When kids are immersed in enjoyable activities, they absorb and retain information more effectively. For example, the more children have fun cooking with fresh fruits and vegetables, the more likely they are to appreciate these healthier ingredients. This is a shared value between Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and The Creative Kitchen. The Creative Kitchen fosters this philosophy and expands upon it in their hands-on children’s cooking classes, events and activities. The Kids Food Festival, presented by The Creative Kitchen, is an important event that brings the philosophy of learning through fun to a wide family audience. The Kids Food Festival is once again returning to NYC’s Bryant Park for a weekend full of family-friendly events on March 5th and March 6th! Families will cook, dance, laugh, and taste their way to making balanced food choices!

At the Kids Food Festival, kids engage all five senses through hands-on, food-related activities. The magic of the festival is rooted in the fact that kids are having so much fun participating in flavorful activities, they don’t even realize how much they are learning! Enthusiastic eaters and little epicures alike can attend hands-on cooking classes at the James Beard Foundation Future Foodies Pavilion, where renowned chefs pass on their recipes, skills, and love for all things culinary to a new generation of learners. The Balanced Plate Scavenger Hunt (based on USDA ChooseMyPlate.gov guidelines) is the core educational component of the Festival. To complete the hunt, kids bounce between exhibitors and activities to sample tasty, wholesome snacks while learning the importance of achieving balance in their food choices. Families will enjoy live musical performances, a disco dance party, fitness workshops, and more, with each of the activities relaying special messages about healthful eating!

Cricket Azima, founder of the Kids Food Festival and Big Cheese of The Creative Kitchen, has a passion for cooking with kids. In fact, The Creative Kitchen teaches kids about healthful eating in her hands-on cooking classes in New York City throughout the year. Recently, their cooking curricula, Everybody Can Cook was published in effort to allow both general and special education instructors to bring hands-on cooking classes to children of all abilities, ages 2 and up, in their own classrooms. Training workshops by The Creative Kitchen are offered in addition to Everybody Can

Cook in order to teach and empower instructors to teach fun hands-on cooking classes to children of all ages and abilities. Both the training sessions and Everybody Can Cook are designed to create a positive relationship between children and food. All the recipes and lesson plans feature colorful fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Everybody Can Cook emphasizes the philosophy that the more comfortable kids are with their foods, the more likely they are to eat it and enjoy it!

Kids and their families will definitely enjoy the Kids Food Festival on March 5th and March 6th at NYC’s Bryant Park. General admission to the event is free, and tickets to the hands-on cooking classes in the James Beard Foundation Future Foodies Pavilion can be purchased here.

Visit http://www.kidsfoodfestival.com, or the Kids Food Festival Facebook page, and on Twitter at @KidsFoodFestFun!

Ingredients: 

1 pound whole wheat pasta, cooked

1 pound fresh low-fat mozzarella

5 small tomatoes

1 green bell pepper

1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper

1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 bunch fresh basil

2 lemons

olive oil, to taste

balsamic vinegar, to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions: 

Together:  Cook pasta according to package directions.

Together:  In a large mixing bowl, add cooked pasta and set aside.

Kid: With a plastic knife, dice mozzarella, tomatoes, and bell peppers and add them to bowl of pasta. (Dice the ingredients small, so you can challenge your children to fit as many colors as they can into one bite!)

Kid: Remove basil leaves from stem. Tear leaves into small pieces and add to bowl.

Together:  Add beans and juice lemons into the bowl. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar to pasta salad, a little at a time. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste and eat!

Tips & Tricks: 

Give your kids options in the kitchen. Instead of the vegetables included in the recipe, ask them to suggest other favorites. Vote on a bean variety instead of cannellini beans. Have the kids choose between broccoli and spinach. When you give your kids a choice in what they eat, they are more likely to eat it! The key is to select two choices that, as a parent, you’d be happy for them to eat either way.

Article: 

To read the full article on The Kids Cook Monday, click here! For more delicious and healthful recipes for kids of all ages and abilities, check out The Creative Kitchen’s new adaptable cooking curricula, Everybody Can Cook.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

The kids are back in school and that means back to hectic morning routines and crazy after-school schedules. With all the excitement during the back-to-school season, it can be hard to prepare healthful breakfasts and snacks for your kids. Recently, Cricket shared with NY1 parenting correspondent, Shelley Goldberg, her tips and tricks for quick and easy breakfasts and snacks to give your kids a great start to the school year. Click below to view the video and continue reading for the delicious and nutritious recipes by Cricket and The Creative Kitchen team!

Breakfast Cupcakes

Breakfast cupcakes are a great go-to for busy weekday mornings. They can be made over the weekend and individually wrapped for a perfectly portioned, instant breakfast – just reheat and serve! This recipe is also great for your leftover vegetables. No need to go out and buy the exact ones featured in the recipe, just use whatever you have on hand for a quick and simple meal!

Click here to view the recipe! (This recipe is for a Breakfast Cake. To make Breakfast Cupcakes, bake them in a muffin tin instead of a skillet!)
 
