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

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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.

> 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).

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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!

]]> http://mealmakeovermoms.com/kitchen/2010/05/27/our-favorite-cookbooks-a-cookbook-giveaway-and-a-few-new-recipes-podcast-105/feed/ 135 http://mealmakeovermoms.com/kitchen/2010/05/23/no-whine-with-dinner-light-chicken-enchiladas/ http://mealmakeovermoms.com/kitchen/2010/05/23/no-whine-with-dinner-light-chicken-enchiladas/#comments Sun, 23 May 2010 11:27:25 +0000 The Meal Makeover Moms http://mealmakeovermoms.com/kitchen/?p=9045 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!

This week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast is all about soy.  Soybeans are a type of legume native to Southest Asia. They may be tiny, but soybeans are the most widely grown legume in the world with about 210 million tons cultivated annually.  That’s a lot of beans!  Foods made from soy include tofu, soymilk, edamame, soynuts, miso (soy paste), tempeh, soy burgers and soynut butter.

To explain how soy foods can fit into a healthy family diet we invited pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, to be a guest on the show.  Dr. Greene is the author of several books including Raising Baby Green and Feeding Baby Green, and he has an award-winning website, DrGreene.com, cited by the American Medical Association as “the pioneer physician Web site” on the Internet.  Soy foods often find their way on to Dr. Greene’s dinner table (he has four kids), so we asked him to weigh in on the health benefits of soy, the difference between whole and processed soy, and the role soy may play in heart disease and cancer prevention.

Here at Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen we’ve developed a bunch of recipes that feature soy including Mommy’s Edamame,  Vegetable Garden Tofu Pie, and Tasty Tofu Nuggets. For the show we thought it would be fun to whip up a new recipe using soy milk, so we hope you give our Tropical Soymilk Smoothie a try!

Tropical Soymilk Smoothie

Makes 3 Servings

• 1 ½ cups light vanilla soymilk (we like Silk soymilk because it’s made with whole soybeans and is non-GMO)
• 1 medium ripe banana
• 2/3 cup frozen mango (4 ounces)
• 2/3 cup frozen strawberries (4 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon honey

1. Place the soy milk, banana, mango, strawberries, and honey in a blender, and blend until well combined.

2. Pour into individual glasses and serve with a straw.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cup): 150 calories, 1g fat (0g saturated), 35mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 3g protein, 10% vitamin A, 40% vitamin C, 15% calcium

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If you have a favorite tofu or soy recipe feel free to share it by leaving a comment.  As always, we love hearing from you.

The hardest bite is often the first bite.  When parents can empower their kids with the ability to try a bite of food they have negative thoughts about, most of the hard work is done.  But how do you that?  How do you get that first bite down the hatch?  The answer: Relate to them.

When was the last time you learned to like something you thought you hated or had negative thoughts about?  If it’s been a while, it’s pretty hard to understand where they’re coming from.  Do it yourself.   Learn to like something you think you hate.  If you’re successful you’ll be able to talk from a point of authenticity.  You will be able to see the plate from their perspective.

I don’t think I ate many carrots growing up.  I might have eaten a few cooked carrots here and there, but raw carrots were a definite blech food for me.  My mom made a carrot and raisin slaw that everyone seemed to love except me.  The texture of raw carrots was all wrong.  A big mouthful of dry crunchy bits was overpowering and made me gag.  Once I’d connected the gag reflex to carrots, I wouldn’t touch them.  No one taught me how to overcome that reaction to carrots.

As a young adult, I would try them every now and again.  I heard that tastes changed over time, and I was ready to nix the “picky eater” label I’d gotten at a young age.  The gag reflex was long gone, but I still didn’t enjoy the feeling of a mouthful of raw carrot.  So how did I come to enjoy carrots?  My boys inspired me.  They always loved them and since they were always on the veggie tray or on the table for lunch alongside sandwiches, I had plenty of opportunity to practice.

At first I tried one each time they were served because that’s what I ask my kids to do.  Try everything.  I knew I’d have a better shot of getting them to like the food I served if I was willing and able to do what I asked them to do.  I didn’t enjoy the first 9 dozen baby carrots I ate.

I live with three raw carrot lovers.  All the smiling faces munching carrots made me think I was missing out on something.  Without even realizing it I began eating carrots without forcing myself to finish just one.  I wasn’t exactly happy to be eating a carrot, but it was just part of the lunch I ate, and I didn’t mind.  Eventually I came to enjoy the crunchy sweetness of them as a contrast to a creamy dip or a savory sandwich.   I consciously chose to eat carrots, but I wasn’t doing anything to change my thoughts about them.  My thoughts about them changed because my family enjoyed them and eventually the negative thoughts just didn’t run through my head when they were on the table.    Negative thoughts out of the way, there were no more obstacles to enjoying them.

Can you inspire your kids to try new food?  Yes! I decided to find 1000 people willing to become Recovering Picky Eaters and I want you and your kids to join the cause.  If there is a food you’ve been avoiding all your life I’m asking you to give it another shot.  Find a way to eat it, and arrive at a place where you can relate to your child’s dinner-time food aversions.

