I thought it would be appropriate for my first post of the New Year to be a vegetable dish.  I’ve been wanting to try this one for awhile now after seeing it on one of my favorite food blogs — Weekly Bite. Estela is so creative with food ideas for kids.

This turned out great!  I offered it as a pre-dinner appetizer and Little D ate one and Big A nibbled (that is good for her!).  I doubled the recipe because I have found that half bags of anything in my freezer tend not to get used or thrown out. 

This makes a great finger food or as a snack or a side with dinner.  Anyone else making something like this?

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-16 oz bag of frozen mixed veggies (carrots, peas, corn, green beans, & lima beans)
-2 eggs
-1 cup panko bread crumbs
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-Juice of 1 small lemon
-2.5 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook veggies according to package directions and let cook. Place veggies in a food processor and pulse a few times with over-processing.

In a large bowl, combine veggies, bread crumbs, egg, salt, garlic powder, lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well using the back of your spoon to continue to mash the veggies.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and use a small scooper to make a small ball and then use your hands to form mixture into nugget size (I think mine were too big).  Line onto baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degree for 40 minutes – flip nuggets halfway through cooking (after 20 minutes).

I’m always looking for ways to dress up veggies so when I saw this recipe in Real Simple Magazine I knew I had to try it.

Peas are one of those foods I discovered after having kids.  I don’t know why but I never made peas much.  It could have to do with the fact that my husband was forced to eat them as a kid. When his parents weren’t looking, he’d stuff them in the couch. Not a lot of good memories for him!

Peas have a sweet taste and are full of nutrition — vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, fiber and potassium to name a few.  They make the perfect finger food for toddlers.  Because they are not bitter like other green vegetables, they are a good starter vegetable for kids. 

How do you make peas at home?

Ingredients:
-16 ounce frozen peas
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan
-2 TBS fresh lemon juice
-2 TBS olive oil
-1/2 tsp kosher salt
-1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions: Cook the frozen peas according to package directions, then mix the rest of the ingredients: parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

I love roasted veggies but just haven’t gotten around to trying cauliflower until now.  And what a mistake that’s been.  Roasting cauliflower is not only easy but mouth watering!

I really liked that this recipe used a bag to blend the olive oil and garlic.  I kind of threw it around like it was pizza dough.  It made the coat more even and it turned out great.

I’d love to say my kids ate this up but they didn’t even give it a try.  But my husband and I devoured it.  Don’t be fooled by its white color.  Cauliflower is packed with nutrition — vitamins C, K and B6, folate and potassium. 

Any roasted cauliflower fans out there?

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons minced garlic
-2-3 tablespoons olive oil
-1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
-1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-salt and black pepper to taste
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake for 25 minutes and stir halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes ( until golden brown).

What parent doesn’t want their children to like (and eat) salads. They are easy and delicious. And a great way to enjoy vegetables without having to turn on the oven or stove.

But getting kids on the salad kick isn’t always easy. Like all things related to food acceptance in little ones, it takes time and exposure. But what if there was a way to make salads so irresistible that they’d HAVE to take a bite. And then they’d get hooked!

I have a couple of salads that my daughter will (sort of) eat. For more ideas, I reached out to others around the web and got a good list going. But I’m greedy so make sure you leave your family favorite salad in the comments.

1. Strawberry Surprise: I think fruit in salads make them less intimidating to young children. For this salad you can use spinach, spring mix or romaine. Mix greens with almonds (sliced almonds from Trader Joes are perfect), chopped strawberries, feta cheese and raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Experiment with different fruit, nuts, cheese and greens. Another variation includes grape halves, walnut pieces and feta. Watch your little ones pick out the fruit and eventually move on to the greens.

2. Scrumptious Blueberry Salad: Amy from Super Healthy Kids admits that it took a long time for her kids to start eating salad. But she kept serving it year after year until they became full-on salad eaters.

Ingredients:
-9 cups mixed greens
-1 cup fresh or thawed blueberries
-2 TBS sunflower kernels
Dressing
-4 TBS Canola Oil
-2 TBS Sugar
-3 TBS cider vinegar
-1 TBS Orange juice
-1/2 tsp ground mustard
-1/4 tsp salt

3. Spinach and Avocado Salad: I love going to For the Love of Cooking site for food inspiration. This salad will appeal to kids who like avocado, craisins and croutons.

Ingredients:
-Baby spinach
-1-2 avocados, diced
-Cherry tomatoes, quartered
-Red onion diced
-Craisins
-Croutons
-Parmesan cheese, shaved
-Fran’s Simple Vinaigrette — 1/4 cup canola oil, 1 1/2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar, 1/2 red wine vinegar, 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced, 1/2 tsp sugar, sea salt and Freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Make the dressing 30 minutes before serving to maximize the flavor.

