It’s week one of the Take Back Dinnertime Challenge from Real Simple. If you haven’t signed up, you can do so here. This week, the focus is on preparing healthy meals. Don’t miss the cookbook giveaway at the end of this post!

What exactly makes a healthy meal? Is it about avoiding extras like fat and sugar or including whole foods more often? While these things do matter — they are only part of the story. In order to maximize healthy meals in your home, it really is about keeping things simple.

Let me show you what I mean.

1. Focus on taste: According to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, people who were told an energy bar was healthy, were hungrier after eating than those who were told the same bar was “tasty.”

The truth? The word healthy can carry a lot of baggage for some people — especially those who have dieted or have not been exposed to many healthy foods.

And you can bet that kids get the message that healthy and taste do not coincide. I often hear parents tell kids to eat something because it’s “healthy” or “good for them.” Instead, focus on the good taste of healthful, whole foods and avoid making kids eat something in the name of nutrition.

According to The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Report from the American Dietetic Association, a majority of children said it they would eat more healthfully if the food tasted better.

2. Focus on nutrition positives, not negatives:When I talk to people about their diet, they usually start with the list of foods they think are no-no’s. According to The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Report, families are more aware of what they should not eat than what they should eat.

So instead of focusing on the foods to avoid, get creative by finding ways to include foods that add health and great taste including the items below.

3. Experiment with fruits, veggies and whole grains: When I first started cooking, I would steam veggies and add little fat. Needless to say, no one wanted to touch them. But then I discovered roasted veggies and it changed everything.

Experiment with cooking veggies whether it be roasting, baking, stir frying or eating them raw with some dip. Research shows that children are slower to like veggies than other foods so frequent exposure is key. Serve fruit with meals as well — it requires no preparation and kids love it. And don’t forget to experiment with the array of whole grains out on the market.

To ensure nutritional variety, include at least one fruit or veggie rich in vitamin A and vitamin C daily and make half your grains whole.

4. Vary your protein sources: Lean meats are great but there are many other nutritious protein sources. Try cooking beans (black, kidney, garbanzo and pinto beans) more often or include them as a side for dinner. Beans are packed with B vitamins, iron and fiber and Dietary Guidelines recommend 3 cups per week.

Throw some fish in the mix (main source of omega 3 fatty acids DHA/EPA) whether it’s salmon, shrimp, or good old tuna. And don’t forget nuts and nut butters which work well for last minute dinners or a kids’ night. Eggs make a great quick dinner too!

5. Use healthy fats to add flavor: Fat adds flavor to every dish — and kids need it. Use healthy oils like olive and canola for salad dressing and cooking. Add nuts and avocado to salads and make guacamole and hummus for dipping.

6. Keep ingredients simple and whole: When I first started cooking I bought Alice Water’s book, The Art of Simple Food, which emphasizes the use of simple and fresh ingredients. At the time I thought cooking had to be complicated with many ingredients so this message was just what I needed.

This is what healthy dinner meals are all about — using fresh, real food. It solves the taste problem and spoils even the tiniest of palates.

Don’t forget to check out Real Simple’s video and tip of the day for preparing healthy meals– and the blog posts that go along with it.

And for a bonus, Real Simple has offered to give away 5 copies of their cookbook, Dinner Tonight: Done! 189 Quick and Delicious Recipes. Here’s what you need to do to enter the giveaway:

1) Mandatory entry: Leave a comment telling us what your biggest challenge is when it comes to healthy meal preparation.

2) For for another entry, tweet this post or share this post on Facebook. Leave another comment.

3) For a third entry, sign up for Raise Healthy Eaters’ email updates or RSS Feed. If you already subscribe, tell at least one friend about Raise Healthy Eaters. Leave another comment saying what you did.

4) To increase your chances further, like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook. If you are already a fan, like Real Simple. Leave another comment saying what you did.

Five winners will be chosen using random.org. The winners will be announced on Raise Healthy Eaters’ Facebook page. The giveaway will end Monday, August 29th at midnight.

While taking time to prepare meals is always a challenge for families — summer adds a whole new dimension to it. With longer days and fun-filled activities, parents need healthy and light meals that can be prepared in a snap or earlier in the day.

So I asked some fellow bloggers for their favorite quick and healthy summer meals. And I got some good ones that can be used each day of the week — and all year long.

Monday: Baked sweet potato topped with eggs scrambled with spinach, garlic, and olive oil.
Let’s face it, no one feels like cooking on Monday. This meal from nutritionist Kait Fortunato, can be made in a snap. Cook sweet potatoes in the microwave and spinach (fresh or frozen) in garlic and olive oil, then add the eggs and scramble.

