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The Surprising Spinach and Pineapple Smoothie

We've spent the summer testing and tasting smoothies every Tuesday, and have had some surprises along the way. The Purple Cow (AKA Purple Pucker smoothie) on this site usually gets raves, but THIS - with spinach! was a favorite with the kids. I thought they would be suspicious about veggies in the mix, but I was wrong. They loved it! And they got tons of vitamins and antioxidants along with the great taste. This came from a favorite Trader Joe's cookbook called "Pack a Lunch."
15 min
2 to 3

Fresh Peach Sparkler

This summer, we started off our cooking series by whirling up a faux "mojito," a fresh peach cooler with mint, which the kids love to smush. The recipe is based on one I found in People magazine. This is so delicious! The kids loved it, and so did adult guests at two potlucks I attended. I'll use it all summer long, and with frozen peaches all year!
20 min
4

Scrambled Eggs in Bell Pepper Rings

These delicious scrambled eggs with spinach were molded inside colorful bell pepper rings – and the kids loved them! They’re pretty, like flowers or clovers. They’re also filling! Eat them plain or on toast.
30 min
4 servings

Cauliflower & Friends Veggie Cheese Fritters

I was trying to find ways to use riced cauliflower for recipes. We had a mix-n-match veggie pancake day, in which I set up some riced cauliflower (pre-cooked in the microwave) and carrots, green onions, zucchini, yellow squash, green garlic (looks like giant green onions) and eggs. The kids went to town grating veggies, cracking eggs, and measuring whole-grain pancake mix into a big bowl, and we fried up the fritters and served 'em with a yogurt dip from Trader Joe's. Healthy, easy, and delicious! One thing I loved about searching for recipes for veggie pancakes was the amazing variety of things people add, subtract, or modify. Please feel free to concoct your own recipe. Here's what we made:
40 min
4

Hard-Boiled Ghosts

I was trying to come up with something for Halloween that hadn't been done before - something cute and healthy, but unique.  This idea came to me when I was staring into the fridge, and saw a box of delicious organic hard-boiled eggs from Costco. "What if we could gently melt a slice of cheese over an egg, letting it drape over the top?" I pondered. "Would it look like a little rotund ghost? Could we add pretzel arms and little eyes?" The answer was yes! And here was the result, below. They are kinda cute, and they actually taste delicious! This is a simple recipe, requiring just three or four ingredients and a short twirl in the microwave. There are some tricks to this treat, however -- you have to watch very closely as you melt the cheese.  It should take 5 to 7 seconds to create a yummy cloak of cheese over the top of the egg -- more, and it could turn into a bubbling puddle on the plate.
20 min
varies

Green Veggie Pancakes

We loved these novel, healthy pancakes, and couldn't believe we didn't think of making something like them earlier. So delicious. This is based on a recipe from Weelicious, a great online source for kid food. While we finished up the last crumbs, we talked about using all kinds of veggies in place of the zucchini. Broccoli and cauliflower would work, or sweet potatoes, white potatoes and leeks, mushrooms, or a combo. They would be delicious served with marinara sauce, a yogurt sauce such as tzaziki or Trader Joe's Cilantro & Chive Yogurt Dip, or babaganoush, made from eggplants and spices.
45 min
2

Date-Crusted Yogurt Fruit Tart

I saw this on the Web, described as a breakfast food. In my book, it would work all day long! The kids enjoyed making it -- it was like a little art project that also tasted amazing. The dates in the unbaked crust really added a depth of flavor and some nice fiber to boot. You'll want to use a food processor to make the crust.
45 min
6-8

Watermelon Pizza

No crust, no cheese. This fruit pizza is beautiful, delicious, fast, low-fat, nutritious and easy to eat. We loved it! You can make it into a fun little project at a picnic or party. Watermelon is loaded with vitamins A, B and C and lycopene and many other beneficial components. In the hot summer, it's also a great thing to help replenish fluids for active kids in the sun.
45 min
varies

Vanilla Berry Baked Oatmeal

What a cool way to get your oats - almost in a cake form! You can make this recipe and enjoy it all week. Cut into squares, it's a fast breakfast you can grab and go, microwaved or not. The kids loved it and everyone drooled at the vanilla-y, toasty scent while it baked. We made a thinner product, using a cookie sheet for quicker cooking, but it should take 25 minutes or more in a square baking dish.
50 min
about 6

Protein Power Breakfast Salad

This cool idea came from WebMD, by the No Meat Athlete. I loved the thought of having salad for breakfast, especially one packed with blueberries, cantaloupe, celery, almonds... and chickpeas!  In this salad, they blend in completely with the rest of the ingredients, mainly because of the amazing blenderized strawberry dressing. The kids loved this easy dish and I am putting it into the rotation at my house. This recipe serves 4.
30 min
4 servings

Watermelon “Grill” with Fruit Kebabs

This recipe got raves, and honestly the "BBQ" is so darn cute.  We will probably have to make it again. You can't see the celery "legs" to the BBQ here, but they add a lot of  charm.  This great idea has spread to a lot of cooking sites, but I think it originated at SheKnows.com.
45 min
varies

Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Sometimes, we try a recipe that I KNOW the kids will love, and it gets a lukewarm response. This one got a huge, positive response, with a big crowd around the big table to make it, and an even bigger crowd to taste it when the toasted oatmeal scent spread through CATS! The kids finished every crumb. You can bake it in a pie plate, or even in just a healthy, free-form blob on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. It's a great quick breakfast or snack.
50 min
4-6

Winter Fruit Salad

It's not every community that has five-year-olds who already know what Bosc pears are. "Oh, I love those brown ones!"  Yay! We are lucky. Everyone should be friends with Bosc pears, they are delicious.  And just wait till you mix 'em with pineapple and apples and a bit of brown sugar and spice.
30 min
4-6

Fresh Grape Salad

Here's a winner! Adapted from Eating Well, this easy fruit salad is healthy, low in fat and calories, and will delight all ages (though for toddlers, cut up the grapes.) It's creamy, smooth, and sweet, and a little reminiscent of ambrosia or a Waldorf salad, but those can be packed with calories - and mayo!  Give this a try - nice for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Add toasted almonds on top if you like for crunch.
20 min
4

Oaty Carrot-Banana Muffins

Here is a very versatile, yummy handful of veggies and oats that turns into a muffin.  It is loosely based on a recipe from Martha Stewart's site, and according to the comments after that recipe, you can change most of the components and still have a wonderful, nutritious product.  Try it yourself with your favorite things, from dried cranberries to chopped apple to chopped nuts to shredded zucchini. We started with some very cool colorful carrots in shades of purple, yellow and (surprise!) orange. The purple ones have orange centers. You can find these at the Farmer's Market or grocery stores.
60 min
18 muffins

Chocolate Tacos with Fresh Fruit

Yes, this does sound crazy. And yet these are durn good!  Next time, however, I might make chocolate crepes, rather than homemade tortillas, due to the consistency of this mixture  (thick and chewy!) and the fact that certain parties got impatient waiting for them to cook all the way through, which I hear took FOREVER. We did use whole wheat flour, and very little sweetener in the tortillas, which might be why they were so challenging.  Also, we used coconut oil which (surprise!) some kids do not like. Before we go back to the drawing board, however, consider this recipe - bet your kids can't keep their hands off the novelty of a chocolate taco.
60 min
16 tacos

Whole Wheat Quesadillas with Bananas

This is a yummy snack, or even breakfast, that you or your kids can make quickly and feel good about!  Whole grains, protein, fruit, and a touch of sweetness combine for a fun new "sandwich."
45 min
4 servings

Fresh Apple Salad

Dee-licous! The kids didn't even want to add honey to this salad, it was perfect as it was. I based this recipe on one from Chef Linette True of Portland, Oregon.  Being a Seattle girl myself, I am pretty familiar with apples and loooove them.  I can't figure out why we don't make more apple recipes! The CATS chefs enjoyed tasting the different varieties of apples - one of those intense simple pleasures we need to savor more.  This would be a fun thing to shop for at the Farmer's Market!  For added fun, invest in an inexpensive apple cutter, one of those pictured above, which are ridiculously efficient as well as great fun for you (I mean, the kids) to use!
30 min
4

Shredded Zucchini Biffins

Okay, a biffin is officially my name for something between a bite and a muffin. These taste like zucchini tater tots, but of course are not deep fried or oil-soaked.  In fact, they have no oil at all, except the spritz of spray that lines the muffin cups. They are baked in mini-muffin pans, though you can use the full-sized type if you like. Wow, did these disappear!  There were a few eyes rolling upwards when the kids bit into them. They hate waiting for things to cool!  Sometimes I slip baked items into the freezer just to cut down on the waiting period. These make a great side dish -- or freeze 'em and reheat for a quick breakfast on the go.
45 min
12-16 mini muffins

