Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts

Monday, November 28, 2011

Favorite Healthy Recipes For Kids

Parents know that it is challenging to come up with fast and healthy recipes for kids. Kids can be very finicky eaters, especially when it comes to vegetables and grains. Moms, Dads and chefs all over the world are always swapping new ideas for meals and ways to ensure a child will eat healthy and good tasting food.

One of the biggest challenges facing parents is how to get a child to eat their vegetables. Instead of pouring fattening melted cheese all over broccoli, try hiding the unpopular green villains. Mix the veggies with chicken and a cream sauce and then roll it up in a doughy casing. Use either a tortilla (corn or flour), a crepe, or a pita pocket.

A Quiche made out of eggs, lean bacon and vegetables is both easy, quick and relatively cheap. Buy a ready-made pie crust at your local market and in a large mixing bowl, combine 5 eggs, broccoli (or any other vegetable) and cooked bacon pieces all together. Then pour the mixture into the pie crust and stick it in the oven at 425 degrees for a half hour. This is a healthy and delicious treat for the whole family.

Kids always crave certain foods such as pizza. A pizza can be made very healthy and made quickly. You can really go wild with the veggie toppings and load a ready-made pizza dough full of them. First cover the dough with a marinara sauce, sprinkle mozzarella cheese (an naturally low-fat cheese) over the sauce and then pile on the veggies. Stick the pie in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Chicken nuggets are also a favorite. When baked instead of fried, these are very nutritional meal items. Set your oven to 400 degrees. Take raw chicken tenders and dip them into beaten 2 or 3 egg yolks. Then take the nuggets or tenders and dip them into breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs that are commonly sold at grocery stores work great. Place the chicken on a greased pan and set in oven for a half hour. Grilling the chicken nuggets is also a great idea. This dish goes great with rice, mashed potatoes or just a little bit of fruit as a dessert.

A popular breakfast recipe for little ones is whole grain pancakes. Kids will think you are feeding them a sweet snack instead of a healthy meal. Whole grain pancake batter is sold right along side the regular pancake batter at your local grocers. Instead of fatty maple syrup, opt for a non-preservative berry spread to top the pancakes.

For a midday snack: apple sticks, strawberries, and other sweet fruit will always win them over. Children and teens are natural fans of fruit and often don't request any additional toppings or dipping sauces. If their favorite fruit is not in season, frozen fruit is just as nutritious and delicious when thawed.

Remember that a child will crave what he or she is fed the most often. There are many healthy recipes for kids that will always be a hit. Your children will thank you for it, someday.


Health Directory, Medical Information, Health Information, Blood Pressure Monitors, Diabetes Supplies, BP Control, Diabetes Control, Natural Body Building, Mesothelioma Cancer, Glyconutrients Information, Six Pack Abs, Glyconutrients Online, Quit Smoking Help, Glyconutrients For Health, Skin Care Products, Mesothelioma Attorney, Skin Bumps Expert, Counselling In Kent, Penile Size Enlargement, Premature Ejaculation Information, Source.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Beginner Raw Food Recipes – Tips To Make Your Journey Easier

Many people who decide to embrace a raw food diet, whether it be totally-raw, or high-raw, decide to do so for a variety of reasons.

Some people might be facing a life-threatening illness, others simply want to feel better, and others might just have read something that has sparked in them, an interest to try it out.

If you think about it, it makes perfect sense, after all, to eat foods as nature intended, raw and unprocessed.

Change of any kind, however, is never easy. Altering one's diet certainly is not. And it's for this reason that I believe that the change should be gradual and achievable.

Too many people plunge in head first without exploring recipes, combinations, and resources. Consequently, they often fail to experience the well-being that they thought would be theirs, and they give up.

Please don't fall into this category. The journey to raw should be taken gently and carefully to ensure success and the will to keep going.

Breakfast feasts!

One of the easiest ways to inject change is at breakfast.

With a reliable and efficient blender, you can make the most amazing smoothies that not only taste good, but are nourishing, energizing and satisfying. They take such a short time to prepare, and with experimentation you will be able to enjoy the satisfaction of making a nourishing breakfast that your whole family will adore.

