special class snack: make-your-own yogurt parfait bar

My little one's birthday is coming up, so he gets to bring a special snack to school to share with his classmates. His choice? A yogurt parfait bar. My husband balked, wondering "what 4 going on 5-year-old asks for a yogurt parfait for his birthday snack", but I kind of wonder if the kid is on to something?

Each child will be given a clear cup with yogurt on the bottom, then a variety of toppings to choose from. As a special treat, I am also giving the teachers whipped cream and some Stonewall Kitchen Raspberry Syrup. At home we use a variety of nuts and seeds as well, when we're making parfaits. But his class is nut-free, so we're going with:

• strawberry, banana and vanilla yogurts
• strawberries (from frozen)
• pineapple
• cantaloupe
• peaches (from frozen)
• blueberries (which I paid a small fortune for organic ones in mid-December...)
• nut-free granola (Back to Nature was one of the only brands at Whole Foods that was nut free... I believe Berkshire Grain is also nut-free, but our Whole Foods didn't carry that brand. Kevin, if you're reading this, in Berkshire Grain granola nut-free?)
• cheerios
• raisins
• cranberries (fyi: Trader Joe's organic brand is one of the only "not-produced in a plant with tree nut" varieties I can find)
• Stonewall Kitchen's Raspberry Syrup
• and whipped cream (which, no, we don't usually top it off with at home!)

homemade applesauce

I've made apple sauce twice this week, which is more than I think I've ever made it. In fact, this might be the first time I've ever whipped it up? Now that I see how easy it is, I might have to make it more often as a healthy snack to have on hand, or as a special addition to our breakfast oatmeal.

Homemade Applesauce
(makes about 1 quart)

8 medium-sized apples, cut into chunks, skins left on*
1 cup apple cider
sweetener (agave, turbinado, honey, maple syrup...), optional
cinnamon, optional
vanilla, optional

In a saucepan, combine apples, cider, and sweetener, spices and vanilla (if adding). Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat until apples are soft. I stirred the sauce about every 10 minutes to mash the apples a bit. The longer you cook it, the softer the apples will get. When you reach the desired consistency, remove from heat and let cool. Can be frozen for up to two months.

* I am thankful that my family doesn't mind the texture of skins in our apple sauce (which we also leave quite chunky), because I don't have to peel the apples, making this a super fast snack or side. But, if you are more of an applesauce purist, then go ahead and remove the skins. You'll end up with a much smoother end product, which you can further mash til smooth with a fork, potato masher or food processor.

banana-chocolate chip-chia seed muffins

I woke up early last week to bake mini banana-chocolate chip-chia seed muffins for a class coffee at my children's school. Seeing a sign-up sheet for paper goods, flowers, set-up or baked goods, I'm a sucker for the most laborious of the bunch. This is a little problem I've got. And so, that morning I found myself baking. It's not that I particularly like baking, in fact I'm not much of a baker. But there's this (achem, self-perpetuated) assumption that since I can cook, I should. And so, I arrived with a tray of tender little muffins. And they were good, well worth the early morning baking session. But, I give myself a little pat on the back for quickly nabbing a beer offering on the sign-up for the next parent gathering...

Banana-Chocolate Chip-Chia Seed Muffins (or loaves) From Scratch
(makes 12 muffins, 24 mini muffins or one 8" loaf)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
5 1/2 T unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup Turbinado sugar
2 eggs
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chia seeds

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan or line a muffin tin with paper cups. Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a small bowl. In a second bowl, beat the sugar and butter together with a hand mixer until creamy. Add the flour mixture until blended then beat in eggs, banana, chocolate chips and chia seeds. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake: 45-55 minutes for a loaf; about 18 minutes for regular-sized muffins; or about 12 minutes for mini muffins. Check to make the muffins or bread are done by inserting a wooden toothpick in the center, making sure it comes out clean.

