Once Fall is in full swing, the first ingredients that I want to use and eat are apples.  The greenmarkets here in New York are overflowing with crates containing every variety imaginable - one orchard even named the fruit from unidentified tree "Jim Smith".  Apples are so versatile and universally loved by children.  Usually when we think of apples, pie comes to mind.  Apple pie is one of those foods that brings such comfort and delight to any occasion.  It certainly sets the mood and I plan to make one very soon...

However, this week when I was cooking with my class, we needed an apple recipe that could be made easily and quickly.  Another requirement of this recipe was that it had to be engaging for the children.  That's how we ended up making Apple and Potato Pancakes.  (Actually, we made apple, potato and carrot pancakes, but that name doesn't flow as well.)  They were quite surprised when I told them that these pancakes were different from the pancakes that they eat for breakfast - no syrup required - which makes them healthier too.  Apples and potatoes work well together in a recipe because they cook at almost the same time.  You can experiment by adding other root vegetables to the mix, such as beets, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and pumpkin.  The kids will benefit from the added nutrients and love them just the same.

One of the most versatile snacks, for children and adults alike, is granola.  It contains ingredients such as dried fruits, oats, and nuts that contain healthy grains and proteins. Your choices among the nuts, oats and fruits allow for limitless variations tailored to your household's specific tastes.  Making it is as much fun as eating it, since you can nibble on the ingredients along the way.



We made the granola as a yogurt fruit parfait topping, making use of the last of this season's strawberries and raspberries (and fresh mint for garnish). Granola is fantastic eaten on its' own; think - lunch box treat.  However, it can be baked into the peak of muffins and breads, or sprinkled over butternut squash and pumpkin soups.  Experimenting with granola is easy and rewarding because there is little chance of a kitchen disaster.  Use granola where you would use chopped nuts and let it take you to new combinations.

When shopping for fruits and vegetables, it's not always possible to purchase organic.  It could be due to cost, availability or even poor quality.  At times, that organic pear might be in worse condition than the conventionally grown option.  The local produce vendor may not carry organic grapes, yet carries organic apples.  In most areas, the organic fruits and vegetables are higher priced than conventionally grown (as it stands - organic produce is more expensive to grow), which renders it prohibitive for those on a tight budget. 
                        
We all want to purchse the best food we can, including fruits and vegetables organically grown without pesticides.  Unfortunately, given the state of the economy, it is not always possible to exclusively buy organically grown produce.  Many people will regularly purchase specific organic items together with foods that may or may not be organic.  Yet, as far as fruits and vegetables are concerned, some are grown with more pesticides than others.  According to a study conducted by The Environmental Working Group (EWG), thick-skinned foods such as avocados, mangoes, and bananas carry less pesticides than celery, peaches and apples.  Their website lists the 10 best and 10 worst fruits and vegetables according to toxicity levels.  A link to their site can be found here.  You can print out their shopping list and even get an application for your cell phone so you can refer to it while shopping.

Here is how the EWG lists the best and worst fruits and vegetables on their site as (the full list can be found here):

10 Most Toxic Conventionally Grown Fruits and Vegetables (in descending order of pesticide toxicity levels):
Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers (11 different pesticides found on a single pepper)
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes
Pears (86 percent of samples tested found with detectable pesticides)

10 Least Toxic Conventionally Grown Fruits and Vegetables (in descending order of pesticide toxicity levels):
Cabbage
Bananas
Kiwi
Asparagus (7 percent of samples tested found with detectable pesticides)
Sweet Peas
Mangoes
Pineapples
Sweet Corn
Avocados
Onions (1 pesticide found on a single onion)

It is best to buy organic when shopping for items that rated lower on their list, such as: pears, grapes and apples.  On the other hand, it's certainly helpful to know when you are debating between a $5.99 avocado and a $1.99 avocado.

How do you determine whether to purchase organic produce?

As many schools and parents must contend with peanut allergies, bringing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to school isn't a simple matter.  Some schools ban all peanut products outright, and others isolate the peanut-toting children to their own table.

