It wasn’t very long ago that every nutritionist advised us to steer clear of all fats as much as possible especially for recipes for kids. But recent studies have shown that there are certain types of fat that aren’t so bad. In fact, they are actually good for us, as long as we don’t consume too much of them.
It has long been agreed that humans need a certain amount of fat in their diets. It’s a small amount, but this little bit of fat is essential to good health. And if you strive to make sure that most of the fats that you consume are of the “good” variety, your health will flourish even more.
Good Fats
All good fats are known as unsaturated fats. Within this category, there are two different kinds of fats.
Monounsaturated fats have been proven to aid in weight loss. They also lower our LDL (bad cholesterol) levels while raising our HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Monounsaturated fats are found in many different kinds of nuts, including almonds, peanuts, pistachios and walnuts. There is also a large amount of monounsaturated fat in certain oils, including avocado oil, canola oil and olive oil.
Like monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol. But they also provide protection to the heart, making heart disease and heart attacks less likely in those who consume them regularly. There are two main categories of polyunsaturated fats: Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids. These fats are found in corn, soy and sunflower oils, as well as fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and rainbow trout.
Bad Fats
Saturated fats are naturally occurring bad fats. We need a small amount of saturated fat in our diets, but most of us get too much of it. Eating too much saturated fat raises bad cholesterol and increases our risk of many different diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
There’s another kind of bad fat, which is man-made and is found in many foods. Hydrogenated fat, also known as trans fat, is created by adding hydrogen to polyunsaturated fat. This is done to make the fat solid at room temperature. Use of trans fat was widespread for many years, because it was believed to be less harmful than saturated fats. But it was recently discovered that trans fat is even worse for our health than saturated fat, as it raises LDL cholesterol and lowers HDL. The FDA now requires the amount of trans fat in foods to be shown on the nutrition label.
Too much of any kind of fat is a bad thing. But if we replace the harmful fats in our diet with those that are good for us, and consume them in moderation, our health will benefit.
It’s not uncommon for people to try to shed extra pounds. Many times people decide to try to lose weight at the beginning of the New Year. If you’re trying to slim down, here are some healthy recipe for kids ideas to help you lose weight.
People often think that when they’re trying to drop extra pounds they’re limited to what they can eat, and that’s true to a degree. But, there’s no need to starve yourself or eat nothing but rice cakes. You can have snacks which are healthy and taste great so you won’t have to suffer while you’re slimming down.
Advertisements on television and in magazines state each person needs a certain number of dairy servings a day. The ads claim you can actually lose weight by consuming dairy products. Well, why not eat low-fat yogurt as a snack. Add fresh fruit to the yogurt and you’ve taken care of one serving of dairy and one serving of fruit for the day. You’ll also have the benefit of the vitamins and minerals from both foods which are necessary for health.
What do you do if you don’t like yogurt that much? You can get dairy servings in other ways, too; try a low-fat milkshake or smoothie. Using skim or low-fat milk, ice, and either fresh or frozen fruit, you can make a great milkshake to enjoy for breakfast or at any other time of the day.
If you’d like to try something different, why not simply try a green smoothie? You use water, 100% fruit juice, water, fruit, and then add raw spinach or another green leafy vegetable. It may take a bit to get used to, but once you’ve had this type of drink you’ll soon learn to love them. This will be very low fat, as you’re not adding anything to the fruit, vegetables and water, and will be full of health-giving vitamins and minerals.
Make muffins using applesauce in place of the fat (margarine or butter). This will make the muffins lower fat than traditional recipes and you may not even recognize the difference as far as taste. Add shredded carrots to the muffins to give you more nutrients. Use other fruits or vegetables such as bananas and zucchini to make the muffins moist and delicious.
Popcorn is a great healthy snack idea as long as you don’t smother it in butter. Air-popped popcorn has no fat, is healthy, and can be filling. Instead of using salt and melted butter to flavor the popcorn, try adding onion powder, garlic powder, or nutritional yeast instead. Be adventurous and try to find a combination that you’ll enjoy. If you feel you must use fat to help flavor the popcorn, use a spray of olive oil which is a good fat.
When choosing healthy snacks that help you lose weight, remember to choose foods which are low-fat. You also want to limit the amount you eat at one sitting. Even snacks which are healthy can cause you to gain weight rather than lose it if you eat too much.
Give your kids with some healthy doses of seafood nutrients with this recipe for kids: Valentine’s Day Smoked Oysters and Bacon Appetizer
Ingredients:
2 cups smoked oysters
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp garlic, minced
½ lb bacon strips, cut in thirds
Toothpicks
Instructions:
Wrap bacon slice around an oyster and place toothpick through to hold it together.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet, add garlic. Then fry bacon wrapped oysters until the bacon is nice and crisp. Remove from the skillet and place on paper towel to drain.
Healthy friendly recipes for kids are the need of the hour as more children across the globe tend towards obesity, stemming from poor eating habits and inactivity.
