< Back Oatmeal Pancakes Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 10 pancakes PDF download for printing Making pancakes with oatmeal and whole wheat flour makes them healthier and more filling. One pancake has 4 of the 13 grams of protein kids ages 1-3 need each day. Each pancake also contains 2 of the 19 daily grams of fiber kids need for a healthy digestive system. Ingredients 2 cups milk 2 cups rolled oats or quick oats ¾ cup whole wheat flour 2 Tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs ¼ cup oil or melted butter Preparation Mix oats and milk together in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs and oil. Let sit while you prepare other ingredients. In a separate big bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Make sure you whisk them together very well or there will be chunks of baking powder in your pancakes (yuck!). Pour oat/milk/egg/oil mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix well. Heat a frying pan or griddle to medium high heat. If you are not using a non-stick skillet or griddle, then you will need to put a thin layer of butter or oil in the pan to prevent sticking. Once the griddle is hot, pour ¼ cup of batter onto the hot griddle. If your griddle is cold when you pour the batter in, the pancakes are more likely to stick. Let cook until bubbles form and pop on the surface. The pancakes are delicate, so you might need to adjust the heat lower and cook them longer if they are falling apart when you try to flip them. Flip them over and cook until browned on the other side and the pancakes are cooked through the middle. If they are doughy in the middle but burnt on the outside, you need to turn down the heat and cook them longer. Enjoy! In the photo above, the pancakes are topped with frozen raspberries that have been microwaved for about 2 minutes. Previous Next

< Back Baked Eggs Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 1 hour Serves: 4 PDF download for printing Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods for babies and young children. They contain some hard to get nutrients such as vitamin D, iron, zinc and choline. This baked egg recipe takes about 5 minutes to prep before baking and is adaptable to any vegetables you have on hand. See the bottom of the recipe for options to suit your tastes. Ingredients 4 eggs 1 cup milk ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 cups frozen broccoli Preparation Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together eggs, milk, salt and pepper in the pan you are going to bake it in. Pour frozen broccoli into a bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes. Drain off any water. Put broccoli into the eggs Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes until eggs in the middle are completely cooked and solid. Serve hot or cold. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Previous Next

< Back Easy Chicken Tacos Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4-6 PDF download for printing With this recipe, you’ll be able to get dinner on the table quicker than you can go through the drive thru at taco bell. This is a great way to use canned chicken. Ingredients 2 cans of chicken (10 to 12 oz cans) 1 (1 oz) package of taco seasoning mix (I always use a low sodium mix) 1 cup water Tortillas Taco toppings (lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado, bell peppers, onions, sour cream, salsa) Preparation Open chicken and drain water Pour drained chicken into a wide skillet and cook over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes Add taco seasoning packet and ¾ cup water Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer for 5 minutes Serve inside tortillas with your favorite taco toppings (lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, bell peppers, sour cream, onions, salsa etc) Previous Next

< Back Rainy Day Umbrella Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Serves: 1 PDF download for printing A fun snack to welcome in spring on a rainy day! Ingredients 1 bell pepper 10-20 blueberries 1 banana (or any white food, yogurt would be delicious too) optional: yogurt for dipping Preparation Cut a slice off the bell pepper and cut it into an umbrella shape using a butter knife. Cut banana into any shape and form them into a cloud Place blueberries as raindrops on the plate Eat your rainy day! You could have some yogurt dip on the side if your child likes to dip things! Watch the video for details! Previous Next

