Fabulous NO SUGAR ADDED Applesauce Recipe that take minutes!

By Kid Kritics | October 28, 2012

I wish I could remember where I found this recipe on the web.  Thank you to the person who shared/created this fabulous applesauce.  I am calling it:

Pink Cinnamon Applesauce

8-10 cooking apples
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract

Wash, core and quarter apples.  Put in pot.  Add rest of ingredients.  Simmer until soft.  Stir occasionally.  Serve chunky with skins (good source of  nutrients) , or, strain until smooth.

TIPS: If it appears to be a bit dry when first cooking, add a little more orange juice. 

When serving it one evening, I topped it with a few fresh raspberries – was out of this world delicious!  What berries would you put on top of this applesauce?

… for the health of your family,
ellen

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Fresh Apples. There’s a bazillion ways to eat them.

By Kid Kritics | September 30, 2012

   

Fresh Apples are everywhere!  Organic ones are easy to find.  You may be in the enviable position of having an apple orchard near you so you can take you family to pick your own.  Or, at least go to local market. While in season, stock up.  My two young apple trees were not very productive this year.  I'll have to give them an organic fertilizer boost to improve their harvest next year. 

I love apples.  Every afternoon I bite into a crisp apple to satisfy my desire for sweet and give myself an energy upper. And, its natural fluoride helps keep my teeth clean and healthy!

Apples are delicious!  Serve them raw for mouth watering fresh bites, dehydrate or freeze them with a little lemon juice for winter use, make applesauce, pies, tarts and crisps, use them as toppings on pancakes or waffles, put chunks or shavings into salads, fill or coat acorn or other squashes with an apple mix, and cook them with meats.  Healthier Recipe Mom, Shonda, created this Apple & Veggie Stix Stuffed Chicken scrumptious meal. The Kid Kritics were amazing that their chicken was so moist and had a touch of sweet. They loved, loved, loved it!  Your family will too. Try it!

… for the health of families,
ellen

 

 

 

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The truth about School lunches

By Kid Kritics | August 19, 2012

There is an improved awareness in the school systems that healthier foods need to be on their menus.  Chef Carlino, who serves school lunches, reminded me of the obstacles in front of decision makers.  So before you go storming in and demand better food for your kids, take a look at what these obstacles are; then make your move.

1. Food DIstributor's make deals with food companies.  Food companies are known to off load their over-runs or soon to be out of date products to school lunch 
    distributors for pennies on the dollar.  This fits the school's food budget.

2. Contracts with food distributors and food companies are made for multiple years.  In order to change the planned orders, these contracts have to be broken at
    a price, or, they have to run their coarse. 

3  Cafe managers and workers need to be educated about healthier products and menus.

Chef Carlino suggested that parents "create a demand, not a protest."  In other words, offer constructive practical solutions without being negative or angry.  A group of parents has more power than a single one so work together.  Talk to principal, supervisors, cafe managers in a helpful mode.   

Number One way to change the system – don't use it.  If most of the kids brought their own lunches to school, the school lunch program would fail – it could not survive.  Then the school would need redesign their school lunch program. You could be right there to help them!

Chef Carlino offers more helpful and delicious school lunch ideas in our interview with him.  Click HERE. to listen.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

 

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Look at what I brought home with me!

By Kid Kritics | July 31, 2012

DSC_1670

A RECIPE to die for!  I call it the Pineapple Mint Refresher. Why, because one sip of this ice cold drink and you'll feel the fresh mint rush.  During a really hot summer in Jerusalem, we walked into the Aroma cafe where coffee is their specialty.  Since I have never like the taste of coffee, not even mocha, my eyes searched for an alternative and spotted a green drink.  It turned out to be a combination of lemon juice with mint and ice cubes pulverized in a blender.  Think they may have added some honey as a sweetener.  It was out of this world delicious!  For the rest of the days we were there, I order a glass full.  When I returned home in the states, I decided that since I wasn't sure of the exact lemon recipe, I would make my own using 100% pineapple juice.  It was sensational! Ever since, I have made one everyday for my afternoon pick-me-up. 

The key that makes this cooling drink a stand out is the use of a blender to grind fresh mint leaves in a 100% fruit juice along with some ice cubes.  My proportions are 1 cup of 100% pineapple juice (not from a can), 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves and a handful of ice cubes.  That's it! CLICK HERE for RECIPE details

For this photo, I realized I had run out of pineapple juice so I pulverized fresh pineapple with water.  Then added the mint leaves and ice.  The more mint leaves you use, the greener it is… here the green has yet to settle.  The more mint leaves your use, the fresher the uplifting taste! 

Now I will admit that after I took this photo, I noticed I had a couple of strawberries and blueberries in the fridge.  So, I threw them into the blender and now I have a purple/pink mint drink.  There is hardly a fresh fruit that can't be enhanced by fresh mint.  Try it!

Where do you buy fresh mint?  You can find it in a grocery store in packets or as a plant.  Since it grows like a weed, I recommend buying a plant of two, put them into larger pots either directly into the ground or on your balcony.  Now this drink becomes really inexpensive.

By the way, refreshing has a double meaning here.  Mint and pineapple are both full of nutrients, antioxidants and even anti-inflammatory properties. Serve it to you whole family this summer.  Once you have made this – just takes minutes – I'll best you also will be hooked – that's a good thing!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

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Where have I been?

