Easy, Healthy Meal Ideas Needed!

T.-

I have a great healthy crock pot cookbook- I think it's Better Homes & Gardens. I just go through every week and pick one or two new meals to try. It's easy and then my husband and I rate them 1 to 10 so that we know which ones we want to make again...

good luck...M.

T., why don't you try fixing some casseroles. Most recipes you can cut down to half portions. Try going on line and see what you can come up with to fix. Also, breakfast food, such as pancakes, french toast, egg & bacon could all be fixed at dinnertime. A.

I love to share recipes, so here are a few of our favorite and easiest recipes...also, check out www.allrecipes.com, it is absolutely the best resource for hunting down awesome recipes!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks
1 ½ green bell peppers, diced
¼ c. soy sauce
1 c. chopped celery
½ c. vinegar
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts
¾ c. brown sugar
1 ½ lb. cooked chicken, cut into strips
¼ c. flour

Drain pineapple, and reserve juice. In a large saucepan over medium low heat, blend reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Mix in flour and stir until thickened. Stir in bell peppers, celery, and drained water chestnuts into the saucepan. Mix in chicken. Cook and stir until heated through. Stir in the pineapple chunks before serving.

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

1 ½ lbs. chicken breasts, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ lime, juiced
10 (6”) tortillas
1 tsp. white sugar
1 tomato, diced
½ tsp. salt
¼ c. shredded lettuce
½ tsp. pepper
¼ c. salsa
2 green onion stalks, chopped
¼ c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Sauté chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes. Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan, warm and turn over to heat the other side. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese, and salsa.

Chicken Stroganoff

2 Tbsp. margarine
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into chunks
½ c. sour cream
2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
4 c. hot cooked egg noodles
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 c.)

In a skillet over medium high heat, in 1 Tbsp. margarine, cook chicken until browned. Reduce heat to medium. In same skillet, In 1 Tbsp. margarine, cook mushrooms and onion until veggies are tender and liquid is evaporated. Stir in soup and sour cream. Heat to boiling. Return chicken to skillet. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot noodles.

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

½ c. butter
1 ½ c. grated cheddar cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp. dried parsley
¾ c. dry bread crumbs
¼ tsp. dried oregano
½ c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
8 chicken breasts, pounded thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, parmesan, cheddar, parsley, oregano, pepper and salt. Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, them press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9 by 13” baking dish. Top with any remaining butter and bread crumb mixture. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Becky’s Chalupas

2 large chicken breasts, boiled and diced
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 small can sliced olives, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
6 (8”) flour tortillas

In a medium bowl, combine soup , chilies, olives and sour cream. Add Monterey jack cheese. Remove 1 c. of mixture and add to diced chicken. Spread out tortillas on counter. Divide chicken mixture evenly among the tortillas. Roll up tortillas and place in an 8 by 8” pan. Spoon remaining soup mixture over the top of the tortillas, spreading to the edge of the dish. May be covered and refrigerated overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over chalupas; cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Catalina Chicken Breasts

2 tsp. oil
½ c. apricot jam
6 chicken breasts
½ pkg. dry onion soup mix
½ c. Catalina dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a skillet on med-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 min. on each side or until browned. Remove from skillet and place in a 3 qt. baking dish. Mix dressing, jam, and soup mix in small bowl. Pour over chicken.
Bake 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
*Great served with rice!

Creamy Chicken Soup

Saute:
1 c. cut celery
1 small onion, chopped

Add to the following and warm:

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
4 c. chicken broth
2 carrots, cooked
2 c. cubed potatoes, cooked

1 pt. sour cream
1 (26 oz) can cream of chicken soup

Optional ingredients (I always add):
1 small can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. grated cheese
1 c. frozen peas

Tortilla Soup

1 lb chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed up
1 tsp. cumin
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
¼ tsp. pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 c. water
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen corn
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas

Combine all ingredients except for the tortillas in a crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Cut tortillas into strips and brush with oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve on top of soup. * Serve with sour cream, cheese and avocado.

Easy Slow Cooker French Dip

4 lbs. rump roast
1 (12 oz) can beer
1 (10.5 oz.) can beef broth
6 French rolls
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed French Onion Soup
2 Tbsp. butter

Trim excess fat from roast and place in slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer. Cook on low for 7 hours. Preheat oven to 350. Split French rolls and spread with butter. Bake 10 minutes or until heated through. Slice the meat on the diagonal, and place on rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping.

