by on June 7, 2010   •   47 Comments Quick Bites

Frozen Bites Part 1: Simple Treats to Beat the Heat

My first son wore his toddler status like a badge of honor. He was into everything and anything as soon as he was mobile and I quickly had to figure out a few ways to keep him still more than five seconds. One of my favorite tactics was to plop him in his highchair and hand him a popsicle (usually frozen orange juice). It was always guaranteed to give me a sold twenty minutes to put dinner together or answer some emails.

Fast forward four years: I’m still making frozen treats, but now they are helpful to beat the heat and keep the peace between siblings. It is easy to remember that your brother is your best friend when you are both sitting on the back steps eating something lip-smackingly good.

Frozen treats are fun and delicious, no matter how old you are. This week we’ll be bringing you all sorts of simple ideas for frozen treats to make -and enjoy- with your kids. [Read more…]

by on May 26, 2010   •   29 Comments Quick Bites

Breakfast on the Go (Recipe: Cottage Cheese & Yogurt Parfait)

Sometimes no matter how hard we try, our mornings get rushed and we don’t have time to sit down for breakfast. If you have a teenager you probably have difficulty getting them out of bed in the morning, which usually means breakfast is scarfed down at the last minute, or skipped completely.

Your kids can still enjoy a healthy breakfast while riding on the bus or once they get to their destination. If you have something to hand them on their way out the door, you can be at ease knowing they’ll have a healthy start to their day.

On the Go Breakfast Ideas

  • granola bars
  • ham, eggs and cheese layered on scones, toast or bagels to make a sandwich
  • yogurt parfaits in plastic cups
  • muffins and quick breads
  • breakfast burritos (scrambled eggs, meat/beans, veggies and cheese wrapped in a tortilla)
  • smoothies
  • breakfast pizzas (english muffins topped with ham, pineapple and cheese)
  • bagel with cream cheese and jam
  • breakfast panini (ie: bacon and cheese)
  • sweet breakfast wraps (banana, peanut butter and honey wrapped in a tortilla /or cream cheese and fresh slices of fruit)
  • peanut butter and jelly sandwich with slices of banana
  • fruit
  • scrambled eggs stuffed in a pita with toppings of choice
  • fruit and nut muesli in a plastic cup or mason jar

Anything that can be packaged up and travel well will make a good take-away breakfast. Be creative. [Read more…]

Berry Granola Bars
by on May 12, 2010   •   51 Comments Beverages Quick Bites

DIY Granola Bars

One of the hardest things for a mother to do is to get out of the front door. There is so much to juggle – Are the kids dressed? Teeth brushed? Shoes and socks on? Do you have all the pertinent papers, backpacks, sack lunches, and money? Do you have the car keys, sunglasses, and cell phone? And, by the way, did you remember to change out of your pajamas?

Remembering all that plus getting a nutritious breakfast in everyone can be overwhelming. But don’t be discouraged. There are strategies for feeding your family that don’t involve a drive-through window. One of them is to plan ahead and make some food bars.

They can be eaten one-handed while running a comb through a child’s hair, signing a permission slip, or while waiting at a stop light. Unlike the one-handed breakfast from the drive-through, these granola bars have lots of anitioxidants, whole grain goodness,  no processed sweeteners and a lot less fat. [Read more…]

by on April 8, 2010   •   42 Comments Quick Bites

Spring Clean Your Body With Real Foods

I love warming winter foods, but by the time spring rolls around I have had about as much beef stew as I can take. My body is telling me it is ready for a change of pace, ready to cleanse.

The words detox and cleanse are thrown around in infomercials and magazines and just about everyone is selling the product that will work wonders. But who wants to spend extra money on some products that may or may not work?

Besides, I am all about healing with real foods. You really needn’t look much further than the farmer’s market and your own kitchen to do a little spring cleansing of your own. [Read more…]

by on March 25, 2010   •   32 Comments Quick Bites

Family Friendly Chicken Strips

As passionate cooks go, home based or otherwise, there is one thing in the world that irks us all beyond comparison….meal rejection.

Unfortunately, in my house, this happens a lot. Not that my food is anything but extraordinary and made with so much love it hurts, just that some people around here don’t appreciate the same things I do.

It irks me to no end to think that I have spawned from my own loins, a chef’s worst nightmare: the picky eater; however, I know I’m not alone in this.

This month on Simple Bites, we addressed this common dinnertime dilemma head on and many, many parents chimed in. [Read more…]