Have you ever tried seaweed? It’s packed with vitamins and minerals and everyone who’s tried this Brown Rice Pilaf recipe loves it!

Valentine’s Day is only a couple of weeks away and I’ve been thinking about all the yummy recipes that I can make for the Valentines in my life. Someone on the Weelicious Facebook page suggested making fondue, which I thought was a perfect idea. What better way to get your little ones (and not so little ones) excited about eating than to give them a dessert that requires dipping!

Fondue is simpler to make than it sounds and the only issue for me was the amount of sugar normally found in most chocolate fondue recipes. After a bit of trial and error, I came up with this recipe that is smooth, creamy and perfect for dipping fresh fruits into. Even better, your kids will get a boost of protein from the almond butter, so they’ll get strong muscles to give you loads of loving hugs!

Chocolate Almond Butter Sauce (Makes 3/4 Cup)

1/4 Cup Almond Butter (I use smooth)
1/4 Cup Agave
1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Hot Water

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Serve with sliced fresh fruit.

I’m reading more and more lately about the importance of a vegetarian diet for our bodies and the planet. I know that the healthier we eat the better our bodies run, which is especially true when it comes to children. I get a lot of emails from people with misconceptions about vegetarian diets. Chief among them are concerns about vegetarians not getting enough protein. To the contrary, by incorporating legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, peas, soy, and peanuts) into their diets and combining them with grains, vegetarians get all the protein they need.

We’ve been trying to eat a lot more legumes in our house lately and lentils are at the top of the list. Not only are they inexpensive and fast to prepare, they’re an incredible source of protein, dietary fiber and amino acids. They’re also inexpensive, which is a bonus when you’re trying to stretch your food budget.

The combination of the sweet of the fruit and the crunch of the nuts with the soft texture of the lentils makes a nutritious dish that my family flipped for — and no one asked where the meat was!

Cranberry Lentil Salad (Makes 6 Servings)

1 Cup Lentils
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/4 Cup Parsley, chopped
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped
Juice of 1 Small Lemon
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. In a saucepan bring 4 cups of water and lentils to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
3. Pour lentils into a strainer and rinse with cold water.
4. Fold all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
5. Serve.

We recently took Kenya to a Japanese restaurant with a bunch of adults, and they couldn’t believe what item on the menu he ate so fast we had to order more….seaweed! It sounds like a bizarre craving for a child to have, but it’s actually delicious, nutritious and easy to prepare. While we were at dinner that night, Kenya mainly stuffed himself on brown rice, edamame and of course, the seaweed, so I came up with this dish for weelicious.

If you’ve never bought arame (a type of seaweed with a mild flavor) before, you can get it at most health food stores. It comes bagged in a dried state and all you need to do is soak it in warm water to hydrate it. Arame is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. It’s rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and vitamin A — perfect for kids’ growing bodies.

This dish went over big with Kenya. The way I look at it, whenever I can get three of my child’s favorite healthy foods into one dish, it has to be a winner!

Brown Rice Pilaf (Serves 4)

1 Cup Brown Rice
1 1/4 Cups Chicken Stock (I used low sodium)
1 Cup Water
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Arame
1/2 Cup Edamame, shelled, fresh or frozen
Sesame Seeds, optional

1. Bring the brown rice, water, stock and salt to a boil.
2. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer.
3. While the rice is cooking, cover the arame with warm water and let soak for 10 minutes.
4. Drain the water off the arame.
5. After the rice has cooked for 40 minutes, add the edamame and arame. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
6. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

One food you rarely have to twist a kid’s arm to eat are muffins. No matter if they’re sweet or savory, Kenya will down one in seconds. I used to think it was because the shape of them reminded him of cupcakes, but now he is a real muffin aficionado.

I normally love making Tiny Corn Muffins, but when I want something special, especially around the holidays, I make this red pepper-cheddar version. They’re not the kind of muffin your used to seeing every day, so the “unique factor” tends to make them an even bigger draw in my house. In fact, as soon as I took a batch out of the oven last week, Kenya looked at them and said simply, “they’re beautiful”. I love how genuine kids can be — especially when they LIKE what you make them!

Red Pepper-Cheddar Cornbread Muffins (Makes 12 Muffins)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Egg
5 Tbsp Butter, melted and cooled
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels, thawed
2 oz Diced Pimentos, drained (about 2 tbsp)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Sift the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg and whisk to combine.
4. Add the butter and agave to the buttermilk and egg mixture and whisk throughly.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients incorporating a little at a time until throughly combined (make sure not to over-mix the batter).
6. Stir in the cheddar cheese, corn kernels and pimentos.
7. Pour into greased or lined muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Cool on a rack and serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

KitchenAid Precision 24-cup Mini Muffin Pan

Oxo Good Grips Box Grater

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.

