7Jan2018
Desserts, Kids Recipes, Snack
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January 7, 2018

Via My California Roots: Vegan Blueberry Muffins

It’s muffin day!!! Vegan blueberry muffin day, to be exact. With a crunchy crumb topping. #winning

I’m actually halfway joking because today is actually national banana bread day. But I already have a banana bread recipe on my site and I’ve been working on these muffins to share, so that’s what you get!

I’m pretty sure that blueberry muffins have to be America’s favorite muffin. I have no evidence to back that up, but my gut feeling is telling me I’m right. That’s all that matters, right? Who needs statistics when you have gut feelings?

But let’s be real – whenever I think of making muffins, the first thing that pops into my head is blueberry muffins. They’re so classic and never disappoint…. Unless they do. As you guys know, I like to do most of my baking vegan. I love the challenge, and it makes my sweet treats feel a little less guilty.

However, I’ve tried a lot of vegan blueberry muffins recipes that just didn’t turn out so well. It always felt like there was something missing. A lot of regular blueberry muffin recipes on the internet use sour cream for richness, and most vegan recipes just kind of left that richness out.

So, I set out to make my own. I don’t like to use any fake or chemically vegan products, so I tried to figure out what I could use to replace that rich sour cream flavor without resorting to using weird products. The answer? Cashew cream!

I’ve been loving cashew cream for everything lately. I even have a pesto that uses it coming soon! It really is amazing. It took this blueberry muffin recipe that I had been working on from mediocre to just fantastic.

For this recipe, I recommend using smaller blueberries if you can find them. I used the frozen organic wild blueberries from Trader Joe’s. Most organic berries will be smaller, so if you don’t already buy organic then there’s a good reason right there. Larger berries can make the muffins more crumbly, so definitely try to find smaller ones.

This recipe makes 18 tender, sweet, delicious vegan blueberry muffins. I know this sounds like a lot, but I promise you they will be gone in no time. I think this batch I made was gone in… 4 days. Four days! They just really don’t stick around long.


30Dec2017
Kids Recipes, Party Food, Snack
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December 30, 2017

Via My California Roots: The Creamiest Vegan Mashed Potatoes

TGIS!!!!

I know that’s totally not a thing. But really, I’m usually more thankful for Saturday than I am for Friday. Although last night I did get to drink my favorite hard cider from See Canyon Hard Cider Co. Having a beer / hard cider is seriously the thing I look forward to most on Friday nights. Is that bad?

At least I don’t drink during the week 😉

So, I’m pretty sure I can say with confidence that everyone looks forward to mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. I mean, it’s a thing. If you have Thanksgiving, you have mashed potatoes. And if you have mashed potatoes, you have…. nevermind.

The Mashers are everyone’s favorite side, whether they admit it or not. It’s one of those dishes that you give yourself an extra large heaping scoop, then look at your plate a little forlornly because it doesn’t look like quite enough, so you dive in for another. It’s that dish.

Standard mashed potatoes have lots of tasty flavor components, like butter and cream.

But if you’re the kind of person who avoids those ingredients for whatever reason, making really creamy mashed potatoes can be… challenging. I’m not vegan myself, but choose not to eat dairy most of the time. The exception I make is cheese, because…… cheese. But I use vegan butter and non-dairy milks nearly 100% of the time.

So, I’ve tried many variations of vegan mashed potatoes. Some were okay (I mean, really, it’s mashed potatoes – they can’t be that bad). Some were pretty good.

But none have been as creamy as these.

I did something pretty crazy here to achieve that super creamy, melt-in-your-mouth taste that traditional mashed potatoes have. I’ve tried all sorts of non-dairy milks and was never super impressed with the result. But this time, I did it. Two words:

Cashew. Cream.

That stuff has been my jam lately. Not really like jam jam, but you get it. I am using it all over the place and LOVING it. It’s so good.

And for those of you who say “I don’t have a Vitamix/Blendtec so I can’t make it, poohey” – let me tell you one thing. My blender cost $40. It’s an Oster and I don’t think you can even get it any more. And it works amazingly well for cashew cream.

It’s all about technique, I’m tellin ya.

So these potatoes! Aside from the cashew cream, they have some Earth Balance butter (or whatever kind of butter you want), salt (of course), roasted garlic, and crispy shallots. Roasted garlic and crispy shallots! Even if you have no intention of ever making vegan mashed potatoes, you must put roasted garlic and crispy shallots on your mashers next time. Promise me.

To make these super creamy, I used my KitchenAid mixer to whip them up. It is by far the easiest way to make them nice and fluffy. If all you have is a potato masher, that’ll work too. You’ll also have nice toned arms afterward. Get to it!

In my version, I left the skins on and stopped whipping them before every single little tiny lump was out. That’s because the skins are tasty and nutritious, and because I like my mashed potatoes to have a little texture to them. BUT, if you prefer your potatoes to be skinless, or if you want only creamy and no potato chunks, then be sure to peel your taters and whip them for a few extra minutes.

