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 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

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a wonderful time with your loved ones over the Holidays.

I took a little break from blogging but now it feels great to be back! I am looking forward to continuing our journey in child nutrition in 2011, but first I would like to invite you to check out these top 10 posts of 2010 in terms of page views and comments. Some of them were written in 2009 and made the list then, but continued to attract interest in 2010. Science driven, yet practical, nutrition knowledge indeed can be timeless in some ways! Thank you for interest and support over these years.

Whether you are a brand new visitor – or a regular reader of this blog – I hope you will find them interesting and useful as you try to manage your growing child’s nutrition needs. Share your own experience, offer advice, or simply ask a question in your comments below. I would love to hear from you!

	Simple Recipes – Chicken with Quinoa   This is a very easy recipe to make! Quinoa, in my opinion, is the unrecognized superfood because it is a good source of protein and low glycemic index carbs. It also provides a good mix of vitamins and minerals.
	Milk Allergy and Ear Infections   Dairy allergy can be one of the underlying causes of recurring ear infections. This article by Jasmine Jafferali, MPH, explores this issue in a simple, yet practical, Q&A format.
	Ask the Expert – Sushi and Toddlers  If you are a sushi lover and you are thinking about introducing your toddler to sushi, you have got to read this informative piece from registered dietitian Janet Helm. She writes a great blog at Nutrition Unplugged with tons of excellent information about nutrition and food trends.
	All Natural Toddler Multivitamin   My review of Floradix Kinder Love Children’s Multivitamin Liquid Extract Formula attracted a lot of attention because it is based on herbal extracts and fruit juices. It claims to be easy on the child’s digestive system while providing vitamins A, B, C, D and E. It is not a good source of minerals.
	Looking for a Multivitamin Supplement?  This is a “mini” guide to toddler vitamin supplements on the market. If you are considering a supplement for your child, you can use a simple comparison chart in this post. Centrum Kids and Flintstones Complete offer a good balance of complete vitamins and minerals. But the most important advice is to rely on a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
	Product Reviews – Buddy Fruits  This is a simple fruit puree and makes a healthy snack when you are on the go. When we found it in our local supermarket early last year, it wasn’t as commonly available as it is now. Can be a little messy for small children, but overall not a bad choice for a quick snack.
	Basmati Rice: It is Very Easy to Cook and You Will Love It’s Flavor and Fragrance  We love basmati rice! It is an excellent source of low glycemic index carbohydrates. Try my simple recipe to cook it as a separate side dish. You can also try some of the links in this post for other great recipes.
	Simple Recipes – Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms  This is a simple variation of our recipe Chicken with Pasta and Vegetables. It hardly takes any time to prepare and we save it for those hectic days when we have to quickly put something together for dinner.
	Traffic Light and Food Labeling  Clearly, consumers want simple and easy to understand front of the box food labels. FDA is worried about accuracy and manipulation by the food industry. A traffic light based food labeling system is gaining popularity in UK and Australia. It is not perfect, but clearly a step in the right direction.
	Milk Choices for Toddlers   Registered dietitian Jill Castle offers an overview of several different milk choices for toddlers in case cow’s milk is a concern. Jill blogs about child nutrition at Just the Right Byte.

Web statistics are surely important, but here are a few of my personal favorites. I hope you will check them out and leave me a comment with your opinion!

1. Surprising easy solution for preventing childhood obesity
2. How worried should you be about your underweight child?
3. Do children need more vitamin D?
4. Nutrition trivia – 10 facts to know about protein
5. Resting metabolic rate and weight management

©2011 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

photo credit: levork

Jane Brody of The New York Times found it puzzling that even benefits don’t tempt us to vegetables and asked readers to offer fresh ideas. Her article got me thinking!

Hmmm…let us see. If someone told you to do something because it was good for you, you would probably try it a few times but pretty soon you would go back to what you are used to. And who wants to be good all the time? Even kids grow out of the naughty or nice trick after a while!

It is no different with food. Fun and a sense of indulgence trump the notion of good in the long run. And yes, both convenience and cost are very important. If you don’t believe me, simply take a look at how the purveyors of fast food and soda advertise their products. McDonald’s tagline of “I’m Lovin’ It” and Coke’s “Open Happiness” seem to be permanently etched in our subconscious and their jingles resonate inside our heads all day long. It is not about the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of their products, rather the experience of having them is the core of their message. Plus, they make them readily available everywhere at a reasonable price.

Before I jump into a few ideas for promoting veggies, let us consider some of the reasons why most people don’t eat enough vegetables. Here is how a few of my Twitter friends responded to this question:

Gina @ginarau had this to say:

Many factors: accessibility, ease of convenience foods. Price is a biggie. Taste for kids. Lack of positive role model.

Registered dietitian Alysa Bajenaru @InspiredRD said:

Many people I talk to have only had them prepared one way, don’t think they like most veggies. They need 2 learn how 2 cook. My husband thought that he disliked many veggies when we got married. He was used to them being served bland and overcooked. Now he loves most veggies, especially roasted. I am making him butternut squash pizza right now!

Christina @CutestKidEver shared her experience:

I can’t stand the taste and texture of most vegetables. They literally make me gag.

There could also be a case of the “supertaster” shared by @80Bites:

My little boy is a “supertaster” and tastes something bitter in vegetables I don’t experience. It’s genetic…

Registered dietitian Linda Michaelis @linda_rd pointed out the bad image of veggies, especially among kids:

It’s probably bcoz they think veggies taste horrible. Most kids see a red flag when green and leafy are on their plates. :)

There you have it! Clearly, it is not enough to preach the goodness of veggies and hope that people will start eating them at every meal. That approach, in my opinion, is a very defensive approach easily overcome by the enormous offensive marketing by food companies. I also think that most academics and nutrition experts alike fall into the trap of talking about the benefits of veggies, rather than taking a holistic view on this issue.

