Summer Tomatoes and a Recipe for an Open-Faced PB & Tomato Sandwich (Podcast #116)

Tomatoes are at their peak in New England right now, which means endless good eats as far as we’re concerned. Janice’s husband, Don, has a green thumb that just won’t quit, and his backyard garden is brimming right now with the sweetest, juiciest tomatoes you’ve ever seen.  As for Liz’s garden, well, let’s just say she’s shelling out hard cash for her tomatoes this summer!

We celebrate the beautiful flavors and nutritional prowess of summer tomatoes this week on our Cooking with the Moms podcast. During the show, we serve up a new recipe creation for an Open-Faced PB & Tomato Sandwich (yes, it sounds weird, but it is soooo good), take you behind the scenes to Pumpkin Pond Farm on Nantucket where Liz sampled just-picked tomatoes, still warm from the sun, and share lots of fresh, new ideas for preparing tomatoes, inspired by our Twitter friends and Facebook fans.

When we asked our Facebook fans to share their favorite summer tomato recipes and stories, here’s what Shannon H. had to say:  I saw a recipe recently where you put peanut butter on a slice of bread, put a few thick slices of tomato from your garden on top, and sprinkle it all with a little sea salt. It sounds pretty gross to me, but it had tons of positive reviews. Maybe I’ll be brave and give it a try. I’d love to know if either of you has tried this?

We couldn’t resist Shannon’s challenge, so we gave it a go. The results were surprisingly good. While we wouldn’t serve it to our kids as an after-school snack (unfortunately, none claim to be tomato lovers), we thoroughly enjoyed it. The cracked pepper and kosher salt on top balanced the slightly sweet tomatoes and the creamy, nutty peanut butter. Overall, we’d have to say the sandwich was quite refreshing!

Open-Faced PB & Tomato Sandwich

Makes 1 Serving

  • One whole grain English muffin, sliced in half and lightly toasted
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter (use your favorite kind)
  • 2 slices fresh, juicy tomatoes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter on one English muffin half and a tablespoon on the other half. Top each with a slice of tomato (make the slice thin, thick, or anywhere in between) and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Print Recipe


While on vacation on Nantucket, Liz entertained friends with this family-friendly appetizer made with thin slices of French (or Italian) bread topped with olive tapenade, slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, extra virgin olive oil, diced tomatoes (just a few … so the kids happily ate them!), and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.


In between long bike rides and trips to the beach, Liz stopped by Pumpkin Pond Farm on Nantucket where she toured the nine-acre organic farm.

“The Walk of Thyme” divides the garden, bursting with vegetables, herbs, and fresh greens.

Owner, Marty McGowan and Liz’s friend, Debbie, pose in front of the farm stand.

Hooray for summer tomatoes!

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K — a bone builder, and they”re also a good good source of molybdenum (which helps prevent tooth decay), potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber. Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which research shows may protect against certain cancers. They’re versatile too as we found out when our Facebook fans and Twitter friends weighed in to “talk tomatoes.” Here are a few tomato tales and tips to whet your appetite (listen to the show for even more inspiration)!

> Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod: Pasta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Artichokes, Zucchini, and Roasted Red Peppers.
> Chef Christine from Frederick Foodie: Panzanella.
> Alexandra from Delish Knowledge: Grilled Panzanella Salad with Baked Tofu Croutons.

> Kerry W.: I blanch and quick peel and chop fresh tomatoes (purple, yellow, red) and throw in measured portions in the freezer. When it’s time for fresh pizza sauce in the middle of winter, I pull out a bag or two and give it a whirl with red pepper flake, kosher salt and oregano. Fantastic!

> Pam T.: Last night I tossed penne pasta with some lightly sauteed yellow squash and tossed in some chopped garden tomatoes and feta. It was delicious and so easy on a night that I had no time to cook! I leave the tomatoes large enough that the picky kids can pick them out easily.

> Angela P.: Tomatoes fresh picked, wiped clean, and still warm from the sun with a little salt. You’ve picked a good one if the juice drips down your chin.

> Theresa P.: Fresh picked tomato sandwich — sliced tomato on squishy bread with salt pepper and mayo. Or just eat them in the garden (we did this when we were kids but my grandfather would get so angry when we picked his plants clean!! Good memories…).

