Guaranteed Life-Saving Breakfast

This morning I was rudely awakened by a screaming toddler and Paul lying said screaming toddler onto the bed next to me, while stating, “I can’t deal with her right now, I have to get ready for work.” To which I may or may not have replied with a squinty-eyed look of confusion with a dash of anger at having been awoken this way; I went to get a bottle and then I changed her diaper and tried to get her back to sleep, seeing as how it was 6:30 in the morning and I usually sleep until at least 8. The bottle soothed her, but did not put her back to sleep, and alas, I was forced to get up, cussing under my breath (or not so much under my breath) all the way to the bathroom then kitchen.

You’d think I was used to being woken by a screaming baby by now, but I was just particularly tired this morning since I’d been dealing with Lily being sick the last three days, plus all the excitement of Hurricane Irene. Luckily we were barely affected by the stormy weekend weather, but Hurricane Lily had made her mark for sure. Anyway, I’d been hoping to get a little more sleep than I had been, but I quickly got over all my feelings of bitterness and exhaustion after I had this tasty energy-packed, life-saving (and husband-saving) breakfast!

Yogurt and granola with raspberries, banana and blueberries topped with flax seed, coconut and honey, plus a few Berry Blossoms courtesy of Lily :)

Fully Loaded Yogurt Bowl

½ cup plain organic yogurt

½ cup granola

½ or 1 banana, sliced

¼ cup raisins

Handful of blueberries and raspberries

1 tbsp flax seed

1 tsp honey

1 tsp shredded coconut

Scoop yogurt into bowl then top with granola, followed by fruit, honey, flax seeds, and coconut. Mix well if desired or go ahead and eat as is! You can use any combination of fruit that you like and other add-ins like nuts. I typically just use whatever fruit I have available; banana with mixed berries is always good, but peaches and apples are great too. The base of any good yogurt bowl is the yogurt (duh), granola, and fruit; after that, you can just toss in whatever you desire.

The breakfast Lily and I enjoyed the other day. I add coconut milk to my coffee instead of cream for it's natural sweetness and extra calcium. Try it next time and you'll see a pleasant difference!

It’s as simple as that! Add a green smoothie or cup of coffee to the mix and you’re good to go! All clouds of sleepiness will be lifted and you’ll be ready to start you’re day. And it only takes about 3 minutes to make!

I’d like to say many people eat this kind of breakfast in the morning, but it’s more likely that pastries and cold cereal are devoured along with sugared coffee, if anything is devoured at all since statistics say that many Americans skip breakfast. I know my husband often does, as much as I’ve begged him to eat something before heading to work in the past (I have since given up), although from what he’s told me sometimes he does get an egg sandwich from the deli or a donut from the office (hence my prior complaint). He is not alone in this world of 9-5ers who barely have time for a cup of Joe, let alone a bowl of granola and fruit.

I’ve always made it a priority to eat in the morning, even if it does have to be cold cereal (there isn’t anything wrong with that, but it won’t get you through the morning like a fuller meal will). The fact of the matter is I will be very cranky if I don’t eat since I get that way when my blood sugar is low. But, if you are someone who normally doesn’t eat in the morning and doesn't even have 3 minutes to spare on putting something like this together, you can make this yogurt bowl to-go the night before by placing it in a travel-ready container. I wouldn’t recommend eating and driving, but while waiting for the train during your commute, you could probably eat most of it then finish the rest at your desk!

Lily is big on this type of meal too, although this morning she was a little picky, I guess due to still feeling a little under-the-weather, but I did get her to eat some blueberries and cereal even though she passed up the yogurt and banana. Your little one will definitely enjoy this breakfast in any combination and at any age, and can be blended for babies ready for solids. Please note that babies younger than 9 months shouldn’t eat berries due to possible allergic reactions, and yogurt should wait until they’re at least 6 months unless otherwise stated by your child's doctor.

Adding the flax to your yogurt bowl- or just about anything you eat for that matter –is a sure way to get a boost of omega-3s and fiber, and they're particularly great for bone and heart health (and brain, of course, with the omegas). Studies havealso shown flax to help in preventing cancer, diabetes and inflammation, and also in lowering blood pressure. Flax seeds are wonderful and a little bit goes a long way. They can be added to just about any baked good or cereal, topped on veggies, ground for breading on meats and tofu, topped on salads…the possibilities are endless!

