Whole Wheat Buttermilk Crepes
Breakfast Table / Kids Food / Sweet Treats

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Crepes

It’s up for debate.  Which are better, thick, spongy pancakes or thin, crisp pancakes.  In our house, they both win.  We love thick, spongy pancakes to soak up our rich berry syrup on a cold Sunday morning, but the day my family bought a crepe pan we were changed forever. The light, crisp texture of French crepes are a favorite pretty much any day of the week.  I admit, I used to exclusively use crepe mix from a package.  I thought there was no way I could duplicate that thin, barely there batter that baked up light and crisp on the griddle.  But the pre-made mixture was expensive, hard to find and had very little nutritional value short of the eggs I whisked into the powder.  It was time to break free of my crepe fear and give them a try. (more…)

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07/14/2012
A Trip Down Blueberry Lane – Blueberry & Challah Breakfast Bread Pudding
Breakfast Table / Kids Food / Snacks

A Trip Down Blueberry Lane – Blueberry & Challah Breakfast Bread Pudding

Blueberry picking has been an annual summer tradition in my family for seven years now.  As a Southern California native, berry picking was not an activity I grew up with.  But fortunately for my kids, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to move to Vancouver B.C. for a brief time when they were two.  What a gift.  While Blackberry bushes thickly lined the paths down to the sparkling sea, U-pick blueberry farms were only a short drive away – and we found ourselves taking that drive many times that summer. (more…)

3 Comments
06/24/2012
Kale for Kids – Part 2
Dinner Table / Kids Food / Lunch Box

Kale for Kids – Part 2

Last week we made Olive Oil Kale Crisps, a fun and delicious way to introduce kids to the incredibly nutritious vegetable, Kale.  But where do we go from here?  The kids like the Kale as chips, but ONLY as chips, yet the beautiful bunches of brightly colored Kale call to me every Saturday at the farmers market.  I know we can only make so many batches of Kale chips before they tire of them – so how else can we prepare this incredibly nutritious vegetable?  How can we turn it into a meal they will enjoy? (more…)

14 Comments
06/10/2012
Kale for Kids – Part 1
Dinner Table / Kids Food / Lunch Box / Snacks

Kale for Kids – Part 1

Kale has always been a challenging vegetable for kids to eat, let alone like.  I’ll be honest, Kale wasn’t even on my radar for years.  Now I see piles of different varieties of this beautiful vegetable at the farmers market and my fingers itch to bring them all home to my family.  There is Tuscan Kale (also known as Dinosaur Kale or Cavolo Nero), Curly Kale and even a variety with vibrant purple edges. (more…)

9 Comments
06/03/2012
Fresh from the Farm – Fava Beans
Dinner Table / Kids Food / Lunch Box

Fresh from the Farm – Fava Beans

On Saturday May 19th, the world stood up for Real Food by participating in events in honor of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Day.  Representing Los Angeles, Out of the Box Food, together with Jennifer McColm and the city of Calabasas empowered kids to join in the movement by holding a community-wide event, Food Revolution Kids Day at the Calabasas Farmers Market…and what a Revolution it was.  Armed with a reusable grocery bag, a wristband and a farmers market “treasure map”, kids from all over the Los Angeles area explored the Calabasas Farmers Market in search of fresh produce from local farmers.   The discovery of farm fresh carrots from McGrath Family Farm, healthy mushrooms from LAFungHi, and gorgeous fruit from farmer/HealthierGeneration.org representative, Gene Etheridge of Etheridge Organics, inspired kids to try new, fresh produce.  Throughout the markets, kids were seen sampling fruits and vegetables, engaged in conversation with farmers, planting basil to be grown at home, and creating their own farm-fresh recipes – It was truly a sight to warm the heart. (more…)

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05/27/2012
Rosemary-Garlic Almonds
Kids Food / Lunch Box / On the Go / Snacks

Rosemary-Garlic Almonds

This week, in honor of Mother’s Day, Out of the Box Food is sharing a healthy and delicious snack for moms and kids alike (Ah, who are we kidding….everyone will love ’em: dads, grandparents, friends, friends-of-friends, cousins of friends-of-friends…you get the gist)  These Rosemary-Garlic Almonds are delicious and nutritious and by starting with whole, raw almonds, we have control over the sodium in this wholesome snack. (more…)

4 Comments
05/13/2012
Mini Gougères Lunch Box Sandwiches
Kids Food / Lunch Box / On the Go

Mini Gougères Lunch Box Sandwiches

In our last post we made a whole grain alternative to a classic french pastry, Gougères.  The reason I tackled these little light as air delicacies was to ultimately turn them into a fun and fresh alternative lunch box sandwich for kids.  I know I’ll break out the recipe again down the road and turn them into sweet treats, fun appetizers…the possibilities are endless, but this week they’re going to become the basis for our lunch box sandwiches. (more…)

4 Comments
04/15/2012
Whole Grain Cheese Gougères
Kids Food / Lunch Box / On the Go / Snacks

Whole Grain Cheese Gougères

At a cooking class up in Sonoma, California a few weeks ago, I learned how to make a Pâte à Choux from chef and culinary instructor, Christa Resing-Colardo.  As she taught us how to create this versatile dough used for a number of pastries such as profiteroles, churros, eclairs, beignets and Gougères, my mind immediately began to churn.  Kids love anything “mini” and if enriched with whole grain flours, this dough could become the packaging for lunch box sandwiches, snacks, mini treats…the possibilities were endless. (more…)

2 Comments
03/31/2012
Jello Fruit Wedges
Healthy Lunch Box Ideas / Kids Food / Lunch Box / Snacks / Sweet Treats

Jello Fruit Wedges

What kid doesn’t love jello?  It’s chilled, wiggly texture make it a fun treat for kids of all ages.  But packaged jello contains a litany of artificial colors and ingredients, making it not only unhealthy, but a bit frightening as well.

This week we’ve taken jello out of the past and brought it front and center to 2012 – a time of Real Food for real families. This jello is made with all natural, fresh squeezed juice and then chilled in the fruits original skin, making it wholesome and fun! (more…)

11 Comments
03/17/2012