I know my boys are happiest when they feel like they have a say in what we do. I've noticed since we have started school, they are craving more control since they are in a more structured environment more often again. We have started having pick 3 nights for dinner and the boys always eat great on these days.
Here's how it works! You know how by the end the of week you have a lot of left overs and partial servings of items? Get them all out and put them on the counter. Only get out items that you are ok with your child having for dinner, then ask them to pick three of the items. We will get out fresh fruit, veggies, left over meat, etc. The boys get to pick what they want and they feel like they are getting their choice. Now they don't realize Mommy already made the choice when she decided what to put out, but that's my little secret!
Try a pick three night at your house and let me know how your family likes it.
Happy Friday!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
Kid Friendly Quiche
My boys like to watch cooking shows occasionally. They love the preschool version, Tasty Time with ZeFronk, on Disney Jr. They watch the episodes online repeatedly and then ask to go shopping for ingredients, so that they can make the same dish as ZeFronk. That's where this quiche recipe came from. It easy, kid friendly and delicious.
Use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut circles of bread that will fit in a muffin tin. Place a bread circle in the bottom of each muffin in a well greased muffin tin. Add toppings of your choice on top of the bread: cheese, sausage, spinach, bacon, or ham, whatever you like.
In a bowl mix eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. For best results, you want an extra runny scrambled egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the toppings and bread. Bake at 325 degrees until toothpick comes out clean.
Viola, quiche muffins!
Try this with your kids and let me know what you think!
Use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut circles of bread that will fit in a muffin tin. Place a bread circle in the bottom of each muffin in a well greased muffin tin. Add toppings of your choice on top of the bread: cheese, sausage, spinach, bacon, or ham, whatever you like.
 |
| Placing the bread in the tin |
 | |
| Add toppings |
 |
| Mixing up the eggs |
 |
| Ready to go in the oven |
Viola, quiche muffins!
Try this with your kids and let me know what you think!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Loaded Twice Baked Potato Surprise
I'm normally the baker in the family, and I'm the one that strictly follows the recipe. Well, I've been experimenting and I've come up with a great healthier version of twice baked potatoes.
Ingredients
4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced
5 slices of bacon, fried and chopped
1/2 c. skim milk
3 T of fresh chives, finely chopped
6 oz of plain Greek yogurt
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 t. salt
pepper to taste
Balsamic Glaze
Boil potatoes and smash with a fork. Combine potatoes, milk, yogart, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and stir. Add bacon, cheese, and chives. Spread into shallow baking dish and bake for 20 mins at 350 degrees or until warm all the way through. Top with balasamic glaze, if desired.
Surprise! No butter or sour cream. If you use low fat or fat free cheese, then the little bit of bacon is the only fatty item. The Balsamic Glaze really sets this off, so try some for the first time if you'v never had it.
Ingredients
4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced
5 slices of bacon, fried and chopped
1/2 c. skim milk
3 T of fresh chives, finely chopped
6 oz of plain Greek yogurt
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 t. salt
pepper to taste
Balsamic Glaze
Boil potatoes and smash with a fork. Combine potatoes, milk, yogart, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and stir. Add bacon, cheese, and chives. Spread into shallow baking dish and bake for 20 mins at 350 degrees or until warm all the way through. Top with balasamic glaze, if desired.
Surprise! No butter or sour cream. If you use low fat or fat free cheese, then the little bit of bacon is the only fatty item. The Balsamic Glaze really sets this off, so try some for the first time if you'v never had it.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Future Foodie Friday Tip -- Sauce it up!
I'll admit it this is may more of a make myself feel better about not fighting this battle post than strong advice, but there is comfort in numbers right?
I have a toddler who loves ketchup. I don't mean likes to have it with his fries kinda of love. I mean he dips EVERYTHING in ketchup: his spaghetti, fruits, veggies, meats, brownies, bread, EVERYTHING. Now I know that ketchup no matter what it says on the label is not a healthy choice, but I ask myself what's worse, no broccoli or broccoli with ketchup. I think no broccoli is worse! If my little guy is getting some unwanted sugar with his broccoli, I still think the fact that he is getting the nutrients of fresh, steamed broccoli is a huge win for us!
Our other little guy is really into balsamic vinegar and soy sauce with every meal for a dipping sauce. These options don't have as big of drawbacks, so I don't have as much of a struggle with allowing him to have these dips. My motto is if your child likes a flavor profile, be it ketchup or vinegar, let them use that comfort as much as they want, especially if it means that they are getting a variety of nutrients from healthy sources. I'll be that Mom with ketchup and soy sauce pouches in my purse, so when we are out and my child refuses to eat without their "dip" I have an emergency stash! Bring on the sauces and let your little one's dip away!!
Happy Friday!!
