Breakfast That Fits

For those of us who are into fitness and health, breakfast does not need to be about eating the same thing day in and day out. You know the bland oatmeal that has no taste, or the fiber-rich cereal that feels like cardboard when it is going down; there is no need to continue down that path. Let’s take a look at a few ideas to keep breakfast healthy while still keeping an eye on the waistline.

Smoothie Satisfaction

Smoothies are great ways to get the servings that you need each day while keeping a watchful eye on your waistline. To top it all of, smoothies taste great too. Where else can you have a full day’s servings of fruits in one convenient glass? Believe it or not, smoothies are also a great way to get a bulk of your servings of vegetables. By adding greens to your smoothies, which do not have a lot of flavor, you can make a ridiculously looking green concoction, which tastes like a fruit smoothie and is loaded in vitamins and rich antioxidants.

On a warm summer morning, there is no better way to start out your day than with a deliciously chilled smoothie. Another great benefit about smoothies is that if you use any supplements, many of them can be combined into your smoothie so there is no extra flavor detected. This makes taking your vitamins and supplements a touch more enjoyable since you are overtaken with the strong fruit flavors.

Pasta Power

If you would rather have something warm to start your day, pasta is a great way to get the job done. Pasta is a complex carbohydrate, which means that it will break down over a longer period of time to form energy than sugar or simple carbohydrates will. Many cultures actually have pastas and grains for breakfast in order to provide the essential energy needed to get through the day.

Pasta is also very filling, much like oatmeal, so your cravings to much throughout the morning are substantially suppressed. The reason it is difficult to want to eat breakfast and still remain fit, is because most breakfast meals will leave you feeling hungry again by 10:00, not to mention, your body already out of energy. Pasta will help keep both of these issues in check and your waistline will stay there too.

Death before Decaf

Coffee is a well-received morning drink. Coffee, in its original state, is not bad for you. The issues arise when we add half a pound of sugar, some milk, a few squirts of caramel sauce and top it all off with whipped cream. While many people cannot take coffee in its unaltered form, a simple reduction in additives will make a huge difference in your fitness goals.

There is no reason to completely give up your creamers, sugars and other add-ons, but try cutting them in half for a week. If you are able to make it through, the full strength cup of joe will seem like you will go into a diabetic coma from the sugar overload. Don’t quit cold turkey, but do try to scale down your sugar consumption over time.

Sweet Lemon Poppy Doughnuts

What You Need:

1 C of flour
1/2 C sugar
1 tbsp poppy seeds
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/3 C of buttermilk
1/3 C of low fat plain yogurt
1 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon peel grated
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp confectioners’ sugar, divided

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 400 degrees and preheat.

Coat 6 (4 in) tube pans with a nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl mix together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, yogurt and oil.

Stir in the lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla.

Stir the mixture into the dry ingredients until just moistened through.

Dust the tube pans with 1 tsp of the confectioners’ sugar.

Pour the batter evenly into the 6 prepared pans.

Bake 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes then move to wire racks to cool completely.

Dust with the remaining confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Makes 6 servings

Who says you can’t eat doughnuts when you’re trying to eat healthy? This recipe shows you that you can enjoy some of those temptations. Just don’t eat too many at one time. Freeze any you have leftover to enjoy on another day.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)

Calories 199; Fat 4g; Saturated Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 36g; Fiber 1g; Protein 5g; Cholesterol 37mg; Sodium 341mg

Super Quick Healthy Waffles

What You Need:

1 1/4 C of flour
1/4 C of wheat bran
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 egg white
1 1/2 C of skim milk
2 tbsp canola oil
1/3 C of pecans, chopped

How to Make It:

Preheat the waffle iron.

Place the flour, wheat bran, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and stir to combine.

Whisk together the egg, egg white, milk and oil in a separate bowl.

Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture well.

Fold in the pecans.

Cook as directed by the manufacture for your specific waffle iron.

Makes 6 waffles

These waffles are to die for. The pecans give them the perfect touch. Top your waffles with honey or sugar free preserves or better yet add fresh fruit to the top for the perfect start your morning off right breakfast.

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Cooking Time: determined by the manufacturer of you waffle maker
Total Time: approximately 10 minutes + cooking

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 253; Fat 11g; Saturated Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 28g; Fiber 2g; Protein 8g; Cholesterol 37mg; Sodium 344mg

Healthy Heart Kids – Chicken Recipes

By Kiera S. Campbell

In recent times, a revolution has been happening in kitchens in households everywhere - and that is a revolution towards raising healthy heart kids. It is alarming to note how people who are afflicted with heart disease and diabetes are becoming younger and younger. And what’s sad about it is that these diseases are easily preventable with the right diet and an active and healthy lifestyle.

We all know that the earlier we can teach our kids to enjoy healthy food, the greater our chances of lowering their risk for these deadly diseases. According to “Yummy Healthy Tummy: The Secrets of Raising Healthy Kids Every Parent Needs to Know”, with the right mindset and tools, parents can teach children to make healthy food choices and to actually love and enjoy healthy food. It all starts in the home, though, in our kitchens and on our dining tables.

One popular food item that can be our ally in the goal of raising healthy heart kids is skinless chicken breast. Chicken breast is known as the leanest part of the chicken. Using this portion in your chicken based dishes can help keep cholesterol levels in check.

Here are a couple of chicken based recipes you can try today:

Cheesy Chicken Pasta.

Ingredients:

8 oz whole wheat penne
2 cups cauliflower florets (1/2 inch)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
3 cups milk
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
¾ teaspoons of salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 cups shredded cooked (or poached) chicken breast (turkey can also be a substitute)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallion greens.

Procedure:

1.Cook penne, and cauliflower until pasta and florets are tender – a good 9 minutes. Drain, rinse, and et aside.

2.In a large saucepan, heat oil and sauté onion. Add just a little water (about 1/8 cup will do).

3.In a bowl, whisk milk, flour, salt and pepper; add this to the onion.

4.Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook until thickened for about a minute.

5.Stir in cheese until smooth.

6.Put in chicken and mustard into sauce and cook for not more than 5 minutes. Stir sauce into pasta and cauliflower. Sprinkle chives on top.

Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce.

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken breast - cut into chunks
1 cup white bread crumbs
¼ cup of milk
1 large egg white
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can whole tomatoes.

Procedure:

1.For the meatballs, ground chicken in food processor. (Note: You can buy ground chicken, but sometimes they include chicken skin. So to make sure that its fat-less, it would be best to do it yourself.)

2.Put in bread crumbs, milk, egg white, cheese, oregano, salt and pepper. Shape into 12 meatballs.

3.Cook in skillet and olive oil until golden brown.

4.Puree tomatoes, add to meatballs and bring to a boil. Simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

5.Remove cover and cook for 15 minutes more while still simmering.

Delicious and healthy chicken recipes need not have extravagant ingredients. Your child will now realize that eating healthy also doesn’t mean having meals that taste bad. And these simple dishes are evidence of that.

Looking for more tips like these on cooking healthy for kids? Head on over to http://bit.ly/f9Fdg5 to get more tips and information not only on how you can serve healthy food to your kids, but more importantly, on how you can get your kids to LOVE eating healthy.

Remember, healthy eating is the best weapon we can leave our children with that will help them live longer and healthier lives free from diseases like obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart attacks. Start now while your kids are still young!

Sunshine Muffins

What You Need:

1/3 C of butter, room temperature
Splenda to equal 1/2 C of sugar
1/2 C of regular sugar
4 egg whites
2 tbsp lemon peel, grated
2 C of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 C of fat free plain yogurt

How to Make It:

Allow the oven to preheat to 375 degrees.

Spray a muffin tin well with a nonstick cooking spray or use paper liners.

Beat the butter, sugar substitute and regular sugar together until crumbly.

Beat in the egg whites.

Add the lemon peel and stir until well combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and baking soda.

Alternating between the flour mixture and yogurt add a little a time stirring after each addition.

Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full of the batter.

Bake 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes in the pan then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 muffins

These muffins are sure to add a little sunshine to anyone’s morning. The smell of them baking will have everyone up and ready to start their day. They do have a distinct lemon flavor so if you’re not a fan of lemon these muffins may not be for you.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 30 minutes plus cooling

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per 1 muffin)

Calories 171; Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 3g; Carbohydrates 27g; Fiber 1g; Protein 4g; Cholesterol 14mg; Sodium 186mg

Breakfast This, Not That

Breakfast is considered by many to be the most important meal of the day. This means that, depending on what you decide to eat for breakfast, can either make your day or it can hinder your performance. Let’s take a look at a few types of food that you should pick above some of the all-time favorites.

Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast sandwiches are great. They are convenient, portable and incredibly delicious. More breakfast sandwiches are sold at fast food restaurants than any other menu item during the morning rush. The fast food versions of these delicious deli creations are usually loaded with saturated fats and sodium. In order to keep the sandwiches fresh, artificial preservatives are used and the process to heat the sandwich back up is no less invasive, usually involving a deep fryer or a heat lamp.

A great alternative to this morning food is to either buy a breakfast sandwich from a deli, such as your local grocery store or bakery, or make one yourself. Either of the above choices will be fine because truly fresh ingredients will be used and the sandwich will not need to be stored for any length of time.

Toaster Turmoil

The toaster is considered king of morning heating rituals. From the goo-filled toaster pastries to the soggy, meat and bread combinations, the toaster can cook just about anything. Make it a toaster oven and in fact, it can cook anything. The toaster does not need to be looked upon with disdain and remorse any longer. There are better ways to make use of the heat your toaster wants to provide for you.

Freezing food that you cook is a great way to make use of a toaster’s heat in the morning. Frozen pancakes or waffles are a great start to your day and do not need to be pre-packaged to make it to your table. The next time you are on the hunt for a good breakfast, reach into your freezer, bypass the goo pastries and opt for a home cooked meal with a frozen pancake or waffle.

Substitutes

When you are able, try and substitute healthy foods for the not so healthy ones. For instance, instead of slathering your toasted waffles with sugary syrup, try smearing them down with peanut butter and a little honey, or perhaps some cream cheese and jelly. There are many substitutions that are just as yummy and much healthier than the typical way we, as Americans, choose to do breakfast.

Whether you are making your own breakfast sandwich, toasting up the perfect breakfast or making sure you are sticking to healthy choices, just remember there has to be a better way. Keeping your health on your mind at all times will aid in making sure you choose the right breakfast food to give you the perfect start to your day.

Straight from the Freezer Breakfast Wraps

What You Need:

1 lb. turkey Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
4 (8 oz.) cartons of frozen egg substitute, thawed
1 (4 oz) can of green chili peppers, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
10 (8 in) flour tortillas
1 1/4 C of salsa

How to Make It:

Allow the oven to preheat to 350 degrees.

Spray a 13X9 baking dish with cooking spray.

Place the sausage into a nonstick skillet placed over medium heat.

Cook the sausage for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned through.

Drain well and transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Spread the red pepper and onion over the top of the sausage.

Place the egg substitute into a bowl.

Add the green chili peppers and chili powder and stir until blended well.

Pour the mixture over the top of the sausage.

Bake for 30 minutes or until set.

Remove and break up the mixture with a spoon and let cool.

Spread 2/3 C of the mixture down the center of each tortilla and top with salsa.

Fold one end of the tortilla over the sausage mixture.

Fold the two sides over to form the wrap.

Place in individual freezer bags and freeze.

To reheat just remove from the freezer and place in the microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 10 wraps

Who says eating healthy can’t be done on the run? With these tasty wraps it more than just a possibility. Be sure to let the sausage mixture cool completely before assembling and freezing your wraps.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 40 minutes
Total Time: approximately 55 minutes + cooling

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per wrap)

Calories 277; Fat 7g; Saturated Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 30g; Fiber 2g; Protein 21g; Cholesterol 27mg; Sodium 893mg

Spiced Morning Sausage

What You Need:

1 tart apple, peeled, cored and shredded
1/2 C of brown rice, cooked
2 tbsp onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1 lb. extra lean ground turkey

How to Make It:

Place the apples, rice, onion and garlic into a bowl and toss to combine.

Season the mixture with the sage, salt, pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper and allspice.

Crumble the turkey into the mixture and mix with your hands until well combined.

Form the mixture into 8 equal size patties.

Coat a skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat.

Add the patties and cook 5 minutes.

Turn and continue cooking 5 minutes or until the juices run clear when poked with a fork.

Makes 4 servings

Believe it or not all ground turkey is not the same. Always be sure to read the label when purchasing your ground turkey especially if you’re watching your fat intake. A one pound package of regular ground turkey can have up to 68 grams of fat but a one pound package of extra lean ground turkey can have only 4 grams of fat.

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 20 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 111; Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 6g; Fiber 1g; Protein 10g; Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 348mg

Corporate Breakfast Conundrum

If you lead the corporate lifestyle, you understand how difficult it can be to have a proper breakfast. Just because you are working your way up the corporate ladder, doesn’t mean that you have to skip out on a great breakfast. Actually, being in the corporate world gives you a better chance to grab a healthy breakfast if you make wise decisions and do not rely solely on speed.

Better than Doughnuts

Doughnuts are quick, easy, and oh so yummy. However, those doughnuts are packed with fats, sugars and simple carbohydrates that all lead to the bottom line; your bottom line. Sure, you don’t have a lot of time while running out of the door to make something healthy for yourself, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat junk all day.

There are plenty of healthy options to choose from, rather than the sugar-laden doughnut. You could have just as easily grabbed a bagel from your freezer, a banana or apples and some peanut butter, or perhaps even a frozen waffle you previously made. While a donut seems good at the time, it is filled with fats and sugars that will give your metabolism a quick boost, but then drop your energy off the side of the desk as the sugar high comes crashing down.

Vindictive Vending Machine

The vending machine is another bottomless pit when it comes to corporate jobs. It is so easy to get up from your desk, reach into your pocket and get back to work with cheesy orange fingers or a look of pure chocolate bliss on your face. The vending machine is no way to get your morning meals in hand. If you are a sucker for the peanut butter crackers, bring your own from home. Pack some peanut butter along with some basic crackers and even throw in a few slices of cheese. It turns out you have a better snack then you could ever get from B3.

There are many options to replace your vending machine craving with simple foods from your home. Plain popcorn sprinkled with a little cheese powder can make a great snack and can be popped fresh in your office instead of sitting inside a sealed baggie for who knows how long. Your other options are packing some healthy chips or even veggies and dip to bring with instead of hitting the vending machine to cure your breakfast hunger.

Don’t Forget Your Briefcase

Believe it or not, your briefcase can actually double as a highly sophisticated breakfast traveling compartment. Within the slim walls, you have the ability to carry everything you need for a completely balanced and healthy breakfast. Just think about it, you can easily toss in a cereal bar, banana and a pouch of V8. Your briefcase is a great way to store your breakfast foods while still allowing you a free hand for coffee or the paper.

Your breakfast is the most important part of your day. Even if you are wound up in the corporate race, there is always time for a decent breakfast, whether it is a bagel from the freezer, some popcorn and pretzels or a whole spread from the comfort of your briefcase. Work should not interfere with your health and your health starts with good choices for breakfast.

Ranch Scrambled Eggs and Cheese

What You Need:

8 egg whites
6 eggs
4 tbsp of reduce fat ranch salad dressing
3 tsp brown mustard
1/4 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 C low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

How to Make It:

Place the egg whites and eggs in a bowl and whisk until well blended.

Slowly whisk in the ranch dressing.

Add the mustard, parsley and garlic powder and whisk until blended in well.

Place the oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat.

Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook 2 minutes or until almost set.

Sprinkle in the cheese and stir to combine.

Cook 1 minute longer or until the eggs are completely set and the cheese has melted.

Makes 4 servings

Using only the egg whites instead of using all whole eggs cuts the cholesterol in this recipe. If you’re not watching your cholesterol it’s still good for you. This allows you a larger serving while keeping your cholesterol at the right levels.

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 3 minutes
Total Time: approximately 13 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 251; Fat 16g; Saturated Fat 4g; Carbohydrates 4g; Fiber 0g; Protein 21g; Cholesterol 31mg; Sodium 496mg

Peaches and Cream Delight

What You Need:

1 (15 oz) can of sliced peaches in light syrup, drained well
1 1/2 C of fat free cottage cheese
4 oz. of cream cheese, cubed
Splenda to equal 1 tbsp of sugar

How to Make It:

Slice 4 of the peaches very thin and set aside.

Place the remaining peaches into the blender.

Add the cottage cheese and process until well blended.

Add in the cream cheese and Splenda and blend until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into 4 serving cups and garnish with the reserved peach slices.

Makes 4 servings

This refreshing breakfast is easy to throw together but is full of protein. It’s a refreshing way to start out your day. Try it with apricots or pears for something a little different each time you make it.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)

Calories 127 ; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 15g; Fiber 1g; Protein 15g; Cholesterol 6mg; Sodium 443mg

Make Your Own Egg Substitute

What You Need:

3 egg whites

2 tbsp nonfat dry instant milk powder

1 tsp water

2 drops of yellow food coloring

How to Make It:

Place the egg whites into a small bowl.

