Orange Glazed Carrots

1. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Add the orange juice, orange zest and ginger.

3. Bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Cook until carrots are tender and orange juice mixture becomes a glaze.

5. Serve.

8. Can be served immediately or kept warm in a 300 degree oven until all latkes are prepared.

9. Serve with sour cream and apple sauce.

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Matzah Brei

Monday, December 15th, 2008

When I was growing up, one of my least favorite memories was having to eat the school’s lunch everyday. In the 70’s and 80’s, school lunches weren’t exactly gourmet affairs. Far from it. I was also painfully jealous at Passover, the Jewish holiday that forbids those who observe it from eating any kind of leavened bread, all products with yeast, and pretty much anything beyond that that isn’t Kosher for Passover. I remember all my Jewish friends were allowed to bring (at least what I thought were) delicious lunches such as peanut butter/jelly sandwiches made with matzo and matzo balls in chicken soup, while the rest of us sat picking at our goulash and frozen fish sticks.

Well, Passover isn’t until the spring, but one of my other favorite Jewish holidays, Hanukkah, is upon us, so I thought it would be fun to make matzo brei for brunch so Kenya can share in his heritage. And just like his daddy, he loves it. Luckily most groceries sell matzo year round so you can easily add this to your breakfast rotation any time of year.

Matzo Brei (Serves 2-3 Big Kids)

2 Pieces Unsalted Matzo (whole wheat or plain)

2 Large Eggs

2 Tbsp Milk

1/2 Tsp Salt

2 Tsp Butter or Oil

1. Break the matzo into 1 inch pieces (they don’t have to be even or the same size as one another) and place in a bowl.

2. Cover the matzo with hot water for 1-2 minutes or until softened.

3. Drain and squeeze out excess water.

4. Place the eggs, milk and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine.

5. Pour the eggs over the drained matzo and mix together.

6. Heat the butter or oil in a saute pan over medium heat.

7. Add the egg/matzo mixture to the pan and cook, stirring with a spoon or spatula for 2-3 minutes until eggs are cooked through.

8. Serve.

*Feel free to make it a sweet dish by adding shredded apples, cinnamon or maple syrup or, you can make it more savory by adding any leftover meat and veggies you may have in the fridge..

Tags: breakfast recipes, hanukkah, hanukkah recipes, holiday cooking, holiday recipes, holiday recipes for kids, jewish recipes, matzah breai, matzah brei, matzo, passover recipes, quick breakfast recipes

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Spaghetti Squash Marinara

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

At this time of year, the farmers’ markets are filled with all different varieties of winter squash. Most of them have a buttery, silky quality, but not spaghetti squash. After you bake it, you take a fork and scrape it out into what looks just like spaghetti. I made this recipe for a bunch of kids and they all yelled “spaghetti!” when they saw it. I was a little nervous they would turn their noses up when they realized it wasn’t pasta, but they totally dug it. Their moms were thrilled too because it wasn’t a “carb” so we all chowed down together.

Spaghetti squash is an oblong shaped seed bearing squash that can be orange, yellow hued or white, and is rich in folic acid, potassium, vitamin A and beta carotene. It’s also low in calories (about 75 for every 8 ounces cooked) so it’s a good dish for all those parents watching their wasteline. This is a perfect inexpensive dish that’s also great for kids’ school lunches. It’s yummy warm or cold, so make plenty!

Spaghetti Squash Marinara (Makes 4-6 Big Kid Servings)

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 15 Ounce Can Chunky Tomato Sauce (I use Organic Muir brand)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/4 Onion, diced

1 Carrot, peeled and shredded

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1 Tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds.

3. Place the squash on a lightly greased baking sheet and cook for 45-50 minutes or until softened.

4. Heat the oil in a saucepan over low to medium heat and saute the onion, garlic and carrot for 2-3 minutes or until onion is translucent.

5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the basil.

