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    • Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes -->This collection of easy chicken dinner recipes features some of our favorite family dishes, perfect for making a healthy, delicious home cooked meal on a busy night! Getting a healthy, home cooked meal on the table every night can be challenging. Particularly with the demands of work, school, activities and social obligations, well, it can be the last thing we want to do at the end of the day. So I’ve got tons of easy chicken recipes at my disposal that I turn to when I need to whip something up for us on one of those busy weeknights. (Or even busy weekends – dinners can be tough then, too!) And this collection of easy chicken dinner recipes has some that we make over and over again. It includes everything from skillet chicken dinners to slow cooker chicken recipes, one-pot chicken pastas, soups and salads with chicken, chicken burgers and meatballs, sheet pan chicken dinners and easy chicken casseroles. Are you looking for fast as well as easy? Me too. I’ve got collections of chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, faster still, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Or if you want to browse them all, my quick chicken recipes…
      • Easy Chicken Recipes with Few IngredientsThese easy chicken recipes with few ingredients include some great healthy lunch and dinner options, all made with 5 or fewer ingredients! I am all about the EASY when it comes to cooking. I don’t like to fuss much over my food and I certainly don’t like to spend a ton of time in the kitchen at the end of a long day. Easy chicken dinner recipes and healthy lunch recipes with chicken are much more my style. (As are chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, faster yet, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Cause life.) Speaking of life, a million trips to the grocery store also aren’t fun during a busy week. (Especially with little ones in tow!) So I’ve got these go-to easy chicken recipes with few ingredients that help me keep dinnertime simple. And my sanity intact. In fact, one of the first cookbooks I bought on my own, at a used bookstore in Washington, D.C., where I lived for a few years after college, was titled 3-ingredient recipes. I was pretty new to cooking and thought, I think I can handle that. My cooking skills have improved, but I still go for the simple chicken recipes…
      • Quick Chicken RecipesThis collection of quick chicken recipes features some of our favorite family dinners and go-to lunches, all ready in 30 minutes or less! From chicken skillet dinners to one-pot pastas, salads to burgers, you’re sure to find some new favorites! If you know me, you know I am ALL about the quick and easy recipes. I love making all of our homemade meals and home cooked dinners, but like you, I’ve also got a hundred other things to juggle and so keeping things simple in the kitchen is a must. And these quick chicken recipes include all of my chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, even faster, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Sanity savers for sure. Busy weeknights have nothing on us! A few of our favorites from these quick chicken recipes: Healthy chicken Alfredo with broccoli Creamy chipotle chicken 20-minute chicken and tortellini soup with kale Skillet salsa chicken Easy creamy chicken This collection also has some healthy lunch recipes with chicken for mixing up your lunch routine. (It doesn’t include my slow cooker chicken recipes though, since those aren’t ready in 30 minutes. But they can be super quick to prep in the morning and then…
        • Chicken Recipes in Under 15 MinutesThese easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes are perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight! From one-pot wonders to salads, chicken skillets to tacos, you’re sure to find some new fast favorites! You know those nights when you walk in the door and need dinner pronto?! Like, 5 minutes ago? That’s when I turn to these quick and easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. I can make a healthy, home cooked meal for my family and be sitting down to enjoy it in no time. Cause plenty of evenings, 15 minutes is often all the time I have – or want to spend – on dinner. I’m not alone on that, right?! You can browse below but I thought I’d highlight a couple that I make over and over again. A few of our favorite easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes: 15-minute honey garlic chicken (gets rave reviews!) Southwest chicken skillet dinner (pile on your favorite toppings!) Quick chicken curry (perfect with rice and peas) One-pot low-carb leftover chicken recipe with spinach (my dad’s go-to recipe) This collection also includes some healthy lunch options that are quick to put together — like the Asian chicken mason jar…
        • Chicken Recipes in Under 30 MinutesThese easy chicken recipes in under 30 minutes are perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight! From one-pan meals to burgers, one-pot pastas to healthy salads, you’re sure to find some new favorites! Quick, easy and mostly healthy is pretty much the name of the game for dinner at my house. I love a home cooked meal and we eat a ton of chicken, which means I’ve come up with and found a lot of easy chicken recipes over the years. And this collection highlights some of my easy chicken recipes in under 30 minutes, when you want something delicious but need it on the table pretty quickly. Is that every single night for you too? We’ve got everything from skillet chicken dishes to chicken pasta and from soups and salads with chicken to chicken meatballs and burgers. All the chicken love! Many of these recipes use boneless, skinless chicken breasts (though you could substitute chicken thighs if you prefer) while others use ground chicken and some rely on pre-cooked chicken, such as a rotisserie chicken you pick up at the store or some leftover grilled or baked chicken. Lots of these 30 minute chicken dinners are complete meals but…
      • Healthy One-Pot Chicken DinnersHealthy one-pot chicken dinners are such a help on busy days! This collection includes everything from one-pot pastas and skillets to easy slow cooker and sheet pan recipes to help you get an easy, healthy and delicious dinner on the table any night! I am ALL about quick and easy meals. I cook our dinner 99% of the time, including on days when work has blown up in my face, or the kids have decided to coordinate their melt-downs, or we’re all just wiped out and hungry. And even though I love to cook, I definitely have those days when I’m just not feeling it. Enter some quick and easy one-pot chicken dinners for the win! These are great to have in your back pocket for busy days, busy weeks or in case of a “kids-are-making-me-crazy” kinda moment. (My husband also loves these meals because he’s on clean-up duty and it’s nice not to have a huge pile of dishes staring you down after dinner!) Many of these dishes are complete meals on their own. Others are low-carb as written, but can easily be paired with some rice, pasta, bread or potatoes to bulk them up a bit. Here are…
