Amy's Brand Healthy Frozen Kids Meals

So, we were all just at our local natural foods store over the weekend (which admittedly happens to be a little fringe-elementish) and my husband was glaring at the frozen foods section in a an almost snore-like trance (he tends to zone out when it comes to food purchases) when all of a sudden he gleefully exclaimed “Look! Healthy Frozen Kids Meals!” I immediately thought, Oh no, he is just getting our son’s hopes up and surely whatever it was he spotted couldn’t possibly be healthy---especially if it was marketed to kids (remember, not everything in the natural foods stores is healthy!) but, I was wrong and he was right. Amy’s brand now makes frozen kids meals. We got the Baked Ziti, which came with broccoli and an apple dessert---I added more frozen broccoli to my son’s meal (see photo above) but other than that I really did just heat and serve. The blissful convenience of it all got me to thinking, what have I been missing all these years….

Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili

I’m loving my slow cooker lately. If I can organize myself early enough in the mid-morning to get everything into the pot then the meal cooks while I’m out and about. This black bean recipe is one of my family’s new favorites! It’s very rich tasting but still super healthy. To round out the meal, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken and add to the chili along with a simple side salad.



Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili

Serves: 6

1 medium-size Spanish onion, chopped
1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 14-ounce package dried black beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped and deseeded canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (available in the ethnic section of your supermarket)
1 square dark baker’s chocolate
6 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Imagine brand)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons salt

Toppings: sour cream, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, chopped fresh tomatoes

1.Place all ingredients in a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Cover with a lid, set temperature to high and cook for 5 hours. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, extra lime wedges, chopped cilantro and chopped fresh tomatoes.

Cinnamon Apple Pie Pancakes

Who says pancakes can’t be healthy? These almost flourless pancakes are super rich in those good for you omega-3 essential fats and fiber that pretty much all kids need to eat more of. Even better, they can be made in minutes AND they keep the kids filled up for hours (thank you fiber!) You’ll have to double the recipe if you have more than one child—--or if you want some yourself =)

Oh, and Blake just went to Disney’s Animal Kingdom yesterday and thus the sporty (and sort of ridiculous) black Mickey Mouse plate in the photo above.



Cinnamon Apple Pie Pancakes

Serves: 1

•1 tart apple, finely chopped
•Cinnamon, to taste
•1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
•1 organic omega-3 egg, lightly beaten
•1/4 cup plain unsweetened soymilk (such as Silk)
•2 tablespoons water
•1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds (such as Barlean’s)
•2 tablespoons wheat germ
•2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
•Pinch of salt
•1 teaspoon organic butter

1.Place chopped apples in a microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir in walnuts. Set aside to cool.

2.In a small bowl, whisk the egg, soymilk, water and vanilla extract together. Add the flaxseeds, wheat germ, flour and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle in a little cinnamon. Mix to combine.

3.Melt butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Ladle out 1/3 of the batter and cook about 1 minute, or until edges easily lift. Flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter (you should end up with 3 pancakes.) Serve pancakes with apple-walnut topping.

My New Favorite Kid-Friendly Express Lane Muesli Breakfast

My son is now crazy for Familia brand Swiss Muesli, which means I’m lovin it too! The cereal has completely 100% understandable and recognizable wholesome ingredients (nothing funky or far out) including: oat flakes, apple flakes, whole-meal flour (wheat, rye, barley), sugar, wheat flakes, raisins, roasted almonds, and wheat germ crispies (made with wheat germ, honey, pear concentrate and cinnamon) The easiest epxress lane breakfast ever is get a small bowl and fill it with plain, unsweetened yogurt (sprinkle with a little cinnamon and mix in a teaspoon of raw honey), top it off with some Swiss Mueli, a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds (such as Barlean’s Forti-Flax), chopped nuts and fresh berries. Yum’s the word!

