Now that our herbs and veggie garden is beginning to produce, we decided to prepare one of our favorite recipes with fresh green peppers. It is very simple, yet quite wholesome. We make it quite often, but using fresh peppers from the garden really gave a nice flavor.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1/2 dozen medium sized green bell peppers
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped or crushed in a food processor
• 1 tomato , sliced
• 1 tomato, crushed in a food processor
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper to taste

Method

Saute onion in olive oil. Add crushed tomato, salt an pepper and cook until onions are soft. Add ground beef and cook until beef turns light brown, stirring occasionally. Add rice and mix well. Cook for a little while more. Rice does not need to cook completely.

Wash green peppers. Slice off the cap but keep it aside for covering the peppers later. Remove seeds to create a cavity. Wash well.

Fill the pepper cavity with cooked beef and rice mixture. Don’t overpack but fill to the top. Cover with the cap and arrange in a deep pot. Arrange sliced tomatoes in a layer on top. Add warm water, tomato paste and remaining juice, if available, from the beef mixture around the peppers. Water level should be high enough to cover the peppers a little over half way.  Cook covered on low to medium heat until peppers and tomatoes are cooked to the desired softness.

Peppers are  a good source of fiber, vitamin C, iron, calcium and potassium.

Biber Dolma is the Turkish name for this recipe!

Enjoy!

©2011 Littlestomaks.com

We continue to try various soups from a recent New York Times magazine! Recently, we made this hearty tomato soup.

Ingredients

• 3 cups tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped or crushed finely in a blender
• 1-2 carrots, chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cups warm water
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• salt, pepper to taste

Method

Saute onion in olive oil; add carrots, garlic and tomato paste. Add chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and water. Mix well and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with chopped basil.

Serve hot with pita bread or naan.

Enjoy!

©2011 Littlestomaks.com

We were inspired by a recent New York Times magazine which carries an excellent section on different kinds of soup recipes. We tweaked it a little bit and substituted a few ingredients with what we had on hand. Still, it turned out great!

Ingredients

• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 cup organic chicken broth
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped (we got it from our vegetable garden)
• 1 bag of spinach, washed and chopped (8-10 oz)
• 1 cup yogurt

Method

Put chopped onions, garlic, water and chicken broth in a pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and let it simmer covered, until onion is tender. Add spinach and parsley and cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add yogurt and puree in a blender. Garnish with a spoonful of yogurt and chopped parsley.

Serve hot with pita bread or naan.

Enjoy!

©2011 Littlestomaks.com

Tarhana is a Turkish soup made from a flour-based powder mix. This powder mix is prepared by mixing flour with yogurt, vegetables, spices and fermenting the mixture before drying and grinding. The Central Asian Turks in the old times used this method to prepare a ready instant mix in the summer for a hearty winter soup. Things are much easier now as you can buy the Tarhana mix from Mediterranean grocery store.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Tarhana mix  (we got ours from Tulumba.com, see product details here)
• 5-6 cups water or chicken stock
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• A few pieces of bread for homemade croutons

Method

Add olive oil to a large pot. Slowly pour water and stir in the Tarhana mix. Keep stirring so the powder does not form clumps. Set the pot on low heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes or an hour, stirring frequently until you get a thick, homogeneous mixture. Prepare croutons by slowly roasting small pieces of bread with a little butter in a pan.

Serve hot with homemade croutons.

Enjoy!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

This is a guest post by registered dietitian Susan Dopart. Check out her excellent book A Recipe for Life for more tips and recipes.

photo credit: Www.CourtneyCarmody.com/
Recent studies reveal children with heart disease are not as unusual as you might expect.  Artery autopsies done on children who had fatal accidents showed the presence of fatty streaks.

Although I had knowledge of this phenomenon it still came as a shock to fathom children having fatty streaks and blockages in the arteries.  Isn’t that only supposed to happen to older adults?

Times have changed but I have to wonder if the current philosophy of feeding our youth needs an adjustment.  Where does the solution start?  Will pediatricians start prescribing statin drugs for children to fix the problem of unbalanced eating and inactivity like they do in adults?

Los Angeles Times article “A Sticking Issue with Kids” discusses the Center for Disease Control report which showed that cholesterol abnormalities – i.e. high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol values – are far more common in children than in past times, particularly overweight children.  The article questioned whether we should start checking children’s cholesterol panels.  Pediatrician’s views are mixed.

