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…with fun and healthy ideas for kids!

Oct 28

Healthy banana oatmeal chocolate chip recipe from Shape magazine! 10/28

by megacoolmama

 

I found this recipe on Shape magazine’s Facebook wall, and have adapted it a bit to fit my philosophy.  It was actually pretty healthy to begin with, but I added a few tweaks AND links to coupons where available.  Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing until evenly blended.
  3. Use a tablespoon to portion cookies out onto a greased baking sheet, approximately 1-2 inches apart.
  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  5. Cool and enjoy!

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Oct 22

Megacool healthy turkey chili recipe! 10/22

by megacoolmama

With the crisp coolness in the air, October is the perfect time to start making my turkey chili (also perfect for a hearty winter soup)!!  As a matter of fact, today I made a batch that I will get about three meals out of (for a family of four).  I found a recipe some time ago for turkey chili on the Internet, but, of course, modified it to make it even healthier!  My recipe for healthy turkey chili is below (highlighted ingredients linked to coupons!)  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground turkey (Perdue ground turkey often goes on sale)
  • 1 (10.75) ounce can low sodium condensed tomato soup
  • 2 (15) ounce cans of dark red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 (15) ounce can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 (15) ounce can of white beans (like Northern beans) (drained and rinsed)
  • about 11 ounces of organic chicken broth or chicken stock
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 c. pureed butternut squash
  • 2 tbsp. chili powder (Target has great deals on their Archer Farms spices- this also goes for all of the spices listed below!)
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (you could add up to a teaspoon, depending on your taste.  I wanted my kids to be able to eat it, so I stuck with 1/4 tsp.!)
  • 1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1 pinch ground allspice

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place turkey in the skillet, and cook until evenly brown; drain.
  2. Pour condensed tomato soup in a small bowl and mix with chicken broth/stock until evenly mixed in.
  3. Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray, and mix in turkey, tomato soup, kidney beans, black beans, white beans and onion. Mix in pureed squash.  Season with chili powder, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, allspice and salt.
  4. Cover, and cook 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High.

 

Now, you might think that adding squash to chili is a little strange, but it gives it such a nice texture and flavor that I am sure you will love!  My family loves this recipe…I serve it with crumbled blue tortilla chips and a sprinkle of shredded cheese on the top.

Let me know if you try it!  YUM!

 

 

 

 

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Aug 21

Megacool Butternut Squash Risotto recipe! 8/21

by megacoolmama

Picture taken from my Health magazine

I found this yummy recipe in my most current issue of Health magazine.  It features Butternut Squash, which is perfectly in season for fall!  (Eating fruits and vegetables during their peak season is shown to give you the most benefit when you need it!)  I have put my own twist on the recipe by modifying it to contain some more common ingredients and have also linked to coupons where possible.  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Risotto (makes 6 servings)

  Ingredients:

  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (Swanson’s is on sale at Target right now! I also buy this in bulk from Costco!)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, divided (on sale for $3.99 at Jewel)
  • 1 (3) lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 in. cubes
  • 1 tsp. sea or kosher salt, divided (on sale at Meijer)
  • 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves or dried thyme
  • 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (you can find this in stores such as Trader Joe’s, but if you don’t have Arborio rice, you could substitute regular white or brown rice OR orzo pasta.  However, the texture of your overall dish will not be as creamy.)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (read here about the safety of cooking with wine in dishes that will be served to kids- no worries!)
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parimigiano-Reggiano (you could substitute Parmesan cheese if that’s all you have)

Directions:

  1. Bring broth and water to a simmer in saucepan.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook squash with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, stirring occasionally, until it is golden in spots (8-10 minutes).  Stir in thyme.  Add 1/2 c. broth mixture to skillet, reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and broth is evaporated (8 to 10 minutes more).  Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart heavy pot over medium heat, cook onion in remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. oil with remaning 1/2 tsp. salt, stirring, until softened (about 6 minutes).  Add rice and toss to coat with oil; cook 2 minutes.  Add wine and cook until almost completely absorbed (2 minutes more). 
  4. Stir 1/2 c. simmering broth into rice and cook at a strong simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed.  Continue simmering and adding broth 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding more, until rice is creamy-looking but still al dente (about 20 minutes total); mixture should be the consistency of thick soup.  (There may be leftover broth.)
  5. Stir in butter, cheese, and reserved squash.  Serve immediately.

