This is some of the most fun I’ve ever seen Kenya have making a recipe because he was totally in charge. He literally got to build his meal from the ground up. It’s normally not tough to persuade kids to eat pizza, but letting them make it their own way is a big step towards empowering them. Since all of the steps in making these Mexican Fiesta Pizzas are kid friendly (besides putting them in the oven), Kenya was able to make his the way HE liked it (important for kids who tend to like things their own way). I’m not going to tell you that his final product looked as pretty as the picture above, but Kenya ate every last bite and enjoyed every minute of the process. To me, a kid can’t have a better experience than that in the kitchen.

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.

I assume that almost everybody has at least a few favorite recipes they grew up eating. For me, it was my mother’s white chicken chili. No matter what time of year it was, a bowl of this stew-like soup always made me feel comforted and happy.

Now that I’m cooking for my own family, I like to think back to the foods that I loved as a kid and try and recreate them in my kitchen. This is my version of white chicken chili that’s super easy to make abd very healthy. It also freezes beautifully for those nights that you’re just too tired to cook. I’m sure that just a few mom’s I know can relate to that

White Chicken Chili (Makes 6-8 Servings)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Small Onion, diced
2 lbs Chicken Breasts, bone-in, skinless (about 2 large breasts)
1 Qt (32 Oz) Chicken Stock (I use low sodium chicken stock)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Can White Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Cup Frozen Shoe Peg White Corn
1 Jar Diced Green Chilies (They are mild.)
The Juice of 1 Lime (about 2 to 3 Tbsp Lime Juice)
Accompaniments: Sour Cream, Tortilla Chips, Cheddar Cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook onions for 4 to 5 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
3. Add the whole chicken breasts, stock and salt to the saucepan, cover, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
4. Cook for 18-20 minutes, remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool.
5. While the chicken is cooling, add the remaining ingredients to the pot.
6. Remove the chicken from the bone, chop into bite-size pieces, and add to the pot.
7. Serve.

*Allow to cool, place in appropriate tupperware or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. Defrost in a pot over low-medium heat.

Recently, I was very excited to discover that one of the farmers at our local market started carrying grass-fed ground beef. My family is not a big meat-eating one, but whenever I can get my hands on grass-fed beef at a good price, I don’t hesitate to buy some. Among other things, grass-fed beef is significantly lower in saturated fat than conventional beef, as this 2006 article from Time Magazine states and I personally think it tastes superior.

Tacos are great idea to use ground beef in, but depending on your taste or diet, you can use any kind of ground meat. Gimme Lean is great for vegetarians or you can use ground chicken or turkey. The point is, no matter what you like, you can make Tacos–Your Way!

When I put out all the accompaniments for my boys to create their tacos, they were totally psyched. When kids (and dads) get to have an active hand in building their own tacos, I guarantee they’ll be way more excited about eating them too.

Tacos–Your Way! (Serves 4)

1 Tbsp Oil
1 Small Onion, chopped fine
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Lb Ground Beef (I used lean beef, but you could also use ground turkey, chicken or ground Gimme Lean)
1 Garlic Clove
1/2 Tsp Chili Powder
2 Tsp Cumin
Salt to taste
Corn Tortillas or Taco Shells
Desired Accompaniments: Guacamole, Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce and/or Tomato

1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat and cook the onions for 2 minutes.
2. Add the red bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the ground meat, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt and cook for 5-6 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
4. Place meat mixture and desired accompaniments into taco shells or tortillas.
5. Serve.

Every Sunday at our local farmers’ market, Kenya gets a pupusa. He’s been eating them ever since he was able to say the word pupusa (which until recently came out as “‘pusa”)! I finally decided to figure out how to make
pupusas so we could all enjoy them at home for a fraction of the cost. Kids just love them, they’re inexpensive to make and they can be filled with anything from chicken to cheese to beans. I love to make up a batch and keep the leftover dough refrigerated so we can cook them up any time of day.

When I was a kid, one of my friend’s mom’s made nachos every time we came over after school. It wasn’t something I would get at home, so it was always a special treat that was really fun to eat. I loved pulling each chip from a pile that was covered in melted cheese, beans, guacamole and jalapeños. Even though nachos seem like an unhealthy food, made responsibly with baked chips (versus fried), good cheese and fresh veggies, it’s actually quite the opposite. You get protein from the beans and cheese, vegetables in the form of avocado, salsa and olives, and a carbohydrate from the chips. The best part is that you can tailor this recipe to your family’s liking by adding their favorite toppings. Whether you make these as an after-school treat, for a special dinner or even for a party, nachos are always a big winner!

