Check out our new Website!

We’re happy to report that our website has undergone an extreme makeover and is ready for all to see and surf. We now have a redesigned blog, lots of new recipes, over two dozen nutrition articles, and mealtime tools to help you plan fast and healthy family meals (even if you have picky eaters at home). While you are on the site tune in to our weekly radio podcast (Cooking with the Moms), sign up for our e-newsletter, and watch one of our many cooking videos. The new tagline for MealMakeoverMoms.com is Healthy Meals with Kid Appeal.

Please note that we will no longer be posting to this Blogspot blog. However, we’ll still be blogging at least once a week to our new blog at MealMakeoverMoms.com. Once you have had a chance to visit our new site please post your feedback on our new blog. Happy surfing!

Join us for Breakfast!

If you've never listened to the Vicky and Jen What Really Matters radio podcast, be sure to tune in. We recently "met" this dynamic duo of the podcast world when they invited us to be guests on their weekly show. Lucky for us, Vicky and Jen (two moms dedicated to making lifer easier for everyone) included us in three podcasts. The first, Breakfast in a Jiffy, features lots of our Meal Makeover Mom advice as well as a few recipes your kids will definitely love (including Banana Blueberry Pancakes --a perennial favorite with Liz's boys).

To hear our two additional interviews on snacks and lunch, cruise on over to Vicky and Jen's website, and while you're there, listen to their other 100 episodes on topics ranging from organizing your kitchen to traveling on a budget!

Magical Beans

We wanted to let you know about a promotional event that Beans. The Vegetable with More® campaign has just launched. It's a contest to encourage America to reinvent the classic schoolyard chant, “Beans, beans the musical fruit.”

For years, children and parents have recited variations of this memorable chant, but what they don’t realize is that something in the lyrics is wrong - beans are a vegetable, not a fruit! While 3 out of 4 adults know the bean chant, only 1 in 4 know that beans are actually a vegetable. It’s time to set the record straight!

The Magical Veggie Challenge invites the public to grab a video camera and record an original bean chant. The requirements are:
· Begin your chant with the phrase “Beans, beans”
· Convey somewhere in your lyrics/chant that beans are a veggie or vegetable

Visit http://www.beanchant.com/ before Dec. 12, 2008 for more information and to upload videos for a chance to win the grand prize – $5,000 and a trip for four to perform the winning chant at a February event in Times Square hosted by Drew Lachey, multi-platinum recording artist, bean fan and dad. Good luck!

Now that you're thinking about beans, we suggest you try cooking with them. In this week's Cooking with the Moms podcast, we share an Italian-inspired bean cake recipe featuring cannellini beans. Click here to listen to the show and download our recipe for No-Crabs-Allowed Cakes.

After-School Snack Attack:

If you're like us, kitchen craziness kicks in every day around 3:00PM when the kids get home from school. After backpacks are unloaded and hands are washed, it's snack-attack time. What you choose for a snack can have a major impact -- either positive or negative -- on the quality of your child's overall diet. In this week's Cooking with the Moms radio podcast, we feature lots of healthy snack ideas along with two snack recipes: Lime 'n Honey Black Bean Dip and our oh-so-delicious Grab & Go Granola Bars. Be sure to tune in to our podcast to get the skinny on snacking or check out our Smart Snacking story featured in this month's issue of Kiwi magazine (it's on the news stand now).

Lime ‘n Honey Black Bean Dip
Makes 6 to 8 Servings

One 15 ½ -ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup salsa
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Place the beans, salsa, sour cream, lime juice, honey, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.

2. Serve with baked tortilla chips or baby carrots.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1/4 cup): 60 calories, 0.5g fat (0g saturated fat), 180mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 3g protein

If you have a favorite after-school snack idea you'd like to share, post it here on our blog!

Back-to-School Brain Food

In today's Cooking with the Moms radio podcast, our featured topic, Back-to-School Brain Food, highlights the importance of feeding kids a delicious array of foods rich in omega-3 fats, iron, and zinc -- all important for brain health. Be sure to listen in as we share two family favorites, Teriyaki Salmon in Foil and Szechuan Beef Stir-Fry. Also tune in to hear our 9-year old guest, Simon (Liz's son), talk about clever ways to get kids to eat their veggies and to learn about his latest food jag: quesadillas. Here's a recipe Simon asks for when he's having a quesadilla craving:

BBQ Beef Quesadillas

Makes 4 Servings

6 to 8 ounces leftover steak (or chicken or shrimp), diced into small pieces

1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper, roasted or grilled and finely diced

2/3 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed

1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons all-natural barbecue sauce

Four 10-inch flour tortillas

2 teaspoons canola oil

Combine the steak, bell pepper, corn kernels, cheese, and barbecue sauce in a bowl. Divide the mixture evenly and spread over half of each tortilla. Fold over, press down gently, and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add two of the quesadillas and cook, pressing down occasionally with a spatula, until the tortillas become crisp and golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the tortillas and cook an additional 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining oil and quesadillas. Cut into quarters and serve (Liz's family had them with vegetarian baked beans last night, and it was a great side dish).

Yummy Green Beans

We heard this afternoon from Charity, who posted and shared a recipe that she makes with the green beans she gets from her CSA. Well, it just so happens that Janice's parents were coming for dinner and were bringing green beans from their friend Mo's garden. Since the recipe looked so yummy Janice made it tonight. The adults all loved it and the kids, while a bit less enthusiastic (there is a lot going on in this dish), also gave the recipe a 'thumbs up.' So you don't have to search our blog for it, here is what Charity sent along. There are no ingredient amounts so just wing it. Janice cooked hers in a nonstick skillet and used extra virgin olive oil and lots of almonds, and garlic from her CSA. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Here's my "recipe" for green beans:
1. Cut green beans into 1-2 inch lengths. Add a bit of water and cook in microwave for about 5 minutes.
2. In a small sauce pan, saute plenty of garlic in a little canola or olive oil. After the garlic is tender, add slivered almonds. Stir constantly until almonds are toasted.
3. Add cooked green beans and just a bit of chopped dried apricots. Mix well.
4. Serve sprinkled with feta cheese.