Faced with this dilemma early on, I started buying and serving nut butters to my daughter instead of peanut butter.  At first she didn't enjoy the flavors of these "peanut butters".  However, once we found sunbutter (or sunflower seed butter) at the recommendation of a friend, she was hooked.  In fact, she refuses to eat any other type of nut spread. 

Sunbutter has a deep nutty flavor unlike cashew, almond, or soy butters.  Other than flavor, the great thing about it is that it does not contain peanuts.  Thus, people with peanut allergies can enjoy "peanut butter and jelly" sandwiches as well.  For more options, sunflower (sunbutter) can be used in a snack and dip container.

We use two different brands of sunflower seed butter interchangeably. 

Part II (go to Part I)

Israeli couscous with corn, pineapple and grated beets

HEALTHY LUNCH IDEAS – EASY AND NUTRITIOUS

Now that you have inspiration from all of your new containers, it’s time to start thinking about packing a daily lunch.  Great lunches are something your child will look forward to each day.

The best way to start is by letting your children make some requests.  Better yet, bring them with you to the grocery store.  If they pick it out, they are more apt (and obliged) to eat it.  You can then steer them towards healthy selections.  They get what they want.  Everyone wins.

I try to balance a protein with vegetables or fruits and carbohydrates that contain nutritious grains (such as whole wheat breads or pastas).  Here are some combinations that can be used in the various containers I wrote about last week.

SNACK AND DIP

DIP - Hummus, Tabouleh, Ranch or Vinaigrette

SERVE WITH Fill ½ with pita slices, pita chips, pretzel thins
                        Fill the other ½ with carrots, celery, beets, fennel, cucumbers,
                        red pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, small potatoes,
                        olives, cornichons.

DIP - Tomato sauce or Pesto

SERVE WITH Pasta, meatballs, mozzarella slices, sliced chicken or sausage.

DIP - Ketchup

SERVE WITH Steamed chicken slices or nuggets. 
                       Mini-sausage, (try the smoked chicken and apple minis
                       from Aidells).

DIP - Peanut butter

SERVE WITH Sliced fruit rubbed with lemon half to prevent browning.
                        Toast points or crackers. Celery.

DIP – Mustard

SERVE WITH Rolled turkey, ham or salami with rolled cheese,
                        add some vegetables to this as well.  

DIP- Plain yogurt (sweeten with Agave if necessary)

SERVE WITH Apples, break rice cakes into 1/4s, grapes, berries and granola.

DIP - Guacamole

SERVE WITH Rolled quesadilla – make by melting cheese, chicken, pork or
                       sliced vegetables between two soft tortillas.  Roll into log and bake
                       until the cheese is melted.  Slice into rings. 

NOTE: Use these same components for the containers from Laptop Lunches.

THERMOS-HOT/COLD
This is the container I use most when saving some portion of dinner for lunch the next day, especially on nights where the meal is one my daughter really enjoys.  I don’t wait to see if we will have extra.  I fill the thermos container before we begin eating and put it into the refrigerator right away.  I will also take components from the meal, such as cooked beets, when I know they can work with something else.  

The thermos is perfect for stews, soups, pasta dishes, rice with steamed vegetables and my favorite, couscous.

Couscous Recipe – A form of pasta, originally from Morocco and environs, couscous is very easy to make.  The tiny sand-like couscous cooks in less time than it takes to make a sandwich.  Pour uncooked couscous into the thermos container, about halfway to the top.  Pour boiling water over it to cover.  Add the lid and wait for 10 minutes (or less, depending upon the size of the thermos) until water is absorbed. Mix in cubed cold or hot veggies as desired. Simple!
                                                                                                                                     
(freeze yogurt sticks so they will thaw and be cold by lunchtime)

MINI CONTAINERS FROM IKEA

These are great for berries, grapes, cut fruit, dips, cereals, nuts and granola.

FUN STUFF

Use cookie cutters to make your lunch interesting, perhaps using a different one each week (“heart” week or day).

Add inspirational notes to your lunches.  Some examples:  
MAKE A NEW FRIEND TODAY!  
TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED!

Teach a math problem (2+2=4) or a new word with a definition on a small post-it tucked inside their lunchbox - they will definitely read it.

