Family Recipes--HELP

Crystal_Rudolph

Okay everyone, I need your help!!!

I need some good (healthy) dinner recipes to make for my family. I am tired of making 2 different meals every night!!!

The recipes can't be to far off the wall though. My husband and girls all have unbelievable metabolism, so they love the meat and potato - type of meals. And for obvious reasons, I can't eat that way any more. My daughters are 6, 7, and 9, so the meals have to be kid-friendly too. My husband eats TONS and doesn't EVER gain an ounce, so the recipes have to be filling enough for him too.

Just to give everyone an idea, these are a few examples of the meals my family enjoys now...
taco's with refriend beans mixed in with the meat
homemade lasanga with ground hamburger
corn-hotdish (ground beef, cream of mushroom sauce, corn, and egg noodles
shipwreck stew (gound hamburger, potatos, kidney beans, carrots, celery, tomato soup)
chili (with ground hamburger)
steak and potato's
Can you see why I make two different meals now??? LOL I need help!!!

Thank everyone!!!!

baisleac

Make what you're going to eat yourself in a large enough batch that they can eat enough to fill up.

tpycha126

Instead of using ground hamburger have you ever used ground turkey? My husband said he would never eat gorund turkey and I switched to that without telling him. He can't tell a difference especially if you use spices on it.

cc2r1511

My husband too! He always said that turkey changed the taste and he would never want it but I switched and he couldnt tell! Its a LOT more lean and is very easy to cook!

kelsue35

Instead of using ground hamburger have you ever used ground turkey? My husband said he would never eat gorund turkey and I switched to that without telling him. He can't tell a difference especially if you use spices on it.

thats funny my oldest son was dating a girl who didnt eat red meat so he stopped eating it and i made spaghetti one night with hamburger like i always do but told him it was ground turkey and he had no idea i was lying to him

you can always grill chicken and make whole wheat pasta with a garlic lemon sauce with tomatoes mushrooms and green peppers even if you only put the veggie portion in last after you serve them (if they wont eat them) then make your own plate.. thats what i do because 3 of my 4 kids wont eat the veggies

Diem30

I love making Campbells Sante-Fey Sheppards pie.

1 pound extra lean ground beef
3-4 medium/large potatos
1 can reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup
1/2 corn (I prefer frozen to canned)
1/4 cup green pepper
1/4 cup red pepper
1/2 cup any other veggies you'd like
1/4 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Very easy to prepare
cook the meat and veggies
drain well
mix meat, veggies, chili powder and half the can of CoMS and place on the bottom of a caserole dish
cook potatos and mash add in rest of soup and place potato mixture on top of meat then bake for 20-30 minutes (until the top is a golden brown)

6 servings
270 calories per serving
460g sodium
6g of fat

I make it for my nieces all the time adn they love it.

innerfashionista

Would your family eat chicken tacos or fajitas? We make them at our house and I either use a tortilla cut in half (180 calories for one, but I get two fajitas) and get a lot of veggies. The only thing I have to really weigh is the chicken. That way, it's a family favorite but modified to fit YOUR needs

dublvision2

My family eats what I eat and we are making a lifestyle change as a family. I have a hubby with a metabolism like yours, so I know what you mean. I agree with the suggestion of using ground turkey in your recipes. It will make a big difference. Also, we like to make big batches of chicken breasts/tenders that we marinade and cook in olive oil based marinades and then we have some jasmine rice and veggies/salad as our sides. The kids and hubby can eat bigger portions of the chicken to help fill them up. Plus, I tell them that if they are still hungry they are welcome to 2nd and 3rd helpings of veggies.
Good luck!