Blogs-O-Plenty

A few weeks ago, Janice spent several days in San Francisco at the annual BlogHer conference. She was one of over a thousand women bloggers who gathered to gab and learn about … well, blogging! In your wildest dreams, you wouldn't believe the number of bloggers floating around out there in cyberspace including moms who blog about their kid’s day-to-day activities, food bloggers who share their favorite baby food recipes, and women who blog about political and social issues. Here are just a few of the cool blogs Janice discovered at the conference.

www.deliciousbaby.com/
www.foodblogsearch.com/
www.kalynskitchen.com/
www.kitchengadgetgirl.com/
www.motherswithcancer.com/
www.momcentral.com/

Janice went to BlogHer with McCain Foods. They were there to share the news about their new line of healthy potato products, sold in school cafeterias nationwide. Their Sweet Potato Fries as well as their Smiles have zero grams of trans fats (that's the artery clogging kind) and meet the guidelines of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, aimed at fighting childhood obesity. Janice is a big fan of McCain's sweet potato fries since each serving provides a whopping 100% of the daily requirement for immune-boosting vitamin A. How sweet is that! Ah, if only every school in America would serve them.

What are some of your favorite blogs? Do tell!!

Tiny Treats

Janice's 16-year old daughter, Carolyn, recently spent a week at a camp in Ferry Beach, Maine. When Janice, Don and Leah went to pick her up, they all got to enjoy one of Carolyn's favorite treats from the camp store, a "Teeny Tiny" ice cream cone. Talk about a great way to exercise portion control! In an age of super-sized portions (even so-called "kiddie cones" are now gigantic) the Bissex family appreciated the bite-sized serving.

If your kids are screaming for ice cream, be sure to listen to our Cooking with the Moms podcast from August 6th. The theme is Frozen Treats, and during the show, we share three homemade popsicle recipes and a Super Sundae with Strawberries.  Try our sundae recipe and let us know what you think!

Super Sundae with Strawberries
Makes 1 Serving

One small scoop lowfat vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream (about 1/3 cup)
Two strawberries, thinly sliced
Drizzle chocolate syrup
Drizzle caramel syrup
2 teaspoon toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
Small dollop light whipped cream

Spoon the ice cream into a bowl or parfait glass. Place the strawberries around the ice cream, drizzle with the chocolate syrup and caramel syrup, and sprinkle with the nuts. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 140 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated), 45mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 3g protein, 35% vitamin C, 8% calcium

A Crazy, Almost-Food Adventure

On a recent family vacation to Maine, Liz’s 13-year old son Josh decided to test his fishing skills one evening with a hook, some line, and a hot dog. What he caught was this giant lobster (estimated by Josh to be about 7 pounds). Well, since Josh has a conscience (a 7-pound lobster is over 30 years old) and knows better than to eat something he doesn’t have a license to catch, he gladly tossed the giant crustacean right back where he/she came from.
From catching fish to growing and harvesting your own produce, tell us about some of your exciting food adventures this summer! As always, we love to hear from you.

Our First "Live" Podcast Guest

"Cousin Andrea," perhaps one of our biggest fans out there, was the first "live" guest on Cooking with the Moms this week (www.MealMakeoverMoms.com). Ever since our weekly radio podcast launched back in May, 12-year old Andrea (Liz's niece) has been a devoted listener. In fact, every Wednesday when we post a new show to iTunes and our website, Andrea rushes home from school (or camp), runs straight to her computer, and listens to the show.

This summer, Andrea spent two weeks at Camp Medolark (www.Medolark.com) near Camden, Maine. On her way back to Connecticut, she stopped by the Moms' "studio" and sat in on our Frozen Treats show. You'll love hearing her talk about her adventures at camp (she got to take cooking classes!) and her thoughts on our Trio of Pops.

We hope you'll listen in each week just like Andrea does! In the meantime, here's a recipe for Watermelon Pomegranate Pops to whet your appetite for our August 6th podcast

Watermelon Pomegranate Pops
Makes 4 Servings

1 1/2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
1/2 cup Pomegranate blueberry juice

Combine the watermelon and juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into four 3-ounce popsicle molds and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. To remove the pops from the molds, run under warm water to loosen. If you don’t have popsicle molds, divide t he liquid between four paper cups. Cover each cup with foil, insert one craft stick through the center of each foil, and freeze.

* We like Minute Made Enhanced Pomegranate Blueberry Juice

Nutrition Information per Serving: 30 calories, 0g fat (0g saturated), 0mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 0g protein, 15% vitamin C

Join a CSA

For the past few years, Janice has been a member of the Farm Direct Coop CSA (community supported agriculture). We talked about CSAs this week on our podcast, Cooking with the Moms, and promised to provide information about joining one. But before we do that, for those of you who are not familiar with CSAs, they help to forge a relationship between consumers and local farms. When a consumer becomes a"member" or "shareholder" of a CSA, they pay an annual membership fee and in turn, receive a weekly basket of produce -- whatever happens to be in season. There are many websites out there devoted to CSAs. A good place to start is http://www.localharvest.com/. If you're a member of a CSA, tell us what you got this week and feel free to share any new or tried-and-true recipes.