Use these ideas as an outline, as they are certainly meant to be flexible.  The important thing is to balance nutrition and fun, so lunch is an event rather than a chore.

It’s great to hear what other parents do, so please share some of your ideas too.

HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL EVERYONE! (go back to Part 1)


~Romy   


                                  

HOORAY!!  IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL TIME!!

Part One - Lunch Containers  (Go to Part II)
Now that they are back to school, it's time to think about what to make for lunch again.  Making lunch can be fun or it can be a real drag.

The easiest way to get creative with lunch is with great lunch containers.  This is where it all starts.  If you can find containers that accommodate several items, they will allow for your experimentation.  Most kids like to eat small portions of many items, rather than a large portion of one thing.  Some kids like their food mixed together, but a great many of them like their food to stand alone (and not touch anything else).  This is where a container with multiple compartments comes in handy.

In addition to the ease involved with creating lunch menus, containers like these also provide an outlet for planning balanced meals which are healthy.  Instead of purchasing packaged snacks, save money and boost the nutrition factor by making your own mini snacks that contain fruits and vegetables, or grains and nuts.  This way you have control over the all-important sodium content, among other things.


                                                                   
                                                                       Snack and Dip (with yogurt)
One of my favorite containers is square with a covered dip container in the middle and an area around the outside for the items to dip.  It can be found at the Container Store. I usually put hummus in the middle and carrots around the outside.However, the options are limitless. Dips, peanut and fruit butters,yogurt and tomato sauce can reside in the middle, while veggies like carrots, red peppers and cucumbers, rice cakes, toast, granola, fruit,or even cooked penne, can be matched up as dippers (more ideas).

(Food Jar - Thermos Photo)


Regardless of the brand of container you get, use something that inspires you to make healthy food choices for your kids, while at the same time is interesting enough to inspire your own creativity.

Once you get the containers, come back for some ideas on what to put inside.  Making lunch might be a parent's duty, but it doesn't have to feel that way!

STAY TUNED FOR WHAT TO PUT INSIDE....(Go to Part II) 

Recently my friend told me that her child would not eat anything green.  He would, however, eat pasta with butter and cheese (like most kids his age).  My answer?  Pesto!  Sure it's green, but it you can put it on PASTA!  Or rice.  Or bread for that matter.

(We discarded any leaves that were bruised or discolored.  They are fun to play with.)

It's a very simple dish with few ingredients, requires no cooking, and takes advantage of the amazing basil that is in season right now.

The kids love making pesto because they get great tasks, like pulling off the fragrant basil leaves from the stems, grating the cheese, and slowing adding a stream of olive oil to the food processor as it magically whirls the mixture.  They also get a kick out of sticking their little finger into the bowl for a taste of the pesto before it is added to the pasta.

A healthy option here is to add spinach leaves, or any other mild green, to the basil.  I am not talking about sneaking the spinach into the mix.  The fact that the kids see the spinach going into the pesto will not deter them from tasting it in the end.  Just tell them to add the spinach too.  No worries. 

Try it for yourself and you will see what I mean.

BASIL AND SPINACH PESTO

1 1/2 cups packed basil leaves
1/2 cup packed spinach leaves
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Add all of the ingredients, except for the olive oil, to the bowl of a food processor or blender.  Begin to pour the oil into the top of the container and turn the machine on to start the process.  Slowly add the oil in a stream until it is fully absorbed.  Scrape down the bowl and continue to pulse until the mixture is combined to a loose paste-like consistency.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste.  Feel free to add additional oil or cheese to your liking.

To make with pasta, put the pesto in a large bowl.  Add 1 pound of hot cooked pasta on top.  Wait 30 seconds (to heat up the pesto) and toss thoroughly.

Believe me, if your child won't normally eat "green", she/he will now.

  

I know I said I wasn't making dessert this year, but I broke down and did it.  When I asked the host of a party we are attending what I could bring, he said ... you guessed it ... dessert.  The brownies I made didn't look very festive.  I couldn't help myself.  I had to make something else too.  So here it is.

