Healthy Meal Plans

[Elbereth]

 

My husband and I were walking through Wal-Mart the other day exclaiming over the newly stocked organic foods.  There seems to be more and more.  When we went by the Velveeta section he said "Oh, I hope they have organic Velveeta!"     I said, "I sadly don't think there will ever be such a thing!"  What is it about Velveeta that we love?

[healthybratt]

My husband and I were walking through Wal-Mart the other day exclaiming over the newly stocked organic foods.  There seems to be more and more.  When we went by the Velveeta section he said "Oh, I hope they have organic Velveeta!"     I said, "I sadly don't think there will ever be such a thing!"  What is it about Velveeta that we love?

I've noticed Walmart's expanded stock as well.  I'm just hoping they'll start carrying more more more.  I bought some flavored black tea's tonight, brand name "STASH".  Very interesting flavors.  I got decaf vanilla chai and chocolate hazelnut. 

[petrimama]

Organic Velveeta...that would be interesting! 
  Those teas sound delicious!!  I am definitely going to check them out next time I'm there and I have a friend (who got me hooked on Chai tea) that I'm making a little care basket for, so I'll probably add those.  She is such a sweet, gentle person who is a great example of submission to the Lord and her husband....an example I sorely need sometimes!  I have been trying to think of a way to remind her how special she is, but she's a few hours away so it's tough and this might be just the way to do it without breaking the bank!  I think teas are such a lovely personal touch sometimes...weird, but they just seem so cozy to me.          ~L

[4myhoonie]

This is an awesome summer recipe that we love!    
 

Yellow Peppers and Sun-dried Tomatoes

3  yellow peppers, chopped 
4-5  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
4-5  cloves garlic, minced 
1 (14  ounce) can chopped tomatoes 
1  pinch sugar 
 salt and pepper 
8-10  sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped 
1  tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
2-3  teaspoons small capers, rinsed and drained 

Brown the peppers in the oil (I use a large wok) or skillet for 7 minutes.  Add half of the garlic, stir.  Add canned tomatoes, sugar, and s&p to taste. Cook over high heat until reduced to a thick paste.  Stir in the sundried tomatoes, balsamic, capers and remaining garlic, cool to warm or room temperature to serve.  Eat with your favorite crusty bread.

25 minutes 15 mins prep
 

[4myhoonie]

Zucchini with Sundried Tomatoes--and LOTS of garlic!!!   

1  medium zucchini 
1  tablespoon butter 
1  clove garlic, minced 
2  tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, coarsly chopped 
1/4  teaspoon salt, to taste 

Cut zucchini into 1/2 inch rounds, then cut each round into quarters (you should have about 2 cups).
Melt butter in nonstick pan and add zucchini.
Saute zucchini, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes and continue to saute, stirring often, for about 2 more minutes.
Toss with salt and serve.

[MotherOfBlessings]

One thing that they will eat a ton of is a carrot salad that I make with natural vanilla yogurt, orange peel, crushed pineapple and golden raisins.  That's actually become a dessert dish for us.   

Would you please share the recipie?

[4myhoonie]

we make a few substitutions:  we prefer ground (kinda spicy) pork sausage, we use wheat or reg spaghetti because it's easier to have on hand, and reg. cabbage.  the stuff listed is hard to find around here.  this recipe and the zucchini stir fry and yellow pepper one, i got off of recipezaar.com.  love that site!   

Yakisoba
This is a dish that is popular in Japan and usually sold as street food. This version is made with pork, although you could easily substitute chicken or tofu.
1  lb lean pork loin, sliced thinly (against the grain) 
1/3  cup soy sauce 
1/3  cup rice wine 
1 1/2  tablespoons sugar 
12  ounces Chinese wheat noodles (udon noodles may be substituted) 
3  tablespoons vegetable oil 
1  onion, sliced thin 
1  lb napa cabbage or savoy cabbage, sliced very thin 
3  carrots, grated 
1  tablespoon chopped ginger 
2  scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar, stirring to dissolve.
Cook noodles in boiling water about 8 minutes, or until tender.
Drain noodles and rinse under cold water.
In a large deep skillet or wok, cook onion in oil for about 3 minutes.
Add the cabbage, carrot and ginger and cook until cabbage is softened, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the pork and cook for 2 minutes more.
Cover the mixture with noodles and pour the sauce over all.
Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes, the remove the lid and toss the mixture together until it is well combined.