Quick Lunch for Mom & Dad---Avocodo, Hearts of Palm and Tuna Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

My husband is still on his 1-week "go-nowhere” vacation so we’ve been eating out a lot and I haven’t been in the kitchen much. Today we were out all morning and came back for a quick bite before leaving for Costco and miscellaneous errands. I was rummaging around our pantry and managed to pull off a beyond easy and super tasty lunch based around a simple “no lettuce” salad. Augment the salad with some toasted sprouted whole grain bread dipped in flax oil and shaved Parmesan cheese.


Avocado, Hearts of Palm and Tuna Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
Serves: 2

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup flax oil (I recommend Barlean’s brand)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small can (6 ounces) albacore tuna, packed in water
1 avocado, chopped
1 jar (12 ounces) hearts of palm, chopped
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.Place sundried tomatoes, flax oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and Dijon mustard in a blender. Process until smooth and creamy.

2.Add remaining ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Mix ingredients together. Drizzle vinaigrette on top. Serve.

Easy Vegetable Beef Stew

This effortless one-dish meal is hearty and healthy and best of all, the kids will actually eat it! It’s loaded with veggies and brimming with flavor---but again, it’s nothing so overdone in the flavor department that you’ll need to make another dish for the munchkins. I just made it tonight with less than 20 minutes of prep time. If the 1 cup of wine called for in the recipe is concerning, you should know the alcohol will cook out (you could simmer the soup for 10 extra minutes if you like) However, feel free to skip the wine completely and just substitute 1 cup vegetable broth.


Easy Vegetable Beef and Mushroom Stew

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds lean beef stew meat, trimmed of all fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
Salt, to taste
White pepper, to taste
1 pound fresh button mushrooms (sliced)
1 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay)
1 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Pacific Natural Foods brand)
1/2 cup orange juice, divided
2 teaspoons dried basil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups thawed-frozen petite peas
1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels

1.Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add onion and beef and sauté for 5-8 minutes, or until onions are soft. Sprinkle the flour, salt and pepper over the beef mixture and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

2.Add mushrooms, wine, vegetable broth, half of the orange juice, basil, garlic cloves and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

3.Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add thawed-frozen peas and corn and remaining half of orange juice, Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Pre Wall-e Movie Meal---Grilled Cheese (on Sprouted Whole Grain Bread)

My husband is on a 1-week "go nowhere" vacation so I'm not doing as much cooking this week as normal. We're just now getting ready to take our son to a movie (Wall-e) and so I was quickly trying to feed the little guy a substantial enough snack that he won't want the candy or other trashy theatre treats. First thing I thought of was grilled cheese! I always use organic low-fat cheese and sprouted whole grain bread. Choosing a healthy 100% whole grain bread is a must. My favorite brand of bread is made by Ezekiel 4:9 (see photo above). You can find this bread in the refrigerated section of natural foods stores and many mainstream grocery stores now carry it too. Unlike regular bread, sprouted bread contains no flour. These whole grain breads are more nutritionally superior to even the breads made with 100% whole wheat flour because during the sprouting process the vitamins, minerals and availability of protein within the whole grain all increase substantially. Of course sprouted whole grain foods contain a lot of fiber too, and most kids these days could benefit from more fiber. Also, because sprouts are living, growing food sources, they have a rich supply of enzymes which makes them easily assimilated by those little growing bodies. But I know taste rules when it comes to whether or not your kids will actually eat the healthy foods you serve---don’t worry, these breads still taste delicious. They are simply more nutritious =)

Almond-Flax Pancakes with Blueberries

These are "weekend morning" pancakes the kids will love. I especially love them because they fill the little guy up for hours, which means I don't have to make him a snack every 15 minutes on a Sunday morning.

Almond-Flax Pancakes with Blueberries

Serves: 2

2 omega-3 rich eggs
1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt or kefir
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds (I especially love Barlean's "Forti-Flax")
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt
Fresh or thawed-frozen blueberries (raspberries will also work)
1/4 cup shaved almonds
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and then slowly add the yogurt, water and almond extract. In another bowl, mix together the flaxseeds, wheat germ, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.