Ok, I’ve been staring at these pictures too long. I’m off to go eat the rest of these now. (PS. they make amazing leftovers)

Happy weekending!

15Oct2017
Kids Recipes, Snack
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October 15, 2017

Via Babble: Baked Crispy Chicken Fingers With Apple Fries

There aren’t many kids who don’t adore chicken fingers. Fries have become the side dish of choice, filling up space on the plate where something healthier could be. Making your own isn’t difficult, of course – and while you’re making chicken fingers from scratch, why not? You could try salt & pepper oven fries, sweet potato fries or Parmesan ranch oven fries – all great uses of a potato. But in the fall, when tart, flavourful apples are everywhere, begging to be used, you could turn them into sweet roasted fries that make the perfect sidekick to crispy chicken fingers. Apple fries. Who knew?

Of course there’s no rule saying the fingers have to be chicken – turkey makes pretty wonderful fingers, too. If you don’t have (or like) chili sauce, try soaking chicken strips in buttermilk or thin plain yogurt (giving them a day to sit in the fridge will tenderize the meat, too); pull each piece out of the buttermilk and roll it in crumbs to coat.

23Sep2017
Kids Recipes, Snack
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September 23, 2017

Via Epicurious: No-Bake Energy Bites With Oats And Dried Cherries

These coconut- and oat-studded bites come together in just one bowl (no food processor required!).

Keep them on hand for a healthy morning or afternoon pick-me-up or a satisfying after-school snack.

If your family or school is nut-free, follow the sunflower butter option instead of using almond or peanut butter.

 

8Jun2017
Breakfast, Kids Recipes, Snack
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June 8, 2017

These gluten-free, dairy-free and grain-free date nut bars serve as the perfect breakfast or snack for your healthy kids!

Try this easy recipes now:

Date Nut Bar
Print Recipe
Breakfast or snack date and nut bar. Gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free.
Servings Prep Time
10 people 15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
10 people 15 minutes
Date Nut Bar
Print Recipe
Breakfast or snack date and nut bar. Gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free.
Servings Prep Time
10 people 15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
10 people 15 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl.
  2. With your hand, knead to combine and form a ball. You may use food-grade gloves.
  3. Rip a good size wax paper (about 2 feet long) and place on your counter top. Place the dough on one side, cover with wax paper, and flatten with a rolling pin until it reaches a thickness of ¾ inch.
  4. Using your hands or a knife, form a rectangle--to simplify the cutting process. Cut into 10 pieces and enjoy.
  5. To store in your fridge, wrap each bar with plastic paper tightly. Store in your fridge for a week--that's if they're not eaten already by the first day.
Share this Recipe
8Mar2017
Kids Recipes, Snack
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March 8, 2017

Healthy Snack Recipes For Kids To Make

Making your kids eat healthy is much more difficult than encouraging them to make food for themselves. If you want to develop your child’s interest, you will have to be creative and come up with innovative ideas. We have saved you the effort and have come up with healthy snack recipes for kids to make that your children will absolutely love.

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Sandwiches

Make small round sandwiches and place them like a caterpillar in order to encourage your kids to eat healthy food.

2. Rice Cake Owls

Make delicious rice cakes and shape them as owls. Not only is this cute but a healthy food too.

3. Apple Turtles

Cut up fruit in cute shapes and serve them to your little ones. You will be surprised to see how the food will disappear from the plate.

4. Apple Race Car Snacks

You can cut fruit in the shape of cars and serve them to your children. You will be surprised with how much your children will love this. Plus, there is so much room for creativity.

5. 3 Ingredient Mini Muffins

You can easily make this 3 ingredient mini muffins within 15 minutes and that too without any hassle. Perfect for your child’s lunchbox!

6. No Bake Coconut And Date Balls

Ask your kids to help you out with this super easy recipe and they will happily oblige. Mash the dates after deseeding them, and mix them with shredded coconut to get a healthy snack that will satisfy your child’s sweet tooth.

7. 3 Ingredient Real Fruit Jelly

Jelly is always a treat for children. Homemade jelly is great because it has no additives and uses only three basic ingredients which are gelatin, juice, and raspberries.

8. 2 Ingredient Pancakes

You might not know this, but it is possible for you to make a pancake with only two ingredients. Take some bananas, add eggs, and blend them in a blender. You will have the perfect batter to make the most amazing food for your child.

9. 2 Ingredient Muesli Bars

Muesli bars are good for your child’s health and they are made with only two ingredients! Your kids can easily make them under your supervision and they will taste so much than readymade bars.

10. Banana Smoothie

What can be better healthy snack recipes for kids to make than a glass of cold banana smoothie? This is super easy to make and all you need is bananas, cinnamon, honey, and yogurt. Delicious!

11. Cheese And Vegemite Scrolls

Scrolls are extremely popular with children and they are super healthy too. You can make them at home and fill them with cheese and vegetables. Super yum and perfect snack for school!

In conclusion, these are some of the healthy snack recipes for kids to make. Since they are so easy to make your kids might just end up making these themselves. Happy cooking to you and your kids!

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