What better way of ensuring your children have greens than through drinking smoothies?

A word of caution though! Remember to introduce the green side of things very gradually to your children. You want to have them enjoying these drinks (and perhaps have them asking for more!), so take baby steps when introducing things green.

Snacks

People often ask about snacks.

Fruit is my snack of choice, but I recognize that it's not everyone's choice. For that reason, through experimentation, I have come up with quite of number of easy snacks to make. They take precious little time to prepare and they are scrumptious. Visit the site below for an example.

My family has grown to like snacks that are not overly sweet. I do use organic dates and bananas as a sweetness base, but I have altered the amount of dates I use, simply because we have grown to appreciate less sweet snacks.

In my dehydrator I use raspberries, bananas, and strawberries when making fruit straps and energy bars. Again, we prefer things less sweet these days.

To be honest, on the raw journey, you will find the cravings for sugar will diminish over time, and you will wonder how you were ever so addicted to it.

Kitchen tools

As for 'cooking', the tools you will need are really quite unsophisticated. Sharp knives, a blender, food processor, and a variety of graters will have you making amazing food in no time at all.

Best of all, your kitchen will be wipe-clean. Also, you may have sourced much of your produce from the garden, and if so, you may enjoy a certain satisfaction in knowing that you are one of a band of committed people who daily are reducing their carbon footprint on our wonderful planet.

Tell a friend!

You know, you won't have to do this – actually tell your friends. In time you will have curious friends ASKING to taste what you are eating.

I now take extra food to work because there is always someone eager to try some of my raw creations. It's a great feeling, and you know what? They are always pleasantly surprised!


Health Directory, Medical Information, Health Information, Blood Pressure Monitors, Diabetes Supplies, BP Control, Diabetes Control, Natural Body Building, Mesothelioma Cancer, Glyconutrients Information, Six Pack Abs, Glyconutrients Online, Quit Smoking Help, Glyconutrients For Health, Skin Care Products, Mesothelioma Attorney, Skin Bumps Expert, Counselling In Kent, Penile Size Enlargement, Premature Ejaculation Information, Source.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Two Yummy Recipes...Apple Pie and Potato Bake

The first recipe is my family's absolute favorite. They would eat homemade apple pie everyday if they could. During this season, I do make it a lot, that's why I use the boxed crust. Don't boo me for this...I've tried homemade. The box is just so much quicker.
space
Here's my apple pie recipe for you to try...
space
APPLE PIE
  • 3 pounds apples (I love Macoun, Gala or Braeburn) peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup white, granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoon water
  • 2 pie crusts (try the box!!)
  • a little extra white sugar to sprinkle on top crust
Bake at 425 for the first 15 minutes, then drop the temperature down to 350 for 35-45 minutes (maybe longer). I always go by the texture of the apples inside, not the color of the crust. My family like the apples really cooked. I usually stick a knife into the vent hole on the top crust. If the apple doesn't feel tender, I cook it longer. If the crust is browning too much, I cover it with foil until the apples are done.

space
In a small bowl, mix the 1 cup sugar with the 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons flour.
space

space
Layer the sugar mixture with the sliced apples.
space


Stir to coat all apples.


Place bottom crust in pie plate and fill with sugared apples. Dot with the teaspoon of butter. Why the butter...I don't know. My mom always did, it's butter so you can't go wrong and she is looking down on us from above, so you'd better just do it!!
space

Cover apples with top crust and seal the 2 crust together by pinching the edges. In a small bowl, mix egg yolk with 2 teaspoons of water.
space


Whisk egg mixture to make an egg wash for the top crust.
space

Use a pastry brush or just use your fingers to coat the entire top crust with the wash. Just a light coat...sprinkle with white sugar all over the top. This gives you a golden, sweet, crunchy top.
space


Don't forget to use a knife to cut vent holes to let out the steam. I've always used the letter "H" for every pie I've ever made. It's my husband nickname.
space

and here you have it...a delicious apple pie just waiting for a scoop of vanilla ice cream.



spacespaceThe next recipe is called Potato Bake and is another family favorite. I do make it for our regular dinners, but when we have my side and my husband's side of the family over, I double this recipe...and every bit of it goes.
space