Now you've got my go-to recipe for banana bread and/or muffins. But then I realized I hadn't gotten a photo of the muffins before bringing them to school. So, I baked a second batch this weekend (the loaves pictured above), this time using my tried and true TJ's banana bread mix + a fresh banana in each loaf. Just as good (I think) and a tad bit easier to throw together:

Banana-Chocolate Chip-Chia Seed Muffins (or loaves) With the Help of a Mix
(makes 12 muffins, 24 mini muffins or one 8" loaf)

1 package of Trader Joe's Banana Bread Mix (nut-free)
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1 banana, mashed (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chia seeds

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan or line a muffin tin with paper cups. Combine mix, eggs, oil, water, mashed banana (if adding), chocolate chips and chia seeds in a large mixing bowl and beat with hand mixer until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake: 45-55 minutes for a loaf; about 18 minutes for regular-sized muffins; or about 12 minutes for mini muffins. Check to make the muffins or bread are done by inserting a wooden toothpick in the center, making sure it comes out clean.

Chia seeds are one of the "hip" ingredients you hear about a lot these days. I experimented with them this summer, whipping up a raw chia pudding which 3 out of the 4 of us liked. It wasn't pretty to look at (unless you like grey, gloppy things), but it tasted good and almost had the texture of tapioca. When chia seeds are soaked they become gelatinous in texture, hence the reason you can make "pudding" from them simply by adding nut or soy milk, some sweetener and a splash of vanilla and letting it sit for a few hours. Pretty neat. I'm happy to post that recipe too, if your package of chia seeds doesn't already have it there for the asking. As for the chia seeds, I find mine at our local Whole Foods. They are gluten free, if that is important to you, and according to the Foods Alive package, "chia seeds were used as a staple food alongside corn and beans by the ancient Aztec , Incans and Mayans. Known as the running food, they would eat this high energy endurance food mixed with water...chia seeds have a mildly nutty flavor...omega-3 essential fatty acids, calcium, protein, anti-oxidants and dietary fiber are just a few of the vitamins and minerals this little seed packs for a nutritional punch...." Of course adding them to banana-chocolate chip muffins doesn't transform the muffin from treat to superfood...it just makes the treat have a little more texture and interesting nutritional boost!

pink punch

Last week, I made watermelon-cucumber juice, in an effort to cool us all down after camp, tennis and swimming lessons.

It was delicious, but I'll admit that the weird color (from leaving the cucumber skins on) wasn't too appealing.

My little one told me, "that if he made the juice around here, he would have made it pretty and pink, not yucky color". And so, today I laid out a variety of fruits, and let him create his own juice concoction...

His watermelon-strawberry-apple-blueberry juice was delicious. And pink. Very pink.

snack platter idea

a healthful, simple snack platter for an afternoon spent outside:

grapes + peppers & cucumbers + carrots + apples +
hummus (homemade or store bought) + tzatziki (homemade or store bought)

homemade granola bars

This has been a whirlwind summer. It's been social and fun, but between too many snack bar lunches and end of the day drinks with friends, my hard-earned journey to health has taken a nose dive. And so, before we embark on the second half of our summer adventures, I am making a concerted effort to at least keep healthful, delicious foods around the house. My kids will (thankfully) eat most anything I put on the plate, so really it's up to me to make healthful choices. In addition to reminding myself of my own little prep ahead mantra, I made a batch of these granola bars to have on hand as a quick afternoon snack before running out to play. They are energy packed, so easy, and satiate our cravings for a sweet treat.

Ruth's Granola Bars

(recipe by Ruth Fehr of The Palette Fund - from the Food Solutions event at Urban Zen in May) makes 14-16 large bars*

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup sliced raw almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup dried raisins, cranberries or cherries

3/4 cup agave

1/4 cup neutral oil (expeller pressed canola or safflower)

3/4 cup almond butter or peanut butter

1 cup brown rice puff cereal

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine oats, almonds and coconut. Pour onto rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. As soon as this comes out of the oven, add your dried fruit and mix well, placing the mixture into a large bowl. Place the agave, oil and nut butter into a small pot, stir to mix and bring just to a boil. Pour warm mixture over the granola. Mix well. Add the puffed rice and mix well, until the granola is coated. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and press the granola mixture onto it. Press firmly until an even layer covers the baking sheet. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and place in fridge until cool. Cut into 2x4 rectangles or 2x2 squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

* I cut the bars much smaller (2"x2"), as they're really sweet, and yielded about 40 bars. Here's the recipe in photos for those who like a visual the first time they're whipping something up!

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine oats, almonds and coconut.

