Sometimes when I’m trying to come up with new recipe ideas, I try to think of two foods I know my kids love and then build a dish around it. I’ve discovered that if I make meals that take the form of a muffin, cake, cookie or pie, my guys are instantly intrigued. I’ve had great results with Sweet Beet Cookies, Breakfast Cupcakes and Veggie Pancakes, but I really thought I hit the jackpot when I came up with Spaghetti Pie. When I told Kenya I was making him a Spaghetti Pie for dinner, he actually started giggling, “what’s Spaghetti Pie, Mommy?!” “Well, it’s….Spaghetti Pie!” I realized that’s all I had to say — no explanation, description or convincing needed. The only downer is that I had planned on having leftovers, but there were none to be had. Bye bye Spaghetti Pie!

Spaghetti Pie (Serves 6)

8 oz Spaghetti, cooked (about 1/2 a package)
2 Large Eggs, whisked
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 Lb Ground Turkey (you could also use ground beef or chicken)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
2 Cups Weelicious Tomato Sauce or 1 16 Oz Jar Marinara Sauce
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Tsp Italian Herbs
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the cooked spaghetti in a bowl and coat with 1 tbsp of olive oil.
3. Combine the eggs and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Add mixture to the spaghetti and mix.
4. Place the spaghetti mixture into a greased deep-dish pie plate and spread to make a “pie crust”.
5. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the ground turkey, salt, garlic and onion powder for 5 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
6. Pour the marinara sauce over the meat and stir to combine.
7. In a bowl stir the Ricotta cheese, the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and Italian herbs to combine.
8. Spread the Ricotta/Parmesan cheese mixture over the pasta, then layer the marinara mixture and finally, top with 1 cup of mozzarella.
9. Place dish on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes.
10. Cool, cut into wedges and serve.

Lucky me that I have a cousin with two growing boys who loves to cook and feed her kids healthy foods. She makes a version of this recipe in a pie dish and has been trying to convince me that her boys absolutely devour it whenever she makes it for them. Although I sometimes find statements like that hard to believe when we’re talking about green foods and highly independent little boys, I’m always game for recipes that defy the odds.

I decided to take my cousin’s original recipe, make a few tweaks to the ingredients and then cook them in mini muffin cups instead of a pie dish, because it cooks faster (and after all, what kid doesn’t like something mini?). As for my my initial doubts about the kid appeal of this recipe, after watching Kenya repeatedly walk by the cooling rack to grab three of them within 15 minutes and Chloe scarfing down four at dinner, I realized these could be one of the all time greatest kid and parent friendly recipes I’ve ever made. Delicious, healthy and SO easy to make. My cousin gets total props for this kiddy culinary hit!

Spinach Ricotta Bites (Makes 20 Bites)

2 Tbsp Butter
1 Small Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 Large Eggs, Beaten
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese (low or full fat ricotta will work)
1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
1 10 Oz Pkg Frozen Chopped Spinach, defrosted and drained WELL (I use my hands to squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as possible)
1/4 Tsp Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the onions for 4 minutes until tender.
3. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute then set aside to cool.
4. Whisk eggs in a bowl and stir in ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
5. Once combined, stir in spinach, salt and cooled onion and garlic mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into lightly greased mini muffin cups.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set and golden on top.
8. Serve.

Waffles aren’t just for breakfast anymore! I’ve actually been sending Kenya to school with waffles a lot lately. He loves when I cut them into bite-size squares and make mini waffle sandwiches. When I’m out of bread, but still want to make him a sammie, this is a great way to make breakfast leftovers stretch into lunch. I put anything from tuna salad to turkey to cream cheese inside.

I would imagine that everyone reading this has had sweet waffles before, but have you ever tried savory cheese waffles? They’re a well-rounded breakfast, lunch or snack treat because they have protein from the cheese, egg and milk (great for vegetarians), and obviously, a carbohydrate. They’re a great choice when you’re on the go and need a complete energy boost. And, as you now know, they make great sandwich bread, too!

