Posted on

Parmesan Chicken Fingers

With the Super Bowl this Sunday, we’re sure you are busy preparing for your Super Bowl party.  We thought these Parmesan Chicken Fingers, from Laura’s, “The Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook“, which are  diabetes-friendly, kid-friendly, and Super Bowl friendly would be the perfect addition .  Your guests are sure to feel satisfied with this delicious dish!

Parmesan Chicken Fingers

Makes 4 Servings

 Ingredients:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • ¾ cup bran flakes cereal, finely crushed
  • 1/3  cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 ½ tablespoons ground flaxseeds
  • 1 teaspoon of dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

 

Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.  Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  2. Season the chicken with pepper.
  3. Whisk the egg whites in a shallow bowl.  Combine the crushed bran flakes, cheese, flaxseeds, basil, and garlic powder on a plate.
  4. Dip the chicken tenderloins into the egg, shaking off any excess, and toss in the bran flake mixture.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until no longer pink and the juice run clear.
Posted on

Peanut Butter-Banana Spirals

We love these peanut butter-banana spirals as a mid morning or afternoon snack.  It’s the perfect recipe to get your little chefs involved in the kitchen!  

 

Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of natural peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup of vanilla yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon of orange juice
  • 2 ripe bananas, sliced
  • 4 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons of honey-crunch wheat germ
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1.  Combine peanut butter and yogurt, stirring until smooth.

2. Drizzle orange juice over banans, toss gently to coat.

3. Spread about 3 teaspoons of peanut butter mixture over each tortilla, leaving 1/2 border.

4. Arrange 1/3 cup of banana slices in single layer over peanut butter mixture.

5. Combine wheat germ and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over banana slices.

6. Roll up tortillas and slice each roll into six pieces.

The recipe and photo used in this post were courtesy of Cooking Light. To see the originally posted recipe please click here.

Posted on

Hearty Bean and Barley Soup

Are you getting chilly from the cold weather?  Try this delicious soup recipe from Cooking Light.  We’re sure that you won’t mind the cold weather after you’re warmed up with this yummy meal!

Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light

 

Ingredients

  • 7 cups fat free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 (4-inch) rosemary sprigs
  • 1 (19-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped carrot 
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
  • 10 cup torn spinach leaves (about 4 ounces)
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

 

Preparation

1. Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes. Drain through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids.

2. Measure 1 cup beans, and mash with a fork in a small bowl. Reserve the remaining whole beans.

3. Heat oil in pan over medium heat.

4. Add onions, carrot, and celery; cook 4 minutes.

5.  Add broth mixture, mashed beans, whole beans, tomatoes, and barley; bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes.

7. Stir in spinach and black pepper; cook 5 minutes or until barley is tender.

8. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

*To ensure rich flavor, add garlic and herbs to canned broth for a homemade taste. Mashing a portion of the beans gives the soup extra body.

The recipe and photo used in this post were courtesy of Cooking Light. To see the originally posted recipe please click here.

Posted on

Walnut-Stuffed Apples

With the start of Winter fast approaching, we’ve been searching for few more Fall recipes to savor. We recently saw this wonderful recipe on Cooking Light for Walnut-Stuffed Apples and we had to share!

Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
  • 3 tablespoons dried currants
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  • 4 medium Granny Smith apples, cored
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup apple cider

 

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, stirring to combine. Peel top third of each apple; place apples in an electric slow cooker. Spoon walnut mixture into cavity of each apple.

Combine the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup brown sugar, and apple cider in a small bowl, stirring to combine. Pour over apples. Cover with lid; cook on LOW 2 3/4 hours. Remove the apples with a slotted spoon. Spoon 1/4 cup cooking liquid over each serving.

 

The recipe and photo featured in this post were provided by Cooking Light. To read the original recipe please click here.

Posted on

Fruity Baked Oatmeal: A breakfast my kids adore!

Fruity Baked Oatmeal: A breakfast my kids adore!
By Adina Pearson, RDN

Breakfast has long been my kids’ best meal. And by best I mean they tend to have good appetites and rarely reject anything.  It’s also the meal with the least variety, which my husband prefers and I do not.  I had been wanting to try baked oatmeal for some time, but just never got around to it.  Mostly because..let’s face it, baking always takes more time than a quick stove top boil and simmer.  Plus at least half the time my husband takes care of our morning pot of porridge so why fix what isn’t broken, right?

But my desire for variety got the best of me one day and we found a breakfast dish that all four of us love.

The first time I made it, I decided to add fruit to the bottom of the pan.

It did not disappoint and turned out quite pretty if I do say so myself!

The fruit has varied based on what I had available.  Usually blueberries and canned peaches.  The first few times I made this our family of four ate through at least 3/4 of a 9×13 pan.  It’s almost like a cobbler, but less rich and more breakfast-y.

*To read the rest of this blog please click here to be redirected to www.HealthyLittleEaters.com

Posted on

Pumpkin-Applesauce Muffins

Even though Halloween has passed, we are still enjoying pumpkin! Take a peek at this delicious recipe from our contributor Christie Caggiani!

Pumpkin-Applesauce Muffins
From the kitchen of Christie Caggiani, RDN, LDN, CEDRD

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 12

 

Serve with a glass of milk or Greek yogurt, and banana or other fruit for a quick breakfast or snack!  These are even better the next day, and they’re a super way to jazz up your kids’ palate when you mix-in some fruits and veggies.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup applesauce
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin
  • ¼ cup chopped raisins (optional)
  • ¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease 12 muffin cups, or line the cups with paper muffin liners.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.  Combine the brown sugar, oil, applesauce, pumpkin, buttermilk, and beaten eggs and mix until well blended.  Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Fold in the raisins and nuts, if desired.
  3. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared muffin pans.  Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool the muffin pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.

 

Other mix-in options: dried cranberries, granola, apple pieces, chocolate chips, pumpkin or sesame seeds, shredded carrots or zucchini, peanut butter….or get creative and try something new!

Posted on

Fun with Fall Flavors!

Fun with Fall Flavors!

With Halloween around the corner and the weather cooling down, there’s nothing better than mixing the wonderful flavors of fall into all your cooking! Chia pudding is a delicious and nutritious breakfast, but here I’ve switched it up and used Qi’a superfood blend, a combination of chia, buckwheat, and hemp seeds, to make a harvest breakfast pudding great for warming bellies on cold mornings!  

Photo courtesy of Natures Path

Qi’a Pudding
Serves 1

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Qi’a Superfood Mix
  • ½ cup almond milk (or your favorite milk)
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (plus more for garnish)
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice

Preparation

Combine Qi’a, almond milk, and pumpkin puree; let stand for five-ten minutes. In blender, mix Qi’a mixture, spices, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

Posted on

Rice Pudding

If you and your family like rice pudding, then we highly suggest trying out this recipe. Get your little chefs ready to help you make this tasty dessert!

Photo Credit: arsheffield via Compfight cc

Ingredients:

  • 2 quart 1% or 2% milk
  • ¾ cup white rice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • Optional toppings: almonds, pumpkin seeds, fresh blueberries, fresh strawberries

 

Method:

  1. Put milk, rice, vanilla, sugar, salt, and raisins into an enamel stockpot.
  2. Cook stockpot over medium flame, stirring constantly.
  3. When mixture thickens (approximately 45 minutes), mix in beaten egg.
  4. Pour mixture into serving dish and chill in refrigerator.
  5. Sprinkle cinnamon over top and serve.

 

Posted on

Qi’a Superfood Sesame Dressing

Photo courtesy of Qi’a

I recently attended an even where I met the kind people at Nature’s Path food company. We were able to discuss their products and share some great recipes. The following recipe features their Qi’a Superfood Breakfast Cereal. This recipe is delicious and a breeze to make, we hope you enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Qi’a

Qi’a Superfood Sesame Dressing
Makes: 2 servings

  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp tahini butter
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • ¾ tbsp tamari sauce
  • 1 tsp Qi’a
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • ¼ tsp fresh lemon juice

 

Mix all the ingredients together and serve immediately with a crudité or fresh salad.

 

Suggested crudité:

  • Cucumber
  • Celery
  • Carrots
  • Red bell peppers

Suggested fresh salad:

  • Spinach
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Toasted Sesame seeds

 

 

*The recipe and photographs within this post were provided by Nature’s Path.

Posted on

Fourth of July Fruit Kabobs

Happy 4th of July! To celebrate this summer holiday we wanted to share a quick, easy, and fun dessert. These red, white, and blue kabobs are both festive and delicious, plus they make a great activity for the family. We hope you enjoy!

Photo Credit: R.Duran via Compfight cc

Fourth of July Fruit Kabobs
Makes 10 skewers

Ingredients

  • 1 pint strawberries, rinsed and stems removed
  • 1 pint blueberries, rinsed
  • 3-4 bananas, cut into 1 inch-wide slices
  • 10 skewers
  • Other Options: marshmallows, watermelon, white cake cut into cubes

Method

  1. Place each fruit into their own bowls.
  2. Have your kids add fruits and other items as they wish.
  3. They can be stored in the fridge until ready to eat.
  4. Tips: make it a learning activity and have your kids make patterns with the kabobs.

 

Take a page from The Kitchn’s book and make a flag to serve on a platter for dessert!