Stamp of Approval

You may remember my last post with this same title, where I shared a few recipes that earned my stamp of approval.  They are healthy (or healthier), easy, fast, and inexpensive. You can feel good about feeding these meals to your family, they are well-balanced and your kids will eat them because they taste good.  You would be surprised with all the recipes out there in the blogosphere, how hard it is to find recipes that fit this standard.

Today's post is more about being health-ier.  My kids absolutely love what they call "white sauce noodles."  Who doesn't love Fettuccine Alfredo?  Buttery, cheesy, and oh-so-artery clogging.  My go to recipe is delicious, but not at all nutritious.  So I was thrilled when I came across this lighter version.  And believe it or not, it is just as good.  I make a few additions to spruce things up:

Add a pinch of nutmeg (nutmeg is wonderful in Alfredo sauce)
Substitute whole wheat pasta noodles for uncooked fettuccine pasta.  My kids like penne or smaller noodles.
Add some pan-seared or grilled chicken.
I've tried adding vegetables, but they are better left as a side dish.

www.cookingclassy.com

My kids also love stuffed shells or manicotti, they literally cheer when they find out that is what we are having for dinner.  I like this recipe for one reason:  It has spinach.  And spinach is good for you.  Cottage cheese is also good for you, and so are eggs.  For some reason this recipe is more delicious than any other stuffed shell I have tried.  Serve these with a nice side salad and green vegetable and you are golden!  

www.71toes.com

And of course I must add one of my recipes!  They for sure meet the criteria:

{chicken enchilada casserole}