You can give your kids what they like to eat, yummy foods that are delicious and healthy. Teaching a child to eat healthy from the start will avoid a lot of problems later on as the child grows. Overweight children tend to have medical issues involving the heart and blood pressure and then there is the psychological factor as well, overweight children get bullied and mocked. You can prevent all of this as a parent by making sure your child eats the right kinds of nutritious food and leads an active life.
Parents can develop healthy eating patterns in children by being innovative and making use of some very healthy kid friendly recipes that use vegetables and proteins in combinations that provide for lower calorie, vitamin and mineral rich foods will teach a child to eat right and enjoy it. Whole grains are full of proteins but need to be served up as appealing fare to get children to eat the food and calcium rich foods are a must for the child’s bone development.
Busy work schedules and microwavable food have seriously affected the growing child’s overall growth and development, because bad eating habits make for nutrition less food. Parents tend to think that as the child grows these deficiencies can be made up for but that it is absolutely the wrong thinking. Right nutrition goes a very long way in making for a healthy child and the positive effects carry on into adulthood, helping defend against medical illnesses.
Children who are raised on nutritious foods adapt quickly to the food and don’t have any problem with eating it, but it is important to start them off right from the word go. Potato crisps are yummy but not nutritious, while fruit is tasty and good for a child. While it is true that it is far easier to whiz through the market picking up snacks and other munchies, it is well worth the time invested in shopping for healthy fruits and vegetables. Buy more fish, which is full of omega 3 fatty acids that are excellent for the body. Always check the child’s food pyramid for your food options and try as far as possible to stick to it.
Make sure your healthy kid friendly recipes include generous helpings of the daily recommended allowances of vitamins and minerals. You can get the vitamins and minerals chart to help you closely adhere to the necessary daily intake and make sure the food groups you buy cover all of them. Children who eat healthy, nutritious food seldom need vitamin supplements. Your pediatrician can help you make informed decisions about the food you give your child. Calcium, iron, zinc and fluoride, and vitamins A, C, D and K should be included in healthy does in the foods you feed your child.
There are several good books that you can buy, which provide healthy kid friendly recipes to help feed your child favorite foods that are healthy alternatives to high calorie diets.
It’s a well known fact – growing children love to snack! Making fun healthy kids snacks will provide your children with fillers between meal times that are healthy and nutritious for child development.
While it is very easy to hand a bag of potato chips to your child to munch on, it will not give the child any nutritional value. Too much fast food, oily foods and over eating have led to a huge problem of overweight children across the country. As parents we have to take control of our children’s eating habits and steer them on the right path to eating foods that provide the nutrition the body needs to grow healthy and strong.
Children get hungry very quickly and if you have trained your child to eat right from a very young age you will not have any problem in getting them to eat the right kinds of snacks. Every growing child is going to need fillers between meals and it is better to train a child to eat smaller portioned meals more often. Healthy snacks are good fillers and can consist of fruits and other whole grain snacks that will add value to the growing body.
Supermarkets are inundated with kids snacks in exciting packages and oh so easy to just dump a few in the trolley and move on. Time savers indeed! These processed foods contain plenty of sugar that is not good for anybody. You can make eating fruit a lot more fun by blending it into yoghurt that makes for a very tasty snack. Alternatively you can also serve the child a fruit platter with a bowl of flavored yoghurt as a dip. Another alternative to getting your child to eat more fruit is to make fruit popsicles – goes down great on a summer day. Fruit smoothies are really very popular among children and can be made from low fat milk, yoghurt and fresh fruit. Your child gets the dual health benefits from fruit and low fat dairy products together. You can make up combinations of fresh vegetables and exciting dips or put low fat peanut butter on whole grain crackers. All of these ideas make for healthy snacks that are going to fill your child up in more ways than one with the goodness of nutrition.
When we are busy rushing around between work, the kids and home with barely a minute to breathe, it is very difficult to think nutritious when easy is all that comes to mind. However, every parent is urged to find the time to make up a list of fun healthy kids snacks based on the preferences of the child. Make a conscious effort to shop right; if you don’t have it in the house the child is not tempted to eat it!
If you take the time to consider your options to provide fun healthy kids snacks you will be pleasantly surprised, there is quite a list of possibilities ranging from fruit, pretzels, crackers with peanut butter, muffins, yoghurt, granola and so much more. Make the time – your child’s health depends on the food you feed him or her.
Children today are as intelligent as they come and providing a healthy lifestyle for kids is very essential to their well being and overall growth for child development. Active children are healthy children and in order for them to stay active you have to get them away from the television or video game or computer that keeps them fixed to the chair and out of doors.
America has a problem with as many as one in five kids being overweight. Children need to eat balanced, nutritional meals and healthy snacks, and stay active. In a world as fast paced as ours it is difficult to be there for your kids when you hold down a full time job but the effort needs to be made. A healthy lifestyle for kids is very important and involves making the time needed to prepare healthy meals for your children. If left to their own devices we all know well what a child’s menu would consist of and any child who controls his or her own diet by zapping favorite foods in the microwave is in for trouble.
