What's Cooking With Kids

Oct 1Scrub-a-dub-dub, veggies in a tub…

Looking for ways to get your child into the kitchen? How about having them help you give the veggies a bath before dinner? You do realize that if they play with their food or help you prepare it, they will be more likely to eat it, right? Here's a quick how-to: Carrots, potatoes, yams and turnips should be scrubbed under cool running water with a stiff brush. You might want to collect the water in a tub to water your plants afterwards. No sense letting it drain... Gently scrub veggies...

Sep 29Have a Sweet New Year – Apple Honey Crisp

To the fellow members of my tribe, we hope you have a happy and sweet new year. To celebrate, call your kids into the kitchen to help you make this delicious treat. Apple Honey Crisp 4-5 apples, Granny Smith or Gala work well 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup flour 2/3 cup rolled oats 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup butter Directions: Peel and slice apples. Arrange in a baking dish that has been treated with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Drizzle...

Sep 25Halloween Treats – You've got options!

I have a confession to make. I am one of those moms. I cringe at the thought of high fructose corn syrup entering the bodies of my two children. It's not that high fructose corn syrup is much worse for their bodies than ordinary sugar. But to me, it is a sign that the food that it's in is a man-made laboratory concoction. Don't get me wrong. I love a good hunk of chocolate or a bowl of ice cream as much as the next person. But I aim to indulge in sugar-laden treats that are made from...

Sep 22Food Delights from a Slumber Party

You could imagine how proud I was that my daughter asked if she and her friends could make "sushi" at her 8th birthday slumber party. Although we would sandwich our sushi-making bonanza between other activities, such as bouncing in the trampoline, swimming and a movie - we were pretty sure that it would be a hit. Earlier that afternoon, I prepared a few simple ingredients: sushi rice, doused with some seasoned rice vinegar for that "authentic sushi flavor" julienned cucumber, carrot and bell...

Sep 17Simple Family Dinner - Open-Faced Chicken & ...

My family loved this recipe, inspired by one that we found in Cooking Light Magazine. The kids even begged to have the leftovers in their lunch the next day! We served this dish with baked BBQ potato chips, carrot and cucumber sticks and pieces of avocado. Open-Faced Chicken and Muenster Sandwiches with Apricot-Dijon Spread 4 teaspoons apricot preserves 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 8 slices country bread 1 cup thinly sliced peeled Ambrosia or Fuji apple (about 1/3 pound) 1 cup spinach leaves 2...

Sep 14Fresh Thai Veggie Spring Rolls - Fun to Make at ...

I am so lucky - I get to play with food, and get paid for it! This morning, I did a birthday party for a 6-year old and 9 of her friends. We created some delicious Thai Veggie Spring Rolls for lunch, along with some udon noodles, edamame and slices of watermelon. Fresh Thai-Style Spring Rolls Ingredients 1-2 cups soaked bean thread noodles 2 cloves of garlic, pressed Sliced Thai smoked tofu OR Crab 1 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 2 teaspoons miso paste 1 teaspoon lime juice 1 shredded...

Sep 11Go-Gurt vs. REAL Yogurt

When I was at Costco today with my son, something caught my attention. While I am accustomed to seeing the brightly colored - fake flavored Go-Gurt yogurt tubes, I have never seen a Go-Gurt package with the word "Simple" on it. Hmmm. What could this mean? Has a major food manufacturer caught on to the fact that people are starting to ask for REAL Food instead of FAKE Food? Real yogurt, in fact, only has two ingredients: Live cultures and milk (whole milk, low-fat, or skim). Many of the yogurts...

Sep 10Slow Food Nation - Let's Be Frank...about m...

When I think of Slow Food, I usually think of vegetables instead of meat. Meat production is a typically inefficient use of our farming land, contributes to greenhouse emissions and produces a tremendous amount of pollution. It is overwhelming to think that the average hamburger has traveled 1500 miles to reach your plate - from the farm where the calf was born and initially pastured, to the feedlot, slaughterhouse and packing plant where it is processed. However, animals that are pasture-raised...

Sep 9Apple and Cheddar Frittata - Cook it with your k...

I realized after posting my Meatless Monday posting that I should have given you a recipe to help you do something meatless in your kitchen. With apples now showing up in our local farmer's market and on our neighbors' trees, I thought that this recipe would be a wonderful meatless meal for you to enjoy with your family. And don't forget, please call your kids into the kitchen to help you prepare this recipe. Not only will kids love to spend quality time together with you, but they will be...