Cooking Light's Dinnertime Survival Guide review + giveaway!

One of my all-time favorite food bloggers {and mom extraordinaire}, Sally, just released her "Cooking Light's Dinnertime Survival Guide"… and it's fabulous! 

Oh, and in case you were wondering if Sally is as cute, peppy and knowledgeable in person as she is in the pages of this cookbook? She is. But, of course, I had to try several of the recipes to make sure they were as awesome as the ones on her blog, Real Mom Nutrition. As you may recall, we have a bit of a mutual love-fest going on. She loves my make-ahead meals, and I love her RD expertise, coupled with her real life, simple solutions to getting dinner on the table, since she's a super busy mom like all of us. 

Deciding which recipe to try first was the hardest part. 

I ran a few by my kids, and we gave the "Black Bean Soup" {page 235} a whirl first. After all, it was Cinco de Mayo….

Gotta love those recipes that take mere minutes to make...

dump this in, dump that in… give it a stir...

add some veggie broth… pop the lid on….

and voila! Or, "ole!" might be more apropos in this case.

Yum. So easy, and everyone loved it. 

Next up? A few friends were raving about the "Peanut Butter-Coconut Chicken Fingers" {page 122). I like recipes that only have a few ingredients, and this one fit the bill. The outer coating is a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, unsweetened coconut and ginger.

And before you roll it in that crispy coating, you simply dip the chicken tenders into a blend of coconut milk, eggs, and in my case, almond butter.

I doubled the batch, knowing this was a meal that would reheat well. Oh, and I also baked them instead of sautéing or pan-frying them. To go this route, simply spray your rimmed baking sheet with your choice of cooking oil and bake them at 425 until cooked through, about 10 minutes, flipping them halfway.

Another winner!

Then tonight, I had a request, by my one child who is currently {and maybe forever} vegetarian, for a hearty meatless meal. It was a drizzly and gray spring day here in CT, so a perfect night to give the comforting "Curried Carrots and Lentils" {page 75} a test drive.

I usually have carrots in the fridge and lentils in the pantry, making this one of those great "what can I make for dinner with what I have on hand" recipes. I made a few modifications: three cloves of garlic {instead of one}, no ground red pepper {trying to keep it tame}, and smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika {which I highly recommend-- it gave the dish even more depth}.

Oh, and I used veggie broth instead of water, added a whole quart instead of 3 1/2 cups of water…and I added everything to the pot instead of taking things out and adding them back in {because I believe in shortcuts… and because I'm not very good at following directions on recipes}.

This is another one of those "bonus hour" dinners, where it's got to do its' thing for about a 1/2 hour…

and if I didn't have 1st grade reading homework to oversee, I might have used that cooking time to kick back and read a magazine. But it was nice to be able to offer my undivided attention tonight.

The verdict? My vegetarian-leaning son said it was "delicious!", my self-proclaimed "meatatarian" son said, "yum, it tastes like it has sausage in it" {thank you smoked paprika}, and my husband kept making cracks about us now having "Meatless Thursdays" but you'll note that all the bowls were basically licked clean... 

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that yours truly has a mention in the cookbook too! Check out page 37 for one of my freezer tricks. 

And {drum roll}, as a thank you for being a part of her cookbook, Sally has given me a copy to share with one of my readers. To be entered to win, please leave a comment below letting me know why you need this book! For a second chance to win, "like" Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook, and leave me a comment letting me know you've done so! A lucky winner will be chosen on Monday, May 12, 2014 at 8am Eastern Time by random.org. May the most desperate mom win! {Just kidding.}

Please note: I was sent a complimentary copy of the book to review, but all opinions are my own. I wouldn't tell you it's great if I didn't really think so! 

a relaxing Thanksgiving?!! i've got you covered!

Why am I flitting about the trails with friends instead of sitting at home stressing that I've got a huge feast to plan?

Because I've got it all planned out! My shopping lists are done. {Heck, most of my grocery shopping will be too, by Friday-- ahead of the crowds, baby!}. All of my family's favorite side dish recipes have been divvied up across a few hours of cooking here and there. I'm gearing up for a sane Thanksgiving week ahead!

I want time to relax before the feast. Time to enjoy my family and company. And I want all of you to do the same! Bundle up, get out an enjoy a walk, address Christmas cards, meet a friend for coffee, just chill with a glass of wine and a magazine ... Do anything you want. But do not stress about the feast. I've got you covered!

And to make the deal even more festive + fun (as if having me plan out a sane Thanksgiving feast weren't bliss enough!) all purchasers of my "Feast in a Snap" instant download who do so before Friday, November 22, 2013 (at midnight, EST) will be entered to win one of three $10 Starbucks gift cards... so you can meet that friend out for coffee, on me.

