A mom emailed me this morning and reminded me that this Sunday is not only Valentine’s Day, but also Chinese New Year. She and her husband always used to celebrate both holidays (prior to parenthood) by ordering in Chinese food. This year she wanted to switch things up by cooking a healthy, kid-friendly Chinese meal that her 18 month old would also enjoy. I sent her recipes for Sweet Potato Apple Cheddar “Purses” and Chinese Chicken Dumplings and Vegetable “Fried” Rice, but I thought I’d also add this Shrimp and Rice Noodle Stir-Fry that has become one of my family’s favorites.

Kenya is an obsessive shrimp eater and he also lives for noodles, so this recipe was a no brainer. With a dish like this, I try to pre-cut the vegetables and soak the noodles early in the day so that preparation at dinner time is a cinch. This is an amazing dish to serve your family this Sunday in celebration of two fun holidays. And it’s so easy, you can play with your family all day and then come home and whip up dinner in no time flat! It will be double holiday deliciousness!

Shrimp & Rice Noodle Stir-Fry (Serves 4)

Water
1/2 Package Rice Noodle (about 7 oz)
3 Tbsp Braggs or Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Agave
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Tbsp Canola or Vegetable Oil
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Scallions, chopped
1/2 Cup Snow Peas, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Tsp Ginger, minced
1 Medium Carrot, grated
1 Lb Large Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen shrimp that I defrosted).
1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds, optional

1. Take 1/2 package of rice noodles, break in half, and soften by following the package directions.
2. Combine the soy sauce, agave and cornstarch in a bowl and stir to combine (sauce will thicken).
3. Heat a wok or a large saute pan over medium heat with oil and add the chopped bell pepper, scallions, snow peas, garlic and ginger, and saute for 3 minutes stirring continuously.
4. Add the carrots and shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes stirring continuously or until the shrimp are cooked through and pink.
5. Create a well in the center of the wok or pan and pour in the soy sauce mixture and heat for 30 seconds.
6. Add the drained rice noodles to the pan, stir fry for another minute or until noodles, shrimp and vegetables are coated with the sauce and are heated through.
7. Serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

Boy/Red Chopstick Kid Chopstick+Holder by Fred

Girl/Pink Chopstick Kid Chopstick+Holder by Fred

This is a vegetarian dish that I keep in the fridge at all times. It’s a great recipe to prepare on a Sunday (when things are hopefully calmer in your house) to have on hand all week for lunches and dinners. We all love it in my house, even baby Chloe. I feed her individual lentils one after the other and she can’t seem to get enough of them. As for Kenya, as soon as he found out that the type of kale I use in the recipe is called “dinosaur kale”, he was downing it by the spoonful!

I buy nearly all of the ingredients for this recipe — the lentils and the vegetables — at the farmers market where they’re certified organic, in season, and cost the same price or less than I would find them for at the grocery. When you can make a healthy, high protein, tasty and exotic recipe like this one that everyone in the family loves, it makes for a very happy mommy!

Indian Lentils (Serves 4-6)

1 Tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
1 Garlic Clove, grated
1 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
2 Tsp Ground Coriander
1/4 Tsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Medium Shallot, minced
3 Tbsp Tomato Paste (mixed with 3 Tbsp Water)
1 1/4 Cups Green Lentils
1 Cup Green Beans, chopped
1 Cup Carrots, cut into coins
1 1/2 Cups Kale, shredded (I used Dinosaur Kale)
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Cilantro, chopped

1. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl with 1/4 cup of water to make a paste.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the shallots over medium heat for 1 minute.
3. Add the spice mixture and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste mixture and cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until the liquid is almost evaporated.
5. Add the lentils and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 25 minutes.
6. Add the vegetables, salt and cilantro and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until vegetables and lentils are tender.
7. Serve.

*Allow to cool and place in appropriate tupperware or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in a pot over low-medium heat or in the fridge for 24-48 hours.

From a very early age, I always knew when my parents were going out and leaving us with a babysitter: I would hear the freezer door open, the sound of something solid dropping onto a cookie sheet and about 30 minutes later, the smell of pie crust would permeate the air. As with most kids, I hated being left at home while my mom and dad went out, but I sure did love chicken pot pie so things kind of evened out. To me, there are few meals more comforting than crisp, flaky pie crust covering a creamy blend of chicken and veggies. I wanted to recreate that great childhood food memory with this recipe, but I needed to make it healthier than the Swanson frozen variety pot pie I had as a kid.

