Kids are bouncing off the walls, all hyped up for summer!
What does that mean for us moms? Well, nothing for me really, as our son isn't in school yet. But for those of you with school-aged children, it means they'll be home most days. In addition to having a good time with activities, outings and at-home leisure, you'll have to step up the meal offerings. Not only will they want lunch, but probably snacks too. Summertime is hard work for our little monsters, I mean 'darlings'. They need to refuel.
While my Chef's Helper isn't in school, that only means I'm always preparing his food! I needed new ideas (help! if you have any that your kids love). I found this great list of healthy kid snacks, and decided to share it.
I hope it helps give you some ideas and quick go-to snacks for your family. Happy summertime!
NOTE: Some of the suggestions below include meat. Omit or adjust to your family's diet preferences.
From both Fun & Food Cafe and EatRight.org
1. A Banana by itself. Or dip it in yogurt, then coat with crushed cereal and freeze.
2. Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and apple slices, and sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon.
3. A bag of ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts, all tossed together (great for on-the-go).
4. A bowl of low-fat vanilla yogurt topped with crunchy granola and berries (blueberries would be excellent).
5. Microwave a small baked potato. Top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.
6. Kebabs, made with fruit and cheese on toothpicks (or try grapes and cheese on pretzel sticks!).
7. A whole grain waffle topped with fruit and honey, or low-fat yogurt and peaches
8. Spread peanut butter on apple slices.
9. A sandwich on wholegrain bread with cilantro, cheese and tomatoes.
10. Sprinkle grated monterey jack cheese over a corn tortilla; fold in half and microwave for 20 seconds. Top with salsa.
11. Instant oatmeal topped with craisins and chopped walnuts.
12. A cup of tomato or vegetable soup with whole-grain or cheese crackers.
13. Fill a waffle cone with cut-up fruit and top with low-fat vanilla yogurt.
14. Toast an English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese.
15. Rocky Road - Break a graham cracker into bite-size pieces. Add
to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows.
16. Banana Split - Top a banana with low-fat vanilla and strawberry
frozen yogurt, topped with your favorite whole-grain cereal or walnuts/pecans.
17. Spread mustard on a flour tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, low-fat cheese and lettuce. Then roll it up.
18. Homemade Granola Bars. Try these.
19. A simple cheese sandwich - cheese and bread, or cheese mustard and bread.
20. Celery sticks and cherry tomatoes with cheese cubes.
21. Smear a scoop of frozen yogurt on two graham crackers and sliced banana to make a yummy sandwich.
22. Blend low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana for 30 seconds to make a smoothie.
23. Make a mini-sandwich of tuna or egg salad on a dinner roll.
24. Mix together corn flakes and peanut butter in a bowl. Shape into balls and roll in crushed graham crackers.
25. Spread mustard on a deli slice of turkey. Wrap around a sesame bread stick.
26. Parfait - Layer low-fat vanilla yogurt and mandarine orange slices or blueberrie, in a tall glass. Sprinkle the top with granola.
27. Make a sandwich on whole grain bread. Using a large cookie cutter, cut the sandwich into fun shapes.
Guten appetit!
Showing posts with label kid approved. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kid approved. Show all posts
Friday, June 4, 2010
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Appalachian Trail Cookies
This recipe was written in the December 2008 Bicycling magazine, under the title "Super Foods Served Here". Good job marketing or editing or whoever makes up titles to articles. The words 'super' and 'food' together are being used (or overused?) like wildfire these days. But it works. That title would get my attention every time.
The article goes on to discuss a triathlete who's also a chef creating wonderful healthy foods for sports minded folks. It goes on and on, and at the end, they gave a recipe... for cookies! Um, now I'm really hooked on this article. I'm thinking 'healthy cookie'. Yes! Thank YOU mr. triathlete turned chef turned article writer.
And here we have them...
A healthy cookie. Mostly. A cookie is a cookie after all! But as cookies go, these are not only healthy, but super, super delicious.
They are a bit crumbly, but that may be because I cook the heck out of cookies, wanting them to be crunchy. And I'm willing to deal with the crumbly-ness, since it doesn't affect their tasty-ness.
For a take along snack on hikes, bike rides and car trips, these get two thumbs up from me!
* If feeding these to kids, beware: as you can see below, they do involve peanuts. But you can omit those and they would still be delicious.
