Sweet Potato Fry OH MY !

Sweet Potato Fries
My Lil Plum NEVER ate sweet potatoes,,,,
Needless to say i NEVER complained because she ate just about everything else I put in front of her so,,, beggars cant be choosers right ?

Um,,, no,, not with this foodie mama !

So,, I figured I would continue to try and swing Lil PLum into the land of SWEET POTATO ENTHUSIASM,,,,,
Three words,,,
Sweet
Potato
Fries

A friend of mine told me she does something similiar with butternut squash and they arent as sweet,, you could try this too.

SWEET POTATO FRIES
3 Organic sweet potatoes scrubbed well.. (if you dont have organic I recommend peeling them ) The skins have all the nutrients so this is why I reccomend leaving them on.)
EVOO ( extra virgin Olive Oil ) or Coconut Oil ( about 1/4 cups,, enough to coat all potatoes well as this will be the oNLY Oil you use in this recipe )
Cinnamon
Cumin
Garlic salt
Sea Salt
Crushed Black Pepper
Oregano
Gallon size Ziploc Baggie

Preheat oven to 375
Cut and slice potatoes in french frie size ( place in bowl)
Pour in Ziploc Baggie ( have child do this part )
Add oil to bag ( Have child do this as well )
Add Herbs .(Have child do this as well,, this is why I reccomend having all spices already measured in a small child size bowl,, like a ramekin so they can dump em right in the bag )
Seal and shake up fries well til all coated with oil and spices ( Children especially like the shaking part )
Place in Roasting pan in oven and watch carefully. ( open bag for child and have them pour into pan )
Bake til soft inside ,, about 45 minutes,,, each oven is different so Im leary to put an exact time on this. Just watch themn til they are your desired consistency.

( Notice: I didnt give measurements to herbs because use them to your liking . I used the above combination because I wanted an indian flair. On that note,, I use a SMALL amount of Oregano,, as this tends to overwhelm recipes if used in large amounts. I also PROMISE the combination of Cumin and Cinnamon is DIVINE,,, just try it.
Here is a GREAT Way to get your kiddos to try new flavors in a FUN way. I STRONGLY believe that one of the EASIEST ways we can get our children to open up their culinary palettes is to get them to taste "Different" herbs,, other than salt and pepper and garlic,, ( the most commonly used spice in N america) They may be leary at first but if you continue on this herb journey they will develop a taste for these different flavors .

Studies show by the time children are 4,, their tastebuds have been formed for life,,, trust me on this,,, I have a 16 year old too,,, and tr ying to CHANGE their eating habits later in life is not IMPOSSIBLE but it IS quite difficult,,, So START EARLY !
Dont give in to the notion that children dont "LIKE" Spicey foods,,, BLAH BLAH BLAH !
I say,,, as long as its not flavored with Jabanero Peppers,,, they will be fine.

Remember,, their is a difference between being "Spicy" and being "Flavorful " This is why I like using the word herbs a lot instead of spices.

Studies also show that you need to "try" new food and flavors 8 to 12 times before children will be receptive to them... so bottom line.
DONT GIVE UP ! and HAVE FUN with cooking with your kiddos !

By the way,, Lil Plum LOVED these and I think in part to the fact that she "helped"
Did I also mention that this recipe in TOTAL took only about 15 minutes to prepare,, simple and easy and FUN !

Day off BREAKFAST,,, Egg Pizza Please aka, Fritatta

Mom's you TOO can make a balanced breakfast for your lil one with little effort.

The KEY to getting kids EXCITED about healthy food is to get them INVOLVED with FOOD.

I recently had a day off of cooking for the children at school and decided to go back to where it alll started,,, COOKING for my Lil Plum at home...

Of course,,,, Lil Plum was,,,,,,, you guessed it.... INVOLVED ( and excited I might add ) Heres how it went ..... down......

CHEEZEY GARLIC SPINACH FRITATTA...........
4 eggs,
1 TBSP Milk ( u can use soy or almond milk too,, just unsure its unsweetened and unflavored )
Salt
About 2- 3 cups loosely packed spinach,, rinsed( do not dry,, leave droplets of water on leaves for moisture during simmering)
2 garlic cloves,
1/3 cups monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Whip eggs and milk in large bowl...................

