Making Delectable Healthy Meals for Your Family

Guest post by James Kim. James is a guest writer for foodonthetable.com. Food on the Table is a company that provides online budget meal planning services. Their goal is to help families eat better and save money.

Making Delectable Healthy Meals for Your Family

Eating junk food may be a common pastime, but consistently eating the wrong foods can lead to health complications later. You may wonder why so many healthy meals tend to taste like cardboard and find it difficult to find nutritious foods that you like. This does not always have to be the case, if you use a little creativity.

You don’t need to spend more time in the kitchen, and you don’t need specialized culinary training. You just need to change a few things. Below are some ways to liven up meals that are nutritious.

1. Get to Know Your Spices Better

There are more options to seasoning your food other than salt and pepper. Ground onion, chipotle powder, and variations of garlic can liven up any meal.

Let’s say you like chicken and potatoes. You could try broiling or baking these food products, instead of deep-frying them. Marinate the chicken in any seasoning such as jerk, southwestern, or teriyaki. Fries are delicious, but they are starchy and often cooked in too much oil, including butter or margarine. When you make fries, try to minimize the oil you use and try healthy oils like canola and olive. Oven-cooked fries are a good alternative for those watching their waistline. Cover raw, sliced potatoes in healthy oil, sprinkle on your favorite seasoning, and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. The fries you end up with will be good for you and taste great.

2. Decrease Your Portions

Many times our eyes are bigger than our stomach, which can lead to weight gain and wasted food. There is no need for that “stuffed” feeling. Get into the habit of measuring your food as well as taking time between bites. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the longer you chew, the less you eat.

There is no need to starve yourself. Just enjoy your food, and push the plate away when you are full.

3. Be the Master of Your Kitchen

By cooking at home, you are in control of your portions. Restaurants tend to use plates larger than most used at home. Some even use platters that are much wider in size. By using small plates, you can measure how much food will be eaten. It does not hurt to eat at home on a weekend instead of dining out. Also, learn to use color for visual aesthetic and health benefits. Adding vegetables that are green, red, or orange will not only guarantee that you are getting more vitamins like Vitamin C and beta-carotene, but it will also guarantee that you are getting less fat and carbohydrates. Go online to find out which vegetables and fruits contain the nutrients you and your family may be missing out on. A good way to integrate more veggies is with meatless entrees. This Eggplant Parmigiana recipe is a perfect example of a healthy, meatless entree. Cook meals at home, and you’ll save money and get healthy!

Cabbage Menu

Cabbage and cauliflowers are on special this week. I have found some lovely recipes, maybe I can plan on them since I am going to the regional centre. But to be safe I have put them in the interesting recipes section. They look lovely.

Tuesday ~ Chilli Sweet Potato & Beans with Polenta
Wednesday ~ Silverbeet & Cheese Lasagne (to use up some Jarlsberg cheese)
Thursday ~ Macaroni & Cauliflower Cheese Bake
Friday ~ Sticky Sausage & Fennel Coleslaw Lavash Wraps (uses pork chipolatas)
Saturday ~ Pork & Dill Cabbage Rolls (uses pork mince)
Sunday ~ Pies, Peas & Chips and Gravy
Monday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise
Tuesday ~ Chipolata & Bean Casserole
Wednesday ~ Pies, Wedges & Peas
Thursday ~ Greek Bean & Silverbeet Stew
Friday ~ Chow Mein (beans)
Saturday ~ Spaghetti with Asparagus and Fried Egg
Sunday ~ Pumpkin, Cauliflower & Lentil Curry
Monday ~ Japanese Vegetarian Pancakes

Filling in the last bits from stuff from the vegetable crisper etc. Ordered extra vegies to cover it.

As it turned out I could plan on a couple, the silverbeet lasagne was beautiful, also the fennel salad wraps. The cabbage rolls were great except the garlic and spice were accidently left out. I had no idea my husband had never had cabbage rolls. I found what may be the 70s version in Cookery The Australia Way. Have added on these notes, my menu was looking bare and I have to fill in the details now I know what I am doing and how much money I have to work with. I did buy buttermilk at the regional centre.

Duds from last week:
Middle-eastern Lentil & Root Vegetable Ragout
think it had a typo and also I don't like cous cous and maybe I shouldn't make things with turnip, I think really the typo was the problem, it said sweet cayenne

Beef Sausage recipes:

Sausage Sang Choy Bow

Bok Choy Recipes:
Hungarian Sausage, Bok Choy & Sweet Potato Soup

Interesting recipes:
Pork, Pumpkin & Asparagus Stir Fry
Cabbage & Goat's Cheese Filo Pie (uses Meredith Dairy Plain Chevre from Delis)
Veal & Slaw Burgers with Lemon Yoghurt (uses schnitzels)
Italian Sausage Soup (uses pepperoni)
Navajo Fry Bread with Beans and Pork (uses pork leg steaks & buttermilk)
Beef, Miso & Sesame Noodles

"Our Seeds": The Promo

Left-over Vegetable Menu

This week I was in the regional centre, and we needed something for tea, so I was able to choose pork mince. There is no meat to speak of in our Foodwork catalogue and I don't know what is over there except kabana and strassburg, so I thought I'd try those to save looking.