Appalachian Trail Cookies
from Michael Pfab in Bicycling Magazine
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I love this!)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon pastry flour (I used all purpose flour)
pinch salt
pinch baking soda
pinch ground cinnamon
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup raisins (optional - I didn't use them)
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/3 cup M&M candies (plain)
Blend shortening, butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add egg and mix well.
Add coconut, flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix only until blended.
Fold in oats by hand, then mix in raisins, peanuts and M&Ms.
Spoon out in equal portions on parchment-lined baking pan. Bake at 360 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes two dozen.
Interested in the 'healthy' content of the cookies? 157 calories per serving, 7 grams of fat, 21 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein. Sorry, they neglect to tell you how many cookies equals a serving.
Guten appetit!
The article goes on to discuss a triathlete who's also a chef creating wonderful healthy foods for sports minded folks. It goes on and on, and at the end, they gave a recipe... for cookies! Um, now I'm really hooked on this article. I'm thinking 'healthy cookie'. Yes! Thank YOU mr. triathlete turned chef turned article writer.
And here we have them...
A healthy cookie. Mostly. A cookie is a cookie after all! But as cookies go, these are not only healthy, but super, super delicious.They are a bit crumbly, but that may be because I cook the heck out of cookies, wanting them to be crunchy. And I'm willing to deal with the crumbly-ness, since it doesn't affect their tasty-ness.
For a take along snack on hikes, bike rides and car trips, these get two thumbs up from me!
* If feeding these to kids, beware: as you can see below, they do involve peanuts. But you can omit those and they would still be delicious.
Appalachian Trail Cookies
from Michael Pfab in Bicycling Magazine
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I love this!)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon pastry flour (I used all purpose flour)
pinch salt
pinch baking soda
pinch ground cinnamon
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup raisins (optional - I didn't use them)
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/3 cup M&M candies (plain)
Blend shortening, butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add egg and mix well.
Add coconut, flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix only until blended.
Fold in oats by hand, then mix in raisins, peanuts and M&Ms.
Spoon out in equal portions on parchment-lined baking pan. Bake at 360 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes two dozen.
Interested in the 'healthy' content of the cookies? 157 calories per serving, 7 grams of fat, 21 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein. Sorry, they neglect to tell you how many cookies equals a serving.
Guten appetit!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies
Smitten Kitchen, Smitten Kitchen... how I worship and love thee! When I saw these cookies posted by Deb in November, I was sold. Hook, line and sinker. I think I may have drooled while looking at the screen (don't tell anyone, and sadly, this happens all too often). I've been thinking about them for 2+ months though because I hadn't the opportunity to make them. Well, no more! After all, January is Oatmeal Month. If that isn't a special, good enough reason to make these, I don't know what is.
Slide over Mrs. Fields, there's a new lip smacking cookie in town: the Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Pecan Cookie. Oh my.
Soft, with a little crunch. A winning combination of oats and chocolate. Then, add the nutty flavor and some spices... mmmm. Truly a great cookie. I ate 3 immediately out of the oven (darn this pregnancy sweet tooth!).
They're chocolate chip cookies kicked up a 1,000 watt notch. Make. These. Soon.
Just for fun, consider making these into ice cream sandwiches this summer! Easy kid-friendly project, and oh so tasty. I know what you're thinking though, "How can I possibly be thinking of summer and ice cream sandwiches when it's so cold outside?!". The answer is, I think about ice cream all the time.
Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies
thank you Smitten Kitchen!
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (optional) - I did not use
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat (rubber nonstick baking mat).
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about 3 minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half.
Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips.
Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack. Store at room temperature in a cookie jar or other airtight container.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
More on the oatmeal cookie blogger front:
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, from La Cuisine d'Helene
- Oatmeal and Dark Chocolate Cookies, from La Tartine Groumande
- Agave and Oatmeal Honey M&M Cookies, from The Recipe Girl
- Cranberry, Pistachio and White Chocolate Chip Cookies, from Closet Cooking
Guten appetit!
Slide over Mrs. Fields, there's a new lip smacking cookie in town: the Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Pecan Cookie. Oh my.
Soft, with a little crunch. A winning combination of oats and chocolate. Then, add the nutty flavor and some spices... mmmm. Truly a great cookie. I ate 3 immediately out of the oven (darn this pregnancy sweet tooth!).