Add the dry milk powder and whisk to blend in well.

Add the water and food coloring and stir until blended in.

Makes 1 serving

When it comes to healthy eating eggs can cause us both heartache and dietary problems. With this recipe you can always have your egg substitute on hand. This recipe can be double or even tripled if necessary

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 64; Fat 1g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 5g; Fiber 0g; Protein 10g; Cholesterol 2mg; Sodium 156mg

Working Parents’ Breakfast

If you are a working parent, you know how busy the mornings can get. Trying to get everyone dressed, book bags packed, lunches packed, sanity packed and get out of the door before the bulk of rush hour can lead to the no-breakfast conundrum. As studies have shown, breakfast is probably the most important part of the day because it has the only chance to wake you up and get your body’s metabolism working in a positive direction right from the start. Let’s take a look at a few ideas for some quick and easy breakfast ideas for working parents.

One-handed Wonder

If you are the type of person who gets kids dressed with one hand while trying to pack lunches with the other, then you know how important a free hand can be. There are plethoras of breakfast options that only take up one hand and are pretty mobile when it comes to multitasking. For the simple breakfast ideas, you can always go with the staple foods, like bagels and toast, but if you want something with a little more pizzazz, try a breakfast wrap or perhaps even make your own French toast sticks.

Another idea would be to make pancake tacos. By taking a pancake that is not all the way cool, spread some peanut butter across it, lay down a little honey, fold it in half like a taco and ad some diced bananas. The breakfast is not only one handed, but it is simple, delicious and well-rounded way to start your day.

Easy Clean Up

Another big vice of working parents is a big breakfast that leaves a big mess. It is not fun to come home at the end of the day to a kitchen that looks like a tornado came through. No-mess breakfasts are great go-to ideas for working parents who are in a rush to get out the door.

These types of breakfasts can include frozen biscuits, some fruit and a cereal bar and even a breakfast burrito, if done correctly. Sure, you might have to wash a pan or two, but the trick for all of these breakfast ideas is to make something that can be transported in a paper towel or in a Ziploc baggie.

Break. Fast.

If you were to ask any working parent what the absolute must-have trait of a great breakfast is, you would probably get one word; fast. If breakfast wasn’t designed for those people on the go, then it would have been called breakslow or take-a-snooze-meal. Ok, you get the point. Breakfast is meant to be a quick meal that is ready to go for those people who are constantly on the go.

Great ideas for quick meals include popping a couple frozen pancakes or waffles in the toaster while you do your hair or tie your shoes. Another great idea is making a fruit medley with some apples, grapes and bananas. In the section above, we mentioned breakfast burritos; prepare the ingredients the night before and all you have to do is combine and heat. Try and think of a couple things that you can prepare the night before so that all you have to do is warm them up and enjoy.

No matter where you have to be, however quickly you have to be there, breakfast is always do-able. All it takes is a little prior planning and some down-home creativity and you can serve your speedy family a great breakfast on the go.

Honey Orange French Toast

What You Need:

3 tbsp of butter, melted
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 C of orange juice
8 slices of bread

How to Make It:

Preset the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Spray a baking dish well with a nonstick cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, honey and cinnamon.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out to coat the bottom completely.

Place the eggs and orange juice into a shallow bowl and blend together well.

Soak the bread slices in the egg mixture well and place into the prepared baking pan.

Bake 15 minutes or until a golden brown.

Makes 4 servings

This is a much healthier take on French toast than most recipes. Top your French toast with a little extra honey and add slices of oranges on the side.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 30 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per 2 piece serving)

Calories 158; Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 23g; Fiber 0g; Protein 6g; Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 231mg

Homemade Bacon and Egg Sandwich

What You Need:

2 eggs
1 tsp skim milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 slices of Canadian bacon
1 English muffin, split and toasted
2 tbsp low fat cheddar cheese, shredded

How to Make It:

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together well.

Spray 2 microwave safe custard cups with non stick cooking spray.

Pour the egg mixture into the 2 prepared cups.

Microwave the eggs on high for 20 seconds.

Stir and continue microwaving on high for 20 seconds or until the center of the eggs are almost set.

Place 1 slice of the bacon on each of the English muffin pieces.

Top the bacon with the egg mixture.

Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the eggs.

Place on a microwave safe dish and microwave for 10 seconds or until the cheese has melted.

Let stand 1 minute before serving.

Makes 2 servings

This tasty breakfast sandwich is much healthier than the fast food sandwiches and tastes better too. Using the microwave shortens the cooking time so your sandwich is ready to eat when you are.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)

Calories 179; Fat 8g; Saturated Fat 3g; Carbohydrates 14g; Fiber 1g; Protein 12g; Cholesterol 223mg; Sodium 673mg

Baking Recipes – For Kids Only

By Kiera S. Campbell

Baking Recipes – For Kids Only

Baking is one of the best activities you can get your child into. Why? That’s because baking is usually the safest and closest thing to cooking for kids, especially the young ones. As you encourage them to delve into cooking and/or baking, this can bring joy not only to you but to your child as well. (Remember, your child is innately curious about a lot of things, baking included.)

Aside from being a fun activity that you and your kids can get into, getting kids involved in the kitchen can help teach them how to make healthy food choices. According to “Yummy Healthy Tummy: The Secrets of Raising Healthy Kids Every Parent Needs to Know”, it is one of the many ways you can try to get children to try, enjoy and prefer healthy food.

Here are some simple recipes that your kids can help you make. If they’re a bit older and are responsible enough to use the oven by themselves, they can even do this on their own.

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:
2 and ½ cups of flour
1 tablespoon of flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup of sugar
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ cup melted and cooled butter
1 cup of milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 and ½ cup of blueberries.

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grease muffin pan (preferably 12 cups).

3. Combine 2 1/2 cups of flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

4. In a different bowl, combine butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Add this to the flour mix and stir until you achieve a moist consistency. Do not over-stir.

5. In a separate bowl, combine blueberries with a tablespoon of flour; add to the batter.

6. Place in muffin tin. Sprinkle the tops with sugar and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Brownies

Ingredients:
¾ cup of melted butter
1 and ½ cups of sugar
1 and ½ teaspoon of vanilla
3 eggs
½ cup of cocoa powder
¾ cups of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of baking powder
1 cup toasted nuts (chopped)
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Procedure:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grease a 13x9 baking pan.

3. First, beat butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Add cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Add nuts and chips.

4. Pour into pan and bake for 20 to 22 minutes.

Devil’s Food Cupcakes

(Note: An electric mixer will make your job easier. You can also let the older kids time the mixing and have them operate the device.)

Ingredients:
1 and ¾ cups sifted cake flour
1 ¼ cups of sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons of baking soda
½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of vegetable shortening
1 cup of milk
3 eggs
1 and ½ teaspoons of vanilla.

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Combine flour, sugar, salt, cocoa and baking soda in a large bowl. Add shortening and ¾ cup of milk. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer (preferred) for half a minute to combine, then 2 minutes on high speed.

3. Add remaining milk, eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes.

4. Put in muffin paper cups half full.

5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool on wire racks.

Looking for more tips like these on cooking healthy for kids? Head on over to YummyHealthyTummy.com to get more tips and information not only on how you can serve healthy food to your kids, but more importantly, on how you can get your kids to LOVE eating healthy.

Remember, healthy eating is the best weapon we can leave our children with that will help them live longer and healthier lives free from diseases like obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart attacks. Start now while your kids are still young!

Hash Brown Omelet

What You Need:

1 onion, chopped
1/2 C green pepper, chopped
1 3/4 C frozen hash browns, thawed
2 C egg substitute
1/4 C of water
1/8 tsp pepper
3 slices of low fat American cheese

How to Make It:

Spray a skillet well with a nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat.

Add the onions and green peppers and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender.

Stir in the potatoes and cook 5 minutes longer.

Place the egg substitute, water and pepper into a bowl and whisk until well blended.

Pour the mixture over the onions and peppers.

Cook 5 minutes and as the eggs set lift the edges so the uncooked egg can set.

Lay the slices of cheese onto one half of the cooked egg.

Fold the egg over the top of the cheese.

Cook the omelet 1 minute longer or until the cheese melts.

Makes 4 servings

This omelet doesn’t need any added meat to be filling or to taste good. For something a little different add chopped tomatoes into the egg mixture before pouring it into the skillet.

