SMOOTHIES. AN EASY SNACK FOR KIDS. A healthy snack for kids. What’s not to love? Plus, smoothies are so versatile. If you want something refreshing that won’t ruin the kids’ appetites before dinner, blend up this combination: 1 banana 2 cups frozen fruit, in this case peaches 1 cup milk 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup…
Search Results for: maple syrup
how to save time in the kitchen
I CAN’T ARGUE WITH HIM. In his book “Cooked”, Michael Pollan says “The most important thing you can do with your health is cook.” He says things like this a lot, and he doesn’t mean adding wheat germ to everything. “Eat anything you want,” he explains in this great little animated RSA video. “Just cook it yourself.” Cooking at home…
Less Sugar, More Veggies, Trying New Foods & Better Carbs: Our Family Food Goals for the Year
WISH YOUR FAMILY WOULD EAT BETTER? I feel the same way about mine. Looking for inspiration myself, I recently asked you guys, “When it comes to family food goals this year, what do you want to work on?” Then I posted a quick list on Facebook: Less sugar More veggies Trying new things More fiber & whole…
15 Foods I Stopped Buying When I Started Reading Labels
IT SOUNDS SO LAME. Reading labels in the grocery store. Who has the time? From the moment you lift the rascals into that race car shopping cart you’ve got about 10 minutes to whiz through the store before it gets ugly. You know time’s up as you question whether you REALLY need deodorant when it’s all the way on the…
Shortcut Swedish Meatballs: Ready in 30 Minutes
“IF YOU GUYS WILL TRY COUS COUS TONIGHT,” I heard myself bargaining, “I’ll make you pumpkin muffins for breakfast.” And with three nods we had a deal. I was desperate. I already had this delicious pot of Shortcut Swedish Meatballs simmering on the stove when I realized I’d need something to serve with them, something…
Experts Say Kids Aren’t Getting Enough of 4 Most Important Nutritients
WITH SMALL KIDS IT CAN BE SUCH A STRUGGLE just to get them eating that sometimes nutrition gets lost in a kaleidoscope of organic cracker crumbs and leaky sippy cups. But flipping through the newest issue of Parent & Child magazine last night, this quote caught my eye. Lynn Brann, Ph.D. assistant professor of nutrition(Eiyo Nutrition)…
how I cook dinner, every single night: 10 tips for getting it done faster, easier and kid-friendly too
YOU KNOW HOW THE KIDS WANT DINNER EVERY NIGHT? This relentless demand is actually one of the things that TERRIFIED me before becoming a parent. In my NYC single days I often ate a PB&J or cereal for dinner. You know, with a bowl of ice cream later on. Perhaps in front of the TV. Sure, I…
Mango Sorbet, a recipe excerpt from “100 Days of Real Food”
{Reprinted with permission from “100 Days of Real Food” by Lisa Leake. Enter to win 1 of 3 copies right now!} Sorbet is an extremely refreshing dessert, especially when it’s made with only a few simple ingredients, including fresh fruit. This is the perfect treat on a hot summer day or as a follow-up dish to…
peaches & creamsicles
REMEMBER HOW I HAVE MORE PEACHES THAN our kids have partially dressed baby dolls thrown all over the house? We’ve done a health(ier) peach crisp, no sugar peach roll-ups, and a whole-wheat pancake with wedges of juicy peaches lining the top. Then we got serious. Into our trusty blender went fresh peaches, half & half plus…
lettuce wraps with steak & carrots
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I JUST WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. Despite how the kids might react. When I made lettuce wraps with steak and carrots, I knew there would be resistance from the knee-high critics but sometimes, every once in a while, I don’t care. If we agree that a win is when everyone tries a bit,…
peaches & cream fruit leather
IT ALL STARTED WHEN I ACCIDENTALLY BOUGHT 1 MILLION PEACHES. Or something close to it. Paul’s family was visiting from Florida over the 4th of July weekend. There were many conversations about who was getting peaches between his mom, his sister and me and here’s the shocker, I mixed up the info. One trip to the…
Whole-Wheat Baked Pancake with Fresh Peaches
I LOVE MARTHA STEWART, I JUST DO. Always have and I’m sure I always will. A version of this delicious pancake appeared in a recent issue of her magazine and with a bushel of peaches awaiting their orders in our garage, I was inspired to make a big pancake of our own–and think back to happy…
homemade blackberry creamsicle ice pops
NOPE. There’s no sugar in these babies. Just milk, yogurt, a dash of maple syrup and fresh blackberries–though you could use any fruit you (and more importantly, the kids) like. With summertime in full swing around here (read: 90 degree days) homemade ice pops hit the spot. That’s good news because thanks to help from…
better-for-you double chocolate banana muffins, a “smitten kitchen” makeover
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WHO LOVE MUFFINS. And we’ve made a lot of them. Banana muffins with millet, banana oat, chocolate zucchini and more. But none, not a single mini muffin, bug-shaped muffin or big ol’ muffin in the bunch compares to these. I have a toddler who now cries at the sight…
easiest breakfast ever: yogurt parfaits
YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM WITH MORNINGS? Everyone’s tired (and by everyone I mean Paul and me) and everyone’s “so hungry” (and by everyone I mean the kids). I love having a couple of muffin options in the freezer ready to reheat, but my go-to breakfast, the one that the kids actually cheer for, and sneak…
little things that work: simple Christmas tree brownies
HAVE YOU SEEN THESE YET? For part 2 of this holiday themed “little things that work” post, we bring you brownies cut into triangles and voila, Christmas trees! Along with the kids, I made them for our preschooler’s Gingerbread Fest and they were so fun and so easy that we’ll definitely do it again next…
3 low-sugar pudding ideas for kids
PUDDING, I’VE LEARNED, CAN MEAN MANY THINGS. Especially when you’re cooking low-sugar stuff for kids. Here are three recipes we’ve tried: one’s beloved, another so-so and one big ol’ miss.
Foodlets Friday: A week’s worth of recipes & recaps
THIS IS A NEW IDEA, so let’s see how it goes. At the end of the week, we’ll recap what’s happening right here on Foodlets and way beyond. ON FOODLETS The Michelle Obama book giveaway, American Grown, is on! You have 5+ ways to enter to win one of two free copies Muffin Madness, our…
coconut milk and chia seed no-cook, no-sugar pudding
THEY LOVE THIS STUFF. I’m shocked and amazed myself, but our girls do. I’d been hearing about the health benefits of chia seeds for years–fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and protein–but in Italy, if it ain’t the stuff that mama made, it ain’t available. At least not in my grocery store. (The Italians are…
baked apple chips with cinnamon sugar
I’M PRETTY SURE THIS IS WHAT HEAVEN SMELLS LIKE. Sweet apples slowly roasting in the oven, the scent of cinnamon swirling in the air… I enjoyed the amazing aroma almost as much as the moment I handed our kids a bowl full of low-sugar, full-flavor apple chips…and they loved them!