Calling All Snackers

If you have a toddler, you probably spend a lot of time preparing and serving snacks. Toddlers have tiny tummies and need lots of mini meals to stay energized (and happy) throughout the day.

Right now, we are working on a magazine article featuring healthy snack ideas for little kids -- especially those between the ages of 2 to 4. Although we have plenty of yummy and nutritious suggestions -- fruit smoothies, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, apples dipped in peanut butter, whole grain cinnamon swirl toast -- we are on the lookout for even more ideas. What are your favorite go-to snacks? What do you pack when you're on the run and need a portable nibble for your toddler? What's your child's favorite after-school "treat?"

Share your snack suggestions by posting to our blog!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 12 Muffins (or 24 Mini Muffins)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ or ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup 1% lowfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Combine the bananas, eggs, sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and stir until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake about 20 minutes or until the muffins are light golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and cool an additional 5 minutes before serving. To make 24 mini muffins, bake about 14 minutes.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 220 calories,10g fat (2g saturated), 140mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 4g protein

The Whole Grain Quiz!

What's the difference between whole grain and fiber?
A. Whole grain and fiber are the same
B. Whole grain is a type of fiber
C. Fiber is just one part of the whole grain
D. Difference? There is no difference

If you answered C, fiber is just one part of the whole grain, you’re right. But most people get this question wrong. In fact, a recent survey found that 64% of consumers don’t know the difference between whole grain and fiber. Although many whole grains provide fiber, whole grains contain a host of other important nutrients including several B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate) and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and selenium. Experts recommend eating three or more whole grain servings per day for a healthy digestive system, to help with weight management, and to lower the risk of heart disease.

To learn more about whole grains, watch our video clip on Whole Grains at http://www.mealmakeovertv.com/.
You can also check out the USDA MyPyramid website at http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains_why.html

The Incredible Edible Egg

This week, the American Egg Board launched a new advertising campaign touting the health benefits of eggs. "Healthy!" you say? "Aren't eggs bad for my family, and shouldn't I be tossing all those yolks in the trash?" NO!!! We're huge fans of eggs (especially omega-3 eggs) and hope the following egg facts will change your opinion about this incredibly nutritious food:

• The yolk gets its color from the yellow-orange plant pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin have been shown to reduce the risks of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in those 65 and older.


• Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D, essential for healthy bones.


• One egg has 13 essential nutrients in varying amounts – including high-quality protein, choline, folate, iron, zinc, and vitamins A, D and E ... all for just 75 calories.


• When shopping for eggs, look for Omega-3 eggs. They come from chickens fed a special dietof algae, fish oil, or flaxseed. Omega-3 eggs may cost a few pennies more, but we think it’s well worth it for the heart-health benefits.

For more information on eggs, visit http://www.incredibleegg.org/. Also, be sure to check out our Pantry Tip/Omega-3 Foods video clip at http://www.mealmakeovertv.com/

No Burping at the Table

As a mom of two rambunctious boys -- 12-year old Josh and 8-year old Simon -- Liz knows how frustrating it can feel when kids burp, whine, diss the meal and get up and down during dinner. That's why she put the kibosh on bad manners and roudy mealtime behavior when her kids were young. With realistic and enforcable food rules, family meals are now a pleasurable daily ritual. Visit Meal Makeover TV to watch our Food Rules video clip featuring simple strategies for implementing the following rules:

• Practice Good Manners at the Dinner Table
• Mom is the Executive Chef, Not the Short-Order Cook
• Drop Out of the Clean Plate Club
• Let Them Eat Cake ... Sometimes

It's Wild Blueberry Season

Maine is the largest producer of wild blueberries in the world and last week, Liz was there to experience the tiny sweet berries in all their glory. With her family, she traveled to a picturesque area called Sebasco Bay and enjoyed the local cuisine (lobsters, mussels, potatoes and blueberries, of course). If you're lucky enough to get a hold of some Maine wild blueberries, try our Blueberry Snack Muffins. You can also use frozen blueberries so don't worry if you can't find the fresh ones.

Blueberry Snack Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Topping:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon wheat germ
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large omega-3 eggs, beaten
One 6 to 8-ounce container lowfat blueberry yogurt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Prepare the topping by combining the sugar, wheat germ, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. To make the batter, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla and stir until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Gently stir in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle evenly with the topping. Bake about 20 minutes or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and cool an additional 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 190 calories, 6g fat (0.5g saturated), 31g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 150mg sodium, 4g protein

Smart Snacking

On average, children consume over 850 snacks per year. Wow. That's a lot of nibbles! For many kids, snack time has unfortunately become junk food time. To turn snacks into the healthy mini meals they were meant to be try our new Grab-and-Go Breakfast Bars (a makeover of store-bought granola bars). This is one of our best recipes yet! In fact, it took us ten tries in the Meal Makeover Moms' Test Kitchen before we got it just right. It's super nutritious thanks to ingredients like walnuts, dried fruits, and whole grain cereals, and kids love the taste. What could be better?!

Grab-and-Go Breakfast Bars
Makes 16 Bars

1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup shredded wheat cereal*
1 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups dried fruit (we use a combination of dried apricots, dried plums, and dried cranberries)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large omega-3 eggs
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place the oats, shredded wheat, walnuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped (the dried fruit will be the size of a dried pea or lentil).
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, and vanilla. Add the oatmeal mixture and chocolate chips and stir to combine.
4. Transfer to the baking pan and flatten down gently with the back of a spoon or spatula to spread evenly.
5. Bake about 18 minutes until the edges turn golden brown and the bars are done. Let bars cool completely in pan before slicing and serving.

* We like Mom’s Best Naturals Toasted Wheat-fuls for this recipe.

TIP: These bars freeze really well. So, if you have leftovers, wrap individual portions in plastic baggies or aluminum foil and freeze.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 160 calories, 7g fat (1.5g saturated, 0.7g omega-3), 85mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 3g protein

Janice Meets Oprah

We've been told for years that we should be on the Oprah Winfrey Show to share our ideas & tips for feeding families a healthy diet. Janice finally had the opportunity to talk with/beg Oprah to let us on her show. Unfortunately, Janice didn't get a response from the Diva of Daytime TV because the Oprah Janice spoke to was made of wax. "Wax, you say?" Yes, since their meeting took place at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in New York City, it was impossible to get any sort of dialog going (though Janice did do her best). If anyone knows the real Oprah, feel free to tell her all about us!