Bon Appétit, Y’all

The next time you’re sitting in your doctor’s office, waiting for an appointment, don’t be surprised if you see Liz! For the past year, Liz has hosted the “Meal Makeover” TV segment for EverWell, a health and wellness video series now running in physician office waiting rooms nationwide. Last week while shooting a few of the segments in Atlanta – including our recipe for Caesar Salad with Feta and Dill which we talked about in this week’s Cooking with the Moms radio podcast -- Liz had the privilege of working with food stylist, Virginia Willis, author of Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking. Since Virginia spent the day making Liz’s food look great for the cameras, we thought we’d return the favor by sharing one of her delicious recipes with y'all.

Corn Spoon Bread
Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
2 cups whole milk
1 cup very fine yellow cornmeal
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Scraped kernels from 2 ears fresh sweet corn (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 large eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Butter an ovenproof casserole or round 2-quart soufflé mold. To prepare the batter, in a medium saucepan, combine the milk and cornmeal over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking rapidly and constantly, until very, very thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the corn kernels, chives, and the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, stirring after each addition. To beat the egg whites, in a separate bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the warm cornmeal mixture. Transfer the lightened cornmeal mixture to the prepared pan; smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake until puffed and risen and the inside is firm, but moist, and the top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately while puffed and risen.

Reprinted with permission from Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking by Virginia Willis, copyright © 2008. Published by Ten Speed Press.
Photo credit: Ellen Silverman © 2008 http://www.tenspeed.com/

Chocolate + Zucchini = Delicious

When we hear the word, zucchini, we think "healthy," and when we hear the word, chocolate, we think "decadent." Lucky for us two of our favorite ingredients form the perfect partnership in cookies, cakes, cupcakes and quick breads. And apparently we're not the only ones who appreciate the culinary combination between the two; google zucchini + chocolate and you'll get nearly half a million results! If zucchini is growing in your garden or you happen to pick it up at the market, try our kid-friendly + nutritious recipe for Zucchini Squiggle Squares.

Zucchini Squiggle Squares

Makes 18 Squares

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup 1% lowfat milk

1 packed cup peeled (if desired) and shredded zucchini (from a 7 to 8-ounce zucchini)

1 ripe large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (or a bit more, if you love chocolate!)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour , flaxseed, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, canola oil, and milk until well blended. Stir in the zucchini and banana. Add the zucchini mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened. Mix in the chocolate chips.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan, using a rubber spatula to spread evenly. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 170 calories, 9g fat (1g saturated, 0.9g omega-3), 120mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 4g protein, 10% vitamin C

If you have a favorite zucchini + chocolate recipe you'd like to share, please post it to our blog.

Sweet Potatoes in a Flash

Our love for sweet potatoes is no secret, and we make the Sweet Potato Fries recipe in The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers frequently. There are days, however, when the thought of peeling, slicing, and baking those sweet potatoes is just too much, even for the Meal Makeover Moms. Our appetite for convenience recently led us to the supermarket where we cruised down the frozen food aisle in search of the best frozen sweet potato fries.

After a thorough review, we found a terrific and tasty product made with healthy oils, no trans fats, and less sodium than you typically find in a frozen potato product. If you have an opportunity to try McCain Sweet Potato Crinkle Cut Fries -- our "best of the bunch" winner -- be sure to let us know what you think! And while you're at it, to learn more about the nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes and clever ways to get kids to eat them (or other veggies for that matter), listen to the May 28, 2008 "Vegetables Kids Love" edition of Cooking with the Moms, our weekly radio podcast.

Attention all Tofu Lovers

A few weeks back, Liz ran into Kathlene, a mother of two, who asked for advice on giving her recipe for tofu spinach pie a flavorful and kid-friendly makeover. After taking a look, Liz quickly concluded that the recipe was a bit on the bland side and had more spinach than most young kids would be willing to eat. Let’s face it, sometimes recipes can go overboard on the healthy stuff, and while we love veggies, we recognize that too much of a good thing can be overwhelming. Anyway, after some makeover magic, here’s what we came up with.

Vegetable Garden Tofu Pie
Makes 6 Servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 5 or 6-ounce bag baby spinach
1 small carrot, peeled and grated (about ½ cup)
1 pound tofu, drained, cut into six slices, and patted dry with paper towels (any kind of tofu -- firm, silken or soft -- is fine)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup preshredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the spinach and carrot, and cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach wilts and the carrot is tender, about 5 minutes. Place on a cutting board and coarsely chop.
3. Meanwhile, blend the tofu, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a food processor until creamy. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the Cheddar cheese and the cooked veggies.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate and cook until golden brown, about 35 minutes.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 170 calories, 10g fat (4g saturated, 0.1g omega-3), 500mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 16g protein, 50% vitamin A, 25% calcium, 15% iron

This weekend, Liz’s son, Simon, and his friend, Aram tried the pie and unanimously agreed it was “awesome.” Though we haven’t even sent the new-and-improved recipe to Kathlene and her family yet, we’ll be sure to report back once we get their reaction.

Snack Food Makeover

Over the past few weeks, we’ve crunched and munched our way through a bunch of new snack food products. The first was the new lineup of 100% natural nibbles from TrueNorth, made by Frito-Lay. TrueNorth snacks start with nutritious nuts including almonds, peanuts, pistachios, pecans or walnuts which are then used to create four varieties – nut clusters, nut crisps, nut crunchies, and whole nuts. We and our kids liked everything we tried, especially the Pecan-Almond-Peanut Clusters (Carolyn's favorite), the Pistachio Crisps and the Toasted Sesame Peanut Crunchies (Simon's favorite). It’s worth noting that all contain 5 grams of protein per serving and mostly heart-healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats.

Another snack line (also from Frito-Lay) that pleasantly surprised us was Pinch of Salt, a low-sodium version of Lay’s potato chips, Tostitos, Ruffles and Fritos. Instead of the usual 180 milligrams of sodium, each has 75 milligrams per serving. To us, they still satisfied our salt craving … but with a lot less sodium. Today, when Liz packed Simon's camp lunch, she gave him a handful of Fritos in a zip-top bag to eat with his sandwich. Janice, who is obsessed with guacamole, served it along with the Pinch of Salt Tostitos at her Fourth of July cookout.

