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13 Weeks of Breakfast & Lunch Menus that are Kid-Tested & Mom Approved, with Categorized Grocery Shopping Lists Accompanying Each Menu. Perfect for Homeschool Families, Stay At Home Moms, and Daycare Providers.
Kid Approved Meals

Some days it seems we just have to get a meal on the table fast.  Whether rushing from work to another practice, game, or school activity, there just isn’t much time.  Resist the urge to run through the fast food drive-thru window and prepare your family a healthy meal in one skillet in minutes.  Choose from this Quick and Easy Turkey Stir-Fry or the Quick Ziti Skillet if your taste runs more toward pasta.  A prepackaged salad and you have a decent meal in minutes. The clean up is minimal and there is no need to feel guilty about the meal you just fed your family!

QUICK AND EASY TURKEY STIR-FRY
 
1 tbsp canola oil
1 bag (16-oz) Asian-style frozen vegetable combination, thawed
1 can ( 10 3/4-oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups cubed cooked turkey (or chicken)
4 cups hot cooked brown rice (minute rice on really busy days)

In a medium skillet, over medium heat, heat the canola oil. Add the thawed vegetables; stir-fry until crisp tender. Add the soup, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Heat to boiling; add the turkey (or chicken) and heat through. Serve over the hot cooked rice.

QUICK ZITI SKILLET

1 lb ground beef
1 jar (28-oz) pasta sauce (your favorite)
3 cups uncooked ziti
grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, cook the ziti according to the package directions; drain well.

In a medium skillet using medium-high heat, crumble the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain in a colander to get rid of the excess fat. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Return the beef to the skillet and add the cooked ziti and the pasta sauce. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

 Enjoy!

It is always good to have some tasty casserole recipes on hand for everything from family dinners to picnics, church socials, office pitch-in meals, etc.  If you are tired of using the same old casserole recipes over and over and want to bring new life to the occasion, here are some very good recipes for you.  I recommend Florence’s Easy Goulash.  Florence has always been like a second mother to me and she was also manager of the local school cafeteria back in the days when the local ladies went in early and cooked the meals from scratch.  This recipe was a favorite among the students.  Florence is in her 80s now and still makes this for me when I’m in the area.  Love you, Florence!  If you prefer chicken over ground beef, try this Chicken and Broccoli casserole.  Both recipes are okay for diabetics, too.

EASY GOULASH

2 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
3/4 tsp garlic powder
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1 No. 2 can tomatoes, chopped slightly
1 lb Colby cheese, grated

Crumble ground beef and fry with onion, bell pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Cook macaroni until tender, drain. Drain excess fat from ground beef mixture. Add the macaroni and tomatoes. Stir well. Place in a baking dish and cover with the grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts and is light brown (about 20 minutes).

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI BAKE

2 pkg. (10-oz ea) frozen broccoli
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp butter

Cook broccoli and drain thoroughly.  Combine broccoli and rice; place in an 8-inch square baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter and blend in the flour and salt.  Add milk to the butter mixture and cook, stirring, until thick.  Remove mixture from the heat; stir in the Swiss cheese and chicken.  Spoon the chicken mixture over the broccoli mixture.  Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon butter.  Sprinkle crumb mixture over the chicken mixture.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

When you have a busy schedule it’s not always easy to find time to shop for, prepare and cook hot, healthy meals with fresh food. I’ve certainly found that anyway. Rather than go down the microwave ready meal route I’ve got a few favourite easy recipes that I make if I haven’t got much time and the ingredients are usually already there in my cupboards. Following you will find my 3 favourite quick and easy recipes:

Spaghetti And Cheese On Toast

My scary ex mother in law introduced me to this snack. It’s hard not to think about her when I prepare and eat it but it hits the spot and tastes so good that the memories fade into a delicious oblivion.

Ingredients:

Tin of Spaghetti or Spaghetti Hoops – whatever size or brand you prefer. I use Heinz.
Bread For Toasting – I use wholemeal but any will suit
Cheese – Cheddar is best and I use low fat
Spread – Optional but I use low fat.

