Kids' Favourites - Healthy Style

Make a big difference by making small changes. By simply switching one ingredient for another, you can reduce the amount of fat, salt and sugar. Here’s how to makeover your kids favourite foods so they can become heart healthier.Mac ‘n’ cheese
Try our recipe for homemade macaroni ‘n’ cheese. When using boxed kinds, add frozen peas and carrots while boiling the noodles and use low-fat milk. You

Baked Chicken with Ginger root (Hawaiian Style) - Margaret Ullrich

Hawaiian style chicken.

A recipe that just screams "Let's eat outdoors."

Perfect for late April.



Ginger root can be found fresh in the produce section.

Slice and use, just like fresh garlic.

But, if you want to use up some of your ground ginger, 

One teaspoon ground ginger equals two tablespoons chopped fresh ginger.



Some substitution math:

Four tablespoons equal one quarter cup.

So

Baked Chicken with Curried Fruit (Middle Eastern Style) - Margaret Ullrich

Hold it!

Don't put the curry powder away just yet.



This is a nice, simple Middle Eastern recipe with a fair bit of fruit.

Both in solid and juice form.

The leftover dates can be cut up and put on your oatmeal.

They're handy to have in the kitchen.

They don't get mushy like bananas.

Dates - the perfect breakfast fruit.



Don't have cornstarch?

Three tablespoons flour equals one and a

Baked Chicken with Curry Powder (East Indian Style) - Margaret Ullrich

Okay... if you're East Indian, this is 'same old, same old'.

You were probably weaned on it.

Time to go out and get a bucket of KFC.



But, if you're not East Indian, this will make the family sit up and take notice.



And you can use your home-made curry powder.

As mild or strong as you want.



Don't have chick-peas?

No problem.

Peas work well, too.

Frozen or canned.

Baked Chicken with Cardamom (Middle Eastern Style) - Margaret Ullrich

As you learned last December, cardamom is a member of the ginger family.

The rich branch of the ginger family.



Okay, cardamom is a little expensive.

But, it's sweet.

A no-calorie sweet.

And cardamom adds a nice touch to Middle East recipes.



And other recipes, too.



This recipe also use some of the coriander and cumin.

And the bulgur, which will get a fried-rice texture.

Handy, eh?

Baked Chicken with Coriander (East Indian Style) - Margaret Ullrich

By now coriander should be an old friend.

Especially if you've been making your own Curry Blend.

As mild or as strong as you like.



You're free from being a slave to what's on the grocery spice shelf!!

Okay, it's not exactly Freedom 55, but its nice.



And so is this recipe for chicken.



Rice is nice, and easy.

But, if your grocery store has an East Indian section, check out the starch

St. Gregory and Malta

On the Wednesday after Easter, the country of Malta celebrates the feast of St. Gregory.
Since the late 17th century, the Maltese people have marked this national feast with a religious procession, led by the Bishop of Malta.  The procession starts at the chapel of St. Clement (outside the town of Zejtun) to St. Catherine Church, today called St. Gregory Church, in Zejtun.  After Mass people

Baked Chicken with Cinnamon (Greek Style) - Margaret Ullrich

Surprise, surprise!  The kids liked the bulgur.

And it's not hard to prepare.

And you still have over half a container of the stuff.



You also have about half a head of garlic.

And assorted bags of spices you bought a few months ago.



Don't panic.

Here's a nice Greek recipe that uses some of those ingredients.

And some of the currants from the hot cross buns.

Waste not, want not.

Easter Wishes to Friends and Visitors

May joy fill your day,

Hope light your path,

And the many blessings of Easter 
warm your heart....

Wishing you a Happy Easter!!
Thank you for visiting!

Baked Chicken with Paprika (Austrian Style) - Margaret Ullrich

When I posted about Paprika, I included two Chicken Paprikash recipes.

A difficult recipe and an easy recipe.



Well, here's the simplest of all.

Hey, even Austrian Moms love short cuts.



If you want to add some variety in the starch department, 

make some potato pancakes.

Yes, there are mixes for that, too.



It's finally Spring.

Why cook anything the hard way?

Baked Chicken with Basil (Middle Eastern Style) - Margaret Ullrich

Ah... Basil.

You've already used it when you made my Ma's meatballs.

Well, now's the time to taste what it does to chicken.





A dinner main course usually has three basic parts.

Meat, vegetables and starch.



And, in North America, the starch is usually rice, potatoes or pasta.

And we wonder why the kids are bored at dinner time.





There's a world of starches out there, folks.

And

Baked Chicken with Garlic (Italian Style) - Margaret Ullrich

I know, garlic doesn't get sold by the clove.

You've got a head - minus one clove - sitting on the counter.

It looks like a seven-year-old's grin.

No, don't lose your head.

The garlic head, I mean.

We'll use more garlic in other recipes.

And let's not forget my Ma's fenek bit tewm.



If there's one thing I learned from writing this blog,

it's that Italian recipes are popular.

Whether

Baked Chicken with Thyme (Mexican Style) - Margaret Ullrich

Got an e mail from an empty nester-friend asking for some chicken ideas.

She asked if I had some simple recipes that would leave enough for a second meal.

Translation: four pieces of chicken.



No problem.

Found 10 easy recipes.

They can be increased if you have a bigger family.

Or want more leftovers.





Chicken doesn't get any respect.

It's a regular main course in many homes.

Cooked

The Great Figolli Fight - part 3 - Margaret Ullrich

continued from part 2

     For my family, Easter was a simple celebration with lots of traditional foods.  There weren't any problems until the year my mother's brother Charlie married an American girl.  Ma invited Charlie and Liz for Easter.  Liz wanted to learn more about Maltese customs.  Aunt Demi, Pop's oldest sister, heard that we had invited Charlie and Liz.  Aunt Demi worried that our