There’s one week left until school starts around here and we’re clinging to those last carefree, unscheduled summer days. They feel particularly precious to me for when the last one is crossed off, I will be waking my first-born early, making him a stack of pancakes for breakfast, and kissing him goodbye for his first day of school.

Oh. I’m going to miss him so very, very much.

Yes, after a relaxed summer, an early morning routine is headed our way and we’re busy getting prepared for it. I sat down to plan out some fast, wholesome eats for our week-day mornings and didn’t have far to look; in the short six months that we’ve been up and running, Simple Bites has amassed a variety of breakfast suggestions.

Here are my picks for back-to-school breakfast ideas. Follow the links to get the full recipes, then grab a pen and paper and make a shopping list, because, ready or not, it’s back to school time!

1. Cottage Cheese & Yogurt Parfait with Fruit

This is breakfast to go at its very best. Layer fresh or frozen fruit with your favorite yogurt and cottage cheese, then top with granola and dig in with a spoon. For kid’s breakfasts, assemble them in small plastic containers with a tight fitting lid so they can be enjoyed anywhere between door and desk. (Pictured at the top of the post)

Get the Recipe: Cottage Cheese & Yogurt Parfait

2. Coconut Milk & Berry Smoothie

Jump-start your day with this dairy-free, sugar-free smoothie. Change up the berries with whatever you have on hand and customize to suit your child’s tastes.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Milk-Berry Smoothie

3. Buckwheat Pancakes

Make Monday mornings extra special with minimal effort, thanks to this do-ahead pancake mix. Mix the dry ingredients together in large batches, then store in the freezer to maintain freshness.

Get the Recipe: Buckwheat Pancake Mix

4. Berry Powerful Bars

Homemade energy bars couldn’t get any easier than these ‘berry powerful bars. They also boast plenty of antioxidants, whole grain goodness, no processed sweeteners and a lot less fat than regular granola bars.
Now there’s a strategy for feeding your family that don’t involve a drive-through window!

Get the Recipe: Berry Powerful Bars

5. Egg ‘McMuffin’

A cheese-topped egg sandwiched between a whole-wheat bun, this stick-to-your-ribs breakfast sandwich is hard to turn down. Add pre-cooked bacon for extra protein.

Get the Recipe: Quick Homemade Egg ‘McMuffin’

6. Scottish Oat Scones

For the non-breakfast person, a warm scone wrapped in a napkin is just the ticket. It can easily hold until mid-morning, but I’m guessing it won’t last that long.

Get the Recipe: Scottish Oat Scones

7. Muffins…your way

Use our basic One-Bowl Oatmeal Muffin recipe and suggestions for add-ins to create the perfect flavor combination for your family’s morning muffin. Never eat a disappointing muffin again!

Get the Recipe: One-Bowl Oatmeal Muffins

8. Chai-Spiced Granola

Sprinkle it on yogurt or oatmeal or just enjoy it with milk, this unique and flavorful granola will keep you and your little scholars energized until lunch!

Get the Recipe: Chai-Spiced Granola

What are you dishing up on those Monday to Friday mornings?

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On most days, dinner comes together quite pleasantly around here. We have a weekly menu plan, I buy just what we need for a few meals (and no more) at the market, and a well-rounded supper comes together with ease. Then…there are other days.

Occasionally, dinner just doesn’t happen for whatever reason – a delayed appointment, a webinar gone into overtime, or just plain lack of motivation (if we’re being honest here) – and we eat what I’ve come to call ‘The Non-Supper’. It’s usually something fast, requires no cooking and generates minimal dishes.

I’m generally not proud of our non-suppers, but sometimes at the end of another long strenuous day (no nanny, cleaning lady or mother’s helper around here!), insufficiently powered due to lack of sleep and fear of a coffee overdose (if there is such a thing), a non-supper takes some pressure off and frees up time for something more important, like playing with the kids.

