10 Easy Babysitter Recipes

You've had a crazy week of running around after your kids and you finally got a babysitter so you can go out and let loose with your hubby. Many moms stress over needing to make sure dinner for their wee ones is all taken care of before they can go have fun. Stress no more. Here are a few easy recipes your sitter can make and also get the kids involved helping to prepare. Mom's happy, sitter's happy, kids are happy -- that's a major win-win!

Banana Bites (Makes 2-3 Servings)

2 Bananas
1 Cup Pancake Batter (Your favorite boxed brand OR your weelicious favorite recipe: Whole Wheat Oat Pancakes, Raspberr-Wee Pancakes (minus the raspberries) or even Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes)

Accompaniments: Honey, maple syrup, yogurt or a healthy berry sauce*

1. Cut the bananas into 1/4 inch slices (I like to make slices on a diagonal bias so they're a little bit longer than circles).
2. One at a time, dip the banana slices into the batter, coating all over, shaking off the excess batter into the bowl and place on a buttered griddle or skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook for 1 minute on each side or until golden.
4. Serve.

*Do not serve with honey for children under 12 months for allergy reasons.

Smoothie Your Way (Serves 1)

1 Banana
1 Cup Fruit (of your choice fresh or frozen such as mango, berries,
papaya, pineapple or cherries)
1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt or Kefir
1/2 Cup Milk (I like to use Vanilla Rice or Almond Milk)

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Serve.

Grilled Two-Cheese & Avocado Sandwich (Serves 2)

4 Slices Sourdough Bread
2 Slices Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Avocado, sliced
2 Slices Gruyere or Provolone Cheese
1 Tbsp Butter, softened

1. Lightly spread one side of all bread slices with butter.
2. Place one slice of bread on a plate, butterside down, and cover with 1 slice of cheddar, half of the avocado slices ( I mash them down a bit) and finally, a slice of gruyere or provolone cheese.
3. Top with the remaining piece of bread, butterside up.
4. Preheat a panini maker or saute pan over medium heat and cook the sandwiches until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes.
5. Cut and serve.

Chicken, Cheese and Bean Quesadillas (make 20 Triangles)

1 Chicken Breast (about 1/2 cup cooked)
3/4 Cup Pinto Beans
1 Cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded
4 Whole Wheat or Spelt Tortillas

1. Place the chicken breast in a steamer pot over boiling water and steam for 8 minutes or until it's cooked through.
2. Cut the chicken into several pieces and place it with the beans in a food processor. Pulse until well combined and little pieces remain.
3. Spread 3 Tbsp of the chicken mixture on half of a tortilla. Cover with 1/4 cup shredded cheese.
4. Fold the tortilla in half.
5. Place the tortilla in a saute pan over low to medium heat (there's no need to add oil, butter or spray). Cook for 2-3 minutes, flip on the other side and continue to cook another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
6. Cool for several minutes and then cut into 5 triangles.
7. Serve.
* The cheese can remain quite hot even after you cut the tortillas into triangles, so make sure it's cool before serving to your toddler.

Cream Cheese & Avocado Sammie (Makes 2 Sammies)

1 ripe Avocado, cut in half and sliced
1/4 Cup Cream Cheese
4 Slices of Bread (I know the bread in the picture above looks like white bread, but it's not. It's sourdough from our local farmer's market. You can use any kind of bread you like, though.)

1. Spread the slices of avocado on one slice of the bread.
2. Spread the cream on the other slice of bread.
3. Press into a sandwich.
4. Serve.

PB & J Panini (Serves 4)

2 Bananas
8 Slices Whole Wheat Bread
¼ Cup Jelly, Jam or Preserves
¼ Cup Peanut Butter (you can also use sunflower, almond or cashew butter)

1. Cut the banana in half. Then cut each half into strips lengthwise (so the pieces are long and flat).
2. Spread the peanut butter on one side of four pieces of the bread and top with the several slices of bananas.
3. Spread the jelly on one side of the four remaining pieces of bread and then place on top of the banana slices.
4. Place sandwiches in a panini maker, press and cook for 3-4 minutes or until sandwich is pressed and golden.
5. Serve.

Mexican Pizza (Serves 4)

1 Lb Pizza Dough (whole wheat, white or Weelicious whole wheat dough)
1/2 Cup Salsa, I used chunky mild
1 Cup Mexican Cheese Blend (Mozzarella, Cheddar and Monterey Jack, grated

Toppings before baking: sliced black olives, scallions, black beans, sliced tomatoes

Toppings after pizza cooks: sour cream, lettuce

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. If using prepared dough, leave the dough on the counter until at room temperature.
3. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and using your hands, shape into individual pizza circles.
4. Place on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet and cover each pizza with salsa, cheese and desired toppings.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Serve.

Salmon Bites (Makes Approx. 30 Bites)

16 Oz Salmon Steak, skinless
1/3 Cup Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Egg, whisked
1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Oil or Spray

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut the salmon into 1 inch cubes.
3. Place the flour and salt in a bowl and stir to combine.
4. Whisk the egg in a second bowl.
5. Place the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a third bowl and stir to combine.
6. Coat the salmon pieces in the flour and pat to remove excess flour.
7. Dip the flour coated salmon pieces in egg and then roll in the bread crumbs to coat.
8. Place the salmon bites on a cookie sheet sprayed or greased with oil (I use Spectrum Canola Oil Spray) and when all the salmon bites are on the tray, spray again to lightly coat.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
10. Serve with sauce.

*For best results, bread salmon bites, place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, place par-frozen salmon bites in a ziploc bag and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, continue to follow steps 8-10 adding at least 5 minutes cooking time.

Avocado Yogurt Dip

1 Ripe Avocado, pitted
1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (I like to use 0 or 2% greek yogurt because it's thick and creamy)
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
1/4 Tsp Salt

1. Place the ingredients in a food processor and puree.
2. Serve.

Rice Cooker Mac & Cheese (Serves 4-6)

2 Cups Pasta (I used macaroni, but you could also use rotini, faralle or bite size pasta)
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock (I use low sodium stock)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Whole Milk
1 1/2 Cups Cheese ( I use a 3 cheese blend of cheddar, mozzarella and monterey jack)

* Option: You can also add a cup of finely chopped broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, butternut squash or frozen peas. Do so in step #2.

1. Place the first 3 ingredients in the rice cooker and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Open the lid, add the milk and cheese, stir to combine, close the lid and cook for an additional 20 minutes (25 minutes if you want it to have a crust on the bottom).

*Rice cookers can cook at different heats, so make sure to check the mac & cheese after if cooks for 30 minutes once or twice.
3. Serve.

Pesto Shrimp Skewers (Serves 4)

1/4 Cup Weelicious Pesto OR store bought pesto
1 Lb. Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen shrimp that I defrosted before marinating)

1. Place the pesto and shrimp in a bowl and marinate for 30 minutes covered in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven broiler.
3. Place the shrimp on skewers (if you use wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before skewering).
4. Place skewers on a cookie sheet and cook under the broiler for 3 minutes (there's no need to turn them).
5. Serve.