6. Remove the squash from the over and let squash cool for several minutes.

7. Shred the squash with a fork until stringy. Tip: Hold the stem end of the squash with a towel or a glove so you don’t burn your hand while you’re shredding it.

8. Place the spaghetti squash in a bowl and top with the marinara sauce.

9. Serve.

Tags: , basil, big kid recipes, butternut squash, butternut squash marinara, carrot, easy recipes, fast recipes, garlic, healthy recipes, muir tomatoes, olive oil, onion, Pasta, spaghetti, toddler recipes, vegetarian pasta, vegetarian recipes

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Brazilian Turkey Casserole

Monday, December 8th, 2008

OK, fine, so I made a 16 pound turkey last week and I still have tons of meat leftover. The sandwich thing is getting old in my house, so what can you do with all that extra bird that will excite your family?

A Brazilian friend of ours has made a similar dish to this for years and it’s SO delicious. I gave it a few weelicious tweaks, substituted turkey for chicken and presto, yummy Brazilian turkey polenta casserole.

This one dish meal is also perfect because is freezes beautifully, so you can make a small casserole for tonight and freeze another one for later. The carbohydrate (polenta), the vegetables and the protein (turkey) make this a well-rounded one-pot meal for dinner. And you deserve easy after days and days of cooking for Thanksgiving!

*If you can’t find quick-cook polenta, you can also make this recipe with fine cornmeal. Just note that the cooking time will increase to 30 minutes.

Brazilian Turkey Polenta (Makes 6-8 Servings)

1 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1/2 Onion, chopped

1 Garlic, chopped

1 Cup Okra, frozen or fresh

1 1/2 Cup Turkey, cooked and chopped

1 Tbsp Cilantro

1/4 Chicken Stock

4 Cups Water

1 Cup Quick-Cook Polenta (also known as fine cornmeal)

1 Tsp plus 1/4 Tsp Salt

1. Heat the butter and oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the bell pepper and onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

2. Add the okra, turkey, cilantro and chicken stock. Cook until all the ingredients are heated through.

3. Bring water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Add the polenta in a slow stream and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the polenta for 6-8 minutes or according to the package directions.

4. In a deep casserole dish, place a layer of polenta and smooth the top.

5. Place a layer of turkey mixture to cover polenta.

6. Make another layer of polenta and then top with the remaining turkey mixture.

7. Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.

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Quinoa Mexicana Salad

Sunday, December 7th, 2008

This isn’t a recipe that I just came up with out of the blue. I’ve actually been making this for husband for ages. For many years he was a vegetarian and so I was always trying to come up with new and exciting recipes that would offer him protein and vegetables (unlike me, a total carnivore at heart). This dish is now a regular in our house. There’s almost always a bowl of it in the fridge because it’s so quick and easy to prepare, but it’s also healthy.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a fantastic grain for kids because it has more protein then other grains, contains more calcium then milk, plus it’s easy to digest. Quinoa is also full of B vitamins, vitamin E and iron which 9% of toddlers, 700,000 in the U.S. alone have shown to have to be deficiency in.

I made this for my “kids dinner party” recently and all the little ones loved it. One of my friends kept saying her daughter “hates avocado”. Being kind of sneaky (I know! I’m all against sneaking foods, but this was just an experiment, I swear!), I asked her daughter if she wanted a bite of the quinoa mexicana salad and she said yes. When I tell you she gobbled up this dish AND the avocado it proves that sometimes, even little ones can be open minded to new flavors. You just never know.

Quinoa Mexicana Salad (makes 6-8 toddler servings)

1/2 Cup Quinoa, washed and drained

1 Cup Water

1/2 cup fresh or frozen Corn, cooked

1 Avocado, chopped

1/2 Cup Cherry Tomatoes

1 Tbsp Lime Juice

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped

1/4 Tsp Cumin

Salt to taste

1. Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a saucepan.

2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes.