[Chickory Chick]

I just came across a link for homemade velveeta cheese a couple of days ago.  I havent tried it yet, but here is the link:

http://www.recipezaar.com/87384

[healthybratt]

I just came across a link for homemade velveeta cheese a couple of days ago.  I havent tried it yet, but here is the link:

http://www.recipezaar.com/87384

If anyone decides to try this, please let us know the cost as well as the flavor.  It sounds like it might be about 1/2 the price of velveeta. 

[healthybratt]

Creamed Eggs and Toast.

Boiling the Eggs takes the longest, but you can have these already done the night before or whatever.

Rue:

4T flour
4T butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk

Melt butter in pan then mash flour into butter with fork until pasty and well mixed and warm.  Add milk and stir until thickened.  Peel and dice boiled eggs and throw them in - only fold them in, don't stir or you'll blend all the yolk into the gravy.  The eggs will make it thicker, so don't thicken your rue all the way to gravy stage or you'll have pudding 

Ladel over toast.  (Also good with homemade biscuits if you're up to it.)

This sounds bizarre, but I tried it on the recommendation of a friend.  WHAT A HIT.  The family loves it.    I like mine with ground red pepper.   

[OneMaster]

I completely agree with giving kids as much "ownership" as possible, both through planting and harvesting a garden and helping with food preparation.  It works wonders!

Another thing that has really encouraged our kids is that we tell them if they don't care for a food now, they will as they get bigger.  We tell them to keep trying it because one day they'll discover that they have grown enough to like it!  We relate stories of the foods that we didn't like as children (you mean Mama didn't like steak!) that now we enjoy.  It becomes a very exciting accomplishment to start liking a new food!  My 4 year old has always been a good eater, but has had a few things he disliked very much.  He is so proud that he is such a big boy that now he likes some of those things.  We present it in a way that makes them think it is a given that they will enjoy all healthy foods someday, it's just a matter of growing and maturing.

Another way we involve the kids and give them ownership is to explain in detail how the nutrition works and what we are looking for in foods and on labels.  They actually ask us if something has hydrogenated oils or preservatives in it!

Also, for vegies, we love to grill them with just a little olive oil...yum!

[4myhoonie]

i came across this great recipe and thought it was great!  my kids would like it with less thyme and i think it needs a little more red pepper!!  but it is yummy!  has anyone done sweet potatoes on the grill outside?

Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes

4 med sweet potatoes peeled and cut in 1 1/2 in chunks
3 T olive oil
1 T. thyme
3 cloves garlic pressed
1/2 t. red pepper

combine all and bake at 400 on a rimmed sheet for 45 min.

i did this in the oven with another pan of chicken leg quarters sprinkled with french herbs and the kids raved.  easy!!

[jeniwren]

this is a quick, oatmeal recipe I made up for my daughter (now 2). She eats it almost every morning for breakfast. Banana chunks or raisins can be added for fun (usually save them for Sat and Sun treats):

I keep a jar of ground organic oats so I have them on hand each morning.
2-3 T. ground oats
sprinkle ground cinnamon on top
1/3 C. rice milk (we do non-dairy, but you can use regular milk)
1 t. pure maple syrup (honey can be used, but not for children under 1 year old)
1/2 T. coconut oil (or butter - not margarine)

Combine all in small saucepan and cook over medium heat. Let it thicken and stir it occasionally. If it thickens too much, just add a little more milk and stir. Makes one serving

This is a GREAT thread

[nickandnat]

I also do oatmeal often for breakfast- cheap and healthy.

It is more nurtitious if soaked overnight, and easier to digest.

1 cup warm water
1 cup oatmeal
1 Tab. buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt
mix together, cover and leave out overnight

In the morning bring 1 cup water to boil and add the soaked oatmeal then turn to low and cook just a few minutes. Cooks up much faster when soaked.
 I add 1-2 tablesponns of flax meal per serving and cinnamon and honey or mapley syrup, and pour fresh milk over the top. Always serve with some fat so those fat soluable vitamins will absorb- butter, coconut oil, fresh whole milk.