Let us know if you or your kids have recently discovered any better-for-you snack products.

An Extraordinary Kid’s Menu

This past weekend, Liz, Tim, and 9-year-old Simon traveled to Kennebunkport, Maine for a quick getaway. On Saturday, after a morning of bike riding (yes, they rode by George & Barbara Bush’s gargantuan seaside estate) and an afternoon of window shopping, they ate a truly memorable meal at Bandaloop, a restaurant featuring organic and local foods – everything from free-range chickens to field greens. One of the coolest things about Bandaloop was their kid’s menu (which Simon, an adventurous eater, promised to order from after his previous night’s uber-expensive meal of lobster).

Unlike most kid menus devoid of vegetables and loaded with chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and mac & cheese, Bandaloop’s menu was outstanding. Chef W. Scott Lee (who, by the way, has two kids of his own), created a kid’s menu brimming with great nutrition: Homemade-to-order Macaroni and Cheese, a Snack Plate of assorted cheeses, vegetables, fruits, and dip (add tofu or chicken for an extra dollar), Grilled Chicken Plate with broccoli and mashed potatoes, and the Fish of the Day (haddock or salmon) with veggies and rice. Kudos to Chef Lee for essentially serving smaller portions of adult foods (AKA real foods) to kids!

Let us know if you have seen any innovative kid’s menus in your travels.

Salmon: Second Time Around

What do you do with one leftover grilled salmon steak? Who in the family gets to eat it the next day? This was the dinnertime dilemma Liz and her family faced last night. Well, to be fair, Liz took the leftover salmon, flaked it up and then used it in a simple pasta dish. This quick, toss-together dinner was a huge hit with everyone at the table (Josh missed out because he's at sleep-away camp for a month). Though we haven't tried this yet with a pouch or can of boneless, skinless pink salmon, we suspect it would work just fine.

Bowtie Pasta with Salmon & Peas
Makes 4 Servings

8 ounces dried bowtie pasta
1 cooked salmon steak (6 to 8 ounces), flaked
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk
1/2 cup all-natural chicken broth
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the saucepan.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the canola oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk the milk and broth slowly into the flour mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer and stir gently until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Toss the salmon and peas in with the pasta. Pour the cheese sauce on top, heat through, and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 410 calories, 11g total fat (3g saturated, 1.0g omega-3), 250mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 27g protein, 20% vitamin A, 15% calcium, 10% iron

Liz, being the best co-author in the world, was kind enough to save Josh's portion for Janice, Don and the kids to try. Check back later to see what the Bissex gang thought of the recipe.

A Better Burger

If you haven't had a chance to listen to our new Cooking with the Moms radio podcast, we hope you'll tune in here. This week's show features recipes and tips for grilling up a better burger. We hope our recipes for Cheesy Black Bean Burgers and Lean Mean Cheeseburger make their way to your next backyard cookout. We know you'll enjoy every bite as much as we have ... especially Liz's boys, Simon and Josh.

Lean Mean Cheeseburger
Makes 4 Servings

2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
1 pound ground beef (93% lean or 95% lean)
1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning blend (such as Montreal steak seasoning)
4 seeded or whole wheat hamburger buns, split
4 slices lowfat cheese, such as Cheddar or American
Lettuce leaves, optional
Tomato slices, optional

1. Place the oats in a food-safe plastic bag. Seal bag securely, squeezing out excess air. Roll over bag with rolling pin to crush oats to a fine consistency.

2. Combine the ground beef, oats, and steak seasoning blend in a large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four 1/2-inch patties.

3. Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 11 to 13 minutes to medium (160°F) doneness, until no longer pink in center and juices show no pink color, turning occasionally.

4. Line the bottom of each bun with lettuce and tomato, as desired. Top with the burger and cheese slice. Close sandwiches.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 318 calories, 10g fat (4g saturated, 3g monounsaturated), 519 mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate, 3.5g fiber, 33g protein, 15% iron

Eggs for Every Occasion

When we asked for your favorite recipe using eggs for our recent giveaway (for a one-year supply of Eggland's Best Eggs, an Emerilware Cast-Iron Skillet, and an All-Clad Reversible Griddle) we received an interesting assortment of dishes -- from Cauliflower Custard to Breakfast Casserole to the winning recipe for Scrambled Omelet Breakfast Burritos shown below. We chose this recipe for its simplicity and the fact that Michele M. from Albion, IL used bell peppers in the dish (we took some creative license by leaving out the green bell pepper and using only red bell pepper but you use half of each if your kids like green peppers). We hope you enjoy this delicious breakfast burrito as much as we did.

Scrambled Omelet Breakfast Burritos
Makes 4 Servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
6 large Eggland's Best eggs
2 tablespoons milk
Sea salt to taste

3/4 cup diced natural smoked deli turkey
4 large flour tortillas, warmed
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Picante sauce or salsa

Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook and stir until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk together the eggs, milk, sea salt, and turkey. Add to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are cooked through. Mix together the cheeses. Fill warm tortillas with egg mixture. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup cheese. Top with picante sauce, if desired. Roll up burrito-style.

*

Nutrition Information per serving: 400 calories, 20g fat (6g saturated), 780mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 25g protein, 30% vitamin A, 60% vitamin C, 30% calcium, 20% iron

An Encounter with Crisco!