So, whether you eat these waffles on their own, as the bread for your sandwich or just alongside some eggs and bacon, they’re a fun change of pace from the traditional waffle you’re used to seeing on your plate!

Cheese Waffles (Makes 12 Waffles)

2 Cups Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Milk
3 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated

Accompaniments: ham, scrambled eggs, bacon or as a Sandwich filled with cream cheese and turkey

1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Add the cheese and make sure to coat it with the flour mixture (this will help the cheese stay separated).
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and oil.
5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and whisk to combine.
6. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter into the greased waffle iron and cook 3-5 minutes.
7. Serve.

*After waffles have cooled, place in ziploc bag, label and freeze. Defrost or pop into a toaster oven or oven at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.

I love sweet breakfast foods. Pancakes, waffles, French toast….to me, they are what make breakfast any time of day such a treat. Still, sweet doesn’t have to mean sugary. So when I’m coming up with new recipes, I find a little sweetness goes a long way.

A traditional Dutch Baby is a “not too sweet” breakfast dish (similar to Yorkshire Pudding) that cooks in a skillet in the oven, gets really puffy and then falls a bit. It’s generally topped with preserves and since strawberries are now in season, spring is a perfect time for this dish. Most Dutch Babies are made with confectioner’s sugar but I was intent on trying out this version using whole wheat flour and honey to see if it would hold the same appeal for me. When I pulled it out of the oven it looked and smelled delicious. And while I loved the taste, I still wasn’t sure if it would be sweet enough for kids. Kenya dug it too, but to be fair, he’ll eat anything with strawberry preserves on it. So I took it over to a friend’s house and her family liked it so much she called me to say that her kids asked her to make it again the next day. This recipe will definitely get you points for originality and proves you don’t need a lot of sweet to satisfy your little ones.

Whole Wheat Dutch Baby (Serves 4)

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
Pinch of Salt
4 Eggs
1 Cup Rice Milk (you could also use almond, soy or cow’s milk)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Honey
1 Tsp Vegetable Oil

Accompaniments: Fruit Preserves

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until beaten.
4. Add the rice milk, vanilla and honey until incorporated.
5. Whisk the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until combined.
6. Coat a 9-inch pie baking dish with the oil, making sure it is coated evenly.
7. Pour in the batter and bake for 25 minutes.
8. Cool and serve with Weelicious Strawberry Preserves.

*NOTE: The batter will puff up in the oven and deflate when cooled.

In my experience, there are two things that kids always seem to love — noodles and pancakes — so why not make them a meal that combines both of them into one? Whenever we have pasta for dinner, I make extra to put in the fridge and use for this recipe the next day. Noodles on their own can be difficult for some little ones to eat, but these pancakes are perfect for little hands to hold on to and munch away. Still, no matter what your child’s age, I find that most kids are only too happy to do away with their knife and fork whenever possible. These Noodle Pancakes easy to toss together and they also pack a ton of protein, veggies and carbohydrates into one scrumptious handful, making them perfect for any meal — even breakfast!

Noodles Pancakes (Serves 4 – about 8-10 Pancakes)

2 Cups Cooked Egg Noodles
3 Eggs, whisked
1/2 Cup Ham, diced (about 3 slices)
1/2 Cup Swiss Cheese, shredded
1/3 Cup Corn (I used frozen corn that I defrosted first)
1/3 Cup Red Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 Tsp Salt
Olive Oil

1. Place all the ingredients (except for the olive oil) in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
3. Pour about 1/4 cup of the noodle mixture per pancake in the pan and cook for 3 minutes (you can pour as many pancakes at once as fit comfortably in your pan).
4. Flip the pancakes and cook an additional 3 minutes. Continue making the pancakes with the remaining mixture.
5. Serve with ketchup or alone.

