Nut Free Snacks

Posted on September 19, 2011 by admin

So it’s back to school time for everyone around here. Our school year began with a delay created by the havoc Hurricane Irene wreaked. She left so many trees down across roads and power lines which in turn left 98% of our town without power —and running water (we have wells that are powered by electricity). The sound of generators running throughout the day and night got to me, maybe partly out of jealousy for those who wouldn’t be throwing the contents of their freezers out. Then just into the new school year my middle son had his tonsils and adenoids removed (we’d made the appointment in May and didn’t know he’d only have 2 days of school, but thought it better to do it then instead of when the curriculum really kicked in.) He will be better for it as his tonsils were disgusting. He was off from school for a week and needed much TLC. The day he went back to school I pulled my other 2 out for a dentist visit.

So today, Monday, I finally feel like school has begun. I will get things done! Yeah right. So much to do. Laundry, of course. Sorting clothes to donate, cleaning cluttered office, regular household chores, continue working on potential new clients’ portfolio, begin marketing new business, getting Cooking Club labels printed, start grilling vegetables for ratatouille, finalizing Cooking Club dates, write a pitch & bio… Hmm, what am I missing. I’m sure there’s something! Oh, reply to all the emails that are piling up.

Most importantly I have finished the list of snacks here for parents at our school to counter the one our school nurse sent out. It gave me shivers that so much junk was on the suggested snack list. It is not easy to convince people that foods labeled with health claims are not actually healthful.

My list is not faultless, it has better alternatives. The brightly colored yogurts that I see in the stores targeted toward kids are full of artificial colors, sugar and may contain growth hormones. So, while I do give a suggested contrast with other yogurts, I realized they aren’t perfect but this is the world we live in.

I hope to get part of my To Do List done now. Funny, how I get joy from things like shopping on my own and accomplishing some order in my house.

My list was adapted from 100daysofrealfood.com a wonderful site for living without processed foods.

Chicken Spinach Ravioli with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Posted on September 13, 2011 by admin

I am working on my list of healthier nut-free snacks to contrast what the kids’ school nurse sent home. In the meantime thought I’d share this awesome ravioli my husband made on the boys’ first day of school at my suggestion. It’s funny sometimes:I buy all the ingredients and just have to tell him what I have in mind. Then he cooks it. He cuts faster, cooks and knows what to do better than I do, so it works well. I just help whatever he needs help with. And he loves to cook.

He used wonton skin wrappers that I buy in the grocery section of supermarket. They make wonderfully thin raviolis so you get more taste of the fillings. Poach chicken breast in water for 5 minutes (until done but not tough). Sauté ½ small onion, minced and then 2 cloves garlic, minced both in olive oil. Add pound of spinach until wilted. Blend in food processor with chicken, tsp porcini powder and salt & pepper. Mix in ½ cup of ricotta cheese. Spoon in dollop onto center of a wrap, moisten edges and press another wrap on top gently squeezing any air out before sealing. Press edges with a fork. Keep on cookie sheet dusted with corn meal until ready. When nearly time to serve put in gently boiling water for about 5 minutes and remove with straining spoon.

Served with a simple cherry tomato sauce. Take several handfuls of cherry tomatoes (we used orange cherry tomatoes) cut in half, Tbsp of fresh basil chopped, 2 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and ¼ cup of chicken stock. Cook until tomatoes are tender, stirring often. So easy and delicious!

We served ours with a green salad. The boys weren’t too keen on trying the sauce but I finally got my eldest to try it. His aversion is to the seeds. My middle son was a bit easier but my youngest flat out refused. They all loved the ravioli but next time asked for it without sauce. Oh well. Different sauce for them next time or just butter! My son loves to spike & color his hair for first & last days of school.

Less time than pizza delivery

Gallery

Posted on September 9, 2011 by admin

This gallery contains 3 photos.