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 11 minutes
Total Time: approximately 31 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 239; Fat 7g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 23g; Fiber 0g; Protein 21g; Cholesterol 9mg; Sodium 457mg

Breakfast Getaway

If you have ever been sitting in your living room, wishing you were somewhere else, breakfast is the perfect time to make that imaginary getaway happen. There are so many different cultures and almost all of them do breakfast in a new and exciting way. Let’s take a look at a few different cultures and how they set their tables for the morning ritual we call breakfast.

Turkey

The typical staple of a Turkish breakfast is the coffee, which everyone is familiar with. If you are not a coffee drinker, tea, served in glasses, not teacups, is a close second. For sustenance the Turkish cuisine only provides a few options for morning meals. One of the favorites is a simple loaf of bread, some softened butter and honey, which are mixed together to make a simple spread.

Australia

Australia has a close relationship with England, so many of the breakfast foods are the familiar eggs, bacon and cereal. There are however, idiosyncratic food combinations, which make Australia unique in the breakfast category. If you are up for a taste bud challenge, try toast, topped with either spaghetti or baked beans and bacon.

China

In China, breakfast begins at an early hour and is extremely light. The typical breakfast consists of a small amount of rice, or other grain, supplemented with vegetables and sometimes meat. Fish is the most common protein in these breakfast dishes and a great way to start off the morning with a large dose Omega 3 fatty acids. While tea is the popular drink, often times there are no drink served with the meal.

Greece

Like China, breakfast in Greece is not a large meal and is typically made up of fresh fruits, fresh baked rolls and a little yogurt. Coffee is a big staple and can be ordered in three basic levels of sweetness; sketo without sugar, metrio medium sweetness, or glyko very sweet. While usually sweet, the coffee is never served with milk. Many people supplement breakfast with a mid-morning snack which usually includes bread, meat and cheese.

Bulgaria

A typical Bulgarian breakfast might include sesame bread, butter, cheese made from sheep’s milk, honey, olives, tomatoes and, most importantly, yogurt. With one of the largest centenarian populations, Bulgarian breakfasts are typically seen as one of the healthiest and well-rounded breakfasts in the world.

There are over 190 countries in the world, which means you can try a different breakfast every day of the year and not even circle the globe twice. Take a trip from the comfort of your own kitchen and see what kind of journey a simple breakfast can take you on.

Good Morning Granola

What You Need:

2 C of old fashioned oats
1/2 C of coconut, flaked
1/2 C of toasted wheat germ
1/4 C of oat bran
1/4 C of sunflower seeds
1/4 C of almond slivers
1/4 C of pecan pieces
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 C of honey
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp orange peel, grated
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 C of dried cranberries
1/2 C dried apricots, chopped
3 tbsp of golden raisins

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 350 and preheat.

In a large bowl toss together the oats, coconut, wheat germ and oat bran.

Stir in the sunflower seeds, almond slivers, pecan pieces and sesame seeds.

In a separate bowl whisk together the honey, oil, orange peel, vanilla and salt.

Pour the mixture over the oat mixture and stir until well coated.

Spread the mixture out evenly into a 15X10 baking pan.

Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Remove and cool completely.

Stir in the cranberries, apricots and raisins.

Store the granola in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 7 cups

This is a great healthy on the run breakfast recipe. It’s low fat, full of fiber and ready to go whenever you don’t have time to make a sit down breakfast. Add any of your favorite dried fruits, nuts or seeds to give this granola exactly the taste you’re looking for.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/4 C serving)

Calories 132 ; Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 23g; Fiber 3g; Protein 3g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 57mg

Good for You Blueberry Crepes

What You Need:

2 egg whites
2/3 C of fat free milk
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 C of flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C of reduced sugar orange marmalade
1 C of unsweetened blueberries
Splenda, equivalent to 8 tsp of sugar
1/2 C fat free sour cream
1/8 tsp of cinnamon

How to Make It:

Place the egg whites, milk and oil in a bowl and whisk until well blended.

In a separate bowl combine the flour and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the egg white mixture and blend it in well.

Place the marmalade into a saucepan.

Stirring constantly, cook the marmalade over low heat until completely melted.

Remove from the heat and stir in the blueberries and Splenda.

Mix the sour cream and cinnamon together.

Coat a small skillet with cooking spray.

Place the skillet over low heat and add 2 tbsp of the batter.

Lift the pan to evenly coat the bottom with the batter.

Cook until the top is dry and the bottom is lightly browned.

Remove the crepe to a wire rack to cool and continue cooking the batter until all the batter is used.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Spread each of the crepes with 1 tbsp of the sour cream mixture.

Roll each crepe up over the mixture and place in a baking dish.

Spoon the blueberries over the top of each crepe.

Bake 15 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

This is a wonderful healthy breakfast to serve to your family on a lazy Sunday morning. Use raspberries, blackberries or strawberries in place of the blueberries if you prefer.

Preparation Time: approximately 25 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 40 minutes

Good for You Apple Syrup

What You Need:

1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 C unsweetened apple juice
Splenda to equal 4 tsp of sugar

How to Make It:

Place the cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg into a saucepan.

Stir in the apple juice until the mixture is smooth.

Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil.

Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened to your liking.

Remove from the heat and stir in the Splenda.

Makes 1 1/4 C

This is a great alternative to maple syrup. It tastes great and the calories are much lower than regular syrup. Try it on pancakes, waffles or your favorite French toast recipe.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 2 tbsp)

Calories 20; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 5g; Fiber 0g; Protein 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 1mg

Breakfast for Lazy Weekenders

Have you ever had one of those weekends, where you want something good for breakfast, but don’t feel like dirtying a bunch of dishes and taking a lot of time to fix something yummy? Let’s take a look at some great breakfast ideas for those who want to enjoy their weekend rather than slave over a hot stove.

Un-Cook

If you have ever had the opportunity to travel overseas, you know exactly what I am talking about. The breakfast spreads throughout Europe are incredible; and they don’t take a lot of time to prepare. In Germany, especially, the breakfast hours are mainly there to get you through to lunch. They focus more on spending time with the people they are surrounded with, rather than trying to stuff food into their face and get out of the door – the perfect lazy morning start.

The next time you head to the store, pick up a few croissants, maybe a little honey, some sliced meat – any of the hard meats will do, as well as turkey and ham – a little bit of cheese and top it all off with some grapes and a pint of yogurt. This breakfast has all of the substance that you will need and it is perfect finger food to sit and chat while munching.

Unconventional

While a simple, un-cooked spread will peak the interest of some people, a few adrenaline junkies out there like to try new things; even when they are being lazy. If you are feeling adventurous and are up for a morning out of the house, don’t choose the typical breakfast hangout; go for something new and exciting. See if there are any restaurants in your area that specialize in foreign cuisine and check if they serve breakfast. Go to the local Greek deli and pick up some of their pastries and some hummus, or perhaps stop by the French bakery and see what kind of new creations they are coming up with.

If you just want to lounge around in your pajamas all morning, not all is lost. The next time you are at the store, pick up some caviar or some pâté and have it with some crackers and tea. Simple, yet probably something you don’t have every morning. Add a little melon and some kefir to the mix and you have a pretty exciting, yet lazy, breakfast.

Uncomplicated

Sometimes the best lazy breakfasts come from what you already have on hand. While the well-standing favorite of college students is cold pizza, perhaps you have some rice and corn left over from dinner the night before. Mix those together in equal portions with a couple eggs and fry them up in a skillet (much like pancakes) to make an amazing fritter.

You can also do the same thing with mashed potatoes, stuffing and ham, making a bit of a nest for an egg to perch on top. Cook it on the stove and then pop it into the oven for about 10 minutes to end up with a breakfast any lazy weekender would be proud of. Take a look at what you have on hand and try out a few combinations. You will have fun and may even come up with a new favorite recipe for those lazy weekends.

Fruit and Nut Hot Cereal

What You Need:

5 C of water
2 C of seven grain cereal
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 C of unsweetened apple juice
1/4 C of dried apricots, chopped
1/4 C of dried cranberries
1/4 C of raisins
1/4 C of sugar free maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Chopped walnuts

How to Make It:

Place the water, cereal, apple and apple juice into a 5 qt. crock pot.

Stir in the apricots, cranberries and raisins.

Add the syrup, cinnamon and salt and stir to blend in well.

Cook the cereal on low for 8 hours or until the fruit has softened.

Sprinkle each individual serving with walnuts.