[a_new_creation]

Haven't seen anyone mention this, but we do rice pudding for breakfast sometimes.  I don't make it very sweet (very little maple syrup or honey) and add raisins.  Along w/ soaked oatmeal, this is my dc's #1 favorite breakfast (OK, french toast is up there, too).

The easiest thing to do is to just make extra brown rice whenever you are making rice anyway for supper.  (Soak in water and whey/vinegar/lemon juice for at least 7 hours before cooking for optimum nutrition.)  Then use the leftover rice the next day for breakfast.

I and my dc prefer it warm, dh prefers it cold.  To each his own!

http://dougandcarla.truepath.com/recipes/ricePudding.shtml

[oliveoil]

here are some 'asian' recipes that we grew up having. They are Filipino. Very easy to make. And are some of my favorite meals. Unfortunately though I can't get myself to make brown rice with them, I'm so used to the white rice...
Anihau ( pronounced anyhow) beef
Ingrediants:
skirt steak
lettuce
soy sauce
tomatoes
green onions
 Cut the skirt steak into about 1/2 to 1 inch DIAGONAL (if you don't cut them this way they will be tough and chewy) strips,  fry quiclky on high in soy sauce then pour over prepared rice that is topped with chopped lettuce. Garnish with tomatoes and green onions.
The next is called Sinagong
It calls for chicken parts, half onion, canned tomato, lemon juice, and spinach
Wash chicken, cut off skin and fat. put in water, slice onion thinly add to water, add 1/4 cup canned tomato, add 1 tblsp lemon juice. salt and pepper to taste.cook. add spinach about 1 min before done, serve over rice.
The last one is called Shershado chicken
Brown 1 whole head of garlic, half onion, half green pepper, and half of a tomato in oil in big pot add 1 whole chicken, salt and pepper. cover with water and cook. Chicken should fall off the bone when done. serve over rice.
 I apologize,I know these directions are not exact in their amounts, this is how I have the recipes written, my mother was given them by word from my Gramma. Hope if anyone tries them they enjoy them though!

[happywife]

It's been ages since I read or participated in this thread, so forgive me if this is a repeat...

One way we get our kids to eat new foods (this is sorta psycological) is to just not give them any.  We tell them it's special food just for Mommy & Daddy, and of course they want some!

Another "trick" (and my husband is the best at this) is that we act super silly while eating the food.  The kids crack up and really get into it, starting to put food in their mouths that they "don't like" just so they can participate in the nonsense.

For example, I recently made some stir fry with bok choy.  The kids didn't want to touch it, so Chris started squinting his eyes and talking with a silly Chinese accent, saying, "Bok choy!"  Every time the kids spoke to him, he replied with his silly "Bok choy!"  He would take a bit and command them in his goofy voice to eat their bok choy.  They were hysterical.

I also recently made a quick lunch of ramen noodles with frozen stir fry veggies.  Of course, the kids didn't want to touch it.  I started acting like it was really gross too, telling them not to eat the worms (noodles), eyeballs (cauliflower), snakes (asparagus), etc.  They would just laugh and pop something in their mouth, and I'd holler, "Gross!  You just ate a bug!  Did you see that?!?  Michael just ate a roach!"  Or whatever.

And as you can probably see, we don't have the best table manners!

[burlsgirl]

Creamed Eggs and Toast.

Boiling the Eggs takes the longest, but you can have these already done the night before or whatever.

Rue:

4T flour
4T butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk

Melt butter in pan then mash flour into butter with fork until pasty and well mixed and warm.  Add milk and stir until thickened.  Peel and dice boiled eggs and throw them in - only fold them in, don't stir or you'll blend all the yolk into the gravy.  The eggs will make it thicker, so don't thicken your rue all the way to gravy stage or you'll have pudding 

Ladel over toast.  (Also good with homemade biscuits if you're up to it.)

This sounds bizarre, but I tried it on the recommendation of a friend.  WHAT A HIT.  The family loves it.    I like mine with ground red pepper.   

I know this is a super old thread, but I just wanted to add that if you add some cooked chicken to this recipe, it's also delicious. We call it Hot Chicken Salad.

