Saturday, May 26, 2012
by Jenny Stauffer
It’s that time of year again! Time to heat up our grills, enjoy the outdoors, and let our kids chase lightning bugs and stay up to enjoy the warm weather! These recipes are perfect for nights like these and are ideal for either entertaining a crowd or for feeding a family.
I tried to find alternatives to the regular hamburger and hot dogs, and these recipes are fun for both the adults and kids aIike. I have tasted and tested each of these recipes and my whole family gave them a thumbs up! Happy summer! Read More
Yesterday’s blog about dealing with your child’s eating and weight focused on what NOT to do. Today’s topic is much more hopeful! Let me back up a bit and let you know that I have great compassion for all of us here. I hear a desperate, confused, and somewhat lost tone when parents talk about their child’s weight. Our nation is concerned about “childhood obesity” and we hear a great deal about waging a “war” against it. As part of my inquiry into how twisted up we are about this topic, I looked up how much money we spend in our pursuit of thinness. In the US last year, we spent an estimated $46 billion on diet products and self-help books. At any and every moment at least 77% of Americans are “dieting” or trying to lose weight. Most people seem to have heard the news that dieting doesn’t work, but we are still feeling desperate enough about our weight to fall for the promise of the diet. Losing “10 pounds in 10 days” sounds so good just when you are pulling your swimsuits out of storage! I get it. 
Does anything freeze you in your tracks faster than someone commenting on your child’s body size? Is there anything that creates more embarrassment, shame, confusion, anxiety, or maybe anger, than “Has Johnny gained some weight?”?! The issue of our children’s weight is a point of major confusion, worry, and angst for almost every parent. The mom who is comfortable and confident about this issue is as rare as, well, the mom who is comfortable and confidant about her own body. And therein lies the rub. We don’t want our kids to have to deal with the struggle that comes with being overweight. We want to protect our kids from the very real prejudice that exists in our culture against kids who are not thin. But how do you address this sensitive and emotionally- loaded topic?
Happy Cinco De Mayo! Tomorrow we will be celebrating this day that commemorates the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War and celebrates Mexican heritage and pride. Don’t y’all just love another reason to dish out some Mexican food? If you are grilling out with friends, joining a large fiesta, or just having a small family celebration, hopefully some of these recipes will fit the bill. 
When I saw the cover of 
Spring is right around the corner! Last chance to get your crock pots and dutch ovens warmed up...these great ideas from Jenny S. are sure to please. Enjoy! ~ the Triangle MOM team 
Happy Holidays! From Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, all of us moms will be busy visiting relatives, shopping and wrapping, or hosting company of our own. Having a casserole in the freezer or on-hand is a lifesaver when we are frazzled. It is also easy to add a salad and rolls for a quick, hearty meal. I also have easy appetizers and some fun desserts to have on hand for when you may need them. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
As we gather all the relatives together for Thanksgiving meals, we get geared up for some delicious turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and green beans. If you have a child like my daughter … she will eat none of the above. (The battle with that is a story for another day!) Alas, I have a few recipes below that are family favorites for all of us and they can easily slide in with the other Thanksgiving items on the buffet. Hopefully even the pickiest of eaters may take a taste. I am not claiming that any of these are healthy – just yummy and easy! 
If you are 
We always love to hear from Jenny Stauffer, and this post includes more of her family favorites! 
I took a quick roadie with one of my dearest (not oldest!) friends a couple of weeks ago, and it was just a blast. We talked about absolutely everything under the sun, but (as usual for me) we seemed to keep coming back to food. She agreed that hearing "hey, what were you thinking about for dinner?" each day just sends her right over the top, as it does for me, but we both were at a loss for a good way to remove that stress. 
This month, I have decided to share some of our family’s favorite dinner recipes. Some of them are more suited for company, but most of them are recipes that are in our regular rotation of meals. We are so busy this time of year, it’s great to fall back on those easy favorites that are relatively quick and easy to prepare. Some of these recipes may even be in your collection of favorites! 
My two-year-old claims that her favorite food is brussel sprouts. I’m not convinced that she really likes them more than Chick-fil-A waffle fries, but she does like them. It may be the yummy way my husband cooks them (see recipe at the end of this blog), but it is also because so far she is not a picky eater. In my pediatric practice, older patients frequently turn up their noses when I ask if they eat some fruits and vegetables every day, and parents almost daily ask how to get their kids to eat more than chicken nuggets, french fries, and pizza. I believe that it is possible to prevent a picky eating habit and to change one already there. 
