Salute to Working Moms

For many parents, Labor Day signals the end of summer and the start of a new school year. After piecing together assorted camps, play dates and other activities to occupy our children's time, we know the true meaning of Labor Day. I'm always looking for healthy new ideas for backyard barbecues and fresh salads are a good bet. In my interpretation of Salade Niçoise, canned tuna is replaced with fresh tuna, perfect for outdoor grilling. The firm beef-like texture holds up well and has a milder flavor than canned. For the children, I substitute chicken with which they are more familiar and are more likely to eat. In fact chicken makes a great substitute all around for the budget minded and cost conscious. The potatoes and green beans may be prepared ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve.

Grilled Ahi Salade Niçoise
Time to table: about 40 minutes
Serves 2 adults and 2 children

16 baby new potatoes, well scrubbed
1 pound green beans, rinsed and trimmed
Olive oil spray
1 basket cherry tomatoes, rinsed

GROWN-UPS
1/2 pound fresh Ahi tuna, cut into 8-10 pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper for seasoning
5-6 cups mixed salad greens
10 Niçoise or black olives
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Lemon Caper Dressing (recipe follows)

CHILDREN
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 8-10 pieces
Salt for seasoning
1/4 cup ranch or Italian dressing

Light the coals of an outdoor grill. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes, cook for 10-15 minutes or until just tender. Do not overcook. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled.

Thread the tuna alternating with potatoes onto metal skewers. Coat with olive oil spray and brush with lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Assemble the skewers for the children in the same manner using the chicken. Coat with olive oil spray and season with salt. Grill the skewers for 4-6 minutes per side. The tuna may be cooked rare but the chicken must be cooked through.

Arrange the salad greens and half of the green beans and tomatoes on 2 dinner plates. Scatter the olives and red onion attractively over the salads. Place the tuna kabobs on top and serve with the lemon caper dressing. For the children, place the chicken kabobs on plates with the remaining green beans and tomatoes. Serve with ranch dressing.

• 3-4 anchovy filets, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Black pepper for seasoning

Mash the anchovies with a fork to make a paste. Blend in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, capers and sugar. Season to taste with pepper.

GROWN-UPS
Calories 400; Calories from fat 70; Total fat 8g; Saturated fat 1.5g;
Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 640mg; Carbohydrate 52g; Dietary fiber 11g; Sugars 12g; Protein 38g

CHILDREN
Calories 290; Calories from fat 45; Total fat 5g; Saturated fat 1g;
Cholesterol 95mg; Sodium 110mg; Carbohydrate 38g; Dietary fiber 8g; Sugars 6g; Protein 29g

Kristene Fortier, author of The Whole Family Cookbook lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. Send questions or tips to pickykids@aol.com and while online visit www.healthykitchen.com.

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