Amy's Nana's Spiced Pecans

These are, in a word, scrumptious! My friend, Amy, shared her recipe with me and I loved them so much I wanted to share them with all of you. Crunchy, sweet, salty, roasted, nutty goodness ready for the holiday season. Perfect to give as gifts to friends, family, teachers and anyone else you think is extra special. Just be sure to keep a batch for yourself at home. With only a 1/4 cup of sugar per 3 cup batch, the kids can have a special snack without blowing their daily sugar budget. These are delicious alone or as a topping for pumpkin pancakes(just add 1/2 C. canned pumpkin puree and 1-2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice to your favorite pancake batter) or Greek yogurt. Happy holidays from my kitchen to yours!

1 egg white
1 TBS. water
3 C. Pecan halves
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves*
1/2 tsp. nutmeg*
1/2 tsp. cinnamon*

*I used 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice which also has ground ginger. Delicious! You could also add 1/4 tsp(or more) cayenne pepper to add a little spice to the season.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with non-stick spray or with aluminum foil. Combine spices and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. In a bowl, lightly beat egg white and water together. Add in nuts to coat. Then pour spiced sugar over the top and toss to coat evenly. Spread on the cookie sheet in an even layer and bake for 30 minutes. Stir once or twice while cooking to dry evenly. While warm, spread roasted nuts on a sheet of wax paper to cool.

A Thanksgiving Classic

While this isn't a typical Mommy Chef recipe, I wanted to share my closely guarded Sweet Potato Casserole recipe with all of you for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. It is a sweet and lightly spiced concoction of heavenly sweet potatoes and toasted pecans in lieu of your typical burned marshmallows. When it bakes up, it puffs slightly giving it a souffle-life appearance and texture. Seriously, this is so good, you can skip the pie and offer it as dessert! Just remember to cool for several minutes after it comes out of the oven so you don't light your guests up...literally! Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours.

Sweet Potato Casserole
3 C. mashed sweet potato(bake, cool and then peel)
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 freshly grated nutmeg seed
OR 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Topping
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. all purpose flour
1/3 C. melted butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. chopped pecans


Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients and set aside. Then in a large bowl, combine all of the casserole ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour into a greased casserole dish and top with the nut mixture. Bake for 35-45 minutes until puffed and set and nuts are lightly toastedd. Serves many.

Nutty Banana Bread

I LOVE to bake with my son, Jack. He's 3.5, so anything he can do to feel big and important is pretty high on his list. Unfortunately, my camera was charging until the bread was finished or you would have been impressed with pictures of his banana smooshing skills! Anyways, back to the bread. This is absolutely the BEST banana bread. My family goes through this pretty fast. We love it toasted with butter for breakfast or if you really want to be decadent, I make french toast with it. YUM! This recipe calls for a lot of bananas, Omega 3 rich eggs and walnuts and sunflower seeds for vitamin E. Don't they look pretty sprinkled on top?

1 C. all purpose flour
3/4 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 C. wheat germ
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2-3/4 C. smashed walnuts
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 C. butter or canola oil(butter tastes better)
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
2 eggs(free range, organic eggs are higher in Omega 3 fatty acids)
2 1/3 C. overripe mashed bananas(kids love squishing these up by hand)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
raw sunflower seeds(amount depends on whether you make lg/sm loaves or muffins)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease loaf pan or muffin pan. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add in walnuts. In another bowl, cream butter/oil with sugar and then add in the remaining wet ingredients. Combine well. Next, pour wet ingredients into dry ingredient bowl and gently fold together until just combined. Be careful NOT to overmix. Add batter into greased pan and sprinkle with raw sunflower seeds.

Large loaf pan: 60-65 min
Small loaves or muffins: 25-30 min

Test with a toothpick to test for doneness(is that a word?) It should come out clean.

Banana Ice Cream Treat

My son absolutely LOVES bananas, so we go through a lot of them each week. One of his favorite ways to enjoy them is Banana Ice Cream. Now, I know what you are thinking...banana icecream doesn't sound like the healthiest thing on the menu. Ice cream is a great "treat", but you can serve this version any time you want and your kids will thank you for it. Bananas are rich in potassium and are so sweet and creamy that no extra sugar is needed for this recipe. If you decide to add some dark chocolate chips and toasted walnuts, you can pretend you are indulging in Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey(my personal fave) without any of the guilt!

1 frozen banana
1-2 TBS. milk
dark chocolate chips(optional)
toasted chopped walnuts(optional)

Take your banana out of the freezer and let it sit for a minute or two. Then, throw it in the blender(I use the Vitamix 5000 and it is worth every penny!) or food processor if your blender isn't super powerful. Add milk in by the tablespoon until the banana is broken down and combined, but not too slushy...remember this is supposed to be like ice cream! Mix in or top "ice cream" with walnuts and chocolate and serve. Serves 1.

Homemade Granola

I have always loved granola and most kids can't resist it, but often times it is LOADED with too much sugar. However, with a few modifications, granola can be a healthy whole grain snack chocked full of vitamins, minerals and good fats that will keep your little daredevils primed with energy. Plus, store bought granola is expensive and can contain additives that kids don't need!


2 1/2 C. Old Fashioned Oatmeal
1 C. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 C. raw sesame seeds
1/2 C. raw sunflower seeds
3/4 C. raw whole almonds
1/4 C. wheat germ
1/4 C. flaxmeal
4 TBS. unsalted butter
1/2 C. honey
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice(cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg)
1 C. mixed no sugar added dried fruit pieces(or whatever dried fruit your child likes)
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 300. On a 9X13 cookie sheet, combine oats, coconut, wheat germ, flax, sunflower and sesame seeds and almonds. Toast for 20 min. stirring occasionally. While the dry ingredients are toasting, combine honey, pumpkin pie spice and butter in a sauce pan and simmer on low. When pan comes out of the oven , pour dried fruit and vanilla into the sauce and stir to combine. Put toasted oats into a large bowl and pour honey mixture over the top. Stir to combine. Spray a glass 9X13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and dump in the granola. Press down evenly and return to the oven for 20 min. Remove and let cool. Keep in an airtight gallon ziplock or plastic container for up to one week. Makes about 6 cups.

You will NOT believe how delicious this is! Try it with a little milk for breakfast or on top of greek yogurt for a yummy snack.

Berry Yummy

The other day I was watching Giada DeLaurentiis on the Food Network. She made this gorgeous dessert with silky ricotta cheese, citrus and berries that just screamed summer to me. The best part is that altering it just a bit makes it a tad more healthy and just as delicious! Another bonus is pairing the sweet berry sauce with ricotta lowers the effect sugar has on the body and the blood sugar remains stable. This dessert packs a powerful punch of protein, calcium and antioxidants!


Berry Yummy Ricotta Sundaes

berry sauce:

Juice of one orange
Juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 C. sugar
8 large strawberries, quartered
1/2 C. raspberries
1/2 C. blueberries

Put the juice of the orange and lemon into a sauce pan and add sugar and fruit. Let it come to a bubble and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in vanilla and remove from heat.

ricotta cream:
1 15oz. container good quality whole milk ricotta cheese(don't skimp here because it really affects the taste)
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 TBS. honey depending on how sweet you want it. You can also use sugar or agave syrup.
Zest of one orange
Zest of one lemon

2 TBS. toasted almond slivers(reserve for topping)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve: Divide the ricotta mixture among 4 dessert dishes and top with equal amounts of the berry sauce. Sprinkle with toasted almond slivers. Delish! Serves 4

Steel Cut Oatmeal-Updated

Everyone has had oatmeal, but not everyone has enjoyed a steaming, creamy, comforting bowl of steel cut oatmeal. Steel cut oats are much more dense and have a chewier texture than your standard rolled oats. Instead of steaming the oats and rolling them flat, they are run whole through a steel blade and cut into very thin pieces resulting in a better texture, flavor and higher nutritional value due to less processing. Oats are full of B vitamins, fiber, manganese, selenium and many other important nutrients. Eating a diet high in whole grains helps prevent cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, childhood asthma AND it is a great whole grain alternative for those of you who have children who suffer from autism, celiac disease or other illnesses that are complicated by the consumption of wheat/gluten products. So, where do you find steel cut oats? You can find them in virtually any major grocery store, but the best tip I can give you is to buy them in the bulk section of your store. I pay between $.59-$.79/lb! This is an inexpensive grain that you just can't afford not to feed your family. I started my son on this cereal when he was about 8 months old and he just gobbles it up. It is even a standard request at snack time in our home!

