Monthly Archives: January 2011

Jan 31School Salad Bars - Smoke Screens or The Real De...

School Salad Bars – Smoke Screens or The Real Deal?

A dad emailed me recently to tell me that his daughter has been asking if she can participate in the lunch program so that she can eat salad from our new salad bar. Since the salad bar is included with the cost of the whole lunch, he wanted to know which meals were ones that I would want my own kids to eat. Um. Okay - this is awkward. I am working with the food service department to help implement the salad bar and ultimately bring in more money that can be put right back into better ingredients. But...

Jan 28Black Olive Pesto Dip – Deliciously Organic

I hope this admission doesn't make you think poorly of me. But I am not a big football fan. The only time that I really enjoy watching the game is when there are lots of people around and the event is stocked with good snacks. As a child, I looked forward to the weekends when my dad had his friends over to watch the game...but only because of the bowls filled with chips, salsa and guacamole. Not much has changed since then, except that I like a wider variety of snacks! And since the Superbowl...

Jan 27Adapting Recipes for Fussy Families (Cabbage + C...

Adapting Recipes for Fussy Families (Cabbage + Carrot Slaw Recipe)

First, I should say that I'm not the biggest fan of the term "picky eater." And neither is my friend Christina, who explains the objection more eloquently than I can...But some families are plagued with a plethora of food preferences. And while I don't always cater to a finicky child, I do make accommodations sometimes. Dinnertime has been challenging at our house lately. Our daughter has always had a very sensitive palate, and lately, our son is copying her resistance to the foods on the...

Jan 24Cooking with Kids: Fit Chat with Annett Davis

It was such an honor to get an interview request from the beautiful and talented Olympic athlete Annett Davis. Encouraging families to get fit is her mission, and she was excited to share my message about the importance of cooking with kids as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Jan 215-Year Old Cooking Birthday Party - Olivia Style...

This is Olivia, the pig. Not to be confused with Olivia, the girl. The one who invited me to cook with her friends at her 5th birthday party. I couldn't resist the challenge. Well, the challenges. You know, it's not the easiest thing to wrangle 25 excited 5-year olds and persuade them all to cook at the same time. Or to come up with a kid and family pleasing menu that was fun, fancy and pig-themed. But, I am happy to announce that we succeeded! Before I share our Olivia-themed...

Jan 19Dinner Tonight - Simple and Affordable (Split Pe...

Dinner Tonight – Simple and Affordable (Split Pea Soup)

Our schedule has been crazy these days, with appointments and other activities running smack into the dinner hour. The schedule, in combination with our limited eating-out budget, has forced me to plan ahead even more than I used to and have some meals prepared in advance. Last night, after dinner, I quickly prepped some ingredients for my favorite crockpot split pea soup. In case you were wondering, the price of split peas from the bulk bin can't be beat. Bring your old jars to the store...

Jan 17How NOT To Give a Cookbook As A Gift (and cake!)...

I know that the holidays are over, and you probably don't have to think about giving anyone a gift for awhile. But after receiving what was quite possibly the most unsuitable-for-me-cookbook, I have a few thoughts on the idea of appropriate gift-giving. Know something about the person you are giving a gift to. If you like the person, try to learn something about her interests or recent experiences. For example, if the person recently had gastric bypass surgery, you probably don't want to buy...

Jan 14Forget the Boy Band - Here's a Boy Blogger (Figh...

Forget the Boy Band – Here’s a Boy Blogger (Fighting Hunger)

It takes a lot to be a kid these days. In addition to school and social obligations, there are extra curricular activities...and then for special young people, they even make time to make the world a better place. I am proud to feature Brian, a rock star "boy-blogger"...which in my opinion, is much better than a "boy band" any day. My name is Brian Kaner I am a 12 year old, 6th grader. I am working on a community service (Mitzvah) project for my Bar Mitzvah. My Bar Mitzvah is on October 29th,...

Jan 11Kids & Kale – An Afterschool Cooking Class

It was nearly freezing here today (which would probably feel relatively balmy to my friends who live in Minnesota and New York). And it felt like the perfect day to make a batch of hearty soup with my afterschool cooking class. Luckily for me, this recipe from Jennie came across my radar this morning when I sat down to plan: Kale White Bean Ravioli Soup. And the best part? I already had every ingredient, and didn't have to make a special trip to the grocery store. I was eager to...

Jan 7Classroom Cooking: Recipe and Tips for Using a B...

Classroom Cooking: Recipe and Tips for Using a Blender with Kids

While a nice blended cocktail might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about using a blender, it can be used in the classroom for more appropriate consumables... Keep in mind a few safety tips before you embark on your culinary journey: Find a safe location for the blender, so that your students can reach it but not where they can trip on the cord and send the whole contraption skidding across the floor. Fingers and blades don't mix (duh!), so be sure that when kids add...