ML Interest Tag: peel

What’s for Dinner: Zoodles with Meatballs

by Susie Foresman

photo: My Flourless Kitchen

Sneak some extra veggies into your little one’s diet with this genius recipe from Erin of My Flourless Kitchen. If you don’t have a spiralizer, Erin recommends cutting your zucchini into quarters lengthwise and peeling off strips with a vegetable peeler (or you can find them pre-spiralized at some grocery stores).

Ingredients
For the meatballs:
10 ounces extra lean ground beef
1 egg
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fennel seeds

For the zoodles:
4-5 zucchini
2 cups of tomato sauce

Method
For the meatballs:
1. Combine all ingredients and form into small (golf-ball sized) balls.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, brown the meatballs for a couple minutes on all sides.

3. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs and cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Instant Pot method:
1. Put the browned meatballs in the Instant Pot, cover with sauce and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.

For the zoodles:
1. Using a spiralizer, make your zucchini noodles (zoodles).

2. Add them to your cooked meatballs and sauce and cook briefly, just enough to warm them.

Thanks to Erin for sharing this recipe with us—visit her at My Flourless Kitchen for more healthy, family-friendly recipes. You’ll love her take on paleo, low-carb and gluten-free eating.

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Pinky Pie Punch

by Erin Lem

This sweet knockout smoothie is sure to please with its healthy one, two, three punch of potassium, fiber and protein. Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner, the brains behind this recipe and Simple Green Smoothies, tell us that beets are great to add to smoothies for kids because this versatile vegetable adds a vibrant pink color without overpowering the taste of the recipe’s sweet fruits.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup spinach
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 clementines, peeled
1 banana
1 cup strawberries
2 tablespoons peeled and chopped raw beet

Method:
1. Blend the spinach and coconut milk until smooth.

2. Add the clementines, banana, strawberries, and beet and blend again. Pour into 2 glasses and top each with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, if using.

What type of smoothies do your kids love? Do you serve up veggie- and fruit-packed smoothies? Leave a comment below!

Reprinted from SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIES by Jen Hansard & Jadah Sellner. Copyright (c) 2015 by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner. By permission of Rodale Books. Available wherever books are sold.

Photo credit: Lindsey Johnson

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How to Remove Stickers & Their Residue

by Christal Y.

It sticks, it stays and even when you manage to peel off it off, a sticker can leave behind unwanted textures. While we can’t prevent our little ninjas from sticking stickers on walls, windows, glass or tables, we can help you erase any trace so that your surfaces look brand new. Read on for tips on removing sticker residue.

photo: romana klee via flickr

Getting stickers off metal. Peeling off the sticker should be no problem, but the residue is often a surprising task. Use oil to rub away the sticky parts and then wipe away the oil with vinegar.

Getting stickers off glass. Try heating the sticker with a hair dryer (or soaking it in hot water) to get the glue to melt. If it doesn’t come right off, then believe it or not, peanut butter is a tried and true method with saying goodbye to the leftover sticky bits.

Getting stickers off wood. Tackle the sticker with the hairdryer to get as much of the sticker off as possible. Depending on the type of wood you have, use rubbing alcohol (hand sanitizer works too) or eucalyptus/vegetable oil.

Getting stickers off painted walls or wallpaper. Since heat or water might ruin the wall, use a knife or credit card to remove the sticker carefully. Then dab at the remaining residue with masking tape until it’s no longer sticky. Use a little hot water if you need to get the whole process going.

Getting stickers off your kids. A simple bath should work!

What are your tips and tricks for getting sticker residue off? Tell us in the Comments below!

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Holiday Helper: Spots & Services To Make Thanksgiving A Breeze

by Mimi O'Connor

Ah, Thanksgiving. Some years you want to do the whole thing yourself, from the shopping to the peeling to the brining…and some years you just. don’t. Whether you want a little help getting the best ingredients and recipes guaranteed to work, or you really want to phone it in (i.e. let someone else do all the cooking and the clean up) this is a judgement free-zone, and we’ve got suggestions! Click through to see our ideas on how to make this turkey day a little easier — and enjoyable! — for the whole family.

For Locally-sourced Produce, Birds and Artisan Pie: Farmigo

Can't make it to the farmer's market and feel gouged by upscale grocery spots? Farmigo wants to be your go-to source for produce, meat and more from area farmers. (It's currently the largest online farmer's market, serving 15,000 families in the U.S.) They let you know where your birds are coming from, if they're free-range, and what they're fed. Produce is from small farms focused on sustainability, and pies such as Bittersweet Chocolate Bourbon Pecan are from the Brooklyn artisanal pastry chefs Pie Corp (you can also just get frozen crust). In addition, Farmigo is offering recipe bundles for stuffing starters, butternut squash soup, as well as prepared cranberry sauce from Beth's Farm Kitchen in Columbia County.

Farmigo is not membership or subscription-based, so you can try it out just for Thanksgiving, and there is no minimum order requirement. You do need to pick up your order, which is generally priced by weight (see site for specific costs); pickup locations both private and public are located all over the city, as well as in Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester.

