Last week I gave my tips for raising kids who like good food. This week I'm going to post some recipes to try. It can be challenging to please adults and kids at dinner time. These are some of the recipes that have been favorites with everyone at my house.
I believe there is a chili for everyone. Some like it hot and spicy, others like vegetarian chili. Here is a good one for kids as it is very mild.
Kid Chili
1 lb ground beef (I use ground turkey)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 chopped green pepper
2 cans tomatoes, chopped
1 can tomato soup
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pork and beans
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper to taste
Brown ground meat, onion and green pepper. Drain and rinse meat to get rid of excess fat. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer as long as desired, at least 30 minutes. Add a small can of tomato sauce if you like thinner chili.
This meat loaf recipe is a real winner. My kids loved it from the start and I like that it is an easy way to get extra vegetables. Serve it with rolls, green beans or a salad.
Meat Loaf With Shredded Vegetables
4 cups firmly packed shredded cabbage
1 medium chopped onion
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded potatoes (I use frozen hash brown potatoes)
1 lb ground meat
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Saute cabbage, onion, and carrots in oil till just beginning to brown. Thaw potatoes if necessary and add to vegetable mixture. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Place in loaf pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes; uncover and bake and additional 30 minutes. Serve with a squirt of ketchup if desired.
Thursday I will share my most requested recipe - pesto pasta. This dish couldn't be any easier or faster to make. It is a versatile recipe that can be used many ways as well.
Note: The rainy weather has been wrecking havoc with my exercise plans. I never get a chance to walk the poor dog. I hope you have been finding ways to exercise indoors as I have. Let Dancing With The Stars inspire you to try out a few dance moves. There are video exercise tapes from the show and they are pretty good. It helps if you already have some knowledge of dance; otherwise, you might be lost for awhile till you get the hang of it.
About Me
- Lisa Tedder
- Arkansas
- I started this blog 4 years ago because people kept asking how my husband and I stayed so "skinny". Heart disease, stroke, Parkinson's and diabetes have all claimed victims in my family. After marrying Barry, a cardiologist, I became even more health conscientious. The birth of my children prompted me to learn more about nutrition in order to raise the healthiest kids possible. Food has always been important to my family and part of our celebrations. However, I have learned to cook in healthier ways than my parents while we still enjoy good food. Our health is largely in our own hands. I hope to inspire others that they can improve their health without a doctorate, a degree in nutrition or sports physiology. It does take a commitment to educating yourself and then following through. Disease seldom happens by chance; most often it is the result of choices we make, good or bad, like choosing to smoke or not exercising. I don't want to be sitting on the sidelines in my 60's; I want to still be dancing, still be laughing, still be in the game of life. In addition to my husband Barry, I have two children ages 14 and 17 plus 7 animals to keep me busy.