Want a quick and easy spinach recipe for your family?  This Spinach and Goat Cheese spread takes three minutes to make, three ingredients, and helps get kids to love spinach.  Spread it on bagels for breakfast, on crackers for snacks, sandwiches for lunch…the possibilities are endless.   Need an easy “Grownup” appetizer?  Spread the Spinach & Goat Cheese spread onto crackers, top with smoked salmon or cooked lentils and sprinkle cracked black pepper and chives – A quick and delicious appetizer for the impromptu dinner party.

Enjoy!

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Spinach & Goat Cheese Spread

Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. Chevre Goat Cheese (or ricotta for a less tangy flavor)
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/3 C finely chopped baby spinach (raw)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together goat cheese and milk until soft.
2. Add chopped spinach and stir until combined.
3. Serve.

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Until next time…

© 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

I’m no stranger to the challenge of getting kids to eat fruit and veggies.  I have one child that will eat pretty much any veggie you put in front of him – - but won’t touch fruit.  And another who literally would hide blueberries under his highchair cushion when he was a baby for fear of someone taking his precious fruit — but won’t touch a vegetable.  Therein lies the conundrum that many most of us face:  How do we get our kids to eat, let alone enjoy, their fruit and vegetables?

Last week we were offered the opportunity to try Naked Juice and then share ways we were inspired to eat our fruits and veggies.  Since it’s kids we’re trying to get to love fresh fruit and vegetables, I recruited mine and we took on this challenge together.

So what did we make???

Dessert of course!

Armed with our blender and ice cubes, one of my children claimed the bottle of Mighty Mango Naked Juice, the other the Strawberry Banana and we set out to make what is normally the bane of my existence come baseball season…the Snack Shack, ICEE.  That frozen concoction is so frightening that the girl serving them behind the snack shack counter actually asked the kids “What color do you want” instead of “what flavor”.  Yep, those florescent blue and red treats needed a makeover.

The beauty of this fresh take on an otherwise sugar/color laden concoction is not only is it an incredibly quick, easy and healthy dessert, but it is also an incredible opportunity to add fresh farmers market fruit, greens and other veggies into dessert for the kids.  Feel free to add a handful of spinach, kale, a cooked beet or two…or any fresh, whole fruit you have available.  Add enough greens or red beets and you too can create a “naturally” florescent colored ICEE for your kids!

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Fresh Juice Icee

Special Equipment: Blender/Vitamix, straws

Ingredients:

• 1, 15.2 oz bottle of no sugar added juice (we used Naked Juice Strawberry Banana and Mighty Mango)
• 4 cups ice
• assorted fruit/vegetable pieces (greens, beets, fruit and berries, etc)

Directions:

1. Pour juice, ice and any addition fruit or vegetables into blender.  
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Serve with a fun straw!

Naked Juice is worth its weight in good! There’s a pound of fruit in every bottle.   Naked Juice has partnered with charity Wholesome Wave to improve access to fresh produce in communities across the country. You can help by visiting www.nakedjuice.com/gooddeeds. For every coupon downloaded, 1 LB of fresh produce will go to an underserved community, up to 100,000 pounds

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*Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Naked Juice via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Naked Juice.

© 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

Mini food is fun food!  Baked up in crispy, shredded potato crusts, and filled with fresh eggs, milk and organic spinach, these mini muffin tin creations turn healthy food into fun food for kids.  Served warm or room temperature these little quiches make a delicious light meal, party appetizer, or a great addition to any lunchbox!

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Mini Spinach & Gruyere Quiches with a Hash Brown Crust

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 55-60 minutes

Serves: makes 12 individual quiches

Special Equipment: 1, 12 cup non-stick muffin tin

Ingredients:

• 1 (20 oz) bag frozen all-natural Hash Browns (please read ingredients on package)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 6 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 8 oz frozen organic chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess water
• 1 tbsp milk
• 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Olive Oil

Directions:

For Crust:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
• Pour 1/4 tsp olive oil into each cup of the muffin tin.
• Add 1/2 cup  hash browns to each cup.
• Place muffin tin in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove tin from oven and using a wooden spoon, press softened hash browns against the sides of each tin, leaving a thin layer on the bottom.
• Drizzle hash browns with and additional 1/8 tsp olive oil.
• Return muffin tin to oven and continue baking an additional 20 minutes or until browned and crisp.  Set aside.

