My parents were around in full force this summer. It was a huge help to me but it also meant my kids were exposed to a whole host of foods that mommy does not want them eating. Let’s see, there was the day that Kenya
innocently told me that my father bought him “some” gum at the car wash (sugar free Trident with Aspartame to be exact). We later found Chloe playing unusually quietly and chewing something. Next to her were 15 empty gum wrappers. When we asked her where everything went that was in the wrappers she said, “in my tummy”. Then there were the times my dad let Kenya order “a drink in a red can that was really sweet with bubbles in it,” but of course Kenya was told to not say anything to me. Are you starting to see a pattern here with my dad and his knowledge
of what is and is not ok to feed kids?

Or how about the day that I made these Blueberry Cheesecake Bites and Kenya said, “Grandpa took me to the Cheesecake Factory. I love cheesecake.” Now, I have nothing against cheesecake — it was one of my favorite desserts as a kid — but I get cavities just thinking about the mounds of sugar that most recipes call for. This version is different and has become one of my kids’ new favorite sweet treats. Since they are bite-sized, contain no refined sugar, have tons of fresh blueberries and even a whole wheat and oat crust, I feel a lot better offering these to my kids for dessert than a lot of the alternatives.

Blueberry Cheesecake Bites (makes 20-25 bites)

Oat Crust:

1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, chilled

Filling:

4 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 Large Egg, at room temperature
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Cup Fresh Blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. To make the crust, place the first 3 ingredients in a food processor and pulse to chop oats.
3. Add the butter and pulse to combine.
4. Press the crust on the bottom of a parchment-lined 8 x 8 baking dish and flatten evenly with your hands. Bake for 10 minutes to set, then allow to cool.
5. Lower the oven temperature to 250 F.
6. To make the filling, place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and beat to combine.
7. Fold in the blueberries.
8. Pour the batter on top of the crust and bake for 1 hour.
9. Cool and then chill until ready to serve.
10. Cut into squares and serve.*

*To get clean squares, wipe your knife between each slice.

There is the sweetest, homemade sno-cone stand at our farmers’ market called Sno-con AMOR where the owner (and Kenya’s newest love), Lauda, serves up the most incredible traditional Raspados (Mexican Snow Cones). With homemade syrups in flavors like walnut, coconut and mojito (I almost want to drop to the ground with embarrassment every time Chloe screams, “MORE MOJITO” in a crowd full of parents), these are nothing like the artificially sweetened and colored sno-cones you may be used to seeing. Lauda uses only the freshest, all natural ingredients to produce her frozen works of art.

Recently Lauda has been featuring watermelon-cinnamon as a flavor and it is heavenly. The first time she offered me a taste I was skeptical. Cinnamon and watermelon sounded like quite an unusual combo, but it took just one bite and I was knocked out. So knocked out in fact, that I had to replicate it at home. Given that the kids only see Lauda on Sunday, having granita (very similar to sno-cones) for them at home the remaining six days of the week made me very popular with them indeed.

And no, your eyes aren’t fooling you. That’s yellow watermelon pictured above. The kids can’t get enough of it when it is in season, so I used it to make this cinnamon spiked watermelon granita that tastes almost as good as Lauda’s sno-cones.

Whether you decide to make this with red or yellow watermelon, it’s a super sweet summer time treat that’s filled with AMOR!

Watermelon Granita (Serves 6-8)

5 Cups Watermelon Chunks
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/3 Cup Sugar

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and puree.
2. Place the puree in an 8×8 inch Pyrex dish and put in the freezer for 1 hour.
3. Remove from the freezer and scrape with a fork to break up pieces.
4. Place back into freezer for 1 hour.
5. Remove from the freezer and scrape with a fork to break up pieces.
6. Repeat this process one or two more times over several hours until the
granita is similar in consistency to shaved ice.
7. Serve (cover the dish with tin foil to keep the rest in the freezer).