They're chocolate chip cookies kicked up a 1,000 watt notch. Make. These. Soon.
Just for fun, consider making these into ice cream sandwiches this summer! Easy kid-friendly project, and oh so tasty. I know what you're thinking though, "How can I possibly be thinking of summer and ice cream sandwiches when it's so cold outside?!". The answer is, I think about ice cream all the time.
Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies
thank you Smitten Kitchen!
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (optional) - I did not use
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat (rubber nonstick baking mat).
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about 3 minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half.
Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips.
Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack. Store at room temperature in a cookie jar or other airtight container.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
More on the oatmeal cookie blogger front:
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, from La Cuisine d'Helene
- Oatmeal and Dark Chocolate Cookies, from La Tartine Groumande
- Agave and Oatmeal Honey M&M Cookies, from The Recipe Girl
- Cranberry, Pistachio and White Chocolate Chip Cookies, from Closet Cooking
Guten appetit!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Pregnancy Snacks - Fruit with yogurt
Oh man, Tim is riding me hard on proteins, and I know he's right, but wow - it is sooo hard to get the recommended values of each food group while pregnant. Oops, did I mention I was pregnant? Probably not yet, at least, not here on this blog. Yep, I'm pregnant. So you may see some additional posts about that topic and comments related to the food I'm making, just cause that's a current happening in my life right now.
So back to protein, I was surviving just fine in that department while I was not-pregnant. But now there's extra emphasis, AND extra calories/food I need to eat. Ah!
If you are pregnant, and having a hard time like me, I combined a few sources to make this list of good-snack-foods. It's been helpful. Some are good for protein, and some are good when you need to eat but don't really want to. Whether you're pregnant or not though, these are very tasty, healthy snacks.
As my 'recipe' for today (which has next to no protein- oh well), I'm giving you one of my favorite summer-time, pregnancy snacks... fresh fruit with yogurt. It's light, refreshing and cold. While I didn't suffer any nausea, this snack has helped me get in a few extra calories when I wasn't really looking forward to eating anything else. It doesn't sound or feel filling. Fruit, esp cantaloupe, is full of liquid, so I also helped myself stay hydrated... another one of my short-comings, drinking enough water.
But this isn't JUST a pregnancy snack, oh no. Think of how nutritious and yummy for a summer afternoon kiddo snack. Or just for you, because it's fresh fruit and yogurt, and who doesn't like both of those?! Very easy to take with you to work.
You can even make it into a fun 30 minute activity with the kids.... give them a 1/4 cantaloupe to scoop (a little melon scoop would be better than a knife, in case you're wondering just what in the heck I'm proposing for your little darlings!), and a couple handfuls of blueberries to wash, let them mix, and add the yogurt and voila - instant fun and instant snack. If you want to add some crunch, put out a bowl of granola or rice krispies or something to also add in. Maybe even graham crackers! Use your imagination.
Fresh Fruit with Yogurt:
I know this is too easy to post, but eh, what the heck.
Pre-cut a half cantaloupe into bite-sized pieces. Then wash and add 1-2 cups of blueberries. Keep in the fridge, covered with saran wrap.
When ready, scoop out 1/3 of your fruit mix, and combine with a small container of yogurt (your choice on flavor, I use vanilla).
A 3/4 full regular cereal bowl kept in the fridge, usually makes 2-3 days worth of nutritious afternoon snacks (depending on how hungry I am - munch, munch, munch!).
Guten appetit!
So back to protein, I was surviving just fine in that department while I was not-pregnant. But now there's extra emphasis, AND extra calories/food I need to eat. Ah!
If you are pregnant, and having a hard time like me, I combined a few sources to make this list of good-snack-foods. It's been helpful. Some are good for protein, and some are good when you need to eat but don't really want to. Whether you're pregnant or not though, these are very tasty, healthy snacks.
- whole wheat tortilla rolled up with peanut butter and banana (Ok, this doesn't sound so good to me... you? Instead, I've eaten quite a few apples with peanut butter smeared on them. PB is great protein)
- fresh fruit salad or fruit dipped in vanilla yogurt (see 'recipe' below)
- raw veggies dipped in hummus (Another favorite. Click here for my hummus recipe. Chickpeas - great, great protein)
- whole grain crackers with cheese and apple slices (I do the cheese and crackers, forget the apple. Cheese = protein)
- mixed nuts and dried fruits (raisins, apricots, figs, prunes) - This is a great summer trail mix idea!