Roast Beef Burritos

1 onion, chopped
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
6 flour tortillas, warmed (7”)
2 c. chopped cooked roast beef
Shredded lettuce and cheddar cheese
1 bottle (8 oz) taco sauce

In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, roast beef, taco sauce, chilies, cumin and red pepper flakes if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until thickened.
Spoon about 2/3 c. down the center of each tortilla; fold over sides and ends. Serve with cheese and lettuce.

Barbequed Beef

1 ½ c. ketchup
½ tsp. salt
¼ c. brown sugar
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ c. red wine vinegar
¼ tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 (4 lb.) boneless chuck roast
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke

1. In a large bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, and liquid smoke. Stir in salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Place roast in a slow cooker. Pour mixture over roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3. Remove roast from slow cooker, shred with a fork, and return to the slow cooker. Stir meat to evenly coat with sauce. Continue cooking approximately 1 hour.

Serve on hamburger buns.

Stir Fried Beef ‘n’ Beans

¼ c. cornstarch
1 lb. beef sirloin steak, cut into ¼” Strips
½ c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. water
½ lb. fresh green beans, cut in half*
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
Hot cooked rice

In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, water, ginger, garlic and 2 Tbsp. oil until smooth. Set aside ½ cup. Pour the remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the beef. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 25-30 minutes.
Drain and discard marinade from beef. In a wok or skillet, stir fry beef in remaining oil for 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, stir fry the beans, sugar and salt for 15 minutes or until crisp tender. Stir in the beef and reserved marinade. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over rice.
*Broccoli could also be used in place of the beans.

Caesar Chicken Wraps

½ c. Caesar salad dressing
3 c. shredded romaine lettuce
½ c. grated parmesan, divided
½ c. diced sweet red pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 can (2 oz) sliced olives
1 garlic clove, minced
5 flour tortillas (10”)
¼ tsp. pepper
1 ¾ c. cubed cooked chicken
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing, ¼ c. parmesan cheese, lemon juice, garlic and pepper. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add half of the salad dressing mixture and mix well; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the romaine, red pepper and olives. Add the remaining salad dressing mixture; toss to coat. Spread about ¼ c. cream cheese mixture on each tortilla. Top with the romaine mixture and chicken; sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Roll up; cut in half.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef for Sandwiches

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion salt
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. pepper
3 c. water
1 pkg. Italian dressing mix
1 tsp. dry oregano
1 tsp. dry parsley
5 lbs. rump roast
1 tsp. dry basil
1 tsp. garlic powder

In a saucepan over med-high heat, combine all ingredients except roast. Stir well and bring just to a boil. Place roast in a slow cooker and pour mixture over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Remove bay leaf and shred beef with a fork.
Serve on sandwich rolls (buttered, broiled with cheese is amazing!)

Alfredo Sauce

¼ c. butter
1 ½ c. grated parmesan cheese
1 c. whipping cream
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cheese; whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

Creamy Chicken Lasagna

3 chicken breasts
1 (8 oz) pkg. softened cream cheese
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
¼ c. hot water

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. Meanwhile, either boil or microwave chicken until cooked through, then shred. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve the bouillon cube in hot water. In a large bowl, mix the chicken with the bouillon, cream cheese, and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9” square baking dish. Cover with ½ of the chicken mixture, and top with 3 lasagna noodles; repeat. Top with remaining sauce, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven.

Angel Chicken Pasta

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1/4 cup butter
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
4 ounces cream cheese with chives
1/2 cup white wine
1 pound angel hair pasta

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in the package of dressing mix. Blend in wine and golden mushroom soup. Mix in cream cheese, and stir until smooth. Heat through, but do not boil. Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour sauce over. Bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven. Twenty minutes before the chicken is done, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta.

Chicken Milano

1 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
½ c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. chicken broth, divided
8 oz. dry fettuccini pasta
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 c. heavy cream

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and ¾ c. chicken broth; increase to medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Add cream and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat back of a spoon. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and sauté the chicken. Press on chicken occasionally. Cook about 4 minutes per side until meat is cooked. Transfer to a board; cover and keep warm. Discard the fat from the skillet. In same skillet over medium heat, bring ¼ c. broth to a boil; stirring in the pan juices. Reduce slightly and add to the cream sauce. Stir in parsley. Cook fettuccini and toss with sauce and chicken.