Nachos (Serves 6)

1 Bag Tortilla Chips (I used 1/2 baked blue corn & half white corn)
2 Cups Cheese (I used a Mexican blend cheese which is a blend of Monterey jack, cheddar and queso blanco)
1 15oz Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
Accompaniments: Sour Cream, Guacamol-Wee, Salsa, Sliced Black Olives

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place 1/2 of chips in an oven safe dish or on a cookie sheet.
3. Cover with 1/2 of the cheese and beans.
4. Cover with the remaining chips, cheese and beans and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted over chips.
5. Top with guacamol-wee, sour cream, salsa and or olives.
6. Serve.

Of all the new recipes I’ve made recently, these Mashed Potato Cakes are one of the biggest hits in our kitchen. I made them for family dinner, but they were equally perfect in Kenya’s lunch box for school the next day. I find most kids love to eat anything they can hold in their little hands, so these little cakes are a special treat. They’re delicious served on their own, but when I served them with a side of apple sauce, Kenya the fun of eating them seemed to double for Kenya.

Mashed Potato Cakes (Makes 12 Small Cakes)

2 Cups Mashed Potatoes
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Egg, whisked
7 Tbsp All Purpose Flour, divided
Butter or Oil, for pan-searing
Accompaniments: Apple Sauce and/or Sour Cream

1. Place mashed potatoes, cheese, egg, and 3 tbsp flour in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Take a scoop of the potato mixture and form into patties.
3. Place the remaining 4 tbsp of flour on a plate.
4. Lightly coat the potato patties in the flour.
5. Heat a thin layer of the oil or butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.
6. Cook the potato cakes for 3 minutes on each side for a total of 6 minutes.
7. Serve as is or with accompaniments.

*After step 2, place patties on a baking sheet and place in freezer for 30 minutes then place par-frozen patties in a ziploc bag and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours and follow steps 3-7.

Since we’re not going on a vacation this summer, we decided to do the ol’ “stay-cation” and just pretend we’re away. We’ve turned our house into the ultimate vacation paradise with all kinds of fun activities and, of course, a TON of cooking and barbecuing. We’re try to cook as often as possible to save money, but I try to be as creative as possible with the recipes lest my gang get bored!

We’re big time fajita eaters in this house. Whether you consider fajitas southwestern or Mexican fare is up to you, but the one thing I know is….they’re yummy. One of our favorite local restaurants serves their fajitas for $13 an order. Well, I can make these fajitas for a fraction of the price we would pay at a restaurant and still have a ball cooking them together as a family.

So, toss on your chef’s sombrero, play some mariachi music and watch how much your kids will love building their own skirt steak fajitas. They’re as fun to make as they are delicious to eat.

Skirt/Hanger Steak Fajitas (Makes 4 Servings)

2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Juice of 2 Lime
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce or Braggs
1/4 Cup Cilantro, packed
1/4 Cup Tequila (PARENTS, DON’T WORRY. ALL THE ALCOHOL BURNS OFF AND YOU’RE JUST LEFT WITH GREAT FLAVOR, but you can leave it out all together and they’re still yummy!)
1 Lb. Skirt/Hanger Steak (this marinade also works well with chicken and shrimp)
1 Onion, thinly sliced
1 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
Oil as needed
Accompaniments: Tortillas, Sour Cream, Guacamole

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a blender, food processor or in a bowl using an immersion blender (you can also chop the ingredients by hand and stir to combine).
2. Place the skirt steak in a zipper bag with the marinade (you may need to cut it into several large slabs).
3. Marinate the meat for 4-24 hours in the refrigerator.
4. Add 1 tbsp of oil to a large saute pan over medium to high heat or you could also cook the meat on a grill or use a grill pan.
5. Place the drained meat in the saute pan or grill and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
6. Place on a cutting board and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
7. Heat another tbsp of the oil in the saute pan over medium heat and cook the onions and peppers for 4-5 minutes.
8. Slice the meat.
9. Cover a tortilla with desired accompaniments, meat, onions and peppers.
10. Serve.

Every Sunday morning we all wake up super excited because that’s our farmer’s market day and without fail the first word out of Kenya’s mouth when he wakes up is “‘pusa”?! ‘Pusa is Kenyan for papusa and Kenya doesn’t just like pupusas, he loves them, and he especially loves the ones they sell at our local market.

