Posted by Jennifer Tyler Lee on February 24, 2013 13 Comments
How to make sweet potato fries so crispy and tasty
they’re worthy of a French bistro.
I have a weakness (well,
maybe more than one). Frites. When we meet, I have a terrible time resisting
their unhealthy whispers. I know better. I want to set a good example for my
kids. I don’t want to like them. But I do. This relationship kind of reminds me
of high school boyfriends.
In the final stretch of
our 52 New Foods adventure in France, it would be impossible not to mention one
of my favorite French bistro meals: steak and frites. Instead of avoiding it, I
decided to give it a healthy makeover, starting with the frites. Not only are
these fries tasty and easy to make, they are nutritious. According to Mark
Bittman of The New York Times, their recent rise in popularity is due in no
small part to their nutritional profile.
Most of the recipes I’ve
tried in the past have resulted in soggy sticks, so I worked diligently until I
figured out how to make sweet potato fries crispy like their unhealthy cousins.
The trick? Cut the fries a little thinner, avoid layering them on the pan, and
be sure to bake until the color turns to golden brown with dark edges and the
skin is a little bit puffy. Serve them piping hot to avoid letting sogginess
sink in. Trust me, that won’t be hard to do.
What we Liked: These crispy oven baked sweet potato fries are easy to make and feel
like an indulgence. I never have to encourage my kids to try a bite of these
healthy frites. More often, I sit at the table thinking, “I should have made a
bigger batch!”
Crispy Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 to 30 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings Crunch a Color points: 15 yellow / orange
Ingredients:
2 lbs sweet potato
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to
450 degrees. Peel and slice the sweet potato. Cut into ¼” to ½” wide sticks to
ensure crispy frites! This is a fun and easy job for the kids to do. After
peeling, have them cut through the middle of the sweet potato first, then set
the flat side down to cut in half again before slicing into sticks.
2. Place the sweet potato
fries on a lined bake sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt, then toss with
your hands. This step helps to save on cleanup.
3. Bake at 450 degrees
for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through. Serve hot!
*
How do you like to make sweet potato fries? What’s your trick for making them
crispy? Do you have a favorite spice that you like to add to these healthy
fries? Share your tips and tricks!
Craving more easy recipes to try? Catch up on
last week’s new food: Apple galette.
About the author: Jennifer
Tyler Lee is a mom of two children and the creator of Crunch a Color® --
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, Rachael Ray's Yum-O!, Laurie David’s Family Dinner, Kiwi Magazine, Dr. Greene, and Yum
Food & Fun For Kids, 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 crunchacolor.com.
Posted by Jennifer Tyler Lee on February 11, 2013 3 Comments
Resiliency is the parenting manifesto du jour. But
as a busy parent, being resilient (especially in the kitchen) is something I
find hard to do.
All I wanted was to make
the perfect leek soup. I wanted to get it done, have my kids rave about it, and
move onto the next thing. In my racing mind I was thinking, “I’m busy, I’m
tired, and I just need to get this recipe done for the week.” The last thing I
wanted was to fail.
Resiliency. Like
“happiness” was last year, “resiliency” seems to be the new parenting
manifesto. During a lively discussion about Paul Tough’s new book, How Children
Succeed, a friend suggested that maybe what our kids need is “resiliency camp.”
A funny mental image, to be sure, but that may be missing the point. What
experts are encouraging us to do as parents is to let our kids fail, in the
service of building grit and character, and to set a good example by modeling
this behavior ourselves -- welcoming failure and using it as a springboard to
learn and grow.
I don’t know about you,
but as a busy parent I have very little resiliency. In the rare moments when I
do have it, I need to work hard to get it. This weekend, I had no resiliency. Absolutely
none.
Like a well-mapped domino
run, it was a series of missteps and errors on my part that led to my French
food flop. After a year of getting my kids to try new foods, I should have
known by now what works and what doesn’t work. Instead, I unwittingly proceeded
down the path to failure with the force of a dragon.
Mistake #1: Not letting my kids choose.
When we started 52 New
Foods, I made a pact with my kids: “You choose, we make it together.” The key to
our success was putting my kids in charge of the adventure. Heading to the
market on our typical weekend outing, my daughter wanted to make lemon tarts.
“Deliciously French!” I thought. But I was unable to find a single recipe that
wasn’t loaded with sugar and egg yolks. So I decided to make leek soup. How did
I go from lemons to leeks? Worse, I didn’t ask. I just decided.
