FOOD HISTORY: History of Muffin

FOOD HISTORY: History of Muffin

Dinner 'A La Carte'

Getting your child to eat dinner can be very challenging and frustrating especially if you have a picky eater. Mealtimes should be fun and relaxing. It should not become a battle-field and usually when it does become one you're most likely to lose. I know i have lost many of these battles untill i decided to re-think my stratergies. I was a short order cook preparing two or more meals to satisfy my little dinner guest. I had to stop the madness and so i wrote down all the things that my dinner guest likes (foods, toys, favourite kid shows, story books, favourite things to do and play etc....) and decided to incoporate them into food preparation and presentation. One dinner guest i know likes eggs, cheese and muffins but does not like veggies so i decided to make him an egg and cheese muffin with zucchini and carrots finely chopped. He thought it was so funny to see eggs served as a muffin. I had one myself and we both ate it all up. Yum! He loves Popeye The Sailer so we had on another day a Popeye Omlette with spinach and cheese. However he did complain about that green stuff in his eggs and so we talked about how Popeye loves to eat spinach and that's why he's got big stong muscles and yes he wants to be strong like Popeye. I cut the omlette into cute shapes using cookie cutters for a fun presentation.
Another 3 yr old dinner guest likes motorcyles and monster trucks and loves it when i make wagon wheels(Ruote) pasta in plain maninera sauce topped with parmesan. Kids love the fun shaped pasta and they come in the original color or multi-colored. I add pureed beets or any other veggie puree to the sauce. I let him pour the parmesan over the pasta. Voila! Motorcycles wheels a la carte! The same can be done with the bow tie pasta(Farfalle) if your child loves butterflies. Farfalle means 'butterflies' and Route means 'wheels' both in italian. The bottom line is you just have to be creative when it comes to getting your child to eat. I strongly recommend sitting down at the table and eating with your child during mealtimes and even more so when introducing new foods. Let them see you eat too. Getting children involved in the planning and preparation of their own meals when possible is a good start. Older children can help by e.g washing the veggies, mixing, stirring and pouring. Giving children choices can help in establishing happy mealtimes. e.g "do you want broccoli and carrots or peas and corn for dinner?" Work together as a team. Make dinner fun! Here are the recipes for Egg & Cheese Muffin and Popeye Omlette. Who says you can't have eggs for dinner? "Bon Appetit"!


Egg And Cheese Muffins(Fritatta)
******************************* Serves 4

2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded or grated cheddar cheese
2 tbls water
1/4 cup finely chopped or pureed zucchini
1/4 cup finely chopped or pureed carrots
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil for coating pan


1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 6 cup muffin pan with olive oil (only 4 cups)

2 In a medium bowl beat the eggs and water together. Add the rest of the remaining ingredients beat slightly.

3. Pour mixture into coated muffin cups just a little over half way. You can top with a little extra cheddar cheese if you wish. Add a little water to the 2 extra remaining muffin cups to prevent scorching since this recipe seves 4.

4. Bake for 15- 20 mins or untill the eggs are cooked.

Serve with buttered whole wheat toast, fruit, orange juie or milk.


Popeye Omlette
*************** Serves 2

2 eggs
1/4 cup pureed spinach
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese for each omlette
2 tbls parmesan cheese
2 tbls diced onions
shredded turkey(your desired amount)
1 tbls olive oil
salt & pepper to taste


1. In a medium non-stick skillet over medium high saute the onions in olive oil for about 3- 4 mins. Don't let onions get brown. Set onions aside.

2. In a medium bowl beat the eggs, spinach, parmesan cheese,salt and pepper together.

3. Using the same skillet add a tsp olive oil over medim-high heat and pour in half of the mixture equivalent to one egg. Using a spatula move it around the edge of the egg mixture to shape it into a round loosen edge. Cook for about 12 seconds or untill the egg begins to set then fill the center with the half of the cheddar cheese, onions and turkey.

4. Fold the omlette in half with the fillings. Pour in the rest of the egg mixture to make other omlette. Serve warm.

Note: After omlette is cooled off you can cut into cute shapes using cookie cutters.


Pasta With Veggies
***************** Serves 3-4

1 cup Bow-tie pasta (Butterflies)
olive oil
2 tbls low fat canola butter or olive oil
3 tbls parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cooked peas
1/4 cup cooked corn
1/4 cup cooked shredded carrots
1/2 cup cooked diced boneless chicken
salt & pepper to taste


1. Cook pasta untill al dente. Drain and pour into a bowl.

2. Combine the butter orolive oil, veggies parmesan, and chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm

You don't have to be wealthy to eat healthy

Eating healthy is becoming more and more popular these days but some of us think we need alot of money in order to shop for healthy foods. I agree that some foods like fruits and veggies can be pricey, however if you are on a tight budget you an still eat healthy regardless. It's all about making wise choices. Farmers markets are great markets where you can buy healthy foods. There you can sometimes find great deals on produce than your neighborhood grocery store. When grocery shopping read food labels carefully. Check out the nutrition facts label on packaged foods. So your favorite food is high in vitamins. Great! But what if it's high in sugar or sodium? Take a look at the ingredients as well. This will let you know what's in the food you're buying. Are they healthy? Learning to read food labels will help you decide what to choose as part of a overall healthy diet. Substitutions and home cooked meals are other ways of eating healthy. e.g need to use egg whites in a recipe? Why not use fresh eggs and separate the yolks from the whites? Egg whites sold at the grocery store are pricey. Want to make mac & cheese with whole grain pasta? Just add wheat germ or flaxseed meal to your recipe if using regular pasta. Cocolate milk? Just add cocoa powder to milk. You can save yourself a few bucks if you are willing to maintain an overall eating plan by making smart choices.
Choose a variety of foods throughout the day so your body can get the neccessay nutrients it needs. Now that's eating healthy!