I use flax quite often, although I don’t think I’ve mentioned that here before. When Lily started eating solids, it was recommended by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law that I add ground flax meal to her cereal and breast milk, and I’m glad I heeded their advice. Omegas are especially vital to helping a baby’s brain development as you have probably read or been told by your child's pediatrician if you have a good one, so go ahead and pick up a bag and just sprinkle it right on your baby’s or child’s cereal- they probably won’t even notice a difference in taste or texture, but if they do, they will get over it eventually. 

Save this recipe for your own "too early" mornings, and hopefully it will rescue your husband or screaming child from getting his/her head chopped off ;)

Frozen Summer Treat!

I’ve been wanting to post a tried and tested summer treat recipe, but hadn’t really hit any goals that I thought were worth sharing. I made a few different flavors of popsicles, but none were exciting or even tasty enough to gab about, and the ones that did taste good weren’t exactly healthy. I got an ice cream maker last spring and did some experimenting with that, but really the best flavors were the classics- vanilla and chocolate –and whenever I did come up with a flavor that was anything other than those, it was only because I used a flavor extract like mint or orange. In other words, it would be lazy of me to post a recipe for such things.

But, then, I remembered an old frozen treat from my childhood that I didn’t only enjoy eating, but also enjoyed making myself. It could be messy, but fun, and my mom was usually more than pleased to make these with me, because besides being delicious, there were actually nutritious qualities to it too. Many of you will probably know this one, but I wonder how many have actually ever made…

Chocolate-covered Frozen Bananas

2 bananas, cut in half

¾ cup chocolate chips

2 tbsp coconut oil

Extra toppings choices: shredded coconut, chopped nuts, granola, chopped dried cranberries or cherries, sprinkles, chopped espresso beans, etc.

Stick a popsicle stick or chopstick or whatever you have available to use for a handle into the bottom of each banana half, length-wise. Place the halved bananas on a tray or plate in freezer and freeze for at least 30 minutes. When the bananas are close to ready, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan or in a Pyrex glass in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Mix until smooth. Remove from heat, then get the bananas out and carefully dip them into the chocolate, covering them, then lay on a piece of parchment paper on a tray or plate to put back into the freezer. Sprinkle with toppings of your choice. Put them back into the freezer for another 30 minutes or until set (may not take very long depending on how cold your freezer is). Best to enjoy these bananas outside under the sun!

And there you have it- a sweet, yet healthier option to store-bought popsicles and they don’t take very long to make, with little effort to boot. If you have kids that are of an age where they can handle dipping bananas into chocolate without dumping it all over themselves, they will enjoy helping you with this, and also getting to apply their very own toppings. Baby can obviously enjoy some mashed up bananas, but for an extra treat, add some shredded coconut topping. Toddlers can enjoy this at your discretion, as you may not want to give them chocolate yet or their teeth may be sensitive to the cold.

As everyone knows, bananas are super-healthy and incredibly versatile in many recipes. They are loaded with potassium, protein, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Bananas help to improve cardiovascular and kidney health, and even contain a lesser-known prebiotic compound called fructooligosaccharide, which helps the body absorb nutrients such as calcium more efficiently, thus promoting denser bones.

One thing I’ve always noticed bananas are good for is as the perfect on-the-go snack for a burst of energy. I eat them just about every day either right out of the rind, sliced up on whole wheat toast with peanut butter and honey, in freshly-made smoothies, or in desserts such as the frozen bananas and caramelized with frozen yogurt (or vanilla ice cream!).

Since I’m also talking about chocolate here, I want to bring up a lesser-known plight that is taking place mainly in Africa that involves the way cocoa beans are harvested. Many children are forced into cocoa bean harvesting- which is very hard labor –either because it is the only way they can make money for their families, or far worse, they are often kidnapped and forced to work as slaves. They work for hours on end in the blistering sun, usually without breaks and without eating or drinking anything. Children reportedly as young as 8 years old are doing this work. And, even though many of the major chocolate companies like Nestle and Cadbury say they are doing their part to only use Fair Trade cocoa beans, it is incredibly difficult to track just where these beans are actually coming from (like a “blood diamond”).  Furthermore, many farmers in these impoverished countries are being taken advantage of and not receiving fair wages from the yields they provide.

There are a few brands that are taking greater strides to ensure they know where their cocoa beans are coming from, brands like Dagoba, Newman’s Own Organic, and Endangered Species all use organically grown beans which are also Fair Trade. Click this link to learn more about how they are certified and to see other brands that use organic and Fair Trade cocoa beans.