While it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure a healthy lifestyle for kids, research has shown that there are several external factors that are also responsible for our overweight children. Fast food is the number one culprit with their high calorie content and portion size. More children are being driven to school instead of good old fashioned ‘walking the two blocks to school’ concept. Of course this can also be attributed to child safety concerns. With the advent of the television, video game console and the computer it has become increasingly difficult to pry a child away and get them outdoors to play. Ask your child to stop playing his video game and come outside for a game of one-on-one basketball; the look you will get as good as asks whether you are from outer space!
Camps are an excellent solution for tackling this problem; they are geared to provide nutritious food and a whole lot of interesting activities that keep kids active and on their toes. It is hoped that the right eating habits and healthy lifestyle for kids taught at camp will translate to the home environment as well. Some of the benefits of sending your child to camp regularly can be summed up as:
• Camps are designed to reinforce positive development of children.
• At camp the child learns about foods that are good for them; these choices are presented in a fun environment in the company of other children, making it an overall happier experience to eat the things that are good for you but you may not like.
• Camps have adult staffs who serve as mentors to support healthy behavior in terms of eating and activities.
• There is a range of healthy outdoor activities even for the most die hard television fan and it is always fun to get involved in activities with other children.
• At camp children experience learning made fun through group activities that stimulate and educate; best of all there is a firm emphasis on the value of good nutrition.
People all over the country are trying to count calories, skip meals, cut out certain foods, or working out long hours to try to pare the pounds. One thing weight-loss experts recommend to anyone trying to slim down is that they create a food journal to help guide one’s nutrition demands. This is also applicable for overseeing the nutritional requirements of the family, especially recipes for kids.
You can create a food journal out of any number of materials. You can get a three-ring binder with notebook paper, a spiral ring notebook, create a journal to suit your needs, or print out pre-made food journals which you find on the internet.
The purpose of a food journal is to track what you’ve eaten during the day. This will give you an accurate picture of what you’ve eaten all day long. It will ensure you’re getting all of the nutrients you need as well as helping you keep track of how much water you’re getting each day.
* Choose the type of journal you’ll use. As stated above, you can use nearly anything as a journal as long as you can carry it with you to track what you’re eating. Online journals aren’t recommended unless you write everything down during the day and then record things at the end of the day.
* Write down everything you eat during a 24-hour period. This includes all meals, snacks, chewing gum, hard candies, or beverages. You may want to use two pages per day to ensure you have enough room to write everything down. You can also use the space for the day to write down if you’ve eaten alone, with friends, what mood you were in when you ate, or other information which might affect how much you ate during the day.
* Throughout the day, look at your journal to ensure you’re getting enough of each food group. Did you eat get five servings of fruits or vegetables? Did you drink enough water? Did you eat too much of any food or too many fats?
* By keeping the journal, you can see what you’re actually eating, which foods you’re eating too many of and can cut back on, and which foods you need to eat more of. You can also determine how many calories you’re eating each day, and then make a decision as to where you can cut back.
Some pre-made journals will break down what you’re eating into categories such as fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, fruits, and vegetables. You decide how in-depth you’d like your journal to be; if it’s too detailed and is more trouble than it’s worth you may not continue using it. The simpler you keep your journal, the more likely you’ll be to use it.
What can you learn when you create a food journal to help you lose weight? You can see if there are certain foods that cause you to stumble. You can also note if there are certain times of the day which you struggle most. Finally, you’ll have a better understanding of how much you’re actually eating during the day so you can decide what changes can be made to help you shed those unwanted pounds.
‘Organic Rising’ Contest Offers Great Prizes Including Trek Bicycles and a Year’s Worth of free Organic Valley Products
The New Year is the time for resolutions, especially ones about kick-starting a lifestyle that’s healthier for the body as well as the planet. This January, Organic Valley - a farmer-owned cooperative of more than 1,300 organic family farmers nationwide - is wheeling out a promotion that will help people fulfill that noble but often elusive resolution for recipes for kids and adults.
Beginning today, consumers can go to OrganicRising.com and enter to win prizes that complement the healthy choices they make when purchasing Organic Valley breakfast products at their local grocery store. Organic Valley will award three grand prizes of a Trek bicycle, free subscriptions to Organic Gardening magazine; and five prizes of a year of free Organic Valley products. The website also offers healthy breakfast tips and valuable coupons for nutritious Organic Valley breakfast products, including milk, orange juice, soy milk, eggs, butter and Organic Prairie brand breakfast link sausage. While online, consumers can use Organic Valley’s online calculator Organic Counts (www.organicvalley.coop/organiccounts) to measure the amount of toxic pesticides and synthetic nitrogen they’re helping to keep out of the environment by purchasing Organic Valley products.