I have a toddler who loves ketchup. I don't mean likes to have it with his fries kinda of love. I mean he dips EVERYTHING in ketchup: his spaghetti, fruits, veggies, meats, brownies, bread, EVERYTHING. Now I know that ketchup no matter what it says on the label is not a healthy choice, but I ask myself what's worse, no broccoli or broccoli with ketchup. I think no broccoli is worse! If my little guy is getting some unwanted sugar with his broccoli, I still think the fact that he is getting the nutrients of fresh, steamed broccoli is a huge win for us!
Our other little guy is really into balsamic vinegar and soy sauce with every meal for a dipping sauce. These options don't have as big of drawbacks, so I don't have as much of a struggle with allowing him to have these dips. My motto is if your child likes a flavor profile, be it ketchup or vinegar, let them use that comfort as much as they want, especially if it means that they are getting a variety of nutrients from healthy sources. I'll be that Mom with ketchup and soy sauce pouches in my purse, so when we are out and my child refuses to eat without their "dip" I have an emergency stash! Bring on the sauces and let your little one's dip away!!
Happy Friday!!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Do you ever end up with bananas that look like this?
We frequently have one lone banana left that starts to turn before we eat it. I hate waste food, so I put bananas that are starting to go bad in the freezer. This will turn the skins very dark, but the insides stay in their perfectly over ripe state. Once I have enough bananas, I will make the following Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.
These muffins are delicious, easy to make, and I don't feel guilty about letting the boys eat them, because they are fairly healthy. The boys love to make these and really enjoy eating them too! Enjoy!
This recipe is from All Recipes
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
We frequently have one lone banana left that starts to turn before we eat it. I hate waste food, so I put bananas that are starting to go bad in the freezer. This will turn the skins very dark, but the insides stay in their perfectly over ripe state. Once I have enough bananas, I will make the following Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.
These muffins are delicious, easy to make, and I don't feel guilty about letting the boys eat them, because they are fairly healthy. The boys love to make these and really enjoy eating them too! Enjoy!
This recipe is from All Recipes
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together and combine with dry ingredients. We like to make these into mini muffins. Bake at 350 degrees about 12 minutes for mini muffins or 20 minutes for regular muffins.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Future Foodie Friday Tip - Kids in the Kitchen
I apologize for the delay in posts but summer fun has prevailed the last month. This week's tip is a little lengthy, so hopefully it will make up for the gap in posts.
A great way to get kids excited about food is to get them in the kitchen with you. It's never too early, place infants in the kitchen when you are cooking so that they can take in the sights, sounds, and smells of your food. This will help prepare them for these flavors when they are ready. The smells will be familiar when you introduce them to these foods as they get older.
Let your toddlers help as soon as you can. Now maybe it's not the best idea to have a toddler help when you are trying to fix dinner in 10 minutes or less, but pick a time when you aren't rushed in the kitchen and let them help. Start with easy tasks like outing cut up veggies in a bowl or handing you ingredients as needed, then work your way up to letting them measure and pour in ingredients. Sure it's messy and it will take time and patience, but the provide and ownership your child will feel will be totally worth it. They may be more likely to eat the food and enjoy it if they helped make it
Our boys have worked up to being quite the sous chefs. We find that if we get all the ingredients, tools, and bowls ready before we bring them in to help, it makes things go smoother. The boys can now make zucchini bread and cookies with Mommy just reading the recipes to them. They measure, level, and pour in the ingredients all by themselves. Lucas has even graduated to being Andy's assistant for cutting fresh pasta.
Having your kids help in the kitchen is a great way to have teach your children life skills of cooking and math, encourage excitement about food and above all have some family fun!
Happy Friday!
A great way to get kids excited about food is to get them in the kitchen with you. It's never too early, place infants in the kitchen when you are cooking so that they can take in the sights, sounds, and smells of your food. This will help prepare them for these flavors when they are ready. The smells will be familiar when you introduce them to these foods as they get older.
Let your toddlers help as soon as you can. Now maybe it's not the best idea to have a toddler help when you are trying to fix dinner in 10 minutes or less, but pick a time when you aren't rushed in the kitchen and let them help. Start with easy tasks like outing cut up veggies in a bowl or handing you ingredients as needed, then work your way up to letting them measure and pour in ingredients. Sure it's messy and it will take time and patience, but the provide and ownership your child will feel will be totally worth it. They may be more likely to eat the food and enjoy it if they helped make it
Our boys have worked up to being quite the sous chefs. We find that if we get all the ingredients, tools, and bowls ready before we bring them in to help, it makes things go smoother. The boys can now make zucchini bread and cookies with Mommy just reading the recipes to them. They measure, level, and pour in the ingredients all by themselves. Lucas has even graduated to being Andy's assistant for cutting fresh pasta.
Having your kids help in the kitchen is a great way to have teach your children life skills of cooking and math, encourage excitement about food and above all have some family fun!
Happy Friday!
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