| August 2007
A Message From The Moms
We hope all of you have had a fantastic and relaxing summer. Although our kids won’t be back in school until the end of this month, we know that for many of you, the time has already come to set alarm clocks, stuff backpacks, and prepare school lunches once again.
Consider some of the following fresh & healthy new ideas to liven up your children’s lunches:
PB&J With a Twist: Spread peanut butter & jelly on whole grain cinnamon swirl bread for a kick of fiber and flavor (look for breads from Pepperidge Farm and Thomas'.)
BLT Makeover: Even dietitians love BLTs. We make ours with nitrite-free bacon, whole wheat bread, romaine lettuce (higher in nutrients than iceberg), and canola mayo. Watch our video of BLT Makeover at MealMakeoverTV.com.
Picnic Pasta Salad: Create a simple pasta salad with Barilla Plus pasta (looks and tastes like white pasta but made with whole wheat flour as well). Toss in some steamed broccoli florets, red peppers, tiny cubes of lowfat cheese or deli turkey, and your child’s favorite salad dressing to liven it all up.
Other than dreaming up new ideas for school lunches, we’ve been baking gooey and delicious holiday cookies! That’s right. The editors of Kiwi magazine asked us to write a Cookie Swap Makeover story scheduled to run in their November/December issue. Thank goodness for air conditioning!
On a final note, we’d like to congratulate Darlene H. from Stoughton, Wisconsin who won our gift basket filled with Bumble Bee canned and pouch seafood. Stay tuned for our next exciting giveaway coming soon.
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Recently, we received an email from Lydia, a mother of two boys, ages 12 and 13. Her boys, it seems, suffer from "brown bag boredom," so Lydia was looking for enticing new lunch box ideas. One recipe we promised to send was our new Grab-and-Go Breakfast Bars. Made with whole grains – something most kids need more of – and nutrient-rich dried fruits and nuts, these better-than-storebought granola bars are ideal for a mid-morning nibble (especially for kids who may skimp on breakfast) or as a special lunch box treat.
Grab-and-Go Breakfast Bars
Makes 16 Bars
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup shredded wheat* cereal
1 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups dried fruit (we use a combination of dried apricots, dried plums, and dried cranberries)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large omega-3 eggs
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place the oats, shredded wheat, walnuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped (the dried fruit will be the size of a dried pea or lentil).
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, and vanilla. Add the oatmeal mixture and chocolate chips and stir to combine.
4. Transfer to the baking pan and flatten down gently with the back of a spoon or spatula to spread evenly.
5. Bake about 18 minutes until the edges turn golden brown and the bars are done. Let bars cool completely in pan before slicing and serving.
* We like Mom’s Best Naturals Toasted Wheat-fuls for this recipe.
TIP: These bars freeze really well. So, if you have leftovers, wrap individual portions in plastic baggies or aluminum foil and freeze.
Nutrition Information per Serving: 150 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated, 0.7g omega-3), 85mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 3g protein |
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www.MealMakeoverMoms.com
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moms@mealmakeovermoms.com |