4. Mediterranean Bean Salad: This one is from super-creative mom, Stephanie at Foodie-isms. Kids who like beans will enjoy this salad. You can make it fun for them by letting them spear the beans with a toothpick.

Ingredients:
-2 cans of artichoke hearts, drained
-2 cans of pitted black olives, chopped
-2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
-2 15.5 oz. cans of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
-2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes (with basil, garlic and oregano), drained
-1 medium red onion, diced
-1 fresh bunch of cilantro, chopped
-8 oz. of Ken’s Steak House Lite Caesar Dressing

Combine artichokes, olives, black beans, garbanzo beans, and tomatoes together in a large bowl. Add red onion, cilantro, and caesar dressing. Mix well. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

This makes a great salad served over fresh greens or could also be served as an appetizer with Torilla chips (Tostitos with a Hint of Line). Best made the night before serving.

5. Chicken Caesar Salad: When asking around for kid-friendly salad ideas, ceaser salad kept popping up. Aviva from The Six O’Clock Scramble was kind enough to share her tasty recipe.

Ingredients: (Makes 6 Servings)
-1 – 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or meatless chicken strips or patties
-4 – 5 TBS. olive oil
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1/8 tsp. garlic powder
-2 large slices sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, or buy packaged croutons
-1/4 tsp. kosher salt
-2 TBS. reduced fat mayonnaise
-1/2 tsp. minced garlic (about 1 clove)
-1/2 lemon, juice only, 2 Tbsp. juice
-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 tsp. anchovy paste, or use mashed capers
-1 head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and cut or ripped into bite-sized pieces (8 – 10 cups)
-1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 400 degrees if you are making your own croutons. Cut each chicken breast crosswise into thin strips. Place the chicken in a flat dish, drizzle it with 1 Tbsp. oil, the salt and the garlic powder, and flip the chicken several times to coat it. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chicken, turning occasionally, until it is cooked through, 5 – 7 minutes. (Set some cooked chicken aside for non-salad eaters, if necessary.)

To make the croutons, in a medium bowl, toss the bread cubes with 1 – 2 Tbsp. oil and the kosher salt. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake them in the preheated oven for 3-5 minutes, until they are slightly crisp and browned. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Set them aside.

To make the dressing, thoroughly whisk together the mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, the minced garlic, the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and anchovy paste.

Just before serving, vigorously toss the lettuce, cheese, chicken, croutons and dressing (you probably won’t need to use all the dressing) in a large salad bowl.

6. Kid-Friendly cucumber Salad: This is a family favorite for Ratja Rowell from Family Feeding Dynamics.

Ingredients:
-1 (or more cucumber)
-3 TBS. rice wine vinegar
-1 TBS. vegetable oil (optional)
- a few drops sesame oil
-2 tsp table sugar (can adjust all ingredients to taste…)

Peel, and slice one cucumber in half. May leave the seeds in or scoop them out with a teaspoon. (Some find the seeds are hard to digest, some kids may not like the seeds.) Slice the cucumber thinly. May also add chopped red pepper for color, or shallots (mild onion) or even some napa cabbage (sticking with the Asian influence.) We all enjoy plain cucumber for now.

Put all other ingredients into bowl big enough for the salad. Have the child hold the spoon over the bowl (in case of spills.) You pour the liquid into the spoon and have them tip it into the bowl. Kids can often scoop sugar out by themselves. It doesn’t have to be exact here. Have child whisk the dressing then add the vegetables. Chill and serve.

7. The Deconstructed Dipping Salad: Amy Marlow, MPH, RD says the only way she can get her 2 and 5 year olds to eat salad is to deconstruct it:

“I tear up pieces of romaine lettuce into one bowl, and then depending on what I have on hand for me and my husband’s grown-up salad, I provide a small assortment of other vegetables as well – bell peppers, cucumbers, etc. I give each child a small bowl of balsamic vinaigrette to dip into. My 2 and 5 year old will only eat salad this way – when mixed together in a bowl they get too overwhelmed and it’s harder for them to use utensils on the lettuce than to use their little hands.”

8. Waldorf Salad: Sandra K. Nissenberg, MS, RD, author of several child nutrition books says kids love this crunchy salad.

Ingredients (Makes 6 Servings)
-2 red apples, cored and chopped
-2 TBS orange juice
-2 stalks celery, chopped
-1/2 cup chopped walnuts
-1/2 cup raisins
-1/4 cup mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Adapted from : Brown Bag Success: Making Healthy Lunches Your Kids Won’t Trade, Sandra K. Nissenberg, MS, RD, and Barbara N. Pearl, MS, RD, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Where have I been? Have zucchini fries been around and I just didn’t notice?

