< Back Turkey Toast Prep Time: 2 minutes Cook Time: 2 minutes Serves: 1 PDF download for printing Turkey Shaped Peanut Butter Toast Ingredients 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 teaspoon peanut butter 1 red apple 1 green apple 1 yellow apple 2 raisins Preparation Toast bread. Cut bread into a circle with the top of a cup Cut a head and neck out of the scraps Spread peanut butter on the turkey body (large circle piece of toast) Wash apples and cut into thin slices Arrange toast and apple slices to look like a turkey Add raisins for eyes and cut a triangle of bread crust or apple for a beak and gobble. ​ Apples can be choking hazards for children 2 years and younger. Please only serve this if your child is good at chewing and can eat apples without choking. If your child has a hard time chewing apples, you could use canned peaches and pears instead of the apple slices. Previous Next

< Back 3 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Pancakes Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 10 pancakes PDF download for printing These pancakes have no baking powder or baking soda, but still get fluffy from the egg protein. Ingredients 3 eggs 1 cup cottage cheese (small curd is best here, but any kind will work) ⅓ cup whole wheat flour Preparation Crack eggs into a bowl and beat well. Add in flour and cottage cheese. Mix until well combined. Heat a skillet on the stove over medium high heat. If you have an electric griddle, heat it to 350 degrees. When the pan is hot, grease the pan with butter, oil or nonstick cooking spray. Pour about ¼ cup pancake batter onto the pan. Cook until bubbles form. Turn pancakes when bubbles form and pop on the surface and the pancakes are brown on the bottom. Cook on the other side until the pancakes are cooked through the middle. You will have to test one to see if they are done. It should take about 3 minutes on each side. If the pancakes are burning before they are cooked in the middle, turn down the heat. These take longer to cook through than other pancakes. Serve immediately. If you want more flavor, next time add ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp cinnamon Previous Next

< Back Easy Oatmeal Cookies Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 12 cookies (a serving is 2 cookies) PDF download for printing This recipe uses oatmeal packets, bananas, and peanut butter to make a completely WIC-friendly cookie! I also added vanilla for added flavor, but you could leave out the vanilla if you don’t have any. Ingredients 4 oatmeal packets (I like maple + brown sugar flavor, but try whatever you have!) 2 ripe bananas ½ cup peanut butter (I used creamy, but chunky would work) 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional, you can leave it out) Preparation Mash bananas in a bowl until pureed. The banana should be mostly liquid. Stir oatmeal, peanut butter, and vanilla into the banana. Stir until well combined. There should be no blobs of peanut butter - make sure it is mixed evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Previous Next

< Back Easy Spinach Lasagna Prep Time: 1 hour (20 minutes prep, 45 to cook) Cook Time: 1 hour (20 minutes prep, 45 to cook) Serves: 6-9 PDF download for printing I’ve been making this lasagne for years. It’s easy and most people like it, despite the bits of green spinach! I also love a good meaty lasagne. If you also like meat in your lasagne, feel free to add browned hamburger or sausage to the pasta sauce. Ingredients 2 eggs, beaten 1 container (16 oz) cottage cheese ½ of a 10z bag spinach, chopped (about 2 to 3 cups of chopped spinach) 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (use 2 cups for the filling and save 1 cup to put on top) ½ cup parmesan cheese (use ¼ cup for the filling, and save ¼ cup to put on top) 1 jar (24 oz) pasta sauce 9 lasagna noodles Preparation Heat oven to 350 degrees Boil lasagna noodles until soft, about 7 minutes While noodles are cooking: In a large bowl, mix eggs, cottage cheese, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup parmesan cheese and spinach until blended When noodles are cooked, drain them. Now you can assemble the lasagna. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce on bottom of 13x9 inch dish sprayed with cooking spray Cover sauce with 3 noodles Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture onto the noodles. Top the cottage cheese mixture with ½ cup pasta sauce Top the pasta sauce with 3 more noodles Top the noodles with the other half of the cottage cheese mixture. Top the cottage cheese mixture with ½ cup pasta sauce. Top the sauce with 3 more noodles. Pour ½ cup of sauce on top of the noodles, then top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and remaining ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 minutes until heated through. Remove from the oven. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting to serve. Previous Next