Here in Los Angeles there are pupusa stands all over, but until I moved here I had no idea what they were. In El Salvador, where this dish hails from, vendors everywhere sell this delicious street food which looks like a thick tortilla. Hidden inside each one is a savory filling, usually made up of cheese, chicken, beans or a combination of the three and it is served with curtido (a vinegary coleslaw, generally too spicy for most kids), guacamole and/or crema (similar to sour cream).

I decided to make my own pupusas for lunch yesterday to see how I compared to Kenya’s favorite vendor at the market. When Kenya woke up from his nap and came to the kitchen he took one whiff and said “pusa”? There was actually shock in his voice (as if he thought they only came from the Salvadorian lady at the farmer’s market). You’ll be shocked too when you see how easy these are to make in no time flat and each one costs mere pennies compared to the $2 I spend on the ones at our market.

Pupusas (6 Pupusas)

2 Cups Masa Harina (corn flour)*
1 1/2 Cups Water
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/3 Cup Cheese, shredded (I used a mexican blend of cheeses)
Oil
*Serve with guacamole, sour cream, salsa or vinegary coleslaw

1. Combine the masa, water and salt in a bowl and stir to combine into a dough.
2. Divide the mixture into 6 balls and flatten each one into a 3 inch disk.
3. Place 1 tbsp of shredded cheese in the center of the disk and carefully fold in the edges to enclose the cheese.
4. Flatten the disk, covering the cheese and form into 1/4 inch thick disks (about 5-6 inches across).
5. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large saute pan. Add 2-3 pupusas at a time and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side for a total of 8-10 minutes.
6. Serve with any of the above accompaniments.

*Make sure to buy masa harina (sold at most groceries) which is different from cornmeal
**After step 4, place on sheet tray and freeze for 30 minutes or until frozen then transfer to a ziploc bag label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours and follow steps 5-6.

Yummy! I have no other words to describe this dish. We love breakfast burritos in our home because they’re so quick to prepare and are the perfect protein-packed breakfast after a long night’s sleep (if we’re lucky enough to get one these days). I love watching Kenya’s little hands grabbing the tortilla-wrapped egg, bean and salsa filling as it drips out onto his plate. I can’t say this is the neatest meal to consume, but it sure is delicious and, trust me, every bite will ultimately wind up in your little ones mouth!

P.S. My husband thinks the picture above looks more like a taco then a burrito. Picky, picky! I wanted everyone to see all the yummy filling!

Breakfast Burritos (Serves 4)

4 Eggs
2 Tbsp Milk
3/4 Cup Pinto Beans, cooked, rinsed and drained
1/2 Cup Salsa
Canola Oil Spray, Oil or Butter for pan
2 Corn Tortillas, warmed if desired
Sour Cream, Cheese or Avocado, optional

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, and salt in a bowl.
2. Heat a nonstick pan over low to medium heat and spray or grease with oil or butter.
3. Pour in the egg mixture and stir until almost scrambled, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the beans and salsa and cook for 2 minutes or until ingredients are heated through.
5. Place scrambled egg mixture and other optional ingredients into tortillas and roll or fold in half.
6. Serve.

We’re big fans of soup in this house — and I mean all of us. I love anything with vegetables, Kenya thinks drinking soup out of a cup is a blast and my husband is into anything that’s healthy and keeps his waistline in check. Therefore, this recipe for broccoli soup fits the bill for all of us. You can even serve it to a 10-12 month old if you leave out the lemon juice.

Broccoli should be a regular food in everyone’s diet because it’s a super veggie. It’s packed with vitamins A and C, calcium and soluble fiber plus it’s available year round. Even for kids that turn their noses up at vegetables, broccoli is one you can usually get them to eat because of it’s mild flavor. I usually make a big batch of this soup because I like to freeze a few servings to have for another day. The only trouble is that it’s usually gone before it ever makes it to the freezer!

Broccoli Soup (6-8 Servings)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, chopped
1 Tsp Salt
1 Large Potato, peeled and chopped into a small dice
1 Pound Broccoli (about 2 cups), use florets and stems (stems peeled
and chopped)
4 Cups (1 32 Oz Box) Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Yogurt, Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream for garnish.

1. In a large stock heat the olive oil and saute the onion and salt for 5-7 minutes over low to medium heat.
2. Add the potatoes, broccoli and stock and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.
3. Cook covered for 12-15 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes are fork tender.
4. Pour the ingredients along with the lemon juice into a blender and puree.
5. Serve garnished with yogurt, creme fraiche or sour cream.

*Allow to cool, place in appropriate container or ziploc bag, label, and freeze. When ready, place in pot and heat through under low to medium heat or defrost in fridge over low-medium heat.