Pour onto rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

While the oat mixture was baking I placed the agave, oil and nut butter into a small pot, stirring to mix and brought it just to a boil.

As soon as this comes out of the oven, add your dried fruit and mix well, placing the mixture into a large bowl.

Once the nut butter mixture was combined and just about to boil, I poured the warm mixture over the granola.

Mix well.

Then, add the puffed rice cereal, and mix well once again, until the granola is coated.

Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and press the granola mixture onto it.

Press firmly until an even layer covers the baking sheet.

Cover with another piece of parchment paper and place in fridge until cool.

Cut into 2x4 rectangles or 2x2 squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

fruit skewers

My husband asked me what I did on Friday morning, my last big chunk of "free time" on the last day of school.

I chopped and threaded fruit onto skewers. 48 of them to be exact.

And while it took way more time than I realized it would...the excited squeals when I brought the "treat" into class made it totally worthwhile. Who knew that fruit could be so exciting to 2nd graders?

summer fruit buckle (cake)

I was excited the latest issue of Eating Well magazine was waiting for me so I could pour over it while waiting on the school bus. June's "Sweet Summer" feature promised recipes that would "transport me to the long, lazy summer days of my childhood". Juicy berries protruded shamlessly from flaky crusts in one photo, an inviting ladder leaned against a stone fruit tree in another. A fruit crisp in one photo reminded me of the treat my mom would make my brother and me-- not just in the summer, but throughout the year. Blueberry Cobbler...Strawberry Pandowy...Peach Ginger Crisp...Plum Betty...Apricot Grunt. What names! Wondering what I was going to make for my younger son's class snack the following day, a recipe for Cherry-Raspberry Buckle caught my eye. Running it by him, he eagerly agreed that it was the perfect snack to share with his friends. Something every classmate would like. Of course, once we were in the supermarket that evening, he couldn't decide which two fruits he wanted to make it with, so we made it with fresh apricots, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Here's our take on the recipe, which was a hit.

Apricot-Blueberry-Raspberry-Strawberry Buckle

from Eating Well's June 2011 issue, page 67-69

makes one 9" round dish / 8 servings

(I quadrupled this recipe, which made five 8" pie plates of cake...4 for preschool and 1 for home)

1 1/2 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1/2 cup light olive oil or canola oil
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups raspberries or blueberries
1 1/2 cups apricots or cherries (pitted)
Turbinado for dusting the top before baking

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9" round baking dish with a bit of oil. Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. In a larger mixing bowl, whisk milk, applesauce, oil, sugar, egg and vanilla until blended. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold until blended. Sprinkle with fruit and gently fold until blended. Spoon the batter into baking dish and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons, or so, of Turbinado sugar. Bake until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Let cool for a half hour before serving this moist cake.

blueberry applesauce for me, blueberry applesauce for you

So, I'm not going to lie...the remaining ricotta ravioli in pesto sauce and half of the Amy's spinach & cheese pizza that was sitting on the counter when I got home from a meeting last night looked pretty darn good. And the me four days ago would have thought nothing of popping a piece-- or three-- of pizza down the hatch, and then also having dinner. And I guess that's why I am most glad that I am doing this 90-day focus on my health. It is my chance to recalibrate. But as a friend said today, "Wow! 90 days, that's a long time! Are you sure you can do that?" Today, yes. But I'll let you know if I am able to stick with it or not.

It's a challenge, particularly when you are responsible for taking care of a family. I pride myself on nourishing my husband and kids. Thankfully, the recipes so far have been the sorts of things I can also incorporate into their meals. The kids have been having a hearty cup of this all week at breakfast, alongside me, and they love it.

Blueberry Applesauce
(from Tracy Anderson's Metamorphosis Dynamic Eating Plan)

4 apples
1/2 cup blueberries
pinch of cinnamon

Core and slice the apples in half. Steam the apples, then blend them in a food processor with blueberries and cinnamon (to taste) until desired consistency.

That makes one 8 oz serving. Tracy's recipe calls for peeling the apples after you steam them, which I did not do. I like the heft the skin gives the sauce and since they were organic apples I wasn't worried about skeevy chemicals on the peels. I made a huge batch, and just processed it in batches through the Cuisinart, then stored a big bowl of it in the fridge. To give you an idea of quantities, I steamed 18 apples and added 2 cups of blueberries to my batch...plus a hearty shake (or 10) of cinnamon.

