Cold Cereals that The Kids Love

Many of us know that preparing a home cooked breakfast each morning does not always happen so we need some quality cold cereal's to count on. Now, many of you know that I am a big label reader so I have a few criteria for cereals: I look for acceptable sugar levels, the quality of ingredients and whether there are vitamins and minerals provided. Although many cold cereals are not the best nutrition you can choose for a breakfast, the cereals below are some of our favorites that I am not ashamed to serve.

Kashi: You can not go wrong with any of Kashi cereals really but these are the kids absolute favorites: Mighty Bites & Honey Sunshine.

Mighty Bites: My children call it the 'little people' cereal. They are quite affordable and I find them at Shaw's or Trader Joe's. These little guys are mighty indeed as they are packed with tons of vitamins & minerals!



Honey Sunshine: These are referred to as 'little pillows' in our house and I must admit, they are my little snack when no one is looking and I am craving some crunch and sweetness.



Cascadian Farms: The newest in their line of Organic cereals is Fruit O's. They state that their foods are 'grown without synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers or genetically engineered ingredients'. And no artificial flavors or preservatives. The O's contain 25% DV of Iron, Niacin, Vit. B6 and Folic Acid. The other vitamins & mineral levels are also impressive.



Mom's Best Naturals: Now, I was actually planning on writing these folks to see if I could get some samples when they wrote me asking if they could send some to me. In fact, they sent me two full boxes. I had been interested in trying them as they promised no artificial 'junk' and had a great price point. So, why do I like these? They are made with whole grain wheat and rice, no artificial ingredients, no added hydrogenated oils and no high fructose corn syrup. They taste great and I found them at a generous 'family size' box at Walmart for a great price. I do not have anything negative to say about the two options I tried so these are staying on our list of cold cereals that I will buy. I am planning on trying their oatmeals next.

Toasted Cinnamon Squares


Oat and Honey Blend

Super Thyme Savor - English Muffin with Hummus and Tomatoes

It seems that an old standby for many of us is the toasted English muffin with peanut butter. I decided to be creative and whipped together a fabulous little 'breakfast' or anytime option and just had to share.

First of all, I want you to find a quality (actual whole wheat flour, no preservatives, no enriched/modified anything) English muffin, toast it and then smear it with some hummus and place a few slices of tomato (I had some 'grape' variety) on it. I promise, it is satisfying.

Tastemaker Challenge #2 - Potato Frittata

Have you all been following along the Tastemaker 2k10 Challenge? It has been such a blast! I just finished my the video for this month's Challenge: Nutrition on a budget.

I am presenting the recipe below however, I ask that when you view the video, PLEASE rate it by pressing in the STARS. You may need to log into/create your YouTube account and you can then rate the video and help me win.

I mean, how many people dance for you?



Potato Frittata
Easy Serves: 6

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large or 2 small clove garlic, chopped
3/4 pound baby potatoes , small cubes
1 cup (approx. 1/2 small) sweet onion, chopped onion
½ tsp ground thyme or 3 to 4 sprigs thyme, chopped
½ Red pepper, chopped
1 small or ½ large Zucchini, minced
½ tsp. Salt
A few dashes ground black pepper
7 eggs (5 eggs and 2 whites), beaten
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Peel and chop potatoes into small cubes and place in microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic and microwave on high to partially cook the potatoes, approx. 4 minutes.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and cook for 1 minute and then add the red peppers, zucchini and potatoes. Cook about 3-5 minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, thyme, parsley, milk, salt, and in a large bowl.

4. Pour the egg mixture in to the skillet and distribute it around and under the vegetables. Turn the heat to low and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, gently shaking and rimming around edge to get egg underneath. Once most of the egg is set, sprinkle with the cheese and transfer it to the oven and allow to bake until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and serve directly from the skillet

If you want to brown the cheese a bit, you can turn the broiler on for a minute but do not take your eyes off of the frittata.

Please STAR the video if you haven't yet--thanks!

