Recipe #2-Crispy Parmesan Chicken Nuggets (or Chick'n, for Vegetarians!)

Hello readers! I'm battling a nasty sinus infection this week so bear with me; this may be a slightly rambling post (Sudafed makes me a little wordy, haha!). Chicken nuggets are something that most kids (and adults!) love. The only down side is how greasy, empty calorie leaden and processed they are-- for more info about the amount of processing chicken nuggets go through, check out this site. Turns your stomach, right? Fortunately, I have a great recipe that makes chicken nuggets wholesome, but still maintains the shape and texture of our fun, beloved dinner.

Crispy Parmesan Chicken Nuggets

-1lb. unfrozen, boneless, skinless chicken breast (organic and free range for best results)
-2 eggs, beaten
-1 sleeve of crushed saltine crackers
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is best, but the kind in the green cans you use for pizza works in a pinch)
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp. onion power
-1/2 tsp. black pepper
-Cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 425°. Cut chicken breast into nugget-sized pieces (about the size of a golf ball). Combine cracker crumbs, Parmesan cheese and spices in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Dip chicken pieces into egg, then coat with crumbs and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes or until brown and crispy, flipping once half way through baking time. Remove and enjoy with various sauces or dips!

So, moving on, any vegetarians out there? Anyone? *crickets* Ok, well I know you guys are there! I'm a vegetarian (Ava and my hubby aren't) so when I make them chicken nuggets, sometimes I want a few to much on as well! In this case, I use Quorn brand Chick'n cutlets (find them in the freezer section with other meat-free options) which are made of a mycoprotein and yield great results. You use the the same process, defrost the pieces, cut into nugget sizes, dip in egg, then coat in the crumb/cheese mix. Bake only 20-30 minutes as they're precooked and you're just waiting for the coating to bake.

Have fun with this recipe, get your Littles involved. Yes, it's terribly messy, but that's half the fun and clean up can be done while they bake. Your Littles will love getting their hands in the gooey chicken and egg mess and then rolling the bites around in the crumbs so apron up, make your nuggets and have fun!!

Cheers!    

Popcorn!

Hello readers! Let me ask you a question: who likes popcorn? Raise your hand if you like popcorn! Ok, besides the fact that I might have just made you raise your hand (hehehe), pretty much everyone like popcorn, especially kiddos. My Little is OBSESSED with popcorn, everything from listening to it pop to trying to toss and catch kernels in her mouth,she just loves the whole popcorn process. The salty, buttery goodness is something many of us associate with movies and family fun and enjoy as a quick and filling snack. The problem? Microwave popcorn is FULL of chemicals and strange stuff that probably shouldn't be inside our tiny toddlers' tummies.

So what are popcorn loving mommies, daddies and tots to do? Making popcorn on the stove is a pain, buying a popcorn machine is expensive, there aren't any other options, right? WRONG! I figured out a way to make homemade, chemical free and low-fat (if you want) popcorn without the mess or hassle. I may not be the only one who's figured it out but I have to say, I was pretty stoked when the idea occurred in our house (and even more stoked when it actually worked!). Below is the method which works best for us and some suggestions for yummy custom popcorn toppings!

1 brown paper lunch bag (you can pick up a pack of 100 from any grocery store or Wal-Mart)
1/2 cup plain popcorn kernels (also available at any grocery store or Wal-Mart)
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tbsp. butter (optional)

Put popcorn, salt and butter into brown paper sack and fold the top over 3-4 times until it's well sealed (this may go without saying but don't try and staple or paperclip the bag shut--the metal will spark in the microwave and you definitely don't want that!).

Place sealed bag in microwave and heat for three minutes on your regular heat setting (heating time may vary). Listen to the corn popping and when the pop slows to one or two pops every three seconds, stop the microwave and *carefully* remove bag. Shake vigorously and enjoy!

Other great toppings for your homemade popcorn can include (but definitely aren't limited to!):
-Parmesan cheese
-Garlic powder
-Onion powder
-Brown sugar and honey (as a combo or individually)
-Chile powder and lime juice
-Vanilla powder (available at Wal-Mart, nutmeg and cinnamon (as a combo or individually)

The options for flavorings are limitless and I would love to hear your suggestions! Mix it up, let your Littles choose fun, interesting toppings, have fun and ENJOY!

