Need Recipes to Eat Healthier

check out this website
http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/mp/0,14089,,00.html

http://kidshealth.org/parent/recipes/
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=102

Here is a squash recipe.

Squash Casserole

3-6 squash and/or zucchini
1/2-1 onion, chopped
1 cup or more sour cream
ritz or regular crackers
cheddar cheese, grated

I usually eyeball this recipe. Saute the squash and zucchini and onion in a litte bit of oil until softened and season (I use garlic powder). Drain a little bit (sometimes I dont because I dont use that much oil). Pour into a baking dish and stir in the sour cream and cheese (I use different varieties). I put extra cheese on top. Top with crackers (crumbled). Bake 350 degrees for 30 min.

My biggest advice--avoid anything processed and use fresh ingredients. Most veggies are yummy with little help. To go with fall, do squash. Cut open a butternut squash, scoop out seeds and add a little cinnamon and bake at 375 for about an hour til soft. Acron squash can be prepared the same with salt instead of cinnamon. Spaghetti squash, open up and scoop out the 'spaghetti'; quickly boil and serve. Root veggies are also in season--beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips etc. Roasting these brings out great flavor.
I also like to try to vary the colors of the food I serve so my kids eat a rainbow at least every other day if that makes sense.
You can email me if you want any more tips or for different seasons--I like to stick with seasonal veggies/fruits for freshness and taste. It also helps my kids learn the seasons--"asparagus?! is it spring already" :)
Oh and try to make it organic--tastes better and better for you. The trip to Whole Foods is so worth it!!!
Edited to add--almost forgot soups and salads--when the temp starts to drop, i love making soups, nothing says warmth like homemade soup--lots of good recipes on the food network site; and my 'fall' salad (yes, I have one for each season) is baby spinach, sliced fuji apples, chopped celery dried cranberries, walnuts and a small amount of goat cheese (all my kids inc. the one year old are crazy about goat cheese)--I don't do dressing so I can't reccomend one.
Good luck and enjoy the benefits of a healthy, lifestyle!
L.
AND MORE--try sweet potato fries! Makes fries with sweet potatoes by cutting them up roasting them in the oven sprinkled with olive oil and paprika at 425. When done (about 8 min) salt and squeeze lime juice over them--yummy!

Steamed broccoli goes with just about every rice dish in our house :-)

I found a good and easy squash casserole recipe at www.allrecipes.com. (My 2 yr old will eat it, but not my 4 yr old.)

You can also chop vegetables and mix them in with just about any pasta -- broccoli, carrots, asparagus, etc. Toss them in the pasta a couple minutes before it's done cooking.

You might also try serving some veggies raw. My kids will eat just about any raw vegetable as long as they can dip it in ranch dip/dressing. And, organics typically have a more appealing taste and texture than regular fresh veggies. My 2 yr old has happily munched on organic zucchini slices.

Also, switching to fresh spinach and romaine instead of iceberg lettuce will get some extra nutrients.
With hamburgers and meatloaf, we often serve the Cascadian Farm brand organic tater tots and french fries. A side of baby carrots and ranch dip completes the meal.

And recently, a friend introduced my 4 yr old to edamame. I would have never purchased it, but she apparently loves it. Ha!

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Hello J.!

First, PLEASE stop buying canned veggies!! :) They are so full of salt, it almost makes them useless! Instead, buy the frozen vegetables. They are cheaper than fresh, and just as healthy!
Now, for ideas on eating them... I know you probably don't want to hear this, but start out bland. Tell your family to just suck it up and eat them. Then, the more you cook them , the more ideas YOU will come up with to make them tasty for you and your family.
I know bland is anything but appetising, so you can start with: Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, and some low sodium salt. They are all good enhancers. Then there is always salad, raw veggies dipped in low fat ranch, and baked sweet potatoe french fries with an olive oil spray!
Good job on eating healthier!
E.

I steam all kinds of vegetables - carrots, broccoli, squash, peas...anything. There are appliances made specifically for steaming food, but I just use a steaming pot, kind of like a double boiler, but the top pan has holes in the bottom to let the steam through. It's very easy and steaming retains more nutrients and flavor than other cooking methods.

I made my own baby food by steaming veggies until VERY soft, then mashing with a fork or pureeing in the food processor. I made a whole batch at one time and froze it in ice cube trays, then once frozen, transfer to a freezer-proof bag or container for storing. Just take out one or two cubes for the baby's mealtime - they thaw very quickly. I think you can keep it in the freezer for a month or two. My daughter loved carrots and squash made this way.

The baby carrots in a bag are ready to eat/cook, so I just empty a bag into the pan and let them steam for about five minutes (depending on how soft you like your carrots). Broccoli is easy as well; I buy the broccoli crowns and use kitchen scissors to cut the tops (florets?) off, rinse in a collander,and then dump them into the steamer (frozen is easy, too - just dump the bag into the steamer). Squash does not need to be peeled, just wash it and cut into uniformly-sized chunks and steam for a few minutes. After the vegetables are done, we sprinkle with a little seasoning - garlic powder, pepper, or our favorite - Tony Cachere's seasoning.

