Wrap It Up For Easy Summer Dining: Make-A-Meal Monday

Posted on May 17, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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Want a delicious lunch or dinner idea that’s easy to make and fun to eat?

Fill a whole wheat tortilla wrap!

Use shrimp, tuna or chicken salad and add lettuce, tomato, sprouts, mashed avocado to increase the nutritional benefits.

Do you have creative ideas for filling the tortilla wrap?

You can pair the wrap with corn on the cob or oven fries and your family will think that summer is already here.

Young children love to participate in the kitchen. Why not invite them to mix the salad ingredients and sprinkle on the sprouts? Talk about which foods grow and which foods come from animal sources. While you take care of the corn or oven fries, your children can be creating colorful placemats using construction paper and crayons.

Looking for more healthy child-friendly cooking activities to keep your little ones happy and busy this summer. Check out my book, now on sale for 50% off the cover price. Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking is an Indie Excellence Awards Finalist and provides hundreds of easy fun-filled educational craft and cooking activities for young children.

What are your plans for this summer? If you stop by tomorrow, I’ll have a craft idea that your children will love that is educational and fun to do.

Great tips for healthy summer eating

Posted on August 5, 2010 by viviankirkfield

We’re in the dog days of August and the temperatures are soaring in many parts of the country. Here in Colorado, we’ve actually had days and days of RAIN and HUMIDITY, two things we almost never get! But, before you think I’m complaining, I know we need the moisture – gardens are bursting with ripe fruits and vegetables, lawns look beautifully green without using sprinklers, and the reservoirs are being replenished. In every situation, there is positive side, although sometimes you really have to search for it.

Check out the following great tips for healthy summer eating:

Drink, drink, drink! It’s more important than ever to stay hydrated – drink plenty of water – and remember to encourage young children to drink. Health experts say we are already dehydrated if we are feeling thirsty.
Eat 6 small meals instead of 3 big ones. Studies have shown that eating smaller meals more often is better for us in many ways – keeping blood sugar levels more balanced throughout the day. Also, we are less likely to overeat because we are not starving when we sit down.
Make sure snacks are nutritious ones. Nut butters on whole wheat crackers, celery sticks or apple slices always hit the spot in our home – this type of snack is brimming with protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Prepare more vegetarian main dishes and fruit desserts. The harvest season is upon us in Colorado, with fresh sweet corn, firm zucchini, plump tomatoes, ripe peaches. Using locally grown, in-season produce is not only healthy for you, it is also eco-friendly, with a less negative impact on the environment.
Check out your local farmer’s markets. Many cities have at least one. Here in Colorado Springs, there are quite a few. Check them out at http://bit.ly/bApQyb.

Here’s a recipe from my new book, SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING that uses some of those summer fruits to make a wonderfully cooling homemade fruity raisin sorbet – the best of desserts – bursting with flavor and nutritious as well!

You will need: 2 cups chopped fruit (strawberries, blueberries, peaches – use your imagination), 2 cups sliced bananas, 1 cup orange or pineapple juice, 1/2 cup raisins, blender, and a large bowl.

Freeze the fruits and bananas until solid.
Put the frozen fruits in the blender with the juice and blend until stiff.
Scoop out of blender and stir in raisins.
Serve immediately or store in the freezer in a covered container.
Makes about 2 cups (6-8 servings). Best eaten within a few days.

Hold onto the summer with a great fruit crisp recipe!

Posted on August 3, 2010 by viviankirkfield

Every blog and tweet I read seems to talk about the end of summer and the start of school. However, right now the harvest season is just getting underway. How about a GREAT recipe for COLORFUL SUMMER FRUIT CRISP…delicious, and so easy to prepare that it appears in my new book, SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING! Preschoolers love to help in the kitchen…the competence and confidence it builds contribute to a positive self-image for them.

COLORFUL SUMMER FRUIT CRISP

You will need: 5 cups mixed summer fruit, washed and then sliced if necessary (peaches, plums, apricots, strawberries, blueberries,etc.); 1/4 cup white sugar (you can substitute honey or agave), 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 tsp lemon juice, 3 Tb flour, 1/4 cup flour, 2 cups rolled oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup margarine (you can use one of the more healthy non-GMO spreads), a greased 9×13 inch pan, and 2 large bowls.

In a large bowl, gently toss fruit with white sugar, orange juice and lemon juice.
Sprinkle with 3 Tb flour, toss gently again and spread in the greased pan.
In another bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and the remaining flour. Then add margarine and mix till crumbly.
Sprinkle crumbly mixture over fruit in pan.
Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 12.
TIP: You can use your imagination when assembling the fruits…how many different colors will there be in this delicious and healthful dessert?

The summer may be winding down…but make the most of the healthful fruits and vegetables that are part of the season. Check out your local farmer’s markets…a great family outing!