Healthy Snack Tips for our kids

Snacks are important part of a growing childʼs diet. Healthy snacks give children extra calorie and nutrients between meals and offer an opportunity to add a few more vegetables and fruits to their diet. Sometimes you just need a few new ideas.

List of Tips For Creating A Healthy Lunchbox For Your Child  

       
-Get rid of unhealthy snacks that can derail your child’s goals. 

-Try some kiwi for a tasty green snack!
  
-Cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts have heart healthy oil. It makes a great after school snack. One ounce if nuts is equal to one serving of meat.   

-Set out a bowl of veggies with a low fat dip for healthy kid snacking.   

-Keep the total calories down by choosing baked chips instead of regular potato chips   

Snack on dried fruits such as apricots, figs or raisins.   

-If your child isn’t hungry at dinner, you may need to move snack time to at least 2 hours prior to the evening meal.   

-Wash fruit the night before so they’ll be ready for a healthy afternoon snacks.   

-Skip the chips at snack time and serve celery with peanut butter.   

-Think of snack time as mini meals rather than "junk food" time.   

-Avoid foods that have sugar or high fructose sugar as the first ingredient.   

-Bring healthy snacks like fruit cups, raisins, celery with peanut butter, low fat cheese and crackers or trail mix in baggies.   

-Limit the amount of processed ready to-eat-snacks you buy (such as potato chips or cookies).   

-Pack mini carrots for your child’s snack today.   

-For chocolate lovers, eat antioxidant-rich, heart-healthy, organic dark chocolate   

-Children need a healthy snack between meals.   

-Snacking is the opportunity to add more servings of healthy foods from the food groups   

-Make snack kabobs. Put cubes of low-fat cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks.     Limit the amount of added sugar in your child’s diet.   

-Banana Split: Top a banana with low-fat vanilla and strawberry frozen yogurt. Sprinkle with your favorite whole-grain cereal.   

-Microwave a small baked potato. Top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.   

-Limit the availability of high-calorie, high-sugar, high-fat foods that have little if any nutrients.   

-Spread mustard on a flour tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, low-fat cheese and lettuce. Then roll it up.   

-Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed cereal and freeze.   

-Mix together ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts in a sandwich bag for an on-the-go snack.   

-Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese. Top with raisins.   

-Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon.   

-Smear a scoop of frozen yogurt on two graham crackers and add sliced banana to make a yummy sandwich.   

-Top low-fat vanilla yogurt with crunchy granola and sprinkle with blueberries.   

-Spread peanut butter on apple slices.

Safety Food Tips for our family

Food safety means keeping our food free from bacteria and other germs that can make us very ill.  

Unfortunately, there is still a knowledge gap about food-borne illness. Many parents believe that food poisoning only occurs shortly after eating. The real truth is that symptoms can occur as early as two hours after eating to a few days after exposure.  

So it is can be difficult to determine the source of food poisoning, it could have been something you ate out or at home.


Avoid Common Food Safety Mistakes To keep your family healthy and safe from germ free foods avoid the most common mistakes and follow these recommendations:   

-Whether you are eating at home or in a restaurant, make sure your food is cooked thoroughly.  Avoid raw eggs and rare meat.  Food cooked at the proper temperature will kill any bacteria  

-Don't leave food sitting on the stove or counter.  Label them with date and store them right away.  Store food at the proper temperatures.    

-Don't leave food out for 2 hours or more.  If food is left out because of a party or some other event, follow the 2 hour rule and throw the food away.
   
-Don't let your family get sick because of a faulty refrigerator.  Check your refrigerator routinely to make sure they are set at 40 degrees F and your freezer at 0 degrees F.    

-Most people do not wash their hands long enough.

-Wash your hands vigorously for 20 seconds before and after touching or eating food.  

-Check the expiration date on cans and packaged foods.  Throw them out if they are expired.  

-Fruits and vegetables can be a source of bacteria. Wash your fruits and vegetables well.  Use a vegetable scrubber if you have one.  It is hard to know how many people touched the produce before you bought it.

Also Read :
Healthy foods during pregnancy
Healthy snack tips for our kids

6 Healthy Foods during pregnancy

During pregnancy, for example, you’ll need protein and calcium for your baby’s tissues and bones. You’ll also need extra folic acid to protect against neural tube birth defects, as well as more iron to help red blood cells carry oxygen to your baby. 
 
Get off to a good start with these pregnancy super foods.
Whole grains  
Enriched, whole-grain breads and cereals are fortified with folic acid and iron and have more fiber than white bread and rice. Work whole grains into your day: oatmeal for breakfast, a sandwich on whole-grain bread at lunch, and whole-wheat pasta or brown rice for dinner. 

