 1 3/4 cups fine dry bread crumbs, divided (I use stuffing mix because it had less sodium than the bread crumbs I found)
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil (or your oil of choice)
• 4 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, split and toasted

Stir together crab meat, mayonnaise, scallions, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, cayenne, 3/4 cup bread crumbs in a bowl until just combined. Form into 4 (1-in thick) patties. Spread remaining bread crumbs on a plate, then dredge patties in crumbs, knocking off excess, and transfer to a plate. 

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry patties, turning over once, until golden: five to six minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain. 

(I do not use the extra breadcrumbs/stuffing mix to coat the outside of the patties. I cook the patties in as little oil as possible, and I do not need to drain them on paper towels afterward. Sometimes my crabby patties are perfect and sometimes crumbly, but when put on a delicious whole-wheat bun they taste perfect! Ron likes his plain, but I usually add some avocado of course.)

Good piece of advice: Susan B. Roberts, a Tufts University nutritionist and co-author of the book “Feeding Your Child for Lifelong Health,” suggested a “rule of 15” — putting a food on the table at least 15 times to see if a child will accept it. Once a food is accepted, parents should use “food bridges,” finding similarly colored or flavored foods to expand the variety of foods a child will eat. If a child likes pumpkin pie, for instance, try mashed sweet potatoes and then mashed carrots. If a child loves corn, try mixing in a few peas or carrots. Even if a child picks them out, the exposure to the new food is what counts.

Another thing that seems to encourage eating, is a happy plate... faces or pretty designs seem to interest our son in his food even more.




















I think this works better for younger children, but we renamed some foods to make them more interesting. For example, broccoli was called dinosaur trees because our son really liked dinosaurs at the time.


Action item: Be a food artist today and rearrange food into a funny face or design. Don't take much time, just move it around and see what happens.

For further reading: In the comments below, let me know something that has worked for your family: an idea, a recipe or a new way to prepare a common food. We can all learn from each other this way!