For Mini Quiches:

• Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Add 1/2 tsp olive oil and chopped onion.
• Saute until translucent (3-5 minutes).  Let cool.
• In a medium bowl beat together eggs, egg whites, spinach, onion, milk, Gruyere and sea salt.
• Pour egg mixture into browned hash brown cups.
• Return muffin tin to oven and bake quiches for 20-25 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Until next time…

© 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

Did the title scare you?  Did you imagine your child running screaming from the table or hurling their lunchbox into oblivion upon serving them either of these vegetables?  Well maybe there’s a chance we can convince you otherwise.

The farmers markets here in Los Angeles are brimming with winter vegetables right now.  Rows of brightly colored purple, yellow and orange carrots and beets, are stacked high tables and surrounded by thick bunches of Kale ranging from the deepest, darkest green to some flecked with purple and curly edges.  It’s truly a beautiful sight and one that drew my children to the booth last weekend, eliciting questions of “what’s that” and “why is it purple?”.

I’m going to offer you a recipe this week that incorporates both beets and kale, and can be served on the dinner table, or placed into unassuming lunch boxes.  Now, is it guaranteed to get kids to love Kale and Beets?  No.  But it’s fresh, beautiful and incredibly delicious —- isn’t it worth a shot?

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Winter Vegetable and Ricotta Tartines

Ingredients:

• Thick slices rustic bread (we used a whole grain rye)
• Good quality ricotta cheese
• beets, peeled and thinly sliced or julienned
• Kale, cut into chiffonade
• good quality olive oil,
• 1/2 lemon
• sea salt

Directions:

1. Lightly toast slices of bread.  Set aside.
2. Chiffonade the kale by removing thick stem, rolling leaves into cylindrical shape, and slicing thinly.  When the kale unrolls you will end up with thin strips of kale.
3. Squeeze the 1/2 lemon over the kale.
4. Spread ricotta onto toasted bread.
5. Top ricotta with beets.
6. Top with kale.
7. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt.
8. Serve.

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Until next time…

© 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

Last week we began our two week journey with Nature Made to uncover ways to keep our healthy new years resolutions, and provide a healthy life for our families.

We explored ways to get our families involved in the kitchen, resources for creative ways to prepare healthy food our kids will like, and simply learn to believe – believe that our kids will love Real Food.

This week I am taking our Nature Made Journey to the virtual bulletin board we call Pinterest.  I truly believe that raising healthy kids takes a village, and I set out to source new ideas for simple ways to stay healthy — and did I find them.  Our Simple Healthy Families board is chock full of photos, links, and creative ideas to help us find ways to give our families simple, healthy lives.

There are a lot of simple ways to encourage healthy living, and we’ve shared some creative ideas from others for outdoor play, gardening, cooking, healthy snacks, and even some unusual vegetables our kids might be intrigued into trying.  So take a peek, pin ‘em, share ‘em, and join the village of parents working to provide healthier lives for our families.

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A special thanks to Nature Made for inviting Out of the Box Food to embark on this two week, simply healthy journey.  Nature Made® VitaMelts™ are a new “one of a kind”, enjoyable way to take your vitamins because they melt in your mouth and taste great. Discover how new Nature Made® VitaMelts™ can transform your vitamin taking experience by making it enjoyable.  Visit NatureMade.com/VitaMelts to learn more.

Until next time…

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Nature Made via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Nature Made.

© 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

Happy National Vitamin Day!  Yes,  January 29th is National Vitamin Day and as we head into the second month of 2013 I want to invite you to join me on a two week journey to explore the value of vitamins and healthy living.  A few weeks ago I was invited to join Nature Made to reflect on healthy resolutions made for the new year, and consider how vitamins may play a role in those resolutions.   Many of us may have resolve to living healthier ourselves and providing a healthier life for our children.  Perhaps we resolved to attend our local farmers market, or buy only food from the perimeter of the grocery store and avoid the center aisles containing processed food.  Maybe we resolved to feed our families brains and hearts with healthy omega threes, or fight off winter colds with vitamin C and zinc.  Maybe we just resolved to offer our families a healthier 2013 and are still not entirely sure how to do that.