Mistake #2: Forcing the issue.
My first attempt at leek
soup was a complete flop. “French Glue” would have been a better description of
my concoction. But blinded by my busy-ness, I went ahead and served it to my family.
“It doesn’t look good.” my daughter complained. “Just try it!” I coaxed.
“James, you try everything I make. Come on, just give it a taster!” He sniffed,
he sipped, and then he shouted, “Blech!” That was not what I wanted to hear. “It
can’t be that bad!” I retorted.
But it was.
My husband, my
cheerleader and biggest supporter, slowly took a sip of soup. “I think you need
to try this one again.” he encouraged. Not only was my soup the texture of Oobleck,
it was overloaded with salt. In the final steps of the recipe I had forgotten
to add the seasoning. So I put a dash of salt in the pot, and got distracted,
forgetting to blend it all together. Ready for lunch, I served up a cup,
scooping from the top of the pot. Et Voila! Simmering, salty Oobleck.
Mistake #3: Adding insult to injury.
In a huff, I grabbed my
reusable grocery bags and stomped out the door. “You’re back!” greeted the
clerk at our local market. “How did it turn out?” I grimaced. She backed away.
I wasn’t making friends. Re-stocked with the fresh ingredients I needed to give
my recipe another try, I raced home. “Did you just drive to the market?” my
husband innocently enquired. Our favorite local market is two blocks
from our house. “Yes, I did!” I snapped. So much for setting a good example of
how we can take care of the environment by walking to the store.
In the end, I was able to
make a delicious soup. A simple and soulful
French Vichyssoise that would make Julia Child proud. I hope you will learn from my mistakes, and then try
this healthy leek soup recipe (and enjoy it) with your kids. It will be a long
time before my kids venture to try leek soup with me again, whether it’s tasty
or not. I guess I’ll be dining alone at lunch this week. I hear leek soup is on
the menu.
About the author: Jennifer Tyler Lee is a mom of two
children and the creator of Crunch a
Color® -- 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, Rachael Ray's Yum-O!, Laurie
David’s Family Dinner, Kiwi Magazine, Dr. Greene, and Yum Food & Fun For
Kids, 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 crunchacolor.com.
Posted by Jennifer Tyler Lee on February 10, 2013 0 Comments
52 weeks, 52 new foods. How our family discovered the secret to happy, healthy eating.
It all boils down to pasta and peas. That’s why I started
this journey. Determined to find a better way, I was on a mission to end
mealtime battles over broccoli. I resolved to make the family table a place
that we all wanted to be. I did it by making it fun and focusing on one simple
goal: 52 weeks, 52 new foods.
It’s been a year of ups and downs. One of the highlights was
when my daughter created her very own recipe for Michelle Obama’s Healthy Lunch
Challenge, Friendship Garden Soup. There were lows, too, like when she chose
Cheetos for her lunch during an interview about how to get kids to eat healthy.
But when you put all of the good with the bad, the tough days with the terrific
days, it was worth every minute.
During a frantic visit to the grocery store, in the days
leading up to Christmas, it all came together for me. Standing with my son in
the frozen food section, feeling dizzy about how I was going to host 12 guests
for three non-stop days of holiday meals, I suggested we pick up a few prepared
foods to have “as backup.” I reached into the freezer and his sweet little hand
grabbed my arm. I paused. With a look of complete bewilderment he stated with a
kindergartener’s conviction, “But Mommy, we don’t eat anything from a box!”
I’m honored to have shared our story with The Huffington
Post, Jamie Oliver, Edible Silicon Valley and Canada AM. Thank you to the
hundreds of thousands of families who have cheered us on and joined our journey
to healthy eating. The support I’ve found through this community is one of the
many wonderful (and unexpected) gifts I discovered this year.
If you’re just tuning into 52 New Foods, welcome to the table!
I’m so glad that you’re here. Together with your family, check out our best
healthy recipes list to get inspired and then join us each week as we sample
and savor foods from around the world. Share your ideas, recipes and questions
with us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or simply on this blog. I hope 52 New
Foods will help you plant the seeds of change at your family table like it did
for me.
About the author: Jennifer
Tyler Lee is a mom of two children and the creator of Crunch a Color® --
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, Rachael Ray's Yum-O!, Laurie David’s Family Dinner, Kiwi Magazine, Dr. Greene, and Yum
Food & Fun For Kids, 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 crunchacolor.com.
