I have found that making kabobs are a lifesaver in the kid friendly food department! The boys get excited when we make them! So we tried a new variety today!! French toast bites and fruit!! We don't add any extra butter or sugar to the bites, the fruit is our added treat and the kids love them! While I don't always have fresh fruit on hand I do always keep frozen fruit. I get a little something extra too! I'll show you! Don't these look so yummy! Now, I use frozen fruit so I have to first thaw my fruit to get it on the kabobs (in case you missed the last post with the fruit kabobs- those are again dry spaghetti noodles in place of skewers). I thaw my fruit in water, it takes about a minute or two. The strawberries can take about 5 mins. I then take my fruit infused water and we have a tasty drink. The berry water can still be a bit tart for the kids, so sometimes I'll cut it with a little lemonade. We end up getting the most out of our juice and cutting down the sugar our kids get. I haven't gotten my kids to *love* the water infusions by themselves but with a touch of juice or lemonade they are a hit. This is my blueberry infused water! It does look dark in this light but it isn't quite as strong as it appears. Coming soon I will have a whole post on our summer drink recipes! We've been experimenting with mocktails, water infusions, and lots of refreshing concoctions!
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I have had some requests for kid friendly food recipes. I finally had some good ideas and a decent way to execute it! Today, some friends and I had a "Kid Creative Food Picnic". I decided this would be a cool idea to make my "Kid Friendly Sushi Rolls". While they aren't really sushi it's a fun thing to make for the kids and I'm going to be experimenting with the different ways to make the rolls. For today I made 2 kinds: turkey and cheese, then roasted red pepper hummus and veggies! I've seen several ways to make the rolls, you can use rice, tortillas (and make little mini wraps), or bread. I choose bread for this time around but I think Spinach wraps would've been better. I rolled out my bread (crust removed) to flatten it, added my ingredients, rolled it, and cut it! Simple and my boys thought they were way cool! We also made fruit kabobs!! Don't have skewers? Did you know that for fruit kabobs you can use dry spaghetti noodles? That's what we did! The ones I have pictured I made at home but for our picnic we also had apples, strawberries, and cheese cubes! They were great! The kids had a blast! We also had awesome ranch oyster crackers, a banana pineapple cream pie, and assorted chips! The kiddos had a blast together and the food was a hit! Thanks to Kalyn for bringing her camera and taking these great shots of our picnic! Kalyn Collaborations!! :)
Because it's sinfully good. Very punny I know. Okay, I get these pretty nasty chocolate cravings, to the point where I could like 7 heresy bars in a sitting cravings. It's ugly, also this recipe- only feeds the demon. When I get one of these delightful cravings, I don't want it to take forever to get my fix. I'm also a cookie addict. Shameless. However store bought cookies don't really do it for me. Until I discovered something, now I'm sure it's been done before me- but this little trick I discovered on my own. Store bought pre-made dough (preferably in the little bricks and honestly the Pillsbury dough is really sticky, the cheap cheap stuff from ALDI works great). A jar of peanut butter and a jar or hazel nut spread. Oh yeah. I use two cookie "bricks" and on one cookie spread peanut butter and the other spread hazel nut- I then smash them together into a beautiful morphing of sweet goodness. Repeat and bake as per instructions. The butter's make them super super moist and soft, not always pretty, but I will probably never bake cookies any other way again. If I want more cookies, sometimes I'll just spread the butter over the top (for this I usually just use hazel nut) and bake, it has the same effect as far as moist/softness. Vastly improves store bought cookies. Prepare to let go of your diet. These are amazing. I'm thinking of experimenting with these in muffin tins and "cookie bar" style as well. We'll see. I think it will be good! Also, I regret that I lack a picture for this blog, however I have one that is very similar below. I'll get my experiments posted soon! Image credit: http://www.purplehousecafe.com/2013/03/08/nutella-stuffed-brown-butter-sea-salt-cookies/
There's how to make Christmas cookies- and there's how you actually make Christmas cookies. We will be discussing the latter. It's Christmas time and in my family we have an time honored tradition of packing even further unnecessary weight by baking ridiculous amounts of treats. This year I was excited to had K be a part of the fun. So we begin: Step 1:Begin your day with 3. 25 hours of sleep. (This is an important step). Drive to store. Run across cookie mix. Inform child that they will have dinner as soon as you are done at the store. Hear toddler fussing loudly and quickly (and without thinking that's important) grab packet of sugar cookie mix. Pay and exit store quickly. Recall you did not purchase frosting. Irritated Toddler says "Like you think we're going back in there?" in baby-squeel. Decide you'll be making frosting. Step 2.Call Mother about home-made frosting. Leave for cookie time. Run back in house for food coloring for homemade frosting. You've arrived at time and place to make cookies. Greet family and unload. Tell children: "You need to stay out of the kitchen right now." Chat with family and grab a bowl and mix ingredients. (See package, usually butter, eggs, water). Notice in fridge that mother has made homemade dough- realize your children won't love you as much as they could, but concede that your mix is going to have to do. Get teary eyed looking at the