Shred Cheese and prepare remaining ingredients ( the key to getting kids involved is to let them help with things like,,, shredding cheese,,, then pouring it into small containers,,, small enough for their little hands to pour in when needed. Whisking eggs,, etc... etc....

Saute, Garlic in frying pan with about 3 - 4 TBSP Olive Oil
Add spianch and saute til wilted. Make sure you continue to stir around to ensure all spinach is wilted.

Add Whipped Egg and lower to heat to REALLY LOW,,,,
Once it looks like its setting a tad,,, add MOnterey Jack cheese.
Continue to watch CAREFULLY,,,, for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add Parm cheese on top
Transfer to Broiler on high and watch like a HAWK .
Once it starts puffing up and is slightly browned on top,,,, take out and let cool.

Some IMPORTANT tips..
Make sure u use a frying pan with a handle that is oven safe
Make sure u use enough Olive OIl to ensure eggs dont stick to pan,,, I use a non stick pan... Obviously my friends at EWG might not agree to the use of a teflon coated pan but in cooking sometimes this is a NECESARRY evil...
Eggs once done should slide right out of pan with a teensy weensy spatula loosening effort on the edges...

Cut this "fritatta" into small triangles that resemble pizza to make it fun for children and serve with whole grain bread and a side of fruit..
VOILA ! Healthy and Balanced breakfast,,,,,,Kid involved and Kid FUN !

KIDS KITCHEN - Carrot Cake

KIDS KITCHEN - Carrot Cake
Lily and I decided to try out hand at baking with our NEW KIDS KITCHEN recipe cards... These are one of my new favorite Barefoot Books purchases,,,,
I LOVE all the recipes in this deck of cards,, they are all kid friendly, vegetarian and HEALTHY,,,, I think the kids at school are going to try and make some as well for a friday afternoon snack,,,
I especially LOVED this carrot cake recipe because it kept Lily interested and INVOLVED which is the name of the game when cooking with children.

Some of the things she was able to participate and help in were
Measuring and pouring the ingredients.
Shredding the carrots ( with supervision of course )
Once carrots were shredded she put them in the big bowl and helped mix with ingredietns.
She also added the separate ingredients one measuring cup at a time.

PARENTS TIP : If you measure everything out in advance,, the children can pour the ingredients in one at a time upon your direction.
If the children are older they can pretty much read the cards themselves and you could just supervise,, either way,, all ages can have fun in the kitchen !! Especially with these fun cards,,,,


Here are a few pics from the project....

Get your overalls on Lily

This year our family joined a local CSA farm about 15 minutes from our home.
One that is child friendly and allows families to bring their children to help plant, care for and eventually harvest the food that they will bring home to their kitchens.!!!!!!

I REALLY am looking forward to this experience.

To showing Lily "Where" her food comes from and getting her excited about PICKING IT ! Right out of the ground.

How much fresher can it get?

For those of you who arent familiar with the concept,, CSA, short for "Community Sponsored Agriculture" is somewhat like a farminig Co - op. You pay a yearly fee for a "share" of the farms crop. You donate a certain amount of hours to help plant and care for the crop and then eventually when its ready to be picked every week during harvesting season you get to go with your kiddos and LITERALLY pick your fruits and veggies for the week !

You can purchase a full share or a half a share. We plan on purchasing a full share and splitting it with another family from our playgroup. We are both excited about teaching our children from a very young age the maening of "local" food and truly appreciating the miracle and joy behind eating "Fresh and ogranic" food.

I look forward to sharing photos of this years CSA crop experience with you. Below is an email I received this month from LocalHarvest.com I enjoyed reading it and most of all I enjoyed the simplicity of it.....Here are some highlights,,, to read the newsletter click here
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Many times each month, people ask us exactly how they can begin to eat locally. The questioner invariably understands the 'whys' of the proposition, but is daunted by the 'how.' So this month we offer a short primer on eating local food, with emphasis on the notion of transition. Let's start there. The first thing to remember is that eating locally is a continuum. If you allow yourself to get drawn into an all-or-nothing mindset, the proposition will seem impossible. You will get derailed by the list of the imported foods you think you can't live without. Bananas. Coffee. Chocolate-covered yum-yums.