The past three mornings I have given my kids a cup of the blueberry applesauce (which you can see I still left pretty chunky) alongside either protein pancakes, oatmeal (that I also make ahead and keep in the fridge), or Trader Joe's frozen whole wheat waffles. I am able to stick to the eating plan and feel satiated, and they're getting a nice whole fruit treat instead of the regular apple slices or handful of berries with their breakfast.

parsnip & carrot "fries"

Looking for a veggie side your kids can pick up? Or, achem, even dip in ketchup (pick your battles, right?)...

Parsnip & Carrot "Fries"
4 servings

1 lb. parsnips and carrots
about 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
garlic powder
ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel parsnips and carrots, then slice each in half crosswise to separate the thick end and the narrow end. Cut the narrow piece in half or quarters lengthwise and the thick piece in quarters or eighths, depending on the thickness. (Each "fry" should be about 2"to 3" long and 1/2"- to 3/4" thick.) Place the parsnips and carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and pepper. Shake so they are all covered in a bit of oil and spices. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn each "fry" with togs, and bake again until golden brown and tender, about an additional 10 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste.

Jane's Pumpkin Bread (a.k.a. The Best Pumpkin Bread Ever)

One of my friends mentioned that the day after Thanksgiving is the day she goes from pumpkin to peppermint. I did notice a proliferation of Christmas lights as we drove home from dinner last night. Still, I'm not giving up on pumpkin just yet...particularly because my friend, Jane, shared her recipe for (the best) pumpkin bread (ever). So simple and worth sharing. (If you have already moved on to peppermint, just bookmark this for next fall.)

Jane's Pumpkin Bread

(which is really an adaptation of Vern Bertagna's recipe via a '95 Bon Appetit and then epicurious, but since I got the recipe from Jane, it will forever be known as "Jane's Pumpkin Bread" to me)

Makes 2 full-size loaves or 5 mini loaves

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 cups (or 1 16-ounce can) solid pack pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg*

* OR 3 teaspoons of "pumpkin pie spice" if you have that kicking around your spice drawer
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Turbinado sugar (to sprinkle on top, optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans (if they aren't non-stick). Beat sugar and oil in large bowl. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Add the flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg (or the pumpkin pie spice if you're going that route), baking soda, salt and baking powder. Stir until combined. Divide batter equally between baking pans. Sprinkle with Turbinado or other coarse sugar before baking (optional). Bake about 1 hour, or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to racks and cool. These loaves freeze beautifully.

(No silly, I do not sift the dry ingredients in a separate bowl...)

Two New Food Crushes: Jennifer's Homemade Flatbreads & Belle Chevre's Breakfast Cheese

I am a happy girl when I get to go to the supermarket...alone. Usually I bring my kids along. They like to ride on the side of the shopping cart (until we get chastised for doing so), and I'll let them choose foods along the way. My boys will eat anything, but eating's not really their thing. Lingering any longer than we have to in the cheese section or the bulk foods aisle is kind of torturous for them. When I get to go to the market alone I savor the time to peek at things I might normally miss.

Today, I found two new items at Whole Foods in Darien that instantly became "crush" status. And those of you who have been following my food crushes know that my recommendations are fabulous (if I might say so myself).

First, I was picking up some parmesan for the farro-butternut squash risotto I am going to make tonight. (Delicious-- particularly on a cold, rainy Fall day...will post the recipe once I whip that up.) Anyway, right there at eye level were these simple packages that boldly said "honey." and "fig.". I am a sucker for good, clean packaging. "Handmade. All Natural. Award Winning. Belle and the Bees Breakfast Cheese." Breakfast Cheese? Last night I taught a cooking lesson all about healthful, easy breakfast ideas. I'd listed all sorts of ideas for the athletes, but this was one I hadn't thought of: "an incredibly yummy and healthy alternative to cream cheese". Genius.

I picked up one of each. Delicious. Spread on a slice of whole wheat walnut bread, this stuff made me swoon. It seems like all of my "food crushes" have a good story behind them. This one is no different.