Every marketer knows about the 4P’s – Product, Price, Place and Promotion. What is often missing from this analysis is the People, the end consumer for example. Now I am sure every marketer worth their salt will claim that they always start with the consumer, but their view is often tainted by what they want to sell rather than what the consumer really wants to have. They look at the world not as what it really is, rather what they would like it to be.

Take for example, the matter of Price. If the marketer focuses only on the price tag, they are missing the view on the total cost to the consumer. In case of veggies for example, here are some of the different “costs” or barriers to consumption:

1. Cost of getting them – driving to the grocery store or a farmer’s market
2. Cost of selecting them – many choices now available in fresh, frozen and canned veggies
3. Cost of buying them – this is what the consumer pays at the check out
4. Cost of storing them and keeping them fresh – refrigerator space, cabinet space
5. Cost of preparing them – recipes, ingredients, cooking time, cooking space, cooking utensils
6. Cost of eating them – eating on the go, family meals
7. Cost of enjoying them – taste, food/wine pairing, company of family/friends
8. Cost of making a habit – breaking current habits

Conventional wisdom will have you try to improve availability and offer a convenient ready-to-eat packaged product at a low cost. If you were feeling a little more adventurous, you would add some salty and buttery sauce to improve the taste. But taking the conventional approach does not help you lower all of the barriers or costs and promote consumption of veggies no matter how loudly you proclaim their benefits.

Here are a few somewhat unconventional ideas to get people interested in veggies. Big business, government, community groups and educators have a role to play at different levels.

• Why not teach people how to produce veggies by starting a small garden in their backyard? They already spend a lot of time and money growing flowers!
• Why not actually give them incentives like discount coupons or lower insurance rates to further sweeten the deal? Don’t worry, people are not going to turn overnight into farmers and stop going to the grocery store. In fact, they will actually start thinking about how to include those vegetables in their meals and may want to try other type of veggies from the store or a farmer’s market.
• Why not establish community farms where people could rent a small space and grow veggies? Supply them with tools, knowledge and support to help them succeed.
• Why not encourage them to share their harvest with each other to sample many different types of veggies without having to grow them all at a time?
• Why not offer them a deal where they can take some of their harvest to a grocery store and exchange it for another fresh produce of their choice?
• Why not teach people how to cook veggies in many different ways? Campbell’s has done it really well with their soups, how come the Green Giants of the world do not provide recipes on their products?
• Why not strike a deal with the makers of spices and sauces to co-develop products and do cross promotion?
• Why not offer free workshops on vegetable gardening and cooking? Home Depot and Lowes do it for household building projects. They even have workshops for kids!
• Why not introduce children to the wonderful world of fruits and veggies by products like Today I Ate a Rainbow!^TM?
• Why not produce coloring books, bed time story books, toys, puzzles, catchy videos with memorable jingles for kids to enjoy?
• Why not include interesting trivia, puzzles, collectibles or other incentives on product packaging? Cereal boxes have tons of information to keep you occupied while you eat.
• Why not appreciate and recognize a child who brings a lunchbox with veggies and other healthy items to school? Make them feel like a “star”, why not?
• Why not look at farmer’s markets as a collaborator to expand the category of veggies and not as competition?

I could go on and on…

It is time to give up on conventional wisdom. Don’t ask Why?, ask Why not? Only then, can we overcome the barriers and make vegetables a prominent feature on every meal. Veggies and fruits need to become a way of life, not just something good for us to eat!

What do you think? What are your barriers to eating more veggies each day and how we can overcome them? Please share in comments below.

©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

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

TwinToddlersMom got creative with leftover grilled steaks from the night before as she cooked up this dish. It turned out to be really good!

Ingredients

• 1-2 grilled steaks cut into thin slices
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped or crushed in a food processor
• 2 cups frozen peas/carrot blend
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1 cup warm water

Saute onions with olive oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Add tomato paste, cumin, salt, pepper and mix well. Stir in steak slices and pecan halves. Saute a little more then add frozen vegetables.  Add in warm water. Cover and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Serve with basmati rice or bulgur pilav.

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

One of our close friends made these yummy cheesecakes for a party recently. A sweet indulgence for a special occasion with a built-in portion control trick!

Ingredients

• 42 Cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies (example Oreos), 30 whole and 12 coarsely crushed
• 2 lb cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 275 °F.  Place one whole cookie at the bottom of a paper muffin cup. Place the lined cups inside a standard muffin tray.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with a handheld mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beat until combined and add vanilla extract. Add eggs and continue beating until well mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in crushed cookies by hand.

Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups. Bake about 20 minutes, rotating muffin tray half way. Allow to cool, the refrigerate for 4 h, preferably overnight, before serving.

Enjoy but resist the temptation to eat more than 2!

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

This eggplant recipe is similar to babaganoush, but with a little twist! It is prepared in yogurt instead of tahini. Now that it’s summer time, we like to grill the eggplant instead of baking it in the oven. Serve it chilled as a side dish with grilled fish and rice – you will love it!

Ingredients

• 5-6 small Asian/Indian eggplants
• 1  cup plain yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
• salt, pepper to taste

Method

Cut small slits in the eggplants and lightly brush each with olive oil. Place eggplants in a stainless steel wire grilling pan and grill over medium high heat, turning gently once in a while until the skin is dark and partially charred.

Remove eggplants from the grill and let them cool for a few minutes. Peel off the skin and collect the flesh in a bowl. Cut in smaller pieces and then puree in a food processor. Remove in a bowl.

Mix with plain yogurt until smooth and homogeneous. Add garlic, salt and pepper.  Garnish with ch0pped cilantro. Chill in a refrigerator before serving.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com