I’ve added a “facebook share” badge on each post making it really easy to share your favorite posts with your friends. Thanks for spreading the word!

One of the moms in my daughter’s playgroup shared this slow cooker veggie lasagna recipe. She got it from a magazine 5 years ago and now it’s a family favorite.

I was thrilled because the veggie lasagna I used to make is tasty, but time consuming. I really think I like this one better. It’s pretty amazing actually.

I started the prep work at 2:45pm and turned the slow cooker on at 3:08. But I’m pretty slow so you probably could get it done in 15 minutes. The only downside is it cooks for 3 hours so it might not work for a work day. I think it’s perfect for a Saturday or Sunday or an at home weekday.

Ingredients:
-8-ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
-15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
-2 large eggs
-¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
-1 teaspoon salt, divided
-1 cup carrots, shredded
-3 cups zucchini, shredded and firmly packed
-26-ounce jar roasted garlic marinara sauce
-8-10 regular lasagna noodles (not no-boil)

Directions
Remove ½ cup mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine remaining mozzarella, ricotta, eggs, Parmesan and ½ teaspoon salt.

Cook carrots in microwave for 2 minutes. Stir into cheese mixture and set aside.

In a separate bowl, stir remaining ½ teaspoon salt into zucchini.

Spray Crock Pot with cooking spray.

Spread 1/3 sauce on bottom. Gently break 2 noodles to fill and cover bottom (this part will be hard for you neat freaks — just remember it turns out in the end)

Spread 1 cup cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with 1 cup shredded zucchini. Top with 2/3 cup marinara sauce.

Repeat with a second layer (2 noodles, 1 cup cheese mixture, 1 cup shredded zucchini and 2/3 cup marinara sauce).

Add a third layer of noodles and top with remaining cheese mixture and zucchini only.

Top with noodles and remaining marinara sauce, then sprinkle with the reserved ½ cup mozzarella.

Cook on High for 3 hours. Let stand 15-20 minutes before serving.

It’s my birthday today! So instead of sharing my meal plan, which is limited this week with the festivities, I thought I’d share this new salmon recipe I tried last week.

Salmon is our favorite fish dish around here. When I first saw this recipe from Kraft, I knew I had to try it. It was soooo good! My husband and son ate it up and my daughter who doesn’t eat salmon (yet) liked picking at the mushrooms while she ate the mac and cheese. Yes, I often make this dish with mac and cheese (whole grain). It’s the ultimate compromise.

Instead of using the dressing the recipe calls for, I used a marinade I adapted from All Recipes. 

If you try it let me know how it turned out. Happy Monday!

Ingredients:
1-1.5 pound salmon
2-3 TBS olive oil
1 TBS lemon juice (fresh is better)
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups spinach chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tomato chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, basil, salt and pepper in a small dish and set aside. Chop/slice tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms and then mix together in a bowl. Spray 13×9-inch baking dish with canola/olive oil spray and place fish skin down. Spoon marinade over fish and then top with veggies.

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork.

There are plenty of online services that provide family meal plans, recipes and grocery lists. And while I think this can work for some people, I just find it odd being told what meals to make and what ingredients to use. I mean, beef stroganoff on Wednesday — really?

I could devote this series to healthy family meals you “should” make but that would be of little help. Only you know your own cooking abilities, family’s taste preferences and comfort using certain ingredients. So when it comes to finding rewarding meals for your family, you are the best judge!

In part one of Raise Healthy Eaters’ family meal planning series, we talked about overcoming barriers to getting healthy meals on the table. In part 2, we are focusing on how to find meals that are perfect for your family.

-Create a home for recipes:Your most cherished recipes and meal ideas need a home. I’ve started to use this recipe book that I got for Christmas a couple of years ago. The idea is to try out a recipe and if it turns out well, add it to the recipe book. For example, if I add a recipe from a cookbook I write the page number down in my recipe book so it’s easy to find. And when I print recipes off the internet, I store them in a red folder and write “red folder” in the recipe book (see examples below – sorry about the second picture, I had the choice of retaking it or going to bed).