 

Math Time Munchies Trail Mix 

Between picking kids up from school and driving them to football games or dance rehearsal, there is little time for healthful afternoon snacks. Our Math Time Munchies Trail Mix is great for on-the-go snacking and can be customized to your kids’ allergies and tastes! Making this Trail Mix with your kids is a great way to practice their math skills – practice counting while setting out the ingredients, fractions while measuring, and addition while combining the ingredients together!

Click here to view the recipe!
 
 

Polka Dot Pudding

Polka Dot Pudding is a sweet treat that’s yummy enough to have for dessert and healthful enough to have for breakfast or as a snack! Save time in the morning or after school by preparing this creamy, fruit-filled rice pudding ahead of time. Simply combine the cooked rice and coconut milk in a bowl and refrigerate. Then top with your kids’ favorite fruits when you’re ready to serve!

View the recipe below!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked rice (preferably Asian sticky rice or brown rice)
• 1 mango
• 2 bananas
• 2 kiwis
• 12 to 15 strawberries
• 1 14-oz. can coconut milk
• 1 cup dried shredded coconut (optional and to taste)
• Optional: 2 tablespoons sugar, honey, or agave (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Put the cooked rice into a medium mixing bowl.
2. Peel and dice the mango, bananas, and kiwi and add them to the bowl of rice.
3. Remove the stems from the strawberries, cut the fruit into small pieces, and add to the bowl.
4. Stir the coconut milk into the bowl and mix well.
5. If using, add the sugar, honey, or agave to the bowl and stir together.
6. At this point, either add the dried shredded coconut to the bowl and stir together, or the shredded coconut may be added to the top of the pudding as a garnish.

Serves 8 to 10

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

When kids are immersed in enjoyable activities, they absorb and retain information more effectively. The Kids Food Festival embodies this philosophy of learning through fun with its weekend of family events hosted on November 2^nd and 3^rd at Union Market in Washington DC. Families will cook, dance, laugh, and taste their way to making balanced food choices!

At the Kids Food Festival, presented by The Creative Kitchen, kids engage all five senses through hands-on, food-related activities. The magic of the festival is rooted in the fact that kids are having so much fun participating in the flavorful activities, they don’t realize how much they are learning! Enthusiastic eaters and little epicures alike can attend hands-on cooking classes at the James Beard Foundation Future Foodies Pavilion, where renowned chefs pass on their recipes, skills, and love for all things culinary to a new generation of learners. The Balanced Plate Scavenger Hunt (based on USDA ChooseMyPlate.gov guidelines) is the core educational element of the Festival. Kids bounce between exhibitors and activities to sample tasty, wholesome snacks while learning the importance of achieving balance in their food choices. Families will enjoy live musical performances, a disco dance party, fitness workshops, and more, with each of the activities relaying special messages about healthful eating!

The Kids Food Festival founder and Big Cheese of The Creative Kitchen, Cricket Azima, has a passion for providing cooking classes to children in New York City, “The Kids Food Festival is wonderful because it combats the very serious issue of childhood obesity in such a fun and effective way. We are able to promote and support companies that make healthful living delicious, and kids go home from the events excited about the new, better-for-you foods that they embraced,” Cricket explains. “Through the Festival we get to reach thousands of families in one weekend, and that in itself is incredible.”

General admission to the event is free, and tickets to the hands-on cooking classes in the James Beard Foundation Future Foodies Pavilion can be purchased at http://kidsfoodfestivaldc2013.eventbrite.com. The KFF is excited to support Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Visit www.kidsfoodfestival.com, on the Kids Food Festival Facebook page, and on Twitter at @KidsFoodFestFun!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Getting the kids in the kitchen can be nerve wracking for parents! Some parents may be uneasy about kitchen breakables, the mess of cooking, and sharp tools, other parents may be hesitant about a lack of interest in the kitchen from their kids. Well, this new year is a perfect time to put those old thoughts to rest and get those kids cookin’! Make sure to read this article from Cricket and our friends from This Old House  that has all the fun, silly, and colorful kid-friendly essential tools your little chef will need!

Mini-Roller

Kids can flatten dough with more ease, less frustration, and quicker clean up with a miniature non-stick, silicone rolling pin. The Junior Silpin is a necessity for families that enjoy making homemade pizza and sugar cookies in fun shapes. Available in pink, light blue, red, and yellow, $10.95; bakedeco.com.

Rainbow -Colored Measures

The Giraffe Neck long-stemmed measuring spoons are easy for small hands to grasp, durable, and dishwasher-friendly, $7.99 for a set of five; kidscookingshop.com

With spouts for splatter control, these adorable nesters are fun to pour. Zak Designs’ Assorted Brights Measuring Cups, $9 for a set of four; amazon.com

Slip-Proof Mixing Bowls

Rubberized bottoms keep these space-saving nesting bowls from slipping off the counter while your little chef whips up the Sunday morning pancake batter. Loop-style handles and spouts make it easier to pour perfect silver dollars. 3 Piece Handled Bowl Set, $10;collectionsetc.com

Utensils for Little Hands

For children interested in cooking, miniature cooking utensils are a must for whisking, flipping, scraping, and mixing. This basic set includes a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, stainless steel whisk, spatula, and metal cup to corral it all. Kid’s Utensil Set, $8; growingcooks.com

