meal item monday

My fear has come to fruition. I am becoming a recipe blog. Yikes! No offense to anyone who HAS a recipe blog, but that was just never my intentions with MY blog. Yes, two post in a row now are titled "Meal Item Monday". This must stop. Hold me accountable, people.

As if THAT was not enough. I did NOT try a new recipe this week. GASP. But, hopefully y'all will forgive me and we can try one together. The following recipe is one I intended to try this past week and specifically chose it bc I felt like I already had all of the ingredients on hand and I STILL did not try it. I honestly, completely forgot. Well, hopefully you have the ingredients and will be able to try it on a whim.

Pasta Cartwheels with Cheese and Broccoli

prep time: 10 minutes
cooking: 35 minutes
nutrients: calcium, protein, B vitamins (folate, vitamin A, zinc)

1/4 lb. pasta cartwheels (will definitely use a cartwheel alternative so I don't have to specifically go out and buy also, will definitely use wheat pasta..bc that is all we had and well, I love it)
1 1/4 cups broccoli (cut into small florets)
1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

Cheese Sauce
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 c milk
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Topping
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tbsp fresh bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Cook pasta according to packaged directions, drain and set aside.
  
• Meanwhile, place broccoli and sweet corn in steamer and cook for 4-5 mins or until tender. Cover to keep warm and set aside
  
• Sauce: Melt butter in small pan. Add flour to make paste and stir over low heat for 1 min. Gradually whisk in milk, bring slowly to boil, and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add nutmeg, stir in cheddar cheese until melted and season.
• Stir veges into sauce, then mix with pasta. Pour mixture into greased dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 mins.

Yum Factor: sounds yummy
Ease of Recipe: seems easy

Let me know if you try it and I will be sure to let you know too.

And because a post is always better with a picture...Here is one I snagged of Ada passed out in the carseat last weekend. She was REALLY passed out. I can not believe she did not wake up when I a.)stopped the car b.) opened my door c.) opened the trunk door d.)started taking pictures.

meal item monday

I received some great feedback on the inaugural Meal Item Monday so I am happy to continue the recipe sharing in hopes to further combat picky eaters or just offer some variety to meal planning. This Monday there are two items listed below (one main course and one snack or side item)

Snack item first. I l-o-v-e smoothies. Who doesn't? Hubs and I have periodically made smoothies for ourselves for at least half a decade. It just dawned on me last week...Ada would probably l-o-v-e smoothies too. All the antioxidants in the berries make me so happy. This simple snack was a great hit with Ada. Coupled with a cheese omelet and the smoothie became a complete meal for her.

Mixed Berry Smoothie

prep time: 10 minutes
nutrients: vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C, iron, folic acids

16 ozs frozen mixed berries (I used the strawberry/blackberry/blueberry/red raspberry combo)
16 ozs vanilla yogurt (This is NOT to be confused with plain yogurt. Plain yogurt is bland and completely disgusting. You only have to make the mistake one time and it is never to be forgotten)

• Blend frozen mixed berries in blender until you have reached a smooth consistency. A couple of times during blending I take container off and shake it. My blender is seven years old so this may not be neccesary on new models.
• Add yogurt to blend all items together.
• Pour

Yum Factor: * * * * *
Ease of Recipe: * * * * *

My only dilema in offering this to an 11 month old was in what manner she was actually going to be able to drink it. I tried several different sippy cups and ended up opting for a topless sippy cup with an adult straw. I sometimes add ice for adults, but have not felt a need to do so for Ada's smoothie. Using frozen fruit makes for a nice consistency either way.

By the looks of it, I think she liked it. . .


Next...

Many of you are aware that we have made the decision to raise Ada vegetarian during this portion of her life or a fishetarian I should say. As she grows up she is welcome to make her own decision on meat, but for now only fish for her while her parents are complete hypocrites (I actually do not eat that much meat myself and while I do not consider myself a vegetarian I would not be completely opposed to the idea).