I don’t want to plant a guilt trip on anybody- I mean, how awful is it to have to worry if kids were breaking their backs over the cocoa used to make the delicious Godiva truffle you’re about to enjoy (sadly, they most likely were!). This issue only very recently came to my attention as it has received very little coverage in the news, like most child labor issues do, and I’m sad to say coffee beans are effected similarly. So, even though Fair Trade and organic brands do tend to cost a bit more than Hershey’s and Folgers, if you can afford it and want to make a difference, indulge your sweet tooth with a bar labeled Fair Trade Certified and/or Slave-Free to ensure you are not giving money to the types of people who would put children’s well-being at risk just to make some money.

A Green Smoothy for Picky Eaters of Any Age

One morning I looked in my kitchen and was pleased to see my husband had done a good job grocery shopping job the night before. I’d gone to bed early due to…just being tired!...and missed him when he got home. I gave him a call to let him know I appreciated it, and then he mentioned the organic spinach he’d gotten and suggested I make green smoothies for Lily and myself. And I figured, why not? I had almond milk, bananas, peaches and honey, and really, that plus the spinach is all you need to make a green smoothy that doesn’t taste like grass!

Delicious Green Smoothie

1 cup almond milk

1 cup spinach (or other green such as kale)

1 banana, broken into chunks

1 peach, chopped (or other sweet fruit, such as an apple or ½ a cantaloupe)

1 tbsp honey (stevia can also be used)

Put all ingredients into blender; a good technique is the layering technique, which would go: banana, spinach, peach, honey, almond milk. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses (or sippy cups). Enjoy. It’s that easy!

How good does that look?

I was even surprised at how great this tasted, and we’ve been drinking them ever since. Tastes much better than those powdered shake mixes, that’s for sure. You can use just about any greens and sweet fruit, but always keep the banana to give it that thickened quality. If you want it even thicker, add a few spoonfuls of yogurt. If you use sweetened almond milk, then you can leave out the extra sweetener if you want (depends on how sweet you and your child like it!).I like also like to keep it vegan so it's healthier, but you can definitely use cow's milk or soy milk instead of almond, but if you haven't tried almond milk, you may want to- it's a really good alternative to conventional milk.

It’s really that simple. And most kids like green things that look weird thanks to Nickelodeon, and are unlikely to be turned off by the color. So, don’t let on if you think it’s weird then they might follow suit and not taste it. There was definitely a time I couldn't imagine drinking any "green" drinks, even the thought of wheatgrass turned me off. But, one day I gave one a try (I think it was by Naked) and liked it, then gave wheatgrass a go and that wasn't so bad either, and now I don't have any issues going green with my beverages!

Health food stores and gyms offer energizing smoothies as an alternative to coffee and sugary carbonated drinks, but they are very simple to make at home, and less likely to hurt your budget! Don’t be fooled by places like Jamba Juice though- their drinks are full of hidden sugars and fillers- mainly in the free “Boosts”. Just have a look at their menu. On this menu, sugars are not listed in the Boost ingredients, but if you see the menus they have available at the registers, you will be shocked at how much sugar goes into them (at least they were listed when I used to buy Jamba on the regular years ago, so things may have changed). They have also been criticized for using artificial flavors, although I could not locate any reliable source for this on the internet, but I wouldn’t be surprised since the colors are so bright.

But, anyway, enough with dissing Jamba Juice. Truth is, the drinks are delicious and still better for you than soda, but quite pricey too! So, if you have a few minutes, make your own fruity energy drink at home. They are chock full of vitamins and minerals without having to add anything synthetic; you don’t even need to add any vitamin powder unless you want to take your vitamins that way, but in my experience, those types of drinks always just end up tasting gritty because the powder never dissolves properly (and I’ve tried quite a few of those types of powder supplements).

Greens are super good for you and mixing them with fruit isn’t as icky as it sounds. In fact, have you ever had a strawberry and spinach salad? You’d be amazed how great that combo is! Here’s a little bonus recipe from one of my favorite magazines.

When experimenting with smoothie recipes, if you find a combo you really love, please share in the comments! Thanks for reading!

Easy Low-fat Baked Ziti

We've been penny-pinching once again, so I've just been trying to use what's already readily available in my fridge and pantry. I was in the mood for something easy and filling, and of course healthy, and despite the heat, decided to make a baked ziti. 

