5 Healthy (but yummy!) family meals

Healthy Family MealsYou want your kids to eat wholesome, healthy foods at every meal, but when you are dealing with little ones who would prefer to survive on a diet of string cheese and waffles, sometimes it takes a little creativity. These healthy and kid-friendly meal ideas will be a hit with everyone in your family. Kid tested. Mom approved.

Oven fried chicken

Who doesn't love fried chicken? This recipe for oven fried chicken takes a family classic and gives it a healthy meal makeover. Instead of frying your chicken in oil, bake it in the oven instead! You'll save in fat and calories, while still retaining that crispy, delicious flavor. Serve with yummy sides like baked butternut mac and cheese, sauteed kale and healthy mashed potatoes. This tasty meal with leave everyone at your table smacking their lips and licking their fingers.

Mexican fiesta

Want to spice things up around your house? How about having a Mexican Fiesta Night with some zesty tacos, Spanish rice, beans, guacamole and homemade salsa. Your kids will love assembling their own tacos, which you can make even healthier by substituting ground turkey for ground beef and topping with low-fat cheese. Use whole-wheat flour tortillas for extra fiber. They taste so good, the kids won't even know the difference! This recipe for healthy refried beans is low in fat and high in nutrition. Need something to cool off after all those spicy flavors? The kids will go nuts for these refreshing aguas frescas made of fresh strawberries, tamarind and cantaloupe. Que sabroso!

Get inspired by these easy ingredient swaps for healthy eating >>

Pasta bar

Kids love pasta. It's one of the best comfort foods around, but traditional white pasta can leave a lot to be desired, nutritionally speaking. How about pulling a whole grain pasta switcheroo and bumping up the fiber in your meal? Grill up some yummy veggies with a touch of seasoning and olive oil. For extra protein, toss some ground turkey or lean ground beef in your sauce. Grate some low-fat cheese and let your kids fix their own plates. Before you know it, they'll be scarfing down everything and asking for seconds.

Homemade soup

Do your kids balk at the site of almost any vegetable? Don't give up yet. There are lots of great ways to sneak healthy veggies into all your favorite family meals. Soup is the perfect hideout. You can puree all kinds of veggies and painlessly sneak them into all your children's favorite soups without them being any the wiser. Try this recipe for chicken tortilla soup. It's full of healthy pureed veggies that the kids will never recognize. To make it even healthier, make your own baked tortilla chips and top with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

Check out these nutritious and delicious snack ideas >>

Personal pan pizza night

Pizza does not have to be unhealthy to be good. Make your own homemade pizza and you can sneak in all kinds of added nutrition without anyone knowing the difference. Make your own pizza crust in just 15 minutes with this easy recipe. For added nutrients, swap out some of the white flour for whole wheat. You can use a can of high quality organic pasta sauce or you can make your own sauce and even add in extra pureed veggies. Chop up and lots of fresh toppings like red onion, olives, green peppers, mushrooms, pineapple, pepperoni, low-fat mozzarella and anything else your family loves. Let your kids make their own mini pizzas. When given the chance to add their own toppings, they might even happily try a few new ones!

Still hungry? Check out these healthy summer dessert ideas >>

Want to sneak even more nutrients into your daily dinner? Try starting each meal with a bowl of fresh salad or a cup of delicious, healthy soup.More healthy meal ideas

7 Healthy summer desserts
Nutritious and delicious snack ideas
Healthy eating tips and tricks

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In a pickle What to do if your crockpot meal is too dry or too moist

Crockpot cooking tips

Since recently becoming a mom, crockpot meals have skyrocketed on my list of favorite meals to make. A dinner that’s simple and can be thrown together before leaving for work is a must for many moms.

Normally, crockpot meals are cooked to perfection without you having to lift a finger. In fact, a huge advantage is the meal can cook all day while you’re away at work. Coming home to a savory meal that tastes like you spent hours on it is always the goal and usually achieved. But what happens when the meal doesn’t turn out as planned — it’s either overly dry or, the exact opposite, too moist?