Pumpkin & Oatmeal Muffins

The story of Pumpkin Muffin Love: Daddy takes kids to the bakery. They return home and beg mom to make Pumpkin Muffins. Mom sets off on a mission. The results are below and include the boost of oatmeal.

Pumpkin-Oatmeal Muffins

Inspired by Whole Living

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup oatmeal

3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups organic pumpkin puree
1 cup plain organic low-fat yogurt
3 large organic eggs
1 1/3 cup brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons more for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin pans (~22-24 muffins) with baking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and oatmeal; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk oil, pumpkin puree, yogurt, eggs, and sugar to combine

4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until moistened (do not over mix).

5. Spoon approx. 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin tin and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan.

Great topped with some cream cheese or pumpkin butter!

Mini-Quiches & Shrimp Coconut Curry using Carnation Evaporated Milk

There are a few statements I have made a number of times: Keep your pantry stocked and give some variety in the kids' lunch box. Both are important to be able to make good meals quickly and offer kids some variety. One item that I usually have in my pantry is a can of Carnation Evaporated milk (low fat). I have it in my pantry for two reasons: The first being that my mom requests it to make a baked dish when she is visiting and the second is that I use it in a special dish that I make for my hubby, called Shrimp Coconut Curry.

Since I genuinely use the product, I was happy to take part in the campaign from One to One Network and Carnation. They asked if I would make one savory dish from their new holiday cookbook (check it out!) as well as one of my own original dishes that I substitute evaporated milk for regular milk (they also covered the cost of the food). I mean, did you know you could cook with evaporated milk as well as bake? The reason I prefer the evaporated milk in the curry dish below is because the consistency and thickening is a one step process versus the milk and cornstarch process I used to use and it definitely gives the consistency we enjoy. Did you know that you can choose from regular, lowfat or fat-free? My preference is the low fat as I still get the smoothness and thickening power but less fat content.

From their cookbook, I chose to make the mini-quiches as I thought it would be a great item to put in my daughter's lunch box and as a grab on the go in the morning. I was able to use mostly organic ingredients and used a the red pepper from our garden. Since the store only had one can of low fat, I used the regular evaporated milk for this recipe.

My verdict (and both companies even want the truth): We did enjoy it as you can see below. These are quick, fast and convenient. I also tossed some in the freezer! Note from the photos that my picky little eater son was crazy about them. I thought for sure he was going to throw one of his little fits but I guess he figured he loves eggs so much that these would be worth trying with no grievances. I loved pointing out to him that he also ate broccoli and pepper (after item was consumed)

I think these will be great with the low fat version as well. If you also prefer a low fat diet, be sure to use the low fat version and maybe even low fat cheese. I also used organic whole wheat flour since I did not have any all-purpose white and the consistency was great.

Party-Perfect Mini-Quiches from the Carnation Holiday Cookbook

1 can (12 fl. oz.) CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

3 large organic eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons all-purpose whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups (8-oz. pkg.) shredded organic mild cheddar cheese

2 cups chopped, frozen organic broccoli, thawed and drained

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper from our garden
Now onto one of my husband (and friends) favorite dishes:

Shrimp Coconut Curry

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1-2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

3/4 large sweet onion, chopped
1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced. Vary amount depending on heat you enjoy

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander

5 teaspoons curry powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 12-ounce can low-fat evaporated skim milk
1 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
1 pounds (51-60) uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Fresh cilantro: Trust me, this makes the dish!
Salt & freshly ground pepper

Preparation
1. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 Add the garlic, jalapeno pepper, coriander, cumin and curry powder and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

3. Then reduce the heat to low and add the evaporated low-fat milk and coconut milk. Mix well and bring to a simmer but be sure to continually stir it to prevent scorching. Simmer for a few minutes.

4. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and approximately 10 but be sure not to overcook.

5. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. I serve this over brown rice.

So, do you think we could convince Carnation to try making an Organic version?

EatingWell Wednesday - The 'Yucky' Shake & Wake-Up Smoothies

Last week, I tweeted out a question 'What would you like me to make next?' and I had a smoothie request so here it goes: 'My Yucky Shake' story and recipe.