Tuesday: Black Bean Burgers
Dietitian Leah Kaufman sent over this easy black bean burger recipe that can be made in no time. Perfect for a no-fuss Tuesday dinner. Serve with fruit salad and veggie toppings to round it out.

Ingredients:
-1 can of black beans
-1 egg white
-1/4 white onion
-Dash of Cumin, Salt and Pepper
-1 oz cheddar cheese (low fat optional)
-1/4 cup bread crumbs

Throw half of the can in the blender and blend till it becomes a paste. Mash the other half with a fork. Mix together with 1 egg white, 1/4 cup chopped white onion, sprinkle on cumin, salt and pepper then mix in the cheese. Make a small ball and pat down into a burger. Sprinkle on bread crumbs to both sides (a very thin layer is all it takes!). Place in pan on medium heat for about 3 minutes each side. A good indicator for me was when the cheese melted. Want more food ideas, follow Leah Kaufman on twitter

Wednesday: Grilled Butterfly Chicken:
Time to fire up the grill! This one comes from dietitian Jill Castle at Just the Right Byte. She marinates the chicken at lunchtime and uses the butterfly technique with the chicken to assure a quick cook time on the grill (or the indoor grill).

Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup of honey

Butterfly the 4 chicken breasts and place in a ziploc bag (earlier in the day); pour the marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate until ready to grill. Grill on a medium-hot grill 3-5 minutes per side or until done. Place on a platter.
Meanwhile, shuck and break the corn cobs in half; place in a pot with 2-3” of water. Cover with lid and cook on high to steam for about 8-10 minutes.

Slice tomatoes and watermelon and place on separate platters. Place all items on table and serve!

Thursday: Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes, Spinach, and Beans
Here’s a sneak peak into Elizabeth Ward’s upcoming book MyPlate for Moms, How to Feed Yourself & Your Family Better. It’s quick and delicious and vegetarian, but can also be made with shredded leftover cooked chicken. Top with crumbled feta cheese for a Mediterranean flair.

Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
-8 ounces whole-wheat ziti pasta
-8 pieces sundried tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
-¼ cup hot or boiling water
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-10 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 10 cups packed leaves)
-1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak tomatoes in ¼ cup hot or boiling water for about 5 minutes. Do not discard fluid. In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add half the spinach and cook until just wilted. Remove from pan and reserve. Repeat with remaining spinach. Add first batch of spinach back to the pan. Add tomatoes and their soaking liquid and the beans. Toss to combine well. Add warm pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Serve.

Friday: Pizza on the Grill
This is dietitian Sally Kuzemchak’s favorite summer meal. Don’t miss her adventures in feeding at Real Mom Nutrition.

It’s much easier than it sounds—the dough doesn’t fall through the grates, trust me!—and the crust becomes crispy and smoky like it never would in the oven. You can use store-bought dough, though I like to set my bread machine to make a batch (I provide a recipe here). It can be fancy or simple, depending on the ingredients you have on hand. Serve it with a bagged salad and dinner is done—without turning your oven on or shelling out for (less healthy) pizza delivery.

Saturday: Whoo-hoo chicken
This more indulgent meal from Stephanie at Foodie-isms is perfect for the weekend. It also can easily be modified by using a lighter dressing or turkey bacon.

Ingredients:
-6 chicken breasts
-1 cup of ranch dressing
-2 cups of Pepperidge Farms stuffing (I substituted Panko crumbs)
-6 slices of bacon

Preheat oven to 375. Marinate chicken breasts in ranch dressing. Dip the ranch coated chicken breasts in the stuffing mixture and cover completely. Arrange the chicken in a glass-baking dish. Top each chicken breast with one slice of uncooked bacon. Bake for 45 minutes.

Sunday: Summer spring Rolls
Mommy Dietitian creator Angela Lemond sent this recipe over. While this one take a bit more time than the others, it can be made earlier in the day. Bring it to a barbecue and wow your friends.

Ingredients/Spring Rolls
-1/2 lettuce leaves separated and ribs removed and slicked in half
-1 grated carrot
-1 diced cucumber
-2 diced mangos
-1 diced red pepper
-1/4 cup minced basil
-25-36 medium shrimp shelled
-12 (8 inch) round Rice Paper (can be found in ethnic aisles at store)
-1 large bowl filled with warm water

Dipping sauce:
-1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
-2 tsp. minced basil
-1 lime juiced
-2 Tbs. minced garlic
-1 Tbs. sugar
-2 Tsp soy sauce