The Non-Supper: It’s more popular than you think

I have a sneaking suspicion some of you know what I am talking about when I refer to these ‘non-suppers’, and after chatting with other women whom I respect for their ability to put nourishing food on the table, I know I am not alone.

Here’s what a few moms had to say when I asked them to ‘fess up about non-suppers in their homes:

“Well, make-your-own-PBJ comes to mind,” says Jessica, mother of six, “as well as the ‘snacky dinner’, similar to the snacky lunch, but usually has sliced baguette, deli meats, and cheeses. Hubs doesn’t need to be away for it to happen. It’s often my go-to football game/Sunday dinner.”

Julie agrees:

“I know all too well what you mean! (We just ate ice cream for dinner – of course that doesn’t count…) W (Julie’s son) very often asks for oatmeal for dinner. Easy. Five minutes, a shake of ground flax and a handful of raisins. Nothing wrong with oatmeal and milk!”

“People would probably be surprised to learn that there are many nights that I don’t cook dinner,” declares Jennifer, mom-of-four. “By ‘dinner’ I mean a cohesive (and that’s the key word, I think) main dish and side vegetable. Either I’m experimenting and tossing out a weird conglomeration of foods, or I just don’t feel like cooking.”

Jaime shared wise words.

“I believe I must be the Queen of the Non-Dinners. My mom used to advise me when I had only 1 toddler by saying that little kids are easy. If you’re not trying to impress anyone, just make sure the kid has 1 vegetable or fruit, 1 protein, and 1 starch. That’s balanced enough for a little person.”

Another mom who openly admits to feeding her kids plenty of non-suppers is Jan, although her reasons may be different from most:

“Sometimes I’ve done this out of necessity from an overwhelmingly hectic day and other times I do it so that Rob and I can enjoy an adults-only dinner date, at home, once the boys are in bed.”

Ahem, Jan, I’m taking this as a recommendation! In fact, all of these ladies had great ideas.

Here’s where it gets interesting, though, non-suppers don’t have to mean junk, fast-food, take-out or microwave popcorn. Sure back in my single days a non-supper could mean a bowl of ice cream, but with children factoring in to the equation, it needs to be something better, whether I feel up to it or not.

Ten Non-Suppers You Don’t Have to Feel Guilty About

Here are suggestions for decidedly non-suppers, but that are not altogether empty calories. They come together in minutes, require little to no cooking, and even border on comfort food. The best part? No marshmallow fluff is hurt (consumed) in the process.

There’s even bonus points for extra nutrition.

1. Cheese & Crackers

Bonus Points:

• 1 fruit or vegetable
• cold chicken or roast beef

2.Yogurt & Applesauce

Bonus points:

• slice of toast
• handful of nuts
• a shake of granola or meusli
• homemade yogurt

3. Peanut Butter Toast & Banana

Bonus Points:

• Whole wheat bread
• All-natural peanut butter
• carrot sticks

4. Granola & Milk

Bonus Points:

• fresh berries
• dried fruit

5. Egg “McMuffin”

Recipe below.
Bonus Points:

• fresh fruit
• slice of tomato or lettuce
• A slice of turkey breast, or low-salt ham

Photo by realsmiley

6. Fruit Smoothie

Bonus Points:

• add oatmeal
• add Peanut Butter (Peanut Butter Smoothie recipe)
• add Spinach
• use coconut milk

7. Veggies & Dip

Bonus Points:

• add whole wheat pita chips or strips
• add cold chicken for dipping

8. Raisin Bran Muffin & Hot Cocoa

Bonus Points:

• use 70% pure cocoa powder (a top ten super food for kids)
• add zucchini, carrot or pumpkin to the muffins

9. Whole Wheat Grilled Cheese

Bonus Points:

• a slice of tomato
• raw fruit or veg accompaniment
• homemade pickle (link to Lynn)

10. Tuna Salad on Whole Wheat Bread/Bun

Bonus Points:

• Low-fat mayo
• diced celery and apple in the mix

Recipe: Homemade Egg “McMuffin”

