Quick and Easy Wednesday: Mediterranean Omelet

Sometimes I have those kind of nights when I have 5 minutes and an empty fridge...but, aha, there's always a few eggs in there. Voila, dinner!

Here's what you'll need:
Olive oil
2 eggs/omelet
course salt and pepper
chopped veggies: I like red onion, red pepper, quartered grape tomatoes
Chopped kalamata olives
Chopped marinated artichoke hearts
Cheese (I like crumbled feta)
Minced parsley

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat; it should be hot, but not smoking. Saute vegetables until softened. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, olives, and artichoke hearts. Put vegetable mixture in a bowl and mix with cheese. Beat eggs and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour eggs into saute pan and roll in a circular motion, so that the eggs cover the entire surface of the pan. Once the bottom of the pan is covered, put the pan down and walk away...for 15-30 seconds. Once the egg is almost cooked through, put the vegetable mixture on half of the omelet. With a spatula, fold half of the omelet over the mixture and slide the omelet onto a plate.
With a simple salad, this is a great dinner!

veggie facts and spaghetti pie

~sneaking in veggies deceptively is easier than you think!~

for instance~

::a cauliflower puree goes great in mashed potatoes and pasta sauces::
by adding a cup here and there you are giving your kids these awesome benefits:

{cauliflower is a member of the important cruciferous family of veggies that may help our bodies fight off certain types of cancers

{cauliflower may help kids resist infections -it is a great source of VIT c
i know annie loves mashed cauliflower with chicken broth, and i love a couple of cups in my potatoes. -so do the kids ;)

::. what do red peppers do for our kids::.

{red peppers are the single best way to get vitamin c into your kids. vit C helps fight off infections and heal cuts and scrapes

{because of their vibrant color, the offer tons of antioxidants that help protect healthy cells thru the bod



::. eat carrots and your eyes will OPEN::.

carrots provide short ones with much beta carotene and give them that lovely skin

also, insoluble fiber folks~ while that will keep you busy if they aren't potty trained, it is the best way to keep the red faces at bay. soluble fiber does nothing for that system the way insoluble fiber does.


{this is a recipe for spaghetti pie}
great with kids because it is brain dead cooking folks, so easy and there are ways to sneak veggies in

::1/2 lb spaghetti - cooked according to directions
2 lg. eggs
::15 oz part skim ricotta cheese ~ 1 container
3/4 c plus 2 TB parmesan or romano
::1 cup marinara
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
~preheat oven to 350.
grease a 9 inch pie plate. in a large bowl beat eggs {fork}, stir in ricotta and 3/4 c parmesan. add spaghetti and stir until well coated. transfer spaghetti mixture to pie plate, top with marinara and sprinkle with parmesan.
bake for 25 minutes
:: my alterations~
{you could simmer a can of tomatoes, a red pepper puree (1/4-1/2 c) with some olive oil, basil, oregano and garlic for an hour on low if you want to make your own sauce or just add red pepper puree to already made sauce.

~or you could use spaghetti squash instead of pasta. i.heart.spaghetti.squash.
i always have one on hand. i cut it in half, cook it on 300 for a couple of hours face down with garlic, chicken broth and a sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon.

any way you do it, you get this pretty dish::.

Breakfast/Brunch: Crepes & Whole Wheat Pancakes

First up is a recipe for crepes. Crepes are so versatile that you can really use them for any meal from breakfast to dessert, which is the beauty. I'm pretty new to making crepes because I was really intimidated for a long time and afraid of messing them up. But, they're actually quite easy and you just eat them right away anyway - so who cares how beautiful they look, right? Someday maybe I'll perfect them...for now we just enjoy eating them.

This recipe is from Tante Marie - BASIC CREPES:
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. brandy (opt.) - (or you can use vanilla - that's what I did)

Place flour in a large bowl, add milk and water gradually, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Beat in eggs, salt, vegetable oil and brandy (or vanilla extract), if using. Make sure batter is very smooth, then set aside to rest for at least 20-30 minutes.Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly grease and pour a measure of batter onto the skillet. Pick up the skillet and swirl the batter around until it even coats the entire bottom of the pan.Cook until the edges come away from the pan and the top of the crepe looks almost dry, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook the other side for about a minute.Fill with jam (or other desired filling) and serve immediately.Makes about ten 10-inch crepes (can be doubled or tripled)
Some of my favorite homemade crepes are nutella with banana and ham with provolone cheese. Yum!

