Healthy Green Smoothies that Kids will LOVE!

For our smoothies we tried cups of green:  a "Green Monster".  We drink a lot of smoothies and shakes at our house.  We have learned some tricks along the way and now have girls that wake up and ask for these healthy treats for breakfast.  A "spinach shake" just doesn't have the appeal of a "Green Monster"! 

  making smoothies with the kids

 

To make our "Green Monster":


1cup almond milk (you can use any kind of milk)
1 ripe banana
approx 1/2 c of baby spinach
three ice cubes


If your banana isn't sweet and ripe, you can add a little honey.  You can increase the amount of spinach a bit at a time - you don't want to turn them off of green shakes by going "too green" early on.  The Junior Chefs at momstown Milton had fun taking turns adding ingredients to the blender. 

 

It is a good idea to blend the spinach and milk until there are no recognizable pieces of greenery left.  This makes for a great green colour, and most kids won't be thrilled sucking up pieces of spinach through their straw!  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

 

The varieties are endless and you can ask your child to help create the fun smoothy names (Monkey Milk is a fun one for banana flavours!).  Banana is great for sweetness and spinach is great for nutrients.  Adding 1/2c of baked sweet potato, or pumpkin (cooked fresh, or canned), berries, 1c of fresh or frozen mango, or unsweetened apple sauce all add sweetness and nutrients to your drink.  The kids got a kick out of drinking the delicious green smoothie!  Some asked for seconds (and thirds)!  Makes a perfect afterschool snack for older kids!

Posted by momstown team on 05/23/2013 - 09:32
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Cooking with Kids: Making Homemade Hummus

This is a delicious hummus that is healthy, full of protein, and always a hit with kids.  Hummus is a great snack with some veggies, and also great for a spread on a sandwich or wrap.  It is nutritious, easy, and inexpensive to make.  You may never buy hummus again... 

 how to make homemade hummus

 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chickpeas, liquid reserved and set aside

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

2 garlic cloves

1/3 Cup tahini

7-8 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Tbsp reserved chickpea liquid (or water)

 

Directions:

1.  Put ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix very well until smooth. The kids from momstown Milton had fun adding the ingredients to the food processor and watching it blend together.

2.  Give each child some veggies or cracker and dip and enjoy (dipping fingers is allowed!)

 

*recipe courtesy of http://bit.ly/geQPmV

 

Posted by momstown team on 05/23/2013 - 08:54
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Chocolate Brownie S'mores

We had a fabulous family weekend at the lake.  Fishing, sports, nature, boat rides...and all I can think about is the dessert we had!  It was our friend's turn to provide the dessert and no ordinary s'more would do.  Sure, you can get the original recipe... but I dare you to make these ones and eat just one!!

 brownie s'mores

 

Ingredients:

marshmallows (extra large ones work the best)

two-bite brownies (or go homemade)

melted butter

crumbled graham crackers or Oreo cookie crumbs 

large sticks or fire skewers

 

Directions:

1.  Cut up the brownies in tiny pieces.  Set aside.

 

2.  Cut an opening in the middle of the marshmallow and push in a small piece of brownie.

 

3.  Coat the outside of the marshmallow in melted butter and roll it in the graham or oreo crumbs.

 

4.  Put your marshmallow on the stick and hold over the fire.  You can also make these on a BBQ using a foil tray or sticks.

 

Enjoy....don't say I didn't warn you!

 

Posted by momstown team on 05/21/2013 - 17:28
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Lemon Sugar Cookies

Looking for a lovely, lighter cookie recipe for summer?  This twist on a sugar cookie is the perfect choice!  momstown Niagara gathered up their moms and kids to bake for a cause with these delicious Lemon Sugar Cookies, inspired by Martha Stewart.  Kids will love the hint of lemon and especially helping with the sugar decorations!

 lemon sugar cookies

 

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened
2 large eggs
coloured sugar or sprinkles for decorating (found at bulk stores)
 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

2.  Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl; set aside.

 

3.  Put sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and then the lemon juice. Reduce speed; gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

 

4.  Scoop dough using an ice cream scoop; space cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly with a spatula. Sprinkle tops with coloured sugar or sprinkles, then lightly brush with a wet pastry brush, then sprinkle again.

 

5.  Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes.

