I know in my last post I talked about alternatives to the usual sweet treats for this upcoming Halloween but I thought I would give a nice eas recipe.
A healthier version of a brownie/cake recipe that can be adapted also to cupcakes for a party if you wish.
Buried Treasure Brownies
2 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 1/2tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ cup canola oil
½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
¾ cup agave syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
¼ cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin tins with papers or can use a cake pan if desired.
In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl mix agave syrup, oil, applesauce, and vanilla until well blended. Add flour mix to wet ingredients and stir until combined ( do not over mix) Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
Divide the batter between the liners in the muffin cups or in your greased cake pan
Bake until toothpick comes out clean for 17-22 minutes.
Icing
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate/ chips work well
1 ½ cups of sour cream
1 tsp real vanilla
Melt chocolate over a pan of hot water, or in a bowl in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the sour cream and the vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Let cool slightly until the frosting begins to thicken. Makes about 3 cups
Yours in good health,
Lori Tinella, Founder
Little Chefs
Have a Party that COOKS!
info@thelittlechefs.ca
519.940.1131
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Healthier Halloween Tips
Trick or Treat what are you having at your house?
You couldn't ignore Halloween if you tried, not with the shelves of nearly every store piled high with candy. There's chocolate, candy bars, lollypops, licorice, chewy coloured candy in cute shapes, brownie and cookie packs, hard candy, gum, and more ... much more.
This overwhelming reminder of the approach of Halloween represents more than just a tradition of dressing up in costumes to celebrate the day of the dead and then showing them off to your neighbours. Today Halloween is really nothing more than an excuse to eat lots of sugary, insulin-triggering treats.
So in an age when one in four Canadian children are overweight or obese should we be rethinking our manner of celebrating this increasingly popular holiday, or simply carry on with what we've been doing?
Alternatives to Sugar Crashes
Parents and caregivers should try to change the focus of the day away from the habit of collecting and eating candy.
Try to emphasize other fun aspects of Halloween, such as creating great costumes. Some helpful ideas for parents to think about:
•Allowing children to make the rounds of houses in the neighbourhood, but then limiting the candy they are allowed to keep to a reasonable number of their favourite pieces when they return home.
•Predetermine this amount before kids go out and to keep the rule consistent for all children in the family regardless of their age.
•Implement a system of buying back most of the candy their children have collected and then removing it from the home. "Do not keep enough candy in the house for the next six months."
•Try healthier customs. Use the family pumpkin carving experience as a means to encourage healthy eating by making tasty snacks from the interior, such as muffins and baked pumpkin seeds.
•Hold a Halloween block party. Parents meet and plan the event ahead of time and organize entertaining activities such as costume contests, games and even a potluck dinner., Have fun by celebrating the occasion together rather than just gathering candy.
Plan Healthy Halloween Strategies
Rather than go out with your kids, have a Halloween party at the house and have fun watching the other kids come by in their costumes. Limit the amount of "treats" you hand out to other kids and opt for healthier choices. Offer your children Halloween toys or stickers instead of candy. Instead of going around collecting candy, have your child go around collecting loose pennies and nickels for a favourite charity UNICEF is traditionally supported, but it need not be the only one.
If your child does collect candy, have him or her trade in the candy for a new toy or activity such as going to a movie, baseball game or amusement park.
Lori Tinella
Little Chefs
Have a party that COOKS!
Contact me for our 1 year Anniversary Specials!
519-940-1131 or info@thelittlechefs.ca
You couldn't ignore Halloween if you tried, not with the shelves of nearly every store piled high with candy. There's chocolate, candy bars, lollypops, licorice, chewy coloured candy in cute shapes, brownie and cookie packs, hard candy, gum, and more ... much more.
This overwhelming reminder of the approach of Halloween represents more than just a tradition of dressing up in costumes to celebrate the day of the dead and then showing them off to your neighbours. Today Halloween is really nothing more than an excuse to eat lots of sugary, insulin-triggering treats.
So in an age when one in four Canadian children are overweight or obese should we be rethinking our manner of celebrating this increasingly popular holiday, or simply carry on with what we've been doing?
Alternatives to Sugar Crashes
Parents and caregivers should try to change the focus of the day away from the habit of collecting and eating candy.
Try to emphasize other fun aspects of Halloween, such as creating great costumes. Some helpful ideas for parents to think about:
•Allowing children to make the rounds of houses in the neighbourhood, but then limiting the candy they are allowed to keep to a reasonable number of their favourite pieces when they return home.
•Predetermine this amount before kids go out and to keep the rule consistent for all children in the family regardless of their age.
