Growing up, our mom literally cooked our dinner for us every night. We probably went out to dinner two times a year. We now realize what a superhero she was and wonder how she always managed to have a hot home-cooked meal for us on the table. And now, oh do we love a good home-cooked meal!
Now, on most nights we both enjoy cooking our own dinner. Of course, since Tammy has twin daughters and a husband to please, her meals require a little more “lovin’” to ensure that everyone enjoys it. But there are some nights, when both of us are so busy that we have just minutes to prepare a meal. On these nights, we often fall back on a quick-standby, the good ole’ Pita Pizza. Easy, delicious and from the response from Tammy’s children, we know it’s also kid-approved!
We simply start with whole wheat pita bread and open it by cutting it around the edges so that it opens into two round pieces. Then we spread no salt added tomato sauce on it, pile on some veggies (broccoli, mushrooms, peppers) and some spices like basil and oregano and top it with low-fat cheese. Then we just toss it in the oven. Meanwhile we microwave some frozen veggies to serve alongside of the pita pizzas. And voila- 10-15 minutes later, we open the oven and have our good ole stand-by, which makes a reliable and yummy meal.
Our clients have tried this too and report that it often works as a delicious meal that they can make in a jiffy for their family. They tell us that although they do strive to feed their families healthy and nutritious meals every night, sometimes they feel there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything on the to-do list and they still struggle often to get a homemade dinner on the table. After all, they want to know how many nights can they serve our pita pizza?
So the other day, when we were invited to attend an event with the world-renowned Scotto family to sample their Schwan’s Italian line, we thought of our clients. Schwan’s Home Service has over 350 delicious frozen foods available through home-delivery and mail-order services, most that can be ready from the freezer to the table in 30 minutes or less, so they make a perfect solution for those nights when you want to feed your family a hearty meal. They also have the LIVESMART line for healthier offerings and popular items like their signature ice cream and pizza. And with the new Scotto line you can transform your dining room into a trattoria in a dash.
The trick to keeping the calories and portions in check while still indulging in a hearty Italian meal is to fill the majority of your plate with fresh or steamed vegetables and only leaving about a third of the plate for the indulgence. Lots of veggies are the perfect way to round out any meal. They fill you up with nutrients and hardly any calories. So if you choose a meal like a pasta dish with sauce like Fresco By Scotto® Baked Pasta with Spinach & Mushrooms or their new Baked Ziti (available in March), mix those additional steamed veggies right into the sauce so it feels like you’re really indulging in a large portion! We feel like this is our little secret to really being able to treat your family to those foods that they love while still keeping them from going overboard in calories. Enjoy!
The Nutrition Twins consult with Schwan’s Home Service. To learn more about Schwan’s lines, go to www.Schwans.com or www.schwans.com/scotto for their new Italian line.