      • Slow Cooker Chicken RecipesThese hands-off slow cooker chicken recipes will put your slow cooker to work and have you coming home to a delicious, healthy dinner that’s ready to go! Some days, you just need someone else to make you dinner. I’m not talking takeout or delivery or a restaurant dinner. I’m talking about your crock pot or slow cooker. I find it supremely satisfying to go about my day, knowing that a delicious home cooked dinner is cooking up at home for me. I can play with the kids, take them to practices, run errands or just relax with a book and breathe easy. These slow cooker chicken recipes mean there is just one less thing to do in the evening and that’s a great thing on a busy day! This collection includes slow cooker recipes for boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well as chicken thighs (though you can usually sub either one). And many of these take just minutes to prep in the morning! 👍 Here’s a few of our favorite slow cooker chicken recipes: Slow cooker balsamic chicken Slow cooker bistro chicken thighs Slow cooker apricot chicken Crock pot Mediterranean chicken Slow cooker teriyaki chicken And be sure to check…
    • Easy Vegetarian RecipesEasy vegetarian recipes include main-dish meals that are hearty and satisfying and can stand alone for lunch or dinner (with a few savory breakfast options as well). Everything from one-pot veggie pastas to stuffed squash to chili to veggie burgers and hearty grain bowls and salads, there are meatless options here for everyone! I am a veggie lover through and through. 💚💚💚 I adore getting in as many vegetables as I can, throughout the day really, and I often make easy vegetarian dinners a couple of times a week. (Hello meatless Monday, I’m looking at you!) So over the years, I’ve created tons of great veggie-based meals that can stand on their own for lunch or dinner and be hearty and satisfying. And that are also mostly quick and easy, because I work as a health and nutrition editor and we’ve got a busy family so cooking on a weeknight needs to be low-key. My one-pot vegetarian spaghetti has been a hugely popular recipe here on the blog and you guys can’t seem to get enough of my grain bowls and salads. I know the feeling. 😉 I wanted to round up some of these in an easy-to-browse category that features…
    • Healthy Oatmeal RecipesA collection of healthy oatmeal recipes, including sweet and savory breakfast and brunch options as well as delicious, wholesome snacks and desserts. We are pretty much oatmeal fanatics in my house. ALL of us adore oatmeal and it’s a rare day that we’re not making or eating something with oats or oatmeal in it at some point during the day. And I mean all four of us – my husband, myself and our kids (currently ages 6 and 4). Our go-to 3-minute microwave oatmeal is a morning staple for my husband and a weekly staple for the kids and me. My kids eat overnight oatmeal jars at least twice a week for breakfast and we often have baked oatmeal another morning of the week. For school lunches or afternoon snack, we can be found munching on some no-bake cookie or energy balls with oats, oatmeal cookies of some variety or if they’ve asked nicely, I’ll make a batch of granola and we all just shovel handful after handful until it’s gone. Want to know some of our very favorites of the group below? OK, I’ll share! Our family’s favorite healthy oatmeal recipes: Healthy chocolate chip muffins Overnight oatmeal jars, 3…
    • Healthy Muffin RecipesA collection of easy, kid-friendly healthy muffin recipes for all times of day: breakfast, school lunch, snacking, dinner and dessert! We are BIG muffin lovers in this house, at all times of day! My kiddos love them for breakfast, brunch, school lunch, afternoon snack and sometimes even savory muffins at dinner. Muffins all the time! I’ve made thousands of healthy muffin recipes over the years and I love sharing them with you! There are plenty to browse below and plenty more I plan to add! (You can sign up for my newsletter so you never miss a recipe. You’ll also get my FREE e-book of easy weeknight dinners.) Wondering where to start? Spinach banana mini muffins and whole wheat pumpkin muffins are some of our constant favorites. Healthy peanut butter and jelly muffins are fun for lunch and easy cheesy cornbread muffins are great for a quick + easy dinner side, especially with soup or chili! And if you’re in the mood for a little chocolate (I know I always am!) you can’t go wrong with my healthy chocolate chip muffins. Hope you find some new favorite healthy muffin recipes! XO, Kathryn
    • Healthy DessertsThis collection of healthy desserts features everything from lightened up cookie bars and brownies to cakes, muffins and breads to no-bake energy bites. It’s the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying on track with healthy choices! Healthy desserts are kind-of my jam. I like a dessert that gives back. One that has redeeming qualities. A sweet treat that’s going to treat me right. But of course, it also needs to be delicious so I actually satisfy those sweet cravings! The healthier dessert recipes you’ll find below are some of our go-to treats that are perfect for a healthier late-night option and many of which are great for offering kids a wholesome, but fun, treat for an after-school snack or tucked in their lunch box. Most of these recipes are whole grain and naturally sweetened, others are recipe makeovers that are lower in sugar and/or butter. A majority of them contain chocolate. 🍫❤️ And ALL are easy to make. (You can also check out my healthy muffin recipes and my entire category of sweets & desserts if you want more.) Here’s a few of our favorite healthy desserts: Healthy chocolate chip muffins Healthier no bake cookie bars No…
    • Healthy Fall BakingThese healthy fall baking favorites include everything from muffins and baked oatmeal to snacks to cookies and cakes. These fall recipes are whole grain and most are naturally sweetened for a wholesome, delicious treat at breakfast, snack, school lunch or dessert! Does anyone else get the baking bug when the cooler weather starts to roll in during autumn? I know I do! I get excited for all the apple baking projects, pumpkin baking projects and even getting ready for all the holiday baking to come! 🍎🎃 The spices, the warmth, the aroma of having something in the oven is just part of the season for me. Plus the love that comes from a homemade baked good – it just can’t be beat! ❤️ And y’all know my style is definitely a healthier version of baking. I use whole grains and most of my recipes are naturally sweetened. I try to lighten things up where possible and keep to mostly wholesome treats, maybe with a little indulgence here and there! 😉 Wondering where to start? Here are some of our healthy fall baking favorites: Chocolate chip apple cake Pumpkin baked oatmeal with chocolate chips Whole wheat pumpkin applesauce bread Easy healthy…
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Best recipes to take to a new mom

