Lunchbox makeover

I was shopping at Whole Foods recently and noticed a fantastic handout you should all check out. It is called "Build a Better Lunch Box" with Chef Ann Cooper. Ann Cooper is nicknamed "the Renegade Lunch Lady" due to her noble and tireless efforts to revamp our children's school lunch program. She believes all children deserve wholesome, nutrition food...Crazy idea right?

I was recent on TV discussing the same topic. Click here to see the segment on "The View from the Bay"

Remember, it takes a child 20 times of tasting a food before they decide if they like it or not. Do not give up! Continue to serve your child healthy, balanced meals and over time they will likely eat what you provide. A parent has to stay consistent with their message. If nutrition is important to them then the lunchbox must reflect this.

In order for the meal to be balanced there must be a protein, whole grain, fruit, vegetable and healthy fats present. Continue to serve balanced meals and let the child decide how much or whether they are going to eat.

Here are some ideas of all the different food components that can be a part of the lunchbox. Enjoy!

Entrees: (protein/whole grain and healthy fats)
Kidney Bean and Garbanzo bean salad
Lentil salad
Beans and Rice with tortilla and guacamole on the side
Leftover protein mixed with goat cheese and bell pepper and lettuce in a whole wheat pita
Tuna salad with apply slices and whole wheat crackers
Turkey and cheese rolls
Whole wheat pasta with olives, feta, cheery tomatoes, pine nuts and leftover protein
Peanut/almond/soy butter and 100% fruit spread on whole grain bread
Quinoa and edamame salad

Healthy Fats mixed with fruit or veggie:
Homemade trail mix of mixed nuts and dried fruit
Hummus with whole grain crackers
Fruit and yogurt
Fruit and cottage cheese
Ants on a log-celery, peanut butter and raisins

Vegetables:
Tomatoes, Snap peas, broccoli bites with balsamic dressing dip
Carrots and celery stick
Cucumber and bell peppers with ranch dressing
Green beans with soy sauce
Homemade slaw—green and red cabbage cut and mixed with a vinaigrette dressing

Fruits:
Grapes
Berries
Apple or pear wedges
Peeled orange or grapefruit
Plum, Peach or nectarine

Calcium:
Milk
Sweetened soy milk
Yogurt

How to Work with a Picky Eater

Have a picky eater at home? Frustrated when dinner time doesnt quite go as planned?

I was recently on the TV show Home with Lisa Quinn--click here to see the segment!

Add spice to your chicken! Jae’s low cal spicy chicken with a mint yogurt sauce

Using spices while cooking can save you so many calories. Often times we choose lean proteins and vegetables, but when we add excessive amount of oil, full fat cheese and sauces it makes a healthy meal well…not so health. I wanted to create a recipe where all the flavor came from spice to keep the calories down.

Chicken gets a bad rap! People get easily bored and feel they have to force themselves to eat it because it is such a lean meat. Here is a way to get around that....

In a bowl mix 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground mustard seeds, 2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1 teaspoons kosher salt. Brush eight, 4oz boneless chicken cutlets with olive oil and sprinkle the spice mixture all over. Saute chicken until fully cooked.

Mix 6 oz of non fat greek yogurt with ¼ cup of freshly chopped mint for the yogurt sauce. Add a dollop of sauce on top of the chicken and enjoy this full-of-flavor dish!

Mediterranean Quinoa

There is an orzo dish that my mother and aunt both make that I adore. It is fantastic. Recently, I found out I am gluten sensitive so a lot of my favorite dishes have had to be modified. I switched out the orzo and replaced with quinoa and I have my dish back. The added bonus is quinoa is a whole grain and has more protein than orzo so the dish is good for me too. Here are the details for all to enjoy!

Make 1 ½ cups of quinoa with 3 cups of water. Quinoa is made similar to rice—the way you know it is ready is when you see the germ circles around the grains. Slice fresh spinach, dice bell peppers, chop red onions and add ½ cup of each to the grain. Add ½ cup of sun dried tomatoes and add 1 tablespoon of the oil from the jar.

**Tip—sometimes I add the oil from the sun dried tomato jar as I am cooking the grain. It just adds more flavor. Add ½ cup of feta cheese and toast ¼
cup of pine nuts and add to the mix. If desired add ½ cup of balsamic vinegar. Mix the ingredients and enjoy a family favorite!

Quick and Tasty Lentils

I found these lentils at Trader Joe's and I am obsessed! So easy to make--you can microwave or simply boil for a few minutes and they are good to go! They are steamed and vacuum packed so there are no added fats or sugars.

I added feta cheese, balsamic vinegar and sun dried tomatoes and they are delicious. So easy to take to work, bring as a dish to for a party or add as a simple side when making dinner.

Lentils are full of fiber--great to fill you up and leave you satisfied. Keep the extra toppings not too heavy to prevent you from adding to many calories in all the dishes. Feta cheese is lower in saturated fat that other cheeses and balsamic vinegar is calorie free.

Tasty, easy to make and good for you...I mean really? How much better can it get?

A new twist on the chicken nugget

This Thursday I am going to be on a TV show called Home on ABC. The topic is on "Feeding the Pciky Eater" so I thought I would make some healthy twists on kid's favorites.

Chicken nuggets are a favorite for kiddos. Not only do children love them but they are so easy to make that parents tend to use them as a backup plan. The problem is that most chicken is not made from the chicken breast meat and often they are fried and have additives. This recipe is very easy and extremelty more nutritious than the chick nugget standby.

Simply take boneless, skinless chicken cutlets and using canola oil or an egg wash, cover the cutlet and cover with whole wheat flour or whole wheat bread crumbs. Simply sauté until chicken is cooked and enjoy.

This is a simple recipe that does not require much effort and is substantially healthier than processed chicken nuggets. In addition, making a homemade meal goes a long way with creating healthy feeding behaviors at home.

Dad’s Frittata

My dad is an amazing chef. He is that guy---that guy who throws opens up the fridge door, throws a bunch of goodies in a pan and it just tastes delicious. He has been making frittatas for years-ingredients vary based on what leftovers we have! Here is one he made up this weekend. As usual..delicious!

In a food processor mix 3 eggs, 3 egg whites, 6oz non fat greek yogurt with 1 cup of part skim ricotta cheese and blend. In a sautee pan, heat 1 tsp of olive oil and add ½ cup of chopped onion, 1 cup chopped bell peppers with 1 cup of broccoli florets. When vegetables are cooked, add egg mixture and place entire sautee pan in oven. Cook at 500 degrees for 10 mins. Add ½ cup of fresh spinach and ½ cup of goat cheese over eggs and let cook another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is cooked.

Yum!