If you’re game, sign the Recovering Picky Eater petition and join the 100-plus other folks learning to like a food they hate.  Once you arrive on the petition, please do the following:

• Edit the letter in the “petition text” box by replacing {food item} with the food you’ll learn to like.  This letter will go to Jamie Oliver and you’ll be taking action in the Food Revolution.
• Click the red take action button on the right side bar below the “grab a widget” header.
• Fill in the form and click the red “Sign” button.

Thanks for a great post Jenna. We can certainly relate. Liz is a definite green pepper hater and Janice isn’t a huge fan of raw cauliflower. Good luck everyone!

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.

There’s nothing unusual about a recipe for carrot cake or for that matter, carrot cupcakes. But carrot cookies? Last month, Facebook fan Leah S., a mom of two and a fellow registered dietitian and food blogger (her blog is called Treats and Feasts), shared her recipe for Carrot Cake Cookies. The original recipe came from her sister-in-law, but Leah tweaked it a bit by replacing the butter with canola oil, swapping out some of the white flour for whole wheat, and tossing in some ground flaxseed for good measure. Needless to say, The Meal Makeover Moms were intrigued!

Leah’s children peel carrots and help mom make one of their favorite treats.

This cookie “overhaul” has everything we love:  Big-time kid appeal (Liz’s boys, Josh and Simon, couldn’t believe there were actually carrots in the cookies and that they actually liked them!), ease of preparation, and great nutrition. Given all this recipe has to offer, we are pleased to award Leah with our Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award.

Carrot Cake Cookies

Makes About 3 Dozen (adapted from Treats and Feasts)

• 1/2 cup canola oil (original was butter)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (original was 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (original was 2 cups white)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or you can use 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (added from original)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice (original was nutmeg)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/3 cup oats
• 1 cup grated or finely chopped carrots (about 8 ounces)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

1. Whisk together the oil and sugars until well combined. Whisk in the eggs until well combined.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice, and cinnamon. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Stir in the oats, carrots, and nuts.

2. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 12 minutes until golden on the bottoms. Repeat with remaining batter.

Optional: For the icing, mix together about 1/2 cup powdered sugar with milk (add 1 teaspoon at a time) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Not too thick, not too thin. You want it to hold its shape when piped onto cookies. You can use an icing piping bag or cut the end off a sandwich bag just big enough to let the icing pipe out onto cookies.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cookie without icing): 90 calories, 6g fat (0.5g saturated, 2.5g monounsaturated), 8g carbohydrate, 1.5g fiber, 2g protein, 20% vitamin A

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Here are some additional notes from the Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen:

> For the carrots, you can grate them on the fine holes of your box grater or buy pre-shredded carrots and chop them into tiny bits.

> We didn’t top our cookies with icing, and the kids still loved them. They came out a bit more rounded than Leah’s … and kind of reminded us of little muffin tops.

> We made the cookies with nutmeg, so feel free to use either nutmeg or allspice.

> We used quick-cooking oats, and we chopped the walnuts until they were pretty fine.

We’d like to thank Leah for a super easy, kid-friendly (and mom friendly) recipe. This is a cookie you can feel good about serving and one your kids will surely gobble up.

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!

The recipe I decided to make was for Chinese Beef Broccoli. It was easy to prepare, called for ingredients I had on hand, and was packed with lots of broccoli. Best of all, it went over BIG with Simon (Josh and Tim were out at a Boston University hockey game eating heaven knows what, so they missed out on our feast). Since Jaden has two boys of her own, I figured this recipe would be a winner … and I was right.

Given all the great things this recipe has to offer and the fact that Simon ate every last bite of broccoli on his plate, Janice and I are honoring  Jaden from Steamy Kitchen with our Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award! Read on for the recipe …

Chinese Beef Broccoli

From The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook (with a few tiny tweaks)

Here’s how Jaden describes this dish: “I can’t remember the last time I went to a restaurant and ordered Broccoli Beef. Love the dish, but there’s nothing I detest more than goopy brown sauce that normally drags this dish down. I want my broccoli to be tender-crisp and taste like broccoli, not just covered in thick sauce. My tip is to steam the broccoli separate and to use a minimal amount of cornstarch (it’s only in the steak marinade).”

• 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce (I used lite soy sauce)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon cooking oil (I used canola oil)
• Freshly ground black pepper to season the beef
• 1 pound top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain into 1/8^th-inch-thick strips
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce (I used an MSG-free oyster sauce)
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
• 1 ½ pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
• 1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil (I used canola oil)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

1. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, cooking oil, and pepper for the beef marinade. Add the beef and let marinade for 10 minutes at room temperature.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce, rice wine, and vinegar for the stir-fry sauce.

3. In a wok or large sauté pan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender, and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain and set aside.

4. Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high-heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.

5. Pour in the stir-fry sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.  Jaden recommends serving over steamed Jasmine rice.

