Podcast 84: Boon Fly Cafe … and Breakfast Any Time

by The Meal Makeover Moms on December 8th, 2009

The inspiration for this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast was our trip to Napa, CA in November and a rib-sticking breakfast at the Boon Fly Café. On our final morning, we ate at the Boon Fly, located at the fabulous Carneros Inn. Knowing we’d be flying all afternoon and into the night and knowing they’d starve us on the plane ride back to Boston, we went all out. The meal began with the restaurant’s signature Boon Fly Donuts (one small donut per Meal Makeover Mom was a wonderful indulgence). From there, Liz ordered the B.E.L.T.; applewood smoked bacon with one egg any style, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on sourdough. Janice had the Breakfast Flatbread with two fried eggs, bacon, caramelized onions, and mozzarella.  As you can see from the photos, we had plenty of leftovers for the journey home.

The Breakfast Flatbread was so yummy (though clearly uber high in fat and calories) that it motivated us to create a brand new recipe for Green Eggs & Bacon Pizza. Wow. Where do we begin? There are so many great things to say about this recipe. For starters, it’s hearty thanks to the eggs and the bacon. Second, it’s nutritious thanks to the spinach, eggs, and cheese. And finally, Janice’s daughters and Liz’s boys all gave it two-thumbs up!  We consider four happy kids at the dinner (or lunch) hour a huge success.

Green Eggs & Bacon Pizza

Makes 5 Servings

  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped (about 2 packed cups)
  • 5 large eggs, beaten (we like Eggland’s Best)
  • 4 slices nitrite-free bacon, cooked, patted well between paper towels to remove excess fat, and chopped into small pieces
  • One 12-inch pre-made pizza crust (we used Boboli original crust)
  • 1 cup reduced-fat preshredded Italian cheese blend (we used Sargento 4 Cheese Reduced-Fat Italian)

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (or the temperature indicated on your pizza crust).  Bake the pizza crust according to package directions (in the case of the Boboli, about 8 minutes).

2. While the pizza crust is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 1 minute.

2. Raise the heat to medium-high.  Add the spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the eggs and the bacon and scramble until the eggs are set, about 3 minutes.

4. Remove the cooked pizza crust from the oven. Top evenly with the egg and spinach mixture. Top with the shredded cheese. Place back in the oven and cook until the cheese melts, another 2 minutes.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 slice):  320 calories, 14g fat (5g saturated, 0.2g omega-3), 660mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 20g protein, 25% calcium, 20% vitamin A, 15% iron

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> Dashboard Dining: We recently received an email from one of our listeners, Nicole P., asking for breakfast ideas for her 3-year old son who never seems hungry first thing in the morning but who often asks for breakfast on the ride to preschool. Here are a a bunch of suggestions when dashboard dining is your only option.

The second recipe in this week’s podcast also features nutrient-packed eggs. This B.L.T. with More hits the spot any time of the day.

B.L.T.  with More

Makes 4 Servings

  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 to 8 teaspoons light canola mayonnaise
  • Four 100% whole wheat sandwich thins, lightly toasted
  • 4 Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
  • 4 to 8 thin slices tomato
  • 8 slices nitrite-free bacon, cooked, patted well between paper towels to remove excess fat, cut in half

1. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Crack each egg open into the skillet. Gently break the yolk. Cook 2 minutes, flip, and cook 1 additional minute.  Season with salt and pepper.

2.  To assemble, spread the mayonnaise over each half of the sandwich thins. Layer 4 of the halves with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 to 2 tomato slices, 4 pieces of bacon, and an egg. Top with the remaining halves, slice in half, and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving:  300 calories, 16g fat (4g saturated, 0.7 omega-3), 730mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 17g protein, 10% vitamin A, 10% vitamin C, 15% iron

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If you have a favorite breakfast recipe you’d like to share or a favorite breakfast cafe suggestion, please post a comment to our blog.  Cheers!!

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7 Comments | Filed Under Breakfast, CulinaryAdventures, Dinner, Eggs, Lunch, Pizza, Podcast, Vegetables 

Podcast #59: Underweight Kids

by The Meal Makeover Moms on June 9th, 2009

Krispy PB & Chocolate Treats

Last week, Liz went on a field trip with Simon and his class to the Peabody Museum and Museum of Natural History at Harvard – very cool museums with dinosaur bones, Maya artifacts, a 1,642 pound amethyst geode, and a whole lot more. While eating lunch with a bunch of kids, one of Simon’s 10-year old friends announced, “I have to eat junk food because I’m too skinny.”

Wow, did Liz’s ears ever perk up.  While this 4th grade boy was definitely thin, by no means was he “underweight.”  There are two common misconceptions we often hear bantered about: (1) If you’re skinny, you must be “underweight,” and (2) Skinny kids should eat junk food in order to gain weight.