Alli-Grator

Whether shredding cheese or carrots, a cool-shaped grater makes the task fun. The handle shaped like an alligator’s head is easy to grip, and keeps little digits at a nick-free distance from the stainless steel cutting blades. Bonus: the green “jaws” fold down around the blade for safe storage. Cutting Utensils Alli-Grator, $15;kidscookingshop.com

Fun Peeler

Kids get a kick out of playful peelers. Just be sure to supervise, colorful and animal-shaped peelers look cute but their blades are still sharp enough to effortlessly slice the skin off of hard vegetables. Animal House Monkey Peeler, $8.14; target.com

The (Petite) French Chef

Staub’s Mini Round Cocottes are the perfect size for re-heating kid-sized portions in the oven. Not every meal is microwaveable! And the adorable shape and bright colors appeal to young eaters. $50 each; cookware.com

Chop & Scoop Board

Boasting fantastically fun colors, these flexible cutting boards help chefs of all ages transfer ingredients with ease…and less spilling! $5.99-$10; surlatable.com

Safe Shears

Pro chefs cut ingredients down to size with scissors, so why shouldn’t kids do it too? These small, 6-inch ladybug snips are great for turning stale bread slices into crouton cubes, lobbing off broccoli florets, and shredding fresh-picked herbs. And, of course, they also cut paper. Kid’s Animal Scissors, $7; containerstore.com

Plastic Paring

Use disposable plastic knives for chefs as young as 2½years. For older children, a plastic lettuce knife is just sharp enough to cut most ingredients, but it’s safer than a conventional steel blade knife. And, of course, it comes in handy for cutting iceberg too. Supervision recommended. OXO Lettuce Knife, $3.49;bedbathandbeyond.com

Immersion Blender

Keep the kitchen clean, while making foods typically deemed “messy” by using an immersion blender. Make smoothies, puree soups, blend dips, and more. Children have fun pressing the button and watching the textures and colors change. KitchenAid Immersion Blender, $49.99; target.com

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Keep your family’s bellies warm this winter with this Mini-Vegetable Lasagna recipe from Cricket Azima and our friends at iVillage! What makes this recipe so fantastic is that it makes several tasty mini-lasagnas that can be eaten the day of, or can be wrapped up and stored in the freezer for a busy day with no time to cook. AND what makes the recipe even more versatile is that you can switch up the veggies to include your family’s favorite veggies or have the kids pick out the veggies they want to add to make it more appealing. If that doesn’t attract them then involve the whole family a great winter indoor activity, making the lasagnas together! Have mom and dad cook the veggies and have the kids use their creative layering skills to make their own mini-lasagna. 

Ingredients 

1 small eggplant

2 medium zucchini

2 medium yellow squash

Olive oil

1 pound mushrooms (or buy pre-sliced to save a few minutes)

Salt to taste, plus 1/2 teaspoon salt for ricotta mixture

Two (15- ounce) containers ricotta cheese

Two (10- ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2/3 cup parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish

2 large eggs, beaten

1 pound shredded mozzarella

1 pound lasagna noodles, oven-ready style (for ease) or traditional noodles, cooked and drained

Two (24- ounce) jars pasta sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set aside 5 3×5-inch pans and 2 8×4-inch pans.

2. Slice the eggplant into 1/8-inch pieces and lay on paper towels. Sprinkle salt over them to help draw water out.

3. Slice the zucchini and squash and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle lightly with oil and add salt and pepper to taste.

4. If needed, slice the mushrooms and set aside.

5. Place eggplant pieces on another cookie sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt.

6. Place both cookie sheets in the oven and set timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the zucchini and squash from the sheet and put into a bowl, draining any liquid.

7. Use the same cookie sheet for the mushrooms. Spread the mushroom slices on the sheet, lightly drizzle the oil and add salt to taste before putting back into oven. Flip the eggplant and put back into oven. Set timer for an additional 15 minutes. Once finished, remove both sheets from oven, draining any liquid, and place each vegetable into a separate bowl.

8. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

9. Place the shredded mozzarella and the pasta sauce each into separate bowls.

10. Call in the kids and have a layering party. Layer the ingredients into each lasagna pan, starting with a thin layer of pasta sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Spread 1/4 cup ricotta mixture into the small pans and 1/2 cup into the large pans. Add a layer of vegetables (eggplant and mushrooms, for example). Sprinkle a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Next, spread another layer of sauce, then add another layer of noodles, spread a thin layer of ricotta, vegetable and mozzarella. Add the final layer of noodles, spread some pasta sauce and more mozzarella cheese, and lastly sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

11. Cover the lasagnas with foil. If desired, place some of the pans in the freezer for another night (simply defrost the lasagnas by placing them in the refrigerator in the morning and then cook that night for dinner).

12. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, then remove foil and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned on top. Let the lasagna set for 5 minutes before serving.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Guess what?! The Creative Kitchen was featured in Time Out Kids New York Kids’ Classes: NYC’s Ultimate Guide to the Best Programs! So come out with your little chef and come try one of our classes today!

http://timeoutnewyorkkids.com

http://www.facebook.com/timeoutkids