Honey Crunch Granola

It is simply not fair to make this granola and not share it with everyone within the reach of its aromatic cloud. Ahh, toasty oats and vanilla and honey! And of course, since it's here on this blog, it is even good for you. OK, I know this is a new generation, but some of the smaller kids did not know that granola doesn't always come in a bar.  This one is made on a cookie sheet and baked in the oven. It's really a kick to mix up. Granola is easy to customize for kids with allergies (i.e., to certain nuts), and also for those who prefer more dried fruit, or little bunny cookies, or coconut, or other delicious things you may add.  Here is what WE made:
60 min
5 cups

The Purple Cow

Now this is getting ridiculous.  Whenever I attempt to introduce an exciting new recipe, the kids keep adamantly requesting smoothies. I hope it has a lot to do with the warm weather. We will, however, move to Halloween and other fall holidays soon.  And no, I don't think that means a Turkey Smoothie... but maybe we can work in something with cranberries. Almost everyone loved it, for the big bright grape taste and the tanginess of the yogurt.  It couldn't be easier to make as well.  And all those good vitamins, fiber, and calcium provided an afternoon boost for the young juice baristas.
30 min
2-4 servings

Flexible Zucchini Muffins

Well, I don't mean that these muffins are  flexible as in foldable, or that they can act as flying saucers.  But they're flexible in that the recipe can be modified a bazillion ways.  They are delicious and very healthful just as they are, too! Personalize them by adding chopped nuts, dried cranberries, raisins, applesauce instead of oil, nutmeg, pine nuts, flaxseed, orange zest, a mix of other types of squash, or -- you choose! I love the muffins sliced in half (in either direction) and stuck back together with a generous blob of light cream cheese.  Talk about a portable, healthy breakfast or snack for kids! I heard: "You can't even taste the zucchini!" And "These are really delicious, can we make them next week too?" And "Will you please give the recipe to my mom?"  They loved shredding the zucchini into green piles of raw material, and measuring out all the dry ingredients. It's another fun recipe that's a craft project too.
45 min
12 muffins

Healthy Basic Oatmeal Muffins

These easy oatmeal muffins are so versatile it's ridiculous.  Your kids love them with bananas and also with blueberries, and we've tossed in spices such as nutmeg, clove and cinnamon.  They are based on a recipe from allrecipes.com, and  loaded with healthy components such as oatmeal, vegetable oil instead of butter, and less sugar than many muffins. You can switch the all-purpose flour to whole wheat, or a mixture, including cornmeal, wheat germ, and white flour to make your own favorite blend.  Some people sub applesauce for the oil.  Try almond, soy, chocolate  or buttermilk for the regular milk. Your kids may surprise you with their muffin-making skills.  Here's the blueprint for one dozen:
50-60 min
12 muffins

Green Eggs and Ham

Instead of using food coloring to make our eggs green, we used, um, food!  Fresh spinach and pesto (made from basil leaves, garlic, oil, and Parmesan cheese) were the color agents, offering us a bit more nutrition value and amazing flavor.  The kids loved adding a little more cheese on top.
35 min
4 servings

Acorn Pancakes

Acorn flour is hard to find.  The process of making acorn flour is time-consuming, as the nuts have to be soaked in water for a long time to leach out their naturally bitter taste.  But the end product, which is cocoa-colored and lighter than wheat flour, is great.  I suggest buying it rather than making it.  It is understandably expensive!  I rooted around for recipes on the web and found these pancakes, from Bay Area Bites, by Michael Procopio.  They were a FABULOUS surprise!  Light, nutty, delicious and simple.  They hardly need syrup, and are really good with yogurt and fruit. The recipe is slightly adapted. My one-lb. bag of acorn flour would make at least 4 recipes' worth.  Each recipe makes about 36 small pancakes. NOTE:  Be aware of  nut allergies before serving.
35 min
4-5

Secret Treasure Muffins

The kids loved making these. The hardest part is making sure the muffins are cool enough to eat so you don't burn your tongue on the "treasure" - a whole strawberry that turns into a molten, jammy surprise in the middle.
55 min
24 servings
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