So what are you waiting for? A nervous breakdown? A kitchen fairy?

Feast in a Snap is an instant download {handy for those like me, for whom patience is not a virtue}, which will be delivered to you by SendOwl, so you too can get totally organized and enjoy a relaxing-- delicious-- feast next week. More info on the recipes can be found here. 

The fine print: Winners of each of the three $10 Starbucks gift cards will be chosen by random.org on Saturday, November 23, 2013, and announced on the Meals in a Snap Facebook page and here in the comments section below. Your lucky entry # is the order in which the Feast in a Snap ebook was purchased. Winners will be emailed (to the email address on file with SendOwl) on Saturday and have 24 hours to reply, or a new winner will be chosen. Gift cards will be mailed to you on Monday, in time for a coffee date with a friend next week!! Cheers!!

tell me who you are + FIVE chances to win a copy of "Thanksgiving in a Snap"

with so many new readers, it's time for a poll to make sure I'm giving you the grub you want!

click here for the survey 

and... {drum roll} anyone who answers the survey between now-Thursday, October 31, 2013 will be entered to win one of five copies of the soon-to-launch "Thanksgiving in a Snap" guide with my favorite Thanksgiving recipes, done-for-you shopping lists, and a sane {yes, i said sane} cook schedule so you get to enjoy Thanksgiving as much as everyone else at your table!!

an inspiring mom + a cozy giveaway

(photo by Benjamin Reed, and published here)

When I started this blog, I had two very young children, and a head swirling with recipes. {I still have two young children, and now some of my many recipes are somewhat organized here...} The Full Plate blog was a way of me staying engaged in the world beyond our nest. It was a way of me keeping my pinky toe in "work", while staying home with my children. I felt fortunate that I could make this choice, but I often wondered what my business school classmates were up to those years after we all graduated, especially those who were now moms. The debate over the merits of working and staying home have raged for years. I won't sugarcoat my own feelings: while I wish I could just relax into motherhood, I often feel a tremendous sense of guilt if "all I am is a mom". I want to be a part of something meaningful, and something broader than our family of four. Companies used to covet my skill set, and sometimes I miss that appreciation. On the other hand, I look into the eyes of two kind, confident, empathetic, creative kids, and I feel lucky that I get to witness their growth so closely. I always wonder if-- and how-- some moms make it work... from home. 

So imagine how thrilled I was to read about my Kellogg classmate, Susan Morrow Bell, who seems to be successfully straddling that desire to promote something she believes in, while still being present for her family. It's stories like this one that inspire me, and that I wanted to share with all of you busy moms who have an idea-- or you come across something that inspires you-- and maybe you wonder if it can be done.

I reached out to Susan just to let her know how inspired I was by her business and lo and behold, it turns out she's been a Full Plate fan for a while now {don't make me blush}. After our virtual reunion, Susan generously offered to give one Full Plate reader a pair of her cozy slippers for children (EU sizes 18-34, US sizes 3 baby- 3 youth), wrapped and shipped anywhere in the U.S. What a sweet way to keep your little one cozy as we head into the chillier months, right?

To be entered to win a pair of these cozy, handmade, fair trade, eco-friendly slippers (in a size and design of your choosing) please leave a comment here on the Full Plate blog either letting me know your favorite recipe from the Full Plate blog, or letting Susan know your favorite slipper design! For TWO chances to win, leave a favorite recipe and favorite slipper design. To see the latest Satch & Sol slippers click here. 

The lucky winner will either be pulled from a hat by one of my kids (if there are just a few entries and their hands won't cramp writing the #s out), or be picked by random.org (if a ton of you enter), on Sunday, October 27, 2013 at 5pm EDT, so share your favorites and tell your friends!

we have a winner of the Fearless Feeding book....

#5, Holly Wells, you are the lucky winner!! Look for your copy of Fearless Feeding arriving in your mailbox soon, courtesy of Wiley publishers!! Thank you to author, Jill Castle, for this fun giveaway!!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:5Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Fearlessly Feeding a Picky Eater - a guest post + give-away by Jill Castle, M.S., R.D.

This is the last week of school for my children {insert gasp}, which means I need to buckle down and figure out how to juggle my time between this award-winning {aw, you all make me blush} blog, raising two {awesome if I might say so myself} kids, and making time to take care of myself {novel concept, one I am working on... and all of you busy moms know, this is one of the hardest parts of parenting}.

