Olive Oil Popcorn

by FoodNetwork.comJune 15, 2015

You may love butter laden popcorn, but you’ll soon become addicted to this recipe for olive oil popcorn (and feel a whole lot better after eating an entire bowl). Created by Food Network host, Daphne Brogdon, follow this recipe and then tell us in the Comments below what your kids think!

Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup popcorn kernels
Kosher salt

Method:
1. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover the pot and cook until popped, shaking the pot occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Turn off the heat and drizzle the popcorn with the remaining olive oil while stirring. Season with salt and then give one final stir. Transfer to a serving bowl.

What do you think of this recipe? Tell us your additions or substitutions in the Comments below and then hop on over to our Q&A with Daphne where she dishes on raising picky eaters, what’s always in her pantry and more!

Mom, wife, and home cook, Daphne Brogdon, brings a fresh, fun and humorous approach to feeding the family. Whether it is for a PTA meeting or a gals’ night in, Daphne cooks up a storm with simple recipes that will feed a crowd and bring the family together. Learn more about her show by clicking here.

Threaded Churrasco Steak

by Erin LemMay 22, 2015

Ready to fire up your grill? Skip the hamburgers and make this recipe for Churrasco Steak on skewers from the new book, Mr. Food Test Kitchen: Guilt-Free Weeknight Favorites. Published by the American Diabetes Association, this new cookbook features healthy family recipes for diabetic and non-diabetic eaters. Bonus: if you don’t have a grill these skewers an easily be cooked on your stovetop.

Serves 8, 4 skewers per serving

Ingredients:
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup fresh parsley, stems removed
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into 32 (1/2-inch) strips across the grain
32 (6-inch) skewers

Method:
1. In a food processor or blender, combine oil, lime juice, parsley, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper; process until marinade is well blended.

2. Thread one piece of steak onto each skewer. Place skewers in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and pour marinade over steak; cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and cook steak on skewers 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.

Tip from the Book: These can be cooked on the grill, too. If you are using wooden skewers, just make sure you soak them in water for a few minutes before skewering the meat to prevent them from burning.

Health Information:
Calories 230, Calories From Fat 130, Total Fat 14.0g, Saturated Fat 3.0g, Trans Fat 0.0g, Cholesterol 40mg, Sodium 210mg, Potassium 430mg, Total Carbohydrates 1g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 0g, Protein 24g, Phosphorus 235mg

Do your kids love eating food on skewers? Tell us below!

With more than 30 million adults and children with diabetes in the United States alone and an additional 1.7 million are newly diagnosed each year diabetes is a disease that touches us all. MR. FOOD TEST KITCHEN: GUILT-FREE WEEKNIGHT FAVORITES will provide your diabetic and non-diabetic eaters with healthful recipes they can make Monday through Friday when they’re short on time but have a family to feed. Available on Amazon.com for $12.

Quick Veggie Wraps

by Veggies Don't BiteMay 11, 2015

These quick and healthy wraps are a perfect lunch, dinner or a mid-day snack. Fill them with whatever you have on hand, your favorite sauce, and you’ve got yourself a delicious treat.

Ingredients:
Whatever veggies you have in the fridge
Sprouted wheat tortillas (or sub whatever kind you have)
Your favorite oil for sautéing veggies (or veggie broth if not using oil)
Himalayan pink salt, lemon pepper, and 21 Seasoning Salute to taste (or any of your favorite seasonings)
Bitchin’ Sauce (found at your nearest farmers market or health food store, check here for locations) or any other favorite topping

Method:
1. Wash and slice veggies into thick strips. Saute on medium for 3 minutes with a sprinkle of oil (or veggie broth) and a dash of salt and seasonings, then turn off heat. If using tomatoes add those now.

2. Put veggies into tortillas and drizzle sauce over the top. Enjoy with a side of celery and sprouted grain tortilla chips!

What type of veggies did you put in your wrap?

Sophia DeSantis is the author of Veggies Don’t Bite, a vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free food blog targeted to all types of eaters. She is the mom of two beautiful boys and wife to an amazing husband. Her and her family live a vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free life 90% of the time because she believes that the stress of having to be perfect shouldn’t overpower the benefits that their healthy lifestyle brings. Through her website, she hopes to reach anybody interested in making a positive health change in their life.

Salmon Cakes with Lemon Green Beans

by writerredtriMay 11, 2015

There’s no better time (or way!) to introduce your kiddos to fish than with this delicious salmon cake recipe. Salmon is seasoned with garlic, scallions and bell peppers, as green beans are sauteed with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Kids can have fun forming the salmon veggie mix into discs and snapping the ends off the green beans.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

For the Salmon Cakes:
2 14.5 ounce cans Alaskan salmon
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking the salmon cakes

For the Lemon Green Beans:
1 pound green beans
2 cups ice cubes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
Kid: Flake the salmon into a large mixing bowl with your fingers, taking care to discard bones or skin if necessary.

Together: Add the diced red pepper, scallions, garlic, breadcrumbs and eggs to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper, gently mixing to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed. Be careful to not over mix to avoid pasty salmon.