Beans  
Add black beans, white beans, pinto beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, and kidney, garbanzo, or soy beans to your diet. Try them in chili and soups, salads, and pasta dishes. Besides providing protein and fiber, they are also good sources of key nutrients, such as iron, folate, calcium, and zinc. 

Salmon  
Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your baby's brain and eyes, and salmon is a great source. Plus it provides protein and B vitamins. Salmon is also relatively low in mercury compared to other fish. Try it grilled, broiled, or on a salad. You can safely eat up to 12 ounces of low-mercury fish, such as salmon, per week. 

Eggs  
Eggs are versatile and a good source of protein that provides amino acids you and your baby need. They contain more than a dozen vitamins and minerals, including choline, which is good for baby's brain development. However, be sure not to eat undercooked or raw eggs.

Berries  

Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are delicious snacks and taste great in pancakes and on top of cereal. Berries are packed with vitamin C, potassium, folate, and fiber.

Low-fat yogurt  
One cup of plain, low-fat yogurt has more calcium than milk, is high in protein, and doesn’t have the added sugar of flavored yogurts. Dress it up with fruit or crunchy, whole-grain cereal.

BBQ Pork Ribs

Ingredients
10  tablespoons chili powder
1/2  cup light brown sugar
6  tablespoons minced garlic
2  tablespoons coarse salt
2  racks (2-1/2-lbs. each) pork spare ribs
3  tablespoons olive oil plus additional for brushing
2  large onions, chopped
2  cups ketchup
2  cups strong coffee
1/3  cup apple-cider vinegar
1  recipe Confetti Coleslaw

Directions :
1.Whisk together 4 tablespoons chili powder, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons garlic, and the salt in a small bowl for dry rub.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Rinse and pat pork dry and place in 2 lightly oiled large baking pans. Rub pork all over with dry rub and cook in upper and lower third of oven until meat is slightly pink, about 30 minutes, depending on thickness.

3. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook onion, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add remaining 6 tablespoons chili powder and 4 tablespoons garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in ketchup, coffee, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar; simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 4 cups, about 40 minutes. Remove pan from heat, transfer 2 cups sauce to a bowl for basting and place remaining sauce in a small bowl for serving on side.

4. Preheat grill. Brush top of ribs with some of barbecue sauce and place sauce side down on a lightly oiled rack; cook over moderately high heat, turning once and basting remaining side with sauce, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer ribs with tongs to a platter and let stand 10 minutes. Separate ribs by cutting between the bones with a sharp knife and serve with Confetti Coleslaw and remaining sauce on side. Makes 8 servings.

Choc Hazelnut Meringue Cake

Ingredients 
Melted butter, to grease  
125g butter, chopped  
100g dark cooking chocolate, coarsely chopped  
2 eggs, lightly whisked  
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar  
75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour  
55g (1/2 cup) hazelnut meal  
2 tbs cocoa powder, sifted  
125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream  
100g (1/3 cup) chocolate hazelnut spread
 
Chocolate meringue      
3 egg whites  
155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar 
 100g dark cooking chocolate, melted


Method :
Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a 22cm (base measurement) springform pan with melted butter. Line the base and side with non-stick baking paper.

 Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Use a metal spoon to stir occasionally until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

Whisk the egg into the chocolate mixture. Add the sugar, flour, hazelnut meal and cocoa powder and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Meanwhile, to make the chocolate meringue, use an electric beater to beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and glossy.

Increase oven temperature to 200°C. Divide the meringue in half. Fold half the melted chocolate through half the meringue to create a swirled effect. Spoon on top of the cake. Repeat with the remaining melted chocolate and meringue. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the meringue is firm. Step 6  Stir the cream and chocolate hazelnut spread in a small saucepan over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool and thicken slightly. Drizzle over the cake.

Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)

Nasi Goreng  
The famous Indonesian fried rice. original made from leftover rice and eaten as a breakfast dish.  Now more usual server for lunch or as the basis of a larger evening meal, for example with a rijsttafel. It is very easy to make and won't take more than 20 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients :
350 gr. Long Grain Rice
2 Tbs. Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
1 Onion
2 Green Chillis, Sambal Ulek or Sambal Badjak.
1 Garlic Clove
1 Leek
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin 250 gr. Chicken meat 250 gr. Shelled Prawns 3 Tbs. Kecap Manis


Preparation: 
This dish is best made from cold leftover rice, but you can cook a fresh batch and leave it to cool for at least 4 hours. Beat the eggs and make into a omelette, slice into strips and set aside. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the chopped onion, leek, garlic and chillis. Fry until the onion is soft. Add the Coriander and Cumin. Slice Chicken into strips and add with the prawns to the onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally until they are well mixed. Add the rice, soya sauce and omelet strips and cook for a further 5 minutes.Decorate with some of the leftover leek and serve hot. Enjoy.