Last week while Liz was tirelessly organizing recipes for our upcoming website redesign, Janice was in Chicago at a Food & Culinary Professionals executive committee meeting (the FCP group is part of the American Dietetic Association and attracts "foodie" dietitians like us). On Saturday, as part of a team-building exercise, the group stopped by The Wilton School of Cake Decorating to learn the art of making molded chocolate candies. Isn't it nice to know that dietitians can let their hair down once in a while for candy-making fun?

For Janice, the most hilarious and surprising part of the lesson was the moment her instructor told everyone to rub their hands in Crisco (turns out it's easier to work with fondant when your hands are greased up with shortening). Thankfully, it was the new trans-fat-free variety! Coming home with a box of homemade chocolate candies and a giant chocolate lollypop for Leah was a huge treat for her entire family!

Happy & Hydrated

Here’s a stat which may convince you to change your drinking habits: Eight out of 10 plastic water bottles used in the U.S. become garbage or end up in a landfill. One simple way to quench your thirst without all that waste is to switch to a reusable plastic bottle and to drink your water that way.

Recently, however, a growing number of consumers have shied away from the hard plastic bottles (namely #7 bottles) due to concerns over a chemical called Bisphenol-A (BPA). Rather than debate the safety record of BPA, suffice it to say that consumer demand has driven companies like Nalgene to create new #7 bottles made without this compound. The result is Nalgene’s new Everyday line of water bottles. They come in a rainbow of fun colors as well as numerous shapes and sizes. Now, adjacent to the #7 stamped on the bottom of each bottle, you’ll see the words, “other” or “BPA free” … noting that the plastic has been made without Bisphenol-A.

With summer just around the corner, we’re confident our kids will stay healthy and hydrated and our landfills less cluttered with our snazzy new water bottles (the photos show Janice’s daughters, Leah and Carolyn enjoying their new bottles). For more information check out
http://www.nalgenechoice.com/.

Our Egg-cellent Giveaway

Just a reminder that it's not too late to enter our latest giveaway for a one-year supply of Eggland's Best eggs, an Emerilware Cast-Iron Skillet, and an All-Clad Reversible Griddle. Simply send us an email at Moms@MealMakeoverMoms.com and share your favorite recipe(s) featuring eggs. We’ll pick the winning recipe based on creativity, kid appeal, and of course, flavor! We'll announce our winner in our June Meal Makeover Moms’ Newsletter.

One of our entries inspired us to go to the kitchen and cook up a couple of "Eggs in a Basket" for our mid-morning snack. Meal Makeover Moms' Club member Diane had shared this recipe on her own blog and passed it along to us. They were really quite delicious! Keep those recipes coming and you could be our next winner. Happy Cooking!

The Biggest Bean Ever

Last week, Liz traveled to Chicago for a nutrition conference on the benefits of beans (yes, we know, as dietitians we get all the perks). Before heading back to the airport, she took a walk over to Millenium Park where she was greeted by what looked like the world's largest bean! Turns out the 110-ton sculpture is not a bean at all but rather an abstract structure called Cloud Gate designed to reflect the city's famous skyline and the clouds above.


Beans were clearly the theme of Liz's trip to Chicago. Here are a few things she learned:

* Beans wear two hats: They're rich in protein -- like beef, chicken, and eggs -- so are listed on the government's MyPyramid in the meat & beans category. They're also categorized as a vegetable. In fact, beans have more protein and fiber than any other vegetable out there!

* Black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, canellini beans and the hundreds of other bean varieties are incredibly versatile and are found in almost every cuisine from around the world.

* If you visit VegetableWithMore.com, you'll find over 1,000 bean recipes as well as info on the Moms And Kids Panel where families can test and rate bean recipes.

Speaking of vegetables, be sure to tune in to our Cooking with the Moms podcast this week as we chat about vegetable recipes kids love. And while you're at it, check out the May/June issue of Kiwi magazine and read our Veggie Love article!

Fruity Chicken Kebabs

Maureen M., a supermom of four boys from Massachusetts sent us an email with these adorable photos. As you can see, her kids were thrilled when she let them create their own fruit and chicken kebabs for lunch. The photos inspired us to feature our Fruit & Chicken Kebab recipe in this week's Cooking with the Moms radio podcast. Tune in and listen as we share recipes and ideas for lunch box makeovers.

Here's what Maureen had to say:

"Thank you Meal Makeover Moms! I tried the kabob idea that I saw on your website and it was a HUGE hit! My little men so enjoyed creating their "stick lunches" and gobbled them all up! I took pictures to share with you. You are Brilliant!"

We'd like to thank Maureen for getting in touch and sending photos. We hope more of you will do the same! To watch a video demo of this recipe click here.

Bags, Wrinkles, and Roots

Before The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers was released, we were photographed for the back of the book and our website. Almost five years later, in desperate need of updated photos, we hired photographer extraordinaire David Shopper. Our directive to David was to photograph us in the kitchen doing what we do best: slicing, dicing, and cooking up a storm.

Though we have not yet seen the final photographs, our hope is that he’s able to touch us up a bit to lessen the bags under Janice’s eyes, our wrinkles, and Liz’s grey roots. Having make-up artist Jeri La Shay on the “set” came in handy too.

You’ll be able to see the final photos when we unveil our new website in the next month or so. As you can see from the amateur photos we took with David, Jeri, and Janice’s daughters, by the end of the day we were all a little bit loopy.

Our New Podcast

Well, we finally did it! After months of planning and preparation, we launched our new podcast this week, Cooking with the Moms. This 20-minute podcast/radio show is packed with fast and healthy recipe ideas and helpful mealtime tips designed to help you and your family eat a more nutritious diet.

We have discovered that there is quite a learning curve when starting a podcast. The biggest challenge was figuring out the technology end of the podcasting and iTunes world. In fact, we are still trying to understand some of the finer points! However, we are forging ahead and hope you will listen to our podcast and let us know what you think.