My son and I love bananas but my daughter and husband despise them. I make a simple and yummy banana smoothie that my daughter (and now son) refer to as the 'Yucky Shake'. My son and I love to drink them together and I personally take joy in the fact that I only have to share with one child instead of two. See, when I make the smoothie, it is because I really want one and so it is nice that I usually get some of it when only on child is after me instead of two.

The Yucky Shake:
1 cup of 1% organic milk
1 ripe banana
A handful of ice.

Place all ingredients into a blender, first blend on 'ice crush', then give it a good spin on blend. Once frothy, pour into a cup and gulp, I mean slowly ingest.

Since I was thinking so much about smoothies, I decided that I need to start getting a bit more creative so I headed over to EatingWell Magazine . I found a link titled "Kid-Friendly' smoothies and made the 'The Wake-Up Smoothie' . It was dreamy. However, I thought it was definitely sweet enough so skip the sugar. Also, I used Stonyfield Oikos Plain Non-Fat Greek Yogurt in the recipe.

What you want more? The head over to Bookieboo.com later today (I am an editor) for more smoothie information and ideas.

Healthy Breakfast Options - Earth's Best

We have heard it a million times: a healthy breakfast is the way we are supposed to start our day and if you have children, you know from experience that it is essential! But we do not always have the time to make or put together a healthy spread and so we need to rely on quick and nutritional choices.



Luckily, Earth's Best Organics makes a number of organic and wholesome breakfast choices in their Sesame Street Line that my little ones love. The 'On the Go O's come in both honey nut and apple cinnamon. The Mini Waffles come in blueberry and home style. And, my sons favorite's lately, are the Yummy Tummy Instant Oatmeal as he and daddy have a morning ritual.



Earth's Best believes in building healthy minds and bodies. Their Sesame Street products are fortified with 8 essential vitamins and minerals to ensure that your toddler gets the most nutrition in every bite.

To help encourage your kids to develop and maintain healthy habits, there is a great 'healthy habits' chart on the website. Plus, as they fill it out, they can feel proud of themselves.



What are some of your kids favorite breakfast foods?

Kiwi-Strawberry Muffins

I was made aware of the Zespri KiwiFruit Lunch 2.0 contest at BlogHer when a woman handed me a flyer in the EXPO hall. She began to tell me about it and before she could even finish, I said "I know exactly what I am making."

At that moment it hit me that I could not recall even introducing my children to Kiwi and at the same moment, I knew exactly how I would. No, not by presenting some fuzzy brown oval of a fruit and telling them to try it. Nope, I would combine this lively fruit into a favorite recipe of theirs: Strawberry muffins. So after some tinkering, we have the perfect muffins for lunch boxes, snacks or even breakfast. These will definitely be in my daughter's lunch box this year!

These would be great to freeze and have on hand.

Ingredients:
½ pound (8oz) fresh strawberries, hulled, rinsed and cut into small pieces

1 green kiwi, skin removed and cut into small pieces
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup organic unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 salt
1/2 cup agave nectar, light
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup organic applesauce, no sugar added
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with baking spray. In a small saucepan, bring strawberries and kiwi to a boil over medium heat, mashing gently, while they cook for 1 minute. Pour into a bowl to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, beat nectar, sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla until combined.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold to combine. Fold in the kiwi & strawberry mixture.

5. Fill muffin pan-makes about 15 muffins or just overfill one pan to make 12 muffins.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool completely.

I brought the muffins out to them while they were outside playing with a friend and said nothing except 'snack time.' After they consumed them I told them those were Kiwi-Strawberry muffins. My son asked 'What Kiwi Momma?' and I told them it is a fruit. In unison, I heard 'Yum'.

Martha Stewart and I make Cinnamon-Oat Pancakes

Saturday morning was already going to be an extremely busy morning but the kids had asked me on Friday to please make pancakes in the morning. I said yes remembering I wanted to create an oatmeal pancake recipe. Sure enough early Saturday morning came and as soon as I remembered my obligation and realized I had not planned ahead, I ran to Martha Stewart online for a recipe. The first recipe that popped up is 'Cinnamon-Oat Pancakes' so off we went to the kitchen.