Too dry

A very common problem with crockpot meals is that they can turn out too dry and not have enough juice to really appreciate the flavor. Typically, this is caused from either too much steam escaping from the crockpot or the meal has cooked for too long. To avoid an overly dry meal:

Avoid lifting the lid. If you normally lift the lid and your meals turn out fine, then lifting the lid is OK. If the meals have turned out dry on more than one occasion, try not lifting the lid for any reason. This allows the steam to stay put and lock in that moisture.Make sure the lid fits. If you notice steam escaping even when the lid is on, put aluminum foil over the crockpot dish before placing the lid on. This will ensure no steam escapes.Add more water. If your meals consistently come out dry, add half a cup more water to the crockpot in the morning.Try a different recipe. Using a water-absorbing ingredient, such as rice, tends to make the rice too mushy and the rest of the meal too dry. If your recipe called for rice and came out too dry, make a different recipe next time without rice to see if that was the problem.Cook for less time. Finally, if the meal is too dry, consider cooking it 30 minutes to an hour less next time. Dry meals can be a sign of being overcooked.Try this crockpot roast recipe >>Too moist

Another common crockpot problem is the meal turns out too moist. Though this may sound tastier than it being too dry, it’s still not ideal. No one wants a mushy meal. To avoid an overly moist dinner:

Use less liquid. If the meal is dry, you add more liquid, so it makes sense to use less liquid if the meals are typically too moist. Roasts technically don’t need any liquid at all, though by adding some water you’ll end up with rich, succulent gravy at the end which will enhance the flavor.Take the lid off a few times. A too moist crockpot meal is caused from too much steam being created. If you’re home, take the lid off for 15 minutes every two to three hours to release the steam. This will help dry out the meal.Reduce the heat setting. If you normally cook the meal on high while you’re away at work, try cooking it on low next time. Cooking it on low creates less steam and prevents it from cooking too fast.Cook for less time. Similar to meals turning out too dry, meals that turn out too moist can usually mean they were overcooked, too. Too much steam for a long amount of time makes the meal too moist. Try cooking it for an hour less next time.More common kitchen problems solved

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Mason jar drinks perfect for a BBQ

Drinks For Your Next
Outdoor Barbeque Warmer weather brings the cooking outside! Break away from ordinary soda and tea and serve one of these Mason jar-inspired drinks at your next outdoor barbeque. Party lemonade

Simple lemonade is perfect for an outdoor barbeque. Add the "party" for the adults by adding vodka.

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients:2 cups granulated sugar7 cups cold water1-1/2 cups water (for the sugar syrup)2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juiceDirections: 

Prepare the sugar syrup by bringing 1-1/2 cups of water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and set aside.In a pitcher, combine all ingredients and stir well. Serve over ice and garnish with mint and lemon slices.

Spiked peach tea

Adapted from Bobby Flay

Add peach nectar and your favorite whiskey to traditional tea for a "grown-up" outdoor drink that is quite appropriate in a Mason jar.

Ingredients:6 regular tea bags1 quart water2 cups peach nectar2 tablespoons sugarYour favorite whiskeyOptional: fresh sliced peaches and mint sprigs for garnishDirections: 

Pour 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Add tea bags and bring to a boil. Just as water comes to a boil, remove from heat and cover to steep. Allow to steep for 5 minutes.Pour tea into a pitcher with the sugar. Add remaining water and stir well to dissolve sugar. Add peach nectar to tea and stir well.Pour peach tea over ice in a Mason jar, leaving enough room for 1 shot of whiskey. Garnish with fresh peach slices and mint sprigs.

Party punch

For a fruity addition to your next outdoor barbeque, consider this punch with orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice and club soda.

Ingredients:1 part pineapple juice1 part lime juice1 part club soda1/4 part lime juiceDirections:

Pour all ingredients in a pitcher and stir well to combine. Serve over ice and garnish with lime and a maraschino cherry.

