In the Spotlight: Carolyn Connor
A DIETICIAN ON KIDS & HEALTHY EATING
I met Carolyn Connor at a Nutrition First “Healthy Habits” conference in Seattle when she invited me to sell my veggie-related picture books in the conference hall. I didn’t get to attend the sessions, but I loved meeting the many amazing people who dropped by my booth–smart, savvy men and women who are committed to children’s health and nutrition.
Nutrition First is the WIC (Women, Infants and Children Food and Nutrition Service) Association for Washington State. Their mission is to ensure that young children of families with limited resources have opportunities for better nutrition to improve overall health.
Read moreParsnip Recipes, Kid Approved
PRIMO PARSNIPS: 2 SAVORY RECIPES
Parsnips are not a vegetable I grew up with–and apparently I’m not alone. In one school in Southern California where I was presenting young author assemblies, not a single student or staff member had ever eaten a parsnip. Most of them had never even heard of a parsnip!
In fact, I’d never eaten a parsnip till after I’d already written a picture book called Once Upon a Parsnip. Serendipitously, a friend served apple-parsnip soup for a luncheon I was invited to just a month before Parsnip went into production. Suzanne is an excellent cook who worked as a professional chef for much of her adult life, and her delicious soup inspired me to include an adaptation of the recipe as back matter in my book. You’ll find the recipe below.
Read morePumpkin Seeds: Spicy or Sweet
INSPIRED PEPITAS: KID-FRIENDLY RECIPES
Let’s face it: Kids like to snack. We all like to snack! And it’s so easy to toss a bag of tortilla chips or potato chips in your grocery cart….
And they are OH-so-lacking in nutritional value!
A serving of tortilla chips, for example, has 2 grams of protein–compared to the 21 grams in a serving of Spicy Jamaican Jerk Pepitas.
Read moreA Fruit Dessert that Kids Will Love
PEAR-PEACH-PINEAPPLE PUDDIN’: A KID-FRIENDLY RECIPE
Late summer-early fall is a perfect time to find tree-ripened fruit at your local farmers market–should you be so lucky–or at your grocery store. This delicious, nutrient-rich dessert recipe, adapted from The Mayo Clinic Kids’ Cookbook (one of my favorite resources for family cooking), uses fresh pears, peaches, bananas, blueberries and grapes and canned pineapple. It’s simple enough that your child can put it together almost on his own.
Plus, it’s a great way to help your family get the recommended five servings of fruits and veggies a day, too!
Read moreHey, Queenie–Got Zucchini?
WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THAT ZUCCHINI: A KID-FRIENDLY RECIPE
Perhaps you planted a zucchini start and didn’t realize it would spread 40 feet and produce a veritable mountain of squash. Perhaps your neighbor sneaked the zucchini they didn’t know what to do with onto your porch under the guise of being friendly. Or maybe you purchased a box of zucchini because they were such a great deal, you couldn’t resist.
Now what to do with all that zucchini?!
Zucchini latkes are one great, kid-friendly solution. It doesn’t have to be Hanukkah and you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy this healthy take on traditional holiday fare. Your kids will have fun getting their hands messy making these little veggie pancakes–and when the pancakes come out of the frying pan and cool, kids can eat them as finger food. Fun!
Read more