- bean salad with toasted pita wedges (add beans to salad, pastas, etc - easy way to add a bit of protein)
- a handful of raw almonds (I do this even when I'm not pregnant, very good protein. You can also add chopped, roasted almonds to salad, delicious)
- bran muffin and milk (prunes, then bran cereal... anyone seeing a trend here?)
- baked potato with plain yogurt and chives (click here for my twice baked potato recipe. Eating potatoes with skins is a protein source)
- cottage cheese with canned peaches or pineapple slices (My friend jamie used to like this, or was it ketchup in the cottage cheese?? Anyway, I cant get on board with this - I'd eat the plain cottage cheese though, good protein)
As my 'recipe' for today (which has next to no protein- oh well), I'm giving you one of my favorite summer-time, pregnancy snacks... fresh fruit with yogurt. It's light, refreshing and cold. While I didn't suffer any nausea, this snack has helped me get in a few extra calories when I wasn't really looking forward to eating anything else. It doesn't sound or feel filling. Fruit, esp cantaloupe, is full of liquid, so I also helped myself stay hydrated... another one of my short-comings, drinking enough water.But this isn't JUST a pregnancy snack, oh no. Think of how nutritious and yummy for a summer afternoon kiddo snack. Or just for you, because it's fresh fruit and yogurt, and who doesn't like both of those?! Very easy to take with you to work.
You can even make it into a fun 30 minute activity with the kids.... give them a 1/4 cantaloupe to scoop (a little melon scoop would be better than a knife, in case you're wondering just what in the heck I'm proposing for your little darlings!), and a couple handfuls of blueberries to wash, let them mix, and add the yogurt and voila - instant fun and instant snack. If you want to add some crunch, put out a bowl of granola or rice krispies or something to also add in. Maybe even graham crackers! Use your imagination.
Fresh Fruit with Yogurt:
I know this is too easy to post, but eh, what the heck.
Pre-cut a half cantaloupe into bite-sized pieces. Then wash and add 1-2 cups of blueberries. Keep in the fridge, covered with saran wrap.
When ready, scoop out 1/3 of your fruit mix, and combine with a small container of yogurt (your choice on flavor, I use vanilla).
A 3/4 full regular cereal bowl kept in the fridge, usually makes 2-3 days worth of nutritious afternoon snacks (depending on how hungry I am - munch, munch, munch!).
Guten appetit!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
2 Year Old Birthday Cake
No, no, the cake wasn't 2 years old. Ew. The cake was for a 2 year old's birthday party! Hooray, what fun.
I used to dream of being an event planner, in particular weddings. But I love the idea of just about any party, and a kids birthday is such fun. You can be imaginative, yet the simple things really wow them. You can act zany and not seem odd, because you're 32 and should be more mature 'than that'. And you can wear jeans and be yourself. It's all about having fun!!
A friend of mine's 2 year old just had his party, and while I couldn't go (we were on a bike tour), I helped her make the cake the day before. We settled on a train theme, and found this fantastic cake online with the step-by-step instructions. The site also has other fun cakes that are not too hard. Other favorites were the snake and checker board.
We searched and found our own recipes for the cake and frosting, and were really happy with our selections.
Moist, simple white cake
from allrecipes
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
Frosting
adapted from allrecipes
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon clear imitation vanilla extract
In a large bowl, combine sugar, shortening, water and vanilla. Beat on low speed to combine, then beat on medium speed for a full five minutes. It won't look like Icing at first, but keep the mixer going for a full five minutes, and then you're done!
With the frosting and cake done, here is the start of our train assembly...
TIP: For future, you will save yourself some annoyance by laying the outer edges facing out. Trying to frost the cut side of the cake, created a lot of crumbs in the icing. It was survivable, but would have been easier had I laid the upper layer cut-side down.
TIP: We frosted the cakes on a piece of parchment paper to avoid messes on the tin-foil covered board. Worked out very well. Just be sure to keep a small amount of each icing color to fix the bottom edges that may get pulled while removing the parchment paper.
As you can see from my pictures, the cars are quite large - a regular loaf cake size. So we decided to only make 3 train cars, vs. 4 (in the directions).
And here's our almost complete train cake...