I am a firm believer of the healthy eating and the important role it plays in our lives both now and for the future.   Since the inception of Out of the Box Food, I have become acutely aware of the benefits of label reading, choosing Real, Fresh food over processed, and providing my family with more wholesome food to nourish their bodies.  I’ve developed strategies to encourage healthy food choices, empowered my kids in the kitchen…and taught myself the value of doing this for my family.  So as I began reflecting on this process and embark on this journey with Nature Made, I came up with a guide to my favorite Out of the Box Food strategies and hope that this will help you in your own reflection of resolutions to provide your family with a healthier 2013.

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1) Get kids involved in the kitchen

By getting kids cooking, they learn to try and accept new foods simply because they helped prepare the meal.

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2) Bring kids to the farmers market 

A farmers market is a wonderland for children.  Surrounded by samples of fresh fruits and vegetables, kids are more apt to try something new. Though our children might turn up their nose at a sliced cucumber on their dinner plate, a slice of cucumber offered by the farmer who grew it suddenly becomes more appealing.

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3) Get creative 

When I say get creative, I don’t even mean you yourself have to be creative, just find someone who is.  The internet is filled with websites and blogs offering fun, creative ways to serve real food to kids.  Inspiration can be found with the click of the mouse.

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4) Become a Pinner

Pinterest is a bulletin board for online inspiration.  Pop onto Pinterest and join Out of the Box Food as well as other “pinners” offering fun food ideas for families.  I’ve  included some of my favorite inspiration below:

• Family Fresh Cooking
• EasyLunchboxes
• HandPickedNation
• Momables
• Super Healthy Kids
• Weelicious

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5) Pack a lunch

Yes, lunch packing can be tiresome and frustrating, but the extra effort allows us to include fresh, wholesome ingredients to help nourish our children for the day.

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6) Read labels

My Out of the Box Food journey began with this simple strategy.  Once I learned that some of our favorite packaged foods contained ingredients like butane, carcinogenic food dyes and toxic preservatives, our door to real, unprocessed food was opened and life began to get a lot healthier.

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7) Believe

Yes, children can love real food – even if they say they don’t.  Just a few weeks ago I experienced my own kids turn a dislike for bell peppers into a love simply by offering them a “tasting challenge”.  Armed with pieces of red, orange, yellow and green bell peppers, we set off to determine which pepper was sweeter.  Faced with this mission, they forgot that they didn’t like peppers and set off to solve the mystery of the sweetest pepper.  Oh, and by the way – Orange was the winner.

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A special thanks to Nature Made for encouraging me to reflect on our healthy resolutions for the new year and to open up the disuccsion here on Out of the Box Food.  To support you in your healthy new years resolutions, Nature Made is extending a coupon to all Out of the Box Food readers to try their new supplements.  Nature Made® VitaMelts™ are a new “one of a kind”, enjoyable way to take your vitamins because they melt in your mouth and taste great. Discover how new Nature Made® VitaMelts™ can transform your vitamin taking experience by making it enjoyable. Visit us on NatureMade.com/VitaMelts to get a coupon.

Until next time…

*Compensation was provided by Nature Made via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Nature Made.

© 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

This weekend I had the pleasure of hosting Kid’s Club Lunchbox Kabob making at our local Whole Foods Market.  With the help of two incredible 9 year old assistants, we tackled the job of introducing kids to new, fresh foods by way of the Sandwich Kabob.  Empowered with a skewer, and trays upon trays of fresh, real ingredients, kids assembled and ate their creations – tasting, learning, enjoying.

There was one rule…

Try at least one new vegetable.

Not only did every child there try something new, but we were amazed to witness several Real Food accomplishments.  One child, who a year ago would not even taste a fruit or vegetable, learned that by simply putting spinach next to cheese on her kabob, she actually liked spinach!  Another child invented an incredible “Palm Tree” kabob (see photo) which because it looked so fun…was gobbled up from trunk to spinach “fronds”.   And after a blind pepper-tasting experiment between four colorful varieties of peppers, half a dozen children learned that they liked a new vegetable they previously thought they despised (which I can personally attest to since two of them were my own).

We had red, orange, yellow and green peppers, yellow and red cherry tomatoes, baby spinach leaves, cubes of cheese, wheat bread, roasted chicken…even bison sausage.  The kids had a great time, and the parents relished in their children’s newly found empowerment eat healthy.