We've been talking a lot about favorites lately, and I was thinking in the car today...this is absolutely my favorite time of year in NC. The birds are singing, it's nice and sunny, not too hot, and cool enough to sleep with the windows open at night. Best of all, you can finally open your windows without having to power-wash the pollen off of everything nearby. As I type this, I am even smelling honeysuckle through the open window...joy!
Happy (almost!) Cinco de Mayo!
Since I started guest-blogging for this spot, one question I hear often is, “Do your children eat that?” And here is my take on that. I cook what I cook, and for the most part, my kids eat what we eat. I do consider my pickiest eater. But really, unless it is an obvious offender (i.e. salmon), I am not making another dinner! 
January to me means lots of slow-cooked, warm and hearty meals that are easy to make after the hub-bub of the holidays come to a close.
When it starts getting colder outside, all I can think of is warm...food. That's right: crock pot, soul food, casseroles (which I would normally tell you I'm not a fan of, but set one in front of me and see what happens). 
Deborah Martin has some terrific ideas and recipes for us today! Deborah earned a BS in nutrition from Meredith College and is a certified pilates instructor with certification from the Physical Mind Institute in New York City. Deborah is not a licensed dietician, so before trying any new recipe, please call your pediatrician if you have questions concerning ingredients and how your child could react to those ingredients. Deborah's oldest child has a peanut allergy, so the following recipes are completely nut free. Enjoy! ... Rachel H
It’s about 8:30 pm on any given school night and I am, once again, in the kitchen having a face-off with three empty lunchboxes. Sound familiar?? Packing kids’ lunches is a very basic task that, during the school year, becomes a major source of frustration for me. You see, I have three very picky eaters – a vegetarian third grader, a picky kindergartner, and a SUPER picky preschooler who attends a completely nut-free preschool. Sheesh!! I get a headache just thinking about it! 
Before you know it, school will be back in full swing! Which means hungry kids will be running through the front door, frantically searching for an after school snack. In fact, they may also want to pack a snack for school and ask for another snack before bed. After all, statistics show that snacks between meals are the source of nearly 600 calories each day for children - that is 25 percent of kids' daily energy needs! 
It is inevitable that most families fall into a rut with the meals they eat. Lots of things contribute to this situation with the major reason being lack of time to plan out new menus, shop for the necessary ingredients and prepare the meal. As a result, whoever does the cooking for the family, often relies on his/her tried & true recipes that can be assembled with a minimal amount of time and effort. Yet many of us enjoy eating out because it provides the opportunity to try new and different dishes and/or eat meals that we do not enjoy making at home. 
I have so much to learn from our guest blogger, Cherie, pictured right with her family. You will quickly see why I have given her the title "Coupon Queen" when you read this post. I am amazed at these women who find such great bargains! Just last week at Harris Teeter and CVS, Cherie's total spent was $160 and her total saved was $300. So, she saved 65% on groceries that week. Wow! Plus, the food she bought lasts her family 2-3 weeks. She will only have to purchase milk, bread and a little produce. Cherie also claims to have spent $2 and saved $30 at CVS many times. As you can see, this new craze of couponing certainly pays off. Here are some great tips from Cherie! - Rachel H.
How can you guarantee a relaxing, peaceful holiday? Keep everyone FULL and happy! The main course at the holidays varies from family to family, but one thing we all always need are good munchies! Appetizers, starters, hors d'oeuvres ... whatever you like to call them, make sure you have plenty on hand and you'll have a house of smiles throughout the holiday season. 
I was talking with a friend the other day, and she told me that growing up, her mother used to bake, and leave out half the sugar and half the fat from every recipe she used. I was impressed that my friend’s mother was as health conscious as this twenty years ago. I have very fond memories of my mother cooking and baking. She was a fabulous cook and could bake cakes and pastries that would bring a tear to your eye. When we were feeling a little sad, a little under the weather, or a little nervous about a school test, a slice of cake or a cookie would be the cure. Everything was made with extra butter, extra sugar and extra love. My mother had no idea that carb loading really was meant for marathon runners and Olympic athletes... 
So, it’s that time of year when everything we read (including this apparently), or see on TV, talks to us about resolutions. The truth is for us busy moms---who has time to wait until the beginning of the New Year to make a change for ourselves or our kids? We often do it when we see a need and we begin to feel passionately enough about something to commit to long-term change. 