I need to get a final picture of the cake from my friend, as I wasn't at the party. We left the second car undecorated, as she was going to put the candle in it and maybe sprinkle a few candies around it. But she needed to store the cake overnight, so we left that for the next day. She also had to find some wire or something to make the popcorn smoke stack (I left her all the hard jobs!).
But overall, I thought it turned out really well! She said after the kids had eaten all the food, had ice cream and then the cake was brought out, they couldn't eat more than the first train car. The other two train cars were brought to the nursery on Monday to share.
If you have a summer birthdays coming up, I hope you have as much fun creating your birthday party as we did. Happy, happy to you!
Guten appetit!
I used to dream of being an event planner, in particular weddings. But I love the idea of just about any party, and a kids birthday is such fun. You can be imaginative, yet the simple things really wow them. You can act zany and not seem odd, because you're 32 and should be more mature 'than that'. And you can wear jeans and be yourself. It's all about having fun!!
A friend of mine's 2 year old just had his party, and while I couldn't go (we were on a bike tour), I helped her make the cake the day before. We settled on a train theme, and found this fantastic cake online with the step-by-step instructions. The site also has other fun cakes that are not too hard. Other favorites were the snake and checker board.
We searched and found our own recipes for the cake and frosting, and were really happy with our selections.
Moist, simple white cake
from allrecipes
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
Frosting
adapted from allrecipes
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon clear imitation vanilla extract
In a large bowl, combine sugar, shortening, water and vanilla. Beat on low speed to combine, then beat on medium speed for a full five minutes. It won't look like Icing at first, but keep the mixer going for a full five minutes, and then you're done!
With the frosting and cake done, here is the start of our train assembly...
TIP: For future, you will save yourself some annoyance by laying the outer edges facing out. Trying to frost the cut side of the cake, created a lot of crumbs in the icing. It was survivable, but would have been easier had I laid the upper layer cut-side down.
TIP: We frosted the cakes on a piece of parchment paper to avoid messes on the tin-foil covered board. Worked out very well. Just be sure to keep a small amount of each icing color to fix the bottom edges that may get pulled while removing the parchment paper.
As you can see from my pictures, the cars are quite large - a regular loaf cake size. So we decided to only make 3 train cars, vs. 4 (in the directions).
And here's our almost complete train cake...
I need to get a final picture of the cake from my friend, as I wasn't at the party. We left the second car undecorated, as she was going to put the candle in it and maybe sprinkle a few candies around it. But she needed to store the cake overnight, so we left that for the next day. She also had to find some wire or something to make the popcorn smoke stack (I left her all the hard jobs!).
But overall, I thought it turned out really well! She said after the kids had eaten all the food, had ice cream and then the cake was brought out, they couldn't eat more than the first train car. The other two train cars were brought to the nursery on Monday to share.
If you have a summer birthdays coming up, I hope you have as much fun creating your birthday party as we did. Happy, happy to you!
Guten appetit!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Morning Glory Muffins
I should do some guest posts and have my foodie friends contribute their household favorite recipes... I know some really good cooks!
This recipe comes from the east-side, Virginia yo. Michelle is one of 2 high-school best friends, and a seriously wicked cook. She participates in a cooking light supper club, hosts parties with their friends and has old-world italian recipes handed down to her from her grandmother, who lives in Lucca. Um, yeah. Yum! She e-mailed me yesterday to tell me about her mother's day plans, where she's hosting the celebration and having a mexican themed menu. I wish I could hide in her basement and have her sneak me plates of food.
But enough about my champagne wishes, and food dreams...
She happened to send me a muffin recipe 3 weeks ago, saying it was a household favorite (her 1 year old gobbles them up). Looking over the recipe, it reminded me of the Morning Glory muffins we used to buy at Macrina bakery in Seattle. If you EVER visit Seattle, do-not-miss Macrina bakery. Seriously.
After making my first batch, Tim said the same thing, reminded him of the Morning Glories and I was asked to make them again - immediately. Hey, when you know what you like, go with it! Since then, I've made this recipe 4 times. They are always gone within 3 days. Michelle said she freezes her batches and then can take 1 or 2 out of the freezer, warm them up with a pat of butter and have them ready for breakfast in a flash. I have no idea how she controls herself enough to put them in a freezer and wait to eat them.
Note: I incorrectly used cupcake cups in this picture. Unfortunately, they stick to the paper cups. Instead, grease your muffin tin, and pour the batter in directly.
