This is a fresh seasonal salad made with oranges and red onion. You will be surprised at how well these flavors compliment each other! And this taste bud sensation couldn’t be easier to fix and serve.

Healthy? You bet! This colorful salad is loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin B (folate) and a number of different antioxidants. For example, red onions are a source of the phytochemical quercetin which has anti-inflammatory properties. That’s another way of saying oranges and red onions are good for you!

Savory Orange Salad

3 naval oranges
¼ red onion, sliced thin
2 teaspoons good quality olive oil
black pepper, freshly ground
salt

Cut the peel and white pith from the oranges with a sharp knife. Slice the oranges into rounds and place on a serving plate. Cover with the slices of red onion and drizzle with olive oil. Add coarsely ground black pepper and a light sprinkle of salt. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 4.

What about the kids? Serve their sliced oranges unadorned on another serving plate. Now everyone is happy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you love fresh tomatoes too much to give them up in the winter, look for fresh cluster tomatoes on the vine. They may not compete with a home grown tomato, but they can deliver real tomato taste year round.

There are some amazing health claims out there for the simple tomato. Tomatoes are Superfood #4 for women, rich in antioxidants (like lycopene), Vitamin C and a variety of other vitamins and minerals. They are also a negative calorie food. No, they really do have calories, but some people think more calories are burned eating and digesting these foods. Now that is an appealing idea!

This is one of my favorite quick salads. The red onion, olive oil and basil (and sometimes a splash of vinegar) help boost the flavor of the tomato; just for a moment you might forget it’s not summer anymore…

Fresh Tomato and Red Onion Salad

Fresh cluster tomatoes purchased on the vine, cut in wedges
½ red onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water
5 or 6 basil leaves, rolled and sliced in strips
Salt to taste

Cut the desired number of tomatoes into wedges and place in a serving bowl with the sliced onion and basil. Drizzle with olive oil; add a splash of water, season with salt. Toss well and refrigerate before serving.

Keep the slices of onion large enough to remove if the little ones won’t eat them (but they might surprise you). Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices…just don’t get caught by the etiquette police!

Breaded Chicken, Italian Style

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, whole or cut into 2 or 3 pieces
½ cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated Romano (or Parmesan) cheese
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Line a cookie sheet with foil; spray lightly with cooking oil. Rinse and dry the chicken. Mix the bread crumbs, cheese, basil and garlic together and place on a large plate. Sprinkle the chicken pieces lightly with flour, dip in the milk and then in the bread crumb mixture. Pat the crumbs into the chicken so they will adhere. Place the chicken pieces on the prepared cookie sheet and drizzle each with a small amount of oil. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (less time if the pieces are small).

The chicken should come out of the oven just before you think it is done…it will continue to cook for a few more minutes. This chicken will be tender and moist as long as it is not overcooked.

Keep bread crumbs in the freezer so they will always be fresh. Make them from leftover bread (using a few quick pulses in the food processor) and keep different types on hand. (Try whole wheat bread crumbs for breaded fish; plain or sourdough for chicken, etc.)

And finally, make extra! This chicken is great for dinner, sandwiches, lunches; it packs up perfectly for potlucks, picnics and tailgating!

Q:  We cannot get my 19 month old daughter to eat meat. We have tried (many times) lots of variety. We’ve tried it in things, on things, from our plates, when she asks for it….but she just won’t eat it. In fact, she usually wipes it off her tongue with a napkin or her fingers. I’m open to any tricky things I might not have considered

A:  Meat is an excellent source of protein and calories for toddlers, but it is not as easy to chew as starches, fruits and veggies. It also has a different “mouth feel” compared to many other foods.

Try these strategies to acclimate your young one to the taste and texture of meats…

Focus on offering thin sliced or shaved deli meats, chicken, turkey or ham. These have a saltier taste and lack the distinctive flavor and coarse texture of most meats. Mix crumb-sized pieces of meat with other foods that are moist and flavorful.

Disguise shredded meat in pureed veggies, sprinkle into a grilled cheese sandwich, stir into cooked pasta with butter or tomato sauce. Serve tiny pieces of meat with just a drop of ketchup, ranch dressing, mild BBQ sauce or applesauce if she likes those things. In the beginning, just add traces to her menu until you can let a bit more taste shine through.

Don’t let on that you are trying to push her in any way. It is important that she controls what she eats, and you control what is served. Keep up other sources of protein that she will eat.

And be patient. Most toddlers who don’t like meat soon acquire the taste. (Then you can try my healthy baked chicken nuggets, so stay tuned!)

The photo? Yes, that’s the one!

Here’s lookin’ at you, kid. Your little ones (and big ones!) must be able to see in their Halloween get up. Masks can block vision, making navigating streets difficult when it is already dark. Enlarge eye openings for better visibility or use make up for little faces to keep vision unobstructed.

Now you see ‘em. Buy a roll of reflective tape and use it liberally to highlight their costumes. Look for it in fluorescent orange, green or white. More is better.

Walk, don’t run. Long robes can trip them up. Keep hemlines short enough for walking…staple the hemline in a costume for a quick and easy alteration. Walking should be comfortable in the costume.

Light the way. A flash light is a good accessory, not only to see the way, but also to increase visibility to others.

Candy is dandy. There was a time when stopping at a house that had home made goodies was a special treat. These days, packaged treats are best to ensure our children’s safety. Teach the kids to wait to eat candy until they are home and you have sorted it, checking for any open or damaged wrappers.

“My tummy hurts…” I think one of the most common phone calls I get as a pediatrician on Halloween is the late night stomach ache from too much candy. Avoid it by serving a light but healthy dinner before going out, so the treats tempt a little less. Then once you get home, sort the candy, set aside or toss the least favorite treats and indulge wisely. Store the rest in small bags for sharing and eating on other days.