On the whole Kenya is a pretty amazing eater, but the night that I took these individual pot pies out of the oven he took one look at them and said, “I don’t want it”. My feelings were totally hurt, but I also know how finicky and temperamental toddlers can be, so I decided not to push him and see what happened. I let Kenya continue to play in the kitchen and about 15 minutes later I saw him wander over to where the pies were cooling, take a fork and investigate his little pie. He took one bite and said, “I love it”. No joke. He went from unwilling to try it to loving it in a matter of minutes and I didn’t have to do anything but be patient. If there is one thing that I’ve learned time and again when it comes to kids and eating, it’s that pushing things on them almost always makes them more resistant to try new foods. When you let kids discover things for themselves, it gives them an ownership over what they eat and a sense of discovery with food that just can’t be achieved by cajoling, sneaking, persuading or begging.

Just giving Kenya a bit of space allowed him to fall in love with chicken pot pie all by himself. Now, if I could only figure out how to get my husband to take me out on a date I could relive my entire childhood pot pie memory!

Chicken Pot Pie (Makes 4)

Crust:

4 Tbsp Butter, chilled and cubed
4 Tbsp Shortening or Lard, chilled and cubed
1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
2-3 Tbsp Ice Water

1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
2. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of the water in the food processor and pulse a few times until the dough starts to come together.
3. Place the dough of a piece of parchment or plastic wrap and gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.
4. Refrigerate the pie crust dough for 30 minutes or until chilled.

Pie Filling:

2 Cups or 1 14 oz Can Chicken Broth (I use low sodium)
2 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless (about 1 Lb)
4 Tbsp Butter
1 Small Onion, minced
2 Stalks of Celery, diced
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
1 Tsp Fresh or 1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme
3 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Peas (I use frozen)
Salt

1. In a saucepan, bring chicken stock and chicken breasts to a boil, reduce to a simmer, partially covered for 12 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate, reserving the chicken broth, and when cool, cut the chicken into bite size chunks.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onions for 4 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add the celery, carrots and thyme and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Melt the remaining 3 tbsp of butter into the vegetables and sprinkle 3 tbsp of flour over and stir to make a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring to coat the vegetables.
5. Add the milk, reserved chicken broth, chopped chicken and peas and simmer over low to medium for 10 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add salt to taste.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. Place 1/4 of the mixture in 4 10 oz ramekins or 1 large ramekin.
8. Dust a flat surface with flour and roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick (about the size of a pie plate).
9. Place the ramekins on the dough upside-down and cut 1/2 inch wider around to make the top crust of the pot pie.
10. Place the cut-out dough on top of the ramekin and gently pinch the sides, pressing it to make it stick.
11. Using the tip of a knife, make 3 slits on top of the dough (to allow ventilation).
12. Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
13. Cool and serve.

Growing up in Kentucky, we ate a lot of pork. Whether it was bacon, chops or tenderloin, I loved it. My mother was always a healthy cook and considered pork “the other white meat”, and pork tenderloin was one of her favorite things to make.

When you’re looking for a healthy recipe that basically cooks itself, turn no farther than this dish. Just pull out your slow cooker, quickly sear the pork, and place everything in the pot. While you’re running errands, playing with the kids or helping them with their homework, this meal will do all the cooking for you.

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Sauerkraut (Serves 6-8)

1 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Oil
2 Pork Tenderloins (about 1 lb. each), trimmed of any fat and silver skin
3 Apples, peeled, cored and sliced in eighths (I use an apple corer)
1/2 Cup Apple Cider
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme or 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
16 oz Sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat.
2. Season the pork with 1 teaspoon of salt.
3. Add the pork to a saute pan and evenly brown all sides for a total of 4 minutes.
4. Transfer the apples and remaining ingredients to a slow cooker, stir, and top with the pork tenderloins.
5. Cook on low heat for 2 hours or until pork reaches 155 degrees on a meat thermometer.
6. Remove tenderloins and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
6. Slice the meat and serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

Oxo Good Grips Apple Corer and Divider

Someone in our family…you know who…is going through a serious macaroni and cheese phase. It’s funny how kids get something in their heads and just fixate on it. This has happened to Kenya with tons of foods such as pizza, pasta, yogurt, muffins, cheese, even string beans (seriously, he couldn’t get enough of them) and now he’s obsessed with mac & cheese.