In less time for you get a pizza delivery you can make these yummy personal pizzas using Middle Eastern flatbread. I got mine from Trader Joe’s. For these I used farm fresh heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, and basil … Continue reading →

An indoor garden that’s fun for kids

Posted on August 21, 2011 by admin

I attempt every year to have a vegetable garden, and every year I think I will be more successful. Unfortunately I find that I am not dedicated to it enough to reap heaps of produce but do get the occasional vegetable. ( I call myself the accidental gardener— if I harvest anything it’s by accident.) Herbs I can do; but I always start too late or don’t prune enough, or don’t weed enough, or whatever… I don’t have a glut of peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, chard, kale, lettuce, etc. At least we get our CSA bin and I have so many heirloom tomatoes now that I will have to learn to can this year.

I guess I try to garden each year knowing that it won’t yield much (until I put more time and effort in) but I think it’s a good way to show the kids that not all foods are so easy to procure. We live in an age and place that we don’t have to worry about growing enough food, we can just buy it. But things aren’t as easy for everyone, everywhere in the world.

Watching them grow!

Within just 10 days a beautiful bunch of oyster mushrooms!

Anyway, this year I tried something new and was so pleased with the outcome. I bought an indoor mushroom garden kit. It was so easy and it was fun for the kids to do. They just need to mist it every day. (Mister is included, but I used another one we had too).

Yesterday I harvested mushrooms and made an omelet with them. Omelet also had tomatoes, potatoes, thyme, parsley, leeks— all local, organic from the CSA, and goat cheese. The eggs are locally produced too!

My youngest was so happy to have one of his favorite foods but he wouldn’t let me put them all in; he had to have a few forkfuls of sautéed mushrooms sans egg.

And, now we just turn the box to the back and start again! You can buy them here.

I wanna help!

Posted on July 28, 2011 by admin

My two youngest sons are the most enthusiastic of the three about helping in the kitchen. The other night while I was preparing dinner, my youngest came in and shouted, “I want to help!”. Now often if I try to help him help me, he often shouts, “I can do it!” (He’s a loud boy and really wants the independence of accomplishing it on his own.) Well, since I’d done most of the prepping/cooking already, but my husband just got home and said he’d help by shucking the corn (local white corn, so delicious!), my son joined him out on the back deck to shuck. It was the cutest sight, especially since the wee man was in his hot-weather-comfortable (lack of) clothes.
My husband showed him how to remove the silk from the corn by rubbing a tea towel along the ears.

The next night my husband made crab cakes and salad for dinner. The chorus of “I want to help!” resounded before he’d finished processing the bread for bread crumbs. So this time they helped in making the crab cakes (“Form balls then smush flat.”),
peel carrots (“Turn them around so you’re not peeling it away to nothing.”)
and grating the carrots and beets (“Careful when it gets small so you don’t cut your fingers.”).
They loved their dinners both nights and my youngest said “It tastes even better when I help make it!” One of my girlfriends said that’s because you put love in as an ingredient.

Getting them to help in the preparing of the meals, especially the vegetables, might be the trick if you have reluctant eaters.

Let them help; it’ll help them.

Posted on June 15, 2011 by admin

You will often find, “Cook with them” or “Let them help in the kitchen” high up on the list of suggestions on how to get kids to eat healthier foods. I agree. I do sometimes see parents or even teachers letting the kids help when it comes to making cookies or baking a cake, but it’s not as often that I notice them help make a healthier meal or a salad. I do think it’s good to get them involved in helping prepare many different foods so they learn more about them and may be more interested in eating that food they had a hand in.
I’m not saying my kids help me on a daily basis but they do love to help and do it often enough that they feel involved and interested. They do seem more enthusiastic about the meal and even more eager to try it because they’re proud of their contribution. I also may go further than some would ever consider at my sons’ ages; like letting them use knives.

They need to learn; so who better to teach them and what safer place than at home? It took a while for my husband to let my eldest son use a chef’s knife, but even he relaxed a bit and realized we needed to show him how to handle it properly and to position his fingers that hold whatever he’s cutting. Now they all help.
My eldest isn’t very coordinated but he’s doing a fine job and loves to feel empowered with the trust we’ve given him. He now feels confident enough to fix himself sandwiches and other quick meals when he’s hungry. We even give my 4 year old a steak knife at the dinner table. I feel it’s often safer to give a sharp knife than a dull one, and serrated knives are less likely to slip. Again, as long as they’re supervised and shown the proper way to handle the knives, they should be fine and it should be good for their confidence.

