The Dinner Bar: Italian Chicken Kabobs

Italian Chicken Kabobs: Parmesan Whole Grain Pasta: Banana, Pudding, & Wafers

You Will Need:

Wooden Skewers, soaked in water

Protein:

• Chicken Breasts, plain or pre-marinated, cut into 2″ cubes

Veggies, cleaned and cut into 2″ cubes:

• Sweet Onion
• Green or Red Bell Pepper
• Button Mushrooms
• Artichoke Hearts

Marinades and Seasonings:

• Italian Dressing
• Pizza Herb Blend
• Lemon

Pasta:

• Whole grain pasta, small shape (Ditalini, macarone, orzo, etc), prepared according to package directions
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 Tbsp. to toss
• Parmesan Cheese, 2-4 Tbsp. to toss

Fruit/Dessert:

• Low Fat Vanilla Pudding
• Bananas, sliced
• Crumbled Vanilla Wafers

To get ready for this  meal, clean and rinse your chicken, and cut into 2″ cubes, and season.  Prepare veggies in a similar manner, cutting to a similar size.  Place each ingredient in a bowl or on a platter and place on your Dinner Bar (table, counter, island, etc);  be sure to keep your raw meat and veggies in seperate containers.  Allow the children to carefully pierce meat and veggies with the kabob sticks–you may need to prepare a sample kabob so they get the general idea.  Sit back, observe, and enjoy your child’s creative concoctions and food combinations!  Place all kabobs on a hot grill or grill pan and cook until done, 170 F for poultry.   Prepare the pasta and place into a serving bowl.  Slice bananas and crumble wafers, place into bowls.  Be sure to soak kabob sticks in water to prevent burning during cooking.

Place the grilled kabobs and the whole grain pasta on your Dinner Bar.  And don’t forget the healthy and yummy dessert—which can be assembled by your child as well.  This can be included on your Dinner Bar with the kabobs and pasta, or assembled later.   The Dinner Bar is “open”:  It’s time for your family to serve themselves.  Your child will likely remember which kabob is his/hers!   Children enjoy the experience of making their own kabobs, using the foods they prefer, and selecting the foods and amounts that satisfy their bodies. The Dinner Bar allows for this independence and a self-regulation with eating.

Don’t forget the clean-up– turn on some upbeat music and have your children help with dishwashing and kitchen cleaning!

Personal notes:  I squeezed fresh lemon on my chicken, then seasoned with Italian herb mix.  I prepared a package of low-fat vanilla pudding in a large bowl, and let my children portion their own dessert (they loved this part!).  As you can see, I placed all items on the Dinner Bar and they selected their dinner and dessert at the same time.  For more photos and “kid comments”, visit Pediatric Nutrition of Green Hills on Facebook.