JPayne53

I'm going to ditto the ground turkey switch out.. it really works... do your kids and hubby like chicken? Chicken is a leaner meat substitute and seems to have enough substance to be more filling.. Or since it's getting to be warmer out and with summer right around the corner, grilling is a great way to get a variety of meats so that you can have the same basic meal but you would have the ability to choose chicken (or another substitute of your choice .. I love pork chops grilled!) and the fam can have steak! :bigsmile:

Sta83cy

start using ground turkey instead of beef, you can cut a ton of calories out, i love taco salad. i make it a buffet so everyone can put what they like on it. Start using black beans too, they have a ton more fiber and are a lot better than pinto beans. I like the philadelphia cooking creme, it's really good and comes with a bunch of different recipes. And use whole grain pasta, or ronzoni smart taste pasta. Watch the portions, but you get recipes on top of the container and I just tweak them. i like fajitas, use chicken, frozen chopped peppers some seasoning, a healthy tortilla rice and queso. or i make it into a bowl like at chipotle and put brown rice with a little cilantro, put seasoned chicken, salso, cheese, black beans and whatever else you like, its a new favorite at my house. If you substitute healthy alternatives, you can make almost every meal ok to eat. like with spaghetti, if you don't make your own sauce just get the healthy sauce from the store whole grain pasta, turkey meat. That's what i've started doing and it's helped my blood pressure go way down cutting out all the beef. Because we were a meat and potato family. Also, a great snack is cut up cauliflower, bake it in the oven for a few minutes, sprinkle some seasoning on it. Once its soft take it out and dip it in salsa or any type of dip you like. I was skeptical when i tried it but its really good.

MinnieInMaine

I personally am not a fan of ground turkey but I get the leanest ground beef I can and drain what little fat comes out when you brown it. I use turkey bacon, smoked sausage and pepperoni though and both of us actually prefer that to the original.

My only concern about these choices is that none of you are getting veggies in with your dinner.

Refried beans - get the fat free kind

Egg noodles - use yolk free or the Ronzini Smart Taste brand

Cream of Mushroom - get the 98% fat free version

I've been able to pretty much make the same meals I always have by making small changes like this and keeping my portions small. And I use veggies to bulk up portions instead of pasta/rice/potatoes. For casseroles, if veggies are included in the recipe, I double the amount called for. If they're not in the ingredients, I add what I think will taste good (mostly bell peppers, mushrooms and onion). For meat and potatoe meals, I make sure to fill a 3rd to half of my plate with veggies so there's not much room for the meat and potatoes. You'll still get full but not have so much of those higher cal/fat foods.

afteil

There are a ton of simple substitutions that you can do to any regular meal to make it more healthy. Just by doing things like getting whole grain pasta or rice(theres this new whole grain one that I cant remember the name of, its in a yellow box and its ____ plus that doesnt taste like whole grain, plus its fortified with a ton of other vitamins), using ground turkey or chicken, using a low sodium broth, or just less oil in a dish you can lower the calorie count.

If you are making burgers- use sandwich thins instead of hamburger buns, use greek yogurt instead of mayo, and try out the salmon burgers from walmart- they are amazing! Another healthier burger alternative is doing a vegetarian black bean burger- delish! And try sweet potato fries or mashed califlower instead of potatoes.

Using quinoi is really good as well, it has a very rich flavor and texture and is really filling.- for mexican nights I use brown rice or quinoi cooked in a mixture of water and the pacific organic low sodium veggie broth, then add a can of the walmart (i like walmart lol) brand diced tomatoes with green chilis. You can add other veggies to it too and it just gets better.

Another thing you could try if they dont like ground turkey is quorn- its found in the freezer section and is a meat alternative that seriously tastes like ground beef. I havent tried making it into burgers yet, but I know you can make it into pasta sauce and things where you would use ground beef.

My final suggestion is- get a grill/bbq! You can get pretty cheap ones now that are small and portable so even if you dont live somewhere with a giant yard or patio, you can still take advantage of it. You can grill pretty much anything, and it helps to give it really great flavor while taking away the fat from the dish. Burgers, chicken, corn, peppers, tomatoes, onion, pizza are great on the grill, and to make a healthier desert, try doing pineapple/cherry kabobs or grilled pears with just a little brown sugar or honey on it:)