• 1 egg
• 1 bun, English muffin, or bread of choice
• butter
• cheese, sliced

1. Butter a small, microwave-safe baking dish or ramekin and crack an egg into the middle.
2. With a fork, pierce the yolk and whisk the egg about three times. You want the yolk to stay mainly intact, but not explode in the microwave! Season, if desired.
3. Microwave on Medium-High for two minutes (or less if you want a soft-set yolk). In the meantime, toast your bun and butter it.
4. Carefully remove ramekin from microwave and add a slice of cheese on top of the egg. Loosen around the edges of the egg with a knife and slide onto the bun.
5. Top with the other half of the bun and enjoy! Caution! The egg will be very hot.

Note: Yes, the egg can be fried in a pan, but the microwave is faster and dirties a smaller dish.
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Let’s discuss the non-dinner subject. The ladies in this post and myself have already divulged all. Who wants to go next ?

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Summer entertaining lends itself so well to simplicity: fresh produce abounds, needing little to no adornment, and the most a host should need to do is wash the produce well and serve. Since everything is so fresh and tasty so why complicate things?

One of my favorite summer snacking foods are cherry tomatoes. Fresh from the vine, bursting with warm juices, and available in an assortment of bright colors, they are nature’s Jujubes, in my opinion.

Sure you can put out a bowl of cherry tomatoes for all-day snacking, but here’s a suggestion for something slightly more sophisticated, yet still very simple: a slow-roasted cherry tomato.

Also known as oven-roasted tomatoes, these are dynamic, flavor-packed little morsels. For a easy appetizer, I like to serve a bowl of them alongside a wedge of soft cheese and a plate of crackers. Guests can create their own canapés that are easy, delicious and, best of all, seasonal!

How to make slow-roasted tomatoes in a nutshell?

Slice cherry tomatoes in half, drizzle with olive oil, season with coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, and top with a fresh herb. Then leave them in a slow oven for many hours, during which time they partially dry out, but not nearly so much as a sun-dried tomato.

Yes, this method is easy to do, and as with most other drying techniques, the tomato flavors are concentrated into a tiny parcel that can be added to many other dishes for a punch of flavor.

Looking for more options on how to serve the slow-roasted tomato?

You can use them in place of their far more potent cousin, the sun-dried tomato, in almost any recipe, and here are a few of my favorites uses.

• Mound onto a wedge of crusty bread, top with mozzarella and broil to melted sandwich perfection.
• Toss them with crumbled feta and serve over fresh greens for a light lunch.
• Add to pizzas toppings; feel free to skip the tomato sauce and drizzle pizza with olive oil instead.
• Toss with hot pasta and chopped fresh herbs for a simple, yet elegant meal.

Recipe: Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

1. Cut the tomatoes in half end-to-end, and place cut side up on a pan.
2. Optional: Slice 4-5 cloves of garlic, and sprinkle over the tomatoes.
3. Strip several sprigs of fresh thyme, and sprinkle the leaves over the tomatoes.
4. Season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil liberally over all of the tomatoes.
5. Place in the oven at 200°F for 6-8 hours; the tomatoes will collapse, but not completely dry out. (since they’ll be in there a while, preheating is not necessary)
6. Cool and serve with crackers and soft cheese or package to preserve.

Preserving Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Freezing: Pack tomatoes into a freezeable container, and pour the oil from the pan over the top. Cover with more olive oil if needed, label and freeze for up to 6 months.

Fridge: Transfer tomatoes to a jar and cover with olive oil. Cover jar with lid and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

What do you serve that could be spiced up with a few slow-roasted cherry tomatoes?

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I fell in love on my honeymoon. With a cold soup. Yes, I was already head over heels with a tall engineering student, but a chilled Hungarian sour cherry soup, enjoyed on a shady Budapest courtyard with the aforementioned tall student, also captured my heart.

That memorable lunch left an impression on me – on my palate – and I’ve never turned down a cold soup since.

