Baked Eggplant Rollatini Stuffed with Acorn Squash, Mushrooms, Spinach for the Whole Family

I came up with this recipe the other night when I was trying to think of a healthier version of eggplant rollatini. I decided to stuff the eggplant with acorn squash to lessen the amount of cheese usually used. The result is a delicious and nutritious meal the whole family will enjoy. I know mine did! It's loaded with vitamins A, C, D and K, calcium, fiber, folate, potassium and iron. This can be pureed for little ones 9+ months or served as finger food for older little ones.

Here's what you need (4 to 6 servings)
1 to 2 large eggplants peeled and sliced thin lengthwise (about 1/4 inch)
2 small acorn squash cut in half
1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tblsp Italian seasoning
pepper
salt
1 jar low sodium marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds. Spray with olive oil cooking spray and place on a baking sheet and cook for 35 minutes. When squash is cooked scoop it out and fork mash in a large mixing bowl. Add ricotta cheese, chopped mushrooms, chopped spinach, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, Italian seasoning and egg. Stir until smooth and set aside. Spray two large baking sheets with olive oil. Peel and slice eggplant and place spread out on baking sheets. Spray eggplant with cooking spray and season with a little salt and pepper. Set oven to 350 and place eggplant in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. When eggplant is cooked, spoon acorn squash filling (about 2 tblsp) onto eggplant and roll up. Place eggplant roll ups in a deep baking dish and cover them with marinara sauce. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and a little grated parmesan cheese and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Serving size for your little one is 1 roll. You can serve this with some pasta if you like.

Swiss Chard, Radicchio, Mushroom, Tomato and Chicken Crepe for the Whole Family

This recipe is paying homage to one of my favorite places to eat when I'm visiting my parents, Fresco Creperie and Cafe. This is a little different than the crepe I always order, but it was definitely the inspiration for this recipe. This is a delicious and healthy meal your whole family will enjoy. My little guy LOVES this. It's full of iron, folate, calcium, protein, vitamins A, C and D, potassium, fiber and whole grains. This is for little one's 10+ months who are ready for finger foods.

Here's what you need: (Serves 4 to 6)
Crepe Filling:
3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chopped swiss chard
1 cup chopped radicchio
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tblsp Herbs de Provence
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

Spray a large deep skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Season the chicken with a little salt and pepper and place in hot skillet. Cook for about 7 or so minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the chicken cooking time may be more or less). When chicken is cooked remove from skillet and set aside. Pour chicken broth into hot skillet (skillet should still be over medium high heat) and scrape up the little bits in the skillet. Add garlic, swiss chard, radicchio, mushrooms, and tomato. Season with pepper, nutmeg and Herbs de Provence. Toss to coat. Chop chicken into small bite size pieces and add back to skillet.  Add grated Gruyere cheese and toss to coat again. Scoop into crepe and fold over. Sprinkle a little more Gruyere over the crepe if you like. Serve and enjoy!

Crepe batter:
1 cup stone ground whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tblsp olive oil

Whisk together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until smooth.  Spray cooking spray on a medium sized skillet and heat over medium high heat. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet. Tilt the skillet in a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook for approx 2 minutes and then flip with a spatula and cook the other side for a minute or 2. Be gentle with the spatula, my first crepe was a disaster. I ended up just flipping it in the air and catching it in the skillet to flip. Wish I had that on video it was lots of fun!

Whole Wheat Papparadelle with Chicken Sausage, Kale and Mushrooms

This is a healthy dinner that's full of flavor your whole family will enjoy. This meal is loaded with calcium, vitamins A, C and D, folate, fiber, potassium, protein and whole grains. This is for little ones 12+ months who are ready for finger foods. Make sure to cut everything you are feeding to your little one up into bite size pieces.

Here's what you need: Serves 4
4 to 5 pieces of uncooked chicken sausage
1 package whole wheat papparadelle
2 cups chopped kale
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup pasta water
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tblsp Italian seasoning
pepper

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook papparadelle according to package (Make sure to reserve 1/4 cup pasta water before draining). While papparadelle is cooking, heat a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Cut open sausage casings and put meat into skillet. Saute meat until golden (about 7-10 minutes). Set sausage aside but keep juices in skillet. Add garlic and mushrooms to skillet and saute for about 2-3 minutes. Add kale and chicken broth, cover skillet and cook until kale wilts. Add papparadelle, parmesan cheese, pasta water and pepper. Toss to coat. Add sausage back to skillet toss to coat again. Cook for another 2 or so minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Kale, Mushroom and Cheese Multigrain Pancakes for the Whole Family

I love a savory breakfast, so I thought I would come up with a savory pancake. This is a yummy, savory, healthy breakfast the whole family can enjoy.  These pancakes are full of essential nutrients for you and your little ones. Kale is a super food that is jam packed with essential nutrients. It's full of calcium, vitamin A, C, folate, fiber and iron. Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D, folate, choline, and fiber. These pancakes are also a great source of whole grains. These are for little one's 10+ months who are eating finger foods, and for mommies and daddies of all ages.

Here's what you need:

3/4 cup multigrain pancake mix 

Handful kale finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped (almost minced) cremini mushrooms

1tblsp grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tblsp olive oil

olive oil cooking spray

Mix all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Ladle pancake batter into skillet. Flip when you start to see air bubbles. Repeat with rest of batter. Serve and enjoy! Serving size for your little one is 1 pancake. You can refrigerate these for up to 4 days, and freeze for 2 months. 

Orzo with Italian Sausage, Bell Peppers, Kale and Cannellini Beans in a Portobello Mushroom Sauce

I started making orzo the other night and realized I did not have any sauce or diced tomatoes to go with it. I looked in my cabinets and found 1 container of Trader Joe's Cream of Portobello Mushroom soup. It's not quite sauce, but I thought it could work, and it did! I love when that happens! This meal is full of whole grains, protein, iron, calcium, fiber and Vitamins A and C. You can puree it for little one's 9+ months, or cut up into bite size pieces for older little one's eating finger foods.

Here's what you need:
1 cup whole grain orzo
1 yellow bell pepper diced
1 to 1 1/2 cup chopped kale or 1-2 handfuls (remove leaves from stem and chop)
1 package nitrate free fully cooked italian sausage ( I always use Niman Ranch) chopped
1/2 onion finely diced
1 to 2 cloves garlic minced
1 can cannellini beans drained
1 10 oz container Trader Joe's Cream of Portobello Mushroom soup or 1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tblsp Italian seasoning
Pepper
Salt
2 tsp olive oil

Cook orzo according to package. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook for 2 or so minutes. Add peppers, sausage, cannellini beans, and chicken stock. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add cooked orzo to skillet. Pour cream of mushroom soup into skillet and stir. Add chopped Kale, Italian seasoning, and season with a little salt and pepper if you like. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Make sure to check the temperature on your bottom lip before serving to your little one. Serving size for your little one will be between 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup.