Dreamsicle Fruit Dip & Giveaway

I struggle with getting my kids to eat healthy foods.  One way I have some success is by involving the kids in choosing foods, buying foods, and preparing foods. As I previewed The Best Homemade Kids' Snacks on the Planet by Laura Fuentes of Momables, I looked for recipes simple enough for the kids to help cook.

One of the lines from a recipe description rang true for me:

Truth be told, I came up with this easy recipe because sometimes calling it a pizza is a lot easier than getting my kids to eat fruit. 

I do this with my own children too-cookies, pizza, meatballs, and cake...the stuff my kids love. My kids enjoyed making the Blueberry Snack Cookie filled with rolled oats and ate a healthy serving of oatmeal which they ALWAYS refuse. Kids can need between 15-20 exposures to a new food before they readily eat it. Starting with oatmeal in a "cookie" works for us.

Fuentes's line about trying to associate something fun with a new recipe spoke to my teacher instincts. As I looked for easy, kid-friendly recipes to get the kids active in the kitchen, I started matching some of the recipes with well-known children's books.

• Italian Flag Bites with Strega Nona
• Crepes (there were tons of options for sweet or savory) with If You Give a Pig a Pancake 
• Ninja Turtle Nuggets with The Foolish Tortoise

I am taking this philosophy into my younger children's day care to do a lesson on "Keeping Cool in the Kitchen." I'll be pairing this Dreamsicle Fruit Dip with two great books: Gregory the Terrible Eater and Eating the Alphabet. Another hint Fuentes and Parents Magazine recommend is using dips as a way to increase kids' acceptance of fruits and vegetables.

COMMENT BELOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN The Best Homemade Kids' Snacks on the Planet

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 ounces of vanilla Greek yogurt
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, mix yogurt, cream cheese, and orange juice concentrate. Mix until thoroughly combined.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Serve with fruit. 

DIFFICULTY: Easy

TIME: 10 minutes

SOURCE: The Best Homemade Kids' Snacks on the Planet

We are thrilled to be able to offer a lucky winner a copy of The Best Homemade Snacks on the Planet! To enter, just leave a comment in the comment section below.  The contest runs until 9pm August 2, 2015.

Pita Pizzas

As we try to eat healthier, we've tried to eliminate going out to eat as often.  I recently read an article by Mark Bitman in TIME (October 2014) magazine where he was encouraging people to cook at home. He mentions that cooking at home is likely to have 200 calories fewer than the food you eat at a restaurant.

We love our Friday pizza!  It has been fun to cash-in the kids' Book-It reward but anything can get out of control. As a family, going our every week is costly in more ways that one.  These pita pizzas were amazing!  I even added some spicy chicken leftovers.

INGREDIENTS:

• 100 % whole grain pitas
• 1 T Olive oil
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Pizza sauce (I use organic, natural sauce)
• Feta cheese, crumbled
• Assorted veggies

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  
2. Brush olive oil onto pita bread.
3.  Top with sauce, spread.
4. Add cheeses and your favorite veggies.
5. Bake until cheese is melted.

Dine-In Day Kids' Dinner Menu

We are excited to pledge to "Dine-In" with the Family & Consumer Science Day on December 3.  Eating together as a family can help increase family bonds and provide more nutritional meals among other positives.

This summer, our family used meal planning for dining-in as a reward for our children; we had no idea how it would work.  The kids loved it!  They planned the entire meal, helped make the shopping list, went shopping, and assisted with food prep. Since school has started, we've gotten away from kid planning because (gulp) it takes a lot of time; however, the benefits outweigh the time commitment so I am recommitting to making this happen more often in our house.

All of the kids took turns picking out items for our dine-in dinner.


Main Dish: Italian Baked Chicken

Fruit: Fresh apples and pears

Drink: Apple Cider

Vegetable: Sugar Snap Peas and Honey Ginger Carrots

Dessert: Abby's Magical Pumpkin Cookies

English Muffin Pizza

My kids are picky eaters.  My husband and I tried to force them to eat the meals I prepared; we tried to make them sit until the plate was clean; we tried wrapping the plate and producing it for the next meal.   Dinnertime became a daily battle that we decided to stop fighting, but  I refused to live only to eat meatballs, ham, and pasta (okay, they DO eat a few more things). I will not make a new meal for the kids, but I do have foods on hand that they can organize easily into a meal.  

These pizza muffins are not only a safe alternative, but they are quick for those days we need to be at practice at 5:00.   Or, they are great when I am tired of preparing 3 meals a day and cleaning up tons of dirty dishes.

INGREDIENTS:

• English muffins
• Pizza sauce
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Italian spices
• Pepperoni or other toppings

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Split English muffins and place halves on baking sheet.
3. Top each muffin half with sauce (about 1 T each), pepperoni, and cheese or other toppings.
4. Sprinkle with dash of Italian seasoning.
5. Bake 4-6 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

In this picture, you miss seeing the one with no sauce and the one with no cheese...but they ate and asked for more.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 10 minutes

Source: My friend Jennifer ate this all the time growing up

Pancake Squares

As I was getting ready to prep the French Toast Casserole for our play date brunch, my daughter asked for pancakes.  Usually, I don't switch my menu (especially when I have my ingredients out and ready), but my six-year old has been having some issues with separation anxiety so I thought making her pancakes might go a long way.  I wanted to make her happy, but I did not want to flip pancakes for 5 kids; then, help them make sock snowmen.

I found this idea on Pinterest.  It seemed almost too good to be true.  I prepped mine the night before and baked it in the morning; my cook time was a bit longer since my batter was refrigerated.  We threw some sprinkles on since it was Groundhog Day.  This recipe yielded enough to feed 5 young kids; next time, I'll double it for my husband.

INGREDIENTS:

Our snowman wanted to join the photo..

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 T melted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 T sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• Optional toppings-syrup, sprinkles, blueberries, chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a 8 x 8 casserole dish.
2. Beat milk, butter, and egg.  Add sugar.  Gradually mix in the flour.  Add baking powder and salt; stir with a wire whisk until well combined.
3. Bake 20-25 minutes until edges are beginning to brown.

Difficulty: Easier than standing and flipping pancakes!

Time: 10 minute prep; 25 minutes baking time

Source: Pinterest

Barbecups

Kelly:  Joyce and I have enjoyed Gooseberry Patch cookbooks for quite a while; In fact, I got her one for Christmas last year.  We have found some excellent easy crock pot meals like Pepper Steak.  Now, we are proud to have the opportunity to review and give away a copy of their newest book, The Christmas Table.

As I am planning my first old-fashioned family Christmas for twenty relatives, this book arrived at the perfect time.  The Christmas Table is filled with delicious recipes for the holiday season as well as ideas for adding tradition to your family get-togethers. I loved some of the time saving suggestions. (I almost always forget to soften butter; Gooseberry Patch recommends using a cheese grater on the cold butter and letting it soften in a few minutes.)  I plan on incorporating some of their sweet memory ideas like making all my guests give a Christmas wish and providing ornament place cards.  Some of my early favorites from the plethora of recipes - the Cozy Christmas Brunch chapter's "Orange Spiced French Toast", Chill-Chasing Soup's "Southwest Butternut Squash Soup", and Caroling Party Supper's "Barbecups".

Joyce: There were so many delicious sounding options in this cookbook that it was hard to decide what to make for this review.  At first, I had a hard time taking my eyes off of the "Sweet Treats to Share" chapter, but when I saw this recipe, I just knew that it would be a hit with my family.  Basically, if it is in the shape of a cupcake, my kids love it.  I couldn't wait to try these Barbecups, and they did not disappoint.  My three-year-old said, "Yummy in my tummy!"  and the rest of us felt the same.  These will definitely be entered into the regular rotation; besides being delicious, they are also so quick and easy!  I am looking forward to making many more recipes from The Christmas Table.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 12 oz tube refrigerated biscuits
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grease 10 muffin cups. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef with onion; drain.  Stir in barbecue sauce and sugar; cook one minute.
3. Separate biscuits; firmly press one into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup.  Spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture into each biscuit; sprinkle with cheese.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until biscuits are golden.  Cool; remove from tin.  Makes 10.

Difficulty: Very easy
Time: 10-15 minutes hands on time, 10-12 minutes in the oven
Source: Gooseberry Patch's The Christmas Table, copyright 2012

We are sorry, but the giveaway for this post is over.  Congrats to our winner!

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MOAB Pomegranate Smoothie

Joyce and I were approached by SHOP 'n SAVE to try a new product, MOAB Superfruit Blend.  MOAB stands for Most Optimum Antioxidant Beverage.  They offer four flavors-acai, pomegranate, wild blueberry, and mangosteen.  These blends of exotic flavors are filled with antioxidants and even contain soluble fiber.  We are excited to have another giveaway so you can try the delicious juices by MOAB!

I was thrilled to try this new product; since the birth of my third child, a quick breakfast is necessary.  Smoothies fit the bill perfectly as my husband and I can throw them in travel mugs and be on our way.  This recipe makes two very large servings; I break it down into four to feed both parents and children.  My kids loved the flavors produced by the fresh fruit, yogurt and the juice which contains peach, plum, pineapple, and others in addition to the pomegranate.  I threw in the ground flaxseed as an afterthought; using it in smoothies was a suggested way to use it on the bag, and a great way to increase the amount of alpha-linolenic acid (plant version of omega-3) in our diet.


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups MOAB Pomegranate Superfruit Blend (in the Pittsburgh area, available at SHOP 'n SAVE)
• 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 T flaxseed meal (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and liquefy.
2. Enjoy! 

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 5 minutes

Source: An original by me!

ENTER TO WIN A COUPON FOR A FREE BOTTLE OF MOAB JUICE!

This giveaway is now closed.  

How to enter:

Comment that you'd like to try MOAB  in the comment section on this post.

For additional chances to win, you may do any of the following*:

1. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment here saying you have done so (or tell us here that you already like us on Facebook).
2. Like MOAB Juice on Facebook and comment here that you did.

*Each of the numbered options listed will earn you an additional chance to win a coupon for a free 10.5 oz bottle of MOAB Superfruit Blend Juice.  Please leave an individual comment for each that you complete so that we can keep track of entries easier. 

Find out if you won:
This contest ends at 11:59 PM on May 22, 2012.  Four lucky winners will be chosen at random using Random.com.  Winner will be announced on May 23, 2012 via Facebook and Twitter.  Look for it!  If you do not use Facebook or Twitter, please make sure you leave us an e-mail address at which we may contact you.  If the winners do not claim their prizes within one week, we will pick new winners.