Cold Soup. I know, it’s almost a contradiction. Isn’t soup supposed to be a comforting dish, warming us down to our very toes? Simmered on a back burner on a chilly autumn day? If you’re not familiar with the summer version of soup, it certainly can sound off-putting, but it is actually a marvelously refreshing way to enjoy summer’s produce.

Here’s what you may not know about cold soups:

• They are quick & easy to make. Got a blender? Good. You’ll have cold soup in minutes.
• They pack a wallop of flavor.  Think ripe, seasonal fruit scooped up with a spoon.
• They provide valuable opportunities to get the kids to eat their vegetables. Who is to know what may be blended up in a soup?
• They’re delicious. Absolutely, positively.

Three Chilled Soup Recipes

Here are three of my favorite recipes for chilled soups. They are a little more exciting than traditional cold soups like gazpacho and vichyssoise, but they are no more complicated to make. In fact, I think they are even simpler.

Try them and I guarantee you’ll fall in love with at least one recipe – but more likely all three….

Chilled Yellow Tomato Soup

This quick tomato soup requires just a bowl and a blender and can be kept in the fridge for no-fuss light lunches all week long. No stove to clean and minimal dishes? I’ll take that.

Ingredients:

• 6 large, ripe yellow tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• salt & pepper

1. Quarter tomatoes and toss in a bowl with sugar and vinegar. Cover and marinade 1-3 hours.
2. Puree in a blender and pass through a fine sieve. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve chilled with your choice of garnish.

Entertaining Tip: Chill a tray of shot glasses. Pour soup into glasses and serve to guests to sip or ‘shoot’ for a refreshing summer appetizer.

Garnish Options:

• mini-cucumbers
• chives, chopped
• cherry tomatoes
• croutons
• diced avocado
• crumbled feta

Note: This soup can keep up to three days in the fridge. Be sure to shake, whisk or blend well before serving as it will separate when it sits.

Quick Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with Lime & Basil

My children’s personal favorite! Many thanks to Lydia of Soup Chick for the inspiration.

• 3 cups cubed melon
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/8 tsp ground (powdered) ginger
• Zest of one lime
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 tsp agave nectar or honey (optional)
• 2-3 mint leaves (optional, but delicious)
• 2-3 basil leaves
• A pinch of kosher salt
• 2-3 Tbsp water if needed to thin the soup to desired consistency

Combine all ingredients except water in a blender, and puree until smooth. Adjust consistency with water, if needed. Serve chilled.

Note: This soup can keep up to three days in the fridge. Be sure to shake, whisk or blend well before serving as it will separate when it sits.

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Mint & Yogurt

• 1 small English cucumber, washed & seeded
• 2 Tablespoons chopped chives (or green onion)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, washed and chopped (or cilantro)
• 1 cup organic milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• salt and pepper

optional garnish:

• yogurt
• sliced cucumber
• chives

1. In a food processor or blender, puree cucumber and fresh herbs with a splash of the milk.
2. Add remainder of milk and sour cream and blend until fairly smooth.
3. Stir in yogurt; season with salt and pepper.
4. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Make Ahead: Soup may keep, well covered, for up to 2 days.
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Cold soup (which was once deemed only for expensive tasting menus at chi-chi restaurants and scoffed at by macho men) is making a comeback!

Yay or Nay? Would you be willing to give chilled soup a try?

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Written by Cheri of Kitchen Simplicity.

Eating breakfast around a campfire is one of my favorite ways to start a summer day. Nothing tastes quite as good as food cooked over an open flame. Any of your favorite breakfast meals can be made over a campfire; all you need is the right tools and a little innovation.

Campfire Tools and Breakfast Ideas

Pie Irons

These useful tools like this Coleman Camp Cooker are not just for hobo pies. Anything you can dream up to sandwich between bread can be cooked up and devoured. For breakfast try ham and grilled cheese sandwiches, french toast slices filled with cream cheese and jam or how about grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

When cooking with pie irons it’s important to heat them up before using to get that crispy skillet effect. You can even use them to fry eggs. Just open up a pie iron and cook one egg on each side.