Fillet of Fish with Vegetables

prep: 10 mins cooking: 35 mins nutrients: beta-carotene, calcium, protein, B vitamins (including folate), and vitamin C

1 tbsp butter
2/3 c leeks, washed and finely sliced (left this item out bc the hubs did not get this at the store-purposefully or accidentally is unbeknowst to me :)
1 c carrots (used baby carrots since they are already peeled and "chopped" aka small)
2/3 c broccoli (cut into small florets-used frozen that were already in small florets)
1/3 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/4 lb cod, hake, sole, haddock or halibut fillets, skinned (used frozen halibut that was already skinned)
2/3 c milk
3 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
sprig of parsley

Sauce

1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese

• melt butter in saucepan, add leeks-saute for 2-3 mins (did not use), add carrots, cover with water and cook for 10 mins. Add broccoli and cook for 5 mins. Stir in peas and simmer for 5 more minutes, or until veges are tender (add little more water if necessary)
• Meanwhile, put fish in pan with milk, peppercorns, bay leaf, and parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until fish is cooked. Set aside, reserving cooking liquid. Discard peppercorns, bay leaf and parsley.
• For sauce, melt butter in a pan, stir on flour, and cool for 1 min. Gradually whisk in fish cooking liquid, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, add cheese, and stir until melted.
• Drain veges and mix with flaked fish and cheese sauce. Blend to a puree of desired consistency for the wee ones. Veges should be tender so they can be mashed or chopped for older babies who are starting to chew.
  

Yum Factor: * * * * *
Ease of Recipe: * * * *

I tripled this recipe so hubs and I were able to eat it for dinner along with Ada. We had leftovers so that Ada could have it for lunch two more times. The first time we set it before her she refused it before she had even tasted it. I truthfully forced her to at least try it. She loved it after that every time we gave it to her. It actually seemed she liked it the best on the third time she had it. This dish is suitable for freezing if you so desire.

I hope this dish is an even bigger hit with your little ones than the couscous (Reed, Anna Kate and Ada actually all ate couscous together this last week. Two out of three kids really liked it. My cousin told me that her little man Brooks also enjoyed the couscous so with this small sample of kids we are at 75% on the yum factor for the couscous). As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated.

meal item monday

I know what you are thinking....like I have not already written every ones ear off already.
Yeah, and for those of you who don't know there are at least four other very recent blog posts lingering under this one. So if you are having a boring (very boring Monday) feel free to proceed.

Tangent annihilated (finally you say) and back on topic. So I have seen all around the blog-o-sphere a little thing called Meal Plan Mondays where one maps out there entire menu for their entire week. In addition to her menu, I once saw a blog chick type out her grocery receipt in its entirety. Interesting, but not what you will see here. So my blog title is a bit bland and may end up changing it once I get some creative juices flowing, but for now we have Meal Item Monday. Every Monday (hopefully) I will share a concoction that I have whipped up for my sub one year old. To give a smidgen of background...this whole idea was contrived after a sickly month of December for my little love that resulted in an unwillingness to eat the variety of foods that she once voluntarily partook in. If you have not experienced this in a child it can be VERY frustrating. One day the child willingly eats something (scarfs it up even), a few days pass and you offer the child the same thing again and she refuses. You try to cram it down her throat calmly offer it several times and still no such luck. I want my daughter's taste buds back. Things have been going well with these new tasty/healthy/easy recipes so I thought I would pass them along. So here goes the first run of Meal Item Monday. Would love some feedback if you end up trying this....don't want to deprive myself of quality time with my family for nothing after all...what am I kidding myself? It is 3am in the morning I am not depriving anyone of anything., ha! Oh my, I really should be sleeping like normal people. I regress....

Cheesy Pasta Stars Couscous

prep: 10 mins
nutrients: Beta Carotene, Calcium, Folate, Protein and Vitamins B12 and C
Also, Vitamin A and Iron if couscous is substituted

1 cup carrots (I used baby carrots that were already peeled)
1 cup boiling water
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp butter
1 cup tomatoes (skinned and chopped)
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup couscous (calls for 2tbsp pasta stars, but I obviously substituted)

• place carrots in a small pan, cover with boiling water and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes

• warm 2 tbsp butter in separate pan, add tomatoes and saute until mushy. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted.
• meanwhile, microwave in glass container 1/3c couscous, 1/2c water and 1tsp butter for 2 minutes.
  
• mix together cooked carrots with their cooking liquid, cheese and tomato sauce. Blend to a puree and combine with couscous.

Yum Factor: * * * * *
Ease of Recipe: * * * * (would have received a rating of 5, but it dirtied up so many pans)

Hubs and I thought this was delicious also. I am going to make more next time so we will be able to indulge as well. This dish is suitable for freezing if you so desire.