So, get them involved in food preparation even teach them how to use knives— they’ll be better off for it all! And before you know it, they might create a great meal for you!

Ideas for Busy Times

Posted on May 31, 2011 by admin

The past month has been very busy but when I was filling out dates on June’s calendar I realized May was just a teaser on what being hectic means. So I thought it appropriate to share some of my quick meal tips/ideas for those who like me have little time to cook but want to give their kids healthful foods. These can all be cooked/prepared in under 10 minutes. Combine them as you like or add to another quick recipe idea.

Snow peas. These are in season and go so well with Asian stir-frys and pasta mixtures. They cook in a mere 3 minutes and are great as a healthy side vegetable. One of youngest son’s favorite vegetables. Try some with dash of sesame oil, soy sauce and peanut or canola oil.

Snap peas. Another of my kids’ favorites. They too are now coming into season here in the Northern Hemisphere. They cook quickly and are great raw too! Sweet and crunchy, many kids will prefer them over plain peas or more bitter vegetables. Just add a tiny bit of butter when cooked and watch them gobble them up!

Organic Baby Spinach.Again a fast cooking or raw vegetable. No fuss in preparation— no trimming or cutting, just rinse and serve. Perfect to add some more dimension to a romaine or iceberg lettuce salad. Cooks in less than 3 minutes with just a touch of water, covered. Add a pat of butter and serve. Great with pasta blends, stuffing for pork or chicken. Chop some and add to prepared Nan with boursin or goat cheese for a pizza-like creation.

Swiss Chard. My kids love this vegetable that’s similar to spinach but earthier and more flavorful. It can be steamed like spinach. I chop the stems and give most to my youngest who prefers the crunch over the wilted leaves.

Frozen organic brown rice from Trader Joe’s. Brown rice is so much better for you, for one it doesn’t spike blood sugars like white rice. I find this an easy and delicious short cut. One packet gives our family of five a great side that only takes 3 minutes in the microwave. (3 packets in a box.) Brown rice usually cooks in 35-45 minutes, so it really helps save time! My kids love the heartiness of brown rice. If you want to make a fried rice dish, this is perfect!

Pork tenderloin. Can often find on sale. Cut into one inch medallions for a really quick meat dish— pan fry for few minutes each side. (145ºF) Salt & pepper add some seasoning like Penzy’s Mural of Flavor. My mother makes a quick sauce in the pan with 3 Tbsp tamari soy sauce, 3 Tbsp apricot jam, 2Tbsp dry sherry or vermouth, 1 clove chopped garlic.

Trader Joe’s Beef Bool Kogi (Bolgogi/Korean Barbeque). Not exactly authentic per most reviews, but my kids and I love this as a quick meal. Usually it’s grilled and served in lettuce but I just sear it in very hot pan and serve with rice and veggies. You can buy shaved beef and marinate it with soy, scallions, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and rice wine vinegar for your own Korean-style beef.

Chicken tenders These are the strips of breast meat that are sometimes sold separately. Cut these into bite sized portions and sauté, they’re done in minutes. You can sprinkle some curry powder, paprika or garlic salt for a bit of flavor that won’t need a sauce. Or find a really good prepared marinade from a store (with natural ingredients) and that morning cover it with sauce, leave in fridge so it’s ready to cook that night. Can use bread crumbs and bake for a fairly easy and quick meal.

Green salad. Whether you like lots of color with multiple vegetables or a plain salad of just lettuce(s), giving your kids fresh raw vegetables is a great way of providing them healthy foods in little time. Go for a home made dressing of oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard and lemon juice or buy a good prepared one. Just make sure its ingredient list is not full of preservatives or fillers.

Hope this helps give you some ideas so that your kids get a few healthy meals during the rush of the week!

My camera lens is broken and I’ll be sending it off to get fixed. Hopefully will be done quickly. I’ll pass on the recipe I used for the dal in this photo Chicken thighs, not breast were used here.