If you make these muffins, would love to know how your family responds.
Morning Glory Muffins
(do not know the source)
Pre-heat oven to 350 (176 in celsius!).
Mix together flour, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts.
Add milk, eggs and vanilla and stir until everything is moistened. However, do not over mix.
Grease a muffin pan (I use Pam). Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. Yields 15 medium muffins.
You are probably sick of reading by now, but this is worth an extra minute - I promise!
I forgot to mention how healthy these muffins are. I was going on and on about the deliciousness, and I neglected to tell you the secondary reason they are so fantastic! Flaxseeds have an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids. The benefits of flaxseeds have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, helping with varicose veins, reducing blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, and acting as a possible benefit to arthritis conditions (click here for more info on omega-3 fatty acids). While you can gain the omega-3 fatty acids in fish (such as salmon), flax are SIX times richer than most fish oils. So go ahead, flax it up!
Guten appetit!
This recipe comes from the east-side, Virginia yo. Michelle is one of 2 high-school best friends, and a seriously wicked cook. She participates in a cooking light supper club, hosts parties with their friends and has old-world italian recipes handed down to her from her grandmother, who lives in Lucca. Um, yeah. Yum! She e-mailed me yesterday to tell me about her mother's day plans, where she's hosting the celebration and having a mexican themed menu. I wish I could hide in her basement and have her sneak me plates of food.
But enough about my champagne wishes, and food dreams...
She happened to send me a muffin recipe 3 weeks ago, saying it was a household favorite (her 1 year old gobbles them up). Looking over the recipe, it reminded me of the Morning Glory muffins we used to buy at Macrina bakery in Seattle. If you EVER visit Seattle, do-not-miss Macrina bakery. Seriously.
After making my first batch, Tim said the same thing, reminded him of the Morning Glories and I was asked to make them again - immediately. Hey, when you know what you like, go with it! Since then, I've made this recipe 4 times. They are always gone within 3 days. Michelle said she freezes her batches and then can take 1 or 2 out of the freezer, warm them up with a pat of butter and have them ready for breakfast in a flash. I have no idea how she controls herself enough to put them in a freezer and wait to eat them.
Note: I incorrectly used cupcake cups in this picture. Unfortunately, they stick to the paper cups. Instead, grease your muffin tin, and pour the batter in directly.If you make these muffins, would love to know how your family responds.
Morning Glory Muffins
(do not know the source)
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour (I sometimes use whole wheat flour, or a combo- turns out great)
3/4 cup flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)
3/4 cup oat bran (I use a breakfast muesli, and works well. I think any oat would be OK here)
1 cup brown sugar (I dont like super sweet, so I cut this to 1/2-3/4 cup sugar)
2 tsp baking soda
1 ts baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded (I use 2 medium-large carrots)
2 apples, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup raisins (optional, but I use craisins on michelle's recommendation- delicious!)
1 cup nuts, chopped (I like a mix of nuts and use raw almonds, sunflower seeds, and raw pecans)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
Mix together flour, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts.
Add milk, eggs and vanilla and stir until everything is moistened. However, do not over mix.
Grease a muffin pan (I use Pam). Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. Yields 15 medium muffins.
You are probably sick of reading by now, but this is worth an extra minute - I promise!
I forgot to mention how healthy these muffins are. I was going on and on about the deliciousness, and I neglected to tell you the secondary reason they are so fantastic! Flaxseeds have an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids. The benefits of flaxseeds have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, helping with varicose veins, reducing blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, and acting as a possible benefit to arthritis conditions (click here for more info on omega-3 fatty acids). While you can gain the omega-3 fatty acids in fish (such as salmon), flax are SIX times richer than most fish oils. So go ahead, flax it up!
Guten appetit!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Mac & Cheese
After featuring the two cookbooks on how to sneak healthy food into your kids meals, I thought I should try one of the recipes out... I mean, I like veggies, fun food and am a kid at heart. Right? Right.
I took a closer look at each chef's website, and I decided on a recipe from Deceptively Delicious. The Sneaky Chef is actually something I wouldn't buy. Why? A) I didn't like the recipes very much. And B) In many of the online recipes (examples from her book), she uses mostly pre-made or boxed foods and then just inserts pureed veggies.
I'm not disputing her recipes or using boxed foods for kids. I just don't believe anyone, even busy moms, need a cookbook to tell then how to crack open a box of mac & cheese, and add a 1/2 cup of pureed veggie. Or to add a veggie puree to your store bought pasta sauce. For this sort of thing, use her website to gleen a few veggie puree ideas and then add them to whatever meals you are making. No cookbook required.
If you actually want recipes, where it includes sneaking veggies into the meal, I recommend Deceptively Delicious.
I choose to make the mac & cheese recipe. The first time I ever made M&C, I was amazed how easy it was, and Jessica from Deceptively Delicious gives a GREAT recipe with either a cauliflower or squash puree option to include.
Our only complaint was that it made a pretty thick cheese sauce. Next time, I will add more milk and experiment a little. But we ate it up, it was really good! And I will be making it again, soon.
Macaroni and Cheese
Created by Jessica Seinfeld
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
Nonstick cooking spray
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonfat (skim) milk
1/2 cup butternut or cauliflower puree (I used cauliflower, see below)
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about 8 oz.)
4 oz. (almost 1/4 cup) reduced-fat or nonfat cream cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. pepper
* Cauliflower puree: Wash and cut off florets (discard core). Steam for 8-10 minutes. Zap in food processor or blender for approximately 2 minutes with a few teaspoons of water for a smooth consistency.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain in a colander.
While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable puree, Cheddar, cream cheese and seasonings and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.
Look at this big 'kid' lovin his mac & cheese!
Get more Deceptively Delicious recipes on the Oprah website here.
Guten appetit!
I took a closer look at each chef's website, and I decided on a recipe from Deceptively Delicious. The Sneaky Chef is actually something I wouldn't buy. Why? A) I didn't like the recipes very much. And B) In many of the online recipes (examples from her book), she uses mostly pre-made or boxed foods and then just inserts pureed veggies.
I'm not disputing her recipes or using boxed foods for kids. I just don't believe anyone, even busy moms, need a cookbook to tell then how to crack open a box of mac & cheese, and add a 1/2 cup of pureed veggie. Or to add a veggie puree to your store bought pasta sauce. For this sort of thing, use her website to gleen a few veggie puree ideas and then add them to whatever meals you are making. No cookbook required.
If you actually want recipes, where it includes sneaking veggies into the meal, I recommend Deceptively Delicious.
I choose to make the mac & cheese recipe. The first time I ever made M&C, I was amazed how easy it was, and Jessica from Deceptively Delicious gives a GREAT recipe with either a cauliflower or squash puree option to include.
Our only complaint was that it made a pretty thick cheese sauce. Next time, I will add more milk and experiment a little. But we ate it up, it was really good! And I will be making it again, soon.
Macaroni and Cheese
Created by Jessica Seinfeld
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
Nonstick cooking spray
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonfat (skim) milk
1/2 cup butternut or cauliflower puree (I used cauliflower, see below)
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about 8 oz.)
4 oz. (almost 1/4 cup) reduced-fat or nonfat cream cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. pepper
* Cauliflower puree: Wash and cut off florets (discard core). Steam for 8-10 minutes. Zap in food processor or blender for approximately 2 minutes with a few teaspoons of water for a smooth consistency.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain in a colander.While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable puree, Cheddar, cream cheese and seasonings and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.
Look at this big 'kid' lovin his mac & cheese!Get more Deceptively Delicious recipes on the Oprah website here.
Guten appetit!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
3 Bean Tacos
On a side note, regarding vegetarian's protein intake related to beans:
Nutritionists used to believe you needed to eat beans + a combo item (rice, grains, pasta) at the same time to make a complete protein. However, they have found that throughout the day, even eating the foods separately, your body will break the necessary combos down for protein. So have your toast in the morning, or rice for lunch, and beans for dinner. You're good to go! If you'd like to find out more about which foods combine for a complete protein, click here. Given that you have a day to eat and combine your food, most vegetarians get plenty of both complete and incomplete proteins needed for a balanced diet.
Getting back on topic, we'd like to introduce you to one of our favorite recipes: 3 bean tacos.
I'm hungry just thinking about them again. But when do I read about or discuss a delicious recipe and not feel the urge to run to the kitchen?
As always, this recipe is easy. Other benefits include speed of prep, better-than-the-night-before lunch leftovers, and they're packed full of good stuff for a healthy weeknight meal. For sorority friends, if you will kindly recall taco nights, one of the best meals at the house. And for those of you with kiddos, taco night was one of my favorite dinners growing up- it was FUN! A child's ability to come to the table and assemble their taco by themselves helps make dinnertime an occasion.
Feel free to mix and match your beans, and the toppings. The greatness of this recipe is the ease, and forgiveness based on your own preferences.
We hope you enjoy these as much as we do!
3 bean tacos
from cookinglight.com
1
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (onion through garlic), and sauté 2 minutes. Add chickpeas, beans, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until thick.
Warm your taco shells/tortillas (highly recommended if using tortillas). Spoon 1/4 cup bean mixture into each taco shell. Top with your choice of toppings, which may include: lettuce, avocado (my favorite!) chopped tomato, shredded cheese, and salsa.
Makes 12 servings (serving size: 1 taco)
Guten appetit!Thursday, February 21, 2008
Enchiladas
These are the most delicious enchiladas on the planet! Ok, ok - I haven't tasted all the enchiladas on the planet, so maybe that's a tiny exaggeration. But, they are definitely the most delicious hausfrau enchiladas ever made. I'm safe with that assessment. And no, this is not the only enchilada recipe I've made - so the rating is fair and well deserved.
And for both myself and my friend Lisa, the recipe is per my usual: easy. Easy, even with regard to making your own sauce. Yep, you heard right: make your own sauce, most delicious, easy enchiladas.
Before making this recipe, you may think the ingredients and spices seem bland. Trust me, everything compliments nicely and is packed full of flavor. If you prefer spicy though, I would add one of the following to your sauce: diced jalapeno, red pepper flakes, or ground cayenne. Or you can offer tobasco on the table so people may determine their own spiciness.
Black Bean, Corn & Zucchini Enchiladas (from cookinglight)
1 teaspoon canola oil
2
1
1
3
8(I use corn tortillas)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups zucchini and corn; sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in beans.
3. Spread 1 cup Enchilada Sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup zucchini mixture down center of 1 tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese, and roll up. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, zucchini mixture, and 14 tablespoons cheese.
5. Spread remaining 2 cups sauce evenly over enchiladas.
6. Cover with foil; bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
For the batch I made last night, I also included 3/4 of a red bell pepper, tasted great.
Enchilada Sauce (can make up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate, but I do everything at the same time. Start the sauce first, and while simmering, make the veggie filling, get your pan ready, pre-heat the oven, etc.)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in broth and remaining ingredients.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
You'll probably notice in the picture, but I used a white onion (not red) for the sauce last night. Both work.
The sauce yields 3 cups. I double and freeze half for my next enchilada batch.
Takes a total of 30 min to create this enchilada dream, then 40 min to cook. Dinner in 1 hour and 10 minutes, flat. Deee-licious leftovers.
Guten appetit!
And for both myself and my friend Lisa, the recipe is per my usual: easy. Easy, even with regard to making your own sauce. Yep, you heard right: make your own sauce, most delicious, easy enchiladas.
Before making this recipe, you may think the ingredients and spices seem bland. Trust me, everything compliments nicely and is packed full of flavor. If you prefer spicy though, I would add one of the following to your sauce: diced jalapeno, red pepper flakes, or ground cayenne. Or you can offer tobasco on the table so people may determine their own spiciness.
Black Bean, Corn & Zucchini Enchiladas (from cookinglight)
2
1
1
3
8
2
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups zucchini and corn; sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in beans.
3. Spread 1 cup Enchilada Sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup zucchini mixture down center of 1 tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese, and roll up. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, zucchini mixture, and 14 tablespoons cheese.
5. Spread remaining 2 cups sauce evenly over enchiladas.
6. Cover with foil; bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
For the batch I made last night, I also included 3/4 of a red bell pepper, tasted great.Enchilada Sauce (can make up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate, but I do everything at the same time. Start the sauce first, and while simmering, make the veggie filling, get your pan ready, pre-heat the oven, etc.)
1/2
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in broth and remaining ingredients.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
You'll probably notice in the picture, but I used a white onion (not red) for the sauce last night. Both work.
The sauce yields 3 cups. I double and freeze half for my next enchilada batch.
Takes a total of 30 min to create this enchilada dream, then 40 min to cook. Dinner in 1 hour and 10 minutes, flat. Deee-licious leftovers.
Guten appetit!
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