< Back Quick Curry Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 PDF download for printing Curry is a quick and easy meal. The soft cooked vegetables and beans are perfect for infants and toddlers. Leave out the salt when cooking for infants, and add your own salt after taking out your child’s portion. There are many different ways to make and flavor curry, this version uses curry powder, coconut milk and canned beans. This is a “make-it-how-you-like-it” kind of meal - adjust the recipe to fit your own tastes! Ingredients 1 onion 1 or 2 carrots 1 or 2 stalks celery 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons fresh grated/minced ginger 1 can coconut milk 1 can low sodium chicken broth (or 2 cups homemade broth/bouillion) 1 Tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon cumin seed (optional) 1 teaspoon coriander (optional) 1 teaspoon turmeric (optional) 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional) ¼-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 russet potato 1 can garbanzo beans (drained) or 2 cups home-cooked garbanzo beans 1 cup chopped spinach, fresh or frozen Preparation Start by cooking rice if you want to serve it with your curry. Place 4 cups of water and 2 cups of brown rice in a large pot. Bring water to a boil, put a lid on the pot and turn the heat down to medium low. The water needs to be simmering. Set a timer for 45 minutes and keep the lid on until the timer goes off (only 20 minutes if you are using white rice). Make sure the water is simmering, if the water boils, the rice will run out of water and be crunchy. If the water is not hot enough to simmer it will take longer than 45 minutes. Cut onion, carrot and celery into small dice. Or cut them into pieces however you like or want to cut them. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive or canola oil in a 10 to 12 inch skillet or pot. Once the oil is hot, add onion carrot and celery. Keep heat at medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t let the vegetables burn. While vegetables are cooking, finely chop garlic and grate ginger on a microplane. Once vegetables are soft and see through add garlic, ginger and the spices (curry powder, coriander, turmeric, cumin seed and garam masala). Cook for about 1 minute more, stirring so that garlic does not burn. Turn heat to high and add coconut milk and broth. Once the mixture boils, turn the heat back down to medium and let it simmer. While curry is simmering, peel and cut the potato into small cubes and add to the pot. Open and drain the garbanzo beans and add to the pot. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low and simmer until the rice is done. If you are not cooking rice, just let the curry simmer for about 10-15 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the more flavorful it will become. Chop about 1 cup of spinach and add to the pot, stir in until it is wilted but still bright green. Serve hot, over rice, with naan bread on the side. How you can adjust this recipe to your tastes Adjust the spices - add in crushed red pepper to add heat, mustard seed, fenugreek or more/less of the spices listed Add a can of crushed or finely diced tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes Add lentils when you add the coconut milk and let them simmer until soft, omit the garbanzo beans Leave out the potato and add in frozen cauliflower or broccoli instead Leave out the carrot and celery Add in chopped zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper or any vegetable you have around. Add in ½ cup frozen peas at the end of cooking Add in diced chicken, fish or beef - let simmer in the sauce until it is cooked through Previous Next

< Back Tuna Noodle Casserole Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 PDF download for printing Tuna noodle casserole is a comfort food through and through. This healthier + faster version uses one pot to make clean up easier. It also features whole wheat noodles for increased fiber and protein. Ingredients 1 onion 2 sticks celery 1 Tablespoon oil (I prefer canola or olive) 1 clove garlic (optional) 1 Tablespoon flour 1 bouillon cube 2 cups water Half of a 12oz package of whole wheat egg noodles 1 can chunk light tuna, DRAINED 1 cup parmesan cheese (freshly shredded is best, but the powder kind works) Preparation Cut onion and celery into ¼ inch pieces Heat 1 Tablespoon canola or olive oil in a pan over high heat Add onion and celery Turn down the heat to medium Cook the onion and celery for 5 minutes until the onion is see through. Don’t let it get brown. If it is getting brown before it is soft and see through, turn down the heat. If you are using garlic, add it in the last 30 seconds of cooking time. After 5 minutes, sprinkle 1 tablespoon white flour evenly over the onion/celery. Stir until the onion and celery are completely coated with the flour. Pour in milk while stirring constantly. If you have a whisk, whisk the flour into the mixture. Pour in water while stirring constantly. Add bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon loose bouillon). Add drained tuna. Add HALF of the package of noodles (you need about 3 ½ cups of egg noodles) Turn heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil. Turn head down to medium low and let it simmer. Stir every 2 minutes. Cook for a total of 7 minutes, or until the sauce is just starting to thicken. Stir in 1 cup parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with black pepper to your liking and stir it in. You can continue to cook over the stove until the sauce is thickened to your liking. I like mine kind of thin. Once it’s finished, crush a sleeve of ritz crackers on top and serve with a side of vegetables and fruit. Some people like to stir frozen peas into their noodles. I like my peas separate. If you want peas in your noodles, add them when you add the parmesan cheese. Previous Next

