I'm back with some more helpful tips on how to keep those healthy foods flying under the radar and right into your picky child's tummy...
1) Make your own dipping sauces! My kids love to dip their food in anything from ranch dressing to cheese sauce. Besides going broke from buying bottle after bottle of ranch dressing and buying Velveeta by the brickload, I didn't like the idea of them eating so many preservatives and additives (not to mention the fact that Velveeta is really just fake cheese).
So I found a simple recipe for homemade ranch dressing on one of my favorite cooking blogs, For the Love of Cooking...and you know what, my kids LOVE it. My husband, who's pickier than the kids, thinks it's better than the store-bought dressing!!
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/3 cup light mayo
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 clove of minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and then set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow all the flavors to combine.
Seriously, how easy is that?! Trust me when I tell you that you will never buy ready-made ranch dressing from the store once you've tried this recipe!
2) Air-bake your foods instead of frying them. I do this with chicken, pork chops and breaded veggies. It leaves them nice and crisp! And the breading will not fall off...I guarantee it!
For the breading, you'll need:
1 cup bread crumbs or Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 TBS Italian seasoning (you can adjust the amount based on your taste or add other seasonings)
1/2 TBS ground flaxseed (optional...I do this to add extra fiber and it also adds a little bit of a nutty flavor)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Take 3-4 eggs and place only the whites in a bowl.
Dip your chicken, pork chops or veggies into the egg white and then into the bread crumb mixture.
Then place your breaded meat or veggies on a rack in a roasting pan (spray the rack with cooking spray first). I use the cooling racks that I cool my baked cookies on.
Spray the breaded meat or veggies with cooking spray. This step is very important, as it will result in a wonderful crispy texture on the outside or your food!
Then cook chicken and veggies at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until done; pork chops at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done (depending on thickness of your chops).
There's no need to turn them at all during the cooking process.
Don't be surprised when your family asks for seconds!
3) Substitute applesauce for oil or butter when making baked goods. No need to adjust measurements either...if a recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil, use 1/2 cup of applesauce. You can also use honey in place of oil in baked goods. I do this all the time when I make cornbread!
4) Steam and then puree veggies and add to your child's favorite dish. Butternut squash and/or cauliflower can be added to macaroni and cheese, cauliflower can be added to mashed potatoes, carrots can be added to spaghetti sauces, soups and casseroles.
Just be creative....and then pat yourself on the back when your child announces how delicious the meal is!
5) Instead of giving the kids frozen french fries, make your own! Better yet, make sweet potato fries! My kids LOVE them!!
Simply slice the potatoes up into thin slices or wedges.
Mix together 1/4 cup olive oil and a couple pinches of garlic salt. You can add paprika for color if you like or italian seasoning.
Place the cut-up potatoes in a large ziploc bag and then pour the olive oil mixture over the potatoes. Seal the bag and shake to ensure that all the potatoes have been coated well.
Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread the potatoes on the sheet evenly. Cook at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking.
It's so easy and delicious that you'll never crave frozen french fries again!
Cheers...to finding creative ways to sneak healthy foods into your picky child's diet!