Anyway, while I find my 'free time' in short supply once the school year ends, I always look forward to June-August as a time to read a ton, jot down my priorities and set my course for the Fall ahead. A few weeks ago, I had the chance to meet Jill Castle, the co-author of Fearless Feeding - How To Raise Healthy Eaters From High Chair to High School, and her book became my first official "summer read".

When Jill gave me a copy, I couldn't wait to delve in. I grabbed a highlighter and one of my favorite afternoon snacks (veggies rolls wrapped in rice paper, from the sushi counter at Walter Stewart's Market),

and sat there on the sidelines of my older son's tennis lesson reading her book. The approachable tips, and nonjudgmental style hit home. This is a mom who 'gets it'. Any mom, whether they are just starting out and trying to create good habits from toddlerhood+, or one who may be feeling frustrated as they try to expand their family's mealtime repertoire, can use this book as a much appreciated vote of confidence, and a little hand holding. And {drum roll} in addition to having Jill share her expertise as a gust blogger today, one of you will be lucky enough to win a copy of Jill's book! To win, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know your biggest challenge-- or best tip-- when it comes to feeding your family well. Entries will be accepted until midnight (Eastern time) Thursday, June 13th, and one winner will be chosen by random.org on Friday, June 14th. But first, let's hear what Jill has to say, because I can't tell you how many people have asked me what do do about their picky eaters!  

10 Things You Don’t Want to Do with Your Picky Eater

Guest post by Jill Castle, MS, RD

Co-author, Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School

“My three-year-old used to eat everything under the sun,” said Joanie, “but all that changed over the last couple of months.”

This phase called picky eating-- a hallmark of toddlerhood-- still throws parents for a loop. While most parents endure this, many don’t enjoy it, nor do they know exactly how to deal with it. And some make mistakes that prolong the stage beyond normal. Here, I help you understand what not to do, and why. Steer clear of these tendencies and your child’s picky eating phase will be shorter and much more tolerable.

Talk about picky eating too much. You’ve been there, and heard that. That mom who talks endlessly about how picky her child is, and how it controls her kitchen, meal table, and possibly her life! Talking about picky eating, especially in the presence of your child, draws attention to the behavior and may even reinforce it. You may also risk stigmatizing your child with a “label.” Remember: picky eating is a phase of toddlerhood—almost a rite of passage. It’s part of normal development. If it’s gone beyond the toddler years, there’s more to the story and you may need more help to sort out the root of the problem.

Nag or pressure to eat. It is so tempting to encourage or nag the picky eater to eat more (as if they forgot about the food in front of them!). The problem with this approach is that research shows that nagging or pressuring kids to eat or taste food may turn off their appetite. Imagine that—the more you pressure your child to eat, the less he eats! Not exactly what parents of picky eaters are looking for.

Feed the child (when he is clearly old enough to feed himself). Some parents take over feeding, thinking that if they offer a forkful of food, little Holly will take a bite. And she might. However, most young kids prefer to be in control of feeding themselves (and do better with eating when they are), and may be less cooperative when the adult takes over. Other children may have easy-going personalities or may want to please their parent, and acquiesce to being fed. Just know that on the spectrum of child development, kids want to be in charge of their own eating (that’s why they say “I do it.”).

Criticize eating performance. “Oh Johnny, you never eat enough! You’re wasting away!” or other admonitions like “I took the time to make this for you…” and “This has always been a favorite—I don’t understand why you’re not eating!” don’t really help in the long run. It’s helpful to know that eating is in flux during the early years, and largely reflects growth stage and appetite (and how well eating went earlier in the day). Criticisms about eating may bring up feelings of guilt, under-performance, and injure self-esteem. If you’re child doesn’t eat well, refrain from commenting. Get professional help if weight and growth are stagnant.

Use ultimatums. “No, you’re not getting down—you’ll finish your milk first,” or “You can get down when you eat three more bites of carrots.”  Ultimatums are an authoritarian approach to feeding kids, and almost never work to encourage children to enjoy or even like the food they are eating. And this is one goal of feeding children—to get them to like a variety of foods. Realistically, not every food will be liked—I bet even you have foods you’ve never liked! A respectful feeding relationship between parent and child will often yield a child who will lick or taste a bite, and a parent who keeps offering a variety of food without pressure, or an agenda.

Only offer foods the child likes. Boy, is this a trap! And many parents are in it. I don’t know a parent alive who enjoys only cooking and offering foods their child will eat. Most parents want their children to be open-minded, try different foods, and come to the table with interest and excitement. Yet, this almost never happens when the same-old food is served…not to mention a narrow diet may mean nutrient deficits, and problematic eating off-site. Catering to a child’s food preferences reinforces those foods, and keeps the child further away from a wide food variety and adventurous eating.

