Expert Advice On Feeding Your Children

Creamy Bruschetta Chicken

11/1/2019

Do you struggle finding fast meal ideas and need help with filling, nourishing, tasty foods that your whole family can enjoy? Good news - we are in the same boat too! I think everyone struggles with the weeknight mealtime hustle. It’s hard to fit in everything, especially when you’re juggling busy after school schedules, work, cranky babies, or toddlers who decide they hate eating every other day.

We got you - being a parent is hard work. Do your best - which may mean takeout tonight - and give yourself grace to use easy convenience options! There are so many good ones out there!

This is one of my favorite simple chicken hacks using the beloved Trader Joe's Bruschetta Sauce - sub out marinara or even salsa if needed. It pairs nicely with Primal Kitchen avocado oil ranch (dairy-free), but use whatever ranch you’d like! We love this option for our dairy-free families who struggle to find meal ideas that lend creaminess similar to cheese!

Here's what you need:

1 tub of Trader Joe's Bruschetta sauce (or sub marinara sauce or salsa)
2-4 tablespoons ranch
1.5-2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Here’s the "recipe":

Mix the sauces together.
Pour in the stuff.
Cook. (See below for options.)
Eat with veggies and a starch of your choice.

Cooking Options:

Instant Pot: high pressure for 8-9 minutes
Crockpot: low for 5-6 hours
Oven: 375F for 30-35 minutes

Crockpot Pesto Bruschetta Sauce Chicken

9/20/2019

Feeding Littles | Dairy-free crockpot pesto bruschetta sauce recipe that's great for the whole family, with options for the instant pot and oven too. Kids of all ages, including baby 6 months doing baby led weaning, will enjoy this easy meal.

We are big fans of Trader Joe's Bruschetta sauce. It pairs so well with chicken in the oven, Instant Pot or slow cooker...and now you can also try it with pesto! This simple pour-and-cook meal pairs nicely with whole grain, gluten-free or bean/lentil-based pasta and some roasted veggies!

Full disclosure - the broccoli turns a little olive green (I literally had flashbacks to food science class and kicked myself for not remembering this!) so I would probably omit it next time in lieu of sliced olives, but feel free to try it if you don’t care about color!

Here’s how you make it:

Combine 1 container of Trader Joe’s Bruschetta sauce and 2-4 tablespoons of pesto in a medium bowl (taste it to see how you like the flavor).
Pour in 1/4-1/3 cup riced broccoli (optional) for some extra texture and nutrition - no sneaking this in if your kiddos are helping! Let them know they’re eating teeny tiny broccolis!
Stir well; dump over 1-2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs in a crockpot and cook at low for 5-6 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165F.

Using an instant pot? Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
Using an oven? Bake at 375 for about 30-35 minutes or until cooked through.
Optional: top with capers, black olives, shredded cheese (or cheese alternative) for additional flavor.

"Egg in a Hole" Breakfast Idea

9/17/2019

Feeding Littles | A dietitian mom's go to breakfast recipe for the whole family, including baby 6 months starting solids the baby led weaning way. It's balanced, filing, and delicious.

Keep it simple, friends.

What did you have for breakfast today? One of our go-to’s is “egg in a hole” (and holy smokes, there are so many different names for this delightful meal!). Basically, cook an egg inside a buttered piece of bread and serve it with some fruit. Filling, balanced, and wholesome, but also absolutely delicious. Here’s how we make it:

Add 1 tablespoon Kerrygold grass fed butter to a pan on low-medium heat. Use about 1 T per slice of bread used.
While butter melts, take a wine glass or other small circular glass and cut a circle in a piece of Dave's Killer Bread. Offer discarded circle to inevitably starving kid.
This is the trick - coat each side of the bread with the melted butter by flipping it once quickly between sides, and then keep one side down on the hot pan so it can brown.
After a few minutes, crack an egg in the hole of the bread. If you don’t scramble the egg with a fork it will be more runny and more of a fried egg. Use a fork to mix and make it more of a scrambled egg texture if desired.
Once the egg begins to set, flip the bread to brown the other side. Season with salt (kids 12+ months) and pepper. Optional: add Everything but the Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe's.
Cut, serve with fresh fruit and enjoy!

Quick and Easy Pizza Night Dinner - Cauliflower Crust Pizza

9/9/2019

Feeding Littles | Pizza night is an easy and fun dinner for the whole family with this quick and easy recipe. Let your kids help top the pizzas as a fun activity that makes them look forward to eating.

Switch up the crust.

Who likes pizza night?

(We do!)

Have you tried cauliflower crust pizza? Yes, it's trendy right now, and some see it as "diet-y"...but we like cauliflower crust pizza for those who need a wheat alternative or people who want to add more veggies to their life in a tasty way. Don't feel like you "have to" try it or that other crust isn't "healthy" - it's just an alternative to check out and integrate into your menu if you enjoy it!

Cauliflower crusts come as just crusts that you heat and top or as fully-topped, ready to heat and eat pizzas. You can also make it from scratch, but we usually don't have time for that on busy weekdays!

