It may be winter, but a delicious smoothie still is a perfect snack. My kids are loving them and I am happy to use up some leftovers produce from the refrigerator. Our new favorite recipe is the spiced pumpkin smoothie recipe. It offers a healthy dose of vitamins A and C, which helps support a healthy immune system. Perfect for this time of year!
We recently found ourselves in a little eating rut. The kids were being picky, which is a bit unlike them. Time for a secret tool~ the skewer. Both kids are old enough to manage them with some adult supervision. At lunch, we included small bites of a deli roll-ups, fruits, veggies, pastas and beans. Both kids loved it.
She looked at it questioningly, but only for a moment before she polished it off.
I decided to test out the skewer theory at dinner. We made swordfish kabobs with green and red peppers. It had a mild marinade that pulled it all together. It was a hit. I choose swordfish, a fish that both kids (generally) like. You can also make this recipe with halibut, scrod, salmon or tuna steak.
1poundfresh fishhalibut, swordfish, salmon or tuna steak, cut into 1" pieces
1/2green peppercut into 1" pieces
1/2red peppercut into 1" pieces
Optional: 1/2 red onioncut into 1" wedges
4cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Combine oil, juice and mustard into a small glass baking dish. Stir to combine. Add chopped fish and stir. Marinate fish for about 8-10 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat broiler on high. Thread the fish and vegetables on four skewers, alternating with your choice of vegetables. (I soak my wood skewers for at least 10 minutes in water to prevent burning.)
Place skewers on a broiler pan and broil 4" away from the heat for about 3 minutes.
Turn kabobs and brush with remaining marinade. Broil for an additional 4 minutes or until fish is cooked through. (lightly flaky.)
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Swordfish-Kabobs-Label.jpg22653240eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2013-01-03 09:51:312019-02-18 21:00:33Why do kids love food served on skewers?
You are going to learn how to make your own homemade vanilla extract in the steps ahead. I’m going to guess a few of you do a fair amount of baking. Did you have to buy vanilla extract at the store? It’s expensive and it’s not always that healthy for you. Many of the vanilla extracts sold are “imitation” and are really just filled with ethyl alcohol and chemicals. That doesn’t sound like a great way to make your desserts taste extra special now does it. Here is an easy recipe to make your own vanilla extract. I give bottles of it away as hostess gifts, and have one more mason jar saved for myself. Time to make a few more batches.
I cut the vanilla beans in half with scissors, then scraped the vanilla beans out into an sterile quart size glass mason jar. The vanilla beans are also added to the mason jar. Then cover the beans with your alcohol of choice. I used all three alcohols (separately) so I could decide which one is better. The bourbon smelled the best by far, but it is a more expensive choice. The better the alcohol you use, the better the end result. If you choose vodka, skip the plastic bottle bottom shelf vodka and get a mid-level priced option instead. It will create a better end result.
Next, store the jars in a cool, dark place. It has to be handy so it may be easier to just make some room in a kitchen cabinet. Over the next week, give the jars a gentle shake. After a week is up, transfer the jars to a storage area and let them sit for a minimum of six weeks. The longer they sit, the better. For the Christmas gifts I made, I did this in August and let them sit for months. Some say you can do it right away, others agree that longer steeping time is better.
Once your vanilla is ready, I strained the mixture using a double layer of cheesecloth. I bought adorable swing top bottles from a local store. I used these labels and printed them on sticker paper. I had to create my own sheet of just the vanilla labels, cut and paste into a new document to print just vanilla labels. Once the jars were full, I added in some of the vanilla beans for decoration.
There are tons of different ways to make your own vanilla extract. This article here has links to many other crafters which helped develop my own recipe.
Let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy your homemade vanilla extract!
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/154750_464795590223725_72733396_n.jpg612612eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2012-12-26 20:56:302019-02-18 20:39:24Make Your Own Homemade Vanilla Extract
I started making homemade granola bars about a year ago and have been tweaking the original recipe ever since. It’s finally ready to share with all of you. Our whole family enjoys them and it’s a healthy, hearty snack for mid-afternoon to hold us over till dinner. I usually make the granola bars while I’m making my weekly batch of granola. The ingredients are already out so I just need a second large bowl and a couple additional items.