•Implement a system of buying back most of the candy their children have collected and then removing it from the home. "Do not keep enough candy in the house for the next six months."
•Try healthier customs. Use the family pumpkin carving experience as a means to encourage healthy eating by making tasty snacks from the interior, such as muffins and baked pumpkin seeds.
•Hold a Halloween block party. Parents meet and plan the event ahead of time and organize entertaining activities such as costume contests, games and even a potluck dinner., Have fun by celebrating the occasion together rather than just gathering candy.
Plan Healthy Halloween Strategies
Rather than go out with your kids, have a Halloween party at the house and have fun watching the other kids come by in their costumes. Limit the amount of "treats" you hand out to other kids and opt for healthier choices. Offer your children Halloween toys or stickers instead of candy. Instead of going around collecting candy, have your child go around collecting loose pennies and nickels for a favourite charity UNICEF is traditionally supported, but it need not be the only one.
If your child does collect candy, have him or her trade in the candy for a new toy or activity such as going to a movie, baseball game or amusement park.
Lori Tinella
Little Chefs
Have a party that COOKS!
Contact me for our 1 year Anniversary Specials!
519-940-1131 or info@thelittlechefs.ca
Friday, October 23, 2009
Happy Halloween from Little Chefs!
Little Chefs would like to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy Halloween. To celebrate this fun filled day we have classes that are still open for registration at Alder St Recreation Centre this Saturday October 24th!
"Hooray for Halloween"
1pm. Ages 5 and up.
Wear your costume and get a special themed treat! Come for food, fun, crafts, prizes and more..........
You must register by Friday October 23rd at Alder St. guest services desk or call 519-940-1131 for more information on this Spooktakular event!
ABOUT US
Little Chefs is Headwaters Premier mobile cooking studio for kids!
We are a proudly mom-owned and operated business!
Little Chefs
519-940-1131
info@thelittlechefs.ca
www.thelittlechefs.ca
"Hooray for Halloween"
1pm. Ages 5 and up.
Wear your costume and get a special themed treat! Come for food, fun, crafts, prizes and more..........
You must register by Friday October 23rd at Alder St. guest services desk or call 519-940-1131 for more information on this Spooktakular event!
ABOUT US
Little Chefs is Headwaters Premier mobile cooking studio for kids!
We are a proudly mom-owned and operated business!
Little Chefs
519-940-1131
info@thelittlechefs.ca
www.thelittlechefs.ca
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Cooking Healthy Food Fast........
So-called fast food is a blessing for rushed parents. Not only is it what the name implies but kids can’t get enough of it.
The trouble is that fast food does not get very good press. And rightly so because fast food still tends to be high in fat, salt, sugar and other additives.
But what if you could make the same meal at home? If it didn’t take that much longer to prepare and was so much healthier because you’re controlling what goes into it?
Burger, Fries and Tomato Salsa?
Ingredients:
1 lb organic ground beef
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
½ teaspoon ready-made mustard
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 small onion
Olive oil
For Serving:
4 whole grain buns
Iceberg lettuce
Tomato salsa (see below)
Sliced cucumber and tomato
What you do:
· Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Peel and finely dice the onion.
· Using your hands, mix everything, except the oil, together. Divide the mixture into 4 and shape into burgers. It’s a good idea to make the edge slightly thicker: that makes the burger less liable to break up.
· Put them on greaseproof paper and leave them in the fridge, covered with more greaseproof paper, for about 30 minutes before cooking.
· Using a little oil and a non-stick pan, if you have one, fry the burgers until cooked, remembering to turn them once. Alternatively you can brush them with oil and grill them.
· Serve in buns with salad and salsa, and with oven-baked wedges (see below).
· Chicken and turkey are much loved by dieticians for their low fat qualities, and lots of kids prefer white meat burgers
Spicy Turkey Burger
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1 clove garlic, crushed
½” fresh ginger root, grated
1 small red onion, finely diced
Handful coriander
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoons paprika
½ tablespoon ground dry mustard
½ tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chilli powder
Dash Worcestershire sauce
What you do:
Mix everything together and shape into 4 burgers. Brush lightly with oil and grill until cooked. Serve with tomato salsa and oven-baked wedges (see below).
Oven-baked wedges
Ingredients:
2 baking-sized potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chilli or curry powder
What you do:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Scrub the potatoes and cut each potato into 8-10 wedges. Pat them dry with kitchen towel.
Place the chilli/curry powder in a plastic food bag with the oil and shake it up a bit, then add the potato wedges and give them a good shake, rubbing if necessary to make sure they’re all coated.