I’ve been having a blast coming up with fun pasta and cheese recipes and these Mac, Chicken & Cheese Bites are a tasty way to give your kids a double boost of protein. I especially love these bites because they fit beautifully in a lunch box and even little kids can easily hold them in their hands. When Kenya first saw these he asked, “What are those” and I said, “mac and cheese muffins”. “Macaroni”, “cheese” and “muffin” all in the same sentence? They were a winner before he even tried the first bite! I wonder if that means this phase will last three times as long?

Mac, Chicken & Cheese Bites (Makes 20 Mini Bites)

1/2 Lb. Macaroni
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Cup Milk
1 Cup White Cheddar
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Cooked Chicken, diced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions (the pasta I used said to cook for 9-12 minutes, so I cooked it for 10 minutes).
3. Drain the pasta and set aside.
4. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan melt 2 Tbsp of the butter.
5. Whisk in the flour and salt and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add the milk in a slow stream and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally .
7. Add the white cheddar and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
8. Pour the cheese sauce and chicken over the pasta and stir to combine.
9. In a bowl, combine the 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.
10. Grease mini muffin cups.
11. Pour about 1/4 cup of the macaroni mixture into the muffin cups, sprinkle the top with the bread and cheese mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes (I cooked mine for 20 mins) or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.
12. Cool in muffin cups, remove and serve.

*Allow to cool and place in ziploc bag,label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, place in toaster oven or oven at 300 for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Pasta and shrimp. Two of my family’s favorite foods. That’s good news for me because they’re relatively inexpensive (money saving tip: buy pre-packaged frozen shrimp in your grocery’s freezer aisle) and I can keep them on hand for quick recipes just like this one. I’m pretty sure that we eat shrimp or pasta in our house 5 days a week, so combining them in this recipe just made sense. This is one of those dishes I like to make on the nights that I’m exhausted (uh, that would be every night), and need something that is super easy to prepare, will be a hit with the family and looks totally gourmet.

Lemon-Wee Shrimp Pasta (Serves 4)

1 Tbsp & 1/4 Tsp Salt, divided
1 Lb Rigatoni
1 Lb Large Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen shrimp that I defrosted)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Cup Clam Juice
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Parsley, chopped

1. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tbsp of salt to a boil.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
3. While pasta cooks, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large non stick saute pan over medium heat.
4. Add the shrimp, garlic, salt and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Place the shrimp, garlic and 1/4 tsp salt in a saute pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through (make sure not to overcook the shrimp).
6. Remove the shrimp to a plate and pour the clam juice into the same large pan.
7. Bring the clam juice to a boil for 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.
8. Whisk the butter, lemon juice and parsley into the saute pan and add the pasta, shrimp and as much of the reserved pasta water as nessecary to make a sauce to coat the pasta.
19. Serve.

This has hands-down become my favorite dinner to make for the family lately. It has tons of flavor, but it’s not spicy for kids with delicate taste buds (unless you’re my son who eats raw onions as if they were candy).

I made this the other night and Kenya had a blast helping me measure out all the spices. Simple little activities like dumping spices into a sauce may seem boring to adults, but to kids it’s a blast. He loved smelling and tasting each spice while we were cooking and eating the final dish (which takes no time to prepare). For this recipe I used chicken thighs because they’re inexpensive, but you could also use breasts if you have them on hand.

Served with a scoop of couscous, this dish will be a hit with even the tiniest eaters in your family.

Braised Moroccan Chicken (Serves 4)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, sliced thin
1 Tsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tsp Salt
1 15 Oz Can Chopped Tomatoes
1 Can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Lb Chicken Thighs, skinless

1. In a large saute pan heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Saute the onions for 5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add the spices and tomatoes, bring to a boil.
4. Add the garbanzo beans and chicken to the sauce mixture and stir to coat.
5. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
6. Serve.

Whenever I’m trying to come up with a fast recipe that’s healthy, easy on the wallet and entails little cooking and clean-up time (if that’s even possible) I make these tofu packets. They take only minutes to prepare and since every person you are cooking for gets his own packet, it makes the dish all the more special. If you want the preparation to be even faster, you could chop up the raw vegetables in the morning and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to make the packets for dinner.

One of the greatest challenges for a parent is trying to make dinner and keep the troops happy and occupied at the same time. This recipe perfectly satisfies both of those requirements by providing a quick and delicious meal and getting your kids happily involved in the cooking process. Just place the parchment “books” in front of your little one and let them help you layer the veggies and sauce into each one before you fold them up and pop them in the oven. This way kids have a little more control over their dinner because they actually got to help make the food they will put into their bodies. They are the authors of their own books!