< Back Broccoli Cheese Soup Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 PDF download for printing Broccoli is packed with vitamin C and fiber. I rarely buy fresh broccoli because frozen is just as nutritious, is less expensive, is pre-cut and will keep for months in the freezer. This soup uses frozen broccoli and has been a staple at my house for years. It’s cheesy and creamy while still being healthy. We love to eat it with crusty whole grain bread and a simple green salad. Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 large carrot, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 large potato, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon dry mustard (optional, but adds flavor!) ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth (or 4 cups broth) 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen broccoli cuts (or 1 big head fresh broccoli) 1 cup shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese ½ cup reduced-fat sour cream ⅛ teaspoon salt Preparation 1. Prepare your ingredients: Chop onion, carrot and celery, place in a bowl together. Peel and cut the potato. Mince garlic. Keep garlic and potato together. Measure flour, mustard and cayenne pepper, place in a small bowl. Open the cans of chicken broth. Shred and measure the cheese and measure the sour cream. 2. “Sweat” the carrot, onion and celery: Heat oil over medium high heat in a large pot. Add carrot, onion and celery and cook until soft and see through. Do not let them brown. If they are browning before they are see through, turn down the heat. This should take about 7 minutes. 3. Add potato and garlic to the pot, cook 1-2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn. 4. Add flour, mustard and cayenne. Stir well so all the vegetables are coated with the flour and spices. 5. Pour in broth. Stir well so no chunks of flour form and no flour is stuck on the bottom of the pan. (I use water and bouillon, it’s much less expensive than cans of broth) Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are very soft (low heat on my stove, so that it just bubbles). ​ 6. Add broccoli. Take off the lid and stir in frozen broccoli. Keep lid off and cook 10 more minutes until broccoli is cooked through and soft. (If using fresh broccoli, you'll need to chop it small and cook it a bit longer). You want the broccoli to stay bright green. If you over cook it, it will be brown and mushy. Stop cooking it when you notice it’s bright color starting to fade, even if it's before 10 minutes. 7. Mash some of the vegetables in the pot. Use a blender, immersion blender, potato masher or fork to mash up the vegetables to your liking. You can leave them whole if you want to save time and dishes, but the soup is much better blended in my opinion (and easier for babies to eat) 8. Stir in cheddar cheese and sour cream. Stir until the cheese is melted and serve hot. ***Tips to make this even faster: To make this faster, you can heat the oil in your pot while you cut the veggies. Add the carrot, celery and onion to the pot and let them cook while you cut the potato and garlic. Add potato and garlic, while it is cooking measure and add the flour and spices. Pour in broth. While it boils, shred the cheese and measure the sour cream. Prepare a salad, cut some bread and set the table while the soup is boiling. Previous Next

< Back Fall Tree Toast Prep Time: 2 minutes Cook Time: 2 minutes Serves: 1-2 PDF download for printing Cherry tomatoes and whole wheat toast Ingredients Multicolored cherry tomatoes Whole wheat toast Preparation Toast and butter the bread Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters so that they are not choking hazards for young children. If you have older children, the tree is easier to eat and more attractive if the tomatoes are cut into halves. Cut the bread into strips. Arrange the strips like a tree trunk and branch. Cut smaller strips for smaller branches. Arrange the tomatoes on the tree branches. ​ Whole cherry tomatoes are a choking hazard, please use caution with children until 2 years of age. Previous Next