This is a simple jelly roll with whipped cream inside, but the decoration could be adapted to any cake.  The general rule with these things is have fun!!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Romy

It's that time again.  No, I don't mean the time when it is so hot you can't turn on an oven.  I am talking about the time of year when all creative cooks are racking their brains to come up with RED, WHITE and BLUE dishes.  Usually these dishes end up being desserts made with red berries, blue berries and sugar, or coconut, or whipped cream, or some other yummy WHITE food. 

I have gotten in the groove (rut?) these past few years of making a delicious flag tart  from Martha Stewart.  Although it is gorgeous and tasty, it involves making two tart doughs, having special tart pans, and many hours of refrigerating (in and out).  Regardless, everyone should try it once because it is definitely worth the work.

This year, though, I decided to make something other than dessert.  I wanted a dish that would be easy to make with the kids, but still be interesting.  After buying tons of vegetables that could qualify the flag colors, I set to work and this is what I came up with.  There is also an adult version (see pic below).

What is your favorite 4th of July dish?

 
                              
              
KIDS FLATBREAD FLAG


INGREDIENTS - amounts will vary depending on the size you make, but one pint of each of the veggies, 1 package of bread and 1 lb. each of the cheeses will be a good start for 4 small tarts.
NOTE:  you can toss the extra potato slices with salt, pepper and olive oil and bake for 5 minutes, for some tasty blue chips.

baby purple potatoes
cherry tomatoes
fresh mozzarella cheese
ricotta cheese

flatbread or pita bread

olive oil
feta cheese

Thinly slice potatoes on a mandoline or carefully by hand.  Slice tomatoes into thin rounds.  Cut mozzarella into 1/4" cubes.  Cut bread into a rectangle (size of your choice) and brush with olive oil on both sides.

Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese onto the bread.  Layer potatoes on the top quarter of the bread.  Line the tomatoes and mozzarella across in alternating rows.  Brush the top with olive oil and season with salt (black pepper will ruin the look, so if you use pepper, use white pepper) and pepper.  Bake for 10 minutes at 375.

The potatoes will curl up slightly during baking.  If you wish, you can press them for 5 or 10 minutes with a weighted spatula until they flatten.

ADULT FLATBREAD FLAG



For this version, use beets and radishes (they are great cooked) in place of the tomatoes and cheese.  Leave out the ricotta cheese as well.

Serve alone or with salad.  Happy 4th of July!! 

Romy

 

Head Chefs

When my daughter was learning fractions in her second grade class, she came home one day asking how to practice.  It only took me a second to pull out my measuring cups.  We filled the 1-cup with two ½ cups, the 2/3-cup with two 1/3 cups, and so forth.  Without realizing it, we use fractions in our everyday lives as a regular part of our daily tasks.  This is most evident in the kitchen.  Pouring water back and forth between the measuring cups is a stunning visual that reinforces the way fractions work. 

Naturally (I can’t help myself), I decided to take the lesson one step further. 

I happened upon cute and cuddly cooking tools!  The various styles come with the business ends of a spoon (Miss/Mr. Purple), whisk (Miss/Mr. Green), ¼ and ½ measuring cup (Miss/Mr. Pink), a spatula (Miss/Mr. Yellow), and a pastry brush (soon to be Miss/Mr. Blue), attached to bendable silicone bodies complete with belly buttons, and suction-cup feet.  Not only are they a blast to work with, they actually function quite well.  The shapes are easy for little hands to hold.  The cups are so popular in our class that I put these darlings on the table, even if we don’t need them for a particular recipe.  They are learning “share, share, that’s fair” too.  

But, I must admit, my Tupperware measuring cups are my favorites.

  

These no-frills cups come in more sizes than the regular 4 piece sets (usually, evens or odds) and are extremely durable.  I received them as a gift from my sister many years ago and they still look new.  The style I have is no longer offered, but the new ones look similar in size and material, just cuter.  Remember going to those parties?  Now you can buy them here: Tupperware online.

 
The more the kids become familiar with them, the easier it will be to learn the math facts later on.  By the way – in case you forgot, pizzas and pies work well with fractions lessons too.

What do you use? 

-Romy