*Allow to cool, then place in ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, pop them into a oven at 300 for 10 minutes or until warmed through or defrost in fridge for 24 hours then heat in a dry pan.

I hesitated for a moment to put up a brownie recipe because I try to focus on dishes that are healthy for kids, but I’m also all about moderation in eating and not depriving kids of sweets if they are made as healthfully as possible. Plus, these brownies are so delicious, I just couldn’t help myself.

In my opinion, getting your kids cooking and having them associate the kitchen with fun is important in inspiring them to eat well, and if there’s one thing Kenya and I had making these brown-wees together, it’s fun. Besides trying to keep him from dipping his finger in the batter for “just one taste” several times, Kenya loved helping me out with almost every step of the process. But he loved eating them even more!

Brown-wees (Makes 15 Brownie squares)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Agave Nectar
1 Egg, whisked
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Vegetable oil
Optional: Chopped Walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine first 4 dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.
3. Combine all wet ingredients (agave, egg, vanilla and vegetable oil) in a separate bowl.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine (if you are adding walnuts, incorporate them here as well).
5. Spread the batter into a buttered or greased 8 x 8 inch pan.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.
7. Cool, cut into squares and serve.

When I think about Easter, I think about bunny rabbits. And when I think about bunny rabbits, I think about carrots! So in honor of this holiday we’re going to have some fun and make carrot pancakes for Easter brunch. We did a test run for this recipe 2 weeks ago and I couldn’t believe how yummy it turned out. Pancakes are certainly delicious on their own, but when you add finely shredded carrots, walnuts and a touch of cinnamon to the mix, it gives them a wonderful added texture and flavor. And as good as these pancakes are dipped in a bit of maple syrup or honey, they’re just as delicious on their own.

Whether you’re making brunch this Easter for a big group or just staying home with your family, these carrot pancakes are a healthy spring treat that your little bunnies are sure to love.

Carrot Pancakes (Makes 20-25 Pancakes)

1 1/4 Cup Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Walnuts, chopped
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tbsp Canola or Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs, whisked
1 1/2 Cups Carrots, shredded fine (about 3 small carrots)
Butter or Oil for cooking

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. In another bowl, place sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, carrot and eggs and mix.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with butter or oil.
5. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
6. Serve with honey or maple syrup.

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

There’s nothing as magical as your child’s first birthday party. I’m sure that Chloe won’t remember much from her big day, but I’ll certainly remember every moment.

We decided to do something simple to celebrate — just a bunch of babies Chloe’s age lounging around on blankets, musical instruments scattered about for playing, pink and white balloons hovering in the trees above, bubbles drifting through the air and of course, some delicious weelicious food! The party was called for late in the afternoon, so I figured light snacks seemed appropriate: Benedictine Sandwiches, Fruit Kabobs, Chewy Granola Balls and finally, these Mini Vanilla Cupcakes. For the cupcakes, I really wanted something white, light, airy and tiny in size. I literally spent weeks working on the perfect recipe, which also had to be simple enough to be weelicious. I first tried using agave to sweeten them, but that was a big ol’ flop. Then I experimented with different combinations of eggs, flours and sugar, but still nothing tasted quite right until I arrived at the balance for this version.

I love making miniature cupcakes for kids’ birthday parties, because they’re the perfect size for small hands, and even if your little one goes back for seconds (or even thirds), it’s still won’t equal the amount of one regular size cupcake. Plus, I’ve tried so many vanilla cupcake recipes over the years and I’m always taken by how overly sweet they are. These came out sweet — but not too much. Just the perfect amount in my opinion.

When you’re looking for an unforgettable cupcake recipe that will only add to the magic of your little one’s special day, try these minis and experience maximum deliciousness.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes (Makes 36 Mini Cupcakes)

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time and vanilla and beat on low speed until combined.
5. Slowly add some of the flour mixture and then some of the milk, alternating until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go.
6. Pour the batter into mini muffin cups (I like to use a mini ice cream scooper) lined with paper or foil liners until 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.
8. Cool and frost.