Low-fat Baked Ziti with Quick Tomato Sauce

1 16 oz. package whole wheat ziti or penne pasta

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup spinach

½ cup low fat sour cream

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp red pepper flake

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Sautee half the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp of the olive oil over low heat, then add the tomato sauce and stir. Add the oregano, basil, pepper flake, salt and pepper and stir in, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Sautee the remainder of the garlic and onion in the rest of the olive oil for 2 minutes then add the spinach. Cook over low heat until wilted and fragrant.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente, toss with a little olive oil, and keep set aside. Grease a casserole dish that is around 14x10 and at least 2 inches deep with a little olive oil. When sauce is done, mix the sour cream in then add most of the mixture to the pasta until well coated. Reserve some for topping the casserole with.

Put a layer of pasta on the bottom of the pan, then top with the spinach spread evenly over the pasta layer. Sprinkle half the cheese over the spinach, then add a second layer of the pasta on top. Sprinkle with remaining sauce and cheese. Cover with tin foil or leave open if you want it to get extra crispy and put in the middle rack in oven. Cook for 20 minutes, depending on how brown you may want the top.  Serve with a yummy salad.

Lily enjoyed this ziti just as it was- it really is an ideal meal for toddlers, packed with appropriate servings of whole grains, veggies and dairy. For babies you can puree some spinach with a little mozzarella and sauce, or just the spinach for younger babies who aren't eating tomatoes and/or cheese yet, or just add a little breast milk.

Feel free to substitute the sauce with jarred sauce if you prefer, or use your own style. This is just a quick and easy way to make a simple tomato sauce that still tastes quite good! I always get complimented on it despite the little effort I put into it.

It’s no secret that whole grains are very good for you, and eating whole grain pasta reduces your carb in-take and helps maintain a healthy weight. I’ll be honest that I didn’t really like whole wheat pasta the first few times I tried it. It reminded me of cardboard, especially when used in Italian cooking. But, eventually I learned the trick was in the amount of time I cooked it! Foolishly, I’d been cooking it as long as I cooked regular dry pasta, and it had been coming out a bit too chewy and harder than I like. I did raise the cooking time by a minute at a time, and finally came to the conclusion that 15 minutes for a 4-6 serving amount of pasta is just right; it stays tender and not mushy. And now, I actually prefer the taste of whole wheat pasta!

I hope you will give whole wheat a try for this recipe even if you don’t like it. Try the 15 minute method and don’t forget to add some salt to the water! Naturally-sourced from the sea is best. Whole grains are loaded with a crazy amount of vitamins and nutrients like folic acid, magnesium, fiber, and B vitamins to name a few. Besides being a healthier choice for lowering your weight, whole grains help prevent diabetes and give you more energy than eating foods made from white flour that lack the bran and germ, which contain most of the nutrients. Whole grains also support the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal system, keeping your heart healthy and strong, and your bowels…well, regular. Studies have even shown the magical grain to protect against and prevent breast cancer.

Trust me…you’re better off with whole wheat over white wheat any day, it may just take some getting used to. Soon, white bread will taste as bland to you as cardboard does J

I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of this fabulous ziti, so hear is an image breaking down the whole grain and more info on the same subject:

Image courtesy fooducate.com

 

More info on whole grain benefits, and the benefits of other foods as well: whfoods.com

What I made for dinner tonight: a healthy vegetarian meal for 2

June was a jam-packed month for my family and I, and July ain’t looking much different. The move to a bigger place was successful, most of the cleaning and organizing has been done, and we are starting to really like our new home. My sister had her baby, a healthy baby girl :) Summer is just getting started, and I know it will be gone in a blink of an eye so I am trying to take as much advantage of the time I have.

For today’s Meatless Monday recipe, I once again featured my favorite root vegetable in the starring role: the beet. Paul went to the store and selected a nice looking bunch so I popped 2 in the oven and threw what else we had together to make quite a tasty and low fat meal. This would be a great way to recover from a 4^th of July weekend filled with hotdogs and hamburgers.