To set the record straight, we decided to devote this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast to the issue of underweight kids.  We begin with the fact that being “underweight” is different from being thin or slender.  While some kids are naturally slight — and they maintain their weight by being physically active and eating a healthful diet – unless their BMI (body mass index) for age and gender is less than the 5th percentile, they are not technically underweight.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a BMI calculator on their website, so if you’re concerned about your child’s weight (underweight, overweight, or obese) you can certainly check that out.

Underweight: Less than the 5th percentile
Healthy weight: 5th percentile to less than the 85th percentile
Overweight: 85th to less than the 95th percentile
Obese: Equal to or greater than the 95th percentile

For the few kids who really do need to gain weight (by the way, you should always talk to your doctor and dietitian first to identify any possible medical problem), we recommend they do it by eating a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet … not a diet filled with ice cream frappes, gobs of butter, or bags of junk food.  During the show, we share tips for adding good-quality calories to a child’s diet, and we serve up two great recipes, perfect for any kid.  The first, Ham & Cheesy Breakfast Sandwich, is an easy one to whip up any morning of the week. The second is a new one we just created for Krispy PB & Chocolate Treats featuring multigrain Rice Krispies, peanut butter, ground flaxseed, and one of our favorite ingredients, chocolate.  This recipe does double duty as a snack or a dessert.

Ingredients for Krispy PB & Chocolate Treats

Krispy PB & Chocolate Treats
Makes 15 Servings

  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 4 cups Jumbo Multi-Grain Krispies

1. Coat a 7×11-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Heat the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chips melt.  Remove from heat and stir in the ground flaxseed.

3. Add the cereal and stir until coated evenly with the peanut butter mixture.  Place in the prepared pan.  Flatten gently with the back of a spoon or spatula.  Cover and place in refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 150 calories, 10g fat, (3g saturated, 0.3g omega-3), 105mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 4g protein, 10% iron

If you are trying to help your child gain weight, feel free to share your tips and ideas on the blog.  And, if you get a chance to try our recipes, let us know what your family thinks of them.

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11 Comments | Filed Under Desserts, Eggs, Grains, Podcast, Snacks 

No Whine with Dinner: Breakfast Burrito & Apple Salad

by The Meal Makeover Moms on April 10th, 2009

Super Healthy Kids PlateA few months back we ran across a terrific blog called Super Healthy Kids.  The blog is written by Amy, a mom of three, who encourages readers to visit every day for ideas on getting kids to eat more fruits and veggies, whole grains, and protein, and for clever ways to get families more physically.  We got a huge kick when we read Amy’s profile and learned about her children: Cereal Boy, The Flip Flopper, and Ketchup Boy!

Other than her recipes and tips, Amy also sells a really cool Healthy Habits Plate on her website which teaches kids that nutritious foods can indeed taste great. When we asked Amy to contribute a recipe for our No Whine with Dinner blog series, she shared two: Breakfast Burritos and Caramel Apple Salad.

Read on for Amy’s recipes as well as her tips for getting kids to stop whining and start trying!

Enjoying a breakfast burrito and apple slaw

Breakfast Burritos
Makes 4 Servings

  • 8 large eggs, beaten
  • Four 8-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1/2 to 1 cup shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

Scramble the eggs in a large skillet.  Place the cooked eggs evenly down the center of each tortilla.  Top with vegetables, or to make it faster, use salsa.  Sprinkle with the cheese. Fold tortilla like a burrito and wrap in tin foil.  If dinner won’t be for a while, we put the finished wrapped burritos in a warm oven.  For meal times coming quicker, we keep them in a cooler to keep warm, or any container with a lid.  This really helps the burritos turn moist and delicious.

Caramel Apple Salad
Makes 4 Cups

  • One 6-ounce container 0% fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 medium Golden Delicious apples, cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 cup finely chopped or shredded green cabbage (about a quarter of a small cabbage)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, brown sugar and vanilla to make the dressing. Combine the apples, cabbage, and pecans in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the apple/cabbage mixture.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer to chill (should serve 6 to 8).

Apple Salad

Q:  Where did you get the recipes?
A:  I made the recipes up.

Q:  What do you like about these recipes?
A:  My kids never complain if we have breakfast for dinner!  My husband, however, will complain unless protein is at the very center of the meal. Otherwise, it’s not filling enough for him.  This meal is a compromise for everyone.  We love it because it is easy to make, little mess, and the kids love it.  The breakfast burritos are our favorite thing to take camping.  After we wrap the burrito in tin foil, we place it on the fire to keep it warm.  This tastes great in the evenings because it’s warm, comforting, and totally fills you up.  It’s also a great way to get some extra vegetables in.

Q:  What do your kids think about the burritos and apple salad?
A:  The kids think these are great …especially the apple salad. In fact, they’re the ones who named it.  I initially called it cabbage apple salad, and they thought it tasted like caramel apples, so we renamed it.  They ask for this salad most nights of the week. Here is what they say about the breakfast burritos: ”I like the breakfast burritos because they’re easy to eat and I don’t need a fork.”