More drink recipes

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Tonight's Dinner Chicken tender pesto bake recipe

Pesto Cream Makes The Perfect Casserole SaucePesto is an easy to make sauce that's great over pasta. But add some heavy cream and cheese and it becomes the perfect base for a delicious casserole.

As I'm sure you've guessed from my many posts, I love pasta. I also love casseroles. But there's nothing I (or my family) love more than when I put them together. So when Taste of Home suggested making a casserole with pasta, chicken and pesto, I knew I'd have another winner on my hands.

While you could easily use premade pesto and frozen chicken tenders to make this casserole, making them from scratch means you'll have left over pesto for another dinner and some extra chicken tenders for future kiddie lunches. But no matter which way you decide to go, this casserole makes for a dinner that will bring smiles to the faces of both children and adults alike.

Chicken tender pesto bake

Serves 6

Ingredients:1 pound chicken tenders1 egg, lightly beaten2 cups breadcrumbs, divided1 tablespoon ground cuminSalt and pepper to taste2 cups baby spinach3 garlic cloves, chopped1/4 cup olive oil1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided12 ounces penne pasta2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend1 cup sour cream1 cup ricotta cheese1/3 cup heavy creamDirections:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Grease a 3-quart baking dish and set aside.Place the egg in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix together one and a half cups of breadcrumbs, cumin, salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken tender in the egg and then dip it in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to make sure the crumbs adhere. Place the tenders on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Transfer the cooked tenders to a plate and reduce the oven to 350 degrees F.While the chicken bakes, place the baby spinach, garlic, half a cup of Parmesan and the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and set aside.Cook the penne according to the package directions, drain and set aside.In a large bowl, mix together one cup of pesto, the Italian cheese blend, sour cream, ricotta and heavy cream.Chop up the chicken tenders and add to the pesto mixture. Stir in the penne. Transfer the whole mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over the top.Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through and golden brown. Serve immediately.

More Tonight's Dinner recipes >>Other chicken tender recipes

Balsamic-glazed chicken tenders

Crunchy chicken tenders with Parmesan cheese

Easy grilled chicken tenders

How your birth order affects your adult life

The One In The Middle's The Green KangarooSome experts believe birth order — whether we're the eldest, the middle child or the baby — has an effect on who we become later in life. Is there any truth to that?

Can birth order really affect your personality? While it's not an exact science, a lot of what they say adds up. Parents typically look at how this affects their kids, but how does it affect who you are as an adult? First, let's take a look at some typical characteristics of birth order.

First-born*PerfectionistAchieverConscientiousLoyalWell-organized (list-makers)ReliableGoal-orientedSelf-sacrificingCriticalConservativeScholarlyRule-followers (and makers)Inferiority issuesSelf-reliantSeriousMiddle childrenMediatorsConflict-avoidersPeer-centricFeel misunderstoodBalancedListenersLast-bornOutgoingAbsentmindedCarefreeAffectionateRebelliousTemperamentalSpoiledImpatientCharmingManipulativeIndependent * Only children are similar to first-borns, but much more so, and often a bit more self-centered.Marriage

Your birth order doesn't inherently affect whether you'll get or stay married, but when compared to your spouse, it could affect other things. Marrying someone who has the same birth order as you means you need to look out for certain kinds of problems.

Two first-borns may have a power struggle.Two middle children may have communication problems.Two babies may have chaos in the form of money problems and other domestic issues — someone has to be responsible for paying the bills!

In general, marrying someone who's opposite you has good results, though. First-borns or middle children and babies make a great pair. But the best pairing seems to be first-borns and middle children.

Source: The Birth Order Book — Why You Are The Way You Are by Dr. Kevin Leman (2004)IQ

While still controversial, evidence found by a Norwegian study suggested that older siblings have an IQ of about three points higher than that of their younger siblings. Much more research must be done into why, but this is a long-standing assertion. First-borns have actually won more Nobel prizes than younger siblings, but in keeping with the characteristics of their nature, they've won for advancing our understanding, not by turning it on its head (that's the purview of babies of the fam!)