I’ve always thought that until kids are 4 or so, birthday parties are more for the parents than the actual celebrant. I mean, do you know any kid who remembers any of their birthdays before that age? I personally don’t, but that’s never stopped me from having parties for my kids every year. When Kenya turned 3 we threw a big one for him. Since we knew he’d have little to no memory of it, we tried to think of a way to give the celebration more purpose. Instead of asking the invitees for gifts, we suggested people bring a new book to donate to our local children’s hospital. The hospital staff was so grateful, we continued doing it yearly in honor of both our kids birthdays. When Kenya turned 4, he got to deliver his birthday books to the hospital himself and really understood how fun and fulfilling it is to give books to those who might not have access to them.

Last year I learned about an incredible non-profit organization called Milk & Bookies that teaches young children how great it feels to give back while celebrating the love of a good book. It promotes both literacy and service learning by providing kids the opportunity to select, purchase and inscribe books that are then donated to their less fortunate peers. Milk & Bookies even helps you make the process easy by sending you a big box full of materials for your party so all your little guests can inscribe their books and get all kinds of great things in return, like great “I Donated” stickers to wear, bookmarks and more. I think it’s just about the coolest organization ever!

When we received our Milk & Bookies box, we also decided to make cookies to commemorate one of Kenya and Chloe’s favorite books, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”. This is my variation on the traditional oatmeal raisin cookie which uses naturally sweet honey instead of sugar and is packed with so many tender sweet raisins I give them top billing and call it a Raisin Oatmeal Cookie.

The next time you’re throwing a birthday for your little one and don’t feel like having your house filled with more plastic toys that will just get played with once or twice and forgotten, empower your child and do this for their birthday — and of course make a batch of these unbelievably delicious cookies!

Raisin Oatmeal Cookies (makes 3 dozen)

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup Honey
1 Large Egg, room temperature
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Cup Dried Raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place the butter and honey in a bowl or standing mixer and beat for 1 minute.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for another minute on medium speed or until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, mix to combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix to incorporate.
6. Stir in the raisins then drop 1 tbsp of dough for each cookie onto a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
8. Cool and serve.

Summer is supposed to be a time to relax and not feel so scheduled day in and day out with your kids, but for some reason this time of year feels as busy as ever. With even more and more outings, play dates and shuttling back and forth to summer camp, I seem to have even less time in the kitchen so I always need quick recipes at my disposal that I know Kenya and Chloe will enjoy. My kids love themselves some cucumbers and so I always keep a bunch of them on hand for these simply delicious sammies. They are light and refreshing — the perfect sandwich for summer, no matter how little time you have to make them!

Cucumber Cream Cheese Sammie (Serves 2)

1/4 Cup Cream Cheese
1 Persian Cucumber, thinly sliced (any variety of cucumber will work, but I like the Persians for this sandwich)
4 Slices Whole Wheat Bread

1. Spread 1 tbsp of cream cheese on one piece of the bread and top with thin slices of half of the cucumber.
2. On another slice of bread, spread another tbsp of cream cheese and then sandwich the two slices together.
3. Continue to make the second sammie.
4. Cut in half or quarters and serve.

There’s no way to describe the looks on Kenya, Chloe, hubby’s and my faces when we tasted the first peaches of the season at our local farmers’ market two weeks ago. As soon as I spotted them, I think I shrieked! Actually, I know I did because my husband looked at me like I was a crazy person (he’s used to it by now though, as it’s generally how I act whenever I see a fruit or vegetable I love that’s reappeared at the market after a long absence). But of all of the produce I adore, peaches are way up on the list and if you’ve ever seen my kids eat them, you’d observe that the peach doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

Especially when it gets hot, I like to take really ripe fruit and make popsicles. Between the luscious strawberries and succulent peaches available at this time of year, you probably only need a dash of honey to brighten the flavor of these pops. Why spend a bunch of money on packaged popsicles made with artificial coloring and all sorts of additives when you and your kids can make these super easy, truly all-natural, refreshing pops that are the perfect treat on a warm summer’s day!

Peach & Strawberry Popsicles (Makes 6 Popsicles)

2 Ripe Peaches, pitted
1 Cup Strawberries, stems removed
2 Tbsp Honey
1/2 Cup Milk (any variety works)

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and puree.
2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours.
3. Serve.