Carrot-Pineapple Smoothie

Ingredients
3/4 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup ice
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 banana

Directions
Place the pineapple, ice, orange juice, carrot, and banana in a blender.
Blend until smooth and frothy.

Banana 'Cashew Smoothie'

Ingredients
1/4 cup raw unsalted cashews
1 cup ice
1/2 banana
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Directions
Place ½ cup water and the cashews in a blender.

Cover and refrigerate until the cashews have softened, at least 6 hours (and up to overnight).

Add the ice, banana, and maple syrup. Blend until smooth and frothy.

Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze

Ingredients
4 6-ounce pieces skinless salmon fillet
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ancho chili pepper
kosher salt and black pepper
4 small summer squash (about 1½ pounds), thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions
Heat oven to 400º F. Place the salmon on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Rub the salmon with the brown sugar, ancho chili, and ½ teaspoon salt. Roast until opaque, 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the squash, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes; fold in the scallions. Serve with the fish.

Peking Duck Recipe

Beijing's most famous dish, Peking Duck is traditionally served with Mandarin pancakes, and green onions for brushing on the hoisin sauce.
Note: If you don't live near a cool, windy place another option is to dry the duck in an unheated room with a fan blowing on it.

Prep Time: 10 hours, 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Total Time: 11 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients:
One 5 to 6 pound duck
8 cups water
1 slice ginger
1 scallion, cut into halves
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
Scallions for garnish

Preparation:
Clean duck. Wipe dry and tie string around neck. Hang duck in cool, windy place 4 hours. Fill large wok with water. Bring to boil. Add ginger, scallion, honey, vinegar, and sherry. Bring to boil. Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir constantly. Place duck in large strainer above larger bowl. Scoop boiling mixture all over duck for about 10 minutes. Hang duck again in cool, windy place for 6 hours until thoroughly dry.

Place duck breast side up on a greased rack in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Set a pan filled with 2 inches of water in bottom of oven. (This is for drippings). Roast 30 minutes. Turn duck and roast 30 minutes more. Turn breast side up again. Roast 10 minutes more. Use sharp knife to cut off crispy skin. Serve meat and skin immediately on a prewarmed dish. The duck is eaten hot with hoisin sauce rolled in Mandarin Crepes. Garnish with scallion flowerets. Serves 4 to 6.

Tuna Noodle Casserole with Asparagus

Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
12 ounces wide egg noodles
1 pound (1 bunch) asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup panko bread crumbs
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
8 ounces Cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
2 5-ounce cans tuna, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Directions

-Heat oven to 375° F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, adding the asparagus and peas 2 minutes before the noodles are done. Drain and return to the pot.

-Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the butter to a small bowl, add the bread crumbs and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and toss to combine; set aside.

-Cook the onion in the remaining butter in the saucepan, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute (do not let darken). Gradually whisk in the milk; season with 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

-Remove the flour sauce from heat, add the Cheddar, and stir until melted. Add to the drained pasta, along with the tuna and tarragon; toss gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake until browned and bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Carrot Salad with Apples

Ingredients
Carrots - 300 Gram
Apples - 2 Pcs
Sugar - 1 tbsp. spoon
Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp. spoon
Parsley - to taste

Method of cooking
Grate raw carrots on a grater with large holes or chop fine julienne. Put the carrots in a bowl. Cut the apples into cubes, put in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice - this will prevent darkening of the apples. Add salt and sugar, season with vegetable oil. Stir well and garnish with parsley.

Sour Cream Cake

Ingredients
Sour cream - 1 cup (plus 1 cup for cream)
Flour - 3 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup (plus 1/2 cup for cream)
Baking soda - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Vanilla Sugar - 1/3 teaspoon (for cream)

Method of cooking
Preheat oven to 230-240 degrees. Lubricate baking sheet with vegetable oil. Stir in a large bowl cream, sugar and salt. Pour the flour and baking soda, mix the dough. Divide the finished dough into 4 equal parts. From every part roll out a circle. Put the cakes on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the cream.

Whip up cream with sugar and vanilla sugar. Put one cake on a large platter, brush with cream, cover with second cake on top, brush it with cream, etc. Fourth cake grind to the consistency of crumbs and sprinkle them the third cake, generously lubricated with cream. Decorate cake as desired and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. When the cake is impregnated with a cream, it becomes a very gentle and soft.

Cheese Roll Recipe

Ingredients :
Cottage cheese - 200 grams (plus 200g of stuffing)
Eggs - 3 Units Sugar - 0.5 cups (plus 0.5-1 cup of stuffing)
baking powder - 1 teaspoon
Starch - 4 tablespoon
flour - 2 tablespoon
Vanilla - The taste heavy cream - 100 grams (stuffing)
small lemon - 1 Pcs (stuffing)
Gelatin - 1-2 teaspoon (stuffing)

Method of cooking
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the gelatin with cold boiled water at the rate of 3 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon gelatin and soak. If desired, pre-wipe curd through a sieve. Put the cheese in a bowl, add egg yolks, flour, starch, baking powder and vanilla. Stir. In another bowl, beat whites with the sugar to a froth. Add to a lot of cottage cheese 1/3 beaten egg whites and mix. Gradually add the remaining whites. Put the dough on the prepared baking a layer of 1 cm Bake until done.

