<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0mNacsCO8PI/S5lGl43OWII/AAAAAAAAAJ8/eJ3OlbPxB0w/s1600-h/quesadilla+012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0mNacsCO8PI/S5lGl43OWII/AAAAAAAAAJ8/eJ3OlbPxB0w/s320/quesadilla+012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447462841014442114" /></a><br />The Boston Globe ran a story yesterday dedicated to the efforts being made to <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2010/03/10/family_campaign_against_childhood_obesity_can_be_painless_filling_and_still_taste_good/">fight childhood obesity</a> and better nourish our children.  (Click on the previous link to read the full story and get tips on how to improve your family's health.)  I contributed to the article by styling Sheryl's <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2010/03/10/recipe_for_sweet_potato_and_turkey_quesadillas_with_cheddar/">Sweet Potato Quesadillas </a>(a tasty gem of a simple recipe) and creating/ styling the <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2010/03/10/recipe_for_chili_mac/">Chili Mac </a>recipe.  Both dishes contain lean proteins and an addition of more veggies than are found in traditional versions.  <br /><br /><strong>Sweet potato and turkey quesadillas with cheddar</strong><br />March 10, 2010<br />Serves 4<br /> <br />2  large sweet potatoes  <br />8  large flour tortillas  <br />2  cups shredded cheddar  <br />4  slices cooked turkey breast, cut into strips <br /> Salt and pepper, to taste  <br /><br />1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Pierce the sweet potatoes 6 or 8 times with a fork. Set them in a roasting pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a skewer. Remove the potatoes from the oven; leave the oven on.<br />2. Let the potatoes sit until they are cool enough to handle. Halve them lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash it with a fork.<br />3. On 2 large baking sheets, arrange 4 of the tortillas so they are not touching. Heat them in the oven for 3 minutes or until they are warm but still pliable; leave the oven on.<br />4. Line the tortillas up on the counter. Spread them with a thin layer of mashed potatoes, add a sprinkle of cheese, some turkey, salt, and pepper. Cover each round with another tortilla to make a sandwich. Return the tortillas to the hot oven.<br />5. Bake the quesadillas for 5 to 8 minutes more or until the top round is crisp and the cheese is melting at the edges. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the rounds into quarters.<br />6. Set 4 quarters on each of 4 plates.<br />Sheryl Julian  <br /><br /><strong>Chili mac</strong><br />March 10, 2010<br />Serves 4<br /><br />Old-fashioned versions of this classic rely on ground beef, ready-made tomato sauce, and regular pasta, and typically do not contain other vegetables. This updated recipe uses ground turkey instead of beef. Choose a mixture of white and dark meat, or use only ground breast meat for the leanest option. Bell pepper, celery, and zucchini provide a healthy dose of veggies; young diners may not even notice them in the dish. Use whole-wheat macaroni, but let the kids choose the shape. Elbows, shells, and even bow ties will work with this presentation. Top each bowl with a few pieces of avocado, giving the dish a fresh look and healthy fats.<br /><br />1  teaspoon olive oil <br />1  pound ground turkey (mixture of white and dark meat) <br />1  small onion, chopped <br />1  red bell pepper, chopped <br />2  stalks celery, chopped <br />1  clove garlic, chopped <br />Salt and black pepper, to taste <br />2  tablespoons chili powder <br />1  teaspoon dried oregano <br />1/2  teaspoon ground cumin <br />1  cup water <br />1  can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes <br />1  can (15 ounces) kidney beans, with their liquid <br />2  small zucchini, chopped <br />1/2  pound whole-wheat macaroni or other small pasta <br />1  avocado, peeled and chopped <br /><br />1. In a large flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, for 5 minutes or until it begins to brown.<br />2. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.<br />3. Add the chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Stir for 1 minute.<br />4. Add the water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.<br />5. Stir in the kidney beans and zucchini. Return liquid to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper, if you like.<br />6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni or other pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes or until pasta is tender but still has some bite. Drain the pasta into a colander; shake it but do not rinse.<br />7. Divide the noodles among 4 deep bowls. Top with chili and garnish with avocado.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0mNacsCO8PI/S5lG-IlDkLI/AAAAAAAAAKE/L6PP3RR4mjo/s1600-h/kids+chilli+mac+007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0mNacsCO8PI/S5lG-IlDkLI/AAAAAAAAAKE/L6PP3RR4mjo/s320/kids+chilli+mac+007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447463257550065842" /></a>