My second find was a package of Jennifer's Homemade Sweet Cinnamon Flatbread. Now here's a perfect accompaniment to the zillion boxes of Yogi teas I just re-stocked. And, what a perfect on-the-go snack for my kids paired with an apple or a carrot stick and a milk box. I love it when I come across something so simple (unbleached/unbromated wheat flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, sugar, cinnamon, yeast, kosher salt) and perfect.

My Favorite Part of Halloween: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I assume we're not the only family carving pumpkins today! With that in mind, wanted to pass along my favorite recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds. These seeds are my favorite part of Halloween.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

pumpkin seeds, goo removed and rinsed
olive oil*
kosher salt
garlic powder
curry powder
chili powder (optional)

Preheat oven to 325. After the seeds have been removed from the pumpkin, cleaned and rinsed, place them on a cookie sheet. Try to get them in as much of a single layer as you can, doesn't have to be perfect. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with a bit of salt, garlic powder and curry powder. Shake the sheet a bit so the olive oil, salt and spices are mixed in with the seeds. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until seeds are lightly browned and crisp. You'll want to stir the seeds with a spatula and shake the baking sheet 2-3 times during the cook time, so none of the seeds get too brown.

After the seeds have cooled down, they will keep in an airtight container for a few days (if they last that long).

* You can use any olive oil, but our seeds were especially delicious this year when I used Olave's lemon infused olive oil. (By us, I know Walter Stewart's carries it.)

Another one of my go-to recipes: Jam Filled Scones

My dear friend, Leslie, tried to teach me this mantra about saying "no". Clearly it went in one ear and out the other, because when my son's art teacher asked if any parent would like to bring snack for today's special after school class I jumped at the chance. And that is why I found myself baking scones this morning, while making breakfast, packing a lunch, cleaning up for the cleaning ladies and cursing the broken washing machine. But then the kitchen was filled with this amazing aroma, and my kids were recollecting how much they love these scones, and it was definitely all worth it. So, about these scones... I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe. This is another one of my go-to recipes. Originally learned from Giada, this is my version that is plenty for a classroom, with a few extra for fellow teachers:

Homemade Jam-Filled Scones with Lemon Glaze

(Makes 28 scones)

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

12 Tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks, cut into 1/2" pieces)

2 cups heavy cream

lemon zest (optional)

Jam (I tend to use strawberry or raspberry)

For the glaze:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

vanilla (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375. In a Cuisinart, pulse the flour, sugar and baking powder until combined. Add the chilled butter and pulse until it's the consistency of coarse meal. Add the cream and pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Transfer dough to counter, divide in half and roll the first half of the dough to 1/4" thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut into desired shape and place scones on parchment lined baking sheet. Make a small indentation in the center of each scone with your thumb or a spoon, and fill with a dollop of jam. Roll the remaining dough, cut into same shape and place a second scone on top of each one. Gently press down the top scone down on the bottom one. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes, then top with glaze.

To make the glaze: simply whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. You want it thin enough to drizzle with a spoon, but not too watery. Add more powdered sugar, if necessary. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes.

Here is the recipe in photos...

I've already combined the dry ingredients (in the photo up top), now I should have pulsed it to make a coarse meal with the butter...

but I hadn't had my coffee yet, and so I let my little one pour the cream in next and I grated some fresh lemon zest in there, and then I tried to pulse. The Cuisinart wasn't happy, grinding with all its' might to make the dough.

I didn't want to make the machine smoke, so I turned the dough out onto the counter

and rolled it to 1/4" thick. My three-year-old pointed out that there were big polka-dots of butter in the dough. Can't worry about that at this point!

Here are the bottom layers of the scones.

Add a dollop of jam (this morning we went with raspberry).

A second 1/2" scone was placed on top of each one, and I gently pressed down so the jam would stay inside. Then into the oven for 20 minutes. Now they're cooling while I put my older son on the bus and try not to freak out that the clean playroom is covered in Legos again.

Next a quick glaze. Simply: lemon juice, powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla whisked together.

Not too thick, not too thin. A large spoon works well for drizzling.

Drizzling the glaze on while the scones are still on the rimmed baking sheet, and on parchment makes clean-up simple.

Then transfer the scones to a wire rack so they can cool completely and the glaze can harden before transporting them to school.