Makes 6 servings

All you have to do is throw the ingredients into the crock pot and in the morning you have a breakfast to die for. Use your favorite dried fruits and your favorite chopped nuts. After enjoying a bowl of this healthy cereal you’ll never look at breakfast the same way again.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)

Calories 185; Fat 3g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 37g; Fiber 5g; Protein 5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 120mg

French Toast Sandwiches

What You Need:

4 strawberries, sliced
1/2 firm banana, sliced
4 slices of French bread
1 egg
2 tbsp half and half
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp confectioners’ sugar

How to Make It:

Place the strawberries and bananas in a bowl and toss to combine.

Spread 1/4 C of the fruit onto 2 pieces of the French bread in a single layer.

Top with remaining French bread slices.

Set the remaining fruit aside.

Beat the egg, cream, cinnamon and vanilla in a shallow bowl.

Dip both sides of the sandwich into the mixture coating them well.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Place the sandwiches into the skillet and cook 4 minutes on each side or until the bread is golden.

Remove and sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar and top with the remaining fruit.

Makes 2 servings

It can be a little tedious dipping the sandwiches into the egg mixture so be very careful and take your time. They don’t have to be drenched just lightly soaked.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)

Calories 218 ; Fat 8g; Saturated Fat 2g; Carbohydrates 30g; Fiber 3g; Protein 7g; Cholesterol 114mg; Sodium 253mg

Crispy Baked Toast

What You Need:

1/2 C of egg substitute
1/2 C of skim milk
1/4 C of orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp nutmeg
12 sliced of French bread
1 1/2 C cornflakes, crushed

How to Make It:

Set the oven to 425 degrees and preheat.

Place the egg substitute, milk, orange juice and vanilla extract into a shallow bowl and whisk until well combined.

Sprinkle in the nutmeg and stir until blended in well.

Add the bread and soak for 5 minutes, turning once.

Place the cornflake crumbs into another shallow bowl.

Place the coated bread slices into the cornflake crumbs and coat both sides evenly.

Place the coated slices of bread into a casserole dish being sure they don’t overlap.

Bake for 10 minutes, turn and continue baking for 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Makes 6 servings

The cornflakes give this toast a nice little crunch. The orange juice, vanilla and nutmeg give it a wonderful good morning taste.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Soaking Time: approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 35 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 147; Fat 1g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 28g; Fiber 1g; Protein 5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 359mg

Creamy Ham and Cheese Omelet

What You Need:

1/2 C of sweet onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 C of egg substitute
1/2 C cooked lean ham, diced
1/4 tsp season salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
3 tbsp fat free cream cheese, cubed

How to Make It:

Place onion and oil into a skillet over medium heat.

Cook the onion, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until soft.

Add the egg substitute to the skillet, lifting the edges to let the uncooked egg flow underneath.

When the eggs are set, add the ham, salt, pepper and paprika to one half of the egg.

Place the cream cheese cubes on top.

Fold the omelet over the top of the filling.

Cover and cook 2 minutes longer or until the cheese has melted completely.

Makes 2 omelets

No need to flip these eggs while they are cooking. By lifting up the edges of the egg as it sets it will allow the uncooked egg to run underneath. This will cook the egg completely without the mess of trying to turn it over and over again.

Preparation Time: approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 15 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 215; Fat11g; Saturated Fat 4g; Carbohydrates 7g; Fiber 1g; Protein 22g; Cholesterol 23mg; Sodium 905mg

Breakfast Ideas for Busy Moms

Either you are one, or you have one. Moms are amazing; they never seem to slow down, let up or stop. Breakfast should not only give moms the energy they need to keep up with everyone, but shouldn’t slow them down either. Let’s take a look at a few different ideas that can keep mom on her toes while keeping up with her pace.

Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to start your day. They are fairly simple to make and even better to enjoy. All it takes is some high quality fresh fruit, possibly a little yogurt or milk and, well, just about anything else you want to throw in there. Many people blend in some protein powder, phytonutrients and even some vitamins.

The great thing about smoothies is that with a quick blend, you have a healthy, tasty beverage that doubles as a meal. The portability aspect of this breakfast idea is also a winner because it take a lot to spill a smoothie on your shirt; unlike coffee.

Frozen Ideas

Another great idea for the mom on the go is to make something in advance and freeze it. Homemade pancakes and waffles are great for this. The next time you cook breakfast, make a few extra and throw them in the freezer for safekeeping. When you realize that you are thirty minutes behind schedule getting out of the house, just pop a couple in the toaster while you put your shoes on. Voila, instant hot breakfast. Just spread with a little peanut butter and perhaps a banana and you are all set for a power-packed day.

A few other frozen ideas are biscuits and breakfast sandwiches. Many people pay lots of money for frozen biscuits, but you can freeze your own and pull them out for a quick thaw in a pinch. Those same biscuits can also be used to pre-make fantastic breakfast sandwiches, complete with sausage patties or even bacon. The meats used in the sandwich freeze pretty well stay moist during the gentle warming.

Keep It Simple

The best breakfast idea for busy moms is to keep it simple. While it may not be a fancy crepe or over-stuffed omelet, a simple breakfast of peanut butter, banana and a glass of milk will go a long way. It is important to keep your breakfast well rounded, but in all honesty, sometimes the simpler the better.

We all know that the same breakfast can get old fast, so having a selection of simple, yet healthy meals is important. While a quick microwavable pouch of instant oatmeal may not be the best breakfast, by adding some fruit and a little brown sugar, you can spice that boring bowl right up. Another quick and simple morning breakfast idea is a bagel done right; with cream cheese and a bit of fruit or honey to top it off.

No matter what you decided to do, whether it is making a smoothie, grabbing something pre-frozen or spicing up a daily staple, breakfast for busy moms should be exactly that. Break. Fast.

Cheesy Potato and Ham Breakfast

What You Need:

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 C of onion, chopped
1/2 tsp sage
2 tbsp of water
1 C of cooked lean ham, diced
3 C of frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 C of reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided
4 eggs
1 1/2 C of skim milk
1/4 tsp of salt

How to Make It:

Allow the oven to preheat to 350 degrees.

Place the apple into an ovenproof skillet.

Add the onion, sage and water and place over medium heat.

Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until tender.

Stir in the potatoes and ham.

Cook the mixture for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Remove the pan from the heat and quickly sprinkle half of the cheese over the top.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl.

Add the milk and salt and whisk until blended well.

Pour the mixture over the potatoes and ham but do not stir.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 6 servings

When sautéing the apples and onions or even with other vegetables or meat use water, broth or even unsweetened fruit juice instead of oil or butter for a healthier addition to your meals.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 55 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour 10 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 242; Fat 7g; Saturated Fat 3g; Carbohydrates 29g; Fiber 3g; Protein 16g; Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 541mg

Brunch Style Waffles

What You Need:

1 C of flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 C of skim milk
1/4 C of orange juice
1 tbsp butter melted
1 tsp orange peel, grated
1/8 tsp orange extract
4 egg whites
1 C of fresh blueberries

How to Make It:

Preheat the waffle iron.

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl and stir to combine.

In another bowl whisk together the egg yolk, milk, orange juice, butter, orange peel and extract.

Stir the mixture into the flour ingredients until just moistened.

In a small bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form

Gently fold the mixture into the batter.

Fold in the blueberries.

Pour the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions for you iron.

Makes 4 servings

These light and fluffy waffles make a great addition to any brunch. Make a double batch and freeze them for a quick on the go breakfast any day of the week. No need to add any syrup the fresh blueberries make them sweet enough.

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Cooking Time: according to the manufacturer of your waffle iron

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per 1 waffle serving)

Calories 235; Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 2g; Carbohydrates 40g; Fiber 1g; Protein 8g; Cholesterol 61mg; Sodium 301mg

Breakfast Mixed Vegetable Frittata

What You Need:

1 yellow squash, sliced thin
1 zucchini, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped
1 C of low fat mozzarella cheese
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 C feta cheese, crumbled
4 eggs
1 C of skim milk
1/4 tsp basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 375 and preheat.

Spray a 9 inch pie plate well with a nonstick cooking spray.

Place the squash, zucchini and onion into a microwave safe bowl.

Cover and microwave on high for 7 minutes or until tender.

Drain well and place in the prepared pie plate.

Top the vegetables with the mozzarella cheese and then the tomatoes.

Spread the feta cheese over the tomatoes.

Whisk the eggs, milk, basil, garlic, salt and pepper together well.