You can either listen to Cooking with the Moms by clicking the "listen here" button on our site, or you can download it to your mp3 player and tune in while you are walking, commuting, or working out. Either way, we hope you’ll join us (or download us) each week as we share our kitchen creations and cooking insights with you.

Get Your Kids to Eat Right (Part 3)

We thought we had heard it all when it comes to ideas for getting kids to try new foods. Not so! Meal Makeover Moms' Club member Amy D. of Houston Texas, faced with the challenge of feeding two extremely finicky boys, went to the extreme with one of the most clever, out-of-the-box strategies we've ever heard!

Here's what happens when Amy introduces a new food to her kids:

"If my boys eat it all, they can squeal like a pig and eat their food like a pig, a la 'Christmas Story.' You'd be surprised what becomes more palatable when you can really be a pig. And, yes, there is a mess and they only get the piggy opportunity on NEW foods. Besides, after a 'pig session' we always get a few 'squeals' when the same dish comes back around!"

Amy, you're a Meal Makeover Mom, that's for sure! We want to hear more fun and clever ideas. Simply click on the comments button and share your tips.

Beans are a Vegetable: Who Knew?

Many people are surprised to learn that beans are actually a vegetable. Whether it's black, pinto, cannellini, or garbanzo beans, they're a good source of fiber, protein, iron, potassium and folate. Beans are versatile and can be added to soups, salads, pasta dishes, salsas, dips ... even desserts! Here's a recipe featuring beans that we created just this week.

Farfalle Salad with Chick Peas & Broccoli
Makes 5 to 6 Servings

8 ounces dried farfalle pasta
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
One 7 3/4-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Two to three minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli. Bring back to a boil and cook until the pasta is done. Drain and place in a large bowl.

2. While the pasta is still warm, add the tomatoes, chickpeas, feta cheese, salad dressing, and basil and stir to combine. Serve warm or refrigerate for a cold salad. Garnish with basil leaves as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 280 calories, 5g fat (2.5g saturated, 0.3g omega-3), 350g sodium, 42g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 11g protein, 20% vitamin A, 45% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 10% iron

* Click here for printer-friendly version

Share your favorite bean recipe by posting it to our blog.

Get Your Kids to Eat Right (Part 2)

Encouraging children to eat vegetables without complaint can be a tall order, but according to Diane P., fellow dietitian and mother of three from Johnston, RI, getting veggies on the table and into kids' tummies may be easier than you think! Here's her secret:

"When my children were 3, 5 and 7 years old I began to serve vegetables in a fancy side dish to only my husband and myself. One time they asked if they too could have some of the beautiful (expensive) asparagus. My husband and I looked at each other acted as though we were giving away a treasure and carefully portioned out a few delicate spears. My children now 19, 21 and 23 still love asparagus."

What kid can turn down a treasure!? By using this simple strategy, Diane and her husband made vegetables impossible to resist. Let us know how you get your family to eat and enjoy vegetables.

Get Your Kids to Eat Right (Part 1)

This is our first entry in a series of posts featuring creative ways to get your kids to eat a healthier diet. These suggestions are not our original ideas, but were sent to us by our Meal Makeover Moms' Club members! A few weeks ago, we sent our club members an email asking for tips, suggestions and strategies and the response was overwhelming. Over the next few weeks, we'll share your ideas right here on our blog, so be sure to visit often! Here's what Deb S. from Springfield, Ohio had to say:

"My kids must pack their own lunch every day. They started in first grade. They come home from school, pick a snack (usually pretzels, popcorn, toast, apple, etc) then start homework. As soon as homework is done they put their lunch together and stick it in the frig. They must include at least 1 fruit and 1 vegetable, a serving of whole grain (usually whole wheat bread, Triscuits, or dry cereal like raisin bran) and a serving of protein (usually lunch meat or peanut butter). A small water bottle goes in each lunch. They may also pick one small "snack" (pudding, jello, etc).

By making them pack their own lunch, they are learning how to look for and create a well balanced meal. I randomly check their lunches just to make sure they are sticking to the plan and I will sneak a special note in the lunch telling them what a great job they did packing that day. They are now very good at looking for a variety of food choices to satisfy each requirement. At the store, they check labels to see if the first ingredient is whole wheat or to look for the amount of fiber & protein in a dry cereal. I no longer have to make them eat vegetables or whole grains...they LOOK FOR IT. My older two kids are now in 3rd grade and 5th grade and it is just the way they eat. Of course, they get a McDonalds trip with their aunt and cousins every so often and they love candy, but I really feel like they limit it, not because I am standing over their shoulders, but because they have learned to make good choices on their own, and it all started from packing their own lunches!"

Thanks Deb. We love your tip and plan to try it with our kids (grades 2, 3, 7, 10). Stay tuned for more clever ideas coming soon ....

A Sneak Preview

When our website, MealMakeoverMoms.com, launched back in 2003, it was one of the coolest food websites out there (in our humble opinions). But now, even we must admit that it's in dire need of an extreme makeover! For our new site design, we've teamed up with Atlanta-based artist Laura Coyle, the same artist who illustrated our cookbook. Though we can't show you the new website just yet, we decided to give you a sneak preview of our new Meal Makeover Moms logo.

We'd love to know what you think of it. And while you're at it, feel free to share your thoughts on a few other aspects of our soon-to-be launched website. Here's what we'd like to know:

1. What kinds of recipes do you hope to see on our new website? Whether it's lunch box ideas, slow cooker, desserts or snacks, let us know.

2. On May 7th, we will be launching our weekly radio podcast, Cooking with the Moms. During each show, we'll tackle a different mealtime challenge -- fast weeknight dinners, healthy snacks for kids, brunch ideas -- and share two new recipes with our listeners. What are your mealtime challenges? What would you like to hear us talk about?