 

6.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

 

Posted by momstown team on 05/17/2013 - 09:08
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Easy Low-Fat Berry Cobbler Recipe

Need a quick go-to recipe for guests this summer?  Try this easy recipe that uses many items that you already have in your kitchen!  Don't tell your guests how easy it was and watch them praise you and ask for the recipe!

 

easy berry cobbler with sprite

Ingredients:

Two 12-oz bags frozen mixed berries

1 box white cake mix (no pudding)

1 can of diet 7-up or similar (clear soda)

 

Directions:

Place frozen fruit in a 9x13 baking dish. Add dry cake mix over the top. Pour soda slowly over cake mix. DO NOT stir the cake mix and the pop - this will give you a 'crust'. If you stir the two, you will have a cake like topping.

 

Bake 350 for 45-50 min.

 

You may be able to use frozen peaches instead of mixed berries.

 

Serves 16- 4 PointsPlus on Weight Watchers

 

Posted by momstown team on 05/15/2013 - 13:11
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Two Great Cool Whip Desserts for Summer Entertaining

Warm weather is upon us and maybe we'd all like to "lighten" up a bit on eating!  While the calendar is filling up with more entertaining than winter months, we need to come up with some new desserts to WOW the guests!

 

Here are two amazing recipes that use Cool Whip and make warm nights very cool!

 

Healthy "Ice Cream" Sandwich

 

graham cracker, cool whip frozen treats, healthy

 

Ingredients

 graham crackers
 cool whip
 strawberries

 

Directions

1. Blend cool whip and strawberries

2. Apply a thick coat to gram crackers and make sandwich

3. Freeze, and enjoy!

 

Recipe inspired by: Jenuine 's Journey to Health

 

 

Chocolate Oreo and Cool Whip Lasagna

 

chocolate lasagna

 

Ingredients:

1 package regular Oreo cookies (Not Double Stuff) – about 36 cookies
6 Tablespoon butter, melted
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cold milk

1- 12 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided
2 – 3.9 ounce packages Chocolate Instant Pudding.
3 1/4 cups cold milk
1 and 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

 

Directions:

1. Begin by crushing 36 Oreo cookies (use a food processor or crush them in a plastic bag with a rolling pin).


2. Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers.


3. Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 tbsp of milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust.

4. In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further.

5. Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly over the top. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

 

Adapted by a post on Facebook

 

 

Posted by momstown team on 05/09/2013 - 10:32
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3 Ways to Make Homemade Croutons

Do you love croutons in your salads?  Do you kids always munch on them before dinner?    


homemade crouton recipes

 

Many of us are trying to "lighten" up our meals and eat more vegetables and salads.  Eating a salad doesn't have to be a bore and you don't have to sacrifice the crunch of some of the yummy toppings that you love!

 

When you are choose which momstown salad to make, be sure to try one of these delicious homemade and lower fat options for croutons.  Get the kids involved in tearing the bread, mixing it up and laying it on the baking sheet.

 

1.  Lower Fat Recipe from SkinnyTaste (only 1 pt for 1/4 cup on Weight Watchers)

 

Ingredients

olive oil spray

6 slices 100% whole grain bread 

1 tsp garlic powder

sea salt, to taste

3-4 tsp dried Italian seasoning (or dried parsley)

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

fresh black pepper, to taste

 

Directions

Preheat over to 300°F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Remove the crust and cut the bread into small cubes. 

Combine the garlic powder, salt and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl. 

Spread the bread cubes on prepared cookie sheet in a single layer. Spray the top with more oil to coat and top with half of the seasoning and half of the shredded cheese; season with black pepper then bake for 14 minutes or until dry, crispy, and golden brown.

Turn the croutons over, spray a little more oil and sprinkle with remaining seasoning, black pepper and shredded cheese; bake for an additional 15 minutes until done. Store croutons in air-tight container or ziplock bag. Makes 4 cups. Enjoy!

 

 

2.  Super Easy Basic Homemade Croutons from Allrecipes.com.

 

Ingredients

15 slices bread

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 teaspoons garlic salt (optional)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Remove crusts from stale bread slices. Brush bread on both sides with melted butter. Cut bread slices up into small cubes. Sprinkle with garlic salt (if desired). Arrange cubes on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes or until browned. Let cool. Store croutons in a covered container or plastic bag. Serve in soups or salads.

 

 

3.  Gourmet Croutons from Savoury Sweet Life

 

Ingredients

6 slices regular, gluten-free, or low-carb bread (fresh or day old), crusts trimmed and cubed

3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt OR ½ teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

 

Directions

Preheat over to 300 degrees.