No apples at this party…Avoid “bobbing for apples” at a Halloween party if you want to avoid exposure to everyone else’s germs. For healthier fun, check out Kaboose for some fun Halloween games.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!!

How often is something good for you that tastes as good as chocolate? Dark chocolate is full of flavinoids, a compound from the cocoa plant that keeps cholesterol from plugging arteries.  And chocolate isn’t the only thing that will make you smile…dried cherries pack natural sweetness and are rich in heart-healthy antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Balance out these flavors with the taste, texture and nutrition of oats and you’ve got another really good cookie!

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Cookies

1¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 oz. (1 stick) butter
8 oz. (1 stick) margarine
½ cup sugar
1¼ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups oats, regular
¾ cup dark chocolate chips
¾ cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries)

Mix flour, soda and salt together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugars, butter and margarine until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beat well, then mix in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture until well combined. Sir in oats, chocolate chips and cherries, then drop the dough by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 4 ½ dozen.

You might make these to tempt the grown ups who drop in on Halloween…but beware! These haunted cookies might just disappear without a trace!

Last week I came home from the store only to discover that I had bought a gallon of whole milk instead of nonfat. I knew my son wouldn’t drink it, so I figured I would just use it in cooking or baking…

So I made Dutch Baby for breakfast the next morning. It was delicious, but it hardly made a dent in our surplus. What else could I make with whole milk?

Homemade orange sherbet! Since it is made with milk, it has only a fraction of the fat and calories of ice cream.  My blender has an ice cream maker attachment that I almost never use, so it was time to dust it off. In less time than a trip to the grocery store, I made this yummy treat…

Homemade Orange Sherbet

3 cups whole milk
¾ cup orange juice concentrate (half of a 12 oz. can)
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon pure orange extract, optional

Combine the ingredients in the ice cream canister and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream maker. Makes 1 quart.

And for those of you without home ice cream makers, the Play and Freeze ball looks like fun! Or make an orange smoothie instead… ¾ cup whole milk, 1 cup crushed ice, 2 heaping tablespoons orange juice concentrate (undiluted), 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix in blender. 

My homemade orange sherbet is an easy, low fat dessert that is as fun to make as it is to eat….well, maybe a bit more fun to eat!  I made an extra batch to bring to the office…it was a hit! Thanks, Plato.

Apple Snack Cake

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup honey
½ cup oil
1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 ½ cups shredded unpeeled apple (or zucchini)
½ cup finely diced banana

Spray a 9×13 inch pan with Pam for Baking. Stir together flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices; set aside. In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs until light, then beat in the honey and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the oil.
Mix in the flour mixture at low speed, alternating additions with yogurt. Stir in the zucchini and banana. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes.

I like this cake best unadorned, but you can also dress it up with a light cream cheese glaze and toasted walnuts. Honey-Cream Cheese Icing: Mix together 5 oz. softened cream cheese, 1 ½ teaspoons orange juice and 3 to 4 tablespoons honey (adjust for desired sweetness). Spread over the cooled cake and cover with 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts.

And once zucchini is back in season, try this recipe with shredded zucchini. It’s equally delicious, and I love the little green flecks!

Make them small to fit little hands and to decrease calories for bigger kids like us! These and oatmeal raisin cookies are popular sweet treats at my house…

Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

1¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 oz. (1 stick) butter
8 oz. (1 stick) margarine
½ cup sugar
1¼ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups oats, regular or quick cooking
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix flour, soda and salt together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugars, butter and margarine until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beat well, then mix in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture until well combined. Sir in oats and chocolate chips by hand, then use a tablespoon scoop to drop the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 4 ½ dozen.

Cookie monsters at your house? Remind them that cookies are a “sometimes food”, so freeze extras in small batches for a sweet treat another day…

Win-win? Not exactly. Homemade or not, pies, cakes and cookies can still pack a hefty number of calories. My delicious choco-chini cake is certainly lower in fat and healthier than a zucchini-free equivalent, but it is still a dessert…

Can we indulge in sweets without too many extra calories? Yes! Try these tricks to incorporate sweets into a healthy diet…

• Serve individual portions. When I talk with my young patients about sweets, I often tell them to “eat one cookie, not five cookies”. That may seem obvious, but it is not so easy when the serving plate is piled high. 
  

• Smaller servings. Of course, smaller portions have fewer calories. So measure cookie dough with a tablespoon scoop for smaller and more uniform cookies and they will also bake more evenly.

• Special times. Save fancy desserts for special occasions and special meals. The only “dessert” that most of us can afford to have every day is fresh fruit.

• Just enough. I made cookies for my son’s scout meeting today, but I baked only half the batch. I’ll freeze the remainder of the dough (or refrigerate for up to a week), then bake just a few cookies at a time.

• Out of sight, out of mind. Avoid temptation by keeping sweet treats out of sight. Store extra cookies or baked goods in the freezer, or better yet, share extras with neighbors and co-workers. They will love you for it!

• Add fiber. Fiber-rich ingredients make healthy additions to dessert recipes because fiber can decrease the absorption of fat! (Hmmm…like oatmeal cookies! ) Fruit and veggie ingredients (like applesauce, carrots and zucchini) add moisture that can replace some of the fat in a recipe…another calorie saver.

Tip of the day…Next time you make chocolate chip cookies add 2 cups of oats along with the 2 cups of chips (and decrease the flour in the recipe by ½ cup). I love the texture of chocolate chip oat cookies so much better than plain. You might never make plain chocolate chip cookies again!