 

Nutrition facts:

Serving size- 1 cup, Calories 344; Fat 8.7 g; Cholesterol 8 mg; Protein 7 g; Carbohydrate 57 g; Sugars 5 g; Fiber 8 g; Iron 2 mg; Sodium 494 mg; Calcium 125 mg

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Aug 14

Megacool recipe for Lemon Chicken Drumsticks! 8/13

by megacoolmama

This is a recipe that I like to use to grill chicken drumsticks in the summertime, especially when they are on sale (like they are for $.99/lb. at Meijer this week!).  This is a healthy alternative to frying, AND there is no skin on the drumsticks in my version of the recipe!  Enjoy and LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

Ingredients

  • chicken drumsticks (about 10 or so)
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • couple dashes of pepper
  • couple dashes of sea or kosher salt

Directions

  • Begin by cutting the skins off of the chicken legs.  I do this simply by pulling the skin down toward the bone (from top to bottom) and then snipping the skin off with kitchen shears. 
  • Place chicken in a medium-sized dish and stab each drumstick a few times with a knife. 
  • Squirt lemon juice over the chicken and be sure to cover all of (or most of) the drumsticks.
  • Add basil, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to the chicken.
  • Cover and shake the chicken so that it is all coated with lemon herb mixture
  • Marinate for as long as you can (usually I do this for an hour or two)
  • Throw chicken drumsticks on the grill for about 20 minutes on medium to medium-high heat, turning them a few times so they don’t burn.
  • Eat up!

 

YUMMY!

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Aug 5

Megacool Recipe for “Pea, Broccoli & Feta Pasta Salad” 8/5

by megacoolmama

This is a recipe by British chef Jamie Oliver that I found in my PEOPLE magazine today.  Jamie is dedicated to healthy, clean eating and has started a movement to get artificial ingredients out of school lunches.  This recipe is great for a light dinner or even lunch.  I have provided links to coupons for main ingredients where I could!  Enjoy!

Pea, Broccoli & Feta Pasta Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. whole wheat penne (2/$3 at Jewel!)
  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 4 tsp. red wine vinegar (coupon for Heinz vinegar here)
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard (you could use regular mustard if you don’t have Dijon)
  • 1 tsp. honey (coupon for Sue Bee honey here)
  • 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (Bertoli olive oil on sale for $4.99 at Jewel!)
  • 1/3 c. frozen peas, thawed (frozen veggies on sale at Meijer $5/5!)
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 c. chopped fresh mint
  • 1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 c. crumbled feta cheese (coupon for Athenos feta cheese here)
  • sea salt and black pepper

Directions

1.  Cook penne in a pot of boiling salted (sea or kosher salt is best!) water according to package directions. Add the broccoli florets for the last three minutes of cooking.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, mustard, honey and olive oil in a small container (that has a lid) with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Shake well with the lid on.

3.  Toss the pasta and broccoli with half of the dressing in a large bowl.  Stir in the peas and red pepper flakes and leave to cool.

4.  Once the pasta is cool, add the chopped herbs and feta.  Toss with the remaining dressing, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve!

ENJOY!!!

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Aug 2

Megacool Make-ahead recipe “Shredded Pork” Mmmmm! 8/2

by megacoolmama

 

This is a recipe that is absolutely DELICIOUS that I like to make and store.  I first tried it at a friend’s little one’s birthday party (thanks, Vikki!!), but I have added my own little twist on the way that it is served.  The even BETTER part is that all of the main ingredients in this dinner can be found either on sale or with a coupon this week!  Oh, and my picky kids LOVED it!  Yippeee!  Read on for the recipe and where to find your savings!

“Shredded Pork” ingredients:

  • 5 lb. pork shoulder, cut into two-inch pieces (here is a coupon for $2 off  {thanks hip2save!} any pork product; BONUS- pork is on sale at Meijer this week for $1.49/lb.)
  • 1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (Newman’s Own Organics  Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a good buy with this coupon)
  • 1 large chopped onion or 6 stalks chopped green onion
  • 2 tbsp. paprika
  • 2 tbsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. ground dried coriander
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
  • package of tortillas for serving (La Banderita or Garden of Eatin both have good products- Garden of Eatin has a coupon!)
  • salsa (Newman’s Own has a coupon OR Target brand Archer Farms is on sale and has a coupon when you buy tortilla chips as well)

Directions:

1.  Combine all of the spices in a small bowl.

2.  Toss pork pieces in the spice mixture.

3.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown seasoned pork pieces on all sides.  Remove browned pork from skillet and set inside of slow cooker.

4.  Add onions to skillet and cook over medium heat until softened and aromatic.  Combine with pork pieces in slow cooker.