Next, I'm going to share the recipe for my family's pancakes. These are the wholesome, filling pancakes that I grew up with. I don't remember my mom ever, even once, making pancakes from a mix or box. We always had whole wheat and to this day, I just can't be fully satisfied with any other kind.

FROMM FAMILY WHOLE WHEAT PANCAKES:
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 to 2 Tbsp. oil

Beat eggs; add soda and buttermilk. Add remaining ingredients and stir until smooth (add more milk if too thick). Pour onto griddle and bake until almost stopped bubbling; turn over and bake on other side. Serve with homemade jam or real maple syrup.

Quick and Easy Wednesday (err,Friday): fast food is not McDonalds

I was fortunate to spend some time in France last September and this visit changed the way I thought about many things. One of the greatest lessons learned was that French food isn't really all I thought, you know, perspiring over the stove making sauces from twenty fresh herbs, finely diced mushroom stems, and duck livers. That all has its place, but from my experience, much of what makes French cooking great is the beautiful, fresh ingredients. Many of my favorite dishes there could be cooked up in a flash, if cooked at all. In the end, the essential cooking method used was in the selection of the ingredients. Delicious olive oil heated in the saute pan + thinly sliced fresh, gorgeous cremini mushrooms + sea salt + three minutes=delicious. I think the big difference with the food in France is the philosophy of those who prepare it. Those preparing the food are most likely the ones who will be eating it and value food for its pleasurable sensations. They respect the food and want to bring out the best in each ingredient. And many times, food, if it is high quality to begin with, is pretty simple to prepare. What I didn't see in France was any sort of stress about making something perfectly. There were no kitchen martyr hostesses slaving in the back during a party. Just people being creative with flavors and textures and smells. I love this philosophy and since returning back from my trip, I've tried to make my meals a more beautiful and simple experience.



[here are some foodie pics from France...mmmmm...]

So, in honor of my new aspirations, today I really tried to implement my lessons learned from Frenchie food at lunch and I must say that it was most pleasurable. Great company (fellow blogger, Kristy, Kari, and our kids), great entertainment (watching my son, Peter, try to shove all sorts of fruit in his mouth), and tasty, fresh, fast food, if I say so myself:

Tortellini Soup with Escarole--cooks up in about 10 minutes, max!
3 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 small head escarole, cleaned, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (*note* I had the darndest time finding escarole in Utah, and substitute spinach. It seemed to work out just fine.)
1 pound cheese tortellini
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a large stockpot, combine chicken stock, 2 cups water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Add escarole, and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 15 seconds.
Add tortellini, and cook until they float to the top, 4 to 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf, and season soup with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Just add some nice bread, nice cheese, and fresh fruit, and you have yourself a great lunch! bon appetit!

Corn and Bean Dip

Hi ladies. I am so sorry I have been the biggest slacker with posting things lately. Not only have we had the sickness junk going around like everyone else, but I have also just forgotten about it! So here you go. This is a great and tasty bean dip you can make if you are having company over for the Super Bowl Sunday! Enjoy! (this makes a lot so half the recipe if you want).

Corn and Bean Dip
2 small cans of Mexicorn drained
2 small cans white corn drained
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 red onion diced
1 red pepper diced
1-2 T. garlic salt or powder
1/2 C. olive oil
1 C. balsamic vinegar

Combine all ingredients and refridgerate until well chilled. Serve with tortilla chips

Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

This is a great and healthy recipe that comes from this month's Everyday Food magazine. Paul and I both really enjoyed this yummy dish! The photo is courtesy of the magazine's website, since my picture didn't look near as lovely.

Here's what you need:

Course Salt and Ground Pepper
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp. Fresh Lime juice
1 Avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and cayenne. Rub all over chicken. In a lare skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout. 8 to 10 minutes per side. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

more deception

::so, as i have been adding veggies in purees and adding in
plain sight i have been shocked that my kids have actually taken to them. i have found that easton LOVES mushrooms, and grayce loves carrots and the miracle of this all is that they will actually try more and ask for their favorites.
::i saw this recipe on everyday food the other day and knew there were lots of angles i could work with on this one. the original was incredibly plain, pasta, broccoli and peanuts with the sauce. so i added favorites to please the family. it was awesome and i would recommend that it is eaten hot, and honestly the leftovers were horrible, sorry but that is the truth.