For each Organic Rising contest entry, Organic Valley will donate $1 to the Rodale Institute (www.rodaleinstitute.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people and the planet through organic farming. This will add up to thousands of dollars for organic health and environmental research.
“Organic Valley wants to inspire families to start the new decade focused on the health of their bodies and the planet,” said Sarah Bratnober, marketing communications director for Organic Valley. “Simple choices, from starting each day with an organic breakfast, to heading out the door for a bike ride for some exercise, to supporting the work of organizations like the Rodale Institute are small actions that add up to a big difference.”
ChristianPF.com released an article listing 10 restaurants that allow kids to get a free meal if their parents purchase an entree. With the current economic conditions, families are looking for any break they can get, so if you have to eat out, why not eat at a restaurant that will serve good recipes for kids?
Some of the restaurants run the “kids eat free” deal every day of the week and some only offer it on a particular day of the week. Each restaurant also has its own definition of a kid. Kids are defined from age 3 to age 12 - each restaurant treats them differently.
These are just a few of the restaurants featured in the article…
*Chick-fil-A:* Tuesday nights from 5:30-7:30 p.m. At participating locations, kids can eat a free kid’s meal at Chick-fil-A on Tuesdays for Family Fun Night. There is a limit of 1 free kid’s meal per adult combo meal purchased.
*Boston Market:* Saturday & Sunday - two free kid’s meals with 1 adult purchase of $6 or more. Four free kid’s meals with purchase of a Family Meal. Offer available to kids 14 and under for dine-in, carryout and at drive-thru. No coupon required, but kids must be present to claim their meals. Promotion ends 1-31-10 and is not valid with any other discounts, coupons or special offers.
*Captain D’s:* Thursdays get 2 free kid’s meals with any adult entree purchase at regular price (dine-in only). Participating locations only - please check with your local Captain D’s for details.
*O’Charley’s:* Every day you can get 2 free kid’s meals for ages 10 and under per adult entree purchase.
Having trouble getting kids to eat the holiday turkey with all the trimmings? That’s because, as the “Real Holiday Helpings” survey* commissioned by Hellmann’s and Best Foods Mayonnaise revealed, although parents spend an average of six hours on holiday dinner preparation, kids would just as soon select recipes for kids pizza, chicken fingers or macaroni and cheese over traditional holiday fare. What’s more, even though kids recognize the time that goes into the family dinner, 49 percent still don’t eat everything on their dinner plate.
To help parents prepare Real Food they can feel good about serving the whole family this holiday season, Hellmann’s® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise partnered with critically acclaimed chef, author and TV personality Bobby Flay to create the “Real Holiday Helpings” program on www.Hellmanns.com and www.BestFoods.com. The online program includes recipes and tips for how to easily prepare Real Food that tastes great and is made from simple ingredients including Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise made with eggs, oil and vinegar.
Bobby Flay is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, television personality and he gained a widespread following by showing people how to prepare delicious meals that are made from simple and fresh ingredients.
This week at the Obesity Society 27th Annual Meeting, new child development data was presented showing that children deemed “vegetable resistant,” who don’t eat vegetables at all, significantly increased both the amount and variety of vegetables they ate when they were served with one of America’s favorite foods — peanut butter.
Raw carrots, celery, and broccoli were provided either with or without peanut butter for dipping and those not provided peanut butter, did not improve vegetable intake.
“We measured what they ate and were excited to see that even those who reported not eating vegetables, who are the most challenging group, ate a greater variety of vegetables with the peanut butter,” said Dr. Craig Johnston, Instructor at the Behavioral Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, at the USDA-ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas who conducted the study.
Vegetable intake has been shown to be beneficial against the development of many chronic diseases, but consumption in adolescents is well below recommended levels and strategies to increase intake in adolescents are limited.
Peanut butter was paired with vegetables in this study, because it is a nutrient-rich comfort food loved by kids and adults alike. In fact, it was well received and readily consumed by the students in this study all of whom are Mexican-American.
The adolescents are part of a treatment group in a successful weight loss program in schools that is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). Though some believe peanut butter would be associated with increased energy intake, the study has demonstrated significant weight loss that is maintained over time.
In the United States, over two-thirds of the nuts eaten are peanuts and peanut butter. Peanut butter provides over 15 key nutrients and is offered in Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) packages because of its protein, nutrient content, and affordability. Numerous studies have also shown that peanuts and peanut butter reduce the risk of chronic disease when eaten in small amounts daily and that they can help in weight management and keeping you satisfied.
Pairing vegetables with peanut butter is an effective, simple strategy for children and adolescents, which helps build positive eating habits and increases vegetable intake. Eating more vegetables with increased variety, by providing them with healthy, nutrient-rich foods like peanut butter may contribute to healthier lifestyles and chronic disease reduction.
The Peanut Institute is a non-profit organization that supports nutrition research and develops educational programs to encourage healthful lifestyles. Learn more about peanuts and health at www.peanut-institute.org
Many people in the United States have never heard about miso because they don’t eat Asian cuisine. Doctors’ reports, however, have agreed about the healing properties in miso. If you’re curious about it, here are six good reasons to start preparing miso as a recipe for kids.