Healthy Homemade Granola Bars
The best part of making granola bars in your own kitchen is you know exactly what inside each one. No scary ingredients you can’t pronounce. No strange preservatives and no high fructose corn syrup. This recipe uses only natural ingredients and you can doctor it up with your favorite add-ins like cranberries (our favorite), nuts, chocolate chips and other dried fruits. We also make them nut free sometimes so I can pack them in school lunches. I’ll add in pepitas instead of nuts to keep it protein heavy.
I just can’t get enough pumpkin these days. Muffins, breads, lattes and finally, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I created this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies using Stonyfield yogurt to replace the butter and fats called for originally. The cookies come out very moist and are healthier than the average cookie. It makes me feels better when I reach for more than one!
Recently I teamed up with Stonyfield as part of their Clean Plate Club. Here you can find lots of family friendly healthy recipes sure to make your kids join the Clean Plate Club. I am excited to come up with challenges in the coming months of how to use more yogurt in recipes to create healthier options, like these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
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Next to apples, pumpkins are my second favorite fall flavor. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks and pumpkin candy corn are some of my seasonal must-haves. This year I loved seeing all the many pumpkin spiced desserts around the web. I decided to test out a Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookie recipe and give it a healthier twist.
1/4cupapplesaucemy substitution for the second stick of butter
1cupgranulated sugarwhite plus another 1/4 cup for rolling the cookies
1/2cuppure pumpkin pureenot tge pie mix, but canned is fine
1/4cupmolasses
1large egg
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1 1/3cupsall-purpose flour
1cupwhite whole wheat flourmy 2nd substitution for the other cup of white flour
2teaspoonsbaking soda
2teaspoonscinnamon
1 1/2teaspoonsground ginger
1teaspoonground cloves
1/2teaspoonsalt
Instructions
In a stand mixer, beat butter, applesauce and sugar together until creamy. Add pumpkin, molasses, egg and vanilla. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours, otherwise it’s very difficult to roll the cookies into balls.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place sugar in a small bowl. Roll tablespoon sized balls of dough in sugar and then place on baking sheets. I fit about 15 per tray.
Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set and cookies look cracked. Let cookies sit for 2-3 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Pumpkin-Gingersnap-Cookies.jpg20481536eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2012-10-01 13:38:002019-01-03 22:06:26Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies
I took the kids apple picking last Friday and came home with a bag full of Macintosh apples. I usally make apple pie, but this time I tried a new, or rather old, family recipe. My Nana’s No Crust Apple Pie sounded perfect for my girl’s night out dinner. Easier than a pie with two crusts rolled out, yet hopefully just as delicious.
Nana’s original recipe for No Crust Apple Pie
My guess is my friends would agree that it was pretty darn delicious. My Nana, Priscilla Abbott, always had a dessert on hand in the house. She was a cake baker, but she sure could turn out an amazing pie too. She had five children so she knew a thing or two about creating a great meal in a timely manner. This recipe is easy enough for a casual gathering, but respectable enough to follow a holiday dinner.
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/No-Crust-Apple-Pie.jpg25552939eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2012-09-18 06:30:002019-01-09 02:56:53No Crust Apple Pie
After I mentioned making our own foaming hand soap in yesterday’s post about household cleaners, more than a couple people have asked how to make it.
Here is the super easy recipe I use to make the foaming hand soap. I use Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps Pure-Castile Soap as the base. This product got an A from the EWG Healthy Cleaning Guide. Tea tree oil is also a great addition because it has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antiseptic qualities.
I reuse the foaming hand soap dispenser from CleanWell. This line of products is a favorite and when I need a fresh bottle. They have antibacterial soaps without triclosan, which is a big environmental hazard.
This is a super cheap way to keep up with the kids overuse of the foaming hand soap. I have found Madison “cleaning” the bathroom sink with half the bottle. At about 25 cents a bottle, I don’t have to stress about it. Plus, there’s no sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan or synthetic fragrance involved in her cleaning project.
If you can handle making your own hand soap, now you can move on to making your own bubble soap for kids!
Happy washing!
Disclosure: Some affiliate links are included in this post.
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/foaming-soap.png1200800eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2012-09-11 21:22:002019-01-09 02:57:16Shhh...we make our own hand soap
I am always looking for new ideas for healthy snacks. There are just some days when we all need something to bridge the afternoon gap from lunch to dinner. In our house, we often do a late dinner so we can sit down as a family. I need to give my kids something substantial on these days, but I don’t want it to be processed. As kids get older, I see the need for easy options in between sports practices and homework sessions.