Oven-roasted Beets with Green Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

2 Large beets, peeled and trimmed

2 handfuls of green beans, trimmed

1 cup white rice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp butter (I used regular, but you can use margarine)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dry parsley or 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Preheat your oven to 450. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil completely, then put on tray into oven for 45 minutes or until tender enough for a knife to slide right in. Meanwhile, cook the rice for 10 minutes and steam the green beans for 5-7 minutes, depending on how tender you like them. When the beets are done, set them aside to cool and fry the garlic in the olive oil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until brown and fragrant. Mix the butter, parsley, salt and pepper into the rice. Set each item onto 2 plates and top the green beans and beets with the garlic and oil and sprinkle with a little salt, pepper and parsley. Serve with a nice white wine if available.

You can, of course, substitute the white rice for brown and slice up the beet any way you choose. I went with the "sliced orange" style, which is appealing to the eye and looks a little like a rose. You can also skip the butter to lower the fat even more and just mix any excess garlic and olive oil into the rice instead to give it a little extra flavor.

 

We gave some of the beet to Lily to try. I think she ate about 2 small pieces, then threw the rest on the floor. These were very sweet and soft beets, so we were surprised she didn’t like it. Oh, well. Its normal for a tot to be a picky eater as we all know, but do feel free to offer it up to your little one all the same. She liked the rice of course, and she also had:

2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

2 tbsp steamed mixed peas and chopped carrot

For baby:

1-2 tbsp pureed peas or carrot (4 months+)

or

1-2 tbsp pureed beet (8-10 months)

Parsley is typically the underrated herb that you normally find as a garnish on your plate in some restaurants. Yet, parsley is packed with vitamins A and C and especially K. Parsley has been shown to benefit the heart and contains antioxidant flavonoids such as luteolin.

A lesser known benefit of parsley is it’s “chemoprotective” properties; it contains oils that can neutralize cancerous carcinogens. Add it to meats when you’re grilling to utilize this effect.

One of the best things about parsley is it’s cheap! You can get a nice bunch from just about any supermarket for $.50-$1.00. Smells great too!

And, it being the 4^th and all, I couldn’t get away without posting some kind of healthy grill recipe. We’re all familiar (I believe) with grilling vegetables, but here is a simple and tasty less-traditional way to grill corn on the cob.

Ingredients:

6 ears of corn

6 tbsp queso fresco, divided

6 tsp chili powder, divided

2 limes cut into 6 wedges

Extra lime wedges for garnishing

Rub each ear of corn with a lime wedge and sprinkle with a tsp of chili powder. Wrap each ear in tin foil and cook on grill until brown but not burnt, turning every 5 minutes for 20 minutes. When ready to serve, sprinkle each with about a tbsp of the queso fresco and an extra lime wedge if desired. SO GOOD! Enjoyed best with an ice cold Corona Light.

I first had grilled corn this way at a small, but very popular Mexican diner in the Chelsea area of NYC. I wish I could remember the name of the place; I only recall that it was on a corner near the 23^rd Street Path Train station. You can use this seasoning for other vegetables as well. I’ve tried it on asparagus and tomatoes and it was awesome both times.

Note: Queso fresco is a light, crumbly, slightly acidic Mexican cheese. If you can’t find it or queso blanco, you can sub with feta, Monteray jack or cheddar.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!!!

Too busy to post and cook, so here's a Meatless Wednesday!

I’ve been quite busy lately. So much so that I rarely post on my other blog anymore, but I am doing my best to keep it up here. I’ve been busy for a number of reasons.

1.    We’re moving this weekend, so that’s a big project for obvious reasons.

2.    Father’s Day weekend was pretty full with a pleasant church ceremony, brunch with my dad, and spending time with Lily’s daddy of course

3.    Working from home obviously takes up a nice chunk. I had a fun project to work on last week that proved to be fruitful despite the long hours put into it

4.    My sister is due to give birth any day now, so that’s been mental busy-ness

5.    My grandmother is in town this week

6.    It’s finally officially summer!!!!

Yes, lots going on. Planning and packing and working and mommying and all that stuff that falls in between. Whew! So, yeah, cooking’s been kept simple and to a minimum when possible. We’ve been eating a lot of perishables that are readily available due to the move and trying to clear out the freezer. So, what do you get when you decide to use fresh and frozen veggies along with mixed dairy? CREAMY CURRY!!!! (yes, another curry recipe! I just love my curries!).

So, if you didn’t have a Meatless Monday, have a Meatless Wednesday instead and I’ll also post a second recipe this week for the teriyaki I’ve got in the slow cooker right now. Then, since it’s summer and all, I’ll try to fire up the bbq and get some tasty grilling recipes here, since I do know quite a few.

