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! (more…)
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. (more…)
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. (more…)
I’ve seen quite a few homemade Pop Tart recipes on the internet. They look delicious and fun, but for me they were still made with white flour, and well – I wanted to find a way to bring them even further Out of the Box. These homemade Pop Tarts are chock full of whole grain wheat, flax meal, and fresh fruit – Making them a win in both taste and nutrition. (more…)
We are back to summer here in Los Angeles this October weekend. Temperatures are rising into the 90′s, warm winds are blowing and we’re heading to the farmers market to pick up lots of fruit! Getting kids involved in the kitchen is a sure way to get them trying new foods. While our kids are little, we begin working to prepare them for life — we teach them strong study skills, the value of saving their allowance for a solid financial future, and help them learn early on the value of healthy foods so that (hopefully) they won’t try to survive on Cheetos and Diet Coke in their college dorm room. It may sound simple but we can start with something as easy and fun as Fruit Kebabs. Fruit Kebabs are simple way to allow kids to create their own healthy dish while giving them a fun activity. We lay out out a variety of fruit and skewers (or plastic coffee stirrers for younger children) and let them invent their own creations. Let’s get our kids creating in the kitchen!
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Summer Road Trip. As American as apple pie and Patsy Cline. Give us a hot day, a long road and a desirable destination and we’re ready to roll. The romanticized vision I’ve created of myself cruising down a deserted highway, warm-wind rushing through my hair as I bellow tracks from Pat Benatar (yes, I was a teenager of the 80’s), screeches to an alarming halt as I’m yanked back to my reality — a loaded minivan, numerous potty stops, cries of “Are we there yet?” and “I’m hungry.” Yeah, that reality. (more…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
I’ve got to tell you, over the last few weeks my kitchen has smelled heavenly! My boys and I have churned out lots of wholesome and delicious goodies, had many lovely conversations around the kitchen table about the benefits of whole grains, fruits & veggies, and enjoyed each others company over tall glasses of milk and warm treats straight from the oven. (more…)