Oatmeal
1 C. steel cut oats
4 C. water
1 TBS. real unsalted butter
1/2 C. smashed walnuts(let your children smash them in a ziploc with a wooden hammer)
1/2 C. raisins(or cherries/cranberries...no sugar added)
1-2 TBS. molasses*
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 C. milk
Honey, agave/maple syrup or brown sugar to taste. Add more milk to your desired consistency.

**It has just been brought to my attention that I completely neglected to tell you how to make this!

In a medium pot, combine water and oats. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, until oats are thick and creamy, about 15-20minutes. Then add it the remaining ingredients and serve warm with extra milk on the side.
Add ons: this is a great way to get extra nutrients into your children to start their day. Add strawberries, blueberries, bananas, etc. You can also try adding a spoonful of peanut butter instead of walnuts, sunflower seeds, or any other nuts to create variety. Try adding a couple tablespoons of real pumpkin and pumpkin pie seasoning for an amazing new flavor!

*Thanks to Miss Jan, my favorite nutritionist friend, my family now enjoys the taste and health benefits of blackstrap molasses. It is a great source of iron, calcium and is one of the best mineral dense natural sweetners available containing copper,potassium and magnesium. It's a great way to add sweetness AND fulfill health requirements for your little ones. Start with one tablespoon and increase as you become accustomed to the flavor. Yum!


Tip: Make a large batch and store(before adding fruit toppings) in the refrigerator. It reheats with a little milk beautifully for mornings on the go.

Broccoli Salad

Now that the warm weather is upon us, no one wants to cook and heat up the kitchen to test the air conditioning bills. Here is a salad that you can make in advance and it's even better the next day. Loaded with antioxidants, good fats, and yummy bacon goodness, who can resist? Great with sandwiches or grilled meats.

3 small heads of broccoli(usually one big bunch), cut into bite sized pieces
3/4 C. cashews chopped
1/2 C. dried cherries or cranberries(no sugar added)
1/2 red onion, finely diced
4 strips of bacon(nitrate free if you can find it), crumbled
1/2 C. non fat Greek yogurt
1/2 C. canola based mayo
1-2 TBS. sugar(to taste)
4 TBS. white wine vinegar

In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, yogurt, sugar and vinegar and set aside. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cashews, onion, cherries and bacon. Pour dressing over the top and toss. Store in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serves 6-8.

Rainbow Cakes

Ok, not really a cake, but a very delicious and COLORFUL muffin! These muffins are chocked full of antioxidants, omega 3's and B vitamins. Because I have days where I struggle to get enough fruits and veggies into my son, I try to create recipes that include lots of nutrition into a small, child sized package. These muffins succeed in every way! I like to make my muffins in little cupcake liners and call them cupcakes to increase their appeal. Serve them for breakfast or at snack time with a glass of milk and you have something the kids(and hubby) will gobble up while you sit back smiling about your secret weapon! Mission Accomplished.

Rainbow Cakes
1/4 C. Canola Oil
1/2 C. brown sugar(packed)
1 egg
3/4 C. applesauce
1 C. grated carrot
1 C. grated zucchini
1 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. all purpose flour
1/4 C. wheat germ
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
1/2 C. dried cherries, no sugar added(or you can use raisins)

Preheat oven to 400. Spray your muffin pan with non stick cooking spray or line with cupcake liners(you may still want to spray lighty). Combine dry ingredients and walnuts in a bowl. In another bowl lightly beat egg with sugar. Add in remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Add wet ingredients into dry and mix to just combine. Fill cupcake wells evenly. Bake for 18-20 min or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

Tip: After muffins completely cool, wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag in freezer. These don't take long to thaw, so double the batch and keep some on hand for playdates and busy school mornings.

Banana Bread Pancakes!

Ooohhhh, pancakes! Their soft, pillow like texture combined with the richness of butter and the sticky sweetness of syrup is a winning combination. Unfortunately, it is generally one of the most nutritionally bankrupt breakfast items we can feed our children. I love to use Bob's Red Mill products for pancakes. They have more wholesome grain combinations and often include flaxmeal and wheatgerm for a better fat and vitamin combo. Pair a more nutritious mix with vanilla, bananas and walnuts and you have remodeled kid friendly fare to give them what they want...AND need!