Method

Lightly toast your bread and at the same time heat the spaghetti up, but don’t overheat. Grate enough cheese for your needs. Put a thin layer of spread on your toast and then cover with the warm spaghetti. Cover the spaghetti with grated cheese and then pop under the grill until the cheese is melted to your taste. Transfer to a warm plate and eat.

That’s a really quick, filling and easy recipe and you can either make it as a snack with one round of toast or a meal with 2 rounds of toast.

Jacket Potato With Tomatoes, Cheese & Onion

After I got divorced I was broke and needed to add cheap but nutritious meals to the menu, and as I was working 2 jobs the meals had to be quick to prepare and energy giving. This was one of the cheapest meals that I made and it never got boring.

Ingredients:

Large Baking Potato
Tin Of Plum Or Chopped Tomatoes
Small Very Finely Chopped Onion Or Dried Onions
Grated Or Crumbled Cheese – whichever you prefer

Method

Either bake the potato for 50 minutes or microwave for 7 minutes. Slit the cooked potato open and place the onions in the slit. Cover the onions with cheese and pour the tomatoes on top. Place in microwave and cook on full power for 3-4 minutes.

I’ve sometimes added cooked, sliced mushrooms instead of or with the onions, or used low fat cheese slices instead of grated cheese. I also use baked beans instead of tomatoes on occasion.

Really Super Noodles

I experimented and added to a tip in a magazine for this quick meal.

Ingredients:

Pack Of Bachelors Barbeque Beef Super Noodles
Tin Of Plum Or Chopped Tomatoes
2 Cooked Sliced Sausages
Dried Onions

Method

Break up and place the noodles in a pan with the included flavouring. Add a small amount of dried onions and add the tinned tomatoes instead of water. Stir and keep stirring while bringing to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes and then add the cooked, sliced sausages. Simmer for another couple of minutes and your very quick meal is ready.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can experiment with different ingredients and still get a tasty meal. For instance sometimes I add pre cooked beef strips instead of sausages, or I use chicken flavoured noodles and pre cooked chicken strips and leave out the onions.

Health & Diet

I suppose that it depends how you look at it, or how you prepare the meals whether you think they are healthy or not. The meals have varying amounts of carbohydrates, protein, calcium and iron and we need them all to live.

Are they fattening? Rigid dieters might say yes but I don’t think so as long as you don’t over eat and you swap ingredients for low fat alternatives. In fact I have included these meals when dieting and lost weight while feeling well and healthy.

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Cool Meals to Start Your Wheels: Easy Recipes for Kids to Cook

Vegetarian meals are healthy nutritional supplements for your kids. Most kids prefer meats and sweets over vegetables. Experiment on cooking meatless recipes for kids for better nutritional value.

Vegetarian meals entails are meatless. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers. Find ways to incorporate vegetarian meals in your children’s diet to make them grow healthier and stronger..

Kids are generally picky and refuse to eat vegetables. Prepare meals with vegetables subtly included to make kids enjoy eating vegetables.

Vegetables can be cooked through stir frying, steaming, and sautéing, without losing the key nutrients. They are good sources of Vitamin A, B and C. Some minerals found in vegetables are iron, iodine, zinc, calcium and selenium. Children who regularly eat dark green vegetables and beans develop more red blood cells in their bodies.

Here are some tips when preparing vegetarian meals for kids:
• Modify the kid’s favorite recipe. Use soya-based meat equivalents for a meat-free meal.
• Let your kids pick vegetables in your backyard and let them wash it. Getting them involved in cooking is positive reinforcement.
• Have fun making designs of boiled veggies on a plate with your child.
• Add vegetables to burgers. This is similar to one of the fastfood joints which provide “vegeburgers” and bean burritos. Also try making patties out of vegetables.
• Cook oven-baked fries instead of fried.

Sample recipe- Veggie Burgers:
Mix the following:
o 1 grated carrot
o ½ cup collards
o 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
o 1 beaten egg
o ½ tsp. black pepper
o 1 tsp soy sauce
o 2 ½ cups of cooked rice or millet

Thoroughly mix all the ingredients. Shape it into small sized patties. Fry this until it becomes golden brown. Bake at 400 °F on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes per side.

