As many of you know, we’re big on dips in our house. I find that if you put out a big platter of veggies next to a yummy dip for plunging into, the variety of vegetables you can get into kids’ little bodies increases by….well, a lot! Case in point was the day that I made this Avocado Honey Dip. Chloe had just woken up from her nap and was sitting with me at the kitchen counter while I was concocting this creamy spread. She asked if she could try some, so I made her a little plate with baby carrots, sugar snap peas and pretzels. Chloe dipped a few times and then, in the time that it took me to turn around to grab something and turn back, she had her little arm wrapped around the mixing bowl and the spatula I had used to stir it in her mouth. Eventually I surrendered and let her finish it all.

There’s nothing worse than sending your child to school with a lunch box packed full of fresh veggies only to have them come back home exactly the way you sent them: uneaten. My advice? Add some of this dip and see if it adds to your kid’s fun of wanting to munch and crunch on the good stuff that goes with it!

Avocado Honey Dip (makes 1 cup)

1 Avocado, peeled and pitted
1/4 Cup Whipped Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Honey

1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mash together.
2. Serve with cut up veggies, crackers, pretzels or even as a spread on toast.

I have a confession to make. I’m confiding in you before I even tell my husband.

I’ve got a new boyfriend at the farmers’ market. I know, I’m terrible, but I can’t help myself. He’s incredible. It’s not because of his dashing looks or that he’s a total charmer (though that certainly doesn’t hurt). Rather it’s because he has the most beautiful, creamy avocados I have ever tasted. How I walked by his stand every Sunday for years without noticing him is a mystery to me, but one day, shortly after my previous longtime avocado boyfriend stopped selling at our market, my new beau’s goods caught my eye. We’ve been together ever since and my kids love that he always gives them a free lime or ripe and ready-to-eat avocado.

Sometimes I get a little too carried away and buy more avocados than I can possibly use in a week, so I have to come up with different ways to prepare them beyond just guacamole or avocado shakes. This Cucumber Avocado Salsa can be served as a dip with sliced vegetables, like a traditional salsa with chips, as a sauce on grilled chicken or shrimp or simply eaten with a spoon on it’s own. It’s a refreshing summer recipe no matter how you serve it.

It feels so good to come clean to you. My husband is not going to be thrilled when he reads this, but considering the fact that he adores avocados as much as the kids do, I may be more accepting of my new boyfriend than I originally thought.

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.

Have you ever tried a tomatillo? Until I moved to California over a decade ago I had never seen, let alone tried, one before (unless you count a taste of jarred tomatillo salsa). Sometimes referred to as green tomatoes and most frequently found in Mexican cuisine, not only are tomatillos beautiful, but they’re also delicious and now growing in My Own Edible Garden!

One of our favorite Mexican restaurants makes the most incredible fresh tomatillo salsa that hubby, the kids and I all adore, so I figured why not make my own version to serve alongside chips or over grilled fish or chicken. There’s just something about this salsa’s fresh taste that makes it the perfect accompaniment to almost any summertime meal.

Once you start making this simple recipe, I bet you’ll be like me and wonder why you’ve been buying your salsa in a can or jar all these years!

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (Makes 1 1/2 Cups)

10 Tomatillos, husked & rinsed (about 1 lb)
2 Small Garlic Cloves
1 Small Onion, cut into chunks
1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, packed
Juice of 1 Lime
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt

1. Preheat oven broiler.
2. Place tomatillos, garlic cloves and onion chunks on a foil-lined baking sheet and place on the middle rack of the oven. Broil for 10 minutes, remove and set aside to cool.
3. Once cooled, place all of the ingredients into a food processor and puree.
4. Serve with tortilla chips or over grilled fish or chicken.

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.

Memorial Day, swimming and summertime barbecues are right around the corner, so I thought I would get your tummies rumbling with a salsa that’s full of vibrant colors, fresh flavors and lots of nutrition.

Ever since corn reappeared at our local Farmers’ Market a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been serving the kids this Corn Salsa as a side dish, but then I realized it’s also the perfect accompaniment to a bag of tortilla chips as a dipping salsa. No matter how you decide to serve it, it’s super simple to make and perfect to double or even triple if you have a bunch of people coming over.

Corn Salsa (Serves 4-6)

1 16 oz Bag Frozen Corn, defrosted (or 2 cups fresh corn, cooked)
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 Green Onions, sliced
1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 Limes
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and combine.
2. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish.

The seasons are really starting to change and our local Farmers’ Market is being visited by fruits and veggies whose faces haven’t been seen since last summer. Even though it’s still early in the season, a few farmers are already selling gorgeous, red, ripe tomatoes perfect for making homemade salsa.

My kids adore most of the flavors in salsa, but if there’s too much jalapeno in it they always make a face — their little eyes open wide and the word, “SPICY!” fills the kitchen. So last night I made them a one-two punch of “no spicy guacamole” (as they call it) and my Kiddie Salsa.

After picking some of the fast-growing cilantro from our garden, I grabbed Chloe a stool, a cutting board and her kiddy knife so we could stand side by side together at the kitchen counter, chopping up the ingredients and squeezing in the lime juice. Some would call it an occupational hazard, but to me watching a two year old cook is just about the cutest thing in the world. Chloe was so proud of herself, but the best part of the night was when we all sat down as a family for dinner and she said, “look what I made everybody!” My heart melted, but this time nobody’s taste buds did. The familiar salsa refrain of, “spicy!” was replaced by the heavenly sound of my family’s smacking lips and forks and spoons clinking on empty plates.