Mix melted butter, garlic powder/salt, and parsley flakes until garlic powder is dissolved and mixture is clump free.

Toss butter mixture with cubed bread in a medium bowl until cubes are evenly coated.

Spread coated bread cubes on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 15 minutes and check to see if they are dry, crispy, and golden brown. Stir the croutons around and bake for an additional 15 minutes until done.

Store croutons in air-tight container or ziplock bag. Enjoy!

 

Happy Salad Season!

 

 

Posted by momstown team on 05/08/2013 - 12:25
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Easy, Light Chicken Caesar Salad

I am all about easy, quick and light summer dinners especially since I’m not a huge fan of cooking in the first place.  Once spring hits and the weather starts to warm up I want something that takes less than 10 minutes to prep and requires little effort to cook afterwards. Hello chicken Caesar salad!


chicken caesar salad

 

Ingredients:

romaine lettuce

chicken breasts (other chicken parts are fine, breasts are easiest and lightest)

Clubhouse Recipe Inspiration Garlic and Lime Chicken Fajita spices

homemade or bottle caesar dressing

parmesan cheese

bacon bits or crumbled bacon

croutons

 

Directions:

1.  Marinate chicken overnight with the Clubhouse spices (see directions).

 

2.  Wash lettuce.  

 

3.  Grill chicken.  Cut up into strips or bite size pieces.

 

4.  Mix everything with dressing and top with cheese, bacon and croutons.

 

Voilà!  A great tasting meal that you can whip up in no time!  You can also add this to a whole wheat wrap for a yummy lunch!

 

 

Submitted by momstown Ottawa

Posted by momstown team on 05/08/2013 - 12:24
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Our Favourite Recipes from Mom

With Mother's Day around the corner, it makes us remember those special dishes that Mom or even Grandma used to make.  The desserts that she made without a recipe or the meals that she made from memories of her own mother are the ones we still hold close in our hearts.

 

recipes from mom

 

 

We asked our momstown team to send us a recipe that reminds them of their moms or grandmothers and tell us why these dishes mean so much. Here are our favourite recipes, from mom with love;

 

Hello Dolly and Marshmallow Squares from Heather, Director of Marketing and Media

 

Mom's Sour Cream Coffee Cake from momstown Oakville

 

Quick Scones from Ann-Marie Burton, momstown Founder and CEO

  

Grandma's Easy Banana Muffins

 

Mama's Portugese Stew from momstown Milton

  

Mom's Best Gravy from momstown Hamilton

  

Grandma's 14 Day Coleslaw

 

Scratch Chocolate Cake from a momstown member  

 

 "Fluffy" Chicken and Rice from momstown Burlington

  

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

 

Nanna's Lemon Meringue Pie from momstown Brampton 

 

 

What recipe remind you of your mom?

Posted by momstown team on 05/05/2013 - 13:07
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Healthy Snacks: Sesame and Flaxseed Crackers

You don't need to tell your family how healthy these crackers are...just serve them with some cream cheese, nut butters or even hummus for a great crunchy snack!  

 

These are a cinch to make and are very high in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids. You can use whole flaxseeds to make the crackers look prettier, but ground flaxseeds are more nutritious.

 

sesame and flaxseed cracker recipe

 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose whole wheat flour

¼ cup flaxseeds, ground

¼ cup sesame seeds

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

1/3 cup melted unsalted butter

1/3 cup milk

¼ cup all-purpose whole wheat flour (for dusting)

 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, brown sugar and salt. Drizzle butter over and stir to combine. Drizzle over with milk and stir until a dough forms. Chill dough 20 minutes.

 

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut dough in half. On a heavily dusted countertop, gently flatten the dough into a disk, turning it over several times to cover in flour and prevent sticking. Roll out each piece as thinly as possible. Using a pizza cutter or chef’s knife, cut into 1 inch squares, or use a juice cup and stamp into round crackers. It’s best to bake remnants rather than roll out again; this dough requires a light touch.

 

3. Arrange cut crackers on 2 ungreased baking sheets and put in the upper and middle racks of the oven. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, switching bottom and top baking sheets halfway through. Store in covered container for up to 2 weeks.

 

photo credit

Recipe by Madeleine Greey.

 

Posted by momstown team on 05/03/2013 - 10:21
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