*Refrigerate cupcakes after frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting (Makes About 1 Cup)
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
4 Tbsp (1/4 Cup) Butter, softened
1 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla

1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and beat for 30 seconds on low to medium speed using a hand mixer.
2. Add the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and continue to beat for 1 minute or until frosting is smooth and creamy.
3. Frost the cupcakes and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Months ago I did a recipe for cheese wafers and so many parents emailed me afterwards to say they were a total hit. While testing recipes the other day, I was thinking about how much kids love cheese and bread (I mean, what’s not to love) and I thought it would be fun to try making my own cheese puffs. I can’t tell you how many of these we ate the day we made them. They seemed to just go from oven to mouth! I won’t say this is the most nutritious weelicious recipe of all time, but it you’re craving something cheesy, at least these puffs aren’t loaded with all the fillers and preservatives you’ll find in store bought brands.

In France, cheese puffs go by the fancier name of gougeres, but no matter what you decide to call them, they’re delicious.

Cheese Puffs (Makes 30-40 Puffs)

1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese or Gruyere, shredded
1/4 Cup Parmesan
5 Large Eggs

Egg Wash

1 Large Egg
1 Tsp Water

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a pot and cook over low heat until the milk is warm to the touch (about 2 minutes).
3. Add the flour to the pot and continuously stir with a wooden spoon or a spatula until the mixture is thoroughly combined –about 3 minutes (the mixture will turn from white to a golden yellow and form into a dough and starts to pull away from the pot).
4. Transfer the mixture to a food processor along with the cheese and blend until cheese melts and is combined.
5. Add 5 large eggs, one at a time until the dough is smooth and thick.
6. Scoop out 1 tbsp of the dough and drop on to a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet (The dough will be runny, do not worry, they will puff up in the oven).
7. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a bowl and brush the cheese puffs just to coat (this is not a necessary step, it just makes the puffs shiny).
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
9. Cool and serve.

This is a really special week for us because it’s my hubby’s birthday AND Valentine’s Day. To celebrate, I wanted to come up with a recipe that Kenya and I could make together to both impress Daddy and be enjoyed by the whole family. Although it would be so much easier to break out a huge box of chocolates or cupcakes to celebrate, these Raspberry Pancakes seemed like a much more healthy and festive choice.

To get our ingredients, we went to our local farmer’s market where Kenya was so excited to be tasked with picking out a few baskets of fresh red raspberries especially for Daddy. It let him take ownership over the process right then and there. Then, we went home to test the recipe, pulling out heart shape cookie cutters, placing them in the pan, filling them with batter and berries and then cooking them up. Cooking with your kids is always a priceless experience, but doing it for a holiday or special occasion makes it all the more special. Suffice to say, the pancakes went over big with Daddy (which is a good thing since he’s getting them again on the 14th)!. I think you will agree that this is the kind of recipe will say, “I love you” all over your loved one’s face.

Raspberr-Wee Pancakes

1 1/3 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted (plus more for cooking)
1 1/4 Cup Buttermilk
2 Eggs, whisked
2 Tbsp Agave
6 Oz Package Raspberries (almost 1 cup)

1. Whisk the first 3 ingredients in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl combine the butter, buttermilk, eggs and agave until combined.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined (it’s ok if there are a few lumps).
4. Heat a large pan or griddle on medium heat and grease with butter.
5. Pour about 1/4 cup of the pancake mixture onto the griddle and top with 3-4 raspberries (if using cookie cutters, place the cookie cutter in the pan after step 4, pour in several tablespoons of batter, add the raspberries and cook as directed in step 6).
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
7. Serve

* You can keep pancakes warm on a sheet tray in a 250 degree oven until all the pancakes are cooked.
* I also tested this batter in a waffle iron and they came out gorgeous, crispy and fluffy!

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