Hope this wasnt too rambly lol

ajh2011

I would definitely try ground turkey. I usually buy the ground turkey breast and for what you are cooking you won't be able to tell (it is 120 calories for 4 oz). I usually make turkey burgers out of it by adding garlic, spices, maybe some worshishire sauce, etc. and it is awesome. One of my favorite websites for healthy recipes is http://www.skinnytaste.com/. There is a crockpot meal with chicken, corn beans, etc. which is amazing. Also, when I clicked on the site just now to make sure it was working, there was an amazing looking chicken parmesean rollup which would be very family friendly. My family is picky as well but it is amazing what they will get used to. I make one meal that has something for everyone- ex. grilled chicken, mac and cheese, salad and veggies. I usually don't eat the mac and cheese for obvious reasons and my girls now really like eating vegetables. I don't make anyone eat anything but I don't cater to their pickiness. If they don't want to eat, they will be hungry. It works like a charm every night. Good luck!!!

heididormanen

I don't like in your house but I can tell you in my house.. just because I am trying to loose weight doesn't mean that I have to suffer through a separate meal.. every one needs to learn how to eat healty.. even the skinny folk We have a no holds bar meal on Sunday every week.. that is the day we toss the diet out the door and have whatever ridiculously fattening meal everyone is craving. You can make some simple changes to some of those and still do alright..

one thing is to make a salad and eat that about 15 minutes before dinner... at least then you are going in with a partially full belly.

You can buy 93 lean meat and it is almost as lean as ground turkey.. if you drain the fat after cooking it, it is as lean.. so that is one solution. Chili is not a problem at all.. not with the beans...

tacos are also fine just watch your portions and refried beans mixed in..(what a great idea).. I make my own but you can by the fat free ones and that is a great filler.

Stir fry's are great we usually use scallops or chicken and then I just skip the rice for myself.. or have it over whole grain pasta instead of rice

I never used processed food.. I keep a ton of chicken stock (low sodium and watch the ingredients for the natural stuff as it tastes way better) then I can make my own rice pilaf and couscus

ok that is all I can come up with at the moment..

nannyprahm3

I have a great Spaghetti Pie recipe that taste great. My family loves it.

Crust: 2 C cooked thin spaghetti...1oz. Parmesan Cheese...1 egg beaten...1 tbl. plus 1teas. soft light margarine...

Filling: 2/3 C part skim ricotta cheese....2tsp. light margarine...1/2 C each onion, red or green pepper....6 ozs. cooked lean ground beef/ or ground turkey, crumbled....1 can tomatoes drained and chopped, save the juice.....2tsp. tomato paste and 2ozs. mozzarella cheese, shredded.

CRUST: Combine all ingredients for crust, Spray a 9in. glass pie plate with cooking spray, spread mixture over bottom and up sides of plate to form a crust.

FILLING: spread ricotta over bottom of crust and set aside. In a non stick pan add margarine, onion, green pepper and if you like a clove of garlic, cook till onion is translucent. Add beef, tomatoes, reserved liquid and paste. Stir constantly till it is slightly thickened and heated through. Spoon beef mixture over ricotta cheese and bake 20 to 25 mins. at 350. Sprinkle pie with mozzarella cheese and bake another 5 mins. Let stand for 5 mins. before cutting. ENJOY!

lil_missfit

I would be interested to see what your feedback is. I have this same problem at times and to a certain extent. I don't make two meals though. My trouble is vegetables....I am trying to get my kids to eat more:))

I cook what I cook and if they don't want it then they have to make a chicken sandwich (with the baked chicken that I make once per week) or one of my other "quick grab" meals. They did this last night. That's really it:)) I pre-make stuff on Monday (speghtti noodles and ground turkey burger, turkey burger patties, and their favorite---a whole baked chicken)--- and if they don't want what I cook then to the refridgerator they go. I don't have time for two dinners and I AIN'T doin it!!! My husband will sometimes make something different like eggs or pancakes---I'm good with that too (as long as he cleans it up). I have told my family that what I cook if for THEIR health too---it's not about losing weight to me:)) I have told my family that I REFUSE to cook bad things for them----they've gotten over it.... I sometimes tell my husband (just kidding with him)....if you make me mad enough I just might try and kill you----WITH FRIED CHICKEN!!!!!

jpw430

Okay everyone, I need your help!!!

I need some good (healthy) dinner recipes to make for my family. I am tired of making 2 different meals every night!!!