For those who aren’t aware, miso is a paste made from fermented and ground soybeans which has been fermented for two months up to two years. It is often mixed with rice, barley, or wheat to speed up fermentation. Normally, it can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores.
1. Miso is versatile. It can be made into a dressing for salads, soup, or made into a tea. Miso comes in white, brown, deep red and creamy beige, each with its own distinct flavor. Flavors range from sweet and mild to savory and earthy.
2. Miso is also high in fiber and probiotics. It increases the enzymes your body produces in your digestive system by increasing beneficial micro-organisms. These micro-organisms will break down foods better which will enable more nutrients to be absorbed, giving you more energy.
3. Most people eat meat to get protein. However, miso provides high quality vegetable protein that is highly usable in the body. In fact, if you were to eat miso with whole grains, the proteins you consume would be increased. It also contains unsaturated oils and zero cholesterol, which doctors recommend as part of a heart-healthy diet.
4. Some reports have confirmed miso as being beneficial by helping prevent some cancers, heart disease, and other illnesses. It has also been touted to eliminate heavy metals, nicotine, and air pollutants from your system. Women who eat miso regularly have been shown to be less likely to develop breast cancer.
5. Miso is high in essential minerals such as zinc which aids the immune system. Iron, copper and manganese are also in ample supply in miso.
6. If you’re moving toward a more vegetarian diet, miso would be a great addition. It is high in vitamins K and B12, both essential for a healthy body.
How on earth do you use miso? There are a number of ways you can try to start using miso in your family’s meals: use it instead of a stock (chicken or vegetable) when making home-made soups, spread it on toast similar to butter, use it as a salt substitute when you’re cooking, or mix it with sesame oil and your favorite seasonings to make an Asian-inspired salad dressing.
Although doctors in the West can be slow to acknowledge the health benefits of foods used traditionally in the East, it seems they’re taking notice of miso. By reading these six reasons to start eating miso, you can see how this food from Japan can improve your health and help you avoid some diseases. Maybe it’s time to find it in your grocery store and make it a part of your family’s diet.
Like many families, you may feel the effects of a slowing economy. You may be searching for ways to save money and time. Think of making a menu plan - it’s a great way to save time and money in the kitchen for more child care time.
Creating nutritious meals day in and day out may be tiresome. If you start with a menu plan, you can make weekly meals your family will love. Here are some things to consider about creating menu plans:
* A menu plan allows you to create a focused grocery shopping list. Knowing what you need for each meal keeps you from racing through the grocery store trying to find something for dinner.
* A menu plan also allows you to save time in the kitchen. By knowing what you need, you know you have everything in place before beginning to make the meal.
* You can make a menu plan for one week, two weeks, or more. Keep each week’s menu plan and you can take notes on them about which ones the family liked, which ones they’d rather never eat again, and changes to side dishes that might be better.
* Putting together a meal plan can be a great way to feed your family a meal they’ll love as well as end your family’s hectic day on a peaceful note.
Now you know how making a menu plan can save you time and money in the kitchen. If you’ve never made a menu plan before, you may like to learn. Here are some easy steps you may want to follow when making your first one; you may want your family’s help.
1. Make a list of all the main dishes your family enjoys; don’t forget anything. It won’t matter how neat the list is, it’s just to get the ideas down on paper.
2. Try to write down the amount of time needed to prepare each dish. You may want to mark dishes that take considerably longer than 30 minutes to prepare, not counting cooking time, so you can save those for days you have more time.
3. Put each main dish into categories such as Mexican, Italian, Sandwiches, Soups and Salads, or Casseroles.
4. Decide which day you’ll do your shopping. Many people do all of their grocery shopping on Saturday. You may want to have leftovers on Friday night to make shopping day easier.
5. Check your calendar and look to see if there are any really busy days. Plan on having soup and salads on that night.
6. Fill in the rest of the calendar with a category. Determine which category of food you’ll have each night and then plan on having that category of dish every week on the same day.
7. After you have your categories planned, now it’s time to look through your cupboards to see which ingredients you already have and which ingredients you need to purchase. You can create your focused shopping list based on the ingredients you need for the meals on your meal plan.
8. Be flexible. Plans change, people stop over, or meetings are called. By having a meal plan, you can choose to switch meals from one day to another and still know you have everything you need.
Menu planning can make meal time much easier for your family. Look at these suggestions and use those you find helpful. Then get out some paper, a pen, and your calendar and make your own meal plan – a great way to save time and money in the kitchen.
Slow cooking is a nutritious means to give your child a quality meal. Use fresh or frozen ingredients rather than ingredients which are full of chemicals or preservatives for your recipes for kids. You can use fruits that are in season rather than canned ones which have fewer nutrients. Cooking foods on low heat over a longer period of time also helps the foods retain more of the vitamins and minerals.’