These turned out amazing. While my almost 4-year old refused to try them, my 17 month old gobbled them up (and I did too!).

The zucchini turned out really crispy and tasted even better dipped in ketchup. It makes the perfect afternoon snack for kids. It also is great to try with sandwiches or any meal.

I can thank fellow dietitian Estela Schnelle from Weekly Bite for the recipe. Her site is full of tasty and nutritious recipes. Check it out.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Ingredients:
-1 egg
-3 TBS milk
-1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
-1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
-a few grinds of fresh black pepper
-1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut zucchini into small wedges or sticks. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and milk. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Dunk the zucchini into egg mixture, then coat with bread crumb mixture. Place on foil lined pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and tender.

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.

Over the past couple of months I’ve heard about Kale Chips from various people.  And because I am a roasted-veggie convert (see Broccoli Parmesan and Pamesan Crusted Asparagus) I thought I’d give them a try.

I got this one from All Recipes but it’s very simple.  Just rinse the kale and break off into little pieces, toss in olive oil, sprinkle with seasoned salt and put in the oven (350) for 10-15 minutes.

I loved the crunchy texture and overall the taste was good despite being a tad well done (should of done 10 minutes instead of 15).  My 10-month old ate them willingly while my daughter said “no thank you.” She’s such a polite picky eater.

Kale is high in nutrients including vitamins A and C, so they make an excellent replacement for chips or other snack foods.

Anyone else ever tried to make these?

I think it’s safe to say that roasting vegetables with olive oil and Parmesan = yummy. I don’t think I’ll steam again! I got this recipe off Julie Negrin’s blog, a nutritionist and cooking instructor. Her specialty is teaching kids how to cook. I’m going to have her on for my “getting kids to eat” series. She knows how to get kids cooking (and eating) whole foods.

But back to the recipe. It’s really easy and delicious. Unfortunately my daughter wasn’t willing to try it like she did the broccoli parmesan. But I’ll keep making it. If you make it let me know how it turns out.

Ingredients
1 pound green (or white) asparagus stalks, ends cut off
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of ½ lemon (zest is finely grated lemon peel – it’s best to grate with a microplane)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup grated parmesan
¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Arrange asparagus on baking sheet. Whisk olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice in small bowl and pour over asparagus. Toss asparagus stalks gently to coat. Spread asparagus in a single layer. Sprinkle parmesan and salt evenly over stalks. Roast until asparagus is tender, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves 2-4

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Okay…this vegetable isn’t just for kids. But I’m adding this section to my meal ideas because I’m on a mission. I want to make the most rewarding and tasty vegetables for my family. And this one was good.

I got the recipe off The Food Network but an exact recipe is hardly needed. Just toss cut-up broccoli in some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven (400 degrees) for 10 minutes, add the Parmesan cheese, and cook for another ten. When it’s done, sprinkle with the juice of a lemon.

My 3-year old rarely tries newly prepared vegetables but lately I’ve noticed a change in her. When I first offered her the broccoli she said no. I happily ate them but then asked her, one last time, if she wanted to eat one before I finished them off. She said yes and had four pieces!! I could tell she was very proud of herself. I guess creating “scarcity” (or chowing  down in front of her) worked.

I like that these are crispy — a nice change for broccoli. And even though I loved the flavor, next time I’ll add some garlic. Because my daughter seems more receptive to new foods earlier in the day, I’m going to keep trying veggies at her our afternoon snack when we are usually home.

If you have some tasty ways to make vegetables for your kids — and want to let fellow parents know about it — let me know!

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Last week I tried another recipe from the Fix-It and Enjoy-It Healthy Cookbook I reviewed last week.  I love sweet potatoes and my daughter loves fries so it sounded perfect.  Unfortunately, it was one of those nights she wasn’t interested in dinner so she didn’t even try them (even though I had her help me in the kitchen!). 

I think the fries turned out well except they were a little underdone.  The recipe calls for 30 minutes but I should have left them in longer for a crisper finish.  Next time I’ll try brushing the potato wedges with olive oil instead of using the spray.

Healthy Sweet Potato Fries
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray
2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into wedges
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Oregano, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Coat baking sheet with organic olive oil cooking spray.
3. Arrange potato wedges on baking sheet in a single layer. Coat with cooking spray.
4. Sprinkle potatoes with salt, pepper and any additional optional seasoning of your choice,
5. Roast 30 minutes, or until tender or golden brown.

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

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