5.  Now that pork and onions are combined, cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours. 

6.  Shred pork pieces with fork and serve inside of tortillas with a dollop of salsa on top of the pork.  (I also like to add lettuce, chopped cucumber and chopped avocado to our tortillas!). 

NOTE:  This will make enough for 15 servings!  Basically, it will serve a family of 4 for at least 3 meals!  Eat some, freeze some, then eat some more later!  You will love it!

*Remember, all of these ingredients are recommended by me, and they fit in with “my philosophy”!  Basically, they are mostly all natural and, most of all, GOOD FOR YOU!  Enjoy and LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!  :)

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Jul 31

Kid-friendly (and budget-friendly) healthy pasta recipe! 7/31

by megacoolmama

So, I know I’m not the only one who struggles with getting her kids to eat their veggies, right?  Well, I have gotten into the habit of steaming and pureeing a lot of my veggies and adding them to recipes, which you have seen in my Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe before.  However, this time, we will be adding more veggies to a pasta sauce!  I said this recipe was on a budget because I bought my pasta sauce and pasta in bulk at Costco.  I used the Whole Grain Rotini pasta from Barilla and the 100% natural HeartSmart Prego Traditional Italian sauce.  Also, I used Jennie-O Sweet Italian turkey sausage that I purchased as a Buy One Get One Free Item at my local Jewel (it is still on sale at this moment!).  So, here is the recipe:

Ingredients

One package Jennie-O Sweet Italian turkey sausage

One 13.25 oz. box of Barilla Whole Grain Rotina pasta

One 4 lb. 3 oz. jar of Prego 100% natural Heart Smart Traditional Italian Sauce

One cup of cauliflower puree (to make this, just steam one frozen bag of cauliflower and puree in food processor- frozen steamable Birdseye vegetables are on sale 10 for $10 at Jewel right now!)

1.  Boil turkey sausage in a medium sized pan for about 30-40 minutes on medium high.

2.  As turkey sausage is boiling, put water on high for pasta in a large sized pan.  Once water is boiling, add entire box of pasta.  Let boil and drain according to instructions.  Return pasta to pot and cover.

3.  Empty Prego sauce into another medium sized pot.  Add once cup of cauliflower puree and stir until well-blended.  Simmer sauce on low for 15-20 minutes.

4.  After 30-40 minutes, remove turkey sausage from water and slice into about 1/4 in. slices.  Brown these in a pan coated with Pam non-stick spray.  Add turkey to sauce when done browning. 

5.  Simmer sauce for another 5 minutes or so and add to pasta.  Stir it all up and serve! 

Feel free to do steps 1-3 simultaneously…I just had no better way to order it for a recipe format!  Also, remember, the ingredients I use here are ALL NATURAL and GOOD FOR YOU!  Plus, you have the added bonus of more veggies in this recipe and you cannot tell AT ALL that there is a cauliflower puree in the sauce…it adds no weird taste or anything- I promise! 

 This recipe served my family of 4 (2 adults and 2 small children) for 3 meals!  I like to eat it the night I prepare it, the next night for leftovers, and then freeze the 3rd helping for later use!

ENJOY and LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! :)

 

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Jul 27

Very Vegetable Salad!

by megacoolmama

For my first “In the Kitchen” post, I will share a recipe that I like to make ahead for myself for a nice, light summer lunch.  It has a good protein and fiber content because of the chickpeas and also lots of good stuff from the walnuts and all the vegetables.  I call it “Very Vegetable Salad”!  The following is a list of vegetables that I use, but you can really use whatever you have handy!

For the salad:

  1. chopped Romaine lettuce (about five leaves)
  2. 1/3 c. rinsed, prepared chickpeas (from the can is fine, but I like to rinse mine to lower the sodium content)
  3. 6 chopped baby carrots
  4. 1 stalk of celery, chopped
  5. 2 tbsp. chopped red onion
  6. 1/4 of a green pepper, chopped
  7. 1/4 of a large cucumber, peeled and chopped
  8. 7 or 8 grape tomatoes, halved
  9. 1-2 tbsp. dried cranberries
  10. 1-2 tbsp. unsalted walnuts
  11. shredded cheese for garnish on top if you wish
     

For the dressing:

  1. juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime
  2. 1 tbsp. olive oil
  3. dash of vinegar
  4. 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  5. 1/2 tsp. dried basil

Just throw everything together for the salad in your salad bowl, mix ingredients together for the dressing in a separate small bowl, and drizzle over the top of the salad.  Enjoy!

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