Cookie cutters you used with your Grandma. Feel excited to use them with the kids. Tell Children: "I told you to stay out of the kitchen." Step 3Poor mix into mixing bowl. Notice you have margarine not butter. Half-assedly glob margarine into 1/2 dry measuring cup. Add egg. Add a little water- say about the 1 teaspoon it requires. Mix with electric mixer. Worry about consistency and add more water. Repeat. Twice. Tell Children: "You need to stay out of the kitchen right now. You'll get a turn." Ask Mother why dough looks funny. Mother mixes further with electric mixer. Notice dough is very sticky. Notice this will not roll out. Determine this will hamper planned nostalgia with child. Mother determines more flour must be added. Tell Children: "No, stay out of there. Be careful of your brother. No, I told you to stay out of the kitchen." Get Children snack. Add indeterminable amount of flour. Mix. Dough is now thicker- and still sticky. Forgo planned nostalgia. Remember mom's (untouchable) home-made dough. Kick yourself. Step 4.Decide to improvise. K will decorate the "face" of the cookies. Locate cookie sheet. Hunt around for cooking spray. In a hurry spoon far too large portions of dough onto cookie sheet. Are completely lost regarding the principle of heat expansion. Tell Children: "That oven is hot, you stay out of the kitchen, you're time will come. Go!" Think, "huh" that was supposed to make 2 dozen. I didn't even get one." Pop cookies into oven at 350 degrees. Step 5.Wish you had some wine. Monitor cookie progress in over. Take a lesson in heat expansion. Tell Children: "I'm serious you guys, stay out of the kitchen." Decide your cookies are whimsical. Remember you did not purchase frosting. Step 6.Ask Mother how to make home-made frosting. Children hear frosting and come running. Remind them to stay out of the kitchen. "Add a little powdered sugar and some milk. Mix it together. Make it thin but not milk thin." Scoop indeterminable amount of powdered sugar and add a bit of milk. Mix. Readjust MANY times until desired consistency is reached. Add food coloring. Remember that there are cookies in the oven. Recall the heat expansion thing. Try not to let Mother see. Realize that's inevitable. Tell Children: "Go play and get out of the kitchen. Where is your Dad?" Step 7.Pull shameful cookies from oven. Let them cool. Get Children another snack and ask they stay out of the kitchen. Go sit next to husband and feel a brief moment of peace. Children immediately begin crying. Step 8.It's finally time to decorate! Tell Children: "Come on, I thought you wanted to be in the kitchen?" Have K wash hands. Pull up chair and show him how to finger paint the frosting on the cookies. Paint one yourself. Hear: Can I eat one now, several times. Snap a few quick pictures for social media. Allow kids to eat ONE cookie. Clean up everything! (including trail of chips left by cranky sick toddler). Load up all the stuff. Drive home. Collapse. Everyone naps, because sometimes you win. Does your holiday ever happen like this? Usually I'm a better baker but not on 3 hours of sleep. :) There are a couple cool things here though!
We had a great time. The cookies didn't taste too bad. The neat thing about the frosting is it works like water colors, it will be cool for a different "painting" activity in the future I'm sure. Changing the dietary habits of a family is not a small undertaking. Not only is it challenging for the adults, it can be especially difficult with children. I've been doing some research to find healthy foods that kids will eat. From my own experience as well as some interesting articles on health foods that children will allegedly consume. This article for example: http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/nutrition-101/healthy-foods-kids-00412000068618/ #1) Flaxseed- Very very healthy for the kiddos- However, you have to sneak this one in. They suggest sprinkling it on cereal or cutting it into pancakes. I have my doubts that this would fly with the boys. I am however, tempted to try it. Do you think your kids would be willing? #2) Tofu- I haven't tried a Tofu smoothy- I harbor doubts. #3) Sweet Potatoes!!1 YES! Finally one I can point to and say "YES! My kids love SWEET Potatoes!!" We make Sweet potato fries with a bit of Greek seasoning- they LOVE it! This article also included yogurt (they love it), hummus (they don't), salmon burgers (ew), avocado (well, I like it), and finally mangoes (big yes). Do your kids enjoy any of these foods? The: "Decidedly no" face.It isn't always easy trying to introduce something new. Sometimes, we're met with obstacles like the "unequivocally, most decidedly, absolutely NO!" face. There are different approaches to encouraging children to eat healthy. One idea is to make the food very pleasing to the eye. If you have the talent like this mom I applaud you! http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/samantha-lee-pop-culture-food-art-instagam Below image is found in the above link Yeah, I'm not that awesome. However there is a happy medium! There are options, all is not lost! Check out some of these ideas: http://www.parenting.com/gallery/fun-recipes-for-kids?pnid=112461 below image from above link This is a little more my speed, even adding some peanut butter to this- or raw honey! A little messier yes but very yummy! You could make it into a cool kiddie faux fondue! Here's the bottom line though, it takes experimentation. Through experiments with new foods, unique or attractive presentation, or fun ways to eat the food- it can help children as well as parents, start making positive changes to their diet! I know this photo doesn't totally fit context- but I love it so it had to be put in!! His face matches his brother's above!! HA! Hope you found some good ideas! I'll let you know what works for us! |
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