Breakfast On The Go!

Hi again. It's been a long day at work. I am exhausted but wanted to share this with you. Many times parents have no idea or run out of ideas for breakfast. Mornings are busy. You wake up and before you try to have a moment to yourself it's time to get the kids up for school. Breakfast is a very important meal of the day. Actually it's the most important meal of the day. Sometimes the kids might not want to eat so early in the morning or by the time your done running around getting them up, dressed or dealing with their protests it's time to head out the door for school. You might not have the time to prepare a gourmet breakfast but your kids can still have something yummy and healthy in their bellies. Sure you want to send your kids off to school knowing that they ate a good hearty breakfast but if time is not on your side i want to share a few quick breakfast ideas with you:

Whole wheat bagel, toast or english mufffin with peanut butter and a little honey
(Children under 2 should not have honey)

Bagel with cream cheese topped with cranberries or raisins

A boiled egg (can be prepared the night before)

Raisin bran muffin

Fruit with or without yogurt

A bowl of cereal ( raisin bran, cherrios)

A waffle toasted with peanutbutter

milk, apple or orange juice

A good healthy power bar

Strawberry and banana milkshake sweetened lightly with honey or agave

These recipes are not just for kids but parents can enjoy them as well especially if you are a working parent. One way of showing your kids the importance of breakfast is by letting them see you eat.

TNC:)

Note: If your child is allergic to peanutbutter substitute with cream cheese, appplebutter or jelly

The Nanny Chef

Hi everyone and Happy Valentines Day. I have a great Valentines Day Breakfast Menu for the whole family.



Pancakes or waffles topped with fresh strawberries, raspberries, lowfat whip cream and maple/agave syrup blend



Cranberry juice, cranberry tea, hot chocolate topped with lowfat whip cream or
Strawberry smoothie with beets

Smoothie Recipe:
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
2 cups soy milk
1 cup fresh strawberries or frozen
1 cup pureed beets
2 tbsp agave

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth for about 2 mins.
Serves 2



Re: The preparation is quick and easy. Want to make this more healthy? Add a 1/2 cup of pureed beets to your pancake or waffle batter. Perfect for valentines day pancakes and waffles.



The agave/maple syrup blend can be found at Trader Joe's or simply mix half and half.

Eating Healthy

Do you know foods that you ate growing up as a child are the very same foods you will most likely eat as an adult? Think about this for a minute. Example most kids love mac & cheese. How many of us adults love some good old mac & cheese? I grew up eating hot cereal(oatmeal, cream of wheat) and now even as an adult i can't seem to get over it. A nice warm bowl of cream of wheat is perfect for starting the day. Another food i enjoyed as a child was bread with butter and cheese. My mom would pack it for my school lunch or it as eaten as a snack. I still occasionally have this yummy sandwich today. Ofcourse now i made it lowfat(whole wheat bread, lowfat butter and cheese). My point? It's so important to feed your little ones nutritious foods(fruits, veggies, low fat meals) so as adults they will continue a healthy diet making good choices for themselves and their families. It's never too late to begin. Just do it!

Eating Out In

Here is a delicious recipe i made today. I call it 'Chicken With Orange Mango Sauce' . This recipe is more for you moms and dads or for others wanting to try something new. It's very easy to make and light on the hips. A great meal to eat after the kids have gone to bed or serve it at your next party. Who said you can't eat out in? Oh, did i forget to mention this is not a kid friendly meal. Here is what you'll need:

4 boneless chicken breasts (cut into small pieces)
4 tbls olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 oz spinach
1 tbls minced garlic
1 1/2 cup orange mango juice
3 tbls red wine
season salt
black pepper
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tbls agave
2 tbls gravy flour


1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over med-heat saute the onions in olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and mix well.
2. Add the peppers, carrots and spinach and saute for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and brown it on all sides or until you see no red.
3. Add the orange mango juice, red wine and cook for about 10-15 minutes. In the meantime add a little water to the gravy flour in a small bowl and mix into a paste.
4. Add the gravy flour paste and agave to the chicken. Mix well. Lower heat, cover and let chicken continue to cook for 20-25 minutes more or until well done.

Note: Serve over cooked rice, couscous or pasta. Serves 4


I would love to hear from you:)

Mac & Cheese On The Go!

Hello moms and dads don't know what to pack for tomorrow's lunch? Next time you make mac & cheese add butternut squash to your recipe and place it in a coated muffin pan. Top with bread crumbs mixed with butter ontop. Bake for 15- 20 mins. Voila! Mac & Cheese Muffins. If you have a mac & cheese lover they sure will go for this. Enjoy:)