Order by the first week of November to reserve your bird! (You'll put down a $30 deposit, which will be subtracted from the price of your bird, determined by weight, when it arrives.)

Farmigo: farmigo.com

photo: Farmigo

How are you getting help with Thanksgiving this year? Tell us in the comments below!

—Mimi O’Connor

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Move It, Mummy! Games & Activities to Get Wrapped-Up In

by Tinybeans Team

Forget the x-box. Everyone knows that a kid’s favorite game is the one he plays with his Mummy. This spooky season, throw some thrills into playtime with mummy-themed science experiments, story times and games that will rattle their bones. Check out the details below, because we’re certain you’ll like how we roll.

photo: S. Massey

Wrap the Mummy
We love this game by Teach Preschool for our littlest goblins, especially when they try to wrap themselves. But before the frustration levels reach an all-time high, be sure to take the roll in your own hands to finish the job. And stand back, because nothing’s more fun for kids than breaking out of that mummy costume!

photo:Andrew Gustar via flickr

Mummify an Apple
Calling all Egyptians! The Great Apple Pharaoh has died and it’s time to mummify his body using nothing but salt, baking soda, an apple and some time. This project will take a little carving skills on a peeled apple, but the patience gives great results. Pop over to Time Traveller Kids for the play-by-play and instructions.

Photo: Craftaholics Anonymous

Mummy Race
Watch your kids morph into competitive mummies (aka Tiger Mummies) as they try to make it to the finish line without losing the beanbags on the backs of their outstretched arms. Feel like getting crafty? Find instructions for making your own spooky beanbags for the game, along with other inspiration, on Craftaholics Anonymous.

Photo: A Mom with a Lesson Plan

Story Time with Mummy
Nothing gets the kiddos to snuggle up with their Mummies like a sweet story time. Check out this activity by A Mom with a Lesson Plan to bring the book Where’s My Mummy? by Carolyn Crimi to life.

photo: Kid Friendly Things to Do

Unwrap the Mummy
We love this take on the classic hot potato game by Kid Friendly Things to Do, where each unwrap of the mummy yields treats, not tricks.

photo: Organized 31

Mummy Touch and Seek
This blindfolded touch and guess game is as scary as reaching into your kiddos dirty clothes hamper in the dark! With cooked noodles for intestines and peeled grapes for eyeballs, this game by Organized 31 is a must for any gore-lover. Get the scoop on how to put it together here.

photo: Totally the Bomb

Shaving Cream Balloon Mummies
We love the idea of shaving cream filled balloons by Totally the Bomb, and think that it would be perfect for playing a round of Don’t Let the Mummy Hit the Floor. Just transform the white balloon into a mummy pre-game by glueing a few strips of toilet paper and googly eyes to it!

photo: S. Massey

Mummy Math
How’s this for a trick, Mom? Disguise math time with this awesome game by Chicken Babies! See how they unwrap a mummy with math for a prize here, and if you need to alter the ability level, just try substituting addition or subtraction or even one-to-one correlation for the multiplication used on the website.

photo: Honey and Fitz

Front Door Mummy
Go big or go home, right? This door decoration by Honey and Fitz will delight trick or treaters, and is easy enough to let your littles take the lead on. Not sure you’re up for a full-scale operation? No worries. You can apply the same concept to a poster board to hang on the front door, instead.

photo: Giggles Galore

Mummy Bowling
Add a little spooky fun to the classic at-home bowling game by turning your pins into mummies. Whether you use a pumpkin for a bowling ball or opt to cover another ball in gauze, this activity is a guaranteed afternoon strike! Find inspiration and instructions by Giggles Galore here.

What are your favorite mummy games and activities? Tell us in the comments section below!

—Shelley Massey

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Nut-Free Asian Cold Sesame Noodles

by Christal Y.

If nut-free, fuss-free and scrumptious is what you’re looking for in a dish, then this cold sesame noodle by the food blog, Chew Out Loud needs to be on your meal plan for the week. It’s a simple recipe full of rich sesame flavor and fresh veggies for a refreshing bite. Check out the recipe below.

Serves 4-6

Method:
16 oz dried noodles (spaghetti or linguine work well)
5 TB Asian toasted dark sesame oil (found in Asian aisles of grocery stores)
½ cup pure Tahini (sesame paste)
5 TB regular soy sauce
3 TB granulated sugar
1½ TB seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp white pepper
¼ cup hot water
1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced thin or julienned
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thin or julienned

Optional: Cooked shredded chicken or cooked shrimp
Garnishes: Thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, Sriracha on the side

Instructions:
1. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling, well-salted water until tender, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly with very cold water until all noodles are cool. Drain well. Toss with 2 TB sesame oil and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining sesame oil, Tahini, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, ginger powder, and white pepper. Add ¼ cup hot water to thin out the sauce; whisk until combined.

3. Add cooked/cooled pasta, cucumbers, and carrots to the sauce. Toss well to combine. If using chicken or shrimp, add those and toss to combine. Garnish as desired. Serve immediately.

Have you tried cold noodles before? Let us know what you thought!

