Tonight’s menu:
Baked sweet potatoes topped with Hominy Chili and cheese
Green salad with baby spinach, red bell peppers, celery
Sliced apples
Tonight’s menu:
Baked sweet potatoes topped with Hominy Chili and cheese
Green salad with baby spinach, red bell peppers, celery
Sliced apples
Every once in a while, I like to get a little grit in my teeth. By grit, I mean grits, coarsely dried ground corn that is often thought of as a breakfast alternative to oatmeal. Grits can also be served as a side dish, similar to risotto or polenta. Grits is not a typical dish here in Vermont but I hail from Maryland, which gives me slightly more southern roots albeit not really southern enough to call grits a staple food. Regardless, tonight, dinner took a swing south and it was delish.
Tonight’s menu:
Sliced tomatoes
Steamed green beans
Orange slices
Tonight’s menu:
Pork tenderloin roasted with thyme sprigs, sliced pears, sliced red onion, 2 tbsp honey, and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Steamed broccoli
Mashed potatoes
As much as I try, I can’t resist soup during the winter. Not only does it warm the bones, but it is also a great way to get multiple meals in the amount of time it takes to make one. Set aside some for leftovers or even better, share half the pot with neighbors.
Tonight’s menu:
Green salad with slivered almonds and pomegranate seeds
Tonight’s menu:
Linguini with mushroom sauce, sautéed kale, and chicken tenderloins (Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and chicken tenderloins. Cook, until mushrooms tender and chicken cooked through. Add 1 cup water and cook until liquid reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add kale, sauté briefly and then remove from heat. Add fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan)
Green salad
Sliced pears
Tonight’s dinner is based off a recipe, I found in Everyday Food. To get the right balance across food groups, I bumped up the amount of vegetables and added a small salad as the side dish.
Orecchiette with sausage, chard, and parsnips
Green salad
Pomegranate seeds and grapes
Working in a pediatricians’ office, I find that I am often asked the same questions by different parents, showing that there are pretty common concerns amongst parents. One frequently asked question is which type of milk should I give my child? Living in the state of Vermont (aka Cows-R-Us) and with the strong marketing presence from the New England Dairy Council, dairy remains a strong part of the American diet. However, over the past few years, there have been a growing number of milk alternatives on grocery shelves, offering parents an option other than cow milk. When choosing a type of milk and when ethics are not a deciding factor, it is important to understand the different nutrients found in each type of milk. Some children, such as toddlers, require a higher fat content in their diet and benefit from a milk with a higher fat content. As always, the best foods tends to be the ones with the least amount of added ingredients, particularly added sugars. Also, supplementing a food with nutrients does not appear to be as beneficial as ones in which the nutrients are naturally found. Use the chart below to help understand the different nutritional composition from the various “milks” in the food supply.
Running late from work, a pair of hungry kids, and only 1 hour before we have to leave for swim team practice. Short on time, short on energy, short on patience, short on inspiration. Sound familiar? For nights like this, I have a mental list of quick, easy dinners that are largely comprised of staple items, ensuring that the ingredients should be on hand. I also stick to the basic principle of including at least three different food groups at the meal, one of which is a protein food and another of which is a vegetable.
Tonight’s menu:
Baked sweet potatoes (in a time crunch, you can poke a few holes in a sweet potato with a fork and then microwave until soft, approximately 5-8 minutes depending on the size)
Carrot sticks
Sliced apples