Your child can really use that extra dose of nutrition.
One of the main benefits of slow cooking is the ease by which it is done. Unlike traditional cooking methods, you don’t have to stand over the stove to ensure the dish cooks properly. You can place everything into the slow cooker, set it, and then walk away. In fact, you don’t even have to be at home while your meal cooks as most recipes require four to eight hours cooking time!
Saving time is another benefit of slow cooking. The major portion of the meal is done by the slow cooker, which leaves a side dish or salad and your meal is done. If you have more than one size of slow cooker, you can make a different component of the meal in each one.
Finally, the benefits of slow cooking can also improve your pocket book. You can find ingredients which are on sale at your grocery store to use in your slow cooker. You can also use cheaper groceries such as dried beans, noodles, and rice.
One sure favorite for your recipes for kids list. This will put some twist for the lonely vegetable salad servings or noodles and pasta. Try it and seize the taste of this different kind of sauce.
(Makes about 1 ½ cups)
Ingredients:
¾ cup boiling water
5 tbsp almond butter
4 tbsp miso
Method:
Combine almond butter and miso in medium bowl. Add half of the boiling water and – using a spoon – mash the mixture until it resembles a paste. Add the rest of the boiling water and blend thoroughly.
Pour over steamed vegetables and tofu or add to hot whole-wheat noodles.
This is a new way to indulge your kids in eating veggies. Try this recipe for kids with some twist of the cauliflower taste. With these yummy taste, this will surely win your kids’ stomach.
Method:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease oven baking dish
In a skillet, heat butter and sauté onions and garlic until onions are tender and slightly golden. Add cauliflower and cook for another minute. Transfer to grease baking dish.
Combine eggs, parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon in separate bowl. Spoon into the greased baking dish, then bake for 1 hour.
Make your kid’s popcorn craze a different one this time. Try this new recipe for kids. Give your kids a break from the usual cheese and barbecue flavor. So here is how to do it:
Ingredients:
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popping corn
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp sweet paprika
Method
In a little bowl, mix paprika, thyme, oregano, onion salt and half the vegetable oil.
Heat other half of oil in saucepan. When oil is very hot, add popping corn and cover with tight fitting lid. When the corn starts popping, give the pan a shake. When the corn stops popping, take pan off heat.
Place popcorn into a serving bowl, discarding any unpopped corn. Add the spice mixture and toss.
This is one of the best recipes for kids because it is inspired by the favorite food of Popeye The Sailorman. Very nutritious for the kids to eat!
Ingredients:
6 cups fresh spinach, torn
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
1 tbsp honey
1 cup green grapes, cut in half
1 cup raspberries
2 oranges, peeled and cut into sections
2 tsp fresh basil
2 cups of brown rice, cooked and chilled
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Add spinach, rice, grapes and sunflower seeds to a large salad bowl and combine.
Blend vinegar, oil, honey, basil, salt and pepper thoroughly and pour over rice mixture. Toss until well coated then gently add oranges and raspberries.
This would make an ideal accompaniment to any BBQ meat.
Avocado is one of the of most loved fruits of all time. Usually used for making ice candies and fruit juices but this time, it is a perfect recipe for kids as a soup. Try it!
Ingredients:
3 avocado (ripe)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cream
2 cups chicken stock
Fresh mint to garnish
Method:
Peel avocado and cut into bite-size chunks. In a blender, combine avocado, green onion, lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, jalapeno, 1 cup chicken broth and process until nice and creamy.
Pour soup mixture into a serving bowl and add the cream and the remaining chicken broth. Whisk with wire whisk until well blender. Put plastic wrap directly onto the soup and put into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Serve chilled and enjoy this fantastic summer soup, garnished with mint leaves.
Do you have some cravings for muffins? Well, try this recipe for kids. This is very easy to prepare. This is one-of-a-kind twist for the muffins because of the onion ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
3 cups flour
3 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
4 medium onions, quartered
Method:
Preheat oven to 425. Grease muffin tin.
Add the onions to a food processor and pulse until pureed. Take 2 cups of onion puree and place into a bowl. Add butter, sugar, eggs, salt and sir well. Add the baking powder and flour and again, stir well until smooth. Gently stir in walnuts.
Spoon the muffin mixture into the muffin tin and bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. Leave the muffins to cool down for about 10 minutes, then put them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Another salad recipe for kids. It is a combination of salmon fish taste and pasta with cheese and tomatoes. Your kids will surely say, “This is so yummy!” Learn how to prepare it. Here are the ingredients.
Ingredients:
15-1/2 oz canned salmon
8 oz macaroni
2 cups cucumber, sliced
1 cup mozzarella cheese cut into this strips
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Lemon Dressing
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp lemon peel, grated
Pepper to taste
Method:
Cook macaroni according to packet instructions. Drain, rinse and cool.
Drain and flake salmon and place into large serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss.
Blend together all ingredients for the lemon dressing.
Add the lemon dressing to the salmon pasta, toss well and enjoy.