> Kelly G.: I love them with basil and cucumbers from my garden, mixed with thinly sliced red onion, olive oil, and a little balsamic vinegar and fresh ground pepper.

Thanks for all the great ideas. We’d love to hear from our blog readers, so feel free to post a comment with your summer tomato faves!

September 2, 2010 | Filed Under CulinaryAdventures, Snacks, Sustainability, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment 

Tyler Florence Dishes on Good Nutrition for his Family, and a Giveaway for Three of his Cookbooks (podcast #115)

When it comes to feeding the public, celebrity chef and Food Network host, Tyler Florence is known for his uncomplicated recipes, bright flavors, and fresh food. And when it comes to feeding his family, this dynamic dad is clearly devoted to good nutrition. On this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast, we caught up with Tyler to talk about his three kids, the importance of sharing family meals, and some clever ways to get picky eaters to try new foods.

Tyler, who lives in San Francisco and hosts the new Food Network series, The Great Food Truck Race, was in Boston for the National “got milk?” Milk Mustache Milk the Moment Mobile Tour. When we asked him what “milking the moment” means to him, he said it’s about stopping what you’re doing and having dinner with your family. “If you do one thing to improve the quality of your family life and how your family will remember you,” he said, “make your house smell great … cook something every day and eat dinner together.”

Studies show that when families break bread together, kids are more likely to eat a nutritious diet, higher in fruits, veggies, and calcium. They also have healthier body weights and do better in school.

Tyler had lots of great advice for nourishing young families including the best way to serve up veggies kids will happily eat (hint, hint: roast them), lunch box ideas for back to school, and strategies for enticing young children to try new foods. Be sure to tune into the show for all of his creative tips. In the meantime, read on for his simple recipe for Roasted Broccoli with Crispy Parmesan and Lemon and for our latest giveaway for Tyler’s gorgeous cookbooks: Stirring the Pot, Dinner at My Place, and Tyler’s Ultimate!

Roasted Broccoli with Crispy Parmesan and Lemon
Makes 4 Servings

  • 2 heads broccoli (about 3 pounds)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 lemon, juiced

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Trim about 1 inch off the ends of the broccoli stalks and peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler. Then cut the broccoli lengthwise into spears. Arrange the broccoli on a non-stick cookie sheet, drizzle with some olive oil and season with a little bit of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes.

3. Remove the broccoli from the oven, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and bake until the cheese melt and forms a crisp shell over the broccoli, about 10 minutes. Lift the broccoli out onto a platter with a spatula and hit it with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Print Recipe

Now for news on our latest GIVEAWAY! Five lucky winners (U.S. only) will be selected to win a Got Milk? T-shirt and autographed copies of Tyler’s cookbooks. Three winners will receive Dinner at My Place, one winner will receive Stirring the Pot, and one winner will receive Tyler’s Ultimate: Brilliant, Simple Food to Make any Time.

To enter …

> Post a comment on this blog post telling us why family dinners are important to you and share your best tip for gathering your family around the dinner table. We will enter you into the giveaway a second, third, and/or fourth time if you …

* Subscribe to our RSS feed
* Tweet about the giveaway with a link back to this post
* Share the giveaway news with your Facebook fans and friends with a link back to the post

Please be sure to leave us a new comment every time you do something extra …. and GOOD LUCK!  The giveaway ends on Wednesday, September 8 at noon, and as always we’ll use random.org to pick our winners.

August 27, 2010 | Filed Under CulinaryAdventures, Giveaways, Podcast, Vegetables | 163 Comments 

A Sneak Preview of our “Almost” New Cookbook (Podcast #110)

This week, we finished the manuscript for our second cookbook, NO WHINE WITH DINNER: 150 Healthy, Kid-Tested Recipes from The Meal Makeover Moms. Now we move to phase two: editing, working on the layout and design, and selecting photos of our mom and child recipe testers. We offer a sneak preview of the new book on this week’s Cooking with the Moms and share a recipe from the new book for Cheesy Spinach Bake (read on for the recipe).