Cast Iron Skillet

Cast iron skillets are one of my favorite camping tools because they’re so versatile. Whatever you cook in a skillet at home you can make over the campfire with a cast iron skillet.

To use, simply place the skillet directly onto hot coals or on a rack placed above the fire and allow it to get good and hot. Add a dab of oil and you’re good to go! Try cooking up some:

• bacon
• pancakes
• scrambled eggs
• french toast
• hash browns
• bannock

Caution! Be sure to have a hefty oven mitt handy, as the handle of the cast iron pan will get very hot.

Aluminum Foil

For those who don’t have much for camping equipment consider aluminum foil your new best friend. Nearly anything can be wrapped up in a double thickness of foil, tossed on some hot coals and left to cook through. The food is cooked by the steam created from the food itself, so don’t expect anything to get crispy.

Try the recipe for Campfire Hash Browns below to get things started.

Hot Dog Sticks

This is one tool that nearly every camper has on hand and if not, a sharpened stick is a great substitute.

For breakfast consider threading on breakfast sausages or wrapping biscuit dough around each tong and toasting until crisp and fluffy. Treat each stick like a kabob and thread on fruits, like pineapple, to heat over the fire.

Whatever is good on the grill is great on the fire.

Recipe: Campfire Hash Browns

1. Take a double thickness of aluminum foil and fill it with diced potatoes and any other vegetables you like (I used onions and red pepper). Sprinkle with salt, pepper and desired spices. Dot with butter. Seal up foil to make a packet.
2. Place packet onto coals of campfire (making sure it does not touch direct flames). Cook for 40-50 minutes, depending on size of diced potatoes. Avoid opening packet until cooked through or steam will escape and lengthen the cooking time. Serve with ketchup or salsa and sour cream.

* Be careful of steam when opening foil.

* To round out the meal add some chopped sausage to the packet before cooking.

What is your favorite campfire breakfast?

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Tomatoes have arrived. Tomatoes that actually have flavor, that taste sun kissed, and have ripened naturally.

I herald the arrival of the fresh summer tomatoes just as enthusiastically as flip-flops and sundresses. Like most produce, they are best enjoyed simply adorned.

Marinated Tomatoes

Here’s what I’m suggesting you do right now. Yep, before you’ve had your morning coffee, before you even open Google Reader.
Go select five or six of the ripest summer tomatoes on your counter and gather extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, a few cloves of firm garlic, and some fresh herbs. They can be basil, oregano, or thyme.

Wash & slice the tomatoes, then tip them into a large bowl. Drench them in olive oil (1/2 cup) and add salt & pepper. Crush the garlic, chop the herbs and toss everything together. Let it marinade on the kitchen counter until lunch.

Now you’ve got an ace up your sleeve; a base for a handful of delicious meals.

14 Variations on how to use your marinated tomatoes

1. Halve a baguette, char it slightly on the grill, pile tomatoes on top. Serve with plenty of napkins.

2. Butter a baking dish, layer tomatoes with thinly sliced onion, top with breadcrumbs and cheese of your choice. Bake until bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve with a side of grilled steak.

3. Add in fresh mozzarella or bocconcini cheese and a splash of balsamic vinegar for a summer salad worthy of inviting the neighbors over for.

4. Toss with piping hot, cooked capellini pasta and dinner is served.

5. Stuff a whole-wheat pita with the marinated tomatoes. Add sliced cucumber and a dollop of sour cream (or tzatziki). Grilled lamb optional.

6. Drain liquid, and arrange some of the tomatoes on a pizza base. Dot with black olives, top with cheese and bake until crust is brown. Anchovies are recommended.

7. Bake rounds of French baguette until crispy. Pile tomatoes onto the crostini and dot with fresh goat’s cheese for a fast bruschetta.

8. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar to the marinated tomatoes. Allow to sit another hour or so. Pour into a blender (omitting the obvious chunks of garlic) and puree into a refreshing soup. Serve chilled. (Lovely with yellow tomatoes.)

9. Slather a 9’ uncooked tart shell with pesto. Drain tomatoes and arrange some of them in a ½ inch layer over pesto. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and bake until pastry is golden.

10. Place 6-8 raw jumbo shrimp in the middle of a square of aluminum foil. Bury them in the marinated tomatoes and fold up the sides of the foil. Seal foil. Toss on the BBQ for 7-9 minutes. Remove and enjoy a steaming, fragrant broth with perfectly pink shrimp.

11. Squeeze half a lemon over the marinated tomatoes. Crumble in several handfuls of pita crisps; toss together, and serve over torn romaine lettuce.

12. Add in diced red onion, a splash of red wine vinegar, and the fattest olives you can find, and mound everything into a bowl. Crumble feta on top and dig in.

13. Toast thick slices of rustic country bread. Spread with mayonnaise and top with a generous amount of sliced marinated tomatoes. Top with crisped bacon and lettuce. Enjoy and don’t forget to wipe your chin.

14. Make a Roasted Tomato & Chevre Phyllo Tart.
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How are you serving up your tomatoes?

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Written by Shaina of Food for My Family.

This summer marks the fourth year in a house without air conditioning. We survive the 90- and sometimes even 100-degree heat year after year by living in tank tops and flip-flops. I also open the windows and blow hot air around, trying to create a breeze. Finally, I stock my freezer full of cool treats that will air condition my family from the inside out.

Having survived a late July due date with my fourth child in these weather conditions, I’d say I know a thing or two about midsummer frozen fare. I start with the obvious: popsicles and ice cubes, both perfect for plopping into water that can’t get cold enough or running across your skin, and then I move on to things like frozen fruit for daily smoothies and ice cream treats aplenty.

Here are three of our favorite frozen summer treats.

Photo by Shaina

Frozen Fruit Skewers with Honey-Yogurt Dipping Sauce

• 6 bamboo skewers
• 1 cup fresh fruit pieces (berries, grapes, pineapple chunks)

Honey-Yogurt Dipping Sauce

• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons honey

1. Have the kids place the fruit on the skewers. Encourage nibbling.
2. Freeze the skewers in an airtight container or a zip-top bag for at least 5 hours until frozen solid.
3. Just before serving, mix together yogurt and honey. Serve with frozen skewers.

Makes 6 skewers.

Photo by Shaina

Greek Yogurt Semifreddo

• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup Greek yogurt

1. Mix together cream and confectioner’s sugar using a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Chill in refrigerator.
2. In a double boiler over medium heat, whisk egg yolks, egg and sugar until doubled in size. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in vanilla and half of the Greek yogurt. Fold remaining Greek yogurt and the egg and sugar base into the chilled whipped cream.
4. Pour mixture into molds or into an airtight container and place in the fridge for 6-8 hours until hardened. Eat directly from molds, in slices or scoop and enjoy in a bowl. Top with seasonal berries and/or granola.

Photo by Shaina

Oatmeal Raisin Ice Cream Sandwiches

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup milk
• 2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
• ½ cup raisins

Greek Yogurt Semifreddo (above) or your favorite vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Cream together butter and sugar, then beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Alternately add flour and milk to the butter mixture, mixing after each addition. Stir in quick oats.
3. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicon mat. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350º F or until edges turn brown but centers are soft. Remove from oven and allow to sit on baking sheet until set. Cool completely on wire racks.
4. When cookies are cool, place small scoops of ice cream or sliced semifreddo disks between two cookies. Individually wrap in parchment, place in airtight container and freeze for at least 5 hours until ice cream and cookie are both frozen. Remove from freezer when ready to serve.

Makes 16-18 ice cream sandwiches.