Pour the mixture over the top.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Makes 8 servings

This is a great way to use up all those extra garden vegetables. Use whatever mix of vegetables you have on hand.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 52 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour 17 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 126; Fat 7g; Saturated Fat 4g; Carbohydrates 6g; Fiber 1g; Protein 11g; Cholesterol 121mg; Sodium 316mg

Easy Kids Recipes #1: Frozen Chocolate Yogurt Mud Pie

By Kiera S. Campbell

Are you looking for easy kids recipes to keep your children busy? Kids just love to help out in the kitchen and cooking is a great and fun way to teach your children the importance of eating healthy. This is one delicious and nutritious dessert recipe that your kids will surely love to make and to eat.  And did I mention that it’s healthy, too?

This easy recipe for a dessert requires no cooking and is ideal even for your little preschooler. Once you’re comfortable making this recipe, feel free to experiment with various containers to create your own mud pie shapes. 

This recipe makes 1 Frozen Chocolate Yogurt Mud Pie that serves two.

What you’ll need:

5 cups plain yogurt
250g Chocolate cookie crumbs
4 tbsps Melted margarine
Soft, sweet fruits chopped in small pieces (mango, banana, etc.)

What you need to do:

1. In a large bowl, mix together your margarine and your cookie crumbs. We’re looking for a sticky moist consistency.

2. Next, line your container with this cookie crumb mixture. The bottom and the sides of your container should be covered with it (pretend you’re making a cup made of cookie crumbs).

3. Make sure you pack them in tightly and that it is around ¼” thick. A round container that is 4” in diameter and 3” in height is a good size, although you’re free to experiment with the shape and size of your mud pie.

4. Next, in another bowl, mix the plain yogurt and your fruit pieces together. The fruit pieces should be completely hidden inside the yogurt mixture.

5. Put the yogurt mixture into the cookie crumb mixture (like you’re filling the cup you made with yogurt).

6. Leave in the freezer to harden and freeze.

7. Once it’s frozen, it’s ready to serve. You may lift it out of your container or you may serve it in the container – your choice. If you want, you may also put fruit slices or sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

Healthy and easy kids recipes like this are fun to make. But are you able to teach your kids the importance of choosing healthy food all the time?

Kiera S. Campbell is the author of “Yummy Healthy Tummy: The Secrets of Raising Healthy Kids Every Parent Needs to Know!” She can teach you how you can help your children grow up to love and choose healthy eating for life. Visit yummyhealthytummy.com to learn more.

Breakfast Kabobs

What You Need:

1 apple cut into 1 inch chunks
1 pear, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tbsp of lemon juice
1 (8 oz) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained well
24 grapes
24 fresh strawberries

How to Make It:

Place the apple and pear chunks together in a mixing bowl.

Pour the lemon juice over the top and toss to coat the fruit well.

Divide the fruit into 12 portions that contain all of the different kinds of fruit.

Thread the fruit onto wooden skewers in any order you like.

Makes 12 kabobs

This is a fun way to get kids to eat fruit for breakfast or any time of the day. Make a special dip for their fruit kabobs. Mix fat free vanilla yogurt, flaked coconut and low sugar orange marmalade together for the perfect fruit kabob experience.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 15 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per 1 kabob serving)

Calories 52; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 12g; Fiber 0g; Protein 1g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 10mg

Back to School Breakfast

School is back in full swing, and boy, those mornings sure do go fast. It is important to have a good breakfast before the start of the morning rush, but sometimes it feels like you will never be able to fit it all in. Let’s take a look at some ideas to help you find time for the healthy way to start your back-to-school day.

Choose Your Breakfast

Don’t let your breakfast choose you. Just because you are in a rush, you should still have the option to choose what you want to eat. Many people hit up the vending machine or stop for the loaded box of doughnut holes on their way out the door and off to school. Basically, your circumstances should not determine what you are putting into your body and just because you are in a rush out the door, doesn’t mean you can’t have something better suited for your hunger.

One of the big on-the-go hits are pancakes. Of course, the time to mix and cook, as well as the sticky mess that comes with the delightful taste are often a deterrent from quick morning breakfast ideas. This should not be the case, if you would have taken a few minutes to stop and plan, pancakes would have been an easy breakfast idea on the go.

Plan

It takes a little thinking ahead, but if you can come up with a good plan, there is absolutely no reason you should ever have to surrender your breakfast desires for time constraints. Your breakfast can be exactly what you want, without all the fuss. Let’s take the pancake example above – if you would have mixed twice the batter and made twice the number of pancakes last time you fired up your griddle, you would have been able to store the extra pancakes in your freezer for just such a moment.

After you pancakes have cooled, you can layer them on a cookie sheet and stick them in the freezer to get an initial chill. After about two hours, they should be somewhat firm and ready to bag together for the busy morning. This helps keep the pancakes from sticking together once they are frozen solid.

Execute

Let’s follow up on that busy morning and the desire for pancakes, shall we? So you are in a rush and need to grab something quick; you want pancakes, but don’t have the time to make them. Then you remember that you have a bunch of frozen pancakes for this very situation. Pop a couple in the microwave or toaster for a few seconds and mix together a little peanut butter and some syrup.

Now, you have the great protein from the peanuts, as well as the great holding power so the syrup doesn’t go running down your arm when you take a bite. You have a perfect breakfast combination for that busy morning rush.

See, it doesn’t take much to have what you really want for breakfast, just a simple choice, a bit of a plan and some execution to make it all come together and you are all set. Now, grab your breakfast and get going. You have to get the kids to school in less than 30 minutes.

Breakfast Fruit Salad

What You Need:

2 C of fresh strawberries, sliced
2 C of grapes, halved
1 cantaloupe, cut into chunks
2 firm bananas, sliced
1/3 C of orange juice

How to Make It:

Place all the fruit in a bowl and toss to combine.

Pour the orange juice over the top and toss to coat well.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled through.

Stir before serving.

Makes 10 servings

Use any of your favorite fruits in this tasty breakfast dish. Use whatever type of pure fruit juice you have on hand. This dish works well for breakfast, as a side dish or even as an afternoon snack.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 1/2 C serving)

Calories 63; Fat 0g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 15g; Fiber 2g; Protein 1g;Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 5mg

Breakfast Bruschetta

What You Need:

10 slices of French bread
5 tsp of sugar, divided
6 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp almond extract
3/4 C of fresh blackberries
3/4 C of fresh raspberries
1/4 C of slivered almonds, toasted

How to Make It:

Preheat the broiler

Lay the bread onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Spray the top of the bread lightly with a nonstick cooking spray.

Sprinkle 2 tsp of the sugar evenly over the bread.

Broil 4 inches from the heat for 1 minute or until just lightly browned.

Place the cream cheese into a mixing bowl.

Stir the almond extract into the cream cheese until smooth.

Spread the mixture over the bread pieces.

Top each piece of bread with the berries and a few slivered almonds.

Makes 10 servings

This is a little different take on our favorite bruschetta. The sweet taste will have them asking for more. Use any combination of your favorite berries. For a special treat dust the top of the bruschetta with a little confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)

Calories 92; Fat 2g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 14g; Fiber 2g; Protein 4g; Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 179mg

Baked Pineapple Bacon

What You Need:

1 lb. Canadian bacon, sliced
1/4 C brown sugar, packed
1/4 C of unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 tsp ground mustard

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Place the bacon into the prepared baking dish.

In a bowl whisk together the brown sugar, pineapple juice and mustard.

Pour the mixture over the bacon.

Cover the dish and bake 25 minutes or until piping hot.

Makes 8 servings

This tasty breakfast meat’s aroma reminds you of a baked ham while it’s cooking. It tastes great and will be requested again and again. Feeding a crowd? This recipe can be doubled with no problems.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 2 piece serving)

Calories 97; Fat 3g; Saturated Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 8g; Fiber 0g; Protein 9g; Cholesterol 21mg; Sodium 555mg

Potluck Christmas Dinners

Christmas dinner is a tradition in many countries. Families and friends get together to share a meal and have some fun. This year, if you are hosting the Christmas dinner, try a new approach to the meal. Turn it into a potluck Christmas dinner.

Potluck is an old term dating back a few centuries. It is a meal brought to a gathering to be shared with others. This is exactly what you will be doing with a Christmas potluck dinner. In centuries past, potluck meals used whatever was available but here, we want a bit fancier fare for our dinner menu.

First, the guests can come together to decide what type of menu you are looking to serve. Don’t worry if schedules are too tight for a family meeting. Use email, text messaging, and good old Ma Bell to straighten out the Christmas dinner menu.

Setting a menu in advance avoids everyone bringing a dessert and no side dishes for the Christmas dinner meal. A true potluck would involve everyone bringing something of their choice, but for variety’s sake, make a list first. As each household chimes in on what they will bring, add it to a list and send it out. We want to avoid duplicates if we can.

