Before I had kids, I don’t think I ever used cream cheese to make anything other then cheesecake. Now, I use it to make everything from Sun Dried Tomato Cream Cheese Spread, to Avocado & Cream Cheese Sammies, to Mini Vanilla Cupcakes, to my favorite, weelicious Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast.

I find cream cheese to be one of the most versatile staples I keep in my fridge. In my experience, just adding a touch of this airy delight to foods kids normally put up a fuss about yields incredible results . I’m sure if you placed some raw carrots and broccoli in a bowl in front of your wee one for a snack you would be met with an, “I’m not eating that!” But toss those same veggies into a food processor with some lovely cream cheese and voila! You have a spread that goes beautifully on crackers, in a sandwich, and best of all, happily in your child’s mouth!

Veggie Cream Cheese (Makes 1 1/2 Cups)

1/2 Cup Carrots, grated
1/2 Cup Broccoli, raw
1 Tbsp Chives, diced
1 Small Garlic Clove
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 8oz Pkg. Cream Cheese, softened

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Add the cream cheese and puree until combined.
3. Serve.

It’s 2010! Two thousand ten! That means back to school after what was hopefully a nice holiday break and putting on your school lunch hat again. At our house this Christmas there were a lot more sweets and foods around than we normally have, so I’m trying to get back to the healthy foods we all love and this salmon salad is a perfect choice.

Salmon is a food you should try to give your kids at least once a week. It’s high in protein and Omega 3 fatty acids which is important for brain function and development. Even kids who say they don’t like fish tend to love salmon for it’s texture and taste.

If you don’t feel like you have extra time on your hands or money in your wallet to make a piece of fresh salmon, canned wild salmon is a great alternative. Add some diced pickle, a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of mayonnaise and I guarantee your kids will ask for this dish on a regular basis!

Salmon Salad (2 Servings)

1 6 Oz Can Salmon (I used Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon from Trader Joes)
1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Pickle, minced (I used kosher dill)
1 Tbsp Chives, minced

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Spread on pita, sandwich bread or rice cakes.
3. Serve.
* We tried the recipe using 1 Tbsp of olive oil instead on the mayonnaise and it was delicious.

Kids love anything on a stick! Or so I’ve found. I would have never believed it before Kenya started eating solids, but it’s true. Popsicles, corn dogs, shish kabobs….put it on a stick and watch what happens! It just makes eating so much more enjoyable for them.

For this chicken-on-a-stick recipe, I added a dipping sauce to increase the fun factor! Even better is that this recipe is totally healthy. When I brought them over recently to a play group Kenya goes to, the kids were yelling, “I want a chicken stick”! The funnier part was watching the parents craving a bite, but thinking it’s wasn’t good for their waistline. Not this version! It’s low in fat and high in protein and fiber, especially if you use a wholesome cereal for the coating. The next time you want a super easy recipe for a party for kids and their parents or even just for a night at home, make this one and you’ll have tons of happy tummies!

Chicken On A Stick (Makes 8 Sticks)

2 Cups Cornflakes, Whole Wheat Flakes or other Flakey Cereal
1 Tsp Salt
1 Lb. Chicken Tenders, remove white stringy tendon
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Pkg Popsicle Sticks
Vegetable Canola Oil Spray

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the cereal and salt in a zip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin OR place in a food processor until the size of breadcrumbs.
3. Pour the buttermilk in one bowl and the cereal in another.
4. Take the popsicle sticks and skewer the chicken tenders on to the sticks leaving a 1 inch handle.
5. Roll the chicken tenders in the buttermilk and then in the cereal, coating the chicken completely.
6. Line a sheet tray with foil and spray it with oil.
7. Place the chicken tender sticks on the sheet tray and lightly spray them with oil and cover stick handles with foil so they do not burn.
8. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until cooked through.
9. Serve with ranch dip.

*After step 5 place chicken tenders on a sheet tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to a ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, follow steps 6-9 adding an additional 3-5 min cooking time (do not defrost).

Ranch Dip (1/2 Cup)

1/4 Cup Yogurt
2 Tbsp Vegansaise or Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Chives
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
Salt to taste

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Serve with chicken on a stick.