Posted by Jennifer Lee on April 09, 2012 4 Comments
That’s amore! No longer will plates be
brimming over with boring buttered pasta. Enjoy a boost of color with this
deliciously easy, homemade tomato sauce that will have your whole family
singing the praises of simple Italian cooking.
My grandmother and her
sisters were amazing cooks. Growing up in a traditional Italian family, as
young women they learned the art of simple Italian cooking. Learning to cook
and enjoying food was at the heart of the family experience. Each one had a
specialty and worked it to perfection. I’ve never experienced anything quite
like my grandmother’s homemade tomato sauce – but I guess it’s hard to replace
what was a delicious, handcrafted weeknight staple at our house. You can
imagine my shock and dismay when my daughter announced, “I don’t like tomato
sauce!”
Feature Recipe: Grandma Yola’s Homemade Tomato Sauce
Buttered pasta and pizza
without sauce just doesn’t cut it in my books! To get my daughter past her
picky palate, I needed to bring her into the inner circle. Like my grandmother
patiently taught me, it was time for me to teach my daughter the secrets of how
to make a deliciously simple homemade tomato sauce. I certainly don’t have time
on weeknights to whip up a homemade sauce. What I love about this recipe is
that you can make it ahead, and enjoy the fruits of your labor in different
dishes all week long. The sauce can be used for dressing homemade pizza, pasta,
and chicken dishes – saving busy parents time and making weeknight dinners a
breeze!
Grandma Yola’s Homemade Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 20
minutes
Cook time: about 2 hours
Makes about 16 to 20 servings
Ingredients:
5 28oz cans,
Italian packed tomatoes
1 28oz can,
tomato juice
½ large white
onion, finely chopped
1 medium
shallot, finely chopped
3 slices extra
fine prosciutto
1 slice
pancetta, cut into ½ inch pieces
3 cloves of
garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive
oil
½ tsp marjoram
1 tsp sugar
A few handfuls
of fresh basil and parsley
Salt and pepper
to taste
Directions:
1)
Over a large
mixing bowl, run the tomatoes through a food mill with the finest sieve
attachment (no seeds allowed!).
2)
Add the tomato
juice to the strained tomatoes. Set aside.
3)
In a large
stockpot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.
4)
Fry the pancetta
until crisp, then remove.
5)
Fry the
prosciutto.
6)
Reduce heat, add
the garlic, then the onions and shallots.
7)
Add the marjoram
and sugar. Mix well.
8)
Add the tomato
mixture to the pot. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Bring to a strong
boil.
9)
Add a handful of
parsley and a few twigs of basil.
10) When the sauce reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and
simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
11) Serve with whole-wheat pasta and top with a sprig of
fresh basil.
Cooking tip: If you’re lucky enough to have fresh
tomatoes from your garden, chop them into ½” dice and add a cup or two to the
sauce during the last 20 minutes of simmering. This is a great way to add
fresh, seasonal veggies to your delicious, homemade sauce.
Crunch a Color Kids Vote: Delicioso!
What we liked: Making homemade tomato sauce is a wonderful Sunday afternoon activity.
Together, we gathered our fresh ingredients and spent the day sizzling,
simmering and stirring up a delicious meal. Putting my daughter in charge of
the dish, and letting her add a few of her special touches like parsley from
her garden, was the key. She proudly served her carefully prepared meal at our
family dinner, and was eager to give tomato sauce another chance. Arrivederci
bland white pasta, ciao ciao colorful, authentic Italian homemade tomato sauce!
What is your favorite Italian dish? Share your
comments!
Next up: Italian Chicken
Chicken Parmesan is the
perfect partner at any Italian dinner, but I was looking for a healthier
alternative. Next up: a simple Italian chicken recipe that is so tasty you
won’t miss the cheese and breadcrumbs!
Craving more new recipes to try? Catch up on last
week’s recipe: Kale chips.
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.
Read More
Posted by Jennifer Lee on April 05, 2012 0 Comments
The road to healthy eating is fun and easy when you know your way! Use this map to put your kids in the healthy eating drivers seat and let them make their own healthy choices. Enjoy the ride! For a free printable version of this map click here to download.
Embed on your site by copying the code below:
A free printable too!
For a free printable of Crunch a Color's road to healthy eating, click here to download.
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Posted by Jennifer Lee on April 03, 2012 0 Comments
Snack attack! We all have them (kids and adults
included). The trick is to make the snacks you grab healthy. Here’s how!
It’s that dreaded no man’s
land between the end of school and the start of dinner. My kids barrel through
the front door after a fun and active day – and they’re hungry! A freight train
drives into the kitchen and throws open the refrigerator door. “What’s for
snack, Mom?”
Feature Recipe: Kale Chips, A Fast and Healthy Snack Idea
On the food love spectrum for my kids,
potato chips are like a “high-school crush” and kale is more like a “first and
last date." When I discovered kale chips I paused and pondered, “Could this
relationship change?” Crunchy, colorful and deliciously satisfying, it was a
match made in heaven. Kale chips are the answer to our daily snack dilemma!
Crunch a Color’s Kale Chips
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: about 18 to 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.
Crunch a Color Kids Vote: Crunch!
What we liked: Kale chips are a colorful, healthy snack food that my kids love (their
nutty flavor is akin to seaweed). They are easy enough for a 5 year old to
prepare, which wins them more points in my book. This is the kind of snack food
I can get into.
What is your favorite healthy snack? Do tell!
Next up: Spaghetti with Meatballs
Having grown up in an
Italian family, it’s impossible to imagine a week without spaghetti and
meatballs! Next up, a deliciously healthy Italian dinner that will have you
singing, “That’s amore!”
Craving more new recipes to try? Catch up on last
week’s recipe: Asparagus with Ginger-Soy Glaze.
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.
Read More
Posted by Jennifer Lee on March 31, 2012 0 Comments
Simple flourishes can bring a smile. Here's how to make cupcake toppers to spruce up everything from a cup of fresh
fruit to healthy snacks like our no bake, nut-free cookie. No cupcakes needed
for these healthy treat toppers! Get creative and use them to make your own
napkin rings, place cards and lunchbox notes. The possibilities are endless! Our free printable cupcake toppers will get you started:
How to Make Cupcake Toppers
Step 1: Download our free printable cupcake toppers.
Step 2: Print on heavy white paper.
Step 3: Cut columns then punch with a 1.5” or 2”
circle punch.
Step 4: Glue a toothpick between two circles.
Voila! These easy to make cupcake toppers are a fun
addition to any healthy snack. We’d love to see your crafty creations so be
sure to share your ideas on our Facebook page!
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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!
Click here to download.
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.
Read More