When do we start looking at the cause rather than the symptom?  Taking control of our youth’s health and happiness is having time for family dinners, cooking at home, and making meals from whole unprocessed foods.

Our bodies are happy to get rid of bad cholesterol and avoid making plaque when we feed them “clean’ foods in their natural forms.  I hear from parents – “they only want pizza, burgers and fries.”  Who’s controlling the food?  When I was growing up I ate what was served without too many questions.

If I did not like a particular item served I was encouraged to have a few “no thank you” bites.

Many children have aversions to vegetables since they can have strong flavors.  Have your child try a “no thank you” serving each time a different vegetable is served.  A “no thank you” serving is having a bite or two (one or two teaspoons) of something they do not particularly enjoy.

Eating a bite or two of food that is foreign or not to their tastes can change the way they feel about that food over time and starts the conditioning process that nutritious food comes from the ground and not in a package.

Having whole fruits cut up with interesting additions helps satisfy the taste for sweet with natural foods.  Here are some ideas to try:

Healthy Snack Alternatives

1.  Mix vanilla and plain yogurt together and add nuts, sunflower seeds or Healthy Nut Mix
2.  Cheese and apples slices
3.  Hummus and carrots
4.  Sliced apples with spreadable cheese and dried cranberries on top
5.  Celery with natural peanut butter or sunflower butter and a few raisins on top

These healthy snacks can set the tone or change the norm of grabbing processed packaged foods.

Running around on the weekend with our kids and engaging them in outdoor activities is also essential to keeping their little arteries supple and healthy.

It’s not too late to start now.  Even if your child is overweight and has high cholesterol studies show a turnaround is possible in as little as 2 weeks.  The body responds quickly to dietary changes.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

This is a guest post by registered dietitian Alysa Bajenaru. She blogs at Inspired RD about food and fitness.

Does your family have a designated pizza night?  If so, I would like to challenge you to try making your own pizza next time.  In the same amount of time that it takes you to call in a pizza order and wait for it to be delivered, you can make a much healthier version and have fun as a family putting it together!  Making homemade pizza is one of our favorite ways to come together as a family.  It is also a fun way for our kids to try new vegetables.

We either make our own dough (you can find an easy focaccia recipe here) or use refrigerated whole wheat dough from Trader Joe’s.  The kids accompany me to the store where they choose veggies, cheese and sometimes meat to top their pizza with.  Lately, my 3-year-old son has been choosing butternut squash, zucchini and chicken apple sausage with mozzarella cheese.  The best part about family pizza night is that everyone can make their portion of the pizza just the way they like it!

Tip: Chop the vegetables into small bite-sized pieces.  Kids will add more to their pizza this way!

Have the kids help you roll out the dough and spread on the sauce.  Put different toppings out on a cutting board or in small bowls.  Cut the dough into smaller pieces so everyone can have their own pizza, or just designate different areas on one large pizza.  Encourage your kids to choose at least one vegetable.  Throw it in the oven for 12-20 minutes (depending on your dough) at 450 degrees.  Slice, serve and enjoy a family dinner together!

Here are some topping suggestions to get your creative juices flowing:

-marinara sauce, tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese
-arugula, butternut squash, pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan cheese
-pesto, asparagus, tomatoes, fontina cheese
-barbecue sauce, shredded cooked chicken, pineapple chunks

Start thinking about family pizza night in a whole new (and healthier) way!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Registered Dietitian Susan Dopart sent me this recipe from her recent book A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian. A great way for children to enjoy vegetables.

Servings – 10 1/4 cups
Prep Time – 10 minutes
Cooking Time – 10 – 15  minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup raw steel cut oats
• ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup coarsely chopped raw cashews
• ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup unsweetened dried coconut
• ¼ cup sliced raw almonds
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon honey

Method

Mix all dry ingredients together.  Mix in coconut oil and honey.  Spread on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring once through the cooking process.  Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet.

Store in airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 1 month.

Nutrition tip: A tasty topper for plain yogurt or cottage cheese or all alone. Our healthy version of “granola.” Coconut oil is high in lauric acid which is a powerful immune stimulant.