By Kid Kritics | July 16, 2012

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Traveling to celebrate our 25th anniversary! Yes, I have been traveling a lot mostly for pleasure though when I am around food, I am always working… and I was around lots of great food. While touring Israel, I was surrounded by fields and valleys filled with banana, date, olive, pomegranate, peach, nectarine, plum, nut, and citrus trees. Rows of lettuces, herbs, corn, beets, beans, garlic… you name it, were abundant. Grain fields had just been harvested. This country knows how to make every inch of the earth and every drop or water count to produce food!

Consequently we ate fruit and vegetables for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner! Tons of mouth-watering alkaline food. Hummus was a daily side at dinner. Cheese and meat were also fresh and delicious but less was served so less we ate. Fresh fish was more often offered as a main entree so we enjoyed some. As a result, we never felt or slept better! In Spain, we continued to enjoy fresh produce with each meal. The portions were small and yet we felt full thanks to their fiber based delicious dishes, especially tapas!

By the time we arrived back in the states, we were hooked on the benefits of eating more alkaline and less acid-based foods. We no longer have meat everyday. More beans please! We crave lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Now we go to the market more frequently to buy what we don't have growing in our little garden and pots. Our food bill is lower and as is our weight. We actually lost pounds on our trips and are determined to keep them off. We invite you to do the same. We invite you to fill you meals with colorful fruits and vegetables. Kids living around the Mediterranean eat these foods; serve them to yours!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

P.S. I asked if Israel has an overweight or obesity problem with children.  The answer was,  "No."  What I witnessed confirms this. 

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4th of July Hot Dog Bun Sub Recipe

By Kid Kritics | June 25, 2012

Recipe,HotDog Sub 004  RED KK logo JPEG

If you are not a hot dog fan but love the buns, make this recipe!  "Amazing… Best in the whole entire universe…I taste a bunch of flavors floating in my mouth… Thought it was a delicious masterpiece… Crunchy bacon with soft bread – it was a great combination… I just loved it!"  The plus of a hot dog bun is its size… not too big, not too small – just right for kids.  You may want to warm it on a grill for a few minutes… take a look CLICK HERE

                              KidKriticEatingHotDogBunSub  KidKriticEatingHotDogBunSub,Boy

… for the health of your family,
ellen

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Recipe. Egg Salad Kids Love!

By Kid Kritics | June 18, 2012

Egg salad 004 RED KK logo JPEG

Trick to making egg salad… chop everything finely, especially the hard boiled eggs. Make it a bit mushy.  We spread it between two rice crackers.  The kids couldn't get enough!  "More,  seconds, PLEASEEEEEE…. I like it a lot… Yes, I loved it – it is a crunchy delight… It was Egg-squisite!"  The added taste touch of Parmesan cheese steps this up to the rank of a favorite food.  What a great way to get you kids to eat eggs, the perfect brain food!  CLICK HERE for RECIPE

        KidKriticsCooking,EggSalad   KidKriticsEggSaladKidsLove

Invite your kids to help you make it.  Bet half  is gone before you serve it.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

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Recipe. Veggie Stix Salmon Cakes – out of this world!

By Kid Kritics | June 11, 2012

Recipe,SalmonVeggieCakes,NoRoll Recipe,SalmonVeggieCakesSideView

How clever of this Healthier Recipe Mom, Shonda – she used the new Veggie Stix with their retained nutrients from seven vegetables (broccoli, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, beets, potatoes, shitake mushrooms) to create this kid friendly nutrient power- packed recipe.  CLICK HERE.  If you question whether kids will like them… here's your answer (photos below)!

KidKriticEatingSalmonVeggieCakes KidKriticEatingSalmonVeggieCakes,boy

Yes, they ate the broccoli, tomatoes and carrots, too! Their mom put each cake into a roll for eye and texture appeal.  It worked!  Try it and let us know if your kids loved these salmon cakes as much as these kids did.

… for the health of families,
ellen

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Grocery List… add Gluten Free Mini Pretzels

By Kid Kritics | May 1, 2012

Kid_Kriticis_YMCA_July 2010 031 KidKritics,SnydersPretzelSticksYMCA,July2010 150 (Kid Kritics Quiz Prize!)

The crunch sold these pretzels; kids love the feel and sound of crunch. In fact, we had fun with this and put a mike to their mouths for all to hear.  You could say kids love the taste of crunch. “Fantastic!”

We think everyone should eat less wheat so these Gluten Free Mini Pretzels or Sticks by the world famous pretzel maker, Snyder's of Hanover, are great treat picks.  And, they can be used as dippers in nutrient filled dips such as hummus.  Try them!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

And why not win a whole case of these pretzels?  Enter the Kid Kritics Approved Food Giveaway Sweepstakes today,  www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes.

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Recipe. Gluten Free Trail Mix

By Kid Kritics | April 30, 2012

Recipe,GlutenFreeTrailMix

Yummy trail mix you can personalize to your own family's preferences … plus it is gluten free! Try it!  RECIPE

Thank you Rebecca (Healthier Recipe Mom of two) for creating this crunchy breakfast, lunch and snack filler solution.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

New Prize!  This week win a case of Gluten Free Mini Pretzels by Snyder's of Hanover. www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes

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