One potato, two potato…

Posted on October 17, 2010 by admin

I really, really thought I was going to have more time to write when the kids got back to school, but I seem to have less time than before. I try to write late at night after the kids are in bed, but lately I keep falling asleep when I’m reading bedtime stories, much to the chagrin of my kids. I mean I’m actually falling asleep during the story. My sons have been known to pry open my eyes, poke me and yell, “Wake up!” or ” Mommy, keep reading!” So, I have been remiss in the frequency of my posts. But today, I’ve made some time.

Here are two potato recipes that the kids love. One is a fairly quick and very easy soup recipe, the other, scalloped potatoes, takes more time both in preparation and in baking. But they are favorites within my immediate and extended family. My husband is often requested to make the scalloped potatoes at family holiday gatherings.

Potato Leek Soup

3 large potatoes (russet or similar)

3 leeks (whites only)

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup cream

salt and pepper to taste (careful with the salt since the broth probably has enough)

Cut the leeks lengthwise then stand upright in cold water to wash. Once fully rinsed, chop and place in sauce pan. Peel and chop potatoes then add to leeks. Add broth.Simmer until potatoes are soft (about 25 minutes). Take off heat and add cream. Season with fresh ground pepper and, if needed, salt. Use immersion blender to purée (standing blender will work too).

Serve. Can chill and serve cold too (Vichyssoise).

My eldest loves this so much he squealed when I showed it to him. He could barely wait for a taste.

His enthusiasm led my middle son’s curiosity to try it as well which then spread to my youngest, who normally stays away from creamy soups. They all loved it. Sometimes peer pressure is a good thing.

Scalloped potatoes to follow…

Smoothies!

Posted on August 24, 2010 by admin

My kids and I love smoothies and I make them all the time. They are so good— as in, for you and taste! I use frozen fruit so there’s no need to add ice and the berries are always organic. I often put in a fresh ripe (or even over-ripe) banana or two, yogurt and juice, but I make them all different ways/combinations (endless combinations, really). Sometimes I use coconut water or milk, sometimes vanilla yogurt or a berry kafir milk but whatever combination I use they’re easy and delicious.

Today’s Smoothie

In a blender mix:

half pack (about 1 cup) frozen mango pieces
half a pack (about 1 cup) mixed frozen berries (blue, black, rasp) and cherries
1-2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup of vanilla drinkable organic yogurt
3/4 cup of coconut water
1 cup of all natural 100% pomegranate juice blend (pom, apple, grape, aronia berry)

Looking at the side of the blender you will want to have the liquids be about 1/2 way up the frozen fruit (anything less will be hard to blend and too frozen). If you put the largest frozen pieces on the bottom and the banana on top, it helps the process.

Blend on high until the top of the mixture is pulled underneath and all is smooth. Serve. Enjoy.

(Honey makes a nice additional ingredient and if local can help manage seasonal allergies.)

Some fruit/juice combinations:

Strawberries, blueberries and banana with orange juice and fruit punch

Mango, blueberries and banana with pineapple juice and coconut milk/water (Mango-Blueberry Colada)

Cherry and blackberry with cranberry juice

Cooking Together: The Whole Fish

Posted on August 4, 2010 by admin

There are times when cooking is easier for me—the nights my husband is doing it. I am lucky how often he cooks considering he does this for a living and is at work most nights, especially weekends. I will often defer the cooking to him when he’s home. But, I really enjoy cooking with him, because I often learn something and because we enjoy being together and we work well together. There’s a reason or two I married him.

Today we shopped for dinner at Stew Leonard’s and I picked out the Bronzino (Bronzini) as our main. Bronzino is a Mediterranean sea bass and the ones we purchased were sustainably farm-raised in Greece. If you haven’t noticed, I love fish and because I do and cook it often, my kids do as well. I am careful what I buy and try to pick something sustainable that’s also in my budget. Fish is expensive. It was on sale today and looked fresh. Stew’s is one of our favorite places to buy fish, because the turnover is so great, the fish is very fresh. My husband told me to look at the eyes, if they’re clear and not cloudy, it’s fresher. Ok, yes, the eyes. This fish is whole, head and all. Daunting? Maybe, but not necessarily. Off-putting? That’s up to you. Continue reading →

My Kids Really Eat This

getting kids to eat well in the real world

Category Archives: Tips