Chew Out Loud is a food blog about all things delicious, from healthy to indulgent. Run by Amy, cook and photographer, Chew Out Loud delivers tried and true recipes to hungry readers everywhere. Click here to get inspired for your next family meal!

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The 52 New Foods Challenge: 3 Recipes to Cook with Kids

by Erin Feher

Is your family dinner menu stuck on repeat? A local Bay Area mom-turned-cookbook-author wants to help you get your groove back in the kitchen, and turn your little picky eaters into full-fledged food adventurers. The secret sauce is outlined in her new book, The 52 New Foods Challenge: A Family Cooking Adventure for Each Week of the Year. In addition to providing practical advice on shopping seasonally, cooking with kids and fostering peace (not war) at the dinner table, her prescriptions are completely approachable for even the busiest family, as they require only a 1-2 hour time commitment each week. For a taste of what the book has to offer, author Jennifer Tyler Lee has shared three of her family’s favorite recipes and a few invaluable tips with us. Click through to sample them all!

Brussels Sprouts Chips

Ingredients for Roasted Brussels Sprouts Chips

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and peeled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions for Roasted Brussels Sprouts Chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Using your fingers, peel away the leaves from the sprouts.

3. Place the leaves on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the oil and salt and toss to combine.

4. Bake for 10 minutes, then toss the leaves in the pan. Reduce the heat to 250°F and bake the sprouts for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until the leaves are crispy and almost burnt. Let your kids watch closely to figure out the best timing for your oven.

For expert tips on achieving the perfect chip (including rookie mistakes to avoid) click here.

 

Get your own copy of The 52 Foods Challenge right here.

What are your creative ways to eat healthier as a family? Tell us in the comments below!  

—Erin Feher

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Apple Turnovers

by Erin Lem

For a simple homemade breakfast (or snack) whip up a batch of these puff pastry apple turnovers that take just a few minutes to create, but taste like they were bought from your neighborhood bakery. Don’t like apples? Substitute in blueberries, cherries or whatever fruit is in season at your local market.

Makes 8 turnovers

Ingredients:
2 apples peeled, cored and diced into small cubes
1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 package of frozen puff pastry defrosted
one egg beaten

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Soften the cubed apples over medium heat on the stove for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

3. Flour your counter and roll out the defrosted puff pastry dough so it’s around 12″ by 12″. Cut each sheet so that there are four squares.

4. Place a large spoonful of apple mixture onto each square and then fold the puff pastry dough over to make a triangle. Seal the edges with your fingers or press down with a fork. Brush the top of each triangle with egg wash.

5. Make two small slits on each triangle and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

How did your apple turnovers turn out? Tell us below!

photo courtesy of Vegan Baking on Flickr; recipe courtesy of Erin Lem

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Spinach and Avocado Pesto Pasta

by Claire Schillings

Pasta is a natural staple in our home, but sometimes we wonder if it’s healthy enough to be in our rotation as often as it is. Luckily, thanks to Give Me Lemons‘ Spinach and Avocado Pesto recipe, we no longer have to worry! Made from only fruits, vegetables, and herbs, this alternative to our usual pasta recipes is healthy, tasty, and fresh for summer.

Ingredients:
1 pound linguine noodles
2 large ripe avocados, halved, peeled and seeded
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 packed cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil
1 lemon, juiced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated parmesan (for topping)
1/2 cup pine nuts (for topping)

Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain noodles and reserve a cup of the pasta water. Place noodles into medium sized serving bowl.

2. In a food processor, combine avocado, garlic cloves, spinach, basil, lemon and lime juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Spoon pesto mixture onto the linguine noodles and toss together until noodles are coated. If needed, use pasta water to thin sauce to desired consistency.

3. Top with grated parmesan cheese and pine nuts (if desired). Serve immediately.

recipe and photo courtesy of Give Me Lemons.

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Pizza Stuffed Peppers

by Erin Lem

Alexa of Simple Roots Wellness (and mom to three girls) knows that creating healthy alternatives to favorite foods is a must. She offers up this recipe for pizza stuffed peppers that features all of the great flavors of pizza without the unhealthy components. Scroll down for the low down on how to make this dinnertime eat and then check out Simple Roots Wellness for more great meal inspiration.

Seres 4-6

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp coconut oil (butter)
1 yellow onion
2-3 cloves, garlic minced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped (optional)
1 lb ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
Salt & pepper, to taste
8 peppers
Mozzarella cheese

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Chop onion and mushrooms.

3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add onion and mushrooms. Saute until tender.
Add garlic and saute until fragrant or 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set-aside.

4. In same skillet cook beef and sausage until done. Remove and place in bowl with onion and mushroom mixture.

5. Add peeled and chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce and spices. Mix thoroughly. Prepare peppers but washing, cutting top off and removing seeds.

6. Fill peppers with meat and onion mixture and place in oven.

7. Bake for 30 minutes, remove and add mozzarella cheese continue baking 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove and enjoy!

This recipe and photo come courtesy of Alexa over at Simple Roots Wellness. Alexa, a mom of three, blogs about healthy versions of recipes you know and love. Check out Healthy Roots Wellness to find more great recipes for your family.

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