Food Friday: Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts aka Hulk Smash Chicken

Yes, we call it Hulk smash chicken. My son (now 5) refused to eat anything green. Well, unless it came out of his nose. Then he had no problem snacking. Anyway, I made this one night and when he asked "what's this green stuff" we responded "Hulk smash food" (as in The Incredible Hulk). And you know what? He LOVES it.

I also made it for my co-author after she had her baby (but went easy on the red pepper flakes) and they loved it too!

Here's what you need:

Chicken breasts (4-6...however many you need to feed)
16 oz of Sour Cream
1 bag of shredded cheese (I like Pizza cheese OR Monterrey Jack---any white cheese)
Red Pepper flakes
Garlic Powder
1 package (10oz or so) of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
A jar of Alfredo sauce
Package of Fettuccine noodles

Slit the breasts so you can stuff them and lay them in a greased/sprayed baking dish.

Mix the sour cream, cheese, 1/2 of the spinach and red pepper and garlic powder to taste. You like hot food, more red pepper. More garlic flavor, add more garlic. Stuff (this is the fun part) the chicken breasts with the mixture. If you have leftover "stuffing", spread it on top of the chicken breasts.

Put in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.

Place the remaining spinach in a sauce pan and cover with jar of Alfredo sauce. Boil water and cook the noodles, heat up the sauce containing spinach. Drain the noodles, pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Put noodles/sauce on the plate, add chicken on the top.

It is SO yummy and my boys LOVE it. And even if I feel silly saying "Hulk Smash Chicken", he's eating spinach. And he likes it!

Food Friday: Sneaking In Veggies

My oldest son, Liam (5), hates vegetables. He once tried to convince his Pediatrician that he was allergic to vegetables.
Doctor laughed and said, "You like fruit, right?"
Liam agreed.
Doctor said, "Well, fruits and vegetables are cousins."
Liam's ears perked up..."I have cousins and I like them!"
Doctor said, "So you should like vegetables!"

That worked for about a week. And then I came across a coupon for Barilla pasta. It wasn't just "regular" pasta but it had a whole serving of vegetables in each serving. Not sure how they do it, but they include carrots and squash IN the pasta.

And it was test time. I made one of our favorite meals (Parmesan/Italian dressing chicken) with buttered noodles. And Liam LOVED them. He begged for more noodles. And the next day, he ate them as a leftover for lunch.

Test complete. Win. So if you've got a picky vegetable eater, try these...just don't let them see the box.

Tip Tuesday: Frozen Veggies!

The other day, us moms at play group were comparing notes on meals for our toddlers. We were quizzing each other on ideas, especially since our kids have turned into picky eaters. We discovered that our kids who once ate vegetables (and liked them) are now anti-healthy grazers. This makes meal time simply impossible with a picky eater, leaving mom desperate and tried.

Now I know you are not supposed to cater specific meals to your kids. However, I must admit that from time to time, I fix him a peanut butter sand which after he tries what we are eating. The mother instinct in me cries out against him "not eating," wondering how he can survive on the little he chooses to eat.

Some meals, I barely get him to eat something let alone something healthy. We have tried the "we will clap for you" when you take a bite (I don't want my kid to think eating is a sport though). And we have been saved by the "show Uncle ____ how you can try your food." Most often we rely on bribing: "you can have a bite of _____ after you try _____."

So when Judah asked for frozen vegetables one day as I was taking them out of the freezer to steam, I was ecstatic. He likes ice anyways and a vegetable is a vegetable, right?

He loved them! I just added a tiny bit of water to help defrost them. Then I served them in a bowl so that he could eat them with his fingers. He even thought the mixed vegetables stuck together were cool. And the cold vegetables made a nice summer snack on a hot day.

Score. If you are struggling like every other mom in getting your picky toddler to eat vegetables, just try serving them cold. I have to report that other moms in our play group tried this and it worked. Not sure what the winning factor is...texture, temperature, color....but it is certainly a hit. And a lot less stressful.