Cheers!

Hummus!

Good afternoon Readers! Today's awesome snack: hummus! Originated in the Middle East, this blended chickpea spread is delicious, full of fiber, iron, vitamin c and healthy fats and comes in a variety of flavors that can please the pickiest eater. For more info on hummus (and some great recipes!) check out this site.

So how do we get our kiddos to consume such a healthy and filling snack? By making it fun! I usually buy hummus from the refrigerated section at our local Sunflower Market (it's available in most stores--check the refrigerators by the produce or cheese). From chipotle to roasted garlic, the flavors (and colors) are endless and all of them have the same benefits as the plain original hummus.

But what can we put this stuff on? This is where the adventure really begins! Dipping or spreading hummus on bread or tortillas is delicious but what's really fun is finding other dippers. At our house, we like pretzel crisps (here's a link to the pretzel crisp website which shows where you can buy them and what varieties are available) as well as pita chips or even artichoke leaves, all smothered with hummus. Other veggies such as celery sticks or baby carrots are great too and get in more fiber for the happy digestion of little tummies.

So now it’s your turn. Venture forth, dear Readers, and experiment with dippers and hummus. Tell me in my comments area of you find something that’s delicious with hummus on it—I’d love to hear from you! Have fun, take risks and, as always, ENJOY!

Fun Yogurt Yum!

Good morning Readers! Today's awesome recipe for our tiny diners is the yogurt parfait. Sounds simple and somewhat boring right? WRONG! These are a great way for our Littles to get in a serving of fruit and dairy while having a ton of fun! The key is to let them participate in building an awesome parfait with tons of different fruits, nuts (if they're old enough--here's the link to Babycenter  that shows what foods may be inappropriate for children birth through age 3) and other exciting and healthy snacks. Put them in a fun and crazy glass, bowl or cup to up the appeal.

Below are a few suggestions which I use when letting Ava build her parfaits but any fruits/yogurts your Littles like will work!

Ava's Fruity Decadence

-1 container vanilla Greek yogurt (feel free to choose any flavor your Little likes)
-3 washed and sliced strawberries
-1/4 cup crushed pineapple
-1/4 cup mandarin oranges
-2 crushed graham crackers (you can use any flavor granola for older kids, but for Littles who don't have all their teeth yet, graham crackers make a great option)
- 2 tbsp. wild honey (optional and only for kids over 2)

Put some yogurt on the bottom of the glass and then layer all ingredients until glass is full. Chill for 10-15 minutes and ENJOY! :)

Other great parfait ingredients can include, but aren't limited to:
-Pecans
-Blueberries
-Raspberries
-Blackberries
-Raisins
-Fruit Cocktail mix (Del Monte has a great mix--just be sure to drain it first!)
-Pears
-Apples
-Grapes
-Mango
-Papaya
-Honey flavored yogurt
-A favorite whole-grain cereal

Or try a "hot parfait" by using warm oatmeal, yogurt and favorite fruits. Have fun, experiment and enjoy!

Cheers!

Mandioca!

Hello Readers! Time for another yummy recipe for those little toddler tummies! Today's food of the day is....Mandioca (man-dee-oh-ka)! Most of you probably just said "huh?" which is totally understandable. This little known food is a carbohydrate staple in Latin and South American countries and is positively delectable.

I spent some time in Paraguay when I was in high school and this funny root was served in a bread basket at Every. Single. Meal. All. Summer. Long. Yes, I got tired of it after awhile but upon returning to the US of A, I found that I craved it something fierce. After some searching, I found that it is also sold under the name of "yuca" (you-ka) or "cassava" root and is available at many world markets. For more info on the root, check out the wiki.

So, how do we feed this great, filling carb to our picky Littles? Very easily! Much like a potato, mandioca is easy to prepare and can be used in a variety of ways. Below is the basic cooking instructions, followed by a few suggestions for meals which my choosy diner inhales. Have fun trying this awesome new food and ENJOY!

Basic Mandioca Cooking Instructions:

Peel off the brown, waxy mandioca peel, down to the white stalk. Make sure all the pink underside of the peel is also removed, leaving only the white flesh. Peeling is best done with a butter knife because, though the root is very hard, the peel cracks off easily.