These are all so yummy! I went through my recipes and picked out my very favorites. I hope you enjoy them! Oh, and another suggestion..but I can't find my recipe for it(look on www.allrecipes.com)is baked ziti. It would be easy to whip up! Enjoy!

Not Your Mama's Meatloaf:
In a big mixing bowl beat an egg; add some sea salt; garlic powder; ground pepper; about 2 tablespoons of steel cut oats; a couple tablespoons of minced up onion;
add a pound of ground turkey; through in a handful of fresh baby spinach and mix it all up.
Shape it onto a baking dish and top it with fennel seeds. Bake it for about 50 minutes at 400 degrees.

You can vary this to whatever mood you are in. Some ingredients (like the spinach or onions) can be omitted and you can add something like Worchestershire sause and top with bacon slices. Or use curry for seasoning and top with cumin. Experiment and through just about anything into your meatloaf for fun and variety.

Also - this can make lunch interesting too - cut into slices and server cold on toast with catsup and mayho! yum!

Hi T.,

I love www.savingdinner.com. Leanne has several options there that are all great. You can subscribe to a weekly menu mailer, where she gives you a grocery list and menu for 6 dinners per week. You have the option of low carb, heart healthy, vegetarian, etc... in a variety of portion sizes. You can also get menus to prepare and freeze, so you have them to defrost later. In addition, she has books you can even check out from the library--with recipes for a weekly menu plan using in season veggies and fruits. She also has suggestions for fun side dishes as well. She helps me not to get stuck in a menu rut. Good Luck.

Dear T.,

I have some toddler recipes on my site that you can download for free. (www.littlejourneysbabyworld.com) Hope this helps.

Sending lots of greetings,

C.

Stir fry is very quick and easy to make. I learned in Nutrition class in college that the healthiest way to cook veggies, believe it or not, is to cook them in the microwave! That way you are not losing valuable vitamins in the veggie juice. Homemade mac and cheese is healthy, as well. You can add any type of meat that you'd like- chicken, hot dogs, pepperoni, whatever. I also like making homemade chicken alredo and it takes about 15 minutes. Baked taters and salad is another idea. You could do a veggie wrap or any type of wrap with meat and veggies. Broccoli is the healthiest veggie you can eat; you could put it in anything. There are many different types of burritos that you could make, you can make fajitas, tacos, chicken tacos, rice and beans, chicken fried steak or steak fingers (you could bake it instead of frying). Sandwiches are healthy, as well, and quick to make; there are so many different types that you could do; the possibilities are endless! That's just what comes to mind off the top of my head. Good luck! :)

I enjoy this site and you can get emails on recipes and they also have a magazine you can sign up for with some very simple recipes

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/

Here are 2 that I like:

Chicken Surprise

dip chicken breasts first in either Italian Salad dressing or light olive oil and then roll them in grated parmesan cheese. Broil in middle of oven (medium or low broil if possible) until chicken is cooked through. Slice into strips.

Cook brown rice as usual.

Layer on a plate: baby spinach leaves, rice, and then chicken strips.

Sprinkle with fresh grated cheese and, if desired, a creamy salad dressing. Serve while rice and chicken are warm.

Garlic, Black Bean, and Sausage soup

Brown Italian Sausage (or buffalo or ground beef) in a pan with 1 chopped onion, 10 minced cloves of garlic, and 1/2 tsp fennel seed or ground fennel.

When meat is browned, pour in 2 cups beef broth; 2 (15 oz) cans of black beans (drained and rinsed); 1 (15 oz) can of whole corn (drained). Let simmer about 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

When ready to serve, add in chopped tomato and dollop of sour cream.

This is a link to a similar question asked a few months ago. KW has a good list of websites that I have used on her suggestion.

http://www.mamasource.com/request/17216877960485666817

The websites have an option to have recipes sent to you daily, weekly, or monthly and I have really enjoyed this. The recipes come right to me. I have actually created a separate email address for all the recipes to be sent to and when I want to try something new I log on and look through until something sounds good. Gook luck mixing things up!