2. Spray a nonstick medium skillet with canola oil cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and cook until bubbles begin to form; flip and brown the other side. Serve warm with blueberries, almonds and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

Lemon-Peach Pie Smoothie

Shhhh....this cool and creamy summertime treat contains tofu. I seriously wouldn't tell the kids though, especially the ones that aren't yours. It's super simple to make and way yummy to eat.

Lemon-Peach Pie Smoothie

1 1/2 cups frozen peaches
1 cup silken tofu
1/2 cup low fatplain yogurt or kefir
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon raw honey

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Serve at once.

Ivy on Lifetime Television's "The Balancing Act"

I'm super excited that I'll start tapings next week for a 10-week "Lifestyle Makeover" Program to be aired nationally on Lifetime Television's The Balancing Act (www.thebalancingact.com) The "Lifestyle Makeover" Program is geared towards time-crunched moms and will feature plenty of tips including nutrition, exercise, cooking, etc. Here's a quick link to watch for a short nutrition segment I did that aired a few weeks ago:

http://thebalancingact.com/show_segment.php?id=192

More to come! Stay tuned....

Classic Vegetable and Herb Gratin

This French inspired classic is practically a meal in and of itself. It's also perfect as a side dish at your next BBQ. Just throw some corn on the cob along with fish, shrimp skewers or chicken on the grill, serve the gratin on the side and some berries and fresh whipped cream (spiked with a bit of Grand Marnier for the adults) for dessert and you're all set.

Although basil is the typical herb of choice for gratins, I didn't have any on hand and I wasn't about to drag Blake to the store again, so I substituted tarragon and was pleasantly surprised with the anise-y flavor it delivered. Actually, I originally thought I’d just use the tarragon for the time being and go ahead and write basil in the recipe, but I’ve definitely decided against that. The tarragon makes the dish.

And okay, okay, I realize the thought of making the 8-step gratin might seem domestic drudgery-ish, but really, most of the “steps” just involve letting the veggies sit (so the liquid drains off) and layering. It’s really not a labor intensive dish at all. And…. if you, like me, have experimented numerous times with gratin recipes only to have them end in a watery disappointment, this one is the exception. If you take the time to follow the steps carefully you’ll be richly rewarded with a truly exceptional gratin everyone in the family will love.


Classic Vegetable and Herb Gratin

Serves: 6


5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 pound yellow summer squash, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 teaspoons salt, divided
4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 Spanish onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 medium cloves garlic, minced, divided in half
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, divided
2 slices sprouted whole grain bread (such as Ezekiel 4:9), torn into pieces
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray. Set aside.

2.Place zucchini and squash slices in a large bowl. Toss vegetables with 1 teaspoon salt. Transfer vegetables to a colander set over a large bowl and let stand for about 45 minutes, or until vegetables release a little more than 2 tablespoons of liquid. Arrange vegetable slices on triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible.

3.Place tomato slices in a single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let sit 30 minutes. Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.

4.Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 20 minutes. Set onions aside.

5.Combine half of the garlic, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon in a medium bowl.

6.Place zucchini and summer squash in a large bowl. Toss with half of the garlic-tarragon mixture. Arrange zucchini and squash on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange onions in an even layer over the squash. Slightly overlap tomato slices in a single layer on top of the onions. Spoon the remaining garlic-tarragon mixture evenly over the tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes.

7.Meanwhile, place bread in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, remaining half of the garlic, remaining tablespoon of tarragon and salt to taste. Set crumb topping aside.