[berthday]

Are ramon noodles healthy? We love them and I just wanted to check.

[pupu4four]

Are ramon noodles healthy? We love them and I just wanted to check.

Well I know there is MSG in the seasoning packet, which is not good.   

[Mrs. B]

I tend to have a set main course for each day of the week... Mr. B works swing (or evening 4p-midnight) shift so we often use our main meal as lunch and do left-overs or sandwiches for evening meals...
Sunday...chicken
Mon... salad main course... sometimes I'll add the left over chicken on top
Tues... crockpot meal (I work)
Wed... soup, salad and muffins (I'm tired after working and this is easy)
Thurs...Fish or pasta, or both!  think fettucine with clam alfredo
Fri... Mexican night... nachos, taco salad... this week we're trying out the chalupas!
Sat... Italian night... lasagne/ pizza/ or casserole with this theme...

For me planning out the main meal and knowing what is going to happen helps me to be able to fill out the sides with more fruits and veggies

We also do alot of tuna or chicken salad for our smaller meal... we add in fruit and veggies here alot of the time and make sure to get at least 1 serving with breakfast also...
I put this week's meal/menu on my blog, but I don't think that I added sides...

[healthybratt]

Creamed Eggs and Toast.

Boiling the Eggs takes the longest, but you can have these already done the night before or whatever.

Rue:

4T flour
4T butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk

Melt butter in pan then mash flour into butter with fork until pasty and well mixed and warm.  Add milk and stir until thickened.  Peel and dice boiled eggs and throw them in - only fold them in, don't stir or you'll blend all the yolk into the gravy.  The eggs will make it thicker, so don't thicken your rue all the way to gravy stage or you'll have pudding 

Ladel over toast.  (Also good with homemade biscuits if you're up to it.)

This sounds bizarre, but I tried it on the recommendation of a friend.  WHAT A HIT.  The family loves it.    I like mine with ground red pepper.   

I know this is a super old thread, but I just wanted to add that if you add some cooked chicken to this recipe, it's also delicious. We call it Hot Chicken Salad.

Eggs w/chicken    

[Mrs. B]

Creamed Eggs and Toast.

Boiling the Eggs takes the longest, but you can have these already done the night before or whatever.

Rue:

4T flour
4T butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk

Melt butter in pan then mash flour into butter with fork until pasty and well mixed and warm.  Add milk and stir until thickened.  Peel and dice boiled eggs and throw them in - only fold them in, don't stir or you'll blend all the yolk into the gravy.  The eggs will make it thicker, so don't thicken your rue all the way to gravy stage or you'll have pudding 

Ladel over toast.  (Also good with homemade biscuits if you're up to it.)

This sounds bizarre, but I tried it on the recommendation of a friend.  WHAT A HIT.  The family loves it.    I like mine with ground red pepper.   

I know this is a super old thread, but I just wanted to add that if you add some cooked chicken to this recipe, it's also delicious. We call it Hot Chicken Salad.

Eggs w/chicken    

It's a mother and child reunion...

[mom24boys]

Creamed Eggs and Toast.

Boiling the Eggs takes the longest, but you can have these already done the night before or whatever.

Rue:

4T flour
4T butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk

Melt butter in pan then mash flour into butter with fork until pasty and well mixed and warm.  Add milk and stir until thickened.  Peel and dice boiled eggs and throw them in - only fold them in, don't stir or you'll blend all the yolk into the gravy.  The eggs will make it thicker, so don't thicken your rue all the way to gravy stage or you'll have pudding 

Ladel over toast.  (Also good with homemade biscuits if you're up to it.)

This sounds bizarre, but I tried it on the recommendation of a friend.  WHAT A HIT.  The family loves it.    I like mine with ground red pepper.   

I know this is a super old thread, but I just wanted to add that if you add some cooked chicken to this recipe, it's also delicious. We call it Hot Chicken Salad.

Eggs w/chicken    

It's a mother and child reunion...

 
Snort, guffaw, snicker....
Can't wait to tell hubby at lunch.

[CountyCork]

Oh, Mrs. B that mother and child deal was hilarious.  When I read HB's post my thought was "who do you think laid that egg in the first place?  But your comment was tops, no doubt!

Thanks for the chuckle.