Hi T.,
I don't know if this helps or not but every week I get emails from kraftfoods.com..You can sign up for free on their website and I also get their magazine with tons of recipes in it through snail mail.

Good Luck,
D.

Tonay, Lite and Tasty Magazine is great...it is from taste of home. I think a subscription is about $12 for a year and they come every other month. I have 2 of the magazines coming to me right now, Tast of Home and Lite and tasty. I really enjoy them. One thing as well, if you have a subscription you can access all of the recipes online!! I get online print out my recipes and grocery list and if we like the recipe I cut and paste it and put it in our family recipe book (a binder with protective sleeves so I can take the recipe out and cook and just wipe it off if it gets dirty)
I have several recipes we have already tried and love if you want a couple I could email them to you and you can see if you like it.

Hey T.,

I felt a connection to you immediately-- we have a jack russell terrier and a 3 year old too! :-) I feel your pain. Ha.

I make alot our meals from recipes I've found on foodnetwork.com. I cook about 5 days out of the week and tend to run out of recipes too so I always go there. Ellie Krieger has the healthy recipes. They are not lacking on flavor either. There is also another website called epicurious.com.

Good luck to you!

-S.

T., are you kidding, look at how you are feeding your youngster! you're doing a great job! Hey, here's a couple ideas, not recipes, just ways to mix up dinner hour so it stays interesting;
Throw a blanket on the living room floor, use paper plates and have an indoor picnic-minus the ants.
Theme dinners, for example, use ground chicken or turkey with flour tortillas to make soft tacos and practice beginning Spanish: por favor, gracias, bueno.
My son and I have had candlelight dinners once a week for over ten years.
have fun! Ann

there is a book you could get at the library called 'too busy to cook'. It has healthy, low fat recipes and a system to make 10 freezer meals in a day. For your family size, you package them smaller and end up with 20 that don't take up too much space and are easy to cook once you do one busy day of cooking a month. The freezer meals work great for us when I am on the ball enough to plan them and do them... we love having them.

Here are a few taht are tired and true for my family, we love to have breakfast foods for dinner so the first two recipes are breakfast foods. I was on weight watchers for a while (and I should be on it now!)so these are all WW points recipes. WW has cook books with tons of ymuuy recipes, and you don't have to be on the program to like the food!

Apple Pancake Souffle
Recipe By : WW - Simply the Best Cookbook
4 Points per serving
1 cup + 2 tbls all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups egg substitute -- fat free
2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine -- stick
6 apples, peeled -- sliced thin
3 tablespoons light brown sugar -- firmly packed

1. Preheat the oven to 425º F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon; make a well in the center. Add the egg substitute, milk and vanilla; whisk until thoroughly combined.
3. Place the margarine in a 13x9" baking dish; place in the oven until the margarine is melted and sizzling, about 3 minutes. Add the apples and mix gently to coat. Bake until the apples are heated through, about 5 minutes. Pour the egg mixture over the apples; sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake until the souffle is puffed and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Serve at once.
Serving Size : 8
Recipe by: Diane Honer - Ivoryton, Connecticut "As a festive breakfast or luncheon entree, a light supper dish or even as a dessert, this fluffy golden souffle more than satisfies. Diane's family and guests look forward to having it as often as possible."
Nutritional Info Provided with Recipe: Per serving: 222 Calories, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 1 mg Cholesterol, 271 mg Sodium, 38g Total Carbohydrate, 2g Dietary Fiber, 10g Protein, 109 mg Calcium.
Serving provides: 1 Bread, 1 Fruit/Vegetable, 1 Protein/Milk, 1 Fat, 30 Bonus Calories
POINTS per Serving: 4
by Dina

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
1 ½ Cups Flour
1 Tbs. Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Ginger
2 Ripe Bananas, mashed
1 Cup Milk
1 Large Egg, beaten
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Mix Dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet along with the chocolate chips. Let the batter stand for 10-15 minutes, then cook on a skillet. Serve with Cool Whip or whipped cream and a few banana slices.

These are great! The recipe is actually from Weight Watchers, I changed it slightly; it originally called for only ¼ cup chocolate chips.

Submitted by H.