Kid: Using your hands, shape the salmon mixture into 8 round patties 2/3rds of an inch thick. All cooks should take care to wash their hands with warm water and soap after handling raw eggs.

Adult: Place the olive oil into a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place 3 or 4 salmon cakes into the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side for 3 minutes more, or until each salmon cake has cooked through. Set aside on a bed of paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining salmon patties.

Kid: Snap the tips off each end of the green beans and discard. Reserve the trimmed beans. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and adding the ice cubes.

Adult: Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove over medium-high heat. When the water boils, add a little salt. Add the trimmed green beans to the pot and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the green beans are parboiled, but still maintain their crunch. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the green beans to the ice water bath to stop the cooking process.

Together: Place the olive oil in a separate frying pan over medium heat. Add the green beans, rotating with a spatula to coat the beans in olive oil. Pour the lemon juice over the green beans and season with salt and pepper to taste, taking care to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed. Divide the salmon cakes and green beans into 8 servings and enjoy!

Do you involve your kids in the kitchen?

Source: This recipe comes to us from Johanna of Momma Cuisine.

We’ve teamed up with the Kids Cook Monday initiative to bring you a weekly recipe that encourages families to set aside the first night of every week for cooking and eating together as a family. Be sure to check out their website for more great ideas on how to empower your kids in the kitchen!

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Alfredo

by Veggies Don't BiteApril 19, 2015

Fat free, protein, veggie filled and tastes amazing? Meet your new go-to Alfredo sauce! Pour it over pasta or use it in lasagna, this light and creamy sauce, courtesy of Veggies Don’t Bite, goes with just about anything.

Serves: Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients:
6 large cloves fresh garlic
2 heads cauliflower
1 cup garbanzo beans
1 cup veggie broth (non tomato based)
Himalayan pink salt to taste
1 cup fresh basil, sliced into shreds

Method:
1. Peel garlic and mix with a splash of veggie broth and some salt. Wrap in tin foil, and/or parchment and roast at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes until garlic is browning and looks caramelized.

2. Wash and boil or steam cauliflower until really tender, breaks apart when forked. About 20-30 minutes.

3. When garlic and cauliflower are done, put them in a highspeed blender along with the rest of the ingredients, except for the basil. Blend on high until creamy and smooth. At this point you can add some of the fresh basil into the blender and pulse it in for that fresh basil layer of flavor. Or you can leave it out and only put some basil on the top. We tried both ways and both were great!

Notes from the Chef: Depending on the size of your cauliflower, you may get less or more of the sauce. Make sure you use a veggie broth without tomatoes in it or the creamy Alfredo taste will be overpowered. If you want the sauce thinner, then ad more broth. You can also add more garlic if you really want the roasted garlic taste to come through, I love it so added more on round two and it was great!

Tips to prep ahead: This sauce freezes well so it can be prepped ahead of time and frozen for later use. When defrosting, do so slowly on the counter. You will need to mix or whip again with a whisk to regain the consistency.

Will you adopt this healthy twist on the classic Alfredo sauce?

Chickpea and Rosemary Soup

by drealestercontributorApril 3, 2015

Nothing pairs better with the winter season more perfectly than a hearty soup. Stir up this delicious chickpea and rosemary soup from Little Yumminess as an appetizer or pair it with some salad and hearty bread for a full dinner time meal. Hear the “Mms…” from your taste tester as they fill up their tummies with a warmth that goes down to their toes.

Ingredients:
4 large garlic cloves, chopped finely leaves from two sprigs of rosemary, chopped finely
1 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 15 ounce cans chickpeas
1 quart chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth if you want to keep it vegetarian)
Salt to taste
small piece of Parmegiano Reggiano rind (optional)

Method:
1. Saute garlic, rosemary, and a big pinch of salt.
2. Cook until the garlic is softened and golden.
3. Add the tomatoes (breaking them up a bit with the back of a spoon).
4. Stir well and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.
5. Add the chickpeas, stir well and simmer 10 minutes.
6. Add broth and simmer for at least 15 minutes. For extra flavor, throw in a small piece of parmegiano reggiano rind.
7. Remove the cheese rind and discard.
8. Ladle about a third of the soup into a blender or food processor. (Beware of pureeing hot food because it can spray out, so let it cool before proceeding). Puree and return it to the pot, stirring well.
9. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

This is a guest post from our friends Simran and Stacie at a Little Yumminess. Be sure to visit their blog for more fab, kid-friendly recipes!

Adapted from the recipe in Marcella Hazan’s “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.”

Dutch Oven Stuffed Peppers

by writerredtriApril 3, 2015

Your kids will love digging into these morsels packed with vegetables and protein. Get the little ones involved in mixing the filling, cutting the veggies, and topping the peppers with ketchup and cheese. Or prepare them ahead of time and wrap them to make for even easier prep when dinnertime rolls around.

Ingredients
6 bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the dutch oven
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 ounces mushrooms, chopped
14 ounces ground beef or turkey
4 cups cooked rice
1-15 ounce can tomato sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons ketchup
3/4 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar

Method
1. Grease your dutch oven. Prep your campfire so there is a flat bed of hot coals to place the dutch oven on.