Published on May 1, 2015 Last Modified: October 10, 2015 By Kathryn Doherty

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Ideas and recipes for great foods to take to a new mom! Plus, other ways to pamper and help her.

Best foods to take to a new mom - and other ways to pamper her during your visit! | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

I love taking food to a new mom. It’s such a sweet way to love on her and her family. It brings nourishment, strength and comfort.

Over the years, I’ve been loved on in these ways and had a chance to dote on new moms quite a bit. It always feels so important. Not only are you meeting a brand new baby, but you’re seeing your family, your friend, your neighbor in a whole new role. A whole new light.

In some ways, you can’t go wrong. Any effort is appreciated, any visit, any food, any help is more than welcome. But I think there are some best practices to be had.

Settle in, cause I’m giving you the full run-down.

Things to consider, food-wise.

* Take snacks, too, not just full meals. New moms don’t always have the time or energy to sit down for a whole dinner. They may want to munch on something and get back to nursing or resting or – gasp! – sleeping, if that’s an option. Sometimes it’s easier to have quick and easy low-maintenance snacks.

* One-handed foods are gonna be a hit. I had me some clingy, clingy babies. Both just wanted to be held and rocked and held and rocked (and fed, fed, fed) all hours of the day and night. Take foods that can be managed easily while holding an infant.

* There’s more to food than just dinner. I loved having dinner meals delivered – what a huge time-saver for a new mom. But don’t forget about breakfast, lunch and daytime snacks, too. Moms have to eat around the clock to heal and to keep their energy up to care for those precious babies. And during the day, dad may not be around to help, so foods for all hours are welcome.

* While it’s thoughtful to make a whole huge casserole for a new mom, it’s even more thoughtful to go ahead and prep part of it for the freezer, so she doesn’t have to. Make your meal, portion out a couple of servings to eat now and pack up (and label!) the rest for her freezer, so it’s ready to go.

