Healthy Side Dish Recipes For Kids

Your kids will love eating their veggies and other sides with these fantastic side dish recipes for kids!

Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

My lawn has exploded…

Exploded with dandelions…

dinner   Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

And I couldn’t be more excited.

They may be seen as weeds…

But they’re actually delish!

I love to pair them up with a pasta.

Then my aunt mentioned her quick go to pasta was with turkey bacon and peas….

Hmmm, sounds like a match made in heaven!

This is a delicious and quick dish that’s good for you and tastes great!

The boys loved the sweetness of the peas and I love the smoky turkey bacon and whole wheat pasta.

Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge…

Makes a great quick lunch with a salad!

Super easy…

Super quick…

Super delicious!

dinner   Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 box whole wheat pasta (I like fusilli)

1 t extra virgin olive oil

4 slices organic turkey bacon (We use Applewood Farms)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup english peas (you could use frozen, I had fresh on hand)

1 bunch dandelion greens

S&P

1 cup of pasta water (if necessary)

parmesan cheese

WHAT TO DO:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Season with salt.  Add your pasta and cook to al dente according to package instructions.  When you have about 2 minutes left to cook grab a cup of the cooking water and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add in your olive oil and then toss in your bacon.  Cook til crisp, about 7-8 minutes.  Toss in your garlic and let cook for another minute.  Add in peas and dandelion greens, and season with S&P.  Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes and then add in your pasta water.

Drain your pasta and toss in the sauce.  Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve.

YUM!!!

 

Get your carrot on!

You know what one of our favorite go to veggies of all time is around here?

Yup, it’s the carrot.

Who doesn’t love a carrot?

They’re perfect!

Perfect for snackin’

Perfect for dunkin’

Perfect for roastin’

Perfect for grabbing a big bag and eating on the go!

To show our appreciate for everything carrot I’m going to feature some of our favorite carrot recipes over the next few week.

Let’s give it up for our favorite orange fella!

featured   Get your carrot on!

Asian Glazed Roasted Carrots

What you need:

1 T extra virgin olive oilfeatured   Get your carrot on!

1/2 t sesame oil

1/2 t minced ginger

1/2 t minced garlic

1 T soy sauce

1 T mirin

5 dashes chili oil

1 T honey

S&P

1 pound baby carrots

1 t toasted sesame seeds

cilantro for garnish

What to do:

featured   Get your carrot on!Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Place the first 10 ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Place the carrots in a 13×9 baking dish.  Pour your mixture over the carrots.  Mix well to coat.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Roast at 425 for 3o minutes.  Remove from oven and place on serving dish.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro for garnish.  Enjoy!

Stay tuned for more exciting carrot recipes….

What’s your favorite way to eat carrots?

St. Patty’s Day – Potatoes Fitzpatrick

Being Fitzpatricks and all…

You know I had to come up with a good potato dish to celebrate the big day…

This one is it!

It’s got everything you need for the perfect St. Patty’s day meal.

If for some strange reason you have leftovers…

Reheat them in a pan the next morning with some corned beef and some eggs…

Sure to make you feel better…

If you had a wee bit too much Guinness!

dinner   St. Pattys Day   Potatoes Fitzpatrick

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 T butter, divided

1 T olive oil

1 onion, sliced

S&P

1/2 head of cabbage, sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 T apple cider vinegar

WHAT TO DO:

In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium high heat.

Add in onions, season with S&P and allow to cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.

Toss in your cabbage and garlic and cook until cabbage wilts down, another 6-7 minutes.  Remove from pan.

Toss in another tablespoon of butter and lay in your potatoes in an even layer along the bottom of pan, don’t touch them, let them crisp up a bit.

Once they’ve browned add the cabbage and onion back in and stir to combine.

Let the mixture brown a bit more then deglaze with cider vinegar and season with S&P to taste.

Delish!!!

This ain’t your nana’s cabbage!

Tasty Tidbit – Salsa

Did you add a bit too much jalapeno to that salsa?

Did you add 4 Tablespoons of tobasco instead of 4 teaspoons?

Did your 4-year-old’s eyes just pop out of his head?

Want to tame it down?

cooking tips   Tasty Tidbit   Salsa

Try adding a couple drops of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of salt.

Should bring it down a few notches and make it good for everyone to enjoy.

Superbowl Spicy Crab Dip

Ok, I’m going to admit something here…

I’m not sure if my marriage is actually a sham.

Yup, it’s true…

I think that this dip is the actually the reason the hubs married me.

Yes, it’s that good.

Trust me….

featured   Superbowl Spicy Crab Dip

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 16oz tubs softened cream cheese (You can use reduced fat)

1 T crushed garlic

1/2 T Siracha hot sauce

1/2 t crab boil seasoning

S&P

2 cans lump crab meat (picked over for shell bits)

1/2 cup water chestnuts diced

2 scallions chopped

sourdough baguette sliced thin

WHAT TO DO:

In a large microwave safe bowl combine softened cream cheese, garlic, hot sauce, crab boil, water chestnuts, scallions, crab meat and S&P.  Mix well.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Remove and stir well.

Microwave for an additional 2 minutes or so until steaming hot.

Remove from microwave.  Top with additional scallions.  Stir well.

Transfer to serving bowl and serve alongside slice sourdough bread.

People will be proposing at first bite!

Hanukkah Latkes

Happy Hanukkah everyone!

appetizers   Hanukkah Latkes

Our favorite thing about Hanukkah?

What else?

appetizers   Hanukkah Latkes

Potato Latkes!

Best things ever…

Latkes

Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 20 minutes

What you need:

3 ½ cups shredded potatoes (for fast latkes use the store bought kind)

½ sweet onion, grated

3 eggs, beaten

¼ cup matzo meal (you could substitute all purpose flour too)

S&P

½ cup peanut oil for frying

What to do:

Using a cheese cloth squeeze all the moisture out of your potatoes.

appetizers   Hanukkah Latkes

Once you’ve gotten them as dry as you can, place them into a large bowl with the onion, eggs, matzo meal, and season with S&P.  Stir together well to combine.

appetizers   Hanukkah Latkes

Preheat a large skillet and your peanut oil over medium high heat.  Form the mixture into small silver dollar pancake size latkes.  Working in batches place the latkes down into the oil.

appetizers   Hanukkah Latkes

Cook until golden brown, then flip to brown the other side.  Drain on paper towels, serve hot with applesauce and sour cream.

appetizers   Hanukkah Latkes

Now gather round the table, light some candles, play some dreidel and enjoy.  Happy Hanukkah!!!

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