Per serving nutrition information – Calories 156, Protein 5 g, Total Carbs 8 g, Total Fat 12 g, Fiber 2 g, Sodium 2.5 mg

If you have a favorite recipe you want to share on our blog, send me a note via our Contact Us form.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

We got this Pumpkin Patch Bread and Muffins Mix from a Tastefully Simple party and tried it over the weekend. It is super simple to prepare! All you have to do is to add water and an egg (or egg substitute), mix it all together and bake in the oven at 350 °F for 40-45 minutes. The result is a delicious, flavorful pumpkin bread you can enjoy with friends, like we did during a small pumpkin painting party last weekend. Here is the full recipe from the back panel of the box:

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F
2. Combine ingredients (1 cup water, mix, 1 egg) in a medium bowl; stir until well blended
3. Spread batter into greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. We used olive oil to grease the pan.
4. Bake 40 – 43 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; cool completely before slicing.
5. Makes about 12 servings

Here is what we like about this product -

1. Very easy to make and tastes very good.
2. Added walnuts and dried pumpkin flakes add to the flavor.
3. Uses enriched flour to provide vitamins and minerals.
4. No trans fat, no cholesterol (you get some from the egg).
5. Provides fiber and protein.

Here is what we don’t like about this product -

1. Heavily processed with a long list of ingredients – contains trans fats from partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils.c
2. Contains added sugar and salt.
3. Not appropriate if you or your child has wheat, soy or nut allergy.

Overall, I think this is a very convenient and tasteful way to enjoy the season and to celebrate Halloween with friends! Have you tried it? Share your experience in comments below.

Disclaimer – I have not received any sponsorship or free samples of product from Tastefully Simple for writing this review. For complete nutritional information and other products, visit Tastefully Simple website.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

I sent this very simple, and incredibly yummy, recipe to Stephanie at the Problem Solvin Mom as a guest post. Check out her blog for great tips on home, family life, kids and food.

This recipe is very similar to our grilled eggplant salad in yogurt.

Enjoy!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Registered Dietitian Susan Dopart sent me this recipe from her recent book A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian. A great way for children to enjoy vegetables.

Servings – 4
Prep Time – 10 minutes
Cooking Time – 10 minutes

Ingredients

• Large head cauliflower (regular or colorful variety)
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ⅓ cup unsweetened coconut
• ⅓ cup chopped pecans or almonds

Method

Clean and cut cauliflower into flowerets.  Place into pot of boiling water and let cook, approximately 2 minutes.

Drain and pat dry.  Place florets close together in tin-foiled lined pan and drizzle with butter.  Cover with coconut and nuts.

Place under broiler until toasty brown, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Important to watch and rotate for even cooking.

Variation: You can microwave cauliflower if short on time.

Per serving nutrition information – Calories 107, Protein 3 g, Total Carbs 6 g, Total Fat 8 g, Fiber 3 g, Sodium 44 mg

If you have a favorite recipe you want to share on our blog, send me a note via our Contact Us form.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Angela Tunner, Editor-in-chief and Founder of Eat-Love-Savor sent this recipe from her international award winning cookbook entitled Simply Summer. It has a wonderful collection of gourmet meals with tips for elegant living. Check it out!

Pasta with Zucchini, Artichokes, and Capers with Parmesan

Note from Angela: I love the ribbons of vegetables in this dish. Not only do they appeal to your visual sense, but your taste buds will appreciate them too. This preparation method is one of the fastest for cooking vegetables, and fast means more nutrients are retained after cooking. Using the toaster oven and the microwave keeps the temperature down in the kitchen. Even the pasta is cooked in the microwave!

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 red onion
• Sea salt
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 zucchini
• 1⁄2 pound fresh pasta (any style, without fillings)
• 1 jar (13 ounce) artichokes in olive oil
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1⁄3 cup grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
• Pepper to taste, black or mixed

Method

FOR THE ONION

Line the toaster oven tray with aluminum foil. Preheat the toaster oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Peel and slice the onion. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on the slices and toss to distribute. Drizzle over about 1 teaspoon of olive oil and toss to coat evenly.
2. Lay the onion slices on the aluminum foil and cook them in the toaster oven until translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Take out and set aside

FOR THE ZUCCHINI

Line the toaster oven tray with aluminum foil. Preheat the toaster oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Peel the zucchini. Continue to use the peeler to create long ribbons of zucchini flesh. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on the ribbons and toss to distribute evenly. Drizzle over about 2 teaspoons of olive oil and toss.
2. Lay the zucchini slices on the aluminum foil and cook in the toaster oven for about 10 minutes or until they pierce easily with a knife.
3. Take out and set aside.