I had the great pleasure of taking Kenya to Kentucky a few weeks ago for a mommy-son trip. We had the best time going by the house I grew up in, hanging out with cousins and grandparents, swimming and going to Huber’s Orchard where I used to go with my family as a child to pick seasonal fruits and veggies. Kenya and I jumped on the back of a tractor and drove out to acres upon acres of strawberry fields, each armed with huge boxes in which to put our pickins. I’m pretty sure that Kenya ended up eating as many strawberries right there in the field as he did putting in his box (his red stained mouth and fingers gave him away), but the joy I experienced watching him buzz around, plucking one berry after another is a mental photograph I will always carry with me.

After heading back to California with strawberries still on my brain, I started playing around with idea of filling them with a mixture of soft cream cheese and sweet preserves — a kind of pop-in-your-mouth treat to enjoy anytime. As I was building them, I noticed that they resembled little red elves, so I added chocolate chip eyes to enhance the effect and make them look even cuter (and taste more decadent). We may still be months away from Christmas — when these would also be a perfect treat — but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy these festive goodies over this 4th of July when strawberries are in season, at their sweetest, delicious and ripe for the pickin’! Just ask Kenya!

Strawberries & Cream (Serves 4)

1/4 Cup Whipped Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp Strawberry Preserves
1 Pint Strawberries, rinsed & stems removed
Chocolate Chips, optional

1. In a small bowl, whisk the cream cheese and preserves until combined.
2. Place cream cheese mixture in a small Ziploc bag, snip off one corner to create a piping bag.
3. Slice 1/2 inch off of the top of the strawberry, fill with cream cheese mixture and place the “hat” back on top.
4. Place 2 chocolate chips in the cream cheese mixture for the eyes.
5. Repeat with the remaining strawberries.
6. Serve.

As much as I love when my kids eat all of my cooking, I get a secret thrill when I look at the table after dinner and see that we have leftovers. Knowing that I’m not going to have to cook from scratch the following night or have to create something completely new to put in my little ones’ lunch boxes the next day makes a mom’s life just a little easier. And in my house — I’m happy to say — we have leftovers a lot. Yes, even on pizza night when you would think that not even one last bite would remain, we’ve got some slices for the fridge.

As delicious as a cold slice of pizza can be the next day, I like these Pizza Balls even better. The portioning is smaller than a big slice of pizza and they’re easy (and fun) for little hands to hold. I also find them a bit less messy than slices that can drip cheese and sauce everywhere. When these pizza balls are piping hot, the little spheres pull apart to reveal gooey melted cheese and whatever toppings you can think of to put inside. They’re great for dinner, to put in the lunchbox or even for when you need an afternoon snack that will sate your kids without stuffing them before dinner. Just one of the Pizza Balls will totally hit the spot, and yes, no matter how good they are, there will probably be leftovers!

Pizza Balls (makes 16 balls)

1 16 oz Pkg White or Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
3/4 Cup Broccoli Florets, cooked & chopped*
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup Pizza Sauce
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese, grated

Additions: chicken, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, pepperoni, pineapple, ham — the sky’s the limit

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Bring pizza dough to room temperature and divide into 16 even pieces.
3. In a separate bowl combine the broccoli (or whatever addition you choose), mozzarella and pizza sauce.
4. Roll out each piece of dough into a round, about 3 inches wide, and place 1 tbsp of the cheese mixture in the center.
5. Take the edges of the dough and bring them to the center, pinching along the edges to make sure they stick together, then roll into a ball.
6. Place the ball, sealed side down, in a greased pie plate and repeat these steps making the rest of the balls.
7. Brush each ball with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
9. Serve.

* You can substitute the broccoli for any additions you desire.

If there are two foods I have in our kitchen at all times, it’s cucumbers and avocados. My kids love their cukes. They are just as likely to sit around munching on whole persian cucumbers for a snack as they are apples or bananas.

Many nights, I serve sliced cucumbers and cubes of avocado as individual side dishes at dinner, so I thought, why not mix them together, add a few fresh herbs and turn them into a bright salsa! It’s a cool, refreshing
side dish that you can also serve alongside chips or even on top of fish or chicken on those warm nights when you want something nutritious and light but that also takes little time or effort to prepare.