Don't start with those things. Don't even put them on the table the first year. Eating locally is about doing what you can. It is about making the most of your region's agricultural strengths. It is about beginning to pay attention. Where should you start? Focus on whole foods first. Highly processed foods are made with many ingredients that are shipped from afar, processed, and shipped again. It is simpler, not to mention healthier, to put your efforts into simpler foods.

For people there, ( California ) just committing to shop at the farmers market or to join a CSA would bring local foods into their diets much of the year. Another regional difference concerns food preservation: neither my colleagues in California nor my friends in the South spend much time canning and freezing. Here in Minnesota, we do, because that is the way to enjoy local produce in the long winter. Getting to know what grows well in your state - and when - is a valuable part of your education as a locavore.

Finally, it pays to remember that for most human beings, change is difficult. Food is so fundamental to our sense of well-being that changes in that arena may be met with a lot of resistance. If that is the case in your house, go slowly and look for small windows of opportunity. For example, enjoy lots of local strawberries when they are in their glory. If you can, go out to the farm and have fun picking some of your own. Really pay attention to how good - and how different - they are. Acclimate your taste buds and over time your family may decide that the local ones are worth waiting for. You may even decide to throw a few bags of berries into the freezer for later. And you're on your way...
In sum: Start with whole foods. Don't make it too hard. Study your region's agricultural strengths, and play up to them. Look for ways to be creative with your budget. Be gentle with your self and your family as you try out new habits. Do these things, and you will set yourself up for a highly satisfying adventure in local eating, and a deeper connection to your food.

Erin Barnett
Director, LocalHarvest

FAJITA NIGHT

FAJITAS are MANA from HEAVEN !

Last night we made what I like to call a "whip up" dish .

No recipe followed, just went with our gut and whipped something together and MAN OH MAN was it YUMMO !

Believe it or not,, our lil plum already likes peppers and portabello mushrooms. Just goes to show that if started early,, children can adapt to ALL SORTS of different food flavors. Obviously at this age, 23 months, she cant eat a fajita like we would typically eat it,, we have to dice up the peppers and mushrooms and giver her some sour cream to dip it in,, ( she loves to "dip" thing) and then I just give her a warmed quesadilla on the side to eat with the VEGGIES :) .

Heres the down low on the dish that we will FOR SURE to be repeating.

sorry for the poor lighting in the pic,, doesnt do the beautifully colored peppers justice,, :( )

Ingredients

2 yellow bell peppers ( all cut in fajita size strips )

2 Ornage bell peppers

2 red bell peppers

2 Green bell peppers

1 large onion ( also cut fajita size strips )

3 cloves of garlic ( diced and minced)

Portabello mushrooms sliced lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick,, I used about 2 cups but I DEFINATELY reccomend the more the better.

In canola oil saute the garlic, 1/2 the onions and portabello mushrooms for about 10 minutes

Til they are soft but not mushy

Set aside,,

In same pan saute the peppers and the remaining onions

Season while sauteeing with a combination of your favorite mexican spices.

(I used Chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, chipotle chili powder, black pepper and salt.. I would recommend some adobo too but unfortunately I didnt have any this time round. You could also use pre packaged "Fajita" mix if you reaaaaally wanted to )

Saute til tender but not mushy,, stir frequently to keep from sticking,,

Serve on corn or flour tortillas with a sprinkling of chihuaha cheese !

(not too much this cheese is yumolicous but very high in sodium)

Plum rating: "NUMMY NUMMY ( ie,, please re do again mommy )

http://lilysveggiebites.blogspot.com/

Creamy Carrott Feta Risotto

Alright,, so,, Im going to try to take a little spin on this,, A different format if you will.

Instead of posting daily menu's Breakfast to Dinner,,

I'm going to try and post one meal a day that inspired me

or truly tempted LILYS palette :) This is after all,,, HER website :)

So,, yesterday she had an incredible dinner,,,

Well I shouldnt say ENTIRELY incredible parts of it

were,,, ehhh,, so so. but the part I feel the need to mention

is the Creamy Carrot Feta Risotto,,, and the PERFECTLY

steamed Brussel Sprouts, I love it when fresh steamed

veggies come out with total perfection!!!

I steamed them and topped them with a smidge of Olive oil and Lemon YUMMO !
The Creamy Carrot Feta Risotto recipe was courtesy of none other

MOOSEWOOD COOKS at Home cookbook,, ( aka. My kitchen Bible )

The lumps of sticky fish in the center of the plate were "Ssticky Salmon" which was ehhh ...

