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.

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).

Summer Camp Kebabs

Summer is in full swing and by now, some of you may have come to the realization that YOU'RE STILL PACKING LUNCHES for the kids! If PB&J is all you can muster up (let's face it, after a school year of stuffing lunch boxes, you may be a tad bit fried), try our Fruity Chicken Kebabs. With the season's freshest berries, grapes, and melon, these fun kebabs add flavor, fun and great nutrition to any camper's lunch box.Visit our new website, http://www.mealmakeovertv.com/ and be sure to watch our video of Fruity Chicken Kebabs to see how easy they are to make.

Dinner Dilemma: Chicken Nuggets Again?

This past week, Liz spent two warm, sunny days in New York City. On the flight home, she sat next to a fellow Bostonian and father of two who, once he discovered Liz was a dietitian and cookbook author, asked for ideas on how to expand his sons’ dinner favorites beyond hot dogs and chicken nuggets. To help our dad, and parents everywhere, we hope you’ll try one of our favorite dinnertime recipes for Confetti Chicken Wraps. The dish starts with chicken, because most kids love it. From there, we use orange bell peppers instead of green since they’re sweeter (and more nutritious!) as well as red beans (just open the can), one of nature’s most nutritious, antioxidant-rich foods.

Let us know what you and your kids think!

Confetti Chicken Wraps
Makes 6 to 8 Servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large orange bell pepper, finely diced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
One 15 1/2-ounce can red beans, drained and rinsed
One cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup preshredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup salsa (we like mild)
Six to eight 8-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, cumin, and chili powder and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, corn, cheese, and salsa and cook until the mixture is heated through and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, uncovered, and heat in the microwave until warmed through, 30 to 45 seconds. Assemble by placing the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Wrap burrito style and serve with sour cream as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 330 calories, 8g fat (1.5g saturated fat), 510mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate, 8g fiber, 24g protein, 20% vitamin A, 60% vitamin C, 15% calcium

Want to Know More about Food Safety in Your Home Kitchen? Watch Our Video Tip! Click here