As parents, our brains are in overuse mode already. By putting all of your favorite meals in one spot, you won’t have to rely on yourself to remember what they are.

-Become a Recipe Collector: I recently spoke to a friend who doesn’t use recipes. She says she starts dinner sautéing garlic and olive oil and just throws in different items. I, on the other hand, need the framework of a recipe to function in the kitchen. The idea is to find recipes or meal ideas you feel comfortable making. If you are a beginner cook, for example, simple slow cooker recipes might be good for you. But if you are more advanced, you might only use a recipe for inspiration.

You can find recipes anywhere — cookbooks, the internet and magazines. The internet makes it so easy to find – and store — recipes. Some of my favorites are All Recipes, My Recipes, and Cooks which allow you to see how the meals are rated and the comments people have. You’ll also get your share of easy and healthy recipes here.

-Look for a variety of recipes that are nutritious and taste good: In my recipe book I separate recipes into categories such as Mexican, Italian, Meat, Beans, Veggies and Fish. So if you don’t have any fish meals, for example, look for recipes that sound good and try it one night. The key is to collect a variety of meals.

When it comes to nutrition, aim for meals that are made with unsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts and avocados. Also make sure to include lean meats, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. I use saturated fats less often but will sometimes cook with butter and we love cheese around here. It’s not about getting it perfect every time. Some of our meals are higher in fat but I’ll serve them less often. Others might be high in sodium, but again, this isn’t an every night occurrence. It’s all about balancing nutrition, taste and ease of preparation.

-Practice, practice, practice: I absolutely hate when a new meal is disappointing. I know when my husband asks, “where did you get this recipe?” I’m in trouble. But I’ve learned that the failures are part of discovering which meals work for my family.

How do you know when a new meal passes the test? If I waited for my daughter’s approval we’d be eating burritos, meatballs and bean soup every night. So the verdict falls on whether or not my husband and I like it and it’s kid-friendly. This means it’s easy to chew, has a nice flavor and isn’t super-spicy.

So if you haven’t been doing this already, make a nice home for your recipes and continually add to it. If you haven’t had much success you might be choosing the wrong types of recipes for you.

What are you doing right now? Do you have a system for storing recipes that works well? Any cookbooks or websites you recommend?

Next: 5 Secrets to the Perfect Weekly Meal Plan

Previous: Top 5 Barriers to Making Meals Happen

Wanted to be alerted of new posts? Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters

I’ve made three recent attempts at making pizza at home. Because I’m a novice pizza maker, I buy the ready-made whole wheat dough from Trader Joes. The first two times it turned out too doughy. The third time it was crispier. Still slightly doughier than I wanted, but good.

What I like about pizza is kids and adults like it. And it’s fun — and quick — to make at home. It’s a great vehicle for veggies and when you make it yourself you can add as much as you want. And kids can easily help with preparation.

But back to the (semi) homemade pizza…

Like the instructions say, I took the dough out of the fridge to sit out for 20 minutes. I sautéed frozen spinach and mushrooms in olive oil and garlic. After rolling the pizza dough to the desired size, I topped it with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and the veggies.

I forget what temperature the directions (on the pizza dough packaging) call for but the time was 8-10 minutes. I left it in as long as I could, over 20 minutes, so it would come out less doughy.

Did my daughter eat it? Well, she picked at the crust and ate some of the fruit I had on the table. Even though she ate very little she still said it was “yummy.”

From what I hear, using a pizza stone makes a big difference. And maybe next time I’ll take a stab at making my own dough. I’ve been eyeing this whole wheat crust recipe from All Recipes that got great reviews.

I think making pizza can be a fun family tradition especially as my kids get a little older. I just need to get better at it.

Any good pizza ideas out there?

Want more quick meal ideas? Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters

I almost didn’t post this recipe because I wasn’t very happy with it at first. But when we had it for leftovers all week my mind changed. And it seemed to taste better each time we tried it. One night in a pinch for dinner it was minestrone soup with grilled cheese sandwiches…yum.

