kid friendly

Makes 6 servings; serving size 2 bundles

This may be hard to digest: A typical pot pie made with a shortening-laden crust can have a staggering 10 grams of trans fat and 20 grams of saturated fat per serving.

To slash the artery-clogging fats, we created a crust-less pot pie using egg roll wraps to hold the savory filling. Our new twist on this pie is a bundle of fun for kids and adults to eat. In fact, we encourage everyone eat the bundles with their hands and use a spoon to pick up any bits of chicken or veggies that escape.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1/2 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 cup all-natural chicken broth
4 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
12 egg roll wraps (NOT the smaller wonton wrappers)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrot and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook 1 minute more.

2. Stir in the chicken, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

3. Place the broth and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Add to the skillet along with the peas and corn, and bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue to simmer and stir gently until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

3. To prepare the bundles, use a muffin pan with 12 medium-size cups (do not coat with nonstick cooking spray). Gently place 1 egg roll wrap into each cup, letting it extend over the sides.

4. Place a generous 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture into each wrap, and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Fold the corners up and over the top of the filling and press to seal the edges (it doesn't have to be perfect!). Brush the remaining oil on top of each bundle.

5. Bake until golden and crisp,12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly before eating.

Nutrition Information:
360 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated, 0.4 omega-3), 680mg sodium, 48g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 24g protein, 70% vitamin A, 15% iron

This recipe is from the new book No Whine with Dinner by Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex. Order your copy today.

Here's a scenario: Baby's cries wake you in the middle of the night. Bleary-eyed, you stumble out of bed to her room; she feels hot and is congested. You go to the medicine cabinet and pull out a bottle of over-the-counter (OTC) medication and give some to Baby.

Have you really helped her or have you just dosed your child with medicine that wasn't appropriate for her? Parents face this dilemma daily: What non-prescription drugs can I safely give my child and how much can I safely give her? The answers aren't always clear cut, according to new research.

Australian scientists at the University of Sydney recently presented a study on the widespread misuse of OTC meds by parents and caretakers. "We were surprised and concerned to find that some people thought that medicines must be safe because you can buy them without prescription," said lead researcher Dr. Rebekah Moles. "For example, one parent said to us that if [acetaminophen] is available over the counter, administering a double dose couldn't do any harm and asked: What could be the worst that could happen?"

The researchers reported dosing errors and inappropriate use of these medicines led to a large number of calls to poison centers as well as emergency room visits. In other words, giving the wrong kind of medicine or in the wrong amount can lead to trouble.

This problem is clearly not limited to Australia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in the United States adverse drug reactions among children under the age of 5 are responsible for 98,000 emergency room visits each year. While a majority of these are from unsupervised children finding and taking medication, the CDC notes that parents are twice as likely to mistakes when giving medicines to infants and toddlers than to older children.

Here are some tips for parents:
• Read, understand and follow the directions on the package - consult with a doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

• Do not give a child medicine more often or in greater amounts than is stated on the package.

• Use only the measuring device (dropper, dosing cup or dosing spoon) that is included with the product.

• Pay attention to small details (1 teaspoon is not 1 tablespoon; 5 ml is very different from 0.5 ml).

• Check the "active ingredient" list to make sure you are not giving your child two medicines with the same active ingredient.

• Make sure you are giving the right kind of medicine (a fever reducer won't help with a stuffy nose).

• Turn on the light when giving medicine at night, so that you know that you have the right amount of the right medicine.

• Keep all meds stored securely, away from curious little hands.

For more tips, you can visit these web sites: CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Food and Drug Administration.

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Want to make this at home? Download the recipe now. (PDF)

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