Q:  Other than the fact that the recipes make everyone in your family happy, do you have any other “Amy” tips for taking the “whine” out of dinner?
A:  My best tip is to keep portions small.  Many parents pile too much food on their kids’ plates and then get upset when they don’t eat it all.  You decide what they eat, and let them decide how much.  Also, be flexible.  My 5-year old asks for ketchup on everything!  And if it helps him to eat broccoli, I normally will let him have it.  He’s even asked for ketchup on pasta, pancakes, and rice!!!

Q:  Can you tell us about your blog?
A:  I originally started the blog to get exposure for my Healthy Habits Plate. Since then, my blog has changed into a place for parents in search of healthier things they can do for and with their kids. Whether it’s getting active or changing the way they eat, I provide recipes and ideas to help them get there.

If you get a chance to try Amy’s recipes, let us know. In the meantime, be sure to visit her blog and check out her adorable Healthy Habits Plate!

Writing name on breakfast burritoApple salad ingredients

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8 Comments | Filed Under Breakfast, Eggs, Fruits, NoWhineWithDinner, Sides, Vegetarian 

Recipe Rescue: Spaghetti Pie

by The Meal Makeover Moms on March 27th, 2009

spag-pie-in-casserole-dish-1751If you happen to have some free time on your hands and have an opportunity to “google” celebrity chef, Emeril Lagasse, you’ll get about 320,000 results.  Let’s face it: the guy is uber famous.  Now google us, “Meal Makeover Moms,” and see what you get. Okay, so we’re not nearly as famous as Emeril (about 8,070 results come up), but we’re happy to report that we do have something Emeril does not:  a healthier version of his spaghetti pie!

Jennifer T., a mother of two from Clarksville, Maryland who loves to cook, sent us Emeril’s spaghetti pie recipe and asked us to give it a healthy makeover.  “We love this recipe but it tasted ‘unhealthy,’” Jennifer told us.  Jennifer wasn’t crazy about the 3/4 cup sliced pepperoni (that’s about 3 – 4 ounces), or the whole milk and full-fat cheese.  The dish also called for green bell peppers and mushrooms – nutritious, yes, but not always the most kid friendly.

Jennifer and kids with Spaghetti Pie ingredients

For our Recipe Rescue, we cut the pepperoni to just one ounce (and made it optional), switched to 1% lowfat milk and lowfat cheese, and used a whole wheat blend pasta instead of white (we like Barilla Plus because it’s made with ground flaxseed, chickpeas, and oats).  Jennifer was pleasantly surprised by the switch.  “I don’t typically like whole wheat pasta because it tastes too wheat-y, but I liked the Barilla Plus. I thought my daughter would know it was multi grain but she didn’t notice it.”

Julia shredding zucchini

One of the biggest changes we made was the addition of mild-flavored zucchini which went over very well with Jennifer and the kids (and her hubby).  Jennifer’s daughter, 4 ½-year old Julia, helped prepare the entire meal.  She shredded the zucchini in a food processor and had an opportunity to take a few bites. “Julia can be picky. She’s often reluctant to try new things. But helping motivated her to taste the zucchini, and she really liked it.” Even 22-month old Evan loved the new dish. “He has recently become more picky, but he ate the pie and even had leftovers the next day!”

Here’s our lightened-up version of Emeril’s spaghetti pie, a recipe Jennifer says she plans to add to her permanent recipe file:

Slice of Silly Spaghetti Pie

Silly Spaghetti & Zucchini Pie
Makes 5 to 6 Servings

  • 8 ounces dried whole wheat blend spaghetti (we like Barilla Plus)
  • 1 cup pasta sauce
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • One 10 or 12-ounce medium zucchini, unpeeled and shredded (about 2 packed cups)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup preshredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1 ounce sliced pepperoni (about 10 slices), coarsely chopped, optional
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk
  • 1/4 cup grated P armesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pan.  Stir in the pasta sauce and set aside.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add the zucchini and basil, raise the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, about 8 minutes.  Season with the salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stir the cooked zucchini, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni as desired into the pasta until well combined.  Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish (preferably round or oval).

4. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk.  Pour the egg mixture over the top of the spaghetti.  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly on top.

5. Bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes.  Let stand about five minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 310 calories, 12g fat (4.5g saturated), 350mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 20g protein, 20% vitamin A, 35% vitamin C, 25% calcium, 8% iron — Emeril’s recipe = 440 calories, 23g fat (9g saturated), and 2 g fiber

Good nutrition is a big priority for Jennifer. She prefers eating at home and places a lot of importance on getting more fruits and vegetables into her family’s diet.  We hope this new spaghetti pie helps her to meet that goal.  To view more Spaghetti Pie photos, visit our Flickr page.

Julia loving her Spaghetti Pie!

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6 Comments | Filed Under Dinner, Eggs, Pasta, RecipeRescue, Vegetables 
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