I cut the veggies the night before and put them in separate bowls in the fridge. One bowl contained the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and other bowl was full of cabbage and zucchini.

The biggest pain was sautéing the veggies in the morning. It was a work day so I didn’t have a lot of extra time. I ALWAYS forget to take the recipe prep time and double or triple it for me. I’m a novice (and messy) cook and it always takes me much longer than the recipe authors say it will. After I make something a few times I get quicker at it.

I combined all the ingredients and put them in the 6 quart slow cooker pot. My slow cooker has three interchangeable sizes of 2, 4 and 6 quarts. I like that you can leave this one on low up to 9 hours. Perfect for a work day.

One last thing, I used pasta I already had instead of the acini de pepe the recipe calls for.

Makes: 8-10 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 4-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-quart

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6-oz can tomato paste
14.5 oz can chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
24-oz can pinto beans, undrained
10-oz pkg. frozen green beans
2-3 cups chopped cabbage
1 medium zucchini, sliced
8 cups water
2 Tbsp parsley
2 Tbsp. Italian spice
1 tsp. salt, or more
½ tsp. pepper
¾ cup dry acini de pepe (small round pasta)
Grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese

1. Saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil until tender.
2. Combine all ingredients except pasta and cheese in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook 4-5 hours on high or 8-9 hours on low, adding pasta 1 hour before cooking is complete.
4. Top individual servings with cheese.

“Reprinted from Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook. Copyright by Good Books (www.GoodBooks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Like what you see?Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters

My daughter loves Mexican food, I love Mexican food and my husband loves it too.  That love is why Mondays are “Mexican Food Night” around here.  We usually have make-your-own burritos but I’ve been wanting to try something new. 

A few weeks ago I made Chicken Fajitas and they turned out just okay.  I thought they would’ve been better if I had used a tasty marinade.  So I searched google and found Rockin Robin’s Cooking Mexican Recipes, a site that features lots of ways to make Mexican food including a recipe for Sizzling Chicken Fajitas. 

And guess what? Not only did my family love it, I didn’t mess it up like I usually do the first time I make something!  

Here’s what I did…

To save time on cooking day, I cut the vegetables the night before and put them in the fridge.  During my kids’ nap I made the marinade and put it in a bowl with the chicken and a separate bowl for the veggies.  I also used a little less oil than the recipe suggested and I added a side of black beans.  For more details on the recipe, go to Rockin Robin’s site.

If you have an easy meal or quick dinner idea send it in through Contact Us. Remember, these are uncomplicated, nutritious and quick recipes that you keep in your head.

Sizzling Chicken Fajita Recipe (serves 4 to 6 people)

Ingredients:
-1 – 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
-2 medium yellow onions sliced into 1/4 inch strips
-1 large red bell pepper sliced into 1/4 inch strips
-2 medium zucchini, sliced into strips

Marinade
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1 tsp. liquid smoke (a real ingredient found in the condiment area)
-2 tbs apple cider vinegar
-1 tsp. honey
-1/4 cup water
-1 tbs. fresh lime juice
-1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 tsp. oregano leaves
-1 tsp. soy sauce

Toppings
-guacamole
-salsa
-2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
-lime wedges, optional
-fajita size flour tortillas (used whole grain – olive oil wraps from Trader Joe’s)

Combine the ingredients for the marinade and place 2/3 in a glass bowl or Ziploc bag and the other 1/3 marinade in another glass bowl or Ziploc bag. Rinse chicken in cold water and slice into 1/4 inch strips. Remove any remaining fat. Add chicken to the bowl with 2/3 of the marinade.

Slice the vegetables and place them in the bowl with 1/3 of the marinade. Refrigerate both dishes for 2 hours or more.

When ready to cook, add about a teaspoon of canola oil to a pan and when it gets hot add the chicken. It should be sizzling quite a bit. Turn the pieces as they cook. This should cook up pretty quick (between 5 – 8 minutes) as the pieces are pretty small. Check for doneness by cutting into a piece of chicken to see the juices run clear.

