I've never met a child that doesn't like spaghetti and meatballs.It is such a fun dish and so delicious too.Let them make it their own style...they can sprinkle shredded cheese or soak a nice piece of toasted Ezekiel English muffin in the sauce...yummy!!!!
Ingredients
2 lb. organic hamburg meat 1 cup natural bread crumbs 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion 2 organic eggs 1 organic jarred tomato sauce 2 cups of spaghetti noodles (brown rice or kamut)
Directions
Heat oven to 400ºF.
1.Line two cookie sheets with foil. Mix ingredients until blended; shape into 1-1/2inch balls.(approximately 32 meatballs)
2.Place meatballs in each prepared pan. Bake 16 to 18 min. or until done.
3.Place cooked meatballs in saucepan,pour organic tomato sauce over and simmer for 10 minutes.
4.Boil noodles according to box directions.Pour meatballs and sauce on top.
This is a great comfort meal, especially with the cooler days just around the corner.This dish is easy to make, you can put it together in under 30 minutes.If you always have good healthy food choices for your main meals,everyone will come to the table with a great appetite.Your body is a wonderful creation and you need to respect it and give it real food, made in your kitchen with love. Made with no preservatives and ingredients that you can pronounce.
Ingredients
1 pkg. of Macaroni noodles (brown rice noodles or kamut noodles are great!!) 1 lb.lean organic ground beef 1/2 cup of chopped green onions 1 can organic stewed tomatoes, undrained 1/2 tsp. oregano, basil and thyme Sea salt and pepper to taste 3/4 cup shredded organic Cheese
Directions
Heat oven to 400ºF.
1.Boil noodles as directed on package. 2.Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add green onions,tomatoes and spices,mix well. Bring to boil. 3.Add meat mixture to drained and rinsed macaroni. 4.Spoon into 9-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. 5.Bake 10 min. or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.
Make a lovely green salad to accompany this great dish. Cut some vegetables into stars and heart shapes with mini metal cookie cutters...makes it look fun and kids love that!!!Put in the extra effort and you will be greatly rewarded.
When my son was younger this was a big hit. When you prepare your meatloaf recipe it is great to divide the mixture into a muffin pan. This makes the portion for kids the perfect size and not overwhelming for them to finish. You start by giving them one small portion and they will ask for more.It makes it fun for them at the same time and it gives you the satisfaction to know that they are getting a good size of your main meal. Kids need to know that different dishes can be great tasting,you just have to start by making it fun for them and not expecting too much back. With time they will realize that this is what they are to eat and when they see everyone around the table enjoying the meal they will enjoy it too...
Ingredients
1 cup natural bread crumbs (home made is best) 1 jar organic spaghetti sauce,(home made is best) 2 tsp. dried oregano leaves 1-1/2 lb. extra lean organic ground beef 2 cups chopped zucchini 2 cups sliced mushrooms 3/4 cup organic shredded Mozzarella cheese
Directions
1.PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix ingredients together with half each of the spaghetti sauce and oregano. Place into individual muffin tins.
2.MIX zucchini, mushrooms, remaining spaghetti sauce and remaining oregano. Spoon evenly over meat mixture; cover with foil.
3.BAKE 25 min. Uncover. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, an additional 10 min. or until meatloaf is cooked through.
Adding spaghetti sauce to the meat mixture not only adds flavor but also helps to keep the baked meatloaf moist.
Serve with your favorite cooked vegetables such as steamed green beans and steamed sweet potatoes.
This is especially for you Julia....hopefully your little ones will enjoy this...
So many moms have been asking me for more kid-friendly recipes for fussy eaters.There's no better way to get children involved in enjoying real food than getting their little hands in helping to create what they are about to taste. It seems like if they help to make it , it is not as foreign and they are more tempted and willing to give it a try when it is ready to eat. Give this a try, have them help you cut and shred the ingredients to the best of their abilities.Put some good music on and make it fun...I'm sure that they will want to do it again...make sure to rave and praise them for giving you a helping hand and help them realize how everyone enjoyed what they made with their own hands and love.
Ingredients
6 medium flour tortilla 6 tbsp organic jarred spaghetti sauce (homemade better option) 1/3cup organic shredded mozzarella cheese diced peppers (every color), green onions, mushrooms,little pieces of organic turkey, chicken, hamburger (cut up in small pieces)
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350°F.Place tortillas on cookie sheet. 2.Spread 1 tbsp of sauce on each tortilla ,then add favorite toppings (have fun with it, make funny faces...) 3.Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. 4.Bake for about 7 minutes, until cheese is bubbling. 5.Allow to cool completely before cutting into wedges and packing (otherwise the crust will go soggy).
Have the kids prepare a nice vegetable tray along with home made dip...I guarantee you that this will be a hit....they will love their creations and will be asking to make more on a regular basis that I promise you.
Taco soup is an easy to make tummy warming treat.Although hot soup on a cool day is an especially welcoming pleasure, this soup will be welcomed any day and in any weather.This is an easy tortilla Mexican soup recipe that takes the flavors of our favorite tacos and puts them into a soup.This amazing but simple taco soup recipe is one your family will love. Can't get the kids to eat their veggies? Chop them up finely and add them to this soup.
Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 pounds organic ground beef 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 1 - 16 ounce organic can tomatoes 1 - 16 ounce organic can tomato sauce 2 cups salsa 1 cup frozen corn kernels (optional) 1 - 16 ounce can pinto beans 1 - 16 ounce can kidney beans 1/2 cup taco seasoning (recipe follows) 3 cups water
Here is an early Christmas gift....so many people have asked me for this recipe and I'm thinking why not share it with everyone.It is the season of giving and I know that quite a few of you are dying to have this recipe. So Merry Christmas and please make lots and share with your loved ones.
I've been experimenting with muffins and have settled on this one.These zucchini muffins are insanely good and insanely easy to make. No mixer, wooden spoon only, and two bowls, though you could really even make the batter in one bowl.Very moist.Just sweet enough.
Organic Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
3 cups grated fresh zucchini 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter (organic) 1/2 cup organic cane sugar 2 organic eggs,(beaten) 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 teaspoons baking soda Pinch sea salt 3 cups all-purpose organic flour 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup walnuts (optional) 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
Method
You don't need a mixer for this recipe.
1.Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in.
2.In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if using.
3. Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little olive oil. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes.
4.Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.
Note; if you are including walnuts and dried fruit, you will likely have more batter than is needed for 12 muffins. I got about 14 muffins from this batch, and that included filling the muffin cups up as far as they could possibly go (above the surface of the muffin tin).
There you go the best tasting muffins in town and they are all yours....enjoy!!!
My name is Sylvie Thibert and I call myself "The Health Nut!!"Here is my first cooking video from my kitchen. Today I will be demonstrating how you can make yourself and your loved ones a fantastic tasting , nutrition packed authentic Mexican Taco Salad. They will be screaming for more, trust me!!! First I will show you how to make your own tortilla bowl, minus all of those deep frying agents that so many mainstream restaurants use daily. You don’t need to go out and purchase expensive taco bowl molds…you can make it very easily at home with everyday items…check it out!!
How to make your own taco bowl
You will need aluminum foil, a metal bowl, a cookie sheet, extra virgin organic olive oil and natural tortilla wraps…I chose the Food for Life Ezekiel Wraps that can be found in any organic freezer section at your local health store.
I would suggest that you make these 1 hour before guests arrive:
1.You will need to preheat your oven to 450 F. 2.Wash and dry a metal bowl thoroughly(optional but helps with larger tortillas). 3.Make a desired size ball with aluminum foil. (inside of bowl size) 4.Lightly rub the outside of the ball of foil with olive oil. (This will keep the tortilla from sticking to it when its done.) 5.Drape one tortilla over the ball and press against the sides(with a little bit of olive oil on your hands). Place the metal bowl over it and place on a cookie sheet.Bake like this for the first 5 minutes then remove metal bowl only. 6.As the tortilla cooks in the oven it will harden and take the shape of the chosen size. Let it cook an extra 5 minutes(until the tortilla is darkened but not burned). 7.Let the tortilla cool completely on top of the foil before removing it. (The tortilla is still pliable when warm and will lose its shape if removed too quickly from the foil).
Mexican Salad 1/2 cup home made salsa(you will find on this site) 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tsp. organic coconut oil 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound lean organic ground beef (protein) (you could also use organic lean ground turkey or chicken) *PROTEIN* 1 large organic tomato, diced 1 14oz can organic kidney beans (*PROTEIN*) 2 tsp. cumin 2 tsp. chili powder 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 2 cups organic mixed greens and spinach 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1.Combine salsa and sour cream in a large bowl. 2.Heat coconut oil in a large cast iron or stainless steel frying skillet over medium heat. 3.Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add meat and cook, stirring often and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. 4.Add tomatoes, beans, cumin and chili powder, cook stirring until the tomatoes begin to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. 5.Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and 1/4 cup of the salsa mixture. 6.Add lettuce to the remaining salsa mixture in the bowl, toss to coat. 7.To serve, divide the lettuce among the bowls. Top with the meat mixture and sprinkle with cheese
When you think of it making the meat mixture this way prevents purchasing the pre-made taco seasoning mixes that have MSG, additives and ingredients that you can’t even pronounce. This is a healthy alternative of making it taste even better with all of the natural spices and flavors.This is real live food and your body will thank you for it. I promise you that!!
You can also add cubed avocado chunks or homemade guacamole on top…(you can find this recipe on my site as well…)
Nutritional Benefits:
Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E& B and folic acid. Avocados are a fresh, natural, wholesome part of a healthy diet.They’re irresistibly rich in flavor.
Thank you very much for joining me today in my kitchen.I hope that this has given you a nice healthy alternative to making your own Mexican salad. Please feel free to check out my new website at www.thehealthnut.ca,there you will find my new health blog called "Food For Thought" and all kinds of healthy information that will hopefully help you live your life to the fullest!!
‘til next time…enjoy life, be happy and stay healthy…
