Food / Tony Tantillo

by Cindy Hsu
NEW YORK (CBS) ― Cooking is just one of those things I never picked up, so I've fallen into the rut of ordering out all the time or trying to piece together some pretty sad meals for my daughter Rosie.

The guilt factor goes way up when you're caring for a little one who is picking up your habits, so I was really excited to meet Jennifer Iserloh, also known as The Skinny Chef.

She's trying to get folks back on track by teaching families about nutrition and how to cook quick and healthy meals at home.

Don't miss the great recipes she's sharing, at the bottom of the page.

How do I change my ways?

This is a wonderful question. It really is true that by helping yourself first you can do more to effect a change others. Kids love to be individuals, but they also tend to follow the example of their parents! First thing to keep in mind – it's okay to take baby steps toward healthy eating. Replace what I like to call "C" snacks in the home like cookies, crackers and cakes with nuts, fruit, and carrot sticks. Start by replacing just one of your usual dishes with something healthy, but simple to prepare. If you must order take-out, make a homemade salad to go with it using veggies pre-washed the night before. Try to have veggies on the table no matter what! Once I began stocking my kitchen with more veggies and other healthy foods, I started to actually crave them! Over time you will find that healthy eating becomes the norm in your house.

What are some ways to get my daughter to eat veggies?

I get this question over and over again! The key is to be creative, but keep it very simple. When I cook for children I really listen and pay attention to what kinds of dishes and foods they like. In some cases adding a fun, low-calorie, low-fat dipping sauce is all it takes for them to pop that veggie into their mouths! Also, kids are fascinated with shapes and colors. So if you have an extra 10 minutes, you can take a small cookie cutter and punch out shapes for your toddler or even cut the rest in sticks for easy pick-up and dip! You can do this ahead of time and store a bag of veggie shapes in the fridge for up to two days. It makes a really fun chicken noodle soup too. For older kids, adding an ethnic twist can sometimes do the trick. If they love Italian - and many kids do - bake that broccoli with a store-bought jarred marinara sauce and low-fat mozzarella! That's how my granny made it for me when she grew fresh broccoli in her garden. The secret REALLY is sometimes in the sauce!

Healthy snack ideas for the family

Snacks should give you energy – not load you down with tons of fat and calories that ruin appetite for dinner, not to mention your waistline. Fruit is always a great one: make apple slice sandwiches with a smear of peanut butter. Frozen grapes and bananas are luscious in the summer heat when you are at the beach or kids play outside. They remind kids of sorbet or sherbet, and store in the freezer for 2 weeks! Give your child low-fat vanilla yogurt and stir in 4-5 bittersweet chocolate chips. If your kid loves fruit juice, dilute it with water… fruit juices can be packed with sugar. Carrots sticks are a favorite in the homes where I've worked. Bring a small container filled with hummus, low-fat cream cheese, or peanut butter mixed with non-fat yogurt for dipping! Pretzels and crackers are ok, but only in moderation… and always remember a little bit of sweet goes a long way!

What are 10 items that should be in every parent's kitchen?

Veggies, veggies, veggies! Try to have plenty of variety - chopped, diced, steamed, baked. And while you're preparing dinner, munch on some cauliflower while you chop!

Fresh herbs - they are right up there with veggies! Basil is the star in my opinion. Goes great in so many dishes and has tons of minerals and studies show it kills bacteria. Rosemary is another great one and stays fresh up to 2 weeks in your fridge. After two weeks, hang it upside down with a rubber band in your kitchen and it will dry over night!

Stock your pantry. Canned tomatoes are wonderful since a serving (1 cup) has over %50 of the vitamin C you need for one day! They are super versatile- can make hundreds of dishes with them from soup, to stews, sauces and salsas! Other great pantry items are whole wheat breadcrumbs, broths, bean, whole wheat pasta, tomato paste, reduced sodium soy sauce, and corn starch, sweet chili powder, paprika, onion and garlic powder to season fish and meat with no calories.

Dairy. Again one of those versatile cooking items that you can use time and time again for a variety of dishes. With dairy- always go low fat or non-fat. You're still getting the protein but without the extra fat that your body doesn't need! I adore yogurt, low-fat sour cream, and low-fat buttermilk. They're tangy and flavorful, and you can use them to make sauces, tenderize meats and bake moist low-cal cakes and quick bread. Most of these products tend to store in the fridge from 3 weeks to a month!

The biggest nutritional "no's-no's" you see families practicing

Let's talk portion and serving size, ok? Urgggghhhh! For the serving size on store-bought items, first check the package!! Most serving sizes range from 1/2 cup to 1 cup, meaning that each little "harmless" cellophane bag has 2-3 servings. So you might think you're getting 100 calories when you eat that bag of chips or crackers, but no sir you're gobbling up 300. My husband ate a store-bought container of rice pudding, thinking he was getting 250 calories. He ate the whole thing and ended up with over 1000 calories - gulp! Think 2000 calories a day, about 600 calories a meal. When you cook, a serving size of veggies is about 1 cup- but go wild on those serving sizes!! As long as you go easy on the fat and sauces, you should be aiming for at least 2-3 servings of veggies (think small coffee mug) when you sit down to dinner.