3. We're all about healthy recipe makeovers, so if you have a favorite family recipe you'd like us to tweak, send it our way.We look forward to reading your comments.

Cooking Videos While You Wait

Last week while Janice endured the bitter cold springtime weather here in Boston, Liz got on a plane and hightailed it down to Atlanta where the sun was shining and the flowers blooming. Though her trip was not for pleasure, it was a nice escape from the icy grip of New England, albeit for just one day. The reason for Liz's sojourn to the south: a video shoot for EverWell, a TV show that now airs in doctor's office waiting rooms nationwide. Liz is the show's cooking guru, showing viewers how to whip up fast and healthy meals, snacks and desserts. For the shoot, she demonstrated four recipes: Garden Turkey Meatballs (see recipe below), Grab-and-Go Breakfast Bars, Apple Butterscotch Cake, and Shrimp & Mango Rice Salad.

To watch some of her other EverWell cooking segments -- Teriyaki Salmon in Foil, Tuscan Minestrone Soup, Confetti Chicken Wraps, and Apple Blueberry Walnut Crisp -- simply click here.

Garden Turkey Meatballs
Makes about 24 meatballs (6 Servings)

This simple weeknight dish is packed with great taste and great nutrition. Serve over spaghetti (we like Barilla Plus whole wheat blend pasta) and dinner is served!

1 pound ground turkey breast
2 to 3 medium carrots (6 ounces), peeled and finely grated (about 2/3 cup)
1 large omega-3 egg
1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
One 26-ounce jar pasta sauce

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine the turkey, carrots, egg, oats, Parmesan cheese, flaxseed, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix until ingredients are just combined. Shape the meat mixture into twenty four 1 ½-inch balls. Place them on the baking sheet and cook until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the pasta sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cover and bring to a simmer. When the turkey meatballs come out of the oven, add them to the sauce, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information per Serving:
230 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated; 0.5g omega-3), 730mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 22g protein, 60% vitamin A, 10% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 15% iron

Helping Kids Eat Better

It's no surprise kids love fruit, but last week, when we spoke to a few hundred 7th graders and their parents from Acton, MA, we discovered that a staggering number don't come anywhere close to the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. The teens we talked to are no different from other kids across the country -- they're on the go, busy with homework and sports, and more likely to grab a bagel or a brownie than an apple.

To show them how easy it can be to incorporate fruit into their diets, we held a smoothie blend-off at our workshop. Two kid "chefs," each with an assistant, were given various ingredients to choose from including 100% orange, apple, mango, and strawberry/kiwi juices, frozen strawberries, blueberries, and mango, lowfat vanilla and strawberry yogurt and ripe bananas. They then all created their own signature smoothie which was judged by three of their peers. All the smoothies were delicious, proving you don't need to be a Food Network celebrity chef to whip up your own healthy recipes. Click here to watch a video of Janice and her daughter Leah making our Moms' Mango Smoothie. If you have a favorite smoothie recipe you'd like to share, please post it to our blog by clicking on the comments button below.

Juiced Over Jigglers

We recently received a blog post asking us if we had any makeover ideas for Jell-O Jigglers. We've had a lot of fun in the kitchen the past couple of weeks and wanted to share what we came up with. In case you don't know, traditional Jell-O Jigglers, according to the directions on the back of the box, are made with four packages of fruit-flavored Jell-O and water or apple juice. When you crunch the numbers, it turns out that each small, hand-held Jiggler square has 3 teaspoons of added sugar plus a laundry list of artificial colors. To make this recipe healthier and all natural, we used plain gelatine, real, 100% fruit juice, frozen fruit and just 1 tablespoon of sugar for the entire recipe (our squares have just 1/8 teaspoon of added sugar).

We made two versions: one with frozen mango and mango juice and the other with strawberry kiwi juice and frozen strawberries. Here's what our kids had to say about the recipe:

Leah: "Absolutely, super fab-u-lo-so. They're just too good."

Simon: "These are addicting. Can I have them for a snack in my lunch box tomorrow?"

If your kids love Jigglers you'll love this easy makeover. With real fruit in every squishy, squiggly, bite this is one recipe where you'll want your kids to ask for more!

Juicy Strawberry Jigglers

Makes 24 Jiggler Squares

1 1/2 cups strawberry kiwi juice, divided

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 envelopes unflavored gelatine

1 tablespoon sugar

In a blender, blend together 1 cup of juice and the frozen fruit until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to break up any frothy bubbles. Meanwhile, place the remaining 1/2 cup juice in a large bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine over the juice and let stand 1 minute. Add the hot juice and stir until the gelatine completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar. Pour the mixture into an 8 X 8-inch pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. To serve, cut into squares (use an off-set spatula).

Nutrition Information per Serving:
10 calories, 0g fat, 0mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate, 2g sugar, 1g protein, 10% vitamin C

Juicy Mango Jigglers

Makes 24 Jiggler Squares

1 1/2 cups tropical mango juice blend, divided

1 cup frozen mango

2 envelopes unflavored gelatine

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

In a blender, blend together 1 cup of juice and the frozen fruit until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to break up any frothy bubbles. Meanwhile, place the remaining 1/2 cup juice in a large bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine over the juice and let stand 1 minute. Add the hot juice and stir until the gelatine completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar. Pour the mixture into an 8 X 8-inch pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. To serve, cut into squares (use an off-set spatula).

Nutrition Information per Serving:
15 calories, 0g fat, 0mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate, 3g sugar, 1g protein, 10% vitamin C

It's the Little Things in Life!

Now that our blog has been up and running for a year -- our anniversary was March 16th -- we decided it was high time we let you in on our number-one food obsession: avocados!

