Meal Planning Archives - Page 10 of 30

Summer Veggies Pasta (Grain-Free Option)

This week, I’m in the beautiful state of Tennessee visiting my Mom and family. So of course, I just couldn’t wait to get my adorable niece and nephew in the kitchen with me along with my own boys for a little culinary adventure! Our mission, to make an easy and delicious pasta dish that highlights the nutritious bounty of summertime veggies.

Kids in the Kitchen: Summer Veggie Pasta

Got a picky-eater? I recommend using veggies your child already likes and just selecting one new veggie for your child to try. Then, be sure to have your child help prepare the new veggie – whether it’s washing it; cutting or peeling it; sautéing it; or all three.

The fact is, kids are more likely to eat what they make. So getting them involved in making a healthy meal is a wonderful strategy for encouraging kids to expand their culinary horizons. Besides, it’s just plain fun to cook together!

My 8-year-old nephew quickly learned to use a simple pairing knife to slice soft mushrooms, while my 10-year-old niece and 11-year-old son sliced the red pepper and zucchini for this delicious summery dish.

As I mentioned in my Strawberry Shortcake Muffins and Honey-Lime Fruit Salad posts, it’s important to correctly teach children how to use sharp tools safely by first demonstrating how to properly use the tool, followed by assisting them in using the tool correctly, and then finally by carefully supervising them as they use the tool on their own.

Learning complex stovetop cooking skills, such as sautéing, is a more advanced task that older children can quickly master once they’ve learned the basics of stovetop safety and have also mastered simpler cooking skills.

Boiling water may be easy, but working with boiling water is not, and should be reserved for older children who have been properly instructed on stovetop safety.

Kids are amazingly fast learners! I’m always surprised at how quickly a child of any age can pick up a new culinary skill. Just look at my adorable one-year-old nephew. He’s learning to mix. We played “mixy-mixy” for just 5 minutes together on the kitchen floor. And look at him go …

Remember, your time in the kitchen with your precious kiddos is so much more than just teaching them valuable cooking and healthy eating skills, it’s about sharing and enjoying time together – building strong bonds and happy memories!

Summer Veggies Pasta (GF Option)

Ingredients

12 oz of your favorite gluten-free pasta (or 4 large zucchini spiralized in zoodles)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
3-4 cloves crushed and sliced garlic
6-8 cups of your favorite organic summertime veggies
{such as summer squash, zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, Swiss chard, spinach, etc}
Optional: Sundried tomatoes and other flavorful additions like artichoke hearts

Instructions

If using gluten-free noodles, cook according to package instructions until al dente. Then strain and add a tablespoon of olive oil and season well with sea salt and pepper. Toss well and set aside.
If using zucchini noodles, spiralize 4 zucchini; set aside.
Next, slice all of the veggies and gather any additional ingredients such as sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts; slice those as desired.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and sauté onions until they begin to soften (about 3-5 minutes). Then, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes). If using sun dried tomatoes, add those as well. {I also like to add a teaspoon or two of the sun dried tomato-infused oil.}
Next, add all of the firm veggies {such as squash, zucchini, bell pepper, etc}. Continue sautéing until veggie begin to soften slightly.
Then, add remaining softer veggies {such as mushrooms, artichoke hearts, chard, spinach, etc.}. Stir well and cover for a minute or two to wilt the greens and cook the mushrooms, if using.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the cooked pasta, or zucchini noodles to the skillet. Toss well to evenly distribute the veggies. Cover and continue cook to reheat the pasta, or cook zoodles, until al dente.
Re-season with additional sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve with a s simple green salad. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe Variation: Make it a heartier meal (and appease the meat lovers in your family) by tossing in some Grilled Herb Chicken or Seasoned Grilled Shrimp. Yum!

https://thenourishinghome.com/2013/07/summer-veggies-pasta-gf-option/

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How to Make Squash Pasta {Whole30}

Honey-Lime Fruit Salad {Yummy, Yummy!}

By Kelly · 3 Comments

“Fruit salad – yummy, yummy!” … Whether you’re well past the Wiggles days or not, making fruit salad with your kiddos is a FUN and simple way to teach your children some basic culinary skills, while also sharing about the nutritional benefits of eating wholesome organic fruits.

In fact, a fun way to make this an even greater educational experience is to first visit a local Farmer’s Market, U-Pick Farm, or even the produce department of your favorite market together and select some fresh organic fruits. (Selecting a wide variety of fresh fruits together and then chopping them up into a delicious and nutritious fruit salad is a great way to encourage your kiddos to try something new.)

Kids in the Kitchen: Honey-Lime Fruit Salad

As I mentioned in my Strawberry Shortcake Muffins post, it’s important to correctly teach your children how to use sharp tools safely by first demonstrating how to properly use the tool, followed by assisting them in using the tool correctly, and then finally by carefully supervising them as they use the tool on their own.

For preschoolers, start with a plastic knife and teach them how to cut soft fruits like bananas. For elementary-age children, they are ready to begin learning how to properly use a small kitchen knife and other sharp kitchen tools {such as a peeler} with proper guidance and instruction. Preteens and teens who have the basics down are ready to perform more difficult culinary tasks, such as learning how to properly use a chef’s knife.