NO WHINE WITH DINNER is designed to helps busy parents turn mealtime whines into “wows” with nutritious and delicious recipes kids — and parents — will love. From a survey we conducted last summer of over 500 moms nationwide, we know that the number-one obstacle to getting healthy meals on the table is picky eaters who whine and complain. As registered dietitians, we understand the importance of serving healthy, balanced meals. But as moms ourselves, we also realize that no matter how super-nutritious a meal is, if kids reject it, no one wins. That’s why we wrote the book. And we couldn’t have done it without our amazing network of Facebook fans, blog readers, and podcast listeners … real-life moms who tested — and had their kids taste — every single one of the 150 healthy new recipes in the book.

  Mom tester, Jane, snaps a photo of daughters, Vera and Stella as they cook up our recipe for Cheesy Spinach Bake.

Cheesy Spinach Bake

Makes 8 Servings

Frozen spinach rocks: It’s inexpensive, nutritious, and a convenience ingredient you can feel good about. On its own, it’s far from appetizing—and one could argue that from a child’s perspective, it’s kind of gross. But combined with Italian bread crumbs, Cheddar cheese, and grated Parmesan, this simple side dish takes on a flavor and texture that appeal to kids. With 30 percent bone-building calcium in each serving and a boatload of vitamin A, we hope you’ll add these gooey, cheesy spinach bites to your lineup of favorite family sides.

  • One 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup 1% low-fat milk
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
  • ½ cup Italian style seasoned bread crumbs
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2.  Drain the spinach very well by pressing in a colander with the back of a large spoon and using paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set aside.

3.  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and olive oil until combined. Whisk in the bread crumbs and baking powder. Stir in the spinach, Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese until well combined.

4.  Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the mixture is set and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.  Slice into 2 x 4-inch rectangles and serve. Sprinkle the tops with a few pinches of salt to taste.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 slice): 120 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated), 340mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 9g protein, 90% vitamin A, 20% calcium

Print Recipe

Our mom contributors also shared their best-ever secrets for getting picky eaters (or good eaters) excited about eating a wide array of good-for-you foods.

 Valerie, mother of four-year old George from Waipahu, HI offers this advice: “We gave our son his own apron, chef’s hat and bought some age-appropriate kitchen tools.   Having him help in the kitchen gets him excited to try his own creations!”

Here’s another helpful tip for Kim, a mother of three from Dexter, MI: “We always pick out a “try it” item when we go to the grocery store. One rule: NO junk food!  We have tried star fruit, kefir, and plantains.  Each week we pick one new thing and look up what to do with it.  My kids are always excited to try it, and as a result, we have added quite a few new foods to our diet.”

NO WHINE WITH DINNER will be available this October, and we can’t wait for all of you to see it. We’ll be hosting a Virtual Book Signing Party this fall … so stay tuned for more information on how you can join the fun.

July 16, 2010 | Filed Under Podcast, Sides, Vegetables | 14 Comments 

Our Favorite Cookbooks, a Cookbook Giveaway, and a Few New Recipes (Podcast #105)

What are your favorite family cookbooks, and what are your cookbook reading habits like?  For this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast, we asked our Facebook fans to weigh in on those questions, and after hearing from dozens of moms, we learned a lot about reading styles:

> The Novel Reader: Moms like Sandi G. read cookbooks cover to cover — “I read cookbooks like a novel. They are by my bedside,  in the car, and I read them at work on break.”

> The Recipe Flagger: Danielle P. looks at the recipes to see what catches her eye — “I flip through them over and over and over again. I mark the pages I like with Post-Its, write notes on those I’ve tried and go through them again every few months to see if there are some that interest me this time around. Sometimes a recipe will jump out at me that didn’t before.”

> The Index User: Molly P. relies on the index — “When I get a new cookbook, I flip through it first checking out photos, reading recipes and generally checking out what sounds good. When I want to make something I look for what I have on hand in the index and then go from there.”

As for favorite cookbooks, it ran the gamut from The Joy of Cooking to America’s Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2010 to Junior League and church cookbooks.  Recently, we received three new cookbooks for review, and for this month’s giveaway, we’re sending them to three lucky winners:  SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue (St. Martin’s Griffin – $17.99) by Aviva Goldfarb, Blue Ribbon Edition ($21.95) by Debra Stark, and Slim & Scrumptious (William Morrow Cookbooks – $24.99) by Today Show nutrition editor, Joy Bauer.