Tuesday ~ Cheesey Mac with Roasted Broccoli (recipe has a variation for chorizo)
Wednesday ~ Pork Chow Mein
Thursday ~ Spinach & Feta Bolognaise
Friday ~ Savoury Omelette (uses crab meat, canned)
Saturday ~ Speedy Mince & Noodle Stir Fry baby corn?
Sunday ~ Tuna Frittata with Fennel Salad
Monday ~ Strassberg Lasagne will have to swap strassberg gone
Tuesday ~ boc choy & Sausages Sausage Stir Fry
Wednesday ~ Chilli Sweet Potato & Beans with Polenta
Thursday ~ Chilli Bean Nachos
Friday ~ Middle-eastern Lentil & Root Vegetable Ragout
Saturday ~ Spinach Impossible Pie
Sunday ~ Bacon & Beef Burger with Dijonnaise
Monday ~ Versatile Paella (using kabana)

Success from last week:
Barley & Red Lentil Pilaf
BBQ Chicken with Greek Salad (absolutely gorgeous)

Not so happy with from last week:
Bacon and Spinach Macaroni Cheese

Swaps last week:
the swaps are using the ingredients we already had just swapping recipes, usually to avoid meat or extra expense
Potato & Asparagus Salad
Curried Pumpkin & Lentils
Broad Bean & Silverbeet Soup
Beef & Chorizo Nachos (to use up chorizo) tried this, it was excellent!
Pasta with Pumpkin, Tomato & Butter Beans

Interesting recipes:

Chorizo, Zucchini & Feta Rigatoni
Broad Bean & Chorizo Risotto
Chorizo & Borlotti Bean Soup (uses fennel)
Chorizo, Tomato and Feta Tortilla Pizzas

I have two packets of fenugreek seeds so trying this recipe:

Spinach & Pumpkin Curry

Chicken Menu

This is some recipes I couldn't afford last week, and I've added new ones with the vegetables that are on special. Since I have lots of bills, not sure of the smartness of this move. I may have left overs as two of my children may be away, but another one may come to visit us. We'll see how we go. I have added what I swapped the recipes for, cheaper versions.

Tuesday ~ Bacon and Spinach Macaroni Cheese
Wednesday ~ Barley & Red Lentil Pilaf (uses JC Quality Foods Soup Mix) or Hearty Chicken & Vegetable Soup
Thursday ~ Chorizo & Corn Frittata
Friday ~ Pumpkin & Pasta Bake
Saturday ~ BBQ Chicken with Greek Salad
Sunday ~ Chilli Sweet Potato & Beans with Polenta
Monday ~ Tray Baked Sausages with Potatoes & Cherry Tomatoes
Tuesday ~ Asparagus & Corn Fritters
Wednesday ~ Chilli Bean Nachos
Thursday ~ Bacon & Egg Pizzas
Friday ~ Salami & Mushroom Linguine
Saturday ~ Macaroni & Cauliflower Cheese Bake
Sunday ~ Chicken & Boc Choy Stir Fry
Monday ~ Chicken, Silverbeet and Fennel Potato Pie
may buy chorizos. They are on special at Foodworks.

Interesting recipes:

Fish Tacos made from fish from the fish and chip shop

Swaps last week:

Thursday ~ Creamy Asparagus Pasta
Friday ~ Middle-Eastern Lentil & Spinach Soup
Saturday ~ Spaghetti with Zucchini & Cherry Tomatoes
Sunday ~ Brussels Sprout Curry
Monday ~ Spanish Tortilla
Tuesday ~ Potato & Spinach Frittata


Success from last week:

Tuscan Beef Burritos We bought Red Hill Spice Girls Tuscan seasoning for this. Was thrilled when I opened the jar, so fresh, unsettled and lovely smell. It turns out amongst the usual spices, red pepper and juniper which is usually what I associate with German cooking. So happy, can imagine it with the lettuce.

Lifesaving Lentil Soup

Budget Menu with German Ideas

I had some fun with the sauerkraut, kransky and Polish sausage theme. However I have tried for a mid budget menu, hopefully the money holds out for that. Lots of lentils so it shouldn't be too expensive. Checked what was on sale with the vegetables, noticed bananas have come down in price. Some of these we had most of the ingredients so only had to get a couple of things to go on with, for example last night Tuesday we had the risoni after my husband brought home some sausages.