Posted by Jennifer Lee on March 22, 2012 2 Comments
It’s the one thing most families have in common: the desire
to make mealtime healthy and stress-free. For me, it all boils down to one
simple idea: Have fun enjoying colorful meals together. I had a great time with
the morning crew at Canada AM, sharing my simple tips for getting your whole family eating healthy. Here’s the scoop:
Tips for Fun and Healthy Eating with Kids
1)Focus on
colors. Nutritionists and healthy eating experts are talking a lot about "plant-based diets." An easy way to make that change simple and fun for kids is to focus on eating colors. Green broccoli, red tomatoes, purple cauliflower -- the more colors on your plate the better! This works for kids because as one Crunch a Color™ fan raved, "It speaks their language!"
2)Make it fun. This simple idea is at the
core of why Crunch a Color™ works. The key to getting kids (and adults) to stick with any healthy program is to make it fun! Racking up points by eating colorful meals, and doubling your points by trying new foods, is a great
way to make healthy eating fun and engaging for the whole family. Try playing Crunch a Color™ and
you’ll see how this very simple change makes an immediate and positive impact
at your family table.
3)Enjoy meals together. Cooking and eating together is an important part of getting your whole family eating healthy. Children who eat
dinner regularly with their families are 40% less likely to be obese, according
to a study in Pediatrics. With busy schedules, taking time out for dinners
together can be tough. Instead, dedicate at least one weeknight
to “New Food Night.” As a family, we come together to set the menu, cook the
meal, and enjoy eating together. Each week we include at least one food that we haven’t tried. It’s a wonderful family tradition.
To make it easy and fun, focus on simple, colorful recipes you can enjoy cooking with your kids. Be sure to check out our 52 New Foods series for a fantastic lineup of kid-approved, healthy recipes your whole family will love.
No Bake Cookies: Bitty
Bites
Paired with a sweet touch of honey and wholesome oats, these healthy no bake cookies are the new lunchbox regulars at our house. Quick and easy
to make, these tasty no bake bites use sunflower butter instead of peanut
butter to create a healthy, nut-free, no bake cookie that's great for dessert or a lunchtime snack. Inspired by www.thescramble.com.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Makes about 12 cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup oats
¼ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup sunflower butter
¼ cup honey
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
Directions:
1)In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour,
sunflower butter and honey.
2)Mix well.
3)Use a tablespoon to portion a small amount of
dough into your hands. Roll into a ball the size of a large marble.
4)Roll the balls in the powdered sugar.
5)Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
Add dried cranberries or raisins for a little pop of color.
*Cooking tip: Lightly grease a measuring cup before adding the honey. It'll make it easy for the honey to slip right off into the mixing bowl.
Kale Chips
A favorite snack for my kids is kale chips. They are an easy, healthy version of chips that your kids are sure to enjoy (their nutty flavor is akin to
seaweed).
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: about 20 minutes
Makes about 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 bunch lacinto ("dino") kale
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 250°F
2) Wash kale. Peel or cut leaves from center stalk. Chop into medium size pieces. Pat dry.
3) Toss in 1Tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt.
4) Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
5) Bake about 18 to 20 minutes, or until crisp. Cool then serve.
Decorating Tricks
Simple flourishes can bring a smile.
Use these fun Crunch a Color™ circles to make the healthy treat toppers
featured on Canada AM. Or get creative and make your own napkin rings, place
cards and lunchbox notes. Be sure to share your ideas on our Facebook page!
About the author: Jennifer Tyler Lee is a
mom of two children and the creator of Crunch a Color™ -- the
award-winning game that makes 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
children’s nutrition programs including Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and
FoodCorps. Watch her picky eaters tell the story of how they turned into healthy eaters playing the
game. Follow @crunchacolor on Facebook and Twitter to tune into Crunch a Color's healthy eating adventure and Jennifer’s
tips and kid-friendly, easy recipes.
Posted by Jennifer Lee on February 11, 2012 5 Comments
Winter days call for
cozy meals. Load up the healthy ingredients, relax
and get ready to enjoy a wholesome, easy dinner that will have your whole
family eating healthy -- Slow Cooker Curry from The Family Dinner.