Recipes Filter by recipe type breakfast breakfast/snack dip or spread main dish salad side dish smoothie snack soup Number of recipes found: 64 10 minutes 3 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Pancakes Out of milk but want pancakes? Give this recipe a try. The cottage cheese adds protein for little growing bodies. 30 minutes 30-Minute Peanut Noodles 30 minutes to a filling meal complete with lean protein and veggies! 5 minutes 5 minute microwave eggs ​ 1 hour Baked Eggs Simple and satisfying dinner 40 minutes Baked Oatmeal Healthy and cozy breakfast recipe for fall 5 minutes Blueberry Oatmeal 5 minutes in the microwave = high fiber, high protein breakfast 30 minutes Broccoli Cheese Soup super healthy quick dinner 30 minutes Broccoli Cheese Soup Easy, creamy soup that's packed with nutrients! 5 minutes (+ time to cook rice) Burrito Bowls If you have leftover rice, this recipe will take about 5 minutes to whip up this veggy-ful dinner! 10 minutes Cabbage Ramen Salad Healthy ramen salad. 5 minutes Cinnamon Date Smoothie cinnamon flavored smoothie 15 minutes Cottage Cheese Pancakes Add protein to your pancakes with cottage cheese. 5 minutes Easiest Ever Breakfast Burritoes You are 5 minutes away from a satisfying breakfast that packs 20 grams of protein 30 minutes Easiest Ever Lentil Sloppy Joes Vegan Sloppy Joes 10 minutes Easy Chicken Tacos Tacos in less than time than taco bell. 5 minutes Easy Greek Salad Quick salad using mostly canned vegetables 30 minutes Easy Oatmeal Cookies Just bananas, oatmeal, peanut butter and chocolate chips 1 hour (20 minutes prep, 45 to cook) Easy Spinach Lasagna fast and easy meatless cottage cheese 15-20 minutes Easy Vegetarian Skillet Chili ​ 30 minutes Egg Muffin Cups Grab and go healthy breakfast. 30 minutes Egg Salad Eggs are full of nutrients that a baby's brain needs! 5 minutes Emotional Toast My kids love making sugar cookies, mostly because they are fun to decorate! Toast can be just as fun, but without all the added sugar and butter you find in cookies. PLUS! You can add veggies to the top of toast! Here’s a fun snack (or lunch) idea to lighten up your February. For a fun twist, use cookie cutters to cut hearts out of the cucumbers. 5 minutes Fall Fruit Dip Thanksgiving themed fruit dip 2 minutes Fall Tree Toast This is a fun way to celebrate fall with preschoolers! Make a tree out of cut up toast and multicolored cherry tomatoes. 5 minutes Frankenstein Avocado Toast Fun and healthy Halloween food craft. 3 minutes Fruity Flowers This food craft is perfect to make with your toddler when flowers are starting to bloom outside. Use whatever fruit is a good price at the store. 2 minutes Ghost Toast Spooky Peanut Butter Banana Toast 15 minutes prep + 25 minutes to bake Green Muffins Sweet muffins loaded with spinach 5 minutes Green Smoothie The easiest way to eat spinach 45 minutes (15 minutes prep, 24 minutes to bake) Healthy Muffins These look gross, but taste amazing! They are more like cupcakes than muffins! 10 minutes prep + 20 minutes to bake High Protein Pumpkin Muffins Gluten free high protein muffins 5 minutes Hummus High Protein Dip, excellent with fresh veggies, crackers, pita bread or apples! 5 minutes Hummus Lions Hummus, carrots and raisins arranged to make a fun lion shaped snack. 