Sautéing vegetables is also a healthy choice - use olive or peanut oil. Onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic go great in a pasta salad or in a rice pilaf, or just on top of a chicken breast with a little 'sauce' made from the stuff left on the bottom of the pan after cooking - add a little chicken broth (or even just water) after cooking and use a spatula to loosen the bits of food from the bottom of the pan. Cook a few minutes to reduce the liquid, and use it as a sauce over your meat/vegetables.

One more thing I love to do is a chicken and fall vegetable skillet - brown chicken breasts on each side in a skillet or shallow pan, then add chicken stock, a little rosemary, thyme, pepper, fresh green beans (snap off the ends and leave the beans whole) and new potatoes cut into chunks (I also like to use zucchini and/or yellow squash cut into slices or chunks, although they require less cooking time, so add them later in the cooking process). Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes until the chicken is done and the potatoes are tender. Easy clean-up, too since you are only using one pan!

If you must use canned vegetables, look for the ones with no added salt. Another thing I like to make sometimes is roasted potatoes - an easy way (maybe not the lowest in sodium, but certainly tasty) is to make a mixture of the Lipton soup mix in the envelope, a little water and olive oil (the measurements are usually on the box/envelope), and pour over chunked-up new potatoes in a casserole or baking dish, cover with foil and bake about 30 minutes (probably about 350 degrees). You can also throw a couple of chicken breasts into the dish with the potatoes for a whole meal.

Sorry this was so long - I'm hungry! Good luck!

Foodtv.com check the healthy section. Half-price books always has lots of cookbooks. Some on clearance and I always buy out their stock of Light and Tasty magazines. Most of the mags are a dollar. Just check in the cooking section of the store. OH NO! I told you my secret! Happy cooking.

Hi J.
I bought the Black & Decker Flavor Scenter Steamer Plus. Its a veggie steamer and my lil one and husband LOVE the steamed veggies. Its REALLY easy (you just wash the veggies and put them in the steamer) I think its the best way to serve fresh vegetables. You can even add a little bit of cheese at the end of the steaming process. Makes great steamed shrimp too.
Enjoy.
T.

I find that colorful things seem to taste better. I made a spiach salad the other day with sliced strawberries and sliced almonds. It was so easy. I just got the bagged organic spinach (pre-washed, but I washed it again to be on the safe side). Then, I bought raspberry vinagarette dressing in the new spray bottle. Slided the strawberries and tossed in slivered almonds. Quick, easy, colorful and yummy.

Another idea, take fresh green beans or asparagus, what ever is in season. Lay on a cookie sheet (with sides) and drizzle olive oil on the top. Toss on some grated parmesean and pop it in the oven a bit. This tastes so good - and it's South Beach Diet friendly.

FRESH GREEN BEANS - cut off the ends and cut in about 1 1/2 inche pieces. Saute a small cut up onion add then add green beans. About 5 mintues later add a can of diced tomatos, all spice and salt and pepper. Depends on how many green beans you use for the all spice. Cover and simmer for about 20 mintues. Might add alittle water - beans should make some broth. Serve over rice.

CALIFLOWER - Cut in thin slices. Spread over baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and minced garlic. Roast in oven - I think about 20 minutes at 400. I can't remember - I havent' done this one in awhile but was planning on it this weekend. Take from oven - salt pepper and sprinkle with squeezed lemon and chopped cilantro

Creamed Spinach (delicious!)

Makes 10 servings

3 lb baby spinach
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Cook spinach in 2 batches in 1 inch of boiling salted water in an 8-quart pot, stirring constantly, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool. Squeeze small handfuls of spinach to remove as much moisture as possible, then coarsely chop.

Heat milk and cream in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until warm. Meanwhile, cook onion in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook (this is called a roux), whisking, 3 minutes. Add warm milk mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, spinach, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until heated through.

Can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over moderately low heat until hot.

Looks like you've gotten tons of great tips! All very useful I'm sure! I may even take a few tips to use myself! Thanks for asking! I did also want to offer my services! I'm a Pampered Chef consultant here in your area and we have TONS of ways to eat healthy! From cookbooks and preparation tips to our actual products! I've been so pleased with my new pots and pans! No more having to butter, oil or pam things to cook! Chicken breast with NO oil! French Toast with NO pam! Little things like that can help a ton as well!

Please let me know if you'd like more info! You could host your own show to earn tons of free stuff (if you're familiar with our product) or I'd love to have you as a guest at one of my many upcoming events! Let me know either way! If you have specific questions, I'd be a great resource to add to your contacts! Email me if you have questions! ____@____.com

Here's our corporate website but if you need anything I'd be happy to help you out! Just let me know! www.pamperedchef.com

Thanks and good for you for taking care of things!
T.

Dear J.,

I just started taking a new magazine, here's their web link.

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/mp

God Bless,

P.