healthy meals

Promote Happy Meals

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Lia Huber — No Comments ↓

McDonald’s and KFC and the like do a great job making their food enticing to kids. Bright wrappers, big logos, snappy slogans, take home “rewards” for eating their stuff. Honestly, what’s not for a kid to like? But we can take a page from these Goliaths on how to do a better job “marketing” the healthy meals we make at home as happy meals for the whole family.

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Make food appeal to kids’ senses. Instead of serving boiled potatoes, roast some Garlic Parsnip Fries so the house smells delish. Instead of spaghetti with butter on a white plate, throw in some (green) spinach and serve it in a red bowl.
Get them involved. McDonald’s has an entire Happy Meal website devoted to entertaining kids. We, too, can entertain kids with our Super Antics in the kitchen. Put them to work pinching herbs, or pounding garlic in a mortar and pestle, or even stirring water in a bowl with a wooden spoon. The point is, make them feel like they’re in on the action.
Generate a sense of anticipation. Get a great kids’ cookbook and let the kiddos choose what they want to make once or twice a week, then generate a sense of anticipation for the meal as you make a shopping list, gather the ingredients, etc. If you have a garden or a farmers’ market, ramble around with the kids and make up names of dishes you could make with each food. The whole experience can engage their imagination . . . maybe even as much as a Happy Meal Superhero!
Create a special occasion. There’s a sense with kids that having McDonald’s is a “special occasion.” We can do that too. Have the kiddos help set the table with nice napkins, dim the lights and light candles, present the plate as a waiter would, introducing each food with a description. Then sit down with them and your own dinner and share in the enjoyment.

3 Ways to Make Fresh Fast During the Back-to-School Rush

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Lia Huber — No Comments ↓

The reason we reach for convenience foods is because they’re, well, convenient. And they’re especially appealing during the back-to-school frenzy. But taking 20 minutes to do these three things at the beginning of the week (then storing them in the fridge until used) will set you up so that a fresh, healthy meal is the fastest choice of all.

Cut the kernels off a half-dozen corn cobs. Husk and silk the corn, then snap the cob in half. Place the flat part down on a large cutting board and slice the kernels off in vertical strips (watch a Kitchen Tips video here). What to do with them: Oh, the possibilities! Christopher’s signature dish this summer was a simple saute of fresh corn kernels that become silky and sweet when cooked with onion and diced zucchini (got any of those on-hand these days? Har har). Try the NOURISH Evolution version in this Sauteed Succotash. Pop raw kernels into South of the Border Steak Salad with Grilled Pepper and Corn Salsa and Corn and Quinoa Pasta Salad. Or heat them up in Spicy Corn Chowder with Sauteed Shrimp, Grilled Fish in Parchment with Cherry Tomatoes and Corn or Creamy Corn Polenta.
Cook up a batch of whole grains. There’s a whole world to explore when it comes to whole grains, but it helps to have some pre-cooked and on-hand in the fridge. Some, like quinoa and bulgur, cook up super-quick. Others, like wheat berries and farro, take a bit longer. What to do with them: Scoop a cup of almost any whole grain into a green salad to make it a main meal. Bulgur makes a great binder too, as in our Zucchini Fritters and Spiced Lamb and Bulgur Sliders in Lettuce “Buns.” Or skip straight to dessert with your leftover bulgur in these Plum Parfaits with Bulgur and Vanilla Yogurt. A few scoops of wheat berries from the fridge will get you Wheat Berry Salad with Middle Eastern Spices and Grilled Tomatoes and Eggplant, and our Curry Quinoa Cakes are always a hit–in fact, try subbing the peas with corn (you’ve got some in the fridge, right?) this time of year.
Dice an onion. Once you learn how to dice an onion (see a Kitchen Tips video here), it doesn’t take but a few seconds. Dicing one or two ahead of time to keep on hand in the fridge makes things even easier … and might just tip the scales when it’s “should I cook or call for takeout?” What to do with it: If you’re in a time-crunch, just crank up the heat under a large saute pan, drizzle in some oil and start sauteing. Then gather inspiration as you go. Have carrots and lentils on hand, for instance? Fabulous, then these All-Purpose French Lentils are all but done. If you want to keep it cool, toss your onions in a salad or dip, or a dish that acts like both … like our Guatemalan Avocado Salad with Arugula and Chile-Lime Dressing.

A little do-ahead goes a long way in helping you eat healthier throughout the week.

Nourish Yourself in the New Year: Love Your Lists

Posted on January 18, 2010 by Lia Huber — 10 Comments ↓

Originally, I was just going to write about keeping a par stock list to keep track of your (fabulously efficient) pantry. But then I looked around my own kitchen and realized I have three lists working synergistically to help me keep the basics well-stocked and use what I have on hand to turn out healthy meals. Here’s how I use them and how they work together.

par-stock-lists-post 1. Par Stock — In professional kitchens, chefs keep what’s called a “par stock,” which basically means a minimum level of essential ingredients. I’ve adapted this practice for my own kitchen with a laminated list of the ingredients my family can’t do without: olive oil, garlic, milk, bread, etc.. Then I go through the list to check the status of each ingredient before heading out to the store. Working with a par stock virtually eliminates those annoying “uh, oh, we’re out of olive oil” trips.

2. Produce List – There’s always something in the fridge. If you’ve been to the farmers’ market, it’ll be full of veggies. If you’ve roasted a chicken over the weekend there might be some extra breast meat. The trick is keeping track of everything you have so you’ll use it before it spoils. I’m an out-of-sight, out-of-mind kind of person, so this was a real challenge for me before I found a simple solution . . . in black and white, right before my eyes: a chalkboard. Now, when I come back from the market or if I’ve just picked a crop from the garden, I jot down what I’ve put in the fridge on the blackboard by the kitchen. I love to sit down, sip a cup of tea and let my mind wander to concoct meals out of what’s written on the board.

3. Cupboard List — My grains, pulses and legumes are on a shelf above eye-level so, in the spirit of my produce chalkboard, I’ve added a white-board to the inside of the cupboard door to keep track of how much quinoa and rice and red lentils I’ve got stashed up there.

The idea is to form a system of lists that keeps your basics stocked while capturing the ever-changing contents of your fridge and cupboards so you know what you have to work with at a glance. The payoff? Big savings on time, money and effort come mealtime . . . and a healthier approach to boot.