No Whine with Dinner: A Recipe for Light Chicken Enchiladas

Raise Healthy Eaters is a blog where parents can go to get credible nutrition advice for their families. Maryann, a registered dietitian and mother of two, started the site to give parents peace of mind in the areas of what to feed their children, how to feed them, and how to be a healthy role model. We’ve been reading Maryann’s blog for a long time and enjoy her articles and recipes.

When we  invited Maryann to contribute a recipe and some mealtime tips for our monthly No Whine with Dinner post, she chose one of her kids’ favorites: Light Chicken Enchiladas … a dish her children happily eat.

Light Chicken Enchiladas

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

  • 1 pound chicken tenders
  • 8 ounces light cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
  • One 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 5 to 6 large whole wheat flour tortillas (or smaller ones if you prefer)
  • About 3/4 of a 15-ounce jar of taco sauce (mild, medium or hot — your preference), plus 1 tablespoon
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (reduced-fat, optional)
  • One 15-ounce can black beans (use 2 if serving more than 4)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 large avocado (or 2 small ones)
  • 1 tablespoon light sour cream

1. Spray a skillet or pan with canola cooking spray and place over medium to high heat.  Place chicken strips in skillet and keep turning over until the outsides turn white.  Take a fork and knife and shred the chicken allowing it to cook at the same time. Continue until meat is shredded and cooked through.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Add chopped onion, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce and stir to combine.  When the mixture starts to boil, turn off the heat and set aside

3. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with canola cooking spray.  Fill tortillas with mixture and fold each side over and place on the pan.  I usually get 5 to 6 big enchiladas. Cover with taco sauce.  Top with shredded cheese.  Cover with foil and cook 20 minutes.  Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 (for a total of 30 minutes).

4. When enchiladas are almost done you’ll want to quickly prepare the beans.  Put olive oil in a small pan and add garlic until it sizzles.  Drain black beans and add to pan (leave some juice).  Add cumin and mix together.  Cook on medium heat until fully heated.  Set aside.

5. Make the guacamole last.  Scoop out avocado into a bowl.  Add sour cream and taco sauce (about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon).  Mash together and add salt to taste.  Serve with tortilla chips (for dinner we each get a handful of chips with the meal).

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Q: Where did you get the recipe?
A: This recipe was inspired by a Cooking Light recipe I found online years ago.  I can’t find the original recipe but I made several changes.  This is one of the first meals I made when I started cooking 10 years ago.

Q: What do you like about this recipe?
A: I like that it can be made earlier in the day only to be popped in the oven closer to meal time.  I enjoy making Mexican food because everyone in the family loves it and it always includes whole wheat tortillas, black beans (high fiber and nutritious) and avocados.  The variety of food on the table ensures that everyone will be satisfied.

Q: What do your kids think about this recipe?
A: I have a picky three-year old, but if you put Mexican food in front of her she attacks.  During this meal she’ll say, “I love beans, I love guacamole, I love enchiladas.”  This is a girl who won’t even eat spaghetti, so I think we found a goldmine here.  My son is in a stage where he’ll eat almost anything, but he does seem to love beans, cheese, and chicken

Q: Other than the fact that this recipe makes everyone in your family happy, do you have any other tips you’d like to share with fellow parents for taking the “whine” out of dinner:
A: Putting different food items on the table is key. At dinnertime I make sure there are at least two foods my daughter will eat.  So if she doesn’t love the main entree, she can have some carrots and bread.  When it’s a meal I know she likes, I’ll try some new sides or ones she usually doesn’t eat. She’s more likely to try new foods (and not complain) when familiar items are close by. I provide more tips on the following article: How to Make Family Dinners More Kid Friendly.

I do not make the meal about how much or what she is eating.  Even if she doesn’t want to eat, we ask her to join in the conversation and tell us about her day.  Keeping the dinner table enjoyable is the most important thing to me.  It makes her excited to come back night after night.

Q: Please provide a brief description of your blog:
A: As a dietitian, writer and mom, I felt compelled to develop a credible online resource for parents.  I provide simplified, research-based nutrition and feeding advice for busy parents who don’t have the time to research all the issues.  The articles and resources on my site  cover the three essential factors for raising healthy and happy eaters: providing children with good nutrition (the “what”) utilizing a positive feeding strategy (the “how”) and being a healthy role model (the example).  I share my own struggles and challenges raising healthy eaters.

Thanks Maryanne for a great guest post!

May 23, 2010 | Filed Under Beans, Dinner, NoWhineWithDinner, PickyEaters, Poultry, Vegetables | 2 Comments 

Cookbook Review: Joy Bauer’s Slim & Scrumptious

For the past few weeks, it’s been The Meal Makeover Moms versus Sweet Potato Fries. With the goal of including a sweet potato fry recipe in our new cookbook, we’ve been peeling and slicing sweet potatoes like there’s no tomorrow. After ten tries (I kid you not) we’re pretty close to coming up with a sweet potato fry our kids will happily eat!

Coincidentally, in the midst of all the sweet potato madness, I received a copy of Slim & Scrumptious: More Than 75 Delicious, Healthy Meals Your Family Will Love, a new cookbook by TODAY Show nutrition and health editor, Joy Bauer. I’ve known Joy for years (don’t ask me how we first met because I can’t remember) and was eager to review her book … especially after I spotted a photo of her crispy-looking Cinnamon-Sugar Sweet Potato Fries on the cover. Hmmm. What would my boys think of Joy’s sweet potato recipe?

The book features lots of healthy versions of kid favorites — AJs Mac-n-Cheezy, Sesame Chicken Tenders, Mediterranean Meatloaf, Pumpkin Pancakes, and Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies — as well as recipes for more adventurous palates: Garden Lentil Burgers, Cod and Lentils with Smoked Paprika Sofrito, and Creamy Curry Cauliflower Soup. I love the photos — they’re mouth watering to say the least, and I like the layout, the font size (I can read her recipes without having to wear my reading glasses!), and the nutrition information that follows each recipe.  I decided to make two recipes from the book: the sweet potato fries and Joy’s Turkey Meatballs.

Cinnamon-Sugar Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 4

I always consider dinner a success when every last vegetable is consumed, and that’s exactly what happened when I made Joy’s sweet potato fries. Her technique yielded crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside fries … just what Josh and Simon love. They were easy to make (a sharp knife will come in handy when slicing the sweet potatoes) and the flavor combo of cinnamon and brown sugar was kid friendly all the way.

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat or oat flour
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 egg whites

1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Liberally coat a large baking sheet with oil spray. (The fries will be crispiest if baked directly on the baking sheet, without aluminum foil.)

2. Cut the sweet potatoes lenghtwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; then cut each slice into 1/2-inch-wide strips to form fries.

3. Combine the flour, flaxseed, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Crumble the ingredients together with your fingers until they are evently dispersed.

4. Place the egg whites in a shallow dish and whisk until frothy. Dip the fries into the egg whites; then tap them on the edge of the dish to drain away any excess egg white.

5. Add all the fries to the plastic bag, seal, and shake vigorously to coat the fries evenly with the breading mixture. Delicately remove the fries from the bag and arrange them in a single layer, evenly spaced apart, on the prepared baking sheet. Mist with oil spray.

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Then turn the fries over and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until crispy and browned. Let the fries cool slightly before serving to allow the coating to harden.

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Joy’s Turkey Meatballs

Makes 4 Servings

My boys are spaghetti and meatball fans, and they gave this recipe two-thumbs!  I used one jar of pasta sauce  for the recipe and one whole egg instead of the two whites (I didn’t have the heart to throw out the super-nutritious yolks), and the dish came out moist and flavorful. I also used a small onion versus a medium since my kids tend to shy away from onions. I served the meatballs over whole grain blend spaghetti.

  • Easy Marinara Sauce or 2 jars (26 oz each) store-bought marinara
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped or grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend (or 2 tsp dried basil plus 2 tsp dried oregano)
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey (at least 90% lean)
  • 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

1. Prepare Easy Marinara Sauce or bring store-brought sauce to a gentle simmer in a 5-qt saucepan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the onion, carrot, garlic, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and pepper flakes. Add the ground turkey, egg whites and oats. Mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well combined.