Cut in half width-wise and then slice length wise. Place in a large pot of cold, lightly salted water and bring to a full boil. Boil until a knife can go all the way through the root and it is tender, but still firm (about an hour to and hour and a half, depending on the size of the root). DO NOT OVER COOK. Doing so will leave it rather mushy and unappetizing. Drain water and pull the hard, stem-like vein out of the center of your mandioca pieces and it's ready to eat!

Mandio-Chiriri (Ava's FAVORITE!)

1 stalk chunky-diced mandioca
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup shredded white cheese (mozzarella or a heavy goat cheese works well)
1 stalk finely diced green onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Grease a skillet with butter or oil. Pan-fry the ALREADY BOILED mandioca chunks until lightly browned. Add in egg, onion and spices and cook as you would scrambled eggs. After eggs are cooked (no glossy parts left), add in cheese and stir until melted. Enjoy with fresh tomato salsa or some avocado on top!


Mashed Mandioca

1 mandioca root
1/2 stick of butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Prepare mandioca as mentioned above, but allow to boil longer until very soft and not firm. Using a hand mixer, blend mandioca until smooth. Add in butter, salt and pepper and mix until well blended. Serve in place of mashed potatoes.

Olive you!

Hello Readers! Today I just wanted to talk about snacks. Everyone loves a good snack (my personal favorite is some jalapeño hummus from Sunflower Market on a thick tortilla or gordita-YUM!) but for our picky eaters, finding something tasty AND nutritious is hard. So, I give you the ultimate toddler super snack: OLIVES!

Black, green, purple, red, olives are awesome! They're full of healthy fats (monosaturated) and are boasted to have Anti-Inflammatory Phytochemicals (check out this article to learn more). Not messy and easy to take on the go, olives have become my go to snack for Ava. If your Little is more inclined toward salty snacks, try the green olives with pimento (be sure to have them drink LOTS of water!). Ava likes any and all olives but she prefers black (just the ones from the can). 

I know every mother in the world has said "don't play with your food!!!" at least once, but I found that playing with olives was the first step in getting Ava to eat them ravenously. It's easy, just take your Little's hand, place an olive on the end of each finger (their little fingers are the PERFECT size for this!) and then eat one off. Encourage your Little to try the same and within a few seconds, all of the olives will be gone and they'll be begging for more! Try it, have fun and (as usual) ENJOY!

Cheers and Happy Olive Munching!
     

Recipe #1--Ritzy Potatoes Au Gratin Cassarole

Hello Readers!

Well, here it is, time for my first recipe! As many of you know, finding foods for a picky kiddo is ROUGH. Ava's difficult because she will eat fruit and veggies all day long. A parent's dream right? WRONG! Because all she wants is celery sticks and cutie clementine oranges, she has a lot of trouble gaining weight. Couple this with the baby/toddler food no-no's (this has a great list with all of the unsafe foods from birth through age 3) and we're very limited as to what goes in her tummy. To help with this, I came up with a special potatoes au gratin recipe which she loves and is calorific enough to pack on an ounce or two. It's great for the whole family (my husband inhales it) and can be blended up to a paste consistency for itty bitty diners. Give it a try, let me know how you like it and, most importantly, ENJOY!

Ingredients

·  5 yellow (or Russet, whatever your preference) potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

·  6 tablespoons butter

·  6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·  1/2 teaspoon salt

·  1/4 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion

·  1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

·  4 cups milk

·  2 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

·  1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Coat a 1 quart casserole dish (glass is best) with cooking spray, olive oil or butter (whatever you prefer). 
3. Layer half of your sliced potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
4. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour, spices and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. It will be a paste-like consistency. Pour in milk SLOWLY, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until mixture has thickened (about 3-7 minutes). Stir in all but 1/2 cup of your cheese and continue whisking until melted (about 1-3 minutes).
5. While still hot, pour half of your cheese sauce over the potatoes and then layer the other half of your sliced potatoes. Crumble Ritz crackers on top layer of potatoes and pour remaining cheese sauce over it. Sprinkle with leftover 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
6. Bake 1and 1/2 hours in the preheated oven and then remove tin foil. Bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the top layer of cheese is melted and slightly browned. Enjoy warm and refrigerate remaining portion immediately after.