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Here are a few additional cooking notes from MY steamy kitchen:

> Jaden suggested replacing the meat with “meaty” shitake mushrooms for a vegetarian option. I decided to make the dish with 3/4 pound flank steak and 1/4 pound quartered shitake mushrooms, and I steamed the mushrooms with the broccoli.
> I served the stir-fry with brown rice, and I cheated by using the frozen Trader Joe’s variety!
> This recipe can serve a family of four comfortably. I think it would be great with some sliced pears or orange slices on the side.
> I couldn’t find Chinese rice vinegar or Chinese rice wine, so I used the alternative ingredients Jaden called for in the recipe.

I liked this recipe so much that I definitely plan to make it again. Thanks Jaden!

But before we share Joe’s strategies, we have to tell you about our latest giveaway. To help you eat a healthier diet packed with delicious, seasonal meals, one lucky blog reader (or podcast listener or Facebook fan) will win a copy of Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta. This beautiful cookbook was written by spa founder, Deborah Szekely, and it features a bounty of delicious-sounding recipes — Corn, Cilantro, & Arugula Salad with Yogurt Dressing, Lasagna Azteca, and Chocolate Banana Bread. We have cooked quite a few recipes from the book including Squash-Apple Soup with Thai Red Curry and Mexican Red Rice, which you’ll find further down in this post.

To enter our Cooking with the Seasons cookbook giveaway all you have to do is post a comment on this blog post or on our Facebook fan page with your best tip for how you squash stress, relax, or fit fitness and nutrition into your day. The giveaway ends on Friday, March 5 at noon.

We Will Enter You into the Giveaway Multiple Times if you do any or all of the following (just be sure to leave us a new comment every time you do one of these things):

> Tweet about our giveaway on Twitter.
> Tell your Facebook friends about it with a link back to this blog post.
> Become a Facebook Fan.

We hope many of you will enter the giveaway and listen to this week’s podcast, and we certainly hope you’ll read on for Joe Sweeney’s realistic tips … that really do work.

Address Your Stress:
> Schedule at least 10 minutes of relaxation daily.
> When you’re in stressful situations, breathe deeply to calm yourself down.
> Worry for 10 minutes every day. After 10 minutes, no more worrying permitted.
> Look for the humor in life. Begin by taking yourself more lightly.
> Exercise to relax: stretching, yoga, birdwatching, easy walking, easy bicycling.

Make Time for Exercise:
> Make exercise fun. Select activities you enjoy, and frequently vary your workouts.
> Start small and build gradually to at least 30 minutes of exercise every other day.
> Plan to move. Schedule your exercise for the upcoming week by adding it to your calendar in red ink.
> Take active vacations such as spas, walk or bike tours, raft trips, or environmental vacations.
> Make exercise a priority by committing to it for 30 days. After that, it will become a habit.

Other Tips from Joe:
> Switch your weight loss obsession to healthy habits.
> The worst thing for weight loss is to try to lose weight. Instead, focus on gaining health (we really LOVE this tip).
> Don’t give up your favorite foods. Instead, eat less of them.
> Location, location, location: Pack healthy snacks and plan ahead.
> Write down specific and realistic health goals, find a friend to do the same thing (a “goalmate” if you will), and touch base every two weeks to offer support and encouragement.

Below, are two recipes from Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta. We consider these recipes more on the adult friendly side than kid friendly (especially the soup since it’s got a bit of heat from the Thai curry paste). Let us know what you think.

Squash-Apple Soup with Thai Red Curry

Makes 6 Servings

• 2 teaspoons olive oil (we used 1 tablespoon)
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes (we used a 1 pound, pre-peeled/sliced squash)
• 1 apple, cored, peeled, and diced
• 2 leeks, white part only, washed and sliced
• 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons thai red curry paste
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, or more to taste (we used 1 teaspoon kosher salt)
• Thinly sliced chives
• Thin strips of orange zest, optional

1. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the squah, apple, leeks, carrot, celery, and basil and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened; do not brown (this took about 15 minutes). Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the stock, water, brown sugar, and salt. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.

2. Cool for 30 minutes, then in a blender or in the bowl of a food processor, puree until absolutely smooth.

3. Reheat and taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed. Serve very hot, with a sprinkling of chives and the orange zest, if desired.

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Mexican Red Rice

Makes 6 Servings

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 small white onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice, about 1/2 cup
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 small green bell pepper or anaheim chile, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (we used half a red bell pepper)
• 1/2 cup minced carrots
• 1 teaspoon ground California chili (we used chili powder)
• 1 cup long-grain brown rice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (we used kosher salt)
• 1 medium tomato pureed with 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cooked green peas or cooked edamame, optional

1. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onions, garlic, green pepper, and carrot for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the rice, chili powder, and salt and cook for 1 minute.

2. Add the tomato puree to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

3. Remove from heat. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the peas or edamame if desired. Replace the lid and let the rice steam for 10 minutes.

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