Creamy Curried Veggies over Rice

2 cups jasmine rice

1 cup of each (fresh or frozen): corn kernels, chopped carrots, peas

1 cup milk

1 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp curry powder

2 tbsp shredded coconut

¼ tsp salt

Cook the rice in a large pot or rice cooker. While that’s cooking, steam the veggies for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter and flour together, stirring to avoid lumps. Then mix the curry and salt in stirring until well blended. Pour in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring, for about 1 minute. Bring back down to a low simmer and stir until smooth. Add the coconut and cook for about 2 minutes more. This will add a light sweetness to the sauce, but you can omit if you prefer it to be extra spicy. Simmer and stir until at an appropriate taste and consistency. Feel free to add a little water if it’s too thick or more coconut or curry depending on how sweet or spicy you want it to be. Spoon the vegetables over rice on a shallow plate then add a few scoops of sauce over it. Makes 4-6 servings.

I used edamame instead of peas here because that's what I had, but I'd recommend peas. Any vegetables you have on hand that go with sweet and spicy, like potatoes and peppers, will work with this

You can also use coconut milk in place of milk if you want; that’s what I probably would’ve done if I’d had some on hand, but like I said, I was just using what I had readily available.

Lily also liked this style of curry since it was so buttery and creamy. She especially loved it on the carrots. For baby you can puree any of the veggies you have on hand and blend with rice cereal and/or milk. For tots:

2-3 tbsp mixed steamed veggies

2-3 tbsp rice

1 dollop of creamy curry sauce on top

Mix it all up and let your toddler feed themself. If baby objects to the curry, just add some butter for flavor or leave it as it is. I always use salt-free organic butter for Lily.

One of Lily’s current favorite vegetables is the carrot. She seems to be going through an unfortunate phase (yet again) of not wanting to eat her veggies unless they are covered in sauce or cheese. Sometimes not even then! But, carrots she will not object. This is most likely due to the fact that they are sweeter than most vegetables since Lily does not object to any fruit whatsoever. Her new favorite in that department is watermelon!

I also want to mention that today Lily used a spoon all by herself for the first time! She treated herself to some peaches and yogurt…yum! SO proud of my little angel!

Happy summer, everyone!

Last Minute Meal for Meatless Mondays

Hello everyone! I know I am posting this last minute, and because of that I decided to stick with the last minute theme and provide you with a super simple, cheap and healthy recipe for the entire family, picky eaters and all!

Now, some of you may be familiar with this recipe since it's not an original of mine and most people who like to cook know of it. I felt compelled to share it with you for reasons I stated already, and also because MY HUSBAND actually made this for Lily and me yesterday for lunch. Can you believe it? For those of you who know Paul, you will know what I mean. As for everyone else, Paul rarely cooks anything that isn't ready to heat right out of the box, so I was pleasantly surprised when out of the blue he told me he wanted to make these. He even went to the store and got the ingredients for it himself! And he made them really well!

So, without further ado, I present to you a quick an easy Mini Pizzas recipe!

Mini Pizzas

I didn't think to photograph the finished product myself, so this image is courtesy of jspatchwork via creativecommons.org

1 package of 6 English muffins
1/2 cup tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
1/2 cup shredded mozzerella cheese
Any of the following additional toppings, or whatever you like: olives, peppers, fresh tomato, fresh basil, eggplant, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread each English muffin with 1-2 spoon fulls of tomato sauce. Top with shredded cheese and topping of your choice. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and muffin looks crispy around the edges. Top with a little oregano and/or basil.

And voila! Mini pizzas! I only offered meatless ingredient suggestions here, but you can obviously top with whatever you want, such as chicken, pepperoni, salami...you know what to do :) Lily just gobbled this up and I did too, also relishing in my break from preparing lunch.

For baby 6 months+:

1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp shredded mozzerella
1/2 English muffin

Blend tomato sauce and cheese together either manually or in blender. Crumble muffin into cheesy sauce mix and spoon-feed to baby. Makes an Italian-style bread pudding! Alternately, mix into cold, cooked small-shaped pasta then spoon-feed to baby.

Make it even healthier by:

• using whole wheat English Muffins
• using fresh tomatoes only instead of sauce
• use low-fat cheese

 Enjoy this simple recipe that ANYONE can make!!!

Love you, Paul!!!