Kids really do eat Real Food.

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Lunchbox Sandwich Kabobs

These fun and easy Lunchbox Sandwich Kabob’s can be made using a variety of ingredients including leftovers from the previous night’s dinner, fresh vegetables, cubes of bread, and cheeses.  In addition to being a delicious lunchbox alternative, they are also a fun, hands-on activity to get kids involved in the kitchen and empowered to choose real, fresh food.

Special Equipment: kabob sticks (skewers, coffee stirrers, straws, etc)

Ingredient ideas:

• whole wheat bread, cubed
• assorted cheese, cubed
• roasted/rotisserie turkey or chicken
• cherry tomatoes
• all-Natural ham, cubed
• sausages, cooked and cubed
• all-natural salami, cubed
• leftover steak, chicken or pork, cubed
• basil leaves
• baby spinach leaves
• red, yellow, orange and green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

Directions:

• Thread meats, veggies and cheese onto skewers.
• Serve.

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It’s amazing what having a little fun with our food will do.  Until next time…

© 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

First and foremost, Happy New Year to you all!  We are on to a new year, new resolutions, and new conversations and I for one am ready to once again start conversations about Real Food for our families.

Salads have always been a hard sell at our house.  We’ve gone from mild disinterest, to actual forced gagging over the smallest bit of lettuce.  Sound familiar?  Thankfully, we’ve graduated to a casual acceptance and an understanding that salad will periodically be served, and yes, we must eat it.

So how can we make salad more enticing for young palates?  Is it to load it up with ranch dressing and croutons?  Honestly, maybe.  But let’s present another option that highlights the fresh produce rather than disguising it.  My favorite way to serve salad is “bar style” where the kids can build there own and feel empowered to choose new, fresh foods.  This week, I am adding Citrus Glazed Walnuts to our salad bar options.  These slightly sweet, crunchy nuts are a great addition and add lots of omega 3′s and protein to fresh salads.  Not to mention, they also make a great, wholesome snack all on their own.

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Citrus Glazed Walnuts

Special Equipment: foil/parchment lined baking sheet

Time: Prep – 5 minutes  Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups walnut halves & pieces
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp grapeseed oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice, divided
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together honey, oil, 1 Tbsp orange juice, and kosher salt.
• Add walnuts to mixture and toss to coat.
• Pour walnuts onto prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 10 minutes, tossing half-way through cooking time.
• Remove from oven and immediately transfer into bowl.
• Pour remaining 1 Tbsp orange juice over toasted walnuts and toss to coat.
• Adjust salt if desired.

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May your 2013 be filled with love, laughter and lots of healthy new options for picky eaters!  Until next time…

© 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

Santa will be popping down chimney’s across the world tomorrow night, greeted by plates, and plates…and plates of cookies.  Want to give Santa something a little healthier this year to help battle the bulge?  We’ve put together a list of a few of our healthier cookies to help keep Santa healthy and happy this Christmas eve.  Enjoy…

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Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies

These Cookies were an L.A. Times Holiday Cookie Bake-off winner in 2011.  Filled with fresh Cranberries with a hint of orange, these sweet-enough, crunchy cookies are made with whole wheat pastry flour, flax meal and a whole lot of love.

Vegan Meyer Lemon & Olive Oil Cookies

Don’t let the words “vegan” and “healthy” throw you off.  These delicious cookies balance tart with just enough sweet and bake up crisp and crunchy.  Made with Olive Oil and Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, they can also easily be adapted to be made Gluten Free by substituting an All-Purpose Gluten Free flour.

Sneaky Snickerdoodles

These classic cookie favorites were made healthier by using whole-grain flour, less sugar and a bit of heart-healthy flax.

Healthy Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

These may be one of my personal favorites.  Having grown up baking and decorating sugar cookies for Santa using pre-made, roll out cookie dough, I was grateful to discover a healthy and EASY way to make our favorites without much more effort.  These cookies are delicious, simple and are void of any hydrogenated oil and artificial ingredients our families (and Santa) would rather avoid.

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Happy Holidays!  Until next time…

© 2012 – 2013, kimgerber. All rights reserved.

A New Year’s Food Challenge: 52 weeks, 52 new foods – Guest Post 

By Jennifer Tyler Lee

52 weeks, 52 new foods. How one family achieved the most frequently broken New Year’s resolution: to eat healthy.

