November 5, 2009

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Sometimes I choose recipes with the boys' food "likes" in mind, sometimes it is for a particular occasion, and sometimes, just sometimes, I just choose recipes that *I* think I would like. (Side note: SPH is one of the least picky eaters I know, so he is one person I know will eat almost anything I serve)

I saw a recipe for Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash recently in Martha Stewart Living. I had just picked up some local Acorn Squash, so this recipe was calling my name. I loved the idea of using Moroccan flavors in a squash, and this recipe also used Bulgur, which I love.

Recipes

Healthy Eating

October 29, 2009

Pumpkin Seeds

Have you carved your pumpkins yet? If you have, did you save the seeds? Did you know that pumpkin seeds toast up super yummy and are rich in iron, zinc and antioxidants?

I have tried many times to roast pumpkin seeds and I have found that the best way to roast them is to do it in a fairly low temperature oven for about an hour or more. Oh, and there are a few other tricks to do too.

Healthy Eating

Healthy Snacks

October 26, 2009

That's a wrap

A new week is upon us and with it comes new busyness and excitement. R and G both have Halloween/Harvest parties at school this week, Thursday brings Trick or Treating (still don't understand why we have it on the 29th this year) and SPH has a busy work week too.

Each weekend I try and come up with a menu plan for the week to help ease the stress of each night's meal. With an extra busy week, I tend to focus on easy-to-prepare favorites, some of which can be made ahead or in the slow cooker.

Lunch

Healthy Eating

Recipes

October 14, 2009

Busy Parent Pantry Item

I think one of the handiest tools in a busy parent’s pantry has got to be couscous. Couscous is a very small bead shaped pasta that can be cooked without boiling, you just simply pour a very hot liquid over it, cover it and in about 5 minutes, it is ready to go.

In recent years, it has become easier to find whole wheat couscous, which is just as easy to prepare, but with the benefit of whole grains.

Recipes

Healthy Eating

October 12, 2009

Zucchini and Eggplant Parmesan

I love Eggplant Parmesan. My husband and kids love Eggplant Parmesan. Traditionally the eggplant for Eggplant Parmesan is fried or sautéed, but we bake our eggplant in the oven before it gets layered between all the yummy sauce and cheese of Eggplant Parmesan.

Another change I made recently was taking zucchini, slicing and breading it like eggplant, and using it with the eggplant to make Zucchini and Eggplant Parmesan. It was a neat change of pace and made the dish even more economical as zucchini this time of year is often less expensive than eggplant.

Vegetarian Recipes

Recipes

Healthy Eating

October 7, 2009

Gingered Pear Crisp

As the fall bake-a-thon continues in the Sweet Pea Kitchen, I’ve been trying to keep things light. Not that I am opposed to a good decadent dessert, it is just if I didn’t have some good light and healthy baked goods up my sleeve, we’d all be needing some new, bigger clothes.

So it was a fun challenge last week to create something tasty, yet light, when we had some unexpected visit from my brother last week. He flew in from California and so a lot of the Ohio family dropped in on a week night for some dessert and conversation.

In the pantry I had some:

Recipes

Healthy Eating

Baking

October 1, 2009

Sweet Flavors

Happy October All! Hard to believe we are into the holiday countdown.

I was in Target last week with my older son and they had Christmas, yes Christmas things in the aisles. But with October starts the Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas-R and G Birthdays-Valentine’s Day-Easter Septfecta of holidays and celebrations. R has caught on to this and once October hits he gets very excited.

Holidays

Healthy Eating

September 28, 2009

Redemption in Snacks

As life gets busy and busier, I find us doing more eating-on-the-run, especially as I tote R and G around to and from school, activities and other fun times. If we can't eat a healthy *meal* on the run, sometimes I can sneak in an extra vegetable or fruit through snack time. These easy, easy pita chips are a surefire way to get R and G to eat extra hummus. Every time I make homemade pita chips, the boys get all sorts of excited and gobble up an extra dose of whatever I am serving up with them.

Recipes

Healthy Snacks

Healthy Eating

September 24, 2009

Go Figure

Go figure--R won't eat PB&J, grilled cheese and rarely touches mac n' cheese, but he loves blue cheese, oysters and olives. While he eats his fair share of typical kid foods and snacks, trying to figure out what to pack for lunches away from home can present a challenge, as typical sandwiches don't fly for R.

September 23, 2009