• Use herbs, spices and seasonings to add flavor to the veggies, especially when the taste is bland
• Incorporate vegetables subtly. Mince them in a food processor or blender and add to soups, sauces, or pasta.
• Melt butter or olive oil into breadcrumbs and sprinkle it over steamed veggies.
• Add minced vegetables in baking breads, cakes, muffins, and pizzas, along with honey and maple syrup.
• Make a refreshing drink using pureed vegetables. Kids would not even know that it has veggies.
• Prepare pasta salads along with diced vegetables and veggie mayo or dressing.
• Grill some veggies such as mushrooms, carrots, and cucumbers.

Meal Samples:
Breakfasts
o Banana soy milk smoothie with almond and tahinis
o Granola-type cereal with dried or fresh fruit and soy milk
o Pancakes with maple syrup, walnuts and slices of fruits
o Muffins made from whole grains having honey spread, tahini and fruit juice

Lunch
o Tabouli salad with hummus in pita pocket
o Tofu burger with vegan mayo and whole wheat bun
o Lasagna with veggies (cauliflower, carrots, olives and mushrooms)

Salads
o Potato salad
o Avocado salad
o Bean salad
o Marinated tofu salad

Dinner
o Stir fried vegetables with canola or olive oil & nuts
o Pasta dish of pesto sauces (made of basil leaves)

Children’s repulsion to vegetables is often seen as just psychological. Find ways for children to enjoy eating vegetables. Cook meals that children normally like, and incorporate veggies without losing the meaty taste. After all, children who eat veggies are healthier and develop stronger immune systems.

Are you tired of taking the same old dishes to family reunions, office pitch-ins, church potlucs, or picnics?  For something a little different try this recipe for 3-Meat Baked Beans.  Baked Beans are always a good standby but surprise everyone this time with these baked beans with meat.  The Bacon Topped Tater Tot Casserole is a more unusual potato dish.  Both dishes will go over well with your family and friends.

3-MEAT BAKED BEANS

1/2 lb smoked sausage, cut in thin slices

1/2 lb. ground beef

3 tbsp chopped onion

5 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

2 cans pork and beans

1/3 cup ketchup

3 tbsp Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

1 1/2 tsp molasses

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ground beef and onion in a skillet and cook until meat in browned, stirring to crumble.  Drain and rinse with hot water, draining again.  Combine the beef mixture with the remaining ingredients.  Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

BACON TOPPED TATER TOT CASSEROLE

1 can (12-oz) fat-free evaporated milk

1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup (8-oz) reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 pkg (32-oz) frozen Tater Tots

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup crumbled crisp-fried bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the evaporated milk, soup, sour cream, butter, onion powder, and garlic powder until blended.  Gently fold in the Tater Tots.  Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and pour the mixture into the pan.  Sprinkle the top with the cheese and bacon (reserve bacon and add during last 5 minutes of cooking, if desired).  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and heated all through.

Enjoy!

Hi 100 calorie and The 100 Calorie Diet fans!  I think it’s a good day for 100 calorie recipes and 100 calorie meals.  OMG!  How can you possibly have a 100 calorie meal?  Susie says, “EASY!”  You build your meal around FREE foods from The 100 Calorie Food Counter.  FREE foods are those foods that are so low in calories and/or high in fiber that you can eat these foods all day long and still lose weight.  So without further ado, let’s get it started!

100 Calorie Recipes

Bangin’ Brushetta

4-6 Garlic Cloves, Chopped – FREE

1 Tablespoon Onion, Chopped – FREE

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil – 100

4-6 Tomatoes, Diced – FREE

Fresh Basil To Taste – FREE

Fresh Parsley To Taste – FREE

Fresh Rosemary To Taste – FREE

Salt and Pepper To Taste – FREE

¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated – 100

12 Slices of Baguette, 1 ½ oz. Each, Toasted – 1200

Saute garlic and onion in olive oil for 2 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, place tomatoes, spices and cheese.  Add cooled garlic and onions.  Mix well.  Top baguette slices with mixture.  Serve immediately.

Makes twelve 100 calorie servings.