Bananas are such an amazingly kid friendly fruit, but I bet you didn't know that they help regulate blood pressure because they are so high in potassium. They are also naturally fiber rich and contain a compound called fructooligosaccharide. Fructooligosaccharides are called prebiotics which means that they feed the probiotics(healthy bacteria) in your digestive system. These beneficial bacteria help our bodies to absorb vitamins and minerals much more efficiently, especially calcium which is especially important for a child's bone growth.

1 batch Bob's Red Mill 10 grain Pancake Mix prepared as directed(you will need milk, egg and canola/olive oil)
1 very ripe banana, smashed with a fork
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs. wheat germ
1/2 Cup smashed walnuts(the kids love to do this! Just place walnuts in a bag and let them use a child size mallet to smash them up)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Prepare pancake mix according to package directions. Add in smashed banana, walnuts, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Heat a griddle to med high heat and spray with a little non-stick cooking spray. Pour pancakes on the griddle in about 1/3 cup portions. Turn when bubbles start to form on top of pancake. Cook until golden brown. Serve with real butter(stay away from margarine) and real maple syrup! Serves 4.

Time Saving Tip: Make an extra batch of these pancakes and let them cool on a wire rack. When completely cool, store them in a freezer bag with a sheet of waxed paper between each pancake. You can freeze these and take them out a couple at a time to toast for breakfast on busy mornings! No more worries about sending the kids to school without a nutritious breakfast.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

This morning my son asked for muffins, so I decided to tinker around in the kitchen and come up with something delicious with the items I had on hand. These were moist and sweet from the creamy bananas and slightly tart from the fresh blueberries! These are muffins you can feel good about with whole wheat, omega 3's from the walnuts and of course, fresh fruit. These were a winner for sure!

1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 C. wheat germ
3/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c smashed walnuts
1 C buttermilk*
1 egg
1 TBS. canola or olive oil
1 smashed banana
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 12 count muffin pan with non stick cooking spray or line with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl combine sugar and other dry ingredients, then stir in blueberries and walnuts and set aside. In another bowl, combine vanilla, egg, milk, banana and oil. Gently pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to just combine. Fill muffin cups to the top and bake for 15-18 min.

We ate these with a glass of milk and I put half in a freezer bag for another morning when I don't have time to bake from scratch!

*If you don't have buttermilk, here's a trick to use. Combine 1 cup of milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar(whatever you have on hand). Let sit til you can see it start to curdle.



Makes 12.

Ladybugs on a Limb

Here's a simple snack that your kids will enjoy making themselves!

Natural peanut or almond butter
Ak Mak Crackers
No sugar added dried cherries


Let your child spread a thin layer of nut butter on the ak mak crackers with a plastic butter knife. Dot the tops of the buttered crackers with dried cherries. 2 dressed crackers per hungry child.

Serve with a glass of milk and enjoy.

Good Morning Parfaits

My family loves these for breakfast or snack time. They are easy to make, delicious, and even your little ones will love to help build their own.

Good Morning Parfaits

2 1/2 Cups Plain Greek Yogurt*
1 Cup prepared whole wheat couscous
1 Banana, chopped
1 Cup chopped strawberries
4 TBS. sunflower seeds
4 tsp. flaxmeal
honey to taste
vanilla to taste

*Note: when choosing dairy products, more fat is better for younger children to aid in nourishing their developing brain. I generally use whole milk yogurt for my 2 year old.

Place measured yogurt into a bowl and add a couple tablespoons of honey and 1 tsp of vanilla to start. Mix to combine until you have enough of both to suit you. Place each of the ingredients into its own bowl and allow each family member to create their own parfait! You can use cute dessert dishes to add to the fun. Here's how I would build mine: layer of yogurt in the bottom, a bit of flax, bananas, yogurt, flax, strawberries, yogurt and finish it off with sunflower seeds. This recipe is delicious and provides lots of protein, calcium, Vitamin E and C. You get good fats from the flax, fiber from the seeds, whole grains from the couscous and a load of potassium! Not to mention, honey is a great natural antimicrobial agent! Enjoy!