Category: Meals For Kids

Stealthy, Healthy Quesadillas (Kid-friendly & grownup versions)

On the quest to save time, making quesadillas has become a popular weeknight solution in our home. I usually make them once a week. Sometimes more. My children think they’re delicious and I can get dinner ‘done’ within 20 minutes. Yes… I said ‘within’ as in, less than 20 minutes from when I get home!

Kids & Grownup Versions

Sometimes I make the kids quesadillas as their ‘carb’ to accompany chicken or some other protein and vegetables, while we (grownups) eat the same protein/vegetable combination on top of salad. Other times, I make quesadillas for everyone and my husband and I get a ‘grownup’ version with more interesting fillings.

Yes… It Even Works Cooking For a Crowd

If you’re looking for a fun, casual meal that works well feeding a crowd, whether entertaining impromptu visitors or a large family, make the quesadillas in the oven to get them all done at the same time. It’s super easy that way.

About Serving Sizes

My children are young and I give my little one (newly 4) about 1/3 of one whole quesadilla and my son gets the remaining 2/3. I serve the quesadilla slices with veggies (i.e. broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and/or peas) and a small serving (1/4 or 1/2 cup) of a protein (i.e., chicken, pork, turkey burger) on the side.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Stealthy-Healthy Kids Quesadilla – Serves 2 Children Continue reading “Stealthy, Healthy Quesadillas (Kid-friendly & grownup versions)” →

0

The ‘I-Have-No-Time-To-Make-Sauce’ Sauce. 3 Pasta Sauces You Can Make In Less Than 15 Minutes

I-Don't-Have-Any-Tomato-Sauce Sauce

My husband’s new dentist is in a mall with an Eataly. Yes… THAT Eataly. Last Monday he asked if I wanted him to bring fresh pasta home…I said, ‘sure,’ especially since I didn’t have a dinner plan yet. He brought home LOTS of pasta…more than one night’s worth of pasta so I found myself in need of some quickie-no-forward-planning sauces.

My husband loves food as much as I do and we spent a lot of time pre-kids making fresh pasta. We still do (occasionally) but it’s not a weeknight project.

If you’re a purist, Continue reading “The ‘I-Have-No-Time-To-Make-Sauce’ Sauce. 3 Pasta Sauces You Can Make In Less Than 15 Minutes” →

0

For the Love Of Food: 1 Chicken, 3 Easy Meals

Warm chicken salad with steamed zucchini, cauliflower & grape tomatoes.

#MomsSaveTimeCooking #KidAndGrownUpFriendlyFood #HealthyFamilyMeals

It took a while (ok years) to adjust from cooking, as a hobby (making battenburg cake, homemade cheese with my husband, perfecting my croissant dough) to cooking for sustenance (read speedier-to-cook-meals-the-whole-family-can-eat.)

Once I fully embraced this new normal, I started seeking opportunities to make it more enjoyable, delicious, mostly nutritious and yes, time-efficient.

Early on, I wrote a post about how I handle weekly meal planning because the ‘how do you cook everyday’ question is one I’m asked often.

I’d like to share one of my menu all-stars, the humble chicken. I know, I know…it’s not fancy Continue reading “For the Love Of Food: 1 Chicken, 3 Easy Meals” →

0

Dinner Blueprint: My Family’s Menus Week of September 16th

Pork tenderloin over warm eggplant, zucchini, fennel & spinach salad

#MomsDinnerHacks #MomsSavingTime #LessDishesForMommy #KidFriendlyFood #OneMealForTheWholeFamily

Every year it’s a big emotional shift to move into fall…. this is not because I don’t like fall, I do…I just don’t like what comes after fall.  I’m that person who is always cold, shivering all year round, hovering under heavy sweaters at the office and still wearing my down coat well into May.  After a long impatient wait, when the average temperature is somewhere north of 80 degrees Fareneheit I’m completely in my element.

There are, however, two things about fall I really look forward to 1. fall cooking and 2. fall baking.

I’m just getting geared up for it all now.   Continue reading “Dinner Blueprint: My Family’s Menus Week of September 16th” →

0

My Family Dinners The Week of July 1st

family dinner

#MomsFoodHacks #MomsSavingTime #MomsDoingDinnerFaster

For the holiday, I decided to do classic ‘Americana-4th-of-July-week’ kind of food which brought me to burgers… and also barbecued ribs.  We had an amazing string of sunny warm days and there’s now been enough ‘summer’ to practically forget about that drawn out, closed-toed-shoes+coats weather that defines much of the Northeastern year.

Ok… let’s not think about that too long.  I’m fully feeling summer. Let’s forget about the other seasons!

I’ve been shifting to stovetop and the slow cooker when possible (except for baking) in lieu of the oven and am preparing simpler, faster meals….even on the weekends. After all, when given the gift of sun shining until after dinner time, who wants to be confined by four walls?   Continue reading “My Family Dinners The Week of July 1st” →

0

My Family’s Dinners Week of June 10

BBQ Chicken Salad with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Cucumber & Carrots

Green garlic, asparagus, early (hothouse) tomatoes, evening sunlight, outdoor concerts…happy almost summer!

I am smiling… can you tell? Because we’re entering my favorite time of year.  Temperatures have been rising here in the Northeast and the whole city of Boston seems lighter, brighter and more vibrant.

Last week we had several decent days in-between bouts of spring rain and the farmer’s market near my office has helped me support local farms, reduce grocery store runs and mix fresh spring flavors to the dinner system. Continue reading “My Family’s Dinners Week of June 10” →

2

All of the MHN Recipes In One List

BBQ Chicken Salad with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Cucumber & Carrots

Hello foodies! Although the main point of sharing my weekly dinner menus is to show how you can cook one dinner that satisfies everyone in the family (yes even the picky ones), every night and save considerable time following a ‘system’ — where all of the dishes and leftovers work together for the week. I keep getting requests for an easy way to ‘browse’ all of the recipes.

Here it is! I’ll update this page as I add my family’s latest meals, typically before I post the full menus: Continue reading “All of the MHN Recipes In One List” →

0

My family’s Menus The Week Starting April 22nd

Family Dinner

#MomsDinnerHacks #MomsSavingTime #LessDishesForMommy #KidFriendlyFood

I’ve asked friends, Mom’s at work and even moms at the playground…right now it’s an even split between ‘loved it’ and ‘so happy it’s over’.

How about you?  Did you enjoy the recent holiday? I’m so curious about this… my newest survey is all about holidays and stress… please take it if you’re inclined to weigh in.  Stay tuned for the results…in about 2 weeks.

I was (still) recovering from all of the extra baking and holiday activity last week and craved quick, simple everything.  A little bit of spring is making it’s way into the mix…a sugar snap pea here, a roasted beet there… more spring food soon as the weather improves!

A quick reminder about the rules of saving time with the dinner blueprint system:

  • Make bigger meals (that serve your family at least 2 times on the weekends)
  • Creatively ‘dress up’ leftovers so they don’t feel like leftovers
  • Weeknights, make quick dishes that cook in 30 minutes or less
  • Use as few dishes as possible (always)
  • One cutting board, one knife — limit heavy duty chopping projects during the week
  • Weeknights, use ideally one, at the very most two, pots or pans

Continue reading “My family’s Menus The Week Starting April 22nd” →

0

Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑

%d bloggers like this: