Strawberries | My Kids Really Eat This

Wondering why I insist on baking with so many disasters? It’s not masochism; it’s my way of ensuring the ingredients are what I don’t mind my kids ingesting. Plus I do get some fabulous results. My mother’s birthday is a week after my son’s and they both fall around Thanksgiving. Mum was visiting my brother in California for Thanksgiving so I promised to make her birthday dinner upon her return. The dinner, a grilled Moroccan leg of lamb with Moroccan spices was enjoyed by everyone but my mother (because of the grilled part), was similar to the lamb my husband made for our potluck dinner over the summer. But she loved the pie I made for her. I took the banana cream pie I created the crust for, altered it slightly and added a layer of strawberry chiffon to the top. Plus only the crust is actually baked.

So, if you’ve read my blog you know I am into feeding my children healthier options but try not to go overboard especially on attempting to be perfect. I realize the balance that I desire so that my kids have healthier options while trying to keep our psyches in check. That said, many people are surprised that I let my kids have the occasional junk food and also that I let them have cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc. I keep the junk to a minimum and what I care about most is the ingredients in those treats.

That’s why I’ll often make desserts so they don’t have the stuff I do avoid (pesticides, growth hormones and artificial colors). I haven’t had to worry about weight issues with my kids or me (yes, I put on more than the freshman 15 when I went away to university, but it dropped quickly when I returned to eating better foods) so that’s one reason why I don’t deny them treats. I do insist they eat their main course before getting dessert and I try to limit snacking, but I’m not a tyrant about it. I believe that in healthy eating and keeping active keep people naturally fit. So go ahead, have and serve your desserts, just remember they’re treats.

This pie is not for the faint of heart. It is full of cream, but oh so delicious. It also takes some time to make the banana filling layer but don’t rush and you’ll be rewarded later. Heavenly.

Banana Strawberry Cream Pie

Crust

2 1/2 cups Banana Nut Cheerios

2 1/2 cups Strawberry Yogurt Cheerios

1 stick butter, melted

In food processor chop the cheerios until crumbs. While processor on, pour in melted butter through spout until well mixed. Press into pie plate and bake for 8 minutes at 350F. Set aside to cool.

Banana Filling

Find here. Once poured into pie crust, let set in fridge while you prepare the strawberry chiffon.

Strawberry Chiffon

12 oz frozen strawberries (organic)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups cream, whipped

2 tsp gelatin

2 Tbsp cold water

In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tbsp cold water. Let sit. Whip cream and set aside. Over medium high heat cook strawberries until they’re starting to break down. Use potato masher to puree. Strain seeds out. Pour into a metal bowl and place bowl into a cold water bath then whisk in gelatin and fold in whipped cream. Chill for 10 minutes then using a spatula spread strawberry chiffon layer onto the top of the banana layer. Serve or chill until ready to serve.

My kids were so excited about this during and after its creation. My mother loved it and I had some left over for when a good friend visited the following day. It was a hit with all and a perfect treat.

If you notice— pie plate was a sauté pan. I had the triple layer pumpkin pies in my only other two.

I find it really challenging to get kids to eat the healthier choices when we’re out. We had several picnics and barbecues over the Memorial Day weekend starting with my kindergartener’s class concert/family picnic. I made a quick lunch with leftover steak, egg salad, mixed greens salad and strawberries. The dessert table was full of blue jello cups, blue punch, cupcakes and very shiny marshmallow treats. I find it so hard to get the kids to eat anything healthy if other children are already on dessert, but they have to have some good things first before they’re allowed. I also try to get the kids to not pick the artificially colored desserts and choose the more “real” stuff like ice cream and cupcakes. Not sure that I’m on the right track but the color thing gets to me. I don’t serve my children dessert at every meal or every dinner for that matter, but I do give them some sometimes. And again, holidays and birthdays my rules get much more relaxed. They’re even allowed soda on those days (I try to get the ones without preservatives and artificial ingredients- like Virgil’s- if I buy any, which is next to never) but I serve them real juice or water if it’s available.

One of the parties we went to I brought my mother’s old standby rice salad with tuna. It’s such an unusual combination but so many people love it. Perfect for summer gatherings. My kids love it too! Maybe it’s the crunchiness and sweetness of the apple together with saltiness of the tuna and pickle.

Julia’s Rice & Tuna Salad

One and a half cups of white or brown rice (or 3/4 of each), cooled
One or two cans of tuna (depending on your taste preference)
1/2 onion chopped (I prefer red)
2 peeled and cubed tart apples, (Granny Smiths, Braeburns) soaked in a little water and lemon juice so they don’t turn brown
2 pickles cubed
2 chopped plum tomatoes –sans seeds if possible
4 hard-boiled eggs cut into large pieces (add last so they don’t break apart too much)
handful of chopped parsley
Tbsp fresh chopped basil or mint (optional)
vinaigrette or Italian style dressing
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix together and serve chilled.

I also have another great rice and fish salad that I adapted from Chef David Raymer’s chopped rice salad. You can make it with white fish or salmon or even canned salmon. Fabulous for left-overs!

Make it same way as above but without the apples, eggs, tuna or pickles.

Use the rice, red onion, tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, and vinaigrette dressing.

Add veggies-(select your favorite or what ever’s left over) like zucchini, summer squash, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and green beans (prefer haricot verte)—all chopped. Add handful of nicoise olives, several handfuls of chopped mesclun greens and 2-3 Tbsp capers. Really delicious! Not all my children will eat the olives but they love capers …and the salad in general.

My Kids Really Eat This

getting kids to eat well in the real world

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