2. Cut the tops off the peppers. Discard the seeds from the main part of the pepper, and set the hollow peppers aside. Trim the remaining pieces of pepper off of the pepper tops. Chop and reserve for stuffing.

3. Saute the onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, mushrooms, and chopped peppers. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground meat and cook through. Mix in the rice and half of the can of tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Place the stuffing inside the peppers and put the peppers into the dutch oven. If you have any additional stuffing, you can put it around the peppers (just be sure to grease your dutch oven well).

5. Add the ketchup to the remaining tomato sauce and stir to combine. Spoon some of the tomato sauce mixture on top of the stuffed peppers. Sprinkle the peppers with cheese.

6. Place dutch oven on hot coals, making sure it is stable and level. Cook the peppers until they’re softened and the stuffing is heated through.

Recipe adapted from Dirty Gourmet.

Peri-Peri Chicken

by writerredtriMarch 16, 2015

Whether you call it Peri-Peri Chicken or Piri-Piri Chicken (toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe, anyone?) this dish is undeniably tasty. The secret’s in the sauce, which hails from Portugal. Simply marinate the chicken in lemon juice and that zesty spice mix and you’ll end up with a meal that’s bursting with flavor. Throw in a side salad or rice, and you’ve got a weeknight dinner winner.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 packet peri peri spice mix (or make your own using paprika, garlic, onion, oregano, ground cumin, chili powder, thyme, chili flakes)
8 chicken thigh fillets (or mix of thighs and drumsticks, breasts, wings, etc)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, chopped
1 lemon, zested
5 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)

Method:

1. Wash and dry the chicken and score each piece several times. In a bowl combine chicken, and spice mix.

2. Add garlic, ginger, lemon zest and salt. Mix.

3. Add olive oil and lemon juice. Mix until chicken is thoroughly coated.

4. Place in fridge for 1-2 hours (or more).

5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a single layer place chicken on a roasting tray and cook for 15 minutes. Flip chicken over and cook for another 15 minutes or until cooked through.

6. Serve with lemon wedges and salad/rice.

Will you try this recipe? Tell us what you think in the Comments below.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Vicky at Avocado Pesto. Vicky believes in healthy eating without the standard diet, low fat, no fat, fake sugar products. Her food blog, Avocado Pesto, is full of recipes from various ethnic cuisines as well as food groups, with newly added nutritional information and many vegan, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly recipes. Follow Vicky as she shares interesting recipes and stories about her traveling adventures.

For more tasty, easy-to-make recipes click here!

Donut Muffins

by Christal Y.March 8, 2015

Muffins or donuts, donuts or muffins… stop humming and hawing over which pastry to choose because there’s a recipe that lets you have donuts and muffins in one sweet bite. These double-whammy treats by A Bountiful Love bring a satisfying rich and cake-y texture to your morning that goes down perfectly with milk (or coffee for the parents). See what your pantry needs below.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cups milk

For the Coating:
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tbsp Cinnamon

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the dry ingredients ( flour, baking soda, salt , nutmeg and cinnamon).
3. Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk in a separate bowl.
4. Add the dry ingredients to wet and do not over mix.
5. Just stir until it is incorporated.
6. Pour over greased muffin tins or lined tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
7. While waiting, melt the butter in a bowl. In another bowl make your sugar cinnamon mixture.
8. When muffins are done , let it cool slightly (warm to touch).
9. Dip the muffins in the butter, then into the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
10. Cool completely.

What amazing breakfast combinations have you tried before?

This recipe and photos is brought to you by A Bountiful Love, a baking blog about family and stirring up yummy dishes in the kitchen. Visit A Bountiful Love for more family-friendly recipes and tips from a stay-at-home mom.

Honey Mustard Lamb Chops

by Erin LemMarch 8, 2015

Paired with mashed potatoes or roasted carrots, these Honey Mustard Lamb Chops are sure to please. A quick sweet and tangy sauce made on the stove, and some broiling, and you’re done. It’s that easy.

Ingredients:
6-8 Lamb Loin Chops (depending on thickness and weight)
1/3 Cup Honey
1/3 Cup Honey Dijon Mustard
Dash of Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:
1. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, mustard, and seasonings.

2. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes or until heated through.

4. Brush sauce over both sides of lamb.

5. Broil for about 5-7 minutes per side or until meat reaches desired doneness.

Do you like the combo between honey and dijon mustard?

Recipe adapted from Cooking4BusyMoms.com

ML Interest Tag: salt

Olive Oil Popcorn

Related reads

Threaded Churrasco Steak

Related reads

Quick Veggie Wraps

Related reads

Salmon Cakes with Lemon Green Beans

Related reads

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Alfredo

Related reads

Chickpea and Rosemary Soup

Related reads

Dutch Oven Stuffed Peppers

Related reads

Peri-Peri Chicken

Related reads

Donut Muffins

Related reads

Honey Mustard Lamb Chops

Related reads