The main course of turkey or ham or what have you can be cooked at the host home. It proves easier to have the turkey already on site as opposed to transporting him all around town. Another family member can purchase the turkey and come over to cook it at the host home for the Christmas dinner.

You’ll need a place to set up the Christmas dinner choices. Most potluck meals are served buffet style so everyone gets exactly what they want to eat. Depending on the number of Christmas dinner guests, you may need a table or two set up for the menu items.

Place cards next to each dish explaining what it is. Most will be self explanatory but the place cards do help for kids and non-traditional meals. Label the desserts as well.

The dining room table can be set as usual for a potluck Christmas dinner. After the blessing, everyone can form a line to get their food. Ask the dish maker to bring their own utensils for serving so you don’t have to use all of yours. Afterwards, everyone takes their own dish home to wash.

A potluck Christmas dinner saves time and money. Each dinner guest is responsible for a portion of the meal so no one has to do all of the preparation.

All In One Breakfast Bake

What You Need:

1 1/2 C of egg substitute
1/2 C fat free milk
3 1/2 C frozen O’Brien hash browns, thawed
1 1/2 C reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 C of sweet onion
4 tbsp cooked bacon, crumbled and divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp salt free seasoning blend
1/4 tsp chili powder
4 green onions

How to Make It:

Set the oven to 350 degrees and preheat.

Coat an 8 inch baking pan well with cooking spray.

Place the egg and milk into a bowl and whisk to combine.

Stir in the potatoes, 1 C of cheese, the onions and 2 tbsp of bacon.

Sprinkle with the salt, seasoning blend and chili powder and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Bake 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and bacon.

Return to the oven for 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Let stand 5 minutes then sprinkle the green onions over the top.

Makes 6 servings

How many of us love those great breakfast casseroles but don’t make them because they have to set in the refrigerator overnight? Not with this one. Just whip it up, bake and eat it all in less than an hour.

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 45 minutes
Standing Time: approximately 5 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour

Nutritional Information: (approximate value per serving)

Calories 219; Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 4g; Carbohydrates 25g; Fiber 3g; Protein 17g; Cholesterol 22mg; Sodium 682mg

Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Sometimes we need a quick breakfast as we run out of the door. Other times we need to spend a little while longer in the kitchen to make something extremely healthy. With today’s culture, very rarely do the two time frames merge into a quick AND healthy first meal. Let’s take a look at some ideas to consider while pondering this flitting idea of a quick and easy breakfast.

Get your servings

Ok, so your fried hash brown only took you a couple seconds to order and it contains potatoes; good job, you have effectively over-starched yourself while wasting money. Just because it came in a convenient package in under two minutes and has, what still somewhat resembles a vegetable doesn’t make it quick and healthy. One of the hardest things to keep in mind while working in the health-on-the-go routine is making sure we get all of our daily servings.

The morning is usually the best time to get your fruits, grains and dairy in, mostly because they are portable. It is easy to drink a glass of milk and grab a banana and an orange to take with us. Perhaps we carry a Tupperware of cereal or granola, along with some yogurt to work with us, it doubles as a nice “first break” from the monotony that is bound to pile up.

Think ahead

While this is probably the most difficult thing to do, because we are usually in the moment, thinking ahead can afford you both quick and health breakfasts. For instance, if you were to remember the night before that you wanted fruit and nut pancakes the next morning, you could actually mix all of the ingredients and store them in your fridge overnight. In the morning, turn on your pan and let it heat up while you are putting in a little more liquid to loosen up the batter. Believe it or not, you will actually have the pancakes you desire in less than 10 minutes.

Thinking ahead can also help when it comes to getting ready. If you were to set the timer on your coffee pot, and used the delay start function on your oven, you could actually have coffee and a hash brown and ham casserole ready for you by the time you got out of the shower and were dressed.

Use what you have

The reason why many breakfast ideas take so long to produce is because of the amount of work that needs to be done beforehand. In the last section, we talked about thinking ahead, well, this section will discuss what to do if you, like most people, forget to remember.

Say you had the best homemade stir fry last night. You threw together a ton of your favorite ingredients, such as bell peppers, onions, carrots and bamboo, and amazingly you have some uncooked ingredients left over. Now is the time to make use of the prep work you did the night before. Whip up a couple of eggs and make an omelet or a delicious egg and veggie scramble.

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The rest of the month our main focus will be on Easy Breakfast Ideas. This will include several articles and 30 free recipes.

WHFoods: No-Bake Apple Walnut Tart

WHFoods: No-Bake Apple Walnut Tart

A Christmas Dinner for Vegetarians

Tradition says that the centerpiece at a Christmas dinner is the turkey. For vegetarians, a turkey just won’t do. If you are vegetarians or have vegetarian friends attending your Christmas dinner, here are some ideas for vegetarian dishes to add to the menu.

There are different types of vegetarianism. You have traditional vegetarians who do not eat any meat or meat byproducts and then those who eat some dairy or seafood. Keep that in mind when cooking for them at Christmas dinner.

Add a few extra vegetable dishes, but watch the ingredients. Many people season their vegetables with some sort of meat. Forego that tradition this year and try some different spices to flavor the side dishes. Garlic is a good addition for asparagus and green beans.

Usually when a vegetarian is attending dinner, everyone brings a green bean casserole. While it is a good side dish, it isn’t a meal if five or six people bring a green bean casserole. Where is the variety? Other vegetables are great for Christmas dinner. How about a potato and corn chowder or a sweet potato casserole?

When it comes to the main course, you can still have turkey. If the vegetarians that you know eat seafood, add a pecan crusted salmon to the menu. It provides lots of protein and flavor. Salmon goes with green vegetables and any other side dishes you choose to bring.

Pasta is a dish that can be enjoyed by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Fettuccine Alfredo can be prepared using canned sauce. Have shrimp and diced chicken on the side so dinner guests can choose what they want to add to their pasta.

The point is not to make the vegetarian guest feel out of place at your Christmas dinner. Add menu items that everyone will enjoy but are also appropriate for any vegetarians in the group.

If the meal is a vegetarian gathering, fashion a turkey breast out of seasoned tofu to keep with tradition. Pair with cornbread stuffing and meatless gravy for added flavor. Tofu has the distinction of taking on the flavor of whatever it is cooked or prepared with.

Desserts are usually easier to manage. Remember to use soy milk in recipes that call for milk or try non-dairy recipes like a gelatin mold, cookies, or brownies. Another idea is to ask a few guests to supply the desserts for the Christmas dinner. Ask all guests to prepare desserts that don’t contain dairy or meat products.

Vegetarian Christmas dinner ideas help you prepare a feast that is friendly to those who don’t eat meat. While they understand that some people will be eating meat, be sure to provide them with good foods to choose from as well.

Planning a Christmas Dinner Party

Christmas is about spending time with family and friends to share the blessings of the season. One way to do that is hosting a Christmas dinner party for your friends. Here are a few tips when it comes to planning the perfect party for the holidays.

A Christmas dinner party is an elegant affair. People get a chance to dress up and mingle with coworkers and other friends in an adult setting. It is as much fun as it is formal.

1. Invite guests at least three weeks in advance. The Christmas engagement calendar fills up fast and you want to get your dinner party on the roster. Host a Christmas dinner party for your office department. For a dinner party that is purely personal, invite friends and their dates or spouses. Specify on the invitation that it is for adults only. This gives everyone time to find a sitter for their children.

2. Plan the menu. On the invitation ask if anyone has any special dietary concerns. There could be vegetarians in the group but here we are more concerned with food allergies or conditions such as diabetes. Plan the food courses accordingly so no one feels left out.

3. If everyone hasn’t responded a week out from the Christmas dinner party, contact them with a quick message just in case they forgot. For sit down formal dinners having an accurate head count is necessary to be sure there is enough food for everyone. As a standard rule of thumb, allot at least two pounds of food per person attending the dinner party.

4. Decide on cooking or catering. There is nothing wrong with catering a dinner party. Cooking can be an all day affair and no one wants to be stuck in the kitchen during their own dinner party. The host or hostess wants to mingle with the rest of the guests. If you decide to cook, keep the menu simple and opt for a buffet presentation instead of table service.

5. Set up the table and decorate a day in advance. This way, if anything is missing, there is time to go out and find it. Leave glasses until the last minute so they don’t gather lint and dust particles overnight. After setting the table, go ahead and clean up a bit especially in the common areas where guests will be mingling.