Potato Bake
space
  • One 2 lb. bag frozen Ore-Ida hash browns (the cubed kind) thawed
  • 12 oz sour cream (about 3/4 of a 16 oz. container)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( 8 oz bag is 2 cups)
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup (DO NOT DILUTE)
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion, optional (great with or without)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • dash of black pepper
Topping mixture:
  • Plain corn flakes, crushed (sprinkle as much as you'd like to cover the top)
  • 1/2 stick melted butter
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients except the topping mixture. Spoon into greased casserole dish. Top with crushed corn flakes and drizzle with the 1/2 stick melted butter. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until golden in color and bubbly.
space
space
one whole stick of melted butter in the main mixture and 1/2 stick is melted and drizzled on top.
space

space
This is just the melted butter...took the picture, not sure why?!?


Mix all of the main ingredients in a large bowl to incorporate it well.
space

Spoon into greased casserole.
space

Top with the crushed corn flakes and melted butter. Bake and enjoy.
space.

I am so mad I didn't get a picture of it when it came out of the oven and before it went to the table. You really wouldn't want to see it when it came back from the table...it was an empty mess. Proof positive it was delicious!!
space
Hope you can try these 2 family favorites if not now, maybe over the upcoming holidays.
space
Happy cooking,
~Karen~
space
ps...I did very well on my "To Do" list today...you would be very proud of me.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Yummy Recipes...Apple Chocolate Chip Cake

space
Fall is just around the corner...and that means apples around here. If you have 2-3 apples, some chocolate chips and your basic pantry staples...you are good to go for this recipe.
space
space
Apple Chocolate Chip Cake
space
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 (three quarters of a cup) oil (I use vegetable oil)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar (white granulated)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 (half a cup) chocolate chips
  • 3 cups sliced apples (2 large apples or 3 small apples, peeled)
Directions:
  • In a small bowl: mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside
  • In large bowl: whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar and chocolate chips
  • With wooden spoon, add flour mixture to wet mixture. It will be very thick!
  • Fold in sliced apples.
  • Spoon into greased bundt pan.
  • Bake at 325* for 1 hour.
Enjoy!! The only extra tid bit of info I have is...I tried frosting this cake in different ways. I've tried traditional frosting, chocolate ganache, icing, glaze etc, but my family just likes it plain. Try it plain first, then you decide.










This next recipe is fast and easy and great for parties.
space
Smores On A Stick!
This is all you need for this treat: chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs, marshmallows and skewers.
space

space

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave. I used 50% power for a minute or so.



Skewer the marshmallow.



Dip in melted chocolate.



Then roll in graham cracker crumbs.



Refrigerate to harden chocolate, then enjoy the chilly version of the melted smores.




If you like the melty kind of smores without the campfire...I make these all summer for the girls and all their friends.
space
Oven Smores
On a cookie sheet, place desired number of graham cracker squares. On each cracker, place a square of a Hershey's chocolate bar and then a marshmallow (on it flat side). Bake in a 350* oven for about 5-8 minutes or until the marshmallow starts to puff. Keep an eye on them all the time. When they look puffy enough, remove from oven and place another square of graham cracker on each one. Push down slightly until you see the marshmallow ooze a little.
space
I know not the best directions with words like puffy and ooze and no pictures either, but give it a try anyway...they are fast, yummy and no marshmallows bursting into flames over the open campfire.
space
Hope you can try some of these recipes,
~Karen~

Monday, June 22, 2009

Tool Time Tuesday...Oven Rack Gadget

Back to the paint store again for more FREE paint sticks...maybe we should buy some paint at some point. Actually, I did buy paint this time for a project in the kitchen. However, I took 2 sticks for one quart of paint...just don't tell.
space

Have you ever seen these? They are oven rack push pulls. My mom bought this one in a very expensive kitchen shop years ago and I still use it. You can check the Internet here for a look at different ones and check out the prices.
space

Well, who wants to buy one when we can make one for free. I used a black sharpie so you can see the lines, but a pencil is better for the finished product. Just draw a "V" on the top edge and a funny looking number 7 on the left hand side.