Even though Kenya has no idea what a Mummy is, he absolutely loved these hot dogs wrapped in whole wheat pizza dough. I put one in his school lunch the other day with sides of ketchup and mustard to dip it in and he was in heaven! These are probably a better Halloween treat for bigger kids who really get what Mummies are, but they taste great and are fun to eat no matter what. So if you are looking for a fun meal to serve at a party this holiday weekend, or just a fun way to liven up your hot dogs, this is a perfect recipe!

Mummy Dogs (Serves

8 Hot Dogs or Veggie Dogs
1 Package Whole Wheat Pizza Dough or Weelicious Pizza Dough
Mustard and Ketchup

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.
3. Cut the pizza dough into 8 even strips using a pizza cutter or knife.
4. Stretch each piece of the pizza dough until it’s about 4 times the length of the hot dog.
5. Starting at the top, wrap the pizza dough around the hot dog until it’s completely covered allowing a small space for the face.
6. Place the wrapped hot dogs on the cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
7. When the hot dogs are cool, dot the ketchup and/or mustard with a toothpick for the eyes.
8. Serve.

Growing up, one of my favorite recipes of my mother’s was her lasagna. It was always a special dinner when she made it.

Now that I’m a mom, I love making lasagna for my own family. It’s a hearty and healthy dish that turns any meal into a special occasion. Recently, I wanted to send Kenya to school with some for lunch. I decided to play around a bit and make these lasagna rolls. They’re really fun for kids because the lasagnas are individual portions and kids feel special when they get anything that is their “own”. They’re also great for mom and dad because they fit snugly in your little one’s lunchbox with out making a mess. The best part about this dish? It’s got a carbohydrate, vegetable, protein and dairy so you know your family is eating a balanced meal all in one dish!

Lasagna Rolls (Serves 6-8)

9 Lasagna Noodles (I cook 1 extra in case they tear while boiling)
1 Egg
16 Oz. Ricotta Cheese (I used part skim ricotta)
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 Tsp Italian Herbs
1 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Spinach or Broccoli, cooked and finely chopped (I used frozen, thawed and drained well)
1 1/2 Cups Marinara Sauce (or 1 1/2 cups Weelicious Tomato Sauce)
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1. Cook lasagna noodles in salted water 2 minutes less than package directions call for and rinse with cold water.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a bowl whisk the egg, ricotta, 1/4 cup parmesan, italian herbs, salt 1/2 cup mozzarella and broccoli or spinach to combine.
4. Place 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9×11 inch baking dish.
5. Spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture on each lasagna noodle, covering the sheet and roll up jelly roll style.
6. Place the lasagna rolls seam side down in the baking dish and top with remaining marinara sauce and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Uncover and continue to cook an additional 15 minutes.
9. Serve.

* You can also prepare the dish through step 6, cover and freeze. When ready to eat, bake for 45 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered.

After watching this video, you’ll see how easy it is to make steamed artichokes!

If there’s one food you can always find in our refrigerator, it’s hard boiled eggs. I usually buy a dozen every Sunday at the farmer’s market, boil them up as soon as we get home and then put a big bowl of them in the fridge. Packed with protein and iron, these little orbs are a favorite with everyone in our house, especially when they’re on the go. They work for pretty much every meal.

My husband usually just pops a whole one in his mouth with a little salt. I appreciate the simplicity of that, but you can be simple and still have a bit more fun. Egg salad sandwiches only take seconds to whip up and you can really have fun with your ingredients from dijon mustard to grated carrots to capers. People can get quite finicky about what goes in their egg salad, though, so know your audience. In our house, pickles are a must. We also have dill growing like weeds in our garden, so I added some to this recipe and it took it from simple to spectacular. I truly consider this a gourmet egg salad, which even the tiniest little eater will love.

Egg Salad Sandwich (Makes 3 Sandwiches)

4 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped
1 Dill Pickle, chopped fine
3 Tbsp Vegannaise or Mayonnaise
1 Tsp Fresh Dill, chopped
Salt
1 Celery Stalk, chopped fine
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
6 Slices of Bread

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place filling on top of bread to make sandwiches.
3. Serve.