FOR THE PASTA

1. Pour about 3 cups of water into a 11⁄2-quart microwave-safe deep pot. Heat for 21⁄2 to 3 minutes at 100% power until the water boils. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the water and stir.
2. Spread out the pasta in the pot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes at 50% power until the pasta is done to your liking. Drain off any remaining water.

ASSEMBLING THE PASTA

1. Drain the artichokes and blot them lightly. Put them into a large bowl along with the cooked pasta, onions, and vegetables. Toss to combine.
2. Add the capers and Parmesan and toss. Add pepper to taste. Serve.

If you have a favorite recipe you want to share on our blog, send me a note via our Contact Us form.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Registered Dietitian Susan Dopart sent me this recipe from her recent book A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian. Very easy to increase protein in this recipe by adding turkey, but a great tasty vegetarian entree or side dish.  Good for families or to take to a friend’s home.

Servings – 6
Prep Time – 40 minutes
Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 small to medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 medium to large eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack or mozzarella cheese, divided
• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium heat sauté onions and peppers in olive oil until tender.  Add garlic and zucchini and sauté for an additional 4 minutes.  Add eggplant, salt and pepper to taste and sauté another 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in tomato puree.  Stir in beaten eggs, Parmesan cheese and half of Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese.  Pour in a 9 x 9 glass square baking dish, and top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Variation: Add 1 pound of cooked ground turkey to increase protein.

Per serving nutrition information – Calories 207, Protein 11 g, Total Carbs 13 g, Total Fat 13 g, Fiber 5 g, Sodium 251 mg

If you have a favorite recipe you want to share on our blog, send me a note via our Contact Us form.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Ever since we planted a small vegetable garden in our backyard, it has been fun watching the plants grow each day. And now they are beginning to bear fruit as we were able to pick two fresh eggplants for a quick side dish. We made our favorite grilled eggplant and yogurt salad recipe which turned out to be extra delicious! Here is how it all came about:

Two eggplants that made it to our table today

It’s so much fun to pick ‘em up right from the vine!

Now, let us brush a little olive oil

Grill them nice….

Peel the skin off, crush, mix with yogurt and garlic, and garnish with chopped cilantro

It turned out to be great fun and we enjoyed the salad with our dinner!

Here are a few interesting facts about eggplants if you are up for a little food trivia:

1. Eggplant is actually a fruit, although it is cooked like a vegetable. It belongs to the nightshade family and closely related to potato and tomato.
2. Eggplant originated in India. China is the largest producer of eggplant in the world. 85% of the world production comes from only 5 countries.
3. Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing eggplant to the US.
4. Although not rich in nutrients, eggplants do contain a fair amount of fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins including folic acid, potassium and magnesium.
5. The raw fruit has a bitter taste due to nicotine compounds. When cooked properly, this bitter taste can be very delicious!
6. Eggplant contains different types of antioxidants which remove free radicals and protect the body against cell damage. One such antioxidant found in eggplant is called chlorogenic acid which is considered to have anti-cancer and anti microbial properties. It also slows down the release of glucose in the blood after eating.
7. Another antioxidant found in the skin of the eggplant is called nasunin. It is supposed to be effective in lowering bad cholesterol, although it has not been proven in human trials.
8. Different names for eggplant – brinjal in India, aubergine in France, melanzana in Italy, meloongen in the Caribbean
9. Eggplant is high in histamines and is known to cause allergy in skin or mouth. Eggplant leaves are toxic and should not be eaten.
10. Through its long history, eggplant has sometimes been celebrated as an aphrodisiac and sometimes despised as a cause of insanity. Say what you like, today it is used in many different delicious recipes across the world!

Do you like eggplant? Share your favorite recipe in comments below.

Sources:

Wikipedia
WHFoods
National Garden Bureau

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Okay, so this is a little off topic and not so much about nutrition. But we had so much fun making play dough at home this weekend that I just wanted to share it with you all!

