WE EAT | Weekly Toddler Menu

Look for some of this week's menu to be in a next week's WE EAT post! 

HINT ** We are meatloaf lovers over here...

 

Recipe Link List

Black Bean Quinoa Burritos & Avocado Yogurt Dip

Asian Chicken Burgers

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas

Bean and Herb Soup

Apple Zucchini Muffins

Broccoli & Cheese Quesadillas

Chicken Alfredo & Rice Casserole

 

Recipes

Pulled Buffalo Chicken Sliders

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds

1/4 cup wing sauce (such as Franks), plus more for serving

16 Hawaiian rolls

1 cup reduced-fat blue cheese dressing

Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in bottom; combine sauce with 2/3 cup water; pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Remove chicken to a mixing bowl and shred with two forks. Return to slow cooker and stir to coat with sauce.

To serve, place shredded chicken on bottom halves of rolls and top each with 1 tablespoon of dressing.

 

Mexican Egg & Refried Bean Tostadas

Scramble 3 whole eggs, splash of whole milk, diced tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers- spread fat free organic refried beans on a corn tostada, top with egg mixture and serve with cheese and plain Greek yogurt (in place of sour cream)

 

BBQ Meatloaf (& Leftover Meatloaf Sliders)

1 pound lean (96%) ground beef

one medium chopped onion

2 eggs

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 sleeves crushed saltine crackers**

BBQ Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11X7 glass dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl mix together all ingredients, one at a time, until incorporated. Pour mixture into the prepared glass dish and form into a loaf. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Pull meatloaf out and pour BBQ sauce over top. Return loaf to the oven and heat through until sauce is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow meatloaf to rest for 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

To make BBQ sauce: In a small bowl combine all ingredients, stirring quickly until brown sugar is dissolved.

**Regular bread crumbs can be used, and I have also used high fiber cereal (that I ground in my food processor) instead of saltines crackers.

 

Homemade Mac and Cheese

adapted from Picky Palate

8 ounces dry elbow pasta

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 cups milk (skim)

2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

To prepare roux, melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until color of roux is golden. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring until thick. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in shredded cheese until melted.

Transfer cooked pasta to large pot over low heat. Pour cheese sauce over top, stirring to combine. To thin the sauce, add a few tablespoons of milk at a time until at desired consistency.

Peas & Zucchini Pasta

4 ounces curly whole wheat noodles with 1/4 cup steamed green peas & 1/2 cup steamed zucchini slices in marinara sauce sprinkled with mozzarella cheese

 

Berry Green Smoothie (serves 2)

Blend 1 c loosely packed organic baby spinach, 1 c frozen mixed berries, 1/2 c vanilla Greek yogurt, 1/2 c whole milk

 

Broccoli Chicken & Rice Bowl

Combine 1/4 cup brown rice, 1/4 cup chopped steamed broccoli, 2 ounces rotisserie chicken, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

 

Fruity Cream Cheese Pinwheels

Spread low-fat cream cheese on a small whole-grain tortilla. Top with sliced strawberries and bananas. Roll up the tortilla, and then slice into “pinwheels.”

Chicken Couscous with Yogurt Hummus (serves 4)

 1 cup whole wheat couscous

1/4 cup dried apricots (or golden raisins)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (2%)

1 tablespoon hummus - flavor of choice)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound shredded rotisserie chicken

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat the broiler to high. Combine the couscous, apricots and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups very hot water, cover with plastic wrap and let sit until all of the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir together the yogurt, hummus, dill and 1 to 2 tablespoons water in another bowl. Season with salt and set aside.
Toss tomatoes, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and paprika together. Spread out on a baking sheet and broil until tomatoes are sizzling and have slightly wilted, about 4 minutes. Drizzle with the lemon juice.
Fluff the couscous with a fork. Divide the chicken and couscous among 4 plates. Scrape any of the drippings from the baking sheet into the yogurt-hummus sauce. Serve the chicken and couscous with the sauce.