Tuesday ~ Sausage & Rocket Risoni
Wednesday ~ Tuscan Beef Burritos
Thursday ~ Moroccan Lentil & Chickpea Soup
Friday ~ Pea & Ham Soup with Kranskys
Saturday ~ Pasta with Tuna, Rocket & Chilli
Sunday ~ Zucchini Nachos (my favourite) aka Chilli Bean Nachos
Monday ~ Spaghetti with Zucchini & Cherry Tomatoes
Tuesday ~ Tray Baked Sausages with Potatoes & Cherry Tomatoes
Wednesday ~ Asparagus & Corn Fritters
Thursday ~ Bacon & Egg Pizzas
Friday ~ Bacon & Spinach Macaroni Cheese
Saturday ~ BBQ Chicken with Greek Salad
Sunday ~ Life-saving Lentil Soup
Monday ~ Sausage & Lentil Casserole

Swap Recipes:

Singapore Noodles (uses canned prawns & wombuk)
Cauliflower Soup

Interesting recipes:
Sauerkraut & Bratwurst Hotdogs (AWW)
Apple Sauerkraut Spareribs
Transylvanian Sausage Soup (uses Kranskys)
German Gingerbread
Sauerkraut & Polish Sausage Casserole
Macedonian Sauerkraut & Rice Soup
Kransky & Sauerkraut & Mashed Potato
Sauerkraut & Tomato Tray (uses speck)

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower & Proscuitto
Great Northern Bean Stew (uses pork mince)
Curried Pork Sausages with Pumpkin

Costco & Halloween

I came back to my inbox and found this picture from my son. It is from Costco in Canberra. Interesting that it is playdoh not candy.

Old Fashioned Menu

I remember last fortnight being aghast at all the red capsicums I had to buy and zucchini. My fruit and vege order was very expensive, but I don't think the fault was all theirs though. I thoroughly enjoyed nearly all the meals and lots have been adapted and kept as family favourites. Red capsicum of course really lifts some meals. I was hoping to buy some meat like pork sausages and pork mince this week from somewhere, maybe I could send my husband to the village near our new house to try for some and to look locally.

My husband has hurt his leg. Usually he goes shopping for me. Today I went there after school while my daughter was with her oldest sister at a church group. I found my multifocals difficult in the supermarket. I have only had them a week or so, two probably. Anyone had the same problem when they first got their multis?

I found my supermarket has lifted their ban on plastic shopping bags. They have recycleable ones for 10c with donations for cancer or something, no one can complain about that right, boxes free. They had Polish sausage that I haven't been able to buy for ages. I didn't find any sauerkraut though I used to like making Bigos. Also some lovely curries (powder) marked down from nearly $8 to $2.

Then I had a mad dash trip to my hometown to get my multifocal glasses adjusted. I bought the sauerkraut at the regional centre on the way home at the health food shop, it was half price as it was overdue in a large jar. I got fenugreek seeds. Found this blog post about growing fenugreek. I am really glad I went to Olive Health Foods in Wodonga because they stock adzuki beans, mung beans and black turtle beans and juniper berries (pictured above with speck).

The money I used to get my glasses done, luckily the meals sort of looked after themselves. I found the silverside my husband had put in the freezer because he saw it to buy one day was invaluable. I didn't really have it on a previous menu seriously, was worried about thawing it out. So we had it for two nights, and our minestrone for two nights. We have reworked our original recipe from the MacKenzies packet. Originally I had spices for my silverside. My husband found his own from an old 80s Sunbeam? cookery book. The spices are much better. And when he made the soup from the stock from the silverside he added chilli to the water when he cooked the beans. It improved a previously loved recipe and kept it current, so now I will love it into the future.

Pork Sausage, Mushroom and Rocket Pasta

Tuesday ~ Fish & Chip takeaway
Wednesday ~ Minestrone
Thursday ~ Mexican Macaroni Cheese
Friday ~ Sausage & Rocket Risoni
Saturday ~ Left over Silverside with beans, pumpkin & Potato
Sunday ~ Bigos
Monday ~ Minestrone
Tuesday ~ Silverside and Brussel sprouts and cheese sauce
Wednesday ~ Beef Sausages wraps
Thursday ~ Pies, mashed potato, peas
Friday ~ Tuscan Beef Burritos
Saturday ~ Pies, mashed potato, peas, gravy
Sunday ~ Penne with Salmon & Broccoli
Monday ~ Roasted Pumpkin, Boc Choy and Miso Lentil Soup

Edited to add in a rocket recipe via a newsletter from taste: Broccoli & Pecorino Pasta

Interesting recipe:

can't use this atm price of basil too high.