Spread the wedges out onto a baking tray and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Tomato Salsa
Ingredients:
2 large ripe tomatoes
½ red onion
1 green chili (optional)
Coriander or basil
Salt & pepper
A pinch of sugar
What you do:
Halve the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds. Dice the flesh.
Peel and finely dice the onion. If you’re using a chilli, remove the stalk and seeds and chop very finely. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and avoid touching your eyes.
Chop the coriander or basil. Mix everything together, seasoning and adding the sugar, which draws out the flavour of the tomatoes. Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
There are many variations on this recipe. Some include garlic and green peppers; others, especially in the winter, use canned tomatoes and simmer the sauce for a short or long time, depending on the desired consistency! See which is your favourite !
Yours in good health,
Lori Tinella
Little Chefs
Healthier Kids One Bite At A Time!
519-940-1131
The trouble is that fast food does not get very good press. And rightly so because fast food still tends to be high in fat, salt, sugar and other additives.
But what if you could make the same meal at home? If it didn’t take that much longer to prepare and was so much healthier because you’re controlling what goes into it?
Burger, Fries and Tomato Salsa?
Ingredients:
1 lb organic ground beef
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
½ teaspoon ready-made mustard
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 small onion
Olive oil
For Serving:
4 whole grain buns
Iceberg lettuce
Tomato salsa (see below)
Sliced cucumber and tomato
What you do:
· Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Peel and finely dice the onion.
· Using your hands, mix everything, except the oil, together. Divide the mixture into 4 and shape into burgers. It’s a good idea to make the edge slightly thicker: that makes the burger less liable to break up.
· Put them on greaseproof paper and leave them in the fridge, covered with more greaseproof paper, for about 30 minutes before cooking.
· Using a little oil and a non-stick pan, if you have one, fry the burgers until cooked, remembering to turn them once. Alternatively you can brush them with oil and grill them.
· Serve in buns with salad and salsa, and with oven-baked wedges (see below).
· Chicken and turkey are much loved by dieticians for their low fat qualities, and lots of kids prefer white meat burgers
Spicy Turkey Burger
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1 clove garlic, crushed
½” fresh ginger root, grated
1 small red onion, finely diced
Handful coriander
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoons paprika
½ tablespoon ground dry mustard
½ tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chilli powder
Dash Worcestershire sauce
What you do:
Mix everything together and shape into 4 burgers. Brush lightly with oil and grill until cooked. Serve with tomato salsa and oven-baked wedges (see below).
Oven-baked wedges
Ingredients:
2 baking-sized potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chilli or curry powder
What you do:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Scrub the potatoes and cut each potato into 8-10 wedges. Pat them dry with kitchen towel.
Place the chilli/curry powder in a plastic food bag with the oil and shake it up a bit, then add the potato wedges and give them a good shake, rubbing if necessary to make sure they’re all coated.
Spread the wedges out onto a baking tray and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Tomato Salsa
Ingredients:
2 large ripe tomatoes
½ red onion
1 green chili (optional)
Coriander or basil
Salt & pepper
A pinch of sugar
What you do:
Halve the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds. Dice the flesh.
Peel and finely dice the onion. If you’re using a chilli, remove the stalk and seeds and chop very finely. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and avoid touching your eyes.
Chop the coriander or basil. Mix everything together, seasoning and adding the sugar, which draws out the flavour of the tomatoes. Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
There are many variations on this recipe. Some include garlic and green peppers; others, especially in the winter, use canned tomatoes and simmer the sauce for a short or long time, depending on the desired consistency! See which is your favourite !
Yours in good health,
Lori Tinella
Little Chefs
Healthier Kids One Bite At A Time!
519-940-1131
Monday, October 5, 2009
Do You Eat Local??
I am wondering how many of us eat local? It can be hard at times , when you are shopping and you see some nice looking produce but chances are that fruit or vegetable travelled a long distance to get to your supermarket. Be aware when shopping for your fruits and vegetables next time.
Go to http://www.eatrealeatlocal.ca/ to learn more.....
Try to support local Farmer's markets, some are open all year round. Ask at your stores if not sure where the particular food is from.
Support our Ontario Farmers!!
Yours in good health,
Lori
Little Chefs
519-940-1131
Go to http://www.eatrealeatlocal.ca/ to learn more.....
Try to support local Farmer's markets, some are open all year round. Ask at your stores if not sure where the particular food is from.
Support our Ontario Farmers!!
Yours in good health,
Lori
Little Chefs
519-940-1131
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