Rice, beans and greens is one of my favorite go-to meals. It is easy to make, the ingredients are pretty cheap and it is the perfect combination of starch, protein and a vegetable. I typically use leafy greens like kale, spinach or collard greens but this week I found Brussels sprouts at the farmers market and decided to use them instead. Rice, Beans and Greens -2 15-ounce cans organic black beans (I like the brand Eden Organics) -1 large onion, diced -1-2 garlic cloves, smashed -2 cups Brussels sprouts, cleaned with outer leaves pulled off -
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How do (toddler) wonders never cease? After a few months of politely (and sometimes not politely) declining to eat a banana, this week Eliana started to voluntarily eat bananas again. While she never stopped eating them when they were mashed up and hidden in foods like banana bread or oatmeal she had been flat out refusing them on their own. This was super frustrating because for nearly her first year of eating solid foods, she devoured bananas whenever they were offered to her. A photo from February 2012: As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, when a your little
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The other night I found a new food website that I absolutely love called Snack Girl. Her recent post about healthy foods that are cheap reminded me of the yumminess that is kale chips. They are quick, healthy and easy. A perfect snack! And, a curious toddler can even help out with the preparation by helping to wash the kale, tearing it into small pieces and mixing it with olive oil and spices before baking it. See below the photos for my recipe for Kale Chips. Assuming she doesn’t eat all of the ingredients before you can
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Each week, Eliana and I have a standing play date with my friend Meghan and her son Miles. Last week, as the little ones were playing, I asked Meghan what she likes to do with Brussels sprouts and she rattled off the ingredients of some special spice blend she likes. Below is my variation on Meghan’s recipe. It’s a little spicy and a little sweet and it just might make those “sprouts haters” out there reconsider. Don’t like tofu? Swap it out for a protein you like better. Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Tofu with Meghan’s Sauce -
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Hey Grown Up People In Charge of Little Foodies! I snuck out of the crib to tell you about the NEW Tips & Ideas my Mommy posted about feeding the Little Foodies in your life. Check it out, Peeps! Oh, but please don’t tell her I escaped from the crib. She doesn’t know I’m that slick. THANKS! xo, Eliana Related Posts:Two Recipes for Charoset: {Kids Cook Recipe}This Little Foodie Went to MarketLet's Make Guacamole: Toddler RecipePumpkin Macaroni & Cheese: {Kids Cook} Monday MealCoconut Almond Cake: {Kids Cook} Monday MealLet's Roast Pumpkin Seeds: Toddler Recipe
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I found the inspiration for this recipe in the book, Cook Yourself Thin, years ago. Besides the fact that this recipe is tasty and easy, I love that it basically cooks itself in the oven. I set it up, pop it in the oven and don’t have to worry about it for around 13 minutes. Brilliant! Baked French Toast Adapted from the book Cook Yourself Thin -6 pieces whole wheat bread -2 whole eggs -2 egg whites -3 tablespoons 1% milk -1 teaspoon ground cinnamon -1½ tablespoon honey -½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese or plain, fat free
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I love working with farro because of its flexibility. Like pasta and rice, it can be mixed with a variety of ingredients and served hot or cold. I make a variation of this recipe year-round and just swap out the vegetables and cheese based on what looks good at the market. I hope you’ll create your own favorite combination based on this recipe! Warm Farro Salad -2-3 carrots, peeled and diced -1 large yellow onion, diced -1 beet, roasted and diced (Click here for how to roast beets) -1 bunch red swiss chard leaves, sliced into ¼ inch
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A few weeks ago I posted a recipe for what I called a “Quick and Hearty ‘Rice Pudding.’ In case you missed it, click here for that recipe. Yesterday, I made a variation of it using some different ingredients. Similar story as before: My teething and over-tired toddler didn’t want to eat at lunch time. So when snack time rolled around, I wanted to give Eliana something hearty and filling but gentle on the teeth. Since I didn’t have any cottage cheese and cooked brown rice, I improvised with what I did have and came up with the recipe below
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So, this is a bit of a deviation from the traditional Monday Meal, but with Valentine’s Day approaching, I thought I’d share some ideas for tasty sweets for your Sweetie(s). In this house, we definitely like to enjoy sweets now and then—at the occasional, appropriate, time and place. Making a sweet treat for my husband, Matt, has always been one of my Valentine’s Day gifts since I consider it to be an appropriate time. I believe that when I make something myself and I can control the ingredients, I can make a version that is a bit healthier
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Last week, I wrote about how Eliana noticed the many-named squash chayote/xuxu/pepinilla/cho-cho/su su in the grocery store which she recognized from one of her books about food. Read about how she noticed the squash at the grocery store by clicking here and click here to read about her food-related books. After last week’s post, I got suggestions about how to prepare this squash from both my sister-in-law, Mariana, and a former colleague, Mary. What I found most interesting is that both these women knew the squash by totally different names. Mariana, who is Brazilian, called the squash xuxu
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The idea of making granola intimidated me for a long time. Until I finally made it. It is so easy that I keep a fresh batch around at all times. Besides the obvious health benefits of making my own granola such as controlling the amount of sugar, I love that I can customize it to include whichever types of nuts and fruit I want to use. We love to spoon it over Greek yogurt, but I’m sure it is equally tasty over regular yogurt, with milk or over ice cream. One piece of advice: chop the nuts and
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Roasted Squash Sauce with Cheese Ravioli -1 large onion, cut into half-moons -3 small squash, cut in half (I used 2 acorn squash and 1 red kuri squash) -3 cloves garlic, skin on with ends cut off -1 cup vegetable broth -Zest and juice of 1 lemon -3 sage leaves, chopped and placed in a medium-sized bowl -1½ tablespoons unsalted butter -½ cup raw cashews -1 teaspoon salt, plus a little more to sprinkle on the vegetables and cashews -½ teaspoon pepper, plus a little more to sprinkle on the vegetables -¼ grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
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