1. Combine all dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside to infuse flavors.
2. Cook shrimp in boiling water until they turn opaque, which may take 1-2 minutes. Take them out of the boiling water and immediately place them into cold water to stop the cooking process. When it is cool, devein each shrimp.
3. Mix grated carrots, cucumber, mango and red pepper and minced basil together in a bowl.
4. Take one rice paper sheet and soak in warm water for couple of seconds. You will want to make sure that it absorbs the water, but not for too long. In a few seconds, you will see that it is pliable and flexible. Keep the sheet flat and place onto a plate.
5. Take one lettuce leaf and place it in the middle of the rice paper, and bring halfway towards you. Leave a 2 inch border on the bottom of the rice paper round. Next, take a couple scoops of the mango-vegetable mixture and place it on top of the lettuce. Then, place two or three shrimp halves upon the vegetable mixture.
6. Take the left and right sides of the rice paper and bring it towards the center. Holding these sides down, take the side of the rice paper closest to you and bring it up over the filling. Make sure that these are secure enough to hold the filling , but not too tight to tear. Continue rolling the filling away from your body until you have the perfect spring roll.

What’s been your favorite summer meal?

I got this meal idea from one of Super Healthy Kid’s Daily Dinners on facebook. The meal Amy posted was chicken, pasta and veggies made with a homemade white sauce. I looked up “homemade white pasta sauce” and it looked so easy I gave it a try.

I cooked the whole wheat pasta ahead of time and used frozen veggies and leftover chicken breast so was able to put this meal together in under 15 minutes!

It was really good and the kids liked the creamy pasta. I served it with bread and fruit. The perfect summer meal.

Have a great weekend!

Ingredients:
-1 (8 ounce) package dry pasta
-1-2 cooked chicken breasts chopped
-1 package frozen veggies of choice
-1 cup milk (used 2%)
-2 Tbsp. butter
-2 Tbsp. flour
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste
-parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Follow directions on package and cook the pasta. Heat up the chicken and cook the frozen veggies in the microwave.

2. In saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, garlic powder (or any other spice you prefer), salt and dash pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

3. Mix all ingredients together and enjoy.

First off, sorry for the blurry picture. I’m not sure what happened there.

I’m taking a breather from unpacking to post this recipe I tried a couple of weeks ago.  It turned out really well and it was ready in just 20 minutes.  This one is courtesy of The Six O’Clock Scramble Newsletter.  As always these recipes come with side suggestions, tips and nutrition information.

I’d love to say my kids ate this up but my 4-year old refused to try it and my son wasn’t feeling well.  My husband and I both enjoyed it though.  And it seems pretty kid-friendly. I’m usually dissatisfied with white fish but this one was tasty!!  I used tilapia instead of flounder.

If you try it let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients

1-1 1/2 lbs. flounder fillets, or other firm white fish 1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste 1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste 1/3 cup bread crumbs 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 lemon, juice only, about 2 Tbsp. plus additional for serving 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, (about 1 clove) 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. Dijon mustard Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray the top of the foil with nonstick cooking spray.  Lay the fish fillets on the baking sheet.  Season the fillets with salt and pepper. (Start the cabbage now, if you are serving it.)  In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Press an equal amount of the bread crumb mixture onto the top of each fillet.  Bake the fish until it is white and flakes easily in the center, about 10 minutes.  For a browner topping, broil it for the final two minutes of cooking.  (Prepare the bread and dipping oil now if you are serving them.)  Sprinkle the fish with additional lemon juice before serving, if desired. Scramble Flavor Booster:  Double the garlic and mustard.  Tip: Dijon mustard has a very distinctive taste as it is made with the brown mustard seed.  It is quite different from yellow mustards, which are made with the white seeds. Dijon mustard is often a better choice for cooking than yellow mustard as it does not break down quite as easily.

SERVE WITH CARAMELIZED CABBAGE & WHOLE GRAIN BREAD WITH DIPPING, core, and thinly slice 1 head green cabbage.  In a heavy skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tsp. olive oil and 2 tsp. butter.  When the butter melts, add the cabbage.  Cover and cook it for 3 – 5 minutes until it starts to cook down, then remove the cover.  Cook the cabbage, turning occasionally (tongs work well), until it starts to get brown, about 15 minutes.  Add 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. black pepper and 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar and cook for about 5 more minutes until it is nicely browned.To make a delicious Italian dipping oil for whole grain bread, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and 1/2 – 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar (optional).

Nutritional Information per serving (% based upon daily values) Calories: 130; Total Fat: 7g, 11%; Saturated Fat: 1g, 5%; Cholesterol: 10mg, 3%; Sodium: 300mg, 13%; Total Carbohydrate: 12g, 4%; Dietary Fiber: 1g, 4%; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 6gNutritional Information per serving with sidedish (% based upon daily values) (1/6 of cabbage & 1 slice bread, 1/6 of oil) Calories: 350; Total Fat: 17g, 26%; Saturated Fat: 3g, 14%; Cholesterol: 14mg, 4%; Sodium: 727mg, 32%; Total Carbohydrate: 45g, 15%; Dietary Fiber: 8g, 33%; Sugar: 13g; Protein: 14g

I love this recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking. It’s a lower fat (but super tasty) version of Chicken Parm and it’s perfect for the slow cooker. Kids who don’t like chicken can eat the spaghetti and sauce — at least that’s what my almost 4-year old daughter did.

