Food News, Things I Crave, Green Your Eats, Tips, Tools & Techniques, and the Weekly Roundtable (a roundup of the most recent ChowMama posts).
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While anticipating baby’s arrival, I prepped a bunch of veggies to have on hand. I knew that in our sleep deprived state, the ChowPapa and I would certainly acquiesce to Isaac’s repeated requests for slurpy pasta and pizza every night. Having veggies ready to heat and eat got us through the first week without totally depriving Isaac of nutritional value.
One of the things I made was a double batch of Butternut Squash with Honey, Lemon & Parmesan, which made its way into these yummy quesadillas. Between the squash and avocado, this vegetarian meal packs a nutritious punch and takes no more than 30 minutes to put together, start to finish. The avocado and squash go best with a fruity garnish like this Mango Salsa. Someone brought us a pineapple mango salsa that had cantaloupe in it, which worked great, too.
PS: This is another great veggie-centric meal to get you through sweets week! And also makes a great lunch—packed or for at home–that’s best eaten with hand (finger food alert!)
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No matter how hard I try to be good, Halloween week ends up being a bloodbath. (Is it just me?!) I do my best to keep it healthy, lower sugar, and all homemade, but the bottom line is that it’s sweets week! (And that’s fun, damn it!) One of the ways that I keep myself—and my family—in check is by serving lighter meals heavy on the veggies in between all the Halloween fun.
This meal was inspired by my to-die-for Polenta “Creamed” Spinach. I simplified this quick polenta side to make an even healthier vegetarian main. Now, if you’ve been reading ChowMama for a while, you know how vegetarian dinners usually go over in my house. If you haven’t been reading for a while, not well is the point. But this meal was a winner! Like pasta, this Spinach Parmesan Polenta is hearty enough to fill the boys’ bellies, especially topped with garlicky Roasted Broccolini. (No daydreaming of meatballs this time!)
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Anyone who’s had a baby knows the deal: family and friends get to experience the wonder of a new baby in exchange for FOOD! There was a plan in place for all immediate family to visit Oliver as soon after his birth as possible. My mama, who lives nearby, came to the birthing center and was in charge of food runs. The ChowPapa’s mom hopped on the first plane from Boston and was in charge of groceries and dinner the first few nights back home. And, once settled in, Nannie and Grandpa Alan took a train to Brooklyn with their food assignment in tow: my favorite brownies.
Nannie (aka Nan) is an awesome baker and, though it’s a tough call (her Congo bars are pretty amazing), her brownies are my favorite. They are a family recipe handed down from her mama, Phyllis, to which she adds cardamom (optional for you, essential for me). They are super easy: take about 10 minutes to prepare, 25-30 min. to bake. And I’m happy to share them with you, in honor of my new little brownie bite.
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Food News, Things I Crave, Green Your Eats, Tips, Tools & Techniques, and Weekly Roundtable (a roundup of the most recent ChowMama posts).
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Am I the only one who feels tricky trying to make Halloween healthy? Don’t get me wrong—I’m loathe to feed my ChowBaby packaged candy and heaps of refined sugar confections. At the same time, I’d feel pretty lame offering up most of the “treats” suggested under the “Healthy Halloween” banner. So, when I was asked to write an article for—you guessed it—healthy Halloween treats, I knew I had some serious soul searching to do!
After a lot of thought and consideration using “natural” ingredients like carob (eww!), hiding veggie purees (just for a hot second—you know I wouldn’t actually go there!), and swapping sweet treats for spookily decorated apple slices and carrot sticks, I decided that moderation is the key. (Duh!) So, instead of choosing between (or, if you have older kids, balancing) two extremes, consider my quick and easy, homemade, lower sugar treats that are wholesome but can still satisfy a sweet tooth.
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ChowMama is a celebration of real food for real families made real quick. A place to share recipes, tips and inspirations, ChowMama offers parents a practical and honest guide to nourishing everyone in the family—from themselves to first time eaters—without losing their sanity! Read more ...