Our favorite cauliflower crust options include those from Trader Joe's and Milton's brand at Costco, but many retailers are making their own cauliflower crust.

Why try cauliflower crust pizza? Different crusts offer different flavors, textures and nutrition. We want kids to eat all sorts of foods and be comfortable with different flavors so they can have varied, flexible palates and aren't thrown off by new ingredients.

We like to top our pizza with chopped tomatoes and mushrooms cooked from frozen, but choose your favorite toppings! If you can, let your kids help top the pizzas for a fun activity that also makes them excited to eat.

To make cauliflower pizza from a frozen crust (un-topped):

Bake pizza crust according to directions (10-12 minutes on each side - be careful when you flip it!). We make two at a time because my whole family can demolish just over one of these.
As your crust is baking, prepare the sauce. We use 1/2 a small can of tomato paste + water (add slowly to desired thickness, about 2-4 tablespoons) + 1 T olive oil + Italian herbs like garlic, oregano, basil, onion powder, etc. Since we make 2 pizzas at a time, we double this recipe and use the whole little can of tomato paste.
Prepare the toppings. I heated 1 bag of Trader Joe's mushroom medley to a medium pan on the stove until warm and then chopped one tomato.
Top the pizza! Add sauce and spread evenly with a spoon, going close to the crust edges. Add cooked mushrooms and chopped tomato. Top with shredded Italian cheese and broil on high in the oven for 4-6 minutes. Remove, cool and enjoy!

Serve with veggies and/or fruit of your choice! (We did shredded carrots and quartered grapes.)

Try this Asian Grilled Salmon

9/8/2019

Feeding Littles | Looking for a dinner for the whole family? Check out this dietitian-approved recipe for Asian grilled salmon that baby-led weaning baby, toddlers, and kids of all ages will love!

Weeknights just got easier!

Asian Grilled Salmon, Feta Lentil Salad and grilled corn on the cob make a delicious and filling summer dinner! I will be the first to admit two things:

This was kind of a random combo, but I wanted a marinade for the BBQ salmon and love Asian cuisine-inspired flavors.
If you can get really good quality fresh wild-caught salmon from your grocery store, Sprouts or Whole Foods - do it. Sometimes spending more on quality fish is worth it.

Here’s how to make it:

Salmon:

Place 1-1.5 skin on salmon fillets in a small baking dish for marinating.
Top with a few tablespoons of coconut aminos (or soy sauce - go easy on this if serving to babies) and a few tablespoons of sesame oil.
Sprinkle with garlic powder and powdered ginger + juice of one small orange. I turned the salmon skin side up to soak in the marinade.
Grill for 3-4 minutes on skin side down then flip so skin side is up (skin will likely easily scrape off at this point). Grill for an additional 2ish minutes; do not overcook!
Optional: season with salt and pepper.

Grilled corn on the cob:

Brush peeled corn on the cob with olive or avocado oil.
Grill a few minutes on each side, turning 3 times so all “sides” of the cob are cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Lentil feta salad (a Trader Joe's original recipe):

Combine 1 package precooked lentils, 1 container Bruschetta Sauce and 1/2-1 container plain or Italian feta. If dairy free, sub in chopped avocado.
Stir together, breaking up lentils, and serve!

We served the salmon, corn and salad with cherries, but any seasonal fruit of your choice works! Be sure to modify cherries for babies and kids under age four by removing the pit and cutting it into quarters lengthwise.

Quick and Easy Recipe: Chicken Pasta with Veggies

9/7/2019

Feeding Littles | Looking for a quick and easy recipe for the whole family including baby doing baby led weaning and picky eating toddlers? Try this chicken pasta with veggies that's ready incredibly fast.

Super simple, super yummy!

A delicious dinner doesn’t have to be complicated! This dinner only needs the following ingredients:

1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 pound bag of vegetable medley, frozen
Trader Joe's bruschetta sauce
Trader Joe's Roasted Cauliflower and Cheese Mezzelune
1/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt (traditional or Greek)
1-2 T of ranch dressing
Clarified butter (ghee)
Everything but the Bagel seasoning
salt and pepper

Here’s how we made it:

Creamy Bruschetta Sauce Chicken: combine 1 container of Bruschetta sauce, yogurt, and ranch dressing in a small bowl. (Use dairy free alternatives if needed.)
Pour sauce mixture over chicken thighs - make sure to lay them out flat on a 9x13 baking dish - and bake at 375F for 35 minutes, or until internal temp reaches 165F.
Heat veggies in a medium sauce pot on the stove on medium heat; add a few tablespoons of water to prevent sticking or burning. Cook until warmed through, drizzle with melted ghee and season with salt and pepper.
Cook Mezzelune (like ravioli) as per instructions (3 minutes in boiling water). Drain water and return pasta back to the pot. Drizzle with melted ghee and sprinkle with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. (I got this idea from Trader Joe's!)
Serve with fresh fruit like blueberries.

You can also cook the chicken in the instant pot on high for 7 minutes. We hope this helps inspire you on busy weeknights!