< Back Peanut Butter Banana Cookies Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 24 cookies PDF download for printing These healthy cookies don’t taste like regular “cookies.” They have no sugar, butter, or oil. Instead, they are packed with protein, fiber and minerals your little ones need for growing. These make a great “on the go” breakfast! Ingredients 2 Bananas 2 Cups Quick Oats (unflavored, uncooked) ½ cup peanut butter (any kind, avoid “natural” peanut butter for this recipe) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup raisins (or chocolate chips, or other dried fruit) Preparation Mash 2 bananas and a large bowl. Add 2 cups of quick oatmeal (unflavored, uncooked oats). Add ½ cup peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir and stir and stir until well combined. The dough is safe to eat raw if you want to! Stir in ½ cup raisins (or chocolate chips). Bake at 350 degrees until cookies are light brown and don’t fall apart when you pick them up with a spatula. Enjoy! These make a great “on the go” breakfast for busy mornings. Previous Next

< Back Pumpkin Chocolate Bran Muffins Prep Time: 15 minutes prep + 20 minutes to bake Cook Time: 15 minutes prep + 20 minutes to bake Serves: 24 muffins PDF download for printing These muffins are loaded with fiber thanks to the pumpkin, whole wheat flour and bran! Bran is very inexpensive in the bulk section at stores like Winco. The large batch of muffins freezes great, or you can keep them on the counter for a few days (if they last that long). Ingredients 3 Cups bran 1 cup boiling water 2 cups buttermilk** 2 eggs 1.5 cups sugar 1 cup canned pumpkin ½ cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoons baking soda 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 ½ cups white flour Preparation Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix bran and boiling water in a large bowl. Let sit while you gather other ingredients Add buttermilk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder salt and chocolate chips into the bowl with bran. Mix well to be sure that there are no clumps of baking soda or powder. Fold in the flours. Mix until just combined, the flour should just barely be mixed in. If you overmix your muffins will be rubbery. Spray muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Fill muffin cups ¾ full with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the middle muffin comes out clean. ​ ** to make buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or white vinegar) in 1 cup of milk and let sit for 5-10 minutes. For this recipe, mix 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar in 2 cups of milk to make 2 cups of buttermilk. Previous Next

< Back Fruity Flowers Prep Time: 3 minutes Cook Time: 3 minutes Serves: 2 PDF download for printing A fun mother's day snack. Ingredients 1 kiwi 1 mandarin orange (fresh or canned) A handful of red berries (raspberry or strawberry) A handful of blueberries 1 banana Preparation Wash strawberry and cut off tops, cut in half Wash kiwi, peel, and cut into circles Peel banana and cut into circles Wash blueberries Arrange fruits into flowers and eat! Previous Next

< Back Pasta Salad Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 PDF download for printing This easy salad is perfect for summer get-togethers. It’s fast, easy, and can be made ahead. Ingredients 16oz whole wheat short pasta like rotini or penne 1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 can of olives, drained and chopped into quarters Total of 3-4 cups of chopped vegetables, options include: Bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green, cut into small pieces) Cucumber (regular or english, chopped) Cherry tomatoes (cut in quarters to prevent choking) Broccoli or cauliflower (to prevent choking in toddlers, steam first and chop) Chopped red onion or green onion Up to ¼ cup of chopped herbs (basil, parsley, tarragon work best) About ¾ cup Cheese, options include: Shredded parmesan Mozzarella balls (choking risk for toddlers, shredded cheese is better for young children, mozzarella balls are shown in the photo) Squares of cheddar or your favorite kind of cheese (choking risk for toddlers, shredded is best) Optional add-ins: chopped salami, pepperoni, or ham 1 bottle of Italian dressing Preparation Basic instructions: cook pasta, chop veggies, and combine everything in a bowl with the dressing Detailed Instructions: Cook the pasta “al dente” according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, drain and rinse the olives and beans and put them in a large bowl. While the pasta is cooking, wash the vegetables, chop them, and put them in the bowl with the beans + olives. If you are using a red onion: chop it, and put it in the bottom of a strainer. When you drain the pasta, drain it on top of the onion in the strainer. The hot water will cook the onion so it isn’t so strong. When the pasta is finished, drain it and rinse with cold water. Let the pasta sit in the strainer until it is dry. You want the pasta to be dry so it absorbs the dressing. When the pasta is drained, add it to the bowl with the vegetables, beans, and olives. Pour the entire bottle of Italian dressing on the salad and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The salad can be made up to 2 days in advance. Previous Next