Healthy Food Kids Will Love: Chia Pudding Recipe

One of the reasons that I love the momstown Oakville message board is that its a great source for recipes that come with direct feedback from other moms about what worked, what didn't, what was a hit with their kids, etc.  A recent recipe posted by a member was for Chia Pudding.  Chia seeds are all the rage these days, right up there with coconut oil and flax seeds.  Have you tried chia seeds before?  They are a great source of healthy omega-3 fats and fibre.  And yes, they are the same seeds that grow those beloved Chia Pets!

Photo credit

This recipe for Chia Pudding has been a hit with Oakville kids so I knew it was a recipe worth sharing!  Try this recipe for breakfast or for a yummy snack.

What You Need:

3 Tbsp chia seeds
1 cup almond milk (vanilla rice milk or coconut milk works too)
Vanilla and cinnamon to taste
1 Tbsp maple syrup

What You Do:

Mix it all up in a mason jar and cover in the fridge over night.  Stir it on your way up to bed and break up the clumps. In the morning it will be gelatenous and kind of like tapioca pudding.  You'll need to give it another good stir in the morning as well. Toss in some berries too if you want. The consistency is similar to that of tapioca pudding.

Tips: For picky kiddos, a dollop of whip cream or a few mini chocolate chips on top helps or add in 1 and 1/2 Tbsp or cocoa and another 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup.  

momstown Oakville Moms And Kids Cook Up Dinner With Chef Boyardee!

momstown Oakville moms and kids got together one late afternoon this week for a special Junior Chef with Chef Boyardee. Meal time with a busy family can be tricky and it was great to make some recipes that make meal time easier for the whole family by providing quick options!  For this event we tried Chef Pizza-roni Skillet and Ravioli Lasagna. With no preservatives, Chef Boyardee is a great kitchen staple to use as a base to make many different delicious meals.  Have you ever thought of combining Chef Boyardee with different protein options, veggies and cheese for kid approved yummy results?

Each child got one of these adorable aprons!

We divide up the jobs and got kids ripping spinach, helping to chop yellow and green pepper, measure out the cheese and even open the cans of Chef Boyardee.  All of the moms were loving the fact that their kids kept sneaking pieces of  peppers as we cooked!  This is a fabulous bonus of having kids help you in the kitchen.

The kids loved hearing what step was next as we worked together to build two delicious meals and we chatted about the foods that we were using.  A common comment from participating Moms was "I never thought of using Chef Boyardee this way but love how quick and easy this can be!"

And after lots of chatter and excitement during cooking time, we were then met with silence around the table as the kids sat down to gobble up the tasty dinner they had made.

Here is the recipe for the Ravioli Lasagna, a great way to add protein and calcium into meal time:

Ingredients

2 cans (2 x 425 g) Chef Boyardee® Mini Ravioli®

1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped spinach

2 cups (500 mL) grated Mozzarella cheese, separated into 1 cup (250 mL) portions

1 cup (250 mL) 2% cottage cheese or Ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon (5 mL) Italian seasoning

Directions

1. Spray 8" square or round baking pan with PAM®.

2. Spread one can of pasta on the bottom of the baking pan. Place chopped spinach in a glass bowl and microwave for 10 seconds; drain. Spread spinach over pasta and top with cottage or Ricotta cheese, 1 cup (250 mL) Mozzarella cheese and ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) Italian seasoning.

3. Layer second can of pasta. Top with remaining Mozzarella and Italian seasoning.

4. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Allow 10 minutes to stand before serving.

Oakville moms and kids went home with full tummies (and that meant Mom didn't have to make dinner or do dishes) and goodies too!  Each child received a very cute Chef Boyardee apron and Mom went home with two cans of Chef Boyardee to use at home and a can of PAM cooking spray.

Make sure you check out the Chef Boyardee Facebook page and the recipe section of their website for more great meal ideas.  

Handyman's Easy Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

This kid friendly spaghetti sauce recipe comes with a really cute story.  A momstown Oakville mom was having her shower re-grouted and the handyman noticed that she was struggling with her three year old and getting him to eat his lunch.  The handyman had two boys at home and suggested she try the recipe listed below.  She took the advice, both her kids loved it and she now jokes that the recipe alone was totally worth what she paid for the work on the shower!

Easy Kid Friendly Spaghetti Sauce

-1 can condensed tomato soup
-1/2 can of milk
-Grate in lots of cheese (cheddar and parmesan)

Pour over spaghetti or whatever kind of pasta (our momstown Oakville mama used whole wheat noodles and threw in some steamed broccoli and both kids gobbled it all up!)

I need my kitchen floor re-grouted.  Will definitely be giving this handyman a call as he seems friendly and who knows what other recipes he may have to share!

Cooking with Kids: Valentine's Day S'mores

These Valentine's Day S'mores were easy to make and a great recipe for kids to get involved with.  My 4 and almost 2 year old and I whipped these up one afternoon and they were too cute not to share.  These Valentine's Day treats would be great to make for a party or you could wrap up a few pieces to give as gifts.

Valentine's Day S'mores

1 package chocolate or regular graham crackers
1/2 cup butter
1/2 firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup hot water
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup red and pink smarties or m & m's

My kids got to work lining up the graham crackers on the baking sheet.  It was good practice for creating a pattern and for figuring out the best way to put them down so that they covered the whole sheet.

My two helpers were very eager to help measure out the marshamallows and candy.  They even had to taste a few for quality control!

Preheat the over to 350F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, leaving an overhang.  Spray with cooking spray.  Put down the graham crackers onto the sheet so they cover the entire thing, right to each edge.

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a pot over medium heat, stirring often until smooth and mixture comes to a boil.  Add the hot water.  Pour evenly over the crackers and bake for 6 minutes or until bubbly.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle on the marshmallows.  Put back in the oven for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the red and pink candy and put back in the oven for 1 minute.  Cool completely.  Lift from the pan and cut into small squares.

Happy Valentine's Day!