Battles over broccoli and Brussels sprouts were fierce at our family table. Getting my kids, ages 3 and 6, to eat healthy was a terrible struggle. Over time, the diversity of dishes on our family table narrowed so much that even my husband and I weren’t eating very healthy anymore. I wanted our table to be a place of joy and fun for our family – a place where we could gather for great conversation and healthy food together. It all changed when I turned healthy eating into a game.

More points for kale than kiwi, and bonus points for trying a new food, even just a “taster.” With this simple shift, I found my kids clamoring for cauliflower, and trips to the local market turned into a scavenger hunt looking for new foods to try to rack up points. We were finally moving in the right direction.

When it came time for New Year’s resolutions, we decided to take on one simple challenge, together as a family: 52 weeks, 52 new foods. The kids would be in charge of this culinary adventure, choosing a new food to try each week and preparing the recipes for our family “new food night.” I would chronicle the entire adventure on our blog. Having failed every time in the past at keeping New Year’s resolutions, I knew that the key to success for our family would be to have one clear goal, taken on together, and an easy way to keep track of our progress.

Our adventures took us to countless farmers’ markets, roadside stands brimming with locally picked produce, bountiful school gardens, and flourishing farm fields. It sprouted a kid-sized version of a farm-to-table vegetable garden in our backyard. Romanesco, radicchio, baked persimmon and basil pesto were enthusiastically welcomed to our family table. Together we learned about where our food comes from, how diligently local farmers work to bring us a bounty each week, and how the food choices we make impact our community. We gathered treasured recipes and tips from farmers’, chefs, friends and family and together we planted, picked, cooked and tasted our way through 2012.

Nearly fifty-two weeks later, I am proud to say that we achieved our goal — the first time I can say that about one of these infamous resolutions. Even more important than the destination, though, was the journey. Our 52 New Foods adventure challenged everyone in our family to try something new each week, it encouraged us to start a garden, it brought us together to cook and enjoy healthy food as a family, and it connected us with new friends in our community. Some recipes flopped and some were great successes, but regardless of the outcome each week we came together to celebrate and enjoy healthy food as a family. My formerly picky eaters now have a book of recipes that they love to cook, and are spreading the word by teaching their friends how to prepare simple, wholesome dishes, through a series of garden cooking classes they are hosting at school.

In 2013 we’re taking 52 New Foods on the road, sampling new foods from around the world. We are excited to continue our family food adventure, one week, one meal, at a time. I hope you and your family will join us for the ride!

You can tune into Crunch a Color’s 52 New Foods adventure on Twitter, Facebook and Crunch a Color’s weekly recipe blog. Simply follow @crunchacolor and #52NewFoods.

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Top Picks from Crunch a Color’s 52 New Foods:

Tomato mozzarella skewers

Tomato Pops make fresh picked cherry tomatoes even more fun to enjoy! Everything seems to taste better (and is more fun!) when it’s on a stick.

Friendship garden soup

Inspired by Michelle Obama, Jennifer’s 8 year old daughter created this simple recipe that brings together garden fresh veggies and good friends for an afternoon of kid-style cooking.

Butternut Squash Soup

This easy butternut squash soup recipe is a must for your holiday table! It’s a healthy version of my favorite holiday soup – and can be made ahead to give you more time to celebrate with friends and family.

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About the author: Jennifer Tyler Lee is a mom of two children and the creator of Crunch a Color® — the award-winning nutrition games that make healthy eating fun. Like most parents, she struggled to get her kids to eat healthy, balanced meals, so she decided to make it into a healthy eating game and she’s giving back to support non-profit kids’ nutrition programs. Winner of the Dr. Toy and Parent Tested, Parent Approved awards, Crunch a Color® has been featured by Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Pottery Barn Kids, Laurie David’s Family Dinner, Kiwi Magazine, Dr. Greene, Yum Food & Fun for Kids, and The San Jose Mercury News, among many others, as a simple, fun and playful way to get kids to eat healthy and try new foods. Jennifer’s passion is making mealtime fun and healthy for busy families. Her easy recipes, quick tips, and new food adventures are regularly featured at Pottery Barn Kids, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, The Huffington Post, and on her weekly recipe blog at www.crunchacolor.com.

© 2012, kimgerber. All rights reserved.