Resources

My website, skinnychef.com, is my verbal playground! It is a fun resource for people, but I must say that the greatest resource for me is my Granny. She started cooking for her family at age 8 when he mother passed away and it a true encyclopedia of knowledge! Tips, tricks, ethnics food preparations- you name it, she knows about it. Avid cook, reader, and food TV watcher it is almost impossible for me to stump her!! If you know someone who knows even simple things about food and nutrition, don't be afraid to ask. Pick up the phone like I do when I'm at the stove- and I don't mean to ORDER out either! In terms of cookbooks- I really don't have a favorite out there though the Joy of Cooking does cover a lot of what happens in my kitchen… I just put a healthy spin on it.

Final thoughts

Oh dear, I could just go on forever!! To be healthy, start by changing just a few simple things about your eating and cooking habits. Everyone can do it! Don't be afraid- start small. Even if you don't want to cook, watch what goes into your grocery store cart and what prepared foods find their way to your table!! Be aware. But honestly, simple, healthy cooking really is fun, and when you cook for yourself you know what your putting on your table!

Share your comments with Cindy Hsu.


Veggie Stir Fry

Most kids love eating take-out Chinese. Here's a heart healthy version you can prepare at home that still has that great savory flavor and drastically cuts the fat and calories! Remove the chicken to make it vegetarian.

Serves 4

1 pound boneless chicken breasts, skin removed, cut into thin 1 inch strips (optional)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups broccoli florets, (1 small head of broccoli)
1 cup baby corn, or fresh kernels or frozen corn thawed
1/2 cup water chestnuts
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
3 scallions minced, for garnish
3 egg whites (optional)

Sauce
3 Tbs cornstarch
1/2 cup cold chicken broth
2 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 Tbs sherry

In a medium bowl, mix the chicken (if using), garlic, ginger, and jalapeno and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Refrigerate the chicken while you prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk all the in ingredients for the sauce together and set aside.

In a large pot, steam the broccoli for 3-4 minutes until the florets start to soften but are still crunchy or microwave 3-4 minutes. Place in a bowl with the baby corn, water chestnuts, and mushrooms.

In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over high heat. Add the chicken, stirring continuously, until the chicken is cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.

Decrease the heat to medium and add the vegetables, egg whites (if using), and the sauce. Continue to cook until the sauce thickens and the chicken is no longer pink in the center about 3-4 minutes longer. If the sauce becomes too thick add a little water. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.

Turkey Meatballs

Serves 4

1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated sweet red bell pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound of ground turkey, dark meat preferably
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 26-ounce can of chopped tomatoes,
sprig of fresh basil
16 ounces whole wheat pasta, cooked according to the package instructions

Soak breadcrumbs in egg and red pepper breaking up the mixture with your fingers until smooth. Add Parmesan, salt and pepper, mixing until well combined.

Add meat and garlic. Combine with bread mixture until the bread is well incorporated. Form 2-inch meatballs and place on a sheet of aluminum or wax paper.

Heat a large skillet on high heat and add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs and cook 4-5 minutes turning occasionally until the meatballs are golden brown on all sides.

Add tomatoes and basil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook 10-15 minutes, covered, until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked throughout.

Orange Sherbet

Serves 8

1 1/2 tablespoon grated orange zest
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
2 cups non-fat, skim milk
2 cups non-fat, plain yogurt

Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds or freeze in an airtight container 3-4 hours or until firm.

Sweet Potato Mash

2 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes, about three medium potatoes
2 tablespoon trans-fat free, soft tub margarine, room temperature
1/4 cup of non-fat, skim milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt

Serves 4

Bring and inch of water to boil in a large pot, fitted with a steamer basket. Quarter the potatoes and steam 15-20 minutes until they are fork tender. Or using the microwave method, pierce the potatoes with a fork and cook 3-4 minutes until tender. Scoop out flesh and place in a bowl.

With a hand masher or electric mixture, beat potatoes, alternating with the butter and milk until the mixture resembles a smooth puree. Beat in the honey, mustard, and salt. Serve immediately.

Fish Sticks

Headnotes I created this recipe since so many of my little clients love fish sticks. I noticed that the frozen variety are loaded with trans-fat and other unwanted preservative- things that don't help little bodies grow L Adults love these too- so make the adult portion with a whole filet!

Serves 4

1 pound fish filet, (wild salmon or tilapia) skinless, boneless, cut into long strips 3-4 inches long
1 cup of whole wheat or white breadcrumbs
1/4 cup yellow corn meal
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
non-fat cooking spray

1. On a piece of wax paper or aluminum foil, stir breadcrumbs, corn meal, Parmesan, and paprika, garlic, and onion powder together. Spread the fish out on a piece of wax paper or aluminum foil. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. In a shallow dish, beat egg. Dip the chicken chunks into the egg and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.

2. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the fish nuggets on the first side, cooking 3 to 4 minutes, until breadcrumb coating is crispy and golden. Turn fish sticks and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until fish is no longer translucent and cooked through. Serve immediately or cool completely before packing in an air-tight container.

Yield per Serving= 3 ounces serving (.75 ounces per stick)

Low-fat Tartar Sauce

Headnotes: This is a fun children's recipe, but adults will love this creamy but low-fat treat!

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayo
1/4 non-fat sour cream
1/4 cup sweet Relish
1 tablespoon minced dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Serve immediately or chill. Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Yield= 3/4 cups

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