Healthy Chef Salad
Serves 4 to 6

1 head romaine lettuce (you can buy a prewashed bag to save even more time)
1 bag baby spinach
4 oz. chopped cooked ham
4 oz. chopped oven-roasted turkey meat
16 cherry tomatoes, pre-sliced in half
4 carrots, shredded or bite-size (you can buy pre-shredded to save time)
4 crowns broccoli, pre-cut into bite-size pieces
4 hard boiled eggs, pre-peeled and sliced (remove the yolks if your kids won't eat)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (skip if your kids won't touch)
Balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Wash, then tear the lettuce and mix with spinach in a large bowl. Arrange ham, turkey, cherry tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, hard-boiled eggs and onion in rows on top of the lettuce. Serve with dressing on the side.

Picky-eater tip: Skip the lettuce and spinach, and present the rest as a dipping exercise -- kids get to choose the dip.

Sneaky Greens Pasta
Serves 4 to 6

1 jar pasta sauce of your choice
1/2 batch prepared spinach, finely chopped
1/2 lb. pre-browned ground turkey
1 lb. pre-cooked pasta (whole wheat if your kids will go for it)

Heat pasta sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add spinach and turkey. Stir until heated through. Then stir in pasta and heat until warm. Serve.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Serves 4 to 6

2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 head broccoli, pre-cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, pre-sliced
2 cooked chicken breasts, pre-cut into strips
4 cups amount pre-cooked brown rice

Mix soy sauce, ground ginger, sugar, cornstarch and garlic; set aside. Heat cooking oil in large sauté pan, add broccoli and onion, and cook 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture and cook an additional 3 minutes. Serve over warm brown rice.

Spinach and Ham Frittata
Serves 4 to 6

Vegetable cooking spray
6 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
4 oz. low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded (you can buy pre-shredded to save time)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups prepared spinach
1/2 cup chopped cooked ham

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 9-inch round baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, 2 oz. cheese, salt, and pepper. Blend in spinach and ham. Pour mixture into baking pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining 2 oz. cheese and let set 2 to 3 minutes. Slice into wedges. Serve with salad.

Quick Veggie Pasta Salad
Serves 4 to 6

1 lb. pre-cooked pasta (whole wheat if your kids will go for it)
1/2 lb. smoked ham, chopped
1 container cherry tomatoes, pre-sliced in half
2 crowns broccoli, pre-cut into bite-size pieces
2 crowns cauliflower, pre-cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, pre-chopped
3 Tbsp. freshly ground Parmesan cheese
Italian dressing of your choice

Mix all ingredients except the Italian dressing. Once well-mixed, add enough dressing to coat. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

Smoked Turkey Apple Grilled Cheese
Serves 1

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 slices thick whole wheat bread
4-6 slices. smoked turkey breast meat
4 slices green apple
1 slice low-sodium, skim milk Swiss cheese
2 tsp. olive oil

Spread mustard onto 1 slice of bread. Layer on turkey, apple and cheese, and top with bread. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in grill pan. Place sandwich in pan and cook on each side for 2 minutes or until golden brown.

CLOSE PRINT

5 Quick and Easy Family Meals Yummy make-ahead suggestions from celebrity fitness trainer Kathy Kaehler By Parenting.com Healthy Chef Salad Serves 4 to 6 1 head romaine lettuce (you can buy a prewashed bag to save even more time) 1 bag baby spinach 4 oz. chopped cooked ham 4 oz. chopped oven-roasted turkey meat 16 cherry tomatoes, pre-sliced in half 4 carrots, shredded or bite-size (you can buy pre-shredded to save time) 4 crowns broccoli, pre-cut into bite-size pieces 4 hard boiled eggs, pre-peeled and sliced (remove the yolks if your kids won't eat) 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (skip if your kids won't touch) Balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing Wash, then tear the lettuce and mix with spinach in a large bowl. Arrange ham, turkey, cherry tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, hard-boiled eggs and onion in rows on top of the lettuce. Serve with dressing on the side. Picky-eater tip: Skip the lettuce and spinach, and present the rest as a dipping exercise -- kids get to choose the dip. Sneaky Greens Pasta Serves 4 to 6 1 jar pasta sauce of your choice 1/2 batch prepared spinach, finely chopped 1/2 lb. pre-browned ground turkey 1 lb. pre-cooked pasta (whole wheat if your kids will go for it) Heat pasta sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add spinach and turkey. Stir until heated through. Then stir in pasta and heat until warm. Serve. Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry Serves 4 to 6 2 Tbsp. soy sauce 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp. sugar 2 tsp. cornstarch 1 clove garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. cooking oil 1/2 head broccoli, pre-cut into bite-size pieces 1 onion, pre-sliced 2 cooked chicken breasts, pre-cut into strips 4 cups amount pre-cooked brown rice Mix soy sauce, ground ginger, sugar, cornstarch and garlic; set aside. Heat cooking oil in large sauté pan, add broccoli and onion, and cook 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture and cook an additional 3 minutes. Serve over warm brown rice. Spinach and Ham Frittata Serves 4 to 6 Vegetable cooking spray 6 eggs 1/2 cup skim milk 4 oz. low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded (you can buy pre-shredded to save time) 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 1/2 cups prepared spinach 1/2 cup chopped cooked ham Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 9-inch round baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, 2 oz. cheese, salt, and pepper. Blend in spinach and ham. Pour mixture into baking pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining 2 oz. cheese and let set 2 to 3 minutes. Slice into wedges. Serve with salad. Quick Veggie Pasta Salad Serves 4 to 6 1 lb. pre-cooked pasta (whole wheat if your kids will go for it) 1/2 lb. smoked ham, chopped 1 container cherry tomatoes, pre-sliced in half 2 crowns broccoli, pre-cut into bite-size pieces 2 crowns cauliflower, pre-cut into bite-size pieces 1 onion, pre-chopped 3 Tbsp. freshly ground Parmesan cheese Italian dressing of your choice Mix all ingredients except the Italian dressing. Once well-mixed, add enough dressing to coat. Can be served cold or at room temperature. Smoked Turkey Apple Grilled Cheese Serves 1 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 2 slices thick whole wheat bread 4-6 slices. smoked turkey breast meat 4 slices green apple 1 slice low-sodium, skim milk Swiss cheese 2 tsp. olive oil Spread mustard onto 1 slice of bread. Layer on turkey, apple and cheese, and top with bread. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in grill pan. Place sandwich in pan and cook on each side for 2 minutes or until golden brown.