These are only few of the summertime snacks we try to have available at our house. When the heat seems unbearable and the children are cranky from being stuck in the house, I pull one of these out and head to the shade of a backyard tree. Suddenly, everything starts to slow down, and life seems a whole lot sweeter.

What are a few of your favorite ways to cool down on a hot summer day?

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My first son wore his toddler status like a badge of honor. He was into everything and anything as soon as he was mobile and I quickly had to figure out a few ways to keep him still more than five seconds. One of my favorite tactics was to plop him in his highchair and hand him a popsicle (usually frozen orange juice). It was always guaranteed to give me a sold twenty minutes to put dinner together or answer some emails.

Fast forward four years: I’m still making frozen treats, but now they are helpful to beat the heat and keep the peace between siblings. It is easy to remember that your brother is your best friend when you are both sitting on the back steps eating something lip-smackingly good.

Frozen treats are fun and delicious, no matter how old you are. This week we’ll be bringing you all sorts of simple ideas for frozen treats to make -and enjoy- with your kids.

Here’s to keeping cool!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dipped Banana Pops

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• 1 cup chocolate-chips
• 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter

Materials:

• 9 wooden popsicle sticks
• parchment paper

1. Peel bananas and cut into three sections. Gently insert a popsicle stick into the center.
2. Place on a parchment paper lined tray and place in the freezer while you melt your chocolate.
3. Combine chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (power 6-7) until melted. Stir with a spatula until smooth.
4. Pour melted chocolate into a tall, narrow glass or container. Remove bananas from freezer. Dip, one by one, into the chocolate, letting it ooze up the sides of the glass and coat the banana.
5. Place bananas on tray again and sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Freeze until solid.

To enjoy: remove from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for about five minutes. Serve with a napkin.

Strawberry Jam Yogurt Pops

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain, organic yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons organic honey
• ¼ cup jam of choice (I used this Strawberry-Rhubarb jam)

Equipment:

• ice cream machine
• popsicle molds

1. Whisk yogurt and honey together and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine*. Churn until stiff.
2. Return to bowl and ‘ribbon’ jam into frozen yogurt.
3. Spoon into ice cube tray or popsicle molds, push in a wooden skewer and freeze until solid.

*I use this Cuisinart Automatic Ice Cream Maker.

Berry-Smoothie Mini Cones

This is hardly a recipe as all it requires is blending frozen berries and cream until smooth and then freezing until firm enough to scoop. You can use a food processor or a blender, but either way, you will have to stop a few times to manipulate the fruit with a spatula and then restart the machine.

Feel free to omit the sugar entirely; raspberries are quite tart, and as this is intended to be a dessert, I added the sugar. Strawberries, however, do not need added sugar. Cream can also be upgraded to heavy cream (35 or 45%), or replaced with milk–as the chef wishes!

This recipe is also pictured at the top of the post.

Makes 1 pint.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Raspberries, frozen, or berries of your choice
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
• Mini cones

Equipment:

• blender
• spatula
• ice cream scoop

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times to get things moving. Blend until smooth. This will take a bit of time and it will look grainy, but continue until it is smooth.
2. Taste and adjust sugar if needed.
3. Transfer to a plastic container and freeze until quite firm. Scoop into mini-cones and serve.

There are no treats in the frozen food aisle better than the ones we can make at home. What are some of your favorites?

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Sometimes no matter how hard we try, our mornings get rushed and we don’t have time to sit down for breakfast. If you have a teenager you probably have difficulty getting them out of bed in the morning, which usually means breakfast is scarfed down at the last minute, or skipped completely.

Your kids can still enjoy a healthy breakfast while riding on the bus or once they get to their destination. If you have something to hand them on their way out the door, you can be at ease knowing they’ll have a healthy start to their day.

