A delicious version of kid-friendly hermit bars.

1 can (16 oz), kidney, pinto, or navy beans
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
4 egg whites
3/4 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8" x 8" baking pans with vegetable cooking spray. Drain and rinse beans.

In a mixing bowl, mash the beans with a fork or masher until smooth.

Beat egg whites and add them to the beans. Mix in all other ingredients and stir until well-blended.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 40 minutes.

A delicious, satisfying breakfast or afternoon snack for teens on the run!

4 eggs
2 tbsp. corn
1 tbsp. 1 percent or fat free milk
2 tbsp. green peppers, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp. tomato, diced
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. red hot sauce, optional
4 8-inch tortillas
1/2 cup salsa

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In bowl, mix eggs, corn, milk, peppers, onions, tomatoes, mustard, garlic and hot sauce.

Pour mixture into lightly buttered baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes until eggs are set and thoroughly cooked.

Wrap tortillas in plastic and microwave for 20 seconds until warm.

Cut baked egg mixture into 4 pieces and roll 1 piece of cooked egg in each tortilla.

Serve each burrito topped with salsa, if desired.

It's a really dilly of a veggie dip. Great with baked chips too!

1 cup nonfat sour cream
1 cup fat free or low fat cottage cheese, mashed
1 tsp. dill
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. dried parsley

Mix all together and refrigerator for a couple of hours to blend flavors. Serve with vegetables.

Great alternative sandwich filling. Kids love this one.

1 package of firm tofu, drained well
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1 stalk of celery, chopped finely
1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. soy sauce
salt and pepper, optional

Mash drained tofu well.

Combine with the rest of the ingredients.

Chill. Serve in pita pockets or on bread.

Tofu Note: Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever it is being cooked with so it is easy to mix in with foods like chili or spaghetti sauce.

Delicious cold snack. Younger kids love helping to decorate this "pizza" to look like a miniature vegetable garden.

1 package (4 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 cup of fat free cream cheese
1 Tbsp. 1 percent or fat free milk
dash of garlic powder
1/2 tsp. each of dill, oregano and parsley
3 cups of assorted fresh vegetables such as broccoli florets, sliced carrots and peppers, cut up small

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Open the package of rolls and carefully unroll the sheets of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Pinch together the perforations with your fingers. Use a rolling pin, or use your fingers to form the dough into an 8 inch square. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let crust cool completely.

Put cream cheese, milk and seasonings in a bowl and mix completely. Spread the mixture over the cool crust. Arrange the vegetables in rows on top of the pizza to look like a garden (here is a great place where children can help).

Can be served immediately or refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

To serve, cut into squares.

Use your favorite fruit. Endless flavor options for a great on-the-go breakfast or snack!

1 cup of 1 percent or fat free milk
1 cup of any combination of fruit (fresh, frozen or canned)
1 tsp. of sugar (optional)

Put all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend for 30 seconds. You can add ice cubes, two at a time, to make it thicker if you would like.

No snails were harmed in developing this recipe. However, pasta shells had better watch out!

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 8 oz package of part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 16 oz package jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained (you will need 12 unbroken ones for the recipe)
1 cup pasta sauce

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cover bottom of casserole dish with 1/2 cup pasta sauce.

Bring water to boil and drop broccoli into water. Cook until tender; drain. When cool, cut the broccoli into little pieces.

Combine chopped broccoli, ricotta cheese, egg and rest of pasta sauce in a bowl and mix well.

Stuff the mixture into each shell and arrange in a baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Pear-fectly delicious!

1 can (15 oz) pear halves or slices in their own juice
1 carton (8 oz) of plain low-fat yogurt
3 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Drain juice from pears, then combine all ingredients in the blender. Cover and blend on high until smooth.

Pour mixture into 5-ounce paper cups.

Cover each with a square of foil. Use a knife to make a small hole in the center of each foil square. Slide a wooden popsicle stick through each hole and into the fruit mixture.

Freeze for 4-6 hours or until firm.

To serve, remove the foil and tear paper cups off the pops.

A delicious and zesty side dish that's a favorite of both kids and grownups.

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh or drained canned corn
1/2 cup green peppers, diced
1/2 cup red peppers, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup salsa
3/4 cup shredded lowfat Monterey Jack cheese, optional

In a bowl, combine beans and vegetables.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, seasonings, and salsa. Pour dressing over vegetables and stir to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Before serving sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

It's like a luau in a glass!

1 cup canned crushed pineapple, packed in its own juice
1 medium banana, cut up
1 cup ice water
2/3 cup non-fat dry milk powder
8 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients except ice cubes in a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes, 2 at a time, and continue to blend until thick and smooth.

A great light lunch in the warm weather. If you pack this in a lunch box, be sure to include an ice pack or frozen juice box to keep the salad fresh.

10 oz small shell pasta, cooked, drained and chilled
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup of cucumber, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 small red onion, diced
5 radishes, diced
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese (optional)
1 7 oz can of tuna, packed in water, drained

Cook pasta in large pot of water until done. Drain, rinse and chill.