Get the cake from the oven and roll in the roll with the parchment paper, then let cool completely. A bowl of gelatin placed in a large bowl with hot water and stir to dissolve gelatin. Whip cream with sugar until foam consistency. Mix cottage cheese with finely grated lemon zest, lemon juice and gelatin. Carefully add the whipped cream and mix well. Expand the cooled cake, remove paper and grease the curd over the surface. Refrigerate until the filling hardens. Minimize the cake in the loaf, wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in refrigerator until solidification.

Vegetarian Biscuits Recipe

Ingredients
Flour - 3 cups
Starch - 1 cup
Vegetable oil - 150 ml
Pinch of salt - 1
Baking powder - 1 teaspoon
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 150 ml
Vanilla or vanilla sugar - to taste

Method of cooking
Sift the flour into a bowl, add baking powder. Pour the sifted starch and add vegetable oil. Stir until smooth. You should get a sticky mass. Dissolve sugar, salt and vanilla in water, add to batter. The dough should be soft. Roll out the dough thickness of 0.5-1 cm. With using molds, cut cookies out of dough. Place on baking sheet and bake at 180-200 degrees for 13-15 minutes until light golden brown.

Courgette Salad Recipe

Ingredients
Courgette - 1 piece
Apple - 1 piece
Cucumbers - 2 Pcs
Bunch of green onions - 1 piece
Bunch dill - 1 piece
Vegetable oil, sour cream or mayonnaise - to taste

How to cook Courgette Salad Clear the courgettes and cut into fine strips. Put into a bowl, a little salt and let stand for 10-15 minutes. Clear apple and cut into the same as courgettes. The same cut cucumbers. If cucumbers have a bitter peel, it is also better to cut. Cut the green onions and dill. Drain off the resulting courgettes juice, add the onion, fennel, cucumber, apple and vegetable oil (sour cream or mayonnaise). Gently stir.

Also Read :

Carrot salad with apples

Egg salad sandwich

Classic Beef Pot Roast

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 cup dry red wine
4 thyme sprigs
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 bay leaf
4 large carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)


How to cook Classic Beef Pot Roast
Preheat oven to 350º

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chuck roast with salt and pepper. Add roast to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove roast from pan. Add onion to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender.

Return browned roast to pan. Add the red wine, thyme sprigs, chopped garlic, beef broth, and bay leaf to pan; bring to a simmer. Cover pan and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours or until the roast is almost tender.

Add carrots and potatoes to pan. Cover and bake an additional 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf from pan; discard. Shred meat with 2 forks. Serve roast with vegetable mixture and cooking liquid. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

Also Read :

Bisquick apple coffee cake recipe 

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe 

Champagne Limoncello Cocktails

Ingredients
8 (3 x 1/2-inch) lemon rind strips
8 tablespoons Limoncello (lemon-flavored liqueur)
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 (750-milliliter) bottle brut Champagne, chilled

How to make Champagne Limoncello Cocktails
Roll up each strip of lemon rind; place 1 into each of 8 Champagne flutes. Add 1 tablespoon liqueur and 1/2 teaspoon juice to each glass. Divide Champagne evenly among glasses.
Serve immediately.

Also Read :

Caramel Sauce Recipe 

Boston brown bread recipe 

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar,
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

How to make Easy Peach Cobbler
Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).

Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Also Read :
Colcannon cakes recipe 
Jalapeno biscuits recipe

Orange Honey Butter Chicken

Orange Honey Butter Chicken

Ingredients

8 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs
1 cup(s) Butter
1 Onion, minced
1 cup(s) Honey
1 cup(s) Fresh Orange Juice (from 4 Navel Oranges)
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Crushed Rosemary

How to Cook Orange Honey Butter Chicken
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2.Sprinkle salt, garlic powder and flour over each chicken thigh.
3.In a casserole or baking dish, put butter and minced onion. Heat in a microwave until butter is melted. Then put chicken thighs into the casserole and coat them well. Bake for 20 minutes.
4.In the meantime, in a bowl, combine honey, orange juice, Dijon mustard and crushed rosemary. Mix well.
5.After 20 minutes, take casserole (baking dish) out of the oven and spread orange honey sauce over chicken thighs. Place the casserole back into the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes. (Spread the sauce occasionally until sauce is gone)
*Cooking time : 45 mins

Also Read :
Fish Tacos Recipe 
Crab Fondue Recipe