1 hour Lentil Soup An inexpensive way to fill up hungry tummies on a cold winter day 40 minutes Lentil Tacos scrumptious lentil filling will turn you into a lentil lover 5 minutes Mummy Toast Mummy shaped pizza bread 30 minutes No Flour Pumpkin Muffins Gluten free - High protein muffins you can make in the blender! 10 minutes Oatmeal Pancakes Oatmeal makes these pancakes more filling than the type from the mix. 15 minutes One Pot Cauliflower Mac and Cheese You are only 15 minutes away to homemade Mac that boasts 52 grams of protein + 18 grams of fiber per serving 30 minutes One Pot Chicken and Rice Just as fast as going to McDonalds, but less expensive and better for you! 30 minutes Pasta Salad This easy salad is perfect for summer get-togethers. It’s fast, easy, and can be made ahead. 15 minutes Peanut Butter Banana Cookies These healthy cookies make the perfect after school snack. 5 minutes Peanut Butter Oatmeal Healthy, filling and 2 minutes in the microwave. What more could you want? 5 minutes Polar Bear Pears Cottage cheese with pears makes a perfect lunch. Canned fruit is a winter staple when fresh fruit is expensive. This recipe adds a little bit of fun to a familiar food. Raisins are a choking hazard for children less than 1 year of age, be sure your child can chew and swallow raisins before serving them. 20-30 minutes Pumpkin Black Bean Soup Pumpkin and black beans pack this soup with fiber, vitamins and minerals! 15 minutes prep + 30 minutes to bake Pumpkin Cake Healthy pumpkin dessert for fall and winter. 15 minutes prep + 20 minutes to bake Pumpkin Chocolate Bran Muffins Craving chocolate? Give these super fibrous bran muffins a try! 30 minutes Quick Curry Curry in a hurry at home! Don't get takeout, make your own! 25 minutes Quick Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies Just peanut butter, an oatmeal packet and bananas 5 minutes Rainy Day Umbrella A fun snack to welcome in spring on a rainy day! 5 minutes Raspberry Cottage Cheese Smoothie This tastes like a raspberry shake! A high protein treat! 40 minutes Red Lentil Pumpkin Curry This superfood curry is packed with nutrients. 1 hour Rice and Bean Salad Refreshing salad and filling summer meal. 1 hour Roasted Butternut Squash + potatoes This is THE YUMMIEST way to eat your veggies. 10 minutes Sweet Jicama Salad Fast and easy mexican salad. 1 hour (includes time to cook rice) Tofu Buddha Bowls Customizable meal full of veggies and lean protein 5 minutes Tropical Green Smoothie Healthy Tropical Green Smoothie 30 minutes Tuna Noodle Casserole One pot and 30 minutes is all you need for this fancy tuna noodle recipe remake 2 minutes Turkey Toast A fun thanksgiving themed snack, breakfast or lunch! Add a side of carrots for a complete meal. 10 minutes Tzatziki Cucumber and yogurt dip beloved by all who try it. 2 minutes Vanilla Milk no-added-sugar coco alternative 30 minutes Vegetarian Chili Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce give this chili an authentic taste most homemade chilis lack. 20 minutes Veggie Noodle Soup My go-to soup recipe. Add chicken or beans for more protein. 5 minutes Very Hungry Caterpillar Cucumbers shaped like a caterpillar 30 minutes White Chicken Chili Well loved winter soup that's ready in 20-30 minutes 10 minutes Whole Wheat Pancakes Use whole wheat flour instead of white flour in your pancakes for added nutrition. 1 hour Whole Wheat Quick Bread The fastest and easiest way to make fresh bread to go with dinner