How to Use Everything but the Bagel Seasoning

9/5/2019

Feeding Littles | Go grab this jar of everything but the bagel seasoning from Trader Joe's and try out some of these delicious ideas. All of these ideas are dietitian-approved and so tasty!

If you haven’t already tried this...run to Trader Joe's immediately. Their Everything but the Bagel Seasoning is a blend of spices, sesame and salt that tastes just like an everything bagel. (Apparently Costco has its own version now too!)

If you're serving this to babies, we recommend keeping the serving size very small as it's high in salt.

Here are some ideas on how to use this awesome seasoning:

Top whole grain toast with avocado, sliced hard boiled egg, and the seasoning - add hot sauce for an additional flavor punch!
Add to soups, salads, cottage cheese, burgers, baked potatoes, pasta dishes, seared ahi, baked chicken, and casseroles.
Craving an everything bagel but need a wheat-free (or gluten-free) option? Use gluten-free bread, top with cream cheese (dairy-free if needed), and sprinkle seasoning on top.
Sprinkle on popcorn (note: popcorn is a choking hazard for kids under 4).
Add to olive oil for a bread or veggie dip.

Shrimp Fajitas

8/25/2019

Great for the whole family!

You know those fast, easy, delicious dinners that you love but always forget to make? Yeah, this is one of them for me.

I play around with different tortillas, and this brown rice version from Trader Joe's was pretty good! We use their fat free beans, not because we avoid fat (we think dietary fat is waaaay important!), but because the other types at Trader Joe’s are kinda spicy and my girls haaaaate spicy still, despite numerous exposures! (We're working on it.)

Here's what you need:

1 onion
2 red bell peppers
1 pound frozen, raw shrimp
1-2 cans refried beans
shredded cheese
tortillas
shredded cabbage
avocado, cut into slices
avocado or olive oil
garlic powder
cumin
sea salt
optional toppings: guacamole, hot sauce, sour cream

Here’s how we made them:

Slice 1 onion and 2 red bell peppers. Place slices in a bowl and toss in avocado or olive oil, garlic powder, cumin and sea salt.
On medium heat in a large frying pan, sauté the pepper and onion mixture. Stir frequently and avoid burning. Sometimes I add a little water to soften the peppers faster and prevent sticking, which happens even with oil on our stainless steel pans.
While peppers are cooking, run cool water over frozen raw shrimp in a colander until softened (about 2 minutes).
Scoot pepper mixture to the side of the pan to continue to cook and add a little more oil to the open space. Add shrimp to the oil, then season with additional garlic, cumin and salt. Sauté shrimp until cooked through and no longer translucent.
In a separate small saucepan, add 1-2 cans refried beans and heat on medium, stirring frequently. Add cheese if desired and heat until melted.
Once shrimp is cooked, remove from heat and place it atop a tortilla. Add pepper mixture, cabbage, avocado and other toppings as desired (cheese, hot sauce, guacamole, sour cream, etc). Fold and serve with refried beans. Enjoy!

Particular toddler at home? Let them build their own fajita and make sure to serve familiar foods with new ones so they’re not overwhelmed by unfamiliar options. We have more tips like this to help with your picky eater in our Toddler course.

Baby at home (6+ months)? Omit salt and serve deconstructed - shrimp, cooked peppers/onions, tortilla (soft), avocado strips, and refried beans plopped on the tray or presented on loaded NumNum GOOtensil. Looking to do baby-led weaning with your little one? Check out our Infant course.

Try Out Alternative Pastas with your Kids

8/24/2019

Feeding Littles | Even if your family doesn't have any allergy or dietary restrictions, it's good to mix up what you serve your kids. Offering variety actually decreases the likelihood of picky eating. You can offer this chickpea pasta (or similar) to babies, toddlers, and kids of all ages as it's whole family friendly.

Different types of pasta offer different flavors, textures and nutrition.

So many kids love pasta - we call them "noo-noos" in our house. What's not to love? They're easy and fun to eat and are topped with delicious sauces.

I’m especially a fan of all the new alternative pastas like Banza is made from chickpeas and has a ton of filling protein and fiber. One 2-oz portion (which is a pretty decent size) has 14 grams of protein, just 4 grams short of their total daily need. We serve it so many ways - here's a few ideas:

Toss with your favorite sauce - marinara, pesto, primavera, bolognese, Alfredo, etc. as a main dish or side dish.
Serve cold as a pasta salad with sliced olives, quartered cherry tomatoes, and a sauce made with Trader Joe's bruschetta sauce + ranch (or use Italian dressing on its own).
Mix with wheat-based pasta slowly let your tot get used to different pasta flavors.
Use in high protein mac and cheese: cook pasta (add peas at the end of cooking), drain, and stir in plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, paprika, salt and pepper. Check out our take on boxed mac and cheese!

Remember, kids learn to eat what is served to them, so mix it up! Offer different types of pastas with different presentations and different sauces. Sticking to the same dishes increases their likelihood of picky eating...try to get creative when you can!

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