8.Remove baking dish from the oven and increase heat to 450 degrees. Sprinkle bread crumb topping evenly on top of tomatoes. Bake gratin about 10 minutes, or until crumb topping is golden brown. Remove baking dish from the oven, carefully drain any excess liquid into the sink (there shouldn’t be much), and let sit for 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Summery Beach Pasta, Corn and Vegetable Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

To me this dish epitomizes summer. Yeah, it's a little messier than the beach snack I mentioned yesterday (Trio Bars) and this version didn't actually make it to the beach (we all ate it up before I could pack it!), but I'm definitely packing it next time. It's a one-dish whole foods meal ideal for the beach and pefect for the whole family. You can consider adding chopped hardboiled eggs or rotisserie chicken if you want a heartier meal. And, if you really are taking it to the beach, mom and dad, you might want to consider packing some chilled Chardonnay (you can buy plastic wine glasses but really, the wine just doesn't taste the same, so I suggest you pack your own wine glasses from home.) The kids can have orange juice spritzers. I’m not a fan of giving juice to the kids and my son usually just gets straight up water, but sometimes I’ll mix 1/4 cup orange juice with 3/4 cup water.

Summery Beach Pasta, Corn and Vegetable Salad with
Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

Serves: 6-8


Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons water
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
2 tablespoons flax oil (we recommend Barlean’s brand)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Place all of the above ingredients in a blender; process until smooth and creamy. Set aside. (Note: vinaigrette can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator)


Pasta, Corn and Vegetable Salad:
10 ounces dry whole wheat bow-tie pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups grated carrots (look for grated bagged carrots to save time)
1 large yellow pepper, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half along the equator
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped basil
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta in a colander. Set aside.

2.In a large heavy sauce pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat; add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add carrots and cook 2-3 minutes, until carrots are just slightly soft.

3.Transfer carrots to a large serving bowl. Add the yellow pepper, red onion, corn, tomatoes, cheese, walnuts and basil. Gently toss the pasta and vegetables. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

"Mrs. May's" Perfect Beach Snack

We went to the beach yesterday afternoon with our neighbor, Beth, and her 2 kids (of course it rained). Anyway, any mom knows you can't go with a bunch of kids to the beach without taking food. It's messy enough going to the beach as is though, so why make things even messier by packing a bunch of messy snacks? Sure, it might be super easy to pack a bag of junky chips or a sugar-laden granola bar that has the nutritional equivalent of a candy bar, but that wouldn't be optimal for the kids.

My new favorite non-messy and very nutritious beach snack find can be bought in bulk at Costco and the kids love it! The snacks are called Trio (because they contain nuts + seeds + fruit) and made by Mrs. May’s (www.mrsmays.com). These vegan, zero trans fat, no additives, no preservatives, no gluten, no wheat and no dairy bars come in several flavors and the ingredients are as pure and natural as they come. Here’s the ingredients for the blueberry bar: cashews, almonds, pistachios, blueberries, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dates, raisins, rice malt, natural flavors, cane juice, sea salt.

Baked Butternut Squash-a-roni and Cheese

By now most of us are familiar with the popular cookbooks for kids that demonstrate just how easy it is to hide pureed veggies in your gullible child’s food. We’ll guess what? It’s not just the kids who need to eat their veggies! The whole family could benefit from some added veggie puree. This dish combines the fineness of classic baked mac-n-cheese with some major nutritional bang, thanks to the addition of pureed butternut squash and white soybeans. It’s considerably lower in saturated fat than your typical mac-n-cheese recipe plus it’s loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, delivering spoonful after spoonful of pure indulgence sans the guilt. Get your kids in on the act and let them do the pureeing (see step 3 below and photo above.)


Baked Butternut Squash-a-roni and Cheese

Serves: 8

3 slices sprouted whole grain bread, quartered
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons organic butter, divided
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 pound uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 package (12 ounces) frozen butternut squash, thawed
1 can (14.5 ounces) white soybeans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons Neufatchel cream cheese
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups organic 2% low-fat milk
2 cups organic low-fat shredded cheddar cheese


1.Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread pieces, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon melted butter in a food processor and pulse bread into coarse crumbs. Spread crumbs out over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake crumbs for 18 minutes, or until golden and dry. Let crumbs cool, then toss with the parsley and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste. Set aside. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.