< Back Rice and Bean Salad Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 1 hour Serves: 6 PDF download for printing This is my go-to salad for potlucks and quick weeknight dinners in the summer. Serve it on a quesadilla for a fast and refreshing meal! Ingredients Salad Ingredients 3 cups cooked brown rice (1+½ cup of dry uncooked brown rice) 1 bag frozen sweet corn 1 can black beans (rinse and drain) 1 red bell pepper or 2 fresh tomatoes 1 green bell pepper 3 celery stalks 1 bunch green onions 1 bunch cilantro Dressing ingredients ⅓ cup red wine vinegar ⅓ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cumin Optional: ½ teaspoon hot sauce Preparation Cook brown rice ahead of time and cool it in the refrigerator. Ideally, cook it 1 day in advance. Open the bag of corn and add to a big bowl (do not defrost). Open black beans, drain and rinse. Add to the big bowl. Wash and chop red bell pepper, green bell pepper, celery stalks, green onions and cilantro. Add to the big bowl. Add the cooled rice to the big bowl. In a separate bowl or jar, add all the ingredients for the dressing. Wisk or shake to combine. Pour dressing over salad and stir until the dressing coats all of the salad. Crumble queso fresco over the top. Serve with avocados and tortillas. Previous Next

< Back Egg Muffin Cups Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 12 PDF download for printing These egg muffin cups make breakfast fun and healthy! This is a great way to introduce mushrooms, because most people won’t even know they are there! Mushrooms and eggs are both high in vitamin D, which is important for a baby’s growing bones! Ingredients 8 oz mushrooms 1 red bell pepper 1 bunch of green onions 8 eggs 4 oz finely diced ham (optional, you could use cheese instead, or leave out) Salt and pepper to taste (about ½ teaspoon each) Cooking spray Preparation 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees ​ 2. Chop mushrooms into small pieces. ​ 3. Heat oil in a saute pan on the stove. Once the oil is hot, saute mushrooms in 1 teaspoon of oil until all the moisture is gone and they turn brown (about 5 minutes) ​ 4. While the mushrooms are cooking, chop the bell pepper. Once chopped, add the peppers to the mushrooms in the pan (the peppers only need 2-3 minutes of cooking). ​ 5. While mushrooms and bell pepper finish cooking, prepare eggs. In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs together until well combined. ​ 6. Chop the green onion into small slices and add to the eggs with the ham. Add mushrooms and bell peppers to the egg bowl. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. ​ 7. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray, or grease the pan with butter or oil. ​ 8. Pour the egg mixture evenly into the muffin cups. ​ 9. Bake for 15 minutes until the egg muffins are puffed, lightly brown and cooked through. ​ 10. Enjoy warm or refrigerate leftovers. Heat leftovers for 30 seconds in the microwave. ​ 11. You can also eat these cold, they are perfect for lunchboxes. Previous Next

< Back Whole Wheat Pancakes Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 10 pancakes PDF download for printing Using whole wheat flour adds protein and fiber to these pancakes, making them more filling and healthier. If you don’t have whole wheat flour, substitute white flour. Ingredients 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon sugar 1 cup milk 1 egg 1/2 cup oil Preparation Whisk all ingredients together in a big bowl. It can be helpful to mix the flour and baking powder together first so you don't get chunks of baking powder in your pancakes. Heat a frying pan or griddle to medium high heat. If the surface is not non-stick, you will need to grease the pan with oil, butter or cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter onto the pan and cook until bubbles form on the top. Flip the pancake and continue to cook until brown on both sides and cooked in the middle. If the pancake is doughy in the middle but brown on the outside, you need to turn down the heat. Try a healthier topping for your pancakes: fresh berries are delicious, as are frozen berries microwaved until they turn into syrup. Another topping to try is peanut butter. This will make the meal more filling. Previous Next

< Back One Pot Chicken and Rice Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 PDF download for printing This meal is fast, easy, inexpensive, and filling. What more could you ask for? Serve with roasted veggies (see recipe below-butternut squash is pictured here) and green salad for a hearty fall meal. Ingredients 1 onion (optional) ½ cup long-grain white rice 1 cup milk 1 cup water 1 tsp chicken bouillon (or 1 bouillon cube) 1 (10oz) can of chicken, drained * (see note) ½-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese See the butternut squash recipe below for a great side dish! Preparation If using an onion, chop it as small as you can, and cook it in oil over medium-high heat until it’s see-through and starting to turn brown. Add the rice to the onion in the pan and cook 2-3 minutes until rice is coated with oil starting to turn brown Add 1 cup milk, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon and 1 can of drained chicken Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down to medium-low until it simmers , then cover with a lid. ( if you put the lid on right away it will probably boil over and make a mess, wait until it simmer s). Continue to cook at medium-low heat (simmering) until all the water is absorbed (about 20 minutes, you will want to keep an eye on the pan so it doesn’t burn). Once all of the water is absorbed, taste the rice, it should be soft and delicious. If it’s done take it off the heat and continue with step 7. If it’s still crunchy, add ¼ cup water and stir it in. Let it cook for 5 more minutes with the lid on and test again. Repeat until the rice is no longer crunchy, then continue with step 7. Top with ½ cup cheddar cheese and put the lid back on until the cheese is melted, serve hot. *Note: Canned chicken is a great first food for babies. It’s very soft and easy to eat, just mash it up and give it to them! No need for blending or grinding. If you have a baby between 6 and 8 months, I would recommend setting aside some chicken for them, as babies don’t need all the salt in this recipe. Older babies are okay to have the full recipe. Previous Next