Remove the chicken to a dish to keep warm.

Now add the vegetables to the pan and toss as they cook. You might even want to turn the heat to high while cooking these. You will see lot’s of sizzle going on.

Cook the vegetables till they get slightly limp but still have a crunch to them, 3 or 4 minutes.

Place the vegetables and chicken side by side on the preheated fajita pan. Drizzle a little marinade from the vegetable dish only over the chicken fajitas and watch them sizzle as you bring this to the table (I didn’t do the sizzle part but I think it’d be a hit if you have guests or older children).

Like what you see? Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters to be alerted of new posts.

This healthy family meal idea was submitted by my friend Lisa who lives in Rancho San Diego (she’s also a dietitian). This is one of the most popular meals she makes for her family of four.

Ingredients:
2-3 T. peanut or canola oil*
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. crushed ginger
2 T. reduced sodium soy sauce
¼ cup stir fry sauce
½ pound chicken, cubed OR ½ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined.
½ onion, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 large celery stalk, sliced
½ red pepper, sliced
½ cup cut up broccoli
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 cups bean sprouts
1-2 T. cornstarch

In Wok, heat oil over high heat. Add chicken or shrimp, onions, garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Cover (to prevent spattering) and cook several minutes until meat or fish is cooked, stirring often. Add carrots, celery, peppers, and water chestnuts. Cover and cook 5-10 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender. Add broccoli and bean sprouts, cover and cook 5 more minutes until broccoli is bright green. Add stir fry sauce, stir until coated well (you can add more if needed for taste). Add 1-2 T. of cornstarch to sauce at bottom of wok to thicken. Serve over plain rice.

Serves 3-4

*Peanut and canola oils have a medium smoking points – which means more spattering and smoking at high temps. Another option is a “high heat” canola oil (Spectrum makes one that can be found in most healthy food stores).

If you have a quick recipe you’d like to let other moms know about, send it in through Contact Us. Remember, these are uncomplicated, nutritious recipes that you keep in your head.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters to get more quick dinner ideas.

Most moms have at least one easy meal idea they feel good about making. It takes little time, thought and preparation – and the kids like it too. It’s nutritious as well as good tasting.

So I thought I’d kick off our easy family dinner series with my own burrito recipe. I like this easy meal because it’s fun (and messy) for my daughter to eat. It’s also high in protein and fiber – and she eats all the tomatoes in the burrito.

If you have an easy meal idea you’d like to add to our Quick Dinners section, send it in through Contact Us. Remember, these are uncomplicated, nutritious and quick recipes that you keep in your head. 

At the grocery:
-Lean ground turkey, lean beef or soy protein burger/soy substitute of choice.
-Can of black beans
-One organic tomato
-One ripe avocado
-Shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese mix (reduced fat or regular)
-Whole wheat tortillas made with olive oil (Trader Joes)
-Taco seasoning, cumin and garlic
-Salsa of choice (optional)

Pre-Prep: Chop tomato & lettuce, slice avocado(s), grate cheese, pour salsa and put in small bowls on the table.

Cook: Turn stove to medium-high heat and place the turkey/beef in a canola-oil- sprayed pan. With a spatula stir the meat and break it up into small pieces while cooking (if substituting with soy cook as desired). Sprinkle once with taco seasoning. When the meat is done (browned) set aside, mince two garlic cloves and place in a smaller pan with one tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. When the garlic sizzles, add a can of rinsed black beans, stir and sprinkle with cumin. When bean mixture boils it is done. Heat the tortillas up in the microwave.

Serves 4-5 people: Everyone makes their own burrito – add cheese, meat, beans, tomatoes, salsa and avocado and wrap it up tight. Small children will need their burrito made for them as well as help taking small bites. Infants eating finger foods can eat small pieces of meat/soy, tortilla, cheese, tomatoes and beans. Babies on pureed food can eat pureed beans, meat and mashed avocado.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters for more easy and healthy family meal ideas.