"not so great" "edible,, but not Re doable... So Im not wasting anyones times posting that recipe...

The flavors of fresh dill, feta and carrots, with a splash of lemon all meld together in a strange way to make a very unique and delicous spin on traditional rissoto.
The beauty of risotto if made right,, is that it provides a "Creaminess" that so many people crave in "comfort" food,, without all the added artery clogging dairy , No butter, no milk or cream,, . I must admit,, were not HARD CORE vegan by any stretch of the imagination,, occaional fish, egg and cheese will be found in our menus but not on a regular basis... ie: Feta,,

Lily gives it a Num Num,

KEY : Num= not a repeat.

Num Num = repeat mommy

Nummy Nummy = repeat PLEASE !

RISOTTO WITH CARROTS AND FETA

( COURTESY OF "MOOSEWOOD RESTUARANT COOKS AT HOME )

5 Cups of Vegetable stock

4 carrots cut into matchstick( u can buy these already cut )

1 small onion, diced

1 TBSP Olive OIl

1/1/2 cups aroborio rice

1 TBSP chopped FRESH dill

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup of crumbled grated feta cheese.

2 TBSP's chopped fresh parsley ( optional )

Bring the stock to a boil in a covered pot. Ease the carrots into the boiling stock, lower the heat and very gently simmer.

In a large saucepan saute the oinions in the oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat, until softened but not browned.

Using a wooden sppon to avoid breaking the individual kernels, carefully add the rice, stirring gently until it is thoroughly coated with oil.

Add the dill.

Ladle 1 cup of the simmering stock with carrots into the saucepan and stir it into the rice. When the rice has absorbed the liquid, stir in another cup of stock. Continue to do this every few minutes after the liquid is absorbed until all stock is gone and rice is tender but al dente. Keep stirring the dish throughout to prevent sticking.

This will take about 15-20 minutes.

When the risotto is ready remove it from the heat and stir in the lemon juice , feta and optional parsley.

NOTE: I say to add the lemon juidiciously depending on who is comsuming it. The lemon can be a bit overpwering for some folks. Lily and I LOVE lemon, but my dear husband for example is not a BIG fan so add to your liking.

ENJOY ! As always,, keeping it flesh free and oh so happy !

GO MEDITERRANEAN !

Some unsettling facts about Americans health,,

- It is predicted that the average american child will start developing hardening of the arteries even BEFORE they enter HIGH SCHOOL

-Americans suffer a higher incidence of degenerative diseases than people just about any place else in the world!!!

-Eighty million americans have some form of heart disease and,,,

-20 MILLION children and adults have diabetes.
-The amount of overweight children in America has TRIPLED since 1980

-1/3 of Americnas gets almost 1/2 of their calories from junk food.!!!!!!!!!!

WHY ? you ask,,, In a country that is suppose to be the most powerful country in the world full with knowledge and technology is our health suffering so??

Because we eat CRAP ! Because we are in a HURRY! and because we are LAZY !

Americans have become so hurried, so obsessed with convenience they have forgotten that what we eat is ESSENTIAL to how we thrive. Put crap in,, get crap out. In the form of disease.

In my opinion,, our children deserve better. So,, here is where we can start...

"Think Mediterranean"
I read an article recently in "Chicago Parent" Good Sense Eating article,, sites eating a Mediterranean diet is more than just HUGE bowls of pasta or bread dipped in olive oil.. Its a "Whole diet" approach that involves eating from a well rounded flavorful menu while enjoying the company of friends and family... ( that means not in a mad rush out the door or in front of the TV) Overwhelming research dating back to the 50's suggests that eating a Mediterranean type diet is associated with a longer healthier life.

TRANSLATION: We can learn a thing or two about a healthy diet from our Mediterranean neighbors,, Spain, Greece, Crete, Southern France and Italy.

Pediatrician Alan Greene, assistant clinical professor at Stanford Medical School was quoted saying,,, and I LOVE this,,
" We should erase the idea that there should be a separate kids menu" especially in restaurants. Children should be raised eating adult foods. He cites howmothers in other countries give their young children the same food the rest of the family is eating without judgement. They dont proclaim "this is good for you "

I couldn't say it better myself. On the rare occasion my family goes out to eat,, Lily never eats off the childrens menu. Lily usually eats a sampling of mine and her dads meal. Most childrens menu's are shrouded with preservative filled tasteless unbalanced meals.