This is a new taste. With goat’s cheese and apricots, try this new recipe-for-kids. Different twist for salads that you and your kids will surely love.
Ingredients:
7 dried apricots, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups lettuces of your choice, chopped
1/4 cup pistachios, shelled
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.
You may have heard, or even said the phrase, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.” With warmer weather it’s time for summer fun. Learn how to make your own ice cream by following one of these recipes for kids for home-made ice cream.
Custard-based recipe
There are two basic recipes to make an ice cream base. If you don’t mind cooking the base ingredients before freezing, you may want to try this custard-based recipe:
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
Begin by beating the first three ingredients until they are pale and yellow, then set them aside. Combine the rest of the ingredients, minus 1/2 cup milk, in a medium saucepan. Cook this over medium until it begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Let the mixture almost boil but do not let it boil. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.
Put two handfuls of ice into a large bowl and fill it with water to cover. Gradually pour the warm milk into the eggs, whisking constantly and then pour it back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat and stir constantly until it has thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Remove it from the heat and then pour in the remaining milk.
Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and put it in the ice bath. Continue stirring until the mixture is chilled. For the best results, let the mixture chill for 4 hours, or you can pour the chilled mixture into the ice cream maker and let the machine do the rest of the work.
No-cook version
For people who prefer not to wait the amount of time it takes for the custard-base, you may want to try the no-cook version:
2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1 cup whole milk, well chilled
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour it all into an ice cream maker and follow the instructions given by the manufacturer. Before long you’ll have ice cream the whole family can enjoy. The ice cream will be soft-set, but you can firm it up by putting it in the freezer for two hours before eating.
Add-ins
Starting with either of these base recipes you can create nearly any ice cream you might want. Here are five ideas your family may enjoy:
* 1 cup finely diced overripe strawberries or peaches
* 1 cup crushed peppermint candy
* Chocolate chips
* Chopped peppermint patties
* Chunks of cookie dough
You’ll want to add fruit ingredients during the last 5 to 10 minutes of the freezing process. The chips, peppermint patties, and cookie dough would be added after the freezing process so they can be evenly dispersed.
Decorate the ice cream with additional fresh fruit, chocolate syrup, or slivered almonds. You can also place some of the ice cream between two cookies to make your own version of an ice cream cookie. The options are endless and every one is sure to be a taste sensation!
Summer is the perfect time to make your own ice cream. Summer fun, in fact, wouldn’t be the same without ice cream. Use one of the recipes, put in some add-ins, and then enjoy a taste of summer.
Fourth of July is the holiday to celebrate the history of the United States. Common elements of the holiday are red, white, and blue colors. Why not make patriotic red, white, and blue cupcakes for your Fourth of July picnic for some interesting recipes for kids?
You’ve most likely made cupcakes before, so you know they aren’t difficult. You can create patriotic cupcakes in a number of ways. You can make colored cupcakes by using food coloring or you can decorate them with patriotic designs. Here are some ideas of ways to create red, white, and blue cupcakes your picnic guests will enjoy:
* Using a white cake mix of your choosing, follow the directions to make a cake. However, instead of merely frosting the cupcakes after they’ve cooled, take the time to decorate them differently. Ice each cupcake with Cool Whip and then place cherries and blueberries on the top. Be creative in how you decorate them to make them beautiful and yummy.
* Make and frost cupcakes as normal with cream cheese frosting. Use blueberries, red fruit leather, and the frosting to create a symbolic flag on top of the cupcakes. Of course, you’ll want to use small blueberries for the stars, the fruit leather for the red stripes, and the frosting as the white stripes.
If you’ve never made cream cheese frosting, it’s quite easy. Soften one package of cream cheese (8 ounces) and then blend it with 1/2 stick softened butter or margarine. Next, mix in one teaspoon of vanilla and gradually add one package (16 ounces) of powdered sugar until it is the correct spreading consistency.
* You can also create patriotic decorations on your cupcakes by using red and blue sprinkles on white frosting. Carefully line the edge of the frosted cupcake with blue and then make a red star on top. Other colored candies can also be used for decoration.
* Using food coloring to make the cupcake batter red or blue is another option to consider. Layer the red batter on the bottom, followed by white, and then blue batter. The cupcake itself will be patriotic and it then can be decorated any way you please.
Let your children help you decorate the cupcakes. Not only will they have fun, they may surprise you with the patriotic designs they come up with. They’ll also feel proud about helping and can show off their artwork/cupcakes to those who may join you.
Patriotic red, white, and blue cupcakes will be a hit at your Fourth of July picnic or party. They’ll be easier to serve your family and guests. They’re sure to show your patriotic spirit on the day we celebrate freedom the birth and freedom of the United States of America.