::
2 chicken breasts, thawed and diced
i cooked this in -
2 TB peanut butter (i used crunchy)
3 TB soy sauce
2 TB rice wine vinegar
i used sesame seed oil to cook with trying to add to the asian taste, you can use whatever.
get water boiling for pasta - i used curly pasta, it grabbed the sauce really great.
so, i got this cooking while i did the following:
3 bunches of broccoli florets
8oz of sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1/3 c water
1 TB oil - again i used sesame seed oil
put all of this in a pan and cook for about 8-10 minutes.

start the pasta.
with 3 kids full of interruptions, i had this done in 30 minutes, now that is awesome!

so while all of that is cooking, get the sauce for the pasta stirring~
4 TB peanut butter
6 TB soy sauce
4 TB rice wine vinegar
1 TB oil - i used you guessed it, sesame
mix this all together.
when everything is done cooking, about 8-10 minutes, add it all together.
i added a handful of cashews to this and it was so good. a really earthy salty nutty sweet flavor.
i toasted up some store bought croissants and served it with this.



it didn't make eating broccoli taste so bad. ENJOY!

Brunch: Filled French Toast & Mega Scones

OK, the slacker finally got around to posting close to the right day! I promise I have been meaning to post, and I've been taking pictures and everything...but I swear I can't even keep track of the days anymore and the weekends just pass me by. Please forgive me.

Here's a couple of recipes that are tasty for a weekend brunch.

Filled French Toast:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup nonfat milk
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
8 slices white or whole wheat bread (or French)

Filling:
4 Tbsp. cream cheese
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
2 Tbsp. fruit preserve of your choice
maple syrup & additional confectioner's sugar for serving

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with unsalted butter or cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, ricotta, and confectioner's sugar. Stir thoroughly by hand or with hand mixer to blend. Stir in the preserves.

Dunk 4 pieces bread into milk mixture to soak. Lay each on a cookie sheet. Spread with an even amount of filling. Dunk remaining bread into milk mixture and place on top, sandwiching filling. Bake until bottom has toasted, about 7 minutes. Turn and bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Serve right away, drizzled with maple syrup and dusted with confectioner's sugar. (Can make the filling the night before and store, tightly covered, in refrigerator.)

Note: I think next time I am going to toast both sides of the french toast by themselves for a few minutes and then put the filling in and bake - just to make sure it is nice and crisp.


I got this next recipe from 101 cookbooks and I am in love with it. I love that it uses whole wheat and is hearty and grainy. And you can put whatever you want in the middle for lots of variations. Yum!

Raspberry Mega Scones:
4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or I used white wheat flour)
3 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4" cubes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups half & half (or cream or whole milk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of one lemon
2/3 cup raspberry preserves (or anything of your choice)

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Using a food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles little pebbles in a beach of sandy flour (about 20 quick pulses). You can also cut the batter in using a knife and fork. Pulse in the sugar. Add half & half, vanilla, and lemon zest. Pule or mix until dough just comes together - don't over mix, but if the batter is too dry add more cream a bit at a time.

Turn out onto a floured piece of parchment paper or Silpat mat. Divide dough into two equal sized pieces and set one aside. Take the first piece and roll out into (roughly) a 9x9" square, 1/2" thick. You want to keep the dough from sticking to the mat/paper if possible, so sprinkle more flour if needled. Slather the slab of dough with the jam and fold the left side of the dough in toward the center. To discourage dough from breaking or falling apart, I fold it in by folding the Silpat/parchment in and then peeling it back afterwards. Fold the other side in using same technique. Slide onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with other piece of dough. The two scones will fit on one baking sheet, but give them a few inches between each other so they don't bake into each other. Brush with a bit of cream (optional), and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden where the scones touch the pan. When scones come out of the oven, brush them generously with the glaze and let cool. Slice into pieces as big or small as you like.

Split Pea Soup

I love a thick, creamy soup in the winter. I got this recipe off a friend's blog who is a trained chef and it is the best soup recipe! The thing I love about this soup is that it is thick and creamy, but doesn't have the cream/butter/milk (aka fat) to make it that way. Despite the color, it is so very yummy. I served it with toasted sourdough bread. You can't go wrong with this meal for a healthier choice of a creamy soup on a cold winter night.

Split Pea Soup

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 2 1/2 c. split peas (dried)
• Salt (be careful adding salt...maybe wait until the end because the ham is pretty salty and it will flavor the soup).
  
• 6-8 whole peppercorns
• 1 ham-hock*
• 8 c. chicken stock
• 2 stocks of celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• minced basil

Sauté the onion in butter in a large pot until golden and translucent. Add the peas, ham-hock, stock, peppercorns, and salt to taste. Simmer for about 45 minutes, then add the carrot and celery. Blend with an emulsion blender** when the carrots are soft, then add the basil and serve.

