Popsicles for breakfast?! Sign us up! Looking for some new recipes to help refresh mealtime at home? Or maybe you’d like to find some nutritious recipes that your kids will not only enjoy eating (a tricky business, we know), but will actually want to help make? One of our most tried and true beliefs when it comes to kids and food is that cooking is a multi-faceted learning opportunity. When children are involved in the cooking process, including the selection of ingredients, they’re more likely to try new, unfamiliar foods!

We love supporting programs and resources that reinforce this philosophy, and that’s why we’re thrilled to share an amazing cookbook with you: The Healthy Junior Chef Cookbook from Williams-Sonoma. Providing recipes that are simultaneously delicious and nutritious, this cookbook will inspire kids to get creative in the kitchen and enjoy the entire cooking process! Remember those ‘breakfast popsicles’ we mentioned before? Yogurt Parfait Breakfast Pops are just one of the many fun and delicious dishes you’ll find in this book. The photography alone will have the whole family drooling, parents included (just look at that cover!). The easy to follow instructions, colorful illustrations, and expert cooking tips will keep both kids AND adults engaged in the kitchen and inspired to eat well – now who doesn’t want that?  

Grab a copy of The Healthy Junior Chef Cookbook here!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

I like to cook with this cookbook! It’s fun and yummy! I like the pictures!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

What a fun and easy way to get your kids involved in the kitchen (and still make something even mom and dad will enjoy)! I try to do this on my own on a regular basis, but sometimes it’s nice to have some concrete help and advice. We love each recipe we’ve tried so far, and my kids love planning out our meals for each week and picking out the ingredients we need. The recipes are easy enough to follow so my younger kids can participate, but interesting enough that my older ones are still engaged! Everything in this book is kid-friendly, but so delicious that parents will enjoy them as well. I’d recommend this book to any aspiring young chef, or even families like ours that just wanted our kids to get a little more excited about cooking. So far, my favorite recipe is the Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs, they’re perfect for summer BBQ’s! My kids’ favorite is the Homemade Fruit Roll Ups; they have a great time making those, and they’re so yummy too!

Flavorful Features:

There’s more than 70 recipes for everything from breakfast and snacks to main courses and desserts, all kid-friendly with easy to follow instructions. There’s also fun serving ideas included to keep the creative juices flowing! Recipes include: Zucchini Lasagna with Turkey Bolognese, Spaghetti with Cauliflower Pesto, Homemade Fruit Roll Ups, Broccoli Apple Lunchbox Slaw, and so much more. 

The Icing on the Cake:

Our favorite part about this cookbook is how each recipe is focused on the nutrition it provides, without sacrificing the fun and delicious flavors that kids love!

Mix it Up!

Get an extremely early start on holiday shopping with this book, perfect for any little chef who wants some more practice in the kitchen (not to mention some yummy meals and snacks the whole family can eat!).

More info here!

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.

Let the recipes of winter warm you with hardy root vegetables, tangy cranberries, robust greens, and citrus fruits. These kid-friendly Winter Produce Recipes from our friends at Cooking Light feature delicious, nutritious fruits and veggies perfect for beating the cold-weather blues and keeping your family healthy all season long.

Roasted Root Vegetables

“This hardy root vegetable enjoys cool climate – it requires frost to convert its starches to sugars and to develop its sweet, nutty flavor. Serving parsnips along side familiar favorites like carrots and potatoes is the perfect way to introduce kids to this versatile veggie.”

Braised Chicken with Kale

“This “superfood” is chock full of vitamins and minerals to help your family defend against cold and flu season. Consider using kale in recipes that call for spinach – its sturdy leaves are particularly excellent when sautéed or added to casseroles. ”

Classic Cranberry Sauce

“Cranberry sauce is a staple at the Thanksgiving dinner table, but this holiday favorite makes the perfect side dish all winter long – especially since cranberries are high in immune-boosting Vitamin C and antioxidants.”

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.

Putting a new spin on classic children’s favorites is the perfect way to introduce kids to new foods and help them grow into more adventurous – and healthy – eaters. Encourage your kids to try more “mature” flavors like goat cheese, arugula, sage, and brussels sprouts with these delicious and easy Fall Recipes from our friends at Cooking Light. These dishes are sure to have even the pickiest eaters asking for seconds!

Apple, Goat Cheese, and Pecan Pizza

“This unique pizza combines the familiar sweetness of green apples with peppery arugula and tangy goat cheese to help kids discover and enjoy new flavor combinations. Pies can be made ahead and baked off when guests arrive, making this the perfect recipe for your holiday dinner party!”

Sautéed Carrots with Sage

“Sage takes kid-friendly carrots to a whole new level in this quick and tasty side dish.”

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic, and Shallots

“Brussels sprouts may not have the best reputation among young eaters, but the smokey, salty bacon in this dish is sure to change your kids’ opinion of this incredibly healthy veggie.”

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.

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.