6. Lay out the food a half hour before guests arrive. If a caterer is handling the affair there are no worries there. For a home cooked buffet style dinner party, light the liquid fuel under the food pans half an hour before guest arrive so the food will be warm.

An elegant dinner party is a nice way to get to know coworkers away from the office or to relax with friends you don’t see much of during the year. Everyone has a chance to show off their best holiday clothes and share a few laughs.

Planning a Family Christmas Dinner

It is one of the two times a year that families are guaranteed to get together for a meal. Christmas dinner with family is a big deal in most households. But, this year, plan ahead so that more time is actually spent with the family and not slaving over a hot stove.

Planning saves not only time but money when it comes to having a family gathering. At Christmas, most families are filled with good cheer and a longing to reconnect. Let the family Christmas dinner be the culmination of that celebration.

Here are a few tips to help that dinner turn out to be a delight instead of a disaster.

1. Find out who is coming. We are talking about family so most people will probably attend. But, there will be the person who has to work or is out of town and can’t make it because of the weather (it does snow in a few places around Christmas!).

2. Ask everyone to bring something. Obviously if they are traveling by plane that will be difficult, but for family members who are driving in or live nearby, it is okay to ask them to bring a vegetable dish or a dessert to the Christmas dinner. The others can pitch in on the preparations when they arrive.

3. Make side dishes in advance of the Christmas dinner. We all like to sit and smell the delightful flavors wafting from the kitchen but that’s impractical when serving dinner to a sizable group. Before you know it, the entire house would be overheated and there would be dishes piled up in the sink for someone to wash. Fix and freeze as many side dishes as you can. A few hours before the meal, take them out and warm them up.

4. Cook the turkey early. Turkey is the main course at most traditional Christmas dinners. Roasting the turkey early leaves plenty of room in the stove to fix smaller dishes together. It takes several hours for a turkey to cool completely, so by dinnertime, it will still be warm enough to serve without reheating the entire bird.

5. Serve dinner buffet style. Let everyone serve themselves. Have a communal blessing over the food and then whoever is hungry can eat. It is not the sit down at the table dinner we all envision from our youth, but it is more practical. Some people like to eat early and some will be watching sports on television.

Planning a Christmas dinner for the family is about the fellowship as much as it is about the meal. Use the above tips to share the cooking and spend more time reminiscing with family and friends.

The Christmas Buffet

When the family gets together over the holidays, everyone wants to eat. It’s a fact of life that most gatherings occur over food. This year, hold a Christmas buffet to avoid leftovers filling up the fridge.

The sit down dinner seems to be a tradition at Christmas time. Everyone gathers around a large table (or two) and shares good times. But, who says that every dish known to man has to be on that table? This year, enjoy your Christmas dinner buffet style.

There are benefits to buffet style dining at Christmas and other holidays:

· Few if any leftovers

· Easier cleanup

· Everyone can reach everything – no passing involved

· It’s fun

Even if you have a small space, you can set up a buffet. The main course tables can be positioned in the dining area. Desserts can stay in the kitchen displayed on the counters. Keeping drinks on the table avoids everyone clamoring for them at once and spilling them.

As the host or hostess, you and your family can serve the buffet meal or allow everyone to fill their plates as they please. If you are on a budget and have counted out servings per person, it might be better if you served portions to everyone. So that you get your food also, create your dinner plates in the kitchen and bring them out to eat with everyone after the meal has been served.

The items needed to host a Christmas buffet style dinner can be purchased inexpensively at your local party store. You will need:

· Liquid fuel (Sterno)

· Buffet racks

· Buffet serving pans

· Serving utensils

· Paper products (napkins, dinner and dessert plates)

To avoid burning the food, place a serving pan with about an inch of water underneath the pan that holds the food. Since the food is already room temperature, light the liquid fuel about 30 minutes before the meal is to begin.

Now, let’s get to the table. Lay out silverware (or plasticware) on the table along with your beverage glasses. Each table will have their own assortment of drinks (no wine on the kid’s table, please). You can use place cards so that everyone knows where they are sitting for big gatherings.

With a buffet, after the initial plate of food is served, your job is done. Family members can return at will to the buffet. When the meal is over, provide “to go” boxes so that they can take what is left home with them. Afterwards, simply stack the racks for future use and get rid of everything else. You can stack the glasses in the dishwasher and settle down to watch It’s a Wonderful Life.

The Christmas buffet is a wonderful idea to take the work and cleanup out of a holiday meal. Your family won’t mind and everyone is happy.

Essentials you Need for the Perfect Christmas Dinner

What are the two things you run out for at the last minute when preparing Christmas dinner? Seasonings and utensils. This article addresses the essentials you need to be sure you have on hand when cooking Christmas dinner.

No one wants to have to make a last minute substitution because they forgot something at the store. When you are making a list of the grocery items you need, don’t forget the utensils. Unless you have a large family, most people don’t use every pot, pan and spatula in their kitchen unless it is Christmas.

To save on storage space and money, look for items that are disposable. You don’t need to purchase a new 20-piece cookware set for an additional ham. That is why the list of food and the list of utensils go together. Here are a few examples of what you might need to buy:

· Roasting pans (turkey, ham)

· Side dish pans (square aluminum pans)

· Cake pans

· Serving utensils

· Cake pans (can be non-disposable – you may use them later)

· Trash bags (not a utensil or cookware but a necessary item for cleanup)

· Plasticware

· Thermometer (meat, candy)

· Mixing bowls

It seems like a long list but not really. Instead of using all of your baking pans and washing them repeatedly, it is easier to cook sides and meats in disposable aluminum pans. They hold up well when cooking and can be thrown away afterwards. If a family wants to take home leftovers, you can use the extra pans you have left. This gives them one container to store their “take home” treats and a way to warm them up also.

You may have enough silverware for a service for four or six, but 26 people are out of the question. At party supply stores, they sell Christmas plasticware that resembles real silverware. Your family won’t mind and your holiday table will still look elegant.

Anyone preparing food like meat needs a meat thermometer. Turkey takes a long time to cook and you want to be sure it is cooked throughout. A meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh will let you know when the turkey is done. Even with pop-up meters in the turkey, always check the internal temperature yourself.

A lot goes into making Christmas dinner special for family and friends. Avoid the last minute drive to the store or a sink full of dishes. Purchase what essentials you need beforehand.

Walnut Topped Tenderloin

What You Need:

4 beef tenderloin steaks
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 C sour cream
3 tbsp blue cheese crumbled
3 tbsp walnuts, chopped and toasted

How to Make It:

Trim off fat on the steaks and sprinkle with the garlic salt.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.

Place the steaks in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium.

Cook the steaks 15 minutes, turning once during cooking time.

Remove the steaks to dinner plates.

Whisk the sour cream and blue cheese together well.

Pour the mixture over the steaks and sprinkle the top with the walnuts.

Makes 4 servings

The hardest part of this dish is toasting the walnuts. Do a few ahead of time and place them in the freezer. Take them out and by the time the steaks are done the walnuts are defrosted and ready to use.

Preparation Time: approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 20 minutes

Tuna Vegetable Alfredo

What You Need:

3 C of mini lasagna noodles, uncooked
2 C broccoli florets
1 red sweet pepper, cut into strips
1 (10 oz.) container of Alfredo sauce
1/2 tsp dill
1 (9.5) oz. can of tuna, drained

How to Make It:

Cook the pasta according the package directions adding the broccoli and sweet peppers the last 5 minutes of the cooking time.

Drain well and return to the pan.

Pour the Alfredo sauce into the pan, add the dill and stir to combine.

Fold in the tuna.

Cook the mixture for 5 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 4 servings

Add a side of fruit, a buttermilk biscuit and a nice dessert and this meal is ready to go in no time. Use tuna that is packed in water instead of oil for a healthier dish. If the Alfredo sauce seems to thick add 1 tbsp of milk at a time, stirring after each addition, until you reach the desired consistency.

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 25 minutes

Throw it Together Beef Stew

What You Need:

1 (17 oz.) pkg. of refrigerated cooked roast beef au jus
2 (10.75 oz) cans of beefy mushroom soup
1 (16 oz) pkg. of mixed frozen vegetables
1 1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 C of milk

How to Make It:

Cut the beef into bites size pieces and place into a large saucepan.

Stir in the au jus, soup, vegetables and basil.

Place the pan over high heat and bring to a quick boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in the milk and cook uncovered for an addition 5 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 4 servings

This is one of the easiest, stress free meals you can make. Serve it with hot biscuits and a side of fruit or over rice for a meal that’s tasty as well as satisfying.

Preparation Time: approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 20 minutes