We love avocados so much that we split one whenever we're working together. We're happy when our avocados are pefectly ripe and have been driven almost to tears if we get a brown or mushy one. For those of you who "shun" avocados because they are high in fat, bear in mind that the type of fat is mostly the heart-healthy monounsaturated kind. As for our favorite way to eat this amazing fruit, sometimes we slice it and add it to a turkey sandwich on whole wheat ... or we simply dice it, add EVOO, kosher salt, a little lemon or lime juice and sometimes feta and sliced grape tomatoes. Today, that's exactly what we had ... along with steamed artichokes dipped in a mixture of EVOO, garlic, and butter.

It's amazing how the little things in life can bring so much joy. Of course, our families think we're nuts when we get excited over food but we just can't help ourselves. If you're a fellow foodie you'll know what we mean.Let us know what foods you're obsessed with.

Eating in Season

Janice returned last night from a 5-day trip to Orlando with her husband and two daughters. While there, they visited Disney World and Universal Studios ... ask her how her daughter Carolyn convinced her to take a death-defying ride on the Hulk rollercoaster! Let's just say it's not something she'll be doing again anytime soon...

After a few days of waiting in lines, going on rides, and eating theme park food, Janice took the advice of her dietitian pal, Carolyn O'Neil, and dragged the family to Seasons 52, a terrific restaurant featuring seasonally-inspired menu items, all with less than 475 calories. If you love fabulous food and want to eat a healthy diet, it's a great place to go. Janice couldn't resist a dish of carmelized sea scallops with roasted asparagus and pearl pasta (with a glass of Pinot Noir) along with tastes of her family's choices: appetizers of edamame with green tea salt and a garlic chicken flatbread, as well as chicken tortilla soup, striped bass over risotto balls, and grilled chicken tenders with roasted potatoes and carrots. As for dessert, they all sampled one of the restaurant's fun "mini indulgences" ... small 5-bite portions of classic desserts like tiramasu, key lime pie, and strawberry-mango cheesecake.

It's nice to know nutritious restaurant food can be so tempting! Let us know about some of your favorite healthy restaurants. We'd love to hear from you.

Pasta Envy

Last week, Liz stopped by her friend Didi's house for a quick visit. Didi (whose family owns the amazing Wilson Farms in Lexington, MA) was in the middle of making her family's favorite dinner: penne pasta with broccoli, chicken, and a creamy cheese sauce. Being the nosey neighbor that she is, Liz just "had to have the recipe."

Once Didi shared the recipe, we hit the kitchen and created our very own Meal Makeover Mom version (minus the cream of course). Our recipe is sure to be a huge hit with your kids because it features pasta (and who doesn’t love pasta), broccoli, and chicken pieces that look and taste like tenders. Given how much Josh, Simon, Carolyn and Leah (our clan) loved this dish, we're confident yours will love it too. If you're cooking for a crowd, you can easily double the recipe.

Cheesy Penne with Chicken & Broccoli

Makes 4 to 5 Servings

8 ounces dried penne pasta

4 to 5 cups medium-size broccoli florets

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch x 2-inch pieces

1/3 cup seasoned dried bread crumbs

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk

1/2 cup all-natural chicken broth

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cook the pasta according to package directions. About two minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli and continue to cook until the pasta and broccoli are done (about 2 more minutes). Drain and return to the saucepan. While the pasta is cooking, coat the chicken in the bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet and cook until golden and no longer pink in the middle, about 12 minutes. While the pasta is cooking and the chicken is in the oven, heat the canola oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk the milk and broth slowly into the flour mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer and stir gently until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken in a large serving bowl. Pour the cheese sauce on top and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving:

450 calories, 11g total fat (3.5g saturated, 0.4g omega-3), 400mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 34g protein, 30% vitamin A, 80% vitamin C, 20% calcium, 15% iron

Tip #1: Freeze any leftover chicken broth in ice cube trays or plastic zip-top bags.

Tip #2: Add even more nutrition by switching to a whole wheat blend pasta (we like Barilla Plus).

Food Network Challenge

Giant clams sculped out of watermelon, sailfish carved from daikon and palm trees made with oranges and grapefruit were just a few of the amazing food creations featured at a recent taping of the Food Network's hit show, Food Network Challenge. Liz was on vacation in Fort Lauderdale when the "Fantasy Fruit Sculpture" competition was taped, so she and her family got to sit in the audience as four chefs, James Parker, Lert Seeboonruang, Douglas St. Souver and Kacie Chatuparisoot created five-foot showpieces with a them of Tropical Treasures. The show's host, pastry chef Keegan Gerhard, was on the set along with more lights, cameras and action than you could ever imagine. The show is scheduled to air some time this summer, so you'll have to stay tuned to see the final outcome.

A Flavorful Lunch Box Idea

Packing a healthy school lunch your kids will actually want to eat can be a tall order, driving even the most dedicated moms (and dads) off the deep end! A few weeks ago, Liz's 7th grader, Josh, requested an Italian sub for lunch. His request came out of left field but Liz, being the dutiful mom that she is, stopped by the market for some all-natural luncheon meats ... and then got cooking. Her high-flavor creation was a hit ... not just with Josh but also with Carolyn, Janice's high school daughter.

A Sub to Love
Serves 1

One 6-inch whole wheat sub roll, halved
1 to 2 romaine lettuce leaves, trimmed and divided
2 thin slices deli salami
1 to 2 slices deli turkey
1 slice provolone cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian dressing
Freshly ground black pepper, optional

Layer one side of the roll evenly with half the lettuce, the salami, turkey, cheese, dressing, pepper as desired, and the remaining lettuce. Place the remaining roll half firmly on top. Slice in half, wrap in plastic wrap or place in a zip-top bag and pack in your child's lunch box.

Nutrition Information:
320 calories, 13g fat (5g saturated), 920mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 17g protein, 10% vitamin A, 20% calcium, 10% iron