The kids are comfortably settled in school, the holiday rush
is over, but life continues to feel frantic. Imagine yourself stumbling into
the front door after a long day, groceries and book bags overflowing from your
arms. What could me more satisfying than to be greeted by the wonderful aroma
of a healthy meal calling, “Dinner’s ready!”? Thank goodness for the slow
cooker! My new best friend – he stays home all day, carefully simmering and
flavoring our dinner so we can come home to a relaxed meal together as a
family. That’s the kind of easy, healthy eating I need.
Feature Recipe: Slow
Cooker Chicken Curry from The Family Dinner
The Family Dinner is a fantastic source of easy dinner ideas
that will get your whole family eating healthy. Adorned with beautiful pictures
of delicious and easy recipes, it was hard to pick just one to try! Then I
spotted it: Slow cooker curry. Paired with freshly prepared Naan and a side of
spicy green beans, chicken curry ranks in the top 10 of my favorite winter dishes.
Sadly, it’s been a solitary dish, as my two kids tend to shy away. Could The
Family Dinner provide the answer to my food dilemma: How to cook a curry my
whole family would love?
Crunch a Color Kids
Vote: Delish! (Mom’s side note: jaw dropping)
What we liked: I
really couldn’t believe that my picky eater liked this dish. When she bravely
tried a “taster”, then asked for a serving, and bellied up to the bar for
seconds I knew I had a winner on my hands. The flavor in this dish is mild,
making it easy for my kids to love. As for ease, this recipe knocks it out of
the ballpark. Prep was under 15 minutes and I came home to a delicious healthy
feast my whole family loved. I’m adding this family-friendly recipe to my list of favorites and making a special place on my shelf for this fantastic cookbook.
Next up: Bok Choy
When I arrived home from the hospital as a naïve new mom, my
very good friends showered me with meals. It was exactly what I needed, and I
continue to pass it forward. Each time I visit a new mom, I bring a helping
hand and a hot meal! The most memorable of all those wonderful meals was
clay-pot chicken. I hope you’ll tune in next week when we make A Family That
Eats Together’s Easy
Claypot Chicken. Will it get my kids to try Bok Choy? We'll see!
Craving more new
recipes to try? Catch up on last week’s recipe: Sunbutter bites.
About the author: Jennifer Tyler Lee is a
mom of two children and the creator of Crunch a Color™ -- the
award-winning game that makes 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 Jamie
Oliver’s Food Revolution, FoodCorps, and Alice Water’s Edible Schoolyard. Watch
her picky eaters tell the story of how they turned into healthy eaters playing the
game. Follow @crunchacolor and #52NewFoods to tune into Crunch a Color's healthy eating adventure
and Jennifer’s tips and kid-friendly, easy recipes.
Tips for Fun and Healthy Eating with Kids
Paired with a sweet touch of honey and wholesome oats, these healthy no bake cookies are the new lunchbox regulars at our house. Quick and easy
to make, these tasty no bake bites use sunflower butter instead of peanut
butter to create a healthy, nut-free, no bake cookie that's great for dessert or a lunchtime snack. Inspired by 
A favorite snack for my kids is kale chips. They are an easy, healthy version of chips that your kids are sure to enjoy (their nutty flavor is akin to
seaweed). 
Simple flourishes can bring a smile.
Use these fun Crunch a Color™ circles to make the healthy treat toppers
featured on Canada AM. Or get creative and make your own napkin rings, place
cards and lunchbox notes. Be sure to share your ideas on our 
Winter days call for
cozy meals. Load up the healthy ingredients, relax
and get ready to enjoy a wholesome, easy dinner that will have your whole
family eating healthy -- Slow Cooker Curry from The Family Dinner.
What we liked: I
really couldn’t believe that my picky eater liked this dish. When she bravely
tried a “taster”, then asked for a serving, and bellied up to the bar for
seconds I knew I had a winner on my hands. The flavor in this dish is mild,
making it easy for my kids to love. As for ease, this recipe knocks it out of
the ballpark. Prep was under 15 minutes and I came home to a delicious healthy
feast my whole family loved. I’m adding this family-friendly recipe to my list of favorites and making a special place on my shelf for this fantastic cookbook.
When I arrived home from the hospital as a naïve new mom, my
very good friends showered me with meals. It was exactly what I needed, and I
continue to pass it forward. Each time I visit a new mom, I bring a helping
hand and a hot meal! The most memorable of all those wonderful meals was
clay-pot chicken. I hope you’ll tune in next week when we make A Family That
Eats Together’s 