*If you don't know what a ham-hock is, you basically just save the bone and what's left of the attached meat of a bone-in ham. This is a great way to be very resourceful and makes for a cheap meal. I heard you can also purchase a ham-hock at a honeybaked ham store. You boil the whole bone with the soup and then when the beans are cooked and the soup is done, you can discard the bone (leaving the flavor in the soup) or you can do what I like and pick the ham off the bone and add it back into the soup.

**I don't have an emulsion blender so I just blended the soup in batches in my blender and it worked fine.

Quick and Easy Wednesday: another mom lunch idea

Here's another easy lunch that is super fast and healthy:

Chicken Salad and Havarti Cheese Wrap:
(recipe is enough for 2 wraps. Hooray! Lunch for today AND tomorrow!!)

Coarse Salt and ground pepper
1 b/s chicken breast
2 tablespoons light mayo
1/2 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 spinach-flavored wraps
6 thin slices Havart cheese
1 cup baby spinach, washed and dried

1. In a small skillet with a lid, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil. Add chicken. Cover, and cook over medium-low heat., 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let steam, still covered, until cooked through, 10-12 minutes; Remove chicken. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice crosswise.
2. While chicken is cooking, stir together mayo, shallot, mustard, vinegar, and thyme in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat. (You can make the wrap up to this point the night before; you can make the whole thing the night before, but it might be soggy)
3. Lay wrap on a work surface. Leaving a 1-inch border all around, layer with cheese, spinach, then chicken mixture.
4. Fold in sides by about 1 inch, then roll up tightly from the bottom.

voila! And next time, I'm planning on adding in some chopped apple and walnuts. I love a big crunch!

Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

My three year old wont try anything, but I think some kids might like this because it involves dipping in peanut butter. I made these for a party once and everyone really liked them.

The recipe comes from Sept. 22nd Rachael Ray show.

Ingredients

1 pound chicken tenderloin strips (about 20 strips), or can use round steak cut in strips

1 1/4 Cups Teriyaki sauce

4 garlic cloves

2 to 3 teaspoons hot chili oil, to taste

1/2 Cup apple juice

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled

1-1 1/2 Cups peanut butter, chunky or smooth

Juice of 2 limes, zest of 1 reserved for sauce

1 Bunch scallions, thinly sliced

2 TBS. sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat a grill pan or a grill to medium-high. Soak Skewers in water, particularly if you are using an outdoor grill, so they don't flame up.

2. Place the chicken strips in a medium-large casserole dish and pour 1 Cup of the Teriyaki sauce, the crushed garlic and chili oil over them. Toss to combine and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator while you make the dipping sauce.

3. In a medium-size sauce pot, add the remaining 1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce, apple juice, and the ginger. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 2-3 minutes to incorporate the ginger flavor. Remove the ginger and reserve the liquid.

4. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime zest and the hot Teriyaki/apple juice mixture until it resembles a dipping sauce consistency. Place the sauce in a serving bowl, and set it aside while you grill up the satays.

5. Remove the chicken strips from the refrigerator and skewer the stripes in and out as if you were treading straight up the meat. Grill the satays for about 1-2 minutes on each side, then give them a quick squeeze of fresh lime juice for a finish. Garnish the dipping sauce and meat with the scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

chili stew w/ dumplings

growing up we always had this on halloween, so it classifies as a very comfy dish.



it is a flowing recipe, meaning, it just goes smoothly, there is no waiting or temperament issues.

plus, it is super different.



i am not a chili fan. didn't grow up with it and i feel like it is slop to be honest. i made it for the first time a couple of months ago and was gravely disappointed with the bland taste. i do however adore a turkey chili that is actually white at a place called Sweet Harmony in Middletown, Ct. it is chock full of garlic and so creamy thick, whew, anyway.

this is a creamy soup chili and i love it!