Since I rarely find myself following a recipe exactly and I am always try to up the nutritional content in some way, I opted to vary the recipe by using 1 cup of unbleached organic flour to 1 cup of organic whole wheat flour. I then followed the recipe to a 'T'. The result was tasty and the kids enjoyed them however, I think they would have been less dense if I had cut the oats down to 1 cup.

Do you like your pancakes light and fluffy? If yes, then follow her instructions and see how they come out but I have to wonder: Which is better nutritionally? To use all AP flour with all the oats called for OR use some whole wheat flour but cut down on the oats?

Rainy Day Parfait - Breakfast or Dessert?

Yesterday was the one day, out of the next 10, that was sunny and so we spent most of it outside. But that one day was over too quickly and now we are in the midst of some heavy rain. The kids and I went to the gym today and then to the farmer's market. Yes, in the rain but it was very light so they did not mind. So, I found myself sitting here under dark clouds and craving something sweet and crunchy. But what to eat? We had some organic vanilla yogurt (their favorite), some cereal and berries so we created a parfait and are smiling now. Bring on the rain.

6oz. cup of organic non-fat vanilla yogurt
approx. 1/2 cup organic vanilla almond crunch cereal (cascadian farms)
approx. 1/3 cup blueberries
approx. 1/4 cup raspberries

Directions:
Place a layer of yogurt in the bottom and top with granola, then blueberries and repeat. When almost to the top, place a thin layer of yogurt, granola and raspberries on the top.

If you prefer a thicker yogurt, consider using greek yogurt. This would also be a great breakfast or dessert.

Thankfully, I finished taking the pictures just in time.

Strawberry Muffins

Come on over to the new location of Savor the Thyme for the recipe!

A sale on Strawberries meant we had an abundance which also meant that I needed to use them. Well, I needed to be creative as my children love them 'in' things but will not just grab one and eat it. One of their favorites is my strawberry bread but I decided to make muffins this time. This is a perfect snack or grab-n-go breakfast.


Ingredients:
1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled, rinsed and cut into pieces
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 salt
2/3 cup agave nectar, light
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce, no sugar added
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with baking spray. In a small saucepan, bring strawberries to a boil over medium heat, mashing gently, while they cook for 1 minute. Pour into a bowl to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, beat nectar, sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold to combine.
5. Fold in strawberries.
6. Fill muffin pan-makes about 15 muffins or just overfill one pan to make 12 muffins.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool completely.

I have also made these using 1/3 cup agave nectar and 1 cup of brown sugar - yummy!

Tropicana 50 - My version

Finally. I had received coupons for the new Trop50 a number of weeks ago however, they did not have any information on the website for me to link you too. Well, not only is there some information online but coupons also. Have any of you tried it yet? It looks as if they use Stevia as a sweetener. I am not sure I will buy it as I have a cheaper and effective way to cut the calories and sugar: I simply pour some of the regular Tropicana in my glass, and add water. I am guessing at a 60:40 ratio. Brillant eh?

Also, I thought the company has abandoned it's new packing for the former? hum.

French Toast with Vanilla, Cinnamon and Agave Nectar

It is Priscilla's (Priscila's Baking Adventures) fault. Yup, she did it. She posted a recipe titled 'french toast with vanilla and cinnamon'. Gosh, how do you resist? I could not. Now, I must state this now and hope you stick with me: I do not have a photo. I started off just trying to modify a recipe and ended up whirling my family into such a frenzy over having french toast that it was attacked with little evidence that it ever existed. Try yourself and find out how good these two recipes are!

Ingredients:
6 slices organic whole wheat bread
6 eggs
1/2 cup 1% milk
3 tbsp. Madagascar pure vanilla
1.5 tbsp. cinnamon
Organic Agave Nectar

Directions:
1. Whisk eggs. Spray a skillet with non-stick spray (I used 'butter') and set burner to medium.
2. Add milk, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix well.
3. Coat bread very well with egg mixture. Place in pan. Cook on stove flipping once.
4. I used a small amount of butter and then drizzled agave nectar on each piece.