Cold cuts are not usually associated with food that is healthy but try improvising with this exciting recipe for kids: Bacon and Brocolli Salad with a Twist. This is a combination of style and substance which your child can truly appreciate:
Ingredients:
1.5 to 2 heads of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces, leaving a bit of stem
½ cup red onion, chopped
¼ cup black pitted olives
8 slices bacon
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Handful of sesame seeds
Dressing:
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup natural yoghurt
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Method:
In a small skillet, fry the bacon until crisp, then remove on paper towels to drain the grease.
Place the broccoli pieces in a large serving bowl, add the shredded cheese, onion and dressing and chill covered for 2 -3 hours.
When chilled, crumbled the crispy bacon into bits and add to the broccoli, then add the sesame seeds and olives.
Have some creative cooking impulses inside? Well this recipe for kids just might be for you. Try these 4th of July corn muffins to satisfy the sweet cravings of your children. It’s fairly easy to do.
Ingredients:
(makes 12 muffins)
1 can (14.5oz) creamed corn
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
8 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 450F and heat up a 12-cup muffin tin in the hot oven while making the muffin mix.
In a medium saucepan, heat the creamed corn and then stir in 1 cup of the cornmeal. The mixture should be very thick and stiff. Whisk in the buttermilk, then add the eggs. Again, whisk thoroughly, then add the melted butter.
In a medium bowl, mix the remaining cornmeal with the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir carefully until just combined.
Take the muffin tin out of the oven and either use muffin cases or lightly grease the tin. Fill the muffin mix evenly into the muffin cups and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
This Western holiday is coming up so what better way to celebrate the 4th of July by rolling off an early Thanksgiving treat: turkey! In this recipe for kids entitled 4th of July Turkey Chili, I’m sure your child will keep coming back for more.
Ingredients:
1 can (14.5oz) chopped tomatoes
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
¼ cup white wine
1.5 pounds ground turkey (you can also use ground beef if you prefer)
1 package (1.25oz) chili seasoning mix
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup bottled steak sauce
5 slices bacon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (15oz) kidney beans, drained
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Method:
Combine tomatoes, tomato paste, carrot, onion, celery, pepper flakes, peppers, steak sauce and wine in a large heavy pot and simmer over low heat.
In a separately large frying pan cook the bacon slices until crisp and put on paper towels to drain. Cook the ground turkey in the bacon drippings until browned. Then drain. Stir the chili seasoning into the ground turkey.
Add the turkey to the tomato mixture and add the cumin and bacon. Keep simmering until the vegetables are tender. Then stir in beans, cilantro and parsley. Heat through and season well.
Serve immediately with grated cheese and crusty bread.
Who wouldn’t want a delectable serving of a sandwich with some sizzling chicken and enticing greens to boot? Certainly not your children! Enrich the snack experience of your children by offering this mouthwatering recipe for kids: chicken baguette salad.
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
1 large chicken breast, cut into bite-sizes pieces
Half a baguette, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large tomato, cut into bite-size pieces
Olive oil
Handful of arugula or other lettuce leaves
½ packet feta cheese, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Put the chicken pieces, baguette and tomato pieces in a roasting dish and drizzle with a good amount of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the chicken pieces are no longer pink.
Divide the lettuce leaves on two dinner plates and place the warm chicken and tomato salad on top. Sprinkle with feta cheese and enjoy!
This warm chicken salad makes a very tasty and light lunch.
Sweets don’t always have to be unhealthy. Try to put in a pinch of health consciousness with this exciting recipe for kids: fruit skewers with chocolate dip. These sweet delights are a regular in birthday parties and with good reason - they are a hit among children. Here is what you may need:
Chocolate Dip
½ cup milk chocolate, chopped
½ cup + 2 tbsp cream
6 marshmallows, chopped
2 tbsp chopped toasted hazelnuts
Method:
Soak the wooden skewers in water before using to prevent them from scorching.
For the chocolate dip melt the milk chocolate, cream and marshmallows in a small saucepan over gentle heat, constantly stirring. Bring to a boil and whisk rapidly for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the hazelnuts and set aside.
In a bowl, combine strawberries, apricots and pears and sprinkle with sugar. Toss gently. Divide the fruit between the skewers.
Heat up the BBQ and cook the fruit skewers for about 5 to 6 minutes, turning frequently, until the fruit is warmed through.
Serve immediately with the chocolate nut dip. Enjoy
Cheese, bacon and mushroom are always a hit with children. Excite their mornings with this easy to do yet very delicious recipe for kids: cheese and bacon mushroom stuffers.
Ingredients:
30 fresh mushrooms, with stems removed
1 cup almonds, slivered
1/2 pound of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 (8 ounce) package Cheddar cheese, shredded
6 green onions, chopped fine
2 C mayonnaise
Instructions:
Place the almonds in a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon and cheese. Stir in the green onions. Fold in the mayonnaise and stir to incorporate all the ingredients together. Heat the broiler. Stuff the mushrooms with the mayonnaise mixture. Spray a shallow baking dish with a non stick cooking spray. Place the mushrooms in the baking dish. Broil 10 minutes 4 inches from the heat.
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