I took a picture of a tin snip cutter and a little saw, but I found that the snips caused the soft Balsa wood to snap. (Make sure you have extra sticks) The little saw worked better. Having your husband, boyfriend or significant other cut it for you is even better. The wood is soft, so it's not too difficult.
space

sand the edges down to remove the pencil marks.
space

Mark a little dot on the other end of the handle.



With a small drill bit, drill the hole for a ribbon so you can hang it up.



You can skip this step if you aren't going to hang it up.




See...now you can pull out the oven rack with the number 7 notch, and



you can push it back in with the "V" notch. My dad lives with us and has his own kitchen. I used his oven to take these pictures. Yikes, my ovens were not blog worthy. I have apple pie spillage all over the bottom of mine. See, now I know we're close friends, because I just confessed that!!



This is my first TTT with a disclaimer. I know this is obvious, but be careful with the wood near the heating element. The last 2 pictures look like the wood is near the heating element, but it was far away, 3 levels up. They work great just for the racks.
space
I hope you liked the week's TTT. It's not quilty, but eating is my second favorite hobby!!!
space
Have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Pizzelle Recipe and Consignment Goodies...

space
Pizzelles are a wafer thin Italian cookie with a crispy texture. They can be lemon, vanilla, anise or chocolate flavor. They are made in a pizzelle maker, which is like a waffle iron. Once the iron is hot, it only takes 15-20 seconds to make each set of cookies. My iron (picture below) has 4 smaller cookies, but some come with 2 larger ones. Although I am not Italian (I'm half Portuguese and half Irish...I know, what a combo), my Portuguese grandmother was famous for these. This recipe is not hers, but still delicious. Which reminds me...I need to get her recipe from one of my aunts.

Pizzelle Recipe
Sspac


3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted (definitely use butter for a great taste)
1 1/2 cups flour (that looks funny, so it's one and a half cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Preheat pizzelle iron and spray with Pam (especially if it's a new iron). Beat all ingredients together. Batter will be thick. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto hot pizzelle iron. Close cover of iron and bake for 15-30 seconds. This time will vary depending on your iron. I always throw the first batch out and swear a little too. The first ones always burn or stick, but after that it's smooth sailing. Remove from iron and place on cooling rack. While hot, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Cool completely and Enjoy!!
space
This first picture is of all the ingredients, but I stuck in a few things to show you. The plant in the background is an Anthurium (I think). My neighbor just gave it to me for watching her house and watering her plants. They also gave my husband a $50 Home Depot gift card for plowing their driveway. I guess she doesn't read my blog...cause I'll be using that gift card for "Tool Time Tuesdays"!!! I bought that little red bell in a school supply store. I use it, much to my family's dismay, when I want them to come pick up something in the kitchen to bring to the table...you know "Ding Ding" Order Up. They just roll their eyes, but they humor me. The polka dot bowls were a gift from a friend and the cherry bowl is a gift from my sister-in-law when she stayed with us. Isn't cute!

space
Here's the batter: yummy golden color
Space

This is the iron. This particular iron is reversible. You can turn the plates over to make waffles.


Here they are drying on the cooling rack...the first sets I was taking a picture of were already eaten by the girls and all their friends who come over after school.


This plate didn't last too long!!



Consignment Shop Finds!!
space
Hubby and I went out for breakfast this morning and stopped by a consignment shop that was next door. Roamed around, but found all these in the 75% off rack. I also bought a cut glass punch bowl set for my sister-in-law for $1.25 and a sterling silver candle snuffer for my mother-in-law for 88 cents, but no pictures (I already dropped them off)
space
This little chamber set stands about 7" high. It is so cute and only cost $1.50!



This teapot is a piggy bank and is from Mary Engelbreit. It was $1.12, but there were 5 pennies in it so that $1.07!! Woo Hoo.



and these embroidery hoops range in size from 7"-14" and were only $3.00 for all. I want to do that thing that I've seen on other blog where you put fabric in them and use them to decorate your walls.



I haven't been to a flea market, thrift store or consignment shop in a while, but I think I might make it a weekly venture. So many great things out there!
space
Have a great rest of the weekend,
~Karen~