Chicken Fingers with Honey Sauce
Shared by: Joel Italiano
5 Points Per Serving

12 ozs. skinless chicken tenders
2 Beaten egg whites
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups cornflakes, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup honey
4 teaspoons prepared mustard or Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry with paper towels. In a small mixing bowl combine the egg whites and the 1 tablespoon honey. In a shallow bowl combine the cornflake crumbs and pepper. Dip the chicken strips into the egg white mixture. Roll in the crumb mixture to coat. Place in a single layer on a ungreased baking sheet. Bake chicken in a 450º oven for 11 to 13 minutes, or until no longer pink. 2. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small bowl stir together the 1/4 cup honey, mustard, and garlic powder. Serve with chicken.
Makes 4 servings
Calories 230 Total Fat 2g Fiber 1g Sodium 275mg
Better Homes and Gardens Lowfat and Luscious

One quick, easy meal we all love is just throwing some cut up chicken in a wok, tossing in a bag of frozen asian veggies, throwing on some teriyaki and a 10 minute boiled bad of brown rice to put the chicken and veggies on top. If a side dish is desired, some cut up fruit in one bowl to share with toothpicks to eat it to add fun is a great option! I also like to make soup in the crockpot the night before. Any sort of soup is usually easy, fast and the crockpot does all the work to cook it during the night and day. Also, soft tacos with whatever desire meat and wheat or multigrain tortillas are great...for a twist from the normal lettuce, cheese and tomatoes, adding frozen veggies with squash and zucchini mixed into the taco mixture or can of Mexican Rotel is great...add some brown rice and black beans from a can and it's a very healthy burrito!

Hi T.,
I just have one more idea to add. Introduce a new food or flavor a few times each week. This doesn't mean a whole new meal. Just add a new veggie or fruit, put a slice of sweet red pepper on the plate, or a slice of cucumber. A piece of mango or kiwi, a slice of pickle or some olives. Add a small amount of terriyaki sauce or a mild mustard to the plate to dip foods in. Use a variety of pasta shapes and rice colors. This will help your son to be open to new textures and flavors and then as he gets older he will be more willing to eat foods that will be more interesting to you.
Take care,
B.

gotohealth.com has great recipes. besides websites, what helps me is going to the store and browsing the isles

Try "The Sneaky Chef" cookbook. I love it

I am a distributor for Homemade Gourmet. We have really great meals that are soooo easy to make. We show you how to prepare meals that you freeze and thaw out and cook when you need them. They are sooo great for working moms who dont have time to "homemake meals" but still want to feed your family good food quick and healthy. I would love to help you with that!!! www.homemadegourmet.com/AllisonHood

Good Luck and Happy Eating

How about some fun kid foods? You can make your own chicken fingers. Tacos, home made pizza, Spagetti and sausage. Just to name a few. I had a few others in mind but sometimers is kicking in and I forgot.
Goood Luck
C. B

Hi T.,
You might try "Urban Homemaker.com" Marilyn Mohl operates this site with a small store and she always has some recipes that are healthy, different and generally easy. Give it a shot! God Bless!!

Hi T.,
If you have a google home page (which I love both it and gmail) you can have a bunch of diffrent kinds of recipe of the day, put up on your home page every day :)
My family also likes to have cottage cheeze and apple sauce (some of us eat it mixed some seperate) but its an easy healthy side to have sometimes. Also don't forget the yummy option of broccli or califlower with melted cheeze as a side.
There is a thing my friend makes that is really good ~
cook up some hamburger crumbled in a skillet and cook up some potatos then mash them as if for mash potatos maybe add a little milk so they have plenty of moisture, then get a backing dish and put a layer of meet, layer of potato, layer of cheeze, then repeat till your out of stuff to layer. Pop it in the oven around 375 and bake till all is melted and warm. It is really good! (can you tell we like cheeze?) My mom does a similer dish with rice. Cooked hamburger, cooked rice, maybe a veggie and some cheeze bake...
If you grill a fun thing to do is what my family calls "foil dinners" get some foil (shiny side down of corse :) ) and put a hamburger patty then some veggies (corn, green beans what ever you like), maybe some cheeze ;), spice if you like, then wrap it up and grill it, the sauses mix together and makes a really yummy result.
I also like the vola premade dinners in the freezer section, they are easy, they are yummy, and healthy.
Good Luck,
S. :)