I am not a foodie. I can make the basics–but still require a lot of guidance from cookbooks (plus the occasional “how do I know when this roast chicken is done again?” call to my mom).
So I’m always on the lookout for recipes to broaden my family’s horizons and my abilities in the kitchen. Most weeks, I’m trying at least one thing I’ve ripped from a magazine, found on a blog, or jotted down from a friend. Not everything’s a hit, but I’m going to start featuring recipes here that get a thumbs-ups. Or at least a thumbs-in-the-middle, Henry’s way of telling me he’s not sure but willing to give it another try.
What these three have in common: You can eat all of them sans utensils. And what kid doesn’t like ditching a fork?
Crunchy Chicken Fingers
By far the crunchiest baked chicken I’ve made. I saved time by using a gallon-sized plastic bag to crush the cereal and coat the chicken in it.
This recipe comes from a cookbook called Deliciously Healthy Family Meals, created by the National Institutes of Health as part of a campaign to help kids stay at a healthy weight. The recipe and the rest of the cookbook can be downloaded for free here.
Baked Tofu Sticks
At a recent picnic at a local metro park, my friend put my packed PB&Js to shame by pulling out containers of these tofu sticks (with sushi rice and soy sauce for dipping). Her toddler devoured them, and I was impressed. Though Sam wouldn’t try them, Henry gave them a thumbs-in-the-middle, so I’m hopeful. I like them best after they’ve chilled in the refrigerator for several hours.
You can get the recipe on my friend’s awesome photography blog here.
Black Bean Brownies
I was skeptical about an entire can of black beans pureed into an 8×8 pan of brownies, but was amazed by these. I made them one day when neighbors were over, and all the kids happily gobbled them up, no questions asked. I’m generally not a fan of the sneaky-hidden-vegetables game, but why not add a bunch of fiber and iron to something that typically doesn’t offer much nutrition?
This recipe comes from the Meal Makeover Moms, and you can get it here.
If you’ve tried something great recently or have any tried-and-true recipes, please pass them along–and they might just end up featured here!
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Just served the black bean brownies at a cookout. A big hit!
Christy–so glad they went over well!