3. Shape the meat mixture into approximately 20 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inch in diameter.  Carefully place all the meatballs in the marinara sauce. Do not stir; stirring will cause the meatballs to break apart. Don’t worry if some of the meatballs are not completely submerged in the sauce. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

4. Remove the lid and gently stir the meatballs to thoroughly coat them with the sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes.

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I plan to make both recipes again, and I look forward to trying a few more — Buffalo Chicken Chili, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, and Double Chocolate Pancakes. As for our sweet potato fries, Janice and I are definitely suffering from sweet potato envy, so we’ll continue to tweak our recipe with the goal of creating something that meets our kids’ criteria of crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and sweet all around.

May 10, 2010 | Filed Under Dinner, Eggs, Poultry, Sides, Vegetables | 9 Comments 

No Whine with Dinner: Bowtie Pasta with Feta Cheese & Lemon Pepper Chicken

Here at Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen we encourage families to cook at home and eat together.  So when we discovered the blog, Eat at Home, we couldn’t wait to read it.  The tagline for Eat at Home is Everyday Food for Busy People. Written by Tiffany, a mother of four (18-year old Meredith, 15-year old Peter, 11-year old Isaac, and 7-year old Mia), Eat at Home helps families put dinner on the table … so they don’t have to spend lots of money eating out.

Since we liked her blog so much, we asked Tiffany to participate in our No Whine with Dinner Q&A guest post and to share a recipe that all her children love.   She chose Bowtie Pasta with Feta Cheese & Lemon Pepper Chicken, a recipe she created a few years ago and one that became an instant family favorite.  We think you’ll like it!

Bowtie Pasta with Feta Cheese & Lemon Pepper Chicken

Makes About 8 Servings

  • 3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • Lemon pepper seasoning
  • One, 16-ounce box dried bowtie pasta
  • 1 small bunch broccoli, chopped
  • 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
  • 2 to 3 carrots, chopped or ½ bag baby carrots
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 6 to 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 ½ cups half & half, warmed

1. Season the chicken on both sides with lemon pepper seasoning.  Grill until cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water according to the package directions.  If you have a pot that’s big enough, you can add the veggies to the pasta during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.  If not, steam the veggies in a small amount of water in another pot.

3. Drain the pasta and veggies.  Stir in the butter, feta cheese and half & half.  Slice the grilled chicken into thin strips and serve along with the pasta.  Serve the lemon pepper seasoning at the table for those who want more on their pasta.

Note: I used to buy the bags of fresh veggies meant to steam in the microwave, but I’ve noticed that the bags have gotten much smaller in recent years.

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Q: What do you like about this recipe?
A: I love the flavor combination of this dish.  The lemon pepper is bright and the veggies are fresh.  Pasta is one of my family’s favorite types of food, so this dish is a hit.

Q: What do your kids think about this recipe?
A: Because the recipe combines some of their favorite vegetables, pasta, and chicken I think it was a good way to introduce them to the new flavors of feta cheese and the lemon pepper seasoning. We are a homeschooling family and are often home for lunch.  We make it a habit to eat up the leftovers at lunch.  Now that the kids are older, there aren’t as many leftovers … sometimes only a serving or two.  The kids will “call” a serving of this for their lunch.  Anything kids willingly eat as a leftover is good, especially when it is healthy too.

Q: Other than the fact that this recipe makes everyone in your family happy, do you have any other tips you’d like to share with fellow parents for taking the “whine” out of dinner?
A: Some kids are naturally picky and others will try most anything.  I’ve got two of each of those types.  I’m sad to report that I’ve not been able to turn the picky kids into adventurous eaters.  But as they’ve gotten older, they like to experiment in the kitchen especially with spice combinations.  I think this helps broaden their tastes.

Although we do insist our kids eat enough variety of foods to have a balanced diet, we don’t have hard and fast rules.  I try to fix veggies that they like, but also introduce new things every so often.  And there are some foods that a child just won’t eat.  I respect that.  One of my sons really doesn’t like shrimp.  I don’t force him to eat it, but it doesn’t keep me from fixing it for the rest of us occasionally.  He can eat the other part of the meal and is free to snack on other foods to fill him up.  I don’t fix alternate foods if a child is just being picky, versus truly not liking a food they have tried.  Thankfully, it all becomes easier as they get older.

Q: Please provide a brief description of your blog:
A: Eat at Home provides recipes, menus and complete grocery lists to help families put dinner on the table fast.  The meals are easy, use common ingredients and are kid friendly.

Note from The Moms:  Janice made this recipe for her family the other night, and it was a huge hit!  Leah went back for seconds, and everyone enjoyed it reheated the next day.  The Bissex family will definitely be making it again!

April 2, 2010 | Filed Under NoWhineWithDinner, Pasta, PickyEaters, Poultry, Vegetables | 6 Comments 

Podcast 93: Bring Back Sunday Dinner

Back in November, Janice’s mom, Carol, and Liz’s mother-in-law, Joy, joined us for a Cooking with the Moms radio podcast dedicated to kitchens of the past and present, and dream kitchens of the future (podcast #83). If you didn’t get a chance to listen to the show, we hope you’ll tune in. While Joy was visiting from England, the four of us recorded a second show all about Sunday dinners.  Our memories of sitting around the family dinner table on Sunday afternoons came flooding back, though Liz found Janice’s reminiscing about eating Welsh rarebit for supper later on Sundays a bit disturbing!

Joy and Josh about to dig into a delicious Sunday dinner of roasted chicken and vegetables and Yorkshire pudding.

These days, with families running in a million different directions, carving out the time for shared meals has become a challenge. Research shows, however, that when families eat together, kids consume a more nutritious diet, so we encourage everyone to make it a priority. To do that, during the podcast, we tossed out some simple tips for making family meals a reality more often — especially Sunday Dinner, and we  shared some fresh ideas for making mealtime more enjoyable for everyone:

> Happy Talk: Ask positive, open-ended questions to ignite conversation versus tempers at the table.
> Family Theme Nights: Theme nights such as Build-Your-Own-Pizza Night, Taco Fiesta Night, and Spaghetti & Meatballs Night add excitement to the meal and encourage kids to try new foods.
> Play Games: Try a spelling bee, GHOST, or Janice’s infamous button game (you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out what it is) to keep kids at the dinner table and to foster fond memories of shared meals.
> Set an Attractive Table: Bring the family’s full attention to the table by lighting candles, using colorful napkins, or placing fresh flowers in the center.
> Dinner Date: Once a month, allow each child to invite a special friend for dinner. Your child can help you plan the menu and set the table.

Liz’s newly decorated dining room. It reminds her of Joy’s blue-and-white themed dining room back in England.

What follows are two recipes Joy and Liz cooked up together. The first is for Thyme Roasted Chicken and the second for Joy’s Yorkshire pudding, a British side dish similar to a popover. We had a tough time writing up the exact ingredients for this recipe since Joy tends to cook by feel versus using precise measurements, and Liz’s equipment and appliances didn’t exactly jive with Joy’s European ones. So, to avoid any confusion, we decided to share a few links to recipes for Yorkshire pudding instead.

 Thyme Roasted Chicken
Makes 4 Servings (with enough left over for two more meals)

  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 to 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • One 4 ½ – to 5-pound roasting chicken
  • Kosher salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Combine the olive oil, parsley, thyme, garlic and salt in a small bowl and mix well.

3. Place the chicken on a work surface or cutting board. Loosen the skin from the chicken breast and drumsticks by inserting your fingers and gently pushing between the skin and meat. Rub the seasoning mixture under the loosened skin. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and place breast side up on a broiler or roasting pan in the center of the oven.

4. Bake until the chicken turns golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 180°F, about 1 hour and 20 minutes (18 to 20 minutes per pound). Discard the skin, slice the meat and serve, reserving leftovers for the next two nights.

Nutrition Information per Serving:  190 Calories, 6g Total Fat, 1.5g Saturated Fat, 0g Carbohydrate, 0g Fiber, 32g Protein, 220mg Sodium

Print Recipe

Yorkshire Pudding from Martha Stewart
Yorkshire Pudding with Roast from Alton Brown
Yorkshire Pudding from Tyler Florence

Do you have fond memories of Sunday dinner? What are your favorite Sunday dinner recipes? And what do you do to make family meals a priority? We’d love to hear from you.

February 16, 2010 | Filed Under Dinner, Podcast, Poultry, Sides | 1 Comment 

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