3. Place the quinoa in a bowl and cool.

4. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

5. Serve.

Tags: , avocado, baby food puree, cherry tomatoes, Cilantro, cooking with kids, corn, cumin, easy recipes, food for kids, getting kids to eat, healthy mexican recipes, lime juice, mexican quinoa salad, mexican recipes, olive oil, organic baby food, quinoa, quinoa salad, recipes for kids, salad recipes, toddler recipes, wholesome baby food

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Black Bean Cakes

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

One of Kenya’s (many) favorite foods are black beans. He loves them with brown rice or quesadillas, or even just on their own. I wanted to come up with another fun way for him to enjoy them.

Beans are an incredible source of fiber and iron and because of their soft texture they’re perfect for forming into these little black bean cake-like patties. Sometimes I find it hard to come up with delicious vegetarian recipes which are truly filling, but these totally fit the bill.

I love serving these to Kenya with a little guacamol-wee and sour cream for him to dip in. Trust me, the only major problem I had making these was keeping my husband away from them. Luckily, most of the ingredients are things I keep on hand, so I quickly cooked up an extra batch so we would all have plenty to munch on at dinner and throughout the next day.

Black Bean Cakes (Makes About 20 Patties)

1 15 Oz Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 Ear of Corn, cut off the cob (or 1 cup frozen kernels, defrosted)

1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1/4 Cup Cilantro, packed

1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 Tsp Onion Powder

2 Tbsp Bread Crumbs

1 Egg

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree.

2. Heat a large saute pan over low to medium heat.

3. Place 1 Tbsp of the bean mixture in the pan. Using the back of a spoon, spread the mixture into an even circle (the size and shape of a pancake).

4. Cook for 3 minutes.

5. Flip on the other side and cook another 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.

6. Cook remaining patties and move to a plate.

7. Cool and serve.

Tags: baby food, black bean cakes, bread crumbs, cheddar cheese, Cilantro, cooking with kids, corn, easy recipes, egg, fast recipes, garlic powder, guacamole recipes, healthy mexican recipes, homemade baby food, mexican recipes, onion powder, organic baby food, quesadilla recipes, quick recipes, recipes for kids, toddler recipes, vegetable patties, vegetarian recipe, vegetarian recipes

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Portobello Pizzas

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

Oh my goodness, these are amazing! I’m not just saying that from an adult culinary point of view either. I made these for 8 kids, age 20 months to 5 years old and even the 5 year old who supposedly hates everything gobbled them up. The best part is that the “crust” is a vegetable (not more bread), but they look just like pizzas.

The big bonus is that they took me no time to prepare and I had barely any clean up. I was kind of scared the kids would say “wait, this isn’t REAL pizza,” but not a word. Happy kids make happy mommies. What could be better?

Portobello Pizzas (4 Big Kids)

1 15 Oz Can Tomato Sauce

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1/4 Tsp Thyme, Basil and Oregano

1 Tsp Salt

4 Portobello Mushrooms, stems removed (wiggle the stem back and forth gently to remove)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl to combine.

2. Preheat the oven the 400 degrees.

3. Place a piece of foil on a cookie sheet and brush lightly with olive oil.

4. Place the mushrooms stem side down on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. If there’s a lot of excess liquid on the cookie sheet, discard.

5. Place the mushrooms stem side up, cover with 2-3 tablespoons of tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese.

6. Bake the mushrooms for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

7. Serve.

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Egg-Wee-Muffin

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

Ooey, Gooey, Yummy! These are the words that come to mind when I make these heavenly breakfast treats. These aren’t like those Mc-whatever sandwiches; filled with all sorts of unhealthy additives and saturated fats, these are the real deal, only much more fresh and healthy.

You could even wrap them up, roll over to the park and have the perfect picnic.