Tofu Packets (Serves 4)

1 14 oz Package Firm or Extra Firm Tofu
1/4 Cup Miso
2 Tsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce (I use low sodium)
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp Honey
4 Scallions, sliced thin
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced thin
5 Shiitake Mushrooms (3.5 oz. package)
Sesame Seeds to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Drain the water off of the tofu and wrap in a kitchen towel or paper towels and place something heavy on top of the tofu for 10 minutes (this is to remove as much liquid as possible from the tofu).
3. Combine the miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and honey in a bowl and stir to combine.
4. Place 4 12 inch pieces of parchment on a counter top and fold in half like a book.
5. Quarter the tofu and cut each quarter into 5 equal slices (you will have 20 total).
6. Layer 5 slices of tofu with a quarter of the scallions, red bell pepper and mushrooms on one side of the parchment paper.
7. Drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds to taste.
8. Place the top of the parchment over the ingredients closing the “book”.
9. Starting at one end of the parchment, fold the edges of the paper over several times continuing to make creases all around the tofu until it’s completely enclosed and no air can escape.
10. Place on a cookie sheet.
11. Bake for 15 minutes.
12. Cut open top to let out steam. Be careful, it’s hot!
13. Serve.

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If you’re thinking about making an appetizer for a holiday party, you have to try this one! It’s incredibly easy to prepare, but elegant enough for a party. The best part is kids AND adults love them. Each little bite is packed with big flakes of sweet crab meat, has just a bit of tang from the lemon juice and a crispy texture from the bread crumbs. I actually first created this recipe for Good Bite recently and it was a big success with them. If you want a few extra tips, check out the video here on Good Bite

I made these for dinner last week and Kenya had a ball dipping them in the lemon aioli and them eating them up one after another. Whether you make these for friends or just serve them to your family, I promise everyone will be impressed by your culinary creation.

Mini Crab Cakes (makes 36)

1 Lb Lump Crab Meat, picked over and drained well
1/3 Cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped fine
2 Tbsp Scallions, whites plus 2 inches of green finely chopped
1 1/2 Tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
2 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 Cup Panko Crumbs, white or wheat
Canola Oil for pan searing

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the oil in a bowl.
2. Using a spoon or mini ice cream scooper, use about 1 tbsp of the mixture to form crab cakes, packing the meat tightly so it holds together.
3. Heat a thin coat of oil in a large saute over medium heat.
4. Add the crab cakes a cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden.
5. Serve with Lemon Aioli.

*After step 2, place cakes on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes then place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, allow to defrost in fridge for 24 hours and follow steps 3-5.

Lemon Aioli

1 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp Old Bay Seasoning

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Serve.

I can’t seem to get enough roast turkey this time of year, but some nights — even for me — it can become monotonous. When I really want to serve something different and unique, I try to spice things up….literally. Between all my experimenting adding extra flavor to Chloe’s baby food as well as whipping up dish after dish for Thanksgiving, I’ve been in my spice drawer non-stop lately. And that’s where I got the inspiration for this dish.

There are so many ways to change up regular roast turkey. You can go for barbecue, make sandwiches, maybe even make a turkey salad. But why not try an Indian spin? It sounds exotic, but it’s really easy to do and the flavor is amazing! I love using garam masala and since it contains cinnamon, it has a real kid-friendly flavor. Instead of the traditional Cranber-Wee Sauce I usually serve with my turkey, I quickly cooked up this Apricot Apple Puree, the perfect sweet accompaniment with this juicy turkey breast.

I promise this is a taste no one will get tired of in your house.

Indian Turkey Breast (Serves 6)

1 3-4 Lb Turkey Breast, boneless, skin on and tied
1 Tsp Garam Masala
1 Tsp Salt, divided
1 Tsp Oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Rub the turkey breast with oil and sprinkle with garam masala and salt all over.
3. Place the turkey on a sheet pan covered with foil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
5. Bake for an additional 50 or until an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees.
6. Remove turkey breast from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
7. Slice and serve.

Apricot Apple Chutney (Makes 1 1/2 Cups)

1 Apple, cored, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup Dried Apricots (preferably unsulphered)
1/2 Cup Raisins
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Tsp Curry Powder

1. Place all the ingredients in a small pot and cook over low to medium heat for 10 minutes.
2. Puree in a food processor.
3. Serve.