Healthy Mother’s Days Recipes

By TreeLiving Food is the center of many traditions, cultures and celebrations. Mother’s Day is no exception. Many families celebrate with breakfast in bed, brunch, or a sunny afternoon picnic. It’s tempting to let loose and eat what you want so here are a couple of ideas to celebrate Mom in a yummy yet healthy way. Breakfast Casseroles Breakfast casseroles are particularly easy to make. You ju st combine all the ingredients into a casserole or baking dish and put it in the oven. It can be assembled the night before, too. This makes it really easy for the kids to prepare in the morning. The basics of a breakfast casserole include: • 4 Large eggs plus 4 large egg whites • 1 Cup nonfat or lowfatmilk • 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard • 1 Teaspoon minced fresh rosemary • 1/4 Teaspoon freshly ground pepper • 5 Cups chopped spinach, wilted • 4 Cups whole-grain bread cut into 1-inch cubes • 1/2 Cup chopped red and/or green peppers • 3/4 Cup shredded Gruyere, or Swiss cheese Combine everything except the cheese into a large bowl. Mix well then pour into a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, uncover and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool and serve to mom. Add a side of fruit and a nice cup of tea or coffee and you have a very healthy breakfast for mother’s day. Healthy Brunch Brunch is a delightful way to celebrate Mom’s favorite holiday. And it can be simpler to prepare than breakfast. In fact, a simple salad is both healthy and delicious. Here’s a salad that can be extremely versatile. • 1/4 Cup coarsely chopped & toasted pecans • 1 Tbsp canola oil, divided • 3 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch slices • 1 Tsp brown sugar • 1 Tbsp minced shallot • 1/2 Tsp kosher salt • 1/4 Tsp freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 Cup apple juice • 2 Tsp cider vinegar • 1 Tsp Dijon mustard • 6 Ounces baby spinach • ½ Cup Gorgonzola cheese Note: You can swap out the cheese and pears for your cheese and fruit of choice. If you want a heartier brunch, add a grilled chicken breast or salmon fillet to the salad. 1. Add 2 tsp of your canola oil in a skillet set at medium-high heat. Place the pears on the pan and sprinkle brown sugar on them. Don’t stir. Cook for 5 minutes, stir to melt the sugar and transfer to a plate. 2. Add the remaining teaspoon of your oil to the pan and sauté the shallots for 30 seconds. Add salt, pepper and next three ingredients. Simmer for four minutes and add pears. 3. With your spinach in a large serving bowl add the dressing and pears on top and toss. Place cheese, nuts and protein on top and serve. Mother’s Day Picnic – Healthy Food to Go Why not prepare a picnic for Mother’s Day! Consider simple and healthy food like pasta salads, caprese salad, and chicken salads which are great go to picnic meals. Sandwiches are also fun. You can get creative with your sandwiches, for example, smoke turkey wraps with mango and curry mayonnaise. Some fruit, wine or juices and something sweet for dessert and you are ready to go! As you can see, it is possible to enjoy delicious and healthy food on Mother’s Day. With simple, tasty recipes that everyone can make, it’s a day to celebrate and take care of Mom and yourself.