These wee-muffins only took me minutes to prepare, and we all salivated in the test kitchen when we took the first bite. I was a little wary about giving Kenya such a mountain of a

sandwich, so I cut it into bite size pieces for him. He and I sat out in our front yard (our version of a picnic) and he let out a big “mmm’s” bite after bite.

Egg Wee-Muffins (Makes 2 Sandwiches)

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp Milk

2 Slices Canadian Bacon

1 Tsp Butter plus extra for English Muffin

2 slices cheddar cheese

2 Whole Wheat English Muffins

1. Whisk the egg and milk in a bowl.

2. In a saute pan over medium heat, cook canadian bacon 2 minutes on each side.

3. Remove to a plate add 1 tsp of butter to the pan

4. Cook the eggs for 2-3 minutes, forming the eggs into the shape of an omelette.

5. With a knife, cut the omelette in half.

6. Place cheese slices on top of each omelette in the pan and cover. Cook over low heat for 1-2 more minutes.

7. Toast english muffin and spread with butter

8. Place bacon, egg, & cheese in the English muffin and serve.

Tags: , All Recipes, baby food, breakfast recipes, breakfast sandwich recipes, canadian bacon, cheddar cheese, cheese, easy breakfast recipes, egg mcmuffin, egg sandwiches, eggs, english muffins, healthy breakfast recipes, quick breakfast recipes, toddler breakfast, toddler food, whole wheat english muffins

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Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

People often ask me why I make so many vegan recipes. There are actually tons of reasons, one being that I have several vegan friends, so I frequently cook for them.

But the second reason is that so many kids today have allergies to a variety of foods, many specifically to dairy and eggs. Since vegans don’t eat any animal products or foods made by animals such as honey, these dishes are good for some kids with specific allergies.

I made these pancakes for a bunch of friends who aren’t vegan and they didn’t know that they were dairy and egg free until they had cleaned their plates . Light as feathers, but with tons of depth of flavor and added texture from the spelt or buckwheat, these pancakes are a real treat. I actually served them for dessert later that night and the kids had a blast eating them with their hands and dipping them in syrup. See, pancakes really can be enjoyed morning, noon and night!

Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes (Makes 18 Pancakes)

1 Cup White Flour

1/2 Cup Buckwheat or Spelt Flour (I tested both versions and they were equally delicious)

2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 1/4 Cup Rice Milk (you could also use soy or almond milk)

1 Tbsp Maple Syrup, plus extra for serving with pancakes

1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, plus extra for greasing the pan

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree, canned

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine (don’t over mix, some lumps are fine).

4. Heat a griddle or large saute pan over medium heat and lightly

grease with oil.

5. Ladle as many pancakes as possible (about 2 tbsp of batter for each one) on the griddle and cook 2 minutes or until bubbles start forming on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.

6. Flip the pancakes and cook another 2 minutes.

7. Repeat the process until you run out of batter (you can hold the finished pancakes in a 250 degree oven while you finish making the pancakes).

7. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy.

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Orange Glazed Carrots

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

I’ve rarely met a kid (or an adult for that matter) that doesn’t like carrots. I couldn’t resist buying these adorable miniature stumpy carrots I found at the farmers’ market. You can use any type of carrot you find for this recipe, but I just thought these were so funny looking and had to try them.

Carrots are packed with fiber and beta-carotene which the body converts into vitamin A, necessary for healthy skin and vision. When the carrots are sauted with the sweet orange juice in this recipe, they become coated with a delicious, sweet glaze and no sugar is needed. These

are perfect for a quick and easy holiday dish or any time of the year for that matter.

Orange Glazed Carrots (Makes 6 Big Kid Servings)

1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 Lb Carrots, peeled and chopped

3/4 Cup Orange Juice

1/2 Tsp Orange Zest

1 Inch Piece Ginger, grated

Sea or Kosher Salt, to taste

1. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Add the orange juice, orange zest and ginger.

3. Bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Cook until carrots are tender and orange juice mixture becomes a glaze.

5. Serve