The recipes can't be to far off the wall though. My husband and girls all have unbelievable metabolism, so they love the meat and potato - type of meals. And for obvious reasons, I can't eat that way any more. My daughters are 6, 7, and 9, so the meals have to be kid-friendly too. My husband eats TONS and doesn't EVER gain an ounce, so the recipes have to be filling enough for him too.

Just to give everyone an idea, these are a few examples of the meals my family enjoys now...
taco's with refriend beans mixed in with the meat
homemade lasanga with ground hamburger
corn-hotdish (ground beef, cream of mushroom sauce, corn, and egg noodles
shipwreck stew (gound hamburger, potatos, kidney beans, carrots, celery, tomato soup)
chili (with ground hamburger)
steak and potato's
Can you see why I make two different meals now??? LOL I need help!!!

Thank everyone!!!!

For the taco/fast food tastes:

Mexicalli Pie
1 lb 90% lean ground beef
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C chopped green and/or red bell peppers
1 1/2 C frozen whole kernal corn
1 C chunky Salsa
3/4 C (3 oz) reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/8 t black pepper
1 C (3 oz) Crushed Corn Chips

Heat oven to 350. Spray large skillet with olive oil spray and brown meat with onion & peppers. Add everything else except chips, stir and heat. Spray a large (10 inch) pie pan with olive oil spray. Put meat mixture in pan, top with crushed corn chips and heat in oven for 30 minutes. After removing from oven, let rest for 10 minutes.

Our whole family has loved this. Feel free to make substitutions - lean ground turkey, reduced fat mexican cheese mix or co-jack etc. Canned or fresh corn works as well.

8 Servings. 204 cals/10g fat/15g protein/14g carbs/324 mg sodium/2g fiber.

Recipe from JoAnna Lund's Healthy Exchanges cookbook "Cooking with a Man in Mind". This book along with "Cooking with Kids in Mind" are likely to be found on Amazon very cheaply. Those and others by her might be perfect for the need that you have expressed. Lots of veg side dishes, sweet and savory salads/sides that are very simple to prepare and hits the tastes of most families. At least it did with our family. All of the types of dishes you mentioned have counterparts in the "man in mind" book - and within all of her books you can find dozens of variations.

Good luck!

Crystal_Rudolph

I want to thank everyone for their suggestions! I went to the store yesterday and bought a pound of ground turkey 93/7 and 98% fat free, low sodium cream of mushroom soup for our dinner of tatertot hotdish. It was.....AWESOME!!! My family loved it! My hubby decided that we all needed to switch to only ground turkey from now on! It had so much flavor and was more filling than ground hamburger. I inputed my recipe on the database and found that for 1 serving was 164 calories--so I got to have 2 servings! Thank you so much everyone--I am offically a ground turkey convert!

kisskrystal

I have this dilemma to the max. My new husband and his lovely 7 year old eat chicken nuggets and french fries for literally every meal. It's been just the two of them for so long, and he has CRAZY metabolism so he grew up being extremely picky, eating whatever he wants, and has passed it on to his daughter. He will eat pizza once in a while but "doesn't like the sauce"....she wont eat anything that isn't crunchy, deep fried, or candy. I, on the other hand, am terrified of unhealthy food (with good reason) because I lost 130 pounds a few years ago and refuse to gain it back.
SO.
This is how I have adapted...Once or twice a week I will make a meal that involves at least one or two things that each of us likes. We all like bacon, so I will make turkey bacon, eggs, and biscuits. She will eat bacon and biscuits, He will eat all 3, and I will stick with the turkey bacon and eggs, and might have some fruit with mine.
Or,
he likes fajita meat but wont eat peppers, onions, veggies, salsa, beans, sour cream, etc.
So I will make fajitas and all the fixins for me, and he will eat the meat and munch on tortilla chips and queso. She wont eat the meat, but she loves chips and queso and will occasionally eat a tortilla.
Try to find meals that involve SOMETHING everyone likes and can eat...
I'm new at this so I don't have a ton of advice yet...but this what I've come up with so far.
The rest of the time he will make their food and I will make mine...such a sweet husband
Also, when funds are available, we eat out often. This way, everyone can get EXACTLY what they want with not much effort.
Good luck! I feel your pain!