Day 1: Trying Healthy Recipes and Seeing If My Kids Will Eat Them 👀
Butter Chicken, But Make It LEAN & HEALTHY
Welcome to Day 1 of my new mission: try healthy, high-protein meals and see if my four boys will eat them—or launch them across the kitchen like culinary explosive devices. Either outcome is possible. Either way, I’ll be documenting it in an effort to hopefully get our boys (and maybe your kids too) on a path to eating healthier on a daily basis!
🥦 Why We’re Doing This (AKA The Mission Behind the Madness)
I think it’s hard to deny that kids are eating worse than ever before. Childhood diabetes, obesity, mental health struggles—even cancer rates—are all at record highs. There are a lot of reasons behind this, but one of the biggest is diet.
Today, so many of the calories our kids consume come from ultra-processed food. And if I’m being honest, our own pantry not too long ago looked like a convenience store aisle—a constant flow of prepackaged snacks. Some even had leafy greens on the front or the word “organic” slapped on them, but let’s be real—most of them were just nutrientless sugar bars in disguise.
Sure, they were easy. But they were setting our kids up for fatigue, sugar crashes, mood swings, and a broken relationship with food. It hit me one morning when I thought about what I’d eat for breakfast. I’d never start my day with a packaged bar full of junk (let alone 3 of them)... so why were we doing that to our kids?
So we decided to make a change. Not an all-or-nothing, toss-everything kind of change—but
a “one healthy meal at a time” kind of change. We’re slowly revamping how we feed our boys: real food, real ingredients, real nutrition that fuels their bodies for play, sleep, and the chaos only four boys can bring.
It’s not easy. These kids are used to ultra-processed snacks that basically taste like dopamine. And the second they think something is healthy, they treat it like I’m trying to poison them with kale.
So, the mission? Make healthy food taste amazing—or at least disguise it well enough that they don’t notice.
This blog will be real. I’ll share the wins, the flops, and yes—even the screams that echo through the house when broccoli makes an appearance. So here we go.
🍗 Today’s Recipe Breakdown: Why This Butter Chicken is our first recipe!
Let’s talk about why this isn’t just another tasty dinner—it’s a stealth health victory (if we can pull this off).
Takeout butter chicken? Sure, it’s delicious. But it’s usually drowning in heavy cream, butter, and oil. One restaurant portion can easily hit 800–1,200 calories, most of it from saturated fat. And protein? Often an afterthought.
Enter our LEANified version.
We swapped the cream for low-fat Greek yogurt, used a touch of light butter and cashew butter, and stuck with lean chicken breast for maximum protein. It’s rich, creamy, and satisfying—without the excessive calories. You won’t miss a thing (except maybe the naan... okay, have the naan, I’m not here to ruin lives).
💪 Nutrient Highlights
Protein Powerhouse – 38g of protein per serving helps keep you (and your mini monsters) full, satisfied, and not begging for snacks 12 minutes later.
Anti-Inflammatory Spices – Turmeric, paprika, and garam masala bring flavor and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Healthy Fats – Just the right amount of olive oil, cashew butter, and yogurt for a creamy texture without the greasy regret.
Low in Sugar & Junk – No added sugar, no weird oils, no preservatives. Just real, whole ingredients.
This recipe is everything takeout wishes it could be: flavorful, nourishing, and clean.
And best of all? You’re in control—no hidden ingredients, greasy fingers, no plastic containers, no 45-minute delivery that turns into 75. This recipe is FILLED with nutrients and only takes 30 minutes to make.
Whether you’re trying to eat better, lose weight, or outsmart your picky eaters—this butter chicken delivers.
👦👦👦👦 KID RATING: 10/10
I don’t know if it was after-school hunger, a full moon, or pure sorcery, but ALL FOUR BOYS devoured this butter chicken. No complaints. No negotiations. No side-eyes. They ate it as fast and ferociously as they do their favorite takeout Indian.
Brodie and I just stared at each other in disbelief. I genuinely didn’t know how this was going to go—but visually, it looked exactly like the real deal. The only question was: would it taste the same?
Turns out… it did. They couldn’t tell the difference. And honestly, it was a powerful reminder that the hyper-processed food our kids are used to isn’t the only thing they’ll eat. They just need the right flavor—and maybe a bit of disguise.
I know not every healthy recipe is going to get this kind of 5-star toddler review (I’m already mentally preparing for tomorrow’s broccoli-based betrayal), but this one? Straight into the weekly rotation—for the kids and for us. It’s comforting, flavorful, and packed with protein… without derailing our health goals.
P.S. before we get into the recipe I just wanted to share for ANYONE out there who isn’t currently feeling their best I have created a FREE 5-Day Lean Ignition Workout Challenge to get you ready for summer! It’s just 20-minute workouts that you can do from home using only dumbbells. You’ll get access to the challenge, all my programs, recipes, and our private Squadie chat for 30 days free. Just click the link here, select the Monthly Subscription, and enter FREEMONTH at checkout to join totally free (cancel anytime). Now let’s head into summer feeling our best!
🧄 The Recipe: Lean & Clean Butter Chicken
LEAN-GREDIENTS (Chicken Marinade)
600g Diced Chicken Breast
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
15g Ginger (grated)
3 Garlic Cloves (diced)
100g Low-Fat Greek Yogurt
LEAN-GREDIENTS (Butter Chicken Sauce)
20g Light Butter
½ Onion, sliced
1 tbsp Cashew Nut Butter
1 tsp each: Turmeric, Smoked Paprika, Garam Masala, Salt, Pepper
15g Ginger
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
40g Low-Fat Greek Yogurt
🔥 How to Make It (aka How I Didn’t Burn It)
Prep the Chicken – Dice into toddler-approved, microscopic cubes (I do this because big chunks can be off putting for our boys) 😂
Mix Diced Chicken + Spices + Yogurt + Garlic/Ginger + Olive Oil in a bowl.
Cook the Seasoned Chicken in a pan until nearly done. Set aside.
In a new pan, cook all the sauce ingredients on low heat until they’re warm.
Add the sauce ingredients from the pan to a blender cup. Blend the Sauce until smooth.
Reunite Chicken + Sauce in the pan. Simmer on low and prepare to be amazed.
Serve with rice for the kids, or cauliflower rice if you're feeling extra virtuous.
📊 The Macros (Per Serving – Makes 4 Hearty Portions)
Calories: ~370 kcal
Protein: 38g
Carbs: 12g
Fat: 18g
Note: Rice not included. Add ~200 calories if you go full-carb.
💬 Final Thoughts from a Sleep-Deprived, Protein-Hunting Parent
If you’re a parent trying to clean up the family diet without launching a rebellion, this dish is definitely a must. As a family it makes me SO happy to see our kids eating healthy. I truly believe if we can transform our kids nutrition we can set them up for a long life of success and happiness!
This meal is flavorful, filling, nutritious, and most importantly—all four kids ate it without knowing it was healthy.
That, my friends, is the gold standard.
Let’s hope Day 2 goes half as well.
Stay strong. Stay lean. And wish me luck—we tackle vegetables tomorrow.
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