2.Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain the pasta and leave it in a colander. Set aside.

3.In a food processor, combine the thawed butternut squash, white soybeans and cream cheese. Process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

4.In a large heavy saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high. Stir in the garlic, cayenne pepper and paprika, cook about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk, bring liquid to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the butternut squash puree. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce is heated through. Gradually add the cheddar cheese and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Continue stirring until cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth. Mix in the drained pasta. Season with the measured salt, plus more to taste.

5.Pour macaroni and sauce mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Bringing Back the Peanut Butter Suckers

My son is always hungry. Seriously, I often feel it is absolutely impossible to fill the boy up. He takes after me as I was a highly active eating and moving machine (it's pay back time I suppose). I drove my own mother berserk because she was constantly in the kitchen making snacks. Like me, my mom tried to feed me healthy foods and she didn't like me to eat a lot of sweets (anything that made me more active was definitely not desirable!) Just the other day I remembered the brilliant (+ filling, easy and very nutritious) snack my mom would feed me---she called it a "Peanut Butter Sucker" and it consisted of nothing more than a big tablespoon of peanut butter on a spoon. I thought it was the greatest thing ever and apparantly my son does too (see smiling boy in photo above!) Be sure to only buy all-natural peanut butter though! Read the ingredients and avoid those with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

The Ultimate 4th of July Watermelon Salad

Ok, everyone can agree watermelon is a must-include 4th of July food. I have about 2 seconds to enter this as I am way late for the BBQ at my sister-in-law's (plus Blake has been counting down the minutes ever since he woke up at 6 am and I can't take another reminder from him of how little time I have left before we MUST leave) Anyway, the watermelon salad is outrageous. True, the kids probably won't like it, but just serve them cut watermelon cubes straight up. They don't need anything fancy or elaborate---the fireworks will be more than enough excitement for them.



4th of July Watermelon, Feta and Pecan Salad

Serves: 6-8


3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
7 cups cubed watermelon, chilled
6 ounces crumbled low-fat feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons raw honey
2 tablespoons flax oil (we recommend Barlean’s brand)
1 tablespoon lemon juice


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss pecans in the extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake pecans for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2.Place watermelon, feta, and mint in a large serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.In a small bowl, whisk together honey, flax oil and lemon juice. Pour over watermelon and gently toss ingredients together. Add toasted pecans. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving. Serve cold.

Super Quick (and Gourmet!) Lunch Break for Mom

I'm not sure what to call this lunch, but as long as you have the roasted artichokes pre-made the whole thing takes no more than 5 minutes to assemble. Here's what you need:

1 package (10 ounces) semi-thawed frozen artichoke hearts
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup drained roasted red peppers from a jar (pat dry and cut into strips)
1/2 cup chopped roasted rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup crumbled low-fat feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Make ahead: Roast the artichokes ahead (preheat oven to 400 degrees, arrange artichokes on foil lined baking sheet, drizzle with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast artichokes for 30 minutes.

1.In a medium size serving bowl, layer black beans, roasted red peppers, roasted artichokes, rotisserie chicken, feta cheese and walnuts. Place in microwave for about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Eat quick before kids start bothering you!!!

Now, what to serve the kids? Remember that snazzy red cafeteria-like divider kid’s plate (June 24th blog entry) that I bought from Target? A super easy and very healthy lunch for the kids: put rotisserie chicken with a blob of ketchup in one of the dividers, some black beans in another, cut fruit (such as apples or sliced strawberries) or grapes in another, and some walnuts in another spot. You can also try giving the kids baby carrots with store bought hummus too. Seriously, this is not a time consuming lunch to prepare and it way beats lunchables!