Apparently I am an amazing mother having invented the best breakfast ever. I, on the other hand, felt a pang of guilt having never offered french toast to either child in their lives. YIKES!

Potato Frittata for St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day. To honor the holiday I made a potato and KerryGold cheese frittata. I am a big fan of frittata's but have never incorporated potatoes into them.



1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large potato, sliced
1/3 cup sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup red pepper, chopped
1 cup baby spinach, chopped/torn
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
1/3 cup 1% milk
1/3 cup shredded KerryGold cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice potatoes and place on a paper towel to absorb excess water/fluid.

2. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place potatoes in the skillet, season, cover, and cook about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk with a dash of salt and pepper. Flip the potatoes over, cook 5 minutes until tender but firm. Remove and place aside.

3. Place onions, red pepper and garlic into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes, add spinach and cook 1 minute. Remove from the pan and then place potatoes back into the pan, distributing evenly and place sauteed vegetables back on top.

4. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet over the vegetables. Reduce heat to low, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until eggs are getting firm on top. Then place the pan into the oven. When the eggs are almost completely set, sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake, maybe a minute, until cheese is melted.

'Cleaned up' Sweet Potato & Zucchini Muffins

I have made a sweet potato/zucchini bread now for about 2 years but decided it was time to 'clean it up'. Use less oil, cut down on the white flour, no white sugar and add some more nutrients. So, applesauce, flax, and agave are utilized as well as whole wheat flour.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1.5 tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 salt

2/3 cup agave nectar, light

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup applesauce, no sugar added

3 eggs

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup grated zucchini

1 1/4 cup peeled and grated sweet potato

2 tablespoon ground flax seed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Spray muffin tin with baking spray.

3. Sift first six ingredients together in large bowl.

4. In a separate bowl, beat nectar, sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla until combined.

5. Mix grated potato and zucchini into wet ingredients (after grating, cut strips for shorter pieces)

6. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold to combine.

7. Fill muffin pan-makes about 15 muffins or just overfill one pan to make 12.

Eat your words!

I was strolling through the blogosphere when I decided to peek at fellow foodie's blog 'Tangle Noodle' and was inspired by the creativity. I decided to play with my breakfast today and surprise my children. I spelt their names in pancake and then some other humorous statements that my husband enjoyed.

By the way, I used Trader Joe's Multigrain Baking Mix. I followed their directions for pancakes however, I enhanced it by adding 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons agave nectar and 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds.

Breakfast Crown Scramble

After seeing this post by 5-star foodie, I was reminded of a similar item that I used to make frequently but had forgotten about. I think this would be a wonderful Valentine's item served with a mimosa, fresh fruit and a flower on the side. I tried to lighten it up a bit, but heck, you can go for an old fashioned cheese sauce if you wish. Please note that I modified the recipes from food network and then lightened up the sauce by varying a recipe from eating well.

Ingredients:
Puff Pastry Crown:
12 frozen puff pastry shells (recommended: Pepperidge Farm) *
6 eggs
1 tablespoon 1% milk
Vegetable Oil Spray
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Mornay Sauce:
1 1/4 cups nonfat milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black or white pepper
1 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the puff pastry shells on a baking rack and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and milk in a large bowl to blend. Spray a large nonstick skillet with oil spray and heat over medium heat. Add eggs and stir continuously with a rubber spatula until eggs are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, place aside on plate, and cover to keep warm.

3. Bring 1 cup milk in a medium heavy saucepan almost to a boil over medium heat. While the milk is warming, stir together flour and the remaining 1/4 cup cold milk in a small bowl to make a smooth paste. Stir the paste into the hot milk mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in cottage cheese, swiss cheese, salt and pepper. Transfer sauce to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth (remember this is hot so vent properly).

4. Remove tops and hollow out pastry shells. Divide scrambled eggs among pastries. Top each with 2 to 3 tablespoons of mornay Sauce. Sprinkle with dill and serve.
*Yes, since there are probably not 12 of you around on V-day, scale this back.