This is a great dish to put in the crock pot before you drive your kids to sports events or go for play dates. No need to pick up food on the way home. The tasty meal will be done when you walk in the door. Just have a salad prepared or quickly prepare some veggies and your good to go.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
-1/2 cup bread crumbs
-1/4 cup parmesan cheese
-1/2 spt Italian Seasoning
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/4 tsp kosher salt
-1 TBS olive oil
-1 beaten egg
-sliced mozzarella cheese or 1 cup shredded
-26 oz of your favorite marinara sauce

Directions:
Spread the olive oil into the bottom of your slow cooker. Mix the egg with a fork in a separate bowl and mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the parmesan cheese in another separate dish. Dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings. Place the chicken breast pieces at the bottom of the crock pot. Layer 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese on top (or top with shredded cheese. Top all the ingredients with the marinara sauce.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. Frozen chicken will take longer. Serve it with the pasta of your choice. I used whole wheat spaghetti.

This was the first recipe I tried from my new cookbook and it was a hit all around. 

It was easy to make.  My husband said “this is good” right away.  My picky 3-year old actually ate the ravioli and declared that she loved salad because it had grapes in it.  My 13-month old chowed down the little pieces I cut up for him. And there were leftovers!

I plan to reveal this wonderful cookbook next week in a review after trying one more recipe.  I think you’re going to like love it as much as I do.

Serves: 6
Prep and cook time:25 minutes

Ingredients
-family size package of cheese ravioli (20 ounces)
-package baby spinach (6-9 ounces)
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
-1 teaspoon minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
-5 sun-dried tomatoes, marinated or dry, chopped
-1/4 to 1/2 crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
-1 1/2 cups red pasta sauce

Cook the ravioli according to package directions. When it is 1 minute from being done, add the spinach to the water with the ravioli, then drain the spinach and pasta.

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute them for about 4 minutes until they are softened. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and crushed red pepper flakes (optional) and saute them with the onions for about 1 minute. Add the pasta sauce and bring it to a low boil. Reduce the heat, if necessary, and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until the ravioli and spinach are cooked and drained.

Combine the ravioli and spinach with the sauce, and serve it immediately.

Side dish suggestion:In a large bowl, combine 6-8 cups lettuce (1 small head), 1 cup purple seedless grapes, halved, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and 2-4 tablespoons vinaigrette dressing or other dressing of your choice (we skipped the Gorgonzola and used Trader Joes Cranberry, Walnut and Gorgonzola Salad Dressing).

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?

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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.”

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A couple of years ago my mother-in-law bought me a crock-pot. The idea of putting a few ingredients in a pot and having a tasty dinner at the end of the day was intriguing to me. After all, I never really learned how to cook.

Since then, I have come to love the crock-pot and I rely on it at least once a week. I can even leave the recipe out for my husband, along with the ingredients, and he can put it all together. I always thought the slower cooker was only capable of making stew-like meals, but then I got a hold of a new cookbook…

The Fix It and Forget It book series focuses mainly on crock-pot cooking. The biggest of the bunch, Fix-It And Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes has 1400 slow cooker recipes. What I like about it is all the recipes are sent in by home cooks. That means it’s full of recipes from moms like you and me experimenting and coming up with something delicious and easy. I also like that there are quite a number of “light” recipes that include the nutritional analysis. And because the meat is usually tender, it makes for a great option for small children who don’t do well with tougher meats.

There is a huge variety of recipes including lasagna, chicken (in a multitude of ways), appetizers, snacks, Mexican food, seafood and much more. I haven’t tested all the recipes but I recently made Herbed Chicken (see below) and it came out great.

I can’t wait to try more of the easy slow cooker recipes in this book. I’ll be sure to post some I like. If you have any easy crock-pot recipes, let other moms know about it by sending it through.

Herbed Chicken

Makes: 8 serving
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 ¼ -2 ¾ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-Quart

4 whole chicken breasts, halved
10 ¾ ounce can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup oil
¼ cup wine vinegar
¾ cup water
½ tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1. Place chicken in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken.
3. Cover. Cook on low 2-2 ½ hours. Uncover and cook 15 minutes or more. Serve with rice.

I used Uncle Ben’s whole grain rice that you can pop in the microwave. To reduce the fat you can remove the skin from the chicken.

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

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