Easy Scallop Dinner with Semi-Homemade Salad using Stonewall Kitchen's Champagne Shallot Walnut Dressing

The scallop dish is sort of a cross in flavor between chicken a la king and classic tuna casserole, but with a little more uptown flair. It’s super easy to make and significantly healthier than either classic standby but it's still totally family friendly with spoon-licking comfort food appeal. The semi-homemade salad is beyond easy. Here's how you make it: Cook about 1 pound of trimmed asparagus in a large pot of boiling water for about 3-4 minutes, or until firm tender. Drain asparagus and plunk immediately into an ice bath. Drain asparagus again and toss in a large salad bowl with about 4 cups of arugula. Add about 1/2 cup sundried tomato strips (look for ones that have been marinating in extra virgin olive oil) and about 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Drizzle on some Stonewall Kitchen "Champagne Shallot Walnut Dressing" (which is completely fine for the kids) Season salad with salt and pepper and serve.

The scallop recipe is also beyond easy....



Easy Broiled Scallop Casserole

Serves: 4


2 tablespoons plus 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon paprika, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon white pepper, plus more to taste
Salt, to taste
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
4 ears corn, shucked, kernels cut off
2 tablespoons white wine
2 egg yolks (from omega-3 rich eggs)
1/2 cup 2% low-fat organic milk
2 tablespoons prepared hummus
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas, thawed
1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons whole wheat Panko crumbs (such as Ian’s Natural Foods brand)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high. Add chopped onion and cook until very soft, about 3-5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Season onions with paprika, white pepper and salt to taste. Add red bell pepper and corn to the skillet and cook 3-4 minutes, or until corn softens. Set vegetables aside.

3.In a small saucepan, whisk wine, egg yolks and milk together; heat over low heat for 6-7 minutes. Whisk in hummus and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Pour cheese sauce over vegetable mixture, add thawed peas and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to an 8 x 8 inch casserole.

4.Toss scallops with 2 teaspoons of the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, paprika and salt to taste. Arrange scallops on top of the vegetable mixture. Bake casserole for 6 minutes. Remove casserole from the oven. Turn on the broiler.

5.In a small bowl, combine the panko crumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and remaining teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of scallops. Return the casserole to the oven and broil for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until crumbs are crisp and golden. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm.

Adult Style Greek Tomato Salad with Kalamata Olives and Feta + Kid Friendly Easy Cucumber Salad

We live in south Florida, thus we spend the majority of the year simmering in a sultry stew of air. The heat makes us crave and yearn for salads and yet sometimes we want more than just a bunch of leafy greens. This Greek salad satisfies a salad craving with zero lettuce. Most kids won't eat tomatoes (not many we've met anyway) but they do eat cucumbers if you peel, seed and dice them. Depending on how many kids you have, simply buy 1 or 2 extra cucumbers when you are making the below recipe and toss the kids cucumbers in a little bit of flax oil, sugar, salt and red wine vinegar. It's a super easy way to get your kids to eat their veggies while you enjoy a grown-up salad.

Note: I didn't have Kalamata olives at hand last night so I used the green olives photographed above and they worked just fine---but I do think Kalamata olives would have been even better

Greek Style Tomato Salad with Kalamata Olives and Feta

Serves: 4
2 pints grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise (about 4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 medium shallots, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
3/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 tablespoon flax oil (we recommend Barlean’s brand)
4 ounces low-fat crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1.Place a paper towel in the bottom of a medium bowl, add tomatoes and toss with sugar and measured 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover tomatoes with another paper towel and let sit about 15 minutes, so juices will drain.

2.Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high; add the the garlic, shallots and oregano and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until shallots soften. Add red wine vinegar and cook 30-45 seconds. Season shallots with salt and pepper to taste.

3.Remove the paper towels from the bowl with the tomatoes. Gently toss the shallots with the tomatoes. Add the cucumbers, olives, flax oil, feta cheese and parsley. Toss ingredients gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.