To enter to win (U.S. residents only, please), leave a comment on this post and tell us about your favorite cookbooks. You can also tell us about your cookbook reading habits and whether you have a favorite cookbook recipe of all time. We’ll enter you a second time if you Tweet the giveaway (just leave a separate comment).  The giveaway ends on Friday, June 4th at noon EST, and we will use Random.org to pick our three winners.

We decided to cook up a few recipes from each of the books. For Joy Bauer’s book, check out Liz’s review on our blog from May 10, 2010.

Janice and 10-year old Leah took a crack at SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue and had a hard time deciding what to cook (Leah went a little crazy with all her sticky notes). They finally decided on the Vegetarian Enchiladas (see below).  The book’s subtitle sums up the spirit of the book: Earth-Friendly, Kid-Pleasing Dinners for Busy Families. The recipes are presented by season, and there are lots of sidebars woven throughout:  tips for stocking your pantry, composting, eating more whole grains, eating on a budget, and packing healthy school lunches.  The author, Aviva Goldfarb is the creator and publisher of the family-friendly weekly menu planner, The Six O’Clock Scramble, so be sure to visit her site.

Vegetarian Enchiladas

Makes 6 Servings (from SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue)

  • 1 can (15 ounces) enchilada sauce, mild or spicy
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
  • 1/2 red or yellow onion, diced
  • 2 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 4 strips, and diced
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 10 to 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese (or use Cheddar or Monterey Jack)
  • 1 cup nonfat or low-fat sour cream for serving (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and spray the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Spread about one-fourth of the can of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan.

2. In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Cook the garlic for about 30 seconds, and then add the onions and zucchini.  Season them with the cumin, chili powder, and salt (optional).  Sauté the mixture, stirring it occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are very soft.

3. Wrap the tortillas in a moist paper towel and heat them in the microwave oven for about 1 minute until they are soft.  (Alternatively, warm each tortilla over medium heat in a nonstick skillet for 20 seconds per side, or until soft).

4. On a plate, fill each tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable mixture, and about 1 tablespoon of cheese.  Roll it and place it in the pan.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas until all the filling is used.  Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly on top of the tortillas, and top them with any remaining cheese.  Bake the enchiladas, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbly.  (Meanwhile, make the guacamole, if you are serving it.)

5. Serve the enchiladas hot, topped with the sour cream, if desired.  (Alternatively, let them cool, cover tightly, and freeze them for up to 3 months).

Print Recipe

Liz and the boys tested a few recipes from Debra Stark’s book, Blue Ribbon Edition: From Our Kitchen to Yours. Debra is the owner Debra’s Natural Gourmet in West Concord, MA, so the book draws upon the amazing array of locally-sourced and organic ingredients available at her store. Liz made a few recipes from the book including Quinoa Breakfast Cereal (which we’ll share in a later post) and Zucchini Orzo Pudding, but the one her boys loved the most was The Best Cookie Ever. Josh and Simon have actually dubbed this cookie, The Best Cookie in the World!

The Best Cookie Ever

Makes 8 – 12 Servings (from Blue Ribbon Edition)

  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie plate or 8×8-inch brownie pan.

2. In a small bowl, beat together the sugar, egg and vanilla with a wooden spoon until “liquidy.” Mix in flour and salt. Add walnuts and mix well. Batter will be sticky and hard to mix. Good exercise for flabby arms! Spoon batter into pie plate or pan. Pat out (easier to do with wet hands).

3. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown and edges slightly pull away from the sides of the pie plate. Remove pie plate from oven and place on cooling rack for 10 minutes. While cookies are still warm, cut into pie wedges. Cut while still warm or you won’t be able to cut at all. (These cookies are best eaten the day they are made, but they freeze beautifully.)

* Liz didn’t have coconut sugar on hand (but she plans to get some the next time she’s at Debra’s store!) so she used 2/3 cup granulated sugar. She also added 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips for a fun variation.

We can’t wait to read your comments and hear all about your cookbook faves!

May 27, 2010 | Filed Under Desserts, Dinner, Giveaways, Podcast, Sustainability, Vegetables, Vegetarian | 135 Comments 

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