On the Go Breakfast Ideas

• granola bars
• ham, eggs and cheese layered on scones, toast or bagels to make a sandwich
• yogurt parfaits in plastic cups
• muffins and quick breads
• breakfast burritos (scrambled eggs, meat/beans, veggies and cheese wrapped in a tortilla)
• smoothies
• breakfast pizzas (english muffins topped with ham, pineapple and cheese)
• bagel with cream cheese and jam
• breakfast panini (ie: bacon and cheese)
• sweet breakfast wraps (banana, peanut butter and honey wrapped in a tortilla /or cream cheese and fresh slices of fruit)
• peanut butter and jelly sandwich with slices of banana
• fruit
• scrambled eggs stuffed in a pita with toppings of choice
• fruit and nut muesli in a plastic cup or mason jar

Anything that can be packaged up and travel well will make a good take-away breakfast. Be creative. Think of your favourite lunchbox meals and find ways to make them suitable for breakfast. Or, try to make your favourite breakfast eats more hand-held friendly. The sky’s the limit. Go forth and eat breakfast!

Recipe: Cottage Cheese & Yogurt Parfait

This is a great take-along breakfast because you can seal it up tight in a jar to eat at your leisure when the time is right. I used frozen blueberries and bananas for my parfait.

• 1 cup fruit, fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup granola

1. Toss fruit and maple syrup to coat. Set aside.
2. Mix together the cottage cheese and yogurt. Divide between four mason jars with lids (or large plastic cups).
3. Top evenly with fruit mixture. (Make sure to include all the yummy juices that have collected at the bottom of the bowl.)
4. Sprinkle with granola. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to go (keeping in mind the granola will soften as it sits).

Serves: 4-6 (depending on age and appetite)

What foods do you find yourself reaching for when your in a rush to get out the door in the morning?

Photos by Cheri Neufeld

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Real Food on a Real Budget - how to eat healthy for less.
• Eat Cleaner - all natural food wash.
• The Soft Landing - feeding families safely.

© 2010 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Bites subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplelivingmedia.com to let us know. Thanks.

One of the hardest things for a mother to do is to get out of the front door. There is so much to juggle – Are the kids dressed? Teeth brushed? Shoes and socks on? Do you have all the pertinent papers, backpacks, sack lunches, and money? Do you have the car keys, sunglasses, and cell phone? And, by the way, did you remember to change out of your pajamas?

Remembering all that plus getting a nutritious breakfast in everyone can be overwhelming. But don’t be discouraged. There are strategies for feeding your family that don’t involve a drive-through window. One of them is to plan ahead and make some food bars.

They can be eaten one-handed while running a comb through a child’s hair, signing a permission slip, or while waiting at a stop light. Unlike the one-handed breakfast from the drive-through, these granola bars have lots of anitioxidants, whole grain goodness,  no processed sweeteners and a lot less fat.

Do yourself and your family a favor. Stock up the refrigerator with these meal-on-the-go bars and you’ll have at least one part of the morning under control.

Photo by Lynn

Berry Powerful Bars
- adapted from Eating Well

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon flaxseeds, preferably golden
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 cup unsweetened whole-grain puffed cereal (see Note)
• 1 cup assorted dried fruits (blueberries, cranberries, cherries, golden raisins)
• 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

1- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch-square pan with cooking spray.

2- Spread oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds and sesame seeds on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the oats are lightly toasted and the nuts are fragrant, shaking the pan halfway through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cereal and dried fruit; toss to combine.

3- Combine almond butter, sugar, honey, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Over medium-low heat, stir frequently until the mixture bubbles lightly, 2 to 5 minutes.

4- Immediately pour the almond butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula until no dry spots remain. Transfer to the prepared pan. Using a silicone spatula, press the mixture down firmly to make an even layer (wait until the mixture cools slightly if necessary). Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes; cut into 8 bars.

Photo by Lynn

Note: I used Kashi Go Lean cereal.

What are your best tips to help mornings run more smoothly?

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Real Food on a Real Budget - how to eat healthy for less.
• Eat Cleaner - all natural food wash.
• The Soft Landing - feeding families safely.

© 2010 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Bites subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplelivingmedia.com to let us know. Thanks.