I hear ya,,, "my child wont eat fruits and vegetables"
The best thing we can do for our children is start them early and start them flavorful.. As early as,,,,, "in the womb" Research suggests that spicy ( not necessarrilly spicy, "hot" but spicy,, flavorful" foods our lil ones can taste while in utero.

Breastfeeding moms,,, fill up on foods filled with flavors. Fresh herbs and spices,,, and
guaranteed,, your child will have a much more accepting palette when table food is introduced.

To eat the Med way learn how to prepare vegetables and legumes. Cook them in Olive Oil. which is LOADED with good heart healthy Omega ! Add spices,, garlic, onion, tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Dont be afraid to experiment with FRESH herbs and spices. So many Americans only know one flavor of vegetable. BLAND... With a dousing of salt, pepper and possibly garlic "powder or salt"

Most vegetables consumed are either bland sodium packed canned veggies or overcooked steamed limp veggies drowned in butter.

Instead of butter,, try Olive oil. Add sliced almonds and fresh chopped garlic.. Try adding lemon and olive oil to freshly tossed salad instead of sugar filled syrupy salad dressing.

I truly believe one has not LIVED unless they have smelled fresh ginger, fresh rosemary, fresh basil, fresh mint and fresh lemon verbena !

Sometimes,, when I need a quick pick me up,, I grab a snippet of fresh rosemary from the rosemary plant I have in my kitchen window,, rub it in between my fingers and sniff. !!!!
aaaaah ! What a refreshing scent that never fails to put me in a better mood.

Try buying some "Fresh " fruit instead of canned or frozen. There is ALWAYS fresh bananas, apples and oranges in our house eveyr week.. The other produce varies depending on season but Lily wakes up every morning in eager anticipation of her "nay nay" She LOVES clementine oranges and grapes and dips slices of apple in peanut butter atleast three times a week.

Im sorry if this sounds a little "pie in the sky" preachy,, but it's not. It truly just

IS
NOT!!!!

My beautiful daughter is living proof ! She never backs down on hardly any flavorful spicy meal. Her meals are surrounded with new flavors all the time and I am proud to keep giving them to her.

Try this,,, take a muffin pan,,, sliced into matchstick size ( u can also but them pre chopped,, but they cost more ) carrots, celery and add some pretzels for fun.. Place each individual veggie in separate muffin containers,, add some ranch dip.. and youve got yourself a healthy snack that your kids can munch on all afternoon... No preservative, sodium, hydrogenated oil,, dye filled chips.. but good. healthy, fresh nutrient enriched yummies. And it makes it FUN for them too. Add some apples sliced thin and some peanut or almond butter too ! ( I got this idea from none other than "Dr Bill Sears" website)
I find myself dipping in it as well.

Back on the mediterranean kick..
I learned to cook from my former mother in law who was an Italian mom who's parents were from the "old country" She never measured anything,, a pinch of this,, a dash of that and all FLAVORFUL foods ! My son,, who she cooked for regularly, never ate frozen chicken nuggets or fries, or boxed mac n cheese. He ate freshly cooked food,, fresh marinara sauce,, hand tossed salad with oil and vinegar and ALWAYS the same food the adults did.

My son ,, while in his teenage years, has naturally become a "tad" picky but he still has experienced enough freshly made, all natural home made food to set his tastebuds in the right direction for a lifetime. He loves to cook. He loves to experiment with food. He already knows how to chop fresh garlic and adds it to a lot of his own "Creations" which sadly,, most adults I know still use " garlic powder" NOT EVEN CLOSE to the same flavor.

I urge everyone to check out this website
http://www.oldwayspt.org/ for more info. on the mediterranean diet,,, it has a neat link for the Mediterranean Food Pyramid for Children and adults.

BONUS ! it even has the Vegetarian food pyramid,, which you can download and print for your own refrigerator.

Do you and your family a favor,, buy a head of garlic, a juicy lemon and some Extra Virgin Olive Oil this weekend and make something fun with it ! You will already be on your way to eating healthier...