Penne with Roast Pumpkin & Ricotta
Green Pea Soup with Polish Sausage
Lamb and Okra Curry (uses fenugreek seeds)

Success from last week: gorgeous very happy

Roasted Vegetable Risotto
Nasi Goreng with Prawns
Speedy Burritos
Chicken drumsticks & Roast Potatoes
Beef & Green Bean Chilli
Singapore Noodles

Sweet Potato Recipe that tastes like pumpkin

This recipe was adapted from a Heinz recipe. It is wonderful really. Sometimes sweet potato is a strong flavour compared to the weak tasting pumpkins you get these days. I think the pumpkin soup helps blend the rice with the sweet potato. My husband has added stock powder, no doubt that helps as well. Because we do such similar recipes all the time he is getting quite good at knowing what to do. It is good to have a family favourite sweet potato recipe. I used to have Spicy Kumara and Beans in the sidebar, but have gone away from it now, I think because the kids weren't that keen?

Sweet potatoes can be thrown into the bottom of the pantry and forgotten about until a food emergency, they are wonderful.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Servings: 6+

Ingredients
• 400 – 500 g sweet potato, peeled and chopped into a large dice
• 1 green capsicum, chopped into a large dice
• 2 zucchini, halved and sliced on diagonal
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 420g can Condensed Cream of Pumpkin Soup
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp veg stock
• Fresh ground black pepper, salt.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. After cutting vegetables, mix with oil to
cover. Place on tray lined with oven bake and sprinkle with coarse
salt. Bake sweet potato, capsicum and zucchini for 25 minutes, or
until tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, add the onion and cook for 5
minutes, or until softened.

3. Add the arborio rice and toss to coat in oil. Add the soup and 1
can of water, mix well with stock cube. Simmer very gently for 25 - 30 minutes, stirring often, adding boiling water as needed to keep a bit loose. Season with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and season with 1 tsp of salt.

4. Stir in the roasted vegetables and parmesan cheese. Serve.

New Family Recipe for Chicken Pieces

Chicken drumstick and roast potatoes in a rich tomato sauce

Ingredients (serves 6)
• 12 chicken drumsticks (2 packs of pieces)
• 5-7 potatoes, peeled, cut into bite size pieces
• 3 or 4 carrots sliced diagonally (thick)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon ground hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced finely
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• steamed vegetables, to serve
Method
1. Preheat oven to 220°C.

2. Place chicken pieces into a frypan and cook chicken pieces while
preparing the vegetables.

3. When vegetables are prepared replace frypan with oven dish on stovetop and transfer all frypan material into the dish.

4. Place potatoes and carrots into the dish. Arrange the chicken to sit on the top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and
rosemary.

5. Combine stock, tomato paste and paprika in a small bowl. Pour
stock mixture into base of roasting pan (do not pour over chicken.

6. Drizzle oil over chicken and potatoes. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Serve with steamed
vegetables.

More Vegie Version of Paella

Nasi goreng with prawns

Ingredients (serves 6)
• Olive oil spray
• 4 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
• 2 - 3 tsp sambal oelek
• 4 (500g approx.)single chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced
• 250g prawns canned
• (2 1/2 cups) uncooked long-grain rice
• 1/2 small wombok (Chinese cabbage), hard core removed, finely shredded
• 200g grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbs salt-reduced soy sauce
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, halved, thinly sliced

Method

1. Heat frypan to high. Add uncooked rice with enough oil to slightly wet. Cook until reasonably brown, stir whilst cooking. Turn down
heat add boiling water about a cup to begin with. As water is used up add more. Keep going until cooked and slightly exploding. Add 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp of chicken stock powder.

2. At same time heat a frypan over medium heat, add oil and cook
sliced chicken in batches. Put each batch into a bowl. When finished cook onions and carrots.

3. Transfer cooked onions and carrots and chicken to cooked rice. Turn down heat a little. Add sambal oelek, peeled prawns, tomatoes, soy
sauce cucumber and wombok. Stir every so often.

4. To other frypan add some oil and put in egg mixture. When cooked
cut up and put half into rice mixture., Reserve half for plate.

5. Add the rice, wombok and tomato to the wok and stir-fry for 2
minutes. Add the soy sauce and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add half the omelette. Toss to combine. Divide among serving bowls. Top with cucumber and remaining omelette to serve.

I found a magazine version of this recipe, about 5 years old Family Circle.

Nasi Goreng

Serves 4

80ml peanut oil
5 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 chicken breast, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded cabbage
1-2 tablespoons sambal olek
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups cold cooked long grain rice

garnishes optional: sliced chillies, coriander sprigs, crispy fried shallts, sliced cucumber, lime wedges, peanuts, chopped tomatoes.