I met Amie Valpone during my trip to New York last month. She writes the blog The Healthy Apple and is a Manhattan based culinary nutritionist, personal chef and food writer. Amie shares her struggle and triumph in going gluten free. So many of us have family and friends dealing with food allergy issues. Amie’s story sounds like so many of my friends and I love her positive attitude towards dealing with this challenge.
I’m happy to share Amie’s list of Healthy Snacks to get you through the mid-afternoon snack slump! Baked Pear is first on my list to try.
Hard boiled eggs with Hummus (Remove yolk)
1 piece of whole grain or gluten-free toast with melted SoyaKaas cheese and a slice of tomato
1 sliced fresh pear with a slice of SoyaKaas Mozzarella Cheese
1 piece of good quality dark chocolate with a few nuts
Dried pineapple and dried papaya dipped into Greek yogurt
Sprouted English muffin toasted and topped with apple butter and sesame seeds
Organic apple sauce mixed with Greek yogurt and peanuts
Bowl of puffed kamut with honey and pistachios
2 Spelt rice cakes spread with mashed avocado and organic peanut butter
Ground flax seeds and chia seeds added to a banana and mango smoothie
Pineapple chunks drizzled with with lime juice, fresh mint leaves and warm almond butter
1/2 cup chickpeas with tomato sauce and Galaxy Vegan Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup steel cut oats with spinach, rice milk and 1 egg
1/2 hemp bagel toasted and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
2 Wasa crackers topped with grated carrots (use blender/food processor) and pine nuts
1/2 cup gluten-free pasta (cooked al dente) with Greek yogurt, low-sodium tamari sauce and sesame seeds
1/2 cup brown rice with snow peas, dried cranberries, rice vinegar and avocado
Steamed broccoli and carrots drizzled with honey, stevia and chili powder
Asparagus sp
ears topped with slices of SoyaKaas Gluten Free/Dairy Free cheese (bake in toaster oven until cheese is melted)
Fresh grapefruit, sliced in half drizzled with agave nectar and crushed almonds
Zucchini and squash, thinly sliced, spritzed with sesame oil and sesame seeds and baked for 20 minutes in oven
Make your own frozen yogurt–(Rice, Almond, Hemp, Soy, etc. milk mixed in a blender with ice cubes, banana, raspberries and strawberries. Pour into cups and freeze until desired consistency.
Sardine Salad (1 can sardines mixed with with 2 chopped celery stalks, Nu-Salt and pepper and Greek yogurt) and wrapped in kale leaves
Collard Green Wrap (Spread hummus and salsa with crushed peanuts atop large collard green leaves; wrap up like a burrito
Jicama and carrot stalks dipped into macadamia nut butter
Star Fruit and red cabbage mixed with honey and almonds
Sweet Potato Disks (slice 1 sweet potato into disk-like shapes (microwave or toast and sprinkle with paprika, Nu-Salt and pepper and dip into organic ketchup)
1 cup fresh cherries with Greek yogurt
Raw red, yellow and orange bell peppers with a hard boiled egg
3 dates and 3 dried figs with 1 Tbsp. nut butter
1 kiwi with 10 almonds
Whole grain crackers with 5 shrimp with Greek yogurt, dill, Nu-Salt and pepper
1/2 cup kidney beans with Greek yogurt and melted SoyaKass Gluten Free/Dairy Free Cheese
Baked Apple (bake halved apple for 1 hour at 350 degrees, top with cinnamon and agave nectar)
Baked Pear (bake halved pear at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, top with raisins and honey)
1 hard boiled egg with 1 Wasa Cracker and hummus
Watermelon sliced/cubed dipped into a mixture of Greek yogurt, balsamic vinegar and lime juice
1/2 cup high fiber cereal with soy milk and a handful of peanuts
Tofu Bites (Extra firm tofu, drained and cubed set into the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees; dip cooked tofu bites into hummus and sprinkle with Galaxy Parmesan Cheese)
Dried Banana Chips with pecans
1/2 cup black beans, salsa, olives and whole wheat crackers
What’s your favorite afternoon snack?
I love to hear your feedback and comments. Stop by and visit Facebook, Pinterest orTwitter for more conversation! Or get posts delivered via Email or RSS Feed. Thanks!
Amie Valpone, HHC, AADP, Editor-in-Chief of TheHealthyApple.com is a Manhattan based Culinary Nutritionist, Personal Chef, Professional Recipe Developer and Food Writer specializing in simple Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free ‘Clean’ recipes for the home cook. Visit Amie on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