First, here is the recipe we found from an old magazine:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tsp liquid food coloring
• 2 tbs cooking oil
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 4 tbsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Combine water, food coloring and oil in a small bowl
2. Add flour, salt and cream of tartar to a large saucepan
3. Over medium heat, slowly pour the water-oil-food coloring mixture into the saucepan while stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until a ball of dough forms
4. Cool the dough for 5 minutes then knead with your hands until it is smooth
5. Store in refrigerator when not in use

The twins had a lot of fun kneading the dough, mixing up food coloring and eventually making shapes out of the play dough!

Of course, being the scientists we are, we simply had to understand the chemistry of play dough! It is really quite fascinating. Here is a short excerpt from how play dough modeling comp0und works which also has a lot of other cool facts about play dough.

Starch granules break down as warm water is added to the flour and the mixture is stirred. Slowly, the mixture becomes gelatinized and turns into a soft, pliable dough. Cooking oil acts as a lubricant which makes it easy to form it into different shapes. Salt acts as a preservative. Cream of tartar is a very important player in this chemistry because it adds strength to the dough. Cream of tartar is actually a by product of wine fermentation where it forms as a potassium acid salt of tartaric acid. In cooking, it is commonly used to add stiffness to egg whites. It is also used to prevent crystallization of sugar.

Commercial play dough contains a lot of other chemicals for making it more stable, less sticky, moist and resistant to bacterial and fungus growth.

Enjoy!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Proteins are important building blocks for a growing child. They are required for growth, maintenance and repair of body tissues. Different kinds of specialized proteins also perform many important functions like carrying oxygen in our cells and fighting infections. In a recent Ask the Expert column, dietitian Emma Stirling wrote about protein power and offered tips on getting enough protein in your child’s diet. Children 1-3 years old need about 0.5 g of protein per pound of body weight, which comes to about 13-16 g of daily protein. In most cases, it is not a problem to get this much from a typical American diet. But if you have a picky eater, or if you are following a strict vegetarian diet, you need to pay a little extra attention to your child’s protein needs.

In this week’s Five for Fridays, I want to highlight 5 vegetarian sources of proteins. We routinely include them in our meals using many of our simple recipes. Even if you are not a strict vegetarian, you can try them occasionally to bring variety to your diet.

Lentils

Source: Wikimedia

Lentils are dry seeds of a pulse crop. They are rich in protein, iron, dietary fiber and B vitamins. More importantly, they are rich in the essential amino acids (there are 9 essential amino acids our body cannot produce). Sprouted lentils provide all of the 9 amino acids. On a 100 g dry weight basis, lentils provide 26 g of protein! Just like whole grains, soaking lentils  in water removes phytates which allows better mineral absorption in the GI tract.

One of our favorite recipes is a lentil soup which we often eat with basmati rice.

Chick Peas

Source: Wikimedia

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, have been around for a long time! You will find them in almost any cuisine around the world, especially in the Middle East, Mediterranean and South East Asia. They are super rich in protein, vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc.

Here is one of our recipes with beef and chickpeas. There are many different ways to cook chickpeas without any meat.

Red Kidney Beans

Wikimedia Commons

There are many different types of beans, but our favorite are red kidney beans. They provide a lot of protein, iron, calcium, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc. Soaking them in water overnight reduces cooking time and removes complex sugars that would otherwise cause indigestion and gas.

Red kidney beans with olive oil is one of our favorite recipes.

Nuts

Source: Wikimedia

Unlike vegetables, nuts are actually dried fruit. If your child does not have any allergies to nuts, they can offer a good balance of calories from fat, carbs and proteins. Our favorites are almonds, walnuts, pecans and hazelnut. We like to soak almonds overnight in water then peel the skin off before eating the soft white core. We use walnuts in salads and pecans in some of our recipes like the steak and vegetables with pecans casserole. Nuts also provide healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids.

Quinoa

We discovered quinoa not too long ago, and since then it has taken up a regular place in our kitchen cabinets. Quinoa is really the unrecognized superfood because it is not so common in America. It is beginning to be more available now in some stores, so check it out! It is low in glycemic index, and although it is not a grain, it can be a nice replacement to rice with your entree. It is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals.

One of our favorite recipe is chicken with quinoa. And for the strictly vegetarian, here is our quinoa with vegetables.

Enjoy these recipes and let me know what is on your mind!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com