Super Easy Kind-Of Healthy Dinner Idea for Toddlers

Mom's Busy Squash and Meatballs

Sometimes I just don't have the energy to make dinner. But, baby has gotta eat. So what do you do?

I am guilty of grabbing that box of Annie's Mac & Cheese too often because it's easy. But last night I accidentally made a super fast, and healthy-ish meal that my son actually ate! So I thought I would share it in case you were looking for something just as easy as Annies, but with possibly a bit more nutritional value (no promises, I am not an expert).

First off, I want you to know that I am going to add in a few extra steps here, but if you are literally looking for a meal as easy as boxed Mac & Cheese, you don't need to get fancy: Combine cooked spaghetti squash, a jar of pasta sauce, and frozen meatballs in a pan and cook for 10 minutes. That's it. Meal done.

Below is the recipe I made, but I wont blame you if you just go with the basic plan above.

Mom's Busy Squash and Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 Spaghetti Squash
1 Jar Pasta Sauce
12 Frozen meatballs (pre-cooked)

Optional:
1 Onion, diced
1 Pepper (any colour) Diced
Any other veggies you want to get rid of from your fridge, diced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Oregano
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus some extra for on top
Salt & Pepper to taste
Wine, to drink while cooking (because, why not)

Method:

Cut spaghetti squash in half, scoop out the seeds from the centre, place cut side down in a microwave safe dish with about 1 inch of water in it. Microwave for 12 minutes or until the inside easily pulls out with a fork. Let cool until you can grab it, then scoop out insides with a fork into a dish and set aside. You can do this step the day before or in the morning if you want.

Dice onion, peppers, and whatever other veggies you want to use/your toddler will eat, and fry in olive oil until soft. You can skip this step if you don't have time. No one is watching.

Add in frozen meatballs to your hot pan (if you wanted to be healthier and avoid added salt you could make your own meatballs... but then why would you be reading this recipe). Cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.


Add in jar of pasta sauce to pan with meatballs/veggies (if you want to be healthier you could just use a can of crushed tomatoes). Stir to combine. Let simmer for as long as you can/want to.

Stir in parmesan cheese and spices. Or not. Whatever. Add in your shredded spaghetti squash and stir well to combine. Stir occasionally until squash is hot.







Serve with cheese on top and some garlic bread (or toast with butter and garlic powder).

Don't forget to sip your wine throughout the cooking process, as it makes things much easier.

There you have it - Super easy kind-of healthy dinner. Do as much or as little as you want with it.

In it's most basic form - Squash, Sauce, Meatballs - It will take under 20 minutes to put all together, and 12 of those minutes is the squash cooking in the microwave.


Let me know how it goes. Enjoy!

Why New Moms Avoid the House At All Costs

Before I was a mom I believed that all moms of babies would rather stay at home than go through the hassle and stress of going out with their newborns. This could not have been more opposite for me, because as soon as I was well enough, (about 3 weeks postpartum), I used every excuse in the book to get out of my house.

Babies Line Up For One Of Many 'Mom Classes'

At first I joined as many classes as I possibly could. There was Mommy Connections Tuesday afternoon, mall walking Wednesday morning, Mom and Baby Yoga Thursday morning, and every day I didn't have something scheduled for, I desperately befriended another mom from one of my classes and made plans with her for a walk or lunch date. (You'd think with all the fitness I was doing just to avoid the house I would have gotten into amazing shape, but that's another story).

As my son got older, walks turned into play dates, and the classes available for mobile kids got fewer and further between. This led me to create a plan; scheduling my out of house chores for each day of the week so I had an excuse to get out at least once a day.

Except for the very first week of leaving the house, I never found being out and about with my son to be stressful. It gave me an excuse to put on clothes that day. It gave me a reason to shower, and converse with other adults. It made me feel more normal. Like most other first time moms, up until my son was born I was used to working full time. I had a reason to make myself look presentable every day, and I talked to colleagues and new faces. When you are a new mom all of that changes, and for me, being out of the house felt more normal than staying inside.

It's just now that I am starting to enjoy my home again. I'm not sure why; maybe it's that every day I am getting more and more used to my new routine, or maybe it's because my son is finally having moments where he can just sit on my lap for 5 minutes and we can enjoy each others company. Whatever it is, I'm glad that being home is finally not seeming so daunting.

I still try to leave the house every day, but the times I don't are starting to become less boring, and more comfortable. It's nice to once again feel at home, in my home. The memories I have of my house as a child are so comforting, I truly hope I can create that same feeling for my son. I guess the first step to getting there, is me being happy and comfortable with what I have.

Genevieve