* Send healthy, wholesome foods. New moms are often anxious to eat a bit lighter, since they have just shed a whole lotta baby, but they also desperately need good nutrition and plenty of energy to take good care of themselves – and their new baby (particularly if they are nursing). Make the nutrients count with real foods, not processed junk.

* Label everything. Also write out any notes (heating instructions, freezer instructions, etc) on a piece of paper so she can reference it later that day/week. Her head will be too full to remember the details that you spout at her during your visit.

So, now that we’ve covered those basics, what to take? What fits the bill? Here are some of my favorites to make and take to hungry mamas:

5-ingredient homemade granola | FamilyFoodontheTable.com* Granola – 5 ingredients and oh so tasty. Great on yogurt, with a parfait or just by the handful.
* Farro and veggie salad – light but flavorful and veggie-packed.Fast farro salad with veggies | FamilyFoodontheTable.com
* Regular or pesto chicken salad – good on a fork, cracker or sandwich/wrap. I devoured some chicken salad after M was born.
pesto chicken salad* Hummus with veggies and crackers – a wholesome and versatile snack. Always a fave.
* Soup. Pick your type depending on the season. But soup is good. Oh so good. Throw in some bread or crackers while you’re at it. Yum, yum.5-minute lightened up hummus

* Oatmeal chocolate chip muffins – they taste amazingly indulgent but are packed with goodness. They can be eaten for breakfast, snack, dessert or in the middle of the night, when mom will surely be up for a feeding.

Brown rice edamame salad with carrots and a homemade soy ginger dressing | FamilyFoodontheTable.com*Brown rice edamame and carrot salad or black bean mango salad – A big mix of veggies can really hit the spot when you’re snacking all.day.long as a new mom.

 

I also like to take some foods that are prepped for the freezer and meant to be eaten later. It’s kind-of like a reminder of your visit down the road.
5-minute homemade egg McMuffin | FamilyFoodontheTable.com* Egg McMuffin sandwiches – you can make one in 5 minutes or do up a whole batch. She can pull it out on a crazy morning and be in breakfast heaven.
* Blueberry yogurt bread – any kind of breakfast/snack bread will do. They freeze great and are such a homemade, comforting treat.Blueberry yogurt bread | FamilyFoodontheTable.com
* Veggie or black bean burgers – Full of veggies and goodness. Great for lunch (on a sandwich round, crumbled over a salad or in a wrap) or dinner (burger bun and sides), these are wonderful to be able to pull out of the freezer.
White turkey chili - an easy, healthy chili recipe! | FamilyFoodontheTable.com* White turkey chili – Chili of course is a great freezer food. This version is lightened up but plenty hearty so she’ll feel good about diving in for seconds. And maybe thirds.

* Your favorite casserole – As mentioned, casseroles are great comfort foods and can really hit the spot. Go for one that doesn’t feature a lot of processed ingredients. And be sure to portion it out (some for now, some for the freezer) or package it properly so she doesn’t have to worry about it later.

Visiting new mom ideasWant to show up with more than just food? Here’s some great ideas of other things to take to a new mom:

1. Fresh flowers – She may not be getting out much, so bringing some brightness indoors is a welcome thing. Can’t have enough those early days. They are great in the kitchen, in the bedroom, wherever she nurses the baby and even in her bathroom (cause she’ll be there a lot, too).
2. Fresh fruit (apples, bananas, grapes, blueberries) – there were days where I would have killed for someone to bring me fresh fruit from the store because we were all out. Which leads us to…
3. Ask if there’s anything you can pick up at the store. Maybe they are desperately low on paper towels or toilet paper. Offer your delivery services as part of your trip to the house. Even if they don’t need a thing, it’s a super thoughtful gesture.

And finally, here are some other wonderful ways to love on a new mom:
* Ask what she needs. Is she craving the adult conversation during your visit or is it one of those days where she just wants a few minutes to lie down/shower/have a moment while you watch the baby?
* If you are a close friend or family member, ask if there is anything you can clean. Organize? How about laundry? Dishes? She will be forever in your debt.
* Would she like you to take an older child or children outside to play for a bit? Or does she want you to take the baby so mom can have time with an older child?
* Can you walk the dog? OR
* Can you two put the baby in a stroller and go for a walk together? Fresh air is good and light exercise is good, if it’s OK with her provider. If she’s up for this, ask if she wants you to push the stroller. She might want to be hands off for a bit and not have to huff it — or she might want to gaze at that baby the whole time.

I hope those are some helpful recipes and other tips on visiting a new mom. It’s an amazing time and an amazing thing to witness and share in!

**What were your favorite foods to receive as a new mom? What else would you add to this list?

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Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two kids, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes and resources to help you get delicious food on the table for your family! More about me

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