< Back Cabbage Ramen Salad Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 PDF download for printing This is one of my top 5 favorite foods. I’ve been making it since I was about 12. I ate this at least 3 times a week during college. I love dry ramen noodles and I love cabbage. This cheap, easy, healthy recipe hits the spot on a hot summer day, or any day that you need dinner in 10 minutes. Ingredients Salad: 1 bag coleslaw mix (bagged salad mix of cabbage and shredded carrots) OR if you don’t have the bag mix, you can use 4 cups shredded cabbage and 1 shredded carrot 1 package chicken flavor ramen noodles 1 bunch green onions, sliced thin Optional: 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded and/or ½ cup slivered almonds Dressing: ¼ cup canola or olive oil ¼ cup rice vinegar (unseasoned) 2 Tablespoons white sugar 1 package seasoning from ramen noodle package Preparation In a large bowl, mix together cabbage and green onions In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, white sugar and seasoning packet until sugar is dissolved Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to combine Break the ramen noodles over the top of the cabbage and put chicken on top if desired Serve cold. Previous Next

< Back Pumpkin Black Bean Soup Prep Time: 20-30 minutes Cook Time: 20-30 minutes Serves: 6 PDF download for printing I make this for my family every Halloween. It’s a different way to use canned pumpkin and also a fast and easy pantry dinner. Canned pumpkin is full of vitamin A, which is important for a growing baby’s eye and skin health. Ingredients 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 3-5 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (optional, SEE NOTE at bottom of recipe) 1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes 1+½ cups water 2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 teaspoons bouillon) 1 cans black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup canned pumpkin For the top: pasteurized queso fresco, sour cream and avocados Preparation PREP: Chop onion as small as you can get it. Peel and chop garlic. Chop 1 chipotle pepper in adobo. Measure out cumin, chili powder. Open the tomato, pumpkin and bean cans. Drain the beans. Heat oil in a pot over high heat. Once it shimmers in the pan, add the onions and turn the heat down to medium. Cook the onion until it is see through and brown on the edges (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the chipotle peppers (if using), tomatoes, broth, drained beans and pumpkin. Turn heat to high to bring it to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 10 -30 minutes (the longer you wait, the better the flavors will be). Serve as is, or blend in a blender until smooth. Try it both ways and see what you like. To serve, sprinkle the top with queso fresco, avocados and chopped cilantro. Serve with warm bread or quesadillas. *NOTE: Chipotle peppers are hot peppers in a smoky sauce. They come in a small can. There are several peppers in the can with sauce. You will only use about ½ of a pepper for this recipe. You can put the rest of the peppers and sauce in a ziploc sack and freeze them for a few years. When another recipe calls for peppers in adobo, just break off a chunk from your frozen stash. If you do not like spicy food, leave the chipotle peppers out of this recipe. Previous Next

< Back Healthy Muffins Prep Time: 45 minutes (15 minutes prep, 24 minutes to bake) Cook Time: 45 minutes (15 minutes prep, 24 minutes to bake) Serves: 24 muffins PDF download for printing Spinach is a super healthy food, but it can be hard for little mouths to chew. Spinach is almost flavorless when blended into smoothies or baked goods. These muffins taste more like cupcakes, but can help your child eat more dark green veggies! These muffins are fun for halloween or St. Patrick’s Day. Ingredients 1 cup white flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 3/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 cup canola oil 3/4 cup milk 6 ounces fresh baby spinach until smooth 1 large banana 2 teaspoons vanilla Preparation Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, white flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon). Mix the dry ingredients very well. This prevents yucky clumps of baking soda & powder in your muffins. You could also blend these ingredients together in the blender before you use it for the wet ingredients. That will ensure that everything is mixed together. In a blender, mix oil, milk, spinach, banana and vanilla until pureed. You must have a blender or food processor to grind up the spinach, chopping it with a knife will not have the same result. Make a big indent in the middle of the dry ingredients in the bowl. Pour the wet ingredients (from the blender) into the well. Mix until just combined, the flour should just barely be mixed in. Overmixing causes rubbery and tough muffins. Spray muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Fill muffin cups with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the middle muffin comes out clean. Previous Next