Kiddie Salsa (Serves 4)

2 Cups Tomatoes, chopped (about 4 tomatoes)
1 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp Red Onion, chopped
2 Tsp Lime Juice
Salt to taste

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and puree.*
2. Serve with tortilla chips.

* If you prefer your salsa a bit chunkier, simply put all of the ingredients in a bowl and then stir to combine.

Now that the weather is starting to get warm, my garden is beginning to bloom and a variety of spring vegetables are popping up at the Farmers’ Market, I’m craving dip! I’m not talking about sour cream or mayonnaise-laden concoctions, but rather light, healthy, fresh-tasting, bright-colored and flavorful summer dips that are the ultimate pairing with sliced cucumbers, fennel, asparagus and all sorts of other yummy seasonal veggies.

And on those days that my little ones are resisting eating their vegetables (the foods I want them to eat the most), providing them with a fun little dish of this eye-appealing Roasted Red Pepper Dip on the side to dunk their veggies into goes a long way.

It goes to show that when the temperature outside rises, you don’t need a swimming pool to indulge in a refreshing dip!

Roasted Red Pepper Dip (Serves 4)

1 12 oz Jar Roasted Red Pepper, drained
2 Tbsp Tahini
1 15 oz Can White Beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 Tsp Paprika
3/4 Tsp Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Small Garlic Clove

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and puree.
2. Serve with vegetables or chips.

* This dip is also delicious as a spread on sandwiches.

When I first moved to New York City in my late teens, I lived across the street from a restaurant called The Coffee Shop. Friends and I would spend hours there hanging out, watching people on the street walk by and enjoying the delicious Coconut Shrimp (that’s still on their menu to this day!) I’m sure the shrimp were deep fried, but they were so good I still remember the incredible flavor over 20 years later.

I wanted to share this special food memory with my kids, only with a version that was a bit more healthy, so I opted for baking instead of frying. With a crispy coconut outer shell and sweet tender shrimp inside, this recipe is super easy to make and kids will have fun dipping in the sweet and sour sauce on the side.

I may not be able to get everyone on a plane to New York to try the original version, but it’s nice to know I can easily recreate something so special from my childhood in our kitchen whenever I want!

Baked Coconut Shrimp (Serves 4)

1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Eggs, whisked (you could also use 1/2 Cup Buttermilk to coat the shrimp instead)
1 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1 lb Frozen Raw Shrimp, defrosted & tails off

1. Preheat oven to “broil” setting.
2. Pat dry shrimp with a towel and season with 1/2 tsp salt.
3. Arrange three separate bowls in an assembly line. Place flour in one, whisked eggs in the second, and shredded coconut in the third.
4. Lightly coat the shrimp in the flour and gently tap to remove excess flour.
5. Dip the flour coated shrimp in the egg/buttermilk and then roll in the shredded coconut to coat.
6. Place coconut shrimp on a baking rack sprayed or greased with oil over a cookie sheet. When all the shrimp are on the rack, lightly coat them with cooking oil spray.
7. Place cookie sheet on the middle rack of your oven and broil for 3 minutes on each side.
8. Serve with dipping sauce.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

1/2 Cup Ketchup
2 Tbsp Honey
3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp Water
1 Tsp Soy Sauce
1/2 Tsp Ginger, minced

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

I say it all the time, but few things make me happier than cooking with my kids. It’s amazing for me to witness how when I give them the chance to play in the kitchen with me or my husband, they end up being so fully engaged and excited, experiencing new things and trying foods they might have been less than excited about had I just placed the finished product of what I made in front of them. And when the final product is something as simple and versatile as hummus, it’s worth every last bite!

Now that Chloe is 2, I’ve been cooking more and more with her. I spent so much time over the last three years focused on cooking with my first child, Kenya, that I want to make sure that Chloe has the same opportunities to follow suit in the kitchen. Never shy about wanting to push buttons, stir or get in on the fun, I asked Chloe if she wanted to help me make this Sun Dried Tomato Basil Hummus. She was totally game. Chloe spooned the tomatoes into the food processor, tossed in the beans, garlic and basil and of course, pressed the ‘on’ button to watch it all swirl around and puree until it was super smooth. The best part for me? Watching Chloe help herself to a heaping spoonful of the protein-packed hummus she took so much pride in making and then gobble it up before saying, “more Mommy!”

Sun Dried Tomato Basil Hummus (Makes 1 ∏ Cups)

1/4 Cup Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes, drained
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil, packed
1 Small Garlic Clove
1 15 oz Can Garbanzo Beans
2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Serve.

Accompaniments: whole wheat pita chips, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, of celery. Can also be used as a spread on sandwiches

I love it when weelicious moms email me to ask if I can figure out how to recreate a pre-made food they love from the grocery.

Not too long ago, a mother wrote that her daughter adored Trader Joe’s White Bean Basil Hummus and could I help her figure out how to make it homemade. Hummus is very easy to make, but figuring out the exact flavor proportions of a particular recipe can be tricky. I played around with this one for a while, adding a little of this and a little of that, until I thought I came up with the perfect balance. Then, I ran around the house with a handful of spoons making my whole family do a blind taste test to decide which one was better. It was unanimous: the homemade version won hands down.

Sure, it may be a lot easier to simply buy a tub of your favorite hummus at the grocery, but after tasting this smooth and creamy version I bet you’ll agree it’s worth the time (and money!) to make it on your own. Thanks for your requests, readers!

White Bean Basil Hummus (Makes 1 1/2 Cups)

1 Can Cannelini or Northern White Beans, rinsed and drained
1 Cup Fresh Basil
1 Small Garlic Clove
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Tbsp Tahini
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Serve with vegetables, pita chips or as a sandwich spread.