“Down Town” Manhattan Clam Chowder

1 Slice Bacon (1/2 oz. Uncooked) – 100

1 Large Onion, Chopped – FREE

3–5 Garlic Cloves, Minced – FREE

1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped – FREE

1 Carrot, Chopped – FREE

2 Celery Stalks, Chopped – FREE

24 oz. Clam Juice – FREE

12 oz. Baby Clams, Canned With Juice, Chopped – 300

14 1/2 oz. Can of Italian Style Diced Tomatoes – FREE

4 Bay Leaves – FREE

1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme – FREE

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped – FREE

1/4 Cup Green Onion, Chopped – FREE

1/8 Teaspoon Thyme – FREE

Salt and Pepper To Taste – FREE

In a large soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until very crisp.  Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring until tender.  Next add green pepper, carrot, celery and cook for about one minute.  Add clam juice, baby clams (with juice), tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme.  Boil for 1 minute.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves.  Lastly stir in remaining ingredients.

Makes four 100 calorie servings.

Quick and Easy Spinach

1 Can of Spinach, Drained Well – FREE

Garlic Powder To Taste – FREE

1 oz. of Your Favorite Cheese, Shredded – 100

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place drained spinach in a small casserole dish, sprinkle with garlic powder.  Top with cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes one large 100 calorie serving.

Variation:  Use canned asparagus instead of spinach.

For a Cool 100 Calorie Meal, Try My FREE Soup and 100 Calorie Salad!

Simple Japanese Onion Soup

1 Celery Stalk, Chopped – FREE

1 Small Onion, Chopped – FREE

1 Carrot, Chopped – FREE

1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger Root, Grated – FREE

1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Garlic, Minced – FREE

2 Tablespoons Chicken Stock – FREE

3 Teaspoons Beef Bouillon Granules – FREE

2 Cups Fresh Mushrooms, Thinly Sliced (Shiitake or White Button) – FREE

2 Quarts Water – FREE

4 Tablespoons Fresh Chives, Chopped – FREE

 In a large stockpot, place celery, onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, and one cup of the mushrooms.  Next add chicken stock, beef bouillon and water.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Cover pot and reduce to medium low heat.  Cook for 1 hour.  Place the remaining mushrooms (1 cup) into a separate pot.  Place a strainer over this pot.  Pour your boiled mixture into this pot letting just the liquid come through.  Discard the strained vegetables.  Divide soup into four Asian type bowls and sprinkle the fresh chives on top.  Serve immediately with Asian type soup spoons.

Makes 4 FREE servings.

Japanese Steakhouse Salad

4 Cups Iceburg Lettuce, Chopped – FREE

1 Large Carrot, Shredded – FREE

1/2 Cup Purple Cabbage, Shredded – FREE

Dressing:

1/4 Medium Onion, Minced – FREE

2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil – 200

2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar – FREE

2 Teaspoons Water – FREE

1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger Root, Minced – FREE

2 Teaspoons Catsup – FREE

1/2 Teaspoon Sugar – FREE

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce – FREE

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice – FREE

1-2 Garlic Cloves, Minced – FREE

Salt and Pepper To Taste – FREE

Place lettuce in a medium bowl, top with carrot and cabbage.  Place all salad dressing ingredients into a blender.  Blend on high for 30 seconds.  Pour dressing on top of salad.  Serve immediately.

Makes two 100 calorie servings.

Susie Trimble and her sister, Tammy Trimble, developed and co-wrote The 100 Calorie Diet and Food Counter for people who love to eat. It’s easy! Eat anything you want in 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500+ and still lose weight.  She has a degree from Canyon College in Health and Nutrition and is also a Certified Personal Fitness Chef.  Susie has lost over 100 lbs. on The 100 Calorie Diet and has learned to finally stop dieting and start living the 100 calorie way.  She loves to cook delicious food and create new and exciting recipes.  Visit her at http://www.The100CalorieDiet.com  

Taiwanese chef Ching-He Huang reveals the secrets behind a really good stir-fry. As seen on Daily Cooks on ITV. For the full recipe visit http://www.CooksforCooks.com

Duration : 0:5:17

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Learn how to make enchiladas, a quick and easy food recipe for kids in this free cooking video.

Expert: Lisa La Barre
Contact: www.labarrenutrition.com
Bio: Lisa La Barre is AFPA certified, a WAPF member, and a personal nutritionist in Beverly Hills. She has almost 10 years of health care experience working for top pharmaceutical companies.
Filmmaker: Nili Nathan

Duration : 0:1:49

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