(Just a reminder to keep an eye out for my upcoming Kids in the Kitchen Summer School Series, where I’ll be sharing some detailed tips and techniques for teaching your children basic cooking and baking skills.)

This simple recipe also provides the opportunity to work on basic measuring and mixing skills, as well as the fun task of juicing a lime. Let your kiddos know that lime {or lemon} juice not only serves as a flavor booster, but also helps to keep the fruits from browning due to oxidation. Simple food science lessons like these make cooking together not only fun, but educational too!

Honey-Lime Fruit Salad (GF, DF)

Ingredients

5 cups of your favorite diced organic fruit
{such as strawberries, apples, grapes, peaches, kiwi, etc.}
1 tsp raw honey
2-3 tsp of fresh-squeezed lime juice (approx 1 lime)

Instructions

Peel any fruits that need peeling, and then carefully slice/dice them into bite-sized pieces. {Be sure to properly instruct and supervise children – keeping in mind the tips above – in order to keep this a fun and safe learning experience!}
In a small measuring cup, whisk together the honey and lime juice, making sure to double the ingredients if using more than 5 cups of diced fruit.
Toss diced fruit and honey-lime mixture together until well coated.
Chill for at least one hour. Makes a delicious summertime salad! Enjoy!

https://thenourishinghome.com/2013/06/honey-lime-fruit-salad/

P.S. You may even want to sing the Fruit Salad Song as you make this yummy recipe together. I know my preteens and their friends just love it when I start singing this little tune – LOL!

P.S.S. My very gifted blogging friend Matilda at The Quirky Kingdom wrote a post about Fruit Salad that truly satisfies and blesses the hearts of those who love the Lord. I encourage you to read it. You’ll never look at Fruit Salad the same way again. And that’s a good thing!

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Strawberry Shortcake Muffins (GF, DF Option)

By Kelly · 16 Comments

These simple and delicious muffins taste just like their namesake! Their light, fluffy texture combined with fresh summer berries accentuated with a touch of lemon make for an almost cupcake-like treat!

Another wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can easily enjoy baking them up with the kiddos! It’s just a few simple ingredients that come together beautifully (as you can see below). So whether you’re just getting started, or have been cooking with your kiddos for years, this is a wonderfully easy and fun (not to mention, scrumptious) recipe to make together!

Kids in the Kitchen: Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

Spending time in the kitchen with your kiddos not only provides many opportunities to teach practical life skills – best of all, it provides a wonderful opportunity to build special memories that last a lifetime!

For older children, this recipe provides you with the opportunity to teach your kids basic knife skills, as well as how to use a microplane zester (shown below).

It’s important to correctly teach your children how to use sharp tools safely by first demonstrating how to properly use the tool, followed by assisting them in using the tool correctly, and then finally by carefully supervising them as they use the tool on their own.

(Be sure to keep an eye out for my upcoming Kids in the Kitchen Summer School Series, where I’ll be sharing some detailed tips and techniques for teaching your children basic cooking and baking skills.)

A little trick I use for teaching kids how to properly measure dry ingredients with less mess and waste, is to have kids measure over a spare bowl. That way, you can pour the unused flour back into the flour container.

No matter what your child’s age or skill level, there is always a task that any child can do. For younger children, simply learning to add ingredients to a recipe, is a fun way to start. For older kids and teens, get them involved with overseeing a recipe from start to finish, as well as with teaching the younger ones with your supervision.

Remember, cooking with kids is not only a great way to teach your children practical life skills and encourage an appreciation for real food – it’s also a wonderful opportunity to build team work and to simply have some fun together with delicious and nutritious results!

This delightful recipe is just one of more than 100 irresistible grain-free, dairy-free recipes in my new cookbook – Everyday Grain-Free Baking!

From breads, biscuits and muffins to savory snacks and decadent treats, you’ll find step-by-step instructions, beautiful color photographs and helpful tips & tidbits to make all of your GF baking adventures a delicious success!

Click here to get a SNEAK PEEK of the book!

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins (GF, DF Option)

Yield: 10 muffins

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
1/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt (for *DF substitution, see note below)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp lemon zest (approx 1 lemon)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely diced fresh organic strawberries (or use whole blueberries, see note below)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 10 paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin; set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the blanched almond flour, salt and baking soda.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, maple syrup, lemon zest and vanilla until well blended.
Using a spoon, slowly stir in the almond flour mixture until well incorporated.
Next, fold in the finely diced strawberries. Then, evenly distribute the muffin batter into each of the lined muffin cups making sure to fill no more than 2/3 full.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until edges begin to turn a golden brown and a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 5-10 minutes, then serve. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe Variation: Substitute whole blueberries in place of the diced strawberries to create a delicious Lemon Blueberry Muffin. YUM!

Note about Substitutions: Several have asked in the reader comments below about how to make this recipe using coconut flour instead. Since coconut flour cannot be used interchangeably with blanched almond flour, I recommend using my Lemonberry Coconut Flour Muffins recipe instead, and substituting the raspberries for diced strawberries, as well as replacing the lemon extract with vanilla extract for a more subtle lemon undertone.

DF Option: If you're dairy-free, you can substitute with coconut milk yogurt or coconut milk and a 1/4 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Please note that the flavor and texture of the muffins will differ slightly.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2013/06/strawberry-shortcake-muffins/

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