Tomato Pops: Pint-sized Tomato Mozzarella Skewers (52 Foods, Week 34) September 11 2012, 1 Comment

Tomato mozzarella skewers with a kid-friendly twist, this easy recipe for Tomato Pops makes the seasonal bounty of fresh picked cherry tomatoes even more fun to enjoy with your kids!

Our local farmers’ market continues to be a wonderful inspiration for getting my kids to try new foods. Like a scavenger hunt, my kids weave through the market stalls searching for treasures the season has uncovered. Riding the wave into the peak of tomato season in California, my new food explorers decided that beautiful, blushing cherry tomatoes would top our list of new foods to try this week. Baskets overflowing, we headed home with a few simple ingredients to make our fun and easy recipe of the week: Tomato Pops!

Tomato Pops: Pint-Sized Tomato Mozzarella Skewers

Prep time: 5 minutes
Assembly time: 10 minutes
Makes about 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup mozzarella balls or cubes of your favorite cheese
¼ cup olive oil
A handful of fresh basil
¼ tsp kosher salt
12 wooden skewers

Directions:
1. Wash the tomatoes and remove the green tops. Load the tomatoes into a large mixing bowl as you go.

2. Add the mozzarella balls to the tomatoes.

3. Add the olive oil and salt to the tomatoes and mozzarella. Stir gently.

4. Alternating between the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil leaves, add to your skewers. Let the kids decide on the pattern they like most.

5. Serve in a small glass vase or cup, like a bouquet. Mix together the remaining ingredients into a fresh caprese salad.

Crunch a Color Kids Vote: Pop!

What we Liked: This kid-friendly twist on tomato mozzarella skewers was a fun addition to our farmers’ market fresh family table. They make a great lunchbox snack too! For more food fun, we served up our pops with a side of nut free basil pesto and healthy Caesar salad dressing and let everyone enjoy giving their pops a dip!

* What is your favorite way to serve fresh cherry tomatoes?

Craving more new recipes to try? Catch up on last week’s recipe: Homemade Granola Bars.

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, 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, easy 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.