1 can (1 lb 4 oz) red kidney beans
2 1/2 c cubed raw potatoes
4 c water 1 TB shortening
1 lb. ground turkey, sirloin or beef {your choice}
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 TB salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 c chopped onions {i love dried, saves you some emotion - about 4 TB dried}
2 t chili powder {um yeah, i use mounds - maybe 5TB}
1 c. sour cream

Combine kidney beans with potatoes, 2 t. salt, pepper and 4 c. water in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil.

while mixture boils, heat shortening in a skillet. saute onions and beef, chili powder and 1 t. salt. cook until meat is browned. add meat, tomato soup to beans, simmer, covered 1 hour.

return to a boil, drop dumplings onto stew, cover tightly and cook until done. about 10-15 minutes. remove dumplings to a plate. add sour cream to stew. stir well and serve immediately.

egg dumplings.

sift together 2 c flour, 4 t baking powder and 1/2 t salt. mix together 1 beaten egg, 3/4 c milk and stir into flour mixture. drop from spoon into boiling stew.

i love this most because this is the meal. we eat the dumplings in our bowl of soup with a bite of soup and a little piece of dumpling with each bite. these make great freeze aheads or leftovers because that chili powder expands its power with time, mmmm. also, kids will think these are great "volcanoes" cooking when you drop them into cook!

Got Milk?

Well, most of my thoughts about food lately have been focused on nursing my newborn son, Ethan. There's not a whole lot of cooking going on around here. So instead of posting a healthy recipe, I'm going to dedicate this post to milk.

-Did you know you should consume 3 servings a day of dairy products?
-Dairy products have been shown to help maintain and achieve a healthy weight. Click HERE for some more of the benefits of dairy products and milk, specifically.
-Build strong bones by consuming adequate amounts of calcium, especially milk calcium. You can significantly reduce the risk of bone disease and fractures simply by increasing the amount of milk you consume.
-The phrase Got Milk? and spoofs off the phrase are used in many different ad campaigns. How have you used it? I hate to admit that I am not a milk drinker. I really don't care for the taste of milk. However, I LOVE yogurt. My favorite yogurt is Dannon Light & Fit in Cherry Vanilla flavor. At only 60 calories a cup and no sugar, it is a healthy and low calorie snack or breakfast.

What is your favorite way to consume your 3 a day?

Click HERE for a link to lots of great recipes using dairy products.

Quick and Easy Wednesday: making lunch a real meal for mom

Hello! I'm back from vacation and ready to go!

I have this problem about lunch. It has to be the craziest time of day, even crazier than dinnertime, because my husband isn't there as my toddler, Peter's, fantastic source of entertainment. And, sometimes lunch doesn't have as important of a feeling as dinner, so I often catch a few bites of a sandwich (standing up and walking around) while I am trying to feed Peter and call it good. But, my friends, 2008 is the year of tasty, healthy mommy lunches (while sitting at the table! Imagine that!!)! To really follow through with this, I've got to have something lightning fast (under 15 minutes) and easy to prepare the night before. Here's what I came up with today:



Chicken Noodle Soup (from October 2004 issue of Everyday Food)

1. In a small saucepan, bring 1 can reduced-sodium chicken broth and 1/4 cup water to a boil. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 cup fine egg noodles (or whatever pasta is around), and 2 ounces green beans, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (1/2 cup). Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.

2. Add 1 coarsely grated carrot and 4 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup); simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1 thinly sliced scallion. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

3. To store overnight, let soup cool completely; refrigerate in an airtight container and reheat next day in microwave.

It's cozy and filling and tastes way better than a pb&j.

seasonal tuesday.......

so this month i am on seasonal tuesdays......
what can be seasonal about january?
resolutions kept coming to mind and now i am so pumped for my assigned theme, because - this is going to have to be about feeding my kids healthier. my new years resolution is to help my kids love healthy food, even if i have to sneak it in.
i found "deceptively delicious" by jessica seinfeld. the concept is sneaking veggie purees into your kids food and still making it taste fab. so without further delay -

applesauce muffins with carrot puree

topping:
2/3 c old-fashioned oats
1/4 c firm packed brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
2 TB of margarine or butter, melted

Batter:

1 1/2 c flour
1 c old fashioned oats
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c nonfat milk
1/2 c puree carrot or butternut squash

1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c vegetable or canola oil
1 large egg

preheat oven to 400. spray 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray
make topping by combining oats, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
stir in melted butter.

to make batter, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl or a plastic bag, shaking it all about...
in a second bowl, mix the applesauce with the milk, vegetable puree, sugar, oil and egg with a wooden spoon. add the flour mixture slowly, stirring just until moistened. do not over mix, the batter will be lumpy.

divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle with the topping. bake until topping is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. turn muffins onto a cooling rack and serve warm or cool.

if you are looking for a great kid friendly cook book and an overall great mothering approach to feeding your kids, this fun, retro looking pink book will not disappoint.
i used some christmas money to buy it and spent a night just reading it and soaking it all in. it is a GREAT read.....