Praise too much for trying a bite. “Woot! Woot! Clap, clap clap! You did it! YAY. So proud of you, Trey!”(“phew—thank goodness he tried it!”) Believe it or not, praise for eating or trying food can feel like pressure to a child. You’re better off not reacting or responding to success, lest it set you back a pace or two. The business of eating should not be a test, performance or show. It’s simply the business of eating.

Rewarding for eating. “If you have four more bites of broccoli, you can have dessert.” Yeah, this tactic of rewarding will get your child to eat more broccoli, but it will also get your child to value dessert over broccoli. Big time. Think about the long-term implications of this—favoring dessert over veggies. Needing dessert (or another reward) to eat the healthy stuff. The truth is, there’s no real reward to solidifying these food attitudes today, in the long run.

Respond to antics. Yes, we all do it. In the moment when our child has worn us out, or when the picky eating is just too much. We want to shout, we want to discipline, we want to cry, we want to Get. Him. Whatever. He. Wants. Step away from the kitchen. Don’t do it. Keep that business-as-usual attitude. The poker face—you know it-- the blank, no-reaction face despite the whirl of emotions going on inside. Remember: Your job is feeding. His job is eating. No emotions, no caving, no anger. You can do it.

 Jill Castle is a registered dietitian and childhood nutrition expert, and proud mom to four kids. She is founder of the blog, Just the Right Byte and co-author of Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School.

I hope that you found Jill's tips helpful. If you would like a chance to win a copy of her book, Fearless Feeding - How To Raise Healthy Eaters From High Chair to High School, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know your biggest challenge-- or best tip-- when it comes to feeding your family well. Entries will be accepted until midnight (Eastern time) Thursday, June 13th, and one winner will be chosen by random.org on Friday, June 14th. 

and the winner is....

Annie Long Sullivan (comment #8), you are the lucky winner of Sucre's delectable 15 macaron give-away!! Please email me so I can get your shipping address! Lucky you!! Enjoy this sweet treat! 

I wish I could have a box sent to all of you!!

a big smile mid-week: macarons from sucre

Oh dear. I have another food crush. I mean, a girl cannot live on green smoothies alone, right? And oh how I do love a French macaron... the kind that is crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. Mmmm.

This pretty box of 15 decadent macarons was waiting on my doorstep when I came out of our latest construction meeting. The sweet folks at Sucre wanted to give one of my lucky readers a box as a treat. I thanked them for the generous offer, but told them I always have to try anything I'm going to give-away or possibly recommend. My job is tough, but someone has to do it.

And that is how I ended up with macarons on my doorstep. Trust me, my life is not nearly as glamorous or decadent on a daily basis.

The taste-testing is done. {And no, I am not going to take another photo and show you how many I ate with my afternoon tea.} Suffice it to say that this goes down as one of my better work days, or days in general.

Packaged to travel well, these macarons will absolutely brighten someone's day. Trust me, I know this firsthand. I cannot wait to have Sucre send a 15-piece box of their Signature Macarons to one lucky full plate blog reader! If you would like to win this special treat, please leave me a comment on this post letting me know why you're a busy mom who deserves a little something decadent and special mid-week. I will use random.org to choose one winner on Sunday, February 24th at noon (Eastern time). Winner must live in contiguous United States. Sucre will ship the macarons directly to you. Lucky you!!

we have winners!!

Thank you so, so much to everyone who completed my recent survey, giving me feedback on what else I can do to help you all quickly, easily-- and enthusiastically -- get nourishing, delicious meals made for your families. You all know I am a fan of family meals... but I know the thought of cooking (let alone daily!) causes many moms to run for the hills (or perhaps the closest drive-thru or freezer case). Based upon your feedback, I am absolutely thrilled to start work on my first make-ahead meal plan and shopping lists, perfect for the busy back-to-school season. Being able to efficiently cook healthful meals is an invaluable skill, and I cannot wait to share my tips, recipes and plans from my personal chef days (where I was the queen of make ahead meals for my clients) + the cooking rhythm (a.k.a. method to the madness) that I employ in my own home with two young children... and a very busy schedule.

Now, I also promised to pick three winners from all of you who filled out the survey. So, without further adieu..... {drum roll} the winners are:

And, since I was overwhelmed by your responsiveness (and my kids were wildly excited about picking winners), I decided to give not three-- but five-- of you access these simple, healthy meal plans before they go public. So, the two bonus winners are.... {drum roll #2}:

I'll be emailing each of you who won to give you the scoop!