Combine remaining ingredients and dress with low fat dressing. Mix in the chilled pasta and serve.

That satisfying winter favorite made from nothing but a stone. Honest…

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 13 oz cans reduced sodium broth
1 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach (or use fresh, washed and torn pieces of spinach)
3/4 cup small pasta
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 19 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
A copy of Stone Soup by your favorite author (available at your local public library or bookstore)

In large saucepan cook onion, carrot and celery in 2 tsp. broth over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add remaining broth, spinach, pasta and seasonings. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Add beans. Simmer, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, read the book or tell the story of Stone Soup with your children.

Not so much a recipe as a clever modification of your favorite sauce. If you can't get them to each their veggies, this is guaranteed to help.

1 batch of homemade spaghetti sauce, or 1 jar of prepared sauce
2 carrots, finely grated

Add carrots to sauce and cook for at least 20 minutes. Serve over pasta. No one will know the carrots are there unless they see you put them in.

Crispy, sweet, oven-baked and full of vitamin A. Need we say more?

Sweet potatoes, washed and peeled
Non-stick cooking spray

Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, or use a non-stick sheet or baking stone.

Cut peeled sweet potatoes into French fries or 1/2-inch circles.

Spread in a single layer on baking sheet and cook at 400°F for 20-30 minutes.

Turn halfway through cooking.

The perfect snack before an afternoon of monkeying around.

1 slice of bread
1 tsp. honey
1/2 Tbsp. jelly or preserves
1/2 banana
1/2 Tbsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Roll the bread flat with a rolling pin and trim off the crusts. Spread the honey and jelly on the bread. Place the banana half on the bread and roll it up.

Melt the margarine in a microwave oven or a small saucepan over low heat.

Roll the bread-covered banana in the melted margarine and place in a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bread is crisp and the banana is hot and creamy.

Remove from pan and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Super mashed potatoes

2 baked potatoes
1/4 cup of margarine, melted
1/2 - 1 cup 1 percent or fat free milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese (separated)
1/2 - 1 cup cut up cooked vegetables (broccoli, carrots, peppers, etc.)

Cut each potato in half and scoop out the insides of each potato half, leaving enough to help the skin maintain its shape. Set skins aside for now.

In a bowl, add the margarine to the potato and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the milk and whip with electric mixer or whisk until fluffy. Then add salt and pepper, 1/2 cup of grated cheese and vegetables. Mix together.

Using a spoon, stuff the skins with the potato mixture and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes, or until hot. Potatoes can be placed under the broiler for a few minutes to lightly brown the tops if desired.

Delicious any season of the year. Cools you down in the summer and warms you up in the winter.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup fresh green peppers, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. red hot sauce, optional
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup bulgur wheat
1 cup water
1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large saucepan, heat oil until hot. Add peppers, sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add onions, sauté for 2 minutes.

Combine seasonings, brown sugar, crushed tomato and diced tomatoes. Add tomato mixture to cooked vegetables and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Mix in beans, bulgur and water. Simmer 15 minutes, uncovered.

Blend in yogurt and sprinkle with cheese.

Try substituting other vegetables that your family likes. The variations are endless.

1 lb. lasagna noodles
1 tsp. olive oil
3/4 cup fresh zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup onions, diced
1 Tbsp. flour
2 cups frozen broccoli, cooked for 3 minutes and drained
3 cups tomato sauce
3/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3 cups lowfat cottage cheese, drained
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook noodles in boiling water for 10-12 minutes. Drain and rinse. In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat then add zucchini, mushrooms and onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 3 minutes. Do not brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

In small saucepan, combine tomato sauce, paste, oregano and garlic powder. Simmer uncovered, over low heat for 20 minutes. Add broccoli to sautéed vegetables. Simmer 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, parsley, garlic powder and bread crumbs. Stir well to blend. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Spread 1/2 cup of vegetable sauce in a 13" x 9" baking pan. Arrange 6 noodles in pan, layer half of cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/4 cups vegetable sauce, half of cheese mixture on noodles. Repeat first layer using remainder of cheese mixtures. Top with 6 noodles and remainder of vegetable sauce. Sprinkle the top with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Make a different one each time. These can be messy -- try not to have too much fun eating them!

flour tortillas
assorted chopped vegetables
drained black beans
low fat or no fat Italian dressing (optional)

Have children put what they want on their tortilla. Drizzle dressing over tortilla, if desired. Roll up tortilla and eat.

Note: wraps can be fixed with any ingredients including things like tuna fish, or humus.

Another twist on the fruit smoothie -- rich, delicious, satisfying. (It might even turn your tongue purple!)

2 1/2 cups vanilla low fat yogurt
1/2 package (10 oz) frozen raspberries or strawberries
1 cup 1 percent or fat free milk
1-2 ripe bananas

Combine all ingredients in blender and mix until smooth.

It's pizza... what else do you need to know?

1 pizza crust (make your own or use pre-made)
1 cup pizza sauce
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup mushrooms chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, sliced or chopped
1 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Spread the sauce on the crust and add chopped vegetables. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Let pizza cool 5 minutes before slicing.