Cucumber Avocado Salsa (serves 4)

1 Large Cucumber, seeded and chopped
2 Avocados, peeled, pitted, & cubed
2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped
Juice of 1 Lime
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt

1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and combine.
2. Serve.

We have an awesome cupcake store in our neighborhood and every now and then we take the kids by to enjoy a special treat. Without fail, their eyes are always drawn to the most colorful cupcakes in the display case. My kids may have no idea how a red velvet cupcake made with crimson food dye actually tastes, but put something like it in front of them and their immediate response is, “that one”.

My take on these cupcakes have a rich flavor, and while they aren’t as artificially red as the red velvet cupcakes which use chemical food dyes (and of course chocolate which this one doesn’t include), they (and their icing) get their bright, reddish-pink color from a surprising, delicious and 100% natural guest, roasted beets. Especially given the never-ending speculation about the connection between food dyes and hyperactivity in children, having smart alternatives for the artificially colored food that kids crave means I don’t have to deprive my little ones.

This doesn’t mean we’re not frequenting our local cupcake store any less often, but I always like reminding myself that whenever there’s something out there I may not be thrilled about my kids eating, figuring out how to make a healthier version is not at all impossible.

Red Beet Cupcakes (makes 14 cupcakes)

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Honey
1/3 Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 Large Beet, roasted, cooled, peeled and pureed, about 3/4 cup
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Sift the first 4 ingredients into a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and combine.
5. Pour about 1/3 cup into lined muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes (OR?) until a tooth pick comes out clean.
6. Cool and serve.

Beet Cream Cheese Frosting (Make 2 Cups)

1- 8 oz Pkg. Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Medium Beet, roasted, cooled, peeled and pureed, about ½ cup
1 Tsp Vanilla

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixer and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy.
2. Spread on cupcakes.

When I discovered last week that we had four (yes, four) half-eaten jars of peanut butter in the refrigerator, I was determined to not let it go to waste. There are plenty of great uses for peanut butter such as “O” Cookies, Bugs on a Log, Cold Soba Noodles and, of course, PB&J sandwiches, but when I realized that I also had a considerable amount of frozen pie dough leftover, my decision was made: homemade “pop tarts” filled with peanut butter and strawberry preserves.

The Raspberry Cream Cheese Heart Tarts we made for Valentine’s Day this year went over even bigger with my kids than they did with my husband, so I’d been planning on coming up with a new variation on them. Finding out that I had a year’s worth of peanut butter created the perfect excuse! Kenya and Chloe were so excited when they saw these tarts come out of the oven that they actually fought over who was going to get the first one. It was sad for me to watch them get so upset, but secretly it made me happy that they were so worked up about something I made! And once they tried these delectable treats, everyone was all smiles again — especially me, who got our runaway peanut butter supply under control.

Peanut Butter & Jelly “Pop Tarts” (Makes 12 Tarts)

1/4 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Strawberry Preserves, Jam or Jelly
1 Double Crust Recipe or 1 14 oz Pre-Made Pie Crust*
Water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll the pie crust 1/4 inch thick and cut into rectangles, about 2×3 inches.
3. Place one rectangle on a lightly floured work surface, top with 1 tsp each of the peanut butter and preserves in the very center. **
4. Lightly dip your index finger into a cup of water and “brush” the border of the dough around the pb&j with the water (this will allow the two sides of the rectangle to adhere to one another).
5. Top with another rectangular piece of pie dough. Take the tines of a fork and gently press down along the edges to adhere (making sure the mixture stays inside the tart).***
6. Place the tarts on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes or until golden.
7. Serve.

* You can use prepared Pie Crusts too such as Pillsbury or your favorite brand
** You can also combine the peanut butter and preserves in a bowl and place 2 teaspoons of the mixture inside the tart.
** To Freeze: place tarts on a cookie sheet and freeze for one hour. Remove, place in a Ziploc bag, label and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat follow steps 6-7, adding an extra 2 minutes to the baking time.