Career

CareerBuilder did a study in 2011 on how birth order affects your career. It should come as no surprise that first-borns are the most likely to have a top executive position and bring down six figures. Those three IQ points could make the difference between a high B average and a low A average, which could affect admission to better schools. Plus, first-borns have been leaders all their lives.

Interestingly, the study found that middle children, rather than being middle on the list job-wise, are the most likely to hold an entry-level position and make less than $35,000 a year. The babes are actually the ones most likely to work in middle management.

Birth order doesn't determine your lot in life

Regardless of the averages (and that's all these are), birth order doesn't determine who you become or how successful you can be. Theses stats are largely the results of behaviors you develop as a result of what's expected of people in your position. And behaviors can be modified!

Tell us

What do you think? Has birth order affected your life? Tell us in the comments below.

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How to eat for a better body and healthier life

Top 5 Get-Healthy TipsHave you vowed that this year is the year you finally drop that last 10 pounds, work out more or simply make your heath a priority? If so, we’re here to help. We have some simple but effective expert tips aimed at helping you put your health first – without making any drastic changes to your daily routine.

Beth Aldrich is a national healthy lifestyle and nutrition expert and author of the new book Real Moms Love to Eat: How to Conduct a Love affair with Food, Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous (Penguin Books, January 2012). She shares her top tips for staying healthy and feeling great.

Say yes to smoothies

Hide nourishing ingredients that you might not normally eat in a smoothie, Aldrich advises. Try adding kale, spinach or beet chard into your next blended beverage. "If you don’t like the taste, don’t worry -- the potent taste mellows out when you add the fruit. It’s a sort of bait-and-switch dietary trick you play on yourself, and the perfect way to introduce more greens into your diet," she explains. The more you make these power-packed drinks, the more fiber you take in, making you feel fuller longer; more energy also makes you feel better. Eventually, you’ll even start craving the taste of those greens." Greens are also loaded with vitamins (including C, beta-carotene and folic acid), calcium and magnesium, and antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol levels and protect the immune system, she tells us.

Make healthy foods accessible

Accessibility is key if you want to make staying healthy a much simpler process. One of the best ways to do this is to keep crunchy fruits and veggies at hand. "The easier they are to grab, the more likely you are to eat them," Aldrich says. "If you pre-cut carrots, cut a bunch so you have them all week long; store them in a glass container so they stay BPA-free." To avoid limp veggies (especially lettuce and celery), wrap them in a dry paper towel and poke a few holes in the produce bag so they stay fresher longer. You can also place a bowl of apples near sunlight, where they will stay fresher longer, she advises. If you’re wondering which color apple is the best, choose red. It’s packed with the most nutrients.

Manage your stress

Keeping your stress level in check is an important factor when it comes to losing weight, maintaining a healthy weight and preventing type 2 diabetes, says Aldrich. "When you are stressed, your body releases cortisol, which can increase your appetite and make you crave sweets and simple carbs like chips and cookies. Next thing you know, you are 10 pounds up," she says. Consider doing yoga, exercising more and incorporating deep breathing exercises daily to keep anxiety at bay.

Drink wisely

Calories can really add up in drinks but Aldrich stresses that you don’t have to give up anything you love. "If you love soda, think about how much lighter, better, more energetic and classier you will feel if you swap even one of your daily sodas for club soda with a splash of fresh juice. Or lighten up your morning OJ with club soda and a wedge of fresh orange. Yum!" Really try to avoid diet sodas too, she advises. "Studies have shown that aspartame can be linked to headaches, brain tumors and diabetes."

Avoid processed foods and sodium

Try to remember to get most of your foods from the outer aisles of the grocery store, which are where the most natural, non-processed foods are. "Stay away from those frozen microwavable ‘diet’ meals, as they are a sodium trap, don’t taste good and will leave you wanting more food," Aldrich says. Young people should be getting 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day; if you are middle-aged or older or have high blood pressure, that should be less than 1,500 milligrams per day. "Too much salt causes your body to hold on to water, putting more pressure on your circulatory system, which can trigger a whole cascade of health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease and kidney failure," she explains.

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